My triangles are finally untangling...

...a little too much though.

I just did NOT get them when I started. They really are pretty odd when you think about them. The motions of adjusting and locking in and of themselves feel quite normal now...which is great, because I get to move on to other issues with them. These, I believe, come from my greatest asset in triangling: my long legs.

My 36" inseam gives me lots of leeway in getting my legs in position. That leeway's been coming back to bite me though. Since I'm able to get my ankles crossed from longer distances, I'm prone to get myself into triangle starting position without shooting my hips up, something that wouldn't even be an option for someone with shorter limbs. I'm noticing that this is giving people plenty of room to defend in all sorts of ways...arms in, knees, all kinds of stuff. I'm even noticing this in my triangles from mount.

I'm finding that I need to either learn to adjust after my ankles are crossed and the arm is isolated (seems like a bad idea), do it right, and shoot my hips properly, or start working on going straight for the lock, which isn't easy, but I can pull it off on all but the biggest of guys.

Feeling horrible about my armbar defense...

Did a private on it a few weeks back...felt good about it. For whatever reason, it was like I'd never been been shown the basics. It MAY be because I was busy thinking about...so many other things and positions. At least I got my triangle defense to somewhat work...once. Jiu jitsu is coming together so...oddly for me.

We got a lady firefighter tonight! But yeah...I don't think I'd care as much if it hadn't been while WrestlerInstructor was watching.

BJJ has made me lazy.

I don't do my morning or after-work workouts anymore. I don't even stretch before bed anymore. Not sure how this happened.

Why am I so tired????

OK...I know it's because this was my first day of working AND training in like, 2 weeks. And I know it's because I've been pushing myself harder. The funny part is that I just told WrestlerInstructor about my "episode" of low blood pressure induced hearing loss (from way back when I first started) one class ago and today, it happened again.

But yeah...I think the day is finally here. I got the feeling today, after a couple of conversations, that my blog has been discovered by people I actually see in person. If it has...hey guys! See ya Wednesday:)

I did a great job eating today! The return to protein shakes feels good. I learned that wheat germ in brown rice is actually really good, and that I can tolerate the absolutely obnoxious markup on Minute Rice's single serving containers. Sure, I can do it myself, but I get so fickle about what I can tolerate, I'd end up throwing away the difference in spoiled baggies of rice.

Back to being good...

I did a decent job this holiday season...didn't totally stuff myself, but did let the reins loose some. So, next week it's back to chicken breasts and protein shakes (it's been a month since I had one!) and fish and greens and green tea and all that fun stuff. My first official lunch of the new year...chicken paillard on herbs (I have monster basil and parsley plants that were in desperate need of trimming).

I'm open to anything new with chicken breasts or turkey burgers (they get real old, real fast), and this is an easy way to switch things up and add some flavor. I added a little sour cream and some bread crumbs on top, then baked. Funs!

Michael Vick and the Puppies

This is probably only the second time I've weighed in on something non-BJJ related on this blog but this topic is driving me in...sane. No...not the topic. People's responses. I'm going to keep this as short as possible about a few points that I've come to notice over the past few months.

•  People sure seem to care more about dogs than people. I've yet, in my lifetime, to see any atrocity that affected actual human beings, even if committed on a wider scale than what was committed in this case, cause this much anger in this many people for this long a period of time. Not saying people can't care about both simultaneously...being outraged over the mistreatment of dogs isn't mutually exclusive of being outraged over the mistreatment of humans...but things sure seem off balance.
• Do people REALLY care about all dogs? I have yet to hear one person...not one person mention making penalties for abuse against dogs more severe...this being the only way to protect future abuse of all those other dogs out there that are still alive and in danger. I'm beginning to question whether people really care about other dogs, or just famous ones or maybe just breeds they own.
• No really...do they? The president of the Humane Society has supported the idea of Vick owning a dog again and is being accused of selling out. I don't support "selling out", but even if he did, this man's job is to save ALL dogs, not just seek vengeance on someone we may not like. This is likely a good opportunity for him to reach more people and generate more funds for a cause he works for.
• What happened to American values? This goes along with the previous two points, but since when are we cool with the idea of singling an individual out AFTER they've served a punishment we've sat happily with for years? I don't believe the legal punishments for abuse against animals are severe enough, but once decided, they should be applied universally, regardless of income, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation or background. 
• Do we only care about animals that do what we say? I am sick...and tired...of people condemning the torture of these dogs while chowing down on steak that came from a cow that was likely tortured itself. Don't get me wrong...I'm no vegan...balancing my love of animals and enjoyment of meat is something I fight with daily. However, I don't classify some animals as more deserving of special treatment than others. If the Chinese want to eat dog, more power to them. We eat beef and it's sacrilege in most of India. Just make efforts to make their lives and deaths as painless as possible. I believe all animals should be treated equally. Not just the ones that I find cute. 
• Christians are hurting my feelings. As a practicing Christian myself, this one gets me more than any of the others. Today I saw a post that began "I'm a Christian but..." and then a rant on how wrong Vick was and how he should be punished. Straight up...there is no "but" in Christianity. Once a "but" comes out of our mouths, we're off base. Period. Christianity isn't just for making us feel good and it shouldn't be used as a tool to wield over the heads of those you feel you're morally superior to (that's where that whole judging thing comes in...not just saying someone is wrong, but instead deciding on a sentence)...that includes pedophiles, dog abusers, mass murderers, bad drivers and all those other people we tend to feel justified in condemning.
• Emotions are not action. Being upset at Michael Vick doesn't do anything but raise your blood pressure. It doesn't help one dog. Not even if you're really, really upset.

Honestly, I find people's reactions much more disturbing than the original crime. Why? Because those reactions reflect what we value, and what we value affects what happens on a large scale in this country.