Non-BJJ » Steve's BJJ Blog

Pictures from the Ice/Snow Storm

Jan 232012

The following pictures are all from my neighborhood either at my house or within a short walking distance. I posted just a couple before, but I wanted to keep them all in one post.

A close up of the tree in our front yard.

The front of my house. The tree on the right is the tree in the first photo. Doesn’t look too bad, but it was pretty cold inside.

This picture and the next one are along my driveway. The giant pine trees let a lot of big limbs go due to the weight of the ice. Fortunately, there was no real property damage.

This poor tree got nailed pretty good. Lots of limbs buckled under the weight of the snow.

Lily dressed for adventure. She’s got so many layers under that coat, I’m surprised she could put her arms down.

Thought that was a pretty little tree, with the ice built up on the limbs.

This is one of the younger evergreens in my backyard. While we could probably save it, I think we’re going to remove it. I don’t know that the roots will ever be strong enough for my piece of mind.

Some other limbs fallen in our backyard.

This is one of our neighbors. His tree did some real damage to the house.

Here’s one from the park. This tree split down the middle like a banana. Crazy.

Some more from the neighborhood.

This limb didn’t want to let go, and ended up splitting in the middle.

I can only presume that the power line above is one of the culprits for our power outage.

One of my other intrepid explorers. Don’t worry. We stayed way far away from the downed line.

So, that’s it. Power came back on last night. We ended up being without power for a total of about 4 days, although it felt like a lot longer. My wife came back from New Orleans on Friday, and while I’m sorry she came back to a cold, dark house, it was really nice to have a partner for the last couple days.

I feel really rotten right now. I fought off a cold/sinus thing all week, but now that the crisis is abating I’m feeling really bad. Going to skip class today, but hopefully with a good couple days to rest, I’ll be ready to get back to the mats on Wednesday.

Snow wasn’t the real issue….

Non-BJJ 2 Responses »

Jan 222012

We knew that a storm was brewing in the Seattle area last week, but as the media machine began ramping up on Tuesday, the school district delayed classes and then ended up cancelling school altogether.

Ultimately, Tuesday was a mild day. We had some snow, but the roads were clear and all was well. Wednesday rolled around and that’s when the snow really hit. Wednesday night/early Thursday morning, around midnight, our power cycled on and off about 10 times… probably shortening the life of every electronic component in the house significantly. And then… nothing. Power’s out.

But that’s not uncommon around here. It wasn’t until the next day that I saw the real danger of ice storms. The extra weight of ice on the branches of the trees wreaked havoc on our power lines. I’m posting this with an air card, and we’ve been making frequent trips to friends with power to charge up our laptops. But as I post this, on Sunday morning, we’re still without power. It’s about 57 F in the house, and we’re all huddled up by the gas fireplace.

In our favor, we have a natural gas water heater, so we have hot water. We also have a gas range, so we can cook, although to be honest, it’s nice to go to a restaurant if only for the light, the heat and the human interaction.

So, we’re making it, and I’m confident that our power will be restored today. I will post more pictures later today.

Below are some pictures I took from just around our neighborhood.

This gallery contains 7 photos

Protect IP Act/SOPA Breaks the Internet

Non-BJJ, Politics, Video 2 Responses »

Jan 102012

I’ve been hearing a lot about SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act, and its sister act, PIPA, the Protect IP Act. I haven’t really taken the time to understand what these things are, though. Below is a very interesting video. If you weren’t alarmed about these two pieces of legislation making their way through Congress, take a look. If you like YouTube, you will definitely want to know more.

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

More information can be found here: Fight for the Future

Haywire with Gina Carano

Non-BJJ, Video 1 Response »

Jan 102012

I can’t effing wait. I don’t know what kind of issues this movie has had. I guess it’s been stuck in movie limbo for a while. But whatever they did, it looks awesome.

A few trailers have been released and there’s a lot more information available on IMDB.

Synopsis:

Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious and dangerous trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes shell be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.

Here’s a 5 minute clip from early in the movie:

ScriptFrenzy.org

blogging, Non-BJJ 2 Responses »

Mar 232011

Script Frenzy Banner

First, Pan Ams, baby! Coming up. I’m going to figure out a way to hook my computer up to my projector and will be watching the matches on a 110″ screen. Does it get better? Yeah, but not much.

I write that just after I knock back another sudafed and wonder exactly how long this sinus cold is going to stick with me. I have had it since the Revolution Tournament two weeks ago. I just can’t shake it. I feel better and then the next day, I feel like crud again.

But that’s enough of the pity party. I heard about an online challenge: Scriptfrenzy.

A lot of writers are familiar with NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing month. In that challenge, the idea is to write at 50,000 word novel in 30 days. That’s right. Sounds daunting. Fifty friggin thousand words.

Well, I’m not doing that.

But I am doing something similar. In a related challenge (in fact, many NaNo veterans are taking part), I’m going to write a complete movie screenplay of at least 100 pages all in the month of April.

I’m going to keep it as simple as I can, since the goal isn’t to write a masterpiece. It’s to FINISH a script. So, I’ll be borrowing heavily from what I know. And, yes, BJJ will be a central theme.

The story I have in mind is about a guy who trained in BJJ as a younger man, but stopped about the time he got divorced. Fast forward 10 years later and he’s struggling to stay connected to his teenage son. His ex uses him as free daycare, and because he got screwed in the divorce, he has no say in the matter. She holds all the cards, and holds access to the son over him like a brick. At the same time, his son is the only bright spot in his life, nevermind that they don’t get along.

The central theme of the movie is that he’s an incomplete man. He can’t take care of his son if he’s not taking care of himself. Or said another way, if you don’t respect yourself, how can anyone else respect you?

So, the story is one of redemption, and will really pivot around the relationship between a father and his son. Over the course of the script, he begins training again, eventually gets his son into it. The school owner will be a badass female who ends up being a love interest, and in the end, he goes down to the Mundials and wins a gold.

Formula movie? Yeah. But I don’t care. It will be a lot of fun to write it, and I’m hoping I have the chops to tell a good story, even if it is a little trite.

Lots to catch up on

Non-BJJ 6 Responses »

Aug 022010

I’ve been out of town and owe a lot of people my time. I’ve got a gi review that I’ll be posting shortly. Pretty darn nice gi, particularly for the price. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, think about how much focus and technique it takes to iron while defending oneself from multiple opponents:

White belt in Jiu Jitsu / Black belt in ironing

Non-BJJ: Thor Trailer from Comic Con

Non-BJJ, Video 2 Responses »

Jul 292010

Looks awesome:

Non-BJJ: The Nissan Leaf

Non-BJJ 1 Response »

May 282010

I have always been interested in alternative fuels, and have been waiting for a viable, affordable 100% EV to come out. I know it’s early, and that within a year or two the technology will have improved. But, at the same time, my fear is that if no one takes the plunge early, the entire move toward efficiency and alternative fuels will get overwhelmed by big oil. I also believe that reducing our dependance on foreign oil is a matter of National security. The BP debacle down in the Gulf of Mexico has only strengthened this opinion.

Now, just to be clear on the matter, while I haven’t driven the Leaf… or even seen one in person, I have owned Nissan’s in the past and was very happy with the build quality and service I received. The Leaf also has built in navigation, hands free bluetooth, integrated iPod support and a solar panel in the rear spoiler. Although, personally, I would’ve made the entire roof or hood a solar panel. I mean, that could actually look pretty cool, almost like a carbon fiber effect. I don’t know how much that would add to the weight of the car or screw with the center of gravity, but still.

I put my $99 down on April 22nd, and I’m actually excited to get down to some actual ordering. Pretty much the only thing that would cause me to back out now is if the dealer tries to completely jerk me around on either the price or the trade in. I sincerely hope that doesn’t happen, but at the same time, I’m not going to pay a fortune for an “affordable” EV.

So, wish me luck. I spent a lot of time tracking my “average” miles per day, and it looks like very rarely drive more than 70 miles in a day. I live 10 miles from work and 10 miles (in the other direction) from Foster BJJ. I’m 30 miles from downtown Seattle, and less than 20 from downtown Tacoma. While I won’t be able to drive down to Portland in my Leaf, I should be able to use it for pretty much all of my day to day driving.

I also filled out the questionnaire a while back to see if I can get my home charger installed for free. The cost to have the charger installed is roughly $2,000, but I guess the company that’s been contracted to install them is doing about 4500 for free. I think I’m in a great situation, as I have an enclosed garage in a newer home with room in the electrical panel for a 240 volt 40 amp circuit. Come on guys!

A Friend in Need

Health and Fitness, Politics 9 Responses »

Jan 172010

I’ve written about Crusher on my blog in the past. He’s the guy that made me seriously question whether I was right for BJJ. I saw him and thought, “Oh crap. I’m in the wrong place!” As is the case with most BJJ guys, though, Crusher is a very cool guy.

When I began training in 2006, he was a brown belt, Coach Foster’s first student to reach that rank (and until recently, his only student). Crusher is a former power lifter… think world’s strongest man. He was built like that, like an oak tree. He was immune to being choked because his neck was only 2″ long and was as big around as my waist.

In the first month or so of training, I paired up with Crusher in sparring. Coach said to him, “He’s new, so teach him some stuff.” So, he promptly rolled me into mount (yes, he pulled mount on me… how demoralizing!), let me work for a bit, then reversed me and passed my guard. Remembering that he’s supposed to be teaching me “some stuff” he says as an afterthought, “Okay. Right here… you’re losing.”

Crusher’s real name is Jason McKissack, and until about a year ago, he was a police officer on the Seattle PD. As he tried to break up a fight, he was jumped by the group, including both parties in the fight. Here’s a link to the original article:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008009370_webcop20m.html

The brain damage he sustained has left his equilibrium completely out of whack. Well, now, because he’s no longer able to serve on the PD, they’re cutting his medical coverage. Since he is no longer a police officer, the only way his family could continue to get medical coverage is if he were killed.

Here’s the link to a video of the story and to the article itself that ran a few days ago locally.

We’ve had 6 officers killed in the line of duty within the last few months and that’s a tragedy. But I know that the families of these slain officers have received an overwhelming display of support, financial and emotional, from the entire community. They did their jobs and the community came through when needed. What really pisses me off about this situation is that Jason says in the article that his family would be better off if he had died. That just sucks. That he survived should be celebrated, not penalized. His family should be better off that he survived, not worse.

There’s a house bill being proposed that would insure that officers injured in the line of duty and unable to return to duty would keep their medical benefits. HB1679 would protect first responders by ensuring catastrophic medical care. Take a look. If you’re in WA, consider letting your State Rep know that it’s important to you. As things stand right now, I believe we’re morally obliged to take care of our first responders. It’s the right thing to do, and this bill does that.

Now, all of that aside, besides the personal interest I have in this story, this also brings up other topical points I’m curious about. What do you guys think?

Regardless of your stance on health care (although if we had single payer, this wouldn’t be an issue), what do you think about the reality that, as it stands, in the case of a medical emergency it’s often better for the family if the person dies than if they live but suffer from a permanent, disabling condition? How would you handle the loss of employment, loss of income and often the loss of medical insurance coupled with enormous personal debt and medical debt wreaks havoc on a family? Divorce is very common, bankruptcy also commonplace and homelessness for the disabled individual is a real possibility if everyone he or she thought was there… suddenly isn’t. “Sorry, honey. I just can’t handle it any more. You’re not the person I married.” Is this an issue for you? Important? Do you guys believe the chips fall where they may… just bad luck? What would happen to you and your families if you were in a car accident or something, could no longer work, lose your medical coverage and wrack up six digit medical bills? Are you prepared?

Aaron Fotheringham – ESPN

Non-BJJ 6 Responses »

May 102009

A couple years ago now, early in this blog’s life, I posted an article mostly about kids and martial arts, and why I believe that kids (and anyone else) are better served by not protecting them from failure. Failure is an important lesson. I said that that time, “I tell my kids that the difference between someone who’s good at something and someone who’s great at something is the desire to succeed once coupled with the willingness to fail countless times, over and over.”

I got an email with a link to this YouTube video and at first I was cynical. It didn’t take long, however, until I was completely overwhelmed. This kid embodies what I was trying to articulate a couple of years ago, and the life lessons are universal. It could be golf, the violin, snowboarding, martial arts or in this case, an entirely new sport, the lesson is the same. We have to allow our kids to fail. We have to encourage them to try again, and we have to teach them that things are worth doing for their own sake.

This is also why I think junior black belts and anything else in which everyone wins is a bad idea.

Anyway, take a look. It’s not very long:

Older Entries