Kanarime

A story for all the Laylas in my life. (You know who you are.)

2006-11-03T16:28:35Z

Once upon a time there was a young prince, who believed in all things but three. He did not believe in princesses, he did not believe in islands, he did not believe in God. His father, the King, told him that such things did not exist. As there were no princesses or islands in his father's domaines, and no sign of God, the young prince believed his father.

But then, one day, the prince ran away from his palace. He came to the next land. There, to his astonishment, from every coast he saw islands, and on these islands, strange and troubling creatures whom he dared not name. As he was searching for a boat, a man in full evening dress approached him along the shore.

"Are those real islands?" asked the young prince.

"Of course they are real islands," said the man in evening dress.

"And those strange and troubling creatures?"

"They are all genuine and authentic princesses."

"Then God must also exist!" cried the prince.

"I am God," replied the man in full evening dress, with a bow.

The young prince returned home as quickly as he could.

"So you are back," said his father, the King.

"I have seen islands, I have seen princesses, I have seen God," said the prince reproachfully.

The king was unmoved.

"Neither real islands, nor real princesses, nor a real God, exist."

"I saw them!"

"Tell me how God was dressed."

"God was in full evening dress."

"Were the sleeves of his coat rolled back?"

The prince remembered that they had been. The king smiled.

"That is the uniform of a magician. You have been deceived."

At this, the prince returned to the next land, and went to the same shore, where he once again came upon the man in full evening dress.

"My father the king has told me who you are," said the young prince indignantly. "You deceived me last time, but not again. Now I know that those are not real islands and real princesses, because you are a magician."

The man on the shore smiled.

"It is you who are deceived, my boy. In your father's kingdom there are many islands and many princesses. But you are under your father's spell, so you cannot see them."

The prince returned pensively home. When he saw his father, he looked him in the eyes.

"Father, is it true that you are not a real king, but only a magician?" The king smiled, and rolled back his sleeves.

"Yes, my son, I am only a magician."

"Then the man on the shore was God."

"The man on the shore was another magician."

"I must know the real truth, the truth beyond magic."

"There is no truth beyond magic," said the king.

The prince was full of sadness.

He said, "I will kill myself."

The king by magic caused death to appear. Death stood in the door and beckoned to the prince. The prince shuddered. He remembered the beautiful but unreal islands and the unreal but beautiful princesses.

"Very well," he said. "I can bear it."

"You see, my son," said the king, "you too now begin to become a magician."

-- From "The Magus" by John Fowles

Some Things Can't Be Forgiven

2006-09-22T00:16:04Z

I'm Still Alive... I think.

Over prescribed
under the mister
we had survived to
turn on the history channel
and ask our esteemed panel
why are we alive
and here's how they replied
you're what happens when two substances collide
and by all accounts you really should've died
stretched out on the tarmac
six miles south of North Platte
he can't stand to look back
at sixteen tons of HAZMAT
and it's what goes
undelivered undelivered
and it's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
it's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
exorcise your cells till you're bereft
'cause it's a nervous tic motion of the head to the left
splayed out on a bathmat
six miles north of South Platte
and he just wants his life back
what's in that paper knapsack
it's what goes undelivered
over imbibed
under the mister
barely alive we
cover the blisters in flannel
though the words we speak
are banal
not one of them's a lie
not one of them's a lie
you're what happens when two substances collide
and by all accounts you really should've
died

...A PaciFic During tike...

From Kaidevis

2006-06-28T13:52:43Z

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, (even if we don't speak often) please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL memory of you and me.

It can be anything you want - good or bad - BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE.

When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your LJ and be surprised (or mortified) about what people DON'T ACTUALLY remember about you.

Eris help us...

2006-06-26T04:35:04Z

Robert Anton Wilson is on his death-bed.

Here is the Blog Entry
Here's Robert Anton Wilson's Homepage

"Faith-based organizations say we don't need any more research, we know enough now, we can be dogmatic, whereas researchers say we don't know enough now, investigate, research," argues Wilson. "Faith is a reason to become stupid: 'From this point forward, I will remain stupid.' To me, faith-based organizations are responsible for everything I see wrong with this planet. Research-based organizations are responsible for everything I like about it. Before the French Revolution, the average life expectancy was 37 years. Now it's 78 years. All due to research-based organizations. Not at all due to faith-based organizations. All faith-based organizations give you is George Bush. Research-based organizations give you cures for disease."

You've had a hell of a run Bob. I can't think of anyone else who has so diligently pursued the Great-Work as you. When you get to where you're going, be sure to tell Tim that I said Hi.

Something to force me to use my LJ...

2006-06-22T13:30:34Z

Comment here and...

1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll challenge you to try something.
3. I'll pick a color that I associate with you.
4. I'll tell you something I like about you.
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. If I do this, you must post this in your journal.

Superhero for a Day

2006-06-19T14:23:56Z

This seems like something Nathan would have done...

...back when he was a six year old girl.

Deep Thoughts

2006-06-16T21:15:35Z

I have come to the conclusion that the speed of "dark" is far faster than the speed of "light", seeing as how dark is quick enough to move out of light's way.

We all know someone who needs to hear this:

2006-06-15T18:58:50Z

You can accept the existence of rain, without denying the existence of umbrellas.

From lupabitch, kitten_goddess, and teriel. You should do it too!

2006-05-26T18:08:02Z

Accent: Midwestern.
Booze: Crown and Coke / Caucasian / Silk Dragon.
Chore I hate: Paying my bills.
Dog or cat: Cat.
Essential electronics: Computer / I-Paq.
Favourite cologne(s): Myhrr, Abramelin.
Gold or silver: Electrum.
Hometown: Saint James.
Insomnia: When stressed.
Job title: Information Systems Analyst
Kids: I don't keep animals I don't plan on eating.
Living arrangements: Just me and the voices in my head in a two bedroom apartment.
Most admirable trait: Voraciously Curious / Constantly learning.
Number of sexual partners: Never kiss and tell.
Overnight hospital stays: Three or four. I've also worked overnight at a hospital.
Phobias: Drinking a glass full of brine shrimp (sea monkeys).

Quote: "We're not trying to bring people to God; that's a contradiction in terms, you can't even say it in Martian. We're not trying to save souls, because souls can't be lost. We're not trying to get people to have faith, because what we offer is not faith but truth —truth they can check; we don't urge them to believe it. Truth for practical purposes, for here-and-now, truth as matter of fact as an ironing board and as useful as a loaf of bread… so practical that it can make war and hunger and violence and hate as unnecessary as…. as —well, as clothes here in the Nest. But they have to learn Martian first. That's the only hitch —finding people who are honest enough to believe what they see, and then are willing to do the hard work —it is hard work —of learning the language it can be taught in. A composer couldn't possibly write down a symphony in English… and this sort of symphony can't be stated in English any more than Beethoven's Fifth can be." --Stranger in a Strange Land.

Religion: No thank you, I'm trying to quit.
Siblings: One sister and a cat.
Time I wake up: 7:15.
Unusual talent or skill: Juggling / Teaching Martial Arts / Philosophical Discorse.
Vegetable I refuse to eat: Peas.
Worst habit: Instigating debates.
X-rays: Vision. I've seen london...
Yummy foods I make: Tortillini au Russi

Zodiac sign: Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars in Taurus. Moon in Gemini. Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Libra. Uranus in Scorpio. Neptune in Sagittarius. Rising Sign Aquarius.

Conflict Resolution

2006-05-22T15:30:55Z

A lot of people I know (both in Springfield and Rolla) have been having a lot of trouble in dealing with conflict resolution as of late. This article was recently brought to my attention, and I decided to save it here for prosperity. I hope this finds well the people who it may benefit.

----------------------------------
Six Steps for Resolving Conflicts
by Naomi Drew, M.A.
author of Hope and Healing

Company owner Mark Burnes dealt with conflict every day. If it wasn’t with vendors and clients, it was with his ex-wife or teen-aged son. Things started to change when Mark began using conflict resolution skills. “I used to add fuel to the fire by getting stuck in my position. Now I take a step back, breathe deep, and listen. The more I do that, the easier it is to solve problems.”

Mark learned that conflicts don’t need to be volatile and negative. Conflicts can actually lead to increased understanding and creative thinking. It’s how we deal with conflict that determines the outcome.

In this era of school and workplace shootings, road rage, airport rage, and even supermarket rage, knowing how to resolve conflicts can save a life. Beyond that, conflict resolution skills can improve relationships and deepen understanding.

A system for resolving conflicts used by families and educators around the country is called The Win/Win Guidelines . Based on methods from diplomacy and counseling, these guidelines were initially developed for use in public schools. The results were so good that teachers, parents, and school administrators began using them in their own lives. Now this system is being used internationally.

Here’s how you can use the Win/Win Guidelines for any conflicts that may arise :

Step 1: Cool off.
Conflicts can’t be solved in the face of hot emotions. Take a step back, breathe deep, and gain some emotional distance before trying to talk things out. As success coach Natalie Gahrmann says, “When I take the time to breathe and regain my focus I can create the opportunity to choose my response rather than just react. If I try to skip this step, my words are too emotionally loaded.”

Take a moment to brainstorm ten things that make you feel better when you’re hot under the collar. Consider some of the following: breathing deeply while making a calming statement, looking at the sky, clearing your desk or straightening up, splashing cold water on the face, writing in a journal, or taking a quick walk and then coming back to talk about the problem. Some people need physical release, while others need something quiet and cerebral. Determine what works for you, then use it next time you get angry. Then you’ll be ready to go on to the next step.

Step 2: Tell what’s bothering you using “I messages.”
”I messages” are a tool for expressing how we feel without attacking or blaming. By starting from “I” we take responsibility for the way we perceive the problem.
This is in sharp contrast to “you messages” which put others on the defensive and close doors to communication. A statement like, “You’ve left the kitchen a mess again! Can’t you ever clean up after yourself?” will escalate the conflict. Now take a look at how differently an “I message comes across: “I’m annoyed because I thought we agreed you’d clean up the kitchen after using it. What happened?”

When making “I” statements it’s important to avoid put-downs, guilt-trips, sarcasm, or negative body language. We need to come from a place inside that’s non-combative and willing to compromise. A key credo in conflict resolution is, “It’s us against the problem, not us against each other.” “I messages” enable us to convey this.

Step 3: Each person restates what they heard the other person say.
Reflective listening demonstrates that we care enough to hear the other person out, rather than just focusing on our own point of view. It actually fosters empathy. Mark Burnes describes how he used reflective listening the time he walked into the middle of a shouting match between his ex-wife and teen-aged son.

“No sooner had I walked in the door to pick up Randy than he and his mother erupted into battle. In the past I might have shouted for them to stop, only to have been drawn into the fray. Instead I took a deep breath, gathered my thoughts, and chose my words carefully. I calmly asked them each if they could tell me what had happened. Then I reflected back what they said. My willingness to listen helped them listen too. They were actually able to come to a compromise, something I’d never before thought possible.”

Step 4: Take responsibility.
In the majority of conflicts, both parties have some degree of responsibility. However, most of us tend blame rather than looking at our own role in the problem. When we take responsibility we shift the conflict into an entirely different gear, one where resolution is possible.

Fifty-two year old Nancy Martin talked about how taking responsibility averted a major falling-out with her husband. “We were getting ready to go to a family gathering, and as usual I was running late. When my husband Bill spotted me puttering around in the living room, he completely lost it. At the sound of his angry voice, I responded defensively, and then we were on our way to an ugly confrontation.

But this time, instead of going into my defensive posture I walked away for a few minutes, took some deep breaths, and got my bearings. When I walked back into the room I was able to hear him out. Bill told me that he was so frustrated at having to wait for me whenever we went out. He also spoke about punctuality as something he highly valued. As I listened to his words a funny thing happened: I realized he was right. I did need to get a handle on my habitual lateness. It was then that I apologized. My husband ended up giving me a hug and thanking me. What might have become a full-blown fight actually turned into a moment of drawing closer.

Step 5: Brainstorm solutions and come up with one that satisfies both people.
Resolving conflicts is a creative act. There are many solutions to a single problem. The key is a willingness to seek compromises.

Kindergarten teacher Connie Long describes how her students started having fewer conflicts when they learned how to brainstorm solutions: “My kids were constantly getting into arguments over crayons, erasers, toys, you name it. After introducing peacemaking my students started finding ways to solve the problem instead of just getting stuck in their own positions. For example, when Ronnie and Jamie both grabbed the yellow truck, I took them aside and asked if they could come up with five ways to solve the problem. They thought about it and then suggested taking turns, sharing, getting another truck from the toy chest, doing a different activity , and building a truck together out of Legos. This is the kind of thinking I’m seeing more and more. Brainstorming has opened my children’s mind to new possibilities.

Step 6: Affirm, forgive, or thank.
A handshake, hug, or kind word gives closure to the resolution of conflicts. Forgiveness is the highest form of closure. Minister Fredrick Buechner says, “When you forgive somebody . . . you’re spared the dismal corrosion of bitterness and wounded pride. For both parties, forgiveness means the freedom again to be at peace inside their own skins and to be glad in each others’ presence.” What a legacy we can leave to our children as we teach and model this.

Just saying thank you at the end of a conflict, or acknowledging the person for working things out sends a message of conciliation and gratitude. We preserve our relationships this way, strengthening our connections and working through problems that arise.

Conflict resolution has applications in every walk of life.

As a police officer described: “Knowing conflict resolution has helped me come from a base of understanding no matter who I’m dealing with. Instead of just reacting, I calm myself and listen to what people have to say. If people feel like you understand, they tend to become less volatile.”

A graduate student dealing with room-mate difficulties: “I told my roommate what was on my mind and asked him to do the same. We listened to each others’ point of view. By talking it out we gained empathy toward one another. The resolution came as we began to understand each others feelings.”

A teacher in conflict with a colleague over the use of space: “When I expressed my point of view through “I messages” without placing blame, we were able to come up with a fair solution, a compromise we could both live with.

A mother of a three year-old : In the past, the fiery look in my son’s eyes would put me right over the edge. It would lead to a screaming match, marking the beginning of a very bad day. Now I breathe deeply, make a calming statement, and remind myself not to yell. I use “I messages” too. “You messages” tend to inflame him. For example, if he refuses to dress I might say, "I'll put your clothes right here. As soon as you’re dressed you can have breakfast with us." It’s working; the power struggles are lessening.

A ten year-old boy: My little brother started cutting off the ribbons on my helium balloons. I was furious! Instead of going after him, I went upstairs, cooled off, and came back when I felt calmer. I gave him an “I message: “I’m really upset about what you did to my balloons. You wouldn’t like it if I did that to something of yours!” I said it in a such respectful way my brother was shocked. He said, “I’m really sorry. Would you help me fix them?”

Think of your own life. Who are you in conflict with? Imagine applying this system to work things out. Think of the impact on all your relationships. Peace starts with each of us and sometimes we need to take the first step. As Gandhi once said, “We must be the change we wish to see in others.”
----------------------------------

What's done is done. Even if nothing is learned from it, its time to move on, if only for the sake of everyone else involved.

The problem with hubris is that even if everyone wins, nobody may end up happy about it.

--Me

P.S. If this doesn't apply to any particular parties listening, then just assume it's for someone else.

The Wisdom of Bobby H. (with commentary...)

2006-05-01T17:48:40Z

"Jealousy is a disease, love is a healthy condition. The immature mind often confuses one for the other, or assumes the greater the love, the greater the jealousy. In fact they are almost incompatible; both at once produce unbearable turmoil." *PERIOD*
--Stranger in a Strange Land (First edition, 1961); this line is not in the "Uncut" edition of 1991 based on his original manuscripts, because this was one of the lines that he actually added, rather than trimmed down, during the editing process of the first edition. (The word "*PERIOD*" added for emphasis.)

Now I see why Tim Zell prefers the older edition.

A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything. Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity.
--Time Enough for Love (1973)

This may very well be the best way to measure a person's quality... EVER!

"That old saw about "to understand all is to forgive all" is a lot of tripe. Some things, the more you understand them, the more you loathe them."
--Starship Troopers (1959)

A-fuckin'-MEN

A fake fortuneteller can be tolerated. But an authentic soothsayer should be shot on sight. Cassandra did not get half the kicking around she deserved.
--Time Enough for Love (1973)

It's one thing to give advice... it's another thing attribute things to fate, and then say "I told you so."

Any priest or shaman must be presumed guilty until proved innocent.
--Time Enough for Love (1973)

The question is, what is being sold, and for how much.

Being intelligent is not a felony. But most societies evaluate it as at least a misdemeanor.
--Time Enough for Love (1973)

Being right too soon is socially unacceptable. Killing the messenger is one of the most common habits of those who "run things".

Certainly the game is rigged. Don't let that stop you; if you don't bet, you can't win.
--Time Enough for Love (1973)

I'm afraid that I'll fail is the battle-cry of born failures. If you're not cheating, you're not trying hard enough.

Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
--Time Enough for Love (1973)

How does one know how much is enough, unless he has had too much?

Men rarely (if ever) manage to dream up a god superior to themselves. Most gods have the manners and morals of a spoiled child.
--Time enough for Love (1973)

Perhaps what we call "god" is a sort of objective truth, like the physical universe. If this is so, then that explains why nobody really "knows" it. See Liber NV.

The more you love, the more you can love and the more intensely you love. Nor is there any limit on how many you can love. If a person had time enough, he could love all of that majority who are decent and just.
--Time enough for Love (1973)

I can definitely stand behind this one... especially the "decent and just" part.

Do not confuse 'duty' with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.
--Time enough for Love (1973)

...and one must first be able to say "I" before they can say "I love you".

Anyone who considers protocol unimportant has never dealt with a cat.
--Attributed

Cat people make the best lovers. Dog people... are dog people for a reason.

Belief gets in the way of learning.
--Attributed

Nothing is harder than emptying your cup for it to be filled once again. Nothing.

But I will accept and rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.
--Attributed

Remember the 11th commandment.

Goodness without wisdom always accomplished evil.
--Attributed

There was a time when I assumed that I was a rational being... I miss that time.

Innappropriately named meme....

2006-04-24T21:46:53Z

If you comment...

1. I'll respond with something random I like about you.
2. I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3. I'll name something we should do together.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me (or just me).
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll leave you a quote that is somehow appropriate to you.
7. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8. If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal so you can do the same for other people

riiiiight....

2006-04-08T22:22:07Z

Liz: I WANT A CHEEZEBURGER!
Bart: But what about the little cows with their sad eyes...?
Liz: (interrupting) SHUT UP! And I'm paying!
Bart: Like hell you are, it's my turn. Why would you pay?
Liz: BECAUSE! I'm PMS-ing!
Bart: (silence)
Bart: I'm putting this conversation in my LJ.
Liz: LJ?
Bart: Yeah, my Livejournal.
Liz: Oh, I thought you meant Long-John the Goat.
Bart: (more silence) ??!!??!!?

kanarime @ 2006-04-08T11:24:00

2006-04-08T16:31:37Z

Above, the gemmed azure is
The naked splendour of Nuit;
She bends in ecstasy to kiss
The secret ardours of Hadit.
The winged globe, the starry blue,
Are mine, O Ankh-af-na-khonsu!

Happy Liber Al(L) Day.

kanarime @ 2006-04-06T13:58:00

2006-04-06T19:07:15Z

which major arcana of the thoth tarot deck are you? short, with pictures and detailed results

DEVIL/PAN"the joker, worker, stabilizer"You are gifted when it comes to protecting yourself from judgements cast upon you by others. In fact, you are not easily thrown by external reality. You have the capacity to work and play hard and to laugh at yourself. This is the card of humour and sexuality (it is the only card with genital symbols). "Devil" spelled backwards is "lived", and it is very fitting. You live with humour and have a stable foothold on life. Of course, you do love setting the occasional bit of mischief into play.
Take this quiz!

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Join

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A'ayan, The EYE. Eye am I... that Eye am naught.

kanarime @ 2006-03-25T15:04:00

2006-03-25T21:13:08Z

I abandoned and forgot myself,
laying my face on my Beloved;
all things ceased; I went out from myself,
leaving my cares
forgotten among the lilies.

--St. John of the Cross, The Dark Night of the Soul

Love is the law.

Yes, I'm still alive.

2006-01-29T23:37:48Z

You scored as True Alternative. You are a True Alternative! Labels do not suit you well, particularly as you tend to strike your own path and to grow purely via experience. No armchair quarterbacking for you! Originality and creation are your specialities, and sometimes you can even articulate what the hell just happened. Someday you may find yourself drawing the maps for other people... lots of other people.

</td>

True Alternative

75%

Discordian

75%

Spiritualist

65%

Magician

65%

Mystic

60%

Otherkin

60%

Aimless Eclectic

45%

White Lighter

40%

What Subversive Alternative Paradigm Are You?
created with QuizFarm.com

More poasts to follow.

kanarime @ 2005-11-21T14:20:00

2005-11-21T20:26:15Z

Now THIS is what I'm talking about! Why don't more people have the balls to publically argue this sort of thing?

kanarime @ 2005-11-14T15:05:00

2005-11-14T21:10:24Z

MEME

Describe me in one word - just one.
Comment to me, then post this entry to your Live Journal and see how many strange things people think about you.

kanarime @ 2005-07-25T15:10:00

2005-07-25T20:11:29Z

Eye halve a spelling chequer,
It came with my pea sea,
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rarely ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it
I'm shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect in it's weigh,
My chequer tolled me sew.

My "HeroQuest" Character Sheet

2005-07-05T20:38:57Z

Courtesy of Evil N'Easton.

Attack Dice
5

Defend Dice
4

Body
6

Mind
4

Weapons: Knows more kung-fu than keanu

Armor: Flippary

Potions and other items:
Silk Dragon Potion
Cool Girlfriend

Sprulinkerdurmindedrefrekinannpiopped from FraterAchdae and Pymander.

2005-06-29T05:36:11Z

I want anyone and everyone who reads this to post in here something they'd LIKE to do with me SOMEDAY.

Then post this in your journal to find out what I want to do with you.

kanarime @ 2005-06-23T20:53:00

2005-06-24T01:53:35Z

People suck. I recommend a pogrom.

must read....

2005-06-21T04:54:45Z

Monnette's girlfriend Lisa is Gasper Baugh's daughter!

On Cross Training, Motivation, and Martial Arts.

2005-06-08T04:09:42Z

Among the people in the martial arts community there are differing opinions of what's important in one's training, and whether or not cross training is a beneficial practice.

Some people want to test the limits of their physical form, working primarily on external training methods. Some are more oriented toward the purely spiritual side of their martial art, attempting to exemplify an esoteric model of the macrocosmic world (such at the Tiaji, the I-Ching or elemental methods) within the microcosm of their movements and body. Some hard core daoists try to gear their training towards the cultivation of longevity. There are some whose only interest is in quick, effective and dirty combative application. Some want to look good in tournaments, win medals, and perform flashy stuff.

Many systemic martial arts try to cover all of these things to varying degrees of success. If one feels that their own training could benefit from an outside influence, then the only way to know is to give it a shot and see how it pans out. Exposure to new ideas can be very beneficial to student of martial arts.

However there comes a time in every serious martial artist's career that they need to choose what is most important in their training. To be less of a "jack of all trades, master of none", and begin looking inward to refining what is important to them.

Those mixed martial artists whose sole purpose for training is to "collect" a bunch of forms and techniques may very well be cheating themselves out of greater mastery in any one chosen style. Even the most famous mixed martial artist, Bruce Lee, stated that his Jeet Kun Do was not about accumulating methods and techniques, but about throwing out that which didn't benefit the artist. The Jeet Kun Do blend practiced today (at least through the Insanto lineage) is all about having the student specialize in what works best for them, no matter where it comes from.

Cross training, in aspect or method, is a choice best left up to the individual student. Martial arts systems are important, but I am of the opinion that martial artists (ie. people who practice those systems) are MORE important. I cannot say that any given system will definately give a student everything that they seek in their training. Who am I to say that one aspect of a martial art is more important than the others. What's important to me may not be important to someone else.

Think about this, however: Can there not be one person in a given system that specializes in grappling, while another specializes in striking, and another specializes in physical fitness? Do each of these specialists have different styles, even when they grew up in the same martial tradition? In my opinion, a martial arts system is basically a set of standards that a student is supposed to live up to, a model of the knowledge that they are supposed to know. Does this mean that they are not supposed to know anything outside of that curriculum? Some classical stylists appear to think so. I am inclined to think that maybe it's less about what we know, and more about what we DO with what we know.

The metaphor is often cited about a mountain with many paths leading to the same peak. However, in my current state of knowledge and ignorance there appears to be an entire range of mountains, one for each practitioner of his chosen art. Some are higher than others, and there are many unique obsticles placed along each slope. If the example of my (continuously unfinished) journey may be helpful to my students, then that may be the greatest thing that I can give to them as a teacher. They may never strive for mastery with the same reasons that I have (heck, most martial artists don't appear to be striving for "mastery" at all), but perhaps I can be useful in helping them move toward their peak, whatever their motivations and goals may be.

Just something that's been on my mind today.

--End 3:00AM Bad Denneys Philosophy Mode--