Tub Thumping
In grade school, a coach once said about me "If Reed were born 500 years ago, he'd already be his tribe's greatest warrior." One of things that I possess is a burning passion that can be sometimes misguided but deep down, in my heart, I LOVE a good fight.
When I was a young boy, I learned martial arts and was hooked. First, it gave me power that I never knew existed. Second, anyone who's a younger brother will know, you take some hellacious beatings from your older brother. Mine was 6 years older than me so think about the size difference between a 12 year old and an 18 year old. I began Tae Kwan Do at age 5 and was soon one of the best in the children's class. By the age of 7, I was too dangerous - not purposefully mind you - for the children's class so I was moved up to the adult class. I often sparred with my master ... who would kick the crap out of me. However, I learned to LIVE for those times when I got past his defenses and landed a solid kick or punch to his body or head. Sure I took 5 or 6 for my efforts, but I knew he was a champion - one of the best in the world and I bested him for one instance.
By the time I reached 4th grade I was one of the toughest (if not THE toughest) kid in school. I was never a bully - actually the contrary. I liked to stick up for the little kids, the guys who couldn't fight for themselves. As a product of martial arts, there were always kids in my school and other schools who wanted to test themselves. I never lost.
I have a fighting spirit; whether it is my Irish ancestry or my upbringing, I love to fight, I love to watch fights, I love to fight the good fight whether it is with fists or brains. Competition is a fight. I thrive on it. If I am programming, I want to be the best. If I am playing volleyball, I want to win. If I am in a street fight or boxing match, I will win or kill myself trying.
30 Years, well over 100 fights both in the ring and on the street and yet I have never lost. Sure I have been out-pointed in the ring, but I have never lost a street fight or been "beaten" in the ring ... and never will. The last three fights I have been in I haven't been so much as touched but the results were: broken jaw (Christmas guy), trip to the hospital for a former neighbor (and a Battery charge on me that I skated on at trial) and a beating for the jackass that attacked me and my wife in my car (he ended up pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery and paying me money for damage to my car).
I don't really have a reason or great conclusion to this blog. I just felt like I needed to explain myself so that years down the road my son will understand a little more about his dad. Some people who have worked with me refer to me as a "desk slammer". I can get pissed off coding ... really. It's not because I am psychotic or emotional, it's because I am exteremely passionate about everything that I do. I want to succeed in the worst way because your career, your life is a competition; you are either moving ahead or your losing. I refuse to lose and that's why I am where I am at today.
As the song says "I get knocked down, but I get up again because you're never gonna keep me down". That's a GREAT fight song ...
When I was a young boy, I learned martial arts and was hooked. First, it gave me power that I never knew existed. Second, anyone who's a younger brother will know, you take some hellacious beatings from your older brother. Mine was 6 years older than me so think about the size difference between a 12 year old and an 18 year old. I began Tae Kwan Do at age 5 and was soon one of the best in the children's class. By the age of 7, I was too dangerous - not purposefully mind you - for the children's class so I was moved up to the adult class. I often sparred with my master ... who would kick the crap out of me. However, I learned to LIVE for those times when I got past his defenses and landed a solid kick or punch to his body or head. Sure I took 5 or 6 for my efforts, but I knew he was a champion - one of the best in the world and I bested him for one instance.
By the time I reached 4th grade I was one of the toughest (if not THE toughest) kid in school. I was never a bully - actually the contrary. I liked to stick up for the little kids, the guys who couldn't fight for themselves. As a product of martial arts, there were always kids in my school and other schools who wanted to test themselves. I never lost.
I have a fighting spirit; whether it is my Irish ancestry or my upbringing, I love to fight, I love to watch fights, I love to fight the good fight whether it is with fists or brains. Competition is a fight. I thrive on it. If I am programming, I want to be the best. If I am playing volleyball, I want to win. If I am in a street fight or boxing match, I will win or kill myself trying.
30 Years, well over 100 fights both in the ring and on the street and yet I have never lost. Sure I have been out-pointed in the ring, but I have never lost a street fight or been "beaten" in the ring ... and never will. The last three fights I have been in I haven't been so much as touched but the results were: broken jaw (Christmas guy), trip to the hospital for a former neighbor (and a Battery charge on me that I skated on at trial) and a beating for the jackass that attacked me and my wife in my car (he ended up pleading guilty to misdemeanor battery and paying me money for damage to my car).
I don't really have a reason or great conclusion to this blog. I just felt like I needed to explain myself so that years down the road my son will understand a little more about his dad. Some people who have worked with me refer to me as a "desk slammer". I can get pissed off coding ... really. It's not because I am psychotic or emotional, it's because I am exteremely passionate about everything that I do. I want to succeed in the worst way because your career, your life is a competition; you are either moving ahead or your losing. I refuse to lose and that's why I am where I am at today.
As the song says "I get knocked down, but I get up again because you're never gonna keep me down". That's a GREAT fight song ...
posted by Reed at 6:40 PM
1 Comments:
Yeah, you talk about how mean I am. You know damn straight that I am not mean...I just play mean.
And for anyone who thinks you are mean...or psycho (some do)...you are not either. You are a great nice guy who is just a little angry at the stupid people in the world cause they just don't get it.
PS...I thought with that title...it was going somewhere else!
Post a Comment
<< Home