Corn Dogs, Controlled Violence and Entertainment.

Yesterday was an exercise in masculinity, a macho parade of manly activities, a mixture of jet fuel and fireworks and bourbon. All combined and stirred and sauteed in a pan with a touch of extra virgin olive oil until tender, at this point add a sprinkle of salt and a pinch of oregano. Now fold in the diced onion, gently stirring and carefully pouring into a 9 by 13...  Wait, it was a lot more macho than that.

We went fishing, and it was hot, and there had been a lot of rain so the water was thick with branches, twigs, and leafs. It was humid, and pretty miserable, and it takes a real man to suffer through that sort of misery.  But, we were not bothered by any fish. Lucky bastards, anyway.

This evening we tried something completely new, and different.  We went to an MMA match. Actually, it was series of matches, six in total. And, they were outside, and they were at the county fair. 

There is something magical about a county fair, something historical, barns filled with chickens, cows, and sheep, and dreams. Each one the product of hours of work, and care. Sleepless nights, sweat, tears, and the endless hope of success.

Which is probably very similar to the Mixed Martial Arts at this level. These are combatants with few fights, entry level bouts. But, everybody had to start somewhere, right?

After the heat and humidity of the day the evening cooled down beautifully. There were dark clouds, some rumbles of thunder, and a few flashes of lightning, but they stayed on the periphery. It was a great night for sitting outside watching two young men try to beat the living snot out of each other.

Mixed martial arts is kind of new to me, but my son likes it and I love to check out new things. Plus, it was at the county fair. We have watched it a few times, so I am not a complete novice.

It always seems to start with two guys kick boxing and then one grabs the other, throws him down, and tries to kneel over him and pound him into submission. It seems savage, and the formula doesn't change much, but it is interesting, once you get past the brutality. And it is obvious these young men train vigorously, and work very hard to earn a chance to climb into the six sided ring.  I am not sure why it has six sides.

But, it was quite an experience and trying new things is always a good idea.  Next week it is boxing and the demolition derby.  More mayhem and elephant ears. Don't pass the chance to take in something local, you will never regret it.