I boarded the plane to Texas with mixed emotions. People in Seattle tend to talk about Texas in hushed tones, like an evil that they pushed into the corner of the US. People use "the south" as a synecdoche for racism, bigotry, and small-mindedness. I was scared. What I found in Texas though, was completely unexpected. I was welcomed whole-heartedly, treated with respect, and taught a lesson in grace. Turns out you can't really know someone (or someones) until you go meet them on their turf.
The days were filled with filming, training, dancing, giggling, and bananas. The nights were packed with more training, a gymnastic gym, great conversations, and more bananas. A few spectacular biffs were sprinkled in among graceful movements, and at the end of it all I got to vault to a cat hang on a bridge, and drop to a boat. No complaints there. :)
Parkour in a suit is a new experience for me. Never have I been so obsessive about tucking in my shirt, even now I find myself reaching around to tuck in tails that are no longer worn. Commitment to movement on the first go is also new for me. I've always wanted to be able to work like that, but haven't really done it. When the cameras are rolling though, some kind of intense zen washes over and blam, commitment. I hope I can get that to carry over into my everyday training.
So, it's interesting. I'm home now, and very contemplative. I made a little mistake
while filming , and consequently am working on a tender ankle. So instead of training full-force, I'm conditioning and doing a lot of thinking. Here's what I have so far: Pre-judgment is a waste of time, stereotypes are bullshit, sometimes those labeled "open-minded" are guilty of the opposite, and even at your best you can walk backwards into a cactus at any time.
