Halloween Safety

This is a message for you mom's and dad's. Halloween is fast approaching. Every year our children and some adults who think they are still kids at heart dress up to celebrate the holiday. It is a holiday to be celebrated with fun and safety. Many times we set out with our children with some fears, that if we can just take the few precautions we would have a better time. Halloween like Thanksgiving is a fall holiday. Halloween also marks the end of harvest season. The end of October marks the time that pastures and fields dry up. The animals were brought in from the pasture to be butchered and the remaining vegetables left in fields and gardens were left to rot. This part of the season often brought about reminisce of loved ones that were lost.

What ever may be the reason you may celebrate Halloween I wanted to add some safety tips so that you and your children can have a safer holiday.

1) When your children go out make sure they go with a group or with mom and dad.
2) Take a flashlight. Halloween is usually celebrated at sunset.
3) Go to homes that you know. It isn't a race to get candy. And collecting candy by car pool is not safe.
4) Before you allow your children to eat any of the candy, inspect it. Friends may have the best intentions but it is best to be safe.
5) Set a time limit if your children go out without you. Most towns , cities have curfews and will be enforced.
6) If they have costumes that limit visibility make them so your child can see vehicles safely.
7) For the little ones make the costumes visible or reflective. To go house to house they have to be on the roadway. This mixes vehicles with children.
8) Have your child memorize the home phone number. And most importantly they should know 911. In emergency contact information becomes vital.
9) Map out a route that you and your children will take. Have them and yourself carry copies of it. Congested areas you could be separated. Have the childs address and contact information on that map. And one step further take a snap shot of your child with the costume on and off.
10) My last step I'm going to list is Have Fun !!. There could be many more safety tips I could add but this list is able to be changed by each mom and dad. And its a holiday to be aware but also enjoy it. So Happy Halloween!! See ya out there.

Fall is here folks

Summer is now gone and the season is now fall. I like fall the most in New England. When the colors come alive. The tree's many different kinds lose thier leaves. Then it is also time for the holidays and that starts with halloween. I am fond of the holiday season. I also definitely like when the rockies are in thier fall season as well. The aspen tree's turning the mountains to gold and early snow sits on the peaks. Such a awsome sight nature provides. Even though this is the season when nature lies dormant for the oncoming of winter it does not mean its time for us to. As warriors and martial artists we need to stay reminded that our skills only stay as sharp as we practice. So I hope everyone not only prepares for the winter months but realize just because summer has past, does not provide the excuse to relax and not train. Training discipline comes from the heart and the mind. Keep on it. You will be happy with yourself later.

Light in the dark martial arts

Light in the dark martial arts is in Phoenix , Arizona. It is ran by a good professional friend of mine. Dustin Crouse and his partner Tim Street. Dustin being a part of the same lineage as I, is dedicated to teaching those survival. And by doing so the preservation of not only life but Dustin believes in the preservation of the warrior culture. I urge all those that live in Metro Phoenix to visit. This is something new but Dustin and Tim have years of training behind them that will provide inidividual attention and with one goal in mind. Self Defense. I to will be making several visits.