Recon3k's Blog - 2old2play

2o4D - My Band of Brothers

So today I, as well as many of my clanmates, found out our clan forums here at 2old2play were shut down, later to be made read-only access. I guess the gist of it was that my clan 2old4Duty made an alternate clan site to directly compete with 2old2play. I'm one of the members that's kind of in the dark here about what's really going on. There's always two sides to the story, and most of us will probably never know the entire truth of what really happened. All I know is where my alleigence lies, with my Band of Brothers, 2o4D.

Don't get me wrong, I completely appreciate everything 2old2play has done to make the site what it is. It's an awesome place to be a part of. However, once I joined here, my time was primarly spent on the 2o4D forums with my clanmates. I haven't really explored/experienced/interacted with much else on the site. I've grown close with my fellow clanmates, and enjoy spending my time with them online. And because of this, I will be going where my clan goes. I'm thankful to 2o2p for being the venue in which I've met so many great guys and good friends in 2o4D. I have nothing bad to say about 2old2play; I know they'll be around for a long, long time providing a great gaming/online experience to it's current and future members. But as I said, 2o4D is the group I've become a part of, and wish to stay a part of.

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Black Belt Promo Pictures

Alright fellas, here's a few of the pictures that were taken on the day of my promotion test. I apologize if a few are a tad blurry, but my son was taking the pictures lol. Anyway, hope you enjoy them!

Here's a few of the various one-step sparring techniques which are designed for self defense in case of an attack. There were 10 we had to do, but after black belt there's another 30 or so to learn.

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Of the 3 required technical breaks, the first one was the flying kick + punch through two boards. Thankfully a friend of mine was standing in front of me to capture the second pic because my son was still in the back and took his pic from the side.

My second break was a power back kick through two boards placed together. Again, that same friend captured this picture.

My final break was a power knife hand through concrete. Because this was my first time breaking concrete, I was only allowed to break one slab, even though I could probably have done more. Everyone's first time is one and no more. Still though, stepping up to a piece of concrete for the first time is a rush, but now that I've done it, I can't wait to do more at my next promo test. I apologize for the blurriness of the second picture.

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A Big Sigh of Relief!

Yup, my test is done and it went off without a hitch! I can now breathe a nice big sigh of relief lol. I did everything that was required of me, and did it all on my first try. I've got quite a few great pictures waiting to be emailed to me and as soon as I get them, I'll post them up here for you all to check out. So sometime this week, probably Thursday or Friday, I will be presented with my Black Belt. However, it will not be me putting it on. Traditionally, when a student achieves the rank of black belt, it is not he who puts it on. I will be asked to turn around, take off my current belt, face forward again, and my Master will tie it for me for the first time. It's quite an honorable ceremony, I can't wait!

Anyway, look forward to later this week for those pictures! See ya online!

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This is it...

Tomorrow is the big day. I'm going to bed early to get a good night sleep. For some of you, I'll probably be testing as you read this, but if you're reading this now on Friday, wish me luck and I'll let you know how it went next week. (Yes, I won't find out if I passed until next week also).

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One week to go...

So here it is, May 24th and one week to go until my Black belt promotion test. Since my last blog entry, I've been working tirelessly on everything from my Taegeuks & patterns (18 total), one-step sparring, and breaking techniques. Yesterday I received the application form for the test and it outlines exactly what is required of me, and let me tell ya, it ain't a short list lol.

I'll have a written exam to do on testing day which will consist of the history of Taekwondo, Korean terminology & counting, and the school oath. Also, I'm required to provide 3 essays on different topics ranging from "What do I think of Taekwondo?", "What are my goals for Taekwondo?" and "The Indomitable Spirit." I'm also required to demonstrate 3 technical breaking techniques which are a flying kick & punch through two pieces of wood opposite each other, a power knife hand through 1 or more concrete slabs, and a power back kick through two pieces of wood placed together. And that's not all! I will also be asked to do two more breaking techniques which will be randomly chosen at my Master's discretion. Also in every promotion test is sparrring.

So yeah, that's a lot to do and thankfully a ton of hard work has paid off and I believe I'm truly ready for next Saturday. Only time will tell, but this next week is going to be unbearable because of the waiting. I hope my nerves are strong...

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The Ever Elusive Black Belt.

So it's May 8th today, and in 23 days is the Black Belt promotion test at my school for Taekwondo on May 31st.. Let me give you just a little background to my situation first. Twenty one years ago, I started at the age of 9 with Sung Lee Taekwondo academy. I instantly fell in love with it and excelled at it. I had a real knack for it, and my Master saw this. Even at my first tournament as a lower belt, Sung Lee put a black belt on me and I was matched up against other black belts, even though I wasn't really one. That day I took home a gold medal. He took me under his wing throughout my 4 years there and I achieved the belt of black stripe, which is right before black belt. He was like a second father to me. He taught me what kind of person I should be in life. How to treat and respect others. He taught me about the servant heart and where your spirit comes from. I really did love him.

So why after 17 years am I still a black stripe? Fear of failure. At the tender age 13, I quit Taekwondo. The black belt promotion test scared me to death. Both my parents tried to encourage me to continue and fulfill my dream, and even took me to another black belt promotion test to see what was involved. That didn't even alleviate my fears. The test is so rigorous and demanding that anyone who earns their black belt can be very proud to wear it. Sung Lee doesn't just hand out black belts to just anyone like some teachers do...he makes you earn it, hard. Even with all my training, and the fact that I was very good at it, still didn't convince me to go through with it. I can honestly say that was thee most regretful and stupid decision I've made in my entire life. For 17 years, I've regretted that decision every single day.

Fast forward seventeen years, and here I am back in Taekwondo with Sung Lee for the past month. When I first went back to the dojang and spoke with Master Lee after so long, I started getting choked up. I held it in while we got re-acquainted, but started crying later when I got back in my car. There was happy and sad emotions running through me all at once. I was happy to have saw him again and be back in the dojang, but I was also very sad because I still couldn't justify why I quit. I felt like I let my Master down so much that it just tore me up inside, even 17 years later. I then decided to rejoin and hopefully achieve my dream of getting my black belt. The next time I went to the dojang, Sung Lee was waiting for me with a black stripe belt. I assumed that since I've been out of Taekwondo for so long that I would have to start at the beginning as a white belt. He told me that I was a once black stripe in heart and body, and nothing could ever take that away. I was still a black stripe in heart and body.

For the past month, I've been having to re-learn almost everything. In my mind I know a lot, but my body isn't the same as it used to be. Getting in shape again is the easy part, but preparing myself for this test is taking a lot out of me, but in a good way. There's even a chance I might not be ready at the end of the month, but I'm trying my hardest to not let that happen. Even at home every day I'm preparing by practicing my patterns, sparring techniques, and breaking techniques, and anything I can. My instructor Ramel, who is a 3rd Dan Black Belt, is even taking time with me after classes to help me.

So is the fear still there within me? You bet it is, but now that I'm 30 and realized the time I've lost, there's no way I'm going to stop going after my dream. No one will ever be able to tell me I can't do it. Even if I'm not ready for this black belt test, I will keep training hard for the next one. I need to overcome my fear, and do what Sung Lee wanted me to do 17 years ago. I need to honor him, but most of all I need to honor myself within by achieving that ever-elusive black belt.

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So WTF?

Yeah um, what am I gonna do with this blog space? I have no fucking clue! What am I supposed to put in here? How often do I put shit up? Does anything I feel have any relevance to anyone else? Probably not, so I would understand why anyone wouldn't be interested in anything I have say, but then again maybe they might. Who the fuck knows right? Well, I'll give this "blog" thing a try, and if I suck...I suck.

Scream. Aim. Fire.

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