These are some people that I know and like. There are actually more than have appeared on the page. I'll get to you...
after all, my close friends know how to tell if I don't like them anymore...
Kris Wilder
Kris is a Goju stylist in Seattle. I met him at the Jon Bluming seminar in 2002. Kris is a big, friendly guy and he asked
me to roll. I was in a weird headspace- my first time actually on a mat since knee surgery, two days after I shot a threat
in a tactical operation... yeah, starting with a big guy who outranked me in judo was a good way to get my feet wet. Kris
was good- he got position right away, but he didn't tap me. We talked afterwards, many times. In 2003 he invited me to teach
at Martial University, one of the best seminars ever.
Martially, Kris is good- classically trained with just enough real blood spilled to keep the edge. Alert, effective, an amazing
learner and amazingly dedicated. He's doing something now with moving body structure that I'm tempted to call Okinawan tai
chi.
Lawrence is another Goju practitioner; KSCA (he was knighted back when he used to do heavy fighting in the SCA); an author,
knife maker and all around good guy.
Loren W. Christensen
Loren is a martial artist, retiired cop, former MP in Saigon during 'interesting times.' He's also a blast: insightful, witty,
scathingly sarcastic and brutally honest. He always gives me a look like I'm an upstart kid. If anyone has earned that right,
it is him. All of his books are worth a look. I'm listing two of my favorites here. I wrote two chapters for FFB2, so I'm
biased. Warriors had a tiny bit of dreck, but some of the most powerful stories I've read. Things that help
in the dark times.
Steve Barnes
Steve is on a constant quest- to be stronger, smarter, better each day. He works martial arts and yoga; writes (he did the
intro for my book!); teaches (writing, life, other things). I can credit one of the greatest impacts in my life to Steve.
He put together a thing called LifeWriting which a mutual friend passed on to me. Good side: I accomplished in five years
more than I probably would have in a lifetime of drifting. Bad side: How do you follow a lifetime's worth of accomplishment
in five years? Steve and I connect on a powerful level- I once mistook him for my own reflection which is really
funny if you know what we both look like. We are dealing with aspects of life and accomplishment where you are mostly alone.
What Steve has done and who he is leaves very few people who have any idea of what it means. As you approach the top of
the mountain, the air gets thin and company gets rare. Steve and I aren't climbing the same mountain, but he knows what it's
like to look around and be alone.
I haven't seen Dave in years (I am a bad student!) but he was my sensei in Sosuishitsu-ryu.
He retired shortly after Bo and I earned our teaching certificates. I have a few Dave stories. Pound for pound Dave was
the best fighter I ever met, one of the best martial artists and one of the best teachers. Those are three very different
things. Anything I amounted to as a martial artist or as a fighter, I owe to Dave.
My friends can beat up your friends.
The Tactical Team It's been over ten years with these guys. From the early years when we wore street
hockey gear and were expected to be able to handle everything from hostage rescue to riots to cell extractions to today, when
we have some of the cleanest entries and the best weapons skills in the region... we've made huge strides and have become
a force to be reckoned with. In good times and bad, the mission always came first. When the budget was slashed,
when training was prohibited, the men and women worked hard on their own to be ready. So far, every time they have been called
on, they have answered with a cool professionalism that leaves me in awe, and honored to be able to stand in the stack.
A good team makes it easy to be a good team leader. You've always had my back and I've always been able to trust them absolutely.
To all members past, present and future: Thanks. NPNBW!!
Kevin JacksonWhat can I say about KJ? He once taught a knife defense class that wasn't stupid. That is
the highest praise I know in the martial arts. He's also an incredibly nice human being, far too humble, and pretty damned
skilled. Sings, too and plays the keyboards for a band called Swing.
The myths about the centaur Chiron reveal him as a great healer, astrologer,
and respected oracle, but he was most revered as a teacher of heroes. His name means hand, and he sacrificed his immortality
for Prometheus so that fire could be bestowed upon mankind.
