My time living in Portland, OR has felt like a single blink of my eyes. I moved here in late August of 2013 and since then, I have constantly been studying for an exam or training for a martial arts competition. It’s been relentless and exhausting. That is, until a few weeks ago. I took … More A few words on my goals and accomplishments.
For the past couple months, I’ve been preparing for a Muay Thai fight while also diligently studying in medical school. It was a relentless schedule of 12-15 hour days filled with extreme mental and physical exertion. I was constantly exhausted. There were days when I barely had enough physical energy to stand up or enough … More The lover and the fighter in me.
I’m a student. I spend my days listening, thinking, learning, absorbing. At school, I’m quiet. I’m reflective. I’m reserved. I slowly and methodically think through everything. My only priority during the school day is to fill my brain with as much knowledge and insight as I possibly can. And that’s what I do. I quietly … More Someone knocked the happy out of me.
I didn’t start training MMA for the fitness. I wanted to learn to fight, to be tough. From the start, my intention was to get into the ring and go at it. After my first 9 months of intense training, my coach had a fight lined up for himself and suggested we find a fight … More I was supposed to fight a guy.
When I was in grade school, the town bully took my very favorite hat right off my head. It was raining. He taunted me and pushed me around. He said all I had to do was punch him and he’d give me my hat back. At 12 years old, I already had a strong conviction … More How I came to enjoy getting punched in the face.
James is Trying 