tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58315712024-03-12T21:57:09.293-05:00BLOG OF POOTENHEIMER... Fear it, Love itPeek into a world unlike your own, where you may vicariously experience vast opportunity, possibly taken advantage of, or imprudently ignored.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.comBlogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-13404539220797329242010-01-01T13:50:00.002-06:002010-01-01T13:54:57.511-06:00Happy 2010!It's a new year. And I stayed up way too late. And have been thinking about things, new year's resolutions and all that. So one thing to do that was sitting on my mind was to go back through all the old posts and remove horrid spam comments. I actually was dreaming that somehow, woke up with it on my mind. So now all the horrid spammy comments are GONE. You can leave nice lovely NON spammy comments, if you like, though, those make me smile.<br /><br />So my online time has been spent much more on non-blog stuff. Well, non Blog of Pootenheimer stuff. And it's been a learning experience. Quite. But it's been fun. And I'm still learning. And must get off to doing more pensive thought on what to do this new year. But I'm thinking doing a bit more fun blogging might be a good thing to do this year.<br /><br />Speaking of fun blogging, I did find an interesting bit about a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_Msrdg3Hk">black hole</a> that you may find curious.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-20035299029931590642009-09-01T23:44:00.004-05:002009-09-02T00:25:38.357-05:00What? Are you reading this?Ha! So if you're reading this, I am IMPRESSED. Because I have not posted anything since February! That's silly, I know.<br /><br />I've been heavily involved in this crazy thing called running a business. It's been taking all my time, pretty much. So the only real social networking I do is with friends on Facebook, a little Tweeting here and there, and then my company's blog. Which I should update more often. It's all about <a href="http://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/blog/">internet marketing</a> and all that. I try to put good stuff in there, about all the relevant information I come across, but should do it more often.<br /><br />So in my endeavors, one of the things I did was take a class from a guy called Perry Marshall. He's a cool guy, one of the best-known gurus for Google AdWords in the country. It's on my list of things to do to meet him someday. I did get to meet him on the phone, talk to him one-on-one. He's a good guy.<br /><br />Anyway, I took his class, it wasn't exactly cheap (I went for the "Gold" package"). It was to cover all the bases on my gaps in my AdWords knowledge. And I did learn a bit, although I think I knew more than a few others in the class.<br /><br />At the end of the class he had a competition. He asked anyone who wanted to enter to put info about the knowledge they had gained and how they were able to use it to improve their AdWords results. I was able to get some good results with a client of mine using Perry's info, so I entered. Turns out I won!<br /><br />So what does this have to do with anything? Well, most of my friends (and sister) have an iPhone. I haven't caved yet, partly because of the cost (and the fact I have no spending money right now), partly because I didn't want to get the first release of the iPhone. But hey - the prize for being one of the 3 winners of Perry's competition was actually a shiny new iPhone 3Gs. So it works out! And it turns out this new model actually has a video camera built into it. Plus, being Apple and all, it of course can upload directly to YouTube.<br /><br />Basically - I'm considering moving my blogging to more of a personal perspective video blog (vlog, I believe is the common term for it). I've already created a matching YouTube account (I snagged it just now, actually, mid-paragraph). I was just curious about anyone who MIGHT be reading this still - would that be a worthwhile adjustment? Could it be cool? Video is the online revolution, so perhaps it could be interesting. Just put vlog posts up when I see something video-worthy. Although my awesome random links won't fit in quite as well. But I COULD post them in the description next to my videos.<br /><br />Let me know what you think!<br /><br />And of course, I can't stop without putting a worthwhile random link here. I still find them, just haven't been sharing regularly. Naughty me! But this one might make up for some of my lacklusterness. It's a true story - it's all about a boy on a full mysterious adventure... an <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20051217074507/www.thefutureshock.com/index.html">awesome one</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-88341422457948340532009-02-08T15:55:00.003-06:002009-02-08T16:45:18.661-06:00Some catching upYes, yes. I've not been blogging in MONTHS. Yes, a very long time. But blogs are good! I've been learning all about the perks of them. It's all part of my master plan. My master plan to work for MYSELF. Instead of The Man. It might just work.<br /><br />All of the previous standard things are still in place. Yes, I still play guitar. Yes, I still do way too much kung fu. But I've taken my side business stuff and refocused it - it's now my main business. I had mentioned wanting to focus on my marketing - well, the business partner and I didn't really work out. I got some good experience, but that door is now closed. Now it's time to move forward in the direction I think I've been wanting to go for a long time, now.<br /><br />I've got a basic site up, the company's together, I have a few employees - I've been busy. I need to redo the design on my web site, but for the most part it's functional. I've got a few pages set up for each of the areas of internet marketing I do, such as <a href="http://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/seo.php" target="_blank">search engine optimization</a> (SEO), <a href="http://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/ppc.php" target="_blank">pay-per-click advertising</a> (PPC), and so forth. But the main focus of the site (and company) is <a href="http://www.tulsamarketingonline.com/" target="_blank">internet marketing</a>. So I do internet marketing full-time now. And I love it! (Yes, if you're checking the site out anytime soon after this post, it's still not PRETTY - I'm not a designer, I'm a coder. I'm having one of my designers fix that sometime soon.)<br /><br />It's quite fun, I must admit. A combination computer science, business, and psychology. Overall it's a big puzzle, and I <i>like</i> puzzles. And it's more work than any of my other jobs have ever been, by far. But the difference is that this is work that I LIKE. The main cool part of it is that I can actually increase business for companies that use my services. I'm starting with local companies, smaller businesses. Having a jump in online traffic can do wonders for a business's profits. If they have a good site, it helps, too. But knowing that what I'm doing is helping someone else achieve their goals and dreams is the main reward that keeps me loving doing this work.<br /><br />So yes, my blogging has become lax. Because I'm WORKING. Working all online, which is ironic, I realize. Meaning I really don't have a good excuse for not blogging. But hey. I'm working, here!<br /><br />I'm still busy, so this won't be a crazy long post, but it's a little catching up. I'll have to come back and give more details later.<br /><br />That doesn't mean I won't still do proper random linking. This is a link I had a friend send me. It's a series of videos with a grade-school level of explanation for why <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqZMTY4V7Ts" target="_blank">what we're doing to the Earth is BAD</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-10402673957596106382008-09-30T23:56:00.002-05:002008-10-01T00:13:13.000-05:00Birthday postYes, it's my birthday. And yes, I'm OLD. It's not really anything particularly special. I don't grow or lose any specific appendages or body organs. But since we live using a decimal system, this particular celebration of my day of birth is notable. I am THIRTY. It's a little depressing, because I'm now seeing ads on Facebook about "Women Over 30". It was a good picture, I'll give you that. But still.<br /><br />I know, I KNOW, I'm still relatively young, but it just makes me realize - life moves on whether you want it to or not. So I was thinking about things. Introspection, as I tend to do on a regular basis. Thinking about who I am, and who I want to be. Who do I want to be? I want to be a good person. That's pretty much it, the rest is just gravy. (Even though I don't like gravy, that means it's GOOD.) I'm looking at Americans in general, how they age. I have the good fortune of coming from parents who both look about ten years younger than they actually are. So yes, I look a bit younger than I actually am. Especially when I'm not wearing glasses or facial hair. Perhaps that's the reason I spontaneously decided to shave all mine off for the first time in years. It's weird. I still don't completely recognize myself in the mirror. But I've gotten complements, so I think I'm leaving it this way for a while.<br /><br />That, and then doing some revisions on diet and exercise. Yes, I still do plenty of kung fu, but I'm thinking about going back to the Navy SEAL workout. I did it once before, and it put some serious muscle on me. It might be an interesting change to try out. The main thing I'd have to do is give up almost all soft drinks. Which would be a major change for me. I mean seriously - I'm a computer scientist. That's a given staple of our diet. That, and pizza, naturally. Giving up pizza and Pepsi will be very hard, but I think it might be worth a shot.<br /><br />And the rest of things are on the work-related issues. Working for a living, doing things that I personally want to do. My business partner and I will be doing two projects, and then after that, it's time to focus on my marketing. I think if I put some full-time work into it, I can make at least enough to live off of. Perhaps more. We'll see how it goes, but I WILL need to motivate myself in a serious manner. I have the tools necessary - now it's just time to use them.<br /><br />Anyway - it's time to get back to relaxing for my birthday, for the last few hours of the night (even though it's now technically no longer my birthday). So that means random link for you. Not too random - I did mention it before. But if you're interested in what I'll be doing to get in better shape, <a href="http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/conditioning/a/012204.htm">here you go</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-19802081780910030452008-09-26T00:45:00.003-05:002008-09-26T01:24:02.270-05:00Life moves on, sometimes quicklySo things are progressing. It's late, and I'm pensive, so this may be an interesting blog post.<br /><br />I'm starting a new business with a rather new friend of mine. He recently broke up with his boyfriend (yes, that's correct) of 2 and a half years. Since he lived there, he didn't have another place to go. Since we're working together, it made some sense for the decision to be made to have him move in with me. I have two rooms I wasn't really using, anyway, and now I'm getting paid for the use of them, so that's a definite positive thing. Yes, new roommate, new business, things are CHANGING.<br /><br />It seems like this is something that's happening to not just me, but several of my friends. There have been a variety of breakups and moving. I had my ex move out, the business partner move in. Another friend of mine moved into a house with her fiance, and now it seems that relationship has shattered and he's moving out. It's been rather stressful for her, because he's not handling it well. She's been hanging out with all of us, the group of friends who all seemed to mesh together at once (including the new roommate). And apparently has already found another guy within the group, but it seems like the two of them getting together was inevitable, if she was going to ever be single again. Which she is.<br /><br />So YES. Chaos. That is life. And sometimes it can be good, sometimes it can be bad. As it is, now I'm still working through finishing up the move. This week has been filled with that, and determining how to manage finances until the first paychecks roll through.<br /><br />Love life still mystifies me. I'm turning 30 at the end of the month (yes, I am OLD), and am single yet again. It makes me wonder if I'm being too picky. I did finally make contact with a crush I've had for four years. That's a very long story, but suffice it to say, it's also how I met a lot of my new friends. After much deliberation and introspection, I've decided it's not someone I should "hold out" for. It made me sad to come to that decision, because it was one of those dreams always sitting at the back of my head, the "what if". To see it fall is slightly depressing. I did learn (yet again) that it's dangerous to put someone on a pedestal. With almost no exceptions, people placed in such a precarious position cannot possibly hold up to all expectations. And yes, after getting to know this girl better, I did find some (in my opinion) flaws. It made me quite disappointed to find out what her limitations were, and what type of person she really was. I had hoped for more. That, and the fact that she had a shot at ME (who, in my opinion, was the epitome of a SPLENDID CATCH for her, in particular) and gave it up means all her marbles are not in the right place.<br /><br />There is still soap opera developments to be potentially unraveled in the future, as we're set to take salsa lessons together (with some other friends), as well as go see Nine Inch Nails together, in concert. It might make things interesting. And if some of the facets of her personality that I found distasteful DO change, then there'd be a possibility for something in the future. But I'm not holding my breath. Just makes me mad I do find her so attractive, and I can't turn that OFF.<br /><br />So yes - the business. You may be wondering what it is. If I were you, I know I would be wondering. What is it? Well, it's actually something I've been thinking about for years, but it was tricky to find a way in... game development. To do it for a major console is almost impossible with a small company. So we're starting small. iPhone gaming. We'll see how well it does, but I'll say this about the first app - it's pretty freakin' cool. It's addictive like crazy, which is good. And very basic, the idea is novel, I think it should do okay. Hopefully enough to pay some extra bills. When we release it, I'll post the details, but until then, it's SECRET. Nondisclosure, all that.<br /><br />That's most of it. Kung fu continues, as always. I've recovered a bit. I've been thinking about the fact I've been doing it now for close to nine years. And the idea that a lot of 200+ pound guys get twitchy and nervous if I raise my arms around them in class makes me think my skills have gotten to a decent point. I have had several people ask me why I haven't entered in the full contact matches, and it's making me start to wonder about trying it. I'd have to change my diet and increase my exercise routine in a large way, but I think it could be interesting. Still considering it.<br /><br />Anyway, that's enough for tonight, I think. I'll leave you with two vids I stumbled across that I actually was surprised at the quality of, primarily because it's from CollegeHumor.com. But they're good enough to pass on. One is a <a href="http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1831461">trailer to a potentially upcoming movie</a>, and the other is <a href="http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1829648">how I think rap should be</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-68711501235829316202008-09-14T11:37:00.002-05:002008-09-14T13:59:31.496-05:00Changes happen all at onceI've said it before, but I think it's very true. When things in your life change, they have a tendency to change in several ways at once. That's happening for me, and I think it's still in progress.<br /><br />Work is the one place that people spend their life. Eight hours a day (usually, or more), five days a week. That takes the majority of your life. It affects how you feel, who you are. I had quit my job at IBM, mainly because I didn't like the pressure with the work from having expectations to work on increasing levels of work without any extra compensation or assistance. And a large level of stress was lifted when I left. So I went to another company, a small company with only a few people. It seemed very good, doing work on machines that are top of the line, with all necessary software. I was put on a fairly large project. And the more I worked, the less exciting the job started seeming.<br /><br />Anyway, changes. Yeah, I don't work there anymore. And I'm taking a risk by going into something completely independent. But I think it was only a matter of time before I got there. This might be it. I'll give details when I figure it out.<br /><br />So the girlfriend is done. No more model girlfriend - although I will admit, I probably will NEVER AGAIN. Guys all (on some level) think it'd be awesome to date a model. But I think they might be a little overly dramatic for my tastes. And I'm still being nice to her, and I think we'll probably be friends on some level. I think I need people a little more grounded. Not someone who's eager to launch off to a new life every couple of months.<br /><br />Been making new friends, hanging out with different people, and I think life's been changing for the better. I think it has potential to get even better - I can hope, at least.<br /><br />That's some of the latest. And kung fu STILL GOES. We had our tournament yesterday and I'm STILL tired. Started at 8, finished at 11 PM. Two tournaments, actually. First was a normal tournament, where I competed and did lion dancing AND was in charge of some self-defense demonstrations. I stayed busy. Then after that, the full contact tournament. I didn't compete, but I was a judge. Ring-side seat. Very good. Some of the fights were great, particularly one with one of our students. He came to us to learn how to fight, and was in the super heavyweight division. The guy he fought was pretty scary looking, but he actually used what we trained him for. I've worked personally with him a lot, so I was particularly proud when he used his new skills to pound the tar out of the other guy. The crowd was going crazy. He ended up winning the first two rounds by decision, it was a great fight.<br /><br />Random link time! I found a good one for you. I'm a big nerd, and a lot of people reading probably are too. So you should <a href="http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/09/top-10-amazing.html">appreciate this</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-36918325641564619172008-09-01T22:56:00.003-05:002008-09-01T23:11:22.558-05:00And we're backApparently there are at least a few (very important) people who still check this silly blog. So it's back on!<br /><br />I'll have to take another day to catch up on things a bit. My life is currently going through one of those life-changing all-at-once happenings. Multiple women issues to deal with, job stuff, kung fu continuing onward, side business stuffs. Mainly the first two things. Which is actually more than just two.<br /><br />But yes. I'll post some more, not sure how often, but it will be regular as oat bran. And of course, plenty of random linking. Ah yes! I did get a Mac. Finally caved. It's quite nice (I'm on it now). And it's made me appreciate HD and the finer qualities of high quality imagery. <a href="http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/03/10/35-fantastic-hdr-pictures/">This</a> fits right into all of it.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-60981549647440244512008-08-29T09:53:00.001-05:002008-08-29T09:54:55.347-05:00Second post of the new yearHaven't touched my blog (lovely blog) in a little bit. Just posting to see if anyone even CHECKS this thing anymore. If you do, and you'd think it worthwhile to read more, leave a comment! Tell me yes! Or no!<br /><br />Thank ye.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-64502287549275707892008-01-07T15:11:00.000-06:002008-01-07T16:03:03.089-06:00First post of the new yearYes! First post of the new year! And also, first post since before all the holiday craziness. A lot happens over the holidays. What happened over your holidays? Well, for me, it's been chaos. Some good, some not so much.<br /><br />There was the ice storm, to start with. I lost power for about two and a half days. Lost all food in my fridge, and it was a bit cold, somehow. I spent a bit of time with my family, since they kept power. Makes you appreciate things you have.<br /><br />Another not so good thing was my side business. I had been bad about only keeping one campaign running. Well, when the merchant I was using got shut down, it meant my side business was crippled to almost nothing. So I'm sort of struggling with much less income than I was making before. It means back to work for me! So I've been working diligently to improve things, and with multiple campaigns this time. It'll take time (and much effort), but things are looking better this month. We'll see.<br /><br />But in other news - after breaking up with the previous girlfriend, I was ready to be single for a long time. You know what that means, right? Right. I found a girl fairly quickly. She's essentially the perfect woman. At least, for me. Seriously - if I had made up an ideal girlfriend, I don't think she'd be as good as the one I found. So say I made up a girlfriend, what would she be like? She'd be beautiful (inside and out), she'd be a model or an actress, definitely have some musical ability, it'd be nice if she had some martial arts experience, of course she'd have to like video games, she'd be healthy, have goals, and have intelligence enough to entertain my silly conversations.<br /><br />So what's the real thing like? She's beautiful (inside and out), she's a model AND an actress AND a dancer to boot (has her own IMDB entry, and no, I'm not listing that here), she sings (and has done so professionally), she's a black belt (alas, in taekwondo, but oh well), she's a hardcore video gamer (enjoys both playing and watching), and is healthy, has goals, and talks to me at length about anything. So yeah. The perfect girlfriend. Her name is Tiffany.<br /><br />That's been a pretty good thing, made the holidays a bit better. Got to spend them with my family, had a good time. I actually snagged Super Mario Galaxy from the folks, and it is quite sweet. Tif and I have been playing it and won it this last weekend. With 99 stars. Still working on finishing out the next 21. It messes with your HEAD. Because of the distortion with gravity and direction. But it's definitely fun.<br /><br />Aside from that, I started my new role at the company. The first one is now complete, so I got transitioned to a new position. So far, it's been going okay. Not perfectly smoothly, but not too shabbily. I think it won't take too long to get acclimated and fit into the scheme of things here. At least I'm no longer on call, which is VERY GOOD.<br /><br />I've been away from kung fu for two weeks, so I'm getting fat. Okay, maybe not really, but I definitely am still on the pizza + Pepsi diet. Because it's so sweet. And that plus no kung fu can't be good for me. I went back for the first time for lion dance practice, and they asked me if I had actually lost weight. So apparently I'm not getting too fat. But I need more kung fu! Going back in tonight, should be a good move back into things. We have our big demo coming up for the Chinese New Year at the beginning of February. I'll be in the lion (of course), and doing a crazy hard form for the demonstration. We'll see how that goes. Still have some time for training.<br /><br />Oh, I must say - I went and saw <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/">Juno</a> this last weekend, per recommendation by my sister. It's surprisingly good. I'd recommend you go check it out, if you have a chance. But don't go in expecting it to be good, just make your own decision on it.<br /><br />So for now, I'm working hard, trying to get my side business back up and beyond, and working at work work, and kung fu, plus spending time with the perfect girlfriend. It is nice, because a lot of that time is doing stuff I'd normally be doing for fun (movies, gaming), just with someone who also likes the same stuff (and who happens to be extraordinarily hot). It's a happy place.<br /><br />Ooh! Random links! Okay, one is some music I learned about from Tif. They're a Canadian Band. A little bit <a href="http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7E9033B4DAE901F0">electronica, rock, and Cocteau Twins all mixed together</a>. I do like them. Oh! And I forgot to mention, Fred and I got Rock Band. It's a very, very good game. Loads of fun. Even those <a href="http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/838/838235p1.html">nasty reviews</a> seem to like it.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-70802499746180446312007-11-16T11:55:00.000-06:002007-11-16T13:28:52.275-06:00Bored at work, and it's lunchtimeSo I'm writing. I actually haven't updated in longer than I would like to have updated and I feel like this sentence is already way too long but I realize I could continue writing it with connections from various conjunctions that make it seem like the entire construct of the sentence makes sense but in reality is simply ridiculous.<br /><br />And I think I'll start a new paragraph. So one big thing that happened was my dentist appointment. I have a new dentist. I went in for the initial checkup, x-rays, etc. For starters, most dentists do a few x-rays. You know, maybe up to 6 or even 8. But this dentist is a perfectionist, so he took something in the neighborhood of, oh... 18. And I had a filling from my last dentist, but the new one didn't like it, so he said he wanted to redo it. And that's what my last appointment was. It was definitely a story. And this... is that story.<br /><br />I went in, like any normal appointment. There were some delays, some issues with a medical concern and a pregnant individual. But I finally went in, they sat me down. I was given topical ointment to numb the gums initially. That was a new experience for me. And then she asked me if I wanted to listen to some music, and I looked at her with a little confusion. That had never been an option for me before. She saw my look, and said, "Oh yes, we can give you an iPod to listen to." So I said sure, why not. And there was a full variety of music on their iPod Mini. The latest Evanescence album, a bit of Collective Soul, random pieces from Mozart, a bit of country, a bit of R&B. I think I finally ended up with Collective Soul, good classic stuff. So they wait a little while to let it set in. Then he comes in, they take a look, he gets all the equipment ready, then they do the injection. And he's apologizing for the sting, and how he knows it doesn't feel good. But it's not really all that bad. So I end up talking to the dental assistant for a little while, about various things. And how they had all been treating me very nicely, and everything was so much more than what I had received in previous treatments from my other dentist (which was true). And she looked at me and said, "Oh, and I didn't even offer you the virtual reality glasses." I figured she was kidding. And then I thought about it, and asked... "You're kidding, right?" She laughed and said, "No, actually, we do have them." Apparently you can get these video glasses that connect to a video iPod and they'll hook you up with a movie or a TV show of your choice, if your treatment is long enough to watch one. And they have some pads they can use to keep your mouth open comfortably, so you don't even have to open your <span style="font-style:italic;">own mouth</span>.<br /><br />They did have to inject me again, because apparently if you're fit (which I guess I kind of am) your higher metabolism makes it harder for the injection to set in. But once it was good (which took a while), he went to work. It was rather easy, and he did comment that it was a good thing I had come in. The previous filling was very rough and had jagged edges, so it had been irritating my gumline a bit. That, and there was one big edge were it was supposed to be in line with the tooth and was not, so every time I flossed it would catch the filling edge and tear. He finished it and said that I wouldn't be able to appreciate it fully, but it was 1000 times better. After getting home and finally checking it out, I can say I have to agree. His filling looks impeccable - as though it's just my tooth. I can't even see the filling (it blends in perfectly), and it feels identical to the same tooth on the mirror side of my mouth. It's quite lovely. Best dentist EVAR.<br /><br />Beyond that, it's been work and play, much more work than play. Lots of kung fu. Buck Sam Kong came to town this last weekend. So, of course, I was up being chosen by him to do instruction with. Which means he'd have me punch at him while he'd smile and do a counter attack at faster-than-normal-human speeds. It was a lot of fun. I got some good techniques, and mainly it helped me realize I've actually learned a lot, because these techniques were all familiar to me. I simply need to practice them enough to make them automatic. There were a lot of people in the workshops, and I got to play kung fu with Shannon. Shannon is leaving this next week, which makes me sad. Justin is gone to the Marines, Shannon's heading to Colorado to open his own school. That leaves me as Sihing number one. No pressure. I think I can handle it now, though. After about eight years of training, you tend to learn some things. Oh! And I found a video. On YouTube, of course. This looks like it was recent, so you can see Buck Sam Kong as he looks today. A few caveats - he's not in the same shape he used to be, but it doesn't matter. He's 70 and looks potentially like a weak old man... to those who don't know him. Even as he is now, he's probably more able and faster than anyone I know, for anything related to martial arts. Here you can get an idea what it's like to be his test dummy, with a little bit of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UayRJwiotc">Chin Na technique</a>. Basic techniques, nothing too fancy. And the guy he's practicing with is pretty funny. I think I'm masochistic, as every time he gets me with something particularly painful, I just smile, and say, "Ooh, that's good." Good kung fu!<br /><br />Oh, and bonus bonus. Buck Sam Kong may be 70, but HIS sifu is still around. Well, around Hong Kong, anyway. He doesn't leave that city. His name is Lum Jo, sometimes spelled Lam Cho. I had the honor of actually being able to shake this legend's hand. And I have a few pictures of him, with our group with him, as well. But in this video, he's 96. Tell me if you don't think kung fu is good for health after <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc8B46ChQcA">seeing this</a>.<br /><br />And last bit, I picked up a new game. And it is sweet. It is called <a href="http://assassinscreed.us.ubi.com/index.php">Assassin's Creed</a>. If you've never heard of it, I highly recommend you go and check out the trailers on that site. In particular, the second trailer, although the first and third are also very good. Yes, it really looks that good. My quick review on it is this - if you play to just try to accomplish the end results in a hurry, it's not for you. Don't play to try to win as fast as possible. If you can play and just emulate how you would do it in real-time, it's much more rewarding. Something about the time it takes to properly set up your mission and to hit your target, if done slowly, properly, deliberately - it's quite fun. That, and the fact that he does free running (AKA Parkour), martial arts, and weapon fighting with a badass outfit - yeah, of course I love it. Running across the rooftops is particularly enjoyable. It does take a while, and the way the story is set up is unique. There's a bit of a twist in the way they introduce everything, and some people don't like it, but I actually really enjoyed how they did it. Very nice.<br /><br />So I should probably get back to work. And I've given you a ton of links. But they've all been relevant. Oh, and I'm still stressing out about the ex, it's something that'll take time to get over. So here's a little bit of logic for you:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_qDYSGFlk11o/Rz3vVrPXxDI/AAAAAAAAABA/Y1m6kEJGOyU/s1600-h/image00117.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_qDYSGFlk11o/Rz3vVrPXxDI/AAAAAAAAABA/Y1m6kEJGOyU/s400/image00117.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133522305935721522" /></a><br /><br />And the random link! I can never get enough Top Gear. Even when they don't get it <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_FU95wo5lo">quite right</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-12066365161746301122007-10-30T13:54:00.000-05:002007-10-30T16:54:42.011-05:00Getting back to itSo the past few weeks have been a little rough. It happens that way, though. Yeah, I broke up with the girlfriend, and that was pretty sucky. Before you ask, it was fairly mutual, although I really was the one to make it happen. So that's been wearing on me a bit. Then last week I was on call at work, and I got at least one phone call EVERY NIGHT. Which means I didn't get a full night's sleep at all. Add to that working over the weekend last weekend (when it wasn't my turn - the guy who was supposed to was out of town) on an issue that came up, and I put in close to 60 hours. With broken sleep. It didn't help me out much at all. Thankfully, Friday morning after working from Thursday night at 10-ish to a little after 3 (yes, AM), I decided to go ahead and sleep IN. So I e-mailed my co-workers to let them know, and thankfully, they did not disturb me. I got a lot of sleep caught up, but it was still rough.<br /><br />Things like that are what are prompting me to push forward a bit more with my internet marketing business. I've been seeing a lot of success with other people in the forums, and it's making me curious about where I might be if I had kept working on improving, instead of just letting it roll after I got some success. So I'm going to get back to it, put the nose to the grindstone, etc. Hopefully it'll improve my income a decent degree, we'll see. Mainly it's been from seeing the stories from people in the forums on the <a href="http://www.wealthyaffiliate.com/?a_aid=0cXt2tMn">site I use regularly</a> for reference and input (yes, it's their sales page, but the forums are members-only). Especially one specific individual who managed to earn $2500. Not in a year. Not in a month. No, not in a week. But in <span style="font-style:italic;">a day</span>. Pure profit. I kid you not. So I'm figuring if I can get to that point sometime, I'd probably be pretty peachy. Ppppppt. (I think I've used up my ration of "p"s for a while.) But yeah, I've been working quite a bit on trying to gain more knowledge, put up more sites, figure out how it works when you do it right. We'll see how it goes.<br /><br />Aside from that, Halloween is coming up, and I'll be giving out candy to the kiddies. I should get some GOOD candy. Not to be nice to the kids so much as so I have something decent if there's any left over. Mmmm, candy.<br /><br />Okay, it's time for a random link. All I have to say is this: I really like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYhd_N01fLg">Top Gear</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-65957785951333612052007-10-12T15:27:00.000-05:002007-10-12T15:34:16.021-05:00Life moves onSo a lot has happened since my last post. I got a little older. It was fun, good times at the Cheesecake Factory. Got some good stuff from my parents, including a <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/9171/">crazy alarm clock</a>. I've tested it out, but I'm scared to actually use it. I think it would definitely get me up, but for some reason I like hitting my snooze button.<br /><br />The big news, though, is the fact that I'm single again. It's pretty sucky. I think it's probably the right way to go, but it doesn't make it any easier. Thankfully I have a ton of stuff to work on to distract me, so hopefully it'll be something I can not dwell on too much.<br /><br />I'll probably have some sort of introspective thought process later on, but for now, my brain is kinda mush. So I'll just leave you with a random link. Even though I was feeling crummy, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnVY5exh6Iw">this</a> still made me laugh.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-50370755963815831732007-09-25T15:30:00.000-05:002007-09-25T16:21:20.726-05:00Staying busy, getting older soonYeah, I'm probably yet again doing MORE than any sane person should. Still doing kung fu, although I think I might need to take a bigger break. And soon. I'm looking into a few properties for investment purposes, and my internet marketing has taken a jump up. I have some motivation to succeed, so we'll have to see how it turns out.<br /><br />Well, there's that, plus the fact that a little piece of software was just released. You might have heard of it... Halo 3? Yeah, I (being the true nerd) went to the midnight release. Seeing some of the other individuals there just made me smile. I got some free pizza as well as finished off a level at expert difficulty in the in-store copy of Guitar Hero 2. That, and I did play a little after getting home. I'm feeling it a bit now, and my girlfriend wasn't particularly happy about that (she said to show some restraint and hold back - I'm apparently not THAT strong). But yes - the game is glorious. It's gorgeous, and it sounds awesome, and it's FUN. And I shall play it again tonight.<br /><br />I'm getting older soon. Sunday, to be exact. And I have no idea what I'll be doing. Perhaps I should just relax and watch a cinematic adventure. Or perhaps play some Halo 3. Or even some guitar (that's kind of been lost on the wayside with all my other activities). I might just lose some more hair and feel old. Fun times!<br /><br />Okay, so I'm still at work, so I should go. I'll go ahead and post the random link here for now. This is another blog I found out about from CNN. It's both horrific and entertaining, something all blogs should aspire towards. <a href="http://lacantdrive.blogspot.com/">Check it out</a>!Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-82163243591085982902007-09-17T16:08:00.000-05:002007-09-17T16:40:15.575-05:00Blog birthday tomorrowHow odd. My blog will be four years old tomorrow. That's pretty old for a blog. And it's been fairly quiet for the past year. But this past year has not been so quiet for ME. I think those things are related, somehow.<br /><br />So lately I've been thinking a lot about life, and how I'm getting older, and jobs, and women, and family, and so forth. What do I want to do with life? That's one I'm still working on. Apparently all my questioning is not something that is completely unusual. I don't normally jump into astrology analysis, but a friend forwarded <a href="http://newage-directory.com/saturn.html">this</a> to me and it struck me as oddly correlating. (For those that scoff at new age web sites, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_return">here's the wikipedia entry</a>.) It matches a LOT of what I've been dealing with lately.<br /><br />So what's that mean? I've been a big computer nerd for basically my whole life. That may change in the next year or two, apparently. I might end up being a real estate guru. Who knows. After that I might open up my own bank. Or become a movie director (something I've wanted to try for a long time). But sitting in a cubicle, typing in code for a program that's most likely not going to be used for an extremely long period of time, while worrying about the company I'm working for being bought out and a large percentage of employees being laid off - that's not something that I want to do for the rest of my life. And that I KNOW. So the question is now... what DO I want to do? What's rewarding? What's fun? What's both, and can still allow me to pay my bills? Can I do more than one thing at once? Could I be a real estate investor and a rock star AND a kung fu teacher? With some movies on the side? (Clean movies. I know you were thinking it would be pr0n. You pervert.)<br /><br />And then what about family? When am I going to get married? That, I have no idea on. What about kids? I know I want one (preferably two), but when's a good time? These are all things I've been thinking about, aside from my learning for marketing and real estate.<br /><br />Speaking of, I went to a workshop for real estate rehab this last weekend with Nicole (my girlfriend - she's always been interested in rehab work for properties). The guy giving the workshop is known as "Mr. Rehab" - Pete Youngs. He's a good guy, and he gave a ton of very good tips. I'm eager to try some of his techniques on a property, so I'm looking for some that need rehab work. The kind that people look at and say, "Ugh!" I really am thinking this is something I'd enjoy. It's manual labor with a very visible product. It's work with results you can see. That, and the money's okay, too. If you happen to know anyone selling a property that needs work, or if you just see a property that looks like it's abandoned (with much better looking houses around it), let me know. (Hint, hint - I pay a referral fee for any properties I close on, and it's a fairly sizeable chunk of cash. Ask me if you're interested and/or curious.) I think it'd be a rewarding job, and something that would help improve things for everyone. That, and I could get some sun instead of being stuck in front of a computer all day.<br /><br />Anyway, my life will go forward somehow. I'll just have to see how it moves forward as I get there.<br /><br />Time for random linkage! I'm still hooked on YouTube. It's the source of many of my musings. It can even be educational. If you smoke (or know someone who does), you may want to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQ4n7g31RlE">check this out</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-81072479537278768672007-09-12T12:42:00.000-05:002007-09-12T13:19:01.775-05:00Yes, the blog LIVESYeah, it's been a long time. A very long time. I've been overly busy, and just have (to be honest) forgotten I even had a blog. But I've put enough time into it in the past, and it contains memories, as well as being cathartic when I put entries into it, somehow.<br /><br />I've been thinking a lot lately about life in general. My birthday's coming up, I'm not getting any younger, and I'm thinking more and more about what I should do with my life. Both what I want to do, and what I <span style="font-style:italic;">should</span> do. In the past, I approached various endeavors with commitment, to make sure I learned the things I wanted to. Looking at myself today, I can see the results of these.<br /><ul>In review:<br /><li>I've completed two degrees in computer science, stemming from my childhood interest in programming (started at 8 years of age).</li><br /><li>I've learned how to play guitar. How good I am is debatable, but I am a fan of my 12-string Seagull, as well as playing on my electric guitars (nothing quite like the fun of ripping through a song on an American Strat).</li><br /><li>I've learned kung fu. I'm now a black belt and one of the senior students at my school, and I've heard from many people they very much like my teaching style, which is rewarding to hear. That, and it's fun, plus it keeps me in shape, which allows me to keep my horrid vice of pizza and Pepsi.</li><br /><li>I've achieved a few of my life goals in the past few years (actually, past year or so), including buying the car of my dreams new and driving it off the showroom floor, as well as purchasing a decent house.</li><br /></ul><br /><br />I'm still very goal-oriented, and at the moment my latest interests have been in other occupations. Mainly that of internet marketing and real estate investing. I've established a decent income with internet marketing (helped buy my car), and I definitely have the knowledge necessary to move forward with it. I've learned a lot with real estate and am in the process of pursuing some property acquisitions to learn first-hand more about it. I know enough now to get started fully, and expect it to happen soon. That, and I've recently been peeking into the wide world of poker, which I'm moderately decent at (consistently in the top three of 8-10 player tables in my weekly game with the guys). There are people who make six figures a year from it, so it might be a fun hobby to bring some income in on an occasional basis.<br /><br />The bad things about all of this is that it keeps me <span style="font-weight:bold;">very</span> occupied, moreso than most people I know (or even have heard of). My girlfriend is not a fan of that detail, which is understandable. I'm coming up on my birthday, and while I'm still young, the age that I'm reaching is large enough that it's making me start to think about what I should be doing in life. I want to have an impact on the world in a good way, and working in IT for the rest of my life is not going to do it. So I need to figure out what I want to do that combines nicely with what I SHOULD do. It's been on my mind a lot lately, and I'm still wandering a bit through possibilities.<br /><br />Anyway, perhaps a stream-of-consciousness style of discussion with you here may help me delineate my potential life paths enough to make a confident decision. Or maybe it will help me discover new ideas. For now, I'm doing more things than really should being doing, and at ONCE, so I should start looking on what I should focus more fully on, then drop the attention so much on everything equally, in my multi-faceted lifestyle.<br /><br />A very introspective blog entry for you today. How about you? Have you considered your own life? Where it's going? What you'll be doing with it? These are things for you to think about. I won't know about yours, but mine are here. I know some might consider concern over publicly discussing one's life so openly, but the reality is that in our fully connected world today, any of these details that anyone wanted to know they could find fairly easily, if they looked. So... eh. It's okay.<br /><br />And yes, I haven't forgotten a random link. I'll actually post a link to another blog that I found in my revamped poker interest (I started playing originally when I was under 10 years old). He waxes philosophical about many of the same things I've talked about here today, and it's inspired me to continue my own blog, as well as think more deeply on my life's direction. You can <a href="http://zbasic.com/2004_10_01_archive.html">look for yourself</a> if you're curious (from the first month of entries, oldest posts at the bottom, newest on top).Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-72814563309436689092007-07-11T13:35:00.000-05:002007-07-11T13:47:30.860-05:00300th post!I really don't know how I've managed 300 posts, when I don't post more than about once a month. Bleah. I think I'm packing my schedule too crazily. Why do I say that?<br /><br />Well, I've been a bit busy. Bought a house, moved in (with a U-HAUL, no less). Yeah, I had some great friends help me out, but moving a moderately large TV (as in, one that weighs twice what I do or more) down six flights of stairs is a bit nerve-wracking. Crammed everything into the U-Haul, moved it over to the house, pulled everything out. It's almost like a home now! Still unpacking a bit here and there, and my computer desk didn't survive the move, sadly. Ooh, and Neil (my first roommate) is now my neighbor! Not VERY close by, but within the same square mile.<br /><br />That, and the company I work for has, yet again, been bought out. Which means I'm now in the state of flux with my job. I may actually end up working with a small group of guys, doing REAL coding, instead of web "development". Or using proprietary modifications of Access databases, which are badly done. We'll see what happens, probably by next week.<br /><br />And kung fu moves on! I'm still training. Working out for full-contact tournaments, although I don't think I'll be competing in this next one. Why not? Because I'll be playing guitar at a wedding, so I should probably practice THAT a bit, and not risk breaking things that are part of my body before then. Busy, busy.<br /><br />So things are changing, they are in flux. I do still have my girlfriend, Nicole, and she is quite Nicolicious. Mmm, hmm. Ah! Random link time! I have a good one. I've been quite hooked on this. So you've been warned. It's fun to play, though. It's called <a href="http://weewar.com?referrer=Pootenheimer">Weewar</a>! That, and bonus random link about the <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/10/will-it-blend-the-iphone-smoothie/">best thing to do with an iPhone</a>. And what to <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=007&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=170129995323&rd=1&rd=1">do after</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-1061724391227800572007-05-30T13:17:00.000-05:002007-05-30T15:35:18.090-05:00Ugh! Busy!Yes, my blog has been slightly abandoned. I'm sorry, blog! I've been overly busy. Busy? Kung fu is continuing to take a lot of my time, although the weekends lately have been a bit less committed. Free time? Not quite. Girlfriend time? Yes, quite.<br /><br />That, and I'm starting up on my phase 2 on making money independently. How? Well, I won't tell you, but I'll give you a hint: it involves investment in a BIG way. In other, COMPLETELY unrelated news, I've decided to finally move out from my apartment. To what? Why, to a house! It's crazy, I know. I've got a contract, but I don't close until the end of next month. So I have some time to back out if I choose to, but I'm thinking I'll probably go ahead. It's in Jenks, so it's pretty far away from a lot of my friends and family, but not TOO far. I'll have to get trained on how to maintain a property, as well as actually keep it clean. Mainly my paperwork/mail will have to be kept on a daily basis, instead of tri-monthly. That, and I'll have to start doing lawn and garden work. And pay for extra expenses. But I'll have a house! Play guitar late at night if I want! Play DDR with no worries at all! Have room to do it two player, if I choose! And other things non-game related.<br /><br />Actually, I don't game much at all anymore. I did get to play a bit at a bachelor party I recently attended. Much Halo 3 was played. Yes, I said 3. We got our hands on the beta, and much fun was had. It's the first time I've played in a while. I've been to a lot of bachelor parties lately. Seems like EVERYONE is getting married. In fact, my old roomie Nick just got engaged. So yeah, lots of changes, life moves forward.<br /><br />I'm at work at the moment, and changes are happening here, too. Williams Power was bought out, so lots of changes are going to happen. Which means I need to start getting my side businesses rolling soon, to make sure I'm not freaking out about maybes. We'll see how it all turns out.<br /><br />Random links? Okay! One I got from Nick. I saw the Pirates of the Caribbean 3 movie this last weekend. I myself do NOT like these movies very much. I guess I'm not alone, because someone made a list of <a href="http://phillryu.com/2007/05/27/10-reasons-why-pirates-3-actually-kicked-ass/">why it doesn't suck</a>. (Spoilers ahoy, arr!)<br /><br />Oh, and one more random link. I found this from CNN's news. This guy apparently was hit so hard by... certain people's paranoia, that he went ahead and created a live alibi feed. <a href="http://www.trackingtransience.net/">This is his page</a>, and he has an updated feed on where he is every moment, as well as a shot of the environment he's at at that moment. Is he crazy? Or just creative in his dealing with other people's paranoia (because of his name, mainly)?Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-42432322308313287632007-04-24T13:00:00.000-05:002007-05-02T09:21:47.505-05:00Yay! ALMOST two posts a month!Bleah, I've been really REALLY busy. It's been a big combination of work, other work, kung fu, the girlfriend, and then more kung fu. That, and being on call can SUCK.<br /><br />For example, last week I was working after standard work hours every day except for Wednesday. And that includes the weekend. So yeah, it was very very sucky. Many of those days I was working after midnight, too, so I lost a lot of sleep - that can wear you down quite a bit.<br /><br />After all that, it's made me MOTIVATED. Motivated to get back into side business! I'm learning about a new area to make money with, but it's still being researched. So for now, I'm going back to what I was learning last year, and building on it. Hopefully it will all be good. Perhaps learn a bit more! It should be good.<br /><br />Quick update on kung fu - our tournament is THIS weekend. Saturday and Sunday, most of the days. Starts at 10 AM Saturday, we should have a good demo right at the beginning. It will be at the Nathan Hale gym. If you can make it, it might be worth checking out.<br /><br />Since I'm at work now (and still working), I can't write a LOT right now. I have been a little more hooked on YouTube lately, too. Why? Well, for my random link, I'll give you <a href="http://www.youtube.com/EricAlanMusic">one little reason</a>.<br /><br />Oh! And one more I ALMOST forgot about, that I have Seanicus to thank for finding. Make sure you check out the last items on the "Merchandise Mart" page. Just <a href="http://neuticles.com/index1.html">be prepared</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-53581127891792231622007-04-09T15:27:00.000-05:002007-04-09T15:33:06.996-05:00Okay, so I missed a monthYeah, lots of stuff has been changing. I don't know if anyone even READS my blog anymore. If you do, you can post an anonymous comment (or not anonymous, if you're brave), let me know. Then I may post MORE. You know, inspiration.<br /><br />Quick post, since I'm at work. I've decided to cave in to the popularity that is YouTube. But use it how? For music, naturally. So I'll be posting some vids of ME. Maybe. If I'm brave enough. Doing music, you know. Either that, or dancing madly. But probably just music. Or maybe my mad skillz at gaming. But I haven't done any real gaming in a while.<br /><br />Yeah, lots of stuff changing, I'll give more of an update later. One not so happy change was me throwing out my back a week ago. Trying to throw a guy one MORE time at practice. A guy who weighed about twice my weight. Yeah, okay, not the smartest move. But I had been doing it successfully.<br /><br />Random link! Sort of. Since yesterday was Easter (happy belated Easter!), it's only appropriate to put in an easter egg. A WINDOWS easter egg. Muahahahahaahahaaaaaaa... Try copying and pasting the text on the next line, then immediately typing after that. In Notepad, or something. See what happens.<br />(Ω_Ω)Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-65935092732086954862007-02-26T10:13:00.000-06:002007-02-26T12:54:48.911-06:00Okay, need to blogToo much has happened, I need to talk about it. Yeah, it's been a while, but it's still February! So maybe I'll blog some more. Maybe. Maybe not. It's like I say I need to go to Golden Gate more. But I don't. Even though it's quite delicious.<br /><br />But yes! To start, it was a busy weekend. I guess to START, I should say that yes, I have a girlfriend now. Her name is Nicole and she is quite lovely. (Luscious, even - but these are words that really shouldn't be shared publicly.) We went out to see Breach on Friday, and it was an interesting film. It was actually more interesting because of the fact it was based on true events.<br /><br />Saturday was eventful, because although I took a break from kung fu fighting for the morning to recover sleep from working on call, I got some in after class. An old student from the kwoon was making a short film. We still see each other occasionally, so he asked me if I knew some people who might be interested in participating in a fight scene for his film, particularly any kung fu students. So I got ahold of Jordan and Shannon for the event. And it was very interesting! I won't ruin the plot, as I may be able to actually get the footage. But the main fight scene we just put together on the fly, and I think it might actually turn out okay. I got a bit dirty tumbling in the dirt, but it was okay. Fun times!<br /><br />Then Saturday night, staying moderately quiet, watching some Pride. Sunday got crazy busy with all sorts of free food. Top Gear (that awesome British car show) is back on the air! So I watched a few episodes. Richard Hammond is back, and has recovered from a crazy accident they were doing in the previous season. And the show is, as always, highly entertaining. But yes - met up for dinner with the lion dance team. Lion dancing went fairly well this year, and I shouldn't, but I will share with you a little bit of what we did. Since it was captured on film. So here!<br /><br /><center><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jTiRikmoZ98"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jTiRikmoZ98" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br />Just a close up of the lion I was in. So that's me! Just waking the lion a bit.<br /></center><br /><br /><center><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ww2nNTvcrzI"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ww2nNTvcrzI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br />Me and Cory are in the middle lion, and I'm partially standing because I'm shouting at him to prepare for our stack. He didn't realize right away, so that's why there's a slight delay. But yes, this is the lion dance standard stack.<br /></center><br /><br /><center><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/D3fOwig9bgc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D3fOwig9bgc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br />Sihing! This is Justin performing part of one of his tournament forms.<br /></center><br /><br /><center><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GzKlYU8Iz_0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GzKlYU8Iz_0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br />And yes, the final demo. This is something that we often do at demonstrations. Just so you know, that's rebar, and they are NOT using their hands. Justin on the left, Shannon on the right.<br /></center><br /><br />That was at Nam-Hai last weekend. If you missed out, now you have a mild idea of what you missed. There was a lot to see. But there have been changes at kung fu! Sihings are changing. Justin has decided to enlist in the Marines. I know, there are a lot of people who are surprised at this, and wondering why, but this is something he had prepared to do (ever before Iraq started). So he leaves on March 19th. We will miss him, but he'll be back. Shannon is now sort of taking his place, since he was the senior student before, and is now essentially in the same position as Justin was, with a similar set of knowledge. So I'll be practicing more with him now, and he IS another one of my Sihings. Now it's Sihing Shannon.<br /><br />Changes, indeed. But yes, Sunday we all went out to eat. Sadly, I went to the WRONG PLACE and had to go back over when I realized I went to the wrong Chinese restaurant. It happens.<br /><br />After that it was time for poker action! A bunch of friends, two tables, 11 people. Texas Hold 'Em until we were down to 8 people, then move to one table. Guess who won? Woo! I did! For decent money, too. I won last time, as well, out of around 10 people. I almost felt bad winning again. I figure next time my luck will swing the other way, so it should balance out.<br /><br />But yes, busy weekend. Not too shabby, either. So it's time to start another week! I think perhaps my blog needs to have the rust brushed off to be used again. It may be time.<br /><br />Speaking of time.... random link time! Guitar Hero is awesome. But there are <a href="http://www.noinc.com/holiday06/flash.html">other options</a>, too. Oh, and when I have a child, I'd imagine he might look <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKQMKgcwBgI">like this</a>. And do you think you're a geek? Make sure you check out <a href="http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/archives/2007/02/fifteen_geek_movies_to_see_before_you_die_1.html">this list</a> to enhance your geekdom.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-1169364412746682552007-01-21T01:08:00.000-06:002007-01-21T01:26:52.766-06:00What? A post in January?Yes! I thought I'd go ahead. I miss my blog. I don't blog enough anymore. It happens when you get distracted. Busy. You forget about things. Which probably isn't good. But I'm back to my blog! For today, at least.<br /><br />So what's new? Well, I'll tell you what ISN'T. I still do oodles of kung fu. I work too much. Been hanging out with a new lady, which is rather fun. Driving just one car lately, because of the crazy weather. You can guess which one.<br /><br />Kung fu! Been a lot of it lately, preparing for the Chinese New Year (February 18th). Lion dancing and such. Back into full contact. Today wasn't so good - I'm working on not turning my back, so my guard isn't up to practice. Which means I got hit a little more than I should have. In my FACE. That, and the throat, which made me gag a little bit. I need to remember that for future reference. But classes are going well.here it<br /><br />One big piece of news in kung fu. Yes... Sihing Shannon. Remember him? I've mentioned him before. He was senior to Justin when he was still taking under Sifu in town. Well - he's come back to town. That's right. He's now back in our classes. So I have two Sihings now. And he's definitely got enough to give me a few more lessons.<br /><br />So yeah, I got a Wii, and it's lovelii. I beat Zelda in less than a week, because it was so awesome. And I love the ending of it. I've been using the Wii latelii for it's sweet online browser option. For frii. Mainly to watch silly YouTube videos. Which I still watch way too manii. Of.<br /><br />Hmm. That's the gist of things - I did get my car stuck in the ice a few nights ago, which sucked. I scraped out all the ice from under the tire that spun. Behind it, that is. And I got ALL the ice away. Down to the pavement. Some two full inches. But it didn't matter! My car was facing down a hill, but against a curb corner. So it was stuck, no traction at all. I ended up having to leave it there. Thankfully it was in the apartment complex, just not in my normal space. I had some of the maintenance guys help by pushing the rear of the car until it was facing uphill, which meant I could get traction. And get to work! Yay! Right. But it turned out okay.<br /><br />So I need to start getting a little less busy. Maybe get back to things I've been neglecting. Such as my blog. We'll see how it goes. I have <a href="http://www.ninjaburger.com/">one silly random link</a> for you today, but I have BONUS random linkage for you today. You've always wondered what our classes are like. Well, I'll give you an idea. With what? How about... VIDEO. Yes, that's right. Finally, some video for you.<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/02-R3XWKtzo"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/02-R3XWKtzo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br />Jordan working on his horse stance.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/d8rPEMbw1Po"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/d8rPEMbw1Po" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br />Sihing Justin helping teach a novice a few moves.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mO-wVhZFrUM"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mO-wVhZFrUM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br />Justin and Shannon getting a little bit of practice in.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jovJZ1p7-sA"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jovJZ1p7-sA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br />Justin and Shannon sparring for points. You might have to watch closely to see Justin's last backfist land - it's kinda fast.</center><br /><br />Mmmm, yes. Kung fu! And I have one more bonus for you. A little demo we did at our Christmas party, between me and Sihing Justin. A sparring set. Well, my dad wanted us to repeat it, so we did it again for him so he could record it. And <a href="http://www.gesinski.com/randomlinks/PlumFlowerSparring.AVI">here it is</a> (downloadable). Hopefully you'll find all of this a little educational to get an idea of what it is I really do.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-1166839854107363692006-12-22T20:09:00.000-06:002006-12-22T20:10:54.123-06:00Tis the SeasonI've pooped. So not much time. I need to blog more. I had almost forgotten English. But for the holidays, I have a special gift for you. Ladies, this one's for you.<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1dmVU08zVpA"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1dmVU08zVpA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object></center><br /><br />Merry Christmas!Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-1166597192203699162006-12-20T00:37:00.000-06:002006-12-20T00:52:16.513-06:00Que paso?Ya lo se. Que hace casi dos meses que no has visto nada de mi blog aqui. Bueno! Voy a regresar muy pronto! Es nadamas que no tengo tiempo. Trabajo, y kung fu, y mujeres. Todo eso y tambien mi Wii nuevo.<br /><br />Algo para ver que me gusto. Que chistoso!<br /><center><embed src="http://videos.streetfire.net/vidiac.swf" FlashVars="video=b6bbf1f3-f6d8-4d50-b756-981600cbec39" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="428" height="352" name="ePlayer" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></center><br /><br />Pero todavia voy a poner un random link aqui! Ten, puedes ver esto: <a href="http://www.trailrunnermag.com/features/feature%2019.html">gente que hacen mas ejercicio que hago</a>. MUCHO mas.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-1162277013299584472006-10-30T23:37:00.000-06:002006-10-31T00:43:38.490-06:00Good timesLife goes on. Make sure you pay attention while it moves by - because everything going by? That's your life.<br /><br />So I'm a little more pensive now, for some reason. Things have been going okay. I've gotten back in touch with a couple of the women who vanished mysteriously. Seems like they have just vanished from everyone, being busy with life. So I don't hate ALL women. Mostly. For now. But I think I'm still going to keep a good distance for the time being.<br /><br />Work's been cool. Learning new stuff, starting to actually get opportunities to show my skills in various ways. I'm looking forward to making a difference. And my side business (which I'll just call "my business" from now on) is on the verge of a new development. I'm just finishing up a class I took online and over the phone that took two months. I'm quite excited to get moving onto the new stuff. I think it should be very interesting to see how it compares to how I've been doing so far.<br /><br />And kung fu is excellent, of course. I've neglected to mention the fact that we have several people in our full contact class now, and that many of them (I think six) are actually competing in a tournament that's going to be on the weekend of the 11th. And Sihing? He's fighting the champion. But of course. So he'll be in the title match. Should definitely be interesting. I'll give more info as I find out. I'm not competing, myself, but I'm training with everyone. So my skills are coming back up to a decent level. It's been too long since I've really trained. I'm actually gaining muscle weight again.<br /><br />That, and Sigung is coming! He'll be in this weekend. Buck Sam Kong. Sifu's Sifu. He'll be giving some workshops. Not just that - but I'll actually be having my next test. Under Sigung! That's right, it's my next level. Phase 2. Completion of the forms I've learned as a full group, with Sigung's blessing (if I pass). Next step is Phase 3, which only Sihing has completed. So if I can get that far, then I'll definitely have accomplished something big. For now, Phase 2 will do. Which is most likely going to require me to demonstrate Gung Gee for him. Which is STILL the hardest form I know. Ugh. But hopefully it'll go well.<br /><br />And I've found something out interesting, in the lines of physical activity. I don't know how many of you have ever gone OUT to a movie with me. But I have a tendency to not walk down rows, having to avoid ten people's knees to get to my seat. No, I take the DIRECT path. Which is usually straight over the front rail. Occasionally over the first row of seats, as well. And sometimes, the top of that front rail is five feet off the ground or more. So vaulting it is not something seen too often. That type of stuff I do in lots of places, when I get the need or chance to. Well - I just found out that all of that has been categorized as a sport. Called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour">Parkour</a>. So since it's a sport, I'm going to have to learn the rest. The basics, since I appear to only practice some of the more advanced techniques. The basics are learning how to land properly (from a height), as well as learning how to roll correctly (which is used in conjunction with a landing from a higher height). Perhaps when I get a decent amount of practice down, I can get some video of it. Maybe put it on YouTube. Who knows.<br /><br />Okay, more pensive stuff. I actually got this quote from a video I found about Parkour. But it works for anything. <span style="font-weight:bold;">"We do not stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."</span> I like that quote a lot. It makes me feel a little less guilty about enjoying getting a new toy or two every now and then.<br /><br />Speaking of which - the car has been keeping the smile on my face. I've learned how to drive it a little more effectively. And I'm comfortable enough now with a manual gearbox to not panic too much when I pull away from a stop. Even at a slight incline. The thing that does worry me is how easily the thing can reach a three-digit speed. It feels almost casual. ALMOST. But not quite. The rush from hearing the engine scream as it climbs at that pace is unreal. I've had a few experiences already that are memorable. Most of which involved witnessing another silly driver driving by at a reckless rate of speed. Which, of course, made me curious to see just how fast they were driving. So I had to catch up. Which meant I had to go FASTER. Over the weekend there were three.<br /><br />The first of these was a little white Japanese car - I think it might have been a Nissan. There were three or four guys in it, most likely teenage. It blew through the light traffic on the BA as I was headed west. So I latched on behind them, punched it up to around 99 or so and caught up. Just from watching, it was disturbing to see how bad of a driver the guy really was. He seemed to not have full awareness of his surroundings, as he was not exactly driving optimally. My exit was right around there, so I just punched it again and got out of there.<br /><br />The second and third were both 4 wheel drive vehicles. I was taking a little road trip with Nick, going out to see what's south of Bixby. And I'll say this - it's really pretty! Especially in the fall. A good cruising road. On the way there, we were just pulling out of Bixby when we got behind an SUV. After Bixby, the speed limits go up a bit. The SUV picked it up speed and was going rather fast. The speed limit was about 65 (I think), and he was definitely going over that by more than 10. We just kept up with him, enjoying the scenery. Then we pulled through a little podunk town, with a speed limit around 35 or so. The SUV seemed to ignore it - perhaps he knew that there aren't any cops there, or something. I obeyed the limits of the city, and so he was way out in front when we got back out of the limits. I looked at Nick and said, "Let's catch up to him." It didn't take too long - I put the little Honda up to around 110 or so. Which is a record for me. And I'll say this - when you're going that fast with the top down, the wind noise is unreal. But the rush was crazy. Eh - I'm not TOO crazy. There weren't any other cars around, and it really was in the middle of nowhere.<br /><br />The third one was a pickup on the way back. I had pulled behind a couple of slower cars, and was thinking about passing them when the truck blew by all of us at a crazy rate. So, of course, I had to catch up to him. I did about the same as I did the first time, and caught up without issue. I DID consider trying to pass him to see what he'd do, but I think there's a line around pushing the limit, and passing him would be crossing that line. But all in all, it was an eventful weekend, and I got my fix on seeing what hitting triple digits was like. I don't plan on making it a regular event, but it was definitely a rush. Although many bugs were killed in the process.<br /><br />And now it's officially Halloween! Don't get scared. I went and saw Saw 3 over the weekend. The first Saw is actually very good, in my opinion. And 2 isn't too bad, either. 3 is probably not as good as either, but it wasn't BAD. Although I will say that all the gore the left out of the first one and the second one they put into the third one. And then doubled it, just to be sure. Yes, it's VERY gruesome and violent. One scene in particular made me a little perturbed, and it usually takes a good amount of gruesomeness to make me irked. This did it. So you're now warned. Although if you haven't seen the first Saw - I recommend it! It's a good Halloween flick. Most of the violence is implied but not shown. There IS some, but it's not overly done. I liked it mainly for the new angle they used. It's refreshing to see a new idea in an American horror movie. That doesn't happen much anymore.<br /><br />Okay, enough blog for today. I need to get some sleep. Work in the morning, and such. But yes! Random linking first. The idea of superficial judgement turns my stomach. And the fact that I find myself doing it unintentially makes me sick, as well. I wish we didn't judge people on visual things. But it happens. And the images we're given <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U">don't help that</a>. Oh! And bonus random link. Since I was looking for fun scenic routes to drive, I found one in particular. It's about 3 hours away, but if you're willing to do that drive (especially before fall's over), you might <a href="http://www.places2ride.com/oklahoma/talimena.asp">check it out</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5831571.post-1161058810734644962006-10-16T22:37:00.000-05:002006-10-17T00:11:29.746-05:00Okay, so I vanished a bitCall me distracted. I have been rather busy. That, and I'll admit a new obsession with a show called Top Gear. In fact, I was just watching an episode now. It's British TV. It actually has won an Emmy - so it's not a bad show at all. And it is all about CARS. It's quite fun. And how do I think it is? BRILLIANT. Here, let me share a few bits with you. They have full competition episodes that are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfswvrtx81Q">broken</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njEFmBF4RG4">into</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFlyDbNbKvI">various</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuGWt-QMg_E">parts</a>, they have <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk446JX3h8k">silly (and hilarious) episodes</a>, fun <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV3C2k_ea0I">comparison episodes</a>, and of course, they have really <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s64zn1WRCXs">bloody</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E933DQr3AZI">fast</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfSSp40qTwU">cars</a>. Although, those cars may be insanely fast, there is one that's obscenely fast. And you wouldn't think it, looking at it. But oh yes - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVJrc6nkNh0">IT IS</a>. While my car is very, very sweet - this last one here is oh so tempting. If I can get to where I can afford crazy toys that I really <span style="font-style:italic;">shouldn't</span> get.<br /><br />Although I will admit - I am totally enamored with my Honda. And yes, it's been on Top Gear, as well. In a bit of a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayKV_qso6-Y&NR">fun comparison episode</a>. But what about what <span style="font-style:italic;">I</span> think of driving it? It's unlike anything I've ever been in. I can't help put have a stupid grin every time I get behind the wheel. Which is pretty much daily. I have, indeed, broken the 600 mile "break-in" requirement, which means I was able to push the RPM to the redline, into VTEC land. Although I'll admit - I couldn't quite make it to 600. Maybe it was a little closer to, oh, 510. And I took Justin (Sihing) out for a drive. And breaking into that VTEC was a rather sensual experience. There's just something about hearing the engine rev to a point that you think you NEED to shift, then letting it continue for another 3000 revs before shifting is insane. Basically - when the engine hits 6000 RPM, the Honda turns into a RACE CAR. Seriously. The only problem is (and I'll quote something I read somewhere for this), once you hit the VTEC, you go from 0 to illegal in very little time. So it's only something that's able to be consumed in bite-sized pieces. But perhaps that's what makes it so much more... LUSCIOUS.<br /><br />And how's it handle? Like it's glued to the road. Take a 90 degree turn at 30 miles per hour, and the tires don't even squeak. It's just like the car's saying, "Okay." Where if I tried that with my Chevy, the car would be saying, "holy crAP ARE YOU INSANE!" I am very happy with the new toy.<br /><br />So what else? Work has been definitely keeping me busy. Getting more to do, although I like it that way. Kung fu is continuing as usual - slap on some lion dance practice and restarting full contact training, and yeah, I'm a LITTLE busier than I have been. Plus more sore, somehow. And this last weekend was more loaded than normal. I went to a martial arts tournament for under 18 students to help judge. It was definitely educational, and rather fun. Sifu said it was about time I start getting seen around the martial arts world more, so it's time to go help at tournaments. It was good.<br /><br />That, and my family's all out of town this last weekend, so I had to stay at the house and dogsit. With FOUR dogs. All of which missed the folks, I think - which means I got no real sleep at all. Grr! They're cute and all, but after they jump on you two thousand times and take a crap in the living room AFTER you just let them in from being outside (to, oh, maybe, take a crap?) and make all sorts of noises ALL NIGHT LONG, you get a little tired of it, somehow. Yes, he really did crap in the living room. So yeah, I didn't get enough sleep, and it's been pretty much like that for a while, now.<br /><br />Random quality humor photo montage:<br /><center><img src="http://www.gesinski.com/randomlinks/maths.jpg"></center><br /><br />So that's been pretty much it. That, and me being sick of women. I think I might turn chauvinist for a while, just because I'm tired of their CRAP. Which, things being as they are, would probably attract hordes of females. Basically, you can add a couple more to my list of females who simply stop communicating with me. Suddenly. For no explained reason. No, I didn't go out and insult their weight, or eating habits, or even try telling them something like, "Boy, you're cranky - you must be PMSing!" No, I've been fairly cordial. But I seem to have somehow aquired an anti-mojo. Which is like mojo, but works in the reverse fashion. Maybe I need to just find a way to pass on my antimojo to some other unsuspecting chap (hmm - chap? perhaps a little too much Top Gear). Then I'll have my old lovely mojo back, and have the five-woman minimum that I used to have. All lovely ladies just aching to spend time with little ol' me. No such luck nowadays. I'll just have to give them up and spend time making oodles of money, driving excellent vehicles with my pimpin' shades on, enjoying playing guitar and singing, and keeping in tiptop physical condition whilst learning how to kick ass. Oh well.<br /><br />Okay - so that's been a good catchup blog, I think. But of course, there's more! How about random YouTube links? Instead of just Top Gear? Might as well suck all their bandwidth while you can - who knows what Google will do now that they're in control. For now, enjoy some fairly random videos. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn1-M5Ze0p8">Funny stuff</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RQWfDlc9ik&NR">music</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnXR5Baq0X8">destruction of childhood dreams</a>, and a Google video about the one guy who <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4609381522811996320">kicks more ass than ANYONE</a>.Pootenheimerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08031649150493054256noreply@blogger.com3