Who me?

 

When I discovered the internet back in the late 1980’s I was delighted to be able to discuss things of interest with other martial artists. Then I discovered the reality, there was a whole lot of shouting getting on, and only occasionally any discussion in depth.

 

But I kept trying to discuss things that interested me, and eventually I found a few that were willing to discuss and share.

 

I always wanted to open wider dialogue, because I was interested in almost everything, but most frequently I only got silence back from those attempts.

 

Jump forward to today, now new tools like Face Book and You Tube, but little has changed.  More so less involved discussion.

 

Of course there are exceptions, I am thankful when I discover them, but so few are willing to get into involved discussion.

 

Now my interests were much more involved that my students had time to follow. My instruction was focused first on addressing their needs, and I worked on that with a few of them continuously for over 30 years. But what I was sharing with them was just a small portion of what I was looking at. What we did study together was of course what was right for them. And they have a most advanced, complex understanding of their art.

 

But there was so much more that I was personally into, from my studies with many and my personal research. Much more than anyone needed.

 

Back about 2008 a friend suggested I start a blog, and I did, The real purpose was to summarize many of the things I studied with them, but more importantly to preserve many other things I was looking at, in case such would prove useful for them in the future, or perhaps for some future student of theirs.

 

I do not believe in hiding such material, making it available for anyone to view.

 

Of course there were many things that I did not place there. Private things for my advanced students which would only make sense for those who trained a long time with me.

And those things I did share with them, but privately.

 

My blog was not designed to teach, rather reinforce things they already knew.

 

And the blog keeps track of how often others view it. Gradually I saw the numbers rise, but never ever heard back from anyone about what I wrote there, (of course there were a scant few, but essentially no one commented.)

 

Much later with the rise of Face Book, I still desiring discussion, never really considering myself an expert, I began to share some of those blog entries. The standard remained, very, very few discussed what I shared. But at the same time the views of my blog kept climbing and climbing and climbing.

Now I have never considered myself an expert, just one who followed the winds of my studies. But I have to consider, have I become an unintentional international expert?

I really do not know. When I get up, I am not so skilled, for I put my trousers on one leg at a time. I care deeply about those who have trained with me, and even more so those who had to move on (which of course was the right decision for them, and that is what I always wanted them to do, make up their own mind.)

There still is so much I do not know and still am working on.

Now unable to have anyone to instruct, I still train and work on my art and my understanding of it.

 

And if I have become an unexpected international expert,

I apologize for not knowing enough to be that.