Kung Fu and Love

Kung Fu and Love
A great gift for Valentine's day or Chinese New Year

Friday, February 28, 2014

I love my Kung fu journal

I didn't realize how much Noah was going to love his Kung Fu journal. I thought he would be amused at being able to color in a picture about what we just did just like Sid the Science kid. But he loves it so much that he wants to do Kung Fu just so he can then do a Kung fu journal entry about it. In fact that's what we did yesterday. He created his own Mein Lay Jum form and told me that his Mein lay jum was different than mine and that I had to follow him doing his mein lay jum form. I tried to get behind him so I could follow along but he insisted that I mirror him. First of all, I can't believe he wanted to do Mein Lay Jum. Secondly, his form was different than mine, but it looked like a real form. It looked more like a Basic internal Wushu form  because there was not a lot of foot work, but that might have been because we were in a tight space. At any rate, his form matched the surroundings. It was also a short form. But it had some very distinct moves in it that were very cool, not fancy, and very applicable. The weird thing is I have never done those exact moves and yet they are obviously Han Chinese Kung Fu moves. I thought it was pretty cool.
Today, Noah made sure that I brought the Kung Fu journal in my back pack because THAT and not his toy race car or his toy Tiny Pteranadon was what he wanted to bring to school today for show and tell.
He keeps telling me over and over ho much he loves his Kung Fu journal. Well this Saturday he will perform lion dance and I plan on having him journal about that as well.


Thursday, February 27, 2014

Fire sickness and tantrums. Also the book of Noah.

This morning I had the Bare necessities stuck in my head, so when Grace told me to put on some water for her coffee this morning, I didn't notice that stuck to the bottom of the kettle was a plastic cover for a little lunch box type thing. So anyway, that caught fire and instead of saving time we had to deal with that and the house smelled like burnt plastic. But we were all safe, and the kids actually didn't even wake up until much later. I just made them "Chocolate Bread" which is peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches. We got to Jonah's group later than I would have liked and Noah was flipping out the whole time because he didn't get to push the button at Green street, because I didn't bring any toys for him, and because I didn't bring his Kung Fu journal. I wanted the Kung Fu journal to be just after Kung Fu related activities. Like our Wednesday class. Maybe our Saturday class, and lion dance performances. That way he can look back and see a little Kung Fu book, an entry for each class and event. I got Mr. Lau (he is the janitor at CCBA as well as a gaohu player. He hangs out at the school now and then. Un-relatedly, he can do headstands even though he is probably around 50 or so.)
Anyway I got Mr. Lau to write Chap (spear) of Chap sau (spear hand) for me. So that word is a part of Noah's journal entry as well. It will actually be a good way to learn how to write the Kung Fu moves or phrases.
Anyway, by the time we got to school, Noah was mad about having got to the steps after me. He wanted to be first. Hopefully he figured out he should just have fun at school eventually. I have to say I had had enough what with almost burning the house down in the morning and everything. I still managed to get a little work out in before I picked up Jonah from group. I couldn't do much anyway because my lungs are not fully recovered from that bug I had. I guess it was a virus and not food poisoning after all. Brother Hung's (Fu hok song ying student) younger brother (I don't know his name) seems to have caught it because he had the same worn voice I had had and the guys were passing around a box of bull king anti-poison pills (which I hadn't taken because I couldn't find the ones in my house at the time I was vomiting like crazy) I'm glad the kids and Grace didn't get it though. I

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Disney's Robin Hood

This past Sunday me and Noah watched Robin Hood at the library. We actually got there a little late. I thought Noah would only kind of like this movie because it was old, but he liked it so much that when it ended he was really pissed off and started screaming at me for having come late and told me I had to get this movie. Unfortunately Disney is really good about pulling their classics off of Youtube. I guess I will have to borrow this movie from the library. I remember not really liking it that much when I watched it so many times as a child and also remeber my mother commenting on how goofy it was. Basically I think my mother wanted it to stay truer to the English Classic, but the Disney version is really country music. Everyone either has some sort of British accent, (counting all the places belonging to Great Britain) or a Southern or Country Accent from America. And I'm pretty sure the rooster is Johnny Cash. Anyway, watching it as an adult I guess I really appreciate it more, especially now that I know who Johnny Cash is. It's also odd because the arguments in it are a little backward from reality of our time. Though I think my whole notion of what taxes do are pretty much ingrained in my childhood mind from this movie and now they are ingrained in Noah's mind too. For instance. Noah has been asking me who stole the gold. And I reply that Robin Hood did. But he will get mad saying , "Noooo!! The fox didn't steal the gold!!" In other words, the movie is really telling you that Prince John, a "phony" king, whatever that means, is stealing the gold through taxes... on the poor.
Now back then it is true that the aristocracy and the clergy didn't even get taxed. (Actually this shows that the movie is a little wrong because Friar Tuck would probably have had more power than he did in the movie.) Also you see all these very poor people scrounging up money for the "poor" and then the Sheriff coming and taking it away. SO you watch this movie and you kind of think that's how taxes work in America. But actually, especially in Massachusetts, the government provides a lot of infrastructure and social programs for the poor through taxing the rich. Yeah Companies have tax breaks and are subsidized and there's all these loop holes and all that sort of thing. But in the issue of poor people being poor, the problem is not really taxes. What I mean is, the poor are not poor because the Sheriff is taking away their money. Not in this country right now. The upper middle class might be just getting by because they are taxed, small business owners might be worse off because they are getting squeezed somehow. I'm not saying more taxes are necessarily good. I see both sides of that argument. But it's definitely not the way the situation is portrayed in Robin Hood. However, when you watch that movie, especially as a child, that cartoon is more real than an article in a newspaper, or a piece on the news, or pretty much anything. It's really hard to compete with that story and Johnny Cash singing and seeing all those poor cartoon animals locked up in jail covering themselves with a trench coat as a blanket even though we are supposedly in the middle ages.

Anyway, the movie is sparking some interesting conversations about stealing and the law. For instance, from Noah's view. Prince John stole the gold, or the Sheriff stole the gold. But I had to explain that Prince John is the government, so all the gold is already his really. And since they are the law (in this cartoon version, though there is that 1066 Magna Carta thing which puts John below the law even though he is King) they aren't stealing even though what they are doing is wrong. That right and wrong is different then legal and illegal.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

A new Car

Last week Grace went down (by herself) to Ernie Boch Jr. to get a new car. You know the guy with all the commercials on PBS. Well on his business side he doesn't mess around.
Anyway Grace started off at the Toyota dealer. And basically they have this nice meek car dealer type who told her about his daughter and just a nice old sweet guy do all the test driving. Grace thought, "Oh this guy shouldn't be too hard to haggle with." But of course as soon as the closing part comes, the part about money, Sonny from the Godfather.. you know Santino, the guy played by James Caan, the second son who beats the crap out of his friend in the middle of the street for hitting Sonny's sister (now the guy getting pummelled's wife)
He comes out of the back of nowhere to do the closing and Grace is like, "Oh SH*****t it's Sonny from the godfather.
Anyway she wasn't too happy with the car she had driven. She didn't like it as much as our old car and Sonny is like, "Yeah well, change is good right? I mean you didn't marry the first guy you were ever with right? Sometimes it's time to move on."
And Grace is like, (in her head) "What the hell I just want to buy a car?"

So she went over to the Honda dealership, still Ernie Boch Junior, where she was shown around by their nice guy, who was a lot like Forrest Gump. But then same thing, after all the test driving and all the soft stuff was over and the conversation turned toward money, Samuel Jackson, a la Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown comes out to do the closing.

Now Grace was getting on the phone help from her father who was enjoying being the elder Statesman being sought for advice. I think when you are retired you rarely get to use your skills that you use in the corporate world and it is obvious that Mr. Cheng was indeed lord of his realm when he was working and people who have met him comment that they know immediately that he is from the corporate world. In much of his e-mail and posts and even home videos regarding Noah are so obviously set up in that sort of culture. Anyway, Grace did get a car and she got the deal she wanted despite underhanded trickery, bullying, and thanks to Mr. Cheng playing consiglieri.

Suffice it to say, Samuel L. was not happy about the final deal and literally threw down the contract at Grace because I guess he didn't make that much money. I didn't go there myself, and it was a good thing I didn't bring the kids over there because that probably would have greatly weakened our bargaining power. In fact, I'm pretty sure if I went I would have just left and been like, "F that! we don't need a car. We'll just take the subway and walk and rent a car if we really need it." Actually I suppose we do need or car, or more correctly Grace does, for various shopping needs and also vacations. But once I heard about what goes into buying a car financially and emotionally.. well let's just say even if I could drive, I wouldn't have a car I don't think.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Jamaica Plain Spring events and organizations

I was talking to Grace about the importance if my new group, Cheung Family Kung Fu, which is of course really only the four of us right now, lol. But anyway I really wanted our group to have some structured events to prepare for and work toward. Right now the public event in the spring would be the Wake Up the Earth Parade sometime in May that is sponsored by Spontaneous Celebrations. Because it's Jamaica Plain we could actually "perform" as is. Which means we just get the big lion head we already have and the baby head we already have, and parade. I think I even want to have a little table though, because it could be a good place to get people interested in joining my group, or maybe at least buying T-shirts, and foam swords, or at least just being aware that we exist.
All the performers in that event are volunteers and come I invited my Woo Ching White Crane to come down as individuals. I want to invite Wong Keurng and Gund Kwok members too. Even though the parade doesn't pay, it is fun and even if say an entire team didn't want to come down (which they might) it is a great event for people to come to as individuals because it doesn't necessarily require a full team the way Chinese New Year does. Of course a full team would be great too.

On April 7th  I will also be doing an event at the library, a Chinese cultural fair with Lion Dance, calligraphy, instruments and other stuff like that. I realized that maybe one of the crafts at that event could be making little Nian monsters out of boxes which kids could then use in the Wake Up the Earth Parade in May. It could also be a good place to get people interested in my class to sign up for it.

I was also thinking of starting a Jamaica Plain Chinese Cultural Club  or something like that. But I may have to hold off on that or at least put it on a back burner. I feel that I would need more help with that sort of club, but I guess I should just start talking about it at the April 7th event and with any people in Jamaica Plain who are interested in helping out. One of the main ideas I had for that club are things I would want from it, mainly writing and sharing of home traditions. I am not an expert at either of these things, which is why I want to join a club to help teach me and my children in JP. As far as I know there isn't one in JP which is why I plan on starting one. Well, that, along with this Book Shelf Share I started on means I seem to have a lot of work that I made for myself. Actually I thought, after a friend suggested I needed a catchy name of calling it an S3
a Swap Share Shelf. Sounds hi-tech, even though it's not at all. I'm not not married to that name and I am welcome to suggestions.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

A change in per$pective

This morning around 1 am it suddenly became very important to me that people pay me for my Kung Fu lessons. Maybe it was because yesterday it was just me and the kids that went to our class. And I guess I realized, I don't mind if it is just us that go to these classes. Now of course it is important to me for kids who don't have money to be able to do Kung Fu, but it is also important that they pay something. So that is why I'm going to make the class "Pay what you can." instead of "Free" I also realize that pretty it is spring and a lot of people disappeared over the winter so it is a good time to start over. So here are some things I have thought about.
A $50.00 one time "Hong Bao" fee.
Instead of calling it a registration fee, I want to call it a Hung Bao or red envelope fee. I.e. It is something given to me as a Sifu not as an administrator. It is a token Tribute or Gift really. And it isn't payment for the class. It is to be part of the Group or School as in School of Thought type of school not as in a building or a place. With that $50.00 you get a free T-shirt and a free foam practice sword. The t-shirt is a uniform and the sword will be a major part of the class from now on. In fact the first Form I will start teaching will be a two man stick form. plus sparring and even push hands (well push/sticky sword) drills will also be done with the foam stick. It just makes things safer and more fun.

There will also be an oath involved though I will call it a pledge. And that might be something we renew every Spring. It will be simple and child friendly. Nothing difficult or negative.
"I strive to use my Kung Fu and all my actions and words for Good. To enhance myself and others in health, strength and safety and good clean fun." Something like that. Protecting the weak and those kind of phrases are difficult loaded and complicated, like U.S. foreign policy. There is good and bad about protecting the weak. Weak doesn't mean good. Strong doesn't mean bad.


I will also of course charge for classes now on a pay what you can basis. I was thinking $300.00  in the Spring. and $300.00 dollars in the Fall or winter. Again these are pay what you can. But still even that number is cheap.

The classes will be 45-minutes to 1 hour and a half long. I haven't decided yet. They will involve more obstacle courses and things like that even when the kids get older. Basically I want my kids to be doing real practices in the park with kids and adults that are Real about their Kung Fu. Not to say that my group is exclusive now. I will just start emphasizing that as a Sifu it is important to me that people wear the uniforms and bring their foam swords, that they pay me something as a token of respect, and that we move towards being a real team that can perform at events. At least the Wake up the Earth Parade and such. And that the group produces enough money, that I can buy real equipment, or the group helps to make real equipment. More important that there is a stronger Group or Team mentality.

I might also want to start teaching in Chinatown too. But I have to work out with my own parent school what form that will take.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Kung Fu Journal

You know how Sid the Science kid has a science journal where they do a kid's drawing of what they learend that day? Well if you don't, he does. Obviously I should be doing something like this more regularly with my children. But also, Ireally think I should be doing Kung Fu journals with them. We do have a little family class every Wednesday at teh Kung Fu School. I should make sure that on that day I always bring crayons and two journals. One for Jonah and one for Noah. Then I should ask them, after we do all of our Kung Fu to record what they did. I will help label things obviously. Noah has already made a book like this out of paper. It's pretty awesome and he likes reading it to us. It's just like a kids book, sort of. It goes something like Red Lion (with red circular scribbles that if you look at closely, does actually look like a lion head.) Ice cream.....Cake Came out!......snow and rain......Jonah who is 2.....Baba 30.....I forget the exact order. In fact where did I put that book. We are always concerned about losing it and I think we have, even though I had like a special altar just for that book. Well I need to scrounge up some journals to use.


Friday, February 21, 2014

How to make a Chinatown Library

I've seen a lot of push for a Chinatown Library and simultaneously I've seen a a lot of concern about an eroding Chinatown.

Here is the problem with asking/begging/protesting for a Chinatown Library from the Powers that be.

A) They are cutting funds to libraries across the city anyway. That is at least a good excuse not to ever build one.

B) Copley Library is right down the street in Back Bay. That is a good reason for them not to build one in Chinatown. Also, do we want Chinatown Youth getting out of Chinatown to explore Back Bay? Absolutely. What about the elderly? Yes we want them to get out and around too and frankly most of the elderly you see in Chinatown are nowadays from projects in Mission Park and Charlestown and other parts of the city. It might be way easier to just "take over"  the Copley one culturally by encouraging people to use it more regularly, hanging out there, and volunteering more programs there. Like Chinese music performances Calligraphy that sort of thing. That way non-Chinese that go to Copley will see and appreciate (or see and be annoyed with) Chinese Culture. But what matters is we become more visible, get more allies, which makes us stronger, and when you have enemies that are ridiculously against you because they don't like the way your opera sounds, that also makes you stronger too.

C) If the powers that be did build a Chinatown library who would use it? Sure Chinese people would use it. But like Tufts, which a lot of Chinese use, a lot of non Chinese people will use it too. Great! A lot of non Chinese will love going in there mingling and even talking to Chinese people who don't really speak English. Great Interactions! Guess what, a few people using the library will also be little twenty something shits that make snood remarks about our kids, our elderly, and how disgusting Chinese people are in their mannerisms or habits. Some of those shits might even be some form of Chinese. That's not really a reason not to build a library. But I'm just saying a Chinatown Library will be good for Chinatown. It will also be a whitey white whitest library with Chinese books and Chinese shingles and lettering on the outside and cost a ton of dough.

SOLUTION?????


Let's make one.


How?

All you need is a set of shelves in several locations. A place where people can leave books or take books. Not sign in or sign out. Take and keep and leave for free. Obviously there will probably be a lot more English Language books on those shelves, and Free Chinese Falun Gung Book propaganda too. And maybe at first someone might take a ton of books home and hoard them. But they aren't going to burn those books. In other words if somebody "steals" free books (which makes no sense in terms of the phrase or the act)  those books will eventually come back after they have been read or other people in that house realize or demanded that they don't want those books in the house. Lot's of people have lots of books they want to get rid of. There is a little book box like this in JP, which has two libraries and I think it was created by the BPL. I'm saying Chinatown makes it's own with some shelves

Now for locations.

That's right locationSSSS. because since we don't have a real library we need more than one shelf.


CCBA Hallway, BCNC Hallway, SOme of the Family Associations Hallway, assemble a water proof plastic Sheds at the playgrounds and parks. The doors need to be able to close securely and maybe even lock at night. Not for fear of people stealing the books. But to prevent Rain Damage and people from urinating in them.

Bakeries and restaurants.

If you own a Bakery it might be a good idea to have a shelf like this. People know about it so they come in to your bakery to get a book, and hey, "Are you going to come in here and not buy a bao and a coffee? WTF?' go ahead yell at them or encourage them. I agree with you. The book is free, but they need to buy something. And frankly people like to sit in Cafe's and play chess and talk, and during quieter hours perhaps more people will come in to read, while buying something. If you are the owner, it's your little shelf. Maybe you don't want to install one yourself really or you do but your busy and you don't have that many books.
Well this idea is good for the community so maybe some student or Chinatown groups can help install the shelves and get the books into a bakery or a few bakeries for free. Start with one. See where it goes.


This is Easy and simple. We can definitely do this.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Pretend videogames and technology.

This morning Grace told me that Jonah was laying in bed making all these songs. Like a high pitched thing falling in cartoon sound effect, and then explosions.
"What are you doing Dai Dai?" Grace asked.
"Just playing Angry birds." he said laying there by himself staring at the blank wall.
After hearing this I shared that as I child I had made myself a pretend Gameboy out of cardboard, complete with buttons and everything. In retrospect my mother was pretty upset or disturbed by this because she found it depressing and eventually bought me a Gameboy. The thing is on that real Gameboy, you can only play the games that you buy. Whereas on a Card board pretend Gameboy, you can play whatever game you want. Granted you could theoretically play whatever interactice game you want out in the real world running through the forest or something. But when you run around a cramped and crowded apartment, you can get hurt or maybe your parents tell you to stop it, or maybe there are just times when you would rather sit down and move less. So you make a pretend cardboard game boy. Let's just say I'm not taking Dai Dai's pretend Angry bird playing as a cue to get him anything new. After all, we have angry birds on the Roku, if we can ever find that remote (and I have a suspicion that Dai Dai is the only person in the house that really knows where that remote is.) Plus there is PBS kids on the computer, which has games that are not only educational, but impossible to lose. Too easy? Please. Don't you remember LOSING a game as a child and how frustrating that was over something that was fake and not educational? Whereas Noah and Jonah are not only happily entertained for long periods of time.... they also have cochlea in there vocabulary. A word I only learned in middle school.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with pretending you have video games, or screens, or all these things. In fact, if you believe in Ancient Alien theory, (which I at least entertain as a possibility because doesn't that make more physical sense then believing in whatever the original legend, or religious story says?) Then much of Religion is based on a reconstruction of technology that people saw long ago. The clincher for that idea in my mind was when they showed the effects of the U.S. military on some "primitive" tribes in the South Pacific during World War II. Basically after the U.S. military pulled out a new religion was created. The tribe started making giant airplanes and such out of straw and recreating what happened and their version of the story was that the U.S. soldiers who brought gifts of Spam etc. in return for forced or at least coerced labor, were the tribe peoples ancestors who had come back to take care of them. And they would eventually come back and take care of them again and they were just awaiting their return. Eventually people did go back to the island and saw all of this and I don't know what has now happened to the tribe or the island.

Now some people would say, "How silly" or use words like "ignorant, stupid, primitive, foolish" when talking about the tribes people. But the truth is they are intelligent, creative and imaginative human beings trying to work out what they saw through ritual and re-enactment, which is probably what the religions that the U.S. soldiers themselves practiced had origins in thousands of years ago. Also if you ever had to teach a class you would know you need all kinds of bells and whistles to get the attention of the group. Now can you imagine teaching a whole tribe? Not just the smart people, not just the hardworking people, not just the young, not just the old, but a whole tribe of people. Trying to get them to remember what happened and trying to pass down that history, without a written language (frankly even with a written language it is still difficult because not everyone reads, and not everyone who reads necessarily will want to read your story) Try to get all those people's attention and pas the story on for generations because at some point knowing that story might become important. Telling the story is not enough. You need to make a big life-sized airplane out of straw to really make them understand what it looked like. So the religion itself is not stupid.
 Now if there is some sort of sacrifice involved, human or otherwise, then that is misguided. (I would argue though that this country still does have a form of human sacrifice. We just make it fit into our legal system)
But anyway as long as you are having fun during your practice and not "wasting" anything there's nothing wrong with it and the ritual is an interactive way to  record what happened in a way that anyone can understand it even you don't read or don't like to pay attention to stories verbally. I mean you will gather what is going on even if you are deaf because the created planes out of straw. Plus eventually someone will see this straw plane that can't fly, and try to make a real plane. Aspects of these rituals are therefore really good for society. Even animal sacrifice, is okay (as long as you believe in eating animals) and you eat the animal afterward. Then it's like a history lesson/barbecue/feeding the needy/party/discussion about where the tribe has been and where it is going in the future all in one big ritual. If we ran stuff more like that today as a country, we actually might get more done.

Of course it is important to learn who the U.S. military really was and who they are and where they are and all that, but that doesn't mean the rituals themselves were bad. In fact, you can still fit the tribal story with real one if you believe in reincarnation.


Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Baba's Mommy's box.

Noah loves playing with this box drum that my mother made for me when I was a child. However he started banging really hard on it and I thought he was going to break it. This led to a discussion about why this box was special and who made it. I.e. Baba's mommy made this. Where is Baba's mommy? Baba's mommy died. Why? Cancer. Why do you get cancer? How do you die? But I don't want Baba's mommy to be die. etc.

It's interesting that Noah can miss someone that he has never met. And mourn the loss of someone who he never had and never knew in the first place. But he does. and also he has been asking me a ton of questions about this randomly. Like we are walking down the street trying to get to school and Noah asks, "Baba why did Baba's mommy get cancer and die?"

I actually sort of tried to explain what cancer was. A disease. "Like germs?" Not really. Your cells start growing in a way that's not good...... uhhhh.. you get a tumor and that spreads...ummm...
Well I suppose we could look it up on Wikipedia or something, but then it seems kind of morbid. Ironically this last Sunday they had a piece of giving fruit flies cancer tumors (the same one as in the human patient you are treating) and then throwing every type of drug at it and seeing what works We had been watching that but Noah tunes out that type of programming. Whereas PBS kids really holds his attention.
He remembers all these stories I tell him with alarming detail. I have another one that he pulled out of nowhere this morning when we were brushing teeth. But I guess I'll leave that for another entry.



Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Food poisoning

Yesterday I tried to put some dinner on the back burner. Like cook some now, and then finish really cooking it later because I just don't like the idea of having a boiling pot on when there are two children in the house. I'm just afraid that I might forget about it. In any case, I never really finished cooking it and thank God I was the only one that ate it and the kids did not. I mistook tender ribs for cooked ribs. Or I have a stomach bug. The point is I spent all last night vomiting. I have noticed that whenever I am vomiting I get particularly religious. I have talked a lot about religion recently so I will leave it at that. I seem to be a bit more patient (sort of) with the kids today because I just don't have the energy to tackle them to the ground and dress them. But I was pretty upset that despite the fact that I explained I had no strength that Jonah still squirmed and wormed, Noah still hit Jonah while walking, and all this other stuff when they could just walk. Just walk. It's not that hard. They must do it at school, Why not do it with me? In any case. All of the things that I figured I wouldn't have to do, carrying, chasing running. I still had to do. Except with more breathing, trying to do it internally, and doing it in a trance. I was not to be f-ed with today. I am weak but when I am weak like that I don't have time to argue. When I got on the packed train, kind women got up so that my children could sit down. I thanked them of course, but did not even hesitate to take the seat. I was too busy propping myself up and trying to wait until I could buy some Gatorade to replenish some electrolytes.

We still went sledding, we are still doing stuff. I guess I will actually take a nap today with Jonah. I need it. So far I've eaten one slice of bread today and that seemed to work.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Noah's Different Kung Fu

Last night we spontaneously started doing forms before bed. What I mean by that is Noah was the one who decided we were to have a Kung Fu class and he was the one running it. What we did was take turns doing forms. I did the forms that I usually do and Noah did his "different Kung Fu forms." We tried to get a video of it but once the camera came out Noah started doing more foot work so that it was hard to follow him. Initially a lot of his moves were more stationary but varied a lot in terms of strikes, and locks. There were a lot of locks, which I hadn't taught him yet. Not sure if he meant to be doing locks, but that's how I would use what he was doing. There were also tons of claws and even some ground fighting. The thing is, I don't know where he learned this Kung Fu from. Before he would do more pows and cups, and some of that was still in there, but it almost looked like he was doing a different style. Like Hung Gar (or ha gau as Grace mistakenly said. One track mind lol) Also, as we went further and further into our turns, he started taking aspects from my forms and putting them in there, but also developing them. Like starting to really work on more evasive stances over and over as part of his form. It was really cool to watch. Jonah got up there and did a bunch of basics. But that was interesting to see. Jonah was doing more or less what we did in class, but Noah was doing stuff from our classes, stuff from my forms, stuff that I do around the house, and his own stuff as well. He would even do say a double palm strike and then purposefully do it in all four directions and then move on to another flurry of completely different moves. What I am saying is that Noah's made up forms, had a rhythm to them, and a purpose and idea behind them. They looked like real forms.

I guess people in the past were pretty good at Kung Fu even if they didn't live an ascetic lifestyle and even if they didn't take Kung Fu "seriously." Why? Well what I mean is, first off there are not a lot of forms of entertainment. There is no TV. Music and that sort of thing was considered to be in the same class as prostitution. So some people got really good at Opera and all that, but the mainstream culture didn't encourage that sort of development. They might admire an opera performer but simultaneously look down on them as well.
Kung Fu is a cheap form of entertainment that pretty much anyone can do. Some people are better than others, but pretty much in the village, everyone can do some sort of Kung Fu, or maybe even the village requires everyone to practice a little bit in a structured class. That will get you to a certain level, but that's not really where the art develops. The art develops in families outside of class practicing their own made up forms over and over throughout the day. I mean there is nothing else to do so why not. Plus if you start from when you are a kid and have very little inhibition you will just be more raw and expressive in your Kung Fu. When a new student steps into a school there is usually a period of years where the student has to get used to the idea of moving their body in a Kung Fu way without feeling self conscious about it. But kids play Kung Fu all the time in playgrounds and at home, and  they don't care whether their moves are correct, realistic, following a certain theory, or anything like that. They just DO. It's like the impressionistic or modern art that breaks all boundaries. In a way, this childhood form of Kung Fu is very advanced. I mean if you had superhuman strength, those childhood moves would be all you need right?

In a way, you lose this ability as you get older. Not so much from age, but from people telling you, "No that's not right you have to put your hand here." "No that's not realistic you can't do that in a real fight." "No that has no power because you stance isn't like this or like this." But when you see a kid swinging for the fences and roaring as he claws, where is the error in his stance or intent? There is none. It's just that through conditioning and practice his moves can get stronger and small muscle movements more effective. But that doesn't mean his moves are wrong. Further more, all of the "in a real fight" or "In a real situation." statements are kind of B.S. because the child's wild movements are actually closer to the real situation. Furthermore, they can learn what really works in a "real fight" more easily through experience. In the wild, this would be from real fights or hunting and that sort of thing. For our family, it is noodle sword sparring. Did you get hit or didn't you? And if you did, you aren't hurt. And the real situation of modern societies with weapons of mass destruction, well, correcting someone's punch isn't going to change things a whole lot when you think of the big picture right?

But who cares about qualifying all that. The point is Noah had a blast last night expressing himself in a real art form. It was great.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Disney's Frozen and the power of true love

If you haven't seen Frozen yet, go watch it before you read this.
Disney is really good at story telling and they are getting better and better at it. You would think that watching this movie once is all you need to get everything out of it, except maybe some hidden scenes of people here and there that are fun, but not really that important. But a lot of these movies, including Frozen are really re-watchable.
One thing I got on the last view of this movie on You tube, was that Anna has magical powers too. Not special powers, because as Hans says, "she is completely ordinary" Well maybe she has a special ability to love more than normal people do. She is really loving and lovable isn't she? But the point is that ordinary people all have that power, or the ability to produce that power, True Love.
When Elsa says, "what power do you have that can stop this winter" or "me" or something like that. Of course in the end Anna does have the power to control Elsa's power, to protect Elsa, and to break Hans's sword and even blow him back in an act of true love that both freezes Anna and cures her of her Frozen heart a few minutes later. She dies in Sacrifice to Save Elsa, and then comes back to life. Much like the Jesus story. It's great I love it.
Even more than this is that the whole time Elsa has been trying to protect Anna through isolation, because that's what her parents thought would be best. Out of love, they isolated her and themselves, but that made it worse because it was a lack of human contact and lack of the expression of that love that made the evil part of Elsa's power come out instead of the beautiful fun of it.

We've watched this movie several times on You tube in a boot leg version. And honestly we might have to buy it anyway, because I would love to listen to the kids watching it in the car on road trips, or watch it on the big screen. The money the thing costs would be worth it as a payment for the story that these many many people worked on and created.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Folk vs. Organized Religion

I was so excited to be Catholic. I really was. I was going to do the Communion thing (or as Grace called it, "getting our cookie") I was going to do the confession thing. But somehow I forgot that believing in Jesus (i.e. being able to except the myth of Jesus Christ as a divine being through a leap of faith, or suspension of disbelief) and being Catholic are two very different things. I figured I'm already Catholic right? And my ancestors were, on my white side, and before that they were Pagans. (Polytheists) and on My Chinese side we were whatever we were.
I used to think we were Buddhist but the academic term is cyniticism. There is Buddhism but you go to the temple and then you leave it. Then there is Taosim, and you go to that Temple, and then you leave it. Then you bow to your ancestors at home, and various gods (or if you are going to look at it from a Catholic point of view they are Saints) and there are rituals and such for holidays... but how do you know what to do for those holidays?You can do what you want but at some point, there are people who know and then there are people who ask those people who know. For instance, to name my children, we hired and Feng Shui guy. For Noah's one month party we asked my Sifu's wife to perform the ritual, (which is far more elaborate than a baptism even though according to her, she was doing the very simplified version.) The Lion Dance is another example of this folk religion. We go around blessing businesses but other than the fact that we do Kung Fu and are using lion heads and are supposed to know the rules (though not every lion dancer necessarily knows the rules) But it's not like we are ordained priests, we just play that role. A Sifu isn't exactly the same thing as a priest, but sometimes people look at them in that way. And of Course a Sifu CAN be a Monk or Nun (either Taoist, Buddhist or other... in fact in a lot of the Wuxia novels the Kung Fu guys are part of Mau Gau short for Mau Ni gau or Mani religion or Manicheaism which was an eastern and heretical sect of Christianity similar to Gnosticism.)
Anyway I have seen people g to Sifu for problems like that, especially if they were raised in a Catholic faith. They may even get on their knees and do a confession. But Sifu sort of just said they should try not to do what it was they did... as a friend because he was unfamiliar with that sort of culture and didn't really understand why this man was going to HIM with this problem necessarily. But of course that's just how I saw it from a distance. In Highschool, when we went to Episcopalian Sunday Chapel by requirement there was an awful lot of talking by guest preachers about disciples how difficult it was to believe in Jesus and all that. I always found these disciples to be kind of soft. After all, the Chinese requirement to follow a Kung Fu Sifu, who was a man and not divine at all and unable to walk on water or perform miracles other than some feats of strength and healing through medicine (not magic) seemed much more strict. So why couldn't these disciples get their stuff together for someone who they believed to be God? But I'm digressing a lot now.

As for my own experience, I have noticed people (usually people much older than me) starting to come to me for these sorts of spiritual issues as well.

So Why did I suddenly want to be Catholic, or more specifically to Baptize my children?

Despite a ton of differences in what I believe and what the Catholic Church believes, because of having gone to Nativity Prep the Catholic morality and the Catholic way of thinking of a lot of things from how to act, to what Heaven is ("A state of being" are the words I recall coming from Fr. Cullen's mouth in class.) Are ingrained into me far more than Buddhist ideals or Taoist ideals which I only learned from books and movies. Not only that but the Buddhist Holidays, like Buddha's birthday, are completely foreign to me.

But most important is the fact that I am Half Chinese and Half White and I used to have a balance of both styles of spiritual thinking and rituals in my life. It used to be weighted more toward my Irish/German/Polish Catholic side as a child, even though we did not go to Church as a family but had an altar to my father, Guan Yin and a Fat Happy Buddha in the house, maintained by my mother.

Then when I was living in a Kung Fu school the Chinese way of thinking sort of filled most of my mind. Except that I was still living in America, (practically in a concrete cave bit still) And when I still held that "What would Jesus do in this situation" sort of moral compass in my mind. And of course, I forgot that Jesus ended up imprisoned and executed.

But recently the Kung Fu School is less a part of my life and is also just less ritualistic than it used to be. And so I guess I was really feeling lost. That's the problem with a Folk religion. There aren't any real professionals set aside by society to enforce, or retain the old ways, documented in writing. Of course there are issues with organized religion, but I am saying there are definite benefits.

When I came to terms with Christianity  and started seeing these signs from my mother and all that, I don't know I got so excited, that I now knew I could go back and be Christian perhaps Catholic. But I forgot that being Buddhist-ish from a Chinese way of thinking is different than being Catholic- ish. You can't really do that. ( I don't think.) Or maybe you can, but you can't get Baptized your kids in that way of thinking.

Nevertheless I still feel that I need to talk to the Priest I am scheduled to meet with. Just sit down and ask for Spiritual Guidance or just have a conversation or something. I am looking for something, but I don't know what it is.
No I know what it is, it's the Holy Grail of some sort, but what does it look like? To use a  Buddhist saying, if you see the Buddha kill the Buddha. Which means I am looking for that thing. Buddha, the Holy Grail, Enlightenment, but if it looks like I see it right there in front of me, that might not be the right cup/path/person.


Friday, February 14, 2014

Valentine's Day

Well the children sort of made Valentines for Mommy (we are working on another one today) and we wrote out Valentines for classmates and teachers last night. Or rather, Grace did this with the children. Of course I ended up short one this morning and I had forgotten to bring the box filled with extras. So one of the absent kids got his crossed out and that one is now Pau pau's.
Noah's Valentines were Despicable me Valentines.
Our family Valentine day plans was going to be take out from Dumpling Cafe. But that might not be possible to carry home with the stroller, which I will also have to carry over poorly shoveled areas, and possibly I may also have to carry Noah. I'm just speaking from my recent experiences.

Anyway, I've been really depressed recently, and I think it started when I decided to be Catholic. I started reading more about all these things about the early Church. Where I had already reconciled myself with Christianity and the balance between polytheistic beliefs and Christianity and all that, reading about all the in fighting among early Christians, before they were even a real established religion kind of through me into misery, especially since I remember reading the Nicean Creed as a kid in Church, and well, Valentines Day is named after a Saint who other Christians attacked for compromising with Roman authorities, and also for believing in a sort of Gnosticism, but then when he was martyred they made him a Saint. In any case I might have to back out of my previous fervor. But I still want my kids to have some sort of relationship with the Church, just like I want them to have a relationship with Buddhism and Taoism and the Chinese Folk Religion and the European Folk religions that their ancestors practiced as well.

The real meaning of Valentine's Day is a pagan love Holiday and this year it coincides with Yuan Xiao jeet which is a Chinese Valentines day with a a different story of course, but it still involves matchmaking and that sort of thing. Well happy Valentine's Day.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Meeting Leland Cheung

On the Chinatown Parade day, as our team walked over to the stage, Tony Yee introduced me to Leland Cheung, Mayor of Cambridge. A lot of stuff was going on. Noah was on my shoulders, my team was heading up on stage. so basically all I did was shake his hand and say hi and keep going. This is unfortunate because I really wanted to get a picture with him.
Why?
It has been an inside joke between Grace and me that we could pass for long lost brothers. Having met him in person I guess we don't really look that much like each other. But if you took a picture of me when I was in the sixth grade and told people that kid grew up to be Leland Cheung, well a lot of people would believe that. We are both mixed and we both have the same last name. In fact seeing him in person was an unexpected event and I guess I was almost so shocked, like seeing yourself in an alternate universe, where instead of having two kids and no job, you are Mayor of Cambridge, that I just sort of went into autopilot and kept moving. Like if I talked to him for too long the Universe would get sucked into some sort of vortex.
Anyway, I have now shook Leland Cheung's hand and I am pictureless. I guess I will have to stalk him at a time when Grace and I show up there together with a camera if I am ever going to get a picture. But that's not going to happen because I just don't have time.
Oh well.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Lost in thought

Today I after teaching at little Panda I went shopping in Chinatown, like an old Chinese lady. In fact I saw some young workers stopping an old Chinese Lady who they suspected of shoplifting. It was pretty awkward. It turned out there was nothing in her purse after all.
After that I went to the closest bakery because Jonah had been trying to eat Little Panda's morning snack (chicken nuggets of some sort) so I thought he was hungry. I bought two siu mains and one bau lau bao at Mix Um Bakery. We ate it there while watching some sort of Chinese Period piece about warfare in one of the earlier Dynasties where the fighting resembled the Middle Ages in Europe, so probably B.C. time.

Jonah flipped out because he wanted a coffee just like all the other old Chinese men at the table. My father had actually taken me to this bakery all the time because he was friends with the owner, when I was Jonah's age, and the place hasn't changed much, except for the big TV screen. I looked at the altars and some of the statues. I haven't been in that place much because it's sort of out of the way for me. While I was sitting there, I thought about maybe joining some sort of Chinatown organizations. Maybe a family association. But the only one I could sort of get into is rather new and seems to not do anything but Mah Jong and it's on the same street as the Kung Fu school, which means if I'm there I might as well just go into the Kung Fu School. Maybe it's because I saw some of the better to do, family associations (which I cannot join because I have the wrong last name) and how it was cool to have an ancestral altar and some ritual traditions and all that, and wouldn't that be nice for my kids. Of course most of the associations have all these politics with them, but I don't care about that. I just want to bring my kids in and out so that they are like, "Yeah I know the ins and outs of Chinatown." The Kung Fu school used to be enough for me, but I guess I want several ties to the community now that I'm not living there. There's Chinese school. I guess we will do that at some point.
Then there is the Catholic Church, and I realized joining this organization would be like killing to half birds in one stone. What do I mean? Well I'd continue the traditions of my German Irish Polish ancestors by being Catholic, and also, the church is right near dim sum and is also, basically, a Chinatown association of it's own, with members who belong to other Chinatown associations.

Of course I've been reading a book about the earlier years of the Church and after reading the Nicean creed and flashing back to repeating those words in Middle School at Nativity and actually reading context behind them I was having second thoughts. All that in fighting even before the Church even got powerful. Plus I am reminded of why I found Christianity difficult to swallow in the first place. Why all the focus on one historical man. Making a guy Logos and having existed before time and then arguing about stuff that is impossible to prove.

But the modern Catholic Church must have moved beyond that right? I mean all the Catholic Universities teach Science so they must. I was supposed to have a conversation with the St. James priest before the baptism can be arranged but he hasn't really gotten back to me yet. I would be Buddhist, but Christmas (and all it's Pagan meanings) mean a lot to me. Also the Jesus idea is very important to me as well. And frankly Catholic stuff might not be part of my household upbringing, but it is part of my educational upbringing. So I am comfortable with priests because I have had good experiences with them. (and most people I know who left the Catholic Church left because they had very very bad experiences with priests)

Plus there is no such thing as mainstream American Buddhism. So any temple out there can be doing it's own thing. Like Gnostics or Manichaeists. Which is okay... if I am the leader of it. Plus there aren't any temples that are close by, and I don't know, a lot of the monks that I've met in Boston seem to be kind of off. Kind of like the early Christians (who the more I read are brave and all that, but also seem to be extremely annoying, seeking martyrdom instead of sacrificing to Roman gods. All that seems stupid. Do I have to really believe in it like that to be Catholic? Can't I just sort of play along and believe in Science? I mean don't most people. Most priests I talk to are pretty cool about differentiating between history, the Bible, the Church's beliefs and Scientific truth. But is that because they were talking to someone (me) who professed to have my own beliefs?

(I actually created my own religion in middle school which I thought was crazy but after studying some other religions in depth I realize my religion was actually pretty tame. I almost converted one kid but I couldn't keep a straight face, plus I sort of wanted to have my own religion by myself. But making other people believe in it was too much. I'd rather they made up Their own religion instead. You know what I mean?)

 Now I believe the real path to truth is the scientific method, or in spirituality or the spirit world or dream world (if you believe that the spirit world is just all in your head), Shamanism and self searching meditation is very important too. I'm not interested in religion because I am interested in Truth. For me religion is like an interactive fantasy with cozy feelings and social benefits with  ties to what your ancestors believed in and did. I guess there are other things that fill the space for this. Sports is one thing. Coffee houses, bakeries, and musical associations too I guess. Well I stopped by the Church to see if the Priest was there. He wasn't. So I went to the Kung Fu school. Jonah did some drawing and some drum playing and I did some Kung Fu. Then it was time to go home.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Staying Inside

I had to wait inside the house all day today with Jonah. I guess it's a good thing today was particularly cold. There are good and bad things about staying inside. The first one is that I didn't have to rush in the morning to get the kids out the door and go through several trials of patience, feats of strength and agility and tests of dangerous situations (for them). But it's nice to get out early in the morning, even if it is just to drop of Noah. Because then you've done that. You walked around in fresh air, seen something other than your own house. For activities we painted, did drawing with crayons, played blocks, I brought some snow inside, and of course we watched TV. We also played dulcimer, played drums and did some Kung Fu and cooked lunch and Jonah ate three chicken legs. He also ate a ton of apples. (When Jonah is bored, I think he eats more, and I think he gets it from me.) Going to sleep for nap was more difficult but here he is asleep on my shoulder, Whether he stays asleep when I have to eventually open the door is another question.
Well later today is Lego club at the Library. I will hope to get there for at least part of that, and then pick up Noah, so that Jonah will have seen someone other than me all day. Maybe I'll read a manga while I'm there.
We'll see.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Chinese New Year Parade

I thought that Noah would sort of play in the little head this year. But he actually did a lot. He and an older boy did little lion head and tail for most of the morning until 1pm. I thought Noah's issue was that he would get tired. But that wasn't an issue at all. What was an issue was that he didn't want to take turns on the head. Plus sometimes his main goal was just to take and orange and after he got that he wanted to eat it, instead of doing lion head. Basically he had a lot of fun and was really mad when I took him out of the parade to go home. The other boy, who I will call D, continued to do Lion head for most of the day while an adult or teen held the tail. He didn't seem to get tired. Well sometimes he did but considering nobody was really switching with him he went for quite some time.

The businesses on the perimeter of Chinatown are a little difficult to do with children but once you get in the middle of Chinatown and the pace is very slow, it is fine for kids. The cars are blocked off and you aren't really walking that fast. In fact it's easier to have the kids in the head because then you know exactly where they are. It was great.

Towards the end of the day everyone gets tired so I definitely got to do plenty of lion head at the end. But I actually did a lot more tail because nobody really wants to do that. Well, that's the big day for this year. Next year I know that Noah can do even more. He will be five. Maybe Jonah can come for part of the day too. We'll see.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Race relations for four year olds

Ever since we watched "The Butler" in front of Noah, I think he has come to the realization that there are black people. Maybe from learning about Martin Luther King as well. What I mean is, that last year when his teacher Ms. Harriet is a black woman, Noah did not know that there was any sort of racial difference between her and himself. In fact since she spoke more Chinese than he did, she might as well be Chinese. I'm not saying he has never heard racial differentiation or even racial slurs. It's just that he has only heard these in Chinese. (not from me. But some of the older Chinese generation doesn't hold back even when they are talking about me to me.)  i.e. Black people are Hak Gwai (which is a slur meaning black ghost) and White people are Bak Gwai (which is a slur meaning white ghost) Whether or not he understood what this meant or not I'm not sure. He doesn't really understand Chinese at all. Jonah has already been called out on his "bak gwai-ness" and was actually in tears one time. But I didn't comfort him, because that's life... in fact that's my life. But I still think Jonah doesn't differentiate yet because he will see pictures of black babies or asian babies and say, "That's me!" An I'll say, "Yeah that's just like you!" Cause it is more like him than not like him.


Anyway, Noah now knows there is a difference but not that there is anything wrong with differentiating publicly. Today he said, (pretty loudly) "Baba, why is there a lot of black people on the train and only one white people on the train?" This wasn't exactly the make up of the train but whatever, the question was loud, and I didn't really know how to answer it or more accurately deal with it.
"What?"
 I said stalling.
So he asked the question again louder.
Now I know a lot of white people that would probably try to shush there child at this point or say that isn't polite or whatever. But I don't want to be that white person. That white person that is afraid of being seen as racist and so shushes any conversation about race immediately. But there was something wrong with what Noah said. I just couldn't put my finger on it. I tried to chnage the subject slightly by asking him if he was white. He answered that he was. I asked him if he was sure. And then I started to explain to him that most people looking at him would say he is Chinese and not white.
"No I'm only Chinese at school." said Noah. So maybe he doesn't really understand race at all if he thinks you are one race in one area and another race in another area..... well actually...

Anyway, people were looking at me of course by now. Across from me sat two Black women who were actually discussing my discussion among themselves. I didn't catch all of it but what I did catch this.


The younger woman said (laughing) that that little boy just said xyz.

The older woman stared hard at Noah like she was very angry and said, "That's not nice." but not loud enough that her words could really reach across the aisle and touch us. It was more by chance that I over heard.

"Why?" said the younger woman, "He didn't say anything wrong he just said..."
Anyway as Noah's conversation turned toward other things like pooing and what not this younger woman continued to laugh and repeat what he said. And although what Noah said wasn't politically correct or comfortable, it wasn't exactly wrong. It was a question. If he had asked about blond haired people vs. black haired people or people wearing red boots vs. people wearing green boots there wouldn't be anything wrong with the question. In a non racist world there wasn't exactly anything wrong with the question. But there was something wrong with the question as it stood. So much so that people were arching their necks to get a look at the guys face whose kid said that. But not wrong enough for anyone to step forward and castigate me. Even though the car was mostly black and Hispanic. An older man further away was shaking his head. I almost wanted someone to say something to give me a hint as to how I should go about discussing this. But I couldn't. Then Noah pointed at the black people sitting across from us and said, "see there are more black people."
"We're all human Shao." I said which is a squishy answer for squishy people. Sure it's great on one of those facebook pictures with words calling for world peace. But saying Black people doesn't imply that they aren't people. So in a way my answer is almost more racist than Noah's question. He is simply pointing out a difference.

So what was wrong with the question.


It took me a quarter of the way walking down Center Street to figure it out.


"Noah if someone on the bus saw you and said look there's a Chinese boy. Would you like that or not?"

".....not."



And then later I said.

"Noah, I think you hurt that black woman's feelings when you pointed at her and said she was black. Do you know that?"

"Yes."

"It's not nice to hurt people's feelings."

Because basically that's the only thing I see wrong with the question. I want Noah to be afraid of hurting people's feelings. But I don't want Noah to be afraid of people thinking he is racist.

What does that mean? I think that conversation is so complicated it needs a different post.


And finally when we later went sledding I think I figured out Noah's question.

The short answer to, "How come there are more black people on the train than white people." would be, "because there are." It's like asking why are there 13 people on the train, or why some other sort of arbitrary question. But Noah is four. What is he really asking.

It could be, " How come I only see a lot of black people on the train?" As in Why don't I see a lot of black people at school? I see some but not a lot. Why don't I see a lot of black people at the playground. I see some but not a lot. Why don't I see a lot of black people sledding? I see some but not a lot.

Or even,

Why do I see a lot of black people get on at this stop?


Well that's a question that is a little more complicated than one answer too isn't it?

Well anyway, a majority of people in that car probably think I wear sheets at home. Not that I care. I don't know them. In fact I wished that there had been some sort of militant black activist on the train so that he could have answered Noah's question better or at least started a conversation about it. Or at least a professor of African American history... something. And then I realized I have come to a point in my life where I have virtually no black friends. I have some black Facebook friends. And well I don't have that many friends anyway, not that I actually hang out with. There are Grace's old friends and then my old friends, none of whom I actually hang out with on a regular basis. Anyway I'm going to have to call upon some of mentors/ facebook friends to deal with this one. I mean basically I live close to a very black neighborhood and yet Noah has no black playmates.  If he did, and he asked such a question in front of their parents, at least there would be a discussion or something. Something more that just looks and then me getting of the train at our stop. But what are they going to say? Maybe their waiting for me to say sorry. But again, the question by itself, isn't exactly wrong.

Friday, February 7, 2014

New Route and a lion dance detour

Because of the snow, or mainly because my neighbors do not shovel a wide enough path for a stroller to fit through, I cannot use my stroller. (If anyone thinks Ayn Rand's ideas of private roads and all that as being functional in society, just take a look at private property where you are indeed required by law to shovel. Noat everyone shovels well enough.)
Because I cannot use my stroller I can't strap Jonah into it, thereby immobilizing one child so that I can capture and dress the other one at school. So basically leaving school took forever.
Which ended up being a good thing because My Si Hing gave me a call and there was a lion dance tonight I had forgotten about. The kids didn't get to perform, but I don't think they minded much because they got the opportunity to stiff their faces with various baked goods that were left out while standing next to the gong. They then schemed to take candy from the many red envelopes left out for the lion head. It is interesting to see some children bawling because they are afraid of the lion head, and then you see Jonah basically running right up to it. He was sort of in danger but the head was one of my students who, if he wanted to be, could be a Sifu himself by now if he wanted to. Actually it's not even a matter of lack of practice because there are plenty of Sifu's out there that aren't that great. He literally could wake up one day and say, "I'm A Sifu." and he would be. So anyway, he had enough control of the head that Jonah wasn't really in any danger.

Well we did that, and then we walked home from Jackson Square. Noah walked the whole way, so now I know he can do it, and we might use that path from now on. I think it's longer but the wider street gives you more of a sense of where you are going. Plus there are stores and stuff to look at.

One store had a poster of Dora the Explorer.

"Is Dora a girl?" Noah asks

"Yes Dora is a girl."

".......Does Dora have ovaries?"

"Yes. she does.

"Why does Dora have ovaries?"

"Because Dora is a girl?"


"Why is she a girl?"

Because she was born a girl."


Such conversation and lots of stopping to cut the snow with the paper plates left over from the Lion Dance pastry feast was our homeward adventure. I lost my temper a few times with Jonah, who wanted to walk, then wanted to lie on the sidewalk, but who didn't want to be carried but wanted to run, and then wanted to lie down again on the sidewalk.
But anyway, we made it home. So it cane be done.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Walking through the snow.

The children had to walk (more or less) to the T station today. Jonah might get tired, but I know that Noah can do the whole thing. The reason why I know he has the energy, is because he has the energy to run ahead of me and close to the street. That's how I know that when he falls down laughing in the street while I am carrying him across that it is some sort of game to create trouble and put himself in danger. Basically I yelled at him a lot today, because I didn't have time for that. And lo and behold once Jonah was dropped off he started behaving. Now when I picked up Jonah, he was still indecisive and whiny and all that. He's two. But when Jonah is acting like that I need Noah to be better because he is four. But instead what usually happens is he acts worse because he wants to be the one to be carried etc. Reasoning with them about traffic etc. doesn't seem to work.

While waiting for Jonah's group to finish Daniel Tiger's neighborhood came up in conversation. I was all for it and some of the other mothers were either ambivalent about it or against it. But while preaching the benefits of the parenting techniques I realized that I went all Corrections Officer on my kids this morning. In fact I forgot what song they use or exactly what problem Noah was in need of fixing today.
The "Give a Squeeze nice and slow" sequence seems to have been my fall back for all misbehavior. But I guess it doesn't always apply. And actually it doesn't help if Noah hasn't seen that particular episode. I actually pulled out that Give a squeeze song in Kung Fu class yesterday because two of the kids were flipping out which created a crazy energy. It definitely calmed the class down, if not those particular kids so much.

No I think Noah needs the "Stop, and Listen to stay safe." episode and then the Give a squeeze. Walking down the street means walking. Not hitting the snow banks every step, Not hitting Jonah every five steps not impeding Jonah and pushing him down... you know... just walk. It's not that hard. On the real snowy parts it is... but it's easier to walk than to turn around and hit Jonah for sure. So walk. On the wayback I might have to just carry both of them when crossing the streets. It might be a strain, but it's easier than carrying one and having the other squat and collapse in some strange sort of Ju jitsu groundfighting technique.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Hoarder

After walking/dragging/carrying Noah and Jonah home from the T station through the snow and then putting them in the house so that I could shovel the sidewalk again today the first thing Grace says to me as I walk in the door is, "I've been watching this show and you be a hoarder." My blood sugar was low and I was tired. Needless to say this is not what I wanted to be listening to. So I angrily started throwing things away to prove her wrong. The truth is that I am not a hoarder. As in, it's not so much that I want to keep everything so much as I don't want to create so much garbage. So I try to use things or get other uses out of them before throwing them away. Ideally I wouldn't purchase these items in the first place. But I'm not the one purchasing all these things. Grace is.
So she went after all the stuff I didn't purchase. (Because all I really purchase is food and occasionally some expense of Grace's or gift for her.) Like my sticks (which I find) or toys that people give me or Noah's arts and crafts. What the hell? I don't want to just toss those in the garbage. Well not right away and not in front of him. Let's try to at least get a picture of his art work and put it on Facebook or something first right? The truth is most of his stuff does get thrown away just because he drops it or it gets wet or some other tragedy happens to it and it has to be thrown out.

Then I started thinking. I guess the nastiest things that I have been keeping are the two Golem like Lion Heads that I made upstairs our of Paper mache. First of all, they are sort of failures. The bug one really should go. But when the weather was warm I did bring it out and the children in my Kung Fu playground had a ball with it. That's why I didn't want to part with it just yet. The second one is smaller and my plan is to continue to make it harder and harder and sculpt it and we can sort of break it down and remake it every year adding new color or paint or pieces to it. So when you think of it like that, it doesn't take up much space. Plus it is something to do with some of the junk mail that we get before it is recycled. But right now it is kind of ugly and that lion head that the Kittens classroom made did make me rethink what I was doing.

Finally my sticks. Okay it is sort of a disease. Every time I see a stick I can potentially do Kung Fu with that is up for grabs For Free.. I want it. Even though I haven't had all that much time to do Kung Fu with wooden sticks recently. But eventually I will. Not just I but We. As in me and my children, and hopefully some other kids too. And everntually we are going to break are sticks because we will be using them so much. Plus there sticks, they don't take up that much space.
"Oh yes they do." says Grace.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Lions, teeth and legos

Today we did lion dance at BCNC are team was made up of me (a Woo Ching White Crane member) Carmen (from GK) various faculty members, Jonah, and for his class, Noah. Jonah was initially going to dance in all the class rooms, but while waiting to set up, he lion danced himself out and when he got into the classrooms all he wanted to do was play with their toys. I guess the most notable thing was kittens classroom. They had made their own lion head and it was both surprisingly simply made as well as surprisingly good looking. I felt kind of stupid because I've been making my own paper mache lion head. This was just made out of a box, but because the face was glued on with different colored construvtion paper, it really popped and it was functional. It made me want to go home and throw out my home made lion heads and just start over That head is realistically something I can make with my kids. What have I been doing with my time?
We stalled afterwards in the playground and they I went to get a dental cleaning. Jonah cried in the beginning until he was given a glove blown up like a balloon and then he fell asleep.
Then we went to the library where there was a legos club. Apparently it meets every Tuesday and 3:30 so we shall be returning to that. We then went to pick up Noah. Alas, Jonah's balloon glove was dropped and because of various air currents flew down into the Green line station and beyond convenience to chase down. I mean I could have easily chased it if I didn't have Jonah in the stroller with me. But why would I have a balloon glove if I didn't have a child with me?
And that was our adventurous day.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Snow and Kung Fu at The brown playground

Well it is snowing now and it was flurrying when Noah got to school, but Jonah said he wanted to go to the "brown" playground (which is our name for the Kraft Family Athletic center) so we did. I decided I would try to work in a Kung Fu workout, doing stuff at a medium pace but trying to keep it internal. Sort of like what Hsing Yi says it is, except I do moves that I already know of course, plus I'm working out a little system I'm creating out of all the games and stuff I'm teaching kids, and trying to get that to translate right into teaching teens and adults basically with the idea that while I'll teach forms, the focus of the class won't be on forms or Woo Ching White Crane forms per se. That way when people who are part of other systems join the class, they won't really feel like outsiders in terms of system. They might feel like outsiders because of the culture of this class (that is only in my head at the moment and not a reality). The culture will be the games I've been teaching. I might take out the singing if there are no young children present. But I say might because every school, even modern ones, seem to have a testing period. In the traditional way it was having to kneel outside the school for days. Then there was schools that made you do horse stance for a week. We just made everyone do chores. But in a once a week kind of setting what can be the test? I think making adults get over themselves by requiring that they do Kung Fu to wheels on the bus is a good one. It actually serves a teaching purpose and there is nothing difficult about it. But you have to trust the teacher. If you can't trust me to follow along for 5 minutes in exercise that appears to be childish, but in reality is a quick way to learn a ton of deadly moves, How can I trust you?

Anyway, while Jonah frolicked in the snow I did my Kung Fu workout mainly because when I performed at Saint James, a woman who is my "auntie" in a way that there is no actual blood relation (this is common among Chinese) pulled me aside and said she was concerned for my health because of my heaving breathing after my Kung Fu performance. It is true that I could be out of shape, but I did lion dance and then Kung Fu immediately afterward, and I performed Woo Ching's Fu hok song ying kuen, which is a physically taxing form to do. If I were to just walk through it, then I can do it while talking and explaining each move and smiling and not be out of breath. But that's not how you PERFORM a form when the drums are going and your adrenalin is pumping. I have seen other people perform like that. More power to them. They are relaxed and seem to not be out of breath after the form. Good for them. But they didn't just do what I did. Now I do strive to take the good aspects out of a more internal way of doing a form and not being tired out of it. And I wanted to prove that I could still do that sort of workout in the snow today. And I could. It was easy, and my punches and kicks were still validly powerful enough to do damage. But it's hard to do the Fu Hok song Ying Kuen form like that. Now I can do it like that too, when practicing in the park, and run through the form 10 times in a row straight. But when the drums play and you are in front of other people, it's different. You aren't going to mark your form, your going to perform it for real. And that takes a lot out of you. It's like the difference between  jogging a few miles and a sprinting a few feet.

Anyway, it seems I'm in the same shape as always. After a while I stopped and Jonah asked me to chase him around so I did. Then the snow was enough that we could build a little snowman, so we did that. Then his hands got cold so we are home now and have eaten lunch. Soon it will be nap time.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Church Chinese New Year

Today, Sunday, we went over to dim sum and then did a Lion Dance for St. James. The rest of the team then headed off to parade in Quincy, which I am sorry I missed again, but Grace was right, it would have been too much for the kids, and it would have been too much to ask her to watch them by herself. I had to help carry and drag them back to the car, where Jonah passed out.

We planned this St. James thing to be Grace's return to lion dance. At Moh Goon we blessed two new heads, and then we used those to perform, Grace doing performing head for one with me and Jonah in the tail. Noah did a little lion  tail for a young student (who is older than him of course.) And Noah even got to be head for a little while in a dance outside the school. I think it was David's (the young student) first lion dance performance as well. And of course it was Jonah's first dance. Actually they had been in the small head for other performances too but I was always right there guiding them. This time they were more on their own. You would think that it was slightly ridiculous of me to carry Jonah while doing tail... but I have my reasons. It's not so much that there weren't people to watch him. There were. It's also not so much that he would have cried and squirmed in their arms when I disappeared into the head and tail, though he has done this in the past.
The truth is, he was really enjoying being in the tail He likes to hide in the tail at home, but that is not the same thing exactly as being in the tail of an adult head while it is actually performing with real big drums gongs and cymbals going on. Laughing an wrapping himself around me he cried out, "Baba I'm doing Lion dance!"
Now doing lion dance is pretty cool, even for an adult. The experience of changing into a mythical creature by means of costume and movement with drums, (and firecrackers and incense are also sometimes present) is cool. But to a younger child it is even a bigger deal, and to a two year old.. just imagine how it feels to be inside what is a giant lion when you are that size and the meaning it has at a time of life when monsters and spirits good and bad are a very real thing. And to have all that good spirit and cheer  going on.. it's cool.
I remember my encounters with heads as a young child and I was afraid they would eat me and my mother. They were real to me, even though I also knew that they were not real, as in, I knew they were made of paper and that it was people under them. But they were real enough that I felt the need to hide and to grab my mother and pull her under the table when one came in the restaurant.
My sons will remember being inside one at that young age.