The blog has been pretty silent this year. I hope to do more writing next year and maybe use this space to preview a few projects. However I can't miss this yearly post as it was my Mothers favorite. Anyway my past year by the numbers:
Shoot
I don't just use this section for shooting but more for training in general .
I attended a Closed Guard BJJ Seminar at Pella BJJ.
I attended and passed a 2 day National Outdoor Leadership School Wilderness EMT recertification course.
I attended Shivwork's Extreme Close Quarters Concepts for the 3rd or 4th time. Tons of takeaways as usual.
I attended The Personal Defense Network's Home Defense Tactics.
I attended and passed Tom Given's Rangemaster 3 day Instructor Development Course.
I attended Resilience Developments Practical Shotgun Course
I was lead instructor for :
3 Casualty Care Medical Classes
18 Permit to Carry Weapons Courses
3 Introduction to Defensive Pistol Courses
1 Intuitive Defensive Carbine Course
1 Knife Control Concepts Course
5 Intuitive Defensive Shooting Courses
15 Advanced Cardiac Life Support or Pediatric Life Support Courses
Move
I hiked,walked and biked a little over 300 miles this year. I am mostly constrained to those activities due to my left knee injury rearing its ugly head again this year. Just trying to lessen the impact.
I trained Brazilian Jiu Jitsu/ Defensive Tactics a little over 159 hours this year. I helped coach the kids program for the 4th or 5th year. I received my Purple belt after 6 years of training this past summer. I am starting to teach my own adult class at our Academy in 2023. As most people do I wish I would have started training earlier in life. But as they say the best time to start training is when you are young and the second best time is now.
I maintained a pretty consistent workout schedule of 2-3 times per week. Mostly hiking,stationary bike and BJJ for cardio. I used Kettlebells and Sandbags for strength training. My weight ballooned up to the high end at 223 lbs earlier this year. My weight is directly tied to my love of food. As my discipline in that regards waned my weight increased. I started being a little more disciplined a few months ago and am back down to around 207 lbs with a goal of 190 lbs in 2023.
Communicate
As I mentioned I have been light on the writing this year. I did write a few blogposts but my big accomplishment was getting published in a real live book. I contributed to a Public Safety Anthology entitled Perspectives, help a brother out and buy it on Amazon .
I taught hundreds of hours this year. I taught as an adjunct at the University of Iowa Emergency Medical Services Learning Center and accepted a full time position there as of 2023.I also taught at Kirkwood Community College as an adjunct. I quit my FT job as a Paramedic to start teaching more and start that glide path to retirement. I plan on still working PT as a medic in the years to come or perhaps as a volunteer.
Miscellaneous
222 EMS calls ran
200 odd hours as a reserve police officer
40 years since joining the US Army
35 years married
34 years since Ranger School Graduation
32 years since SFQC Graduation
28 books read this year
18 years since Army retirement
16 years since starting EMS
9 Audiobooks finished
8 years as a Paramedic
This blog is 12 years old
Be an asset not a liability. See ya next year
