A Good Week

     Well, happy thanksgiving today. And what a heck of a day out there. Holy wind batman! I am not too sure on what to write about today. It just very well could be a short blog today.  So dragon practice was really wicked yesterday. We learnt and worked on a new move. Boy I think it looks good thus far. Lots of work ahead of us, but, it will be worth it. My stick form is coming nicely. I thought, a few weeks ago, that the stick form was "done." I figured I had it all figured out and just needed to work on smoothing things out. Then I asked why I seemed to be fumbling at certain spots in the form. And, thus, new moves added, old moves removed. I think it is way better than a few weeks ago. Again I am very excited about my stick form. Ever since the forms seminar, that fire has been re-kindled. On all accounts. I am doing kempo lots again. Honestly I was bored with Kempo. And for only doing it a few hundred times, I did not think  boredom would set in this early in the challenge. Even though we are nine months into this journey. But, alas, I am fired up again. What a wonderful feeling.
    The tiger challenge is coming up fast and furious and man, am I looking forward to it. I am really excited on how well I will do. I am looking forward to seeing just how well I will do. Not in competition against anyone but myself. I want to push myself and do well, and hopefully, I will do well. The tiger challenge will be an amazing way to see where I am in the journey, versus, my expectations, if you might. I have placed hopes and dreams into this challenge and hopefully, they come true. And, if I don't, do as well as I hope, then I better train harder next year.
   The topic of I.H.C. has been coming up lots for next year and it has been taking the majority of my attention and thoughts. I really do want to attend next year, but, I have some serious challenges to work through to make it work, for next year. Like I have said before, Thursday nights, are very much needed for my mental health and well-being. Thursday nights I hang with people who are very much like me. We go to these rooms for one reason and one reason only. To stay mentally fit and healthy. To ensure, we stay sober and on the right path. These weekly meetings are in place to give us a place to go once a week, where everyone truly understands and does not judge. These rooms, though dealing with some of the lowest people around, are a very safe haven, for us. Lots of warmth and love here. Why, in these rooms, I learnt what the word love actually means. I learnt the value of being a human. I learnt the value of being kind and trying to be better than yesterday. Kung fu gives me a place to practice these lesson in the real word. So back to next years I.H.C. It felt, like a giant brick wall was placed in my way for next year. Honestly, at first it felt like, the decision to attend was taken from me. I felt very defensive and backed into a corner. I know that is not what anyone wanted or tried to do. It is just how I felt. Felt like, "how could you do this to me? I don't deserve this." But, hey that's selfish. For the greater  good, I kept thinking. What works best for everyone. Not just me. So, I have come up with a plan. If things fall apart, I will have to look at plan B. So the just of it, I can not attend every class, or very many at that matter, but I will be around. More of a chilling in the back, giving off the support that I can. I am kind of disappointed in the amount of classes I will be missing, but, honestly, if I work hard on my places in the demos, and on my forms, then it should not be an issue. So, I am getting excited for what is coming, but, I need to remember, just where I am today. And just as importantly, what I am doing.
    I have been feeling and hearing a lot of popping and clicking in my shoulders lately. This past week, I wanted to run my numbers up high, but I kept hearing pop, pop, click, in the right shoulder and click, click in the left. This has been happening for the better part of a month, but, I just kept pushing through. I talked to a friend about this and he mentioned, moving the hands around. Different positions and hand placements to help build the micro-muscles around the joints. So, I started doing so, more than I have in the past. But I still hear the pops and clicks. Okay, not a big deal. I can continue to keep my push-ups lower, while making progress. Okay, not a big deal. I hit around one hundred and things start going south. So, I need to remember, to push, but not injure myself. I really need my body for my job, so I have to be smart here.


Okay everyone, that's it for now.
I hope to see everyone soon
Mr.Duncan