About Me

My short bio:
Originally from Hawaii, I traded one island for a larger one. Four Year ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) on the JET Programme. Now working for the Chikushino Board of Education. Moved from my happy little town of Kurogi-machi to the faster pace life of Futsukaichi, Chikushino city. Still in Fukuoka, Japan.

The first intention of my blog was to record my training and journey towards getting my purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, which I came to the conclusion is a terrible thing to be concerned (obsessed) with. Don’t get me wrong getting promoted is fine goal but too many people get caught up in it, turning it into something more than what it really is.

If I may use a Bruce Lee quote (how can I be a martial artist and not quote Bruce Lee), “It is like a finger pointing toward the moon. Don’t concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory.” Bruce’s way of saying don’t sweat the small stuff or you’ll lose sight of the bigger picture.

Now the blog has shifted a bit in direction, as have my goals in training Jiu-jitsu. Keep on training, grow in the art, and have fun.

I’ve kept the name in honour of my former town’s Ofuji plant. A national treasure and over 600 years old, the color of the Ofuji (Great Westeria) plant is purple. Or MURASAKI in Japanese.

Sure I want to get promoted, but I’d much rather be rolling (Brazilian Jiu-jitsu lingo for sparring).

My Martial Arts:
Despite over 13 years of practicing the martial arts, the only offical ranking I have, besides a white belt in both Judo and Kyokushin Karate, is a 1st degree blue belt from Relson Gracie.

My teaching credits include:
2002-2004 Relson Gracie Jiu-jitsu Kaneohe Team kids class assistant instructor.

2004-2008
JET Programme Assistant Langauage Teacher – Kurogi Senior High School, Kishoukan Secondary School

2007-2008
Assistant Judo Instructor

2008-Present
Chikushino city Board of Education – Assistant Language Teacher – various Elementary and Jr High Schools

ALT Seminar Workshop Presenter
2004 Japanese Culture – Jujutsu
2007 Japanese Culture – Judo

Additional JET Workshop Presenter
2005 Mid-Year Seminar
2006 Fukuoka Orientation
2006 Mid-Year Seminar
2007 FITTE Seminar

My Animal Trivia:
A platypus, while cute and funny looking, is poisonous.

An elephant runs at an average of 40 k/h. A hippo runs at an average of 50 k/h. This means that a hippo can potentially run and catch you.

My Jiu-jitsu related Trivia:
BJ Penn, Demian Maia and Sandra Oh recieved their black belts in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in under 5 years.

One of the earliest spellings of the word 「柔術」 is “jiu-jitsu”.