Andy Branson week 3 blog

Hey yall,

I’m sorry to be the one to inform all of you but I unfortunately may not be able to participate in the fight on January 16th.  It seems that at some point I have become incredibly lost and have somehow ended up in the North Pole.  I’m not exactly sure how it has happened but judging by the plethora of snow surrounding me it is the only logical explanation of my whereabouts.  In case you are all wondering Santa Claus is doing quite well but slightly sleigh lagged and the elves are all very excited to have a break from their exhausting work schedule.  As we speak I am working on gathering some sled dogs to make my endeavor down through Canada and across Minnesota to arrive in Des Moines just in time for weigh-ins.  It will be an arduous adventure but I have seen Disney’s “Sled Dogs” and feel that it has prepared me for the expedition.

Truthfully this years abnormally heavy snow cover has forced me to reflect.  A year ago I was just returning from the Middle East where the temperature was somewhere around 120 degrees on a cool day.  I arrived in Iowa December 1st to find the ground slightly covered in ice and myself frozen solid from being acclimated to a slightly warmer climate.  I was getting ready to move into my apartment in Iowa City with the two Katy’s and excited to be back with my friends and family.  I was single and eager to begin fighting since it had been nearly a year since my last fight in a hole in the wall spot in Dubuque.  Fast-forward a year to today and I graduated from school, found a job in a troubled economy, and met a great girl who I was somehow able to con into wanting to date me.  She has two great kids who keep me on my feet from sun up to sun down and I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything.  For those who know me well this year has been a roller coaster to say the least and this Christmas everything has come together like I could have never expected.  I am looking forward to 2010 and want to wish everyone the best of luck in the coming year.
This weeks training went great and I’m glad to say I can finally function in the mornings after working out at Spartan Strength.  I’m sure Nick will punish me for saying that but hopefully he doesn’t read this till after Monday’s workout so I can at least get one day in before he turns up the pain meter.  Wednesday we did the 12 days of Christmas workout and I can honestly say the song is much more fun than the workout but there’s no replacement for hard work, which something Nick reminds me of daily.  Things at Des Moines MMA are going great and it seems like half of the gym is gearing up for fights in the next couple of weeks which is making the energy level in the gym at an absolute high.  Elvis and Josh have been pushing me hard to get ready for the fight and I can say without a doubt this is the best I have felt going into a fight yet.  Anthony Porcelli’s hazing of people while they workout is second to none and I can’t help but laugh every time he rips on Tim Gorman.  Tim is something like 5’5” but I swear he hits like a heavyweight the second Anthony starts laying into him, it’s hilarious as long as your not the one on the receiving end of his punches when it happens.  
I have begun slowly starting to shed the weight to get down to 170 lbs, and I am now wondering what could have possibly possessed me to decide to cut that kind of weight around the best food holiday of the year.  Seriously, prime rib, sweet potatoes, chili, pudding pie, and more appetizers than I can even name.  But hey, water and chicken is good too right.  For anyone who’s ever been around me during a big weight cut I apologize, it is not a pretty sight and to say I become temperamental is a grave understatement.  There’s something about depriving someone of food that brings out the worst in them.  Everyone remembers the lunch table in high school where all the wrestlers sat looking sickly and bitter at everyone around them enjoying their pizza pockets and soft serve ice cream.  That will shortly be me and I apologize now to everyone who has to put up with it.  
Saturday morning Dane and I were headed out for “mans day.”  Our first stop was none other than McDonalds where Dane ordered the chicken biscuit, which looked amazing by the way, and when I failed to order anything he asked why.  I told him I needed to start losing weight for the fight and I couldn’t eat any junk food.  After hearing this his response was quick, “if you’re going to get smaller you’re going to have to punch a lot harder and kick more or else you’re going to get beat up.”  He then added, “flip him over.” I guess it isn’t very intelligent of me to give away our game plan for the fight but I found the comment humorous and honestly couldn’t argue with his logic.  
Before I take off I wanted to leave you all with a brainteaser to ponder over if you become snowed in.  You are in room with three light switches and a door, which leads into an adjacent room containing three lights bulbs.  You can only open the door one time and once the door has been opened the switches no longer function.  Your job is to determine which switch operates which light bulb.  Good luck, and if you experience nausea, vomiting, loss of vision, stroke, or death, you are taking too many medications and you should stop seeing a doctor.  (add me on facebook if you want the answer otherwise I’ll have it posted on here next week) 
Take Luck and Good Care in your New Years Celebration and remember, party on Wayne.
 
Andy