Week 8

I had set a goal of being up to date on pushups and situps by the end of February. It was a bumpy ride, but slowly I closed the gap, and by February 25 I could taste victory, with only 500 each of situps and pushups to catch up over the next three days.

For some inexplicable reason, my right shoulder began to hurt a little. On February 26 I was unable to lift my arm. Over the course of the next day I began to experience pain down my right back side. I think it all began with the faint, but unmistakable crunching/grinding sound/feeling I began to notice 4 days ago in my neck (C4,5,6 area). That would be the osteoarthritis, and at the time, I made a mental note to keep up with the omega oils supplements, which had fallen by the wayside over the last few days. When those neck vertebrae are grinding together, the nerves are pinched, and pain and numbness in arms and hands result. And the narrowing of the joint space in my shoulder, combined with a thickening of tendons in the shoulder joint cause severe pain, because the muscles and ligaments do not move as freely through the narrow passages in the joints. One constricted muscle pulls on another; from neck, to shoulder, down the arms and across the back. I am in pain. This has happened before. A visit to the chiropractor, increase the omegas, and a little rest, and I should be able to ease into the push ups and sit ups in another day or two.

Maybe I'm in denial, but I don't believe the pushups actually caused the problem. The crunching/grinding of my neck does not happen during regular pushups; it only occurs when I do the tricep pushups, of which I only do 50 per 200 pushups. I will have a talk with my chiropractor about that. Nevertheless, I have given myself a deadline extension. Realistically, I want to be up to date on pushups and situps by March 12.

I am reading an awesome book about kindness (the fourth of my six required readings for UBBT8). It is called "The Power of Kindness", by Piero Ferrucci. As I have not yet finished the book, I will not summarize it yet. But below is an exerpt.

Contact (interpersonal interactions), is a basic aspect of kindness. Where you find contact, you find the heart. . . .
Try this experiment. Start with an ordinary situation such as riding in a taxi, buying paper at a stationery shop, or sitting in the train. Tthen try exchanging a few words with the taxi driver, making eye contact with the salesperson, striking up a conversation with someone on the train. For some of us, that happens spontaneously; others have to do it deliberately. Be fully present in this brief contact, and expect the other to be so as well. Suddenly a change occurs: Something becomes unblocked and energy circulates. It might not be an encounter of two souls. But it surely will be an exhcange of vital energy between two people. . .
Contact is the door through which kindness can flow. . . . Right in the midst of everyday life we are given the chance to touch the lives of others and thus change the world.

Claire Finnamore, Student Member
Silent River Kung Fu
Ultimate Black Belt Test
UBBT8

Week Seven

Two people commented, last week on my Physout page. One of the people is a white belt, and I get from his various posts, that he is really pumped and excited about his kung fu journey, and sincerely wants to help everyone around him succeed, (he asked me how he could help me improve my numbers). He seems to be fully ensconced in the Silent River family. I wish I felt how he does now, but I don't, though I could, and will again. Sifu Brinker said to me a few months ago, "The tools are right in front of you".

Several weeks ago, I encouraged other students and UBBT members to make use of the Physout site. In the past year, some of us had been using the site, others had not, and still others had started using the site, but had not kept it up to date. The Physout site, therefore, was just a private, optional record-keeping tool. As students, and UBBT members, we used the site in isolation from eachother.

Recently, more members and students have started to commit themselves to using the physout site, to keep it up to date, and comment on eachothers' pages. The physout is now a public entity, and we can use it to our advantage. It's ironic that I might be the first one who is struggling, to benefit the most. Perhaps by encouraging others to use this site, I was anticipating that I would need their help and support. By encouraging others, I would be encouraged myself.

I have accepted the white belt's offer to help. Perhaps there are more than two of us who would benefit from a public challenge of forms, or something else. I hope he responds soon.

Claire Finnamore
Student Member, Silent River Kung Fu
Ultimate Black Belt Test.
UBBT8

Week Six

I wish I had more time to write, but I don't. This week I helped organize a two day volleyball tournament. At the moment, I am in the midst of it. Tommorrow, I suspect I will be far too tired to think.

This week I made up some ground on my pushups, squat thrusts and situps. Though I am still behind, it is encouraging to see the gap diminishing. I was unable to attend class on Friday, because I was setting up the gyms and concessions, etc for the the volleyball tournament. No time for open training on Saturday either, as I was busy selling 50/50 draws, and concession items, and trying to get a peak at my daughter's games. Too crowded for pushups today, but I managed to sneak out and get 3 half hour walks in - so my self -propelled travel requirement received attention (and my dog loved it). As well, the 3 2-hour round trip commutes to the site, have provided me with time to work on my knitting donation requirements.

I am reading my third of six required readings on 'Kindness'. This one, "The Art of Being Kind', by Stefan Einhorn provides a few interesting comments on what the author calls the 'counterforces' to being kind. He discusses lack of empathy, lack of reflection, not wanting to get involved, not practicing what we preach, our innate aggression, the victim mentality, the 'someone else' principle, and 'whatever we do, it'll turn out wrong'. Though I don't feel the author offered much advice on what we should do about these counterforces, it is a good idea to keep these things in mind when trying to improve our daily actions, as well as the actions of those around us, and trying to understand why some very unkind acts occur around us.

Claire Finnamore
Silent River Kung Fu - Student Member
The Ultimate Black Belt Test
UBBT8

Week Five

This week has been a good week, and very busy too. It seems that there is a lot that I could journal, but I am short of time. I am heading into another busy week. I have made February the month for bringing up my push-up, sit-up, and squat thrust numbers. Every day is a battle, but things are improving. My goal is to be up to date on these three things by the end of February. I appreciate the comment I recieved on my UBBT tracker. It is motivating that my team members are taking an interest and keeping tabs on me.

I have also made February a cleanse-month. I am trying a different one than the Master Cleanse, which I used last year, with mixed results. The Master Cleanse (aka the Lemonade cleanse), resulted in weight loss, increased energy, and a lifting of spririt. But after not eating solid food for 7 days, I succumbed to the urge to eat everything in sight. This year's cleanse is a 30-day herbal cleanse, and I can eat normally and healthily throughout. It also includes a significant supplement of omega and essential fatty acids. I believe this may have resulted in an unexpected health benefit. I've noticed that some chronic injuries associated with my osteoarthritis have pretty much been completely alleviated. Suddenly, the crunch and grind I listen to as I perform my push-ups has dissappeared for the first time in almost 2 years. I think I might even be able to run. But I don't want to push it. For now I am happy to listen to the silence of my joints, and marvel at the freedom with which I can move my right shoulder without pain.


Claire Finnamore
Student Member, Silent River Kung Fu
Ultimate Black Belt Test
UBBT8