What is going on with all these tales? 10 Unchanging.

[Lavalamp]

My son says in his english class, a classmate was giving a boring presentation so the teacher stopped the kid, then asked him how he, my son would give such a presentation more emphasis.
So he said he would demonstrate, and took the garbage bag out of the trash can and set it aside, then dropped the trash can in the middle of the floor. And proceeded to gesture wildly in the air in a Shakespearean manner, as he loudly narrated an approximation of a Caveman's Daily Journal entry (the assignment), while dragging the trash can around in circles on one foot. A Teacher passing by did a double take and had to come back to watch, he said.
We had read that the screenplay writer for Dead Poets Society had had a real life Professor that sometimes gave lectures standing on the table - and standing in a trash can. So he says he had been waiting for the opportunity to have "A Trash Can Day."
Last year having overcome his physical disability with Tai Chi, his natural athleticism came out - and he bested several bullies he told me, quite confessionally, with his new - subtle - skills. We watched every movie on martial arts that was decent last year, everything with Donnie Yen in it, and he bought Lao Tsu himself to study. His Sifu was surprised he already knew about the Yi.
Now this year he has added the discipline of comedy. One kid who insulted his mama by name, called him a racial slur and a cripple and got physical with him last year - that he took out in 4 moves - now sits next to him in class and is his friend. He has journal for the jokes he writes, watches videos about comedians and studies comedy every day. Jerry Seinfeld says you either kill as a comedian or they kill you! He is a disciple of humor now too.
Now I have never had doubts about his veracity - I trust him completely. Much of his adventures outside the home were told to me almost confessionally - he didn't want anyone to know. Yet all these tales are amazing to me for a 13 year old - for any teenager actually!
So I thought out of parental duty I really should ask the Yi - what the heck is going on with this kid!
I got Hex 10 unchanging. Proper conduct. Cautious Treading, Proceeding Cautiously, Watch Your Step, Proceed at Your Own Risk.
He is treading on the tail of the tiger. He is getting away with what he can. He is pushing boundaries, but Confucius says "He occupies the God-given position, and falls into no distress or failure -- his action will be brilliant."
Sounds like a real picture of the kid's life. What do you think?

- LL

 

[Trojina]

I think the question is do you have any concerns about him ?

You don't say so directly and yet I detect a faint undercurrent of concern here as if you aren't 100% sure of him. I guess the 10uc would fit that for you.

But who can be sure, any 13 year old is growing into a brand new person you don't necessarily know. As Kahlil Gibran wrote our children come through us they are not from us.


The thread title is about 'tales' hmm very fitting for hexagram 10 treading the tiger's tail !



I am a little bit confused by your post since I detect both pride in him, fear for him and uncertainty to do with knowing who he is.


I'm also confused by this

My son says in his english class, a classmate was giving a boring presentation so the teacher stopped the kid, then asked him how he, my son would give such a presentation more emphasis.

That was very unkind and unprofessional of the teacher surely ? If a child is giving a presentation the teacher ought not to show him up by stopping him and making another child do it. That's like the teacher is saying 'huh look he can do it better than you'. Are you sure this is true ? teachers ought not to compare one child to another in order to shame them.

So he said he would demonstrate, and took the garbage bag out of the trash can and set it aside, then dropped the trash can in the middle of the floor. And proceeded to gesture wildly in the air in a Shakespearean manner, as he loudly narrated an approximation of a Caveman's Daily Journal entry (the assignment), while dragging the trash can around in circles on one foot. A Teacher passing by did a double take and had to come back to watch, he said

did the teacher want to do a drama class or an English class and why would he reward an extrovert boy over one who was a more restrained.


Again do you think this is true or a story to impress you ?

So I thought out of parental duty I really should ask the Yi - what the heck is going on with this kid!
I got Hex 10 unchanging. Proper conduct. Cautious Treading, Proceeding Cautiously, Watch Your Step, Proceed at Your Own Risk.

So you asked what is going on with this kid but in what sense did you mean ? I see 10 very strongly in your post even though you asked about him, I just sense you are full of caution about him whilst at the same time celebrating his success.


I guess my sense of this is that you might need to pinpoint exactly what your fear or concern is for the boy and then go from there.

10uc certainly calls for caution so what is the Tiger here that one of you treads the tail of ? If he is making up tales then what ?

 

[Lavalamp]

I don't think he's making things up, but one should verify for the sake of being responsible I think. I will talk to his teachers. I do believe him, and he's talented.
His life so far reads like a novel. My real worry sometimes is that he is too bright a light, and that something wicked will notice that and come hunting him.
In a year he is more advanced in Tai Chi than people studying for many years. (I know his Sifu.) He used to limp and be bullied, they called him "the cripple." Now he walks like a panther, and can with an open hand push someone back 5 feet from 4 inches. He's done this to me. Taken out attackers. Been invited to box in a gym , and beat the kid who had been training there. The Wrestling coach invited him to join the team, says he can get a scholarship. This is the kid that was mocked because he can't play sports his whole life. He casts the Yi on his own now. Uses this site as a reference sometimes.
That was last year. This year it's all comedy. His teacher asked him today where he got the trash can idea. One kid told him, "I can see you as a comedian, because I can see you sleeping in your car."
Jeez, I hope he listens and has a day job plan. Not a lot of money in Tai Chi or Philosophy. He used to want to be a Lawyer, then a Cosmologist, but has decided he doesn't want to live his life in a think tank crunching numbers. He would rather give people he gift of laughter he says.
But maybe media and drama and comedy are safer fields for a kid with near - well maybe metaphysical gifts. I know what spirit world can be like sometimes.

- LL

 

[Lavalamp]

I think in Dead Poets Society you had the Professor pushing things as far as he could. Here I think Hex 10 means that, treading lightly and getting away with as much as you can without getting bitten.
No, I have no problem with what he did at all. It was consciousness raising, and I disagree with the critical way you see it Trojina. He was waking them up. Making them laugh. Creating energy. And asking a kid to demonstrate for another kid is a totally normal part of the learning experience. It wasn't a reward no - it was an opportunity to help.
Actually what he is doing is what the teachers should be doing, but apparently they are finding him to be a good proxy. Teacher around here are very restricted in what they are allowed to do in school these days, it really is about conformity in the school system right now. When I was in High School it was a lot less rigid...

- LL