Happy New Year 2009!

Happy New Year Everyone!!    May the New Year bring new changes to you and yours!!

More Mochi

Saturday after Taiji, was the New Year Festival for Japan Town.....since New Year's this year will not be on a weekend....Japantown decided to have it's Celebration a little early.  Usually, Mochi Pounding is a big part of the New Year's Celebration.........they had it earlier for the winter festival..........but this time they had Mochi Pounding and Taiko Drumming followed by a Jazz Band........always good...free music and food is a good way to start the New Year!!

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A Jade Christmas

Christmas is one of my favorite Holidays.  It reminds me that it's a time to see friends and care for others..........I like the decorations, music, and the general atmosphere of good will.  And I do most certainly thank all the students for the gifts........thank you for the appreciation!!   This year though one of my students Harry gave me a special gift....I dropped by his pad to meet his mother....Cheng Pei Pei.......name might not ring a bell to those of you who are younger.......but at one time she was Shaw Brothers Studio in Hong ...Read more

Merry Xmas to All. and to All a Good Nite!

Intention to Peace

Yeah, intention------yi, is the key to much of Chinese Culture, without proper intention nothing proceeds correctly.  Taiji without intention is just dancing......wushu without it's martial arts intention is just gymnastics..........the movement must express it's martial intent inorder to have the correct power and speed.....the movement then becomes explosive and has real power.   Too often in life we forget this lesson.......you can look at the current state of our economy........bailout with no intent leads to nothing.....Bush i...Read more

Old Friends and New

In between parties spent a little time hanging out with (Sam) Deng Zhen of USA  Kung-fu Academy, they moved to a new location on Park St in Alameda.  Sam I met in 1994, when he competed in CMAT and won the Wushu Grand Championship......he had just left the Sichuan Wushu Team at the time.  Now, he has finished his degree in computer science and is running his own wushu school!  With out doubt I am always impressed with the athletes from China...they always strive to do their best in whatever field they choose.  When one thinks of the benef...Read more

Party Time!!

The end of the semester is coming so time to finish up forms, but also time to get together and celebrate.  So last week all we had was end of the semester eatfest in my Taiji Classes. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday.........marking the end of my noncredit free Taiji Classes....Saturday Class especially has become quite popular with over 50 students in the class..........there is literally only standing room available for a practice space.  The party's are great for developing a sense of community......which has been found in recent studies...Read more

Winding Down

End of the Semester is coming so it's time for the dreaded Belt Testing!!  It's interesting to note that students get pushed out of shape by just the mention of Testing.......I can understand a written test might be hard.......but this is something you do daily??  Well, maybe that's the problem........practice is in fact not every day........or you only think about it when you are in class.  Master Feng use to tell me that it is useless to only do taiji in the classroom.....you should think about it  whenever their is time....even wa...Read more

Black Friday?!

After Thanksgiving........it's time to go shopping.......haha...a real American celebration!  It was surprising but still good to see lots of people out shopping......what economic downturn??  I tried to get into Circuit City....you had to stand in line and were let in in groups of ten.  That was good in light of a worker at a Best Buy got trampled to death by shoppers....................that's !!  Yeah, life goes on........despite the economy.................tho seems unfair that big compan...Read more

Winding Down Continued

Imbetween the two days of  Wushu Belt Testing at Cal Wushu, we had our end of the year banquet as always Cal Wushu did a great job.......good food.......and good to just relax and have some fun and enjoy each others company.  Though, I should mention there are some hungry guys on the Team..........the first table finished not only their food but came over to finish ours too!!  thanks to Cheri for doing a great job as this semesters MSO...............and all the people that helped out including Tami, Darren, Shahaub, Ben...................Read more