Ressurecting the Banshee

This was the Banshee bought for 250.00 from a guy in Grawn who was using it as a playhouse for the neighborhood kids. I spent 4 months and 1000.00 and brought it back to life.

Projects , projects

Take a beat up old boat purchased for 25.00 at a resale shop, throw it in the woods for 5 years, haul it back out and spend 2 weeks repairing all the damage.

Then start from scratch to get it looking like it is worth something.

cost to date
25.00 for boat and trailer
35.00 for bondo and sand paper
6.00 for aluminum
12.50 for weather proof cover
65.00 for boat canvas
25.00 for vinyl material
12.00 for fuse block
186.00 for urethane paint and supplies

total= a project that has kept me somewhat sane for a week or two.

The Trials of being Peter Pan

I had been on my own for quite a while before I reconnected with Deb. I know that I can be moody, self centered, and even downright sarcastic if my mind is set on it. But, when Deb arrived, things have changed. She is the yin to my yang. Her sarcasm trumps mine and she sees things from a 3rd party view. She has a great way of pointing out when I am totally off base. And ya know, she is usually right.
Her kids have come to visit and we have had a pretty good time showing them the sights and points of interest around TC. My "A" type personality has been put to the test, when I am ready to go, I usually go. But with 2 young uns and an unwritten schedule, I usually have to wait 1/2 to an hour to finally get up to speed to the next attraction. I have had to dodge darting kids, a light sabre coming towards my eye, and a head butt to the groin so i have been kept on my toes. Last night we had a marshmellow roast and fireworks rolled into one. The Peter Pan in me came up with some gun power in the fire pit to dazzle the kids. The local raccoon decided to visit at dusk and put on quite a show- even falling into the pond as a finale. Laughs , smiles, and beaten bodies have been shared by all. But the smiles that Deb shares while her kids are here warms my heart. I am glad that they feel at home here.

Kata,Sayaw, Hyung a waste of time and energy

Over the past 43 years I have trained in many arts and have learned countless forms and routines from the different systems. One thing that has stood out in my mind; nobody fights like the forms they train in. So why do they train with so many different routines? I was once told that the forms honor past warriors in the art. Sorry, I don't subscribe to that thinking. In boot camp we learned how to march and shoulder our weapons to command. Do you think for one minute in battle we would march in formation?
No! You would be sitting ducks in a row for your enemy. Do you think for one second that learning how to do inspection arms is going to save your life on the battle field? No! Learning to march and follow directions were just training tools to learn to organize your thoughts and how to follow directions. To me, the time would have been better spent learning how to dive and roll into a foxhole or how to draw a bead on the enemy.
One of the first forms I ever learned was Won Hyo. I have never faught anyone following any of the combinations in that form. For one, it is too robotic to allow you to flow in or around your opponent, you are mainly a tank drawing a bead on a non moving target.
Go to any tournament and watch the different players, none lock into the fighting stances of their chosen art. Why? Because they become targets.

I think the time spent learning useless forms would be better served by learning how to aviod rather than absorb an incoming attack. I was once asked if we trained in Iron Vest Type techniques. You know, the technique where you let people hit you full force and you build your body up to accept full force hits. These techniques are great throwbacks to the ancient days where there were rules of war. But, there are no rules of war on the street. You cnnot fight a modern battle using the techniques of the the civil war. The US won its independance from the British by learning to use their environment not lining up in staggerd rows of men loading their weapons while the first row shoots. The colonials learned to hid e behind trees and to use hit and run tactics, while the British followed old rules of engagement against these men without honor who hid behind rocks and trees.

The time would be better spent learning how not to be a target. Time spent lining up and throwing hundreds of punches into the thin air would be better served learning how to hit a moving target. I do not judge my students how good they are by how many perfect forms that they can do, but rather how many attacks I throw at them that they can control or negate. Too much emphisis is put on training drills or forms that you will never use.
Just my 2 centavos

Sharp Pointy Things

My antique Moro Kris's Some of my toys When i was stationed in Olongapo Philippines I bought a lot of knives , balisongs, and swords. Problem was I could not bring them back. Seems Uncle Sam did not allow these things to go thru customs, so, there are a few of my earlier aquired weapons sitting at the bottom of the ocean. I had to get rid of them before we got to Hawaii. Since returning to the US I have tried to find weapons at garage sales , Pawn shops, on craigslist, and on ebay. My last trip to the Philippines was very enjoyable, I got to watch them make bolos and knives. My good friend Lyndon Ante took Deb and I to a bladesmith in Tabaco Philippines. I was asked to bring back a special blade for one of my students ( Anton) so the first line of business was to have one made. We watched as metal was cut from stock, hammered into shape, and then finished. All of this took less than 15 minutes. The cost of this special blade- about 8 US dollars. I knew I could sell a lot of these for way more than that. It seems tho that the shipping , handling, customs, and all will raise the cost way up too. Bummer. Well enjoy what I have posted.


Lyndon and Michael are trying to arrange the sale of bolo to our group, they will take our designs and have them made and make all the arrangements to have them shipped here. Costs will depend on the design and how many that are ordered. This is to fund their trip here to attend the next gathering. Please, if you have any interest in getting a blade, contact me.

YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK( but the memories will take you there)

My life has been filled with memories and friends. This last weekend I was invited to come and jam with a couple of friends who go wat back but I haven't seen them in a while. Being true to my word, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to create memories. Problem is, the time was spend reliving all the memories we had created before. At this jam session several other faces popped up. I was totally amazed that these people went on to become talented musicians. Robret Yvon was an old friend that I used to run the woods with and rode bicycles all over the lake (Otsego). To see him running his fingers down the neck of a guitar and making it sound so good was a total shock.Bob and I jammin Paul Halvoron was also a friend that used to skip school and spend time on the lake water skiing and sneaking smokes. He too was there playing his heart out. I thought he was the picture of what a hippie would be- 35 yrs have gone by the wayside since I saw Paul last. Carmine James, Walt Sommer, Paul Halvorson- getting ready for next song We brought up many stories and shared our memories of how we thought things were for six hours or so. The years slipped by and we were together again in another venue and another time doing what we used to do- sharing our time and talents making memories.me playing my heart out The reason for this get together is Roy Cox. Roy He was and is a good friend from my band days who has a severe heart condition and was needing some help. So as good friends are supposed to do, we got together and raised some money for him to help with his trouble. Roy has been a good friend to many of the area musicians by providing a place for them to jam, share, and explore. He was a member of many early Michigan bands such as The Liberators, Quoin, Coffee house Blues Band and others. I spent many hours with him at the lake running my hydro- he stole(borrowed) his fathers fishing motor to power the hydro I made so we could run the lakes. And many many hours behind an organ or drum set were spent together playing for fun.
Those in attendance
Roy Cox
Walt Sommer
Carmine James
Bob Yvon
Paul Halvorson
Mark Ames
Richie Blackmore
Brian Brandenburg
Buzz Smith
and 4 others that I did not know

SCOURGE or how I spent my summer vacation

I have mentioned many times that time is lost if you don't use it. WEll, this pring I was invited to participate in a POC film as a leading character. Some of you have called me a character so I decided to take them up on it. The Michigan film industry has been given a shot in the arm by grants and tax breaks, This POC is means of using those breaks and give people a try at being actors.

The film is set 175 years into mans future after an apocalypse. Power is not here, food is scarce, metal is valuable, and man has resorted back to forming small bands or tribes ( I am good at tribes). My character is one of that of an ex military special ops guy who is recruited to help the water farmers. I have not been filled in to his exact history, but, was told to dispatch people quickly with things readily at hand in the environment I was in. (A Mac Gyver fighter)

The first step was to make me look a bit ,ahem, rough. I can do rough.Then I needed a couple of hot sweaty chicks

Next come the bad guys
Then some sharp pointy things to play with
Then find a nasty, dirty, smelly godforsaken place to film it- Like Detroit/Hamtramack abandoned old factories. Throw all these elements together- and you have SCOURGE
Now, schedule the filming to take place when family are supposed to arrive to celebrate my 60th birthday. Spend 4 days getting sweaty, dirty, beat, and bored. Shoot from 3 pm to 6 am, have no idea what they are looking for other thatn-"do what you do". Throw in a bunch of crazies who are a riot to be around. A director who has this twisted view of things and a producer who has the vision but too many things to control and that is how I spent my summer vacation.


a small teaser of the beginning chase scenes



Now, if you want memories, get involved with a shoot like this with 50 other like minded crazies and you WILL have memories to tell your childern and grand kids