My apologies for neglecting this blog for so long. July 10th! Ouch. Have to get better at doing this.
Anyways... I'm back. I'll catch you all up on what's been going on since I last posted over the coming weeks. Right at the moment, though, I'm feeling reflective and sentimental so I'm going to go in that direction.
I've had the most marvelous week! Facebook has done it again. I'm really enjoying being on there. It's got me back in touch with the most marvelous people. People I didn't even realize how much I'd missed... and how much I look forward to seeing again soon. When old friends come back into your life, it seems to open up all kinds of pleasantries. At least, it has for me.
Back to my marvelous week... got back in touch with one of my favorite old school chums. (And no, I'm not going to name names -- she knows who she is!) We've been Facebook friends for a while now but just never managed to find time to get reacquainted. So, we've decided we're going to work out a time to go find a coffee somewhere.
Yeah, I know. It sounds like such a little thing. But, it's amazing how much the imagination can churn over something you're SO looking forward to. We drank so many imaginary cups of coffee this week, our imaginary selves will probably never sleep again. ;) Good thing we're both early risers.
I'll let you know how it turns out.
By the way, BIG wrestling show coming up: May 9th @ The Extreme Zone! Heavy Metal and I will be defending the tag belts against "Outlaw" Adam Knight and "The Big Sexy Beast" AJ Sanchez. We're gonna need all your support to get by those two behemoths!
We'll talk soon... promise.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Never Quite Good Enough
Tracy and I were sitting in one of our favorite coffee shops the other day when I had to run out to the van for something. When I came back in, she was grinning from ear-to-ear and had a slight case of the giggles. Apparently, as I went out the door two women had come into the coffee shop from the other entrance and had stopped right by our table to admire “the view”.
“Look at that guy with the long hair,” one said to the other.
“Oh wow…” the other replied. And then they stood and watched me bend over into the van until their coffees were ready.
Tracy asked me if I liked it when things like that happened. Now, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like that. It’s very heady to find out you’re being “drooled” over by complete strangers. But at the same time, I often wonder what the fuss is about. I mean, I see myself in the mirror every day and most of the time, I’m not happy with what I see.
With the heavy physical demands of framing a house and the muscular development required for wrestling and for modeling, it’s nearly become a full-time job just staying in shape. The calories I use up in a day are staggering. I probably eat nearly 4,000 calories a day and I’m still losing body fat. And it seems that each time I start to make progress on one body part that’s lagging, three others surface that I’m just as unhappy with.
Wrestling’s the same way. Every time I watch one of my matches, although I’m reasonably happy with the match, I can pick out at least a dozen things that don’t look good enough or crisp enough or just plain weren’t as I imagine they should look.
I suppose that’s a good thing, though. Never being satisfied. Always feeling like there’s a need for improvement. Gives me something to strive for; something to work on. I don’t know what I’d do if I suddenly looked up and everything was perfection. Probably pack it in. Although, there are times when I’d really, really like it if things were a lot closer to perfection that they seem to be, I think I prefer being never quite good enough. I like the challenge.
“Look at that guy with the long hair,” one said to the other.
“Oh wow…” the other replied. And then they stood and watched me bend over into the van until their coffees were ready.
Tracy asked me if I liked it when things like that happened. Now, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like that. It’s very heady to find out you’re being “drooled” over by complete strangers. But at the same time, I often wonder what the fuss is about. I mean, I see myself in the mirror every day and most of the time, I’m not happy with what I see.
With the heavy physical demands of framing a house and the muscular development required for wrestling and for modeling, it’s nearly become a full-time job just staying in shape. The calories I use up in a day are staggering. I probably eat nearly 4,000 calories a day and I’m still losing body fat. And it seems that each time I start to make progress on one body part that’s lagging, three others surface that I’m just as unhappy with.
Wrestling’s the same way. Every time I watch one of my matches, although I’m reasonably happy with the match, I can pick out at least a dozen things that don’t look good enough or crisp enough or just plain weren’t as I imagine they should look.
I suppose that’s a good thing, though. Never being satisfied. Always feeling like there’s a need for improvement. Gives me something to strive for; something to work on. I don’t know what I’d do if I suddenly looked up and everything was perfection. Probably pack it in. Although, there are times when I’d really, really like it if things were a lot closer to perfection that they seem to be, I think I prefer being never quite good enough. I like the challenge.
Monday, July 2, 2007
It doesn't matter...
A few weeks ago, we were all cleaning up after supper one night. Being the cook, I got to just sit and watch all of this unfold. Tracy was making the kids’ school lunches along with Matthew. Kate was washing dishes and Terry was drying. All three kids are teenagers complete with raging hormones.
Terry and Kate were arguing about something. I can’t for the life of me remember what and, in fact, what they were arguing about isn’t important for the purposes of this little tale. What’s important is the dynamic of their relationship. Terry’s almost three years older than Kate. The big brother. Who’s always right. So don’t bother arguing with him.
Kate, on the other hand, is the little sister that’s been picked on when her parents weren’t looking. She knows there’s no arguing with her big brother. But she does anyway. And sometimes, I think so she can feel like she’s getting one over on him, rather than shout back at him, she’ll mutter her comeback half-under her breath. When she thinks he can’t hear her.
And that’s what she did on this particular night.
Terry: “What?”
Kate: “Nothing.”
Terry: “What’d you say?”
Kate: “Nothing.”
Terry: “I heard you say something. What was it?”
Kate: “It doesn’t matter.”
Terry (now getting mad): “WHAT DID YOU SAY?”
Kate (yelling back): “TERRY, IT DOESN’T MATTER.”
Terry: “Fine. If it doesn’t matter, then tell me what you said.”
Kate (splashing dish water and throwing her hands up in the air as she whirls around to face him): “TERRY, WHEN I SAY IT DOESN’T MATTER, IT DOESN’T MATTER!!”
At this point, after quietly watching and listening to this exchange, both Matthew and Tracy started to laugh.
Both Kate and Terry glared at the two of them and, almost simulataneously said, “What are you two laughing at?”
Matthew and Tracy looked at each other, looked at Kate and Terry and both said…
“It doesn’t matter.”
Terry and Kate were arguing about something. I can’t for the life of me remember what and, in fact, what they were arguing about isn’t important for the purposes of this little tale. What’s important is the dynamic of their relationship. Terry’s almost three years older than Kate. The big brother. Who’s always right. So don’t bother arguing with him.
Kate, on the other hand, is the little sister that’s been picked on when her parents weren’t looking. She knows there’s no arguing with her big brother. But she does anyway. And sometimes, I think so she can feel like she’s getting one over on him, rather than shout back at him, she’ll mutter her comeback half-under her breath. When she thinks he can’t hear her.
And that’s what she did on this particular night.
Terry: “What?”
Kate: “Nothing.”
Terry: “What’d you say?”
Kate: “Nothing.”
Terry: “I heard you say something. What was it?”
Kate: “It doesn’t matter.”
Terry (now getting mad): “WHAT DID YOU SAY?”
Kate (yelling back): “TERRY, IT DOESN’T MATTER.”
Terry: “Fine. If it doesn’t matter, then tell me what you said.”
Kate (splashing dish water and throwing her hands up in the air as she whirls around to face him): “TERRY, WHEN I SAY IT DOESN’T MATTER, IT DOESN’T MATTER!!”
At this point, after quietly watching and listening to this exchange, both Matthew and Tracy started to laugh.
Both Kate and Terry glared at the two of them and, almost simulataneously said, “What are you two laughing at?”
Matthew and Tracy looked at each other, looked at Kate and Terry and both said…
“It doesn’t matter.”
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Chris Benoit
I just don’t know what to say.
When I used to go to Stampede Wrestling here in Edmonton, I used to see Chris Benoit in the crowd with the rest of us fans. I remember when he first broke into the business. I remember when he won his first title. I’ve watched him wrestle virtually his entire career. And for all that time, I’ve also admired him. His work in the ring was always crisp, sharp, quick and intense. In fact, I patterned parts of “Mr. Intensity” after Chris’ style.
You can’t imagine how thrilled I was when Chris won the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania XX in Madison Square Garden. For ANYONE who’s ever wanted to be a wrestler that would be the ultimate. Like finding the Holy Grail at Christmastime in Mecca. It was his dream and it had come true. And his response at the end of the match, bursting into tears when he was announced as “the winner and NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!” was exactly appropriate. I remember watching that with my kids. Right at that moment, I paused the DVD, wiped the tears out of my eyes and told them, “If you guys do nothing else with your lives, know that moment.” It seems kind of hokey typing it here, but I meant it then. He worked hard to achieve his dreams, he didn’t listen to anyone who said he couldn’t do it, and he accepted the sacrifices he had to make. I held him up to my kids as someone to emulate.
How the hell do I do that now?
When I used to go to Stampede Wrestling here in Edmonton, I used to see Chris Benoit in the crowd with the rest of us fans. I remember when he first broke into the business. I remember when he won his first title. I’ve watched him wrestle virtually his entire career. And for all that time, I’ve also admired him. His work in the ring was always crisp, sharp, quick and intense. In fact, I patterned parts of “Mr. Intensity” after Chris’ style.
You can’t imagine how thrilled I was when Chris won the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania XX in Madison Square Garden. For ANYONE who’s ever wanted to be a wrestler that would be the ultimate. Like finding the Holy Grail at Christmastime in Mecca. It was his dream and it had come true. And his response at the end of the match, bursting into tears when he was announced as “the winner and NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!” was exactly appropriate. I remember watching that with my kids. Right at that moment, I paused the DVD, wiped the tears out of my eyes and told them, “If you guys do nothing else with your lives, know that moment.” It seems kind of hokey typing it here, but I meant it then. He worked hard to achieve his dreams, he didn’t listen to anyone who said he couldn’t do it, and he accepted the sacrifices he had to make. I held him up to my kids as someone to emulate.
How the hell do I do that now?
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Reconnecting...
I’ve recently been spending a lot of my online time on Facebook and Myspace. Mostly Facebook. Myspace seems to be geared more towards self-promotion than anything else. And it’s great for that. Facebook is more just people interacting with people. And for the past few weeks, I’ve been having a blast doing just that.
And, lucky me, I’ve been reconnecting with a bunch of people I haven’t seen in many, many years. Some of them are stunned at how much I’ve changed since way-back-when. Tracy and I went out to dinner with one woman and her husband. She and I went to school together and even used to hang out after graduation. Then, our lives headed different directions, and *poof!*; before we know it, twenty years has gone by. She and I both wondered aloud if we’d have done anything different last time we were hanging out if we’d known it was going to be twenty years before we saw each other again. Anyways, dinner the other night was a laugh riot – lots of reminiscing and lots of catching up with what’s gone on in each others lives. The night ended with promises not to make next time twenty years further down the track.
I’ve caught up with several other friends in the past few weeks and I’m honestly thrilled to have found them. I’ve come to realize I’ve missed their friendship, missed their company, missed their reassuring presence. I’ve always felt a great deal of fondness for the person I knew then, and I’ve started to enjoy the company of the person they’ve become. I’m going to work on reconnecting with more old friends. If you’re reading this and you’re one of my old friends, drop me a line on Facebook or Myspace. I’d love to hear from you.
All of this had made me think of the final, typed lines of “Stand By Me”:
“I never had any friends later on in life like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”
=====================
Just finished reading:
I couldn't put down Beth Ciotta's latest book, All About Evie. It had me going right to the end. Just plain great writing and storytelling with lots of laugh out loud moments. Well done, Beth. If you haven't read it, you should check it out!
Currently reading:
Heather Graham's latest offering is The Dead Room.
A year ago, archaeologist Leslie MacIntyre barely survived the explosion that took the life of her fiancé, Matt Connolly. In the long months since, she's slowly come to terms not only with her loss but with her unsettling new ability to communicate with ghosts, a dubious 'gift' received in the wake of her own brush with death. Now she's returned to lower Manhattan's historic Hastings House, site of the explosion, to conquer her fears and investigate a newly discovered burial ground. In this place, restless spirits hold the secrets not only of past injustice but of a very real and very contemporary conspiracy with deadly designs on the city's women—including Leslie herself. By night Matt visits her in dreams, warning her and offering clues to the truth, while by day she finds herself helped by—and attracted to—his flesh-and-blood cousin Joe. Torn by her feelings for both men, caught between the worlds of the living and the dead, Leslie struggles against the encroaching danger that threatens to overcome her. As she is drawn closer to the darkness at the heart of Hastings House, she must ultimately face the power of an evil mind, alone in a place where not even the men she loves can save her.
And, lucky me, I’ve been reconnecting with a bunch of people I haven’t seen in many, many years. Some of them are stunned at how much I’ve changed since way-back-when. Tracy and I went out to dinner with one woman and her husband. She and I went to school together and even used to hang out after graduation. Then, our lives headed different directions, and *poof!*; before we know it, twenty years has gone by. She and I both wondered aloud if we’d have done anything different last time we were hanging out if we’d known it was going to be twenty years before we saw each other again. Anyways, dinner the other night was a laugh riot – lots of reminiscing and lots of catching up with what’s gone on in each others lives. The night ended with promises not to make next time twenty years further down the track.
I’ve caught up with several other friends in the past few weeks and I’m honestly thrilled to have found them. I’ve come to realize I’ve missed their friendship, missed their company, missed their reassuring presence. I’ve always felt a great deal of fondness for the person I knew then, and I’ve started to enjoy the company of the person they’ve become. I’m going to work on reconnecting with more old friends. If you’re reading this and you’re one of my old friends, drop me a line on Facebook or Myspace. I’d love to hear from you.
All of this had made me think of the final, typed lines of “Stand By Me”:
“I never had any friends later on in life like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?”
=====================
Just finished reading:
I couldn't put down Beth Ciotta's latest book, All About Evie. It had me going right to the end. Just plain great writing and storytelling with lots of laugh out loud moments. Well done, Beth. If you haven't read it, you should check it out!
Currently reading:
Heather Graham's latest offering is The Dead Room.A year ago, archaeologist Leslie MacIntyre barely survived the explosion that took the life of her fiancé, Matt Connolly. In the long months since, she's slowly come to terms not only with her loss but with her unsettling new ability to communicate with ghosts, a dubious 'gift' received in the wake of her own brush with death. Now she's returned to lower Manhattan's historic Hastings House, site of the explosion, to conquer her fears and investigate a newly discovered burial ground. In this place, restless spirits hold the secrets not only of past injustice but of a very real and very contemporary conspiracy with deadly designs on the city's women—including Leslie herself. By night Matt visits her in dreams, warning her and offering clues to the truth, while by day she finds herself helped by—and attracted to—his flesh-and-blood cousin Joe. Torn by her feelings for both men, caught between the worlds of the living and the dead, Leslie struggles against the encroaching danger that threatens to overcome her. As she is drawn closer to the darkness at the heart of Hastings House, she must ultimately face the power of an evil mind, alone in a place where not even the men she loves can save her.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
