It is hard to imagine a world where smart phone technology is ubiquitous, and there are still individuals who do not have access to adequate financial institutions. In these modern times there are roughly six billion people with limited or no access to banking facilities. Difficult to fathom, right? Sadly this is the truth for many people in developing countries. Coupled with corruption, limited modes of transportation, and high transaction fees, bank accounts are a luxury that many people cannot afford. Enter Bitcoin into this equation and financial freedom is just the beginning.

Bitcoin is not just money for the internet; it is a programming language that allows for the decentralization of any information system. As said by Andreas Antonopoulos (2014), “Bitcoin is the internet of money.” In order to understand this let’s use the analogy of the internet; which allows any individual admission to a global communication and information network instantaneously. In this same way, Bitcoin is allowing individuals’ instant access to a free global financial network. The implication of a decentralized financial network free from the corruption of third party moderators is overwhelming. Ponder for a moment introducing 6 billion potential consumers to the global marketplace. The possibilities for economic growth and innovation are exponential. This exists because Satoshi Nakamoto, the inventor of Bitcoin, chose to create open source software that gave all users equal say. The power of the Bitcoin network is its users, which currently exceeds the combined computing power of the top 600 super computers on Earth. This equates to a network, which is for all intents of purposes, impenetrable. Essentially, each individual computer acts as a voting node. These nodes vote on the validity of the current Bitcoin equation, otherwise known as the block chain. In order for the block chain to be verified, a majority of the voting nodes must corroborate if the equation is done correctly. This process happens in nanoseconds, meaning not all voting nodes will participate in every given block chain verification.

Bitcoin is primarily thought of in the west as trendy, new technology and a means of accruing wealth. Recently, the popularity for crypto-currencies has grown rapidly within investment circles, hedge funds, and among the technologically inclined due to its rising value. Though Bitcoin is utilized predominantly inside these aforementioned groups, current buzz surrounding Bitcoin millionaires and the public hearings in New York regarding future regulation have catapulted the currency into the mainstream ( NPR ). However, limiting the Bitcoin protocol to these previously mentioned industries is extremely short sighted given the genius of Satoshi’s underlying goal. Remember, the Bitcoin protocol can be applied to any information system, such as the system of voting. When applied to voting, there is no longer the need for a third party organization to verify an election as this is done by each individual voting node. This completely eliminates voter fraud and voting machine tampering. Individuals would be able to vote from the comforts of their own homes, using verifiable identification codes, through a transparent voting system.

We have seen that the Bitcoin protocol not only has the power to shape the future of our global financial network, but of our voting, our phones, and our cable television. Any system that is based on an unbiased third party mediator can be replaced by implementing the Bitcoin software. As the software is policed by all participating members, the possibility of corruption, or hacking the system is minuscule. Regardless of whether Bitcoin the currency ever blossoms into a legitimate mainstream form of monetary transaction remains to be seen, however the revolution in software that Nakamoto has unleashed has only just begun.

We are on to part two of our three-part series on using of idiomatic expressions (idioms) correctly. To remind you, an idiom is a phrase in which a group of words takes on a different meaning that the dictionary definitions of the individual words. Today, we will continue that series and look at more popular idioms and what they really mean.

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen

This idiom doesn’t mean to exit your kitchen when you are cooking. It means that a person should exit a situation if the pressure is getting to be too much for them. For example:

A. “This diving competition is really stressing me out. Aren’t you worried?”

B. “No, not at all. And, if you can’t stand the heat, you should get out of the kitchen.”

Joined at the hip

People that are joined at the hip are usually similar thinkers and are really close emotionally. They aren’t actually joined together, but it’s as if they are as they are so alike and spend so much time together. For example:

A. “Look at Susan and Carol. They are always together!”

B. “I know! It’s like they are joined at the hip.”

Keep in touch

When you keep in touch with someone, you’re continuing to communicate with them even if they live far away.

Long time no see

This expression means that the speaker usually hasn’t seen the person they are talking to in a long time. For example:

A. “Hey! Long time no see. How’ve you been?

B. “It has been a while. Good to see you.”

Mum’s the word

If someone uses this idiom with you, it means that they want you to keep quiet and not tell other people about what they’re telling you. For example, if your friend tells you that she is planning a party for her husband and says “mum’s the word”, she doesn’t want you to tell him about the party.

Nip it in the bud

When you nip something in the bud, you are dealing with the problem while it is still a small one – before it grows into a big problem. For example:

A. “Kate seemed really mad at me, but I talked to her and nipped it in the bud. We’re OK now.”

On a roll

This expression is used to describe someone who is moving from success to success. For example, if a person wins 5 chess games in a row, they’re on a roll.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones

This doesn’t mean that people are actually throwing rocks at houses! It means that a person shouldn’t criticize another person for a fault or weakness that they might have themselves. For example:

A. “Joe is so lazy!”

B. “Yeah, but people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

Well, this is the end of Englishlink’s second article on some commonly used idioms. Stay tuned for part 3 when we finish our look at some of the English language’s more puzzling idioms.

Fulham is said to be a very pricey and exclusive part of London, UK to buy a house.

There are a few tube stations located inside the district. They are called Fulham Broadway, Parsons Green and Putney Bridge.

Don't let the expensive name let you off eating in the area. You will be still able to find a reasonable priced restaurant which may even have a few celebrities dining in them. The great thing about London is the variety of restaurants to suit all taste buds.

The Arbiter is situated on the North End Road of London and has recently been refurbished. While still retaining the old style of a London pub there is a new mixture of charm and up market friendly approach set over two floors. On offer there is a mixture of British and Swedish style of dining. The average cost of a main course meal is generally between six and eight pounds. There is a variety of beers and cocktails on offer.

If you prefer to try an oriental meal. Why not try out the Blue Elephant on London Fulham Broadway. The decor is a wonderful tropical paradise with running waterfalls and various sections which feels like individual rooms. You can arrange a large dining party without feeling overwhelmed and taking over the restaurant. The food is good and an extensive menu is on offer. Most main courses are around thirteen pounds. You can try to eat Thai style by ordering a starter platter and sharing a couple of main dishes and noodles or rice.

Fabrella Eating House can be found on Fulham Road close to the Fulham Palace Road end. The restaurant offers a good selection of Greek and Cypriot dinning all cooked freshly on site as the restaurant is family owned. The main courses are around ten pounds each.

On the Lillie Road of Fulham you will find the Seasoning Restaurant which offers a selection of Fushion and Indian dishes to the customers.
The inside of the restaurant is fresh and modern which will appeal to mostly everyone. The starters will cost from three pounds with main courses at six pounds. You can order the old favorites such as rogan josh to tikka. Perhaps experiment with a baigan bhartha to a or try lamb chops seasoning style.
On offer there is also lots of mouth watering fish and vegetarian dishes to please everyone.

If you love your steak then head over to Sophies Steakhouse in Fulham Road. The restaurant can hold around ninety people each night with another seating for twenty five at the bar area.

There are a variety of starters on offer such as goat's cheese and prawn cocktails which start around five to six pounds. The main courses are a mouth watering rib beef steak at around seventeen pounds to fillet of beef at just over twenty pounds. Deserts are on offer at over five pounds and include my favorite cheesecake, lemon meringue pie.

Just to remind you, an idiom is a phrase where the words take on a different meaning than the definition of the individual words alone. Here are some more examples:

Question of time

This describes a situation that will happen, but you do not know when. For example:

A. “You look like you’re going to have your baby any minute now. Are you due soon?”

B. “Any day now, it’s just a question of time.”

Rather you than me

When a person has an unpleasant task to do, another person will use this idiom to tease them about it. For example:

A. “I’m not looking forward to this afternoon when I have to clean the bathroom.”

B. “Rather you than me.”

Straw that broke the camel’s back

The straw that broke the camel’s back is usually the problem that has caused you to lose your temper. Sometimes the problem isn’t big, but since it’s the last problem in a long line of problems, it’s the one that finally makes you say, “I have had enough!” This idiom can also be used to describe the collapse of something. For example:

A. “Did you really break up with Joe because he was ten minutes late?”

B. “Yes, I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. There were many other things wrong with the relationship.”

Tie the knot

When two people get married, they tie the knot.

Up to speed

This idiom is usually used when one person is giving you recent news. For example:

“I will begin this presentation by bringing you all up to speed on the project.”

Vicious cycle

This describes things that get worse and worse each time they happen again. It is hard to stop this happening once it starts. For example:

“I helped Lisa do her homework a few times and now she feels like she cannot do it without me…we are in a vicious cycle.”

Without a hitch

This idiom describes a situation where the plans all happened the way you wanted them to. For example:

“The party went off without a hitch. I can’t believe how surprised he was!”

Your call

If someone tells you that it is ‘your call,’ it is up to you to make the decision. For example:

A. “Do you think we should have hamburgers or pasta for dinner?”

B. “It’s your call.”

Zero tolerance

If someone or something has a zero tolerance policy, they will not overlook breaking a rule no matter how small or trivial it is. For example:

A. “I was only 2 minutes late! Why am I getting in trouble?”

B. “The school has a zero tolerance policy on being late.”

This is the end of Englishlink’s lessons on idioms. I hope they helped. Now go out and start using them! Please visit our site for more resources and tips.

Sometimes we just want to stay local and find a restaurant close to home. This could save on traveling with your rental car into the center of London. This can be an experience for you and your car hire from Harrow particularly if you are not used to driving around London. Whether you are on a visit to London Harrow or if you are staying with relatives. Trying out a local restaurant may be the solution to your dilemma.

We often think the good restaurants are in the city center but you may be pleasantly surprised by what is on your door step. Here are a few ideas for the Harrow district of London.

If you are close to Putney Station why not pop in and order a pizza and cocktail from citizen smith. There are lots of traditional types of pizza on the menu. Or you could be adventurous and try and order a bizarre sorry experimental pizza to taste. If pizza is not your thing then you could try out a Sunday roast or a salad. Ending the meal with a delicious dessert. Pizza generally cost between seven and ten pounds each.

Keeping on the Italian theme. Visitors could try out Sazio which is a modern, sharp, clean looking restaurant which can be found on Station Road in harrow. Your average meal can cost between ten and twenty pounds for each person. You can order all your Italian favorites before heading off to the vue cinema which is close by to Sazio.

Not forgetting the vegetarians in Harrow. You can order a take out from the very funky menu. Or you can sit in and order a la carte. Most meals cost from around ten pounds from Sakonis. The vegetarian restaurant is situated on the Dominion Parade close to Station Road.

The Vintage Restaurant is located on Station Road and offers an Indian menu. So if you are in the mood for a korma curry, bhoona, or rogan josh with nan bread. Then stroll along to the Indian Vintage.

There are a number of pubs located within the London Harrow area. Yates wine lodge can be found in Station Road with a royal blue banner along the top of the pub frontage.

Molly Malones is located on the High Street close to the Harrow Weald News and Uxbridge Road.

Not that far along from Molly Malones you will find the Fiddler's restaurant on High Road. This is an Italian restaurant which also covers a variety of special days such as mothers day, Christmas and New Year, Valentine's day etc. The owners offer a delivery service which customers can order over the telephone and online. A small delivery charge applies please ask when ordering.
You can order a la carte for a set menu price on various courses. The prices start at around fourteen pounds for two courses. If you prefer just to order one course from the menu then the price starts at four pounds for a starter.

The Panom Thai restaurant is also situated on High Street in Harrow. They offer take out as well as a sit in set menu. Depending on how many are in your party the price starts at sixteen pounds for a set menu for two. Dishes on offer include duck, chicken, beef with various sauces including black bean sauce, curry, sweet and sour.

Have you considered taking a stand-up comedy class? Stand-up comedy is more popular than ever and so are stand-up comedy classes. I’ve learned quite a bit from spending over $1000 on stand-up comedy classes. I have read many books on the subject, performed for over a year myself, and have had the privilege of talking at length with a few comedy-writing legends. I am not here to cut down people who provide comedy classes, nor tell you all are equal in their value. I’m here to give you a broad overview of stand-up comedy classes and what you can expect, without spending money on something you don’t want. Instead, I want you to be happy learning this great art form. I believe all comedy greats were funny to begin with, but needed direction to become the best. The right class can help you with this. Comedians aren’t born, they are made.

Can’t I Just Learn It From a Book?

On other subjects I would understand where you are coming from, but not in standup comedy, a performance art, and you need hands on instruction. Writing a joke can be taught from a book, it’s true, pick up a copy of Comedy Writing Step-by-Step by Gene Perret or Jerry Corley’s Breaking Comedy’s DNA if you don’t believe me. Comedy writing is necessary for any real comedian, unless you pay a writer, but it is not the main reason you are taking a standup comedy class. Choosing to take a standup comedy class means you want to participate in a performance art, you want instant gratification from the crowd’s laughter, and you want to be the star. The things you can learn from a (good) standup comedy class: structure, stage etiquette, and networking with other comics. Standup comedy is teachable, but you have to do the work.

It’s All a Theory

Some forms of comedy like sitcom writing and screenplay writing are done in almost the same structure every time, stand-up comedy is not. Stand-up comedy is experimental, it’s fun, and above all, it is new (unless it’s a comedian repeating jokes for several decades).

Before Steve Martin became a superstar, no one did comedy quite like him. Comedy was a series of one-liners, and most comedians seemed alike because nothing set them apart. Steve Martin was one of the first comedians to make anti-comedy, building anticipation for a punch line so much it forces the audience to laugh. There are many other examples of comedians bucking the trend. To name a few there are Andrew Dice Clay, George Carlin, Stephen Wright, Richard Pryor, and Zach Galifinakis. You know and I both know these comedians rise to the top because they are consistent and original. Not everything a comedy teacher tells you is a law. The teachers that have had little or no success will always tell you to follow their formula to produce material. Remember #1, It’s all a theory even if it makes people laugh most of the time.

I love Steve Martin; he is one of my favorites of all time, and I cannot wait to meet him one day. Be a Steve Martin, try new things, even if you fail, you will learn what works and what doesn’t.

Learn Proven Methods

Even if you want to be one of these original comedians I listed above, you need to know what everybody is using to come up with material right now. #2 learning what currently works can still work for you, or at least you know where to start. Many successful comedians are really just a combination of learned skills, mixed in a unique way. Successful comedians took classes, some even became stars, but they all knew what people were producing at the time they started. Learn everything you can, read comedy-writing books, and start writing NOW. I don’t care if it sucks, writing is a process, it makes you better the more you write. Listen to any comedian talk about his early days, they all have one thing in common, their jokes sucked. Your jokes will to.

Credentials

#3 Comedy classes can be taught by anyone at all, so be cautious. Many people, who have no idea what success in comedy even is, are teaching classes on comedy. I don’t know everything about comedy, but then again you are not paying me. When a teacher expects you to pay him $350 for a class, he should at least be an authority on the subject. Here are a few investigational things you should do to determine the credentials of a stand-up comedy class teacher:

· Look at the teacher’s website.

· Does he/she list credits to his/her name?

· Does he/she have professional videos of their own standup? Are they even remotely funny? This is important. How can they teach you to be funny in your own way, if they aren’t funny.

· No video on-line is not a good sign. Stay away from these teachers.

· Do they teach at a reputable comedy club, like the Improv or The Gotham? This is a sign they are at least moderately reputable. That is Good.

· Search the internet for reviews about the teacher. Chances are if he is horrible, somebody got mad enough about losing $350 that they wrote something nasty and informative for you to read.

· Ask several local comedians if they took the class. If they liked it, chances are good you will to. It is important to ask several comics, friends of the teacher will always say he/she is good.

I found out about a good comedy teacher in Dallas, TX named Dean Lewis through word of mouth. This is a very powerful and still effective form of customer review. I always trust word of mouth instead of an on-line review, because word of mouth is usually genuine.

If you are in Dallas, Dean Lewis is at deanlewiscomedy.com. He is an excellent choice to begin your comedy career and he has credits. Dean is funny, a great teacher, and he is a very sincere person, which counts for more in my book. Take his stand-up comedy class today!

Superstars Don’t Teach Classes

Let’s face it Kevin Hart, Jerry Seinfeld, and Louis C.K. will not be teaching comedy classes anytime soon. #4 Comedy teachers don’t tend to have enjoyed a massive success in standup comedy. Don’t let this bother you, you can learn something from anyone that has enjoyed at least some success in comedy. I’m not saying this to cut down comedy teachers, I am just stating a fact. A good comedy teacher should have enjoyed some degree of success, but if they were making a large sum of money off comedy, they wouldn’t need to teach it. They may have won a few contests, made some guest appearances on a sitcom, or opened for a national comedian. Somewhere in between open-mic comedian and Louis C.K. is where a good teacher is. Success in anything requires many factors working in conjunction to make a massive success, not just the quality of one’s material. Many things can factor into their success. Many funny people did not become mega comedians, nor should you expect them to be, but expect some success to prove they know what they are talking doing. If someone has enjoyed success in any area of comedy, there is something to learn from him or her.

What You Can Expect to Learn

Terminology

There are a few basic things you will learn in a comedy class that I don’t mind divulging here, one of which is terminology. Comedians describe basic aspects of the performance process through a special language shown here.

Killing=When more than 80% of the crowd is laughing more than 80% of the time.

Dying= When none of the audience is laughing 100% of the time.

Segway= A logical transition between two comedy pieces.

Set= Your time on stage.

Act Out= An impression, or imitation of yourself or another person.

Heckler= Someone stupid enough to interrupt a comedian with a microphone.

A “Bit”- A part of a comedy routine, it is generally about a specific subject and in story form. In between two bits is the Segway.

Class

There are usually two schools of thought when it comes to the formation of the comedy material; we currently refer to as a “bit”. The one-liner based and Act-out based writing. I’ll clarify what I mean here by saying “one-liner based.” I’m not referring to one-liners in its traditional sense, or a monologue of one-liners. I’m referring to creating one-liners and designing a conversational story with one-liners intentionally placed in spots to amplify the laughter. Act-out based performances require acting, and they do not usually have a ton of “jokes”.

I will give an example here from the comedians you know. Robin Williams, Kevin Hart, and Joe Rogan depend mostly on act outs instead of “joke writing”. On the other hand, Jerry Seinfeld, Daniel Tosh, and Dave Atell have “jokes.” Neither one of these forms are bad, but you have to choose between them. Generally, stand-up comedy classes teach one way or the other, not both. Remember one thing, when you become one or the other, it doesn’t mean you won’t be doing some of the other style. If you write jokes, occasionally it will be to your advantage to do some act outs. If you do predominantly act outs, it will be to your advantage to do some jokes now and then. I do not know of any comedian who doesn’t do some of the other style.

What you need to do is contact the stand-up comedy course teacher before you take the class. Ask him or her if they teach an act-out based comedy course or focus on the formation of jokes. Make your decision based on this.

They Are Not Always Right

If a teacher tells you not to use something that you think is funny, try it for yourself to see if it works. Teachers can be wrong; in comedy especially. A fellow national comedian once told Larry the Cable Guy that he shouldn’t have taken on that character, that it was a bad idea. He was like $50 million dollars per year wrong. Make sure that you listen and learn, but it is never set in stone. A gut feeling is usually right; don’t be afraid to act on it.

Not You’re Last Class

Before you take your first class on comedy, know that it should not be your last. If you decide you are going to become a comedian and you want to become good, you must continuously learn. This is reading, taking classes, and learning if your material works in front of an audience. If it doesn’t work, change, but keep producing.

Start Writing Now

Pick the best class you can, listen and learn. You can do something before this class starts though. You need to start writing now, do not wait to become a so-called professional to start writing. Your brain will be trained to come up with material consistently, so you can do it better when you become a student in a class. You should also treat it like a class, seriously. When you start writing, be sure to set a quota, otherwise, you will start slipping off. A quota can be in the form of time, or quantity of words or lines. Do not start with too high of a quota, it’s very discouraging. You can also use the method Jerry Seinfeld uses, “Don’t break the chain”. Take a calendar and put an X on it every day you write, consistently do it so it creates a chain. Now don’t ever break it.

Get On Stage Now

Search Google for open mics in your city. You may have to do some driving, but get on stage. You must overcome the fear to do stand-up comedy, so start now. It is not that scary once you’ve done it a few times. No matter what happens that first time, keep going. The first time is usually not going to go well, so get that out of the way. Start with one night a week, and then expand to as many times a week you can go.

There's nothing like the rush of adrenaline that comes when you're watching Ultimate Fighting. Of course, it's not everyone's cup of tea. In fact, most people, or at least a fair majority probably find the sport debauched and rather over the top. I'd chance it to say that many wouldn't even say this belongs in any real sports category. But, you have to admit, there is an allure in the rough and tumble action that goes down during a match. It's bloody and gruesome especially in HD, but hey, it's also kind of glorious.

Ultimate Fighting isn't in any way lyrical. IT's not the kind of thing you see exalted in literary prose; it's not classy, ​​not elegant and definitely not refined. Matches come with your fair share of drama and masquerading, the kind that makes wrestling so entertaining and cheesy at the same time.

The crown of the sport is the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Each fight consists of a sordid blend of boxing, wrestling and jujitsu, for the most part, although, fighters are free to bring in a little bit of Thai kick boxing, a side of Wushu, a dose of judo, kickboxing, and whatever else they feel like dishing out at the moment. A lot of people think that Ultimate Fighting is an all out do or die affair. Sometimes fighters will 'tap out', but no one really dies. They get hurt and tired and bloody, and you can enjoy it all in gory HD detail.

The fighters of this popular fight club are of the gruff sort, they are wizened and tattooed. They bulge and pop in all directions; a lot of them have beards and many are completely bald, to complete the tough man look, I suppose. While this isn't exactly the NFL Sunday Ticket, Ultimate Fighting does have its own specials. Many of the great fights are shown on pay-per-view. Still others are shown exclusively on satellite TV.

If you've never had the enlightening experience of watching one of these matches, you should. It's a full throttle spectacle that gets your heart pumping. From the fast paced quips and comments coming from host and comedian Joe Rogan, to the spew of bright commentary coming from various fighters during docu-style interviews, right down to the kicking and gut punching itself, it all accumulates into a one of a kind experience. You might not like the bombast of it all. You may be disgusted by the blood and bulging veins and even the breaking bones. In fact, you'll probably shield your eyes at some point, or look away grimacing, but eventually you'll be cheering the fighters on, wishing them the best, hoping that they will crush their opponents.

Ultimate Fighting, has been compared to the spectacles of yore, in ancient Rome, when lions were pitted against dwarves and unarmed men. It's not that cruel, these men are trained after all. The fights are brutal, indeed; but once you start watching, it's hard to stop. Try it for yourself.

There is a lingering question on fight fans minds: “Did Anderson Silva throw the fight against Chris Weidman in UFC 162 this last Saturday?” Though the twitter-sphere, blogosphere, and Facebook newsfeed has blown up recently with tales of how and why Anderson Silva threw his fight, I think Dana White’s colorful post-fight comments that these people “are (expletive) idiots”, is a bit more accurate, and that they should probably not dismiss the most accomplished UFC fighter to date. Instead, let me offer a different perspective.

If you watch the first round of the Silva vs. Weidman bout, Weidman proved, early on, the same thing that Chael Sonnen proved, that Silva’s Achilles heel is facing high-level wrestlers whose focus is primarily Ground-and-Pound. Chael Sonnen managed to put Silva on his back every round in UFC 117, landing a brutalizing 320 strikes, to Silva’s dismal 64 throughout the fight, and then Silva, pulled out a miraculous triangle choke with 1m50s left in the final round. Anderson Silva realized early on against Weidman, that he did not want to repeat this kind of history.

My theory, Anderson Silva realized 1-minute into the fight, that he was completely out-classed on the ground, and knew that his best shot would be to keep the fight standing. After the initial takedown, Silva spent the rest of his fight with Weidman baiting, cajoling, and even begging Weidman to keep it standing. In between round one and two, Silva can be seen pointing to the crowd, and screaming “stand-up, stand-up” from across the ring.

This is not the first time we have seen such histrionics in the cage from Silva, although, never to such an extreme. Silva’s mind games are what has kept many of his fights off the ground. All we should do as fight fans is praise young Chris Weidman, for keeping his head on a swivel, protecting his chin, containing his emotions, and ensuring his strikes fired down the pipe.

Perhaps Silva’s hubris is what got him knocked out on Saturday, and perhaps Joe Rogan is right, that “This is a lesson for young fighters”, but lest I remind you, that this same hubris is what made him the most accomplished fighter of all time.

All that being said, the five-second highlight of Silva pretending to be hurt, only to be walloped with an over-hand right was, and will continue to be perhaps the most gratifying highlight for fight fans for years to come.

Stress is a real issue in these modern days. It is reported that people who regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress is 77%. We all experience stress in our lives but how do we handle it? Is it pharmaceuticals? Alcohol? Or do some of us, most of us just live with it. The thing is, living day by day with stress can have a serious impact in our lives over time. I have personally experience this by just not thinking about it and lock it deep inside a locked chess, beneath the deepest parts of my sea of thoughts. Whenever another event takes place that causes stress, I will just place it in there too. Days turn into weeks, weeks to months and before we know it, stress seems to creep out of this overflowing chest of unknowing results. I have never resolved these thoughts that cause these stress levels to climb higher and higher. Some of us are like bombs, one event triggers the mind and before you know it all those thoughts in this chest explodes out uncontrollably, over flooding our minds to where we can’t seem to function or breath. This is what most would say is a panic attack. I have been there and it is the worse timing when it happens. So here are some simple ways in dealing with stress and resolve your thoughts instead of hiding them in this chest.

When enough, is enough!

1) Breath…

We all know how to do it! We have been doing it since the first breaths we have taken as an infant. Overtime are technique in breathing does get sloppy. Technique is everything. Sit down, close your eyes and breath. Focus on just your breathing, tune into your body and just focus on that. Slow it down and take deeper breaths, and remember! have good posture as you are sitting. Posture is key to breathing, it helps us gain more oxygen into our lungs. As you breath you will notice that your belly fills up with air first. But have you noticed? That you have more room underneath and on each side. Focus on breathing just a little deeper as you concentrate on breathing AND good posture. Slow down and take the time to take some deeper breaths and you will notice a change in your own conscious mind. It allows us to take this moment to really be present. Not the past, nor the future, but present.

Sam Harris has an amazing podcast that I heard his technique for breathing.

He truly explains in more in depth in this YouTube video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzMhLmErz5Q

2) Diet

Your diet can have an effect on your own personality. Eating unhealthy foods everyday can cause bloating. Overdoing your portions in your meals will leave you with plenty of extra calories that you end up storing away. Feeling bloated because you know you over ate, or over complicating your meal can have this affect. Just pay attention to your choices everyday. Do you really need sugary drinks at every meal? Mixing up all these complex carbs can definitely make your body harder to process everything and end up with an unhealthy feeling. Eating healthier can be a little challenging, but it is so much simpler than you think!

3) Exercise

We as humans were meant to move! push ourselves and overcome challenges and obstacles within our lives. Exercising in the morning, before work or anything you do allows us to wake up, get the blood moving and take anything that might come at us in our every day lives. Yoga is perfect for starting the day, you are already learning to breath better, have better technique sitting, take it to the next level! This is just the beginning, from yoga you will be more active and more inclined to try new things. Being active is the key though, through breathing, good posture and your new choice of activity, you will want to experience active things that you thought you could not do before. I have been there trust me on this. Joe Rogan has an amazing motivational video on exercise. Click http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=e_eJRDl2J6Y

Very simply put, Breathing, Diet and Exercise can help you battle the long struggles of stress. Take these steps when you have had enough! You don’t need pharmaceutical prescriptions to help with your own conscious thoughts, or your bloating, weight loss or even depression. It all starts with saying enough is enough! Breath, look into your diet, and exercise. You will be surrounded with people who do the same and those communities are an amazing way to support you into your new life style. Wake up and truly live again.

2016 was an amazing year!

It was the 2nd year living together with my high school sweet heart and I am happy with our lives together, everything is starting to come together but there was something missing. Being 27 years old I had a job where all I do is sit all day and sell. Gaining weight and not having the energy to do things. I am slowly realizing this is not living. I finally started cycling to work out more often trying to get more into shape. Now at work, living in an age where we have access to information like never before. I take my free time to look at YouTube videos and learn new things everyday. I came across Jiu Jitsu, Not knowing much about it and wanting to get back into shape, My brother planted the 10th Planet seed into me. I took a class with him and was hooked! I was a little afraid of people judging me or guys stomping me. It was not what I expected. first couple days were just so much fun learning and drilling and then rolling. Meeting amazing new people and building friendships and slowly it grows into some kind of brother/sisterhood and now everyone who trains is like family. I was never really a hard roller but I would try to win. Understanding the difference between rolling and competing, you are not there to go hard on people you roll with, its about the experience you gain and understanding your opponent through body language and instincts.

Over time I started noticing these changes to my body. These 6am classes were hard at first but with addiction I am now waking up quicker, more energy, Almost like when I was younger and I could sleep for a couple hours and get right up and continue to be on turbo boosted ill mode, and I am starting to feel that way again. Like my true self is starting to come out again. shedding what my body does NOT need and starting to adapt into a healthier Luis. My coach is Randal Dolf Now this guy is something different. The way he expresses himself and talks and at first it was so hard to understand him and I would constantly be lost trying to understand what he is saying. That was because I was only hearing him, It was only until you start listening that you start to learn! Listen to the world around you, Listen to your body, Listen to your own conscious self, Do not be afraid to be alone with no sound no nothing but yourself. That is why I would now be open to the idea of trying out a float lab! With Randal teaching us not just Jiu Jitsu but also on the most randomized subject but they are so interesting because the way he expresses with passion on what he is learning influences me to learn “set” subject as well… like the pasiey bandannas and finding shapes by folding and rolling the patterns together to create an image. Or at least explore it and understand it. That got me to WANT to learn things everyday! Be more social and open to ideas and conversations. I am now not AS afraid on what other people think, I feel more confident in understanding problems and then solve them on the spot when obstacles in life come my way. Because if I can learn Jiu Jitsu I can learn ANYTHING! Joe Rogan Experiance also fuels my fire for knowledge and listen to all sorts of people from different parts of the world who are experts in what they love! So when they talk about their experiences it opens up new perspectives for me. Because I am open to ideas and conversations and really listen. I start feeling what they are saying. I start understanding why there is passion behind these amazing peoples work. Because they LOVE to do it and so when you love to do something its no longer work but it is a true passion. Now with that concept start I started putting more passion into everything I do. How you talk to people, how you work, how you train, how you do anything and you will love to love life and everything and everybody in it. BAM!

I had my first competition at 10th Planet San Diego with the awesome Richie Boogeyman Martinez. I always saw him in YouTube videos and now I am at his gym competing for the first time? WOW! I was so happy just to have him in my presence from YouTube to real life that was an amazing experience the whole atmosphere of good vibes and good times.

“I know I want to be part of this.”

The competition was very fast for me. I went against this beast mode of a wrestler, Loads of power first time ever being in this situation I froze a little and went into overtime losing to an arm bar. I had so much fun and I know what I need to work on for the next one. But it is not all about competing. There are also cool events like the 24hr Jiu Jitsu open mat event. There is Jiu Jitsu in the park during summer. To be somewhere where others have the same passion as you and just hang out and learn and train is what we need in life. It is how we grow as a person and influence positive vibes to carry back outside of this planet and influence those positively for them to do the same and look at life at a different perspective.

Just go with the flow and don’t fight it. Understand that, and you will find love, beauty, and happiness to the next level. It has influence me to think of systems around our lives and not be part of the negative systems. Always keeping yourself as a player of the system and not a pawn within the system. These systems are everywhere and Eddie Bravo’s views on conspiracies are intriguing. These people I look up to are some awesome, intelligent, chill people who I would love to just have the pleasure of having a conversation with. It was indeed Renato Laranja the 27-time world champion who told me to “just keep on training!”

It is now the end of 2016 and I am looking back on from where I was 8 months ago. A happy 27th year old just being part of a system, to breaking out like the dark knight did from prison. Somehow without even knowing it you end up plateauing and getting comfortable. It is only up to you when it is your time to shake things up and keep on climbing out of these systems and be able to find other systems and influence others to do the same. For you cannot force others to, but show them the escape route and support them until they are free and maybe they will pay it forward. It has been roughly 7 months since I have started and I enjoy this art day by day and with time, my journey through Jiu Jitsu. I one day hope to travel abroad! Visit different 10th Planet gyms! meet new people! learn and experience their culture from different brother’s and sister’s and make memories, friends, and positively influence others around me to change the world one human at a time. For we are all the same and we can all be creators. I love you all and keep training!

What I am saying is everyone has their path in life. When was the last time you felt ‘like’ you? Your inner self brought out to the physical world. Not hiding behind a mask for other’s to see because of your self esteem, insecurities and past events that have cloaked you for other’s to see. Life is amazing! It all starts with you. “Be the hero in your own movie!” -Joe Rogan Quote