Ask an Expert, and Actually Listen

   It's summer, it's nice outside, so I'll be brief.

   Yesterday ( Saturday Aug 1 ), we had another little Rat get together. Fun stuff. While I wish more people could have been there, I fully understand why they weren't. Between the 6 of us who where there, we came up with a fun little demo for Lau Gar. This allows for the whole form to be demoed while keeping each of us to about 15 seconds. I think it looked pretty cool. It is rough and needs lots of work, but it was a lot of fun coming up with this little diddy, great input by individuals turned a thought into an actual kind of demo. Whether we use this or not, it was a lot of fun playing with this idea and watching it turn into what it became. This is why we practice, you never know when or where an idea may come from. Great work team!!

   Before the practice started, I had a chance to chat with  Mrs Poitras about masks. She is a health care professional so I listened to what she had to say, and it was eye opening.

   We all know it is coming, so why not be prepared. Yes, there is a lot of resistance on the subject of wearing a mask when you go out into public, but I think it is finally time for us to get over that, me included. I'm not going to preach on the subject, but I am going to suggest you get an informed opinion on the subject ( not social media ) before you make the same mistakes I was making. Do some actual research on the subject, it could be life saving.

   You would think that all masks are created equal ( a pretty mask is probably made for looks, not function ), that handling a mask is child's play, that "disposable" masks are good for a few uses before replacing them. Something as simple as how you put on a mask and more importantly, take off the mask, is actually something you should take very seriously if you want to be part of the solution and not the problem. I got schooled ( nicely ) by Mrs Poitras on this. This is why you ask an actual professional. Her knowledge and expertise just may have saved someones life, mine or someone else who I come into contact with included. I thank you for this Karine, and for all you do to try and keep us alive and well.

From Mastery

On the path to mastery, erase any resentment you have towards masters. Develop compassion for yourself so that you can be in the presence of masters and grow from the experience

Yesterday, I felt I grew a little because of Mrs Poitras and her knowledge. Kung Fu is everywhere if you look hard enough for it.

Time to enjoy the day, Peace....

Sunday morning thoughts

So yet again I have several thoughts I am entertaining in my noggin. Here we go........

   Getting old and paying the price. So this last week has been very taxing physically. Started out fine but nose dived on Wednesday. I won't bore you with the details but I blew out my back, my fault, lifted with my back not my legs. Instead of listening to my body ( and wife ), I went to class Wednesday anyways, dumb move. By Thursday morning, I couldn't move. It was so bad I had to get Deb to put my socks on for me ( okay, I'll admit it, I kinda liked that ). So I heeded her advice and stayed away from the I Ho Chuan class Thursday evening and by Friday, low and behold, I could move again ( got a few "I told you so" from my lovely wife, well deserved I'll admit  ). Then Saturday afternoon, I was walking to my truck, looking at the beautiful clouds in the sky ( darn you mother nature with all your beauty ) and BANG, stepped on uneven ground, rolled my ankle, scrapped my knee and bruised the palm of my hand. Kody says I looked hilarious with my flailing roll of doom ( ahh family, always there to point out your flaws - I wouldn't have it any other way ). I thought I actually did fairly well on my way down, I extended my arms just like a break fall, slapped the ground and rolled out of it onto my back. Still, OWWWW! Now my ankle is a cankle, my right palm feels like tenderized jello and my knee keeps reminding me to sit down and stay down.
   So here I am Sunday morning, thinking maybe, just maybe, it would be safer to have a coffee a read the paper that to go outside and risk round three with the cold hilarious hand of fate.

   Thursday night was doubly tough because I was sitting in my van WATCHING the I Ho Chuan class and not partaking in it. Arggg, I did not like that. From what I could see, it looked like a great class and then hearing about a possible pending demo, time to get busy. I now realize just how much these classes mean to me, I do not want to miss another one!

   Renos at Tanarrama. From the very limited time I was there, it looks as though everything went good. A huge shout out to those who showed up to help. Even though this was a requirement in your I Ho Chuan training, it was actually so much more than that. There is no better way to get to know your team mates then this, a social setting with a goal.

   Now is the time to help out silent River Kung Fu. There is an over abundance of inventory that needs a new home. Gym bags ( large and medium ), t-shirts, sparring gear, uniforms ( top AND bottom ), water bottles, various shields, etc....
   So look at your gear, is it pristine? Or does it look like you where rolling in sharp rocks, tattered and full of holes. If pristine, good on ya, if tattered, I know a place that NEEDS your help, remember, shop local people, your community needs you, amazon does not.

   Last but certainly not least, this last week Master Brinker brought up one of the pictures on the Kwoon's hallowed walls. Soke Dave Mcneill. After a little reading up on him, I can see why. I won't go into details, I'll leave that up to you. but I challenge each of us to take the time and look at and research each picture up there. They are there for a reason, find out why, it's worth the effort.

https://gojushorei.com/soke-mcneill/

Mental Maitenance

   This is one of those miscellaneous posts that has multiple topics so bear with me.

   Wuxin and Intent. I put this topic out there the other day because I love to hear other students thoughts and opinions on certain subjects. I find in class that when a topic is brought up as mysterious and complex as this one that it demands more thought and discussion. There was some great discussion on this and for that, I thank all those who responded, especially Master Brinker. The clarification he provided was obviously needed as this is a very important concept to grasp.
   This brings me to a sore point for me, asking questions. Sometimes I don't even know I have a question until hours or days after something is done or said. In class on Wednesday, I understood the definition of the word Wuxin when it was given ( again ) to us but I realized later I didn't even have the foggiest idea of what the definition even meant. The responses I got on Kwoon talk showed me I wasn't alone.
   This brings me to my point. Why are we all so quiet on Kwoon talk? This is a great platform to ask questions and discuss whatever you want ( Kung Fu related of course ). Actual class time is extremely limited but Kwoon talk is open 24/7. There is a multitude of instructors at the ready to help guide your journey. I really wish more students would ask/comment on the site, so I will keep asking my questions and HOPEFULLY I will hear from you all.
   To quote my Dad ( again ), "there are no stupid questions, only stupid mistakes", thanks again Dad.


 Numbers. Here is a quick up to date summary of my numbers so far;
Push ups         25247
Sit ups             25440
Sparring          1150 ( mostly shadow sparring obviously )
1609km           1518.2km
1000 AOK      772
Hand Form      458
Weapon Form  365
   Personal requirements rolling along at a nice pace, reevaluating and adjusting as required. So overall I am mostly happy with my numbers, but I know I can do better, so I will.


   Mr White-Hourse Strong, thank you for you blog on Mastery. Looking at it from the perspective of understanding versus memorizing is a very neat insight. I am having a stinker of a time memorizing it, but I haven't really tried to approach it  from the angle of understanding it instead. Great idea, thanks, I'll try that approach instead and hopefully it starts to stick a little better.


   Reno of Tanaramma. The call has been put out there for help, are you in? It is the week coming up. I am not sure of what actually needs to be done but many hands make light work. I can be there every day from 4:00 Pm on, I might even be able to squeeze in a few earlier days. I have a truck, tools and love grunt work, use me!


   Monday night Tai Chi. I love this class, knew I would but never made it a priority, thank you Covid for helping me out with that ( and of course Master Brinker, Sifu Vantuil and Sifu Dennis ). But, this class has really made me appreciate how quickly time can go when you are enjoying yourself. I'd swear that class has just begun and boom, we are bowing out. Nothing I can do about that other than absorb every moment I can. Thankfully there is the full 4 sections on Vimeo (SRKF Tai Chi Yang Style Long Form) to watch, beautiful to watch the whole form. 


Think that's all for now, see you on the mats, peace!

And Just Like That

Yesterday ( Saturday July 11, 2020 12PM to 1:45PM ) was a great team day. I am going to focus this blog on what I got out of this because I can not speak for others.

   That being said, WOW! What a great bunch of people we have here. I was not sure if everyone was as gung-ho as me to be there but it sure seemed like it. There was some initial nerves but that was to be expected. Once we settled in, boom, it started to happen just like it should. We shared ideas, we laughed, we critiqued each other's forms, we offered insights, shared experiences, we bonded. A couple of team members had never done a demo before, so we did a quick mock one and I think it turned out pretty darn good for an in prompt - non choreographed - on the fly demo. I also learned to leave the videoing to someone under 50 cause boy did I screw that up, watch the attached video ONLY after a bucket full of coffee.

   One of my take aways from yesterday was the help on my forms. I have been stuck on the ending of my Tonfa form, it lacks finality. I brought this up with Sifu Ward and Sifu Kohut, asked and shared my wants and ideas and boom - again!! With what insight and ideas they shared, I feel I can finally find the ending for my form that completes it, thank you Sifus!!

   Another take away was from Mr White-Horse Strong. I was watching him do his Lao Gar and saw a variation on his ending that made something in my mind say "ahhh, there it is". I asked him to show me his ending angles, he did, I tried it and guess what, boom, again!!! Thank you Mr White-Horse Strong.

   This opportunity to get together like this was awesome, I am so glad it happened. As a team, I feel closer to knowing this group as a team and as individuals. This was priceless, you can not get this kind of feed back from the sidelines, you must engage and put yourself out there to grow and learn from this type of opportunity. I am pumped to think what this team can accomplish if we continue on with this type of bonding.

   And finally, a thank you to my wife (  Deb ) for taking that step and putting a time and place to all the talk about this, where to next dear??

   Go Team Rat 2020!!!

Engage

      I've been thinking about my engagement a lot lately. I'm not just talking about Kung Fu, I'm talking about work, home, family, the whole ball of wax. It has been feeling like I am waiting for something to happen, the other shoe to drop, the curtain of will power to either finish closing or opening, someone to hold my hand and say "this way sir, your life is over here". I don't know.
   I was hoping Saturday's I Ho Chuan meeting would kick start me, but others seemed to be the same way, no one was talking or sharing (except for Sifu Vantuil and Sifu Cosgrove - thanks for sharing bye the way, the crickets were getting pretty loud with no one talking ). It's like a fog of uncertainty has settled upon the land, dulling the senses and restraining the juices of life. I find myself holding back, waiting for what I don't know. It has me concerned.
   I was driving the other day to St Albert with Kody to my mom's place to do some work at her house ( yard work, pour some concrete, etc ) and decided to have a chat with him on this subject to get his feelings. Well as any parent will attest to, a 14 year old teen age boy doesn't tend to share his feelings or thoughts very well. But I think I got my points across to him and it made me feel a little better being able to talk about what is eating at me. I find I am a touch bit envious of his ability to adapt to the new "now", much better than I am adapting to it. Not his fault, but it started a spark in me that I need to fan and grow it into a flame, then a fire, then an inferno.
   With the Kwoon opening up ( mostly ) this coming week, I find myself both anxious and angry at the same time.
   Anxious I get, training at home sucks but was vital to keep us engaged, and now we get the privilege of once again hitting the mats and training at a place that requires all go - no slow. Am I ready for this? I really hope so.
   Which bring me to angry, why am I even questioning if I am ready for this? If I was truly engaged over the part 3ish months of home training, I should be screaming at the top of my lungs " let me in, I want to learn kung fu! ". Instead I find myself feeling sheepish and hesitant, questioning my lethargic approach to my training. I am mad at myself for my procrastination and all my talking about it. No ones fault but my own, as Master Brinker tells us "Own it". He has tried to keep me/us engaged with an effort that can only be described as herculean. Thank you for that Master Brinker and all the other Sifus who, during this time of uncertainty,  have virtual tried to keep us engaged through online classes, one on one meetings, free Tai Chi classes, etc. Thank you all.
  I guess the least I can do is try and return the favor buy getting more.... everything.

See you Monday on the mats!

Privileged

   Privileged. 

   Recently I had the luck of being able to read about the life of Master Margie Hilbig. Before reading her book, all I really knew about her was she was Canada's first female black belt and she was a part of our lineage at Silent River. But she was sooooo much more. From her nightmarish childhood in Nazi Germany, to being an orphan after the war, to her travels across Europe as a teen, her immigration to Canada in the early 1960s, her founding of her schools in Calgary then Edmonton, her marriages and heartbreaks, her battle with cancer, she was an amazing human being. Her pioneering spirit is deeply inspirational, her heart, her compassion, her drive, her willingness to be exactly what she wanted to be, wow! I truly wish I could have met her and possibly trained under her. I can see why Master Brinker talks so fondly and highly of her.

   This brings me to my here and now. You never really truly know who the next "Margie" will be. She was a force of humanity that is unmatched but....is there someone in your life right now like her and you just don't realize it? Can you ( or me ) see what or who is probably right in front of us? Can you or I be the next Margie? I know, pretty deep questions but worth thinking about. All I am asking is to look at the people in your life, friends, family, teachers, yourself, are they someone that drives you towards greatness? How can you make an everlasting mark for the good of humanity on history if you are not constantly being all you can be? Find those people in your life that inspire you and cherish them, learn from them, remember them, for they may only be in your life for a limited time.
   To me, one of those people was my Dad, Robert Doran Bjorkquist. I miss him terribly, he passed away Mar 12, 2019,  and I look back constantly and think of all the times I wasted not asking his advice, not sitting down and chatting, not hitting the golf course with him. I am now and forever holding myself to his standard, he was one of those people in my life that fits into the "Margie" category for me. Miss you Dad.
   As for the now, there are several people that inspire me, that drive me, that make me want to succeed. I won't embarrass them by naming them here but I will let them know in my own special way, thank you for being a "Margie" in my life.

Random Stuff

   No one topic today, just a jumble of thoughts/feelings.

   Back at the Kwoon. Oh how I missed this place. Working out at home definitely had its advantages; no driving, comfort of home, etc, but just one class back at the Kwoon and the disadvantages came screaming to the forefront. Biggest one was the difference a 1/2 hour at home versus a 1/2 hour at the Kwoon is. At home, you can hide behind the camera, do lazy stances, put in 1/2 efforts, etc. But in person for real, oh no you can't! The first 1/2 hour class back at the Kwoon showed me the toll the last 3 months has had on my training. It felt great and bad at the same time, I love it! Now I can see where I thought I was at versus where I am actually at, and that is 3 months behind where I would like to be. Very motivating.

   First missed class. While June 18 was my first class back at the Kwoon, it was also the first I Ho Chuan class I have missed and I am pretty ticked at myself. I know better than this! We only have a finite amount of classes every year in the I Ho Chuan and missing one class just can't happen, even if it was "only" a non-mandatory class ( they are all mandatory to me! ). Missing it was totally my fault, no excuses, and it will not happen again, sorry team.

   Annual Kwoon maintenance week is coming up in a few months, and I thought I would start the conversation about this. Of course it will be different this year with the new restrictions but it still needs to happen. Some things I see are;
    There a 2 empty holes on the east lawn where a tree and shrub need to be replaced
    The building needs a good pressure wash ( I have a good pressure washer for this )
    The inside of the Kwoon is spotless at the moment ( thank you Sifus! ) but I'm sure we can find something to help/clean
    We should clean the eaves every year since Sifu Tymchuk was nice enough to do this last year and the mess he found, oh my!
    Tanaramma clean?
   Anything else so far?? Lets keep the conversation going and give some elbow grease to the place we all love.

   Tai Chi. Who would of thought, I love it! The free Saturday classes have proven to be very entertaining and beneficial. The balance and stamina required are shining a light on some of the Kung Fu moves I do, and do incorrectly. It is really helping me "feel" my flow and energy ( or lack of ). I'm hooked. Thank you Sifus and Silent River for this, I never would have taken the time to do this if not for the online classes, I am excited for in person classes to see it done and taught without a video screen. Truly eye opening.