New Year Evaluation

As seen on a gun forum:

I have the means, and the mindset. I will journey into Hell and darkness to protect the ones I love.

It's that annual evaluation time, again. My barber sent me the quote above, and it's one that strikes a chord with me. As I interpret it, it represents what I want to be as a warrior for Christ.

Not that I have attained to that high status, but it's what, in my best moments, I would like to be.

I have the means . . . .

I believe this includes both knowledge and training as well as weapons. And the former far outdistance the latter in importance.

Tony Blauer has spoken of the naked warrior. (As an aside, Pavel Tsatsouline has an excellent physical training book by that name.) It's a concept that means if you strip away everything from a true warrior right down to his skin, he's still a warrior. Heart and skill make the warrior, not the sword, not the firearm.

Have I grown in knowledge and training over the past year? Yes, but not as much as I wish I could have. Shin splints in August really put a crimp in my fitness training.

Although the condition is better, recovery has been slow. Both lower legs are still tender & swell if I don't elevate them. I resumed taking regular walks about six weeks ago, and have modified my knee-kick anaerobic exercise so that it does not require my feet to impact the floor. Started that just this past week.

I was experimenting with dropping energy when the shin splints developed, and I will not resume until I fully recover from the condition. It puts a lot of stress on the lower extremities.

I did practice the combat wedge for presentation at the WARSKYL conference in October. That's a skill which bears further practice & development.

I have also practiced my palm heel strike and judo chop. The other morning, I think I finally made a breakthrough in speed with both skills.

In October, after the conference, some of us had a shooting session at the house of deolexrex. For the first time, I actually hit clay pigeons in the air. I guess that's the beginning of a rudimentary shotgun skill.

My preparation for the WARSKYL conference pushed me into a deeper knowledge and understanding, as well. It forced me to into a needed review of some concepts and new research. Also, Seth's conference presentation on loving one's enemy provided new insights.

To be continued.