NPO

I was at the dentist today and had an unlikely conversation with her.....

Dentist: Do you exercise or diet? You are very thin. (no hello, just sits down and opens with this.)

Rowdy: Yeah, I do. I exercise about 8 to 10 hours a week and kinda watch what I eat. More like I just try not to eat too much and just eat whatever I want.

Dentist: Oh, what kind of exercise do you do? Gym or what?

Rowdy: Actually mostly in my garage. Calisthenics or riding my bike or going to my martial arts class.

Dentist: You are very thin, like a male model.

Rowdy: Thanks.....

Dentist: Most Americans are very big, too big, but you are like a European in your build. Like many of the men I have seen from there. You are built like a male model. (she is not originally from the US)(full disclosure i ammmmm smaller than the average american male, as i am only 5' 7" and 137lbs)

Rowdy: Hhahaha, now only if I was good looking!

Dentist: People say you loose weight if you smoke, maybe I should start smoking.

Rowdy: Uh, no. You should not do that, or meth either.

Dentist: Oh, I have had many patients who have done that substance and their teeth are all gone.

I have to keep talking to you because if I am done to quick you will think I am making easy money off of you.

Rowdy: No really, it is ok. If I am out of here in 2 minutes that is fine. All you are doing is making me nervous by keeping me here.

Dentist: So what kind of food do you like?

Rowdy: Pizza, hamburgers and mexican. Sushi to. But not steak really. Though I do love french dip sandwiches.

Dentist: What is that?

Rowdy: I wish I had metal teeth shaped like shark teeth...

Dentist: I know a dental tech in San Fran who had all his teeth pulled and made metal dentures. When he put them in they were too heavy to stay.

Rowdy: Titanium.

Dentist: One time a guy named Wolf asked me out. I said, who is this wolf? He had given his incisors crowns to look like wolf fangs and changed his name to Wolf and he was in a band. Like I would ever go out with that. Yeah right!

So yeah, you now get an idea of what my 45 minutes at the dentist was like today.....

Scott Reyes Design

Some new work he did on another one of my helmets!

an interesting idea....

I don't know where I originally heard of this idea, but I think it is a great one.

It has been put very simplistically that illegal things come into the US and cash goes out. This cash is then laundered and used over again. This can be stopped.

A secondary cash should be created that is only viable outside the US. So our normal green cash would be worthless if used outside the US and if is to be deposited outside the US is rejected. Only the new, secondary cash (let's say it is blue) can be used in any way outside the US. Corrupt bankers should now also be easier to find and shut down.

Going one step further all the 'blue' money would also have an RFID tag or something like that to scan and record it beyond just a simple serial number. I'm not ready for this step just yet.

Law abiding travelers and businesses dealing in cash will just go to the "cambio" like everyone else and make a legal, recorded in some cases, transaction. Yes it will be an extra step and yes it will be annoying but it would be worth it.

If Europe can switch currencies to one common one we should be able to handle the logistics of adding a second currency.

I think this is a great idea and should be implemented.

some things you may not know about me

-i am afraid of being near the edge of anything far off the ground.
-i am afraid of snakes.
-i like brussel sprouts.
-i've been to more foreign countries than US states.
-i sweat a lot when exercising but don't stink.
-i cut my own hair for 6 years.
-i moved out of my parents house within weeks of turning 18. i was stubborn and i think it was a mistake. hahaha. live and learn.
-i've been upside down in a plane.
-i just met my biological dad within the past 2 years.
-i crashed my first car the first day i drove it. i crashed it end over end into a ditch. since then, i have never been in a 'real' wreck. just sliding off the road being too aggressive with the throttle.
-i have no tattoos and never will.
-i have never had a nickname that's stuck. my real name is my nickname i guess...
-i don't like chocolate really.
-i lie about my age but will readily tell you my height or weight.
-the fastest i have ever driven or ridden something myself was over 160mph.
-i've lived in towns with less than 6,000 and more than a million people.
-in my life i've owned over 20 motorcycles.
-i like to watch cartoons and old monster movies.

4 and 3 and 2 and 1....

When I'm on a bike I'm having fun!

This morning I went for a nice supermoto ride with my friend who runs So Cal Supermoto (www.socalsupermoto.com) out in East County.

The group consisted of 5 people in total on his tour. As B knows me, I swept the group and he lead. The bikes consisted of my WR250X, two DRZ400SM's, a XR650L and a BMW FG650 I think...

We started at the bottom of Viejas grade and went up and over that (XR crashed) to Boulder Creek Road (BMW had a few big moments) to Banner grade (a few moments from a DRZ and the BMW) at which point the BMW rider decided to turn around and be done. Heading back up Banner we stopped in Julian for fuel and food.

Here the XR rider decided to leave us. We then decided to do Engineers road to Boulder Creek and retrace our tracks back to the start point.

On Boulder Creek in the dirt part a DRZ rider went down and tweeked their wrist. Then I decided to be fancy and fast crossing a creek and went down in the water, unable to stand up on the mossy bottom and had to get help getting out of the water with my motorcycle. FUN!

After all that it was just getting back to the start and then riding down the 8 to home. With soaking wet clothes. While it may have been a nice hot sunny day in San Diego up in the mountains in East County is was soo windy my bike and I blew over from a gust of wind while stopped and the temps were surely never higher than the low 60s at best.

Pictures will be up in a day or so. I think I busted ANOTHER camera on a motorcycle ride..... Dang it!

To paraphrase Run DMC as in the title of this post, "4 and 3 and 2 and 1, when I'm on my bike I'm having fun!"

fun in the sun this friday

fun machine
my new socks, that were free!
that's not something blocking the trail
it IS the trail!

BJJ and break dancing....

So today we were passing the guard where you do a head stand and jump to the other side. Doing it in slow motion it looks somewhat like some break dancing movements. Being original old school it totally took me back....

So I thought I would share with you some of my memories of those times. Here are 3 songs that were sure to get me going! And were frequently on the ghetto blaster.

If you wanna know more about it all, watch the movie "5 Sides of the Coin" for a historical break down of the important parts of hip-hop and for a look at the modern scene as far as break dancing goes, "Planet B-Boy" is pretty good.

So here you go, music from the early 80s, before most of you were even born!

my rowdy schedule

thurs: jiu jitsu 11-12. jiu jitsu 6-830pm
fri: mnt bike ride in am sometime. dinner at Gaglione Bros.
sat: big supermoto ride with SoCalSupermoto 9am-3pm. watch UFC 111 at the movie theater.

Reason and Health Care Reform (it's gonna cost you!!!)

One of the main selling points of health care reform was that it would cut the federal deficit by a supposed $143 billion over the next decade and a trillion-plus dollars in the one after that.

But not only will the legislation not cut one thin dime from the deficit, it will also certainly cost far more than the $940 billion in new spending already on the table for at least three reasons.

These include:

1. Legislative Trickery. Congressional Democrats have pledged support for "the doc fix," a permanent upward adjustment to the rates at which Medicare providers are reimbursed. As Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said, "We have made a commitment to do this. This is very important." The cost of the "doc fix"? Some $247 billion over the next 10 years, wiping out any deficit reduction from health care reform.

2. Higher Premiums. In 2006, Massachusetts passed health care reform very similar to what President Obama just signed. The result? The Bay State now has the highest premiums in the country and cost about 33 percent more than expected.

3. Bad Accounting. The government is terrible at predicting how much programs will cost, especially when it comes to medical care. Initial 1960s' projections of Medicare's costs in 1990 had the program costing about $12 billion; the actual result was almost 10 times that amount. As a Joint Economic Committee report notes, "Major health care proposals have almost always cost more...than the highest cost estimates published while the legislation was pending."

For real!!! You don't mess with him.

And if you do, you'll get an ugly haircut. I mean look at this guy!

Racecar is my second favorite palindrome

My Friday evening and almost all of the day Saturday were spent taking the local Porsche Club of America's performance driving school.

Friday evening was all classroom learning and Saturday was all drills and driving.

It was crazy to see about $3,000,000 worth of cars in one parking lot at one time. And as a juxtaposition there was also a huge low-rider event at the other side of the stadium.

The first two drills of the morning I was not that great at, frankly. After lunch we moved to driving exercises that had a bit more speed and required a bit more skill. This is when I started to shine. Not to brag too much but more than once I heard my instructor laughing out loud and saying, "That was awesome. You did that perfectly. That rocked!" Or, "You've done this before haven't you?" And finally my favorite, "No one here is gonna go faster than you just did today."

To be honest, the Cayman S is an amazing car. It takes someone who is an average amateur competitive driver and with a little training make them look great. A lot of credit goes to the car.

On my part I have autocrossed a dozen times or so, taken unofficial driving schools and professional ones such as Skip Barber. So I am not some total newb who has never driven a car in anger or at a race. But I am also not someone who regularly does performance car stuff. Heck, only had the Porsche a few months!

Anyways, it was a great time. And my driving is much better. And my fun gland is a little larger.

The pics!

MTB

Friday I went with C and M up to Vail Lake and did kind of a 'super d' style day of riding and they also sessioned some jumps that were a little too big for me.

We rode from 9am till 1pm, but due to all the climbing we did and the nature of repeating short intense runs over and over the total mileage for over 3 hours of riding wasn't that impressive. But boy did I feel tired!

I was odd man out for the only, and final run, we decided to shuttle. The rains had really rutted the fire road to the top, so it was quite exciting. At one stage I actually had to use my shovel and stack rocks to get my truck out of a rut. Fun, scary and tense all at the same time! Just how I like it.

And of course, here are some pics. Sadly you don't get to see my happy post ride face chowing down at In-N-Out.

Change

People can change. For the worse or the better.

You don't have to have a life changing experience, just a desire to change your heart.

Anyone can become "good". We all can be better. It is possible to change, you are not "too far gone".

A broken heart, a contrite spirit is all that is asked for you to begin. Then the work begins.

You can make a turn around. You can. Please believe it and act on it.

My greatest love, born from my greatest hate.

Big Hunk candy bar, I hate and love you. In 2004 you ripped out my prosthetic front tooth the first day of a new job. Now in March 2010 you broke a tooth during my great white shark impersonation on you.

Picture the ending of the movie Planet of the Apes, but instead it is me (not C. Heston) on my knees at the beach looking up at a giant Big Hunk (not the Statue of Liberty) candy bar saying, "damn you!! damn you to hell!!" with the realization of what this particular candy bar has done to my dental past and future.

Or my disgust as I am spitting out candy bar and tooth fragments in the parking lot of the store after my very first bite!

All this means 2 hours and 30 minutes at the dentist today to get a crown. I think I would have rather been water boarded for 2 hours and 30 minutes and confessed all my secrets rather than deal with a broken tooth again.

My dentist says I have the strongest bite she has ever seen, ever. Couple that with what I guess are just genetically weak teeth and I am doomed. I have crushed a porcelain crown while seating it the very first time it was placed in my mouth. Great white shark indeed.

So here I am, queasy from lunch, mouth numb from the dentist, depressed at a broken tooth, tried from AM class of jiu jitsu and drugged up on Ativan and Naproxen. But I still have to go with P.M. to his first jiu jitsu class tonight in 45 minutes...

KOBK KOBK KOBK KOBK KOBK KOBK

I can do it! (I did it)

And of course, pictures for you my awesome readers!

Haterade, choke on it.

Yesterday a casual friend went off on me about the amount of his co-pay to Kaiser and his anger at the amount of money physicians make.

This disgusts me on so many levels.

1. It is your employer who picked your health care plan and the specifics of it. Kaiser did not set your co-pays and coverage levels. Be mad at your work, not at the entity that provided you a service. How much is your health worth? Don't moan to me about paying $600 for two advanced diagnostic tests!!

2. Health care is not a right. Get this through your freaking thick heads people! It is a privilage with responsibilities! If you want it for free and want "the rich" to pay for it, then you better be willing to pay the same amount of your income in taxes!! Oh what, now you scream and cry about losing 37% of your income right off the bat to your nanny-state, gimmie gimmie gimmie government? But you think it is OK for the "rich" to pay it, not you. Give me a break! This shows your hypocrisy and selfishness for what it truly is.

3. I have had hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills with no health insurance. when I made less than $20,000 a year and had a family to support. So don't tell me I don't understand the fear and trevails of being poor and uninsured!! That is crap. I have had a medical bankcruptcy. I have been divorced over the stresses of all of it. I have struggled to find work, feed a family on welfare, been uninsured and sick. And then been denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition. All of it. Don't tell me I don't understand.

4. Your family doctor makes about $80-100,000 per year here in San Diego. That is not getting "rich" by any means and equals about $40 a hour if you assume they only work the average of 2,200 hours per year of a regular 40hr a week schedule. A journeyman Teamster in San Diego makes $28 per hour, or almost $60,000 in a year. Why is it that the people who complain about a doctors pay want to bring it down rather than lift everyone else's pay up? You make $10 a hour most likely because of your own choices in life, if my specialist with 10 more years of education than me makes $300,000 in a year and saves my life good for them! They deserve it.

5. What happened to the idea of success being rewarded? What happened to the idea that people are different? What happened to the idea of competition, with the attendant winners and thus losers? What happened to the idea of sacrifice?

If you're drinking the Haterade I hope you choke on it, frankly. Let the people who are doing real work in the right way move forward in life.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

I now really know the meaning of a "no win" situation. Out of curiosity and hoping to get a competitive edge I have been checking the competitor list daily for the Pan Ams, then Googling the names of the people in my division and searching Youtube for videos on whom I might face.

Well today a competitor showed up that I can't beat. If I beat him I 'loose', if he beats me I loose as well. How can this be you ask?

http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/news/state_regional/south_carolina/article/north_augusta_man_doesnt_let_cerebral_palsy_keep_on_him_the_mat/10097/

One of my opponents from South Carolina has Cerebral Palsy. See what I mean....??? If I face him how will they start the fight if he can't stand on his own? What if he chokes me? I mean, he is a purple belt as well so he can't be a total push over.

All I know is he is going to give his best and I am going to give my best. And this year my best will be gold.

Ginastica Natural instruction now for you!

If you want to do something fun, challenging, unique and that will increase anyone's quality of life, check out www.GinasticaNatural.com

Private lessons are available throughout the week, excluding Sunday. Ginastica Natural can be modified to help anyone from someone newly seeking to improve their fitness to professional athletes. I received my training directly from Alvaro Romano and am ready to share that knowledge with you!

Check out a few videos:



If you'd like to give your fitness routine a change, boost your performance or just increase your quality of life, contact me and we can begin your private instruction at a reasonable rate!

objecte d'arte

Here are some photos of a modern art piece I made recently and put in a local show. It is titled "Modern Life" and is an original creation. The show it was in was more homespun crafty kinda stuff, so no one really "got it" and it was relegated to a far corner of the exhibited pieces, but oh well.


"Modern Life" original by Rowdy $100

Sharks In The News

CNN has reported a decline in shark attacks in the US over the past 3 years. Another site I go to for shark news, www.underwatertimes.com has also reported something similar.

They speculate as to the reason why but I think I know the real reason.

Sharks are settling down, getting married and being responsible.

Either that or beach property is getting to expensive for them and they are moving inland. So expect to see a rise in shark attacks in Carmel Valley soon. At least one shark has been seen leaving the ocean in the past week to look at property in North County.

Which personal logo do you like best?

This one, or that one? Leave a comment and let me know. Thanks!


I will be making a few stickers, t-shirts and a gi patch with this, so I really do value your opinion.

My shoe civil war is over!

For the past 5 years a civil war has raged in my closet. It is the same one that divides the German town of Herzogenaurach. The feud that divided a family and a city, Adidas versus Puma.

In the past 5 years a single pair of navy blue suede Puma TT lows had battled classic white Stan Smiths, brown Superstars, black Sambas and while 4 pairs of Adidas have came and gone the Pumas stayed strong, never losing a battle.

But they have now lost the war. To a special forces attack by a pair of Adidas Campus shoes in a luxurious blue suede.

The civil war in my closer is over and Adidas has won.

My version of 'the prestige'....

I am about to reveal to you something I have been hiding until the perfect moment! And that moment is now.

Two great things have been put in motion in my life and they start today! I have hinted at one and the other will be a complete surprise to all but one of you.

First, I begin my Certification Course for Ginastica Natural today with Prof. Alvaro Romano. This is to qualify me for training people in his system. I am learning something from the person who invented it! For the next 6 days I work with him 7 hours a day on learning Ginastica Natural and how to teach it to others.

He has 3 levels of representatives and I am doing the course that takes me to the highest level. With that my plan goes 3 different possible ways and could actually be a combination of all 3. First, I just branch out on my own and teach clients privately I find. Secondly, I teach a class through the academy with Fabio's consent and receive some remuneration. Thirdly, Alvaro opens his own physical studio in San Diego and I become an instructor there.

No matter what, by next week I will start making plans on how to turn this investment of my time and money into a different job. Training MMA and BJJ fighters and competitors, surfers, skaters and other action sports people a style of flexibility, movement and strength tailored for the unique requirements of their sports.

Check out www.GinasticaNatural.com to see what I mean.

The next big secret thing to be revealed to you is about me and my performance as well. As an early birthday gift form Super D I will be getting an assessment, session and program with a prominent sports psychologist here in San Diego!! Geoff Miller at the Winning Mind is going to help me better perform under pressure.

This is all geared to increasing my success in my jiu jitsu competition, my mountain bike racing and my new job plan as well. I have covered all my physical preparations as best I can, now it is time to get a mental advantage over everyone!

Two Awesome Things, One Day!!!!

My day in photos...

The El Cajon line at 0740. Where I eventually ended up.
Hell.
Yeah, at least 50 ahead of me. This only took 2.5 hours to get through.
The line at the Clairmont DMV, where I eventually just got tired of waiting.
When I think of a Hummer the VERY last thing that comes to mind is a hummingbird. And a powder blue one at that...
Only a jazzy woman would drive a 'Stang. Ugh.
Yeah, and I'm in my 15mpg Porsche right now so get the freak out of my way!!!
Now if you have to eat them, THIS is how you eat frozen tacquitos!
Come back San Diego sun, come back sun! (say it like the kid at the end of Shane)
Voyeur! Get outtta my dressing room!
The new haircut seconds after it was born!
AT home, less crazy eyed but still looking good.

That's Mrs Oscar to you!

I am glad The Hurt Locker won the awards it did last night. I am also glad to have seen it in the theater when it first came out.

In honor of the place, time I was there, those still there and the success of the movie here are some pics of my time there.

If you watch those types of movies (rater R or military) you will like it. There are of course like 3 major areas of artistic license, but it is a movie, not a documentary.