So I found a gym to exercise my demons and myself until the old gym opens up.  Its call Morris Park gym and it is rich with history.  It is a little unreal to rub elbows with former world champions.   Lou Del Valle is a trainer there.  He was the first man to knock down Roy Jones Jr and Virgil Hill.  (Both great fights to check out on YouTube). He was the light heavy weight champ for a second.

 

Speaking of things to check off a bucket list.  I am going to Beijing for 5 days.

 

When AA declared bankruptcy they ran some ridiculous specials.  With the double miles and the promotion everything, it’s going to cost almost nothing.  I am hoping to stay with a friend.  If that does not work I will stay at hostel.  No I am not scared, I never saw that movie, and ignorance is bliss. Hostels for 8/night, hope they are not planning on harvesting my organs.

 

Several people have asked me how I feel about the new autism designations that are in the news.  My son is diagnosed as severely autistic and mentally retarded (or cognitively delayed), meaning the decision does not affect us too much.  My wife and I differ on this but I don’t find the label mentally retarded insulting. I want to get the kid help; I don’t care what the label is.  If we called his condition, the “loves ketchup, running around naked syndrome” and if that mean he could get the help he needs I would be fine with that.  “Yea my son is LKRANS”.   The words are just that, words, I understand how they can be misused but to describe my son’s condition I don’t find it unsettling.

 

Labels are just that labels. China is the name of a new place for me, but the word China is just a label.  We could call it Southern Mongolia or even Mongolia’s Mexico but it was not change anything.  Lou was light heavy weight champion, until he wasn’t.  He lost and the label of Champion was gone but after the fight he was the same person he was before.  Don’t let your current results dictate who you are.   I try to remember who I am, and that results don’t capture the essence of whom I am.  I am me, with or without success.