HistoryUra & Omote began in 1995 because of a long-distance telephone conversation with my friend David Sink. We were both green belts at the time and were discussing a kata over the phone. He had to drive 12 hours or so to get to a teacher, whereas I could train with any one of 8 black belts who were a ten minute walk away from my apartment. It was then and there that I decided to help others who didn’t have easy access to a teacher, or to the information they needed to further their development in this art.
Since that time, I worked at keeping, at first, the newsletter and then its website going — although since 1998 the updates were getting fewer and farther between. I didn’t have the time to devote myself fully to the newsletter and the quality of it had lessened over time. Producing the newsletter and updating the web site ceased to be a love for me and had become a chore. I decided to close down shop — a decision which took me the better part of three months to come to.
Why an archive site?
Since that time I have received many requests looking for the articles and information
that the newsletter delivered. I tried to fill these requests whenever possible, grateful
that people were still interested in what the newsletter had to provide.
I realized that there were many people that I wasn’t getting too, and in order to make this wish-fulfillment possible, I've decided to put up an archive site of the articles from the newsletter. The seminar content, school listings, etc. will not find a home on this site since that information needed constant upkeep.
Those of you who have articles, archives, etc., on your web sites feel free to keep them up — but please give credit where credit is due, and don’t add anything to the articles or archives. You may also point directly to this URL from your sites.
Restarting Ura & Omote
I feel that the newsletter served its purpose in connecting and opening up new
communication channels. This newsletter started at about the same time that the
web was beginning to take off. Now, with so many websites out there, information is
easier to obtain and seek out.
Please bear in mind my wish for Ura & Omote to rest in peace. I don’t want anyone to continue Ura & Omote. I would much rather see someone start a new newsletter that continues with the spirit I started, but is their own thing. I feel that a lot of Ura & Omote was built on my personality — my drives, desires and self-professed “open-mindedness.” Therefore a fresh outlook from someone else would be welcome. A new newsletter — with a new name — driven by someone else’s desires, intents, personality and persistence of vision would be most welcome.
So, just click on the buttons on the left to read the archives!
And, in the words of Hatsumi-sensei, “Keep going!” I know I will.
— Liz maryland
since July 21, 1999