Site Update, September 2010

Two site announcements and a preview of things to come. First, you’ll notice that our single posts now sport Twitter and Facebook buttons. Yes, it’s true. The dojo now has a Twitter account, AikidoJax. So for all you Tweeters (Twitters? Twitterers? Twizzlers?) who communicate best in 140 characters or less, you’ll receive a handy link every time we publish a new blog post. And if something we write tickles your fancy, tweet away. Ditto for Facebook, with one addition: I’ve spruced up our group page with one of our dojo graphic designs. And I’ve finally learned how to send out group events, so hopefully that page won’t seem so quiet.

Second, we’ve reached a milestone of sorts with regards to Google: We now have over 350 pages of unique content submitted, all relating to Aikido. As I look at my own past blog comments, I’m not entirely sure this is an event worth mentioning. But there it is.

And lastly, a quick preview. After Dee’s impromptu soft ukemi lesson on Saturday, I’ve been inspired to create a video series on soft ukemi, with Sensei demonstrating. On this score I have to agree with Lane Sensei — aside from a few well known practitioners, I think Dee has the best ukemi anywhere. And by anywhere I mean anywhere, not just Florida. So now we’re going to record it. Hopefully our students will use these videos to improve their own practice.

20 thoughts on “Site Update, September 2010

  1. Whatever I know about ukemi, I learned from her.

    If I had to identify one thing that distinguishes our school, it would have to be Dee’s ukemi.

  2. I know, I added you.

    Another note on ukemi. I’m finding, for me personally, to sometimes take for granted the style of ukemi that I’ve been learning because of Dee’s influence. I get a realization of the differences in style when I visit outside our dojo. When I hear bodies slamming back and forth,(not that there is something wrong with that ukemi) I’m reminded that our ukemi training is a little different at Aikido Center of Jacksonville. And it is because of Dee’s instruction. When you see this ukemi everyday, you get to thinking it is just how everyone does it. Then I venture out and see that very few people do it this way.(though there are some I’ve found…usually at BIG seminars like winter camp.)

  3. I’m trying an experiment on Facebook.

    I created the page because it can host RSS feeds. What I’m doing (trying) is to sync our Twitter feed to Facebook.

    So blog –> Twitter –> Facebook page

    When I’m sure that is working correctly, I’m going to remove the RSS feed from Dee’s profile. Then I’ll send an invitation to the Facebook group to join the page.

    So, blog updates will come from the Facebook page. Event notifications will come from the group. (Pages and groups have slightly different functionality.)

    That’s the plan, anyway.

  4. Success?

    I believe the RSS feed is working on the Facebook page. I’ve removed the feed from Dee’s profile. Lastly, I’ve suggested the page to the current members of the Facebook group.

    (If anyone didn’t get a message, blame Facebook, not me. For some reason I couldn’t suggest the page to all members of the group, no matter how hard I tried. My apologies!)

    So now you’ll see blog updates via the Facebook page. (Via our Twitter feed.) I’ll post upcoming events (like seminars, trips, etc.) via the Facebook group.

    And Dee will have her profile all to herself.

    Let me know if something doesn’t work. Thanks!

  5. Facebook Update:

    I’ve decided to host the feed from this blog in our Facebook group (not page). It’s a direct feed, and does not go through Twitter. It should post on the group wall.

    I’ve removed the Twitter update application from Facebook. We still have the Twitter account. Dee’s profile is hers.

    I’ve learned a lot about Facebook these past 8 hours. More particularly, I’ve learned to hate it.

    Ah, well. Fingers crossed.

  6. The test will come when I publish the September newsletter.

    1. Did Twitter pick it up?
    2. Did our Facebook group wall pick it up?
    3. Is it visible in the newsfeeds of our group’s members?

    MM, I’ll need your feedback on this, if you please.

  7. I’ll let you know what i see from my end, the best I can. You’d think I’d understand networking stuff more.
    So far the facebook business page is rocking. The little buttons on this blog is working good.

    I never use twitter however. I have a page, but I found twitter to be aptly named.

  8. John,

    The Facebook submit button is something different. That allows you to submit articles you find interesting to your friends on Facebook. Same thing goes for Twitter.

    What I’m doing is an automated feed to Facebook and Twitter so that people who are members of our Facebook group, or who follow the school on Twitter, can receive updated blog posts automatically.

    An alternate way of doing this is our RSS feed, which is in the footer of this blog.

  9. MM,

    I’ve re-enabled non-admin privileges to post on our group wall. (This is disabled on our Facebook page).

    I took it off initially because of some spam.

  10. *head explodes*

    network sites…seriously, I was born with the mentality of a 60 year old woman. lol I found myself wanting to make lemon tea cakes the other day…it is all down hill from here 🙁

  11. I have to say, wherever I’ve gone to train in Aikido, I always got compliments on my ukemi, thanks to Dee.

    Now that I’m taking Capoeira in LA(wanted to try something new, and needed something really aerobic to cut some weight) I’ve actually found a lot of the lessons help with things like Au (cartwheels) and other flippy-type stuff. Not being afraid to be off-balance goes a long way.

    So, thanks Dee!

  12. Hi, Chris!

    Dee and I are at your old dojo today, in Atlanta, for Yamada Sensei’s seminar. Last time we were here was in 2003, with you and Tammy.

  13. FYI, one of the techniques Sensei demonstrated was kote-gaeshi. Please ask Dee or me about it after our trip.

    I don’t think anyone at the school still does kote-gaeshi leaving their hand behind their center, (I know Dee has never taught it that way, and it has always been a pet peeve of mine), but that lesson reinforced for me that kote-gaeshi should be executed as if you’re holding bokken, in front of your center.

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