Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated.” - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Observation - To Observe

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)


Have you ever heard the song of girl watching? I remember a song from the time as a teen that drove the male to watch girls, especially at our beach in Daytona, Florida. Now, as karate Sensei and senpai, have you really delved into the critical importance of watching or looking or “Seeing” in our environment?


Have you heard of the OODA loop or, “Boyd’s loop?” Yeah, I thought so and you already know how important the “observation” step to that loop is because if you are not watching, seeing - really seeing, then the rest of the loop means nothing in the scheme ok karate and self-protection. 


Take a look back, to see, in the historical archives of bloggers like Rory Miller and Marc MacYoung on the subject of observational skills used as a first warning ability to turn on, or to flip the switch, to a higher alert level of observation. 


We talk about being observant but seldom spend enough time on teaching how, why and especially “What” to perceive, look for and to orient higher levels of attention on to actually “Avoid” threats in our environment. 


The ultimate goal is observation so that we orient in advance on potential threats that provide adequate time for us to decide on “getting out of Dodge” as an appropriate, safe and advantageous method of handling potentially dangerous threats.


What do you think or how does this sound to you?


Note: It is interesting this thing called, “Serendipity” because this morning when watching a Netflix documentary on surveillance it inspired this article and then not moments later I get notified that Marc MacYoung’s book on “Multiple Attackers: Your Guide to Recognition, Avoidance, and Survival,” came out for Kindle on Amazon. Along with his great book on self-defense as well as the books by Rory Miller, there is no excuse for folks to not have a foundation studied and understood that our minds can reference if and when we start to enter into an environment that may, could and possibly become a group dynamic with violence. 


ADDENDUM:


Consider: direct vision, peripheral vision AND conscious sight, unconscious sight?

  • direct vision: what we see, or think we think we see, in a small area mostly in direct line of sight of our eyes. The interesting thing here is that the stimulus must be something we know about or have experienced or trained for. 
  • peripheral vision: that area outside the direct visual line of sight that many believe has a greater potential of being noticed. 
  • conscious sight: what one is viewing or seeing in thier sight that they are observing with conscious thought but this kind of sight means being on alert along with knowing and understanding what it is you are looking for.  
  • unconscious sight: this is almost exclusively the main concept of seeing that people instinctually have from nature that triggers the “freeze, flight or fight” response. It is that unconscious effort of seeing while not consciously focusing on what we see allowing instinct-like processes to trigger the FFF response so that we hone in our observation and orientation abilities. This requires a ton of learning, understanding, training and experiences both actual and creative. 

For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)




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