12.07.2004

General Apathy

is currently the commander-in-chief of my professional life.

Deadline pressure has, in the past, caused me to perform more efficently. This seems to no longer be the case. I have become perfectly content with completing a task later than expected (provided that it causes no consternation for my coworkers, of course... i am still non-confrontational enough to avoid that kind of scene).

Unfortunately for you, my adoring bloggies, this translates into sporadic opportunities to glimpse the inner workings of my complex psyche, as blogging only happens on the clock.

Please accept my sincerest apologies.

A request for forgiveness is usually accompanied by a pledge to remedy the offending behavior. Kindly do not cause your own disappointment in the future by expecting this to be true.

In other news, my wife has recently learned how to kill someone, four times in a row, in approximately 2.5 seconds. This is frightening. However, at the end of the day, I am glad that she knows this and roughly 50? other methods of ending or decreasing the quality of an attacker's life, because I can rest easier.

Perspective time. Moose is a green sash in kung fu. Next comes blue, then purple, brown and black; the earning of each sash requires the mastery of an increasing number of techniques, forms, etc. (this is based on my limited knowledge of the art-please correct any fallacies). This means that wearing a purple sash indicates that you can exploit the many weaknesses of the human body in approximately 150ish ways.

Now, there are a handful of purple sashes in Moose's school that are less than 12 years old. Granted, martial arts bring discipline and centering, and the instructors are very aware of the maturity level of their students. But I was 10 years old once. Kids are cruel. When someone else is humiliating you, it is difficult to keep your cool.

All that said, I think it is better to know how to defend yourself (and others) from bad people. As I look back on this writing and prepare to push the "publish post" button, I don't know what point I was trying to make, if any.

Good night. Talk to you next year.

spf.

12 comments:

wamez said...

I had a friend in high school who, after achieving a certain amount of success in the Karate world of colored belts, decided that sparring wasn't enough for him and that he'd rather test his abilities by trolling the streets of downtown ABQ in the hopes that a fight would befall him.

The scary thing is that he's a very intelligent guy. But he was also a little overweight and probably had to endure no end of verbal torture as he was growing up. This being the first time he possessed a weapon to battle that type of attack, I think he reasoned that Karma had come due and he was the collector.

I would hope that most martial arts schools are pushing the philosophy as much as the fighting techniques -- especially when kids are involved. But I can't imagine this to be true. I'm sure some of the teachers are just grown up victims themselves.

Be careful who you piss off.

Moose Tucker said...

First off I must defend my school. They are VERY aware of the maturity levels of their students and are also very careful in what they teach. The "kids" sash level progression is actually different than the adult line, and a "kid" purple sash does not mean the same thing as an adult purple sash. In fact, until you reach a certain age, you cannot progress beyong purple, and to attain the same levels in adult kung fu, you have to learn tons of new techniques to reach the adult level. (Once you are of age, that is.)

I also have to say that most of these students, and probably teachers, are somewhat outside the norm for one reason or another. That being said, I think that the benefits of Kung Fu would be the confidence building, and the possible down-side would be seeking out violence. They do teach the philosophical aspects, the centering, the ethics along with the fighting, and I hope that nothing ill will ever come of the teachings.

Moose Tucker said...

Secondly, I must defend myself. Literally. I am quite excited to be able to inflict pain on someone who would wish me harm. Also, I am not entirely sure that I would be able to actually perform "Leap of Death" which is the 'overkill' technique (no punn intended, but aptly stated) and if I did, I am not sure on a psychological level that I would want to take someones head in my hands and twist it so rapidly and harshly that I snapped their spine. This isn't really my MO.

But let me ask you this: If Satan were to come back into my life and seek to kill either me or Steve (which actually still seems like a real possibility to me) wouldn't you rather I snap his neck? If I were to only break a knee cap or dislocate a shoulder or invert his elbow (one of my favorites) he could theorhetically come back again and try to finish the job. In certain circumstances, for your own and your loved ones' protection, Kung Fu, the ultimate application of it, would be a very real option.

That doesn't seem crazy to me.

Also, don't piss me off.

Moose Tucker said...

Shopping yesterday was long, but fun.

Love ya.

me

Anonymous said...

It's good to hear you posting! Yeah. Yeah. So, now that I've started this comment, I'm not sure what I mean to say... too much coffee this morning, then pasta for lunch BAD BAD BAD
JQ

Moose Tucker said...

Happy Thursday!

Moose Tucker said...

I am curious about your life.

Happy Tuesday!

Moose Tucker said...

Have you decided on another blog title yet?

Moose Tucker said...

I LIKE YOUUUUUUUU!!!

Moose Tucker said...

Daily comment of the...day.

Just had my one on one with Jefe. YOU NEED TO CALL ME!

Moose Tucker said...

Hola mi esposo.

Donde esta la biblioteca, Pedro?

Moose Tucker said...

My arms hurt, how about yours?