Okinawa Karate Center

A few promotions in our Juniors GoJuRyu karate class.
(l-r) Dev Singh, Morgan Benge, Porter Wong, Yugen Dudzik.

Congratulations 🍾🎊🎉🎈

3 promotions this evening at the Okinawa Karate Center UchinaaDiKan: (l-r) Dev Singh, Ryan Awasthi and Porter Wong.

Congratulations!!!

No classes this evening Thursday January 9 due to pending inclement weather and I have a slight fever.

A few promotions in our Adult class this evening: (not in order) Naaran Smith, Matthew Diviak, Trisha Mantri, Joshua Jones, Kristina Vu, Frank Benavidez ad Mary-Hollis Clarkson, flanked by our newest member, Aaliyah Perez.

Two promotions in our Jrs class: Cheruba Kurian 6th Kyu nd awarded Instructor Assistant patch and Ryan Awasthi 8th Kyu, joined by our newest member, Yugen Dudzik.

I really dislike the “fall back” time change.

Perfect day for winter maintenance on all my wooden “buki” (武器 - weapons): any hard dents and chips sanded down, polished with steel wool and light coat of linseed oil applied.

Life is making the best of what life presents you. You don’t always get to choose in what that is nor do you always have a choice in how you respond. That too is part of life.

The 5 year survival rate for Stage 4 Metastatic Melanoma is 15-20%. While some might see this as worrisome, I am encouraged.

Mine journey started 12 years ago with surgery to remove a mole on my back the size of a dime and since then it has metastasized in my lung twice (chemo), removal of lymph nodes from right arm pit, brain 3 times (gamma knife radiation), removal of my left adrenal gland, growth in the adrenal bed (chemo), tumor in my left kidney (cryoablation) with the most recent radiation treatment of another tumor in my left kidney.

Being open about my journey is a big part of my mental and emotional health therapy. Someone once asked what it was like battling cancer. I replied, “Wrong word. “Battling infers there is a winner and a loser. I “manage” my cancer and all its side effects”. Some days are easier than others but it’s a day I’m alive.

Not a bad life mantra if I say so myself.

Happy Daughter’s Day to my daughter Stephanie McMains. Love you with all my heart!!♥️