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In a message dated 11/16/01 10:20:34 AM Mountain Standard Time,
lurine@... writes:


> Ah, Karate has been around but it wasn't a "fad" until the U.S. decided it
>

Should I teach my kids that kewl sucks?
To only choose things that are not mainstream so they themselves will then be
kewl?

Kirby's been at this karate school, which was chosen after calling and
researching the parent schools to find one that was more involved with
philosophy and culture and health than with tournaments (they do none) and
quick advancement. He started at nine (somewhat late for that school) and is
still there at 15. The two teens who outranked him have left for
extracurricular school stuff now, and he's the ranking kid. The school
doesn't allow black belts before the age of 18, but he cares nothing for
that, because a large part of their training is personal best and team
effort, respect for the tradition, and not advancement or glory.

For those who know about such things, it's Shorin-Ryu, and Ed Erler is the
Sensei. Kirby has participated in some of the regional seminars they sponsor
with visiting teachers. In those he's usually been the youngest.

He went because he wants to. He stays because he wants to. How faddish is
that?

Sandra


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