Single Whip into Fist Under Elbow

[dr_pretentious]

Before last night's Tai Chi class, I was confused about the transition from Wave Hands Like Clouds into Single Whip. My Single Whip is still wrong, but in the past couple of weeks, it's gone from being hilariously wrong to merely amusingly wrong. I am the one doing most of the laughing. I watch Sifu, and somehow my effort at any new move does not resemble what she shows me, not in the least, not for months. After years of playing only to my strengths, it's kind of refreshing to be a slow learner about something. By the end of last night's class, I was twice as confused about Single Whip as I had been when I arrived. Before, I was mostly confused about how to get into Single Whip. Now, I'm confused about how to get out again, because now I've been shown Fist Under Elbow. Naturally, in Fist Under Elbow, the fist does not at any point actually go under the elbow, not if you're doing it right, and I'm fine with that, I really am. My problem is all in the footwork.

After watching me try to figure out a way to name what it was about the footwork that confused me, Sifu said, "You do not feel the move. You are hurrying to finish the move."

What does it say about my prospects in Tai Chi that I thought first of my novel? "Yes. Of course. You're right."

"I've seen you feel a move before," said my teacher. "You know how to do that."

True enough. I love Brush Knee And Push, regardless of whether I'm doing it well on any given day.

You can tell Sifu is ready for class to end so she can eat dinner when she starts likening the art to chocolate, and it was nearly eight o'clock. "If you were eating a block of really excellent dark chocolate, you wouldn't chew it and wash it down to be done with it. You'd savor it as slowly as you could. You'd let it melt. It's no different."

Well, not very different.

Today, I'm still confused about Single Whip, coming and going, but Chapter 10 is delicious again. It does more and more of the things it's supposed to do, and fixing it was fun today. Today, I didn't give a damn whether I ever finished, so of course, I was awesomely productive and checked off several hefty items on my fix list. Who but me would be surprised about that?

Comments

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

And out of all that cool stuff, I homed in on Chapter 10. More crack on its way?

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

Not before Mabon, for sure. But I think by the end of this month, Chapter 10 will be ready for you, and I'll be able to circulate Part 2 as a complete unit (at last!).

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I am happy for you, Sarah. may they all become delicious again and again.

And damn, you are brave to keep trying, even when you can see that you aren't very close to the form you want to achieve.

[skyefyr.livejournal.com]

Don't forget you promised me a chance to read your writing! You said to remind you to bring it for Mabon. Reminding you now!

And I'm sorry, I just can't imagine you actually being as perplexed as you sound in this journal. That's just not the you I'm used to seeing. Good luck getting it all under control though!

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

You've only ever seen me in play-to-my-strengths mode. You know that stuff they say about multiple intelligences? Kinesthetic intelligence is way at the bottom for me. My senses are all fairly sharp, because of the fibromyalgia, but--also because of the fibromyalgia--my whole nervous system is so noisy, my pain threshold is so low, and my connective tissue is so tight, that getting my body to move in a way it's not already accustomed to takes some doing

Practice, practice, practice. I'll get there eventually. Maybe next incarnation I'll get to be a gymnast or a dancer or something. A trapeze artist, maybe. That would be a fun change.

[puckmls.livejournal.com]

Mmmm ... more yummy writing on its way -- I can't wait! For me, reading a really good book is exactly like consuming an utterly luscious food, except it's food for my brain and soul, without the calories for the body. And you're such a terrific word chef!

[oaktavia.livejournal.com]

okay...
there's a 7-11 in Highland Park on Woodbridge Ave toward Edison (not the rt 27 fork - the other one, near the elementary school)

go there.

somewhere around the counter (where all the "penny" candy bins are) is a confection called "Ice Cubes" wrapped in silver foil with blue writing - they kind of look like mini "Chunky"s... they are usually something like .11-.15 cents each... buy several.

unwrap one, pop in mouth... savor & let melt slowly...

*then* try movement, with chocolate still fresh in memory.


this worked everytime for me when trying to remember physical movement (no clue why!) haven't been able to do it here though... no one carries Ice Cubes :-(
(anyone willing to send an Ice Cube care pkg?)

[oaktavia.livejournal.com]

uhm - do this at home... not in store when you buy them

;-)

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

Oh, I remember Ice Cubes well. When I was preparing for my doctoral qualifying exams, I ate loads of those. (We call those examns "orals" for more than one reason--everybody puts on at least 10 pounds, and then has to endure two hours of, um, regurgitation at the behest of the panel of examiners.) The Ice Cubes were Very Comforting while I had to read all that postmodernist theoretical claptrap.

Send me an email to remind me when the weather gets cool enough in Norfolk that we have some hope of their arriving unmelted. I don't know how soon that happens, but we've been having 93 degree days up here, and I'm not optimistic about their postal prospects in the immediate future.

I was really enjoying the idea of doing the 13 Form in the middle of the 7-11. I can totally picture myself doing that.

[oaktavia.livejournal.com]

Oh absolutely!
You got it!!

right now its only in the mid 80s because Ophelia finally broke the humidity - but I'd rather wait till it stays lower for a few days, so I don''t end up receiving choco puddles! LOL