Howdy all! So, not a lot of birding action again the past three weeks. Shock horror! But lots of other activity to talk about. If you're here for some life talk, then stay right here - if you want wrestling, then just scroll on down until you see Christopher Daniels 😉
Despite the relatively little birding done over these past three weeks, I did manage to see a few cool birds. I saw a pair of Mississippi Kites in the neighborhood. Unfairly, it feels like some birds lose their lustre over time and with more sightings - kites have never really done that for me. I still feel like I want to stop and watch them flying around. In this case they were perched up in a tree as the sun went down apparently just enjoying the glorious sky and each other's company. I also thought I might have caught my first Sandhill Cranes for Duval for 2019, but sadly they were just south of the border in St. John's County. Ah well. I really do want to get out for some Duval birding, but there's just stuff going on right now that's been getting in the way.
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| They aren't exactly super clear - but you can make out the two birds here in the tree. Just visible are their pale heads. |
The big thing going on right now is that I'm moving from the sleepy suburbs into an apartment right next door to work. Currently that has been occupying a lot of my brain's processing power and general focus as I get the current place ready for viewings as well as packing up and gearing up to move next weekend. It's quite a big shift really and I honestly haven't felt this stressed about something like this in a while. I do not enjoy the stress. Turns out, I'm normally a very unstressed person and stress does not sit well with me. I felt properly shook to my core with the decision-making process and figured that I just needed to go with what had been a good gut feeling rather than give myself too many options and get analysis paralysis.
So yeah, here's what the place looks like:
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| Master Bedroom |
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| Guest Bedroom |
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| Arguably the most important room in the house! |
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| Sitting room |
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| I have little interest in a dining room... but gaming nook? Now we're talking! |
I have pool and gym access, as well as tennis courts and a little dog park for Rowan. It is literally a five minute walk to work from my front door, so I will be saving a bunch on gas. Once I get my bike in working order I'll only need to get the car out for long distance stuff - all food shopping and stuff will be done by foot or bike. I'm looking forward to getting healthier, and having access to all this stuff, and being able to walk more, all of that is going to be for me I think. I really don't see how it can't be. Plus, for those who enjoy the D&D, I'm hoping to have a decent space available for such shenanigans.
On an unrelated note to all of this, was a chance I took to go to Fyter Fest - an All Elite Wrestling show held down in Daytona Beach (Saturday 29th). I've only previously been to a WWE house show, so I wasn't fully sure what to expect, but I was not disappointed at all. The production was very slick, the evening had a really good structure to it and I got to see some of the best active wrestlers in the world ply their trade. How could I complain with that? AEW looks set to be a real force in wrestling moving forwards. They have amazing talent and a clear desire to change the paradigm. I'm already a fan.
All in all, I feel like I am about to start a new chapter. I'm excited about it, and a little nervous. I've never done that well with change, but this feels like it is positive change so I'm hopeful I am able to adjust quickly and really make the most of the opportunity. I'll be sure to keep you posted!
Here's a couple of pics from the show. The info on the show said binocs were permitted. Little did they know, I am set up for digiscoping with my binocs!
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| Christopher Daniels - wrestling legend and member of SCU, still channeling Freddie Mercury |
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| Riho on the way to the ring for a triple-threat match. She was great at Double or Nothing and put in another good showing here |
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| Nyla Rose - looks set to become an absolute beast for the women's division. Displayed some amazing feats of strength (catching both Riho and Yuka at the same time) and agility (leaping off the top rope to deliver a knee to one of her opponents caught up in the ropes). Rose will likely prove to be often used as a way for the babyfaces looking to make a name for themselves to make a statement, but that's not a bad position on the card. I'm certain she'll also get a run with the title at some point. From what I've seen, it be a fun reign. |
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| Yuka Sakazaki - a very energetic babyface who definitely had the crowd cheering her on for much of the fight. Really enjoyed her enthusiasm and some nice creative spots to help bring down the far larger Rose. Some good David and Goliath logic in the bout. |
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| MJF (Maxwell Jacob Friedman) on the way to the ring for his four-way bout. After his promo before the match, it's clear that he is as good on the mic as The Miz is. That's not a small claim either, because for me the Miz is still the best talker in the WWE. Really looking forward to watching his career grow. A future champ for sure. And that will be a fantastic run with the belt, full of big trash talk and cowardice. |
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| Jungle Boy, carried by Luchasaurus, also on his way to the four-way |
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| Jimmy Havoc - English hardcore wrestling royalty, was really cool getting to see him in action, even if it was mostly in a supporting role |
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| The star of the four-way - Hangman Adam Page. Cool gimmick, excellent wrestler and very much a star around which the brand can be built |
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| Darby Allin on his way to fight Cody Rhodes with a body bad in tow, with Cody's name sprayed on it. I'd heard good things about Allin before, but I wasn't prepared for just how good he was. His storytelling, selling of damage and ability to get you to root for him were all outstanding. For me, he was the most compelling character on the show. |
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| The American Nightmare - Cody Rhodes. Haven't seen his struggles in WWE with creative frustration, it's amazing to see what he can do when he has the freedom to tell a story. His match here with Allin and at Double or Nothing with his brother, Dustin, are among the best I've seen ever. I was a big fan of this one ending as a draw - it put Allin over really well, showing his resilience against the larger and stronger Cody. Cody didn't suffer anything as a result of failing to win either. Sets both guys up in the upper mid-card and both would be very capable of a top title run at some stage. |
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| The Lucho Bros (Pentagon Jr and Rey Fenix) with Laredo Kid. These guys were amazing. I've seen some of their work before, but wasn't quite prepared for how fast they worked. Despite the star talent on offer, I actually think Laredo Kid got the best rub from this - he looked every bit on the level of his more esteemed colleagues. |
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| Kenny Omega - arguably the best wrestler in the world, depending on who you listen to. The action in the match was outstanding and it was a real treat to be able to see the Elite in action live. Omega lived up to the hype, as did the Bucks. |
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| Matt Jackson hoists Fenix up for a Meltzer Driver, but Nick is delayed in the ring and Fenix escaped to live another day. |
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| Jox Moxley (formerly Dean Ambrose in WWE) showing some of the battle scars from his unsanctioned match with Joey Janella. While the result seemed certain from the start, Janella more than held up his end and put Moxley through hell. Yes, that is blood on his arm and yes, that is very much barbed wire stuck to a table - these guys really put themselves on the line for this fight. While Allin might be the most compelling act on the card, Moxley may still be the biggest draw right now due to his high profile departure from WWE and ongoing feud with Omega and entrance into the NJPW G1 Climax. This is probably going to be his best ever year of wrestling and it's cool to say I was there for his first bout in AEW. |
