Because choice.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/jamie-varon/2014/12/this-is-how-we-date-now/

There's so much swirling through my head after reading this that I can't type my thoughts out in a comprehensive or coherent manner. I keep writing shit and deleting it, writing shit and deleting it. What it comes down to is I can't figure out how to write what I want to say without writing what I want to say. I suppose that it will suffice to say the article hits home.

SYG

"It's a revelation, a moment of clarity." I love how sometimes things become clear and my mind opens up to these epiphanies out of nowhere. These epiphanies often come with a change of attitude which admittedly is often short lived, but I don't really care right now because I'm going to indulge in this moment. The here and now is fleeting, my friends, and we mustn't take it for granted. Anyway, I really need to sleep. It's a big week and I'm already starting it off with a sleep deficit. Paid fitting for an HBO show tomorrow, work, exam, class, people to see, filming on Weds-Fri for the show, etc. And I fucked up my knee at Trash Talk on Saturday, so I gotta take care of that. This isn't that coherent, I know. Don't worry about it. I'm not. I'm glad that my cousin was able to make it down for Basel and I was able to show him some amazing things. I love that guy. Finally, I've got dreams and I'm fighting for them. They come into fruition little by little everyday. Just wait for it.

Give me a minute....

I'm still trying to catch my breath. 

Fo-cus!

I've been up since 5am trying to study, but I've been so incredibly distracted. I have too much on my mind, and it came out of nowhere. This sucks. I don't have an exam today, but still. Come on, Rick, FOCUS!

Edit: It's 9 till 3pm right now and I've literally been thinking about the same thing all day. The longer I think about it, the crazier my thoughts get. Can I get a muzzle for my mind, please? Like some eternal sunshine type shit? Damn.

Muzak

The Morning Benders

Phoenix

The Dodos

Home

I miss my home.

Número Uno

Honestly, I learned a lot from my last relationship. And even though it's been a year or so since it ended, I'm still learning from it. I just read something which made me think about all of this now. I think I was pretty immature in a number of ways (well, we both had our moments, but let's focus on my blunders for now), and I'm glad that I can look back and recognize that. The whole situation gave me a pretty clear picture on what to look for as well as what to look out for (red flags) as far as potential future relationships go. I feel like I've developed fairly good insight on the way that I should treat a person as well as the way that I should expect to be treated. I guess they call it "wisdom" haha. It would have been nice to have wisened up sooner, but I suppose it's better late than never. In any event, I'm not looking for anything right now; I honestly don't have the time nor the desire to dedicate to something long-term at the moment. For the time being, I'm going to continue to focus on número uno: me, myself, and I <3

Gym Talk

As of today, my max squat and my max deadlift are both over 300 lbs. It would be amazing if I could get my bench up there too <3__<3

How To Make It In America

I'm here at work listening to Cudi and it reminded me of this show. I wish they would have finished it :/

Itch

I've got that itch again. And no, it's not something that I need to get checked out -.- I just feel a little restless. I want to get outta here and travel and see the world. I want to wake up in a new place, jump in a river, go through some woods, scale a mountain.... I've got an urge to be more physical too; jump on my bike and ride 100 miles, stand on my hands, jump and kick, flip, dive, swim.... I know all of it is coming. I'm in school right now. I work at my school, so I see a lot of this place. I study a lot and I get good grades. I don't have much time for other things...but I know that it's an investment in my future. A "work hard now so that I can play hard later" sort of thing. Just one more year until I have my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. One more year, man. Just one more year.

My chest, my back....

Lol at that title. I'm so sore. The gym whooped my ass. Gotta love the DOMS (and hate them--we've got a very ambivalent relationship haha). That's only part of what's on my mind though. I can't sleep. My eyes are tired but my brain is wired. I'm lying here thinking about my past and about my future. I've gone through so much, you know? I guess it's just life. And I have so much more life ahead of me to live. I have so much more shit to go through, both good and bad. I suppose I should try to live for the ups while also trying to minimize the downs. That's what life is all about, right? Making the most of it (the time that we're here that is). I wouldn't say that life is where I want it to be right now, but it's still pretty damn good and it's brimming with possibilities. I feel good. And I think that I can go to sleep now. Good night, dreamers :)

Sure

Apparently eternity isn't as long as I thought, forever fades, and change is the only constant. Or maybe I'm just a cynic.

Edit: But I'm not a cynic, am I? I'm really more of a realist and an optimist simultaneously if that's possible. I'm a fool full of foolish feelings. It's kind of fascinating to me, the things that go on in my head. The back and forth intrigues me. I've come to accept it in this moment, the fact that the back and forth exists. The dichotomy between hope and despair. It shouldn't be forever though. That's the optimist and the realist speaking.

Swerve

I'm not sure what's up with this epidemic, but this is exactly how I feel about it. At least finish school and/or get a career first, Jesus Christ.

But I suppose:

Fresh

I copped a new whip today! I said goodbye to the 2011 Corolla and jumped into a 2014 Corolla :) I'm stoked on the new ride and I'm extremely proud of myself for the way that I've built up my credit over the years to the point that I didn't need a consigner for this purchase. I know it may sound stupid, but my credit has always been really important to me. Having good credit is something that I've always cherished. I know part of it stems from seeing others' experience with poor credit and the way that it has affected them. It also stems from the fact that I don't believe in paying interest on a credit card (at least not personally). I feel like that's just giving money away for nothing. Understandably, not everyone can afford to do that. But there are those that seem to relish living beyond their means and end up falling into debt. I'd rather be smart and pay the thing off in full every month (and trust me, the creditors take notice of that kind of punctuality). Finally it stems from the feeling of being approved for things. When I get approved for things, its as if they're telling me, "You have proven yourself, and we trust you." Phone service, cable service, my old apartment, my old motorcycle, etc. And now this car. It makes it feel as if the world is my oyster, and I'm looking forward to all that it has to offer!!! =)

Stoked!

I did my first Eka Hasta Bhujasana or Elephant's Trunk Pose today! Hell yeah!!!

LIFE

#StayQuit #StayFit

Denial

I find that there's no use in denial with yourself. Why try to fool yourself when you're the only one in your head? Honesty is the best policy, but it starts with being honest with yourself. I think it's powerful to be able to recognize what you truly feel and what it is that you truly want. I suppose there are exceptions in extreme circumstances such as with Kubler-Ross's stages, but even that ends in acceptance. So acknowledge what you're feeling, acknowledge what you want. And if what you want is to no longer feel a certain way, then you take it from there. Admitting the problem is the first step to recovery (sorry for all the cliches, but it's true!). Food for thought.

Peace

I feel particularly enlightened in this very moment. I read just one sentence and I instantly felt different. I won't share the sentence though, it's personal. And I'm 99% sure that it wouldn't have the same effect for you readers anyway lol. Here's to hoping that this lasts for a loooooong time!

Patrick Beach

I attended an incredible arm balance workshop with Patrick Beach at Green Monkey in Miami Beach this past Friday. I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to grow in my practice and to learn from someone so humble and amazing in their practice. I'm loving yoga more and more everyday, and I'm glad to be able to share it with so many of my friends. Peep my Instagram to see the things that I've been up to (@rab_boarder) and peep Patrick's IG as well for some amazing inversions (@patrickbeach)!

Hashtag Inversions Make You Hot

So my newest endeavor is handstands. Seeing yogis on IG (particularly @kinoyoga, @carsonclaycalhoun, @fitqueenirene, and @patrickbeach) do inversions has had quite an impact on me. The strength (core, shoulders, arms, etc.), flexibility, balance, and mindset required to do these things is just so impressive. So I'm a man on a mission to get some really sick handstands down. I've incorporated yoga into my fitness regiment, so if anyone's down, join me for some free yoga at Bayfront park every Saturday morning at 9am!

YES

Just fucking yes:

Nostalgic

I haven't heard this song in many months. I threw it on just now and a wave of memories came rushing back (which is funny because I was just discussing with someone earlier today how music can be attached to memories and when you hear something in particular it takes you back to an exact time and place in your past). So this song takes me back to living in D Place. I would wake up at 6 something in the morning, hop on my bike, head down NE 2nd Ave through the design district, hang a right onto 36th St, and a quick left on NE 1st Ave into the shops of Midtown. Straight down, past my job at the time, and across the street to Crossfit Wynwood (ignore the fact that I used to Crossfit for a while). It's so vivid in my mind: passing the restaurants such as Buena Vista Deli and Lemoni Cafe, trying to race the morning buses on my bike, the calm of the streets while ASAP flowed through my headphones, etc. I would complete my WOD, reverse route, and get back to my apartment. I miss that place. I'm putting in the necessary work to go back there (well, not back to D Place, but back to downtown). I'm doing well in school, and I graduate with my BSN next year. So one day I'll be back in that area that I love so much. Maybe I'll play this song to celebrate.

Fixie

I held this one-handed track stand for the longest time before heading to downtown to ride bike yesterday. There's still so much to learn :)

Caesy Neistat

I almost forgot about this guy. I gotta spend a day catching up on all of his new videos once the semester ends.


And I just found out he married Candice :3

Hablando Basura

I remember driving up to Orlando to see Trash Talk. That was hella fun. You remember that, don't you?
Well here they are with Odd Future making some cameos. And speaking of which, seeing OF when they came down on Halloween was so fucking sick. What a show!

Progress

Disclaimer: only a meathead will probably find any interest in this, ahaha.

I'm fucking stoked on my progression in the gym. I was thinking about it during my workout on the bench today. I remember when I first hit 205x7 on bench. It was the most I had ever done and I was hella stoked. In an unfortunate turn of events, I ended up spraining my wrist the very same day in an unrelated accident and I had to stop working out for a very long time. I never really hit the gym the same way again until now. Fast forward some years from that injury to some months ago. I came up super fucking fast and hit 205x7 in no time. I maybe could have done more, but I was so happy that I started laughing once I came up on 7 and had to rack the weight, ahaha. Fast forward to now, just a few months later and I'm hitting 215x7. I'm not sure if 10lbs sounds like a lot but it definitely shows that I'm progressing. The goal is 2 plates x7 and then 2 plates x12. Can you imagine (I'm not even taking any supplements)? I'm coming for ya B-)

For PR, maxed out during winter break 2013 and these were the numbers on the big 3:
Bench: 260
Squat: 280
Deadlift: 315x2 (pictured below) (not sure what the 1 rep max is)
Can't stop. Won't stop.

Century Village Highlight Video

I volunteered to help teach the elderly how to use their tablets at Century Village last Friday and this highlight video popped up!

Edit: I found a picture from the Friday session that followed the video :)

Those old timers were awesome. They were so appreciative of the things that I taught them. Some of them were super fresh, lol. After her session was over, one of them said, "Thanks for your help! I have to get going now. Mother doesn't like to miss dance night." Lmao! There was a guy that had traveled all around the world. There was a woman that used to be an Argentinian olympian. The stories they tell! Well, I'm thankful for the experiences and the well wishes that they gave me on my nursing journey. Until we meet again, old folks :)

Current Jams

These two songs have been fixated in my brain as of late, and for good reason; both are too awesome, haha.

Passion Pit - Constant Conversations
(Btw, Analeigh Tipton is a cutie <3)


Blackstar ft. Common - Respiration
The trifecta. All three beastin' on the track, and not to mention that Mos Def's voice is so fucking sick to me. I'll forever have love for Blackstar and Common.

Elation

You ever have those moments in life where you sit back and look at everything that is going on around you and think to yourself that it doesn't get much better than this? Or you might even objectively know that it does get better, but you feel that things are great as they are and to get any better would simply be a bonus; you ever get that feeling? That's me lately. I love my friends, I love my family, and I love life right now. Pure elation :)

Guess Who's Back

And it's not a Slim Shady reference! Instagram: @rab_boarder

Cut The Shit

There comes a time when everyone should just cut the melodrama and act like adults, am I right? Or are we still children here?

CONSULAR

Consular: one of my favorite bands that I got to see at 305 Fest. I remember the first time that I ever heard them years ago. I think my brain melted a little, ahaha. So slow, so heavy, so good. Check out their set from this past 305 Fest, and pay close attention around 16:55 (you can see me jumping off stage and getting carried away by the crowd with a funny ass hair whip to boot, ahaha).

Its So Hard To Say Goodbye

Its so cliche, but sometimes you really don't know what you have until its gone. Crush, the family turtle, ran away the other day. I really loved that little guy. I mean, he was a turtle, but fuck it, I loved him. Once I heard what had happened, I was full of so much remorse and regret. Why didn't I do more to facilitate my little friend? I took care of him when everyone went out of town which is when I really grew attached, but I could have done so much more with him. And now that he's gone, its too late. I then started thinking that its the same with friends, family, and significant others. Don't take them for granted. Cherish the fuck out of them. Because they may no longer be around one day and you'll want to feel peace and happiness when you think about the times that you spent together as opposed to regret or remorse at how you treated them (or didn't treat them). Well anyway, here's to Crush. Be safe in those streets, buddy. I hope you find an ill ass lake and smash some way cool lady turtles, have some babies, and live a long life.



P.S. Admittedly, losing Crush symbolized other things, people, etc. that I've lost in life, especially those that I fought for and could not regain. I'm a really nostalgic and reminiscent kind of guy. Strive for new and better things though, and work toward a future that you can look forward to as opposed to looking toward your past.

New Year

These will forever be the top two New Year songs:

Somewhat of a New Pet Peeve

Cell phones at the dinner table; it shouldn't happen. I fought this one before, but its a good rule. Granted it is the 21st century and we have become accustomed to not letting a single red notification or ping go unchecked (I'm guilty of this), I think that all the social media and texts can wait for just half an hour or so. Family, friends, and significant others that are right in front of you are more important. Partake in real life conversation. Make a real life connection. Leave the phone elsewhere or on vibrate. You'll be doing yourself and those around you a favor.

So This Is The New Year

I guess the New Year is supposed to signify some sort of progression, but really it's just a new day. Today is Tuesday and tomorrow will be Wednesday; that's about it. People make resolutions to start working out, eat healthy, be kinder to people, treat their significant other better, or whatever the case may be, but more than half of people don't even keep their resolutions past the first month or two into the New Year. So I say why wait until the first of January? If you want to progress, then start already. Start on the 15th, 25th, or 31st of December. Don't waste time making New Years resolutions and broadcasting them for the world to see via social media when there's a good chance you won't even stick to it. Make lifetime resolutions, and start them right now. With all cynicism aside, it really doesn't take a "New Year" to start becoming the best person that you can be. Just my two cents. Happy New Years, everyone :) (This is something I posted on FB yesterday; thought it was worth remembering.)