My knees, my knees, my knees

Boy did I ever have a wake up call last class.  My knees were not letting me do things I used to do.  I felt like I was back after surgery.  I really need to work on getting my legs back into shape so that they support my knees. So that is my current goal. I still can't do too many pushups because I still have chronic bursitis by the shoulder blade. I have to start going to massage and see if that will work it out. 

Being accountable

I have not been accountable to my team and myself lately.  I get stuck in these ruts and this time I used the excuse of having to move and didn't have time.  Well, here I go again, playing catch up. I could always find some excuse to not train or attend class and it seems the longer I am away from class the worse it is so I told my son that he will have to find another way to get home from work on wednesdays and fridays so that I can go to classes. I need to get my foot back in the kwoon

Team Effort

I am coming to realize how important journaling is.  I am guilty of not spending enough time reading other students journals but am trying to do more.  It made me realize that by doing so, I can relate to other students hurdles and I also feel more like a team member. I think it really helps when your in a tough spot in your training. Seeing how others get out of their funk is helpful.  I will commit to reading and journalling more.

Renewed sense of enthusiasm

I have had a major shift in my thinking about my Kung Fu.  I can say that I have finally embraced the journey and not the belt. After making the decision to not grade in 2013 and instead give myself time to learn to train the way I need to, I have such a renewed sense of enthusiasm about Kung Fu.  It's strange, all stress went away because at that point, I realized that I will never quit because Kung Fu is a part of me and I will take from it what I can everyday. I will always strive to learn more and more but I no longer have a clock ticking in my head telling me that I need to get the black belt at a certain time. I have decided to take the scenic route and so look forward to it.

Day at a Time

I am looking towards the next year and grading. It feels like a daunting task and sometimes I think "I don't know if I can do it. I'm not as young as most students and I can't do some things because of my bad knees. And if I can't grade for black belt, I might as well quit because I don't want to be a second degree brown for the rest of my life"  These are some of the thoughts going through my head lately. Then, on the other hand, I think of all the other people that have made it through black belt while dealing with way bigger obstacles and I think " I'm just copping out, I can do this".  I have come to the conclusion of taking one day at a time.  As long as I do that, I relieve the stress that I put on myself thinking about the year ahead of me. I haven't been committing myself to Kung Fu lately because of these negative thoughts.  I am trying to work through them. I really don't want to regret giving up on a dream. It's just that some days it's just easier to not do my pushups, not do my situps, not go to class.  Still struggling.

August 16/12

It's been hard getting back on track after having holidays, especially with how warm the weather has been. I can't seem to take the heat like I used, only if I'm at a lake and can jump in the water to cool off.  My mind hasn't been there either. Right now I am busy looking for another place to rent cause I now need a 3 bedroom instead of a two. I am almost looking forward to fall for things to settle down so that I can get back in the game.  I know I have failed miserably with the UBBT but am not going to give up.  I look at it as a learning experience.  Some goals I set out of my reach.  For example, the twenty pieces of artwork. I have to spend way too much time on each piece to be able to get 20 done, even by working on my lunch hour.  But that's o.k. I have learned from this that I can keep working on  my lunch hour and slow and steady wins the race. I will have enough for next year.  I have learned not to totally give up when I fail at a set goal. Consistent action is the key for me.  That is my downfall and that is what my new goal is, is to work on that.

Can't Wait for Holidays!!!

Well we are still 4 people living in a 2 bedroom and for the most part aren't getting on each others nerves too much.  But the thing of stepping over stuff and the boxes is going to get to be a bit much.  We are moving into a 3 bedroom at the end of August. Soooo looking forward to it.  Not the move, but the space. What I'm looking forward to more than that are my holidays. Bliss, a week in the Shuswap camping in a brand new RV with my sis and brother in law with no kids. Never done that before. It's coming up soon, only 2 weeks away. 

On another note, I had to make the tough decision to not grade for black belt this year.  My life is chaos right now and I cannot put enough focus on my Kung Fu if everthing else in my life is taking all my focus away. By next year everything should be settled down and it will be my year. Just too much stress in my life right now. I'm somewhat sad but I am looking forward to doing my training the right way.

Things are getting crowded

When I moved into the condo I am living in now, I was living alone. It is a two bedroom condo, I thought perfect.  About 10 months later my eldest son broke up with his girlfriend and moved in with me.  Then my second son who went to school in St. Albert and all his friends there as well ended back home with me cause his dad moved to Redwater. Now my daughter who was living with her boyfriend in an apartment has been accepted in University for Nursing wants to save some money so moved back home with me......along with her two cats!!!.  So here I am, in a two bedroom with 4 people.  It's a really good thing that I have two reaaallly comfortable sofas.  The only thing is I have such little room left in the place with all the extra boxes, clothes etc. that I don't even have room to change my mind.  What can you do!!

Plugging away

Well my shoulder is feeling better but not healed completely. I am slowly getting back to full pushup position.  I am going to have to make sure I don't overdue it.  Been slacking a little bit with the kilometres, so going to gym tonight and back on the bike. I wasn't able to get too much done this past weekend as I had hoped.  Ended up helping my daughter and her boyfriend clean their apartment to make sure they get their damage deposit back.  Rachel is back at home with me so we have 4 people in a two bedroom condo plus 2 cats and a small dog.  Have an appointment to look at a 4 bedroom condo on friday.  Wish me luck.

An image I will never forget

Last thursday after work, I stopped off at the gym to go on the stationary bike. All the bikes face the windows outside. I was able to see people walking by the windows from their shoulders up. I was just about done my workout when I saw this man walking by the windows. It was quite windy that day. His face had been badly burned and as he was walking, he was wiping his eyes. The first thing i thought was Whoa, that is a fresh burn. Another fellow working out at the next station right beside the window noticed him as well and was able to see him from the waist up. After the man passed the window, I saw another fellow in the parking lot on his cell phone and waiving someone to come over.  Then I saw a firetruck enter the parking lot. This is in the complex where there are lots of parking lots and probably 15 businesses.  Then I saw EMS pull up. That man that passed by the window, I had realized had just been burnt and was obviously in shock and didn't know the seriousness of his injuries. The fellow working out at the station beside me said he was totally burnt from the waist up. My heart sunk for this fellow. I prayed that the EMS would find him. After about 5 min, another firetruck was looking for him and the police. I left the gym about 15 min. later and they were still looking for him. There were no fires around, I have no idea how this fellow got his burns. I hope to God that they found him and his image will forever be in my mind. Still really bothers me now that I am writing this.

Need a boot to the butt

Am not having a good week.  I got out of my healthy routine because of physio sessions and other errands that I had to run after work.  I haven't been able to do good pushups lately because of my bercitis and to boot, physio has not really helped it a whole lot.  I think I will have to schedule some deep tissue massage, as soon as payday. Todays the first day this week that I have time after work to go to the gym.. So i'm gonna do as much as I can on the stationary bike. Gotta do it more regular to get into shape. It's tough being a single parent of three, especially when all three are not working. Ah well, enough of feeling sorry for myself and I will give myself the boot in the butt.

Day 3 of Physio

Well tonight is my last night of physio for my shoulder. I don't think it will totally get rid of the pain but it has definitely helped my back, shoulder and neck.  The biggest difference I found was that my neck doesn't grind nearly as much as it used to.  Too bad physio isn't free.

learned another lesson

Just wanted to say that last friday's I Ho Chuan class was an excellent class.   When Sifu Brinker corrected me in my stance to engage my hip, things took on a whole new light. Also, went to physio yesterday and found out that my shoulder and back are in worse shape than I thought. And that is from neglecting myself. I am so bound up that it put my neck out as well. I had the electrodes on, then ultrasound and then traction. I felt like I had a bobble head after that. I get two more sessions. I will have to get regular massages after this. At least my health benefits covers it. I have always put myself last and that has got to change, especially now.

Cleansing/Detoxing

I am in day 4 of a cleanse and so far so good.  Besides being realllllly bloated, I am starting to feel like I have more energy and I don't have brain fog. On a different note, I can only do wall pushups right now.  I have bercitis in my shoulder from all the pushups. I have to go to physio and have this taken care of before jumping back into full pushups.

I got a burst of excitement and enthusiasm about my artwork. I am currently working on two different pencil sketches. They are very detailed and take on average 30 hours each. An associate of mine through work bought one of my prints and informed me  that she wants to buy two originals now so that she can have three for her office. So I have a short term goal of finishing these two sketches by the end of May.  This sale would help my finances at a time that I need it. Oh, and besides that, I have to look for another place to rent as soon as possible because my daughter and her two cats are moving in with me by the end of the month. I will have all three kids with me and only two bedrooms.  It's a good thing I have two really comfy sofas.

I soooo hate computers

I haven't blogged for a little while because my blogspot site is challenging my computer skills. I signed in one day and all of a suddent, it says this site is no longer something, something this server. I feel so stupid. Finally, with some help and me poking around, I think I have it figured out. Sooo I am back online.  I am feeling pretty good about my training right now. On mondays and wednesdays, as long as I don't go home and leave for kung fu straight from work, I have been successful with keeping up my attendance. I really like going to those classes because it helps me keep up with my situps and pushups, it gives extra opportunity to excersize and I get to learn from a few different Sifus. I am finding, however that I don't get home til 9:00 and haven't eaten and I need to wind down before being able to sleep. So I am not getting as much sleep as I would like at this rate. But pros definitely outweigh the cons. On my off days, I stop off at the gym after work and put some kilometres on either the bike or treadmill. So far, so good.

An up Day

Before 8:00 this morning I drove my son to school, worked with free weights for 40 minutes and did 150 situps and 80 of my pushups. It's my day off today. Am thinking if I get up a little earlier every workday, I could keep this up. Also, last Wednesday i went to 2 evening classes and loved it. I am definitely going to go to as many as I can.

Breakthrough

I'm having a good day, I think I have figured out a workout routine for myself that will work for me. I started getting up earlier in the morning to do my situps and pushups to get them over for the day and found I had time left and some energy so I did my weight resistance training routing which I used to do for 20 years. It was like riding a bike and it felt so good. And when I have been stopping off at the gym right after work cause it is on my way home and I have been doing 5 miles on the bike, great for my knees. So I am feeling way better about my workout routine. I just have to make sure that I am eating right and getting enough sleep to keep this up.

Pedometer

Got myself a pedometer and am lovin it. It helps me track of distance, goals, stopwatch and other neat things. Isn't technology amazing!

Tuesday 27th

Going to gym after work to go on the bike and put some kilometres under my belt. Looking forward to better weather so that I can do some outside.

Best intentions

I have been so busy lately, with appointments after work and seminars that I haven't been able to do what I have wanted to do. I have been doing my situps and pushups but haven't been getting in enough cardio. Although, I did walk about 5 kilometres yesterday. Wanted to go to training this Thursday and then it snowed so much that the roads are in terrible shape. I will finish setting up my heavy bag at home tonight and get some bag work in. Having the bag set up, I think, will help me with my practicing. My place is way to small and cluttered to do forms in. Looking forward to nice weather when I can train outside.

Good day

Having a good day today. Even though I had to work, every spare minute I got, I did my pushups and situps and managed to get some good time in on my spear (in the warehouse).

In and out of a slump

I have been in kind of a slump lately, mainly feeling sorry for myself. I goes through these every once in a while when I feeling that life's burdens start feeling heavy. I am out of it now and I am starting to put a plan together for my schedule for Kung Fu, fitness and my artwork. I have had overwelming enthusiasm about my art lately. I have people wanting to buy my work and I don't have inventory right now. So I really need to set a schedule and stick to it.

Act of Kindness or Not?

I have always struggled with this situation on whether or not it is an act of Kindness. When approached by someone that obviously has a drug or alcohol problem, perhaps homeless, that is begging for money, should I give them some money or not? Am I being kind to them when I am almost positive that they will use that money for their addiction? I know, initially, it will relieve their pain but when looking at the overall picture, am I not just adding to their problem? And how do you know for sure that they aren't going to use it for food? I would love to hear someone else's perspective on this.

Status

I am finally healing from my rib injury. Still not taking any chances though because the last time I thought I was healed I re-injured it. Feeling pretty good physically, I have more energy and have lost a few pounds. I need to get more reps in for my forms however.

Doctor knows best

Well, I'm a stubborn German but I should know better. I should always listen to my doctor. I have some torn cartilage under my ribs which is quite painful. Initially, I gave myself a three day
rest and I thought it was healed. Then when we were doing reno's at the kwoon, I must have tugged one too many times and re-injured it. It kills me that I can't keep up with my situps and pushups. So, I knew situps were too painfull and couldn't do those, so I tried leg raises. They seemed not too bad. I also did some pushups that seemed not too bad. However after two to three days of no improvement, I realized, I am not going to heal unless I do what the doctor told me to and rest. Even though it is bothering the heck out of me that I will have all these situps and pushups to make up eventually, I have resigned to the fact that I have to rest to get better.

Smile from a stranger

I was driving home yesterday and was nearing my turnoff which was a right handed turn. The light was red and there was a car in front of me waiting to go straight. The driver saw my signal light to turn and moved ahead a little so that I could get by and do my turn. I thought, that was nice of you, so when I moved forward, I caught the eye of the driver and waved and smiled as to say thank you. It was an older lady and she smiled and waved back. That made my day! It's all too often that people get in their cars and lose personal contact with others. They think the car is an exstention of themselves and turn into completely different people. I still smile when I think of it.

Little bumps in the road

Overall, I consider myself pretty healthy, however, I seem to be plagued with a few minor setbacks like a sprained ankle and now a pinched nerve. It makes me realize that this UBBT requires full attention to your fitness. This pinched nerve has put my situps and pushups on hold for a day. That's 150 of each that I am going to have to make up somewhere. I do feel better though now that I can do more at one time, so I guess this is the hardest part of the training. I have sore muscles but feel good about myself for the daily accomplishments.

So far so good

Well my muscles are not hurting anymore and I am starting to be able to do more reps at one time. It's making life much easier. I am so glad that our UBBT will be getting together on Thursday evening because I can never make it for open training on Saturdays. I have also given my family fair warning that I will not be around as much for the next year. They are fine with that, they are old enough now to take care of themselves. So everything is good.