以下是University of Washington 的學生報對他們的圖書館員/劍道老師做的專訪
有一些蠻好的想法和態度
跟大家分享～
這個老師是個留著白鬍子的老先生
他對劍道和工作的熱誠
還有待人處事的態度
都非常值得學習
以劍會到這樣的友
真的是很愉快
我再找找有沒有他的照片～
DAVID YAMAMOTO / The Daily
UW librarian Tom Bolling, a "yon-don" or fourth-degree black belt,
teaches beginning UW kendo students the fundamentals of a highly
aerobic drill called "kakari-geiko."
Kayla Webley
2004-05-27
By day, he is a resource in the quiet of Odegaard Undergraduate
Library. By night, his armor closely resembles a costume from the
movie Star Wars and he swings a blade among fighters yelling out
"Kiai."
One man takes on two extremes; he is both a librarian and a
swordfighter.
Tom Bolling, UW reference librarian by day, kendo artist by night,
finds a common connection between the two activities he values most in
life. The two activities tie together because Bolling has a passion
for helping people and, in the process, learning for himself.
At just the mention of kendo, Japanese sword fighting, Bolling's eyes
light up and a grin encompasses his white-bearded face.
Kendo is a combination of three types of sword fighting: kata, keiko
and iai. Each form teaches participants the way of the sword. Bolling
practices kendo three or more nights a week, a time commitment that is
necessary for further development in his path.
"With any martial art you should make a commitment," said Bolling.
"Each of us are on our path of development ... where someone is ahead
of me in the art and other people are coming along later."
In addition to practicing at Everett Community College and at the
Bellevue Kendo Club, Bolling also is an assistant instructor for the
UW Kendo Club.
Kendo begins and ends with a ceremony, called mokuso. At the
beginning, the quiet meditation time is designed to clear
participants' minds and set goals for the commencing practice.
"Mokuso lets the mind calm down, when you come in to do kendo, you
leave your worries and cares outside," said Bolling.
Members first do kata, a series of pre-choreographed forms done in
pairs. Next, they strap on armor, which is necessary for keiko,
fighting drills to improve their waza, or techniques.
"Waza is learning how to strategize; it is used to overcome
opponents," said Bolling.
During keiko, the fighters yell out "Kiai," which is a spirited yell
that gives power to the hit.
Bolling stands out in the room; his uniform is extremely worn and
faded in contrast to the newly dyed uniforms of the students. His
uniform used to be dark indigo like the rest of the group but now
there are rub marks and fraying edges and the knees are wearing out.
Instead of rotating with the group, Bolling spends time with three
members who are just beginning to learn the art of kendo. One of the
new members is UW freshman James Szerwo, who joined the club at the
beginning of this spring quarter.
"[Bolling] teaches us a lot; he is good at catching little flaws that
we have so we can correct those and get better," said Szerwo. "He's a
really good teacher ... I learn something almost every day from him."
Bolling's teaching skills help him in his job as reference librarian.
Even though he receives a paycheck from his time there, Bolling
doesn't think of what he does as work.
"I'm really lucky because I get paid for doing what I love, which is
the more I talk to students about their term papers or research
problems ... the more I am doing what I get paid to do," he said. "All
day I get to talk to nice UW students, faculty and staff."
Bolling feels as though from one conversation with a student he learns
more than the student does.
"I am supposedly helping them with their project but actually I am
learning so much from them; I am getting such inspiration by knowing
them," he said. "The UW students give me ever so much more than I ever
give them."
When Bolling first started his work at the UW, the libraries had only
one computer and used the now-obsolete card catalog and printed index.
The changes in technology throughout Bolling's more than 30 years of
employment caused him to change with the times.
"The changes show how much I had to grow and change over the years,"
said Bolling. "I learned a lot more from students than trainings; the
students stretched me and made me find out."
Bolling's love of learning ties to his love of kendo. Even though
Bolling serves as an assistant instructor, he is always learning and
developing his path.
David Yotsuuye, head instructor of the UW Kendo Club, taught Bolling
when he began kendo at age 37.
"When he first started kendo he was kind of on the older side ... that
was a challenge for him but he stuck through it all these years,
almost 25 years now," said Yotsuuye. "I think it's great that he's
persevered and continued to improve; he's always working to improve.
That's part of his character, a very good part."
According to Yotsuuye, people of all ages can define their own kendo,
a trait that helped Bolling, now a fourth-degree black belt, persevere
in the sport.
"[Bolling] has been able to adjust his kendo with his age," he said.
"You can have younger people and older people able to compete
together, the youth can use their agility and speed and the older
kendoist can use their mental abilities, their wisdom, to overcome the
agility and speed."
Bolling, at 62, is not contemplating retirement because, he said,
after retirement he would still want to wander around the library and
talk to students, only then people would think he was "some weird old
guy."
"The word retire is not in my lexicon," he said. "It's the same for
kendo, I am probably getting to the age where I could think about
retiring ... but we don't think we can retire until we are dead from
the actual kendo."
為看完整段的你拍拍手！！
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