Decisions, decisions...

[Flying Crane]

OK, the situation as it has unfolded thus far...

I told my wife about this possibility immediately upon returning home, and that is when she told me about the possibility of going to Kuai. So we both know the options, and we've been discussing it almost non-stop all weekend, to reconcile the finances and time off from work and whatnot. I got into work today, and I have approval to be away for both events, so that opens up the door. Financially, I think we can handle both, altho it will be expensive, but for the experiences it will be worth it, and we are in agreement about that.

She would like to go to China with us, she may but she may not. A few months ago she chopped up her finger in a table saw and had surgery to put it back together (it wasn't severed, rather it was cut lengthwise along the top of the distal knuckle with a dado blade, so it basically turned the last two segments of her finger into hamburgerized bone fragments.) The healing isn't coming along quite so well as we hoped, and she definitely needs another surgery to either put in a bone graft and a metal plate for reinforcing, which will take a fair bit of time to heal, or else just amputate the last segment and a half of the finger and be done with it, and it will probably heal more quickly. She is getting in touch with her surgeon to try and make a final decision and get moving on this. Either way, this may put her into a position where traveling to China just isn't a good idea. Nothing like getting on an airplane and slinging around backpacks and luggage with pins sticking out of your finger and taking heavy pain medication. In which case she will not go.

At any rate, she is very supportive of me going, and I am trying to look at any reasonable accomodations to enable her to come along, but it may not be in the cards this time, mainly due to her surgery issues and the fact that her finger has not progressed as well as was hoped.

So we still have Kuai at any rate, but depending on the surgery, if her finger is not well healed yet, that may also not be a good idea yet. So we can always do that another time as well.

So, I am certainly considering all the angles of this, including what is best and most fair for my wife (who is also a martial artist by the way, having studied Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido in high school, then many years of capoeira [where we met], and now she trains kenpo along with me). In my opinion, that needs to take priority over what my sifu would like me to do, and he is a very reasonable person and understands that as well. He invited me to go and do this. He did not and would not try to order me to do this, and if I were to decide that I just cannot do it for whatever reason, he would certainly respect that decision.

I've got to make a final decision about China by tonight, or tomorrow at the very very latest. I think I'm probably going...

 

[Kacey]

FC - thanks for the update! What you've worked out so far sounds great, and I hope it all works out for you and your wife - and that her surgery, whichever way she chooses to go, goes well too.

 

[Deaf Smith]

all day we've been discussing the possibilities, and she is very supportive. Things are looking pretty positive.

There you go! You married the right one!

Deaf

 

[Xue Sheng]

Now you see this would be easy for me, my wife's from China and hates swimming

You are going about this in the right way let us know what you decide

 

[kidswarrior]

The trip(s): Great news (so far). Your wife's finger: Ugh. Sorry to hear it. Hope she can at least get a resolution on the final procedure soon, so the ultimate healing can begin.

Oh, and your sifu: Most reasonable, in comparison to the ones I've studied with.

 

[shesulsa]

You do have a good woman. While she is a treasure, it is also a treasure to have someone willing to send you on to do what makes you the person she married. It takes sacrifice and faith that you two are in the perfect emotional place to do this.

Very sorry to hear about the finger. My MIL lost two fingers to a circular saw last year - only the best wishes for your wife and her choices.

Been reading you for a while now, FC. Whatever you do, I'm sure it will be the right thing for you.

:asian:

 

[terryl965]

Fc first and foremost sorry about the wife accident, glad she is recovering nicely though. Now on to your trips, it is nice to see to adults support each other so well and I know you will make the best possible decission for the entire family. If you go please take all the pics. you can for poor people not going. Best of luck.

 

[Kwanjang]

What does your heart tell you? :mst:

 

[Dark Gift Concepts]

I think it is a great opportunity you have and should find a way to do it and also either please her or postpone it for a later time and make it up to her in a bigger way. The opportunity you have is valuable and I hope all your plans work out to the best.

 

[Flying Crane]

You do have a good woman. While she is a treasure, it is also a treasure to have someone willing to send you on to do what makes you the person she married. It takes sacrifice and faith that you two are in the perfect emotional place to do this.

:asian:

I am very fortunate, and I know it.

 

[Flying Crane]

Well, I'm going.

My wife, unfortunately, is not. The situation with her finger is just too uncertain right now and the cost of the trip is too high to make the committment when she probably needs another surgery prior to the trip and we don't know what kind of shape she will be in by then. It just became very evident in the last couple of days that the healing is not coming along so well, and that threw in the monkey wrench. So I am going with her blessings.

Hopefully she will be better by the time the Kuai trip rolls around, but we may need to hold that off as well, depending on the final outcome of her surgery.

We try to take at least one good scuba trip each year to somewhere fun, like Hawaii or Belize or Baja California or something. We will certainly get another one in when she is in a better position to enjoy it.

And depending on how my trip to China goes, we will find another time to go back when we can enjoy being there and not have a big tournament obligation.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I hope all goes well with your wife and that the next surgery is the last she will need and all will heal well.

There are a lot of things to see at Wudang and a lot of CMA, mostly Taoist, as well and from the pictures I have seen it is a beautiful place. I have never been there but I plan on going someday.

It is in Hebei so the language should be Mandarin although the majority of people in China these days speak Mandarin.

If I can help in anyway or if you have any questions just PM me and I will see if I can be of any assistance (In other words, I'll ask my wife ). I have no relatives near Wudang however... or as far as I know I don't.

 

[Jenna]

Well, I'm going.

My wife, unfortunately, is not. The situation with her finger is just too uncertain right now and the cost of the trip is too high to make the committment when she probably needs another surgery prior to the trip and we don't know what kind of shape she will be in by then. It just became very evident in the last couple of days that the healing is not coming along so well, and that threw in the monkey wrench. So I am going with her blessings.

Hopefully she will be better by the time the Kuai trip rolls around, but we may need to hold that off as well, depending on the final outcome of her surgery.

We try to take at least one good scuba trip each year to somewhere fun, like Hawaii or Belize or Baja California or something. We will certainly get another one in when she is in a better position to enjoy it.

And depending on how my trip to China goes, we will find another time to go back when we can enjoy being there and not have a big tournament obligation.

Hey Good luck Michael Glad to hear you managed to reach a decision!! And far as I know they even have phones in China too?? So I guess you guys will not be too far separated really.. and oooh you can have fun when you get back And yeah, do not kid yourself.. your good lady will heal up SO much quicker for not having to clean up after you all day! And we want plenty of China photos too, right??
Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

 

[Flying Crane]

Hey Good luck Michael Glad to hear you managed to reach a decision!! And far as I know they even have phones in China too?? So I guess you guys will not be too far separated really.. and oooh you can have fun when you get back And yeah, do not kid yourself.. your good lady will heal up SO much quicker for not having to clean up after you all day! And we want plenty of China photos too, right??
Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

Thanks dude,

unfortunately, you are talking to the one guy in the world who never takes pictures of anything. ever.

I'll try and make a point of getting some photos to share with everyone here, maybe I can even video parts of the competition (our little digital camera has a video component). I'll have to staple a post-it to my forehead to remind me...

Oh yeah, and I do most of the housework, to be honest...

 

[KELLYG]

It's awesome that your sifu thinks so highly of your skill. What a huge compliment and a once in a life time opportunity. Your wife probably understands your passion about your art and that it is a big part of who you are. But you will owe her big time!!!. I hope her injury heals well and quickly. Have fun!!

 

[Flying Crane]

I hope all goes well with your wife and that the next surgery is the last she will need and all will heal well.

There are a lot of things to see at Wudang and a lot of CMA, mostly Taoist, as well and from the pictures I have seen it is a beautiful place. I have never been there but I plan on going someday.

It is in Hebei so the language should be Mandarin although the majority of people in China these days speak Mandarin.

If I can help in anyway or if you have any questions just PM me and I will see if I can be of any assistance (In other words, I'll ask my wife ). I have no relatives near Wudang however... or as far as I know I don't.

I appreciate it Tim, you're my local China expert so if something comes to mind, I'll ask!

 

[jks9199]

I know it's early -- but I'll forget. So good luck & have a great trip!

 

[Flying Crane]

well, now the hunt is on for a serviceable broadsword worthy of competition. I refuse to use a tinfoil modern wushu toy, even for competition. I just won't do it. But to have any decent chance with it, I need something lighter than the 3 1/2 pound monster that I usually train with.

I'll be visiting a local supplier over the weekend to see what he has. He sells two models made by Paul Chen/Hanwei, as well as has a model made to his own specifications in a place in China. All of these have real blades, but they seem to weigh maybe half what my trusty meat cleaver does. That ought to speed up my performance a bit.

 

[Xue Sheng]

well, now the hunt is on for a serviceable broadsword worthy of competition. I refuse to use a tinfoil modern wushu toy, even for competition. I just won't do it. But to have any decent chance with it, I need something lighter than the 3 1/2 pound monster that I usually train with.

I'll be visiting a local supplier over the weekend to see what he has. He sells two models made by Paul Chen/Hanwei, as well as has a model made to his own specifications in a place in China. All of these have real blades, but they seem to weigh maybe half what my trusty meat cleaver does. That ought to speed up my performance a bit.

Make sure you can get it into the country and past customs

 

[Flying Crane]

Make sure you can get it into the country and past customs

well, sifu says it's no problem travelling with them. He goes to Beijing a couple times a year to see his sifu, and he's always dragging weapons back and fourth. So I'm taking his word for it.

Of course I'll need to check the luggage, no carry-ons for this little toy...