crushed orange

if i'm on the bottom, my guard gets passed and i'm unable to replace. lucky to get half guard if at all. they normally pass to side control and then i'm flattened and done.

if i'm on top, i can't pass their open guard and i get swept. see above.

the only position i have any success with is if i get someone's back.

other than that, i am getting steam rolled completely by every single purple belt in the gym. i feel like i'm a jiu jitsu charity case sometimes.....

"everyone has challenges, the trick is to not let them become excuses"
B2BA2012

Front row, left to right is Ronis Gracie, Rafa Mendes, Kid Peligro, Andre Galvao, Gi Mendes, Mark. Second row, far right is me, Rowdy!

the mundane

Things to do this weekend:

-go up a driver level in Forza 4 Sat or Sun.
-attend seminar from Kid Peligro Sat.
-help Killer with a speech Sat or Sun.
-wash the mini cooper Sat.
-dishes Sat.
-put away my clean clothes Sat.
-take another practice GRE exam to gauge progress Sun.
-pick up SuperD from the airport Sat.
-skateboard Sat.
-get groceries for Sunday's meal Sat.
-watch Supercross race Sat night and MotoGP race Sun.

My neighbors who need to be killed.

La Familia Michoacan, Cartel Del Golfo, Los Zetas, Knights Templar y todos los narcos.
Things like this need to be totally eliminated:

Corruption, secret alliances, murder of innocents, denial of freedom and libertad. There is no more chance for reform or bargaining with these groups. Only through their complete destruction can things begin to be made whole.

It frustrates me greatly that I can do nothing to make this happen. My efforts to reduce consumption of drugs in the US is only a drop in an ocean sized bucket. They don't care or notice. And I'm fearful of the upcoming Mexican election.

How to win the drug war:

-Reduce to as low as humanly possible the need and desire in our population to consume drugs. Of any kind. An all out blitz of social and educational means for our own citizens. To save them.

-Kill every single nacrotrafficante. The time for rehabilitation, amnesty or negotiation has passed. Rule of law is already desecrated. Honest, strong Mexican citizens need to organize, rise up and utterly destroy these groups from their country.


*I know of at least 3 people, people who've been in my home, who have lost immediate family members to a balacera or have been victims of a sequestro. I also have family members who have gone to rehab for drug addiction. This means war.

This is going to sting a little....

You know how when you get knocked down by someone or something and in retaliation you want to know someone or something else down? That's what I am about to do. Basically that while I am improving each day in my physical and mental pursuits I am still getting clobbered as well. So a little lashing out at easy, defenseless targets.

Nurses versus Doctors. I'm not really a fan of nurses. You better be have a BSN at a minimum for me to even talk to you, or even better a NP. But it still boils down to the difference in philosophy. Nursing is about 'caring', medicine is about 'curing'. I want to be on the 'curing' team.

Coffee and tea. Let's face it, if you need a stimulant every morning just to do your normal routine, you have some problems.

Anyone who wears "UFC" branded clothing. Unless you really and actually train mma, don't even think about this. It totally pegs the douchebag and poseur meter.

People going to graduate school to game the system and stay in the US, extending their visa, when they really have no skill, desire or plan to make their home country or this one any better. And shouting out nonsense in the middle of our prep class does draw attention to you, but definitely not in a positive way. If you come into this not even knowing order of operations, the distributive property or how to deal with simple fractions..... then maybe you should tone down the bluster and realize graduate school isn't for you.

Ways to be a good jiu jitsu student.

1. Pay attention to where you stand in relation to the instructor.

I know not all classes are a full as this Renzo one, but where you stand is important. Think of a baseball diamond with your instructor's head being home plate. If you are not in between the baselines (yellow in the above picture) you are not in the prime spot to see what is going on. Almost always moving to this location will give you the best vantage point for viewing the demonstrated technique. I don't think the power of where you view the move from can be overstated.

2. Mental imagery. If you've been in jiu jitsu any length of time you have already heard, "OK, let me show you one more time," from your instructor. Normally a move is shown three times and during that third time you should be actively visualizing yourself successfully completing the technique. Even go so far as to slightly move your hips, hands or whatever. Open and close hands to match the various grips you will be using.

3. It takes two to roll, so pick your training partner carefully. Unless you are in a class entirely of white belts try not to pair yourself up white belt with white belt. Try to snag the technical person, a person with game you admire. You are there to learn at this stage of class, so pick someone who will help you optimize this. What you look for in a drilling partner is different than the criteria of choosing a sparring partner.

4. Already got it down? Then do it perfectly in practice. Do both sides. Do it quickly. Do it with your eyes closed. And after that then pair yourself up with a lower belt when you do this. Don't be the person who coaches people constantly. If you're doing it that awesome chances are they will ask you for help. Then give it, but until then just be an example of how the tech is done.

I can't tell if I look younger than my chronological age and life experience here or if I look my age and life's events........