By Cranford Blackmon Throughout our lives, we’ve all heard people say “There’s a right way to do something, and there’s a wrong way.” If you’re a grown up, you’ve probably said it to someone with less wisdom than you. It is, for the most part, true. Of course, there are times when there are multiple “right” ways, and there are certainly a multitude of “wrong” ways to do things. But that’s a rabbit hole we won’t go down today! So…
It’s a fine, beautiful day and everything is going along swimmingly. That’s what we want every day, right? And truth be told, most of our days ARE that way – if we would only notice it! But it seems that (by our own choice) we let our attention drift to stuff that obscures the good things that are always going on. Even in a bad situation there are “good things” going on around us. But, if you are too wound…
There are certain times of the year when we usually think about making some changes in our lives. Whether it is New Year’s, a birthday, or something worse, like bad news from our doctor or a run-in with a dangerous criminal. Both good and bad events can “inspire” us to reevaluate what we’re doing in life as well as what we’re NOT doing. I think we have a very different emotional response to the things we change depending on what…
So, you have worked hard and saved your money to have some nice things for yourself and for your family. But now you’re wishing you could make some of those things available to the lowlife criminal scum of your local area. Hmmm, what’s the best way you could get those bad guys to come into your home and take that television, the computer, your grandmother’s jewelry, that antique vase you so love having, and so on? It might also be…
‘Tis the season for festive decorations as we each celebrate the wonderful season of Christmas! Whether you do minimalist decorations or go all out no matter what the power bill might be, they create a special feeling. It just seems brings back childhood memories of hope and excitement. I love seeing all the beautiful decorations on homes as we drive around just to enjoy the festive lights. From simple to supremo, they’re just fun to see. Lights in the yard. …
(Update: Some of our programs have changed. Subscribe to our email list to stay up to date.) On November 28, 2016, Ohio State University joined the list of schools who have experienced violence on a large scale. This time, the attacker used a vehicle and then a knife. In the 2013 attacks at Lone Star College in Cypress Texas, the attacker used a razor type knife. In the 2007 Virginia Tech attack in Blacksburg Virginia, the attacker used firearms. Colleges…
By Cranford Blackmon It’s the holiday season, And doop-de-doo, And dickery-dock, Don’t forget to Do the things that’ll keep you safe! Well, it looks like my holiday wish to be a successful songwriter isn’t coming true! But I have another wish: it’s for every one of you to have a wonderful holiday season AND a safe one as well. So as a little something for you from LaBCaF, LLC, here are 5 EASY ways to keep yourself safe through the…
Ok, you read the title and now you’re sitting there with your eyebrow raised or your head cocked to the side like a confused puppy. I can almost hear you asking me “Cran, what the heck are you talking about?” Well, as many of you already know, we teach women to be safe, to be aware, to escape, and to fight like a crazed badger. The point of all that is not only to be safe wherever you are, but…
Hi everybody. I’m not sure which order is most accurate: I get hungry so I write about food metaphors or I write about food and then get hungry! Well, whatever the order is, I’m writing about food (sort of) and I’m hungry, again! I find that the best way to teach, so that my students can remember the information, is to apply what I’m talking about to something that is already familiar. Today I’m talking about how to REALLY live…
By Cranford Blackmon (WARNING: This is a long post, but it is VERY important. Grab a drink and start reading!) If you have taken our courses or read much of our website and blog, you know that our courses ARE NOT martial arts. Not that I have anything against martial arts. On the contrary, I think they are wonderful. But they’re not the most effective path for women learning to protect themselves against an attacker. Knowing this, it is always…
A message from Cranford: I was driving along the other night listening to a late night talk show on the radio. The guest was talking about healing your body with energy (or something like that) when a lady called in with a question. The caller said she was almost 50 years old and asked in advance for forgiveness for getting emotional. The caller then asked what could be done, for herself and other women, to remove the shame and emotional…
I found a great article on Pinterest the other day (actually I found MANY great articles, which is why I’m writing this today rather than the other day when I was SUPPOSED to be writing instead of looking at PINTEREST!). It was an article that said if you are being forced to withdraw money from an ATM, just punch in your PIN in reverse rather than forward (example – 4321 instead of 1234) and the ATM would let your money…