Category Archives: Random

Tidbits – 11/17/08

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Last night, I upped the breath count to 25 per posture instead of 15. The transition was pretty smooth and didn’t notice any troubles maintaining my awareness for the additional 10 breaths. I did notice some extra tension on the outer edges of my shoulder in addition to some tension in the upper-most thigh region.  I just worked on the melting imagery more and eventually the tension went away.

After completing the 3 zhan zhuang postures, I did some basic training exercises. I basically did some straight line drills of the following postures: Part Wild Horse’s Mane, Repulse Monkey, Ward Off, Cloud Hands. After the drills, I went directly into the first section of the Yang long form.  Overall, it was a good session and definitely something I will incorporate into future sessions.

Also, I potentially found a new training spot after clearing up some room in the basement. My son’s play area is down there, but there’s now some more room were I could definitely ‘do the form in the space of a cow sleeping’ type of training ;)

This morning while taking the little guy to daycare, I felt some nerve tingle in my left knee and then on the way to the car, I felt another slight tingle in my left shoulder.  It must be the change in weather as the temperature dropped about 20 degrees F or so overnight. On the other hand, just got some antibiotics and working through a spout of bronchitis and potentially some whooping cough (most likely from son’s daycare).  I’ve been sick for the last like 3-4 weeks and it’s not very fun.

On a far side note, I wish wordpress would allow the posting of an entry WITHOUT a title. Like define some random number or whatever if there isn’t a title. I guess I could do that myself, but I’d rather not.

Shiny and New

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I take the same route to work every morning, yet this morning, something felt different. Perhaps it was the snow on the branches or the beaconing light of the service truck that made the route feel “new” again. I’m not sure, but it was a strange feeling, one that I have not felt for some time.

I have started reading the book, T’ai-Chi Ch’uan Lessons with Master TT Liang again.  I have read the book before, but this time through, things feel new.  The simplicity of the format and message make more sense now than they did before. Passages that I threw aside as mumbo jumbo now have more meaning.

Repulse the monkey is no longer just some arm movements, but it now had deeper meaning than it once did. From the outside, the movement appears simple, yet executing this simple movement can take years of practice to master.

Sing … as if no one is listening.

Dance … as if no one is watching.

Love … like you’ve never been hurt.

Live … everyday as if it were your last

7 Random Things

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I’ve been tagged by Rick of Cook Ding’s Kitchen.  I first came across Rick’s blog during my quest to find other taiji related blogs. Some comments on each other’s blog lead to an email exchange which lead to finding out that we have some mutual acquaintances in real life. Such a small world!

I have accepted the tagging and the rules are as follows:

  • link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
  • share 7 random or weird things about yourself.
  • tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs
  • let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 Random or Weird things about me:

  1. I started martial arts in second grade, taking lessons at the gym of a local elementary school. After years of Tae Kwon Do, I started chinese contemporary wushu.  One day, I noticed my grandma watching me practice the staff in the backyard. Later that day, my aunt tells me that my grandfather used to also practice and train the staff.  She tells me that he was able to jump on top of the roofs in their village with his staff. I wish I still trained in the staff…
  2. For a person who often posts things on the internet, I am very paranoid about sharing personal information online. I know, it’s a weird love and hate relationship.
  3. I am a bit anal retentive regarding my own routines. Sometimes when things go out of whack or slightly off course, I get a bit agitated. Example, I am pretty anal about GTD and keeping my action lists up to date. I take pictures of high ticket items to store for personal home inventory. I track finances down to the penny. I am paranoid about data backup and have over 1 terabyte worth of disk space for my computer alone.
  4. I am always researching something.  I mostly read non-fictional works and will research for weeks before making a purchase.  I have become the ‘go to guy’ for gadgetry and other things related to technology.
  5. I love podcasts and audiobooks. With a 1 hour commute to work, I try to make the best use of my time. Roughly 90% of the time, my iPod is playing either a podcast or audiobook.
  6. I like to dance and will throw down with the young-ens :) In my early teens, I was all about the running man and kid’n'play kickstep. During high school and college, I was a raver and it was all about poppin and liquid glides.  Recently, it’s ballroom dancing. At a family wedding about 2 years ago, I was called out by a younger cousin. I went out into the middle of the dance circle and put all the kiddies to shame.. heheh ;)
  7. Anytime the Karate Kid is playing on TV, I will watch it. This drives my wife crazy! :)

The follow people have been tagged:

Formosa Neijia

InternalArts IA

Taiji.quest.ion

Taiji Kinesis

Teck’s Treehouse

Unfortunately, I may break the rules a bit as I only have 5 people to tag. Ohh.. that’s another thing about me, I prefer to hang in small circles. I like intimate groups of about 4-5 people versus big gatherings :)

The coffee phase out

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Last week, I decided I would slowly phase out coffee from my diet. Back in college, I was a coffee junkie. After graduation, I rarely drank coffee and would sometimes partake once every couple of weeks as a social team outing.  After the birth of my son, coffee has kicked in full force due to constant lack of sleep. Now that my son is three, I have decided to cut back on the coffee.

I was going to do the cold turkey thing last week but decided against it when I began feeling drowsy during my 50 minute commute to work in the morning.  So I caved and bought a small coffee with some donuts to boot.. yumm ;) The following weekend, I picked up a small can of coffee to tie me over.

This week, I have cut down to prepping about 3 cups of coffee every other day for my morning commute. I used to do 4 cups of coffee (completely fill my coffee mug). So far, so good. Not too many headaches and with the weekend approaching, this will mean 2 more days without coffee.

My goal next week is to cut down to 2 cups of coffee every other day, followed by 1 cup of coffee every other day the following week. This means by New Year’s, I should be coffee free. Yeah!

The Soothing Moonlight Sonata

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In college, my ambiance of choice while studying was Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. I also had this weird routine that on the way to any final or exam, I would put on my headphones with Moonlight Sonata movement 1, repeating continuously for the duration of my walk.

When I get the the exam room, I would sit quietly in my seat, and listen to the sonata. Sometimes students would try to ask me last minute questions, but I have to gently decline to answer as I am preparing my mind for the exam to come. The teacher walks in and hands out the exams. I look at the cover page, close my eyes, turn off my cd player, and begin the exam.

I have always enjoyed this piece, but after seeing Gary Oldman, as Beethoven, playing this piece in the movie Immortal Beloved, I was hooked. In the movie, the father of his student orders a new piano in order for Beethoven to ‘test’, as he does not believe Beethoven can really play the piano. Since Beethoven does not play for anyone, they tell him no one will be home during his test, but they hide out in a secret passage.

Beethoven enters the room, fumbles and slams the keys creating quite an unpleasant sound. The slowly, he turns his head, and lowers it, placing his ear on the piano. There is quiet, then suddenly the sonata begins. Like a soft pitter patter of the rain, the piece gently rises, yet the ears can barely hear. The soft melody causes you to creep in and listen closer…

Ahh…. such great memories. Tonight, when the tensions of the day are still wrought in my body, I listen to the Moonlight Sonata and go to that ‘peaceful place’ in my mind.

Enjoy Wilhelm Kempff playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, movement 1:

URL: http://youtube.com/watch?v=O6txOvK-mAk