right here, right now

Today I went to a memorial service for a friend. It was a really great experience, it was supposed to be a celebration of his life and it was. Many friends stood up to talk and share stories about him. Something that almost everyone said was how Dennis was always living in the moment. We talk a lot about living in the moment, being mindful of everything we do. It really got me thinking about not just applying living in the moment to my training, but to the things in my life I feel like I have to endure. The commute to and from school for example. The roads have been terrible the past few weeks and it was taking me over an hour each way, every day. We've all been stuck in traffic and know how excruciating it can be. I have been trying to think of it in other ways. Really, I have been forced into sitting and listening to music or whatever I choose to think about for 2+ hours a day. Thats actually kind of cool. I always feel like I am rushing from place to place during the week and here I have 10 hours a week to chill out and gather my thoughts. I've seen so many people in accidents the past few weeks, I can think about how grateful I am to still be ON the road and safe. Something that was said today that hit home for me was that happiness is right here, right now. It's not waiting for you in some distant place in the future. So I will strive to find happiness and gratitude right here, right now, wherever that may be.

Do you really think you could take me?

I'm sure that everyone that trains in any kind of martial art has encountered a wise guy or girl that says something along the general lines of "ooo your in kung fu... do you think you can take me?" or " well, don't make her mad, she'll kick your butt". If you've never met someone like this, you will, it's inevitable. I don't know how many times big guys ask me if I seriously think I'd be able to defend myself against them. I sometimes wish that I didn't know better and I could take the guy out. Most people don't realize that martial arts aren't just about fighting, or that they should be about more than that. How does the saying go? With great power comes great responsibility. Part of becoming a martial artist is having control over the urge to take down the goofball who's mocking you with fake karate chops in the air while making Bruce Lee inspired sounds. While it would be super impressive to take someone out, it's not about proving you can beat up every guy that challenges you along the way. I would rather change the way people see martial arts by being humble and kind and striving to be the kind of person I would look up to. That being said, this is still pretty funny.

carpe diem

My family lost a friend today, a great man, full of life. He was married to my Aunt Jan, who I've blogged about before and what an inspiration she is to me. Greg Garcia posted about losing a friend as well, and how you shouldn't wait for a doctor to tell you your times up to do the things you want to, or have put off. The UBBT has given me the tools to turn my life in that direction. When I joined UBBT 6 it was the first time I ever set concrete goals for myself and followed through with them. The last 2 years of my life have seen more personal growth and progress than the rest of my adult years combined. When you really take the no quitting requirement to heart and you DON'T QUIT you can accomplish great things. I feel privileged to be part of a group of people who are all seizing the day and making the most of the time they have.
Goodbye Dennis, you will be missed.

my goals for UBBT 8

So here's my plan for UBBT 8:
50 000 sit ups
25 000 rows, 25 000 shoulder presses or flys this is in lieu of push ups which I am unable to do at this point in time due to injury
1000 reps forms
500 reps kempo
1000 acts of kindness
finish learning lao gar
52 sessions acupuncture or massage to maintain and repair old injuries
500 rounds of sparring, grappling or bag work
public board breaking at annual tournament
52 sessions partner based technique practice and application
52 sessions solo technique work
52 sessions cardio work geared to the black belt grading
1 month no movies or T.V.
52 sketches or other artwork
research and begin a supplement regime by Jan. 15th focusing on joint health and muscle repair
52 outings or "dates" alone with each of my daughters, Our quality time has been cut drastically since I've gone back to school.

I have some general goals as well. I'd like to maintain my average at school, eat less junk food and more vegetarian meals. I also plan to join the fitness class at Silent River and be a presence at open training as much as possible. Seeing everyones goals is really inspiring. I look forward to sharing everyones progress.