The Empirical Manifesto

The mornings were cool in Wichita, and calm too. The wind died down sometime overnight and didn't start up again until later in the day. Because I passed out every-other-night, those mornings I was the first one up and would take my second cup of coffee out to the large carport and stretch before bringing myself to attention with a whispered command: Charyot [sogi], attention stance. Just like my days in the Air Force out on the tarmac during morning formation. Since the time change, it was just dawn out on these mornings out on the porch, and the coffee aided in warming the body as did the exertion of the stretching routine.

I placed myself in ready stance with another whispered command, then went through my forms. The sun rose and glinted off the dew covering the acreage as nearby construction workers started up their heavy machinery and began their day as early as I had. I worked on my breathing, placement of my feet, the transitions between the movements and as I worked I realized it was a picture-perfect setting for a montage.

An elevated camera swirling around the guy on the mountaintop training as he prepares for the next scene where he emerges, ready to face his challenge.

I had but one obstacle in my way - lack of a sweeping score to accompany me.

Introducing my forms soundtrack. Eleven highly truncated selections woven together for a quick workout. I also made a 14-minute version, and then a merged 26-minute version, but neither of them turned out as seamless as this one. So I just put it on repeat :P

Enjoy.