Running to stand still....

The dog house
So I really only have some random thoughts this week.
First Oliver has had a few issues the last two weeks he is five and never really been an aggressive child. In the last two weeks he has had two separate incidents where he was aggressive with two different kids. Both times the punishment fit the crime. I would hate to use kung fu as a punishment but he does hold it dear. The thought of him missing a class as penalty sends him into a fit of frenzy. So we will have to really put our heads together and come up with a plan. This afternoon he wanted to play on the computer and I said no that his privileges had been revoked. He pushed the issue and I said hey little man your already in the dog house. HUH DOG HOUSE and then proceed to laugh at me. I guess the term is beyond this generation’s tech savvy culture. I may have to refer to it as, In the Dog Kennel.
I just figured out with Kwoon Reno’s and then the holiday Monday we will miss three classes in Sept. But then quickly thought I will make it up attending the forms seminar. See where there is a will there is away. I really need to set some assertive goals for September.
Fitness test today in class I felt pretty good I am close to achieving the next belts levels for fitness testing. I did half in my current level (20’s in 60 seconds) and a few I moved to 30 which is the next belts level squat thrusts was not one of the thirties.
I have a thought I am trying to work out for UBBT 7 that would have me seek out a sihing to mentor under in their year leading up to their black belt test. I need to make it measurable; I am thinking a pass could be 40 hours it could be time spent moving through curriculum and whatever else the sihing need to work on. It would have to be time spent outside regular class. I think this would help myself immensely and the sihing as well.
Just thinking out loud
Brady

Bread Crumbs
My real reason for blogging that I have stated before is to leave a trail of bread crumbs to follow if I get lost. So the last few weeks have been a challenge. My motivation stays strong but I have found myself confused and frustrated. I think I am working my way out of it but need to stay focused. I hit a plateau in my fitness which happened to coincide with a circuit malfunction in my brain. Left and right started to haunt me and my frustration mounted and compounded all my problems. Last Tuesday Fran pushed me to go to San Shou class and my mind set changed. I still had a frustrating wed. Class but then took two days off complete not thinking much about anything at all. Sunday I started my review from white to green. My forms where lost but now are found that is a little scary when they just go away and all of a sudden you don’t know you’re left from right. I was concentrating on green belt combinations for almost four weeks exclusively and messed myself up completely. Today I had a much better class and feel much better. I still continue to plateau and need to re focus body for life commitments. I set a goal in March for Sept 17th. And am still 17 pounds from there it will be very close.
My meditation is coming along very slowly. I really feel I can fully meditate for about three to five minutes. I constantly think about meditation and find myself not talking as much as normal. I don’t just engage in conversation just for the sake of conversation. I am very aware of my breathing and find myself thinking about breathing habitually. I am not able to clear my mind completely by any means but the biggest change is I can clear out over half of my thoughts. This is huge for me I have a very busy mind nothing really important or profound in there just busy. The only bad thing like I said is I am starting to be able to shut down and cut people out at work and at home. I will have to play with this a bit to find a very happy medium.
I hope I have left a marker for myself, so in the future I can re visit and say oh ya that’s what I should do or shouldn’t do. Always remember it is better to step back take a look then proceed. One step back two steps forward.

So I have really held off blogging about my interest in participating in next year’s Ultimate black belt test. One of my apprehensions that I was most concerned about was overcoming adversity. An example would be limitations or injury. Well over the last four weeks I have worked through a few injuries. First I jammed my pinky finger sparring. Then I strained my neck/shoulder moving my pushups 100 a day to 130. This was a real eye opener because that is a basic daily challenge for the UBBT (Ultimate black belt test).
There are currently two non black belt’s participating in the test. I really admire their drive when at times they are questioning themselves personally. I have watched both of them work through a series of injuries and other challenges. They both still show a commitment beyond the average. This motivates me and really gives me no excuses but to put myself in a position mentally and physically to take on this challenge. Ms. Prince and Mr.Tymchuk continue to inspire your over half way there. These two take away my excuses.
This is where blogging really becomes paramount for challenging others and leading the way. I read blogs to help me understand questions I have but don’t ask. I am sure there are many of us in the same boat. Sifu Brinker blogs religiously of Sunday’s it is the highlight of my day. I always find motivation or something to think about. When a peer or Sifu reads a book and recommends it I want to read it. Without blogging all we would have is class to try and figure all this out. Blogging is an amazing tool to guide and lead. Thank you to all the great journals.
One challenge I would like to write into my test would be family involvement. I am not sure how I will set this goal but I do feel the importance of the family. I see many people struggle with this so if I write it in it will become just as important as all other commitments.
I have already talked to Sifu Brinker about UBBT 7 and still have a lot of work to do to get ready but I am defiantly moving in the right direction. Even if I was not going to participate I think we all could learn from this test. It would give us a chance to set yearly goals and daily work to achieve them. By achieving these goals our bodies, minds, Kwoon and community will all become stronger. I am so humbled to be a part of such an amazing group of people.

Brady

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

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