Whatever happened to the strap?

Hitting the ground at terminal velocity is a very good reason to wear a parachute.  Consequences are the driving force behind all of human behavior.  If I don't work, I don't eat.  If I speed, I crash.  If I steal, I go to jail.  Remove consequences and the system falls apart.  So why does the Edmonton school system see it necessary to remove consequence?   

In a recent interview, the CBC addressed an Edmonton teacher that was allegedly suspended for going against the system and holding kids accountable for their missed assignments.

Being married to an educator, I hear firsthand what is going on in the classroom.  Students are permitted to attend as much, or as little of the classes as they feel suited.  If they miss a test day, they can rewrite at a later date of their choosing, and in some schools will be assigned a mark from another assignment if they choose not to write.

I almost seem a bit old fashioned.  I did have my birthday today, and perhaps it’s catching up with me.  This infuriates me to see something as critical as education reward behaviour that is even below mediocrity.

If only we could bottle Kung Fu values and sell them as energy drinks.  We would have less insubordination, more accountability, punctuality, and discipline.  As it sits right now, we are hucking the kids out the Cessna door, with nothing more than a knapsack and telling them the landing will be a breeze.

Live from Room Two Zero Five

Here I sit at the complimentary free breakfast.  I over pour the milk and it slops over the ozone killing Styrofoam bowl.  The bran flakes are busted up into dust, and with the addition of milk it turns into a form of brown sludge.  I gnaw away at a stale bagel and top it off with a lukewarm yogurt.  The smell of chlorine is in the air, and fills my lungs from the room where countless bodies have basted in the hot tub.  The light fixtures on the roof show evidence of a few fly’s that went to meet their maker. The water tastes like it’s been filtered through a gym sock.  Life in a hotel.

Bleak; maybe, but now incorporate an attitude that revolves around what is important to me.  My faith, my family, and Kung Fu.

I get out of bed on stable legs and feel strong.  I pull back the blinds of the hotel and the early sun greets me with warmth in my face.  I see the creation outside.  Birds in the air and green lush grass from the previous rain.  I drop down and pound out some push-ups.  Although not tasty the morning breakfast was healthy and my body feels energized.  I move forward stepping into a bow stance and lightly flick the light on with my foot.  Sweet! Good control, I guess I won’t have to replace the switch fixture like last time.  I check my phone and I get a morning text from Stephanie and kids with a picture of the boys hunkered down and reading.  I thank God for them and the gift of the day.  It’s off to work I go.

What more is there to say about attitude and perspective? 

Vince Krebs.

Time Ticks On

I have knocked off one of my personal goals today.  The accomplishment feels good but it is overshadowed by the fact that time ticks on, and there is a great deal to get accomplished.  I am taking things in stride as of late, completing what I can and trying to move forward.  Keeping myself healthy is one of my main goals, focusing on eating, and sleeping is sometimes a challenge in itself.

Plan of Attack

Well the last couple weeks, I have been non existent in the Kwoon, a Hail Mary at the Pandemonium is all that I could fit.  The next few weeks I will be out of town for work, but I am taking Sifu Kichko's advise and have formulated a plan.

1. Don't forget my Kung Fu mindset.  It helps keeps things in perspective and more relaxed.
2. Keep up with the things that are in my power and that have been molded into my routine.  (Push-ups and Sit-ups etc.)
3. Stay connected with the team through blogs and posts.
4.  Maintain my physical health by making smart decisions regarding meals, adequate sleep when possible etc.
5.  Keep what it is really important to me front and foremost.

For the mean time, there is going to be less pondering about life, and more attention to paperwork.  Too bad.

Master of Fear

There I found myself gazing at the magazine rack, where I briefly locked eyes with a rock climbing magazine.  A flash of nostalgia. I began thinking of Dan Osman.  A better master of fear I don’t know ever existed.  Known as a free soloist (Rock climbing without ropes) I appreciated his strength, his conditioning and his fearlessness.  In his book “Fall of the Phantom Lord” Andrew Toddhunter recounts that Dan Osman “realized then that it was not in climbing, but in falling, that he would embrace his fear . . . and move beyond it.”

I guess it was that, that led to an over 1000 foot free fall on a rope system putting him into the Guinness book of world records.  It was also this fascination that led to his death in 1998 when his rope system failed when he attempted another jump in Yosemite.

This got me thinking during the week about FEAR.  What was it about this primal instinct that can drive a person in one of two directions.  You can pass out in your wife’s arms while running away after passing the pet store spider enclosure (There is something unnatural about anything with 8 legs and 8 eyes).  Or like Dan Osman step out to meet it.

The thing with fear, is that it can manifest itself in the form of survival instinct (as with large fanged spiders), or the brain can spawn fear to avoid other human emotions, such as embarrassment, anger, heartbreak, etc.  You have to ask, what is the real risk to facing this fear with a Dan Osman attitude.  What I noticed is that the majority of the time when I asked the question, the fear was unwarranted and only inhibited me from an experience I could grow from.

I’m not saying to throw caution to the wind; (it didn’t work out for Dan), but to at least look at the consequences of facing your fear head on, and if it is not justified, mow it down like grass.

"Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile initially scared me to death.”

Anonymous