Mastery

As part of our school's training for black belts, we are asked to read Joe Hyams' Zen in the Martial Arts. It's a great book for aspiring martial artists, and has helped many people over the years at the school.

However, I think I am going to recommend that our black belt candidates (especially the adults) also read this book by George Leonard. My main training partner for my second degree lent me his copy, which he had been given by a friend of his whose father had trained with George Leonard in California.

George Leonard was a pilot in WWII, an instructor in the US Air Force, a writer, editor and educator as well as being a fifth degree black belt in aikido. He wrote several books on education, psychology and the martial arts and died in January 2010 at the age of 86.

Mastery lays out, in a few short chapters, some fundamental principles for the development of successful traits, and lessons on how to deal with the ups and downs of a life devoted to mastery. I think its a great book not just for martial artists (although it is directed mostly at that audience), but to anyone who is interested in dedicating themselves to a lifetime of personal development. I said a lifetime of personal development because (as this book points out quite well) that's a wonderful definition of mastery.

Mastery is not a destination you get to, but rather a path that you walk. A 'master' is not accorded the respect they deserve because they can do things that others can't, but rather because they have committed themselves to achieving all that they can, and devote their lives to doing so. They also recognize that there is always something to learn, and are always willing to change and evolve.

The book illustrates the central problem of mastery -- the plateau. Everyone who has ever trained at something, or tried to improve at something eventually encounters the feeling that they are no longer getting any better: they've hit a point where they keep going at the same level, and can't seem to change or improve. They have plateaued. The book makes the argument that how different people deal with this situation is what differentiates masters from dabblers, hackers and obsessives.

I really enjoyed the book. It's not the answer to everything, and doesn't pretend to be. But for someone who is interested in walking a path that will go on for the rest of their life, it is an interesting perspective on the challenges that you will face on this journey.

Thanksgiving

Just as Fall is my favorite season, Thanksgiving has become one of my favorite holidays. Maybe it's my time living in the States, where November's Thanksgiving is such an event (compared to Canada), but I've come to appreciate the enjoyment of food and family that comes with this particular holiday. The air is just crisp enough, the leaves are on their way to full colour and the food is always the best of the year. (Usually I get to do this all again in November but not this year).

I've also grown particularly attached to the sentiment of the season. As I've grown older I have become more grateful for the blessings I have -- a wonderful wife, two incredible (and completely unique) sons, a healthy extended family, a good job, great friends, and a vocation of teaching and training that has transformed my life. So I am thankful for all my good fortune.

And as a way of showing my gratitude to the people who matter most to me, I cook for my family tonight. My son with the gourmet palate had some suggestions, and I am happy to oblige him:

Fresh Figs, Spiced Olives, Serrano Ham, Soprasetta, Cheese: (Guinness Cheddar, Stilton, Gruyere, and La Sauvagine)

Spicy fish soup with toasted croutons

Pan Roasted Duck Breast w/Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Steamed Greens

Apple Pie (bought and borrowed, as my talents lie elsewhere)



To all those in my life who bless me with their gifts of love, joy and gratitude -- I thank you. Happy Thanksgiving.

Summer Project: Shed

Fall is by far my favorite season, and this year I get to spend some time this season reflecting on what I got accomplished this summer. Here it is:

My wife thought I was nuts. Or at least going way overboard in terms of how I built it, given its uses. To her a shed shouldn't be a massive structure occupying the backyard (of course I don't think it's really that big -- it's definitely taller than most sheds, but that's by design to make use of the vertical height for storage.) Also, and here she is quite justified, I spent way more on this then it would cost to purchase a pre-fab shed and throw it up in the back yard. But all of those that I looked at were pretty flimsy, and not worth the cost.

It's an 8'x8' structure, built on a frame of large pressure treated timbers that are elavated on 4' concrete piers set in the ground at the corners. I nailed 5/8ths t'n'g plywood overtop of the timbers for a floor and framed it with conventional 2x4's sheathed with 5/8ths t'n'g plywood. Basically I built it just like a house -- I don't think I'm ever going to get to build a house on my own, so this little project let me play carpenter one last time.

The exterior is Hardi board siding and PVC trim, painted a nice gray with Sico exterior paint. This makes the whole thing rot, mold and insect resistant, and it should look essentially the same for the next 25 years.


I framed up the floating panel doors out of scraps left over from construction and built the ramp out of pressure treated lumber and painted it with exterior floor paint.

I wrapped the pressure treated timber foundation with more PVC trim and painted that with the exterior paint, so I can push dirt, gravel or mulch up against it and not worry about rot or insects.

Inside, there is plenty of storage and I laid 16 inch square rubber tiles to keep the plywood floor clean and dry. They are much nicer to look at than dirty plywood.

Under the timber foundation I left a good air space for ventilation, and covered the area with half inch gravel and weed barrier to keep anything from growing down there. I also banged on about 8 inches of chicken wire to the bottom of the timbers around the perimeter, and buried the wire mesh to keep most critters from making a home under the shed (I didn't want anything crawling under and dying).

It took me most of the summer to get this done. I started the second week of July, and spent the better part of most weekends until Labour Day working on it. My 12 year old son helped on a few things (raising the walls, holding the plywood sheathing, putting on the house wrap, banging on the fascia, and any time I needed another set of hands.)

I am very pleased with the results and it has made a huge difference to the storage in our garage: I now have all the winter tires in the shed, all the garden tools, lawn mower, wheel barrow and space left over for the patio furniture (which used to stay outdoors all winter). I rationalize the cost (both financial, time and opportunity) knowing that this will be here for a generation.

I also get the satisfaction of knowing that I built something with care and attention, while trying to balance all the other demands on my time. This project though made me appreciate how quickly the summer can pass, and how much time with the family I sacrificed in order to build it. I've committed myself to the idea that I won't undertake any project now that will take more than one weekend to complete during the summer -- I want to focus on the family, and I think if I put as much effort into that, as I did into building this shed then we'll be pretty happy.