What do Bruce Lee and me have in common?

1. We are both very fast and good at Wing Chun.
2. "Lee" rhymes with "me."
3. We are both born in the year of the Dragon.  

As we celebrate the Chinese New Year at our Dojo Chattanooga party Saturday February 4th at 6:00 p.m. I would like to remind you that it is really a celebration of me.  Being the embodiment of the Dragon I am the personification of what to expect this year.

Day 1 of the Year of the Dragon -- I earned* my Green Sash.
*NOTE -- I really earned my Green Sash ages ago but Sifu is sometimes a bit slow in recognizing talent.

Day 2 of the Year of the Dragon -- I mowed the lawn.

Day 3 of the Year of the Dragon -- I opened my third cup cake store (Chattanooga Cup Cakes now in Cleveland!)

I will not bore you with the list of achievements, but I wanted you to know what is possible when you put your mind to it and you are me.

Happy New Year to all and I look forward to seeing you at the party Saturday and keep reading my blog for inspiration on how to follow in the footsteps of me, Howard Reagor, the Dragon.

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the school
All the students were training, accept one fool.
The bags were hung by the rafters with care,
In hopes that Howard soon would be there.

The students were nestled all snug in their stances,
While visions of chain punches in their head dances.
And Sifu in full uniform with black sash a flowing,
helps others be like Howard - kung fu all knowing.

When out on the lawn arose such a clatter,
the students sprang out to see what was the matter.
Off the mat and past the dummy they flew,
And out the back door they left as a crew.

The moon on the breast of the newly-laid gravel,
Gave order to mid-day like a judges gavel. 
When, what to their wondering eyes should appear,
But Howard on a riding mower -- a John Deer!

With a hair challenged driver, so lively and skilled,
I knew in a moment, my kung fu was fulfilled.
More rapid then eagles his strikes finally came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name.

"Now Bong Sau! now, Wu!  now, Jut Sau and Huen!
On, Lap Sau! On, Jeet! on, on Tan Sau and Kuen!
To the bridge of the nose! to the side of the head!
Center line! Center line! Especially on Fred!

As dry leaves driven by a Stihl blower do fly,
Howard's flurry caused the students to cry.
So down the center line he did pursue,
with nothing his classmates could manage to do.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on Dave's chest,
the sound of a Howard palm coming to rest.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
the last thing I saw, was Dave falling to the ground.

Howard was dressed in all black, except for his sash,
Though outranked by some, not in this clash!
A bundle of skill he hid in those sleeves,
kung fu greatness Howard achieves.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his fist so merry!
His punches made their noses as red as a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
To trash talk, insult, and generally crow.

The last bite of cupcake he held tight in his teeth,
As the lawnmower's smoke encircled him in a wreath.
He had a bald head and the sweat made him smelly,
But his power turned their structure completely into jelly!

He could run vast distances, though not very fast,
Nathan laughed when he saw him, and now wears a cast!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know, I was soon to be dead.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to work.
He countered every strike, and then went berserk.
After twenty punches landing to my nose,
I forgot my Wing Chun and simply froze!

He sprang to his mower, and put it in gear,
His classmates he left, inspiring fear.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Someday like me, you might learn to fight!"




 

It takes a village to raise a child -- and it takes a Dojo to create a master. I thought this would be a good time to give a well earned "thank you" to those who have helped me along my path to mastery. 

First, I would like to thank my senior kung-fu brothers.  Although only a couple of you have trained longer than me, without you I could not have learned from your mistakes and avoided the many pitfalls that kept you from becoming as skilled as me.

Second, I would like to thank my peers.  Although in skill I am without peer, if it was not for Fred and Dave I would not have a true measure of how much better I am for the time I have invested compared to the average student.  Thank you guys for letting me know I am exceptional.

Third, I would like to thank the junior students.  I am glad that my example of excellence continues to inspire you and realize that although you will likely never reach my level, in striving to be like me you can certainly surpass your other classmates.

Fourth, I would like to thank my Sifu.  Without Trevor, there would be no Dojo Chattanooga for me to showcase my talents.

Last, I would like to thank Tsui Sheung Ting.  It was early in my training that I noticed his mistakes in the First Set that I realized what I prodigy I truly was.

So this Thanksgiving Day I do not mow lawns, I do not bake cup cakes, but I reflect with a full heart how each of you has contributed to my kung-fu life.  

Sifu is now offering Wing Chun on Tues. and Thurs. evenings from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.  I have not been to any of these classes yet (they are there to help you, not me) but I recommend my classmates attend.  If you added these two classes each week to the classes you were already attending, not only would your skills improve but you would burn enough extra calories to eat an additional Chattanooga Cup Cake each week!

I would highly recommend that all Wing Chun students attend Sifu's stick fighting seminar.  With you armed with two weapons, it almost makes it an even sparring match against me empty handed.  Although much of the methods will be influenced by the Kenpo, there will also be some skills inspired by the Wing Chun art that I have mastered.  I will probably have to mow the lawn that day, but if not, I will try to drop in and help you learn the basics as well.  Every empty hand art is complimented by weapons training -- truly the icing on the cupcake!

All of these summer Super Hero movies has made me reflect on the super power Wing Chun has given me.  Granted, my results are not typical, but I thought sharing them would motivate my classmates.

Captain America* is strong and has a shield.  I do not rely on external strength (mind force would take the old Captain down!) and Bong Sau is the only shield I need.

Green Lantern* has a ring of power.  Now seriously, any guy relying on jewelry to defeat me I cannot even take serious!  Besides, I do not need CGI for people to feel my special effects!  His Green rear would be grass and I would be the lawn mower.

X-men* are all mutants with a variety of powers due to their genetic superiority.  I can identify with being genetically superior and gifted but I do not have to take orders from a bald guy in a wheelchair nor a refugee camp survivor who insists on wearing a funny looking helmet.  All minor leaguers compared to following the ways of internal powers of Ip Man -- like I have!

Thor* -- he is not even one of the major gods.  He is also willing to throw his weapon?  You kidding me!  He spends half of his screen time trying to be romantic, I would sell him and his girlfriend a Chattanooga Cup Cake and then chain punch him back to his daddy.

So wherever evil or misguided parking enforcement agents are -- beware!  You now face Howard, the new super hero in town.

* Please note that all references to superheros are owned by some company that was bought by some company to be eventually resold to another company for more money.

Just a brief post today to say congrats to Chad and Juanita for getting their Purple Sash.  Keep in my though the real test is still ahead of you -- when I am back in class. Then we will see how you hold up against my Wing Chun power in Chi Sau.  I think you should do O.K. as long as you keep reading my blog to stay sharp.  I am hoping to be there Friday providing the world of Cupcakes and mowing lawns will let me stop in and teach a few lessons.

Sifu requires each of us to keep a Wing Chun training journal.  In fact, when you evaluate for a sash, he reviews the journal and makes his comments and corrections (does not apply to me) within those pages.  Sometimes I make entries even when I don't go to class.  Here is my last entry to help you along:

"8/1/11.  Opening day of new Chattanooga Cup Cakes location so too busy to make it to class.  Nelson's slight outward energy will go unpunished because I am not there to disengage his misdirected energy.  Michael's over raised traps and slightly forward leaning posture will not be exploited in my absence (though Michael will likely skip class just like me anyways...).  John Powell can relax that since I missed my delay in surpassing him to Black Sash is slightly delayed.  Jerry did not have to worry about getting a black eye because I am gone (though I am sure somebody else may take my place with that one.)  All in all, the guilt I feel in allowing my junior classmates to continue to flounder in their mistakes unpunished do to my absence is great -- but such is the demands of man in the Cup Cake business."

Sil Lim Tao, the first set in Wing Chun, translated means "Little Idea."  Some think this is because it gives you a little idea of what Wing Chun is about -- a small sampler of the moves.  Sifu Trevor teaches that the "idea" is mind intention and that the goal of Sil Lim Tao is to link mind intent with your structure so that when you move it is always with intent.  This is not wrong, but I want to expand this concept to how I have trained in "Little Idea" form.  Although I attend Wing Chun class only once a week or so, I have far exceeded my classmates because of the following principle:  Away from class I am always thinking about Wing Chun!  I keep this little idea in my head from the moment I wake, on my drive to work, when I frost a Chattanooga Cup Cake (2nd Location in E. Brainerd Opening in August!), and of course when I am mowing the lawn.  This is why the form is really called little idea because you can come to class just a little and if you keep the idea in your head all day you can achieve mastery, like me.