today i heard a violin from some second story window, today i heard a singer forgetting her lines

Support for the arts is an issue that gets a lot of talk. Last election in Canada there was a huge uproar over it, people demanding the government not cut funding to certain art programs. But I'm not here to talk (boring) politics.

I suppose large chunks of money are important when you want a huge symphony hall, but I don't think art needs support. Art, by nature, survives. When you're playing a basement or your paintings are hanging on the wall of a coffee shop (or your own wall, for that matter), that's thriving if you're doing what you love no matter the circumstances. Through that struggle, art becomes even more meaningful, maybe the only thing that gets a person through a 9-5 wage slave day.

Now what about our art? We often complain about something like support, about the world aligning to suit our training needs or skipping a day because we're sore. But that sort of support is fleeting at best. We will always have lives and bodies that get in the way of our training, but by setting our priorities properly, making the martial arts important enough for a struggle--well it becomes the most meaningful thing in the world.

the city of lights breeds good thoughts.

i kept saying that this place is beautiful in the summer, but that was only because i knew it would die

I'm at a desk in a tiny, amazing parisian apartment. We got a lucky hook up for the place which ended up being cheaper than a hostel if we stayed long enough. Why wouldn't I want six days in Paris.

I can't see the Eifel Tower from the window, which is kind of nice. My view of Paris isn't iconic, but the street below (3 sex shops and all) still has that charm that only this city has. The kitchen is a microwave and a hot plate on top of a mini fridge but I would still live here without a second thought.

My shoulder's been acting up so I've fallen behind two days on pushups. That's ok, making them up is never a chore. I'm at the point where most of my daily requirements are no longer a concious desicion--I just do them as naturally as eating breakfast. Only when something goes wrong do I have do adjust and work things around it. It's a pretty fantastic feeling, plus it allows me to devote more energy to my practicing, knowing that my meditation, pushups/situps, running and the like more or less take care of themselves by virtue of routine.

One thing I'm regretting is that I didn't include enough projects--it's mostly stuff that extends the entire UBBt. My rationale was that moving to China is sort of putting that end of my life on hold, but these two extra months means that I could at least add a couple of things to my requirements.

Anyways, I'm in Paris! Woooooooooo!

the captain kept calling us landlubbers, but i had been born on the sea

Today's backdrop for practicing was the rolling hills of Sweden. I felt like I should've been battling vikings or something.

Making up for last week, couldn't get any reliable internet in Amsterdam this weekend. That city was a real blast, bikes outnumber cars about 5 to 1 so we rented some and had a relaxing afternoon riding around. Instead of carparks they have a few multi level lots where you can just lock up your bike, in addition to the thousands that are locked up along the sides of the streets.

In Berlin we went to a jazz club in the basement of an alley and in Prague an old style pool hall which was just behind an unmarked door. Dig a little in some cities and the results are wild.

I'm beginning to recognize what the real value of the UBBT is for me. I've decided that my nomadic tendencies should be encouraged, so I'll probably end up doing a lot of extending travelling after my master's degree. Couch surfing, working odd jobs, all that fun stuff. Even if I have a real address, after China it won't be in the same city as Silent River and there's no way I'm leaving that behind. But the focus the UBBT brings to my training allows me to monitor and challenge my progress. I'm now learning the finer points of teaching myself through the test, especially as it gives me a common ground with those back at Silent River, so we can be training together half a world apart.

actung! landmine!

In Vienna now.

Tai Chi in Crotia was fun, though on rocky, uneven coastal ground which made things awkward.

I paid 3 euros for standing seats to the opera. Impressive building, that's for sure. I stood for two hours (which was just the first act) listening to Wagner played by probably some of the best musicians in Europe. My interest in classical music has waned a bit over the past few years but this still blew me away.

Yesterday we saw that new Wolverine movie. It was weird and interesting to directly experiance globalization like that. Also what's been fun is trying to figure out the posters for Austria's upcoming election. This country's recent political history is pretty sketchy, with parties in control which have a facist whiff to them.

There is a lot of graffiti here speaking out against racism, which is sweet. I'm a huge fan of graffiti, though only the more artistic or political ones. Eastern Europe has been very exciting for that, especially here and Croatia. Trying to be a sharper observer of the cultures than I was last time has really made me think even more than usual about hierarchies and capitalism. It's nice to see such vocal resistance here.

Northbound next.

looooblyaaannna

I'm in Slovenia right now, using some free wifi on my friend's tiny laptop. I'll repeat the important part: Slovenia.

(woooooooooo)

Just ambling around for the next month, taking in Europe. We rented bikes in Paris and weaved around traffic, then got ripped off by Switzerland in general. Having a general blast. Also, been mainly subsisting on bread and cheese but managed to eat some tasty Slovianian pizza for lunch.

Having some trouble keeping with my UBBT requirments here, mostly because of my mobility. I'm doing pushups and situps all over this continent, though. I need to learn how to practice while on the move, since I have a real nomadic streak in me. We're renting a super cheap apartment in Croatia, so I'm going to do some tai chi on the mediterranean coast.