One of the first things I heard my silat teacher say was the title of this post. A buddy of mine and I saw his demo at a science fiction convention, and my buddy, enthusiastic about what he had witnessed, was waxing complimentary, going on about how impressive it was. That was my feeling, too -- soon as I could get to a class -- the next one, actually -- I started lessons, but I loved my about-to-be-teacher's response. "Ah, I'm just another guy in a skirt ..."
And after more than a decade, I am coming to realize that it's all ... simple.
Not that I have it, mind you. But I can see, off in the distance, that if I can stop getting in my own way, I might really have something ...
Simple is not easy, noooo, but what we do is not nearly as complicated as some silat schools. In the end, we don't have a shitload of complex techniques, there some principles, but not really that many of them in toto. If I can but figure out how to do them in balance and with the proper timing?
Reminds me of the old cowboy saying, "Beware the man who has only one gun."
If you have a handful of things you can do well? You are better off than having a thousand things you can only do so-so ...
And so, as Vonnegut says, it goes ...
You, uh...Look pretty in that thing. No, really.
ReplyDelete...Sexy, even.
Of course. It's one of the main reasons I started martial arts -- I got tired of having to carry a big stick all the time to keep the women off me.
ReplyDeleteAnd the occasional guy with busted gay-dar, too.
Been both a blessing and a curse to be so stunning a fellow. But the upkeep on all those admirers was too steep. We all have our crosses to bear.
Oh, Jay-sus...!
ReplyDeleteWell, since I shaved off the beard most people don't make that mistake any more, but ... bless you, my child ...
ReplyDeleteOch, 'tis a verra strange tartan ye've got there, lad!
ReplyDelete