::Click click:: Ow. ::Click:: Ow.

Did a big of drawing these last few days (which I plan on posting a piece or two tomorrow). Picked up V For Vendetta (which I love)yesterday but will go into that in the drawing post. Lest I deteriorate into a tirade about my illustration shortcomings. Street Fighter 2 Hyper Fighting came out on XBox Live today. Solid last few days.

Before I get into the meat of why I wrote this post I have to mention that I have trained in Chinese martial arts and others, though I don't like discussing it with other people. I've never really been approached about the subject as I think a lot of people would feel they would be lumping me into a stereotypical view that I knew martial arts, but in my case-- it wouldn't be terribly misplaced. I remember during a golf class, I was carrying a bucket full of golf balls and a trio of gentlemen had hit their last ball on the Driving Range. One of them had turned to look at me and poorly whispered to his friend "Hey, ask him if we can have some of his balls." Which was immediately replied with "Nah man, he'll Tiger Claw our ass."

I'm hunched over, typing on the keyboard in a very uncomfortable fashion. I've resumed a more strict martial arts training regiment recently, and my body is completely stiff and unresponsive. The only sensation that I have really dealt with today is aches that shoot up when any of my body part moves. Since it usually takes me quite some time to create a blog (as my mind enjoys wandering)-- the hunched position I'm currently in, which I've decided to name the 'Constipated Chimpanzee Stance', offers me relief from the pain at the expense of practicality and comfort. I would like to say that the cause of this would be me being more health conscious, but it's entirely untrue. It's due to one of my oldest friends, Austin.

Now I have to tell you a bit about Austin, to understand why training is so important. Austin is the concept of energetic and enthusiasm in human form. He does nothing with minimal effort. He has a spring to his step and motion in his body. When Austin is in a ticket, concession, or any variants of lines- we're you not aware of why everyone was standing in line for, you would think that an entire Congo line had started and stopped, leaving only Austin to keep the spirit of the dance alive. I know quite a few people who talk with their hands, gestures helping them emphasize the words that pass from their lips. Austin doesn't speak with his hands, he speaks with his body. Arms and legs lead his body in conversation, and even rotations of the knee help clarify an inflection. The conversations themselves provide their own entertainment, as Austin doesn't have conversations to help reach a point-- the point is the conversation. He genuinely enjoys talking to people and I have seen even the most unusually timid person open up to him. Even the most passive wallflower of our school would joyously open up to Austin as he would find something to talk about with everyone.

Simply put, Austin is inexhaustible physically and a force of nature socially.

Austin takes a very different cue when it comes to discussing his training. While I don't mean he is ego drive (far from it), he is simply very vocal about his training. Austin's energy allows him to be very analytical about fighting. If anyone was involved in a fight, either trained or untrained, Austin was there with questions and comments. He would ask for demonstrations or small recreations of the events. Austin was a veracious reader when it came to the subject, he had tapes on different schools, he went to different classes, browsed endlessly on the web, in short-- he was insatiable in learning about various styles, techniques, and methodology. There also isn't a city that I'm aware of that Austin has been in, that he hasn't sparred at LEAST one person with.

Now that we've been in contact much more recently, I'm aware of how his training as adjusted and make sure I remain competitive.

"Now, we will see who's Kung Fu is stronger!"