All Things Rowdy

Me+free time+Google images+Paint=lolz

I like most things in my life to have a little "extra". Hot chocolate has to have whipped cream and vanilla. Motorcycles have to have sticky tires and an exhaust and be dyno tuned. I think you get the idea. Putting my money where my mouth is and after all isn't the whole point of this to share my Rowdy ways with you, here are some recent rowdy accessories. Off the rack Banana Republic suit, navy with pinstripes. and sterling cuff links Express men, Gap and Steve Madden. and J Crew wool pea coat. It really isn't a funky bracelet... it keeps my pants clean at work... where I use the cutest, tiniest wrench.

(Sung to the tune of "If You're Happy And You Know It") Verse 1:If you got the flu shot and you know it, numb your hands. (3 times) [make action of shaking limp hands in front of you] Chorus:If you got the flu shot and you know it, then your face will surely show it. If you got the flu shot and you know it Guillain-Barre! [mime giving yourself a shot in the arm] Verse 2: If you got the flu shot and you know it, stop your feet. (3 times) [stare downward at your paralyzed legs] Chorus Verse 3: If you got the flu shot at you know it, shout "I'm not OK!" (3 times) [make an exaggerated angry or confused facial expression] Chorus Verse 4: If you got the flu shot and you know it, do all three. (3 times) [shake your limp hands/wrists while looking down at your legs making an angry or confused face] Chorus!

It's time for my Remicade infusion again.... And now that my brother and his family left, it seems strangely quiet at my house. Odd. Though it will only last a day as K returns tomorrow. I'm off to the hospital now. Fun. Not.

Family and friends were over, the weather was beautiful. The food was traditional but still every bit a feast. Fun, family, feasting. Fabulous. While the meal was beginning we went around the table and each said at least three things we were thankful for in our lives. Mine were one, being thankful that I am still alive. An intestinal disease that has given me much trouble through the years, working in a war zone and having more than a few potentially dangerous hobbies. If just a few things had changed here or there through life well, let's just say I really do have reason to be thankful to be alive at this time. Secondly I am thankful for the times I have been able to use my talents to help others or myself. Whether it is giving the Heimlich maneuver to a choking child in a restaurant, speaking in a foreign language, providing good care to patients, teaching new skills to people or just listening and understanding. While not a comprehensive list, you get the idea. If you have a tal...

As I have blogged before here I "suffer" from Morton's toe. This is where your second toe is considerably longer than your great (first or big) toe. Thankfully I am not a girl who has to deal with open toe shoes, but I am a guy who has broken this toe multiple times on the mat. Once this caused me to miss a hiking trip to the Grand Canyon and Havasu Pi area. That I of course had non refundable tickets for. Another area this has hampered me is in rock climbing. Wearing the correct size climbing shoe puts a serious hurt on that toe. And I can't even think about crack climbing unless I am in a shoe that basically is no good for face climbing. No good! I rarely rock climb anymore and not at the level I used to so this isn't really an issue anymore. I also have broken toes in jiu jitsu in the past two years but it had nothing to do with it being too long and everything to do with bad technique. The only real reason now to get it cut off is for aesthetics and a sort of...

So I went to Disneyland for my first time today. I have lived in California since 2001 and have never been. Wow. Why did I carry a deprived childhood into a deprived adulthood? I guess I was just having too much fun doing other things. So really, you should have no pity for me. But I will understand your amazement at my late timing in making a first visit to "the happiest place on earth". I had a great time overall. I was in the park exactly 2 hours after leaving my house. The lines at entry were no worse than Sea World. The $72 for a single day single park ticket took me aback though. Let me back up. One, who carries any cash around with them anymore? Can't anything and everything be taken care of with plastic? I roll up to park and they want $14. I tell the lady "I only have plastic..." and she just smiles and says "ok, well here ya go, just go park anyways" and hands me a validated pass. My next interaction is at the ticket booth. The girl looks at ...

neice and nephew nephew what happens when you take a vietmanese cooking class. shrimp spring roll and banana flower salad sinclair dino in st george on a sunday (alliterative?)

A friend of mine has a hook up to get me piranhas. Fun! Until I researched just how much money, time and effort goes into setting up and maintaining a tank. Ugh, no thanks. I would love to have fish. I find fish sooo soothing to watch. Their behavior fascinates me. And piranha would be the epitome of a fun visual fish to keep. But I think it honestly is too much work for my level of knowledge about keeping fish, which is 100% novice. So a little searching led me to Russian tortoises. They seem pretty easy to keep. And while not really a pet you can play with I think would provide me with some pet owning satisfaction. What I really would like though is a German Shepard. Sadly, I would want it to live outside all the time and I have no yard at all. Oh well...

This is the movie I was supposed to be in, but couldn't make it to filming as it was on Sunday for the segment I was invited to be in. (Thanks for the chance RH!!) I will be attending the premiere in Poway on December 2nd at 830pm. And dressed sharp!! Think Global, Race Local.

As you have read I am dropping down to 134lbs for this next jiu jitsu tournament here in San Diego in two weeks. 140lbs is a pretty comfortable weight for me and I can hit 137 easily. But this time I have to go from 140 down to 134, at the most, 133 would be better so as to have a cushion if OTM's scale is off... I am not really reckless in my diet normally, but to loose a legitimate 6 or 7 lbs, 5% of my body weight takes some work. A similar loss would be someone going from 185 down to 175. When you are already fit and thin, it is tough to do. I am strictly counting my calories, I weigh myself twice daily, I have a chart tracking my progress on the wall near the scale and am making sure to exercise in one way or another 6 days a week. So I end up having lunches like today's where I eat a handful of spinach leaves, one can of tuna, Dijon mustard, green onion all stirred together and then 8 low-fat Ritz crackers. Water to drink of course. A "snack" now is a mini whole ...

I am watching a Japanese documentary right now about the special effects artists who worked on all the Toho monster movies. It is soooooo interesting! I love it. "Bringing Godzilla Down to Size"

Next week I am going to Disneyland for my VERY first time. How did I get to be an adult and never have been to Mickey Mouse's house?? Oh wait, I have also never been to Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Theaters, 6 Flags or anything like that. Next Tuesday though I'll be in the "Magic Kingdom" for the first time and with some of my nephews and a niece. FUN!

For the Grapplers Quest tournament in Vegas I am kinda stuck with a weight class of 149lbs or under. I will be giving up 9 to 10 lbs on people but I think I can overcome that just fine. The OTM tournament here in San Diego on December 5th provides me with a dilemma though. I can compete in my age group or I can compete in a catch all 'adult' class. Normally I just do my age group if it is offered. But the lowest weight class for my age group is 159lbs or less. I am only 138lbs.... So I am giving up 20lbs. Or even more as they allow you to weigh in without your gi the day before. Which also could play into an advantage for me as well. In the adult class their is a weight class that tops out at 134lbs. Meaning I would have to loose about 5lbs. My dilemma is this: Fight in my age group but against heavier people and not have to do anything about my weight. Or fight guys 10 years younger than me but having to weigh in the day before at 134lbs. I can see advantages to both, just not...

Ugh, today is a day where I have to spend some money. Entering the tournament on Dec 5th here in San Diego is $60. Pre-registering for the tournament in Las Vegas on the 12th is $80. T-shirts for the event are $20 each I think. The wool coat I want is $230. I HAVE to order it today to use my 30% off coupon. Then I also need to buy gasoline for the truck, as it is almost empty. $50. I also am joining a group where the membership is $50 a year, so that will go out as well. Finally I need to buy some new wood chips for the smoker so that I can start on everyone's Xmas gifts. That's right, if you are getting a present from me you are probably getting smoked fish and/or beef jerky. Those chips will be about $20. There ya go, a grand total of a little over $500, and for what? To fight with someone. To be warm and look good. To drive around. To do something new. To make presents. It should be worth it............

Why do I have vertigo? It happens only rarely and is much milder than when it originated, but still why do I have it? -a concussion or two? or three? -electrolyte imbalance? -mild Mineire's? It also seems to be coupled with a growing fear of heights. Riding an escalator or going down stairs that are high off the ground and exposed on either side give me the willies and set of my internal panic mode. This is in no way debilitating but at this stage just annoying!! Normally breathing and focusing and making a joke about it and I am good. But that fact that I even sense this bugs the crap out of me. And of course as you have read about here often, my freaking nightmare issue. They say you can't die in your dreams. Well I am here to tell you that is a lie. I have been murdered, died and committed suicide to total completion in my dreams. I don't wake up before hand, I wake up after screaming, panting, sweaty and thrashing around in the bed. I don't watch scary movies, I don...

I want some new clothes. I like the current Edwardian, huntsman style that is available for men. Think Sherlock Holmes I guess... If it looks like a character would have worn it in a PBS show set in England in the 19th century I think I would like it. I need like $3,000 to totally reset my "style"! Or actually gain a cohesive style. *edit-I just wore the same jiu jitsu t-shirt and baggy jeans for 3 days in a row* Before I go to Utah for Xmas I want this wool coat from J Crew. Charcoal, thinsulate, size small. FYI *edit-I just got a coupon for 20% off on this coat, so I am ordering it soon*

I was talking with one of my buddies who is almost done with law school and he was mentioning how law school has ruined the idea of reading for pleasure. So we were still talking about what types of books we like to read and I said, "if you can buy the book at the grocery store it is crap and I won't read it." They kind of took affront to my statement, if only just a teeny tiny bit and have sense teased me about my book snobbery. I think I feel this way about more than books though, restaurants are pretty much the same thing for me as well. RESTAURANTS I WILL NEVER EAT IN AGAIN (if given a choice) -Applebee's -Jack in the Box -Carls Junior -Marrie Calendars -TGI Fridays -Chillis -Claim Jumper -Denny's -Outback -Sizzler -Olive Garden -Red Lobster And so on and so on. But like all rules there are exceptions and I seem to have found one last Friday. One of the guys at jiu jitsu who I also mountain bike with works at Black Angus and has always said, "come on in a...

If I could grow a white beard and paint my ears black, I would look just like a fox!

Cooking class at the Sofitel Hanoi badminton in the park I swear I saw a dragon I wore this hat for 10 seconds then realized it's not my look photo op the quiet American black & white and red all over? park in Putrajaya MotoGP!!

An Islamic terrorist. Maj. Hasan should not be described as mentally ill, an aberration, a lone gunman or anything else but an Islamic terrorist. To do so is a grave misstatement that detracts from what really happened. 1. The dichotomy between his job and where he was employed were fueled by his religious belief. Specifically. 2. In the classic definition of a terror act he committed this violence to further a political agenda. In this age we have changed the definition of terrorism to include acts committed to further a religious change as well. The discordance he felt between US military policy and his religion was the motivator. 3. And finally and most strongly, his terrorist act is being proclaimed as such my Muslims in other parts of the world as an act of Islamic terror. Things are what they are and this type of denial and deception should be seen through.

-Thursday- rock climbing with R and A jiu jitsu class -Friday- mountain biking all day at Vail Lake with friends go out for dinner? -Saturday- shooting clay pigeons with the guys watching the WEC fights with friends