Fab Weekend......

 The weekend was rather enjoyable. It was filled with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu matches down in Santa Cruz and a little football. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has been ahuge part of my life since I have returned home from the midwest. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has filled the void created by football that took up so much of my time during the earlier years of college days. Once football stopped while in the midwest I seemed to be un-happy a majority of the time. When you mix alcohol into the scenario I could be down right mean. There were times I would be in bars and dumb ass "townies" (the locals from the town) would pop off and say something stupid in regards to me being from California. Most likely an insult geared to homosexuals or something about hugging tree's, nothing to really bother me normally until a couple of Jager Bombs become involved. Once those Jager Bomb's went down the hatch I would get tough with people when ever they stepped out of line.

I know look back at the old me and I think what a fucking jack ass. I can honestly say Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has made me a better person. It allowed me to make great new friends and travel through out the country. I have made friends in so academies and always have a place to train.

The negative side of the sport is the wear and tear it puts on your body. There are many bumps, bruises, dislocated fingers and Cauliflower Ears. Cauliflower Ears are when the ears of a martial artist become mangaled looking like a piece of Cauliflower. Wrestlers also get a nasty case of Cauliflower Ear as well. Cauliflower Ear developes due to the ear not having a solid bone so therefore the cartlidge bends and tears forming Cauliflower Ear. Some people tend to wear head gear to protect the ears but it can be very uncomfortable causing a rash around the neack and ears.

Reconstructive ear surgery is a new tool used to combat Cauliflower Ear. The reconstructive ear surgery is a new tool used to combat the effects of cauliflower ear. Retired Mixed Martial Artists are the ones who have made the reconstructive ear surgery popular. The reconstructive ear surgery does not fully bring the ear back to shape instead it cuts away at most of the scar tissue slightly re-shaping the ear.

It seems that I have finally developed Cauliflower Ear. I got caught with a knee while training last week and shortly after the Cauliflower Ear developoed. Ice was immedialtely applied to the ear to bring down the swelling and it helped a great deal. My ear looks some what normal an individual has to look close in order to see the defect in my right ear. Needless to say my better half found out right away and become pretty pissed in regards to it.

Defenitions

Cauliflower Ear- Usually present in combat sports i.e. wrestling, brazilian jiu jitsu, judo, mixed martial arts, and rugby. Heavy abuse is usually taken to the ear which causes a blood clot which causes the cartilage in the ear to seperate. Thus, in turn causes the ear to look like a piece of Cauliflower. Usually the looks are the only bad side effect of having cauliflower ear and hearing is not affected.

Reconstructive ear surgery aka "Cauliflower Ear Surgery"- popular in retiring mixed martial artists who have sever cauliflowered ears. A plastic sugeon thins down the cartilage around the ear that has thickened.Thenthe skin is repositioned over it.

Doesn't matter where you start but where you finish is what counts!

I have spent the weekend walking through San Francisco trying to catch a glimpse of the Blue Angels only to have them cancel the air show. I thought it was rather funny but my girlfriend was pissed. She looks forward to Blue Angels either going to the Salinas Air Show or attending Fleet Week in San Francisco every year. Only this year no Blue Angels for her. So I convienced her to eat oysters on the half shell down on the wharf. What a bad idea that was since she got car sick on the way home.

So while my girlfriend was sick on Sunday I spent the day not watching football but studying for my damn midterms. While I was studying for my 195A midterm I felt like an idiot because there is so much information that I have forgot. I wish the instructor would have given a study guide or a practice test which would have really helped tremendously. From exploring concepts such as inductive or dedutive reasoning to other concepts like casuality and nonspurios relationships.

Earlier today I had no clue what causlity and nonspurios relationships meant. However, thanks to an early morning brazilian jiu jitsu traning session in Santa Cruz and lunch with Heinken and Round Table I now feel more confident. I spent the day re-reading the book and glancing over my notes. I would have to say the Heinken was the most influential part though.

Casuality- Refers to the cause then the effect. The effect is a consequence of the cause

Nonspurios relationship- Showing that the relationship between the two variables (independent and dependent) a third variable.

CRAZY WEEK!!!!

This week has been rather crazy, full of long home work assignments and hospital visits. My better half has been under going some serious health problems as of late and it is really scary. The Doctors thought she might have cancer in her bone marrow. The tests that the medical staff has made her go through are endless which have resulted in many sleep less nights on my end. She recently under went a bone marrow biopsy. The bone marrow biopsy really caused my better half allot of pain throughout the last two weeks. Every test they kept running showed that her red blood cells were diminished along with her platelets being low. However, there was also good news. The test results showed that there were was no malignant signs of cancer. The bad news was my significant other was significantly anemic. Meaning she suffers from iron deficiency. The red blood cells are half of the amount that they should be. The medical staff at Mills Peninsula Hospital have no clue what is going on and it is starting to piss me off.

To treat the iron deficiency my better half must sit in a room for an hour and forty five minutes taking an IV. The IV is filled with iron and salen solution.  This process took place last week for the first time and really stressed out my beatiful girlfriend. During the treatement ir made her rather drowsy and seemed to take away all of her energy. When this was going on all I could do was hold her hand and rub her head. It is a pretty helpless feeling watching the one you care so much for suffer. I would gladly trade places with her in a New York minute.

When the treatement finally ended I stopped by a sushi restuarant to brighten her spirits. My better half loves sushi and miso soup. It was great to see a smile come from her beatiful face when her food arrived. It also made me feel great to see her finally smile.

Watching the beatful brown smiling face, I told my girlfriend "that we were going to do the Bridge to Bridge run in San Francisco on October 4". When I said that, her face stopped smiling and she got kind of upset. She just glared across the table at me with a death stare. So I told her "That I would run it and she could walk it and after we could spend the day in the City". She lightend up to the idea and seemed pretty enthused. So on October 4th I ran the 12k Bridge to Bridge run in an hour and three minutes. My beatiful girlfriend and aunt walked the 12k in roughly two and a half hours.

When my girlfriend and aunt finally crossed the finish line their smiles were ear to ear. They were so happy that they completed the course. Without knowing it my girlfriend was not thinking about how much the past two weeks have sucked and how sick she was. Instead she was happy for the first time in a long time and that meant more to me than anything.


DEFENITION

Bone Marrow Biopsy- Test to determine if bone marrow cancer is present. The patient is given local anesthesia in the hip only after they received a morphine drip. Once the patient is not feeling anything a specail needle is placed into the hip then hammered into the bone of the hip.

Platelets- promotes blood clotting. So if individuals blood cannot clot they can potentialy die due to bleeding.

"God is great, beer is good, and women are crazy"

  My better half drove me crazy this weekend. It was the first time in many moons that I had to actually 'get tough' with her. Usually I turn the cheek like the good book says but the Devil Woman herself took it too far. It was if she herself had eaten the apple from the Garden of Eden. The disaster weekend all started Friday morning when I was getting ready to start my day. I kiss my better half good-bye and wish upon her a great day. I proceed to wash my face and then to latter lather up my shaving cream to get rid of the 5 o'clock shadow. There is only one problem I could not find my razor. I looked everywhere, underneath the counter, the medicine cabinet, the closet near the sink and I still could not find it. I even went to check the gym bag in the trunk of my car. I thought I was going crazy. So I decided to just forget about shaving and hop into the shower. As I'm entering the shower I turn my head to the left and I see my razor sitting right next to Satin Silky Shaving Cream.


     As my luck would have it that was the last razor blade I had. There has been nearly 100 different conversations about razor usage in our home and each time it ends with my better half apologizing and saying "I'm sorry honeyyyyyyy, I wont do it again". Well she usually always does it again but this time she had gone to far. After I exit the shower I went to brush my teeth and guess what no damn tooth paste. The container was empty and the Devil Herself just left it out instead of replacing it or giving me a warning. I sometimes wonder if she does this to me on purpose. So I get a new tube of tooth paste out from the hall closet and proceed to brush my teeth and get ready to head to train at Claudio Franca's gym. I grab my car keys off the table near the front door but the opener for the front gate is missing. Without the gate opener I cannot get back into our housing community. So it was another darn thing I had to look for. I tore apart the couch and kitchen looking for the stupid circular black clicker and I could not find it. Suddenly my phone rings just once. I had just received a new text message and guess from who? If you guessed from the Devil Herself you are correct. The text message says "Hey honeyyyyyyyyy I took your clicker I couldnt find mine". This was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

    I texted her back "thanks" and took off out the door to go and train. Training calmed my nerves and allowed for the anger to release from my body. Once I left the gym I felt like a new person with a fresh start on the day but just then my phone rings once and just once. I had received another text message from you guessed it the Devil Herself it reads "hey honeyyyyyy, hope u r day is going great my parents are coming into town tonight and want to meet up for dinner".

    Well what can I say it was one of those days? We had planned to head up to San Francisco and watch the Giants play but since her parents are now coming, those plans are shot. Her parents are very conservative Hispanics and really do not approve of us living together and they always ask why we chose not to follow the Catholic Church. I always dodge this damn question with the simple answer of ”I pray to the football gods every Sunday but your daughter would love to go". My better half’s parent’s usually just smile then they try to talk her into going with them. I honestly wish she would go sometimes it would give me a little free time on my Sunday afternoons.

      So when my better half finally gets home from work, I had a few words for her. I told her that "I did not want to accompany her parents to dinner but rather head to the city and watch the Giants". The Devil Herself was a little taken back by this and reply’s "great I'll ask my parents if they want to go too". I honestly could not believe she was doing this to me. When she asked her parents if they wanted to go of course they said "yes" because who would turn down such a sweet invite. This really pissed me off. I just wanted a nice peaceful Friday and all I got was a grief filled day and an itchy beard because my girlfriend was out of her mind.

   When the Devil Herself finally got off the phone I told her all about my day and how upset she was making me. At first she really did not care but when I brought up how Giants games are like are special time together she got a little sentimental which I was hoping for. Are first date was at a Giants game over a year ago so when ever we go it brings back fond memeories. She then states "Honeyyyyyy, I'm sorry let me call my folks and tell them we cannot go and just you and I will go". When I heard my better half say that my day instantly improved 100 percent. I was so happy that I was lost for words. You better believe that the Devil Herself heard about the razor issue on the way to San Francisco though over a nice cold Heineken. Other than that my Friday turned out a lot better then I thought.



New Definitions Used This Week:

Internal Validity= when a factor other than the independent variable changes the dependent variable. Usually takes place when topical issues when research was unaccounted for.

Selection Bias= when the characteristics of the experimental and control group differ

THE JOB

       This week has been rather busy. I’m currently waiting on my place of employment to come calling. The wait has been anxious and unnerving. I’m waiting to start my career with the Department of Homeland Security. The hiring process was long and vigorous with every family member being interviewed in person by a man with a gun and a badge who asked personal question in regards to me. I have been waiting nearly four months to be set to a Southwest Border location and I spent my summer in Portland Oregon working on my fitness to ensure that I will never get hurt or outdone in the line of duty.
         Monthly newsletters are sent to me in regards to border and customs issues such as new smuggling tactics and what large drug bust occurred while entering into the United States. They also speak of weapon usage and the type of weapon that is issued to all agents. The standard issued weapon is a G-Lock 22. Before I read the monthly newsletter I had no clue what a G-Lock 22 was nor have I ever shot a fire arm. So for the past two weeks I have dedicated myself to shooting a friend’s G-Lock 22 so that I will not be the only chump who does not know how to shoot when I report to duty. I also cannot leave the United States until I report to duty which seems rather odd so therefore I no longer have a passport. The reason that was stated was for medical issues, the government did not want to spend the money to have any medical exams repeated if I should leave the country. This rule that I’m obeying is rather funny and I have no idea why vacationing or leaving the country would be such a huge issue. The only thing that comes to mind is the fear of the swine flu which seems rather drastic. This rule seems to cause problems in my personal relationship as well. My significant other owns a home in Guadalajara, Mexico and with many relatives or close family friends residing there it is the perfect vacation spot. My better half seems not to fully understand that I do not have a passport and constantly asks when we can go to Guadalajara which becomes rather unnerving.
        It has been rather hard to tell my family my good news. My family is mostly dominated by my grandmothers who are conservative Irish Catholic. When I told them both that I would be leaving soon they both cried and I have never seen them cry before in my life. Not even when my Grandfather’s passed away did they shed a tear. Seeing them cry was one of the worst experiences I have ever had. It nearly brought me to tears to see two ladies that I hold so close reduce to tears over a decision that I have made. Once they gathered their emotions they congratulated me and one proceed to call me a “glan as do heabhair” which means something like you’re a dumbass in Gaelic. I had no idea what the phrase meant so I had to ask my cousins who live in Boston and they just laughed at me when I said it.

       Before I depart there are a few loose ends that I need to clean up. Such as my courses at San Jose State will I have to withdraw or will the Government allow me to stay for the semester, where will I leave my car and what should I do with my furniture. I always seem to thrive under pressure so once the call comes that I must report I will figure it all out.

Vocabulary words


G-Lock 22- A handgun that is very popular in the law enforcement community. It is a .40 caliber weapon which refers to the size of the bullet used. The G-Lock is also regarded as a very durable weapon that will fire under all circumstances and elements.

Glan as do heabhair- Saying in the Gaelic language that refers to the lack of intelligence of another individual. Very similar to the American phrase dumbass

THE NOVEL

For the past year and a half my best friend from the earlier college years and I have been working on a novel. The novel is entitled 101 WAYS TO BREAK UP WITH A COUGAR. When he graduated and I finally decided to leave the Midwest and give up on my political science degree due to one Feminist Nazi type professor we both started dating older women. It was kind of ironic how both of our lives mirrored one another and the similar stories we shared about the older women we were dating. We also seemed to have random encounters with ladies in their early 30’s infrequently in the Midwest but it was kind of a drunken bar hookup instead of dating type of relationship.
So from the time period of 2005 to 2007 we kept notes on the Cougars that we were dating. The notes covered the different women through this period of time and what their statistics were. The statistics’ covered what type of job they had, what kind of money they were making and what their ranking was on the scale of 1-10 basically all of the shallow early adolescent guy non sense. It is important to note that all of this was taking place before the term Cougar was ever invented. We just thought it was cool thing to do. If a guy like Ashton Kutcher was dating a hot older lady like Demi why couldn’t we was the question that was being asked between the two of us.
Throughout the year of 2008 we asked several people how they would define a Cougar? The answer was never the same and each person had their own idea what a Cougar entitled. Many people would say a Cougar was in her 40’s that had allot of money, others would state that the female needs to be older than the guy. One constant disagreement from our sample was the age of the guy. Some people would say she needs to be ten plus years other would say five plus years. The constant disagreement of the people troubled us with how to truly define a Cougar!
The other day in my research studies course the Professor hit me with a bolt of lightning when she said every good thesis has a methodology. The meant we could combine all of the data that we had to make our own definition that we no longer needed to worry about what others thought or how they defined a Cougar. When I got out of class I dialed my best friend and told him of my recent stroke of genius, he too was stoked for this brilliant idea.
In the methodology that will be at the beginning of the book I will also use another definition that was recently brought into my vocabulary by Professor. The definition will be Rationalism. Rationalism needs no concrete finding but simply relays on reason to make a decision. Many times you need not listen to others or the little voice in your head to date an older lady but if you do there will be many fun times and some cool stories to tell your friends.

Definitions

Rationalism- Using reason to come to a decision
Methodology- Analyzes the methods used to find a discovery in a particular study

The Board of Directors

      This past week in one of the current courses that I’m taking with the one and only “La Profesora” a discussion on eight different ways to acquire knowledge was defined to the entire class. Within the eight different ways to acquire knowledge two definitions stuck out to me like a soar red thumb.


     Consensus was defined as looking for knowledge from your peers. But there is also a negative side to seeking knowledge from your peers because they will most likely give the same opinion that you might have. This in turn does not help you fully answer your question or gain knowledge.

       The other definition that clearly stood out was empiricism. The definition for empiricism is as follows: Derived from experience with an attempt to define the terminology. It also has an outcome that is provable or verifiable by others using the same method.

      These two definitions stood out because they are at the basis of every young male’s life. During the course of the early 20’s a male needs to be guided by older males that can show them the way. Rather it be through the dating world, how to adjust to living on your own for the first time, or to simply purchase alcohol for them on a Thursday night. These are all things that need to be taught to a young man and the people that guide him along this journey can commonly be referred to as the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors have already been through the tough break ups or dealt with that crazy professor who gives ridiculously hard homework. Therefore the young male is gaining knowledge through empiricism. The Board of Directors does not only help while the young male is in college but once he leaves the academic world as well. They give knowledge on all of the little things that it takes to succeed on a day to day basis in this tough world. The advice given is never really through consensus due to the fact that they are there to help the young male come to his own decision based off of their past experiences. They also must let the young male know what the outcome was for them and how in which way it helped benefit them.

         The Board of Director theory may sound crazy or odd but it is something that many males use even though they may not refer to it by the same name. My personal Board of Directors are very successful and as I have developed as an adult I latter become part of their Board of Directors. My former college teammate and roommate recently went through a dilemma on whether or not to move to New York City to further his career. He sought the opinion of his Board of Directors along with his own to help him come to his final decision. It is very important to note that the Board of Directors are not there to make the decision for the young male but to guide him in the right way. Here is a link to my former roommate and teammate, through empiricism he derived at the right decision for his career. http://ericitaphotography.blogspot.com/2008/03/fire-ice.html