I'm starting to realize lately just how much Aidan looks up to me and wants to be just like me.
The other day he carried a 12 pack of soda from the car up the stairs into the kitchen while saying the whole time "look daddy I'm strong just like you".
At home during the day he does what he can to help his mommy who is almost seven months pregnant. He is already starting to show his nobility, and his willingness to do the right thing. Knightly values I will impart on all of my sons such that they will all carry my grandfather's name with honor and dignity. I see him years from now as a leader and someone who stands up for justice and always does what is honorable and correct, someone who doesn't give up when things get tough, and someone who will protect the meek from the mighty.
Fatherhood is everything I dreamed it would be, I'm just glad I was right all those years ago.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Fight Night 3
For weeks now I have watched my 275 pound Red/Black belt instructor continuously beat people when allowed to go to the ground at fight night. Having a significant weight advantage allows him to basically flop down on people and pin them.
Last night for the last part of fight night we had to fight in the dark. There was very minimal light in the Do-Jang and sadly I have all white gear, which made it easy for my instructor to spot me in the dark. I thought if I could just move quickly and circle he wouldn't be able to plant and attack. That strategy worked for a short while as I was able to land a few kicks unblocked.
He tried to take me to the ground, and was shocked when I didn't just lay there and get pinned. I immediately rolled to my stomach and put him in a choke hold with him on top of me. The Grandmaster broke us up and we went back to standing.
I went right in for a hip toss and again we ended up back on the ground. I was shocked that I could roll him over with his huge weight advantage, I was able to turn him over five or six times with ease. All that working out I have been doing for months paid off last night. Speed=power, and I was amazed at how easily I was able to escape. I ended up on top with my chin buried in his back.
That is when the owner flipped the lights back on, I heard him say something like "I have got to see this". The lights came up and the whole school went crazy when they saw I had my instructor pinned.
I do not think anyone has ever seen him lose a wrestling match.
After the match my instructor told me I was a good wrestler and very fast. It felt good too. I remember watching him wrestle other people and thinking to myself, "I would never let him do that to me."
I think that is why I get so pissed off when I watch the MMA bullshit and UFC crap on TV and watch these guys get thrown into ridiculous holds. Things that would never happen if they wrestled in high school.
Things to remember this week: Speed=Power, a theory I have read that proved correct. I still need to hide behind my gaurd and get low when I get attacked instead of swaying away. A bad habit I developed years ago.
Last night for the last part of fight night we had to fight in the dark. There was very minimal light in the Do-Jang and sadly I have all white gear, which made it easy for my instructor to spot me in the dark. I thought if I could just move quickly and circle he wouldn't be able to plant and attack. That strategy worked for a short while as I was able to land a few kicks unblocked.
He tried to take me to the ground, and was shocked when I didn't just lay there and get pinned. I immediately rolled to my stomach and put him in a choke hold with him on top of me. The Grandmaster broke us up and we went back to standing.
I went right in for a hip toss and again we ended up back on the ground. I was shocked that I could roll him over with his huge weight advantage, I was able to turn him over five or six times with ease. All that working out I have been doing for months paid off last night. Speed=power, and I was amazed at how easily I was able to escape. I ended up on top with my chin buried in his back.
That is when the owner flipped the lights back on, I heard him say something like "I have got to see this". The lights came up and the whole school went crazy when they saw I had my instructor pinned.
I do not think anyone has ever seen him lose a wrestling match.
After the match my instructor told me I was a good wrestler and very fast. It felt good too. I remember watching him wrestle other people and thinking to myself, "I would never let him do that to me."
I think that is why I get so pissed off when I watch the MMA bullshit and UFC crap on TV and watch these guys get thrown into ridiculous holds. Things that would never happen if they wrestled in high school.
Things to remember this week: Speed=Power, a theory I have read that proved correct. I still need to hide behind my gaurd and get low when I get attacked instead of swaying away. A bad habit I developed years ago.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
New Divide- Linkin Park
I remembered black skies / the lightning all around me
I remembered each flash / as time began to blur
Like a startling sign / that fate had finally found me
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
So give me reason / to prove me wrong /
to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Give me reason / to fill this hole / connect the space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies
Across this new divide
There was nothing in sight / but memories left abandoned
There was nowhere to hide / the ashes fell like snow
And the ground caved in / between where we were standing
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
So give me reason / to prove me wrong / to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Across this new divide
In every loss / in every lie
In every truth that you'd deny
And each regret / and each goodbye was a mistake to great to hide
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
So give me reason / to prove me wrong / to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Give me reason / to fill this hole / connect the space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies Across this new divide
New Divide-Linkin Park
I remembered each flash / as time began to blur
Like a startling sign / that fate had finally found me
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
So give me reason / to prove me wrong /
to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Give me reason / to fill this hole / connect the space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies
Across this new divide
There was nothing in sight / but memories left abandoned
There was nowhere to hide / the ashes fell like snow
And the ground caved in / between where we were standing
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
So give me reason / to prove me wrong / to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Across this new divide
In every loss / in every lie
In every truth that you'd deny
And each regret / and each goodbye was a mistake to great to hide
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
So give me reason / to prove me wrong / to wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes
Give me reason / to fill this hole / connect the space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies Across this new divide
New Divide-Linkin Park
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Fight Night 2
I missed posting this last week and need to get it up before I forget about it. I had developed a strategy for the second degree black belt that I had thought about all week and applied it at fight night. My plan was to get inside and take away the distance, and strip from my adversary the ability to kick at me. I was planning on getting in close and unleashing a flurry of punches timed out and placed exactly where I wanted them.
The result was perfect. I moved in with a Jab, then another Jab, then a Hook around his defense, and I finished with an Uppercut. All of which landed, and was followed by a "nice uppercut" from the owner of the school.
I also managed to land an inside to out back leg crescent kick.
It was a three minute fight which at the end I was out of breath. He waited until I tired out and asked me if I was tired, I said yessir, and he unloaded on me.
I have a long way to go in order to catch up with the black belt. Which I will one day. I view it as a Ken-Ryu type relationship. He helped me out after the fight and said it was much better than the first, he also told me to exhale when I punch or kick to keep my breath going.
I applied that in the next fight against a Red-black belt and found my stamina to be much better. Again I went inside with the punching combos and I kept catching this kid with his guard down. I'm constantly moving side to side and circling, which I found keeps my opponents from planting their feet and unleashing combos on me. It forces them to catch me on the move, and makes it harder for them to hit me. This was more than this kid could handle because I kept circling and striking. So much so that the owner of the school asked "why is my red-black belt not in control of this ring right now?". I was really embarrassed however when the owner said "stop", I thought he had said "what did you guys stop?" or something along those lines because the kid dropped his guard and I hit him square in the face twice. I must have apologized three times after the fight to him.
And that was it, two fights, and I learned a lot more about myself in the matter of breath control, and I proved to myself that getting inside worked. I really need to start running so I can work on bettering my stamina, so I can last in these fights.
The result was perfect. I moved in with a Jab, then another Jab, then a Hook around his defense, and I finished with an Uppercut. All of which landed, and was followed by a "nice uppercut" from the owner of the school.
I also managed to land an inside to out back leg crescent kick.
It was a three minute fight which at the end I was out of breath. He waited until I tired out and asked me if I was tired, I said yessir, and he unloaded on me.
I have a long way to go in order to catch up with the black belt. Which I will one day. I view it as a Ken-Ryu type relationship. He helped me out after the fight and said it was much better than the first, he also told me to exhale when I punch or kick to keep my breath going.
I applied that in the next fight against a Red-black belt and found my stamina to be much better. Again I went inside with the punching combos and I kept catching this kid with his guard down. I'm constantly moving side to side and circling, which I found keeps my opponents from planting their feet and unleashing combos on me. It forces them to catch me on the move, and makes it harder for them to hit me. This was more than this kid could handle because I kept circling and striking. So much so that the owner of the school asked "why is my red-black belt not in control of this ring right now?". I was really embarrassed however when the owner said "stop", I thought he had said "what did you guys stop?" or something along those lines because the kid dropped his guard and I hit him square in the face twice. I must have apologized three times after the fight to him.
And that was it, two fights, and I learned a lot more about myself in the matter of breath control, and I proved to myself that getting inside worked. I really need to start running so I can work on bettering my stamina, so I can last in these fights.
Mancave
So my wife, for my birthday, bought me an entire room where I can go be alone. Its my very own big-kid playroom and it is freaking fantastic. On top of it being fully furnished from Ikea it also came with a beer mug big enough to hold 2 and a half beers. I gave that sucker a test run last night.
I cannot wait to have my boys over to hang out in my new room. I'm truly lucky to have such a thoughtful and loving wife. That room is like my little hole on this planet where I can go and relax after the long days.
I cannot wait to have my boys over to hang out in my new room. I'm truly lucky to have such a thoughtful and loving wife. That room is like my little hole on this planet where I can go and relax after the long days.
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