Answers

"Fluffy": Well, your terms certainly resolve what would have otherwise been my major source of ambivalence. (I mean, if the earth is going to be destroyed *anyway*...)

I think I would begin by pointing out the vastly amusing adaptability of the species, and its general ability to thrive under difficult circumstances... and fail to thrive under what you'd think would be good ones. As individuals the hairless apes may be fairly fragile, but collectively we're tough buggers.

I would point to the emerging communication networks. Because they're awfully close to my heart.

And I would take them on a tour of my favorite gardens. (As much for philosophical as aesthetic reasons.)

Hmm... Not much of an arguement, is it? I'd like to have said something humorous, but I was just coming up dry.

aladriana I'll probably be offerring them, but I don't know when. Probably late spring or early summer, but I don't know what my schedule is going to look like. I'm kind of thinking of keeping the Sunday morning time as a free open practice on a continuing basis once the current groups have learned the basics of the form, and there are a few possibilities for starting other classes out there, but it's all pretty tenuous. As for the other... it depends a bit on what you're looking for. I have tapes of most of the forms I do, most of which are not really instructional tapes (we might have an instructional DVD for the form I'm teaching, I really am not sure). There's a big market out there for instructional tapes... but I'm not very familiar with it. (Though I know there are even forms one can do sitting. Which seems a little odd to me, but might be useful.)

Another answer

40sw I don't really feel like I have enough information here. What I'd like to know is in what ways this was supposed to be "wrong". If we're talking general religious qualms... while personally I have a policy of not encouraging people to break silly religious taboos, neither can it be your job to help him keep them if he is not so inclined. As imalion might say "It's not your monkey." I find it to be a little creepy to be involved with someone who is acting against their stated values, myself, so I'd probably try to talk to him about them, and see if there's anything that can be done to help him find a resolution. (Or maybe this is a way for him to dramatize the whole sin and forgiveness bit?) You are both adults, and while there are innate complications because of the nature of the relationship, adults should be able to navigate these things. (Which of course also includes the option of saying "gee, maybe this is more than I want to deal with".) But are there other people who are in line to be hurt? That would having me taking a big step back...

YA Answer

pathdancer Probably. But is that really the right question? To do so is pretty basic to the human condition. I'd think "am I serving and protecting my own interests" or "am I getting my needs met" might be more to the point. In comparison, snickering just isn't that relevant.

Another answer...

seattlejo That's a kind of complicated question. If you'd asked about Taiji, it would have been simpler, because I just plain love Chen Taiji, and pretty much everything about it, and it makes me very happy. There are a lot of other reasons, but that first one dominates. For Wushu, it's a bit more involved.

I don't love Wushu the way I love Taiji. But, if on a somewhat more superficial level, I do enjoy it an awful lot. Whereas Taiji is something I want to do every day for the rest of my life, Wushu I like for things like the conditioning, the pleasure of pushing my body and finding out I can do things I've never been able to do before, the focus and hard work it requires, and the endorphin rush. Oh, and it's just plain cool. Wheee! Spinning slapping jump kicks!
( the long, and in parts less sane answer -- I do apologize for the length but this touches on some things I've been thinking a lot about )