Abstraction

Saturday we walked in the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser with the Csillag family and the Bjorkquist family. This fundraiser was for the parkland food bank, and was important to bring awareness to, as well as raise funds for.

Where I felt the most impact, was how much the inability to buy food was such an abstraction for me. I always try to buy a little extra when I buy groceries and place them in the food bank bin on my way out. But that isn’t enough. I believe the effects are similar to just writing a cheque for a charity without caring or understanding why you are doing so.

It reminded me of the periods of time in my life where I struggled to put food on the table. It was a reminder that people of all circumstances, near and far struggle with the same issues. How something that I take for granted is a luxury for so many.

So how do I keep this in front of me? Why is it easier for me to keep the charities we support in front of me, but yet all of these others are still an abstraction? I don’t have an answer, other than to reflect, and to be grateful every day.

I want to thank the Csillag family for leading our team in this. I had a wonderful time, and am so very glad that we were able to participate.

Best year ever!

Goodbye Rooster, hello Dog!

The banquet is now behind us, and we are into the new year. I have to say that last night went relatively well, and while I was looking forward to having it behind us, I am sort of sad to see it go.

It’s takes a lot of space in my head, and after a while it is both tiring but invigorating at the same time. Strange I know. Anyway, on to new goals, and a fresh new year.

Welcome to all of the new members, and I am also happy to see all of you who are returning. I will miss those of you who aren’t on the team this year, but you won’t be forgotten!

Let’s have the best year ever!

Oh my brain!

I was down with a migraine yesterday so missed my blog day. And to be honest, I am not sure where to start today. I’m nervous about the banquet this year as our format is different, and I just feel like something is missing. My brain perhaps?

I am sure though that we will have fun, and we will get through it. It’s a bit exciting as we should have people there who have never experienced our banquet before and I am looking forward to their reactions.

Only a few days more, and then onto the Year of the Dog! Woof!

Food 101

I’m a vegetarian and have been for many years. And I generally don’t find it too difficult, nor do I even miss meat. However, it can make going out interesting sometimes.

Last night we went to the Ging Wu Chinese New Year banquet, and I was reminded of my eating habits/ issues. In theory, being vegetarian at the banquet isn’t so tough. Being a picky vegetarian is though. I have always had issues with texture when it comes to food, so I am careful with what I put in my mouth. And last night was not easy for texture. I didn’t starve by any means, although I did eat beforehand.

Mushrooms are a big deterrent for me, even though they are so good for you. The taste and texture is just wrong. I am starting to like tomatoes though, although I do still have a ways to go there too. Anyway, I hope to improve my palette, so that I can enjoy more variety.

Tai Chi

I have been practicing Tai Chi since 2009, and I am still working on it. Like Kung Fu, it’s a lifelong journey as there is always something new to learn, and I will never really master it.

Tai Chi has many benefits. It’s great for building those little muscles, for balance, for flow, stress relief, meditation, and even pain relief. And anyone can do Tai Chi. It is low impact, or no impact, and therefore does not stress any muscles or joints.

When I started learning Tai Chi, I was just healing from a broken ankle. While it took time, with practice the little muscles got stronger and gave me more stability. Of course there are still days where that ankle bothers me, but I don’t think that I would’ve healed as well without Tai Chi.

For me, Tai Chi offers moving meditation. It gives me so much mentally, and allows me to be in the moment. I can feel my heart rate drop, my breathing slow down, and my stress melt away. I become more in tune with my body and everything that I am feeling, both physically and mentally.

Adding Tai Chi to your Kung Fu training is a great way to enhance your balance, flow and timing.

Goals

There is nothing like a demo, banquet or tournament to prepare for. They help us to re-focus on our training by giving us a very specific goal to work towards.

It’s easy to become complacent and accept mediocrity when we don’t have any goals. And those goals are just dreams if we don’t have a plan to achieve them. We all have our goals for the year, both the mandatory ones and the personal ones, but we also have some mechanisms (goals) to help us along the way. The Chinese New Year banquet, the Pandamonium, Heritage Days, Canada Day, the Tiger Challenge, and the other demos that occur throughout the year.

I am thankful for those opportunities as they give me the needed motivation when I don’t realize that I have lost mine. They serve as an important anchor in my training, so that I don’t quietly drift away. They keep me engaged with my teammates and with the school, as well as it brings me back to the community.

Spear or Broadsword

It’s too bad this blog won’t write itself. I have been trying (more like thinking about I) for a few hours now. Too often when I get like this, I put it off and I am lucky if I can get something out for the week.

I have finished putting my year of the dog requirements into a spreadsheet for tracking and I have been pondering my weapon form choice. I was planning on the schools spear form, but after talking about it with Sifu Brinker, it might not be my best option. The tendinitis I experience will definitely slow me down and very possibly hold me back. So what to do? I realize it’s a risk for any weapon and it’s a risk I have to mitigate. My second choice is the Tai Chi Broadsword form with the light weight sword. It’s very, very late in the game for me to be second guessing this.

I think I just talked myself into the Tai Chi Broadsword. Less risk involved, and therefore the smarter thing to do.

Hm. I guess this blog did just write itself.