well it has been yonkers since i last blogged. not really into blogging anymore i have to say, facebook and forums more than satisfy my internet addictions. anyways i thought that since its a new year and everyone talks about resolutions and turning over a new leaf around this time i'd post some stuff on recycling .

yes recycling. i was trying to think of ways i could contribute my part to fighting global warming etc when i decided to google recycling tips, and found quite a few dedicated websites to it.

http://webecoist.com/2008/09/02/going-green-reduce-reuse-recycle-30-tips/

1. Did you know 1/3 of food goes to waste? (Some say half!) The first thing you can do is reduce your food waste. Keep better track of grocery shopping - here’s another place where a journal will help.

2. Buy higher-quality clothing in seasonal cycles rather than trendy, cheap clothing several times a month. Example: buy one good coat this year; a good wallet next year. Aim for purchases that may be a bit more up front but will end up saving you cash in the long run because they will last you a lifetime.

3. Most entrees at restaurants are big enough for two. Save money and prevent food waste by splitting meals (warning: do this with close pals only or you may get accused of being cheap!). Brown bag your lunches, too.

4. Force yourself to always wait one day on non-essential purchases in order to avoid impulse buys.

5. Order online or direct from companies rather than driving to a store. This helps reduce fuel and energy waste at many points along the production-consumption chain.

6. Look for ways to go digital to reduce waste: books, magazines, music, and movies.

7. Keep your car longer. Instead of a 2-year lease, finance a car with a 5-year loan and keep it for 10.

8. Reserve one day for your shopping and errands instead of making multiple trips all the time.

9. Carpool as often as you can or ask your boss if you can telecommute.

10. Become a zealot about turning things off: the water, the lights, the electronics.


some good tips and there's more on the site and hopefully i'll do more of my part this year. people rave on about all this global warming and stuff, yet how much do each of us do to curb it? i guess one of my resolutions would be to "streamline" my life more. which by my definition would be getting rid of alot of possesions i don't really need e.g. clothes and all those little nick nacks we buy for no other reason than "we can."

anyway i'll leave it there. happy new year people.

Why yes it has been a while since I've blogged. I guess I've kind of lost my interest in it. Anyways lately it's been the same old boring thing. Working and training. Training (kickboxing) is pretty much all I look forward to these days. Like at work most people are looking forward to knocking off and going home, where as I'm looking forward to kicking some pads and stuff (even though I know I'm gonna feel buggered afterwards).

Last month I had my first kickboxing fight in years (refer to video link posted below). All went well and I won my fight. Anyways although it's old news now I thought it might be a bit interesting to write about it. If you're bored, read it. If you just want to see the fight then click on the link below, cheers .


It's funny because throughout the day while I was at work I felt good. Just really calm and positive. Even when walking towards the ring with the music pumping and the crowd going off (a few of my mates were there to support and watch, you can hear them on the video) I felt real calm. It's funny because I've fought in front of smaller audiences before and been more nervous. It's true what they say about the battle being won already inside your head, because if you come in mentally strong without a doubt in your mind then you've already won the fight.

Of course there's some unforseen things that could happen e.g. a kick/punch out of nowhere that would knock you out cold. But coming in I had no doubts at all and felt that I could beat whoever was in front of me, actually the first time I did get a proper look at him was when I was looking across at him from the other side of the ring. It also helps HEAPS when you've trained your ass off and got good people around you giving you support and telling you that you can do it. One of the other guys that was meant to fight, "Irish", helped warmed me up on the pads and gave me a massage/rub down. Mr C taped up my hands and did my wraps (the cloth/tape that wraps up your hands and protects your knuckles and wrist, for any of youse who don't know). Mr G did up my gloves and Mr M helped run through some drills with me. Everyone else gave me all the support I needed.

Anyway this is generally what happens for fighters on the day of fight.

I got there at about 6pm-ish and was kind or rushing to get in because I remembered all fighters need to have a doctors check up before the fights start. The doors opened to the public at 6:30pm but the fights didn't start till 7:30pm. I found out mine was scheduled for 10:30pm so I had a damn long time to wait. After sorting out some stuff at the door with the bouncer (he had to check me off a list of the fighters) I went into the back room where all the other fighters (boxers and kickboxers) were. The room was partitioned off into two sections buy a fence with black plastic lining; one for the blue corner and one for the red corner. This adds a bit of privacy so each side can do their own thing and get ready without being distracted by the competition.

There were about 6-7 other fights before mine and a few breaks in between so I didn't start getting ready for a while. Got my doctors check up and everything was A-OK (yay! No STDs.. jks ). Said hi to a few of my mates out the front and gave one of them the video camera. Then told them I'd spend most of the time in my back staying focused on the fight. About 8ish I probably changed into my shorts, did some very light shadow sparring then mainly sat around, read a magazine chatted to the other guys from my gym back there. Around 8:30ish-9, I sat down with Mr C while he, with the help of Mr K, taped up my hands real nice and gave me advice on what to do during the fight.

After that Irish ran through some drills with me, and another mate Mr H that was fighting that night, to get a bit warm. Punching combos, kicking combos, working the clinch/grapple and knees. In between I'd just try and chill out and relax (might buy an ipod because I was quite bored). Irish then rubbed down my legs with some Thai oil which helped loosen the muscles a bit (and hopefully take more of a kick).

While all this was happening in the back, all the action was out the front and you could hear the crowd going nuts for some of the fights. Two of my mates had their kickboxing fights before mine and came back limping a little with bruises on their shins etc. that's when I thought, "Well I'm in for a war now, gotta do what I gotta do."

10:30pm time for my fight. In the back my trainer Mick and Mr C, whom will both be in my corner yelling out instructions during the rounds, told me to get ready. I put on a pair of shorts owned by the club because mine looked shithouse and all raggy. You can hear your name being called out on the loudspeaker and your mates in the crowd giving you a big cheer. Music is pumping, but gotta stay calmed and focused. We start walking towards the ring and mates are giving you a pat on the back wishing you luck.

Get up to the ring and Mr C and Mick hold down the ropes for you to jump over (its bad luck to go underneath the ropes, according to Thai superstitions if you do you've already lost your fight). I see my opponent on the other side of the ring in his robe. He takes it off and he looks pretty lean and with a bit of muscle, I wonder how much power he's got in his kicks and punches? The ring card girls passes by with a card saying "Round 1" she looks pretty hot, but I gotta stay focused. The ref calls us to the middle to explain the rules, but I dont hear any of it, I look at my opponent then we touch gloves, break and back to our corners.

The bell rings and I move to take the centre of ring, and in theory dictacte the fight. I think of combos that I've thrown a hundred times in training and throw them without thinking about each individual technique. We get into a clinch and I try to throw some knees and he tries to throw some back then I try to turn him using some power and we spin into the ropes. The ref breaks us apart and then signals to resume the fight again (We're only allowed 5 seconds or so in the clinch/grapple position, which is enough to throw 3, 4 or even 5 knees if you're that fast). I move forward to press the action and feel a left hand extend through the his guard and catch him in the face, BEAUTIFUL! He throws a high kick but luckily my hands are up and it catches me on the gloves although puts me a bit off balance. I come forward again and manage to clinch with him and throw a few knees to the body that land, I tried one to the face but missed by miles. How hard are they? I don't know. The ref breaks as apart again and then signals to resume fighting. I switch legs then throw a leg kick to his lead leg and feel it land, NICEEE! We're in the clinch again and I try throw a punch or kick at him then we break apart and he goes down.

Quickly to the corner so the ref can begin the count. The ref starts counting and the guy looks winded, I'm leaning on the ropes trying to catch some breath and relax a bit, gotta slow the fight down a little. He might get up so time to get ready. The ref waves his hands in front of him to signal fight over. I WON! Yeahhhhh boi!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PmMsyS9ltQ





Ok so I just got a bit absorbed writing all that. I hope I don't sound vain. Big props to the guy I fought, I think his name was.. Mr G2. Anyways it was a short fight and I won quickly, but after I felt damn I wish I could of done a bit more, all that hard training and it ended so quickly. But it felt good to win and get congratulated by all my team mates and even random people. Hit the clubs after the fight, but no girls recognised me lol! All in all it was a great experience and I want to do it again. Heck I'd love to take it up as a career and hopefully I can if I just manage to sought a few things out.

My next fight will be coming in May so I got focus even more for that and train even harder. After the fight here some of the guys from my club will be going to Thailand for a Muay Thai training camp and I'm real keen on going. If any of you have seen or heard about the Contender Asia the head coach from there, Stephen Fox, will be running the camp. How awesome is that? There will also be some other famous fighters that may be there and it would be an honour to meet them and train with them. Plus I need a f*ckin' holiday man!

Ok i'm done, sorry if I've bored any of youse. I'll try update more often but damn I'm just a lazy bugger. Otherwise catch me on facebook.

Peace out!

after having my phone line and internet disconnected for nearly 2-3mths now, i've finally got the internet back up and running at home. how did i survive? well mainly by checking emails and stuff at work.

you never know how much you use something till you don't have it. well now i can surf and chat and do all the usual things ppl these days do. *cough* porn *cough*

 

so who's done their christmas shopping? not me! but i've started making a list of what to get ppl, so at least i'll know what to look for when i do get some money to spend. its gonna be an expensive holiday season, even though i'm not going anywhere for christmas.

also got the work christmas party to look forward to this weekend. "a night at the movies" dress up theme, so anyone got any good ideas for me let me know ok. and preferrably not the asian stereotype of bruce lee/jackie chan/jet li etc.