"We don't respect fighters... Look he's half naked. He fights in a steel cage for a paycheck in front of a drunken audience." -Chael Sonnen A Late Night... The smell of cigarettes, weed, and fruit filled the as as loud music thundered in the small "Stadium". People of all kinds came to watch the event. Young, old, couples, fighters, and more. It was a bout between local gyms, Eight fights, and four belts on the line. People sat comfortably in the "VIP" seats to get a close look at the action while an old Thai walked around the ring collecting bets. Fighters were sat behind the crowds of spectators, stretching, oiling up, and concentrating on whatever lingering thoughts popped into their minds. It was interesting to see what a real Muay Thai fight looks like. Not in a massive stadium with many promoters or sponsors. Just some local fight that very few people even know about. As I sat in my plastic chair waiting for the event to start, questions began to emerge. Do I want to do this? Why would anyone do this? The only answer that came up was Entertainment and Money. That is the only reason that this goes on. Fighters get paid. The gyms get paid. The promoters get paid. The gamblers get paid. The quote from Chael Sonnen came into my mind as I watched these fighters of various experience levels bash into each other like two bulls. Half of the audience wasn't paying attention. They were either drunk already, on their phones, or talking to who ever they met at the event. The only people who really watched the fights were the coaches, fighters, teammates, and gamblers. It makes you wonder if the rest really want to be there. My thoughts were confirmed during the last fight. Before the result was called, half of the audience had already left their seats. Weekend Plans End of the Week! My first weekend to just relax in Phuket. Do to the late night last night, I ended up sleeping very little. Got home and slept around midnight, woke up about 4 or 5ish. Took a nap around 11 am. I'm relieved that I enjoy Thailand so far. It is a different culture and a different feel to back at home. There are many things that I still have to learn about living in Thailand but it is only my fourth day here. There is no rush. People have asked me about my trips to China and Germany. Questions like, "Aren't you nervous?" or "What if [blank] happens?". Usually I would reply, "No" or simply, "Oh well". Obviously, I am nervous while traveling as there is always a risk. There are many things you cannot control. Being confident in what you can control and accepting what you can't makes travel a whole lot easier. Saturday Goals Today, my goals are simple: Get money out of ATM Buy some Sunscreen Buy Fruit for the room Finish Editing Video! In order for me to be productive, creating daily, weekly and monthly goals is a must. It keeps me productive, active, and I can never say that I'm bored as there is always something on the list to do. Even if its just as simple as doing laundry. Relaxed Mind These four months will go by so fast. I have a lot of work and training to do. Monday, I'm starting the intermediate Muay Thai class. Next week I'll be adding BJJ to the training mix. There are ideas I've got rolling in my head for my website. Videos, always working on silly videos. Even with all of that on my mind, I'm still pretty relaxed. Hope you all have a good weekend. 📿Johnny Want to support the journey? Check out the links below! Donate to Keep the Journey going... https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnytr... …or check out my Dad's book "21 Day Personal Journey" https://thefugitsuway.com/ …or support my buddy's clothing brand "Canine Clothing - For Those on a Journey" https://canineclothinguk.com/en-us

"If you keep your mind and body busy, you'll be around a long time. -Walter Breuning Preparing for the Day As I get up from my bed on the third morning in Thailand, my mind is pretty foggy. My shoulders are sore from yesterday's class and my sun burnt face feels a bit tender. Starting something new is always hard, and getting back to training is proving to be difficult for my lazy mind. I'd rather just sleep and eat all day. There is work to do though, and classes to go to. Did I Stick to my Goals? What I did Yesterday Surprisingly, I did most of my goals that I set for myself yesterday. Go to Morning Muay Thai I ended up going to Morning and Evening Muay Thai Beginner Classes. Eat Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Yesterday I tried out various foods. Breakfast Yogurt and Granola, real Pad Thai, and Khao Soi. Pick up some snacks and tea for the Room. This was the only goal that I didn't accomplish. I did go out and look at local 7-11's and other small shops. They carry some things but it is mostly snacks and instant noodles. A goal of mine is to try and eat healthy while I'm here. I'm guessing "Fighter's Street" isn't the best place to look for groceries. I did pick up some water, milk, and juices! With the help of Martin (Marty), Mike, and a few other folks; I was able to pick up some electrolytes, fruit, and I've scouted out a few places to buy some supplements. Also saw a cool place to buy some clothes if needed. Buy some 拖鞋 (Sandals) This was accomplished! And I'm very happy that I did. Walking around in some flip flops is so much more comfortable than shoes. Less heat trapped in so you feel a little bit cooler. "Food from various places around 'Fighter's Street'." Shoot, It's Friday Already As I write this, I have one more training session to go for the week. I'm planning on using the weekends to rest and explore. My mind hadn't even realized it was Friday until someone said so after class. Still have some cobwebs to shake loose after 30 hours of travel. I'm really happy with how this trip is going. I've eaten good food and met great people. The stress of training is building up on me already. Shoulders are shot, pushups are hard, legs are wobbly, and my body is always sticky with a new layer of sweat. I don't think these two-three showers a day are helping at all. "Third Shift Minnesota Boys affected me, I'm the only guy wearing a XXXL White T in training." "What is Going on Within Ourselves" Before in 2022, I used the Monk Manual for 6 months in order to see if it would help me. Little did I know, that book would change the way I write blog posts and how I journal. One of the questions the book asked often was, "What is going on within ourselves?". Here, I have noticed that I'm more aware about what I'm doing and how I'm feeling. Is it because I'm in Thailand? Probably not. I believe that it is a culmination of what I've learned over the past two years in Minnesota. My personal training course, the monk manual, all the books on meditation I read, my trip to Shaolin Temple Europe, and all the things I've learned about my body through work/training. Now that I'm here, I'm easing into the training. Knowing when to push myself and when to take some breaths. Part of me thinks that is why "life" made me work two years. If I came here after one year of saving money, I don't think I would be ready for it. Mentally or Physically. (Shoot, I'm barely physically ready now!) Everything happens for a reason. We can accomplish our goals, but the timing won't be on our side. 📿Johnny Want to support the journey? Check out the links below! Donate to Keep the Journey going... https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnytr... …or check out my Dad's book "21 Day Personal Journey" https://thefugitsuway.com/ …or support my buddy's clothing brand "Canine Clothing - For Those on a Journey" https://canineclothinguk.com/en-us

"You get what you paid for." Preparing myself.... I'm surprised that one of the first thoughts I had when getting to Thailand was, "You get what you paid for". It must be the jumbled collection of buildings with mixed in with advertising, and run down shacks all set with a backdrop of the lush green jungles. Thailand certainly is a colorful and beautiful country. Also a warm country. I've already seen the "Thailand Smile" and the Thai "Wai" (ไหว้). Now, I'll just have to get out of my shell and speak some of the little Thai that I know. In order to get from the Airport to Tiger Muay Thai, I booked the driver pick up service. I believe his name was Mr. Choomporn but, I'm not certain. During my small talk attempts I went over a couple of Thai phrases to see if I was saying them right: sà-wàt-dii khráp, "Meaning hello/goodbye" sà-baai-dii "Meaning I'm fine" Fighter's Street Besides that, I tried asking about food or places to see. The driver kindly replied to all saying, "There is a lot in Phuket". So I left it at that, letting Ra Ra Rasputin fill the empty air of the drive. Once we arrived, I finally got to see the famed Tiger Muay Thai. The place is pretty nice but it isn't as big as I thought. Don't get me wrong, it is still one of the biggest places on "Fighter's Street" but the video is a bit deceiving. This street does have one good thing, there are a lot of restaurants. There is also a tattoo shop, massage parlor, and cannabis dispensary every ten feet. If that's your thing, then you'll love fighter's street. Me? I'll be trying the food and getting away from fighter's street to see more of Phuket. Moana's Kitchen The only food I had yesterday (real food, not plane food), was from a small restaurant called Moana's Kitchen. I ordered something simple; Banana Smoothie with Chicken and Rice. Simple and good. It cost me 280 Thai Bhat. Which is around 8 dollars. Not bad but I know it was a little expensive due to it being on "Fighter's Street". What I want to do in March Monthly For March I'd like to get used to the "Thailand Lifestyle". Get into the habit of training, studying, and working on the blog, website, videos. In order to set a better goal there should be some kind of measurement. So, by the end of March I want to be: Training 5-6 times a week (Mon-Sat) Making a video each week Making an Instagram post each week Writing a blog post two times a week These would be "Productive Goals". Things that are meant to help my... job. (Weird to think that this one day might be my job) As the old saying goes, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". This means that for this month I also have some "Fun/Explore Goals". This month I'd like to see one or two temples I'd like to go to the beach I'd like to visit Phuket Old Town I'd like to try 10 different Thai Dishes What about this Week? This week is really a half week. With it being so short, I just want to take it easy. Go to class, eat good food, walk around Thailand, meet some people, and relax. If I can, I'd like to find a language school to start studying Thai. Today's Goals? Go to Morning Muay Thai Eat Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Pick up some snacks for the room Pick up some tea Pick up some fruit Buy some 拖鞋 Reflecting on the Journey Here Getting here was a long process. Even as I sat in the Seattle airport for 7 hours, the journey didn't feel real yet. I ended up talking with a woman who worked for Cirque du Soleil. The life that she had was similar to what I wanted. She travels around, works intensely for a few months, then continues to travel. Her name was Pam, I think. She had been working with them for about 15 years and never felt like she was working. A quote from her that I liked was: "We're not supposed to work to live, We're supposed to live." She did admit that you had to do careful planning and take risks in order to live this kind of lifestyle. In the beginning it will be tough but once you get set up... you're good to do as you want. The journey feels real now, and I can't wipe this stupid grin off of my face. But man it is humid here. 📿Johnny Want to support the journey? Check out the links below! Donate to Keep the Journey going... https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnytr... …or check out my Dad's book "21 Day Personal Journey" https://thefugitsuway.com/ …or support my buddy's clothing brand "Canine Clothing - For Those on a Journey" https://canineclothinguk.com/en-us

"It's a different kind of feeling when you're doing what you wanna do Charity is great but you can't help until you make it too Or maybe that's the reason you've been all broken up Vanity keeps you panicked your image isn't focused up Open up and talk about, walk it out and talk again Closing off is why you see those fucking walls closin' in Break em' down and go outside Live your life don't live the lie Lose the attitude and prove that you know how to be alive And prove that you can thrive, get your money, buy the things But know that honesty and guts is how you bought the ring And now your married to it, scarred up a changed person Reward the hard work looks like the pain was worth it." -E-Dubble, Changed My Mind Preparing for the Blizzard This winter storm that has come through has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. My last day at work was supposed to be on Thursday but our work is shutting down due to the storm. So, my last day is today. I'll spend this weekend packing, training, and stretching. I feel like such a weight has been lifting off of my back. The journey that I've been talking about is finally becoming real. What Have I Done This Week? Weekly Actions This week I haven't done well with my goals. I did pack. I did my taxes. I did contact some places to check out in Thailand. I haven't stretched. I haven't lifted weights. I haven't ran. The week isn't over. I still have time to finish it strong! Daily Goals Today, I simply need to do my daily goals. Run (if possible in the blizzard) Stretch, front splits and side splits Lift Weights Practice Meditating Study Thai... something I haven't done in a long time Reflecting on the Future? Time really does go by fast. A bunch of coworkers have asked me how long I've worked here. My response was always the same, "Almost two years". The two years has gone by very very fast. Murs - H-U-S-T-L-E Dinero, Mula, Qian, Cash I'm already thinking about how to get a new form of income going. That's my main worry. Money from fights in Thailand won't come until I'm "skilled". Youtube is a slow gain, they say you need to be consistently on Youtube for about two years before a small bit of income starts coming in. So, I'm probably going to refresh myself on programming in order to open up some contract jobs. Maybe I'll also do some video editing jobs on Fiverr or something. 📿Johnny Want to support the journey? Check out the links below! Donate to Keep the Journey going... https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnytr... …or check out my Dad's book "21 Day Personal Journey" https://thefugitsuway.com/ …or support my buddy's clothing brand "Canine Clothing - For Those on a Journey" https://canineclothinguk.com/en-us

"Your aspirations are yours and yours alone. Don't waver." -Fortune Cookie from Wisconsin Preparing for the Next Adventure... It is Monday, and I'm back in the office for the last week. The countdown to Thursday is on my mind. As that day marks the last day I'm at this place. The following Monday, I fly off to Thailand for a (hopefully) fun adventure. Actions for the Week Weekly Goals This week I plan on just packing, tossing out old stuff, and cleaning up my room. I'm still trying to plan out what I'm going to do once my Thailand Visa expires. As there are a lot of options. Border Hop in and out, focusing on training and travel in Thailand Use the Border Hop to see another country, maybe do a meditation retreat? Come home early and decide if I want to go long term in Thailand Besides packing, I don't have much else in terms of goals. Just show up to work, do my job, and come home. Daily Goals For my day to day life, I still am focusing on running, stretching, and lifting weights. The little bump in the road I had this month made me reevaluate the priorities of my goals. Looking at my little notepad, I saw I had written "Stretching/Splits" as my yearly goal. And yet, lifting weights always took priority over working on the splits. So, I have made it a rule that I can't lift weights until I've worked on my split routine. A silly, but necessary rule for me. Reflecting on these Past Few Weeks... Monthly Reflection Even though I wrote at the beginning of the month, "No Overtime". I worked OT a little bit each week. There were two reasons for that; 1, to finish up any projects that I had. 2, to make a little extra money to go towards Thailand. Being without a stable income is kind of a spooky thought. When I land in Thailand, I will have to budget very carefully to get the most out of the money I've saved. Each day I'll have to ask, "What is really important right now?" and I'll have to work my butt off in order to get some sort of income coming in. Hopefully that will be through those Online Kung Fu courses I was talking about... two years ago. The feeling I've had recently has been a pretty good one. Taking three months off of BJJ/Muay Thai training to really just focus on my personal schedule has helped clear my mind of so much... clutter. Tiredness still follows me each day but it is a tiredness earned through pursing goals that I actually want to accomplish. That is something I'll have to keep in mind while I'm in Thailand. Knowing myself, I will want to try many things. Somehow, I'll have to remind myself to not get distracted by all that there is. Time and energy must be spent on what I want to do first, then I can explore. Maybe that could be a video idea... Why I'm going to Thailand. 📿Johnny Want to support the journey? Check out the links below! Donate to Keep the Journey going... https://www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnytr... …or check out my Dad's book "21 Day Personal Journey" https://thefugitsuway.com/ …or support my buddy's clothing brand "Canine Clothing - For Those on a Journey" https://canineclothinguk.com/en-us

"Thank you to my friends and family for the Birthday wishes and Gifts." Staying Up Late... You know, I usually do a thing at New Years where I write my thoughts that occur to me at Midnight. But I didn't. Now, my Birthday comes to an end and I feel a bit odd. A whole year has passed. My last Birthday left me feeling very hopeful for the future. As I sit in my cold room typing away, I just feel kinda sad and I don't know why. Maybe it is because for the past two weeks my thoughts have been simply asking life to slow down. As I become more aware of how I spend each day, I realize how quickly it goes. I'm not regretting what I should've, could've, or would've done for past decisions. My eyes have simply been opened to how fast time is passing. Life really hasn't been that bad in Minnesota after all. I've worked hard and found happiness in spending time with my family. Through work and personal relationships, I've learned a lot about myself an d others. Through these experiences I've been able to hone in on what the bigger purpose or meaning of this "plan" is. With all that I've learned, I see that I'm still stuck in the same cycle. Look at the past blogs and you can see it. Work hard, save money, go play. During my next adventure, I will have to figure out how to work. That way, a different cycle will begin. I'm really going to have to push myself on this next adventure. Preparation for the Week Staying up late writing a blog post really isn't the best way to prepare my body for the week. It certainly eases the heart and mind though. This week I plan on releasing another video, training with kettlebells, and continuing to stretch each day. Ya know what? I'll have one more goal... not to work OT this week. That would be nice. 📿Johnny

"How Many Hours a Day Should You Practice?" What I've been doing in 2023 On what has transpired, what we've learned today, and what is going on within ourselves The New Year has already come and gone. I've been pretty quiet about my activities for a bit and thought I'd give an update as to what is going on. A few weeks ago I released a video discussing what my past two years have been like. I also teased at a big "change" that is coming. For those who haven't seen the video, the big change is that I have quit my job and am going to Thailand in February. I'm still working until February 24th as I train a new individual in my position and finish up some projects that they had given me. Also, it is my last chance to save up some final cash before I set off on this adventure. That is what I've been doing at work, for my personal life I have been focusing on a few goals that I failed in 2022. Stretching and Meditating. My life is now determined by my daily, weekly, and monthly planners. If I don't get the goals accomplished then I write why. These planners have helped me be more mindful about what I'm spending my time doing each day. What I thought was impossible last year, is possible now. I did have to cut out some activities that ended up being not so important for me. MMA, BJJ, daily posts on the website, and a few smaller things. This isn't to say that I don't enjoy these things, it is just that they are not as important to me now. Every month, I will reevaluate what is important to me and change my daily goals accordingly. Obviously, when I go to Thailand, MMA and BJJ will go back to the most important. Followed by studying Thai. This kind of approach has taken some of the self-imposed stress off my mind. Leaving me less tired and more focused on what really matters. January's Third Week, Preparing for the Fourth The third week of January was a pretty good week. I didn't work too much overtime, worked out with kettlebells, ran every day, and wasn't deterred by the goals that I slipped up on. The fourth week of January will be a little tougher. I know I'll probably work more overtime which will make getting my goals done a little bit harder. Preparing my breakfasts and getting up early will be key for success next week. It is also my fourth week of a kettlebell program, which means it will be the hardest week before a de-load week. I can do it. My Plans for This Month and Next Month Live through our actions. Develop awareness, Purpose, and Focus. This Weekend Plans I've made it so that on the weekends, I can work on some smaller side projects and just relax. Two side projects that I have are my videos and this blog. The plan for this year is to make videos throughout the year. This way, I can develop a system for making videos effectively. My goal in 2021 was to make online Kung Fu courses available for people to watch, purchase, and learn. That goal led to the creation of this better blog. Now I'm returning to the idea of creating videos that others can purchase. We will see what happens throughout the year. The blog and Instagram are taking a big hit this year, as they are very low on my priorities. When I travel and learn something interesting, I will write. But there isn't the pressure to write everyday. Maybe in Thailand that will change... or maybe if I can return to China that will change. We will see. February Plans The last few weeks of January will keep following the routine I have currently. Running 5 times a week, doing kettlebells 4 times a week, and stretching everyday. For February, I will still work on the same goals while working less and less. There will be a focus on getting ready to go to Thailand and trying to get a Chinese visa. "The Plan" If you've followed my blog long enough, you will know that there has always been this "plan". The plan to become a warrior monk, open a school, and then... roll credits. For a while in 2022, I really didn't want to write, talk, or think about my plan as I felt that it wasn't feasible. I wanted to give up (a post I originally took down but later put back up). What changed was my mindset and the actions that I took each day. Now the plan seems possible again. All that being said, what is the plan now? See if I like Thailand If I like Thailand, I will go for a year or two. Training in Muay Thai, BJJ, Grappling, and traveling around. This is to develop the "Warrior/武" part of Warrior Monk. Hopefully I'll be able to fight and compete during my one-two years there. Go back to China Returning to China is big for me. I want to go to a Kung Fu school (Qufu or Tian Meng) and study for 2-3 years practicing Kung Fu. On my last year of training in China, I'd like to go to the real Shaolin Temple to train/live. If I could go sooner and stay longer, then I will. I'd also like to visit some places in China like Wudang Mountains, Gansu, Chengdu, and more. Maybe learn an instrument? Archery? Go Home? I can't imagine this far ahead but after all of that I'd go home. Maybe go back to Thailand for another year just to compete again. There are so many variables and things that could happen. We will see. Go to College? Going to college in Spain or in USA would be good to get my Sports Science stuff and learn Spanish. I've realized how important Spanish will be in the USA from working in the factory. Going Home and starting my Kung Fu school. Where? I'm not sure. 📿Johnny

"Within the Self, there is a central force of character that unifies thoughts and actions. When you are not in accord with your goals, you may feel indecision, conflict or malaise. When you are, a sense of self confidence and well being will surround you." -I Ching no 45, taken from Thinking Body, Dancing Mind Preparing for the End As the Monk Manual says, each day we should prepare our schedule to match our heart and mind. That is what I did on the plane. I just slept, read, and thought about how I am going to get to where I want to be. The process will take time but I believe I can do it. This week, I will return to my MMA classes with a new mentality. Instead of taking it serious each day, I will be more light hearted about my training. The reason for this mental switch is because that is the mindset I had for my two Sanda fights last weekend. And, I enjoyed those two fights immensely even though they were losses. I know that I will work overtime this week to make up for the missing hours. My "side project" for this week will be writing scripts/plans for videos. The original purpose of this more professional blog/website. Instead of sleeping during my breaks I work, I will continue to write blog posts and plan out videos so that I can send out my little bit of Kung Fu knowledge to the world. Hopefully, it will be profitable. Not too Many Actions "Live through our actions. Develop awareness, Purpose, and Focus." -Monk Manual Today Today was mostly full of travel and getting settled back home. Bruises are still all over my body from the fights but the mental clarity I got from those fights is still with me. I feel great. I'll finish my night off with a shower and some meditation. If I'm going to be teaching Master Ning's style of meditation on this website then I better go back to practicing it. Last Week Looking at how "well" the fights went, I think my past weeks leading up to the fight were well spent. The important thing is I didn't give up on training and I still went to the fights. What I learned is I do need to prepare my training more. Make a plan and follow it. So, I've already started to map out next year's fights and am getting ideas for how my training will be. Raja was right, there is an opportunity in USA for Sanda. December Goals It is now December. My goal for this month is... to enjoy December. I think with all that I've done this year I deserve a mental break from any kind of goal or objective. Let myself forget my "plan" for a little bit and just live. I can't explain how much I enjoyed participating in this tournament but it made me realize that I'm done working a job I don't like for hella money. I think, after my trip to Thailand, I'll go to a job that I enjoy. And do stuff that I enjoy. 📿Johnny

Last Preparation Today will be spent working, packing, and then training. I shouldn't work late today as there isn't much work to be done. Jumping In Today Finally, I wrote those SSOPs that I've been trying to finish for a while now. Prepared a good meal for today's lunch and slept decently, although late. I will do another neck, knee, shadowboxing and stretching session today as my last attempt at getting ready for the tournament. Reflect I've asked myself if I'm nervous for the tournament. Although I've told others I'm nervous, I don't think I am. To me, this is just a peek at what Sanda Competition is like. See if I want to do it. Do I enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to put 100% into the fights to see if I can win as that would be awesome. Win or lose, I got to do what I wanted to do. Check it out. 📿Johnny

"The first chakra is the Earth chakra, located at the base of the spine. It deals with survival, and is blocked by fear. Next is the Water chakra. This chakra deals with pleasure and is blocked by guilt. Third is the Fire chakra, located in the stomach. This chakra deals with willpower, and is blocked by shame. The fourth chakra is located in the Heart. It deals with love and is blocked by grief. The fifth in the chain is the Sound chakra, located in the throat. It deals with the truth, and is blocked by lies, the ones we tell ourselves. The sixth pool of energy is the Light chakra, located in the center of the forehead. It deals with insight, and is blocked by illusion. The final chakra is Thought chakra and is located at the crown of the head. It deals with pure cosmic energy and is blocked by earthly attachment." -Guru Pathik, Avatar the Last Airbender Waking Myself Up When I woke up this morning, I felt my schedule start to fall apart. I stayed in bed until 4:50 am and then went to work. Before getting to work I did manage to get gas and some breakfast which helped me feel better. I still want to prepare for the Sanda tournament and I still want to go to class. Today's Choices Daily Decisions Today, I got a lot of paperwork done. My desk was finally clear of the piles that have been getting put on for days. Still haven't gotten any work done with the SSOP or SOP instructions. Besides that, I finally got home at my normal time although I feel bad about not writing those instructions. I know my colleague won't write them. Instead of writing this blog post at work, I stretched on my breaks. Keeping the splits as my main physical goal has opened my eyes to all the opportunities I have for stretching. Yesterday, I actually didn't go to class. I ended up just following Shi Yan Lei's 500 Fighting Kicks workout. Modifying the pushups for Scap Push-Ups so that I can keep working on fixing my shoulder. It's Hump Day "You will enjoy doing something adventurous this coming weekend." -Fortune Cookie from Dinner This week has been going well as far as work is concerned. I'm still training on my own and running. There is nothing new I can do/learn that will help prepare me for the fight. Now I'm just staying conditioned and mentally preparing myself. This will let me know if I want to continue pursuing Sanda as a competition path. The rest of the week will be spent keeping weight and prepping for the fight. I am ready. Reflecting Past Bed Time A lot of my mind is still struggling with what I want to do with my life. Next year I'm making the change of going to Thailand. If that doesn't work out then I will come back and become a personal trainer of some kind. I really want to pursue Kung Fu as my career... some how. Become that martial arts, tea drinking, weight lifting, warrior monk guy. All I know is I don't want to work factories anymore. I'm done. 📿Johnny

"In fact, for all things there is a time for going ahead and following behind. A time for slow breathing and a time for fast breathing A time to grow up in strength and a time to decay A time to be up, and a time to be down" -Tao Teh Ching, Lao Tzu translated by John C.H. Wu An Odd Awakening Tuesday started with me waking up at 12:50 am, wide awake. This time not from a nightmare. Dragging my body out of bed, I drank some water, looked at myself in the mirror, and returned to the comforts of my blankets. Only to wake up again at 4:30 am to my alarm, eyes heavy, body not wanting to move. I should've stayed awake. Another Day of Work Staying Focused Today, I'd like to get my work done during the normal hours then head to practice. Keeping this blog going and keeping my sleep schedule intact seem to be the structure I need to be productive. It only took me two years in Minnesota to figure this out. Reflect While driving home from MMA "practice" I realized I don't have much patience. After work I had gotten home at 5:20 pm and then decided I could still make it to class. I quickly grabbed my gloves and shin guards then headed onward to the MMA Gym known as ATT Savage. Little did I know, that when I arrived at 6:00 pm I was in between classes. BJJ started at 6:30 and the current class was well on its way. So, I just worked by myself on the heavy bag until 7:00 pm. Many "could've, should've, would've" thoughts pour into my head but those are unnecessary. At least I practiced. Hopefully it is enough to be ready for the Sanda Tournament. 📿Johnny

"If you find no one to support you on the spiritual path, walk alone. There is no companionship with the immature." -Siddhārtha Gautama, The Dhammapada Preparing for the Work Week Today I'm back to work and will be training in the evening. After that Arizona BJJ camp, I realized one of the big things I need is sleep. Going to sleep earlier than normal is going to be a small goal this week. We will see how that goes. Also, I need to prepare better breakfasts and lunches. What I Did Today It's a Monday Work has been normal. A bunch of paperwork to fill out and the rooms are still churning out product. The same SSOPs have to be written but no one is writing them. Which led me to stay late again. That is okay though, I need the extra hours since I'll be missing two days of work due to the tournament. Even after working 11 hours at the factory, I went home, changed and went to the MMA gym for an hour. Sadly, during this hour there were no classes for me to join so I just worked on the heavy bag until it was my time to go home. Hopefully tomorrow I won't work so late but we will see. Reflecting on Today and Yesterday Yesterday and the whole weekend went well. I didn't fall asleep at work either! Instead, I wrote this blog post with the new template I made for myself yesterday. It is much easier to write posts when I have some sort of structure to follow... same thing goes for working out. As far as how I'm personally feeling, I'm still wrestling with some thoughts in my head. I woke up from a nightmare at 3:50 am. I was shot then some sort of goat/animal thing charged at me. Strange dream. 📿Johnny