Sunday, November 30, 2014

Fearless Fitness/Martial Arts: A Matter of Inspiration..a letter to a friend

Fearless Fitness/Martial Arts: A Matter of Inspiration..a letter to a friend: A flower that continues to bloom in the face of adversity is the most beautiful of all. Adversity, pain & heartbreak are all seeds fo...

A Matter of Inspiration..a letter to a friend

A flower that continues to bloom in the face of adversity is the most beautiful of all.
Adversity, pain & heartbreak are all seeds for the improvement of ourselves,
 or those we mentor.


I remember as a 13 year old boy meeting you for the first time.
You were a pretty intimidating guy, the kinda guy I wanted to become 
after being repeatedly bullied on the school bus.

Children must be taught how to think not what to think....you did that.
The mind of a child is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.


You were not so much a teacher to me but an awakener.
We live our lives between the act of awakening and the act of surrender.
Each morning we awaken to the light, an invitation to a new day in the world of time.
Each night we surrender to the darkness to play in the world of dreams,
 where time is no more.


Often the profound effect we have on others goes unnoticed by us.

As parents we want to be heros to our children.
As warriors we want to leave the mark of our will, our signature,
on the hearts and minds of our students, and all who's lives we touch.

You have done that in me Thank You, It is an honor to call you a mentor and a friend.


Friday, November 21, 2014

Fearless Fitness/Martial Arts: The pantless hermaphrodite

Fearless Fitness/Martial Arts: The pantless hermaphrodite: Winnie the Pooh was banned from a Polish playground for being an   'inappropriate hermaphrodite' Winnie the Pooh has b...

The pantless hermaphrodite


Winnie the Pooh was banned from a Polish playground for being an

 'inappropriate hermaphrodite'



Winnie the Pooh has been banned from a Polish playground
 because of his “dubious sexuality” and “inappropriate” dress.

This says something about us as a global community.
Humankind has an innate ability to find something wrong with everything.



My friend John Hall and I have always been of  the belief that wearing no pants
 symbolizes a day off, Doesn't Pooh deserve a day off too ?

He's a mythical character made up by an old man, I imagine that must be pretty tiring.
Perhaps the 'old man' is suffering from Alzheimer's and forgot to draw the pants.
Winnie the Pooh is also 'dumb as a box of rocks' maybe he forgot to put his pants on.
I'm a big proponent of 'no pants' if it was socially acceptable I'd sure do it.

Wouldn't you ?


He eats alot of honey, maybe his pants are being washed from frequent spilling.
Maybe, he likes to feel the air on his 'Winnie'.........
or he 'poohs' alot and requires quick access.

Whatever the truth is I think the 'bear should be bear'.....just sayin.




They say life is so much sweeter
Through the telephoto lens of fame
Whether you're late for church or you're stuck in jail
Hey, word's gonna get around
Everybody dies famous in a small town

-Miranda Lambert-


It's said that when someone shares their favorite songs with you,

 embrace them, because they’re giving you a small glimpse into their soul.

I try to do this in my stories each time.
Why do we close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss or dream?
 Because the most beautiful things in life are not seen but felt by the heart



The safety of being a 'big fish' in a small pond, is like living on an island.
No one will ever discover your pretense if you don't cross 'the bridge',
 never venturing from the 'safety net'  of a small town.


Pooh is safe in the 'Hundred acre wood' without his pants, 
without the judgment of the global community, with his honey.

Life is easy for him as long as he doesn't cross 'the bridge.'
He'll never develop courage, because he won't have to challenge adversity.



Every adversity, every failure,
 every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.
-Napoleon Hill-


Friday, November 7, 2014

Fearless Fitness/Martial Arts: Rotting on the Vine

Fearless Fitness/Martial Arts: Rotting on the Vine: Time you enjoy wasting, is not time wasted. Iv'e been through 2 legal pads of notes trying to make this damn thing perfect. At least...

Rotting on the Vine

Time you enjoy wasting, is not time wasted.
Iv'e been through 2 legal pads of notes trying to make this damn thing perfect.

At least I'm laughing at myself and my 'OCD shotgun' approach to this. 
I feel like a day spent without laughing would really be a wasted one.
At least I'm doing that !!!

Trying to live with a sense of urgency often makes things seem overwhelming.
Sometimes it's better when things aren't perfect.
At least that way you know 'it's' real.
Creativity, is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art, is knowing which ones to keep.


I'm working on a DVD project with one of my mentors, Art Rabesa.
We are highlighting Arts' encyclopedic knowledge of Power In-Fighting and training methodologies with an R.M.A. twist ......FEARS style !!!

Excellence is attainable, but perfection ?
In our profession, precision and perfection are not dispensable luxuries,
 they're necessary attributes.




I was doing my weighted walk through the cemetery today.
Leaves were blowing everywhere, Summer's death has completely given way
 to the decay of Fall: now too soon replaced by Winters frosty grip.

It reminded me of how we all hope for breakthrough rebirth moments.
My training went through a renaissance after experiencing the power of Art Rabesa.

Art said something interesting during a recent phone conversation.
He said, "I don't need to hurt anyone for them to learn this 'stuff'. "

O.K. but I sure remember pain......
I think we gain wisdom from mentors and pain and Art Rabesa provides both.
I'm sure thankful for it too because the experience changed 'my martial art' forever.


In Martial Arts, Fitness, Life and Love were are searching for
someone or something whose 'demons' will play well with ours. 

Arts' 'demons' play well with mine





Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Fearless Fitness/Martial Arts: Living like a Runaway

Fearless Fitness/Martial Arts: Living like a Runaway: Remember:  Life is short, break the rules (they were made to be broken) Forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably ...

Living like a Runaway

Remember: 
Life is short, break the rules (they were made to be broken)
Forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably
and never regret anything that makes you smile.


The clouds are lined with silver and the glass is half full.
(although the answer won't be found at the bottom)
Don't sweat the small stuff,
You are who your meant to be.
Dance as if no one's watching.
Love as if it's all you know.
Dream as if you'll live forever,
Live as if you'll die today.

When I was younger I lived like a runaway.
To be a seeker you have to doubt all truths,
observation and experience will teach you what you need to know.



In the end it's imagination, not knowledge that marks intelligence.
I think the saying goes, 'Without strong roots the mightiest tree cannot stand.'
Experiencing different places, cultures and opportunities has always been paramount 
to my 'taking root'. Funny how people try to get you to focus on what 'they' want.

The discovery of 'the agenda' is the hardest thing to accept when you discover it.
Key West, South Beach, Williamsburg, Cape Cod, New Orleans...on and on,
 Been there done that ! It's not the place, It's the people that make the difference.


There are people we don't want to lose
but can't hold onto.

There are places we don't want to be 
but are meant to experience.

There are things we don't want to happen 
but can't control.



It's your job to climb the mountain and see above the clouds for yourself.
Rather than to believe the 'congregations' interpretation of the view.
We need to be able to state our personal truth without having to prove or 'shout' it.
Our greatest short coming is that we have learned to mask certain feelings,
or portray feelings that weren't even ours.