high on chi

Anybody seeing me and Ellen in the line waiting to do form last night might think we were high. We were jumping around - clapping - shouting - giggling. We were high on chi. We were happy - well at least I was.

For me it started from me doing Erluquan for the first time in the carpet. Although it was only 2 moves - I felt this sense of accomplishment. I was happy. And then the next round, Hannah shouted 'Yeah! Sucheela' and I could feel my chi level went up 30%. It's probably the effect that Mo talked about in this blog last week. So I told myself that I'll do the same thing to other people. I'll give them chi simply by shouting their names - encouraging them (and myself.)

And it was fun. At least it made me forget that I couldn't move my legs anymore...

Moral of the story: ummmm.... be happy?

Meet Ted!

What did I learn today in class? Sucheela and I stretched with a guy who's been training for a while but whose name I didn't know. He's a really tall white dude probably in his 20s, brown hair, goatee, wears different training shoes which are also white, but I think they're leather, has been training for a short while, and um, really tall. So say amituofo to Ted!

Excellent!

A Valentine's Greeting From Q to U

Okay, so I was kinda stuck as to what lesson I learned last night other than do not accidentally drop your sportsbra into the toilet and as a result, have to train with your regular bra on instead, but grabbing a nice meal after class, and talking to beautiful kf people all day reminded me that Temple is a special place, but it would be nothing without you lovelies.

No matter how complicated life can be, you can always count on (1) training, and (2) awesome kung fu peeps.

Love you all...

Happy Valentine's Day, my friends! Amituofo!

never trust the weather man

Amituofo from Miami!

1. Beach + Forms = Sand-in-Eyes

2. It is raining.

3. Ok, people. We all know that "dried plumbs" are PRUNES! Do not fear the prune. Embrace the prune.

Over and out.

The MTA is not my friend...

On Saturday I made it to training...just barely. I left my apartment around 10:10 like I usually do and got all the way to the platform for the R train, only to find out that no R trains were running to Manhattan from my station that weekend. I had to go back outside and flag down a cab to Chinatown. Happily, I got to Temple with time to spare, but I was $10 poorer.

So the first lesson of the day -- check the MTA website for any diversions, especially on the weekend while eating my breakfast and before I get all the way to the platform, so that I can plan an alternate route to Temple if need be! I'm adding a link to the MTA service advisories on the side of this blog right now!

Oh, and as for training itself, it was a small class -- where was everyone? Only 24 of us or so came to class, and quite a few beginners, so Shifu avoided a potentially brutal pace and slowed down basics by making us all stand in place and practice lunbi caijiao together for a long time. He emphasized the importance of popping the kick in the air versus thudding the lead foot on the ground. And while you slap your hands together just before kicking your palm, make sure you are standing straight so that you're extending properly.

So, don't hunch over. Pay attention to detail. Don't be sloppy. Be proud of how we express ourselves! It is great to get back to the nitty-gritty basics every once in a while, so to speak.

Waibaitui + Badassness

Last night, during Waibaitui, I had this epiphany: Relax!

When I stretched my mind at that moment to accomodate that notion, suddenly my legs turned into vertical propellers, I was extending infinitely, my arms were the picture of Up, Straight, and Not Bouncing, and I wasn't about to pass out at the end of my turn!

Goes to show what overthinking can do...

PS: My pinky finger got thwacked today in Fan Yao. It's all black and blue now. Don't tell anyone, but I secretly like my Kung Fu war wounds. It is evidence that bad-assness has taken place.

follow your palms

don't forget to follow your palms when you move both your hands over your head and switch gongbu sides in yiluquan

kung fu injuries - all in my head?

When we do basic moves in the line, sometimes it's inevitable to kick or hit people next to us. Whenever I'm the one kicking or punching or slashing other people, I always feel so bad. I would be aware of it until the end of the class - trying to leave more space or moving faster or slower. I would keep thinking about it until I can say sorry to the person or make sure that he/she is cool.

On the other hand, whenever I got kicked, hit, punched, stepped on, etc. I always want to show that I'm fine - no worries - keep training - forgetaboutit - no big deal - smiling - Omitoufu. And it always *was* no big deal. These never stay in my head longer than 3 seconds which is how long the pain lasts.

I realized this - and thought - maybe I shouldn't worry about it too much. Just let it go. Maybe other people were trying to show me too that they were fine when I touched them too.

I know that we should be aware of ourselves and people and place around us. Well - sometimes I am not.

What usually goes on in your head whenever you happen to kick somebody in the line?

Lollygagging Will Get You Nowhere...Literally

You know when we're doing basics, and Shifu paces us by barking GO! each time a group of four is up? So during waibaitui today, I heard him say GO! to the groups in front of me, and then when I lined up, I didn't hear that GO! so I didn't go and just waited there a wee bit too long. Durrrrrrrrrr.... And then Shifu did one of those annoyed c'mon what are you waiting for? GO!s at me. Oops.

So Qbertplaya's lesson of the day: Keep the chi up! Don't let Shifu catch you lollygagging! Zou! means GO!

And then after training, Sucheela, Shi (Jose) and I lollygagged and ended up heading to Thai Son for a super quick dinner. We almost weren't seated cos we were so late. For simplicity's sake we all ordered the same dish - 10a - rice noodles beef soup w. grilled chicken. But the kitchen was in such a rush to close, some of our chicken was only half cooked. Raw. Yuck.

It doesn't pay to lollygag! Train faster! Eat sooner!