I Challenge You!

Man, I had fun at the Tiger Challenge this year. Every year it seems to get better, and I think, for me anyways, it's because of the closer bonds I have with everybody. I feel more at home and I feel like I can relax a bit more around everyone. I know things spill out of my mouth too much, but at least the reaction is a few giggles instead of omg she just said that?

I think Mr. Donohue has the right idea- next year, adult pool noodle tourney.

Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk

I just watched the video on Sifu Brinker's blog, and I'm crying. I could try to write it off on hormones or too much coffee, but the truth is it ignighted something, I saw the potential that people have when they come together. Watch the crowd, I bet there are a few in there that were inspired to take up music lessons, maybe the child on the lamppost will become a great composer. It lifted my spirits on a day that I needed it, but at the same time it saddened me because it reminded me of our own wasted potential. My own wasted potential. Why can't we do something that magnificent, why don't we? The foundation is there for us to do it.

I'll admit, sometimes I get emotional over small things. I remember a commercial for Leons years ago where an old man knocked over a glass of milk and started crying. The theme was don't cry over spilt milk, come buy a sofa, they're on sale! Every time I saw that man cry, I cried for him. What a silly thing, right?

But the fact is, small things can touch people in unexplainable ways. Look at where we are, where you are right now. You are a member of the I Ho Chuan, a project in mastery. No matter what your mindset is at the moment, frustrated, disappointed, indifferent, something in your past touched you and inspired you to join this project. Maybe Sifu Brinker said the right words to you at the right time. Maybe you saw someone from past years and what it did for them. I don't know, but I do know that at some point in time you recognized the potential this project had. The I Ho Chuan can be life changing if only we make it so. Its not the words on a paper that you promised to fulfill, its the people on the team that will make it grand or let it die.

I want to set up another demo. A spontaneous, street clothes demo like the video. I am willing to coordinate, set the date, work extra hours at the kwoon to do this. But I need you. All of you. That musical number couldn't have worked without all of its members. Same for this. Are you guys with me?

To All of You- a) blog and b) thank you!

This last week has really put the importance and the benefits of blogging into perspective. If you're struggling, blog. If you're in a rut, blog. If you're going through tough times, blog. If you don't think you have anything constructive to say, blog. It's the best advice I can give to anyone in the I Ho Chuan.

When I wrote my last post, it felt like a giant bomb had gone off. Oh wait, it still feels like that. But, unknowingly at the time, when I was writing I was doing the best thing I could have done for myself. Not only did it allow me to straighten things out in my brain, but the comments I received did wonders to put things back into perspective. The support structure we provide for each other is massive, and you guys had my back when I needed it. Even when I didn't know I needed it. And I did, and you guys were there. Thank you all so much for that.

So, as I mentioned, blog for heavens sake. Especially if you haven't blogged for a while or you're up for a promotion or you're feeling a bit frazzled or even if everything is exactly where you want it to be. Just blog. It's like breathing- you may not think about it but believe me, you need to do it.

I Need a Road Sign

So where am I in training and life in general? I don't really know at the moment. In the last few months so much of my life has changed that I'm feeling a bit lost, like when your teachers all asked you in junior high what you wanted to be when you grew up and you hadn't the foggiest. The only thing thats been constant is Friday nights, where I go to my classes and thats that. But then I go and miss last night and all day today I'm thinking its Friday. I'm completely, utterly lost without the Friday routine. It's my reset to the week, and now that I don't have a formal day job its my anchor when I can't even keep track of what day it is.

As I mentioned, everything has changed. Its strange to think that everything that I was a few months ago had been slowly developing over time, building up and on itself to take to me where I was, and then BAM! nothing is the same. Home life, work life, kung fu life, family life, even my pets all did a 180 or better. (Yes, I know, more than 180 is just closer to the original. Not the point.).

I think I need some kind of reset. Not just on the week, but on my life. There are a few things and a few things only that I know I want to keep constant, kung fu being one of them, and the rest is in the air. Where do I see myself in 10, 20, 40 years? In Stony Plain, at the kwoon. Other than that, I don't really know. I haven't the foggiest, actually.

I Love You Guys!

Yesterday's dragon/lion dance went great from my point of view. It was sad to see that not everyone was listening to the speakers, but the second Sifu Playter started pounding that drum everyone was paying attention to us. To me, that dance was an important one. The event we were there to support,their goals, as well as the ordeal we all had to go through to make sure it happened. The dragon dance was so close to being cancelled, and we managed to make it happen. Kudos to everyone who made it happen.

As much as I enjoyed the dance itself, I enjoyed the camaraderie even more. When we all sat down together, the idle chat and the jokes and the laughs we shared. Thats so important for this team, after all the hard times we've had and the negative experiences. To me it's all worthwhile on days like yesterday when we finally bring something like this together, give back to the community and enjoy each others company afterward instead of rushing off back to where ever we all came from. That part is so very important.

Thank you all for the experience and the friendship.

Batman Sound Effects

A few days after the forms seminar and I'm still pumped about how it went. No one can really say they know their stuff until they can teach it in a clear, through way. After all these years teaching, I'm still strugging with clairity, but I think the forms seminar took me a bit further. I hope the guys I was with understood half of what I was trying to say- as the Sifu's who instruct with me can attest, I have developed my own language when it comes to teaching. Half of my volcabulary changes to grunts and sound effects. But I found small pearls of wisdom falling out of my mouth while teaching Saturday- they may not have been pearls to the students (I hope they caught them) but there were a few things that made other things click for me in my own training. Teaching others is the absolute best way to progress yourself. There may be those who would argue, but those are people who don't teach. I just wish I had Sifu Brinker's eloquent speech.

No, I didn't intend to rhyme there...

Home Sweet Home

Well, by the feedback it sounds like it was a great bootcamp this year. Sucks that I had to miss it, but I did spend the day with family. It was still a great day for me, first time I played mc for anyone.

I'm finally fulfilling a goal I had set years back in the UBBT- my living room and dining room are getting done! I've been living with bare studs for years, but now I'm in the process of mudding the walls and should be picking out paint by early next week. Yes, this is big for me.

To fuel the rumours, yes, I quit my day job. No, I don't have another job line up. Yes, sleeping in is wonderful. Working on my home instead of someone else's is... Amazing. If only it could last forever.