Polishing the details

   Last week I wrote about the fence I am building and how the process reminded me a lot about Kung Fu. Now that it is almost complete ( some minor tweeks and touch ups left ), I can sit back and take stock as to my success ( or failure ) of the quality of job my Father-in-law and myself did. Here are my thoughts....

   Am I proud of the job I did? Did I not cut corners or take short cuts? Did I listen to and respect the advice given to me by someone with vast experience doing this type of work?  Did I do the best I could do?  Did I learn anything that I can grow from and possibly pass on to others?  Did I surpass what I perceived to be a limitation of skill and  knowledge on my part?

   Yes.

   I am really proud of the job we did. This is a fence that not only looks amazing but should last for a very long time. I thought about and checked/re-checked every detail. I adapted and changed as required, never getting frustrated when "plan A " didn't give the results I wanted. I learned quite a bit from Gerry ( my Father-in-Law ), and how he always looks 5 or 6 steps ahead without losing focus on what we where doing at the time. I feel the knowledge gained from this "build" is priceless. You can watch all the Youtube videos you want but to actually get out there and do it is a totally different story. Nothing beats "hands on" experience. You don't get "AHA!" moments sitting on the sidelines, and the feeling you get when those moments happen, simply awesome.


   So how does this relate to my Kung Fu? Well.....

   At Silent River, we are lucky enough to be SURROUNDED by many many instructors and Masters just itching to pass their knowledge on to us. My preconceived ideas about myself are my biggest road block. My limits that I have set for myself are imaginary. To go beyond what I feel is my best, I must watch and learn and listen from the best. Then I must apply these teachings. Only then will I surpass my limits, looking back at them and say "Adios mediocrity, hello Mastery ". Watching a form is totally different from doing a form, having a plan and implementing that plan are 2 very different things. Talking about an " eye for detail " and actually turning that eye upon yourself takes courage and commitment. Like my fence, it is time to get a lot more " hands on " with my Kung Fu.



   Less yak, more smack time......





Numbers

Sit ups   28576

Push ups   28583

Sparring   240

1609km   1464.98km

AOK   759

Hand form   211

Weapon form   290

Mend a relationship   Check

Journal 1x week   Check

Public appearances  3 (Farmers day, Canada day, Grain elevators)  Check

Miss no meetings   I have missed 2 but had just reason for both

Excel in curriculum   Reviewing regularly   Check 

Help with school projects   Getting ready for reno week   Check

Learn " Mastery "  Reviewing about 1x a week, getting there   Check

Personal Requierments

5 out of 7 moving along at a steady pace. 2 will start once summer fades away for the year.



In other words....... progressing nicely.

Build a fence

   On of my goals this summer is to build a new portion of a fence in our back yard. Well I am happy to say that it is well underway. Through planning, re planning and then finally implementing the plan, the project is beginning to take shape. Along the way to this point I have had to make dozens of corrections and adjustments as I am no master fence builder. I want the final product to "wow" me, for me to stand back and say "I built that!". So because I want the final product to be as awesome as I can make it, I must take my time and be thorough and conscientious as to my choices and technique, I must ask for advise from people with experience......................................HOLD ON..................... am I talking about building a fence or am I talking about my Kung Fu?

   In a way, yes is the answer to both. I want my fence to be "wow" worthy to me, same as I want my Kung Fu to be "wow" worthy to me. The old adage goes, "any job worth doing is worth doing right", or something along those lines. I couldn't agree more. I don't want to rush my fence or my Kung Fu. I want both to be something to be proud of. By following my plan and not skipping important steps, I should achieve my desired outcome in due time. The fence will take a few days, my Kung Fu will take a lifetime. The fence is a check mark on a list, one small piece of a larger plan. My Kung Fu is a lifestyle, a journey with no end but worth every step.  Both have worthy rewards, both will teach me something if I listen.


   Can you hear your Kung Fu? Listen.......................

Feeling my age

   My numbers took a real big hit this week and last week. Between my back, arm and shoulder, I am lucky to be able to do my job at work let alone Kung Fu. It all started last Wednesday in class, grappling. About 1/2 way through the class, I felt something give in my neck/shoulder. Not being smart enough to stop, I pushed through. Stupid human. Then we grappled again on Monday, now it has spread from my neck/shoulder to my left arm/lower back/neck/shoulder. I am obviously not made for grappling both physically and chronologically. I am not 20 anymore, or 30, or 40, in fact, I am almost 50.

    I guess it is time to let my Ego go and start to realize my physical limits. These "limits" are not arbitrary, they are real - to me. Between blood pressure, weight, deteriorating joints, age, lifestyle, environment ( home and work ), I need to evaluate my choices better if I plan to continue an the path I am currently on. How much "physical" can I handle before it is no longer a benefit and it becomes a detriment? I really wish I was 29 again, that is when I was in the best shape of my life. I was 167 lbs, almost no body fat, full of energy, able to recover from injury fast. I can also wish for a pot of gold to magically appear in from of me right now - alas, it didn't happen, sigh.

   Don't get me wrong, I Love kung fu and what it is doing for me both physically and mentally. I just need to realize that both my age and body have their limits. There is nothing I can do about my age but, I can definitely do something about my body - to a certain extent. Cleaning up my diet, taking consistent action in my physical routine and challenging my preconceptions of myself mentally are a good start. Hopefully these steps will snowball to other things, but I must throw the first snowball myself if I want my personal pebble to turn into a mountainous unstoppable boulder of progress.
  
 So..... ready, aim, THROW!!!


Numbers

Sit ups   26,661
Push ups   26,788
AOK   706
1609km   1340.36km
Sparring   234


Personal requirements

Started 1 more of the 7 last week, so that's 5 of 7 making progress. Feeling some momentum there!

Plans and Lists

   I love to make "plans" and "lists". It is who I am. I get that trait from my mother. She taught me that life is always changing, it rarely goes as planned. Things come up, plans fall apart, memory fails, life happens. It is how you adapt and move forward that matters. Having a plan or list helps you to see the "goal", even if you never really reach it, at least you should try to get there.

   My "lists" drive my wife crazy. If I want to get a project done, I will start with an initial list/drawing/plan. This will change countless time before it actually gets done. Sorry wife, that is how "me" works. This goes back to the old adage, "jack of all trades, master of none.". Our latest project is a partial new fence in the back yard. I ,of  course, have an idea of what I want, but not being a fence builder or carpenter, need to plan and re plan countless times BEFORE I start. I know she just wants to get it done so we can start our next project ( another flower garden ) but I want to do a fence that I can sit in my yard and say " I built that!".

   This is like my Kung Fu in so many ways. I know the school's instructors have a plan/path that they follow when it comes to teaching us. I get this, there needs to be a path. I need to take what is taught and apply it to "me". Spontaneity is great for some people, I shy away from it. Being in the "where am I, what am I doing" mindset is great, I love it. But.... when a new form or technique is given to us to learn and apply, my mind NEEDS to process this, apply this, understand the hows and whys. Where do my feet go? Am I applying my energy/force correctly? Did my 6 harmonies work together or apart? Did I stay in the correct stance? Soooo many things run trough my mind that it can negate the moment. My mental "lists" start. By the time class is over, I am still processing what we did and any useful questions haven't had a chance to form in my head yet.

    This shows me where I am when it comes to my Kung Fu. It shows me that mastery does not happen over night. I have been at this for about 5 years now, and there are days when I feel like I am at day 1 again. My mind and my body are constantly wanting different things. Their harmony isn't there yet. If I have to think about a stance, then I obviously haven't practices that stance enough. If I can't tell where my power/force was, I am obliviously not feeling my " Chi ".

   I want my Kung Fu to be like my projects. I want to be able to sit back ( mentally that is ) and say "that is my Kung Fu and I am proud of it".

   I know I am not there yet, but like my list/plan, it is a work in progress. I will not sit back and say " good enough ", or " oh well, at least I tried ". Nope, not going to happen. Until I can sit back an say to myself, " I built that!", I must move forward, I must try harder, I must reach for mastery.


To the journey.......

  


Numbers as of Jul 6, 2019 - day 150/365 - 41% of year done

Mandatory requirements

No quitting   NO chance of that happening - (knock on wood, go away injury bug)
Sit ups -  25801
Push ups -  25955
Sparring -  232
1609km -  1284.27km
AOK -  685
Hand form -  201
Weapon form -  278
Relationships mended -  2
Journal 1x a week -  yes
Public appearances  - 2/3
Lion dance -  2 practices
Tiger challenge -  X  not done this year
Miss no meetings  - Only missed 1 - personal matters
Excel in curriculum - I review and practice as time permits
Help with school projects -  Starting to plan "reno week" now
Learn "Mastery"  - getting there, listen to and recite at least 1x a week
Be part of all projects and initiatives -  I am trying to be involved as much as others will let me.    

Personal requirements

I have 7

4 of 7 are well on their way to success. The other 3 may be another story. Did I dream to big? With less than 1/2 the year gone, I still have plenty of time so I guess it is all on me to push forward and GET IT DONE.