Changes

Finally landed a new job and promotion. Will also be moving in with the gf and got a new car. Head is spinning, so I guess I should enjoy while it lasts!

Haven't been posting much..Sometimes I run out of things to say, but I have been thinking what I want to do with my life from now on:

I plan to pursue acting which has been a passion for a long time. I Want to get some experience in maybe a local play or film, even if it means no pay, then eventually take an acting and voice class. From there, I hope to get an agent and go from there. I know the success rate in this industry is slim, but I feel we all owe ourselves the chance to at least TRY and pursue what we love.

I know I will have to work a day job for a long time, but I'm also looking for something meaningful. Sure..a job that pays well is a charm, but I also feel it should have and give one a sense of purpose. What I am currently doing is far from that. I actually feel trapped, but I also know there are people in far worse predicaments than myself.

The end of an era

Like millions of other fans of "The Sopranos", I mourn the end of one of the greatest shows ever. Unfortunately, I did not watch the final episode, and in fact, I have not even watched one episode of season 6, part deux. I will wait and get it on DVD and see it without waiting a week or interruption. I have the other seasons and have gone through them twice. I'm also considering getting some Sopranos memrobilia as well.

Since I've always been a fan of the mafia genre, this show has captivated and cast an addiction over me like very few have. If there is a "Sopranos Anonymous" group, please let me know.

While I'm also a "Six Feet Under" fan, it just did not ignite the raw emotions in me as Tony and crew did.

I will say though that this show has typecast many of it's actors, but I'm sure they will have no problem getting work. This show has also made once relatively unknown actors into pop icons whose careers have gotten a mega-boost, and can more or less name their price now. Take Tony Sirico, AKA Paulie for instance. Before the Sopranos, while he did appear in quite a few films, namely Goodfellas, Money Kings and others, you could probably pass him on the street and not even take a second glance. Now he has become one of the most recognizeable figures in show business. I'm sure he will need a few bodyguards now. I can also say the same for Frank Vincent, Vincent Pastore, Dominic Chianese and others.

As for the last show, I have seen some unfavorable reviews in recent days, but I will just draw my own conclusions.

Granted, this show is not everyone's cup of tea, and I can understand that. It has definitely created quite a bit of ire in the Italian American community, which to some degree is understandable. However, it's just a show, or is it?

UFC 71

I did not see the fights since I was away, but from what it looked like, it was one of the best UFC cards ever. I was definitely surprised to hear Rampage took Chuck out in the first round. Not luck at all, and I will say Rampage came to win. Chuck made a mistake and Rampage seized the opportunity. I at least hoped the two would at least go the full 5 rounds. Maybe Chuck will fight Jackson one more time to avenge those losses, then maybe not. Like with any sport, MMA has it's share of surprises. My hats off to all fighters

Mr. Carter

While former president Carter was probably not one of the greatest presidents ever to reside at the White House, I still admired him for his down to earth Southern demeanor. But for heaven's sakes, Jimmy..aren't you RETIRED? Granted, we know the current administration is not up to snuff, but If I were you, I would be out playing golf, sailing, travelling, gardening, spending time with the grandkids... doing whatever retired people enjoy doing. Let it go, Mr. Carter. the country will go on long after you are gone. Don't get to the point where few people will show up to your funeral here in DC. Enjoy life.

Project "De-Clutter" 98% complete!

Well, Sunday night I put the last of unwanted things in the trunk of my car to be donated and after an undertaking that lasted about 2 months, I can say I'm near the end. I will also say I slept peacefully and woke up refreshed, even though it was Monday and time to go to work. I actually FELT better waking up in a pared down apartment.

All in all, I have no idea how I accumulated so much and vow never to let it happen again. Generally, I'm a clean and tidy person, but I just let things get way out of hand. I was also buying things here and there that I eventually no longer used, especially knicknacks. One day, I just said "enough". Plus, I also decided that I want to live simply and with less and my life will no longer revolve around material goods. I feel when too many items clutter up our physical spaces, they can have a negative effect in other areas of our lives as well. Now, I am in no way implying that I will live like a pauper since we all need creature comforts in life. However, I now feel one can have and live more with less. Thankfully, my girlfriend is that same way about her place, so at least we have SOMETHING in common :).

The vast amount of things that were banished and donated were knicknacks and decorations, magazines, extra weight plates, cassette tapes, many books, clothes that no longer fit or WAY out of style. In fact, I had to ask myself did I really wear this??. I also got rid of excess dinner and sliverware, coffee cups, appliances that were no longer working and other items. A perfect illustration of how bad it was in my apartment, I could hardly open the closet door and literally had to yank an item of clothing out.

I also organized books, CDs and videos in somewhat logical order by genre and author. I bought shelves and storage units to accomodate said items. I also downsized furniture that was not functional and/or bulky and put casters on shelves for easy mobility, especially for cleaning. I gutted the bathroom and can now step out of the shower without knocking something over.
Eyesores, such as old and excess decorations and paintings were removed and given a freshening up or donated. Also things that were previously packed and hidden away by other clutter are now more accessible and easy to reach.

I didn't have a prescribed system, but this is what worked for me:


Have a box for donations, one for trash and the other for friends. The things you decide to keep can be organized later.

I focused on one area at a time, such as the living room, thus avoiding the temptation to stop. Plus, my entire home was not in shambles during the project.

Do a little each day instead of trying to accomplish too much at once, but make sure you devote at least an hour a day.

Remind yourself that someone else can enjoy what you no longer need or want.

Once you've decided to let go of something, stick with that decision. I know it's hard, but do it anyway.

Remember that your are also getting rid of items that may attach you to a period of turmoil in your life. It's time to start anew.

Visualize what your "new" home will look and feel like.

Upon completion, reward yourself with a special meal or other gift.



Now, after all of that work, your new home must be maintained. This is what will be very helpful to me:



ALL junk mail should immediately be thrown out. If possible, pay your bills online, thus cutting down or eliminating paper clutter.

Instead of subscribing to the newspaper, read it online. As for magazines, the same should apply. If there is an issue you really want, just buy it at your local bookstore.

Avoid Garage sales, rummages and flea markets at all costs. Remember that we are trying to maintain a clutter free life now. The aforementioned outlets offer items at a reduced price and it can be tempting to give in.

Also minimize trips to IKEA, Bed Bath and Beyond and other similar places. This was my downfall for sure, as I had to have the latest accessory or candle holder. Go only if you need something and have allocated space for it.

Money that is spent for unneeded items can be saved for a trip or home improvement down the line.

Once every month or two, do a re-evaluation and see if there are some more things that can be given away.


I found these sources to be extremely helpful:


www.eliminatechaos.com

www.simpleliving.com


Hopefully I won't have to do this again, but for now, I'm enjoying my new place.

The Mayweather-De La Hoya Fight

I didn't get to see this fight, but I knew Mayweather would take Oscar..Nonetheless, I have the utmost respect Oscar De LaHoya. Now if Floyd will only fight Hatton...

Nothing much lately, but almost finished with my cleaning out and de-cluttering. I had no idea I had this much crap. I'll write a small "how to clear your clutter" guide when done, even though there are tons of these around the net.

With regards to the Easter Market in DC that was destroyed, I hope it is rebuilt, BUT I hope this is not another avenue for chain stores to snake their way in even more. The DC area is saturated with chain establishments, and this one landmark helped keep some balcance and charm.

In search of a late night snack.

I left earlier to go to a freind's birthday/dinner party, but didn't read the NEW email that it had been moved to an earlier time. So I headed back home on the Metro and arrived back in Silver Spring around 11PM. By this time I was ravenous and would eat anything, well almost.

I was reluctant to get off at earlier stops, since Metro is notorious for being unreliable. Plus, since the system shuts down at midnight, I wanted to be on the train way ahead of time. Upon leaving the station, I spotted a Mc Donald's. I have sworn I would never ever go near this place again, but at that point, it didn't matter. I entered and the place was a mess, but I was ready to devour anything. I went to order and asked for a Big Mac. The cashier stated that they don't have any more beef or bread. I was thinking 'WTF"? How can a place operate like this?

I left and then decided to try my favorite Chinese takeout. I get there, and "Closed due to Moving". Exasperated, I then went to Safeway, which I would rather get teeth pulled than go to, but it was a welcome sight. I spotted and picked up my favorite frozen food, the good 'ol Morton Meat pie. I got 4 of them, went home, placed them in the oven and 30 minutes later, eating like no tommorrow. Probably also a lot healtheir than McDonalds.

Stop and smell the flowers.

I have to tell myself to do this once in a while. Maybe not stooping down and smelling a bouquet of flowers, but taking time out from the hectic schedule of work, training, e-mails, commuting, etc. and just taking it easy. It could also be the deviation from the so-called "normal" schedule of the week and maybe seeing a movie, calling some friends for dinner or taking a walk of the "beaten" path. I took such a walk last week to the capital and surrounding areas. The weather was perfect and surprisingly for a Friday evening, the area was not overun with tourists. I felt rejuvinated and a great way to end the week.

Enjoy

Time to get away from the computer and enjoy the nice weather. Hopefully it will stay this time. HAve a great weekend.

Busy week

I won't go in great length about the tragedy at VA Teach Monday, as I'm still trying to make sense of this. I do want to send my deepest sympathies to the families of those killed and to the entire VA Tech community. I've been reading a lot of "what should have been done" posts and such. None of that will lessen what happened, bring back the victims nor lessen the pain of those who survived.

There is also probably going to be going to be a lot of backlash against the Korean American community, and my message to those instigating such ignorance is please do not paint an entire group of people with such a broad brush. Instead of hating, we should all come together and support the university and allow time to take it's course.

I will say that it's a sad day and age when random attcaks like this can occur anywhere, especially in a place where one goes with the intention of contributing to society.

Haven't been up to much lately and just waiting for the week to end. I'm going to check out Slow Burn. Hopefully with the great cast, the movie will be a good experience and not a disappointment.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808735037/info;_ylt=Al9iuNk8GE4OnwzUo9vsOqxfVXcA

As for the cold weather, it really doesn't bother me. We have to remember that it was colder on Easter than Christmas, and December felt like summer, so I guess it's time to pay now. Soon, we will be complaining about the humidity, so I say enjoy it while it lasts.

Spring cleaning update

Am almost finished with de-cluttering, and next is my closet. That's the one thing that sucks about living in a studio apartment..Not a lot of room for storage, but on the same token, it causes you to be disciplined when buying things. While as previously mentioned, it can be hard to let go of some things, but at least I know someone else is hopefully enjoying them.

One unpleasant task of re-organizing is going to IKEA. While I don't totally despise the place, it is hell trying to get around, and even worse getting out. I swear someone must be switching the exits, because you spend more time trying to figure where the hell the registers are than actually shopping. Thank God they don't serve alcohol in the cafe.

A blog I read from time to time by Sister Tolja addresses this dilema in a more humorous, thorough and articulate fashion than I ever could:

http://thebeautifulstruggler.blogspot.com/2006/11/ikea-my-vietnam.html

Bye Bye Winter!

I thought yesterday was the most perfect day weather wise this year. It looks like spring is here to stay, for good. It also felt great not being weighed down by a heavy jacket and the sun actually setting at a decent time. Another tell tale sign is the huge influx of tourists to DC. I think I've seen more "FBI" souveneir hats in the last day or so to last a lifetime. lol! I stayed out late last night to attend an acting seminar, telling one how to get an agent, breaking into the business and such (More on that later), and afterwords, took a nice stroll through the city. It was refreshing seeing people eating outside, sitting in the parks and just enjoying the night. I guess now is the time to enjoy before the humidity sets in, which is unforgivable here.

Here are a few workouts I've done in the last few days:

Mon:
Burpees
2h kb swings, 53 lbs
squats
pushups

Do a ladder of each in 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 Very little rest between circuits. Killer routine.

WED

Fast, but intense..
Squat thrusts with pushup 5
squats 5
pushups 5
pullups 5

then do the same cycle with 10 reps, then 15, 20, 25, no rest. Kept the pullups between 5 and 15 each cycle

Spring Cleaning!

Well,

Since this is officially the first day of spring, I will embark on getting rid of stuff around the apartment that I don't need. Those old albums, cassette tapes and other things I no longer or rarely use will get donated to Goodwill. I'm sure SOMEONE will appreciate them. Some items are hard to let go of, but if it's not being used, it's gone.

I have to wonder what is the relationship that we have with our earthly possessions. Is it out of pure neccesity, sentimentality or just the innate need to be surrounded by material goods? I think for me it is more sentimentality. Some of my goods saw me through some trying times in my personal life, but at this point, I need the extra space and hopefully they can be of comfort and consolation to another person.

Sometimes I wish I could just get by with the bare essentials, then when it's time to move, just throw everything into a bag and be on my way. If life were so simple..

As for my workouts, here are the last few days:

FRI 3/16

With 20 lb vest
burpees 5
pushups 10-20
squats 20-30
pullups 5

Did a final cycle of 20 burpees and pushups, 50 squats

Sunday 3/18:
Burpees 5
KB swings 5
pushups 5
squats 5

Burpees 10
KB swings 10
pushups 10
Squats 10

Burpees 15
KB swings 15
pushups 15
squats 15

Brief rest between cycles, repeat 6 times

TUES 3/20:

Did 21:

Burpees
chinups
squats
pushups
crunches

then 15, 9 and finally 5 of each.

Fitness competition

I went ahead and participated in the fitness competition put on by Primal Fitness, a new facility that recently opened in DC. They are also associated with CF, and I met a lot of talented people from the martial arts, gymnastics and fitness communities. The event was held on Saturday, March 3.

I did the following events, many as possible in 2:00

Burpees-41

Rope Climb: 2

tire flip: 1 lap

Farmers walks: 12 laps with 70 lbs each hand

L sit: I sucked on this , but held it for bursts of 10 seconds

Overall, not bad, but room for improvement.

Went home and did a quick workout of: pushups 50 Squats 50 chinups 5 Decreased reps by 10 with the exception of chins, until 10 was reached, for a total of 5 cycles.

Haven't been up to much lately, out of the loop and not too talkative. Other than that, I'm going to be in a semi fitness competition this weekend called "DC's Most Primal", hosted by Primal Fitness which just opened it's doors. www.primalfitness.com This is not your typical gym, but the equipment consists mainly of kettlebells, tires, sledgehammers, sandbags and other non-tradidtional implemements used to obtain functional fitness. I'll post the events and my results Monday. I'm going to go and just have fun and build my competetive spirit again.

Workouts from the last few days:

SAT

Burpees 30
2H Kb swings 30
pushups 30
squats 30
Rest 30 sec

burpees 20
2h kb swings 20
pushups 20
squats 20
rest 30 sec

burpees 10
2h kb swings 10
pushups 10
squats 10

MON

With 20 lb vest:
Jumping Jacks 20-30
Pushups 30-30
Squats 20-30

repeat 10 times, 20 secs rest between cycles

WED

10 burpees
10 2h KB swings, 53 lb
10 mountain climbers
10 jumping jacks
10 squats
10 pushups
5-10 chinups
10 crunches

Repeat 7 times, 10 secs rest between cycles. I want to get to the point where I take no rest at all

New workouts

The snow and ice are finally melting, and I went outside last night to train. Hopefully we won't get another one soon! I will also discuss a few movies I have seen lately.

Sat:

Cycle A

Burpees 10
mountain climbers 10
woodchoppers 5
KB swings 10
jumping jacks 10

Repeat 4 times, little rest

Cycle B

Pullups 6
pushups 20-30
squats 20 30

repeat 4 times, little rest

MON

Overhead Barbell press 6 reps, 120 lbs
chinups 6

repeat 6 times

squat thrusts with pushup 20
squats 20

repeat 6 times, little rest

KB swings 10
pushups 10

repeat 6 times, little to no rest

TUES Night

With 20 lb vest:

30 jumping jacks
30-40 squats
20-25 pushups
Run as hard as possible for 2 min

Repeat 6 times, 30 secs between cycles. Nice and short, but tough!

Latest activity

Been in and out due to the recent ice storms here, but nothing stops me from working out, so here goes.

Tues:
burpees 10
10 KB swings
10 Jumping jacks

repeat 10 times, 30-40 secs rest between cycles. Last set did 20 of each.

Thurs With 20 lb vest: Burpees 5
pullups 5
pushups 15-20
squats 15-20
Jumping jacks 15-20

repeat 8 times, 30 secs between cycles

Got a long weekend and don't know what to do with myself. May go see "Breaking and Entering".

Friday workout:


Pullups 8-10
pushups 30-40
squats 30-40
planks 30-60 sec
repeat 5 times, little rest

Sat Early AM

5 burpees
5 med ball wood choppers
5 mountain climbers.
Perform 6 cycles, no rest at all

Rest 1 min

20 jumping jacks
20 2Hkb swings, 53 lb
repeat 6 times, no rest at all rest
1 min pushups 20-30 squats 20-30

repeat 6 times, no rest. Tough workout!

More tommorrow.

Last nights workout, and a little history.

Did this last night after work:

Burpees 10
woodchoppers with 10 lb medicine ball 10
10 2h kettlebell swings
10 mountain climbers
10 jumping jacks.

Repeat 6 times, no rest between excercises, 20-30 secs between cycles. a real intense workout performed in my living room, took about 20 minutes.

Just to give a summary of what I do as far as working out goes and how it has evolved for me, I began lifting weights in high school to get stronger for football and wrestling, then eventually trained for bodybuilding, constantly striving for bigger "pecs"., "delts", Bis" and so on. While I looked great asthetically, I really was not functionally fit as I should have been. I also spent a lot of time in the gym, up to two hours, thinking I was actually accomplishing something.
Around 1999, seeking to improve my fitness, I quit bodybuilding for good, but still incorporated weights into my program on occasion, which was by now, mostly bodyweight excercises. I did lots of pushups, pullups, squats, squat thrusts, dips, sit ups and leg raises. I also began running quite a bit again, at least 3-4 times a week, 2 to 3 miles. My bodyweight and running program was very beneficial for a couple of years, but I was still seekiing new ways to train. I was doing 100s of excercises, set after set, and eventually, the routine began to get stale and I was rapidly losing my enthusiasm for training. I'm the type, no mattter what, will never, ever miss a workout or make an excuse to, but at this juncture, I was merely going through the motions. My program lacked variety, creativity and I was no tmotivated to train as hard as I was capable of. In the meantime, I was searching the web for different routines, excercises, and the elusive "magic pill".

Fast forward to 2003, and one day I came upon a site by accident called "Rossboxing.com" and visited the site. What really garnered my interest was a book called "The Underground Guide to Warrior Fitness". So I e-mailed Ross, and not only did he respond right away personally, unlike other sites, but he sent me a few suggestions to get started. I also went ahead and ordered the book. In the meantime, I tried a few of the routines, and holy shit..I was blown away, not to mention on the verge of puking my guts out. Most of the routines are in circuit fashion, meaning you go from one excercise to the next without rest, and working as fast as possible. If you believe you are "in shape" and have never been through this type of session, you are in for a serious wake-up call. Plus, If you spent the previous night at your local pub or watering hole, I would seriously consider waiting a day or two before doing these workouts, unless you want to analyze the contents of your stomach.

Overall, it was a truly new dimension for me as far as fitness goes, and I have found Ross Enamait to be one of, if not the most innovative persons in the fitness industry when it comes to designing programs. You also couldn't ask for anyone more than willing to help, despite his frantic schedule. I was also introduced to using "odd objects" such as sandbags, sledgehammers, wheelbarrows, beer kegs and other items you wouldn't even consider as implements for getting in shape and condition. Since then, Ross has written several books, of which I have all, except 1. My two favorite and his most recent ones are "Infinite Intensity" and "Never Gymless". While the target audience is combat athletes, ANYONE can benefit from his programs. I have never been bored with a training program, my workouts take only 20-30 minutes to complete, sometimes less. Plus you can do most of these workouts anywhere, so there is no excuse for missing a session. I am also in the best shape and condition of my life and it has given me confidence in other areas as well. I also no longer go to a commercial gym, but train outdoors as much as possible,weather permitting. It's liberating to say the least.

Besides Ross, I have also gained inspiration from other trainers and trainees such as Zach Even-ish, Mike Mahler, Matt "Wiggy" Wiggins, JC Brown of Kettlebell athletics and Crossfit Philly, Tom Brose of Crossfit DC (where I go when time permits) and Rhadi Ferguson and JC Santana, both of Into Combat. I have also gained inspiration from people I have met on Ross' forum such as Ballast, who has become a great friend, Ironwarrior, The Fruitarian One, Rightcrosslefthook, Leapingcat, GT and many others. Last but not least, I can't forget Bas Rutten, better known as "El Guapo" in the MMA world for his inspiration as well, even though we have never met or communicated.

Getting started

After much procrastination, contemplation and hesistation, I decided to plunge into the world of blogging. I thought it would be a great way to record my thoughts, dreams, goals ambitions and sometimes frustrations with life, even though they are relatively few:), at least for now. Additionally, I need my own personal outlet to build upon and something I can say is my own slice of cyberspace. While I do spend a considerable time on various forums such as gaming, fitness, MMA, local, national and world events, movies and others, I thought it would be great to finally have my own space, or my "thing".
As for me, I'm 42 years old, laid back, but competitive in some aspects, especially fitness and sports. I also served in the Marine Corps and have a 4 , rather 5 year college degree. I have also worked a variety of jobs, from private investigator to bouncer to factory worker. Currently, I work for a large government agency. By nature, I'm a quiet, private and standoffish person, but now since I'm blogging, that aspect has been eliminated to an extent, lol.
Currently, I will use this blog as a way to keep track of my workouts and focus on fitness goals and pursuits. I am also relatively new to Brazilian Ju Jitsu, or BJJ as it's commonly known and will post my progress in that sport, which I have found after years of experimentation with various fighting arts, is a perfect fit for me. While I enjoy boxing and other similar combat sports, I prefer to be on the ground. BJJ is tough, very tough, but satisfying to me.
I will also add on occasion some movie reviews, favorite books, personal thoughts, some astronomy pics and my fascination with video gaming and thoughts on MMA. What I won't write about constantly is how rotten life is, even though it can be at times, and how I hate my job and boss. Don't get me wrong..griping can be beneficial, even theraputic, but excessive complaining and negativity is toxic and counterproductive. I feel if one is always focused on the negative and looking down, how can you go forward? You can't, as it's virtually impossible. Sure..I have days when I'm down..we all do, but I just work through them. Always look up and surround yourself with positive people, and you will succeed!
As for work, granted, this is more or less a job that "pays the bills" and not where I want to be a year from now, but I'm thankful I have a job to go to each day. Also, believe it or not, I have the greatest boss in the world, until she decides to leave for greener pastures like so many others have before her. Also, while my present job is not my true calling in life, I feel we are all placed somewhere for a reason, and each placement is a step closer to that calling, if we continue to persist and climb those steps. I truly feel that we all have a purpose and divine calling, but not necessarily in a religious sense.
As I write, I am desperately seeking my true calling and reason in life, even though some may feel that if you haven't attained that objective by a certain age, then you have missed the boat. I tend to disagree with that assessment. I know people who have reached their calling in their 50s, 60s, 70s and even higher, but I hope to attain it long before that, lol.. I feel the journey to the calling is also very important, and will equip us with the knowledge, strength and resillience to fulfill whatever is required of us when we arrive at that goal.
As time progresses, I'm sure I will get better at blogging. This blog is definitely "under construction". I'm sure like any other activity or endeavor, blogging is something that improves with time. I'm not trying to "outblog" anyone, just a place to put my thoughts. Tommorrow I will start posting my workouts and methods of training that I have adopted, then add other subject matter later on. Also, Since I am still more or less technically in the 90s, and that's saying a lot, I will eventually post pics and videos of workout sessions. Enjoy!