must hear music part 1

Okay, I have already tried to inform people about books and little known movies. I might as well add music. This will be the first installment of great music that might have slipped through the cracks. First up.......

Rockpile - "Seconds of Pleasure"

Rockpile might just be the best band of the late 70's and early 80's. Made up of Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Billy Bremner, and Terry Williams, they played great basic rock 'n roll. They only made one album as a band, but they were always the backing band on most of Lowe's and Edmunds' solo records during that time frame. Another album that is a great example of their technical chops is Carlene Carter's "Musical Shapes". On it, Rockpile showed they could also play blistering countrified rock. Besides that and the single album as a band, Lowe's "Pure Pop for Now People" and Edmund's "Repeat When Neccasary" are must haves. Here is a link to more info http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/rockpile/artist.jhtml

merry xmas motherf'er

So I am walking through a parking lot at a local mall. A guy is walking past me. Being in the holiday spirit, I smile at him and say "Merry Christmas". He looks at me like I just hawked a big, green, loogie on his face. He stops and says in a tone of complete disgust, "I am not christian!" And then walks away. I was dumbfounded. I was trying to be friendly, and was treated like I was a child molester.

Look, I don't give a crap if you are or are not religious of any faith. I like to think of this season as a peace on earth, goodwill towards man kind of thing. I didn't realize that was a religious thing. I thought it was just a nice way to act. If you are so petty and mean spirited that you cannot take a greeting in that light, you really need to examine your own pitiful life. If someone were to say "happy hanukah" to me, I would be happy, even though I am not jewish. You want to wish me meery kwanza? Cool! I will respond in the same spirit.

In the immortal words of Bill and Ted "Let's be excellent to each other" I think that transcends a particular religion. At least, I hope so.

a good motto

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, "WOO HOO!! What a ride!"

an xmas poem

Here is a poem I received by email. Is it corny? Yeah, but so what. The fact is, there are people in this world who will sacrifice a lot for something they believe in. Whether you agree with them or not is moot. The fact that they can look beyond themselves deserves nothing but respect.

A Different Christmas Poem....

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack; brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures; he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you a s you mattered to us."

Congrats to my buddy Jerry Wetzel!

One of my dearest friends, Jerry Wetzel got his well deserved purple belt last week from Chris Haueter. If you know Haeuter, getting a belt from him is like squeezing blood from a rock. It ONLY happens if there is NO DOUBT in his mind that the person is ready.

So besides being a bad a** striking, he will now probably be able to beat me on the ground. Thanks alot Haeuter!

updating

I know I have not been doing a good job of keeping up to date with this blog. I have had a lot going on, both personal and business wise (and being out of the country for 8 days - which I will blog about soon) , so I have let other things lapse. Besides this blog, I have also been a little lax in talking to my friends. I am have been able to touch base with some, but I have a couple more to call.

One of the things that has been a problem us that I tore some meniscus in my knee and it has caused a good deal of problems in my day to day life. I had to endure some doctor visits, an MRI, and finally surgery, which was yesterday. So I will be down for the weekend (I have to be on crutches until Wednesday morning) and my goal is to play catch up with life in general. A few phone calls, some random thoughts to blog on, etc.. I plan on making at least 3 or 4 posts in the next couple of days. Hang in there with me!

working around injuries

So I torqued my knee pretty good two weeks ago. I did a good number on it too. I cannot put any weight on it with the knee bended (i.e. squat or crouch type motion). Since that encompass' most of the physical training stuff I do, I have been in an interesting postion. The first week I did nothing but ice and rest it, but now into the third week it is a little better and the swelling is going down. I have been going stir crazy not being able to get on the mat. I have felt like a slug, so I have tried to come up with variations of training methods I can do. Here is what I have been able to so to date.

1) jump rope - this doesn't put any stress on my injury, so this has been my bread and butter for the past week. It has been awhile since I did much of it, and I had forgotten how great it is. I think I will keep doing this regularly even after my knee is back to normal.

2) shadowboxing - I can't go very intensive, because I can't put excess stress on my knee where it hurts, but I can do it around 60% intensity, which is better than nothing.

3) breathing - this is becoming a little bit of a revelation. Focused, dedicated training of breathing patterns actually seem to be doing some good. The one I am working on now is from a book called "Bodyflow" and emphasizes exhalation while letting the inhalation just "happen". I will also keep this up, because being asthmatic, I can use whatever breathinghelp I can get.

I will update my progress in a week or so.

why I like Gracie Jiu-jitsu

I love brazilian jiu-jitsu. I love it so much that I spend the majority of my training time working it. That is not to say that I don't work the whole game. I do. I train stand up, clinch, BJJ, and (most importantly) the integration of all three. I also spend a little time on the pure "street" aspect, like unarmed weapon defense (all Red Zone - thanks Jerry!), and dealing with sucker punches (using the three point cover- thanks Rodney!) etc. On a rare occasion, I even get out the sticks and helmets and do my impression of the Dog Brothers. They are all important to being well rounded, and they all help to keep training fun. But, I probably spend between 60% - 70% of my weekly training doing pure BJJ. Why? Well, here are the main reasons.

1) Relatively safe - It is functional without being excessively damaging to the body - At 42 and someone who makes my living as a businessman who needs to look professional, this is so important. To have a functional fighting system, you must continually test yourself and your tecniques/ideas. That testing is sparring. Sparring (whether easy or hardcore) is essential. But getting hit or putting your body through the pounding of takedowns is hard on the body. Injuries, cuts, fat lips, black eyes, etc. are typical results. BJJ allows constant sparring but minimizes the risks. Yes, injuries happen (as I am writing this, I am nursing a good knee injury), and there is the occasional bump or cut. BUT, it is must less than a striking oriented art, and the torture your body goes through is nothing compared to wrestling or judo. I must know that what I am doing works, but I would like to be walking when I am 55 as well. BJJ addresses this better than anything else.

2) Fun - Simply put, it just is a lot of fun to do. The challenge of trying new things, pitting my skills against someone of superior physical ability, learning new things, all make this a fun art. Plus the fact that, in general, I have found the people involved in BJJ to be really decent human beings that are nice to be around.

3) Age is no barrier - Where else can I do a sport where I can participate with a world class athlete and my kids at the same time? Everyone can do it. Literally, from 5 years old to 95. One of the best matches I ever saw was in Brazil at the International Masters between two 60+ competitors. I like the idea that I won't have to give this up at a point in the future. I can keep it up as long as I am breathing. Can a Thai Boxer say the same thing?

4) Competition - If this is important to you, you will always find a place to compete. There are kids divisions, old fart divisions (where you will find me), and super athlete divisions. Male or female, it doesn't matter. And you can approach as fun, or as a serious athletic endeavor, where you might make a little money. BJJ has the entire spectrum.

5) It works! - This kind of goes with out saying. The fact that EVERY MMA champion has at least the basics of BJJ, and that the modern Army combatives program is about 80% BJJ pretty much shows it's effectiveness. BUT, the beauty of the art is such that if you disagree, you can challenge it at any time. Just be ready to eat crow at the end.

6) endlessly learning - The art is continually re-inventing itself, and seeking improvements every year. Just when you think you know everything about it, some new aspect reveals itself. And the true wonder lies in the continual improvement in the things you already know. By that I mean, you will always be able to perform that armbar a little better, that guardpass a little cleaner, as you keep training. The fundamentals can be refined almost infinitum.

Anyway, this is my perspective. I love the art. So there.

Chris Hauter seminar

This past weekend I flew to Athens, Georgia to attend a seminar conducted by Machado BJJ black belt Chris Hauter. All I can say is "wow!"

Chris is simply one of the best coaches I have ever trained with. He actually cares about improving his athletes performance. He shows things that NO ONE shows, and the things he shows that others teach he presents in a new way or with a new training method, or with some subtle tweak that is unique.

The weekend started off with takedowns to warmup. He show some new ways of getting your opponent to the mat off an over/under lockup. One of the methods had the entire 60+ attendees fighting to be the first ones to try it. As a matter of fact, there is a good chance the public might see it this coming tuesday on Spike TV (just a hint ). From there, we went to holding posture in guard where Chris showed a trick that I know pretty much no one does, but makes holding posture so much easier. After that, we moved to guard passing. Again, more "tricks" that anyone can use to perform better. Then, he went to ways to attack that from the point of the guy holding guard. Real good stuff.

The second day was even more of an eye opener. The majority of time was spent on guard retention. I will state this publicly. This material was some of the best, most unique stuff I have ever seen. Chris' way of getting this material across is so good and different, he should patent it. No one presents it in such an easily understood and digestible manner. Just mind blowing. Both days eneded with a lot of rolling where I got to witness Chris Connelly (a great guy from Alabama) get his well deserved brown belt, 3 new purples, and some new blues.

The seminar was put together by Adam Singer at his HardCore Gym. A great facility, run by great people, with a gym full of great guys, both on and off the mat. If you get a chance to go there, DO IT!

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend. I cannot wait to train with Chris again. If anyone out there is thinking about bringing him in for a seminar, or attending a Hauter seminar, or training with him one on one, you will be richly rewarded. Training with Chris is on my small list of things to absolutely do, no matter what.

stealing ideas from the Gracies

My 10 year old son does jiu-jitsu. He does competitions as well as regular training. He loves it. I want him to keep loving it. I have spent a lot of time worrying whether I might become a "little league dad" and push him so much that he starts to hate it. I have tried to make sure that never happens. One of the things I have used is something I stole from Helio Gracie. I have heard Royler Gracie tell a story about the first time he entered a competition when he was about 8 or 9. Of course he grew up watching his brothers and cousins win, so he thought it was important to win as well. His father, Helio, took him aside before the match and said "if you win, I will give you five dollars (actually, the then current Brazilian equivalent). If you lose, I will give you ten." Royler realized that he would win either way, so the pressure was gone.

Before my son's (Ronan) first competition, I used the same tactic. It worked. He went, tried hard, and had fun. Since then, he has competed numerous times, sometimes winning, sometimes losing. But either way he was fine with it. Now, we have a little ritual we go through every time. I say to him, "What is the most important thing today?" He always answers "To try my best!" I then say "What is the second most important thing?" He says everytime " To have fun!" Then I hug, kiss, and headbutt him, and off he goes.

As soon as he comes off the mat, win, lose, or draw, I pick him up and tell him how proud I am of him and call him champ. That is something else I stole from a Gracie, this time Rickson. The first BJJ comp I was at, I noticed how most of the black belts were so passionate about winning, to the point of being sore losers, and argued every point that went against their athlete (not my coach though. Megaton believes in having dignity and letting the athlete do his thing and not overshadow him). If the athlete lost, the blackbelt/coach usually said something nice and then moved on. Not Rickson. Every one of his guys,from the rawest white belt to his oldest student, whether they won or even lost by submission in the first minute, was greeted with a huge smile, a big hug, and the heartfelt words of "great job, Champ!" You could tell he was just happy that his student had the guts to get out on the mat and test himself. Rickson showed me how a real coach acts. So I use that with my son and two of my nephews who do BJJ. So far, so good.

more big oil garbage

My favorite business entity (he says incredibly sarcastically) is at it again. They are doing everything they can to screw consumers.

Here is the deal. Gas at the pumps is sold by volume. When things get hot, they expand (duh). So, when gas gets hot, it expands and therefore has LESS mass per volume than when it is cooler. So, following that logic, if gas is being bought/pumped when it is hot, there will be less being put into the tank than when it is cooler, BUT the cost to your wallet will be the same. The fair thing to do would be to adjust prices when outside temperatures negatively affect the gas sitting in the pump. Guess what? Because of lobbying efforts by Big Oil, only Hawaii has regulations to that effect. All the other states who have a tendency to be hotter more and longer during the year (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Florida) have NO such regulations. So those of us in those states are wasting x amount of money every year that go to directly profit Big Oil. By how much? It is estimated as much as $150 MILLION!

Yeah, they are good caretakers of the public welfare. Oooh, more sarcasm. Great job, all you politicians for taking care of us.

You are in charge!

There was a terrific article in Tuesday's USA Today regarding a Harvard study about American life expectancy.

Essentially, it said there are 8 different America's. They are separated by life expectancy. For example, "America 1", the highest, is asians, whose life expectancy is 85. The lowest, "America 8" is comprised of high risk urban blacks, at 71. Here is what is really interesting. The study found that those things that are always assumed to be the most important factors in living long (higher income, better health care, etc.) actually make only a small contribution. The second longest living group, "America 2" are made up of low income whites in the midwest, an area of the country that traditionally has a lesser level of high level health care. Here is a quote from one of the researchers. "There's no way differences in the quality of health care can explain 20 year gaps in life expectancy".

So what do they say seems to make the most difference in living a long life? Diet, exercise, and smoking! All things that each one of us has direct control over! Basically, eat right, exercise smartly, don't smoke, and manage the stress in your life, and chances are you will live into your late 70's or 80's. Don't gripe about it all being someone else's fault or responsibility. It's yours. Do the right things, and they will pay off, especially in the long run.

new Fight gear

There is a new fight gear company called Yesithurts (www.yesithurts.com). It is run by a friend of mine, Mike Grandinetti, and they deserve a strong look. First, the owners are completely trustworthy who understand the importance of customer service, and the gear looks good! They have a bunch of different designs and solid prices. Right now they have t-shirts and board shorts (BTW, I know that Mike spent an incredible amount of time to make sure the shorts are as high quality as possible). There are other stuff in the works.

Cecil says, check them out.

My grandmother

I am going to be a little self-indulgent here. Actually, that is redundant since the very act of having a blog is incredibly indulgent, but usually I try to pontificate about stuff that I think people might find interesting or useful. Today, I am going to be selfish. Most likely no one outside of my family will ever care to read this, but it is important to me.

My grandmother died on Tuesday. Her name was Dee Cope and she was 90. She lived an amazing life, full of activity and happiness, especially in her later years. She was also the perfect grandmother. And that is not a joke. Think of whatever in your head is the ideal grandmother, and I guarantee she fits it. Technically, she had one daughter, two grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. In actuality, she had five kids (4 that were her sister's), 12 grandkids, and a horde of great-grandchildren. She also never met someone who wasn't welcome to join her family, unless you regularly voted republican, and then she would make you wait about 5 minutes before she allowed you in.

It was very peaceful when she passed, for which I am grateful. And she went out on her terms, of course, because she could be bossy. I will miss her, but I can't forget her because she taught me so much, not the least of which was by example.

I could go on and on, talking about Dee Dee stories, but I will just end with this. Dee Cope was the best grandmother ever, and the world is a darker place without her. I love you, Dee Dee.

internet shopping

It is easy to get ripped off on the internet. Here are some places that I trust because I have shopped there a number of times.

Amazon - For me, the best arguement in favor of the internet. I love this place. I don't know what I would do without it's wishlist feature. I could probably do without the internet except for email and Amazon.

Budovideos - Probably the best one stop shop for martial art videos. If I look into buying a new DVD, I check here first.

Ringside - I have been buying stuff from them since 1987. I have never once had anything but top notch service. Pre-internet, it was the only place you could count on getting quality boxing equipment.

Jiujitsu Pro Gear - Run by some really good people. Friendly, and they actually care about the sports of MMA, BJJ, and submission wrestling.

Atama - Really great customer service. Between me, my daughter, and my son, I have bought A LOT of different gear from these guys. Not only has there never been a problem, but I can count on shipping to be less than a week if it is in stock.

BJJ Mart - Not a huge selection, but fantastic customer service and fast shipping.

Sambazon - Where I get my Acai fix when I am pretending to be brazilian. Good guys here.

Hand Held Items - My first place to check for IPOD stuff. Good prices, and good service (though I have not shopped here as long as the others on the list, I have had good luck so far).

Sportsman's Guide - the best place to start with camping, hunting, shooting, and military surplus. This is where I get my canvas bags to make sandbags for working out. A lot of hard to find stuff at sometimes great prices. Solid service too.

cool movies part deux

A continuation of my list of great movies that deserve a larger audience.


6) The Yakuza - maybe my favorite movie ever. It deals with honor, loyalty, courage, compassion, and has some kickass fight scenes to boot. Ken Takakura is the coolest actor ever.

7) The Wicked Priest series - a silly, fun, martial art oriented series from Japan that starred Tomisaburo Wakayama, the guy from the Lone Wolf and Cub movies. In this series, he plays a priest who likes worldly pleasures too much, but who has a good heart and will use his fighting skills to protect the innocent. The empty hand fight scenes have a different flavor than the normal kung fu movies, and are campy fun.

8) Brotherhood of the Wolf - A French martial art picture that blows away most fighting movies. Interesting characters, a unique story, terrific fight scenes, and some surprises during the movie. Don't miss this one.

9) The Wind and the Lion - The best Teddy Roosevelt movie. Brian Keith nails Roosevelt perfectly. And, surprisingly, Sean Connery is a great Bedouin chief (I know, it sounds like a joke, but trust me), and when he has his rifle and sword duel on horseback in the middle of the movie, you will thank me for recommending this flim. Also, there a lot of great lines that stick with you. "Mrs. Pedecaris, you are a lot of trouble!" - said in a weird mix of scottish brogue and arab accent!

10) Team America: World Police - an utterly brilliant satire of just about everything. I can never seriously watch a Matt Damon or Alec Baldwin film ever again. In 30 years, critics will be looking back at this movie as one of the greatest social/political comedies of all time, like Dr. Strangelove, I guarantee.

ovation for Megaton

This past weekend, my BJJ coach, Megaton Dias, was in Brazil competing in the International Masters tournament. On Saturday, he fought in the open division at 147lbs. He took silver! He beat 4 others, before losing in the finals. ALL of his opponents were around or above 200lbs. Then, on Sunday, in his own weight class, he took Gold. What he did has never been done i.e. taking 2nd in the open while also winning his own division at such a low weight. He is just an awesome competitor. I feel proud knowing he is my coach. Great job, Meg!

cool movies

Here is a list of some of my favorite movies that are not that well known. Are all great for different reasons and should be better recognized.

1) Hard Times - Probably my second favorite movie ever made. A terrific story about friendship, honor, and sacrifice. And it has the best non-asian fight scenes ever. Charles Bronson is a bad ass bare knuckle boxer.

2) Shogun's Shadow : IMHO, the greatest action movie ever. Pure adrenaline rush from start to finish. Sonny Chiba is a fantastic bad guy pursuing a magnificent seven type group across Japan. Truly mind blowing, over the top fight scenes. And main good guy Ken Ohta might have the coolest movie moves with a samurai sword ever!

3) Murder By Decree : A scary Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper film that probably has the best movie version of both Holmes and Watson. Watson especially is shown as a capable and brave companion, not a bumbling idiot. Very good fight scene between Holmes and the Ripper, and some really frightening moments. If a filmaker in the 70's had been smart, he would have done a Holmes series with Christopher Plummer as star.

4) Inframan : An early '70's Hong Kong kung fu rip off of Ultraman, that improves on the original. Really fun. Great to watch with your kids. If you can't enjoy this one, you have no heart.

5) The Odd, Angry Shot : A war movie from Australia that is really compelling. It is a "small" movie, not a big-budget Oliver Stone type movie, but it is a better Vietnam movie than anything the U.S. industry has produced. I saw it when I was in high school, and it has stuck with me.

closed guard triple attack

In my opinion, the most overlooked and under-utilized attack in gracie jiu-jitsu is the triple attack, that generally begins with the hip bump sweep, then follows up with a kimura and then a guillotine, all dependent on how your opponent reacts of course. This is, hands down, one of the best attacks you can possibly use, yet it is relatively uncommon. Here are the reasons I think this is so.

1) Not exploding into the move

2) hips not on opponent

3) not committing weight over opponent's shoulder

If all three of these principles are followed, you will see how your opponent can't help but be forced either into the sweep or have to really go hard to counter, making it easier to flow into either a kimura or the guillotine. But for some reason, most of the failures I see usually have one of these components. It must be that when people first learn it, they only see the parts they think are important, not neccasarily the parts that are important. And, later, when they fail to consistently succeed, they start looking for other attacks, rather than attempt to figure out where they are going wrong on the hip bump sweep. A great mistake. There is a reason this move is generally one of the first things taught.

I love this sequence. I use it all the time. Combined with a pressing overhook attack and constant attempts at armdrags makes your closed guard a really bad place for him to be.

I am also trying to play with the semi-rubber guard attack Dean Lister used against Sakara. I think this is a great tie into my other main closed guard attacks, but the triple attack is the backbone.

I really wished more people would try to work into their game. I think it provides a HUGE vital element.

self preservation/self defense

I sometimes wonder about the people out there that are so into "reality" self defense/combatives/survivalism. Not that I dispute there are valid reasons to want to train and prepare for certain things (Katrina showed everyone how valid some of their points are), but they seem to concentrate on a misguided hierarchy of importance. What I mean is, they seem to place a great deal of importance on firearms, knives, "tactical" gear (usually meaning cammies), having a store of military or camping food, etc....

Now, they MIGHT someday find themselves in a scenario requiring some or all of that. There is a slight statistical chance. So, being prepared is a good thing. BUT.....they are much more likely to be involved in one of the following scenarios: high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, heart attack, auto accident, cancer, etc.... I can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are much more likely to be a victim of one of these things than a mugger, or a home invasion, or gestapo arrests, or an urban riot. How many of these people prepare for them? From what I have seen, the answer is very little.

Many of them are execessively overweight, do little or no physical activity, might not wear seat belts, probably eat the typical american diet (fast food, overly processed food, too much sugar, little fresh fruit and vegetable, soda), and most likely either don't regularly see a physician OR see one too much and take too many prescription drugs. So, if you truly are interested in self preservation, do the following:

1) Wear a seat belt everytime you get in a car - ask any firefighter/paramedic how many accidents they respond to where someone would have survived if they wore a seat belt. Tthe number is staggering.
2) If you are above 15% bodyfat, drop everything and lose weight. Diabetes is an epidemic that is somewhat ignored. People are paranoid about the vague possibility that the bird flu MIGHT mutate and jump spieces and MIGHT spread, but there is no might about diabetes. It is here and the fastest spreading type is largely preventable.
3)See your doctor and get the recommended tests when they are due...i.e. prostate check, colon cancer, breast cancer, blood pressure, cholestorol, heart stress test etc...
4) Replace as much processed food with fresh food as much as possible. Cut out sugar wherever you can. And learn where the sugar actually is (there are a ton of easily available books on this).
5) Have insurance - health, auto, homeowners or renters. AND make sure that it actually covers what is likely to happen. If you live in New Orleans, make sure it covers flood, if you live in Oklahoma, make sure it covers tornados (I am shocked at how many people try to cut corners here)

Do all these things first, and then, after they are settled, worry whether you have enough 5.56 ammo to repel rampaging gangs of post-apocalyptic zombies.

movies as a learning tool

I like movies. I always have. I like all kinds of movies. If they are good enough, I will probably have a couple of lines of dialogue that I can recite verbatim. Once, in a very great while, a movie can actually teach a life lesson.

One of those lessons I use regularly is a line from Batman Begins.

"we fall down so we can learn to get back up"

When I saw Batman with my 10 year old son, I thought it was a perfect way of trying to teach him something. So we talked about that line and what it means. Now, I was hoping for a quick attempt to impart some wisdom. Using superheroes works really well with my kid. To my surprise, the lesson in that form really took hold. Now, months and months later, if I ask my son why we fall down, he will almost immediately chime back with "so we can learn to get back up!". It's a cool thought that hopefully he will remember when he encounters a problem in his life, maybe even as an adult. I keep praying that is so.

See, it isn't a waste to watch comic book movies!

recommended reading 3

Here is the latest installment of my list of books I found entertaining, useful, or enlightening.

1) The Essential Guard - Kid Peligro & Rodrigo Medeiros : I think this is the best BJJ book yet written. Very clear, good detail, and the basics to formulate your own gameplan. The fact that it extensively covers replacing the guard is enough on its own to recommend it.

2) Jiu-jitsu Unleashed - Eddie Bravo : the second best BJJ book out. Has a unique feel to the book, yet is very easy to learn from and actually put into use.

3) The Relaxtion Response - Herbert Benson : Rodney King turned me onto this book. It is the first one I have ever seen that teaches "meditation" from a purely physical perspective that is easy to understand and implement. It has nothing to do with "enlightenment" or any meta-physical mumbo jumbo. It justs teaches you how to combat modern stress with a simple tool that might help ease problems such as high blood pressure. I don't know yet how well it works, as I have only been doing it for a couple of weeks. But it is easy to do. I figure it is worht a shot!

4) Freakonomics - Steven Levit : An interesting book that tries to explain many social issues through a different point of view. I don't agree with every conclusion (the author falls victim to something he critisizes others for; looking for a solution only from one area of expertise), but he still presents a lot of things that make you think. And that is a valuble thing.

5) Some Danger Involved - Will Thomas : a fiction thriller that is basically what if Sherlock Holmes knew martial arts. It is fun to kill a few hours with. The first book in an ongoing series.

Historical Parallels

I don't feel like turning my blog into a political rant. It's generally boring, and usually repetitous. However, I do want to point out something. Most people don't know much of history. Many commentators pontificate without any understanding of things that have happened in even the not too distant past. Take the current Iraq war for instance. Many things are said about it, both for it and against it, without any knowledge of similar situations that have happened. If you don't learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it.

Along that vein, I would like to suggest that anyone interested read the book "The Do-Or-Die Men". It is in paperback so it is cheap. Basically, it is the story of the WW2 battle of Guadalacanl from the perspective of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion. Throughout the book, as I was reading it, I kept being struck by so many similarities to the Iraq war. So much so, it is freaky. If you can, read it. I doubt very much if you will be disappointed. I think you will be just as shocked as I was.

staph infections

Part of the reason I have been occupied and not posting is I had a massive staph infection. It spread rapidly and knocked me on my a**. I had not ever encountered staph so I didn't realize what it was at first, which allowed it to fester and get really bad. I knew OF staph, but not ABOUT staph. Now I know and it is scary. First of all, it is potentially deadly, and it is more widespread that you realize. Check out the WebMD or the CDC for info. Here is a word of warning; if you have a pimple or red bump appear on your body, get to a doctor or urgent care. Trust me, you will be better off safe than sorry. Get informed ahead of time, and pay attention to your body. You will thank me later.

I'm back

Sorry for not posting for a while. Had a lot going on in my life. Way too much drama since March. But now it seems like everything is back on track (knock on wood). I intend to get back to regular posting.

stroke information

I think this is important information to have. It might save someone's life.


STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm, Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ - had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke perhaps Ingrid would be with us today.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed an getting to the patient within 3 hours which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

1. *Ask the individual to SMILE.

2. *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

3. *Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e. . . It is sunny out today) If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.

made it

I made it through the month without ANY diet soda. It was hard. At times, the craving for diet coke was almost too much, but I did it. I was the master of my body. I might in the future drink diet soa on occasion, but, like a recovering alcoholic, I can never pretend I am "cured". Everyday will be a struggle, but I will succeed.

14 Days!

It has now been 14 days since any diet soda has passed through my lips, and yes, I am surviving. I am not sure how I am doing it, but other than a couple of really bad cravings, I have abstained.

I have heard that the 21st day is the important one. By that time, your body is supposed to have "forgotten" it wants a particular substance. I hope that is true.

Updates to follow.

jab in Crazy Monkey

this is something I posted on the STWA forum (www.mymalife.com) in response to someone asking about jabs in the CM system.


<< I've heard it many times that having a good jab is one of the most important skills to have in standup fighting. I've also heard that in order to do so, you have to be able to hit from many angles and start the jab from a variety of positions.

However, in the crazy monkey system, all punches should begin from the top of your head.

Isn't it then harder to develop a good jab, because it's a bit predictable that all your jabs will start from the top of your head? >>

Here is the problem with that. Starting your jab from ANY other place means you are leaving your head open. Period. If you have fantastic attributes or have been able to train boxing hours every day for years, you probably can pull it off, MOST of the time. However, at some point, someone else with greater attributes or more experience at boxing will nail you the instant your hand moves away from your head. With CM, defense (specifically, protecting the vulnerable points on the head) is the number one priority. Everything else is after.

So, yes, in a sense, it is harder to develop a jab because you are a little more predictable. BUT..... in actual practice it is a moot point. Because I am protecting my head at ALL TIMES, I have more actual freedom to punch because I know I am covered. I am not going to eat a power shot while I encroach on my opponent's territory. I can throw a commited jab, and not get knocked out. That gives me many, many more opportunities to throw that "predictable" jab. As soon as that happens, I can dictate what is happening in the fight, not my opponent. At that point, more and more targets open up. So I accomplish what a varied jab game does WITHOUT opening myself up needlessly.

Here is one of my favorite demos when I am coaching someone in CM for the first time. It is a good way to show them how well CM defense works, as well as how to be offensive out of it.

I tell them I am just going to jab to their head, nothing else. Their job is to punch me however they want. I make sure I throw a jab while keeping a tight cover with the other hand (as close to perfect CM as I can). Maybe 3 out of 5 times, I don't land the punch, but 5 out of 5 times I don't get hit! So, going easy I can be at 40% success offensively, but 100% success on defense. Then I let them do the same thing. The offenseive percentage drops a little (2 out of 10 times landing maybe), but they don't get hit. They immediately build confidence and they start to have a better "game".

stop the madness

I don't know what it is, but lately I have noticed something about a good number of famous people. There is some really bad plastic surgery out there. What would make an attractive person subject themselves to multiple surgeries? It never works. Yes, maybe one procedure might help, but anymore than one is a guaranteed trip to grossville. Joan Rivers looks like a ghoul. Bruce Jenner is really freaky. Need I say a word about Michael Jackson? I think Pamela Anderson looks like she is made of plastic. The really scary part is what some of these people are going to look like in a couple of years. The human body is not designed to go through what these people are putting themselves through. Eventually, the payment will come due for their faustian pact.

If you are contemplating ANY kind of plastic surgery, look first at a website called awfulplasticsurgery.com, THEN decide. Hopefully, you will decide the smart way.

joy

I went to a concert Thursday night. It was The Blasters. If you don't know them, they are a great classic roots rock band. It was terrifc concert, but what I noticed really got to me. For the ENTIRE 90 minute plus show, the lead singer Phil Alvin was the focal point. He did all the talking to the audience, he was the obvious music leader calling time and songs, and he sang every song. That must have been a pretty exhausting situation, but you know what I noticed? Not one time did Alvin fail to smile. He was beaming form start to finish. No matter how much he sweated and worked, he was obviously having the time of his life. Now, it was a good crowd, but nothing extraordinary. The band must be performing all the time, yet from watching Phil Alvin, you would think this was one of the greatest moments of his life. And his sheer joy in performing infected the crowd. EVERYBODY was rocking, and everybody left talking about what a great show it was. The other weird thing was there was no physical problems or arguements the entire night. The bouncers basically sat around rocking out with us. I think a lot of that had to do with Alvin projecting such sheer joy. I think it is hard to be in a foul mood when you are watching someone just enjoying themselves. So, I thought while driving home, what would happen if we all just tried to be a little joyful in our everyday lives? Maybe it would act like a contagious disease and spread. I am going to be doing my part in at least a little attempt to find out.

resolution update

Here is a quick update on the status of my NY's resolution to give up soda. Basically, I am still on track. I am down to two sodas a day. Next week I will drop that to one per day. It might be slow, but I think this is the only way I will get it to stick. The problem is, I realized that not only do I have a chemical addiction, I have an immensely hard to break habit of drinking diet soda, so I need to not only break the dependency, but the habituation as well. So that requires time.

As an aside, my wife is doing even better for her resolution to stop smoking. February is looking good!

truth is not pliable

So, there is this guy, James Frey, who wrote a memoir of his life. The book is about his drug and alcohol addictions and the criminal trouble they led to. Oprah has had him on her showed and praised the book for it's honesty. The trouble is, it isn't honest. SmokingGun.com has done an expose where most of his criminal stuff is made up. Instead of apologizing for lying, Frey went on Larry King and defended himself. Now, I don't really care about him, except for this asinine quote where he said that "only" 18 pages out of 432 pages were wrong, and that is "an appropriate ratio for a memoir". What??!??! It is okay to make crap up because it is your story? That is complete idiocy. A quick memeo to Frey. Dude, it is either fiction OR non-fiction, not both. Don't try to tell a truthful story that we should pay attention to, and then pack it with lies. It shoots ALL your credibility right in the foot. Either tell the truth, or tell a made up story. Trying to do both makes you a liar. Period.