Friday, September 4, 2015

Randomness

Life has been really crazy lately and I haven't been blogging as much. We're in the Boom Startup Ed Tech accelerator, raising funds from investors to bring 7 Generation Games to the next level.

So, I've been flying back and forth between here and Salt Lake City, which is just amazingly beautiful.


As always, life has its share of good and bad.

Good: Gompers Middle School Judo is back in session, with many of our wonderful kids from last year and some new ones.

Every week, I think that I really don't have 4- 5 hours to spare from work to drive in rush hour traffic to south LA and back and teach for an hour and a half. Every week,  I feel blessed and privileged to spend a couple of hours with some of the best people I know.

Caution: Rant ahead

I absolutely HATE those coaches with the attitude that,

"You need to prove to me that you are good enough for me to coach. Work out here for six months, a year, two years and maybe I will honor you with the grace of my coaching."

Okay, seriously, who the fuck do you people think you are? Who raised you and what the fuck was wrong with them? I'm a world champion, Ph.D. and have founded multiple companies. Every single person that comes into Gompers Middle School Judo program, I try honestly and sincerely to teach them to the best of my ability from the very first day. They made the effort to overcome their fears to walk through the door. They are the child of someone who loves them very much, just like I love my children (no matter how old they are) and I am going to treat them with the same kindness and respect that I hope someone treats each of my children.

Let me tell you something - if you are a coach and you make someone train at your gym for 3 months, 6 months, a year or more until you condescend to train them it is not because you are such a great coach that they need to earn your attention. IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE A FUCKING ASSHOLE.

On to another thing (I told you this was random) ...

Bad then Good: I sincerely apologize to everyone who told me they bought/ purchased games in the last two weeks. I was getting very down thinking we had zero sales AND the world was full of a bunch of liars. Turns out the email on the sales reports was being misdirected. Oops. Hope you enjoyed the games!

 

Random:

I wrote a blog about the Ronda bubble and half a dozen people (including a couple of women!) called to be reassured that they weren't the man I was talking about who wanted me to go with him to tell Ronda she was headed in the wrong direction. Of course, it was none of them because wouldn't you think if I recounted a conversation we'd had, you'd recognize it?

This further reinforces my belief that if someone is a true dumbass you can write about them freely as long as you don't use their name and they will never recognize themselves. Such is the nature of dumbasses. Maybe I should do a wikipedia entry on that.

I was thinking today about a young woman I know who is extremely bright. She ought to be working towards her Ph.D. She is truly fascinated by science and would be a brilliant success. Instead, she picks up with one loser boyfriend after another that she is trying to rescue, and is just limping along taking random courses, still finishing her bachelor's degree. Why is it that some incredibly talented people just can't see how good they are? This isn't a rhetorical question. I really don't know.

If I ever figure that out I'm going to patent it, sell it and I won't need investor funds because I will have billions of dollars and be laughing my mad scientist laugh - moo ha ha - as I fly over you all in my helicopter on my way to my private island with a herd of winged zebracorns.

Well, I suppose I should go to bed since I have to work all day tomorrow (and every day over this 3-day weekend) because that's the deal when you run a startup.  You can jump in and buy our games, or donate one to a classroom. They're fun and you'll learn stuff.



19 comments:

KC said...

The Good, the Bad and the Dumbasses! (:
Great read! Props on being an awesome yet humble coach to 'em lucky kiddos!

Anonymous said...

Because some talented people grew up being supprressed or not pushed to excel....or both in some cases. It becomes their norm to ignore their true potential.

Anonymous said...

i've seen similar situations where i see smart people align themselves whether it was a friendship or a romantic relationship with scumbags.i just don't understand it.why do some talented people seem hellbent on sabotaging themselves.

LsP said...

But RJ is "the one" :-P lol

Anonymous said...

it's weird how rondas coach went from not wanting to train her to turning his gym into a shrine for her. i had a feeling he was the one you were talking about in your last blog about him not wanting to piss off ronda and risk not being associated with her anymore.well his gym is gonna be a bit of a circus for a bit.a group called mmawatchdog are going to be protesting in front of the gym because of the whole travis browne domestic violence thing.

Anonymous said...

Didn't Ronda's striking coach do that very thing where he had Ronda work out at his gym for months before coaching her?

thepinkspatula said...

Sometimes I think people who have tons of potential continue on a path that leads them nowhere, because they are afraid to change. Even if the current path is bad for them or maybe not pushing them to grow it is something they know. The unknown is scary for a lot of people. I've experienced tons of change in my life - most of them self-orchestrated - different jobs, further education etc. - to continue moving forward, and let me tell you each time I do it I think it's the craziest scariest thing ever! But each time I've been pushed or pushed myself I've never regretted it. ;-)

Unknown said...

I have no idea how else to get this to you but I threw together a playlist for the 7 Gen Hustle. I got some of the classics from the Stones in there and added a sprinkle of The Beatles, a dash of Hendrix, a little Van Morrison on the side, and stirred it all together with some other influences. Tried to keep it upbeat to keep the blood flowing and the eyes open -- ready to do work and deliver greatness. I hope it helps. Let me know if you want more!!

Also, if you don't have Spotify, I'd definitely look into that. It's a really cool and easy music streaming app that makes it really easy to share songs and playlists to people.


1) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
2) Come Together - The Beatles
3) VooDoo Child/Slight Return - Jimi Hendrix
4) Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
5) Jumping Jack Flash - The Rolling Stones
6) Immigrant - Led Zepplin
7) Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
8) Pinball Wizard - The Who
9) Helter Skelter - The Beatles
10) Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - The Animals
11) Fortunate Son - Creedance Clearwater
12) Free Bird - Lynard Skynard
13) Wild Horses - The Rolling Stones

JacobChamblee said...

Totally agree, it's the coaches job to prove he is worthy of the student's time and not the other way around.

@fomitopsis said...

This blog post can clearly be interpreted as a massive dig at Ronda's current coach (even if it's not, that's what it looks like which is all that matters in today's short-attention-span world). And even though I agree with your sentiment (Edmond won the lottery when Ronda walked through the door, he can take credit for maybe 5% of her success, if that) ... but what, exactly, do you hope to accomplish by airing this right now? It's a dangerous path you're on. It seems like a line has been crossed with this post and the last post cryptically calling Ronda out right before the Browne bomb, and it doesn't feel particularly like you have your daughter's best interest at heart. Again, I'm not saying you don't, I'm not saying you do, I am just saying what things look like which is all anyone on the outside has to go by. As Ronda's popularity explodes she needs her family support more than ever, not having her mother dangling her name to sell some games while simultaneously, inexplicably, dragging her through the mud. Hollywood and the media will do that plenty, you don't have to help. To be as honest as I can, it makes you look a little jealous, or simply crassly using her name for your own publicity, and I say that as somebody who really admires you. Again that's what it looks like.

I'm glad that Ronda has you and the rest of her family to keep her grounded and keep her down to earth, but those tough love conversations now must take place in private. Ronda is at the most dangerous time in her life right now. When you are THIS big, THIS famous, everyone wants a piece of you. She's in a shark tank. Her ONE true ally knocking her down publicly at this point is cruel and suspect.

Dr. AnnMaria said...


People can interpret things however they want, fomitopsis - actually I very much have my daughter's best interests at heart. You might want to read this post I wrote a while back http://www.thejuliagroup.com/blog/?p=4688

Over the years, I have found that when people tell me that I am too involved in my children's lives or that I don't have their best interests at heart it has always turned out that those people have ulterior motives and those motives have never been good.

Unknown said...

Dr. AnnMaria ,

Thays 'm coming sending you e- mail and you've even got to answer. It would be possible only to confirm that received my email the day ( 09/04/2015 ) and today ( 08.09.2015 ) , because sometimes is not enough. Sorry for insisting.
You are too , one of the brightest people I could ever know ( not personally yet), but by their various and random posts , which shows all your wits . By accompany you , let me say that I would love to know English so well and understand so that I could have been able to understand his video blog. But my English is bad . I would suggest the next videos the availability of subtitles in Portuguese , if possible.

Ps .: I follow on Twitter ? Would both be able to interact with you. Please, please.

Thays

Anonymous said...

i worry about your daughter i don't know her, never will know her yet i'm worried.asshole coaches,current and past shitty boyfriends and shady hangers on in business and personal life i worry doc and i'm not even related to her i can only imagine the feelings you have.

Mike Landers said...

Mike Tyson gave Ronda brilliant advice:

STICK WITH MOMS AND HAVE A GOOD LAWYER.

Hopefully Ronda considers Dr. De Mars her number one advisor and I would like to bet that she does.

The ideas behind the advice.. sheesh, was I about to start typing the obvious?


Virtual data rooms said...

Thanks for this post! It motivated and inspired me not to give up and to fight for a better destiny. I wish to coaches more energy in their social essential mission.

Ventus said...

I have seen a few of posts like the one formitopsis made above, popping out after this latest issue about coach Edmond became publicly known.

Its a non logic bread on ignorance and inability to "get it". There is always a few that will go to simply invent insight into someone elses motivations that makes all of it more understandable to them. (funnily enough what they think is utter nonsense)

And then those few just keep pushing that as if its true because they couldnt possibly be wrong. Not them, the logic and intellectual giants they are.
Formitopsis said several times that "its just how it looks". Its not.
Its just how it looks to him and i have to say it is an extremely dumb point of view.

"dangling her daughter name to sell a few games"?
How does that even work in a situation like this? After so many chances to "dangle names" in any way possible from a much better position? Bit to mention personal accomplishments and success.
The stupidity of non logic in that idea is mind-boggling and keeps increasing exponentially the more the "proposition" is observed and compared to reality.

Nor do i really get the repetition of how Ronda is at extremely fragile point of her career (shark tank well boo f`ing ho lets all start crying right now) or how this will damage her so terribly... As if she is some fragile flower that cant take care of herself. And thats not demeaning?

While staying at the gym where conditions are as mrs DeMars described them... is great?

Thats better for who? Ronda or her "popularity"?

Are two the same thing and is it the best thing to try and build "popularity" on a rotten base? On a lie? Isnt that the road to ruin so many celebrities went through?
Who does such popularity really serve, the person or the fans and their demands for entertaining content they approve of?




2-Bar Quack said...

you were so right.... I hope your daughter comes back 300 times better without that guy has her coach, he clearly is delusional and only seems to be thinking about his pay day. Thank God that Ronda seems to be the time that won't give up. I'm still on #TeamRousey. You and yours are in my prayers!

Anonymous said...

I love your style! Regarding your research into the Nature of Dumbasses, this might help: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning–Kruger_effect

Anonymous said...

Talent & intelligence aren't directly correlated to sound decision making. Considering your friend who has a pattern of rescuing broken men, I have to wonder what could cause this. Is it low self-esteem? Is it a result of past trauma? Perhaps there was an event in her past where she was completely out of control of the shitty outcome, and now she spends her time trying to "right" the "wrong"-- you know, fix the people in her life now because she couldn't save someone in the past...