Mr. Mike

I would wear a pink one to competition Actually, our little dragons class has a camo belt. But that's the only application I could see for wearing one...being 4-7 years old. I could see my teacher handing me a camo belt at graduation..."umm...yeah, I don't want this belt, can I just have my white one back and I'll start over."

congrats...you performed admirably for your first time out.

yes and no. I understand what you are saying, but unfortunately it is rather dry at 3:30am. So, my silence was to mean that I do not have a retort, since you sommed it all up. In fact, I may just print that and hand it to the next jerk that insists 'speed equals power.'

duh grate white nort. Wisconsin, where winter hasn't stopped yet.

so, how did you place?

I don't believe it nor do I disbelieve it. I have seen demonstrations which are very convincing, but have yet to feel 'qi' myself. I'm not a skeptic, rather, I would like to experience it, but have no way to do so due to a lack of competent masters available to me in my area. I also do not think of daoism as a raligion, so I think we're safe in that aspect, pakerlineage. It was merely a compilation of thinkings and bahaviors that are the 'way to enlightenment.' Since we as christians already have found that enlightenment, we don't have need for searching for it, but we would do well to learn some lessons that the tao teaches. i.e. development of virtue being one's chief task. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation and humility. Every daoist seeks these three virtues. A daoist is also supposed to stop and thoroughly think through each and every action and decide whether it is basically good or bad. My study of the tao has had a profound impact on my parenting for one thing. I am very patient and after studying the tao have become very slow to irritability. While I am a steadfast Lutheran, I also have found no harm in implementing some of the basic tenants of the Tao te Ching in my daily life. My life and soul belong to Christ, and I try to emulate his behavior, but ffind it easier to do so while deep in contemplation of my action and striving to cultivate my virtue. Basic teachings of the tao. I have found no teachings in either the Tao te Ching or the NIV Holy Bible that contradict each other when given enough contemplation. There would be a problem if you wanted to accept each as its own true and only way, for example, god says "I am the way and the life" and the Tao states "Truly, if one uses the Way as one's instrument, the results will be like the Way; if one uses the 'power' as one's instrument, the results will be like the power. If one uses what is the reverse of the 'power', the results will be the reverse of the 'power'. For to those who have conformed themselves to the Way, the Way readily lends its power. To those who have conformed themselves to the power, the power readily lends more power. While to those who conform themselves to inefficacy, inefficacy readily lends its ineffectiveness." The Tao isn;'t claiming that they 'way' here is the only way you should believe, but it is a 'way' to conduct yourself. There are some references that are contradictory to my beliefs that I simply omit. The way spoken of in the Bible is the way to heaven, or salvation. The way in the Tao is the way of striving for virtue. Basically a code governing daily behavior and life. Hopefully I didn't ramble on too much, but I wanted to try to clear up some misgivings about beign christian and rejecting all things relating to Eastern Philosophy. Good day and godspeed.

you could also advertise the need for instructors of additional disciplines to increase the material available at your school...for example, if you just have tang soo do that;'s all you can advertise for, but if you offer tang soo do as well as, say, tai chi, judo, BJJ, boxing, karate, etc. you can increase what you offer to the public, and at the same time help to benefit another instructor. in a nutshell, I would jump at something like that...in a heartbeat. look into napma and maia for help with marketing ideas as well as management and marketing tips. Good luck, and godspeed.

The cane and the flashlight are very good ideas and great ways to take full advantage of every day objects. IF you think about it, the laws only govern those weapons that actually 'appear' to be weapons. For example, I can't carry a four inch kubotan on my keychain due to it's illegality, but I can walk about with a three foot tree brach if I wanted to. Now, somebody who would be looking for ways to commit malicious acts may just consider how much easier it is to land a deadly blow with a tree brand than with some brass knucks. When I go for a walk at night, I carry a variety of everyday 'weapons' with me. One is a two foot long nylon shock cord ran through and old keychain with some old keys on it. Make one for yourself and take some swipes at a tree and watch the tree disintigrate. It takes awhile to familiarize yourself with a weapon like this, but it is well worth it to work it into your favorite techniques. Another is a three D cell maglite. Like listed above, this can be a very lethal weapon, and much less frowned upon than a cudgel. I also carry a Gerber model 460 combat folder in my front pocket and am quite confident wtih it, god forbid the situation warrant its use. To answer the original question, around my parts, it isn't illegal to carry a baton, but a police style tonfa is...go figure. Again,, which one looks like it would do worse damage is the one that is illegal.

Snakeyes all the way...but as the action figures go, I would have to give the coolness factor to Stormshadow...how can you beat that white ninja costume? Also, we used to pose the figures and do like headspins and backspibns with them and all sorts of 'poppin' and breakin' with them and as the smooth head gave stormshadow the best headspin, he was the one that I picked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ok, I'm a dork hey, that was in the 6th grade...we were all dorks in 6th grade!

not a bit, in fact, it has calmed me down....I don't go looking for trouble any more. How damaging I can be kinda scares me into behaving. You know as well as I do that our art LOVES to take joints apart...kinda scary to think about in terms of streetfighting. They swing with intent to injure greatly and they end up with a shattered knee or elbow...I jsut keep my eyes open and myself heading in the direction of least resistance.

sure, you can work reflexes and spontaneity, as well as counters, but it stops there. I wouldn't be too concerned with trying to get the hang of sparring technique and hoping it works in the street...I don't spar too much because it has almost no real application...it's just for fun. Full contact sparring, however, is another story entirely.

Patrick: thanks, duh *smacks forehead Louis Skolnick style* sometimes the most obvious is staring at me. Honestly, I'm not a dolt, I jsut pretend really well.

I got to .24 how do you use the enter key? mine won't work for that.

sparring is nothing more than karate tag. It may be a great way to test trapping, blocking, and striking techniques, but I wouldn't give any credo to its effectiveness on the street.

Mikaela

uh...maybe. Wait, I should just go for it, right? Maybe by then I will have things sort of ironed out That gives us almost a year to get it in gear...I say, YES. I'm going to start to implement some of the physical ideas in my daily routine and with the members of my leadership roputine...such as a 40k club for crunches and see who jumps on board. I've also been spearheading the random acts of kindness program at our school. That should be highly successful, and Mr. Callos would be proud...his goals for that program are lofty, but with the idea of presidential involvement, they just can't go wrong.

jarrettmeyer: I suggest you do because your instructor wants you to. Mine doesn't necessarily ask for one, but some of our students wear them. I prefer not to so I can learn from it better. Now if I were in an escrima sparring match, you better believe I have a mask on.

thank you ninjanurse. I would assume by the remarks here that not too many of you know who Tom Callos is and what he does. This isn't merely a test with an emphasis on a belt. This is an entirely new concept in motivation and self transformation. I am highly impressed with the program and would participate if it were at all possible. Once my life is a bit more stable, I might do just that. It all boils down to one thing: where there's a will, there's a way. I think this sums it all up: http://www.ultimateblackbelttest.com/images/broadside_image_small.gif Just reading that makes me want to be part of it. We need more programs like this, so the general public sees us as more than just chop-sake idiots with a flair for breaking boards. We shoudl be viewed as competent business persons with a passion for turning out citizens with the utmost standards.

ok...I believe in second chances, so by all means, let's have another to redeem yourself.

horse walks into a bar and the bartender says "hey, why the long face?"

to warm up, I go through my master form at a high intensity level three to four times...each time takes about two minutes. After I get my breath back, I begin the workout.

I would use it, but only if I had a clear target and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that once I committed, I wouldn't hurt myself...so really, no, I guess I wouldn't use it on the street, because I don't have my partner standing just that way he needs to for the strike when I'm on the street.

I have my bamboo scrolls that I've had sinceI was in the 5th grade on the walls, and my trophies on the entertainment center and a huge Bruce Lee poster in the wall that my GF absolutely hates. My belt racks are on another wall with the confucius wood burnings that I made. My weapons are in the corner and that's about that.

good to hear from you...welcome

I'm there 5 days religiously, more on the weekends if students need private lessons, or if there are special events.