I have had a great week for inspiration . The black belt class this week was based on a simple technique that was delivered with intensity. It was one of these classes that you come away with bruises that you didn't feel while you were getting them. I am always amazed to find new direction just by working with a different partner.
The other inspiration came from running our annual fund raiser "The Pandemonium" in our beginner teen/adult classes last night. As a group they gave it their all. You know that they didn't have much more to give when there is vomiting and students feeling like they might pass out because they can't catch their breath. If this is a refection of the funds they raised it should be one of the best results we have seen yet. Any one of the charities we support would be proud to accept such dedication to their causes.
UBBT 's end is in sight. My numbers are not where I hoped they would be a year ago. But on the other hand I never would have thought I could come this far. By opening myself up to such a great opportunity I have grown as a person one hundred percent. I will push towards the end with hopes of closing some of the number gaps.
Anyone up for UBBT 7?

Linda Shipalesky
Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Silent River Kung Fu

Difficult decisions

This last few weeks has been filled with the flu (H1N1) . Do we get the shot or not. I find the media very confusing and contradictory on the subject. As adults we make our decisions based on our feelings and intellect. But when we have to make a decision for our children it changes the stakes. My thinking gets clouded with emotion and that tends to make it a lot harder to decide what is best. The decision has to be made soon and my husband and I are divided on the subject. He feels that there is not enough positive information on the subject and my fear is that one of us will contact it before we are sure which way to go. The medical profession seem to think it is a good thing while the media and other sources put enough doubt in my mind to make me hesitate.
I guess I will keep watching and see if the answer becomes clear. I hope I don't regret the pause in my decision. Being a parent is never easy.

Linda Shipalesky, Silent River Kung Fu. Stony Plain Alberta

The First rule of self defense...

At my families Thanksgiving get together this weekend I had a chance to find out how well I react in a emergency situation.

We have a small group of under six year olds in our newest generation. As when all kids get together they tend to run wild. There is usually one adult in the given room where all the commotion is happening as was the case on this Sunday. All the other adult's (including myself) are in the kitchen preparing the coming feast or visiting with family we have not seen is the last six months or so.
A loud bang, a pause in the pandemonium and then a blood curdling scream stopped everyone in their tracks. Like every mother you are attuned to your children's cry or in this cause my grand daughters cry. Before I could get to the room that the kids were in my eighteen year old daughter came out of said room carrying my Granddaughter and yelling that we needed to get her to the hospital.My first glimpse of her was blood and lots of it pouring from her face. Amanda had a cloth covering her, trying to catch as much for the blood as she could. In that first few seconds my brain shut down and fear, then ... panic took over. Randy (my husband) stepped in and had things under control in minutes. I fought down the panic, tried to breath deep and get control of myself. This takes almost impossible will power and of cause lots of positive self talk.
We got her to the Stony Plain hospital were she ended up with fifteen stitches on the middle of her forehead. With any luck there won't be a scar by the time she's old enough to care about those things and the memory will be dim.
As for me I have something new to feel guilty about. The supermom syndrome kicks in. I should have been able to prevent any of this from happening... etc, etc.etc. The eye opener was how hard it is to control myself and to keep the panic at bay. Is it just my nature to react this way or can I train myself to react differently. Just something new to add to my list of things to fix about "me."

Linda Shipalesky, Stony Plain Alberta Canada

First rule of self defence

Mental Awareness week

So this is mental awareness week and over the last year I have been trying to figure out my own mental awareness. In some ways trying to remake myself and in other ways trying to rise above my self imposed restrictions on who I am. One of the biggest struggles I have is negative self talk. Realizing if I believe in something strongly enough I will project it and make it a reality weather it is positive or negative.
Awhile back I came across this paragraph in a book I was reading that made me stop and reread it over and over again "It was a strange feeling, but not surprising. I'd never been best at anything . I'm O.K. at dealing with people, but probably lots of people could do better. I am a good student , but never the top of the class. I have always just been average at athletics. I am not overly artistic or musical, no particular talent to brag of. Nobody ever gave away a trophy for reading books. So after Fifty years of mediocrity, I am pretty used to being average. I realized that I'd long ago given up any aspirations of shining at anything. I just do the best with what I have. "
This doesn't make me sad or even feel sorry for myself. I know I have hit upon my exact self talk. I feel now I can except this about myself and set about proving that the only way to change this is through hard work. I plan on picking a project and working my way through it. I actually feel set free and look forward to new challenges and goals.
The truth will set me free ...
Until next time,
Linda Shipalesky, Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain Alberta

Keep Learning

I've had some recall this week watching the black belt candidates practicing for their test. What an intense time that was in my life. The whole thing seems surreal after the fact. Although there are a lot of great memories associated with that time, there was also some major upheavals too. I think the only thing I would change about the whole thing is my age. I wish I was as smart as some of the young people in our school. At their ages I was in a whole different frame of mind. Too busy trying to make a living with no balance to it.
The ubbt has taught me to put more balance in my life. I'm still trying to find out how to handle myself in the big picture, but it keeps my life interesting.I suppose if you think you have all the answers you would stop trying. So on I go ...

Linda Shipalesky
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta Canada

Control

I had a lesson on "Control" this Friday at black belt class. Without it you can end up hurting someone else or yourself. But to learn it you must practice it. This was my down fall at class. Over the years I have lost my nerve to do break-falls associated with throws. So last class I swallowed my fear and was ready to give it a go. I started out by doing a counter to a take down by throwing my partner over my head, I did this twice without complete success. After my third try my partner got up and held up her hands to indicate she had had enough. So much for trust and control, I had lost them both in a matter of minutes. It goes without saying that I spent the rest of the class trying to watch others preform the move. I never did get to work up the nerve to be the one being thrown.
Well its back to the basics for me and I know the next time "grab a partner" is called out that person will be looking for anyone else but me.
Sorry Sifu, I will try harder next time.

Linda Shipalesky
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain Alberta