Whenever people try to do their impression of the late Pat Morita’s “Mr Miyagi”, they often use the old, “Wax on, Wax off” phrase, while making circular motions with both hands in front of them. I always chuckle when I hear that saying… then start thinking about a lesson that lies within second and last words… on and off. I guess that the real beginnings of computers, as we know them, could be said to have begun during WWII, a few years before I was born. These were large, crude machines powered by vacuum tubes, and generating a tremendous amount of heat. Yet, the most sophisticated of these behemoths possessed less computing capacity than today’s disposable hand held calculators. This is a story we all know. What I always remember, though, is that at the heart of the incredible things that today’s video games, pc’s, servers, mainframes and even the super number crunchers can do, is a simple principle…. On and Off.The reason that the computers of the 1940’s used vacuum tubes was that these lights would have two states at any given time, these would either be on or off. Multiplied by thousands of little tubes and using binary language, the computer age began. Of course, from the many hot little tubes (which often had to be replaced, like light bulbs), technology moved on to electronic circuits, silicon chips, ceramics, etc, etc…continually increasing memory and computing capacity at an exponential rate. However, underlying the amazing things that our pc’s can do today is a vast, vast increase in basic computing power… based upon on/off states of smaller and smaller “switches”, doing it faster and faster. It’s still all about On and Off.

The muscles in our bodies are kind of like that…the muscle cells are really only capable of a couple of states. Either they’re in state of contraction or in a state of relaxation. That’s really about all a single, slim muscle cell can do. However, multiply those states by trillions of cells, operating according to some greater will (your brain), and have the cells contract and release in coordinated waves, results in the beginnings of movement. A single cell’s switch from contraction to relaxation can only be viewed under a microscope…a muscle group consisting of millions of cells can produce visible motion…the coordinated contraction/release of all the muscle cells in your body, enables you to lift heavy weights, walk, run, do karate-do, and all of the myriad movements that you can do. Imagine someone performing the brown belt kata, Bassai-Dai, with fluidity, speed, power, balance and _expression…and realize that it’s all based upon On and Off.

I remember that proud day at IBM, when we announced the first IBM PC, which was the beginning of the movement to the pc’s that everyone owns and uses these days. We were so focused on the technology back then…we thought that the pixl density on the screen, the memory capacity, the ram speed, keyboard slant, mouse design, etc; were the prime aspects of the personal computer and its future. We never dreamed that the real value (and future) of the pc’s lay in its operating system (which Microsoft certainly realized), and in the available software. A powerful pc that has no software compatible with it is useless…kind of like turning on a 60″ HDTV in the middle of the desert, with no broadcast or cable channels to turn to. When I was a kid, I had a tiny radio, shaped like a rocket, that probably only had a couple of diodes in its little body, and two wires. One ended with a clip that I’d attach to an outside water faucet. The other ended with a little earplug that I’d place in my ear. With this cheap little toy, I could catch music from radio stations miles away. It was truly a miracle to me. The technology wasn’t much, but it connected me to a bigger world of songs and radio chat. Hence, it was of incalculable value to me.

Like that, remember that the true value of karate-do goes far beyond the time spent in physical training. The true value in life goes beyond our jobs, how well we recreate, how much we acquire, how fit we keep our bodies….the value of our time here on earth, comes from what we use it for, in accordance with a greater will and purpose. Hopefully, we can all find our calling in life, hopefully, we find the right software, the right channel, the right radio station.