In my head

It's been a strange week. I've been having a hard time getting out of my head about my training. I am having one of those lulls where I have no confidence in anything I do. I have been doing a few different things to try and clear my head this week- mostly taking the bike out. I don't know why being on a motorcycle is close to meditation but it works. Tonight I took a ride out to the kwoon to drop off my assignment and I came close to laying down the bike. Someone wasn't paying attention and made a left in front of me. I truly believe that if I wasn't in the moment and totally focussed someone would be picking me up off the pavement right now. What an adrenaline dump that was.

It was a good reminder to stay in the moment and stay focussed on what I'm doing right now. I am going to work on making my training like meditation for me, something I can do and shut my brain off to the million and one voices and thoughts that are constantly surrounding us.

Andrea Prince

My List

I've rewritten this blog about half a dozen times and it's all coming up flat. So I have decided to make a list of what I am grateful for since my last blog. Here goes in no particular order:
Dennis
Tiger Challenge Kung Fu Tournament and all of the people involved in organizing and running it
My performance in the Tiger Challenge
My team mates in the Tiger Challenge
My UBBT team mates
Kung Fu (including I Ho Chuan)
My dogs
My squawky cockatiels that I feel like BBQing sometimes
The bird feeders that I feed the outside birds with and the birds that feed from them
The apple, pear, plum, and cherry trees are in bloom
The hummingbirds are back
My home
I'm accepted into Leduc Craft show
My garden and hoop house that I'm prepping for planting
Green smoothies
Chocolate
The books I read and DVDs I watch
My glass studio
Getting my white forms stripe
Feeling that life is pretty great
My Vitamix (best blender one can have)
My mentors, Kung Fu and otherwise
My health and fitness
My broadsword even though it stabbed me during my warmup at the Tiger Challenge
My desire to always improve
Sifus who are picky on techniques and forms
Chocolate: it's just worth mentioning again

It's a partial list and it makes me feel grateful for what I have, the people in my life, and who I am and striving to be.

Sherri Donohue
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain, Alberta

tournament

It was a busy weekend with the tournament for our school. It was very cool to be able to see everyone compete...the little ones were awesome! I especially like watching the black belts to see how I could improve and where I'm heading with my training. I do wish more had come out to participate...but I know how hesitant I always am too. Maybe the pictures and video will encourage  more to come out next year if it goes again. I was mostly happy not to lose grip of my spear and skewer someone so all is well!
The next day was nice to, enjoying the come down from the tournament, and doing some kayaking. Which is alot of circular movement too--hips,shoulders, legs and arms all moving together in the harmonies...kung fu is everywhere.
Krysta Lowery silent river kungfu student team

Tournament

It was a good tournament again this year although that was what I expected. Even though I did not enter, I did help out and was a holder for a lot of peoples board breaking. Some of them were not successful but at the end of June, they will get another shot for their black belt test and this time I will be one of them.

Kevin Lindstrom
Student UBBT Member
UBBT 8
Silent River Kung Fu
Onoway, Alberta, Canada

The Tournament

Yesterday began with some positive self chatter. I was not really sure how the day would go but I decided when I got up that I would face the day with calmness and confidence. Throughout the day, I had to remind myself of this little talk but I did manage to meet my goal to stay calm. I performed everything that I set out to do with more confidence than I ever have before and it was a pretty good feeling.
We had our annual tournament yesterday and it was an amazing day. Right from the very beginning, it felt like we were all going to give 110% of ourselves to make this a great day. We did it! Everyone dug in and helped each other with different tasks and events. I didn't feel like I was competing with anyone but myself and that really contributed to the family like atmosphere that we created.
I have been working with a group of people since October to master a group form presented in an unusual way. Some of the group members had to learn some of the form, some had to remember it and we all had to figure out how to present it in the coolest manner possible. With a lot of guidance from our Sifu, we managed to sift through our self doubts and persevere when we weren't sure that we could pull it off and we did it. While we were performing, it felt like we were moving as one unit, I felt totally connected to each person in the group at the same time. It was the coolest feeling ever! I was so excited that we had accomplished what we came to do that I nearly forgot about the medal presentation. We won the gold. I guess it looked as good as it felt. What an amazing group of people. Sihing Gamble, Mr. Gamble, Miss Donahue, Miss Rice, Miss Topley, Miss VanBokel - my hat is off to you all, you are a shining example of what one can achieve when they set a goal and work towards it through thick and thin.
Congratulations to all who participated in all parts of making this a great day.
Sihing Kichko

It may be our last tournament

Yesterday marked our annual Tiger Challenge, which allows both locations of our school to compete against each other (and ourselves) in a warm community environment. It was a great day.

This year, one of my UBBT goals was to compete. It didn’t matter if I placed at all, I just wanted to continue to get more comfortable performing under pressure. I did alright with my individual hand form, and placed second. I don’t feel I deserved my first place in the team hand forms and I hope I didn’t let my partner down. It was a form I have done hundreds of times, as it is one of my favourites. However, when I went to perform it with said partner, by mind/ body was still in deep with my previous form. So right off the bat, my opening bow was the wrong one. Oops. Then twice more I went into a different form and caught myself. The reason we got gold is because we were the only competitors. It was still a learning experience for me, and in the past it may have frustrated me to screw up so publicly, but I was able to laugh it off yesterday. I know it was my worst performance ever, but I think because of the environment I was in, those that train with me are aware of my abilities.

I missed seeing my girls do their team weapon form, but they did very well and earned a very nice silver for their efforts. And I did get to see my oldest daughter perform a fight choreography with partner, and I was proud of how well they did.

It might have been our last tournament due to circumstance, but if it was, it was a fine, fine day to end it with. I am proud to be a part of the Silent River Kung Fu family.

Having Fun with Kung Fu

This has been a really good week for kung fu training.  I have been recording good numbers with respect to my UBBT goals and am developing confidence and creativity in board breaking.  We had an opportunity in our morning class to practice our board breaking skills with Sifu Prince, who has been an inspiration to me with respect to board breaking, among other kung fu related activity.  This has been a fun time and I am looking forward to participating in board breaking at our in-house tournament this weekend.  Have a great weekend all!

Allan Gamble
Student Member
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain, Alberta

Follow up and the Fall Out!

Ok last weekend my goal was to get caught up on my chin up goals and incorporate them into my daily work out routine. All was going as planed in the beginning until the last day of the weekend; I developed a sharp pain in my left shoulder that nagged at me when ever I pulled my arm toward me or lifted it up. I did not want to continue injuring it any farther, I believe I just strained it, so I eased up on the chin ups to give my shoulder a break and only accomplished 101 chin ups instead of the 119 that I had planed to do on the weekend. So now I have a sore shoulder and a few more chin ups to go, on the bright side of this is it does not hurt when I do push ups.

Greg Wiebe

Stony Plain, AB, Canada

www.silentriverkungfu.com

I'm Doing.... Let's See

It's been just about 6 months since we've started UBBT 8 and I've been thinking about how I'm doing. This comes after one of my team mates posted about her numbers and asked how the rest of us are doing with ours. That got me thinking about just how my progress is going.

If I look solely at my numbers, according to my calculations I am behind. However, that is a one dimensional answer. I am behind on my numbers and I've been working on quality of technique. My squat thrusts have improved greatly and so has my core and might as well toss in my leg strength and my forms for improving as well. Even though my numbers are behind, I'm not stagnating, I am moving forward, just slower (in numbers) than anticipated.

My mandate for UBBT 8 is to live my 5 passions in life and to live my life in balance. More accurately to find out what balance is in my life and to live life from there. The aforementioned has been going quite well as none of my passions have been left in the dust, all are alive and well. For the first time in my life I can say that life is both grand and balanced. Of course there is always room for improvement and it's a process.

The one area that's leaping forward is my glass art and yes, I have UBBT goals set for it. My glass art is on the verge of rocket launch because I have found my niche and it's also in a market (a big one to boot) where I have no competition: I am it. Plus there's hints of "spidering" to other markets because my work is that unique. Part of me is thrilled, excited and jumping for joy while the other part is wanting to run and hide from the big scary monster. Why the run and hide?? Well in the past my pattern has been workaholic-to-burnout and that is the big scary monster that I want to run and hide from. However I do believe that this time I have a "plan with a weapon" and that "plan with a weapon" is UBBT 8. Through UBBT 8 I am developing both my martial and glass arts WHILE keeping my life in balance. Easier said than done and there have been bumps along the way.

As I see it, the whole purpose of a goal is not necessarily to achieve it, but to work towards it because once the goal is achieved and the event celebrated, now what? More and bigger goals get set. I believe it's the forward, continuous, and conscious process that is the paramount, not the actual achievement of the goal.

So where am I? Behind and ahead, below and above, but more importantly, right where I'm meant to be.

Sherri Donohue
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain, Alberta

where, what and why?

Maybe its the rain, maybe its the tournament, maybe its the 3 day weekend where I actually got to relax....what is that word again?...but the question WHY has come up. Where am I? I can answer that. What am I doing (and what intensity level am I doing it at?) that too, I can answer. Might not be a great answer (like I'm at intensity of one!) but I can answer it. WHY am I doing it? That one has me bogged. Spring cleaning of the mind I guess; I cant find an answer I am happy with yet, for most of the things in my life, not just kungfu. The WHY escapes me .Reasons I had in the past no longer hold true, or have changed. Its hard to increase my intensity in some areas when the passion to do it or a reason to be passionate about it, just isnt there. Perhaps a vacation.....
Krysta Lowery, student UBBT silent river kungfu

Seven Days Without a Shower, And I'm Happy

I am currently sitting in the middle of a bush somewhere in Athabasca County, and I haven't had a real shower for a week, I have a slight sunburn, several new scar inducing cuts and wounds, but I an more than content. Right now I'm the only one here, Nick and his brother Matt are off playing somewhere. I caught myself breaking out the dance moves to the local radio station, playing everything from Golden Earring to AC/DC to Rihanna. My dog added her own moves and tail wags, completing the spectacular duet.
Sometimes, simplicity is the answer. Don't become bogged down by details or stress, live to make yourself happy, be honest about what that is, and take it from there. Me, I feel best when I see the lightbulb above a students head, when I throw a stick for the dogs, and when I'm burried deep in a bush with limited water, hot dogs and a lot of mud on my quad fenders.

I'm spending too much time on titles

I don't want to be too optimistic, but the new supplement I've been taking feels a little like a miracle. The pain in my elbows is almost gone and my wrists and shoulders feel great. We did focus pad work last Friday with roundhouse kicks and I was able to hold the pads for my partner with no problems and no pain the next day. I did bag work the following morning in the fitness class with no soreness the next day. I am able to practice my forms without feeling like I'm overextending everything...crossing my fingers this continues!

The in house tournament is this Saturday and I have the opportunity to break boards and make it count towards my black belt grading. I'm nervous about this, probably more than I need to be, but I've been dreaming about it which means I've officially over thought it. I am practicing tomorrow so hopefully it goes well and my wrist doesn't buckle or anything weird.

I will be performing lao gar at the tournament, a form I haven't perfected by any means but I wanted to push myself to get better at it so setting it as my tournament form is ensuring that I put a lot of time into it.

Lots to work on as always, but I can hardly wait for the board breaks to be over!

Andrea Prince

Guilty

I am feeling guilty this week. We are having our annual school tournament this weekend and for the first time ever I will not be competing. There are a couple of reasons for this that I don't think should be discussed publiclyget into. After discussing my situation with Sifu Brinker, I decided it was better for me to not compete this year. Ever since then I have had this overwhelming feeling of guilt. The tournament is a huge opportunity to see how you perform under pressure and I think its important to participate and set an example for your fellow students. So the questions are;
1) Was I selfish for not entering and did I use my personal issues as an excuse to not compete?
2) Should I have entered and taken advantage of a huge opportunity that was available for me?
3) I wonder if its to late to try?

Kevin Lindstrom
Student UBBT Member
UBBT 8
Silent River Kung Fu
Onoway, Alberta Canada

Nothing to say

I don't have any profound words to write. I have worked hard this week and I can see that I am making progress. I am enjoying myself and pushing myself all at the same time. Kung Fu is fabulous.
Until next week, work hard and have fun.
Robyn Kichko
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, AB, Canada

A few notes on "Depression"

A mental illness that affects many, many people. It is in fact a disease, that is not caused by personal weakness, neither is it a character flaw. It is a disease where the chemicals in your brain are out of balance.

There are things that can cause depression, but sometimes there isn't any reason at all. It is important that depression is recognized and treated as quickly as possible.

A few symptoms of depression are: weight loss or gain, sleeping too much or not enough almost every day, feeling restless and not being able to sit still, or you may sit quietly and feel that moving takes great effort. You might feel tired or as if you have no energy almost every day. You may have feelings of being unworthy or guilty nearly every day and you may have low self-esteem and worry that people don't like you. You may find it hard to focus, remember things, or make decisions nearly every day and you may feel anxious about things.

Depression can be treated. Treatments such as counseling, psychotherapy, and/or antidepressant medicines, lifestyle changes, such as getting more exercise, may help. Your doctor or mental health professional will help you find the best treatment.

It is important that there is family support. Depression is not just in your head, it is real, it is serious, and it can be treated. When it comes to mental health, it is important to be educated and unbiased. A mental illness can happen to anyone, anywhere.

Good Things are Happening

This has been a very busy week, as most seem to be these days.  Today when I had a chance to reflect on this week I have much to be thankful for.  I feel that I have accomplished a lot of good things this week which make me a better person and one step closer to achieving this year's goals.

1/ A group of us participated in a practice conditioning test to open the week on Sunday, and it went very well for everyone.  I have confidence in my conditioning level and also have a defined plan to get better in certain areas to be in a good position for black belt testing this fall.

2/ I participated in standard first aid training which is a black belt requirement and now have a new skillset to add for myself and family.

3/ I participated in an event with a local volunteer group, "The Healing Seed" and we were able to feed 150 stranded people who were affected by the forest fires in Northern Alberta.  It was a great experience.

It was a good training and personal development week.  Have a great long weekend!!

Allan Gamble
Student Member
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain, AB 

Catch Ups

I have no insights or deep thought, fears, injuries, or triumphs to share with you this week. Instead I have a confession.

In my UBBT goals I have fallen behind in two goals right from the start and have not made much of an effort to catch up on them; one of them is my Chin Ups and the other is Acts of Kindness. I am not behind so much that either of the goals is beyond achieving but I am behind in them. So during this weekend I am going to get caught up on my chin ups and also make them part of my daily work out, so that I will not fall behind in the future.

I will continue on with the Acts of Kindness as I have been, as I do not fall further behind, but have been make small gains each week and I don’t believe it is something that a person can get caught up on like chin ups.

If you want to know I am only behind 119 Chin Ups and 65 Acts of Kindness to date.

Greg Wiebe

Stony Plain, AB, Canada

www.silentriverkungfu.com

Motivation

I have been back for over a week now and yet I still don't feel back in the groove yet. My motivation is a little lacking right now but I need to get it up in a hurry as the Black Belt Test is coming soon.

Kevin Lindstrom
Student UBBT Member
UBBT 8
Onoway Alberta Canada

Recovery

I am in a constant struggle with myself. Patience and progressing wisely and pushing myself and training hard. I am starting to realize that I can still do both but I will admit to a bit of an ego that is holding back my recovery. I enjoy being a woman who can play hard. I like sparring, take downs and grappling. There is a part of me that is proud of the bumps and bruises I've gotten along the way. I didn't mind being the only woman in the San Shou class, even though it meant I got my butt handed to me most days. I always felt like if there was something that a lot of people were worried about doing I should jump in head first; I think in a way I am always trying to prove myself. I don't know if it's because I thought if I didn't I would be perceived as weaker or softer, and for some reason, to me, that was a fate worse than death.

So now I'm paying the price for my stupidity. I have continued to train in a way that has further aggravated my injuries. I'm between a rock and a hard place. It's take it easy or nothing. The first thing to change has to be my attitude. I have to stop seeing things I can't do as a weakness, I have plenty of great examples at the kwoon of people who train hard around injuries or limitations. I need to be creative- learning new ways to get the most out of my training while listening to my body. I will focus on the aspects of my training that I can push myself and make those the best they can be.

I have finally started a supplement regime for my joints and I am crossing my fingers that I will see results. Being forced to slow down has changed my perception of myself and those who train around me also coping with injuries or limitations. I will stop seeing these things as weaknesses, rather as an opportunity to focus and gain strength in other areas. Here's to recovery!

Andrea Prince

training

Not too much to blog about today, just a comment on how much I appreciate training; it keeps me focused, helps me remain calm. I had some ups and downs today and for awhile was so angry I wasnt sure I could even go to class and be able to leave life outside the kwoon. But, as always, I got there, was distracted and enjoyed myself. Thanks guys.
Krysta Lowery student UBBT silent river kungfu

Pizza!

In this moment, as I type, I am well-fed, content, and happy much like Garfield the cat when he devours his favorite lasagna. My tummy filling deliciousness didn't come from lasagna, it was pizza and it's been a long time coming. Now this might seem strange because the first thought might be "well just order a pizza or go out for one, or hey, check the frozen aisle in Superstore there's pizza there." For me that's a no-can-do because it's difficult to get an oh-so-yummy pizza that's dairy-free. Until today. For the record, I have tried cheese-less pizzas, but something was missing (ya think?), and even with cheese-less the pizza quality is just not there (again, ya think?) and some places use pizza sauce that contains Parmesan cheese so that's really a no-go.

Truthfully the words dairy-free and pizza sound like the biggest oxymoron in Italian history, but not any more. I have found a non-dairy, non-soy, non-GMO, gluten-free "cheese" made by a Canadian company called Daiya. Flavors are mozzarella, cheddar, and pepperjack. All are good and here's the bonus: they melt!! Is Daiya an exact substitute for real cheese? No because no one can duplicate the cow's handiwork when it comes to making the real thing. However, this is as close as it comes in both taste and performance and for me and my dairy allergy this is a grand moment in time.

So for supper I made pizza from scratch, crust and all. Homemade crust with marinara sauce and oregano leaves topped with Black Forest ham, and pineapple and because we couldn't decide which "cheese", put all three. The pizza was then baked on my stone at 550 F to give a nice puffy crust (firm on the bottom) and a layer of "cheese" that melted over the top. It's been over 4 years since I've had a decent pizza until tonight. Life is truly grand and I'm savoring it!

Oh yes, training. Back on track and have found that switching the order/time when I do certain things helped a lot in both circadian rhythm and flow. Since my spear has been tipped, there are new challenges that align itself with that from snagging the ground to whacking myself and everything between until I get the center figured.

As for right now, blog is done and I'm back to my pizza savoring meditation.

Sherri Donohue
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain, Alberta

Training really does make you stronger!

Where am I? What am i doing?
My work has pushed me into areas of growth that I would have left alone if I had a choice. I have not only stood up to a bully, I have grown into the supervisor that I have always dreamed of being. It started out as a self protection type of response to the bully and turned into a stronger more confident way of presenting myself. How is this related to my training? Without my training, I think that I would have given up before I started. Throughout my challenges and personal growth, I continually reminded myself where I was and what I was doing. My self talk contained phrases that included, what doesn't kill you, will make you stronger! I really had to dig deep and face some of my biggest fears. A few peps talks from my favorite Sifu to face these things head on and I was good to go.
I now face all challenges head on, instead of avoiding and waiting until I had to. I used my training sessions to draw strengths from. Each time I practiced, participated or taught, I felt stronger and more capable than the day before. I used that strength to face the things that I would rather have avoided.
I am currently preparing for our annual tournament, The Tiger Challenge. It is something that I used to face with a bundle of nerves and a dread that is not easy to admit. I was worried about what people would think of my performance and would I measure up. This year I am focusing on my practice and improving each time that I perform. I am looking forward to challenging myself and seeing what everyone else is going to contribute. I am sure there will be some nerves on the morning of the tournament but I am confident that once we get going, I will learn more about myself and how I perform under pressure. That's the whole point of challenges, right?
Robyn Kichko
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, AB, Canada

Thoughts

The weather has warmed up finally, and I am looking forward to spending more time outside. I love practicing Kung Fu in the grass, as I feel a closer connection to my chi and to the earth. Kung Fu outside reminds me of the fragility of and the fine balance of the earth. I am always amazed at the transformation that occurs and how quickly the earth turns green. Spring is a time of rebirth, and it never fails to soothe my soul.

9th post

Okay April was a write off when it came to a number of things. I was really working hard on the form that I have developed for the tiger challenge performance and as a result the numbers for mu long koon are pitifull. In addition it was year end for two business that my husband and I have, not to mention our personal taxes. I am NOT a bookkeeper (don't understand why anyone would want to be) but as a part owner well the overtime was ridiculous. But that is all over now, thank god!

The toughest part is this ... the blogging. I have to apologize to my team for dropping the ball on the blogging as this is a non-negotiable requirement and this is only my 9th post. For a woman who talks as much as I do its kind of odd that blogging is such an issue. I love reading everybody elses ... it just seems that what I have to say is sort of mundane. I kept thinking of things to share and just never had time at work to get to the computer and actually put my thoughts in order to write down all these brilliant insights that I had. So now that I have a moment here goes.

Brilliant thought number one ... Apathetic Canadians ... think your vote doesn't make a difference ... everyone needs to google the canadian tax payers federation ... lots of information out there that will get your dander up. Don't just talk about it over coffee or beer, send letters & emails to your representatives. There is some really stupid stuff that our government does that as a canadian citizen you have an obligation to protest. I personally was really pleased to see that the green party got a seat. Not here in AB but still its a small step forward.

Brilliant thought number two ... the diet tracking had a huge benefit for me and my husband ... both of us lost some pounds and have really enjoyed stepping up our game for healthy cooking and much better meal planning. We have continued to limit our junk food days to Friday which deals with junk food cravings but still keeps you on the straight and narrow for the rest of the week.

Brilliant thought number three ... creating a form ... even a small one really makes you think about what you are doing with your martial arts. It adds a whole new dimension to practicing techniques and forms. It makes you logic out actions and responses ... you come to understand what works for you and what dosen't. It identifies all your short comings in application and comprehension of various techniques and sequences. So take a form, any form, and analyze it ... what was the attack ... what various techniques could you use to respond ... how do you think the technique is beig applied? Take notes ... I developed a philosophy and reasoned out my form numerous times as I reworked and perfected It. The process was scary and exciting, I believe the phrase kids use is it was a rush. Once you have done that I think it would be totally cool to take the form you studied and turn it into a correographed fight performance. I will bring this up at the next ubbt meeting, I think it would be alot of fun.

Thanks to Sifu Freitag and Sifu Rybak for feedback and tweeking on my form ... very much appreciated.

Dreams

(I almost didn’t post this)

Before I started this blog I was thinking about this reoccurring dream or nightmare that I have been having. (I’m not sure which one it is yet) I have this same dream/nightmare at least once or twice a week. Not every aspect of the dream is identical but it is of the same theme, just some parts are more active or vivid. The last time I had this dream/nightmare the more detailed part was the “written test part” where everything I would write down would be wrong, it did not mater if I knew the right answer it would be wrong when I put it down on paper, sometimes it is the “physical fitness” part and I wake up, sweat socked and panting for breath, or sometimes it’s the “forms part” where I am trapped in a perpetual loop doing all of the forms that I know all at once at the same time, so the forms are all jumbled up into one. Sometimes it’s not like anything that I have described or could even come close to describing in words.

If you haven’t guessed it yet, this reoccurring dream/nightmare is about the up and coming Black Belt Test that I will be taking in October.

After writing this I have decided that this dream is defiantly a NIGHTMARE.

Greg Wiebe

Stony Plain, AB, Canada

www.silentriverkungfu.com

Time is at a Premium

Very busy week with work, yard work, and training.  Balancing work, life, and training is a good challenge for 2011.  Have a great week!

Allan Gamble
Student Member
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain, Alberta

Past Due

Last week I did not want to write a blog, since I had nothing to write about, other then the same boring thing that is written over and over again. “Training is going good, keeping up on my numbers, and so on and so on.”

I knew last week that not writing a blog was just putting off the inevitable, because I would have to write one sooner or later. Now I have to write two this week.

I know this seems like a copout but this is the first one for this week.

Greg Wiebe

Stony Plain, AB, Canada

www.silentriverkungfu.com

I Love The Frogs

This week it's back to "business" both in torching and in training as well as finding a flow on how to put the two together with emphasis on the word "flow". That I'm sure will iron out as I experiment on which parts of my training to insert where.

Today was the first day back on the torch making horses since the show. My mojo was "off" a bit, however how the horses come out is how they come out despite what my intentions are. It's very humbling to let the art happen or let the art flow through me and not try to control it as control does not work (trust me on this one). As I looked at my last horse before putting it in the kiln, I laughed at its disheveled mane. My horses make me laugh and that's a good thing.

I was using a color called Blue Caramel for two of my horses. This color is my new favorite color, but it wasn't before. You see, Blue Caramel is famous for leaving a thick layer of yellow deposit from all the silver it contains. I thought this was how it was supposed to look until a more seasoned glass artist told me to acid etch the piece and that I would be amazed at what was underneath. The piece went from "yellow poo" to an absolutely stunning array of greens, blues, and yellows. I got to thinking about what else (training included) is absolutely stunning once the "poo" is pealed off? Be willing to make the adjustment to peel off the "poo".

The more earth-shattering discovery made this week was when Dennis and I made the executive decision to turn off the air purifier that sits beside the cockatiel cage. The air purifier does siphon the feather dust from the birds, but it's noisy and when we shut it off, we realized how noisy it was and decided to leave it off. As I blog I am listening to the frogs in my and my neighbor's dugouts. I can also hear the summer birds sing. I truly love hearing the frogs and birds and am willing to drag the vacuum cleaner out more often so that I can enjoy nature's symphony. I guess this was another instance where the "poo" was peeled off.

Sherri Donohue
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain, Alberta

hand shoes

I had a great workout today. I haven't run in over a year, trying to give my feet a rest. I got myself some funky shoes, vibram five finger toe shoes, and I ran in them today. I am very happy with how the run went, my feet didn't hurt and I can see a noticeabledifference in my cardio. Running has always been a struggle for me, so it's a good day. Worked on forms with a partner and got a ton of great feedback and things to work on.

I injured my elbow last Friday so, yet again, my arms are resting. Still feels like there are nothing but setbacks with gaining upper body strength. Push ups and pull ups are part of the black belt grading, so I will have to get creative because right now I am at zero for both.

The ice has melted off the lake and although I will need to wear a full wetsuit with water shoes and a neoprene hat, there is a possibility of going windsurfing tomorrow for the first time this season. It's a good day.

Andrea Prince

Back

I got back from my holidays yesterday after flying all night. I decided to go to class last night instead of catching up on sleep and I’m glad I did. It was nice to be back and it was nice to see my “other” family again. I missed you guys but I’m back now.

Kevin Lindstrom
Silent River Kung Fu
Onoway, Alberta, Canada
UBBT 8

Mental Health Week

I got this from the Canadian Mental Health Association. Last week was National Mental Health Week...

"Some simple ways to practice mental fitness

It's not difficult! Below we suggest a few healthy practices that can be easily integrated into your daily life. The idea is that a lot of small, concerted actions can add up to a significant overall effect. Apply some of these ideas on a regular basis and you'll find yourself feeling rejuvenated and more confident.

Learn how to cope with negative thoughts: Negative thoughts can be insistent and loud: don't let them take over. Distract yourself or comfort yourself if you can't solve a problem right away. Try seeing the issue from all sides rather than from just one point of view.
Be in the present: When you're out for a walk or socializing, turn off the cell phone and take in all the sights and sounds around you. Smell the roses!
"Collect" positive emotional moments: Make a point of thinking about those times when you've felt pleasure, comfort, tenderness, confidence or other positive emotions.
Enjoy hobbies: A hobby helps bring balance to your life. You're doing something because you want to, rather than because you have to. No pressure. It's a form of mental stimulation too.
Treat yourself well: It could be a good meal, a bubble bath, a movie, or just sitting in the park enjoying nature. Small daily treats have a cumulative effect.
Get exercise: Regular physical activity is good for the mind. It can even reduce depression and anxiety. Joining an exercise group or gym is even better because it connects you with others."

Happy Mother's Day!

My daughter wrote me a poem and apologized for the lack of rhyme, I let her know (with a tear in my eye) that rhyming didn't really matter.
Here it is:
I've known your love since
I was hours old. Now I
bear myself the awesome duty,
or returning your love, not just today
but everyday. The love you
feel for me is always here in
My heart.
by Katie Kichko

Life doesn't get any better that this.
Until next week, work hard and have fun
Robyn Kichko
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, AB, Canada

Forms Seminar

I had a great opportunity last Saturday to attend our annual forms seminar.  The form I chose to work on was Lao Gar, which I really enjoy.  The atmosphere, direction, and feedback that we all received from our Sifus was excellent.  The improvement that you can achieve by dedicating a few hours to a specific form is amazing.  It was a great week.  This week finds us away visiting relatives, but offers a great opportunity to work on conditioning activities.

Allan Gamble
Student Member
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain, Alberta

achieving a goal

Today I was promoted to sihing; I'm excited, nervous, scared....the list goes on. But I wanted to thank my team first, cause its you who have pushed me, challenged and trained with me to get me this far. (And nagged....you know who you are,lol). See you in class for the official nagging instead of unofficial...and thanks!!
Krysta Lowery silent river kungfu student ubbt

busy

Lots of kung fu this week, I have really increased the amount of training I'm doing everyday now that I'm out of school. My body is certainly feeling it! I attended the forms seminar on Saturday and finally learned the rest of lao gar, it's been a long time coming. It was a really positive experience and I was really impressed with the caliber of everyones forms when it came time to perform. I look forward to getting the nuances of the form now that I know all the moves. I am trying out a pre workout supplement recommended by a fellow student and I will continue to read the book about inflammation that I bought and never got to finish. Hopefully I can find some solutions to help me with my shoulders and wrists and regain some ground with all things upper body. I got myself some shoes and I will attempt to run again, hopefully the new shoes will help support my feet as the foot issues I've had have not resolved themselves with rest. All in all it's been a great start to the month.

Andrea Prince

After The Event

The Mane Event was a huge success for me with a couple of surprising results. First surprise was the popularity of my turtles and the second was how many requests I had for donkeys and mules (guess what I get to make next) and third was the like minds that I encountered. At first glance one might say that "Duh! You were at a horse show, of course it was all like minds." Yes, but I'm not talking about the common interest in the equine species, I'm talking about people who are also into energy medicine and raw foods who appeared.

After the show I always reflect what worked, what didn't and what I would improve for next time or show. Not much for improvement for the show itself, besides making donkeys and mules, but for my hydration status while doing the show. Aside from the water I have at my booth, I will also include both hydrating and satiating foods that are nutritionally dense. Diced tomato and avocado sprinkled with sea salt and pepper comes to mind. Shows can be quite dehydrating and I really dislike having to deal with super chapped lips.

Now that I know the popularity of my horse pendants (almost sold out), I can plan better for the next show by starting the production process now. Also by doing this I can avoid the pre-show panic and slot in more time for training and not feel like I'm "robbing Peter to pay Paul" type thing. Yes I admit that April was not the stellar month for training. However, it's what I do with this insight that counts.

So now as I head into May, my plan is to be more balanced in glass work and training rather than living at the extremes of the scales. Even though April was more unbalanced, it's a vast improvement from where I came from so I am making progress.

One last thing: I found my source for blue-green algae and a good anti-inflammatory at the horse show. Sounds odd, doesn't it? Not really. Horses are commonly treated holistically for joint pain and inflammation as well as being well supplemented. Companies with such products also carry a human version and/or give human dosages. Works for me.

Sherri Donohue
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain, Alberta

forms seminar

This weekend I had the privilege of attending the forms seminar put on by our school. It was a pretty good turn out I think, although I'm sure all the black belts would like to see more people utilizing this resource. I kinda wish I could do a one-on-one for an hour every weekend till I got through all my forms, just to see what else I need to work on! I took on an ambitious form that I hadnt learned yet, and did get halfway through it. The hardest part is always the performance at the end, and the critique. I did learn alot about the forms done by my classmates; knowing the form made it easy to see where I could improve by the critique they were given, so I am grateful for that. The part I found amusing was the scoring and the winner; to be honest, I never heard a single score, I was just waiting to run off the stage; and apparently I wasnt the only one! Some things I learned besides the technical stuff; I hate being up in front of audiences. I dont take criticism well. I dont take compliments well either. I love the spear. Profound? No.
Krysta Lowery, silent river kungfu, UBBT student

Bits and Pieces

I continue to be on a training high, it seems like each time that I do a form or technique, I discover something new to try, to improve, to fix. I Love It. In all the classes that I attended this week, I learned a little something that I could take away to my training. We had our annual forms seminar yesterday and now I have a whole arsenal of things that I need to pay attention to. They all have to do with the six harmonies and getting my hips and shoulders to work together. I am looking forward to spending some time alone to process all that I learned yesterday and figure out how to put it into practice. I am not sure yet how to listen to my whole body at the same time but I am sure that I can figure it out.
Until next week, work hard and have fun.
Robyn Kichko
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, AB, Canada