Whit's Words of . . .Wisdom?

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

2009-05-02T23:46:00.003-05:00

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

2009-04-21T23:53:00.002-05:00

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

2009-04-16T19:02:00.002-05:00

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

2009-04-14T17:21:00.002-05:00

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!!

2009-04-08T11:23:00.004-05:00

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

2009-03-29T23:24:00.004-05:00

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

2009-03-26T19:50:00.007-05:00

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.

2009-03-22T12:31:00.003-05:00

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.

2009-03-21T18:14:00.004-05:00

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

2009-03-20T09:19:00.007-05:00

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

2009-03-15T12:04:00.005-05:00

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

2009-03-14T12:23:00.002-05:00

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.

2009-03-08T18:25:00.002-05:00

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

2009-03-07T11:33:00.002-06:00

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...

2009-03-06T08:55:00.002-06:00

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.

2009-02-24T09:36:00.002-06:00

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.

2009-02-22T15:06:00.000-06:00

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

2009-02-12T17:53:00.001-06:00

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

2009-01-25T00:32:00.004-06:00

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.

2009-01-01T16:13:00.002-06:00

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!!

Whit vs. Bambi...no clear winner.

2008-12-30T13:41:00.002-06:00

Last night, our poor Monkey was exhausted after a day of puking, light fever, and diarrhea. My darling Christina suggested that I go to the gas station and bring him a Sprite to settle his stomach. It was around 6:30pm when I finally got out the door...dark already.

Driving Mom's suv, I tend to drive a bit on the slow side. OK, I always tend to drive a bit slowly, but that's beside the point. The gas station was maybe a half a mile away, and once I left the subdivision, it was a straight shot from here to there. There was little traffic, the radio was on low, and all was right with the world.

BAM!!!

A deer had run out in front of me. I only recall seeing it for an instant as it slammed into my hood. I hadn't even had time to hit the brakes.

I slowed down and pulled over immediately. I walked back towards where I figured the deer might be...no deer. I looked around the weeds and towards the darkened forest nearby...nope. I stood quietly and listened for awhile, since there was no traffic, and heard...not a darn thing. The deer was nowhere to be found.

Damage to the car was minimal (which means it'll probably cost a fortune). The headlight assembly on that side is broken and loose, part of the body above the bumper was dented in, and there were tufts of deer hair stuck in the bumper. No blood, though. And again, no animal was in sight.

I have to say...that was one tough deer! I can only imagine it staggering to its feet, turning to look at my taillights in the distance, and saying, "Is THAT all you've got? You're lucky I've got things to do, or I'd stick around and kick your ass!"

My hat's off to you, deer. You might be dumb enough to run right in front of an SUV driving 35-40mph at night, but at least you're tough enough to keep on trucking. See you next year!

Discoveries, holidays.

2008-12-29T12:43:00.005-06:00

We made it up here to Indiana, and have had a wonderful time. I know that Mom must think that we're the biggest slackers ever...on vacation, we tend to stay up until 2 or 3am and then sleep until 10 or 11. Mom gets up at 5am every day, so her day's half-over before we stagger up the stairs. Even so, we're all having a grand time.

I've taken it upon myself to scan and document the hundreds of pictures Mom has collected over the years. In the process, I'm uncovering dozens of previously unknown stories about my family. Some are sad. Some are hilarious. Some just make you go 'hmmmmmm.' But I'm absolutely loving every single one of them. Many of these pictures are completely new to me, so I have to ask Mom about them. She acts like she doesn't remember, but then launches into a rather detailed (and often funny) account of the circumstances that surround the picture.

Luckily, my wife is a scrapbooker possessed of mad skills. She's absolutely salivating at the prospect of having all of this history at her fingertips, and I know that she'll produce some fantastic scrapbooks eventually.

I'd love to post what I'm finding, but frankly, there's just too much for me to write about just now. I'm attempting to box everything up so that I can ship it home for scanning, but I keep stumbling across something that just needs to be scanned right away.

Christmas was great! Mom is far too generous, as always. As the Master Chief, I'm totally bad-ass...the Covenant aliens don't stand a chance. And just what the heck is Viva Pinata anyway? The best I can figure is that it's something best played after imbibing far too much Nyquil. Sis-in-Law Joanna had her baby, Evan Monty Tucker, on Dec 26, and all is well. Cute kid!

Max, Connor's Elf-on-the-Shelf, was supposed to appear when we got here. However, he was in our luggage, and so we didn't get him until Christmas Day, when he was supposed to 'head back to the North Pole.' Connor was crushed that he didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Max. However, Max miraculously reappeared that night, and we explained that he had probably been watching over our luggage, thereby earning a couple of extra days with our family. I've never seen a little boy so happy.

Mom's really enjoyed spending time with Connor. Truth be told, we feel a little bit guilty leaving him with her while we run little errands here and there, but she assures us that she adores spending time with him. However, she probably won't take him shopping again, as he can be a bit of a handful.

We enjoyed watching the UFC fights with my brother this weekend. I had the chance to play the Wii. OK, I admit it...the thing is kind of fun. I still box better without the controllers, though. And I'm a touch embarassed that my 5-yr-old niece bowls far better than I. It must be that loopdy-loop delivery that she's perfected. Crazy stuff. If Dad were still alive, I bet he'd have found a way to beat us at Wii golf, bowling, and tennis, just as he did before.

We'll spend the rest of the day packing up and otherwise being lazy. We're looking forward to getting home, but leaving here will be a bit more sad for me than usual. Mom's finally on Facebook, so that'll help keep us closer. One of these days, maybe she'll actually post something there.

Plains, Trains, and Charter Buses

2008-12-24T21:32:00.002-06:00

Things started off well enough. We asked the amazing Larry if he could drop us off at the airport on Tuesday no later than 12:30pm. No problem. The flight was scheduled to depart at 2:29pm, so we wanted to leave plenty of time so that we could make our flight with no rush, no stress...some lunch in the airport, an easy walk to the appropriate gate, a tiny bit of waiting around, and then a nice flight to Chicago. Then a short flight to South Bend, Indiana. At least, that was the plan.

Here's the thing: the weather in Chicago was horrible. They weren't letting planes land or takeoff. That meant that our plane wouldn't even leave the ground until Chicago gave the thumbs up for us to do so. Hurry up and wait, folks.

So, we waited. And waited. And...............waited. At around 4pm, they said that we would begin boarding at around 4:45pm, so Monkey and I wandered off to get some sandwiches for the ride. As soon as we had placed our order (at about 4:15pm), Christina called. "They're boarding!" Oh. Crap.

We hustled back as fast as we could, only to find that the horde of folks awaiting our flight were still slowly filing on board. No problem. We ambled on the plane and settled in for the flight.

This was all well and good, but little did we know that our waiting skills were to be tested this day. Our plane fired up the engines, taxiied around a bit, and then...it parked. We were apologetically informed that Chicago weather had worsened, and that we had to wait again. At least they showed a movie to pass the time.

I'm not sure when we actually got off the ground, but we landed safely in Chicago long after the last flight to South Bend had departed. So we dutifully stood in line to reschedule. Christina had a bright idea, and we called a number from one of the pamphlets at the information desk. Suddenly, we had secured a fabulously cheap rate for one night at the Hyatt Rosemont! Whoa! Then, we touched base with the airline folks about our luggage and next flight, and they suggested we take the bus...and gave us free tickets. Whoa! Cool! So we hustled off to find the hotel shuttle.

I'll shorten this for you...we waited an hour for the shuttle, 20 minutes to check in at the hotel, and 20 minutes for our to-go order to be filled at the hotel restaurant. At nearly midnight, we staggered into our room to a couple of fabulous surprises: 1. the room was super-nice(especially for only $69!), and 2. the food was friggin' FANTASTIC! Expensive, but fantastic.

This morning, things went much better. We found our bus after only an hour and a half of fun conversation with Debbie, a fellow-traveler, and the ride to South Bend was relaxing, fun, and uneventful. We even managed to locate two of our bags at the airport when we arrived! Of course, the one with all of our clothes, presents, and medicines was nowhere to be found. "F$#% you, stripey bag!" They said they'll call us when it shows up. Maybe next time, we'll just take the train from Texas.

So we're here at last. It's great to see Mom, and we'll see everyone else tomorrow. Ho ho ho!

One other note...we just got word that little sister Joanna has apparently been stricken with ecclampsyia. Fortunately, they caught it before things went haywire, and she's only 2 weeks from her due date anyway. All is well, and it looks like she'll be having a Christmas baby boy! I'll keep everyone posted.

Happy Holidays, folks. Share the love. Hug everyone in sight. And maybe give your spouse a little holiday spankin'. ;-)

A New Addition

2008-12-21T19:25:00.004-06:00

Many of you know that we've been trying to add another little member to our fantastic little family. Well, we've succeeded! Maybe not in the way you think, but we're pretty excited about it!

We're dog people. For many years, we had two pugs, Beauty and Beast. Christina already had Beauty when we met. Indeed, I honestly didn't expect for Beauty to come as part of the package when Christina and I moved in together, but it took only moments for me to fall in love with her googly eyes and goofy walk. For one of the ugliest pugs I've ever seen, Beauty was a total sweetheart, and I could not resist her.

Beast came about a year later. We had been thinking that Beauty would enjoy having a companion, so we looked around and found a male pug puppy for sale by a nice couple in Alvin, TX. I remember driving home with him in my cupped hands on my lap. He was an awesome pooch, and I admit that I still miss him.

We had Beauty and Beast for many years, and then Connor arrived. With the demands of a child, Christina finishing school, and me working two jobs, we began to fear that we just couldn't take care of the pugs in the way they deserved. It broke our hearts, but we contacted a pug rescue service, who took the dogs to a vet, where they boarded until a new home was found for them. We kept tabs on them since, and had a chance to come and visit them now and again. We enjoyed seeing them happy in their new home, and although we were saddened when Beauty passed away, we felt that we had done the right thing by giving them up when we did.

Years later, we're living completely different lives. I've got far more free time now that I run my own martial arts school, Christina is a stay-at-home Super Mom, and the Monkey is 7 years old. We're finally able to take care of a puppy again. And we've been really missing our pugs lately, and after discussing it at length, we figured that we should at least start looking for one.

Ah, the universe works in fabulous ways. Someone had already paid a deposit on a pug puppy in Yoakum, TX. Just like Beast, he was born to a family who had two pugs, and only bred them occasionally...they weren't a puppy mill or professional breeder. However, the folks who wanted him blew up their radiator on their way to pick him up. Weighing the cost of their car repairs against the expense of the puppy, they opted to fix the car. Understandable. However, that left the door open for us, and Christina saw the ad online, called the lady, and here we are!

Ta-daaaaa!!! He's really sweet, and pretty well-behaved as far as we could tell. No loud barking, no squirming around...just happy to be held and petted.

We've really missed having a dog around. So, we're looking forward to having the little guy join our family soon. And we're watching a lot of Cesar Millan: The Dog Whisperer, in preparation for having him around. We're discussing names constantly. Here are some of our ideas:

Tank
Maximus
Leonidas
Poopy Pants
T-Shane
Titan
Dammit
Dummy
Sh#@head
Brutus
Silly Beaver
Beaver Nuggets
Beau Gyna (say it fast...you might figure it out)

We're actually leaning towards naming it Mister Mac. That was one of my Dad's nicknames, and somehow seemed right. However, the other name that had us in stitches was this one:

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**

*

Buttlick Johnson.

I can imagine standing at the back door and hollering for him to come in.

"Buttlick! Buuuuuuuuuutt-liiiiiiiick!! Buttlick Johnson, you get in here!!"

I'll let you know what we decide. Take care, folks. Happy Holidays!!

Future Sis-In-Law Kicks Butt in the Tucson Marathon!!

2008-12-16T23:08:00.003-06:00

My future sis-in-law (Christina's Brother's fiancee, Julie) is a seriously kick-ass runner. I usually run the Houston Half-Marathon every year, and I generally come in at about 2 hours and 20 minutes...more or less. That's 13.1 miles for me. Julie crosses the finish line only 30 minutes later...but, she runs the entire 26.2 miles. The woman is FAST. Recently, she ran in the Tuscon Marathon.

Here's an excerpt from the Arizona Daily Star:

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Special to the Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 12.08.2008

Women's winner Julie Simcik finished first in just her fifth competitive marathon with a time of 2:50:12.

Simcik, 26, said running gives her an escape and she was trying to keep it simple in Sunday's race.

"My goal is to look for the girl in front of me and go get her," she said. "But (today) there was no one in front of me.

"I didn't like the Biosphere run and I couldn't wait to get back on Oracle (Road). Once you're back on Oracle you feel like you're home free." Simcik, who lives in Chandler, Arizona, finished 11th overall. She said she doesn't maintain a specific training regimen to prepare for races. Instead, she just likes to go on long runs.

"I don't do speed workouts. I just try to run every day," she said. "About two months before this marathon I started going on three-hour runs depending on how the weather was."

Second among women runners was Amanda Nilsen from Denver with a time of 2:55:57. It was her first Tucson Marathon.

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Of course, I've got a few things to say about this. WOW. She won the women's division in a friggin' marathon, 5 minutes ahead of her nearest competitor. How absolutely magnificent.

I learned that she beat her previous personal best by around 6 minutes. That's tremendous. WOW, again.

AND...she did it without complicated training schedules, coaches, or specific eating plans. I don't even think she runs with an mp3 player. She just...well...she just runs. She runs because she loves it. She runs because she likes the way it makes her feel. She runs because it helps her to clear her mind and helps her to be a happier person.

Julie, congratulations. You are a huge inspiration. You totally rock!!!

Women's winner Julia Simcik is surprised to find out her time of 2:50:12 from fiancé Doug Prince, center, and friend Jayne Hutchinson.

Lessons from Track, 1987

2008-12-14T16:49:00.004-06:00

I found some old scrapbooks in the shed today, loaded with stuff from high school. It's been over a decade since I've seen some of that stuff, and I was pleased to see that the books were still in pretty good shape. There were some old pics in there that will see the light of day online as soon as I can get a working scanner...those are good for a laugh, to be sure.

One of the pics was my junior year track picture. That brought up one memory that I've been dwelling on today for some reason. I'm not sure why this one has stuck in my head, but it's there nonetheless.

Back in the day, our track team ran a race called, and I kid you not, "The Fat Man Relay." This was a 400 meter relay in which the shotputters and discuss throwers took the track instead of the usual sprinters and distance runners. These guys were some extremely big dudes, and were solid athletes in their own events. In sprints, however…not so much. This was a race that we ran for fun, but even so, the guys ran their guts out when their time came. Well...more or less.

I recall a day when one particular athlete was running the second leg of a practice relay. He was taking it very seriously, as he did every event in which he competed. Unlike the other guys in his lane, he was stalking around his starting point, getting his mind right, and really focusing on the upcoming sprint. The others were goofing around, hanging out, just waiting to be told to get to the line and then when to start their sprint.

This one athlete (I'll call him Ken, though that certainly wasn't his real name) was not considered the brightest in the bunch, nor the most talented. Yet, he was dedicated, hard-working, and loyal...a really good guy. When the gun went off for that practice race, he was ready for action. The first runner thumped and clumped his way around the first turn and handed the baton to Ken, who grabbed it and ran like he was on-friggin'-FIRE. His face was clenched with strain, his big arms were pumping hard, and his massive legs were churning like crazy...and yet, his speed was not exactly what you might expect from such an effort.

The big guys around me started laughing, hooting, and hollering at how SLOW Ken was...and Coach absolutely EXPLODED. He turned around and lashed a backhanded slap at the nearest offenders shoulder, actually backing up the guy. Silence dropped on us like a hammerblow.

"You shut your mouths, all of you! Ken works his ass off every single day!! If any ONE of you worked HALF as hard as he does, you'd be F@&#ING CHAMPIONS, you know that?!" Shaking his head in utter disgust, Coach walked away and left us standing there, in shock.

The guys watched the rest of the run in silence. Later on, I saw a few of the guys quietly thumping Ken on the back and telling him what a good job he did. Nobody made a big deal out of it...just a “Good run, Ken,” here and a “Keep it up, Ken,” there.

Ken was never a shining star on the squad, but no one could put down his work ethic…the guy was in the weight room knocking out reps constantly. It never seemed to occur to him that he might not make it as a pro. No, he just wanted to do the very best he possibly could, each and every day. I always admired that.

In my job, I see folks every day, training hard, working towards their goals, and making progress at varying rates. I never really make a big deal out of the students who have natural ability, but I make special note of the ones who are really working up to their potential, those who are putting forth a constant, determined effort to learn and move forward in their training, in spite of their age, physical condition, etc. Those folks earn my respect, day in and day out.

I also ask myself what I’m doing to make use of my own natural talents and gifts...am I working my ass off every day, like Ken? Or am I chuckling on the sidelines? Some days are better than others, but I think I’ll put in some extra work today. Just in case.

Author, author...again.

2008-12-10T10:44:00.003-06:00

I love to read. And I actually love to write. I've written several short stories over the years (mostly, just to amuse myself) and have even taken a stab at writing a full-blown Lord of the Rings-type trilogy. I never finished it, although I was well into the second 'book' when I stopped working on it years ago. I picked up that story again a couple of years ago, and even mentioned it in my blog. But running a business and a family took precedence over my recreational writing, so that story is still unfinished.

Last night, I was scrambling around the house at bedtime, looking for something else to read. I really enjoy reading before bed so that I can sort of purge my mind of all my to-do lists, pressures, and every day stressors by immersing myself in a world of fantasy, detectives, or gunslingers. It helps me to power down, so to speak. Well, last night was not a good night for that sort of thing, and I couldn't find a single decent book to read after I finished one the previous night. Drat.

This morning, I was puttering around on the computer, poking around on one of my external hard drives, and I found all my old story material. Hmmmmmmm. I started reading some of my outlines, story notes, and ideas, and felt the old enthusiasm building again. I opened up that old novel and started reading it again...I was a few paragraphs in when I found a sentence that didn't sound right, and so it has begun again. I'm reworking that old story. Again.

Maybe this time, I'll actually get the whole trilogy finished. Maybe I'll only get a few pages farther than before. Either way, I'm looking forward to meeting all my old characters again, and maybe taking them to some new places in the near future. I'll keep you posted.

Little of this, little of that.

2008-12-08T10:18:00.002-06:00

Another weekend has passed, and with it, another chance to paint our house. Drat. However, in return for that missed housepainting session, we watched movies, napped, watched tv, napped, and worked/played on the internet. I'm OK with that. Hopefully, the weather will be good next weekend, and we'll get more done.

We had another Graduation at Jade Mountain this past Friday, and I was thrilled to see that we had far more folks in attendance than I expected. It always touches me to see so many folks training with us, dedicating part of their time to our school. I've always wanted to make a difference in the world, and occasionally, I feel like I'm doing so.

My dear friend Larry is staying with us while we get things really rolling at our school and he gets his Krav Maga classes filled up. In the past few weeks, we've really gotten quite a lot done. We're really looking forward to starting the new year at the new and improved Jade Mountain.

In other news, I finally, FINALLY am able to ride my scooter around town. I have insurance, an inspection sticker, an oil change and repairs to the fuel line, and a LICENSE PLATE!!! I stress the license plate because getting the license plate severely stressed me. It took three trips to the tax office, a fax, a laser printer, a fistful of paperwork, and a partridge in a pear tree to get that silly license plate. But I've got it now!!! So I'm legal at 37 mph. Watch out, now!

The fabulous Brian posted this song on his blog, saying that it was stuck in his head yesterday. Well, thanks...now it's stuck in mine. That's not such a bad thing, though. So I'm passing along the favor. Have a great day, folks!

A slow start...

2008-11-29T14:21:00.002-06:00

Today, I was fortunate enough to play in a friendly lacrosse game, a scrimmage played with whomever showed up. It was hosted by the Northwest Houston lacrosse club, and it was a lazy, fun way to spend a Saturday morning. I mean, if running around, hitting each other with sticks, and fighting over the ball can be considered lazy. In any case, it was a blast.

I've been staying in shape (round is a shape, right?), but admittedly, I haven't been doing the kind of conditioning that I really need to play midfield effectively. Namely, running back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, all at top speed. Right now, it's more like back.....and forth......and rest....and back........and forth.................and so on. Still, I had a ton of fun. My new lacrosse-style sprint workouts will be starting up next week. Lacrosse season's just around the corner, and I want to be ready! Happily, most of the other guys out there were also moaning and groaning, so I wasn't alone. But when the season starts...it's on like Donkey Kong.

So the remainder of today is just a lazy family day. There are videogames to be played, naps to take, and movies to watch. Oh, I might get a burst of energy and clean up the garage, but don't hold your breath.

Thinking, cleaning, scooting.

2008-11-28T18:51:00.004-06:00

Starting at Halloween (my birthday), I tend to get very introspective around the holidays. Thanksgiving is here, and the Christmas holidays (Yule, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, etc.) aren't far behind. I have a ton for which I'm thankful...a fabulous family, a wonderful life, fantastic friends...the list goes on. My thoughts tend to wander towards what has happened throughout the year, and what we can make of the one that's rapidly approaching.

As my readers know, I lost my father this year. He and I were close, in our own way. Weeks would go by in which we didn't even talk on the phone, but when we did, it was always great. I've been thinking a lot about him, and what his life and death mean to me. Since he passed, I've been generally more productive in most of the important areas of my life. I've trained more consistently, followed up on more annoying little chores and tasks than usual, and I've found myself adding just a wee bit more effort to everything I do. I've said that I want to live a life that would make him proud, but in retrospect, I've already been doing that. Still, I suppose that I feel that there's always been room for improvement, and that Dad's pleased with the way I've picked up my pace on the everyday things around here.

I'm driving his scooter around here and there. It's got an inspection sticker now, and I'm anxiously awaiting papers from the dealer so I can get license plates. It's funny, but I'm pretty sure that it's always going to be 'Dad's scooter', rather than mine. And I plan to take damn good care of the thing, too.

This morning, one of Christina's cousins had suggested that we work out together, and I offered to open up my school so that we'd have a good place to train. 7am comes pretty darned early during the Thanksgiving break, but I'm sooooo glad I let Lee talk me into it. We had a fabulous little Crossfit workout, and it started my day off with a BANG. Upon arriving at home, I hustled out to the shed (the one that my father, Uncle Robert, and I built) and started cleaning it out...I knew I had less than an hour before the trash guys would show up, and I needed to make space for the scooter. It's amazing what a person can do when they're motivated! I had my way-cool Bluetooth headphones on (and yes, Cathy Dennis, Kelly Clarkson, and Olivia Newton-John were helping me clean the shed), a bandanna over my mouth and nose, and I was dragging stuff out of there like it was on fire. I had to finish at around 9am so I'd still have time to get ready for a family event today, and the trash guys came right on schedule. By the time they pulled the garbage truck around the corner, there was a decent pile of junk on the curb for them to take away. Mission accomplished: the scooter is now happily sheltered in the shed that Dad built.

In the middle of this process, I stumbled across something that I had thought lost forever. I moved a box of old books, and saw a shiny, orange sphere nestled in the space behind the box...it was Dad's old helmet. Many of you may recall that my father built and flew an experimental motorized hang-glider back in the early 80's, and this was the helmet he picked out to protect his noggin.

I was just a kid back then, and I remember Dad laughing with Mom about what to call his fledgling company (which was nothing more than an excuse to buy and build a glider and write if off his taxes. Genius!), and he suggested "Buzzard Aircraft". Mom had a fit, and wouldn't allow it, so he settled on "Mac's Aviation" instead. He placed an ad in the local phone book, and I still remember the business phone number that he had installed in the kitchen: 409 849 3840. As a present, I painstakingly used pieces of masking tape to write the word BUZZARD on one side of that helmet. And he actually left it on there. I later used that same helmet to ride in motocross races with my brother, so I took the tape off.

This morning, so many years later, I picked up the helmet and was sad to see how the interior had nearly fallen apart. It looked like an old car's headliner that droops. The outside was just as solid as ever, though. I ran my fingers over its smooth surface, and suddenly found a rough spot. Upon closer inspection, I could still see the B..U..Z..Z.. in tape residue on that one side. And somehow, I knew that Dad's laughing with me, wherever he is.

Anyway, I'm off to start organizing the garage. Or maybe I'll take the scooter out to the video store...I'm still not quite sure what I want to do, but I know that I want to do something. In either case, I'm feeling extremely grateful for all of my many blessings, and I'm looking forward to a happy holiday season.

By the way, there's a lacrosse scrimmage tomorrow...wish me luck!!!

The Scooter is Here!!!

2008-11-26T22:32:00.012-06:00

I got the call last Saturday night. The driver said that they were nearing Texas, and would roll through Katy at around 4am, and my scooter was safe and sound. I was pretty excited, so I didn't sleep much as I waited for them to arrive. After an extremely long night, they finally called at around 7:30am. Groggy as I was, I was totally pumped to finally take possession of Dad's scooter. At last!

In the few days I've had it, I've driven it several times...around the subdivision, to the soccer fields, to the video store on the corner, that sort of thing. It's already listed on our insurance, and I got it inspected today, so it's practically street legal. I'm awaiting the certificate of origin and other papers that should come in the mail so that I can get it registered here in Texas and get some license plates on it.

Mom seems pleased that it finally showed up, and says that Dad's probably smiling and chuckling at me every time I ride it. That makes me happy...thinking that Dad would enjoy me riding on 'his' scooter. I'm planning to take care of it and ride it for as long as it'll keep on rolling.

My Dad was a kart racer back in his day. He once told me that he finally quit when the race officials started making rules about the karts being a certain weight. "We had been doing everything we could think of to make those things lighter, and then they go and tell us to make 'em heavier...that's just stupid!" I'm sure there was a lot more to it than that, but that's all he told me me back then. He had at least 20 trophies from races he'd won. Oddly, I never thought about that fact when he finally bought me a go-kart from Sears when I was a kid. In my hometown of Angleton, we had a massive back yard, and I had an oval track back there...I drove the crap out of that orange and white kart. If I recall correctly, I named it "The Spider", and I painted the name on its front. He used to sit in his lawn chair out there and just watch me go around and around that track. Sometimes, I'd go the other way...just for the fun of it. And he just watched. I never thought about how cool that must have been for him.

Well...I'm hoping he's getting a good laugh out of this whole scooter saga. I'm kind of a stout guy, so I kind of spill over the sides of that little thing. Even so, it uses very little gas, and will get me most places around town, so I'm really excited to start using it as often as possible.

Thanks for the scooter, Dad. It's pretty darned cool. And the Monkey loves it too.

Weekend Happenings

2008-11-10T08:21:00.002-06:00

It was a busy weekend around here...Saturday, we held our first Jade Mountain Juniors Tournament, where our junior students competed in Hand Forms, Weapons, Sword Sparring, and Sparring. Then yesterday, we had a little "Welcome and Congratulations!" party for Larry Escher. It was more or less a surprise.

Saturday, we had all hands on deck as we set up chairs, readied our scorecards, and double-checked the competitor lists. A minor snag...the fantastic certificates had the wrong wording, and Larry hustled off to get that fixed. When he returned, the certificates were even better than before! We set up the judges table on one side of the mat and placed the four judges chairs in a square so that the kids would have plenty of room to perform. The school filled up quickly, and things got underway more or less on time.

All of us were really pleased with the way that every single student showed a significant improvement on their technique in every event. Wow! Many were very nervous about their first tournament, and most were really excited! Everyone did well, and we had a blast.

The sparring was quite thrilling...nothing like watching a couple of 8-year-olds kick the crap out of each other! As usual, the littlest students were the most aggressive, and even my nephew (who is the least combative person I've ever met in my life) bravely stood his ground against a larger opponent, and gave a good account of himself. He proudly showed off his scrapes and bruises later as badges of courage. In fact, I think they may the the first scrapes and bruises that he's ever had! Now, he's looking forward to sparring with a lot more enthusiasm, and we're all proud of him.

One of our policies at JMMA is that you actually do need to show that you know, and can perform, your skills. We think that it's important to challenge our students, and let them know when they are doing well, and also when they need to apply themselves and get serious about their training. There were some students who surprised themselves (and others) by winning their divisions, while others were astonished to find that they did not. Such reality checks are necessary, and help the students grow. Attitude is everything, and we hope that some of our slackers will pick up the pace now that they know what slacking gets them.

Overall, the tournament was a ton of fun, and we're already looking forward to the next one, which will most likely be in February. I must thank all of our folks who came in to help us pull this thing off...they were fantastic!!

Afterwards, we all went to Wild Wings (or Wild Things, as some of us call it) for dinner, and I informed Larry that he was to be at my house the next day at 11:30am. He asked why, and I told him "Because I said so." He started to protest, and I Dog-Whispered him into silence. You see, I'm no good at setting up a pretense. I had no idea what I could have said to get him to come to his own surprise party. So I didn't say anything...I just insisted that he show up with no explanation whatsoever. Amazingly, it worked.

So we all met at Amy's house on Sunday, and I managed to get Larry there as well. SURPRISE! I hope he enjoyed it. There were even cupcakes that said "CONGRATULATIONS SIFU LARRY JMMA" I ate 4 of them. Did I mention that Renee made her mushrooms? I had 4 of those, too. We all ate, had fun, and laughed a lot as we officially welcomed Larry to Jade Mountain, and congratulated him for being one of only 3 people in the United States to complete the first IKMF Civilian Instructor Course under the fabulous Eyal Yanilov.

So...that was the weekend. I'm finally about 90% over my cold/snot/cough thingy, so I'm getting back to training today. Christina's still feeling crappy, so I'm sending her to the the doctor today. And the Monkey is back at school. His birthday is this week...how in the world did 7 years go by this fast? Wow.

Have a great day, folks. Hug someone you love...and maybe pat them on the behind if you're in that kind of mood.

Just a Quick Update...(cough! ack! sniff!)

2008-11-08T08:42:00.004-06:00

Today's going to be busy, in spite of the fact that everyone's sick around here. I'm still sounding like I've had too much whiskey (it's actually snot that I've got too much of), Christina's also full of snot, and Monkey...well, he's more or less fine, but he was puking his guts out yesterday. I feel pretty well, but I'll be thrilled to finally have my voice back, and not have to cough up gunk every few minutes.

Monkey's Grandma in Indiana sent him some way cool Star Wars stuff for his birthday, and he's sitting in there right now, playing a Star Wars videogame with his Clone Trooper Helmet on. That's just how he rolls. He's much better today.

Mom was also kind enough to include a ton of Dad's old badges and licenses in Monkey's birthday package. Some of them stretch back many years, and it was great to see Dad's face on each and every one...with the same, goofy expression on each. I love you Dad, but you never were good at taking pictures.

Today is our first Jade Mountain Junior Tournament. Everyone is competing, and we're looking forward to it. There are 20 juniors competing, and so we'll be hosting them and their families at our school for a few hours while they compete in hand forms, weapons forms, and sparring. It should be a hoot!

My nephew Jacob will be competing for the first time. He's not exactly the most aggressive character I've ever seen, and we were all wondering how he'd react to sparring for the first time. I must say that we were thrilled to see that he stood right in there and took those punches like a little warrior. Now we'll see if we can teach him to fight back more effectively. ;-)

Well, I'd better get dressed. It's going to be a long, interesting day!

It's Definitely a Monday...

2008-11-03T14:35:00.003-06:00

I've been fighting with various drainage and sinus issues all weekend, and last night was definitely not a good night. I think I slept about 2 hours or so...just could not get to sleep with all this snot rattling around in my upper chest. I took some time off today to rest and medicate myself, and I'm planning on sucking it up for evening classes tonight. It's not like I've got a fever and major illness, but I still feel like crap.

I've picked someone to bring my scooter out here from Maryland. We still need to finalize some details, but hopefully, this will end up with my tooling around the neighborhood on my stylin' red machine. Fingers crossed.

My dear friend Larry is finishing up his final certification session in California today, and I'm thrilled for him. It's been no easy task, that's for sure. In addition to bum ankle he picked up along the way, he's also received several contusions and abrasions, scratches on his face, a tweaked wrist, and a pulled calf muscle. Man, talk about the red badge of courage! It'll be great to have him back, and he's bringing Eyal Yanilov with him! Wednesday night, we'll be hosting a Krav Maga seminar at Jade Mountain taught by the man himself!! I'm looking forward to it with great anticipation. Let's hope that I don't cough my junk all over everyone in attendance.

After that, there's not much to report. I've enjoyed reading the books Christina got me for my berfday, and I've eaten amazingly little candy this year. Really. So I'm just looking forward to ridding myself of this cough-and-spit routine so I can get back to working out like a crazy man.

Have a great Monday, folks.

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2008-10-31T21:36:00.002-05:00

I'm now 39 years old. Ta daaaaa! It's been a pretty good day. There have been cards, Myspace and Facebook B-day wishes, phone calls, and a showering of gifts from my beloved wife and son. We ate lunch at my favorite noodle house, I had a little nap this afternoon, and life is pretty darned good.

Usually, I get very introspective around my birthday, thinking about my life and how I've been living it, how I want to live it in the future. Today seems different, though. After going through everything with my Dad this past month, it feels like I've already looked inwards and made that yearly assessment. I have my goals, my plans, my dreams. I know who I am and what I stand for. I have my feet beneath me, and I'm standing strongly, supported by my own strength, and that of my friends and family.

So today was kind of a goofy, do-whatever-I-want kind of day for me. It's kind of refreshing, actually. I've read an entire Robert B. Parker book this evening, just because I wanted to. I've scared the bejeebers out of a few shrieky teenagers when they came to the door to Trick-Or-Treat. And I'm blogging just because I feel like it. My friends, I'm feeling very, very happy to simply BE...I'm relaxed, and enjoying each moment.

I will make one introspective comment, though. I'm 39 today. My father married my mother when he was 40. It seems to me that there's a whole lot of living that can be packed into 40 years, no matter how old you are when you start...Dad proved that. So rather than lamenting the loss of my youth, I'm looking forward to all the fun stuff I've got coming my way!

Happy Halloween, folks. Go do something fun!

The Scooter Saga Continues...

2008-10-31T09:19:00.002-05:00

My scooter is now in Maryland. Dang it. Let me explain...

Using a cool internet site called uship.com, I hired the lowest bidder to ship my scooter from Indiana to Texas. It was a small "Mom and Pop" type shipper with a girl handling the front desk and the guy driving the truck. There were many positive feedback comments for this guy, and just a few negative or neutral, but the overall impression I got was OK. For the price, I figured it was worth a shot. I paid him half of the shipping fee via Paypal.

"Howie" came on the day he said he would, and Mom surreptitiously wrote down all the identifying numbers on his truck "just in case." He carefully loaded the scooter, and I figured he'd be showing up last weekend sometime. Mom had noticed that, rather than using a truck with the name of his business, he was using a Penske rental truck. Hmmmm. Not a good sign.

I called a week later and left a message, saying that I needed to know when he'd be here so that I could be waiting, cash in hand. Amazingly, he called me right back and told me that there was a problem. He'd had a heart attack, and was getting ready to go into the hospital. "Wow, that's terrible!! I hope you'll be OK...um...where's my scooter?" He said that, due to his heart attack, he had kept the rental truck out longer than expected, and they had come and gotten it. With the scooter inside. And here's the rental company's name and phone number.

So I called the number, and spoke with Jim at Cumberland Towing/Penske Rental in Maryland. He asked what I'd been told, and when I related Howie's story, he simply replied, "That guy is full of dog doo doo. He owes us a ton of money for this rental truck, more for trucks rented from Uhaul and more from Hertz."

Oh. Crap. The guy was making money shipping things for folks, but not paying for the rental trucks. He's now got federal warrants out for his arrest, and my scooter is still in Maryland. The good news is that Jim carefully cataloged the stuff in the truck, and has been working with me on getting my scooter released from the state police, and is now keeping it safe for me on his premises. Now, I just need to get a decent shipper who will actually get the thing here...but not one who's headed for jail.

So there you have it. It's unfortunate that I picked the wrong guy to bring the scooter, but I'm glad that it's safe and sound. It will eventually make its way here. I'll keep you posted.

Endings and Beginnings. Goodbye, Dad.

2008-10-18T13:38:00.007-05:00

I’m backtracking a bit here. I’ll get to the funeral in a moment, but first, I wanted to share some feelings from my that last day I got to spend with my Dad.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

This morning was to be the last time I’d see my Dad alive. We both knew it, and as unpleasant a situation as it was, we had found peace within it. Dad’s sisters, brother, and niece were due to arrive in the afternoon, and I knew he was looking forward to seeing them. He was comfortable, happy, and very glad to be back in his own home with his dog, Ricco, continually stepping all over him as he lay in bed.

I packed up my things, and talked to Dad. We called my wife and son, and they had a chance to talk with him a bit. It was hard to understand him without his teeth, but I got choked up when I heard Dad telling my son that he loved him, as loud as possible, while my son chattered away on the other end.

All too soon, it was simply time for me to leave. I came in to talk to him one last time.

“Hey, did you find a way to get that scooter home?” Dad began.

“Yeah, Dad. I hired a guy to bring it to me.”

“That’s good…I wanted you to have it. Don’t get cocky, though…it’ll throw ya.”

I smiled at that. How could I not? Dad’s still Dad, and that’s just how he is.

“Yeah, I’ll be careful. I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too.”

“Say hi to your family for me.”

“OK. You be careful.”

“I will.” I laid my cheek on top of his head as I had many times during the last week, but I let it linger there for nearly a full minute, just letting the feel of him seep into me for one last time. I kissed his forehead, squeezed his hand, and left.

“Bye, Dad.”

And that was it. I picked up my stuff, hugged and kissed my Mom goodbye, and let my brother drive me to the airport. There was a wrong turn in there somewhere, but luckily, my brother had his iPhone, and managed to get me there more or less on time with the help of Googlemaps. I passed through security, sat in the waiting area, called my wife, read my book, and basically tried to focus on all the everyday things going on around me.

I wasn’t heartbroken, or angry, or even really sad. No, instead, I was filled with gratitude. I had spent the last week with my father, and we had the chance to express our love as father and son. I was able to help him, to be there when he needed me, and to let him know that we would be OK after he had gone on his way. We were both at peace.

The first flight was short, and I promptly dozed off, so I don’t even remember that time at all. The second flight, from Chicago to Houston, was far more memorable.

I had been reading, dozing, thinking, and watching music videos on my mp3 player. The sky was a beautiful clear blue above us and hazy below. At some point, I woke from an almost-nap, and I saw the flight attendants handing out drinks. While I waited for them to get closer, I pulled out my mp3 player again and started watching my favorite Kelly Clarkson and Cathy Dennis music videos for the millionth time, and I noticed that I took particular pleasure in them, more so than usual. Part of me was thinking about my Dad, and I was turning everything over in my mind, wondering how this whole experience with him might affect me. How will my life change after this?

With that question ringing in my mind, I immersed myself in the sheer pleasure of my favorite songs and videos, cheesy as they are. Slowly, I became aware of an emotion building, swelling within me to the point of bursting with it.

It was joy. Pure and simple…it was joy.

It was if all the happy memories of my Dad, all his laughter, funny stories, wisecracks and practical jokes had joined together, and I felt that massive rush of joyful emotions urging me to fling myself headlong into the next 40 years of my life, and beyond.

“Live…” my inner voice said. This is a voice to whom I listen closely, for it seldom speaks in terms this loud, this clear.

“Live with joy, and adventure, and purpose. Live with love so that you can share it with others. Live with strength, so that you can help yourself, and those who need you. Live…so that you can look back one day with the quiet pride of a life well-spent, people well-loved, and other lives touched deeply by your own. Live…”

And tears rolled silently down my face as I sat there on that plane. What a gift my father had given me.

It’s a funny thing, but that little voice in my head sounds a little bit like my Dad, except that I know for a fact that he’d never say anything remotely like that. He’d just tell me to get my ass up off the couch and go plant some tomatoes and cayenne peppers.

But maybe that means pretty much the same thing. I’ll try it out and see.

Love you, Dad.

The Funeral

My father, William W. McClendon, Jr. was buried in the Paynetown Cemetery south of Greenville, TX, on Wednesday, October 15, 2008. He has passed away on Sunday, October 12, at the ripe old age of 80 years and one day.

Did you know that, if your wife drives like Mario Andretti, you can make it all the way to Greenville from Katy in exactly 4 hours? It was most impressive, I must say.

We left that morning a bit late, and there was bad weather in Dallas that slowed us down to about 75mph, so we were unable to visit Dad in the funeral home. I was told by my brother that he looked fabulous, “10 years younger…they even trimmed his nosehair.”

Wow. They really deserved a tip for that.

By the time it became apparent that we’d never make it to the funeral home in time, we called ahead and let Mom know that we’d just meet them at the cemetery. In the meantime, we were out of gas from the frantic drive. We headed towards the grave site with the intent of finding a gas station on the way, changing into our nice funeral clothes, and then hanging out until time to start.

There were no gas stations out there. None. Cows, chickens, and goats, yes, but gas stations? Nope.

Our car was on Very-Very-Empty, so we decided to head for the nearest town on the map, which was Quinlan. Nice place, once you find it. We coasted into the first gas station we saw, gassed up, changed clothes, and made it back to the cemetery with 15 minutes to spare.

It was a small turnout, but that was expected. Most of the folks who’ve known Dad were up in Indiana and couldn’t make the trip, but his Texas folks were all there. Mom was there, sad-eyed, but with that quiet strength that I’ve always come to expect from her. She’d slept on the drive down with my brother and his fiancée, and she was ready to get things moving.

There was a green tent over Dad’s coffin, and some Astroturf covered the ground so that the few chairs provided wouldn’t sink into the soft, damp earth. The sun had come out, and there was a quiet, beautiful serenity to the tiny cemetery that housed my grandparents and great-grandparents, and would soon keep my father’s remains as well. One of our relatives solemnly picked up his guitar and played a beautiful acoustic “Amazing Grace”, and I’ll never forget how his soft, gentle voice floated over us. One of my cousins gave a short eulogy that we enjoyed…there were sniffles at times, and overt chuckles at others. Dad was a character, yessiree. And well-loved. A sermon from the presiding pastor followed, and after a final prayer, the funeral director quietly knelt in front of us to speak with Mom.
“This concludes our service,” he whispered to my Mom. “Would you like to stay to see him lowered?”

Mom gently replied that she did not, stood up, and started walking towards the car. She was done, friends. She had loved my father for nearly 40 years. She had said her goodbyes, and it was apparently time to get the heck out of Dodge. We trailed behind her, hugging long-lost relatives and thanking folks for coming. Mom just kept on walking, so we hustled to catch up.

It’s a bit blurry after that. We went to Aunt Sissy’s, and Mom dutifully handed me the scooter keys and a heavily wrapped package that could only be one thing: the bedpan. I saw her crack a smile, then, and I knew she’d be OK. Mom changed clothes, packed her bags, and piled in the car with my brother and his fiancée 2 hours later, headed for home. We stayed longer, hung out with family and laughed and talked about Dad, about other stuff, and just enjoyed catching up. There were no more tears. My father had moved on, and that’s OK.

On our way home, we stopped and took some pics at the cemetery. Here’s me at Dad’s grave…sorry, it’s a bit blurry:

We’re home now, and I’m in the process of flinging myself headlong into the next years of my life. I feel like I should follow Dad’s example, and get busy with it all. Mom’s hanging in there…she had some rough moments yesterday when she had my brother clear out Dad’s garden in the back yard. She said that she didn’t want the rotting vegetables to attract animals. Dad’s tended a garden ever since I’ve known him, and I know that seeing the plants pulled up and disposed of was extremely difficult for Mom. Even so, she’s a strong woman with an awful lot of stuff to do. She’ll keep on keeping on, as they say.

So there you have it. To be honest, I’ve written every word on this blog over the last month with completely selfish intent…I wanted to get everything down somewhere so that I’d remember it always. However, I also wanted to keep my friends and family updated on my Dad’s situation, since many of you asked to be kept in the loop.

What I didn’t expect was for so many of you to let me know that my blogs were meaningful to you in some way. To you folks, I must say a humble “Thank you.” I’m very glad that I could do anything to help anyone feel better during this time when folks who love my Dad were hurting. Writing all this has helped me to get through it too, so I’m happy to share.

So go…spread the love. Enjoy your time here on earth. Love someone deeply, pursue a challenge, take a risk, and trade every day for something wonderful and amazing. Love to you all.

Rest In Peace, William W. McClendon, Jr. and thanks for everything.

Almost Time to Head Out.

2008-10-14T23:31:00.003-05:00

Dad's funeral will be held in a tiny cemetary in Northeast Texas in a little over 14 hours. We'll crash tonight, pack up early in the morning, and head out. We're planning to go to Greenville first so that Christina and Monkey can see Dad in the funeral home before we go to the actual gravesite ceremony...they wanted some time to say goodbye to Dad before things get started.

Today was a much better day for me. Yesterday was harder, but I think I'm getting my feet under me again, and the funeral will serve to close this chapter somewhat. Dad's influence will never go away, and neither will the lessons that he's taught me over the years. Sometimes, he taught by actually "teaching" me something, with words and gestures, and a straightforward lesson of some kind. Other times, he taught by example, even when he had no idea that I was watching. Either way, those lessons stuck. Thanks, Dad.

My Mom and brother are on their way, and should arrive in Texas late tonight. I hope they can get some rest before tomorrow. They are bringing a couple of very important items for me: keys to the scooter, and a special bedpan. Selfishly speaking, I'm glad they remembered.

It'll be good to see the family, gathered as they will be for Dad's service. We'll all be united in our sadness at the loss of him, as well as in our moments of laughter as we remember the brave, and sometimes ridiculous things he often did. I've got another blog started where I plan to chronicle many of his stories and adventures, and his general "Dadness" as possible. More on that later.

For now, we're off to bed. I'll write something after the funeral, and if I don't have at least one new funny story, feel free to slap me around. Take care, everyone. And go hug someone you love.

Finally Got That Phone Call

2008-10-13T21:40:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was Sunday, and I had spent the last 8 hours finishing up my taxes. I'd been on the phone a few times with Mom, who had let me know that Dad had been unresponsive for the last day or so, but there was still nothing new to report.

After putting the final touches on my tax report, I kissed my wife and son, and hopped in the car to go drop the report at my father-in-law's house (he's our tax guy). I called my friend, Brian, to chat a bit, during the 3 minute drive. As I was talking to him, I got a beep...it was Mom.

I hustled to switch over, and it went something like this:

"Mom?"

"Son...Dad passed away...and I'll get back to you."

"Um...OK. Love you, Mom."

"Love you too. Bye."

And there it was. Dad's finally gone. His spirit has left us, and we are left to navigate this world without his particular brand of country wisdom, his humor, and quiet strength.

Mom's probably the toughest woman I've ever met, but I could tell that she wasn't up for a lot of emotional conversation. She tends to plow forward, do what needs to be done, and bury herself in tasks that keep her focus away from more unpleasant thoughts. She'll cry when she has time and privacy to do so. That's just how she rolls. All the arrangements have been made, everything's already handled, and now all that's left is to head to Paynetown, TX for Dad's funeral. That's this Wednesday at 2pm, by the way.

So I dropped off my tax information and headed home. I stopped at the video store to try for Zohan, but it wasn't there. I settled for Leatherheads, thinking that humorous movies will be in demand around our house for awhile. When I got home, I quietly let Christina know that Dad was gone, and we decided to tell Connor later...no sense in making it harder for him to go to sleep. As we finished up our day, I noticed that things were different. Before I had left the house, Dad was still around. Quiet, no doubt, but still around. By the time I had returned, he was gone. Different...and I felt the difference.

Today was to be my triumphant return to teaching. I got up and worked out as soon as I could get started. That accomplished, I fumbled around and tried to remember what else I was supposed to be doing. I was still doing that when Amy, one of my fantastic assistants, called to see why I had missed our meeting at 11am. Crap.

You see, when I'm preoccupied or stressed, two things happen to me: I have trouble making decisions, and I forget things. I had forgotten our meeting.

25 minutes later, I made it to my school to meet with the fabulous Amy to discuss the idea of having a tournament for our junior students. Mom called briefly during the meeting to give me the final funeral arrangements, and then we got back to our discussion. As we finished that up, and my daytime class approached, Amy graciously offered to take the class for me. Apparently, it was obvious that I'm distracted, absent, and not altogether ready to get back to teaching.

Well, she was right. I let her handle that class, and the evening classes with Mark as well, and I came home for the day. We picked up Connor from school, and I sat him down and gently told him about Grandpa's passing. Although he was sad about it, kids are pretty resilient, and he went back to being a kid again almost immediately.

I'm having a slightly rougher time of it, I suppose. I mean, I have no regrets about my relationship with Dad. The week I spent with him during his last days was more meaningful than I can convey, and we parted on the best possible terms. I had accepted his imminent passing, as had he, and figured that I'd be fine.

There's just a touch more finality to this whole thing now. And there's an emptiness that I didn't quite expect. There's no denying that it's there, and it's bugging me. Since it's still pretty new, I'm not that adept at dealing with it yet, although I can say that bowling doesn't help all that much (but that's another story).

I have the feeling that the funeral will bring a certain amount of closure, which will be good for all three of us. There are many ways to deal with my feelings, and I plan to cycle through each of them until I find the best combination of working out, reading, writing, working, playing, meditating, talking, listening, and riding Dad's scooter (which will be here soon). While I'm doing that, I hope that my friends and students will be able to tolerate me until I'm back on my emotional feet.

So if I seem preoccupied, distant, or absent, and if I don't answer emails or messages, please don't take it personally. I've always been good at dealing with my emotions, and although this might take some extra muscle, I'll be fine. Christina's offered to wait on me hand and foot for awhile...who wouldn't feel better with an offer like that on the table?

Take care, everyone. Go hug someone you love, and I'll get back to you.

There's Just Not Enough "Thank You"

2008-10-09T12:19:00.005-05:00

I'm home. I spoke to my Mom this morning, and she told me that Dad's 'happy as a lark', now that some of his family has come up to see him. Joann, Paula, Buddy, and Sissy all hopped a train from Dallas to Chicago and then rented a car to get to Elkhart, and he's been thrilled to have them around.

"Y'all sure took your sweet time gettin' here!" he reportedly said, laughing, when they showed up.

Dad's perked up a bit, and I'm glad. I don't know if he's managed to eat or drink anything other than his 'little Cokes', but the main thing is that he's happy and comfortable at home.

I had a big emotional moment on the plane that I think is worth sharing, but I'll save that for another post. What I want to do now is thank the folks who kept Jade Mountain rolling for me while I was away.

I came in last night, worn out, and planning to visit my school for just a short while, just to touch base and then get home so I could finally get some sleep. As soon as I entered the doorway, I noticed that there was a large pile of stuff underneath the stairs, covered with a canvas. Then, as I climbed the stairs, I noticed that the official school plant was on the landing, and that the window decorations had been changed, making that area much more inviting.

Folks, when I walked in, I had no idea that my SWAT (Sifu Whit's Apprentice Trainees, as they now call themselves) had spent hours redecorating the school while I was gone. It's now much more open, clean, efficient, and fabulous. Old equipment that I had planned to 'someday' sell had been hauled out and placed in storage. Walls had been redecorated. The bathroom had been redecorated. And the storage room had been converted into a SWAT changing room and office.

Wow.

Had I not been worn out, I'd have been crying in front of everyone. As it was, it was a close thing, and I spent much of the time wiping my eyes and sniffling as I strolled around, taking in the 'new' Jade Mountain. They had worked their tails off to do this, all without my knowledge, and just because they wanted to give something back to me, their teacher, and to the school that they have come to cherish.

I was humbled, honored, and deeply touched. I can't thank them enough...I just can't. I've always felt that without devoted students, being a Sifu is kind of useless, worthless. I could have the world's accumulated knowledge of martial arts, but without someone to take it from me, it would just sit there, in my mind and body, with no purpose. My team has made me feel like the greatest Sifu alive. I suppose I can only thank them day by day, skill by skill, and lesson by lesson, for they deserve the very best I can possibly give them. And dinner...I'm taking them all out to dinner.

There isn't enough "Thank you" in the world to express my gratitude towards these fine folks, so I'll try and pile it all into one:

"Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart."

(from left)Bill Landry, Kevin Hall, Renee Bracamonte, Misty Hanson, Sifu Whit, Amy Jones, Terry Thurman, Mark Dong, and Shaun Lawler (not shown)

Homecoming, Departures

2008-10-07T18:26:00.002-05:00

Dad came home today. He's resting comfortably in his own bed, with his wife nearby, and his dog in his lap. He's much more relaxed than he was in the hospital, and I don't blame him one bit.

I got up early this morning, showered up quickly, and gathered up my stuff so that I could spend time with Dad while Mom got her antibiotic shot (that pesky pneumonia is still giving her fits) and finished tying up things with the Hospice folks. She made sure the oxygen tanks showed up, called everyone involved, and generally prepared for Dad's return. We figured we had covered all the bases, and if all went well, Dad was due to leave the hospital at around 3pm (6pm is what I guessed would be the final result...I've never known these things to happen on time.)

There was a lot of quiet time with Dad today. He seemed eager to get home, and asked more than once what time it was. I happily reassured him that we had finished almost everything, and that he'd be home soon. He had more fluid drained from his lungs so that he'd be more comfortable at home. My brother stopped in to see how Dad was doing. The nurses removed his PIC line (nutritional IV) and his other intravenous lines, and I spoke with the nurse regarding various procedures.

Ruth was Dad's nurse during the day, and let me tell you, she was fabulous. She was always great with Dad, and I'll never be able to thank her and the other folks at EGH enough. I always felt that they worked really hard for Dad and cared for him. Thanks, folks!

Then there was a tiny little snag. It seems that we needed two witness to sign a particular form...two folks who knew Dad, but weren't related to him, and weren't employees of the hospital. HOLY CRAP!!! Most of the folks Dad hung out with were family members. The guy who sold him the scooter didn't count, so we were scrambling to find folks to sign this one paper so that Dad could ride in the ambulance and come home.

Mom (who has a hard time asking ANYONE for help) went next door to talk to the fabulous Bree, a stay-at-home mom who knows Dad fairly well. She dropped what she was doing, scooped up her adorable 2yrold daughter and hustled up to the hospital. Next, Mom called the family Pastor, who likewise, jumped in whatever car he drives, probably hollered "YEEEEEEE-HAAAAAWWWWWWW!" and showed up at the hospital mere minutes later. They signed the paper, I signed the paper, and all was well with the world again. Again, thanks are in order.

The Pastor stayed a bit longer to chat with Dad. He quietly let Dad know that he'll be there if needed, and asked if there was anything Dad wanted him to pray for.

There was a moment of silence before I heard him quietly say, "Pray for Mary."

I don't recall many times in my life when I heard emotion touch my father's voice. All that mushy stuff just wasn't comfortable for him, and he was fine to just smile and nod, rather than bare his heart to the world like his oldest son would probably do. And yet, it was there. In what are probably his final days, he's thinking of her...of us. That's Dad.

We readied him for the trip after that, and as 3pm got closer and closer, it became clear that they weren't playing around! He really was going to leave the hospital on time! This left me with a bit of a predicament...I had to find a way to liberate the bedpan. Oh, yes, you know the bedpan of which I speak. That stainless steel vessel of doom that proved the depth of my ignorance...yes, THAT bedpan.

As much as it had embarrassed me, I had gotten rather close to that bedpan. We have a much better relationship now, and I felt that it was an important part of Dad's whole experience. Too important, in fact, to be left behind. So what's a guy to do? I mean...do I clean it out, dry it off, tie it up in a plastic bag, wrap it up in my sweatshirt, and then stuff it into a bigger plastic bag so that I can walk off with it? Me? I'd never dream of such a thing.

Yeah...and monkeys'll fly out of my butt.

The bedpan is now resting comfortably in Dad's bathroom. There it will stay until he no longer needs it. Afterwards, I'm sure it will somehow find its way to Katy.

3pm showed up, and so did the ambulance guys, Rob and Josh. They were polite, efficient, and ready to roll, baby. They carefully slid Dad, waffle mattress and all onto their gurney, and we were off. I did take a moment to pass off a certain bundle to Aunt Linda before climbing into the ambulance with Dad. "Take care of this...it's important." Aunt Linda nodded solemnly, and I followed Dad to his ride.

After passing the house, turning around, and then finding it again, Rob and Josh rolled into the driveway. We brought them inside to see where Dad would be placed, and they promptly ruled out the gurney and the wheelchair. "We'll just have to carry him up. Don't worry, we do this all the time." You know what? The were right. Dad was in his own bed before I could say Jiminy Cricket. There was some discussion with Amy, the Hospice nurse, while we also thanked Rob and Josh for bringing Dad safely home, followed by some scrambling for a bedpan (Dad wasted no time requesting it once he got home) and then we all breathed a huge sigh of relief. Dad's home, at long last. He has three huge oxygen tanks at the foot of his bed, and a host of supplies, medicines, and small machines nearby, but I can see how relieved he is to be back in his own home again.

Since he's been home, he's actually drank a bit of Coca Cola, as well as a bit of water. He's been able to pet his dog Rico any time he wants. And he even talked to his grandson in Katy, my son Connor. That got me, folks. Dad was happily telling Connor that he loves him while Connor chattered away on the other end. Hearing that love in my Dad's voice, a voice unaccustomed to holding that kind of tone, that moved me.

The only other thing I want to mention is something you'd probably see in any MadeForTVMovie. I had some alone time with Dad, and I wanted to tell him something I always felt that he knew, but I seldom said it to him aloud.

"Dad, I just wanted you to know that I'm proud to be your son."

"Yeah...well, I'm proud to have you."

I don't need much from my Dad. He and Mom molded me to be pretty independent, and I'm not a guy who spent his whole life seeking Dad's approval. Honestly, I always felt that I already had it. But a little confirmation at a time like this is extremely meaningful. Dad's a man of few words, and he invested more meaning in those seven than most could express in a 10 page speech. I'm OK with that.

I leave tomorrow morning, knowing that I will probably never see my father alive again. For many, that would be a horrible tragedy, but it's not like that for me. This past week has been a good one for us as father and son, a rare and valuable gift. I'll treasure this time for the rest of my life, and I can sleep at night knowing that I showed Dad how much I love him by being here during these final days. I've also felt his love for me, and feel that he'll always be with me, no matter where I go or what I do.

And by the way, there's always that crazy chance that his sheer toughness will reassert itself, he could go into remission and he'll last for months. That would be just like him, that freakin' tough old coot. I'll keep you posted. In any case, don't waste time where your loved ones are concerned. Tell them you love them every day. You'll feel better...I promise.

Dad's Scooter

2008-10-06T10:46:00.006-05:00

Day 6, October 6, 2008

It's quiet here in Dad's room. He's off the BiPAP, and it's a lot easier to understand him with the smaller oxygen mask. He's resting comfortably. Still joking a little bit. He likes to have the nurse call button firmly in his hand at all times, saying that he'd be "up a creek without that beeper...I think they're all asleep back there."

Mom's gone back to the doctor for more tests. I'm hoping that she starts feeling better somehow, but I know that the things that she needs to get done simply must get done, and no one can do them for her. At least her fever is gone.

I thought I'd throw a little video up here for comic relief...OK, it's not that funny, but it makes me laugh. Before I get to the vid, I'll explain a bit about this whole scooter thing.

2 years ago (when Dad was a spry 78 yrs old) his wrecked his truck, and his failing eyesight kept him from renewing his license. Stuck at home, and resenting the loss of his mobility, he got to thinking that a scooter might be a good idea...just the thing for those short trips to the gas station/convenience store or my brother's house nearby. He mentioned it to Mom, who promptly vetoed the idea.

"Have you lost your MIND? NO!!!"

My father was not deterred in the least. Every day, he began to pester her to take him to Ed's Cycles to look at the bikes. Every day, Mom refused. This went on for weeks...every...single...day. Finally, he threatened to just walk there if she wouldn't drive him, and he actually started walking down the street. Mom finally relented, and drove him to the motorcycle shop.

Once there, Dad walked straight over to the Harleys, and Mom turned on her heel and walked back out to sit in the car. "No. Way. I'm not going to be a part of this ridiculousness." Dad waved to her from the store window, but she would not be moved.

Finally, he brought the salesman out to talk to her and assured her that they had found something more suitable. Mom warily exited the car and followed them to the showroom. Here's what she saw:

Its top speed is only about 38 miles an hour...maybe 40, if there's a tailwind. She reluctantly agreed, only because she wanted to give Dad a chance to keep his independence.

They got it home. Dad rode it up the block, and then back down the block, and then laid the bike down in the middle of the road after losing control in some gravel.

And that was that. It went into the garage, and stayed there. Dad dutifully started it, day after day, just to make sure that it continued to function, but he never rode it again.

Mom always said that he wanted me to have it. With gas prices as high as they are, it would be the perfect ride to my school and back. I did have some trouble with it at first, but finally figured things out.

At first, I always suggested that Mom just sell it and if she really wanted me to have a scooter, then just pass the money along and I'd buy one back in Katy. But now that I'm here, and I've ridden it and run my fingers along the scratches left by Dad's wreck...I really want it. THIS scooter. Not a fancier new one, not one that goes faster...THIS one. Because it was Dad's.

I know he only rode it once, but to me, it symbolizes his determined spirit, his desire to do things his own way, his passion for living. How could I just sell it, and buy some new, empty machine with no feeling attached to it? There may come a day when I choose to buy a bigger, better, faster scooter, but not yet...not just yet.

So laugh at me if you will. I know that I'm not exactly the most macho figure on the road with my little red scooter...but I'm ok with that.

Dad's Still Dad

2008-10-05T21:21:00.004-05:00

Dad's resting. Not much has changed, really. He's still not eating, although he did request a sip of Coca-Cola this morning (we happily obliged). The mottling that had appeared on his feet last night (a sign of poor circulation, and not a good sign at all) was a bit better, but otherwise, the situation is the same.

However, my aunt called Mom this afternoon to tell her that one of the nurses had given Dad morphine, rather than the vicoden that he has been taking for days. Mom blew her top, and called the nurse and tore her a new one. Mom's an artist at that, by the way. Black Sash, 5th degree. You see, the plan was to bring Dad home, get him settled, and THEN start him on the morphine. Once you're on morphine, you're staying on it until you're gone, and Mom had not yet approved that course of action. Dad's been getting on fine with the vicoden, she says, and now, he's in another time zone...he may not even care about getting home. In the nurses defense, a morphine IV injection IS on his chart as a prescribed med for his pain...she just didn't know all the details.

What's done is done, though. The next nurse specifically asked him if he wanted the pain pill or the morphine, and he requested the morphine.

Morphine or not, when we came in to see him after all this came down, he asked us to take his BiPAP mask off so that we could understand him. That accomplished, he said that Uncle Henry had come in to see him earlier in the day.

Uncle Henry: "William, do you want me to pray for you?"

My Dad: "Yeah, pray me up a bedpan!"

And Dad laughed at his own joke. He told us that Uncle Henry dutifully hustled off to find a nurse (Uncle Henry's not a licensed bedpan tech like me), and Dad laughed again. Then he asked us to replace his mask, and he rested from the effort of talking with us.

His body is wasting away, but he's still in there, sharp as a tack. The morphine is relaxing him a ton, and we are concerned that he may not make it home...but he's not in pain now. He's been having a lot of anxiety over his breathing, but now, that stress is far, far less. He's much more comfortable than before.

I'm still searching for the proper emotions regarding the 'jumping of the gun' in regards to Dad getting morphine. I know that no nurse would flippantly push morphine into someone's IV without at least looking carefully at the patients chart. If it didn't happen today, we might have put him on it tomorrow. Or the next day. And he'd have been suffering all the while we waited to approve the stuff.

I really think that we've done pretty much everything that can be done, and each day, we continue to do so. I wonder if the universe might have given a nurse a nudge in that direction so that a good man wouldn't suffer for longer than necessary. He might still make it home after all...we don't know. We're just going to continue with the plan of getting him home ASAP, once we can get things ironed out with the Hospice folks. His time is short, and we know that. We're as ready as we can be, and I know that's not nearly ready enough.

It's nice to know, at least, that Dad's still in there. He's fully aware of what's going on, and he's accepted it. He has chosen to face bravely forward, with his usual unflinching strength and wry humor. I hope and pray that when my time comes I can face it half as well as my dear father.

And by the way, to those of you who have emailed, texted, and commented to show your support...thank you. I'll never be able to repay you for helping me be strong right now.

Decisions.

2008-10-04T20:12:00.005-05:00

I'll remember today. At least, parts of it. I've recounted most of what happened earlier, including the lung cancer diagnosis. Now for the latest news:

The lung cancer is of a type I've never heard. It's called malignant mesothelioma, and it's caused from previous exposure to asbestos. Amazingly, Dad didn't get it from smoking all those years. No, his prior work history is to blame this time. Long ago, Dad had the opportunity to join a class action suit against Dow, his employer of 30 years, and he declined. "Hell, I knew it was bad back then, but I chose to work. I'm not gonna sue them when I made the choice myself." Typical Dad. It's inoperable, by the way. In his current condition, he wouldn't survive chemo, radiation, and I don't think that surgery can even be done for this crap. Not that he would survive that, either.

Anyway, they found and identified the cancer cells from the fluid that they took from Dad's lungs. They take the fluid out, and it just comes right back. He's on a real Darth Vader mask now, a BiPAP. He's not getting better.

After spending the morning with Dad (and shuffling me around as well) we came back to Mom's house in the afternoon. Then, Mom got a call from the cancer doctor, and we left the house like it was on fire to get back to the hospital to talk with the doc. He was a very nice man, and he spoke with as much tact and clarity as is possible when delivering this type of diagnosis. We discussed options, the difference between Hospice and Home Care, and we talked about what Dad would probably want. Then, it was time to take all that info to Dad and hear his opinion.

We got back in the room and started to talk to Dad about the situation. As soon as we started talking about the cancer, he said, "Take this mask off!" Thinking he was about to jump out of the bed, we quickly helped him get it off, and then he said, "BEDPAN!" Apparently, he just needed to go, and wanted to make that desire perfectly clear.

Fortunately, I'm a licensed bedpan technician, so we were able to take care of him quickly and easily, but the whole effort still wore him out. Afterwards, we got him comfortable again, replaced the mask, and let him rest for a few minutes.

"I suppose y'all want my decision."

What? We were a touch surprised, thinking that he hadn't heard all of our discussion, but knowing Dad as we do, we should have figured that he'd be paying attention. We said yes, we did certainly want to hear his thoughts on the matter.

"Take me home...make me comfortable...and let me go."

...................................................

It was the tone of his voice that broke me. And inspired me. And reminded me why I love my Dad the way I do. I'm glad I was here to hear him say this. I don't think I've ever heard braver words spoken aloud. I'm just grateful that I've been able to spend this time with him.

There are more details, more thoughts and feelings, and yes, even more humorous commentary, but to be honest, I think I'm done for right now. I'll touch base again tomorrow sometime.

News...not good.

2008-10-04T08:56:00.003-05:00

Day 4, October 4, 2008

Yesterday was mostly a blur. I chose to stay the night at Dad's room in case he needed anything. This meant no sleep whatsoever for me, but I was able to see that he was passing the night well, and the nurses were taking good care of him. Mom came and got me at 5am, and I crashed for a few hours at her house. Dad didn't improve much yesterday, still gurgling and not getting any stronger. However, I'm now a licensed bedpan specialist.

I did manage to sleep well last night, and awoke this morning to an empty house. I knew that Mom's an extremely early riser, so I called her cell. Things aren't going well this morning...Dad's struggling. She said she couldn't come get me, she was tied up with Dad. I told her I'd think of something.

You guessed it. The scooter. Did I mention Dad's scooter? I've been tooling around the neighborhood on it. I figured that Dad would have just jumped on it and headed out...so I followed his example.

I passed Mom on the way, and she u-turned to catch up with me in the hospital parking lot. Rather than berate me for driving it as I expected, she simply said, "Do you see any other scooters here?"
"No."
"That's because it'll be gone when you get back. Drive it home, and I'll bring you back up here."
"That's crazy! I'm already here!"
"Seriously, it'll be gone when you come out. Get moving."

Have I mentioned that there's no arguing with my Mom? I drove it home. It's a beautiful morning for a drive, anyway.

Now for the news, and it's not good: Dad's got lung cancer. We're going to have a cancer specialist look him over. If there's anything to be done, we want to know, but Dad's too weak for surgery, chemo, or radiation. What else is there to do? We'll find out if there is anything, but it doesn't look like there's much left at this point. If the options are exhausted, we're bringing him home and setting him up in a spare room, to make him as comfortable as possible until the end finally comes. With stronger pain medication, there's a chance he could just slip away before we can even get him home, but we'll just have to take it one step at a time.

Thanks for all your texts, emails, and comments. They really help. Your well-wishes and support will never be forgotten, and they really are helpful during all of this.

Hug your loved ones, folks, and talk to them. There comes a day when all of us deal with this stuff, one way or another. There will be things left unsaid, undone, tales untold, and there lie regrets. There is an awful lot of stuff I'll never know about my Dad...he's too far gone to regale me with tales of his colorful youth, so I'll never know what his favorite pastime was when he was a kid, or who was his first crush, or if he skipped school to go fishing. The stuff I know now is all I'm going to know.

But, I know he loves me. He knows I love him. We've had a good time as father and son, and reached a comfortable companionship over the years. I can certainly live with that.

I'll update when I can. Be well.

Seeing Dad

2008-10-03T20:06:00.004-05:00

Day 1, Wednesday, October 1, 2008

This morning began way, way too early. 3:40am, to be exact. That’s when my mother-in-law called to let me know that she was in our driveway, ready to come in and watch Connor while my fabulous wife drove me to the airport. To be honest, I don’t remember much about that time period, other than a quick, dark car ride to Houston Intercontinental Airport for a 6am flight to Chicago, then another to South Bend.

We got my ticket on Priceline, and ended up flying United. Even with the $15.00 charge for my one checked suitcase, I will strive to fly United every time from now on. The plane ride was the quietest I have ever experienced…it was quieter than my car! Seating was spacious, and we were greeted with soothing music as we got on board. Wow. This beat Continental hands down!

So I had a good trip to Chicago, but I still don’t remember most of it. I got to O’Hare on time, waddled over to the gate for my connecting flight, and waited. And waited. And waited. Thought about killing myself, changed my mind, then waited some more. Apparently, there was a ‘maintenance issue’ with our intended plane, so the guys in the hangar were sending another one. Or so we thought. Finally, after over an hour of waiting, the attendant announced that they had no idea of the location of our plane, so they were going to rebook us on another flight, which was scheduled to depart at 12:08pm, a full 2 hours after the original.

I could have gotten upset, but I figured I’d be grateful that they decided to put us on a fully functional plane a bit late, rather than a punctual but “Sanford and Son” plane that might have fallen out from under us. Once on the plane, I was pleased to see that it was a decently sized and comfortable plane with cute flight attendants. Sweeeeet. I dozed immediately, and awoke when the pilot announced our imminent landing in South Bend. I made it!

My brother came and picked me up, and it was great to catch up with him during the ride to my Mom’s. Once there, I jumped into her SUV, and we were off to see my Dad.

I finally found out that he actually turns 80 in 10 days (I was never really sure before), and finally, it looks like the years have caught up with him. I turned the corner to enter his hospital room, more than a little concerned at what I might find, but I was relieved to see…my Dad. Older, more shrunken, and wearing a Darth Vader breathing mask, but aside from that extraneous stuff, he’s still every inch my Dad. He hadn’t really eaten anything yet, saying he’s still too weak, but he lifted my spirits by popping off to Mom when she took a look at his IV insertion point and forgot to replace the covers. “Marr-rry!! Cover me up, I’m freezing!” Same old Dad. I could see the years that Mom and Dad have shared in the way she alternately fussed over him and then harassed him to no end. He’d generally respond with one-word answers until he got snarky right back at her. It was good to see that he still has his spirit. The man’s not done with this world just yet. He’s still fighting. “You know, your mother and I have been married for 39 years…and she’s just as mean today as the day I married her!” That got a smile and a quick retort from Mom.

Worried about bedsores, Mom asked me to help roll Dad on his side so she could check him out (none at all, thank goodness), and then we made him as comfortable as we could by rubbing lotion on his legs and feet, and getting more warm blankets. He managed almost a half a cup of warm broth and some tea before wearing out. Hey, when you haven’t eaten for 3 days, that tiny bit of food is a big deal. We’re hoping that this, coupled with the IV therapy that starts tonight, will help him to get over the hump and get well enough to come home.

There’s more, but I’m finally going cross-eyed from the lack of sleep. I’m going to attempt a shower before bed, and then I plan to count sheep until there are none left to count.

Day 2 Thursday, October 02, 2008

After more hours of sleep in a row than I’ve had in months, we were up and out the door at about 8:20am to see Dad. When we got there, he had his breakfast on a tray in front of him, and was actually eyeing it with some intent. Mom could only stay for a few minutes until she had to leave for her antibiotic shot (pneumonia, remember?), so she put in his teeth, and left me to feed him. We chatted a bit as I gave him a few forkfuls of biscuits with gravy and helped him with the orange juice. After a bit, he paused for a moment, and then said those fateful words: “I hate to tell you this, but I have to use the bedpan.”

Oh crap.

I figured it was urgent, so I hustled to find a bedpan and get it situated. In the heat of the moment, I was a bit nervous…I didn’t want Dad to have an accident because I was too slow, so I was scrambling around in a frantic search. I found one, managed to get it under Dad’s rear, but he kept saying “Is it under? It don’t feel like it’s under.” I tried to adjust it again before the nurses came in to rescue us.

This:
is NOT a bedpan. I don’t really know what it is, but it is not, I repeat, NOT a bedpan. I think it’s something you use if you need to puke.

This, however, IS a bedpan:

And let me tell you how hard the nurses had to try to keep from laughing at me, a nearly 40 year old man who didn’t know what the hell a bedpan looks like. I didn’t blame them…I’d have laughed at me, too.

Everything was OK after that. Using the bedpan was quite enough exercise for Dad, and after the nurse came in and helped him finish up, he asked me to take out his teeth and fix him up so he could take a nap. He’s resting comfortably now, finally getting more nourishment from that extra IV line as well as the few bites and sips of food he’s had. They’re bringing a big chair in so that he can sit up in it, rather than stay in bed the whole time, and start him walking again. He’s weak as a kitten, but that’s just his body. His spirit is just fine.

Although he is improving, we are all finding ways to prepare for the inevitable. As strong as his spirit may be, his body just won’t last much longer. It could go in a day, a week, a month…we just don’t know. All we can do is love him, and each other, and see what each moment brings. I know we’ll get by.

By the way, every single nurse that has seen me since the bedpan debacle has actually chuckled and waved at me. How nice.

A quick update from later that day:

A note about the big chair I mentioned: it’s kind of an industrial grade recliner, but it doesn’t act like the ones I’m used to. We put him in it after his tests, and as we got him situated, I put a blanket over his feet, and the extra weight nearly catapulted him across the room. Fortunately, I was there to catch him, and he wasn’t hurt at all…just a bit startled.

Mom showed up again soon afterwards, and we all spent time hanging out with Dad and getting him whatever he needed. Since Dad’s pretty hard of hearing, Mom bellows at him so loudly that it’s actually funny. Likewise, Dad’s responses are still feisty enough to make us laugh. It’s the same way they’ve spoken to each other for nearly 40 years, and that’s just how they roll.

Dad had ordered a Chef Salad, but was too wrung out from tests and various bedpan escapades to eat it, but Mom did manage to get him to take some broth, pudding, and tea. We sat with him for awhile, getting him waffle boots to keep his feet from getting bedsores, turning him every so often, and making sure he was warm and comfortable as possible. Dad rests a lot…just going to the bathroom tears him up the way the half-marathon whips me, so most of the time, there’s not that much for me to do.

Sometimes, I worry that I should be doing more, like reading to him or talking to him more. I know that I won’t have much more time with him…the hours are ticking away, and I have no idea how many are left. However, he assures me that he’s happy to just know that I’m here, and he’s not up to listening to me reading western stories, or to my typically ridiculous anecdotes. I do what I can, and when I don’t know what to do (bedpan issues come to mind), I call the nurses and ask how I can help, even if it means to just stay out of their way while they do their jobs. When Dad’s gone, how much I did for him here in the hospital won’t matter to him a single bit…but it will matter to me. He’s been a great father, so I feel I should be here to do whatever I can to help him through this time.

After dinner, I gathered up some of my toys and came back to the hospital to stay the night, just in case he needs something. I’ll probably doze off at some point, but I can always crash later in the day if need be. I brought my books, some martial arts DVD’s, music, and of course, my laptop. Even though there’s no WiFi here (CAN YOU FRIGGIN’ BELIEVE THAT??!!), I can still get my thoughts down and work on other projects while I’m here.

By the way, I feel I should mention the fact that I’ve been joking with everyone as much as possible ever since I set foot on the ground here. I hope I don’t upset anyone. Some might wonder at the fact that I can joke at all, with my father in such dire shape. They might wonder if I love my Dad. ”How can he be so…so…happy?” they might ask. Well, let me clarify this for you. I’m not happy that he’s in this situation. I’m not happy that I’m probably about to lose my Dad very soon. I’m not happy that my Mom is going to have to live without him when they’ve been together for nearly 40 years. No, I don’t joke because I’m happy, people.

I make jokes because I love my father very much. He and Mom both taught me to be strong in tough situations, because screaming “Why me?” to the heavens never brings a satisfactory answer. Fathers die…all of them. That’s just a part of life, and joking is how I get through each and every day of mine. Dad taught me that a long time ago, and I don’t see a reason to toss out that lesson now. In fact, now’s probably the best time for me to use it. So laugh with me, please. Dad prefers that.

There Have Been Better Days...

2008-09-29T21:09:00.002-05:00

Word from up north is not that encouraging today. Dad’s not eating, and he’s sleeping quite a bit. Add to that the fact that Mom now has pneumonia and a fever. Sheesh. I know that Dad’s illness is stressing Mom to pieces, and stress lowers the strength of your immune system, so….bingo: pneumonia. Of course, she still plans to just tough it out and do whatever the heck she feels like doing. However, pneumonia with a 103.8° fever is a pretty big monkey to carry on your back, and it showed.

My Aunt Linda, and Uncle Robert (bless them) have been in the hospital pretty much the whole time Dad’s been in there, and Uncle Robert managed to get Mom to head home, take a cold shower, take her meds, and get her feverish butt in bed. He did so by simply saying this: “Mary, if you don’t go home right now and get in the shower, I’ll take you home and put you in there myself…and that’s gonna embarrass the both of us. I’d rather not do that, so get moving.” Wonder of wonders, she did. Knowing Uncle Robert, he’d have done it.

So I’ve been a bit distracted today, worried about my parents. Mom’s tough as old shoe leather (that’s just an expression, Mom…I’m not in any way saying that you LOOK like old shoe leather), but she’s still human. My father’s toughness is freakin’ legendary throughout our family on both sides, but he apparently has his limits. I just hate that we may have finally found out exactly what those limits are.

He’s not done yet, though, and I’m not quite ready to start talking about the good old days I’ve had with him as though he’s already gone. That old man is, in his quiet, stubborn way, still kicking and scratching, clawing and biting, even though it seems to the naked eye that he’s just laying quietly in bed, dozing. It would not surprise me in the least if he perked up tomorrow and started annoying the doctors and nurses again. It’s happened before. I mean, the man has kicked cancer in its proverbial nutsack not once, but twice. A death sentence for some has been nothing but an inconvenience to him. This is a man who lost his left hand in an unbelievably painful fashion while in his thirties, and yet never complained about it within my hearing…NOT. ONE. TIME. He’s a fighter. So I think it’s not unreasonable to hope he gets better, even just for awhile. Hopefully, he’ll challenge me to a grappling match this time. I mean, it should finally be a fair fight since he’s only got one hand, right?

Thanks for the well-wishes, folks. I’ll try and keep y’all updated.

Eddie Bravo seminar...cool, dude.

2008-09-28T16:11:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, one of my assistant instructors and I drove up to Waxahachie, TX for a seminar by Eddie Bravo. If you're not familiar with Mr. Bravo, he is (according to Wikipedia) "an American practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who holds a black belt under Jean-Jacques Machado. He is most famous for his win as a brown belt against Royler Gracie by triangle choke in the Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling championships the year 2003, and his unique style of no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, called 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu." BJJ Black Belt Paul Thomas was cool enough to bring Eddie down for a seminar back in 2004, and I really enjoyed the exposure to his system.

Since then, we've been working through his techniques at my school, so we welcomed a chance to work with Eddie and gain some additional insight into his system... we were not disappointed! Eddie is a funny, personable guy, who is so comfortable with his expertise in his system that he has no problem telling everyone "I'm only at about a purple belt level when attacking this arm. But this arm...different story." I like that. He's open, honest, and willing to help every single person in the seminar, whether they were inexperienced newbies or folks who had been training for years. It was well worth the drive and the money, to be sure. At some point, we might very well end up a 10th Planet affiliate...but that'll be a long way off. A long way. In the meantime, we'll keep training, add more competitions to our plan, and see what we can do.

After the seminar, I enjoyed catching up with my cousin, Robin, and her family. It's hard to believe how her boys have grown! Time flies. Next time, I'm bringing my fabulous wife and son so they can all run around together and cause trouble while I train with Eddie. ;-)

My Dad should be out of the hospital soon. The antibiotics seem to be helping, so he's feeling quite a bit better. Even so, I've already bought my plane ticket to go up and visit for a week. Thanks, Priceline! I've never loved William Shatner so much, until he got me a far-less-than-half-price ticket to South Bend, Indiana! I figure that it's better to go hang out with Dad now, while he's feeling better, rather than wait until there's an emergency and risk getting there too late. I'm looking forward to hanging out with the family, and annoying Dad with questions about his youth.

The weather is cooling down, and there's a taste of fall in the air. I love this time of year!! October, with Halloween, my birthday, our wedding anniversary, the Ren Fest, and memories of the Brazoria County Fair, is definitely my favorite month of the year. Any suggestions for a Halloween costume? Anyone?

Take care, folks. And tell someone that you love them. Who knows how many chances you might have to do so.

Dad Update, and a Survey

2008-09-21T13:25:00.002-05:00

The word from up north is that Dad's doing better. Getting around on his own, eating more, and generally being cantankerous, so that's all extremely good news. Hopefully, he'll be up to his old tricks at the bowling alley or with the snowblower before too long.

So...here's a little survey for a lazy Sunday...

Have you had any beer this week?
Nope…that’s some nasty stuff, and it’s just not for me.

Are you happy with life?
There’s always something that’s temporarily out of reach, but all in all, I’m really, really happy with my situation. I have a great family and great friends, food on the table, and a job that I just LOVE.

Could you cry right now?
Ordinarily, I can cry at the drop of a hat, but at this moment, I’m just not finding anything sad enough or moving enough to bring on those tears

Are you a jealous person?
Far less so than I used to be.

Who do you text the most out of your friends?
That’d be BB.

If you could see one person right now, who would it be?
I do miss my wife (she’s at a scrapbooking retreat)…but I wouldn’t pass up a chance to spank Kelly Clarkson, it’s true. She’s naughty.

What were you doing this morning at 6:30am?
Sleeping like the dead.

What do you need to be doing right now?
Housework. I’ve already done the dishes, so I’m taking a break before tackling the rest.

Where have you lived throughout your life?
Angleton, TX, College Station, TX, Lake Jackson, TX, Houston, TX, and Katy, TX.

Where was your default picture taken?
If I remember correctly, in an airport in Minnesota.

Is there anything silver near you?
My digital camera is kind of chromy-colored…does that count?

What were you doing at 1 AM this morning?
I think I was reading in bed.

Do you wear contacts?
I used to, but my eyesight has seemed to improve over the last couple of years.

What color shirt are you wearing?
White t-shirt, and a green apron. Yeah, I know…sexy!!

Song playing right now?
The Warrior by Scandal. Yes, it’s an 80’s kind of Sunday.

Where were you Friday night?
At Jade Mountain, meeting with my assistant instructors, who are an absolutely fabulous bunch of folks.

Do you wear the seat belt in the car?
Oh, yeah. I consider myself a pretty safe driver these days, but there’s no shortage of idiots out there.

Has anyone ever mistaken you for someone else?
Not that I know of, although there have been a deluded few who commented on a resemblance to Brendan Fraser.

Next vacation you're going on?
Hmmmmm…not sure. We’ll probably go see my folks in Indiana at Christmas.

Do you like to text or call more?
I just LOVE to talk on the phone.

Have you ever kissed someone whose name started with a J?
After checking my lists (that took about .8 seconds), the answer is ‘nope.’

Who last sent you a myspace message?
Paula, an old friend from high school.

Whose bed did you sleep in last night?
The usual. Ours.

Have you held hands with anyone in the past week?
Oh, sure. I hold hands with Monkey every time we walk through a parking lot, and I love to hold hands with my wife when we go out.

What's the last book you've read?
The Navigator by Clive Cussler. Lots of fast-paced adventure!

What are you doing tomorrow?
Working out, teaching, making plans and getting stuff done.

Do you like to cuddle?
I really do, but not for hours. I get cramped if I stay in the same position too long, even if it’s a good position!

What are you doing right now?
Now, why do surveys ask this question? If I’m going to answer this silly thing with any kind of coherence, I need to be paying attention to what I’m doing…right now…which is this survey! Geez. Let me insert my own question here to counteract this silliness…

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself as the head of a small martial arts association that is devoted to the progress of its students, no matter what their skill or talent level. I see myself helping a select few of my students to run their own schools, and gain the joy and fulfillment from martial arts that I have. I see having a slightly larger home due to the addition of another little monkey. And I see myself fending off the almost constant flirtations of Kelly Clarkson and Cathy Dennis. Please, ladies!! There’s enough of me to go around!

Do you have a dog?
No, but I do miss our pugs, Beauty and Beast. They were goofy, snuffling, snorting, fuzzy balls of love.

Three things you feel right now?
Inspired, determined, comfortable. I know…odd.

Are you ticklish?
Why do you want to know? Do you have plans that I should know about? Should I limber up?

Who has your myspace password?
I think just me, but it’s not a big deal around here.

Is the last person you kissed mad at you?
No, my son is having fun and looking forward to part 2 of our Star Wars movie marathon.

Can you last in a relationship for longer then a year?
Let’s check my track record…married my high school sweetheart, stayed together for 12 years. I’m now married to my true love and soulmate, and we’ve been together for almost 11 years. I’m not terribly flaky in that area, folks.

Have you ever had your heart broken?
Oh, yes.

Are you hungry?
That’s like asking me if I’m breathing. Yes, usually.

Does someone like you right now?
Geez, I would certainly hope so!!

Is there a person of the opposite sex that means a lot to you?
You mean, just one person? Yes, of course. There are several in fact…right, Mom?

Have you ever felt replaced?
Um…wow, I don’t think I have. Interesting.

What's stressing you right now?
There have been some organizational changes with my former martial arts association, but I’ve accepted those, so…not really, no.

If you HAD to dye your hair right now, what color would you choose?
What, like the mob is going to waste my family if I don’t dye my hair? Fine…uh…green.

Do your best friends all like each other?
Yep. We all have quite a bit in common. That’s why they are my best friends, and they get along just fine.

Do you remember who you liked in grade seven?
Man, I had probably a crush a month in Junior High…Susan Viator sticks out in my mind, though. I thought she was just beautiful. And like a typical dork, I never said a word to her…just too shy!

Who was the last person you flirted with?
If I’ve flirted with you, would you mind telling me? My skills in that area are quite pitiful, and I’d like to know if I somehow, unknowingly flirted properly.

When did you go back to school?
I’m pretty sure that I’m done with Academia. I love learning new things, so I read a lot, and I love to train and learn new martial arts skills.

How much older than you was the first person you kissed, if they were older?
Is this survey directed at young girls, or what? I was older than the first person I kissed…I think.

What's something that you want to buy, realistically?
A crash pad for my school.

When's your mother's birthday?
October 27.

If you could only see one more artist or band in concert during your lifetime, who would you choose?
Come on…if you know me at all, do you really have to ask?

Who's birthday was last?
Of my immediate family, The Monkey turned 6 last November.

Who's birthday is next?
My darling wife's is this week. Oh CRAP!! IT’S THIS WEEK!!! I’d better get moving…SHOOT!!

What…that’s it? I was just hitting my stride, here! I’m gonna go think of more questions….y’all have a great Sunday.

Happenings, feelings, and my freakin' strong boy...

2008-09-20T18:35:00.003-05:00

It's been a busy week around here, in many ways. Hurricane Ike left quite a bit of stuff to do, and many of us were lucky in that we only had to contend with gas shortages and power loss. My ailing father returned home from the hospital yesterday, and is feeling more perky today (more on that later). There have been some major adjustments at my martial arts school that I won't go into here, save to say that I'm looking into the future with renewed enthusiasm and freedom, but there's also a bittersweetness to that whole situation.

Here's what happened with my strong son today. His fantastic Mom is away at a scrapbooking retreat this weekend, so Monkey's been with me. Generally, he's pretty well-behaved at my school, and he was entertaining himself for much of the morning with some DVD's in the office. He got bored with them eventually, and wandered into the school, looking for something to do. He started playing around with the weight equipment that we keep in the corner for strength training. As soon as I saw what he was doing, I watched for a bit to see that he was safe, and then went over there to help him out...and brought one of my students with me to film it. Here's the result:

As I mentioned in the clip, he's only about 64 pounds fully clothed. He was doing a Lat Pulldown with 70 lbs. The ones he did before the video was shot actually looked far better than these, but he was just playing around. Go figure. And before anyone get started on me, let me remind you all that I watched him do this by himself for several minutes before I came over to help hold him down...he was doing it for fun, not because I'm trying to make a man out of him.

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As I said earlier, my 80yr old Dad is back from the hospital, and feeling better. When I was talking to Mom today, we spoke briefly about the preparations that are in place just in case his time finally comes. She mentioned that everything's already planned out and paid for, including his trip back home to be buried in the family graveyard near Greenville, TX. He also had firmly refused the casket she had picked out for him. Apparently, he didn't share Mom's taste in final resting vessels...not manly enough. "That thing's too dern sissified...you got any pine boxes back there?"

He's home now, and had a wonderful meal of tamales, refried beans, and buttermilk. "Hey, I didn't plan the meal...that's what he wanted." says Mom.

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Have a fabulous weekend, folks. And don't be afraid to follow your dream. It could be a silly, frivolous thing (singing karaoke), or something monumental (climbing Mt. McKinley in Alaska, North America's tallest mountain peak). But have courage, and do the things that call to you. Make your Bucket List now, and get to work. Life can be unbearably short, you know.

PS I know someone who's headed to Alaska next year...guess what they're doing?

The Best Music Video...EVER!!!!

2008-09-16T17:46:00.002-05:00

OK, this made me laugh so hard that I nearly shot Monster (the energy drink) out of my nose. Enjoy!!!

Lots of Stuff...

2008-09-16T12:35:00.003-05:00

Wow, I was rereading some of my old posts, and noticed that I used to write pretty long, involved entries. I wondered why I haven't done that so much lately, and then I figured it was because things have gotten more and more busy in pretty much all areas of my life...not as much time left over for blogging. So today, I plan to comment on several topics. Just because I can.

I'm currently sitting at Jade Mountain, enjoying the newly-enabled internet access up here. It's so great to be able to check my email, make equipment orders, and do other stuff while I'm here instead of having to wait until I get home. Larry is teaching a Krav Maga class in the other room, and they've got the music thumping...I'm planning to go in and work out on my own in a bit.

Larry's finally teaching here, and I couldn't be happier. We've been friends forever, and I've always respected him as a martial artist, businessman, and as a person. We have big plans for this place, and I'm looking forward to seeing the results of our combined efforts. We'd like to eventually move to a bigger facility, with two training rooms, locker rooms, and a nicer lobby. It'll be fantastic to have two classes going at the same time! And higher ceilings will be a huge relief.

On the home front, we've discovered that my Dad (in the hospital for pneumonia) also has a staph infection in his blood. They've adjusted his medication to compensate, and his prognosis is looking good. In an attempt to lift his spirits, Mom even managed to smuggle his dog, Ricco, in to see him. I'm not really sure how she pulled that off, but it doesn't surprise me in the least. That's just how she rolls.

Lately, I've been thinking of cataloging my Dad's funny stories somewhere. Although he's probably the toughest old coot I've ever met, I know that he won't be here forever, so I figure I should get to work on that kind of thing while he's still around to correct any mistakes I might make. (i.e. "No, it was a mullet that jumped up and hit me in the belly while I was waterskiing, not a perch.") He's got an awful lot of stories, and I know I haven't nearly heard them all, but I think it's time for that project to get going. I may devote a separate blog to that project...I'll keep you posted.

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I was mightily saddened to hear that one of our instructors has had his home mightily damaged during Hurricane Ike. Mr. Shaun Lawler apparently had his ceilings collapse during the storm due to water damage. I'm pretty sure that means that his roof didn't make it. We're all waiting to know what we can do to help, and I'm really glad to find that many of our students are ready and willing to pitch in. Hopefully, we can help him and his family recover from this crisis.

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Getting ready to head to Waxahachie next weekend for an Eddie Bravo jiu jitsu seminar...I've met Eddie only once, and really enjoyed his techniques and teaching style. Several of us are going, and it should be a ton of fun.

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Well, it's time for me to head in and start my training for the day. It's going to be ugly, I'm pretty sure. Wish me luck!

Yard Cleanup, my Dad, etc.

2008-09-14T17:12:00.004-05:00

We waited until today to get started on the yard cleanup, thinking it would be drier. Wrong! It rained like crazy last night!! There were a few parts of Katy that were flooded, but nothing too bad. So after letting it dry up a bit, we donned gloves, workboots, and hats, and got to work.

I hope you enjoyed Connor's dance...he's a natural!

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We found out last night that my Dad's got pneumonia in one lung, so he's been admitted to Elkhart General Hospital. He's in room 2110, and should be there for a week or less, in case anyone wants to call. He's been pretty weak for the last several days or so, and we're glad to at least find out what's been causing the trouble. Antibiotics are hopefully kicking that crap out of his lung so that he can get back to being cantankerous as ever.

--------------------------------------------

Parts of Houston are still without power, and flooded. Galveston (as you might imagine) is an absolute wreck. Our hearts go out to those who have suffered during this storm...and I'm grateful that we've escaped unscathed.

Ike Update, 7:15pm

2008-09-13T22:32:00.004-05:00

I was not surprised to see that there had been quite a bit of wind damage done to the sign out front. For once, I'm glad I didn't invest in a new sign a couple of months ago! That would have been a waste of about $2000.00. I really feel for the folks who own the store downstairs...their sign was way bigger than ours would have been!

Ike Update, 12noon

2008-09-13T21:36:00.003-05:00

I think it should be said that we have been EXTREMELY fortunate out here in Katy. It's so much worse for so many people. We got off lightly, to be sure.

Ike Update, midnight. Windy!

2008-09-12T23:56:00.003-05:00

We've had a couple more power outages, but again, they only lasted for a few minutes. We did have a few bad moments when we thought the A/C might be broken, but it's working fine now that I've changed the filter. Wow, that thing was clogged!! Anyway, it's pretty much business as usual around here, except that Monkey's up far later than his accustomed bedtime. Otherwise, Christina's playing Lego Star Wars like a fiend, and I'm surfing the 'net, doing nothing terribly important. If everything's intact in the morning, it'll probably be more of the same. We've cancelled classes at Jade Mountain, so I've actually got a Saturday off. Hopefully, there won't be any big problems to deal with, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Stay safe out there. And find something that makes you laugh. It's good for ya!

Ike Update, 9:30pm. All's well.

2008-09-12T21:29:00.004-05:00

So far, so good. Sorry for the lack of light in the video...you can't really see the trees.

My fabulous son was yelling "ACTION!" whenever I would point the camera at the trees...he's full of fun, that one.

I know it's supposed to get worse between here and morning, but I think we may try to get to sleep before too long and if the storm wakes us, then so be it. Otherwise, maybe we'll sleep through the rest of the storm and then wake up tomorrow saying something sexy like..."Is that it?" to which we can reply..."Ah, yeah, baby...that's it!"

(Ahem...if you didn't get that joke, please watch the Business Time video from my Sept 7 post. It might make more sense.)

Ike Update, 5:50pm

2008-09-12T17:55:00.004-05:00

Wow, things are not looking good in Galveston, but here in Katy, it's just a bit windy.

For Facebook users, you can watch my blog videos at http://sifuwhit.blogspot.com/

Stay safe out there.

What Hurricane?

2008-09-12T15:33:00.004-05:00

Oh...THAT hurricane!! "Ike" is headed our way, and we're hunkered down here at home. Katy is pretty far from the storm surge waters, but that doesn't mean that we won't get a buttload of wind and rain tonight when Ike makes landfall. We're glad that it's just a category 2, rather than something with a bit more "stank" on it.

Everything's closed up, more or less, but we've already made our preparations. We've got tons of DVD's (and a portable DVD player with a battery, thank you very much), books, flashlights, batteries, food, bottled water, and yes, Mom, we will be filling up the bathtubs so that we can continue to flush the toilets if the water service goes out.

Here's a bit of vid from outside...

To be honest, I'd prefer that this be an entirely UNexciting experience. I don't care for that kind of excitement. Here's hoping that everyone makes it through Ike safe and sound. I've got a lot of time on my hands just now, so don't be alarmed if I suddenly start writing some really ridiculous posts.

"I said "WE!!"

2008-09-08T23:11:00.001-05:00

OK, this just cracked me up...I don't know how long it'll be available, but here's Kristen Wiig and Seth Rogen on Saturday Night Live.

Funny Half-Marathon video

2008-09-07T10:48:00.004-05:00

OK, I think I finally figured out how to load this video. In January of this year (2008), my dear friend Brian was kind enough to come down here and support me during my run of the Houston Half-Marathon. However, this particular event was more troublesome than usual...at least, trying to reach the event was more of a challenge than expected.

Here we go...

Just a little update...

2008-09-07T10:11:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I've posted, so I figured that I'd sit down and write something. Things have been going pretty well lately...just busy!

First on the list of topics is the fact that Christina and I have decided that it's time to try for another baby. Ah, yeah...it's Business Time.

Now that my schedule is much better (I'm not working at a dayjob plus running Jade Mountain), and she's not working, we feel like the time is right. We want Connor to have a brother or sister, and yes, we miss that baby smell. Not the poo smell, no we miss that powdery, sweet, good-baby smell.

In other news, we just had a huge graduation ceremony at Jade Mountain where we promoted a few of my assistants (congrats on the Brown Sash, Amy, and same to Mark and Renee for their Green Sashes) along with around 30 others. I've been told that there are videos and pics on the way. Seeing everyone at the ceremony was a truly wonderful thing. We've come a long way from a handful of private students who trained in my garage. Now, it feels like we're a huge family, and I'm just thrilled to see how we've grown.

On another martial arts-related note...did you see Chuck Liddell get knocked out last night? WHOA! He got knocked into next month! Rashad Evans, my hat's off to you. Great job. I love to watch Chuck fight, but last night was Rashad's night.

So...that's about it for now. It's Sunday, and we're taking it easy today. I do have plans to take Connor to a local game place, or maybe the laser tag place today. Have a fabulous week, folks!

No Half-Marathon for me...

2008-08-12T12:07:00.002-05:00

Every year, I run the Houston Half-Marathon in January. It's become a rather big deal for me. I look forward to it every year, in spite of my almost total lack of marathon training. Each year, I get out there and run my guts out to prove the following to myself and others:

1. The human body is capable of amazing things.
2. Age is just a number. I'm only 38, and many folks think that's old.
3. Determination and optimism count for a lot.
4. Martial arts training is a fabulous all-around training method.
5. On a personal note, when I put my mind to something, I really can make it happen.

Aside from the things I'm trying to prove, the entire experience is a massive amount of fun. I love the energy, the happiness, the laughing, and the overall humor of the day. It's a HUGE number of people all coming together to enjoy an athletic event, and I love every minute of it. And I love being able to tell stories about the race for the rest of the year.

But for 2009, I won't have stories to tell. Well, I'll have wedding stories, I guess. My fantastic brother-in-law and his fiancee (who is a world class runner, I might add), are getting married in Arizona that weekend. I love them both dearly, and I don't think I can attend their wedding AND run the race the next day. In fact, my loving wife has emphatically stated that I would be severely injured if I even tried to get out of going to the wedding. So there goes my race for 2009.

However...

I know there are other races out there. And even other kinds of competitions. Maybe I can use this apparent setback as an opportunity. There's got to be some kind of intense event that I can use to take the place of my usual race in January. Hmmmmm. This could be a blessing in disguise. New experiences could lie in wait for me.

So if you know of anything else I could compete in for the month of January, let me know. And if you know someone who wants a spot in the Houston Half-Marathon, send 'em my way.

A General Update

2008-08-06T21:58:00.003-05:00

So we're finally back from all that traveling! The trip, which I talked about in a previous post, was fabulous. I still need to discuss my thoughts on Carlsbad Caverns, but that's going to take a while, so be patient...I'll get to it eventually. As much as we loved the trip, I was totally thrilled to get home.

And two days later, I was on a plane, headed to Florida.

I had long since scheduled a weekend intensive with my Sifu (teacher), who lives out there. Arthur D'Agostino, a world-class taiji and mantis kung fu instructor, lives on a horse farm outside of Tampa, Florida, and he also runs a nutritional store. My good friend and colleague, Israel Flores from Pharr, TX, met me at the airport for the flight, and we were off for a weekend of training.

We didn't waste any time once we got there. Our teacher took us straight from the airport to his store, where he had recently rearranged the shelves to allow for a large training space. We got to it right away, going over the Chen taiji form, Yilu, and its applications. Over the course of the weekend, we did a lot more taiji, and some mantis kung fu as well.

And I have to say that, this time, I think I finally got it. I've been training in Chen taijiquan for some years now, and certain movements were still beyond me...but this time, I think I finally understood everything on a much deeper level. It may not be a big deal to you, but to me, it's a real thrill! It's as though I had been riding a bicycle for years using only one foot, and then suddenly discovered that I could use them both. This knowledge makes the application of the techniques a lot easier and more intuitive. Again, a big deal for me.

So I returned home on Sunday, enthused about being a kung fu/taiji guy and having new stuff to practice.

Also over the weekend, two of my assistant instructors and two other students went to Waxahachie to train with Brandon Quick, one of Eddie Bravo's 10thPJJ brown belts. They came back with lots of video, new moves, new enthusiasm for grappling, and a whole slew of sore spots and minor injuries. Eh, goes with the territory. We're already integrating the seminar information into our classes, and taking it all one step at a time. We're not ready to take the grappling world by storm, to say the least, but I really enjoy grappling. And in today's world, it's a foolish martial artist who doesn't learn something about groundfighting and grappling. I want our students to be educated in traditional martial arts, as well as be able to apply their skills in a real situation.

Anyway, that's what's rolling around in my head lately. Workouts are going well (I did a mile today in 7:18), our 6.5 year old son is swimming like a fish thanks to the Houston Swim Club and Mr. Rudy, and my darling wife is trying to beat the xbox game Psychonaut. Life is good!

Jade Mountain Grapplers

2008-07-28T00:46:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday, I spent much of the time clutching my phone, awaiting updates from my dear friend, Larry. He was with several of our Jade Mountain students at a Houston grappling tournament, their first. Although we really enjoy grappling, it's not our main focus, but our guys were still eager to get out and compete, gain some experience, and have some fun.

From what I hear, everyone gave a good account of themselves, and a couple managed to win their divisions!

Shaun Lawler won 1st in Master's Gi, Heavyweight
Mark Dong won 1st in Master's No-Gi, Lightweight

Other competitors were Kevin Hall, Daniel Loree, and David Mordente, and they all fought their tails off. Several matches went to the scorecards, and we're looking for these guys to bring home some medals in the near future.

Not bad for a bunch of Kung Fu guys! I'm quite proud of all of them.

Firsts, and Traveling.

2008-07-28T00:08:00.002-05:00

We are currently on vacation. I've never taken a real vacation before. We made travel plans, reservations, rented a car, packed it near to bursting, and hit the road. That was last Saturday. Since then, I've experienced many firsts. For simplicity, I'll just list a few.

I can now say that I've done the following:

1. visited Arizona, New Mexico, and California.
2. taken the subway in Hollywood.
3. walked along Hollywood Blvd, and the Walk of Fame.
4. seen Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
5. stumbled across the premiere of the new X-Files movie, and saw David Duchovny walk the red carpet.
6. got lost in Hollywood.
7. visited Legends MMA Gym.
8. seen many kinds of cactus.
9. climbed a small mountain in Arizona.
10. seen "The Thing".
11. visited Hurricane Harbor.
12. spent some training time with Scott Epstein, a 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Brown Belt.
13. completed Halo 3.

...and we're not quite finished yet. We're in Carlsbad, NM, tonight, and we're hitting Carlsbad Caverns in the morning before heading home. I've never been there either. If you think that I haven't done much traveling, you're absolutely right.

Of course, we have had the pleasure of staying with family along the way, and that was fabulous. Gordon and Jen put us up in Hollywood, and it was wonderful to see them and their little nugget, Harrison. Cute baby, that one. And then we saw Doug and Julie, and Kim and Gayla in Arizona, and were treated to some good times there, as well.

This trip has been an eye-opener for me. Most of my life, I've stayed very close to home, and been leery of travel. "It costs too much," I used to say. "I don't need to see that stuff," or "I'm doing just fine where I am." Well, I've discovered that I love seeing different parts of the country. It's something that I want to do again, and again. "Without change, something sleeps inside us. The sleeper must awaken." That quote from Frank Herbert's Dune really fits right now. The wonderful, fabulous feeling I experienced on the side of that mountain in Arizona, that's something I'd never have felt if I had never left Katy, TX.

I didn't make it all the way to the top. The footing was a bit tricky, and it was somewhat steep. As I got higher, I could see the rain and lightning that was approaching from the west, and I figured that it might be prudent to get back to Kim and Gayla's house before that stuff got any closer. But before I started back down, I treated myself to a nice, long look around. I could see Phoenix, AZ in the distance, and other mountains all around me. The wind was picking up, but otherwise, there was a wonderful sense of peace and silence, and also a sense of vastness, of wide open space. I loved that. I want more of it. I feel different having experienced it, and it's good.

As I've said, we visit the Caverns tomorrow. I've seen pictures, but I know that they don't do much to depict the true majesty of what's down there. This will be another awe-inspiring event for me, and I'm looking forward to it.

Honestly, this trip wasn't cheap, but it also wasn't crazy-expensive. We packed snacks and sandwiches in a cooler, and ate from it each day rather than stopping to eat at fast-food places, or other restaurants. That saved us a ton of time and money. Special thanks to those relatives who let us crash at their homes for days on end...that saved us a ton as well. It showed me that you most certainly can enjoy seeing new things and new places if you just budget for the trip, and plan carefully.

So I'm already looking forward to another trip, even though this one's not even finished. I've been inspired, refreshed, renewed, and I'm ready to get home and barrel back into my everyday life with fresh enthusiasm.

Two Surveys

2008-07-14T01:09:00.002-05:00

A = Age: 38
B = Bed size: King
C = Chores you hate: Painting. I don’t like painting.
D = Dessert you love: Chocolate pie!
E = Essential start your day item: uh…several bathroom items, I suppose
F = Favorite actor(s): I love movies, but don’t really have a favorite actor.
G = Gold or Silver: silver
H = Height: 5'-8ish"
I = Instruments you play: clarinet
J = Job title: Sifu (teacher of Chinese martial arts)
L = Living arrangements: House in Katy with Christina and Monkey.
M= My name is: William W. McClendon III
N = Nicknames: Whit
O = Overnight hospital stay: None I can recall, though I was burned badly as a toddler.
P = Favorite quote: "What the French, Toast?”
R = Right or left handed: Right
S = Siblings: 1 brother
T = Time you woke up today: 9:30
U = Unique about you: You've never met another like me, that’s for sure.
V = Vegetable you hate: eggplant can be a bit yucky
W = Worst habit: probably drinking Monster. Not into bad habits much.
X = X-Rays you've had: Just a few…ankle, knee, wrist
Y = Yummy food you make: I’m a whiz with eggs.
Z = ZODIAC SIGN. Scorpio.

------------------------------------

What is a difference between the last two people you kissed?
size, age, and sex. (Wife and son, silly!)

Who was the last person you were under the covers with?
My wife. No wait, there was a huge, laughing tickle fight between my son and me this afternoon, so I think that might count.

Has anyone ever told you you have pretty eyes?
Much to everyone’s shock…yes. If you feel compelled to do so as well, please be my guest.

Do you ever keep arguing when you know you're wrong?
Now, why would I want to do that? I don’t even like to argue!

How is your hair?
Uh…short. And silly. It ignores most of my attempts at style.

Do you like your first name?
I go by my nickname, but I like my first name quite a bit.

Does the person you like like you back ?
Oh, how cute. I would hope that my wife ‘likes’ me back. I’ll ask her.

Have you ever met someone who is amazing?
Oh, yes. I take inspiration from quite a few amazing folks.

How many different people of the opposite sex have you ever really cried to?
Recently? Just my wife. Over the years (especially in high school), probably quite a few.

Who was the last person's voice you heard?
My wife’s.

Do you like your life as of now?
Wow, yes I do!

Regret doing anything in the past week?
There were some chocolate bars that went missing, and I’m pretty sure that I had something to do with that.

How many kids do you want?
We’ve got one…maybe one more. But that’s it!!!

When did you last cry?
I’ve got a blog post about this…probably within the last few days.

Have you ever kissed anyone whose name started with M?
Lemme think….uh…...no?

Have you ever kissed anyone whose name started with H?
Yes.

Do you drink coffee?
That would be a ‘no’.

Do you crack your knuckles?
Nope.

Last thing you drank?
Water

When is your birthday?
October 31…I’m a Boo-Baby!!

Did you kiss or hug anyone today?
Yep.

Ever told someone you loved them and meant it?
Yes, absolutely.

Ever thought about getting your nose pierced?
Nope.

Have you ever broken a bone?
For a guy with my job and hobbies, I’ve been extremely fortunate thus far. Just my pinky toes have been broken.

Who are you talking to right now?
My wife just came home.

Have your parents ever smoked?
Unfortunately, yes. For decades.

Do you want someone back in your life?
Um…sure?

What did you last eat?
Chicken Tortilla Soup. Made it myself!

Has anyone told you they missed you lately?
Yep…a friend just did on Myspace.

Are you wearing any clothes that don't belong to you?
I’m pretty sure these underwear are mine.

If you could seek revenge on someone would you?
In my younger days, maybe, but certainly not now.

Is there anyone who holds your heart at the moment?
Yup.

What is your all time favorite memory?
Geez, I have quite a few.

How many grandmas do you have living?
Sadly, both are elsewhere.

Do you prefer saying 'f#ck' or 'fudge'?
Um…as much as I might enjoy fudge, its effectiveness as a curse word is somewhat limited.

Have you ever kissed anyone with the name starting with A, B, C, D, E, F, or G?
Yes. That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.

What did you do today?
Amazingly, I did a whole bunch of nuthin’. I get to do that one day a week, and I excel at it.

Had any interesting conversations today?
A few, both verbal and written.

When was the last time you had a sleepover?
BB visited to watch the UFC fights during the weekend of the 4th of July, and we stayed up ‘til 3am or so.

Have you ever loved someone so much it made you cry?
Oh, yes.

Whats the first things you notice about the opposite sex?
Smile, body, and style of movement.

Hugs or kisses?
I’ll take both, please.

How many pillows do you sleep with?
Two.

Do you think (any of) your ex(s) miss you?
My only real ex has passed away.

You know, I think I’m going to sit around one day soon and make up my own survey. Just for fun. I’ll keep you posted.

Swimming, Car Trouble, and Grappling

2008-07-10T00:17:00.000-05:00

So we've enrolled our 6.5 yr-old Monkey in a 2 week intensive swim program. The first day did NOT go well. When asked if he liked the teacher, Monkey replied "Yeah...I'll miss him, 'cause I'm NEVER going back." We did our best to simply listen to his complaints and acknowledge his feelings of frustration, nervousness, and anxiety. And we quietly planned to take him back the next day, regardless.

Day two started better than we expected. He still had a bit of trouble, but by the end of class, he was 'gliding' with his arms outstretched and his face underwater. And he even managed to pull a ring from the bottom of the pool (with his teachers judicious assistance)! He was so proud! He even decided to accept the token sucker offered to all the kids upon completion of each class (he had loudly refused any such treat the day before).

Today, the boy decided he's destined to follow in the wake of world champion swimmer Michael Phelps. He's got some snazzy new goggles, and he's swimming his fool head off. He went down the big slide, and swam freestyle all the way to the instructor. The Houston Swim Club is just awesome, folks. If you need to teach your kid to swim, I'd say to take them there for sure. We are soooooo proud of our little Monkey. Once he's finished with his two weeks of daily training, we're planning a trip to a Waterpark to celebrate...which means I might need to get in the sun a bit beforehand so that my pasty whiteness doesn't frighten the locals.

---------------------------

Today wasn't the best day for my car. I knew something was up a day or so ago when the power steering went out. The power steering reservoir was full, so I called our trusty mechanic to schedule a checkup. Thursday morning was the soonest we could come in, so I kept driving. Then the A/C went out. And the battery light came on. And then today, right in the middle of Mason Road, the poor thing just died. Happily, it's just the serpentine belt (that's what you call it, right?) that's blown. Several years ago, I'd have found that problem a lot sooner, but when I popped the hood to check, I just plain missed the fact that the belt was looking pretty bad. It apparently disintegrated, the A/C and alternator stopped working, and the car sucked the battery dry. Result: a dead car that should be pretty easy to fix. Let's hope it won't cost an arm and a leg.

---------------------------

Classes have been wonderful lately. Attendance is up, and we're covering a lot of fun stuff. I have some folks competing in an upcoming Kung Fu tournament, and some are even going to a local Grappling tournament. I know that it might seem odd to some that a traditional Kung Fu guy like me would enjoy the grappling arts, but I feel that they are a perfect compliment to the stand-up fighting arts in which I've trained. Plus, grappling is a ton of fun. I like the fact that you can train full power with respectful partners and not end up with black eyes, broken noses, and various other impact injuries. It's rough, but so extremely tactical at the same time that it appeals to my intellectual side even as I'm trying to strangle someone. It's often likened to an extremely physical chess game, and certainly agree with that comparison. So I practice my taiji, and also work to perfect my half-guard game. Diversity is good.

---------------------------

It's getting late, so I'm off to bed. Have a fabulous day.

About this Crying...

2008-06-29T22:55:00.002-05:00

When I was a younger man, I never thought I could be moved to tears. It wasn't that I was such a tough guy...my emotions just didn't seem to work that way. I certainly didn't understand how a person could cry for joy, or because they were inspired somehow. Even the untimely and tragic passing of my first wife only brought me to tears twice, even though the pain I felt was bone-deep.

But as I said, I was a younger man back then. I'm nearly 40 now, and I've experienced not only tragedy, but unbridled joy. I've felt the thrill of goals met, and the disappointment of failed attempts. I've spent over a decade with my soulmate, and most of that as a devoted father. And so I've slowly entered the world of manhood and established my place in it...and now I cry all the friggin' time.

Apparently comfortable with the expression of such emotions, I cry at movies, tv shows, and commercials. I cry when I'm reading books,and when I'm relating events that are particularly meaningful to me. I cry when I read of an athlete that overcomes overwhelming odds to reach the Olympic podium. And I cry when I watch So You Think You Can Dance. So sue me.

I never expected to enjoy watching dance performances. I never really had paid attention to that sort of thing before, I suppose, but we started watching So You Think You Can Dance when it first came on, and I've been hooked ever since. I've learned a little bit about dance since I started watching the show. I enjoy the ballroom numbers and the hiphop dances as well. The Waltz isn't my favorite, but I enjoy it if it's done well. My favorites are the contemporary and lyrical pieces, and that's where the crying comes in. Sometimes, a performance will reach me on a deep and emotional level, and I find myself crying at the beauty unfolding before my eyes. Wow.

One number that never fails to move me is this one from last season. It was choreographed by Mia Michaels, and I have absolutely no clue what it's supposed to mean, or what story it's trying to tell, but something in it ALWAYS moves me.

If anyone has any idea what Mia was trying to express here, please feel free to enlighten me.

And here's a dance routine that moves me on a completely different level. It's H-O-T. Hubba hubba!!

And with that, I bid you good day. And I hope that you are inspired, touched, or moved to tears sometime soon.

What a Week!

2008-06-27T10:13:00.004-05:00

Wow! This week has turned out to be a pretty good one! My darling wife and son returned from their trip on Tuesday, and it's just wonderful to have them home again. It seems like Monkey's grown an inch at least in the week they've been gone, and Christina was certainly a sight for sore eyes. I had a chance to do some training with BB as well, and somehow managed to avoid his takedown attempts. It's always great to see him, to say the least.

The incomparable Larry Escher is also making an appearance, and we're enjoying the pleasure of his company. So my family's home, my two best friends were here, martial arts playtime, and fun...I'm having a blast.

Got some new toys this week...new laptop, a new mp3 player, and some way cool Bluetooth headphones. I think that's my toy allotment for the next two years, but it's worth it. Now my wife and I don't have to fight over our desktop computer...she can do Webkinz anywhere! And I can now carry my entire supply of crappy, girly, 80's music with me wherever I go.

We're currently planning another family trip, but I'm going on this one. Details are sketchy, but we may end up on the road for a few days, seeing the sights and enjoying visits with family. However, our road trip will be a decidedly lazy one, most unlike the ones I remember from my youth. My folks apparently come from the "Drive 'till you get there, and only stop for police and roadblocks!" school of travel, and I'm just not made for those kind of trips. I like to stop and smell the roses along the way, stop driving well before midnight, and enjoy the process rather than just get to the destination ASAP. Not totally sure where we're going, but I'm really looking forward to it, regardless.

Today's Friday. It's a good day. Go enjoy it!!

Busy, busy, busy....

2008-06-22T18:13:00.002-05:00

It seems that my fabulous wife and son won't be in until sometime Tuesday, so I'm here alone for a few more days. That's OK...I've been using the time to get some stuff done that has really needed doing.

Here's a short list of stuff I've managed to accomplish:

Get the oil changed in the car.
Stuff two punching bags at JMMA.
Get my new mp3 player up and running. Yay! ( got mine off Ebay for $80!)
Update the JMMA website...it's not totally done yet, but there's progress.
Wash, fold, and put away 98% of the laundry in the house.
Clean the kitchen. Including the junk drawers...WOW, there was a lot of crap in there!
Rearrange the dining room.

There still remains the rain gutters I'm planning to install, but that'll wait until Tuesday or so. I miss my family a ton, but I figure it's better for me to be happily busy than to mope around and get nothing done. Hey, that rhymes.

Now, I'm going to go finish the laundry, get some dinner, and read the new Eddie Bravo book I just bought, Mastering the Twister. I've been working on his Rubber Guard techniques for a while now, and although I'm far from a master, I'm really enjoying the process. Thanks to my friend and BJJ instructor, Paul Thomas, I had the chance to participate in a seminar with Eddie a few years back, and I was really impressed with his technique. Now that I've progressed a bit in my own grappling training, I can appreciate even more what kind of innovations he's brought to the world of grappling and BJJ. I'm looking forward to continuing my study of his system.

So now I'd better get back to work. I figure I've got around six hours before I should get to bed, and that's a lot of time to get stuff done!

It's awfully quiet over here...

2008-06-19T11:22:00.003-05:00

My wife and son are away on a trip with her Mom, Dad, Sisters, Brothers-in-law, nephews and nieces. They're all in a huge van, trekking their way to Utah for a family reunion. It sounds like they're having big fun, and I'm thrilled for them. There were some possible issues that could have made trouble on this trip, but happily, things are working out quite well so far.

Some folks are asking why I didn't go on this trip, and I don't mind saying that I don't like being enclosed in tight spaces for days on end with seven adults and six children, even when they are all on good behavior. I get a little twitchy, to say the least. Also, we are planning a family trip later this summer, and I'd rather not ask my fabulous assistant instructors to take over for me at my school for weeks and weeks. And someone has to feed Julie's fish and water her tomato plants, right?

And so, until Monday or Tuesday, I'm home alone. Wow, it's quiet here. I'm getting some things done that I usually don't...filling new punching bags, installing a rain gutter at the front door, working on the garage...stuff like that. I've got all the time in the world to train, read, surf the 'net, write, fix the JMMA website, pretty much whatever I want to do. But wow, it's just really quiet here.

I'm planning to go run some intervals in a bit, and then I need to go meet the air conditioner guy at my school. Not an especially thrilling day, considering that my wife and son have seen Carlsbad Caverns and Roswell, NM in the last couple of days...but just the same, I'm happy to be here.

So feel free to call or write. I've probably got time to chat.

Yet another Survey.

2008-06-14T08:38:00.004-05:00

How many bathing suits do you own?
Just one, and it looks downright silly on me.

What woke you up this morning?
Not sure...I woke up before my alarm went off, and I have no idea why.

Have you ever stolen a sign from a street?
No...that's just plain ridiculous.

What is the weirdest pet you have ever owned?
My cousin gave me a rat for my birthday once.

Do you own a gun?
Just one shotgun.

When is the last time you went fishing?
Probably a Christmas or two ago. We were visiting Jason's parents on their houseboat, and they offered to let me show Connor how to fish. Didn't catch a thing, but had a lot of fun.

Are your toenails painted?
Do I have to answer that?

Name 3 things you drink regularly?
Water, Orange Juice, and Orange Monster

What is in your pocket right now?
I'm not wearing pants, and my shirt has no pockets.

What is the last thing that made you laugh?
We watched one of those funny home video shows last night, and it was hilarious!

Who is in the bathroom right now?
No one.

Who did you hang out with last night?
My students, and Amy, Mark, and Misty. Then my family.

What year did/do you graduate high school?
1988

When are you going to bed tonight?
Probably between 11pm and 1am.

Have you ever shut someone's fingers in a door?
Yeah...my own. Yee-owtch!!

Do you know how to change a tire?
Of course. I have the video to prove it.

Where did your last hug take place?
Somewhere in my house.

Do daddy long legs freak you out?
Not at all. I mean, unless I wake up from a nap and find one sitting on my chest. Did you know that I can teleport in an emergency?

What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
Reading a book and eating breakfast.

Do you use smiley faces on the computer a lot?
On occasion. ;-)

Where is your mom right now?
Elkhart, Indiana.

Look to your left, what do you see?
A fencing foil, an ironing board, a pile of fake vegetation, and an open door.

What do you think of when you think of Australia?
The Australian wilderness...wow, I'd like to go out there sometime!

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
BB

How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
39, and reveling in my youth.

When was the last time you went swimming in a pool?
I think it was during a trip to see Doug and Julie in Galveston.

Do you currently have a hickey?
Do mat-burns count?

What was the last reason you cried?
I watched the Bucket List.

What are you seriously wearing?
A shirt. Hey, I just got out of bed awhile ago...you expect me to put on a three-piece suit to eat breakfast and surf the 'net?

Have you ever talked to someone when they were high?
It's possible.

How many red lights have you ran?
Not many...our Katy police are quite vigilant.

Is there anything that you are craving right now?
Oh, goodness, yes!

Do you drink tea?
Nope.

Is anyone on your bad side right now?
Hmmmm...only one person comes to mind. Wait, no...two.

What jewelry are you wearing?
Look, I said I'm wearing a shirt. That's it. No jewelry, no shoes, no hats...a shirt.

Do you clean when you’re upset?
Funny you should ask, but yes, I do.

What are you listening to?
The staccato clicking of the keyboard as my fingers fly over the keys.

Has anybody on your top friends ever admitted to liking you?
I should hope so!

What's the one thing that always gets you through a bad day?
If you've only got one thing to get you through a bad day, I'd suggest you look for more things. Seriously, though, my wife and son do a lot for my good mood, and I enjoy listening to happy music when necessary.

What are you doing right now?
Thinking that it might be time to put on some pants.

Do you usually tell people when they hurt your feelings?
Yes, usually by kicking them in the crotch. No, that's a joke. Really.

Do your initials spell out a word?
Nope.

How often do you give high fives?
I prefer to run a victory lap while making whooping noises.

Where is the last place you went to go eat?
My living room. That place is always open, and the service is fabulous.

Have you bought any clothing items in the past week?
No, unless you count those clown shoes I picked up.

Do you sing in the shower?
Like a virtuoso.

Where is the last place you went shopping for clothes?
I think I bought some underwear at Wal Mart.

Do you prefer a call or a text?
Usually a call, but I text all the time.

Have you ever been on television?
Actually, I've been in a movie! An independent film made by my Sis- and Bro-in-law, it's called Eve of Understanding. I was an extra in an AA meeting.

Do you trust people easily?
Sometimes, too easily.

Who was the first person you talked to today?
That will be my fabulous wife. She's still asleep, but I'll kiss her when I leave for work.

Looking forward to something this weekend?
The sky's the limit! Maybe we'll see a movie, or go out to eat, or rent a movie, or go to the bookstore, or ride bikes...heck, I'll even enjoy a nap. I love the weekends!

Fun Weekend.

2008-06-10T10:44:00.000-05:00

My in-laws have a timeshare in several places around Texas, and we had the pleasure of joining them in Conroe this past weekend. We had a blast doing little but playing boardgames, watching tv and napping. Sometimes you need weekends like that. I did manage to squeeze in a bit of archery practice (although the available equipment was pretty thoroughly junked up) with my Mom-in-law, and a bit of mini-golf with my son. All in all, just a nice, relaxing time. I admit that I didn't sleep as well as I'd have liked, but sleeping in our own bed last night more than made up for it. Special thanks to my fabulous in-laws for inviting us along!

Not much of a thought-provoking entry today...I don't really have any points to make or stories to tell. I may have something of import later, though, but for now, it's just time for some food.

Have a happy day, everyone!

Another little survey...

2008-06-06T11:48:00.001-05:00

Are you tan?
I’ve got a huge Farmer Tan going on. Head, neck, arms, and lower legs are pretty brown, but the rest of me is amazingly, shockingly pale.

Do you have unlimited texting?
Oh, yes.

How old will you be in 13 months?
39, and reveling in my youth.

Where did you get the underwear you are wearing right now?
I’m wearing underwear? Oh, yes, I am…probably Wal Mart or Target.

What are you looking forward to in the next months?
Family vacations.

Are you easily confused?
Who…me? What?

Do you think you would make a good wife/husband?
Actually, yes. Mistakes are made on occasion, but I’m a fabulous hubby.

What's your favorite kind of ice cream?
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

Have you ever liked someone who treated you badly?
Back in High School.

What color are your socks?
Whoa! I didn’t realize that I’m barefoot ‘til just now!

Do you fall for people easily?
No, not really.

Everything happens for a reason?
No, not everything. I do think you can learn from just about everything that happens if you so choose.

Have you ever dated someone more than once?
Uh….geez, I’ve been married twice since I was in my early 20’s…what’s “dating?”

When is the last time you talked to number 1 on your top friends?
Less than an hour ago.

What are you listening to right now?
The hum of the computer, and blissful silence…I have the house to myself for a change.

Who was the last person to send you a message on MySpace?
That was Amanda, Brian’s sis.

Last person you said I love you to?
My ridiculously tall 6-yr-old son.

What is it you truly want right now?
A moped/scooter. Truly.

Are you wearing jeans right now?
No, I threw on some really ugly shorts.

What is the wallpaper on your computer?
Blue, and an Elvgren painting that reminds me of my wife. It’s called ‘Bedside Manner’, and it’s HOT!

How many 20 dollar bills do you have on you right now?
Not a one.

Do you dance in the car?
No…well, maybe. I do sing, and do Chan Su Jinn circles, though.

Do you smile a lot?
I have a rather scary, stone-faced expression when I’m not smiling, so I try to smile as often as possible.

Do you prefer call or text?
I LOVE to talk on the phone. So sue me.

Who is at your house right now?
Just me.

Where did you get the shirt you're wearing?
From the clean clothes pile.

What's the last movie you saw in the theater?
Indiana Jones. Not bad. I can do better with a whip, though.

Can you live without the computer?
Sure. But I won’t like it, nope, not at all.

When was the last time you got flowers?
My darling wife has bought me flowers a few times, and I just love it. A dear friend of mine also got me flowers many years ago, and I’ve never forgotten her kindness.

Do you have a tattoo?
Do scars count?

Are you hiding something from someone?
Within everyone’s heart of hearts, there’s something they would prefer to keep hidden. Some things are frightening, some are tragic, and some are only embarrassing. I’m no different.

Are there things you can't live without?

Of course. Food, oxygen, water, love…

What was your first thought when you looked in the mirror this morning?
I actually haven’t seen myself yet today.

Do you like to have long hair or short hair?

Short. I’ve a limited repertoire of styles with my hairline, so I keep it simple.

Have you memorized your social security number?
Yup.

Who is your number two top friend?
Larry “The Awesome” Escher

What's your favorite thing to have on your bed?
My wife and myself.

Do you think you'll be married in 10 years?
Oh, yes.

What happened at 10:00 am today?
I was probably gathering up the breakfast dishes.

Is your family just a bundle of fun?
I laugh every single day…they both just crack me up.

When did you last cry?
I probably got emotional over some movie or other. I’m such a sap.

When did you last smile?
Just now…I thought of something funny. ;-)

Dang it.

2008-06-04T23:16:00.002-05:00

So there I was, sitting in my car, feeling like a complete moron. What could I do but laugh?

Here's the brief tale...

I had been wandering around Home Depot for nearly an hour, looking for odds and ends. I had casually greeted the occasional passerby, and smiled at pretty much everyone I saw...I was in a good mood. Enjoyed a brief chat with the checkout guy before heading out to my car. My wallet dropped out of my pocket when I pulled out my keys, so I squatted down, picked it up, then sat in my car.

As I clicked my seatbelt closed, I realized that my zipper was down. Way down. Like down-to-my-ankles down. I had worn the one pair of shorts that has that particular flaw (its zipper is unstable), and it had done its dirty work.

For a moment, I thought, "Well, it probably unzipped when I squatted down to get my wallet...yeah, that's what happened!" I had one blissful moment of relief before remembering that I had also squatted down for some time in the store as I examined different types of pliers. So it had most likely been unzipped for the rest of the time I was in there.

Dang. Must have looked like an idiot.

Guys, if you see some poor fool wandering around with his barn door open, please have the common decency to let him know. Really.

Have a nice day.

Harvey Korman, we'll miss you.

2008-05-30T02:21:00.003-05:00

I'm up way past my bedtime. I thought this might happen, having had a Monster energy drink far later in the evening than I should have, so I figured I'd do a little surfing to pass the time until exhaustion finally claims me.

And now I'm crying because I just discovered that Comic Powerhouse Harvey Korman dies at 81

"Korman, the tall, versatile comedian who won four Emmys for his outrageously funny contributions to "The Carol Burnett Show" and played a conniving politician to hilarious effect in "Blazing Saddles," died Thursday, May 29, 2008. He was 81."

I love to laugh, and I grew up watching The Carol Burnett Show and all of Mel Brooks' movies, so I have laughed often at Harvey over the years. I feel as though I have lost a friend, somehow.

Farewell, Mr. Korman. Thanks for all the laughter, and Godspeed.

Harvey Herschel Korman
Feb. 15, 1927 - May 29, 2008

Retraction

2008-05-28T10:47:00.002-05:00

I'm currently on the phone getting chewed out by my Mom. She has indicated that she's not 'frail', as described in my last post. So there it is.

Mom's not frail. In her words, 'Frail can not shake that booty!"

Have a good day.

Thoughts on Taking Action, Updates, and my Mom.

2008-05-26T22:09:00.007-05:00

Something I've known about myself for some time is that I can get in a rut, a funk, a downward spiral, get the blues, and other depressing maladies just the same as other folks can. I'm amazingly human, and therefore subject to many human foibles. I can get in a sour mood even though my life is good, family's fine, my school is running great, and so on.

So how do I fix that? Well, my best cure seems to be one word: ACTION.

The times I tend to feel the most down on myself are when I feel as though I'm becoming stagnant, not making progress. I enjoy a nap even more than the next guy, but I don't like feeling as though I'm not moving forward in some area of my life. There are lots of areas in which I'd like to improve, such as skill in martial arts, business prosperity, physical capability, financial capability...you get the idea. I like to make progress in some or all of these areas as often as possible, but I still occasionally hit the doldrums. Usually, it's because of a lack of planning or organization.

So it's a holiday weekend, and we've enjoyed spending family time together, and doing various activities separately. I watched the Division I NCAA lacrosse finals today (the one sport I'll actually watch in its entirety on TV other than MMA fighting), and then felt a bit down. Cranky, even. The holiday weekend was nearly over, and I felt as if I had accomplished nearly nothing. Hmph! My darling wife and son were playing games in the back room, so I was left to my own devices. What to do, what to do?

I decided to clean the garage.

You have to understand what a monumental undertaking this was. The garage used to be my school, many years ago. Once I opened the doors of Jade Mountain, we started using it for 'storage'. This meant that if we didn't know what to do with something, we chucked in in the garage. Years of chucking stuff, and not ever throwing any of it away, has filled that once clean and organized training space into something resembling...well...a big pile of junk.

So I put on my rattiest clothes and went to work. In the process of figuring out what to throw out, what to donate, what to keep, and what to put up on Ebay, I found some cool stuff (pictures, martial arts notes, some extremely sentimental cards and pics, and some ketchup). I cleaned and oiled our bicycles (I knew we had them, I had just forgotten where). I fixed the speedbag platform. I cleaned and oiled the entire dumbbell rack and weight bench.

It took me around 4 hours. Approximately 1/4 of the garage is now usable, and I'm thrilled. Amazingly, I'm also re-motivated! I'm ready to hit the ground running tomorrow with some running and strength training, more cleaning, and a visit to my son's school for his kindergarten 'graduation'. As usual, taking positive action has vastly improved my mood.

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Stuff that has happened lately:

We enjoyed watching the UFC fights on Saturday. I was disappointed to see Sean Sherk lose, but it was an honest fight, and there were other good fights on the card as well.

My fantastic wife is preparing for a dance recital this weekend. I'm so excited to see her on stage! And no, she will not be using a pole.

There's a chance I may be getting a moped/scooter soon, thanks to my fabulous parents. They happen to have one that they aren't using. As soon as we figure out how to wrap the thing and fit it in the mailbox, we're set.

BB came out for a visit recently, and we enjoyed pho, hanging out, and some groundfighting while he was here. He did a pretty good job! I'm thrilled that he's graduated with his Masters in Mental Health Counseling. Not only is he following his calling, his bliss, but he'll finally have time to get back into shape now that his classes are over. You go, man!

I changed one of my workouts recently and practically destroyed my legs for a week. Honestly, the workout LOOKED harmless enough...I thought it would be fine. I'm doing it again next week, just to torture myself.

I recently purchased a cheap pair of powered speakers for my computer. WOW!!! I had no idea that something so inexpensive could make such a difference!!!! COOL!! Now, I don't have to hold the speakers directly to my ears to hear the Youtube videos!

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Somewhere around Mother's Day, I had a nice long chat with my Mom. Some may recall that she was in a nasty car wreck last December that shattered her left arm in several places. She ended up with two long plates in that arm (we tell her it's bionic now), and a rather dreary prognosis...'You'll never have full use of that arm again, Mrs. McClendon. And you can forget about making that touchdown signal." He actually said that. No touchdown signal.

Mom dutifully went to physical therapy, just as the doctor ordered. I didn't hear much about her rehab, only that she was going and working hard. She sounded relieved when her mandatory therapy was over, but she was still unhappy about her progress. She still couldn't make the touchdown signal.

No, Mom's not a football referee...she just doesn't like being told that she 'can't' do something.

Here's what I was surprised and thrilled to learn during our chat: after her rehab was over, she had started going to the gym three days a week. She'd start with the treadmill as a warmup, then hit the weight machines for a simple circuit workout for an hour, then the jacuzzi, saunas, and then the showers. Mom had become something of a gym rat.

Let me explain a bit more about Mom. She's 60 years old. She's a petite woman, much shorter than I. She looks kind of frail on first glance. One would not think about 'iron determination' when you first looked at her, but having seen it in her my whole life, I was surprised to suddenly realize how out of the ordinary her drive might seem to other people.

Many folks in her position would have just said, ' Well, I never wanted to raise my arm up that high anyhow.' Not my Mom. She dug her heels in and told the doctor, 'Just watch me!'

When she first started out, she couldn't curl a 2 pound dumbbell in her left arm. Not one time. However, she never gave up. Soon, she curled it. Then again. Then again. Then it was 4 lbs. Then 6 lbs. By now, she's up to 8 or possibly 10 lb dumbbells. Recall that her left arm was s-h-a-t-t-e-r-e-d in that wreck. But she hasn't given up. I don't think she knows how.

Honestly, I don't think Mom is making any statement with her continued training. She's not trying to set an example, or trying to inspire others. No, she likes to keep things simple. She just wants to be able to raise her arm over her head if she so chooses. And to me, that's the most inspiring thing of all.

Love you, Mom!

Iron Man and Bruce Lee

2008-05-02T02:26:00.003-05:00

Iron Man is AWESOME!!! Thanks to my fabulous wife, I was able to hit the midnight showing of Iron Man tonight at our local Alamo Drafthouse. Wow! What a fabulously cool movie! The audience was great, and we laughed and hooted and clapped at all the right places, especially at the cameo appearance of Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee. Robert Downey, Jr. was a perfect Tony Stark. It was well worth the lost sleep.
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So why is it that I'm always most inspired, creative, and ambitious when I'm up far past my bedtime? I'm about to drop from exhaustion, but what I want to be doing is making workout plans, cleaning the house, organizing the garage, and writing short stories, all at the same time. Any plans I make are going to look rather silly in the morning, and anything I write is going to seem awfully odd when read by the light of day. And the other stuff makes too much noise. I wish I could feel like this in the mornings instead!
---------------------------
We're on our way to buying a new location for Jade Mountain. A new facility could be quite a long ways off, but a long journey starts with a single step, so we've started the process. Financing is a tricky thing, and we'll just have to see what obstacles are in the way, and how we can go around, over, under, or through them. Several things happened recently that suggested that it might be time.

I'm a pretty down-to-earth kind of guy. I like things I can see and touch. Facts are good to have when moving forward with any project, as are well-laid plans. However, I'm still in touch with my feelings (Yoda taught me well), and when I get such a strong gut instinct that it's time, then my friends, it's time.

One of our students, who works in real estate, brought in a property listing for me to see. I drove out there that very night after class, and got a really good feeling about the place. On my way home, I heard a song on the radio that really seemed to fit at the time, something that made me optimistic about the possibilities. Then when I got home and turned on the TV, I got the final sign. Let me explain...

We watch a lot of movies...high-brow, low-brow, foreign films, popcorn- and chick-flicks, action, drama, horror, you name it, we watch it. We saw Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story with Jason Scott Lee long before we opened my school. In it, there was a scene in which Bruce took his future bride to an old building and explained to her that it would be the location of his first school. The influence of his school, and his martial arts, would affect the world much like ripples from a pebble dropped in a pond. We know this to be true, for his influence is still felt today. He handed her a pebble, and asked her to drop it to the floor of the school, thereby starting the ripples. It was a very symbolic gesture, and whether it truly happened, or no, the scene stuck with me.

The day we signed the lease on our school, I had a pebble in my pocket. I took my darling wife Christina into our new school and reminded her of the scene. I told her that without her support and love, I would never have been able to open the doors of Jade Mountain. I asked her to drop the pebble...and she refused. With sweet tears in her eyes, she insisted that we had to do it together. So we did.

...and THAT was the scene that popped up on the TV when I turned the power on that night.

Whether we are able to actually get the place we're hoping for is irrelevant. What's important is that we've started the process. However long it takes, we will find the right place for Jade Mountain.

And now, I'm headed to bed. Happy Friday, all.

TaDaaaaa!!!!!!!

2008-04-12T18:12:00.002-05:00

We still have some skills to refine...riding on the sidewalk is still a work in progress, as is stopping the bike without the 'dive and roll' dismount.

Before, he was just terrified of the whole process. Now, he just needs a little help to get started, and then he's off riding around like it's no big thing. I figure we'll just keep practicing every chance we get, and he'll keep improving and getting more confident each time.

I'm pretty danged proud of my son. I wonder if he'll ever know just how my heart bursts with joy every time I hear him laugh out there as I watch him ride unassisted?

--------------------------------------------------

In other news, I've got another lacrosse game tomorrow...we're playing a tough team, but we've picked up a few new players that have kicked our talent level up a notch. My training this week was not quite as consistent as I'd like, but I think I'll be ready for the game.

Most of the time, we play to a crowd of about..lessee...carry the one...maybe 6 or 8 people. That includes fans for the opposing team, by the way. These folks are usually spouses of the players, or maybe a buddy or two who enjoy seeing their friends get knocked around.

I must be honest...I love when friends and family come out to watch me play. Not because I want them to see me being an awesome player on the field, though. I'm just not that good. Mostly it's because I love to laugh with them about my gaffs and goofs afterwards...of those, I have plenty. Sure, I occasionally score a goal or two, and maybe I make a decent hit on an opponent now and then, and hearing a "GO WHIT!!" cheer from the sidelines is really fabulous. But more often, I'm looking for a reason to laugh and say, "Hey, did you see that guy knock the crap out of me?"

When I play, I play as hard as I possibly can. I do everything I can to help my team win, every single time I step on the field...but losing doesn't really bother me. I compete as though I plan to win, as though I absolutely intend to win...but if we don't, I accept the outcome and just delight in the fact that I LOVE this game. I LOVE being able to play it, and I LOVE being able to share it with others, whether I was the "Most Valuable Player", or the 'Guy Who Got Knocked Down Most Often." It's all fun to me.

Ride, boy, ride!

2008-04-09T08:19:00.002-05:00

Well, the time has finally come...I've decided to teach my boy to ride his bike without training wheels. Being the sweet, sensitive soul that he is, he wasn't too thrilled about the idea at first. There are times when he is completely fearless, but this is not one of those times. My gorgeous wife was babysitting most of the day on Sunday, so I took that opportunity to take off those training wheels, lace up my running shoes, and get things underway.

Did I mention that Sunday is usually my "Doughnuts and Couch" Day? I didn't realize that this day's training would involve me running behind and alongside Monkey's bike for approximately six miles, which is in direct conflict with said "D and C" activities. Wow.

We started off going back and forth down our street...it's a dead-end, so there's not much traffic. At first, I tried to hold onto the back of his bicycle seat like my Dad did, but running up and down the block hunched over started to make me pray for death, so I tried grabbing a handful of Monkey's shirt instead...BINGO! That worked like a charm. I ran alongside his bike while he pedaled and tried to get his balance.

After a dozen or so trips up and down the street, we headed for the nearby Junior High, and all its sidewalks, parking lots, and practice fields. Things fell apart soon after, as we both got tired, and decided to call it a day. But there was definitely progress!

Tuesday afternoon, we geared up and went at it again. This time, we went straight to the practice field so that he could fall in the grass. It took us quite a few tries, but before too long, the boy was riding all by himself! Granted, his steering skills were non-existent, and the only way he knew how to stop was by flinging himself over the handlebars, but he was riding! I'll never forget that moment when I finally let go of his shirt, and saw him wobble, wobble...and keep on riding. He laughed then, from pure joy, and I did too. "You're doing it! You're riding all by yourself!!" I yelled encouragement while he rode. I'll treasure that memory forever.

And then he pitched over the handlebars to land in the grass. (Sigh) "OK, boy, let's get back on and do it again!"

He was a pretty good sport about it, and had a blast on that field. The sidewalk home was another matter, since he was thoroughly spent by then, but his fabulous mother had seen us as she had come home from babysitting, and walked out to meet us. We all walked home together, Monkey pushing his bike along, and we celebrated our little victories. We'll hit it again on Friday, when he's got a holiday from school.

I've really enjoyed this minor adventure, and it's not over yet. I know that before too long, he'll be riding that Spider-Man bike all over the place, popping wheelies, jumping curbs, and who knows what else? The biggest lesson I want him to learn is that it's OK to be afraid...as long as we don't let our fear keep us from doing things. Seems like he's learning.

44 Odd Things About Me...

2008-03-30T23:56:00.003-05:00

Just another silly little survey. Sometimes, they amuse me, so here we go.

1. Do you like blue cheese? Not in the least.

2. Have you ever smoked? No, not at all.

3. Do you own a gun? Yup...a 12 gauge pump shotgun with pistol grips.

4. What flavor Kool Aid was your favorite? I never really liked the stuff.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Nope.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I like them better with turkey meat.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? It's A Wonderful Life...I watch it every year, and usually get all teary-eyed.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? water, orange juice, and an occasional orange Monster.

9. Can you do push ups? Yes, I can usually do about 65 in a row before passing out.

10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring, without a doubt. I used to have a gold-plated Chinese coin necklace, a gift from my dear friend Larry. I really liked it, but lost it during a lacrosse game in Austin.

11. Favorite hobby? Reading, watching movies, playing lacrosse. I've been known to write short stories here and there.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? Not officially, no.

13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? I have trouble with keeping track of stuff I said I'd do.

14. Middle name? Whitsitt.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. Uhhhhhh...I need a shower? That's all I can come up with.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly consume. See question 8.

17. Current worry? Taxes approach!!

18. Current hate right now? Did I mention taxes?

19. Favorite place to be? I have several...in bed with my wife, at my school, at Pho Mai, and on any lacrosse field.

20. How did you bring in the New Year? I think my wife and I just stayed home and watched movies..

21. Where would you like to go? I wouldn't mind seeing Scotland and Australia.

22. Name three people who will complete this? Whomever wishes to.

23. Do you own slippers? Nope.

24 What shirt are you wearing? Rex Kwon Do...Bow to your Sensei!

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Never slept on those, so I don't have the foggiest.

26. Can you whistle? Yup.

27. Favorite color? Green

28. Would you be a pirate? Only if I could be a 'nice' pirate.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? "If I Only Had A Brain" from the Wizard of Oz.

30. Favorite girl's name? Kelly Clarkson

31. Favorite boy's name? The one I gave my son.

32. What's in your pocket right now? I don't have pockets in my underwear.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? One of the computer marines from Halo 2 said something funny that cracked us both up.

34. Best bed sheets as a child? Disney's Robin Hood.

35. Worst injury you've ever had? Been pretty lucky...two broken toes, stretched ligaments in my knee, twisted ankles, a laceration here and there, and countless bruises. That's about it.

36. Do you love where you live? Yep, I dig it here...though I'd enjoy a house in the country.

37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2

38. Who is your loudest friend? I don't have any that I think of as 'the loud one'.

39. How many dogs do you have? None. Used to have two pugs, whom we adored.

40. Does someone have a crush on you? Just my wife, as far as I know.

41. What is your favorite book(s)? Far too many to list. Martial arts instructionals, fantasy fiction, detective novels, the list goes on.

42. What is your favorite candy? I'm quite partial to Hershey's Milk Chocolate.

43. Favorite Sports Team? Bayou City Lacrosse Club.

44. What song do you want played at your funeral? Something upbeat...I'd rather folks have a great time celebrating my life than mourning my death.

Where's my Bliss...whoops...THERE it is!

2008-03-22T19:06:00.003-05:00

Actually, I know where my Bliss is, and I'm following it daily. I've wanted to be a martial arts instructor since I was about 12 years old, and that's exactly what I am. I spend my days training, learning, teaching, and attempting to help others live better lives in some way through martial arts. I totally dig it.

When I was still working at an engineering firm in Houston a few years ago, I was in hot pursuit of this awesome martial arts career, and I noticed that folks around me complained about the work we were doing, about the pressure, or the lack of recognition, the usual corporate stuff. Don't get me wrong, my former place of employment was a pretty decent place to work as far as engineering firms go, but it was obvious that my life was meant for other things. Since this was so deeply true for me, and since I heard an awful lot of complaining from my coworkers, I wondered if other folks around me were meant for other careers as well. So I started asking around.

"Hey, if you could make the exact same amount of money that you make right now, but were able to do anything in the world that you wanted to do to make that money, what would you do?"

The answers were quite varied, as one might expect. But I learned something interesting over time...not one of the folks I asked this question ever answered by saying that they would stay right where they were, continuing in their current career.

Not. One.

It often took a moment or two for people to shift their thinking when I asked the question, as if they had to allow themselves the luxury of imagining their dream job, and it was just hard to do. But when they did, their faces would change, would absolutely light up, and a faraway look would come into their eyes. It didn't matter if they were young, old, male, or female. Once they allowed themselves to dream of their blissful, fabulous career in some imaginary life, it seemed that a sense of joy blossomed inside them.

"I'd sing...yes, I'd definitely sing!"

"Me? Why...I'd make fishing lures. Yeah...that'd be great!"

"I'd open a little bar. I've talked about it for years..."

"I've always wanted to live on the coast...operate a little charter fishing boat."

"Honestly? Don't laugh...I'd love to be a full-time dog walker."

It never mattered to me what folks wanted to do or be. No, what I never was able to understand was why didn't they DO something about it? The thing that gets me is that each person who would like to be doing something else, may very well be wasting precious hours, days, even years of their life in a career that holds no joy, no thrill, no true sense of self-expression. What a waste.

I know that making your way through this world of ours without a steady paycheck from a big company might be scary. And challenging. What if you fail? What if you can't make it? What if you screw up?

Sure...you might fail. And you might screw up. But it's highly likely that the sun will still rise tomorrow, no matter what you do. And you might learn something, something that allows you to do better that next day.

But what if you succeed? What if you persevere, you learn along the way, and you actually make it? WOW!! Imagine that!!

Each new day brings a new opportunity for you to succeed, doesn't it? I think it does. And why not follow your dream, chase down that Bliss? Maybe find someone who is already living that dream life, working in that dream career, and then find out how they did it?

How many hours do you spend doing something that holds no meaning for you? Why is it easier to do that, instead of doing something that you love doing? You can have a steady paycheck doing something else! Really!!! If you hate your job, then do something about it. Figure out what you love to do, something that calls you, that brings meaning into your life...then find a way to make that your career. Chances are that someone has already done it, and you might be able to learn from them.

When I look back on my life near the end, I will know that I spent my precious hours on Earth doing the things that were the most meaningful. I'll know that I spent time with my family, I helped others, and I had a blast along the way. I won't be saying, "Man, if only I hadn't spent so much time at the office!"

So, dear reader, open your mind for a bit. Allow yourself to consider some possibilities. What if you really could make a change in your career? What if you could really LOVE what you do at work each day? And what if you could be just as successful, if not more so, by doing what you love?

Think about it for awhile. Discover where your Bliss is hiding. Be brave...and go find it.

Update and Survey

2008-03-21T11:00:00.002-05:00

It's Good Friday today, and I've got one class left before taking a little holiday break. Things have been pretty cool here during Spring Break...having Monkey sleep in has been fabulous! Going to bed at 2am and waking up at 9am seems to agree with me somewhat. Now, I just have to shift that bedtime back a bit for next week when Monkey goes back to school.

Lots of little things running through my mind today...plans, hopes, and a lot of wondering. Don't know that I'm ready to articulate much of it, though. For now, I'm content to just 'be', enjoy my day, and see what shows up.

Here's another silly little survey.

1. If someone looked ON your bed, what would they find?
Rumpled covers, pillows, and my wife.

2. Last person you drove with?
Christina and the Monkey

3. Where did you go today?
Nowhere yet, but I'm planning to hit Jade Mountain, the bank, and Wal Mart.

4. Sleep on your back or stomach?
Side and back

5. Are you a cuddler?
Mostly...I occasionally need to stretch out, though

6. What would someone find UNDER your bed?
Books and plastic bins of clothes

7. Something that happened today that made you angry?
Hmmm.....nope. Not a thing.

8. What were you doing before this survey?
Ordering some new elbow pads from the 'net.

9. What will you do after the survey?
Get dressed and head to Jade Mountain.

10. Last really funny thing you laughed at?
Pros vs. Joes.

11. What shirt are you wearing now?
White undershirt. I know...sexy, right?

12. Do you sing?
In the shower, baby...in the shower.

13. Who will you see the most this weekend besides family?
Aliens and Charlton Heston...I plan to play Halo 2 until I puke, and watch Ben Hur.

14. Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
I'm pretty open with those close to me.

15. Is there something you regret and wish you could take back?
Oh my goodness, yes. Living means learning, which usually means making mistakes. I've made my share, to be sure.

16. First thing you do when you wake up?
Try to get one eye open and figure out what the heck is going on.

17. Ever had surgery?
Just on my right wrist...had a cyst removed back in my early 20's.

18. What do you want to be?
Actually, I already am what I want to be. I'm loved, happy, relatively successful, and in good health. And I get to wear pajamas to work.

19. What do you think about the person who commented you last?
He's one of my best friends in the world (and I don't have many), and I think he's a fantastic guy. He's smart, funny, multi-talented, thoughtful, and lots of other great things. And he has the uncanny ability to put up with my crap.

20. How long does it take for you to fall asleep at night?
Not as long as it used to...I'm usually about to drop when I finally lay down.

21. Is there a meaning behind the song on your myspace?
It's just one of my favorites. And I can sing it in the shower. May change it today, though.

22. When you shut off your alarm clock, do you tend to fall back asleep?
I may snooze once, but when the alarm goes off, I usually need to get moving.

23. Does anyone like you?
I certainly hope so.

24. What are you looking forward to in the next few months?
Continuing my martial arts education in a couple of key areas.

25. It's midnight, who are you texting?
I'm probably hassling BB to do some workout or other.

26. It's Wednesday night, where are you usually?
Teaching class 'til 8:30 or 8:45, then home.

27. Do you run stop signs?
Not at all...our local police are quite vigilant.

28. Do you play an instrument?
I play the clarinet astonishingly well. Er, at least that's what my Mom says.

27. What's something you dislike?
Taxes. Definitely taxes.

28. You need a new pair of jeans, what store do you go to first?
Uh...I haven't actually purchased a new pair of jeans in years. Who sells Levi's nowadays?

29. How do you feel about your hair?
It's still there, just not as much as before. I miss my old hairline!

30. If you could move away, no questions asked, where would you move?
And do what? With whom? How much money is involved? Silly question. I like it here in Katy, although I'd love to have a small ranch somewhere in Texas as a retreat.

31. Last person you talked to on aim?
Uh...I don't use AIM.

32. What's the greatest thing that happened to you today?
I slept late, enjoyed breakfast with my son, and ordered some new elbow pads

--------Ok, 33-39 were missing, so I'm making them up myself.----

33. What have you always wanted to do but haven't quite accomplished?
I'd like to finish and publish a novel. I love to write, but never finished that trilogy I started over a decade ago.

34. If you had to choose another job, what would it be?
Probably a college professor. I truly love teaching, whatever the subject.

35. So which would you choose...love, money, or fame?
Love. Without a doubt, love. You can always make more money, and fame brings its own set of problems...but with the right person beside you, you can do anything.

36. Whom do you take after more, your Mom or your Dad?
I tend to remember Mom's words and Dad's quiet example, and live by a combination of them both. I think I got my tenacity from Mom and my work ethic from Dad.

37. What's your favorite junk food?
Chocolate pie, Froot Loops, and Coke. Not all at the same time, though.

38. Favorite place for lunch?
Pho Mai in Katy. Man, I could go for some noodles right now!

39. If you could go back in time to when you were 21, what would you tell yourself?
"There will be ups and downs ahead. You will experience both tragedy and joy. There will be hard decisions to make. Above all, be patient, follow your heart and dreams, and there will come a day that you realize that you absolutely adore your life."

-------And now, back to the original survey----------------------

40. How many TRUE best friends do you have?I have a very, very small group of friends with whom I'd trust my life and everything that it entails. They are treasures, each and every one.

We won, we won!!!

2008-03-16T21:47:00.003-05:00

And after a rather slow start, the Bayou City Lacrosse Club has finally won a game this season! Yay! We picked up a few new players recently, and many of our absent regulars showed up for the game as well, so we finally had a handful of subs on the sidelines today. The score was something like 10-4.

In addition, I've been running windsprints and interval drills almost every day for the last two weeks, so I'm pleased to report that I was hauling my big ol' butt up and down the field with more enthusiasm than ever. I managed to knock another opponent off his feet, and I also scored a goal with my 'Bugs Bunny Slowball' shooting style. I'm guessing that the goalie thought it would be coming at him WAY faster than it actually did. And the weird bounce my shot took helped as well.

And so, I'm already looking forward to the next game, which will be in Beaumont. Haven't been there in years, but I'm planning to knock 'em dead upon my arrival. I've got another two weeks to do more windsprints. ;-)

Goodbye, Pinkeye!

2008-03-11T22:37:00.003-05:00

Nasty thing, that pinkeye. We noticed that Monkey had a touch of it on Sunday. We started drops on him right away, and it cleared up before day's end. Of course, I woke up with it on Monday. DRAT! I HATE pinkeye! It itches, it's nasty, and until the drops start working, it's quite communicable. Many drops and a day later, pinkeye has beat a hasty retreat under the antibiotic beatdown of whatever drops we were given. Glad that's over with.

As if a little pinkeye isn't enough, poor Monkey went to bed with a fever last night. He woke up without it, but was still listless and had a cough, so we kept him home today. He's been a great kid, took his medicine without a fuss, and generally just rested and got his strength back. Back to school tomorrow for him. Did I mention that he got three awards last week? Perfect Attendance, the Principals Award, and something else I can't recall. Go Monkey!!

My darling wife is on an overnight babysitting job, watching two adorable little girls until late tomorrow evening, so I have some quiet time to myself. And now, I don't really know what to do with it. Most likely, I'll watch some BJJ videos, read a bit, or just get to bed before midnight for a change.

My workouts are going well, though I need to spend more time on certain aspects of my training. In martial arts, there is always something to learn, practice, and eventually master...that's why I love my job! It never gets old to me.

I'm sure there's something funny I could write about tonight, or some statement I'd like to make, but sometimes, it's probably enough to just say 'Howdy'. So have a great night, and I'll do my best to write something interesting next time.

Too old for this? Nah.

2008-03-06T09:56:00.006-06:00

So by the end of last years lacrosse season, I was one of the 'hitters' on our team. Somehow, I had just improved a ton in that area, and quite frankly, I enjoyed it. This year, I worked on my sprints and footwork so that I could do even better on the field this season...and it has not exactly gone the way I planned.

I've had a couple of hits so far. Two, to be exact. But that's it. I've bounced off of several folks, though, if that counts for anything. Hmmm. Time to change tactics.

Earlier this season, we ended up playing Ironman again (that's when you only have 10 players...no substitutes to allow your guys to rest), and I ended up facing off. I haven't faced off in years. The team we were playing against was extremely good at faceoffs. Dang. Our team captain suggested that I just slam my opponent as soon as the whistle blows, drive him off the ball, and try to turn around and pick it up. I figured that was a better plan than I brought with me, so I tried it....and it worked! Not foolproof, mind you, but I managed to frustrate the other guys just a bit, and even won some of those faceoffs for my team. Yay!

I have not become the team's official faceoff guy as a result. I'm not the official anything, really. To be honest, I'm just thrilled to be able to get out there and play the game in any capacity that I'm able. I love hauling my butt across the field, chasing and being chased, dodging between defenders as I try desperately to fight my way through to pass or shoot, and yes, knocking someone off their feet when I get the chance. I love it, and I'm going to keep playing as long as they'll let me.

Recently, I attended a party immediately following one of my games, and a younger brother-in-law heard me mention that I had just played that day. He asked how it went, and I responded with some colorful stories from the game, gleefully describing the hits, the running, the whole bit.
"How old are you, Whit?" he asked.

"Huh? I'm 38." I didn't see the relevance of the question at the time.

"Wow...still playing lacrosse at 38." He shook his head in disbelief that an old fogey like me could still play a contact sport.

My thought on the matter is this...all my body parts are working. No, I'm not 20 anymore. In fact, I'll never be 20 again, or 25, or even 30. But I can still run, walk, stagger, and crawl. I can still make use of this body of mine, and I plan to do so until I can't anymore. And the amazing thing about the human body is that it generally adapts to your activity level.

A word about my Dad...he's almost 80. Years ago, two of my uncles decided to challenge him to a tennis match (He had a tendency to beat them at tennis, bowling, and golf), and he happily accepted. They had a plan, though...they would tag-team him. One brother would play him for awhile and tire him out, then the other brother would step in and finish him off. It seemed like a great idea.

My Dad has never been the prettiest athlete. He's tall, and kind of gangly in motion. When my uncle hit the ball to Dad's far side, he just barely made it over there to return it...but he did. My uncle ran my Dad all over the court, but Dad somehow made it each time.

Uncle #1 started to get tired. He played as long as he could before calling in Uncle #2, and finally dragged off to the shade to rest. Dad stood there, dripping sweat...and ready. I can still hear his raspy, twangy voice saying, "Well, get on with it!" Uncle #2 had a wide smile as he got ready to serve...which disappeared when the ball came flying back to his far side, unreachable.

"Hey, I thought you were supposed to tire Willie out?!" he called back to his brother in the shade.
A feeble voice came from the lawn chair in the shade. "I did the best I could!"

And I remember my Dad laughing, happy to feel the joy in being active, the sun on his skin, the breeze in his face, happy to be playing a game just for the fun of it...and getting a kick out of beating my uncles.

Back then, my uncles were 30 years old, or so.

My Dad was 50 at the time.

So at 38, I've still got a lot of years of playing ahead of me. Heck, I'm just a kid, by my Dad's standards. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some wind sprints to run. And thanks, Dad...for setting a great example.

William W. McClendon Jr.
Or as I know him, "Dad."

70 Questions

2008-02-26T11:20:00.001-06:00

1. Would you bang your neighbor?
That would be a 'no.'

2. What describes your last relationship?
Tragic.

4. What's the last movie you saw?
Spiderwick Chronicles

5. I've come to realize the last person who held my hand:
is a wonderful little guy...he's my son, by the way.

6. What is your middle name?
Whitsitt

7. Who have you talked to most today?
Larry.

8. Do you carve pumpkins every year?
Not every year, no.

10. Color of your shirt?
White.

11. I'm always...
looking forward to the next workout...and next meal!!

12. Who's on speed dial 2? 4? 6?
Don't do speed dial.

14. Whats your favorite season?
Toss up between Fall and Spring

15. How do you feel right now?
Extremely happy about my life.

16. Are you a bad influence?
No, I really do try to be a good one.

19. Would you do anything for someone else?
Depends on who it is and what it is.

20. Have you ever been called a bitch?
Only by a fellow with whom I don't speak anymore.

22. What is your ringtone?
Walk Away by Kelly Clarkson. Stop that laughing!

23. What song is on?
None

24. Are your grades good?
I've been out of school for years, but I was a very good student.

25. Do you hate anyone/anything?
Getting mellow in my pre-middle-aged years, so no.

26. Does your best friend have a myspace?
Yes

28. Last time you went out to lunch?
Yesterday...yay Pho Mai!

33. Do you have one or more Britney Spears cds?
Hell no!!!

34. What did you do last night ?
Taught Kung Fu class, and stayed up late talking to Larry.

35. Are you a "Lost" fanatic?
Nope.

36. Say you were given a drug test right now. Would you pass or fail?
Definitely pass.

37. Do you have a song by Ozzy Osbourne in your library?
Don't think so.

42. What's the last thing you bought?
Gas for the hybrid.

43. What's the last thing someone bought you?
Vivi bought me popcorn...how sweet!

44. Do you ever sing in the shower?
Always.

44. Whats your favorite movie?
To name a few...Galaxy Quest, Princess Bride, and 300.

48. Do you believe everyone has a soulmate?
All I know is that I found mine.

49.Can you sing well?
Hmmmm....not well enough to sing in public, but my wife likes my singing.

53. Are you ever a freak about cleanliness or organization?
Uh, no.

54. Have you ever been to South America or Africa?
Nope.

55. Do you know how to knit?
What? No.

56. Do you have a job?
Yep...and I love it!!!

58. What are you doing right now besides this survey?
Looking forward to a shower...I stink from this morning's run.

60. Baskin Robbins or Coldstone?
Not much for ice cream.

61. Physics or chemistry?
Physics, I guess.

62. Facebook or Myspace?
Myspace.

63. Do you wear any jewelery?
Occasionally, I wear my wedding ring.

66. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or Star Wars?
Star Wars, then LotR, then HP.

67. Fly or road trip?
Fly.

68. Batman, Spiderman, or Superman?
Spiderman. He's got good Kung Fu.

69. What's your favorite Disney movie?
Shoot, I forget which is from Disney...Toy Story was great, though.

70. Plans for tonight?
Teach class, do my core workout, and pick up my fabulous wife from the airport!!

Potential...

2008-02-01T21:11:00.000-06:00

There's usually more in us than we ever imagine. All of us have the potential to go farther, reach higher, and achieve more than most folks ever dream.

Here's little vid for inspiration. Watch the whole thing for the full effect.

I laughed 'til I cried...

2008-01-27T17:21:00.001-06:00

OK, this is obviously NOT a serious vid...man, I needed a good laugh!!!

Excuses, excuses...

2008-01-21T11:49:00.000-06:00

I love this commercial. I've heard about every excuse in the book, and even used a few myself...but I know that in the end, the excuses are meaningless. Only the effort you were willing to put into reaching your goals is what truly matters. Be sure to watch the whole thing to get the full effect....

The Legend of Cliff Young

2008-01-18T08:54:00.000-06:00

Ok, I love stuff like this. Honestly, this guy reminds me of my Dad a bit. It's a really inspirational story, so check it out...

The Legend of Cliff Young

Another Half-Marathon

2008-01-16T10:30:00.000-06:00

January is here, and that means another Houston Aramco Half-Marathon for me!! I look forward to this race every year, and love every minute of it. Now, that doesn’t mean that I actually train for this race, but I run it anyway. Here’s the report:

My dear friend Brian again drove down here from Hurst, Tx to support me during the race, and he showed up late Friday night. My other super-awesome bud, Larry, was here as well, and both of those guys acted as my pit crew for most of the weekend. Friday night, we just hung out and watched American Gladiators…man, I’m glad the new season finally started!

Saturday, I was still fighting off the allergies, sinus infection, or whatever it might have been that kept my head full of snot for most of the week. Brian came to my classes that morning, and we had a good bit of fun sparring once class time was over. He’s got a mean little Thai clinch going on, and I must say that I’m thrilled with his progress in martial arts. Now, if I could just get him to stop kicking me in the butt, rather than the thigh, he’ll be on his way to superstardom.

A quick note on Brian…he’s a much different man now that he’s had two years of martial arts training. He’s calmer, stronger, carries himself with much more authority, and seems to know who he is and what’s he’s about. Cool.

Anyhow, Larry came in just after we finished sparring, and then we all trotted off to Pho Mai for lunch. Man, I just can’t get enough pho! From there, we headed off to the George R. Brown to pick up my race packet, while Larry headed off to Wah Nan’s to pick up some kung fu stuff. I had my confirmation card tucked firmly in the passenger seat visor, right next to last year’s card. And you know, we almost made it to our destination without getting lost. Almost. Seems we forgot to take a left turn once we got downtown. Drat.

We pulled into a gas station and debated a new course when Larry pulled up next to us and offered to guide us back. Thanks Larry! After that, it wasn’t a problem. We strolled in and I picked up my race number and t-shirt, we wandered around looking at all the booths, and I picked up some orange Gu for the race. As we walked back out to the car, I remember thinking what a fabulous time I was having. I was excited about the race, the weather was perfect, I was feeling better after the long, snotty week, and I was spending time with close friends…wow, what a day.

Later that night, we had a nice dinner at Hasta La Pasta, and then I spent entirely too long making sure that my mp3 player was loaded properly, my clothes were laid out, and everything was in place for our early morning departure. Backpack with dry clothes, water bottle, fruit, Gu, gloves, hat, new headphones, new shoes (thanks, Amy!), timing chip, stopwatch, my list was complete. My darling Christina, saint that she is, stayed up until nearly midnight to make another race shirt for me. This one has my name on the front (so spectators can yell at me during the race), her and Monkey’s names on my sleeves (to remind me of their love and support) and NEVER GIVE UP on the back. It’s an official Jade Mountain shirt, so I had to REPRESENT! I thought I had covered everything this time. Really.

5am rolls around, and we’re up and out the door without a hitch. On time, feeling great. Then we go to pass a car on I-10, and I notice that it’s making a horribly loud noise. I wondered, “Now, why in the world would any fool buy a muffler that makes their car sound like THAT?” Then I discovered that it was MY car making the noise. My left front tire was apparently flat, and in the process of being shredded for recycling. We pulled over and whipped out the donut spare.

I really should check that spare more often. You know…in case it gets flat. Yeeargh!!!

We made it another 100 yards on the flat spare before pulling into parking lot of a Jason’s Deli. It was 6am. The race started at 7am. We were in trouble. I called my fabulous, amazing, spectacular wife and said, “You’ll have to come get us, or else I’ll miss the race.” She replied, “I’m on it!” Not a half-hour later, she buzzed up to get us with a sleepy Monkey in the back seat, and we were on our way again, still pretty much on time.

I was somewhat unceremoniously dumped near the starting line with about 10 minutes to spare…plenty of time to hit the Port-a-Pottie, get into the corral and wait for the start. Weather was perfect, I was surrounded by 17,000 excited, happy people, and I felt on top of the world.

The first wave left at 7am to the sound of the cannon. My wave left 10 minutes later, and as always, we ambled towards the starting line at a sort of walk-shuffle-jog. I recall hearing ‘These Are The Days’ by 10,000 Maniacs on my player, and I found it fitting…that’s one of my favorite happy songs. I started the race at an easy lope, running on the balls of my feet as usual, and just enjoying everything. So many people!!! It was pretty crowded, but not too much so. I had planned for a 12 minute mile pace, and was thrilled to discover that my ‘easy lope’ was actually closer to an 11 minute pace, so I kept it up. My music was good (a change from last year), and everything was great.

I’ll spare you the step-by-step of the entire 13.1 miles. Here are the salient points: I walked at the water stations so I wouldn’t drown myself. I switched to heel-to-toe running at mile 6. I chuckled at all the guys relieving themselves in full view of everyone at the giant bush just past the bridge. I started ‘seeing’ the finish line at mile 8, and imagined myself crossing it, feeling great. And at mile 9, I decided that I would not, could not, stop to walk again unless I was getting water. My shirt said ‘NEVER GIVE UP’, and to walk would be giving up. So I kept running, kept picking up my feet, and refused to give up. I only walked at the water stations this year, nowhere else.

When I finally turned that corner to see the finish line, it didn’t seem as far away as it did last year. I was moving better, feeling better, and for a change, I wanted to finish this race strongly. Last year, I was a wreck with 1.5 miles to go. This year, in spite of being sick, in spite of running a total of only 6 miles in the last month in preparation for this race, I felt like I still had something in the tank to get me across that line. I kept moving, picked up my pace as much as I could, and finished with a thrilled yell. Then I tried not to puke. My time: 2:19:05, which beat my times from 2007 and 2006.

By the way, I finished the race to Sir Mix-A-Lot’s ‘Baby Got Back’. Say what you will, it made me laugh.

It took me forever to find Brian after the race, and I was doing my best imitation of a zombie at that point, but I still felt better than I had for both of my last finishes, and wasn’t quite as bad walking to the car afterwards.

Larry showed up soon afterwards, and we all headed to Fuddrucker’s for a post-race burger before my massage that afternoon. Brian headed home, Larry did some shopping before hanging out with us that evening, and it was a great end to a great weekend.

Things I learned from this year’s Half-Marathon:

1. Check your tires. And your spare.

2. Good shoes are really, really, really important!

3. A shot of Gu at mile 8 was a great idea.

4. All the conditioning and strength work I’ve done this year has made a huge difference!

5. Nothing new in this, but my wife is the most spectacular and amazing woman. Wow!

6. I may run without tights next year. I loved my new race shirt, but I still looked like a dork. And I need a new, highly visible hat.

7. Next year, I’ll finish with a happy ‘WOOO-HOOOOOOO!!!’ rather than an angry-sounding ‘YEEAAARGH!!!” I sounded like the Sasquatch that folks are messin’ with lately.

8. I love my friends Brian and Larry very much. It means the world to me that they would come out and support me like they did.

It’s Wednesday now, and my legs are just starting to return to something resembling normal. I have a lacrosse game on Saturday, and I’m hoping to still be able to crush the opposition. That’ll be another story altogether….