Why a Blog?

On the advice of someone I respect alot, I am starting a blog. My friend seemed to think that people would be interested in what I had to say about many different things.

I chose Five Rings as a title because I have always been fascinated by the martial arts and the people who practice them. In 17th century Japan a samurai named Miyamoto Musashi wrote a book on strategy entitled A Book of Five Rings. It is a difficult book to unpack, but has been wonderful to go back to over the years. I don't claim to be a scholar of any sort, and so won't try to explain what the book is about, but if you get a chance, read it.

This blog will be a place for me to share ideas I have on a lot of different subjects: culture (books, film, music), politics (I live in Canada, but am interested in the world), philosophy (Aristotle to Charles Taylor), martial arts (technique, training and philosophy), and finally family -- my own and others as need be. Those are my five rings.