garnigal | Tae Kwon Do

So, I got my red belt today. I actually graded on Monday; the head cheese from the head club came down to watch and everything. I feel that I did pretty well - I'm not the youngest, smallest, nor most athletic person (though I remember those days fondly), and I really felt like I tried my best. My kicks were a little wobbly (my balance was off), but I was pretty pleased with my patterns and enthusiasm. We keep getting told that, while technique is important, enthusiasm and improvement is accounts for about 90%. I didn't rate a special mention by Master Choung (the head cheese mentioned earlier), but at least he didn't tell me I had to start jogging to lose some weight (though he was probably thinking it).

Anyway, we all passed our gradings, I broke my boards on the third try (that's pretty good for me - someday I'll tell you the tale of the unbreakable pine board). On Monday we hit Morty's, as per the last 4 or so years, just to unwind after the stress of grading. Tonight we did the club outing to Wilf's, which is always a blast. I got to know my fellow TKDers much better, and, to their great dismay, they got to know me much better too. I don't think anyone was too traumatized, but I'll ask on Monday. It's not that I stripped or anything (no body wants to see that), but sometimes I should keep my thoughts to myself.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my new bright red belt with the world! Only a year away from black belt. (Unless I chicken out!)