Sick

 So I am sick. I am currently going through whole days where I feel dizzy. Even as I write this I find it difficult to type. I will say so far Covid negative but that could change by next test. Besides the sickness I still am going to try and work on my 3 star form. I am not sure how yet. Even thinking for awhile about complex ideas is like a squirrel with ADHD. As I am writing I am rethinking about trying to work on my 3 star drum form. I am having a hard time writing this blog properly. 

I think I will work on my breathing meditation. It is hard to breath sometimes, but right now I am good. I might not be able to think to logically right now, but I believe a lot of value in just breathing, besides the obvious reasons.  I am breathing in, I am breathing out. 

I am looking forward to what I might learn once I start this. I have done breathing mediations before just normally not dizzy and sick. Every breath might have a cough, but I will do what I can. Small gentle breathing. I look forward to my first session.

Sifu Langner  

Getting Closer

 I have had some really stressful weeks and I started to go down a bitter path well traveled. I had to be reminded of the silver lining to bad situations. It may be a thin line sometimes, but it is always there. I am also sorry for missing my normal blog day I have been so out of whack these past couple of weeks, that I forgot the best tool to help me through is blogging.

Now to get into the blog I really want to blog about. I am getting so close to completing my 3 star drumming form. All that is left is the closing drum. I was really struggling with what move would make sense before I go into the unicorn stepping. I have finally found the move. It turns out it was a leg sweep. Thanks a lot Sihing Lindstrom for helping me smooth out the transition. I am looking forward to having a completed beta version of my form, so I can drum to my form. I have never gone on such a crazy learning experience making a form. I have made many in the past, but this one is the one I will treasure the longest. 

I have grown better in understanding Drumming, and how my body moves, and making transitions that make sense. There is a reason for why if my original forms could be lacking, it could be my transition. I would say Sai's are my favorite weapon, but this drum form is becoming my favorite fast.

Sihing Langner

Unicorn Stepping

 I have gotten to the unicorn step I will be adding into my 3 star drum form. It is definitely another challenge. I realized that the way I do the unicorn stepping is still to the beat, but it was slower than what I needed for the form. For some reason I could not think of the steps to the beat of the 3 star drum. Sihing Lindstrom helped me reconnected the steps to the 3 star beat. My issue was I was preparing the unicorn step at the clack, and I should of done it at the single thump. Once I had that figured out I started to add techniques to the unicorn stepping. 

The big issue I am having now is because I am doing every beat has a technique it makes the unicorn step a little weird. I am trying to make it the techniques make sense and have purpose. I am trying to not just place the unicorn step in my form just for the sake of  having it. I am trying to make it make sense. I am aiming for intent.   I won't lie the unicorn step in my form seems more like poses, but it is not a bad thing to have poses. I am just not really liking the transitions in between the unicorn stepping. 

It is the defining moments of the clack that seem like to me right now "oh yeah I need to do something" The flow and transition into these clacks make some sense, but I feel as I can do better. 

I am having a hard time with this form, but I am also learning so much about myself and my drumming, and even my unicorn stepping. I am actually having a lot of fun right now.

Sihing Langner  

Friends

  The value of good friends. I remember I used to think when I was younger that someone having tons of friends must have a really great life. They may actually have one, but I found myself during those younger years to have very few to one friend. I found that when I made friends they were of high quality in what they bring to my life. I found friends that  are willing to go the extra mile for me if I asked and I for them. I always got rid of the people in my life that harmed me mentally or physically. Now I am surrounds with a solid group of friends. If I could tell my younger self how amazing things will become I would. Younger me was very isolated. I don't feel alone anymore.

Sifu Langner

Working

 I have been in B.C for a week now just working for Dan and Mel. I have been helping them with some electrical at there house that they are building. I have been really enjoying visiting with them, and I never realized how much having a regular work time all the time actually help me a lot mentally. Having an 8 hour day brings me a peace of mind. Rather than just having a lot of time on my hands to do anything, it is time dedicated to accomplishing a goal. I have been feeling a satisfaction of completing work, and figuring out problems. I never thought I would miss having to work. 

I remember I used to think I cannot wait until I don't have to work anymore, and I got to experience it. It was not my choice though. I had a car accident that let me have the opportunity to not have to work everyday. It was not a fun time off, since most of the time was spent getting ready to go back to work. I did grow greatly as a human because of the accident. I also got to learn to be very grateful for when I find a job. I would not say I was not grateful before, but I would say I am even more grateful now for when I get a job. 

It still boggles my mind that I enjoy working. I believe kung fu helped me come to this conclusion. Kung fu taught me discipline and hard work can amount to wonderous achievements. If I continuously train and progress wisely I will receive results for the hard work. I see the same values in my job. I would go to work continuously and plan accordingly. I put the time and effort to do a good job and eventually I get results for all my hard work. 

Sifu Langner          

5 Star Wall

 In my 3 star form I have been having a really hard time doing a proper technique sequence for when the 5 star comes in. I have been struggling and not liking what ever I was coming up with, and I think I have finally found a movement that I am mostly happy with. This 5 star has really stalled my progress of my form. It has stalled in the sense of adding new moves, and has greatly increase the understanding of the 5 star and the way my body moves. 

I have been really learning so much about drumming and my kung fu. I would find one way to complete the 5 star then I would see the faults of my choices. I had to re imagine the 5 star and really break it down. Learning the The 5 star down to it's core gave me better insights in what were  the possibilities of what I could do for the form.   I am truly having a love hate relationship with my form, and it has been so exciting what I have been learning.

It truly feels like I am on a roller coaster with this form. So much fun.

Sifu Langner 

I Am Humble

 I have always found this word very interesting. If I declared myself humble am I really humble? I have thought about this question a lot. The paradox in that statement seems really interesting to me. I have joked with my friends before about it. I would say "I am so humble, I am like the most humble person ever".  I think you actually become less humble if you brag all the time that your humble. To be humble to me is someone who does not flaunt their success, or think of themselves and the ultimate human. I don't think it is bad to have at least some of those qualities, because being proud of who you are and what you have done is a good thing to within reason. I think being humble within reason applies as well.   

In all sincerity I believe myself to be a humble person. My Aunt tells me all the time I should brag more about my accomplishments. I find myself very proud of my kung fu and my accomplishments, but a lot of my family members or friends and work don't even know I am in kung fu. When a by chance event happens where I am asked, I will tell them I am in kung fu, but not even the fact I am a 3rd degree black belt. If the question is never asked I don't find the need to let them know. I find the more important aspect for me is the fact I am still training and growing in kung fu and who ever knows is not important to me. 

Another side of being humble is how humbled I feel when I teach or learn at kung fu. I can learn so much about kung fu through those who are entering the kung fu world. I also get to learn that the people who have been doing kung fu much longer than me have such deep insights about kung fu. I realize I still have a very long way to go. I get humbled when I see someone younger than me at kung fu can do something better than me. It let's me learn my physical limitations, and I get to see really amazing kung fu being done by the young and the older. For me being humble lets me have access to amazing opportunity's to grow. Also allows me to not think I am so much better than others. I get to see the unique perspective form old and new. 

I would like to wrap it up by saying that I know for a fact that the ideas and training from kung fu, it helped me learn to what being humble is today.  I am humble.

Sifu Langner