SG#3- Pursuing excellence

          I want to talk about two people who have influenced my life in a positive way. The man in front wearing teal is Ben Henderson, a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, in back is John Crouch, coach and instructor. I'm forming a triangle with my hands to pay tribute to the MMA LAB, a martial arts training center. Anyone who has seen Ben fight has seen him throw up the triangle. John is a blackbelt in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) a ground based martial art. BJJ involves grappling, chokes, joint locks, and various other submission holds. John earned his blackbelt from the the legendary Royce Gracie, the man most credited with starting the current MMA craze. Earning a blackbelt from Royce is a feat rarely accomplished. He promotes so very few to blackbelt. So that means John is legit. LEGIT. Ben fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the most prestigious MMA organization in the world. He is the current lightweight champion, that means in his weight class he is the best in the world. Here is a link to a highlight reel of Ben.
     
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46xg60MxISg

      John and Ben have been successful enough that last year they were able to become the new owners of the MMA LAB. I am fortunate enough to train BJJ there. I say fortunate because the people that train there are the best group of people I have ever associated with in my life. All kinds of people train there. Law enforcement, medical field, soldiers, firefighters, executives, business owners, students, professional fighters. Hard working and successful people. But when you walk through the doors of "the Lab" something special happens. It's like a family there, but maybe better, because we all choose to be there together. Helping each other improve. Pushing yourself to the limit. Some might call it a team, and in it's most basic definition that's how some people will define it. But that's kind of like referring to a Lamborghini as "a car".
      


Ben and John with some of his highest ranked students



         This incredible environment at the Lab starts at the top. That's John and Ben. Leading by example. Being kind. Having the knowledge to succeed. Having the work ethic. Putting it all together, day in, day out. Pursuing excellence.
         I consider myself a hard worker. But seeing the example set by these men makes me realize how much more a person can do. Why it's important to make the most of every day.  



Just another Monday at the Lab



       For many years one of my motto's has been "Be the best person you can be every day". But sometimes life is hard. Really hard. You face setbacks. Maybe you can get there on your own. But you will get there faster if you have people in your life who care about you. And you will enjoy the journey much more.

        Ben's next fight is April 20th in San Jose, California, he will be defending his UFC title. John will be there coaching. A few other members of the Lab will be there to help. The Lab has several fighters in the UFC, but this particular trip is for Ben. I will have to settle for watching on tv. I will be cheering loudly. 

                                                   



AE #3- ASU adds more short courses

       


             

          For the Spring 2013 semester that began this past January, Arizona State University began offering more choices in the way of 7 1/2 week courses. These courses are condensed from the more traditional 15 week semester. The same number of hours in class is required but it is squeezed into half the time. Just below I pasted a link to The Arizona Republic reporting the story. For this blog we will focus on our reaction to the article as well as others comments on the article.   
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2011/02/22/20110222arizona-state-university-shorter-classes.html

         Since I haven't taken any of these classes myself, I will rely on my experience as a student taking the 15 week courses, as well as life experience to help me form an opinion. I had a wide range of thoughts about these condensed classes and I was happy to see people expressing similar thoughts.

                   According to the story by the Arizona Republic, reaction in the form of hundreds of emails to one ASU official was split into about one-third in support, one-third against, and one-third had additional questions. It's not surprising that there would be such varied responses. These classes represent choices, and since one size doesn't fit all, there will be people who don't agree.

 Some people commented that they felt these short classes are simply too much crammed into too little time. And therefore the question becomes: Are the students really learning the material well enough? This may cause some to view an ASU degree as less legitimate. Even supporters of the condensed classes cautioned that this format might not work well for certain subjects. I myself have serious concerns about the quality of these courses. Even though I may never be enrolled at ASU, as a taxpayer I have a right to be concerned. Some students will be able to handle these courses, but others might not.
         One person commenting on the story brought up the point that these classes are the same format that is already being offered at summer semester. They are correct about that, and they also mentioned the problem of cramming so much into a shorter time period. The reason that the time schedule is so difficult is, as one reader commented, in addition to the hours required in class, there is a certain amount of study time outside of class needed to properly cover the material in a course. There may simply not be enough hours in a day. In my opinion, this is the biggest reason to approach these classes with great caution.
       

 ASU says they're offering more of the 7 1/2 week courses to provide more choices for students. I agree, and that is why they should offer them, but only with stipulations. ASU should be required to create a template for what the daily schedule would look like while taking these classes. The prospective student should be required to fill out the template with their potential class time and study time. Then they would have a clearer understanding of what they are signing up for. It might seem like a hassle to do this, but since the schedule might simply not fit in a day, it is a necessary step. The university exists to provide an education and it should be their absolute responsibility to give the student the proper information. Once the student is properly informed, they have the best chance for success.  What do you think of my suggestion for the template? Leave your comments below.         

           

  

 

Self generated #2- "Overcoming obstacles"

            The Dark Knight Rises premiered in theaters in the summer of 2012. Some may consider this just a comic book movie and they are welcome to their own opinion, but I think this movie is special. For the benefit of anyone who's been living in a cave, the main character is Batman, a comic book character created many years ago. Many years ago I read comic books and Batman was definitely NOT my favorite but The Dark Knight Rises might be my new favorite movie of all time. I say might because it's been less than a year since it came out and I'm going to give it a little more time. I lost track of how many times I went to see it. At least five times. Let me tell you why I love this movie.                           

           This movie touched me very deeply and personally. I think what I had going on in my life greatly intensified the connection. Let me give you some background. I had recently quit the company where I had worked for 16 years due to not seeing eye to eye with the new manager. I had plans to start a completely new career but hadn't taken any steps yet. I had shortsold my house because I couldn't afford it anymore.It was feeling like a fresh start but more like a huge setback also. I was going to spend a few months coming to grips with the huge changes in my life and doing what I loved more than anything: Training Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ for short) and competing in several tournaments. I went about that, doing four tournaments in 2012, with some pretty good results. I was top 5 in my division in the country. I felt ready to claim the top spot, then at practice one day in May it all came apart. More specifically, my left pec muscle came apart from where it was meant to be. A rather large tear, and what's worse is muscle tears cannot be fixed with surgery the way a torn tendon or ligament can. I was devastated. No job. No set plans. No BJJ. I felt completely removed from life, and not in a good way.

                                                                       Batman
Then I saw The Dark Knight Rises. I will try not to reveal anything crucial in case anyone reading this hasn't seen the movie yet (If you haven't you need to!). Batman is in a terrible time in his life. His body is breaking down and he's facing a powerful new foe. Bane is physically powerful and cunning. He is Batman's equal, if not superior, in every way.     
                                                                            

                                                                         Bane

       At one point in the movie Batman realizes his methods will not defeat Bane. But if he doesn't find a way, many people, including those dear to him will die. Batman is willing to sacrifice his life, but that will still not enable him to save the people. He needs something else. There's an old expression "digging deep within yourself" that applies to what happens. Batman finds within himself the ability to rise from defeat and challenge his enemy. But he also enlists his allies and formulates a plan.

       I think this movie did a magnificent job of showing some life lessons. I won't list them because everyone is going to take something different from their experience. But to me it's about not giving up, and if something matters, finding a way to make it happen. I was truly inspired. 

       An update on me, I'm in my second semester back in college. No matter how much I study it's still a struggle to learn the material,but I find a way. I'm also getting back in shape. There's been some setbacks but I'm making progress, I'm not giving up.                  

        The Dark Knight Rises is out on dvd. I'm going to buy it, I hope you do too. If you saw it already, what did you think about it? Have you ever had a movie that you felt this way about? Tell me about it in the comments below.