The Block

G day Jedi, normally this would be posted on a Monday and very live in case most didn't know. The Block was intended to post an idea for the week, something to chew on while we begin a new week. This week s idea comes today.


[Years ago, terms like "drop", "downer", and "out shoot" were used to describe the curve ball. A curve ball by an overhand pitcher will break mostly down. A curve by a 3/4 arm pitcher will break down and over. The curve ball is thrown with the elbow up, this is a must!!! It gives you the full radius of the circle, allows you to get on a downward plane, and increases hand speed. The size of the break is not as important as the angle of the break and the sharpness of the break. A ball breaking down, away from the plane of the bat is most important. There are a number of typical grips: across the seams and with the seams and the horseshoe grip and the Maglie grip.] Cited. This is just for a curve ball. How do you hit the curve? You have roughly .40 seconds to decide. The first times I began playing baseball the curve was my fall. UP, DOWN, IN, OUT I couldn't hit it. Damn ball was as quick as a Bee and just as blurry some times. Then my coach did something strange, he started to throw golf balls at me, and, and, AND! curving 'em at that. Jerk, I couldn't hit the broad side of the barn with a club. After a few consistent days of this annoying exercise , eventually I began to make contact, with which he began to throw those little bitty diveted demons harder. I can't begin to tell you the anger that brewed but he was the coach so I did what he said, not to mention the bruises I received from learning how NOT to hit em. I hadn't hit a ball in two weeks, a real baseball and...I was sat out a game. Two whole weeks of not hitting a ball but my only game was these golf balls from hell. (so my untrained young mind thought). Friday morning at practice coach says Martinez, jump in you're on the roster same starting spot, and don't miss any more. What can only be described as a gorilla with a telephone pole. Those balls seems so slow and large compared to those wonderful tiny golf balls I had been hating and hitting for two weeks strait. I not only couldn't miss, I had way more control and could see the curve coming a mile away.
What changed? What made the huge difference? What happen? The curve didn't change and neither did my time to react. Yet... the end result was drastic, so drastic that im 37 years old and can still hit 375 to this day lol.

What happened? What made the difference? Often times LIFE and the paths we choose have a way of throwing us curve balls, little things big things that we have no idea where or how or we just sit there and say, wow...how did...where...? That's part of life. No one is immune to the ebb and flow of things , I often say it rains on everything, learn to get wet. It is not the intention for me to ever tear any one down. EVER.
The idea here is when these things happen where does our focus go? We as Jedi can understand that it is up to us some days where we can place it. Do you call it quits? Do you let it get you down and see it as the end of everything, or are you more mindful? Would you like to be? Do we get frustrated and throw it all off and call it quits? It is at this point in time friends that I lay this encouraging word. At that point is character made, in that point in time where we strike out...where we fail where we fall , that we can make something different. Be mindful Jedi , life is full of curves and drops. Don't see things like you only get 3 strikes and that's it, oh no friend this is the practice field, nothing here is final and we get golf balls and eventually we may learn the difference. I'm not the smartest Jedi here but I am Jedi and so is my focus. Don't get upset if you strike out friends, on the contrary, use those times to bring the character you've always wanted to display. Just so you hear it, In life there are no three strikes and your out, you still have to pay bills and make dinner and take care of responsibilities. If you fail you fail, learn from your mistakes. Fall ...forward
All my heart Jedi
Carlos

Cite
Pitching
The basic fundamentals and mechanics of successful Pitching
Pg. 86 The curve ball
by Bob Shaw

The Try factor

In every human Being lives something. Same as the connection we share together. I l never officially name it, im no fool but I will acknowledge it every chance I get. There is something that lives in us. For some its dormant and for others its blazing with constant give. Its the TRY. Im not sure what or where and I wont even begin to label things what they are and are not but in us is that try. That small spark of "I will" or the "I can". Often times in my life I find some moments so frequent that the try is sometimes automatically suggested. Well, if he's there he will figure it out. Now, I am no stranger to different mind sets and such, but to not try is I think most harmful. To not swing. To do nothing. Now trust me when I say I understand the uncarved block. I am the un carved block, but its the try that shapes me. It is the try's that make the evidence of what is needed or not needed. Its the try's that make the path what It is. When you have a doubt next time Jedi , here a encouraging word...
TRY
All my heart Jedi
Carlos

You are my Jedi ism

When I think of Jedi ism I often think of my own definition. Then I have to stop there. My idea of what is, is, is only a small part in the entire grand scheme of things. I am not saying every ones wrong and no one right, no, I don't use silly sayings labeled in a black or white and no other room for absolutes, that's not me. What I am saying is this thing we have called Jedi ism is difficult to explain and even harder to practice but so worth it. I often find my self thinking on terms of my own growth and in hopes, do hope it will aid in some one else's.
There is a small idea in Jedi ism I will attempt to explain. Grant it, I am not the best orator nor do I claim to be educated, yet this idea is simple and easy to understand , lol I hope....here we go

In Jedi ism there can be numerous ideas that exist at the same time. There is no set list or order , all that is up to each individual to decide for them self's. You can be, believe, practice, study, anything you care to choose or the amount you care to partake in. This is not solely a Jedi ism thing this is called, life. It is the idea of the mindfulness in practice that can be the mindfulness in every day real life.

This is my definition. With claiming only my own personal idea there are many who share the same idea as me. There are some here who see perfectly opposite of me as well. Then there are those I simply share a slight similarity too. All these differences are not right or wrong they have worked for me and have worked for you. So many times in my own path I have to be in the mindset of the way I word things as well. We share the same few ideas here. If we really take time to think, we all have the same story, our path, we go in different directions and some in the same but as we all take time to study things for ourselves we find the all story, the all struggle, the all myth. Your side of My Jedi ism is just as relevant as mine friend. If you need to hear it then here you go. Every definition of Jedi ism , if you claim it is...IS it is Jedi ism. Hard to understand, impossible to grasp due to some thing in my own mind that said, "uh-uhh no, its not like mine" The best part is if it was just like mine it probly will not work for you nor would your work for me. Our paths are different there for, our Paths, our answers will differ as well. There fore, they can not be the same. Now that you've read this does it make sense? I leave this to those who are a bit more than fans. I leave this to those who like me have come to this Temple seeking and finding. May the Force be with yall every where you seek it, Today and this week as well!
Carlos

I was thinking of that the other day , a few weeks ago in a Party meeting i got very upset because a school wants funds to expand the classrooms , that in itself was not unreasonable , what i got angy about is because they want it so the Lower education children will not be mixed with the Higher education children , mind you , we are talking about children age 12 to 18 that are being pushed by their parents do achieve the highest in their education. I got angry and said something about the apartheid of children through the schoolsystem and that i believe in equal rights for every child and that its fine if they ALL have math lessons in the same building so they can start to get along together and build this villiage on a foundation of trust and acknowledgement of each other, respect. Somewhere along the line honest hardworking labourours became ----> lower educated folk with no manners this makes me sick to my stomach and i expressed my anger about that. The council member wrote it down , and my arguments exactly will be used almost to the letter to not grant the School the money and they are urged to merge the room they have and if they need money for adjustments , they will get that .

Now that really scared me for some reason because as a Jedi i need to be invisible ..somehow , but i am also a Jedi , i cant hide when i see something thats wrong and not say anything about it , and then i realised , i am a Jedi ... i will find a way to combine politics and philosophy. Good lesson , i live across the street from the school , wonder when the eggs start hitting my window :laugh:

I am not sure what rights I have to speak on much, but thank you Carlos for your post this morning. To me Jediism is the honing of knowledge, sense and patience of understanding when action vs inaction, interaction and isolation are necessary for the defined good. I don't know who decides the greater right, for that I go with my feelings in the moment of action though remain vigilant of emotional interference. There is no one who is either right or wrong in the belief systems they hold. The only black and white that truly exists is wether this moment exists.
Marta if I may comment on your situation and view, it is not that the manual labor force has become less educated it is that that all low to mid level society have been pressed to a point at which they see no value in education particularly figuring in cost now. I personally have begun to notice this in all of the labor force from the blue to the white collar (I am in a low white collar position). Manners are not being maintained in general through society as we have been trained systematically to fear those not like us. It is the easy way for people to believe they are avoiding trouble to simply begrudge someone off than establish any form of relationship of which manners and cordiality is the door way to. In my humble opinion your action in the school meeting if I am not overstepping my bounds, was not incorrect you trusted your feelings and spoke of what you see as justice at the time of which you were presented too, there is no fault in that. The consequences will be what they will be however they turn out. It is indeed a deep recognition to take a lesson from it, but it should also show that indeed in taking up this battle you may indeed be led to fight more for this same cause in the same place. Again, in my eyes not an unworthy pursuit. Manners will return to our society when we again begin to view people as people instead of continuing to divide our selves into sub classes. After all we all toil wither by mind body or spirit to find our way through life and to survive in a society built on production.

Much Obliged for allowing me voice my opinion. In humility,
Tim

Kobos wrote: I am not sure what rights I have to speak on much, but thank you Carlos for your post this morning. To me Jediism is the honing of knowledge, sense and patience of understanding when action vs inaction, interaction and isolation are necessary for the defined good. I don't know who decides the greater right, for that I go with my feelings in the moment of action though remain vigilant of emotional interference. There is no one who is either right or wrong in the belief systems they hold. The only black and white that truly exists is wether this moment exists.
Marta if I may comment on your situation and view, it is not that the manual labor force has become less educated it is that that all low to mid level society have been pressed to a point at which they see no value in education particularly figuring in cost now. I personally have begun to notice this in all of the labor force from the blue to the white collar (I am in a low white collar position). Manners are not being maintained in general through society as we have been trained systematically to fear those not like us. It is the easy way for people to believe they are avoiding trouble to simply begrudge someone off than establish any form of relationship of which manners and cordiality is the door way to. In my humble opinion your action in the school meeting if I am not overstepping my bounds, was not incorrect you trusted your feelings and spoke of what you see as justice at the time of which you were presented too, there is no fault in that. The consequences will be what they will be however they turn out. It is indeed a deep recognition to take a lesson from it, but it should also show that indeed in taking up this battle you may indeed be led to fight more for this same cause in the same place. Again, in my eyes not an unworthy pursuit. Manners will return to our society when we again begin to view people as people instead of continuing to divide our selves into sub classes. After all we all toil wither by mind body or spirit to find our way through life and to survive in a society built on production.

Much Obliged for allowing me voice my opinion. In humility,
Tim

Thank you for your feedback , its much appreciated and i am with you on the observation that we are losing our manners all over I will see where what i said will lead , but i stand by it , i think kids should have equal changes , no matter who their parents are , within reasonable parameters off course , i know we are equal but life has taught me that some are more equal than others , we can fight against it or make do with what we have , and make the best of it , we cannot change the world , just our little part in it