sensei8

One of the most powerful poems that I hold very near to my heart and do not take it lightly. 7 times down, 8 times up!! I will fight to my last breath. I will not go quietly into the night. I will not vanish without a fight. I'm going to live on. I'm going to survive. One day my chair at the table will be empty...but not yet!!

Very important points, to be for sure. Imho, this post speaks directly to knowledge and experience, which both require maturity in techniques to be effective, and fear is what usually stalls maturity in techniques.

Thank you so very much, Brian!! A lot of roads behind me and hopefully there's many more roads before me despite my current health situations.

Early Happy New Year

Thank you so very much, Patrick. I'm slowly learning about what it is to have and live with being a diabetic. Hardest thing is trying to figure out how to lose weight being nearly non-ambulatory. I've not figured that part out yet...but I will.

MY VERY LAST TREATMENT SHOT!! Yes, December 26, 2023 at 1:30pm was my very last treatment shot!! My wife, Linda, was there with me on August 28, 2020, whenever I was given my very first treatment shot, and my wife, Linda was with me on December 26, 2023, when I was given my very last treatment shot!! Linda and I were moved to a private room to administer my last treatment shot. The treatment room is where my treatment shot is administered, and because the treatment room is prohibited except for the patient, hence why we're moved to a private room. Once inside this private room so my wife could watch me receiving my last treatment shot, ice pack was placed on my left triceps to numb the injection area. The technician mixes the two-components of Elligard 30mg. They, comes the shot, and even though the ice does numb the injection area, the last 5-10 seconds really HURT LIKE A SON-OF-A-GUN and that area is on FIRE!! Fire and pain don't go away for nearly 30 minutes, so Linda and I wait in that room before trying to leave and drive a car home. I won't miss that part of the treatment shot at all...I guarantee. The battle has been a 3-year fight, and the fight is NOT over yet. My stage 4 prostate cancer is in COMPLETE REMISSION and there's no cancer anywhere where there once was!! Dr. Goodman, my Oncologist, has told me that he will keep an eye on my PSA closely. He doesn't want to see my PSA go over 2.0. It's normal for the PSA is raise slightly after the last treatment shot. As far as the side-effects that I suffer from my treatment shots these past 3 years and 4 months, they're expect to diminish slowly during the next 6 to 9 months. Praise God!! My next follow-up appointment with Dr. Goodman is March 11, 2024 at 11:45am. Of course, blood work 1 week prior.

Thank you, Patrick!! Happy safe and blessed Holidays to everyone and their families/friends!!

Had my follow-up appointment with my PCP, Dr. Douglas Budde. He informs me that I'm no longer pre-diabetic...no...I'm diabetic. My new medication is RBY, which with my insurance cost my $47 per month...there's NO generic. First Afib. Then Pre-Diabetic. Then Sleep Apnea. Then Prostate Cancer. Now, Diabetic. Enough is enough is enough. Right from the pan right into the fire!!

Boy of boy of boy oh boy... The Bills ran over the Cowboys quite handily...31-10. Everything that I feared concerning that game came true. The Cowboys struggle on the road, which they're now 3-4. The Cowboys aren't a cold weather team, it was windy and rainy. Before that game, the Cowboys were one of the Division Leaders, with the Eagles in the Wild-Card. Then the Bills bashed the Cowboys...then the Seahawks shocked the Eagles 20-17. Now, the Eagles are one of the Division Leaders, and the Cowboys are in the Wild-Card. The Cowboys stats across the board are much better than the Eagles however, they're a Division Leader. Here are the current NFL division leaders as of December 19, 2023: AFC East: Miami Dolphins AFC North: Baltimore Ravens AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles NFC North: Detroit Lions NFC South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Only the 49ers have clinched their division, the NFC West. Nothing went right and everything went wrong for the Cowboys. The Bills outclassed the Cowboys in every way on the gridiron. Having won 5 straight games, I suppose that the inevitable loss was bound to happen, but the happening was ugly. What unnerves me is that history has an unpleasant way of repeating itself when it comes to the Cowboys last 3 games of the regular season when the tires start to fall off the buggy. Next for the Cowboys are the Dolphins away, the Lions at home, and the Commanders away. The Dolphins are 10-4 on top of the AFC East. The Lions are 10-4 on top of the NFC North. The Commanders are 4-10 at the bottom of the NFC East. Out of all of these, the Commanders worry me because they've nothing to lose and can be the spoiler for the Cowboys. Both the Dolphins and the Lions won their last game while the poor Commanders dropped their 5 straight game. In closing, I hope that the last 3 games of the regular season don't reach up and bite the Cowboys right in their backside and give the Cowboys a much bigger headache by ending 10-7. Got my fingers crossed that the Cowboys shake off the last 3 regular season games wild willy by coming out on top and that the Eagles get their wings clipped on their last 3 games. How's your team doing?? GO COWBOYS!!

While size and skill must be considered, if I may be so bold to add, if size is the individuals main concern, then perhaps that's because said necessary skills required isn't within said practitioner. I've always been taught and what I teach is that the practitioner addresses said opponent that stands before them to the best of one's abilities without any reservations whatsoever because if one's already concerned of either the skill and/or the size, then the altercation perhaps is already lost before it ever begins.

Yeah...that firing was for cause. A very brutal game for the Charger but a fun time for the Raiders who couldn't get on the scoreboard the week before against the Vikings. Every firing in the NFL, I shake my head as I remember what Jerry Glanville quipped on the sideline to an official once...NOT FOR LONG!!

Very informative article. Thank you, Patrick, for sharing it.

Ohtani will not be paid a straight $70M a year for 10 years. Ohtani agreed to defer all but $2M of his annual salary...$68M of his $70M per year...until after the completion of the contract. The deferred money is to be paid out without interest from 2034 to 2043. The deferrals over $600M seems to be a norm in the MLB as a soft salary cap through the Luxury Tax (CBT) which helps the teams. Teams are fined hefty, from $20Mto $60M or more, if they exceed the salary cap threshold, which for 2024 is $237M. Yes, the Dodgers will be happy to earn interest on some of the money Ohtani deferred, and he also helped them avoid the steeper CBT penalties moving forward. The deferrals were Ohtani's idea...not only is he a great player, he's also one smart cookie. Afterall, this isn't Ohtani's first rodeo in MLB. If it was me, I guess I could learn to survive on a lousy $2M a year.

Solid post!!

Wife and I love Sugar Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and any cookie found in a Holiday Cookie Tin...YUMMY!! (That's me drooling)

My most favorite arcade is from way, way back...Shinobi!! I played it so many times as a teenager that I spent a small fortune of quarters to go from the start to the end. Eventually I was able to get so good at it that I could go from start to finish on one quarter. Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Asteroids, Mortal Kombat, Dragons Lair, Pong, Street Fighter 2, and Missile Command are some of my most favorite that I was pretty good at.

Sure. I'd like to present KarateKen with a trophy recognizing his outstanding contributions to KarateForums.com, which I know are recognized by members near and far. Thank you, Ken! 🏆 Congrats, KarateKen!!

Man, oh man I should've kept playing baseball beyond high school where I lettered at 3rd base. But no, I decided to teach the MA and own a MA suppky store for a living instead. I was a switch hitter, and I threw right-handed while in high school. I started playing baseball in the Little League as long as I can remember. During baseball season, that's where I'd be for both practice and games, and not training at the dojo. I said all of that to say this. $700 Million. No, I wasn't a pitcher and yes, I was born some time ago where the salary way back in the late 70's, which would be about $122M, which would be just fine to me, wasn't anywhere close to $700 Million. Shohei Ohani is the newest Dodgers SP that landed a record-breaking 10-year $700M contract. Apparently, Ohtani is clearly worth the money as he’s the best baseball player in the world. Who's the $700 Million Dollar Pitcher? Bats Left. Throws Right. He's a DH. He's a SP. He's 29 years old. He played on Japan from 2013-2017. Played for the Angels 2018-2023. In Japan Win–loss record 42–15 Earned run average 2.52 Strikeouts 624 Batting average .286 Home runs 48 Runs batted in 166 In MLB(Has only played for the Angels) Win–loss record 38–19 Earned run average 3.01 Strikeouts 606 Batting average .274 Home runs 171 Runs batted in 437 The Angels didn't make it to the 2023 MLB Wild-Card or the subsequential Playoffs with a record of 73-89 for 4th place in the AL West. The Dodgers fared much better on 2023 than the Angels. The Dodgers for 2023 had a record of 100-62 as the NL West Champions. During the playoffs, the Dodgers lost the Division Series to the Diamondbacks 3-0. All of that money that the Dodgers forked out might've forgotten one undeniable fact...it takes a TEAM to win the World Series and not just 1 player no matter how good that 1 player is. However, perhaps Ohtani will be the necessary difference that the Dodgers need in 2024...maybe. GO YANKEES!!

How about them Cowboys?!?! I must admit that I had already wrote off the Cowboys winning over the Eagles but was I ever wrong...bad Cowboy fan bad!! I'm so glad that the Cowboys proved me dead wrong. With this latest win over the Eagles of a final score of 33-13, the Cowboys have won 5 straight games, and so has the 49ers in the NFC West. Next for the Cowboys are the 7-6 Bills at the Highmark Stadium who are for the moment a 1.5 favorite over the Cowboys especially their stunning win over the Chiefs 20-17. Yes, it was a real tough loss. However, what's up with Mahomes outburst by screaming at the referees and slamming his helmet, which to me is really uncharacteristic of Mahomes. He's usually quite levelheaded and cool. I believe that the Chiefs will win against the Patriots. Back to the Bills vs Cowboys this week. The 1.5-point favorite tickles me because the Bills have lost 3 of their past 5 games, while the Cowboys, again, have won 5 straight games. Sure, the game is in Buffalo, and that does matter, and the Cowboys haven't a stellar on-the-road record this season at 3-3. The Bills have had a 5-1 games at home, with I am quite aware of. Seems to me that the Bills only show up whenever they're playing at home. The Bills defense has been especially good this season. Cowboys have been racking up the points. Predictions I've seen are Bills 27 and Cowboys 24. My prediction...Bills 24 and Cowboys 27. GO COWBOYS!!

Gretzky is, imo, the best ever, though some do argue for Gordie Howe. Sadly, Gretsky's goal record will likely be broken in the 24-25 season. I say sadly because Gretzky was the reason I became a hockey fan. Favorite player right now though is Morgan Barron. In a game last week, the dude took a skate to the face. Went into the locker room, needed 75 stitches, then returned to the game. I was at the game when it happened. Legendary toughness. I wholeheartedly agree with both of you. Gretzky was a pure delight to watch on the ice through and through. In the Eastern Conference Metropolitan has the Rangers in 1st with the Islanders and Flyers in 2nd and 3rd respectively. In the Eastern Conference Atlantic has the Bruins in 1st with the Panthers and Maple Leafs in 2nd and 3rd respectively. In the Western Conference Pacific has my Knights in 1st with the Canucks and Kings in 2nd and 3rd respectively. In the Western Conference Central has the Avalanche in 1st with the Stars and the Jets in 2nd and 3rd respectively. GO KNIGHTS!!

Great replies thus far. I suppose that another way to consider is what the CDC mandated during the Covid-19 pandemic of not too long ago...6 feet. That always sounded quite reasonable for a guide to me.

I don't think that it's so much that the spazzing white belts are going to make a black belt tap. However, white belts have little to no control and are just trying to get out there and prove themselves. My CI always says that when sparring you're far more likely to get injured when sparring a white belt than a black belt for that very reason. I've often been more comfortable sparring black belts than low ranks. They have much more control and don't need to prove how tough they are. Some white belts are about a half step above the drunk in the bar who throws wild haymakers. White belts only do what they know!! In time, the white belt begins to harness their control. I love to see a white belt get a technique in on a black belt due by their inexperience, and their lack of experience can be difficult to a black belt from time to time.

Interesting topic, KarateKen; thank you for it. $25 Anything over $25. Seriously, anything over $100. After all, it's just a test and it's just for rank, and neither should be more important than what they really are. Whenever money dominates Testing Cycles and Rank, the integrity of both is at question. They say you get what you pay for, if that's true, the CI is at question. Testing Cycles and Rank should be taken very serious across the board. Whenever fees become the priority, then both are no longer a serious matter. Imho.

Which can be way sky high or don't cover what one thought.

Congrats to all of the winners of the 2023 KF Awards. Until next years KF Awards, keep posting and let people know about KF. Train hard and train well!!