"LOOK what I CAN DO!"

…
--Stuart, 'MAD TV'

SOME days are BETTER than OTHERS!
TODAY was an "ABOVE-average" day … with moments of GREAT-ness!

___________________________________________________________________________

I BEGAN my morning--at 6:08 am--with a LEG-stretch:

(STRAIGHT-legged/180-degrees) LEFT: ~78 degrees above the (HORIZONTAL) "x-axis" (my BED)
(STRAIGHT-legged/180-degrees) RIGHT: ~84 degrees above the (HORIZONTAL) "x-axis" (my BED)

____________________________________________________________________________

I printed-out YET ANOTHER 'Jiujitsu'-technique to TEACH … to a KIDS-class.
(… Thanks A LOT, Mom AND MAIN-nurse for FIXING my printer!)

__________________________________________________________________________

As if he SENSED my ANGER/FRUSTRATION over/with his PAST mistakes, the OWNER of my PHENOMENAL LEG-gym trained/"worked WITH" ME today, and I exercised SUPERBLY!
Thanks to HIS VERY HELPFUL posture-tips & CONSTRUCTIVE-criticism, I was able to CORRECT MANY of my ongoing-"ISSUES"/-"PROBLEMS"!

I did some FANTASTICALLY DEEP "leg-lunges", NO-handed "wall-squats", "MANUAL"-steps & -pushes on the "I-care", hip-shifts while KNEELING on a RAISED, cushioned table/bench, AND 'ushido geris' (Japanese for 'back kicks') with a 5.0 pound weight strapped to each RAISING-ankle.
(… ALL exercises were painFREE, which is BREAKTHROUGH for me!  I was putting ALOTTA body-weight/pressure on my SURGICALLY-REPAIRED/METAL-INFUSED LEFT knee, but I suffered VIRTUALLY NO HARMFUL nerve-stimulation!)

__________________________________________________________________________

(WARNING)

Also, is it ODD/STRANGE/WEIRD/GROSS that I'm VERY HAPPY that I--FINALLY (AFTER three "FALSE alarms")--"excreted some FECAL matter"?!
(… NO, I'm just QUITE JOVIAL, 'cuz said EXCREMENT was … SOLID!)
(… NO, I doN'T mean "SOLID" in the SLANG-sense.  I meant it LITERALLY!)
((… NOT ONLY was/am I EXCITED that my INNER, COMPLETE digestive system WORKING "SOUNDLY" (Pun IN-tended?), but my SOLID "FECAL-deposit" is a PLEASANT "BITCH-slap" to my EX-"G.I. doctor" who said "if (I) doN'T poop EVERYDAY, then (I'm) REALLY SICK and MIGHT die".)
(… "I doN'T give a RAT'S ASS" how much schooling he MAY have had!  He SHOULD/WILL "ROT in HELL" for being so BLATANTLY ILLOGICAL, RUDE & MEAN-spirited!)

____________________________________________________________________________

…
I shouldN'T CONCLUDE with such a DISHEARTENING message.
Ergo, …
I JUST kicked-OFF my LEFT sock.  So, I bent over & leaned down to my (BAD) LEFT foot and replaced it.
YAY!


...

(Who "WINS"?) MENTAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL versus PHYSICAL:

…
(WARNING!)
Well, at 6:34 this morning, I IGNORED the (literal-interpretation of) the COMMON phrase, "I SWALLOWED it", & I swallowed three times, 'cuz of my MYRIAD amount of saliva.  Also, I had NOT YET "eaten" my "breakfast" to "STIMULATE" my DIGESTIVE-/EXCRETORY-/BOWEL-activity.  Thus, I THOUGHT my "squatting over my 'PORCELAIN THRONE'" was A BIT of a "LOST CAUSE".
But, I "thought WRONG".
At ~6:41 am, I "HOSTED a rather LOUD & RAUCOUS 'POOP-party'".


P.S. Said "DUNG-disposal" was my SECOND "turd-trasferrence transaction" in ~9.75 hours, and BOTH were, AT LEAST, semi-SOLID.
So, YAY!
My inner-organs/-processes are getting closeR to PROPER, HEALTHY function.

_______________________________________________________________________________

…
For my ENTIRE LIFE, I've felt that my MENTAL-"POWER" was "strongER" than my PHYSICAL/ATHLETIC-PROWESS.
(… That's nothing AGAINST my EXTRAORDINARY athletic-TALENTS!)
(… Thanks, 8 years of COMPETITIVE-wrestling AND 22+ years of "martial arts"-TRAINING/STUDYING/TEACHING … and assorted other stuff!)

It's just that my MENTAL-preparation, -strategizing, -conditioning, -adaptations & -recovery made me THAT MUCH … BETTER!

_______________________________________________________________________________

I CONSTANTLY/REPEATEDLY "WORK"/"TEST" my MIND … with my
OBSESSION with MATH/NUMBERS, my ATTEMPTS to IMPROVE my MEMORY & my NON-"marking" of "bombs" in Minesweeper.  (This morning: WINS in 384, 377, 354, 382 & 348 seconds, respectively.  That's … 1845/5 = 369 seconds = 6 minutes & 9 seconds = 6.15 minutes PER VICTORY.)  PLUS, there's my MATH-tutoring.



MORAL
Although I have a "Traumatic 'Brain'-Injury", I'm an ANOMALY.  So, MUCH/MOST of my "ISSUE"/PROBLEM" has to do with my PHYSICAL-"handicaps":
ZERO 100%-WORKING legs, 1.1 WORKING fingers (0.5 + 0.6), "FOUR-eyes" of astigmatic-optic lenses, etc.


...

(SOMETIMES) I can be rather QUICK to FORGIVE.

…
We ALL ERR/"make MISTAKES" from time-to-time.
(… I've "messed up" A LOT … ESPECIALLY since my "T.B.I.)

_____________________________________________________________________________

So, TODAY I had a GREAT LEG-workout at my gym ("NeuroFit-360")!
Thus, I felt the NECESSITY to FORGIVE the owner of said gym.
(… We ALL have our BAD days.  'Tis a matter of HOW we HANDLE  our 'SUB-par' days that distinguishes the GOOD people from the BAD.)

______________________________________________________________________________

BLESS the MANY people who set a GREAT example for/to ME by "shrugging off" my MANY "missteps"!


...

ACTION "breeds" CONFIDENCE … & COURAGE.

…
Although 'tis EASY & RELAXING to just
SIT/"LIE" (NOT "lay") here,
a "sedentary-lifestyle" just COMPLETELY "goes AGAINST my grain".
(… It "rubs me the WRONG way".)

("'KUDOS'" to … ME for … ACCURATELY using TWO wood-related metaphors … in SUCCESSION!)

_____________________________________________________________________________

…
Although I'm not NEARLY as ACTIVE as I once WAS,
(wrestling, martial arts, football, soccer, basketball, swimming, ping pong, MORNING-runs)
I try … MY BEST … to, AGAIN, be ATHLETICALLY-"gifted".
(FOUR LONG workouts per week, martial arts-TEACHING, swimming, beer-pong, MORNING-"WALKS")

_____________________________________________________________________________

…
"It's one thing to DESERVE it.  Now, you've gotta go out & EARN it."
(2013 University of Minnesota-WRESTLER)

Thus, I CONSTANTLY "WORK" to ACHIEVE my ULTIMATE-GOALS of
WALKING, TALKING, EATING & DRINKING.
(… And, I should include SWIMMING.)

_____________________________________________________________________________

…
REVISION to a PREVIOUS blog-post:
My writing may have IMPLIED that I am/was REALLY HAPPY.
But, in ACTUALITY, I'm ONLY 'asi-asi'/'s(small, vertical line UNDERNEATH)uley-buley'.
(… Those were Spanish AND Turkish for 'so-so'.)

(… MOST of my sports-teams are STILL LOSING.)
(AUDIBLE sigh)

"On a lighter/BETTER note",  MY PERSONAL-, PHYSICAL-"recovery" is DEFINITELY,
REALLY … IMPROVING!
YAY!

_____________________________________________________________________________

(GASP!)
Look at the time!

"I'm off to a SYMPOSIUM on 'Molecular POSITRONIUM'--directed by Dr. Farmun PHARMIUM."
(--'The Big Bang Theory')


...

AH, "the tables/tides have TURNED"!

…

While I was working-out at my gym on FRIDAY, the--USUALLY very UNDERSTANDING, NICE & BRIGHT--owner VERY RUDELY, STERNLY & STUPIDLY YELLED at ME
to "STOP" and "CHILL OUT", while I SEMI-loudly VOICED my FRUSTRATION with/about my UN-"cooperating" RIGHT hand.
(… I've TOLD HIM about my BOTCHED forearm-surgery AT LEAST SIX TIMES before, so I just FIGURED he's an IDIOT.)
(… He OWNS a SUCCESSFUL business, so he caN'T be THAT forgetful!)
(… Hence my "JUMP" to HIS IDIOCY)
However, TODAY--apparently, he "saw the ERROR of his ways".  He was MUCH niceR, even CORDIAL, so my LEG-workout went MUCH smoothER!
(… So, I was able to FOCUS/CONCENTRATE more on my "exercises".)

________________________________________________________________________________

Due to my "HIGH degree of", UN-intentionally IRRITATING IM-patience, I USUALLY "travel" around corners in my home--in my MOTORIZED wheelchair at "level-2" … out of "5".  But, once in awhile, my SPEEDY "motor-wheeling" causes me to "leave VISIBLE streakMARKS" on the walls of MY HOUSE.  Ergo, TODAY I felt I should TRY to make my inner-home more "AESTHETICALLY-APPEALING ".  Thus, I SLOWED my "house-trekking" to "SPEED-1" … with "FLAWLESS success"!

________________________________________________________________________________

This morning I inquired my MAIN-nurse about her previous DECLARATION that my STOMACH-protruding "G-/peg-tube" is PERMANENT.
(… My HOPES, MOTIVATION & OPTIMISM were "SHOT", when she FIRST told me the LONGEVITY of said "TUBE".)
THIS TIME she commented, "With the growing IMPROVEMENT in SCIENCE & MEDICINE … AND YOUR (MY) CONSTANT PROGRESS with (MY) MOVEMENT & HEALTH, then it's certainly NOT NECESSARILY 'permanent'."

(Cue the SIGH of RELIEF.)




MORAL
My "T.B.I." does "NOT NECESSARILY" hinder ALL aspects of my "BRILLIANCE".
((Outsider--to ME: "I guess I underestimated you."
MY reply: "Yeah, well, maybe next time, you will … ESTIMATE me."
(--'The Office'))



...

LIFE-Lessons: (Ha ha … HA!)

…
* #1 "ALWAYS … be YOURSELF."
#2 "SOMETIMES, you have to 'BEEEND the truth'"
#3 "…ESPECIALLY if it makes you look COOLER!"
* #4 "'Own up' to what you're GOOD AT."
** #5 "'EMBRACE' your body."
** #6 "Remain OPTIMISTIC that things can(/WILL) 'turn around' for you."
#7 "It's OK to be SENSITIVE."
#8 "'Laziness' is a SKILL."
(… THAT one--I'll ADMIT--I have NOT mastered.)
** # 9 Love can be found in the STRANGEST places!"
** #10 "Sometimes you just have to put YOURSELF FIRST."
* #11 "If something isN'T going your way, it's probably NOT YOUR FAULT."
** #12 "Appreciate the LITTLE things in life."
** #13 "SELF-awareness is a VIRTUE."
* #14 "It's OK to fantasize about … FOOD."
#15 "'AVOIDANCE' is a great coping-method."
#16 "You shouldn't HAFTA share EVERYTHING."
#17 "Dating is HARD."
#18 "KNOW your 'WORTH'."
** #19 "Take it ONE-DAY-at-a-TIME."
#20 "EVERYTHING looks BETTER when you put it in PERSPECTIVE."

(--George Costanza, 'Seinfeld')


(… The * indicates a "RULE" PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT during my REHAB.
** = DOUBLE the POIGNANCY.)


(  http://www.buzzfeed.com/kirstenking/life-lessons-you-learned-from-george-costanza?bffbrewind  )

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I'm CHASTISING my LEGS, 'cuz they're NOT SUFFICIENTLY/ADEQUATELY "processing" the "messages" from my BRAIN:

"You're 'KILLING' 'INDEPENDENT-(A.J.)'."
(--ALSO George "CabntSTANDzya!", 'Seinfeld')


...

(Guest Post) Comments

AJ let me know that there are a few visitors to his blog that would like to comment on his posts but are unsure how. It's really simple. There's just one trick to it.

If you can scroll down right now and see post after post after post of AJ's writings, then you're on the HOME PAGE of the blog. There is no place to comment on the home page because you have to comment on an INDIVIDUAL POST. To comment on a post you're reading you must first click on the red title of the post you're reading. For example, this post is titled "(Guest Post) Comments". Click on that text above and you'll be take to the INDIVIDUAL PAGE for this post. THAT'S THE KEY.

To comment on an individual post, you must click on the TITLE of that post first. Then scroll down, and you'll see a big box below the words "Post a Comment". You've made it.

Try it out on my guest post!
- Grant

… I've GOTTA "bounce back"/RECOVER!

…
Yes, yesterday was a
"Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day"(book by Judith Viorst).
But, I "SACKED-it-UP" & had a much BETTER day TODAY!


It certainly HELPED that I went to the movies with two high school buddies to see the HILARIOUS film 'Dumb & Dumber Too'!


...

'Tis a sad, SAD day.

…
I awoke this morning, to see--upon "THE Facebook"--that a DEAR friend from my WONDERFUL days in high school recently "PASSED".
(  : (  )
I have NO shame/embarrassment/shyness in ADMITTING that SHE was the EPITOME/"PEAK" of my "'high school'-CRUSHES"!

I'm very, VERY SAD!
However, my "T.B.I." does NOT allow me to CRY … even though I WANNA!
(… It's a PSYCHOLOGICAL issue.)
This AWFUL incident is MUCH LIKE the TERRIBLY CATASTROPHIC incident of my father's RECENT death … in a TOTALLY DIFFERENT kind of AFFECTION & REGRET!

__________________________________________________________________________

…
As if by a sense of KARMA, I had one of my WORST days in RECENT memory!
(… "SURE, I believe in 'karma'!  'Karma' is a WORD … like 'LOVE'!"
(--'The Matrix Revolutions')

FIRST, my nurse told me that I'll have this (DAMN, FRICKIN') "peg-/feeding-tube" sticking out of my stomach "FOR-EH-VER!"(--Squints, 'The Sandlot')
OR, I can go to the hospital AT LEAST twice a week (like what SHE does) for I.V.-treatments of nutrients & vitamins.
WHAT?!
(… So, there's NOT even a CHANCE of my "RIGHTING myself"?!  Well then, THAT's YET ANOTHER "piece of medical BULLSHIT" I'll just HAFTA DIS-prove!)

__________________________________________________________________________

…
Next, I STUMBLED--three different times--as I "WALKED" to my toilet to urinate.

__________________________________________________________________________

…
Later, it was VERY UN-orthodox/STRANGE for the OWNER of my GREAT gym to be so STUPID, INCONSIDERATE and IMPATIENT!
I was having DELAYS as I TRIED to grasp a HORIZONTAL-bar to grasp for my SQUATS & KNEELING.
(… I was SO UPSET with the owner's UN-characteristic RUDE-ness that I--sarcastically but ANGRILY--asked my staff-guy: "HOW MANY TIMES do I HAFTA TELL people about my BOTCHED forearm-surgery?!  Is he STUPID or just REALLY FORGETFUL?!)

__________________________________________________________________________


NONETHELESS, I MUST "carry ON" & CONTINUE my PRODUCTIVE "REHABILITATION"!


...

(I'm talking to MYSELF in CONFRONTATIONAL/AGGRESSIVE slang:)

…
"C'MON, A.J.!  (I SHOVE myself in the chest.)
DO sumthin'.  WHAT?!"


Along a wall in my FABULOUS gym--"NeuroFit 360", is the 

message:

"FAITH -- PERSEVERANCE -- RESULTS"

_____________________________________________________

Faith is daring to put your dream to the test. It is better to 

try to do SOMETHING and FAIL, than it is to try to do 

NOTHING and SUCCEED.

____________________________________________________


JUST 'cuz I'm--TEMPORARILY--in a wheelchair does NOT 

mean I should--or even, CAN--"REST on my laurels".  I 

SHOULD "beeeeee MYSELF"--who/which is a "SOCIAL-

butterfly".  

Yes, I HOST MANY "par-TAYS".  But, that's only Part 1.  

There are MULTIPLE "steps" in my SOCIAL-recovery.  

SSSOON, I'll be MORE COMFORTABLE "venturing-out" into 

the (EMBARRASSINGLY IGNORANT) "OUTSIDE-world".


____________________________________________________


… 
CONFIDENCE--in MYSELF & MY abilities--is 

ESSENTIAL/NECESSARY for any/ALL POSITIVE 

development during my REHAB.





...