Merhaba

Cobbled paths
Narrow streets
Drenched coats
Staring glares

- First Impressions of Istanbul

Equestrianism....

It’s been a long time since I last penned something down. Apart from a bit of travel, I found a horse riding stable in my local area and I’ve somewhat become a familiar face with the horses. I still don’t think they recognise me though ;) 

Horses are strong creatures and standing too close to their rear legs is something I’ve always been wary of. You can understand the caution when you ride such a strong creature, the pace at which it gallops and the thud you receive only testifies to its power (or maybe I’m riding it incorrectly :). In any case, I’ve improved from my usual baby pace to like that of a thoroughbred at lightening pace! And I can tell you one thing, the feeling is like no other! I mean, I’ve driven a few fast cars but the feeling of controlling a living, breathing and raging horse is comparable to none!

It was only after a few months when the instructor noticed me coming every weekend and not progressing, he said in a rather stern voice, “You come here every week and the horse is still trotting gently”. He then advised, tighten the reigns and hold his hair simultaneously, stand up and lean forward slightly and give him a stab with your heals. The next thing you know, the horse is galloping at a good pace with me gearing him to go faster. The horse was responding to my command and it felt empowering! Amazing! It definitely gave me a huge smile! I felt stable and secure, something which I never thought was possible due to my previous unfateful experiences with horses.

I want to buy a horse now, I think someone needs to discourage me as I’m sure ill go bankrupt within a year... a starting price of £11,00, it’s not exactly a hobby for commonfolk like me! But who knows? Maybe I can find one in the wild and train it, but I’m sure those wild legs won’t be as merciful as the trained horses in the stables!

A Leap of Faith

So its been a few months since I've penned down anything and a lot has changed since then! I'm now out of the UK and into the Middle East starting a new career in.......... Teaching.

The feeling of homesickness always gets to you and I can't really pin down what it is I'm actually missing - family, friends, London or just the routine of my previous job.

But I guess with anything in life you need to move on and try something new and this is the best way to go about it! Just take a calculated risk and step into the unknown ..... a leap of faith.

Work on your "A" Game

As I've learnt in BJJ, learning new techniques and trying to build on your knowledge base is key to progressing in your game, but with anything in life its sometimes all about the basics. Working on techniques that you know will work and are comfortable in applying both in competitons and on the mat. Perfect your "A" Game.   

And such is the case with life. Sometimes, we try to do too much and surpass and do good deeds which are not sustainable. Lets try to stick to the basics and work on them regularly, that way we'll get further i.A.

Martial Arts and lessons in life - They are indeed linked!

Walk Alone

"The man who follows the crowd, will usually go no further then the crowd. The man who walks alone, is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before"

Be unconventional and let the creativity and strangeness inside you show you new places in the world. Buy a house, make money, be normal - no thanks, peace is with me and this is strangeness to you. :)

Fait Accompli

As the bombardment of pro-Gadaffi forces continues, debates are now being held in the House of Commons as to whether UN Resolution 1973 should have been implemented. Our Government has made this decision to protect the Libyan people (It seems as though they needed foreign assistance), what was the real reason for such a hasty made decision to bombard? A question which should have been raised in the House of Commons rather than a Fait Accompli

Fragility

The fragility of a crystal is not a weakness but a finesse

How often do you notice something being so fragile and you think it is weak and incapable.... whether it is human or a simple object? You only notice how it is able to perform and show its inner power or strength after you've seen it being tested. That's when it truly shines. What is more amazing is the refining that it goes through to reach that level. Like the cupellation of gold, it is refined and heated at high temperatures and finally gold remains.