Happy Birthday!

I apologize, I forgot to say that today is Paul's 13th birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAUL!!!

5/21/05 - USA Karate Championships

That was one sweet tournament! 38 people signed my shirt. I wore my black and white pants and my white top. I'd sewed on the Philippine flag patches on last night. Paco got 6 trophies, Migi got 4, and dad and mom and I each got one. And they got a couple medals, I think. Dad went for Grand Champion, but he didn't get it. That's ok, he was so close. Todd E. and I were sparring aaaaas usual:-) and just playing around in general as always. Although there were times when we were a lot more serious than we usually are, which I think pleased Steph cuz she didn't feel the need to step between us at all today... Mom and dad both got medals in the jump side kick competition. Master Todd won first in his divisions in both the jump front kick and side kick, LOL we all agreed, no surprise there. It was down to him and Paula in the jump front kick and Todd made 9 feet! We stayed to help clean up and since we also helped set up yesterday, we got free pizza and drinks. So dad got 1st in forms, mom got 3rd, and I got 1st. GO MOM!!!She was the lowest belt in her division! There were at least 6 competitors there. Mostly orange belts and one blue belt. Sarah from Avoca and I were the only ones in our division. I did Sa Dan and she did Ee Dan. Paula was one of the judges. Breaking was first, Paco and Todd E. were in the same division, Paco placed second and Todd placed first. Migi won first in breaking. Sean also won first against Aaron from Avoca. Lyndon, Marc, Brian, and Leonard were all in the same division. Next was weapons, Paco placed second and Migi placed third. Todd E. and George were in the same division, Todd did Jin Te and George did Chil Sung 3. Andy competed in weapons, but did not place, which we all agreed was not fair, as someone from another school who had dropped his staff placed. Andy deserved to place, we all agreed on that. He was the only one with 2 nunchucks, 3 had staffs and 2 had 1 nunchuck each. Oh well. Next was the jump kick competitions. Then Grand Master Pak did a demonstration. Next was forms. Traditional then open. Last was sparring. Paco placed second and Migi placed third. Sparring was a rather dissapointing event for some of the others. Todd E. got kicked in the stomach and the throat, and he also got a small scratch. I was standing with a small group from our school including Steph, Sean, and Todd L., who said that George got a couple bad calls. The last point was disgusting. It was 4/4 and they were going for the winning point. I saw George score, I was so sure that he'd won, and then a point was given to his opponent. I know George scored first and the other kid scored afterwards. I knew, we all saw it. I wasn't the only one, I know. We were all sorta upset, you could see it(and hear it, for that matter) in everyone who'd been watching from our school. Paula won two Grand Champion trophies!!! Forms and Sparring. Both Men's Grand Champion trophies were taken by other schools. Todd L. sparred for Grand Champion, but he didn't spar as hard as he usually does, he said later that he simply was not warmed up enough. I think Bobby was a little upset about sparring, I'm not sure why, I didn't get to see him spar, but he left right after sparring. I saw Master Washington and Mr. Costas having a very serious conversation with him before he left. Don't misunderstand, he wasn't upset because of the conversation, they were talking to him because he was upset. You could see it in his face. LOL I think all the instructors got certificates(including dad:-) and when Todd L.'s name was called, he happened to be sparring in the hall with Todd E. and George, and so I went to get him and they were joking about how he'd done that on purpose so that he could make his "grand entrance", LOL their words, not mine. And when I told him about it later he insisted that it was an accident...(LOL not that I don't believe him) Mackenzie competed anyway, despite her arm, and she and Paul were in the same division, and they did the same form; Sa Dan, same as me. I'll blog more later if I remember anything else. Oh yeah, Megan couldn't compete because of her ankle, and so Katie was the only one competing in her family.

5/20/05

We went to BBClass and Grand Master Pak taught. Then we went to CSE to help set up and we took Todd and Steph E. with us. We helped unload and bring stuff into the kitchen and gym, we unwrapped and set up trophies, we set up the chairs, tables, and we managed to stuff the newspaper into 7 small boxes and we piled the extra boxes underneath and beside the trophy tables. 135 sets of trophies! Although I understand one set was missing. We got back at about 8. Katie and Sean and I were hangin out for a little while at the end. Talkin about school, you know, college, the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT, languages, math, just stuff in general. We were laughing as we left, joking about being there at 7:50 waiting to be the first one to get inside, "Why don't we just sleep at the school?(LOL)" it was soo much fun, I'm soooooo glad we went to help out. Todd and Steph had to leave a little earlier than the rest of us. I wish they could've stayed a little longer, our conversation after they left was even funnier than before, but that's ok, Sean and Katie and I are shooting for 8 AM, LOL as we left I said, "See you guys in...a little more than 12 hours..." but I dunno what time Todd will get there... 11 hours, 14 minutes till the tournament starts!!! I'm sooooooo excited! I need to go sew the patches on to the uniforms.

5/19/05

Tomorrow we are going to help set up for the tournament. We are going to Tang Soo first for BBClass because Grand Master Pak is teaching, and then we are going to CSE to help Master Eric. I just practiced in the back today during Paco and Migi's class, because I can't go to class later because of Confirmation practice.

5/18/05

That was the best shopping trip ever!!! I got a staff, my own set of nunchakus, pants, a uniform jacket, a staff case(for all of us, of course; it can hold more than one:-), and patches, the Philippine flag crossed with the U. S. flag. That was better than going to the mall!!! I doubt that the majority of my friends would see it that way, but I'd rather go to AWMA than to the mall any day. Daddy let me get the wooden nunchakus instead of the padded ones...YESS!!! He said I ought to start with the padded ones, but I held out, and he gave in. I tested them as soon as I got outside. They're plain black, rope, not chain, and octagon-shaped, not rounded. Same as dad's old ones, except his are natural finish and not black. And his are longer. I have Confirmation practice later, and then again tomorrow, which means no karate. Well, I might go in the morning. I seem to live in several worlds; family, neighborhood, karate, and church. It feels funny when people from my separate worlds know eachother. Idk why, it just feels so weird. Small world.

5/17/05

Went to the 7:00. Mom wasn't feeling well so she didn't go. Small class again; Kenny, John-Michael, Katie, dad, Paula, Todd E., Christine, Mark, and me. Costas taught. Worked forms and sparring. Dad and I didn't spar. We thought for a minute that Todd would do the suicide break again...but he's not. Which is good, remembering the bruise he had after his pretest. Dad practiced jump side kicks again. I dunno what the boys did at their class cuz I didn't go with them.