One of the greatest traits about my grandfather, and there were so many it feels almost foolish to settle upon but one, was his self-effacing attitude. Above all, he never considered himself the big shot he really was. For despite his intelligence, his considerable accomplishments in chemistry and business, and his excellent oratory skills, he stayed grounded–yet always focused on what ultimately mattered.

And what mattered to him most was doing what was best for his family. He did what he did for the right reasons; he did what he believed was right; he did these things extremely well. Those he cared for and loved never wanted for anything. Be it love, be it financial assistance, or support, Lawrence F. Marnett served as a formidable presence in so many lives, an unwavering beacon of stability among the tempest.

From him came what seemed like an endless supply of unconditional love. Whether I succeeded or stumbled, he was there every step of the way, always in my corner, always ready to listen. He gave me all the approval I could ever want, and his only great expectation was that I do what made me happy. He put his family first, and himself second.

Grandpa was so fond of telling stories, and a true master of the anecdote. In his memory, I’d like to share a favorite.

The night I graduated from college, he took a small group out for dinner. Returning to the hotel lobby, the sounds of another type of celebration greeted us. A wedding reception in a nearby conference room. Grandpa and I looked at each other and reached the same critical conclusion at once. Weddings equal open bar. Much later, when my grandmother found us in the hallway, standing with a beer in each hand, she said, “Larry, did you crash that wedding?”

Without a pause, Grandpa answered: “Boy made me do it.”

Lawrence F. Marnett was a father, a husband, a business man, a story teller, and an executive. He was fiercely loved and he will be greatly missed.

And to me, he will forever be the greatest Grandfather, and the greatest man I can ever hope to become.

I’m going to need a tinfoil hat and black paint for the windows real soon. Comcast, one of the largest cable companies in the United States, may launch a new set top box equipped with a special feature. A camera that watches, well, you.
Boy, nothing could ever go wrong with that. I swear.

A few things are percolating:

1) The quest for representation continues in earnest. I’m taking a slightly different approach when making contact this time.

2) Since I began reading The Secret, I’ve been viewing recent events, relationships and game plans in a very different way. Despite the hype, the book is definitely worth checking out.

3) On Saturday morning, I leave for Vegas. This trip is going to rock! I’ll post plenty of pics of the Mojave.

Someone out there is smiling.

From theonion.com 

If you ever tried capturing live music with any kind of recording device, you might find this product demonstration very interesting. It’s about seven minutes long and safe for work. The ground breaking stuff starts around the three minute mark.

If you’re having trouble with your display, this utility may improve the picture.

http://www.chunkysalsa.net/screenclean.swf

Learned a lot in my second Krav Maga class about defense. Elbow work and 360 degree blocks were the focus of Thursday’s lesson. In addition to hitting the instructor in the face numerous times–punching a guy head on is pretty tough the first time, even when he orders you to do so–I began grasping a very important concept about Krav Maga, which has to do with its design.

A lot of maneuvers are compound and blitzkrieg style. In other words, in one scenario: nail the chin from below with the elbow, bring it back down on top of the chin, slice the right cheek with the elbow, back again, and this time taking the left side, and finally slam the throat. Note that a single attack consisted of five separate strikes.

The sheer fury of moves like this begs the question: how many strikes are sufficient in the real world? And there are two answers, one which really matters, and another which does not.

Because it’s variable, the literal answer about what constitutes sufficient counterforce does not really matter. Depending the opponent, their conditioning level, intent and skill, all five strikes might be necessary to topple them. Or maybe they have a glass jaw and crumple instantly. But the problem is, because the tolerance level is so variable, there’s no way to predict someone’s breaking point in advance. Which makes grasping for an exact answer not a very good move at all when in the midst of flying fists.

So the practical answer–the one that counts–is once you are in a fight, be ready for anything. Do what it takes to get the attacker on the ground and get the fuck away from them.

Quickly.