Lord of Allusions

Man, what a week that was! Boredom has definitely not been a problem. Although I didn't post on the forum right after my first IPSC match/Italian Picnic day (that was a 7-11 day of nonstop activity. Phew!), I have had some opportunities to read from the first few sections of Brian's tome (I have three copies, fer cryin' out loud!) and compare them to my experiences. One thing that seemed to repeatedly jump out at me as I read through Beyond Fundamentals -- it was almost eerie -- was how closely Robbie's approach to teaching tracked with Brian's. Robbie used a lot of the same terminology and concepts, and stressed the same fundamentals -- notably the necessity for accuracy as the prime fundamental. As Robbie put it, the paper doesn't lie, and indeed, that's how we started off: shooting untimed strings at IPSC targets at about 7 yards, so RL could see how we were shooting. He also went over many things that seem obvious in retrospect but are not usually apparent until they're pointed out, such as the need for the pistol to be pointing at the exact spot where you want it to hit when it actually fires, rather than when you began to pull the trigger. Interestingly, there were a lot of things that are considered "bad habits" that Robbie couldn't care less about, such as jerking the trigger. His emphasis: so what if you jerk the trigger? If the pistol is lined up properly when it fires, you'll hit the target, so who cares? He even demonstrated this by having students (including me), aim the pistol while he would push the trigger back sharply (and I mean whipping that trigger!). To my amazement, I shot better groups when he did this (with me aiming, mind you) than when I pulled the trigger. Go figure. He went into grip and stance in detail, and not surprisingly advocates the same grip (especially for 1911s with the strong thumb over the safety) that all the top shooters use: relaxed isosceles (although he tends to hold his arms straighter than some shooters who use the relaxed iso do); grip high; strong-hand thumb over safety; weak hand wrapped around strong, with index finger of weak hand up against the bottom of the trigger guard, as much "wood" on the palm as possible and the thumb pointed downrange (allowing the weak palm to "cam" up into the strong hand's grip; this usually means resting the weak thumb on the slide latch on 1911s); feet about shoulder-width apart and maybe the strong foot back a bit, but he pointed out that you shouldn't get too comfy with that, since you often have to shoot from "outside the box" and, at times, on the move. I could go on, I guess, and take up pages describing what we covered, but, frankly, Brian has already done an excellent job of doing that already -- and more. I suppose my overall point is that my session with Robbie was an opportunity to do what he and Brian describe -- with direct feedback and correction from The Great One himself -- but that, ultimately, there are no secrets. It's all right there for you if you're willing to accept that it's there, and that's what I learned from Rob Leatham. As Brian so eloquently expresses it in Section 1: Awareness and Focus: "You already have the skills". Both in the session with Robbie and at my very first local match the next day, the truth of this was made emminently clear. With Robbie jamming the trigger hard into my neophyte grip, I was shooting tight groups where I had been sloppy before. When he made me watch the sights and call out how high the front sight was popping up when I shot, he helped me realize where the sights were and what they were doing when I shot the pistol. At the match the next day, I did my best stages when I overcame the distractions of not knowing hardly anything about how IPSC matches are run, worrying about being a nub (and having that bright red NEW SHOOTER stamp on each of my score sheets) and simply shot the targets. BTW, I'm not sure, but I think I was the only new shooter at that match, and all the old-timers and hot-shots I met were very courteous and helpful throughout (and glad to see some fresh blood in the club). And so, with a rather extraordinary "debut" behind me, I'm excited about getting active with both the local USPSA- and IDPA-affiliated clubs (I'm not bigoted) and integrating competitive pistol shooting into my busy lifestyle. And what's the best part of all? From now on, every time I go shooting, it'll be like the first time I go shooting. I get to observe as I participate, and every shot is this shot. If you ask me, that's as good as it gets! Bigtime thanks to Robbie and Brian for so masterfully pointing out that which is most elusive: the obvious. (And now if you'll excuse me, Ross, I have a "horse" to possess in Port-au-Prince...)

Wow! The past two days have been unreal. Conventional notions of time don't apply. I'm really pressed for time, so this is a brief update. As you can always rest assured, more verbiage will follow later. Yesterday I hung around the store shooting the breeze with Robbie and the staff. Fun, casual, and very much a "hanging out with the guys" atmosphere. Then we went out to the county range where Robbie showed his stuff and then folks got to try out various Springfield pistols by shooting them. Very well run, and lots of fun. After the second demo, we piled over to the Atlantis casino's "Al Fresco Cafe", where I made sure to sit close to Robbie (I was two seats away, and within conversation range). Much discussed -- very interesting. Today was training day, and although I was in the morning "beginner" class, I hung around for the afternoon "advanced" class. Interestingly, the classes performed somewhat similarly at first, but the advanced guys ended up doing a little better at day's end. I was surprised at how minor the differences were in the performance levels of the drills between the two groups. I'll go into the drills in another post. While we were shooting for the lessons, the local IPSC guy came over. They were running stages in some of the other bays as we were running training in ours (the Washoe County range is pretty big). He said there was a match tomorrow (Sunday, 7/1), and invited anyone who wanted to to come and join in the fun. Robbie declared that no one in the beginning class should worry about shooting a local match; that we had enough skill to get started and do reasonably well. So, tomorrow morning, guess where I'll be: shooting my first IPSC match -- actually my first pistol match of any kind. After that, I'm off to the annual Italian Picnic, which is a major event in Reno held each year on or about the 4th of July and a must-attend for lovers of huge quantities of free food (including seafood) and drink (wine, beer and anything a bar can serve). It promises to be quite a day. After I partially recover on Monday, I'll try to post a summary of what I've learned (which is much more than I thought I would, and I expected to learn a lot), and hopefully it will be of use to others like myself who are just getting started in competitive pistol shooting. I can say this: I love to shoot, but I never thought it would be this much fun and exciting. I'm walking on sunshine, baby. YEAH! P.S. Travis, I'm not technically a magicican, but I can induce sleep like a fifth-level mage (saving throw minus three) by way of my incessant talking and writing. The "Lord of Allusions" moniker is from my USENET postings, where I prefer anonymity (beware of Echelon! ). I may just start posting under my real name on this board, because it's a whole different ballgame from USENET (i.e., no spam and copious useful information). This board is a true, decent community. I picked the LOA name because I like wordplay, especially multiple entendres, not because I think I'm royalty or anything -- I may be loquacious and somewhat ostentatious at times, but I'm not that hung up on myself. See how many allusions and entendres you can pick out of LOA. BTW, anyone familiar with voodoo should appreciate the meaning of the initials. Best regards,

Kelly, I mentioned the sight, and he said something about it being in his truck. Maybe I'll bug him about it again tomorrow on your behalf. Well, Day One was something! I'm thrashed. I showed up before the store opened and hung around until Robbie arrived at about 11:30AM. He flew in from Phoenix, and I believe he'd been in San Diego last weekend for a match, or at least I think that's what I overheard. Anyway, Robbie was very cool about handling the many things people were pelting him with: looking at people's pistols, answering questions and signing stuff. I have four signed posters and Robbie filled up one of the cover pages of Brian's book with an inspirational message. He also signed my two Springfield boxes (I bought a 1911-A1 and a TRP - both with Novak tritium sights. The A1 is for "abuse", while the TRP is for "stylin" ). Robbie did two interviews/demos for the local ABC and NBC affiliates, and I get the impression he's done this before (gadfly that I am, I got to be on TV! Oooh! But I didn't wave like an idiot or anything, I just stood around looking like one). The NBC crew didn't seem to know much about guns, and a very petite woman was assigned as the reporter. It was amusing: at the end, she put on Robbie's belt (it fit around her twice) and The Great One had her doing some pretty decent draws (and she was using his PACT timer!) with very little instruction time. It was a good capper for the short spot. ABC devoted a full two-minute (!) spot to Robbie in the sports segment, with none other than Brett Boynton, the anchorman, coming out to do the interview at our shooting grounds east of town. Brett actually did some "showdown" drills with Robbie, shooting at steel IPSC and disk targets, respectively. Lots of fun and a really good part of the sports segment. Robbie also shot against a couple of the local hotshots and, unsurprisingly, kicked ass. But I think one of the neatest things about today was just getting to hang around Robbie and see that he's mortal. During the demos, he would occasionally biff a magazine change, or wing a shot off into the weeds. He's human, and makes mistakes like anyone else. But he makes them while doing things very fast and precise. He has that deliberacy that Brian talks about. He's a very good pistol driver. Just watching him do this from a few yards away, and seeing this principle in action, was very educational. He does seem to have almost catlike reflexes as he waits for the PACT signal to draw, and he draws damn fast, but once the pistol is out, you can see that he takes care to make sure he knows he's got a good shot before he lets it go. And only when he slips now and then does he wing one off that doesn't hit where it should. He has absolute authority over the pistol when he shoots; it's almost like there's no muzzle flip, even though there is. He just recovers super fast (he was shooting a stock gun: longslide Trophy Match, stainless, no comp, and he was wearing his IDPA gear). And man, are his mag changes fast, even out of his IDPA mag holders! No one brought a clay pigeon thrower this year, and that's too bad, because last year Robbie was shooting clays with his pistol. That makes for some impressive showmanship, to say the least! While we were out there, I blasted about 600 rounds through my 1911s, some before Robbie showed up, some after. Interestingly, I shot much better -- especially from a draw -- after watching Robbie shoot than before. And all I did was watch him shoot. It was pretty cool: I felt like I "got something" while I watched him shoot, then took it back to my place on the line and started shooting again. My accuracy went way up, and my draw speed was way way better than before (although I don't have a PACT timer to measure the difference, YET. I'll have to talk to the wife...). I plan to hang out at the gun store some more tomorrow and shoot the breeze -- Robbie's a real joker, and he'll be doing a well-publicized demo at the county range which I definitely plan to be there for. Again, I suspect I will learn something simply from watching what he does, and hear him explain how he does it. Then, Saturday at 10:00AM, back to the same range for some small-group instruction. That's where I'll really be in sponge mode, with the advantage of Robbie's explanations, direct interaction and corrections to help with my "blind spots". I asked him about what I should expect or plan for with respect to the class on Saturday, and he said he doesn't follow any specific agenda. Rather, he sizes up the people in the group and works from there. This approach is very consistent with the approach to shooting he and Brian talk about. Or, as Miyamoto has illustrated, this is also a characteristic of Zen masters: choose the lesson to match the student. I'm already beat, and it's just Day One, but what a great time! I'm really looking forward to Day Two! More as the situation develops...

I think you guys are way off base. Brian is a serious pistol shooter, so it's obvious his videos will be about shooting. My guess is that they will be a series dedicated to learning and mastering the "egret stance" and its variants. As Brian has explained elsewhere in the forums, the egret is the ultimate tactical stance for close quarters battle and defensive shooting. Proving the growing popularity of the egret, Rob Leatham demonstrated the intriguing weak-side variant of the egret, and even the Great One is still learning the subtleties of the strong-side version Brian has mastered. So it wouldn't be surprising to me at all if it was necessary for a student to complete a series of seven videos before acquiring the tools, dexterity and balance necessary to adopt the egret stance and apply it to competitive shooting.

I'm curious: how old is this Super 90? I have one that's about a year old and it works fine with anything from slugs to 00 to #6 -- haven't tried #7 or smaller, though. I also only shoot 2-3/4" shells. Are you shooting 3" shells? I've heard that older 90's tend to be more persnickety than the newer ones. In any case, I'd definitely make sure the bolt cycles smoothly. Since the Super 90 is recoil-operated, Bill's comment about replacing the bolt recoil spring sounds like a good idea, especially if it's an older 90. And being liberal with the lube also sounds like a good suggestion, although I haven't had to grease mine up too much.

I'm being very tongue-in-cheek when I talk about speed-reading Brian's book. That would be like going to the best steak house in town and ordering a salad. No, I knew -- based on many comments I've read -- that Beyond Fundamentals is not something you breeze through in an afternoon of casual reading and then place on the shelf to gather dust. I think of it as a working book, and my reading in the first two sections reveals that there is plenty for me to work with right up front. I've culled some very useful information by skimming through the book and getting a feel for it (especially since I'm new to almost everything it discusses), but it's clear that this is a book that requires a lot of contemplation and lends itself well to a cycle of reading and application. As for Robbie, he'll be here tomorrow, and I'm totally juiced. But I'm resolved to do one thing above all else while he's here: learn from him. We'll see if I do, I suppose.

Actually, I would shorten the back to (centered): TEAM ENOS "www.brianenos.com" (omit the quotes -- I had to use them to keep the board from putting "http://" in front of the URL) since the "http://" part is pretty much a given these days (i.e., I doubt anyone is going to try to telnet in for a chat).

Yeah, white is a pretty good basic color for a tee, especially in the summer (and you're running around in the blazing sun). I'm rather partial to tan myself (I'm a desert rat), and tan is a little more forgiving of dirt than white (do you really want to shoot prone in a white shirt?), but I'd go with any light color over a dark color for sure. As for the signage, I like the pocket-sized yin-yang on the front in black and white (maybe black and red), and suggest this for the back (centered) in whatever color Brian likes: TEAM ENOS "]http://www.brianenos.com unless Brian dislikes the "Team Enos" thing. I think it's rather cool, myself. Not that I'm into hero worship, mind you , but I do think highlighting the name is a way of signaling concordance with the philosophies Brian espouses and implicitly recommending them. Which, IMO, is the point of wearing the shirt. BTW, I'm the opposite of small and like to wear my tee shirts (which is about the only kind of shirt I wear outside of very formal settings) loose, so I request and recommend offering at least XXL and XXXL sizes (at additional cost as necessary). Also, I recommend going with good, solid tees that are pre-shrunk and have a thick weave, because we can assume they're going to see some action. And I HATE starting off with an XXXL that becomes an XL after a few washings. My $0.02. LOA

This is a good story, and points out a hallmark of great Zen teaching: choosing the lesson to fit the student. Zen masters tend to be very interesting in their demeanor. You never know what they might say or do next, but it's invariably something penetrating and profound. Which, I think, explains their popularity among those who can appreciate the extraordinary value of this characteristic.

Well, that didn't take long. Two more copies on the way: one for the range bag, and one to loan out to friends. Now, it's time to finish off Section 6 and get into the appendices.

Yay! I just got my copy of Beyond Fundamentals (thanks Brian!). Now all I have to do is read it cover-to-cover, understand everything it contains in all its nuances and apply it to develop my unique style over the next few days, all while absorbing insight from Robbie without misleading preconceptions. Piece of cake! I'm going to see if I can get Robbie to autograph the book. And, should I get the chance, get Brian to do likewise (maybe the next time I'm in Arizona?). Hmm. I think I'm going to need another copy, because it's pretty obvious this book's going to get read quite a bit. One for the shelf, one for the range bag...

Yeah, that ws a good one, Flex -- I chuckled when I saw it. I'd heard of this before, but never bothered "typing" myself before. Thanks for the criteria, Duane! There do seem to be a lot of "IN__" types in the forum. I wonder how far that carries over into the shooting sports in general. Do shooters tend to be "intuitive introverts" (or as the press might call us: "moody loners" )? Interesting thread, and food for thought. LOA INTP

Hmmm. I should probably try to explain my preceding dissertation a little better... The idea is to try to become "foreign" to your normal way of thinking, kind of like a "stranger in a strange land", except in your own land. You don't have to go outside to do it -- you can even try it while reading this message (heck, the way I write, you may not even have to try for this to seem unintelligible ). The trick is to see it without trying to interpret it. What benefit is there to this? It would, of course, vary from one person to another. In my case, I've found it to be a way of "forgetting myself", almost like stepping out of my life for a while. But the paradoxical result is that I can then see who I am more clearly, because I'm not "being me" as I observe myself. It's sort of like the difference between being a chess piece and looking at the same chess piece from above the chess board. This may very well sound like nonsense, but I have found it useful at times when I am so caught up in myself or trivial matters that I can't see the forest for the trees. Just take a few steps back... In any case, it's just another way. Pat asked about ways of getting mind and body in tune. This method uses "unfocusing" by "stepping outside yourself". Other methods listed here involve "focusing" by concentrating on an aspect of yourself. Both ultimately achieve the same purpose by getting you to "see" yourself differently, and even "unfocusing" can actually help you to focus better. "True Zen" types typically describe Zen as "penetrating to the true self" through "non-being", "becoming the Buddha" (one of the oldest writings on Buddhism begins by stating "there is no Buddha" ), practicing zazen (cross-legged sitting and meditation), etc. I find some of the traditional thoughts on Zen helpful, and some too confining. It's different for everyone, because each of us is unique and different (Taoists notwithstanding). Typical of trying to describe matters of Zen, it all seems silly, circular and/or self-contradictory when it's written down, but it actually makes sense when you're experiencing it. You'll find no shortage of sources and tips on Zen, but in the end, just go with works for you. Ironic footnote: In the East, if you remain in this state you are considered "enlightened" and held in high regard. In the West, if you remain in this state you are considered "dissociated" and in need of psychiatric care. Anecdote: When I met the Dalai Lama, it was about ten years ago in Santa Monica and my mom, who worked for Voice of America at the time, got me in as a "sound man" for a press conference he was giving, so I sat at his feet holding a microphone. He's a very perceptive guy, and at one point he gave me a glance that suggested he knew I was there under pretext -- sort of a subtle wink. One of the doting New Age types that was present asked him what it was like to see the world through his eyes. To the Dalai Lama's credit, he didn't groan and slap his forehead (I know he hates this sort of silliness). Instead, he calmly replied, "You know I must wear glasses, so it is very blurry without them on." I'm glad I got it on tape. It was that meeting with the DL, and seeing how composed and tuned into the moment he was, that piqued my interest in the concepts of Eastern philosophies. LOA

Good advice all around! The overwhelming consensus recommends open-mindedness, whether during this lesson or anywhere else, for that matter. It's clear now that I do have preconceptions and habits built up from years of seeking to be mentally prepared to do what must be done in a self-defense situation. My previous posts reveal this. So it looks like I have some "unlearning" to do if I really want to be ready. No problem: I'll just watch a few hours of commercial TV and my mind should become totally blank. Fortunately, Robbie will be holding court at a local gun shop for a couple of days before we go out to the range for the lessons, and my "job" is flexible enough to allow me to camp out at the gun store and get some preparation tips from the Great One in advance. I will definitely be paying attention for the entire three days he's here. It would be remiss for me not to point out the value of the tips I've already received in this thread and elsewhere in the forums, though, so thanks! I'm learning a lot here that I believe will help me "prepare to begin". After all, I have no competition experience, and a lot of the terms and context I pick up here will undoubtedly prove valuable on Saturday. And after all, you're the ones helping me to see where I do have preconceptions that may hinder my learning. Again, thanks! My conclusion: preconceptions are counterproductive, context and feedback are helpful. Being a blank slate can be good, but being so blank that there isn't even a slate to write upon isn't.

I have to ditto Ross on this one -- right down to the avatar (you have great taste, Ross ). The great tragedy here would not be that you got bitten for trying to help someone out, but that, like an infection, that bite would embitter you and -- horrors! -- maybe even make you do the same thing to someone else someday. Somehow, I don't think that will happen, thankfully. People that hurt other people usually do it because they're blinded by pain themselves. Not much comfort when you're nursing a wound, but good to remember if you have to deal with such a person on an ongoing basis. And even really screwed-up people can change for the better. I consider myself living proof (a story for another time). So stay cool! As Ross points out: the real beneficiary of your kindness is yourself. Best regards, LOA

That's reassuring, Bill. Hopefully Beyond Fundamentals will slide over to me just as quickly. Jon, thanks for the point about those potential conflicts between my "defense shooting" mindset and Rob's lessons. I'll try to maintain the distinction as I learn. One thing that will help is that I normally carry a Glock 27 in an inside-the-pants holster (not a quick draw, but I can wear it under a tee shirt in the summer, and do), whereas for the lesson with Robbie I'll be using a 1911 with paddle holsters -- everything out where I can reach it and my tee shirt tucked in instead of hanging out like I normally wear it. Thus, in my mind, it should feel different (and in many ways foreign) enough that I won't be too entrenched in my traditional defensive shooting mindset. After all, running away from the targets, taking cover and whipping out my cellphone probably wouldn't carry over into this venue very well. So even though I intend to apply what I learn from Robbie to defensive shooting, I also intend to learn about the brave new world of competitive shooting (at least, new for me), approach it with a different "mental posture" (i.e., offensive versus defensive shooting), and execute accordingly. And as I mentioned, if I can capture enough knowledge from the Great One to establish a good foundation for learning, I'll consider the day an outstanding success. After that, it will be practice, study, review, practice, study, review, ad infinitum. But that's what I look forward to, since in my case, the journey is the destination. Respectfully, LOA

Here are some of my favorite books: A Brief History of Time Stephen Hawking Alice in Wonderland Lewis Carroll Bored of the Rings Harvard Lampoon Dune Frank Herbert It Takes a Village Hillary R. Clinton NOT! (Gotcha!) Metamagical Themas Douglas R. Hofstadter Relativity: The Special and the General Theory Albert Einstein The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever Stephen R. Donaldson The Communist Manifesto Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels NOT! (Gotcha!) The Helix and the Sword John McLoughlin The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien The Real Frank Zappa Book Frank Zappa The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich : A History of Nazi Germany William Shirer The Virtue of Selfishness Ayn Rand Titan, Wizard and Demon John Varley In General: Anything by Ayn Rand Anything by Brian Enos (Obligatory sucking-up) Anything by H.P. Lovecraft Anything by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Anything by Larry Niven Anything by Mark Twain Anything by Robert Heinlein (TANSTAAFL!) Anything by Tom Clancy Anything by William Gibson The cheesy Hammer's Slammers series by David Drake Those wacky Carlos Castaneda books Gee, I didn't see It Takes a Village on anyone else's list. Where's the social conscience around here? LOA LOL

Actually Brian, I think your kind attention to these forums is, in its own way, a lot like presenting material that would certainly be in line with teachings in your next book, albeit in ad hoc form, versus the final masterpiece. At least, I know I've gained a lot from your postings -- which are fast approaching 500 in number as I write this! So hey, thanks! It is a rare pleasure to witness someone who excels in a competitive sport so openly and generously share the secrets of his success.

Yeah, for prep, I'm going to concentrate on making sure I'm geared up properly and the gear has been broken in enough to avoid it being a distraction next week. To that end, I will be checking fit, doing practice draws, etc, but mainly with the idea of making sure everything works and having a good feel for where things ought to go on my belt. I chose the "Priority Mail" option for Brian's book, so hopefully the turnaround at Ancient is good. If the book arrives in time, I definitely plan to power through as much of it as I can, bearing in mind that skimming through "Beyond Fundamentals" would be akin to eating only the outermost layer of an onion -- I would, as so many have remarked, be obliged to reread it innumerable times thereafter. But I must say, cruising through these forums is proving very educational. I don't think I've ever seen such a high signal-to-noise ratio in any other set of forums. That says a lot about the people to whom I humbly submit my posts, and from whom I have learned more about shooting in a day than in years of "casual shooting". Consider me duly inspired! And as for Robbie, I hope he's not too tired from doing all this promo touring, because I plan to be a wide-eyed walking sponge when he gets here, and will be mentally videotaping everything he says and does (I hope I don't piss him off too much ). Exuberantly yours... LOA

Rob Leatham is coming to town as part of his Springfield Armory promo tour, and a week from today I'll be part of a small, lucky group that will get to train with him for a day. Needless to say, I'm very excited! What had me in a quandry, though, was how to prepare. For you see, I sort of backed into the idea of getting into competitive shooting, and the awful truth is: I have never participated in, practiced for or otherwise prepared for any kind of competitive shooting, and have never been a member of a shooting club! I've been a gun owner and avid shooter for 28 years, but have no experience whatsoever with competition shooting. For a while after signing up, I was stressing about potentially wasting a valuable lesson. One thing I knew I would have to do was to make sure I had gear appropriate to the training, so I did some web-searching and found out what kind of holsters Robbie used last year when he won IDPA, which is the type of shooting I want to start out with. I carry a concealed pistol around all day and therefore consider being proficient at defensive shooting to be essential if I am to consider myself a responsible citizen. So I got the same gear for my 1911 that Robbie used, figuring he'd know a thing or two about what works well. I've also carefully gone over my pistol, mags and ammo, and will have backups and tools for everything on Training Day (somewhat like preparing for a match, I suppose). I asked my shooting buddies what else I should do to prepare, and they said things like "practice your draw" and "practice your magazine changes", etc. I thought about that, but realized that the whole point of taking a lesson from Rob Leatham is to find out how he does things, then learn how to copy or adapt (as appropriate) his methods to my advantage. Thus I felt it might actually be counterproductive to practice my way -- especially when I have no experience with this type of shooting. While searching the 'Net for Leatham-related information, I saw a lot of references to Brian Enos, so I came here. It didn't take long before I realized that I needed to read Brian's book, preferably before Robbie arrived (Hey Brian, I ordered my copy yesterday and it isn't here yet. What's the holdup? ). The turning point for me was reading about and then grokking the sensibility of Brian's approach to the sport. It was sort of like Zen "satori": I suddenly realized that my inexperience is actually an advantage in this case, because I can approach the lessons with an open mind, and with probably much fewer bad habits to overcome than if I'd been doing this for years. And so I already feel prepared, since my goal is not to improve something I already do, nor (fat chance) to impress Rob Leatham or my fellow classmates at the range next week. Rather, my goal is simply to learn, both through observation and participation, without preconceptions or unrealistic expectations. If I simply learn how to start out right, then the day will be a success. For thereafter, I need only refine and practice what I've learned. Thanks, Brian, for helping me to achieve this insight by your example. If I don't forget, I'll post a follow-up to this missive describing how "Day One" went with Robbie at the range (Success or Disaster? Oooh, the suspense! ).

An interesting variation on the spoken version of the the "foreign language" exercise Brian described can be practiced many different ways. This exercise is visual in nature. As a kid, I started doing this sort of spontaneously (I was/am something of a daydreamer type): when we'd be driving around town (with me as a young passenger), especially in commercial areas where there were lots of signs, I would imagine they were written in a foreign language that I couldn't understand. I remember how cool this effect was when I first slipped into it. It was like being a foreigner in my own country, and I could tune in to the strange and wonderful "otherness" of normally unremarkable places. It's a very magical sensation. Sometimes it would just last a few seconds, but sometimes I could hold it at will for long periods. What was so neat about this state of mind was that, freed from interpreting all that written input, I noticed things about my environment that I otherwise wouldn't notice: the significance of colors and shape in buildings, plants and trees, the way people looked, etc. It's sort of analogous to being blind and having your other senses become more acute. Very profound stuff. A nifty converse of this exercise, which I once again discovered serendipitously while I was stationed in Hawaii, is to go to an "ethnically concentrated" part of town were most or all of the signs are in a foreign language, and imagine that you understand that language. It may or may not be harder, but it's interesting how much you can pick up based on context. In Hawaii, there was a channel that broadcast exclusively in Japanese. I used to watch it for hours, and actually started feeling "in tune" with what I was watching. Again, a very neat way to "lose yourself" and get out of mental ruts. I'm certainly not any kind of Zen master, but I have read of and seen it manifested in many, many ways (I got to meet the Dalai Lama once, for example, and he seems to "get it" [although technically he's a Tibetan Buddhist, but hey]). No one is qualified to define Zen in absolute terms, which is why it is so enduring, varied and valuable as a "meme". Everyone "sees" it differently, but a common thread seems to be the achievement of personal serenity, simplicity of thought, and among many other things, and as appropriate, focus which is razor-sharp without requiring razor-sharp focus (applicable to martial arts, including shooting). Hmm. Mine is a long-winded description of a very small part of a very large thing. I guess I have a gift for that.

Hmmm. I'm skeptical.

My quote: "Practice makes perfect, so if you practice doing something wrong, you will eventually do it perfectly wrong." I keep this idea in mind whenever I seek to acquire a new skill. Of course, as observed elsewhere on this forum, "perfection" is subjective.