"I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start." - William Shakespeare

Soon, my brothers.  All my aloha.

Poi

Dax & jcordova,

It would be my pleasure.  I look forward to crossing sticks with y'all.

Aloha, Poi

I think we've found the "limit" of what trainers can be allowed at a Gathering.  I'm still for the aluminum trainers, but I think the P'kal trainer is just past the edge of safe "blunt point" for our endeavors.  I'm a little bummed, because it's going to take my favored trainer out of the game for Gatherings, but I'm far more concerned for fighter safety.  Big salute to C-Dragon Dog for being the willing crash test dummy during this particular laboratory experiment.   

Aloha, Poi

I know you're wicked busy, but we missed you this weekend, brother.  Much aloha.

-Poi

Guide Dog,

Sorry I couldn't make it out today for your grand opening.  I'm sure all went well, best wishes.

Aloha nui loa, Poi

Great day yesterday.  Thanks to everyone there, a heartfelt 'Woof' to those who should have been there but weren't because Life has a nasty habit of getting in the way.  Specific Mahalo to James, Tobias, Kaju, Doc Rick, and Darrien (sp?) for the fights yesterday, it is always an honor for me to cross sticks with such wonderful people.  Steve, you and I are on deck for 1st fight next time!

Big Aloha to the New Mexico clan, an absolute pleasure to meet you, hopefully I'll be back in the Land of Enchantment soon, and we can cross sticks/train then.  I know for a fact I'm missing some shouts to others, please forgive me, I've been hit in the head...a lot.   

NoHo, y'all continue to inspire me.  Great fights from our (no-longer) cherry fighters and veteran fighters alike, I expected nothing less.  We represented Pappy's spirit well, methinks.

Aloha nui loa, Poi

I would be honored.

Aloha, Poi

Woof Datu,

It is so hard for me to believe that it was 20 years ago that I began my journey with you into the world of the Filipino Martial Arts. Though now I walk the journey without you, I know that you are the reason I have never swayed from the path, that I continue to find joy in the beauty of this movement and that I will love the art until my final day. I've always felt your guidance, your presence and your love on every step, and I continue to feel you in my heart and at my side, protecting me and leading me through my trials and growth. All my thanks and all my love, Datu, you are the reason I am the Poi Dog.

Eternal Aloha, Kalani

RIP, Datu Manny Nitullama, my first instructor in the FMA.  You will be missed.  Mahalo for starting me down this path some 20 years ago, I owe you so much.

Aloha nui loa, Poi

Rendezvous will be the "Gathering" park, 4th & Ardmore.  Next to the auto shop at:

<325 Ardmore Ave
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254>

Aloha, Poi

jcordova, dianhsuhe & Kaju: I would be honored to step out with y'all.  Mahalo.

Aloha, Poi

Just chiming in here.  I'd like to encourage my fellow veteran fighters ("Dog" and up) to try and get in a fight with at least one cherry fighter.  As the "veterans", I think a large part of our tribal responsibility is to bring new fighters into the fold, and to lead by example what we expect of fighters within the tribe.  I can certainly understand why many of us put in iPods to listen to music (to "find-the-zone/silence-the-chatter/cool-mystical-deep-phrase-of-choice"), but I'd like to encourage our tribe members to reach out to the newbies.  Engage them in conversation and help them get over their chatter, as it is likely MUCH louder for them.  We've "been there, done that" so to speak, and we're back, so we can help them find the same joy we find in the mutual testing.

Knowing that most of us prefer to challenge ourselves, we often overlook the newer fighters because we are looking to fight at or near the edge of our limits.  To compensate, you can always handicap yourself - a lighter stick, a 1st gen mask, lighter gloves, fighting with the complementary hand, etc. to ensure you're making things challenging.  I truly believe that if we really commit to this challenge, we will strengthen the tribe exponentially over time.  We stand only to gain.  As with the vast majority of things I post online, this is just my $.02.  Thanks for reading, and now, please bear with me as I climb down off of my soapbox...


Okay, having rambled on through that, I am looking to set up a fight or 2 here on the forum.  I've already got my staff fight with Doc set, I'd also like to set up either an espada y daga, a single stick, a double stick, and/or a knife-v-'weapon of opportunity' (rolled up magazine).  I'm going to keep most of my single sticks fights open for cherry fighters.  Yes - I know this is an ambitious line-up, but God/Fate/Nothing willing, I'll manage (fingers/toes/eyes crossed).  Any takers? Look forward to seeing y'all in September. 

Aloha, Poi

Woof!  The dates have been blocked off in my calendar.   

Aloha, Poi

I know I am deep in the "dinged-up-fingers-make-it-hard-to-type" space that always comes after the Gatherings.   

A very big MAHALO to all my brothers (and sister) who made it to the tribal this year, both those with whom I have crossed sticks/trainers and those I have yet to face.  I am honored to call you friends.  Safe travels and all the best.

Aloha, Poi

@jcordova: I kinda liked the first one. 

Am I the only one whose chatter increased tremendously after receiving this information on Friday the 13th?!     HAH!!

Poi

Woof!

Woof Kaju,

We'll miss you, brother.  Semper Fi.

Aloha, Poi

Woof PK,

I faxed mine in a couple of days ago.  I'm sending it in via email in a couple of minutes to be safe.

Aloha, Poi

PS - You've got email. 

Poi is in.

Poi is in.

Congratulations, Guide Dog!!

Rest in peace, C-Desert Dog, you and your family are in my prayers tonight. My sincerest condolences to his family and the Euro tribes. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but if he was was Candidate Dog Brother, I know I would have liked him.

E ho`omaha me ka maluhia, koa. Aloha `oe. (Rest in peace, warrior. Farewell to you.)

Me ke Aloha, Poi

Awesome, Scurvy!!!  Congrats, brother.  We miss you in NoHo.

Aloha, Poi

Solid.

London, England (CNN) --

Hit the road, Jack.

Last year's most popular name for baby boys in England has been knocked off -- by Mohammed.

That's not immediately obvious from data put out this week by the Office of National Statistics, which declared Wednesday that Oliver was the single most popular name for boys born in 2009.

But a CNN analysis of the top 4,500 boys names shows that, when different spellings of the name are lumped together, Mohammed is No. 1.

Oliver and variations come second, followed by Jack, Thomas, Charles, Harry, William and Daniel.

The United Kingdom is about 4.6 percent Muslim, with just under 2.9 million Muslims according to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

And Muslims have a strong tendency to name their sons Mohammed.

"The first reason why people keep the children's name Mohammed is because of their love of the prophet Mohammed, because they want to emulate him," said Imam Abdullah al-Hasan of the East
London Mosque.

"They want to copy him not just through his behavior and conduct, but also his name," said the imam, who is thinking about naming his own newborn son after the founder of Islam.

The Muslim population has risen rapidly in Western Europe in the past 20 years, according to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

From under 10 million in 1990, it's gone up to about 17 million today, the think tank said in a report last month.

That has be accompanied by tensions ranging from racial violence in parts of England to legal restrictions like banning the burqa in France and banning minarets in Switzerland.

But al-Hasan says Britain has nothing to fear.

"One message I would give to them is that you shouldn't be surprised. You shouldn't be scared. You shouldn't be frightened or anything like that," he said.

"It shows that Islam is here to stay in Britain. Islam is here to stay in Europe," he said. "It's not alien from the Western society. It's not alien to the British context."

###

--CNN's Brittany Harris, Erin McLaughlin and Atika Shubert contributed to this report.

What time and where?  I may be able to attend if the dinner dovetails with my Saturday agenda.

Aloha, Poi

Seconded!!

Then you better stop blaming me, damn Spaniard!!  BTW, congrats on the whole World Cup thing.   

Grateful for the start of the World Cup.





And coffee.

My favorite moment in the vid is ~6:32-6:44 where "Seeing Eye" Dog is in the grapple and GIGGLING WITH GLEE as he stabs his opponent!!  My least favorite part is at 7:59 - the hit where Rene broke my finger!!!  (Which needs to be rebroken BTW, because it didn't set properly, Rene!!!!  Damn Spaniards...  )

Aloha, Poi

We missed you, Guide!

Woof Howie,

I've got a few photos of my hand, the x-ray and a pretty nice stick hickey.  I'll let you know once I post them or I'll email you the copies.

Aloha, Poi

Faxed my form in today.

Aloha, Poi

Isao Machii is a legitimate badass with the katana.  Here's another vid with him doing incredible cuts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p35S_OPvlo

Aloha, Poi

Woofs of agreement, even thought I spent a good portion of class today trying to get my dodger mechanics working correctly.  Uninstalling less productive habits for more productive habits always takes time and causes significant brain farts.

Aloha, Poi

Woof Guro,

Big Mahalo for the best wishes.  I just returned from Wisconsin where the family had a fitting ceremony for my uncle.  It was a jarring reminder that there are no guarantees in life and to take advantage of the opportunities I have and to appreciate the present.

Aloha, Poi

Woof Guro,

I'll be there.

Aloha, Poi

Woof,

I was there, but I was miserably late.  I completely underestimated my travel time to the academy and due to LA freeway traffic did not arrive at the academy until 1330.  Jogo and Crafty, my sincerest apologies that I was so late.  I had a friend call the academy for me, but he got no answer when he called.  When I finally arrived at the academy, I spoke with the woman working the front desk and she informed me that I had just missed you, Jogo (I'm assuming it was you).  All in all, this was a very bad weekend for me, mostly through piss poor planning on my part.

Again, my sincerest apologies to both Jogo and Guro.

Poi

Hahaha, I don't think there was any disrespect shown.  Just a grammatical issue.  I threw the 'please' in to bust your chops.

The Crafty one strikes again!

Woof,

I know I can.

Poi

Fixed.

Today, I am thankful for the men and women, far better than myself, who gave their lives in service of this great country.

-- Poi

I go barefoot or in slippers (flip-flops for all you mainlanders) as much as I can.  A great alternative to look at for times when you can't go barefoot - Vibram Five Fingers.  I have a pair of the Fivefingers Classic that I've started wearing when I go trail hiking or rucking.  Great minimalist footgear.  Two more sites I'd recommend are Barefoot Ted and Running Barefoot.  Evolution FTW!!

Aloha, Poi

I prefer the Adidas Samba model indoor soccer shoe.  Flat, thin sole with a sturdy toe for the savate kicks.  Comfortable enough for a 3-day Gathering.   

Aloha, Poi

In the spirit of Dog Dean's photo fun, here's my contribution:
Broken nose - Thanks, Sheep Dog.
Stick hickey, ribs - Thanks, Dogzilla.
Stick hickey, left shoulder.
Stick hickey, right shoulder.
Stick hickey, left thigh - Thanks, Chris.

I'll write a post on my reflections in a little bit, but a quick thanks to all the fighters, the camera crew, the musicians, Crafty and Pretty Kitty for getting things organized and Dogzilla for the "broke da mout" grinds.

Aloha, Poi

'World of valor' on the Discovery channel back in the day.

This should be a hell of a fight! 

Aloha, Poi

I would not sell haga to a slayer such as you.  This is Stygian...the best!!

As long as you can find someone willing to go up against you with the mai sok, they're permitted.  Sheep Dog has been trying to get someone to fight him with mai sok for a while.

Aloha, Poi