Feeling sentimental today.
Here’s a cudo to certain members and why, good job, you guys deserve it:
Gene Ching: Honestly, if this guy weren’t undoubtedly burnt on politics from working with kung fu sifus over the years, he’d be President. But is he a natural born citizen?;)
Anyway, cudos to you for dealing with all of us, maintaining a respectful demeanor even when you don’t agree with us, and specifically for the GotQi? girls, thank you.
Mas Judt: This is a guy who probably considers me left of Mao, yet, in discussion of martial arts, he is respectful of all styles, teaches some really cool kung fu, and did others a good turn in being a voice closer to normalcy for chung moo quan people to debate with. I know a couple of guys who have trained with him and have nothing but good things to say about his kung fu. It’s a rare guy here who would take a handle referring to another style than his own(monkey) just because he thinks that style is cool. If I’m ever up that way with time to train, I truly hope to train with him, even if just to show my respect for a traditional sifu who deserves it.
RD: Yes, some of you might disagree, but I don’t care. RD is a rare bird. When I was in Chung Moo Quan, some higher ups at the school had me keeping tabs on him. Let me tell you, it is a rare guy who can join an insular cult and not be insular: many here might think they are above it, but such places offer false confidence to the unconfident, and real power to those who want it, and while the first might not be a weakness of many martial artists, the second is a major problem in most schools, legitimate or not. This guy loves martial arts, especially kung fu, and is his own man, whether you like that man or not. I also think he is a good foil for those elitists here who forget that this is not a professional association, but an open forum.
Merryprankster and Chris McKinnley: Although neither is here much now to my knowledge, these guys provide the most interesting, least partisan, most informed political discussion the forum ever saw, and rarely seemed to take things personally. Merrprankster was especially notable in that he never seemed to fall for the mma-tma stock argument, undoubtedly having seem plenty of hopeless mma hobbyists in his time.
lkmfdc- Even if I often don’t agree with him on minor points, this curmudgeon has done really great things for motivating people to move toward training whatever they’re training realistically, and, as a guy with a bachelor in the same field his masters is in, is a breath of fresh air from the sinophiles who know nothing about China in kung fu and those chinese sifus who pass themselves off as Confucian scholars when they are not. Additionally, his love of internal martial arts and Sun Lutang is inspirational.;)
Master Killer- As a guy from my generation of kung fu players who trains openly and realistically, major cudos to MK. I do feel he could be more sarcastic, but I believe he is from Oklahoma, so he has achieved great things given major setbacks.
Sanjuro-Ronin- This guy is proof that even a Canadian can achieve great things. He can be an interesting guy to discuss almost any aspect of martial arts with, has a genuine interest in different styles, and, though he would not say so, is driven by his own ethics. And b00bie pics.
David Jamieson- As Kung Lek, seemingly inflexible. As himself, argues without reserve but does not seek to stigmatize those he argues with. On martial arts, I rarely disagree with him.
Hardwork- Yes, hardwork, not because I have read substantive technical works from him, but because, though I hate to admit it, he is partially right, there is nothing to gain from being buddy buddy with mma stylists by demeaning one’s own style. May he make the next logical step in that conclusion, recognizing that being equal to or better than mmaists is the only validation currently worth discussing, and that that, in most styles, requires reforming the training methodology in order to produce people who don’t know apps, but breathe them.
GDA’s Grandma- in the book China Candid, there is an interview of a hooker in which she discusses how much more fun a woman with a large vagina is, and GDA’s grandma is no exception.
There’s plenty of others, feel free to share yours.
