#Taekwondo Class in Miami

[miamitkd]

Fitness and Fun at the Best Taekwondo Class in Miami Florida

Whether you're looking to get in shape, learn self-defense, or simply find a new and exciting activity, the best Taekwondo class in Miami awaits you. Embrace the journey and discover the transformative power of this incredible martial art.

[sakuramidnight15]

-HSA MC Information-

[Gacha Club Mod Ver. Below]

Character Bio

Name: Ember Frostine

(Japanese: エンバー・フロスティン)

Romaji: Enbā Furosutin

Qoute: "... don't try to get in the way."

V/A: Rina Satō (Japanese)

Kayli Mills (English)

Gender: Female

Age: 19

Birthday: October 25

Star Sign: Scorpio

Eye Color: Tart Red

Hair Color: Light Blush Red (Previous Before Infected)

Chantilly Lace White (Current After Infected)

Height: 189 cm

Race: Human (Formerly)

Humanoid Bunny???

Homeland: [REDACTED]

Family: Ian Clarkson (Father)-(Deceased)

Miami Frostine (Mother)-(Deceased)

Chione Frostine (Younger Sister)

_______________________________________

School Status and Fun Facts

Dorm: Tetravania (@hourglassstationacademy)

School Year: Third

Class: 3-E

Student no. 15

Occupation: Student

Prefect

Former Test Subject (Only in her world)

Laboratory Survivor (Only in her world)

A Wanted Target (Only in her world)

Club: Fighting Club

Best Subject: Combat Simulation, Target Class, and Mathematics

Dominant Hand: Ambidextrous

Favorite Color: Light Red, Grey, Black, and White

Favorite Food: Spicy Noodles, Hard-boiled Eggs, Cinnamon Rolls (Drizzled with Honey), Spicy Beef Stew, Carrot Juice,

Least Favorite Food: Anything Tasteless, and Rock-cooked Food, Desserts, Jaw-breakers, Stale Food, Too Bitter,

Likes: Her younger sister, Peace, Eating Good Food, Sleep, Resting/Relaxing from fighting a lot, Baking (She can yes), Guessing Math Questions, Practicing Martial Arts, Doing Taekwondo, Collecting not-used Knives or Swords, Sharpening her blades, Horror Novels,

Dislikes: Her younger sister in danger, Daniel and his team (Somewhat of it), Not getting any sleep, Being the center of attention, Slight Provoking, The Prison/Laboratory, The Prototype Cells/Virus Experiment, Seeing the Infected (Mostly in her world), The mass death of her Parents and People in the neighborhood, The head current boss of the lab (Purely to the death of her core),

Hobbies: Cooking/Baking, Napping/Sleeping, Multitasking, Doing Taekwondo, Reading Horror Novels, Collecting not-used Knives or Blades, Practicing Martial Arts, Forest Walking,

Talents: Being an Infected being, Immunity (Cannot feel any pain at whatever situation), High IQ, Fast Agility, Brute Self-defense (either physical or weapon), Martial Arts, Brutal Blade Skills, Making a Bloodbath/Massacre (Only at the infected alone), Virus/Cell Body Regeneration,

Nicknames: Emmy or Emi (From her family and friends)

Ember-senpai or Frostine-senpai (From the freshmen students)

Big Sis or Nee-san (From her younger sister)

Prudent Bitch (From Daniel)

Young One (From Master Ko)

Daniel's Bitch (From Kassie)

Little Bunny (From Raelyn and Kuno)

Ember Bloody or Red Moon (From Malina @achy-boo)

Other Nicknames:

Subject no. 299 (During her imprisonment in the lab)

'Bloody Bunny' (As a wanted target)

_______________________________________

Appearance and Personality

Appearance: Ember is known for her slender female body build but it rather of a normal female body build. Before the abduction for the experiment, she originally had light blush red colored hair and it was short to her neckline as a human being. But after the experiment and her escape her looks changed, her hair then turned into chantilly lace white colored hair and in addition of gaining rabbit ears after infected. Before as a human, she has tart red colored eyes but still has it after turning infected but her pupils were the only difference. Ember is known for her silent behavior but she looks rather serious for her mood.

Personality: Before her current state of being, Ember used to be normal, as a human being, not a humanoid rabbit actually. Within her town that she was born into alongside with her younger sister, there rather yet a simple happiness in it for her and nothing more... Ember used to be calm yet busy for her age as an older sister.

That is... Till she had reached age 14, when a large group of abductors came in as many within the two were taken one after another for one night, turning the peaceful town into a destroyed ghost town, this resulted the town folks including herself and her family imprisoned within a very large laboratory that is considered to be a jail center location that is... Far from the town she used to be in.

Those peaceful days were turned into hellish memories, many were experimented but couldn't survive the virus infection... Many screams, cries of agony and pleads, worst of seeing many laid before her on the floor bleeding and couldn't move, she seen it all in her cell cage as she witness them taking her two only parents to the operation table. Ember was losing it all... As months passed, her sister was next... This time, she heard news that the experiment on hee was a success. Something snapped in the older sister, something that should have been done for in the first place ever since day one of her imprisonment.

Within those moments were... Escaping her cell, Finding her younger sister, and attempting to escape the lab with her... The finale? Failed and got captured as the last one.

But... Then survived but became an infected as well but... Her deepest rage that she kept in had lashed out as she alongside with her sister escape. Meeting her master was somewhat of a fate after a few days, though it may turn her into a wanted though but it didn't matter to her... Because avenging her many losses is the only thing to do now that she and her sister were now alive.

The current Ember we are nowing seeing in the present went from calm and quiet to become quite serious and a little bit stern to her surroundings after becoming an infected and a survivor with her younger sister. Despite the traumatic events that Ember went through to survive after becoming a wanted target, be surprise that she is still sane after the whole issue, seeing her meaning that there still bits of humanity in her.

Despite her appearance has changed (additional of having bunny ears), Ember is a little social to others but not very much at leastwise with anyone she sees. Though she can be rather blunt and just straight out having a blank expression at the bit least of it, but can give a response normally. According to her younger sister, Ember is mostly quiet and doesn't give much too much reactions from herself.

This bunny may look like a bunny however thanks to what she been through may get to think twice till what's coming next. After becoming a wanted target and also an escape lab subject, Ember had became feared and intimidating at anyone to the full core of her veins, thanks to her master's teachings of rather a tough kung-fu, she can defend herself but with brutality if you dare to consider her as a enemy but once a fight starts, anyone's who is a threat to her and her sister are long dead gone.

Revenge for her mass losses is her current option for now, but she still needs to enjoy life as vengeance will come soon at her stead.

_______________________________________

Trivia

-The name 'Ember' is a British name that means Spark; Burning low. Fan the flames of baby's future with this striking name. While her surname 'Frostine' is girl's name of French origin meaning "freezing".

-She's based on 'Bloody Bunny' from the game 'Bloody Bunny, First Blood' and Series 'Don't be my enemy'.

-Ember seems to know how to cook food for herself and for her sister during their days of survival, but she's more on baking than cooking. Her sister Chione often helps her with it.

-Is really good with math, especially her solutions.

-Is in fact intrigued with horror novels, and still is.

-Before becoming an infected, she was previously in a taekwondo then went to karate classes for self-defense, it was recommended by her father. But her skills increased thanks to her master.

-She can collect some not-used knives and blades and keeps it for herself, tends to sharpen the blade of it.

-Still knows how to be a student after entering HSA with Chione. (Well, you have blame the people who are in the lab who made her into this)

-She's a little attentive to Chione but not too much though. Does care for her and worry for her a little bit, especially about the virus cells and her monster transformation she had witnessed.

-As stated, Ember had used to be human till a strange lab company abducted her and her neighbors and put them in hostage as lab subjects. She and her younger sister were the only two survivors after getting infected and then escaped. Ember then declared and promised to avenge her parents and her people who died in the lab.

-According to the creator, she has the most virus cells than her younger sister in her body and veins.

-During her days as a wanted target, she and Chione then met Daniel and his group. Although both sisters and his group weren't in good terms which caused a great misunderstanding at one another. But then, both sides became neutral in the aftermath, well less likely for Ember and Daniel though.

-It's slightly possible that Ember and Daniel can be together as a ship, but it isn't so sure.

-Is used to being called as a 'Bitch' often from anyone, but gets annoyed if she get called as 'Daniel's Bitch' from Kassie herself.

-Is not fazed much if someone tries to flirt with her. Though Chione wouldn't allow that.

-Knows how to do knife tricks, and also does it without harming someone.

-As an infected, Ember cannot feel any slight stand of pain of either getting stab by a weapon or more. She can still be okay and her body can regenerate due to the virus in her, but can lose a lot of energy though.

-Her bunny ears can twitch a little.

-Holds her pink pendent dearly that her parents gave to her after they had died in the lab.

-Can make a bloody mess if necessary to any of her enemies, of course she is a wanted target after all.

-Does know how to make crows like her out of surprise.

_______________________________________

YOUNGER SISTER IS NEXT-

[sibaimuaythai]

Muay Thai classes offered at Sibai Muay Thai Gym in Country Walk

Sibai Muay Thai Gym is a popular martial arts gym in the Country Walk neighborhood of Miami, Florida. The gym offers a range of Muay Thai classes for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced fighters. In this blog, we will closely examine the Muay Thai classes offered at Sibai Muay Thai Gym and why you should consider joining.

Firstly, it's important to understand what Muay Thai is and how it differs from other martial arts. Muay Thai is a martial art from Thailand that uses the hands, feet, knees, and elbows as striking weapons. It's often referred to as the "art of eight limbs" due to the eight points of contact used in the sport. Unlike other martial arts, such as karate or taekwondo, which focus on point sparring and forms, Muay Thai is a full-contact combat sport emphasizing practical fighting techniques.

The classes at Sibai Muay Thai Gym are led by experienced trainers who have trained and fought in Thailand. They are dedicated to teaching authentic Muay Thai techniques and helping students develop their skills and confidence. The gym offers a range of classes, including beginner, intermediate, and advanced level classes, sparring sessions and private lessons.

For beginners, the gym offers a comprehensive introductory course that covers the basic techniques of Muay Thai. The course includes instruction on stance, footwork, strikes, and defensive maneuvers and is designed to give students a solid foundation in the sport. The instructors are patient and supportive and work with each student to ensure they understand the techniques and can perform them safely.

In addition to group classes, Sibai Muay Thai Gym also offers private lessons for students who want to work on specific areas of their game or who prefer one-on-one instruction. These lessons are tailored to the student's needs and goals and can be a great way to accelerate progress and improve technique.

Overall, the Muay Thai classes offered at Sibai Muay Thai Gym Country Walk are a great way to learn the art of eight limbs and improve your fitness, strength, and confidence. The experienced trainers, comprehensive curriculum, and supportive community make it an ideal place for anyone who wants to take their Muay Thai skills to the next level. If you're interested in learning about Muay Thai or trying out a class, we highly recommend checking out Sibai Muay Thai Gym.

[reviewsv]

Top 10 Hottest Female Celebrities in the World 2016

Globalization has brought a new look at movie industry around the world, and one prominent industry is from the Hollywood. Moreover, more and more celebrities are outperforming in modeling, singing, and acting for the best world-class titles. Especially female celebrities who look sexy and breathtaking are building reputation in world record.

10. Katie Holmes

Katie Holmes was born on December 18, 1978 in Ohio. She has three sisters and one brother. While in high school life, Holmes was an outstanding student, who got 4.0 GPA when later she went to Columbia University. She started to star American movie, the Dawson’s Creek, that time roled as Joey Potter from 1998 to 2003. In 1998, Katie won a MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance in her role when she acted in Disturbing Behavior. S

09. Irina Shayk

Born in 1986, Russia, Irina Shayk became a supermodel and actress between 2007 and 2015. Irina really looks like an American woman, who’s got light eyes from her mother and a beautiful dark skin from her father. She has got one sister, Tatiana. While she was a student, she studied marketing. However, in 2004, she decided to join the “Miss Chelyabinsk 2004” and won the competition. Her achievement has gone so far as she ranks the first in the “50 Hottest Russian Women” issued by Complex magazine.

08. Queen Latifah

In fact, Queen Latifah has a real name called Dana Elaine Owens, who was born on March 18, 1970 in Newark, New Jersey. She went to Catholic School in Newark, where was raised by the Baptist when her parents got divorced. She is a multi-task person as a singer, writer, rapper, model, actress, and television producer. Besides, Queen has also won many rewards like Golden Globe Award, Image Award, Grammy Award and Screen Actor Guild Award.

07. Kristen Steward

Kristen is a very talented child. She has started acting on television since she was eight for school performance. In 2002, she got a nomination for a Young Artist Award after her breakthrough in Panic Room. However, her first well-known acting was Bella character in “The Twilight Saga”. This fortune and talent maybe be attributed to the fact that her parents were working in film and television, paving the way for their daughter in the movie industry. Her latest famous movie acting includes “Snow White and the Huntsman” and the “Cannes Selection on the Road”.

06. Jessica Biel

Born in Ely, Minnesota, Jessica Biel is both a business consultant and GM worker. Of course, this lady is beautiful and smart. Jessica spent her childhood life working as a vocalist for a musical theater. After staring as “Annie” in the “Beauty and the Beast”, she has decided to compete in the International Modeling in 1994. However, she found her fortune in the “7th Heaven” which made her a rising star. She also has other achievements in Roger Avary’s The Rules of Attraction (2002) and the Cellular (2004). Apart from being a celebrity, she has contributed her time to many charities.

05. Ashley Greene

Ashley was born on February 21, 1987 in Jacksonville, Florida. She went to University Christian School, and started working as an actor and model at the age of 17. Her well-known acting is Alice Cullen for Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novels. Though she loved to be a model at the first place, she later found her passion in acting. This woman really loves Taekwondo as she has confessed being a tomboy. Sometimes, as a teenager, Ashley was seen as a “hot mess”. Today, she has begun acting more roles in other movies.

04. Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes was born on March 5, 1974 in Miami, Florida. She is not only an American actress but also model and singer. She went to Hoover High School in Glendale and pursued her university life at California State University in a major of marketing. In 2001, after roling in B movies, she had changed to a new job in Training Day. Afterward, Eva played in some movies like 2 Fast 2 Furious, We Own the Night, Hitch and The Other Guys, Ghost Rider, and Stuck on You. Besides, she was also a designer from New York & Company in 2013.

03. Jennifer Lawrence

A daughter of a construction worker, Lawrence was born on August 15, 1990, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. When she was 14, she decided to convince her parents to take her to New York City in order to seek acting opportunity. Finally, she met her desire becoming an American actress. In 2008, she gained an Academy Award for Best Actress in the movies The Burning Plain and Winter’s Bone. Later in 2011, X-Men made her first commercial achievement.

02. Penelope Cruz

Bborn in Madrid, Spain, when Penélope Cruz Sánchez was young, she was known in her family for her funny performance. After she finished classical ballet at school, Cruz continued her career of dancing. Later Cruz became famous in the movie “The Greek Labyrinth” in 1993. In 1992, she also won the Oscar-winning Belle Epoque. Later in 2000, she found her tremendous project in Woman on Top.

1.Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis was born in USSR, later became Ukraine, to a family of mechanical engineer. At the age of 9, Mila started acting after her father created a opportunity for her on the radio. In 1995, she was given a role as Melinda in her first gig “Make a Wish, Molly”. Later, she made a lot of money in other films. Her latest masterpiece is “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” in which she played a free-spirited character called Rachel Jensen.

–>

[thestickchick]

Here's how my week of training, writing, teaching, and miscellaneous Filipino Martial Arts-y goodness went.

What have you been up to this week? THE WEEK DAY-BY-DAY: Saturday:  Mr. Chick was in Houston all weekend, so that left me to keep the home fires burning.  Took younger daughter to Taekwondo class, and since my teacher had a seminar to teach, I covered Arnis at Hidden Sword.  We worked on Dos Manos and capturing the stick with padded sticks so we could hit each other with impunity.  Fun class!  Also got in sai practice. Sunday:  Mr. Chick still out of town, so I did ALL THE CHORES. Monday:   Skipped gym since Mr. Chick didn't get home until the wee hours (construction plus Spring Break traffic = VERY LONG DRIVE) and neither one of us got to bed until very late.  Fine tuned our demo in Arnis class at Hidden Sword. Tuesday:   Morning gym. Taught at Mid-Cities Arnis.  Worked some on Anyo Isa. Wednesday:  I think I got a milder version of this horrible flu thing going around, and I stayed home from school.  However, as we have our Demo this weekend, I made it to Hidden Sword and practiced.  It just about killed me, but I practiced! Thursday:  Still sick, but started feeling well enough in the afternoon to go teach at Mid-Cities Arnis. Friday:  Morning gym. Not 100% yet -  more like 80% - but it was a normal day.  Instead of stick sparring, we had one last practice at Hidden Sword before our demo.  We're ready to go.

Just a portion of the demo practice in slow motion.

BLOGGY GOODNESS:

Here's the original content I posted this week: Monday:  On High Kicks Wednesday:   Nuthin'.  I was sick, y'all! And here's what I re-shared this week: Tuesday:   Weapons in Real Life: Confronted with a Long Blunt Weapon Thursday:  A Black Belt is a Black Belt is a Black Belt Friday: FACE-OFF FRIDAY: Are Values Necessary? OTHER STUFF THAT I SAW/DID: Hey cool, The Stick Chick blog was included with VERY good company (including friends of the blog +Logen Lanka at Way Of Ninja and +Andrea Harkins at The Martial Arts Woman and +Ando Mierzwa at Sensei Ando) in Feedspot's Top 20 Martial Arts Blogs.  I follow most of the blogs listed (Reddit is a "blog"? Really?), so you should check 'em out: Top 20 Martial Arts Blogs & Websites Every Martial Artist Must Follow There's a new issue of FMA Informative out.  Not only is this the premiere "news" organ of Filipino Martial Arts, but you might spot someone you know (*cough*) in there.  Download the current issue as well as back issues here: FMA Informative Different groups do our forms in different ways.  This version of Modern Arnis' Anyo Isa by our friend +Traveling Lakan at Progressive Arnis Miami is really cool!

FINAL THOUGHTS OF THE WEEK:

Today will be a long day over in Richardson with AKATO. I'm going early to observe their Black Belt test, then my teacher is teaching an Arnis seminar, then we have our demo (the one we've been working on for weeks).  Then we have our banquet - YAY TACOS! Now that the demo is past us, focus at my teacher's school will be on the final preparations for our second batch of Presas Arnis black belts that are testing on April 22.  Given that Mr. Chick and I were the first batch, this is kind of a big deal! Hope your week was fantabulous.  Yes, that's a word. Probably. So what did YOU do this week?  What did you train? What did you teach?  Did you see any really cool martial arts stuff online?  Let me know!

[surveyhoursss]

83.

You know someone bisexual You know someone who’s Muslim You know someone who because of their beliefs, don’t celebrate Halloween You know sign language You have been to Chicago You have been to Las Vegas You have been to Miami You live in Arkansas You live in Texas You live in North Dakota You have been called a redneck You have ridden in a small vehicle with 10+ people crammed into it You have been somewhere and had your ride leave without you You have accepted a ride home from someone you barely knew You were in a relationship at this time 1 year ago You were in a relationship 6 months ago You were in a relationship 1 month ago You have bought helium balloons just to make funny voices with them You have gotten a speeding ticket You own a t-shirt that supports your favorite band You have won free tickets to a concert You have won money from scratch-off cards You have bought cigarettes when you were underage You use hairspray on a daily basis You have argued with someone today You believe in love at first sight You are a vegan You are Wiccan You have played with a Ouija board You have visited somewhere said to be ‘haunted’ You drive a vehicle newer than a 2006 You own a digital camera You have taken photographs of yourself simply because you were bored If you could, you would spend a week in the 1920’s You would rather vacation at a ski resort over a beach house You have been on a cruise in the Caribbean You are lactose intolerant You sunburn easily You have freckles You have a birthmark You have questioned your beliefs You have questioned your sexuality You are emancipated from your parents You live on your own You live with a boyfriend/girlfriend You live with at least 3 roommates Your mom was a teen when she had you You are adopted You have considered adoption in your future You want more than four kids You don’t want kids You have children already You model your life after someone you look up to You have had a crush on a celebrity You watch a certain tv show religiously You know the Lord’s Prayer by heart You believe in purgatory You have been to a Bar Mitzvah You didn’t pass the first time you took your driving test You remember exactly where you were and what you were doing on Sept. 11th You got detention You know how to knit You can drive a stick shift You have broke curfew You have graffiti-ed something You own an umbrella You are dating the last person you kissed You have kissed someone in the last 24 hours You have kissed more than 3 people in the last year Your last missed call was from a relative You have driven somewhere today You know someone who works at McDonald’s You are diabetic You are hypoglycemic You wear glasses/contacts You have braces You are pregnant You are wearing shorts You are wearing at least 3 pieces of jewelry at the moment You have let someone use you, when you knew they were You have done something you really regret You have told someone something you really wish you could take back You have done something that ruined a friendship You are on non-speaking terms with a relative You have taken back an ex You have been taken back by an ex You have dumped someone and later wondered if it was the right thing You have broken someone’s heart You had your heart broken You have ignored someone who liked you in favor of someone you liked more You have accidentally led someone on You have intentionally led someone on You have been led on You have been hit on by someone of the same sex You have continued to see someone knowing they weren’t looking to date You have received a love letter You have had a secret admirer You know someone with the same name as you You know someone with the same first & last name as you You know someone with the same birthday as you You know someone with the same birthday/birth year as you You have been told you looked like a certain celebrity You are taller than your mom You are taller than your dad You are a legal adult You are currently attending a four-year university You are a psychology major You are an education major You are a business major You are a criminal justice major You have had a Mr. Lewis as a teacher You have had a Mrs. Brown as a teacher You know someone with the last name ‘Harper’ You know someone named ‘Muhammad’ You go to school with a ‘Travis’ You work with a ‘Heather’ You have dated a ‘Gavin’ You have held hands with a ‘Brett’ You have hugged a ‘Megan’ You have went out to eat with a ‘Wyatt’ You have been to the movies with a ‘Stephanie’ You are related to a ‘Jason’ You have a sister named ‘Breanna’ You have a brother named ‘Adam’ You have an aunt named ‘Carrie’ You have an uncle named ‘Kevin’ You have rode in a car with a ‘Rachel’ You have flirted with a ‘Brock’ Your favorite season is Winter Your favorite color is Green Your lucky number is 7 Your favorite animal is a Panda Bear You saw your favorite movie in theaters You have been to a concert of your favorite band You have a cold at the moment You live north of Phoenix, AZ You live south of Detroit, MI You live west of St. Louis, MO You live east of Denver, CO You have visited all 50 states You have visited all 48 contiguous states You have walked around town after midnight You have been stuck on a Ferris wheel when it started storming You have seen a tornado You have been in a hurricane You have thrown up in a restaurant You have passed out in a public place You couldn’t live without your caffeine You have been to the emergency room more than 5 times You have slept more than 24 hours in one sleep session You have received a compliment today You have given someone a false phone number so they couldn’t call you You have introduced yourself with a name other than your own You have given out someone else’s phone number than your own You have convinced someone you had a twin You have convinced someone you had a sibling that didn’t really exist You have taken someone’s virginity You have gotten in the car and drove off with no destination in mind You have taken the long way home just so you could jam out to some tunes You have thought of taking up a hippie-care-free lifestyle You have seriously considered legally changing your name You have walked around in your underwear when no one was home You have gambled online You have fallen for someone you told yourself you wouldn’t fall for You have smoked a whole pack of cigarettes in a matter of hours You have drank so much you blacked out You have been bit by a snake You have been bit by a dog You wish at 11:11 You have found a four leaf clover You pick up pennies for good luck You don’t really believe in luck You have remained good friends with an ex You have been a flower girl/ring bearer in a wedding You have been a best man/ maid of honor in a wedding You have been to a funeral this year You have been to a baby shower this year You have been to a bachelor/bachelorette party this year You have been to a 21st birthday party this year You have been to a graduation party this year You have been to a going away party this year You have been to an anniversary party this year You love the smell of fresh-cut grass You have seen a sunset and then stayed awake to see the following sunrise You have borrowed someone’s coat/sweatshirt and never gave it back You have used an excuse (cold, scared, etc.) to get to cuddle with someone You have died in a dream You have gotten a call from someone and wondered how they got your number You have laughed out loud at something you were thinking of You have gotten lost and ended up in at a completely different destination You have run out of gas before You have done something just because you knew you weren’t supposed to You have been grounded for longer than a month You have babysat more than one child under 10 at a time You have called in sick to work because you were hungover You have stared at the dots on your ceiling and saw pictures in them You have stayed more than 3 days in the hospital You have pretended to be something you weren’t for someone else You have danced in front of the mirror in private You have dialed a wrong number and it turned out to be someone you knew You have been to the Atlantic ocean You have told someone you were fine when you really weren’t You have copied someone else’s homework You have read an entire book in one sitting You have spent more than $100 on a pair of jeans You have taken gymnastics You have taken a karate class (Taekwondo but whatever)  You have taken a yoga class You have written something on a dollar bill You have eaten peanut butter right out of the jar You have drank milk straight from the carton You have tried roasting marshmallows using a candle flame You feel like you have no life because you completed this 

[rickhorrow]

15+5+5 To Watch 8519

15 TO WATCH/5 SPORTS TECH/POWER OF SPORTS 5: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 5

with Jacob Aere

Rick remembers Nick Buoniconti. When I was in junior high school and high school, I worshiped #85 middle linebacker Nick Buoniconti as the linchpin of the undefeated 1972 Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins. After graduating Harvard Law School, I came back to South Florida ready to embark on a sports career. Unfortunately, other than the Dolphins, no major league sports were to be had. I was working with a commercial law firm in Miami, but my dream was to help bring the next set of sports franchises to South Florida. Nick was an established practicing lawyer in Miami, having studied by night at Suffolk Law School while playing for the then Boston Patriots. After meeting him, it became obvious that I wanted to work with him. We agreed that I would work with him and Dolphins owner Joe Robbie to create the first Miami Sports Authority and work to bring other pro sports to South Florida. Nick was my original legal mentor in Miami. His vision, understanding, and mixture of outward toughness and inner compassion would never be forgotten. It was amazing when he announced that he would donate his brain to science two years ago for CTE study; even more amazing that he was known for so many other things beyond football.  I treasured the time with him, and will always honor his legacy.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night at Tom Benson Stadium inducted the "eight newest enshrinees" as part of the Class of 2019. This year's ceremony formally enshrined Champ Bailey, Tony Gonzalez, Ed Reed, Ty Law, Kevin Mawae, Pat Bowlen, Gil Brandt, and Johnny Robinson. As ESPN noted, almost everyone who stepped to the podium "battled, unsuccessfully and happily, to fight back tears, and all struggled mightily to thank those who had significant impacts on their lives, on and off the field, as each feared leaving someone out. But the spotlight on these players will continue to shine for the foreseeable future -- according to JohnWallStreet, enshrinement can extend Hall of Fame inductees’ commercial viability and marketing opportunities by more than 50%. For most NFL players, retirement means the end of lucrative marketing opportunities, but Hall of Fame inductees can find that a six (or seven) figure career awaits. The NFL’s gold jacket represents the “gold standard” for pro football players – it also ensures an extension of the athletes’ commercial viability and immediately enhances their consumer marketability.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will "expand the number of potential inductees to 20" in 2020 as "part of the NFL’s celebration of its 100th season." Hall of Fame President and Sport Business Handbook Contributor David Baker told the Associated Press and assembled media that "five modern-day players, 10 seniors, three contributors and two coaches could be elected next year." The modern-day group "would be decided by the 48 selection committee voters, as always, on the day before the Super Bowl in February." Meanwhile, the other 15 potential inductees "would be voted on as one bloc, not individually, by the selection committee." They "would be chosen by a 25-member committee that will include Hall of Famers, historians and current voters." Part of the 2020 class would then be "inducted in early August," as is tradition, while the others "would be enshrined about September 17, 2020, the date that marks 100 years from the original NFL game." The mega-enshrinement is only one of a huge slate of commemorative events the NFL has planned to celebrate its centennial.

The cost to attend an NFL game has gone up astronomically over the last decade. As NFL fans prepare to enjoy a full schedule of preseason action this week, ticket prices alone jumped nearly 40% across all the NFL stadiums – the good ones and the bad – from 2008 to 2018, according to data from Team Marketing Report. Today, you'll spend close to $200 per person to see a game at the priciest pro football meccas, say researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. Their fan cost calculations factor in ticket prices, parking, and what you pay for one beer plus one hot dog. Here are the five most expensive NFL stadiums for fans, using numbers from the study. At No. 5 is Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, average fan cost: $181.98. No. 4 is Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers’ home, average fan cost: $191.50. No. 3 is the Washington Redskins’ FedEx Field, average fan cost: $192.02. At No. 2, Soldier Field in Chicago, average fan cost: $195.15. And coming in at No. 1: AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Despite Jerry World having pioneered the SRO concept in stadiums, the average fan cost there is $199.20.

Ninja left Twitch for Mixer. Pro gamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins has "left Twitch and is taking his video game live streams to Microsoft’s Mixer platform, a stunning switch that could have wide-ranging consequences" for the esports industry, according to the Associated Press. The move ends a "hugely profitable partnership with Twitch." Blevins has "earned millions broadcasting himself playing Fortnite and other video games on Twitch and YouTube," and he has "over 14 million followers on Twitch." Blevins hosted his first Mixer live stream Friday from the Lollapalooza annual music festival in Chicago. While Blevins said that he "will not actively recruit other gamers," if more streamers "follow him to Mixer, it could become a legitimate competitor in a market dominated by Twitch." Mixer launched in 2016 but "hasn’t nearly matched Twitch’s popularity" -- Microsoft "reported 10 million monthly users last year, compared to well over 100 million for Twitch," which launched in 2011. According to Ninja's management company, "the decision was overwhelmingly not driven by the monetary value," but rather the “opportunity to attract new viewers.” It's almost impossible not to believe that Team Ninja didn't see huge dollar signs in the Mixer.

Brooks Koepka is smiling all the way to the bank. The four-time major champion picked up his third non-major victory on the PGA Tour at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, but the cash windfall the victory brought with it was perhaps more impressive than his three-shot victory. According to Swing U Clubhouse, the added bonuses that Koepka has accrued culminating with this victory could make a PGA Tour player’s career. In Memphis, Koepka earned a $1.75 million paycheck, but his win also earned him 550 FedEx Cup points, which with only one event left in the regular season — last week’s Wyndham Championship, worth 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner — solidified his spot atop the regular-season standings. As a result, the Tour’s new regular season payout structure, called the Wyndham Rewards, which gives the top-10 players in the FedEx Cup standings at the end of the season a bonus, was wrapped up a week ahead of time by Koepka. For that accomplishment, Koepka earned an additional $2 million. Last, and technically least, Koepka earned the $1 million Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a competition that uses a scoring system to reward aggressive and well-executed play throughout the year.

A bill being introduced to the U.S. Congress would allow lawmakers to fire the USOPC's "entire board" and would "quadruple the money the federation provides to the U.S. Center for SafeSport." According to the Associated Press, the bipartisan bill, known as the Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019, "spurred by Larry Nassar's sex crimes and other mishandled abuse cases," is the "most far-reaching response to 18 months of outrage, investigations and recriminations." It would "increase athlete representation on the USOPC board" and other NGB boards from 20% to 33%, while making the USOPC and NGBs "legally responsible for not reporting sexual abuse or failing to take measures to prevent it." The measure is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). Blumenthal called the bill a "moment of reckoning" and believes it demonstrates Congress' willingness to create a "seismic cultural shift" in the protection of athletes from abuse, per the New York Times. 

An 18-month Senate investigation has found that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and USA Gymnastics "knowingly concealed" the sexual abuse of gymnasts by a team doctor, the New York Times reports. "The investigation described “alarming and dysfunctional systems” that allowed emotional, physical and sexual abuse to persist in sports like gymnastics, swimming, figure skating and taekwondo." As a result of the investigation, the Empowering Olympic and Amateur Athletes Act of 2019 would not only create accountability, but establish procedures -- the USOPC would be required to provide more oversight of governing bodies, while also establishing clear procedures to report abuse; and increase congressional oversight. The bill gives Congress authority to dissolve the board of the USOPC and decertify national governing bodies should they fail to protect athletes. It will also fund nonprofit work: the USOPC currently pays $3.1 million per year to SafeSport, a nonprofit that investigates sexual misconduct in Olympic sports. This bill would require them to pay $20 million annually, instead. 

Under Armour sees North American market share slip. Under Armour last week reported "mixed" second quarter earnings, while it "updated its outlook for the full year and now expects sales in North America to decline slightly." Previously, it "expected revenue on its home turf to be 'relatively flat'" in 2019. But Under Armour has been "struggling to keep pace with rivals Nike, Lululemon, and Adidas in the U.S." Overall, CNBC reports, revenue was $1.192 billion, compared to $1.199 billion expected. UA reported a "narrower net loss" of $17.3 million compared to a loss of $95.5 million in the year-ago period. North American sales fell 3% to $816 million in the second quarter. UA has been "restructuring its operations to cut spending and inventories while reducing promotions as it struggles to keep its market share" in the United States. In the meantime, UA founder and CEO Kevin Plank went to bat for Baltimore, his hometown and UA headquarters, and for embattled Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings. 

After making a steady stream of strategic investments in the industry, Foot Locker is launching a sneaker-focused design incubator that it has been secretly building for the past few months. According to Hashtag Sports, Foot Locker’s plan for sneaker domination is “Greenhouse.” The plan is for it to be a separate unit designed to gather insight about the current state of the sneaker industry to better respond to sneakerheads. Greenhouse will also offer services to other sneaker brands in the industry. Foot Locker has been quickly expanding its reach over the last year through a series of investments. All of this allows Foot Locker to diversify its revenue stream while keeping its finger on the pulse of diverse and remote parts of the activewear and sneaker industries. Long a reliable mall tenant, Foot Locker has struggled mightily as America has abandoned the mall to do its shopping online. Putting a new shoe concept on an old sporting goods brand can only help.

The Clippers have unveiled renderings for their new sports and entertainment center in Inglewood. Projected to cost $1 billion, as well as serve as the new home for the NBA franchise, it will include the team’s business and basketball operations, training facility, community and retail spaces. The 18,000-seat Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center features a three-dimensional oval design with an exterior made up of diamond-shaped metal panels apparently inspired by the concept of a basketball swishing through a net. As well as aesthetics, the panels will have solar power capabilities, with the Clippers’ new campus aiming for net zero greenhouse gas emissions through carbon offset credits and sustainable design features. With plans for the Inglewood project now moving ahead, the Clippers have been quick to champion the benefits of the new build. According to their statement, the complex, when completed, will generate an estimated $268 million in economic activity for Inglewood annually, and more than $190 million in new tax revenue from 2020-2045. That revenue will help support city services such as schools, parks, libraries, and emergency services.

Wanda Sports Group (WSG), the sporting arm of the Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group, raised $190.4 million in a smaller-than-expected U.S. IPO on July 26. According to JohnWallStreet, WSG priced shares at $8 (below a previously reduced $9-$11 target), valuing the company at around $1 billion. The share price declined -35.5% (to $5.16) on the first day of trading and has continued to slide since. The company's debt-laden balance sheet and a geopolitical climate that has U.S. investors hesitant to invest in Chinese businesses explain why WSG had the second-worst debut of 2019. (The worst IPO of the year was held by another Chinese corporation, Ruhnn Holding.) WSG had initially set out to raise $500 million. Two days prior to the IPO, the company lowered their target to $308 million, so selling less than $200 million worth of shares must be considered a disappointment. Missing the company’s target by 60%, and then watching the share price immediately plunge another 39%, would indicate that WSG either lacks an understanding of the U.S. marketplace or the leadership to pivot when it was determined that the market was too soft for the product.

Kraft Heinz is "highly unlikely" to renew its stadium naming rights deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers when the existing contract expires in 2021, according to SportsBusiness Journal. The 68,000-seat venue has been known as Heinz Field since opening in 2001, but SBJ claims "no one across the naming rights industry" expects the company’s name to be attached to the stadium beyond the current deal. Kraft Heinz is now headquartered in Chicago following its 2015 merger with Kraft Foods Group. The original 20-year deal signed by the Steelers and Heinz was reported to be worth $57 million, working out at $2.85 million each year. Teams in similar markets to Pittsburgh bring in far more money than the Steelers per year. The Philadelphia Eagles, for example, signed a 14-year renewal in May with Lincoln Financial Group worth a reported $167 million, providing the franchise with approximately $12 million per year. Meanwhile, personal finance company SoFi’s rumored deal with the new Los Angeles stadium for the Chargers and Rams will apparently see the firm pay $20 million annually over 20 years. Amid skyrocketing naming rights fees, Kraft Heinz has apparently decided to throw in the Terrible Towel.

FIFA contemplates leaving Switzerland. According to the New York Times, senior executives at FIFA, the world’s governing soccer body, are seriously considering leaving Switzerland, the organization’s home for nearly 90 years. Under current president Gianni Infantino, FIFA has tried to move away from its past, especially the allegedly corrupt reign of past president Sepp Blatter. The discussion surrounding leaving Zurich is driven by many factors, but high on the list are difficulties in hiring staff members from outside the EU and “an acceptance that continuing to base its operations in a country with a reputation for corporate secrecy might not align with the goals of an organization trying to win back the public trust.” Plans could include leaving Zurich entirely or opening subsidiary offices in other parts of the world “to give it better access to, and oversight of, its 211 member associations.” The organization’s current headquarters, known as FIFA House, was completed in 2007 at a cost of over $200 million.

Phillies suing Phanatic creator to keep rights to mascot. According to the Philadelphia Enquirer, in a federal lawsuit filed last Friday in U.S. District Court in New York, the Philadelphia Phillies "accused Harrison/Erickson Inc., the creators and designers of the Phillie Phanatic, of threatening to withdraw" from their 1984 agreement to "let the Phillies use the mascot 'forever.'" According to the lawsuit, the designers have "threatened to obtain an injunction against the Phillies' use of the Phanatic" and "make the Phanatic a free agent." The lawsuit alleges if the Phillies "do not renegotiate with the mascot's creators and pay them 'millions of dollars,'" the designers will sell the rights to the Phanatic to another sports team. The Phillies "initially paid $215,000 for rights to the Phanatic" in 1984. Reuters added that the designers have "threatened to end" the Phillies' use of the Phanatic by next June. No word on whether Gritty, the nearby Flyers' googly-eyed orange mascot, was spotted in the district courthouse taking notes.

 Top Five Tech

Sentinels player Kyle “Bugda” Giersdorf is the first winner of the Fortnite World Cup Finals. The 16-year-old bagged the $3 million grand prize at Arthur Ashe stadium in Queens, with $30 million being awarded overall to competitors at the event. Audiences tuned in massively, with Esports Charts reporting that the final round drew peak viewership of 2.3 million across the various platforms running the event, with 22.5 million hours watched overall. According to Dexterto, it has set the bar higher for esports tournaments being broadcast on Twitch, as 1.3 million concurrent viewers is the new Twitch record for an esports event, beating out CS:GO's ELEAGUE Boston Major 1.15 million and League of Legends’ peak of 1.14 million. Other platforms carrying the tournament were YouTube, Mixer, Twitter, and in-game on Fortnite. This event proves that Fortnite can be taken seriously in the competitive gaming scene and should have a future in esports.

EA's Madden NFL esports championship gets ad backing from Snickers and Pizza Hut. The Madden NFL 20 Championship Series this year has open registration to draw the greatest number of esports competitors in its history. So far, Pizza Hut is the first brand to win naming rights to a virtual football stadium, while Snickers will return as an official sponsor of EA's Madden NFL (MCS) esports tournament. According to Marketing Dive, the esports dates will be synchronized with the NFL kickoff from August 30 to September 1. After that, MCS events will happen during key NFL moments, including the Madden NFL 20 Club Championship on December 18-21 before the playoffs and the Madden NFL 20 Challenge from January 30 to February 1 before the Super Bowl. The series concludes at the Madden NFL 20 Bowl, which coincides with the NFL Draft April 23-25, when 16 top players will vie for the Madden NFL championship title. The Madden NFL 20 Classic will air on the Madden NFL Twitch and YouTube channels. This is the first time a brand will have full naming rights to a virtual stadium, which shows the full dive brands are making into esports.

Online sports news site, The Athletic, hits 500,000 subscribers. The Athletic, a sports-news subscription service that launched in 2016, expects to nearly double its subscription total by the year end. Based in San Francisco, the platform is an ad-free, online-only network for local sports coverage. Subscriptions cost $10 a month or $60 a year, though many customers have signed up at lower promotional rates. The Athletic has expanded to nearly 50 cities in the U.S. and Canada and hired hundreds of sports reporters and editors, often from local newspapers. According to Bloomberg, it covers roughly 270 teams from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college sports. The company is also looking to introduce coverage of English Premier League soccer teams this month. Hiring in preparation for that launch has caused a stir in U.K. newsrooms. The site is a test for the digital-subscription model in journalism and backers have provided more than $90 million in funding. It doesn’t seem the rising media entity will slow down anytime soon.

Tokyo 2020 is set to be the first multi-platform Olympic Games. According to Digiday, thousands of streams and video replays will be available to viewers on a variety of devices, dramatically expanding upon the number of contextual targeting opportunities for brands and the athletes they sponsor. Rather than be an Official Olympic brand, some may opt to place themselves adjacent to the news, commentary, and pictures about the latest events. Tokyo is thirteen hours ahead of the U.S., and a massive portion of U.S. viewing will inevitably be of the time-shifted, digital variety. In the four years since the last summer Games, digital viewing has become dominant. Digital delivery will allow marketers to address their ads not simply on audience demographics, but also contextually. Although Rio 2016 may have been a disappointment for Olympics advertisers, tech-savvy brands will ensure Tokyo 2020 is highly profitable.

New Orleans Pelicans rookie and basketball sensation Zion Williamson has signed a multi-year partnership deal with NBA2K. According to Clutchpoints, the former No. 1 overall pick will be integrated in various game initiatives, consumer events, brand creative, and social activations. He joins an elite list of players with similar deals including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, and James Harden, as well as NBA legends Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal. Williamson says that he has played the game his whole life and that it is an honor to be part of the 2K team. The 19-year-old South Carolina native made 33 appearances in his lone season with the Duke Blue Devils, racking up averages of 22.6 points on 68% shooting from the field (33.8% from beyond the arc), 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.8 blocks in 30 minutes per outing. This is a big business step for the Pelicans and Williamson, who is in the midst of legal battles with a sports marketing company that tried to sue him after he tried to void their contract.

Power of Sports Five

Fields & Futures upgrades school athletic fields, builds futsal courts. Behind F.D. Moon Middle School in Oklahoma City sits an empty excavated field and a slab of concrete. But according to the Oklahoman, Fields & Futures President Tim McLaughlin, co-owner of OKC Energy FC, sees a space rich with possibilities. This summer, the nonprofit organization is renovating fields at seven middle schools, all affected by consolidations across the Oklahoma City school district. Some of the facilities are former elementary schools reconfigured to serve fifth through eighth grade, an age group that needs on-site athletic facilities. The concrete slab behind F.D. Moon will become a futsal pad, where athletes can play a compressed version of soccer that emphasizes footwork and ball control. Soon, every middle school in the Oklahoma City district will have one, resulting from a Fields & Futures partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Musco Lighting, 7-Eleven, and the Energy Assist Foundation. The cost to install 10 of these “mini pitches” exceeds $500,000. “Soccer’s the world’s largest sport,” McLaughlin told The Oklahoman. “It’s also one of the biggest unifying sports there are.”

Penguins working with AbleGamers to bring hockey and esports to all. A series of connections brought about by video gaming started in May when the Penguins, Cavs Legion, and the Pittsburgh Knights partnered with Point Park University to host an esports event that led to a meeting between the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and AbleGamers. In preparation for the event, called the Steel City Showdown, Point Park University's Steve Tanzilli came across The AbleGamers Charity and their COO and Pittsburgh native Steve Spohn. Tanzilli was so impressed by Spohn that he reached out to the Penguins and their Foundation. AbleGamers Charity is a nonprofit that wields the power of gaming to break down barriers of economic and social isolation for children, adults, and veterans with disabilities. With a combination of technologies such as mouth controllers, eye gaze, and customized controllers, they find a way for people to play video games no matter their disability. After the tournament concluded, the Penguins Foundation donated $25,000 to AbleGamers and made a commitment to help them continue their mission.

Kevin Durant's San Francisco parting gift combines art, basketball. As the 10-time All-Star Kevin Durant heads to Brooklyn, he wanted to make sure his name was still going to be associated with the Bay Area by leaving a renovated basketball court at the Hayes Valley Playground in San Francisco. Last week, San Francisco Recreation and Park celebrated the reopening of the Hayes Valley Playground at Buchanan and Hayes streets, a renovation partially funded by Durant's charity as well as Joe Gebbia, one of the founders of Airbnb, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Local artist Apexer worked with Vintage Contractors to create this masterpiece, which held a lot of detail, including special paint and the right colors for the surface. Durant founded his KDCF (Kevin Durant Charity Foundation) to "enrich the lives of at-risk youth from low-income backgrounds through educational, athletic, and social programs." This latest collaboration clearly meets that goal.

Bryant family makes record $13 million commitment to UCF Athletics. Gary and Barbara Bryant recently made the largest gift commitment in the history of UCF athletics. According to the Space Coast Daily, once funded, their $13 million estate gift commitment will establish the Gary and Barbara Bryant Family Athletic Endowed Scholarship Fund. Annual proceeds from the endowment will provide athletic scholarship support for both men’s and women’s student-athletes at UCF. “We appreciate Gary and Barbara’s investment in our educational and athletic mission at UCF,” says Danny White, UCF vice president and director of athletics. “Their family legacy at UCF will forever provide life-changing scholarship opportunities for hundreds of young men and women to pursue their academic, athletic and personal dreams through the student-athlete experience.” Added Gary Bryant, “Barbara and I have always participated in sports and believe in the transformational, door-opening value of a college education.” This is a terrific show of support for Orlando’s “Hometown Team.”

J.T. Brown finishes sixth at Fortnite Pro-Am, donates $75,000 prize to charity. J.T. Brown continues to use his Fortnite skill for good. The Minnesota Wild forward teamed up with pro gamer CLG Marksman to finish sixth at the Fortnite Pro-Am on Friday, winning a $75,000 prize to be donated to the charity of their choice. Brown is an avid gamer who played 24 consecutive hours on Twitch las year and raised more than $1,300 for Hockey Is For Everyone. After a self-described rough Game 3, Brown/Marksman registered 12 eliminations and a Victory Royale to clinch their finish in Game 4. Brown posted the highlights to his Instagram account and also shared his elation at the result after the event. Brown/Marksman was one of the 50 tandems vying for the $3 million charity prize, which went to record producer RL Grime and his partner Airwaks. The pro-am was one of the highlights of the Fortnite World Cup Finals, a three-day event at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York that attracted one hundred best players from around the globe.

[kacydeneen]

Glades Middle School Has a Place for Every Student

Most middle schools don't have jazz bands. Glades Middle School in Kendall has one, and it sounds almost as good as a high school band. It's one of several distinctions this A-rated school enjoys.

"I'm proud as a principal to see 'em play, they seem like high school students, some of them at college level," principal Cynthia Garcia-Valdes says, talking about the jazz band.

Runners Club of Miami-Dade Special Education Students Train for 5K

One unique program here is the self-defense class, taught by a taekwondo black belt.

"This is the first school to ever have this, as far as I know," said Lysander Alonso, the PE coach and martial arts instructor. "I always tell 'em, this is a life lesson, you never know, you may need this when you're in your 20's, they practice and practice, this is a life lesson."

North Broward Preparatory Powered by STEAM Programs

Here's another life lesson: it's good to be in the school's culinary room when the students are baking the impossibly gooey, cinnamon-infused treat known as monkey bread. (We had the good fortune of taking some back to the NBC 6 newsroom, where it is currently being devoured.)

Glades Middle students choose between regular, gifted, or the Cambridge program tracks, along with electives such as culinary, self-defense, and robotics.

Months After Heart Transplant, Blanche Ely Student Doesn't Miss a Beat

"Every child has a place here at Glades Middle School, whether you have a learning disability, regular student, advanced and gifted, we educate the whole child, students have here a sense of belonging," Garcia-Valdes said.

Restorative Justice Practices helps kids feel at home. It's a program designed to spark self-expression. A discussion is facilitated by a teacher, and the kids take turns contributing their thoughts. Usually done in a circle format, teachers in every subject area hold RSP sessions several times a month.

"The purpose of that is so when students come to school they feel welcomed and comfortable at school and they feel like this is a house, it's a place where they belong," said history teacher Jonathan Cid.

From emotional expression to physical expression, the school just formed a dance club a month ago, yet another outlet for students.

The principal says her school has it all. She may be right.

Photo Credit: NBC 6 Glades Middle School Has a Place for Every Student published first on Miami News

[pangeanews]

“Scrivo come combatto, vivendo una vita sacra nella poesia”: dialogo con Marina Serrano, poetessa e campione mondiale di taekwondo

Il primo aggettivo, quello inevitabilmente banale, è: tosta. Marina Serrano, tra i poeti più importanti di oggi in Argentina, è una tosta. Classe 1973, pubblica il primo libro di poesie, Formación hospitalaria nel 2006 – che nel titolo ricorda, per suggestione, Ospedale Britannico, libro decisivo dell’argentino Héctor Viel Temperley, per fortuna edito in Italia da Raffaelli, nel 2014. Marina è tosta, banalmente. Fisiatra e psicologa, nel 2000 (in Olanda) e nel 2002 (negli States) diventa campionessa mondiale di taekwondo. La pratica delle arti marziali arrota il corpo e precisa l’ago cristallino dell’anima. La disciplina, il nitore della carne, il deserto verbale, l’agonia e l’agonismo, sono atteggiamenti che pareggiano il gesto sportivo a quello poetico. Per quanto, “nella poesia non si tratta di arrivare più lontano, più in alto, di picchiare più forte. Non si tratta di trovare un poeta migliore, un pene più lungo, ma si parla di bellezza, di comprensione, di affinare i sensi, di vedere con altri occhi”. Tosta Marina lo è perché la poesia accade come una stupefacente esplorazione di sé, macerata nello studio, nell’accecamento e nella solitudine. Quando la interroghi, la Serrano sorprende per la capacità concettuale, per la lucida violenza delle asserzioni. Tra i libri importanti, La única cosa necesaria (2012), Segunda Fondación (2015), Psiquis anatómica (2016). Il discorso poetico, liturgico e lisergico, è scandito, anche, da un ragionamento dentro i testi sacri – dalla Bibbia ai libri della tradizione indiana e musulmana – e quelli laterali al canone (imponente il dialogo con gli apocrifi). Come se la Serrano cercasse l’origine della tenerezza di Dio, pretendesse il suo pianto, senza altre allusioni.

Quando ha cominciato a scrivere? Perché? Cos’è per lei la scrittura? Un modo per costruire qualcosa o per scavare qualcosa?

L’inizio della scrittura non è per me quel brodo primordiale dal quale partiamo per sperimentare combinazioni fattibili, dove mettiamo in campo un determinato ruolo per vedere se ci riesce bene, se ci piace ciò che immaginiamo per il nostro futuro, non è nemmeno l’azione di scrivere in sé, comporre versi, inventare storie, ma è quel punto di svolta in cui si comincia decisamente a considerare ciò che si è scritto come qualcosa che ha una forma più o meno concordata, un prodotto socialmente di valore e richiesto, e il tuo segno distintivo, il cui atto creativo ti caratterizza. Nel mio caso, dopo anni di scrittura silenziosa e senza rotta (nella migliore accezione del termine), partecipai a un laboratorio di poesia strutturato in cinque lezioni, con una grande maestra che mi ha detto: non c’è niente da ritoccare, questo è poesia. E ciò che avevo sempre fatto, all’improvviso, è diventato qualcosa e ha acquisito un nome: poesia. Scrivere è stato, ed è, parte della mia vita, qualsiasi spiegazione sul perché lo faccio risulta parziale come quella che si potrebbe dare sul perché espletiamo le funzioni vitali, come mangiare, defecare, agire. Ossigenarsi, liberarsi dell’aria viziata, è solo una risposta parziale all’atto di respirare. Scrivere fa parte della mia vita e può darsi che, col tempo, cambi il modo in cui lo faccio e cambi l’opinione del pubblico in merito al prodotto della mia scrittura, ma ciò cambierebbe esclusivamente le conseguenze.

In una delle sue opere, La única cosa necesaria, tratta il tema del dolore, ripercorrendo i testi sacri, dalla Bibbia, al Corano, alle Upaniṣad. Forse, il dolore, il male è il tema inevitabile della letteratura. Cosa può dire la poesia sul dolore? La poesia può salvare qualcosa?

La única cosa necesaria è un libro che ha richiesto molto tempo e studio, e un isolamento profondo. In qualche modo, il processo della sua scrittura mi ha permesso di confrontarmi con la mia stessa vita, con il dolore, la disaffezione, il maltrattamento. Il percorso della sua creazione è stato un viaggio di andata e ritorno tra testi religiosi molto diversi e la mia stessa biografia. Sentivo che questi libri erano la mia stessa voce, ma manifestatasi in un altro tempo. In qualche modo, credo che ciò che trasforma un libro in qualcosa di sacro sia la sua capacità di essere universale e al tempo stesso assolutamente particolare. La poesia consente di muoversi nello spazio, riportare al cuore e alla coscienza eventi un tempo incomprensibili e, partendo da questo rinnovamento, attribuire loro nuovi significati, trovare la bellezza là dove forse non la scorgevamo, ricreare la bellezza, l’umanità. C’è un passaggio nel Vangelo di Giuseppe il Falegname (edizione copta), in cui Gesù rifiuta la morte del padre terreno, la rifiuta con urla e minacce, la rifiuta visceralmente e, dopo alcuni andirivieni, quando alla fine Giuseppe muore, Gesù, innanzi al cadavere, pone la sua mano sul cuore, sul cuore del corpo del padre e dice: “L’odore fetido della morte non si impadronisca mai di te. Non odano le tue orecchie niente di male. La putrefazione non pervada il tuo corpo…”. Questo dio è uguale a una persona qualsiasi innanzi al dolore. Qui la parola scritta conforta, se un dio può piangere e disconoscere la morte, può chiedere a gran voce che il corpo di suo padre non patisca il destino che tutti i corpi devono inesorabilmente patire, se dio si permette l’egoismo del dolore, il desiderio del possesso, dov’è la differenza con me? Io sono diventata voce poetica, ho fatto della mia vita passata voce poetica, l’ho resa a immagine e somiglianza di un dio che si permette il potere sulla vita e la morte. La poesia sacralizza il mondo, lo riunisce. Un giorno la memoria della carne comincerà a venir meno, andrà modificandosi lentamente, perderò i modelli di riferimento, ma rimarrà sempre la bellezza di una vita sacra nella poesia.

Che rapporto ha con la poesia argentina? Quali sono i suoi punti di riferimento, cosa le piace leggere?

La poesia argentina è parte della mia famiglia, per quanto la rinneghi, nel mio carattere ve n’è di più di quanto creda e di quanto vorrei; essa influenza, da un punto cieco, il mio sguardo e i miei comportamenti. Ragion per cui le mie preferenze viscerali non hanno troppo valore. Per esempio, so che giudico la poesia spagnola partendo dalla mia argentinità, ergo scelgo solo i classici e il resto lo metto in un luogo secondario, perché lo reputo troppo incanalato, appiccicoso. Ma, ripeto, questo trova la sua ragion d’essere nel fatto che noi argentini siamo viscerali, insolenti, spacconi, nostalgici, brontoloni, e di tutto ciò è impregnata la nostra poesia, il nostro modo di fare poesia, e finiamo col credere che questo modo – immersi come siamo in quel cronico sentirci l’ombelico del mondo – sia la buona poesia, sia la poesia. Pessima idea, ma è questo quello che succede, di solito. Qualcosa di analogo mi capita con le poetiche latinoamericane, le giudico partendo dalla mia argentinità, pertanto il mio giudizio non vale un fico secco. Posso affermare che la poesia argentina mi piace, come agli uomini di ogni Paese piacciono le proprie donne, il proprio cibo, i propri costumi. Provo ad andare oltre me stessa e imparare ad assaporare altre poetiche, e a volte ci riesco, ma richiede tempo e fatica. Ammetto che un altro dei miei problemi è quello di leggere scorrevolmente la poesia solo in spagnolo, ragion per cui tutta l’influenza straniera mi giunge sempre intrisa del valore aggiunto (o sottratto) dalla traduzione. Mi considero molto influenzata da Héctor Viel Temperley, da Diego Muzzio, da Cecilia Romana, dopo il mio avvio poetico concreto, benché mi sia formata leggendo Borges, Sor Juana, i classici, e molto e, dico molto in particolare, tutto ciò che era pop e di facile accesso. Probabilmente tutti questi fanno parte dei miei punti ciechi, del mio carattere. Ammiro Jorge Aulicino, Mirtha Rosemberg, Daniel Durand, Jorge Fondebrider.

Lei è campionessa di taekwondo: è vero? Quando ha cominciato a praticarlo? Che tipo di relazione c’è tra disciplina e poesia? La poesia ha in sé qualcosa di “agonistico”?

Sì, è vero. Ho cominciato a praticare taekwondo a 10 anni, nel mio paese, e già a 17 mi sono classificata prima nella graduatoria nazionale. A venti già rappresentavo il mio Paese, l’Argentina, e ho praticato una varietà di stili e di arti marziali come parte della mia formazione. Nell’anno 2000 ho vinto il campionato mondiale di Taekwondo International a Eindhoven, in Olanda. E l’ho vinto di nuovo nel 2002, a Miami, negli Stati Uniti. Probabilmente quella relazione evidente che c’è tra poesia e arti marziali può sembrare inesistente, ma le arti marziali, se ben praticate, ossia per molti anni e sotto le guide giuste, sono attività che trascendono l’ambito dello sport, dell’attività di mera interazione sociale, e consentono una profonda conoscenza del proprio corpo, della relazione tra il proprio corpo e quello altrui, insegnano a provare empatia nei confronti della condizione altrui, il dolore degli altri, a comprendere il dolore che possiamo provocare; ciò consente lo sviluppo di un’etica e di alcuni codici di comportamento connessi con la consapevolezza di tale potere. D’altra parte, sono attività che richiedono allenamenti prolungati, anni di educazione ed esercizio, e perfino un atto di fede verso il maestro e il suo metodo, cosa che genera un convincimento sul valore della disciplina e della perseveranza, sull’auto-perfezionamento attraverso la ripetizione delle stesse cose. Sono attività che richiedono un apprendimento continuo, che si riflette in una maggiore capacità di deuteroapprendimento, ossia la capacità di apprendere ad apprendere. Tutto ciò confluisce nella mia poesia. Non potrei vederla scissa da questo mio modo di concepire il mondo, forse per questo è poesia fisica, in cui c’è una presenza evidente del corpo nelle parole, e sempre un rapporto con l’altro. Scrivo come combatto, o come pretendo di combattere, non solo agendo con ciò che ho o come posso, come un apprendista, o reagendo all’attacco, ma ponendomi su un altro piano. D’altra parte, le arti marziali e l’agonismo sono di per sé opposti. La parte sportiva è una deformazione divertente e minuscola dell’arte marziale. Anche poesia e gara sono contraddizioni. Gareggiare significa stabilire delle regole e fronteggiarsi nel perimetro delle stesse; vince quello che le maneggia meglio, quello che ha avuto la giornata migliore e vince solo per oggi. Nella poesia non si tratta di arrivare più lontano, più in alto, di picchiare più forte. Non si tratta di trovare un poeta migliore, un pene più lungo, ma si parla di bellezza, di comprensione, di affinare i sensi, di vedere con altri occhi. Sì, può suonare artificioso, permettetemi di dirlo come mi viene, in stile “quel che Budda non è”. La poesia non è niente di quanto oggi valutiamo come positivo, non è competitività, non è rendimento, non è televisione, non pubblicità, non è esibizione.

Il fatto che la poesia oggi venga pubblicata e letta soprattutto su internet modifica, secondo lei, il modo di scriverla, di concepirla, di pensarla?

Senza dubbio, internet modifica il modo di scrivere e leggere poesia. Ciò che non so, che non riesco a capire, è come lo modifica. è ancora troppo presto, lo stiamo vivendo. Presumo che, come è cambiata la maniera di rivolgerci ai nostri amici, dalla lettera passando per l’email arrivando fino a whatsapp, scegliendo l’informazione immediata, scarna, funzionale, per la comunicazione istantanea, allo stesso modo ne sia influenzata la poesia. Notiamo poeti che scrivono e dopo neanche cinque minuti caricano le loro poesie in rete. Cosa resta dell’antico lavoro di correzione eterna, dell’edizione curata, degli scambi di materiale con altri poeti, del tempo di decantazione dei testi? Non lo so, sarà un’altra cosa. Notiamo inoltre che, con la stessa velocità con cui si scrivono e si caricano, si leggono i testi, i lettori (supponendo che li leggano) gli mettono un like ed è finita lì. Qual è il destino di queste poesie? Si leggono di nuovo, ci si ripensa su, si staccano gli occhi dallo schermo per un attimo per metabolizzare ciò che queste poesie ci lasciano? Scompaiono dalla memoria? Generano lo stesso effetto che quelle lette in un libro stampato, lentamente, una alla volta, senza interruzioni, senza finestre pubblicitarie a fianco? Non ne ho idea. Molti anni fa, in un gruppo di studio della facoltà di medicina della UBA, valutavamo cosa ne sarebbe stato del “cyberspazio”. Era una parola molto avveniristica, cyberspazio, e l’idea della rete globale a portata di tutti sembrava utopistica. Io naturalmente, sempre conservatrice, ho pensato che sarebbe stata una cosa poco utile, senza un chiaro significato e senza vantaggi, se non quello di fornire una veloce fonte di informazioni. Evidentemente mi sono sbagliata, cosicché, dato che può benissimo capitarmi anche adesso, non inciampiamo due volte sulla stessa pietra ma tutte le volte possibili, semplicemente dico: non lo so. Nel frattempo, lunga vita alla poesia, in qualsiasi forma voglia essere ed esistere.

La poesia ha un ruolo nella Storia oppure deve restare in disparte, estranea, senza nessuna rappresentanza nella società civile?

La mano che scrive non è una mano avulsa dal suo tempo, dalla sua città, dalla sua realtà, per quanto possa agognare, forse, di stare separata o farsi i fatti propri. Di conseguenza, un buon lettore d’altri tempi rivedrà nel testo scritto più di quanto lo scrittore non avesse la volontà di scrivere. Vedrà le parole che erano in voga, gli stili di vita, i luoghi che erano pubblici, le situazioni che venivano considerate problematiche, belle, rilevanti, ecc. La poesia può dare qualcosa a chi la vive nel presente, ora, all’uomo contemporaneo, e può dare qualcosa di diverso a chi la vivrà domani. La poesia è un contenitore di n-contenuti, contenuti che si metteranno a disposizione del lettore nel momento in cui questi formulerà le domande adeguate. E riguardo a questa idea, ricordo di avere letto, alcuni giorni fa, un articolo, pubblicato da qualcuno in un quotidiano, su un’altra persona a me ben nota. Mi sono meravigliata nel leggere il titolo dell’articolo, diceva esattamente il contrario di quanto la maggior parte delle persone non mi avesse raccontato in merito. La mia domanda è finita sulla costruzione della storia: cosa ne dirà la storia domani? Aprirà il giornale e leggerà. La memoria dei presenti morirà per sempre e non rimarrà l’oblio, rimarrà l’alterazione, ciò che è stato scritto. Perlomeno, fino a quando qualcuno non lo riscriva, lo reinventi, lo renda nuovamente poesia.

Cosa c’entra la poesia con la vita?

La poesia può fare delle nostre vite, vite piene, nuove, molteplici, teatrali, redente. Uno può vivere senza poesia se vuole, benché ciò produca come effetto solo quello di vivere una vita nella poesia degli altri, la poesia che gli altri decidono per costruire il mondo.

Le interessa la letteratura italiana, la legge?

Sì, mi interessa molto. In Argentina si legge e si traduce parecchio, credo che ci siano più traduttori qualificati in lingua italiana rispetto all’inglese. Alcuni anni fa, nel 2009, con un’amica avevamo una piccola casa editrice e abbiamo avuto il coraggio di proporre un’antologia di poesia italiana, selezionata e commentata da Diego Bentivegna. è stata intitolata, in modo molto originale (sono ovviamente ironica) Viaggio in Italia, e l’idea era di presentare, introdurre e tradurre otto poeti italiani contemporanei, quasi tutti affermatisi tra la fine degli anni ’70 e la fine degli anni ’80: Mario Benedetti, Massimo Bocchiola, Antonella Anedda, Fabio Scotto, Anna Lamberti-Bocconi, Tiziano Scarpa, Florinda Fusco e Tiziano Fratus.

*

Cosa siamo andati a vedere nel deserto? Una canna agitata dal vento? (Vangelo di Marco)

Cosa andammo a vedere, Simón, dall’altra parte dell’oceano, dall’altra parte delle nuvole, sopra e sotto, se non uomini che ci attendevano tranquilli trattenendoci con il minimo sforzo richiesto per tendere il filo di un palloncino, calpestare formiche, sollevare un insetto tra le dita e lasciarlo camminare mentre la mano gira offrendo un nuovo orizzonte così effimero e vicino come un nastro chiuso nelle due punte? Fummo, Simón, adulti analfabeti della grazia che non capivano niente, niente di niente, gli impeti di sé stessi?

I re dei quartieri marginali il boss di Villa Dálmine, il capobanda del Boca e i neri murgueros sono stati fermati da mani predicatrici impotenza funzionale in ginocchio, tetrade di Celso.

Poi, ritornando al luogo di origine della loro cattiveria e ignoranza, pieni di scuse, raccontando quel poco che mancò, le ingiustizie, fanno sfoggio di un colpo forte, perché siamo così, Simón, gente che trabocca di forza, ed è così bruta che non capisce nemmeno il fallimento.

  * La bara con sua madre, María, non era nella propria tomba ma bisognava lasciarla in quel posto, in tutti i modi. Mise la sua mano sul legno, ed era difficile vedere attraverso questo il corpo di sua madre, in esso il corpo di sua madre che appoggiava la mano sul petto, le dita su un filo d’argento. E rimase, così sola, la figlia, un minuto di fronte alla bara chiusa in un posto qualsiasi, che io la guardai da lontano senza poter capire cosa significava essere figlio senza genitori, fermo sotto il vento di un cimitero che piove sole con una sola parete, intagliata in latino, senza visitatori né limiti, il mare da sottofondo tra le dune, in lei così esposta alla vita, senza figli, senza marito, senza sapere dove trovare il necessario, ma ritornò, per riportarmi a casa perché era il momento del pranzo. * Sì, quello mi dicesti di fare misi le mani nella terra e sollevai bulbi anneriti caricai sacchi e li misi sulla schiena, fischiavo e guarda che faceva freddo, labbra insensibili, suoni smarriti quando, giunta la sera, l’acqua della schiena diventava ghiaccio.

Inizio del raccolto. Non vi fu né paga né premio.

E imparai, in certo modo, ma non chiedermi, Simón, di rifarlo un’altra volta non mi corrisponde e nemmeno mi risulta possibile, il fatto è che non vado più a raccogliere patate, sono diventata egoista col tempo.

Marina Serrano

(servizio di Davide Brullo, traduzione italiana della professoressa Mercedes Ariza e di Marianna Marchi)

*

¿Qué fuimos a ver, Simón, al otro lado del océano, al otro lado de las nubes, arriba y debajo, sino hombres que nos esperaban tranquilos deteniéndonos con el esfuerzo mínimo que requiere tensar un hilo de globo, patear hormigas, levantar un insecto entre los dedos y dejarlo caminar mientras la mano gira brindando un nuevo horizonte tan efímero y cercano como una cinta cerrada en sus dos puntas? ¿Fuimos, Simón, adultos analfabetos de la gracia que no entendían nada, nada de nada, los arrebatos de sí mismos?

Los reyes de los barrios marginales, el kapanga de villa Dálmine, el barra brava de Boca y los negros murgueros cayeron detenidos por manos predicadoras, impotencia funcional de rodillas, tétrada de Celso.

Luego, volviendo al sitio de origen de su emperramiento e ignorancia, llenos de excusas, contando lo poco que faltó, lo injusto, hacen alarde de un golpe fuerte, porque así somos, Simón, gente que desborda fuerza, y es tan bruta que no comprende siquiera el fracaso.

* El cajón con su madre, María, no estaba en su propia tumba pero había que dejarlo en ese lugar, de todos modos. Puso su mano sobre la madera, y era difícil ver a través de ella el cuerpo de su madre, en ella el cuerpo de su madre apoyando la mano sobre el pecho, los dedos en el hilo de plata. Y quedó tan sola, la hija, un minuto frente al cajón cerrado en un lugar cualquiera, que yo la miré desde lejos sin poder comprender lo que significaba ser hijo sin padres, detenido al viento de un cementerio que llueve de sol con una sola pared, tallada en latín, sin visitantes ni límites, mar de fondo entre médanos, en ella tan expuesta a la vida, sin hijos, sin esposo, sin saber dónde encontrar lo necesario, pero volvió a mí, para llevarme a casa porque era hora de almorzar.

*

Sí, eso me dijiste que hiciera, metí las manos en la tierra y levanté bulbos renegridos, cargué bolsas y me las eché al lomo, chiflaba, y eso que hacía frío, labios insensibles, sonidos se perdían cuando, entrada la tarde, el agua de la espalda formaba hielo.

Inicio de la cosecha. No hubo jornal ni premio.

Y aprendí, de alguna forma, pero no me pidas, Simón, que lo haga otra vez, no me corresponde y tampoco me resulta posible, es que ya no ando entre la papa, me he vuelto egoísta con el tiempo.

Marina Serrano

    L'articolo “Scrivo come combatto, vivendo una vita sacra nella poesia”: dialogo con Marina Serrano, poetessa e campione mondiale di taekwondo proviene da Pangea.

from pangea.news https://ift.tt/2Hd9KRY

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[sakuramidnight15]

-HSA MC Information-

[Gacha Club Mod Ver. Below]

Character Bio

Name: Chione Frostine

(Japanese: キオーネ・フロスティネ)

Romaji: Kiōne Furosutine

Quote: "Sis... Can we ever be safe from here...?"

V/A: Yoshino Nanjō (Japanese)

Kate Higgins (English)

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Birthday: June 20

Star Sign: Gemini

Eye Color: Little Princess Purple

Hair Color: Sandy Blonde (Previous Before Infected)

Salt White (Current After Infected)

Height: 172 cm

Race: Human (Formerly)

Humanoid Bunny???

Homeland: [REDACTED]

Family: Ian Clarkson (Father)-(Deceased)

Miami Frostine (Mother)-(Deceased)

Ember Frostine (Older Sister)

_______________________________________

School Status and Fun Facts

Dorm: Tetravania (@hourglassstationacademy)

School Year: Second

Class: 2-D

Student no. 1

Occupation: Student

Vice-Prefect

Former Test Subject (Only in her world)

Laboratory Survivor (Only in her world)

A Wanted Target (Only in her world)

Club: Botany Club

Best Subject: Mathematics, Science, and Botany and Herbals

Dominant Hand: Ambidextrous (Mostly on her left hand)

Favorite Color: Black, White, Light Purple, and Beige

Favorite Food: Spicy Noodles, Scrambled Eggs, Cinnamon Rolls (Drizzled with Honey), Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, Fluffy Pancakes,

Least Favorite Food: Anything Tasteless, Sour Candies, Too much Sweetness (Mostly on Cakes), Too much Bitterness, Spicy Peppers, Popcakes,

Likes: Her older sister, Peace, Eating Good Food, Sleep, Making Math Solutions, Making Self-Designed Hair Ribbons, Eating her older sister's food, Playing Video Games (Mostly if it's Horror), Metal Rock Music, Story-telling (Either from Book or Not, in any genre)

Dislikes: Her older sister in danger, Daniel and his team (Mostly on Daniel a little), Being the center of attention, Slight Provoking, Wearing Make-up, Being Late, A lot of Cuteness, The Prison/Laboratory, The Prototype Cells/Virus Experiment, Seeing the Infected (Mostly in her world), The mass death of her Parents and People in the neighborhood, The head current boss of the lab (Purely to the death of her core), Her uncontrollable virus ability,

Hobbies: Making Self-Hair Ribbons, Napping/Sleeping, Multitasking, Doing Slight Taekwondo, Playing Horror Games, Making Math Solutions, Listening to Metal Rock Music, Story-telling (Any genre),

Talents: Being an Infected being, Immunity (Cannot feel any pain at whatever situation), High IQ, Fast Agility, Fast Hacking, Brute Self-defense (either physical or weapon), Martial Arts, Monstruction Form, Virus/Cell Body Regeneration,

Nicknames: Chione or Ine (From her family and friends)

Chione-senpai or Frostine-senpai (From the freshmen students)

Chion (From her older sister)

Little B (From Daniel)

Little One (From Master Ko)

Chin-Chin (From Kassie)

Little Bunny (From Raelyn and Kuno)

Chino (From Malina @achy-boo)

Other Nicknames:

Subject no. 130 (During her imprisonment in the lab)

'Little Bunny' (As a wanted target)

_______________________________________

Appearance and Personality

Appearance: Chione has rather an average female body type, but became a bit slender due to her days of not eating much. Before becoming an infected and getting abducted, she originally had sandy blonde colored hair previously as a human being in the past. But after the experiment and with her escape with her older sister her looks changed in the aftermath, she now has salt white colored hair currently. She has little princess purple colored eyes, which she still has it after the experiment. Chione has a silent behavior but tends to stay close with her older sister.

Personality: Before her current state among the surviving infected beings, she used to be normal like the rest... Peaceful yet quite tough at least, she was bullied a bit for her light purple colored eyes though, but thanks to her older sister, she managed to find herself the confidence to stand up for herself. Despite that, she used to be happy and safe...

The day of the abduction had nearly destroyed the lasting of her innocences... The screaming of the people, the blood that was spilled before them while being imprisoned, even her parents had died before her... Her older sister had to keep her safe... But her tears fell from her eyes as if hope will ever come.

Her fate till she became next... The aftermath of the experiment, she can hear her older sister's voice in saving her. The next minute she awoke herself, she escaped from her room to find her last sibling alive, after waking her up... The two infected sisters made a bloody escape to the woods... With the addition of her virus abilities that can turn her truly into a monster.

Thanks to meeting their master who had took them in, Chione had took an amount of training alongside with her older sister in hopes of controlling her infected form... Despite her personality in the past that have might slowed her older sister down a little, but she wanted to be strong in hopes of assistance.

The current Chione we are seeing is now a silent young female teenager but would prefer to keep a safe distance from anyone she meets due to her trauma back in the lab a few years, however she remains her normal composure of being friendly towards one another alongside with her older sister.

Despite her tough past and her current situation in the present, Chione wants to survive with her older sister and the rest of the infected beings as the best as she could. Many can tell that there a strong determination in her despite at worst moments... Aside from her silent behavior and keeping distance from anyone, she still keeps up with her socialism with her somewhat new school mates but she knows how to be mature and respectful. Aside from that, she can be a little childish if she wanted too, but not for long however.

Don't underestimate her of being little girl, she can fight with her older sister too. Despite her being a little sloppy in battle, she can keep her balance on with her skills as an infected being while attacking while her older sister who does the blood-shedding impacts on the high number of opponent, if we can count her uncontrollable virus form for destruction at the end... It be best not to ask her for further details about it.

An innocence of her remains has now died down beneath it... But she still is sane till this very day.

_______________________________________

Trivia

-The name 'Chione' is girl's name meaning "snow". In Greek mythology. While her surname 'Frostine' is girl's name of French origin meaning "freezing".

-She's based on 'Mumu' from the game 'Bloody Bunny, First Blood' and Series 'Don't be my enemy'.

-Stays really close with her older sister Ember, after all they have each other left after what they have been through... Will always back to her after a minute of separation in dangerous situations.

-It appears that she likes to eat her older sister's cooking or baking, which is why the cinnamon roll dessert was in fact her favorite.

-She and her older sister Ember share similar traits with one another.

-Just like her older sister, she is also unfazed when being flirted with.

-Despite of what she looks, she prefer metal rock music than cuteness of pop music.

-Is a huge fan of horror genre of videos games and storytelling. Be surprise that she didn't get scared after that.

-Is actually good with math and science, especially when it comes to solutions during classes.

-Also knows some passcode hacking during her days as a wanted target. Does it fast when it comes to surviving.

-Doesn't seem to like Daniel and his team due to the misunderstanding that was created. But for Chione, she seems to be neutral with his team mates, although she had somewhat disapprove of her older sister and Daniel being a thing together.

-Will become lighty angry if you ever bad-mouthed her, but if it's her older sister however... Watch out, she might be capable with a knife.

-As stated from before, Chion used to be human till the abduction by the main head of the lab itself, after witnessing many people that had died in the experiment including her own parents... She was sadly next but survived. However she had managed to escape with her older sister with by using her uncontrolled virus form. By the current present, she became a wanted target with her older sister in hopes of avenges the mass losses of humanity.

-Is somewhat not capable of controlling her virus form yes, but she swores to do it.

-Knows how to make hair ribbons by hand, but mostly on black or white ribbons though.

-Mostly a tomboy than a cute girl. Chione doesn't like skirts and other pastel colors.

-Holds a necklass from her deceased parents as a remembrance after their passing, will never lose it just like her Ember does with her neckless.

-She's a sucker for chocolate dipped strawberries.

_______________________________________

DONE- FINALLY-!!

[lacompudelvecino-blog]

Nuestro país, Argentina, siempre se ha destacado por emular a grandes extranjeros, desde la copia de las construcciones francesas, la fascinación por la comida española, las imitaciones de la moda italiana, y por supuesto la reproducción argentinizada de la filmografía (y hasta de las estrellas) de Estados Unidos.

Asi que mientras en el país yanqui triunfaban Rambo, Terminator y Kickboxer, por estos lados aparecía, Francella, Dissi, Exterminators, los ninjas y la mar en coche.

Y entre todo ese desbarajuste de mujeres con poca ropa, chistes con doble sentido, efectos especiales comprados en el  barrio chino, ninjas que tiraban las automáticas para luchar con espadas de dudosa procedencia y un sin fin de gags sencillos, aparecía el Daniel San argentino, nada más ni nada menos que Hector Echavarría.

El autoproclamado experto en artes marciales (según su página “es poseedor del título de Campeón de Mundo en Karate, Kung Fu y Vale Tudo Kickboxing; y Campeón Mundial de Kick Boxing”) si que la hizo en grande. Echavarría (nacido en Corrientes hace 48 años) comenzó a competir a principios de los 80´s en los torneos de USKAssociaton, donde se consagró campeón a mundial en katas (su único título comprobado). Poco tiempo después (en 1983), se fue a vivir a los EEUU y volvió al país “hecho un campeón”.

Su primera aparición importante (en sus primeros años publicitaba a compañías como Seagram y Budweiser) en los medios fue en 1987, nada más y nada menos que en “División Miami”. Allí interpretó a un luchador llamado Batista, y en ese capítulo (“Down for the Count: Part 1”) compartió cartel junto a Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas, el grosso de Edward James Olmos, y el promotor de boxeo Don King.

Con ese único antecedente se presentó en 1989 en “La Noche del Domingo”, el programa de Gerardo Sofovich, para romper barras de hielo. Claro que esta “tarea” tenía su especialista: Néstor “el Dragón” Varzé.

El Dragón era el habitual encargado en el programa de Gerardo de destrozar cuanta barra de hielo le pusieran por delante. Echavarría se presentó en ese ciclo como Campeón Mundial y luego de romper una barras de hielo, lo desafió a Varzé una pelea de full contact en el Superdomo de Mar del Plata y otra en el Luna Park.

Según dice el Dragón en esta entrevista “armamos una pelea de seis rounds donde en los tres primeros rounds me lucía yo y en los otros tres se lucía él. Al final era empate porque era exhibición. Arma la pelea con los productores y me llevan a Mar del Plata. Se publicitó en todos lados. Cuando llegamos vimos los afiches, y ¡me encuentro que iba a pelear por el título del mundo! me puse loco, llamo por teléfono a los productores ni bien llego al hotel y vienen con Héctor y me dice que es todo publicidad. Pero yo en ese momento competía, estaba en televisión, era secretario de la Federación de Karate… “¿con qué cara me presento después?” le dije. Me contesta que ya estaba todo pactado, todas las entradas vendidas, toda la prensa…Al final me obligan a pelear”

Pero esto no termina ahí, ya que Varzé afirma que “unos minutos antes de la pelea viene Héctor con su hermanastro – que era el árbitro – y con los tres jueces, me pregunta si íbamos a pelear en serio o hacíamos la pelea exhibición. Le contesto: “¿Ahora me salís con eso?”. Yo no estaba capacitado para pelear en serio, ¡yo estaba entrenando hacía un año para romper barras de hielo!”.

Como si no alcanzara, en la pelea misma el multicampeón también se portó mal: “Los tres primeros rounds yo me tenía que lucir ¿si? Suena la campana, salgo a pegarle y ¡me mete tres piñas! Me pegó todo el round, ¡nunca me pegaron tanto como me pegó ese cristiano!, casi me salva la campana. En el segundo round también me pegó como quiso.

Esto que te cuento está todo filmado. En el tercer round también salió a fajarme. Entonces empecé a pelear. Cobró hasta el sexto round, lo tiré cuatro veces… Terminó con cirugía en la cara. ¡Cuando se dijo Empate se armó una! Porque la gente sabía que no era empate, estaba enloquecida, me tuvieron que sacar del ring entre tres policías. ¡Pero yo fui a hacer lo mío!, Héctor no hizo lo de él”. La paliza que le dio el Dragón fue vista por mucha gente que así lo confirma. Y lo peor es que nunca le pagaron.

Poco tiempo después de la pelea, y aprovechando la publicidad que dio la misma, tanto Varzé como Echavarría son convocados para las películas Los Extermineitors (1989) y Extermineitors II: La venganza del dragón (1990). Entre medio de estos dos films, Echavarría trajo al país a Randholp McClain (quien afirmaba ser el doble de Arnold Schwarzenegger, cosa no comprobada) asegurando que se trataba del campeón norteamericano (cuando en realidad era cinturón amarillo de taekwondo), y pelearon en el Luna Park ante 9000 personas.

Tras el éxito de las dos películas de los Exterminaitors, Telefé crea la famosa serie “Brigada Cola” en la que Echavarría interpretaba al experto en artes marciales de este grupo, el cual (en otro rapto de genialidad) se llamaba Echeverry.

Cabe destacar, que en la ya extinta página oficial del multicampeón se afirmaba que “sus tres primeras películas, fueron todas un éxito en Argentina, y le permiten registrar el rating de las películas de mayor ingreso en bruto que jamás se haya dado en la temporada invernal de Sudamérica. El inmenso éxito alcanzado con estas películas lo hicieron acreedor para obtener el papel de protagonista principal en una serie semanal de la televisión a la que le dieron el nombre de Brigada. La serie apareció durante cinco temporadas consecutivas y fue televisada en Sudamérica, España, Italia, Turquía y México. Obtuvo una recaudación de 2.5 millones de dólares en sus primeros 21 días. Cuando su popularidad en Sudamérica creció, produciendo una figura de Héctor Echavarría como sinónimo de acción, se vendieron más de un millón de ellas en apenas dos semanas.”

Ejem, todo bien Héctor, pero más allá de los datos discutibles, la serie se llamaba “Brigada Cola” y los muñequitos no vendieron un millón, y si vendieron mucho, seguramente no fueron ni la mitad que los de Francella. Otra: cuando dice que “sus tres primeras películas, fueron todas un éxito en Argentina” se refiere obviamente a las de los Exterminaitors, pero olvida mencionar que entre la 2 y la 3 filmó “Fuerza Máxima” (1990) junto a Atilio Veronelli, Paula Martínez y Beatriz Salomón, una cinta completamente desconocida y poco vista con un guión increíble.

Pero después de los Exterminaitors y Brigada cola, ¿qué pasó?, mejor que lo cuente el Dragón: “tiempo después de la pelea viene el presidente de la Federación de Karate y me dice: “Nosotros tenemos la lista de los verdaderos campeones – en la cual no estaba ni él ni yo, te aclaro – los campeones en serio de Full Contact”. Entonces fui al programa de Portal, al de Ginzburg con la lista y lo desafié, y me dejaron contar todo. ¿Qué pasó? Desapareció”.

Exacto, desapareció, pero del país. Se fue de nuevo a EE.UU. para seguir con su carrera. En el 2001 filma en Filipinas, para EE.UU., “Extreme Force” (en la tapa de la película se lo califica como “el hombre más peligroso del mundo” y “la próxima estrella de artes marciales”) en la que interpreta a Marcos Desantos, un ladrón que quiere retirarse del mundo del crimen pero es convencido por dos chicas (una de ellas es la modelo de Playboy Nikki Lemke) para hacer un último “trabajito”. El trailer pueden encontrarlo abajo.

Después del impresionante éxito que NO tuvo esta película, protagoniza “The Falkland Man” en la cual se pone en la piel de Riviera, un ex miembro de una unidad letal de las fuerzas especiales que combatió en Malvinas, que lleva una vida normal con su mujer y su hijo hasta que un día “su tranquila existencia se ve sacudida cuando un oscuro secreto que Riviera lleva consigo desde la guerra amenaza con destruir su nueva vida”.

Ya en el 2003, participa de “Cradle 2 the Grave” (protagonizada por Jet Li) en el papel de un luchador y en el 2005 interpreta a Eddie Castillo en “Confessions of a Pit Fighter”.

Además, según su website, Héctor era el protagonista de un comic que vendía 250.000 ejemplares al mes. Sin palabras.

De acá en más se vuelve director, guionista, productor y actor, armando toda una máquina compleja de relojería para por lo menos ir sacando una película al año.

Ha protagonizado más de 17 películas en Hollywood, como Los Bravos, Extreme Force, Death Warrior, Unrivaled, Confessions Of A Pit Fighter, junto a Armand Assante, Duel Of Legends, junto a Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, entre otras.​

En 2010 realizó una película llamada Never Surrender, en donde toma el papel protagónico como Diego Carter, un campeón mundial de lucha libre. En esta película, además de actuar, es escritor y director.

En el 2013 Héctor escribió dirigió y protagonizó Chavez Cage of Glory, junto a Danny Trejo. Actualmente se encuentra filmando como protagonista y director No Way Out (Sin Salida), de nuevo junto a Trejo y Estella Warren. Fue estrenada en el 2017.

Actualmente se encuentra trabajando con el super productor de Hooywood Ronald Shusett, quien escribió y produjo películas como Alien, el octavo pasajero, Total Recall, Minority Report y Alien vs. Predator. Hector está produciendo BLOOM con Keanu Reeves, American Hostage con el director de Hollywood John Moore, en el 2017 Hector Echavarría protagoniza más de tres largometrajes y su agenda esta completa por los siguientes diez años.

Un capo que supo surgir de casi la nada. Cerramos con una frase suya que figura en su perfil de la página WorldBlackBelt (????), de la cual es fundador:

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”#00ff00″ class=”” size=”12″] “Cada vez que Dios te manda un presente, lo envuelve en un problema. Así que mientras más grande el problema, mayor el presente”[/perfectpullquote]

Sin palabras…

Mañana seguimos con este personaje, pero con sus películas

  De Los Exterminators a Hollywood – Hector Echavarría Nuestro país, Argentina, siempre se ha destacado por emular a grandes extranjeros, desde la copia de las construcciones francesas, la fascinación por la comida española, las imitaciones de la moda italiana, y por supuesto la reproducción argentinizada de la filmografía (y hasta de las estrellas) de Estados Unidos.

[miamitkd]

Why Taking Taekwondo Classes Is Important In 2022

Taekwondo is a martial art form emerging in the 1940s in Korea. Learning any martial art tends to offer a lot of value to the person, and if it's Taekwondo, there is no confusion.

Although most martial arts share similar benefits, the exact effectiveness differs due to different approaches, techniques, and philosophies. However, you can say which martial art is better as they all have different ideologies.

This post will discuss Taekwondo and how classes for modern sport Taekwondo in South Miami can benefit you.

The Substance Of Taekwondo

At the core, Taekwondo facilitates moral development. It promotes your child's physical development, self-awareness, and abilities in self-defense. It is one of the most popular and fastest-growing martial art forms in the world currently.

The act in itself is physically demanding. The sport involves kicking and punching, which requires strength and stamina. Young athletes must be able to manage their own movement patterns without the assistance of a coach when the course is over. These qualities make Taekwondo exciting and worth investing in.

The Benefits Of Undertaking Taekwondo Classes

* Boost In Cardiovascular Health

Taekwondo helps in improving your cardiovascular health. While it does not involve complete involvement in cardiovascular activities, Taekwondo does contain certain aspects which train your cardio. It would be best if you had good cardio strength to become a good Taekwondoin. Practicing it daily helps you improve your cardiovascular health, giving you a longer and healthier life.

* Enhance Cognitive Abilities

Science has recently discovered the connection between physical activity and cognitive functionality. Essentially, staying physically active and working towards a dedicated discipline. This aspect tends to carry a positive impact on our cognitive abilities.

* Boost In Concentration

All martial arts, including Taekwondo, are initially a practice of building discipline. A high degree of concentration is an evergreen requirement whether you are learning a new move or even in a self-defense situation. A lot of people that go through Taekwondo classes reveal that they got a great focus and concentration because of the practice.

* Self Esteem

Practitioners who have experienced the thrill of Taekwondo are aware of how it helps in developing self-esteem. Practicing Taekwondo means learning various kinds of postures, moves, and strikes. Perfecting each and every step gives you confidence and raises your self-esteem.

Because Taekwondo is entirely based on kicking and punching, it helps students develop their muscles and also tone them. Having such drills helps keep the focus on the mind and the body, making you more focused and streamlined with your thoughts.

Conclusion

Practicing the martial art forms, significantly Taekwondo, would benefit you physically and mentally. Apart from toning your muscles and improving body coordination, it also gives you mental clarity.

Author’s Bio - The author is a blogger, and this article discusses the way of taking Taekwondo classes.

[miamitkd]

Experience Mind-Body Harmony with South Miami Aikido

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced martial artist, South Miami Aikido provides the resources, community, and expertise to support your journey. Join a Taekwondo class in Miami at the best price.

[miamitkd]

Discover Martial Arts Classes in Miami Florida

Step into the world of martial arts with diverse classes in Miami, Florida. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, Miami offers a wide range of styles including Karate, Taekwondo, Jiu-Jitsu, and more. Join a community that values discipline, fitness, and self-defense skills, and start your journey towards personal growth and physical excellence in a supportive environment.