Bye Todd, Hello Jimmy

I've lost a cat. My grey cat named Todd is MIA for the last 5 weeks, and I don't see him coming home. I'm hoping that a neighbor took him in, and he's lounging on a couch in front of a fire with some happy kid giving him pets. Chances of this being true are slim, but I"m praying for it none the less.

Thus, I was down one cat for a while, but not anymore. Now, I have a very rambunctious semi-kitten named Jimmy, who torments my plants, chases my dogs, yowels at my bedroom door & knocks everything from the tables & counters. But, he has the loudest purr, snuggles me when I'm reading, gets along with the dogs (my other cat Jack is getting better, she doesn't hiss any more), visits me when I'm brushing my teeth or showering (the strange guy likes water) and has an automatic 'empty food bowl' sensor built in.

I miss Todd, he was my boy, and he always knew when I needed some love. But, now Jimmy has a chance for a warm home and loving family. Its not like I needed to have two cats and three dogs, but I can afford it, I love them and it gives potentially homeless animals a home.

Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Insert Music Note)

So, its time for the annual Pandemonium/Sweatfest. I hope that everyone doesn't just think of this even as another annoying fundraiser or hoop to jump through. This event is one of the best things that anyone can get involved in, if they really put their heart into it.

There are so many wrongs in this world, and many believe that these things are not correctable. But they are, if only people could see how their actions can cause ripples, and how those ripples can produce waves.

Think of all the stories that have come out of Kwoon Talk and through these blogs. When the lady at the restaurant came to the conclusion that someone from SRKF had bought her meal, because thats what we do, there is a prime example. Sifu Brinker has put his soul into this school and into these ideals; of empathy, compassion, accountability, awareness, personal development and self defense in a broad sense. It shows. Its not that this school only attracts individuals who already have these qualities. This school creates these people, you people, and I'm unbelievably thankful and proud to be apart of it, to be one of you.

Please use this years Pandemonium as an opportunity to help others outside the school become aware of everything around them. We are not raising funds for ourselves, and even though the funds we do raise will go to great causes, its the awareness that we all pass on when we approach our comrades and family and explain to them what we are doing, for who and why, that will ultimately lead to the changes we all seek.

Pickled Carrots

So we're back to reality now, the wedding is over, the honeymoon is over. The trip to Banff was great- we stayed at Castle Mountain Chalets, we rented a 2011 Mustang convertible for the trip, ate pickled carrots and drank coffee on the way down. The chalet was amazing. The first morning we were there, Nick woke up and headed straight for the jacuzzi. I was surprised, Nick normally avoids pools of water like the plague. Now he wants a jacuzzi tub, so maybe this is an opportunity to push him to fix the hot tub...

The wedding was good, the weather behaved, the food was great and the bugs were nonexistent. We have an amazing, absolutely amazing group of friends, and it showed before and during the wedding. For months we've had friends offer to help, come out and trim trees, pick up stuff and run errands. The week leading up to the wedding, my maid of honor Holly did nothing but run errands for us, or accompany me on errands, or both. My mom kept saying "you know you have an army working for you?". I'd say, I know mom. She'd say "no really, you know you have an army, an army, working for you?". I'd say, yes mom, I'm aware. I though I was pretty tough, but I was a blubbering baby when it came to speeches. Holly gave an awesome speech, first one, and I believe she was four words in when I started blubbering. Then Evan toasted Nick, mentioning Nick's deceased father, and I blubbered. Then my brother welcomed Nick with some extremely warm words, and I blubbered. Then Nicks mom warmly welcomed me, and I blubbered. Then Nick and I went to say our thanks, and I blubbered and sniffled and cried. When I was thanking one friend for all her help, support and her kicks-in-my-rear, I couldn't even talk, so she started crying and ran up and we hugged. I didn't even say anything.

Oh, the wine was great too. Towards the end there was only the "lake crew" left, so we all danced like idiots to the Safety Dance, and acted like buffoons all night. Only found out later that my mom had sat on the deck and watched the whole thing, so now we can't deny our dance skills...

Stay Tuned for More Tummy Rumbling Action!

Bah. This diet tracking challenge is scaring the buhgeezuz outta me. I am aware of when I am eating healthy and when I'm not. I like to think that I'm honest to myself about it. I thought that I wouldn't be the only one who slips up now and then, but after reading the first couple days worth of posts by others, it seems like I have a lot farther to go than most. I like my Ichiban, my red meat and my coffee. I don't want to confess how often I indulge in these!

The only good things I can say about it is that my coffee is fair trade and my red meat is from a local farmer... other than that...

Oh, and to Sifu Beckett- thank you. That was a well deserved kick-in-the-butt for everyone, including me!

All that Jazz

Wow. I'll slap myself for you. How time flies.

I've been taking some time off from classes, as many of you have probably noticed. It was not a decision easily come by, but a decision I made none the less. I have three main 'topics' in my life right now- work, wedding and, until recently, kung fu. Lack of time was causing all areas to suffer- I was falling behind and getting buried under paper at work, I had not booked what needed to be booked and therefore running out of time to organize a wedding, and was failing to attend classes regularly. Mojo deprived. With three big priorities, each needing endless hours a day, I had to cut something. Considering I cannot, and will not, cancel my wedding (I mean really, how many times will I ever get married? I wanna do it right) and work is what pays for everything; food, car, place to sleep, bills, class tuition, I had to do something. I'm sorry, my dear kung fu, but you got put on the back burner for a while.

There is a light in the horizon though. After August, the wedding will be over with. I'm catching up at work, and my home no longer looks like dust bunny paradise. I will be back in action, so to speak, at the end of August. And believe me, I'm looking forward to it.

Don't worry, I'm still going over my forms and all that jazz. I always wanted to say that.

Take it Like a Champ

I never thought that I was a soft individual, but I'm realizing that I'm finally growing a spine. I can be stubborn about things I believe, but to vocalize them is another matter. Working in project management is not something I ever saw myself doing. I can't stand egotistical or arrogant people, and now I get to butt heads with them on a nearly daily basis. And finally, now after over a year, I have the spine to tell them to smarten up and don't try to pass the blame, just fix it or make the call or whatever, just do your job.

Alternately, I also get to rub shoulders with some of the best people in this field. I'm working with good people, and the company I work for actually has a conscious, trying to do the jobs as safely as possible, following and surpassing the legislation requirements. And, I can have my act-like-a-child moments without ridicule! Just this morning I threw a (small) eraser as a fellow project manager, just because, and he took it like a champ!

Warm Fuzzies for Everybody

Its days like today where I wish I could go back and change where my life went. With 5000 barrels of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico every day, I wonder what I can do to help. I wonder if I had changed my concentration at University, maybe I could be down there doing my part instead of sitting here hearing about it.

Then there is the flood in Nashville. Nick, my parents and I were watching CNN last night, and its unbelievable how fast devastation can set in. Many people lost friends, family or pets, or did not have flood insurance... where does that leave them now?

Additionally, what do you do to help the wife and mother of the two girls and their father who were killed when their vehicle was hit by a train? I could never imagine the grief she is going through- one stroke and her family is gone. I had a scare once. Nothing happened, it was just a scare. A fellow named Nick who worked for my brother was killed two years ago in a car accident, and through a miscommunication my dad briefly believed it was my Nick. Just the thought of it after the fact was enough to throw me mentally for the rest of the day. I was a mess, and nothing had happened to my Nick. Again, the grief that the young man's family and friends had to endure...

It comes down to be grateful for what you have, be conscious of those around you and count your blessings for knowing those people. Things happen so fast, its scary. I'm grateful to know all of you, no matter if I've only read your posts, trained with you once upon a time, known you for years or days or have never personally met you. Go home, pet your dog, kiss your loved ones and be fully conscious of what you have. Never take it for granted.

Super Pine! (Not a Cleaner)

So, I met a blackbelt's worst nightmare last night. An unbreakable wood board. I had a parent of one of my kids come to me and ask how the kids are expected to break these boards if even he couldn't. My response was "huh?".

The board was made from super pine. It must been the superhero of the forest as light as a feather, but as dense as ironwood. Either it was a superhero, or perhaps just a very slow growing tree from up north, where they grow dense. I think it was a superhero, personally.

My hand hurts now. Two hits and my hand is black and swollen. I left dents about an eighth of an inch deep with my knuckles (at least that was a bit impressive). My fall back technique has always been an elbow, and even that didn't do it. Bugger. What was cool was you could see the pattern from my uniform in the dent left after the elbows. That was pretty nifty, I thought.

Glow-In-The-Dark Vikings

So I'm sitting here, watching an episode of Corner Gas, all about blogs. And strange, I felt like blogging. Although, I still don't know what to write about. It seems easy on the show, all about Stretch Armstrong and how impressive glow-in-the-dark objects would be to Vikings. But as amusing as it is on the show, I somehow doubt that posting about Vikings would be very beneficial to anyone.

I had a good time at class tonight. It felt like we accomplished a lot, and one of my white belts earned a stripe. We've been working on push-ups quite a bit, and its really showing. I'm not sure if the students realize how far they have come since September, but I'm telling you, you have all come a long way, and you make me proud. Its extremely humbling to see people grow, and doubly so when young kids become the leaders in the class. I love it when someone asks me a question and I can say that I had never thought about it, good question. It goes to show that there are always questions to be asked, no matter how long you've been training, how well you know a technique, or how hard you practice. You can always learn more.

Several weeks ago I sat out and just watched the black belt class. I always knew that you can learn from watching, but that night I was able to absorb so much I was amazed. It was invaluable to be able to watch how each of the black belts move differently, and how each interpreted the lesson and technique. I felt that even though I didn't do the technique once that night, that I was able to take more from the class, and as a result was able to grasp the technique better when I did finally perform it. Everyone learns differently, and the more ways you can train yourself to learn, the more beneficial each lesson can be.

Sweet Dreams (Sarcasm Intended)

I'm really starting to feel the pressure again. Its to the point where I dream of push-ups and blog posts. I've been stressing out because I've missed the last two weeks of journal entries, and last night I had a dream that I finally got a post up. I felt relief when I woke up, up to the point where I realized it was a dream and not reality. Odd how a dream can work as a reality check.

Writing these posts is a bit of a stress relief for me in so many ways. Number one, I have completed a weekly goal, which always feels good and I feel relief for the rest of the week. Number two, it makes me think about everything going on in my life, and although I may not write about most of it it still brings everything into awareness. It really is a valuable tool, albeit not necessarily my favorite one.

So hopefully I don't dream about posting tonight. I'll probably dream of push-ups though, since I have some serious catch-up to do at the moment...

I Now Know the Title to my Blog is Inaccurate... Oops.

This post is really just a muffled jumble of words- just a heads up.


I've always though infinity and finite measurements to be perceptions. Case in point- you paint yourself into a corner. You shrink, you paint yourself back into the corner, you shrink, you paint yourself back into the corner. To you, it will never end because when you shrink, you and your paintbrush shrink while the unpainted surface does not. But to an observer, you and the unpainted surface disappear, therefore its finite to an outsider and infinite to you.

You can sell anything if you put it on a stick.

Right now, I'm eating pickles off a stick.

Have you ever noticed that your handwriting reflects your mood? Another reason computers and texting are so impersonal.

I can have a full conversation with my cat.

I still think the timer on the coffee maker is a nuisance.

There are two types of people in the world. Those who think I'm named after a bike and those who think I'm named after coffee. :)

According to my friends t-shirt, there are three types of people in the world. Those who can do math and those who can't.

Even with all the windex and vinegar in the world, I can't get my dog's nose smudge marks off the patio door.

Oatmeal Packet Wisdom-
Don't be afraid to ask your inner child to come out and play.
When you start the day with a smile, it'll most likely end that way too.

Kona Makes for a Good Coffee Too...

I've posted before about the stray dogs I see on the side of the road, and I finally get to share a good story about one of them. The following is an e-mail that I received last week. Its pretty well self explanatory...

"Hi Khona,

You and I met about two years ago when you delivered a dog into SCARS' care. I met you in the parking lot of the St. Albert mall and picked up a very malnourished dog that looked like she had just had pups, but was now on her last legs. Thank goodness you and your mom had fed her for a few days prior to our picking her up.

That dog is the SCARS calendar dog for March in the 2010 calendar. If you have not received a copy of the calendar please let me know. I would hate to think that you didn't have a calendar with a copy of the picture of the dog you saved. We intended to foster her for a short time until she could find a permanent home. The problem was that she became a very fast member of our canine family, and we adopted her. Her name (although spelled differently) is no accident. We wanted to honour you, another family dog with the same name, and my late mother's association with her Hawaiian birthplace. So Kona is the March calendar page on the SCARS calendar.

Please let me know if you don't have a copy and I'll be pleased to mail you as many as you'd like.

Thanks again so much for rescuing Kona. You made a huge difference in the lives of Kona and her human, canine, and feline family."

I'm excited to see her again (if only in a calendar). The only picture I have of Kona is from the first night I had her, and I have to admit she didn't look her best. Its just an example of the effect your actions can have on the lives of others, even if the other is a dog...

Sequins and Fur

Despite my last post, I always love this time of year when we get a fresh batch of eager black belts. The ceremony on Saturday was absolutely amazing, honestly one of the best ones yet. Praise to everyone involved, it goes to show what we can do when we work as a team. And to the new black belts, kudos on the performances. I'm looking forward to Friday when you join the black belt class for the first time. Honestly, I love watching the new guy go from shy and nervous to confident and one of the family. You guys have always been a part of the SRKF family, but now you're also one of our peers and a new face to look forward to Fridays.

By the way, the credit for this post's title goes to Sifu Young, whilst discussing the fashion merits of the lion dance pants.

Winter Blues

Now that the weather is turning, I'm realizing more and more that I am soooo ready for spring. Normally, I don't feel like winter affects me, I rather like it, but for some reason this year I'm getting the winter blues. Considering that its February, supposedly one of the coldest months, and we're hitting plus 6, you'd think that I'd be skipping in joy and enjoying the break in the weather. Instead, I'm dragging my feet, feeling overly tired, getting grumpy and wishing for a change in pace or something. I have brief moments when I walk outside, take a deep breath and really enjoy the fresh air and the sound of the nothing. But they're not lasting like they usually do. Bugger.

So, I'm waiting for the day that I don't have to put on a jacket when I leave. Mind you, today I actually had the sun in my eyes on the way to work today. That hasn't happened for months. Maybe its a turning point.

I've Never Seen Such a Playful Buddha...

I've been spending all my free time today staring at this blank page, wondering what I could write that would be of interest and of use to others. Several topics have breezed through my head- the family feeling or SRKF and how its been obvious as of late, updating the status of my beloved car (now named Heika- she's a tough German girl) and her recovery, praising my lion dancers for their effort and creativity, applauding my boss for the lunch he just bought me (thanks Dean!), describing my utter discust with some contractors, or mentioning the heartfelt words at a memorial service I attended this last Sunday.

So with all that in mind, I guess I'll just do a few brief mentions.

My car is still in shambles, although you'd never know looking at her. Again, she's a tough girl. The damage is estimated at over $1100.00, with more to come once they open her up. The lady that hit me has not contacted anybody, police, insurance or otherwise, so the police said if they have to they will report it as a hit & run. Come on lady! You don't need criminal charges on top of everything! Please, just do your part!!

Its a great feeling to know that if I need them, SRKF is there for me. Last Wednesday I was in Calgary, and wasn't sure if I was going to make it back in time for my first class. Ended up that the meeting we had scheduled 3 hrs for took twenty minutes. I had lots of time. Regardless, SRKF members in Stony had already stepped up to find someone and to cover for me if I needed it. Thanks you guys.

Last thing- why can't people show up when they say they will, and do what they say they'll do? Geez...

Get Well Soon, My Girl

So, I got rear-ended on Monday. It was the first accident I've been in that has involved another vehicle (backing into Nicks truck with Nicks car in Nicks driveway sooo doesn't count)(okay, quit laughing). The very first thing I did was reassure my car that she would be alright, that she'll make it through this, that I'll be there for her. Is this odd? It worked to keep my head straight, which I really needed since out of the three of us I was the only one not in the wrong and the only one who was calm. I've always felt that if I ever got into an accident, whether not I'm in the wrong or right, why get upset or mad or panicky? Its called an accident because no one meant any harm, so relax, crap happens. All in all, I had a really good day yesterday. My car has mostly survived, little visible damage (although I can't say that about the Mercedes that hit me, and got hit, ouch), the police officer that helped me with my statement was a really nice guy, the auto mechanic guy was uber friendly, and I got a free coffee at the gas station! Really, why do people assume I didn't have a good day? Its my car that had the bad day.

Lesson- relax! Things always go better if you don't get grumpy.

Thanks, Dude

Just a quick word to thank the tall, young, lightly bearded, kind fellow at the Petro station near the studio in Stony on Tuesday. If anyone knows who I'm talking about, tell him thanks from the dark haired girl with the washer fluid and coffee. I was already gone when I noticed. He earned a gold star for the act of kindness towards me...

Long List of Stuff

I never really make any formal New Years resolutions, just continue on in my days as I normally do, but here are some things, relevant and otherwise, that I'm hoping to accomplish.

- drink less coffee and more water
- master tai chi and cane
- get regular haircuts (its been 6 months...)
- read some different kinds of books
- become better educated in good music
- learn sign language
- put my chunky dog and chubby cat on a diet
- get my students to black
- change my last name
- create a new lion dance
- keep up with the laundry (and dishes, and vacuuming, and the grass, and my dogs...)
- cook more, eat less
- practice my flying kicks more
- buy some RRSP's
- get my environmental practitioners certification
- get my AMRT and eventually AMRS certification
- jump out of a perfectly good plane
- go back to Castle Mountain
- find homes for strays
- catch the strays first
- remember to water my plants before they wilt
- complete an anger management course
- finish the renovations
- pay off my quad, car, cards
- spend more time with my dogs playing fetch
- spend more time with my friends and family


Well, these are some things just off the top of my head. Not everything, to be sure, but some things.