North Shore Invitational (and general rambling)
First order of business, the tournament. The tournament...my dojang's.
1st in Advanced Forms
2nd in advanced teen Women's sparring
Sparring: First match was with some red belt named Ashley. I killed her pretty easily, but she did get in a few points. About halfway through when I was safely ahead, I started staying back defensively; why risk an attack when I'll win if it stops? But Ashley didn't attack me; she was remarkably non-aggressive. So the ref ended up taking us back to center after a second and saying "Come on ladies, let's fight". She just wouldn't do anything!
Anyway, my second match was against a purple-trim from Cloquet, Miss Katie[?]. In her first match, against Miss Bridget Quinlan, she was very quiet, not many combos, not very out there, you know? Hence, I completely underestimated her. I didn't throw all of what I had into that second match, which was obviously a bad choice since she won it. The killer was that at the very end, I was only two points behind and my foot was an inch from her head at literally the same moment that time was called. If I'd thrown that kick a half-second earlier, I would have tied it up and taken it to sudden death. Grr argh grr.
Breaking: The division was enormous! 13 or something, I think, all upper belts. It was a 4-station-8-board-max break; I used 7 boards and did a low-high roundhouse, double board ax kick, double board forearm strike, and single board knifehand. I didn't place, of course, since there were a ridiculous amount of people and they did flashier breaks, but I was pretty satisfied nevertheless. I hit the first roundhouse off-center and didn't break it, but all the others snapped easily. Retrospectively I should have doubled up the knifehand, but the only time I'd done a knifehand before it had taken me three tries (brown belt test) so I didn't have the confidence for more than one board this time around. I think next tournament (Bemidji, in February) I'll stick with the low-high roundhouse but eliminate the forearm break, triple the ax kick, double one of the roundhouses, and double the knifehand.
Forms: I haven't got much to say on this account. I got first of five; everyone screwed up at least a tiny bit except me. The guy Geno fought at New London, Mister Andre, was my biggest competition, but he stumbled on the sidekick in Pal Chung and that took him down to second. Miss Vanessa won third, since Miss Connie[?] did a bunch wrong and Mister James just kind of flopped all over the place. The thing about Mister James is, he's so good at certain kicks and stuff because he remains fluid, he has control, you know? But that really hurts him in poomse because he doesn't have the power or the focus to make it look good.
Anyway. What else, anything anything? Mister James (see above) got knocked out by Mister Andre. I'm not surprised, Andre's huge and James is tiny. It was a big commotion, but Andre didn't get disqualified. That was pretty much the only medical drama, though Miss Ashley (my first match) had an old injury that almost stopped her second match, and some black belt got clocked and went down for several seconds in his sparring.
Teehee, funny story. The teenage-male helper who was taking names before the breaking competition got told by a black belt as they were walking away from me "And you're not allowed to ask her if she has a boyfriend." Totally random.
Er. Pictures to come, I guess. My sister taped my breaking, my sparring, and Geno's breaking, so once I get a chance to jack her computer and upload the videos to Photobucket, I'll post a link here. Keep a weather eye out, it should happen in the next 24 hours. I lied, the vids will have to come later. My camera's still captive at Orley's, and my sister's computer with the speedy-enough-to-upload-stuff internet connection left with her this morning. So I'll have to wait until next time I can hit the library.
Yeah. So. This last week was royally weird. I don't even know why, but I've just been very out-of-it. Especially near the end of the week I've been rather melancholy and kind of burnt out. I repeatedly think to myself "I want to go home" but it's not even that. I want to be somewhere besides where I am, but I don't know where that is. I lounge around and sleep even though I'm not tired; it's less of a desire for refreshment and more of a wish for unconsciousness.
Eric came over last night and ate spaghetti with me and just hung around and stuff, but it was very melancholy and depressing. It wasn't his fault, at all, and I felt bad for just being all bleargh and not entertaining or anything, but I was...I don't even know. I couldn't think. It was like I was lonely even with him there; I couldn't relax or get comfortable. How utterly depressing.
I think part of it is just the fact that the school year is taking its own sweet time. I've never liked it, of course, but now it's just that day-in-day-out dragging-the-heels shit that we all adore so very much. I can't think; everything seems like busywork. Even taekwondo isn't as inspiringly awesome as it used to be, though GrandMaster Eric's seminar on Thursday was very very cool.
What else is new? (God this is a long entry, but I can't seem to stop typing.) Geno and I went to Orley's after the tournament today and hung out for a few hours. I stole her awesome hat but accidentally left my camera there, smart me.
Thursday's my 17th birthday. It's kind of surreal. Not like it's a big deal, but whatever. I'm having a party on Saturday. I would invite everyone in the world, but I don't exactly have room. Orley's gonna be at...well, I forgot where, but somewhere, though, and Eric's already got plans. He's taking some freshie on the ski team to Snoball, teehee. It'll be cool anyway. Geno's trying to convince Hugh to come up that weekend so they can fight, and we'll watch movies or play Twister or applaud the violence or whatever. And gorge ourselves. I love food.
Whatever. Finals next week. My grades are better than last term but I know they still won't be good enough for the parents. For this new semester I'm replacing Photo and Creative Writing with Sociology and Psychology, both of which bust your ass with homework (I'm told). They'll be a lot of fun, though. Sad, I'll be all done with my art classes. Oh well.
I need to go pants shopping. My momma's like "hey do you need any new clothes" so this is the opportunity to get me some baggy-ass jeans. I didn't even realize until Kayli gave me these awesome blue cargos, but I love baggy pants. They make me feel powerful. Or something, I dunno. Whatever. And I can wear this awesome hat with them. And then I shall truly pwn.
Shit this is kind of a lot. And I didn't even say that much, holy. I guess I'm off to stuff my fatass face with KFC courtesy of my dad.
I need summer. I want to be able to think again.
1st in Advanced Forms
2nd in advanced teen Women's sparring
Sparring: First match was with some red belt named Ashley. I killed her pretty easily, but she did get in a few points. About halfway through when I was safely ahead, I started staying back defensively; why risk an attack when I'll win if it stops? But Ashley didn't attack me; she was remarkably non-aggressive. So the ref ended up taking us back to center after a second and saying "Come on ladies, let's fight". She just wouldn't do anything!
Anyway, my second match was against a purple-trim from Cloquet, Miss Katie[?]. In her first match, against Miss Bridget Quinlan, she was very quiet, not many combos, not very out there, you know? Hence, I completely underestimated her. I didn't throw all of what I had into that second match, which was obviously a bad choice since she won it. The killer was that at the very end, I was only two points behind and my foot was an inch from her head at literally the same moment that time was called. If I'd thrown that kick a half-second earlier, I would have tied it up and taken it to sudden death. Grr argh grr.
Breaking: The division was enormous! 13 or something, I think, all upper belts. It was a 4-station-8-board-max break; I used 7 boards and did a low-high roundhouse, double board ax kick, double board forearm strike, and single board knifehand. I didn't place, of course, since there were a ridiculous amount of people and they did flashier breaks, but I was pretty satisfied nevertheless. I hit the first roundhouse off-center and didn't break it, but all the others snapped easily. Retrospectively I should have doubled up the knifehand, but the only time I'd done a knifehand before it had taken me three tries (brown belt test) so I didn't have the confidence for more than one board this time around. I think next tournament (Bemidji, in February) I'll stick with the low-high roundhouse but eliminate the forearm break, triple the ax kick, double one of the roundhouses, and double the knifehand.
Forms: I haven't got much to say on this account. I got first of five; everyone screwed up at least a tiny bit except me. The guy Geno fought at New London, Mister Andre, was my biggest competition, but he stumbled on the sidekick in Pal Chung and that took him down to second. Miss Vanessa won third, since Miss Connie[?] did a bunch wrong and Mister James just kind of flopped all over the place. The thing about Mister James is, he's so good at certain kicks and stuff because he remains fluid, he has control, you know? But that really hurts him in poomse because he doesn't have the power or the focus to make it look good.
Anyway. What else, anything anything? Mister James (see above) got knocked out by Mister Andre. I'm not surprised, Andre's huge and James is tiny. It was a big commotion, but Andre didn't get disqualified. That was pretty much the only medical drama, though Miss Ashley (my first match) had an old injury that almost stopped her second match, and some black belt got clocked and went down for several seconds in his sparring.
Teehee, funny story. The teenage-male helper who was taking names before the breaking competition got told by a black belt as they were walking away from me "And you're not allowed to ask her if she has a boyfriend." Totally random.
Er. Pictures to come, I guess. My sister taped my breaking, my sparring, and Geno's breaking, so once I get a chance to jack her computer and upload the videos to Photobucket, I'll post a link here. Keep a weather eye out, it should happen in the next 24 hours. I lied, the vids will have to come later. My camera's still captive at Orley's, and my sister's computer with the speedy-enough-to-upload-stuff internet connection left with her this morning. So I'll have to wait until next time I can hit the library.
Yeah. So. This last week was royally weird. I don't even know why, but I've just been very out-of-it. Especially near the end of the week I've been rather melancholy and kind of burnt out. I repeatedly think to myself "I want to go home" but it's not even that. I want to be somewhere besides where I am, but I don't know where that is. I lounge around and sleep even though I'm not tired; it's less of a desire for refreshment and more of a wish for unconsciousness.
Eric came over last night and ate spaghetti with me and just hung around and stuff, but it was very melancholy and depressing. It wasn't his fault, at all, and I felt bad for just being all bleargh and not entertaining or anything, but I was...I don't even know. I couldn't think. It was like I was lonely even with him there; I couldn't relax or get comfortable. How utterly depressing.
I think part of it is just the fact that the school year is taking its own sweet time. I've never liked it, of course, but now it's just that day-in-day-out dragging-the-heels shit that we all adore so very much. I can't think; everything seems like busywork. Even taekwondo isn't as inspiringly awesome as it used to be, though GrandMaster Eric's seminar on Thursday was very very cool.
What else is new? (God this is a long entry, but I can't seem to stop typing.) Geno and I went to Orley's after the tournament today and hung out for a few hours. I stole her awesome hat but accidentally left my camera there, smart me.
Thursday's my 17th birthday. It's kind of surreal. Not like it's a big deal, but whatever. I'm having a party on Saturday. I would invite everyone in the world, but I don't exactly have room. Orley's gonna be at...well, I forgot where, but somewhere, though, and Eric's already got plans. He's taking some freshie on the ski team to Snoball, teehee. It'll be cool anyway. Geno's trying to convince Hugh to come up that weekend so they can fight, and we'll watch movies or play Twister or applaud the violence or whatever. And gorge ourselves. I love food.
Whatever. Finals next week. My grades are better than last term but I know they still won't be good enough for the parents. For this new semester I'm replacing Photo and Creative Writing with Sociology and Psychology, both of which bust your ass with homework (I'm told). They'll be a lot of fun, though. Sad, I'll be all done with my art classes. Oh well.
I need to go pants shopping. My momma's like "hey do you need any new clothes" so this is the opportunity to get me some baggy-ass jeans. I didn't even realize until Kayli gave me these awesome blue cargos, but I love baggy pants. They make me feel powerful. Or something, I dunno. Whatever. And I can wear this awesome hat with them. And then I shall truly pwn.
Shit this is kind of a lot. And I didn't even say that much, holy. I guess I'm off to stuff my fatass face with KFC courtesy of my dad.
I need summer. I want to be able to think again.