Hey MBSB People, This is a photo of my faithful but lagging Lenovo 3000 C100. I bought it in 2006. No DVD burner, a fan that sounds like it's chewing the hard drive and a backspace button that revolted and died following an ant infiltration. I believe they were trying to colonize the keyboard. MBSB was built on this baby, but the time has come to move on to a computer that allows Photoshop and YouTube to be open simultaneously. Introducing my Lenovo Y470. Not only can I start editing short video and audio pieces without losing a half day, I can clearly see what I'm editing. It was weird to watch the posted Chuwattana fights to realize, the … [Read more...]
Wrongly Imprisoned 52 Year Old Dewey Bozella to Fight His First Professional Boxing Match
"I'm not looking for sympathy, just to be looked as a man on the mission; a man who never gave up, and because of that, his dream is now coming true." -Dewey Bozella Dewey Bozella served twenty-six years in Sing Sing for a murder he didn't commit. As the years faded in prison, knowing he could appeal for a lesser sentence by lying and admitting to the crime, Dewey refused to submit. Confessing to the murder of a ninety-two year old woman wasn't an option. His integrity was of too much value. It was in Sing Sing that Dewey found boxing. On October 15, after living two years as a free man, Dewey will step into the ring to meet thirty year old Larry Hopkins … [Read more...]
KO’d At Sitmonchai
The intent was to make the seven plus hour trip to Sitmonchai Gym, Thamaka, Kanchanaburi to hook up with friends, write a review of the gym and pick up on Sitmonchai's style of delivering devastating punches and low kicks. Low kicks score minimal points in Thailand. As a result a number of gyms pay them little mind. For example, I had the habit of annoying a past trainer by delivering low kicks during our pad sessions. He kept telling me they were ugly. Not mine particularly, just in general. Sitmonchai fighters in contrast are known to utilize low kicks to disable their opponents by KO. Ironically, one sentence into this post and I received a text that … [Read more...]
OUTTA HERE………
Hello MBSB readers. Just a note to let you all know that I'm off to Thamaka in Kanchanaburi. One week? Two? Not quite sure. Good internet connection? Great internet connection? Not quite sure. I have some content set up for when I'm gone. I'm hoping to post while away, but can't promise I will. I can promise that I'll try to bring back some interesting content. Adios, ldf View Larger Map … [Read more...]
Travel Tip No. 2: Filthy Pillows
Ergk....your guesthouse has dirty pillows? Dust mite allergies? Double up on your pillowcases at a new spot. Place each case on the same pillow in opposing directions. This means, the opening on Sir Pillowcase may be on the leftside, while the opening of Lady Pillowcase may be on the rightside. This helps to prevent any bacterial, mite city skankiness from escaping via an open pillow slit and straight onto your face. Your sinuses may thank you in the morning. Not working for you? Sew a lightweight zipper at the end of a single case and use it as a liner. For those times you don't use it on your pillow, it can double as a laundry bag to wash … [Read more...]
Kayasith Chuwattana VS Petmahachon Kiatsorranan – Rajadamnern Stadium April 2, 2009
Welcome to the first installment of the Chuwattana Gym Fight 2009 - 2010 series that will showcase on MBSB. Bangkok's Chuwattana Gym is owned by Rajadamnern Stadium promoter Choocharoen Raweearamwong, who is also a part of the Suk Dawrung Choocharoen promotions team. Suk Dawrung Choocharoen sends talent to fight worldwide. As a result, there is a large and sometimes ever changing pool of proficient nak muays training at Chuwattana on any given day. Of all the fighters that trained at the gym while I was living there, Kayasith Chuwattana remains my favourite. His speed, the beauty and ferocity of his technique and his intellect silence me. For those … [Read more...]
Chuwattana Gym Fights 2009 to 2010
Sometime around end of February and beginning of March 2009, I stepped foot into Chuwattana Gym and didn't fully leave until, I believe May 2010 after a six week stay at a gym in Japan. The first four months of 2010 were spent between Chuwattana Gym and the defunct Tor Ratonakiet in Buriram. At the time, women weren't allowed to live on the Chuwattana premises, so I took a room directly, meaning a few metres across from it. Whenever I think of Bangkok, thoughts of Chuwattana Gym filter in. Most of my training, eating and socializing in Bangkok were conducted either there or with resident and / or visiting nak muays. In retrospect I realize I didn't take … [Read more...]
THE FASTLANE
I still can't bring myself to title this entry what it deserves to be, THE MILLIONAIRE FASTLANE, after the personal finance book written by MJ DeMarco. The title, the marketing, the claims to get rich quick, all of it scream, "Walk away. Just, walk, walk away." I fear the cover alone would burn a hole in my hand. Having experienced approximately one year of employment in the world of radio advertising and marketing (and sub sequentially having it end as being the only job I was ever fired from) coupled with reading a lot of media theory books, I consider myself a hard sale. I don't see ads on websites, I close pop ups instantly, I'll pick out product placement in movies … [Read more...]
Rain Veins On My Window Panes
Generally I keep track of my training. I've got a little creme coloured imported Thai day planner I picked up at a Dollar Store in Canada I reference. I do this to keep tabs on the coin I owe the gym (I pay by the day) and to take note of my health. I'm sick often out here. Ninety percent of it is due to msg poisonings and other allergy and / or (dirty) food related issues. For example, when reviewing the last eight weeks of my life, I realized I was sick for five of the past eight Mondays. If I don't take this all down on paper, my brain efficiently washes it way. I don't see the patterns, I just live in the present and push forward. Keeping tabs on my … [Read more...]
HOW TO TRAVEL LIGHT FOR MODERN NOMADS, TOURISTS AND THE DISCERNING MINIMALIST WEIRDO. Part 1 of 3
In 2009 I packed a suitcase, a small backpack and a carry-on and left my native country to live a life with no fixed territorial boundaries, indefinitely. In 2010, I realized, maybe two suitcases would be a good idea. Essentially what those suitcases and carry-ons contain is all that I own, other than some remnants in my parents' basement and that which I buy / need at any given location and that which can be disposed of / given away before I embark onwards. I believe in contemporary airport terms, this could be expressed as, at any given point in time, I have to condense the belongings of my life to approximately 66 kgs or 144 lbs of stuff. Fundamentally I view this … [Read more...]
Clean Heart, Dirty Heart
Training was almost finished. I was unlacing my gloves when the old man called my name. "Lolah", he pointed at the plastic bags of food on the kitchen table, parallel to the ring. "No msg. You can eat it!" He smiled gleefully into my eyes. "Oh! Awesome." I smiled back. Due to my extreme allergy to msg, my post training meal at the gym generally consists of a bowl of white rice and two to three eggs - sometimes boiled, sometimes fried, sometimes deep fried. The rest of the gym eats a variety of dishes. Buying food without msg in Thailand is difficult. People will lie to you. They'll say it's msg free when it isn't. They'll throw in … [Read more...]
A Moment Of Gratitude – Buakaw Por Pramuk vs Sataban Tor Ratonakiet
An integral aspect of muay thai culture here in Thailand is reverence for those who teach you. Each fight commences with what is called the Wai Kru, a pre-fight ring ritual of respect. The Wai is a Thai gesture of veneration and Kru is the Thai word for teacher. A few days ago, my pre Lookchaomaesaitong Sit Namkabuan kru, Gai, a.k.a. Sataban Tor Ratonakiet called to let me know a fight of his was on YouTube. This was new as he neither owns any footage of his career as a nak muay, nor could we find footage anywhere, other than a K.O. highlight lifted from the standard entrance cd given out at Lumpinee stadium. The following is a fight between … [Read more...]