As I've mentioned before, the holidays are a real trial period for me, for many reasons. They have turned into something to get through and endure, not something that I enjoy anymore. I do think I can return to the days when I loved the holiday season more than any other time of the year, but that time is not here yet.
Before I get too frustrated, I look at what's been percolating in the past year. I've made more strides professionally and in early 2016 I will be getting underway with the development of the largest project I've ever tackled, one that will return me to the world of movie-making. I'm going to be moving forward with the development of a potential TV Pilot based on my character Rayden Valkyrie, from my novel Heart of a Lion. That's a world that holds a lot of potential for excitement, new horizons and new doors to open.
Physically, I've come to a place where I'm in the best shape I've been in since my 20's, and able to do some physical acts that I could not do back then. Training has been solid and consistent. I am always adding new elements and even today I added in some new kettlebell exercises. Krav Maga has become a wonderful part of my world and something that gets me through the worst of days. By the time spring rolls around, I think I can reach an amazing place in my physical journey, both skill-wise in martial arts as well as in my physical body.
Writing-wise, I am now underway on the follow-up to Heart of a Lion and also the 4th book in the Fires in Eden Series. Both of those projects will be big parts of early 2016, and at least one of them should see release in this coming year. It is also likely that a new volume of Hellscapes and possibly another Chronicles of Ave volume could come to light in the forthcoming year.
Seventh Star Press has made excellent strides, and some exciting new authors coupled with an array of new titles from our core author family give many reasons to expect 2016 to be a big step forward. There is a lot of positive energy and momentum heading into the beginning of this new year.
I have some exciting things looming in in terms of some conventions I am looking to participate in, both as an author and as a representative of Seventh Star Press. Some will take me to places like Las Vegas in 2016. Those are always grand adventures with lots of new people to meet, new networking opportunities, and inevitably the birth of new projects.
I've also gone through two hard years developing the Imaginarium Convention, which is an event based entirely around creative writing. The third year is primed to really take off. In fact, we just landed a tremendous Guest of Honor, the one and only Brian Keene. Imaginarium is something that I take a lot of pride in for what it does in empowering writers, filmmakers, musicians and other artists.
Despite all pitfalls and disappointments, I believe in myself. I've paid a lot of dues at this juncture, and I've said for awhile the best is yet to come. There are signs that those days may well be on the horizon, or at least a big step closer will be achievable with the coming of this new year.
Looking at it that way, I have a little more with me to help endure the holidays. I have taken steps to change my world, and know that I can transform it entirely, and take things to an all-new level. I will definitely give it my best shot.
Showing posts with label martial arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label martial arts. Show all posts
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Friday, November 6, 2015
Krav Maga - A True Blessing and Gift
The name itself means "contact combat" in Hebrew. It is a system founded by Imre Lichtenfeld, a very courageous man who had the fire to resist during the 1930's and beyond. It has been developed extensively by the Israeli military, drawing off a number of various styles of martial arts, ranging from judo, to akido, to boxing, and others.
Its very symbol has an opening in it, signifying the openness to new ideas and evolving. It is focused on practicality and things that work. Techniques effective for an abundance of situations are what is emphasized.
The workouts are intense and strenuous, challenging you to give it your all. I can testify to the results, as Krav Maga has been at the core of my workouts for over the past 18 months, a period that has seen me drop over 170 lbs and 8 pants sizes as I set my mind on regaining myself. Growing up I had training in Kung-Fu, Wu-Shu and Karate, but nothing ever resonated with me like Krav Maga has.
I wrote a recent post on Retzev, a mindset at the core of Krav Maga that reflects it's Hebrew meaning, essentially "continuous motion". I absolutely love the dynamic core of this approach, to Krav Maga itself and how its mindset can be applied to all aspects of life.
Everyone that knows me has heard me say how it is of utmost importance to keep moving forward, to keep moving onward and upward. Retzev reflects that, and that is reinforced each and every day in my training.
From combative drills to combinations, from flexibility work to conditioning exercises, to heavy bag work, my core workout is constantly evolving with what's in it and the techniques practiced. I can say without doubt that I give it my all in every workout, everything is left behind when I finished, and a soaked t-shirt is thrown in the laundry bin.
From fitness to mindset, Krav Maga has been a blessing and gift. I spring out of bed in a limber state in the morning, and am at a weight I haven't seen since I was 21. I am very confident in being able to handle myself in self-defense situations and can happily "talk down" an aggressive person knowing that if they cross the line and initiate aggression I am going to be able to handle it efficiently, powerfully and very quickly.
Every day I feel stronger, faster, and more youthful. The essence of what I train in fits my physical strengths well, and are efficient in every way.
I am very grateful for the gift of Krav Maga. It is a system open to new input and development, it is focused on things that work, and it delivers in so many spheres, mentally, physically, and even spiritually.
Keep moving forward. Retzev!!!
Its very symbol has an opening in it, signifying the openness to new ideas and evolving. It is focused on practicality and things that work. Techniques effective for an abundance of situations are what is emphasized.
The workouts are intense and strenuous, challenging you to give it your all. I can testify to the results, as Krav Maga has been at the core of my workouts for over the past 18 months, a period that has seen me drop over 170 lbs and 8 pants sizes as I set my mind on regaining myself. Growing up I had training in Kung-Fu, Wu-Shu and Karate, but nothing ever resonated with me like Krav Maga has.
I wrote a recent post on Retzev, a mindset at the core of Krav Maga that reflects it's Hebrew meaning, essentially "continuous motion". I absolutely love the dynamic core of this approach, to Krav Maga itself and how its mindset can be applied to all aspects of life.
Everyone that knows me has heard me say how it is of utmost importance to keep moving forward, to keep moving onward and upward. Retzev reflects that, and that is reinforced each and every day in my training.
From combative drills to combinations, from flexibility work to conditioning exercises, to heavy bag work, my core workout is constantly evolving with what's in it and the techniques practiced. I can say without doubt that I give it my all in every workout, everything is left behind when I finished, and a soaked t-shirt is thrown in the laundry bin.
From fitness to mindset, Krav Maga has been a blessing and gift. I spring out of bed in a limber state in the morning, and am at a weight I haven't seen since I was 21. I am very confident in being able to handle myself in self-defense situations and can happily "talk down" an aggressive person knowing that if they cross the line and initiate aggression I am going to be able to handle it efficiently, powerfully and very quickly.
Every day I feel stronger, faster, and more youthful. The essence of what I train in fits my physical strengths well, and are efficient in every way.
I am very grateful for the gift of Krav Maga. It is a system open to new input and development, it is focused on things that work, and it delivers in so many spheres, mentally, physically, and even spiritually.
Keep moving forward. Retzev!!!
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Just a Few Updates Both Personal and Book-related
This week and last week have been incredibly busy. Blog tours are definitely big projects for an author, at least if you want to do one justice. I've had two back to back, one coinciding with the release of Hellscapes, Volume II last week and this week for Heart of a Lion.
The posts, interviews, and reviews have gone very well. I got several amazing reviews for Hellscapes, Volume II, and have already added a couple more good ones for Heart of a Lion this week. I hope everyone is enjoying the guest posts and interviews, as they do shed more light on my personal world, my writing, my approaches to writing, and both Hellscapes II and Heart of a Lion in particular. It does take a lot of work to do a blog tour. For example, I rounded out three guest posts today that totaled about 4,100 words. That's a good chunk of output, writing-wise.
I really make every effort to make each post special and I think that comes across to anyone who reads of them. I put in the extra effort out of respect for the blog hosts and readers, as I want to give both my very best. I really enjoyed putting together the three new posts, one that has a list of theme songs I picked for Heart of a Lion, another that lists my "sweet sixteen" of all-time fantasy movies, and one that discusses five of my most inspirational heroines from history, legend and screen.
The blog tour for Heart of a Lion wraps up Sunday, and then the Fire HD 8 contest I sponsored that covered both tours (Heart of a Lion and Hellscapes, Volume II). I intend to get a little downtime after that as I've had the afterburner going solid for this period.
I have been hitting my training really hard. Krav Maga workouts are really intensive and I have been seeing more progress physically. I really look forward to the daily workouts, as they are a period in which I clear my mind and also let a lot of things out. Today I had a Danzig playlist cranking on the speakers and I hit it hard. I have been having some of my best workouts ever lately and am very focused on my training.
Saturday I'll be going on a tour of the Wild Turkey Distillery, joining my good friends Eric and Kylie Jude, Rachel Jude, Lisa Marie Ross, Bobby Little and Robin Blankenship. Time to get another stamp on my Bourbon Trail passport book. Should be a lot of fun and I'm REALLY looking forward to it after going full throttle recently.
I'll close out with a photo of me with my brand new Pete's Wok t-shirt. As folks who know me are well-aware, Pete's Wok is my favorite eatery of all time, and Pete Spencer, the owner, inspired the Lee Chen character in my Fires in Eden series. I sometimes eat there five times in a week. Ahhh. the life of a bachelor (though I'd love to change that status, LOL). But the food is great, I eat healthy, and I support a great family and their business. A win-win all around! :)
The posts, interviews, and reviews have gone very well. I got several amazing reviews for Hellscapes, Volume II, and have already added a couple more good ones for Heart of a Lion this week. I hope everyone is enjoying the guest posts and interviews, as they do shed more light on my personal world, my writing, my approaches to writing, and both Hellscapes II and Heart of a Lion in particular. It does take a lot of work to do a blog tour. For example, I rounded out three guest posts today that totaled about 4,100 words. That's a good chunk of output, writing-wise.
I really make every effort to make each post special and I think that comes across to anyone who reads of them. I put in the extra effort out of respect for the blog hosts and readers, as I want to give both my very best. I really enjoyed putting together the three new posts, one that has a list of theme songs I picked for Heart of a Lion, another that lists my "sweet sixteen" of all-time fantasy movies, and one that discusses five of my most inspirational heroines from history, legend and screen.
The blog tour for Heart of a Lion wraps up Sunday, and then the Fire HD 8 contest I sponsored that covered both tours (Heart of a Lion and Hellscapes, Volume II). I intend to get a little downtime after that as I've had the afterburner going solid for this period.
I have been hitting my training really hard. Krav Maga workouts are really intensive and I have been seeing more progress physically. I really look forward to the daily workouts, as they are a period in which I clear my mind and also let a lot of things out. Today I had a Danzig playlist cranking on the speakers and I hit it hard. I have been having some of my best workouts ever lately and am very focused on my training.
Saturday I'll be going on a tour of the Wild Turkey Distillery, joining my good friends Eric and Kylie Jude, Rachel Jude, Lisa Marie Ross, Bobby Little and Robin Blankenship. Time to get another stamp on my Bourbon Trail passport book. Should be a lot of fun and I'm REALLY looking forward to it after going full throttle recently.
I'll close out with a photo of me with my brand new Pete's Wok t-shirt. As folks who know me are well-aware, Pete's Wok is my favorite eatery of all time, and Pete Spencer, the owner, inspired the Lee Chen character in my Fires in Eden series. I sometimes eat there five times in a week. Ahhh. the life of a bachelor (though I'd love to change that status, LOL). But the food is great, I eat healthy, and I support a great family and their business. A win-win all around! :)
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
The Philosophy of Krav Maga's Retzev and Daily Life.
The core of my martial arts training these days centers on Krav Maga, an amazing system that I have come to love due to the no-nonsense approach it embraces. Everything resonates with a vibe of practicality, and the workouts are very intensive.
It is not a system that involves memorization of long katas, but instead focuses on an array of core building blocks that are under constant scrutiny and evolution based on outcomes in real-life encounters and situations. I've found it to suit my own mindset very well and look forward to my daily workouts.
Martial arts offers a path that brings together a focus of mind, body and spirit in a disciplined manner, and I often find myself making observations and recognizing areas where martial arts ideas and principles can be applied to many other areas of life.
Within the heart of Krav Maga is the principle of retzev, which is a Hebrew term that essentially means "continuous motion". Retzev is seen all throughout the practice of Krav Maga in a seamless integration of defensive and offensive techniques. In a nutshell, it results in eliminating "dead space", in reacting to an attack, counterattacking and continuing (appropriate levels) of physical combat techniques to subdue the threat.
With retzev, you find yourself entering a flow of movement, where you aren't "thinking" about the next move as much as you are executing a continuum that is honed from a foundation of hard training and drilling in an array of combatives.
I have given a lot of thought to the idea of retzev and what it means on deeper levels. Life has dealt me quite a few trials along the way, and I find myself in a few at the moment.
The questions facing all of us in times of trial is how to react. When bad things happen, I like the idea that retzev brings to mind. One must "defend", "counterattack" and continue on the offensive, and keep in a mode of continuous motion. Staying inert is the only sure way to be overcome in life. Reaction and forward action gives you the fighting chance to overcome life's hurdles.
To overcome personal hardships, one must go into a mode of positive action in a flow gleaned from one's personal foundation and values. This, in many ways, reflects the idea of retzev, only applied to the combat of life, an arena that is not fair, often is filled with ambushes and things that come at you, and must be reacted to and dealt with.
When life comes at you, you must act in response and keep moving forward, which gets at the idea of continuous motion as understood in retzev. Martial arts truly does offer a mindset that can be applied across all spheres and I am very grateful for the practice of Krav Maga for keeping the idea of retzev forefront in my own mind when navigating the rougher patches of life.
It is not a system that involves memorization of long katas, but instead focuses on an array of core building blocks that are under constant scrutiny and evolution based on outcomes in real-life encounters and situations. I've found it to suit my own mindset very well and look forward to my daily workouts.
Martial arts offers a path that brings together a focus of mind, body and spirit in a disciplined manner, and I often find myself making observations and recognizing areas where martial arts ideas and principles can be applied to many other areas of life.
Within the heart of Krav Maga is the principle of retzev, which is a Hebrew term that essentially means "continuous motion". Retzev is seen all throughout the practice of Krav Maga in a seamless integration of defensive and offensive techniques. In a nutshell, it results in eliminating "dead space", in reacting to an attack, counterattacking and continuing (appropriate levels) of physical combat techniques to subdue the threat.
With retzev, you find yourself entering a flow of movement, where you aren't "thinking" about the next move as much as you are executing a continuum that is honed from a foundation of hard training and drilling in an array of combatives.
I have given a lot of thought to the idea of retzev and what it means on deeper levels. Life has dealt me quite a few trials along the way, and I find myself in a few at the moment.
The questions facing all of us in times of trial is how to react. When bad things happen, I like the idea that retzev brings to mind. One must "defend", "counterattack" and continue on the offensive, and keep in a mode of continuous motion. Staying inert is the only sure way to be overcome in life. Reaction and forward action gives you the fighting chance to overcome life's hurdles.
To overcome personal hardships, one must go into a mode of positive action in a flow gleaned from one's personal foundation and values. This, in many ways, reflects the idea of retzev, only applied to the combat of life, an arena that is not fair, often is filled with ambushes and things that come at you, and must be reacted to and dealt with.
When life comes at you, you must act in response and keep moving forward, which gets at the idea of continuous motion as understood in retzev. Martial arts truly does offer a mindset that can be applied across all spheres and I am very grateful for the practice of Krav Maga for keeping the idea of retzev forefront in my own mind when navigating the rougher patches of life.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Stiff Upper Lip
Sometimes, you just have to set a laser focus and get things done, even if you are tired, or dealing with stress/ emotions, or anything else. This past week has been a good example of that. Every day, I've gotten a lot done for the press, I've proceeded excellently with my training, and while it hasn't been overly fun or entertaining, I do feel a sense of achievement as I write this late Saturday night.
We've had some new releases at the press, many ongoing blog tours, some new ones coming up, and a few other important initiatives. Realistically, there are not enough hours in the day to cover it all, but I've hurled myself into it as best I can and have to say a lot of ground has been covered.
I've been working on my website as well, adding some new pages, and fun ones at that. Z-tracks, which focuses on music I've been listening to, and I've also got pages in place dedicated to my physical journey/training, and the restoration of that Z-28 that means so much to me. I will be sharing the story behind that car, by the way, so it will make sense as to why that car is special. The physical journey page will hopefully show others who were in my situation that transformation is not just possible, but DOABLE. I really hope to encourage those on the same journey as me, in terms of taking charge of the physical self.
Training wise, I had a killer workout today that marks the 11th day out of the last twelve that I've had solid, high-intensity sessions (the other day being a much-needed rest day). Making progress all the time and was able to integrate some new, advanced martial arts techniques into my routine. Those moments are milestones of sorts, though I notice improvements in my execution of all other areas. My main workout is being tweaked and honed all the time and the results continue, so I know it's working! :)
The week ahead should be busy, and I will be preparing for the release of Hellscapes II during Halloween week, so that should be pretty exciting. :)
Stay tuned, October is going to be very active!
We've had some new releases at the press, many ongoing blog tours, some new ones coming up, and a few other important initiatives. Realistically, there are not enough hours in the day to cover it all, but I've hurled myself into it as best I can and have to say a lot of ground has been covered.
I've been working on my website as well, adding some new pages, and fun ones at that. Z-tracks, which focuses on music I've been listening to, and I've also got pages in place dedicated to my physical journey/training, and the restoration of that Z-28 that means so much to me. I will be sharing the story behind that car, by the way, so it will make sense as to why that car is special. The physical journey page will hopefully show others who were in my situation that transformation is not just possible, but DOABLE. I really hope to encourage those on the same journey as me, in terms of taking charge of the physical self.
Training wise, I had a killer workout today that marks the 11th day out of the last twelve that I've had solid, high-intensity sessions (the other day being a much-needed rest day). Making progress all the time and was able to integrate some new, advanced martial arts techniques into my routine. Those moments are milestones of sorts, though I notice improvements in my execution of all other areas. My main workout is being tweaked and honed all the time and the results continue, so I know it's working! :)
The week ahead should be busy, and I will be preparing for the release of Hellscapes II during Halloween week, so that should be pretty exciting. :)
Stay tuned, October is going to be very active!
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Moving Forward
I started the year on a high note, finding what I call sunshine, only to have things take an unexpected turn that I couldn't do anything about. Nevertheless, I gathered myself up and looked toward summer as a time to get back to the sunshine.
Did it happen? I guess it was a mix. I continued to train hard in martial arts, continued to shed pounds, get stronger, faster and fitter to the point that I have lost over 170 lbs over the past 18 months. I am in the best shape I've been in since my early 20's and getting better daily. Refocusing on martial arts has been a godsend, comprehensive improvement in strength, flexibility, endurance and mental focus. That has truly been a positive and one that I look forward to each and every day.
I've enjoyed the restoration of my 1992 Z28, a heritage edition, 25th anniversary coupe. I continue to make improvements to Valkyrie (the name I gave her), and this week alone I have a brand new dashboard cap and snazzy floor mats with silver Z28 logos on black coming in. She's running great and I've enjoyed having her back in my world.
Career-wise I have had some excellent moments. Imaginarium 2015 went very well, grew larger, ran smoother and improved. I also have Hellscapes 2 looming, set to come out Halloween week. I feel the writing in it takes another step forward and is a progression off of Volume I, a feeling shared by my editor on this one. The artwork turned out fantastic, by Aaron Drown of Aaron Drown Designs. I can't wait to share it, it really captures the vibe of this volume and series.
The personal front has been a disappointment. I really wanted to have a partner in crime ... I envisioned taking a special someone to explore Alaska, go to see a rock show in Vegas, and even a cruise later this fall. The dream is still there, even if the reality isn't. But I'm not giving up and I really believe that someone will figure out what I have to offer and thrive. That time isn't now, though, and I just have to steel myself and keep moving forward. It's all anyone can do.
The fall looms and I've found myself with a mixture of feelings. I'm working very hard, working out very hard, and continuing in my interests such as martial arts, guitar playing and writing. The personal side may still be elusive, for whatever reason, but I do know that things can change for the better in a heartbeat. Let's hope it does! :)
Did it happen? I guess it was a mix. I continued to train hard in martial arts, continued to shed pounds, get stronger, faster and fitter to the point that I have lost over 170 lbs over the past 18 months. I am in the best shape I've been in since my early 20's and getting better daily. Refocusing on martial arts has been a godsend, comprehensive improvement in strength, flexibility, endurance and mental focus. That has truly been a positive and one that I look forward to each and every day.
I've enjoyed the restoration of my 1992 Z28, a heritage edition, 25th anniversary coupe. I continue to make improvements to Valkyrie (the name I gave her), and this week alone I have a brand new dashboard cap and snazzy floor mats with silver Z28 logos on black coming in. She's running great and I've enjoyed having her back in my world.
Career-wise I have had some excellent moments. Imaginarium 2015 went very well, grew larger, ran smoother and improved. I also have Hellscapes 2 looming, set to come out Halloween week. I feel the writing in it takes another step forward and is a progression off of Volume I, a feeling shared by my editor on this one. The artwork turned out fantastic, by Aaron Drown of Aaron Drown Designs. I can't wait to share it, it really captures the vibe of this volume and series.
The personal front has been a disappointment. I really wanted to have a partner in crime ... I envisioned taking a special someone to explore Alaska, go to see a rock show in Vegas, and even a cruise later this fall. The dream is still there, even if the reality isn't. But I'm not giving up and I really believe that someone will figure out what I have to offer and thrive. That time isn't now, though, and I just have to steel myself and keep moving forward. It's all anyone can do.
The fall looms and I've found myself with a mixture of feelings. I'm working very hard, working out very hard, and continuing in my interests such as martial arts, guitar playing and writing. The personal side may still be elusive, for whatever reason, but I do know that things can change for the better in a heartbeat. Let's hope it does! :)
Thursday, April 30, 2015
It's a New Day
Quite a bit has happened over the past couple of months and I do need to catch up here. I'll address some things in parts, but in a nutshell the first couple months of the new year I was in a place where I truly found happiness and I devoted a lot of my time and focus and energy on this with the desire of seeing it becoming something lasting. Unfortunately, the decision wasn't up to me in the end and I ended up getting hit with yet another personal storm and heartbreak.. but.. I found that I had grown much stronger on an interior level and was able to weather this much, much better than the period I went through in the fall of 2014.
I never wanted it to end, but I did learn that I could find happiness and sunshine again, and going forward I am set on finding an even brighter day. I have had an outpouring of encouragement, support, and love shown to me by a great many during this time, so many who had been thrilled to see what had happened the first couple months of the year. I intend to give them all reason to be thrilled once more. :)
I still had kept myself on course with my training in martial arts and fitness, as well as playing guitar and writing. All of that accelerated even more during March and April, and on April 26th I had the first professional photos taken of me in over a year. This photo session with Eric and Kylie Jude of Frozen Creek Studios was truly remarkable and I feel really captured and reflected the path I have taken during the past year.
I have commented about the things I've embraced that help me keep focus and get through tough times, and all of that was reflected in the photos. As you will see below, the photos do reflect the progress of the past year... clearly the outer change shows, but the outer change also reflects the inner growth too.
I hope this shows a guy who has remained resilient, and who has fought his way forward despite some truly heartbreaking experiences. In that way, I hope it encourages others who are enduring personal storms that it is possible to get through the dark times and keep growing and developing stronger.
I'll be chiming in on the blog here much more, on a number of things. But let's start with some positives that taken as a whole reflect a New Day. ;)
I never wanted it to end, but I did learn that I could find happiness and sunshine again, and going forward I am set on finding an even brighter day. I have had an outpouring of encouragement, support, and love shown to me by a great many during this time, so many who had been thrilled to see what had happened the first couple months of the year. I intend to give them all reason to be thrilled once more. :)
I still had kept myself on course with my training in martial arts and fitness, as well as playing guitar and writing. All of that accelerated even more during March and April, and on April 26th I had the first professional photos taken of me in over a year. This photo session with Eric and Kylie Jude of Frozen Creek Studios was truly remarkable and I feel really captured and reflected the path I have taken during the past year.
I have commented about the things I've embraced that help me keep focus and get through tough times, and all of that was reflected in the photos. As you will see below, the photos do reflect the progress of the past year... clearly the outer change shows, but the outer change also reflects the inner growth too.
I hope this shows a guy who has remained resilient, and who has fought his way forward despite some truly heartbreaking experiences. In that way, I hope it encourages others who are enduring personal storms that it is possible to get through the dark times and keep growing and developing stronger.
I'll be chiming in on the blog here much more, on a number of things. But let's start with some positives that taken as a whole reflect a New Day. ;)
Monday, October 27, 2014
Motorcycles, Martial Arts, and Music
My last post was quite heavy in tone, which was unavoidable due to the circumstances I'm dealing with. There is just no way to sugarcoat the kinds of things I am going through, as they are very foundational in nature with me.
Despite the ongoing storms, I wanted to write a few words about some of the things that are helping me get from one day to the next. While these things might not be everyone's cup of tea, I do feel that they demonstrate how you have to get some things in your life to focus on and drive forward with during a time of interior storms. I often talk about how you have to keep moving forward, and sometimes that can be an incredibly hard thing to do. Having a few things to hold onto can definitely make a difference in simply getting up in the morning, getting through a day, and being able to overcome the restlessness to sleep at night.
For me, the process has seen me immerse more fully in one activity that I had already been active in, embrace an all-new activity, and return to another that I had not been active in for many years. Together, these three very special things have lent me some strength and encouragement to take another step on the road back to finding myself again.
As far as the brand new activity, that would be my journey into the world of motorcycles. I'm taking it carefully, I didn't just go out and get a big Harley or go forward without a plan. There is a lot to know about a bike and you have to respect the power and dangers associated with it. Taking it step by step, I'm learning to ride from some very veteran riders and I'll be doing the safety course to get my full license. But I already love the feel of riding. I need to get experience before I take a longer trip and hit a highway, but I can feel what riding has to offer.
There is a real sense of freedom and independence surrounding the riding sensation, feeling the air rushing over you and the power of the motorcycle propelling you forward. I cannot wait to cruise by river roads and through rural landscapes, as I know it is going to be a very inspiring and invigorating experience. My current bike is a Suzuki Intruder, a 750, and I have named her Freya after the Norse Goddess who is associated with love and war. I prefer love over war, but life has its battles, and it is my hope that Freya helps carry me through all of it, thick and thin.
Learning something new definitely gives my mind something to focus on, especially something as downright rockin' and exciting as motorcycles. While I wish I could be going through this with my heart intact, but learning about motorcycles and how to ride them has definitely given me something to hold onto during this time.
At various points in my life, I have worked out with different martial artists, and even took lessons myself for a good while. I have the honor of knowing some truly world class ones, including a friend of mine from college who happens to be a supernatural level martial artist with multiple degrees in a number of various systems. From time to time I've been able to gain great insights just from talking with them, much of which has factored into the present.
This past spring I decided to get back into martial arts as a core part of my fitness training. No need for a gym, and solid martial arts training is comprehensive as it addresses strength, flexibility and cardio quite well. It's working. I've gone down 4 jeans sizes since the spring and moving on the 5th now. The past month I've really accelerated my training and it has been a pillar of strength for me.
Martial arts demands focus and discipline, and gives a channel for negative emotions to be processed in a constructive manner. I have to admit that doing some routines with Pantera or Slipknot cranking seems to put a little more behind combos, various types of strikes, kicks, and that kind of thing, but the mind does stay centered on the tasks at hand and that is a big reason why its so helpful at this time.
This latest phase into martial arts, what I did was look across the various styles I had been exposed to over the years. I gleaned the things that really work well for me and the kind of physical abilities I'm best suited for, which are very practical in a real self-defense situation, and bring them together under one roof for my training. I'm not worried about belts or anything like that, or whether I can do a beautiful head-high spinning kick, I just want to improve more with each day on what I do well, get a little faster, a little stronger, and carry out techniques a little better. It is solely a personal development path.
Honestly, I've never trained better, but martial arts has given me something I need right now. It offers a level of focus and discipline that has come in very needed at a period in which most of me feels like I've been snatched up in a cyclone and thrown across the skies.
The past month, I think I've come to understand and appreciate the nature of martial arts better than I ever have, and I know it is a real positive going forward. It has definitely been another one of the things to hold onto in the battle of trying to get through each day. While I'm really struggling internally, physically I'm moving better every day, trimming up more, and making wonderful strides that over the course of the year have seen the decreasing jeans sizes. It offers measurable milestones and goals to shoot for, and gives me something to reach for. I'm very grateful for that.
Last, but not least, I have picked up the guitar again. I was in rock bands during late grade school and high school, and played the guitar for years. Yet after college I really drifted away from it. It is very odd, as I've grown to love music, especially hard rock and metal, more and more over the years. I can say without question that I have a true passion for music. It is a constant friend and ally to me and has been a tremendous medicine for me at this time. I even worked around the world of music for some years doing show promoting and band booking. Looking back, it kind of mystifies me as to why I set the guitars in their cases and left them there. But there's no better time than now to get moving again.
The impetus came from some conversations with a friend of mine who has been great to me at this time and happens to be a very creative individual, very musically oriented too. He caused me to realize that I'd like to have that part of me back, and perhaps go forward with it. There was no reason not to, and the thought of it really called to me.
Just taking my two main guitars out of their cases felt so good. I've gotten in all the things I need to get underway, from new picks, to new guitar cables, an effects processor, and a few new sets of strings. I will need to work at it to get my chops back up, but I'm rarin' to go and very excited. A couple of the first songs I dabbled with were AC/DC's "For Those About to Rock" and "Back in Black". Yes, I'm looking to finding my way to rockin' again and being back.
All the new fancy stuff like online tablature software that you can play along with is definitely new turf for me since the old days! I felt like a cat in a sushi bar looking through the tablature catalogs containing all my favorite songs. Already earmarking some Def Leppard, Slash, The Cult, and much more!
I'm also feeling an interest in coming up with some original material in the future. I'm curious to see what kinds of things I can come up with, as I know I think deeper about music than I ever did when I played guitar heavily so many years ago.
As with martial arts, I think I have a much more matured attitude about practice and drilling, and I don't think it will be all that long before I get into the flow of it. Like martial arts, guitar will offer its own sets of milestones and goals, bringing along with it a regular sense of achievement. I think that's a big plus at a time when my confidence had been shattered.
These three pursuits have given my mind something to focus on during a very difficult time. All of these pursuits involve journeys of their own, with learning, training, milestones and all of the dynamics that come with those kinds of things. As such, each of them offers something to strive for, things to celebrate, and a sense of achievement and personal satisfaction.
While none of these things can truly heal the kind of deep wounds I'm dealing with, they can help me endure, and I think it is very important for people who are going through terrible storms to do everything they can to not become inert. The small positives I glean from martial arts, motorcycles, and music really do make a big difference in getting through each day. If you are going through interior storms, find the things like this that work for you and hold onto them with all you've got. They can help you to keep moving forward.
Despite the ongoing storms, I wanted to write a few words about some of the things that are helping me get from one day to the next. While these things might not be everyone's cup of tea, I do feel that they demonstrate how you have to get some things in your life to focus on and drive forward with during a time of interior storms. I often talk about how you have to keep moving forward, and sometimes that can be an incredibly hard thing to do. Having a few things to hold onto can definitely make a difference in simply getting up in the morning, getting through a day, and being able to overcome the restlessness to sleep at night.
For me, the process has seen me immerse more fully in one activity that I had already been active in, embrace an all-new activity, and return to another that I had not been active in for many years. Together, these three very special things have lent me some strength and encouragement to take another step on the road back to finding myself again.
As far as the brand new activity, that would be my journey into the world of motorcycles. I'm taking it carefully, I didn't just go out and get a big Harley or go forward without a plan. There is a lot to know about a bike and you have to respect the power and dangers associated with it. Taking it step by step, I'm learning to ride from some very veteran riders and I'll be doing the safety course to get my full license. But I already love the feel of riding. I need to get experience before I take a longer trip and hit a highway, but I can feel what riding has to offer.There is a real sense of freedom and independence surrounding the riding sensation, feeling the air rushing over you and the power of the motorcycle propelling you forward. I cannot wait to cruise by river roads and through rural landscapes, as I know it is going to be a very inspiring and invigorating experience. My current bike is a Suzuki Intruder, a 750, and I have named her Freya after the Norse Goddess who is associated with love and war. I prefer love over war, but life has its battles, and it is my hope that Freya helps carry me through all of it, thick and thin.
Learning something new definitely gives my mind something to focus on, especially something as downright rockin' and exciting as motorcycles. While I wish I could be going through this with my heart intact, but learning about motorcycles and how to ride them has definitely given me something to hold onto during this time.
At various points in my life, I have worked out with different martial artists, and even took lessons myself for a good while. I have the honor of knowing some truly world class ones, including a friend of mine from college who happens to be a supernatural level martial artist with multiple degrees in a number of various systems. From time to time I've been able to gain great insights just from talking with them, much of which has factored into the present.
This past spring I decided to get back into martial arts as a core part of my fitness training. No need for a gym, and solid martial arts training is comprehensive as it addresses strength, flexibility and cardio quite well. It's working. I've gone down 4 jeans sizes since the spring and moving on the 5th now. The past month I've really accelerated my training and it has been a pillar of strength for me.
Martial arts demands focus and discipline, and gives a channel for negative emotions to be processed in a constructive manner. I have to admit that doing some routines with Pantera or Slipknot cranking seems to put a little more behind combos, various types of strikes, kicks, and that kind of thing, but the mind does stay centered on the tasks at hand and that is a big reason why its so helpful at this time.
This latest phase into martial arts, what I did was look across the various styles I had been exposed to over the years. I gleaned the things that really work well for me and the kind of physical abilities I'm best suited for, which are very practical in a real self-defense situation, and bring them together under one roof for my training. I'm not worried about belts or anything like that, or whether I can do a beautiful head-high spinning kick, I just want to improve more with each day on what I do well, get a little faster, a little stronger, and carry out techniques a little better. It is solely a personal development path.
Honestly, I've never trained better, but martial arts has given me something I need right now. It offers a level of focus and discipline that has come in very needed at a period in which most of me feels like I've been snatched up in a cyclone and thrown across the skies.
The past month, I think I've come to understand and appreciate the nature of martial arts better than I ever have, and I know it is a real positive going forward. It has definitely been another one of the things to hold onto in the battle of trying to get through each day. While I'm really struggling internally, physically I'm moving better every day, trimming up more, and making wonderful strides that over the course of the year have seen the decreasing jeans sizes. It offers measurable milestones and goals to shoot for, and gives me something to reach for. I'm very grateful for that.
The impetus came from some conversations with a friend of mine who has been great to me at this time and happens to be a very creative individual, very musically oriented too. He caused me to realize that I'd like to have that part of me back, and perhaps go forward with it. There was no reason not to, and the thought of it really called to me.
All the new fancy stuff like online tablature software that you can play along with is definitely new turf for me since the old days! I felt like a cat in a sushi bar looking through the tablature catalogs containing all my favorite songs. Already earmarking some Def Leppard, Slash, The Cult, and much more!
I'm also feeling an interest in coming up with some original material in the future. I'm curious to see what kinds of things I can come up with, as I know I think deeper about music than I ever did when I played guitar heavily so many years ago.
As with martial arts, I think I have a much more matured attitude about practice and drilling, and I don't think it will be all that long before I get into the flow of it. Like martial arts, guitar will offer its own sets of milestones and goals, bringing along with it a regular sense of achievement. I think that's a big plus at a time when my confidence had been shattered.
These three pursuits have given my mind something to focus on during a very difficult time. All of these pursuits involve journeys of their own, with learning, training, milestones and all of the dynamics that come with those kinds of things. As such, each of them offers something to strive for, things to celebrate, and a sense of achievement and personal satisfaction.
While none of these things can truly heal the kind of deep wounds I'm dealing with, they can help me endure, and I think it is very important for people who are going through terrible storms to do everything they can to not become inert. The small positives I glean from martial arts, motorcycles, and music really do make a big difference in getting through each day. If you are going through interior storms, find the things like this that work for you and hold onto them with all you've got. They can help you to keep moving forward.
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