Gary

While I find it hard to believe that my students would be interested in listening to more of my rambling, as I’m often prone to do in class, I have been asked to keep a journal of my thoughts regarding the martial arts, teaching, and other points of interest. Or to clarify, things I would like to address in a format where every “Tom, Dick and Harry” with access to the Internet, can’t just slam me for my opinions, or make corrections without some degree of courtesy, or more importantly substantiated fact.

Since this journal is open to the public I think it is only fitting I tell a little about myself, so others know where the following essays, rants, sarcasm, and humor are coming from.

First of all, and foremost, I'll never win an award for political correctness, or sugar coating what I have to say. I’ll also never win an award for being concise, as I tend to be wordy.

Secondly, I suffer from the human frailty of being overly opinionated, and believing that because of the research I’ve put into something my opinion must be right. That does not mean others have to share my opinion, agree with them at all or in part, or that I am so closed minded that if proven wrong--with facts--I can’t admit I’m wrong and change my opinion.

Third, I tend to be very sarcastic with a warped sense of humor. Unfortunately when sarcasm is written or read incorrectly one can assume the writer is being disrespectful, vulgar, aggressive, or conceited. While I can clearly be guilty of all the above, both consciously and unconsciously, I ask any readers to this site to be open minded, and if in doubt to my true intentions to ask before making assumptions and presenting them to others as fact.

Lastly, I like to consider myself as a very open and honest person. Traits that have often times come back to kick me in the ass, since I’ll tell others what I believe, not necessarily what they want to hear. To make things worse I often tend to express myself in a manner that lacks a sense of tact or diplomacy. However, in my defense, I wont say or write something about anyone else that I wouldn’t say directly to his or her face, or make comments about others I have never met in person (something that has been done repeatedly to me). In addition if I don’t know something I don’t have the type of ego where I can’t admit my lack of knowledge.

I hope what I write in the future is of some interest to others, and if I accomplish nothing else I hope to open the door to exposing myself to new ideas, thoughts, debates, and information I hadn’t been exposed to or thought about exploring before.

Thank you for your interest in this site.