Happy birthday Dilla!

Freaky thing just happened...so, listen

Earlier today, I was looking at Podcast to subscribe to, and remembered coming across on Imeem.com J-Rocc's 66 minute mix of Dilla joints titled "Thank You, Jay Dee. Act 4," so I was looking for that. Turns out, it's not available for download, only through purchase for $00.00 from Stones Throw, when you buy something else. So, I was looking for something to buy, and cme across Dilla t-shirts. I've seen these designs before, and thought they looked good.

That's when this article caught my eye, The Battle for J Dilla's Legacy, about the ongoing struggle of those closest to Dilla and managing his estate. So I didn't get a chance to read it then, but left the tab open for later.

That's when I started reading it tonight and I read this very line at exactly 12:00 AM February 7, 2010

"Donuts was released on Stones Throw on February 7, 2006, his 32nd birthday. Dilla died three days later."

I thought to myself, "wow, today's the 6th (cause I've been filling out papers today) and his birthday's tomorrow..." but I looked at the time, and it was already midnight, meaning it was his birthday. Kind of wild, I think. Maybe it's a sign, who knows...

I feel like I should go write a song or something LOL

New riding gear

So, after my first crash, I realized I had to drop some dough on some gear! I know, it's a little late now, but I think of it this way, this is my second chance so I am going to get it right this time. No chances.

SHIFT motorcycle gloves, oh you notice me when I'm waving at you after flying past! It was partly because of the way these looked, but also, the protection they provide. They also go with the jacket, too. The checkered flag design really caught my eye, other than that, gloves are basically gloves, in regard to regular street riding. If you're doing track days, then I'd get a little more protection than these things.

Icon Team Merc motorcycle jacket. Got this baby from motorcycle-superstore.com for $119, on sale from $190. It is a really good jacket, especially for warmer weather, but maybe not so good for those who get cold easily. Fortunately for me, I don't have that problem so it does its job for me in both circumstances. It has two side-pockets which are spacious enough to fit groceries (yes, I do my grocery shopping like that), and it has a stash pocket on the inside for your house keys or something of that nature. I really like the colors, although I'm not a big fan of the Camo, but I think this was creatively done.

There are side vents, or should I say back, that allows air flow if needed. Also, there is a back flap on the lower rear for added protection. I mean, it's not much of protection but it's nice looking. Also each jacket comes with a different number, this one just happens to be four. Have no idea about the connection, but I'm sure it makes a lot of sense. It's a comfortable fit, I got an XXL and it fits my 5'11" 225lb. frame rather well.

Icon riding denim jeans. At first I didn't like these things, only because of the fit, but after I wore them around, they adjusted and now I absolutely love them. They're pretty stylish (I wore them to work) while at the same time offering abrasion-resistant protection, and reinforced-knee protection. They are a little on the long side, the inseam has to be around 40" just they will feel longer than your normal pair, but that means they look excellent while riding.

Best $1,800 I've ever spent

Step your computer game up!

After my old Dell Latitude crashed for the 3rd time, "I've had it!" So I made the conversion to the new MacBook Pro 15.4" screen, and the apple Magic Mouse (not pictured) - pure luxury when it comes to computing! Love it, and you should too! This is truly a machine to behold, all other laptops will bow in its presence or prepare to be crushed! I haven't even tapped in to a fraction of this machines' capabilities. I get weak in the knees just thinking about it.....ooOOooohH

And props to Apple who had it on my doorstep in 2 days!!!! That's service, right thurr!!!

Happened Again

Another athlete who suddenly dies due to what many speculate as a heart condition. Until the autopsy Monday, we will not know. Here is the article in San Francisco Chronicle.

Motorcycle Towing

So you have a crashed bike, what do you do next? Have it towed to a repair shop. I was expecting a flatbed to pull up, so when I saw this, I was wondering how in the heck he was going to pull this off. I thought, "Oh my jeezus, he is going to bootleg-jury-rigg my Ninja to the back of this truck.." but then he then explained, I watched, and here's the sequence...

Here is video of the final stages right before taking off

*** Video was taking a while to be rendered, so I will add it later ***

The bike was pretty secure as it stood on that beam, except for as he was placing it onto the beam in which you can see the bike is rocking like crazy. He was traveling about 10 miles out of town to the repair shop, and good thing about these rural Texas roads, they're in good shape! So the bike is in good shape.

Downed: Why Your Day is Going Better than Mine

Thinking aloud

Of motorcycle riders, they say, "it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when" in reference to your turn to take a fall. On December 3, 2009 at 4:05pm, apparently the motorcycle gods figured I had gotten too cocky and sent me a reminder of who's boss! Cocky??! Not me.

As a relatively new rider, I don't ever take too many gambles. Riding a 250r, there really aren't too many dangerous situations you can get yourself into, but nevertheless, it's a motorcycle and it should be recognized as one. Respect it the same way you would respect any other bike. And respect it, I have, which made me wonder, "how is it that people talk so much about falling over on bikes?" It's easy to ride! I didn't know if it was just natural for me, or because I wasn't working with as much power as bigger bikes, but not once did I feel as if the bike was not under control, and I was at risk of endangering myself. Until now.

Going Down

Traveling north on North St., I was in the left lane next to the center-turning lane of a 2-lane street. There were cars behind me, but the only car in front of me was a GMC Envoy, in the right lane, traveling at about 40mph (45 Posted Speep Limit), 30-40ft. ahead of me. So we were kind of in a tendem staggerred formation, similar to how you would ride with other bikes. As I approached a large Wal-Mart complex upcoming on the right which was about 400ft. ahead, there were cars exiting the Wal-Mart parking lot, making left turns heading south on North St. The street/lot they were exiting had an unprotected (no traffic signal) left turn, so essentially, it was up to the drivers discretion when to enter traffic. This is where everything went wrong. As I am now approaching this super Wal-Mart, and cars are exiting, by the time I am beginning to approach this parking lot exit, a Mitsubishi Outlander pulls up the to stop sign, which is essentially a T-shaped road, and after waiting for the Envoy ahead of me on my right passes, I'm guessing what happened is she (cager) didn't expect anyone to be behind the Envoy, and she quickly floored it, and pulled out into my lane, planning to turn left into the center-turing lane, and travel southbound.

I saw the woman driver the entire time!!! Not once did she look in the south direction to check for traffic, otherwise, she would have saw me, about 30-40 behind the Envoy. She didn't turn her head once. When she pulled out, I had no choice but to pull in the brakes (both) and attempt an emergency stop. It was completely unreal; next thing I realize I could hear the rear tire screeching, and I closed my eyes, afraid of what was about to happen next. In my mind, I thought I could stop in time. When I next opened my eyes, it was then, I had realized I was on the ground, tumbling violently, and my helmet smashing powerfully into the asphalt. Believe it or not, it was during my tumble, I had remembered a story on Kawiforums.com where a guy in Petaluma recalled tumbling, and sliding into the curb, and as a result, the impact shattered his ankle, causing an open fracture of (presumably the fibula) in which the bone penetrates through the skin. It was while I was on the ground tumbling, within nanoseconds, I said to myself, "I have to STOP myself from rolling somehow," and that's when I put my hands down, belly down, and used my feet, too, to bring myself to a grinding, skin shedding, halt.


I tried to diagram the scene and what happened. You can see the center turning lane, where she was headed, but problem is, I was there! This is how I imagine someone looking from above would view it right before I went down

At that moment, I realized what had just happened. I looked behind me, and saw the SUV in what would have been my lane, further proving that I could not have swerved out of the way, because I think she would have T-boned me, and potentially could have killed me. Miracolously, I hopped right up, and ran over to my bike which was about 50-60 ft. further ahead than I was. Witnesses say the bike slid at least 100ft., meaning I slid about 40-50 ft. There was a contructions job directly across the street, and all I can see were four workers rushing over to help me get the bike out the road. I picked up the bike myself and tried to move it, but it was stuck. Traffic had stopped in both directions, and while everybody was telling me to "sit down, have a seat" and asking, "are you okay? Are you hurt?" all I could think about was the condition of the bike. I was fine, physically, but it's true what they say, you worry more about the motorcycle than anything.


After the Crash

Driver of the SUV emerged and it turned out to be a student at the school I attend, and her husband was the passenger. By now, the construction workers were telling me how far I slid, and grabbing their tools to fix my gear shift in order to get the bike to the side of the road. The local police showed up and, at this point I still have my helmet on, and all I can hear was the driver of the SUV, by her own admission, telling the officer, "Oh my God, oh my God, is he okay?" Another officer asked me what happened, and still hysterical, I sternly said, "I don't even think she saw me...I don't think she was looking..." and I could overhear here say, "I didn't see him at all." Which explains why she was in the middle of the road once I looked back, while I was still on the ground.


I finally thought to myself, I better check out my injuries. I luckily only sustained abrasions to the left ankle, knee, forearm, and elbow, and right knee, and right elbow. The most serious of them is the left knee, as you will see in the pictures. Once EMS arrived, I opted not to go to the hospital, knowing I didn't have health insurance, and also being an Athletic Trainer, knowing I could treat my injuries myself. they did conduct a primary and secondary survey of my body, extremities, and spine & neck. The EMS guys were helpful and gave me some supplies, although I already had everything I needed, or could get it from our Athletic Training room.

I did, however, go and see the University's physcians the next day, and they gave me a tetanus shot (needed it renewed anyway), and prescribed Cephalex, an antibiotic, for concern over the knee, which I later realized had a hole in it...there was a fuckin' hole in my left knee! The scrapes had gone completely through the dermis, and exposed the underlying tissue. But, I'll take that over broken bones anyday. The nurses helped me clean my cuts and abrasions and were very kind. I'd like to thank the nurses who are very caring and understanding, and unlike some medical personnel, are not quick to judge motorcyclist and blame them for their injuries claiming we brought it upon ourselves.

Reflecting back

The crash had nothing to do with my inexperience or rawness. It was simply "a dangerous manuever from an inattentive driver," says the responding officer, that caused me to have to avoid being hit and lay the bike down. She was deemed at-fault and recieved a ticket.

In all honesty, this made me realize just how precious life is, and how much of a priviledge it is to have my mobility and strength. I could have easily been killed last week. Easily! The damages to my bike were 'acceptable' by my standards, being that it was a Ninja 250, and given the fact I walked away without being seriously injured. Really, all I could think about was all the people telling me, "I told you so," and "motorcycles are so dangerous," which is one reason why I didn't tell anybody. The other reason is because I didn't want sympathizers telling me how sorry they were for me. I understnad that is the acceptable thing to say in times and events like these, but I was really happy simply because I had survived! The first person I called was Ben to see if he could pick me up, and he came in 5 minutes despite not being home. And also helped take the pictures of my busted up, bloodied body, haha

Safety Course

Needless to say, I'm glad I took the course. Did it save my life??! Who knows, but I like to think it played a part in it. For three main reasons 1) The course taught me about gear. I was wearing leather gloves, which were completely ruined, if you read how I brought myself to stop from sliding across the pavement above, then you'll know why. I was wearing a full-face helmet, which I won from a $71 eBay auction. It was a El Cheapo piece of equipment with a poor fit. But that piece of shit helmet saved my life. The helmet looks cool azz hell, but the fit sucks (not like my KBC), and tends to shift when I go in the upwards of 60+ speeds. But I had it strapped, not just dangling loose. That's pretty much all the moto gear I had on, with jeans, SB Dunks, and my Cramer Trainer sling bag, where I carry my wallet/ID, and coincidentally, First-Aid kit, 2) The course taught me about emergency situations and what to do. So I know about swerving, emergency stopping, and emergency manuevering, and although evidently none of that came into play here, it may not seem like it, but it did! I laid the bike down which is what leads me into the last point; 3) The course instructor constantly continued to remind us "When you go down....." Every other or so sentence began with, "When you down..." or ended with, "...because when you go down,..." and I just began to pick up on it. I found that interesting, looking to other riders and asking them if they hear what the instructor is saying. That's when some of the experienced riders bolted in and said, 'You know he [Instructor] is right about saying "when" and not "if" because "It will happen!"

Finally...

And that's exactly why I say "please, spare me" to those who try to convince me, or any other rider, that motorcycles are dangerous. Especially those who have never even been on a bike. Thanks, I know there are dangers that come with riding a motorcycle, but the very act of riding is in no way dangerous. Heck, according to that logic, the very act of being on the road is dangerous, then. It is the decisions you make, the preparedness you have, and the experience of the rider, and most often times the other cages [cars] on the road that contribute to unwanted, or heaven forbid disasterously fatal crashes of motorcyclists. As in this very case.

I plan to ride again, and I plan to be even better at it. Maybe I'll even have a helmet-cam with me when I ride. The crazy thing about that is the afternoon of the crash, I was just talking to some of the athletes about possibly wearing a camera recorder when I ride, and behold, I crash not even 2 hours later. Crazy how that works!

The bike coincidentally is being picked up today and taken to Stone Fort Cycles in Nacogdoches. They are going to do their estimate of damage, and the woman's insurance people will come out and conduct their survey. So, given the fact that the police and her insurance company concluded it was her fault, I will await the results of the survey to determine if I will get a new bike, or have the current one replaced. From what I understand, her insurance company just wants to pay me the cash it will cost to replace the bike, or whatever figure they come up with.

Will keep you posted...

Crash shots

WARNING: Some of the photos may be uneasy on the weak-stomached individual!

I post these shots for the education of fellow riders, and the informational value each person takes from it is his or her own. Not looking to be babied or looking for attention; in fact if you know me then you recognize I'm not that kind of person at all, but this is solely for the purpose of sharing my experience in hopes of answering any questions you may have, or helping anyone to better protect themselves by making informed decisions. I wasn't going to share this, but I'm sharing it

List of my injuries:

1. Left knee abrasion, through the dermis layer
2. Left forearm abrasion/road rash, the most superficial of them, stings the most!!!!!!
3. Left ankle abrasion, 4cm is diameter (not pictured)
4. Right knee scrape
5. Right elbow scrape
6. Residual swelling in lower left leg, ankle, from edema accumulating and not elevating like I know I should =)

This is the sign outside of my door. My whereabouts



Aerial view of the left fairing damage



Left fairings damage



Left mirror busted, somewhere in the middle of the street, and turn signal busted wide open



Do-it-yourself fender eliminator!



The bike doesn't look too bad from this view. Considering it slid nearly 100 ft. on its left side, I would say the bike held its own.




A fat chunk taken smooth off of the tail. You should feel this! It's like someone took a machete and chopped it smooth off!



Leather gloves, never ride without them! Trust when I say that. I, for one, am never riding again without gloves. These gloves, both of them, were ripped apart!!! This very well could have been my skin!!! These gloves were $12 at Cycle Gear in Hayward, Calif. I bought these cheap shits just so I would be eligible to take the MSF course, which require you to have gloves and boots, and long sleeves, I believe. These gloves were crucial, and performed outstanding when it came to the test.

Helmet, the very reason I wear a FUL FACE helmet, otherwise that would have been my Kanye West jaw-wired-shut photo. There are scratches to the front and to the visor. THAT'S IT!!! This helmet very well saved my life. I distinctly remember my head smashing into the pavement twice, and each time, I could hear my helmet crack. That could have been my brain. And the wild thing is, I have another expensive KBC red helmet that I rarely wear, and I got this cheap helmet from an eBay auction for $71. It hardly fit as well as the KBC, and the chin strap was kind of uncomfortable, but it looked damned good! So I wore it. I previously dropped it twice just from carrying it, and it had cracks in it from that, so I always worried how it would hold up in an actual meet with the street, and now I know! I'm thankful the helmet won that match!

Torn Gap jeans, damage to the left knee. May need to quit designer jeans, and invest in some Wranglers



Windbreaker jacket held up pretty well, this is the right side. I laid down on my left. The left inside of the jacket is the not torn at all, just bloodied from the roadrash my forearm suffered.




Scuffed up Nike Dunks, burned the shoestring right off! Surprisingly, my right ankle was not seriously hurt, as far as I can tell. Just some scratches. That night, I thought I may have fractured a tarsal bone (smaller ankle bones), because I developed some serious pain along the calcaneocuboid junction. For those non-scientifically versed folks, that is on top of the foot where you finish your shoestring ties.

Good case of road rash, fresh off the asphalt

I am not naked in this picture. This was taken as soon as Ben dropped me off. I actually didn't have a problem walking! I had a slight limp, which I still have today, but looking at this picture, I am thankful I didn't break anything.

After I took a shower and cleaned it up a little bit. Being an Athletic Trainer has its advantages because I had all the supplies I needed to appropriately dress the wound. This was by far the most serious of my injuries. It was numb and I had no sensation at all over this abrasion.

I wonder if I had proper riding gear on, given the fact that I was relatively unharmed, would I have even sustained any damage at all??!

"Blame it on the Henny..."

Ron Artest: 'I used to drink Hennessy at halftime'

Everybody's favorite loud-mouth is always good for a soundbyte or two, eh? I love his honesty, however! In fact, I recommend before before a presentation at work or school, take a shot of tequila to calm your nerves, and you'll do just fine. Lightweights need not comply!

Sign of the Times

Courtesy of Mike Kepka / The Chronicle

Okay, so us die-hard Oakland Raider fans have been trying to say this for the last, dark, and hard, awfully heartbreaking years....and thanks to the folks at messagetoal.com, hopefully our beloved Owner will lend his 80yrs old ears. This sign went up today near the High St. exit on 880

Going under the knife

Today, I had the chance to observe a total knee replacement, a surgical procedure typically seen amongst the elderly, where titanium pieces are inserted into the femoral and tibial condyles, to create an artificial knee joint. Also, the cartilage on the patella's (knee cap) posterior aspect is replaced with a plastic surface. Now it was time for action, so Ben and I had to get properly prepped.

The entire procedure, performed by Dr. Dickhaut of Nacogdoces Medical Center, typically takes about one hour. Ben and I arrived at 7:15am, prepared with the medical team (which consist of small talk, shaking hands, Q & A, etc), observed the surgery from 8:20 to 9:05am, and was home just before 10:00am. The patient was a seventy year old woman, large build, mostly inactive, and had been experiencing related pain for the previous five years. Other people in attendace was Billy Bobo, who is our Program Director's husband, and he was largely responsible for what we learned because he explained a lot of the procedure while the physician, assistants, and nurses were all busy on the patient. Something special to point out about the patient is her medial femoral condyle had been recieving a majority of the brunt forces from rubbing with the tibial plateau, which in turn, caused an excessive build-up of bone along that tibiofemoral junction. This may me known to some as Wolff's Law. From the anterior view of the x-ray, there was definitely some medial angulation of her femur, and the cause of the anomaly is unknown; whether it was a result of her poor posture, her weight, a prior incident, etc. but it definitely contributed to the complications she'd been experiencing.

As soon as the drilling began, the smell of the room was immediately filled with diseased bone, and bodily fluids. It wasn't that bad, but it was definitely strong. The room was also freezing cold. It was at 55 degrees. I asked the nurse, "is it normal to have the rooms' temperature so low?" She replied the room was kept very cool at the Physician's discretion, but normally, a lot of operating rooms are probably kept cool to prevent the proliferation of unwanted germs, which warm temperatures could contribute to.

Another interesting observation about this operation room is there was music blaring throughout the procedure. At first I didn't notice it, but then I caught a glimpse of the nurses in the corner jamming out, and then it dawned on me, that there had been music playing the entire time! Now, I'm not the biggest country music fan, but I believe it was either George Strait, and Ben, who is a country music enthusiast, believes there was some Garth Brooks, too! Nevertheless, we went through the whole CD, and the nurse again told me, this particular quirk was also the Physician's request.

And finally, the typical bedside conversation was not what I expected it to be. The topics discussed could not be anything further from anything medical related. The topic of the day, was the BCS!!! Yes, college footballl; which seems appropriate since our football team is on the verge of winning a National Championship, as well as all the recent action in college football nationally.

In the end, the procedure was a success, and there were no complications. To my suprise, the patient is expected to be up and walking with no ambulatory aid as early as tomorrow! I thought that was incredible, seeing how she was just being banged, and drilled on not too long ago. But the explanation was that her bones weren't being broken, nor were there any repairs of any sorts taking place - simply a replacement, a total knee, that is!

I just hope I never have to undergo this procedure.

Happy Birthday 40-something, Mom!

*That's actually San Francisco we're overlooking, not NY =)

Chicken fried steak - Texas style!

This is the type of work I do! This is the reason I moved to Texas in the first place! This shot was taken at Goodson's Cafe in Tomball, TX, and I have a review of the restaurant on my Yelp.



Do work, son!

DIY - Front Fender painting

This is a Do-It-Yourself for any one who is thinking of painting their motorcycle's front fender. I didn't do anything elaborate; all simple stuff any one can do with an afternoon to spare. Let me just say this off the top; I did not sand, primer, or in any way seriously prep the fender to be painted. I pretty much thoroughly cleaned it, and applied paint. You be the judge.


Step 1.
This is a shot of the lower screws that are easy to remove, as well as the fork reflectors that have screws behind them that also need to removed. This requires an allen wrench, but the reflectors can be twisted off with just your hand.


Step 2.
Pictured here is the second set of screws that must be removed in order to get the fender off. This shot was taken above the fork, through the upper fairing. It looks like a tight fit, but it's actually quite easy to get in there. You may have to reach underneath the side fairing in order to get to it.

A shot of the fender's bottom side.

Side shot of fender fully removed

Looks like something was living underneath my motorcycle

Shot of the bike with the fender gone. Doesn't look too bad, I'd say

Step 3.
Find a place to keep the screws. Do not lose them. Even though you'd probably be okay if one set were to suddenly become missing, I'd just keep them anyway. Once removed, I cleaned the fender thoroughly with just water and soap, and dried completely, and set it on the ground. Some folks advise to suspend it from the ceiling or some fixture, which is probably a better method than mine, because as you will soon see, I was unable to paint underneath the fender. Having it suspended will allow you to get every corner and crevice.

Step 4.
Paint it! I just used light strokes vertically, about 2-3 coats, initially. The paint I used went right on. After about 5 mins, the paint began to separate so I had to re-coat it, against my convictions, because that decision to add an additional coat, cost me big time; as you will see in the upcoming shots.

Here is where I took the biggest hit. Like I mentioned above, the paint began to sort of disperse along the top, so I had to repaint it, and the paint ended up going on quite thick on the side.

I continued to keep an eye on this ruined side of the fender, and the paint just continued to dry extra thick. I thought it would eventually even out, or I even considered repainting it, but I figured this was the best it would get. And if I were to repaint, it would only get worse. So I left it alone

Overall, I think the process was quite simple, but I would recommend anyone considering this to seriously follow instructions on coats, dry times, and maybe sanding, and primering. All of which I did not do. I just threw the paint on.

R is for rehab - Journal 3

The following is a tracking of a collegiate female soccer player's syndesmotic ankle sprain, or more commonly known as the high ankle sprain. The date of injury was September 29. Her mechanism of injury invovled forced ankle eversion combined with dorsiflexion, while attempting to block multiple goals during a drill in practice. Her position is goalkeeper. The player presented with all the same signs and symptoms of a lateral ankle sprain, in addition to the location of pain being approximately two inches superior to lateral malleolus. Athlete was unable to support own weight, and was immediately removed from play, and remained on the sideline where ice, compression, and elevation was applied. Player was fitted with crutches, and instructed on use.

The following day, player was set up with ice and stim to aid in removing the moderate swelling that resulted. Ankle girth measurements, and goniometric measurements were taken. By day 3, which was a Thursday, the team generally holds light practices in preparation for Friday games, so player repeated ice/stim treatment to aid in reducing edema, given a compression wrap which consist of Power Flex tape wrapped distal-to-proximal without any figure 8's. Figure 8's can be done to help with angles, but I prefer not to do them when the goal is to aid in flushing edema from ankle. The upcoming Friday game was Away, so player was not scheduled to travel with the team, however unbeknownst to the Training staff, she did decide to drive herself three hours to the opposing school to watch the game. Player came in the next day (Saturday), which is when information of her travels were revealed, and was given ice/stim treatment, repeat of measurements, and a good-humored lecture! Player was given the remainder of Saturday off, as well as Sunday, and told to stay off ankle.

With the team playing on Sundays, Mondays are "off" days except for those requiring treatment, so player arrived with significantly less swelling and bruising, so we continued ice/stim treatment, and began range of motion (ROM) and mobility exercises. Although the swelling had subsided, player reported increased tenderness along anterior tibiofibular syndesmosis. Even though progress was being made, the Head Athletic Trainer scheduled her an appointment to have x-rays of her ankle the upcoming Tuesday; seven days post-injury. Player and I traveled to Dr. D's office where we waited 2 hours to be seen, and another 45 mins. to be evaluated. We recieved some good information, especially from the Physician's Assistant about taping techniques, but player was really upset over the whole "waiting" ordeal, only to be told what we already knew. But, this is when I had to explain to player the need for the x-ray; in order to diagnose/rule out any other serious problem.

The following day (8 days post-injury), we began a semi-aggressive rehab program, which I arranged in stages, that was to be combined with her continuing to practice with the team, scheduled workouts with the team, and rehab exercises with myself. By day 10, she was able to suit up and participate in most team drills, and individual position drills, with relatively little pain during activity. Most of her discomfort came after practice, where she would recieve additional treatment.

Her rehab would consist of a combination of up to 3-5 exercises under each category. Often, I would allow her to choose. The exercises with the asterisks are original ideas of mine, or alterations of existing ones.

Warm Up - 10 mins.

• Bike
• Warm whirlpool
• Light field jog
• Elevated sports massage

Manual Therapy - 10 mins.

• Lateral glides +inversion
• Medial glides +eversion
• Posterior glides +dorsiflexion
• Anterior glides +plantarflexion
• Traction
• MMT
• Achilles tendon stretch

Balance Activities - 15 mins.

• 1/2 foot balance x 30sec-1min
• Star drill
• Med-ball toss, w/o rebounder
• Body Blade
• Heel raise w/ lateral force *
• Crossover lunge

Strength & Mobility - 15 mins.

• Penny heel raises *
• Tubing
• Lateral shuffles
• Single leg heel touches
• Total gym
• Marbles

Balance/Reaction - 10mins.

• Wall ball
• Cones (plyo's)
• Hurdles (rope tied to UBE) *
• Circle Hops *
• Four square

Proprioception - 10 mins.

• X Factor *
• BAPS w/o ball
• Reach & 'round *
• Single leg body blade

Treatment - 15 mins.

• E-stim
• Sports massage

These are just a sample of the exercises we performed. There were other variations to these exercises that I would come up with, and adjustments I would make midway through the execution. Each day, we did something different, but remained within the different stages of difficulty. By the fourth week, she was at an advanced level and many of the activities were aimed at soccer-style movements.

Working with her, I learned a lot about the pysche of an injured athlete, motivation, how the body responds to different activities, the importance of clear instructions, being creative, and overall, caring and showing interest. In the beginning, I would sort of instruct her on what to do because I knew what the exercises were in my head, but I think she appreciated it when I began to write out what the planned course was for that particular day. Also, after every session, I would reassess her functionality and I think she appreciated that as well, because she would tell me what was different from yesterday, and how things have either progressed or regressed.

I really like the approach I took in regard to her rehab design. With the help from ideas we've learned in lectures, I chose to begin sessions with specific goals and give her an idea of where my expectations were aimed, and also, it gave her a chance to respond and share her goals.

Being the backup goalkeeper, there was no true measurement of her recovery; only what she reported. For instance, her returning to game form wasn't measured by her performance because she did not play. I believe she continues to have lingering discomfort, but she understands that this particular type of sprain, takes longer than usual.

They just don't make 'em like they used to

Came across this gem at a garage sale today. An Emerson Cassette/TV boombox, detachable speakers, AM/FM radio, equalizer, and recording capabilities. I had to see if this baby still had some juice left, so I plugged it up, and impressively, it still works. Now, you can breakdance while watching Three's Company!

The sky is having some technical difficulties

It's days like this I wish I was back in California where it never rains. This is the football practice field; if not for it's crowned design, it would be under water. And the wildest thing of all, we actually have to play a soccer game tomorrow, and you can imagine how brutal the field conditions will be.

oh, I love it...

DIY HMF Racing slip-on exhaust installation

For some reason I feel I have to do a disclaimer beforehand, because I have a feeling somebody's going to follow my step-by-step instructions on how to install their new exhaust. But, by all means, use this method if you like...afterall, it did work! And the bottom line is....it's just a slip-on!

But this is mainly for people interested in doing business with HMF Racing, or considering a new exhaust; I pretty much want to detail all the questions I had going into this, and where I found, or didn't find, the answers, and how this process went. Before purchasing, I did all this research to seek out answers and granted I did find most from searching forums, a lot of people weren't as detailed with their answers.

Dealing with HMF Racing
Let me start by saying I ordered direct from HMF Racing on Tuesday October 13th, and it was in my hands that Monday October 19th. Talk about fast shipping!!! They weren't kidding. And I live out in rural Texas (albeit, it's a college campus), so I imagine if you live near a major city center, then it would arrive even faster than that. On the other hand, they are absolutely BRUTAL with answering email! There is no lighter way to put it. Like I mentioned above, I found a lot of the information from message boards, and forums, but just for piece of mind, I kind of wanted to hear it directly from the dealer. But I know as a consumer, nothing is like a well-written, honest, unbiased, user review! I first heard of this brand of exhaust from reading http://kawiforums.com/, and decided to check it out, and browse their site. I was lurking the HMF site for over 1 month, and then I suddenly noticed they were having a sale, so I jumped on it. I compared prices to all the other Exhaust makers, and it seems like HMF was the right way to go considering my budget. My price was $227 -- which included the exhaust can, and the end-cap; arguably the best deal on any slip-on exhaust out there! Do the research... With that said, I have to give them a 8/10 just because they are horrible with email (some of my questions still have yet to be responded to), but they get extra clout because of the outstanding price, and unbelievable shipping time.

Benito and I with the goods, fresh out the box

Picture of the stock exhaust

Removing Stock Exhaust

Close-up of the stock exhaust. FYI, taking off the stock parts are a cinch. It comes off in two parts; the heat shield, and the exhaust can itself. All you have to do is literally twist/pull it off. Comes off fairly easy with little-moderate effort.

The HMF cans' lead pipe goes over the bike's exhaust, up until the point with it is ridged in the picture. That is approximate 3-4 inches before it reaches its endpoint.

I'd truly say the hardest part about removing the stock exhaust was twisting my semi-but-not-quite-dull Allen wrench on the two (2) smaller screws Lauren is holding. You may have a better experience than I did. They are positioned atop of eachother, and I removed the top one - no problem, but I nearly stripped the second of the screws. That is when I called in Benito, and luckily, he didn't care and just poweredrove that bitch off. No second guessing! I was all careful and ish because I didn't want to strip the screw, and then have the sh*t stuck on there.

Close up of heatshield and the screws that come off the heatshield, also the longer bolt that attaches at the rear footpeg, which is the mount for the stock exhaust. According to HMF, you can use the original parts with the new exhaust, and it will work just fine. I agree, the new parts they send, are identical and may be desired over the old ones, because they look newer and shinier.

Installation of HMF can

Naked. No can. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'll be honest, I had the WD-40 all ready to go because I had a feeling it wasn't going to cooperate; and I learned that from reading others and their experience with this part. Initially, the HMF can goes on, so you feel good about yourself, then it hits a wall. We brought in the WD-40, sprayed lightly around the edges, and inside the can, and after about 3 trial-and errors, switching positions, and using knees and elbows, arms, etc. to try and get it on, we gave it a 3rd coat of WD-40 and Ben got that b!tch on! Whew, I was relieved. I knew it would eventually get on, but it took a good effort to get it there.

In that process, I think we may have threw off the angle of the exhaust pipe because once hte HMF can was on, nothing was aligned right, and we have to "force" the can back into an acceptable position so it would sit where it could be attached to the rearpegs where the stock exhaust sat. This process too a little over 20 minutes alone; mainly because we couldn't really figure out which part went where and so forth.

At this point, I went back online and looked at how other guys mounted their cans, and how they attached their heatshields. Nothing they did seemed to be working with mine. So, Ben and I got creative, and improvised. This is point where I say, you can either "do as I did, or not!" You will be able to see in the following two pictures, we didn't install the heat shield, which nullified the need for a lot of the screws/parts. In the shots, you can see the actualy pipe is exposed. Installation 5/10 because the instructions weren't helpful at all, but in actuality, you don't need them, however, at some points you may have questions but the instructions pretty much say, "remove old exhaust, twist on new one. May require some effort."

Exposed pipe

Ready for a test run.

In the video, you can hear the finished product. Yes, it blows me away how different the bike sounds from the stock exhaust. The sound is incredibly deep and full, and shakes the entire parking garage!

Overall, I am more than satisfied with the product and how the outcome. It was difficult at first, but I truly think anyone can perform this modification. it just takes patience, and a little over 1 hour for the complete process. HMF supplies you with everything you need, except a wrench/pliers, slightly larger allen wrench to remove stock exhaust, and maybe some WD-40 to assist with the twisting and pushing of the new can onto the pipe. If you're not sure what type of company you're going to go with, just keep researching until you know.

And for the most requested question I had, and what you probably have, is "did I rejet the carbs, or shim the carb needles?" and the answer is, "No." Do I plan to? The answer is "No." HMF doesn't require it, although I think they recommend it. But most people, I find, fall into the convincing tone of everyone saying to jet your carbs, or whatnot. The problem I find with that is, most people are complaining of backfire when slowing from high RPMs to low RPMs. I am not experiencing the backfire, as a lot of other folks aren't, but if you are the unfortunate one who had TOO MUCH backfire, and want to get rid of it, then rejetting is suggested for that. From doing my research and reading up on that subject, some backfire isn't bad, therefore, a lot of people are oversenstizing this issue, and spending additional money on jetkits that they don't necessarily have to.

Hope this helps, and feel free to leave questions

Notes from the Field - Journal 2

Time has gone by so fast! When looking at the schedule, I see there is only three more weeks in the season. We are currently 4-1, which is good enough for sole possession of 3rd place in the Southland Conference, and if we beat Texas State (5-0-1), then SFA will be lonely atop of the conference. I haven't started fitting the size of my conference championship ring just yet, but I'm saving a finger, all the while keeping them crossed. I am really excited about the possibilities of winning the Conference, and that is why this weekend (24th & 25th) are so important.


But, back to the Athletic Training perspective. Up to this point, the sort of injuries we've seen are as follows;

• Tear of posterior horn of the meniscus, partial ACL tear, LCL tear
• Syndesmotic ankle sprain
• Peroneal tendon irritation
• Wrist UCL sprain
• Hamstring strain
• Grade I-II quadriceps strains
• among other general illnesses!
  

For most part, I have had the sole responsibilty of deciding treatment options and designing rehabilitation programs for each injury, of course with the consideration of the ACI. The entire process of determining the best options for each athlete, and progressing them through varying levels of intensity has been very exciting. The athletes have responded well to the types of exercises we have been doing, and with the help of Trey, they have stronger confidence in me, and even look to me for advice and opinion.

At this point, I am convinced that Eddie Beltran and I were a good match to work together. He and I gel nicely in the work environment, and have developed a functional understanding of eachother's approaches. I believe our natural working relationship has positively affected the team in regards to the girls being more relaxed and playful around us. Definetely the girls know I'm the more serious one, and I like being viewed that way, with Eddie being the more joking of us two. The girls really feed off him a lot. It is a really good dynamic. Nonetheless, I think it benefits the entire team psychologically when they see the staff as relaxed as we are

There is a huge difference between Year 1 and Year 2 of the program. Being with a specific team for longer than two weeks, obviously, allows for a lot more time for interaction and getting to know athletes personally. Also, I think the best part is being able to work with an athlete throughout their entire injury, and seeing them return to play. In Year 1, one would get a taste of this very feeling, with either being there for the beginning of the injury or while they're returing, but rarely be able witness the entire process.

Regardless of how we finish the season, I have enjoyed my time here tremendously!

Wooden Glasses

Nice! I'd rock these in the winter-time



I don't know what I was Googling, but I came across these during an image search

Custom Ninja decals

I had these logos custom made by Chris at DrippinWet.com, just trying to make my Ninja stand out a little more. It was a &!#@ trying to put these things on. You really have to know what you're doing, but if you're careful, anyone can do it. It just takes patience. If you can imagine, of course, the stickers were flat, or in one piece. So, I had to figure a way to get it to adhere to the bike's lower fairings, where there are air vents, without tearing the decals apart. It was a tricky manuever, but I used a box-cutter blade and got it on the first, and only, try. I'll take some close ups so you can see exactly what I am talking about.

Sorry, no how-to with this, but I could post it up anyway. There just won't be any pictures of the process.

DIY Windscreen tinting

Decided it was time for some upgrades to 'ol Mean Green. Been checking out other guys with the smoked-out windscreen, and liked the way it looked. But, if you know me, I'm not about to pay $80 for an aftermarket piece of plexi-glass, when I can do-it-yourself (myself). Did a little research, and consultation (thanks, Maria - who happens to be the same Maria in the art projects waaaayyy below) with my resident Art expert, and got the same look for a cost of

• $8 Rustoleum High-Gloss paint (Hobby Lobby)
• $4 custom Monster logo (eBay)
• Allen Wrench (thanks, Josh)
• Tape (me, I'm an Athletic Trainer, remember?)
• Newspaper, old posters (thanks, Marcus, for not posting up orgs. events in the Village)
• Face-mask (work, from when we had that small H1N1 scare)
• Plastic medical glove (stll, an Athletic Trainer)
• Plastic knife (community kitchen, Village)
• Old Towels (Athletic Training room)

Step 1. Remove the windscreen from your bike. Since I originally had trouble finding an allen-wrench, I thought about painting it while still attached. Ehh, wouldn't have worked out...

Step 2. Do not lose your screws. There are a total of (4), with two of them being longer than the others.

Step 3. Find an open area to paint. Since I live in a college resident hall, I just used the parking garage. I used a small plastic knife to lightly scuff up the inside. Keyword, lightly!!! Then, washed it off with some hand soap, and a squeegee. Those particular steps aren't necessary. In fact, it is recommended to use window cleaner, and an old toothbrush for what I just did.

Notice how there is newspaper covering the front side. Yes, people were stopping and staring, and seeing what I was doing. Especially while I had the mask on =)

Step 4. This is where the screws go. I covered this part with newspaper, too. Probably isn't necessary, but I did it anyway


Step 5. Paint. Which ever type of paint you use, read the instructions for application. I used light strokes side-to-side, holding the can about 8 inches away. The paint went on quite thick from that distance. Yet, had I gone any further, the paint may have gotten all over my jeans. Not happy

Step 6. Stand back and admire. It's recommended you let it sit for about 30min-1hr., but I didn't have time for all of that, so I just applied the second coat after about 10mins. Also, I live in a very humid climate. Even at this time, about 8:30p, it was probably 85 degs. outside.

Step 7. Let it dry. I just placed it in my bathrooom.

Step 8. The next day, pull off the paper and check her out. This was approximately 9 hours later.

Step 9. Ready for a test spin!!!!

Women's Soccer: There's nothing like this! - Journal 1

SFA vs Univ of Houston, which should have been a Home game for us, but instead, turned out to be an Away game because Nacogdoches recieved over 10inches of rain the past few days. So we traveled the 130 miles south to Robertson Stadium, Home of the Dynamo as well, to kick their butts. Nuff said

Prior to this assignment, I knew very little of soccer. I have a feeling that by the end of my time with this sport, which is the seasons' end, I'll be so into it, I will not want it to end. Maybe even buy a jersey. I must admit, soccer is by far the best sport to have as a season assignment. I originally wanted Men's Basketball for my sport; it was first choice, but I am glad I was assigned soccer instead. Truly!

There are many aspects to this assignment that make it, I personally believe, the best assignment. Most important aspect, as Trey Younger, my Head Athletic Trainer, states, "you will be thrown into the flames," which is a figurative way of saying I will get a chance to make decisions on my own, and apply the knowledge I have learned in the classroom, to real-life situations. Other students agree with this particular approach to instruction. Sean Fields and AJ Val Valkenburgh, both whom had heavily-invovled internships over the Summer with the New England Patriots and Texas Rangers Minors respectively, said, "it is something you need," referring to being handed the metaphorical "keys to the ship," and steering it on your own.

And it started from Day 1. Trey literally said, "this is your team, and I will allow you to decide for yourself what to do, and when to do it," of course not without his supervision. But even then, it is not as if he is breathing down my neck at every moment. He made it clear that, "as long as we have an open communicaton," then what you do is fine. Meaning, if there is anything I have a question about, whether it is new treatment methods, or rehab, or questions regarding evaluations; as long as I let him know what it is that I am thinking, then it is fine.

Another thing that makes this the best assignment is the players. When 2-a-days began, I noticed I did not recognize many of the girls from last season. It turns out that over half of the team are 1st year players. We began the year with 32 players. That number decreased to 28 by the end of the first month. Only one of those four involved a player who actually quit the team. It is still unknown as to why exactly she quit, although many speculate it had something to do with her boyfriend (pshh!), but it could have been any number of reasons. In fact, listening to Dr. Jevas' lectures on Psychosocial Aspects of the athlete makes me think if her nagging injury to her quad, coupled with poor performance, and any thing else she had going on personally, could have all played a role in her decision to leave the team, and if we (Athletic Trainers) could have had an influence in that. That is something I think about, but I tend to not let myself dwell on it for too long. It is a questions I may never have an answer to. Ironically, she is one of my residents (I am a Community Assistant in the resident halls), so maybe I can ask her next time we cross.

From a fans perspective, this assignment has been exciting because I have gotten the opportunity to travel, eat with the team, share laughs and stories, and really be a part of the family. From an educational perspective, it has also been fulfilling. To date, we have experienced

• Two grade 1+, 2 inverson ankle sprains



• Three grade 2 quadriceps strains



• Foot contusion



• Three spasming backs



• General knee stress



• Mild concussion



• Wrist sprain



• Possible meniscus (waiting on MRI results)



• Syndesmotic ankle sprain



• ...and other smaller maintainence conditions (tight hamstrings, illnesses, etc.)

I really enjoy the girls and love being around them. I do what I can for them, and try my best to provide them with the best care and service. I do not hide the fact I love this assignment, and it shows.

T'was love at first sight

Went out to the bike this morning, and noticed Kawi had a new friend =)

BurnWatch '09 - Day 20

Significant progress! Soon, maybe in about 1 week, I will remove the dressings for good, and just go out with it uncovered.

Practice shots

Just happen to have the camera today, chilling in my bag. Decided to break it out and get some snaps. This is a really fun team and I am happy to be working with them. The practices are fun and the games are intense. Prior to this assignment, I wasn't much of a soccer fan, if at all, but I have grown to like the sport.