The Subjective Object

So this is a complete wooden version (including flashlight) of the Subjective Object (Also Known As "Fred") with the additional 3D printed version that I later made.

So what is the Subjective Object?

It all began with a blog post on perspective and this image.  It got me wondering if I could actually make it out of wood.

I knew that I could take a wooden dowel and in cutting it could make a shape that would cast two shadows, but the third shadow - the triangle - that would be the tough part. Little did I know how hard it would end up being.  Suffice it to say that the first angular cut was easy, but making the opposite matching one not only proved difficult - it was also dangerous.  Eventually I was able to make three large ones and two smaller ones, without losing any fingers or impaling any one or any thing. The "stage" I made out of plywood, and I suspended the "Subjective Object" (nicknamed "Fred") on some all thread.  

Here is my very first completed model, with some extra cuts on the stage and extra holes in the object itself that I used to figure out exactly what needed to go where. 

If you look back at the beginning of the post, you'll notice Soke's completed set looks nicer...  sanded and finished. 

You will also notice a dark gray plastic version of the object itself sitting on the stage.

Once I realized how dangerous and difficult it was to cut it out of wood, I thought that there had to be another way to make it.  Being a computer person, I decided to learn how to create a 3D image that could be printed.  We have a nice 3D printer at the K-12 school where I work, so ... viola!

Check out a test run of my wooden version...

Circle

Rectangle

and Triangle!

==============

"Seeing is believing" - you know?

But here is a perfect example that while that may be true, we are probably not seeing the entire "picture" - heck in this example we are not even seeing the object itself - only a shadow.

A shadow that depends not only on our point of view - our perspective - but also on the placement of the light source!

As senior martial artists, we tend to get set in our ways and our views at our own peril I believe.

I further believe that even when we are open to other points of view, we really need to remember that as higher ranked students we are often directing the light source too.

Senior martial artists can't afford to settle for what we already know - what we already see.  To do so is to deny ourselves and our students.

With rank comes responsibility, and an obligation to continue to work on learning, looking, and growing.  

This journey and this blog - growing towards a TKD 8th Dan - has been an amazing experience.

I'm not done growing, in fact, I'm more determined than ever to grow INTO this TKD 8th Dan, and that is why this "Subjective Object" project/thesis has meant so much to me.  

I am really and truly excited about what the future holds.

What will it be?  I don't know for sure, but I can't wait to see and I'm sure it will be enlightening!

Love and Respect,

Kathy Wiz

Testing Day

Pictured here is some of the stuff I had laid out for testing.

You can see my most comfortable and oldest (since the flood) uniform along with a plain black belt that I've been wearing a lot recently.

I prepared a purple folder for each judge that contained:

- a list of my forms

- my short term goals

- my long(er) term goals

- some print outs of some posts from my blog

- a version of the "Masters Wheel" document shared with me by Grand Master Bob Hardin

There was also a single folder containing the letters of recommendation written for me, so that the board could look through them if they wished.

In the little brown bag I had a bunch of carabiners that I used in my self defense demonstration.  Afterwards I gave one to each of the three people (Ginny, Marta, and John) who held target for my kicks, partnered with me for the self defense, and/or held a board.  I also let each of the 6 members of the testing board choose a carabiner.

The red gift bags were for Master Andy Tourin, Master Ken Mammen, and Master Ross Briggs.  The black gift bags were for Grand Master Bill Dewart, Grand Master Archie Alexander, and Soke. In this picture I had put the three red inside the three black, just so that I could carry them easier!

Each gift bag had a version of the "Subjective Object" (A.K.A. "Fred") and a tactical flashlight.
What do you mean "Subjective Object" (A.K.A. "Fred") you are probably asking... well, you'll have to wait till tomorrow to find out!

The red bags also contained a book of inspirational quotes.

The black bags also had a thank you card and a wooden "stage" for "Fred"...


I had one purple folder for myself that contained a copy of my list of forms, goals, and the following printout that Stephanie Blythe had posted at o'dark thirty that very morning...

I did kicks on targets and at people standing very, very still.

I did forms.

I showed applications of movements from forms.

I demonstrated self defense with my flashlight and carabiner and without.

I answered questions.

I talked about the metaphor of breaking boards, and then gave a breaking demonstration.

And finally, I presented my 8th Dan Thesis on the "Subjective Object"...

Throughout all this I found out that altitude does affect you and sipping water at every opportunity was a great idea!

Ginny was videoing and I'm anxious to see what she was able to record, because even though I was there - it is all a blur in so many ways.  I was on such an adrenaline rush that I don't even remember a conversation Jo says she had with me right afterwards!

I can tell you one thing for sure though.  I really had a good time.  I felt like I was right where I was supposed to be and grateful for the support that was in the room and all around me physically and otherwise.  There was a moment right before the very last break where I swear to you I felt my mom right there with me.

It was a phenomenal experience.  Words are inadequate.

Love and Respect,

Kathy Wiz

A selfie

I took this picture (yeah yeah - I know I 'm not a very good selfie taker) moments before I walked out the door behind me to go to the Shed to my 8th Dan Testing.

It hit me at this very moment that I was literally getting ready to walk out of the one area, closing the door behind me - then go across a transitional kind of gravel pathway - to a different location to open another door on a brand new experience.

I was hoping to catch the feeling of the moment.  I was so nervous, excited, happy, and did I say nervous?

It is not often enough that we realize something big is happening, until we are deep into it, or it is already over.

Andrew Trento is always snapping pictures and saying "Documentation!"

I'm glad I took this one.  It is a snapshot of a moment in time. It is the moment actually captured that I realized I was about to go DO THIS...  It made me think of this blog and my very first post "Let's DO This!"

It feels kind of weird to think that there are 2 posts left and then this blog is done...
Writing a post every day since February 1st was way harder than I expected, but way more valuable too.

I began this martial arts journey, not on February 1st of this year, but way back on Monday, June 18th, 1979.  How awesome is it - and how blessed am I -  to *still* be learning SO much and *still* be as clearly nervous, excited, and happy as I am in the picture above?!?!?

Things have not turned out as I expected...
they turned out much better than I could have ever dreamed.

Love and Respect,
Kathy Wiz

Las Vegas - not my final destination...

While changing planes in Las Vegas, someone asked me if this was my final destination.

I said "No.  Nashville is my home."

But it reminded me of a similar conversation I had on the way out to Reno when I had a longer lay over and changed planes in Phoenix at the beginning of this journey.

Back then I remember thinking that while Phoenix wasn't my "final destination" neither really was Reno, or even Minden, where I was staying for the duration of this trip...

They have all been stops along the way - along this part of my journey.

In some ways it is hard leaving.  Getting the opportunity to really focus on my martial arts so exclusively for these last few days has been ... well ... incredible.

Jo called it a "mountain top" experience, and I think she is right.  Coming back down to earth, back to the day to day details and challenges... making that transition... can be challenging.

But I am SO glad to be home, and I'm definitely re-energized - so look out!
This particular portion may be coming to a close but another has already begun.

Love and Respect,
Kathy Wiz

Appreciation and Energy

So I was pretty sure that today was going to suck.

Three years ago today my mom died.
I am missing Jo, and Grisha, and our pets, and home.
Even so, it was a sobering realization that today is my last full day here in Minden, NV and that means leaving the physical presence of all the goodness that is Dave and Mary Ann McNeill.

But today was totally amazing!

Had a great 3rd Dan Goju-Shorei testing this morning with Caesar, and Marta assisting.  It was invigorating and fun and energizing for all of us. And yes, he absolutely passed.

Then Pete came to the house and we had an awesome time with some pretty amazing healing energy work and discussion along with a guided mediation.  Thank you so much Pete.  I always enjoy our time together and learn so much.

Then Dave and Mary Ann and I went up to Lake Tahoe for lunch.  I had some of Mary Ann's calamari and it truly was delicious.  Then we walked around and had the most spectacular time.

Once we got home, I got to work with Soke in the Shed on Roku Empi and go over some of the reworking I've done on the Yellow Rank in GSWS.

And what an ending the evening, with Mary Ann helping me understand more about healing through her uses of essential oils and Healing Hands energy work.  Of COURSE I asked if she would SHOW me... and so after what seemed like moments on the massage table (but was actually like probably 30-45 minutes) I was blissed out.    Blissed   Out.

Happy, Appreciative, and Energized in a very relaxed and mellow way - that would be the best way to describe it.

That would be the best way to describe my day.

Several times today I could hear my mom saying "What a glorious day the Lord has made..." and it was.

Love and Respect,
Kathy Wiz

The Shed

The "Shed" is Soke Dave McNeill's dojo out behind his house. 

Here is the door to the Shed.  After class tonight we each hit the makiwara 100 times with each hand.

And then here is look inside...

And then a look back toward the house...

The size of the Shed is 28 feet by 40 feet.

Check out my long term goals...

     http://growingtowards8.blogspot.com/2016/05/long-term-tkd-goals.html

: )

Love and Respect,

Kathy Wiz

Reaching a Goal - or - So now what?

So this is how I felt yesterday.

Today, I'm REALLY tired and things are aching some.  : )

That's o.k. - in fact it's great!  It makes me ready to get back on the floor.  I'm teaching the weapons class here tomorrow in "the Shed" and I can't wait.

That's the big thing I've been thinking about today.  "What is next?"
I want to savor the moment and enjoy this and relax a little, but I part of doing that is getting back on the floor. There is so much I want to do - so much I want to work on.

In some ways things feel really different now.  I've never met a woman who held a rank higher than 7th Dan in any martial art, and now I do.  And that feels really big. I also felt better than I have in years out on the floor yesterday, but I know that I can and will do even better in the coming months.  I was happy with the testing Saturday - SO HAPPY - but not satisfied - definitely not done.  If anything, I am more motivated than ever to get out there and work on some things that I know can get better.

In other ways, I feel very much the same.  And in truth, how could I be so different from the person who stepped on the floor as a 7th Dan at 9:59 am yesterday morning?

So now what?

In terms of this blog, I will continue to post daily through June 11th.  That is what I agreed to do and I want to see it through.  Then, I will close this blog, and by that I mean that I will no longer create new posts - June 11th will be the last.

This blog has been about growing towards an 8th Dan.  Now that I'm there having just officially crossed over into that rank, I want to grow INTO it, so I'm considering creating a new blog "Growing INTO a TKD 8th Dan" - but right now I still have this one to finish, so we will see.

I've already posted my short term and long term goals, so there's also that ...

: )

Right now though, for the rest of this week - I'm going to focus on enjoying the view from this pinnacle, catch my breath, savor the accomplishment with my family and friends, and then start planning the ascent on the next summit.

Love and Respect,

Kathy Wiz