Bored Out Of My Skull!

[tonydee]

Another thought: self defense courses - they're not a long term commitment, can volunteer to run ones for worthy causes, a good way to meet people in different environments, and you can plan other activities/holidays around them. And there's a very real challenge in teaching people something that they'll learn so quickly, be able to apply effectively and under pressure, remember and remember/trust to use... quite different to the traditional arts.

Cheers,

Tony

[KarateGeorge]

Retiring seems to be hard at first on many people I've known. But as was mentioned above, now's the perfect time to try something new. Sit down and ask yourself some things you've always wanted to try and then start seeing what's feasible for you. As was mentioned, maybe learning a new language, learn to play an instrument (or another one if you already play something), writing a book, or often times places like the YMCA or local community colleges have short term "classes" on various things, like photography, painting, cooking, dancing, physical activities (golf, tennis, volleyball, etc.).

I'm sure there are things you've always wanted to try, now's your chance. Don't let retirement get you down!

[DWx]

Writing a book or making a dvd series would sure fill your time and help fill the Karate void. Maybe its even time to write your memoirs

[senseikellam]

Maybe if you just picked a school and offered to help out with some sort of special class that you know a lot about that would help your spirits. For example, I am very good with the kamas and I occasional hold special clinics at various schools other than my own.

Anyway, good luck to you.

[sensei8]

Each and every one of you have offered up some solid ideas, and I thank you all.

I've toyed with the memoir idea, but, I'm nobody special and/or extraordinary. Wouldn't this be a prerequisite for writting a memoir?

Even so, I'm still undecided, meanwhile, I'll just be bored out of my skull for now.

[DWx]

I've toyed with the memoir idea, but, I'm nobody special and/or extraordinary. Wouldn't this be a prerequisite for writting a memoir?

Surely you must have met and trained with some interesting people through Shindokan. Or have some funny stories to tell about your students or your own training.

Memoirs are probably a big thing to just start writing so start with some smaller articles?

[jaedeshi]

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!

The internet makes the world a whole lot smaller. So you miss teaching but no one in your immediate area wants what you have to offer. Put up lessons online. Reach out to your organization and others. Make short video lessons put them on youtube and ask for feed back and questions. I'm sure your old students would still like to get lessons from you. Youtube also has selective options so you can control who views your videos. Just an idea I hope it might cure some of your boredom.

Best of luck.

Jae

[JohnASE]

I've toyed with the memoir idea, but, I'm nobody special and/or extraordinary. Wouldn't this be a prerequisite for writting a memoir?

Even so, I'm still undecided, meanwhile, I'll just be bored out of my skull for now.

If you want to do it, do it. You can keep yourself occupied and end up with something to show for it.

I don't think you'd need to be famous to write an interesting book. If it's good, there could be a market for it. It could be the next "Eat, Pray, Love!" With today's print-on-demand publishing, you don't even need large production runs to sell a book.

Besides, who says the memoir needs to be for the public. Maybe you could write it more for yourself and your family. Who knows, maybe 25 years from now, your grandchildren will read your memoir and say, "Like, Gramps was a totally tubular dude before he got all old and grody to the max!" (If 20 years from now, all the really cool kids use retro Valley Speak.)

[joesteph]

I've toyed with the memoir idea, but, I'm nobody special and/or extraordinary.

Major mistake in thinking, oh sensei with decades of experience! Bob, what you have to do is brainstorm, to write down anything that comes to mind about your martial arts years, perhaps with the help of going over photos that jog the memory, not being concerned in the least about whether or not what you're writing down is in printable form. That's the idea of brainstorming; everything is tossed out there to be organized later--often much later. And you've had so many students who are at different levels in the martial arts, these former students being a gold mine of info about things that are not at the forefront of your memory, perhaps not even realized by you as having been so important to particular students, that they can give you info. People love anecdotes; why not memoirs, which are in the same vein?

When you get info together, which can be from you, from former students, from friends over the years, you can spend a good deal of time organizing, analyzing, even critiquing, until you've got a collection of nonfiction tales.

Print-on-demand is the way to go if you're interested in just publishing and presenting the books to friends and family--which includes former students. I used AuthorHouse for my books, and it's a great system. Instead of ordering a certain number (say 100, 300, 500) books printed up and trying to figure out how to sell/distribute them, the print-on-demand system prints only the number of books actually ordered. You could simply think of a snappy title and donate copies to the public library, even giving copies as gifts. Get on Facebook and let your FB friends know you've published your memoirs.

Bob, I really suggest you go to http://www.AuthorHouse.com and request info.

[bushido_man96]

I think writing a book would be an excellent idea for you, Bob. I have never seen a book on Shindokan, so being able to learn more about it would be great.