The Ravenswood Academy

In Spider-Man: Brand New Day our spider hero fights ninjas.

As a historian, it’s fun to watch these stories pop up “again.”

In tales from Edo period Japan, Tsuchigumo Taro receives spider powers from a radioactiv- I mean, supernatural spider, on his quest to avenge his family. As an 1800s kid in Japan, you could find this thrilling story in affordable woodblock print books, much like modern comics.

This parallel of spider heroes appeals to the parts of me that are historian, Japanese, and even kung fu practitioner: after all, Tsuchigumo Taro’s spider powers are made manifest when he utilizes Buddhist hand gestures, much like the sword hand you see alongside the Chinese straight sword.

It also appeals to the ten year old me who watched spider-man cartoons growing up. Shout out to mom for making me a Spider-Man birthday cake all those years ago.

If this post gets enough interest, I’ll show you pictures of the spider-WOMAN woodblock, also from Edo period Japan. Cheers.

Ah, does my heart good to see the Ravenswood Playing Cards all lined up to be shipped out.

DID YOU KNOW YOU HAVE RIGHTS??
Well these pieces of paper I found say you do!
Happy Independence Day.

New video is here, so I'm bringing you along on the adventure. https://youtu.be/DPyn1Wd1vIAWe'll trace the life of Fan Xudong, born in the 1800s and a teacher in my martial arts lineage. Enjoy the history, exploring China, and one or two surprises along the way! Cheers.

Dropping an over 30 minute vid on the history of Praying Mantis Kung Fu this week. More footage from China, historical accounts and photographs. Come along with me on the adventure when it lands.

Rest in peace to the Major Oak, a gigantic 1000 year old tree in the middle of Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire England. One of the oldest living things I’ve ever been in the presence of, it has now been confirmed dead by the foresters today. All good things must come to an end (some find this saying depressing, but I feel it helps me appreciate the good things while they are here). As a kid I learned to appreciate detail, and while you can attribute some of that to long swathes of time involving school, I think some of the smaller moments, like reading Robin Hood, were just as important. A beautiful forest.

👀 Check out this trailer I edited for a friend: rooftop applications in Shanghai. May you have fun watching and get some kung fu insights. Cheers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUGSg4-QGlA

Around a decade ago my mother asked me to travel with her to Seattle to help her take care of HER mother. I'll be brutally honest: I was at a point in my life where I didn't want to "take up time" by traveling. Yet even not being Catholic, I figured there was a special place in Hell for someone who denied their own mother help, let alone when they're mom was simply asking for help taking care of THEIR mom. So when she asked if I wanted to go I said "Absolutely I do."

It turned out to be a great trip, memories of which (involving my mom and grandmother) I still have. Ever the rebel, while we there, Grandmother had left without signing out from her assisted living facility, in order to go scold the construction workers for bulldozing a patch of grass "That's not what we DO here in Seattle! We have to respect nature! I'm a botanist!"

We both shared an intense love for nature. Even when it was cold and wet she would still walk the premises and pick up leaves of all shades of gold and red for her collection (in the northeast and northwest of the U.S., the fall foliage can be intensely striking). Gran held up a leaf with a smile to me "Try as we might: you and I will never be this beautiful." I can see how some people would want us to come in from the cold and rain, but Granny and I just stood their cracking smiles and giggling like crazed infants over the treasure we were picking up. "You and I are of the same mind." she said.

Grandmother is gone, but the city, the leaves and the memories all remain.

So long Seattle, and thanks for all the coffee.