Pandamonium!

What a great weekend!  Pandamonium was such an awesome day.  I thought the idea of the Certificate of Awesomeness was very well done.  The amount of engagement of the participants was so great to see.  It was nice seeing everyone going to the charities and really learning from them.

I was so grateful for being able to take part of the lion dance (twice).  There were a few hickups like when Sifu Lindstrom showed me how to do a quick fix when your strap breaks on your lion, when I had a bit of issues throwing the lettuce, AND I stepped on more people than the prior 7 weeks combined but it still felt great.

The demo went well but after three years in I Ho Chuan, you would think that stage fright would be less.  Apparently not, since I was performing my form and the next thing I knew I was heading into a school form.  Well at least I have the "just make it look like you were supposed to do that and bow" down to a science.   So for anyone who is worrying about making a mistake, come talk to me or for that fact, anyone on the team that has done this before.  

Thanks to everyone for a great Pandamonium!

Everyday is a gift!

We all will have times when we need to re-evaluate our priorities.  I have been through this a number of times now and unfortunately it happens under times of crisis.

Ten years ago, in a very short period of time, I was diagnosed with a blood disorder which needed to be under control so I could have my thyroid removed for abnormal cells.  I had my thyroid surgery and 5 weeks later I had an emergency surgery because my Crohn's had perforated an artery and I needed a small bowel resection because of a GI bleed.  While in the hospital after the GI surgery, they told me my thyroid was actually cancerous and I needed to start treatment shortly.  Although it was I that was sick, it was as hard on Mike who needed to care for our three children who were very young, and care for me as well.  That was the first major re-evaluation of priorities that occurred for me.  I have always tried to have a positive attitude but this made me realize that everyday is a gift.

The reason I bring up the past is a few weeks ago I started having the same symptoms I had before my GI bleed.  My first instinct was to worry but than I decided to take action and be proactive. It was only a few days before I had appointments with my specialists and luckily everything has turned out okay.

So how does this relate to KungFu?  Ten years ago changed our families path.  That was when we started making changes.  The kids started KungFu and a few years later Mike and I joined as well.  It also had made me become more proactive and deal with fears instead of letting them rule me.  Its knowing that everyday is a gift and KungFu helps me ensure that those days are treated like the gift that they are.

See you on the mats!

Should AOKs be Effortless Effort?

These last few weeks we have been really focused on our acts of kindness (AOK).  These are things we do all the time, things that take no effort, right? At first I found it hard to document things that I thought I did all the time but by documenting them, I actually became more aware of the actions that I was doing and tried to even improve on them.  Instead of opening a door for a colleague, I open the door, make sure I make eye contact, smile and give a greeting.  I am opening the door FOR someone, I am no longer just opening a door.


These last few weeks, I have initiated conversations with people at my work that I do not really know.  I even embarrassed myself because there was a lady that has sat on my side of the building for years and I didn't know her name.  Actually, I thought she was new and it was when we started talking that I realized my mistake.  Even though I was embarrassed, I owned up to that and said I was really sorry and we both laughed, and not the awkward laugh that could have easily occurred in this situation.  We both just ran in our own little circles and those circles never really intercepted.  Without the AOK activity, our circles may never have touched, but now they have and who knows where that will lead.  The activity of AOKs made me realize that I need to pay more attention to things around me, those types of details do not come easy to me so I have to work really hard on them.  AOKs make you work even harder.


The other thing that I have noticed with AOKs is the "pay it forward" action.  Many times I have opened a door for someone, and then when we get to the next door, they hold it for me.  Looking them in the eyes, smiling, and giving a heart felt "Thank you" results in them smiling back at you more times than not.  I think the biggest reward at work was when a colleague who I just recently began to interact with, gave me a kindness card and said "I know you will appreciate this".  I was very fortunate that he was comfortable he could give me something like this and that took that he was willing to take that risk.


I always wanted to have AOKs as effortless effort, but now I think if it becomes effortless effort they may lose my full awareness and intent that they deserve.  AOKs deserve the effort.


See you at the kwoon!

The Kung Fu Community

Spring has sprung, today the leaves have started to show after remaining dormant for so long.  

Spring is a time for a flurry of activity, everyone trying to get everything done in a short period of time.  

We have seen this at Kung Fu with the rotary park cleanup, and now the upcoming Pandamonium.  Lots to do, everyone is working hard. Working together to get things done.

I remember as a child, our community would get together for times of work and times of fun.  Spring and Fall makes me remember those days and I miss that part of a small community.  It makes me really glad for our Kung Fu community, where everyone pitches in to make a large task small, whether for work or fun.  

See you at the kwoon!