Hello all,
Earlier tonight I saw a special on one of the major news shows-not quite sure which one. Maybe it was 20/20. I was utterly dissapointed at how the station handled this report and what message it relays onto the viewers.
The report was about sex offenders who target children. Now don't get me wrong. It is morally defying to sexually pursue a 9 year old boy or girl if you are a 35 year old man...that goes without saying. However, my dissapointment comes when the reporter put these sex offenders in the light of being some sort of "monsters". These people who commit these crimes are human beings with metnal illnesses and a distortion of reality. But does this constitute them to be monsters and viruses of mankind? NO! These are but humans who need help and must be at our most sensative concern. Instead of barking at them and sending back into their holes, we msut reach out our hands and help them overcome. Most of the subjects that were examined on this report did admit that they had a problem and were seeking help but the reporter's great disdain and digust was still very apparent and extremely degrading to these oxygen breathing, 4 limbed human beings.
If you accept the very core of this situation you will come to understand that these people possess a mental illness...so do we all to some degree...and we are all entitled to help. Since when has anyone barking at us about our issues helped us overcome anything at all? The way this reporter downgraded the subjects as human beings will only make them go back and feed their depression and anxiety which undoubtedly stirs up their warped view of reality. I rememebr one particular case dealing with a sex offender who was willing to speak on camera. Witha very sad face and almost helpless demeanor, he admitted his issues and stated he was getting help. The reporter then scowls "then why must your violate these kids?" in such a degrading way that the subject interviewed cried helplessly not knowing why he cannot control himself.
What we must understand is that all humans are born with defficiency in many forms...be it big or small, they are defficiencies. Asking a sex offender why he cannot stop violating is liek asking an obese person why they cannot stop overeating. With these uncertaities, some of the afflicted peopel will go seek help...yet we STILL scowl at them like they are lower forms of life.
We need to help these people if we want to get anywhere in keeping our children safe from sexual offenders.
Too many people only live in one world...and that is their own. Ths leas to several misunderstangings of why peopel are the way they are and why they commit such actions. We must consider that there are 6 billion lives on this planet with 6 billion stories. What you expect to be a given norm may not be understood by one who has been deeply traumatized by some event or tragedy. That must be considered. Help and support must be there for those we are afraid of if we wish to get anything accomplished.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Training/Trombone
Trombone has been ok lately...but has it ever been great? Hahah. I guess its just part of being a student. I just sent off a tape today for a solo comp. It is notorious for having very flawed and questionable judging, however. One of my friends has entered 3 times in the past and he has yet to be invited to the finals...and I he plays in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra...while the kids who made it to the finals of this competition over him are delivering pizzas. Nevertheless, despite sketchy judging, i wanted to send a tape and try to get an opportunity to compete...the judging is not under my control, however. The tape was pretty good for only having recorded it for about two total hours. My pianist was amazing and she was very inspiring for me...quite possibly the best accompanist in town- a Juilliard and Yale graduate and married to the Houston Symphony's Asisstant Principal Horn player. She really liked how I played and I'll be happy about that. My next recording project is goign to be for the taped audition of a summer music festival called Music Academy of The West in Santa Barbara, CA. I really want to go to this one!
Throws training lately has been...ehhhhh. I've been focusing an lot on shot-put lately because indoor season is coming up and discus isnt held until March when outdoor season begins. I did hit 55 ft one day whitch is a personal best for me but it was very short-lived. The following days I could only pull a 53-54ft at best. Then most recently, today, I would onyl get 51 ft- an obvious sign that my body needs rest as I am sustaining a sprained index fingure and a sore left calf. 60 ft would put me in place to make nationals and I think I am well capable of that by Janurary. All of us at UH are well capable of it... but boy, I cant wait for discus!
I have found a modeal thrower in Lithuanian Virgilius Alekna. He is the bes thrower in the world and gold medalist of the past two olympics in Sudney and Athens. I am looking up to him and we are pretty much identical in size. 6'7'' 285lbs- of course, he has more msucle, however...something I am working on! But yeh, Ive been really trying to model my appraoach after his.
On friday I did a plyo-circuit with my coach and he absolutely kicked my ass. This revealed a few very sore weaknesses of mine whitch is cardiovascular strength and mental toughness to remained focused even when extremely fatigued...and also some much more needed muscle gain for to promote consistency and strength. These will be other goals of mine going into the Holiday training period alogn with my goals of trimming body fat and becoming a bit more lean.
As soon as school ends, itll be about 3-4 free days then BOOM...im back into it takign 2 mini-mester courses ((2)3 hrs courses everyday), training, and maintaining a trombone practice schedule. I will have no winter break...its ok thogh...ive been eating enough cookies to keep me happy. I always have abox of cookies in my car.
Ok guys, ill hit yall up later
-JL
Throws training lately has been...ehhhhh. I've been focusing an lot on shot-put lately because indoor season is coming up and discus isnt held until March when outdoor season begins. I did hit 55 ft one day whitch is a personal best for me but it was very short-lived. The following days I could only pull a 53-54ft at best. Then most recently, today, I would onyl get 51 ft- an obvious sign that my body needs rest as I am sustaining a sprained index fingure and a sore left calf. 60 ft would put me in place to make nationals and I think I am well capable of that by Janurary. All of us at UH are well capable of it... but boy, I cant wait for discus!
I have found a modeal thrower in Lithuanian Virgilius Alekna. He is the bes thrower in the world and gold medalist of the past two olympics in Sudney and Athens. I am looking up to him and we are pretty much identical in size. 6'7'' 285lbs- of course, he has more msucle, however...something I am working on! But yeh, Ive been really trying to model my appraoach after his.
On friday I did a plyo-circuit with my coach and he absolutely kicked my ass. This revealed a few very sore weaknesses of mine whitch is cardiovascular strength and mental toughness to remained focused even when extremely fatigued...and also some much more needed muscle gain for to promote consistency and strength. These will be other goals of mine going into the Holiday training period alogn with my goals of trimming body fat and becoming a bit more lean.
As soon as school ends, itll be about 3-4 free days then BOOM...im back into it takign 2 mini-mester courses ((2)3 hrs courses everyday), training, and maintaining a trombone practice schedule. I will have no winter break...its ok thogh...ive been eating enough cookies to keep me happy. I always have abox of cookies in my car.
Ok guys, ill hit yall up later
-JL
Monday, December 05, 2005
Training Journal Entry I (12/5/2005)
So...welcome to the Blog/Training Journal. I think it'll be cool to inform you guys of my training aside from my usual rantings on this blog. So, I will indicate every training journal entry as I have witht his one (see above title). This will help me see monitor my progress and also give you guys some news on how I am doing- killing two thing swith one missile!
The semester is winding down and my strength has shot up a lot...not near where it will be eventually, but the progress is great. I came into the beginning fo the year barely able to bench press 250 lbs. My max on the Bench a few weeks ago came out to about 325 lbs. My squat at the beginning of the year could go no furthur than maybe 275. My max a few weeks ago came out to 425 lbs. Im VERY happy with these gains especially considering that these gains are a result of only a few months of training. There is still, howeverm quite a ways to go.
My strength has gone up and so has my weight. I went from 270 lbs to 285 lbs in a matter of months. Good news is, my body fat percentage has stayed the same at about 17% thus indicating the growth of muscle mass I gained. However, right now I am too fat for lack of better words...I will go into the christmas break with the goal of trimming up and maintaing my strength progression. I'm going to have to montior my saturated fats intake and incorporate more cardiovasicular excercise into my training schedule. My ideal body for season is 275 lbs and 10-12% body fat. It's going to take some work and breaking of bad habbits. I've been hitting up McD's and other fast-food establishments about 1-2 times a day!
Our strength coaches are goign to give us a winter work-out and I will be training hard over the break with my throwing patnas. I'm lookign forward to that very much! One thing that has been great about throwing is the support and guidance I'm getting from my coach and fellow throwers here. It truely is a great place to be. I'm very supportive of them, they are supportive of me...and theres one common goal for everyone...throwing shit really far.
Just as my strenght has increased, my throwing has increased dramtically as well. When I picked up the discus this past summer after two years off, I barely scratch 155' feet. It is now December and I am at about a solid 170'...sometimes throwing 175'. Shot-Put wise, I am at about 52' and hopefully for our firsty indoor meet in Janurary, I will hit 55+. ZThsat would be a great mark to build on for the rest of the season. Discus doesnt start until outdoor season which is in March. My goal for the first meet is 185'. I think I can do it...
So there it is...my main focus over the break is to get my body in better shape and more fit. I have undoubtedly increased my strength but now it's time to lean up the body and shed fat. This is gonna be tough.
See you later,
JL
The semester is winding down and my strength has shot up a lot...not near where it will be eventually, but the progress is great. I came into the beginning fo the year barely able to bench press 250 lbs. My max on the Bench a few weeks ago came out to about 325 lbs. My squat at the beginning of the year could go no furthur than maybe 275. My max a few weeks ago came out to 425 lbs. Im VERY happy with these gains especially considering that these gains are a result of only a few months of training. There is still, howeverm quite a ways to go.
My strength has gone up and so has my weight. I went from 270 lbs to 285 lbs in a matter of months. Good news is, my body fat percentage has stayed the same at about 17% thus indicating the growth of muscle mass I gained. However, right now I am too fat for lack of better words...I will go into the christmas break with the goal of trimming up and maintaing my strength progression. I'm going to have to montior my saturated fats intake and incorporate more cardiovasicular excercise into my training schedule. My ideal body for season is 275 lbs and 10-12% body fat. It's going to take some work and breaking of bad habbits. I've been hitting up McD's and other fast-food establishments about 1-2 times a day!
Our strength coaches are goign to give us a winter work-out and I will be training hard over the break with my throwing patnas. I'm lookign forward to that very much! One thing that has been great about throwing is the support and guidance I'm getting from my coach and fellow throwers here. It truely is a great place to be. I'm very supportive of them, they are supportive of me...and theres one common goal for everyone...throwing shit really far.
Just as my strenght has increased, my throwing has increased dramtically as well. When I picked up the discus this past summer after two years off, I barely scratch 155' feet. It is now December and I am at about a solid 170'...sometimes throwing 175'. Shot-Put wise, I am at about 52' and hopefully for our firsty indoor meet in Janurary, I will hit 55+. ZThsat would be a great mark to build on for the rest of the season. Discus doesnt start until outdoor season which is in March. My goal for the first meet is 185'. I think I can do it...
So there it is...my main focus over the break is to get my body in better shape and more fit. I have undoubtedly increased my strength but now it's time to lean up the body and shed fat. This is gonna be tough.
See you later,
JL
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