Trust The Fedora

Welcome to Kajukenbo

2011-08-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for a martial art to study for a while, and had just about settled on Krav Maga when I stumbled across an episode of Fight Quest which featured an art I had never heard of called Kajukenbo.

Kajukenbo is a Hawaiian/American mixed martial art which was founded in 1947 in Oahu, Hawaii by 5 experts in different fighting styles.

The founders were Sijo ("Founder") Adriano Emperado (Kenpo and Escrima), Peter Young Yil Choo (Kenpo Karate (Tang Soo Do) and Western Boxing), Joe Holck (Judo), Frank Ordonez (Danzan Ryu Jujutsu) , and George Chang (Chu'an-Fa Chinese boxing).

The name Kajukenbo is an amalgamation of many of these fighting styles.

Ka - Karate
Ju - Jujitsu/Judo
Ken - Kenpo
Bo - Western Boxing/Chinese Boxing

I was interested in Kajukenbo (aka Kaju) from my very first exposure to it. First and foremost I loved that it is a true mixed martial art. Kaju trains standup, sweeps, throws, takedowns, BJJ-style joint locks, even stick fighting techniques.

It's a modern, practical art with real world applications, as a quick gander at the clip above from Fight Quest will let you know. (that's my Sigung Jeff Macalolooy about 22 seconds in).

It's a great workout, and I'm loving every step of it.
So far we've worked on Judo style leg sweeps, and Boxing style footwork and strikes. I can't wait for my next lesson!

For those interested, I'm studying at Dragons Den MMA in Union City

So I'm a smoothie guy

2011-08-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

It happened so slowly I didn't really notice until the process was complete, but it turns out I'm a smoothie guy. Now I don't mean I spend 5 dollars on a smoothie at Jamba Juice. I mean, it's a rare day that doesn't start out with a healthy, home made smoothie... full of good for you stuff.

Smoothies make a great for a quick meal, or post workout recovery drink.

I start with a base of unsweetened almond milk and into the blender go some combination of the following.

Vitamineral Green
Nature's Plus - Source of Life Powder
Raw Maca powder
Green Tea powder
Plain Greek Yogurt
Swiss Chard
Kale
Banananas
Strawberries
Peaches
Mangos
Rasberries

The taste anywhere from 'Not bad' to 'Delicious' (I normally don't go to heavy on the Maca, it can be overpowering), and I've been feeling SO much better.

I still go out to breakfast on the weekends, but I'm going to cut down to one day a week.

Photo by ilovemypit

Ward of the State - The Northern Nevada Children's Home

2011-05-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

After I ran away from the Mitchell family, I was briefly put in a juvenile detention facility in Reno until a new home was found for me. My social worker had seemed to think I was some sort of flight risk, despite the fact that I was in regular contact with her.

Nothing particularly exciting happened while I was in the lockup. I didn't get assaulted or anything, it was however closer to being in prison then I ever want to be again.

Each time I was returned to my cell I would have to strop down to a t-shirt and a pair of briefs. The standard issue, bluejeans and black Pro-Keds would be left outside my cell door.

Due to my behavior, and the fact that I wasn't some sort of delinquent (of which there were several) I eventually got the librarian to let me bring books back to my cell after 'class'. This was how I read 'The Odyssey' for the first time. I was in the lockup for a little over a week before I was moved to the Northern Nevada Children's home in Cason City.

The NNCH was my final stop before returning to my father. It was a collection of six or so small group homes called 'Cottages' Each cottage had a number, and a set of 'parents' assigned to it. For example, I believe I was in cottage 6, with Mom and Dad Gay. There were three girls cottages and three boys cottages, along with a commissary and a large administrative building (pictured above) which used to part of the old orphanage.

As it turned out this was the ideal environment for me at the time. Despite the fact that we called each of the cottage parents 'Mom' and 'Dad', I didn't feel like anyone was trying to replace my father. It was just a title, and as such I was able to go along with it without a problem.

I do remember my first day at the home. I had been ordered to undertake a psychiatric evaluation upon admittance. The woman who was administering the test had never met me before, and seemed to know nothing about the specifics of my situation... anyhooo at some point she had called my father a criminal and a drug addict in a very cold and matter of fact way.

I threw an ashtray at her.

My social worker made sure I never had to deal with her again.

Dad Gay was a Navy man. Tall, at least 6'2" and covered in old school Navy ink. He had chains tattooed on his wrists, "One link for each trip around the world" Both his wrists were covered. He was hard, but fair. He was a good man. Mom Gay was a big woman, very sweet and loving. She collected signed celebrity headshots, and had them framed and adorning the walls of the cottage. They owned a beautiful blue Chow chow named 'Princess Joy Chow Lee'... I can't believe I remember her name.

The Gays I'm sure are at least in part responsible for my love of Rockabilly, Country, and old school tattoos. They came into my life at a time where I desperately needed guidance, and stability in a way that didn't seem a threat. I'm very grateful that I had you in my life. I wish I had managed to tell you.

I was in the home for just about two years before, without much fanfare I was told I could return to my father, who was living in Oakland at the time. He was living with his wife Vida off of High street. The first day I returned home she traded my stereo for drugs.

Welcome home kid.

Our Christian Slater interview from Wondercon 2011

2011-04-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Once again I covered Wondercon for Geek Girl on the Street. This event was my first attempt at being a cameraman instead of a photographer, so don't be too hard on me.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos gets a Photo with me, at TED 2011

2011-03-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

Qonexus, a follower of all things TEDTalk, has recently posted a picture from TED 2011 of Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos chatting it up with me, via Anybot, embedded above.

We are confident that if you follow our blog you are aware of TED. We are also confident that if you are aware of TED, you know that we both collaborated recently to do something awesome. Well, just in case you needed further proof, here is one more example of the kind of attention we received at TED 2011. Just imagine botting in from your laptop and suddenly being approached by someone as influential as him. Well, that's exactly what happend at TED, and that's exactly what our product is capable of. Being in an Anybot will get you noticed. It's your job to convince him to autograph your face.

2011-03-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

Anybots Heads to TED 2011 - Tremendous Leap Forward in Surfer/Yank Relations

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New York to Long Beach. Immediately my thoughts are drawn to delays, queues, jet lag, and wishing that seat selection was this fun. Some would view this as a necessary burden in order to go to something as awesome as TED 2011 - The Rediscovery of Wonder. Frankly, I would be inclined to agree since the people who attend TED talks are often just as interesting as the subjects being discussed. Simulcast is great, but being there would be neurally hair-raising. Well, just like most TED talks, prepare to combine a mindblowing concept with this brainmelting one. TED teamed up with Syfy and decided that they wanted the people watching the simulcast in New York to mingle with the crowd down in Long Beach, and that's where we came in. Anybots sent one robot to each venue and, during the break, attendees did exactly that. With one click they were instantly thrust into a crowd on the complete other side of the country, free to mingle and explore as they pleased. Other highlights from the trip are of QB trying to flirt with one of the Syfy "Y"s, the NY venue itself (which was exquisitely designed), and of course being able to party to the rhythm of Rana Sobhany, better known as the first "IPad DJ".

Our Robot, caught on video

2011-02-04T12:06:00.000-08:00

Anybots, had nothing to do with the creation, or editing of this video. We just wanted a scone, and were too lazy to go get one.

We had nothing to do with the creation of the actual video.

No smoke, no mirrors. Just a robot, getting a scone.

Enjoy.

Anybots Ship!

2011-02-03T14:57:00.000-08:00

I cross-posted this from our company blog. As you see I had some difficulty getting my bottle to open LOL

Robots Are Now Shipping - Humans Shower in Champagne

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I'll be honest. We don't get out much. We spend our days, nights, weekends, holidays, and bathroom breaks working on robots (we're really dedicated). So when we find cause to celebrate, we make sure we do it in style. Today, as much of the tech world has reported, Anybots has officially begun shipping robots out to customers. We could not be happier, and we certainly appreciate the constant support we've been receiving from our family, friends, and fellow technophiles. We love you guys, and we're ready to crank it up to eleven. Stay tuned for more Anybots awesomeness.

Dad's first wife.

2011-01-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

Today I made friends with a woman who was married to my father before I was born. I didn't know her before, hell I never new my father had been married before I was born.

I'll get into the circumstances behind our coming to meet after I write about my fathers passing, which I'm not quite ready to write down, but it's coming soon. I promise.

She has some photos of him that she's willing to send me. While this is awesome in and of itself, it isn't the best news. She also has some reel to reel audio of a band that they were both in.

The thought that I might hear my fathers voice again brought me to tears when she told me this (just as it is now, as I write this).

We had a long conversation on the phone this evening, and we are going to stay in touch.

She kept his name... I don't know why, but this makes me happy. Maybe it's just because I've become used to the idea that I'm the last Sampson left... maybe it's something else. I'll have to analyze this further. For the time being however I'm very grateful to have met her, and look forward to getting to know her more.

Fun Fact:

My dad had a dog named "Ambar" Ambar must be a clever way of spelling Amber you might be thinking... Nope. Ambar was short for 'Amphetamines and Barbiturates' When I heard that I laughed out loud.

That sounds just like my dad.

Video of my demo in at CES

2011-01-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

Today I found out that one of the many demos I was giving of my companies telepresence robot made it online.

I trust this is going to be yet another step in my impending internet stardom LOL

If you'd like to read the whole writeup, click here. If you just want to see my gorgeous mug give a demo... here you go!

Ward of the State - The 2nd Foster Home

2011-01-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

Enter the Mitchell family.

Lee Mitchell was the head custodian at the local high school. He was also a deacon at the Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church" in Reno, NV. His wife Mae Mitchell was a teacher, and the leader if the church youth choir, which I sang in. Their natural daughter Cynthia was the church pianist. They were hard working, and kind... ultimately it would be this kindness that drove me from their home, but I'll get to that later.

I lived in their rather large home with a mentally handicapped girl they had adopted, and for a short time with a white girl they had adopted and raised since she was a little girl. Shortly after she turned 18 she moved out... maybe she was kicked out, I don't quite remember.

The Mitchell's took me to church with them, and would introduce me in social functions as their 'Son'. Maybe because they had been known to act as both foster parents and adoptive parents in their community it was just accepted... but it sure was hard for me to hear.

This was the period of my life where I got the most of the back handed compliments from the adults around me. I was always an avid reader, and was in the GATE program before we moved to Nevada. It wasn't uncommon for me to get unwanted attention from the black kids around me for 'talking white' and the like. Actually that sort of think pretty much lasted until my junior year of High School. When I'd meet my friends almost all of which were white, their parents would always make some sort of comment on how 'well I spoke'. I'm sure they may have meant it as a compliment, but all I ever really heard was 'you sure speak well for a black boy, you almost sound like a real person!'

Needless to say I had a lot of anger issues back then.

I turned 13 during my time with the Mitchell family. I remember because I was hanging out with the boyfriend of the 18 year old gal who lived in the house... I can't seem to remember her name, but I think his was Chris. Chris, also 18 had picked me up from middle school and taken me to his house to hang out. His sister, who was also somewhere around 18 was there. When she asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I tried to say money. What I got instead was a lecture from Chris about how when a woman asks you what you want, you say Pussy. I managed to make it out of there with my virginity in tact, if not my dignity.

It's hard being a teenager. It's hard enough going through puberty in the best of times. It's certainly much harder without a father in your life. The Mitchell's were VERY good to me, I really do need to stress that. Regardless, I wasn't able to live with them. To this day I swear it is because they were just too nice to me. I didn't feel like I deserved it. They knew my father was in jail, they know his wife was an addict I couldn't live with. They just kept on treating me like I was one of their one.

But I wasn't.

Eventually I'd pack my bags, and move in with a skater friend of mine. I kept my social worker informed as to where I was, but let her know I wasn't going back to the Mitchell family. After about a month, my friends family was taking a trip to california, and once again I couldn't cross state lines with them, so I called my social worker again, who sent an officer to escort me to a temporary shelter.

He took me to Juvenile Hall instead.

Anybots on G4tv!

2011-01-12T16:48:00.001-08:00

At CES, our robot made it onto G4tv's 'Attack of the Show' Check it out!

Video Games - E3 2011 - CES '11 Live

Ward of the state - The first foster home.

2011-01-05T20:36:00.000-08:00

For a short period after I was taken from my family, I was placed in a group home. I don't remember much of my stay here, and it was really just a place to keep me until they found a foster home to put me in. The only really interesting thing that happened during this time was my last weekend there, which would be my first encounter with alcohol.

There was a fellow at the group home, one of our care takers I remember. Italian. I can't remember his first name, but I remember his last name was Ronzoni. He claimed to be related to the pasta people, and had a vanity plate on his sports-car that read 'Ronzon'. The weekend before Halloween, he took the boys from the group home on a camping trip. He brought up a bunch of booze, and got the guys drunk. I was the youngest by a few years. Now before you get too worked up, to the best of my knowledge there wasn't any molesting going on, but he did get us all drunk. I seem to remember that the other guys didn't really want me to drink with them, but I wanted to fit in, and was able to convince them to let me drink. All I really remember of that night is passing out in the back of a car, and having the only true hangover of my life the next day... well that and missing out on Halloween.

The social worker made a point to find a mixed race couple to put me with... I don't know why they just assumed I was half white or something. They found a rather wealthy couple who lived out in the boonies. I don't remember the name of the town, but it was out in the hills, and I had to take a long bus ride into the city to go to school.

I don't remember their names, so I'm just going refer to them as 'Mom' and 'Dad'.

Mom was an escrow agent, all pant-suits and straightened hair. The dad... well I don't really remember what he did for a living, but he was a real outdoorsy type guy. He had a large gun collection, which is where I think my love of guns came from, and took me skeet shooting and pheasant hunting. He had a pile of playboys under his sink, which I was able to detect at once with my puberty enhanced senses, and found the first time I was left alone.

The lady of the house had lupus, and eventually they decided to relocate to the bay area so she could get some experimental treatment at Stanford. For legal reasons I never quite understood, they weren't able to take me with them, so back to the group home I went until another family was found.

These people were nice to me, and I liked them well enough. They certainly never mistreated me, but then again the next family I was put with didn't mistreat me either, and I still ended up running away.

I saw my father in prison during my stay with this family. My father didn't want me to see him in during the trial, and after my visit I don't think he wanted me to see him in an inmates jumpsuit either. I was 12 years old, and despite the fact that my father was locked up for less than a year, I wouldn't see him again until I was 15.

Ward of the State. The first night

2011-01-04T20:57:00.000-08:00

I was 11 when my father was arrested. It must have been a Wednesday, as I remember it was my third day of middle school.

We had just moved into a house next door to my friend Wesley. It had been empty, with a 'For Rent' sign up for months, and who wouldn't want to live next door to their best friend? Eventually I'd learn that it was Wesleys parents who originally tipped off the police to the 'strange comings and goings' at our house.

We were all sitting in the front room, listening to the radio. My father, his wife Vida, and me. 'Red Red Wine' by UB40 was playing. It was a really hot day, the windows were open, the front door left ajar. I remember my dad didn't have a shirt on.

I was actually looking at the front door when the police kicked it down. I watched as the door, which had been open an inch or two, slowly closed completely. I barely had a second to note that this behavior was odd when the door exploded inward. A small battering ram had knocked it off its hinges.

POLICE, SEARCH WARRANT, PUT YOUR HANDS UP!

Four maybe five armed officers in full body armor burst into the room, and my memory of the rest of that night becomes a blur of shouting, screaming, and cryings. Three things were burned into my memory.

I remember some time after the dust settles, and we realize there are armed officers pointing guns at the three of us, we all have our hands up in the air. The officer with the shotgun tells me I can put my hands down. I shake my head no, I was too afraid if I moved he was going to shoot me.

I remember looking at my father, who had been handcuffed with his wrists behind his back, sitting in an wooden chair. The bottom of the chair broke and he fell partially through the chair, and his forearms were pinned against the chair by his body. He cried out in pain, and nobody did a thing to help him. I ended up half crying, half screaming for them to help him.

I remember being taken away. I remember seeing the house, and the police cars with their flashing lights. I don't remember where they took me that night, but I remember being taken.

It would be 3 years before I saw my father again, save for one visit in prison.

I never saw that house again.

Scobleizer and I talk Anybots!

2011-01-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

Robert Scoble aka Scobleizer came into the Anybots office a month or so ago, and got me on the record talking about our telepresence robot.

Check it out!

Hubba Hubba Revue - NYE Show

2011-01-01T14:43:00.000-08:00

Aimee and I made it out to the Uptown in Oakland for the New Years Eve edition Hubba Hubba revue for some good old fashioned Burlesque, and we had a blast. Great music, beautiful women, good friends. What's not to love.

Here are some of the highlights of the evening.

The Suit is in the Mail

2010-12-23T10:17:00.000-08:00

In preperation for my companies jaunt to CES next month, the engineering team decided to have custom suits tailored for us via the online tailor indochino.com

This morning I was notified via their concierge service that my 'Eternal Charcoal Suit' was on the way.

I'll still need to take to to a tailor once it gets here for final alterations, but indochino will cover that too, well the first $75 dollars worth anyway.

I pretty much got the suit you see here. I went with the limited edition green/brown lining to match my eyes. I also got two oxfor shirts (french cut cuffs) and a tie. I'll be buying several pocket squares elswhere.

I've seen these suits up close, and to quote my boss, who is quite the notable ecentric 'That looks like a 1500 dollar suit' And this dear reader, is why we are getting custom suits.

We are going to look fan-freaking-tastic... AND WE WILL HAVE ROBOTS!

#superexcited

-R

My Angel

2010-10-31T01:09:00.000-07:00

Today was supposed be your first birthday. I would have been there to hold you as soon as you came into the world. I know things didn't work out with your mother and I, but you were conceived in love, and we both wanted you.

I think about you all the time, I wish I got to meet you.

I miss you.

I love you.

ROBOT ATTACK!

2010-09-02T13:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I started my first day at the coolest company you've never heard of. Anybots.

Anybots makes telepresence robots. The current model, the QB looks like a cross between a Segway people and Johnny 5.

I can't really go into much detail about what I'll be doing, but I am SUPER excited to be here!

Food Porn Haiku III

2010-08-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

oh i don't think so
today I do the eating
mister crocodile

A fat cat in the shower!

2010-08-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

I've been too busy the past few days to do any writing (le sigh). I did however finally get a new iphone, and have been playing with an awesome photography App Hipstamatic. A full review is being drafted now, but until then please enjoy a wonderful picture of my cat Spartacus in the shower.

My first roast chicken...

2010-08-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

Last night was the GF's first day at her new job. She'd been feeling down for the past few days with a bug she wasn't able to quite shake off, and I thought I'd cheer her up with a yummy dinner when she got home.

I had recently picked up Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook, and had decided to make a bimonthly event out of using it's recipes, and vowed to try each one... even the escargots (shudder). This was a practice run of his recipe for Polet Roti. Sadly my butcher lied to me about there being twine (and gibbets for that matter) in with my bird, so it wasn't trussed up properly. It was however freaking delicious, and VERY juicy.

What else was served you ask? Not much. Roasted carrots with brown sugar glaze, and a toasted baguette with herb butter and Parmesan cheese. Italian blood-orange soda washed it all down.

My awesome writer friend, foodie, and all around kick-ass person Kate wrote about my chicken on her Food Pr0n Lover site. You should check it out, and make me famous LOL.

Be Well,

@Trustyfedora

Food Porn Haiku II

2010-08-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

creamy and spicy
land meets sea with creole flair
these shrooms are magic

Stop whining about Dr Laura's first amendment rights!

2010-08-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm not here to complain about the things that Dr Laura said on her radio program that offended (rightly so) many Americans. I don't care what she said, I'm not now, nor have I ever been a fan of her program.

I am however sick of empty headed idiots like Dr Laura, and Sarah Palin (@sarahpalinusa) screaming free speech.

Her rights aren't being violated, the government isn't silencing her... at best her advertisers are choosing not to spend their money on her program. That isn't censorship, that's capitalism in action.

Advertisers, just like everyone else have the right to vote from the pocketbook, and make decisions that are in their own interests. I imagine being associated with a racist idiot is enough reason for her show to go off the air for a while. I don't even think she needs to be off the air for the record.

As a true believer, I wholeheartedly agree with her right to utter every small minded, ignorant, offensive statement she made. As a broadcaster Dr Laura should have been intelligent enough to understand that when you offend people, they don't want to listen to you. And when people don't listen, advertisers don't spend.

In short, Dr Laura should be honest with herself and the rest of the world with what is going on.

She said something stupid, and at least for a while her career might suffer for it, but hiding behind the first amendment WHEN YOU QUIT A JOB is, in a word. Crazy.

Be Well,

@Trustyfedora

Just because I can...

NIGGER NIGGER NIGGER!

Food Porn Haiku I

2010-08-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

Toaster Waffle with Cinnamon Apples

lazy breakfast gets
sexy apple makeover
its ghetto cuisine