Fight the Power.

The past two weeks Ramman and I have been getting up much earlier than usual on Tuesdays and Thursdays to run our "Ninja Boot Camp" at the Duniway track. When the alarm goes off at 5:45am it's pretty brutal, but once we get out there, breathe some fresh morning air and start moving around, it feels amazing. I know that our ninjas in training feel the same way too. We all show up a little groggy and fuzzy eyed, then we center ourselves with a 5 minute meditation, do some joint warmups, move into a more dynamic warm up with rolls, balancing on railings, jogging.. and then the wod.. Today I got to participate in the wod because it was a partner workout and we had an odd number of proteges. It wasn't too grueling of a workout but it was a perfect example of why one should do CrossFit style training: because I was ready. The time of day didn't matter. Whether I had or hadn't eaten didn't matter (actually, not having eaten probably helped). What the workout was didn't matter. I had to do it, so I just did. And it felt great to have already put in some training by the time 7:30am rolled around.

Latest thoughts on traveling: I figure if we each need to save $5000-$6000 to do the teaching English thing, why not just save that much and travel, sans teaching English, for 6 months. How awesome would/will it be to go to 6 different countries in 6 months?!?! I want pick 6 countries (that are cheap to live/eat in) that have something culturally that I am interested in learning. For example: Mexico: Spanish or Thailand: Muay Thai or Belize: Scuba Diving.. To spend a month in a country and choosing something specific to intensively learn, oh man, that would be amazing.

I've seen so many videos posted online about Neda, the young woman who was shot dead during protests in Iran. I've avoided watching the video of her being killed in order to selfishly spare myself from the emotions that would come along with watching it. I haven't had the courage to press play, for fear that what I would see would upset me an incredibly deep level. I didn't watch it BECAUSE I HAD THE CHOICE. I sit here in my comfortable apartment in peaceful Portland, Oregon, on my nice computer listening to reggae, choosing not to let disturbing images permeate my walls. Until today. I finally watched it. I decided that I can no longer protect myself from the gruesome details of our chaotic and corrupt world leaders and governments if I am going to refer to myself as anything even resembling a freedom fighter. Yes, seeing these images of innocent people's lives being stripped away at the whim of a sniper with a rifle and an order are extremely upsetting, but without witnessing the brutality and knowing what exactly is going on, how can I expect to be a part of the fight against it? And what about the people who HAVE NO CHOICE. It's in their cities, it's in their schools, it's in their homes, right in front of their faces. People, family members and friends, are being killed and brutally beaten right next to them and yet THEY KEEP FIGHTING. It's getting to the point that those of us who have the choice to live in a safe bubble, who have the choice as to what we expose ourselves to must FORCE ourselves to SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING. Because before we know it, it will be right in front of our faces and we won't know what to do.

Despite my liberal education and my alternative upbringing, I am politically ignorant. I am making the choice NOW to change my level of involvement in the fight for the greater good. I have always been on that level in my mind, but the fact that I choose not to read about or watch or listen to disturbing stories and images means that I am not fully dedicated to fighting back. I watch documentaries. I live as simply as I can. I try to make ethical choices when purchasing products and food. I do not support mainstream media. I do things on the surface that up until now make me feel as though I am doing my part. But now it's time to do more. Even if it is just reading, watching, listening.. It is KNOWING. And with knowledge you are armed.

So now I reach out to you who are reading my humble note. With all of the bullshit in American media, what are the best, unbiased, resources for learning what is happening world-wide? I'm assuming the BBC offers legitimate information.. What else?

Fighting the power..