Ragin Games 2013

It was the second individual competition of the year for me, but my first in my home town! If my nerves weren't teeming on middle C then I was as calm as a bomb.

I awoke with vigor and determination, it was the moment I walked through the doors of the prescribed venue that my hubris of recent accomplishments was met with the humility of everyone else's, I was alone in a world of what was soon to be pain.

Registration was simple and the National Anthem, sang by our very own Cupid (Bryson Bernard), a competitor in my division, was chilling; again half nerves half patriotism.

The first workout approached around 0930, Power Clean Ladder. Explained, you start at a desired weight and Power Clean incremental weights until you fail or complete the ladder. I selected the 175, 185, 195, 205 ladder. My previous personal record, hereto known as PR, was 185 some months prior. I knew I can lift the first 2 weights, the rest would be a bonus.

My judge was Ronis Correa, a local crossfitter, the strong silent type, emphasis on strong. He would only say 2 words to me before the lift, "Let's Go!" In almost a whisper, the silence that followed was comforting - encouraging. My first attempt was 175, I was so nervous, I held my breath for so long, I almost passed out after I lifted it, "well done" was a mere whisper I moved on to my PR (185). "Breathe, breathe, breathe" is all I could muster mentally, then I blinked and I had rested 185#'s on my shoulders. 195# and 205# came with ease (despite the look on my face from the photo above).

The competition moved on, bars were set, met and surpassed. All in all, it was a good day. Except for the bar jump over burpees! See below! They sucked and were not enjoyed by anyone.

Conversation

There is a back story to this conversation that without it would be lost in translation. I was sitting with Eden watching telly. In a moment of spontaneity, Eden asked me a question, the question was very innocent and had no inflection points. In that moment, I replied as though I were speaking to an adult. Eden's poise in the question was very mature, the question even more so, ergo, my response was penned on the same scale. Here it goes.

Eden: Daddy, is Santa real, or a fiction character for stories?

I didn't realize the gravitas of this query, so my response was as mundane as I thought the question was.

Me: No, Santa isn't real Eden. He's a fictional character used in stories, much like the Bubble Guppies and Dora. He's a fun character though, he makes people smile.

It was at this point I realized what was actually happening... actually

Eden: So who buys the gifts?

Couldn't back out now...

Me: Well, your family buys all the gifts, we wrap them and put them under the tree. You do enjoy it right?

Eden: I do enjoy it, but it all seems like trickery Daddy. I don't think I should tell the other kids about this. They think Santa is real. This will be our secret, ok?

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't on the verge of tears when she said this. I didn't have a response, so I congratulated her on her decision and agreed, it was indeed our little secret. I think she was more concerned with her sisters position on the matter.

What The Tide Rolled In

In an early conversation this year, my good friend Pele1410, expressed a need for a Goalkeeper for his Coed Soccer Team SPQR. I was glad to accept the request and set out to find the appropriate kit, fortunately, the Tim Howard Everton Kit was more than happy to find life in my closet.

The season came and game 3 saw us playing at night. It was a moderately wet night. The team we played was solid and tested us on all levels. The ending result of my kit was the picture below. I wasn't at all excited as I immediately assessed the worst possible scenario as my kit was indeed ruined.

I stared at the unpicturesque habiliments in front of me for quite some time, thinking of all the different remedies I had known some years past in clothing industries. Nothing came to me. I entered the laundry room and saw a bottle of Tide Boost Stain Remover. I had nothing to lose, all was lost. I soaked, literally, soaked the kits with Tide Boost Stain Remover, the result was astonishing.

My excite knew no bounds! The world was in balance and good people still existed. I am a big advocate of giving credit where credit is due, and quite frankly, Tide hit a homerun with this one. The next day I called them to thank for a great product. I gave the young woman on the phone a quick synopsis of the events and could not be thankful enough. She said she would send me some coupons for future purchases. I instructed that was not necessary, I was merely calling to say thank you, no freebies needed. We said our farewells. 

This is what they sent me!!!!

Thanks Tide! Big Corporation, small company appeal!

Weighing In

Keep an open mind about this argument. I am neither arguing for or against the concept of Gay Marriage, merely posting an argument that many may not have taken in to consideration.

Consider the current position of State Governing bodies. The idea is separation of church and state. Originally this was meant that no State could declare to be any 1 dominant or main religion! Fair enough, Missouri was requested to change their state motto as it was from the Bible and violated the addendum of this requested separation.

We advance this argument with the removal of prayer in schools as it too violates said law. Alright, so the States are claiming exoneration from any religious affiliation. Given that notion, the idea of a Man and Woman being the idea and forefront of "traditional" marriage is taken from biblical text. The phrase, "go forth and multiply", as instructed by God in Genesis, is obviously biblical text. But no where in the constitution of the United States of America does it talk about marriage. Marriage was an understood truth to exist as a union between man and woman. The premise being our founding fathers were Christians and adhered to a Christian belief system.

The State, however, has separated themselves from that and within that should it not also be separated the biblically attributed union of man and woman marriage? If there is a true separation of Church and State, then the State thereby releases any claims on Christian ideology.

Consider this scenario, You are married to your husband or wife for 50+ years and your life long partner, the one person whom you have loved and adored for all these years falls very sick, you, as a legal partner are allowed by the bedside of that person in what could be there final hours! A gay couple, not legally recognized by the State, does not have this option, they are left in a waiting room to wonder, to be lead to believe no other information and only to be told, I am sorry, you are not family and are not permitted to the details of that persons current state or livelihood.

I am not arguing "for" Gay Marriage, but I am in full support of a Legal Unions and State recognition of Gay Couples. I argue this because the term "marriage" doesn't really mean to heterosexual couples what it use to mean anyway. The divorce rate of married couples has been on the rise since the early 2000. I find it funny, people will post Facebook meme's that will say something along the lines of, "If this person makes you laugh and you can accept their mistakes they are your soul mate." How absurd a suggestion. I accept the mistakes of Joe Biden and he makes me laugh hysterically, I'm sorry, is Joe Biden my soul mate? I understand what the post is attempting to portray. My relationship with my wife is not perfect, it isn't always as fairy tale of happiness and some morning when we wake up we are in the mood to be head over heals in love with each other. We do however, wake up every morning with a kiss, every night we go to sleep with our bodies close together (we have 2 kids so...) and we love each other unconditionally, even when we don't want to. My faults are her strengths and her faults mine.

Since no one reads my blog, I have no issues posting this! If you do read my blog then... This is not the blog you're looking for! (waiving Jedi hand)

Witness Love

I witnessed what I consider to be a bit of love last night! I approached the downstairs corridor expecting a dark room, the attendants fast asleep. What I found, was a remarkably different. At the eleven o'clock p.m. hour I found both my parents attentively watching a movie, not sure what the name was, it doesn't matter, what I witnessed was far more important.

For Christmas my dad received an iPad. He loves it. My mom missed her calling as a movie critic or casting director, but her and my dad together would make a team stronger than Siskel & Ebert.

At first I didn't notice what was happening, my observations grew as the movie progressed. It would start with a statement, not a question but a statement, more often than not, from my mom, with a qualified response from dad.

My mom would make general comments about the movie, characters or scenario's. My dad would silently Google the statement on his iPad and respond with a "wiki" quote. It was rather impressive. It became more apparent of the importance of these statements when my dad decided to go to bed. My mom made a comment about a supporting actor in the movie, I accepted the statement and went about my viewing. Moments later Mom asks what I found, I asked about what, her response astounded me! She needed me to search the comment she made earlier, she went on to accuse me of not be as supportive as my dad! I laughed, she scowled, we both went to sleep.