Have it looked at

So I have been having problems with my right knee (or so I thought) going on for quite a while.  I had a small tear in my hamstring approx 2 years ago and after about three months it seemed to heal and then for the last year or so my right knee has been giving me grief.

I could walk, hike, ride a bike, x country ski and snowshoe.  But some times when going uphill I felt like the knee was going to give out.  When doing a horse stance is when I really noticed it, either half way down or up, it felt like I had no knee support.  

Now, me being me, of course I gave into the thought that it was just me getting older and I could still do most things so all in all I was good.  I know dumb but hey that's me.  This past week in class I felt something real bad and though, here it is again I am going to tear my hamstring again.  When I felt this I stopped class and gave it a rest.  The next day I scheduled a massage to see if that might help.  I should mention that the few weeks before this happened I was woken up about three nights with a charlie horse in my right calf.

Anyway, I went in and told the massage therapist my tail of woe and they started to work on both my legs.  The therapist said wow never seen anything like this ( at which point I am thinking that can't be good).  What they determined was  my left leg was normal and not too many messed up muscles, but in my right leg, the muscles were all tied up in knots.  After an hour and some intense pain, I felt nothing in my right leg, i.e. no pain and no tightness.  

After I left the office I felt strong and actually felt I had better balance.  Roll this forward after a week of heavy training at the kwoon and at home my knee and leg are back to their normal strength. I have no problems with the horse stance, I don't feel like my knee is going to give out after I walk up the stairs. 

Now I don't know if I am fixed but I sure am grateful that it appears to have been muscular and not the things that hold my knee together (yes I know muscles hold it together but I am talking about all the other stuff that if you break it, it is bad).  

I am not sure I have a lesson from this but maybe I should listen to my wife when she says go get someone to look at it.

Perpetual Optimism

I am reading a book my wife gave to me for Christmas and the forward was written by an individual I consider to be a true living Canadian hero. He wrote "Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier."

What an incredible thought.  As a coach and as a team player this saying rings true to me. In any aspect of my life when I am around optimism I know I personally do better and I see those around me do better.

One of my goals this year is to see if I can make people around me smile during the day. My goal is Perpetual Optimism.

Two places at once?

Is it possible to be in two places at once?

I have always though no it is not, but I have learned that it is possible for this to happen.  You see, it is very easy for your body to be some where and for your mind to be somewhere else.  In fact, it is very easy for your mind to be in another place and time either the future, present  or the past.

When your mind is somewhere your body is not you do a huge disservice to yourself and those around you.  Not only is your mind not engaged in the present with your body, but you are not participating with the people around you.  If you think hard enough about it, it is rather rude to others and to yourself.

Being present in mind and body will be more rewarding and will not tick off the people you are with.

Travelling

Had a very interesting January

Was not  able to make it to the Kwoon much but looking forward to getting back to full time training with classes.

I was able to make it down to Belize with my oldest son for some time in the Caribbean.  Not everyone knows this but I started Kung Fu with my older son to do something physical between hockey seasons.  After his first summer he didn't continue with Kung Fu but I liked what I was learning and kept on with training.

I would highly recommend travelling with your adult child.  It is a great experience as a father to see your son experience the world and a new country as an adult.  We were able to meet many people in our time there and had a great experience with the culture of Belize.  Belize is a poor country and you can see poverty most places but the people are incredibly friendly.  I became friends with a few of the locals and am already planning meeting with them on my next trip.

We were able to go scuba diving, which is a passion of his and of mine.  To experience the same sights under water and then to talk about them is something I will carry with me the rest of my life. Seeing sea turtles, sharks and barracuda's along with the incredible diversity of the corals on the barrier reef is breathtaking.

We haven't yet talked about travelling again but I know that we will go to some other place in the near future.

What I would tell a 20 year old jim

After chasing many things in my life I found that simplicity seems to make the most sense to me.  Live in the moment and enjoy what you are doing at that moment no matter what it is.  Try everyday to become a better than you were yesterday.  Don't spend time comparing yourself with others.  You only need to become a better you.

Spend more time in the mountains hiking.  Spend more time sitting around a fire with your family and friends. Work less and travel more.  Watch more tropical sunrises.


I think that is about it.

Oh and listen to what Ali says:

What to write about

Well what to write about.

I could write about the sunshine we had after Christmas and how the fields were an awesome white and the sky was an incredible color of blue.  Snowshoeing in the fields with no wind and only the winter birds chirping.  But I don't want to write about that.

I could write about having my family at home for a few days over the holidays and enjoying this time of year.  Having my boys play hockey and hang outside in the snow all the time beaking off at each other.  That is always cool to see.  But I don't want to write about that.

I could write about my up coming holiday and being able to go diving and fishing in the tropics.  A couple of my favorite things. But I don't want to write about that.

I could write about the relationships that I have in my life and how important they are too me.  Being able to be around the people I like and being able to help and empathize with some of the struggles they are having.  But I don't want to write about that.

I could write about all the things bouncing around in my head.  The thought both positive and negative and how both make me stronger mentally when I deal with them head on.  But I don't want to write about that.

I think I will just write about what a great future I see in front of me,

Solstice

I think I blog about this every year but I can't help myself.  I am a true Albertan.  I grew up in this amazing place and love being outside.  Love being in the mountains, on the lakes and on the prairies.

However and this is a big however, I really don't like the cold and dark much any more.  That is why Dec 21 is a great day in this cold dark winter.  It is the the day where our days begin to get longer again.  The promise of spring, warm weather and new growth.  The winter solstice.

Even in the cold spells of January and February I know the days are getting longer.  It makes it much more bearable.

Anyway enough complaining of the cold.  We maybe not because it is really cold today, but tomorrow?  We will see.