"Other Things" means that I get to talk about anything that I choose . . . some who have read the page will probably tell you that it gives you some insight into how I approach life.  

I'm continually surprised to find that everyone enjoys that this page is available.  Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!      

Much to my wife's dismay, I'm now actively training in boxing.   Found a nice little one room gym that fits my like a glove:

First tournament: August 2010, Senior Masters Division (that hurts the ego)

Archery is a hobby that I have had since childhood.  However, my hobby got out of control when I began bow fishing to improve my skills.  Bow fishing, since you asked, is fishing with a bow, arrow, reel and string to shoot "trash-fish" such as gar and carp.  Every May and June you'll find me on a local river hunting these 2 - 6 foot long fish. 

Now, I've gone back to my roots and back to a traditional stick bow.   2005 introduced me to yet a new pleasure -- seeing my two boys shooting the old recurve bow in our backyard that I grew up shooting my childhood yard.

-- Life's good!

I have been involved with formal martial arts training since 1990.  This has been my way of blowing off steam and getting my exercise.  In retrospect my informal training began many years before . . .

I started formal martial arts training while beginning my doctoral work at Penn State.  To provide you a brief description, my original area of interest was Filipino Arnis (e.g., Inosanto style, Presas style).  The Filipino martial arts are also know as Kali, Arnis, or Eskrima.  It is an martial art that originates in the Philippines and the Pacific Islands as an indigenous martial art used to defend their homelands. 

Additionally, I have studied Aikijujitsu. Aikijujitsu is a Japanese martial art that utilizes an opponents energy (Aiki) to manipulate their demise. I also study Tomiki Ryu Aikido.  This is a very "soft-style" martial arts with the main goal of stopping an attack while providing for the welfare of the attacker.  This art is typically referred to as the way of harmony.

• It's much too easy to leave out all of the friends and teachers that I have studied with, however I would like to at least mention my first teacher, Sifu Bill Gebhardt (deceased).  I studied full-time with Sifu Gebhardt for three years while working on my doctorate at Penn State.  No rank was achieved while working with Sifu -- rank wasn't a part of his school at that time - only experience.  While studying at his school, I had the opportunity to study Inosanto/Illustrisimo Kali, Jeet Kune Do, Thai Boxing, and Shoot wrestling in depth.  Additionally I had the opportunity to explore or briefly study in the following arts: Silat, Tae Kwon Do, and Shotokan Karate. 

• First, and foremost, I'm always a teacher.  Therefore, I help teach seminars around the country. 

These are details that people ask about after reading the above . . . so I put them in here:

• I am honored to hold a eighth degree black belt in Archipelago Combatives under Guro W. Hock Hochheim.  I also hold the title of Vice-President of the Scientific Fighting Congress Archipelago Combative system.
  (USA, Philippines)
   
• I am honored to hold a fifth degree black belt in Scientific Fighting Congress Hand-to-Hand Combative system.  

• I hold a second degree black belt in Kombatan (formerly Arnis De Mano).  Grandmaster Ernesto Presas
  (Philippines)

• I hold a second degree black belt in Modern Arnis. 
  Grandmaster Remy Presas (deceased)
  (Philippines)

• I also hold a first degree black belt in Aikijujitsu.
  Professor Joe Lansdale
  (USA, Japan).

• I hold a 3rd degree brown belt in Aikido.
  Sensei Jack Bieler
  (USA, Japan).

• I hold a masters ranking in the Knife/Counter Knife system.
  
• Additionally, I hold a master ranking in the SDMS Combatives system.  This is a single-handed and double-handed tactical impact weapon system.