Last week, while I was at class, my little guy and his dad went to the Environmental night at his school. They entered a raffle and won...a gift certificate for a Swedish massage at one of the local "day spas". They gave it to me that night, when I got home from class. I was surprised and tickled pink. I had to wait until today to use it, but believe me, the wait was worth it!!
I went this morning at 8:45. The girl who gave me the massage was very good and asked all sorts of questions before so that she could concentrate on the areas I needed to have worked on. I tell you, that was so totally worth it! I actually asked them to upgrade it to an hour because I knew I'd really appreciate it. I most definitely appreciated it! I have been home since 10:30 and feel relaxed, calm and mellow. It's amazing, especially for me, the queen of stress! LOL!
After the massage was over, she showed me a stretch for the glutes--she said a lot of people are extremely tense there and it would be beneficial. I can see that as a good thing...and I'm thinking that since you use those muscles when you're performing kicks in martial arts, it's a good thing to have them relaxed and not all tensed up. It might make for a controlled kick. Of course, the core muscles also need to be worked as well, but that *IS* a muscle group we use daily and may not know how.
I liked this place. Even better was the fact that they were NOT selling any 'packages' or special deals. It was a good thing. I'm more likely to go back because of two things...the therapist and the the fact that it wasn't a hard sell place.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Cub Scouts and Karate
Cub Scouts and Karate...what a combination!!
Tonight was the Pack meeting. I attended that (kind of had to since I'm the Den leader!!). I decided that no matter what, I needed to go to class as well, if for nothing else, note taking. I met my friend, DB there and we observed class.
Unfortunately, the lights went out right around 9:00, so everyone was dismissed and headed on out. I introduced Master M to my friend and then asked her about a Ho Sin Sul move that I'd watched. She was kind enough to demonstrate, so I have a better idea of how it's supposed to work.
After class, DB and I stood outside in the parking lot and talked. We haven't had the opportunity to talk like that for a long time. It's something I missed. We talked about Bassai and I explained to him the opening (MG calls it a salutation) of the form, then actually ran through it. We compared what I've started to learn and what he had taught me and I showed him the refinements I'm working on putting into place. We also talked about Naihanchi Cho Dan and I told him that I felt like I have much work to do to get to that place in my mind that I have been living in. That's the place that says I have to get to "x-level"...and won't accept less than that. I have to work on that idea. I'll lose myself if I'm not careful. I'm determined to perform at a high level. I just need to give myself the "It's okay to not be perfect." talk soon. VERY soon or I'll have my butt kicked by a person with an injured calf!!
I didn't get to talk to Ms. S or Ms. Mad, nor Mr. L tonight. That's okay. I know they were all busy. I did show up, so that says *something*. I didn't just say "Oh, I'm too tired after Cub Scouts." and park myself on the couch. I'll give myself an "A" for that!!
I am going to write up my notes, such as they were, and send them to DB. He wanted to look at them. Plus, it'll help me figure out what they were doing. Big THANK YOU to Master F for telling me what started out the class. Yay!!
Tonight was the Pack meeting. I attended that (kind of had to since I'm the Den leader!!). I decided that no matter what, I needed to go to class as well, if for nothing else, note taking. I met my friend, DB there and we observed class.
Unfortunately, the lights went out right around 9:00, so everyone was dismissed and headed on out. I introduced Master M to my friend and then asked her about a Ho Sin Sul move that I'd watched. She was kind enough to demonstrate, so I have a better idea of how it's supposed to work.
After class, DB and I stood outside in the parking lot and talked. We haven't had the opportunity to talk like that for a long time. It's something I missed. We talked about Bassai and I explained to him the opening (MG calls it a salutation) of the form, then actually ran through it. We compared what I've started to learn and what he had taught me and I showed him the refinements I'm working on putting into place. We also talked about Naihanchi Cho Dan and I told him that I felt like I have much work to do to get to that place in my mind that I have been living in. That's the place that says I have to get to "x-level"...and won't accept less than that. I have to work on that idea. I'll lose myself if I'm not careful. I'm determined to perform at a high level. I just need to give myself the "It's okay to not be perfect." talk soon. VERY soon or I'll have my butt kicked by a person with an injured calf!!
I didn't get to talk to Ms. S or Ms. Mad, nor Mr. L tonight. That's okay. I know they were all busy. I did show up, so that says *something*. I didn't just say "Oh, I'm too tired after Cub Scouts." and park myself on the couch. I'll give myself an "A" for that!!
I am going to write up my notes, such as they were, and send them to DB. He wanted to look at them. Plus, it'll help me figure out what they were doing. Big THANK YOU to Master F for telling me what started out the class. Yay!!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sunday doings
I'm helping Amanda make a pie for school today. Her "Skills for Living" class had an assignment--make two dishes that your family uses to celebrate Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie was one thing. The other is stuffing. She really wants to make the stuffing, so we'll do that a bit later. The pie is in the oven right now. We just got a lesson in 1. picking an appropriately sized pie crust (I usually make my own, but the dough is frozen, so we got a pre-made one!!); and 2. Selecting an appropriately sized bowl for mixing the stuff together. She may have to make yet *another* pie because Tony's possibly going to attack this one. We already threatened him but still...he IS hard headed and likes pumpkin pie.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Thursday's class
Thursday night's class was most fun and challenging. Master M had us do what she called a "DQ Sundae". Basically, she started us off with a technique and we then had to one by one, add on another technique. It was a matter of listening and remembering. She demonstrated each technique as we called it out. That was fun. It started out with an Aneseo Pahkaro Mahkee (spelling, sorry!), followed by a low side kick in kemah Jahsee (horse riding stance), then a torrida (spinning)...um, it was a back fist. I am still learning the terminology, so I don't have it all yet. It was a Kap Kwon, I think! I offered a Jang Kwon (palm-heel strike) ending in a front stance. I'm not looking at my notes at present, so I don't have all the techniques our line offered up memorized. It was a lesson in putting together the various techniques and think of the flow and how they interacted with the previous and the next technique. I have to admit to being disconnected. I was concentrating on doing the technique and making sure I did it correctly (which can be improved, I'm sure!). I didn't really think of the application at that point, but I've since been thinking about how they worked together. I can see in my mind how a torrida kap kwon can work to pop someone upside the head (I believe it's a temple strike), then with my offering (jang kwon), it's a blow to the ribs to further incapacitate the opponent. I think there may have been another kick there...I forgot what Mr. L offered (a spinning inside/outside crescent kick, maybe??). One of the other Mr. L's offered up a round house, I think. I forgot (again, not looking at my book), what the last technique was.
We were in two lines and the second line offered up a high block, jumping front snap kick, something that landed in a cross legged stance, reinforced middle block (I THINK). It ended with a jumping front snap kick with the REAR leg (need to work on those...I think too much and an opponent would see it coming a mile away!), ending in a cat stance with a plier/pincer grip?
When it came to forms work, I actually remembered Keecho Hyung Il Bu, Ee Bu and Sam Bu!!!! I think I spaced out on Bassai, so that means I need more work on it...and Naihanchi Cho Dan I think I had!! It really pays to practice. I'm going to get myself back into the habit of reviewing forms, starting with my basic forms and working up. I really need to stop THINKING and actually start doing. I will get there. Nothing happens overnight, no matter how impatient I am.
Mr. L gave me a few pointers on my high 'x' blocks. I can see the application and the benefit of doing it the way he showed me--there's a 'divot' on your wrist that you can lock your other wrist bone into...and it's more stable than the way I had been doing it. One minor tweak learned and committed to memory (we hope!).
We were in two lines and the second line offered up a high block, jumping front snap kick, something that landed in a cross legged stance, reinforced middle block (I THINK). It ended with a jumping front snap kick with the REAR leg (need to work on those...I think too much and an opponent would see it coming a mile away!), ending in a cat stance with a plier/pincer grip?
When it came to forms work, I actually remembered Keecho Hyung Il Bu, Ee Bu and Sam Bu!!!! I think I spaced out on Bassai, so that means I need more work on it...and Naihanchi Cho Dan I think I had!! It really pays to practice. I'm going to get myself back into the habit of reviewing forms, starting with my basic forms and working up. I really need to stop THINKING and actually start doing. I will get there. Nothing happens overnight, no matter how impatient I am.
Mr. L gave me a few pointers on my high 'x' blocks. I can see the application and the benefit of doing it the way he showed me--there's a 'divot' on your wrist that you can lock your other wrist bone into...and it's more stable than the way I had been doing it. One minor tweak learned and committed to memory (we hope!).
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Important thoughts
My instructor sent me this tidbit. It's also very thought provoking...
How long to earn a black belt?
How long does it take to earn a black belt? The answer is illustrated in the parable of the boy and the Karate master.
A young boy traveled across Korea to the school of a famous master. When he arrived at the school he was given an audience by the master.
"What do you wish from me?" the master asked.
"I wish to be your student and become a black belt. How long must I study?" the boy replied.
'"At least 10 years." the master answered.
"Ten years!" the boy exclaimed. "What if I studied twice as hard as all your other students?"
"Twenty years!" replied the master.
"Twenty years! What if I practice day and night with all my effort?" asked the boy.
"Thirty years!" was the master's reply.
"Why is it that each time I say I will work harder, you tell me that it will take longer?" the boy asked.
The master answered, "The answer is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the Way.'"
How long to earn a black belt?
How long does it take to earn a black belt? The answer is illustrated in the parable of the boy and the Karate master.
A young boy traveled across Korea to the school of a famous master. When he arrived at the school he was given an audience by the master.
"What do you wish from me?" the master asked.
"I wish to be your student and become a black belt. How long must I study?" the boy replied.
'"At least 10 years." the master answered.
"Ten years!" the boy exclaimed. "What if I studied twice as hard as all your other students?"
"Twenty years!" replied the master.
"Twenty years! What if I practice day and night with all my effort?" asked the boy.
"Thirty years!" was the master's reply.
"Why is it that each time I say I will work harder, you tell me that it will take longer?" the boy asked.
The master answered, "The answer is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only one eye left with which to find the Way.'"
I wish...
I wish that just once, someone would take me seriously about my job. I'm the only woman in a department of men. They seem to think I'm a moron or something.
Yesterday, someone came over to ask me something about a machine, but he wouldn't stick around for the answer. Today, they're all acting like I'm contagious. I just don't get these guys. I'm just as good as they are and just as capable of helping the customers. Yes, I'll be the first to admit that I AM moody as all get out, but I'm also the one person who stays on the phone and does my job without a bunch of socializing when calls are holding. I don't mind socializing...you kind of HAVE to socialize if you're in a cubicle world for 8-10 hours a day.
Hey guys! I AM over here. I DO have brains. I DO work. I'm not just here to get your coffee and answer all the calls because you guys don't want to.
I wonder what would happen if I just suddenly signed off the phones during my manager's lunch hour like everyone else seems to? We all know the hold time would go up. Would anyone care? I seriously doubt it.
I either need to be like them and stop caring about my job so much or I need another job.
Yesterday, someone came over to ask me something about a machine, but he wouldn't stick around for the answer. Today, they're all acting like I'm contagious. I just don't get these guys. I'm just as good as they are and just as capable of helping the customers. Yes, I'll be the first to admit that I AM moody as all get out, but I'm also the one person who stays on the phone and does my job without a bunch of socializing when calls are holding. I don't mind socializing...you kind of HAVE to socialize if you're in a cubicle world for 8-10 hours a day.
Hey guys! I AM over here. I DO have brains. I DO work. I'm not just here to get your coffee and answer all the calls because you guys don't want to.
I wonder what would happen if I just suddenly signed off the phones during my manager's lunch hour like everyone else seems to? We all know the hold time would go up. Would anyone care? I seriously doubt it.
I either need to be like them and stop caring about my job so much or I need another job.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Thought provoking discussion
One of the people I read, Blogging the Martial Way, wrote a really cool blog today about "The Organic Growth of Martial Artists". I looked at it and found that I can totally relate to what he's saying. It gave me a lot of points to think about. It was an eye opener, and so was an email I received about it from a friend who just recently tested for her Sam Dan. I was talking to her about it being so true and here's what she said:
It was eye opening for me as well… we all have “serious gaps”, but understanding that that is part of the learning process (and not a personal deficiency) is important. It helps us learn not to beat ourselves up over what we don’t do well and need to improve… that it takes time to slowly move from one fractal image to another. It’s not a race, but as long as we are moving in that direction, that’s what counts.
I like being able to read blogs that make me think. It's also a good thing to enter into discussions about things with other people to get a different perspective. I spent Sunday afternoon talking to ML about my conceptions of how I was doing in class and got a mental "thwak!" to wake me up. I read this blog today and then received Ms. M's email about it. It's another "THWAK!" It isn't all about knowing all and being able to do all right off the top. It's about LEARNING. As you learn, you improve. You fill in the gaps, as it were, in your learning. You don't learn it all at the onset. It takes many days/months/years to achieve your goals. During that time period, you are always learning, always improving. Ikigai says "In dojo all over the world, instructors are sitting down with fresh beginners and stating very simply, 'your training is a combination of body, mind, and spirit!" How true this is. If you train your body, but you don't train your mind, then you're disconnected. You may be physically able to perform a technique, but unless you've learned the history behind what you're doing, you may not be able to fully understand it. I am learning this now.
What I'm also learning is that I can't sit there and beat myself with a mallet because I don't know everything I THINK I should know. Even if I did, I'd be insufferable, much like someone I have observed in the past. I don't want to be insufferable. I want to be a good martial artist. I want to be as good as I can be and I definitely need to STOP comparing myself to others!!
I think Ikigai's blog was possibly the prompt I needed to tell me to cut it out and get a life! I'm not ever going to be as good as someone who has been studying for a million years...they will always have that advantage over me. That doesn't mean that I have to sit down and cry about it. It just means that now I have to work so that one day, someone will look at me and say, "Gee, I want to be like HER." That's all that I can do.
It was eye opening for me as well… we all have “serious gaps”, but understanding that that is part of the learning process (and not a personal deficiency) is important. It helps us learn not to beat ourselves up over what we don’t do well and need to improve… that it takes time to slowly move from one fractal image to another. It’s not a race, but as long as we are moving in that direction, that’s what counts.
I like being able to read blogs that make me think. It's also a good thing to enter into discussions about things with other people to get a different perspective. I spent Sunday afternoon talking to ML about my conceptions of how I was doing in class and got a mental "thwak!" to wake me up. I read this blog today and then received Ms. M's email about it. It's another "THWAK!" It isn't all about knowing all and being able to do all right off the top. It's about LEARNING. As you learn, you improve. You fill in the gaps, as it were, in your learning. You don't learn it all at the onset. It takes many days/months/years to achieve your goals. During that time period, you are always learning, always improving. Ikigai says "In dojo all over the world, instructors are sitting down with fresh beginners and stating very simply, 'your training is a combination of body, mind, and spirit!" How true this is. If you train your body, but you don't train your mind, then you're disconnected. You may be physically able to perform a technique, but unless you've learned the history behind what you're doing, you may not be able to fully understand it. I am learning this now.
What I'm also learning is that I can't sit there and beat myself with a mallet because I don't know everything I THINK I should know. Even if I did, I'd be insufferable, much like someone I have observed in the past. I don't want to be insufferable. I want to be a good martial artist. I want to be as good as I can be and I definitely need to STOP comparing myself to others!!
I think Ikigai's blog was possibly the prompt I needed to tell me to cut it out and get a life! I'm not ever going to be as good as someone who has been studying for a million years...they will always have that advantage over me. That doesn't mean that I have to sit down and cry about it. It just means that now I have to work so that one day, someone will look at me and say, "Gee, I want to be like HER." That's all that I can do.
Mantra, Day 2
I like the fact that I have a good memory and that people come to me for questions to be answered.
Monday, November 10, 2008
All Region
Well, Amanda's All Region hopes are dashed by a placement of 53rd out of 96 flutes. 53 is nothing to sneeze about and I am extremely proud of her for that accomplishment. I never had the opportunity to play an instrument myself, so this is really a great thing. I refuse to live my life vicariously through my daughter, so I can't do anything more than what I've already done...provide support and encouragement.
This weekend is another band function--the Robotics Team at school wants the Honors Band to go with them to a competition in Denton. It'll be another reason to see this band perform and to support my daughter's musical talents.
This weekend is another band function--the Robotics Team at school wants the Honors Band to go with them to a competition in Denton. It'll be another reason to see this band perform and to support my daughter's musical talents.
New day, new mantra, Thank you ML!
I'm trying something new in the way of my workouts and whatnot. I am going to start every day telling myself one thing I really like about myself. No more "Negative Nellie" for me. I've got a piece I wrote last June that I am going to re-type and share at some point. I was advised that it doesn't sound at all like what I've been saying lately. I really needed that advice and I am going to take it.
I got up this morning and looked at myself. Then I told myself, I like the fact that I'm caring and I listen to people.
I'll be repeating that to myself during the day. I AM capable of being a good martial artist. I wouldn't have a black belt if I didn't earn it somehow.
I earned it. Thousands of hours of sweat. I will earn my second Dan. I don't know when right now and frankly, after spending the weekend talking to a friend, I don't think I need to worry about the when. I need to worry about getting myself together, to getting what I need to accomplish done. I'm fine with who I am as long as I focus on the here and now and not the When.
A little positive reinforcement goes a LONG way!
I got up this morning and looked at myself. Then I told myself, I like the fact that I'm caring and I listen to people.
I'll be repeating that to myself during the day. I AM capable of being a good martial artist. I wouldn't have a black belt if I didn't earn it somehow.
I earned it. Thousands of hours of sweat. I will earn my second Dan. I don't know when right now and frankly, after spending the weekend talking to a friend, I don't think I need to worry about the when. I need to worry about getting myself together, to getting what I need to accomplish done. I'm fine with who I am as long as I focus on the here and now and not the When.
A little positive reinforcement goes a LONG way!
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Sunday morning
We haven't heard anything back from the competition yesterday to see where Amanda placed, so we'll have to wait on pins and needles (well, I'll be there, anyway) for tomorrow. I HOPE I'll hear something fairly early in the day. Tuesday is the second round of competition. I don't know what will happen. I *will* post it when I get the news.
I've been working on my class commands. One of the things I'm going to start doing is working with the kids to have them quiz me. I hate feeling like I don't know what I'm doing. I KNOW that everyone else has been doing this longer than I have in this school, but I want to be able to step in and do what they're doing. I've got to work very hard on that. I have a slight deficit, but I'll make up for it. I'm sending an email to a couple of people to ask for help with the terminology and when it's said. Then I'll do my best to commit it to memory.
I figure that once I commit it to memory, I'll be able to fall into place without having a prompter, as much as I appreciate it! I'm sure my prompter will appreciate it too.
I've been working on my class commands. One of the things I'm going to start doing is working with the kids to have them quiz me. I hate feeling like I don't know what I'm doing. I KNOW that everyone else has been doing this longer than I have in this school, but I want to be able to step in and do what they're doing. I've got to work very hard on that. I have a slight deficit, but I'll make up for it. I'm sending an email to a couple of people to ask for help with the terminology and when it's said. Then I'll do my best to commit it to memory.
I figure that once I commit it to memory, I'll be able to fall into place without having a prompter, as much as I appreciate it! I'm sure my prompter will appreciate it too.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
All Region auditions
Today, Amanda had her first round audition for All Region Band. We were told to be there and check in by 8:30. We got there at 8:25 and had her checked in by 8:30...but her actual group didn't go in until 10:30. She spent some time in the "warm up/practice room", which was the cafeteria at the school the tryouts were held at. They had a sign on the door that said "Unless you're singing, this is a quiet zone". With no fewer than 10-15 kids at any given time in that room, it was anything but quiet! It was pretty cool, all things considered. I wouldn't go into the room--I let Tony go in with her. I knew my ears would be ringing if I went in.
So, after we got her settled, we headed out and rounded up breakfast. Amanda ate on the way over there, but Aidan was "starving", so we took him to Ihop for breakfast. After breakfast, we went back to the school to see if Amanda had made it to her tryout. She was in the hall outside the audition room, waiting with a bunch of other kids for her turn to play. We waited about another 30 minutes in the hall with the kids before that group went in for their turn.
They were in the room with their judges, who were behind a screen, so the kids couldn't see them. Amanda was trying out along with the young man who is the first chair flute in her band. She told me that he'll never lose first chair. I told her that it was only because he practiced more than anyone else did and that's why he was so good. I think I saw the wheels in her head turn...
That audition round was over by 11:30, so we got her flute case (she left it in the warm up room), then we came home. Drove through some gorgeous neighborhoods and enjoyed being out. I drove us past the high school to see if we could get to the track. It looks like we can, so maybe tomorrow we'll go walking.
Now we're on a 'wait and see' mode. We'll find out Monday how she did.
So, after we got her settled, we headed out and rounded up breakfast. Amanda ate on the way over there, but Aidan was "starving", so we took him to Ihop for breakfast. After breakfast, we went back to the school to see if Amanda had made it to her tryout. She was in the hall outside the audition room, waiting with a bunch of other kids for her turn to play. We waited about another 30 minutes in the hall with the kids before that group went in for their turn.
They were in the room with their judges, who were behind a screen, so the kids couldn't see them. Amanda was trying out along with the young man who is the first chair flute in her band. She told me that he'll never lose first chair. I told her that it was only because he practiced more than anyone else did and that's why he was so good. I think I saw the wheels in her head turn...
That audition round was over by 11:30, so we got her flute case (she left it in the warm up room), then we came home. Drove through some gorgeous neighborhoods and enjoyed being out. I drove us past the high school to see if we could get to the track. It looks like we can, so maybe tomorrow we'll go walking.
Now we're on a 'wait and see' mode. We'll find out Monday how she did.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Martial arts quotes
I am in the mood for quotes. I have been thinking about martial arts a lot, so I thought I'd share some interesting martial arts quotes. Some of them are funny, some of them just make you think. All have come from one website.
I do want to make sure the correct credit is given.
"The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants." -- Master Gichin Funakoshi
"Karate is a defensive art from beginning to end" - Gichin Funakoshi
"Knowledge does not grow like a tree where you dig a hole, plant your feet, cover them with dirt, and pour water on them daily. Knowledge grows with time, work, and dedicated effort. It cannot come by any other means." -- Ed Parker.
"The Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa) were conquered and united into one kingdom. To insure his rule, the king confiscated and banned possession of weapons by people other than his troops. A second ban on weapons was instituted by Japanese conquerors approximately 200 years later. These two incidents are generally credited as the cause for the intense development of the emptyhanded fighting techniques..." -- Special Forces (USA) manual ST 31-204
My instructor once told me that the first five dan ranks come for what you've gotten out of the system, the next ranks come for what you've given back.
"You may train for a long time, but if you merely move your hands and feet and jump up and down like a puppet, learning karate is not very different from learning a dance. You will never have reached the heart of the matter; you will have failed to grasp the quintessence of karate-do." - Gichin Funakoshi"
"Aikido is not a defensive martial art. Being defensive is a terrible way to go through life." -quote on a dojo wall. This means be proactive. It does not mean hit first.
"An unwillingness to deal forcibly with violence does not equate to moral rectitude." -- Mary Malmros
"It should be easy to spot a black belt in a crowd, s/he should walk like a Marine on roller skates" - Fredrick Lovret
He who hesitates, meditates in the horizontal position. -- Edmund K. Parker
"When pure knuckles meet pure flesh, that's pure Karate, no matter who executes it or whatever style is involved." -- Ed Parker
"When two tigers fight, one is certain to be maimed, and one to die." -- Master Funakoshi
"Of those who start TaeKwonDo training, only about 5% stick with it until they achieve the Black Belt Rank. Then perhaps 80% of those who earn a Black stop there." (Duk Sung Son, Black Belt Korean Karate)
"1-2 out of every 100 students reach Black Belt and of those only 1 out of every 1,000 achieves his 2nd Dan. ( Masutatsu Oyama, This is Karate.)
"The Time to Strike is When the Opportunity Presents Itself." -- 6th Code of Isshinryu Karatedo
"Hoping to see karate included in the universal physical education taught in our public schools, I set about revising the kata so as to make them as simple as possible. Times change, the world changes, and obviously the martial arts must change too. The karate that high school students practice today is not the same karate that was practiced even as recently as ten years ago [this book was written in 1956], and it is a long way indeed from the karate I learned when I was a child in Okinawa."
-- Gichin Funakoshi, in his book "Karate-do: My Way of Life" (page 35-36):.
The Art of Peace is medicine for a sick world. There is evil and disorder in the world, because people have forgotten that all things emanate from one source. Return to that source and leave behind all self-centered thoughts, petty desires, and anger. Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything. -- Morihei Ueshiba (O'Sensei)
The teaching of one virtuous person can influence many; that which has been learned well by one generation can be passed on to a hundred. -- Jigoro Kano (1860-1938)
"Follow not in the footsteps of the masters, but rather seek what they sought"
If you can't beat your computer at chess, try kick-boxing.
"'Ow' is not a Kempo word" -- Jonathan Vance
"That which does not kill us, must have missed us." -- Miowara Tomokata
"Unarmed hand-to-hand fighting does not change through the ages; only the name changes, and it has only one rule: do it first, do it fast, do it dirtiest." -- Robert A. Heinlein, Sci-fi author
Under the sword lifted high
There is hell making you tremble:
But go ahead,
And you have the land of bliss.
-- Miyamoto Musahshi
Deja Fu: The feeling that somehow, somewhere, you've been kicked in the head like this before.
"All Martial Artists are beginners; Some of us have just been beginning longer!" -- J.R. West
"One of the most striking features of karate is that it may be engaged in by anybody, young or old, strong or weak, male or female." -- Gichin Funakoshi's Karate-Do: My Way of Life
"Kempo fits itself to you, not the other way around." -- Shaolin Kempo Grandmaster Fred Villari
"What is simulation? It is the artful-science of profiting from experience in advance. That is the purpose of kata and sparring. Practice is profiting from experience in advance." - American Goju Grandmaster Peter Urban
"Do not get into a fight if you can possibly avoid it, but never hit soft. Don't ever hit a man unless you must, but if you hit him, put him to sleep." -- Theodore Roosevelt
The reason why Kajukenbo practitioners wear black gis is "you didn't have to wash it as often and it hid the blood stains better!" -- Kajukenbo founder Grandmaster Adriano Emperado
A dog at play has the mind of a wise martial arts master; a mind capable of perfect focus." -- Marc-Christophe
"Firm footwork is the fount from which springs all offense and defense." -- Giacomo diGrasse, 1570
"When an old man is able to defeat many attackers, how could it be due to his strength." -- Wang Chung Yueh
Two hands are two doors. It takes footwork to open the door.
"Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have had years and years of training can, using only their hands and feet, make some of the worst movies in the history of the world." -- Dave Barry
"Strategy is the craft of the warrior." -- Miyamoto Musashi
I am undefeated in all of Asia. Of course, I have never fought in any of Asia. Which pretty much guarantees I'm undefeated there.
"Do not covet illustrious titles and certificates; practice your technique and adhere to the Way, for the wind will not read." -- F. L. Lovret
That which does not kill us, sets up a counterpunch.
Talk is cheap, pain says so much more... -- Old bugei proverb
Sensei will give you the first fish,
but if you ask for more,
he'll give you a fishing pole.
Hit something hard with something soft. Hit something soft with something hard.
"In true budo there is no enemy or opponent. True budo is to become one with the universe, not train to become powerful or to throw down some opponent. Rather we train in hopes of being of some use, however small our role may be, in the task of bringing peace to mankind around the world." - Morihei Ueshiba
"The black belt is not a mark or symbol of the end of the journey to ones mastery of the arts; rather it is the mark that one is done packing for their journey and may now take the first step in their true journey. This a journey which can not ever be complete, only traveled..."
TKD just is Shotokan with with serial numbers filed off and aggressive marketing...
"I tried a very fancy attack I'd learned in France, which involved a beat, a feint in quarte, a feint in sixte, and a lunge veering off into an attack on his wrist. I nicked him, and the blood flowed." -- Corwin, Nine Princes in Amber
"They speak of "This Dojo" and "That Dojo". They are looking for profit." -- The Book of Five Rings.
"Cry in the dojo. Laugh on the battlefield." -- Samurai Maxim
"To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders." -- Lao-Tzu
A black belt is nothing more than a belt that goes around your waist. Being a black belt is a state of mind and attitude.
Even though surrounded
By several enemies set to attack,
Fight with the thought
That they are but one. -- Ueshiba Sensei
Ars sine scientia nihil est
Skill without knowledge is worthless.
"Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick." -- Bruce Lee
"A good backfist really can never be overrated." -- Billy Chaka, Hokkaido Popsicle
The most powerful weapon is the undrawn sword.
Martial Arts help develop patience, responsibility and self-descipline. -- Oleg Volk
"A continuous development of the mind is essential to success in the martial arts." -- Shaolin Kempo Grandmaster Fred Villari
The bully is looking for a victim and not a challenge.
"The requirements for each level vary in each Karate style and in each dojo according to the sensei's standards, which reflect the degree of perfection which he demands of himself." -- American Goju Grandmaster Peter Urban
"What is the difference between a teacher and an instructor? An instructor indoctrinates. A teacher causes one to discover new knowledge on a daily basis even between lesson-sessions." -- American Goju Grandmaster Peter Urban
"Kempo is for the street first; everything else is secondary." -- Professor William .K.S. Chow
"Nothing is more harmful to the world than a martial art that is not effective in actual self-defense." -- Motobu Choki
"The wood should fear your hand--not the other way around. No wonder you can't do it--you acquiesce to defeat before you even begin." -- Pai Mai
"The man whose profession is arms should calm his mind and look into the depths of others. Doing so is likely the best of the martial arts." -- Shiba Yoshimasa
"Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft!" -- Theodore Roosevelt
I do want to make sure the correct credit is given.
"The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants." -- Master Gichin Funakoshi
"Karate is a defensive art from beginning to end" - Gichin Funakoshi
"Knowledge does not grow like a tree where you dig a hole, plant your feet, cover them with dirt, and pour water on them daily. Knowledge grows with time, work, and dedicated effort. It cannot come by any other means." -- Ed Parker.
"The Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa) were conquered and united into one kingdom. To insure his rule, the king confiscated and banned possession of weapons by people other than his troops. A second ban on weapons was instituted by Japanese conquerors approximately 200 years later. These two incidents are generally credited as the cause for the intense development of the emptyhanded fighting techniques..." -- Special Forces (USA) manual ST 31-204
My instructor once told me that the first five dan ranks come for what you've gotten out of the system, the next ranks come for what you've given back.
"You may train for a long time, but if you merely move your hands and feet and jump up and down like a puppet, learning karate is not very different from learning a dance. You will never have reached the heart of the matter; you will have failed to grasp the quintessence of karate-do." - Gichin Funakoshi"
"Aikido is not a defensive martial art. Being defensive is a terrible way to go through life." -quote on a dojo wall. This means be proactive. It does not mean hit first.
"An unwillingness to deal forcibly with violence does not equate to moral rectitude." -- Mary Malmros
"It should be easy to spot a black belt in a crowd, s/he should walk like a Marine on roller skates" - Fredrick Lovret
He who hesitates, meditates in the horizontal position. -- Edmund K. Parker
"When pure knuckles meet pure flesh, that's pure Karate, no matter who executes it or whatever style is involved." -- Ed Parker
"When two tigers fight, one is certain to be maimed, and one to die." -- Master Funakoshi
"Of those who start TaeKwonDo training, only about 5% stick with it until they achieve the Black Belt Rank. Then perhaps 80% of those who earn a Black stop there." (Duk Sung Son, Black Belt Korean Karate)
"1-2 out of every 100 students reach Black Belt and of those only 1 out of every 1,000 achieves his 2nd Dan. ( Masutatsu Oyama, This is Karate.)
"The Time to Strike is When the Opportunity Presents Itself." -- 6th Code of Isshinryu Karatedo
"Hoping to see karate included in the universal physical education taught in our public schools, I set about revising the kata so as to make them as simple as possible. Times change, the world changes, and obviously the martial arts must change too. The karate that high school students practice today is not the same karate that was practiced even as recently as ten years ago [this book was written in 1956], and it is a long way indeed from the karate I learned when I was a child in Okinawa."
-- Gichin Funakoshi, in his book "Karate-do: My Way of Life" (page 35-36):.
The Art of Peace is medicine for a sick world. There is evil and disorder in the world, because people have forgotten that all things emanate from one source. Return to that source and leave behind all self-centered thoughts, petty desires, and anger. Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything. -- Morihei Ueshiba (O'Sensei)
The teaching of one virtuous person can influence many; that which has been learned well by one generation can be passed on to a hundred. -- Jigoro Kano (1860-1938)
"Follow not in the footsteps of the masters, but rather seek what they sought"
If you can't beat your computer at chess, try kick-boxing.
"'Ow' is not a Kempo word" -- Jonathan Vance
"That which does not kill us, must have missed us." -- Miowara Tomokata
"Unarmed hand-to-hand fighting does not change through the ages; only the name changes, and it has only one rule: do it first, do it fast, do it dirtiest." -- Robert A. Heinlein, Sci-fi author
Under the sword lifted high
There is hell making you tremble:
But go ahead,
And you have the land of bliss.
-- Miyamoto Musahshi
Deja Fu: The feeling that somehow, somewhere, you've been kicked in the head like this before.
"All Martial Artists are beginners; Some of us have just been beginning longer!" -- J.R. West
"One of the most striking features of karate is that it may be engaged in by anybody, young or old, strong or weak, male or female." -- Gichin Funakoshi's Karate-Do: My Way of Life
"Kempo fits itself to you, not the other way around." -- Shaolin Kempo Grandmaster Fred Villari
"What is simulation? It is the artful-science of profiting from experience in advance. That is the purpose of kata and sparring. Practice is profiting from experience in advance." - American Goju Grandmaster Peter Urban
"Do not get into a fight if you can possibly avoid it, but never hit soft. Don't ever hit a man unless you must, but if you hit him, put him to sleep." -- Theodore Roosevelt
The reason why Kajukenbo practitioners wear black gis is "you didn't have to wash it as often and it hid the blood stains better!" -- Kajukenbo founder Grandmaster Adriano Emperado
A dog at play has the mind of a wise martial arts master; a mind capable of perfect focus." -- Marc-Christophe
"Firm footwork is the fount from which springs all offense and defense." -- Giacomo diGrasse, 1570
"When an old man is able to defeat many attackers, how could it be due to his strength." -- Wang Chung Yueh
Two hands are two doors. It takes footwork to open the door.
"Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have had years and years of training can, using only their hands and feet, make some of the worst movies in the history of the world." -- Dave Barry
"Strategy is the craft of the warrior." -- Miyamoto Musashi
I am undefeated in all of Asia. Of course, I have never fought in any of Asia. Which pretty much guarantees I'm undefeated there.
"Do not covet illustrious titles and certificates; practice your technique and adhere to the Way, for the wind will not read." -- F. L. Lovret
That which does not kill us, sets up a counterpunch.
Talk is cheap, pain says so much more... -- Old bugei proverb
Sensei will give you the first fish,
but if you ask for more,
he'll give you a fishing pole.
Hit something hard with something soft. Hit something soft with something hard.
"In true budo there is no enemy or opponent. True budo is to become one with the universe, not train to become powerful or to throw down some opponent. Rather we train in hopes of being of some use, however small our role may be, in the task of bringing peace to mankind around the world." - Morihei Ueshiba
"The black belt is not a mark or symbol of the end of the journey to ones mastery of the arts; rather it is the mark that one is done packing for their journey and may now take the first step in their true journey. This a journey which can not ever be complete, only traveled..."
TKD just is Shotokan with with serial numbers filed off and aggressive marketing...
"I tried a very fancy attack I'd learned in France, which involved a beat, a feint in quarte, a feint in sixte, and a lunge veering off into an attack on his wrist. I nicked him, and the blood flowed." -- Corwin, Nine Princes in Amber
"They speak of "This Dojo" and "That Dojo". They are looking for profit." -- The Book of Five Rings.
"Cry in the dojo. Laugh on the battlefield." -- Samurai Maxim
"To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders." -- Lao-Tzu
A black belt is nothing more than a belt that goes around your waist. Being a black belt is a state of mind and attitude.
Even though surrounded
By several enemies set to attack,
Fight with the thought
That they are but one. -- Ueshiba Sensei
Ars sine scientia nihil est
Skill without knowledge is worthless.
"Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick." -- Bruce Lee
"A good backfist really can never be overrated." -- Billy Chaka, Hokkaido Popsicle
The most powerful weapon is the undrawn sword.
Martial Arts help develop patience, responsibility and self-descipline. -- Oleg Volk
"A continuous development of the mind is essential to success in the martial arts." -- Shaolin Kempo Grandmaster Fred Villari
The bully is looking for a victim and not a challenge.
"The requirements for each level vary in each Karate style and in each dojo according to the sensei's standards, which reflect the degree of perfection which he demands of himself." -- American Goju Grandmaster Peter Urban
"What is the difference between a teacher and an instructor? An instructor indoctrinates. A teacher causes one to discover new knowledge on a daily basis even between lesson-sessions." -- American Goju Grandmaster Peter Urban
"Kempo is for the street first; everything else is secondary." -- Professor William .K.S. Chow
"Nothing is more harmful to the world than a martial art that is not effective in actual self-defense." -- Motobu Choki
"The wood should fear your hand--not the other way around. No wonder you can't do it--you acquiesce to defeat before you even begin." -- Pai Mai
"The man whose profession is arms should calm his mind and look into the depths of others. Doing so is likely the best of the martial arts." -- Shiba Yoshimasa
"Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft!" -- Theodore Roosevelt
Monday, November 03, 2008
Quotes
I have these quotes in my signature when I send emails. They make sense to me, even more so now.
He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still. ~Lao Tzu
He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still. ~Lao Tzu
Given enough time, any man may master the physical. With enough knowledge, any man may become wise. It is the true warrior who can master both...and surpass the result.~~Tien Tai
Saturday, November 01, 2008
In charge of my own destiny
I'm readjusting my thinking again. I've started keeping a journal of what I'm eating (again!) so that I can find my triggers. I know one of the things I have problems with is eating more than a "normal" portion, so I'm back to weighing and measuring my food. If I do this, I will be more in control of me. I will lose the extra weight I've gained. I fully intend to be DOWN in 4 months from the 17 pounds I've gained over the past 7 months! I am not going to my next doctor's appointment weighing what I did two weeks ago. I knew I was having issues, but I didn't realize how I've sabotaged myself. This is all changing.
I told Master G thanks for allowing me to come into his group and said that I hope I'm a good fit as I feel that I have a good place. He said I was fitting in fine and then told me that I'm a bit overly critical of myself. He said that I need to relax and have fun, but not to beat myself up over silly things. I need to take this to heart. He's really putting something into words that I need to hear and need to remember. I am only human. To make mistakes is normal. I am not perfect and am prone to my faults. I can pick myself up, dust off and keep going. I am ultimately in charge of my own destiny. How far I climb or fall off the ladder is entirely up to me.
Yesterday at work, I got two of the guys, M and R, to help me while I reviewed the Ho Sin Sul we worked on Thursday. I have to remember to twist my wrist, but other than that, I think I have the wrist grabs down. Mr. L gave me a bit of a pointer on one of the belt grabs...he warned me to be careful about how I grab the belt because there is a potential for hurting the pinkie finger. I'm going to keep that in mind too.
In the spirit of challenges, I am going to be challenging myself to do "guy" pushups. I have done two "guy" pushups in full plank mode. I will have to seriously work on not "sinking" into them, but keeping myself straight. My goal is to do ten of them by the end of this year. I'm giving myself a week to do the two I started with. By the end of the week, I want to add two to that.
That's a start.
I told Master G thanks for allowing me to come into his group and said that I hope I'm a good fit as I feel that I have a good place. He said I was fitting in fine and then told me that I'm a bit overly critical of myself. He said that I need to relax and have fun, but not to beat myself up over silly things. I need to take this to heart. He's really putting something into words that I need to hear and need to remember. I am only human. To make mistakes is normal. I am not perfect and am prone to my faults. I can pick myself up, dust off and keep going. I am ultimately in charge of my own destiny. How far I climb or fall off the ladder is entirely up to me.
Yesterday at work, I got two of the guys, M and R, to help me while I reviewed the Ho Sin Sul we worked on Thursday. I have to remember to twist my wrist, but other than that, I think I have the wrist grabs down. Mr. L gave me a bit of a pointer on one of the belt grabs...he warned me to be careful about how I grab the belt because there is a potential for hurting the pinkie finger. I'm going to keep that in mind too.
In the spirit of challenges, I am going to be challenging myself to do "guy" pushups. I have done two "guy" pushups in full plank mode. I will have to seriously work on not "sinking" into them, but keeping myself straight. My goal is to do ten of them by the end of this year. I'm giving myself a week to do the two I started with. By the end of the week, I want to add two to that.
That's a start.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Learning the basics again
I had an awesome class tonight. I worked with Ms. M on the kicking drills, Ho Sin Sul (self defense) and sparring. Our primary drill was back kicks. I'm not the strongest when it comes to back kick. I had to really concentrate to get my kicks to land where I wanted them to land. Again, I have sloppy kicks, so I have a LOT to work on.
I talked to Ms. M tonight and asked her if she'd help me out after she's fully recovered from her belt test on Saturday. I want to get into great shape and I need a buddy. I am too darned lazy to do it on my own. We talked about possibly getting together and going walking. This would be a good thing. I won't get my butt off the couch without having a companion. For whatever reason, I don't know that I want to walk with my hubby, mainly because I think he'll walk too slowly and if I'm trying to get in some cardio, I can do it better if I'm walking with someone else who is motivated to walk fast.
We were talking after class tonight about Bunkai. We talked about Bassai and the fact that the opening of Bassai is essentially an attack. You have to look at it as if you're sneaking up to a fortress that is guarded by a sentry (or multiple sentries). With the salutation/Choon Be of Bassai, you're literally grabbing the sentry, stabbing him and kicking him to the ground at the same time. Then you'll turn and use his body as a shield or a weapon as you turn to get someone who might be sneaking up behind you.
I'm seeing the forms I've learned in a totally different light. I think that learning the Bunkai of a form makes the form take on a new meaning. I can see the practical application. I was talking to a friend earlier tonight and she said that if you learn the theory behind what you're learning, it'll stick with you better. She's right because I can actually SEE the form and can feel how it should work.
I talked to Ms. M tonight and asked her if she'd help me out after she's fully recovered from her belt test on Saturday. I want to get into great shape and I need a buddy. I am too darned lazy to do it on my own. We talked about possibly getting together and going walking. This would be a good thing. I won't get my butt off the couch without having a companion. For whatever reason, I don't know that I want to walk with my hubby, mainly because I think he'll walk too slowly and if I'm trying to get in some cardio, I can do it better if I'm walking with someone else who is motivated to walk fast.
We were talking after class tonight about Bunkai. We talked about Bassai and the fact that the opening of Bassai is essentially an attack. You have to look at it as if you're sneaking up to a fortress that is guarded by a sentry (or multiple sentries). With the salutation/Choon Be of Bassai, you're literally grabbing the sentry, stabbing him and kicking him to the ground at the same time. Then you'll turn and use his body as a shield or a weapon as you turn to get someone who might be sneaking up behind you.
I'm seeing the forms I've learned in a totally different light. I think that learning the Bunkai of a form makes the form take on a new meaning. I can see the practical application. I was talking to a friend earlier tonight and she said that if you learn the theory behind what you're learning, it'll stick with you better. She's right because I can actually SEE the form and can feel how it should work.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Another long day
Today was another long day. I am filling in for my manager while he's on vacation. There are times when filling in for him makes me feel so much stress it's not funny. Today is another day like that. My back is sore and hurts like heck. Some of that was from work and some of that is from sitting for an hour on a very hard bench. That was at our Pack Meeting. We had a pretty good one tonight. Our Pack is putting on a Veteran's Day Parade at school. Our guys made gifts for the veterans who are going to walk in our Parade this year. I think it's a great idea. The lady behind this parade is a really nice lady who has a big heart.
The meeting was over at 8:10...Pack Leadership is supposed to clean up and get everyone out of the cafeteria (we have our meetings at the school) and get ourselves out of the building. I was *going* to attend class tonight, but...it wasn't possible as I would have spent 10 minutes driving to class and getting to spend about 10 minutes in class. I am a bit bummed by that but I'll make up for it on Thursday. I have immense amounts of work to do to get ready for class on Thursday. I know I'm weak and need to get into shape.
I still have to cement a workout plan and stick to it. I'm not walking as much as I'd like to. I haven't really walked since last week. I walked around on Saturday but not since. I am going to have to get *someone* to nag me to get my butt up and walking!! I AM getting away from my desk at work...that's a good thing for me. I now need to push it one step further and both drink more water and also work out more. Even if I don't get to test for my Ee Dan next year (and I'm thinking that unless I'm seriously improved over the next few months), I won't be testing.
One of the things I *have* to do is to lose weight. I saw my doctor last week and he asked me "Are you still doing your martial arts?" when he looked at my chart. I've gained 17 pounds back since March!! MARCH!! That's 7 months!!
I don't have any excuses. I have to knuckle down and exercise. I like being lazy. I also like the feeling of power I have when I see myself in smaller clothes. I am frustrated by having to buy large sizes when this time last year I was fitting into smaller sizes. Why am I letting myself get out of control? I'm not controlling myself the way I should. I need to exercise. I need to take charge of who I am. I accept myself, but I don't. Then I find myself full of self loathing and talk negatively about how I'm in such bad shape. I am NOT going ot let it be a self fulfilling prophecy. I don't want Mr. M's pride in me because I"m a "success story" (fat person earns black belt) to stick. I want to be proud of me because I'm good. I want to get my strength and stamina up so that when my time comes, I'll be able to go out and earn my Ee Dan and be good.
The meeting was over at 8:10...Pack Leadership is supposed to clean up and get everyone out of the cafeteria (we have our meetings at the school) and get ourselves out of the building. I was *going* to attend class tonight, but...it wasn't possible as I would have spent 10 minutes driving to class and getting to spend about 10 minutes in class. I am a bit bummed by that but I'll make up for it on Thursday. I have immense amounts of work to do to get ready for class on Thursday. I know I'm weak and need to get into shape.
I still have to cement a workout plan and stick to it. I'm not walking as much as I'd like to. I haven't really walked since last week. I walked around on Saturday but not since. I am going to have to get *someone* to nag me to get my butt up and walking!! I AM getting away from my desk at work...that's a good thing for me. I now need to push it one step further and both drink more water and also work out more. Even if I don't get to test for my Ee Dan next year (and I'm thinking that unless I'm seriously improved over the next few months), I won't be testing.
One of the things I *have* to do is to lose weight. I saw my doctor last week and he asked me "Are you still doing your martial arts?" when he looked at my chart. I've gained 17 pounds back since March!! MARCH!! That's 7 months!!
I don't have any excuses. I have to knuckle down and exercise. I like being lazy. I also like the feeling of power I have when I see myself in smaller clothes. I am frustrated by having to buy large sizes when this time last year I was fitting into smaller sizes. Why am I letting myself get out of control? I'm not controlling myself the way I should. I need to exercise. I need to take charge of who I am. I accept myself, but I don't. Then I find myself full of self loathing and talk negatively about how I'm in such bad shape. I am NOT going ot let it be a self fulfilling prophecy. I don't want Mr. M's pride in me because I"m a "success story" (fat person earns black belt) to stick. I want to be proud of me because I'm good. I want to get my strength and stamina up so that when my time comes, I'll be able to go out and earn my Ee Dan and be good.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
My daughter...
My daughter had try-outs for All City Band on Thursday. She found out Friday that she made 7th chair. She plays flute and 7th chair is nothing to sneeze at. She made ALL CITY!!!!!
I was on my way out to Camp Wisdom and called home to check with her. She gave me the news as I was sitting in a parking lot in Cedar Hill (Not near where I was supposed to be!!), trying to figure out where I was going!
Yay Mandy!!!
Pictures
Here are a couple of pictures from Camp Wisdom...
Our first view of the Fort, on our arrival at Camp Wisdom. We were at check-in.
The Blacksmith
The Castle, stop #1 on the Haunted Hike.
The "Executioner" at the Castle.
Aidan and I at the "Pumpkin Chunkin". We're trying to launch our pumpkin, which wanted to hit the ground. We had a "roller".
Our first view of the Fort, on our arrival at Camp Wisdom. We were at check-in.
The Blacksmith
The Castle, stop #1 on the Haunted Hike.
The "Executioner" at the Castle.
Aidan and I at the "Pumpkin Chunkin". We're trying to launch our pumpkin, which wanted to hit the ground. We had a "roller".
Camping
We went to Camp Wisdom this weekend. It was really fun. Aidan and I had a blast. I think I enjoyed myself more than he did, but we both enjoyed ourselves.
Our favorite things were the Haunted Hike and the Pumpkin Chunkin'.
We went from breakfast to camp, then off to The Foundry (a blacksmith demonstration), then off to the Haunted Hike. We went to the Castle, then off to the Cave (no pictures were taken of the cave, sorry!), then on to the Pirate ships. The kids LOVED the Pirate ships. It was a bit like an organized water balloon fight. Lots of fun! There were a couple of casualties...two of our kids got hit by the balloon. The ships were manned by Boy Scouts who were volunteering at this camp. They inadvertantly hit a couple of the Cubs with the 'balls'. Neither boy was seriously injured...I think it stung quite a bit. I don't think they'd get back into the middle of a water battle again any time soon!
After the Pirate ships, we went back to the Mess Hall for lunch, then off to Pumpkin Decorating. That didn't last very long--about 45 minutes, tops. The boys were anxious to get out to the Pumpkin Chunkin', so we ran over there and had a blast shooting off our pumpkins. All the boys liked that!
Archery, BB shooting, then an hour before dinner. Then we went back, the kids changed and off to the Trick or Treat to the Campfire. A bit tiring, as we parents had to carry our folding chairs to the campfire as well. The kids got to trick or treat, we carried the packs. LOL! At the campfire, they did skits, sang songs and talked to us. I was in the back of the crowd, so I couldn't hear much. I did hear the skit of "Falling Rock". It'll lose MUCH in translation, so I can't tell you about that. You had to be there to see and hear it.
Part of the fun of last night was that they did the trick or treat after dark, so we had glow sticks to use for light sources. That was pretty neat. I was glad of having a place to sit and glad that I didn't have to use my own chair, even though I hauled it to the campfire.
When we got to our campsite, someone there had started yet another fire (we had one Friday night too), so we joined that crowd for a few minutes. Someone gave Aidan another marshmallow, so he 'roasted' it and gave it to me. I got to have a warm marshmallow as a midnight snack. YAY!
This morning we packed up and were ready to go by 8:00. Breakfast was at 7:30 at the mess hall. Aidan and I got there late, just as they were shutting it down. We managed to eat, but barely. After that was the "Scout's Own" service, which was pretty neat. When that was over, we climbed into our car and drove off.
We spent most of the day yesterday, on our feet. There was a LOT of walking involved. Everything we did involved walking from point A to point B. By the end of the day, it felt like my feet were going to fall off. I took my "walking shoes", which are in dire need of replacement. I am tonight regretting that decision. I have blisters on both of my feet, which was unusual. I am not complaining, mind you. I did it because it got me a chance to go camping, something I haven't done in nearly 20 years. I want to do it again, but further away from the city, more out in the countryside.
Our favorite things were the Haunted Hike and the Pumpkin Chunkin'.
We went from breakfast to camp, then off to The Foundry (a blacksmith demonstration), then off to the Haunted Hike. We went to the Castle, then off to the Cave (no pictures were taken of the cave, sorry!), then on to the Pirate ships. The kids LOVED the Pirate ships. It was a bit like an organized water balloon fight. Lots of fun! There were a couple of casualties...two of our kids got hit by the balloon. The ships were manned by Boy Scouts who were volunteering at this camp. They inadvertantly hit a couple of the Cubs with the 'balls'. Neither boy was seriously injured...I think it stung quite a bit. I don't think they'd get back into the middle of a water battle again any time soon!
After the Pirate ships, we went back to the Mess Hall for lunch, then off to Pumpkin Decorating. That didn't last very long--about 45 minutes, tops. The boys were anxious to get out to the Pumpkin Chunkin', so we ran over there and had a blast shooting off our pumpkins. All the boys liked that!
Archery, BB shooting, then an hour before dinner. Then we went back, the kids changed and off to the Trick or Treat to the Campfire. A bit tiring, as we parents had to carry our folding chairs to the campfire as well. The kids got to trick or treat, we carried the packs. LOL! At the campfire, they did skits, sang songs and talked to us. I was in the back of the crowd, so I couldn't hear much. I did hear the skit of "Falling Rock". It'll lose MUCH in translation, so I can't tell you about that. You had to be there to see and hear it.
Part of the fun of last night was that they did the trick or treat after dark, so we had glow sticks to use for light sources. That was pretty neat. I was glad of having a place to sit and glad that I didn't have to use my own chair, even though I hauled it to the campfire.
When we got to our campsite, someone there had started yet another fire (we had one Friday night too), so we joined that crowd for a few minutes. Someone gave Aidan another marshmallow, so he 'roasted' it and gave it to me. I got to have a warm marshmallow as a midnight snack. YAY!
This morning we packed up and were ready to go by 8:00. Breakfast was at 7:30 at the mess hall. Aidan and I got there late, just as they were shutting it down. We managed to eat, but barely. After that was the "Scout's Own" service, which was pretty neat. When that was over, we climbed into our car and drove off.
We spent most of the day yesterday, on our feet. There was a LOT of walking involved. Everything we did involved walking from point A to point B. By the end of the day, it felt like my feet were going to fall off. I took my "walking shoes", which are in dire need of replacement. I am tonight regretting that decision. I have blisters on both of my feet, which was unusual. I am not complaining, mind you. I did it because it got me a chance to go camping, something I haven't done in nearly 20 years. I want to do it again, but further away from the city, more out in the countryside.
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