summer slowdown

So summer is officially here and I've been feeling the strain of keeping up with my requirements already. I think that the big difference for me this year will be having the phys out program telling me how many reps I need to do to catch up and my daily and weekly numbers to keep up. Last summer I kind of put my head in the sand and didn't look at my running total which made it almost impossible to catch up. I plan on this summer being different than the last.

I'm still fighting this cough that has been following me around. My cardio is suffering because of it but I'm hoping it will go away soon.

Silent River is having it's annual boot camp this Saturday so I'm gearing myself up for that. I went last year in not the best health, but got through the day and had a really positive experience. The agenda looks like it's going to be a great day. I'm hoping my lungs will co operate and I'll make it through that run at the end of the day.

month 6

Training this week has still been a little slow. I have this lingering cough that likes me so much it won't leave. This morning I had a really good class and sweat a lot and all that good stuff. I feel like I havn't been able to fully participate in class for awhile, so it was much needed. I think I'm good to go back to the San Shou class, my attendance has been pretty abysmal the past couple of months. I would love to recruit some other women for the class, but no one is interested. I don't mind sparring the guys, but in a traditional san shou or grappling match, it would be great to have someone my size to work with. We are almost halfway through UBBT 7 and I am in better shape numbers wise than I was last year so I feel good about that. Going to try to make the second

half better than the first.

1 step forward, 2 steps back

Last week I caught up on numbers with all of my goals except one and I was feeling pretty good about it. This week I got knocked flat by a virus and I have done almost nothing. I have been spending my nights awake coughing up a lung and my days feeling dragged out from the nights. So I'm playing catch up this week again, I am hoping that I can regain some ground and that I will actually get to sleep tonight.

Good Karma

I normally don't work Mondays but someone quit last week and I got called in. I like my Mondays so it was kind of a bummer, but good things happened! A woman who boards her horse at the barn owns the 24 hour vet clinics in Edmonton and said I could do my 80 hours of work at her clinics... hurray! Thats out of the way. She also told me the head of the Animal Health Program is a trainer who works with some of the boarders and their horses, so I hope that can work to my benefit as well. But now I'm tired and it's early to work tomorrow. Cheers!

It's the first day of kindergarten

I got promoted to Sihing a few weeks ago and I was really excited to go to the Sihing class on Friday nights.Everyone always said it was a really great class, and it is. I think the biggest thing it has done for me is make me realize how much I don't know. I feel like a white belt again. I'm clumsy, I have no flow, my body won't follow the instructions my brain is giving it. Despite those things it's exciting. I know I will get better and I like the idea of being able to wrap my brain around some of the concepts we learn and be able to translate them into my techniques, combinations etc. Cheers until next week.

It's official

I finally got my confirmation from NAIT last week, I'm officially headed back to school in September! I had decided not to say anything at work until I had my letter in hand. I've really been dreading quitting, since I am one of four employees. When I told my boss I said we had the whole summer to find a replacement for me, she said that no one could replace me. So that was pretty cool. What does this have to do with kung fu? Since I started UBBT 6 and continued on with 7, I have been consciously trying to do a better job on everything that I do, going out of my way to do things for others or to make sure that the job is done well, even though working in a barn doesn't require any special talents or skill. I have officially gone "out of the kwoon and into the world." I guess sometimes you don't realize that the baby steps you've taken have brought you so far. I like the fact that I will be remembered for my hard work.

Right Now

Last year at this time I was sick. My birthday and mothers day were days spent curled up in bed feeling terrible. It continued for months and I eventually got over whatever it was. I still don't know what it was, I remember all the different tests I had done and the time spent in the hospital and doctors offices. This weekend I was thinking of it and I started sweating, my heart raced and I got dizzy. I had a little anxiety attack just from the memory of how frustrating those months were.

So tonight while I did forms in the backyard I thought about how good it feels to be healthy and well. I felt my breath and my body work together and I felt happy to be where I am.