Self-Care Song of the Day #2: Jimmy Cliff-"I Can See Clearly Now"

Here's another great song to brighten your day and give you some energy. Jimmy Cliff is one of my all-time favorite musicians and his songs are simultaneously political and inspiring. "I Can See Clearly Now" is a song that reminds us that there's always a brighter tomorrow. Keep fighting the good fight!

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The Long Shadow of Gun Violence (In Loving Memory of Bette Clark)

I met Bette and her oldest son, Joey, during a death penalty trial in Center City. It was the sentencing phase for the two men who killed her youngest son, Timmy, who was gunned down execution-style when he was 15. Caroline, an advocate with the Families of Murder Victims, introduced us. "Bette, this is Jooyoung. He's a researcher and wants to interview you." Joey sized me up and seemed protective of his mom, who had already been through so much. Her eyes were red from crying, so I said, "I'm really sorry to hear about what happened." She smiled a little and said in her Tacony accent, "Thank you. It's been such a long day. But, call me whenever, sure." I spent the next day with Bette and her family at the courthouse and visited them weekly over the next year. I hadn't planned on following the families of murder victims, but my ongoing research in Philly had pushed me in this direction. While getting to know gunshot...

Bas Rutten's Punk Payback: How (Not) to Act During a Robbery

El Guapo I love Bas "El Guapo" Rutten. The Dutchman was a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, 3-time King of Pancrase, and an all-around badass. Following his illustrious fighting career, he transitioned into MMA commentary. I've found his commentary insightful and think that he comes across as a very humble and approachable person. Recently, I learned that Fuel TV was producing a show for Rutten called "Punk Payback." I immediately thought that the show would be a spin-off of MTV's "Bully Beatdown," a show in which professional MMA fighters confront and beat up bullies. To me, this would make sense: Bas Rutten was bullied when he was younger and openly talks about developing self confidence/awareness through the martial arts. I just watched a 10-minute clip of Punk Payback and am surprised to report that it isn't this kind of show. Instead, the episode I saw featured Rutten providing colorful commentary on how to resist/disarm armed...

Getting Choked Unconscious

I got choked unconscious yesterday. Don't worry, I wasn't a victim of a serial strangler. Instead, I fell victim to a bow-and-arrow-choke (see below), a nasty submission move in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I've been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) for the past 6 months. I love it. I haven't loved a physical sport/activity as much since I first got into popping, back in 1999. I train about 5-6 times per week at Balance Studios in Philadelphia, PA. I can't say enough good things about Balance Studios. People are very friendly; the instructors are top-notch; the atmosphere is low-key and unpretentious; and to top if off, people are really good at BJJ! World Champ, Ruben "Cobrinha" Charles does a bow-and-arrow choke Typically, classes begin with about 30 minutes of drilling techniques. This is a part of class in which you pair off with someone and work on a series of techniques. On some days, you learn a sequence of submission ...

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