Friday, September 11, 2009

More on thing 3

So I didn't actually have to wait long. The site manager called me around 3pm. I was eating alone at a restaurant. I know I was rather loud on the phone. I saved some of my best lines for the next meeting I get her at.

According to her, the city community director (the previous one) banned the management and resident employees (leasing, management, maintenance) from the meetings. They felt that with the Apartment company reps there that people wouldn't talk about freely about things.

I said it would be nice to see the people so we know who they are. She said she has events that we can go to, and has never seen me there. I've been to 2. because only 2 interested me. The jump in the lake, and the fireworks. They did have a single mixer earlier this year, but I was at work when it was going on. The other events they've had, Disc Golf Opening day, yard sale, bike safety, and etc, I've been either at work (bike safety) or didn't care about the event (DGO and YS).

I've already told her several of us want them there. At the LEAST once a quarter. She said I'll have to talk to the community director (city employee). I told her I'll take him on, and it's a fight I'll win.

Then she started going off on how the fire martial doesn't want to hear about peoples problems with the maintenance staff... I said Phil the FM might not, but I'm sure Phil the resident will be more than happy to listen to other resident's problems. How we find out we're not having the problems alone.

I have a feeling I've got a fight on my hands to make this program what I and a few others want it. But Fight I will.

time to be the change. :)

3 things

1) TGU with the 16kg, is suffering the same problems with stablity on the left as the 24kg. I used to be able to do these in my sleep. I might have to take a video and post it for the few RKCs I know to critique.

I did 5 rounds of warm up, 7 sets of left right TGU

2) I've been doing some light running lately. Yesterday was the latest bit. Ran from my parking lot to another one after work to see what was going on. Lots of cop cars (resident passed away). Ran from the golf course to my apartment and back last night. I had my telescope out, and ran back to get the moon filter. My buddy Tom was with the scope. Spent about 2 hours out side looking at the night sky, wish it was a little darker.

3) (this item cross posted)
I think I made some people mad last night. We had our community watch meeting at the Apartment last night. What was supposed to be a 45 to 60 minute meeting turned into an hour and a half complaint-fest. There were people there to sign up their kids for the after school program, and I dragged them into the complaints as well. They started to have them.

Also turns out the security service we're paying for, only has ONE "courtesy" officer at night and not all night, or every night. I basically tore into both management and security with problems and concerns. Both the owner of the security company and the operations manager gave me they're business cards last night. I also raised enough complaints that the site manager is supposed to contact me (not going to hold my breath).

I'm also taking over the coordinator position for the community watch. There are going to be some changes made to how it's ran, and availability of access to information. Right now, the only way we know anything is IF we're told anything. I'm going to pester people. I'm going to provide snacks. I'm going to set up a website with the data. Only thing that's going to really cost me anything is the snacks, and the new domain name.

Between now and the meeting next month I want to try to:
- Read Machiavelli's The Prince (half way done), Saul Alinsky Rules for Radicals and Reveille for Radicals, and Bruce Schneier's Beyond fear, and figure out a revised version of Robert's Rules of Order to run the meetings (Not a big fan of the RRO over all, but think it's a good frame work).

- Set up one of my spare computers (saved to use as cheap home servers anyway) to run word press with a domain name for the community watch.

- Figure out security related guests to have come and talk to people about things (instead of "body magic" sales people they tried to push off on us last night). I might just take the first one and do a small topic on Online Safety.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

I forgot

I forgot how good it felt. I forgot how much of an arse kicker it could be. I forgot how hard it was to do that.

None of the ITs is the same thing.

I restarted ETK this week (yesterday, so one day off) with 16kg.

I forgot how great it felt to work out and not be injured. I also forgot how much of an arse kicker 16kg could be. The last couple of tires through ETK I was using the 24kg bell. For everything but the halos. Which probably lead to my shoulder problems, it was just too much bell for me. Normally the 24kg left me gasping for air after I was done, and covered in sweat.

The 16kg took it further. Not only was I dripping sweat, my cloths were soaked all the way down to the skivvies.

7 rounds of swings, with 6 minutes of active rest. 5 rounds of warm up. I could have hit 6, but I forgot the Kettlebell in the other room, and ran over to get it during the first round of warm up.

Then I did push ups. 56 broken into 5 sets. I forgot how hard it was to do push-ups after ETK, and why I do them in the morning and ETK at night.

Now I remember.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

follow up

Passed the 1st gup test. Next test will be black belt. Not sure if I'm really that good though. I know I meet my school's requirements, but how would I do elsewhere?

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

what I did for my Death-Day.

Deathday - 6 years later. September 1st, around 1 am I drunk driver tried to kill me. I was too stubborn to die, although the paramedics wanted to call me dead at the scene. Ever since, the first of September I have called it my Death-Day.

Wasn't that bad a day really. Only ate a few of my cookies. they don't taste as good as pre-frozen fresh. oh well.

Took the 1st gup test tonight. it was hard. I messed some stuff up.

Kids class was a pain. End of the term, I like to do terminology and class rules. That way if they come back the following term, they can set a better example. (We do class rules the new student's first night, but I like to refresh the whole class together). Just my thing.

However one kid, been a problem all term, getting a little better and says he won't be back, was acting up in the circle everyone else in it (all kids) feed off him. At one point I threw my manual over my shoulder, and pushed them through 20 burpees. One of the problem kids (7th gup) goofed off and bashed his knee on the floor. As cold as it sounds, I hope he learned his lesson. This term the kid's class has most of the instructors at their limit for patients.

My hand hurts from the soo do (karate chop) and yuk soo (reverse karate chop) breaks from the board tonight.

Breaks were 2 inch (double board) shuffle side kick. My foot went through it like butter. Soo Do break with an elbow break (2 part multi-break), and then I requested the yuk soo. I don't think my thumb was tucked right, but I liked the break.

First attempt on the multi-break I wasn't focused (bad hand, the one I don't like to try and break with anymore, since I messed up the knuckle earlier this year), the holders were not ready. 3rd Dan told me to walk it off for a minute. I had the 2 switch holds (so I could break good / breaking hand, and off elbow).

I'll find out my scores and get my cert Thursday. I doubt I didn't pass. But I don't think I did as good as I could have. Had problems with a couple of forms. I was too tense, and forgot one. I lowered my head to think in stance and ended up doing the rest of the form with my head down (problem I've had since 1985).

I requested to the yuk soo break, extra break beyond what I needed. I kid of wish the Master in charge of the board would have allowed my other test request. A Dan with a real knife of my knife defense portion. He said no, because we don't train real knife much. I'll have to do a real knife on my Dan test in a few months though. (If I passed tonight, December or January). December would be fitting. That'll make 24 years to the month since I started this journey.