Chinese: 5 weeks into new cycle of classes at UCL. Our teacher left to go and do stuff in Aberdeen, so we have new one. The class is good, full of nice people. We are mostly practicing conversational stuff now.
Tai Chi: Occasional practice. No lessons since the summer break! Our trip to Morocco didn't help us get back into the routine, neither did a whole bunch of worky stuff at the start of term.
Running. M is travelling around madly as usual, so I'll blame my lack of dedication on my inability to persuade myself to go out alone in the cold. I've been down to gym a few times, just to demonstrate to my CV system that there is a plan. Don't know what it is yet.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Naah, there's no such thing as chee ... is there?
An account of a skeptic/hostile's encounter with reiki, when he was the young Luke Skywalker. As the slightly older version, he reflects:
about five minutes later, I felt really tired. Two minutes after that, I sort of slumped in my chair and the taiji teacher asked me what I was feeling. I said that I could still feel the pain but it’s like it was a thousand miles away. The throbbing was like hearing a drum in the distance. I also felt totally relaxed and calm, like after a total body massage.In the blogging tradition, I've stolen the punchline, right? If this sort of thing interests you (the boundary between what you know, and what works, and the fractal nature of that boundary) read the full post from Formosa Neijia.
He stopped and said that was the power of reiki, and I remember feeling a bit sheepish. Not only did the treatment work to alleviate the pain, but it worked DESPITE me thinking that it wouldn’t. That really surprised me. There was no hypnotic suggestion or chalking that experience up to the power of belief, etc.
I didn’t know what to do with that experience for many years, and, to some extent, I still don’t even today.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Signs
Result of blood test "nothing actionable" though Cholesterol was 6.1. [mmol per litre presumably], which puts me in the uppper 25% or so of the population. That could be lower – recommended is nearer 5 – so I might have to look at the cakes/pies/sausages intake a bit more critically. I know what to eat, but usually am pretty lazy. Oh a nice ham and mozarella sandwich to go with my coffee and almond croissant. OK then.
As a result, somebody has been putting fruit in my lunchtime sandwich box. Fruit! £@&*?!
I went for a little run yesterday, for the first time since the initial chest discomfort anomaly.
Other signs are all about laziness too. I took Chinese in Steps textbook on holiday, read one lesson once with the audio on the iPod, wrote nothing. As a result Mandarin progress feels pretty static (though I seem to be comfortable with most Elementary Chinesepod podcasts) and taiji the same. Short (18-move) Chen is done pretty often (daily-ish), long form not at all (I'll probably forget this over the summer), and silk reeling when I feel like it. Push hands when I bump into Peter, as described before.
As a result, somebody has been putting fruit in my lunchtime sandwich box. Fruit! £@&*?!
I went for a little run yesterday, for the first time since the initial chest discomfort anomaly.
Other signs are all about laziness too. I took Chinese in Steps textbook on holiday, read one lesson once with the audio on the iPod, wrote nothing. As a result Mandarin progress feels pretty static (though I seem to be comfortable with most Elementary Chinesepod podcasts) and taiji the same. Short (18-move) Chen is done pretty often (daily-ish), long form not at all (I'll probably forget this over the summer), and silk reeling when I feel like it. Push hands when I bump into Peter, as described before.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Who are those madmen? ... and subconcious development.
When I go to one of my departments for a meeting, I often bump into Peter, who bumps back with his xing yi, or more likely his ba gua. We had a nice meeting room with a bit of space today, so indulged in a bit of three-quarter speed sparring/push hands after the meeting. Hence the what-are-they-doing-mummy noises from new members of the admin team.
Regular readers will know that I'm feeling under the weather, so I deliberately wanted to keep things low key. Peter is much more practiced at his favoured styles than I am with my taiji, so it's usually a struggle for me to properly resist his attacks. And pointless to try and use strength anyway. I found that my being not "up for it" I was better defended. By not resisting (Grrrr!), but calmly moving around (OK then let's see what you do next) and keeping some sort of contact and letting the tactics flow from the form, I was able to maintain more of a viable position. Occasionally I could unsettle Peter's root (bastard keeps walking around!) or plant a token strike or kick. Calmly, as if doing something mundane yet tricky like folding an envelope in a strong wind, rather than fighting as if it were important for life or honour. At present that seems to be the way for me to keep proper attention to root and form over the natural (yet flawed) reflexes associated with someone else invading my space.
This was a great improvement on last time, six weeks ago. It's not that I've been doing masses of tactical work or push hands (though I've done a bit). It's more that the subconcious has been working away, doing its thing: processing little inputs from past lessons, putting pieces together, speeding up transitions, making new connections.
I think this is such an important component of learning, and highly underrated or disregarded by Western teachers in many fields. At the said university department, one of the agenda items has been proposal (not from any of us I should add) to shorten 10-week courses to 5 weeks, but doubling the intensity. There were allegedly some good administrative reasons for this, but the basic premise seems to rest on a false equation. The number of hours formally studying is one parameter, but the number of times the head hits the pillow during a course is another very important one.
Brains have to simmer sometime, they can't always be boiled.
Regular readers will know that I'm feeling under the weather, so I deliberately wanted to keep things low key. Peter is much more practiced at his favoured styles than I am with my taiji, so it's usually a struggle for me to properly resist his attacks. And pointless to try and use strength anyway. I found that my being not "up for it" I was better defended. By not resisting (Grrrr!), but calmly moving around (OK then let's see what you do next) and keeping some sort of contact and letting the tactics flow from the form, I was able to maintain more of a viable position. Occasionally I could unsettle Peter's root (bastard keeps walking around!) or plant a token strike or kick. Calmly, as if doing something mundane yet tricky like folding an envelope in a strong wind, rather than fighting as if it were important for life or honour. At present that seems to be the way for me to keep proper attention to root and form over the natural (yet flawed) reflexes associated with someone else invading my space.
This was a great improvement on last time, six weeks ago. It's not that I've been doing masses of tactical work or push hands (though I've done a bit). It's more that the subconcious has been working away, doing its thing: processing little inputs from past lessons, putting pieces together, speeding up transitions, making new connections.
I think this is such an important component of learning, and highly underrated or disregarded by Western teachers in many fields. At the said university department, one of the agenda items has been proposal (not from any of us I should add) to shorten 10-week courses to 5 weeks, but doubling the intensity. There were allegedly some good administrative reasons for this, but the basic premise seems to rest on a false equation. The number of hours formally studying is one parameter, but the number of times the head hits the pillow during a course is another very important one.
Brains have to simmer sometime, they can't always be boiled.
SOAS group photo
Here's some of our SOAS class. Last class before the summer, so farewell until next time. Thanks to our patient teacher, Wang Jin (centre).
It's not clear who's going to do what next term. Like I'm wanting to go back to UCL Language Centre as it's more likely to dovetail with work, and others are going off to do other things.
To round off the term, we did a nice little test paper. Reading comprehension and listening was straightforward enough, grammar not so good. Mostly multiple choice, pick the right word to insert in a sentence. All in Han zi, apart from the rubrics. We then a chance to go over the proper answers, so we know what we are good at. As well as what remains to be studied again.
I had a splitting headache after this for some reason.
It's not clear who's going to do what next term. Like I'm wanting to go back to UCL Language Centre as it's more likely to dovetail with work, and others are going off to do other things.
To round off the term, we did a nice little test paper. Reading comprehension and listening was straightforward enough, grammar not so good. Mostly multiple choice, pick the right word to insert in a sentence. All in Han zi, apart from the rubrics. We then a chance to go over the proper answers, so we know what we are good at. As well as what remains to be studied again.
I had a splitting headache after this for some reason.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Doctor 1
On 13 Jul 2006, at 15:38, xxx wrote:
What do you expect?
Nothing obvious, and the web-footed one scratched his head rather. Seemed interested in the Story of the Intervals, but thought that it wasn't likely that the heart could be made to feel bad just through vigourous use. Clearly I wasn't having a heart attack or bronchitis, nor should I be at risk given my fine physique and athleticism. I should have told him about conditions deep in the UCL knowledge mines. Could be related to a virus he conceded. (note for exam board: Rather short on clear models and explanation of background theory so I'm giving him extra time to submit in full). He could have proposed a stress-test (get wired up, then bash treadmill while they faff around doing data acquisition) but opted for blood test. That's next Friday, before breakfast. Before!!
I anticipate a summer of queuing for the Royal Surrey car park.
Had I been on BUPA I would have been tested both ways by now, I bet, and writing this from a charming wifi-enabled room staffed by glitzy nymphs in white boots.
Did the quack have any useful pronouncement to make on the diagnosis / prognosis front?
What do you expect?
Nothing obvious, and the web-footed one scratched his head rather. Seemed interested in the Story of the Intervals, but thought that it wasn't likely that the heart could be made to feel bad just through vigourous use. Clearly I wasn't having a heart attack or bronchitis, nor should I be at risk given my fine physique and athleticism. I should have told him about conditions deep in the UCL knowledge mines. Could be related to a virus he conceded. (note for exam board: Rather short on clear models and explanation of background theory so I'm giving him extra time to submit in full). He could have proposed a stress-test (get wired up, then bash treadmill while they faff around doing data acquisition) but opted for blood test. That's next Friday, before breakfast. Before!!
I anticipate a summer of queuing for the Royal Surrey car park.
Had I been on BUPA I would have been tested both ways by now, I bet, and writing this from a charming wifi-enabled room staffed by glitzy nymphs in white boots.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Overdoing it?
I should know better, what with my colleague being having been on a heart-surgery rollercoster, and who is now spending hours in sofa-ville, recovering.
The running was going fairly well, which is to say uneventful, until just now. The countryside has been lovely in the sun, and I'd been scampering about it 2-3 times a week. Mostly steady-paced running, usually with the same partner.
This Friday, we decided on Intervals, and round a field/cricket pitch nearby. I've done plenty of 2-minute fast sessions round there before, so I know the procedure pretty well.
Now, you know when you do hard sessions, you usually hold something back? Well I do, anyway, not being temperamentally suited to the make-yourself-puke school of training. This time, having been complemented on my apparent speed (M travels a lot, and was jet-legged, hence 10 s behind), I progressively started to pile on the pressure at each repetition, knocking seconds off the watch each time. " 加油！" you might say. On the last but two reps, I started fairly steadily and was pumping all out for the last 50 yards. On the penultimate rep, I went for it with 120 yards to go. Can't. Talk. On the last one, I pretty much went for it from the beginning. These reps were all in the 1:45 area. Hey not bad. Nice jog home, shower, out for a curry in the evening.
You know when you eat loads, hot food especially, you can get uncomfy in the night? Well it wasn't that. Or had I bruised a rib? We occasionally practice push hands at home, but not with any striking, so it wasn't that. It was more like a soreness inside. Ouch. Sleeping on the other side didn't help. In the morning, the discomfort was still there, associated with a particular organ in the left side of the chest. It would exaggerating to call it pain. Is it possible to red-line a heart, bending the valves? Is it serious? Will it get better by itself?
Saturday was pretty normal, shopping and stuff. World Cup was completely unexciting, about from That Headbutt (Zinedine may have a future as a martial artist?). Lack of excitement is good. Low heartrate is good. I felt OK, but was still aware of Something Different. I cried off the Long Sunday Run, and flopped about at home. Flopped about at the office yesterday.
Today, I trekked through London to get to said colleague's place (two trains and a tube each way, which means about 3 miles of walking). I really felt as if my legs were in a different mode. Not heavy, but prevented from swiftness. It was rather an effort to get about. Normally I bound up stairs two at a time, but today there seemed to be a limit to my rate of progress. I was quite happy to bumble about in third gear. Or just to Sit Down.
Clearly something knows I need to take it easy. I'm going to check with my GP tomorrow. Meanwhile, no more running for a while.
The running was going fairly well, which is to say uneventful, until just now. The countryside has been lovely in the sun, and I'd been scampering about it 2-3 times a week. Mostly steady-paced running, usually with the same partner.
This Friday, we decided on Intervals, and round a field/cricket pitch nearby. I've done plenty of 2-minute fast sessions round there before, so I know the procedure pretty well.
Now, you know when you do hard sessions, you usually hold something back? Well I do, anyway, not being temperamentally suited to the make-yourself-puke school of training. This time, having been complemented on my apparent speed (M travels a lot, and was jet-legged, hence 10 s behind), I progressively started to pile on the pressure at each repetition, knocking seconds off the watch each time. " 加油！" you might say. On the last but two reps, I started fairly steadily and was pumping all out for the last 50 yards. On the penultimate rep, I went for it with 120 yards to go. Can't. Talk. On the last one, I pretty much went for it from the beginning. These reps were all in the 1:45 area. Hey not bad. Nice jog home, shower, out for a curry in the evening.
You know when you eat loads, hot food especially, you can get uncomfy in the night? Well it wasn't that. Or had I bruised a rib? We occasionally practice push hands at home, but not with any striking, so it wasn't that. It was more like a soreness inside. Ouch. Sleeping on the other side didn't help. In the morning, the discomfort was still there, associated with a particular organ in the left side of the chest. It would exaggerating to call it pain. Is it possible to red-line a heart, bending the valves? Is it serious? Will it get better by itself?
Saturday was pretty normal, shopping and stuff. World Cup was completely unexciting, about from That Headbutt (Zinedine may have a future as a martial artist?). Lack of excitement is good. Low heartrate is good. I felt OK, but was still aware of Something Different. I cried off the Long Sunday Run, and flopped about at home. Flopped about at the office yesterday.
Today, I trekked through London to get to said colleague's place (two trains and a tube each way, which means about 3 miles of walking). I really felt as if my legs were in a different mode. Not heavy, but prevented from swiftness. It was rather an effort to get about. Normally I bound up stairs two at a time, but today there seemed to be a limit to my rate of progress. I was quite happy to bumble about in third gear. Or just to Sit Down.
Clearly something knows I need to take it easy. I'm going to check with my GP tomorrow. Meanwhile, no more running for a while.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Mixing it up
Formosa Niejia's been freaking me out with his intensity and acronyms. BJJ: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? IMA: Internal Martial Arts, obvyusslee. What else? NHB: No Holds Barred. All getting scary for this monkey. He's even got a favourite MMA bout: sheesh who are these guys? Ahh: Cook Ding sorts me out with this post.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Mike Sigman Workshop
Mike Sigman is running a two-day workshop "Basics of Internal Strength" on 1st 2nd Juy 2006 at Wadhurst, East Sussex.
Details.
Here's a good background interview explaining some of Mike's approach.
Details.
Here's a good background interview explaining some of Mike's approach.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
End of month report
Unlike most of my other blogs, this one's hosted on my own webspace. Which means I can read the log file. Therefore I've just noticed that another internal martial artist blog is linking this one. It's called Formosa Neijia, and it's pretty hardcore wushu-type stuff. Ni hao! This is what he says in his (presumably) About thingy:
Edit: he moved his blog in October 06 to another location.
I also noticed some search interest for "Mike Sigman". Amazing, these logfiles. I do know he's going to be in the UK, in Sussex, in July I think, doing another internal strength workshop. I've got the flyer somewhere, so I'll dig that out the pile of paper on the kitchen table and post details here. Otherwise there should be some floating around in Wang Hai Jun's taiji class tomorrow (looking forward to that).
On the Mandarin learning front, reading and comprehension is going pretty well. I'm actually enjoying the backwards difficulty step, as it's obvious that some of the basics didn't go in properly the first time. Right now we are doing some of the 了‘s and the 是...的 construction. Having the audio on the ipod really helps.
I found some great grid-paper on the web, with included diagaonals, ideal for practicing han zi. Scroll down to the Chinese section at the end, but wonder at the other varieties on the way. Oh the depth of human ingenuity! If you want just squares, I got squares. (Doc and PDF, A4 and Letter. 60 kB zip).
I like writing han zi, but I can barely remember more than a few dozen, or so it seems, and I am s-l-o-w. It takes at least half an hour to fill an A4 sheet.
I came to Taiwan six years ago to pursue my interest in IMA (internal martial arts). I am a continuing student of xingyiquan, baguazhang, and taijiquan. Lately, I have also started studying Han Qing-tang's long fist system.
Edit: he moved his blog in October 06 to another location.
I also noticed some search interest for "Mike Sigman". Amazing, these logfiles. I do know he's going to be in the UK, in Sussex, in July I think, doing another internal strength workshop. I've got the flyer somewhere, so I'll dig that out the pile of paper on the kitchen table and post details here. Otherwise there should be some floating around in Wang Hai Jun's taiji class tomorrow (looking forward to that).
On the Mandarin learning front, reading and comprehension is going pretty well. I'm actually enjoying the backwards difficulty step, as it's obvious that some of the basics didn't go in properly the first time. Right now we are doing some of the 了‘s and the 是...的 construction. Having the audio on the ipod really helps.
I found some great grid-paper on the web, with included diagaonals, ideal for practicing han zi. Scroll down to the Chinese section at the end, but wonder at the other varieties on the way. Oh the depth of human ingenuity! If you want just squares, I got squares. (Doc and PDF, A4 and Letter. 60 kB zip).
I like writing han zi, but I can barely remember more than a few dozen, or so it seems, and I am s-l-o-w. It takes at least half an hour to fill an A4 sheet.
Friday, May 26, 2006
Gaps in the system - outlook fair
If there's one thing runners should not worry about, it's the weather. Right now, the UK is being dampened by a succession of Atlantic storm systems. All par for the course. I think I confused my Chinese teacher more than I should be allowed to with "Ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out", but it holds much truth.
Having said that, it was pretty nice on Tuesday when my usual partner an I did a 6-ish mile loop round Loseley etc. Yesterday was lovely, despite the misery guts forecasters, and I did about 8 miles on my own. Some parts were a bit squishy. This time I took a camera. Here are some curiosities that Surrey tries to hide away:
(a few more on Flickr)
So far it's looking OK for Sunday's long run. That's normally a sign of a downpour, but I'm not worried. It is what it is.
Having said that, it was pretty nice on Tuesday when my usual partner an I did a 6-ish mile loop round Loseley etc. Yesterday was lovely, despite the misery guts forecasters, and I did about 8 miles on my own. Some parts were a bit squishy. This time I took a camera. Here are some curiosities that Surrey tries to hide away:
(a few more on Flickr)
So far it's looking OK for Sunday's long run. That's normally a sign of a downpour, but I'm not worried. It is what it is.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Slight changes to blogrolls
Repulsive Monkey:
Ni Hao: Running in Suffolk, Virtual Mandarin, Chinese with Ease, Manchurian Candidate
Zai Jian: Peter Bojanic
drift:::words
+ : nothing
– : all running blogs
Ni Hao: Running in Suffolk, Virtual Mandarin, Chinese with Ease, Manchurian Candidate
Zai Jian: Peter Bojanic
drift:::words
+ : nothing
– : all running blogs
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Puffing and Panting
A big chunky week this week.
On the Mandarin front, the class's usual teacher returned from Shanghai, and we got stuck into the dialogs. As I've said before, the level is OK/a bit easy/ but it's going good. I got my iMac back from the menders, so the latest podcasts from ChinesePod are getting listened to on trains. The ChinesePod forum is lighting up a bit, and there's a few good tips coming out. One of which was a full dictionary for Palm (and other handhelds) called Pleco. I even spent real money on it! Good thing, this weak dollar!
I spent a good hour or so studying han zi yesterday, and I should be doing the same now, except ...
I'm feeling pretty wasted from this morning's run. We missed the rain that's been persisting down for the rest of the day, and didn't deliberately train that hard, but I feel like I've just done a Half. It was one the usual Munstead/Bramley loops. Would have taken the camera, being jealous of Running in Suffolk's splendid photo/running blog, except it was grey as a damp battleship.
I went down the gym on Friday (my sixty-quid a time visit!) and whizzed around the place on the bike yesterday, so I'm not suprised the batteries are low. I really can't study when I'm tired. Put the kettle on, love!
On the Mandarin front, the class's usual teacher returned from Shanghai, and we got stuck into the dialogs. As I've said before, the level is OK/a bit easy/ but it's going good. I got my iMac back from the menders, so the latest podcasts from ChinesePod are getting listened to on trains. The ChinesePod forum is lighting up a bit, and there's a few good tips coming out. One of which was a full dictionary for Palm (and other handhelds) called Pleco. I even spent real money on it! Good thing, this weak dollar!
I spent a good hour or so studying han zi yesterday, and I should be doing the same now, except ...
I'm feeling pretty wasted from this morning's run. We missed the rain that's been persisting down for the rest of the day, and didn't deliberately train that hard, but I feel like I've just done a Half. It was one the usual Munstead/Bramley loops. Would have taken the camera, being jealous of Running in Suffolk's splendid photo/running blog, except it was grey as a damp battleship.
I went down the gym on Friday (my sixty-quid a time visit!) and whizzed around the place on the bike yesterday, so I'm not suprised the batteries are low. I really can't study when I'm tired. Put the kettle on, love!
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Phew!
Just back from the second Wang Hai Jun class. I'm knackered now. Some of that was due to the Northern Line being out of commission, but also because of the intensity of the sesssion. It became a very humid afternoon just as we started getting into the stamps, leaps, kicks and jumps of the 18-movement Chen style form. As before, nothing that I strictly speaking had not seen before, but a different quality altogether. Loads of people took pictures, which might get posted later. I think Andy who runs Palmchange was going to post the group photo there.
Met Julia who was at the Norfolk weekend (photos on Flickr) last year. She amazed me by having a photo of us lot – on Holkham Beach during the course – still on her camera since last August. I'm more of a two-memory-cards-a-day man.
On the way up, I studied Chinese in Steps. It's going quite well. If I put in a couple of good long sessions each week, the size of the lessons is not too much to keep up with. I spent about an hour yesterday translating simple sentences, and writing them out.
你有点感冒，你要多休息，多喝水。
从我家到学校走路只要五分钟。
请问去火车站怎么走？
一直向前走，到红路灯向右拐。
second character should be "zhi2" - error in IME?
你想吃中药还是吃西药？
从医院走路去药店要几分钟？
Yes, it took me about that time to do all six.
So, as I was studying on the train today I briefly chatted to a guy sitting opposite who admitted to wanting to start learning. He looked Chinese, but turned out to be Thai, though I heard him speaking German on the phone! He said he'd studied lots of Western European languages and had moved on to Russian. Thai is tonal, and grammatically similar to Chinese (lots of implied verbs and sentence components, particles-a-go-go, all that) so I reckon he's got it easier than most. Also being a pianist he'll know what it's like to hunker down and practice, and he'll be used to reading strange notational systems.
Met Julia who was at the Norfolk weekend (photos on Flickr) last year. She amazed me by having a photo of us lot – on Holkham Beach during the course – still on her camera since last August. I'm more of a two-memory-cards-a-day man.
On the way up, I studied Chinese in Steps. It's going quite well. If I put in a couple of good long sessions each week, the size of the lessons is not too much to keep up with. I spent about an hour yesterday translating simple sentences, and writing them out.
你有点感冒，你要多休息，多喝水。
从我家到学校走路只要五分钟。
请问去火车站怎么走？
一直向前走，到红路灯向右拐。
second character should be "zhi2" - error in IME?
你想吃中药还是吃西药？
从医院走路去药店要几分钟？
Yes, it took me about that time to do all six.
So, as I was studying on the train today I briefly chatted to a guy sitting opposite who admitted to wanting to start learning. He looked Chinese, but turned out to be Thai, though I heard him speaking German on the phone! He said he'd studied lots of Western European languages and had moved on to Russian. Thai is tonal, and grammatically similar to Chinese (lots of implied verbs and sentence components, particles-a-go-go, all that) so I reckon he's got it easier than most. Also being a pianist he'll know what it's like to hunker down and practice, and he'll be used to reading strange notational systems.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Munstead and Bramley
We've got a good route established now for the longer Sunday runs. It's got a good hill near the beginning and plenty of options at the end for shortening or lengthening the route as required. We attacked the hill this time, maxing the HR at the top. So much so that I lost count of the seconds when trying to count it. A sign of lack of O2! Really we should be taking these Sunday runs a bit easier. If you are ever near Munstead, look out for the converted water tower, which we ignored completely.
Perfect running weather, bit of sunshine to make things look nice, but cool enough not to dehydrate. We cracked a bit of pace on the flat, didn't dawdle to much at any point, and clocked about 1:50 running time.
No Sunday run next week, as I'm off to Kentish Town again for another day of Wang Hai Jun's tai chi.
Perfect running weather, bit of sunshine to make things look nice, but cool enough not to dehydrate. We cracked a bit of pace on the flat, didn't dawdle to much at any point, and clocked about 1:50 running time.
No Sunday run next week, as I'm off to Kentish Town again for another day of Wang Hai Jun's tai chi.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Intervals
We tried an interval session tonight. 6 x 2' along a nice quiet path on the Loseley estate. That warm weather we're having (that came across on a day trip from France – normal service tomorrow I expect) made things rather sweaty. Six was quite enough.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Finding the right level
The SOAS class was fun, but rather too simple I think. Looking at the textbooks confirms the view. I should be able to swap up to the (rather daunting looking) Intermediate class. Whether I do so depends on whether I want to re-inforce what I've already covered, or plough into new territory.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
New Course
Boo! My UCL Language Centre course didn't make the minimum number, so it ain't running.
But Hooray! I found another one at SOAS, just down the road from UCL, where they have loads of Chinese courses. I had a little assessment (conclusion: as predicted, I have forgotten the bloody lot) and we decided (lots of nice people at SOAS) that I should join the class "Beginner's Term 3" presently using Book 2 of Chinese in Steps ISBN 184570004-X.
SOAS ought to be among the top Chinese teaching departments in the country, and the facilities look good. By contrast UCL language centre is a bit too small for its own good, and certainly it's physically cramped.
Speaking of running, I shall probably bring my running-related posts here, across from drift:::words, and keep the latter focussed as a wider cultural journal. No I didn't run the London marathon this year. Done it enough times I think, and too busy.
But Hooray! I found another one at SOAS, just down the road from UCL, where they have loads of Chinese courses. I had a little assessment (conclusion: as predicted, I have forgotten the bloody lot) and we decided (lots of nice people at SOAS) that I should join the class "Beginner's Term 3" presently using Book 2 of Chinese in Steps ISBN 184570004-X.
SOAS ought to be among the top Chinese teaching departments in the country, and the facilities look good. By contrast UCL language centre is a bit too small for its own good, and certainly it's physically cramped.
Speaking of running, I shall probably bring my running-related posts here, across from drift:::words, and keep the latter focussed as a wider cultural journal. No I didn't run the London marathon this year. Done it enough times I think, and too busy.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Two more learners, maybe me makes three
Just telling you that I've added two more Chinese learner to my Bloglines (over there on the side, if you're actually reading this as a blog rather than as a feed), both of whom mentioned just now by the aforementioned Chris.
So, next week could be the resumption of formal lessons at UCL Language Centre. That's if enough other people sign up. Meanwhile, desperately nervous about having forgotten the whole bloody lot since I last went to class (I missed a few due to work pressure), I've relocated the reading texts and my stockpile of downloaded podcasts from Chinesepod. Today I had Jenny and Liv in one of the advanced lessons, in my ear whilst doing the first lawn-mowing of the year. No idea what they were on about, but hey, it fired the Mandarin-related synapses.
Everybody seems to be using different flashcard systems, now why is that? Genuinely different needs or just a stupid net-bubble Cambrian explosion? I've been using Flashcard Exchange where you can see me as user "matt whyndham". I like this one because of: web service, social-ness, use of tags.
So, next week could be the resumption of formal lessons at UCL Language Centre. That's if enough other people sign up. Meanwhile, desperately nervous about having forgotten the whole bloody lot since I last went to class (I missed a few due to work pressure), I've relocated the reading texts and my stockpile of downloaded podcasts from Chinesepod. Today I had Jenny and Liv in one of the advanced lessons, in my ear whilst doing the first lawn-mowing of the year. No idea what they were on about, but hey, it fired the Mandarin-related synapses.
Everybody seems to be using different flashcard systems, now why is that? Genuinely different needs or just a stupid net-bubble Cambrian explosion? I've been using Flashcard Exchange where you can see me as user "matt whyndham". I like this one because of: web service, social-ness, use of tags.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Hello Chris - Mandarin Student
Just a shout out to Chris who's in a similar position to me in learning Mandarin. 你好 Chris!
via the Chinesepod blog.
via the Chinesepod blog.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Tai Chi class assembling
Here's proof that I went along to Wang Hai Jun's class this Sunday. No great innovations to report, however, it was really great to stand and practice with this master. His style is at once fluid and powerful. Best thing he said? "AAAAAHHH!!" (A sound emphasising the development of power during silk-reeling and form).
Incidentally, because his English isn't great, I got a some Mandarin demonstration into the bargain. I could understand the odd word here and there, though nothing approaching a functional level.
Incidentally, because his English isn't great, I got a some Mandarin demonstration into the bargain. I could understand the odd word here and there, though nothing approaching a functional level.
Friday, March 31, 2006
YouTube, and going to Wang's
Do you remember ages ago I talked about doing taichi practice video? No? Well, I even dreamed in the bath about a site to store little clips, and share them with friends. Well here's one such site: You Tube. It's like Flickr for video, and it's not the only such site. Like most of these Flickr-copies, it's got tags, groups, friends as well as the basic media storage and viewing. Have a look! There's some Chinese form competition on there that's quite eye-opening. You mean that's Yang-style, jumping around on one leg like a insane thing??!
Calm down. I'm off to Wang Hai Jun's workshop in London this Sunday. I reckon we'll be going over Chen style short form.
Calm down. I'm off to Wang Hai Jun's workshop in London this Sunday. I reckon we'll be going over Chen style short form.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Slightly white water
If I'm just floating along, I don't see the need to bother the world.
On the other hand, if there's white water, I'll be too busy not drowning to give a commentary.
OK, here's a bit of moving stream, with a few bubbles and waves that you might like. As usual, it's about learning Chinese and Taichi.
Chinese class was a little bit frightening. I reckon if I had put in about 30 minutes of proper study a day, right from the beginning, I would be comfortable. The last couple of weeks have been 75% incomprehensible to me, and my effective speaking vocab has been a couple of words at a time. I know once shouldn't compare, but others in the class have been rattling away while I've been gripping the edge of the desk. Aaaagh!!
Let's do homework. A simple thing to start, after having spent most of an hour writing out han zi. Connect the front end and back ends of these five sentences. An hour and a half later ...
The problem is that if you fall behind on vocab, the grammar points are inaccessible. I'm hoping some of my vocab will come back from its Christmas holiday soon. I'm also looking for ways to inject confidence. A colleague is a year behind, in a totally different evening class, and bragging to her helped enormously!
Tai chi: last night we did the short Chen form at normal practice speed, then faster, then faster still, then a little bit faster! Great! Even though one doesn't put much effort into the form, you can feel the punches and pushes go SNAP SLAP BLAT by themselves! This was great heat-building entertainment and the rest of the session was challenging too. We encountered a series of new moves in the lao jia (Old Form) that normally would have taken us weeks.
So a bit of heavy work with the paddle against the tide, and some fast lazy riding the swift current. Incidentally, it's perhaps because I don't feel the need to bother the world that I float along, in some ways. That's a thought for tomorrow.
On the other hand, if there's white water, I'll be too busy not drowning to give a commentary.
OK, here's a bit of moving stream, with a few bubbles and waves that you might like. As usual, it's about learning Chinese and Taichi.
Chinese class was a little bit frightening. I reckon if I had put in about 30 minutes of proper study a day, right from the beginning, I would be comfortable. The last couple of weeks have been 75% incomprehensible to me, and my effective speaking vocab has been a couple of words at a time. I know once shouldn't compare, but others in the class have been rattling away while I've been gripping the edge of the desk. Aaaagh!!
Let's do homework. A simple thing to start, after having spent most of an hour writing out han zi. Connect the front end and back ends of these five sentences. An hour and a half later ...
The problem is that if you fall behind on vocab, the grammar points are inaccessible. I'm hoping some of my vocab will come back from its Christmas holiday soon. I'm also looking for ways to inject confidence. A colleague is a year behind, in a totally different evening class, and bragging to her helped enormously!
Tai chi: last night we did the short Chen form at normal practice speed, then faster, then faster still, then a little bit faster! Great! Even though one doesn't put much effort into the form, you can feel the punches and pushes go SNAP SLAP BLAT by themselves! This was great heat-building entertainment and the rest of the session was challenging too. We encountered a series of new moves in the lao jia (Old Form) that normally would have taken us weeks.
So a bit of heavy work with the paddle against the tide, and some fast lazy riding the swift current. Incidentally, it's perhaps because I don't feel the need to bother the world that I float along, in some ways. That's a thought for tomorrow.
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