A day in the life

Since this new year has begun, I have been one busy girl. With the trials coming up, my new job and getting my zine more known, I have barely had any time to.....breathe? see my friends? clean my room? pay my car insurance? fix my car? have any kind of social life?.....nah, no time to be unhappy. Given that I will find any reason to bitch and moan about my current circumstances, this year so far is a blessing. This job is a blessing, my zine and jiu jitsu. (Among many many different other things like my momma.)

Every week I work 40 hours. I train with my team on Monday nights, Wednesday nights and Saturdays. I've implemented a work out training with my friend Rebecca on so far every Tuesday and hopefully Thursday. Fridays I go into work an hour early so I have enough time after to get down to Irvine through the Friday traffic to train in the advanced Women's class and also catch the last half hour of no-gi sparring upstairs. Sundays I make another trek to Orange County to train the open mat at Ralph Gracie.

In between calls at work I: email different companies and academies to distribute my zine. I post in three separate forums and manage the "clients" I receive from each. I post in my facebook page and ask people (even those on my friend list who don't even know what bjj is) to like my page along with those who have a huge friend-base full of bjj lovers to post the fan page on their walls. I manage conversations to athletes for their quotes to be entered in the next zine along with the Luanna Alzuguir interview which is finally finished! (So excited) I write on the envelopes all the addresses to be shipped and stuff the few copies of zines in them. I mark down every contact/address I have in my pronotes book. I make a dot on my printed out U.S. map to mark each state I have contacts/distributors in so I can keep track of how well it is being spread. I write down the ideas/research the topics I'm writing for my next zine. Email/call copying places to request quotes for a bulk order.

I am at the post office at least once or twice a week. I am at kinkos about every week. I have received no donations and I am still doing everything out of my own pocket. I researched business plans and whatnot but that would be getting way too ahead of myself. I've gotten in contact with Budo Videos and they like the zine. Still working out plans and deals in order for them to put one of my zines in each order they send out.

I'm competing this weekend in the Grappling X tournament in Long Beach. I've been dieting and taking antibiotics. Tonight is the last night and I am still nasally/congested with a cough and no end in sight.

But I'd have to say that every morning I wake up, despite being tired and grumpy, I am stoked for what the day has to offer. As simple as you might think it is to be able to mentally prepare yourself for each day, it is not an easy task that I've ever been able to accomplish. I go to sleep at night (not without checking/responding to my emails, finishing up touches on the zine, etc) feeling tired and somewhat stressed but feeling like I did it right. I used this day wisely and I feel productive. I think that's what most of us ask for and I'm hoping it lasts. Gooooodnight.

P.S. Imagine me rambling this off to you as if I'm being timed on a game show. That should give it the full effect.

the juice is worth the squeeze

Jiu jitsu has plagued me with ailments, unknown scars and markings on my body constantly, a collection of pain meds/old antibiotics in my medicine cabinet, a maxed out credit card, buff arms that never fit right into nice cute tops with sleeves, medical bills, reason to work full time and not go back to school for now, constant laundry, lack of focus towards other important obligations in life, less of a social life, less time in my days, my hair going bald giving me reason to shave my head, dudes asking me "so ur a fighter? that's intimidating lol," and many many extra milage on my car. It's funny that a martial art/sport could change my life so much. And that everything I have "endured" so to speak so far has been completely and entirely justified due to the positive aspects. Not only did I find a hobby and a passion, I found a productive, healthy and truly inspiring way to define myself. I'm no longer just a college student. a little blonde girl, a 21-year old with no direction. I'm a jiu jitsu fighter. I find meaning in my life that is defined by training and fighting to the best of my ability in competitions. Competitions that will one day be the epitome of my life accomplishments. I have plans to not only earn a black belt but be the best female practitioner at every belt rank until then. I want to test my abilities in tournaments, teach others what I know, live my life knowing I have something worth living for and train hard all the time. I will be a champion one day. And even though that may never be enough, there is always room for improvement and ways I can incorporate jiu jitsu into my life. I'm young, I'm not tied down and I have time and the ability to dedicate my life to this sport. What a crazy thing to say.

P.s. Here's a picture after my first jiu jitsu class in which I posted on Facebook with the caption: "Hey body, you suck." hahaha