tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73104754157143645432024-03-18T18:50:20.647-10:00A Gent in TrainingBrandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.comBlogger143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-3323688174956477502022-04-18T11:52:00.001-10:002022-04-18T11:59:35.199-10:00Film: Thoughts on The Batman<p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It’s been nearly a year and a half since I’ve posted anything, and four years since I’ve posted a film review. So here’s both!</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-87ae662c-7fff-d7ea-661a-fa93961342fd" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4S6bEzjgd907t2vnZpI_U9kw7yCWpuSudyYIWRiIbB85GqFQMML9nAQpafT6nEZvB3LsIsqUtIPCH2ooJjVZiPV_Y7J9NpoiNZ4S-Ok7yWCSeA3bVP-uqxnDRng1xTlciarTc0fCisqntkshxDHLvKjXxncVRHHYMTC9IqIT0nbsKM0bcRonhtfSA/s500/AdamWestBatmanTVGuide.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="500" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4S6bEzjgd907t2vnZpI_U9kw7yCWpuSudyYIWRiIbB85GqFQMML9nAQpafT6nEZvB3LsIsqUtIPCH2ooJjVZiPV_Y7J9NpoiNZ4S-Ok7yWCSeA3bVP-uqxnDRng1xTlciarTc0fCisqntkshxDHLvKjXxncVRHHYMTC9IqIT0nbsKM0bcRonhtfSA/w200-h199/AdamWestBatmanTVGuide.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As of today, <i>The Batman</i> is available for digital download, as well as streaming on HBO Max.</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have been a Batman fan for as long as I can remember. He is by far my favorite superhero. </span></span></p><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My gateway drug was the classic Adam West TV series from the ‘60s, which I discovered as a young child. I loved that show. My grandmother even handmade a cape and cowl for me to wear, which I did often. </span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>While my fondness for the character somewhat tapered off for a while, it was renewed with a vengeance with the publication of Frank Miller’s <i>The Dark Knight Returns</i> and <i>Batman: Year One</i> when I was in high school. Though there will always be a warm place in my heart for the campy Batman of Adam West, my preference is for a darker, moodier interpretation of Batman.</span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>Outside of the comics, my favorite version of Batman has always been <i>Batman: The Animated Series</i>, which I consider damn near perfect. That being said, big screen, live-action Batman movies have tended to leave me a bit cold. I didn’t share the widespread love for Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, finding Christian Bale’s take on the character a bit too normal. I didn’t watch any of the Zach Snyder movies with Ben Affleck, because quite frankly I can’t stand Snyder as a director. And I don’t think Joel Schumacher’s Batman movies are worth commenting on.</span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTATDg7LRzTyeJLdCNt2gnLQgurTEyYbPT6gwXm8CUe-UkNNQPAbfVfjnmcYgp5ZJOE77aYkwYvNlNXelF0B_cfjiq0eGVEAyztbfGsO4YoAFh2LAATlq55UvhHF8EZObMoLKGPLXRRUTifj7LwgqVKkWDw18eXnwju0nbUkIHQT5sL83xP8oqnlB0/s440/keaton.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="396" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTATDg7LRzTyeJLdCNt2gnLQgurTEyYbPT6gwXm8CUe-UkNNQPAbfVfjnmcYgp5ZJOE77aYkwYvNlNXelF0B_cfjiq0eGVEAyztbfGsO4YoAFh2LAATlq55UvhHF8EZObMoLKGPLXRRUTifj7LwgqVKkWDw18eXnwju0nbUkIHQT5sL83xP8oqnlB0/w180-h200/keaton.jpeg" width="180" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>I really liked Tim Burton’s <i>Batman Returns</i>, his first Batman less so. Besides the visuals and twisted atmosphere, what really worked for me with the Burton films was Michael Keaton’s performance as Bruce Wayne and Batman. Keaton understood the fundamental weirdness of the character. I always thought a theme of the best Batman stories was that they were essentially about a mentally ill hero battling mentally ill villains. Burton and Keaton got that, as did the animated series to a certain degree.</span></span><p></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>That brings me (finally!) to Matt Reeves’ <i>The Batman</i>, starring Robert Pattinson in the title role. This is quite simply the live-action Batman I’ve been waiting for for the last 35+ years. </span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>I won’t delve into the plot too much, as that’s been covered in countless other reviews. In overall feel, it owes quite a bit to Jeph Loeb’s excellent comic series <i>Batman: The Long Halloween</i> without being a direct adaptation. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1oE5RaXW2GvOvvQJEsU1xAt1Z377BOWzPS8Mpp3AErnWeO2UXO_RLI-DXn3VQhtA-Stl72upXGgatl1_hBRz--ch9TdJGm_ejG8AXxHjQlx7-m1l2cRHrG-jyAVtNmGkTOR-NUvKzW1pPPWhKaeQuJGyj_nvgHi3RMw02yZbT2Apsa-LuIlItejF/s380/Detective_Comics_27_(May_1939).png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1oE5RaXW2GvOvvQJEsU1xAt1Z377BOWzPS8Mpp3AErnWeO2UXO_RLI-DXn3VQhtA-Stl72upXGgatl1_hBRz--ch9TdJGm_ejG8AXxHjQlx7-m1l2cRHrG-jyAVtNmGkTOR-NUvKzW1pPPWhKaeQuJGyj_nvgHi3RMw02yZbT2Apsa-LuIlItejF/w141-h200/Detective_Comics_27_(May_1939).png" width="141" /></a></div></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">One thing too many Batman movies seem to forget is that the character is known as “The World’s Greatest Detective.” After all, he first appeared in the May, 1939 issue of <i>Detective Comics</i>. From the very beginning, he was something of an amalgamation of Zorro and Sherlock Holmes, something creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger readily acknowledged. </span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>Director Reeves <a href="https://www.moviemaker.com/the-batman-matt-reeves-detective-story/2/" target="_blank">told</a> <i>MovieMaker</i> he specifically wanted to tap into the noirish sensibilities of films such as <i>Chinatown</i> and <i>Klute</i>. </span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>“This idea of a place that is corrupt, and you try to swim against the tide in order to fight against it and make a difference, is quintessential Batman. And at the center of those noir stories is almost always the detective, right? And that’s why he is the world’s greatest detective. And so this story is, in addition to being almost a horror movie, and a thriller, and an action movie, at its core, it’s also very much a detective story. It’s very narrative.”</span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_hutgbtwONutqy-jloAdM1-HRxQKTAslJPpzQP0E5EEnNbJCS1yTGmL6pMb4EgplJccaQ2Gu8h2uMm6-4_LlWdoNLiIqXhqAHlZEO2C05apmjcGZnYQE8cypwqP1Wuu3U-jhe7PJwWPBM1ybj64xxrJY4-5qsdUIDagA5qVPhFtaY2GbtdifU4am/s417/Batman_back.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_hutgbtwONutqy-jloAdM1-HRxQKTAslJPpzQP0E5EEnNbJCS1yTGmL6pMb4EgplJccaQ2Gu8h2uMm6-4_LlWdoNLiIqXhqAHlZEO2C05apmjcGZnYQE8cypwqP1Wuu3U-jhe7PJwWPBM1ybj64xxrJY4-5qsdUIDagA5qVPhFtaY2GbtdifU4am/w144-h200/Batman_back.jpeg" width="144" /></a></div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>Pattinson said of <i>The Batman</i>, “It’s a detective movie. It happens all the time in the graphic novels, but it’s always kind of on the back-burner in the movies.”</span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>Want another, even nerdier source for Batman’s persona as a detective? Check out his stats from the long out-of-print <i>DC Heroes Role-Playing Game</i> by Mayfair Games (which I once owned). Notice that his skills as a detective and scientist are higher than his skills as a martial artist. He may be a great fighter, but he’s an even better thinker. Why else would Batman even be in the Justice League, considering he’s physically outclassed by most of its members? Superman has flat-out stated that he considers Batman to be one of the most brilliant minds on the planet.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>The Batman</i> is definitely a mystery movie. In fact, many of the action sequences could conceivably be cut without really impacting the plot of the overall film. Not that I’d want the action sequences cut; quite the contrary. I thought they were very well done. One highlight was a car chase that was reminiscent of John Frankenheimer’s <i>Ronin</i> or William Friedkin’s <i>The French Connection</i> and <i>To Live and Die in L.A.</i> </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEnz8OWlTRjU-aFevX3DJVtqgF398b4NCU4aFsmkp0UIyhhYnV1YMupGn5cZaqo5h3qveCjzKnOVAxsw1dU-SRjBc_kGJEUhsEAJHBDou87KF34KVH3yonsCDfAvBDI4AyxYreL9HhQGFABT7mWx0NKwK2jUMSqHHaMILSs84rlu3Vu-ttiBgF5Nn/s625/BatMach.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEnz8OWlTRjU-aFevX3DJVtqgF398b4NCU4aFsmkp0UIyhhYnV1YMupGn5cZaqo5h3qveCjzKnOVAxsw1dU-SRjBc_kGJEUhsEAJHBDou87KF34KVH3yonsCDfAvBDI4AyxYreL9HhQGFABT7mWx0NKwK2jUMSqHHaMILSs84rlu3Vu-ttiBgF5Nn/w160-h200/BatMach.jpeg" width="160" /></a></span>The fights were brutal and more or less believable, especially considering this is a superhero movie. <a href="https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/things-to-know-robert-alonzo-filipino-stunt-coordinator/?fbclid=IwAR2qqicSNu9NzwG206zHNDj9gOtdxK0zSTz3Q2BkT4LFyBHftq8VPVlDrgs" target="_blank">According to stunt coordinator</a> Robert Alonzo, "The goal of fight training with Rob Pattinson was to allow the jeopardy to come in much closer than he’s used to in order to eliminate anticipatory movement and heighten his close proximity reactivity. With this as a primary goal, we trained him in FMA – Escrima/Kali/Arnis, Penjak Silat, Muay Thai, JKD, boxing, and kickboxing. For Rob, we avoided kicking and used more hammer fists, elbows, and knees, while also drilling with sticks that would later enable him not only to improve his reaction time in closer pockets of engagement, but also to pick up anything and use it as a weapon." As someone who has trained in all of those arts, I heartily concur with Alonzo’s approach. In addition, Pattinson trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Rigan Machado. Also, it was refreshing that Pattinson’s Batman wasn’t invincible. Going against multiple opponents, he got knocked down and he got hurt. </span></span></span></p><p></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ZVedXQ5WezAbz7sYfNTD_Fud1VfvcLZ2auRsVPJICBnHWu_Obttc_uwaJe-ox9G89szWjNfD6WVatJVgTULFeoDAVT97EOy1J_JFOPU2SChXHTMw7NIvMZmE_khHXtLr1klHuBfp-iq1a_cGbRcwMcmyzC9xmnw2sfFY9PYsGk3mZRFoBF1XTjl_/s728/pat.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="728" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ZVedXQ5WezAbz7sYfNTD_Fud1VfvcLZ2auRsVPJICBnHWu_Obttc_uwaJe-ox9G89szWjNfD6WVatJVgTULFeoDAVT97EOy1J_JFOPU2SChXHTMw7NIvMZmE_khHXtLr1klHuBfp-iq1a_cGbRcwMcmyzC9xmnw2sfFY9PYsGk3mZRFoBF1XTjl_/w200-h150/pat.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>While I’m on the subject of fight training and physical matters, YouTuber JaxBlade's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5CmjnEWlRI" target="_blank">did a video</a> about Robert Pattinson's Batman physique which I totally endorse. Specifically, JaxBlade said he looks like a fighter, not a bodybuilder. It's more believable, and totally fits with this interpretation of the character. Plus, many combat athletes don't look super-chiseled or have six-pack abs. Even the great Georges St-Pierre said in an interview that he maintains his sculpted look more for endorsement deals than for fighting. As for training, Pattinson ran, worked out with a weighted sandbag, and practiced martial arts. That's a practical, functional regimen. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><i>The Batman</i> is perhaps the Batmaniest Batman movie so far. The majority of the time Pattinson is on screen, it’s as Batman. There are fewer scenes of him as Bruce Wayne. The characterization of Wayne is quite different than in the comics or other films. Gone is the rich playboy persona. Reeves has said that this Bruce Wayne is based in part on Kurt Cobain, and Nirvana’s <a href="https://youtu.be/4VxdufqB9zg" target="_blank">“Something in the Way” </a>is used to great effect early in the movie. While purists may balk, I found it to be a valid, perhaps even a bit more believable interpretation. </span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>As for Robert Pattinson’s overall performance, I thought it was all around excellent. Like Michael Keaton all those years ago, Pattinson understands the fundamental strangeness of Batman and Bruce Wayne. This is a dark superhero. More than a few commentators have described this as a Batman-for-Goths, and as an old-school Goth, I can’t disagree. The thing is, it works, and Pattinson’s performance is a major part of why it works.</span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The rest of the cast is uniformly great as well. This is a true ensemble film. Zoë Kravitz is a strong, independent Selena Kyle, serving as both an ally and a foil to Batman. (As a side-note, a short but provocative scene features the Dark Knight getting to experience the creepiness of the male gaze through her eyes.) The always wonderful Jeffrey Wright as lieutenant James Gordon is on a roll, with equally strong recent performances in <i>No Time to Die</i> and <i>The French Dispatch</i>. Colin Farrell — who I’ve always thought was underappreciated as an actor — is totally unrecognizable in voice and appearance as Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot aka the Penguin. At times he seems to be channeling Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci simultaneously. John Turturro is spot-on as Carmine Falcone. My only disappointment was the rather limited screen time allotted to A</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ndy Serkis</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alfred Pennyworth</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Hopefully we’ll see more of him in future films.</span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9r5ayL-utYyaOvgQA3KX_rr_WY6USVJag38kBstoIpijshfMAsQc5eEIXfkVRdm33sZE6bwt-4ZVdk0EbuiLV73i441t3Zc6oOF3x6HssYwL8pLV0sJmQdYEuga4YYkKPvQOFIe-0vJgmkh8lLhtFXTQJzUi0twrFsDI05U60TVlkZZY3PEyNmgwE/s1200/riddler.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1200" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9r5ayL-utYyaOvgQA3KX_rr_WY6USVJag38kBstoIpijshfMAsQc5eEIXfkVRdm33sZE6bwt-4ZVdk0EbuiLV73i441t3Zc6oOF3x6HssYwL8pLV0sJmQdYEuga4YYkKPvQOFIe-0vJgmkh8lLhtFXTQJzUi0twrFsDI05U60TVlkZZY3PEyNmgwE/w200-h113/riddler.jpeg" width="200" /></a></span><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That leaves Paul Dano as Edward Nashton, the Riddler. He brings a true horror movie vibe to </span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the film, especially during his first appearance on Halloween night. While the late Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker in <i>The Dark Knight </i>is justifiably legendary, in some ways I found Dano’s performance more successful. Ledger’s Joker at times comes across as almost cool in a twisted way. Dano’s Riddler does not. He is a pathetic, evil individual. And his ultimate goals and plot are far closer to reality than people may realize. Without going into spoilers or details, suffice to say I’ve read a bit about the connections between social media and mass shootings, and the events shown in <i>The Batman</i> are not at all farfetched. (See, for example, <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/19/thresholds-of-violence" target="_blank">this article</a> by Malcolm Gladwell.</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>Much of the location filming for <i>The Batman</i> took place in London and Liverpool. While I love the purposely anachronistic sets of Tim Burton’s films, this version of Gotham is more in line with what I imagined the city to be like. I always pictured Batman’s stomping grounds as being akin to the New York City of ‘70s films such as <i>Taxi Driver</i> or <i>The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3</i>. That clearly is the vibe Reeves is going for, and thanks to the locations and the evocative cinematography of Greig Fraser, he succeeds. It's rather how I imagine Darren Aronofsky's aborted <i>Batman: Year One</i> movie would have looked and felt. </span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>The thing that really struck me as I watched <i>The Batman</i> was that, for the very first time, I felt like I was watching a Batman comic, not a Batman movie. I’m not saying the film isn’t cinematic; far from it. However, it isn’t as beholden to current superhero/action movie tropes and cliches. Reeves does not feel the need to bombard the audience with non-stop action or cheesy humor. He concentrates on mood, allowing the story to unfold at a deliberate pace, and for characterizations to develop organically. A few viewers and critics have complained that <i>The Batman</i> is too long and boring. I strongly disagree. Of course, I readily admit to having something of a weakness for deliberately-paced cinema. Compared to some films I love — such as the 1974 French film <i>Celine and Julie Go Boating</i>, which is over three hours long and basically plotless — <i>The Batman </i>is a fast-paced rollercoaster of thrills. </span></span></p><span><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am very much looking forward to seeing how Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson proceed with the Batman franchise. Rumor has it the Court of Owls might figure in the next installment, which would be interesting. I just hope the <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/dc-warner-bros-discovery-zaslav-hbo-max-1235232185/" target="_blank">new owners of </a></span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/dc-warner-bros-discovery-zaslav-hbo-max-1235232185/" target="_blank">DC Entertainment</a></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> don’t interfere too much. I admit to being something of an adherent of auteur theory, and believe a major reason <i>The Batman</i> succeeded and stands apart from other superhero films is due to Reeves being given a great deal of creative control. We’ll see if he maintains that level of control in the future.</span></span></p></span></div></div>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-22333850269583030622021-01-04T10:01:00.003-10:002021-01-04T10:01:58.900-10:00Books Read, 2020<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIiaahXpDW2tDCgfAZdiwR5ZoEr9cEHIJ8UB0KrxnGuQ1NMndK7CjnWmUHQOY0XyvlyRn6L0IblcKNXMPakKovNxeC3dCrXwV_wOQL-2g1kjmtETHiiASi-8CIvAGKluaCa7PXPzholk/s330/cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="236" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIiaahXpDW2tDCgfAZdiwR5ZoEr9cEHIJ8UB0KrxnGuQ1NMndK7CjnWmUHQOY0XyvlyRn6L0IblcKNXMPakKovNxeC3dCrXwV_wOQL-2g1kjmtETHiiASi-8CIvAGKluaCa7PXPzholk/s320/cat.jpg" /></a></div>With pandemic-related lockdowns and an insane election cycle, 2020 was an especially great year for reading. In my case, it was specifically a good year for fiction, especially fantasy fiction. Why? Because more than ever, I find a bit of escapism to be very nourishing to the soul. To quote the great J.R.R. Tolkien, <p></p><p></p><blockquote><p><i>"Why should a man be scorned if, finding himself in prison, he tries to get out and go home? Or if, when he cannot do so, he thinks and talks about other topics than jailers and prison-walls? The world outside has not become less real because the prisoner cannot see it. In using escape in this way the critics have chosen the wrong word, and, what is more, they are confusing, not always by sincere error, the Escape of the Prisoner with the Flight of the Deserter."</i></p></blockquote><p>FICTION</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Blood of a Dragon by Lawrence Watt-Evans</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Book of Enchantments by Patricia C. Wrede</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Brega Path by Dennis L. Mckiernan*</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Brotherhood of the Rose by David Morrell*</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Castle of Lyr by Lloyd Alexander</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Darkest Day by Dennis L. Mckiernan*</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Dark Tide by Dennis L. Mckiernan*</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Dragonstone by Dennis L. Mckiernan</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">First Test by Tamora Pierce</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Forests of Serre by Patricia A. McKillip</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Fraternity of the Stone by David Morrell</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The High King by Lloyd Alexander</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Last Looks by Howard Michael Gould</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The League of Night and Fog by David Morrell</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Long-Legged Fly by James Sallis</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Lullaby by Ace Atkins</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Moth by James Sallis</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Once Upon A Spring Morn by Dennis L. McKiernan</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Once Upon a Summer’s Day by Dennis L. McKiernan</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Once Upon a Winter’s Night by Dennis L. McKiernan</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Page by Tamora Pierce</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Queen of Sorrows by Sarah Beth Durst</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Reapers by John Connolly</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Red Slippers: More Tales of Mithgar by Dennis L. McKiernan</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">The Reluctant Queen by Sarah Beth Durst</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Sarah Jane by James Sallis</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Shadows of Doom by Dennis L. Mckiernan*</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Silver Wolf, Black Falcon by Dennis L. McKiernan</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia Wrede</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Squire by Tamora Pierce</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Trek to Kraggen-Cor by Dennis L. Mckiernan"</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin*</span></li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">NONFICTION</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Animal Sutras: Animal Spirit Stories by Stephen Levine</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Capoeira: Roots of the Dance-Fight-Game by Nestor Capoeira</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Evil in Modern Thought: An Alternative History of Philosophy by Susan Neiman</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Foucault for Beginners by Lydia Alix Fillingham</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Introducing Jung by Maggie Hyde</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">James Bond and Philosophy: Questions are Forever edited by by James B. South, Jacob M. Held</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Just Enough: Vegan Recipes and Stories from Japan’s Buddhist Temples By Gesshin Claire Greenwood</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and The People Who Play It by David M. Ewalt</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Spirituality for the Skeptic: The Thoughtful Love of Life by Robert C. Solomon</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Surviving Armed Assaults: A Martial Artists Guide to Weapons, Street Violence, and Countervailing Force by Lawrence A. Kane</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Ultimate Questions by Bryan Magee</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Unleash the Warrior Within: Develop the Focus, Discipline, Confidence, and Courage You Need to Achieve Unlimited Goals by Richard "Mack" Machowicz</span></li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-dbeb5ec4-7fff-774e-2e65-4c111f507bf6"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"></span></p><div class="post-footer" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.6; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></div><p></p><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3772353122213890325" itemprop="articleBody" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; width: 586px; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">(* reread)</span><div style="clear: both;"></div></div>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-75270867090034010562020-11-13T15:03:00.002-10:002021-05-15T13:23:19.611-10:00Martial Misgivings: The Problem with Systems & Styles<div>Years ago I came across a quote I really like. It was something along the lines of, “There are no martial arts styles, only human movement.” Either Bruce Lee or Dan Inosanto said it; I can’t find the original source anywhere online. Maybe I just made it up.</div><div><br /></div><div>No matter where the quote came from, it reflects my own point of view. I have long been somewhat disenchanted with the idea of martial styles and nomenclature, something I’ve <a href="https://www.agentintraining.com/2015/01/jkd-mma-cqc-post-about-martial-arts.html" target="_blank">written about previously</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Specific styles of martial arts styles are, by their very nature, limiting. The idea of a “complete” style is fallacious; all of them have their strengths and weaknesses, no matter how seemingly well-rounded they are. A problem arises when those teaching an art refuse to acknowledge the gaps and holes in the curriculum and instead teach questionable techniques that reflect the style more than real fighting.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQSLJjCCdtcnqgC__lHg3rJ-3cHt53b9eG-lEl2xRQRdUjNFQSMz9i7mhwAu1mQNfaU4_ly7f5-YeQao3RGJn386xa820ZW4xhF1I4txaDXXYpoY8Y2TtZIkeg1woBTaEyd2EuJ6tep0/w200-h133/bjj-knife-defense-300x200.jpg" width="200" /></div>While this is especially an issue with traditional, closed systems, more modern, open systems are not immune. A perfect example is knife disarms. Both Aikido and Brazilian Jiujitsu have knife disarms. In my experience, none of them work very well against an aggressive, resisting opponent. They sure look nice though, and the Aikido knife disarms look like Aikido and the Brazilian Jiujitsu knife disarms look like Brazilian Jiujitsu. The style — not efficacy — is dictating the technique. The basic knife disarm I practice and teach doesn’t really look like anything. Actually, it’s rather ugly. But it has been repeatedly pressure-tested and it works.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another problem with systems is the fact that any martial art is effective against someone practicing the same martial art. This can lead to a false sense of security. If you are totally wedded to a specific style, you decrease the chances of training with someone with a different way of fighting. If you’re strictly a striker but have never gone to the ground, that’s a problem. The same goes for a grappler who’s never had to deal with punches. And note: Having one guy at your Karate dojo pretend to be a boxer so you can learn how to defeat a boxer is not the same as training with someone who actually knows how to box. Incidentally, I consider it imperative for anyone practicing unarmed self-defense to get some direct exposure to both boxing and Brazilian Jiujitsu. Many bad guys are would-be boxers and/or would-be UFC fighters.</div><div><br /></div><div>Earlier I used the terms “closed” versus “open” styles. What did I mean by that? Closed styles are more or less done changing. They already have set curriculums, and while there may be some variations from school to school, in general there will be more similarities than differences. A Shotokan dojo is a Shotokan dojo no matter where you go. If you take a 5 year break from Aikido and then go back to it, the art probably hasn’t changed at all.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4czFdB1zocvHlfxq886MG1TIszXTtVb41mP5KBdwW86MCJXloMffl2tM5tj5-ESv2ITEqmKVi2ffsLUhcu1_L4MopQ4DpQuocQbaaa_nL_n7qngLW8DvnmQwlsKevLcdkXiX2Ya3d9To/w200-h200/Enson-Gi-3_1024x1024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enson Inoue</td></tr></tbody></table>Open styles, on the other hand, have curriculums that are always changing. Sure, the basics remain the same, but techniques are regularly being added or dropped based on trial and error. A good example of this is reflected in Enson Inoue choosing to demote himself from Brazilian Jiujitsu black belt to purple belt. (He later reversed his decision.) Inoue explained that he hadn’t trained exclusively in BJJ for a few years, and “didn’t want to go roll somewhere and be so out of the loop that it would put shame on the people who gave me my black belt.” He was legitimately concerned that the art had moved on without him, which it undoubtedly had. Essentially, if you take a 5 year break from training in an open style, expect that things will have changed when you go back, even if you go to the exact same school.</div><div><br /></div><div>Closed systems are nice for historic preservation, but not for self-preservation. When it comes to real-world self-defense, techniques must change and adapt based on experience. I’ve come across instructors who teach techniques they acknowledge are, at best, questionable, and at worst don’t work, but they teach them because it’s part of the curriculum. I don’t subscribe to that approach. Anything I teach has been pressure-tested against aggressive, non-compliant training partners. If I don’t know first-hand that something works, I don’t teach it. If I learn a way to refine or improve a technique, I’ll change the way I teach it. To paraphrase retired United States Marine Corps general and former U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, you can’t expect success fighting tomorrow’s conflicts with yesterday’s thinking.</div><div><br /></div><div>It should be obvious that I have a strong preference for open, evolving systems of martial arts. What arts fall into this category? In general, combat sports such as Brazilian Jiujitsu, Muay Thai, Sambo, Krav Maga, and of course Mixed Martial Arts tend to be open systems. Filipino arts such as Kali usually are, but not always. Jeet Kune Do should be the most open system in the world, but alas, that often isn’t the case. Too many JKD schools insist on simply copying what Bruce Lee did, which totally goes against his philosophy. Lee wrote, “I hope to free my followers from clinging to styles, patterns, or molds. Remember that Jeet Kune Do is merely a name used, a mirror in which to see ‘ourselves.’”</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of Bruce Lee, I find it interesting that there are still some Wing Chun practitioners who resent the fact that Lee moved on from the art before he finished learning the complete system. That sort of sentiment is echoed in a rather arrogant, reactionary book by Forrest E. Morgan called <i>Living the Martial Way: A Manual for the Way a Modern Warrior Should Think</i>. Morgan, who for some reason believes he can tell his readers how they should think, argues that a student shouldn’t leave their current martial art to pursue a new one until they’ve obtained black belt level.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="609" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8zAVd5qMZL3aZKQQJI5RIRHJBdKPdw2Gxu2ER_WrRGOcWgAhRrdlo456Y_OgY8wD-jlbTuiaB9UfGXztM9jjr-zqZdScqQj6RvWTVtxPEIZ6KWln5UHNIge1WcIjaWu64ZyC8ZJ96mE/w200-h178/Walk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walk on....</td></tr></tbody></table>All of this is nonsense. If Lee felt he had gotten all he needed out of Wing Chun, why shouldn’t he move on? Similarly, why should anyone waste time with any art that they feel isn’t worthwhile? In Brazilian Jiujitsu, you will generally learn the bulk of techniques relevant to real-world self-defense by the time you reach the blue belt level. After that, you’ll mostly be refining your skills and focussing more on advanced techniques for competition. In fact, and I could be wrong, but I think the Gracie Combatives BJJ curriculum only goes up to blue belt. I’m not saying people should stop training in Brazilian Jiujitsu after achieving blue belt status, and I’m not saying they should keep training either. I’m simply observing that someone could get quite a bit of practical knowledge from Brazilian Jiujitsu without earning a high rank.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKxpyu27Z-flHD_t7Tdb1CTywbtoKADy0alP0ysedqjeKU4DGrz5JcdOiTauVtPF5hAjn4JDfvK2dD7qWQUBnghlQwDv1qiKSlNdzBl-uA4j-BbxPO5LlX_k0zy9v9KP8mwm09_TTqOY/s500/Meteor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="500" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKxpyu27Z-flHD_t7Tdb1CTywbtoKADy0alP0ysedqjeKU4DGrz5JcdOiTauVtPF5hAjn4JDfvK2dD7qWQUBnghlQwDv1qiKSlNdzBl-uA4j-BbxPO5LlX_k0zy9v9KP8mwm09_TTqOY/w200-h121/Meteor.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black belt?</td></tr></tbody></table>(Let me note in passing that I’m ambivalent about ranks and belts. Sure, it can sometimes be a useful way to track progress, but people put way too much emphasis on this sort of thing, such as the aforementioned Forrest E. Morgan and his “you can’t quit until you’re a black belt” dogma. Earning a black belt sometimes means a lot, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s not like you’re a magic-user in Dungeons & Dragons and go up a level and can now cast new spells.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Reading this, one may construe that I am essentially in favor of training in mostly open systems, changing arts when appropriate, not being a slave to tradition, and altering techniques based on information gained from pressure testing. That’s exactly it. I am totally in favor of Bruce Lee’s mantra “Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own.” </div><div><br /></div><div>It’s important to note that I am not uniformly opposed to the idea of martial arts systems. Having a system with a name and general curriculum is a quick, convenient way to convey some basic information to prospective students. If it were up to me, I’d describe my own style as bladed and impact hand-held weapons techniques from the Philippines; striking techniques based on boxing, Savate, and Muay Thai; stand-up grappling using Silat, Brazilian Jiujitsu, and Greco-Roman wrestling; and ground fighting based on Brazilian Jiujitsu. Alas, all of that won’t fit on a business card, so I just say Kali, Jeet Kune Do, and Brazilian Jiujitsu.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiR5G2u9sJc3rStADQNBIH9jrwshkyDLehOFmizW4Mw7gz06wv06qgvQbhLoQBJ0RjIWNWE4LusqD_-PWM0BHYs7R61rjQ9Lgsk24IxpnaHdRExY-zRFxUFyeyNLpPSorv39hfwro0fM/s300/friedrich-nietzsche-9423452-1-402.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiR5G2u9sJc3rStADQNBIH9jrwshkyDLehOFmizW4Mw7gz06wv06qgvQbhLoQBJ0RjIWNWE4LusqD_-PWM0BHYs7R61rjQ9Lgsk24IxpnaHdRExY-zRFxUFyeyNLpPSorv39hfwro0fM/w200-h200/friedrich-nietzsche-9423452-1-402.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Friedrich Nietzsche</span></td></tr></tbody></table>I think a good example of the right approach to martial arts styles can be to look at genres in films, fiction, and music. Both Public Enemy’s <i>Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black</i> and A Tribe Called Quest’s<i> The Low End Theory</i> came out in 1990. Both are examples of East Coast hip-hop. Yet while the two albums do share some characteristics, both is very much its own thing with its own sound.</div><div><br /></div><div>I’ll close with a quote from one of my favorite philosophers, whose writing has had a profound influence on me and helped me to overcome <a href="https://www.agentintraining.com/2015/03/philosophy-friday-on-nihilism.html" target="_blank">my nihilistic tendencies</a>, Friedrich Nietzsche. In <i>The Twilight of the Idols</i> he wrote, “I mistrust all systematizers and avoid them. The will to a system is a lack of integrity.” </div><div><br /></div><div>Nietzsche wasn’t writing about martial arts, but he sure could have been.</div>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-42938580213309111572020-10-30T10:13:00.001-10:002020-11-13T14:28:37.016-10:00Martial Misgivings: Faith-based Martial Arts<p><span style="font-family: arial;">With this post I kick off a new series, <b><i>Martial Misgivings</i></b>, in which I'll look at aspects of the martial arts world that I have issues with. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For this inaugural post, I want to take a look at what I call faith-based martial arts. By faith-based, I don't mean styles or schools tied to a specific religion, such as the "Christian Cajun Karate" dojo that used to operate out of my home town. Not that I don't have problems with that; I do. That just isn't what I'm referring to when I say faith-based martial arts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">What I am referring to are individuals whose belief in the validity of the techniques they are taught stems solely from faith as opposed to actual knowledge. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">An example: At the school I often train at, we once had a visiting student who had been practicing some form of Kung Fu for more than 10 years. Let's call him Grasshopper. He readily admitted that he had never sparred or tested any of the techniques he'd practiced against a noncompliant, resisting opponent. Before class started, I asked, in a polite way, if he ever questioned the efficacy of his art. Grasshopper admitted to having occasional flashes of doubt, but said in the end he had faith in his techniques because "Sifu says it works." He was sure he would do well in our class.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVP9c_ePdc5lu_47MQyXZjJoaRQSMcHuJjSipf4T69WdAQH081MnLNh5xPs-05AzOrv6qkAb1u3mNeVQBhhPQcp1qVAylnXS2Y3CpGKBd46toyBI-woxHcLIKKVsAxJ-E28HF9H9d4eUk/s299/Sifu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="299" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVP9c_ePdc5lu_47MQyXZjJoaRQSMcHuJjSipf4T69WdAQH081MnLNh5xPs-05AzOrv6qkAb1u3mNeVQBhhPQcp1qVAylnXS2Y3CpGKBd46toyBI-woxHcLIKKVsAxJ-E28HF9H9d4eUk/w200-h113/Sifu.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sifu says....<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, once class stared, I was paired with Grasshopper. He couldn't even deal with a very slow, telegraphed left jab that he knew was coming, much less a combination, and was totally lost in the clinch and on the ground. His sense of distancing was totally off when hitting focus mitts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">After class was over, we talked a bit more. Grasshopper said he felt a bit humbled, and thought he would have done better. His plan was to go back to his sifu and work even harder at getting better at the same techniques that hadn't worked in live training. This strikes me as an example of the sunk-cost fallacy. Grasshopper had already invested a decade of his life and who knows how much money learning ineffective techniques and no doubt uses that history to justify further investment of his time and money, despite new evidence — such as repeatedly getting hit in the head — suggesting that the future cost of continuing training outweighs the expected benefit.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">(By the way, if you've trained for 10 years and are incapable of defending against even basic attacks, you aren't practicing a fighting art. You're practicing a dance.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A few thoughts.... For one, having faith in a technique because "Sifu says it works" is, in my opinion, a straight-up cult-like way of thinking that has nothing to do with reason or logic. I'll post more on the cultish nature of some martial arts schools in the future, but suffice to say it's something I have no patience or tolerance for. I don't care how many "Supreme Mega Grandmaster Pompatus of Kung-Fu" made-up titles your instructor has in front of their name, that isn't an excuse to turn off your brain. Think for yourself. As Mikhail Bakunin wrote in his classic essay <a href="https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/mikhail-bakunin-what-is-authority" target="_blank">What is Authority?</a></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><blockquote>"When it is a question of boots, I refer the matter to the authority of the cobbler; when it is a question of houses, canals, or railroads, I consult that of the architect or engineer. For each special area of knowledge I speak to the appropriate expert. But I allow neither the cobbler nor the architect nor the scientist to impose upon me. I listen to them freely and with all the respect merited by their intelligence, their character, their knowledge, reserving always my incontestable right of criticism and verification. I do not content myself with consulting a single specific authority, but consult several. I compare their opinions and choose that which seems to me most accurate."</blockquote></i></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This way of thinking should absolutely apply to martial arts, especially if your principal goal is to learn practical techniques to defend yourself and others.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fF2JfPfeUb3sOVREAOy5oWYiipWUn9a6agRfyfIl6F-7COC1LVf2eCyXH_2lQW9bfPsmGRfU2nNoSZC2_fbQqhvRBFBr18bLnWK9XZdbETw3bt-eqOqqZzb2U9rxW7k7krGXHMgR4f4/s1116/Screen+Shot+2020-10-28+at+8.28.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1116" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fF2JfPfeUb3sOVREAOy5oWYiipWUn9a6agRfyfIl6F-7COC1LVf2eCyXH_2lQW9bfPsmGRfU2nNoSZC2_fbQqhvRBFBr18bLnWK9XZdbETw3bt-eqOqqZzb2U9rxW7k7krGXHMgR4f4/w200-h149/Screen+Shot+2020-10-28+at+8.28.34+PM.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real punches, real training.</td></tr></tbody></table>So, how do you know if a technique works? You think like a scientist and you test it under pressure against a resisting opponent. Trav at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsUbFOUqtrU4oRSDfjb78ig" target="_blank">Fight Smart</a> puts it this way: Try your techniques on someone who wants to prove you wrong. I like that, and fully agree.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">How do you pressure test a technique? The most obvious answer is sparring. Real sparring. Not Aikido randori or Tai Chi sticky hands. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Some instructors I admire have issues with sparring. While I don't totally agree with their arguments (I'm definitely in the pro-sparring camp), I try to remain openminded and do not totally dismiss their points of view. However, sparring isn't the only way to pressure test techniques, nor should it be the only method used if you are serious about training. Another, possibly equally important tactic is to test techniques against a partner offering ever-escalating levels of resistance. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoViJzaQIbauPL5kNUra9em-IRCf4DKrVdAYNPoMSWJWfBJBvTRw0PrTefFjOG7HQx8SomyksWBV-LzlfwH0Vn98GRy1zdHoSkId8sEhruLvPEuwpNujWjtUX4VBsebVEv9MEfwf-u5qk/s300/Karate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="300" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoViJzaQIbauPL5kNUra9em-IRCf4DKrVdAYNPoMSWJWfBJBvTRw0PrTefFjOG7HQx8SomyksWBV-LzlfwH0Vn98GRy1zdHoSkId8sEhruLvPEuwpNujWjtUX4VBsebVEv9MEfwf-u5qk/w200-h170/Karate.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why even block that?</td></tr></tbody></table>For example, if you're learning to parry a jab, I'll start off throwing fairly easy, somewhat slow open-hand jabs to your forehead. Note that I'll actually try to make contact with your head, and I won't leave my arm dangling out there either. That kind of training accomplishes nothing except to screw up a student's sense of distancing, yet you see it all the time. As you get better, I'll throw faster and harder. Then we'll put on helmets and gloves and I'll try to punch you in the face. Eventually I'll be throwing punches at about 70-80 percent power and speed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Novelist and martial artist <a href="https://www.barryeisler.com/" target="_blank">Barry Eisler</a> did an excellent job summing up the need for this sort of live training:</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><blockquote><i>"If you’re trying to learn how to weave off the line of an incoming punch, it helps if the punch is thrown by someone who’s really trying to knock your head off. If you’re trying to learn how to hit someone with a hip throw, it helps to learn how to do it against an opponent who’s trying his hardest to stop you. Yes, I know neither of these examples is the same as the 'real thing.' Training is an approximation. The closer the approximation, though, the better the training."</i></blockquote></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Some people will read all this and say, "But won't I get hurt?" Well, yes, sometimes. One of my martial arts mottoes is "If you always get hurt, you're training too hard. If you never get hurt, you're not training hard enough." Note by "hurt" I don't mean "injured." You shouldn't be breaking your bones (or your partner's!) or anything like that. On the other hand, expect a few bruises, cuts, the occasional hyperextended joint, and other dings to your chassis. Yes, it will be tough, and you'll have to get used to a bit of pain, but as Alexander Suvorov, the last Generalissimo of the Russian Empire, famously said, "Train hard, fight easy."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the most common arguments I hear against pressure testing is the "our techniques are too deadly" canard. Sure they are. Where is the evidence? Where are the reputable reports of someone being killed by by your sifu's patented Five Fingers of Death blow? Do you have a study from a reputable, peer-reviewed medical journal explaining how the Five Fingers of Death blow works? And are your saying you are incapable of defending yourself without killing someone? That strikes me as a pretty limited martial art. </span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've also seen some rather stupid arguments against pressure testing. A few years ago, I came across a YouTube video making similar arguments to the ones I'm making here. One snarky commenter thought he was being clever in arguing that not all self-defense techniques need to be pressure tested. He wrote something along the lines of, "I know pushing someone off a tall building will kill them without pressure testing it." For one, pushing a non-resisting, non-threatening person off a building isn't self-defense or martial arts. It's murder. As for pushing a resisting, threatening person off a building, you actually can pressure test that if for some reason you thought you should. Put a couple of judo mats on the ground, imagine the mats are a rooftop, and try to push or throw your partner off. It might not prove as easy as the commenter thought. </span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you pressure test all your techniques against a resisting opponent, you won't have to rely on faith. You can rely on knowledge. Boxers </span><b style="font-family: arial;">know</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> jab-cross-hook combo works because they've done it countless times and had it done to them countless times. BJJ practitioners </span><b style="font-family: arial;">know</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> how to apply a rear-naked choke and they </span><b style="font-family: arial;">know</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> how to escape a rear-naked choke. It isn't a matter of faith or belief. It's a matter of knowing based on evidence derived from constant testing. </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaudQA_EZV7Q7kw35TmLF4_CUKseyYh0SNvSX6esjiXx_pDIvxWsVFe85oxTEQhKjjKtwuUoln1cPMiCGMy0lVARsOfUAqc7hsIlVL_GVqerGU2eNgGfCrUw9Qir2mfICEVLBZDsg6dY/s1181/RNC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="1181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaudQA_EZV7Q7kw35TmLF4_CUKseyYh0SNvSX6esjiXx_pDIvxWsVFe85oxTEQhKjjKtwuUoln1cPMiCGMy0lVARsOfUAqc7hsIlVL_GVqerGU2eNgGfCrUw9Qir2mfICEVLBZDsg6dY/s320/RNC.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pressure testing a choke.</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Martial arts schools aren't churches, and self-defense isn't a religion. Insist on facts, not faith.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><i>(Standard Martial Misgivings disclaimer: I practice martial arts first and foremost to learn and hone skills I can use to protect myself and others. It is from this perspective that I'm writing. Other people practice martial arts for different reasons, such as sport, self-improvement, or mastering an esoteric tradition. There's nothing wrong with that, and I do not criticize those motivations. They just aren't mine. Please keep that in mind when reading my posts.)</i></span></p>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-19149103400208531432020-08-14T10:31:00.002-10:002021-03-27T13:58:06.551-10:00Remembering Martial Artist Manny J. Valladares<span style="font-family: arial;">My friend, fellow martial artist, and longtime training partner Manny J. Valladares died recently. He had been fighting a long, tough battle with cancer, but eventually succumbed to COVID-19.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFqkzrn1p4RcRya2dWuKnbmCDLjZx1SYld3rswpt669l8kV4OeSbam0JlhWht_NZLnqWvBHGZC4yxVqDDpqdyZ50MCVtjMp38Bdx7s4K-x8Ld28jSP4Kvds06s1e0Sgx-ZrUdtbK42HY/s960/goju.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="616" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFqkzrn1p4RcRya2dWuKnbmCDLjZx1SYld3rswpt669l8kV4OeSbam0JlhWht_NZLnqWvBHGZC4yxVqDDpqdyZ50MCVtjMp38Bdx7s4K-x8Ld28jSP4Kvds06s1e0Sgx-ZrUdtbK42HY/w210-h328/goju.jpg" width="210" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Manny, Karate Kid.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">Manny had been practicing martial arts for about as long as I've been alive. He started practicing Goju-Ryu Karate in Spanish Harlem in the early '70s, eventually earning a 5th degree black belt. From there Manny moved on to Judo, earning a 3rd degree black belt. Manny's stories of training in those rough-and-tumble early days always fascinated me, and clearly influenced his development as a martial artist. He talked about how his Karate dojo would practice all the standard kata and drills, but at the end of the class would put on gloves and start sparring. If it was too hot, they would train on the rooftop. Manny said he quickly learned what parts of Goju-Ryu were effective and which parts were not, and how to differentiate between martial arts practice and actual streetfigthing. This, to me, this is exactly the right mindset for anyone serious about the self-defense aspect of martial arts, and Manny kept this attitude throughout his lifelong training.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In fact, it was probably this mindset that led me to meet Manny. I met him when he started training in Kali, Jeet Kune Do, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under <a href="#" id="https://jkdunlimited.com/" name="https://jkdunlimited.com/">Burton Richardson</a> in Honolulu. Remember that Manny was already a more than accomplished martial artist, and was no longer a young man. Yet he dove right in, eager to learn new things and hone his formidable skills. And Manny trained hard, often harder than those decades younger than him. More than one eager young buck under-estimated the middle-aged Puerto Rican guy with a bit of a belly and quickly found themselves outclassed.</span></div></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmbTbbc85VjUyHeENprLI0rYXYWnNu4f6VY-n8I9s9n6EXiGf8-QyNt_icgQ7_egrlUDU82f2G8f5ZkJBZOWNdqRAw3N0b4VqEl5sm1blSfEbheppzdvJKyXOwwWZcxuXfMIzdliUlLs/s1200/hand+hit+2.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1200" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRmbTbbc85VjUyHeENprLI0rYXYWnNu4f6VY-n8I9s9n6EXiGf8-QyNt_icgQ7_egrlUDU82f2G8f5ZkJBZOWNdqRAw3N0b4VqEl5sm1blSfEbheppzdvJKyXOwwWZcxuXfMIzdliUlLs/w328-h237/hand+hit+2.png" width="328" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Manny scores a hit with a rattan stick.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I loved training with Manny. It wasn't just because he was a cool guy with an infectious laugh, which he was. It was also because he was skilled enough and mature enough that we could train and spar really hard without either of us worrying about injuring the other. For example, Manny was one of the very few people I felt comfortable stick sparring with real rattan sticks with. Yeah, we would get a bit bruised and beat up (well, mostly I got bruised and beat up), but we both accepted that as part of pushing yourself, facing your fears, and getting better. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes when doing drills in which one person attacks and the other defends, Manny and I would get into trouble because we each kept attacking. We both definitely had an aggressive, not passive fighting style. Yet Manny also excelled at some of the more artistic, intricate aspects of martial arts, such as the dancelike, Kali drills known as Sinawali. We could get pretty fancy going through the partner Sinawali patterns, banging our sticks together and flowing with fluidity. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">When it came to Manny's fighting style, aspects of his Karate training definitely came through. If we were kickboxing, he would stay fairly stationary, not moving his feet very much. You would <i>think</i> you could step in, throw a punch to his face, and step out again. That was often not the case. Manny was incredibly skilled at distancing and moving his head just enough to avoid your punch, and fast enough with his hands to follow up with vicious punches of his own before you've had a chance to retreat. Manny had some of the fastest hands I've ever encountered. I can't help but think of the <a href="#" id="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0IUR4gkPIE" name="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0IUR4gkPIE">Wu-Tang Clan lyric</a>, "And I'll be damned if I let any man come to my center, you enter the winter," because Manny kept his centerline so well-protected and those who tried to find a way in suffered the consequences. For a good example of his hand speed and coordination, check out this video of Manny and I practicing the Kali knife drill known as sumbrada:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxG1c2NOVX9sNEeUzO8yBq2PKXi2cfDnZiyb8cCPdEcjremy1i2UftJGf1f2QQz3kp6VAQ6BIy82SgQNCliMA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This didn't just apply to kickboxing. Our main targets in knife and stick sparring are the hands, legs, and head. I hardly ever was able to hit Manny's head. In fact, one day after Manny and I had gone a few rounds with the sticks, a classmate asked me, "Why don't you ever go for Manny's head?" I replied, "You'll see after you two do a round." Sure enough, our fellow classmate did a couple of stick rounds with Manny and every attempt to hit Manny's head went badly.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GwH7Ria1kaA0ofsZng430Vs8SquCl9pGbafKrRXFXy9VUDC3zgm69BoMzcR6v_GBO79CWoVgkV6x-5CKCbTrb3RM3vxKtfYyuVDG3hO028xXUbNbWha6htN5Z83TEKY-629M7VNFeag/s960/armbar.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GwH7Ria1kaA0ofsZng430Vs8SquCl9pGbafKrRXFXy9VUDC3zgm69BoMzcR6v_GBO79CWoVgkV6x-5CKCbTrb3RM3vxKtfYyuVDG3hO028xXUbNbWha6htN5Z83TEKY-629M7VNFeag/w262-h197/armbar.jpg" width="262" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ow, my arm!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">With his Judo background, it probably goes without saying that Manny easily took to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I had the honor of being his sparring partner when he took his blue belt test, and Manny definitely tossed me around a bit. On his own he worked on blending BJJ with Judo, creating a very potent personal fighting style. You can watch highlights of Manny's blue belt test <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWfkXzh8MNQ" id="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWfkXzh8MNQ" name="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWfkXzh8MNQ">here</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite the fact that Manny was big and strong and capable of being a very aggressive (in a good way!) sparring partner, he could still train and spar with those who were far smaller, weaker, and inexperienced without letting ego get in the way. Manny wanted to learn, and he wanted his partners to learn, too. If you trained with Manny, you were sure to come out of the experience with more skill and knowledge. Manny eventually earned his instructor certifications in Kali and Jeet Kune Do, adding to his already impressive martial arts resume.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEA63pdjzIGIyMVnCo-41fodnJ0CyrlKeHSrZEgkosyxBsHWf_qeW7g2jTSfleBfrtHZgw2_UHZ7lvgFaw0rZOkFYPjEVcP-KIjJYGA540bhMZD38onXVdnAOYRgzlSz9eRVnPGBhk9Sw/s1094/Screen+Shot+2020-08-13+at+7.22.41+PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1094" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEA63pdjzIGIyMVnCo-41fodnJ0CyrlKeHSrZEgkosyxBsHWf_qeW7g2jTSfleBfrtHZgw2_UHZ7lvgFaw0rZOkFYPjEVcP-KIjJYGA540bhMZD38onXVdnAOYRgzlSz9eRVnPGBhk9Sw/w210-h201/Screen+Shot+2020-08-13+at+7.22.41+PM.png" width="210" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Manny at his home gym.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A few years ago, Manny and his family left Hawaii and moved to Las Vegas, where he started his own JKD Unlimited school and began sharing his expertise with a new batch of students. He never stopped training, never stopped learning, and never stopped teaching. We kept in touch via social media, and I was always happy to see the photos he shared of himself and his students hard at work perfecting their skills.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In this post, I've mostly talked about Manny J. Valladares as a martial artist, because that's how I primarily knew him. He was also a husband, father, grandfather, and entrepreneur, as well as a former Marine and sheriff's deputy. I'll always remember him as one of the best training partners I've ever had and as a man I'm honored to have been able to call "friend."<br /><br />Rest in peace, Manny....</span></div>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-37723531222138903252020-01-31T15:16:00.001-10:002020-01-31T15:23:59.079-10:00Books Read, 2019<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJBI5F_URVkBM5Y_BS0CcUM1Ezo481BWmYKpY9ujjsYV2Of4kJlNGRNF0OtfZCpjqQUXXWTwRTLiN5dKobG6DOGJB3RyJLat-fbnPnkwmAq18E3Ja1gIg9R2fSI_zHUp2vQvBhCEvs1A/s1600/cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJBI5F_URVkBM5Y_BS0CcUM1Ezo481BWmYKpY9ujjsYV2Of4kJlNGRNF0OtfZCpjqQUXXWTwRTLiN5dKobG6DOGJB3RyJLat-fbnPnkwmAq18E3Ja1gIg9R2fSI_zHUp2vQvBhCEvs1A/s320/cat.jpg" width="228" /></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A couple of years ago I decided to log every book I read and then compile a master list at the end of the year. Below is my Master Reading List for 2019, in alphabetical order by title. As you can see, it was quite heavy on fantasy, with <a href="https://www.agentintraining.com/2019/10/why-i-finally-started-reading-wheel-of.html" target="_blank">my initial forays into Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series</a> taking up a fair amount of my time. I'll post a list of my favorite books read last year soon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">FICTION</span><br />
<ul>
<li></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Emperor Mage by Tamora Pierce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Enchanter’s End Game by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Eye of the Hunter by Dennis L. McKiernan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Fool Me Twice by Matthew Hughes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Fools Errant by Matthew Hughes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Into the Fire by Dennis L. McKiernan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Into the Forge by Dennis L. McKiernan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Magician’s Gambit by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Night of Madness by Lawrence Watt-Evans</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Nowhere Man by Gregg Hurwitz</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Out of the Dark by Gregg Hurwitz</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Voyage of the Fox Rider by Dennis L. McKiernan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Wolf-Speaker by Tamora Pierce</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">NONFICTION</span><br />
<ul>
<li></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Ancient Magic: A Practitioner's Guide to the Supernatural in Greece and Rome by Philip Matyszak</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life by Edith Hall</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Fight Like a Physicist: The Incredible Science Behind Martial Arts by Jason Thalken</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Greek and Roman Myths: A Guide to the Classic Stories by Philip Matyszak</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">How Music Can Make You Better by Indre Viskontas, PhD.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A Significant Life: Human Meaning in a Silent Universe by Todd May</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Staying Alive: How to Act Fast and Survive Deadly Encounters by Safe Havens International Inc</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Tao of WU by RZA*</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Tao Te Ching: The Essential Translation of the Ancient Chinese Book of the Tao by Lao Tzu, translated by John Minford</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(* reread)</span>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-27210609509910527822019-10-07T12:04:00.003-10:002019-10-07T12:04:48.570-10:00Why I Finally Started Reading 'The Wheel of Time'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCi5i_iRk0V1Zq4aimeVZfkk0CIv8pWwO07iK2wqt_JJutGrY1dRzOIN__nfmiTQSHVWyuI0lzO2nBxKf4hGBIWV7IlYlBLKLpvd8l8gysAmZgrgX-wmArE7whtD3yArtVIUf_kLJJKJw/s1600/Hobbit_1977_Original_Film_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="235" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCi5i_iRk0V1Zq4aimeVZfkk0CIv8pWwO07iK2wqt_JJutGrY1dRzOIN__nfmiTQSHVWyuI0lzO2nBxKf4hGBIWV7IlYlBLKLpvd8l8gysAmZgrgX-wmArE7whtD3yArtVIUf_kLJJKJw/s320/Hobbit_1977_Original_Film_Poster.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I've mentioned in the past, I love fantasy novels. In fact, fantasy is my favorite genre of fiction. My fondness for the genre dates back to seeing the Rankin/Bass animated version of 'The Hobbit' as a young child, being totally enraptured by it, and then having my mom to read the novel to me out loud.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When it comes to fantasy, I'm definitely in the epic fantasy camp. While somewhat out of fashion these days, I still enjoy classic Good vs. Evil stories featuring long quests, magical items, Dark Lords, mythical peoples, Chosen Ones, etc. Professor Tolkien definitely left his mark on me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taking all that into account, it's odd that I never got around to reading the late Robert Jordan's 'The Wheel of Time,' one of the most beloved and important epic fantasy series of the last 30 years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I first heard about 'The Wheel of Time' in the early '90s, not long after the initial volume—<i>The Eye of the World</i>—had been released. My good friend (and then-roommate) Mike had read it and raved about it. He rarely recommended books to me, but he highly recommended 'The Eye of the World.' It was a recommendation I ignored. I don't know why. Maybe I was reading something else. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood. I really can't recall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mike continued with the series and kept recommending it, and I kept ignoring his recommendations. I don't know how far he got with the novels, but I know he didn't finish the series. By the time the last two volumes were published, Mike had committed suicide. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NyBFybTC5tJf18Cm28swgpv7INybFVvOslKOUe8XgkCs9qDxTJ2-NhG1iop2HBh74rPJYDs42U8CllR1Zc6MwgipHab8coEKhdtIORi2hfNzyiuvxXyOH1Z2A0pi76qiWYBrf9mKKS8/s1600/WoT01_TheEyeOfTheWorld.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NyBFybTC5tJf18Cm28swgpv7INybFVvOslKOUe8XgkCs9qDxTJ2-NhG1iop2HBh74rPJYDs42U8CllR1Zc6MwgipHab8coEKhdtIORi2hfNzyiuvxXyOH1Z2A0pi76qiWYBrf9mKKS8/s320/WoT01_TheEyeOfTheWorld.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to the upcoming Amazon series. 'The Wheel of Time' has once again been in the news recently. That got me to thinking about the books, and Mike's hearty endorsement of them. I especially found myself thinking about them around September 22, Mike's birthday. It was about that time that I decided to finally read <i>The Eye of the World.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd tried reading it a couple of times before. For some reason, the book hadn't quite clicked with me. This time, I decided to commit myself to finishing it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They say the third time's the charm, and that was certainly the case here. This time around I zipped though all 780-plus pages of <i>The Eye of the World</i> in just over a week. I absolutely loved it, especially the characterizations and rich worldbuilding. And while Jordan is sometimes criticized for being overly descriptive, I didn't find that to be a problem. On the contrary, I found his descriptions added to the immersive quality of the narrative. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm now well into the second book, <i>The Great Hunt</i>, and look forward to the rest. At some point, I'll probably take breaks in between volumes with works from other authors, just to keep things fresh. I do plan to finish the series though, all 14 volumes and 4.4 million words of it. My friend Mike wasn't able to finish 'The Wheel of Time,' so I guess I'll finish it for him.</span>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-52826861596376011862019-09-24T11:48:00.000-10:002019-09-24T11:49:38.860-10:00Thought of the Day: Chögyam Trungpa on Fear<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiLhK8tnraH4fbWU6n0R2I7usixsm2Fk-Dnorbzhvo47jJnSxIu1MtKvOvZidtTftT-sXdFQZ_07v8nAwXViVE8adcywaIPmQmZR9If8bi26kGJI7W7cJw4r3SPcnU4zz-PkmTTBKpPw/s1600/trnugpa1_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="386" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiLhK8tnraH4fbWU6n0R2I7usixsm2Fk-Dnorbzhvo47jJnSxIu1MtKvOvZidtTftT-sXdFQZ_07v8nAwXViVE8adcywaIPmQmZR9If8bi26kGJI7W7cJw4r3SPcnU4zz-PkmTTBKpPw/s320/trnugpa1_lg.jpg" width="215" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"In the practice of yoga and also within the martial arts, one’s strength or power comes from the development of a balanced state of mind. One is going back or returning to the origin of the strength that exists within oneself. This kind of strength is known as strength in its own right, the strength of fearlessness. To be without fear is to have great strength."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">– Chögyam Trungpa</span></div>
Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-65069848520798372132019-09-23T14:05:00.000-10:002019-09-24T11:48:43.272-10:00Thought of the Day: Tennyson on Strength<a href="http://fitmonkeyhawaii.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/alfred_tennyson_02.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-434" height="300" src="https://fitmonkeyhawaii.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/alfred_tennyson_02.jpg?w=240" title="alfred_tennyson_02" width="240" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"My strength has the strength of ten because my heart is pure." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>— </i>Alfred Lord Tennyson</span></span><br />
<br />Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-61742165346281731602019-09-23T12:12:00.001-10:002019-09-23T12:21:31.013-10:00Revisiting A Gent in Training<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoyG8YOts654Y-jO9CHMJEgfWXDGm4okfSKLF-A4UqGZWFYK18yg2LL_io19zBwYPT-uPdPKF3F8ZdInXxzWuepRbcgBVOIycZlJ3LriCcmqCSTuwsJXugqLDOWsClgs1s27Ktm90jeA/s1600/Autumn-Goddess-768x563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="768" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoyG8YOts654Y-jO9CHMJEgfWXDGm4okfSKLF-A4UqGZWFYK18yg2LL_io19zBwYPT-uPdPKF3F8ZdInXxzWuepRbcgBVOIycZlJ3LriCcmqCSTuwsJXugqLDOWsClgs1s27Ktm90jeA/s320/Autumn-Goddess-768x563.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's the Autumnal Equinox!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's been nearly eight years since I started this blog. Over the years I've been rather sporadic in updating it or adding new posts. In fact, the basic look of the blog has remained unchanged... until today. Some of you may have noticed that the original main photo (me drinking a Martini with my cat Dobbin) has been replaced with a new one (me meditating with my cat Dobbin). Why the change?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To put it mildly, 2019 has been challenging for me. I'll probably go into more detail in a later post, but suffice to say it's been a hard year. However, it has also been a year of growth and reassessment. Part of that reassessment has to do with this blog, and what sort of things I want to post about. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Early on, I often posted about stuff such as cocktails and men's style. Gradually, I moved away from that sort of thing to more posts about philosophy, self-improvement, personal safety, and martial arts. I want to continue with that trend, and today, the first day of autumn, seems like a good day to recommit to this blog and to its mission.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And that's why I changed the main photo. I'm a different person with different priorities now. Meditation has replaced Martinis, and this revised way of thinking will be reflected in the future direction of this blog. </span>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-65539302788220762002019-07-05T17:22:00.000-10:002019-07-05T17:27:07.946-10:00Books Read, Midway Through 2019 Edition<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I realize I totally fell off the logging-the-books-I've-read train, both on this blog and in general. I failed to keep track of about half my reading for 2018, which is a shame, as I've found it to be a useful habit. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zp18vSIY2BdUthDSweVK5MIdH88dVW4zP134j-tWGFnLkvP_KFJsYmTUrdcO9WsmBxybUeQmr7x-QXPmnTOg0K-F8V52QOBCUSVbEN1GOnmamVhPkellcc30NdJYKOZGius526aHxoQ/s1600/20190331_112303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zp18vSIY2BdUthDSweVK5MIdH88dVW4zP134j-tWGFnLkvP_KFJsYmTUrdcO9WsmBxybUeQmr7x-QXPmnTOg0K-F8V52QOBCUSVbEN1GOnmamVhPkellcc30NdJYKOZGius526aHxoQ/s320/20190331_112303.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I need reading glasses. So far Zooey doesn't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For 2019, I'm back to being consistent in logging the books I read. In 2017 and 2018, I found myself reading less, partially due to my job and other real-life interruptions. I was also getting more tired when reading, and I didn't know why. A few months ago I had my answer: A routine physical revealed that I needed reading glasses! Now I get less tired when reading, no doubt because I'm not having to work so hard. The funny thing is my vision issues developed so gradually I barely noticed them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Without further ado, here is my Books Read list for the midway point of 2019. A quick glance will show that fantasy and philosophy have been the dominant themes so far this year. That is by no means unusual for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FICTION</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Emperor Mage by Tamora Pierce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enchanter’s End Game by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fool Me Twice by Matthew Hughes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fools Errant by Matthew Hughes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Magician’s Gambit by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Night of Madness by Lawrence Watt-Evans</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Nowhere Man by Gregg Hurwitz</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Realms of the Gods by Tamora Pierce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wolf-Speaker by Tamora Pierce</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NONFICTION</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ancient Magic: A Practitioner's Guide to the Supernatural in Greece and Rome by Philip Matyszak</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Tao of WU by RZA</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life by Edith Hall</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Significant Life: Human Meaning in a Silent Universe by Todd May</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Staying Alive: How to Act Fast and Survive Deadly Encounters by Safe Havens International Inc</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fight Like a Physicist: The Incredible Science Behind Martial Arts by Jason Thalken</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul>
</ul>
Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-45389819935295115712019-06-14T12:35:00.000-10:002019-06-14T12:35:58.062-10:00Back to Swings!<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are so many functional, fun exercises you can do with kettlebells that it can be easy to forget the wonderfulness of the classic two-handed swing. Lately, I've been concentrating on doing lots of swings, specifically 300 per workout, nearly every day.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqKBh-o9f6KPS2U_TpfqFSCnbbxd2JjpzND4kX4GQVQaIvndKXFFcodAzlKcB288DfcBDBEQr86AaK1uinU3fXhyphenhyphengSsm_5KU-k5_CLNJT-WwxQa4OjxNwkkw6Sa9eIQJiB7RZl1l2GsA/s1600/musce-group-kettlbell-swing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqKBh-o9f6KPS2U_TpfqFSCnbbxd2JjpzND4kX4GQVQaIvndKXFFcodAzlKcB288DfcBDBEQr86AaK1uinU3fXhyphenhyphengSsm_5KU-k5_CLNJT-WwxQa4OjxNwkkw6Sa9eIQJiB7RZl1l2GsA/s320/musce-group-kettlbell-swing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see why swings are so effective?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I start my workout with five minutes of meditation, followed by some joint mobility work and the Eischens yoga beginner's sequence. Then it's on to swings. I use a 24 kg kettlebell, and alternate between sets of 15 and 35 swings. (Hat tip to Dan John for the rep scheme.) Rest periods between sets us about 30 seconds to a minute. Once I hit 300 swings, I'm done, though I sometimes do a few sets of slow pull-ups if I'm up to it.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why 300 swings? It seems like a nice, golden mean sort of number. I've done 200 swings in a workout many times before, and wanted something more difficult. On the other hand, going the 500 swings route popularized in various 10,000 swing challenges strikes me as a bit too exhausting, especially since I want to have enough energy to to other activities such as swimming, running, and martial arts. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been doing the 300 swings workout pretty much every day this week before heading to work and I feel great. My entire posterior chain feels activated. I'll probably continue doing this for a few weeks and see how it pans out.</span></div>
Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-54728381761372669922019-05-16T12:20:00.000-10:002019-05-16T12:23:29.127-10:00Educational Beatdowns<div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I just stumbled onto a <a href="https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/the-educational-beatdown">great article</a> by Greg Ellifritz on the Active Response Training <a href="http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/">website</a> about a very common but often misunderstand form of violence, "the educational beatdown." As he notes in the article: </span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"If you don’t interact with cultures who embrace violence as a problem solving technique you assume that everyone is like you. You assume that if you offend someone (accidentally or otherwise), there will not be any physical consequences. It’s only surprising because you don’t understand that some groups have different 'rules' than your group has."</span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHj3Z6HVcmfFmZg1DUhcYe1aIQ75sOvOy1moxhyNxkTxshtBKiZfoafmvkfTaQtJRCEcDF7noyxN7DL4ds8ZYbNzlO-Tu81vNuPmLshWIQyI7nYQ2_OIcX1fNOZ_Qv-575LEX6xkKwAk/s1600/FireShot-Screen-Capture-152-New-Orleans-Live-News-Report-Almost-Turns-Deadly-After-Fight-Breaks-Out-YouTube-www_youtube_com_watch_vzbyNde2yg-300x152.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="152" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHj3Z6HVcmfFmZg1DUhcYe1aIQ75sOvOy1moxhyNxkTxshtBKiZfoafmvkfTaQtJRCEcDF7noyxN7DL4ds8ZYbNzlO-Tu81vNuPmLshWIQyI7nYQ2_OIcX1fNOZ_Qv-575LEX6xkKwAk/s1600/FireShot-Screen-Capture-152-New-Orleans-Live-News-Report-Almost-Turns-Deadly-After-Fight-Breaks-Out-YouTube-www_youtube_com_watch_vzbyNde2yg-300x152.png" /></a></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I cannot stress how important this concept is. I frequently come across nice, educated, middle-class people who only associate with other nice, educated, middle-class people in nice, middle-class neighborhoods. They sometimes think they can act rudely and get away with it because, in general, they can. But if they venture out of their nice, middle-class comfort zone, they will find that the penalties for improper behavior can be more serious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To quote Rory Miller: </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"There are places in the United States where if you do something rude and improper you will get disapproving looks and people will whisper about you. They might snub you in the coffee room or not invite you to go bowling. And there are places in the U. S. where doing something that society considers rude will get you beaten without a second thought."</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you think that’s wrong? Barbaric? Uncivilized? Maybe you’re right. But you know what? Being “right” probably won’t make you feel better as you are being beaten up for failing to realize that different people follow different rules than you do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the article concludes: "Be smart. Don’t act like an asshole. Don’t be condescending or insulting to people who live in an environment where violence is the consequence when you screw up. Understanding these 'rules' will keep you out of a lot of trouble."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sound advice.</span></div>
Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-7509650577277598772018-12-06T10:59:00.000-10:002018-12-06T10:59:23.942-10:00Domestic Defense: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Women at Home<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some self-defense food for thought.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the point about "statistically the most dangerous place for a woman is in her own home"? Sadly true. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 55 percent of murders of American women involve domestic violence. In 93 percent of those cases, victims were killed by current or former intimate partners: boyfriends, husbands, of lovers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Statistics about rape and domestic violence are harder to come by, but at least one study found that 76 percent of women who reported they had been raped and/or physically assaulted since age 18 said that a current or former husband, cohabiting partner, or date committed the assault.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BrBi_DwBBNj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">⚠️6 Bedroom Techniques EVERY Woman Should Know! Statistically, the most dangerous place for a woman is in her own home, so @evetorresgracie had the brilliant idea of doing a tutorial of the most effective techniques for use on a bed! Free Women’s Self-defense Seminars Worldwide on January 5th. Link in bio to register! FUN FACT: Eve actually choked me unconscious one time while filming this. Guess which technique did it??? #bjj #jiujitsu #selfdefense #technique @itsmephilliplee 🎥 🙏🏼 @womenempoweredgjj</a></div>
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A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/renergracie/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> renergracie</a> (@renergracie) on <time datetime="2018-12-05T23:34:02+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Dec 5, 2018 at 3:34pm PST</time></div>
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<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-20706114331894818592018-10-01T14:19:00.000-10:002018-10-01T14:26:36.547-10:00Giving Up the Booze<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDu9pROghm0oyanj8YJ1b75vaX2kgwNcINeiYDuG6Lhk9vvIiF_NGdI85vOvcb0dAboLT42h0uzQUpaliKcQ5MBWluu85CY124qLI8sLOdTeg9mZI_YdyAy_51fFpXfTDx8nGG1OidS0/s1600/zeldamartini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDu9pROghm0oyanj8YJ1b75vaX2kgwNcINeiYDuG6Lhk9vvIiF_NGdI85vOvcb0dAboLT42h0uzQUpaliKcQ5MBWluu85CY124qLI8sLOdTeg9mZI_YdyAy_51fFpXfTDx8nGG1OidS0/s320/zeldamartini.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zelda doesn't care if I drink Martinis or not.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nearly six months ago, I essentially stopped drinking alcohol.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It wasn't because I have problems with addiction or dependency; quite the opposite. As I wrote in an <a href="https://www.agentintraining.com/2017/12/attitudes-on-alcohol.html">earlier post</a>, I've always been a moderate drinker and virtually never drink to excess. No, the reason for giving up alcohol was a health scare my wife had this spring. Something unexpected showed up on her mammogram. We were of course worried it might be cancer, but it turned out to be nothing. However, the doctor did inform my wife that she was at a higher risk for breast cancer thanks to her unusually dense breast tissue. <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mammogram/in-depth/dense-breast-tissue/art-20123968">According</a> to the Mayo Clinic, "<span style="color: #111111;">Women with dense breasts, but no other risk factors for breast cancer, are considered to have a higher risk of breast cancer than average." The Susan G. Komen organization <a href="https://ww5.komen.org/Breastcancer/Highbreastdensityonmammogram.html">states</a> that "</span><span style="background-color: white;">Women with high breast density are 4-5 times more likely to get breast cancer than women with low breast density."</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another risk factor when it comes to women and breast cancer? Drinking alcohol. It's an underreported risk factor but a well-established one. With that in mind, my wife decided to stop drinking alcohol. So did I, more or less (details on the wiggle words to follow). I did so out of solidarity, and because having a glass of wine or a beer in front of my now teetotalling wife does not appeal to me. For the record, she never once asked me to quit drinking.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shortly after we chose to give up alcohol, I came across an <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/04/did-drinking-give-me-breast-cancer/">article</a> in <i>Mother Jones</i> magazine going into great detail about the cancer risks of booze for both men and women. A short excerpt:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>On <a href="https://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/2016/WCR_2014_Chapter_2-3.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/motherjones/css/../img/orange-border.png"); background-position: 0px 90%; background-repeat: repeat-x; box-sizing: inherit; color: black; text-decoration-line: none; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 1px 0px;">1988</a>, the World Health Organization declared alcohol a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning that it’s been proved to cause cancer. There is no known safe dosage in humans, according to the <a href="https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/824237" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/motherjones/css/../img/orange-border.png"); background-position: 0px 90%; background-repeat: repeat-x; box-sizing: inherit; color: black; text-decoration-line: none; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 1px 0px;">WHO</a>. Alcohol causes at least <a href="https://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/iarcnews/2016/WCR_2014_Chapter_2-3.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/motherjones/css/../img/orange-border.png"); background-position: 0px 90%; background-repeat: repeat-x; box-sizing: inherit; color: black; text-decoration-line: none; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 1px 0px;">seven</a> types of cancer, but it kills more women from breast cancer than from any other. The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that for every drink consumed daily, the risk of breast cancer goes up <a href="http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol96/mono96-6B-06.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/motherjones/css/../img/orange-border.png"); background-position: 0px 90%; background-repeat: repeat-x; box-sizing: inherit; color: black; text-decoration-line: none; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 1px 0px;">7 percent</a>.... The research linking alcohol to breast cancer is deadly solid. There’s no controversy here. Alcohol, regardless of whether it’s in Everclear or a vintage Bordeaux, is carcinogenic. More than <a href="http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol96/mono96-6B-06.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/motherjones/css/../img/orange-border.png"); background-position: 0px 90%; background-repeat: repeat-x; box-sizing: inherit; color: black; text-decoration-line: none; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 1px 0px;">100</a> studies over several decades have reaffirmed the link with consistent results. The National Cancer Institute says alcohol raises breast cancer risk even at low levels.<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The article also states that "researchers estimate that alcohol accounts for <a href="http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.2012.301199" style="background-image: url("/wp-content/themes/motherjones/css/../img/orange-border.png"); background-position: 0px 90%; background-repeat: repeat-x; box-sizing: inherit; color: black; text-decoration-line: none; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 0px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px 1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) 1px -1px 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -1px 1px 0px;">15 percent</a> of US breast cancer cases and deaths—about 35,000 and 6,600 a year, respectively." </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1oJDxs9-uGtfd_0-hDCjxlCtTXTi3eJfIj9ma1wJu4_EaEylnGrI9A0tm71GCVXFhMWsboFPNHAD5R8pFvdVxZo0o8gjz9ezIkUJ4gGx_IXJLBqyV_-IxTCTsK-h9nW4G8zvCF6vTlU/s1600/espresso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1oJDxs9-uGtfd_0-hDCjxlCtTXTi3eJfIj9ma1wJu4_EaEylnGrI9A0tm71GCVXFhMWsboFPNHAD5R8pFvdVxZo0o8gjz9ezIkUJ4gGx_IXJLBqyV_-IxTCTsK-h9nW4G8zvCF6vTlU/s320/espresso.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's still espresso.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The article strongly reinforced our decision regarding alcohol. I highly recommend <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/04/did-drinking-give-me-breast-cancer/">giving it a read</a>, especially if you are a woman, though if you are a man with a family history of cancer (like me), you should read it as well. Really, everyone should probably read it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, back to those earlier weasle words, about me "more or less" giving up alcohol. Since my wife and I made our decision, I haven't had a drink, nor have I especially wanted one. However, I could see potential circumstances in which I might cheat a little. For example, I'm not going to say I'll never join a friend for a beer ever again. That could happen. But, to be honest, I very rarely find myself in social drinking situations anyway so the little escape route I've provided myself with the phrase "more or less" might prove to be irrelevant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Finally, though I'll probably change the main photo on this blog at some point, I'm not going to engage in some sort of Stalinesque whitewashing of history and delete any of my older <a href="https://www.agentintraining.com/search/label/Wine%20and%20Spirits">alcohol-related posts</a>. You can still find my thoughts on <a href="https://www.agentintraining.com/2014/01/americas-best-bargain-bourbon.html">bargain bourbon</a>, the <a href="https://www.agentintraining.com/2013/04/the-joys-of-campari.html">joys of Campari</a>, and mixing <a href="https://www.agentintraining.com/2012/12/my-martini.html">the perfect Martini</a>.</span></div>
Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-91520515800716345222018-07-26T09:24:00.002-10:002018-07-27T08:46:23.599-10:00Philosophy Thursday: Good Men, Bad Men, Anger, and Thich Nhat Hanh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjhy0Js7dD1iMhcbQv7tpZLozUviFggb2DBJzpDrIQp1Cly5N8nTgDfJfteg7b_yPw8b3AQ2EdShLgxCOVu0wP-Z1FBx67A5M8BhV2LRgs2W4DQwFgEZv0bDPMx7XC2r3fsK8Ys51cu0/s1600/Thich+Nhat+Hanh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="1067" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjhy0Js7dD1iMhcbQv7tpZLozUviFggb2DBJzpDrIQp1Cly5N8nTgDfJfteg7b_yPw8b3AQ2EdShLgxCOVu0wP-Z1FBx67A5M8BhV2LRgs2W4DQwFgEZv0bDPMx7XC2r3fsK8Ys51cu0/s200/Thich+Nhat+Hanh.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh is in some ways a better human being than I am. Whenever I read his work, I am moved by his dedication to peace and compassion, and try to incorporate his teachings in my daily life. I strive to be a bit more like him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But not too much like him. To put it bluntly, I'm an angrier person than Nhat Hanh, and I'm OK with that. He strives to surpass anger, to rise above it, while I—paraphrasing Capt. James T. Kirk—need my anger.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In his excellent book 'Being Peace', Nhat Hanh shares the following story:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the Vietnam War, many people wrote to us in Plum Village. We received hundreds of letters each week from the refugee camps in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, hundreds each week. It was very painful to read them, but we had to be in contact. We tried our best to help, but the suffering was enormous, and sometimes we were discouraged. It is said that half the boat people fleeing Vietnam died in the ocean; only half arrived at the shores of Southeast Asia. </span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are many young girls, boat people, who were raped by sea pirates. Even though the United Nations and many countries tried to help the government of Thailand prevent that kind of piracy, sea pirates continued to inflict much suffering on the refugees. One day, we received a letter telling us about a young girl on a small boat who was raped by a Thai pirate. </span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She was only twelve, and she jumped into the ocean and drowned herself. </span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you first learn of something like that, you get angry at the pirate. You naturally take the side of the girl. As you look more deeply you will see it differently. If you take the side of the little girl, then it is easy. You only have to take a gun and shoot the pirate. But we can't do that. In my meditation, I saw that if I had been born in the village of the pirate and raised in the same conditions as he was, I would now be the pirate. There is a great likelihood that I would become a pirate. I can't condemn myself so easily. In my meditation, I saw that many babies are born along the Gulf of Siam, hundreds every day, and if we educators, social workers, politicians, and others do not do something about the situation, in twenty-five years a number of them will become sea pirates. That is certain. If you or I were born today in those fishing villages, we might become sea pirates in twenty-five years. If you take a gun and shoot the pirate, you shoot all of us, because all of us are to some extent responsible for this state of affairs.</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I certainly admire Nhat Hanh's ability to see the situation from the pirate's point of view, and can acknowledge the role of environment in shaping the pirate's life, this doesn't change my anger. When Nhat Hanh writes "If you take the side of the little girl, then it is easy. You only have to take a gun and shoot the pirate. But we can't do that..." I can't help but think, "Yes, we can. And should."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps Nhat Hanh is right that if I "had been born in the village of the pirate and raised in the same conditions as he was, I would now be the pirate. There is a great likelihood that I would become a pirate. I can't condemn myself so easily." I actually <b>can</b> condemn myself so easily. If I try to hurt an innocent, I deserve to be stopped. Think of the horror movie trope about the man bitten by a werewolf, who then turns into a werewolf himself and terrorizes the community. The cursed man, unable to bring himself to commit suicide, begs others to kill or imprison him. Or, to look at things more scientifically, consider the fact that brain tumors and injuries can cause serious behavioral changes. There have even been incidences of <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2943-brain-tumour-causes-uncontrollable-paedophilia/">brain tumors being linked to pedophilia</a>. Taking that as an example, if I ever develop a tumor and it compels me to try to rape a child, I hope someone stops me, even if it means killing me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcswyuJP7Gkp6ka04te1uUDnJPeVTPgiboMQ5MWwK_nmm0Uhcg2MtXab9m8mAZiY-cAA9PcBILY3TVtKwScYqRPMuR5NegB_O8PKbILo1ZIL8yS2o50a1dUbSa3W2ziwPzCpcdGhhteY/s1600/damher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="941" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNcswyuJP7Gkp6ka04te1uUDnJPeVTPgiboMQ5MWwK_nmm0Uhcg2MtXab9m8mAZiY-cAA9PcBILY3TVtKwScYqRPMuR5NegB_O8PKbILo1ZIL8yS2o50a1dUbSa3W2ziwPzCpcdGhhteY/s200/damher.jpg" width="128" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can't help but think of the fascinating graphic novel 'My Friend Dahmer' by John "Derf" Backderf. It's the true story about growing up and going to school with future serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Even though Backderf shows some sympathy for the young Dahmer, in the book's afterward he clearly states</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's my belief that Dahmer didn't have to wind up a monster, that all those people didn't have to die horribly, if only the adults in his life hadn't been so inexplicably, unforgivably, incomprehensibly clueless and/or indifferent. Once Dahmer kills, however—and I can't stress this enough—my sympathy for him ends. He could have turned himself in after that first murder. He could have put a gun to his head. Instead he, and he alone, chose to become a serial killer and spread misery to countless people. </span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I absolutely agree with that. There are times for compassion, and there are times for justice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's important to state that I don't consider Nhat Hanh's position to be wrong or unethical. I actually find it admirable. Quite possibly, if I could achieve his level of benevolent compassion, I would be a happier, "better" person. I just wouldn't be me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To quote <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPj-8_wOZcA">a great PiL song</a>, "Anger is an energy." It motivates me. I wouldn't be a martial artist if it weren't for anger. I wouldn't teach self-defense classes if it weren't for anger. At the risk of sounding self-congratulatory, I think in my own small way I make the world a better place by teaching people to protect themselves while at the same time being able to protect them myself if necessary. Breaking someone's knee while simultaneously slamming face-down into the ground isn't very nice, but there are times it is necessary.</span><br />
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<a href="https://78.media.tumblr.com/155c6a772bc606c1139ee11580532859/tumblr_o38d8eIIvR1v9enl8o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="500" height="160" src="https://78.media.tumblr.com/155c6a772bc606c1139ee11580532859/tumblr_o38d8eIIvR1v9enl8o1_500.gif" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In season one of 'True Detective,' Matthew McConaughey's character Rush Cohle is asked "Do you wonder ever if you're a bad man?" He responds, "No. I don't wonder. World needs bad men. We keep the other bad men from the door." The show's creator and writer Nic Pizzolatto further elaborated on that concept in an interview: "Regarding bad men being necessary to stop the other bad men, that’s probably more true than I’d like it to be, but the point exists outside of gender: You need physically capable, courageous, and potentially violent people to deal with the violent, dangerous people."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, I absolutely agree. Compared to Thich Nhat Hanh, I am something of a bad man. And I totally accept that.</span>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-8081911013425524322018-04-23T13:27:00.003-10:002018-04-23T13:29:37.406-10:00Practice the Martial Art You Like<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44GxJUFwwt0ZZkjbFiHECAwHefvmK3XLymW8RyPQdiJo0H8JMFuZDz19EMGq7TU1TZjweRG0L3NE1EElf3VaWLROAo9P3PonNJYeW-rGAGVpHwm-WPDU0KYzUPAclPUt32lMw76lB5Ww/s1600/Lou-Schuler.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44GxJUFwwt0ZZkjbFiHECAwHefvmK3XLymW8RyPQdiJo0H8JMFuZDz19EMGq7TU1TZjweRG0L3NE1EElf3VaWLROAo9P3PonNJYeW-rGAGVpHwm-WPDU0KYzUPAclPUt32lMw76lB5Ww/s1600/Lou-Schuler.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lou Schuler</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Regarding exercise, certified strength and conditioning specialist Lou Schuler wrote in his book <i>The New Rules of Lifting</i> that what matters most is for people to</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>1. Do something</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>2. Do something they like</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>3. The rest is just details</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I agree, and have the same philosophy when it comes to martial arts. You are more likely to practice and therefore get better at an art that comes naturally to and that you really like than an art you don’t like as much or aren’t as naturally inclined towards. (This is a big part of why I’m vastly better at Kali than BJJ.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For example, let’s assume you want to take up a striking art. You take a few classes in both</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcj-d3DvpLmcBWfvL24AHV7rlz1odlc94Y-ODDs1nvShwWOLssoxRCpWJBYbltdHaeQuPm5GygakDOYK9ONqcpebC0K-YdIJs0QEQ_ZCS-73HLpXI44sd2yEGk6DLjooP_0Smujorv0w/s1600/mttkd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcj-d3DvpLmcBWfvL24AHV7rlz1odlc94Y-ODDs1nvShwWOLssoxRCpWJBYbltdHaeQuPm5GygakDOYK9ONqcpebC0K-YdIJs0QEQ_ZCS-73HLpXI44sd2yEGk6DLjooP_0Smujorv0w/s200/mttkd.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Muay Thai and Taekwondo. For whatever reason, you find you enjoy Taekwondo and don’t care for Muay Thai. Maybe it’s the art itself, maybe it’s the instructor, maybe it’s the vibe of the school. However, your UFC-addled buddy tells you should stick with Muay Thai because it’s been “proven in the ring” and is more useful for self-defense. Leaving aside whether or not that is true, signing up for Muay Thai classes won’t do you any good if you skip practice because you don’t like it. Being a consistent student of Taekwondo is better than being an inconsistent student of Muay Thai.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXlYcO4kMHIdV2FUjq90hbx4IEz3CfRNkI3DAQ2X3XfgIrzEaxW-f-ZgVa0dMQ_EmmLmUtHzN_xdfC4SaSoIbIYN86i0Bvd0QEP9jDjJqexcsqkcVFs8ckqhEygpzvbHwbAPQ4U2cVuw/s1600/rattan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXlYcO4kMHIdV2FUjq90hbx4IEz3CfRNkI3DAQ2X3XfgIrzEaxW-f-ZgVa0dMQ_EmmLmUtHzN_xdfC4SaSoIbIYN86i0Bvd0QEP9jDjJqexcsqkcVFs8ckqhEygpzvbHwbAPQ4U2cVuw/s200/rattan.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don't get me wrong... It's good to challenge yourself and try things (including martial arts) that are outside of your comfort zone. I'm thankful for the time I spent earning my BJJ purple belt. But it's important to have a base core to work off of. It serves as your foundation. In my case, that foundation is built on Filipino martial arts. I came to that foundation by going through a period of trying different martial styles and seeing what clicked. Kali is, simply put, the martial art I enjoy practicing the most.</span>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-13992966040534921462018-03-29T12:33:00.000-10:002018-03-29T12:36:08.321-10:00Film: Quick Thoughts About Black Panther<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRY_upG_6Z-J5ctIi_PyyUBxx6LVdr1IcvWNF2ZT_l83-4p_-VF7TLkZXnQKYvNXL3GDLHKKuo63pvO7abDFzf-hiVhOUBDxac2EGNMtA08VtdZhRK0zBO9R8HlRl7x7w2iK87YnlwLY/s1600/bp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRY_upG_6Z-J5ctIi_PyyUBxx6LVdr1IcvWNF2ZT_l83-4p_-VF7TLkZXnQKYvNXL3GDLHKKuo63pvO7abDFzf-hiVhOUBDxac2EGNMtA08VtdZhRK0zBO9R8HlRl7x7w2iK87YnlwLY/s1600/bp.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I finally saw <i>Black Panther</i>, weeks after seemingly every other human on the planet watched it. This late in the game, an in-depth movie review seems rather superfluous, though I will say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Instead, this post will focus on some quick thoughts and general observations about the film.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the reasons I was slow to see </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black Panther</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is because I’m rather ambivalent about superhero cinema and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in particular (I think I may be one of the few people who strongly disliked </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iron Man</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">). Yet in many ways </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black Panther</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> isn’t really a superhero movie at all. It struck me as more of a science fiction/fantasy hybrid with an occasional detour into James Bond territory. (I’d love to see director Ryan Coogler tackle a Bond flick, or at the very least a Mission: Impossible.) If anything, the blend of technology, hand-to-hand fighting, mysticism, and monarchy reminded me somewhat of Frank Herbert’s masterpiece </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dune</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">, with vibranium as something of a stand-in for spice. Considering I love this sort of thing—I even liked </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Chronicles of Riddick</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">—it is no surprise I much prefer </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black Panther</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> over other superhero-based movies.</span></div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I7jxfAQBgV4/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I7jxfAQBgV4?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not surprisingly, I paid quite a bit of attention to the fight scenes and weaponry. To prepare for his role as T’Challa, Chadwick Boseman worked extensively with martial artist Marrese Crump. <a href="https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/inside-chadwick-bosemans-martial-arts-training-for-black-panther/" target="_blank">According to Crump</a>, T’Challa’s fighting style is a primarily a blend of Kali, Muay Thai, and Capoeira. If you know what you’re looking for, you can clearly see all these elements in the film. There’s also some prominent uses of Jujitsu. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">In all due respect to the king of Wakanda, my favorite fight moves were displayed by T’Challa’s faithful spy Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o). During a scene set in a Korean casino, she pulls off a cool Kotegaeshi (I think that’s the proper name), a wrist throw from traditional Japanese Jujitsu. Later, she performs an excellent snake disarm against Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). As a Kali practitioner, I was especially excited to see the snake disarm. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(You can see the snake disarm about 11 seconds in <a href="https://youtu.be/D6QeXblpTm0" target="_blank">here</a>. The wrist lock is about 40 seconds in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0SBlLWNe5s&t=1s" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The film also had some nods to Africa’s traditional weaponry. For example, Killmonger channels the spirit of famous African monarch Shaka Zulu when he breaks the shaft of his longish spear, turning it into a Zulu iklwa. M'Baku (Winston Duke), leader of the Jabari tribe, carries a staff resembling an elongated version of a Zulu fighting stick.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I do wish the film contained more indigenous African martial arts, such as Senagese grappling (did you know wrestling is the No. 1 sport in Senegal?) or Zulu stick fighting. Thanks to my teacher </span><a href="https://jkdunlimited.com/" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Burton Richardson</a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I’ve dabbled a bit in </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwivJ5OyoNw" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Zulu stick work</a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and find it fun and fascinating. While there is still a tendency to immediately think of East Asia whenever martial arts are mentioned, Africa has a long, rich martial tradition that is well-worth exploring onscreen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, that’s a minor quibble. As great as the fight sequences were, what really made </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black Panther</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> work were the characters and their struggles. Despite the excellent special effects, design, and action scenes, the film was fundamentally about people, which is part of the reason audiences are responding to it with such passion. Yes, </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black Panther</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a popcorn movie, but it’s a popcorn movie with heart.</span></div>
Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-747359374284009602018-03-26T15:38:00.000-10:002018-03-26T15:38:32.946-10:00Thought of the Day, March 26, 2018: Robert Wright on Being Buddhist
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8iuVwcMJWq6sVjBGlILkTdCL4lfxRKrPrguU_7NWr2AjJUNJ73c1wrL3UgB-I49S5s-YC2jKs2zWBzjU2U_27Yvv9icUlYyiBnotaGYWxXYFMMjstZq-6WCrknIgzeqWEaN3abhehY0/s1600/wright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1566" data-original-width="1248" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8iuVwcMJWq6sVjBGlILkTdCL4lfxRKrPrguU_7NWr2AjJUNJ73c1wrL3UgB-I49S5s-YC2jKs2zWBzjU2U_27Yvv9icUlYyiBnotaGYWxXYFMMjstZq-6WCrknIgzeqWEaN3abhehY0/s200/wright.jpg" width="159" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">“I don’t call myself a Buddhist, because traditional Buddhism has so many dimensions—of belief, of ritual—that I haven’t adopted. I don’t believe in reincarnation or related notions of karma, and I don’t bow before the statue of the Buddha upon entering the meditation hall, much less pray to him or to any Buddhist deities. Calling myself a Buddhist, it seems to me, would almost be disrespectful to the many Buddhists, in Asia and elsewhere, who inherited and sustain a rich a beautiful religious tradition.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">—Robert Wright, <i><a href="http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Why-Buddhism-is-True/Robert-Wright/9781439195451" target="_blank">Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">For my own thoughts on this matter, please see my earlier post <a href="http://www.agentintraining.com/2016/12/philosophy-thursday-so-am-i-buddhist-or.html" target="_blank">So... Am I a Buddhist or Not?</a></span></div>
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Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-39573524963414089692018-02-14T11:09:00.001-10:002019-01-30T10:38:09.168-10:00Dealing With an Injury... Again *UPDATE*<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwqVTfltrWk7uiHXIf9LeHT_dBkpDece8Vd8C61XJmmpUmnNPESAmQwDtq0aYsXYghIijBLnMAOfWgEa1VOkQme9fs05sRF-QYBz-P_AXWQdpTkrxbrFxXxzScjPWaxMKpFn2IEkXhzc/s1600/chins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwqVTfltrWk7uiHXIf9LeHT_dBkpDece8Vd8C61XJmmpUmnNPESAmQwDtq0aYsXYghIijBLnMAOfWgEa1VOkQme9fs05sRF-QYBz-P_AXWQdpTkrxbrFxXxzScjPWaxMKpFn2IEkXhzc/s200/chins.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Exactly two weeks ago I fractured my left kneecap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It happened during my morning workout. I was preparing to do pull-ups using a doorway pull-up bar, something I've been doing for more than 10 years. Apparently that morning I got careless and didn't properly secure the bar, because on my first pull-up both the bar and I came crashing down. My left knee took the brunt of the impact.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Dytjay3GM4oP98hNgIfLQCOSiLF02DDlnY-gfHvWm95VTFJGP0jNsoESX8yQ2woUvcQOFsaocIu21HifT6lZBT-4I0HIfA1MLkhsezo0nu_i3q1nBdJOvQ4OgbLUYPqTF043qf7H9Es/s1600/torgo-walking.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="526" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Dytjay3GM4oP98hNgIfLQCOSiLF02DDlnY-gfHvWm95VTFJGP0jNsoESX8yQ2woUvcQOFsaocIu21HifT6lZBT-4I0HIfA1MLkhsezo0nu_i3q1nBdJOvQ4OgbLUYPqTF043qf7H9Es/s200/torgo-walking.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It didn't take long for my knee to swell up massively. Had both knees been injured, I would have looked like <a href="http://mst3k.wikia.com/wiki/Torgo" target="_blank">Torgo</a>. I proceeded to do all the RICE things you're supposed to do after sustaining an injury, i.e. rest, ice, compression, and elevation. That helped, and the swelling went down, though the first two or three days after my fall were quite unpleasant. Sitting down and standing up were very painful, and descending stairs was agony. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By the fourth or fifth day, my knee felt better though it still hurt. Gradually the pain went from being sharp and acute to being more of a dull ache. After 10 days I was concerned that my knee still didn't feel right, so I finally went to a doctor. An X-ray revealed that I had indeed fractured my kneecap. Recovery time is around six weeks. Due to the nature of the fracture, there isn't much that can be done, though I am going to visit a knee specialist to make sure nothing else is awry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interestingly, the doctor was shocked that I was moving as well as I was and didn't seem to be in debilitating pain. I don't mention that to imply I'm some sort of "pain don't hurt" badass (OK, maybe a little...), but because I think it reflects positively on my training protocols. I suspect that yoga along with exercises such as Turkish get-ups, Hindu squats, and burpees have strengthened the muscles and tendons around my knee. My limp mostly went away fairly quickly, and I never had to resort to using a cane, even though as a stick-fighter I would have welcomed the opportunity to do so. (I should add that I own four or five canes.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And speaking of "pain don't hurt".... A self-defense lesson from this experience: Pain is not always a reliable fight stopper. I was in a great deal of pain immediately after I fell, but still managed to do a few rounds of heavy kettlebell swings. Smart? Probably not, but the point is that I could do it, that I could work through the pain. So could a predator intent on causing you harm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've mostly taken a break from training, but plan to resume soon, with some necessary modifications. Despite having a good incident-free 10 years with doorway pull-up bars, I'm a little paranoid about using them again. Maybe it's PTSD, but if I do pull-ups it will be at the park. At home I'll stick to cable rows. Turkish get-ups and Hindu squats are off the menu for the foreseeable future. Gentle yoga is fine, as are push-ups and moderate swings. Any martial arts training will be limited to simple Kali stick and knife drills. (By the way, Filipino martial arts have much to offer someone who is injured or has mobility issues.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Diet-wise, I'm eliminating alcohol and drastically cutting back on caffeine, as both can potentially <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/osteoporosis/art-20304601?pg=2" target="_blank">interfere with the body's ability to absorb calcium</a> and affect bone health. I'm also consuming more protein and calcium to <a href="https://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/osteo-fracture-diet#1" target="_blank">aid with healing</a>. For the discomfort, I take the occasional aspirin* (other painkillers spike my blood pressure) and drink plenty of ginger and turmeric tea. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(For my adventures with a herniated disc, click <a href="http://www.agentintraining.com/2013/01/dealing-with-injury.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>* Update: I had a visit with an orthopedic surgeon and joint specialist yesterday. He verified that my knee is indeed fractured. However, there doesn't appear to be any damage to the surrounding tendons or ligaments. I have an appointment for additional X-rays in four weeks. By then I should be more or less back to normal. One interesting thing I learned during the visit is that many common painkillers—such as naproxen, ibuprofen, and yes, aspirin—can interfere with a broken bone's ability to heal. Acetaminophen, however, is fine. </i></span>Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-87108297386560825452018-01-24T11:06:00.001-10:002019-07-05T17:02:08.244-10:00This One Goes to... 5: Favorite Books Read in 2017<div class="p1">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVB_MZOQrtCaxbmJd7RmDNQpuFgB8uKF1cCKzl4UMMhn_TP5SoRr5oaSVd8hhwB9kLuN_y3Ea5szrqurGUdKeLKv2i8JX8v9LKXZUJsezWqwt4QoWodhH48mew8E2gxIq_956RO5TysWM/s1600/cat+reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="237" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVB_MZOQrtCaxbmJd7RmDNQpuFgB8uKF1cCKzl4UMMhn_TP5SoRr5oaSVd8hhwB9kLuN_y3Ea5szrqurGUdKeLKv2i8JX8v9LKXZUJsezWqwt4QoWodhH48mew8E2gxIq_956RO5TysWM/s200/cat+reading.jpg" width="142" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the past, my 'Favorite Books Read' lists have included 11 works of fiction and 11 nonfiction works. This year, that isn't the case.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To be honest, 2017 wasn't a great year in reading for me. Not only did I read <a href="http://www.agentintraining.com/2018/01/books-read-2017.html" target="_blank">far fewer books</a> in general, of the books I did read, there weren't many that were really outstanding. Thus, a list of '11 Favorites' would be impossible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Still, I did read some really great books. Here are my favorites for 2017, in no particular order. </span><br />
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<li>The Book of Weird by Barbara Ninde Byfield (This vintage hard-to-classify gem is a witty encyclopedia of a fantastical alternate Europe. I wish I read this book back in my Dungeons & Dragons days.)</li>
<li>The Chronicles of Solar Pons by August Derleth (Yes, Pons is an unabashed pastiche of Sherlock Holmes. But he is also a great pastiche of Sherlock Holmes. The stories are a great deal of fun and I actually think August Derleth is a better writer than Arthur Conan Doyle.)</li>
<li>Lost Worlds Vol. 1 by Clark Ashton Smith (Along with H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard, Smith was one of the "Big Three" writers for <i>Weird Tales</i>. His fantasy stories are very dark and nightmarish. I especially liked the ones set in the dying earth landscape of Zothique.)</li>
<li>Red Sister by Mark Lawrence (This tale of a convent that trains novice nuns in the ways of assassination is one of the best new fantasy novels I've read in a long time. Great setting and characterizations. Features some good quotes about fighting and martial arts.)</li>
<li>Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake (Gorgeously written, surreal, and dreamlike. A novel to read slowly and savor.) </li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">NONFICTION</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Buddhist Grief Observed by Guy Newland (I <a href="http://www.agentintraining.com/2016/07/philosophy-thursday-buddhist-look-at.html" target="_blank">struggle with grief and loss</a>. So does Guy Newland. He eloquently writes about his Buddhist beliefs both helped and at times failed to help him deal with the death of his wife.)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights by Norm Phelps<br />and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Plea for the Animals: The Moral, Philosophical, and Evolutionary Imperative to Treat All Beings with Compassion Hardcover by Matthieu Ricard (Two excellent books about animal rights, both written from a Buddhist perspective. Phelps especially makes some very strong, substantial arguments regarding the place of veganism in Buddhism.)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Survive the Unthinkable: A Total Guide to Women's Self Protection by Tim Larkin (The title is a little misleading; the book is not really a "total guide" nor is it only of use to women. Larkin address mindset more than specific techniques, and I find the things he has to say to be perfectly valid. His observation that "violence is rarely the answer, but when it is... it is the only answer" is spot-on.)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lazarus Vol. 1 by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark (Incredible dystopian graphic novel series that explores themes of wealth inequality and environmental destruction. Very timely and relevant... unfortunately.)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">(My list of favorite books read in 2016 can be found <a href="http://www.agentintraining.com/2017/01/this-one-goes-to-11-favorite-books-read.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and favorites of 2015 can be found <a href="http://www.agentintraining.com/2016/01/this-one-goes-to-11-favorite-books-read.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span></div>
Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-83448805855326581042018-01-17T08:25:00.000-10:002018-01-17T08:25:53.515-10:00Bong Soo Han on PatienceResearch shows that instant gratification is making us <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2013/02/01/the-growing-culture-impatience-where-instant-gratification-makes-crave-more-instant-gratification/q8tWDNGeJB2mm45fQxtTQP/story.html?event=event25" target="_blank">perpetually impatient</a>. That is not a good thing. This anecdote about Hapkido master Bong Soo Han from <i><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/84841/zen-in-the-martial-arts-by-joe-hyams/9780553275599/" target="_blank">Zen in the Martial Arts</a></i> by Joe Hyams is a perfect illustration of the value of patience.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvphdbCUguzNC74yeKAbQyOk0XBBWlRW4zGxJIbdd6LKOrM_cloKuIb2qDD1j0yBly3XqDmrYeL5qNvTyP93YGUNnpogFBgJN2re5SoUq6MJT0nVRcn_vIiOvC_414-h9A_RBySdAKWzA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-01-17+at+8.17.23+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="999" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvphdbCUguzNC74yeKAbQyOk0XBBWlRW4zGxJIbdd6LKOrM_cloKuIb2qDD1j0yBly3XqDmrYeL5qNvTyP93YGUNnpogFBgJN2re5SoUq6MJT0nVRcn_vIiOvC_414-h9A_RBySdAKWzA/s320/Screen+Shot+2018-01-17+at+8.17.23+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-49952697453361376022018-01-03T09:37:00.000-10:002018-01-03T09:41:23.986-10:00Books Read, 2017<style type="text/css">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUAyNppebV0Bd31XhBAAnThbIZPi3Vwx-Jc86_9dE96A72a2NbgF2pU15H47KMyzUO_rw1LYPuxcdV98vpEJP6QPkYnlH1H_xctEMMho3cd1DvFSO5wpKbCdCK59SKxeuePjS8-2-oAM/s1600/cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="237" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiUAyNppebV0Bd31XhBAAnThbIZPi3Vwx-Jc86_9dE96A72a2NbgF2pU15H47KMyzUO_rw1LYPuxcdV98vpEJP6QPkYnlH1H_xctEMMho3cd1DvFSO5wpKbCdCK59SKxeuePjS8-2-oAM/s320/cat.jpg" width="228" /></a><span class="s1">For various reasons—a new job, some sinus issues that affected my eyes, etc.—I read far fewer books in 2017 than in previous years, much to my chagrin. Also, for various reasons—mostly laziness, really—I wasn't as good at logging the books I read in 2017, so I might have actually read more books and just neglected to keep track of them</span></div>
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<span class="s1">That all being said, below is my Master Reading List for 2017, in alphabetical order by title. I'll try post a list of my favorite books read last year soon.</span></div>
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FICTION</div>
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<ul>
<li>Anno Dracula by Kim Newman</li>
<li>Bloodfire Quest: The Dark Legacy of Shannara by Terry Brooks</li>
<li>The Book of Weird by Barbara Ninde Byfield</li>
<li>Calix Stay: The Circle of Light, Book 3 by Niel Hancock</li>
<li>The Chronicles of Solar Pons by August Derleth</li>
<li>Dhampir by Barb and J. C. Hendee</li>
<li>Faragon Fairingay: The Circle of Light, Book 2 by Niel Hancock</li>
<li>A Feast of Sorrows: Stories by Angela Slatter</li>
<li>The First King of Shannara by Terry Brooks</li>
<li>Lost Worlds Vol. 1 by Clark Ashton Smith</li>
<li>Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings</li>
<li>Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence</li>
<li>Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings</li>
<li>Red Sister by Mark Lawrence</li>
<li>Squaring the Circle: The Circle of Light, Book 4 by Niel Hancock</li>
<li>Tales of Mithgar by Dennis L. McKiernan</li>
<li>Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake</li>
<li>The Unlikely Ones by Mary Brown</li>
<li>Wards of Faerie: The Dark Legacy of Shannara by Terry Brooks</li>
<li>Witch Wraith: The Dark Legacy of Shannara by Terry Brooks</li>
</ul>
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NONFICTION</div>
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<li>Aikido Basics by Phong Thong Dang and Lynn Seiser</li>
<li>The Art of Peace by Morehei Ueshiba, translated and edited by John Stevens</li>
<li>Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom by Rick Hanson</li>
<li>A Buddhist Grief Observed by Guy Newland</li>
<li>Do The Work by Steven Pressfield</li>
<li>Good Life, Good Death: Tibetan Wisdom on Reincarnation by Gelek Rimpoche</li>
<li>The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights by Norm Phelps</li>
<li>Kindfulness by Ajahn Brahm</li>
<li>Martial Virtues: Lessons in Wisdom, Courage, and Compassion from the World's Greatest Warriors by Charles Hackney</li>
<li>A Plea for the Animals: The Moral, Philosophical, and Evolutionary Imperative to Treat All Beings with Compassion Hardcover by Matthieu Ricard</li>
<li>The Shambhala Guide to Aikido by John Stevens</li>
<li>Sit Down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, & Dogen's Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye by Brad Warner</li>
<li>Survive the Unthinkable: A Total Guide to Women's Self Protection by Tim Larkin</li>
<li>The Sword Polisher's Record: The Way of Kung-Fu by Adam Hsu</li>
<li>Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield</li>
<li>The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, translated by Red Pine</li>
</ul>
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GRAPHIC NOVELS</div>
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<ul>
<li>Angel Catbird by Margaret Atwood</li>
<li>Lazarus Vol. 1 by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark</li>
<li>Lazarus Vol. 2 by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark</li>
<li>Lazarus Vol. 3 by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark</li>
<li>Lazarus Vol. 4 by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark</li>
</ul>
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<i>(Previous years: <a href="http://www.agentintraining.com/2016/01/books-read-2015.html" target="_blank">Books Read, 2015</a>; <a href="http://www.agentintraining.com/2017/01/books-read-2016.html" target="_blank">Books Read, 2016</a>)</i><br />
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Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-6997349760022492302017-12-07T14:25:00.001-10:002017-12-07T14:25:15.007-10:00Attitudes on Alcohol<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoJ3XMLw9-g7JuiySzDfcDbLs3V-xp9QWne3P3hGUXoJmfjS09z_NYlzofd23LJs2zel9aDy7Y9_3KMlYJNJAuMu6jg-ZX4_8ydMdpag71cRer17mruW99kU2jJd45Ry1tmWLMyCaXoQ/s1600/tin12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoJ3XMLw9-g7JuiySzDfcDbLs3V-xp9QWne3P3hGUXoJmfjS09z_NYlzofd23LJs2zel9aDy7Y9_3KMlYJNJAuMu6jg-ZX4_8ydMdpag71cRer17mruW99kU2jJd45Ry1tmWLMyCaXoQ/s320/tin12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Martinis with cats.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Since it’s that time of year when many people get really, really hammered, I thought I might share a few thoughts about alcohol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I enjoy the occasional adult beverage. That much should be obvious by the photo at the top of the page of me raising a Martini and saying “Cheers!” to my cat Dobbin as well as the <a href="http://www.agentintraining.com/search/label/Wine%20and%20Spirits" target="_blank">various booze-related posts I’ve written</a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">However, I do not enjoy drinking to excess. Even though I’m closing in on 50, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been drunk. I didn’t like it, and I don’t like being around people who are drunk. I have only very rarely even been buzzed. To some extent, I credit my mother. She was a moderate drinker with a rather European attitude towards alcohol, and that reflected in her parenting. When I was a kid, it wasn’t a big deal for her to give me a sip of whatever cocktail she was imbibing or a glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve. Because of this, alcohol never seemed like some mysterious, taboo temptation to me. When I turned 21 and was legally able to buy alcohol, I was happy to have the option but I didn’t go crazy.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV4okRfKC-xgeq1TuUGAG-fPEJ16DyMfnswRKCsE3luByra5KeLRBbFtO7armDdRGiKyxuTvmvvdJihJIHV9uEFqo_JN45knCVROkm-OcoYiQI1EVb15YVfdtgzIseL597xMlr4K_ImQ/s1600/tini1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQV4okRfKC-xgeq1TuUGAG-fPEJ16DyMfnswRKCsE3luByra5KeLRBbFtO7armDdRGiKyxuTvmvvdJihJIHV9uEFqo_JN45knCVROkm-OcoYiQI1EVb15YVfdtgzIseL597xMlr4K_ImQ/s320/tini1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even more Martinis with cats.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Most of the time, if I drink alcohol at all, I mostly just have a glass of wine or a beer with dinner. Once in awhile I might treat myself to a mixed drink. At various times I’ll even put limits on myself, such as only drinking on weekends or abstaining altogether for a period of time. In fact, I’ll probably abstain for a month or two after the holidays have passed. I don’t do this sort of thing because I think I have a drinking problem. Partially I do it for self-discipline and/or fitness goals. Partially I do it to make sure alcohol stays “special.” I don’t want to fall into the habit of always having a glass of wine or always having a beer. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. It just isn’t the road I want to go down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Also, as a martial artist, I find getting drunk runs counter to my motivations for being a martial artist. I train first and foremost to protect myself, my loved ones, and innocent beings. If I’m inebriated, my ability to do that diminishes greatly. Besides, one of the key elements of self-defense is awareness of your surroundings. That awareness goes out the window when you’re drunk. It’s also worth noting that alcohol is a factor in about <a href="https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/alcohol-drugs-and-crime" target="_blank">40 percent of violent crimes committed in the U.S.</a> On college campuses, a <a href="https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/alcohol-drugs-and-crime" target="_blank">whopping 95 percent of all violent crimes</a> involve the use of alcohol by the assailant, victim, or both.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Alcohol itself is not a bad thing. Our relationship with it can be.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07046621780928992582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7310475415714364543.post-71498783321142328872017-07-06T10:53:00.000-10:002017-07-26T10:04:50.578-10:00Books Read, Midway Through 2017 Edition<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwgW9Tln2Tj3BHbA7nGXnHEynaYneOVg7kjYAx-DQOhbWqV2rE2FYyOcciY6DYkKceUL0ITaFMb2NXprJxrlq6QR61tJsCKQVqoci4DspF9LvHpYbWFBFbATttYQEYITOISn0Omm-FJk/s1600/cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="237" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwgW9Tln2Tj3BHbA7nGXnHEynaYneOVg7kjYAx-DQOhbWqV2rE2FYyOcciY6DYkKceUL0ITaFMb2NXprJxrlq6QR61tJsCKQVqoci4DspF9LvHpYbWFBFbATttYQEYITOISn0Omm-FJk/s320/cat.jpg" width="228" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am way behind on my reading (and blogging) this year. There are a few reasons, such as general busyness and taking the time to catch up on some periodicals, such as older issues of "The New Yorker," "New York Review of Books," and "The Atlantic Monthly." Plus, reading Mervyn Peake's took more time than I imagined. It is a brilliantly written novel, but the language is so rich and dense I had to read a bit slower to take it all in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, without further delay, here is an <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(50, 51, 51); color: #323333;">alphabetical</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(50, 51, 51); color: #323333;"> list of the books I've read in the first half of this </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(50, 51, 51); color: #323333;">year. So far, my 2017 reading has been heavy on fantasy and Buddhism.</span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(50, 51, 51); color: #323333;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">FICTION</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Calix Stay: The Circle of Light, Book 3 by Niel Hancock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Chronicles of Solar Pons by August Derleth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dhampir by Barb and J. C. Hendee</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Faragon Fairingay: The Circle of Light, Book 2 by Niel Hancock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Feast of Sorrows: Stories by Angela Slatter</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lost Worlds Vol. 1 by Clark Ashton Smith</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Squaring the Circle: The Circle of Light, Book 4 by Niel Hancock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake<a name='more'></a></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #323333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(50, 51, 51);">NONFICTION</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Art of Peace by Morehei Ueshiba, translated and edited by John Stevens</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom by Rick Hanson</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Buddhist Grief Observed by Guy Newland</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Good Life, Good Death: Tibetan Wisdom on Reincarnation by Gelek Rimpoche</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights by Norm Phelps</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kindfulness by Ajahn Brahm</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Plea for the Animals: The Moral, Philosophical, and Evolutionary Imperative to Treat All Beings with Compassion by Matthieu Ricard</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Shambhala Guide to Aikido by John Stevens</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sit Down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, & Dogen's Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye by Brad Warner</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Survive the Unthinkable: A Total Guide to Women's Self Protection by Tim Larkin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Sword Polisher's Record: The Way of Kung-Fu by Adam Hsu</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, translated by Red Pine</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #323333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(50, 51, 51);">GRAPHIC NOVELS</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Angel Catbird by Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #323333;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(50, 51, 51);">Adventure Time Vol. 1 by </span></span><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(50, 51, 51); color: #323333;">by</span><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> <span class="s3">Ryan North</span>, <span class="s3">Braden Lamb</span>, <span class="s3">Shelli Paroline</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lazarus Vol. 1 by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lazarus Vol. 2 by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lazarus Vol. 3 by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lazarus Vol. 4 by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark</span></li>
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