Thursday Notices – 18.1.07

 

This is your Thursday emailout of notices for 18.1.07 to club members and interested parties on Yahoo groups regarding club matters and upcoming events.  If you have something to include or a constructive comment to improve this newsletter, please let me know. 

 

 

 

Contents:

             

 

1. INCORPORATION – please take the time to read this
2. New Club Instructors and Shodan Grading 1^st February
3. Club Marketing/Advertising Advisor - Expressions Of Interest
4. South Brisbane Dojo Classes
5. “Learning The Flute”
6. Naming These Notices
7. Griffith University Orientation Week
8. Previous news (but good news) – worth another read!:

 

 

 

 

1.         INCORPORATION – please take the time to read this

*new news on incorporation this week in blue

Club members who are also students of Griffith University will be aware that Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) will significantly reduce the services available to students on campus.  Funding from the uni has become virtually non-existent and most clubs are closing down and ceasing operations.  Fortunately, our club is in a good financial situation due to forward-thinking management and planning by the executive committee over the past few years.  Our membership is strong and we have coped extremely well with the evaporation of assistance from the University.  In such an uncertain environment, however, the Club Executive feels it is an appropriate time to incorporate.

To protect the club and its assets, the Club President asked the executive and senior club members to meet and consider the advantages and disadvantages of incorporation.   This meeting took place last Thursday.  The outcome was basically that we felt the club should begin the process of incorporation, as there were significant advantages in becoming incorporated and no real disadvantages to doing so.   The possible disadvantage of uni disapproval of this process is not a factor as the uni has actually been encouraging clubs to incorporate.  The advantages are that incorporation provides the club with a legal status as a registered non-profit group.  It means that governments, businesses and other organisations see the club as a professional organisation and are more willing to deal with us (in the case of government it opens up significant possibilities for sporting, community and other funding options).  The change in legal status also protects the club executive and membership from personal liability for club debts (were we to have some). We will also be able to lease and hold title on land

The process of incorporation is a set procedure which the State Government requires and spells out.  Naturally, the first step is to seek the approval of members to pursue incorporation.  The club is its members, so this is an extremely important step and not taken lightly.  Approval takes the form of a Special General Meeting, notice of which is being provided by this item in our newsletter.

 

A Special General Meeting has been called by the Executive for Thursday 8^th February at 8pm, for the purpose of considering and voting on incorporation of the Griffith University Aikido Club.  The 8pm timing allows you to train and then vote on the club’s future, but hopefully still get home at your usual time!!  A good night’s work, and the club will provide a cake afterwards to have with your usual after-class refreshments.  A great incentive to stay after class and be involved?

 

At this stage, the resolutions to be considered are:

 

“That the Griffith University Aikido Club incorporate as an incorporated association under the provisions of the Associations Incorporated Act”

 

‘That the Griffith University Aikido Club adopt [ the rules attached  ] for the purposes of incorporation”

 

The Special General Meeting will also consider preferred names for the new incorporated body.  At this stage, the Executive is thinking that Griffith Aikido Incorporated, or Griffith Aikido Institute Incorporated would be suitable names for our new incorporated club.  However, it is the members who will democratically decide on whether we incorporate, what the new name will be, etc.  The meeting will, if the vote to incorporate is approved, also appoint interim management committee officers, appoint someone to make the application to incorporate to the office of fair trading, and other ‘housekeeping’ matters.

 

I will be providing as much information as I can in the next few weeks to keep you informed.  Any questions can be directed to me or one of the executive members.

 

A few club members met last weekend and spent an afternoon drafting a new constitution.  If you would like to express an opinion or be involved in the constitution drafting prior to the special general meeting called to consider incorporation on 8^th February, please let me know.  It needs to be ASAP, as the constitution we come up with has to be vetted and approved by the Queensland Government’s Office Of Fair Trading to make sure it complies with their requirements.  Our time frames are pretty short (sorry).

 

 

 

2.          New Club Instructors and Shodan Grading 1^st February

 

I am proud to announce that our club has two new accredited instructors.  Ben Tan returns to the club this year as an instructor and Steve Mitchell as a children’s instructor.   Congratulations Ben and Steve on your continued dedication and commitment to the club.

 

On Thursday Feb 1^st, Paul Crawley will be doing his Shodan grading prior to leaving for a dojo position in South America (with Gabby Sensei and Daniel Carne) in early February.   Please come and show Paul your support, and make his Shodan grading memorable.

       

Danny James

 

 

 

3.         Club Marketing/Advertising Advisor

 

Everyone will have noticed that the club is growing well, and the vitality that new members bring to the club is wonderful, and very welcome.  We would like to continue our success in attracting new members, and spend our advertising dollars more effectively, if possible.  Do any of you have skills/ qualifications/experience in marketing and advertising that we don’t know about?  If you do, would you let Danny or myself know.  We promise not to over-exploit you!!, unless you’re happy for us to! 

 

 

 

4.         South Brisbane Dojo Classes

 

Simon Sensei has developed a ‘fundamentals’ program for South Brisbane Dojo which, because the classes are held on a weekday (Friday at 1-2pm), allows prospective students to consider coming to the class to work on particular techniques they may feel they can improve. 

 

Unfortunately, you missed ‘shihonage’ which we tackled over six weeks late last year.  We’re currently into ‘irimi nage’ with about 3 more weeks to go.  After that, we will be spending six weeks or so on ‘ikkyo’.

 

Simon Sensei has a workshopping approach to his classes which works in very well with the reduced class time.  Although only an hour, the classes are quite intensive (and still with the usual Griffith aikido friendly vibe).  The smaller class numbers mean Simon can work very closely with you.  The junior students attending this class have been able to spend significant time on the basic techniques, and develop a great understanding of the lessons contained within them right from the start.  The more senior students have found that they are very familiar with the shapes of the basic techniques, but they are able to focus on really removing some of the errors which inevitably creep into techniques over time.  This weekday class is fantastic for anyone wanting to improve their techniques, get very close to one-on-one coaching, and have a great deal of fun too.

 

Please consider!!

 

 

 

5.         Learning the Flute (taken from Budokwai’s Judo Quarterly, circa 1962)

 

To a province in Southern Japan came on holiday, a famous teacher of music.  The local musicians begged him to address them, and he showed them a new type of flute then coming into flavour at the capital. Sitting motionless in their midst, he so entranced them with its melody that at the end they cried out: “ you play like a god!”

 

They persuaded him to accept one of their numbers as a pupil, to study under him & return with a certificate of Mastership, to teach the others.  They  chose a young flute player to be the pupil, and subscribed the money for the journey.  The young man was naturally overjoyed, and at the capital worked night and day to master the difficult technique of the new flute.  To his disappointment, the master would only let him try the one melody, a classical air. Again and again he was made to play it, but never to the master’s satisfaction.  The time went by, and he came to the conclusion that he had failed, and the master did not intend to give him the certificate.

 

He left the master’s house, ashamed to return.   He stayed in cheap lodgings in the capital.  Now he tried out other melodies on the new flute, but realized that in them too his performance was unsatisfactory. He thought of giving up the flute altogether, but became intolerably restless and was forced to take it up again. Now he was playing to himself merely to calm his spirit everyday and evening, sometimes on the new flute and sometimes on the old one, and in this way his shame and distress of mind gradually became less.  In the end he drifted back home, but did not play in public or show his face to the society of musicians.

 

One day the musicians organised a great concert and sent a messenger begging him to attend with his flute, for sake of their former friendship.  “We will not” they said,  “hold the concert without him”. Touched by their kindness he went with the messenger, but on arrival found he had unconsciously picked up and bought the new flute, of which, he was not an accredited master.  It was too late to change it for his old one, but in any case he had no reputation now, so careless of what the others might think he sat down and played for himself the old melody, repeated so many times for the master. He became lost in the melody, and did not know whether he played well or badly.  Afterwards there was dead silence, and the musicians cried out: “ you play like a god!”

 

He ran home in tears and wrote a long letter to the old master, praying his forgiveness and blaming his own lack of understanding of the training.  The master immediately sent the certificate of Mastership, with a letter saying: “You need not blame yourself too much.  Your personal desire for fame gave you the energy to work hard at the technique.  But Mastership is much more than technique.  You had to practice till your practice became no-practice, till it was a natural activity.  When you had forgotten your selfish aim, forgotten yourself, forgotten any effort in playing, forgotten even the flute-when nothing remained but the melody itself, you achieved Mastership.

 

Submitted by Simon Russell

 

 

 

6.         Naming These Notices

 

The Thursday Notices will most likely be named Griffith Kiai, Griffith Shukan News or Griffith Shukan Kiai.  They seem to have some popularity in my discussions with club members.  It gives us an identification with Griffith University, of which we have been a club for 25 years.  It gives us an identification with the fact that our martial art is Japanese in origin through the use of Japanese word(s) and it gives a slight poetic tilt with the use of the word kiai, meaning ‘spirited shout’ and ‘harmony expressed through voice’.

 

Now is the time to voice an objection, if you have one, or make a strong case for an alternative.  If you really love one of the names I’ve listed, please also let me know.

 

 

 

7.         Griffith University Orientation Week

 

Griffith Uni will be holding its Orientation Week during the week starting Monday 19^th February.  I’m expecting some of our members, especially our uni students, would like to express their interest in promoting the club during that week, and/or the following week, in which there will be ‘club sign-on days’ and ‘market days’ at each campus.  These days are excellent opportunities for our club to promote aikido and recruit new members.   Our future as a club on campus, with all the uncertainty of voluntary student unionism, is to continue to attract more club members from the uni.  Further, our club is constantly invigorated by its new members.  Plus we have a responsibility to aikido to be unselfish!:) and allow others to enjoy the benefits we gain from aikido.  We can do that by showing we want others to join our club, letting them know how much enjoyment and fun we have, and by making them feel welcome.  If you can give us a couple of hours of your time late in February to do that, it would be fantastic.

 

Unfortunately, our only volunteer so far is Charlie Sensei (thanks Charlie).  I was hoping the response would be better so that we could organise it and not have to worry about it any more.  I hope it doesn’t become the same volunteers who always volunteer.

 

If you would like to help out, please let me know via email or give me a call (see bottom of this page).

 

 

 

8.         Previous news (but good news) below – worth another read!:

 

Maruyama Sensei 2007

 

I am delighted to announce that we will again have Maruyama Sensei in Brisbane next year.  The dates are Friday 28th September to Wednesday 3rd October, which is very exciting!  These dates fall in the Queensland and NSW school holidays.

 

This seminar is also likely to be somewhat larger in terms of numbers on the mat and it goes for 6 days as well.   The Nathan dojo is probably not big enough, so arrangements are being made for an alternative venue, with the Mt. Gravatt showgrounds being the most likely contender. 

 

Maruyama Sensei’s 2007 tour will include Brisbane, Melbourne, New Zealand and Fiji as tour venues.  Melbourne’s seminar will be held from Friday 5^th – Wednesday 10^th October, which will mostly fall in the Vic. and SA school holidays.   Class times and venue to be advised.

 

Maruyama sensei will also be celebrating his 50^th Anniversary of teaching Aikido in Hawaii on the 12^th, 13^th and 14^th of July.  Tony Neal Sensei has already advised via these notices, that he is organising a contingent of aikidoka from Brisbane.  If you’re interested, please let Tony Neal Sensei know at tony@allsignsandplastics.com.au

 

Details about the seminar are available at www.akachawaii.com/aloha.html

 

I will post more information in these notices as venues and classes are finalised.

 

Danny James

 

 

 

Ordering Quality Weapons

 

I am getting together a bulk order from Things of Japan (http://www.thingsofjapan.com.au) to be made in the last week of January. I'm calling out for anyone who is thinking of purchasing, or upgrading, their weapons.

 

Things of Japan make quality weapons and other martial arts products at good prices. Even better, if we get a few people together to order we may be able to get a better deal again! A white oak bokken AND jo will cost around $130 - a good investment if you ask me. Once you have nice weapons you'll never go back!!

 

Have a look on their weapons page http://www.thingsofjapan.com.au/Martial.htm and please let me know asap if you are interested in buying any. Either get me in class or email gabrielle.paynter@gmail.com or call 0413 009 897.

 

Cheers

 

Gabby Paynter

 

 

 

Club Sponsorship

 

We are proud to announce our new sponsorship arrangement with Brisbane based residential home loan manager, Direct Credit Home Loans Australia.   As part of an ongoing relationship, Direct Credit Home loans has made an attractive home loan offer to our club members, their family & friends.   In addition, they have offered to pay us a spotter’s fee on each home loan referred through the club.   

I sent a separate email three weeks ago detailing our sponsorship arrangement with Direct Credit Home Loans Australia.  If you didn’t receive it but want the details, please let me know.  Many thanks to Gary Weigh, one of our brand new 3^rd kyu’s, who has arranged this sponsorship.

 

 

Mat Fees and Club Membership Fees

 

I just want to remind everyone that you will need to complete a new membership form for 2007, when you return in January.  There is a membership fee.

 

Membership fees are due at the beginning of the year and should be paid in January.  Remember that mat fees paid in December cover January as well, so it will be the usual mat fees in December and then membership fees in January.  The University requires University clubs to charge a membership fee.  The University has also recently required us to charge Griffith University students a lesser membership fee than other members (this does not apply to other students from other educational institutions).  Great for GU students, same as always for the rest of us.

 

Please be advised that annual membership fee in the new year will be $15 for all members who are also bona fide Griffith Uni students.  For other members, including instructors, annual membership fee remains at $30.  Children whose parents are financial members (and therefore have paid the membership fee) don't pay membership fees. Other children pay a membership fee of $10.

 

Also, if you have graded, there is a small grading fee. 

 

 Jutta Dowdy

 

 

 

Steve Mitchell

GUAC Secretary

Mob.  0432 269 534

Email:  stevemitchell@ecn.net.au