Why Do We Tell Stories?

The most cynical of us these days say "All the good stories have been told!" or "Nothing original is being made anymore!" Or my favorite, "Why are they retelling the same stories but just changing the gender / sexuality / race of these characters?"

Do a quick search on YouTube and you'll find a handful of smart looking people giving Ted Talks and Video Essays about this very topic. Some of them are cogent, others maybe a bit heady for the casual viewer.

But it is an important question.

In truth, I think the better question is "Why are we drawn to stories?"

And in my opinion, the answer is simple: We want to see people we can connect with struggle with adversity and over coming their obstacles. Because it shows US that WE can do it too.

Stories are about connection. About conflict. About the power of love. The sting of betrayal. The rise of power at the expense of the weak. 

Stories are told in all kind of mediums. The best of them connect to us in ways where we feel the most seen as people. All kinds of people. This alone is WHY it's so important for stories to be re-told, re-imagined and Re-interpreted for new generations as the world changes and evolves. The type of movies and shows we watched in the 1980s were formative for us in those days but don't connect as well to current generations. Doesn't necessarily make them bad stories or "Inappropriate in theme." It just means that at their core it's fine to find the thesis point, the nugget of truth in that story and re-create it for the generations today and forward.

Now it's important to remember that some stories aren't for everyone.

And that's okay.

We're allowed to like / not like whatever speaks to us the most. For example, I absolutely, unequivocally cannot get into any version of Game of Thrones. Neither the show nor the novels.  This is a genre that is right up my alley. I love swords and horses fantasy. I love high adventure. I love in depth writing. And yet, the GOT original novel is one of the few that I've ever stopped reading voluntarily and put aside. I watched the pilot episode, acknowledged that it was very well made, performed and produced... and never checked into the next episode.

I don't know. Just never worked for me.  

What's not okay - and here's where I prepare for vitriol and hateful messages - is prejudging a program / novel / show before you even get the chance to consume it.

I want to declare up front and with full admission - I have been, continue to be and will again be SO GUILTY OF DOING THIS.

This type of attitude and behavior does not only the story in question, but yourself a disservice. Who knows how many shows or books I've dismissed out of hand before even giving it a fair shot.

We all know the worst types of these people too. Again, YouTube - there's a whole cottage industry of assholes whose whole purpose is to nitpick, shit on, or rage bait their way to popularity by tearing down popular pieces of film / television and feeding into the baser instincts of a small minded audience who only wants the type of story that appeals to their narrow viewpoint. Which is typically male. Usually white. And certainly straight as a board. 

Now I'm not gonna put any of these people or channels on blast. Frankly they don't need me driving any more eyeballs to their work. Moreover, if you've read this far and are still interested - odds are you already have an idea of the kind of groups I'm talking about and aren't someone whom I'm trying to connect with here.

The important thing is to understand that just because a story may not speak directly to you, that YOU might not be able to connect to it - doesn't mean that someone else isn't finding joy, hope or purpose from the character's journey.

What's that? You think Rey is a Mary Sue that's only in Star Wars because of agendas and woke-culture? Well, to so many people (many of them young girls) Rey is a symbol or hope, of self-empowerment who literally raised herself from nothing to find her place in the world. That's powerful.

What's that? You think that Sam Wilson becoming Captain America is dumb because he doesn't even have the Super Soldier Serum and not in any way because he happens to be a black man?  Well in a conflicted and frankly overmilitarized country like the United States of America where old racist feelings are swelling to the surface in the most disgusting and base manners, the character of Sam Wilson choosing to accept the shield in the hopes of being a healer, someone who bridges the gap between the fractured parts of that country is a powerful message. Especially choosing to do it without being the strongest or fastest person, choosing to be a symbol for everyone. 

And don't me started about the ongoing power of professional wrestling and the never ending morality play that takes place between those ropes for millions of people around the world. Showing good people making bad choices. Bad people wanting to better themselves. The selfish learning humility. The best of us making the choice to abandon their principles when they seem to have run out of options.

We connect to characters who show us something about ourselves. We want those characters to achieve their goals and find peace or prosperity or love or connection. 

We need these characters to succeed in some way, so they can show us the way when we need it most.

That's why we tell stories.

Speaking of stories, I got BOOKS. And I'd appreciate it if you gave them a read. 

AK

SHIRTS

The Importance of Hockey in Canada, Plus the War on Dad Blog

Lets get the Workout Review out of the Way - Short and Sweet:

Biceps w/Back - Feb 22, 2025
Close Grip Pull Down - 180 x 12, 12, 10, 9 (getting stronger, feels decent, good stretch reps)
EZ Bar Curl - 80lb x 12, 12, 12, 12 (I can totally go heavier but I really like the burn / pump by set 4)
DB Curls - 30lb x 15, 15, 15,15 (final set was HARD in the best way, excellent pump)
Lat Pressdown / FacePull Superset - 50 x 15, 15, 15 (simple auxiliary work, remains functions, rear delts really respond to this)
Mach Preacher - 1 arm 65 x 10, 10 ; 2 Arm 125 x 8, 8 (just toast by now)
Cardio - Multiple dog walks, My knee was aching from yesterdays activity

There. That's done. My sleep schedule over the weekends are all messed up as I transition from nights to days and back to nights within 48 hours. It's the shits, to put it plainly. But, I'm grateful for the work as I make strides to better myself and expand my reach online to hopefully draw a wider audience outside of the perimeter.

Fingers crossed.

So obviously the biggest sports story of the week seemed to be the culmination of the 4 Nations Face Off, put forth by the NHL and the NHLPA in hopes of having some form of "best on best hockey" once again for the public. I will admit first and foremost - I was skeptical of this idea because since pulling players out of the Olympic programs in 2010, any attempt to have this kind of spectacle was met with  lackluster effort at best and bloated tickets prices for frankly worthless games.

Also, in complete honesty - I was terrified to have some of the best players from my home Winnipeg Jets club take part in this tournament and risk getting injured before returning to play for the club team. No matter what the talking heads on TSN or SPORTSNET won't tell you, the Jets are the Best Team in the NHL this season and remain on a hot streak (9 wins in a row, franchise record baby!!) So the prospect of sending out the Best Goalie playing today, our Norris Candidate D-Man and one of the top scorers in the league to play in - what I perceived to be - a nothing tournament gave me all kinds of "No Thanks" vibes.

But then a funny thing happened.

Turns out, these players showed up with chips on their shoulders and a desire to prove themselves.

Was this strictly a matter of professional pride? Of work ethic? Ego?

Almost certainly yes to all 3 of those things.

But also, the state of the world since January the 20th has been volatile to say the least. And feeling the energy and vitriol from the Tangerine Palpatine and his henchman Lord of the Pale, DOGE Vader has caused all kinds of uproar, anger and resentment.

And that's just amongst the redcap wearing people who VOTED for this clown... Twice.

So with all the snark and animosity around ridiculous tariffs, threats (yes, THREATS) about becoming a "51st State" there were some pretty high tensions going into these important Games.

Which is when a funny started to happen.

For the first time in a long time, there has been an swell of National Pride and Unity amongst Canadians.

While nothing is perfect and our different provinces and regions still have a lot of shit to work out as we fight our own internal battle with rising fascist tendencies and the desire for easy solution to complex problems being promised by career politicians who only want to cut programs from people who need them: It has been nice to see EVERYONE Rallying behind the Maple Leaf as we entered into Thursday nights' CANADA vs USA hockey game.

Word on the street from people I know who were in attendance at TD Gardens in Boston (shout out to you @Husterama) was that animosity was thick in the air. The Canadians in attendance were being bombarded with more than a gentle, playful sense of friendly competition lets just say.

So when the Overtime period began and Connor By God McDavid scored the series winner you could FEEL the elation from across our great nation. Tears flowed,  beers were poured, maple syrup was spilled everywhere, cobra chickens took flight  … but most importantly, Canada was United for a purpose.

And that's IMPORTANT. Unity in something we love and are so damned passionate about means that there truly is more that brings us Together than the differences of opinion that separate us.

There's still a long way to go. Some well-intentioned shit disturbers (Honk, Honk) have to be called to task and some well-intentioned lovers of science and reason (yeah, I'm one of these) have to turn on our listening ears so that we can do what those player draped in the Red and White did last Thursday night.

Come Together as the true North, Strong and Free.

Yeah. This Blog is gonna get political now and again. I have thoughts and feelings and they're gonna piss people off sometimes. So just "Get in the Comments" and vent away. Or don't read. That's your prerogative as well.

Okay. Enough for now.

O, Canada.

AK

BOOKS
SHIRTS
UPCOMING EVENTS

War on Dad Blog: Legs and Cardio

Honestly, it's not any more exciting than that. My sleep pattern is all messed up due to the graveyard shifts at work, so even on my days off I'm sleeping in 3-4 hour blocks (in fact once I'm done this quick recap I will be laying my Big Fella butt down for a nap). So after being up at like 430am and selling around the place, tidying up, having coffee, listening to recaps of the Can/USA Hockey game - i finally got my stuff together and went out to the gym.

Props to Goodlife Garden City. Not my usual location but a nice change of pace. And amazingly enough, it was very quiet and not overly busy at 830am when I got there.

Wanted to push my legs just a bit more than I have recently. Again, paying attention to my knees and hips and lower back, especially as I'm getting into the ring to train a bit more regularly, recovery and joint protection are a must for me these days. Even still, only slightly more workload than before (and nowhere NEAR what I was doing even 3 months ago).

Legs, Core and Cardio - Feb 21, 2025
Hip Adductors - "205" x 20, 20, 20 (really good squeeze)
Seated Leg Curl - "115" x 12, 12, 12 (Seated definitely feels better than Laying / standing single legs -  a real difference)
Seated Quad Extentions - "85" x 12, 12, 12 (Happy with how my knees felt, this is always the exercise that is worst for me so staying at this weight makes sense - might add another set / reps next time)
Seated Leg Press Machine - 150 x 12, 170 x 12, 190 x 12, 210 x 12, 230 x 12 (Stopped here even though I could keep going, focusing on stretch at the bottom)
DB RDLs - 55lb x 12, 12 12, 12 (easy, slow reps, lots of stretch)
Hyper Extension / Knee Lifts / Machine Crunches - 2 sets of 15 each
Treadmill - 60 mins, 2.6 mph, 4% incline

Overall a good, safe workout. Nothing wild or crazy. It's tough on the ole ego to do the seated leg press machine after years of heavy plate loaded Leg Presses and attempts at squats. But, I like the way this feels on my legs better. Maybe I'll switch back at some point, but not right now.

Naptime shortly. I've had a chicken wrap and some protein, but recovery includes rest. So, siesta it is.

To save time and links, please visit my LINKTREE for my BOOKS and SHIRTS and all other stuff you might be interested in. Or just save the RSS feed on this blog and hang out. That works too.


AK

War on Dad Blog: Relocating to Here

After a week-ish of trying to keep both blogs updated I soon realized what a complete pain in the ass that is. And frankly an unnecessary one. Even though the goal was to keep this page for Creative and Wrestling related endeavors, there's no good reason to dismiss my Workout Reviews / Accountability recordings from this site.

Besides. It's good content for the algorithm. Buy my books and merch you filthy animals. Or sponsor me online to do more fitness challenges for a "man of a certain age" … being uh, Middle Aged.

So yeah, here's where I'll recap / show my workout log for recent efforts. Is it exciting? Probably only to me and a few people who wonder how I keep my body moving after 30 years of heavy impacts in and out of a 18x18 steel and plywood structure. If anyone has any questions about these, please leave'em in the comments or post'em to my socials. I'll answer anyone who's serious and tell the haters to bugger off (but like, less British-ly).

In short, I'm focusing on some higher reps, shorter rest breaks and really trying to concentrate on negative reps and stretches over the contraction. Obviously I've got a few LBs to trim from the midsection so I'm tracking the majority of my calories over a week to maintain a slight deficit and adding more lower impact cardio to my regular routine. I've been focusing on this pretty consistently for the past 3 weeks and have been pleased with early results. As always, the toughest thing is to not let my ego get in the way and insist on More Weight and fewer reps. I've had that kinda fun, but it's generally not productive for my body and goals at this point.

My regular split is modified after a Push / Pul l/ Legs ideology. A few years back this would've meant a 6 day turn around for me with only a pittance of a rest day. These days I am not as worried about that. If I end up only lifting 3x a week or every other day? Perfect. I'm hitting my muscles often enough to feel growth and progress while making sure I have enough time to recover - especially in a slight deficit. These days I feel that weakness and low energy in a big way so, I try my best to listen to my body and push it up to it's limits for that day, not what they used to be when I was 30 years old.

Anyways, here's my Push Day from Feb 18th at around 930PM - Shout out to Goodlife Fitness on Regent for their excellent staff and facility as usual.

Chest and Shoulders w/ Triceps
Peck Deck - "175" x 12, 12, 12, 12 (Trying for wide sweeping reps, lots of stretch)
Inc Smith Press - 205lb x 8, 8, 8, 5 (always humbling doing this 2nd, much better pump though)
DB Side Lat Raise - 30lb x 12, 12, 12, 12 (maybe add some more reps next week)
OHP Machine - "80" x 12, 90 x 12, 12 (still tough on my left shoulder joint, but glad to be doing these again)
Cable Side Lat Raise - "15" x 12, 12, 12 (terrific burnout, so humbling)
Rev Grip Tricep Extension - "50" x 20, 20, 20, 20, 20 (just pure stretch and pump)
30 Min Treadmill 3% incline, 2.6mph

Once upon a time I'd have disdained using so many machines. But these days, I find them so much more effective for my recovery and muscle development. Occasionally I may change it up and switch to a DB Press or a regular Barbell Press, but nothing feels quite the same as the ability to just push until I can't on the Smith Machine. That 4th set was a true fail, without the pins I'd have been in trouble.

Anyways, that was the lift. I don't know how regularly I'll post these but I do intend to bring them all under one blog, just for simplicity's sake. Maybe no one cares but me, but that's enough.

Reminder, Blaze Pro Wrestling's: No Regrets on Feb 28th in Winnipeg. Follow the link to get your advance tickets now. Our last show before X-Mas was completely sold out, so don't be stuck out in the cold. 

Visit my PWTees Shop for specific designs you can only find there. Also, if you want one of the special "30th ANNIVERSARY TEES" I have on order, hit the Comments or my DMs (easy now) to reserve your size. 

Don't forget about my BOOKS. I know that billionaires are ruining international relations right now, but the Amazon Author Groups do a fine job with my products. So please, order a copy. I'll be happy to sign it for you.

Okay, I'm out of words. Later.

AK

Top 3 Book Recommendations for September 2023

As I slog through my life and begin to get back to work on my own creative endeavors it seems fitting to take time to plug and give thanks to some of the other authors and creators who've helped to inspire and entertain me during this phase.

#1 Don Winslow's "The FORCE" is a harrowing tale of corruption, violence and intrigue within the politics and police of New York City. Unlike anything I'd ever read before and I absolutely could not put it down. Hit the link and Order your copy Today!

#2 "Why We Love Star Wars" by Ken Napzok. An absolute must for anyone who grew up on any version of the stories told in that Galaxy Far, Far Away. A series of essays and ideas inspired by all things Star Wars, an emotional deep dive on themes and scenes that stick out for us all, and an excellent insight into the mind of someone who found resonance in these iconic tales.

#3 "Everything Fat Loss: The Definitive No Bullsh*t Guide" By Ben Carpenter

Those who are into fitness and weight loss know full well just what a minefield the social media influencer landscape can be for all kinds of topics. Ben Carpenter is a no nonsense voice of reason within that space and has made it his mission to debunk the bullshit and give only the straight goods. This book is backed by hundreds of studies (that you can actually find links to and read for yourself) making it for my money the best and most complete book ever written on this topic. Please order yourself a copy today!

That's all for today. See you again in October for more recommendations. 

AK

Defining Success Pt 2 – AKA “The Wrestler”

Much like the previous post, props to Ed, Ron and Producer Bill for putting the bee in my bonnet to want to talk about this concept a bit. If you’re not already listening to “The Greatest Pod” for free wherever you get your podcasts you’re missing out on some fun, nerdy and insightful conversations.

So going, back – on their last Patreon Exclusive podcast the boys went on for a while talking about the challenges they’ve faced trying to break it into the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. Specifically as comedians, writers and TV producers. Not just the obstacles put in front of them by other people and by the natural gatekeepery way the industry works, but by their own personal attitudes and approaches and perceptions.

So setting the Wayback Machine all the way to Sept 1995 for a minute I remember the first time I set foot in a professional wrestling ring. I’ve spoken about that “first day” and the process of training before so I won’t rehash it here – that’s not what the topic at hand is. However I do want to take a bit to reflect on how I was treated and more importantly the way I treated myself at that time (and in many ways still to this day.)

In Sept of 1995 I was 330lbs and hadn’t been doing anything seriously athletic in ... well ... ever. I dropped out of Gym in Grade 11 as soon as that was an option for me. I was on the school curling team – because, Canada – and that was about it. At that time I was barely surviving in First Year University and going through a lot of the disillusionment that many kids that age experience once they are removed from the safety net of public education and thrown headfirst into the Post Secondary Education for Profit world where nobody gives a good God Damn about you so long as you get your tuition payments in on time and make sure to buy the professors textbook only available in the University Bookstore for the low-low price of Go Fuck Yourself.

So when friends of mine heard about the local group of Indy Wrestlers were open to bringing new people in my attitude towards the whole thing was a resounding “Yeah, sure I’ll check it out.”

Yes, huge wrestling fan as a kid. My dad slung beers in the Winnipeg Arena back when the late Nick Bockwinkle was the greatest wrestler alive. I watched all the WrestleMania’s, got caught up on the NWA whenever it came on the free cable tryouts. I turned my GI Joes and Star Wars figures into wrestlers and booked events in the tiny hand made ring Dad made for us out of wood and twine. I booked angles and shows in my bedroom, complete with entrance music and me doing the Play by Play and ring announcing while putting poor toys through their paces. I had a poster of The Rockers in my bedroom (much to my mother’s concern) and was able to converse with the more hard nosed and sporty dudes in school about who the best wrestlers were even though we had nothing else in common.

All this to say, I loved wrestling. But never in a million years did I think that this was something I could do.

To say I was a soft boy would be accurate. While I didn’t get beat up a lot, I certainly got beat up enough. My feelings were on my sleeve, I was openly nerdy, always speaking up in class and got good grades. I might as well have had a sign on my back during the 80s that read “Easy Target.”

So the very concept of a dude like me getting into a world filled with grown men who came from questionable backgrounds, making questionable life choices, who enjoyed hard drinking, gruff actions in a carnival lifestyle … well, it didn’t seem like a fit.

Plus, the wrestling practices were brutal. In 1995 the motto was still “nobody gets in who can’t take the abuse.” And I took a lot of it. Looking back I wonder if it was as bad as I remember and frankly it’s so long ago now it’s difficult to be sure.

But I remember how I felt.

Worthless.

Like I couldn’t do it.

In fairness at the time I felt like I couldn’t do anything. I was months away from being kicked out of University. The girl I was crushing on was about to break my heart and I felt horribly guilty every time I went home to my parents, knowing how hard they’d worked to put money away for my education that I was blowing.

Everyone told me that I was making a mess of my life. Friends told me not to waste my time with wrestling. My dad shook his head in disgust when he discovered what I’d been up to that I kept coming home limping or with new welts and bruises. One of the guys I was training with even told me candidly “You don’t think we’re really gonna be successful at this, do you?”

And truthfully I didn’t.

For many years I would show up at local events, wade through dumb little ego fights and petty politics for the chance to lace up my used combat boots, throw on my cobbled together gear for the chance to take a beating for the dozens in attendance in the hopes of taking away enough money to grab a snack and bus fare home.

So why did I keep this up?

Well, wrestling may not have been my first love. But it was the first thing I felt that loved me back.

Okay, it was a tough love. And a tad abusive at times.

Then I started noticing things.

People in attendance started responding not only to my matches but to me.

While not an Adonis I was certainly becoming fitter with every week of action. As such, my confidence began to grow.

With said confidence, the slings and arrows of the more caustic and arrogant class of wrestler stopped hurting as much. My emotional callous had grown to the point where I could take more things on the chin and keep going without chewing my own liver about it.

I started making contacts with other wrestlers outside of Winnipeg. This was still the late 90s so let’s not get crazy here, but the realization that I was beginning to build a reputation was interesting and rewarding.

Plus I got better at talking to ladies. So… You know.

Of my initial class of wrestlers I am the only one still active. And I have been for 25 years. By most people’s accounting my career would be called a complete waste of time if they only looked as deeply as my bank account – which no, you can’t do that. Don’t ask.

However there’s more to a person’s life and career than that. Especially in professional wrestling.

There are the moments that resonate in your soul that will live with you forever.

-        The Selkirk Winter Carnival in 1997, tagging in the Main Event in front of 500 screaming kids and their families against a couple of real bruising fellows. And knowing with absolute certainty that for the first time in my life I was not only having a good match, I was having a great match that the crowd was 100% invested in.

-        Being an extra for the WWE for the final sold out live events to take place at the legendary Winnipeg Arena months before it was torn down

-       Wrestling on traditional PPV for a (failed) start up company

-       Multiple trips to Japan

-       Matches with legends of the sport

-       Having friends and (yes I’ll say it) fans all over the world who have seen my stuff or interacted with me online

-       Being a member of the Cauliflower Alley Club and being recognized by the Legends who paved the way when I am able to go to the conventions.

Any one of these instances would’ve blown the mind of the fat, pimply 18 year old kid who got his ass kicked the very first time he walked into a ring. And these are just the tip of the iceberg. While I’ve lost count I’m well over 1000 matches by now. Matches in Canada, the USA and Japan. I’ve travelled 1000’s of Kilometres and tried to put smiles on faces everywhere that I’ve gone. Reminding myself of this every now and then is a good thing. Because having the privilege to continue to perform and scrap and entertain is just that.  A privilege.

Every time I get asked to wrestle is in and of itself a success.

And I’m not done yet.

AK

Support your favourite Wrestler today by visiting Pro Wrestling Tees and browse to your hearts content. Just, while you’re there, consider looking at my site first willya? I mean, emotional success is fulfilling but a few sheckles here and there help keep the roof over my kids’ head. J

 

Second Round Exit, a ForceCenter Shout Out and the CWE iPPV.

Another year, another exit for my Winnipeg Jets from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And sure like many of us, I’m disappointed to see them swept in four games by the Montreal Canadiens after vanquishing the dreaded Oilers in Round One. However just making it out of the first round is an accomplishment in any year, never mind one involving bubbles, endless testing and isolation and competing in front of no fans.

So I choose hope for the future. In both the NHL and in the world at large. People here in Manitoba are rushing to get themselves fully vaccinated and I look forward to a day in the not too distant future where I can re-lace my leather wrestling boots, stride out a curtain before dozens of people and smash a fool right in the face. Or ply my written wares in front of potential readers at bookstores / libraries to hopefully sign some covers, shake some hands and generally interact with the world at large.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

Props to Joseph, Ken and the rest of the team over at the ForceCenter Podcast for taking time out of their weekly show to discuss my “essay / blog post” Thoughts About the Dark Side and to give this page a shout out. Greatly appreciated, as was the discussion that followed. Please check them out at the links provided for all of your #StarWars news, views and celebrations.

Worked on the first of the “Queen’s Guard” tales again today. And while it’s not ready for public view just yet I am planning to post it here on this blog once it’s completed. So stay tuned. Or tell your friends. Or don’t, I’m not the boss of you.

Finally, a shout out to the team over at Canadian Wrestling’sElite for their hard work in getting independent wrestling back on the SHAW Cable / YouTube airwaves. This weekend they will be hosting an iPPV event in celebration of their 12^th Anniversary taking place from the CWE Training facility. No, there will be no fans in attendance and the talent will be as socially distant and behaving responsibly as per the current Provincial Guidelines. While I will not be able to perform on this event I do hope to bring my boots for future events as things progress. Visit the Official CWE Facebook Pagefor all the information to order this event.

Thanks to everyone who checks out this site on any level. It’s greatly appreciated.

AK

25 Years and Counting SlideShow

Have a great weekend everyone. Looking forward to the heat, some relaxing, some workouts, listening to the Jets vs Habs games and writing should time allow.

Proper update on Monday. In the meantime, enjoy the slideshow :)

AK

#GoJetsGo

Trust me, I'm working on the first Queen's Guard story today. But in honour of the 10th year for the return of the NHL to Winnipeg and advancing to the 2nd round it only seems appropriate to share some of the images and feelings I captured on my crappy little digital camera back in 2011 the day that the announcement happened.

Few things n life not involving family are as special as this day was for so many of us here in Winnipeg.

And during this time, it's important to remember the things that unite us.

AK