Heroes, True Heroes (Tales of Shu-Shu and Shi-Shi)

I was speaking with my student and friend, Ezra in class about the question I wanted to ask President Obama, and he too said with a start: "Yeah...who are our American Heroes now?" This discussion, as do all one's of importance, got me reading some of my favorite books in search of...insight, inspiration what have you and I stumbled across this in "Hey I'm Eating That!" by Shu-Shu and Shi-Shi: the fat bodhisattva and his giant husky friend from ancient China:

Shi-Shi to Shu-Shu after Shu-Shu saved a wine merchant's shipment from floating away downstream...but then demanded it as a reward in return for his good deed.

"Listen up, fat man! Heroes, true heroes, are supposed to be the-the-the helping hand you never know is there. They-they sacrifice with no (sniff) expectation of reciprocation, no robes with their picture, no scroll deals, no warm fuzzy glow. (sniff-sniff) True heroes usually die poor and alone but don't care because their cause was their reward...and...are you listening to me? (sniff-sniff-sniff) What the hell is burning?"

"Yeah, yeah, t-shirt and three picture deal. I'm in...just hold that thought, mutt. --Hey! I'll put that fire out for you dumpling maker...if you'll give me the cart in return!"

"Whut the--? Are those matches behind your back? Get back here, blimpy!"

Forget the Guy with the Afro...(Bob Ross)

The Question I Asked President Obama on Yahoo Answers

Here is what I submitted to ask President Obama on Yahoo Answers:

"As a boy growing up in the 70's and 80's, most of us wanted to be Thurman Munson or Roger Staubach; american atheletes who still just played for the love of the game--but all of us, even if secretly, even the girls, dreamed of becoming our best of the best--we all wanted to be NASA astronauts and take to the stars. Now, skip ahead to 2012 when most professional athelets only play for a bigger check, and all of us expected to be living on the moon, even mars, and clearly we are not... My question Mr. President is: with the heart-breaking loss of the shuttle program and no clear replacement in site, who is left for our children to aspire to as 21st century citizens of the United States? Who will now fire the furnace of their imagination and give them reasons to soar? All they are left with is: make money or else you will be part of the 99%. So, President Obama, who are our American heroes now?"

Grendel...His Meaning of Life.

From Grendel by John Gardner: (The book tells Beowulf through the monster's eyes...I can relate.)

I understood that the world was nothing: a mechanical chaos of casual, brute enmity on which we stupidly impose our hopes and fears. I understood that, finally and absolutely, I alone exist. All the rest, I saw, is merely what pushes me, or what I push against, blindly—as blindly as all that is not myself pushes back. I create the whole universe, blink by blink. --An ugly god pitifully dying in a tree!

Poor Grendel. Even monster's feel the heavy hand of Quantum reality.

I can relate looking quite the monster myself as of late. Though I am a pretty monster living in a tree. And I like the bumpy things that I bump off of...they are my friends, my wife, my breath, my life. Bumpiddy-bumpiddy-bump. And of course none of it may be real...including me! What fun! What a Zen epiphany!

When the Body is Wounded...the Soul has a Chance to Soar

One of my favorite "non-Shu-Shu" quotes:

"Life in every breath, every cup of tea".

Another classic "non-Shi-Shi" quote:

"One door closes, another opens."

Cap-ism: "A Good Day Always Comes with a Price

"You're happy, smiling and then one door hits you in the junk, you bend over to pick up your junk... and another door smashes you in the nose...you drop face first in a pile of crap but find a diamond ring Donald Trump's dog ate last week. Good day always comes with a price. So? Suck it up!"

heh-fitting :) though I usually wear a bathing suit

It has been a loooong road, but I'm back at the beach with my girl. Wearing shorts in the snow and a bit hairier-er. My beard led Mark (my brother-in-law) to call this photo of me "The Lion in Winter". My favorite movie of all time so it was very fitting. But a looong road. Blowing out your lower extremities and then being sliced open and having pig parts inserted (when you haven't eaten pig in 20 years because I made a choice to set some ambiguous moral compass choice to define my ability to refuse something tasty and be strong no matter what, etc.) anyway...pig parts put in does weird and taxing things to the body--even MY body. This has left my mind to find it's voice again--to cry out for me to create something or start some new endeavor, maybe take over a smallish third-world nation! I love that that voice is still there. When I was young it was more massive than my back and arms (heh) if you can believe that. It still lives. Just not sure what to do with it anymore but it lives and I am exited to see where my ancient wings fly me to. Or better yet, where I take them. Maybe to just better savor what I have now. But still...new adventure

 
(Again, without Susanne (my breath)...this whole experience...Thank you baby.)

Persistence and Perseverance article by Sid Luckman of EFTS

Persistence and Perseverance. by Sid Luckman of the ELITEFTS guys. It's funny how this article reads exactly as if I or Jones or Hoc or any of the big weightroom friends of mine had written it. Easily if all these questions were put to one of us the answers would be the same. Great article to motivate. Check it out and stay STRONG!

Cap
(Click HERE or other hotspots for article)

STUFF of STARS: Tales of SHU-SHU & SHI-SHI

We are but stardust and shattered dreams. We are the remnants of great bursts of light and life and black holes.
We are fallen celestial stones, wings gone, grounded...And yet somehow,
      We still manage to fly.
(Shu-Shu to Shi-Shi after twelve too many rice beers.)

At Home Grip Training

Simple at home wrist trainer off youtube...from "fitnessfaq". My boy Eugene turned me on to it. No excuses...this is probably going to be the first thing I am allowed to do. Already started gripper VERY softly yesterday. Relaxing my abs while doing it. Finally got rid of my hospital bed out of my house...HUGE step forward.Keepin poor Susanne up at night tossing and turning because I still have to sleep in an up position but each step... is one step... toward blowing something else out! YEAH! No just kidding.
We're getting there.
Stay Strong!

Cap

First Day Back at School

Oi...first day back at work. Yeah, everyone wanted to know why I look so skinny and where I had been. I told them there were some prime targets in Iran I was commissioned to take out. But if I told them who I would have to kill them... Some of them bought it.

Day 1. Made it. Check. What's next?

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S 2012: Fighting Back!

It has been slow going and a true mental and physical battle -- which is still on going-- but I am fighting back in 2012. Began doing the 2 mile beach walk with Susanne and we actually went and saw a movie yesterday, my first day out in public for an extended period of time. For all of you out there fighting to lose weight or to overcome some obstacle, or just be a better you in 2012...let's take it to em! Never surrender, Never GIVE UP! That is what true Strongmen do!

HAPPY HEALTHY STRONG NEW YEAR!

CAP

PS. If you didn't make a list of all the things you are thankful for...you should. Very good way to set your mind right to start the new year. Like colon blow for the head. Okay go get 'em. (I am Thankful for my wife, Susanne... my new football-lined belly...my cool scar...my family...my will power...my lust for life....Huskies....etc.)