Articles by Donivan Blair

About Donivan Blair
Donivan Blair was born and raised in Sherman, TX. He studied Music Theory but decided to apply his education on the road for the past thirty years instead of finishing a degree. He has been a musician, barista, data coordinator, gymnastics instructor and Taekwondo instructor. None of these jobs were without fault, especially ‘musician’. Since 1991 he has made 20 albums and toured the American continent, Europe and Asia with Hagfish and Only Crime. For the past 13 years he has been the bassist for Texas favorite the Toadies. He began writing his first book “Even If It Kills Me” (YMAA Publications) while on the road in 2015 about his black belt journey in Taekwondo. Upon release it was a Silver Winner for the Benjamin Franklin Award. When he’s not writing he can be found drinking coffee, trying to learn Rush songs, training in martial arts and drinking coffee . He lives in Amarillo, TX with his wife Shelley and, since his bass guitars are his children, their 13 kids.
The Partial Artist

The Partial Artist

October 13, 2021 Donivan Blair 0

Ever met the guy who decides, often unsolicited, to describe the many martial arts he has trained in? The person before you could be a human cornucopia of combat systems, information you would never have had if you hadn’t asked. But wait… you didn’t. You can’t stop and you won’t [Read More]

Adversity and injury

The Harder We Fall

September 8, 2021 Donivan Blair 0

Discipline, hard work, integrity spring to mind when you think of martial arts. We have been inundated with images of karateka, judoka and juijiteiro fighting adversity with sweat dripping from their body, making their Gi wet from practice, diligent in their quest for perfection. I think of wrapped fingers, bloody [Read More]

Always respect others

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

September 6, 2021 Donivan Blair 1

Learning to Live… Again When Steven Tyler yelled in 1976 that he was back in the proverbial saddle it was without any inclination what the year 2020 was going to have in store and how hard it would be to just jump back on in ‘21. I have heard the [Read More]

What’s In A Name? That which we call Taekwondo

August 9, 2021 Donivan Blair 0

Taekwondo is translated as “the art of kicking and punching.” But what is that exactly? Yes, the translation is from the Korean language but wouldn’t ALL martial arts fit in this category? Agree with me or not, it’s just an opinion/observation. Forward all hate mail to doni@keepittoyourself.com. For the past [Read More]

time to rest and relax

Take A Load Off Your Fanny

August 6, 2021 Donivan Blair 2

I met a guy once (no, it’s not THAT kind of article) at a bookstore (see?). He was a cashier at my favorite haunt in Dallas, Half Price Books. I had been perusing the martial arts section in my latest attempt to get on up, get into it and get [Read More]

Is The Grass Greener?

August 2, 2021 Donivan Blair 0

As a kid I spent hours drawing with crayons, tongue out of the side my mouth in thought, left hand cranking out masterpiece. My brain couldn’t count as high as the 48 colors in the box but I took a crack at using everyone one of the options offered on [Read More]