HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE BRICK !

H A P P Y   H O L I D A Y S 

from

T h e   B r i c k

I would like to wish all of my followers a great Holiday season.

I am working through all of the holidays, with not a day off until January 4.

The good thing is that all of these days fall within the same pay period. 

That means I am going to be a very happy man on January 10.

This will be my last entry for 2013.

Stockyards Gym will be closed most of the week, so I guess I will be doing most of my training at Bloor.

Speaking of Bloor, I would like to ring out the year with this sign I saw posted at Bloor Fitness a few days ago:

I'll have three Big Mac Meals, hold the lettuce.

Cheers.

"The Brick" Reviews Boxing Products, Part One

Hi all. 
Something a bit different this time. 

A product review. 
Something new I am trying. Reviews of boxing gear.

Since the Holidays are fast approaching, what better time to look at something you can get for your favourite boxer?..My address is at the end of this blog entry 

Anyway, for this first review, I will be looking the Philips GoGear Raga digital music player.

This Philips device is a great alternative to the iPod. You all know how much I love Crapple products.

I know what you are thinking. How is this boxing gear?

Well, it is. Music is a great companion while at the gym. 
Especially this player, because it is perfect to use while working out.




This player comes with an armband. Something that most other players do not include.






The GoGear Raga is available in two models: A 2 GB and a 4 GB, for about $10 difference.
both models come with the armband and in-ear buds with hooks.



in addition to supporting MP3 and WMA media files, it also has an FM receiver.
Some people may not listen to the radio much any more, but for me it is a must. 
I like it for when I get bored of my own music, or want to listen to a weather or traffic report.

The FM can store up to 20 stations, and unlike other players with FM radio where you can only access the preset stations one by one, this device has the stations listed in a menu, making any one station easily accessible.





You can also create playlists on the fly. Another option most players in this price range do not offer.

As far as audio quality, Philips uses a technology called Truesound. Even with the tiny earbuds, that I normally, with Truesound enabled, the sound quality is phenomenal. 
In addition to Truesound, this player is also equipped with an equalizer. Enabling the equalizer, disables Truesound.

Settings options allow you to change screen text colours, sleep timer setting, and backlight timeout. Although backlight timeout does have an "always on" option, the backlight still times out after five minutes.

Unit has a build-in lithium-ion battery, which charges through the USB cable. Battery life between charges is about 20 hours.

The device does not have a slot for an expandable memory card.
However, the internal memory is adequate for the average user.

The only drawback is the Philips Songbird software. It is not the most user-friendly software I have ever used. 
I just use Windows to transfer music onto the player. It is easier than using Songbird.

This is definitely a "gym compatible" player. I used it while skipping the other day.

Overall, I highly recommend this player.

PHILIPS GOGEAR RAGA

2 GB model                  SRP  $40     ARP  $30
4 GB model                  SRP  $50     ARP  $40


Comes with player, armband, earbuds, and short micro-USB charging/file transfer cable.

Cheers.

If Stallone and DeNiro Can Do It......

Yeah, I`m back.
I just can`t resist commenting on the upcoming Sylvester Stallone film.

I don't go out to movies much any more. For one thing, I don't like paying $83 for a small popcorn. Also, there really are no theatres around me. 
To find a theatre that accepts my Scene Points, I have to go up to Yorkdale, or down to the Scotiabank theatre. Neither are really that close.

``Grudge Match``
About two boxers who make a comeback after 30 years.
First, I guess I should point out, although likely unnecessary, that both of these actors have played boxers in the past.

Who could have ever imagined Sylvester Stallone making another boxing film?....
I saw that coming around the corner from three blocks away.

How old is he? 70? How the hell is he going to get his walker through the ring ropes?

I bet Stallone was thrown that he actually got to work with someone who knows how to act.
"Yo, so that's how acting works.".....

Interestingly, Stallone boxes as poorly as he acts, so I really don't think it will make any difference.

This film is work a look, I guess.

I have 14,000 Points, so I guess I can use some to check out this one. 

It's worth a laugh at the very least.


Now, to answer a question about me.
Some people have been asking me how I was able to lose so much weight in so little time.

Well, I am at the gym daily, but diet has a lot to do with it.
It has to do with balancing your vitamins, protein and minerals input.

Being on night shift helps a lot. 
Since the body does not operate on a nocturnal schedule, generally we are not hungry at night. Therefore, my "lunch" break is actually just a light snack.

Here is a look at a typical daily diet for "The Brick":

• Dinner (Before work): Vegetarian pasta: spaghetti with tomato sauce, spices, mushrooms, with mild and spicy peppers. Whole wheat bread. Garden salad: leaves, tomato, radish, cucumber, green pepper, light dressing. Orange or apple juice. Black coffee. Banana or apple.
• Lunch (During work): Garden salad with light dressing. Diet cranberry juice.
• Snack (During work): Fruit salad or bran muffin. Black coffee or tea.
• Breakfast (After work): One egg. Granola, nuts and raisins. Whole wheat toast with sugar-free preserves. Orange or apple juice. Herbal tea with nectar sweetener.

There you go.

That is all for this entry.

Cheers.

Trying Out For the Brampton Cup

Hi all.

I know, I know...I don't write anything for a month, and now there have been three in a week.
I'm sorry. I just have a lot to say right now.

There was a very interesting sparring session on Wednesday. I did two rounds with Justin. 
As usual, it was him with his damn hooks.
I actually told him that his hooks were pissing me off. 
He really likes his hooks. I, as you all know, hate them.

You all know I like to joke around with my boxing team colleagues. I like to put a bit of fun into the sport.
Yes, you need to take your training seriously, but to be too serious all the time will just end up stressing you.

In the last post I called Justin's hooks "girly". 

He nailed me with one really good hook, and I heard Junmar say something about, "That must be one of your girly hooks."

I made that comment for a couple of reasons. 
One was to have fun, but there was a method to it as well.

I don't want my team members going too easy on me during sparring. I realize it is very difficult to hit a friend really hard. However, this is a contact sport. 
In my opinion, it does not really help 'love-tapping' each other during sparring sessions. The idea of sparring is to learn and prepare. When you are up against an opponent in a real competition, the man in front of you has a one and only goal: To do what it takes to get you out of there. "Love-tapping" is not going to do it.

I hit really hard during sparring, for the same reason. 
Nobody likes getting nailed by a good punch, so learn to defend yourself. That is the whole idea of combat sports.

This is the time to learn how to take a punch and to defend properly. I'd rather get hurt while sparring, than while in competition. If I get hurt, it is my fault. I am not going to blame the other boxer for hitting me. I should be practicing defense, and sparring is the way to do it.

Waiting until you are in a competition is too late. You should already know what you are doing by then.

With Junmar making that comment about the "girly" hooks, it is obvious that he is reading this column. That means that if I drop a few hints about the Brampton Cup, I will not have to ask him about it in person.

Amazing, isn't it? I can go up against a guy twice my size in the ring, but I can't ask Junmar about the Brampton Cup. 

In case he missed the title, I want to be in the Brampton Cup. 
This is one of the few tournaments for Novice Class. 

Justin wants to be in it too, and he gave me a few training tips. 
It looks like I am going to be hitting the gym a lot more for a lot longer.

Stockyards apparently wants to send about ten guys to the Brampton Cup. 
Oh, did I mention I want to be in it, too?

In other boxing news, there is apparently some boxing happening in Scarborough on December 15. Rogers TV is covering it, and they asked me to be on the crew. 
Yes, I would love to be on the crew, but I am working Sunday night. 
Unless, I can get someone to fill in the shift for me. Since I have been doing shift fill-ins coming out the Yin-Yang since I started at the Mississauga location. Would it be a huge problem for me to ask the same of someone else? 
Probably.

Speaking of work, we had a blackout in Mississauga on Thursday morning, just after midnight. It lasted about 45 minutes. Although the building has backup generators, we still had to do manual checks to make sure everything was working properly. Understandable, since most of the products in there need refrigeration.  
I did nothing but run around  the whole time. 
Just when I though it was going to be a slow shift...

One last thing, not really boxing related, but still interesting.

I was in a restaurant the other day, and I had a wonderful Cup of coffee, and it was in Brampton.

Cheers.

General Stuff...Boxing and Other

Hi all.

It is that time of the month...

Rant time!

On Wednesdays, after Junmar's class, I take the 79 and 58B buses to get to work right from the gym.

On the way to work last week, on the 79, the bus driver was yapping like crazy on the phone. 

Of course, she missed my stop. She passed two stops, and then she blamed me for not ringing the bell soon enough. 

Really? Ypou are joking, right?

Ummm....excuse me missy, if you were not yapping on the phone, you would have heard me ring the bell two stops ago...!

The following day, coming home from Westwood, I boarded a 58B. I showed my pass, and the driver said, "That is for Toronto." Ummm.yeah. This is a Toronto bus, going to Toronto.

Apparently, because Westwood Terminal is in Mississauga, you need a Mississauga fare to board the Toronto bus, going into Toronto....???

See, this is how it works: Toronto bus + Toronto destination = Toronto fare.

How fucking difficult is that?

Wow. Imagine that. Another fucking moron working for the City of Toronto. 

Leave it to the TTC to make something simple into a science project.

...and the TTC wants to raise the fare. 

Well, yeah, that is understandable. Stupidity does not come cheap.

I mean, it must take the TTC HR department years to find people with just the right stupidity to work there.

Like the police with their stupid tickets.

Oh yeah, I spoke to some of my colleagues in Mississauga about that. They can't believe that happened. One asked, "Do Toronto police have that much time to be writing J-walking tickets?"

No. They don't. That is part of the problem.

By the way, I waited three hours in that damn York Civic Centre because of that damn ticket. After a 12-hour night shift, and then getting home at noon.

I am soooo suing the Toronto Police.

I have figured this: If you take every TTC employee, and all of the Toronto police officers, and put them all together in one place, you would have so much laziness and stupidity, that it would be mathematically and scientifically impossible to calculate.

Its true.

Coming home this morning, at Islington station, this old couple asked me to help them up the stairs with their shopping cart. The were trying to get to the 110A bus.

I was nice, and helped them. Get this, they did not even say 'Thank you.'

The bus was there, and the driver waited for them.

Of course, the driver waits for some impolite asshole, but they won't wait for me.

See. That is why I don't like doing things for people, because they don't care.

Anyway, sparring classes this week on Monday and Wednesday.

I will be attending. 

Hopefully, Justin will be at one. I want him to throw his girly hooks again, so I can make him miss...again...!

Cheers.

Sparring Monday and Wednesday, Raisng the Bar

On Monday, I sparred Junmar.
He is actually one of the best guys to spar. He gives you a good work out and at the same time, he will teach you a lot.
I'd like to get more sparring time with him. I find that it helps a lot.

Junmar is a professional boxer, as you all may know.
 I guess if I can go three rounds with a professional, and leave the ring in one piece, I can't be doing that poorly.

There was sparring this past Wednesday as well. 
 I did three rounds with three different guys.
A round with Justin, one with Mark, and one with Mac.

Justin is a lot bigger than I, and he hits pretty hard.
I am no longer in his weight class, but I think I did well considering the size difference.

At one time he hit me three times in a row with hooks. Left--right--left. I got nailed by all of them. What the hell was that?
Oh, yes...Justin and his hooks. He likes his hooks. I wish he would fuck off with his hooks.

You all know how much I like hooks.

At one point, I backed off, and right as I back out, he threw a left hook, and missed. 
He said, "Fuck!"

That was kind of funny actually.

Of course I backed off. He is a big guy. Does he really think I am going to trade with him form the inside? I am going to go in, attack, then back away. I wasn't born yesterday.
If he wants me, he can come get me. Yeah, come get some, bitch!
Oh, yeah!

Nothing special happened with Mark that I can remember.
However, Mac put on a lot of pressure. 
Keep in mind, Mac is a lot younger, and has been competing for a while.
Justin has had one match as well.

I think it is great that I am finally able to get in and spar with some competitive boxers. It is really the best way to learn.

Richard said that there would be no boxing shows at Stockyards in December, but he is thinking about one for January. I am really hoping I can be in that one. 
My goal was to have my first competition this year, but unfortunately that did not happen.


That is all for this entry.

Anyone interested in boxing, drop by the gym sometime. Any of the coaches will be able to answer your questions about the sport and the Stockyards Boxing Team. 
You may even be able to watch the sparring class. Drop by Wednesdays 8 - 9 PM. 


Cheers.
Paul "The Brick" Brec

I'm From Toronto...I'm Sorry

Hi all.

Well, I am still a member of Bloor Fitness. (Unfortunately)

They called a week before then end of October, and I told them I would be in on Friday to talk them. The idea was to ask them to not renew the membership, and to use the last month's payment.

On Friday morning at one, I was checking to see if my pay was in. It was, but there was also a payment to Bloor Fitness. 

So, what they did was try to take payment again, without asking.

That's great. Thanks for waiting.

What if my pay was late going in? After all, it is Scotiabank. They never make mistakes.

In other news:

I got my wish. The security company moved me from Disco Road. 

They placed me at Matrix Logistics on Kennedy Road in Mississauga. 

I have to say it is a much better location. Except for the fact that it does mean having to take Mississauga Transit again. My second-favourite public transit service. They call it "MiWay" now. Yeah, I don't call it that. It will never be 'MiWay' unless they start making a lot of improvements.

Right now, I am balancing work with training. 

I am doing sparring and technical boxing at Stockyards, and my other training at Bloor. 

In addition to full-time night security in Mississauga.

I'm getting by, although still a bit stressed. 

Living in Toronto does not help.

Put aside all the crap about Mayor Rob Ford. 

The City of Toronto has once again taken first place in the Sucking event.

I was once again ticketed for 'J-walking'. 

Officer 8819, claimed that I was not using a crosswalk. So, what? Who does? This is a big city.

So, Officer 8819 is writing a ticket, and he had to look up how to do it !

I shit you not.

Then he said, "I am here to enforce the Provincial Traffic Laws--No, I mean the Toronto Bi-laws."

Really? Seriously?

If he is "enforcing" the "Bi-laws", would one not expect that he knows how?

That actually explains a lot about the Toronto Police, doesn't it?

After all that, he still made two mistakes. He wrote "HTA" on the ticket. That is Highway Traffic Act, which is Provincial. He also wrote my Driver's License number on it. They are not supposed to write Driver's License on a ticket if it is not a driving infraction.

Of course, that will make the ticket void. However, I will of course have to go to traffic court. 

Waste taxpayer's money dragging yet another frivolous case through the already overloaded system, just so that a judge can see a mistake on a ticket and dismiss the case.

More money and resources being wasted, because police... are stupid.

People have asked me why I stay in Toronto of I don't really like it.

It is the boxing. 

If I move, I would have to find a new boxing gym. I am settled at Stockyards, with coaches I am used to.

I still plan on leaving Toronto after the Pan-Am Games.

It is just a matter of putting up with Toronto bullshit for just a bit longer.

Back to boxing.

Richard is having problems finding opponents for me. 

Maybe they are all afraid of me. They don't want to be made a fool of in front of a bunch of people. That is understandable.

There is another boxer my age at Stockyards who is having the same problem. 

George, who used to be a boxer before, and is trying to get back in. 

Sound familiar?

He is a real nice guy. 

I sparred him on Monday, but he did not really try to hit me too often. 

I think he is a bit better than I, but I did say to him to not be afraid to try to hit me more.

It does not really help me. I need to practice my defence, too. 

After all, sparring is about learning and improving.

Well, that is my crappy life. 

How are you?

Cheers,

Paul "The Brick" Brec

"I'm from Toronto......I'm sorry"

Five Pounds To Go !

Hello followers and fans of "The Brick".

It has not been long since my last entry, but I have news, 
I did a weigh-in yesterday, and I am now at 193. That means I am only five pounds from my goal of 188.
Let the whole Junction community...all of Toronto...all fans of 'The Brick', chant "Five Pounds...Five Pounds...Five Pounds...!" 

Also, for those who have not seen my first match, the Enhanced Sparring session from September, here are some photos.
There is also some commentary. We all say that we are our own hardest judge. Here is my colour commentary:

There you are. 
You can see the video here: Sparring At Stockyards, Part 1
It is the second session.


Cheers,
"The Brick"

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