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Showing posts from March, 2022

Life Changing Lesson from a Master Magician

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Yesterday I was telling you I listened to a podcast where Tim Ferriss interviewed famous magician David Blaine. I found the interview rather interesting... but I'm pretty biased. I've had a lifetime fascination with magic. I've seen many magicians over the years, from amateurs' to the pros. Heck, one weekend a couple summers ago  I even dragged my gal down to the American Museum of Magic in Marshall, MI.  If you haven't been there, you should go. It's a cool little town. The museum isn't that large, but it has an amazing amount of magic artifacts.  The walls are wallpapered with old vintage playbills and poster of all of the old greats: Houdini, Blackstone,  Doug Henning, Howard Thurston and others. Heck they even have a large cache of books owned by the infamous Alister Crowley. Some really cool exhibits. If you time it right, you can even catch a show there! David Copperfield called this museum one of his  'favorite places on earth.'  So, What'

Why Some Instructors Have Contempt for Newbies

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You know, the most difficult thing for people to do often times is to get started. Especially when it comes learning how to protect yourself. It can be very intimidating to step into a gym or on a shooting range to begin learning how to protect yourself.  I think sometimes we as instructors, experts, or folks who have gained some proficiency forget this. Learning something new can be intimidating, many people feel vulnerable, out of their comfort zone, exposed.  What Are Some of His Reasons? The email that I was referring to comes from one of my business coaches. No, he's not a martial artist, or any type of a defensive tactical instructor, (however he does train in Wing Chun), but some of his points I've heard before across the gamut of coaches... He wasn't actually coming down too hard on new folks, he used that headline to get people's attention and teach the something.  He is a bit edgy, and has a sarcastic sense of humor. It is not uncommon to be a bit tongue in ch

Could It Get Any Worse?!

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  I'll be honest with you... It was another slow moving morning...  I'm not much of a morning person anyway, but the this month takes the cake!  I can think of many 'reasons...' It's partly due to the weather... Cold! =) It's partly due to my calorie count... Low! (From trying to cut some of this Covid weight.) It's partly due to all the unrest and uncertainty were still in... (Covid, economic, political, social...blah, blah, blah...). But, rather than continuing to lay there simmering in this less than motivating mindset eating at me from the inside out... I pulled my happy a** out of bed... I took one small step after the other. One breath, than the next. I concentrated on the small things... Just what was in front of me.  I threw in another podcast  (Don't worry, no Joe Rogan controversy this time around!=)...   I opted for a very interesting David Blaine interview.  Blaine is the renowned magician. Great interview! I'm about a quarter the way thr

Someone Yells, 'You're an Idiot!'

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When it gets really cold, I sometimes wear a face covering when I run, you know a mask. It warms the breath and keeps the chill off my face.  So, I'm out running yesterday around 5pm. Just before my 6pm Krav class when I hear a big old pick up truck coming down the road.  It's moving loud and proud up the hill Westbound toward me... I'm running on the snow covered sidewalk trying to navigate the ice, cold and fatigue, so I don't pay that much attention to it.  As it goes by the dude in the passenger seat yells out the window, "Nice Mask Idiot!" Really?!  I think to myself. Did he just say that? Come on... How stereo typical is THAT?! Some dude in a big ol' pickup truck yelling something like that. He was a few bumper stickers and a flag short of being a meme. Was that really necessary?! Apparently you, good sir have never jogged in this kind of weather before. If you had, you may realize why I was wearing the face rag you were so enthusiastic commenting ab