My many faces

With 2010 just days away. Everyone's setting a resolution to keep themselves on track at least for the early months of 2010. The problem with resolutions is they are given in a manner leaving too much room for interpation and therefore laziness due to over-modification. What is a resolution? In terms of the new year's a resolution is a goal for the year. However, webster defines a resolution as a finish or the end of plot/story. Resolutions are often changed because they are too hard and couldn't be completed the previous year. This is due again to over-modification and a vague picture. My goals for 2010: 1) Publish Emotions Volume 2: Better Days 2) Win Mundials 3) Make Purple Belt I list them in order of importance NOT the order of completion desired. This allows goals to carry over into 2011 if for some reason, they aren't completed in 2010. The truth is there is really no END, which is what a resolution is by definition. There are two schools of thought. Some say you

I've been away for a while. Everything is cool I've just been getting things together for 2010. With Emotions Volume 2 now subtitled Better Days(yes, thats the official name) scheduled for a spring release and the fact that I'm still working on Secret Paradise which will be my first novel things have been busy. In BJJ News I just competed at NAGA DC on October 10 th , I've been playing my matches over and over in my head since I left the venue I'm still waiting on the videos from the teammate who recorded them. In 2010, I'll attend Mundials (The World Championships) and I'll be damned if I dont come back with a medal or two around my neck. Now the belt level of the aformentioned medal(blue or purple belt) is up to Maguilla and how he plans to handle promotions in 2010. Speaking of Maguilla he was away the entire month of October he went home to brazil on "vacation". I firmly believe he went to go take the test to get his 5 th degree stripe

ok i've been away for a while I know. I've been working on my novel I should be able to release it within the next two to three years after the Emotions series is complete if all goes as planned. A lot has happened in the past two months the book sales are finally picking up and I'm working on a deal with a local store. I will let you all know when a deal is finalized please know the book will always be available on http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.booksurge.com/ . There is no exact date for the release of Emotions Vol. 2, I'm shooting for Spring 2010. I'm also saving up to start my own publishing company I'm aiming for my novel to be the company's first release we will also re-release the Emotions series. In BJJ news as advertised I went to New Jersey June 27-28. I got there Saturday morning at around 8am we drove all night. Saturday I was not scheduled to compete so I stayed and watched the Pro submission fights even though I was going on literally n

Collection of poetry reveals how emotions can heal pain Emotions: The Beginning of Turmoil by Romeo Barnes is the first in a poetry series that explores how creative expression can mend lives SUITLAND, Md.–Emotions: The Beginning of Turmoil by Romeo Barnes is a poetry collection that celebrates the healing power writing can have when dealing with the difficulties in life. Romeo Barnes was born with cerebral palsy. One dark night, when he was contemplating suicide, he began to write poems about his pain, and it was then he realized he has a creative voice and something to offer the world. This collection, Emotions: The Beginning of Turmoil, is what Barnes calls “the deepest release of his thoughts and feelings.” In poem after poem, Barnes explores how people can only be who and what they are, and to deny it is to face more difficulties in life. Using his life experiences as fodder for the poems, Barnes’ writing offers sage advice. Acting happy when you are sad can affect your well- be

Muscle Memory... its a term every athlete knows and has a love-hate relationship with. Muscle memory simply means your body can perform the said action with you having to think about it. Its like tieing your shoe you just do it. Drilling allows techniques to become automatic and require next to no effort, that's why we love it. But it requires drilling that's why we hate. Let's face it, no basketball player wants to do 500 suicides in defensive posture. However, if you do it it'll make sure your back pedal and side step are on point. The same applies to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sparring is the fun part so we all want to do it. However, only sparring=bad technique i know my technique was off the first three months I was training with Maguilla; I knew it was because of my two years and eight months not training. But not drilling didnt help. I must say I'm learning to love it. In my opinion its the best way to warm up because you break a sweat and refine technique at the sa

Earlier this week it was announced that I will be promoted to Blue Belt as of Saturday.The announcement made me reflect upon the realization of my current stage in life. When I first went to Maguilla BJJ my previous training had my head big I went from training with one of the top teams in the Mid-Alantic region to a much lesser-known team as far as names and publicity go. So didn't attempt to submit other white belts in sparring the way I should have. Instead, I chose to teach them what I know. This led to really bad sparring session in which I learned nothing. I have only had 1 full year of mat time. Due to having to find a new school I took two years and eight months off and pretty much lived on Youtube watching big tournaments and scences from instructionals to decide which ones I actually wanted to purchase. The point is you can prepare mentally as much as you want but nothing beats doing it, and more importantly, doing it whole-heartedly. That said, I have a new mindset that

my book release date got pushed up. I just got word that the book was made available four days ago. here's the link: http://www.booksurge.com/Emotions-The-Beginning-of-Turmoil/A/1439233608.htm please be aware that my personal Amazon.com page is not up yet. But I welcome you to leave reviews on either booksurge.com in the customer review or right here on my blog in a comment. How you feel is important as without you guys my career is dead. I know a lot of readers will ask "How does it feel to be published"? I really can't answer that question yet, as I'm still in shock myself. I guess it'll sink in when the reviews and questions start coming in. Thats all for now on account of my glee leaving me short on words. See you next time.

My book has finally reached print-ready status. Emotions: The Beginning of Turmoil will be ready for purchase very soon. Links for purchase will be posted soon.

Sunday is usually my off day and don't train at all. And while I didn't train in a physical sense yesterday I couldn't stop thinking about a technique I learned Saturday, or should I say a technique I got a refresher course on Saturday. I learned the toe hold a few years back but always felt it would be a limited technique for me since I can't really control a person's leg with my legs. Boy am I happy to say I was wrong. The setup I learned Saturday came off my favorite sweep and didn't involve me using my legs for control in any way. Needless to say, I was like a kid in a candy store. I can obtain dominate position and secure what is becoming my best leglock all in one motion and on top of that I don't have to use my legs what more could I want? Then while daydreaming I came to a game-changing conclusion, the conclusion being, almost every sweep(reversal from bottom position to top position) that involves leg control will give you a toe hold once the sweep

Good morning all. I have been up all night literally. After missing training today I figured I'd punish myself by watching the best BJJ fighters in the world do what they do over and over. With the Pan-Ams last weekend, Copa NoVA in May and the Mundials in June the competition bug has gotten to me again. I've been competing since I was born at two pounds, two ounces you fight the odds competing against the enviroment and its infectious friends for every breath you take. I was also a county 100m wheelchair track champion for two years. (96-98)Then I quit racing for a myriad reasons. Fast forward to 2005 I find BJJ AKA Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Finally a sport that puts me on the same level as everyone else I can finally prove I'm just as good as my able-bodied counterparts by beating them. As a disabled athlete you are ALWAYS compared to your able-bodied counterparts. It literally happens 100% of the time. At least in BJJ when I beat someone my critics will shut up.(Well, at leas

For the many who don't know who I am, my name is Romeo Barnes. I have two goals in life. 1)Use my artistic skills to become famous 2)Use my fame to change the world I've wanted to be a writer since I was 14. Trying to become a published author and get your BJJ Black Belt at the same time is not an easy task. Today as I type this I reflect on my position in both areas. As a self-publishing author I must market and promote my own work; yet, as a martial artist I am dependent on someone else to evaluate my skills and promote me to the next level. This is the paradox that is my life. On paper I have complete control, on the mat I must force things to happen as I control nothing. I don't mind living in this paradox as this a simple one compared the other paradoxes of my life which I'll get into in later installments. Its the balance of this paradox that is complicated. Are you comfortable with the paradoxes of your life?