Category: personal story
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My new 100%
Sept 23, 2023 “I’ve reached a point in life where I must confront my age, my health condition, and my lingering injuries. These realities are not going away; in fact, they are only becoming more pronounced with time. Recently, I took a much-needed three-week break from my usual routine of 7-9 classes a week .…
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System Crash in Seattle
September 8, 2025 I took a great trip to Seattle this week. I walked Pike Place Market. Ate incredible food. Stood outside the spheres. Spent time in the pop culture museum. On the surface, it was exactly the kind of trip I love: movement, noise, life. Underneath, things were unraveling. The trip came after five…
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Why It Took Me So Long to Release This Blog
Feb 3, 2026 This blog has existed for years without really existing. The posts were written. Some polished. Some raw. Most finished enough to stand on their own. What never happened was the release. Not because I didn’t have anything to say, and not because I was afraid of writing it. I didn’t release it…
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Coach Joe
“No one ever steps into the same river twice.” – Heraclitus I have taken on a new role recently. Coach. I have always been the guy people ask before, during, and after class. It felt natural. People saw me as someone who understands the game and can explain it in a way that helps. My…
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Rolling With MS: What My Training Partners Don’t Know
September 2021 I slap hands, bump fists, and start moving. To them, it’s just another roll. To me, it’s another battle against a body that doesn’t always cooperate. Most of my training partners don’t know what it feels like to roll with MS. They don’t know that some days my legs feel like they’re full…
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“Gift” what Richard Pryor taught me.
I’ve always loved comedy, especially the kind that pushes boundaries. As a kid, I didn’t fully understand Richard Pryor’s perspective, but his raw energy and sharp wit captivated me. Later in life, his story took on a deeper meaning because the same disease that stole his gift is the one trying to take mine. Saturday…
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Grappling With Multiple Sclerosis
My name is Joe, and I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003. I was 27 years old, just two months away from my wedding. My body betrayed me, and I had no idea that years later, I’d be stepping onto a BJJ mat, learning to fight in a whole new way. Multiple sclerosis is…