More patience.

 Okay hi there! What’s going on here? Well, this was a great week for me. Work wise, I had a good week. I’ve been bugging my foreman to jump in a hoe and mover dirt around, if it’s possible, well, one our operators has left the job and so I was able to jump in for a few hours! Bam! So, this is what I did. Gave the machine a quick look over, jumped in, fire it up and read the controls, took a few moments and got fami,air with the controls before we even rolled an inch. Oh, running diggers is just like playing video games! Running equipment! It’s all in the touch. Fill bucket with dirt, lift up put dirt over there! Repeat! Only a few bangs and shaking of equipment!! Oh snap, don’t do that calm down, let go of the levers for a breath, try again. I honestly got compliments for the decent beginner job I did! So, no problem, just need more practice. 

Speaking of practice, man I completely forgot the last few moves of Da Mu Hsing. Nailing the movements at the apartment, and then forget it all in front of the camera! Good gracious, I was excited to show everyone too, been working hard on it! Haha ahhh, then I forgot the techniques! Then, I messed up the bow out, and I’m like oh my god, what a train wreck! Yup, and like a minute later, I remembered what I was supposed to do.....Ahh well, I’ve stumbled before. It was the internet lag....yeah! The internet! Yeah, it was just time lapses, or whatever! Any how, I gotta get crushing more reps, what I have been doing of slower methodical forms, I want to amp up the flow into speed. So, like I say, I'm use to stopping and checking stances, I have to keep pushing forward with flow. But, at what cost? Stance? Intention? No, I need those. I want to start going for speed, but nit if it’s gonna cost me stance and grounding. Maybe, I could just be patient and keep going as to what is working so well, you know, basics and proper Kung fu. So, I gotta slow down and just stay steady with flow and stance. Everything else will happen when it’s supposed to! 

My combinations, feel not bad. There’s a few I spent a lot of time with. Simpler techniques. 3-4 moves in there. Running through the older ciriculum, and now even more of the sweeping knife block and the punch. It’s been in rotation since I’ve first seen it months ago, but i can step it up! No sweat! I feel I’m doing it right, I feel it’s doing well. I’m getting the extension and snap Sifu was asking for. Making sure not to lean over, just into the punch. Probably one of my more favorite techniques have always been out of horse stance. Seriously, that side heel thrust kick screams out of a horse stance, so simply falls into a backfist, spinning back kick then whamo, into a fighting stance squared backup, ready to rock. It’s even better when you make sound effects when you train....I’m not sure why you don’t? I always loved that combo. I get that a horse stance you “loose” some of your weapons, but, you gain “strength” in others, opening and closing the gap is fast I find in the horsestance. Mind you I have a large wing span, so that always helps, but still. 

So, I mean, I’m on day 25, worked 20, only 4 more to go! I’m getting a little stir crazy, going to have an insanely busy few days off and then back up here. That’s okay, supposed to be a quieter fall. Yeah, we will see about that! I doubt it. I’d like to just sleep the next few days until I can go home, but, alas, what I will do is keep getting up, and I’ll keep going! Besides, I’d miss out on Kung fu, if I was sleeping! That’s not good. Ha. Okay, I know I’m rambling, I’ll let ya go!

Thanks for your time

Mr.Duncan

Type in title here

 Why hello there! Last night I was going to blog, but, my boys and I got on the phone last night and we chatted and played games online way to late for me. And today was supposed to be rain, and it is, so here we are! Anyhow, it’s nice that we do get rain days, I just hate how this company decides those are our days off and they reset our work schedule for us! Just ask if it’s my favorite or not! 

   So, that spot in da Mu Hsing, that one spot specifically, the high back stance with double knife strike. That’s the spot I just want to stop at. It’s kind of blah at the moment. I want to stop, but, I’m reminding myself to keep flowing, so it’s this smash up of hesitation and uneasiness. I’m sure it looks as ridiculous as it feels. Haha. But. With that being said. It’s coming. When I bust out some forms today, it will flow even better. It’s been thought about and talked about. Continually worked on and concentrated on. So, this will be nice to wrap up. So yeah, it’s flow I want right now. I can feel the stiffness wanting to creep in. Like stop here. Nope, only forward progression here. Haha. And I’ve got all day, I could literally do that action 500 times, maybe, and it’d still be supper time! I don’t know, I’m just trash talking! 

  Okay, I started the blog yesterday, but, did not finish it. No, I honestly after dinner played with my kids online. We really had a good time, and seriously, all I’ve got is digital interactions with them, I’m a hands on kinda dad, so, if I can do something other than nothing you bet your arse I will. No, I wanted to actually talk about something else, but, I literally just witnessed a wowie of a car accident. It was an accident that missed the front of my car by maybe a meter. It’s was a holy pucker up moment. Fortunately everyone involved is alive. I was on the phone to 911 in seconds and watched the life gasp back into other fella  a few moments later. Myself and “dude on the bike”, we cheered when he did his comeback. Even the 911 lady sighed a sigh! Wow! I’m still a touch shell shocked if you may, it’s not everyday you see something like that. 

   So, I  thinking wow, that was a literal meterish from my car. Three seconds earlier, I’d of gotten it. Three. So, for some reason, I went back in my mind and processed, what took three seconds in my drive from the shop to store to accident scene. Rules of the road followed, blah blah blah. So I thought, hmm, Maybe it was the pedestrian I came to a complete stop for about 75 meters before the accident happened. Huh. Maybe. Maybe it’s a ripple. I stopped from slowly running over a person, who was in a crosswalk I know, weird and something stopped me from getting holy not healthy due to accident. 

   I’m rambling I know. I’m processing. I think what I’m trying to say is, these little things we do for others, our acts of kindness. More importantly, the way we treat ourselves and think of ourselves. It adds up, our thoughts and actions. You put all this effort and energies into the universe, and good things come back. I understand this is an extreme example of goodness out and good luck in, but, I only understand extremes.  It makes me think. Okay, I was shown that and placed there for a reason. I don’t believe in coincidences. Those don’t exist. I do believe in lessons from getting what you put out. Karma, man. Always play nice with lady karma, you always get it ten fold. Good or bad. 

  So, yeah, not quite sure of what to make of the above, but, hey, there is. Maybe, it’s time I look at some of my life choices again, and maybe do something about it, because whamo, just like that dudes...stay safe out there everyone. 

 Okay bye!!  

Mr.Duncan

rain day

 Hola! What’s cracking fellow rat-finks? Oh I’m doing great thanks! I have no idea where I’m going here today...... hahaha. Tuck your chins folks!

I can get this blog out early today because well, we got rained out this morning!! Awesome! Nothing better than hanging out in gp for the day! Haha. Actually, if you get up early like I do, and go for a cruise earlier in the day, boy, you see the events from a Saturday night in grande prairie! Oh what a place. There’s a lot of lost souls here. A lot of people swallowed up by addictions and mental illness. A lot of people just simply forgotten about. I stopped and “gave” a fellow a few coins in change, not entirely sure, but, he was on planet Pluto. Just “standing” there and staring into the sun. I more or less dropped the change close to his feet. He was too messed up to know what just happened. He did speak a bit, but you could hear the hopelessness and sadness in his voice. I don’t say this to make fun of him, I really don’t. I see people in a position like that and my heart breaks a little for them. It’s easy for people not living that lifestyle to just brush them away and sluff them off like they are burdens on society. I am not perfect, no, but I want to help. The honest to goodness truth of it all, is all I can do to help, is drop some change and live by example. I mean, I wasn’t in his exact shoes, but, I was close, and I know how heartwarming it is, when someone genuinely tries to help. Whether you’re in a position to see or accept that help, is another story. 

I’ve seen the same tent parked in front of the same coffee shop for around a week or so. Look hard, but they where there. And almost every morning you’d see the police there. Once they all had a cup of coffee in hand, the next time I saw everyone there, the police where trying to help pack up the campers. I saw that same look of defeat in everyone’s face that day. Like now what? Now where? 

Now, here I sit, deep in contemplation about life and where things could go. What could happen. The some many of life’s possibilities. What can I do to come out ahead, if I can. What can I do to own my situations. I’ve already said it, live by example. Help when I can. You know, I see the team doing the demos and drive-ins and such and that’s really cool. I’m proud to be on this team. I can’t exactly be there often, so, what can I do from here. I do do a fair bit of training, with more coming. My intensity has come back, my need to push and be better, is, well, better. I want to be better. I want to show people, who have had rough goes and been stuck in the same rut and just spinning your tires. Sometimes, a fella has to stop pressing the gas and pause and rethink his approach at life. 

Mentally this summer, I’ve been up and down, but pretty level headed. People have come back and some have ran away. Ha. I’ve met new people, some I care for, others not so much. I’ve learnt a lot about myself while away. It’s easy to disengage when by yourself. Thankfully I’ve got a solid training partner who helps keep me pointed in the right path. And I do the same for him. Kung fu has given me confidence just in myself to be batter person. It’s cool. I have a really good idea of what I am capable of. Not just physically. Mentally, with my words. How to speak. I know I’m a bit of a brute, but, I am good with words when I choose to be.  

To what’s help get me to these questions and thoughts. When we presented our forms this week, I felt good doing my form, I felt good about things. But still there’s a few points of wanting to pause and stop. These are the same places I was stopping and fixing my stances a lot. So there’s, like this built in stoppage of play just sitting there, bam, keep running into it. It has become more noticed in myself, I am more aware of those flaws. Therefore fixing them will be easier. Still ensuring my stances are correct. That’s whats most important, I feel, is my stances. That’s gotta be there before moving on. Otherwise it’s gonna be a long training session. The combinations are working out well I think. Flow feels good, I’m not trying to kill the air in front of my kicks and punches, but, the quality is there. The flow is getting better, the more I pay attention. I’ll get this back. I’ll be back better than I was before. Maybe I’m there? No, not yet. And really where I was is just an older chapter in my book. Where I’m going, that’s a whole new story. 

How’s it gonna go? How’s that story going to unfold? Couldn’t tell ya, but, it’s gonna be good! No matter what happens in my future, it will be just fine. I have the utmost faith that what I’m doing, mentally and physically will lead me to greater places. The desire, the drive, the tenacity, it’s all there, I want all the know,edge! Beforei receive, I gotta put in all the work! Work and pushing limits? That’s what I do. 

I know my positive life decisions have made a difference  in other people’s life’s. Members of my family thank me, for doing what I did so they could see, just what not to do in life! Ha, yeah no problem, great times....hahaha. 

Anyhow ladies, gentlemen, children of all ages, I’m outta here. Gonna clean the snot out of my apartment and meal prep and bet up the shadow in my living room, keeps following me around and copying me.... pretty frustrating, I tell you what! So, irritating *heavy sigh* 

Thanks for your time! See you soon!

Mr.Duncan

Yuppers

 Hey hey it’s me it’s me it’s Mr.D! Hey-ya how ya doing? Me, I’m great thanks for asking. So here we are six months in. And I’ve been at the kwoon what twice maybe? I don’t know. Wild hey?!? Really it’s not much different this year than any other. I’m just gone outta town! Like always! Ha. 

  So, I did want to say a few things at the meeting I just didn’t unmute in time, and the poor connection, by the time I realized, man, Sifu was speaking, so it’s chill, I’ll put it here! I just wanted to say my peace about a few things. Just saying my thing, that’s it. For me, I lost a lot of steam right after the tournament, if I’m going to be honest with everyone. Being that excited and jacked up and striving for something, and boom, work and life interferes and well, I guess I’ll sit this one out. No sweat, I still sent in my videos. I trained for it and pushed limits, and then it’s oh no you gotta work today. Yeah hey boss, could I maybe have this day. Like I’ve worked hard to get into tourney shape and, I’d really like to participate. No, will you can just go home if that’s how it’s gonna be. Oh okay, no sweat I understand, sorry for bothering you with my humanity. I’d didn’t say the last part, wanted too. That kinda sucked. And then we could start having live classes again! Super, but we lost those fantastic videos/lesson online. No sweat that’s a lot of work for everyone involved. But seriously, I meant outside of working with another person one on one, that was the best tool I have ever had. It’s like, oh what did Sifu say? Rewind and oh that’s what he said, bang on! Absolutely that’s a lot of work for everyone! Right then, so, my forms and techniques are kilometres better than they were, but they are twice as far as I want them to be. My kicks, looking good, but, come on, I can do better. Therefore, I need to go back to the intensity I had when I first came back. It will, I’ll just go there, quit being lazy with outside circumstances. No matter the reason, it’s no excuse. Anyhow, back to the basics of what I was doing. That always gets me results. 

   As for the last week, I didn’t get a lot of training in. These last few days, I started kicking and stances and forms again. I did take the long weekend off and seriously just rested. Well needed and deserved. That was a long stint. Anyhow, it was a nice break, I could wish for more, but that’s gonna be a hard nope. Another good stint ahead of us, and hopefully more down the road. It’s sketchy out there, but, hey hopefully, ill still have a gig, when most others are at home. That’s why I work the way I do. So I get to stay around and reap the rewards of still working but an expected honest half as hard. Ahh this is nice. Sure beats running 20km a day! Doing cleanup, so, it’s a lot of machine work and spotter work for me. Spot things and that’s it! A lot of standing and walking. I walk solid 10-15km on a slow day! I should get a Fitbit or something! 

   Anyhow, I do like where my kicks are at. It’s been long enough of just that focus. Back to punches and knife chops. I really like chops! They are so powerful, it’s kind of mind blowing. It all makes sense how everything works, but, once that knife hand is locked and then unloaded, it’s like a fricken bomb goes off. Ha. Love it. Just watch the heavy bag fold around the hand. A literal fold and a skip. Haha. Awesome. Actually, I’m going to delve back into combinations, I was re-reading the focus on hands and I’m like, nah, I should be back at both in combinations. That’s whats needed. Cool. How’s that for a hard turn! 

Anyhow, I’ve said a lot of stuff for now and I’ll talk at ya soon!

Thanks for your time

Mr.Duncan

A quick word

Yeah hey there what’s going on? Well, it’s finally summer! Alright a couple of three weeks here of decent weather. No, I don’t have any fancy plans this weekend! Just trying to get caught up in this disaster my family has left for me at the house! So much for going and doing stuff....well, with all this covid running around, I’d rather just chill at home. I’m good thanks though. No Poly days here in Alberta beach, too much covid, but you should see the people out here! Just yowie Wowie! I bet half these people loose their minds about their kids going back to school, but, here you are shoulder to shoulder at the beach....anyhow....

   Kung fu is great! My side heel thrust kick? Oh it’s great thanks for asking! I’ve focused in and really think I’m nailing that kick again! You know, while breaking down my kicks and really trying to pay attention to what I’m doing has been wonderful. Lots and lots and little issues, I feel I have crushed. The old front thrust kick. Geeing a lot better. But, I was over reaching with it. I was getting “power” and really pushing with that kick, but, it was just not right. Threw the camera up and recorded myself, and picked my kick apart as best as I can, with my limited knowledge. Making progress. Slowly, but surly, I’m getting back to where I know I should be. 

   My strikes I’ve been working on, the three under a second, with that absolute destroyer coming in hot, I am very happy with. Much progress, to the point, I’m changing the punches up and trying to achieve the same speeds and power, with technique of course. It’s slow, because, I’ve trained for those punches, now I am using these punches. So, the body is like, over there smashing punches out, and my mind is like, whoa dude, wrong strikes! Haha.  Slow down, breathe, and concentrate will!

  Last week, in grande prairie, my boys came up and hung out with me for a few nights! Boy was that ever nice. To have my boys while I’m working away! It was a great time. They camped out in my apartment and I just really enjoyed them. Didn’t get much training done with them around, but, meh, that’s life. My boys, the oldest one, more specifically, said he gets it now! Get what buddy? I get why you’re so tired when you get home, or why you do t have a lot to say on the phones some nights, dad. You don’t get a break when you’re up here do you? All I see you doing is either you’re gone to work, or you’re getting ready to work! You really work hard dad. Thank you for doing that! 

   Oh boy, he really knows how to get old dad emotional. I said thank you for paying attention to me. I appreciate you’re words Alex. I want you to know buddy, this is what I do buddy. I bust hump, and work long hours so you guys can have a better life than I. I said, I’ll make you a deal, you keep pushing hard in school and I will not bring you out on the pipeline. You start skipping school  and being dumb, you’re coming to work with me! Understand? 

   If he had school books with him, he would have started doing worksheets!! Hahaha. Smart boy! 

  

  Well, I guess that’s it for now

Talk to you later

Mr.Duncan