A fish out of water

Posted by: Ed_Morris

A fish out of water - 01/29/06 05:04 PM

Thought I'd mention this to make some of the members here more real and not just some ominous voice in cyberspace giving unsubstantiated advice to strangers....
Met up with Victor Smith yesterday, hope he doesn't mind me mentioning. We had interesting discussions of various things over coffee and dessert in his neck of the woods in New Hampshire. Even had a kind of session outside in the lot where he demonstrated some of the things I had questions on reguarding concepts mentioned in his past posts. In the less than two-hour meeting, Victor relayed enough material and info (also gave me a 600-page pdf file CD containing pictures, clips and unpublished translated text on Uechi Ryu and Bando/Silat weapons forms) that will last me quite a while to digest. The things he physically showed left me with no doubt.
Victor doesn't sell anything...he gives it away...but how much is he really giving away in a 2-hour meeting when it ultimately comes down to the person first retaining, then spending years training it. how many really are willing to pay that price? Victor's Art has the price of time and effort put into it....it's worth more than money in my opinion. His knowledge and demonstrated skill left me feeling like a fish out of water.

Victor, for the most part, seems to have followed his own path...adding and substituting based on his needs/interests. This, I believe is the true spirit of the old way...taking and building upon your base, from whichever source is available and you can make work. In one fluid movement, I saw no less than three influences of Chinese, Okinawan and Indonesian Art principals working together. (keyword: working)

On top of all that, he's a nice guy and pleseant to have coffee and train with in a parking lot....despite the waitress asking us if we were all set every 3 minutes, he never once made her feel like a troll distrupting conversation - he was a true gentleman. Outside, at one point we were concerned someone might mistake us for really fighting and call authorities, so we broke things up when we started getting looks from soccer-moms in mini-vans passing by. lol

Victor is very cool, for what it's worth me saying so. I'm grateful for the time well spent, and look forward to visiting his class in the future.

p.s. Victor...it just dawned on me to ask, in the last combo you showed, what is the function of the wrist roll before the strike to eyes?
-Ed
Posted by: MattJ

Re: A fish out of water - 01/29/06 05:40 PM

Very cool, Ed! I really believe that meeting up with other folks here is the highest use of this forum. I am pretty jealous. I tried to finagle a meeting with Victor last year, but the details did not quite work out. Glad to hear that you met him, and it sounds like he met your expectations.

Video? Pictures? Have you washed the hand that he touched yet?
Posted by: butterfly

Re: A fish out of water - 01/29/06 07:51 PM

Neato! And Cool!
Posted by: Victor Smith

Re: A fish out of water - 01/29/06 09:41 PM

Ed,

You make me want to blush. I'm not really that hot, you should see the people who trained me, they're really good, I just keep trying.

You really never give anything away, all you can do is share, and if you put sweat equity into training and get it, it was always yours to get, not mine to give.

As for the wrist roll, I don't have a specific hidden use for it, except it would be an escape against a wrist grab, and the source for that is just applied tai chi chaun at that.

Keep working.
Posted by: Ed_Morris

Re: A fish out of water - 01/29/06 10:13 PM

ok, maybe I was over the top with the gosh gee wiz....but the way you handled that over-attentive waitress with calm politeness was masterful....now I'm wondering, should I have asked for her phone number? life is full of too many missed opportunities and second guessing.... lol
Posted by: oldman

Re: A fish out of water - 01/29/06 10:18 PM

To be quite frank I'd rather have Victors digits. Then again I'm not "single and ready to mingle".
Posted by: Ed_Morris

Re: A fish out of water - 01/29/06 10:51 PM

hey listen, she was too young...and the brief MA exchange with Victor was far more lasting than the TA that might or might not have been exchanged with her in the parking lot.
Posted by: eyrie

Re: A fish out of water - 01/30/06 12:02 AM

Maybe she was hoping for Victor to ask for her phone number?
Posted by: harlan

Re: A fish out of water - 01/30/06 11:12 AM

Guys...shut up about the T&A. What really matters...is when Ed is going to share this CD! (right...buddy..ol' pal?)
Posted by: Victor Smith

Re: A fish out of water - 01/30/06 03:23 PM

Harlan,

Don't be asking, that secret stuff......
Posted by: harlan

Re: A fish out of water - 01/30/06 03:32 PM

Guess I have to inveigle an invitation to NH.
Posted by: Ed_Morris

Re: A fish out of water - 01/30/06 03:39 PM

...not until I publish it, make millions and then I'll send you a discounted sign-stamped copy.

heres the problem, Victor rigged it so that it self-desructs after the first read...so I'm not able to read it until after it's published...it could be a 600-pg pasta cookbook or 'dear abbey' clippings for all I know.

Posted by: harlan

Re: A fish out of water - 01/30/06 03:41 PM

(Victor's voice, hushed so it can't be picked up by the microphone hidden in the ample apron of the waitress)

'Your mission, if you decide to accept it...'
Posted by: Ed_Morris

Re: A fish out of water - 01/30/06 03:47 PM

...you know too much already.

{Victor: should I call, 'the cleaner' ? don't answer that! 'they' might be listening...}
Posted by: BrianS

Re: A fish out of water - 01/31/06 04:39 AM

That's cool. Thanks for sharing!