onlyonezack

If you know me, you know that the past year of my life has been immensely difficult. I won't bore you with the details of all of the kindling that started the fire, but it has been rough. When bad things happen to me, I can sometimes get stuck in negative thought patterns, and that can be my undoing. While I constantly remind myself of things like this:  " On particularly rough days when I’m sure I can’t possibly endure, I like to remind myself that my track record for getting through bad days so far is 100% and that’s pretty good.” – Vinny Genovesi I still can get really stuck sometimes.  I had the opportunity to reconnect with my extended family on my mom's side this weekend. It is weird how in the presence of the people that you love and love you unconditionally, those stresses can melt away. And melt they did.  The next point requires some background. Back in March, we adopted a new cat Mallory after Ushi suddenly passed away. Mallory did pretty well

I have so much to say. Truly. But google translate is broken. I know the way out is through. But I dropped my compass a mile and a half back.  And its too late to get it now. I don't know where to start anymore.

"Wave goodbye Wish me well I've become something else Something else Something else Just as well" -Nine Inch Nails, Everything It has been some time since I could describe myself as content. For the past several years, I've been working for a law firm that focuses on creditor rights (a fancy word for collections).  About the time that I started working there, the financial market collapsed, and a number of major financial institutions were placed under heavy scrutiny by various federal regulators.  Regulation is usually a wax and wane matter, but there's a broad and significant agreement inside and outside of the industry that this change has a significant permanence about it. All the while that this was going on, the law firm I worked for has rolled with the punches, and while that certainly doesn't mean that we're not operating in an environment that looks significantly different than when I began there, it does mean that the affect of this c

So there's a gentleman in my life that I admire very much, I've never had the balls to directly tell him, but this is my way of doing so.  I became acquainted with this gentleman about a year and a half ago. In that time, he, and many of his acquaintances have changed my life.   I'm relatively certain that I annoy him, and with good reason.  I think that he sees the potential within me and realizes that often times, I sell myself short.  Under the guise of self preservation, I excuse myself for many things and he, being many years my senior, and likely out of experience, sees right through this tactic.  This past week, I took a vacation from work, and I did some things I needed to do.  I rested, I relaxed.  I meditated, and contemplated where to go at this crossroads in my life.  I normally hesitate to take action, but this time, I did.  It felt good, and it felt empowering.   This new sense of direction gave me some power.  Power to do what I needed to do.  No

So, today. I had the opportunity to visit with the folks at CrossFit Bingo.  I can't speak enough kindnesses about Darrell, Cory, Randy and the whole crew at CrossFit Bingo.  Their new facility is absolutely gorgeous.   Visiting another box has this unique way of introducing humility.  You are with a ton of athletes of varying talents, and regardless of what your abilities actually are, often, ego overtakes.  When I travel to these various boxes, I want to represent my gym well, and sometimes, in my mind, that translates to being able to lift something heavier than what I actually can.   After yesterdays workout at my own box, CrossFit Cleveland - West, I woke up this morning sore.  Double Unders are a particular weakness for me and are very challenging, and were a huge part of yesterdays workout.   Having traveled to CrossFit Bingo, when I saw 'OHS' on the board, I felt an impending sense of doom. The walls closed in.  Because of a previous untreated injury

 “The magic is in the movement, the art is in the programming, the science is in the explanation, and the fun is in the community.” - Coach and Founder of CrossFit, Greg Glassman The fun is in the community. Today, I had the opportunity to drop in on one of Northeast Ohio's CrossFit affiliates, Coca CrossFit.  A few months back, I went on an affiliate friending spree just to see the different approaches of different area affiliates.  You know that moment when you fall in love with somebody or something? I can't really put better words to it, but for me, I can best relate it to Depeche Mode's "Home". I think it was January 12th of last year that I walked in the doors at CrossFit Cleveland and had that feeling.  It wasn't long thereafter that I went and obtained my Level 1 Certification, and vowed to learn EVERYTHING I possibly could about this "sport" (for lack of a better word that I loved). Today, I had the opportunity to do a workout at Coca

I remember one time I was doing some "smash" therapy with a 25 pound dumbbell and in the middle of doing so, I dropped the weight to the ground.  25 pounds. On the floor.  It made a deafening thud, and you, drinking water, skittered out of the kitchen, puffing yourself as large as you possibly could and made a sound. The sound, paired with the look in your eyes could only be interpreted as "what happened?" I too, now, sitting on this couch, looking at your lifeless body wrapped in a pink blanket am left to ask that question. I remember the day we got you, Amanda and I ventured to the Lakewood Animal Shelter. When we got there, we asked if any cats were available. At first, they told us no. You were in quarantine to ensure that you were healthy before they adopted you out. But, then he said "Well, I have one neutered male who's ready to be adopted tomorrow. Would you like to take a look at him?". We nodded. And they brought you to us, and pl