way too many commas

As I continue building my double broadsword form for this year I'm finding the whole process much easier than it was last year, and I wanted to try to get to the bottom of why this is.  1) Having the experience of building a form last year helped familiarize myself with the process?  Last year in certain sections I really had to fight to think on what sort of technique would or could come after the one I just did. Having never done anything like it before I felt I was in the dark a lot of the time. But having done it once before now my thought process is more accustomed to analyzing a form in terms of creation and not just replicating/performing an already existing form. Like making a path through thick jungle, this time around there's less in my way. 2) Having a two handed weapon gives me more options? Any time I get stuck, or try to think of what will come next in the sequence, I find I'm having an easier time finding answers because there's so much available to me. I...

 I was hanging out with my best friend earlier today and as it often does, the topic of kung fu came up in conversation. I stared explaining how we are taught to breathe deep into our stomachs, stretching our diaphragm downwards, and focusing on drawing the breath to our bellybuttons. Surprisingly she instantly knew exactly what I was talking about. She went on to explain how that is the same way they are taught to breathe in the choir she's in. I always thought we had two very different hobbies but I'm learning that there is more overlap than I expected. (just the other day we were talking about how we both had "warm-ups" before classes and were giggling over the differences entailed in each). She then went on to explain that during some of their practices their choir teacher ( musical sifu, my brain filled in) would have them lie down and try to focus on breathing through their back , or out their sides , through just the ribs  and it kind of blew my mind! I reali...

I've started working with my double broadswords and I already have a lot of thoughts about it.  Double broadsword felt like the logical next step for me in my weapons training since last year I did only one. I thought because it was just the same weapon (x2) it wouldn't feel that different right? I WAS SO WRONG; using both feels like a completely distinct weapon! I also naively thought that it wouldn't be too much harder because I became pretty well acquainted with my sword during the Year of the Tiger, but again, I WAS SO WRONG because it's a whole new league of difficulty.  1) Not only do I have none of the coordination or control in my left arm that my right has built up over the past year, I feel like making progress on that coordination and control is an uphill battle since it's my non-dominant hand. 2) I though I was pretty well versed in concepts like "equal and opposite" and "moving independently but together" but like most concepts with ...

 Quick run-through of my numbers for January because I want to get into the habit of posting them monthly this year, so I'm staring now, even though January was so short. I think I want to track my numbers as "how many I've done"/"how many I should be at at this point in the year"/"final goal" since so many of the final goals are so large it's hard to tell where you're at sometimes so this format will tell me  where I   am /compared to  where I should be /compared to  where I'm trying to go.  Already behind on my hand forms but trying hard to create a pattern of consistency, obviously still needs work. Doing better out the gate on my weapons form this year, I want to build it sooner than I did last year so I can have more time to refine it later.  Requirements Push-ups: 2300/1440/50000 Sit-ups: 2380/1440/50000 Hand Form: 6/30/1000 Double Broadsword: 26/30/1000 AOK: 47/30/1000 km: 8/47/1609 sparring: 0/30/1000 Mastery: Definitely need to...

Title: IHC Numbers - MONTH Requirements  (where I am/where I should be/where I'm trying to go) Push-ups: /50000 Sit-ups: /50000 Hand Form: /1000 Double Broadsword: /1000 Sparring: /1000 AOK: /1000 km: /1609 Mastery: /20 Personal Requirements  (where I am/where I should be/where I'm trying to go) 100 Ways to Say Hello: /100 Monthly Form Focus: /333 Monthly Goal: /12 Read 3 Books on Anti-Racism: /3

 I am loving. Tonight's class was absolutely amazing.  You would think that two days before the first in-person banquet in 3 years we would be high strung, stressed, and making errors because of nerves, but what happened was the complete opposite. In between each practice run I saw people smiling, congratulating each other, and joking around. During the practice runs people were laser focused and I saw some of the best performances I've seen all year. I was overcome with pride and overwhelmed with love for my fellow teammates. Between the positive comments from the sifus (we're waiting for you guys to get some bad ones out there so we can get them out of the way) to the gift todai Ferris gave me at the end of the night ( even though I've been beating on her for weeks now ) my heart just about exploded on the car ride home.  I am so so so grateful for everyone on this team and for all the hard work everyone has put into this demo, and I can't wait to showcase it all...

It was always my plan to do one big final showcase of my numbers as the year came to a close. Looking back though I realize that this unconsciously was a way of me trying to hide what I was behind on, constantly convincing myself that I would catch up, that I could catch up, that I would make up everything I missed in time for Chinese New Year's eve and then I could present them like I had it all under control this whole time. But I didn't, and you'll see that below. I wanted to put everything on display, even the parts I'm really ashamed of because it is the truth.  For this upcoming Year of the Rabbit I plan to put out my progress monthly to both keep me accountable and keep myself consciously and fully aware of my progress.  I am incredibly proud of everything I was able to accomplish this year, but I also acknowledge there are many areas where I know I need to do better, so in true yin-yang philosophical style I'm going to be showing my final numbers and saying ...