In the next month or two I will be testing for my 3rd black. Time wise I was supposed to test 3 years ago. Reason why I did not test was I could never find the time to put that kind of intense and focused training necesary to take such a test. Add some injuries and the fact that personally I don't care about rank. That is until now.
My reason is simple. As many of you know, John McSweeney passed away unexpectedly last month. This really hit me hard. John McSweeney was Tom Saviano's instructor, and Tom Saviano is mine. In the last two years, I've gotten pretty close to Mr. McSweeney. In November, I spent a few days at his home in Florida. It was a real pleasure to spend time with him. I got to hear a lot of great stuff about the past and his days with SGM Parker in the 50's and 60's. I really wish some of you here could have known him like I did. He really was an exceptional individual, even if many people didn't always agree about his MA philosphies.
So what does this have to do with my 3rd black? In the last 6 months before his passing, it became almost a ritual in our phone conversations for him to tell me he wanted me to test for my 3rd. It went something like this.
McSweeney; "Did you talk to Tom about your 3rd black?"
Me; "Yes I did."
McSweeney; "So when are you testing?"
Me; "As soon as I can put more than 1 or 2 times a week of training time in."
McSweeney; "Do that! You need to get your 3rd!!"
Me; "Well, I had blah blah at work happen." or "My family needed blah blah." or "blah blah excuse"
McSweeney; "Long explanation of why I should test."
A week or two would go by and we would go through the whole conversation again. Really what it came down to is I really didn't care about being promoted. A week before his passing, John McSweeney's last words to me was, "Zoran, I really want you to test. Just go do it!" I said, "Yes sir." That is the last time I heard his voice.
I have no idea why I am writing this here on a public forum? Maybe it's a sort of therapy. Anyway, now I care. I will be testing for my 3rd in a month or two. Sorry for the rambling.
My reason is simple. As many of you know, John McSweeney passed away unexpectedly last month. This really hit me hard. John McSweeney was Tom Saviano's instructor, and Tom Saviano is mine. In the last two years, I've gotten pretty close to Mr. McSweeney. In November, I spent a few days at his home in Florida. It was a real pleasure to spend time with him. I got to hear a lot of great stuff about the past and his days with SGM Parker in the 50's and 60's. I really wish some of you here could have known him like I did. He really was an exceptional individual, even if many people didn't always agree about his MA philosphies.
So what does this have to do with my 3rd black? In the last 6 months before his passing, it became almost a ritual in our phone conversations for him to tell me he wanted me to test for my 3rd. It went something like this.
McSweeney; "Did you talk to Tom about your 3rd black?"
Me; "Yes I did."
McSweeney; "So when are you testing?"
Me; "As soon as I can put more than 1 or 2 times a week of training time in."
McSweeney; "Do that! You need to get your 3rd!!"
Me; "Well, I had blah blah at work happen." or "My family needed blah blah." or "blah blah excuse"
McSweeney; "Long explanation of why I should test."
A week or two would go by and we would go through the whole conversation again. Really what it came down to is I really didn't care about being promoted. A week before his passing, John McSweeney's last words to me was, "Zoran, I really want you to test. Just go do it!" I said, "Yes sir." That is the last time I heard his voice.
I have no idea why I am writing this here on a public forum? Maybe it's a sort of therapy. Anyway, now I care. I will be testing for my 3rd in a month or two. Sorry for the rambling.
Zoran,
Your reasons sound dang fine to me! My condolonces! I wasn't going to test, I am happy being a San-Dan. But as you just pointed out, the GMs don't stay around forever. Don't get me wrong, I love GM Alford with all my heart, but all of HIS instructors have passed on. When he started KJR, there were a lot of us under him. He heads three or four systems now and has laid out his long term plans for three of us to take them over when he is gone. The main reason I am going for Rank is that I don't want the kind of stuff that happened in EPAK to happen to us. He has stated that I am the heri apparent to one system, when I do inherit it, i do want it to be a legitimate thing as being the next most senior person (rank wise) in the system. I now live 1000 miles away from him, so I have to work extra hard to make this happen.
Your reasons sound dang fine to me! My condolonces! I wasn't going to test, I am happy being a San-Dan. But as you just pointed out, the GMs don't stay around forever. Don't get me wrong, I love GM Alford with all my heart, but all of HIS instructors have passed on. When he started KJR, there were a lot of us under him. He heads three or four systems now and has laid out his long term plans for three of us to take them over when he is gone. The main reason I am going for Rank is that I don't want the kind of stuff that happened in EPAK to happen to us. He has stated that I am the heri apparent to one system, when I do inherit it, i do want it to be a legitimate thing as being the next most senior person (rank wise) in the system. I now live 1000 miles away from him, so I have to work extra hard to make this happen.
It is ok sometimes to wait for rank. I had my 3rd Black for 7 years for various reasons, changing Associations, Instructors, opening a school, etc. I was not motivated until all of a sudden I was. There is some maturing of the Art when you remain in it for a longer time. I also had a couple of 2nd Black under me that were getting near their test time. There is some responsibility to your students to consider also. No body is around forever, as Mr. LaBounty recently reminded me, and we have to carry on the Art, whether we want to or not.
Nothing wrong with promoting when eligible at the 1st opportunity, I did that through 3rd Black. But the material I did for 4th had been with me a long time, and hopefully I represented that to my testing Board.
I still think about people like Bryan Hawkins, who would not go for 6th because 5th was the last one Mr. Parker gave him. The same went for Bob Liles - he waited a decade before accepting an 8th. Then you have our very own GoldenDragon7, Dennis Conatser, So like when and if he moves on up - it will be way, way past time. But he has never stopped learning, regardless of what he wears on his belt. Most of us attribute him with more, whether he will wear it or not.
No encouraging word, no criticism; Just an acknowledgment that your reasoning is sound and I am sorry that it took such a serious and tragic event to stoke the fire for you.
Good luck, I am sure you will succeed and acquit yourself and the memory of your teacher's teacher honorably.
Yours in Kenpo,
-Michael Billings
Nothing wrong with promoting when eligible at the 1st opportunity, I did that through 3rd Black. But the material I did for 4th had been with me a long time, and hopefully I represented that to my testing Board.
I still think about people like Bryan Hawkins, who would not go for 6th because 5th was the last one Mr. Parker gave him. The same went for Bob Liles - he waited a decade before accepting an 8th. Then you have our very own GoldenDragon7, Dennis Conatser, So like when and if he moves on up - it will be way, way past time. But he has never stopped learning, regardless of what he wears on his belt. Most of us attribute him with more, whether he will wear it or not.
No encouraging word, no criticism; Just an acknowledgment that your reasoning is sound and I am sorry that it took such a serious and tragic event to stoke the fire for you.
Good luck, I am sure you will succeed and acquit yourself and the memory of your teacher's teacher honorably.
Yours in Kenpo,
-Michael Billings
Goldendragon7
Grandmaster
You are behind in the gossip Michael....... lol..... Mr. LaBounty promoted me to 6th last September after 14 years. :asian:
K
Kirk
Guest
Who all kicked ya?
What rank does kicking start? Guys at my school got 1st brown,
and got kicked, but the next lowest promotion was to purple.
Purple and lower, got punched.
W
WilliamTLear
Guest
I've been kicked into every rank I'd gotten since Yellow Belt. I thought that was the norm. Now, I guess, I was victemized by a bunch of vindictive black belts 
Just Kidding,
Billy Lear, 3rd Degree Brown Belt
United Kenpo Systems
www.uks-kenpo.com
Just Kidding,
Billy Lear, 3rd Degree Brown Belt
United Kenpo Systems
www.uks-kenpo.com
One of my other motivations is like you mentioned, I have a few students that will test for 1st black next year, they have to wait a year to be eligible for 2nd. As a 3rd, I can only promote to 1st, I want to be able to promote them when they have earned it instead of giving the appearnace of having promoted them because I was.
Congratulations Dennis,
I am way behind the times - you know, the bad child. I am very, very glad you chose to accept it. Good things do happen to bad people ... no, I mean bad things happen to good people, no ... no, I mean good things happen to good people.
Finally got it right.
Respectfully,
Michael B.
I am way behind the times - you know, the bad child. I am very, very glad you chose to accept it. Good things do happen to bad people ... no, I mean bad things happen to good people, no ... no, I mean good things happen to good people.
Finally got it right.
Respectfully,
Michael B.
Goldendragon7
Grandmaster
I always try to have a large board of examiners. Not so much for me...... I'm confident in what I do and teach. But more for the student. He/she would be happy with my endorsement however, I take great pride in having the student perform in front of my peers and other Seniors which adds to the value of their promotion, at the same time my fellow Kenpoists get an opportunity to view my teaching and results there of. I always welcome any comments, good and bad on what has just been viewed at the test. In the past I have gained myself from these comments which I invest into my teaching additionally my students are never challenged on their lineage when such a board is gathered.
:asian:
:asian:
Klondike93
Master Black Belt
I got to test for my Blue last night and passed 
That's the first of any sort of testing I've done in a long time, about 12 years! I found it to be hard work, but I also had fun is that a bad thing? Any TKD test I ever took wasn't very fun but maybe I was just nervous at that time. Now to get to work on the Green belt stuff
Oh yeah almost forgot, the kick was cool!! My first kenpo instructor didn't do that so that was my first
:asian:
That's the first of any sort of testing I've done in a long time, about 12 years! I found it to be hard work, but I also had fun is that a bad thing? Any TKD test I ever took wasn't very fun but maybe I was just nervous at that time. Now to get to work on the Green belt stuff
Oh yeah almost forgot, the kick was cool!! My first kenpo instructor didn't do that so that was my first
:asian:
K
Kirk
Guest
Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Goldendragon7
Grandmaster
Originally posted by Klondike93
I got to test for my Blue last night and passed
:asian:
Super man........ great job, wow, atta boy, excellent, wonderful, stupendous..........
Now shut up and get back to work!!!!!!!!! LOL
Congratulations!!
:asian:
Klondike93
Master Black Belt
LOL :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Thanks everyone
:asian:
W
WilliamTLear
Guest
Great Job Klondike 93!!! You da man!!!
Glad to hear about your test brother... I know how hard it must have been to test, especially after twelve years! It was almost 4 years since I tested last, and I have to say that it was a chore in the least... 12 must have been something!
The Kick is cool! It represents the pain of being born into a new level of conciousness... and a subtle reminder that nothing worth while occours without a little bit of pain. Keep the flame alive, and pass it down!
Take Care,
Billy Lear, 3rd Degree Brown Belt
United Kenpo Systems
www.uks-kenpo.com
:asian:
Glad to hear about your test brother... I know how hard it must have been to test, especially after twelve years! It was almost 4 years since I tested last, and I have to say that it was a chore in the least... 12 must have been something!
The Kick is cool! It represents the pain of being born into a new level of conciousness... and a subtle reminder that nothing worth while occours without a little bit of pain. Keep the flame alive, and pass it down!
Take Care,
Billy Lear, 3rd Degree Brown Belt
United Kenpo Systems
www.uks-kenpo.com
:asian:
:cheers:
Congrats!
:asian:
Congrats!
:asian:
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