After fighting, everything else in your life got the volume turned down. – Tyler Durden

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time you’ve probably come across my posts about my love of boxing. (So, basically, George knows where I’m coming from.) The sport is truly amazing. Unfortunately I’ve not been hitting the gym much lately. Not the actual gym or the one in my garage.

I’ll save the details for a later post but currently I’m working through some stuff that I think can only be remedied by being broken down ala Fight Club. I’ve learned a few things about myself. Notably, I tend to stand up stronger after being beaten down.

So, it’s time to get back in the proverbial ring. However, I’m at a bit of an impasse. I love boxing, I truly do. The sport is poetry. However I’m wondering if I wouldn’t be better served to go the MMA route and expand into other areas. MMA seems to cover such a broad spectrum that any degree of proficiency is only achieved after seriously breaking yourself down and rebuilding brick by proverbial brick.  I’m also wondering if the same could be achieved by simply modeling my training on some of the CrossFit principles. No doubt it will break me down. However, I’m wondering if taking the “fight” aspect out of my training will impact my intensity.  It may sound twisted but I really enjoy, and currently am missing, those reductive moments of pure animal fury that let me unleash. I *like* feeling like my life is on the line and then going a little batshit crazy to come back from the edge. I’ve long since moved past the point where “vanity” training does anything but serve as a 10 second ego boost.  I want pain.

Finances add a layer of complexity. I really don’t have the luxury of dropping wads of cash at a gym. A lot of the mess I’m dealing with is directly tied to some poor financial decisions. Ironically this makes it difficult to afford the kind of outlets that would help put my mind on the path necessary to fix the aforementioned mistakes.  So, for the moment I’m limited to kicking my own arse.

However, I really think the octagon beckons…

Today is the first day of the last week of a loooooong trip.

I started working at UGA almost 13 years ago as a student worker. I’ve technically worked here on three separate occasions. I started as a student worker then left to work some corporate gigs (and drop out of school the first time). I returned a couple years later and started to pursue a degree again. That lasted for a year or two before I left to work in Gwinnett County Public Schools (and dropped out a second time).  At the time I thought I was gone from UGA for good. However, I still had the unfinished business of getting my degree. So after 5 years or so in GCPS I returned to UGA for the third time. I came back, finished my degree and changed career paths drastically.

Starting a week from today I’ll be a full time web developer. Which, is something I’ve been sort of pretending to be since about 2000.  My goal in 2010 was to make the transition from wanna-be developer/design to full blown developer/designer. That goal became a reality thanks to W3BG. So I’ll be leaving UGA for what appears to be the final time. I look back fondly on the times I’ve spent here. I’ve enjoyed my time and I’ll always be a DAWG. But in an odd way I *finally* feel like I’m a “grown up” and have a career ahead of me. It’s both scary and exciting all at once…

So I had a bunch of separate smaller posts in mind but I’ve decided to make them into bullet points instead.  Otherwise, the may never see the light of day. So here’s where things are as of February 8th 2010.

• George is shutting down Mystic Negro.  Atleast, he’s shutting down the BMX section.  I don’t see the need to rehash his reasons here, just go read the post. I commented and told him that it didn’t surprise me.  I’m just hoping he continues to blog about something. I’ll miss his acerbic wit.  At least, I’ll miss it in blog form. I still get small doses via IM.
• Herschel Walker won in his MMA debut. Goooo Dawgs, SIC’ EM! In related news Jason David Frank, aka Tommy the Green Power Ranger, also won his MMA debut (albeit in a sloppier fashion).  My inner fanboy is going totally bonkers right now. Power Rangers + Damn Good Dawgs + MMA = WICKED AWESOME!
• Now on to the BIG news. I’ve worked in IT Support since I was 21. I’m now 34. I’ve long since passed my sell-by date for this type of work.  Roughly 6 years ago I returned to UGA to finish my BA.  I finished that goal a little over 2 years ago. Since that time I’ve been floundering trying to figure out what comes next. About 4 years ago I established CycleSixtySix Studios as an LLC to funnel all my web design/development interests through. That too has been floundering.  For this year, with much encouragement from The Wifs, I made it my mission to dedicate myself to working in web development full time, whether for myself or someone else. To that end I’m pleased to announce that effective February 22nd I’ll be employed as a full time web developer for W3BG Web Group. No more IT Support, it’s time for something new.  It’s a sweet deal that includes an opportunity to do most of my work from the comfort of my home office. They’re also very cool with regards to Cycle projects so long as they don’t conflict with deadlines and such.
  

  Short version, this rules and I’m PUMPED!

In relation to the last point, I want to publicly thank Joel Caughran and ALL my friends at the Chemistry Department for making my time there enjoyable. I’ll miss y’all and hope you will keep in touch! I’ll try to stop by from time to time and make sure no one is slacking, ya bunch of heathens! =)

With everything that’s been happening lately, this song seems fitting (despite the fact it’s supposed to be much more ironic than it actually is, which is in itself very ironic)

The Dawgs are mere minutes away from their first victory over The Basset Hounds since 2004. This will also be their first SEC victory of the season. They’ve had some near misses recently against other top ranked teams and a HUGE win over the Nerds. It would be oh-so-sweet to pick off the Big Orange. It would also be some big time momentum leading up to the games against the Gators and Commodores.

The Wifs (who I’m still trying to convince to start a blog of her own) is out at her weekly pottery class so it’s a quiet night at home. It’s just me and our ridiculous amount of pets. Considering the circumstances, I can’t think of anything better than sitting on the couch in my pajamas watching the Dawgs. That’s a darn good Saturday night right there!

UPDATE: DAWGS WIN!!  Final score was 78-63.  The Dawgs win in a dominating fashion! Over a Top 10 team no less!

Goooooooo DAWGS!! SIC’EM!!

I’ve been trying to track down some of my older blog posts from back in the days when I was coding my own CMS platform over at CycleSixtySix.com. I’ve found a few that were worth revisiting. The following are some of the ones I found worthy.

This particular entry was written after the first time I had been back on a BMX bike in almost 15-20 years.  In the last 5 years I’ve made my on-again/off-again quite clear. I’m really hoping that one day I can return to this kind of pure unadulterated joy that can only be found on two wheels.  This particular entry is also very timely in that it includes an all-too-common New Year’s Resolution.

originally written by: Sean | posted on: 01/04/2004

I busted my ass yesterday.

Third time down a set of stairs, pulled up late, WHAM! I’m on the pavement, sliding on the ground with a couple of stigmata-like wounds as souvenirs.

Did I mention I was riding a bike? A street/flatland BMX to be exact.

Did I also mention that it f*n RULED??!!

Seriously, I loved every minute of the experience. I felt like I was a kid again. Of course, I will grant that when I woke up this morning, I sure as hell felt sore like an old man. But, for those 10 seconds-come-eternity, it was as much fun as I’ve had in a while.
*(others may comment that I am indeed a kid anyhow, but that’s not all relevant at this time)

Read more »