Wednesday July 28, 2010

Don't know how it coulda' happened, but I lost a day in there somewhere.  I know, for sure, it's Wednesday.  My train ticket to Berlin says July 28^th.  I'm in Berlin, so it's gotta' be.  My plane ticket says Thursday, July 29^th, so I'm getting up at 4:00am to go home.

The new rules of baggage weight make airline travel a lot like wrestling: Getting down to weight is not the main thing, but it's awfully important !  Fortunately, my loved ones collect things that are reasonably light weight.  Unfortunately, every time I've given a T-shirt away, this trip, two people have given me replacements.  Ah, the wrestler's life... T-shirts !

I enjoyed my day in Prague, as I did today in Berlin.  Prague lives up to its reputation of being one of the jewels in the crown of European architecture.  Since "The Changes" of the 90's, though, Prague has capitalized to the point where you really have to look deeply to see its ancient beauty.

The History Teacher in me got a big kick out of Berlin.  I spent this afternoon strolling up and down the area of ‘Checkpoint Charlie'.  This is the place where the Berlin Wall got all its attention, from 1961-1989.

I finished up, just outside the Brandenburg Gate, sitting in a sidewalk café sipping a half liter of Hefeweisen.   Every time I enjoy a Wheat Beer, I dedicate it to three men:  Floyd Winter, Vince Zuaro and Randy Couture.  Of course, there's a story there, but you're gonna' have to wait for that one !

Tomorrow, it's back to the world.  I know there's weather in Chicago today, thanks to MSNBC.  I hope it clears.  I am scheduled for a seven hour lay-over at O'Hare anyway.  Don't want to wait another night to get home to my precious Eva !

I have to make some room (quite a bit, actually) for the beginning of school.  We start early in New Mexico.  But, I hope to continue grinding on a 21^st Century view of the Seven Basic Skills of Wrestling, as well as on the psychological implications of internet technology.

If I can manage time well, I will continue this blog through August.  Because our State Leaders Summit is back in Colorado Springs this year, I'll get to spend some time in the room during the last stages of Senior World Team Camps. 

I look forward to thinking about wrestling, and about life, and sharing it.  If you're not into it, a single push of a key will make me go away (one psychological implication of technology !).  I appreciate you playing along and I appreciate wrestling for giving me the opportunity.

Ciao