Beach

So.  I'm back home.  Phew.

Thursday thru yesterday were a whirlwind of driving and doing.  I drove 350 miles after work on Thursday, and the remaining 600 miles to Rochester on Friday.  I went to weigh-in's on Friday night.  I was at the Beach all day on Saturday for the US National Championships, and had dinner with my brother and his family at my favorite BBQ place.  I was back at the beach on Sunday for the International Cup competition.  And I was on the road by 3pm to drive 5 hours of the trip home.  I drove the last 8 hrs of it yesterday, and am just now finally decompressing.  Phew.

I had a wonderful time.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous.  There were lots of younger wrestlers there, and lots of spectators.  The event was wonderfully run - everything seemed to go very smoothly.  All things considered - I was very impressed.

The rules for this version of wrestling are perfect for getting more people involved in the sport.  There is only 1 3-minute period (vs 3 2-minute periods in freestyle), although I didn't see a single match get to the end of the period.  To win all you need to do is score 2 points or throw your opponent to his/her back.  You can get a point by pushing them out of the 20' circle that consitutes the "ring", or by doing a takedown.  It's pretty much that simple.  Although, in practice, it's probably harder in practice than it is on paper.

I took lots of photos and hope to have them up on Flickr by tomorrow.  I'll provide a link to them.

I'm sure none of this doesn't matter to anyone but me.  That's fine.  I suppose that this blog is as much for me as it is for anybody.  There was a time when my blog was far more "community" focused - news, activism, other "stuff".  It has changed over the past couple of years in a way that I think mirrors how I've changed. 

Although there is certainly a need for all those other things I've reached a point where the goal of life is embracing it and living it.  It's one thing to be a helpless victim of your own circumstance, or a passenger in your own life.  But it's another thing to be an active participant in the world, someone who refuses to acknowledge that they should accept anything less than anyone else.  That, I think, is part of what fuels me these days because there's just so much that I enjoy, that I want to do and like to do, and that provides life fuel.

I suppose one definition of activist is the traditional one that involves politics and social justice.  But another would be simply someone who is "active".  That's how my life has changed in recent years - from being active in a board-room to being active in a 20' circle on a beach.  I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to outgrow those roles even though there are still times that require a level of involvement in that capacity.  But it's nice to be able to do things I want to do rather than things I have to do based on obligations I've made...

I had a wonderful time in Rochester.  I stayed with my oldest niece and her fiancee which is a first for me.  I got to spend some time with my sister.  I got to spend some time with my brother and his family.  It was nice to see some good friends who came out to the beach to see me and show support.   I had dinner at my favorite BBQ place.  I stopped at Wegman's and brought home a cooler full of stuff.  I sated my reminiscent side by visiting the old neighborhood where we lived for 15 years.  I has some Abbott's frozen custard, and a Zweigel's hot dog.  And then it was done.

 My goal was and remains to qualify for the 2012 US Olympic Team Trials.  Now THAT would be an accomplishment.  In the meantime, I'll just prepare as best I can.  I'm in pretty good shape and I hope to stay that way.  I'll continue to train.  I'll try to avoid getting hurt.  And, I'll do as much "living" as I can, too.