Memory

 Hello I have been having some short term memory issues. I thought nothing of it, because I forget stuff all the time. I just went through a whole problem solving and memory testing. I did really good at the problem solving, but worse at some other things. One of them was I did not to good on the memory test. They read me a short story or 2 and i had a hard time remembering it. I could be in a conversation where we could be talking about tanks; then 2 seconds later completely not know what we were even talking about. 

 It is not something that happens all the time, but I thought forgetting things sometime was just a normal everyday occurrence. After the test apparently I should not be forgetting as much as I am. I feel I am in a state sometimes where I am fully in control and remember everything that is important to me. Then I end up forgetting important things I want to do, or events I am suppose to attend. 

  It also seems to me sometimes time skips for me. Here I think it is feb 3 when it was actually feb 20. I feel frustration that sometimes I can't remember recent events. I remember that the banquet went really good and congratulations to everyone for doing an amazing job.    

I don't know if this will help, but I am going to write in my blog the things I want to and need to do for kung fu. Maybe if I write it down whenever I want to try and remember things this will help. I already write stuff now, but I forget that I wrote them.

  Kung fu at 7:30 black belt class tuesday 

( I have my Mothers Birthday/Anniversary Feb 23 7:00)

I Ho Chaun at 7:30 Thursday

Blog on Sunday 9:00 Pm

There is few other things I want to add here for kung fu, but I can't remember right now. I just have a strong feeling. Hopefully I will write it in my next blog.

Sifu Langner

Question Power

 Hello so I have had a fairly good day today. I had being talking with a lot of people via phone. I am currently feeling really happy, and nervous right now. I have a big assessment happening tomorrow and I think this will a determining factor of whether I can go back to work or not. I am unsure of what will be happening. Also I am only guessing what this day might be. Since I have not been informed to well about what this day is about, but I am hopeful.

  I had a really good conversation with my good friend Dan. We talked about a lot of stuff, but what was really interesting, was my full realization about questions. We both work in a trade and were taught that some of the best journeyman always asked a lot of questions. Quality and some that may seem dumb, but better to ask then to assume. I always knew asking questions was a good way to help me learn and prevent possible mistakes, or even help others realize there was more to a situation. I know people who have become very good in there field of work, but they never claimed to know everything. 

 Then I thought about it. Asking question helped me figure out some tougher problems in my life, and in work. Sometimes I was able to answer my own problem just because I ask the question to my self and it help me compartmentalize the problem. I thought whenever I see people do not ask questions it gives me the impression; they either have a good handle on what they are doing or they are slowly trying to figure something out on there own, or worst case they don't care, or unaware a question needs to be asked. I have been all of these. 

  Then it really hit me, this is why Sifu Brinker is always asking us if we have any questions about the class. It is a great indicator of how engaged you can be, and also a great indicator of where our minds are at. Dan and me started thinking that good apprentice are the ones that ask lots of questions, rather than an apprentice that never asks none. We have both come across where the one that was not ever asking questions made more mistakes. Now in both scenarios I have ran into where they don't ask, but are great apprentice, or they do ask but they got worse.

  When I am truly engaged into something like my work I always have question, but I realize I have not been the same for kung fu. I realized I had become less engaged with my own kung fu. I have learned a lot about kung fu, but I just have the tip of the ice berg of what what else Kung fu can offer me. So I am going to start thinking more question that cloud help me and maybe even other in Kung fu.    

Why do we throw punches in Kung fu?

  I have heard a few times about why, but once i start thinking about it It makes me try and find the reason for the exists of this punch. I think of the  physical mechanics that make the punch work, then I think of the mental mechanics for it to work. Then I realize the mental and physical mechanics have purpose to show how flow, and power  and intent become one entity. everything that the punches can teach us I believe to be very valuable. 

Simple, good, extreme question majority of the improve someone. That is to me super powerful thing that all have and can do whenever we want. For the most part. 

Sifu Langner

   

No Sleep January

 Hello I am sorry for not posting for awhile or attending meetings, or class. I should of at least sent a message. I was having a really rough January. In the sense of I had no clue of what time of day, or what day I was even on. I was getting very little sleep. The most sleep I got was 4 hours. For me I don't even remember to much happening in January. I was experiencing bad headaches, neck pain, and facial pain. The face one was because whenever I yawn it hurts a lot. So with me being tired it happened a lot. Oddly enough during those times when I tried to sleep, I was not tired at all.

  I have improved, and I no longer have sleep issues, and my neck and face is a bit sore, but I don't yawn as much anymore. That month for me was actually harder for me then when I spent time in the hospital. 

  Good news though I have been working on my balance I have 2 exercises. One is heel to toe, and I have to hold it for 30 secs. The other one is I have to hold one foot up for 30 secs. I have not accomplished these yet, but My best is 18 sec for first one and 13 for the second. My body just loses balance and it feels like I cant stop it, but that is why I practice. I know my balance in getting better, because I don't need a cane anymore when I walk. I never really needed it badly, but when I used to get headaches and dizzy, and would need something to lean on so I did not fall.

 I used to hold the cane most of the time floating. I would swing it where the cane would be if I needed it. I remember in the beginning that I could not walk even half way across the lagoon, without then needing my dad to help me back home. Now I am up to 4 full laps. Ironically enough more times I ever walked around that lagoon even when I was not injure.

 I may have hiccups in my never ending journey, but one thing for sure is that I refuse to give up. I know I will have more lows in my future and I cannot stop it, but I do know is that I can always learn and grow. 

One thing I have learned about life is that there is always opportunitys made available to me. I just need to create, accept, or look for them.

 Sifu Langner