All Things Rowdy

I was a healthcare professional at one time, a nuclear medicine technologist to be exact. In the 6 years I did that job I made two serious mistakes. The first was during my training and I was doing a tagged RBC study. I grabbed the wrong cold kit and reconstituted Hepatolite rather than PYP and injected it into the patient. I was able to make up the correct kit and give it and then the Tc99m as it should be and the test went fine. But I was very shaken mentally that I could have made that mistake. There was no radiation involved and the test went totally fine, so really this was a "no harm, no foul" kind of event. No one would have known except I admitted my mistake immediately to my supervisor. Live and learn. The second was a classic mix up of patient names, patient rooms and exams. Two little old ladies in adjoining rooms, both getting two different nuc's studies over three different names. Operating on auto pilot I went to give a MDP injection for a bone scan and mixe...

Conan would say it is this: If you were to ask me, "Rowdy, what is best in life?" I would strike whatever pose I could for where I was that the gave the impression of regal, calm strength and in my best Conan the barbarian voice(not the TV host who I don't really like) say: "Riding motorcycles. A hot shower. And to eat candy everyday!" oooorrrrrrr "Warm weather at the beach. Tapping someone out. And getting a haircut" Rowdy channeling Conan would not say family, true love, puppies or things like that. Though arguably two of those things are better than even a Slurpee. Maybe even three Slurpees....

I have been doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for two years and two months and today was the first day I felt like I really was getting it. Like my purple belt "fit". So that got me thinking, what is the real cost in dollars I have spent to get to this stage? I am not counting the money I spent to get certified at Ginastica Natural or the other stuff like BJJ t-shirts that are part of the social scene rather actually related to training. They are part of the addiction, but not part of the training. Nor am I counting any costs for my injuries as my health insurance coverage is 100% for accidents and such. I have been doing BJJ for 26 months but have been out 5 months due to two injuries and one illness. All my calculations will be based of a 21 month time period to reflect this. Lessons, unlimited class per month: $2,730. Gi's, 6 different uniforms at $840. Gatorade, supplements and other drinks. $525 Private lessons. $200 DVD's. $275 Mats in my garage. $375. Mouth guards and...

My brain is too frazzled right now to write funny captions. Or even put these pics in some sort of coherent order. Maybe I'll do it later. But for now be satisfied with these pictures if you can. -The TSA type folks were not very friendly and were oh-so-super-serious about their crappy job boarding the boat. Get a life folks. -"This soap makes my hands smell like 2nd grade"-me upon washing my hands with the soap in the room. -At a bar/restaurant in Ensenada they gave M, who is 15 and K, who is 17, margaritas instantly upon being seated. At lunch time. In front of their parents. What?!?!? I'm all for a fun time, but seriously.... -My dad is doing great after open heart surgery. -I can't wait to get my hair cut on Thursday. If you need a place to go I highly recommend Rinse Salon and Morgan. Check 'em out on Yelp. I've been going to her for years. When my hair ever looks good it is due to her. When it looks like crap it is due to me. -I am working on getting...

OK, I'm back from my cruise! Soon to have more new and exciting stories and photos for you, dear readers! ! There, now this post has 3 exclamation points.

As I heard it: Broccoli was invented by an Englishman at the turn of the 20th century. He invented it by crossing cauliflower and asparagus. Or something like that. Well people really liked it and it spread through all the world and he became very rich from the sale and spread of this new vegetable. The Englishman's last name was Broccoli and that is where it received its name. The family's fortune grew so great that his grandson needed something to spend all the money on. So he decided to become a movie producer and start the James Bond franchise with his family's fortune. And that is where broccoli came from and how it was what got the James Bond movies started. Can you actually believe this?? Of course it is all crap other than the fact that A. R Broccoli was involved with the 007 films. 30 seconds on Wikipedia could have saved the speaker the embarrassment of being known in my mind forever now as Mr. Asinine.

underhooks rowdy, underhooks!

My dad is doing well so far, following open heart surgery. So I am thankful for that. My leg soreness has gone down enough I was able to go back to jiu jitsu today. My Ginastica Natural business is not floundering, but not taking off either. I finally got the Slurpee I have been craving for a week today. I go on my first cruise this Friday, out of Long Beach. A 4 day Mexico one. Too bad I can't get a tan.... I haven't taken anything to help me sleep or had a nightmare in over a week. I'm making my famous spaghetti for dinner tonight. I am going to a "trivia tuesday" night for the first time tonight up in RB at Kelly's.

Possibly one of THE worst pictures of me ever. My sisters look great for it being 0515.... Black eye, swollen face, crazy hair, squinty. Man this is just a fugly pic of me.... but I'm still gonna post it. hahahhaha "Who's stupid idea was this?", from the police officer asking us why we were walking along the TRAX tracks, taking a shortcut to the station. It was mine. A $100 fine was threatened but not given. "Do you think I can use the bathroom at __________?", from my sister at 0530 in downtown SLC. Um, hate to break it to you sis, but a real estate office is not gonna be even open on Saturday, let alone at 530 in the morning, for you to use their bathroom. Don't you know, you shoulda went before we left home! "Could everyone please more to the right side of the train.", from the TRAX driver because the cars were soooo full they were bottoming out against the platform and they couldn't move. Later the cars would grind against the ground go...

My latest ebay purchase. I think I'll put it on one of my gi's.

So I was basically given the green light to be on a new TV show about amateur fighters. Well that is until they asked me again how much I weigh...... Evidently the 137 I weigh now isn't good enough. They wanted me to be 150 pounds within two or three weeks. The most I have ever weighed is 142 and that took major effort. It would take me hours of dedication a day and at least 3 months to get up to 150. It isn't worth it to me. For me, that is impossible. Oh well..... I was close. I tried. And it wasn't anything my fault that kept me from being on TV. One day, I will be famous, I guess just not this way.

I am going to run my first half marathon. This weekend. In Utah. With no prior training. On a whim. With my two sisters who have been training. The furthest I have ever ran in my life is just over 10 miles. I haven't ran for fitness since January and that was only 4 miles. And I have never jogged or ran on pavement further than 3 miles. I always run off road on trails and such. Dirt! I will finish, no matter what. And if I beat my sisters that will be even sweeter! I mean, I am the older brother! Half marathon, you and I are going allllllll the way!

I liked: Pizza at Mnt Mikes. I've eaten there in the Bay area but now that they have them in San Diego near my house I will go more often. Sorry Oggi's. The iPad I used. I dislike the iPhone and the iPod, but I did like using the iPad for consuming entertainment. Will I spend $500 for one? No. I saw a new Tesla up close for the first time today as well. It is just enough different and yet the same from the Lotus Elise that it is still a great looking car and the all electric aspect of this one didn't seem to hinder it. Having the house keeper come and do her thing. Yeah for a clean house! Getting a new point and shoot Sony digital camera. Training jiu jitsu today and finally getting a little better about being aggressive and "insisting". Brazilian bowl for lunch at San Diego Blenders with G. I didn't like: Getting a black eye at jiu jitsu. The rain. My new mouth guard. I hate it so much I am throwing it away. What a waste of $25! A newly developed sensitivity ...

At this years Pan Jiu Jitsu Championship I placed 3rd in my class outta 5 competitors. That's great you say? Not really. Last year I fought through a class twice that size, won matches and made it to the finals earning silver. I should be happy, and I am, but I think I could be happier. Or at least feel better about being 3rd. But it feels kinda fake or hollow. Either way, I came home with a medal again from the Pan Championships, and there aren't too many people who can say that. I also fought very well for someone who has only been in BJJ for two years, missed 3 months in that time due to injury and illness. And it was my first purple belt match when I've only been one for 7 weeks (one of those in the hospital). I also held the guy who beat me to fewer points than anyone else he has fought. Blah Blah Blah. I know I know, I am qualifying it, but not to take anything away from the guy I fought. I just am hungry for more wins and shinier medals. =) I have a few more years in...

I was an early adopter of the hybrid car. Well at least the hybrid luxury car with a Lexus RX400H in 2005. And since Lexus and Toyota are basically one and the same, I feel confident calling it a "Toyota story". It was comfy, the sat nav was super nice and seldom wrong, it got 20% better gas mileage than a "regular" RX300 or RX330. But it did have its problems as well. The very frequent service intervals were always over $400, the paint scratched easily and we had an extremely odd electrical issue predating the current Prius issue. Now, I was not the typical luxury hybrid user. In three years I put over 60,000 miles on the car. I drove it off road more than once in the desert using the all wheel drive to its utmost. OK, it even gave me the stability warning twice when the car was on two wheels. (by accident, uh huh) Well one day driving home the Vehicle Stability Control VSC light came on just driving normally, where upon it cut the power to the rear wheels. It did ...

Woot Woot! In spite of my superhuman sugar consumption my dental hygiene overcomes!! Zero cavities again! ps-I never got braces I know. Sorry.

Not the Fantasia version, but an odd Russian one: Used in sooo many movies: Conan!!

A man who has nothing which he cares about more than he does his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance at being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. -John Stuart Mill To every man, there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing; unique and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy, if that moment finds him unprepared and unqualified for the work that would be his finest hour. -Sir Winston Churchill

This weekend I hit two very strong triggers for memories I had long forgotten. 1-Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane Washington. This is the place where the beginning of my medical torment started. My first real introduction as a kid into all the painful embarassing things that can be done to you in the hospital. Alone and hundreds of miles from home. I hate that place but at the same time it saved my life. 2-Farragut State Park in Idaho. The first real camp out I went on as a Boy Scout happened here and it also happened to be the biggest one I would ever attend as well. Thousands (over 17,000) of people in the same place all seeking to be and do something better with their lives and sharing something in common no matter where in the world they were from. To walk through there again brought pleasant boyhood memories.

Man, was I all over the place this weekend! I was in CA, OR, WA, ID and UT! I went from 70F and sunny to 24F sideways snow blowing. I went from my house to a first visit to my biological dad's house to my other parent's house to my house. All in 24 hours. And only one picture was knocked over due to SD's biggest earthquake in modern times. Two words for the future, food storage. Or, emergency preparedness. Pics of my travels will be added tomorrow.

Tonight I'll be in Portland Oregon. Tomorrow I'll be in Spokane Washington and then Rathdrum Idaho. A return to the Pacific Northwest I left behind 10 years ago. It will be kinda sad to have Easter on 'the road' and to also miss all of General Conference. It will be funny to be getting on the same plane as Killer in SLC for the flight back to SD on Sunday. Next weekend at this time I will either be smiling like this: Or unhappy at "you learn more from a loss than a win" like this: 2010 International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation Pan Jiu Jitsu Chamionshis. Purple Senior 1 Super Feather. Bren Center at UC Irine, April 8-11.

I've been getting Remicade infusions every 8 weeks for over two years now, with no side effects. And for that I am thankful!