The Mark Of...

For some reason today, I was remembering watching the television show "Zorro" as a kid. Zorro would go around leaving his "mark" on nearly everything he came across. He would take his sword and carve a letter "Z" to show that he had been there.

This got me thinking, I wonder what a horseshoe would look like the shape of a "Z"? I decided enough thinking about this, it's time for action! I proceeded to grab a horseshoe and leave a "mark" of my own.

Notched

One of the more difficult card tears to complete is to rip a thumb sized chunk out of the side of a deck. This is referred to as notching. Not only does this require a strong squeeze from the entire hand to initiate the tears, but it also takes a very tight pinch to be able to remove the notch. Pictured is a top level name brand full deck of plastic coated playing cards that I notched.

What "Drives" You?

Ever heard the expression "You've only got one chance in life"? That is a great way to describe the feat of driving a nail by hand. Most people hesitate when given an opportunity...they "need to think about it". Alot of the time, that hesitation can cost the situation that was being presented.

At an auction for instance, if one were to stop and think about the item they had intended to purchase AFTER it was placed on the block, it may most likely be lost to another bidder. How about a drag racer? Would they sit at the line pondering the green light? Of course not - that is, if they wanted to win the race. The same applies to the way I perform this feat. There is NO holding back, NO hesitation, NO thinking about it. Set up, squeeze tight, swing hard, and SUCCESS!

Hesitation and holding back will do just that - hold one back.

Now what about you? What are you pondering? Is it starting that new diet, asking for that raise, beginning a fitness routine, searching for a new job, etc.? What is it that you want to accomplish? What "Drives" you?

Plate Confetti

After the blog entry made by Grandmaster Strongman Dennis Rogers, I was approached about doing another multiple tear license plate for a private collection. This is the end result. It is a Pa plate that I tore into 52 pieces. The smallest tears were completed by pinching with only the index fingers and thumbs, then by using a motion similar to the way I tear cards.

Driven

One of the feats of strength that has fascinated me since my youth is bare hand nail driving. Bare handed with the exception of a small piece of a rag that is placed in the palm. Stories and photographs of these great oldetime strongmen slamming a large nail though wood, sheet metal, license plates, plywood, and even frying pans with one mighty blow of their fist just completely defies logic.

Pictured is a thick board and a license plate that I drove a 4" long, 20 d nail completely through with one swing. How was I able to accomplish this? I guess one could say that I'm "driven" to succeed.