Never let it be said that I will shirk my responsibilities, but I keep getting told to not forget my responsibilities to myself and my own well-being.
That well-being is best handled by letting myself have time to write, but the moment I sit down and think about it, there’s a moment of pure terror as I start to get overwhelmed by everything in my head.
Is there a hill I can run screaming towards?
…oof. I need a secretary, or a program that’ll function as one and whack me with a stick when I start to wander off.
It doesn’t help that more ideas keep cropping up and crowding my attention span, but that’s what you get when you pare down your writing/creative work to the minimum for several weeks. But I have a morning to get at least three or four things done.
That list doesn’t include checking in with players in my campaigns and setting up the next Side Arcs or finishing out Solo Arcs for other players. They’ve been so patient with me and I’m stupidly grateful.
So, what do I do when I am confronted with the Sticky Note Secretary?
Why, ponder a different and completely unnecessary project, of course! Specifically: taking the knowledge I’ve gained about lightsaber fighting (I’ve been teaching Basics and Shii-Cho with a few likeminded local nerds) and trying to put it into a new style that is based on my Kung Fu education.
Soon to be filled with notes that’ll never see the light of day!
Not that this will take over my free-time, but I will occasionally jot down notes after practice and having figured out a possible form.
Now, to use an hour for writing sprints before I feel guilty for using my time for myself!
Stay safe out there, folks. Take care of yourselves.
Nearly three straight days of working on the property, practicing the recently-learned Kung Fu form (Tong Long Tao Dow, I think it’s spelled), drilling the Shii-Cho lightsaber routine, along with back-to-back camping sessions, player discussions, and writing sprints.
Photo by Cooper, the helpful golden retriever.
I need to remember that just because I’m not pulling 60-hour work weeks, I don’t need to push myself to my own limits every day. There’ll be another writing sprint later tonight, but I’m going to rest a while.
I went to a double class for Kung Fu training to get extra practice and help teach a few of the younger students. During the downtime between classes, one of the students asked Sifu what he knew about ‘lightsaber combat’.
“I’m learning about those forms, but I think we have someone here who can host a seminar on the subject.”
He then turned to face me, the question obvious in his expression.
Now, he’s not wrong. I’ve read a lot about the various forms of lightsaber combat, and I’ve even practiced forms developed from fight choreographers.
But can I teach?
…well, I can’t say I don’t want to try.
Guess I have something else to look into, on top of the other things I’m looking into, now that I have the time and chance to do so.
I’ve managed to sleep soundly for once in over a week.
Fine, fine… I’ll keep following doctor’s instructions…
But for moments when I can’t do something, I can at least teach something, so Han will have a bit of time going over Right Hand Staff for Kung Fu. It’s the first weapons form we go over when we reach the Intermediate Levels in our training, and it’s something I can explain while keeping my ass parked in a chair.
And having been told, quite bluntly, by my wife that “You aren’t going anywhere today,” I’m going to put my headphones on and whittle away at my stories. Namely, I want to take another look at my Tall Tales short story.
A beta-reader looked it over and told me why it had never been published, which was humbling.
It’s also Game Day! We get to go back into the SWRPG Campaign, where the Field Group are hurtling towards the Rising Action of the Main Arc!
I just hope that I’ve written that well enough to get their interest!
Stay safe out there, folks! I’m slowly recovering but at least I can feel the progress.
But after one stretch to see how I was recovering, I was told that it was a “scholarly day”. History and philosophy lessons concerning Seven Star Praying Mantis.
There was also a bit of quiet where I followed the instructions of my Jow Gows (Black Sash Students) and made my “list” of the forms I knew from memory.
Yes, my handwriting is awful.
The ambitious side of me wants to add to this list, but I made a promise to myself that I would take the time to learn, so it’ll be slow-going.
My Sunday post had to be moved to Drafts, as it was going from a post about Classic Sci-Fi to an essay comparing Fallout’s Minutemen to US Civil Service. I’ll get both versions posted.
For Monday, it’s shenanigans at the office! My start-time was moved 15 minutes, much to the annoyance of supervisors and senior coworkers alike. Nobody likes that I put my family first in my decisions.
So, in typical fashion, I’m now “early” and am using the time to practice!
Seven Star Praying Mantis on the docks. What’s sad is that I blanked completely on this particular form, so I’m having to go over it without my stances until I can remember the movements correctly.
Just to keep telling the people here that I am an odd one. But it’s time to sort letters and brave the storms.
When your postal customers live in one of the roughest driving neighborhoods and think you need a wardrobe update, it might be time to retire the old shirts and hat.
Of course, I never pass on an excuse for a new hat!
…I like my hats.
Time to find out if the physical therapy has helped the pulled muscles recover any before I do something else that’d be considered stupid…such as getting the training rings for my next set of Kung Fu forms.
Yes, I thought for the longest that these were just for Shang-Chi in the Marvel Comics, and also yes, I want them now that I know they exist.
I maintain that I would be starting this Sunday for weekly posting, but I have to admit that I only gave myself three days to start the routine, so this one will be a little rough.
We managed to get to the SWRPG Main Arc session on Saturday, but after 5 days of 10hr shifts, I barely made it into 3 hours of the game before the party, in their wonderful graciousness, flat-out told me to go to bed and rest.
(I slept for 11 hours, so maybe they were right)
Now, I will continue to host sessions through September and hopefully into October, but they’re going to be sparse leading up to the real Heavy Season time. I’m hoping to finish Arc 3 “War Diaries” before the cut-off time, so we’ll have to see how well I plan out my sessions in that time.
Meanwhile, I’m wanting to also finish Zino’s Solo Arc “Trouble in Ord Trasi” before that cut-off time, so Zino! Be ready for a session soon!
A quick aside, but Han has reached the point in here Kung Fu training that she’s ready for weapons, so the Sifu and I got her a gift: her own staff.
I’m going to get hit in the head so many times.
Writing-wise has been hit-or-miss this week, unfortunately. When the day job shifts were more consistent with the 8hr limits, I was more inclined to whittle away at my stories, but now that it’s looking to be more like 10hr shifts for the rest of the year, I’m going to have to use an older method to parcel out my writing times. I’ll be setting aside each day of the week for something to write in, except for Sundays (as that is for here).
And that is also being besieged by a very fun distraction: D&D world-building and Creation Mythology crafting thanks to picking up a book that I knew, I just knew, would put these ideas in my head.
Can you tell I’ve read this a few times?
In an odd way, the Dungeon Crawl campaign world is based off one of the Creation Myths I had written some years ago, but never got around to finishing. But as I’m getting back to Fantasy writing, that old, old itch has come back and I went through my bookshelf for one of my oldest surviving journals.
A gift from my brother and his family; I’ve added to it slowly over the years.
I expect this little craze to die down over the next few months, but it will result in a few nights of not adding to my current stories while I keep figuring out a Tolkien-esque mythology that is also completely ‘my own’. Yes, I’m also writing out a new language, just to see if I can.
There’s also a new challenge for me! The SWRPG campaign has a PODRACE!
LINA! Study this course!
There are no real rules withing the Revised Edition for podracing, so I’ve been having to make my own! Will it work? Well, I tried it once before, but that was very much-so a draft idea, so I’ve been researching to perfect the challenge.
(Pray for Lina, folks)
With that, I’m off to cook a dinner and plan out my week.
(Chances of storms this evening, so I’m scheduling this one and hoping it’ll post)
“Northern Style Mantis Fist” (my best attempt at translation)
Last week, Sifu called for everyone to line up at the end of class, as per routine. Having the rank of Purple Sash, I’m usually the guy at the front for that class, with the Jow-Gows standing off to the side. Han, not seeing the need for tradition of lining up according to rank, stands next to me during this part of the rituals. It’s the Family Class, so we’re a bit relaxed on that bit of protocol.
Sifu went through the end-of-class announcements, remarking on our training and how we can improve. He looked down at my daughter and told the class, “Han here will be testing for her next sash very soon!”
I beamed with pride as she looked over to me as if to confirm. She’s put in a lot of work with her training, and as her next sash involves weapons training, I’ve let Sifu know I’d like to get her a new staff for her birthday. That’s taken some planning; kid grows way too damn fast.
Sifu looked to other students and said that they would also be testing soon. I was content in listening, believing that I would be parked here for a few more months at the least. But then just before we bowed out, Sifu looked over to me.
“Sihing Jacob, you’ll also be testing soon!”
Oh shit.
I looked a bit panicked as we bowed out and asked for a brief audience with Sifu. He has always been obliging with me on this, as I usually have a bunch of questions. But I plainly told him: “Sifu, I don’t think I’m ready.”
Sifu smiled at that. “It’s not your place to judge if you are ready for a test. That’s mine, and I’ve seen you go through your training in the class.”
I have my reasons to be nervous.
I’ve been studying this style of Kung Fu for a few years, barring a couple breaks when my responsibilities would call me away. I’ve admired the philosophy behind the practice for a long time and worked to incorporate it into my daily life (after all, that is Kung Fu) since. I’ve even begun learning what to specialize in (Forms, Weapons, or Chi Sao). In doing so, I’ve inherited an assignment along with the weapons training.
I’m now learning the Cern-Do (Double Broadsword), and being the fool that I am, I asked if I could train with something that had a bit of weight to it. To answer my arrogance, I was given these.
“These might be one of the last sets made with this much weight.”
While wushu is awesome, I’m not great with a very light weapon. I feel like I need something there to remind me ‘Hey, you’re using something that can and will hurt you if you mess up’. These blades definitely do that (after two practice rounds, your arms will start feeling limp). What’s more is the history behind them.
What’s the history? That’s my assignment after inheriting the blades. They’ve been wielded by at least one Sifu, if the rumors are true. I’ve been told that they were forged somewhere around the 1950’s in the Henan Province. While I’m getting the equipment to clean and maintain them, I’m also working at restoring their wooden scabbard of the same vintage, and making sure these symbols are always legible.
I was told by Sifu that these would tell me who made the sword and scabbard, not just the company by possibly even the smith. I’m hoping so, as I would love for them and their descendants to know that the sword is in good keeping. I’ll be working at cleaning the weapon thoroughly, and I’ve made sure to keep the scabbard safe from the weather.
I don’t know if I’m actually ready for Bronze Sash, but I will do my best when that time comes. And I will learn the history of this Cern-Do.
Swift's Corner 