the power of style. part one.

it is easy to be so enamored by a style,
that the style is the only thing you can, or want, to see.
and why not? beauty exists for us to fixate on.
all great works of life and nature are,
in the context of all noteworthy human experience,
amazing and special and deserve that recognition.

in terms of human-made art it can be easy to appreciate all kinds.
but infatuation, love, and commitment are stronger feelings;
these feelings are less likely to be shared across the field.
this is because these emotions require a better understanding,
a true and deep knowledge, of what they shall elevate on their shoulders.
you see this in every field of every kind of study: the specialists.
they have discovered in their study that very specific passion..

once a disciple is converted, they become their obsession.
they delve into that quest for knowledge and understanding.
they become representatives and advocates for the style and its virtues.
they become experts in knowledge.
hopefully they become experts in application.

all for a style.
all within context.

to be continued..

falling off, moving forward

i have numerous bookmarked blogs in a folder in my browser.
turns out several of them are no longer active.
kind of like how mine can get sometimes.
i wonder if we are just the uncommitted bloggers.
it isn't part of my daily ritual.
i don't need to write.
and i also don't have any clear obligation to either.
how many blogs do you suppose are online,
that have only a handful or less of regular readers?
probably the majority. i'd guess.

anyways,
you can rest easy that when i'm not here writing
i am doing useful and fulfilling things out in the real world.
falling off of blogging means moving forward with life.

i am continuing to teach the kali group down in brooklyn.
i also have several private students with specific curriculum needs.
those lessons are very rewarding for me,
because it challenges my ability to express specific parts of combatives
while still imparting a clear and complete structure for application.
if that makes sense.
skills and concepts are tools,
but to recognize the context in which to use the concepts and tools
is to apply the knowledge.

i'm also riding my bike more.
still not every day: not ideal.
but 15 to 20 miles here and there are very good for me.
the last 15 being through manhattan and brooklyn.
not the most relaxing kind of ride, but a necessary reconnect.
the 20 before that up and around westchester.
half of it on relaxing trailway and a small portion of dirt trail.
the other fraction on terrible shoulder-less barely-suburban road.
tomorrow i'm shooting for 30 out-of-traffic miles.
oh and all of this has been on the cross bike.
i'm learning to like gears.
and clipless pedals.
and kit with chamois.
look at how far i've come.


...
you don't really need to know any of this.
but i suppose i write for the off chance that you do come back here,
so that maybe i can make it worth the click.