December 2010 Journal Entries (37)

Let me just say... A lot of people I talk to who dislike tofu say it's "a texture thing." Now, you can sneak the silken tofu into a smoothie and *poof* ... You just protein'd up your frozen strawberries. With the firm tofu, it's not so easy. So this recipe is kind of middle of the road... not silken, yogurt-like tofu, but not over-cooked and crunchy… Continue

Sore. Achy. Grouchy. Sunday's everything hit like a ton of bricks but I pushed through to finish the daily requirements before class. Even a little prideful that I did 6 miles instead of 3. My knees are suffering for my pride... Then in class we did a third set of exercises. Yes. A third set. All but the last crunches were completed to add to my suffering pride.



My lesson for today is a very human one with a little back story.



For a long time, I really believed "fake it til… Continue

I realized I had been talking about my goals earlier but hadn’t yet posted my letter of intent. Here are my stated goals for the Ultimate Black Belt Test, some of which intersect well with some things that were already in mind. I have really appreciated how lessons at the dojo have contributed to a developing practice of discipline, which has seemed unattainable in certain areas of my life. Although still a white belt, I feel the UBBT represents a daily order for living that I… Continue

Sunday. Not a day of rest this last weekend. My aunt is moving rather unexpectedly and the whole family is helping. The day's objective was to move the garage, storage shed, books, games, movies, other media and glass into storage. An early start and off we went to Escalon with muscles ready.



I was a bit concerned when we left. My plan to start the day with at least half my requirements accomplished did not pan out. I woke up feeling achy, coughing, throbbing shoulder and head. What… Continue

Week 1

So, it's not really been a week yet, but I'm a the Monday - Sunday week kinda' gal, so...

This week felt good. I'm able to get a lot in during my hour lunch break which is pretty lucky. I slip away from my desk right at 12 and am out the door for my run by 12:05. I get a 5k (3.2 miles) in and am in the company gym by about 12:35. Then I race through my crunchies in sets of 25, and struggle through as many push-ups as I have time for. Usually that's between 75…

Continue

My Statement of Intent

Over the next 13 months I will:

• Complete 50,000 push-ups and 50,000 sit-ups
• Complete a 1,200 mile journey by swim/bike/run/walk
• Complete 1,000 repetitions of my basics/kata
• Complet 1,000 acts of kindness
• Complete a community service project
• Meditate for 15 minutes a day
• Read 6 books
• Complete 1 personal goal: 10k in less than 50 minutes

I look forward…

Continue

Well, its the end of week 1. It went by faster than I thought it would, of course it wasn't a full week so that might have added to it. I have decided that I don't completely hate running, or getting up early. It fills me with a sense of accomplishment when I get up early in the morning and go out and run. Like I'm starting off my day the right way. It will be nice when finals are done and I can try to find a more interesting place to run. At the moment im just running around my block, but…

Continue

This first week of any new adventure is very critical. It is the time to establish habits, discover challenges, and learn how to have fun on the new journey. That is why I decided to journal daily for the first 7 days. It is the freshest, most inspired time for reflection. Today's reflection is on hydration, or rather dehydration.



An unlimited month long pass at a hot yoga studio was an early Christmas gift from my mother, with a matching one in her stocking from Santa. It has been… Continue

It is only a few days into our UBBT journey, and I can already see new habits forming, a new way of responding that my body and mind were not used to before. Each of the three days began with a 5:30 gym visit, more consistently than I have ever done this, especially as a confirmed nightowl.



And yet, each of the three days was different as far as the challenges that came along: a moderately busy workday with class in the evening--easily time for all of the physical requirements; an… Continue

I long ago learned to listen to my old injuries when they started talking. And oh man! They are talking today. Yesterday was nearly a double dose of the exercise requirements between my own ambitious morning exercises, daily activities, evening karate class, and a late night hot yoga session. The UBBT is about pushing our limits, expanding them even. Yesterday was just a little TOO much though.



So today is my first lesson in how to take a break when you need one.



The… Continue

Balance has been a struggle since an inner ear infection at the age of one. 12 years of dance, various sports, and now karate have helped. But! Nothing felt quite right until tonight. Yoga.



A while back I told someone I was thinking about trying yoga. They responded by saying, "Yoga is for flexibility. You're already flexible. Why do yoga?" That comment is like saying karate is about fighting. Yes karate is about fighting and yoga is about flexibility. Yet karate is about discipline,… Continue

My second day...I awoke to true motivation...I gave into my cup o joe, did my 15 min of meditation/breathing, streched, 70 pushups, 70 situps. Fast pacedwalked 3 miles and meet two new walking, jogging comp nions (10 min)with them. Brunch 70 more pushups and sit ups followed with my upper body basis

I was the result of an interesting stumbling block in my training last night. The moment the last student left the dojo I felt a sharp pain in my foot every time I put weight on it. It wasn't the first time that I was seen lightly limping out of a musty dojo--and I know won't be the last, Continue

Woke up on day one of the UBBT journey and first changed my son's diaper.Once that was completed onto 15 minutes of breathing and meditation. Did 3 reps of 25 pushups and then 50 crunches followed by 25 more.

Once home tonight I will go on my 3 mile run around Burberry park by my house. Then 3 sets of my Isshinryu kata.

This is my second time starting this journey and I know that this time the end goal will be accomplished!

In 2010-2011 I will be participating in the Ultimate Black Belt Test to empower my mind, body and to accomplish the requirements to be able to test for the rank

of Sho Dan.…

Continue

12/1/2010

My thoughts yesterday on doing the UBBC….was how can i…. speaking with other students and after class…I realized I can do this, just put my mind to it, work out a plan and stick to it, now today my thoughts, feelings have been flowing like the American River…all of these…

Continue

I've been all aflutter this last week in anticipation of today. Some nerves but mostly excitement! So when I woke up this morning, I was surprised. My thoughts did not mimic the excitement, the thrill of the challenge. No. I very negatively thought, *Oh, now I have to do ____.* My first test of motivation.



Whenever I had trouble with a report in college, or got stuck on what to bring to a potluck, I started by taking inventory of what I already had. Today was no exception. Inventory:… Continue