Hangin’ Them Up

Typically beginning one thing is the toughest half – truly, typically occasions I really feel that assertion is true. This weblog is not going to be something Earth-shattering, however I’ve obtained just a few issues I would 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 (sort of) across the age of 12 and formally enrolled in a “legit” professional wrestling college the summer season earlier than Freshman yr of highschool. 

Now, it is professional wrestling so there isn’t a actual retirement. I’ll, nevertheless, be focusing loads much less on the professional wrestling scene. I’ve achieved this earlier than. I spent a few years simply going to random wrestling practices at my pals wrestling faculties and taking part in round here-and-there on sporadic occasions. Typically 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 good friend and tag workforce companion. We struggled to determine the present “indy wrestling model” and the artwork of tag workforce wrestling. We did Zoom teaching classes with former WWE wrestlers and I requested a number of shut pals with massive league expertise for suggestions and perception. I believe I can say that as a lot as I loved a faster-paced, most athletic model of wrestling, the present model appears wonky to me. Little or no time to let issues set in for the viewers and the storytelling. This can be 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 plenty of weekends away from folks and issues I would 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 just a few Bucket Listing issues, like being an additional for WWE or my final dream of being one of the best jobber within the historical past of WWE for only one evening. It will’ve been neat to truly wrestle a match on AEW as a substitute of simply spending 8 hours consuming wonderful catering. However what, I’ve obtained to hang around at Impression Wrestling the final yr or so and I gotta say, I believe these guys have an underrated present. I might’ve preferred to do some ring work for them however I obtained 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 behind the scenes.

Man, generally I ramble…oh properly…

My plans (and we all know how one of the best laid plans of mice and males go) for the longer term are to eat plenty of pasta and ice cream. I wish to spend extra time exterior within the solar whether or not it is doing yard work, swimming, fishing, possibly I am going to hike to the highest of one other mountain or 2. And also you wager I will be ingesting some beer at some summer season live shows 🙂

I nonetheless plan to proceed doing small exhibits here-and-there however not gonna journey as a lot for it and never taking it so significantly. I’ve a superb time taking part in round at native county gala’s and I am nonetheless gonna do movies for the subsequent 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 obtained 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 obtained a textual content from the promoter saying his spouse caught Covid. I did not wish 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 one of the best 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 on and so on. You understand – the enjoyable stuff (eye roll). I want I might do much less enterprise stuff and extra wrestling stuff however gotta take the great with the dangerous I suppose 

Our first vacation spot was to purpose for the San Juan Islands. It is wonderful how soiled the I-5 hall between Portland and Seattle was. Additionally, I have not been in windy, chilly temps like that in a bit. I do not understand how I did it for thus 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 cellphone. Yeah, I put my cellphone underwater to seize this. 

Spent simply a night on the San Juan Islands. I believe I am going to have to search out an excuse to return when it is a bit 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 obtained to see folks brazenly smoking crack (or meth or no matter) on the streets. I am unsure what the solutions are to repair societies drawback however 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 stay on the earth. Once more, I am luckier than I deserve. Life can at all times be worse. 

The coast of the Pacific Northwest was stunning, even drenched in rain. Elite Eliot advised me I had to take a look at Cannon Seashore and a few particular eating places. He is a superb 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 Seashore.

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 towards landslides, floods and falling rocks alongside the shoreline, plus I felt it might be a rushed journey to get to Los Angeles in time for our wrestling shoot with Ron Sexton.

LOS ANGELES RETURN

After a chaotic, irritating and intense evening on the Embassy Suites subsequent to the Portland Airport, I flew all the way down to LAX to organize 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 recognize 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 have been assembly up with one other good friend of mine to seize lunch in Burbank, however we should’ve spent an hour plus simply exploring bins of outdated movies and kit and props. 

The shoot went nice. My buddy Christian Thorn flew in (the great distance) to assist us out with video digicam 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 blokes. I gotta say I in all probability have probably the most enjoyable on the workforce filming matches and I virtually by no means need it to finish. 

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

I would like an excuse to go on the market 3 or 4 occasions a yr. Los Angeles is a very completely 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 evening 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 gave the impression of gun photographs, however I might mistake that sound for one thing else since I am not tremendous acquainted with that sound. That was adopted up with what I assumed gave the impression of teenage ladies screaming. 

I went out the door of my resort room to see what was happening. The screaming was nonetheless happening and a gaggle of individuals have been working by the foyer. Nonetheless my ideas have been they have been a bunch of youngster ladies working late to catch their airplane.

My consideration was turned to the see-through glass elevators the place I noticed what gave the impression 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 workers to get again in my room. I am unsure if it is regular however my thoughts was racing making an attempt to attach the dots. I investigated extra on my quick stroll again to my room. There was one other girl screaming about Room 833. What’s going on, I continued considering? My eyes have 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 have 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 battle. 

I am going to 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 have been killed, 2 extra have been injured.

LINK TO SHOOTING @ HOTEL – CLICK HERE

CONCLUSION

This was an extended weblog. I am truly 2 hours into writing it and I really feel I might preserve going. I will not for two causes – you are gonna get bored and I have to get off the sofa.

I’ve some household visiting this week beginning tomorrow then just a few weeks of low-key 80 diploma climate the place I intend to be exterior 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 believe I wanna see Madison, Georgia. 

I’ll try to start out my professional wrestling league or at the very least do a one off occasion earlier than I head north for the summer season. I’ve met some professional guys I believe can be enjoyable to do one thing with and I’ve my wrestling studio practically prepared for stay occasions…or at the very least 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.