Yesterday President Biden delivered what most political pundits characterized as his most forceful and direct attack on Donald Trump since the 2020 presidential campaign, referring to him as a “defeated former president” time and time again during an emotional speech contextualizing and summarizing the events of the past 365 days since the 1/6/21 incident at the Capital. Minutes afterwards, Trump and his allies mocked the speech, incorrectly referencing “being called out by my name” and dismissing both its intent and legitimacy. But for the first time in quite a while, Biden fought with his words, and he fought with words chosen with the precision of an accomplished surgeon.
The day before, a good friend lost his job of roughly a month after returning to work mere hours after testing negative following a New Year’s weekend battle with Omicron. Another good friend of mine has pointed out with indisputable facts that he indeed has a case. So far, he has dismissed this other person’s counsel and is choosing not to fight his dismissal.
The good friend that lost his job doesn’t respect Biden and doesn’t respect the qualifications of my other good friend. He is choosing not to fight. And that makes me both mad and sad.
That good friend may not like Biden, but does very much like COBRA KAI. So do I. The reboot of the KARATE KID franchise just dropped another season on Netflix on New Year’s Eve, and it’s already Netflix’s most-viewed series, which by extrapolation likely means it’s the most popular television series so far in 2022. I loved getting rough cuts and early deliveries of its first two seasons and every minute I spent marketing the series for Sony. 
The lessons learned from the challenges faced by Johnny Lawrence, Daniel Russo and Daniel’s later-day counterpart, Miguel Diaz, have their roots in the parables uttered by Mr. Miyagi, the original series’ moral conscience impeccably portrayed by Pat Morita. You can fight with your mind as well as your hands. 
Your words can control your opponent’s minds. And when all else fails, get in enough shape to fight back when you are intimidated.
I’ve previously written about my life coach, who himself is a former judo champion who taught a beautiful influence in my life to strengthen herself physically and emotionally and give her the tools to make her life imminently better than it had been. She credits him with transforming her body and her mind, and she is fearless in both regards. I’ve done my best to learn from him. I can’t throw anybody out of an octagon, but I do know that sometimes you HAVE to fight . 
I’ve been forced to fight my own battles for nearly two years. I first had to literally fight for my life. Then I fought for my independence from a highly abusive situation. Then I fought for respect in a new living situation that resulted in sheer terror and deep heartbreak. I continue to fight for business, financial solvency and relevance. Many of my well-meaning friends continue to implore me, at times shriek at me, to cut deals with the people who are legally challenging, intimidating and even threatening me. Some of those threats imply physical violence and even incarceration.
I’m nervous, and frequently despondent, but Im no longer scared. Not even of this beautiful influence. Not anyone else who is challenging me. Not any other virus or weather pattern that tries to demand I stay inside my home and give up life.
I’m not stopping fighting. I can’t afford to monetarily, and I can’t bear the thought of living if I give in. I’ve been pushed as hard in my world as Biden has been pushed in his. As he admitted, he didn’t seek this fight, but he cannot bear the thought of losing democracy as we know it if he gives in. Well, relative to my own existence neither can I.
If my friend won’t listen to reason, or Biden, listen to COBRA KAI. Ten new episodes are waiting. Maybe you’ll get the motivation to fight your former employer for what’s right. I sure hope so, You deserve it.
Until next time…