A Talk on Cross-Training
Saturday, February 6th, 2010I suppose when I give interviews, I should post them here.
Unfortunately, I usually just scratch the surface in these talks. I have a lot of interesting questions and provisional answers in mind.
Monday, January 25th, 2010
Over on xkcd (a great stick-figure webcomic) I find this nifty graphical representation of gravity wells:
It’s hard to read in a format which fits well on this page; the full-sized version is here.
Itsumo Nando Demo
Monday, December 21st, 2009I’ve had very little time to keep up this site, lately. Family does that, it seems. But at least I can throw out some links, here and there.
This is a song I love, from my favorite animated film, Spirited Away. The writer and singer is Yumi Kimura.
The USA Wrestling Documentation Project
Saturday, July 4th, 2009USA Wrestling is a good organization, but it’s too hard to find information about them. The members of the organization generally have no idea how decisions are made, how money is spent, or how they can become involved.
Their website doesn’t help much; it’s focused on news and events, but tells little about the organization itself. This is, I’m sure, because people like this sort of thing… you drive traffic by emulating MTV, not CSPAN. Still, this leaves a serious deficit.
Thus, I’ve started what I’m calling The USA Wrestling Documentation Project. I’d like to see it become a clear, easy-to-use guide to USA Wrestling and the state governing bodies affiliated with it. By-laws, budgets, committees, officers, staff, and various other things of interest to the membership should eventually be there.
I’ve used the same software that runs Wikipedia, though I’ve restricted editing privileges to those with accounts; possibly this will change later, as I become more familiar with administering the project. If anyone would like an account, create an account at The Open Mat Forum and send a message to me there (my username is Ray Brinzer).
Happy Independence Day (if you’re an American). God Bless America, and USA Wrestling too.
The Amazing Goat Tower
Saturday, June 13th, 2009Wow. I really, really want my own goat tower. And a herd of goats to go with it, of course.
How to Yell at Athletes
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009One day in practice an athlete had done something to tick Gable off. I don’t recall what it was, but it was bad enough that he was clearly going to catch hell for it, and was fearing it. So I watched, and got what may be the single best lesson in coaching I ever had.
Gable walked up to him scowling, stabbed his finger at the fellow’s face, and barked, “That’s not how you’re going to be a national champion!”
He then continued to chew the guy out, part of which consisted of telling him how great wrestlers trained; along the way, he indirectly told him several more times that he was going to be a national champion. By the end of it the athlete was almost crawling out of his skin, desperate to begin redeeming himself with a brutal workout.
I went away laughing from that one: Gable managed to punish the guy and brainwash him at the same time. It was just brilliant. But it was not at all a singular event… that’s how you do these things. Dan Gable was consistently positive as a coach, because it worked.
Falling Flowers
Saturday, May 16th, 2009Taken from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones:
Subhuti was Buddha’s disciple. He was able to understand the potency of emptiness, the viewpoint that nothing exists except in its relationship of subjectivity and objectivity.
One day Subhuti, in a mood of sublime emptiness, was sitting under a tree. Flowers began to fall about him.
“We are praising you for your discourse on emptiness,” the gods whispered to him.
“But I have not spoken of emptiness,” said Subhuti.
“You have not spoken of emptiness, we have not heard emptiness,” responded the gods. “This is the true emptiness.” And blossoms showered upon Subhuti as rain.
And How Dieth the Wise Man? As the Fool.
Friday, May 15th, 2009Things are bad with Adam Frey.
I haven’t written about him, because there’s so little to say. I’m on the outside, and there’s no crossing the distance between us. I’m fine; pretty healthy, as usual. He’s not. There’s no particular reason for it; that’s the way it is.
And that’s it, really. He can fight, and suffer, and perhaps he’ll win. Doctors can help, and perhaps it’ll work. Everyone else can watch.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Update
Often when I am not explict in my meaning, someone will misunderstand me… and in this, I really don’t wish to be misunderstood. Here is the context of the title, from Ecclesiastes:
The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Or as Adam said:
All that hard work to get screwed. I cannot even say that hard work and values work in this world, because they don’t. I busted my ass as hard as the next person, and for what?
MOVITS! – Fel del av gården
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009Next time someone asks me what kind of music I like, I think I shall reply, “Swedish Big-Band Rap”. It’s a more interesting answer than, “lots of stuff”.
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