In the present, Im sore from head to toe. Ive started back up with my first karate teacher, and picked up a student of my own. I train twice on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 
I'll write about the system we train a little later.
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One of my things is that I do a lot of things. I am interested in them in depthmy desire is to pursue the things that I enjoy and find meaningful and my approach is to accumulate skill.
I like what SuicideDoggie aptly named comforting absolutes. I like things that resonate as truth. I like layers of meaning, subtlety and complicated narratives. I like little kids and old ladies. I like to love, and I like to be loved. I like to be tested. I like things that are fundamentally humanthe sorts of experiences that we all share, regardless of culture. When I feel like I am touching that species-gestalt, I am exalted.
I express these energies and ideas in various ways: I draw, I write, Im a turntablist, I train in the martial arts. All four of those things are extremely deep practicesI dont mean that word in the sense of being profound (although they can be), but in the sense that they all have extremely deep skill-sets. I couldnt tell you how many hours Ive put in drawing, scratching, clickety-clacking, or punching, but in all of those things I am at best a cut above mediocre.
Say it aint so CK? Well, of course it is. Life rewards specialization, and I am a generalist. This isnt my theory, its just common sense. Skill requires time, and there are no shortcuts. If you divide your time, you divide your skill.
See, I go on about technique and relative skill, but I wouldnt want you left with the impression that I consider myself to be particularly skilled. I think that from time to time an individual expression that I put out there is good, and within the context of my own practice and work the plateaus that I reach are really rewarding, but cmon. Be real.
Ive seen Benny Urquidez fight, and Ive trained with real-deal fighters; gen-ew-wine baaad hombres. I was at ScratchCon in 2000 and watched DJ Craze battle himself using only his world-championship routines, because in a gathering of the best battle-DJs in the world, nobody was willing to run a demo against him. I have no illusions of grandeur. I also understand that the things I like are neither easily understood, nor easily mastered.
All I have is all I needtime. In another fifteen years, Im going to be pretty good.
I'll write about the system we train a little later.
------
One of my things is that I do a lot of things. I am interested in them in depthmy desire is to pursue the things that I enjoy and find meaningful and my approach is to accumulate skill.
I like what SuicideDoggie aptly named comforting absolutes. I like things that resonate as truth. I like layers of meaning, subtlety and complicated narratives. I like little kids and old ladies. I like to love, and I like to be loved. I like to be tested. I like things that are fundamentally humanthe sorts of experiences that we all share, regardless of culture. When I feel like I am touching that species-gestalt, I am exalted.
I express these energies and ideas in various ways: I draw, I write, Im a turntablist, I train in the martial arts. All four of those things are extremely deep practicesI dont mean that word in the sense of being profound (although they can be), but in the sense that they all have extremely deep skill-sets. I couldnt tell you how many hours Ive put in drawing, scratching, clickety-clacking, or punching, but in all of those things I am at best a cut above mediocre.
Say it aint so CK? Well, of course it is. Life rewards specialization, and I am a generalist. This isnt my theory, its just common sense. Skill requires time, and there are no shortcuts. If you divide your time, you divide your skill.
See, I go on about technique and relative skill, but I wouldnt want you left with the impression that I consider myself to be particularly skilled. I think that from time to time an individual expression that I put out there is good, and within the context of my own practice and work the plateaus that I reach are really rewarding, but cmon. Be real.
Ive seen Benny Urquidez fight, and Ive trained with real-deal fighters; gen-ew-wine baaad hombres. I was at ScratchCon in 2000 and watched DJ Craze battle himself using only his world-championship routines, because in a gathering of the best battle-DJs in the world, nobody was willing to run a demo against him. I have no illusions of grandeur. I also understand that the things I like are neither easily understood, nor easily mastered.
All I have is all I needtime. In another fifteen years, Im going to be pretty good.
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[Edited on Jun 23, 2005 9:26AM]