It is written
I have finished two books in the last few weeks. The first was Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It was hard read and has taken me the better part of three months to read. I am sure I will need to read it a few more times to really even start to have a concept of comprehension. I feel some level of accomplishment having read this book.
The second book I read in just under half of a day. The Alchemist was a very moving study. You can’t help but stand back and take a look at your life after reading such a book. Call it omens call it signs or even the writing on the wall I can understand why this book speaks to so many people. I have already turned three more people on to this read. It is sure easy to look back and say oh that was a sign, a little harder when it is happening at that moment. Reading really has taken the place of other forms of entertainment for me as of late and I think I am better for it. Right now I am just picking off books that others have listed as books they have read. A book club through the kwoon would be such a great idea. I think that might be a great community based project I could take on someday to help engage others through exchange. Reading sure inspires me to get up and out and advance myself.
I think I need a light read so I have picked up a copy of Randy Couture’s new book “Life in and out of the cage”. I am sure I will finish it on my days off. I also picked up “Peace in every step” by Thich Nhat Hanh. Much heavier but still helping to move me to a better understanding of the person I strive to be.
Changing gears completely. I am so excited for what the future holds if I can improve my life as much as it has in the last six months since my return to Kung fu. The biggest change would be my family’s support and commitment. My parents started Thi chi a few months ago and are totally engaged. I am so proud of them. Oliver continues to learn the importance of concentration and discipline through his classes two times a week. The latest recruits are my brother’s two children who have joined the Saturday morning class. They both received their first strip on their white belts .I am just as proud when they all succeed as I am for myself. Frances continues to push and guide me. Kung Fu life is great.
Brady
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 |
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What has kung fu done for you?
Done for me sounds final so I have decided to answer what is kung fu doing for me. I think if I stay in that mind set it will take me to black belt and beyond. Kung fu has given me mentors, leaders and an incredible community of people to look up to. From all walks of life, all age groups, all with a common way of thinking. It has given me a lifestyle.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lifestyle was originally coined by Austrian psychologist
Alfred Adler in 1929. The current broader sense of the word dates from 1961.
[1]In sociology, a lifestyle is the way a person
lives. A lifestyle is a characteristic bundle of behaviors that makes sense to both others and oneself in a given time and place, including social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. The behaviors and practices within lifestyles are a mixture of habits, conventional ways of doing things, and reasoned actions. A lifestyle typically also reflects an individual's attitudes, values or
worldview. Therefore, a lifestyle is a means of forging a sense of
self and to create cultural
symbols that resonate with personal identity. Not all aspects of a lifestyle are entirely voluntaristic. Surrounding social and technical systems can constrain the lifestyle choices available to the individual and the symbols she/he is able to project to others and the self.
[2]The best part is that every day is I have a large group of people telling me “We know the way we will show you”. How incredible is that? I am blessed that I have an entire family committed to this way of life right now. I have started to enjoy the moment. I have found a way to communicate my inner struggles and success. It is not about punching and kicking these are just two building blocks of thousands that make the art. I have started to set goals and work them within a success path that will allow me to achieve anything I set my mind to. I am sure this all will change from year to year but that is where I am now. Which is why I started to journal in the first place. Just in case I lose my way I have a trail of bread crumbs to get back on track.
A great example of all of this was boot camp. We worked out, ate, and learned new skills for fourteen hours. The last event of the day was a timed two kilometer run. We divided into two groups each group went in opposite directions. At some point you crossed paths with every participant. Every single person gave me some kind of encouragement. Kung Fu is an awesome example of forging a sense of self with the guidance of a peer group.
This entry is under construction because, what has Kung fu done for me will always be a changing answer.
Capture the moment.
Brady
Monday, July 20, 2009 |
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south⋅paw
Spelled Pronunciation [south-paw].
Use southpaws in a Sentence–noun
1.
A person who is left-handed.
2.
Sports.
a.
A player who throws with the left hand, esp. a pitcher.
b.
Boxing. a boxer who leads with the right hand and stands with the right foot forward, using the left hand for the most powerful blows.
–adjective
3.
left-handed.Origin: 1880–85, Americanism;
south +
paw 1
I found this online and really liked it. Sylvester Stallone is a southpaw.
In Reel Life: Rocky is a lefty. He tells Adrian that he's a southpaw, and explains the term's etymology to her: 'You know where southpaw comes from? I'll tell ya. A long time ago there was this guy, maybe a couple a hundred years ago, he was fighting around, I think it was around Philadelphia, and his arm -- he was left-handed -- and his arm was facing toward New Jersey, you see? And that's south. So then naturally they call him south paw. You see? South paw, south Jersey, South Camden, south paw. You know what I mean?' In Real Life: Rocky's explanation includes a grain of truth. According to the 'New Dickson's Baseball Dictionary,' the term was coined in the late 1800s to describe left-handed pitchers, who, facing west in most ballparks, had their left arms hanging on the south side of the ballpark. A sportswriter, Harry Grayson, investigated this theory in 1951, and determined that most ballparks did, indeed, place home plate on the west side of the diamond, on the principle that this would keep the sun out of hitters' eyes during day games. The term has been applied to other sports, including boxing, and obviously came into general use. The term 'northpaw' never caught on, though.
I have started to figure out a bit of my confusion. I am left handed naturally. I realized I was different at an early age around the age of eight or nine. When I started to play hockey and baseball. I would throw with the opposite hand then all the other kids (no problem there). The problem came when it was time to catch. A different glove was required still no problem if it was a planned event. These were my first experiences living in a right handed world. I tried catching and throwing with the wrong hand. I was lucky society had just moved past believing left handed people were witches. My mother was converted in grade school into a right hander as many were in her generation.
I am not complaining because left handed people do have some advantages. One I learned while attending The Disney institute of customer service. When you arrive at a Disney park go left every time it is practicable. You will be amazed how much more you see and are able to take in.
When it comes to my martial arts training it can truly get confusing in my head. I need to download and rearrange most forms and techniques. I usually pick technique up very easily in most sports. I have never trained in boxing but by breaking down technique I have some basic skill.
I find in class I struggle but at home after I am able to reverse or practice my natural way I feel comfortable. I do this in most cases without thinking or analyzing. As I learn more complicated forms and techniques I really need to break down the process in which I do this.
One last thought pushups and sits are not affected by which hand is prominent.
Brady
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 |
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It has been one week since boot camp and I have really had to revaluate my current way of thinking. I was really not satisfied with my personal performance I thought I was further along. So this week I was reminded of a story once told to me by a mentor.
It is about Tiger Woods. Tiger was coached and mentored by his father. He went on to become arguably the best golfer of all time. His form faded in the second half of 1997, and in 1998 he only won one PGA Tour event. He answered critics of his "slump" and what seemed to be wavering form by maintaining he was undergoing extensive swing changes with his coach, Butch Harmon. When Tiger was asked by Butch what part of his game they should work on. Tiger answered my short game, it is mechanically my weakest. Butch then asked which part is you’re strongest. Tiger came back with my drives are the best in the world. Perfect we will work on your drives make them better so we don’t need your short game. The rest is history Tiger has gone on to become a true great in the game of golf.
So last week I decided to adopt the same mentality. This week I have knocked off 1 minute and 45 seconds from my 2km run. I have gone from a BBT four to a seven in one week. I have been a pretty good runner in the past and felt it can and will be a strength. Sit ups I scored a seven last week next that needs to be a ten. So by picking off strength’s and exploiting them I am improving my overall score.
Truly it means I am improving my entire fitness program in a much more positive way then beating myself up.
I still need to post my Junes goal reveiws and my new challenges and goals for July. Still chasing my last requirement on my current belt. Need to work on combinations. Will add this in for sure this month.
Brady
Sunday, July 05, 2009 |
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July 1st. Oliver turns five today and it is Canada’s birthday. So all in all a busy day and week. Oliver’s younger cousin Login started Kung Fu a few weeks ago so I am hoping to take the two of them to the demonstration later today. I think we have a few years left convincing Oliver the fireworks on Canada day are for him.
Boot Camp was this past Saturday and it was incredible. The more I sit and analyze the more I seem to draw from the experience. At times I felt very inadequate but then how can I be when comparing myself to myself. Really gives me a base for comparison for future fitness tests. I would like to go into more detail but that could make for a long journal. Instead I will jot down a few words that come to mind that best describe the day.
Leadership
Family
Friendship
Past the point of exhaustion
Second winds
Inner look
Sensory over load
In the moment
I could blog a full entry on each of these words.
Happy Birthday Oliver!
Brady
Wednesday, July 01, 2009 |
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Lance Armstrong
Ten days until the tour de France starts.
I am not sure where this post is going to go as that statement conjures up so many emotions.
I remember when I was 15 years old the only coverage of the tour de France was on Saturdays. They would update the whole week in one afternoon. I never raced in cycling but was always intrigued. I would cross train on the bike in the summer to keep me in shape to downhill ski race. My friends and I would watch American flyers and the tour in July and go for long rides in the hot summer sun.
Years past and I followed the tour but never very closely. Then in 2000 along came Lance Armstrong. At first I was interested by the athlete and how brash he was. That quickly changed. By 2001 I was setting my alarm clock for 5:30 am to get up and watch the tour live. I don’t think I have missed a live stage in 9 years. Obsessed, maybe a little.
This all really is leading to my thoughts on the sport’s greatest athlete. There are Lance lovers and there are Lance haters. I don’t want to dwell on the haters to much but there are many that do not believe he has done this legally. They hold true that he has cheated by using illegal drugs to achieve almost super human feats.
Erythropoietin known as EPO is used to blood dope. I do not work in the medical trade but the long and short I stress the short is Epo enhances performance in athletes. It allows increased oxygen carrying capacity. Great for endurance athletes such as cyclists. Lance Armstrong has taken EPO. Wait a minute!
Lets back up to 1999 before Lance won any grand tours. Lance woke one morning and one of his testicles was swollen. By the time the tests were in Lance was diagnosed with brain and testicular cancer. After major surgery to remove both tumors he had months of chemotherapy to rid the rest of his body of the poison. This is a very condensed version of an amazing story of courage and perseverance that truly does the story zero justice. Please read one of his three books they changed my life.
During his recovery Lance was given EPO to help his recovery. He is a survivor.
I found his books comforting in a time when both of my parents were battling the deadly diseases. I don’t talk about feelings very well but this was a scary time, both found out within a couple of months of each other. Both were diagnosed in November it was a dark Christmas. I can happily say both have been clear and free for five years as of last month.
For the lovers, Lance is back after a three year layoff. He has nothing to prove he is the greatest. He is not collecting pay from his current team. He is back to raise awareness for the fight against cancer.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation has raised over 250 million dollars to date. This money goes to cancer research not just the cancers that he had but all. 250 million and he is coming back risking his legacy to raise awareness. Cheater or not we are talking about a great human who knows how to give back. We all need a little Lance in us.
LIVESTRONG
Brady
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 |
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I am a few days behind in my journaling. So I need to get a few thoughts and progress report in. Spent the last seven days exploring Nevada and Arizona. We visited the Grand Canyon for the first time. Traveling though an ancient Joshua tree sanctuary was very surreal. We hiked around the red rock canyon during the early morning. Just to list a few of our adventures.
We were able to stick to our morning workouts every day. Starting in the gym and finishing out in the hot desert sun.
I had my first experience with reiki treatment at a spa in Las Vegas. She told me my mind was busy and was hard to slow down. I know this has always been a problem, but in the last six months I have come a long way. I would like to explore more of this in the future.
I have a couple chapters in “Way of the peaceful warrior” left to read. What a great book I would highly recommend it to everyone.
I am so excited to resume regular training almost like returning to school after summer break.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 |
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