Bored Out Of My Skull!

[sensei8]

I've recently retired from teaching Shindokan Karate after all of these many, many, many years is one thing for sure...BORING!

I've never been so bored in my life! I tend to the yard chores, I should win pretty house award or something with as much as I'm out there. I've already completed the honey-do lists. I do this and I do that.

Yeah, I still practice everyday. But, that's not the same as teaching. There's still a void from not teaching. It diffently takes some getting us to, this retiring thing, but, I suppose I need a hobby or something to fill in the emptyness.

The only martial arts schools around where I live are Korean based. Nothing wrong with that, but, just as soon as they find out that I'm Okinawan based, it's like I've got the plague. All I want is a place, other than my garage, to work out.

I've played golf, I've bowled, I'm reading more now, and, well, I've done a lot, except sitting on my porch in a rocking chair....aaaaaaarrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhh. That would drive me super nuts.

For those instructors that are contemplating retiring; give it some real thought about it first. I did. But, I didn't think that I'd already be so bored out of my skull.

Thanks for listening!

[isshinryu5toforever]

Maybe try learning another language? haha Not much for you, I'm still young, 24. I'm shocked that there's no Judo near you at all. Judo seems like it's everywhere in the US.

[Kuma]

Where are you living at sensei8? Maybe we can help you look around.

[sensei8]

Maybe try learning another language? haha Not much for you, I'm still young, 24. I'm shocked that there's no Judo near you at all. Judo seems like it's everywhere in the US.

Nope, no Judo!

[tonydee]

Even if you've given up taking regular classes, there are so many martial-arts related things that I'd love to have time to do. You could think about writing a book, videos or web pages of technical points, discussion points, stories about your years in the arts, things you've found interesting...? A series of interviews with contacts you've made - exploring their experiences? A statistical analysis of which techniques or tactics have been effective in a particular art or sports context. Or you could collect and develop some of the themes you've brought to KarateForums into a collection of discussions showing the diversity of thought and practices in the arts.

Disappointed to hear the other local practitioners are so insecure... .

Cheers,

Tony

[sensei8]

Where are you living at sensei8? Maybe we can help you look around.

I'm now living back in Owasso, OK, a part of Tulsa County!

Edited August 8, 2010 by sensei8

[Jeffrey]

Here's a crazy idea.... with you vast knowledge of your art.... write a book in all that spare time. Just a thought. From your posts you seem to be a great writer. A little something to pass down.

[Jay]

Here's a crazy idea.... with you vast knowledge of your art.... write a book in all that spare time. Just a thought. From your posts you seem to be a great writer. A little something to pass down.

This is a good idea.

I have a few more:

Offer to teach privately, lessons can be much shorter than classes and there are plenty of kids out there that maybe want to learn. Take on a protege.

Take up a hobby that is waaaaay out of your comfort zone, painting, knitting, volunteer somewhere for 1 day a week, take up dancing.

Start a webpage on your art.

Train for a world record-they will approve anything these days.

Hope that helps a bit

Let us know what you take up

[isshinryu5toforever]

I did a quick Google check, yeah it looks pretty thin out there. Mostly Taekwondo, and one guy who has his students put their uniforms tops on wrong, at least in the East Asian sense wrong. They're all wrapped right over left, which would be right...if he were burying a bunch of corpses.

I'm all for either writing a book or taking up a new language. Not sure if you speak any already, but taking up Japanese in your spare time might be nice. Even though the price is steep, Rosetta Stone works quite nicely. I wonder if someone has an Okinawan dialect, Hogen, version. Although, that's almost a dead language.

If it doesn't exist already, you could put together a Shindokan Karate guide for your school instructors. Go over basics, advanced techniques, kata, theory, etc. That ought to keep you plenty busy.

[JohnASE]

Instructional media sounds like a good idea-a book or DVD. It could be on teaching Shindokan or on running a dojo.

But I say if you miss teaching, teach! Start a small program. Don't let it take up too much of your time, just a few hours a week or something. Giving private lessons would be okay, but I'd bet you want a dojo. If it's what you want, find a way!