To Much Blah, not Enough Cheese Cloth

    Something I realized this week, I talk way to much during class, in both my own classes and others students classes. And this is taking away from both my class time and others. But as I realized this, I also found it to be a very hard habit to break. But I need to. I am there to learn, not chat. I need to be my own example to myself, "less yak more smack" as the saying goes.

   Self analysis of myself is hard. In my head, comments and ideas and advice burst forth and demand to be heard, somehow thinking that these nuggets must be heard by all immediately to solve all problems in the world. I am really trying to temper these bursts of distractions. Slowing down my thoughts has always been a rather large problem of mine, like trying to stop the flow of a river with a length of cheese cloth in both hands, next to impossible. But I try. 

   So me and my Id will go on a cosmic shopping trip to buy a lot more cheese cloth, and together him and I will stretch it across my mental stream to catch some thought/ideas/advice before they unwantedly burst through to the mouth, spewing forth like verbal vomit, blah. 

   

Too Much Time

    For me, having too much time to do something is detrimental, it quickly turns into nothing. This time off of regular classes has born no fruit, so to speak. With the lack of time constraints, procrastination took over. Sure I've now have had ample time for some injuries to start to heal, but at the same time, the damage my overall training that has happened is disappointing. I relied to much on others to train with me instead of just getting up and doing it on my own. 

   I really wanted to work on my fork form this week, add some pizazz to it. Instead I all added was rust, to the fork and to me. I had the opportunities and the time, but didn't take advantage of either. And now it is back to the rush of the "schedule". I am disappointed in myself, yet again.

   It is odd that the busier my day, the more I get done. Weird right? I guess it all depends on my definition of busy. Take yesterday for example. Both Deb and Kody had to work, so it was just me and the dog. I had a list of chores I gave myself, and I managed to get them done, "good job Don!". But the list was weak, it only took me a couple of hours to do, so the rest of the day I did nothing, nada, zilch. I did manage to watch a couple of really bad movies that I know Deb would have hated, so there is that right? Wrong. Hours and hours of missed opportunities.

   All kidding aside, I am recharged and anxious to get back at it at the Kwoon. I need the structure, I need the PUSH to get my mojo going. Excited to see you all Monday on the mats.

Catching Up on Myself

    I missed my Sunday morning blog this week. I had to deal with some poorly done renovations that I needed to re-renovate and it took much longer than I had hoped. But now I think it is done to my liking, at least it better be. 

   So this directly ties into my training. The renos were done poorly, partly my fault (mostly?), I took the easier cheaper route instead of investing the time and effort (money) to do it right. So it took twice as long as it should have and now I am settling with a "good enough" job. And I am very frustrated because of it. 

   Where is my mastery? Where is my eye for detail? These ideals can't just apply to Kung Fu, right? Is this the way I am approaching my training, with a good enough attitude? How about my job, my personal life, my health? Am I applying mastery to any of this? Arrg!!

   So anyways, I wanted to catch you up to where I am right now. Time to re-read Mastery a few dozen more times and see if I am understanding those four paragraphs or just going thru the motions.

Always Looking Back to See Forward

    This last weeks kids classes were a great kick in the butt for me. It all came down to a couple of words. Review and engagement.

   It started with the Young Dragons doing shoulder rolls into a bow stance with two front thrust kicks, one on each leg. Started out fine but I noticed the students were quickly putting zero effort into the kicks, they were getting bored and "sloppy". So I changed up what they had to do each time, 

   I surprised them with a different kick combo each time. First, two fast front thrust (ft) kicks, switch leads, two more fast ft kicks. Okay but slow, now can you beat me? Remember, I'm old and you are not! Excitement is back, "no way this old guy is faster than me",  so lets build on this. Next, ft kick followed by round house (rh) WITHOUT putting your foot down. Deer in the headlights all around, awesome! You could tell most had never even considered COMBINING a kick. Double awesome. When the said they didn't think they could, I would show them. See, if the old guy can do it, you can too. Some immediately figured it out, I was smiling ear to ear, the way they picked up the challenge and OWNED it! I had one of the best classes ever, it still gives me goose bumps just looking back on it. And I really hope the students liked it as well.

   So my personal takeaway from this? This is many faceted. First, am I challenging myself every class, or am I floating, sloppy and bored? Does this personal "challenging" extend beyond the Kwoon? Second, am I reviewing things I may not have even know I had forgot. Like the Iron Cross, Seven Knife Hands, Poison Hands, Hidden Leg technique, Chokes and Wrist escapes, etc? There is SO much I have learned over the years, where to start? Third, I must make Kung Fu enjoyable and not a chore/hoop (which it isn't!). Cherry pick things from the past that are applicable to the path I am on. I can't review everything all the time but I can combine things to streamline my review. Like hidden leg with iron cross or Awaken the Dragon with stretching. 

   This is why Kung Fu is the best Martial Art ever, it is symbiotic if you let it be. The past, present, and future can work in harmony, it is just up to you/me to figure out how.

Always on My Mind

    24/7, always on my mind, omnipresent. This is what I strive for. I really do try very hard to live the Kung Fu lifestyle. I will freely and honestly admit I do not always live up to these ideals. In fact I fail miserably at some of them. But I try. When I fail, then I try again, and again, and again. I refuse to give up because I see the benefits of living the path set before me. 

   I procrastinate, I eat things I know are horrible for not just me but for world around me, I practice with a lack of purpose, I do not hold myself to the standard I expect of others. But worse yet I am aware I am doing this, and that is what I struggle with the most. I "do as I say and not as I do" way to much. 

   I tend to weight my actions almost in a cartoonish way, cause that is who I am. I have my two shoulder angels. On one side is the devil, his avatar changes based on the situation. He is always there telling me to quit, to give up, to eat Cheesies, to mind my own business and not get involved, to be a bad person. I don't like him but he is there. Sometimes he wins, sometimes he losses. 

   But keeping him at bay are my angels. This guiding light is a mixture of my Dad, my Wife and Master Brinker. When I am truley doing/not doing something, like giving blood, like eating healthy, like practicing with purpose, like not getting mad at someone for cutting me off in traffic,  I see them smiling at me, nodding approval. This inspires me to do "good" more often. And more often than not, I do. But once in a while I falter, but they don't condemn me for this, only guide me to do better. And for this I am grateful because it allows me to be a little better every day.