Vice City-How this Addict does it

I've been talking smack about this for a while, so it's time I just throw it down.
Here's a basic hookah how-to, all photos courtesy of me.



Starting with the glass base, I fill it with whatever I'm going to use as a filter, in this case, water. I fill it until the stem that goes into the water is cover by about an inch of liquid. That's not written in stone, but you definitely don't want to fill it all the way up, and you will know for sure when you don't have enough water.



Here we have the essential goodies that go into packing a bowl. The reddish stuff at the top is the shisha, or tobbacco. The grey sqaures are coals. These coals are the best you can use all around. The only I have used that was better was natural lump coal, which is made from petrfried lemonwood. The coals shown in the picture put out a lot of heat, are odorless, smokeless, and light in a few minutes off of the stove. They are my favorite. The foil is used to make an airtight seal over the tobacco after it's been placed in the bowl. The skewer is used to puncture holes in the foil after it's been affixed to the bowl to allow hot air to be drawn through the pipe from the coals. It will make more sense in a second.



Putting shisha in the bowl. Note the light touch I'm using.



Here's the bowl filled with shisha. You don't literally want to "fill" or "pack" the bowl. The whole thing is all about air flow. You want to break the tobacco apart and then sprinkle it into the bowl so that there's a lot of air between the tobacco pieces. After this, we add the foil seal.





Here's the bowl covered with foil. After you put shisha in the bowl, it's really easy to screw up a hookah. You want to make sure you don't pack down the tobacco when you cover it with foil. Don't over-handle it, and don't pack the shisha down at all. If you do, you'll wind up with a hookah that you won't want to smoke at all, if it actually does smoke.





Poking the holes in the foil and the bowl, almost ready to go. You want to use something thin, sharp, easy to handle, that make a tiny hole. Three things are important here: only pierce the foil so as not to pack down the shisha, don't over-handle the bowl for the same reason, and when poking holes, you about 30, and you want more around the edges and a few in the middle. The rest is pretty easy and I think it only bears illustration.



Heating the coals on the stove.



The assembled hookah, waiting for the ash-catcher, bowl, and pipe.



The ash-catcher attached, and some wet tissue added to the grommet to insure the bowl has a tight fitting seal.



Adding a foil windscreen to the bowl. This isn't completely necessary. Just wanted to show off that I could do it.



My bowl, packed, wrapped, poked, screened, and ready to be put on the hookah.



The finished assembly of all the major players. All we're waiting on are the coals and the pipe.



The coals are done. The coals I use are organic, but they use a thin layer of silver lighting agent that must be completely burned off before safe to use. Here, I'm blowing off any silvery remains over the sink.



The coals are in place and I'm good to go. Just remember - breathe in, BREATHE OUT. Smoke responsibly people. Don't ruin it for me. WORD.

I am an addict

I'm a non-smoker - no cigars, cigarettes, pot, whatever. I consider myself a moderate drinker at times. But I'm addicted to Hookah. I just got back from a road trip, six hours one way, and we smoked hookah the whole way up and down. Let me tell you all about it, how it started. A couple of years ago, I was at my favorite place, The Casbah, and a friend of mine was like "Autrelle, just try it."

Okay, it's a short story, but the point is now, I'm hooked. For those of you that don't what I'm even talking about, here is the gist: a hookah, or more properly called arghile is a glass-based water pipe that has one or more stems, and is designed to function by way of liquid filtration and indirect heat.

A quick look at this illustration will give you the idea. Generally, you smoke shisha from a hookah. Shisha, as I have come to love it, is a tobacco that is soaked in molasses and glycerine. The result is a tobacco that isn't ignited, but heated, in order to produce smoke. It comes in wonderful flavors that can be enjoyed as they are, or combined into a smoker's cocktail. Currently, my favorite flavors are watermelon, lemon, honey, cinnamon, grape, blueberry, and cherry. For real fun, you can flavor the water filter also, with milk, beer, wine, or whatever you can think of. I remember really enjoying a cherry hookah with a Dr. Pepper filter. It was the BOMB.

If anyone ever wants to smoke a hookah here in Jacksonville, I recommend the Casbah. It has the highest quality product, and is the most authentic hookah experience in Jacksonville. The food and drinks are great, the staff is beautiful and friendly - you can't go wrong. If you can't make it out to Casbah, come by the house - we'll pass the peace pipe.

Violence, anyone?

As a martial artist and a thinker, I often wonder what is the proper purpose and use of violence. I think that maybe some definitions will be needed. Let's check Merriam-Webster's:

"Pronunciation:
\ˈvī-lən(t)s, ˈvī-ə-\
Function:
noun
Date:
14th century

1 a: exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse (as in warfare effecting illegal entry into a house)

b: an instance of violent treatment or procedure

2: injury by or as if by distortion, infringement, or profanation : outrage

3 a: intense, turbulent, or furious and often destructive action or force

b: vehement feeling or expression : fervor; also : an instance of such action or feeling

c: a clashing or jarring quality : discordance

4: undue alteration (as of wording or sense in editing a text)"

Let's go with the first one here: exertion of physical force so as to injure or abuse.

So that begs the question: when is it proper to exert physical force so as to injure someone?

ALL OF THE TIME!

Just kidding! What I can offer is only my opinion, but I will back it up for and leave you the reader to mull it over. I think it's proper in a few circumstances: immediate protection from harm of oneself and others, the protection of one's property, and justice.

Self protection and protection of others: In martial arts we are taught effective ways to hurt people. In advanced study, we are to taught deliver injury in degrees, meaning instead of killing someone in self-defense, we only have to render them unconscious or break a limb (for example). The issue here is that sometimes you can't run, and sometimes the law enforcement will not be there in time. No one has the right to impose bodily harm to you, no matter what you have done. By that I mean quite simply, I would never bother to try to justify kicking someone's ass that tried to hurt me. I feel it's my duty to stay healthy. It's not my duty to get my ass kicked. If I see someone being physically assaulted, and I feel I can safely intervene on that person's behalf, I will. Equally important to realize is that some people will assault your sensibilities. By this I mean that if you are acting really stupid, I might kick your ass over it. It's hard to give a hard and fast example of this, but I know for a fact that if someone ever insulted my mother in front of me, I would kick your ass. Your mind is just as important, if not more than your body. Assaults on your senses, on what you believe in, should not be taken lightly. I'm not advocating stabbing someone for stepping on your shoe, but I would immediately slap someone who referred to me using a slur, or if they insulted a lady in my company, or at least I would want to. That's just me.

Property rights and justice are coming soon. I want to get some sleep now.

Back from ATL

I had a blast. Heather was awesome company and the art show was on point. LOTS of pictures coming soon. Some super hot women, nice people all around, and great food. I'm euphoric! Rest now.

Wordpress

At an earlier, nerdier time, I wanted to host my blog via Wordpress on my own machine. I'm pretty happy with Blogger, but after seeing Flora's blog, I'm jocking Wordpress pretty hard. Anyone here make the switch and live to tell?

Heather and Yours Truly in Atlanta Y'all!

Your favorite guy will be in Atlanta checking out Heather Vega's art show. If you haven't checked out her site yet, get on it. Those of you in the area - stand up! Those of you I'm leaving behind - I'll be back tougher than ever.

Courtesy of Flora

Read this. It's Flora's lastest blog entry. There is a link to her Wordpress Blog on the side there. Of interest to me was this lunatic's rantings. I don't like to talk about race and racism, because, really, I don't believe in the concept of race (yes, race is a concept). I believe that race, and what follows and is known as racism are subjective things, and not a part of objective reality. You really have to convince yourself and buy into the idea of "race." Let me "explain" my standpoint somewhat.

Dogs are a great example. Two different kinds of dog are just two different kinds of dog-not two different races. Now are two "different kinds" (insert whatever way you continue to divide yourself from other people) of humans really that different? We're really talking about the differences in culture, people. Culture. Let's just go ahead and take "black" and "white" people, let's go there. Are we really talking about skin color? Because I say we're talking about culture. Let make some assumptions for the sake for discussion:

Racism in the U.S. originated from the culture of slavery about 400 years ago
All of those slaves were "black" (or "not-white"-whatever)

Let's assume that all of the problems that we call racism stem from the whole slavery thing. Now, riddle me this: what if all of the slaves and slave owners were of the same ethnicity/skin color/whatever? I really believe that if that were the case, we would have the exact same problems we have today, but they would be addressed as problems concerning culture and not "race".

I have to do some more thinking on this. There is more to follow, for sure. I want all of your feedback - do not hold back. Thank you Flora,

Reply from Sensei Tom Huffman

Hey Autrelle,

Did you read what I sent you? We handle "Psycho Stabs" and "Slashes" regularly. Also one of my senseis Nishimoto Sensei liked the knife held back along the wrist. It is much different to handle. My advanced students are getting pretty good at handling them. I don't advocate anyone going to "test" them for real. I think that would be stupid!! And, if you do that, you deserve to get stabbed.

Elizabeth has brought in an interesting attack knife that looks like a parrot's beak that is sharpened on both sides and has a twirling ring for a finger on one end. There is only one thought of someone carrying this type of knife, and it is purely to attack people. We are going to develop take-aways for this knife.

I will be stressing to people that this person does not deserve the "We don't injure people." response. I tell her that the Ai Ki in this case is for the good of the rest of society. The person who is carrying this knife should be seriously debilitated so he has a long time to consider the error of his ways.

I don't see any reason to learn knife to knife techniques. How many people in society carry a knife of any size. Not many in America. Therefore, it is better to focus on how to handle the armed attack when you are disarmed.

And the knife against a sword or jo is just stupid on the part of the knife attacker. The knife attacker is so out ranged that the knife attacker's chance at successfully disabling someone carrying a longer range weapon is probably less than 5% or 5 out of 100 attacks. The knife attacker will loose OFTEN.

Tom Huffman Aikido of Gainesville, Florida

There are some great points of interest here. I have to do some homework and wrap my brain around my own response. Huffman Sensei's input here is much valued.

How not to be sad

Sometimes I do things backwards. By that I mean, if I can't figure out exactly how to do something, I can usually figure out EXACTLY HOW NOT TO DO IT. For example, I can't tell you how to be happy. But, I can you how not to be sad.

Here's something that I learned a long time ago and I always forget:
Don't make your happiness so conditional.
Yet, we all do it everyday. If I get this job, I'll be happy. If so-and-so calls me, I'll be happy. What happens when you tell yourself these sort of things is that you program yourself to be unhappy if you don't get what you want. You don't always get what you want. There is no need to make yourself unhappy. Fight for your happiness! Lest it be torn from you by force, be happy.

October 5

I met up with a bunch of my friends the night before my birthday.
There was some beer involved. I had my camera. This is what happened.

View Album

Get your own

Whew!

I have a lot to cover. Even unemployed I find very little time for myself!
What to expect in the next few entries:

Hundreds of pictures: My martial arts friends, birthday pictures, partying, etc.
More on the knife
Some thoughts I have had about some recent conversations
What my friend Jerry calls "Go-Kyu Shihans" (I love that!)

Just stick around, okay?

Aikido and the Knife

If you haven't read my previous rant on the knife work in Aikido, I suggest you start here. That piece was an attempt to get some some answers from my Aikido community. The few answers that I got, I didn't like. And by that I mean since writing the last piece, I went to the dojo and went over the ways some things are usually done, and the suggestions I received. I was not a happy camper. Especially since I have the Filipino Martial Arts perspective on it. In my opinion, the way the knife is addressed in Kali is a wake up call to Aikidoka. Currently, I don't have detail to detail specific knife practice in Kali. Also, I don't think it's safe to try to learn or teach anything about martial arts without a live instructor. That being said, I will share what I think will be a useful start.

Let's begin by realizing that the head and body aren't the only intended targets. Quite simply, anywhere you are cut, you are going to suffer. This is important to understand because some of the Tantodori I have been taught, and most of the Tantodori I have seen, offer the hands and arms up for slicing practice. The way the arms and hands are used show little concern for or knowledge of how a knife fighter will try to hurt you. This shows a lack of knife fighting experience. What? An Aikidoka needs to understand knife fighting in order to do Tantodori? Of course. Most Aikido systems already prove this by example: We practice sword on sword to know the nature of the sword fighter, and staff on staff for the same reason. Then we practice sword and staff taking. So yes, something is missing.

Here is an article about a man who attempted to tackle a knife wielding person. Look at this picture of his arm:


So we know that a skilled knife fighter can beat you by cutting you pretty much anywhere.

Some system of knife on knife practice that relates directly to Tantodori must be practiced. It has to happen. It will foster an awareness on the matter that can't be done otherwise. I'm not sure who said it, but it was a famous Kali instructor who said "If you can't fight knife to knife, what makes you think you can face the knife bare handed?" Well spoken. Almost anything would be better than the nothing that is knife on knife practice in Aikido. Here are some factors to consider:

How are the knives held? Point up or point down? Edge up in or edge out? Single knife versus single knife? Double knife versus double? Both partners standing?

The ideas could go on and on. I think the easiest way to start is to establish a striking pattern with the knife, in the same way the FMA does. This diagram comes from the Military Combatives Manual, and is the same numbering system used in many FMA.



Now we already have a wider range to deal with instead of just Munetsuki and Yokomenuchi. What also has to happen is the idea of the attack combination. As I have said before, slashing the knife back and forth is a common and effective attack that can be done without training by anyone. So, it needs to be addressed in our Tantodori.

Allow me to backtrack a bit. I think it's odd that in Aikido, we practice Kumitachi, and Kumijo, but we don't pick up a weapon at all to go against the knife. You would think that there would be a ton of "Aiki Jo Versus the Dagger" DVDs out there. I'm going to make one right now and sell it to you!

Okay, I'm going to back to the dojo. I'll let you know what I come up with. In the meantime - Cheers.

Last Night Ubuntu Saved My Life

My iBook has been on the fritz. If you know me at all, you know that my iBook is how I get things done. I do EVERYTHING on that thing. And on Linux. I use Firefox to browse the web (duh). I use Pidgin as my multiprotocol IM client. I use k9copy for dvd backup. I use k3b to burn anything. VLC for video. I'm torn between Rhythmbox and Amarok for my choice of audio player. Gimp and Inkscape for my graphics editing. Avidemux for my video editing. Open Office for, well, my office stuff. And I know I already told you about Frostwire. Don't be jealous of my Melissa Joan Hart desktop - I made that as a transfer print for an art show years ago.

I'm way cooler than I think.

Tribe-K WANTS YOU

Come train! Get your skills UP. I won't always be there to beat up all the jerks that need to get beat up. Just get at me.

Autrelle@Tribe-K.com

Quit Using Limewire You Idiots

I mean that in the nicest way.
Instead, you should use Frostwire.
It's the open source version of Lime Wire Pro, it's free, it never whines about paying to "upgrade" and it's better than ever now.
Features include:

Completely Free & open-source

Firewall-to-firewall transfers

Turbo-Charged Download Speeds

Absolutely NO Spyware or Adware

Connects to more sources

Creative Commons license support

Max. speed network connections

Junk Result Filters

Community Chat Rooms

iTunes Integration

BitTorrent Support

Proxy Support


The .torrent support is a brilliant catch because I can use one app to handle all of my downloads. Combine that with it being cross-platform (that just means it runs on any computer) and you can't beat it. As Courtney and Nikki say: "Get it ahhh..."

Patrons: Read, Please

Having worked at a restaurant or two, and having dined out at a restaurant or two, I thought I would share this little jewel that I received in the form of a bulletin on MySpace. Enjoy.

"The next time you're out eating at a restaurant, look at your server. Do you think they are really happy to be doing that job? The answer is no, they are not, but it's what we do, and we do it for the money so please help them out. Its a tougher job than you think and you should hook it up accordingly!

There are SO many people out there flooding the restaurants w/o any knowledge of how to tip. Here is a short guide for the general public to follow. Feel free to print out and store in your wallet and/or purse. :)

1. CHILDREN "THE LITTLE DEVILS":
If you have children, DO NOT let them, open and dump anything on the table (ie; salt, sugar, etc). IF YOU DO, you must leave an extra $5 for the server to clean up YOUR CHILD'S mess & to restock the now unusable wasted items. We are neither their babysitter nor their parent. The least you can do is pay us for the extra work. Also make sure you control your kids and don't let them scream or run around the restraunt. It's very distracting not to mention dangerous if they get ran over by a server with hot food in their hands.

2. "THE CAMPERS":
If you feel the necessity to stay for longer than 15 minutes after you pay, its an extra $3 every 30 minutes. We make our money from the tables. If you are in one and we can't seat it, we don't make money.

3. COMPLIMENTS:
Telling a server they are the best server they've ever had is not a tip. If we are good, let us know by leaving us more money. We cant pay our bills on compliments. Its not that we don't appreciate the praise, its just that if you say that and then leave 10%, its an insult.

4. THE SALVATION PAMPHLETS:
Prayer cards and any other religious pamphlet is NOT a tip. It is insulting that you assume we are w/o religion and must save us. Again, like ..3, we cant pay bills w/prayer cards. We'd go to church on Sundays if it wasn't mandatory to work on Sundays because EVERYONE who goes to church follows it by eating out.

5. TIPPING:
It is not 1960. Cost of living has gone up dramatically since then. 18s the MINIMUM amount of what you should be tipping your servers. Just look at the tax line and multiply by 2-3, this gives you your minimum tip amount. Remember, our companies pay us minimum wage (minumum wage for servers is $6.75 in CA, $3.38 in FL, $3.09 in IA, ONLY $2.38 IN MARYLAND & $2.13 in Louisiana & TN) And we are taxed on 10 percent of your meal automatically anyway. So if your meal is $100 and you leave $10 and we tip out $4-5 to the busser, bartender, and whoever else then we pay tax on 10 dollars the state assumes we are atleast making and we actually make $5. It seems small but it adds up. How many times do you eat out per week and do this?

6. THE COMPLAINERS:
If you get a discount because of your food was prepared wrong or something, do not take it out of our tip. We didn't cook it. The cooks get paid hourly regardless if the food sucks. However, we only make what you give us.

7. THE FREE STUFF:
If you happen to get anything for free and you did not have a problem with your dining experience, most of the time it is because the server thinks you will realize that they are giving it to you for free. There should be extra tip thanking the server for the free item. They could get in a lot of trouble giving away free stuff. You should give them hazard pay for it.

8. THE LATE ONES:
If you come into the restraunt 10 mins before closing or any time near closing hurry up and order your food and get out. Closed means closed, not social hour. It is so rude to sit there and take your sweet ass time. We can't leave until you leave because we have to do sidework and clean the table you are sitting at. We don't want to stand there waiting for you for an extra hour just because you don't want to go home. We recommend 24 hour establishments such as Dennys if you wish to sit into the wee hours of the night.

9. THE TABLE HOGGERS:
If you only come in for coffee or a dessert, to do paper work, or to have a meeting, don't sit there taking up our booths for hours. We are not Starbucks or a hotel restraunt. If you want to sit for hours, go there or else you better leave a good tip for us and camping fee included.

10. THE GREET:
When we come up to the table to greet you and we ask how you are doing please let us know. We honestly want to know how you are doing. If you are in a bad mood we want to know that from the beginning. A confused stare or complete silence does not suffice as a reply to "How are you doing?". Also most of us are REQUIRED to say certain things during the greeting, so please don't interrupt our greeting and say "I want coffee", "Can we get some bread?", or "What are the soups?"

11. THOSE DAMN CELL PHONES:
Don't ever talk on your cell phone in a restraunt. This is probably the rudest thing to do. If you must be on your cell, at least keep your voice down in respect for other customers. If you are on your cell phone when we walk up to greet your table we will walk away and not return until you get off your phone. Just show some respect and give us your attention for a couple of minutes.

12. TAKE-AWAY OR TO-GOS:
Always remember to tip the take-out order servers! They work just as hard as a server, and hardly ever get tips for it! WE DESERVE TO BE TIPPED TOO!

13. DO NOT TELL ME YOU ARE BROKE WHEN YOU ARE LEAVING: If you cannot afford to tip properly then do not go out to eat. If I as a server bring you back $8.00 in change lets say from a $70.00 bill and only leave me $2.00 and tell me you are broke you should be castrated for being such an ignorant asshole!! Do not waste your time or mine it really pisses us off.

14. High School Kids: Learn how to tip!! Just because you do not have a job and mommy and daddy pays for everything you have including the meal that you are eating do not think that it is ok to not tip. Leave a tip people b/c I remember every face that does not tip.
!!!SERVERS READING THIS!!!
Please repost this so the word can get out, since so many people are uneducated about tips and our lives depend on this - atleast for now...

SIGNED, YOUR FELLOW RESTAURANT WORKERS"

Open Introspection - For Whitney and Amber

I had a couple of friends ask me some questions about a certain someone, and I wasn't sure how to answer them. It was about a woman that I care about that I was in a relationship with. Really, I'm not used to answering questions like that. Usually, no one asks! Really, the only answer I have about the matter can be summed up in a few thoughts:

I still care about her
I don't know what to do about the situation
I don't know that I should do anything about it
There aren't any hard feelings on my part
I feel let down
I'm not sad about it
I have been happier - I have also been sadder, so I feel feel good overall
Really, when we learn to communicate better with each other, I think that we can still be great for each other. She's cool in my book and I always wish her well!

Radiohead Live In Concert

Me likey

New Bloc Party Single: Flux

Don't front. I think I'm going to officially let BP take over as my current favorite band.
My all time favorite will probably remain a toss between Joy Division or New Order. Enjoy.

The year in review

So this Friday was my birthday. I thought that I would share some of the things that I have learned this year with all of you.

The world has to be saved. And it can be done. You just have to give a crap.

There's more great music out there than I know what to do with it. Seriously.

Open source is the way to go. You're reading this courtesy of Ubuntu.

I'll never ever again be brain-pimped. If you don't know what I mean, read Atlas Shrugged or ask me about a certain jackass that owes me money.

I have some amazing friends. Martial artists, teachers, stylists, scientists, writers, rappers, dancers, you name it.

I'm addicted to my hookah. I would pretty much cry if I couldn't get my daily fix.

Time does heal all wounds. Sometimes it just takes lots of time!

I have no patience for certain things. Seriously - I really don't.

A certain someone is my special someone always. I know what that means now to really carry something like that in my heart.

Martial arts is my calling. Some of you would say "duh" but I have never been blessed with a great deal of coordination or talent beyond what the average person has. I've been doing martial arts for almost 18 years now - that's insane.

I'm learning to deal with people in a more open manner. It's a refreshing approach. I'm not a dishonest person, but sometimes I'm a very closed and impersonal person. I'm learning to be more honest with myself and how to extend that feeling in my dealings with others.

My sense of humor is the best.

I've turned the internet into a past time.

I'm simultaneously the most and least likely person to kick your ass if you offend me.

Sex is good. Fighting is bad.

I really value my me-time.

People will tell themselves a CRAZY story and run with it, all the way.

Even your best of friends should be put in check if they cross the line.

You can't control who you like.

You can't control who you love.

You can control who you hate.

You can always control what you do and how you act.

Some people use you and sometimes you use people. It's not always a bad thing, but it's something to be aware of.

The only one holding me back is myself.

Someone out there has it way worse than me and they are not complaining.

I demand that people demand the best from me and from themselves.

Having been treated poorly, I acknowledge that it is important to be really nice when the chance presents itself.


That's all I got this year. For now. 2008 here I come!