May The 4th Be With You

Clone Wars, The Trilogies, The Pre-Trilogies, whatever you find... go watch one or all of them today.

If Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, does that mean that Monday is Revenge of the Sixth? 

#SaveOlympicWrestling

In 1992, an overweight 8th grader rocking a mullet, with delusions of grandeur would sign up for Wrestling on his Summer Registration.  Completely oblivious to what armature wrestling even was, I wanted to be a big pro wrestling star, like Hulk Hogan.  Again, delusions.  Had I been rational, I would have looked up what wrestling was.  Had I been intelligent, I would have done some research.  Unfortunately I had no clue what I was getting into, fortunately for me... it was one of the best decisions of my life.

It was announced today that the International Olympic Committee would remove Wrestling from the 2020 Olympics.  This includes both Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling.  Wrestling dates back to ancient Olympics and has been apart of the Summer Olympics since 1904 (missing the 1900 Olympics).  Wrestling in it's true essence is a sport where every faucet of a competitor is tested against an opponent who is also being tested.  Quick thinking, strength, endurance, speed, and technique are all needed to compete.  Wrestling doesn't have a larger avenue than the Olympics to showcase the sport.  With the removal of Wrestling from the 2020 Summer Olympics, the sport has received a severe blow.

Greens... the nick name for my own personal hell on earth.  When Coached yelled out Greens, I knew that I was in for some trouble.  One Green was the equivalent of 2 1/2 laps on the track.  We would run about 4-6 Greens a couple of miles a day.  This was just warming up.  Really all of the conditioning I hate.  Everyday I felt like quitting.  Every day I felt like I was going to give up.  Every time we ran, I felt like my lungs were going to explode, I felt like was going to vomit (a couple of times I did, one time in front of the cheerleaders), I felt like I was going to pass out.  Everyday I was challenged, tested, physically and emotionally exhausted.  Yet, everyday I returned... not always looking forward to it.  But always proud of what I did.Through wrestling; I lost weight, I learned leadership, I learned humility, respect, and discipline.  I gained self-confidence and I gained leadership.  I lost many times.  I was embarrassed. I never quit.  Wrestling made me mentally tough, helped me prepare for life. 

I had no delusions after my four years of wrestling.  Outside out a win and a lose at the LA Watts Summer Games, I knew I wouldn't wrestle outside of school.  My wrestling aspirations ended at the CIF Team Tournament.  Many of my team mates went to the CIF Masters or State Tournaments.  I don't remember if any of them went to college on a wrestling related scholarship.  But with the Olympics being the Grand Stage of Wrestling, its a shame that the IOC has determined to remove it from Future Olympics.  Because of the Olympics, I knew of the murder of Dave Schultz.  I knew of Kurt Angle winning his Olympic Gold Medal.  I got to watch I got to watch Rulon Gardner defeat Aleksandr Karelin, to defeat the man who was undefeated. 

Not sure if this will help: but if you care sign this petition:
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/help-our-voice-reach-international-olympic-committee-show-support-reinstating-wrestling-olympics/hr71txrz

#SaveOlympicWrestling

Smells Like Teen Spirt Turns 21...

September 10th, 1991.  A young twelve year old version of myself wasted much of my summer hanging out with my friends Dan and Top (DJ 5).  We'd play Basketball, play with our Marvel Action Heroes and Teen Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Dan and I would actually tape mini movies with our combined toys and watch them later.  At the age of 12, I was probably a little too old to be playing with toys, but it was fun.  I reflect on those days and I wasn't really a fan of music.  I remember I enjoyed Young MC and MC Hammer, but I wasn't passionate about music at all... that all changed my first year of Junior High.

Believe it or not, your old pal here wasn't the most popular of guys.  I've always had this self-awareness of my own awkwardness, I wasn't a wall flower mind you, but I knew where I fit in.  Never the most popular, never the most picked on, somewhere right smack dab in the middle.  For the most part, I lived a very shelter life.  The most chaotic thing that had ever happened to me, really didn't happen to me at all.  It happened to my brother, a victim of one of the first car jackings... he survived a gun shot wound that could have killed him.  I learned that night, never to take your safety for granted.  My brother wanted to prove something to himself after surviving his attack and joined the Marines.  I always looked up to my brother for many things.  I missed him very much during this time.

So back to high school, the chubby short kid started to lose his old chums from Elementary School.  Their fascinations went to girls, fashion, and music... mine didn't.  I would make new friends quickly, but it did sting losing people you felt close too.  Spending more time watching MTV than Nickelodeon, is when I found it.  Even Flow, by Pearl Jam.  Followed by Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, and even more Pearl Jam.  Bare in mind, I wasn't a teen full of angst, but it was something about the music I connected too.  Maybe it was the Parker Lewis Can't Lose influences on me.  Maybe it was just the soulful grundge sound that touched my core.  But I fell in love... with the music.

1992 and Nirvana and Pearl Jam battled for top seating on the Music Charts.  It almost felt you were either a Nirvana guy or a Pearl Jam guy.  I was definitely a Pearl Jam guy.  I chose Eddie Veder over Kurt Cobain.  But all you'd hear about is Smells Like Teen Spirit.  I did end up with a copy of Nevermind, but it never got the as much air time on my Sony Walkman as Ten.

Years after the passing of the Grunge fad, Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, and all things Seattle, I still have an affinity for that style of music.  When they released the Kurt Cobain book which was his personal journals, I purchased it, blame it on the nostalgia.  I barely even flipped through the pages.  I couldn't get into it.  I still have the book, it's survived 4 moves total and looks practically new.  I don't want it anymore.  21 Years ago, folks would have done many things to see the inner workings of Kurt.  If you are interested in buying my book, it'll be on eBay later today.  If it doesn't sell, I'll maintain a link here, so some wayward blog reader can buy it later.

Thanks for reading and Happy Belated Birthday "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

What was your favorite song from the 90s?

Consider the King of Hearts....

Death is a natural part of life.  Everybody handles mortality differently.  In the course of my life I haven't lost too many loved ones.  My mother passed just a few years ago and it still stings.  I lost my grandmother a couple of years before then, but was mostly unaffected, we weren't very close.

I'll never forget the day Owen passed away.  My circle of friends were big wrestling fans.  Gregg loved Sting.  Chris was a huge Stone Cold Fan.  I had to miss this particular pay per view get together.  May 23rd is my mother's birthday and we were headed to Red Lobster for dinner.  I'll never forget that day, my cell phone was blowing up.  First from Gregg & Chris and later guys that I worked with.  "Did you hear Owen died?"  Then it was on the radio, KFWB News 98 delivered the unbelievable truth.  This wasn't a facade or a gimmick, Owen was dead.  Falling to his death in an entrance that he had done a handful of times before.

When Hart debuted in the WWE, he came in under a mask as the Blue Blazer.  Being a youngster, I loved it.  A mask was rare at that time in the WWE.  His matches with Curt Hennig were some of my favorites.  I kind of grew up with Owen.  I remember when he teamed with Koko B Ware as High Energy.  Or when he teamed with Jim the Anvil as The New Foundation.  When Owen broke Austin's neck... I bought an Owen 3:16 Shirt.  His wrestling was entertaining, he could cut a promo, he was fun to watch.  Even after Vince screwed Bret, Owen was the last standing Hart in the WWE.   

There have been three lives that had been lost that have affected me.  That shook me to my core.  My mother, Nick Adenhart of the Angels and Owen. Owen Hart was one of my favorite wrestlers, his death affected me because I always felt like I was the Owen of my family.  The baby, always trying to prove himself.  Always trying to make people laugh. I felt a special connection to Owen.  That night, when I retired to my bedroom, I cried and I'm not afraid to admit that.  I didn't know why I had that feeling, but I did.  The days after his passing my friends had asked if I was okay.  I never met Owen.  Never had a conversation with him.  Never interacted with him, but felt like I lost a loved one.  In recent years, I haven't thought of Owen Heart.  Reflecting on this day because it shares significance for my family with my mom's birthday I was caught off guard when I saw this photo circle on facebook.  A lot of my emotions came back to me.  Owen was an amazing wrestler who never got his due.  He died way to early leaving his young children without a father.  I miss Owen, not as much as his family.  But Owen is missed.

Consider Growing Fruits and Veggies...

Home Grown Strawberries

I spent some time on Monday Harvesting my Crops. No not Farmsville, the ever so addictive game on facebook, no for the better part of five years I've been growing my own fruits and veggies. Back in October I wrote about my first home grown salad. But I enjoy growing plants. I know I'll never be self reliant, but I think its pretty awesome being able to eat food that I grow. And I don't have some amazing backyard or any backyard to speak of. I have a patio that has planters t hat have harvested all kinds of fruits and veggies over the years. When my strawberries ripe, I harvest them and freeze them. When I have a enough, I used them to make strawberry lemonade. So tasty.

Green Onions

The other thing that has become one of the most useful plants I grow are onions.  Now to be honest, I have only plucked one little onion from my garden, but the green onions, chives, whatever you want to call them enhance about 90% of whatever I cook.  From tacos to spaghetti every meal is enhanced by green onion. 

Besides the sense of pride I have from preparing a meal or a treat for my family, I also find it very relaxing harvesting my goods or watering my plants or just taking care of my garden.  When I'm surrounded by my garden, I have that feeling that life is good. 

You should consider growing your own garden.

Consider -- Winning on the Radio... Part 2.

Steppenwolf's Born To Be Wild fills my imagination.  Just a stone throw from where I work, the Long Beach Grand Prix is have qualifying races for the big race this weekend.  Like DJ Khaled and T-Pain...
All I Do Is Win Win Win Win. It was just a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win a pretty cool prize, MLB2K12 for the PS3 Courtesy of the Petros and Money Show.  

Approximately two weeks later courtesy of my boy Rodger Lodge and AM 830, I won tickets to go to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.  I had won the email contest... sometimes it pays to be able to write a thoughtful email. The last time I went to the Gran Prix I was closer to my daughter's age and remember absolutely nothing.  I don't even believe I had saw the race, rather just walked up and down the vendor area getting some sweet In-N-Out stickers. This weekend is the big race and it would have been sweet to check out the races, but work is work and I couldn't get the time off.  Fortunately, I was able to dispatch the tickets to my brother.  So the tickets won't go to waste.

But getting back to be a winner... over the years I've been very fortunate to win stuff!  And I love it.  I should really consider playing the lotto. What are some of the other prizes I've won over the years... I'm glad you inquired, or I guess I am hoping you will inquire.  I've won two prizes on World Famous KROQ 106.7FM.  One was for a Motorcycle show that I passed on.  The second was what kick started my iPod.  106 song Downloads from Itunes, (you can even hear me on the radio.)  That was an awesome day and although I squandered the download (did I really need the entire Silversun Pickups Album?)  I've won a bevy of tickets to Angel Games courtesy of AM830 and the Sports Lodge.  One of the best prizes I won was last year when we I won $20 in Togo Sandwiches.  Not to mention the Lobster Buffets at the Valley View Casino... so I guess I'm done bragging now.  What's the coolest prize you've won?  Leave a comment and let me know.

Consider -- LA Traffic

I don't know how you guys do it.  Folks who live in the city of Los Angeles or work their commuting in traffic for hours at a time.  In my previous employment I used frequently drive to Burbank, Pasadena, Glendale, Irwindale, Fullerton, all from our hub in Long Beach.  But nothing was as bad as what I endured Friday.  The only time I ever care to drive 3 1/2 hours is when I'm on route to Las Vegas.  Although I was driving to pick up a prize, I hate traffic.

Pujols Billboard on 710 FWY

My journey started in Long Beach.  My mission was to pick up my prize I had won on the Petros and Money.  Little did I know I'd be like the Castaways on a three hour tour.  Google Maps said it would be about 30 minutes.  Yikes.  So taking the 405 to 710, to the 5, to the 134 Freeway was a very long process. It was so slow I was able to snap a picture of this billboard for use in a future First2Third.net post. As I was explaining traffic was horrendous.  Getting to Burbank only took an hour, so I guess I should be thankful for that.  It was the drive home that was miserable.   I was stuck on the 5 by Stadium Way for far too long.  Thoughts of the boogeyman Frank McCourt looking down on me shook me to the core.  

The only cool part was that I actually did get prize.  And I saw the freaking Batmobiles!  Apparently they were shooting commercials.  I wasn't the only one staring and taking pictures.  Needless to say I was very happy to return to Orange County where the 5 Freeway stretches four to five lanes.  This post is really more to share that I actually do travel to Los Angeles/Hollywood/Burbank quite frequently, but I don't like it.  Los Angeles Traffic awful.  If you live or have to travel through LA, you have my sincerest sympathy... LA Traffic is the worst!