The Old Grey Stallion

    Yesterday was such a fantastic opportunity. I saw smiles everywhere. I also saw some frowns but that is part of learning, right?  I got to watch so many fellow students strut their stuff. Hats off to you all, awesome job. 

   Now me. My day has two very distinct halves. The morning was the smile part. Starts with a awesome Lion dance (great Job you two!). Then I had the honor of being a judge. OMG! I had no idea how stressful this was going to be, but what a learning experience! Not only did I have the best seat in the house, front row center(ish), but I saw so many "eye for detail" moments. Heel down, intent, confidence, stances, all right there in front of me. I had so many aha moments I was dizzy! This was a smorgasbord of learning opportunities. That three hours(ish) have given be years of material to work on. It also gave me the chance afterwards to talk with a couple of students and offer them a little positive nudge on how well they did. I am very great-full for the chance of a lifetime to be allowed to take part in the judging. 

  Then it was my turn. All excuses aside, I wish I had a time machine, but I don't. Everything I thought I had learned from the morning was but a fog in a distant part of my mind. No focus, no eye for detail, no control. All the confidence/competence I thought I had turned to mush, ego took over and out came the ugly. I was burning with annoyance at myself. I could say I gave it my best, but that would be a flat out lie.

   Then the pop. Three steps into the obstacle course, my right calf let loose. Snap crackle pop, something let go and I was done. I guess I wanted to join the cane club instead of finishing my day. I missed the obstacle course and the pool noodle sword fight, and this burned like a nuclear explosion in me. I was ready to scream! I would say that I am over it this morning but I am not. I am hoping for just a pulled muscle, if I am lucky. 

   So now I am looking at my ego. The good, the bad and the ugly of it. Why did this day go the way it did? I need to look inward and find some answers. Not excuses but answers. I can come up with an excuse for every error I made, but that is not what Kung Fu and Mastery are about. 

   So this morning I contemplate, I look at me, am I an old Stallion that should be put out to pasture or is there still a little Mustang left in me, ready to kick and run and savor life. Time to find out.

Moments

 Life is full of moments, blink and they are gone, so enjoy them, remember them, cherish them.

                                                        Kody and Dana grad 2023

                                                          Deb and Daughter, Grand Daughter

                                  Grandma's (Deb) new planting table, signed by her family

   This weekend has been stuffed full priceless memories. It makes me understand why it is so important to live in the moment. To savor, to enjoy, to make the best of any situation. To stop living on the sidelines and get into the game. 

   Next weekend is the Tiger Challenge, I will apply the momentum of this weekend to that day. Sparring, forms, pool noodle, obstacle course, all of it. I will be a sponge, I will live every moment, taking it all in. So if you see me standing there grinning like a bit of a fool, just know I am enjoying myself to the fullest.

A Plethora of Kung Fu

    Where to even start. There seems to have been more Kung Fu moments this week than in recent times. Every class had it's moments, to recap them all this would be a loooong blog, so I'll choose a few of the most memorable ones. 

   Tai Chi, linear vectors with maintaining cohesion. I noticed I was starting to sway side to side when transitioning between moves. With a little tap in the right direction from Sihing Brinker, sway gone, vectors corrected, feels much better. It was my foot placement, to wide, simple fix. 

   Grappling in the level one classes.  While working with one of the level ones, I realized he was extremely uncomfortable with the contact that goes along with some of the moves. Quick fix was to get him to mirror me off to the side with no contact. Bingo! Worked for him and for me. Felt good to find a solution like that and help both him and me learn.

   IHC class, you were there, you know how much fun that was. Those team push ups, OMG!! Parachute, never done that before, seen the kids do it many times but never got to experience the team work required to make it work, cooool!! Then the "demo", sliding one form into the next like that, brilliant!! I have chills just reviewing it in my mind.

   Then there is open training. If you were there, you know how great it was. I even went outside my comfort zone and did some sparring. I got schooled! I loved it!! What more can I say. 

   So to recap, what a week, Kung Fu was everywhere all the time. It was a constant companion journeying with me and helped to put an extra shine on the entire week. Thank you.

My Way, Probably Not

    Stressors. Life is full of them. Work, relationships, money, time, training, social media, so many hooks dug into you pulling you in directions you don't want to go. So hard to ignore, pulling you from the path you want to be on. Sometimes fighting back to claim the real you is the biggest hook of all. 

   We have a motto in our Kung Fu, where am I and what am I doing? It is a great grounding technique if used properly. But how to use it? Well, I am right at this moment I am writing a blog, using this technique to help me focus on the direction I want my day to go. I know there will be multiple hooks pulling me in directions I may not want to go but... I am going to add a little "Don" to this and that is, does it serve me?

   Yes my life and time are not just my own. A father, a husband, a son, an employee, a martial artist, a citizen, these all carry a certain level of responsibility with them. With each of these comes a level of commitment I am not willing to ignore. But at what point do I get to say "what about me!?". This is my conflict right at this moment. What I want to do and what I am willing or allowed to do seem oceans apart. 

   I just wanted to share this, not meant to negative, just using it s a sounding board for myself and how my mind can sometimes be the biggest hurdle in my progression and pursuit of Mastery.