Reading and then some

"Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior"- Trungpa
"The Analects"- Confucius
" The Trial and Death of Socrates, Four Dialogues"- Plato

The latter two I bought at the very nearby half priced books one Sunday. Every Sunday morning I take a walk to La Madleine, Starbucks, then conclude with a trip to Half Priced Books. I usually shop through their great LP section but these two books found their ways to my interest.

Trungpa's book was handed to me by my room mate, Rene. I will probably start with this one as I march on down through the above list.


And at a whim, I am compelled to start a preliminary list of things I wish to do before I turn 30 in about four years (October 7th, 2014).

-Play in a "big-five" major American symphony orchestra (New York, CHICAGO, Boston, Cleveland, Philadelphia)...a bit hard to exactly time that but I thought i'd include it anyways. This one might be a bit later...or a bit earlier!
-Go to Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Greece, New Zealand , Australia, Venezuela, Oregon.
-Own a very beautiful vintage truck...probably a 1970 Chevy
-Be back in school to study something else (not to switch field or to obtain a "back up"...but rather, be enveloped in the study of something else).
-Go back to Korea
-become a bit better at French and Italian. Dabble in German
-still own the "Golden Bullet". 2003 Toyota Sienna Minivan
-still remain in my belief that smart phones aren't "needed". Oh wow, how did we EVER survive without them?
-throw over 200' in the discus (which will be quite a challenge seeing as though I don't really train my throwing anymore...but I think i can still do it.
-start a sports performance training group focused on excellent performance...not some trendy magazine junk. Bigger, faster, stronger shall be our goal.
-teach less students...dramatically less.
-tour with a musical around the country
ok... that can suffice for now.

Things I want to do NOW (or in the near future)

-practice my butt off
-get better at jazz improvisation
-play in a salsa band
-get faster and get stronger
-take auditions (summer festival auditions soon and Chicago Civic Symphony)
-try out my shot at playing basketball at Houston's famous Fonde recreation center
-resume my "take lessons with anyone with ears" mode
-see more opera this year
-talk to the nice bartender at the "The Ticket" sports bar in Seguin, TX when im there again to play a concert! Ha, I chickened out last time HARDCORE.
-constantly live in thanksgiving for the beauties I see everyday.

Something about JS Bach

It's no secret that listening to Bach can be a very beautiful experience. His work is crafted masterfully and is perfectly placed in what can seem like a mathematically correct balance.
I am convinced, however, that Bach saved a very sacred and elusive facet of his music to be appreciated solely by those who perform it. Music can be seen as a way for humans to tap into a very special place that could not be reached through any other vehicle, and it is the music from the pen of Bach which has convinced me of this lately. Sure, listen to the music of any master and you can feel gorgeous and transcendental beauties, but Bach doesn't stop there. It seems to me that the nature of his music tqkes you out of this world and to another place where humans can truly be a part of a cosmic plane! It's as if you are meeting Bach there!

Lately, my practice has evolved around the prelude to Bach's cello suite no. 1...yeah, that one you've heard. Of course, it's a pleasant piece...but let me tell you, this seemingly casual-to-play piece of music is anything but! Disguised by Bach's wonderful chordal structures, there is a very firm underlying struggle to make all of these passages feel facile. So, as a result, I have spent a lot of time doing very slow practice followed by gradual work towards a tempo I find to be suitable. Much time is spent hearing the intonation (it is a HIGHLY tonal piece of music after all), keeping steady tempo yet letting the music breath in its own way, finding musical lines, and making sure that every single note gravitates to it's home. Through this work, through this execution...this is where I feel Bach leaves his greatest legacy. Somehow it seems that when I get a bit more familiar with the music and it's technical difficulties become a bit easier, it's as if every fiber within in me is being realigned and corrected by the ever so perfect swoop of Bach's hand...truly, at this point, nature coincides with music! So after about a half hour of grueling work trying to work out the nooks and crannies of the first few lines, I let myself play the music at my desired tempo. I took a deep breath, let the beauty of the writing be my guide, and went. With my eyes closed I let it all go and I swear to all that I believe in, when I was able to let myself go into the music, it truly felt as if effort had left me...as if Bach took my arm and played it for me. My efforts seemed useless, and If I were to "try" then it would have failed miserably.

So, in conclusion to all of this, I am convinced that when one sets out to practice any of Bach's works, they must stop to think and love every millisecond of every note. Never can you play it slow enough...the only way to play the music is to have felt every note and to let it become a part of who you are.

I will resume my work on this piece and it is a work that I hope to open a recital with in the future....i've had some great experiences with it...but, as reality reveals, I have MUCH work to do!

2510 Swift Blvd

There's a list of topics/ideas that I would like to write about one day dangling from the wall behind me but this easy Wednesday morning lends itself to some light fare. For now, just a slight update.

The more I live in this new home, the more I am loving it. Our little house on Swift blvd sits in the most beautiful neighborhood I have ever seen in Houston. So beautiful in fact that it inspires me to wake early on weekends and just stroll down the street and meet the other smiling faces that are doing so as well. So beautiful that I have definitely begun to believe that so much of our life is wasted on seeing the moon as opposed to the sun. I mean, its not like I live off the edge of a vast mountain range or at the brook of a river. But in it's own way, my street just delivers such a beautiful warmth. We have huge trees, soaked on brown and green that provide a tunnel for our street. When the weather is humid (which is often) and sun comes out in the morning, you can see very apparent beams of sunlight shooting in every direction, fighting their ways through the crack and crevasses of perfectly placed leaves and branches. When I'm practicing, I often look out the window to stare at the old couple who make it a point to walk everyday at the same time. And when I see these people on the street, I get warm smiles and compliments..."thank you for the free concert!". I make it a point to walk at least once on a weekend morning and to benefit the blessing of such a warm neighborhood. It really is therapeutic.

James Lee, recruiter for University of Houston men's basketball

Ok, not really.

But in the latest issue of the Houston Press the front page story is "Bringing Back Phi Slamma Jamma". Of course, this spin off of a fictional fraternity name refers to the glory days of UH's prosperous and nationally-renowned basketball program under the helm of former coach Guy V. Lewis some thirty years ago. The article goes into depth about the rise and fall of such an amazing basketball program and how it is currently brewing a desperate comeback to what the students used to look forward to seeing on campus. One very fine point that is well known throughout this whole dilemma is that the modern-aged program at UH hasn't had much emphasis on retaining and recruiting talents from the Houston area. Houston is a region rich in amazing young athletes in all sports and much of this talent is exported to bigger and more well known schools with stronger basketball programs such as the University of Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, Connecticut and the like. Though it may seem logical that UH would extend it's recruiting efforts in it's own city, it can almost seem like a trivial effort considering the offers that young high school athletes get from more prestigious athletic programs. Newly hired coach James Dickey claims that one of his missions during his tenure will be to tap into the basketball goldmine that is Houston. The mission will take lots of work and a true belief in selling the product that is UH. I mean, why would you, an 18 yr old high school senior, with the choice to play anywhere in the nation chose to stay at UH and not gain nearly as much national recognition? Well, here is the logic of one James Lee, recruiter of UH men's basketball, and his pitch to a high prospect athlete deciding where to take his talents.

"Dear Young and Nationally Ranked High School Prospect,
It is my pleasure to write to you today and to invite you to consider making the University of Houston your home for your collegiate academic and athletic career. With your great talent and attitude, it is of no doubt to me that this letter is only one in a continuous contingent of recruiting letters from other fine universities and basketball programs; I would expect nothing else when considering your abilities both athletically and scholastically.

I am writing you today because I want the UH men's basketball program to be something special. In order for me to do this, I am targeting directly the best talent this country has to offer and making you aware that you and I can help this amazing university and it's basketball program get back to the national spotlight where it belongs. I have watched your progress through your prep career and you possess the strength and determination to help our efforts of resurrecting a program that belongs in the spotlight.

We are well aware that you may be considering other option and fine options at that. You may chose to go to a great program to be a part of something big. If you bring your talents to UH, you will be doing something big, not just joining it. Once you step foot on our campus, we will make you stronger, faster, and help you improve your game everyday in conjunction with our goals to turn fine athletes such as yourself into better players, citizens, and men.

Mr. Prospect, we are truly looking for the nation's finest. Athletes who can not only excel at the game, but also contain the strength and honor to fulfill a very strong duty to the University of Houston. Together we can truly bring a new fire to this town and you , prospect, are someone whom we can trust this responsibility to.

We hope you can join is this fall as we begin our training camp

Thank you for your time and we wish you nothing but success for your life.

sincerely,
James Lee"

Some things will remind you...

When you teach 35 students a week, you tend to bury yourself in the grind of just getting through all of those lessons. Sure, you do realize that you are teaching an amazing gift to younger people but not all lessons lend themselves to such a beautiful ideal. I mean, lots of kids don't practice or care. Most of the time (well, a LOT of the time) students are not prepared.

I would like dedicate this post to two of my newest of students, Ethan and Nicolas! These two fine young men are sixth graders who just signed up for lessons and their enthusiasm and excitement of learning how to play a long metallic slidey thing has truly been an absolute joy to be around. This is probably the happiest I have ever been while playing simple tunes such "Jolly Old St. Nicolas" and "Ode to Joy" in the most simple of rhythms! These two kids remind me EXACTLY how it felt to first hold the trombone and with their pure excitement comes a newly found love of quarter notes on my part!

A little spare time

I have just begun the preliminary steps to becoming a volunteer in the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization in Houston. It's hard to explain what compels me (us) to do such a thing but the more and more I think about it, the stronger the pull is towards joining. It flusters me when I try to think about why it is that I want to do this ...but I do.

A little here, a little there

Well, Friday night, I'm sitting at my new desk (given to me by my generous roommate), under a beautiful lamp (also gifted to me from a friend), and there probably isn't anywhere else I would like to be right now. This reminds me quite a bit of my freshman year of college when I wanted nothing more on a Friday night than to sit alone at my desk and watch movies.

For the first time since moving to my new home my room is organized and I must admit, though it may seem silly, that my everyday life really has augmented quite a bit as a result of a neat and clutter-less room (well, a few papers here and there). There definitely has to be some universal truth in my findings but to be honest, I rarely have lived in a tidy and functional living arrangement...ha, serious, in 25 years. I feel like such a caveman, late to the findings of the normal and functioning adult. I mean, I come home, I turn on the lamp, I sit at my desk, and I take care of business. There is now beautiful couch (thanks to my roomie, again) that sits in the corner of my room so you are more than welcome to come into he humble abode. Clearly, living with two guys who really like to keep things tidy has rubbed off on me.

In other news, life as a musician has been good. I've made some dramatic improvements in my playing (much having to do with the wonderful people who have helped guide my efforts through lessons) in the past half year or so. However, and this is very common, I've come across a string of a few weeks of not so good playing/achievement in my practice and those rough patches are very hard to work through.Who knows exactly what the problem may be but things aren't quite clicking like they might have in the passed months...but these types of things are inevitable. I feel happy that I am able to deal with this better than I have in the past. Rather than being discouraged or puzzled at what is happening, I have peace in knowing that no one is always perfect and that the enjoyment and love of music making shall always be greater than any anxiety. Rough patches are inevitable and when people encounter them, I feel that it is necessary to look to perspective for a sense of peace. For me, music and the joys it brings me will always be greater than the anxiety involved with playing a brass instrument. When I remember what it is about making music that I love, my problems in the physical world become very trivial. When I am in this mindset, my fear of playing leaves me and I can enjoy it the very same way I did when I first picked up the horn at the age of 11.
I do want to write about this in a bit more detail but I do think I shall save that for another time.

Big game this weekend, Texans vs. Cowboys.
I need to first start by saying, I really have no idea who will win. I know for a fact that the Texans are the better team. However, one of the amazing beauties of any competition in general (be it sports, music, art, whatever) is that the best contender doesn't always win.
The Dallas Cowboys, despite lacking a win in their first two outings, are still considered to be a top notch team in the NFL and have been for the passed several years. An 0-2 start for any team would make them hungry to make sure that the number is not 0-2. This Cowboys team is going to come out with some major fire under their bellies and they are hoping to prove something against a Texans team that is slowly earning national recognition as the best team in the state.
In order to win this game, the Texans need to let go of any sub-conscience morals and decide to beat someone down when they are already down. No inch of sympathy should be anywhere near that locker room and the Texans need to come out with a continuous chip on their shoulder to prove to the nation that the Texans are for real. See, we aren't a team that can depend on our past of winning experience...well, because we aren't traditionally "winners". The Colts have lots of security within themselves. They may lose a game, get their ass kicked, but they know one thing; they have one of the greatest players to ever play the game quarterbacking their offense.
The Texans do not have that luxury or comfort. Our only success has resulted from an amazingly high amount of energy that has stirred from a whole off-season's worth of preparation and a need to prove something. We have to maintain this throughout the whole season to garner any real success that would hopefully lead into a nice post-season birth.

ok, time to go buy some water,

good night friends

yours

James Lee

The Dangers of being "busy"

Well, the school year is in full swing and with it comes back a big chunk of my day that I so easily let go of during the summer months :)
When you combine teaching with a self-mandating need to practice and time in the gym, the day fills very quickly sunrise to sundown (and then some).

Teaching lessons/masterclasses non-stop for hours a day can have its rewards but it will take its toll on anyone (which is why I have gained such a high respect for the men and women who put themselves in that situation all day).
Although it is nice to be working again after a nice summer break (and serving society through sharing music), I have already begun to miss the idle moments that my brain enjoyed so much during the still and ever so slow days of summer. Lying down on my bedroom floor, hands behind my head, eyes closed, as I let my mind wander is something I miss very much and I will have to make it a priority during my weekends (despite my heavy appetite for football at the moment!).

So I think this constant yearn to be industrial all the time isn't quite what it is cut out to be. People need recess and they need it often (several times a day, I feel). Without my brain time to wander and to wonder, i've noticed that less of my brain is used on a daily basis and it literally feels like it has a lack of exercise (again, despite a hectic day).
I also think I've noticed this in other people as well. I know plenty of brilliant people, sharp witted people, who seem to have been victim to their day-to-day. I feel like what I am trying to point out here is widely recognized as a struggle with many of the 9 to 5 crowd, but my realization of it is just now hitting as my day has become a bit crowded.

HA, for one, my writing isn't quite what it used to be! I have looked back on what I have written in the past, and it seems to me that a younger, and even more immature me could communicate more clearly and thoroughly than I can now. Well, I will consider that it is now 12:38 am, and maybe my brain just isnt good at this time of day but still, it does bother me that it used to seem a bit easier to punch out what I am thinking on the keyboard.

So, what to do...
-well, one thing I will carry on from summer is the habit of reading often.
-Also, I will give myself more days off of work
-I will embrace my weekend (when not practicing or exercising) and make sure that I give my brain ample time to sit in silence and to let itself go wherever it may choose!
-And I will try to write more. This blog is called the 'loose' filter and it shall be exactly that...to ensure that I punch out what I am thinking and to do it freely and with much fervor!


I am truly happy to be passionate about two things in life...music and sports. My day evolves around them....everyday. I am one who will encourage you to be passionate about what you do but I must re-think the idea that it should consume your every breath. In fact, brief time away from it, I feel, helps cultivate it. So embrace your need to recess and answer to it often. it is essential.

What I love to do

We live in a country where we are free to believe in whatever it is that we find to be true...and our country is great for that.

No matter what it is that you believe in, it is no doubt that music is a gift to us and not something we grasped ourselves. It came before us and will remain without us for all of eternity...it is greater than us.

As I journey through life as a musician, with it's highs and lows, I am always humbled by the idea that for me, I can only be successful in music if I am offering it back to whatever it is in this world that gave me such a blessing.

Money Trumps "Success"

It's such a shame but it is true.

People who have gone through way more in life and have had to overcome so many things seem to never have their successes appreciated nearly as much as the person who makes more money...generally speaking, of course. Not everyone lacks a heart.



There are people who have raised such amazing families and communities who will never be as widely recognized and honored as much as next year's top draft pick or next big millionaire.

Or how about a recovering drug addict...that is such a HUGE success that people don't recognize and admire as much as someone's net worth.
it kind of saddens me

Mendelssohn

Is it just me, or was Mendelssohn one the most amazing craftsmen of beautiful melody?

Goodness...

Balance?

So, the Texans played amazingly yesterday in their stomp of the Indianapolis Colts.
What we always knew about the Texans is the fact that they posses a solid amount of talented players. What was always in question is whether or not these players/coaches could handle winning in a professional and legitimate matter (winning by fine play as opposed to circumstantial events or mistakes by the other team). Although it was only our first game, I think the Texans fans should be happy to see that our team showed a high level of professionalism and game management. As a team that is not really regarded as a run-the-football team, we sure did show the nation that we could indeed dominate on the ground game. In fact, a screaming majority of our offense evolved around the running game.

So, now we have fans who are concerned..."well, that is great, but are we going to see a balance between the running game and the passing game?...we need more balance".

How stupid can you be to make balance your priority when running an offense?

I suggest the goal to be scoring at at the expense of any measure. The Texans recognized that their running game was going to help them win the game so they stuck to it. If they were preoccupied with "balance" as opposed to being occupied with scoring, then you would have seen less success out there.

What is ideal in an offense is to have a balance of capability...versatility in order to adapt to situations. But that's it.

You can use the analogy of a painting. Why would one who is trying paint to a certain mood or thought use anything that may deflect them from their goals in the moment? Should they add trivial factors to the work just so they can fulfill some formula of what makes a good painting?

so, as you can tell, I hate hearing about people worrying so much about maintaining more balance in our offensive attack as they seem to forget that we dominated a game against a great Colts team that will prove to be a strong super bowl contender yet again.

How to Train a Volleyball Player

The next installment in the "How to Train A __ " series is the sport of Volleyball.

My experience with the wonderful sport of volleyball is very limited but I have watched it enough to appreciate the great athleticism involved in such an acrobatic sport. In the game, it seems to me that there are several roles played by different people on the court. In my attempts to dissect the training, I will examine the very common grounds that must be present in all effective volleyball athletes.

Volleyball players must:
-Have lightning quick reaction and lateral quickness
-Have an impressive vertical leap and be able to jump quickly as well as they do high.
-Possess very strong body awareness in order to maneuver themselves to getting any ball
-Have good physical strength in order to create powerful shots (kills, I believe is the terminology!)
-Be able to jolt their bodies either way from a stagnant position

The Scheme:

Much emphasis must be put on training compound lifts and movements (movements that involve the use of many muscle groups) that promote overall athleticism and physical ability. Optimal volleyball athletes often have a lean physique, mobile, and explosive that still possesses an exceptional amount of strength transferred to the ball. Everything should be geared towards becoming stronger all around as opposed to strengthening just one muscle group.

The Training:

* The weight used should never be weight that is too heavy. Lifting should be light and explosive. Obviously, when the athlete gets stronger, the weight used to train will inevitably increase but never at the expense of lifting in a stagnant and lethargic manner.

Power Clean-flat out the best way to train overall body explosion and athleticism

Squats- strengthens your legs and also promotes growth in the posterior chain (glutes, hams, and calves) that are essential to explosiveness.

Push Ups- A very compound movement that build the chest, shoulder, triceps, and helps with core stabilization

Pull Ups- compound movement that trains the back, more shoulders, bicep, and more core stability

Shuttle Runs- a drill created in order to train lateral quickness and reaction time

Box Jumps- helps increase vertical leap and also explosiveness throughout the jumping movement. Also helps with determination and obstacle training.

Punching Bag- Yes, hit that bag and learn how to transfer your newly found power into effective hurt bombs. The body can build strength but training how to apply strength to non-weight activity is often overlooked.

40 Yard sprints-only 40 yds! Training short bursts of speed and immediate velocity.



Till next time,
James

Watery Eyes In the Car

8/19/2010


It is an ordinary day. Nothing too spectacular about it… but a simple saying for me has turned into a personally helpful chain of thoughts. Not thoughts that I hope to enforce upon your psyche, but thoughts I have found to be true. I don’t want to question anyone’s life, I just want to share what has made me so happy today.

Chase a dream, not a lifestyle

As a newly single man, and maybe with the case with other men who have found themselves one half short, I have been forced to deal with a sudden drop of self perception and self esteem. As much as I like to feel that I am mentally strong, there is no doubt I’ve had to face some demons. I wouldn’t say that my particular case of failed romance would be a direct correlation to this the above italicized statement, but rather it did get me thinking. You know, how two things can spur from one another but aren’t necessarily related? Anyways, on I go.

All day this “chase a dream, not a lifestyle” blurb has been echoing in my head. Yeah, sure, it sounds good (a bit cliché), but it did ring a good bell for me.

More and more have I realized today, that for most of us young people who aren’t such poor victims of circumstance (much like the circumstance of people with many liabilities), I feel that we must dream and pursue things of which we are most passionate. Only then are we being ourselves and only then can we contribute at our highest potential to the world and to the ones we love. Let me use the example of the professional athlete. Now, there is no doubt, professional athletes make amazing amounts of money…some of them make more than twenty million dollars a year. But if you look at each athlete on a case by case basis, you will find some athletes who make a lot of money doing what they love, and some athletes who have made a lot of money chasing a lifestyle. Those who have committed the latter tend to have had many personal issues, or didn’t have good careers, and didn’t contribute nearly as much as someone who was purely passionate about their sport. For professional athletes who make a lot of money doing what they truly love doing, well, that’s just a beautiful marriage of a dream meeting a highly desired lifestyle. But I will assure you, the players who are undoubtedly passionate about the sport would still feel their passion burn inside of them even if they got paid minimum wage…those players end up being the greats of the sport. There are cases everywhere and an obvious modern case of a truly passionate athlete is Brett Favre.

Why do I write this? Because I have definitely fallen into the trap of confusing what I should be most passionate about , the dream or the lifestyle. I definitely drive around my neighborhood and fantasize about what I am going to do in order to afford a house that is worth as much as that one around the corner. Now, I’m not quite saying that it is a fault to desire wealth. In fact, I have concluded that the acquisition of true wealth is a very smart desire to have but it shouldn’t drive nor leak into what I am most passionate about….and my passion should never be confused or blurred into the same train of thought as anything else. When my passion ever became crossed into my desired lifestyle, then I have only found results to be negative and just absolutely wrong. When we dream, when we love, and when we have an undying passion for what we love, then we know what it is that we need to pursue. As a result, we can truly exist in our most pure self.

I’m about to accuse something, and this is probably the first time I have accused anything when writing. But I do find that outside influence such as terrible music and media have a big impact on how we tend to lose a sense of ourselves and how we become confused. Very rarely do we see something on TV or hear things on our ipod that that encourages us to keep painting a picture within ourselves which will depict our passions. The media that accompanies us encourages such a broad mainstream filled with generic thoughts and ideals that is so strong that people are afraid to step out of it. I mean, even individuality is no exception to the bland holdings of mass media. Originality and personality now have a certain dialect, clothing, and way to walk. Its pathetic.

It is truly a shame when we lose ourselves and it not only hurts us, but it hurt those around us.

The life of a freelance musician is a life of hustle. You have to make opportunities for yourself and for every opportunity that comes us, you have to have a relentless mindset of taking advantage of it. Some gigs pay well, some gigs don’t pay well. It is my dream one day to play in a symphony orchestra. I can’t begin to explain how beautiful that would be.
But, whether being payed to play as a freelance musician or a more higher payed symphony musician, I doubt that the happiness felt on payday will be nearly as abundant as the happiness I have felt knowing that I do love music and I do love sports. I know this, I do it for a living, and nothing could make me happier than the joys I feel while I am on the job. Sometimes I lose myself…not by forgetting what I do…but I lose myself when I get off track. Then after that , its like a domino affect of other things that go wrong.

I have met many people who have put behind what it is that they are passionate about and thought that a certain lifestyle alone would make them happy. I'm so sad to see it, especially when they share such cases of regret. People will tell themselves that they love the lifestyle and in retrospect, realize that what they loved, they left behind.
Now, what I will not deny is the fact that people will sometimes become victim of circumstance and liability and the pressure to be able to function in a society. So yes, sometimes the man who dreamed of being a folk artist might have to go an be an engineer. Or maybe the street musician might have to get some hours at the local bookstore. I don't find that to be wrong. What bothers me is when people let themselves be sucked into what it is that merely employs them. Some feel the pressure of letting go of their passions due to competition and their perception as defined by others. That is when its a shame...when the core of you diffuses.

You must be true to what it is that you love. The moment that is swayed, then there is great danger on the horizon.

How Tro Train a Football Player (continued...)

So, I'm back to where I left off as far as the training regimen of a football player (a defensive lineman to be exact). As a refresher, I chose defensive lineman in particular because of the amazing capabilities that a d-lineman must depend upon. Not only must they be big, they must also be strong, explosive, and just about as quick as anyone else on the field. The characteristic of the defensive lineman is truly a culmination of all positions into one.

Obviously, the most important thing for any athlete to do is be highly proficient in their skills and to bring a lot of heart and passion to what they are doing. In my efforts to illustrate my own views of training, I am exploring ways to expand the dimensions of an athlete away from the practice field in order for them to truly feel a sense of never ending development in their game.

When I last wrote on this particular subject, I parted after stating the essential elements of a defensive lineman. They include:

-possessing very strong core strength
-outstanding amounts of athletic explosion
-high amounts of strength and the balance of body
-light, and quick feet

And here is my proposed training regimen for these types of results. In just about any sport, your training will find you in many different venues and scenarios as you would fail to maximize your potential with just strictly staying on the field or court. In this case, I will divide the training between work in the weight room, work out on the field, and work with boxes and medicine balls.

First,

The Weight Room:

It is imperative that a defensive lineman possess super-human strength. Now this isn't achieved by simply lifting a routine 10-12 reps, breaking a little sweat and going home feeling like you've worked out. Strength building, muscle stacking workouts should make you leave the work out feeling like you've just repeatedly run into a brick wall. Trauma is how it should be summed up.
The typical semi-heavy lifting routine does have it's benefits however but that is more towards the off-season. For the sake of this blog, I would like to focus more on the preparation phases through mid-late season.
The lifting should be heavy, and it should require a good grunt and some serious sweat. Your muscles, your body, your mind must get acclimated to the fact that you need to have the capability of running through a wall. What lifts? Big, compound lifts! Not some light weight biceps work that some whimp at the gym is doing trying to look good for the ladies. We're talking about big barbells stacked with plates of weight! '

Bench Press: multiple sets of no more than 4-6 reps.

Squats: stack the weight, the bar should bend around your back

Power cleans: the weight room's best choice for working on explosion

Barbell rows: build a huge back

Deadlifts: build huge hamstrings...ones that will help you blow through your opponent

That can pretty much be it. Of course, there are more lifts that might benefit you but these are the lifts that must take a very high priority.


next is,

Field Work

So now you have a body that is extremely strong...assuming you did some real work with the weights and didn't lift like a little wiener. But with great strength comes great responsibility to be able to translate your newly found power into your athletic movements. Building a lot of strength doesn't mean that you will have automatic gains in your athleticism...the two can be very closely correlated but it cannot be assumed. More muscle, more weight, and in some cases, worsened flexibility can really bog you down. Time to go out the the field and reconnect your brain to your body.

Sprints: focus on light yet powerful strides. really work on the ability to move your body and jolt into high speeds.

Shuttle Drill: a drill that helps your lateral quickness. You're heavier now, your brain might tell you that you are heavier but you've got to clench your fist and accept no excuses...you must be lightning quick...go!

Leap Frogs: a great heart bursting exercise that helps you strengthen and quicken your horizontal leaping ability. More leaping ability means more power. More power means you will be doin the hurting instead of the opponent.

Plyometrics: again, your body is more bulky. Retrain your twitch fibers and leaping muscles to handle more weight and more usage of power

and lastly,

Box Jumps and Medicine Ball Work

Box Jumps: doing this increase your vertical leap. Working on your vertical leap is an undoubted way of improving your athletic ability

Medicine ball work outs (various): do these to truly strengthen the core and develop muscles to help operate your body in the most optimal manner. Doing a million crunches may be good for the next star of the Twilight Saga but it shouldn't be of prime importance to an elite athlete. Being able to be strong and sturdy is the priority in the core muscle chain.



there you go.

next up? How to train a volleyball player


until then,

James

The Beauties of this Life Shall Guide Us

With billions of people on this Earth it is easy to embrace our uniqueness but it is too often that we overlook a deep common feature which is the human experience. No one is a stranger to joy, happiness, and growth. The same is true with sadness, heart break, and coping at the expense of unexplainable pain.

What should comfort us is the fact that a whole human race can identify with you no matter what and that nature never stops it's course. What dies will go away but when there is death there can assuredly be life. New roads, new beginnings, new people, new approaches, new everything. The hard part is letting things die and take their course but only then will new beginnings be true and possible.

What should comfort us is knowing that you have brothers and sisters in this life that span back thousands of years and for many years to come that will share your world with you.

We are all a part of experiencing life and the nature of this vitality (and how true we remain to it) is what shall give us peace.

Thank you God.


Below: You know when our existence can be wrapped up in nature when witnessing a miracle such as what Debussy wrote. Please listen, with your heart open, feeling the presence of something beautiful.

The Training of a Football Player

The next installment of me acting I like I know what I'm talking about is my thoughts on how to train a football player...and to be more specific, a defensive lineman. I chose this particular position as I have become continually impressed by people such as Mario Williams and Jared Allen who are athletic freaks of nature for more than a few reasons:

-Usually an NFL defensive lineman is between 6'2''-6'7'' and weighs somewhere in the ball park of 250-310 lbs (depending on which part of the line you are on). Usually taller and lighter as you head to the ends of the line and thicker and heavier as you look inward.

-These men are big but they are put on defense due the fact that they have fast reflexes and footwork to be able to limit reaction time to the movements of the offense.

-The men are STRONG. They have to push offensive lineman around who usually weigh in between 300-315 lbs at the pro level.

So, how do we go about turning an athlete into an optimal defensive lineman?

Well, one obvious thing is to teach them the skills of the game, that is a given. But what can we do to augment these skills and make the happen in a more explosive and powerful manner?

There is no shortage of big people and strong people who play football. What is the edge? What is the best player going to do in order to set himself a part?


Have a Strong Core
For any type of athletic movement, you can pretty much count on the need for a very strong core. Defensive lineman hardly ever have ripped six pack abs but having a strong core doesnt just mean sculpted abs...sculpted abs just means you have low body fat thats about all. Defensive lineman need to have the ability to contort their bodies, make sudden explosive movements, swing their arms to bat away offensive lineman...etc. Having a strong core will enhance these needs and will promote the use of more force and muscle.

Be Extremely Explosive
The action starts when the ball is hiked and you must be able to register that and shoot your 250 plus pound body towards the offense as fast as you can. Not only must you have lightning reflexes and lateral dynamics, you must also possess a very strong vertical leaping ability that will translate to more power from the legs when creating contact.

Be Extremely Strong and Balanced
You can't go out there and just have a good looking torso. We're playing sports here, not modeling for the cover of some teen magazine. Yes, you must have huge arms that will devastate your opposition but you will only be half as effective if your lower body doesn't posses a tree trunk like character. Your legs are your base and you need to have two pillars driving your body forward. You need to be skilled at squats as well as the bench and the musculature should be a result of heavy lifting and thrusting...not countless reps while staring at yourself in the mirror.


Posses Quick and Light Feet
Yeah, you're big...but your gift is to be able to be as quick as a guy half of your size.


the training plan coming soon...

How to train a...

So, let me indulge in some more outward thinking via blogger.com

I doubt anyone will benefit from this silly little rant (s) but I will post a series of ideas on how to train athletes from various sports based on the little knowledge I have gained over my years in training to be an athlete and researching as well as learning from others. Let's call these writings an exercise, if you will. I want to explore the non-sport specific aspects of training in each discipline that will translate to the field or course.

I hope to cover:
-how to train a football player
-how to train a volleyball player
-how to train a baseball player
-how to train a basketball player
-how to train a rowing athlete

Today's blabber : How To Train a Soccer Player

First, I believe it is of prime importance that a soccer athlete not only contain exceptional speed, but also very quick foot speed as opposed to sheer ability to cover ground (especially avoiding a long striding type of athlete). Also, it is obvious that a soccer athlete must contain a very high level of cardiovascular health.
One thing I would like to add to that is the aspect of strength training that I am lead to believe is of a minor priority (based on the winky dinky physique of a typical soccer player).
If one were to combine a strong/explosive dynamic with quickness and endurance, then you'd have a soccer player of the new era. I mean, imagine two guys fighting for the ball with equal skill and quickness, but one of the guys is heavier, stronger, and wider...who's gonna get the ball? You do see these types of athletes in American football because it is part of the culture...not so much in soccer. But it is possible.

Of course, there lies a dilemma with adding muscle....more body mass, more effort for the heart, quicker rates of fatigue. That is nature. However, s closely monitored regimen of both cardiovascular training to correlate with rates of muscle growth could help over come that hurdle...just takes some more sweat.

Soccer players have amazing speed and quickness but need to possess the ability to run through a brick wall. There will be a new era of amazing athletes who will be able to do this and the skinny, frail framed athlete will stand no chance.

The Training-
I believe that majority of the weight training should involve light weights with fast/explosive repetitions. This will ensure the promotion of strength training coupled with maintaining the essential aspect of speed and mobility. The training should augment the essentials of the sports as opposed to inhibit them. So the result isn't a bug, muscle bound athlete. Rather, the result will be a lean player with muscles to exhibit his/her domination over you!

Power Cleans: Light yet explosive work with this popular olympic lift will provide amazing dividends for a soccer athlete. This will improve leg strength that will lead to more powerful running strides and faster rates of vertical leap to rech the head ball quicker than anyone else. Additionally, the full body exertion of this lift strengthens the athletes capacity for impact and explosive power. For the nature of soccer as a sport, the athletes should train with light weights and work on achieving very vicious rates of movement and execution.

Squats: With this amazing lift, the body is known to generate a lot of testosterone which is always good for building more muscle and explosive power. The isolation of the hamstrings and the butt will help the athletes gain much strength in their sprinting and leaping abilities. Also, when performed with light weights and fast repetitions, much benefit will go to the development of the performance of twitch fibers which help our bodies identify with explosive movement.

Bench Press: Light weights and fast twitch like repetitions will help the athlete get in touch with the explosiveness of his upper body. People say soccer is a sport that is not about the upper body but that is a lie...the upper when developed can serve as an amazing helper to your running and jumping abilities.

Pull ups/chin ups: For the same reason as the bench press. essential to balance out the strength of the upper body. The pull ups strengthen the lats muscles which are essential for muscle coiling involved with leaping and string movements.

leap frogs : this non-weight drill helps the player maximize his/her ability to cover ground and create strong and explosive athletic movements.

sprints: true, soccer is an endurance sport but training of the sprints will help the athlete gain an advantage in athletic plays such as chasing a ball down or covering a defender. An athlete who runs around all day isnt necessarily developing cat like reflexes which are essential in sports.

shuttle drill" this movement helps develop quick lateral quickness

side slides: kills the quads and hips and helps the athlete with more lateral quickness.


A soccer player of the new era:
quick
great endurance
great strength
great explosion
no wussi business.

more to follow....

3 year old Jonathan conducting to the 4th movement of Beethoven's 5th Sy...

Reason for us to always remember to tap into our childhood dreams and imaginations.
I can't begin to explain how beautiful this is.

So waking up in the morning, blaring Beethoven, and pretending to be a conductor in nothing but my underwear is not so crazy after all!

This is the most amazing thing I have seen in a very long time!

The Freaks of Nature

Lebron James

and



Mario Williams.


why?

Lebron, 6'8'', 250 lbs, outworldy abilities in the horiontal and vertical leaping abilities matched by no one.
Strong and becomes stronger as his pace quickens. Can sprint across the court in a blink of the eye and has lateral quickness that a football cornerback can be jealous of. Can get into sprint strides within one step and when his mind is on something...nothing will stop it.


Mario, 6'7'', 290 lbs, possess the speed of one 50 lbs lighter than him and boasts a 40 inch vertical. Heavy in weight yet low in body fat. Basically a walking stack of bricks. Has the strength of 10 average men put together. Say you have some one who is fast, quick, strong...well Mario is all of that AND hes bigger than you...



im going to the gym....

Humble

"I realize that I am blessed to have had the opportunities which I have had. Though I couldn’t have had these opportunities without working hard, working hard isn’t the reason that I have had these chances. Neither is having my supportive and nurturing family, friends, and circle of acquaintances, though they have meant a great deal to me throughout my life. There are many musicians who work very hard, and there are many with a great deal of talent, for whom a career in music has not materialized. I realize that the experiences I have had, both professionally and personally, are Gifts for which I cannot take credit. When I look at music as one of the Gifts that it is, I appreciate it joyfully, practice out of joy, perform out of joy—out of joy for the Gifts my Father has given me. And ultimately, regardless of your religious beliefs, it is difficult to imagine the Gift of being an orchestral musician as anything but. "

-James Markey, New York Philharmonic


Reading this passage coincides with some things I have been thinking about recently.
Music truly is a gift and we can only enjoy it in its pure state when we realize this.
So much peace has entered into my heart because of this realization and I've never felt it easier to be motivated and to work harder since thinking about this. I have come to these realizations before but I have a feeling I will be having to remind myself of this very often as I am doing now!

Oh my again

possessed by music is this man

Music Flowing out of His Fingers

Oh my....

The Perfect Discus Thrower

Well, at least in my personal, 25 year old perspective!

I suppose writing my thoughts and sharing my ideas outwardly helps me further ingest what I am thinking and to explain my thoughts to a reader will help me make my ideas more clear.

When I propose to write about my idea of the perfect discus thrower, I am not suggesting that anyone who fits my ideal mold will be the best thrower in the world. Rather, I am trying to portray a situation in which a thrower is able to compete at a highly efficient state of their physique and ability as applied to the throws.

First I must attack the notion that throwers need to be just merely "big". Yes, size CAN be a very positive attribute but only in rare instances when someone is perfectly neurologically connected to their bodies and are able to have a firm grasp of the bio-mechanics of the throwing motion...a situation in which I am positive a vast majority of young "big" throwers do not experience. Conversely, it is no surprise to me that smaller throwers (at least in the early stages of their career), enjoy more success than larger athletes (ex. NCAA discus record holder Hannes Hopley is only 6' ). I attribute this trend to the advantage of smaller athletes being able to utilize more body control and awareness at an earlier age. Bigger guys tend to have to develop that part of their athleticism with much effort. It is rare to find otherwise. Some big guys are blessed with the capabilities of a smaller athlete...but again, it is rare.
So in the world of discus, yes, size may matter. BUT if you ignore the obvious variables of a highly varied athletic motion then size alone will be inhibiting. Size is a variable that is equal to many other variables involved in throwing the discus.

So, what variables are there and how can they all come together to create the optimal thrower?

Now that I have attempted to portray my stance on the role of size, I will now endorse the variable of size as an equal variable to the ones that will follow. Height leads to more length which inevitably leads to the advantage of long throwing levers. But length alone will not help you throw the discus far. With length you are prone to the possibility of lower rates of velocity and slower orbital motion. So how will the perfect discus thrower combat this?

Speed, strength, agility, and an undeniably high level of physical fitness.

I've seen so many throwers who are just merely big and their size and lack of physical ability are too low and therefore their size is now a very detrimental attribute as their throwing velocities and balance have suffered a great deal. Just as in any sport it is size, speed, and strength that are important and must all exist within one athlete!

An informed thrower will realize the importance of achieving optimal body balance before they pursue "event-specific training" during the season. The off-season should be spent perfecting the ratios of strength throughout the body. Legs should be much stronger than the upper body. The back muscles must be in par to the chest muscles. The abdominal muscles must be highly trained. The arms muscles (which will almost be insignificant in a highly effective discus technique) must also be well developed for the sake of achieving balance. Balance is key in all aspects of life. The world we live in depends on balance. Human beings operate properly when balance is restored. What goes up must come down, hot/cold, happy/sad, breath in/breath out. To be highly developed athletes, our training must follow the order of nature.

What result is there if we do not? An inefficient use of your body.

What may result out of inefficiencies? Injuries and results that are well below an athlete's potential.

Many knee problems occur from imbalances of legs muscles, for example. Also, our bodies are made with many different muscle groups that all exist to compliment each other. To ignore the ultimate function of our bodies for an extended amount of time would serve as a pure detriment to peak performance.

The perfect discus thrower will work on both their lateral speed and their sprinting speed. Also much emphasis must be on the development of a high vertical leap to enhance explosion and also a very strong horizontal leap for the same purpose.

Much emphasis must be put on the squat exercise, dead lift, power cleans, and additional auxiliary leg work outs. The athlete must work on being strong at lit involving both legs and one leg as well.

Next, an informed thrower will realize that their core strength must reach abnormal levels of fitness.
Strength is important and is on equal importance as flexibility in the core. The thrower must be able to create as much torque as possible (also known as separation between the upper body and lower body through a "twisting" motion) and release their torque at very high levels of strength and explosion.
The core must be strong, flexible, and also be in balance to the size of the upper torso. If the mid-section of an athlete is too big in relation to the torso, then the twisting motions needed in the throws technique will be inhibited from reaching optimal function.

A great discus thrower will also have a very strong set of pecs that are crucial in finishing the whipping motion that is created in the technique. Legs are the most important genesis of power in the throw but the pecs and upper body muscles are what help you get an amazing finish to the throw. So despite legs being the most important, it is imperative that a thrower realizes that less important muscle groups will need attention as well. There must be balance. Same with the size argument. Being just "big" means nothing if the other variables of the throw are not present.

And lastly, a great discus thrower will have passion in their pursuit for farther throws. Passion alone sometimes makes up for blaring inadequacies with throwers.
Coach Dave Wollman of SMU put it beautifully when he said, " I am a firm believer in the human spirit. I believe we haven't even scratched the surface of what we are capable of as humans".

All of what I explain above doesn't necessarily describe someone who will throw the world record one day. I am merely pointing out the factors that go into helping someone reach a level at which they are most efficient. In fact, the pursuit of perfection in throws is the beauty of the sport...and it is something we will never achieve. The happiness of the discus throw can only come from the joy of enjoying such a beautiful sport. Distances only measure our progress but never help us achieve an end. The end does not exist. What is forever present for those who love to throw is the aspect of the spirit and passion measured by how far you can throw a metal plate. it's a beautiful thing.

An Idea

So, it will take a lot of money but I think I will save up for a once-a-year trombone/musical pilgrimage to happen every winter! I crunched some numbers together, and indeed, it will be expensive but I should be able to handle it if I save properly! There are some cities in this country (other than Houston, of course!) that have a high concentration of young, energetic, and prime time players!

The pilgrimage will include lessons with 3-4 players of that city and hopefully I can attend a concert by the local symphony. Luckily, I have friends in all of these cities and that will off set my housing costs (hoping that they are nice enough to let me crash)!

This winter I have decided that I should go to Washington DC. I have made a similar pilgrimage to the city of Atlanta and I think I will do that again for the winter of 2011. DC contains a very high concentration of fantastic players as there are a complete handful of extremely high quality ensembles there such as the Navy, Marine, Army, Air Force bands as well as the National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and Virginia Symphony, Kennedy Center/National Opera.

So some other cities I hope to go to for the same purpose are Atlanta, NYC, San Fransisco, Boston, and Los Angeles.

wow, this would be cool to do once a year..

Update + Things to Come

Well, the guy who showed me his house doesn't quite know it yet, but I have just written out a check for my first month's rent at a pretty cool house in the Heights. I'll drop it off tomorrow and then he will have a new room mate! The house definitely has that "modern/boxy" architecture that can weird me out sometimes but it's a deal well worth it. I must admit, I have never met the guy before today but he seemed like a good guy who enjoys working out as much as I do so that's nice. There is a huge 50" TV in the living room that I imagine will come in handy during the Texans and Rockets seasons.
I will move in on the first of June but...
I have an audition for the Milwaukee Symphony on June 7th. If that pans out well...looks like I'll be giving him a notice of a move-out! but I told him, at best, for even a top-notch talent, your odds of winning are rather low!

Which brings me to a thought...and that is the realization of exactly how insanely difficult it is to win an audition for an American symphony orchestra! I mean, being the best player is NOT what gets you in. There are at least a dozen factors that go into the choosing of a winner. It's not like you walk in with your resume, smile, and hope that your good looks can subconsciously trigger your potential employers urges to hire you! In the orchestral world, you are behind a screen and the only thing that matters is what comes out of your horn! In 2008, I made a run at trying to qualify for the olympic trials....which is something I actually accomplished. I then gained an appreciation of exactly how hard it is to actually make the Olympics...it is very difficult. But i'd imagine it is not nearly as difficult as being in a HIGHLY select group of individuals who have won auditions for major symphony orchestras. Skill and experience do count for a big deal but like I said before, there are at least a dozen more random ever-changing factors that lead to the choosing of one, unique candidate. With all that being said, I will do it one day...God keep me healthy!

Thaddeus, our new dog, has been quite a handful! I came home one day and my mom brought home a random puppy about 5 weeks old. I have no idea what it is but the vet said it will probably be no bigger than about 10 lbs...very small. I took Thaddeus to the Spring Woods clinic. The clinic is located right next to the high school that I attended and has been there my whole entire life. To me there was no dispute over where I was going...I had no doubt that I would go to the neighborhood gem. Thaddeus' play biting has gotten pretty darn strong so I'll have to get it to stop doing that!

My brother has been going crazy lately and it puts so much weight on everyone in the family...and it has for as long as he has been sick. But with all of the extreme heart-ache and all of the terrors that have crippled my mind, I am so glad that I have been able to be exposed to him and to deal with his ailments as my own. My brother really does help me gain a certain perspective that I am very thankful for. If it weren't for him, I truly would not be the same person.

-James

Welcome Thaddeus

We have a new member of the family...a little puppy now named Thaddeus!

The Best Meal

I originally wrote this about a year ago and I find my own thoughts from the past to be particularly helpful again for me now. No matter what happens, true happiness is still possible.

Here it is, re-posted:



5/16/2009

The Best Meal

I don’t have a lot of money. I barely am able to pay my bills. My apartment, whose anti-luxury I can barely afford, looks like a dungeon of doom. I still owe my university some money. I still owe my bank some money. My body aches. My brain is tired.

My career is getting started but is not quite what I want just yet. My ambitions are high and will only get higher as I achieve them. My mind dreams forever…too much for anyone to ever gain any type of contentment.

But somehow…today…happiness has never seemed so clear to me like it has just now.

After a week of intense training and bodily torture I stumble into a Chipotle after a nice long hot shower. My body is cooled, clean, and fresh. Before I eat my one of must be hundreds of burrito bowls filled with all the ingredients to my liking I remember two things:

First, The homeless guy I passed on the walk from my car to the door of the restaurant.

And second, a picture that my dad put on our wall as I was growing up of a man with his hands folded praying as a piece of bread lay in front of him.

It was then, all the sudden, an overwhelming sense of thankfulness nearly paralyzed me.

I wanted to cry.

I must admit that I have felt these sensations before but now I am determined to remember them by writing. Maybe this time I can look back and remember all the emotions I felt.

Being a second generation child who knows only comfort provided by hard-working parents I never knew how profound my dad’s favorite painting could be. Yes, on the surface it was about a man being thankful for his supper. Who the man is or what the man does is completely beyond me. But for my dad, it was a man thanking his God for his life. His life…his life. What is in front of him guarantees not the future, or prosperity, or success…it only reminds him of living and being in a true sense of thanksgiving off just a loaf of bread…but that is more than enough to be inspired by. He may be rich, he may be poor, he may be happy, he may be sad…there’s just no way of telling. But the idea that anyone can be thankful and humble for just a piece of bread is what makes it so beautiful. It means a lot to my dad considering the hardships of immigration, language barriers, economic instabilities, fear, and anxiety.

The homeless guy who no matter how bad of a day I (a “suffering” human being ) have would love to spend time in my shoes.

So before I ate, I prayed. I had to…the humility at the time was over bearing.
I’m not sure to what or whom I prayed but I prayed. Not out of service or ritual but out of the pure gravity of my emotions. With every exhale of my breath my eyes watered. I closed my eyes and said,
“Thank you for this food. Thank you for my life. Thank you for letting me pursue what I truly love. Thank you for everything”.
Maybe it was the fact that I was just so truly exhausted. That nourishing my body was so important at that point and the fact that I could do so at will is what made me so thankful.

And then I began to ponder. What is making me so happy right now? Despite everything in my life that no one would be willing to take on aside from their own hardship. Why do I feel this happiness? At least for now…why am I this happy. Why couldn’t my happiness wait for after I win a job in a symphony orchestra? Or after I make the Olympics? Or after an NFL team decides to sign me to a contract? Or after my brother sheds off his mental illnesses? Or after my family is able to not worry about being poor? Or after I get a car that doesn’t rattle in the back for whatever reason (damn)?

Then it came to me. Thoughts that we’ve (you and I) had all the time. Thoughts we never seem to put together. Thoughts we never quite commit to. Well, here’s my shot.

Happiness is impossible to attain.

Maybe in the future I can make enough money to provide for myself and for everyone that I love (a deed above everything else that I’ve always aspired to do…something I thought would make me happy).
But even that won’t make me happy.

Once I achieve that, my thoughts will be “well, there’s more to do”. It’s human nature. Its what helps us better ourselves. Its how we advance, its how we survive, it’s how we work. When Mahler wrote his second symphony saying that “ I have put all of myself into this work” do you think that it was the truth? Why did 8 ½ more symphonies poor out of his creative life? There is always something more. There is never a moment of complete arrival. This is why artists never stop their craft, why musicians play and learn constantly, why philosophers never seem to come to their absolute decision, why scientists only know a chip of reality, why we will never live a day when we can’t learn.

This is why humans cannot “attain” happiness.

Happiness is a state of mind. Though we may attain objectives, the only role of our successes is to feed into what we hope will contribute to our state of mind. That is why we cannot depend on our success to give us happiness. Happiness is a much more personal, introverted affair. Happiness is universal and can reach anyone no matter their circumstance. A poor mother who sees their child walk for the first time will be just as happy as a rich mother with her child. Thankfulness lately has helped me attain happiness these last few moments. I feel that it can stick.

Thankful for what? I’m thankful for many things just as much as anyone else can be. Even a wheel chair -bound person can be thankful for so much. I can bet that many handicapped people are thankful for so much more and have a greater grasp of happiness than people who march up and down schools, buildings, and streets who claim to be in the pursuit of something that they are ironically ignoring…happiness.
Why are such high-end jobs leading to stress and amazing amounts of suicide. I would say that the leading cause of that (aside from high-stress occupational demands) is that people forget that the sun comes out, people are alive, and that beauty is there for us every day…not something we have to struggle to see.

Whether you are a spiritual person or not, it really doesn’t matter. I really do hope that every once in a while, no matter what is happening in your life…no matter what…., that you can take a few moments and just meditate on how beautiful it all really is. All of it. Our country is always in war, our economy sucks, relationships are hard, your family may not be what it should be, your school work is giving you hell, no matter how hard you work at something progress seems to escape you…whatever else you can think of. Happiness is dependent on none of those. Not even those you love.

But where are you now? What has gotten you there? Who have you met that has been a special blessing to you? How easy is it for you to pursue your passions? What makes you happy? Can anyone take that from you?

You’re alive. The day is yours.

The fact that I have this happiness today (and hopefully forever) stems from the fact that nothing or no one can ever make me or you happy. Our happiness as related to objects or people occurs when we truly make a personal decision that the two are related. It is up to us to be happy and not what we achieve or who we meet. The role of objects and people are important but their impact to happiness is far less than your own genuine perception.
For instance, this beer that I am drinking. The fact that I am drinking this beer now makes me happy. Beer does not make me happy. I can do without beer. (and we should be able to do without anything or anyone) Having worked really hard this week, it feels nice to drink a beer on occasion. Now if I were to equate beer with happiness, I would be binge drinking every night…but what happiness is there to that…there is only alcoholism.

Jim Markey of the New York Philharmonic so beautifully stated that , “when you place all of the value of your existence in getting a job (success, or someone, or something) then you will be consumed by failure“. There are people who work hard to get on top. But when they get to the top…what’s next…why am I wanting more when I thought this would make me ultimately happy? Others will work harder than ever because of a gift that they are thankful for. When they get to the top, well, they don’t care…they pursue at the same rate because what they are doing makes them happy.

Nothing can give us happiness. Or no one. What do I mean when I say no one can make you happy? The idea of “having” someone will not lead to happiness. The need to have someone or the dependency. Never should our happiness be dependent. How people make us happy is when we come to love who they are and how what they are aligns with what makes us happy. Again, someone else cannot literally give us happiness. It depends on whether that friend, wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, partner, …etc provides us with much more than just possession. Simple concept, bad rambling of an explanation.


Where there is status, achievement, or possession there will always be the need for more. Neither of the three are bad but happiness does not result from them…it results from us. Lets be thankful…everyone can do it. Let’s pursue, lets work hard, lets have an undying passion for what we hope to achieve…but let’s be thankful!

Awesome

Alarm woke me up today, saw that it was sunny outside, felt that it was hot, so I put my shorts on, found a good athletic shirt to wear, stepped out the door, and went to work outside coaching. That is how I love to start the day. Gym cloths, lace up some athletic shoes, and get ready to bake in the sun while coaching and working out. Good on the job attire, great work.

I love my work

-J

The "Little thought to follow"...

Girls (and guys, too I guess), you need to see through a lot of the act that guys put on to gain your favor. Yes, there are some very pure souls out there but there are also a lot of guys out there that are studying the art of confusing you, throwing you off, and manipulating you for the sake of dating you or potentially something else. This is a practice that is gaining a lot of attention in the modern dating world.

Lately I have been going out a lot only to see the same situation every time...a big stage of charades.

I guess I am being anti-guy for sharing these thoughts but I just hate seeing relationships and connection build off of something that is an absolute game.

Be aware, and don't go for bullsh!t. Go for what is genuine and I've got a feeling that everyone can sense the presence of genuine.

Just look out for yourself and be aware...even if having some guy play a game on you is very amusing and fascinating,maybe even flattering, still, be aware. Equip yourself with perspective.

ok enough of this.

Unbelievable Blessings...and a little thought to follow.

Last night I was privileged to attend a mini-recital and masterclass by Mr. Ronald Barron, retired principal trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I'm not sure quite sure where to start about my experience but to sum it all up I came away from it with a deep sense of appreciation.

The evening began with Mr. Barron playing two pieces. In this modern age of rigid idealism in trombone playing, Barron played with a fine touch to beautiful music making. With the guidance of a few fine teachers in the Houston area (Bob Walp and Thomas Hulten in terms of this subject), I have realized that my own personal playing and overall outlook to music has turned greatly academic and "proper". In comes Ronald Barron, and though his performance was far from being "perfectly impressive" I could not stop smiling while he was playing and I was in awe of how relentless his efforts of making music were. I had to breath in deeply and exhale because I almost felt like every phrase he played lifted off layers of baggage I had built over the years. No he didn't always have the ideal sound or articulation (according to some) but it isn't about what is ideal...even if it is totally wrong.

Musicians inspire audiences with strong, heartfelt art.

This is something I tend to forget...and I've always been someone who was considered to be a more "musically inclined" person from peers and colleagues.

At the end of the masterclass, Mr. Barron answered our questions and hearing him speak about his time in Boston and everything he went through...the journey he took was truly the journey of an artist. He spoke on some compelling topics on conductors, soloists, and how to reach audiences and generation with music...after all he said you got the sense that music wasnt only his career...music was something that came in and out of his body like wind...it was truly a part of his life.

After a class like this with such an interesting man, I could only imagine how wonderful his experiences might have been over forty years. I hope that when I play in an orchestra, I can always realize that it is an unbelievable blessing.

As I was compiling my music for the upcoming audition I am taking masterpieces were blaring in my head as I flipped through each page. Mahler's 3rd and 5th, Schubert's 7th, Tannhauser...etc.
I can remember hearing these and falling in love with them every time I hear them and to be on stage to play them...I'm afraid I might cry out of pure ....whatever it is that is beyond ecstasy.

"a little thought to follow"... I will have to get to this later as it is about time for a short nap followed by a serious work out!

-James

The Power of Music

It's amazing how beautiful music can be...it can shake the tears out of you in a split second. And when someone plays it, or sings it, and it flows out of them so effortlessly...so naturally...that is a person who has it right. That is someone who is in a very beautiful state of themselves.

It's such a shame that music for many musicians has become an execution of skills rather than a celebration. I mean, if you go to a church and you watch them praise, whether or not you believe in their God, you will know that music to these people isn't something that they are merely "capable of". Music to these people has to come out of them whether they like it or not and they sing because music is beautiful. They sing, not caring what comes out, but rather only knowing why they sing. And i've noticed people with deep church backgrounds (such as southern baptist churches, cheezy praise band churches...etc) who end up in the performing world tend to have a special quality to their playing. Whether God has blessed them with that or not is unknown but their sincere experiences with shouting love through music is known.

The Dual Life

So today is 8 weeks from my Milwaukee Symphony audition. I feel like this is the readiest I've ever been before embarking upon preparations for an audition...if this makes any sense to you.
During this period, I will try my hardest to remember a few things...

a) Despite a highly pressurized atmosphere and rigorous preparation, it is still music after all.
b) It's not me vs. the 70 or 80 people or so for one spot...for most of the audition, it is me vs. me.
c) I do have what it takes to be a world-class musician. I have hints of it now...how is that for modesty?
and
d) I'm not a little twerpy trombone kid so that always keeps me from getting too nervous. Its amazing how many little dweebs you see at these auditions...dude, go drink you a cold one.

It's just music...enjoyment is the up most priority. VERY HARD work is necessary for me but I can do it. I can't guarantee a win, I can't foretell the future and say that I will have gotten everything in order both physically and mentally...but I can have a perspective that will hopefully lead to the aforementioned results.


Also...
Im currently sitting at 285 lbs after spending much of 2009 around the 265 lbs mark. Although I like the heavier weights, I'm afraid that it has taken a toll on my knees. I don't plan to lose a lot of weight but rather, lose only about 5 pounds and to focus balancing my body out to ultimately turn myself into a bigger person all around...this should help me with any bodily stresses. Something about being a muscular 280lbs seems really ....well....badass to me. At 265 I was just a bit too dainty for my taste. Being 280 dense in muscle will be quite a task, however.


I've also been toying with the idea of throwing again next season. I've been coaching the past few years, and though my throwing isn't quite in shape, every once in a while I'll flin that discus out there and feel like an absolute new man. My perspective has changed, my life is different, my throwing intellect is better...why not I say. One thing is certain, if I do decide to throw again, I will devote myself to being absolutely stronger as I did not in the past. In the past, I was just strong...compared to other little dweebs. Bench was about 370, squat was about 550. Yes, the technique is of paramount importance, but being strong as all hell does not hurt. Id like to get the bench up to about 430 and the squat to about 630. Also, I've realized the absolute importance of the core in the throwing motion. Id make sure that is in order as well.
Many people get the wrong idea that throwers should be merely big...that is foolish. Unfortunately, you see a lot of throwers who totally disregard their bodies and as a result their throwing is well...terrible. The ideal thrower will have size but not at the expense of not being graceful, quick, and dynamic.



later,
James

Breeeeath In... Breeeeath Out

Wow, it has been such a long time since I've written in this thing. I always make a periodic post stating that I should write more often and then wait until years later to write again. Well, I should write more often...

It's amazing how life can be illustrated by the analogy of a book. Obviously, every chapter brings something new but some things are carried through over to the next few chapters...others not. Some things may linger, providing a solid sense of plot and scenery and then all the sudden those things can stop and only exist in the past. But, for me, two things will be certain... there will always be the next chapter, and by the wonderful grace of God, there will always be music.

-James