Friday, April 1, 2016

Stabbed with a Pencil.

Friday Knight News

"The pen is mightier than the sword." Edward Bulwer Lytton

The above line is probably the best known quote by Edward Bulwer Lytton, but his next best known line is, “It was a dark and stormy night". The first quotation reflects the thoughts made by many writers before Lytton's time, but his version is what everyone quotes. He had very few line segments that made any sense so he at least gained some notoriety for these two. The weakness of his writing aside, the statement is still considered to be true. That is the power of the pen can be considerable, when properly utilized.

As an example, I had a buddy get stabbed with a pencil in a fight. It wasn't the best idea for the attacker to use a pencil attack as his opening move. The reason being is that pencils are weak. Even when they are sharpened to a fine point. Sure they make great concealed weapons and you can carry them in your shirt pocket without too much trouble, still a pencil almost always breaks when you use it to stab with. How do I know this, let's say that beside my buddy getting stabbed by a pencil I know of a few others that have been in this situation before. I, in fact, had someone try it on me. Plus, I had a buddy (Marine Recon) that told me of another such incident or two. One of his team actually took some lead, um, graphite over one stabbing.

My buddy threw his hand up before he took the pencil to the eye. That worked fine, but he did get stabbed in the hand, which is better than in the eye. Still he was stuck with a graphite tattoo and he still had it the last time I saw him several years later. Any pencil strike is a one shot deal, one stab and it is history. Every attacker that I've ever heard of that used a pencil found that their pencil also broke and the attacker usually wound up with their tail in a sling over it. This indicates to me that an even sharpened pencil is not a good method to multiply your force.


So, my advice is to use a tactical pen, as you can carry them practical anywhere at least in the United States. I carry one and I also encourage the rest of my family, friends, and students to do likewise. One of the best things about a tactical pen is that it can be wielded in a non-threatening manner and works great in conjunction with a tactical flashlight, knife, or pistol. A pen can be an effective tool in hand to give you time and space to draw an even more effective weapon. A pen is great as a way of encouraging someone to get off of you if they get you on the ground. It is always a good idea to keep off the ground in a street encounter. As no one wants to be sparring on the ground in the street, no matter how good your ground game is, especially if the attacker has friends.

Image result for james william tactical pen photoImage result for uzi tactical pen photoImage result for smith and wesson self defense pen photo

Still the main function of a pen is to write. We can leave messages, notes, give directions, write codes, or make statements. The words we write with a pen can also serve to strengthen and protect. So I encourage everyone to keep a journal and carry a tactical pen. Even in my fiction writing, I find the pen is powerful and revealing.

"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth." Oscar Wilde

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with some science fiction, conspiracies, laughter, love and mystic experiences. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream meditation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.


Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to cope with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 


The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.


Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, which is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.


Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.

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