Friday, January 7, 2011

Karma, inkompetence... Eller bare had?

Så er den gal igen...

Mit mest nødvendige transportmiddel, min cykel, er begyndt at skabe sig tosset igen.
Her imens vejret har været koldt og vejene stinkende glatte har cyklen pænt fået lov til at stå i den dertil indrettede kælder. Primært fordi den har været punkteret, men det har jeg tolket som karma. Verden vil skåne mig for at komme til skade, og derfor er mit transportmiddel blevet uskadeliggjort.
Når det så er sagt, så kan jeg ikke rigtig undvære min cykel. Det er nu engang sådan jeg kommer omkring.
Så den skulle lappes. Og det blev den.
Og så er det at inkompetence og had kommer ind i billedet.
Efter at have lappet cyklen i går, satte jeg mig kort tid efter op på den for at køre ud og træne mine rollinger i Fredericia Hallen. Da jeg nåede hallen var cyklen tilbage ved status "flad".
Om det er mig der ikke tjekker ordentlig efter huller, napper hul når jeg sætter dækket på fælgen eller bare kører som en psykopat skal jeg lade være usagt.
Faktum er ihvertfald at jeg er gået fra at tolke det her som karma til at tolke det som "Min cykel hader mig".
First rule about the chain! YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT THE CHAIN!!!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Længe siden

Efter et herligt gensyn med en veninde, og eks-kærestes, blog, tog jeg turen rundt i blandt de blogs som jeg fulgte en gang. Og det hyggede jeg mig så kosteligt over i noget tid. Skulle jo lige ha' læst op på alt det som jeg var gået glip af.

Og så fik jeg selv lyst til at blogge igen.
Men nu på dansk... Og hvorfor så det? Af den simple årsag, så kan Moren også følge med. Hun har tidligere fortalt mig at hun synes at det ville være bedst sådan. Så det er endt med.
Jeg holder dog fast i retten til at slå over i engelsk i ny og næ, hvis det lige passer ind. Men som udgangspunkt kommer teksten herinde til at foregå primært på dansk.

Jeg vil ikke gå super meget i detaljer i dette indlæg. For skal jeg opsummere mere end ½ års fravær i et indlæg bliver jeg aldrig færdig.
Men de overordnede temaer skal da nævnes.

Firstly! Arbejdsdelen: Efter ca. 1½ års arbejdsløshed og vandren i det sociale system tog jeg springet i september og blev selvstændig.
Så nu er jeg selvstændig mmassør og skadesbehandler med egen klinik. Kig endelig forbi: RM-Klinik
Jeg arbejder stadig i Dronning Dorotheas Badstue i Kolding hver 2. weekend og hver 4. fredag, men på længere sigt ville det da være mægtigt hvis jeg kunne holde fri i alle weekender. Så det er selvfølgelig målet. Selvom jeg hygger mig med at arbejde i Kolding.

Uddannelsesdelen: Jeg prøver, så vidt det er mig muligt, at dygtiggøre mig indenfor mit fag. Vil jo gerne hjælpe folk til at få det bedre.
Det har indtil nu medført 2 titler.
Z-Health Movement Re-Education Specialist
og Z-Health Movement Integration Specialist
Eller i mere daglig tale Z-Health Movement Coach Level 2
Der er 4 i alt, og tager afsted på den næste fase i det nye år, og den sidste i 2012. Så det skal nok blive godt.

Træningsdelen: I juli måned startede jeg, sammen med 2 andre, foreningen Vejle Aikido. Så nu har jeg mulighed for at undervise og/eller træne aikido alle dage i løbet af ugen undtaget lørdag.
Træningen i Fredericia er stadig delt imellem 2 instruktører, hvor vi underviser 1 uge ad gangen. På den måde får vi muligheden for at både træne og undervise, og det synes jeg er en super ordning.
Træningen i vejle står jeg primært for. Når jeg skriver primært er det fordi vi har en træningstid om søndagen, og da jeg arbejder hver anden weekend så er der i de uger én af de andre der tager over.
Jeg var så desværre så uheldig at rykke mit højre kraveben ud af led for små 2 måneder siden. Så jeg har ikke selv trænet så meget i den sidste tid. Har til dels passet min undervisning. Stig har taget aikido træningen og Lasse har selv stået med ungerne i Fredericia men jeg har sørget for at tage træningen i vejle. Godt nok med en del ømhed og irritation til følge. Men nu er jeg tilbage på måtten begge steder. Både som instruktør og udøver.

Privatdelen: For at gøre en lang historie kort, så har jeg fundet mig en pige som jeg er begyndt at kalde "min kæreste", og da hun gør det samme om mig må jeg jo nok melde ud at jeg i skrivende stund er i et forhold.
"Skal der så ikke skæres ned på træningen?" Ikke umiddelbart. Hun bor i Lyngby, så hun er ikke mærket af at jeg er afsted stort set hver aften.
"Er det ikke træls at hun bor så langt væk?" Jo! Nogle gange mere end andre. Men det er åbenbart bare sådan det skal være.
"Hvad laver hun så?" Hun læser medicin på Panum Instituttet i København, og er efter overståede og bestået eksaminer 1/6 læge inden længe.
"Hvad hedder hun?" Hun hedder Lea.

Der skal da helt sikkert nok være en masse mere jeg kan fortælle om, men det må blive på et senere tidspunkt. Vil ikke trække det her for meget i langdrag.
I må jo spørge hvis der er noget I vil vide.

Så for now: Over and Out!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

I did it, and I didn't. But I still did!!!

Well people.

This weekend I spent a few hours on the streets of Middelfart, Snoghøj and Erritsø running 21km. The occasion was as mentioned before Lillebælt Halvmarathon. A run that I have been looking forward to do for some time now. More than once I have been asking myself what the hell I was getting myself into, but once I got it into my head that I couldn't be too bad I gave it a go. And considering everything, I am very pleased with my result.

Everything started as planned. I made sure to run in the middle of the road, because I am not allowed to do that on normal days. Why not do it when it is possible? :o)
Because I had signed up a bit late, this being on day 2, my start number was 7164 which meant that I was to start in Hessgade in Middelfart and not in Havnegade. The first 6000 were to start near the harbour using the finish line as a start line. And everybody with starting numbers from 6001 and above started in Hessgade.
I was actually pretty happy with this because of the route that we then would take. We would after a few 100m make it to Brovejen and a nice even climb without it being a bummer to run.
The people stating in Havnegade had a somewhat annoying hill to climb almost at the beginning up through Kongebroskoven. And eventhough it was in the beginning of the race it as still a pain in the ass to run up hill.
After around 3km we got to Lillebæltsbroen, the grand old lady that turns 75 years old on May 14th. Quite a good feeling to get to run in the middle of the road and just see that the whole bridge was packed with people.
At the 5km mark I had a look at my watch and it told me that 30min had gone. Keeping up the time I had set for myself.
After 6km the route crossed very close to my parents place in Snoghøj, and as would be expected quite a few people from Jens Kromanns Vej was there cheering. I gave my gloves and hat to my mother, she took a photo, and I took off again.
Not to much to tell from here until I reached the 10km mark. I did that in under an hour and I was very pleased with that. This was one of my goals for the race, so yay for me. :o)
After that things sadly started to go wrong.
At around 11km I could feel my shoe grinding my foot, and to avoid getting a blister I re-tied my shoe. Off course too tight so I had to re-tie it after a few 100m. At this point my right hip started hurting a bit, but I was still moving in a run like pace. But this I had to give a small break as my left knee started acking a bit. So at this point I started to switch between running and walking. Simply because I had made a pact with myself that I was going to finish on my own and not in the back of a first-aid van.
Just before crossing the bridge again around the 14km mark I once again was expecting to see some of the people form Jens Kromanns Vej, and they did not disappoint. This time my mother got a photo of me running towards her, so there is a nice memory. :o)
I told her about my progress and went on my way having made a deal with myself that I would run across the bridge in both directions. Second goal of the race = done!
On the crossing the bridge I ran past Per who, like me, follow FC Fredericia so we have drunk our share of beer together. I poked him on the shoulder and told him to get a move on and just keep the pace for the last 6km. And I must admit that it felt good, in a strange kinda way, to hear him say something like "Yes I know" and then just see him disappear on the crowd in front of me. Well done Per! :o)
After crossing the bridge we made a right turn and for more than a few km I was walking here. The trip had gotten the better of my hip at this point, the blister on my foot was getting more and more annoying but on the up side I wasn't tired and my knee wasn't hurting.
I lost a great deal of time walking of course, but I thought it to be best to act on the signs from my body. So I walked. How far I am not really sure but a few km. Just to get rid of the pain in the hip.
Around the 19km mark I made up my mind to run the last few km, which was rudely interrupted by a cramp in my left calf-muscle after only a few steps. I had a quick stretch and kept on going. This cramp haunted me for maybe 500m or so, but I ran through it and it eventually went away. The fact that it haunted me when I got home to my parents and all through the night is a completely different story. But as that story contains point where I take off my clothes I will keep that to myself.
I was now on the last stretch of the race and after the walking my hip wasn't complaining too much anymore. This meant that I could actually keep a pretty good pace through the final 1,5km. And instead of people passing me, I was passing them. This made me a little giddy and as I passed a few guys who was sitting by the road cheering I reached out to grab a water bottle one of the guys was holding. I didn't get a hold of it, but the last guy in line was ok with me stealing his beer yelling "Yeah, you just take that Steffen". My first thought was: How does he know my name? I have never seen him before in my life? Just to remember that my name was written with big letters on the piece of paper I had pinned to my shirt. My second thought was that now that I have beer it would be a shame to let it go to waste, so I had myself a run-beer. This was, strangely enough, also a first for me. Never before have I had a beer while running. Before yes, after certainly. But during no. But now. Did it, done it, might even do it again...
Close to the finish line I was getting a good felling with everything. No real amount of pain, only what should and could be expected, and a fair amount of wind and energi left in the tank. The route turned a corner and I thought that now I can see Lillebælt and the harbour, now I am almost there. Just to be guided back to the left AWAY from the finish line. Bugger!!!
But "bugger" being said I passed the finishline the same way I passed the start. Running. And I am really happy about that.
From the beginning of this little adventure I had set the goal to do the race in around 2 hours. That didn't happen, and eventhough I am competitive I am actually ok with that.
So to explain the headline: I ran the Lillebælt Halvmarathon, but not in under 2 hours. But I finished the damn thing with my head held high!

You can see some of the facts of my race here: Result

And for the lazy people who don't want to click a link but just read on I can tell you this:
Bruttotime: 02:25:32
Nettotime: 02:23:53

10km time: 00:58:17
20km time: 02:18:34

Speed: 8,78km/h
Pr km: 06:51 min/km

A quick explanation of the brutto/netto thing is that the start gun went off and that was when the clock started. But as I was in the middle of the field at the time my time didn't start before I passed the start line. So the gun went off on the brutto, and as I crossed the start line my nettotime started.

If you click the last link I have provided you can see a clip of me crossing the finishline. Look at the clock and look for the guy with the black pants, blue shirt with grey sleaves underneath, but most importantly the strange looking lower leg movement. I might as well write that last part myself as I know it might get commented on in the future. ;o)

Over and Out

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

I think my body hates me. :o/

I am not usually one to complain. At least not about my health, aches and pains. When you train a lot the body is bound to hurt sometimes, and I think with training and teachings martial arts 4-5 days a week I neatly fit into the catagory of training a lot.
But that is not what this is about... This is about the fact that this year I have, just like last year, signed up to run the "Lillebælt Halvmarathon". And to run that you need to train. And so I have. I've been running a lot and things have been going really well.
Up until today.
My throat is sore, not from yelling as would be expected, but as in "getting sick" sore, and on top of that my left knee is now hurting a hell of a lot more than usual. And I have no idea why?
Last year I had to cancel my plans to do the Lillebælt thing because of an injury. In the left knee. And now all of a sudden, 4 days before this years race I can hardly walk without looking more of a retard than usual. WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH THAT!?
Heffer is not a happy camper...

The day so far hasn't caused me too many problems. Started the day working at "Quattro Clinic". Going there on a bike that seriously needs a fixin'. The chain keeps falling off and I really don't have the time to get it fixed. I need the damn thing to get around. From Quattro a quick trip to city hall and then home. Later today I am going to visit Erik, the masseur that is helping me. And he is going to teach me some new tricks. And this evening I am teaching aikido in vejle. So the day is looking pretty good. Plus the weather is really nice as well.
So in light of all the positive things happing during the day I know that I should stay cheerfull. But honestly! Who do I have to punch in the face to get a left knee that doesn't make me walk like Herr Flick?

Thursday, April 29, 2010

It's been a while

So hello there people.

I know that it has been a while since I wrote anything in here. But I expect that you all have survived without me telling you stories about what I am up too.

A few new things has been going on during the last month. Among these things is the fact that I am back spending my days at a place called Integro in Fredericia.
Integro is a place for people who have no job and are on wellfare, and since I am on part wellfare I was sent there. Or rather I chose to go there. The alternative was to go to a place where there are different workshops where they make you do things that you really don't need a brain to perform.
Now some of you would no doubt comment on that. "You should be perfect for that, 'cause you're dumb". Be that as it may I am not a handyman and most of the things at "that other place" are about putting things together, tending to something that is broken and doing work at a conveyor belt. And that is really not my cup of tea, or coffee for that matter. And something is wrong when I turn down coffee.

Anywho! I am back at Integro and I am actually oki with it right now.
I earn a fair deal, both money and experience, working as a masseur for the wellness-spa in Kolding. And this has made me decide to take the leap.
I am going into business for myself as an independent masseur.
The last few weeks when I have gone to Integro I have been reading up on tax rules and insurance and stuff like that. And it has been some informative weeks I must say. And I am ever so close to going into business for myself.
Another well established masseur in Fredericia has agreed to help me get started. There is also a story connected to this guy which still puts a small smile on my face.
A while back I gave a massage to a woman who I know because we went to the mediator courses together. I gave her the massage because her regular guy was sick at the time, so I agreed to help instead.
A few days after that particular massage I went to visit my parents. My mother then had a visitor/customer who dropped of some yarn and a reciepe for a sweater that she should knit for him.
It then turns out, after a short conversation, that he is a masseur as well and of course it turns out to be the masseur who I replaced a few days earlier.
We got to talking a bit and he and I agreed on keeping in touch and find a date for us to have a longer chat and also arrange for me to give him a massage so that he would know what I could and could not do.
That day arrived and he was very pleased with the result, telling me that he had had quite a few people come through that did not do as good a job as me. And because I did such a good job I was welcome to stop by with some business cards for him so that he would have something to give to people. He himself has not taken in new clients in about 4 years, because he has been fully booked.
I was pretty happy to get that kind of feedback, and he has helped me even more since then.
So at the work front I am really REALLY close to starting up my own business. So that should be good fun. I know I know, and hard work as well. But who cares as long as I am enjoying it? And I do enjoy helping people like this.
So that is what's up on the work front.
On the training/teaching front things are very hectic at the moment. Well not more that usual really. Maybe it's because I now work every other weekend and my days off seem so far apart I feel more tired?
The schedule is still the same for me though. Teaching monday - thursday and sometimes training or teaching on friday. So things are going great there as well. Not that much new to tell really. Still the same classes and still more or less the same schedule. The only thing different from the last time I told about the schedule is that Lasse and I started teaching the kids on thursdays as well on mondays. And also I have agreed to help on the adult Ju-Jutsu class to help people get ready for their next belt promotion. Or graduation as it is called. But other than that it is aikido monday, tuesday, wednesday and sometimes friday.

So there you have it folks!
A few new things has happened since my last post. And with the pace that I am going at the moment a nice little handfull of stuff should be happening over the course of the summer.
So until next time. Stay safe and make sure you look both ways when crossing the street.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Taking care of myself

I am a firm beliver that you are the master of your own mood. And in being so you should always be aware about the things you can do yourself to elevate your mood, not relying on everybody else to get you in a good mood if you are sad, depressed or something like that. For a long time I have been living my life making sure that I keep happy.
Agent Dale Cooper, from the Twin Peaks series, said it best: "Harry, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it. Don't wait for it. Just let it happen. It could be a new shirt at the men's store, a catnap in your office chair, or two cups of good, hot black coffee."
I have actually been trying to do this ever since I first saw Twin Peaks, quoting it everytime people ask me why I am always so happy, and it has made me a happy camper more than once. This being a metaphore as I really REALLY hate camping but once again explaining more about this will be going off the path of the story at hand.
Therfor back on track... Other than giving myself above mentioned presents once a day, or at least trying to, I have made up my mind that once a month I will do something that will be a little more expencive than your odd cup of coffee. Spending some of my, sometimes, hard earned money on myself doing something special. This brings me to my small story of the day.
Saturday turned out quite ok for me.
A while back I saw that one of my favorite Danish artists Julie Maria was playing a concert in Kolding, which is pretty close to where I live, and in the same city as I work. I didn't even hesitate to buy a ticket and I was looking forward to the concert for about a month before going on Saturday.
I did not go home disappointed. Far from it.
I arrived pretty early because I wanted to be sure to get a good seat/place to stand, bought a beer and settled down at a table near the stage, but not to close as I wanted to be able to see everybody on stage without having to turn my head. I guess I am strange that way?
The concert started and I was struck by instant awe. Julie came on stage. Alone. Only armed with an accustic guitar. And started playing an accustic version, goes without saying, of one of my favorite songs in "Også om Dagen". Great start to a great concert.
After this accustic journey the rest of the band came on stage and the concert went on. Whenever I go to a concert I always hope to hear 3 maybe 4 different songs that I like from the band that is playing. This was the concert sent from heaven.
The 4 songs that I was hoping to hear came as numbers 1 through 4 respectfully, and from there it only got better.
The concert lasted for about an hour and after playing the last notes Julie announced that she and the band would come down and sell some cds and sign some autographs. Yet another point that I had hoped for.
As this autograph-thing was on my wish list I had brought my own cds for Julie to sign. Having bought them a little while back for this occation. And as it was my turn she actually looked pleased to see that I wasn't buying anything but only getting autographs on my already bought cds. We had a small talk about this and that concerning cd singles, and seeing that the line behind me was getting longer and longer the drummer turned to us and pointed this out. I then quickly gave my praises about the concert to Julie and went to the band to ask them to autograph my ticket.
They too seemed genuinely pleased to actually getting this request, and as they were signing it I had a small talk with the drummer. A really nice guy actually. But then again what other choice does he have being confronted by a rambling idiot that is just going on and on about how brilliant the concert was? Yes I admit it. I was a rambling idiot. At least at that specific time.
After getting everything signed I went home and on the train I was going over the experience in my mind while listening to, yes you guessed it, Julie Maria, and updating my Facebook status concerning the concert and my travel home.
As I got home I went onto the official Julie Maria fan site on Facebook and wrote about my experience. Only having praises to write. Then glancing across the page and my own status comments. Long story short here I ended up within an hour of getting home from one of my best concert experiences in a long time buying a new ticket to a new concert with the same artist.
So now I am using my only evening off, on Thursday, going to our nations capital and listening to yet another concert with Julie Maria. This time in Lille Vega.
And this brings me back to my original point.
Last month my monthly present was the concert ticket for Saturday, eventhough it wasn't expensive it is not something I do on a regular basis, hence making it into the "big present" category. This month my big present for myself is a spur of the moment trip to Copehagen listening to yet another concert with the lovely Julie Maria. And on that note I can only tell you all that I am very much looking forward to Thursday.
I will leave you with a few more videos/songs from Julie Maria. Maybe hearing them you will too wil become a fan? They bring a smile to my face. How about your's?
Evelyn
Gør Det Kort
Uden Hinanden (This was the theme-song for the Christmas show "Pagten" from last year)

Friday, February 26, 2010

Another Question

To start out with I have to tell you all that I have ALOT of t-shirts. Many of them have some writting or picture on them concerning martial arts of some sort. This shouldn't be too strange thinking that I have been doing the stuff for 11 years.
But the t-shirt in question today is not a martial arts t-shirt. It is a band t-shirt. And the last 3 or 4 times I have been wearing it people has asked questions about it. The look on peoples faces is the look of "Huh!?". The most common question is without a doubt: "What's that supposed to be?" And now I am going to tell the entire world. Hoping that I wont get the question next time I wear the shirt. But knowing the people around me, who might even read this, I am sure to get the question now that I write this. Well... Bring it!
Anyway!
The t-shirt on trial is this one:

And it is a band t-shirt for the Danish band "Nephew". And yes! I do like "Nephew" and I do have all their studio albums. The symbol on the shirt is an "N" and is also the album cover for the album "Interkom Kom Ind". I did not buy it because of the colors. That would be like buying an "Iron Maiden" shirt because Eddie rules. UP THE IRONS! Ok bad example. Because we all know that "Iron Maiden" and Eddie go hand in hand with awesome. Let's just say that I bought the shirt because I was drunk on a festival where I had just attended a "Nephew" concert and it was a nice t-shirt with pretty colors on it. And the fact that "Nephew" makes some, in my mind, kick ass music has nothing to do with me purchasing the shirt.
So there you have it. Among my many t-shirts there is one with a colorful "N" on it. An "N" that might very well stand for "Nephew"? Could it be? And the fact that people don't know this surprises me a bit. Even people who say they listen to "Nephew" haven't seen this shirt and symbol before? Maybe because they are all criminals who download your music illegally and therfor don't know the album covers? Just a thought. ;o)