...and another lacrosse season comes to an end.

I've been looking forward to this particular Saturday for quite some time...it's Gulf Coast Lacrosse Association's playoff weekend. My team, Bayou City, was scheduled to play at 11am against Beaumont, and again at 3pm against one team or other depending on the results of their first games. I've been working out, running, and woke up this morning with the intention of doing everything in my power to help us win our games.

I actually showed up a half-hour early for the first game, and found our field immediately. Several of my teammates were already there, and were patiently waiting for things to get going. I joined them, and we started throwing around and chatting like we always do. We were waiting for the team from Beaumont to arrive.

We waited...and waited...and...waited. They never showed. Steve (referee and head of the league) called several times, to no avail. They had left on time, but it was surmised that they had probably gotten lost during the trip. They were a no show.

We won that game.

Upon discussing the situation, we found that if we beat our arch-rivals(Northwest) in the afternoon, then on Sunday, we would be playing for the championship against one of two teams that we already KNEW we could beat! Not only that, but we were fresh and ready for the afternoon game!!! So we went to Hooters to have some lunch and further discuss the situation. I didn't know that there's a channel called ESPNU which is devoted to college sports, but apparently there is...and Hooters has it. So we talked about playing lacrosse while we watched the Loyola vs Johns Hopkins lacrosse game, and prepared to play a lacrosse game in a couple of hours...we were in lacrosse heaven.

We came back to the fields after lunch and watched the end of the Space City/Southside game. The thought of beating Northwest and moving on to the finals excited all of us, and I know that I was amped up and ready to rock and roll. I couldn't sit still, so I ended up hanging around the endline and retrieving errant shots and out of bounds passes for the game in progress.

Finally, it was time for our game, and we were ready for action. The game started with a bang...NW won the faceoff, sprinted downfield and promptly scored the first goal.

Fine.

On the next play, our faceoff man, Peter K., flipped the ball to me, I hauled my big butt upfield and...I scored!! I was so excited that I did a tornado kick afterwards. Sorry. Couldn't be helped.

After that, it kind of went downhill. All of us did the best we could, but there were lots of little things that did us in. A missed scoop here, a dropped pass there, that sort of thing. The score slowly started to slide in the wrong direction, and we just couldn't...get it...back.

There were a couple of notable moments...one of our guys (who shall remain nameless) ended up with a totally split pair of shorts. He managed to get the ball after scuffling with one of their guys, and as he looked upfield to pass it, his shorts dropped around his ankles. Apparently, one of the opposing players had hooked his fingers in there somehow and ripped them quite effectively down the back. Fortunately for us all, he had athletic tights on underneath, and we let him borrow another pair of shorts.

Tom, the fantastic Green Goalie, stopped an awful lot of shots today...my hat's off to him, as always. And Peter K was a faceoff machine!! I swear, I don't know how he doesn't break his darned stick every time. All the guys busted their butts out there, though...everyone gave it everything they had.

I had a couple of...well, interesting moments. Once, I managed to get the ball, under pressure, and sprinted towards the offensive side of the field while the opposing team decided to use me as a pinata. For a nearly-40-year-old guy, I can actually run pretty fast. Especially when guys are trying to beat the crap out of me with sticks. I managed to evade most of them, but finally had one spin move too many, and my pass to a teammate went awry. Fortunately, one of the guys had apparently slashed (used an illegal check) on me during my run, so we got the ball back anyway.

No one that I hit today actually fell down. That was truly disappointing and a bit unusual. Wait, one guy stumbled and went to a knee, so maybe that counts. I did do some good here and there on defense...I'm usually fast enough to get into position to play solid defense, and sometimes just being in the way of the guy with the ball is enough. Other times, I just beat on the guy until he drops the ball. I really love doing that.

By the time the game ended, we were down 17-7. I hated hearing that last whistle blow. It meant that we won't take the field again for about 9 months. 9 looooong months. I am far from the best player on the team...oh, waaaaay far from it. But the fact is that I love to play. I just really love to be a part of my team, to get out there and play a rough, fast-paced game, to feel like I've given everything my body has in it so that I don't let my teammates down.

Guys, next year's coming...and we're going to kick some major butt. Go Green!

Bunch of Survey Stuff

TEN HOW'S:

How did you get one of your scars?
I set myself on fire as a toddler. What a happy way to start today's survey!

How did you celebrate your last birthday?
Relaxing at home and handing out candy to Trick-or-Treaters.

How are you feeling at this moment?
Happy, relaxed, and full of pasta.

How did your night go last night?
Class was fantastic, and I got a bit more sleep than usual.

How did you do in high school?
Pretty well, in fact. I think I was 23rd in my class.

How did you get the shirt you're wearing?
It's one of my official Jade Mountain t-shirts.

How often do you see ur best friend?
I see one every day, and the other only a handful of times a year.

How much money did you spend last month?
Enough to keep my business and home afloat for another month.

How old do you want to be when you get married?
Married more than 10 years.

How old will you be at your next birthday?
I'm proud to say that I'll be 40 years old. I'm predicting that I'll be in the best shape of my life.


NINE WHAT'S:

Your mothers name?
Mary Lou

What did you do last weekend?
Saturday: I taught Tai Chi and Kung Fu in the morning and watched the UFC with friends and family that night.
Sunday: Slept late, ate doughnuts, watched all three Matrix movies, and washed laundry.

What is the most important part of your life?
My actual family and then my Jade Mountain family.

What would you rather be doing?
Heck, I'm pretty happy. Family, job, all that's fine. Right now, I'm chilling at home and watching Deadliest Warriors. Life is good, and getting better all the time.

What did you last cry over?
Ah heck, I probably cried at some movie.

What always makes you feel better when you’re upset?
I have a Happy Songs playlist that never fails.

What’s the most important thing you look for in a significant other?
There's a rather massive list of requirements, but it helps that she adores me.

What are you worried about?
Generally, just keeping my business rolling along.

What did you have for breakfast?
A fantastic omelette and a NOS energy drink. I think that NOS is actually friggin' rocket fuel.

EIGHT HAVE YOU’S:

Have you ever liked someone who had a girlfriend/boyfriend?
Sure.

Have you ever had your heartbroken?
Not for a long time, but I remember the pain like it was yesterday.

Have you ever been out of the country?
Waddled across the Rio Grande to Reynosa, Mexico a few times.

Have you ever done something outrageously dumb?
um, have you ever actually met me?

Have you ever been back stabbed by a friend?
Hmmmm....not exactly.

Have you ever had sex on the beach?
Yes.

Have you ever dated someone younger than you?
Yes.

Have you ever read an entire book in one day?
Oh, certainly. I'm a very fast reader.

SEVEN WHO’S:

Who was the last person you saw?
The last person I saw who's not currently in view was Larry.

Who was the last person you texted?
That would be the texting machine, BB.

Who was the last person you hung out with?
Outside of my family, we had a UFC party, and hung out with Mark, Kathryn, and Tom.

Who was the last person to call you?
My Mom.

Who did you last hug?
My son.

Who is the last person who texted you?
BB.

Who was the last person you said "i love you" to?
My son.


SIX WHERE’S:

Where does your best friend live?
Katy, and Ft. Worth

Where did you last go?
Jade Mountain Martial Arts

Where did you last hang out?
Here at home.

Where do you go to school?
I've long since graduated.

Where is your favorite place to be?
with my family & friends.

Where did you sleep last night?
In my bed.

FIVE DO’S/DOES:

Do you like someone right now?
Oh, yes.

Do you think anyone likes you?
I'm certain of it.

Do you ever wish you were someone else?
And leave this body to someone else? No way. I'm finally used to it!

Do you know the muffin man?
OK, this is a useless question. I don't even like muffins.

Does the future scare you?
Nope..the future's so bright, I've gotta wear shades.

FOUR WHY’S:

Why are you best friends with your best friend(s)?
Because I trust and love them.

Why did you get a Myspace/Facebook?
Because I really enjoy catching up with old friends and staying in touch with current ones.

Why did your parents give you the name you have?
It's a family name.

Why are you doing this survey?
I’m just relaxin, so i thought I would do something relatively mindless, haha


THREE IF’S:

If you could have one super power what would it be??
Telekinesis. Used properly, I bet I could use it to fly! Or at least hover.

If you could go back in time and change one thing, would you?
Tough question...there are things I'd like to change, yes, but NO WAY would I want to bring about a change in the present.

If u were stranded on a deserted island & could bring 1 thing what would you bring?
A friggin' satellite phone.

TWO WOULD-YOU-EVER’S:

Would you ever get back together with any of your ex’s if they asked you?
Sorry ladies...not that I have just a whole lot of ex's, but no.

Would you ever shave your head to save someone you love?
Are you kidding? Wouldn't even bat an eye. Hand me the clippers.

ONE LAST QUESTION

Are you happy with your life right now?
Hard to believe, but even happier than usual lately.

Another Little Survey

If you were in the hospital on life support, would the last person you kissed come to see you?
Wow, what a first question for a silly survey! Yes, he would…he’s my son.

Have you ever tried to break someone up?
Only if one of the folks involved was in physical danger.

Have you ever been called a prince/princess?
Hmmm…no…but a very kind person once told me that I was a ‘mensch’, or ‘a king among men’. It meant so much to me at that time that I’ve spent years trying to be worthy of such a title.

When was the last time you slept at someone else's house?
I’m sure someone will correct me on this one, but it’s probably BB’s place when I came up to visit for a tournament.

Are you a bad influence?
I’m a martial arts teacher…I try to be a good influence.

When was the last time you went shopping?
Um….I bought groceries last night…does that count?

What do you normally do when you've had a really bad day?
I have a Happy Songs playlist that almost never fails. If that doesn’t work, then it’s time for the big guns…it’s chocolate cake with chocolate syrup and whipped cream, baby.

Is your cell phone fully charged?
I keep it fully charged. Hate when it dies on me.

Would you ever get a tattoo?
Still trying to figure out what I’d want on my body permanently.

Will your next kiss be a mistake?
Nope.

Do you think making out is slutty?
It depends…if you know each others full legal names, then that’s a good start.

Are you currently wearing any perfume or cologne?
Yup. Avatar. It’s inexpensive, but I like it.

Have you ever seen the last person you texted naked?
Nope.

Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
Oh, yes….no matter whether they last forever, or for a short while, there’s always an opportunity to learn something, and have wonderful experiences.

What's something you say when you are shocked?
“What the monkey?!”

When was the last time you laughed?
About 3 minutes ago…a Jack in the Box commercial struck me as funny.

Are you afraid of the dark?
Nope. I’ve already kicked the crap out of the Boogeyman, so I’m good.

Ever turned anyone down you shouldn't have?
Oh, there were missed opportunities of all types back in the day, sure.

What is something you disliked about your day?
Nothing, really…it was a pretty kickin’ day!

Did you wake up in the middle of the night last night?
No, that’s when I generally go to sleep.

What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Watching the finale of BSG.

How do you feel about the person who texted you last?
Absolutely fantastic.

Last thing you purchased?
A Subway sandwich.

Where did your last hug take place?
…at the Houston Swim Club when my son came out of his lesson.

Do you have curly hair?
Nope. It’s pretty straight.

Have you ever told someone you were in love with them?
Oh, certainly.

What's a difference between you and the last person you kissed?
My son is shorter than I am, and he’s only 7.

Do you think there's always room in your heart for your first love?
Sure. We haven’t spoken in many years, and by now, our lives have taken us in different directions, but she was a sweetheart when I knew her. Not that we’d ever date again, mind you.

Is there something you are waiting on?
The last home game of lacrosse season is this Saturday. I’m quite thrilled about it, but I’ll be sad when it’s over.

Do you want to get married & have children one day?
Already there.

Do you wish on 11:11?
My son was born on 11/11/01 at exactly 11:01pm. I already got my wish.

Are you in a good mood right now?
Oh, yes...it’s my one weeknight off, I had a great day, and we’re going to watch a hopefully cool movie later. And there might be cake.

Who was the last person who left your life and hurt you?
…I kind of kicked someone out of mine…does that count?

You walk in on your boyfriend/girlfriend kissing your very best friend, what do you say to them?
I’d probably warn BB or LDE that my wife is too much for them to handle.

Did you make anything to eat today?
Wow….I just realized that I didn’t make anything for myself. Usually, I at least make myself an omelette every morning.

Do you do chores around your house?
Oh, sure. Got pics to prove it. Laundry, dishes, you name it.

How are you at work/school?
I’m just friggin’ a-may-zing.

What do you hear right now?
The TV, and my family discussing the show.

What do you watch at night before you go to sleep?
Pretty much whatever the DVR caught for us that night.

What do you drink the most of?
Water. And yes, I do love orange Monster. Currently trying out Blue and Purple as well.

Do you have any pets?
1 absolutely ridiculous pug, Boba. Or ‘Dummy’, as I call him.

Where are your parents?
Mom’s probably at her house in Indiana, and Dad’s wherever good people go when they pass on. And he’s probably bowling.

Who last called you?
My son’s Elementary School’s automated announcement service.

Are you easily angered?
Not really, but my few remaining buttons, if pushed, can yield rather intense results.

Are you sarcastic?
Me? Noooooo.

Do you miss anyone?
Oh, yes I do.

If you had to get with a famous person, who would it be?
Look, I’ve already told Kelly Clarkson that I’m not available…can I help it if she’s obsessed with me?

Last time you laughed really hard?
There was a Weight Watcher’s commercial last night that had me rolling on the floor laughing.

Are you wearing socks?
Lemme check….yep.

What is on your wrists right now?
Nothing…no watch or anything.

Where did you get the shirt/sweatshirt youre wearing?
It’s one of my official Jade Mountain t-shirts.

Do you wear eyeliner?
Only when I’m performing in a hair band.

What are you doing after this?
Probably go out to dinner.

How tall are you?
5'-8 ¼”
197lbs
Dk Brown hair
Hazel eyes
And that’s all the info you get without buying me dinner.

Are you a loud person?
Um…yes, I can be. Drum Major in high school, and all that.

Does it matter to you if your bf/gf smokes?
Yes, very much. I am a non-smoker who has suffered from asthma my whole life, so smoking makes no sense to me at all.

Who was that last person you had a phone call longer than 7 minutes?
Almost ALL of my phone calls are longer than 7 minutes…have you ever talked to me on the phone?

Would you ever dye your hair blonde?
Come on, I’d look friggin’ ridiculous with blonde hair.

At the moment are you more warm or cold?
I am perfectly comfortable…maybe on the cool side.

Where were you last night?
At home, on the couch, with my feet on my favorite ottoman.

Last non-alcoholic beverage consumed?
I had me a Monster!!

Do you currently have a hickey?
Nope.

Does the last person who put their arm around you mean anything to you?
Of course, my son is everything to me.

Are you high?
Didn’t I address the height issue earlier on here?

Who did you last say I love you to?
Wife and son.

Change of State

Funny how things work sometimes. Today has been gorgeous...beautiful weather. Blue skies, gentle breezes, very nice. I got an early start this morning (after an admittedly short night's sleep, though) and headed up to my school to take care of administrative stuff. In other words, taxes. I spent a few hours building a spreadsheet of income and expenses and the like. When I tired of that, I took a stroll down memory lane by scanning tons of old pics and putting them up on Facebook. Afternoon rolled around and I enjoyed a Subway sandwich, and a nice drive back to the house, listening to some of my new favorite music.

And things went downhill rapidly from there. Today was apparently Connor's day to give me attitude. Not a good idea. He also had a clothing issue that made it impossible to go to his swimming lesson. Also not good. By the time I had him wrangled and sorted out, and dropped him off at his Grandmother's house so that I could go to my school for the evening's classes, I was dragging, big-time. The lack of sleep, combined with the stress of the afternoon, was quickly doing me in.

I made it to Jade Mountain, where Sifu Larry had already begun his Krav Maga class. the music is always fun in there, but did little to perk me up. I dropped my canvas bag behind the display case, and shuffled doggedly around as I figured out how I was going to get through the night's classes. I had picked up the Monster I had bought (number 2 for the day), and turned to walk into the back office again when my foot got caught in the strap of my canvas bag, and I pitched headfirst towards the wall.

The resultant gymnastics would make the ninjas envious.

I ended up flat on my back, half in and half out of the office, staring at the ceiling. It must be noted that I did NOT spill my Monster. I'd score the routine at a 9.875 at least.

That's when the laughing started...and I thanked the universe for helping me to change my sorry state this evening. That stumble was a gift, a very timely gift that reminded me of the fact that sometimes, you just need to laugh it off, get up off the floor, and have a good time. My evening's going to go just fine.

Substitutes? Who Needs Substitutes? We are IRON MEN!!

Lacrosse season's almost over. We had a fun game against Metro last weekend, even though we played Iron Man again. Thanks to Metro for letting us borrow one of their guys later in the game, who scored his first goal that day. Our guys did a much better job of moving the ball around, playing smart, and not getting completely exhausted in the first half, so we were generally pleased, in spite of the loss.

You know, I love this game. It's not as popular a game around here as football, or baseball, yes, I know that. But I love it. It requires skill, teamwork, and athleticism, and it's a rough sport. Can't get enough of it.

I'll be 40 this year. I'm not quite as fast as I was when I was 20, this is true. Stuff hurts for a bit longer after each game. But that doesn't matter...I'm planning to play this game until they won't let me on the field anymore.

Although our small turnout has been a bit disappointing, we'll play any team they put in front of us. We are Bayou City, the Big Green, and we're not backing down from anyone. And I don't care how many players show up...I'll play shorthanded if necessary...just so I can play.

Our fabulous Green Goalie sent out an email this morning, trying to get more of our players to carve out a bit of time next Saturday and come out to play. It unexpectedly moved me, and he said I could reprint it here:

Just wanted to say I had a ton of fun against Metro.
I think I got hit in the head 3 times but I can only remember two.
I got hit a bunch which at least means I was not ducking.
I missed the game before so I was psyched to be playing.
I really love playing.
Think about it. One day we ain't gonna play no more and that's gonna suck.
One day our bodies will forsake us.
Our sticks will hang dusty in some attic corner.
We will tell our stories to people that weren't there and don't care.
And we will never know the joy of the fight on a clear spring day in the cherished company of our teammates ever again.
And we will wish we could play just one more time.



Thanks for sending this one out, Tom. Now, I'm even going to show up early for that game.

Fred Sanford walkin', A Party, and Dance

Saturday started as it usually does...with a Tai Chi class and a Kung Fu class. Afterwards, I hustled home to change, and was then off to Bush Park for another lacrosse game. We had previously beaten our opponents of the day, the Southside Predators, and were hoping for a repeat of that performance.

It became apparent early on that it was going to be a looooong game. We only had 10 people. A good team needs at least a handful of substitutes on the sidelines to give the players an occasional rest...but there just weren't any. We had to play Iron Man, as we call it, where everyone plays on field for the entire game. If you've never seen a lacrosse game, you should know that there's a lot of running involved. And fighting with sticks. And more running. So playing Iron Man is a challenge, to say the least.

Tom, otherwise known as Green Goalie, had managed to injure himself at another sporting endeavor, leaving us without a trained goalie for the day. Our valiant team captain, Lee Shelton, donned the pads, grabbed the giant fishnet that we call a goalie stick, and headed resolutely towards the goal to take his place.

"Guys, I'm telling you right now that I'm going to be cheating quite a bit during the game today...but none of it is intentional," Lee told the refs before the game. He was totally serious, too. Hey, when you have to play a position you don't usually play...stuff happens. The refs laughed and promised to keep an eye on him.

Here's the short report of my own, personal performance. As if you've been waiting for it with baited breath, of course. Hey, it's my blog, and I'll write what I want...so there. Anyway, here we go:

I got nailed once and hit the ground flat on my back. I'm not sure when or why, exactly.

I tried to hit one guy, but got the angle wrong, and ended up doing a diving roll to get back to my feet. When I stood up, I promptly turned and swatted the guy I'd bumped, only to hear him say, 'Uh...the ball is over there now. Sorry.' Crap.

I took several shots at the goal that had absolutely no chance of scoring whatsoever. My 'Bugs Bunny Slowball' approach only works once in a while, it seems.

And I got completely burned by a guy who was racing towards our goal. I should have just plowed into him, but foolishly tried to knock the ball out of his stick instead. He dodged, shot, and scored. Double-crap.

On the good side, I knocked two of the opposing players completely off their feet. One of those was floored by a two-fisted punch to the shoulder. I felt like a Spartan there for a second.

Our faceoff man for the day, the fabulous Todd, just wasn't having any luck at all that day. His opponents were just too quick, or had an awesome technique, or some such. During the beginning of the 3rd quarter, I asked for a chance, and he gladly let me take the face. Would you believe that I started winning all the faceoffs? That was fun!! I'm not quite 5'-9" and a solid 195 lbs, so if I suddenly decide to bowl you over when the whistle blows, it can come as an unpleasant surprise...which it did for #5. Once they got used to that, I tried something else, and it worked too. It was a great feeling to contribute, let me tell you.

Checking an opposing players stick in such a way that it spins out of his hand, thus effectively dislodging the ball, is called 'pinwheeling'. Got me one of those, too.

In the end, they just plain outmanned us. We played our guts out, but couldn't catch them once they pulled ahead. Even so, we had a ton of fun, and are already looking forward to next Sunday's game against Metro.

Now if you're thinking that I'm bragging about my amazing athletic prowess, let me tell you about the rest of the afternoon. Ever watch Sanford and Son? Red Foxx's character, Fred Sanford, had a kind of wobbling walk that was quite distinctive. Once I had cooled off from the game, driven home, and then managed to extract myself from the car, I spent the rest of the day wobbling just...like...that. Nothing worked quite right until Sunday morning. And it was quite a silly sight to see. Yeah...some tough guy.

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Today's Sunday, and I've recovered. We managed some serious house cleaning because we had a little surprise brewing...my dear friend Larry's birthday is Monday, and we were planning a party for him. We all thought that I'd give it away, but it went off without a hitch, and the gang showed up at 5, ready to have some fun. He seemed pleased with the party, and with the sword we gave him, and we all had a blast laughing at a couple of our favorite movies. Sometimes, the movie is funny by itself, and other times, our commentary was far funnier than anything on screen. So Happy Birthday, Larry!

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I was reminded today of how much I love...well...dance. Ever since I started watching 'So You Think You Can Dance', I gained a new appreciation for the deep and powerful emotional beauty of certain styles of dance. I've mentioned this before in a previous note, so I won't really get into it again, but my feelings are the same...I'm moved quite deeply by certain combinations of dance and music. Some things really seem to get inside me, dig deep into my heart, and I just love that. I often can't explain what emotions swell within me when I watch this stuff, but it feels absolutely wonderful.

Here are a couple for your viewing pleasure:





And my All-Time Favorite, the top 10 from season 3 dancing a contemporary piece choreographed by Mia Michaels. I've posted this before, but it was removed. I'm hoping that this clip doesn't get yanked, because I. LOVE. IT.

The Moment I Said It


Have a fabulous week, everyone. And take a moment here and there to let some beauty into your life. It'll be good for you.

Aftermath of the Wreck

It was quite sudden. The weather had been really, really bad when we went to pick up Connor from school...raining hard, a bit windy. It slackened a bit as we escorted him (under our umbrellas) across the street to our Honda. As we headed towards Connor's swim lesson, we debated about whether we should even go. I had been feeling broody and melancholy for most of the day, and really thought that maybe we should just stay home for once. As we rolled past the Junior High, a white SUV pulled out of that school and over into our lane, almost hitting us.

We honked, they swerved, and everyone was fine. I thought "See...maybe we really should stay home today." But the weather was still clearing up, still raining but not nearly as badly as before, so we decided to continue onward.

As it turns out, this was a colossal mistake.

We turned down a busy road, between the local Sam's Club and Best Buy, and were only a couple of blocks away from our destination...when a young fellow and his girlfriend made a left turn directly into our path. No time to dodge, no time to swerve, only time to stomp on the brakes as hard as humanly possible and hope for the best for about 1/4th of second.

You know, I can't even recall exactly what the impact sounded like. I search my memory, and there's just a blank where that sound should be. Hm. I remember that I had actually pushed up out of the seat with both hands (I wasn't driving) and was somehow holding my legs up towards the dashboard in some kind of crazy attempt to brace myself. Yes, I realize the foolishness of such acrobatics, but I didn't have time for a more well-thought out plan of action.

We hit them directly in the side of their vehicle. The jeep rode higher than our Honda, so we hit them in the lower part of the car, which probably saved the passenger's life. We slammed to a stop, and they swerved out and away from us from the force of the impact.

I looked around and checked on everyone...I was ok so far, Connor was already squawking in the back seat "We had a wreck...and we SURVIVED!!" so I knew that he was probably OK, and Christina was shocked and wide-eyed but otherwise seemed fine as well. It took a few seconds to regain my bearings, and then I figured I needed to check on the other guys. I could see that the girl in the passenger seat was crying, and the driver, a young guy in his late teens or early 20's, had come out to check on us as well. So far, so good...no major injuries. Connor somehow slammed his face into the padded back of Christina's seat, but didn't even get a bloody nose for his trouble, and we had nothing to speak of.

So then began the process of calling the police, exchanging insurance information in the rain, watching all the tow-truck drivers flooding the area (really, it was like we were bleeding in the water during shark season) and then finally realizing that we needed to get out of the car and find a safer place to wait.

Connor had somehow changed into his swimsuit in the backseat after the wreck. Whether this was his way of dealing with the sudden shock, or he just thought that we'd still be getting him to swim class on time, I'll never know. But we walked over to sit in one of the tow trucks until everything was sorted out. When he finally saw how badly the Honda had been damaged (honestly, the pics don't do it justice...the front end looks about a foot shorter than I remember), he broke down and cried. Hard. 10 minutes later he was tugging my sleeve. 'Dad...I have to pee!' Pretty resilient, that one. He's playing video games with his mother now. All good.

The young driver was very apologetic and quickly asserted that the wreck was his fault. 'I wasn't paying attention...I didn't even see you guys, I'm sorry.' He cooperated fully with us and with the police, and I don't harbor any ill will towards the guy. I've been on that end of an accident, and if he's anything that resembles a decent human being inside, he's thinking that life absolutely sucks right now. He could have killed us. And he knows it. Some of the tow truck drivers loudly voiced their opinions that he should be clapped in irons and hauled away by the police, but hey, stuff happens. Looks like it was just our turn today.

Officer Terry Thurman, future Harris County Constable and a member of our fabulous Jade Mountain team, was kind enough to come right out and make sure that everyone handled everything properly, and then he drove us home. The other drivers insurance will be taking care of everything.

The fact that we're all OK (and so are the other guys) has made this a lot easier to handle. I'm disappointed, sure, but so very glad that everyone's alive and well. No one's in the hospital with life-threatening injuries, and no one's dead. In light of that fact, I just don't care about the car. A car is just a thing. It has no soul, no life, no spirit. Heck, I can RUN to work if need be...my school's only 5 miles from home, and I could use that as additional conditioning. Or I could ride Dad's scooter. Not in the rain, though, not in the rain.

But the lives of my family are worth a million cars. A billion. I'd walk my feet bloody before I'd spare any emotions for a car over them. So tonight, we we're going to sit at home and be grateful for the days we have together. And we're going to bed early...I think we all could use some rest after such an eventful day.

Here are the pics we've got so far...this is the side of the Jeep.



Not a whole lot of damage there. Oh, the rear window of the Jeep was shattered as well, but that was it. Sorry for the blur, but there was a drop of water on my phone's camera lens, and I didn't know it.

Here's a few shots of the Honda.



Again with the blur...these are NOT action shots. Here's a closer shot of the front end of the car. I'm upgrading my phone tomorrow, by the way. Maybe then I can take decent pics for a change.



And here it is, loaded onto the tow-truck, headed to wherever totaled cars go to die.

Modern Art.

One of the exhibits that we viewed while we visited the museum in Dallas had several rather...interesting...pieces. For instance, there was a long cable hanging from the ceiling, and at its end was a black electric fan. It was set on 'High', and it blew merrily around in lazy circles. Nothing more. Just a fan, blowing around over our heads.

One room could only be accessed through a long, prismatic tunnel, made of triangular panels of reflective plexiglas. I enjoyed the play of lights and colors in the tunnel...everything was quite pretty. A bright yellow glow seeped into the end of the tunnel, and as we stepped into the room, it was like stepping onto another planet. The room was empty, save for the yellow incandescent lights in the ceiling.

It was the oddest thing...in that bright yellow illumination, all other colors were rendered in black and white. Wow. After getting accustomed to the room, the yellow tint seemed to disappear, and we all looked like players in a silent movie. Very interesting.

The next room was a circular, translucent plexiglas enclosure. I figured that it was another play on light, and I was correct. When we walked in, everything looked normal. The enclosure was white. Slowly, it shifted to pink...and then red. Just as I got accustomed to the red, it shifted into green. Everyone was The Hulk! It continued to shift to other colors. That was just a bit too much for me...it made me quite queasy, so I had to make a break for it. The museum security guard smiled and chuckled at me as I wobbled by. Apparently, she had seen this reaction before.

There were other pieces, including a series of identical squares that were different colors. Ever see something and think, 'Heck, I could do that!'? I had one of those moments looking at those different colored squares. I know that many of the pieces were supposed to evoke emotions in the viewers, and that different viewers are affected differently. Where some would be inspired, or joyful, others might be repulsed, fearful, or even completely unaffected. I like that about art. Not only is every piece of art an individual expression of emotion, intent, and magic from within an artist, but it can bring out emotions that the viewer did not know were there, an infinite number of different responses, thoughts, and feelings.

Once, in my distant past, I thought I would take up oil painting. I'd been watching Bob Ross on his show 'Joy of Painting', and he made it look sooooooooo EASY!!! I taped one of his shows that showed a painting that I thought I could manage, and made a list of supplies. The Hobby House, unfortunately, did not have the first necessity, "Liquid White". You're supposed to cover the canvas with it before you start. Apparently, this makes all the other paints act the way that they're supposed to...the way that they do on Bob's show. More or less, anyway. I bought what I thought was a decent substitute, but it did not work. At all. I thought I could hear Bob Ross laughing at me the whole time. I did the best I could, but wow, what an absolute failure that was! Even so, the process was a lot of fun.

I'm thinking that I'd like to try it again. I don't have any ambitions about being in a museum someday...that would be ridiculous. I don't know that I would be attempting to express some inner emotion, either. At the very least, though, I would like to produce a pretty scene on canvas. I'll keep you posted.

Uh oh...he's learned to use the camera-phone.

My wife has been ill for the last few days with a nasty case of chest congestion and coughing. This had led to some sleepless nights for both of us, but more so for her. Today, she slept in while I went to teach classes at my school. After I had finished, I called to check in and was surprised when my son answered the phone.

We talked for a few minutes, and he let me know that she was still sleeping peacefully in the bedroom. I told him where I was, and that I'd be back soon.

Later on, my phone rang, and I saw that it was my wife. She must have awakened..or so I thought. The little crank had figured out how to call me back on her phone. This involves a rather involved 'unlocking' process to get the virtual buttons to work on the phone, but he figured it out. Smart little fellow, that one.

When I arrived at home, he came out to meet me. He proudly informed me that he had just sent me some pictures.

"No, I didn't see that you sent anything..." and at that moment, my phone buzzed. Here are the results.



And my personal favorite...



Have a great Saturday!

Old stuff and old paintings

It was a short trip, barely 30 hours total, but it was a good one. It was actually made a bit shorter by my tendency to doze off in mid-sentence whenever I'm a passenger on a long car ride, but I tried to stay awake.

We left Katy on Wednesday afternoon, piled into Mom-in-law's Prius, and headed off to Dallas to visit the King Tut exhibit at the museum and to visit Ann Margaret, a long-time family friend of Christina's family. The weather was beautiful, the ride was nice and smooth, and it was quite enjoyable.

However, we discovered upon arrival that it's important to have the correct address when searching for directions on Google Maps. If you don't have the right address, then you'll end up in the wrong place. Imagine that! However, we weren't terribly far off, so the delay was minimal. Ann's house was in a stately and elegant part of Dallas, and it was just gorgeous. It was great to hang out with her, even during the short time we were there, and then we all went straight to bed.

The next morning dawned bright and clear. We loaded up the car again and made our way towards the museum. The directions were correct this time, and we found the place with little fuss. Parking was a breeze, and we got in line as instructed. We opted to watch the movie about the exhibit first, rather than afterwards. It was the first time I've seen a 3D movie that really worked! It was pretty cool.

There were well over a hundred pieces in the exhibit, many of which had never been seen in the exhibit before. The artistry was amazing...some of the items were so incredibly intricate in their design, I couldn't imagine how long it had taken their craftsmen to create. One piece that stood out was the yellow glass scarab. The carved scarab was the centerpiece on one of King Tut's ornate chest-pieces. Apparently, the glass had not been created by human hands, but by an ancient meteorite strike in the Sahara desert instead, and it seems to glow with a faint inner light. The glass itself was many thousands of years older than the Egyptian culture. Coooooool.



One thing I never knew was the fact that Tut's actual mummy was protected by series of nesting boxes and sarcophagi. I can only imagine what it must have been like to stumble upon that magnificent tomb, filled with all of its treasures and links to the distant past. Wow.

Here we are in front of the exhibit banner:



And here's Connor being...well...Connor.



As much as I might enjoy seeing antiquities and great art, I'm not one who enjoys walking around aimlessly, hoping to see something cool. This is probably a character flaw of mine, but I usually end up feeling like I'm missing something, or that I'd rather be elsewhere.

That being said, I'm so very glad that we went on this trip. As we walked around the area of more modern art (last 200 years or so), I rounded a corner and saw a painting that I recognized...at least, I knew that I had seen it before. Checking the info plaque, I saw that it was a Mary Cassat, 'The Reading Lesson'. I recognized it because our 7-year-old had done a presentation on the artist.

Here's Connor and Grandma Julie in front of the painting.



Somehow, it all came alive for me then. I got a close up look at the painting, and saw the thousands of tiny brushstrokes that, together, created the image. I moved to the next painting, and stood looking at it for a moment.



'Children in the Woods', by Frank W. Benson in 1898, slowly moved me to tears. How someone could take a blank canvas, and, using nothing more than pigments on a palette and a handful of brushes, create such a beautiful scene from nothing more than a mental image...astonishing.

After that, I enjoyed everything much more than before. I saw Van Gogh's, Monet's, Picasso's, and even some Jackson Pollack's. Very, very cool.

There was a wonderful Maya exhibit as well, but that area smelled like dog poo and dirty feet. Weird. The pieces were fantastic, though, especially after Christina and Connor's trip to Mexico.

The ride home was uneventful, and the weather was great. We made great time, and Christina was astonished to find that I have some of 'her' music on my mp3 player. Hey, it's not ALL Kelly Clarkson!

Spring Break draws to a close, and it's been fun. Take care, folks!

A Kid's Questionaire about Dad

Kid Questionnaire
Ask your child(ren) to answer the questions and type their answers in.
Connor – age 7 Sunday March 15, 2009 at 12:10pm
(I've tried to write these answers exactly as he gave them to me.)

1. What is something dad always says to you?
I love you!

2. What makes dad happy?
Being with me.

3. What makes dad sad?
Not being with me.

4. How does your dad make you laugh?
You tickle me!

5. What was your dad like as a child?
You loved kung fu.

6. How old is your dad?
28 (Thanks, Connor!)

7. How tall is your dad?
20 or 30 inches.

8. What is his favorite thing to watch on TV?
Chinese Kung Fu

9. What does your dad do when you're not around?
Usually go to your school.

10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for?
Because you teach so much kung fu!

11. What is your dad really good at?
Kung Fu.

12. What is your dad not very good at?
Not loving me!

13. What does your dad do for his job?
Do Kung Fu!

14. What is your dad's favorite food
Noodles!

15. What makes you proud of your dad?
Beating Halo 3 on XBOX.

16. If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be?
Tom from Tom and Jerry.

17. What do you and your dad do together?
Make my breakfast, take me to school, put me to bed, read stories.

18. How are you and your dad the same?
We’re both boys…I think I know that.

19. How are you and your dad different?
We don’t have the same colored eyes.

20. How do you know your dad loves you?
You do things for me, you care for me, and you tickle me.

21. What does your dad like most about your mom?
Her eyes…they’re the same color as mine.

22. Where is your dad's favorite place to go?
Lemme guess…The Noodle House! Geez….

A Rainy Saturday Survey

What is on your bed right now?
Comforters, sheets, and pillows

When was the last time you threw up?
Oh...um...I was sick several weeks ago, but can't remember exactly when.

What's your favorite word or phrase?
I have to pick just ONE? Geez, I'm such a verbal guy, and there are tons of silly comments, quotes, and one-liners to pick from...

Name 3 people who made you smile today?
Christina, Connor, and Kelly

What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
Fixing an omelette and watching a video on proper application of tai chi techniques.

What is your favorite holiday?
Halloween!

What is the last thing you said aloud?
"Hey, Dummy..." I was talking sweetly to our pug puppy.

What is the best ice cream flavor?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

What was the last thing you had to drink?
Water

What are you wearing right now?
I'm fully dressed for a change. Jeans, underarmor long-sleeve shirt, Katy Krav Maga t-shirt, sock, shoes, underwear. Wait, lemme check...yes, underwear.

What was the last thing you ate?
I hate to admit it, but I was in a rush, and got a cheeseburger.

Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
I bought some new wrestling shoes.

When was the last time you ran?
I did some interval sprints on Monday.

What's the last sporting event you watched?
UFC 96

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Scotland, or Australia

Who is the last person you sent a comment/​message on myspace?
My brother.

Ever go camping?
Yup...love it!!

Do you have a tan?
Nope.

Have you ever lost anything down a toilet?
Only stuff that really, really belonged down there in the first place.

Do you use smiley faces on the computer alot?
Fairly often.

Do you drink your soda from a straw?
Hmmm....I guess I do! Had to stop and think about that.

What did your last text message say?
OK, be 15 mins

Are you someone's best friend?
I believe I do hold that honor.

What are you doing tomorrow?
A whole bunch of nothin'!!!!

Where is your mom right now?
I would guess that she's at her house in Indiana.

Look to your left, what do you see?
Our pug puppy, Boba. Or "Dummy", if you prefer.

Ever ridden on a roller coaster?
Oh, yes...many times.

What is your birthstone?
Opal

Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
Usually the drive through.

Do you have any friends on myspace that you actually hate?
Nope.

Do you have a dog?
Yes, the aforementioned Boba.

Last person you talked to on the phone?
Brian

Any plans today?
Yep...going to a birthday party.

Are you happy?
Yup. I tend to be quite happy, but not quite satisfied. That attitude keeps me training and working towards better things.

Where are you right now?
I'm in our guestroom...it's where we keep the 'big' computer.

Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
Taxes and homeowner's associations.

Last songs listened to?
Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You". She's in love with me, I tell you!

Last movie you saw?
Watchmen. I just loved the Rorschach character, if not the rest of the movie. Upon being placed in prison, along with many hardened criminals that he sent there, Rorschach was told, "Hey, there's about 50 guys gunnin' for you, and you're locked in here with us." His response was simple, "You're wrong...you're locked in here with me." The little guy was such a bad-ass!!

Are you allergic to anything?
I occasionally have to work around my asthma, which is aggravated by dust, ragweed, cats, and a few other things here and there. I'm sure that was more than you needed to know about my inner workings.

Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
Whatever pair of wrestling shoes I'm currently using for my training.

Is anyone jealous of you?
Uh...I have no idea.

Do any of your friends have children?
Most of them do.

Do you eat healthy?
Most of the time, absolutely. However, my students all know that I'm also partial to chocolate cake and orange Monsters.

What do you usually do during the day?
I enjoy working out (I know those abs are around here somewhere...), training to improve my martial arts skills, and I teach at my school 6 days a week.

Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
Yup.

How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
40. I'm strongly considering the idea of running a full marathon to celebrate my birthday. I might actually have to train for this one, though...I can survive a 13.1 mile Half-Marathon with nothing more than my usual martial arts conditioning and training, but the full 26.2 miles? I'll actually have to work up to that.

How did u get one of your scars?
I have a handful of burn scars on my lower legs. They're barely visible now, but I managed to set myself on fire as a toddler...not a happy time for my folks, but I came out of it perfectly OK.

Success! Lacrosse hits and decent knees.

Many of you know that my knee has been a bit gimpy this past month or so. There was no single injury to which I could point and say, 'Oh, yeah, THAT's what hurt my knee!' Most likely, it was simply a cumulative thing that finally showed up. Squats have been out of the question for weeks, and I haven't been able to do nearly as much running and conditioning as I'd like...frustrating, to say the least. However, I decided to play it smart for once, and let the knee rest so that it would have a chance to heal.

This past week, I've noticed big improvements every day, and I decided to try the knee out at todays lacrosse game. I had already planned to pay very close attention to it during the game, and if it felt wonky at all at any time, I'd just step off the field and call it a day.

I'm thrilled to say that, not only did the knee function perfectly well, but I actually played a decent game this time around! I didn't score at all, but I won a couple of faceoffs, blocked one shot with my thigh (OK, that really hurt), and managed to put two of the opposing players out of the game with perfectly legal hits. They both came back to play later, and I was pretty concerned about them, but they were both fine...just had the wind knocked out of them by yours truly.

Now for the other side of that coin, I'd like to mention that my first hit of the game was actually done to me, rather than by me. Didn't even see the guy. I caught a pass, dodged the guy playing defense on me and shot at the goal...and BAM!!! Friends, that guy hit me so hard that I rolled backwards and ended up standing on my feet again. No kidding. After a quick systems check, I was thrilled to find that nothing was injured, so I just went back to playing. Yay for me! Of course, my shot had gone nowhere near the goal. Such is life.

So we're all home now, resting. My wife is snoring quietly on the couch, Connor is playing computer games in his room, and I'm thinking that the idea of dinner is getting more and more interesting by the minute...guess I'd better get up and find something to eat.

ABC's

1. A is for age: 39...honestly, still feel like I'm in my late 20's, but slightly more round.

2. B is for beer of choice: I don't drink...you never know when the ninjas will attack.

3. C is for career right now: Owner and Head Instructor of Jade Mountain Martial Arts

4. D is for your dog's name: Boba. As in Boba Fett. As in "You wanna little piece of Boba?"

5. E is for essential item you use everyday: Food. Must...have...food.

6. F is for favorite TV show at the moment: Several...Eleventh Hour, CSI:NY and Vegas, Legend of the Seeker.

7. G is for favorite game: Lacrosse

8. H is for Home town: Angleton, TX

9. I is for instruments you play: voice (in the shower only), clarinet

10. J is for favorite juice: orange

11. K is for whose butt you'd like to kick: My wife's former boss...he lives only because I decided not to kill him.

12. L is for last place you ate: Home.

13. M is for marriage: 5 years to first wife, then 10 years to Christina

14. N is for your full name: William Whitsitt McClendon III

15. O is for overnight hospital stays: None for me. A few with my wife and son.

16. P is for people you were with today: Mostly, my students (Kung Fu Family) and son.

17. Q is for quote: "Sometimes...that happens."

18. R is for Biggest Regret: I've learned many lessons during my life, and some of those were painful. I do try to live without regrets as much as possible.

19. S is for status: Feeling pretty darned groovy today!

20. T is for time you woke up today: 7:00am

21. U is for underwear you have on now: Lemme check...gray. I left my leopard print undies at home.

22. V is for vegetable you love: lots...broccoli, green beans, peas

23. W is for worst habit: Daily Monsters.

24. X is for x-rays you've had: right wrist, groin (kidney stone back in HS)

25. Y is for yummy food you ate today: I had a fabulous omelet for breakfast!

26. Z is for zodiac sign: Scorpio and Rooster. Some folks say that this explains a lot.

Just another Friday...

It's Friday morning, and I'm really having trouble believing my eyes...our 5 month old pug, Boba (I actually call him Dummy more than anything else) is quietly laying on the floor, chewing a rawhide thing, and staying out of trouble for a change. Wait...ok, now he's chewing on the rug again. I knew that couldn't last, but it was a really, really nice 18 seconds of peace and quiet.

Everyone's home again, and I've been regaled with tales of Maya ruins, cenotes, and fun on the cruise ship. They've just about got me sold on the idea that I need to go next time and enjoy my first cruise.

I should say my first 'real' cruise. I have been on a cruise ship before, a gambling cruise out of Galveston. It was years ago, and we were supposed to head out into the Gulf for a few hours, enjoy the onboard casinos, and then return. Unfortunately, the weather was not so good, and we were enshrouded in fog. And we got stuck out there in the Gulf. All night. Folks were sleeping wherever they could find floor space, and the choppy waters made the whole deal rather icky. I recall walking on the deck in search of a bathroom and feeling like a drunk, only to look up and see another guy ahead of me weaving along just the same as me...it was just the motion of the ship making us walk that way. We finally returned to port at around 8am the next morning, instead of 11pm the night before as planned. Blech!

Since then, I haven't been thrilled to go on another cruise, even a 'real' one. But, maybe that time has come. Hey, all the food is included, and that's music to my ears!! I'll keep you posted.

The knee seems almost healed up...tai chi and kung fu are easier every day, and I've begun working out again with some minor changes in the routines. I'm still feeling a bit weak in that area, but I'm pleased with the progress. We've got a game this Sunday, and I'm hoping that I'll be good to go. It's been a really long three weeks since this whole thing started, and I'm looking forward to getting back in action!

That's about it for now. Nothing spectacular. I'm looking forward to an enjoyable day teaching martial arts and I might even squeeze in some house cleaning. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Rollerblades and hilarity.

I'm a pretty coordinated person. I've trained in Kung Fu and other martial arts for nearly 30 years, still play lacrosse, and can generally catch anything that I accidentally knock off a shelf with ninja-like speed and dexterity. However, I look like a total and complete fool on Rollerblades.

Our pug, Boba, likes to run. Yes, I know that's odd, but he can't seem to get enough of hauling his cinnamon roll tail down the street at top speed. It's a bit unwieldy for me to ride a bike and hold his leash at the same time, so I figured I'd just dust off my Rollerblades and go from there.

One of my few and inspired moments of wisdom slapped me in the face this morning when I thought, "Hmmm....I should try these out by myself before attempting to walk the dog in them."

That thought most likely saved my life.

I put the dog in his kennel, squeezed into my 'blades and accompanying pads (elbow, knee, and wrist) and stepped out into the driveway. It was immediately apparent that over a dozen years has passed since I've worn those skates, and I very nearly killed myself several times. In the driveway. Not the street, the driveway. I didn't actually make it to the street, where I would have been walking the dog at top speed and dodging cars at the same time.

I'm thrilled that my time on this earth has actually taught me something. As a younger and more foolish man, I probably would have just thought "Hey, I'll be fine! Let's go, dog!" and then been dragged down the street by our 4 month old pug, scraping every exposed piece of skin on our gravely street, screaming like a little girl. Chalk one up for experience, friends.

So rather than suffer the indignity of a pug-dragging, I'll just ride the bike again. Maybe some snazzy new skates will help...or at least, I'll get dragged down the street in style.

Quiet. Lots of quiet.

It's an odd sensation, sitting here in on my couch and hearing...nothing. Maybe some light snoring from Boba, the pug, but that's it. Wife and son are on a large boat, headed for Mexico. Brian is on his way to Austin after a short visit. Larry is in Fort Worth learning cool Krav Maga type stuff. And so, I'm home alone, listening to the silence.

I don't often have this opportunity, and I'm not complaining. Unless everyone in the house is asleep, there's always something going on. Even then, it always feels like there's something about to happen. Busy, busy, busy, yes sir. But with everyone gone, I finally have a chance to be alone with my thoughts, and it can be a bit daunting. There's quite a bit rolling around in my head, tons of things I'd like to get done, projects I'd like to start, things I'd like to write, watch, read, and the like. What to do?

Actually, it's been so long since I've had time by myself that I decided to do something that's exceedingly rare for me...I took a nap. And no one woke me. Having accomplished this, I'm thinking of taking the dog for a walk, and maybe working on one of my short stories later on. Honestly, I doubt I'll achieve anything of great import this afternoon, but that's ok with me. Naps are good.

This was a busy weekend up to now. Mark and Mike competed in the Animal Fightwear Submission Championships on Saturday, and both performed admirably. It was a well-run event, and it was good to see old friends and watch the competitions. During a couple of 'Superfights', some folks showed that their arms were just not as susceptible to armbars as ours are. Ouch! Our guys enjoyed their matches, and although they didn't win, we've found some directions in which to take their training. Cool.

Afterwards, Brian and I stopped off at Pho Mai and had some fabulous noodles for lunch. Then back to my house, where we chatted, caught up, and watched fights on Spike. Nothing of import, but as always, it was great to have BB down for a visit.

So now I'm here alone with time on my hands. As usual, the idea of having total freedom to do whatever I want leaves me in a puddle of inaction. There's so much to do, so many choices that I end up doing almost none of them. So I'm going to peel myself off the couch and take the snoring dog for a walk. If anyone wants to give me a holler this weekend, please do.

Lacrosse news and goofy knees

As I walked up to the field for our first lacrosse game two weeks ago, I noticed a twinge in my right knee. My legs are generally strong as tree trunks, so I was concerned. However, after a decent warmup, the game went fine (as chronicled in my last post). Of course, the knee started throbbing immediately afterwards, but didn't get any worse.

I had two weeks until the next game, and I fully intended to be running sprints, distance intervals, scoop drills, all to get ready for our game against Northwest. Sadly, my knee flared up quite a bit the first week, and barely started to recover during the second week, so at gametime, I was no better off than I had been for the first game. In fact, I think I lost a step.

Nelson, the goalie, did come out of the cage early on, and I happily laid into him with everything I had...neither of us went down, but I think he may have dropped the ball. Mission accomplished! However, there's a lot more to a lacrosse game than hitting folks, and I really wasn't that effective at that either. I did the best I could during the rest of the game, but never really felt like I was 'in the zone'. Driving away, I felt more than a little disappointed.

The knee’s still bugging me, but I’ve still managed some productive running workouts this week. I finally went back to Massage Envy and found a suitable therapist (I miss Amy E. something awful), and I think I’m on the right track. Hopefully, my knee will return to its usual strength soon. At the moment, I’m running only a bit faster than my pug puppy, and we both make the same wheezy, snorting sounds.

This week, I’ve got another game on Sunday Feb 15th at 2pm. I’m being specific because I would absolutely love some company out there. Our team is on the smallish side, and we hardly ever have a cheering section, so I’d like to invite anyone who’d like to see us play. This is your chance to possibly see me get knocked on my butt, so bring a lawn chair and some goodies for yourself, and come out to see us beat the crap out of each other! Cheer for the brave souls of Bayou City Lacrosse!!!

From Mason Road or Fry Road (Cinco Ranch area), go East on Westheimer Parkway, pass the kiddie soccer fields on your left, keep going, and then look for the adult soccer fields on your right. We’ll be the only guys running around with sticks.


Next week will bring an arrival and a departure…dear friend Brian will be arriving on Friday, but then my darling wife and son will be departing on a cruise on Saturday morning. Brian will only be down for a couple of days, and we’ll have some sparring and merriment. Wife and son will be gone for a week as they head south to see the Mayan ruins in Mexico. Cooooool. Next time, I’m going along!

Rambling, rambling...and 16 Random Things

It seems that I've waited a bit too long since my last post...stuff has happened about which I should have written, but this post will have to do. I know I'm going to leave stuff out, but it's late at night, I'm sleepy, so I hope my readers will cut me some slack.

Our new pug's name is Boba. Yes, as in 'Boba Fett'. As you might guess, there are reasons for this. Mainly, we laughed so hard at the 'Robot Chicken' Star Wars parodies that we just had to use it. Boba Fett was featured several times in the 2 half-hour episodes, and he ended up being one of our favorites. Dig around on YouTube, and you'll see what I mean. Our fabulous pooch also answers to Bootie, Boochie, Booda, Butthole, Buttlick, and our other favorite: Dumbass.

So Boba is doing quite well. We are Dog Whispering him as best we can, and he's responding pretty much as we'd hoped. He's still not 100% house trained, but we're getting there. He's a super-cute little guy, and generally well-behaved. Honestly, I missed having a pug far more than I've ever mentioned. I love the snoring, snuffling, and the 'belly-runs'. It's wonderful to have Boba here, even if he keeps thinking that he's supposed to eat his bed, rather than sleep in it.

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Monkey is now swimming three days a week, and is having a blast. He sports a bright blue swim cap in addition to his lime green goggles, and is almost certain that he's the next Michael Phelps. He loves being in the water, and we just love seeing him do something that he enjoys so much. Swim Team competition is on the horizon, and we're super-excited to see him race. We couldn't care less if he wins, mind you...as long as he truly does his best, we're going to be thrilled all the way to our toes. I'll keep you posted.

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Thanks to a generous donation from my dear Mom, we're scheduled to rip out the old, canvas mat that currently covers the floor at Jade Mountain, and replace it with a fabulous new vinyl one. Our happy crew of volunteers will be showing up at around 2pm Sunday, and I've promised myself that I won't play any Kelly Clarkson music while we're working for fear of someone hurting themselves by rolling their eyes too hard.

Although the mat is a gorgeous dark green, and will make the entire room just a bit darker, we think that it will really change the appearance of the school for the better. It'll be fabulous to leave the duct tape in some dusty drawer, rather than continue taping rip after rip in the floor! I'll post some pics when we're done.

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Today marked the first game of the 2009 Gulf Coast Lacrosse Association spring season, and we enjoyed playing Tony's Tavern. I think they were league champs last season, so we were determined to give them a good game, in spite of the odds. I'm not sure of the final score, but I think we got 3.

I had been concerned about my speed and stamina on the lacrosse field, so I walked on the field happy that I've been training steadily for the last couple of months, but still wondering if I'd be able to run back and forth for a whole game. As usual, we only had a handful of substitutes on the sidelines, so we all got as much playtime as we could stand.

Happily, I did just fine. I found that I'm still losing a step when I start running, but once I got my bulk moving in the right direction, I was able to play pretty effectively. I recovered quickly, moved well, and kept my silly mistakes to a minimum. There was one pretty blatant offsides foul, but considering that I had just finished fighting three opposing players for possession of the ball, it's no wonder that I forgot to count how many of our guys had stayed in the defensive half of the field once I got out of that little tussle. Crud.

I took three shots, none of which worried the opposing goalie at all. After one shot, I took a full-power hit from one of their big defensemen that very literally knocked the snot out of me (my nose was runny, OK?) when I landed flat on my back. Fortunately, I wasn't hurt at all, so I hopped up to keep playing. I did enjoy using my kung fu skills when I took another hit from the side while I was running...I ended up flying through the air like Superman, but without the cape. We've been working on rolling recently, and it was nice to know that I could still take a hit, roll, and come up running without missing a beat. Whew!

I managed a few decent hits in the second half of the game, but nothing spectacular. Maybe next time. I'm planning two weeks of sprints, intervals, and agility drills to help me improve my performance. At this point, I'm just thrilled to still be playing a tough sport that I love.

You see, I'm nearly 40 now. It's hard for me to believe sometimes, I mean...40. FORTY YEARS OLD. Most folks I know at this age are complaining about how much weight they've gained, or how their bodies hurt after a single leisurely game of pick-up basketball with their kids. I'm always sympathetic, but I'm also my father's son, and Homie don't play that.

Those of you who knew my father knew that he stayed athletic and active well into his late seventies. Two years ago, and nearly blind, he still managed to beat everyone present at his local bowling alley. Something that has been on my mind lately was the fact that almost everything I know about my Dad, all my impressions of his super-solid work ethic, his athleticism, his love for life and passion for doing whatever he liked, all those impressions were obviously formed during my lifetime.

My Dad was already over 40 when I was born, folks. He was MORE active in his second 40 years than many folks 20 years younger. I think that explains why I never once thought about the fact that my Dad was older than my friend's dads until I was an adult. It had just never come up. Dad did all the same things that the other dads did, he just did them with his own flare and high energy, and never let little things like an extra 20 years or a missing left hand slow him down.

So 40 or not, I'm heading to the lacrosse field, the dojo, the competition mat, the track, or wherever I want to play, compete, and have some fun. Thanks for the inspiration, Dad.

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And one last item...16 Random Things About Me.

1. I like orange Monster.
2. I've trained in Kung Fu since 1982.
3. I could eat at Pho Mai five days a week. Really.
4. I still have a massive crush on Cathy Dennis.
5. I'm pretty sure that Kelly Clarkson wants me to spank her.
6. I truly feel that meeting my wife was the result of divine intervention.
7. I have written several short stories and 1.5 books of a fantasy trilogy.
8. I type really quickly.
9. I passed out at 'attention' as a freshman in high school marching band.
10. I ended up as a Drum Major as a senior in high school marching band.
11. I performed a strip routine at a high school journalism party in a bowling alley.
12. I climbed to the 3rd floor at Krueger Hall at Texas A&M...on the outside.
13. I have a younger brother and two half-sisters.
14. I intensively studied spiders from age 8 to 12.
15. After a night at a karaoke club, I was asked to join a Barbershop singing group.
16. I once sent my bow flying across the gym in Archery class in college.

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Goodbye, 2008...Hello, 2009! Tales of pugs and puke.

Happy New Year! Usually, I start the new year off with some kind of insane workout. This morning, though, I was still recovering from a couple of rough flights and some annoying allergies, so my workout was done on the couch. I did several reps of rolling over and getting more comfortable. Never fear, I will at least get out for a nice little run before the day is done.

Yesterday, Christina drove to Yoakum, TX to pick up our little pug puppy. However, she was due for a surprise. Upon arrival, the lady in charge told her that she had another pug, a 5-year-old female, who desperately needed a home. They were moving, she said, and could not keep her. If we didn't take her, she'd have to go to a local shelter, and all the local shelters are 'kill-shelters'. That is, if your dog isn't adopted soon, it's simply euthanized.

Christina didn't hesitate...she scooped up both dogs and headed home. We've used Pug Rescue before, and really like them. There was a time, around 5 years ago, when things were different around here. I was working full-time and building my teaching practice. Christina was finishing school and taking care of our toddling Monkey. Our two beloved pugs ended up at the bottom of the priority list, and it broke our hearts. We made the decision to let another family adopt them both, and Pug Rescue found them an absolutely fabulous home. Their new family was wealthy and loving, and had just lost their oldest of two pugs, so they were thrilled with Beauty and Beast. We even got to visit them!

We talked all day yesterday about keeping them both, but decided that the responsible thing will be to let someone else love LoLo and spoil her rotten. If any of you dog lovers in Katy are interested, you'd better let me know quickly! We've already contacted Pug Rescue and are scheduled to drop her off at a Vet Clinic early tomorrow morning. They'll take good care of her, find her a home, and she will NOT be put to sleep.

I have found that the sound of a snoring pug is one of the most comforting sounds I know, and that I have missed it greatly.
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It is now time to tell the tale of our flight home. This is not for the squeamish, so be warned.

Flying United has been much more enjoyable for us than flying Continental. The planes are newer, bigger, more comfortable, and more quiet than my own car. Even so, the flight from South Bend to Chicago undulated enough for all of us to become a bit woozy. The much longer flight to Houston started off just fine. One of the male flight attendants was quite funny, and even took the time to do a couple of magic tricks for Connor before takeoff.

About halfway through the flight, Connor had to go to the bathroom. Christina escorted him. While standing outside the door, she heard him call her name, so she opened the door to find him sitting calmly on the toilet, and puking his guts out onto the floor in front of him.

And that's when we hit the turbulence.

It felt like we were getting shot at by anti-aircraft cannon. Christina attempted to get my attention (we hadn't been able to sit together) and failed. She was buffeted back and forth in the back of the plane while poor Connor continued to heave in the tiny airplane bathroom. During a lull in the action, she hustled over and finally managed to convey the import of the situation to me, so I hopped out of my seat to investigate.

Friends, when I opened that bathroom door, I had no idea what awaited me. It's a good thing that Connor's feet were several inches off the floor, because it was like stepping into a small lake of puke. Eek. However, no mere puddle of vomit can scare DaddyMan!! I took a deep breath, stepped inside with Connor, and shut the door behind me.

I used almost all of their paper towels. I hope they had more somewhere.

15 minutes later, we had Connor tidied up and changed into clean clothes. The bathroom was as clean as I could make it, especially from a position that most yoga masters only attain at high levels of training. Asked how he was feeling, Connor responded with a perky, "I feel GREAT!" I was not feeling so great at that point, but was relieved that he felt better.

And the remainder of the flight was perfectly wonderful in comparison.

So we made it home. All is well. The New Year has rung in, and we are wrung out. Classes start tomorrow, and everything should return to something resembling normal. My list of accomplishments from 2008 was longer than I thought it would be, and I'm still working on my goals for 2009. So far, they are as follows:

1. Move to a bigger school
2. Crossfit certification
3. Win 1st Place in competition
4. Lose Ten Pounds...replace with 5 pounds muscle.
5. Compete in a Sprint Triathlon
6. Complete my Taxes before the end of March
7. Organize our house
8. Paint and reorganize our shed.

There are others, but these stand out in my mind.

Christina is making soup. I'd better go. Have a fantastic year!!