As I’m sanding this timber slab away, I’m thinking to myself how many more imperfections should I be removing. The scratch marks that are deeply engrained in the timber, the black spots caused by water trapped from being stored for a long time out in the backyard….Does all this really matter? Especially when anyone that sees the finished product will most likely give praise regardless. Not that I am searching for confirmation on my woodworking or signwriting abilities but wanted to state that what is perfect for one may simply be average for another, a subjective matter which too can be associated with the karate world.
I have this habit of naturally relating to whatever it is I’m undertaking at the time with karate. Let’s take kata in tournaments for example. It is known to many in the competition scene that the more dramatic the movement, the louder the kiai, or lower or more exaggerated the stance, will usually result in the participant gaining a higher score or place. Personally speaking, I absolutely can’t stand these theatricals. You can beg to differ (then again, who actually reads this blog to moan to me about what a dumb %*#@ I am). So where were we, ahhh yes subjective issues….Let’s move away from karate to the working world. Due to this Covid19 mess, I have recently been made redundant, hence, have enough time now to post a blog more often and to think about life in general. I have been applying for different positions, and just like being judged on a kata, the way you write your cover letter or CV obviously will have an impact on the outcome. What is written, how fancy it is and the number of keywords implemented will most likely result in an interview. What’s suitable for one employer could be utter rubbish for another. So should we be bowing down to the people in charge just like the people judging someone’s kata? You decide.....
By the way, the timber slab mentioned earlier is for the latest project, that is the new sign being placed above the doors of the West End Dojo, and horizontally for that matter. Speaking of such, through the countless times we have visited Okinawa, 8 out of 10 dojo signs seem to be written vertically. Maybe it is a matter of preference or space issue, something we haven’t really looked into nor do many seem to have discussions about. The Chinese and their Kung-Fu Kwan - 館 (The term dojo in Japanese) signs have always been placed horizontally without second thoughts, an official rule maybe?! With all this spare time on my hands lets find out! Anyway, back to Seek.com it is.....
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