Hi Charlie:

    I think we all had a good time at Spring Fling today.  Our demonstration, while basic, covered a good bit of where we are with the current class, and I think that Twain and John did very well.  I am glad that you recommended them for promotion to 9th gup. 

    It is always interesting to talk to the other students, ones who are not in the class yet.  It is surprising how many young people have had at least some limited experience with various martial arts.  The real secret is to maintain focus long enough to really gain from the practice of one style.  To be like a hawk who has fixed his gaze on his prey. That is the whole idea of what a black belt is; someone who has shown enough dedication and concentration to master the basics of a particular art. 

     I have always been told that "shodan" (first degree black belt) means "beginner."  I know that our "traditional" style is not as complex as some, but we still have enough of a "corpus" to occupy a person for several or more years.  When you earn a black belt you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have reached a basic mastery of Tang Soo Do.  A Korean student in our class when I received my black belt in 1980 said privately to me "Now you can begin to learn."  I am still learning.  "True art is never mastered, only abandoned."  I hope that Twain and John have the long term goal in mind.

    It was encouraging to see that we had the attention of at least eight or ten people in the audience.  There were certainly more who may have been watching from the sideline.  Let's see who shows up for classes.  What a wonderful opportunity you have provided for students, faculty, and staff.

    Thanks for the jacket.  It is great.

                                                            Best Wishes, Corky