Candidate Journals

Today we had no school. I was really happy about that, but I hear from my mom that I will be going to TKD early since she has things she needs to do. I started studying for the written test, it's a lot of stuff! Good thing I'm doing it now instead of stressing at the last minute like I usually do. 

Today was a long and scary day. We sat in the hallway for 2 hours! A lot of my friends were crying because they were so scared. Good thing there was no tornado and I was able to go back to class. My mom told me we are on a 2 hour delay tomorrow so I get to sleep in! I am excited about Jr. Instructors camp tomorrow, I always have fun.

Today I had a fun sparring class. I got a lot of rounds in. When I take sparring class, I really get stretched. 

Yesterday we watched the Super Bowl and I am very excited that the Chiefs won it. Today in my mentor session, we practiced the new self defenses and hapkito. I am really working on my stick form, I think I am getting better at it. I really need to work on my staff form. 

This has been a really long week! I finally moved into my new house on Wednesday and we have been getting the house set up. My room is big. The dogs really like the house. Today I have go go to my community service day, I hope it is going to be fun. 

I am so tired today! We have been moving our stuff into our new house the whole weekend and we aren't done yet. We have a lot of stuff! My room was painted yesterday and I got to choose the color in my bathroom. I am doing a beach theme so I did a sky blue color. My mom is working real hard to get the house done before our super bowl party. I like watching the puppy bowl and kitten half time show, they are so cute! My mom and I have been doing our requirements in between moving our stuff. It is so hard! I will be glad when the movers come. 

Today I had no school. I was very happy because I got to go to King Tiger and spend time with my friends. Today we played a lot of big mat things and it was fun. At lunch we watched shark boy and lava girl the movie. Sparring class yesterday was fun and today black belt class we did some stick forms. 

Today was a really long day. We worked on Taekwonil A LOT. We did a bit of Koryo which I kept on messing up on so I will work on that some more. I have been reading my book for my essay, so far i like it. 

Yesterday I did my pretest and I was shocked of how well I did. I had an awesome partner to support me, because it really helped when she said you've got this taylor! My favorite part of the pretest was my run. When I started running in December, it took me about 20 minutes to run just 1.25 miles. Yesterday I ran 1 mile in 12:27 minutes! WOW! After the pretest was done, I could not believe how well I did. I hope everyone was proud of what they got yesterday, it was a lot of hard work. 

Today I went to my first Grandmaster Evins' black belt class. I did a lot of v up type exercises. I liked what Grandmaster Evins focused in in todays class, side kicks and aim. Our aim on the side kicks were very important because it forced you to have control. I am looking forward to the poomsae part of the protest on Saturday. I wish everybody good luck on the pretest!

Today it was my first day back to school from break. Everybody was wearing their new clothes that they got from Christmas. Everybody liked each others clothes. I wore my new purple running shoes to school today. We learned about the Gulf Streams and the Jet Streams and how they effect the weather in certain parts of the world. In math today, I reviewed adding, subtracting, and multiplying fractions. My favorite part of the day because I learned about how immigration effects life styles. I was able to get my requirements done during the day too, which surprised me because school takes up most of my day. I am taking the advice from other people and instructors on tips on how to get through the cycle during busy times. 

Today I have to work on getting my schedule set for the start of school tomorrow (boo!). My mom said I should do a set of 40 push ups, and sit ups when I wake up in the mornings. When I get to school, I am going to run around the black top for half of my recess time and then when I get to TKD I will do my 2nd set of 40 push ups and sit ups. I need to do my burpies and rolls too. My poomsae and self defenses will be covered in class so I don't have to worry about that. Then when my parents get to TKD, I do my last set of 40 push ups and sit ups. I think I can do it and I will have my friends there to help me. I still need a mentee though. I will ask Master...

Today I went to Black Belt class at my school and it was full of poomsae's and I got to learn my stick form. I was able to get a lot of my requirements done there too. It is a nice change from when I do them at home and my dogs get in my face. Tomorrow my Grandma is coming over for breakfast and she is going to give me a Christmas present. I realized if you don't eat right, it is harder to do your requirements. 

Happy Friday! Yesterday I went to my first sparring class on the cycle. I had a lot of fun. Yesterday it was my dad's birthday. We went to La Unica and I got the workers to surprise my dad with giving him a big Mexican style hat and sang happy birthday to him in Spanish. My dad was really surprised. I am very excited that my house is going to be done soon and it is going to be great. 

Happy New Year! I hope everybody had a nice time. As a tradition, I go to the New Years Eve lock-in at King Tiger. We have so much fun there. My favorite part of it is the nerf war. It is really fun to stay up late with my friends. 

When I was 5, I started King Tiger. When I first started, Master Chelley held up a paddle and I was very scared of it because I thought it was going to eat my foot. Good thing it didn't eat my foot and we are past that now. I can't believe that I am now on my Black Belt cycle. I have come a long way and I've gotten stronger and better of defending myself. I also made a lot of friends while I was at King Tiger. This New Year, I am going to the lock-in and spending New Years with my friends. Happy New Year everybody!

Yesterday I did my requirements and I realized they're getting easier so I can knock them out quicker. I am not in pain like I was in the first 3 days of the cycle. It really helps not being sore to do every day things. My mom said that stretching helps before I do them. My family is able to do things that they want to do and not hurt while they do it too. 

I know this cycle is going to be hard, but I will power through it and as the days go on, I hope it will be easier. How I know it's going to get easier, if I practice on the precycle and do my stuff with no skipping. I have found out by day 3 and 4, it is not as hard as the first day and I am not as sore. I had a fun Christmas! Me and my family went to Asheville, NC and we took our dogs. We went to see the Biltmore House during Christmas and went to a really fancy hotel across the street from Biltmore that was pet friendly. The dogs got to enjoy it too. We ate a lot of really nice dinners and one breakfast Santa and his wife were there and I got to tell them what I wanted for Christmas. I was really worried he wouldn't know I was at the hotel, but Santa came!