the first post

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Hello everyone (assuming anyone's reading),

My name's Michael and I'm a shodan (first level black belt) in goju karate.  That's why I've called this blog "First Steps" as I've just taken mine. 

As part of my grading, I was asked what gaining shodan meant, and I replied that it was that I was to take responsibility for my own karate learning.  This blog is the intellectual part of that self-responsibility.  It is where I will attempt to articulate my changing understandings of pretty much everything, and anything martial that I am thinking about or experiencing.

It hardly needs saying, but: All opinions/thoughts in this blog are mine and mine alone.  They should not reflect adversely on the many instructors I have had over the years, but are my own experiments in understanding this thing called karate.

Enjoy!  I'll try and update at least twice a week (but more infrequently, if I have nothing worthwhile to say.  This blog is an exercise in self-improvement, not in blogging practice).

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