The Mat and the Pen

April 3 – May 19, 2024: I guess I'm doing this now…

A lot of pieces written for the Substack and for social media were conceived while volunteering for KQED, San Francisco’s NPR affiliate. Part of why they didn’t pick it up is because of a lack of budget…trust me, they not only need it, they deserve it!

I am not what one would consider the wrestling type—nowhere near it.

I did not grow up in the business, and I don't have any background in amateur wrestling or combat sports at a high school or collegiate level. I'm not big and strong—hell, I'm not even muscular. I'm not blobby and fat, either—just average, or maybe even below average in some ways.

I can't move around like I used to. Getting down the stairs with a bum left ankle definitely does me no favors. According to my doctor, I'm in perfect health, except for my weight, which has been a constant struggle even after losing 70 pounds since COVID-19 began. I still have another 15 to 25 pounds to go, and then I need to gain muscle just to give me a bit of tone.

I've only now truly begun to grow into my body. Due to my neurodevelopmental setbacks, let's call them, I wasn't physically gifted or blessed. I have also had time to grow into my mind, but not my recall. The recall has been in full force since 2007 and hopefully will not turn off for long. Still, I've lacked social grace that, while endearing me to some, has turned off many people around me.

Some call it antisocial, some even joke I look like one of the people at the airport who guide the planes in, but it is a necessity. I love these headphones because it allows me to listen to music in high quality, but additionally, it filters sound and allows me not to stress out too much and get overwhelmed. Believe me, it helps more than you realize.

But that's why what I'm about to do is ultimately perfect. To succeed, I need to utilize that mindset and a level of artistry and creativity that most journalists I know don't really get to flex…and on top of that, expand my body and mind to make something new.