Lao Tai Poh is a Chinese term that literally means "really old wife". She calls me Lao Toh, which means "Old Head" or "Old Man."
You can tell by the names we call each other that we have a lot of fun together.
In honor of my wife officially joining the high risk pregnancy demographic, I surprised her with a very elegant dinner at the Ritz Carlton hotel here in Southern California.
And don't start with the pregnancy thing. My wife and I have been married for three years now, and everyone is bugging us about when are we going to have kids.
(I think it's a conspiracy from those parents who are miserable and want there dual income no kids friends (DINKs) to suffer right along with them.)
We pulled up to the Ritz and my wife's eyes got huge as she happily realized where we were going. She had never been to a resort like this so the venue turned out to be a big hit.
Dinner was unbelievable. We sat with a 100 foot plus view of the Pacific Ocean, watching the surfers as they hit the waves below before they crashed on the rocks.
Riccardo was our wine guy. There's a French word for his title, but I haven't bothered to try and learn anything about the French except the wines.
Riccardo was from Rome, Italy and to say he was pretty sharp on wines would be an understatement. This guy was a walking encyclopedia of wine.
The only fine wine that I recognized on the huge wine list was a 1997 vintage Chateau Neuf de Pape (which I know I didn't shpell correctly). The only reason I knew anything about this one was my good friend Rodger who has for years tried to get some culture into me via his fine wine collection.
Riccardo said excellent choice and then began to educate me on how this particular wine was from the Rhone Valley, how it had been made with painstaking care, and how it was made from the eleven different kinds of grapes.
To which I said, "Oh...kind of like Wine Baloney."
You should have seen the look on Riccardo's face. You'd of thought I had just let one loose in church during the one pause in the sermon.
My wife, God bless her, was laughing hysterically. I think it was a combination of she couldn't believe I said it and the look of obvious discomfort on Riccardo's face.
After Riccardo straightened me out and we had dinner, I was sitting there thinking to myself, "Self, I know how Riccardo feels."
Since launching http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and releasing Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, I have gotten some of the most "interesting" comments and feedback from people.
"Oh...it's like Tae Kwon Do."
"Neat...so this is the tai chi stuff, right."
"Big Deal. Everyone knows that No Holds Barred is the only real fighting art."
"Impossible. No Italian from East Boston or bald whitey from Florida could possibly get the real secrets from the Shaolin Temple."
Believe me, if I was in your shoes, I might be saying some of the same things to myself.
The difference is I would throw my hat in the ring. I'd say to myself, "Self, let's see what it is. If it's a scam, they won't be around long, but if it's for real, I don't want to miss out."
The amount of people who have found out for themselves is in the hundreds and growing daily. Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I is truly a must have for anyone out there who has any interest is combat arts, health & fitness, history, success principles and more.
Go ahead. Throw your hat in the ring. See for yourself. Be brave enough to say "Wine Baloney."
You'll make Riccardo's day.
Best,
William Huff
P.S. - My trip to China is coming at the end of this month. I'll be in several cities but the focus will be the time spent training at the Shaolin Temple. Look for some great new developments upon my return in mid-July.
P.P.S. - Get over to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and get your copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I before I get back from my trip in July. There are going to be some changes after I get back from China and you'll want to get your copy sooner rather than later.