Category Archives: Life

Friends and Family, Health and Fitness, Life

What Happens if You Started Today?

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I have been feeling lazy, which is why I haven’t written in a while.  Well, there’s more to the story than that.  School kept my hands full.  I wasn’t overloaded, just annoyingly occupied to the point where I wasn’t really able to do a lot of extracurriculars.  I had to cut down on my exercise, jiu jitsu, rock climbing, and writing.  I did still keep up with reading, though, so all was not lost.  Then my exams finished, and school was off for the break and I just decided to plunk down on the couch, play some video games and eat a lot of junk.  So far, so good.

I wanted to write a series of posts over the break but that didn’t happen.  Instead, this is the best I could muster.  Google seems to be sending lots of beachbody P90X, Insanity, Rev Abs people my way.  For the record, this isn’t a health and fitness blog, at least not completely.  Its mostly a lifestyle blog.  It was started before Facebook and Gmail and Twitter and Skype as a way to keep in touch with friends.  Friends are now much easier to keep in touch with so this blog, at least to my friends, became much less relevant.  Except some awesome readers have stated they have found my writing useful, and because I still enjoy writing. Man, the internet moves FAST.

Writing is like many skills that require practice.  If you don’t use it it becomes harder to do.  I’m still kicking myself for not practicing tying a few uber elite knots I was taught over the summer and have since forgotten 🙁  So, I am going to try to write 500 words per day for the next 2 weeks and see what happens (not all of it on this blog).  Just for fun, no pressure.  I find putting out a goal outside of your head and onto something else such as telling your friends makes it real and thus forces you into action.  Letting someone know that you are going to be running in a marathon forces you to start running.  Afterall, nobody wants to look like a liar and a fool.  Sometimes it happens, anyway.  No biggy, sack up and try again (trust me nobody really cares that much).

But when you start, it feels good.  Then, when you look back on what you’ve accomplished hopefully you have something to be proud of.  If you’ve made any improvements whatsoever, that’s an awesome thing.  Even if you don’t hit the goal, heading in the right direction is pretty rad.  I love it when I hear someone tell me they’ve started P90X, because I know that there’s a good chance, if they want it enough (that burning desire inside), that they are going to finish.  And I have yet to meet someone who finished it and didnt look better, or feel better, even if they hated the workout or Tony Horton’s annoying voice (I don’t find Tony annoying, he’s hilarious imo).  Heck, even if the ones who didn’t quit immediately saw some good benefits.

Just imagine what can be accomplished if you just started today.  Its one of those things that nobody can really force you to do, so its got to come from an “oh shit” moment.  Sometimes a moment comes from really crappy places like a divorce or passing out from eating too much chocolate cake (Win?).  Other times the moments come from really cool places like watching a 72 year old bench press 400 lbs.  Find the moments.  Find the burning desire.  Today is a good day to start.

I think I’ll do a year end review next.  Seems like a good time to do it, being year end and all.

Life, Me

time waits for nobody

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So here I am, a year older, a little wiser, and just as awesome as always.  Read a few things here and there on various blogs that have got me thinking about how time, whether you decide to keep up or not, will continue regardless.  One of my best friends recently made a comment about how I am never satisfied with anything.  I thought, damn this guys known me for close to 20 years but he doesn’t really know me at all.   There’s a difference between satisfaction and challenge.  Challenging oneself to be the best self they can be is an entirely different thing from being satisfied with the present moment.  They absolutely do not have to be mutually exclusive.

In time, things will change.  They always do, because time keeps on moving.  If you stop, time doesn’t wait up.  If you are satisfied with everything that is, by all means stop and enjoy it all.  You should appreciate everything you have.  You might find, however, that the things you used to enjoy might not quite do it for you anymore.  Where it can get destructive, is when to keep that high of satisfaction you must get the next thing, and then the next, and then the next.  I wouldn’t call that true satisfaction.  I`ll call it societal brainwashing 101.

Right now, I am not where I thought I would be at this age.  I am comfortable, for sure, and to me that is not something I wish to be for too long.  But that isn’t dissatisfaction, not at all.  That’s just me, demanding more from myself.  Nobody puts this pressure on themselves except for themselves.  Its time to put things in motion to start the next phase of my life, because if you wait, you regret.  But time keeps ticking, ticking, ticking away.  I don’t care if I am here for 1 more day or 100 years if the time I am spending here is being wasted.  Wasted on pettiness, on greed, on vanity.  Wasted on other people’s expectations, wasted on waiting for others to make the decisions.  Its gross.  It makes me feel sick just thinking about it.  So, I say, stop wasting.  Stop wasting time, stop being wasteful to the environment, to your health. Demand more not from others, but from yourself.

I told my manager over lunch to beat me with a bat if I am still here in 1 year.  Who says that to their manager, especially right before their performance review?  Perhaps an idiotic move to your career, for sure, but honest nonetheless.  That’s why I applaud Miss California, who lost Miss America the other day because of her stance on gay marriage.  She was honest on her opinion (which I don`t agree with for the record) and because of that lost and was called mean things by not very compassionate people.  Hats off to Miss California for speaking her truth.  In the long run, honesty wins.  It just does.  Dishonesty for betterment of self is lacking in integrity and homey don`t play that.

I am moving along, because guess what?  Each year I get older, I get wiser.  I challenge myself, I explore and discover.  Nothing can be taken from that, only added.  Long after your looks have faded, or whatever else you think you have going for you, what will you have left? All that remains is your spirit, your consciousness, and time can`t touch that.

Life

Getting feedback is important

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You ever have that feeling when you are so sure something is the way it is and no other option is possible? Have you ever been in a situation where you are absolutely certain that something happened, but end up being completely wrong? I’ve lost track of the number of times that has happened to me. I remember one time in particular, way back in high school. We were out at the park playing basketball and it was getting dark outside. We were playing basketball in the dark, (yeah I know, awesome) and I thought I had clearly seen my teammate hit the ball out of bounds. The other team claimed he hit it out of bounds, and I clearly saw him hit it out of bounds, and so I agreed with the other team. My teammate was very adamant that he did not touch the ball at all. Me and him got into this huge argument and we were yelling at each other a lot. Finally he just gave up and so we gave the other team possession. After the game, one of the players on the other team admitted that he knocked it out of bounds and that they cheated, and he didn’t say anything because he thought our fighting was hilarious.

That memory has since BURNED into my skull forever. I was dead wrong. And yet, I was absolutely certain I was right. Earth shattered, I apologized and from then on made myself more aware that sometimes, even if you think you are right, you could be wrong. But how would you know? Feedback is one way. Getting feedback helps you see things from a different light that you wouldn’t have otherwise seen or thought. Maybe you chew gum really grossly and sound like a camel, but are unaware because nobody has ever said anything to you about it. Or you smell funny, or have terrible breath. Wouldn’t you rather know sooner rather than later?

Some people are mean spirited about it, or are just on some crazy power trip. You can essentially ignore these people. Others, however, really do have valuable feedback to provide. The best people to receive feedback from I find are usually the people who have no interest, are neutral, or indifferent to what you do with that feedback. And just because you receive feedback doesn’t mean you have to listen to it. Sometimes it won’t work for you. The best way to find out if it does or not is to try it out. If it helps, then go for it. If it doesn’t, then stop.

The important thing to keep in mind about feedback is not to take it personal. Some people are way sensitive with feedback and that is detrimental. Getting defensive is not really productive in dealing with feedback, although it is a natural response for many people. Take the feedback, soak it in, and see it not as a personal attack but rather advice that may help you in the long run.

Life

Be Your Own Guru

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“Don’t get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water.  Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot.  Water can flow or it can crash.  Be water, my friend.” – Bruce Lee

Do you know why Bruce Lee was the man?  Besides the fact that he was charismatic, athletic, kicked butt, good looking, rich, famous, smart, funny, incredible shape, …. um ok that’s a lot of besides.  But there was one thing that I really admire about him; He was his own guru.  Sure he had teachers, like Ip Man (seriously, watch this movie!!! Some of the best fight scenes I’ve seen in a long time), but Bruce was formless.  He redefined martial arts.  He took what he needed from various disciplines and styles and created one all his own.  Isn’t that awesome?

And that’s what mixed martial artists have done.  You look at a guy like Georges St. Pierre, and he’s an animal.  He holds his own against Canadian Olympic wrestlers, and professional boxers, and BJJ world champions.  He takes what he can from various disciplines and has turned himself into an ultimate fighting machine.

This idea applies to all aspects of you life.  To become rich, you don’t have to listen to only Warren Buffet.  There are plenty of ways to get rich.  To become fit, you don’t have to follow the advice of only crossfit, or professional bodybuilders, or whatever else.  Same with what you eat, same with what you do, same with who you date, etc etc.  Take what is useful, discard the rest, and create something unique all your own.  That’s what being your own guru is all about.  Following one school of thought too closely is hazardous to your health.  That’s how cults are formed.  That’s how religions are formed. oooooo, not going there.  ANYWAYS, moving on.

Be wary of people freely giving advice (myself included).  It doesn’t mean they are right (myself included).  It’s only opinion, and experiences from their own life that, although may work for them, may not work for you.  Don’t get sucked into “Getting Things Done” and thinking that’s exactly how things should be done to be considered productive.  Don’t get stuck into the belief that you have to work only a “4 Hour Workweek” to be happy.  It could be myth.  It may not be cause and effect.  Self help gurus and life coaches and fitness trainers and fashion advisors and investment advisors and so on and so forth, you really have to question if their quality of life is really that much better than your own.  Its important to have teachers and its important to have mentors, but in the end nobody really understands you and your situation as much as you do.

Geekery, Life, Me

when death comes knocking.

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“First you have to give up, first you have to *know*… not fear… *know*… that someday you’re gonna die.” – Tyler Durden

Murder… suicide… aids… cancer… heart attack. I’m reminded of the ways people I know have left this place.  I’m reminded of death and I think, wow, that sounds like something out of a movie and yet, this is what has happened with great people that have touched me in one way or another at one point in my life.  Another great one over the weekend has left.

What are your regrets if you were to die today? What would you wish you’d done?

I don’t have many. Mine would be that I never had a child to call my own. That would probably be at the very top. Other things are pretty minor in the grand scheme of things:

  • A dog, man’s best friend. Lol I know weird, but a dog will love you unconditionally, no matter what.
  • Seeing the world. I’ve seen quite a lot, but still microcosmic to the vastness of the world. If I could do it full time, I would. One day…
  • Working with children. I’d love to be able to work with children. Young children, whose innocence and curiosity is just so pure. Right before social conditioning gets a hold of them. If I can inspire some kids for the better, that would be awesome. Its something I’d love to do in my later years.

But really, that’s about it. I’ve loved, I’ve lost. I’ve been beaten up, and it wasn’t the end of the world. I’ve tried my best and failed miserably, and I’m still here. But I know, that my time will come, and your time will come, so instead of fearing it, why not embrace the inevitable? Such a liberating feeling it is to know that today quite possibly could be your last, so why not do the things you love to do? If I were to go today, I’d be content. But I’d love to stick around, because there’s just so much to feel, so much to experience, so much to contribute and be a part of.

Speaking of contributing, check out the awesome idea of Tim Ferriss.  What a great and easy way help a worthy cause.  Social Media for the betterment of all.  I like it.  All you have to do is follow him on twitter, and money gets donated!! I like.

By the way, I hope you guys are checking out my Tumblr stuff, I usually post funny pictures and goofy stories I find around the net.  I know its silly stuff but hey if it makes me smile, maybe it’ll make you smile too 🙂

Oh and check out this awesome poem.

Life, Me

Persistence paves the way.

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My hands are shredded.  Blisters on most of my fingers from a hard day of climbing.  The agonizing pain of climbing, for the first time in my life, a 5.11 wall.  I did this twice, on two separate walls.  Finally, after all that hard work, I broke the barrier to the next level.  I remember being lowered down after climbing that second wall, that amazing feeling… “I did it.  About time.”  The onlookers congratulated me as I was untying myself.  “Wow, you were determined.” said one fine young lady.  Determined?  Probably.  Persistent?  Most definitely.  Washing the chalk off of my hands with soap, felt like acid burning through my skin.  But man was it worth it.

After a year being stuck in the same level, I thought I had plateaued.  I thought I had reached the limits of my abilities, but mentally I wasn’t convinced.  And so I plugged away at it, and plugged away, and plugged away.  Somebody at the climbing gym jokingly said to me, “Its the devil inside of you, that makes you keep on trying.” and I would say that there’s definitely something inside, telling you to keep on trucking.  If there wasn’t, we’d still be living in caves hunting for food with our hands.

You know the story of Thomas Edison?  He failed at making the light bulb like 1000 times.  But he kept on trying and trying and trying and he eventually got it right.  Can you imagine if he quit, what our world would be like today?  Then there’s this guy named Ghandi, you may have heard of him.  Him and his followers were able to single handedly convince one of the most powerful army’s to ever grace this Earth to withdraw from his country and grant their independence, without the use of violence.  How did he do it?  Basically, he kept on nagging them and nagging them and nagging them until they eventually got so annoyed they left lol.  Now that is persistence.

Go out, take what is yours, and if you can’t get it, try again.  Keep on trying.  Spend the hours and years working to your full potential, and put your heart and soul into it.  Let yourself fail, but don’t let yourself stop trying.  Yes, you’ll be on the plateaus more than you’ll be on the peaks, but don’t let that slow you down.  You are a locomotive, and you can’t be stopped.  You are a menacing lion hunting for its prey.  You are awesome, and you are persistent.

As for me, what comes after climbing a 5.11?  Plug away, plug away, plug away, and aim for 5.12.  Like I keep saying, it never ends, and its the journey that counts.  There is no why.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Life

The only thing I’m pretty sure I know is that I don’t know anything

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I like to think I have a pretty good grip on reality.  But the truth is, everybody lives in a different world.  Same physical world perhaps, but mentally very different worlds.  To some people, a cigarette is a great stress reliever, to another, its a disgusting habit.  In the physical world, it’s merely a cigarette, the person’s interpretation of it is what makes it valueable.  That’s why I’m pretty sure nobody knows anything, because they are only filtering it through their own model of their world. But there are many advantages of not thinking you are a know-it-all.  One of my all time favourite quotes comes from Royce Gracie, one of the biggest pioneers in the sport of MMA: “The belt only covers 2 inches of your ass, you have to cover the rest.”  What I think (my interpretation) of what he’s saying there is that you are ultimately responsible for yourself, not any type of symbolic achievement such as a black belt or a championship belt.  Once you’ve achieved those things, do you really think its going to get easier?  Heck no, its going to get harder with people gunning for the belt!  That’s why the road to mastery is never ending.  It is the journey that counts.  When you don’t think you know it all, it let’s you continue your journey, as if you are a beginner, as if you are a baby soaking it all in.

Without thinking you know, it prevents you from pre judging a situation.  It lets us be curious, to be open, to be satisfied with the present moment.  And that is the fun part, isn’t it?  Knowing is half the battle, so I guess not knowing is the other half?  Who knows.  I know you think you know, or you think I know you know, but you don’t know and I don’t know.  But we can try and find out, or not, because who knows if we’ll be right.  I just gave myself a headache.  Its like that TV show about the celebrities where they say “You think you know, but you have no idea…” or something.  I don’t know.  All I’m saying is you don’t have to know everything or think you do, because what you think you know might not be what you think you know.  Know what I’m saying?