10% less of me

I'm still me, but there is 10% less then there was 6 weeks ago. Slowly but surely I have been watching what I eat and excercising more (running and kettlebells). This has allowed me to cut roughly 24 pounds.

I'm still not "slim" by any stretch of the imagination, but if everything goes right, I should break 260 this week. Not bad overall. The main reason I did this, is my quest for my BJJ Blue Belt.

What I found, is that my coach teaches a faster style of BJJ, while my style is more methodical and crushing. To continue to improve, I try to take myself out of a comfort zone, and try and play a smaller man's BJJ game. This includes fighting off my back more (which most big guys are loathe to do), and trying to play a faster attacking style (like Marcelo Garcia). While I will never be as good as Marcelo, I do like to use some of his techniques to finish. To that end, the easiest way to get faster, is for there to be less of me overall. Interestingly enough, this has allowed me to make significant progress in the dojo, and I finally feel comfortable wearing a 4 stripe white belt. I'm giving the blue belts in our class trouble, and even surprised Dave (our Brown belt teacher) with a back roll sweep.

While I'm thinking about it, I should probably put a link up for Dave Thomas' new website BJJ Tech. He has both pictures and videos, as well as a fairly significant youtube selection of techniques. I like to read and watch these while on conference calls at work.

I want to make one thing clear, i'm not fixated on receiving a colored belt. I am fixated on improving, and receiving the blue belt will be proof that I have achieved that goal.

Scrreeech! Bang ... Bang!

Alternate title:

My trucks rear bumper > 1987 Buick Centuries front end.

So, there I was on Loop 360, light was green, but traffic was a bit backed up. I stopped, the Buick behind me stopped fairly close, but I thought to myself "Self that F150 is coming pretty fast." Screech, bang into the Buick, which then launched itself into my truck.

We pull off the road, and the F150 is a young guy. He is fine, but sputtering cause of the airbags. Lady in the Buick is actually a Little Old Lady and she is scared. Her Buick just got crunched between two trucks, and she is a little dazed. Young guy and I open her door, but ask her to stay in the car as she said her neck hurt. I call 911 (I was the most coherent of the three - nobody else stopped), I answer a couple questions, and they dispatch a couple fire trucks and EMS.

Fire sweeps everything up (no leaking fluids), she talks to EMS for awhile but refuses treatment. Police arrive, we fill out the correct forms. They help the old lady, as she is a bit confused. Turns out she is 91, and as she says "I've been driving since I was 12, and this is the first time I've had an accident. I don't know what to do." Everyone is cool, nobody is angry.

The young guy is apologizing, and I notice he has burns on his hands from the airbag. I ask if he is ok, when he says "Yeah, I been hit by so many bombs while I was in Iraq this is nothing. I'm just sorry you guys messed up your cars."

All in all, everyone was OK, and everyone drove off. It's interesting the things you learn about people on the side of the road. Everyone shared a little bit. Heck, even the cop volunteered that he was back on the streets after something like 15 years with SWAT & Counter terrorism.

Truck needs a new bumper, but his insurance will pay for it. I'm betting they total out the Buick, probably hose the old lady. Hope she keeps driving though. She was a tough one. Only time she complained was when she realized her icecream was melting.

It has been suggested that I get a bumper like this:



That might be a bit much, but we shall see.