Basics, pressure points and sticks
2002-06-07 3:01 p.m.
So I went to kung fu last night. There was testing on Saturday so we were drilled exhaustively on our basics. Punching, kicking, combinations, over and over again. I suddenly realized how much I suck and how many basic things I've forgotten. So today I printed up my orange sash test requirements, adding in the new things I've learned towards purple and started drilling them in the gym after I lift weights. I figure it's just as aerobic as the treadmill or elliptical machine and I get the bonus of working on my kung fu.
We also had a guest speaker after class. Dan Anderson, 6th degree black belt in modern arnis. He's having a seminar next weekend and wanted to give us a preview. At one point he's asking us if we have trouble working joint locks. I'm sweaty, numb and nodding my head. Frankly, I have trouble in everything. So he pulls me out on the floor with him. "Which joint lock do you have problems with?" Uhhhhhhh. I'm dehydrated, shaky and can't think. I'm staring at his arm. "Arm lock." I blurt out. "Which one?" He asks. "Do it on me." I think for a second and can only remember the last one we worked on in class which is more like a shoulder lock. So I do it and he starts giving me tips. He teaches us cool ways to hurt people with pressure points by the elbow and under the arm on the triceps. Try this, find the spot on your arm right where the elbow connects to your upper arm. Now dig your knuckled into it, move it around until you find the place that hurts really bad. That's a pressure point. He also showed me how to pull on the arm to make the muscles separate from the shoulder making it easier to twist their arm. Pretty cool. I am now considering going to this seminar. It looks like fun and I like playing with sticks.
1 People have tried to sell me ViagraTom Peterson (and Gloria too!)
2002-06-06 2:38 p.m.
Simon got his hair cut. I mean really cut. It looks like the military marine haircut with a little more hair near the front that he can spike up. Simon always has a heart attack when he hears how much I pay to get my hair cut. $25 for a trim and $90+ for the whole cut, deep conditioning, highlight & style job. He pays roughly $8 for a haircut and can't believe that he's suppose to tip too. He's been on a search for a local cheap hair cutting place. Apparently the line was too long at Supercuts and filled with screaming hyper children who were waiting for their turn. After scouting around the neighborhood he found a barber shop that looked more like a taxidermists, filled with dead stuffed animals (the embalmed kind, not the toy kind) and mounted open mouthed salmon. While he was telling the lady specifically how he wanted his haircut she kept going on and on and on about how she cuts Tom Peterson's hair. If you're not from Portland you probably don't know who Tom Peterson is and I can't find a picture of him on the internet anywhere. Tom Peterson (and Gloria too!) is a local appliance & mattress store guru who makes his own commercials. He's about 80 and has been doing this his whole life. He has the military marine hairdo with the top a little longer and flipped up. Yep, the lady ignored everything Simon told her and gave him the $8 Tom Peterson special. I guess you get what you pay for.
My new favorite off site bloggage is Big White Guy the adventures of a big white guy living in Hong Kong. Funny writing with bits of Hong Kong news and culture and a plethora of silly jokes. I'm still wading through the archives.
0 People have tried to sell me ViagraJews for Jesus & Wedgies.
2002-06-05 2:55 p.m.
The hare krishnas seemed to have left downtown Portland only to be replaced by extremely zealous Jews for Jesus. Don't get me wrong, I like Jews and I like Jesus. What I don't like is people trying to shove their religion down my throat. These people are agressive. They swarm on you as soon as you get off the bus. It takes all of my kung fu training just to arrive at my cubicle without any pamphlets.
On an up note I actually got to say out loud today: "This one doesn't fit. Do you have this skirt in a size small?" I also tried on a size six jockey skirt (brand name, I'm not changing professions, although I'm probably short enough to be a jockey) and it was too big. Too big. And yes, I checked the label first to make sure I wasn't missing any digits. I also bought a pair of hipster Ralph Lauren jeans. I've been avoiding hipsters for two years now, but damn it, they're not going out of style like I had hoped. It just feels wrong to have pants that stop below my belly button. Now if I can just leave them be and quit trying to hike them up and inadvertantly give myself a wedgie.
0 People have tried to sell me ViagraI know kung fu, bring me a latte.
2002-06-04 3:29 p.m.
More thoughts on the demo. I started having chest pains yesterday and I couldn't figure out why. I have no problems with public speaking. I do trainings and presentations in front of friends and strangers all the time with no problem. I think it was the fear of actually performing in front of people. Going out there and saying "Hey this is my body look at all the cool stuff it can do" and then being terrified I'd screw up or accidentally break someone's jaw during an adrenaline heightened state. I was also the only "lower belt" on the team. The people I was performing with had about two years of training over me, that's a little intimidating to keep up with! But I'm relieved that it went over well and I didn't do anything wrong or forget any moves. Now there's talk about taking it on the road and maybe hitting Saturday market or god forbid, my workplace. ~gulp~ Then again it might be good to have certain people fearing me. "You need a copy of that contract Ms. Kitten? I'll bring it up right away! Would you like a nonfat double latte while I'm at it?" Hmmm, this could work in my favor.
0 People have tried to sell me ViagraEverbody was kung fu fighting.
2002-06-03 8:28 p.m.
Here are a few highlights from tonight's demo. Everything went really well. We broke a stick near the end of the big stick fighting scene but it just added to the excitement. We were well received by a crowd of 40 college students, a few kids and one obnoxious homeless man.
Kung fu kitten kicking butt and taking names.
Jillian is beating me up. I don't like how my wrist is pulled back. Bad form.
Playing with sticks is fun.
Let's get ready to Dem-ooooooo!
2002-06-03 9:25 a.m.
If you're going to be in Portland tonight...My kung fu school is doing a demo downtown tonight at 6:00pm in the park blocks in front of the Portland State University library. I get to hit people with sticks, defend myself against an unruly attacker and explain some of the multiple person fighting drills we train with. Come and find out how I get all those weird bruises. It's free and only lasts 15 minutes. We're not quite as cool as the Fighting monks of Shaolin but we do have a great stick fighting sequence that is amazing to watch.
0 People have tried to sell me ViagraToga! Toga! I mean, Yoga! Yoga!
2002-05-31 3:16 p.m.
I got to help conduct an impromptu interview for a yoga instructor we're hiring for the gym at my work. She does primarily hatha yoga but has a pretty extensive repetoire. She even did a little audition for us where she did two different sun salutation series and some floor positions that were amazing. We were all pretty impressed with her. And hey, $25 per month for eight classes is dirt cheap and if we get enough people she should make out all right for a couple hours work.
My brain left work and hour ago. I think I'll try to catch up to it.
0 People have tried to sell me ViagraDude, I'm sushi!
2002-05-31 12:17 p.m.
The Completely Pointless Personality Quiz
Found this at Reuben & Anneloes' site.
1 People have tried to sell me ViagraSick. Mambo. Demo.
2002-05-30 2:55 p.m.
Sorry about not updating. I was sick for a couple of days and didn't touch a computer over the weekend.
Weekend update. Went to a very fun yet strange wedding on Saturday for my qigong instructor. They had a traditional Catholic wedding. She wore a traditional white gown and he wore a very cool black silk nehru jacket. At the reception they had an African drum band playing and then African dance lessons. A friend of their's belted out a traditional Chinese opera tune. Then the swing band came on and they had swing dance lessons. My friend Jillian taught me how to mambo, very fun. I even got Simon on the dance floor. I may get him into swing dancing yet!
Sunday and Monday were all about kung fu demo practice. We go live on Monday night at the park blocks by PSU. Our demo group is only six people. Lots of kicking, stick fighting, forms and some multiple person fighting drills. I think it should be a short but entertaining show. If you're in the area, stop by.
0 People have tried to sell me Viagra