Performing In Public

I am back at work now but the time at home was great. I was able to accomplish a lot and also got to enjoy a camping trip. The highlight of the time at home has to be the demo we did for the seniors. It was great to finally be able to test out my form in public as it forced me to really focus on it. Performing in public is the best thing I find for analyzing where you are at. I know that I am still not proficient with the sequence as I forgot some parts. Nevertheless, it was a great day and I now know what I need to focus on.

Vacation

I am enjoying it some time away with family on the banks of the Red Deer River. It has been a whirlwind since I got home with the main focus being getting the renovations at the old Tanarama bay completed. I know that if it wasn’t for everyone who volunteered some of there time, it would not have been completed. It was a lot of fun and something I truly enjoy doing. See you all in about a week.

Ready to Leave

It has been an extremely busy work rotation this time and I am physically and mentally done with being here. Although the time has gone by pretty quickly, emotionally I know its been a long time. I look forward to being home and getting some normalcy back in my life. I also look forward to being able to practice my spear again as it is something I can't do up here.

The time at home will be busy and it always seems to go by much faster than the time at work. Regardless, I can't wait to be in my own house and to be around family and friends because that is what is truly important.

Where Am I (At)?

At last nights I Ho Chuan class, Sifu Brinker asked who thought they were where they should be considering that we are in July. I can honestly say that I feel like I am behind a bit. There are many factors that are behind this but the biggest one for me I feel is the lack of connection and engagement with the team. Being away definitely has its challenges and you feel like you are on the outside looking in. To put it in perspective, so far this year I have made it to one meeting (via Zoom) and been to 2 I Ho Chuan classes in person.

I am not using this as an excuse because I am trying to stay connected as much as I can. I have made sure to read everyone's blogs although sometimes I get behind a bit. I attend online whenever I am away. And i try to keep my online presence up. So what can I do to improve my situation is what I have been thinking about since last night. One, thing is to try and spend more time away practicing my forms (even if its doing small portions when I can or just going through them in my mind. And the other thing I need to do is keep up with my personal blog as it is somewhat chaotic in its schedule right now.

I am excited about finally being able to attend some live classes with this group again just as soon as i am done with this pesky work thing.

4 Weeks At A Time

I am well into my 4 week long work rotation and I am starting to feel it. I have been working away for the past 2 years but doing four weeks at a time is putting a strain on me mentally. There is so many things that can happen in that time and I know I am missing it. I am grateful to still be working during these difficult times but just wish it was closer to home. At least its not snowing up here anymore although there is still snow on the ground. In fact we hit 26 up here yesterday.

The training is still going well but the limited space does not help with the forms especially the spear. I still attend the online classes (until I run out of data that is). I am unable to attend meetings or Tai Chi however as that is when I am at work.

There are a few things I try to focus on when I am at home because that is when I have the space and ability to do so. As long as I keep this in mind I will be okay.

Kwoon Excitement

It's hard to believe that my 4 weeks at home is coming to an end already. The time seems to have gone by so quickly but it has been very successful in my opinion. I have managed to get in some practice with my spear (not a broom handle). I also was able to get in some much needed Tai Chi practice.

There were 2 big things that really helped to boost me up this time. The first one is I got to start teaching some one on ones. Being able to work with students and answer questions has always been one of my greatest tools. It allows me to really think about a technique and why it is done that way. Teaching has always been my favorite part of Kung Fu and I will miss doing it for the next four weeks but look forward to doing it when I get back.

The other big thing is being back at the Kwoon. Even with the restrictions in place, it just felt right to be back there with everyone. You could feel the excitement in and the energy was fantastic. I am glad I was able to be a part of the reopening and look forward to seeing you all again soon. I will still be attending classes but it will be online only for the next little while. Hopefully when I return we will all be able to be on the mats again together.

Back Home

I have been home for a week now and it has been great. It is nice to be around friends and family again even if we are still limited with the amount of contact we have. The one thing that I have noticed, is I seem to be more busy now than I am at work. there are so many things to do when you are gone for so long. The one thing that I am trying to keep in front of me is my training. I am very limited in space at the mine so I need to taker advantage of my opportunities at home. With so many things to do it can get lost in the everyday things so I am trying to spend an hour a day just on Kung Fu. Some days it is a bit below but other days have been above.

Still got a lot of work to do with my spear, but the hand form is progressing nicely.