KarateKen

Oh it is the truth, unless I am TRYING to fall asleep, then nothing will happen at all.

Outstanding promotion! Congratulations!!

I understand this and that has been mostly my approach, not to chase rank just test when I am told I am ready. I got to red stripe in TKD, about a year away from testing for black belt, and then left. At the time I was moving more toward an interest in self-defense martial arts and not tournament training for points, so I went and took up Hapkido full time. Looking back I somewhat regret not doing one more year and getting my black belt, assuming things would have worked out as planned. it would have been a great achievement, but at the time I decided it was more important to me to focus on a self-defense art exclusively. You make decisions in life and ya live with them!

Interesting question. I wouldn't say rank so much but more the time in which I trained. My view of the golden years of my martial arts journey was when I trained in college. I did TKD, Hapkido, a semester of Tai Chi, and took two semesters of Japanese Jujitsu. Held different ranks in all of them but what made that so much fun was the students, I became close with several people who were all in my age group and going through the same thing, moving up in the ranks, single, living the college life. I was trying to consume as much MA knowledge as I could, and I loved the journey during those few years. As I got older and people graduated, many of them moved away or left the arts because of other responsibilities, and while I enjoyed many of other people I trained with after that, it just was never the same. We would train together, hang out together, get drunk together, all the things college friends do. Then something bad happened, we had to grow up! Took a lot of the fun away. Sometimes I still look back and miss those days.

Congratulations, an outstanding accomplishment. Only a small percent of martial arts students become a 4th degree. Does that put you at master rank in the art?

The Utah Hockey Club had their first shootout in team history tonight and did it in front of their home crowd, facing Minnesota. However, it did not go how Utah wanted, Matt Boldy of the Wild put one in the net and the Wild get the two points, winning 5-4. Maples Leafs beat the Devils 2-1 in OT, and the other winners tonight included the Flyers, Avalanche beat the red-hot Penguins, Hurricanes, Flames, Kings, Lightning, Panthers over Kraken in a shootout, Blues over Canucks in OT, and the Jets hammered the Bruins 8-1.

Agreed, and that is a good approach. I also find traveling is where I am vulnerable, and since I am traveling for the holidays, I will need to be fully on guard.

It is 11 weeks exactly, 77 days, until my annual blood test. To try and improve my health a little before the test I have taken on a new diet plan of high protein and lower carbs/sugars, which incorporates nuts, dark chocolate, and 14 hours of intermittent fasting. I've also added almond butter and kombucha, trying both for the first time today. Here is a further breakdown: High protein (150+ grams), low carbs, low sugar, probiotics, daily vitamins, at least a half-gallon of water a day, fasting for 12-1t6 hours, seven to nine hours of sleep no more than ten, Snacks: Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Fruit, Carrot Sticks, Cashews, Chia Seeds, Protein Bar, Protein powder mixed into milk or water, dark chocolate Meals: Lamb Chops, Baked or Rotisserie Chicken, Fruit Smoothie, Turkey Bacon (breakfast), Steak with green beans and rice, whole wheat bread turkey sandwich with mustard, olive oil, pickles, and black olives, the occasional pizza. Drinks: Water, Carbonated Water, Flavored Water, Protein Shake, Kombucha, Milk, possibly Almond Milk In Moderation: Soda, Energy Drinks, Pastries, Fro Yo, Candy, Frozen Packaged foods, Potato Chips, Hot Dogs, Burgers, French Fries, Nachos, Pastas, Breadsticks, Potatoes My goal is to lower my blood sugar, so I don't become prediabetic, I was getting close to this at my last blood test. Also to lower my cholesterol and reduce inflammation. This diet was inspired in part by former NFL lineman Ndamukong Suh who was one of the few players to play as long as he did and never miss a game due to injury. He played 13 seasons.

Free - All Right Now

I'm definitely doing something wrong with my lunges. I am feeling it in my knees. I never cared for lunges, actually I hate them, but I never felt risk of injury before.

The NY Jets absolutely suck. Another loss for this dumpster fire of a franchise. They are now 3-10 and have lost four in a row. The coaching change has not helped, since Saleh was fired the Jets have gone a pitiful 1-8. No doubt that they have been the biggest underachievers in the league this year.

Seven games on Sunday all ending in regulation. Seattle over NYR, Tampa over Vancouver, NY Islanders over Ottawa, Columbus over Winnipeg, Colorado over New Jersey, Utah over Philly, and Dallas beat Calgary.

Looks like he announced that it will not be happening now. It was a big story for a couple of days but then he said no to it on Friday.

The 11 winners on Saturday were the Bruins, Utah, Jets, Kings, Panthers, Hurricanes, Capitals, Senators, Avalanche, Penguins, and Oilers.

Bill's dad was a college coach at Navy and Bill was intending to coach college football as a young professional but instead got offered a job with the Baltomore Colts in 1975, took the job, and worked his way up in the NFL coaching circles, getting his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in the early 90s. He was fired after the 1995 season, the Browns last year in Cleveland before moving to Baltimore. Cleveland regained the Browns in 1999. Bill got his second head coaching chance when Parcells retired from the Jets at the end of the 1999 season and Bill, the defensive coordinator, inherited the job. However, Belichick did not want to be the head coach of the Jets and resigned after one day, but because he was under contract he couldn't go out and get another job. The Jets traded him to the Patriots in 2000 where he coached for the next 24 years. Maybe Bill finally becomes a college coach.

Aqua - Barbie Girl

Busy day of hockey as there are 11 games and a couple of them have already started. Here are some news and notes from around the league: The New York Rangers have singed Igor Shesterkin to an eight-year contract, making him the highest paid goaltender in history, worth 92 million dollars, 11.5 million a year, putting him a million a year more than what the Canadians were paying Carey Price. Carey Price was the highest, but now Price is the second most, so is the Price right or wrong? There is a joke in there somewhere. Anyway, Igor will be with the Rangers for a long time and make a lot of money. Update on Ovi, he is back skating and appears to be recovering well from the injury. No change in the timeline but might be able to get back on the ice before the end of the month. Maple Leafs have activated veteran Max Pacioretty off the injury list, he has been out for the last month. Wild goalie Marc Andre Fleury recently had a birthday and became only the second goalie in history to win an NHL game as a teenager and as a 40-year-old, the other was Martin Brodeur. On a personal note I can say that this is the first time my Wild and Lions have both had the best record in their respective leagues at the same time. This will probably never happen again, and it could change any day, so I had to mention it. Had to!! Then there is an unfortunate story that came out, that the ex wife of NHL player Evander Kane is now accusing P. Diddy for, let's just say, wrongdoing. Diddy is facing many serious charges and if convicted could spend life in prison. There seems to be a laundry list of famous people attached to this case and I hope everyone who is guilty gets busted and serves time. Every single one. Couple of early games scores, both in the third, Utah is up 4-1 on Buffalo and Philly is ahead of Boston 3-2. Stay cool!

Minnesota gets the 5-1 win on Friday over the Duck, putting them up to 40 standings points, best in the NHL. Vegas beat Dallas 3-2, and they have 39 points, second best. Washington and Winnipeg at third, both with 38. Other winners on Friday night were the Devils, Capitals, Rangers, and Canucks.

When there are nine or more games it feels like such a busy night of hockey, and there were nine tonight. Jets get back in the win collum, a 3-2 OT winner against the Sabers. The Blues beat the Flames in OT so @aurik will be happy about that even though the Avs did lose to the Hurricanes. Other winners on Thursday were Senators, Canadians, Lightning 8-1 over the Sharks, Panthers, Kraken, and Oilers.

MLB considering a major rule change for the upcoming season, called "The Golden Bat Rule" which would basically allow a team to pinch hit any player at any time in the game (unless this player had already been taken out of the game). So if you are down two runs in the ninth and you have a runner on first, you could put your cleanup hitter at the plate to try and tie the game even if the 8th spot was due in the lineup. Each team would be allowed to use this once per game. Not sure how it would all work or if it even happens, but the commissioner has discussed it as a possibility.

Lions beat the Packers on a last second FG, 34-31, and move to 12-1, the best the team has ever been though 13 games. They also set a team record by winning 11 games in a row. Detroit becomes the first team in the NFC this year to clinch a playoff spot and, like last Thursday, they will go to bed tonight with the best record in the NFL.

Whissell - Outlaws

Metallica - Nothing Else Matters One of my favorite Metallica songs, sometimes gets overlooked because they have such a big catalog at this point but I still like the older Metallica the best, 80s and 90s.

Do you recommend longer meditations? Typically, I hear the minimum should be five minutes, but I will fall asleep if I meditate that long.

Well, another head coach fired. The Blackhawks have canned Luke Richardson, the third coach fired this season. Replacing him is Anders Sorensen.