Generally beginning one thing is the toughest half – truly, usually occasions I really feel that assertion is true. This weblog is not going to be something Earth-shattering, however I’ve received a couple of issues I might wish to share which can be intense for me.

I am unsure the place I ought to begin, so I am simply going to throw it out within the order of my ideas…

RETIRING FROM PRO WRESTLING

For the final 20+ years, I have been concerned or considerably concerned within the professional wrestling scene. I began coaching (form of) across the age of 12 and formally enrolled in a “legit” professional wrestling faculty the summer time earlier than Freshman yr of highschool. 

Now, it is professional wrestling so there isn’t any actual retirement. I’ll, nonetheless, be focusing so much much less on the professional wrestling scene. I’ve finished this earlier than. I spent a few years simply going to random wrestling practices at my associates wrestling colleges and enjoying round here-and-there on sporadic occasions. Generally having to borrow wrestling boots or kneepads or just simply wrestling in my denims and sneakers. 

The plan once I made my newest run was to test off some Bucket Listing objects for myself…and I needed to realize these issues with my long-time pal and tag crew associate. We struggled to determine the present “indy wrestling type” and the artwork of tag crew wrestling. We did Zoom teaching classes with former WWE wrestlers and I requested a number of shut associates with massive league expertise for suggestions and perception. I feel I can say that as a lot as I loved a faster-paced, most athletic type of wrestling, the present type appears wonky to me. Little or no time to let issues set in for the viewers and the storytelling. It is a dialog for one more day.

I simply really feel I haven’t got the identical ardour for the professional wrestling scene as I used to.

Again to my “retirement,” I’ve spent numerous weekends away from folks and issues I might wish to spend extra time with or doing. It is nice touring, seeing new locations and I have been past fortunate to expertise all I’ve skilled…particularly coming from Small City USA.

I fell quick on a couple of Bucket Listing issues, like being an additional for WWE or my final dream of being the most effective jobber within the historical past of WWE for only one night time. It might’ve been neat to truly wrestle a match on AEW as an alternative of simply spending 8 hours consuming wonderful catering. However you realize what, I’ve received to hang around at Impression Wrestling the final yr or so and I gotta say, I feel these guys have an underrated present. I’d’ve appreciated to do some ring work for them however I received to play many roles on their TV present, so once more, I gotta consider how fortunate I’m. Many individuals do not get to see the happenings backstage.

Man, typically I ramble…oh nicely…

My plans (and we all know how the most effective laid plans of mice and males go) for the longer term are to eat numerous pasta and ice cream. I need to spend extra time outdoors within the solar whether or not it is doing yard work, swimming, fishing, perhaps I will hike to the highest of one other mountain or 2. And also you wager I will be consuming some beer at some summer time live shows 🙂

I nonetheless plan to proceed doing small reveals here-and-there however not gonna journey as a lot for it and never taking it so significantly. I’ve time enjoying round at native county gala’s and I am nonetheless gonna do movies for the following couple years…or till all my hair falls out. 

PACIFIC NORTHWEST WANDERS

I used to be planning to complete up my final 2 professional wrestling gigs – one in Florida and one in Washington state – however I received rundown and sick so I needed to cancel on the Florida reserving then a couple of week from my Washington wrestling match (the final I had deliberate for the foreseeable future) I received a textual content from the promoter saying his spouse caught Covid. I did not need to cancel my flight out west and I needed to make a cease in Los Angeles for a video shoot with Ron Sexton following the journey to Washington so I made a decision to make the most effective of it.

I met up with my buddy who helps me with the enterprise finish of Wrestler4Hire. I suck on the enterprise half, however I benefit from the wrestling half, so he helps information the ship.

We met up in Charlotte then traveled cross-country to Portland, Oregon. After a fast nights relaxation, We started our wandering enterprise chat. I wanted to debate some tax stuff, stories, Quickbooks, and so forth and so forth. You recognize – the enjoyable stuff (eye roll). I want I might do much less enterprise stuff and extra wrestling stuff however gotta take the nice with the dangerous I suppose 

Our first vacation spot was to intention for the San Juan Islands. It is wonderful how soiled the I-5 hall between Portland and Seattle was. Additionally, I have never been in windy, chilly temps like that in a bit. I do not understand how I did it for therefore lengthy. 

Stopped off in Olympia for a leg stretch and caught a glimpse of some starfish and jellyfish. Here’s a screenshot from a video I took with my telephone. Yeah, I put my telephone underwater to seize this. 

Spent simply a night on the San Juan Islands. I feel I will have to seek out an excuse to return when it is slightly hotter. Stopped in Seattle for a night then woke as much as seize breakfast at Pike’s Market. On our stroll to the place I received to see folks brazenly smoking crack (or meth or no matter) on the streets. I am unsure what the solutions are to repair societies downside nevertheless it wears on me to expertise these issues. Life is intense.

We wandered over to the Washington coast, stopping in Aberdeen. The hometown of Kurt Cobain. That was an eye-opening expertise. It is wonderful the distinction in how folks reside on the planet. Once more, I am luckier than I deserve. Life can at all times be worse. 

The coast of the Pacific Northwest was lovely, even drenched in rain. Elite Eliot instructed me I had to take a look at Cannon Seaside and a few particular eating places. He is journey information as we loved some nice views and yummy meals. We caught a dozen or so Elk simply roaming round “downtown” close to Cannon Seaside.

I used to be going to cancel my flight then drive to California. I’ve at all times needed to do the entire Pacific Coast Freeway, however that “Atmospheric River” storm scared me and I did not have the braveness to check my luck or driving abilities in opposition to landslides, floods and falling rocks alongside the shoreline, plus I felt it could be a rushed journey to get to Los Angeles in time for our wrestling shoot with Ron Sexton.

LOS ANGELES RETURN

After a chaotic, anxious and intense night time on the Embassy Suites subsequent to the Portland Airport, I flew all the way down to LAX to arrange for my upcoming video shoot with Ron Sexton.

Ron has been very useful in my success from wrestler to producer. Countless hours of time and fountains of data have been shared with me with no expectations. I respect Ron greater than he is aware of. One of many hardest working dudes I do know and his kindness is unmatched.

We met up at his places of work in North Hollywood. I at all times get excited to stroll into the places of work. I see the Cyberfights brand mounted to the foyer space, which jogs my memory of my youth and Ron loves displaying off his memorabilia…and I dig seeing it…each single time. We at all times spend longer on the workplace than we intend to. Initially, we had been assembly up with one other pal of mine to seize lunch in Burbank, however we should’ve spent an hour plus simply exploring containers of previous movies and kit and props. 

The shoot went nice. My buddy Christian Thorn flew in (the good distance) to assist us out with video digital camera work. He and I cut up the workload filming 20 matches in 10 hours. My different buddy joined us taking pics of the matches and the fellows. I gotta say I in all probability have essentially the most enjoyable on the crew filming matches and I virtually by no means need it to finish. 

The shoot was for Ron’s web site however I received a pair matches myself. I count on to launch certainly one of them real-fast-quick, so maintain a watch open for it. It is HOT! 

I want an excuse to go on the market 3 or 4 occasions a yr. Los Angeles is a totally totally different world than what I am used to and I at all times meet-up with fascinating folks for some nice convos. 

GUN SHOOTING @ PDX AIRPORT HOTEL

The craziest, most intense, insane factor that occurred on my 10 day journey out west was the capturing on the resort I stayed on the night time earlier than my flight to Los Angeles.

I had tried to go to mattress early as I used to be feeling a bit rundown. I used to be shook from my sleep round 2:30 within the morning. It seemed like gun photographs, however I might mistake that sound for one thing else since I am not tremendous conversant in that sound. That was adopted up with what I believed seemed like teenage women screaming. 

I went out the door of my resort room to see what was happening. The screaming was nonetheless happening and a bunch of individuals had been working by the foyer. Nonetheless my ideas had been they had been a bunch of adlescent women working late to catch their aircraft.

My consideration was turned to the see-through glass elevators the place I noticed what seemed to be a safety guard mendacity down bleeding. What the fuck? Is that this a dream? A film being filmed? 

Quickly I used to be being yelled at by the entrance desk employees to get again in my room. I am unsure if it is regular however my thoughts was racing attempting to attach the dots. I investigated extra on my quick stroll again to my room. There was one other lady screaming about Room 833. What’s going on, I continued considering? My eyes had been drawn to a different elevator glass window. I do not know what I noticed first – blood, bullet casings or the glass damaged/shot. 

I am speaking in regards to the stuff I noticed earlier than the police had been on scene. I noticed the police arrive a pair minutes after I noticed all this. The scene was very lively. How shut was I to being concerned in one thing silly like a gun struggle. 

I will embrace the hyperlink to an article in regards to the capturing and a few pics I took after issues had calmed down, however holy fuck!

2 folks had been killed, 2 extra had been injured.

LINK TO SHOOTING @ HOTEL – CLICK HERE

CONCLUSION

This was a protracted weblog. I am truly 2 hours into writing it and I really feel I might maintain going. I will not for two causes – you are gonna get bored and I must get off the sofa.

I’ve some household visiting this week beginning tomorrow then a couple of weeks of low-key 80 diploma climate the place I intend to be outdoors and productive. I’ll wander as much as Georgia. Anybody up there wanna wrestle or have some tips about issues to see? Locations to go? Locations to keep away from? I feel I wanna see Madison, Georgia. 

I will try to start out my professional wrestling league or a minimum of do a one off occasion earlier than I head north for the summer time. I’ve met some professional guys I feel can be enjoyable to do one thing with and I’ve my wrestling studio almost prepared for reside occasions…or a minimum of a TV Taping.

My apologies for the rambling, misspellings or poor grammar. I needed to get these phrases out and I re-reading what I wrote. I really feel that’ll make it much less real and uncooked.