Holidays

Yantai is muggy these days, not necessarily too hot, yet, but the air is thick. The leaves are finally out, and some manner of white fluff is wafting around reminding me of home.

It appears the school might only change hands. Daniel is trying to pass it off to one of his extended marital-relatives, but the deal isn't for sure. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are Chinese holidays next week, and he says we should know after that. Either way, the impact will be significant. Charlie and Bernard have already signed leases in Yantai. They'll be moving out, and so will Tom (I believe, although I could be remembering wrong).

I would then be the sole student, until more arrive, which is hardly appealing. But, the deal may not come through, and I may go with the older plan. Besides, I wouldn't stay at the camp without my master, and there's nothing saying he wouldn't leave with a change in management. I've decided not to think about things until Thursday.

We had some really productive training this week with some big gains in flexibility. I am so close to the splits. I can't quite manage them, but maybe in a week or two, or after the holidays. Bernard says if I'd warm-up properly they'd be no issue at all, but the warm-up kicks have been collecting dust as I try to fix my back (which is coming along slowly, if at all, most days it's hard to tell). I'm pretty pleased all around though, because I know that, even in the event I take a long time off, I can regain this level of flexibility without too much trouble. If I'd known these methods before, I would've been able to do this for years.

We finally got back to some two man drills and training is exciting again after a couple weeks of straight forms (Tai Chi is now in the mornings before breakfast). We're also working on our push-hands (an exercise for unlearning the tendency to meet force with force) daily. I have a long way to go with push-hands, I may be flexible, but keeping my whole body coordinated, and loose, is a work in progress. Thanks to all the sticky-hands practice I got back in Walla Walla I can "score," by shoving the opponent in the shoulder, without much effort, but diffusing incoming force is more difficult, at least for me.

Well, it's been a scattered entry, but I think addition would only scatter it further.