About the Digital Dojo

We are the media. All of us, big and small. Independent or corporate. Personal workshops and services that empower people to be the media is what the Ojai Digital Dojo is all about. Founded in a beautiful Japanese styled martial arts studio in 2005 by Markus Sandy and Alicia Shay, the Digital Dojo is a magical place to learn about finding, creating and sharing personal media over the web. Media distribution in the digital age will make for great change in the very near future and you can bet that this revolution will be televised. The Digital Dojo is also a Node 101 affiliate.

Alicia is a water color artist when she can be and a java network programmer when she has to be. She and Markus love to share the beauty and magic of the Digital Dojo, personal media and the surrounding Ojai countryside and wilderness. Alicia's vlog is called "Alicia Coral".

Markus shares his experiences through video and other forms of media at his personal videoblog at Apperceptions. Markus also acts as an adviser and coordinator to several media organizations, including OurMedia, HaveMoneyWillVlog and Outhink's SpinFlow. He also is a moderator for the popular Yahoo! Videoblogging Group and a reporter for We Are The Media. Markus is a popular teacher and presenter; he is a member of the Meet The Vloggers team well known for their entertaining Apple Store and new media school presentations. Markus participates in a number of events, including Pixelodeon and the Ojai Valley Film Festival.

In another life, Markus was a Chief Applications Architect for Apperceive and Outhink, plus a popular instructor for the University of California at Santa Barbara and the US Navy at China Lake. Today, Markus concentrates on teaching and empowering others to pursue their creative passions and to help build online communities. In many ways, Markus has become a "Digital Urban Planner". An Ojai resident for almost 15 years. His personal passion is centered around traditional Japanese woodworking tools and techniques.