Club photo comp

In an attempt to set a wider diversity of images representing the Club’s activities throughout the year, we will be running a competition each month to select a picture for that month’s entry in the official Club Calendar for 2021.

Anyone whose pictures are selected for inclusion in the calendar will receive a free standard size calendar at the end of the year, or optionally only pay the difference between the standard and the large calendar prices. Anyone with two or more pictures selected will receive a free large wall calendar.

Pictures can be of any Club related activity— regular training, special sessions or seminars, and promotions or social events. Where possible, we will try to have at least one picture from each of the Club’s supported activities and disciplines, so, for some months, I may stipulate that we are looking for photos of a particular type. You can submit up to three pictures for the month, and these will be voted on by Club members via our Facebook group. Submissions must be from that calendar month, and submitted either directly to me (as the Editor of the Calendar) or via the Facebook group no later than the 5th of the following month. Members will then have one week (till the 12th) to vote on their choice. For those without a Facebook account, you can ask to see the pictures at any regular training session and let me know their choice for best pic.

In the case of tied votes, I will make a casting vote as editor.

Regular terms and conditions apply to this competition (editor’s decision is final and no discussion will be entered into once made. The calendar cannot be exchanged for cash or other item. Pictures selected for the calendar are agreed by the creator to become Creative Commons 4.0 BY NC licensed where the creator and the Club are listed as nominated parties).

Good luck everyone, and I’m looking forward to see your creative output!

Reminder: Jujutsu “lipstick drills” this Thursday

Thursday is the last training session for the month of January, and we will be putting the hard fork of the last few weeks of training to use in our bi-annual “lipstick drills”.

For those readers unfamiliar with them, they are a way of getting more appreciation for how effective (or lack thereof) defensive strategies against knife attacks are. They involve scenario based “games” where the attacker uses a rubber knife that is loaded up with lipstick to better highlight a landing blow or slash. The drills are usually pretty instructive for participants.

Because we don’t want to spend the next six months getting the stains out, please consider bringing an old, light-coloured t-shirt and pants to training on Thursday night.

We will be doing some final “pre-lipstick” prep tomorrow night at training, so please come along if you can.

Getting ready for the new school year

This week marks the transition to the new school year for those in our community who are involved with or in Primary and Secondary education. Teachers are involved with preparations and in-service workshops, and parents and children attending to last minute uniform and other equipment purchasing for the coming term. As a result, we will have to go back to our usual patterns of training area set up and pack up between now and the Easter break.

I am expecting that this week we will be asked to pack away the training mats in preparation for the biannual machine clean of the MEAC surface, so we will most likely attend to that Tuesday night. This Saturday, we will spend a little time in the store room to conduct an audit/tidy of the Club equipment. If those interested in lending a hand could please let me know ASAP so that we can plan how extensive that process will be.

Date Claimer: Wednesday 26 February Club Muster

The Toowoomba date for the start of year USQ Student Life Club Muster will be Wednesday 26 February from 12-2 pm in R-block/the Quad. Set up and pack up times will be a bit extended either side of this time, so even if you can’t make the whole event, your help would be most appreciated.

Part of what we will be doing in the lead up will be an evaluation of the suitability and stock levels for our advertising materials, so if you have any particular thoughts, please pass them through.

This year we have a number of our regular folk unable to make the day, so in order to plan our activities, could you please let me know ASAP your availability so that we can commit to specific demonstrations during that time period.

Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone is having an opportunity to enjoy that dream-like period between Christmas and New Year where disruptions to regular habits make it difficult to pin down exactly what day it is, and what you are “supposed” to do. There are some of us, of course, who have had little break and who have had to return to their work and volunteering roles already. This I think deserves special consideration as their roles allow the rest of us to enjoy this liminal time between years. And of course special mention must be made of volunteers and communities facing continued severe and catastrophic fire dangers this week coming.

The Club emerges from its week long slumber this Thursday. Keiko hajime (the start of practice) will be held at 6 pm Thursday 2 January. I would encourage those that can make it to come along and participate, as we will again be engaging with a range of the Club’s disciplines over the course of a regular training evening. We shall be kicking off at 5.45 pm to give the MEAC a quick clean, followed by reiho, zazen, jumbi undo, then keiko. Keiko will finish around 8.30 pm followed by the serving of light refreshments.

If you are wondering what to wear/bring, the main thing is your cleanest and most presentable uniform, and training tools/weapons that you have (also checked and cleaned). Use it as an opportunity to start the year correctly with all of your budo related items in good order. If you wish to do multiple “costume changes”, please feel free to do so. However, there is no barrier to just being presentable in what you have, and do remember that there is plenty of Club equipment to fill the gaps of what you don’t own.

If you are coming, could you please let me know by Wednesday so that I can organise for sufficient tea and nibbles after the session.

I hope to see a good portion of you on Thursday night, and the rest of the broad BBRD diaspora for members, supporters and friends over the coming twelve months. As always, the year ahead is packed with many opportunities to participate at a local, State and National level, and to provide service to our various communities. I would like to wish everyone well and urge you as always to do your best — Gambatte kudesai!

Club 2020 calendars now available to order

It has been a little late coming, but Club 2020 calendars are now available to order.

This year’s edition features pictures from our activities in 2019, and includes important date reminders for USQ, CQU, Holy Name CPS, and public holidays, as well as some of the known Club commitments and State and National level budo events.

This year, we are able to order three different sizes. Mini sized (16 X 21 cm) for $20, “classic” sized (21 x 28 cm) for $30, and large (28 x 37 cm) for $35. These are essentially at cost price through Vistaprint, and I will be looking to make a single order to ensure that the shipping cost does not blow things out.

If you are interested, could you please let me know no later than Sunday (5 January) so that we can order them promptly.

Saturday Solstice Party

Everyone from the Club (and your families) is invited to a playful, gold coin-donation eve to celebrate the sun at Laurel Bank Park this Saturday 21 December anytime from 5-8pm – join in with the Toowoomba Taiko solstice party! We will be drumming and jamming, eating, drinking, relaxing and making merry with fabric fire twirling and you are all welcome to join us. BYO flameless twirling toys, food and drink! Hope to see you there!

Jujutsu grading results

I would like to congratulate everyone who participated at this weekend’s Jujutsu grading, which was our last formal Jujutsu commitment of the year,

Formal evaluation opportunities allow us to demonstrate what we have learned, but more importantly allow us to reflect of what we need to learn next. I was very impressed with everyone’s efforts and I will be posting some of the photos taken on the day on the Club’s social media accounts over this week. Results were:

• Daen Fryar 5Kyu

• Ivan Hills 7Kyu

• Callum Baker 8Kyu

• Lachlan Baker 8Kyu

• Elizabeth Hills 8Kyu

• Jones Wong 8Kyu

Well done everyone! The work work now begins towards the next grading opportunity in May 2020.

Last training week for the year

Just a reminder that this week is that final week of training before we take a break for Christmas and New Year.

Last sessions for training will be on Saturday 21 December, and we shall have Keiko Hajime on Thursday 2 January.

I would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday period, especially if you are going to be out on the roads. With some fortune, the heat wave might abate somewhat!

End of year dinner Wednesday 18 December

Just a quick reminder that if you haven’t RSVPed for Wednesday night, could you please do so by 1 pm today. After this time, I will be finalising numbers for dinner on Wednesday night.

For those coming, I’ll look forward to seeing you 7 pm Wednesday night at el Attar on Neil street!