昨夜

在Facebook被JLM同學Michelle Tag了

她說在書店中看到一本關於新亞書院六十週年的書

當中刊登了一張有我及一眾劇社好友的舊照片

雖然我未看過那張照片

但我想應該是新亞劇社週年公演的大合照

那時

是1999年6月

亦是昨夜

我在My Little Airport的Live中

購入了維港唱片重新推出AMK的Box Set

當年劇社師兄李展在最後一屆四院劇賽自編自導《來！吃一口肉鬆雪糕》

劇中使用了好幾首AMK的作品去塑造主角的性格

猶記得完Show等待公佈賽果之時

Production Team四十多人

在Sir Run Run Hall內不斷唱著主角最愛的一首《只對您唱》：

「笑著共你手牽手　跳出輕快舞步
你若是喜歡唱歌　還在等什麼
來來來 一起高唱　啦啦啦啦啦啦啦
忘掉悲傷再奔向理想」

那時

是1999年11月

十年過去

還望各人仍然安好；

Last Friday was full of excitement for all the members of the Finnerty family.  I was scheduled to officially finish school, my wife was planning to have a relaxing day off with me (well – maybe not that exciting for her…), and Ginger was booked in for a day of doggy fun at the doggy day care.

We arrived at K9HQ – the dog daycare– and went about our usual hand off, Ginger fighting to get inside to go play with the other dogs, me fighting to make it look like I had some sort of control over her.  I mentioned to the folks at the daycare that I was graduating, and they said “congrats!” and I was on my way.

The day went well, though a bit rainy, and I learned the looks of admiration while wearing a robe for convocation are largely different than the looks of condemnation one gets while wearing a bath robe.  Who knew Wal-Mart had a dress code? 

I returned to pick up Ginger at the end of the day, and she sulked as she left her friends.  The owner of the daycare handed me an envelope, saying it was something for me.  I opened it up to find a congratulations card, with a nice personal note inside. 

There was no reason for them to do this.  They had already told me congrats that morning, and this card wasn’t just something they had printed off the web or had sitting around.  It was a nice card, with a nice note, from nice people.  Note I said people, not business or company.  These folks acted on one thing that I mentioned, and took the time out of their day to buy something to make me feel appreciated.  And it worked.

You keep hearing that “the devil’s in the details” and “it’s the little things that count” (my wife hears this one often).  The secret is to listen to what your customers are saying.  Find a way to make a connection with them, and they will be the best advertisers for your business. 

Price and quality will continue to be unique selling points, but when all other things are equal, it’s the personal touches that will set you, and your business, apart from the rest.  CRM (Customer Relationship Management) isn’t rocket science.  It’s treating your customers like friends.  

- Jason

I hope not.  This post explores this issue.

I recently had the opportunity to do some hobbing and knobbing with some wonderful people who were if not at the top of their field, at least they were pretty close to it or were on a pretty steep upward trajectory.  I was a guest at a party and my inviters weren’t able to arrive until about an hour after I did.  So I went in not knowing anyone.  Which can be pretty intimidating even if everyone isn’t in Black Tie!  But I plunged right in and started introducing myself to whomever would shake my hand.  I was surprised at some of the business titles at well known companies I met and most like would have had my confidence shaken had I let myself think about the jobs and responsibilities behind those titles.  Fortunately I was able to put the jobs and the titles aside and just relate to the person I was talking to at that moment as a person and not a job.  And listen to the worry in the new mother’s voice as she told me about her newborn still in the hospital after 2 months.  Or the Dad so proud of his son starting at college at Wake Forest.  And the interesting thing that happened is these people, who are faced with folks wanting something from them on a daily basis, seemed to relax for a bit and just be human.  It wasn’t easy cutting through the facade they put up for ease and efficiency, but once I was able to, a real connection was made.   I learned an important lesson that I will try to remember in the future-people are not their jobs or their accomplishments or their fame but they are the parents, siblings, children, friend and lovers who face Little League games, births, graduations and deaths just like I do.  This is what binds us together as humans.  The rest is really just window dressing.

As per twitter, this morning did not start off too well. Alarm not set, got up half an hour late, then Fran screaming at me about the cakes we must bake and bring to school, Stef stressed, checking the time. But I cook 15 pancakes in 10 minutes, Fran slurs on the Nutella, we get out of the door and onto our bikes after screams from various members of the family have confirmed to the neighbourhod that we are the most trashy family in town…

But then all well…Decide today is definitely a day to go for a coffee in my by now local bar, Caffe Vatta, and meet Davide (neighbour who thankfully was out of  his house early enough this morning not to hear the screams). He treats me to a caffe latte and I pick his brains for possible venues for my Wordplay workshops (he’s an estate agent – handy). No glimmers of hope until he remembers a S. Bosco (he of the Italian supermarket chain) who has a room above one of his supermarkets downtown that is only occasionally used. Could be perfect. And in true Italian style, this would be a ‘racommandata’ – ie. an introduction through a friend – and so therefore much more likely to materialise into something…  Let’s see.

Then I trundle off to Aldo’s the fishmonger, tell him that although the wild sea bass I bought last time was wonderful I can’t be doing spending that much on a family meal. But I’d still  prefer to buy fish that weren’t endangered, or farmed, or fed antibiotics (but can’t be bothered to do the research myself, I could have added). He went through all his gorgeous looking fish:

“Signora, ci sono tre tipi di pesci.”  

Madam, there are three kinds of fish.

This one is farmed and fed antibiotics – “non la consiglio”; this one is farmed, but naturally, in the sea and not fed anything, they just can’t swim very deeply, and they’re a bit limited in their enclosures; these, on the other hand, are fished in the open sea. The sea bass is expensive, but this, for example ‘Dorato’ – it’s also called ’salpa’, remember that Signora – is not so expensive and it’s very good.”

So I took some – and fresh anchovies for the cat. We all eat well here!  

This is really what I was hoping for – my very own personal fishmonger, who can help me choose the fish, and tell me how to cook it. How great is that? 

That’s generally what I love about living in Italy – often there is the time and space for these kind of encounters – the very thorough, personal touch, with people who really know (and need!) their business. Yesterday, for example, Fran and I went to the dentist’s (she’s getting braces in 2 weeks) and he gave me the most thorough (if painful) clean of my teeth I have ever had. Last week we went to a furniture store and had a personal assistant who guided us around the shop, looked through catalogues with us, introduced us to the boss who gave us a “personalised discount” – and then presented us with a ceramic jug as a take away gift.

Obviously, it’s all for sales – but certainly helps to soften the chores.

In today’s world, we’re balancing more, yet seem to have less and less time to get it all done. Of course, this leads to stress, which in turn often leads to weight gain and other health issues.

Enter exercise! It is a very important element to help achieve better health and overall well-being. In conjunction with proper nutrition, eating better, and drinking plenty of water, the positive impact that exercise has on both your physical and mental well-being is tremendous. It provides an increase in metabolism, digestion, sleep, flexibility, cardio fitness, stamina, self-esteem while reducing stress, cholesterol, depression and blood pressure and promoting weight loss. The goals of exercise may vary with each individual, but the end point is still to achieve better health.

Here’s another fun fact: After just 30 minutes of exercise, your body increases its production of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine – the chemicals that your body naturally produces when you’re in a state of euphoria! Therefore, it becomes much easier for you to deal with day-to-day stressors after a good workout, because you’ll be in a better mood.

In addition to standard aerobic exercise, it’s also important to engage in strength training. The benefits of strength training are much too important to omit when committing to a healthy lifestyle, and many of these benefits cannot be accomplished with cardiovascular training alone.  A strength-training program can provide the following benefits:

• Increase in muscle mass, which in turn burns more calories than fat
• Helps to slow down or halt muscle loss that accompanies aging
• Slows bone loss that accompanies aging and increases bone density
• Maintains or increases joint flexibility
• Helps to manage or reduce pain from ailments such as arthritis and old injuries
• Improve fitness variables
• Improves your mood
• Improves brain function
• Enhances appearance
• Improves balance and decreases your risk for injury
• Helps you sleep more soundly
• Allows you to do activities you otherwise could not do

I became hooked on Jazzercise in 1982; it started out simply as a good and fun workout for me! Before I knew it, I decided this is what I wanted to do. I became certified as an instructor in 1997, and decided to try it on my own (without the “day job”) in 2001. I’m still hooked and feeling good!

Though there is a mix of strength training in the standard Jazzercise class, we also have a separate class called Personal Touch, which is specifically designed to strengthen your muscles, similar to working out with a personal trainer. The classes are small in size to give you the personal attention needed to ensure results. The session includes four 30-minute classes that focus on two areas of the body to strengthen and tone. We incorporate this by using balls, tubes, and hand and leg weights in an exercise sequence to tone the muscle and burn fat around it, resulting in inches lost and strength gained.

So in Jazzercise, I get the benefit of an all-around workout, every day. It’s a wonderful option that can keep you interested and varied, instead of getting bored by a regular routine!

Why do some people start to blog and why do others read them? This is actually a ten points question because its answer covers the very working principle behind the entire blogging community. Number one, we are not far off when saying that bloggers are very much like journalists or columnists, and that the material we find on blogs is very often much more interesting than that in the media thanks to the personal touch writers include in their content. Therefore we cannot deny the interactive dimension of blogs, which is probably the best advantage in itself: comment boxes for instant responses, links to documented information, videos and pictures turn the blog into a magic puzzle.

Blogging is now the trend: no comment to that! Not only is it popular with individuals of all ages but it also makes one feel like blending in. You get an idea of what individuals appreciate in your writing, you get to comment and actually live some events of public interest, and you have the chance to voice your opinion. Everything you post on the blog, every piece of unique material is achieved and easily accessible when you need it; many would-be writers actually take blogging very seriously because they are offered the opportunity of getting things into print without the intermediary of another publication.

Quite a few blogs offer the advantage of a debate area where you will find all sorts of opinions: don’t get angry if the comment is not really the one you have hoped for, points of view are opinions and they should not hurt feelings. It’s within your power to take things like that. Then, we should also mention the popularity and promotion advantages that are relevant to a blog; just like niches, small business blogs create the proper environment for the easy reach of targeted audiences.

Many business owners have discovered that blogs are the best way to regularly keep in touch with customers and even employees, because these blogs function as online journals that are very frequently updated. The advantage that blogs clearly have above other sites is that they express something peculiar in the most active or dynamic of ways whereas the other classical web sites are definitely static. Without any shade of a doubt the voice of the writer is the element that makes a blog unique and interesting at the same time.

Source: www.articlealley.com

By Annie

I really love jewelry with a personal touch, and I think that adding details like crocheting can really make a piece stand out.  Pieces like these earrings are so simple, yet people really notice them.

I’ve gotten so many compliments on these earrings, and it was really as simple as attaching some wire to an earring hook, and then crocheting around the wire.  It just makes the piece look more unique and handmade, as opposed to some handmade jewelry that looks like it was mass produced.

This past Saturday, I met up with Susan RoAne, a family friend, at the Starbucks in Chinatown, D.C. She got coffee the way she likes it and I got my usual tall caramel frappuccino- not too blended with extra whipped cream. As I was telling Susan, you had better have your order down in Starbucks or suffer the scorn of the regulars in line behind you, not that I care, but I do believe in both knowing exactly what you want and efficiency. Susan, who lives in California, was in town for business. I hadn’t seen her in years.  We’d been keeping up with emails and tweets but  as Susan loves to say, there is nothing like a “face-to-face” meeting.  (I assume this is the case even if the faces are ugly but I wouldn’t know.) Susan is always on the go with a tight schedule so it was great that she took the time to reach out and plan this reunion. The last time we hung out, we had some quick appetizers and girly drinks in Hotel Washington (which offers a fabulous view of the city, by the way). This time would be quick as well because we both had a busy day ahead.

I spotted her immediately upon entry and my eyes lit up. She is no more than five feet tall, possibly less, and rocks her stand-out hairdo with its signature salt-colored bangs set against shoulder-length pepper-colored tresses. She is an older lady but whatever her real age is, go ahead and shave off a decade or so since she’s discovered the fountain of youth simply by observing, staying tuned in, and embracing what’s fresh and hot, without overdoing it. (Although, I’m not so sure about that Pussycat Dolls/Snoop ringtone, Susan. That might be borderline overdoing it. ) But salsa aerobics, ballet fitness and dancing/exercising to hip hop is right on target!  WOW I’m impressed but it’s no wonder. When you see Susan, despite her tiny stature, you get the feeling she has big and exciting things to say even before she utters the first word. You would be right. She is affectionately and professionally known as the “Mingling Maven” and her expertise is savvy networking. She is the author of several best-selling books and a Keynote Speaker on that exact topic.  Some of her published books are How to Work a Room, How to Create Your Own Luck and of course, her latest, Face to Face: How to Reclaim the Personal Touch in a Digital World, an absolute must-read.  Susan is a key proponent of the “you never know” philosophy, which says you should be open to opportunities, exploring, meeting new people, talking to strangers, trying something new, going to places alone, etc. and you might just get amazing results.  

It was this very philosophy that was responsible for bringing us together in the first place. Waaaay back in 1981, Susan initially mistook my father for someone else while they were attending a conference, and despite him being the wrong person, she chatted him up anyway. Hmmm was Susan trying to pick up my dad? I don’t think so!  LOL! At any rate, they later became great friends and business associates, supporting each others’ endeavors, and making the effort to stay in touch despite sometimes hectic lives. Over the years, she has also been on my dad’s “let me brag about my daughter and granddaughter” list. She says she has watched me grow up and celebrated various milestones and at times been my advocate unbeknownst to me. Thanks Susan!

The initial meeting of my father and Susan is the kind of chance meeting that can turn into an important friendship and/or relationship and should be treasured and sought with eyes wide open. Although you call them “chance” meetings, you can actually create them when you seek out opportunities that permit you to connect with new people and widen your circle. We would not have been sitting at Starbucks starting a million conversations and finishing none, exchanging stories, sharing information, advice,  and laughter over coffee and a frap if Susan hadn’t struck up a conversation thirty years ago with my father or emailed me a week ago to make plans to get together.  Damn. She’s consistent and practices what she preaches too! Just hanging out with her has reinforced some moves I had better be making. So many Starbucks, so little time! Let’s do lunch instead. Your treat! Recession? OK Dutch.

—————

For excellent tips on networking, breaking out of shyness, communicating in the digital age, and how we can best support each other as we rise, please check out Susan RoAne’s  website: 

http://www.susanroane.com/BEST-SELLING BOOKS

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Sometimes it seems like we have all got so caught up in using social media for business/publicity purposes that we have forgotten to be social. Our Twitter posts are all about our latest ideas or innovations, and blogs are written constantly, by whomever we can find who has a little spare time, just so that the content is constantly put out there.

Blogger, Mack Collier has been mulling over this idea, too, and came up with a few ideas to bring the social back to social media.

Firstly, he suggests that you should add more pictures – to your blogposts, but also of yourself, so that your readers can relate to you and will therefore be more likely to trust you. This adds a personal touch and the feeling that you are invested in what you are writing enough to be associated with it permanently.

The personal touch also extends to what you write about. Although the primary purpose of your blog may be for business, consider including your favourite hobby and other interests so that people feel more connected to you and may be more likely to interact with you.

Lastly, Mack suggests promoting someone else’s posts from time to time (as I’m doing here ). Although this may not directly promote your own business, it still adds value for your readers, gives them further insight into your interests, and may lead to the bloggers you have sited reading your blog, and in turn linking back to it and increasing your readership.

I think that the whole premise of social media’s value in business is that it creates mutually beneficial and meaningful relationships in that it allows for interactivity, discussion, and meaningful networking. So we should bear that in mind and not get so caught up in the business benefits that we lose sight of the social benefits, because without the social, there is no social media, and as a result no more of those benefits we have all grown accustomed to.

Greetings again.

Its very depressing again today – Rain in July! Even the cats have come inside and had enough.

I get plenty of pension, and investment enquiries via the website Pension Drawdown UK which is amazing, I thank you all.

As you probably know I visit my clients nationwide to offer that personal touch, and more importantly face to face advice which seems to be sadly lacking in the 21st Century.

The funny thing is I have not met any new clients in the East Midlands area – Nottingham Derby or Leicester!

So if you want Bespoke Independent Financial Advice tailored to your needs – Pension Drawdown UK.

I’m so excited! I found so many awesome pieces from our local stores to fit the hot looks for July!  There are a few splurge items, but also many steals! Here’s what the experts say are must haves for this month:

1. Fun Shorts!

It is hot! Shorts are a must, but ones with fun patterns or prints are even better!

I love the zig-zag design on these Trina Turk orange shorts from Monkees in Lumina Station. $158

These Elizabeth McKay Green & White Graphic shorts are so fab!  also from Monkees $158

2. Safari Prints!

There were so many different prints out there, and all so fun! There are also many ways to interepret this look, So I have to share them all!

First, I’ll start with the more natural hues, think neutrals and earth colors, like blue and green.

I loved this Renee C Swirl Tunic with the asymmetrical gathering from Island Passage $156

Pair with these Sweet Skins Organic Shorts from Ziabird in Lumina Station $54

The pattern on this Max & Cleo dress really caught my eye! Available at Sonny B. in the Landfall Shopping Center $117

Pair it with these Nicole “Scuttle Butt” Off white flats with Jewels also at Sonny B. now on sale for $38 from $74!

Add to the look with a simple handbag, like this Nino Bossi Hobo with Double Strap from Sole Searching $149 (available in tan, this picture shows lemon)

or add a pop of color like this Kenneth Cole Reaction Leather Handbag also from Sole Searching $179

Safari-esque pieces also go great with finely woven straw accessories!

Take this simple Whish tan strapless dress from Sonny B. now $60, down from $100

and replace the belt with this Chinese Laundry Woven Belt from Island Passage $44

Complete the look with these Volatile “Natalie2Natural” Woven Flip Flops also from Sonny B. $48

Add some color with these Woven Cuffs from Hallelu on Wrightsville Beach $10 each

Hallelu also had this super cute a3+1 safari print dress with a black top $31 (okay, this is more of a mayan print, but I just couldn’t pass it up!)

Pair with these Volatile “Half & Half” Wedges from Sole Searching in Lumina Station. $49

If your looking for a piece with a bit more color, try this 3.1 Phillip Lim Embelished “Lava” Tunic from Beanie + Cecil in Lumina Station, on sale for $350 from $415 .  I love the orange stripes and the beading at the collar is amazing! It looks perfect with the 3.1 Phillip Lim “inapinch” Wheat colored Tote also pictured and from Beanie + Cecil $695 (I could seriously buy everything in this store!)

The final Safari look is totally glam!  This Maria Bianca Negro Safari print dress is from Personal Touch in The Forum $330

The dress matches perfectly with these Nanette Lepore “Wild Thing” Calf/Python print heel $375, now 25% off!

Any of these safari prints/patterns go great with tortoise shell jewlery:

Try this Two’s Company Horn Link Necklace from Sonny B. $54

or this Gold & Tortoise Shell bracelet from Island Passage $18

This necklace from Ziabird has the same colors as tortoise shell, but is actually a butterfly wing! $79

and these earrings are made from shells! Also from Ziabird $26

Safari prints are great because they are so versitile! You can go casual, flirty or super galmorous.  And these prints and accessories are a total match with the fun Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach lifestyle!

3. Black & White Prints matched with Bright Yellow Solids

I love this look….so classic and chic, and perfect to amp up your workplace wardrobe!

Go for graphic pieces like this Alice & Trixie Dress from Island Passage $260

Match it with a bright highlighter-yellow cardigan (I’ve had one for years and wear religiously, and people love it!) or with this Flat Packable Big Brim Yellow Hat crafted by local milliner, Jan Wutkowski.  This hat is available at Ziabird in Lumina Station $70, but Jan also owns & runs aMuse Artisanal Finery off of Wrightsville Ave, where many of her other hats can be found.

Another option for seperates is this Karlie Yellow Ruffle Tank from Monkess $36

Paired with this LAmade Black & White Print Skirt from Island Passage $44

Finish the look with simple black shoes, like these Franco Sarto “Vamp” Black mini-wedges from Sole Searching $85

The black & white graphic print is flattering on everybody and the pop of yellow brightens up the day!

4. Under-the-Sea & Ocean-inspired Pieces

This is another look that hits the vibe of where we live spot on.  Think deep blues, swirls, ripples and waves.

This Velvet Tie-dye Wrap Cardigan from Island Passage is perfect for a walk on the beach! $112

This Turquoise & Copper Beaded Seashell necklace from Ziabird would be a perfect addition $70. Designed by local Wilmingtonian, Debra Pyeatt.

Match the colors of the necklace with these Sand “Marianna” Gladiator-like sandals from Sole Searching $145

These teal shoes look like someone placed shell pieces on the top! Coconuts “Medusa” mini-wedge Sandal, also from Sole Searching $55

The fading-in and out of colors of this Solemio Tunic remind me of the different strips of color due to the depths of the ocean towards the horizon.  Available at Hallelu $37

Or the breakers, with this Cluce Tank Top from Island Passage $54

Match these with simple white or tan shorts, but mimic the dark blues for your accesories.

This Blue Beaded Sea-Shell Bracelet is gorgeous! Available at Ziabird, also crafted by Debra Pyeatt $50

Match it with these Blue Beaded & Jeweled Earrings, another Debra Pyeatt design from Ziabird $50

This Leighelena necklace from Sole Searching is like churning water, you can even see droplets on the surface! $79 (each of her necklaces also features a vintage stamp on the back!)

I also found pieces that reminded me of ripples in the water, like this Velvet Blue & White Ripple tank from Island Passage $170

or this Sara Lloyd Blue Ripple Clutch with Flower from Ziabird $76

Pair these with more neutral color accessories, influenced by sea-things.

For instance, these Spiral Sea Shell Earrings from Ziabird $26

Match with this Silver Link Sand Dollar Fossil Bracelet also from Ziabird $136

and this beautiful David Tishbi Two-Tone Rose Pearl Silver Ring $178 or the Two-Tone Embrace Pearl Ring $ 199 both from Sole Searching (handmade in Israel)

Or pair with these Nine West “Klaris” Sea-Shell Flats from Sole Searching $79, now 25%off (p.s. all shoes will be 25% off for the July 4th Weekend!)

5. Red, White, & Blue! (duh!)

There are many fashionable & suttle ways to represent your R, W & B on July 4th.  Your look doesn’t have to be cheesy and these pieces can be worn all summer long!

This Trinity Polka-dot and flowered apron top from Sonny B. is so cute! $30

White crepe dresses scream summer! They are so comfortable and breathe easily.  Try this Theme White Crepe dress with red & blue embroidery also from Sonny B. $73.50

There’s also a similar dress at Hallelu from Collective Concepts $43

If you’re looking for a more flirty look, try this Pixie Tunic.  I love this cut and the sleeves literally billow in the breeze. Available also at Hallelu $37

For those who want a more suttle approach, look for R, W & B accessories.

This BB Dakota patent leather Red Clutch with Blue and White Stripes is so fun and retro!  from Sonny B. on sale for $15, from $27

Get a more edgy look with this Red & White Leather Purse with studs and chain from Hallelu $30

Another great option is to go for a more nautical theme.  These pieces, especially in Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach, can practically be worn year round!

I loved the playfulness of this Francis Nautical Flag dress from Personal Touch $305

This crisp, tailored Francis Navy blazer is an instant classic, but it’s red pocket square and regal buttons set it above the rest! From Personal Touch $412

As always, fashion is supposed to be fun! Go find your style and flaunt it! and have a safe 4th of July!

Except of such fights like on the next Saturday between Ruslan Chagaev and Wladimir Klitschko the heavyweight is seen like problem child of boxing because of no competition. The Klitschkos are the Kings of the heavyweight but their victories aren’t really appreciated in the US because their fights are too one-sided and their opponents are to weak.

This is a fact which I not really agree. In my opinion there were still some very interesting heavyweight fights in the past. Additionally it is not sure that there won’t be any strong opponents in the future.  For those of you who agree to the fact that the heavyweight has lost his interest I will introduce you some very interesting fighters who will be a match for the Klitschkos in the future.

crown prince number 1

Alexander Dimitrenko

source: boxing.de

Alexander Dimitrenko is something like the real crown prince of the Klitschko’s. He was also raised up in the Ukraine, is more than two meters high and has the same coach (Fritz Sdunek) from the day he started to fight for the Universum Box Promotion like the Klitschko’s did at the beginning of their career in Germany. Dimitrenko has an awesome fight record (29 fights; 29 wins; 19 KO) but his last fight against Luan Krasniqui was not very spectacular and I don’t believe that he would have a chance to win against the Klitschko’s.

Nevertheless his coach Fritz Sdunek is convinced of his qualities and he thinks Dimitrenko is ready for a world championship fight but their priority, another opponent than the Klitschko’s, is very difficult to realize because Valuev/Chagaev have the last title (WBA) hold by non-Klitschko! Let’s see how long…

crown prince number 2

Odlanier Solis

source: arenaboxpromotion.com

Odlanier Solis (third pic) is the complete opposite of Alexander Dimitrenko who is a smart and very indigenous guy. Solis talks about himself as the best boxer at the moment, although he is not the current champion! He was born in Kuba and had and fantastic Amateur-boxing career crowned with the world championship titles and the Gold medal at the Olympic Games 2004 in Athen.

Now he is boxing for Arena Box Promotion managed by Ahmet Öner and he is still undefeated after thirteen fights.

I watched one of his fights live in the O2-Arena because it was a Pre-fight of Klitschko vs Peter and I was not very impressed. He seemed to be very slow and not motivated to win the fight by victory. Later on I watched some of his fights on TV or in the internet and I had to realize that the fight I saw was his worst fight ever. Except of this he is a quick fighter with a good punch who is able to knockout most of the current boxers in the heavyweight.

Finally I would summarize him as a very hard opponent for Wladimir Klitschko, but I don’t think that he would have a chance to win against Vitaly. The reason is that I think both Klitschko’s would win on points against him. His only chance to win would be a knockout and as the Klitschko vs Lewis fight showed us, there is no possibility to knockout Vitaly. Whereas Wladimir already lost some fights by the way of knockout.

All in all he is a great boxer and if he won’t fight the Klitschko he is still a contender to win the title after the Klitschko’s end their career.

crown prince number three

Denis Boytsov

source: boxing.de

Denis Boytsov was born in Russia and he is only 23 years old so he is the youngest of my three presented options. He is also my favorite boxer except of the Klitschko’s because I like the way he fights. Boytsov always tries to win by the way of knockout which reminds me a lot of  Mike Tyson who is one of his idols.

Boytsov is still undefeated and despite of his age he is very good ranked in all four boxing associations. I wanted to introduce him because I was so impressed of his last to fights, especially the last one against Taras Bidenko from the Ukraine who was better ranked than Boytsov.

I would bet that Boytsov will be heavyweight champion in the future but I am not sure if he is already experienced enough to fight the Klitschko’s. I think his “era” will start in a few years when the Klitschko’s (at least Vitaly) ended their career.

These were my three options for the post-Klitschko time. We will see if I was able to outguess the future…..

What do you think? Is somebody missed in my outlook?

Hey there. Welcome to Impressive Villainy.

This site is all about people who have the attitude towards hurting others: “Hey, man’s gotta eat. Whilst travelling the world in my luxury yacht that is.” 

There is something strangely alluring and wonderful about the exposure of unbridled passion. It’s intoxicating and inspiring, albeit absolutely destructive to our world. If everybody lived the life of a villain we all go to Hell. Obviously.

However, in a strange way… they DO make the world a better place. They keep me entertained anyway.

And hopefully I will keep you entertained too. ‘K. You’ll be hearing from me again SOON.

Fraser

Everybody who is interested in any kind of sports has a favorite team, player and fighter or in music there is a favorite band. That is what makes a sport interesting. Otherwise there wouldn’t be such a community spirit and sports wouldn’t be the most important minor matter in the world.

I wrote a lot about box events which interest me or about mentionable fighters but in this case I want to introduce my favorite box fighters who make this sport such exciting to me.

My biggest idols are the Klitschko brothers.

source: rp-online.de

One reason for my sympathy for the Klitschkos is the backround of them. Wladimir Klitschko was born in Kasachstan as I am but he raised up in Ukraine. But still most people from the former Soviet Union have this feeling of a connection between each other. This could be one reason why Klitschko has so many fans in Russia.

My father was a big fan of the Klitschko’s since the Olympic Games of Atlanta in the year 1996 where Wladimir Klitschko was the first white boxer who won the Gold-medal in the super heavyweight.

The first time I realized the Klitschko’s was 1999 when Vitali Klitschko won the heavyweight title by a fantastic knockout against Herbie Hide.

Since that moment I watched every fight of the Klitschko’s and I was happy after every (sometimes to fast) victory and upset after some very disappointing losses like Vitalis against Chris Bird or Lennox Lewis.

It was also a fantastic event for me to watch the last fight of Vitali Klitschko against Samuel Peter live in the O2-arena although the tickets were pretty expensive.

Nevertheless I am sure that the Klitschko’s are the best boxers of the current time and they are also one of the best boxers ever, because it is a long time ago that anyone had such a dynasty in their weight class. I hope to see more amazing fights of them and I am confident that the Klitschko’s will stay at the top.

So now you know who  my favorite fighters are. It would be very interesting to me to hear about a person you like. Maybe I could write an article about that fighter.

When I thought about a title for my blog, which should deal with the box-sport, I immediately thought about “Lucky Punch”. The reason for this decision is the issue that a Lucky Punch is the most exciting and most favorite ending of a box fight. It reminds me of a battle “David vs. Goliath” because the person who wins by a Lucky Punch is usually the weaker fighter.

Therefore I want to introduce this kind of finishing a battle and I will give you my personal top three Lucky Punches.

Definition

A Lucky Punch means that the boxer who is heading to loose the fight suddenly strikes his opponent and wins the fight by the way of knockout.

source:  sport.ard.de

My top 3 Lucky Punches

3rd place

Markus Beyer vs Christian Sanavia

In October 2004 Markus Beyer won the fight against Christian Sanavia by the way of technical knockout in the sixth round. In the first fight in June 2004 Beyer lost his world title belt, before he finally took the revenge and got the title back.

The finish was not an original Lucky Punch because it was a very balanced fight, but I chose the fight for the simple reason that Beyer himself called his final strike a “Lucky Punch”.

source: spiegel.de

2nd place

Zab Judah vs. Kostya Tszyu

I remember this fight from the year 2001 very well. In general I sympathize with the boxers from Russia and so I was hoping that Kostya who was born in Russia, but who was fighting for Australia, would win this important fight. The winner would receive three world titles and so this fight was pronounced as the fight of the year.

Until the second round Zab Judah, the undefeated champion of the world, was the dominant boxer but than Kostya Tszyu simply showed his talent…

1st place

Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman

Lennox Lewis was the heavyweight champion of the world and before the fight against Lewis, Hasim Rahman was a no-name. That’s why Lewis was very confident and focused on presenting his person to the people in Africa where the fight took place (Johannesburg, South Africa). It was the second big boxing-event in Africa after the fight between George Foreman and Muhammed Ali. It was also very important for Lennox to make clear that he is a big fan of Nelson Mandela whom he devoted the fight.

The first rounds were normal and Lennox Lewis was the better boxer which was already clear. In the fifth round he was a little bit too confident and distracted and so Hasim Rahman made use of the situation and punched the champion out…

These were my favorite lucky punches. Maybe you disagree with my decision and you have some better examples for a lucky punch then just let me know.  I am sure that there are many interesting fights which I haven’t seen until today which also could include some hilarious knockouts maybe by a lucky punch.

How would you call a person who is more than 2,13 metres high and weights about 150 kilogram. His original nickname is “The Russian Giant” but Don King promoted him in his last fight in the USA as “The beast from the East”.

Except of his amazing fight record (52 fights; 50 wins; 34 knockouts; 1 draw; 1loss) and the fact that he is the current Heavyweight champion of the world (WBA) I would not describe him as a good boxer.
In any fight of Nikolai Valuev the crowd cheers for his opponent and wants the Russian Giant to fall onto the mat.

source: sports.espn.go.com

And in this article I don’t want to argue why Valuev is a good boxer or list his awesome wins like the first fight against John Ruiz (pictures of the bout). I just want to tell you why I like him as a person and therefore I wish him all the best luck for the future.

When I met Nikolai Valuev two years ago on his news conference before the fight against Chagaev, which was by the way his first and only loss until today, I had the chance to talk to him for a few minutes.

Valuev is afraid

I immediatly realised that he is just a tall guy who has the physical attributes to become a good boxer, but still he is a very nice and intelligent person. Beside of his fighting career you can often see him on charitiy events where he collects money for poor children from Russia.

He is married to Galina Valuev and has two children (1 daughter and 1 son).  Half of the year he lives in St. Petersburg where he was born in 1973 and the other part he lives in Berlin where he prepares for most of his fights.I hope that he will have a lot of good fights in his future and that may some of you have now another opinion about “The Beast from the East”.

For those who are very big fans of Nikolai Valuev: I can tell you that he is often buying food in the Russian supermarket россия” in Wilmersdorfer Straße. Maybe you can see him there and I promise that you will be impressed how tall he is outside the small television. Good luck…

I been thinking and trying to really grasp what God did in my life last night and not only my life but what he has done within  our church. What a powerful night we had . Our Journey threw the Book of Acts just started, we are barely on ch. 2 . Last night was one of the most powerful services, I believe that we have had this year. If not the best. We literally had the day of Pentecost in VO ABQ. Pastor Danny preached on the move of the Holy Spirit and WOW did the Holy Spirit move people were being baptized, slain in the Spirit etc. But the title of this blog has been words that have been on my heart for the past month or so. I was so excited and  anticipated for last nights message. God confirmed those words He gave me. For this reason, right after the fire came down on that day. Peter stood up amongst the disciples and gave The first message of salvation to the crowds in Jerusalem and instantly  people were being saved. The voices of the disciples were heard! They were in the upper room praying and seeking the face of God. Then the Holy Spirit came down. This is the year for Victory Outreach ABQ and internationally. Our Voices Will Be Heard all over the World! It is Our Time this year and no one can take that from us. Our voices will be Heard in our schools, work places, churches etc…. This is Our year and im so excited for what God is doing in my church and in our ministry internationally.

Get ready citizens of Albuquerque, Get ready citizens of the United States, Get ready citizens of The World!

OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD!

So i’m still taking in everything that I got this past weekend. Well Pastor Patrick and Sister Cindy were here in NM. We mentioned the UTC alot,  just talking about all the memorys and good times. So i wrote down my 5 favorit things about the training center…….

1)Unschuedled Prayer-Its the best and I believe those were the times I went to a new level and God continued to shape me and mold my life. Ouch that hurt!

2)Morning Chapels-I loved morning chapels. For the reason is I had a great staff and great directors who would bring the Word of God in such a powerful way. That God would change my mind and outview on things. Character Counts!

3)The Discipleship-There is nothing more effective then 1 on1 discipleship, getting into someones life. Not just spiritually either, but taking interest in there whole lifes Past, Present, Future, Low and High times. I experienced this in the UTC and still very close to my staff and directors. Stay In Touch!

4)Catching Directors Heart-By catching my directors(Pastor Patrick and Cindy Robbers). I learned something very valuable. The heart he has, is a heart that where ever he goes he catches that Pastors heart for the city and church and I learned to do that by listening, watching, and see whats going on in that  church or the ministry internationally. Catch and Communicate!

5)New Relationships-The last one is new relationships. I always new VO is international, but I never experienced it the way I did in the UTC. To meet people from Europe, Mexico, Africa, and even in different States around the U.S.A. Now when I go to conventions and such I have friends from around the World. The best part about that is I learned about more Cultures! Be a Diverse Christian!

MEMORY!-I was the most negetive person ever. When I got to the UTC, I judged everything and one day I was in the office and yapping about something and Sister Cindy looked at me and said “You got this negetive cloud over your head, so go ahead and leave the office”. That changed my mind so much that I try my hardest to be positive in every situation. That impacted my life alot and Sister Cindy is not Mean at all. It was something that I needed to hear! Thank You