Friday, April 22, 2011

Hanna and Eskrima

Watch it. Do it.

Eskrima (also known as Arnis and Kali, also spelled as "Escrima") is a weapons based martial art which comes from the Philippines. It is the national sport of the Philippines, and has a very long history of combat effectiveness. Only recently has this art become more conspicuous in many countries and enjoyed the popularity of other more traditional Asian arts. Its difference from other martial arts is that the student is taught to train with weapons from the very start, rather than starting on empty hands training (like many martial arts do). This type of training builds manual dexterity in the practitioner and also trains faster conditioned responses to various attacks. Although it is weapons based, it also includes striking (kicking and punching), wrestling and grappling, and even groundfighting, as well as teaching practical defenses against most weapons. In the Philippines it is referred to as Arnis in the northern islands (Luzon), is known as Eskrima in the central islands (Visayas), and is known as Kali in the southern islands (Mindanao).

Source: black-eagle.org

In Hanna, Eskrima was one of the techniques little miss Jason Bourne was playing with in the first few minutes of film.

There is an Eskrima school near me (also sometimes referred to as Kali or Arnis).

Thursday, April 21, 2011

The Mother’s Prayer for Her Daughter (Tina Fey, Bossypants 2011)

A colleague sent this my way and I thought... HA. Too funny and hits close to home, so it's blogworthy for me. Some edits done to make it more Toronto-esque.

Thank you Tina Fey!



First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the Leafs logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half. And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her,
When crossing Yonge street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting, Singing, being in a band, but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes,
And not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, dammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barney for much too long, For childhood is short - a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day - And adulthood is long, and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers,

And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a b**** in front of her girls, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into my car in front of her friends, For I will not have that, b****. 
I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Stop Working Now, says Derek Foster


The other day I went to the mall to get KFC because I worked late yet again and was in need of chicken for dinner.

They had a waiting period (10 minutes-ish) so I went to Coles. I hit the Business section, then Travel section. The Travel selections in that particular mall really sucked. So I moved on to the Business section, and this booked was literally right in my face.

I figured... I want to "Stop Working Now" too! I have been saying this for YEARS.

Paid for the book, picked up the chicken, went home and had dinner, finished the book at 11:30 PM same night, updated my investments based on the recommendations from the book by 12:30 AM, then went to bed.

It's a good book. One of those "wow I learned something new from this book" book.

Pick up a copy. But don't be obsessive and finish it on same day as you bought it (like I did). I'm a bit of a weirdo.