Monday, February 23, 2009
I would also be remiss if I didn't note that the Saratoga Martial Arts Festival (SMAF) is less than a week away. SMAF bills itself as one of the premiere non-competetive martial arts events in the northeast, and justly so. I've gone to four (2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007) back when it was held at Skidmore College and I always walked away impressed by many of the folks I met and almost overwhelmed by all the information I'd been exposed to. Several similar events have sprung up as a result of people's positive experiences there, and I can't help but think that the martial arts community can only grow stronger as a result.
I won't be attending again this year for several reasons, not the least of which is the festival has once again been scheduled during snowshoe season and I hate to miss a snowshoe race. But even writing this has brought back a lot of great memories of my four times at SMAF and I find myself a little bit regretful that I'm not going to be there this coming weekend. If you train in the martial arts and can leave your ego at the door, I can't recommend the Saratoga Martial Arts Festival enough - it's a great chance to learn some new skills (or refresh some old ones) with a fantastic group of instructors.
JMH
