For Nothing and No Reason

Goodbye John

Gino888 — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 23:41:10 +0000

Okay, so this morning, John wouldn’t want us to keep moping, he’d want us to kick some ass. Mourn for the dead, but fight like hell for the living, to quote Mother Jones. Susan and the kids, need to make sure they’re okay, when’s the funeral/memorial service, are we setting up a fund for John’s work, etc. Someone let me know.

Updates continue to happen across the blogosphere. Apparently a vigil at UCLA happened tonight. Here’s another post from LA Observed, seems to confirm John’s death.

Received word this afternoon by way of mutual friends that my friend John Delloro passed away last night from what sounds to be a heart attack, not even 39. Not sure what even to say. John taught me a lot while we were at UCLA at the Asian American Studies MA program. He was my dearest friend there in those days, heady activist days during the Pete Wilson years, the Chuck Young administration. We had a lot of good times together. He was my teacher, my friend, my brother, so alive, seemingly unstoppable even after the heart attack five years ago. I thought we would have more time before this. He seemed to be doing well. His work has to continue. His influence, his energy, his determination should not be allowed to die. That’s all I can say right now. Awaiting further details.

Everything is 馬

Gino888 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:30:27 +0000

Recently I have been thinking maybe I should change the name of this blog to be “Everything is 馬”. Perhaps that is after all the fundamental truth about our art, about every art. It is easy to say that everything flows from stance. It is so everyday, so much a part of the martial artist’s daily routine, heard, repeated so often, that it is as if one had remarked that night follows day, a statement whose inherent truth is so evident, that the only curious thing about it is that one had bothered to mention it at all. But in subtleties lie great differences, and sometimes, there is a reason why these things are said to us so often that we take it for granted. Stance seems to be a poor translation since it implies staticness, posing, masking intentions, a lack of depth. Far from it. Ma bo, literally “horse-step,” is the squatting pose-exercise in which one mimics being seated on horseback. It is the most fundamental of all Chinese martial arts exercises, designed to strengthen the legs and back, in preparation for more advanced movement, such as blocking, moving, and punching. The “step” part implies action, movement. Yet this word must be reflected upon to capture the nuance of giving, then drawing energy from the earth, not being rooted in place, but like the act of stepping: giving, then borrowing energy from the earth as a kind of springboard. That is ma.

re: Mad Men Season 3, BSG the Plan, etc

Gino888 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:26:54 +0000

Really pretty surprised at how good MM has been over the last two seasons. This one has been a bit slow going but it’s just the first two episodes. On the other hand, v little interest in BSG The Plan. AFAIK all this has happened before, so to speak.

All our yesterdays

Gino888 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:18:28 +0000

It has been a while since I’ve been here. Mostly I look at my iPhone more often than I do my computer. I probably use FB more often than I do WP, and even then to say things of little importance, much like Twitter. It’s been a long time.

Today I make the same promises this year as I have in years past. I am looking into some health changes. Work is pretty steady and surprisingly very busy. It is a challenge working in an international company such as ours, with Germans and Indians across different time zones, but I find that the people I work with are all generally pretty nice. I think there’s a lot that a community of practice can do to bring the capacity of the organization up to par.

I’m making slow progress at kung fu, mostly because of work as usual, recent movements, and just general home things. I would like to put time into practicing. It seemed that in high school, I could take a few hours out of each day, maybe two, to practice horn, which paid off, then homework which often led up until 1 or 2 in the morning. I know there are busier people out there, one of whom manages a hedge fund and did a PhD in his “spare time”. Their secret is time management. Likewise, my aspirations are leading me to pursue multiple personal projects as well. Time to do this work must be defined and managed tightly.

I like playing forms

Gino888 — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:29:53 +0000

The thing I like about my art and have come to realize is that I am comfortable with playing forms. Of course that’s only a small part of learning a martial art: the form is nothing without the techniques that constitute the form. The other day I learned that what appeared to be a pulling technique is actually a deflection. You learn something new every day.

The beginning of spring

Gino888 — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:54:47 +0000

Was last week. In PA, it seemed to be summer already, people gathered three deep at the custard stand. So much greenery and so intense a green it startles the eye. Dandelions are in full bloom this week. Welcome, welcome, Spring. Goodbye Winter.

The first good day of the year

Gino888 — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:56:18 +0000

Typically I like to write about the Last Good Day of the Year, per the haunting Cousteau song. But there is no way to mark what surely is the first good day of the year, a beautiful if gusty day in the mid 60s. Like any typical Midwesterner knows, it can’t last.

Lent, Weak (sic) One

Gino888 — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:17:22 +0000

Seems rather silly to mark the milestone but we’ve nearly made it an entire week without meat and animal products. Of course, within US practice, we are taking a rather extreme view, as one can see here, meat is not allowed, but eggs, milk and condiments made of animal fat are allowed. In contrast we have struck these from our diet for Lent.

I know, I know. As a Catholic, I realize that the spirit of the season is sacrifice and reflection, but it seems we’ve mostly been reflecting upon labels. Are we playing games with foods that by rights should not be allowable, such as soy protein that is formed and flavored like meat? Soy cheeses? Even faux sour cream. Likewise, Friday I had sushi, quite a bit of it actually, and Saturday I had fish fry. It seems to me the consumption not of the item but the ability to consume what would ordinarily be perceived as a great indulgence would go against the spirit of the season. One really should live as if they were doing without during the Lenten season. Yet for a meat-centric culture such as the one we live in, it has already been quite an interesting exercise to give up meat for Lent. 33 days from Wednesday, we’ll see how we do.

Lots to catch up on

Gino888 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:12:21 +0000

Hard to believe a whole month has gone by but here we are. A lot has transpired:

German language acquisition proceeding apace. Some problems with pronouns and cases, as predicted due to declensions.

Went to Germany for business. Of course I have pix of food.

E. and I. are fasting for Lent! No meat and no dairy/animal products. But what about Friday fish fry? The batter or coating has egg in it? Hmmm.

Also work is very interesting, but that belongs on the other blog.

Shooting in San Gabriel

Gino888 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:23:07 +0000

Two dead, five injured, some critically at this hour, after gunmen opened fire at the Coffee House in that predominantly Asian American city near Los Angeles. Out of curiosity, looked up the Coffee House where the shooting occurred. Might it have been gang related?