Welcome to the world famous “About Me” page.  Technically, I could just copy everything from FaceBook or MySpace, but that would not be nearly as much fun as attempting to write a biography about myself.  For those curious about my professional qualifications, please see the “My Resume” link on the right-hand side of this page.

The Early Years

I was conceived approximately nine months prior to my birthdate of November 14th, 1973.  I’m not exactly sure where, but that’s unimportant.  I was born healthy with two eyes and all my fingers and toes pointing in the right direction.  It was a normal birth, and had nothing to do with the back of a Buick, brewing, hatching, or test tubes.  I was born at Georgetown Memorial Hospital, which at the time was located in Esquesing Township.  A year later, they renamed it to Halton Hills.  A somewhat interesting bit of trivia that has little to nothing to do with me, other than the fact that I was born in a place that no longer exists!

That was my first day on this planet.  Moving right along, I would classify myself as an average child growing up.  I was not loud or boisterous, however I was rather content reading a book, watching television, and building god knows what with my millions of pieces of Lego.  Lego is the best invention for kids, in my opinion.  You are only limited by your imagination and by how much Lego you can convince your family to buy.  I used to sit up at the cottage outside on a big beach blanket and happily build everything from cities to trucks to helicopters for hours on end.  It’s a good thing that I have a good skin pigment or I would have redefined the term “sunburn,” because I never used lotion.  To this day, I have never used suntan lotion.  I tan up pretty well, and I have only been sunburned a couple of times in my life.

I am Canadian.  Born in Canada, and raised here as well.  It is the best country in the world.  We, like every other nation, have our problems, but when compared to every other country out there Canada still comes out number one in my book.  Yes – I am a patriotic Canadian.  Maybe not quite as patriotic as Don Cherry, though (but then again, who is?).  Call it a quiet patriotism, I suppose.  We are rare.

Being Canadian lends itself to being somewhat weather-resistant.  I have never had much problem adapting to the cold weather up here that seems to beget us from October through March.  I may not like the cold, but for the most part, it does not bother me terribly.  As a kid, I could go out and play in the snow for hours on end.  Building snow forts, shoveling the driveway to build up enough snow to build a snow fort (or a wall to hide behind during the snowball fights), or other forms of amusement would keep me occupied for hours on end.  I think the reason that I rarely got sick (and to this day, rarely catch a cold) is because I spent so much time outside.  Many years later, I worked as a yard ape at Home Depot.  We spent most of the time there outside in the cold (and of course in the warm summer weather), and while I hated the job, it certainly kept me active and physically healthy.

I must say that I had a pretty happy childhood.  My parents were stern but by no means were they overbearing.

…lego

…basketball

…martial arts

School Daze

Back to my story.  Kindergarten was a strange class for me.  Yep, I remember it!  Besides being the first time away from home interacting with others, I was in the afternoon class and seemed to always fall asleep.  It was like clockwork.  Ergo, I moved to the early class.  I no longer slept in school (until high school).  I used to enjoy playing in the sandbox most of all (and no, the cats didn’t try to bury me); building roads and such for the suite of Hot Wheels cars that were so beloved to me at that time.

Grades one through five were spent at Joseph Gibbons Public School.  I started French Immersion in Grade One, and carried through until Grade Eleven.  I should have finished it through, but for reasons fully explained later it did not happen.  It was a good opportunity to learn a new language, not that I realized it at the time.  All I understood was that my homework was more difficult than kids in the other classes due to the fact that I had to incorporate a new language into my thought process.  I also remember wasting most of grade four reading “Encylopedia Brown” and “The Littles” in class.  The teacher was always confiscating the books because I wasn’t paying attention to him.  It got to the point where I would have one book hidden just in case the one I was reading was taken away.

In Grade Five, we went on a five day school trip to Quebec.  I have some fond memories of the trip, and my mother came along as a supervisor.  We visited the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Parliament in Ottawa, St. Anne-de-Beaupre, and Quebec.  We stayed in one of the residences at Laval University.  It was a good time and I have some decent photos of the trip.  We also saw the Chateau Frontenac as well as visited some of the forts and the Plains of Abraham.

Grades six through eight were spent at Stewarttown Senior Public School.  Our class was the first class at Stewarttown for grade six students.  Previously, the school only offered classes for students in grades seven and eight.  I do believe that is correct, yet I may have to research that further.  As I currently (as of August 2009) work for the school board, I visit the school regularly.  With any luck they have archives of the old yearbooks, and I can do some investigation.

Regardless, because I was in French Immersion, I had two primary teachers.  Mr. Ayotte and Mr. Fournier.  Both of these teachers were among the best that I have ever had, and at the time I needed every bit of it.  I wasn’t your typical student.  I had the intelligence and the aptitude but that was matched by the fact that I was lazy.  Further to that, I truly had no focus or direction.  I’m not sure if at age eleven, twelve, or thirteen those are meritous points, but the bottom line was that they cared about their students and were willing to do whatever it takes to help them succeed.

During this three year period I was not terribly athletic.  We had our daily Phys. Ed. class with Mr. Ridley (who was an interesting character both inside and outside of the classroom).  Every activity that we did, I think I finished last or close to it.  It did not matter if it was basketball, volleyball, baseball, track, or cross-country.  I did not like Phys. Ed. because it always started off on a down note.  You had cross-country (and I’m not built for running, lets just leave it at that), and the Canada Fitness Testing.  I didn’t understand the CFT and I hated it with a passion. 

Yet, in an interesting paradox, I was always one of the best dodgeball players around.

I had made it to high school.  Georgetown District High School.  Through the first part of high school (Grades nine and ten), for someone who enjoyed reading so much, I did not do very well in school.  The potential was there, because occasionally I would pull an “A+” out of a course, and yet I was no better than a “C” student throughout my formative years.  For the most part, I would attribute that to not really caring about the classes, or the material being presented.  Or anything else for that matter.  It would be really easy to try and shuffle the blame onto the education system or the teachers, but alas, I was a couch potato at an early age and I mastered that subject very well.  I would come home and I would watch TV and eat all sorts of snack food.  Maybe that’s why the cold did not bother me – I was fat and had lots of padding.  I was in the advanced set of high school courses…and the material would not have been difficult to learn had I chosen to apply myself.  Yet, I prefered to skip class and spend my time wandering around Georgetown, getting into trouble, and playing video games at the arcade.  Alas, hindsight is always 20/20.  However, as you will soon read, it was perhaps for the best that I did not do as well as expected in school, nor had any motivation to do anything else outside of school.

Going through Grade 11, my parents realized that if I was not properly motivated I wouldn’t make anything of myself.  To that end, yours truly ended up at Robert Land Academy, which is a private military school.  As a fat, undermotived teenager, I was not terribly inclined to be there.  Neither were the majority of the other hundred or so kids that had the unfortunate (at the time) experience of being there.  Truly, there is much debate online from educators and students past and present as to the detriments vs. the benefits of the school.  Personally, it was a benefit for me as it resulted in both a physical and mental turnaround.  I don’t know if at the time there would have been a better way to motivate me, and upon later reflection I would guess not.  The instructors were all top notch and excelled at what they did.  The class sizes were small, and the environment was condusive to learning.  There was a high emphasis placed on physical training and athletics, which in turn contributed to my being more mentally focused.  Numerous studies have proven that people who exercise regularly are able to apply themselves to endeavors (and succeed at them) than people who do not exercise.

The two years I spent at Robert Land Academy were very interesting.  It was the first time that I was away from home for any extended period of time, yet that did not bother me terribly.  The school keeps you busy with so many other things that thinking about home was not of tantamount importance to me.  I was more concerned with keeping up, and being a fat kid made that somewhat more difficult.  However, I possess great determination and drive, and I am unstoppable when I put my mind to something.  It was at the school that I ran more than 1500 meters for the first time, walked almost eighty miles over the course of three days, joined intramural sports for the first time, and cared about something more than being a couch potato.

Of course, it’s not all roses.  I had my share of discipline too.  For the longest time I could never get the ironing down to specification.  It was almost an automatic five laps (one mile) every Wednesday.  That was the extent of trouble that I got into personally.  I was in charge of a house and we had some disciplinary issues, which I had the unfortunate task of dealing with.  However, these are the things that build leadership skills later on in life.  I would have liked to have been able to do things somewhat differently, however I did not have the knowledge or experience at the time to do so.  The structure is such that the students police themselves to an extent, with the older boys taking a more active role. 

One thing that we did at Robert Land every morning after breakfast was read what was known as a devotional.  The devotional was where you spoke to the student body about something truthful, pure, something that may have happened that inspired you, or how you may interpret a particular quote in a positive light.  At the time, I did not look forward to my turn in the rotation due to the fact that I am not a public speaker.  Public speaking at the time was not something that I was good at.  To an extent, I still do not like it.  I prefer to work in the background, out of the limelight.  Most of the students had problems writing the devotional.  Mine, if I recall, were always well received as I am a fairly decent writer (if not somewhat long-winded).  I wish I had kept them.  If I had, I would have posted them here.

It was also at Robert Land near the end of the second year that I got the worst sunburn I have ever had.  We went on a canoe trip, and I was partnered with the Headmaster.  I was in front of the canoe, responsible for powering it, while he provided the steering.  I was not very keen on canoeing at the time, having only a few days experience total in a canoe, and certainly not wanting to tip it!  At the end of the first day I felt pretty good.  I could feel the burn on my skin but I thought that was just muscular, having paddled a canoe for six hours.  The following morning, I remember just how wrong I was!  My back (because I had removed my shirt the previous day) and arms were on fire like I have never felt before.  I peeled worse than a snake shedding its skin.

Needless to say, that second day was absolute murder.  I don’t remember if I was offered sunscreen or not, but I did not partake of it in any event.  I also kept my shirt on, despite the heat.  I must say that despite the sunburn, I enjoyed that trip much more than any of the route marches.  It’s not that the marches were difficult, they were just boring.  There is only so much country road I care to see, to be honest.  I did a lot more route marches in my first year than I did in my second year.  These marches paid off when it came to the Fall Exercise.

The Fall Exercise is a three day march from Queenston Heights back to the Academy in Wellandport.  It is in the neighborhood of 80 miles.  The march is designed to provide a sense of accomplishment to those boys who complete it successfully.  Most, including myself at the time, regarded it as a cruel torture and completely unnecessary to our scholastic pursuits (note the sarcasm).  You carry your gear with you and for two nights you camp out at various locations, then get up in the morning and keep walking.  It’s a long trek, particularly the third day which is all road work (the first two days are through trails and other scenic environments).  I finished both exercises that I partook in, but the second one was more difficult.  I had a terrible infusion of blisters on my feet when I finished (as well as shin splints), so much so that I probably should have seeked out some form of medical attention or tossed in the towel.  However, I do not give up on things that easy, and I persevered through it all the while grinning and bearing my pain.

The second time was more difficult because I did not do the amount of route marches that I did in my first year.  The second year, I had the choice of going on the marches or staying back at the school, and of course (choosing the easy way out) I stayed behind.  Sometimes the path of least resistance ends up being the most difficult.  I did learn a couple of tricks, though.  For days two and three of the march, pack extra socks and wear two pairs.  Your feet will thank you for it later.  Tip number two, put a bandaid or two on the back of your heels.  The boots are not very forgiving, unless they are very well worn.  Tip number three, make sure your boots are heartily broken in prior to leaving.  Wear them everywhere for the first month.  Not only will they conform to your feet, but the added weight will built up necessary leg muscle.

We also did a lot of triangle runs.  They were never a favourite of mine either.  The benchmark was thirty minutes, and accomplishing that damn near killed me but provided an incredible sense of relief the first time I broke the mark.  I eventually got my time down to twenty-four minutes (give or take some seconds).  Those runs, I used to give them every ounce of energy I had.  Of course I wanted to do well, but the sooner I got back was the sooner I could eat.  Triangle runs were typically done on Mondays and Wednesdays (and during the winter when there was no triangle run, there was wrestling practice), and they were what I called the “good food” days.

By far and away Wednesday night was the best day for me food-wise, despite me generally only eating one meal.  Breakfast was oatmeal, which I did not terribly care for so I did not eat a lot of it.  Lunch was generally peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, because that is when the house meetings were held.  I do not like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, so I would generally not partake.  Needless to say, that made me absolutely ravenous at dinner time.  Those who know me now think I have a big appetite.  Back in 1991, it was easily double what I eat now.  Wednesday’s dinner was spaghetti.  For the most part, in limitless quantities.  I always took my fair share, and when seconds were called I was first in line more often than not.  However, as with now and as I have always been, I do not waste.  If I put the food on my plate, it will be consumed.

Ergo, I can easily say that the school worked for me.  While I had to give up my French Immersion studies (because the school did not offer them), it was a small price to pay for getting the necessary kick in the ass to get my life on track.  I lost a lot of weight – 50 lbs – and my marks went from an average of 60% up to 83%.  Without the school, I don’t know what would have happened to me or what kind of future I would have had.  I would dare to venture to say that it wouldn’t have been the same as it is now.  For that, I owe both the school and my parents a debt of gratitude.

It was around this time, during my first year of university, that I discovered my affinity for technology, and more specifically computers.  However, in university at the time (1991), the only computer science based courses offered were for programming.  I have the patience of Job, but I do not care for advanced programming.  For the record, HTML and Javascript is not considered programming.  Mention it to any professor at any university and they will laugh at you mercilessly.  I took Accounting and Finance at university, and I did not finish the course.  I realized that it was not the right profession for me, but being young and still somewhat naive, I persevered through the first year.  I should have switched to a general major, but I also had somewhat of relapse coming out of military school with respect to being lazy.

Old habits are hard to break.  Once leaving Robert Land, it was not difficult to regress and relax throughout the summer and wait to start University.  I had little motivation to find a summer job; rest and relaxation became paramount in my mind.  I think it was due to the fact that military school was intense.  The expectations were naturally very high and I am proud to say that I superceded all of them.  It was the first hard evidence that proved conclusively what I am capable of doing when I am motivated.  However, at that time what I lacked in my life was self motivation, and a lingering habit to procrastinate.  I did eventually find a job, but I only had enough time to work for six weeks before I had to go back to school.  It was in an adult video store no less.  It didn’t pay well, but it was easy.  I remember bringing porn home for my brother to watch.  I did not get home until after midnight, so I would either go right to bed or I would crash on the couch and not remember anything.  My parents were at the cottage, so we didn’t get into any trouble.  Fun times.

After that summer, I went to Brock University.  My discipline was Accounting, which I thought would be a perfect fit for me.  Unfortunately, it was not as good a fit as I would have hoped.

…stay tuned…more coming…

Sports Fun

There are many sports that I enjoy.  I have been an avid sports fan for many years.  I keep up with all the major sports via the Internet or the newspaper.  Oddly, despite my enjoyment of professional athletic endeavours, I will rarely watch sports.  I used to catch most of the hockey games and baseball games on TV, but when the two major leagues went on strike (for baseball, in the ’90s and for hockey, the 2004 season) I lost interest and I have not returned. 

I have fond memories of going to the baseball games with my father.  After school, my mother used to drive me down to his office and we would grab dinner or one of those awesome hot dogs outside of the stadium prior to the game.  This was back when the Toronto Blue Jays played at the old Exhibition Stadium, as well as when they moved into their current playpen, the Rogers Center (formerly known as SkyDome).  We always had decent seats near the plate, which provided a great view of the action.  No matter how good the Jays were, they could never beat the Milwaukee Brewers when we went to watch them play.

I do not watch football.  I never developed a passion for the game.  I do watch the Super Bowl, however.  I do not tune in for the game itself, but I watch because a bunch of people come over.  Some, like me, employ the game as a facility to stage a social event, and for others it is a genuine love for the sport.  Personally, I enjoy the commercials more than the game itself.  I would happily just watch all the overpriced commercials and the half time and fast forward through the game if I had things my way.

Two sports that I do enjoy watching are soccer and mixed martial arts.  I was never a good soccer player, but I think if I had more interest in the game as a youngster my skills would have developed and I would have evolved into a pretty decent player.  I was never a goal scorer;  I much preferred to play defence.  Soccer is a game that requires a lot of strategy and athletes that are in peak physical conditioning.  In fact, upon giving it some quick thought, when I think of why I like sports in general I always seem to come back to the strategies required to play the various games.

Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA.

…still a work in progress…

 

Favorite Authors and Books

I have always enjoyed reading books.  I used to get in trouble at school for reading books while the teachers were trying to teach the class.  I could not put them down!  I remember the books that I used to read were a series called “The Littles.”  At the time, there were perhaps twenty books in the series and I read them all.  Another favorite was Encyclopedia Brown during school.  When I got home, I would read The Hardy Boys.  At one time, I owned the entire series, and each book has been read multiple times.  To this day, I still read extensively.  My goal is to read at least one book every two weeks.  It stimulates my mind and keeps it sharp.  I have a passion for knowledge, and I like to vary my reading material, although I do have my favorites.  Below is a more thorough listing of some of the authors and books that I presently enjoy reading.  Check the main page for any books that I have read, as I will be posting mini-reviews as I get through them.

Tom Clancy
Stephen King
Dean Koontz
Robert Ludlum – I have read a few of his books, yet surprisingly I have not read those by which he is most well known.  The Bourne Trilogy (as well as all of its sequels written posthumously) are on my to-read list.
Brad Thor

Angels and Demons
Bathroom Reader Series
Conan The Barbarian Series
The Well World Series

Favorite Music

Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Savatage
Metallica – What more can be said about this Hall of Fame band?  They are the pioneers of heavy metal.
Hammerfall
Helloween
Gregorian – This band is one of the most bizzare that I have come across.  From Germany, they take hits from the 70′s, 80′s, 90′s and this decade and remix them into Gregorian Chants.  The effect is stunning, and has to be heard to be believed.
LaFee – LaFee is another German band that is mostly of a progressive rock nature.  The lead singer (appropriately named LaFee) is stunning.  I really enjoy their music, although since I do not understand German, I have no idea what the lyrics mean.
Lordi
EdGuy

Favorite Movies

A conundrum.  I have at my disposal literally thousands of movies.  Thousands.  Yet, I rarely find the time to watch no more than one or two a month.  Why is that?  Oh well, such is a question for the gods, but I will list my favorites here (again, in no particular order).  On the main page there is a subcategory for movies, and within there I will post reviews of what I have watched, and my opinion of them.

Bad Boys (1 & 2)
Con Air
Die Hard (1 & 2)
Face/Off
Gone in 60 Seconds (the remake)
Kinsey
Religulous
Shawshank Redemption
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Wanted

Favorite TV Shows

Sadly, a number of shows that I used to watch are no longer in production.  Neither are they in syndication.  However, they are available on DVD and to that end I have made a point of collecting them to re-watch as I grow older and search for things to do.  Perhaps, if a significant other comes along, we can watch them together.  To ensure that you get the right idea, I will state for the record that I do not watch a lot of TV.  I generally limit myself to less than an hour a day.  While I find it an amusing and distracting resource from time to time, it is truly “The Idiot’s Lantern.”  Therefore, without further ado, I present below my recommended television viewing list (in alphabetical order).

Bullshit! – Penn & Teller attempt to debunk the supernatural and pseudo-scientific, as well expose those that have ulterior motives.  They take on the Bible, Feng Shui, PETA, and a myriad of other controversial topics.

Burn Notice -

Coupling – For those of you who like Friends, this is the British equivalent.  Written by Stephen Moffat, this show is arguably the funniest show that I have watched.  It ran for four seasons, six episodes per season.

C.S.I.: Las Vegas -  What more can be said about likely the best television show produced in the 2000′s.  Currently in its ninth season, despite losing several of it key cast members it has lost little of its luster.

Doctor Who (2005) – Another BBC production, this long running series finally got a makeover in 2005 when Russell T. Davies took the helm.  By far and large, Doctor Who (and specifially this new version of the show) is one of the best science fiction shows in history.  For those of you who want to take a chance on an episode, I recommend “Blink” from Season Three.

Frontline – This PBS documentary show has been on the air for almost 25 years.  They take an unbiased look at many different subjects that surround us, both past and present.  Best of all, the episodes that they show are available to watch on their website in their entirety!  Commercial free!

In Living Color – Keenan Ivory Wayans created an edgy comedy skit show that produced so many memorable characters.  Fire Marshall Bill, The Head Detective, Anton, Homey D. Clown, and many more.  They pushed the boundaries of television at the time with their crass and ethnic humor.  I loved it.

Married…with Children – Although it ran for eleven years, the best seasons of this show were up to Season Seven.  Easily one of the funniest shows on TV, as everyone can relate to poor Al Bundy.  The misadventures of the Bundy family will likely live in reruns until the death of television.

Night Court – I enjoyed this show thoughout the meat of its run.  The show really made its mark when Markie Post joined the cast, and it had a good five seasons of pure comedy.  She was the straight “man” to John Larroquette, who played the always-sexually-motivated District Attorney Dan Fielding.  Harry Anderson as Judge Stone and Marsha Warfield as Roz were great as well.

Prison Break – Prison Break is one of my favorite television shows. It is cutting edge, unique, and keeps me enthralled and always wanting more.  The main protagonists of the show are Lincoln Burrows and Michael Schofield (played by Domenic Purcell and Wentworth Miller respectively).  They are brothers.  In the first season, Lincoln is framed for a murder that he did not commit and his brother breaks him out of prison.  Season Two they are on the run.  Season Three finds Michael trying to escape from a Panamanian prison.  In Season Four, they are working for the F.B.I.  Or are they?

Profit – This is a show that only aired three times in the mid-90’s on Fox.  The summary of the show from IMDB.com says it best: “Jim Profit works for a multinational company, and isn’t above using any means necessary to get ahead, and that includes bribery, blackmail, intimidation, extortion, and even murder.”  This show was ten years ahead of its time and should have been on cable, but because it was on FOX (network TV), and the southern bible belt got wind of it and protested, the network shut it down.  Only eight episodes were produced, and I have them on DVD.  Jim Profit is essentially J.R. Ewing from Dallas, except far more ruthless.

ReGenesis – This is probably one of the best Canadian shows ever conceived that received so much limited exposure within its own country that nobody knows about it.  A hidden gem.  ReGenesis is a show that revolves around the scientists at the North American Biotechnology Advisory Commission (NORBAC) as they deal with changes in the environment, bioterrorism, and mysterious diseases.  The first season has been released on DVD in North America (finally!).

Sledge Hammer – This show somehow lasted two seasons.  The first season, even the producers thought that they would not get the show renewed so they had the main character nuke the city!  Essentially, Sledge Hammer is a crazy cop who always looks to find the most violent solution to every problem.  David Rasche was the star of the show.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles – A great series.  To date, two seasons have aired and I have enjoyed every episode immensely.  I am a big fan of the Terminator series.  The story takes place after Terminator 2 and before Terminator 3.  Sarah Connor is doing her best to protect her son John from Terminators sent from the future, as well as attempting to destroy SkyNet.  They have the help of a reprogrammed Terminator from the future, played by the beautiful Summer Glau.

The Kill Point – An 8-part series that aired on Spike TV in 2007.  A group of veterans from the Iraq war who attempt to rob a downtown Pittsburgh bank are forced into a showdown with a tough hostage negotiator and a SWAT team.  Great show.

Threshold – This show only ran for one season.  CBS did not have the foresight to see what a great show that it was, and cancelled it (who am I kidding, its all about the ratings).  The show focused on an off-the-books government organization that is investigating first-contact with an alien species.  Like Prison Break, this is one of the few shows that I could not stop watching.

Torchwood – Another good show by Russell T. Davis, starring John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness.  This show is a spinoff of the new Doctor Who, and the two shows often intertwine with one another.  There are many homosexual references and scenes on the show (likely due to the creator and lead actor of the show both being queer), which I could do without.

Famous Quotations

As with the TV Shows, Books, and Movies, the quotations below are in no order of importance.  They are some of my favorites, and I add and update them all the time.  For those of you who are deep thinkers, perhaps they are words to live by, or some type of insight into my character?  I will leave that determination up to you, the reader.  For the record, none of them are attributed to me.

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
- Albert Einstein

“Men give me credit for some genius. All the genius I have lies in this: When I have a subject in hand, I study it profoundly. Day and night it is before me. I explore it in all its bearings. My mind becomes pervaded with it. Then the effort which I have made is what people are pleased to call the fruit of genius. It is the fruit of labor and thought.”
- Alexander Hamilton

“Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.”
- Colin Powell

“You don’t know what you can get away with until you try.”
- Colin Powell

“Boundaries? I have never seen one but I hear that they exist in the minds of most people.”
- Thor Heyerdahl

“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”
- Sun Tzu

“Si vis pacem, para bellum.”  (If you want peace, prepare for war)
- Vegetius De Rei Militari III

“True adaptability involves changing ones self to meet ones environment, not changing ones environment to meet ones needs”
- Species8472 (from Star Trek: Voyager)

“I am a shark, the ground is my ocean…and most people can’t even swim.”
- Rickson Gracie

“Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day;
teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime;
give a man religion and he will die praying for a fish.”
- Anonymous

“…Be like water.  Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless–like water.  You put water in a cup, it becomes the cup.  You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle…water can flow or it can crash!  Be water, my friend.”
- Bruce Lee

“Without Knowledge, Skill cannot be focused.  Without Skill, Strength cannot be brought to bear and without Strength, Knowledge may not be applied.”
- Alexander the Great’s Chief Physician

“Pain is temporary.  It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place.  If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
- Lance Armstrong