Night at the Temple

In my efforts to do something a little (or a lot) more culturally enriching, I had a great deal of success last night during the Buddha Day candlelight ceremony at the temple here in Pattaya.

As previously noted, nearly all establishments along the infamous Walking Street and throughout the city - from the raciest of go-go bars to the classiest of hotels - were either closed or abstained from serving alcohol in observance of this holiday.















Most of the women and men who work and frequent those establishments were among the thousands kneeling alongside me - one of four white men.















Religion is religion. There's always something special to me about seeing someone worship to something greater than themselves - especially in this peaceful and soothing ceremony.















Thousands gathered to kneel around the statue of this Buddha. This particular statue may not appear as the same jolly little fat man most of us are accustomed to seeing. But this is, nonetheless, a statue of a younger and more fit Buddha.















I'm not religious per se, but I strongly believe in respecting individuals' religion. Spirituality is very important and if you cannot respect it you should not invite yourself to participate or observe the practice. In order to respect - you have to learn how things go.















The first thing I learned about Buddhist ceremonies is that they resemble the Christian worship services I grew up in. There's a lot of uncomfortable kneeling, there's a couple in the back w/ a very cranky and noisy child, elderly people who give those young parents the hairy eyeball, and a lot of repeating. Did I mention it's very uncomfortable?















For men, we can wear what we like. Women, however, are expected to dress w/ long sleeves and long pants. Not everyone did it, but most adhered to this custom. Everyone is expected to take off their shoes - and absolutely everyone did this.

The ceremony began after about 30 white-robed women filled the first few rows and kneeled. After about 45 minutes of what sounded like mass, everyone rose from their knees or indian-style sitting to light candles and incense. Despite the long kneel and language barrier, the whole experience was quite soothing and placid.














Led by the women in white - we circled the large central Buddha several times. The statue is surrounded by smaller statues where we placed our incense, candles and flowers at.



















The pictures are hardly what I hoped, but the entire experience was exactly what I was looking for this trip - I highly recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity.

Upon leaving the temple I met an older British man named Martin and his "girlfriend" who made him come to the ceremony amid their escapades. Her, their taxi driver, Martin and I all attended the same ceremony and there's something to be said about that.

Then Martin bought all of us some water and paid for my ride back to town. I bid goodnight as he rode off into the night with his girlfriend - who he says is at least in the ten best he knows in Pattaya.

Act Your Age

My last Thai visit I was 19 years old and barely a year out of high school with even less time in the Navy. I behaved accordingly.

This time around I'm a 29-year-old husband and father - and not acting accordingly. Rather than go out and buy underwear, I spent my money on a remote control helicopter. I couldn't resist. It's made of all flexible materials and can resist crashing.














Let's be honest though - we'll be luck if this sucker makes out of country.

I did, however, get a fantastic manicure and pedicure for a whopping 300 baht - roughly about $10 American.














Tonight it's off to the Buddhist temple for a candle ceremony. It's part of Buddha Day here in Thailand. Most establishments, including the raciest girlie and go-go bars will abstain from serving alcohol to kick off three months of alcohol fasting for many and temple life for a chosen few.

There are shrines like this one all over the place. Some joker here thought Buddha needed a beer.

Under Where?

As you know, the Navy brought me here to Thailand. I just found out I'll be getting flown out to a US Navy ship and then to a Thai aircraft carrier! This is quickly turning into the trip of a lifetime.

But before I get underway, I'm getting underwear! Apparently it's time to retire this sad stack.



















As I considered going for another massage I remembered the facial expressions of yesterday's masseuse Djip and today's housekeeper - especially when they saw the family man special drawers. An awkward look like, "real nice buddy" was all the motivation I needed to find some underpants.

I usually update every ten years like clockwork - and that pretty much means I bought these here in Thailand in 1999. While things aren't quite that bad, it's not time to set a precedent.

So today's challenge is to barter on Walking St. for the cheapest and most comfortable underwear this daddy can buy! Let's set our spending at $10 American.



















While I'm at it the manicure and pedicure are going to happen too!

Djip and the Thai VW

With just three hours under my belt in Pattaya it was time for my first Thai massage of the trip. After consulting my counterparts Tom and his family, I chose the place closest to the hotel. Actually this was second closest - first was a hair salon that did foot massage too.















The grand total for two hours of the best massage your money can buy is $25 American. Not only did I get a fantastic (and well needed) massage, I met a fantastic local masseuse - named Djip.



She's like me - 29 years old with a daughter who's right around four years old. Unlike most of her Thai counterparts, she's working today. It's the first of three sacred Buddhist holidays. But she has to make money and likes what she does.

Djip, which is a nickname her mother gave her, grew up in small agricultural town. Djip is "baby chicken." She used to sound like that as a young child. Now she's all grown up, gone to massage school in Bangkok and spent the last two years doing thousands of massages on "Farang" (tourists) like me.

But unlike me, Djip is a single mother. Her husband and daughter's father died in a motorcycle accident shortly after their daughter was born. Since then, she's been paying 1000 baht every month for a room w/ no furniture. As tourism keeps leveling off, she's concerned about how to continue paying rent.

A true embassador for Thais, Djip does not represent her sisters a block away - nor does she seem interested in the money they make. Djip is my first friend here and I will be visiting again soon.















As for the owner of these sweet VWs - he's not so nice. Unlike his American counterparts, he is unfriendly and doesn't know what year they are. What kind of VW owner is he. He was pretty stoked to know I drive one though...

Good Morning Vietnam! (from Pattaya)

Adrian Croanauer was a military journalist. The US military started coming to this place for RnR just a few years before he did his thing in Vietnam.

Well the US military is still here with journalists (public affairs elements) in tact - me and another lucky guy.

This is Pattaya and it's a world away from anything back in the states. Las Vegas is absolutely owned by Pattaya and its counterpart across the sea in Phuket. Anything goes in these towns that sex and the US military built one happy ending-at-a-time.

What was then still exists and is evident by the beer bars and girls we passed while my taxi drive got lost on the way here. It's presence is unavoidable, but it's part of the culture. I'm doing my best not to let it weigh me down - trying to focus on the more positive aspects of this truly amazing place.

I'll be reporting more after my first daily massage in 3 - 2 - 1!

NOW!

2 a.m. in Bangkok

Even though the sun is down - Bangkok is aesthetically mind blowing. Even the people in this metropolis have a better attitude than most cities in the US - not to mention the bus full of incredibly rude French people I was with.

Finally cleaned up and settled in - it's time to hit the hay before my two-hour ride to Pattaya in a few hours. Looks like the hotel there is just as impressive. I'll be sure to post more photos as I get the chance.

1st Class

A rough start to my trip landed me at the Rogue Brewery at PDX for lunch. I met some locals and devised a scheme to kick this trip off in style.

New-found buddy Nick and I decided it was time to upgrade to first class for the 10-hour trip from PDX to Tokyo.

Well played Nick. Not only did we not get busted, but got three courses free with an open bar. Hot towels, full-reclining leather seats, an outlet for the computer and even slippers and ear plugs.

Well things are starting to look up from the fiasco that was my last week trying to leave the US.

Reporting from Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan - Jason Tross

PDX Bound

Actually I'm already there.

I mean bound like the kind where things are all tied up and no one's going anywhere.

I'm not going anywhere till tomorrow. Just a slight mix-up - I wasn't aware passengers absolutely must report at least two hours before boarding in order to board international flights. But I know that now.

So I'm sitting here at complimentary beverage hour. That really means anyone in the hotel gets to get schlitzed on cheap booze and pass out in their rooms. It's getting quite popular here in the last 30 minutes.

After a couple beers I'm getting ready to sign off. It's my full intention to be early to the airport tomorrow.

Thailand will have to wait a day.

Champs!

Champs huh?

This photo is from this weekend's parade in Winlock, Wash. I didn't even notice it myself till a friend laughed at the photo.

Happy Birthday Meghan

Yesterday was Meghan Riley Tross' seventh birthday.

We miss you baby girl.

Website

As it stands, my old (and terrible) placeholder page is officially down. It is replaced w/ an arguably lamer page saying my website is still incomplete.

But the good news is I'm really publishing the new one today. So stand by everyone (anyone) for a new www.jasontross.com!

The 1st Race

There's this feeling of excitement at the first fight. All the preparation comes to one moment. We've gone through all the sparring matches. The punches are stronger than ever. The footwork is ready. Now it's just time in the ring to develop that mindset - it's the only way to develop it.

Now to people outside, they don't know what the Champ knows. They don't know what things are exciting and what things are making are skeptical. But it's the first fight and that means the Champ is back in business - if he performs well that is.

The fight was killer. There were hickups as expected, but the fight was an overall success - better than expected too.

If I had to release a statement about the Champ it would read as follows:

After a successful first fight, the Champ is clearly picking up where he left off. Still one of the most talented fighters in the world, his clear determination to win has never been more evident.

There is still much to do in the gym and ring alike in the way of training and sharpening the skills.

What I will say, is that all evaluations are done at this time. The Champ is winning again and has resumed training for the title bout.

"C'mon Joe"

Part of what makes the Champ so great is the game he talks. It's what the people love to love and love to hate about him.

He knows he's the best. You never hear of doubt from his lips. After a while fans, and eventually opponents, begin to buy into 100 percent of it. It's either entertaining or intimidating, but always effective. And he's good enough to back it up.

At this point there's no question, should he get this fight, he will win. No one can move like this. No one can dance like this. No one can talk like this and no one can back it up like this. No one can put up numbers like this.

The Champ is proven and confident. All he needs is the opponent to beat. Whatever the challenge, especially in this familiar arena, the opponent goes down at the Champ's will as he controls all aspects of the fight. That's how it's always been and will continue being.

The spectators are lining up, the bets are in, now it's time for the show.

Back in the League

From here on out the Champ is picking his fights in the big leagues and it feels just right.

Well the Champ moved on from that first comeback fight. It's over and here's a bit of a ride. Here's that point where you start challenging and relying on what it is you do to keep winning. Not every fight is a colossal battle of the titans. Most fights are run-of-the muck, but only if you're among the best who can compete in this league.

My first major win gave me the title belt back, but that's only the beginning. Now I have to find a good fight in this league again.

Simply put, that means a job. There are prospects and this one is very solid.

If the Champ's career were compared to being the fastest car in a race, I got slammed into the wall and totaled. Now we've rebuilt, ran the time trials, won the races I've already won before and finally moving beyond where things left off.

That's what kind of fight this one is - the next one from where I was, but still chasing down the giant. Guess you could say the Champ is back.

Realpolitik

I've been saving this photo for a special occasion - one
really appropriate for such a well-known photo.

Obviously, the photo shows Muhammad Ali being knocked down against his greatest opponent - Smokin' Joe Frazier.

Ali was just returning from a three-year long ban for refusing to join the Army and serve in Vietnam. The IBC strpped him of his title and nearly all he'd worked for - a hit he couldn't dodge. It was a harder hit than anything any opponent could throw in the ring. The results were devastating.

Those three years away from boxing are argued to have been his prime years. Ali returned nonetheless. And after making great progress, Frazier handed him his first career loss in a brutal battle.

Ali gets stripped of his world and achievements (arguably deserved), costing him the best fighting years of his life - then he comes back only to be defeated by the very man he was sure he could defeat. The series of events is enough to cripple even the best fighter in the history of boxing.

There's a lot to this story we don't know. We don't know what Ali did to train and get his mind right for a one-of-a-kind comeback. He did whatever it took. He won, and his end justified whatever means it took.

What we do know is Ali did come back. He brought himself to a level far beyond the competition. Newcomer George Foreman took Ali's prize belst from Frazier by knocking him down six times in two rounds before the entire fight was called off. Ali beat young Foreman in Africa and went on to survive two more wins over Frazier, including the Thrilla In Manila.

What if Ali never came back after being banished? What if he never continued after his embarassing loss to Frazier. What if he didn't find the means necessary.

Well this Champ did get back up. He ate his loss and the crushing banishment to regain the title after his own series of devastating events.

The blow that took the Champ out of the game came from somewhere else - a judgement. He was the fast-talking, over-confident Champ who knew he could win - people wanted him to lose. He was completely unprepared for this blow. Not only had he trained, but mastered what the Champ thought was the most important aspect of this fight. He channeled all his energy into this area, thinking it would win. He was wrong.

Something went wrong in the end of the 7th round. He went down. He didn't see it coming at all. Even though the Champ fought to get up three times in the same round - he had to stay down. And that was that. His entire life was in danger. It was a painful choice. He had to make the decision and it cost him everything.


Five years, and one comeback later, the Champ is in the ring again - and regained his title.

End justifies the means - and this is a perfect example. And to that end, I say Realpolitik.

Big Mac Attack

We have finally walked the plank. 

We are Mac owners. 

I was right, I was right, I was right. 

This is the most incredible interface ever! Everything is intuitive and works when you need it to. Here's to life after PC...

Endurance

So how's the Champ doing?

Pretty good under the circumstances.

Moving into the big leagues - it's painfully familiar at times, but it's where he needs to be. Training - it's painfully difficult, especially staying committed to it. Training is what's brought him this far in a short time. What a year...

Things can change a lot in 365 days. The weather is the same as last year but the climate is dramatically different. Now is when you start to realize just how much has happened this last year. Now is no time to be tired. There's endless work to do - both training and ring time.

Where is he on the ladder? Somewhere in the middle - fighting to make success a habit and make positivity a matter of muscle memory. The fight is mostly internal, where the most confusing work needs to be done.

Good and bad things happen in life. How they affect us could easily be graded on a scale in tenths. One being the lowest and worst and 10 being the highest and best. We place up and down on this scale depending on how we feel. And the way we feel about events are relative to our position on the scale. Some things are positive for one point while some things can be negative for three points. They affect where we sit on the scale.

Let's say you're at seven and score a positive five. Well you've only got three points to go, so this wouldn't be as big a deal as if you were at three and scored the same five. Of course this works in reverse as well.

Training is the only way you can bring up your standings. It makes the bigger positives more likely to occur and affects your everyday state. No training leads to failure followed by bigger failures. This thing is pretty complex and difficult to win. Consistent training is the answer every time. It keeps you from over-complicating an already complicated idea.

Back ot the gym for more endurance.

And now... Nothing

That's what I'd like to do today - nothing.

Happy Easter everyone. Hopefully you're enjoying doing doing nothing.

The Well

One thing about a series of events, whether good or bad, is we never know how long it's going to last. Kind of like a well - hence my headline. And in this case I'm particularly floored by how many good things are happening in such a short time period. You could call this a good-news well. I've found a lot of bad news wells too.

On that note, I have to remember how these things go. Everything can fall out w/ no warning. Not that things will ultimately go that way - just sometimes they do. Just accepting that's life is a fair approach. Preparing for them is a good approach. Anticipating and looking through them is the sound approach - for both good and bad wells. The best approach is to have many wells. Some call this diversity. I call it balance.

Mt. Bachelor

I never really get photos of me skiing. So I was very stoked to work w/ Bend-based photographer Tyler Roemer. Check out his blog at http://tylerroemer.blogspot.com/ and on his personal site http://tylerroemer.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

The day ended right after I landed. Seems we don't have any readily-available photos of that landing...

Just Remembered

I'm just remembering a dream I had about Shane and his family - something about still living in the valley but in an apartment below him and his family. He still knew how to throw a house party for grown ups. I think I realized then I was going to enjoy every day I spend in the ski industry - because so many people will never get to do it. Thanks for some more inspiration Shane.
This is just too unreal.

You Remember

We all remember where we were for things like 9/11 or for those of you before my time - the Kennedy assassinations.

But for adventure sport enthusiasts, especially skiers, we will all remember exactly what we were doing when we learned Shane McConkey passed away.

I'll remember having missed the instant message from Luke about it when I got home.

His ski failed to release on a BASE jump in the Italian Dolomite Mountains just a few hours ago. My heart goes out to Shane's wife and three-year-old daughter.

I'm somewhere between devastated, inspired, angry and numb.

It just occurred to me that Shane is immortalized among the Chuck Yeagers and Alan Shepards of the world. He was on a whole nother level - I just never realized it.

Rest in peace Shane. We are all better people for having known you.

Hannah Night at the Improv

From Hannah's Performance

Training

So all this talk I do about training and fighting the good fight has nothing to do w/ boxing. Hope I didn't just Sixth Sense you there.

O.k., I'll explain what I mean. You know when you watched Sixth Sense for the first time and realized dood was really dead? Well anyway I used to give away the ending to that movie for fun. And people would be reasonably pissed at me. Well, I hope I didn't just blow the whole boxing = life analogy for you.

Anyway - moving on now.

All this talk and research about Muhammad Ali's personal and professional life inspired me to actually go to, and exercise in, a gym. This should shock you even more than the Sixth Sense did. As anyone who knows me already knows - this champ HATES the gym.

Well make that HATED the gym because I like it now. And I need it more than ever. Sitting here on the couch is making me gain fat while withering muscle away underneath. This means I'm just going to hurt myself skiing - not to mention that potential heart attack at 55 or the grocery list of other health risks associated w/ a sedentary lifestyle.

Most importantly, it keeps my head clear - more than any drug or treatment available. And that's a good thing.

Now with my Navy physical fitness test coming up next month, I'm going to actually try making good marks. That's a first for Petty Officer Tross. I'm also going to shoot for an outstanding after this one. Call it what you will. I call it growing up.

Maybe we should call it training for the big match - life.

Shralpine Shredows

So I don't have any footage or great words to describe what video can show. This was some of the best consistency I've ever had - in snow that is. Enjoy.

My Turn

O.k., maybe turns.

Here's 1/4 of my descent from Crater Crest, just beneath the Sawtooth Ridge on the edge of Yosemite, California.

From Jason Tahoe Trip

I Miss Squaw

And here's why. I didn't get to ski Squaw while I was in California these past eight days. But my game is looking good and I'd like start working toward something like this video. It's an April powder day on the fingers - right off the KT-22 Chair.

Smallest route off those cliffs is at least 30 feet.

Even after four years, I still haven't gotten sick of this clip.

And Just Like That

I duck and I dodge. I dance and I move. I've done it again.

One refreshing break and it's back at em' again - and shined this time. I didn't know I was going to be able to duck or dodge this one. My training is paying off now.

How It Really Happens

Fighting an opponent in the ring is the easy part. You just train and get experience fighting. Well maybe I've simplified things a bit, but it's not too far off. This is the simple recipe for winning fights.

But what about being a winning fighter?

Some people just do and others do not. And, like many other great fighters, I've been mislead - yet again.

The failure is o.k., but its recurrence is not. And the failure has happened again.

People know the Champ is a strong and talented fighter and they cannot win in the ring. That's why most attack from outside of the ring. You don't see our opponents face-to-face the same way out here.

These are the things that happen behind closed doors without you, but have everything to do with you . Knowing these things are happening before they affect you is good. Preventing them is absolutely required.

This issue requires a different kind of training. This requires me to think beyond what I have done before, and while I still have time.

These last rounds have been intense - I've taken a beating. But - I'm winning my fights. Now the politics and the fans.

And you wanted to know why?

I know why I left this place

I know why I left this side of the industry

I know why I was getting that oddly familiar response

I know why I was getting that oddly familiar look

I know why I would rather be home

I know why I made all the personal decisions to be be where I live right now

I know why they all bullshit till they're blue

I know why they are fake

I'm beginning to realize even more.

Again?

Anyone remember my blog about a professional baseball player coming back to where his career started? Fancy this.

It's ironic when Griffey comes back to Seattle and the Navy brings me back - then offers me my old job back. It's almost prophetic.

Some things have changed since I did this last. We're not called journalists anymore. Now we're mass communications specialists and even have a shiny new insignia.

I'll shave my face and put that uniform on again tomorrow morning. Then I'll drive to Bremerton and sit for my E-5 exam. No time for preparation, just going on what I know. Let's hope I remember my job as well as I remember knowing it.

Maybe I can get Griffey's perspective on returning to Seattle this summer during Sea Fair. Might help change my own perspective on returning to the team that helped start it all for me.

I hope to learn my career is from its tenure.

Not all stress is bad

But any way you look at it, it doesn't feel nice and helps give me just enough stuff to do to make it all intimidating and distracting.

Like a Homecoming...

Usually I don't speak in literals, but today I just have to. It was all too intense.

You don't know what you don't know. 

And now I know how big a deal my leaving the Navy was. 

Today felt incredible. I donned my new uniform and old ribbons, NSAWC nametag - put on my belt and it was like muscle memory. I even put on my shirt stays. Only it feels right this time. Even my fucked up Navy haircut feels great. 

Now I know how devastating the events of July 2005 were and why. Almost all I'd worked for was snatched from me. It's right up there with the top 5 shitty things to happen in my life. But despite my best efforts - I'm back.

I look at the Navy now with a different perspective. It's as much a part of me as my family, skiing, upstate New York or anything else. It's ten years of commitment and work - the hardest work I've ever done. I earned everything I got in the Navy. That's why I sit in this very nice hotel enjoying the nightime silence on this beautiful base, all while making a nice wage. 

I miss Bremerton. I particularly miss the base. Everything is so familiar it's like home. So much of who I am happened here. Long conversations in those very same phone booths outside the exchange. Seeing the resource center where I planned my then girlfriend's trip to see me. The Olympic Mountain views. The temperature. This morning's sunrise over Oyster Bay. The uniforms. The BEQ buildings where Memo and I shared a barracks room for months. Those same barracks where Debbie and I had the craziest nights imaginable. Those same ones where I got my shit together and threw it all on the line for Lindsay. The bowling alley where McAteer and I looked to find trouble. The same CIA gates where I walked to the USS Abraham Lincoln and hated the Navy. I was here on 9/11. This is the same uniform shop where I bought my first JO rating badge. These barracks in Bangor are where Lindsay and I stayed while she was pregnant with Meghan. I recognize uniforms and ribbons. I'm helping other people out. I really like knowing what the fuck I'm talking about. Then there's the free gym and the cheap commissary. Then there's the places I used to drive my Accord. 

It's almost like everyone's faces are still here. Juan will be waiting to meet me on the pier. Debbie has a room at the BEQ. Memo is sitting in the barracks room surfing channels. Thibedeaux and Neil Young are picking me up at the mini mart. Byun is using the computers at the Resource Center. The USS Sacramento is still at the pier and all my friends are still on it.Casey Poole is walking down the pier to her green Ford Escort - all while being much more civilized than the rest of us. Barb is walking w/ me to the galley for lunch where Rachael is cooking the food. Elizondo and Paguay are going to meet us and drink with Sturm, Little, Thibs and Ivey at their house. 

But those faces are gone. Even though they're still in my heart. 

I walk by those same places and think about the things I used to do. Then I think about what I do now. I was so unhealthy and so misguided. No one could have changed that - I had to. I ate terrible food and wasted so much of my time, money and energy. Just misguided that's all...

I haven't popped off my first salute yet, and kind of don't want to. It's just like that last part of the transition I'm holding onto. I'm just scared I'll fall into line w/ everyone else and that's not what I want. I want to be me here.

I never knew it, but I am the Navy - and the Navy is me. Thanks for pointing that out Amar.

Homeward Bound...

More on the Tahoe.

Looks like next weekend I'll be staring at my beloved Squaw Valley USA, followed by Kirkwood and condo runs at Schralpine Shredows (Alpine Meadows).

I miss Tahoe sooo much and I'm headed back in a week. Think hitting the gym now will help? Hope so.

This is one of my favorite places on earth. Something about this valley captures everything that stresses you out in this world and alleviates it. Even nearby Alpine Meadows can't do it. It's like a piece of Hawaii relocated to California - the best part of California.

It's Time

It's time to head back. Stand by Reno...

Looks like I can be there for free in less than an hour. Seriously - what am I waiting for?

One big fucking fat storm - that's what.

Ding!

And that's a rap. No fancy pictures or dramatic finishes. I definitely came through late in the 12th round for a knockout. I almost had to go the distance and shouldn't have had to go the distance.

I'm not really as bruised or as beaten as I thought I'd be. Good thing.

Remember me talking about remnants of the better me? Well they came through tonight. Total time 5.5 hours and my paper's reading better than pretty much any journalistic piece I've written in four years. Prolly since my Powder days. I really thought I was screwed for a minute.

I've done so much in January it feels like Obama got elected two months ago and I was at Baker doing my story last season. Man...

This morning I got to finish dumping the rest of the $1,400 into the Subaru over the past ten days. What fun. But it's over.

He's down for the count. I beat January.

I'm officially 1-0 vs. 2009.

Putting it Down

January is coming to a close and so are a myriad of projects started this month. I feel comfortable saying this month will be a victory - for many reasons.

I'm back in the ring and that's the most important thing. Second, I can feel it starting to come back in a ton of ways. I can see where I'm doing well and where I need ot improve.

For now, I'm just going to put this fighter down and take the W.

It wasn't pretty though - and it shows I have much training to do. This one should have gone down much easier. Bobby Knight was right about Ws and Ls - but we haven't addressed the training aspect of things. I have much to do in the gym - both figuratively and literally. But I survived on raw talent.

Two Freeskier travel stories for the magazine, four online stories, two temporarily confidential in-depth work proposals, drill weekend with locked orders to Commander Navy Region Northwest, maintaining school, my 9-3 work study, Surfrider volunteering and being a respectable father and husband - it was a tough fight.

But I did it. Done and this is the point within the match where I this one in the books. Now to make sure I build on it.

And She Plays the Flute Too

I apologize to everyone at once. Somehow I missed this during the election. Well there's no time like the present to make it up to you.

Funny how I just saw a direct correlation to Mrs. Palin's managing her candidacy like a beauty pageant.

Enjoy!

They Keep Comin'

Still plugging along. I think we're somewhere in the middle of some round - I have no idea which one or how deep I am.

Rounds one, two and three went very solid. I even managed to pass the monotony of late round two. Now I'm just plugging away and the hits keep coming. Nothing's taking me to the mat, but no doubt about it these are starting to sting. I know I'm up in points, stamina and the opponent is feeling weary - but not enough to put him down. I just have to wait.

Now is where I start thinking about distance training or going the distance. This is where it gets easy to lose sight of the goal. This is where a fighter can get lost. You've done really well this far, but the battle is far from over. It's this comfort that allows you to be taken by surprise. I'm not letting my guard down.

Where Did That Come From?

Evergreen seminars are like a failed tennis match.

A good game is played where the ball is served to the opponent with the hopes of having served well enough the other cannot return. And if it is returned you can hold your own till the opponent slips up - you win.

Tennis is like debate - unless it's at Evergreen.

I just watched terrible tennis players serve to themselves and purposely see how far they could hit the ball into the crowd.

I'm just laughing to myself while watching what could be a great class turn into a personal spout session. I hammer myself when I participate.

Hard News

It's like the most basic mechanics of any activity. In this case it's writing. And the foundation is hard news writing. I can do it fast and it's always effective. Good thing too.

I went down right in the end of the second last night. This was a good way to get back on top and win the round - despite the surprise hit. Didn't really see it coming. But I got back up, hit fast and hard and delivered. Good thing. I won this round. Thank god. Now for the next - class. Oh boy.

Three Minutes of Unknown

Things are looking up for the champ as I close the second round. Countless solid punches and I'm hardly feeling the sting of a blow. Now I'm starting to see results. Now is also when I need to keep composure. I've started a lot of losses here.
So just concentrate on this round of this match only. If it were only so simple. I'm accustomed to training.
Training is lonely.
The match is before thousands of emotionally charged onlookers. The crowd adds a whole new dynamic. Cheers, screams, jeers, ambient noise - it all adds up. Either completely block it out or only take the good. Seems better to block it all out. I care about them too much.
Fans come and go. Old ones return to route for the champ. New ones jump on board. Old haters still hate and some switch back and forth. Then you get new haters you wish were fans.
This is when you need crowd control and it is incredibly difficult to master with a fight at hand. I feel like I need the fans to win. I don't want to have my crowd turn on me. The most successful fighters have solid fans and it can be the edge. I want that edge. It is often my demise.
Truth is, more people cheer you when you win - even in light of the harshest critic. Fans are not your friends. They don't even know you. Start losing and they'll turn on you. That's tough to remember. Even now - entering the third round.
I'm ready for this round to end, but it's three minutes long and that's that. I'm up so far and now I'm scared things could change in remaining seconds. Going the distance right now seems far. Truth is, that distance is a very short one.
Every punch and move still counts very much in this fight. Let's win and we'll look at the next fight afterward. Winning here is part of training for the big one.

Because I Haven't

It's about time to write.

The holidays are over. I just got back from Mt. baker and Bellingham and my first travel budget story for Freeskier before being stranded in Olympia for the better portion of last week.

I also have two more stories due next week, along with two school assignments, my work study and need to think about going to Vegas for SIA.



I don't know what to do, other than stay busy.

I Accepted It

This is your assignment should you choose to accept it - and I did. So now I'm feeling a little like I don't have any direction. I need to make something happen tomorrow because the trip is feeling a little uneventful.
I did get to ski the same location Iberg and everyone hit in Idea. It's pillow lines in the trees - something I've been dreaming of skiing for years. I don't know if it's appropriate to write about skiing my dream line, but it sure feels right. Maybe I'll do that for the web and do the cheese for the magazine.
I have no idea - what I do know is that I'm fucking tired and I'm pushing it again. Time for beddy bye.

And I Thought Avalanches Were Scary

Hello Again

Someone should physically restrain me from blogging while intoxicated. I mean really. I, and absolutely anyone else reading it, have no idea what I was writing about. So I removed it.

I know what I'm talking about now. Not remembering the last hour of 2008 is kind of how I wish the entire year went - and I did my best to make it that way. I spoke of things changing with the magazine, work and school in December and it's absolutely carrying over to 2009. This new year is poised to be the best yet and I'm doing everything I can to make it that way.