Comparing Apples To Oranges
January 29, 2008
Incidentally, it has almost been four years since I’ve used the word “apples” in a blog entry.
Yesterday a clip from the National Geographic’s Fight Science, one of the cooler martial arts documentaries done in a long time, came on a Japanese show. The clip showed the “science” behind comparing different punches, kicks, and attacks of various martial art styles.
The kung fu guy punched a meager 250 (I forgot what the measurements were… maybe lbs/sq inch?) while the karate guy a lot higher, and the boxer a 400. Sadly the kung fu guy’s punch was pathetic – it was delivered with only the upper body while the boxer really leaned in and used the whole body’s weight on that punch. Oh yes, the kung fu guy looked tiny compared to the boxer as well. During the segment, I don’t think the measured force to weight ratios.
Upon watching this I couldn’t help but notice that the show’s intent was to then draw conclusions on the data. The boxer hit the hardest, therefore it is the best. The Kung Fu guy threw a baby kitten punch, therefore it is the worst. I’m sure The Woman had this thought. If anything, it only proves that that kung fu guy threw a meager punch and that boxing guy hit harder.
Then, the pure measurement of these punches mean nothing unless they actually neutralize their target. I would gladly take a 400 punch to my arm than a 250 punch to the nose or solar plexis.
Anyway, the point of all this is that the art, is after all, an art. An art is an expression of the self and thus there is no right or wrong, no good or bad. So many times do I hear practitioners say that their art is superior to the rest. That, this and that art are crap and that this art can beat that art anytime anyday. That’s ridiculous. The art in itself does not fight, does not complete. We do! The human does. The human can win and lose, regardless of the art. The best student of art A fighting the worst student of art B does not demonstrate which is better.
The only judge of anything is yourself. The only thing you can always compare is your present results with your past. Work towards punching a little faster, a little harder. Working towards this goal is the true art,
so says I.
Let’s wait and see
January 23, 2008
Lately I’ve been thinking about my late teens, about a feeling I used to have. I could never put into words what this feeling really was but it was like a warning. It felt like something was going to happen and that I really need to prepare for it. That was it. I had not a clue of what was going to happen nor how I should be preparing for it.
Then, sometime around my second year of university, I remember suddenly realizing, no, realizing would be the wrong word. I remember suddenly having a new feeling given to me: the time had run out for me to prepare.
To this day whatever was supposed to happen may or may not have happened. I don’t know. I don’t suppose that it was any sort of earth shattering event as nothing of the sort has happened.
Now, the kind of feelings I get are quite different. I just have this feeling that things are not what they’re supposed to be. Things seem to be wrong. The state of world affairs, the political, societal, environmental, and now economical woes just seem to shout it’s not what we’re supposed to have. People treat each other like shit. No one seems to care about anyone or anything anymore.
I think whatever is happening or will happen is something more profound than anything that has been seen before. I’m not talking about biblical or mythological prophecy, it’s beyond this I think.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
One week
January 12, 2008
This week was one for the books, literally. I finished my first week of Japanese school and it has exhausted me.
I had a lot of fun actually but even on the first day I wrote a test and subsequently three more. I had thought that since I was jumping into the course in the middle of the school year I would be excused from the tests. Nope! Considering this, I thought I did well on the tests. For one, I had only 20 minutes to prepare and still managed to get an “A”, as if that matters anymore.
There are only 11 or 12 students in my class – one girl who I saw on the first day doesn’t seem to come anymore. I think the average age in the class is maybe 20-22, a few seemed to have just turned 20! A few more seemed to be studying Japanese to enter a Japanese university. Aside from me and a Korean girl, everyone else is Chinese or Taiwanese (I think).
I’ve spoken with a few people about boring things and they seemed nice. There are a few who seem to act like children though and I am certain I will not be speaking with them often. There are a couple of kids who are playing video games in class, one who acts like a demented 5 year old, and one who speaks to me through another person. I am even more sure now that I am not there to make friends.
There are 4 different teachers I think and each is very different in personality and style. The teacher in charge of our class is absolutely amazing. She has a bubbling personality that reminds me very much of good manzai comedians! She was able to make a lot of rather boring language concepts interesting. Even though it’s only been a week, I can say that she is one of the best teachers I’ve ever met.
I have a lot of catching up to do to keep on pace with the class but I’ve put in a good 2 hours a day on top of 5 hours of class each in studying. If I can keep this up for a few weeks, I’ll have made a big start in preparing for Level 2 (the test which I “forgot” to go there last year).
I don’t think I’ve ever been this motivated in a structured educational environment. I think the main thing is that I’ve completely chosen to be there and I have good reason to be there. It saddens me that there are some in the class that are completely goofing off and wasting mommy’s money and the teacher’s time.
Kids, study hard!
Ebisu Matsuri
January 11, 2008
Yesterday the Noda Ebisu festival took place as it does every year in my neighborhood. I’m not exactly sure what the festival is about and I’m too lazy to google it. I know that it’s more oriented towards business owners although people of all ages were there last night.
For some reason that yet again I have failed to find, the Ebisu Shrine was selling various things that I assume are good for businesses. They were expensive: up to 5000 yen. The wife (or The Boss) wanted to get one and I stated my objection to sparing 5000 yen for something that someone says is lucky. In the end, she got a 3000 plant that is now decorating our entrance.
Personally, I think it would be better business to keep the 3000 yen, but again, who am I but a lowly subordinate.
The shrine itself is fairly similar to most shrines I’ve been to. I found this about Ebisu Shrine:
Popularly know as “Noda no Ebessan”, it is not known exactly when Ebisu Shrine was built. However, within the grounds there are granite stones with “Ebisu no Miya” carved into the front, and the date March 1115 on the side. The stones themselves were erected afterwards, but it is thought that the shrine itself was built around this time. From ancient times, the god Ebisu has been revered at the god of fishing and the area around the shrine was called Naniwa Yasojima, and was a centre of the fishing industry. On the 10th of January every year many worshippers come to Ebisu, and he has also gathered many followers as the local god due to big parades during the summer festival with “Danjiri”, taiko drums, and “Taihoko” etc. [source]
Going back to the roots
January 07, 2008
Happy new year!
Today I must feel what I use to feel, say 20 years ago. Today is the first day of school! That’s right I am going back to school. I am beginning a Japanese course today and hopefully I’ll do that for a few months, barring sudden changes in plans. The classes only run about half the day so I’ll still have time to do other things.
I have good things in sight this year. Last year really sucked ass for me and many others and I hope this year will be better. It’s already off to a great start – I’m not longer under the psychological corporate shackles and am enjoying the freedom! We have plans already this year and they’re off to a good start.
Take right now for instance. I woke up at a reasonable time: 7:30. I made fresh coffee! I have time to check my email and write in my blog for the first time this year! In that job last year, I woke up at an ungodly 5:30, was too sleepy or too rushed to have anything but rotten instant coffee, and couldn’t type a sentence because my fingers had not yet risen from slumber. Ahhh. Good times.
I recently started taking up wing chun kung fu again. It’s great! It’s been about 12 years since I actively practiced and I suck ass. It’s great and I’m back in fairly constant training and conditioning at home right now.
That’s it! I just had this sudden yearning to write here and I have. Christmas was good, New Year’s was good, it’s all good!
