Pearls of Wisdom

Yes, I know everybody from Silent River is writing about the visit from Master Dave McNeill, and I don't plan to be too different.

The things we had the opportunity to learn we unbelievable. Things were so simple and so effective. Canes are a nasty weapon in the right hands. Heck, even in the untrained hands they can be nasty.

The information we all learned I can only describe as invaluable. I have taken shots in the kidneys before, but never so effectively and so nasty. By the way, nasty is good in this sense. Simple bits of knowledge such as poke 'em here, give a little twist here, wow. Again, invaluable. I've always told my students be sure to really listen to your instructors and people around you, you never know when a pearl of wisdom may fall out of their mouths. I was absolutely buried in pearls this weekend.

Even outside the training hall, Master McNeill is an amazing man to know. Sifu Freitag and I got the opportunity to take him out to the drop zone between seminars. Its not very often that I feel comfortable and relaxed around someone I've just recently met and whom is held in such high regard. If I didn't have an interest in skydiving, I sure do now. Sifu Freitag may find herself with a tag along in the sky.

Needless to say, this last weekend was one that I am so grateful to be apart of. Thanks to Sifu Brinker for punting my butt at the last minute.