A day without caffeine?

Let me tell you, starting your day off without caffeine is not the best way to go. I don't usually have coffee before I go to the Black Belt Prep classes because I don't want to be dehydrated. I've done that once in a two hour class and I decided that once was enough! I usually come home and have coffee, but that didn't happen today.

This morning's class was a true preparation for the test. We lined up, figured out where we're going to stand, taught the Cho Dan Bo's that they need to face Kwan Jang Nim, and practiced the bowing in and the standing meditation. Then he got us organized for the actual test and we were off and running.
I was in front of a kid who is 17 or 18, very tall and, ahem! LOUD!! He also doesn't realize the extent of his reach and came very darned close to kicking me in the head. (I have asked Sa Bu Nim to move me or him. I don't want to be in danger of being kicked.)

When the second class of the morning started, Sa Bu Nim told me that *I* was going to warm them up. ME?! Okay! That was a bit of a fun thing for me. I actually stayed around a little longer than I had originally intended because I was enjoying the technique and working out. I also got to see my kids do their warm ups. My daughter did her push ups very well. My son has some work to do. His push ups are worse than his "elderly" mom and mine haven't been the best. By the way, *I* did 30 push ups in one minute.

We came home after the kids' class and I've been here ever since. I managed to do laundry with my daughter's help but nothing else. I'm very tired and have been dozing off on the couch. I watched/slept through Breakfast at Tiffany's. Audrey Hepburn was wonderful.
I'm going to be concentrating on forms all week and resting as much as possible. I know that Friday's going to be a great challenge. I can do it. I'm ready. I will try to have my friend Johnny take pictures.

Less than a week to go

There is less than a week left before the black belt test. It's one week from tomorrow. A LOT of things are happening, some are good, some are so-so. I'm not going to get all stressed out with nowhere to go. I'm going to try to maintain a cheerful, happy mood. I decided that I wasn't going to let my office stress me out anymore. I'm only one person and I can only do so much, you know?

Last night's class was a bit more interesting than usual. I managed to do 75 jumping jacks in a minute by NOT racing through them! That was a huge surprise to me because I *usually* get either winded or I feel like my legs are going to fall off from the fatigue of doing the jumping jacks. We also had to do a BUNCH of push ups. 30/20/15. 30 regular. 20 wide arm, 15 diamond. UGH. Not my favorite thing to do. For the entire time I've been going to class, I've been doing my push ups incorrectly. I *sagged* at the hips instead of staying board straight. Last night I did them correctly for the first time and man! I can feel the difference! My shoulders are letting me know I did them. It's a great feeling!

Tonight I'm going to Mr. A's Den meeting with him. Hubby is going to a Dallas Stars game tonight (bum! Didn't even ask me if I wanted to go!). I was SUPPOSED to go teach with Susan but that's not happening. I called her at lunch and told her. All the fun thing happen when I'm not there anyway.

This weekend is the final run-through of the belt test. I'm actually looking forward to it. I want to work on my Bong Hyung Il Bu plus the other forms I have to know for next week!

Video Share!

I want to be as wickedly awesome as these gentlemen are when I grow up!!! In my dojang, we don't work with the swords like this. Look at the precision they're exhibiting!! I admire them for this. It is really incredible to see this!! (Now you know the extent of my obsession! LOL!!)
The people in this video are Masters, which means that they're WAAAAAAAAAAAAY beyond what I am. I am only a Cho Dan, which is a first Dan. To become a Master, you've got to be a 4th Dan or higher. That's on my list of goals...
Enjoy!!

Counting down again

Yep, it's that time...countdown commences!
We've got the black belt test on March 7th. I THINK I'm okay, despite the stupid mistakes I made during the pre-test yesterday. See this...you're in a room with all the Cho Dan Bo's and the re-certs. Sa Bu Nim calls "Pyung Ahn SA Dan" and you do "Pyung Ahn SAM Dan". On top of that, he called KeeCho Hyung Sam Bu and I started out doing Ee Bu. HELLO? Where the heck was my mind????
Once we got past THAT little snafu, I got into the correct swing of things. I don't know why I didn't have the forms in my head correctly. Nerves? The fact that there's a lot of change going on? I dunno. Maybe I just wasn't thinking. I'll work on that. Cho, Ee, Sam, Sa, Oh....1, 2, 3, 4, 5
I know the Pyung Ahn forms...I really do...Pyung Ahn Cho Dan, Ee Dan, Sam Dan, Sa Dan, Oh Dan...yep, I know them. I really do know them.

I hated the warm up yesterday. I don't like falls and rolls at all. We had to roll from a standing position and I'm NOT the best at that. I also don't get up on my feet, which you're supposed to do. I don't like it at all. I'm a poor example of rolls. Possibly the problem stems from the fact that 1. I'm 60 pounds overweight and 2. I am afraid of falling. I do it all the time when I step wrong or whatever. I know that, but still...there's a huge difference between falling with style (wasn't that a line from Toy Story?) and just falling.

Next Saturday we have our run through of the test. Once we've done that, we're on track for the final show. I don't have to worry about board breaking this time. I only have to do one break and that's the firecracker break. I've got to get someone to hold a board for me but...I'm going to do an elbow break because it's my best break. I'm looking forward to that.

Should be an interesting test. Now, to get everything cemented in my head...