Gramps!!

 Well shucks...my grandfather has just spoken with his doctor. Things they don’t look very good right now. Hopefully he can see his next birthday. He’s lived a life, imma tell you that. There was not one person who told Gramps what to do... and that’s the end of that! 

Farm kid. Grew up in sask. Neville I think is the place! Anyhow a heck of a farming community. I’ve been there once and wow what a blast into last century. A gas station in the middle of town. General store in the same little building. Everyone’s homes where all on the same horseshoe road into and out of town. Had a hockey rink though!! That was what everyone did was play hockey and farm!! 

Big strong man! As a kid he towered over me.  As an adult I still had to look up to his eyes. Not so much today, but that’s okay. I’ll always look up to my Gramps. 

A man of few words he was. He told you straight and once. If you didn’t hear him then that was on you! Some days he’d speak so quietly you think he’s whispering. But, you were paying attention weren’t ya! You had to in order to carry on in the conversation. Otherwise he was content to sit awkwardly quiet with you... what a gem! He’s just look over at you! Give ya a smile and a nod and keep sitting quietly! That’s when you knew you where doing solid! The small smile!

Picking rocks with him, oh my gawd, tractors in 4th gear and you’re 8! Getting hollared at. Trying not to cry from whatever my problem is!! Hahaha. Man. What a time we had. I learnt how to drive with grandpa Irv. I’ll tell you this one. I’m like 12. Me and Gramps we are fencing. Just him and I. Happy days. I’d hold the fence post and he’d run the pounder on the tractor. So I run outta fence posts and we had to go get the pickup. So we get to the truck! Grandpa says “you’re driving. Get in don’t spill my drink.” He always had a whiskey with him. No questions needed. So we get back to the tractor  and I slammed on the brakes, not knowing about easing into the brakes...I honestly didn’t know. But I knew after that....so at the age of 16, I’m getting my license doing my drivers exam and no kidding the instructor complimented me on easing into the brakes! Boom! Old man lessons paid off!! 

Anyhow. Gramps he’s still with his. He’s got a pile of hard work to do like right now. He will get through this. I mean. It’s Gramps, muther fucker is gonna tell the reaper to come back when he’s told to! I could see the chat with reaper too! Grandpa, jut says nope, not going today, try again you....I’ll decide and it’s not today. 

Yeah good old Gramps. Whenever I think of or envision him I always picture him with his cowboy hat and his jean jackets of sorts. The day defined the denim!! He always did define the last of the old school farmers! I’m sure there’s still many out there, but there won’t be another Irv Duncan I’ll tell you that much for free friends! 

I wish you the best Gramps! 

Here’s to tomorrow’s cup of coffee!! 

Fencing and trees

 It’s Sunday. Oh boy was it ever a great day. Just actually a bunch of real good days. Myself and my boys jumped in the car and off to the farm. The youngest drives the tractors and talks..non-stop! He’s the radio!! The oldest boy, of he’s doing his thing. Jumping and laughing and just being silly. He comes and helps me; stares off into the trees and bushes and, swings hammers...wildly, I know that look!  Off you go kiddo.  He’s a great kid and he tries hard, but he’s a lot like me. He loves exploring!! But, they wanted to go touring and hang with the grandparents. So, I got some solid time to myself.

Like I’ve got my methods when I go fencing and if I’m prepared all I need is a chainsaw, a hammer and a few pockets full of nails. Ha. I just walk the line, literally.  “Okay, Leave me here boys and no crashing.” I just walk back and forth fixing the fence. It’s nice to carry a length of wire with you too! Just in case you get a snapped fence. A couple of quick twists in the barbed wire and boom new fence! My methods aren’t a always efficient, but, that’s not the point! I don’t care if it takes three days to fix fence. 

It’s hearing that winds, and feeling the winds change, and watching the clouds dance, if you’re paying attention. It’s watching that hawk circle it’s dinner about 60 yards over there, and seeing the crow about 100yards watching the hawk, that’s watching the mouse, and I wonder, does the mouse even know, the attention it’s attracted just here and now? Anyhow, that’s the chatter of the trees! They’ll tell ya a story; if you pay attention. They chatter! Step in about twenty yards into the trees and listen....the winds die, the forest is quieter, it’s easier to hear and track, fresh tracks, few hours, probably that morning! Keep scanning, tall grass flat in a few places, doesn’t noticeably look different, unless you’re paying attention. I stumbled across a deer bedding! Beaut! I don’t venture too far, too much of my scent and they won’t come back, so I stay put and just take it in! Look at the tracks! Find the trails, make notes! Look at the markings on trees! That’ll tell you a lot! I found little to no markings, probably a bunch of yougings, or I haven’t found the squating tree... Besides the hoof prints are smaller than my palm and look “dainty”! Like how a deer moves! Even in the tall grass deer step different than other ungulates! Gotta pay attention! Lots of turds around, means a bed is clos-ish! They don’t poop where they sleep! That draws predators! Look at the saplings and the grass! They paint the picture of the animals movements! Usually there’s markings on the trees. Look about eye level and up a touch! More of a fall thing anyways!! The bucks scratch their antlers on trees to relieve the itchy ness of growing horns. Especially and mostly elk but deer as well! Marks at 6-8ft, you got a big boy around you! Man I love nature!  

Oh yeah there’s the boys, bringing a pop at full tilt in a side by side...perfectly shaken and stirred...well, Grandma says it’s time to come up the house anyhow!! Perfect! Haha 

It was nice. Really nice to get out with my boys and show them a little of what I know! How to pick a tree to fall! How to spot good fallen wood and how to prep it for next time. How to spot the bug infested trees! Ha, they couldn’t care less! Haha! Not yet anyhow. okay boys go on your adventure! 

Kung fu is great. Good solid reps and trying to really focus on where I’m going in the forms. Forms are feeling strong! I think anyways! Feels good! Getting good snaps and I think  the engagement is there. Probably needs work to be honest. Probably a lot! 

Escrima form I feel a solid base with what I have! It’s nothing special, but it’s got a lot of flow and it feels good!! There’s a few things I have to continue to pay attention and it’s crossing my arms and watching my cross steps. I kept reversing which I foot I was supposed to step with and just basic things! Overall I’m a happy guy! 

So this week; I have a few things on the go, but, fortunately I don’t have to leave the house...again! I have a fair bit of time at home, I honestly loose track of time when I am gardening and working in my yard! Today I spent, three hours in the gardens just doing stuff, and planting and stuff, pulling weeds! Just happy to be dirty! I really felt like just lying in the garden bed, but that’s weird! 

Any which direction, it leads me back to my point I was going to make up there; which is getting back to my schedule  I’m slacking and it’s because I’m not following the schedule! It’s a good one! Worked well last time and I’ve tweaked it a bit to ease the learning process, so just gotta do it!! Seriously we only get 6 weeks of decent weather! The rest it’s cold and stupid outside or it’s screaming hot! So, yeah, I’m off to go do stuff in the sunshine; while it’s here!! 

Little birdies and bees and flowers and more of that stuff! Like, it’s awesome out here! Any how I gotta go! 

Thanks for your time

Mr.Duncan

A day behind

 Well, if anything, I’ve learnt my time management sucks! Hahaha. Yo it’s Monday today...so I am a day behind. 

And what to do? I have this immense feeling of anxiety! I didn’t book my one on one for first thing this morning! I really enjoy the Monday morning meet, simply because it helps ground me for the week! Oops...just been distant lately. 

I’m off in my own little world, having these implosions in my mind, watching some very selfish people doing extremely selfish things, for my good, for my freedoms, just stop. I really wish people would listen to their own words

This is a free country, you bet your arse it is. With freedoms, come responsibilities, and these responsibilities are bigger than your truck and your freedom! Like no ones taking your freedom to begin with, we’ve never had mass freedoms like everyone claims to have! We, as Canadians, are extremely fortunate to pretty well do what we want! 

I can do almost whatever I want, except incite violence, and cause harm; so what are these freedom fighters doing? 

Just imagine, if these freedom fighters where able to contain their thoughts and their fear mongering when we first walked into this pandemic; it would be over now! All done, no masks, shops opened back up, if only we could be responsible and accepting and most importantly, if we could be responsible for our freedoms.... I could go out and have coffee at the local coffee shop...

....just imagine if we acted like adults...

Well, in any event, just a short quick rant! Kung fu is still moving along! Classes are going great so far! Today or tomorrow I play on writing my second exam and hopefully by Friday, I can put to rest my first mod in the second semester! 

I’m really excited guys, I’m almost there, to a whole new way of life! Oh my goodness, thanks for hanging with me!!

Thanks for your time

Mr.Duncan

Okay!!

 Well, it’s gonna be short and sweet today. I have a lot to do! School starts again on Monday for me! Four more months of heavy school and studying! No sweat. I just finished doing this! The time of my life 🙄

I’ve made mistakes along the way, trying to learn a whole industry out of a book on my own. So, this course, or semester, whatever you may call it, I am going to try to slow down some more! Lots of lessons to apply and show growth! I’m excited, let’s get ready to schooooool!!! 

I did well in school, beat marks I’ve ever gotten, ever! But, I want to do better! I really do! I passed and broke my personal records, but, like I just said, I can do better! And so I will! Keep doing my thing, stick to getting classes done, take my breaks and rest when I need it and simply one day at a time!! 

I’m super duper excited to get going here!! 

Kung fu has been getting better and better! Slowing the forms down, and slowing down some more! I really want to get the forms I do know better and start cooking on the forms I have let slip! This month past, I did some training, not near as much as I wanted! That’s okay! I really wanted to get the yard and garden ready so, really, it’s a matter of maintaining when school starts! 

This hip feels great, it’s not fond of spinning kicks and I truly thought I was messing up the spinning kick by pulling my foot back after rotation, thankfully sifu addressed this and I’m not far off! Continued training!! 

The thing I like about Kung fu so much, is everything is so relative to you and your efforts! There’s no gifts, besides our instructors knowledge! Nothing is given to us and everything is through hard work, having movements and forms torn apart and continued focus and training  I for one am exceptionally happy I’m a part of SRKF! I just don’t know where in life I’d be without Silent River! I truly cannot envision my life without you folks! It would be bleak! 

Spring time is my favourite time of the year! Hands down. No other time can compare to spring...you’re arguments are invalid... So, staying on task and keeping focus.... well, that’ll be a challenge! Again though, hone inspection is what I want to do! It’s where I want to move into and city inspection sounds like a great time to simply make some cash and get through the rest of this working career of mine!! Almost there, then I can play as much as I want!! Almost there!!!!

I look forward to the day I receive my certificate, but, I’m trying to keep the process front and center! The journey is what’s important, I’ll still get my goal!!!

Okay dokay, I will talk to you later

Thanks for your time

Mr.Duncan

One of those weeks!!

 Well, howdy do there folks! How’s it today? Mine is great thanks!! 

So, I’ve been studying the dragon technique for literally years, some times more intense than others. The way I learnt the form, it felt odd, but I truly accepted it for what’s it was! Total faith in my teachers... only to find the message was “lost in translation over the years! So, if anyone needs helps moving like an old man with bad knees, I’m here for you! I’m we can crush this together!! Hahaha.  

Oh boy, when sifu Ryback told me the story as to just how things got so convoluted, I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing! Ah what a gem!! After we talked and laughed about the technique, we starting making progress as to learning the form, how it’s supposed to be, now that we have some new information!! 

That made my day!! I mean, if anything, I have a solid base for when I do get older and arthritis is running rampant in my body!!! Hahahaha! Ahhh what a time!! I already know how to move when I’m broke!! 

Anyhow, so, continued training and progress this week! I feel good about my numbers and what I have accomplished this week!

 I did do to much without stopping to respect my body these last few days! I felt it yesterday, but I’m a man so I pushed through the pains and kept working! Well today, I’m in pain and things are tender! It’s funny, because, when I train it’s, not even a question that I need to stretch before during and after training time.... when I’m working and giving ‘er, it’s not even a thought about stretching! I thought about it today, laying in pain this morning!! Hahaha. 

Anyhow, more attention needs to be paid to my morning routines and wake ups. Gotta stop being SuperWill all the time!! 

I did get all my chores plus more done, so I’m happy! 

Training was another good week! Like I say the dragon needed some serious help and it’s coming!! Actually super duper happy I finally have the technique, thank you the sifus for doing the research and figuring this form out with me! Really appreciate it! I’ll do it justice! Watch this!! 

The kick combos that came up earlier, that was a nice touch! Forced me to start using my feet more and more! My confidence in myself, where I’m not going to cave my hips is almost back. Subconsciously holding back on my kicks, and that okayish! It’ll take time to get my body to completely trust me again, and sifu Brinker has been telling us how to limit a lot of these injuries, so, more time and patience! I still don’t like jumping from lead to lead, still a lot of hesitation there, but again, it’s coming!! 

I did start to work weights back in, but, my hips after a few sets was not feeling good....cool....back to body weights! I try every week to get my weighted squats and presses back! It felt like it wanted to injure again, so, just stop! 

I will straight up admit, I am a little frustrated and disheartened, about my physical goals! I declared I wanted to enrol in a wrestling school next year, 2022! That goal hasn’t changed, it’s, just being pushed back, I guess! It almost feels like I should just let go of that dream. It really does! Just let go and do something else.... but I don’t want to. And personally, I’m not crippled yet, soooooo, I don’t see why I should stop in that direction. My brain and logic tells me, no matter what I’m too old and my time came and went, and just focus on Kung fu! My heart tells me to not stop. Don’t listen to the negative voices, but the body limits what I can physically do...  man I used to be very very strong! 200lbs person or item, I’d move it I didn’t care. By hand with a crane, zoom boom, I don’t care I’ll muscle that piece of crap outta here!! I without the shadow of a doubt can literally move 10,000lbs with my sleaver bar, now I’m just strain over a tree stump. That’s disheartening for me. My whole life I valued my physical strength, it’s all I thought I used to have! And now that’s it’s kinda of slipped away, it sucks not having it anymore. 

...... actually......No! All that is wrong!!! 

Forget that pile of self pity crap!! What in the am I even talking about?!? I will get back there. I will pick and carry 200lbs again. No, actually, now, because of my poor attitude, it’s gonna be 225lbs of clean pick and carry!! Your gosh darn rights! By late summer. I literally just decided, while writing this out, how much of a wimp I sounded like in that last paragraph. And I’m not editing it out, nor this! No! I will not quit on myself! Hurt hip or not, I didn’t sign up for IHC just to find the weakest excuse I could to quit on myself..... forget that!! Let my strength go, pfft for why??

 In a few weeks, I’ll look back at this blog and say, ha, I wanted defeat myself before I even tried....

Don’t be a wimp!!

Okay thanks for your time!! 

Mr.Duncan

Soaring with the Eagles

 Ohhhh hey there friendos!! How is your day today? Mine? It’s fantastic thank you oh so very much!! 

Let’s just jump to in! I have been putting my training back together for some higher intensity training!! Getting my confidence in stances and strength back. I would like to say I’m near 100% again, but, I don’t wanna jinx things! 

This week, I’m going to reintroduce weights to my training regime and start getting stronger again! My body has been craving weights, but, I am cautious with things still! This week past, I really focused on flexibility and opening my hips! The stretching videos, I found very helpful, mixed with body weight training, I’m progressing quickly! 

With everything that has happened in the last week, shut down wise, it’s time to re-arrange the schedule, again! It’s no bog deal, it’s basically the same plan I had one month ago!! It worked incredibly well, then, so I don’t see much of a reason why my old plan will not serve me well, this time around! 

Kicks?!? Oh my, they are so much better! I have almost complete movement again! Not quiet as high as I want, but, I’m pretty sure that why I train! To get higher kicks! 

Weapon form, is more of numerous techniques I’ve tried to put together lately! It’s coming, but, honestly, I am struggling with the escrimas right now. I’m having a heck of a time finding flow with them and it’s kinda frustrating! I get moving in a direction and want to spin or turn and things just don’t make sense! Sooooo, I guess, I’ll keep training the escrimas and continue to develope a form! I remember my stuck form from years ago, and it literally sucked for months, than all of a sudden, things just started working out for me! Once the flow started to form, the form itself almost wrote itself! I was just the conduit!

 Anyhow, keep pushing through these arbitrary limits I have placed in front of myself!! 

Oh there was one more thing..... yeah, shoot what was it??? Oh yeah, I flipped passed my exam. Hahaha. I passed! I have been patting myself on the back pretty hard! I am so proud of myself! I know that my mark in the class isn’t the best, nor as high as I was shooting for, but, like I’ve said so many times, I earned that mark. Me! I fought for it! Frustrated, confused, and sometimes angry that I just don’t get things.... it all worked out for me! I poured the time in, ignored phone calls and emails! Turned off the outside world and just studied! 

I asked for help from the big guy upstairs laid out all my fears and shortcomings and asked for serenity in my exam!! I’ll tell you something, when I walked into that testing room, boy, it started to happen! The panic, the self-doubt, the unable to concentrate, to the point I literally started to stutter my words.... I haven’t stuttered my words since I quit drinking, mumbling fool I was! I remember staring at the individual in the test center, going on repeat, I , I , I , uhh, t t t the...ummm, oh oh oh oh, dropped my id, trembling, shaking, gosh darn it calm down will!! She was so kind to me! “She says, it’s okay, I understand! It’s been a long time since you’ve written a test huh?!? Y-y-y-yup! 

Go get a drink of water, I’ll set up your exam, and I bet you’re going to do great Will! I have faith you’ll do great! 

I don’t even know this person, but she has faith in me, and I have faith in me, and all my friends have faith in me!! Okay! I got my drink I said my little mantra! We got this will! This is nothing man, we have done far more stressful things for entertainment! This is what we studied for, this is why I train! Now, get in that exam and show the world you’re more than some dummy on a shovel! Go prove to yourself you deserve more in life than grunt work! We are smart and we are strong!! 

Then I walked into that exam like Karrion Kross and dropped that test and my fears and those stupid little nay-sayers in my mind, right on their weak egos!! Just destroyed that test! No sweat man! We got this ahhhh! 

I knew I passed when I finished the exam, knew it!! I just needed that mark....36hrs later.... 36hours man!!! I got my exam mark back! It was obviously a pass, but I had to see! There was no calmness in that 36 hours!! Hahaha  but I passed!!! 

So, here we go on part two, I unfortuanatly can not start my next block of classes until May 1, and I’m super okay with that! I have Kung fu to catch up on! It’s spring time, so it’s off the farm to get things cleaned up for the season! Cut lines to clean up! Fences to put back up! And I’ve got guns to shoot!!! I love shooting guns! 

Lastly, my grandparents have a couple of horses! One is a gorgeous painted horse! You know, it has the brown and white colour schemes on her! She is beautiful! Painted horses are just simply my favourite! I find they are a better temperament that say, a solid colour horse, I’m not sure, maybe it’s just the horses I have been around and broke in! Not sure. In any event, Gramps bought this horse some time ago, she was trained and broke for riding, but Gramps is old and can not climb on horses anymore! But I can! And I will! So she’s gone wild, this horse, it happens when you leave them to their devices! But I want to retrain this horse and build a relationship with her, both horses if possible, but, I’m not fond of the second horse out there, he’s a straight jerk! Whomever originally broke that horse, I can tell, they weren’t focused on trust, they were focused on effiecncy of breaking him in, and it’s caused more damage than good in that pony! It makes me mad! I can tell they used intimidation and pain and a tool for that horse, and that’s doing it all wrong! Hit that horse one more time with that stick and I’m gonna break that blessed cane on you’re arse!! 

The way I learnt, was using your voice, and your figure! The stick is merely an extension of your arm, so when that stick goes in front of the horse in the pen, he should see it, understand there’s a message to why it’s in front of him, but never fear that stick! It’s their guide to our language, so speak to the horse, do not whip him! Whoa! Stick goes in front, my belt buckle stays at the horses shoulder always! I guide, he repsondes! If he jumps, my message sucked! So keep training! 

I remember brand new colt! Jumping, bucking, nothing crazy, but he wanted to be a horse! We got him to the pen, I entered, he did his skimping and neighing and so on! I watch him, spoke quietly and calmly! I assured I was there to help and teach, and that we can be friends! He literally stared at me while I spoke! He did his chewing of the lips( that’s how you tell they are processing your directions! Gotta stop, let the horse chew it out before moving on). Finally after three hours of leading and directions, I’m able to place my hand on his shoulder! It’s takes time for that level of trust, and him and I, right out the gates, buddies! My buddy jack, once I leave the pen and give pats and treats and compliments, he says, it’s been a long a time since I’ve seen two become one that quickly!! Incredible work Will. That colt, I got to hang out with him only one other time after, before he went up his home, but he remembered me! He did his jump and wild buck for me! Stopped looked dead at me! Kinda neighed with excitement and cam and hung out with me at the fence! He was in more intense training, so I wasn’t allowed to work him anymore! That’s cool. I watched and applauded the colt, he was proud of himself!! You could see it! It was an amazing time! 

So, I hope to try to recreate that connection! We shall see! It’ll be a heck of a challenge, because, both of Gramps horses are a few years old now, and older horses are a heck of a challenge to work! They are stubborn.... that’s cool. Lots of patience and a positive mental attitude! 

Anyhow folks, that went on for much longer than I expected!! 3min read?? See ya in an hour!! Hahaha. 

Okay thanks for your time friends!! 

Mr.Duncan

Mid term time!!!!

 Well another good week down! Made progress, huge steps in flexibility and mobility. I have hit that recovery plateau and have pushed through it. Sore and tender some days, but it’s much healthier than before. It’s not so plataeuish anymore! Onwards mighty steed!!  

Respecting the 6 week rule about recovery time, nothing crazy, but I’ve got my kicks coming back quite well. Doing squats used to really suck, but patience has paid off and that strength is moving quickly. Almost all the way down with no pains!! Hey!! Shoot two weeks ago I wasn’t squatting for nothing!! Hahahaha! Stupid body, hurry up! We got stuff to do!!! 

I’m real happy I took that time off and just rested and did easy workouts! Still, don’t want to rush into another injury, but shoot yeah, I’d say I’m around 80-90% of where I was!! Soon I’ll be beyond where I was and moving at a fast speed again. 

I appreciate your patience in my lacking of being about, team!! 

Let’s see, and really, my mid-term is Tuesday morning! I will tell ya this for free, I am not stressing like I used to! I pushed my exam back a week, and just geeked out!! I wore through my pocket protector.....I went through and looked at all my exams, found where I was lacking in the exam, which to be honest, is still heavy in the language and the silly “non-trick” questions they throw at you...no trick questions, but if you don’t see one word, throw that mark away! 

I used the analogy with sifu this week, the book teaches 2+2=4, and on the test they ask which is the more efficient way to getting a sum of 4? Actually, it’s not 2+2, it’s this over here 4+0.... so figure that one out... reviewing and reading and thinking and, oh, okay, I see the perspective now! Maybe just teach that in the book! This is a memorization course, not free thinking! There’s no thought process, it’s either rotten wood or it’s not!!  I don’t get to write about my feelings, it’s either a b c or d! That’s it! Don’t overthink nothing!! Gotta keep that in mind when I write the exam! I like to do the old, yeah well, what about this or that?? No, calm down and simply answer the question!!  

I have made steps! I identified where I’m lacking in school! The comprehension! So I broke out and studied their wording and how they ask their questions! The material itself, I’m very strong with! I know my stuff. I truly do! It’s just getting through that test! 

If a quart ion didn’t make sense in my exam, I went to the textbook. Re-read everything! Went back to the exam, and wrote notes as to WHY that was the correct answer! multiple choice tests! There’s almost always two right answers, it’s a matter of which one is a better answer! And that right there has stumped me in this course! 

I’m learning and pushing forwards! I’m really excited! I look forward to completing this step in my journey! Oh I’ve worked for this moment, and it hasn’t come yet! Still have to maintain my diligence, keep reviewing, keep a strong positive mental approach!! 

With all the studying I’ve been doing, I turned hermit and have just focused on my books! I gotta get this done right, the first time! 

So, honestly, I’ll say this, I haven’t made as much progress in Kung fu as I have wanted to, but, I had to turn off the distractions and just study! I did my stretching, getting my kicks and stances back, but I had to spend my time in my books! I’m glad I’ve taken this time to just study with little to no interference! 

No worrying about if I got this done, or that done, or oh man, I fell hard on my numbers.....yuppers I did! And I’ve embraced that and owned it and had to focus on my books! I can spend so much time in Kung fu mode, I will loose track of my priorities, and get flustered and start getting resentful towards myself! 

Take my time, Kung fu and all you awesome people will be in my corner today and on Wednesday, so I can focus on Tuesday!! 

Okay, I gotta get rolling! I’m have a few topics to cover today, before anything else happens!! 

I will see everyone very soon! Keep kicking butt out there team!! 

Thanks for your time!

Mr.Duncan