Shout out to Julie Kedzie, and Musing on being a new homeowner

I feel bad that I don't post as often as I should here. This blog has helped me go thru many highs, and lows during its' many years of existence.  It's taken me through sucky jobs, and many good things at the same time. A marriage to an awesome, gorgeous chick in Vicki.  A fantastically super smart, handsome little boy in Toby.  A lot of time  has passed since I started this blog. There have been a few years where I have not posted at all/posted very little.  That's a bit of a bummer.  I owe the readers (all 3 of you) a few more posts a month! I'm still gonna shoot to do that!

There is alot, alot, ALOT of groovy news to share.  To begin, Vicki, Toby and I  are now homeowners! We found a funky, brick place in the suburbs, w/ high ceilings, 3 bedrooms, and a KOI POND in the back yard.  It's a hyooge step in my emotional growth.  I'm very scared. However, it seems like we can do it!!  Not seems, but it's an actual reality. I'm looking fwd to having our own place. One that we can put our personal stamp on, and enjoy.  You gotta see the community we are moving into. I know it may seem weird to fall in love w/ a house AND the community pool (w/ killer water slide) that is around it, but that is the case!

Very excited about the house!!  Scared but excited.  I don't know if my Dad would be proud, or think we are crazy.  However, we seem to have all of our ducks in a row!  Fingers crossed on the inspection going well this week!

As far as The One Man Talking Podcast is concerned, it's going very very well.  You know it's amazing. While I LOVE boxing, and MMA, I don't envision my show to be a sports podcast. That's been done/is being done by very talented people like Mauro Ranallo, Ariel Helwani, etc.  I talk about stuff (politics, humor, life, MMA, Boxing, love, family, etc.) that I'm interested in.  I've reached out to alot of celebs, actors, authors, (Damien Echolls, Ray Banks) to come on the show, and hang out. The only people to come on have been in the MMA world.

And now, as far as my great guest was concerned:

I was very fortunate that the lovely Ms. Julie Kedzie was nice enough to come on the show, and promote In Victa Fighting Championships 3, where she was doing the announcing for that show. I have been a fan since the Gina Carano fight. We'd chatted a few times via Twitter, and she couldn't have been a nicer gal (though she did get mad at me when I kind of dissed Nick Diaz, but that's another story lol )  I envisioned the interview as this: everyone in the fight world knows she's awesome, that she kicks butt. That she trains hard; and that she is a member of Team Jackson-Winkeljohn.

However, did the general public know that she is very fetching ("easy on the eyes"!) and funny and whip smart? I dunno, but that's the angle I wanted to show in this interview.  Julie seemed to have fun. We talked about everything from MMA, to David Bowie (we both dressed as him for Halloween!) to dogs and cats! It was a blast. I thank Jules for her time!  In fact, she has 3 new fans. 2 people called me and said "Hey I'm totally watching her fights from now on", as well as a friends' 9 yr old daughter said Julie was her hero!  :)

So, Thanks Julie! I encourage everyone to support her sponsors! If you're in New Mexico, support Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA,  peruse her sponsors page, and buy t-shirts, and browse the websites that are linked on her sponsors page!

Who knows, maybe sometime that Mary The Lawyer and I do  a segment called "Is it legal or illegal?!?!" on the podcast, we may get some callers from the MMA world of Albq on the phone!!

Audio Recording: 'EPISODE11 - One Guy Talking Podcast' From 'One Guy Talking Podcast'

Audio Recording: 'EPISODE11 - One Guy Talking Podcast' From 'One Guy Talking Podcast'

First Show!

Well, the first show of The One Guy Talking Podcast is now in the books.  I actually did an outline, and some show preparation!  I had the inimitable Amy Barton (@amesbelle) of Punch Drunk Radio Fame.  Amy was an awesome guest, and she hung in there, answered my questions, and we even reviewed UFC 152.  I'm actually watching UFC 152 as I type this!!!

The best part of the interview is when I said "Amy, don't some fights have a visceral affect in you?  Don't you associate where you were, and what you were up to when a certain fight happened?  I have suuuuuuuch a visceral attachment to Boxing/MMA." Amy, straight shooter that she is; paused and said:  "Um, No.".... LOLOLOL Awesome guest. Amy, you can come back anytime! Please listen to her show shout out to @PunchDrunkMMA, and MMA Diehards (mmadiehards.com, @mmadiehards).

I learned a few things after doing my first show.  I have a total, TOTAL profound respect for what Howard Stern does now.  Try talking for an hour (And Howards does it for 4 or so hrs), and try being interesting.  .  I felt the hour flew by. I was able to make some laughs, talk about a s port that I loved, and my guest did not hang up the phone in anger/fear!!!!

In all seriousness, it was a great experience.  It's awesome to have a hobby.  If it's boring, or interesting, it's my hobby, and I'm gonna try to do this for real, very very seriously.

It was just groovy to have a bit of a laugh, Amy was really ready to mix it up, and roll w/ it. It was great!!!

Aside from doing the podcast, we've beeing trying to be happy, and progress past my Father's passing.  As the shock turns to sadness, and some regret.I realize how quiet the world is w/o him.  Each boxing/mma match I have seen since he passed away, I almost reach for the phone to call him, to see if he is watching.. :)

The Baby Faced Assassin!!! Podcast Information coming soon!!

Been away for a while

Sorry I've been out of touch for a while. My Dad passed away suddenly 2 weeks ago.  It's been horrible, and a whirlwind.  Not to give too much information out, but he was not answering the door, so I kicked the door in, and found him...

We found him Thursday night, and by Monday, we were flying to NJ, and the funeral was last Tuesday.  Back to Jax Tuesday night.  Back to work yesterday. Reality and quiet are slowly starting to creep back in.

How do you sum up a life? I don't know.  He was a good Dad, difficult at times, but a loyal friend.  I would want no other guy in my corner than him.  Just a good Father, Grandfather, Husband, Cousin, Uncle (even Father-in-law).

I said my tribute at the funeral, so I don't want to blab on and on. He set such a high standard for Liberalism, and equality in my family.  A earlieNew Deal Democrat, who first voted for Harry Truman; I was proud to see his transformation from someone haunted by the 1960's (like many of his generation) to a true observer of the inequalities in America --- those in its' Ivory Towers, and those that are down in the trenches and fighting.

There was no bigger doubter of Big Business, Republicans, and the Right Wing War Machine.  He learned from some of his mistakes in the past (support of the Vietnam War, Barry Goldwater, etc), and evolved into a true Populist Liberal, one who even accompanied me to campaign for President Obama this Summer.

He wasn't always right, but he was a kind and gentle man, a good man. Someone who inspired a lifetime love of reading, and education in me (maybe not Excel or Powerpoint) that I will pass onto Tobin.

He taught me a love of boxing, and I, taught him a love of MMA.  I do know that I would not have a special love for the careers of Marco Antonio Barrera, and Erik Morales if it were not for him :)

I can not exagerate the crystal clear memories I have of watching some fights from my home in Jersey City/Madison/Rockaway and getting a phone call from Melbourne Fl.  The volume on the TV would be way turned up, and Dad would go "ARE YOU WATCHING THIS!?!?!?"

Either I was drunk on Avenue A, and I was taping it, or I was sitting my ass in front of the TV, and watching it!!

So, in the end, thanks Dad for letting me grow into a decent man, Husband and Father. I've learned a lot, and will not forget you.