grimfang
Green Belt
For those of you that know me, you are well aware that I am a very private person. I do not volunteer much personal information about myself. I have always been willing to give open and honest answers about myself whenever asked in a polite manner. I do not subject myself to hostile interrogations.
I come to MartialTalk to read, learn, and occasionally share my own personal experiences or knowledge on particular subjects.
Unfortunately, comments were recently made regarding my identity and background. Normally, I would prefer to simply ignore the matter I simply do not take part in online verbal jousting. However, I feel the members of MartialTalk deserve to hear details of my background directly from me at this time. When I engage in communication with people on this forum, they have a right to know exactly who they are talking to. I will not allow any speculation or clouds of doubt to surround my identity.
The question of my parentage was recently brought up. For the record: My name is Charles Bedell. My Father is Sheldon Bedell, who also participates on this forum under the name tshadowchaser. Never before in my life has anyone questioned who my parents are. Nobody has any reason to doubt that fact. I find it silly that I am even addressing the subject at this time.
It was recently suggested on MartialTalk that I have only studied martial arts for a couple years. People who have known me for more than two years are aware of my background. For the rest of the readers, I will share some personal information.
Many of my earliest childhood memories are of the nights spent in my fathers old school in North Carolina in the late 1970s. The building used to be a bowling alley at one time. I remember a night when I had a very large blister on my foot, but I tried to hide it from my father during class he was not amused. I vividly remember standing in the corner practicing with a pair of nunchaku. I was not the only person in the room on those nights. I was about 5 or 6 years old at that time. I spent a lot of nights in that building working out.
After my family moved to Southern California, my father chose not to open a formal school at that time. Instead, he provided instruction to a handful of individuals. Most of my instruction took place either in the living room of our home, or in the field at the elementary school across the street. I did not compete in competitions at that time. At that particular time of my life, my father was focused on providing me with knowledge I would need to remain safe while living in a neighborhood overrun with violent gangs.
The first time I competed in a martial arts competition was in the fall of 1991, at a large tournament at the Long Beach Sports Arena. I took 3rd place in my division. My best friend took 2nd. I was 17 years old at that time.
A couple years later, my family decided to move to the east coast. I chose to remain in California to pursue a career and college. I remained there until April of 2002, when I chose to move to the east coast.
At this particular point in my life, I consider myself very lucky. I have managed to find a career that allows me the time to become a full-time student at my fathers school. A great deal of my time now is spent training, researching, or partaking in other martial arts related activities. The point is: I certainly have been around for more than a couple years.
I do not hold any rank in any system. When participating in formal events, I wear a white belt. I do not wear any uniform or belt inside the dojo. I am a believer in a two-rank system: student and instructor. Sikaran is a multi-colored belt system. Rather than disregard my personal beliefs in the student/instructor system, I content to wear a white belt. I do not seek formal recognition or promotions. I carry my knowledge in my head, not around my waiste. Many people do not approve of this approach I respect their right to have a different view, and their view is not any less valid than my own. I simply chose a different path than many. My instructor is comfortable with the situation.
Furthermore, I refuse to put myself in a position where anybody could claim that I was given a rank simply because of my last name. I ask people to judge me based upon my own merits, and nothing else.
As a rule, Sikaran does not allow its dirty laundry to be hung out in public. We prefer handle all of our internal affairs privately and discreetly. One of our internal situations was made public, and I offer my deepest apologies to everyone on MartialTalk for tainting the quality discussions with a matter such as this.
I thank you all for allowing me the opportunity to put this into the open. I am not comfortable discussing my private life with people, but I feel circumstances made it necessary at this time. When I engage in a discussion with someone, I feel they deserve to know who I am.
I look forward to resuming the quality discussions that have made MartialTalk a success.
Thank you for you time,
Charles Bedell
Grimfang
I come to MartialTalk to read, learn, and occasionally share my own personal experiences or knowledge on particular subjects.
Unfortunately, comments were recently made regarding my identity and background. Normally, I would prefer to simply ignore the matter I simply do not take part in online verbal jousting. However, I feel the members of MartialTalk deserve to hear details of my background directly from me at this time. When I engage in communication with people on this forum, they have a right to know exactly who they are talking to. I will not allow any speculation or clouds of doubt to surround my identity.
The question of my parentage was recently brought up. For the record: My name is Charles Bedell. My Father is Sheldon Bedell, who also participates on this forum under the name tshadowchaser. Never before in my life has anyone questioned who my parents are. Nobody has any reason to doubt that fact. I find it silly that I am even addressing the subject at this time.
It was recently suggested on MartialTalk that I have only studied martial arts for a couple years. People who have known me for more than two years are aware of my background. For the rest of the readers, I will share some personal information.
Many of my earliest childhood memories are of the nights spent in my fathers old school in North Carolina in the late 1970s. The building used to be a bowling alley at one time. I remember a night when I had a very large blister on my foot, but I tried to hide it from my father during class he was not amused. I vividly remember standing in the corner practicing with a pair of nunchaku. I was not the only person in the room on those nights. I was about 5 or 6 years old at that time. I spent a lot of nights in that building working out.
After my family moved to Southern California, my father chose not to open a formal school at that time. Instead, he provided instruction to a handful of individuals. Most of my instruction took place either in the living room of our home, or in the field at the elementary school across the street. I did not compete in competitions at that time. At that particular time of my life, my father was focused on providing me with knowledge I would need to remain safe while living in a neighborhood overrun with violent gangs.
The first time I competed in a martial arts competition was in the fall of 1991, at a large tournament at the Long Beach Sports Arena. I took 3rd place in my division. My best friend took 2nd. I was 17 years old at that time.
A couple years later, my family decided to move to the east coast. I chose to remain in California to pursue a career and college. I remained there until April of 2002, when I chose to move to the east coast.
At this particular point in my life, I consider myself very lucky. I have managed to find a career that allows me the time to become a full-time student at my fathers school. A great deal of my time now is spent training, researching, or partaking in other martial arts related activities. The point is: I certainly have been around for more than a couple years.
I do not hold any rank in any system. When participating in formal events, I wear a white belt. I do not wear any uniform or belt inside the dojo. I am a believer in a two-rank system: student and instructor. Sikaran is a multi-colored belt system. Rather than disregard my personal beliefs in the student/instructor system, I content to wear a white belt. I do not seek formal recognition or promotions. I carry my knowledge in my head, not around my waiste. Many people do not approve of this approach I respect their right to have a different view, and their view is not any less valid than my own. I simply chose a different path than many. My instructor is comfortable with the situation.
Furthermore, I refuse to put myself in a position where anybody could claim that I was given a rank simply because of my last name. I ask people to judge me based upon my own merits, and nothing else.
As a rule, Sikaran does not allow its dirty laundry to be hung out in public. We prefer handle all of our internal affairs privately and discreetly. One of our internal situations was made public, and I offer my deepest apologies to everyone on MartialTalk for tainting the quality discussions with a matter such as this.
I thank you all for allowing me the opportunity to put this into the open. I am not comfortable discussing my private life with people, but I feel circumstances made it necessary at this time. When I engage in a discussion with someone, I feel they deserve to know who I am.
I look forward to resuming the quality discussions that have made MartialTalk a success.
Thank you for you time,
Charles Bedell
Grimfang
