ok, I was 12 years old, skinny as hell..
my best friend was gonna join the RCAC (army cadets)
so I joined as well,, fired some guns, climbed down some buildings, did some PT.. then I bought a weightset, and started reading about weightlifting and stuff.. (im "gifted" so I learned quickly, and hungered for more information)
I weightlifted on and off for a few years, my sisters boyfriend was this personal trainer, so I learned how to eat properly from him, and he taught me some more shiet.. and then I got a job, sitting in front of a computer all day doing programming, most of the time I was on the net reading stuff on bodybuilding, I spent hunnnnnnndreds of hours doing this, so I learned a lot..
and now I'm in university doing COMputer science, weightlifting at the Athletic centre right near me 4 or 5 times a week, cutting up on a ketogenic diet.
I had written out all my measurements dating back to when I was only 14, I weighed like 100 pounds then.. im 175 now.
I'm not sure how much is accounted to weightlifting, and how much is accounted to puberty.
But weightlifting is a big thing in my life, I only have a few goals in life right now, one of which is to be a RIPPED BEAST, hopefully in a month I'll have the ripped part down for the first time ever.. then I'll work on the BEAST part for a while...

peace kb

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"pain is something the average person spends a lifetime trying to avoid"
"pain is something that we elite seek out and thrive on"

"modus operandi"

..it was impossible to hide who I was actually dating. I got kicked out of the house shortly after I turned 17.

In retrospect I could have stopped dating, and led a celibate life until I was safely out of the house.. but I didn't. I left. No job and no money. I walked to the French Quarter with the intention of hoping someone would take me in .. (depending on the kindness of strangers in the Quarter.. how Blanch Dubois of me).

On the way someone asked me if I wanted a ride.. I accepted really thinking I was getting a ride, but he took me too his hotel room where we did coke and he asked me to get undressed. Nothing happend (too much coke), but he gave me $300 for my trouble..I guess I had found a job.

I lived at the baths for $8 a night, but I had a definate goal of how to get out of this.. either I was going to find someone to take me in permanently or I was going to get enough money to get an apartment with a phone so I can get a regular job, but I was also very depressed about my current situation, and I really didn't care if I lived or died during this time.

One of the bar owners saw me walking the street and picked me up and offered me a dancing job ($50 a night and tips).. I took it but still I didn't stop whoring around...I probably incresed the rate in which I was bringing in that kind of money.. and at a particular weekend a director asked me if I would pose for photographs and make movies.. so I did that as well.. $2000 a movie (and I did a few of them) seemed a lot of money, which got me the apartment I wanted, and out of the baths, bars, and dancing... and into a musical career.

Moved to Austin with the extra money I made, enrolled in college for music, and worked the grave yard shift at a convenience store to make ends meet. During this time I hooked up with my current partner and helped him raise his nephew. After my graduation we moved to Houston. Had a little run with a coke / crack addiction, but I managed to at least keep my job and relationship.

I have lived between PA & FL all my life, hit bottom in March 99', tried suicide.

Ever since then I know nothing is worth your own life! So I just live it to the best I know how, & try to stay happy!

Graduated high school and was an excellent basketball player. Went to a New England prep school for a year to improve - many players do this for academics.....after that went off to college (a school that was weak academically) to play basketball.....made honorable mention all conference in the A-10.

In retrospect I made a terrible college decision. I had a near perfect math SAT and should have tried an Ivy League school, but I was a basketball guy at that point. I believed the hype and figured I would play pro ball.

By my senior year I was more or less burned out on basketball. I wasn't good enough to go to the pros, but overseas/Europe was a possibility - and who knows what could have happened from there - but I didn't want to move overseas. I didn't want to drop down a level, and most European leagues are a step or two down from major college ball. (This is because they limit the number of Americans per team).

After college I had a degree in math and for the first time in my life my future didn't involve basketball. But I also wasn't ready to take on a 9 to 5. I got into the Army and did the Ranger thing for a while....I wanted to try out for Soecial Forces but I got injured during training, and I was no longer able to be a Ranger.

Rather than re-classify I chose to leave the Army. A friend of mine who had left the Army under similar conditions had gotten into Cisco based networking. He now is part owner of a Wall Street consulting firm.

After looking into some options, I followed his example, and for the first time in my life I found something to apply my brain toward. It's pretty cool.