Done Like Dinner

Uni
I have finally completed my first year of university (I cannot claim success yet as I don’t know such things) and to say I was ready for it to be done would be an understatement. It couldn’t finish quick enough. I had forgotten how much stress assignments and exams put on you. The last time I did this stuff I didn’t have a family or a job in the mix. There is a huge difference.

Today is the first day of freedom.

Now all I have to do is work and hang with the family. Easy.
Moved
We have moved since my last post, into a bigger 3 bedroom house. It gives us a bit more room, and is across the road from a couple of parks, around the corner to a good thai restaurant and a short walk/drive to the train and a favorite coffee place. It also includes lawn maintenance in the rent. Brilliant. The realestate has been good to deal with too so far, so we are happy with it.
Wrasslin‘
I have also graded again in the last month, and now have my 4th stripe in BJJ. The next test for me will be a blue belt grading that will require some extra training. Our blue belt grading is kinda like running the gauntlet. We must run through all of our syllabus techniques for the first 4 stripes (about 10-12 in each comprised of different attacks, escapes and sweeps) and be technically sound and instinctive. This can take a couple hours depending on how many others are grading, because basically one partner drills the technique until everyone has been graded on it, and then the other partner does the same. After you have completed the syllabus, we have 10×3minute wrestles with 30s rest in between each. If you get a submission, you have the rest of that round off to rest as a reward. This doesn’t happen very often as we wrestle mostly senior belts. It is grueling. For my last stripe I had to do 5×3minute wrestles. It was tough. Guys usually take the next couple days off afterwards. This is what I am training towards. Receiving a blue belt in BJJ is a big thing. Luckily I am in no rush. The plan is to use the next 3 months off uni to build myself a good fitness base to prepare.
The Boy
Little dude went into help with a new assessment being used by our occupational therapy dept at the hospital. It is basically just a series of little tests to determine cognitive ability and development. I am just letting you know this because NOW when I tell you that my son is better than yours, I’ll have documented evidence and will use phrases like, “All medical professionals agree that Caleb’s son is better than yours!”

Now I am off, as I really want to pay attention to this episode of Survivorman, which Jordon put me onto. Out.

My 2nd BJJ Comp And Another 2-1 Loss

For those of you who may not have seen it yet, this is my match in the 85-91kg Masters (age 30-35) division of the EventsBJJ comp held here in Sydney. I didn’t get submitted, and I used my lockdown to keep him moving, but couldn’t get the sweep. I probably should’ve tried something else but I had no idea where the time was at, and it felt like it was over quickly. Unlike the first comp where I thought it would never end.

One thing to take away from this match was how I left my leg out there for the takedown. Never even crossed my mind. I refuse to retire though until I get at least one win.

Props to benough for filming it for me.

A Friend’s Doco

Whew

0.1 Uni is done for the semester. Exams, prac, assignments, classes, over. For now. I have 5 weeks off to regain any sense of why this stress and work is worth it. Near the end of the semester I was feeling pretty worn out and over it all. Sitting through lectures and labs is mentally fatiguing which quickly translates into physical. Despite it all, I am doing well. I think the exams went well, and even though it’s only been a week, I am looking forward to the new classes in August.

0.2 In the middle of uni I have been training my jiujitsu 2-3 times a week and have graded up a stripe this week. I am back at the bottom of the food chain, and will be working on defense for the next couple months. It will be grueling, but I love the training, and I seem to suck a little less each time.

0.3 I been a judge at a MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) show around here last month and I have been asked to do another show in the middle of July. It is awesome seeing the fights from ringside, but a little daunting not being there without responsibility. The reality is, rarely do the judges have to make more than a couple of decisions in a night, but I still find it a bit stressful. Regardless, it is a cool new opportunity for me to be involved in a sport I have been following for years.

0.3.5 I had my external hard drive die on me last month which, although annoying and an inconvenience, was not all that disastrous. I then decided that I should look at upgrading my HD in my laptop as it was about the same age. Good thing. While backing up my data the techies were amazed that my laptop was still functioning as the HD was near death. It required a few disk repairs for my info to get fixed but it’s all back and working. Hopefully, this will make it last a few more years. As much as I lust after the new macbooks we just can’t afford one. Plus, we don’t really need it. For a fraction of the price we have maxed out my old G4 12″ powerbook and it still works fine. I think I have found a webcam that will work with it as well, which has been a challenge. Older technology does come with it’s own issues.

0.4 So because I am off for a few weeks, it means I will be around the intertubes a bit more, so if people are on skype, let me know as I am looking to catch up with a few people during my time off.

The Man

Taken during our Keast Family Getaway to Katoomba up in the Blue Mountains. It was pretty cold up there. It was the first time we have had a fire in a fireplace going the whole weekend. He’s growing up.

Brazillian Jiu Jitsu (Doin’ the Jiu)

I have always had a thing for martial arts. I have taken up Karate a couple of times, and watched Bloodsport, and Above the Law numerous times, which I am sure makes me some sort of black belt in martial arts viewing.

I started taking Brazillian Jiu Jitsu here in Oz after some encouragement from an old BBC acquaintance to seek out a Will/Machado school… which I did. I am currently working on my 3rd stripe for my white belt. I love it.

Not every week, but some weeks, like this one past, I come home limping a bit, or am a bit stiff. It’s pretty physically demanding and a few times the older guys and I look at each and wonder why we do it to ourselves. To put it into perspective, hockey is on the same nights as BJJ, and I am choosing BJJ. I haven’t skated in a year.

The Sheer Primal-ness To It
There is something about testing yourself against other men in combat that makes you feel awesome. Even in losing. Which I am somewhat of an expert at. Guys who are bigger, guys who are smaller, guys who are more fit, less fit, guys who have way more experience, guys who are noobs. Every week my opponent is different. The combat is controlled. However, just because it is controlled doesn’t mean it isn’t intense and competitive. Our school has a rep for training hard, and my face usually comes home with the proof on it.

The Academia Of It
Responding to your opponents attack while you’re deprived of oxygen and they’ve wrapped your leg around your neck takes a bit of getting used to. Eventually, you begin to respond more and more effectively (preferably before you get into a position where escape is unlikely). Attacking and counter-attacking. Baiting, faking, anticipating, set-ups. Making your opponent over commit, or think you are doing something else and grabbing an arm or a choke by surprise. The strategy, combined with your knowledge of what you can and can’t do, combined with what your opponent can or can’t stop is something I find myself thinking about a lot. “I wonder if I should try and use my legs more.” “If I had’ve rolled this way” etc, etc.

Earning it
One thing I appreciate about our club is that a grading means something. To get promoted to blue belt, you must show proficiency in your techniques and your level of fitness. During the last couple of grading I watched for 3 hrs (since my grading only took the first 30 mins) while those going for their belt drilled their techniques over and over for 3 hrs before that part of the grading was complete. THEN, came the wrestling. Those going for blue belt wrestled for 30mins straight. 10 opponents. A new opponent every 3 mins unless you submit them, in which case you get to rest for the rest of that 3mins. About half way through you start to get the blue and purple belts and instructors. It’s killer. I have watched guys go through the hell and be rewarded on the other side. I have also watched guys go through the hell only to have to repeat it somewhere down the line. It is pretty cool to watch.

The knowledge of techniques and my ability to perform those techniques against better and better opponents is slowly improving. Which is cool. Now to get a few friends to roll with who don’t life so far away. Any takers?

That’s One!

Hole in One

Originally uploaded by zamboni49

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Same But Hopefully More Frequent

Our new flatmate (old, but still loved flatmate can be found here) was eager to mind the boy for an evening, and we took a short trip into the city via the Meadowbank Ferry (30mins). We were dropped off right in the middle of Sydney and had some noodles down on the wharf. It was nice to get out for a bit, as we don’t generally go into the city very often for “fun”… mostly since there seems to always be a financial penalty we can’t cover most of the time. Neither of us had caught the ferry into the city before and it is a much more fun mode of public transport than the train, and cost almost the same. We ended up at Marshill for a coffee before calling it a night.

My first semester of uni is half over. I have a bit of a break for the next 2 weeks, which I am looking forward to. It has been pretty full on, but I have only one more assignment to do before end of semester and then a week of prac and exams. Then I think I get a month off or something of that nature. Hangin for that.

Elmo + Ricky