Over the past four years I have been updating my personal biography. This journey of remembrance has been filled with realizations about pivotal years that changed the direction of my ambitions. Often a combination of conscious choice and unforeseen circumstances these years are always a wild ride. They tend to be a crash course in learning new things about the world and my place in it. 2024 was one of those years. Allow me to recap, hang on tight!
One year can be a very long time in a busy life so I wrote this summary with article links included that allow people to read further if they desire to do so. The links open up a separate page so you won't lose your place.
Winter - This was my first winter back after living in Florida for the past 15 years. The cold and dark reminded me of why I left. Battling Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) while also grappling with the demons of my recent martial separation was not an easy task. Luckily I had three things to distract me - Martial Arts, Axe Throwing and a Motion Picture.
30 years ago I created a Martial Arts system called Wei Tai Jutsu. This winter I took the time to collect all of the info, photos and create a video explaining its evolution. Adding it to my blog via an article and reference page allowed me to close an important chapter of my life.
My new interest began in January with My First Season of Axe Throwing in the WATL Winter League at LongHouse Axe in Plymouth, Ma. I love competition and this scratched that itch for me. I had a decent amount of success which encouraged me to buy a Bullmag competition axe and try my first tournament at RelAxe in Manchester, New Hampshire.
In late March I was able to visit a movie theater and watch my own name up on the silver screen. I had been an investor in the documentary William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill. Dipping my toe into the movie business allowed me to be a part of the decision making process with a film that scored 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and brought in a gate of over $400k.
Spring - The chill did not break soon enough. My amazing girlfriend Iris tried her best to warm my heart with a trip to Connecticut for an AJR concert. While I loved the spectacle there was little that could distract from my divorce. After 20 years with my partner, the paper work was finalized on my birthday. What followed was the hard work of recovering emotionally. Much of the spring was devoted to therapy.
I competed in WATL Spring League and wrote more articles trying to engage the axe throwing community. This was when I discovered that the sport was going through serious changes and everyone had an opinion about what to do.
As the snow melted, the mountains started calling. Iris and I returned to New Hampshire for hiking and caving in the Flume Gorge and Lost River. Then we drove to the top of Mt Washington and frolicked around in the ghostly fog.
May also brought forth my other movie project The Last Kumite. This throwback martial arts film premiered in Germany and then became available for streaming. It is now available on multiple platforms. The film showcased many stars from my childhood, I was so happy with how it came out.
Summer - This is when my Axe Throwing journey caught fire! Took 5th in the Granite Games followed by my first tournament win at ThroWell in Lowell. Then took 2nd place at Capitol City Chaos in Albany, New York. Add Summer League and a Revolution Marathon to the menu, you have a very busy season of fun.
We celebrated Iris's birthday by taking a week-long trip to her homeland - Long Island, New York. It was my first time visiting and she gave me the ultimate tour. We visited 14 towns, seven beaches, six restaurants, three bars, a mall, a lighthouse and a house party. We even got in some recreational axe throwing.
Autumn - The end of the year was all about ATL! That's right Fall Season was practice for the 2024 Amateur Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. Iris and I drove to the major tournament and fully enjoyed the event. We made new friends, battled the competition and partied when it was over.
My personal challenge for the final season was illness. I was sick for about 6 weeks but I didn't let it stop me from taking on all challengers. I even ended the year with a Recreational 2025 Rules Marathon and then won a local Mini-Tournament.
2024 was incredible with a variety of obstacles but I faced them all with a worthy level of determination. I am so glad I had axe throwing as a part of my journey. It helped immensely when I needed a distraction or a small victory to lift my spirits. I have way bigger plans for 2025 so to all of those friends and throwers who have been following my journey, the best is yet to come. Thank you and stay tuned, Alex.
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