Nervous

This time tomorrow I will know if I I'm leading our great Town into the future or supporting the new Mayor and Council. This election is whole lot different the the last two I went through. 2007 and 2010, I ran for Council, there where six seats available for Council. Which means I only needed to get more votes then the seventh candidate and I would have won a seat. This time, it's for all the marbles, having to resign from council to run for the Mayoral seat is scary. There is not a seat for second place, I have to finish first. As the time closes in many thoughts are running through my head, have I done enough during the campaign to win? Have I done enough during my 4 1/2 years on council to deserve to be the Mayor? Have I done enough for my community to get the support from the residents? Have I ..... ? This night will the similar to the whole week, little to nervous to sleep very much. It's hard the settle my brain down enough so I can sleep. I'm hoping to win tomorrow but if I don't, it's not the end of the world. I would be extremely disappointed but I have so many other wonderful gifts in my life. I'm feeling pretty good physically and my eye seems to be better the last few days, not as red and the pain is not as frequent and I have gained all my weight back. I'm going to start tracking my numbers again. I haven't tracked anything since my surgery (my next appointment with the specialist is on May 15 and I don't know if I can wait that long), just doing enough to keep me from deteriating to much in my training. I'm going to need a lot of help getting everything up to par...anyone volunteers? I'm going to try to do 500 pushups and situps tomorrow (yes sifu Kichko, I'm going slow). It's late enough, let's see if I can get a few hours of sleep tonight. Sihing Choy

go fly a kite

My daughter found a dragon kite this weekend--and instead of sleeping, my partner took her out to learn how to fly it. (I did go too.) It was a relaxing couple of hours, watching is very mesmorizing, and she was thrilled to be getting the hang of flying it--and learning how it related to what she just learned in science! The next day, when we were chatting about the day, she mentioned what a great day Sunday was. I was surprised how that small interlude of time had made such an impression. (The rest of the day we had been watching lacrosse, shopping--all stuff she hates.) But that hour and a half of focused attention, doing something fun but not 'required' had completely changed her attitude about the day. And I have to wonder sometimes if all the things we do are really so important. (As all the alarm bells go off in my head--but I have so much to do for work/UBBT/kungfu/family...) Maybe we should just go fly a kite once in a while. Or play in the dirt. Rescue worms. Wait--am I teaching my children or they teaching me?
As I watched that kite it struck me too, that my daughter is that kite--she's starting to spread her wings and try to fly. She's getting the hang of it--crashing off and on, and so far she still letting me guide her, but as she pulls higher and higher, sooner or later she'll gone, flying free. She'll make a lovely dragon...

The White Is Gone

The sun is shining (or it was a minute ago), the white is gone (for today) and the leaves are ready to burst.  Finally!  I have just come in from cutting lawn, not that there is a lot to cut right now, but I was desperate for a fix.    Every year there is somewhat of a contest with our neighbors as to who gets their lawn mower out first. As of today we win!  It’s kind of goofy, it’s not like there is a prize or anything, just an unspoken neighbourhood quirk.

 Honestly, for me, yard work is therapeutic.  When things seem crazy or I just need some quiet time, the best thing for me is outside in the yard.  The best smell in the world in fresh cut grass.  The best sounds are kids laughing, frogs chirping and birds singing.  That’s the make of a great day!  I think we each need to find those things that we truly enjoy, those things that rejuvenate us and give us peace.   We need to see the value in these things, to realize that we don’t always need to have an end product to show that we actually accomplished something.  When we take the time to do things we enjoy, I think we are happier and do a better job on the things we need to do.  Everyone needs to take that time to draw, go fishing, go for a motorcycle ride or even go mow the lawn, the sky is the limit!

Alana Regier

And Back to the Grind!

Last Friday I attended the I Ho Chuan class, and I definitely benefited from it. Starting at the beginning of April, my focus switched from being on both Kung Fu and Powerlifting, to predominately Powerlifting (as I geared up for nationals). After Nationals, my focus switched to studying for exams, and ensuring that I did well and finished strong in this semester. Now, with no national competitions and exams, I began to switch my focus back to where it's required now: Kung Fu (and powerlifting still).

Attending the I Ho Chuan class definitely switched my focus and passion back onto Kung Fu (along with providing a nice hour long interlude to my work shift). I'll admit that I was embarrassed and a little ashamed at forgetting portions of Mlong Kuen, and I felt that my technique was horrible. However, along with that, I am also excited, as it has given me a little "checkpoint/waypoint," and now I'm able to conduct training at a more committed and stronger pace. I'm also excited with this weather, as I'll be more mobile (i.e. not getting stuck in my driveway) and also able to train more often with my spear.

Cheers,

Sifu Joe Harrigan

Healthy Meals #4

Another healthy meal, this one is a meal my family likes to have a lot.

Steak and potatoes Healthy style

4 to 8 oz of New York strip loin (it is one of the meat with the least amount of fat on it)
Brussels sprouts( if you do not like brussel sprout then maybe have spinach instead cooked or not it good either way, and if you don't like them, then start liking more vegetable they are good for you) 

Asparagus
Mushrooms
Onions
Beets (the beets are optional, because every time we have this meal my Dad has beets, but I don't like beets)

Baby potatoes (put a little bit of butter on them and add spices it really makes a difference.)

Spices like usual Mrs. Dash

I do not specify how much for the vegetables and potatoes, because the amount for me changes every time, I never really have the same meal twice. Also same with the spices. I personally do not measure anything, when it comes to cooking. This meal is simple, and maybe you have already had it before, but it's a healthy meal.   

Sihing Langner

Adaptable

I was going to post this week about how I had changed my approach to completing my daily requirements. That by making slight adjustments I had continued on without a hiccup. Well that was last week and this is now. This week didn’t work out as I had planned and really left me tired and frustrated. So starting again tomorrow I have put together another approach to meet my requirements and still keep up my end of the work load around the house with the family. I guess all I can say is adaptability is key to overcoming any obstacle and that’s what keeps me searching for that perfect balance on all fronts. I am definitely excited to see how the next few weeks play out and now that the weather is getting so much nicer am ready to spend some time outside practising again. Oh and sleep is sooo overrated…. Sifu Bryant

I've got blisters on me fingers

It felt good to be swinging the old Kwan Dao around on Friday. An hour is a long time to be swinging it around, I've got some wicked blisters on my thumbs. I felt like I made a lot of progress in the last I Ho Chuan class. Unfortunately I've forgotten a fair bit of my old form. I've been trying to piece it together with mixed results. I think I've got about 65 percent of it back but there's still a lot of gaps.

So far my approach has been to just try and remember moves but now I think I'm just going to remodel the form. Instead of worrying about remembering every detail I can take this opportunity to recreate it. The positive side of this is I can cut out some of the stuff I didn't like as much and make the form shorter. It was a bit too long before. The forgotten parts are mostly the in between moves. I remember most of the highlights.

I've definitely lost a lot of finesse with the weapon. It will take me a lot more practice to get my strength and control back to where it used to be. The expansion is going to be a lifesaver for me to get more practice time in.

The Journey

Feb/12 - i wrote this shortly after getting my black belt and was afraid that i was talking about it too much so i didn't publish it. today, it seems like the right time to do it.
A funny thing happened on my way to getting my black belt, I was so busy with the journey, I nearly forgot what I was going for. It may sound a little hard to believe but it is indeed true. Someone really smart always used to tell me that it is about the journey and once I completely understood that, then I would be ready. Of course, at the time I nodded my head and thought, no I WANT my black belt! I continued to train and believe in my really smart mentor and I began to notice that I really enjoyed training and I could see all kinds of changes happening. My thoughts were changing, my approach was changing and my skill level was improving. Once I immersed myself in that process, the end goal seemed less and less important.
So a couple of things have happened this week that brought me to this reflection. I opened my bag to ensure that I had everything that I needed for class and was surprised to see my black belt laying there, it was only a second but it was noticeable to me. Then I was thinking about extra training at the kwoon and my thought process was, first of all we will need a black belt, followed quickly by Oh Yeah, that's me. Then I was with a group of people about to embark on a training session, when I suddenly realized that I was the black belt in charge. All of these little instants have led me to the realization that I continue to be focused on my journey and I am no where near the end goal.
I think that I major part of my change in focus has been being a student member of the UBBT for the last couple of years and now the I Ho Chuan team. I just continued on with my training, I tallied my numbers on Dec.31 and began again on Jan.01. I think that I am now hard wired to set goals and work towards them every day. When I run into obstacles, I just figure away around them and keep going. Years ago, I remember all of the ' I can't ' statements that used to run through my head each day and now I look for solutions first.

Mar/12 - then i wrote this and again questioned whether or not i should share my thoughts and feelings, today i want to remind myself that i am on the right track
I often wondered what it would feel like to be a black belt and I had a difficult time imagining it. Now that I am here, I know that it feels exactly as it should, Fantastic! I feel like I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing, all the time, every day. Whether I am at the school, the track or at work, I am doing what I am meant to do and it feels pretty good.
I could describe all the incredible things that have been happening but that doesn't quite feel right. So I will leave it at this, if you work really hard to accomplish something, you will reap the rewards! It is totally worth it; the hard work, the self doubt, the struggles it takes to complete requirements everyday, all of it! And it makes you want to continue to work hard so that you continue to reap the rewards from it. It is pretty cool!

I often write my thoughts and feelings down on my blog shortly after they happen so that I can keep track of what was happening for me. Today I went back and reviewed all the drafts that I had and relived one of the best parts of my journey so far. On Jan.31/12, I made a list of all the cool things about the weekend (on the top of the list was the irresistible urge to smile non-stop) I didn't publish it and I probably won't but having it and re-reading it brought back all those wonderful feelings and thoughts. I was a non-believer when I started blogging, but now I can't imagine not thinking out loud (on my blog).
ps
I still can't stop smiling!!!!
:)

For the first part of the week, I was feeling pretty overwhelmed with the many, many things I have going on. As the week went on, I started to feel much better and some of the pressure wore off. Now I only feel moderately overwhelmed. :) The biking has helped my sciatic pain so much that most days I don't feel any pain at all. This has made me feel so very grateful, as being in pain all the time is no fun at all. It is also extremely tiring on the body. I have great empathy for people that live with pain. I am heading away on holidays in a couple weeks, so going to try to do a ton of push ups and ab work before then. I know that I will slip somewhat while on holidays, and getting behind will not be good for me.

Relax, Don't Sweat it.

An unstoppable force meets an immovable object.  That is every spring breakup for me. It is the time of year where the winter work slow down kicks into high gear following break up.  Its the period of time where full steam Kung Fu meets the requirement to feed my family and self with a work schedule that takes me away from home for many days at a time.

This year it is sure to be a collision of astronomic proportion, with the addition of the I Ho Chuan and UBBT.  My nerves are getting shot even thinking about which is going to give.  I come from a long line of worriers, and telling me not to worry so much is like asking you to quit breathing oxygen.  I am fortunate enough, however to not be in this alone.  I had a great discussion with a Sifu today which led to more thinking.....I am going to enjoy  rereading this in December.

Thank you Sifu Regier for your wise advise and wisdom.

finding inspiration

Things are starting to look up towards the end of the week. I was very inspired by watching the the other members of my team preform their weapons forms in class Friday night. Each person brought something of themselves to the form they choose to do so no two forms looked alike. Makes me want to work harder so I don't let them down. I am excited to be a part of this years pandamonium. I think we have hit on something special. We have something to show the community and I for one am proud to be a part of it.My numbers are picking up again, as I feel better, both physically and mentally. That could be because Randy is coming home for a week. God I must sound so sad, a grown woman who can't function without someone to support her. I'm working on it. "The secret of heath for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. -Siddartha Guatama Buddha Linda Shipalesky

It's Good To Be Home.

Our trip to Disneyland was amazing.  I loved being able to spend time with my family in a place that we all enjoy.  The weather was beautiful there, and even when it rained it was still hot outside, so it was perfect.  We got a lot done in the time that we were there and I got a lot of walking in =)  And yes, I cried the last night because I didn't want to leave.

But, now it's back to the grind.  We're coming up to a brand new month with the kids classes and I'm setting a goal for myself to always be in the moment and teaching with my full potential.  I also want to try a bit of a different method for how we are approaching striping the kids this month, Sifu Brinker and I had a discussion about it today, and I'm very hopeful that it's going to turn out better than ever.

Pandamonium is also coming up.  I'm planning on being there all day starting at 9:00 for the kids classes.  I plan on being able to help wherever I can with everything.  I have an extremely good feeling about the way we're doing things this year.  I think that it'll be a lot of fun.

All Over the Place....

I use this blog as a way to release and for me to bring forward what is taking place in my life. With that I can focus on what requires attention to assist in my growth and journey. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot to work on, but starting this post I found my mind only firing on a couple cylinders and not knowing which direction to head!

I read the previous posts from fellow teammates, which I shouldn't do prior to writing my own because it doesn't help me focus on my individual thoughts. However, just to clear the air, I regretfully missed the polls on Monday, I had to head to Drumheller for work early that morning. My 21 speed bike is ready......for the past couple years my shifters had been acting up, which made biking in certain area a little dangerous, so off to United Cycle a couple days ago, and picked em up...installed them and they work great, so I'm looking forward to getting this thing on the road. There's also the required time on my Shadow, also important:), which I must add, I recently serviced and is ready for me! The lawn was looking like it could have used a de-thatching before this morning, so last night I drove it into the garage and serviced it...Alana and Brandon are already fighting over the seat for this season.

Most of my kung fu and Death Race training may take place in Brooks this summer. I just got word from the office that Brooks may be my central point of work this year. So, I'm entertaining the thought of buying a second house, renting or just dragging our RV trailer down. This will present another challenge again this year, not really a change from my past years, just a different one! I've always said that all the change and uncertainties in my life assist in my growth, so, being stationed in Brooks can only be a good thing...just a matter of what I do with this opportunity.

Darcy Regier

Graditude

We had some sad news this week ... my cousin Kim who is 47 passed away. He was an epiliptic and suffered with grand mal seizures his whole life. One of those seizures finally did him in. The hubby and I are driving home and the radio is talking about what would be the title of a biography about the lives of some of the famous people in the world. Now admitedly they are trying to be funny and picking all kinds of strange titles for some of the more eccentric famous people in the world. My husband asked me what would be the title of my biography and what popped to mind was a line from a song (it might be the title not sure) 'Lovin Every Minute of It'. Despite any whinning that I may do, or the struggles that I have faced, in reality my life has been blessed. One of my personal requirements this year is writing down 5 things to be grateful for everyday, it really makes you appreciate all the little things that make your life worthwhile. So Kim I am grateful that you have been in my life for the past 47 years, I am grateful for the opportunity to understand eplipsy and the impact it can have on life, I am grateful for the opportunity to see a person overcome a challenge like this, I am grateful for the opportunity to share my grief with others on my blog, and I am grateful that writing this allows me to grieve/cry for someone who is loved and will be missed.

Sifu Beckett

Another day

Pretty much at a loss for words this week although I did have a chance to recollect and get my thoughts and training back on track. The large load I was once carrying, and dropping things all over the place, is substantially lower and much more managable with of course that bit of difficult to keep the challenge up. I have managed to spend some really cool times with my wife and my daughter which have been really lacking and it felt so good to get caught up. Outside of family other things are now alot more managable and running smooth. It has worked out quite well actually because I am able to help out at Silent River and still get my training in and all things outside of it all. I don't know but I find the closer in touch I am with the kwoon the more motivated and focused I am in my training, I just feel better about everything and everything around me. Work is pretty cool as of late, I am on the tools and connecting steel at a quick pace, which is where I sort all my problems 8" flange to work off of , 40' in the air, and a fast crane. Life is good and Kung Fu rules. Later.
Mr.Chervenka

Politics...

Forgot to post this, but this is where my brain was Monday... It's election day, and I'm currently trying to finish my research on the represented parties in my district. After reading platforms, promises and mud slinging comments, I'm jaded. Politics had never been a passion of mine, but I've recently figured out that there are things important to me that are heavily affected by all this government mumbo jumbo and brewhaha. So, I'm doing my homework. And I'm jaded about the whole thing.

Canada: Really Big Country to the North

The title comes from the map that was in the Denver airport. It was a big map of the US with "Really Big Country to The North" and "Warm Tropical Weather to the South". Both Sihing Lowery and I found it amusing, but alas, didn't get a picture of it. Next time.

The other amusing part of our weekend was when the course was over and we were packing up my stuff, a couple of the tech crew walked by with one of them saying "I wish someone would just dropkick me in the head". Both Krysta's and my heads swiveled around with "I can do that!!" (he didn't hear us though). It was funny how we both had the same reaction at the same time and then went on to discuss as to whether the flying scissors would first be better to take him off balance or should one of us just do a roundhouse and be done with it. It was amusing.

The course was called Rock Your Prosperity and it rocked in so many ways on so many levels and as a result I got a whole heart full of tools, aha's, and clarity. My focus with this course was my glass art and now I have some much clearer direction. I tuned into what my genius is and I can have more than one thing to be genius at. Right now it's glass and it goes deeper than that, my genius is about my creativity and expression, which I do through my glass, my Kung Fu, and my cheffing.

I also got clear as to my big "why" for following my passion. The big "why" usually springs from having pain during a time in one's life. For me my why stems from being very censored and suppressed so my why is to freely express myself and because I am doing that gives permission for others to do the same.

On the flip side, there is the "why not", the reason as to why my butt may not be in gear. My "why not"? I have to be perfect. Talk about a setup for total failure! Punt perfect and insert excellence, or better yet, mastery. I think there is a poem written about mastery......

Specifically pertaining to my glass art, I learned about and discovered my Target Tribe, who they are, what they do, what they wear, what they believe in.  Right now my Target Tribe is a reflection of me and my many facets. With the Target Tribe discovery I will be taking a close contemplation for shows and see which fit my Target Tribe. FYI: the Mane Event horse show that I'm going to this weekend does. Yay!

So what's next? I have made a heart decision to plunk my butt on the line for The Quantum Leap intensive program that is starting in the fall. The momentum is going and I want to keep it going with acceleration. For the first time I have rock solid confidence that the path I am on is my path and I am doing what I have been put on this planet to do. What a feeling!
Sherri Donohue

1 week to go

Tonight we had the all candidates forum for the Town by-election. It was a packed house, this surprised me. I thought wTith all the hype of the provincial election people would have had their full share of politics. This goes to so you how much community pride and involvement is in Stony Plain. I was nervous at first still need to work on my public speaking skills but they are a lot better then 2007 when I ran for council. As the evening went on to the question and answer period, I got more comfortable and felt good. Hoping to get elected on May 01. Looking forward to this h Council to run for Mayor but it fells like a long time. If anyone is interested you can check out my website to see my platform. www.wix.com/williamchoy/williamchoy If you like what you see and support me, please tell everyone you know in Stony Plain got out and vote for me. May 01, let's get the social media buzz trending that day #choy4mayor Another thought, my iPad can copy and paste to the I Ho Chaun blog, I need to copy my post before posting, then paste it to the other blog site. I guess my purchase of an iPad is validated :) until I try to do some excel and word projects. Went to see the optometrist on Monday, my left eye is great, the preventative lasering to the back of my will prevent it from ever detaching (yeah!). My right eye, the one that had the tear, is healing and with the scleral buckle and lasering the chances of it tearing is very unlikely but not 100% for sure. The gas bubble is all gone but the healing is slow. My eye gets really red when I do anything that adds extra pressure to my eye. Today at Kung fu, we where practicing our knife defense and after a few minutes Mr. Bouchard was kinda queered out with my red eye. Needed to take a breather. Looking forward to end of the election and my eye healing so I can start focusing back on my Kung fu journey. Thank you for all the support from my classmates to help me though this.

Biking

I am a little late this week for my weekly blog but here it is. Monday I wrote my bike to Kung Fu and it was awesome. I biked a total of 22 km and when i was biking to kung fu it was day light, and when i went home it was dark. I have never biked that much distance in the dark before, but for me it was two different worlds. when i biked in the day it felt normal, but at night it seem like a whole new place. The streets were quieter, visibility for me was worse, but for some weird reason i bike faster at night. you would think that biking after kung fu it would be harder, but it is strangely easier. When I bike to kung fu I find it really hard, but when I bike home I find it better. Either way when i got home i could not walk and it hurts to stand on my feet. This is something I plan on to keep doing, because I know no matter how much I hate the pain, biking is helping me, and on the side the earth to. Because i am not putting pollution into the atmosphere with my car. It is not a huge thing, but it is something. So I encourage people to bike more often, just because it is all around good. I am know not everyone has the time, but do what you can.

Sihing Langner

Getting my Ks

Sihing Jon Robinson

I started biking everywhere this past week! My plan all along was to get on my bike and pedal everywhere could and luckily my car's starter broke! Now, with no excuse not to, I have racked up 68km in the last 4 days! The best part is that if I am going downtown, I get to carry my bike up the huge river valley steps so that I can get that awesome rubber leg feeling at the top. I'm going to keep biking e everywhere i can even after my car is fixed tonight (fingers crossed). Hoping to get biking to Kung Fu from my place on the west end as well if this rain goes away.

Chin Up, Up, Up

I managed pretty good with my requirements this week despite this silly sciatic nerve thing. The pain was so bad on Friday that I had to leave work. I tried laying on a hard surface for awhile, but it didn't help much. I got tired of just laying there, so went to the gym and hopped on a bike. I was hoping the rotation movement might help pop that disk back in place. It actually worked. I felt a lot better friday night. Last night my friend and I went for a long ride out in the rural area north of Spruce and then did the usual Sunday night hot tub thing. I feel a whole bunch better today. So more biking it is!!

I have decided to add another requirement to my already exceptionally long list. I want to be able to do at least one chin up by the end of the year. I can do the static arm hang for almost 2 minutes, but never been able to do a single chin up. My butt always seems to be far to heavy to lift, and my arms seem far to weak. I know now that it isn't strength in the arms that I need so much as it is strength in the lats.

My friend is helping me to accomplish this. Every time we are at the gym, he sets up the equipment and proper amount of weight and I jump on. He pushes me, cheers me on, and encourages me to do just that 1 or 2 more. I am very pleased and so excited to be able to FINALLY do a chin up.

Rally up for the Pandamonium

This weekend I completed one of my personal requirements. I am glad to get that off the list but it unfortunately took all my time this weekend and I was not able to help with the expansion.
I know I missed out. I recognize the hard work that Sifu Lindstrom and his crew have put in. My contribution has been small by comparison and for that I will have to make up else where.
Next project to tackle is a BBQ event. In particular the Pandamonium outdoor BBQ.
Its going to be challenging as with any of event of this nature, its purely a guess as to how many people will show up for pancakes and what not.
I already have a great group of individuals whom have donated equipment and time but I know I will need more help.
Soon I will have to post on "Kwoon talk" to rally up volunteers who would like to show off their Pancake and Hotdog cooking skills!
I know we may be tapping into the student body volunteer reserve that is probably stretched to the limits already but I am hoping the school will dig deep and make this a great Pandamonium event!

JC Masterson, Silent River Kung Fu, Alberta, Canada

An Eye Opening Evening

Saturday night my family and I had the opportunity to attend a fundraiser for a project through an organization called Heart for Africa.  It started off with silent auction items and a great meal.  Then our oldest son’s youth group provided entertainment of the newest fashions yet to come.  Lastly was a wonderful presentation from Janine Maxwell who is the co-founder for Heart for Africa.  Wow, what a story!  This lady, at one time, ran a huge advertising firm that had accounts with clients such as Kellogs, Disney and Coke.  Her life changed dramatically after being in New York on September 11 and having to be evacuated from her hotel, at the same time having her husband on an American airline to Chicago as the twin towers went down and planes fell out of the sky.   She got home safely with her entire family; however, she was not the same person.  She talked about how she started to question what was important in life and what her purpose was.  And so her journey began. Through a series of events in her life, which included closing her 20 million dollar a year business, is now moving to Swaziland, Africa with her family in 39 days.

 Why does it sometimes take something drastic to happen in our life before we actually realize what is truly important?  We take so many people and things for granted on a daily basis.  As I listened to Janine tell stories of children who she has met over the years working in Africa, my heart broke.  The thousands of children who are orphans, largely due to the spread of HIV, is absolutely staggering.  The video presentation put faces to children and gave just a glimpse of what some of the conditions are like over there.  It is HORRIBLE!  As I sat there listening, I would glance over at our youngest son who was hearing the exact same words and seeing the same pictures, wondering whether this was appropriate for him.  After only a second, I came to the conclusion that it is good for all of us to be aware of what is going on around the world; you certainly can’t depend on only the news for your information.  We may not always like what we hear but unless we are made aware of exactly what is happening, nothing is ever going to change.

 At the end of the evening, talking to our oldest son, who is 14, the first thing he said to me is “I want to go there!”    He read my mind.  That is exactly what I came out of the evening with.   Never underestimate the power of awareness.  Not everyone in the hall that evening is on their way to Africa, but out of approximately 200 people who attended Saturday night’s function; over $38,000.00 was raised for their current project.  As for our family, well we are seriously talking about what we can do and who knows exactly where that will take us…

As our Pandamonium is coming up, it is a good reminder that awareness can make a difference and move people in a variety of ways to help wonderful causes and make a difference in our world.

For anyone interested in information on Heart for Africa, or for their current project called Project Canaan, you can check out their website at www.heartforafrica.org

Alana Regier

Rocking my world

What a weekend! Ms Donahue and I  went to a 'Rock your Prosperity' conference this weekend in Denver Colorado. And it rocked us! This course we've been doing is kinda a self improvement geared towards finding out your genius and helping you show it to the world. I know, sounds kinda corny or like any other thing you've heard, but I have to say as skeptical as I am usually, the leaders were definitely authentic. And they live what they are sharing, you can see it in everything they say and do. And all through the weekend, I kept hearing many things that lined up so much with the Mastery piece we're memorizing--it was in everything! The leaders work alot with energy--Everything is Energy is their business actually. And one thing that reminded me of the UBBT is their teaching on how to move or change in your life, you need to move to a higher vibration--a different vibe than what you currently live in. And to do this, it helps to be around others that are at a higher vibe(I believe the phrase in Mastery is 'surround yourself with friends that expect more of you than you do'). And for a group to grow, there has to be a leader that is at a higher vibe than the group, so they draw the group up to their level. Sounding like UBBT yet? I truely have found in UBBT a group with higher expectations of themselves; that encourage and pull each other up and on to being a better version of ourselves both as people and as martial artists. And Master Brinker holds us all to an even higher place to aim for. And I learned alot about focused meditation ( a goal this year) and how it can help move me up to a higher place--and how if I'm not living or working in a place that resonates with what is really dear to me, what I believe deep in my core, then all kinds of things can manifest. After years of denying what I'm really here to do in my life, pain, sickness, depression, all kinds of things can manifest as you fight or flight constantly with yourself. The body and soul can only take so much after all. I dont want that for myself. I wonder if my winter time depression has to do with that--when summers distractions of the outdoors is gone and I have no way of hiding from the battle in me, that I wasnt really fully aware of, starts trying to be seen and heard. And my desire to be the person I was created to be continues to elude. I hope this weekend starts the process of never being that way again. I'm scared, but I hope it rocks my world!
'All life is energy and we are transmitting it at every moment" Oprah Winfrey

Content vs. Swaziland

First, thanks to those who responded to my last post; its comforting and terrible at the same time to know that others are going through some of the same challenges as myself.....thanks for the support!

I have to say that this last couple days of sun and beautiful weather has lifted me, it has been great to be out working in the yard. I also received a call from the company which I consult for and the Spring work is going to kick off next week....this is part of my bi-annual life balance - it will be great to get back to work.

During my black belt speech, I mentioned being at peace, more specifcally I said, "I was content with my life", which was true, however as I continue to grow I feel I want more, that there is more for me...that I can do more...there is a place that I can serve. This last couple days my family and myself were exposed to the situation in Swaziland, Africa, it was sad, in fact, it was terrible and unbelievable at the same time.

I sit here in our beautiful home, always with food, shelter, family, good health and all the good and fortune that I can imagine. After hearing of the economy (non-existent), the food supply (non-existent), health conditions and disease (plenty) and the abundance of orphaned children due to the dieing population, I was really set back and to be quite honest was ashamed of my ongoing attitude and to be quite honest, ashamed of all I possess, which I take for granted every day.

I'm not feeling as content as I had a few years back. I find even as a adult, it is quite suprising how comments from a 10 year old within the black dragons class or how children clear across the globe can have an immediate impact on my personal being. I have also previously written in a blog, how I feel I have control of my feelings, I still believe that. However, if I'm truly empathic, I will have reactive feelings, its my counter attack (feelings) which I have control of. I'm not sure when my journey will make a turn and I will throw my counter to what has been presented to me these past two days, but the seed has been planted and nourished more than ever......

Darcy Regier

My week

Last week was a good week. I played a few games of squash and it felt fantastic. After an hour and a half of squash on Wednesday I had pretty much worked the stiffness out of my knee. Then my whole body was super sore for the next couple of days, a feeling its missed.

I also found out that we were accepted for a grant I applied for to sponsor the Pandamonium. It should take week or two for the check to make it through accounting and into my hands. I was hoping to have it in time for the Pandamonium but it might be just a little late. Either way we have $500 to put towards the event and the charities.

I was down in Conklin for a day of work and it got in a fair bit of overtime. It was the first time I've been down there. There are some huge plants out in the middle of nowhere, it was strange to see. I slept until one pm yesterday and it felt great.

Gardening

I am looking forward to a gardening season where I have a bit more balance in my schedule so that I can enjoy my hobby. I enjoy digging in the dirt (even if I have to share it with the worms!), planting flowers and trying to make my small part of the world look pretty. I love to sit outside after all the flowers are planted and enjoying the sight and smell of them. My two favorite times are first thing in the morning with a nice cup of tea and a good book and after dinner as the sun sits just over top the houses across the street. I love the hard work, the sweat and fresh air. I could be out there for hours and not even notice the passing of time.

Sick and wanting to kick something

After avoiding the flu and colds everyone else had this winter it finally caught up with me this week. Along with a bad case of" feel sorry for Linda ". When you feel like that things just seem to snowball all around you. Randy was lucky he wasn't here or he would have got the brunt of it.To be honest I am not doing very well adjusting to the single parent life, and there is no one to feel sorry for me.... except of course me .... and I'm doing a bang up job of it. I'm hoping as I start to feel better physically my spirits will lift as well. What about my training you may ask.... Ba humbug. Well tomorrow is a new day... Posted by linda shipalesky at 6:23 PM "Your outlook on life is a direct reflection of how much you like yourself."

marvelous and amazing

This week has been very energizing for me. I have been able to participate and watch some amazing events. First off I got to take my daughter to her dance competition in Fort Saskatchewan this thursday. Her group received a gold and they won the coriography(spelling police check please) award. I know how hard she has been working and practicing and to see the smile on her face was priceless. Next I got to be there when the wall came down at the kwoon. Wow, my hats off the Sifu Lingstrom for having a vision and seeing it through. Totally awesome and very cool to be a part of it. Being able to put a part of myself into the kwoon energizes me and humbles me all at the same time. I get so much from my second home, it's nice to be able to give something back. Spring is here and it is so nice to be able to get outside and do yardwork and forms. My new neighbours are probably wondering who the nut is outside sweating up a storm. All I can say is wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I love spring. Mr. Hamilton

Can't do that with an Ipad?

I finally got onto the I Ho Chaun blog site and tried to copy my post over. No matter how hard I tried to cut or copy my blog, the ipad would not select it. I thought Apple was suppose to be able to do everything. I guess not. In the end, I had to use my PC to copy and paste my past post over to the team blog.........hmmmmm...maybe somebody smater and better with computers create and app for that.

On another note, it was nice to be back in class with all my fellow students. I will still have to take it easy until my eye fully heals. One step at a time.

It's been a while

I attended class this week and it felt good. I'm also feeling frustrated because I want to push myself more but I can't not yet any ways. Ever have that feeling? You want to do something but you can't. I don't really know how to explain that feeling but it's like an unsettling fustration. On May 15 I will see my surgeon again and I will have a better idea of how much I can do. It was nice to play around with the chucks again. I haven't touched them in 6 weeks, I was afraid of hitting my eye and that wouldn't be a very nice sight. I have a lot to work on to get the moves ingrained into my memory and have the feel and technique. Glad that there are few other students practicing the chucks, it's always better the train when you have other people along side. My campaign is going well, meeting with key residents and garnering lots of support. My fear is that since the by-election is only a week after the provincial election the voter turnout will be low and maybe some of my supports will not go out and vote because they just voted last week or they think that I'm getting in and don't go out to vote. I'm just hoping that I can get everyone that supports me to go out and vote on May 1.

Pressure......

Pressure, that seems to be the theme today. I dropped off my nominations papers to run in the by-election. Little nervous and excited at the same time. This next month is going to be busy. The election is on Tuesday May 1 and I would like to ask for everyone's support. I also had laser surgery on my left eye to prevent it from tearing. That was kinda a freaky. As the doctor zapped my eye with the laser, I could hear this snapping sound with a bit of pain in the back of the eye. Glad that is over and my eye should be back to normal in a couple of days :) They checked my right eye, looks like its healing but the pressure is a little high. It measured in at 24 and my left eye which is normal measured in at 14. So this means I still can't do to many activities that add lots of pressure to my eyes. So the pressure is on. I have a mayoral campaign to run, eyes to take care of, an altered training plan that's needs to get ramped up and my personal goals that I need to keep on track. Nothing that I can't handle! Right?! Defineitly not by myself but with help of my family, (especially my wife), friends, classmates, sifu's, and acquantiances I will achieve all my goals.

Burning, burning, burning legs of fire

Went to class on Tuesday, took it easy when I lead warm up so I focused on the legs. It's funny how fast you lose your muscle tone if don't continue to maintain it. As you know I haven't done much of anything the past month with yesterday's warm up and forms practice, my legs are burning to today :) Looking forward to being able to train again in a few weeks. I'm really going to have to focus if I intend to peak at the right time. I'm glad I have some great classmates to help me out

Some bad ...... Some good

With eye injury I haven't been able to do any training but I'm getting in lots of time with my family. Sometimes when life throws a detour in you way, it's best to take it in stride and make the most of you situation. I have been able to met some of my personal goals the past Cooke of weeks. So yah! I am really surprised at the activities that effect your eye in one way or another. For example, Just tapping your feet causes your eye to bounce and drinking water rapidly causes a pressure change in your eyes. Wow. I would have never guessed how interlinked the body is. I am attaching a YouTube video of the surgery I had. After seeing it, I realized why my eye hurt so much for a week. I'm just having the laser part done to my left eye to prevent it from tearing and my recovery time should only be a couple of weeks. Looking forward to training again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YftCbXIw11k&feature=youtube_gdata_player Even with this set back I'm positive about my situation. It could always be worse but if you have a positive outlook, things are always going to work out. You can not control 100% of your surroundings or situations but you can control 100% of how you respond it. Take control and do your best with what you have and life will always be rosy.

Up and running.........sort of

Today I took a big step in accomplishing one of my personal goals. I resigned my seat on Town Council so I can run in the mayoral by-election on May 1. It was a bit scary to give up something you love doing to chase your dreams but as the saying goes "nothing risked, nothing gained" I think my eye is healing, don't really know until my next check up and surgery. Still can't see out of the eye. Hoping it's healing and I will be able to see when they do surgery on my left eye. I haven't done much training the past couple weeks. Still taking it easy as per orders but I chomping at the bit to go. I know that it would be hazardous to my eyes if I start pushing myself before they are totally healed. I will continue to add to my activities every week until I'm 100%. I will need a lot of help from my fellow classmates when I'm able to return.

Ok'd to start up......slow and steady for 5/6 weeks

Just had my Dr appointment today and everything looks fine and is healing nicely. I am now allowed to work with light duties and train but only little bit at a time. Time frame till full thortle...5/6 weeks. No running or anything that would cause impact for my eyes. Extremely happy that things are heading and my sight was saved. You really don't know what you have until your are at a point where you may lose what you have. How many of us take our senses for granted? Have you every wondered what it would be like without one of your senses? Just want to highlight the fact that we must take better care of ourselves. Now that my right eye is healing, I will be having surgery on my left eye on April 3 to laser the holes in my rentia to prevent a tear in that eye. The surgery will be less invavise and recovery time will not be as long. No matter how well you plan things out, you will always face some obstacles or challenges. How you deal with them will determine how successful your plans turn out. There is always some kind of adjustment that can be made. Tomorrow I start again, slowly but it's going in the right direction again

:(

I waiting here at the Royal Alex to get emergency eye surgery for a superior tear on my retinal. :( this makes me sad and nervous. I don't like needles and people touching my eye. Today, they will be doing both. According to my wife this means no more jogging, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, etc or any activity that has impact a associated with it. I think see is right. I will have to adjust my training. Even though this is a bad situation for me. I'm glad is was aware of my body and realized that something was wrong and went in to seek professesonial help from my optometrist. If I would have waited another day or so I would be blind. Not a very nice outcome if that would happen. You know your body the best. It has been with you since day one and it will tell you when things aren't right. You just have to listen. After the surgery, I'm on bed rest for about a week. Will have to re-evaluate everything after that.

Learning

I'm surprised my shoulder lasted this long. I have had a bad shoulder for quite some time, maybe since I was in high school. Remember those days when we thought we were indestructible? I'm guessing that I threw it out and did considerable damage to it then and never had healed properly. Now, whenever I put to much stress or throw over hand with some force my right shoulder hurts for a few days. Today, after my first set of push up I could feel it start to rebel. Good thing tomorrow is my run and 1/4 day, so I can let it rest a little.
Remember that no matter how much we think you are like superman/woman, we are not. We must take care of ourselves now or suffer the consequences in the future. Lesson learned.

The body strikes back...

I'm surprised my shoulder lasted this long. I have had a bad shoulder for quite some time, maybe since I was in high school. Remember those days when we thought we were indestructible? I'm guessing that I threw it out and did considerable damage to it then and never had healed properly. Now, whenever I put to much stress or throw over hand with some force my right shoulder hurts for a few days. Today, after my first set of push up I could feel it start to rebel. Good thing tomorrow is my run and 1/4 day, so I can let it rest a little.
Remember that no matter how much we think you are like superman/woman, we are not. We must take care of ourselves now or suffer the consequences in the future. Lesson learned.

Week 1

It has been a week into my journey and I feel good. Went for my 2nd jog (I jog every 4th day of my program) and I didn't drop dead after. BONUS!
I downloaded an app to help me map and view my progress with my jogging. I think it is a good app, it's called imapmyrun and the best thing is that it is free. Well, you can pay for more services but the free version is all you need to record your runs. According to imapmyrun, my run was 3.51km (from my house to High Park to John Paul II then back home), it took me 18.53min, and my pace was 5:24min/km. Looking to get those numbers down in a couple of months.

I was also able to work on some of my personal goals today. I spent the enitre day with my family. Made breakfast, lunch, dinner and had a movie night with the kids. I even got in a nap :) I was tired and my body felt it. It was nice to chilax with the kids.

Now that the kids are sleeping time to get to work on my presentation for Thursday. With my focus on my black belt, it has begun to influence other areas of my life. The focus and determination is making it easier to complete my other duties.

up and going..........

I went for a 18 min jog today (my place to High Park to John Paull II and then back home) and realized that I forgot to double check a couple of things before I committed to add this journey to my life.
Life insurance in order..................check
Medicial coverage up to date........check
Glad those two things are all in order.
After my jog, I thought I was dying. Hoping that feeling goes away in a few weeks.

I think I have my training program set. I'm doing a 3+1 cycle for my training. I don't know if its good but I will discuss it with the sifus later.

Since I decided to do this, I am more motivated to do my excercises and forms. There is an intensity and purpose that I was lacking in my training. My focus is on and I know what my goal is and I can put that in my sights and aim for it.

Thank you Master Brinker for the guidance.

The start of my black belt journey

It all starts here. With the support of my wife and family. I am starting another facet of my journey, my journey to obtaining my black belt with Silent River Kung Fu.

I was taken back today when I meet with Master Brinker. I didn't know what expect. Normally, when you get called into the office you are in trouble. But not this time, he called me to in to give me some words of encouragment and a little nudge to get my black belt this year. With some discuusion with my family, I have decided to undertake this journey.

I want to thank Dara and the kids for your support today and I know I will be need it all year long if I'm able to complete this journey.

To all sifu's and fellow students at Silent River, I will need you to push me along and from time to time maybe a swift kick in the butt is needed. I look forward to learning and training with you guys.

LETS DO IT!

My diet is killing me

I have been feeling pretty off lately. Mornings I really don't want to get out of bed I just feel really drained. I am pretty sure that it is a combination of weather my diet and my sleeping habits. Now that the weather is nicer I have been getting out so that should work it self on its own. My diet is the thing that I have to fix. I went from getting up and making fruit smoothies every morning to not eating until almost 2-3 pm. Also I have been eating very unbalanced lately. Lots of noodles but not a lot of fruits and vegetables. As a result my energy level has been taking a plummet.

Craig Janzen
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Silent River Kung Fu

Cupcake for Change

Today I baked a cupcake.  After spreading the delicious frosting and sprinkling the top with Pringle chip crumbs (how else do you make a cupcake more tasty?) I had a hard look at the tasty morsel.  It just didn’t fit into the Kung Fu regime.  I had to give it away.

Now here is the dilemma.  There are only two people available to give it to.  One person is a known thief.  The other is a known liar.  Both people can’t be trusted.  What do I do?  Rather than show favour to either person and in a sense condone there action, I decide to keep the cupcake, and allow it to spoil.

Hmmm.  I think about it some more and figure by holding on to the cupcake it is giving each person an incentive to steal less, or reduce their slander  in hopes of winning the cupcake the next time I bake.

April 23^rd is election day.  On April 19^th I had a debate with my wife that rivalled those of the provincial candidates.  Her point was very popular with the majority of people I have spoken with.  Her point:  If I do not exercise my right to vote, I forfeit the right to complain about government decisions. 

I don’t agree with this at all.  If I have listened to the debates, researched the party platforms, listened to the promises and accusations and know the MLA’s in my riding, I have done some homework and am involved.  If I decide to not cast a ballot on election day, it is not because I would rather stay home and watch TV.  I believe if I really do not agree with the policies of the running parties, there are two options.  

The first is to run for the provincial leadership myself.  Because I have no talent in politics, and would run the country into the ground, that leaves one other option.  It is my responsibility to withhold my vote and give the parties an incentive for change.  Let’s face it, the 40% that typically do not participate could mean a majority government for some party.  That is a pretty big carrot.  The catch to this however, is that I must also be active in informing my MLA and the other candidates what needs to change in order to win a vote from me.  

All this been said, I will be casting a vote on Monday, but I still believe that a no vote can still show activity in politics providing it is done with the right intent.

By the way, I won the debate, strutted down stairs with my chest puffed out and made my bed comfortably on the couch.

One more confused voter:  Vince Krebs

Insert Title Here

Not much to say this week, other than I'm looking forward to getting back into the Kwoon and the gym and training hard. I've unfortunately missed the last I Ho Chuan class and the meeting due to work, as we're pretty short staffed. Nonetheless, everything requires a balance, and sometimes one must sacrifice something in order to give attention to another aspect of their life. It is what it is, and I simply will roll with it and carry on.

Anyways, here's a video I found. It's a powerful video, and I greatly enjoy it:

http://vimeo.com/27933991


Enjoy!

- Sifu Joe Harrigan

The last launch

Space shuttle Discovery had one last mission to complete. Randy (my husband) was there to witness it. At daybreak Tuesday April 17 ,the oldest of NASA's retired shuttle fleet left it's home at Kennedy Space Center for the final time, riding on top a modified jumbo jet. It's destination: the Smithsonian Institution's hangar outside of Washington , D.C. The plane and jet made a farewell flight over Cape Canaveral before heading north. Randy drove a hour before daybreak to Coco beach along with hundred's of other people to see it. He said it was one of those times that you definitely want to stay in the moment and try to remember for the rest of your life. Sifu Linda Shipalesky BREATH DEEPLY AND APPRECIATE THE MOMENT. LIVING IN THE MOMENT COULD BE THE MEANING OF LIFE.

T'he Daffodil Principle

My mom sent me this, and it really brings home the idea of incremental progression, so I had to share.
The Daffodil Principle
Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday," I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.
"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"
My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother." "Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her. "But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."
"Carolyn," I said sternly, "please turn around." "It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, " Daffodil Garden ." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.
"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn. "Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.
On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958"
For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than fifty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.

That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world ...
"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"
My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.
She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"
Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....
Until your car or home is paid off
Until you get a new car or home
Until your kids leave the house
Until you go back to school
Until you finish school
Until you clean the house
Until you organize the garage
Until you clean off your desk
Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you gain 10 lbs.
Until you get married
Until you get a divorce
Until you have kids
Until the kids go to school
Until you retire
Until summer
Until spring
Until winter
Until fall
Until you die...
There is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
So work like you don't need money.
Love like you've never been hurt, and, Dance like no one's watching.
If you want to brighten someone's day, pass this on to someone special. I just did!
Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin. ~anonymous

Caught in the middle

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Caught in the middle

Log onto Kwoon talk and there is a need for help, checking calender Nope, supposed to have the weekend off but imparative phase at work needs to be done and your the foreman. Another request put out to the students for help. Can't, daughters competition and wife has weekend conference. Next request, nope relatives coming to stay or have to head out of town. Monthly I Ho Chuan meeting coming up and have to miss due to repeat situations as stated earlier. I haven't been able to attend a meeting yet this year and I feel like I am letting our team down and not pulling my weight. I am really starting to feel bummed and don't feel like I am connected to the team or our school that I really want to help. I guess what I'm trying to get at is I would like to appologize to the team for my absence and for not being to help our school when help is needed, after all it is one of our requirements as a UBBT member. I would be lying to all of you if I said my requirements are coming along good as of late, they are not and I am falling behind, barely getting push ups in, although it's at least something each day. Anyway I just felt obligated to at least explain myself and push on with the hopes things will start to slow down a bit and I too can sit down with the team and share and listen and learn and get caught up on my requirements. Until next time.
Brian Chervenka

Freeing my mind

The last week has been challenging but also rewarding for me. Work is progressing at an amazing pace and my crew is doing an outstanding job. The spectre of layoffs is always looming, but so far it has just been peeking around the corners afraid to show itself.

I have come out of a fog lately and find myself much more mindful of everything I'm doing and everyone and everything I'm interacting with lately. As an example, shopping for groceries the other day I was able to do 14 acts of kindness by just paying attention to all the other shoppers around me. They were simple things from helping reach items on high shelves for a few people to helping an elderly lady transfer her groceries from the cart to her car. I took my time as I shopped and realized how in the past I would just rush through getting what I needed and not pay attention to my surroundings. I meet some very nice people and totally enjoyed my shopping experience instead of missing out.

I honestly can't say what has changed for me, except a desire to want to better myself and my life. But I have opened my eyes to the world in a way I have never looked at it before. My stress level has dropped enormously and I am much more relaxed.

I have also started setting much more finite goals and challenges for myself. For example I have achieving my green belt in my sights now. I felt stagnated in my progress even though I was getting in my numbers etc. Now I'm feeling energized and motivated.(maybe it's the kwoon expansion, it's awesome working on the tools after so long) Also something else that really has stuck with me was when Sifu Brinker talked about how we can push ourselves harder and more then we realize, its all mental. That really hit a cord with me and I find myself pushing harder in warmup and class and holding stances longer even though my legs are screaming at me to just stand up. My mind set is changing in a good way and I'm definately seeing the results, yay.

Another Year Older

Well I am about 3 weeks away from turning the big 39.  I received an envelope in the mail today that says in big letters on the outside “FOR YOU ON YOUR BIRTHDAY.”  I was kind of excited.  Imagine my surprise when inside it was an offer for free wrinkle cream; seriously?  This is the second year in a row, and I have to tell you, I feel like writing a little note back.  Do they really think I’m going to order anything now?

 For the most part, I don’t feel old.  Minus the issues I have with my shoulders and recently my knee, I feel pretty good.  To be honest I have had moments, like after a class here and there, where I have wondered my own sanity as I hear my body cracking and creaking, but I keep coming back for more.   I still enjoy acting like a kid now and then, and enjoy doing things just because it looks like fun.  Seeing me flying down the slip and slide trying to slow down before the compost pile may not be a pretty sight, but it’s a good laugh.

 Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying bring on the wrinkles.  However,  I like to think that the laugh lines I have are because I have laughed in my life and that the sun spots are because I have spent hours outside enjoying God’s creation.   As far as the sore joints and muscles, well maybe it’s because I’ve used them too.   I would rather feel like I have lived and laughed in my life than sit on a couch covered in anti-wrinkle cream preserving myself. 

Alana Regier

There's An App For That

Right now I am making final preparations to fly to Denver this Friday with Sihing Lowery for our course end rock-out. It will be an event! What I am finding out is what apps are available that do serve me. I have downloaded a PayPal app as one never knows when I will sell one of my pieces. Wouldn't be the first time I sold something off my neck.

I also downloaded the App for the airline we are flying back with so that I can check in and secure my boarding pass via my phone. Wow!! I feel like I am coming out from under a rock and discovering something new. Okay, so I am doing just that, one step at a time.

I am looking forward to this weekend as I feel its a rocket launch to the next evolution of my life, a much greater and more amazing version than before. Kind of a birthing process but with without the yuckiness, the pain, and getting my butt whacked to make sure I'm breathing. Not an App for this last part, however it will apply to all of me and my life.
Sherri Donohue

Goodbye For Now.

I leave on Thursday morning for a much anticipated holiday with my family and some friends of ours. I'm extremely excited to go not just because of the holiday itself, but for the challenge that has been placed in front of me for my UBBT training.

I've been really working hard these past few weeks to try and get my numbers up to a level that allows me to stress less about how I complete my requirements while I'm on vacation. I've also spent a great amount of time trying to figure out when I'm going to have time to squeeze in some push ups and sit-ups every day. There's always time to fit them in, It's just the matter of disciplining myself to utilize the time, and actually drop down and do them. I know that if I were to not do any push ups or sit-ups while I'm gone, I would be back at square one when I arrived home. I have to keep myself in the game.

I've also decided that I'm going to be focusing a lot on my writing assignments while I'm gone. There's 8 hours total on a plane, plus time sitting in the airport waiting to board, and the shuttle ride to the hotel. I love to write, I used to be able to do it for 2 - 3 hours without taking a break, but I haven't exercised that ability in quite awhile and I'm really looking foreword to the chance to actually sit down and do it.

I'm also planning on taking a picture of me doing a push up in front of the castle... so stay tuned for that =)

"Around here, we don't look backwards for very long... We keep moving foreword, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're very curious... And curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." ~Walt Disney

My new babies

I'd like to introduce my new toys---2 new spears. They arrived today...by stork delivery...one was already bent! Argh! (Like I need help in that category...) So be warned all lawn furniture; the battle has commenced again:)

I Need a Smack Upside My Head

A common topic with martial artists is recent injuries, and how they are helping or hindering. I haven't had any recent serious injuries, but listening to Sifu Stoddart on Saturday talk about chronic pain due to her sciatic nerve rang a bell with me. I don't have the same problem, but I do have chronic back pain, neck pain & shoulder pain. I don't know why. Or rather, I can't identify a specific incident or injury that caused it. I think it's the result of use and abuse over the years, all my own fault.

It doesn't normally interfere, but it does drive me crazy. People have made comments on how often I grunt or groan when I bend over or pick up something, put on my jacket, sit for too long. I'm finally noticing how often I say "my back hurts". Right now, my back and shoulders ache. Not so much that I can't go about my day, but enough that I want it gone.

Thinking about it, I'm realizing that it does interfere. I'm reluctant to go hard when completing the jumps in Mlong Kuen & spear. I try to just suck it up and do it anyways, but the jar at the end usually keeps me from doing too many in a night. It makes it harder to want to do my push-ups, cuz that just wreaks havoc on my back and shoulders. Sit-ups don't hurt until the next day. Then my back tightens up like crazy.

Sadly, I can't blame a car accident or such. It's all me, failing to take care of my body before it was too late. My mom can say "I told you so" a thousand times over.

Moral of the story- don't be stupid. I was, and I'm regretting it. I imagine I'll regret it for the rest of my days. I did get a contact from a friend for a great chiropractor and a doctor, and I intend on making an appointment with both. I was stupid and got myself in this mess. I need to be smart and seek out someone who can make it better.

After that, I'll consider finding out what I did to my foot three weeks ago in class. Still hurts. And my knees, which crackle and pop more than the cereal. Oh, and try to identify the random pain I get in my ribs on occasion. And the itchy, numb lump I get in the same place on my forehead every couple months...

Wow, I've been dumb.

Another Team Meeting and Only a Glimps of My Journey

I find it difficult to translate my last weeks journey into a few words, because of all the intricacies that go along with the challenges and discoveries, without sounding long winded or that its all about me. I tend to talk about the here and now rather than what I feel has lead to and what I'm attempting to do about it. With that I feel like I've left the meeting and mentioned my challenges but not what I'm doing to alleviate or what I've learned from them. It can be and has been a long story that I'd rather not go on and on about, rather just consider it a mental battle, becasue in the end, that is where I feel the impact.

What I feel is most important for me is to be truthful to first myself, which leads to the same translation to my team. The down fall/ or positive to this truth, depending on how you are seen or where your team is in their life, can seem all negative. I in particular have a hard time talking about all my successes and I also feel like I can always do better or should be doing more. Let me step back....I have however learned a lot in the past few years about progressing wisely and have learned a fair bit about myself. Then the "but" comes in again, but there is so much to learn on how to stay healthy and to stay mindful of absolutely everything, there doesn't seem to be the option of trusting our government regulators on what they allow to be marketed or what they allow to be sold in stores. Apathy is just not an option when it comes to your health, which leads to a huge consumption of time and research.

This past five years or so my hips and knees have been a struggle. I have tried eating different things, tried supplements, more stretching, less aggressive workouts...well a little bit!, changed out beds, I've stayed more mindful of my posture, I have had MRI's and x-rays, chiroprator, traction and acupuncture, I've seen my family doctor and a specialist at the Glen Sather, they say there is nothing wrong with my hips and knees, "just take tylenol", nice! There is so much that a person can do, you can flop your entire life style over and over and blend this with that and that with this. I'm a little frustrated and have so much yet to accomplish!

I feel that a lot of my "mental issues", when I refer to mental issues, I mean anything that is having an impact on my primary being, which could be the pain from my hips impacting my sleep, which impacts how I feel emotionally that next day.

So this past five years or so, has been a mental battle with me because of my hip and knee problems - I first thought this originated from my neck problems (another issue). But I'm not so sure...Anyway to cut this short, my knee and hip issues have a huge impact on me, both physically and mentally. Physically, because they dictate how I perform, how I walk, they aggravate and create an ongoing continue irritation (some days are better than others), however the physical disability is continual. I find rest to be most beneficial at this point (controlling swelling, and the banging that goes on in these joint regions). This I feel is where a huge part of my mental battle starts....poor sleeping patterns due to the joint pain, waking up unrested on a continual basis, constant irritability, which most times lead me into being or acting like someone I don't want to be. At this stage of my mental state, most of everything can be a challenge - going for and enjoying a walk can be and is a challenge, I have an ongoing continued appetite (never feeling satisfied), I find comfort in being alone, my energy level is at zero....It is a very depressing and lonely place to be, I don't feel content and I'm seeking change with hopes that the grass will be greener on the other side. Look out if I start to feel like I did six years ago!

I know I have other stresses which sit on the back burner and eat away at me continually but I feel that when I'm in the right frame of mind and rested, that my stresses are so manageable....like night and day! It's the physical that is impacting my mental. Mastering my six harmonies seem so far off at this point, due to the disconnect in my body.

This has been a huge rambling on, but with this I hope to see a bit clearer and refocus. Diet wise/ supplements, I don't know where to start and what to change from where we presently are! The bed we purchased two months ago, I think has to take a walk! True holiday needs to find its way in the door soon!

I'm heading to work, nearly an hour ago...which means I'm behind schedule. Just had to get this off my mind, the little I feel I have left at this point. The positive for me is that I still have that inner fight left in me to get me through these ugly times...I'm most positive that its my kung fu that pulls me through.

Darcy Regier

1/3 of the way

well my school is almost done for this semester. I had Bio 30 prep, Physics 30 prep, and English 30-1. For my two prep classes i was told if i get over 85% average i would not have to do the final exam. I am happy to say i met those standard, and will not have to write those two final so i have less to worry about now. All i have to do now is my written test and reading test and i will be done for two weeks. Then I will be entering a 3 new classes Physics 30, Chem 30 prep, and Info Pro. So no more English yeah!!! The great thing is for these two weeks I will be able to focus more on Kung Fu and not entirely on school, can't wait. Also after that semester i will have three more courses Bio 30, Chem 30, and Math 31 and then I will be done. So lots to do, but willing to do it.

Sihing Langner

Results

I got my MRI results back this weekend and its good news. Turns out the cartilage in my knee isn't damaged. I just had a bad sprain to a ligament. Since the ligament was stretched, the fix is to start exercising it so it can tighten up again. I'm happy to hear that exercising it is safe. I've been experimenting with it the past week or so and the aches and pains I was getting made me decide to lay off it until I knew what was up. I was really worried about making it worse.

In celebration I tried playing an easy game of squash with a friend today. The leg was pretty stiff and I didn't run very hard but by the end of the match it felt pretty good. I'll be sore tomorrow but in a good way. Now its time to get back into the swing of things!

recycling

This week the town of Stony has started a new initiative to reduce waste--they've given us new garbages, will only be picking them up every 2 weeks, but are now picking up organicarts year round. I was curious about some of this and did some digging on the website, and I have to say I am really impressed with the towns goals for being much more eco friendly. One thing that has interested me for awhile is our enviroment and what we're doing to fix problems, not just trying to be 'less bad.' I can't wait to see the towns plans in action! And what a standard to set for not only the rest of the province, but for the country as well. For instance,when I traveled in BC in the last 2 years I really noticed that for a place that advertises being so beautiful they are REALLY behind in recycling, garbage reduction and alot of other initiatives that alberta is kicking butt on. And I"m from BC so for me to say that is hard!! Hopefully just as we change as individuals and influence them to change, we as a town and province can do the same for our country, and the world.

When I have a real bummer of a day, and am feeling pretty down, I can't seem to do anything, especially my requirements. I know these are the days I need to do them the most. I just can't.

Yesterday's Meeting

 At the beginning of the I Ho Chuan, I seemed focused on getting my numbers every day, to the point where it kind of stressed me out.  In the meeting before yesterdays, I finally understood the idea of the push ups and sit ups; to keep us engaged.  Understanding that totally changed how I approached them and the value I saw in them.  They truly don’t stress me out anymore.  I have my log book on the counter every day all day, and as I walk by I go down for 50.  Being that there is more than one person in our house hold on the team, we push each other.  I see Darcy go down, I go down.  When he is out of town, I’ll send a note “how about joining me for push ups?”  Down we both go, or so I think (just kidding, I know he does). 

So I got that sorted out, now to the never ending list of things I need to work on.  In the meeting I mentioned my list that gets longer after every class as I realize all the things I need to correct and improve.  Well I have taken Sifu Brinker’s advice and picked one thing that I am going to focus on.  When I look at ‘the list’ I can see the connection that this one thing has with many others on ‘the list.’  By focusing on this one thing, I will also be working on a number of others at the same time; therefore, my list gets shorter, yah!

I am still the one that sits quiet in the corner listening to everyone tell their story.  In my mind, thinking I am the only one feeling the way I do or struggling with certain things in my training.   As I sat in yesterday’s meeting listening to where everyone was both physically and mentally, there was something from everyone that I could say “me too”; everything from saying no to the cookie yelling at me, to suffering from fatigue.   Surrounding ourselves with likeminded people, with similar interests and goals also seems to surround ourselves with people with similar challenges.  I found it quite uplifting to see how a group of people, a team, come together to support and encourage each other.  I also saw that there was not one thing mentioned that someone else had not also experienced at one point.  Everyone was so willing to offer suggestions and words of encouragement.  It truly makes a person glad to be a part of something so positive!

A big thanks!

Alana Regier

holidays

I have been away for the last few weeks visiting my husband in Florida, while I could read and receive emails I could not send them. I thought later or too late that I should have wrote my blog and posted it when I got home. Oh well you know what they say about twenty, twenty hind site. They have some restrictions on what you can carry into USA so I was not able to bring my sword with me, go figure. I moved through the form without it but somehow it wasn't the same. I was able to do lots of walking, mostly around theme parks so I was able to more than keep up with my milage. Unfortunately I don't care if I ever see another theme park (sorry Mickey)I also spent a lot of time in the pool and much to my daughters embarrassment If did my tai chi form in water, it was a different experience , I think I can see a positive change , but then again maybe I am making up excuses to do it some more, it felt great. Sun, water, and tranquility, not a bad combination. I found a bag with lots of great sayings on it and I thought I would share them over the next few weeks. "Nature wants us to be mediocre because we have a greater chance to survive and reproduce. Mediocrity is as close to the bottom as it is to the top , and will give us a lousy life. "