Yikes...

So lately I've been sufficiently busy at work that I really don't have time for much else during the day (of course, not so busy that I can't take my lunch break at the gym.) I apologize for the stunning boredom this blog has become!

I have a hearing next week in Dallas, and our office's travel department found us rooms (at the state rate, which is fairly low) in a luxe bed & breakfast called the Mansion at Turtle Creek. One silver lining for which I am grateful. Anyway, so I leave for that next Tuesday afternoon and get back Wednesday evening.

Training is going really well. I can't point to any major breakthroughs, but I know I'm giving people a harder time, I'm incrementally improving my understanding, and I'm enjoying mat time more and more. Making time for my lunchtime conditioning classes at the other gym is really helping. I know Marcelo Garcia says to get in shape for BJJ, do BJJ, but I find that a sole diet of BJJ is too random in focus. I'm getting better arm and ab definition now, yay. I think I need to make an effort to drill techniques in class with higher belts more often. Usually I pair up with a my-level friend, but with Scott (a purple) yesterday I really appreciated some subtleties I'd never have gotten on my own.

It's been so hot here my garden is starting to look frayed. I have a gardenia standard in a large planter and it's positively fried, no matter how much I water. The planters on the deck need daily watering too, and I just haven't the energy or interest to fuss with stuff. This weekend I need to put in some quality time out there-- finish mulching the big rose bed, deadhead some things, perhaps dig up the zinnias which are looking icky. Also some shopping for a friend's wedding gift, a baby gift, and a few birthday gifts.

Which brings me to my next dilemma-- my birthday's coming up, and I am torn between staying in Austin for a friend's MMA fight, going to San Antonio for another 2 friends' fights, finding somewhere to watch UFC, or doing something entirely unrelated. I would like to have the max # of friends available but where are they all going?

OK, gotta jet to jiu jitsu. :)