What a wild week.  If you read my last post or follow facebook you know the great news.  Eliza and I made a real boy and he is doing great.  He has baptized us both in his own special way, is pooping like a champ, and slowing finding his voice.  Much to my dismay, I think Gator will have my nose, skinny, long, and pointy.  For now we are enjoying the little button on the end of his face.  

 In HAF news, Dirt Nasty closed the deal that will move the HAF family into a 4’000 Sq. Ft. space.  Over the last few months, he has battled adversity, people who don’t understand the concept of deadlines, and worked extremely hard to make this happen.  He did it for the HAF family and wants nothing more than to have a space that will positively impact the lives of the athletes he loves to serve.  Pat Kimo on the back and get ready to WOD hard.  Regardless of where we throw down, the key to making CrossFit Hawaii the place where Hardass Fitness thrives lies in the effort the family puts into each workout. 

There is a little bad news to report.  Yours truly fell a few spots short in qualifying for regionals.  The top 60 make it and I was 64^th.  It wasn’t for lack of effort.  I did throw my sweat around the gym twice today trying to get a couple reps.  I have also done the math; 7-10 more pull ups today would have probably put me in.  If I did one or two more reps in each WOD I’d have probably made it.  If I hired a few gooneys to take out four knees I’d be buying a plane ticket and booking a room in San Jose.  Truthfully speaking it’s probably a blessing in disguise.  My step mother Debbie (landing in HI June 18^th with Joe Sr.) said it best.  “God has a plan and maybe you’re just supposed to be home with your new boy and pretty wife.”  I was pretty broke up for a few hours but her words really added some perspective.  This open has been all consuming the last few weeks.  Teetering on making it or not has really caused me to lose balance.  To say the least, I was not being very Feng Shui and lost sight of my Yin and Yang.  Not just in working out, but in life.  Big lesson here is that we aren’t our scores.  If you fall a little short you’re probably still a really good person.  Eliza and Gator still welcomed me home today and that felt better than winning any workout.  I also know my short comings on the leader board will only make me a better athlete and coach over the next year.  Get ready HAF we are going to reach for “Gamer” status and “Learner to Live in the Pain.”

  I do want to thank the HAF crew and everyone else for supporting me the last 6 + weeks.  I would have been well out of the top 100 had I not been standing on your shoulders.  Here is a toast to being balanced, striving for greatness, but always keeping things in perspective.  By the way, the wine pictured in the toast below (5/1/2011) was purchased in the Napa Valley the day we found out Eliza was pregnant.  I’m not drowning my sorrows for missing the cut, I’m toasting to Gator’s continued health and happiness.