STOMP
WARNING::This post contains lots of rambling and is filled with my opinions (but not condemnations). Enjoy responsibly ;)
Well, I saw Stomp, and it was pretty cool. They used some things that you'd never think to use in a song. Just goes to show that it can pay to think in different ways. Anyway, the Fisher building is gorgeous inside...I wish I had my camera with me!(how Asian of me, right Rob?) More than that I wish I had someone to take to events like this. Not that I'm roaring to go see an opera (not that I'd mind, per se), but it'd be nice to have an elegant night out on the town. The last time I went to something like this was Swan Lake for my ballet class in college. Let me tell you, having some knowledge of dance and what it takes makes you appreciate what they do a lot more. Speaking of dancing...anyone ever watch the current season of Dancing with the Stars? Stacy Keibler is HOT! Looks-wise she is attractive, but what pushes her to hot status in my mind is her talent, grace, and work ethic. Plus, she seems pretty down to earth. There's just something irresistible about a gal who isn't afraid to be goofy. It may be enough for some people if a woman dresses provocatively and is a sex object, but if she isn't more than that then it means nothing to me. Let's face it, looks will go away. Sure, some people consider a few sixty year olds sexy but who is hot at eighty or ninety? I ask myself how long we'd get along together, how well we'd interact. My idea of an ideal relationship is one of equality. That doesn't mean everything is split 50/50 or that both people are exactly the same. I want to feel that I can play on an equal footing with her, that I can pull out all the stops and that she will match me and maybe even beat me. Why? It comes down to being myself, and not having to distill me so that I won't hurt her feelings and vice versa. Both of us can be ourselves and be totally comfortable with it. Of course that first entails each of us being comfortable with ourselves...and I'm not quite there yet. But, it's a process, and I'm getting there. I'm a strong believer that neither sex is superior or inferior. Think of the Yin Yang symbol. Both complement each other, and neither is lesser or greater than the other. However, it's important to keep in mind our differences. I think a man should be a man, but the popular definition of a man is a harsh caricature in my opinion. The whole notion that men are not supposed to show their emotion is ridiculous. It can take a lot of courage and strength to be open and show your "weakness" to someone else. To hide it away seems like a cowardly way out to me. Not that I'm saying men should just start bawling their eyes out to anyone and everyone...that's just being a cry baby. Society at large, as well as our own social groups largely dictate our image of the ideal man or woman. Take the responsibility to think for yourself, what do you value? Why do you value it? Do you embody what you value? You more than likely will not hold the same ideals as mine, but having thought about it makes a big difference in my book. Blindly following something can be good sometimes, but how much stronger is the faith or belief if you come back to it after thinking about it and realize that you really believe in it instead of believing by default? I used to joke about one of my friends having an auto-pilot that took control of him when he drove. Recently I realized that I had my own auto-pilot, that I wasn't really living my life. Not that I hadn't thought it before, but it struck home finally. I was making the motions of life, and my mood reflected that emptiness. Opening my eyes to see what I passed by everyday, I saw some wonderful things. Take time to smell the roses, right? I think it's a human thing to want to change and grow, which is why it can be so unfulfilling to do the same job day in and day out. We feel like that toy robot that tries a new direction when it hits something, except we're trapped in a box (perhaps a cubicle?) We just bounce around in the same small little space. Growth means breaking out of that space. So we break out, and everyone seems good for awhile...until we find ourselves back in that box. And isn't it smaller than it was before? That's the nature of progress. It's rare to have steady linear growth. We take a step forward, two steps back, stay still, take five steps forward, three back, etc. Even in the relatively short amount of time that I've been teaching this has become very clear to me. Another thing that is clear but that I have as of yet to incorporate into the rest of my life is that sometimes people do not have the capability to do what you would like them to do. When people first start learning Tai Chi, they're usually very stiff. As much as I may want them to relax and drop their shoulders and sink their elbows, they just can't yet. They're not ready for it, and if they forced it they might hurt themselves. That's like annoying John Doe who constantly does XYZ. Sure, it's annoying but maybe that's all Mr. Doe can do, it's all he is capable of. Keeping that in mind might lead to more understanding and compassion. This post has reached its rambling quotient, so I will leave it alone...but fear not, for I will ramble on again in the future!
Well, I saw Stomp, and it was pretty cool. They used some things that you'd never think to use in a song. Just goes to show that it can pay to think in different ways. Anyway, the Fisher building is gorgeous inside...I wish I had my camera with me!(how Asian of me, right Rob?) More than that I wish I had someone to take to events like this. Not that I'm roaring to go see an opera (not that I'd mind, per se), but it'd be nice to have an elegant night out on the town. The last time I went to something like this was Swan Lake for my ballet class in college. Let me tell you, having some knowledge of dance and what it takes makes you appreciate what they do a lot more. Speaking of dancing...anyone ever watch the current season of Dancing with the Stars? Stacy Keibler is HOT! Looks-wise she is attractive, but what pushes her to hot status in my mind is her talent, grace, and work ethic. Plus, she seems pretty down to earth. There's just something irresistible about a gal who isn't afraid to be goofy. It may be enough for some people if a woman dresses provocatively and is a sex object, but if she isn't more than that then it means nothing to me. Let's face it, looks will go away. Sure, some people consider a few sixty year olds sexy but who is hot at eighty or ninety? I ask myself how long we'd get along together, how well we'd interact. My idea of an ideal relationship is one of equality. That doesn't mean everything is split 50/50 or that both people are exactly the same. I want to feel that I can play on an equal footing with her, that I can pull out all the stops and that she will match me and maybe even beat me. Why? It comes down to being myself, and not having to distill me so that I won't hurt her feelings and vice versa. Both of us can be ourselves and be totally comfortable with it. Of course that first entails each of us being comfortable with ourselves...and I'm not quite there yet. But, it's a process, and I'm getting there. I'm a strong believer that neither sex is superior or inferior. Think of the Yin Yang symbol. Both complement each other, and neither is lesser or greater than the other. However, it's important to keep in mind our differences. I think a man should be a man, but the popular definition of a man is a harsh caricature in my opinion. The whole notion that men are not supposed to show their emotion is ridiculous. It can take a lot of courage and strength to be open and show your "weakness" to someone else. To hide it away seems like a cowardly way out to me. Not that I'm saying men should just start bawling their eyes out to anyone and everyone...that's just being a cry baby. Society at large, as well as our own social groups largely dictate our image of the ideal man or woman. Take the responsibility to think for yourself, what do you value? Why do you value it? Do you embody what you value? You more than likely will not hold the same ideals as mine, but having thought about it makes a big difference in my book. Blindly following something can be good sometimes, but how much stronger is the faith or belief if you come back to it after thinking about it and realize that you really believe in it instead of believing by default? I used to joke about one of my friends having an auto-pilot that took control of him when he drove. Recently I realized that I had my own auto-pilot, that I wasn't really living my life. Not that I hadn't thought it before, but it struck home finally. I was making the motions of life, and my mood reflected that emptiness. Opening my eyes to see what I passed by everyday, I saw some wonderful things. Take time to smell the roses, right? I think it's a human thing to want to change and grow, which is why it can be so unfulfilling to do the same job day in and day out. We feel like that toy robot that tries a new direction when it hits something, except we're trapped in a box (perhaps a cubicle?) We just bounce around in the same small little space. Growth means breaking out of that space. So we break out, and everyone seems good for awhile...until we find ourselves back in that box. And isn't it smaller than it was before? That's the nature of progress. It's rare to have steady linear growth. We take a step forward, two steps back, stay still, take five steps forward, three back, etc. Even in the relatively short amount of time that I've been teaching this has become very clear to me. Another thing that is clear but that I have as of yet to incorporate into the rest of my life is that sometimes people do not have the capability to do what you would like them to do. When people first start learning Tai Chi, they're usually very stiff. As much as I may want them to relax and drop their shoulders and sink their elbows, they just can't yet. They're not ready for it, and if they forced it they might hurt themselves. That's like annoying John Doe who constantly does XYZ. Sure, it's annoying but maybe that's all Mr. Doe can do, it's all he is capable of. Keeping that in mind might lead to more understanding and compassion. This post has reached its rambling quotient, so I will leave it alone...but fear not, for I will ramble on again in the future!