A day in the life of Grandmaster Chan

img_1089-2O always tells people if they want to lose weight just follow around Grandmaster Chan for one day.  That is definitely one way to burn calories.  A day in the life of Grandmaster Chan consists of waking up before the sun and working in the sun, often until it goes down.  Grandmaster Chan enjoys his time in the garden and tending to his fish.  Whenever he goes on vacation, one lucky person is given the task of watching over his fish and plants. No one wants this job.  All will be going well, and then right before he is due home, suddenly a plant or worse, fish dies!  It is a nerve racking time for us back home and we have been known to try and resuscitate fish!  No CPR or anything, but we were taught to push the fish through the water, as it moves the water through the gills.  We have saved a few this way.

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Back to a day in the life of Grandmaster Chan.

He is a creature of habit.  He wakes up goes to the Temple to bisan, and makes his breakfast.  (usually oatmeal and coffee)  While water is boiling or the oatmeal is cooking he will start clearing things around the kitchen.  After his breakfast he starts his outdoor routine.  If you have ever been around the Temple in the morning or mid day, you might catch him doing any of the following: building fences of bamboo, clearing leaves or garbage from the Temple grounds, planting new trees, or even on the roof clearing the gutters.  I am not very happy about that one!  Depending on what area needs his attention he makes his way there and never asks for help.  As a matter of fact when you try to help it often ends up being a bit of a fight…and who wants to fight with a Grandmaster of kung fu?  At that point just volunteer to take care of the fish.

A question I get asked a lot is: Does he still practice kung fu?  And my answer: every day.  Maybe I haven’t ‘seen’ him doing right hand stick or 36 hands this week, but I see him using a broom (stick) to sweep the floors everyday, and I watch in awe as he moves up and down in a squat or to a side to side while cooking, cleaning, chopping, or clearing the grass…just like a form.  He is constantly moving, and constantly working…. working hard =  kung fu.

 

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Juggling

Nope. I can’t juggle. I actually can barely catch a ball. However, I do juggle tasks and priorities all the time. Same goes for my personal training, unfortunately sometimes it has to take second or even third place in line of what needs to get done.

When the Sifu Test was approaching, I was in kung fu mode 24/7.  I even visualized my forms before sleeping!  Not that I don’t practice my kung fu consistently, but as I have mentioned in previous posts, my year is scheduled out according to my work schedule, and I go from there. This weekend, O is at a 4 day fitness summit learning a bunch of fun fitness things. So for these few days, the priority is taking care of his fitness clients and coaching his classes.  At the same time, I also have to make sure that the kung fu and tai chi classes are covered, as we also have most of our instructors out of town on vacation. This is actually pretty easy, because it was scheduled a while ago.  The tough part is when a wrench is thrown in my perfectly planned schedule.  This is what often happens with my personal training and wellness habits.  I admit there are times when I have run myself so ragged, it was a detriment to my health! I do not recommend this.  When someone tells me they have kids or too much work that prevents them from eating right or working out, I always ask: What is it they always say on the plane? (What? No one listens to the safety talk right?) Well I do, and they say: Put your oxygen mask on before assisting others! This is so true. How can I expect to help my family, cook for O, teach my students, and get work done if I am not taking care of myself?  I am basically writing this out to remind myself that it is important to eat, sleep, work out, relax, and enjoy life. So how do I do it?  Juggling!  I basically make sure that the priorities are always being rotated. (It’s the only juggling I think I’ll ever be able to do)

In tai chi we teach the philosophy of the yin and yang, the balance to life. single whipI try to follow this principle with every little thing. If I am on the computer too much, I set a timer to walk away and get off the screen. If I am eating too many delicious foods, I make sure that I am working it off at kung fu, walking extra on vacation, or making better choices the next day.  If I am feeling guilty from eating delicious foods, I remind myself that it is ok, and reiterate to myself that I can enjoy it… and feel good about it. I am sure you will notice by now that I talk about food and eating a lot.  Good food brings me joy!   So think about what brings you joy, accept it, be thankful for it, and then keep on juggling.

What’s Next?

Chinese New Year is almost over, so what is next on the Wah Lum calendar?  It turns out 2017 is quite a busy year.  I am a planner.  I like organization. I like to schedule in advance, because I get so busy throughout the year.  I’ve always been this way, even as a child.  My parents on the other hand… are very spontaneous.  My father is famous for saying, ‘OK, we go now!’.  (just ask anyone who’s been around for a day and they’ve probably seen him running around the Temple in fast forward)  Last year, I looked at the 2017 calendar and knew what to expect.

1st Quarter: CNY!

2nd Quarter: This year is the big Sifu Test, yes we Sifus also have to test! Wah Lum Sifus have to certify every 3 years to maintain the standard of the system.  More on this in the future.

3rd Quarter: This is usually tournament and training season for students.

4th Quarter: Temple anniversary events and holidays…AND I have my big trip to Antarctica planned from 3 years ago!  I’m psyched.

We also planned out events for 2018: Brazil and Germany Wah Lum Grand Openings and the next China trip.

However, late last year, my parents decided now is as good a time as any to have Brazil’s grand opening event, so we called Sifu Antonio in Rio de Janeiro and told him the ‘good news’.  Surprise! Would you like to have your grand opening in February?  Why the change? I told him that Sigung and Simu are adverse to flying now, but they found a cruise from Rio to Orlando, so you can have your event in February if you like.  Sounds good?  Sifu Antonio graciously accepted and was even excited that his grand opening was imminent, and started scrambling in fast forward.  So, the Chan family will be going on a 24 day retreat to study kung fu, vacation, and philosophize together in February.

This past January, my parents were discussing the European cruise they are going on in October.  They came up with the idea that since they will already be in Germany, why not have the grand opening for Germany then?  So I made a very similar phone call to Sifu Torsten that I made to Antonio.  Guess what? Surprise your grand opening might now be in October of 2017 if you agree…  Sifu Torsten graciously accepted and is now scrambling in fast forward too.

Fierce Lucy does the splits at CNY
Fierce Lucy does the splits at CNY

We sometimes call this the Wah Lum Way.  We plan, but ultimately, when my father says, “OK we go now!”  Well, we go now.  In Wah Lum, moving in fast forward is sometimes a requirement, and learning to be flexible is beyond just the physicality of doing the splits.

 

 

Who am I to complain?  I’m going to South America, Europe, and Antarctica all in one year!  2017 had a good plan, but now has an even better plan.  Being a part of the Wah Lum family means moving in fast forward and sometimes having to drop everything and  ‘go now’, but at least we know that we are going places.

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Lions and Firecrackers and Kung fu, Oh My!

We are almost  finished with the shows for Chinese New Year (CNY).  It’s hard to believe in 2 days we didcny over 30 performances.  I’m not sure why I am always surprised, because this has been our tradition… this is our culture.  I only know how to celebrate CNY one way: with lion dancing, kung fu shows, and firecrackers.  Lots of firecrackers.
When I was younger and the Temple would go out to perform, we had a lot less participants, which meant a lot more kung fu for the few of us that performed.  It didn’t matter.  We loved it.  As much of a ‘mysophobe’ as I am, CNY was one time I didn’t mind the germs or dirt.  Rolling in firecracker dust on the parking lot floor was expected.  Exciting even!  What is CNY without hearing the drums play over and over in your head before you go to sleep, or coming home and finding firecracker remnants in your hair?  No cuts or scrapes?  That just means you didn’t celebrate properly.
Ask any performer what the shower at the end of CNY day 1 is like, and they will all tell you the same story.  You watch the girlsdirt literally go down the drain, you feel the burn from scrapes you didn’t know you had, you feel amazing to be under the warm water, and could probably fall asleep right there in the shower.  That is the essence of CNY.  The lunar calendar marks the ‘new year’ for us, a new beginning.  We wash away the dirt and negativity from the past, recognize the hardships that will soon be in the past, we embrace the warmth of the new beginning, and we feel the challenges of being tired from hard work…  But then we get up and do it again.

This is me running into the lion tail this year!

I remember telling my students this year after the floor was wet from the rain, “you don’t need to split and roll on the ground.”  Sure enough, they get out there and did the split and rolled around on the ground.  At first I wondered why they are doing it, I just told them they didn’t need to do it!  Why are they getting all dirty?   Then I remember how I was at their age, and what I did as a young performer.  The excitement of the shows, the adrenalin, and the fun of just getting messy for CNY.  Why would I try to stop it?

It’s part of the tradition, part of the culture.

 

 

Photos: Courtesy Karl Simpson and Hao Nguyen

Good fruit comes to those who wait!

 

Today I did something I never do.  I went outside to pick starfruit from the tree outside of my house.  I do not consider myself to be overly girly, but I am not what one would consider an ‘outdoor’ person.  I have allergies, I don’t like insects, and mosquitos are attracted to me like honey to the bees.  I decided to make a fruit basket as a gift, and  I thought fresh starfruit from my tree would be a great addition.

When I went outside (ugh), I started using the nifty bamboo stick tool my father made to reach all the high starfruit.  I was suddenly reminded of the day the tree was planted.  When I was around 9 years old, my father rushed into the house, and told me to come outside to see the tree that would bear fresh starfruit.  He said, “You are going to be so happy, this tree will have a lot of fruit. You really likey.”  I quickly put my shoes on, as I was ready to eat some fruit!  (I loved fruit growing up, and still do)  I img_1539stepped outside and saw nothing except a little stick in the ground with some branches and a little leaf.  I said, “Where’s the fruit?”  He said excitedly, “In 10 years you are going to be really happy.  You 100% have a lot of fruit.”  I grumbled and went back in the house.  10 years?  How was I supposed to wait 10 years for a piece of fruit?  Why not go to the grocery store and get it NOW?  Why wait? I was an impatient child, and had much to learn.  10 years quickly passed, and I had forgotten about the tree. (again, not an outdoors person, so not once had I watered that tree)  The tree did bear fruit, and so much in fact, that we always had an abundance of starfruit almost year round. Fast forward 30 years later, and here I am gathering fruit from that same tree today.

My father wakes up before the sun rises and starts his day by going to the Wah Lum Temple to light incense to honor his ancestors.   After this ritual, he spends several hours nurturing his plants and tending to his fish.  This  is all a part of his routine, but it is much Control, patiencemore than just simple chores.  He is constantly planning for the future, planting seeds today, for the fruit for tomorrow.  My father, a true master, has the foresight to know how fruitful and abundant a tree can be with consistent care and hard work.   I do not have a green thumb, so I have a lot to learn before attempting to plant a new tree.  However, I will continue to nurture the trees that my father has planted, and I will continue the traditions he began.  I will also light incense to honor my ancestors, and I will try to practice hard work and patience (foh gee diu jin) every day during every task no matter how big or small.

 

DISCLAIMER:  I was waiting to ‘fix’ this post and improve it, but then I realized I would never post it if I waited for it to be ‘perfect’.   I do not consider myself to be a pro blogger or a distinguished writer.  I have some fond memories of my Wah Lum journey that I simply would like to share.  I came to the realization that I’ve been fortunate to lead an interesting (and unconventional) life to say the least, and I’ve been asked to share.  I consider myself to be a private person, but sharing positive energy when there is so much negativity feels right.  I hope you are at the very least entertained.  So I intend to share my stories either by blog, vlog, or podcast. (all coming soon)  Please follow, like, subscribe or whatever the term is!