So, I've decided to join a gym to get into better shape. I found this gym that offers Pro Wrestling training. My best friend Steve and I are wrestling fans so I figured that it might be a good way for us to get into shape. The first class was on Saturday night, the evening progressed as follows:
First, it was next to impossible to find the damn place, it was set back behind some warehouses just off of Barton St. I finally figure out how to get into this place and when I got inside, I discovered that it was a storage room for old manufacturing equipment. Half of it was filled with crap, and on the other side stood a wrestling ring.
I got changed and jumped into the ring with three other rookies (all smaller than me) along with the trainer (also smaller than me).
He started us off easy, teaching us how to take a proper 'bump' also known as a fall. This was pretty easy as it was the same as the karate training we got when we were kids. He started us off sitting, just to get the motions right. We were supposed to just fall back with our arms spread out. That was the easiest part of the night.
The trainer then told us to stand up and try falling from our knees, again, not too bad.
Next we all got a turn in the middle of the ring to fall backwards from our feet. That started to hurt.
I feel the need to explain what exactly I was falling onto. A wrestling ring is a solid metal structure with a plywood floor covered in 3/4" foam for 'support'. The middle of the ring is also supported by a spring, so the whole floor moves up and down.
After we perfected the art of falling, he then taught us how to 'hit the ropes'. Basically we would run back and forth in the ring bouncing off of the ropes. Before we started he explained to us that the ropes weren't actually rope, they were 1" steel cable wrapped in electrical tape. I have a 1" wide bruise all across my back from the 'ropes'.
He then decided that we needed to learn how to clothesline someone. A clothesline is just that, you run at a guy and stick your arm out straight and knock him over with it. The trainer decided that he was going to use me as the victim for this demonstration.
He told me that he was going to run at me and that when I felt his arm touch my chest that I was supposed to 'bump', a.k.a. fall as realistically as possible. Keep in mind, he's a real Pro Wrestler, so clearly he went on auto pilot at this very moment.
He hit the ropes and ran at me looking like he thought I just punched his mother in the face. Now, a normal person would just move out of the way if someone came at you like this, I tried.
I 'bumped' early and instead of his arm hitting my chest, it hit me square in he chin. Now, when you 'bump' properly, you're supposed to tuck your chin into your chest so that you don't hit the back of your head on the mat when you drop. Because he hit me in the chin, my head was arched backwards and it was the first thing to hit the ground.
He then asked me if I was OK, I said yes. He then said, "...did you see what you did wrong there?" The whole time I was thinking, "...yeah, I walked in the door."
So, here I sit, 48 hours removed from one of the most horrific experiences of my life. I hurt in places that I didn't even know I had...my new career as a Professional Wrestler up in smoke, and all my loving, supportive mother can do is laugh her butt off as I'm telling this story to her.
I need some Advil.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Feeling Beat Up
I have a boss that has absolutely no people skills whatsoever. He feels the need to latch onto things and pick at you about them until you feel like hanging yourself, I've had two of these occasions this passed week.
Like the fool that I am, when he's like this, I just take it for what it's worth, but when a couple of the guys at the store told be that they didn't like seeing me as depressed as I was, I went to Bill, the store manager, and told him how I felt. Now, he feels for our DM the way that I feel, so I really know what I was going to hear before Bill even said anything.
I came to work on Friday, still feeling quite down and uninspired when I get a call from my DM. He basically apologized for the last couple of conversations that we've had and told me that he was only being tough on me because I was the best and brightest in the region and that I was next in line to get my own store. So, in whatever twisted way, I guess it made me feel better.
The only downfall to being next in line is that I might be asked to move again. As a matter of fact, he came down on Friday afternoon and wanted to know my 'radius' for any positions that may come up...but that's a different blog for a different time.
Like the fool that I am, when he's like this, I just take it for what it's worth, but when a couple of the guys at the store told be that they didn't like seeing me as depressed as I was, I went to Bill, the store manager, and told him how I felt. Now, he feels for our DM the way that I feel, so I really know what I was going to hear before Bill even said anything.
I came to work on Friday, still feeling quite down and uninspired when I get a call from my DM. He basically apologized for the last couple of conversations that we've had and told me that he was only being tough on me because I was the best and brightest in the region and that I was next in line to get my own store. So, in whatever twisted way, I guess it made me feel better.
The only downfall to being next in line is that I might be asked to move again. As a matter of fact, he came down on Friday afternoon and wanted to know my 'radius' for any positions that may come up...but that's a different blog for a different time.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
...Back Home
Once upon a time, there was a young Assistant Manager who was just starting out. He was naieve and believed just about anything people would tell him. He was working in one of the largest stores on Southern Ontario, and was on the fast track to making it big. Although he would work in many stores since then, the people and the location would always be near and dear to his heart.
Well, effective January 13th, I went home. I'm now back in the Hamilton area as the Assistant Manager in the Stoney Creek store. Now, granted, I'm a little more jaded and far less naieve, but it's still great to be 'home'. I didn't find out until after I started back at the store, but the Manager, Bill, asked for me by name to come and be his Assistant. It was really nice to know that someone liked me enough to ask for me by name.
Now, on a side note, the tool that they had as the Assistant Manager in St.Catharines quit because she was going to be moved to a much smaller volume store. Too bad, eh? It wasn't until after she quit that the District Manager told us that it was a mistake to hire her (I could have told him that long ago).
Bus oh well, I'm happy to be back, the people are great and so is the drive, it's less than 15 minutes from door to door. My bank account is also much happier because I'm no longer filling up every 3 days. And at almost $1.00/litre, that's the best news of all.
Well, effective January 13th, I went home. I'm now back in the Hamilton area as the Assistant Manager in the Stoney Creek store. Now, granted, I'm a little more jaded and far less naieve, but it's still great to be 'home'. I didn't find out until after I started back at the store, but the Manager, Bill, asked for me by name to come and be his Assistant. It was really nice to know that someone liked me enough to ask for me by name.
Now, on a side note, the tool that they had as the Assistant Manager in St.Catharines quit because she was going to be moved to a much smaller volume store. Too bad, eh? It wasn't until after she quit that the District Manager told us that it was a mistake to hire her (I could have told him that long ago).
Bus oh well, I'm happy to be back, the people are great and so is the drive, it's less than 15 minutes from door to door. My bank account is also much happier because I'm no longer filling up every 3 days. And at almost $1.00/litre, that's the best news of all.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The New Blog
Finally, my first post since September 10th. I guess it's been a while since I've had something to say...not!!! Just the first time I've had the time to sit in front of my computer for longer than 2 minutes to check my E-Mail.
All is well in my world, we've launched a new department at the Church. The Bethel Media Department will one day be a fully independent Media and Advertising Department for the Church. They have some very lofty goals for the Department, but have a ton of money to throw at it...when we can prove the merit of the whole thing.
We met last month to lay out the 1, 3, 5 and 10 year plans for the department, and the whole thing is extremely exciting. They hope to stream live broadcasts of the services on the Internet within 2 years, and go to a T.V. Broadcast within 7-10 years. We're also spending millions on a new adult lifestyle condominium complex, as well as building a new, state-of-the-art sanctuary and worship centre. It's really neat to be on the 'ground floor' of something and be able to look back on it decades from now and say, "...I was there at the beginning."
At my age, I've never been able to say something like that before. I'm looking forward to moving forward with these exciting initiatives, who knows where it will take me?
All is well in my world, we've launched a new department at the Church. The Bethel Media Department will one day be a fully independent Media and Advertising Department for the Church. They have some very lofty goals for the Department, but have a ton of money to throw at it...when we can prove the merit of the whole thing.
We met last month to lay out the 1, 3, 5 and 10 year plans for the department, and the whole thing is extremely exciting. They hope to stream live broadcasts of the services on the Internet within 2 years, and go to a T.V. Broadcast within 7-10 years. We're also spending millions on a new adult lifestyle condominium complex, as well as building a new, state-of-the-art sanctuary and worship centre. It's really neat to be on the 'ground floor' of something and be able to look back on it decades from now and say, "...I was there at the beginning."
At my age, I've never been able to say something like that before. I'm looking forward to moving forward with these exciting initiatives, who knows where it will take me?
Monday, September 10, 2007
One Good Thing To Know
I know I haven't 'blogged' much lately, but today I felt the itch to type again. I got an E-Mail from a good friend of mine, she told me what her father had just passed away after a long battle with cancer. Reading that brought back a whole bunch of memories that I would rather not remember, but nevertheless, there they were all over again.
I started thinking about cancer and why it has to do what it does to people, and I know I remember thinking that this is such an evil thing, all I wanted the cancer to to was die.
Then I had a rather sudden realization, it has. Even though it had to take someone with it, that tumor has died, it will never again harm another human being. So, however twisted the victory may have been, I can now count three cancers that will never again harm another human being. And for whatever reason, that gives me some sort of a feeling of victory, although there are some people I'd rather be sharing a laugh with, rather than a victory without them.
This stuff still sucks.
I started thinking about cancer and why it has to do what it does to people, and I know I remember thinking that this is such an evil thing, all I wanted the cancer to to was die.
Then I had a rather sudden realization, it has. Even though it had to take someone with it, that tumor has died, it will never again harm another human being. So, however twisted the victory may have been, I can now count three cancers that will never again harm another human being. And for whatever reason, that gives me some sort of a feeling of victory, although there are some people I'd rather be sharing a laugh with, rather than a victory without them.
This stuff still sucks.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Shell
I've been confronted once again with the mortality of us all. I know I'm at a point in my life where this sort of thing will happen from time to time, but when it does happen, you're never prepared for it.
I lost my Grandfather a little over two years ago to cancer. It was heart wrenching to go and see him deteriorate like he did, he almost became a shell of his former self. I'm now doing it all over again with my step-father. He was first diagnosed with kidney cancer about a year and a half ago, and had one of his kidneys removed that Christmas. He has since been battling more tumors in various places throughout his body.
We were just told today that he will be sent home to be cared for as there is nothing more that can be done for him at the hospital. They're basically sending him home to die. I can't help but think that this is so unfair! He's only 48 years old, in the prime of his life, and now has been reduced to nothing.
I remember meeting him for the first time when he and my mom started dating, he seemed like a nice guy, but I didn't want anything to do with him. Now, almost 10 years later, I think of him as my father...he helped raise me and is a big part of who I am today. I've always been the type of person who wanted to fix things for people, this is why when I see him lying in a hospital bed, it kills me to not be able to fix him. I want so badly for him to just get up and walk out like nothing ever happened, for him to just go back to making his crude jokes and rotten stories. I know that my 'Change Oil' light is due to come on anytime now, and I don't know where I'm going to take it, David has always been my go-to guy for things like that.
Sometimes when life is going so well for so long, these sort of things just blindside you. I know that between now and whenever, there will be many tears shed. I know up to this point I haven't always been able to keep it together, but it helps to know what David would have told us..." Suck it up sissy! Quit your belly-achin' ".
I lost my Grandfather a little over two years ago to cancer. It was heart wrenching to go and see him deteriorate like he did, he almost became a shell of his former self. I'm now doing it all over again with my step-father. He was first diagnosed with kidney cancer about a year and a half ago, and had one of his kidneys removed that Christmas. He has since been battling more tumors in various places throughout his body.
We were just told today that he will be sent home to be cared for as there is nothing more that can be done for him at the hospital. They're basically sending him home to die. I can't help but think that this is so unfair! He's only 48 years old, in the prime of his life, and now has been reduced to nothing.
I remember meeting him for the first time when he and my mom started dating, he seemed like a nice guy, but I didn't want anything to do with him. Now, almost 10 years later, I think of him as my father...he helped raise me and is a big part of who I am today. I've always been the type of person who wanted to fix things for people, this is why when I see him lying in a hospital bed, it kills me to not be able to fix him. I want so badly for him to just get up and walk out like nothing ever happened, for him to just go back to making his crude jokes and rotten stories. I know that my 'Change Oil' light is due to come on anytime now, and I don't know where I'm going to take it, David has always been my go-to guy for things like that.
Sometimes when life is going so well for so long, these sort of things just blindside you. I know that between now and whenever, there will be many tears shed. I know up to this point I haven't always been able to keep it together, but it helps to know what David would have told us..." Suck it up sissy! Quit your belly-achin' ".
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Just In Case You Were Interested...
'Nicholas' means...
From the Greek name Νικολαος (Nikolaos) which meant "victory of the people" from Greek νικη (nike) "victory" and λαος (laos) "people". Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia who, according to legend, saved the daughters of a poor man from lives of prostitution. He is also known as Santa Claus (from Dutch Sinterklaas), the bringer of Christmas presents. He is the patron saint of children, sailors and merchants, and Greece and Russia. Nicholas was also the name of two czars of Russia and five popes.
I bolded that one word because of its significance. The Patron Saint of Sailors and Merchants. See, Sailing and Selling were in me from the beginning!
From the Greek name Νικολαος (Nikolaos) which meant "victory of the people" from Greek νικη (nike) "victory" and λαος (laos) "people". Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia who, according to legend, saved the daughters of a poor man from lives of prostitution. He is also known as Santa Claus (from Dutch Sinterklaas), the bringer of Christmas presents. He is the patron saint of children, sailors and merchants, and Greece and Russia. Nicholas was also the name of two czars of Russia and five popes.
I bolded that one word because of its significance. The Patron Saint of Sailors and Merchants. See, Sailing and Selling were in me from the beginning!
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