Candidate Journals

Fortunately, the world is not coming to an end, so don't threat over my title. It is the 22nd of February, which is also the birthday of George Washington (1st president for you non-history folks). We had Grand Master Lee come to our dojang last night and it was phenomenal. It's always inspiring and humbling when he teaches, as it gives me so much incentive to keep learning more and to keep striving to be a better instructor. I'm sure the math is on everyone's radar as where we are in the cycle. If you are not a math person, guess what, it won't go away. It's like when I dress myself from my wardrobe that's been around for 30 years, and my sons look at me as if I was wearing my under-garmets on the outside. I tell them, there is no improving this, it just is. I'm sure those...

Hello candidates, instructors, masters, parents, and the guy at the bagel shop, I wanted to add a journal entry to show that grammer and speelling has little to do with being a black belt. I have been really enjoying reading your journals (yes, we really do read them). Some nights it's a toss up between your journals and cat videos, but here we are. For my Harrisburg guys, great improvement on quantity and going deeper then, "Its a normal day, I wrote up, brushed my teeth, went to school and did some requirements," to now adding some substance, some meat and potatos, some nitty gritty, and, yeah, you get the picture.  As you have noticed, we are leaving January and entering the shortest month of the year (except its leap year, so its a day longer). The night testing and hopefully not the overnight testing, will be here soon. It's time...

Trying to familiarize myself with the BB site layout. Saturday is coming and it's going to be a beautiful day. 70 degrees, with a slight breeze from the west. Birds chirping overhead cheering the candidates on. Or, it might be a balmy 20 degrees, with sleet pelting you sideways, with vultures circling overhead. Either way, it's going to be memorable

What a great night. I just saw that I had a journal entry left. Not sure what happened, but this will be the last until fourth dan. What a fun night with testing. The group did really well and we were out of there just past 12:30 Now life begins to get a little normal again. As normal as my life can get that is. Trent had a great night as well. He went to the Toby Mac concert and got to meet Toby Mac himself backstage. Can't wait to talk to him about it. Connor's at Ranger training up in the mountains, so it's a quiet house this weekend. I'm bushed, so I'm signing off with my last journal. Well done guys. Go and spread your Tae Kwon Do knowledge to the world. Peace and chicken grease

Two days left. Sunday morning is going to feel great lying there in bed thinking, "what do I need to do today?" and then it will hit me, NOTHING! Well, it will be a honey do day. I've been getting behind on some of the things I need to do around the yard. Katherine likes a nice yard, which means it's time to get dirty planting, weed pulling, mowing, and I'm sure a shovel will some how be involved. It's so beautiful outside right now, I feel we should have our classes outdoors today. Any way, enjoy the day folks

The sun is out, the snow is coming down, and it's spring and cold at the same time. It's like someone upstairs is having a battle over the thermistat. I remember those days when living in a dorm, going into the hallway and turning the temperature down, only to have someone come a little later and turn it up. I guess that's when someone invented the lock down cover for those things. Friday is almost here. It will be so nice to get this done. I'm really looking forward checking out Master Shin's dojang. I've never been there. I wonder if he has a donut vending machine. Keep pushing those last requirements out guys. See you all soon

Last week before testing. Yeah!! What a beautiful day. I keep looking around the yard for projects I want to complete or start. Though I am banded from starting any new projects from upper management (wife). Don't know why. She sees thirty projects halfway done, I see thirty projects halfway completed and in need of tweaking. Won't be long until the pool cover comes off and the back yard is filled with cannon balls and belly flops. This winter has made this spring that much sweeter. And after next week, I'm going to throw a hammock up and rack out for the whole day. Well, maybe for an hour, got projects to finish, remember

After classes and instructor training, I put off requirements this afternoon to have some quality time with my wife and son. Connor is currently doing a rock climbing trip (jealous), so the three of us just enjoyed the outside together, working around the property and hanging out with the neighbors. Later in the afternoon, I got a wild hair and decided to install a outdoor shower. I had the water line previously set for a water faucet, but my neighbor made the suggestion of a outdoor shower which would be right next to the pool and hot tub. As like many of my projects, it's not complete yet. Though I should have it wrapped up by tomorrow. It made for a great afternoon. I really think one of the requirements for the black belt cycle should be family quality time. There is nothing more healthy and meaningful then to have some...

Today Master Knight and myself did some school talks from 8:00 to 2:00. Holy cow, that is really hard to do for 45 minutes per group. Fortunately the teachers loved it as well as the students. It's definitely one of Master Knight's gifts. They responded so well to him. I know I will sleep well tonight, after I get through some requirements.  A quick shout out to Instructor Suplee. What a great gift it is to give some of our time to help those who don't have a warm bed and roof over their head. Room at the Inn is a phenomenal outreach program. Not that many churches participate in the program, but it defines the role of Christianity and the church, to serve others with nothing in return. Thank you sir for sharing.

The time I've been waiting for all year. Spring. The sun is out, the weather is warming, and I can finally go running without freezing my neither digits (toes) off. Master Knight and I are doing some school talks at Wolf Meadow Elementary today and it went pretty well. The groups were small enough to manage and the kids had a lot of fun. This is be going on all week. All I can say is, sleep is good. out

I'm hoping that the reason that I'm falling asleep in my living room chair is not because of age, but a result of working out hard. It's the crunch time of the cycle and I'm focusing on getting the remaining numbers down to a comfortable level. Got to watch Trent and Tyce play their lacrosse games and win both games today. Both boys looked a little tired in the second game, but they dug deep and did awesome. Then we came home and started working out to be proceeded by the falling asleep in the old man position in the chair. Master Knight and I have a big week as we are going in to Wolf Meadow elementary tomorrow to do some school talks all week. Should be fun and educational as my second time doing this. Hopefully this will bring some new students in our school. 

Trying to knock down my self defenses and pomsae numbers. Those seems to be the mystery numbers that never seem to be going down. This is March 16th which means there is less than 3 weeks left. If I'm being completely honest, I'm frustrated. I want to focus on how to make a great class, make myself a better instructor, and make the Harrisburg a great dojang, but the requirements are always looming and taking priority. The wife's mad because I'm balancing everything on a delicate string and that string is getting tighter. The reward will be worth it, but the journey is steep. I needed some motivation so while I'm doing some requirements, I'm watching this documentary on Free Solo. It's pretty amazing, and does help my mental state to stay focus on what I want and what I'll do to get there. Ok, I think I ran out of...

Got the written and physical test out of the way. The written test would probably be more of the challenge for me. I do not have a mind for foreign languages and remembering all the Korean words is tough. I have enough problems with English. Today, some of you got to see Grandmaster Evins really mad. And I don't blame him one bit. It's not difficult to figure out what this is all about. This should be something you can look back on and feel proud about because of what you went through. Don't screw it up by short cutting yourselves. Not to mention, it was pretty dumb. I mean, no one was invisible out there, so why would they think they could go for a stroll and not get caught. If you haven't figured it out, one shirker can bring down the whole group on the overnight test. Respect each...

Fridays are great. Get to sleep in a little, catch up on all the things around the house. Help the boys with their school day (school is at home on Friday), and have some family time. Tomorrow is the written and physical test, so for the rest of this day I will be studying and working on my essays. I was a white belt yesterday in class and there were a lot of different reactions to the students. The most common one was, I messed up and Master Knight took away my black belt. It would have been more enjoyable to leave it at that than to explain over and over about the black belt cycle, but it gave them a little glimpse of something they will hopefully be doing. So, I am signing off here to work on another essay, yes, I procrastinated a bit, and figure out how to...

So, Instructors camp is over, and what a great camp it was. Being around Grand Master Lee is phenomenal. I'm just amazed how he can sit down on a hard floor with us with perfect posture for hours. I really liked how we ended it with the GRIT thing. It's definitely something to keep pursuing. Today I am finishing up my written test questions and starting to study. The hardest thing to do is start hitting the requirements again after instructors camp. I'm still trying to catch up on sleep, not so much push ups, sit ups, pomsaes, and self defense. That's it for me. Stay healthy folks!

Tuesdays are my roughest day. Mostly self imposed as I go to PMA class Monday night, get home around 9:30, bed by 11, then up at 5 am for my men's bible study group. Went home to meet the tree guy who I'm paying a crazy amount of money to save my poplar tree. The tree is huge and would cost a fortune if it had to come down, so $300 is definitely the path of cheap resistance. Then today, Master Knight fell while on a run and messed up his shoulder. I took him to the urgent care where they took x-rays and such. So it was just me at the new school tonight. It actually went pretty smooth. Of course, it would have been a lot smoother with Master Knight because of his awesomeness with kids.The good news is, I'm still trainable, and Master Knight teachings have come to...

Fridays are great. Get a couple of extra hours of sleep and a chance to recoup. I had a lists of things to get done today after the boys school work, but the rain has other plans for me. Instructors camp is astonishingly just around the corner, and it looks like a packed schedule. Hopefully the weather will cooperate out there and we'll get our rope course in and bonfire. It's that crunch time to start knocking out essays and more requirements so the end of the cycle won't be hectic. We are hosting a public speech debate at our location this evening. Hopefully it will produce some new students for us. Tomorrow will be the end of our third week at Harrisburg. It seems like we've been open for so much longer. Our parents have been giving us some great feedback and there was quite of lot of feet on...

So today in the morning masters and me class, Master Evins had us doing what he called a stretch kick dance, where we faced a partner, and both would do a back leg stretch kick going beside your partner than setting it down and turning around. Needless to say Instructor Jack and myself were lacking in our dance moves and we ended up doing a whole lot of something else. So, this is one of those great Master Evins moments. He is giving us directions from across the room, breaks it down to simple mechanical motions, and whalla! We are doing something close to synchronized swimming on dry land. Of course, all the Masters enjoyed the cheap entertainment we provided. Outside of the strange dance stretch, that class was awesome. Got to work on more hopkido moves. Love that stuff. Can't wait till next week. 

Not much of a singer. In fact, there are many bans in several states on my singing. That's the beauty of church, you can be the worst singer in the world, and no one can pin point where that horrible noise is coming from. Man, what a dismal day. Had to force myself to go for a run. I tried talking Connor into running with me, but he intelligently refused. I almost went for the bribe, but money is scarce. Enjoyed watching Trent do some lacrosse today. even though I was freezing my (fill in the blank) off, it was fun. It's a nice group of parents there as well. Get to sleep in (hopefully) a little tomorrow with President's Day. Thank you George and Abe! Those were some tough dudes. On top of keeping a country together, fighting all the bloody battles, and dealing with slow internet (horse and buggy),...

Old saying from my past. Back when I lived in a dorm on Kirkland AFB, there was this guy down the hall named Fred. He was a big guy and also a good friend and teammate. In the morning as we were all scrambling to get out of bed and get to the bathroom, I would run into him in the hallway (which was quite narrow), and he would barrow his way through saying "The laws of gross tonnage will prevail." Fortunately, I was not big but fast, so I would fly into the bathroom and lock the door before he got there. There was usually a friendly pummeling afterwards. Of course that's how you knew who your friends were, the ones who laugh with you at one second, and tackle you the next. So now, it's one of my favorite sayings with the boys while they're still smaller than me....

Finally got around with the boys and saw the movie Bumble Bee. It seems like forever since we have been to the movies. The boys had today off for winter break as well as monday for presidents day. I will take advantage of some free time and catch up on my requirements and essay writing. I always save the essays till the end, but I'm not sure why. Fortunately, I enjoy writing when it's something I'm interested in. Ahh, the art of procrastination. I'm like a Leonardo when it comes to that. The painter, not the ninja turtle. This month is flying by and we'll be at Instructors Camp before we know it. Back to burpees. Later.

Tomorrow, the boys have winter break, so that means we can sleep in a little. Though I doubt I'll be able to pull a 9 o'clocker, but hopefully to 8 maybe. Classes went really well today. We had our first belt testing and she did great! Our little tiger group is growing. I think we had 7 on the mat today. Yesterday, I realized that becoming a professional window cling guy is not one of my options. Those are the big stickers that go to the inside of the window for advertising. One turned out sooo bad, that I pulled it off today. Guess I'll stick to Tae Kwon Do thankfully. Did two drapery jobs in the morning (still trying to close that down, but its nice for income). Then of course, fit in some requirements. Need to keep motivated. Just add some Spark. 

Nothing like knocking out sets of push ups and sit ups, then realize I forgot how many I've completed. So. we are middle of February and April will be here if we want it or not. So in Black Belt cycle terms, it's hump day. Half way there, living on a prayer, with some consistent calisthenics and pomsaes. Had some great classes tonight. Master Knight and I are getting a nice systems in place and things are smoothing out. One thing phenomenal about this business is the quality of customers. There just great folks who are happy to be there watching their kids get a workout. I am blessed. Had the opportunity of working out with the Masters. Love those workouts! Standing among giants. Time to sign off, tomorrow is on its way.

Our first week is completed. Got some awesome students and maintaining a steady state of learning. I have been thoroughly enjoying teaching and introducing the art of Tae Kwon Do to new students. It's hard work but its the kind of hard work that gives lasting benefits. Only took 35 years to find my true joy in work, now that I'm not eligible to fly the space shuttle to Mars. Master Knight has been patient and extremely helpful and simply awesome as I get the hang of running a martial arts business. It's going to be a long road, but I am confident we will establish a school that can live up to the King Tiger name. Now if I can only get my butt in gear with requirements. I'm starting to idle a bit, but as the GI Joe cartoons always said, "Knowing is half the battle." So, I will...

Went and helped last night with Jr instructor camp. That was a whole lot of kids. My hats off to those who spent the night there at North Charlotte while I enjoyed my nice comfy bed. I remember a day when I could sleep just about anywhere I needed to. Now, I'm all about the temperature is set just right, having the right kind of pillow, my nice temperpedic mattress, and so on. I can really appreciate sleep at my age. Not an old age, but I don't power nap crammed in the back of a hot C-130 strapped into a parachute and ruck gear. Man, I was able to lay my head down and sleep in any position in those days. I still remember my buddy jammed up next to me in one of those planes doing a low level in Thailand, and all of a sudden he started vomiting....

Hey all, Really great morning and great training at the Lake Norman school. Always love being surrounded by some much talent, knowledge and pure awesomeness. Tweaked a lot of my self defenses which I desperately needed. Went to our Harrisburg school and enjoyed a mind numbing fire alarm for about half an hour. I guess the fire department new it was a false alarm because it took a long while for them to show up. We had a least three folks sign up today. There is definetly and steady stream. Hopefully it won't be long till we have those mats filled up. My heads starting to bob so it's time for me to hit the rack. Enjoy the weather.

The new school seems to be growing. This is the second night and our classes are increasing. Still, we have a lot of mat space to fill. We finally got the website to review. It should be live in two days (hopefully). I really like the layout. Another good call Master Evins. I'm a bit worn through tonight, so this will be short. Long day, but a good day. Especially with this weather. Thank you God. I'm rolling out. Aim high and kick low.

Big day for Master Knight and I. The grand opening. Let me start with thank you. So many of you came out to support us and make this a success! It was so amazing to see all these people show up who were taught by Master Knight at some point of their lives and how he made such an impact with them. Hopefully the momentum will continue. I'm making this a short one due to the fact that my wife will probably find me drooling on my key board sound asleep if I don't go to bed now. You rock!

It feels I haven't journaled in a while. Been so crazy busy with working my old business, and helping Master Knight with the new school. Our new water cooler came in yesterday, so I installed that. Some signs came in so I hung that. Some kicking bags came in so I kicked that. I have been trying to learn more about social marketing so I won't look like some major idiot when our Marketing guy starts talking about Pixels, seo, tagss. and about thousand other terms I don't know yet. So, I downloaded a book on it and hopefully it can learn me. Wish me luck! Stay groovy cycle dudes and dudettes!  

Hey folks, From watching Grand Master Evins video on Facebook, it seems some folks might be losing heart. If you are reading this and are dreading one more push up, pomsae, or self defense, rest assured you are not alone. Sometimes knowing that we are all struggling and have those moments of "Why am I doing this?" really helps. Let me tell you, once you pull through that tunnel and start seeing the light, and realize it's not a train, then it all becomes worth it. Remember, this isn't something that is a chore on your daily lists of things to do. This is a personal challenge to yourself that if you dig deep enough, there is nothing you can't do. A few lessons I learned during my Air Force days was don't worry about tomorrow, focus on what the next five minutes brings. I have been pushed to what I...

This morning on the way to sparring class, I received a text from Grand Master Evins asking me to teach sparring. Always keeping me on my toes and challenging me. I love that! That is one of my most favorite classes to teach or participate. Hopefully the class had a good workout and got something out of it. As I finally start to grow up, I can safely say that all the things I thought I had figured out, I don't. That is today's lesson to myself. Keep learning, keep growing, aim high and bow low. Humility is the key to knowledge and progression. Had an awesome time in black belt class. Always a great class with Master Chelley Hartle. After class I was hoping to work more on the new Do Jong, but we had a meeting with friends for our schools fund raiser which somehow I got stuck on....

Today, we had the first Tae Kwon Do class in the Harrisburg school. We had the Masters training in our school and it was wickedly bodacious. What an honor to have so much knowledge in one location. It was great getting the ideas and suggestions on what to tweak to improve. We did miss the main man of King Tiger, Grand Master Evins, who is probably working out as you read this. We still have a way to go, but it's getting there. I have mixed emotions of February 2nd. A part of me hopes time will stop for a few days to get more done, and the other part wants smack the big red button and let it begin! Thank you all who have helped promote this. Even just liking or sharing our page and posts does so much. Nothing great is ever accomplished alone. Love, peace and chicken grease....

If you ever had to describe your brain, what would it be? Mine would be scrambled eggs for the last couple of days. It seems like I'm chasing farts in the wind, as I come across one problem to another. Forgot to load up some hardware for my work before leaving the house, soooo back home iI go. Then a dump truck must have lost it's load on I85 as rocks were scattered across the interstate and they had to shut down four lanes. It just went sideways from there and it's not worth reliving. What I really want to do, is be at the new school, handing out cards, visiting businesses, and getting to know my community there. All in good time I suppose. God is good. Some of the words that keep me moving forward when I'm trying to balance the word on toothpicks. Thanks for listening. Booyah

Hey all! I just wanted to write a little of the quality of this black belt cycle. In my opinion, this will be one of the best black belt cycle people ever. It was great to workout with you and get to know you guys. Positive, energetic, focus and helpful to one another. The cycle is always tough to stay on top of, but none of us do it alone. So keep doing what you're doing and we will close this testing down in two hours on test night (or when Grand Master Evins likes what he sees). Stay classy out there. The more it hurts now, the better it feels later. On this day of January 20, 1981: The Iran hostage crisis ends. 52 U.S. citizens were released after 444 days at the hands of a group of Islamists.

So, we are now at the official start of the Black Belt Cycle. Today was a great workout and I am officially ready to collapse. This will be short due to getting up early for church tomorrow. The thing I was not prepared for was the written test, but fortunately, Grand Master Evins was kind to us with the questions. After the pretest and black belt class, I headed over to the Harrisburg school. Realized that our window clings are not going to work. For those who don't know what I am talking about (normal interaction for me), the window clings are the stickers that go on the windows like North Charlotte studio for advertising. The ones we received are to be applied to the outside of the windows. So, that will be on my list to do for Monday. That's all for now folks. Rest well tonight, for tomorrow is...

Okay, I'm sure your all tired of hearing of my hot tub dilemma. So I finally got it back to clear blue water without burning my skin off. I'm not really sure what the solution was, but like most stuff with guys, you throw enough chemicals at the problem, something has to stick. Yesterday I flew to Greenwich, Connecticut to measure a clients house. if you ever been to Greenwich, you won't find many trailer parks or Walmarts. That place is one of the most expensive places in the US. To give you a little preview of the house, they were building their own ice hockey rink in the back yard. Only to be taken apart in the spring. Got to love fist world problems. Really nice couple who owned the house. Bought me an overpriced salad, measured some windows, then shot back to Charlotte. That is one thing I'm going...

Had to do some wiring at the new school today. Also, we got some belts on the wall. It's starting to look almost like a Do Jong. Of course, my electrician has to come back again for a third round due to not having enough wiring. I'm won't complain, he is a friend and he is doing it for almost nothing. Can't beat that price. Great service at church today. Normally we run out half way through the service because of Trent's lacrosse practice which is scheduled at 10:45. Irritating. I do not like having sports interfere with church. Fortunately, there isn't a lot of weeks for this season. We won't be doing it again. Trent said to me this morning how he really dislikes missing church service. What could I say? So, I had to agree with him and was really proud that he has his priorities in order. That's...

So I got home from a full day of Tae Kwon Do; sparring class, helped in family class, and black belt class. Then worked on the new Do Jong, and all I could think about was getting into that hot tub and soak for awhile. Got home, threw on the bathing suit, opened the lid to the hot tub, and it's green. Got to be kidding me. So, I start testing all the levels, and the ph is all off, and its not registering any chlorine. Dumped some shock into it, decreased the ph and added some chlorine. I was so desperate I just jumped on in. Soaked for awhile then realized my skin felt like it was on fire. Ok, hot tub is still not balanced. Sat in it as long as I could stand it, then got out. I guess it's time to drain it and start again. Boy,...

Don't really know what the title means. I think it's from a famous quote, but it might be from the shallow bellows of my brain. Anyway, I was thinking of the redundancy of a lot of things. I'm trying to change up how I do requirements to keep it from getting redundant. Felt like I was stuck in the house most of the day. The boys had school at home today, went out for some a quick job of measuring, then back the house. Yes, very exciting. It's practically a Seinfield episode, without the humor. I pulled out the jump rope tonight as it indigently mocked me, making me look like a dyslexic sloth. But, I somehow tripped through 5 minutes. Everything else seemed pretty smooth. Just keeping it in the now. Tomorrow is promised to no one.  Today on January 11, 1843, Francis Scott Key died in Baltimore. If you...

I'm staring at the screen, and for once, I got nothing. It was not a productive day and not much in the way of requirements. But, still breathing and kicking. So tomorrow will be a refocus day and get back into the swing of things. Enjoy the little things in life. 

All, not really fast. I just feels like I'm running on fire. There are so many things I need to be doing it seems, and not enough hours in the day. That feeling like I forgot to do something, or contact somebody, and so forth. This will be short because I need to get some rack cards on order. Then check on the marketing gear, make sure the landlord approves our sign, and yada yada yada. So much. But it's also a thrill. There's just something about being on fire. Figuratively for you one dimensional folks. The old business is getting busy, which is not what I want right now. I'm still in the process and will be for awhile of training my replacement. Hopefully that will slow down. Prayers all around. On this day:  Jan 8, 1790 George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address The U.S. president typically...

So as I finally get to relax outside tonight in the hot tub, the sky was crystal clear and Orion (the constellation) was right above me. I don't place any value in the constellations besides there cool looking, but I remember something from my military orientation days. Orion's bet actually points east and west. So, if your ever a little lost and can't get a gps signal, check out the stars and at least you will know which wrong direction you are heading. 

Hello folks, what a day right? It was one of those days where you want to just lay out in a hammock and relax. Unfortunately, I had to go to Ikea instead. Bought some furniture for the school and went to pick t up. Fortunately, they have a pretty good system and I just pulled up to the pickup area and got the stuff. Brought it to the school and dropped it off. No assembly today, it's Sunday and I want to send the last day of the boys Christmas break with them. They had the longest break ever it seems. No complaints here. Didn't have to get up early and make breakfast, pack lunches and drop off. Well, back to it tomorrow. Trent decided to take the 4 wheeler out today, and learned a valuable lesson. Even thought the weather is perfect for 4 wheeling, the ground is not. He...

Seemed like I started out of the gate running today and didn't stop until now. Worked with the guy who is buying my business and it was a great first impression. Thank you God. Had to remember to pick up the kids from school and get back into that routine again. Class schedule changed so Trent wasn't able to take class but he really enjoyed helping out. I have to get up early for Bible study so this will be a quick one. Sleep well King Tiger peeps.

Hello, Today was beautiful, finally. It seems like I haven't seen the sun in weeks. Today started with me dragging my kids to sparring class. Great class and a great workout. Did a little helping with family class, then attended black belt class. Lot of folks showed up. Love Master Hartle's classes. She's fun. Afterwards, had a really good meeting with a young man who wants to buy my current business, as I transition to the new King Tiger school. Great guy, enthusiastic and smart. It was the family member of a friend so I didn't have to go through all the loco yokos online. Went home and enjoyed my afternoon. Went for a run and punched a dog. Sorry dog lovers, he had it coming. There are some strange dogs on our road and they seem to be getting a little too territorial lately as me and my boys go...

If there's such a thing as a good work day, I guess today would be one. Felt like I got a lot done today. I hung the banner advertising the new school, on the side of the building. That wasn't pleasant in the rain near the top of a 24 foot ladder. I can safely say, my comfort with tall ladders is diminishing. All I can think of is how long the recovery period would be if I fell. I don't bounce well. Enough whining, off to better things, like we got the permit today, and I figured out how the phone system worked. And of course, I painted some more. The mats should be coming in next week, flags are on order, still need to change out the front door, the list goes on. Sparring class tomorrow, so something else to look forward to. Little trivia for you: On January...

Well, just got back today from our families Christmas vacation. We went up to Pigeon Forge for five days, which tested my personal boundaries all week. I am not a crowd guy. I'm the guy who searches for every exit as soon as I get five unknown people in close proximity of me. But as a dad, one has to get over stuff like that (at least make an effort). So Sunday, Monday and Tuesday was a zoo. So Monday, I took the boys and rented ATV's and went to this guided trail ride. It was fun but a little slow. Afterwards, me and the boys found this awesome trail in the Smokeys with this incredible waterfall. Got 4 miles as well. Turned out to be a beautiful day. Tuesday was tourist trap day and I just gritted my teeth and played the good husband and dad. The boys had a...

We always try to take any vacations around Christmas after Christmas. I'm not a big fan of crowds. So we are heading up to Pigeon Forge tomorrow for a few days. Unfortunately, its looking like rain in the forecast, but what can you do. Got my running shoes packed, which I desperately need some miles put in. I won't be doing a 7:19 mile anytime soon like Gould, who's complaining how slow that was. Bloody gazelle! These days, my philosophy is, if there's no angry predator chasing you, no need to run that fast. But I love his drive so, Run Gould Run!  Had the boy do some work today at the school. Taking off the painters tape on the baseboards. Stuff that's low to the ground where I don't want to be anymore. They actually did a nice job.  Historical event that happened today: 1845 Texas admitted as 28th state of the...

Funny that 2018 is almost behind us. Every year I get older and the years seem to move faster. The solution for that problem is simple. change what you do. I hear it all the time, friends, family, and me, how time seems to move quicker than it used to. The length of time hasn't changed (thankfully). But what we do in that time is the problem. We are creatures of habit, and as we constantly repeat our behaviors, our minds go into cruise control and stop paying attention to the intricacies of the world around us. Sooo, the best medicine for that is to change it up. Change careers, create new challenges, drive slow in the fast lane, stuff like that. Even little changes can add new meanings. Fear is a great way to slow things down. The fear of walking away from our comfort bubble. The fear of starting...

Well, the new school is officially painted. We did a color called bees wax, which is a earth tone yellow. I think I can live with that color for the remaining years of my life. Well, maybe. I got to tear a whole in the wall and put in a door. Fun and challenging at the same time. Super tired tonight. Wasn't sure if I was going to pull off any requirements. Thanks to a little hot tub time, I felt good enough to knock some out. Got Spectrum coming in again tomorrow morning, so hopefully we'll get internet and phone up. I tired so this is gong to be a short one. Be good, and always wear clean underwear.

Hey all, what a beautiful day. Wish I could have been more outside, but Master Knight and I made some nice progress on the new school today. It's almost done being painted, we are getting some electrical work done, and decided to make a door way. Demo time! Got the quote back from Ritelite signs and we are in budget. Got home and finished changing the oil in Katherine's car, now that I have the correct oil filter. Outside of getting a run in, I found some time to do my requirements. Got to hit the hot tub and hopefully zone out in front of the tv for a little while. I'm sure the wife will be watching Hallmark (there goes my man card). Sleep will feel good tonight. I'll leave you with one of my favorite movie quotes from Heartbreak Ridge, "Kick me, beat me, spit on me, just don't...

The day is here, let there be cheer, and stay away of cousin Eddie's beer. Enough poetry, Today was fun. Open presents, talked to family, sent pictures, and painted the rest of the new school. Got home, and remembered I needed to change Katherine's car oil. Got it up on the lift, took the skid plate off, drained the oil, removed the filter, and quickly realized the auto parts store sold me the wrong filter. Well isn't that special. So tomorrow I'll have to get a new filter. So knocked out some requirements and as I am journalling, Trent decided to play with his new key board. It's always amazing how tone death kids can be when starting a new instrument. I do have to give him some credit though, he is musically gifted. Didn't get that from me. I'm the guy who receives all the "Bless his heart" looks at...

Even though I didn't have enough time to do all of my requirements, today was a great day. At church, Connor (my oldest son), stood in front of the church and told the congregation why he wanted to be baptized. They then went to the pool and he was. Afterwards we drove to Sanford, to my wife's family, and celebrated Christmas with them, then we had a birthday party for her grandma. Sweetest lady to ever live. I think she is 90 something. Drove back, and middle of the night, and I'm knocking out some push up and sit ups and talking with you all. Tomorrow is promised to no one.  Useless trivia: On December 23, 1690 English astronomer John Flamsteed observes Uranus without realizing it's undiscovered. Curious, I wonder why he named it Uranus? Sounds like something that would happen in a bar with all your drunk buddies around as they...

Hey folks, Hope you enjoyed my two word journal yesterday. The younger testers are probably going, "that's all I have to do?" Well, the reasoning was the site went down during my journaling. Anyway, this one will have more than two words, but probably won't be as deep. As I went to the journal section, I saw an old journal titled, Dancing with Ding Dongs. It was about taking black belt class and Master Richie was my partner. He and I were so discombobulated on this move, that Master Evins finally had to have us switch partners. So many fond memories of Master Richie. He was one of a kind.  Today, was a sleep in day. Felt sooo good. Then I was off to prep the new school for painting due to my painter sent me his quote to paint, and well, now Master Knight and I will be doing most...

If anyone is interested in lending me some extra hours from their day, I would be most appreciated. I feel like I'm spending countless hours in front of the computer trying to figure out Facebook advertising, getting Quickbooks set up, establishing accounts, getting permits from the city, and blah blah blah of non-action guy stuff. Lots to do and little time to do it. This is my busiest season for my drapery install work. Everyone wants it now and has these horrific first world problems like, not having new drapes installed for their party this weekend. Can't you just feel their pain? When the Bible tallks about the forgotten, I'm sure God was referring to those folks in Myers Park.  The downpour of rain was amazing. Accidents everywhere and right in the middle of Charlotte on I77 there was a river of mud flowing across the interstate. One would think if...

What did happen on this day? Outside of my busiest season, flying around Charlotte trying to get to each appointment, applying more layers of duct tape to the suburban to keep it road worthy (barely). Just a crazy time of the year. The boys are out, so they're enjoying life. I keep finding them watching this tv show called Bunked. It reminds me of the old Three's Company show, which all there was is another misunderstanding and you walked away from it a little less smarter than you started. One the other end, this day in 1958, the 1st radio broadcast from space, where US President Dwight D. Eisenhower Christmas message said, "to all mankind, America's wish for peace on Earth and goodwill to men everywhere." I liked America better back then. We actually believed in a set of morals that help guide our thinking and didn't worry about everything offending everybody. Also, Thomas...

Hola folks! 

Once upon a time, there was a dream. I dream of being more than where I started. Then one day I woke up and realized, What a load of crap! Kidding. But the reality of becoming more is smoke. There is no start and no finish, there is only the journey. Gaining more everyday, through friendship, family, and most importantly, faith. We start, we fall, we get back up, we learn. Some slower than others, but we get there to the next step and find new challenges, new struggles, new joy, and new friends. That cycle should be linear not circular. As long as we stay humble, and stay willing to learn, we grow. So, when your having to figure out all the new self defenses, and are about to pull your hair out, remember these words and accept your new position in life, that the world will spin on, and...

Crazy week with a crazy Saturday. Got home late last night from Wyoming, only to get up early to go with Connor to present the wreaths on veterans graves, which is happening all across America today. Regardless of being tired, it was a cool experience. Very respectful ceremony in the rain. It seemed fitting. Then ran home to turn around to go to Connor's civil air patrol banquet. That went too long, but it was enjoyable. Now trying to get in some requirements, billing my clients, and working a little at the new Do Jung. Lots on my plate. I'll need extra knives and forks to get it all down. Leave you with a cool quote I saw in a movie: "Two most important days of your life, the day you were born and the day you found out why." Mark Twain

First week of the pre cycle and I'm already procrastinating. Well, really just working like crazy out here in Jackson Hole Wyoming. This place makes our little snow storm look like a wet tissue. I love the feel of fresh powder under my feet, post-holing through the 3 feet of snow. Unfortunately, there wont be any skiing involved with this trip. It's one of those early morning till late night work trips. The money will be good for the Christmas time.  The new school is coming along great. 

A popular saying from my mentor a long time ago. He would tell me to slow down and make the movement smooth, usually it involved shooting. Then, as the motion smoothed out, it became faster. It seems the same with the black belt cycle. We start out slow, and it feels like I'll never get those numbers down, then it becomes repetitious and consistent. Next thing you know the numbers are building up and your speed is flying. I'm looking forward seeing all of you Friday night. You worked hard, now it's time to go guns blazing and get those last requirements knocked out, and look polished for testing. Remember, we hardly ever succeed alone. Your parents, friends, and King Tiger family have your back, and will be with you until the end. As the great Dr. Seuss once said, "Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is...

I didn't realize that yesterday was my last journal. As much as I enjoy writing, I enjoy my quiet time and my wifie time a bit more. It's been a great ride folks. You have motivated me and made me want more out of myself. Stay strong, be good to each other, help out a stranger, and stay off the video games, there's a world to conquer out there. This is Brian Foster signing out until the next cycle begins for me.

Ok, work was kind of cool. I worked on Angie Harmon's patio today. I was installing some outdoor drapes on the patio. Everything was going well until I got 3/4 into the job and one of the iron rods was cut too short. I checked my measurements and they were correct. Regardless, I always get to be the guy to tell the client the bad news, and this wasn't any different. She took it well. I told her I could have the correct rod by next Thursday. She said that was fine and just made a joke. She's actually very comical. Here's the funny part, she had to leave and asked if I could secure the patio door and make sure the dogs were in the back yard. No problem, how hard could that be. So I packed up my tools and went to secure the door, when her little pug...

Today was a good day getting rid of some dead wood around the property. Along with working with the boys for school, it was fun to build a big fire and create natures television. There's just something about a fire. I got next to no requirements completed today. My shoulders giving me some pain, so I'm going to take it easy today. Once in a great while I listen to my body. Most days I hit the mute button. When you get close to 50, something is going to ache. It's cool seeing the green bar going almost all the way across the requirements page. Connor keeps freaking out as the daily requirements keep telling him to do 500 push ups a day. I'm not sure when the website has the completed date, but it must be soon. It's giving Connor a coronary. I'm going to cut this one short. Move...

Old movie quote that came to mind. What it means to this entry? Not a thing. I just like the way it sounds. I'm seeing a lot of tired candidates. Including myself. The good news is, that is you shedding your old weakness and becoming something stronger. As much as these cycles can be a pain in the southside. I believe that it's going to be the best thing you and I have ever done. Nobody remembers the easy times in their lives. It's the stuff that makes you want to crawl under a rock and start clicking your fancy red shoes, saying, "there's no place like home." Those are the times that stick with you and define the martial artist you start to become. Here's a little story that happened during my service years. I tried out for this job that was called Pararescue, which was basically search and rescue....

Spent a good part of the day waiting for the septic man. That would be a weird superhero name, Septic Man. Well, as much as I would love to dive into that one, this guy was really helpful and now we can continue with the pool construction. You see, our septic lines ended up right where the pool is going to be. So, since the pool is in the most ideal spot, we are planning on moving the septic lines. Tricky stuff, because that requires a permit from the Health department. Fortunately, the Septic Man, knows the guy from the county and is making that easy. Maybe he is a superhero. I wonder what his alter ego secret identity would be, a pharmaceutical salesman? I also just realized today that I typed the wrong essay last week. I was looking at the bocho to 1st don. I guess the glasses were...

Somehow, Connor beat me on the written test. I'm not sure which ones I messed up on, and now I will probably not hear the end of it for awhile. I actually had a good time this morning. I should have done a little better on some of the physical requirements, but hey, I'm still able to walk, so that's a good day. So now it's time to write some essays and finish up those requirements to put those to rest. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it's hopefully not a train. Rest well candidates. Tomorrow is promised to no one.

Couple more days til the test and I''m still looking for some final answers to a couple of questions. I am not the best test taker, so preparation is the key. Juggling everything is tricky. This will be one of those days when I look back and smile after it's all done. I found an interesting fact today, if you live in a house, have food aplenty, and have the means of transportation, you are in the top 15% of the wealthiest people of the world. Isn't that scary? That 85% of the worlds population may not have a roof, or food to eat on a regular basis, and are forced to walk or ride a bike everywhere they go. It's an interesting statistic how good we really have it here. Think about that the next time something doesn't download fast enough, or you mom didn't buy your favorite snack. We...

It's going to be an essay night, so this will be short and shorter. I'm still suffering from sinus issues for some reason. The stuff just doesn't want to leave. This should be called the In-Law virus. It comes in to your house, drops their bags anywhere, brings you great pain and suffering, and won't leave. The cool news is I have this giant backhoe in my back yard. My friend and grader, Mike Stirwalt, is going to start clearing the land for our pool. If you ever need a guy who understands water run off and land usage, he's your guy. This should be a fun process. Ok, I have stayed too long. I have other writings to do. See you in class.

Interesting how things go from cold to hot in a eye blink. It did make for a pleasant run though. It was nice to sit outside and watch Connor's soccer practice. I'm a little fuzzy right now, so I think I'll actually get a good night rest tonight. Short and sour, with a hint of oregano. Enjoy 

I guess it's time to start writing. If only I could come up with something on paper. Had a good time in class tonight. The little tigers are funny little buggers. Also just learned that our tea ceremony is going to be on Connor's birthday, which we were going to spend at the lake with his friends. I think it will be a cool present to receive his 2nd don belt on his birthday. Now I just need to share the news to my wife without her throwing something at me. Or at least something non-heavy. It's always dangerous grounds messing with any woman's party plans. It all started with the wedding, which the groom is just a side note in the event, and is to be seen but not heard. Pray for me.

The new Iron Fist series is out on Netflix. Regardless if your a Marvel fan or not, the fighting scenes are awesome! But it is not for younger eyes. I've been down in the basement trying to do my requirements with the show on, and keep finding myself doing nothing but watching tv. Not very productive. Had a nice day, went to church, cleaned up the back yard, and burned wood like an arsonist. Got rid of a lot of dead wood lying around the property. I'm cutting this one short. It's late and I might do that work thing tomorrow. Sleep well. Unless your reading this while your driving, then, stay alert! And get off your phone!

Today, after sparring and black belt class, I came home and cut down a tree. A large sweet gum tree in our back yard that had grown and twined together with a red maple. The wife wanted the maple but not the sweet gum, so, Foster get to cut big tree down and it went boom! Actually, it didn't come down as planned. Oh, it came down, and fell where I wanted it to, it just decided to make it as challenging as possible. I placed a rope to the top and pull it with a come-a-long toward the direction I wanted it to fall. Then I made my wedge cut on the fall side, then cut it across the back side. It just shifted on the truck but stood there. Completely detached, but stood there, mocking me. So it was time for plan B. I tied another strap to the...

I thought being dizzy when standing was a norm Lieberman. Ha, as much as I would love to take credit for your misery, that would require us to be in some sort of contact. You didn't happen to received an empty envelope with no return address on it, did you? Well, hopefully you have had your share of chicken noodle soup and many dates with the nettie pot. I know I sure have. A new dawn to breaking, and sparring is tomorrow. Not to mention I have a new strain for your to try. It's called, Whichendisgoingtoexplodefirstia. Hope you feel better brother. 

There's nothing like getting over your sickness. It's like unveiling a curtain in front of you displaying the world as it really is. I spent most of my day outside thankfully. It was actually a nice day to be outside. Then, unexpectedly, Trent tested for his next belt and did beautifully. His pomsae looked great and he had to perform in front of all the black belt class. Which, he feels, are his people. In his mind, everyone came over to watch him test and cheer him on. I didn't dare tell him that they were just getting ready for class. I think that made his day. And of course, like an idiot, I didn't take a single picture. Katherine asked to see a video (like I normally do) of him testing and I just stood there with my mouth open like a two car garage. I got the eye roll....

It feels like I living in light house with that stupid light flashing around me, completely surrounded by fog and haze. Being sick is just no fun, and now it's been thrice. Is that a word? Connor and I ended up running around the basement like a couple of imbeciles for our mile run. It was just too cold for the condition we are in. Both of us has this nasty head cold that's kicking our butts. I took a decongestant something or other and went to class. It felt good to get out of the house, but I always feel bad for doing so because we might get someone else sick. I made it appoint not to shake hands with anyone. Thank goodness for bowing. Connor really needed to get in more sparring classes. Poor kid looked terrible coming home. I thought he was actually doing better, but not so...

Ok, head colds just stink. This is the second cold I've had this cycle and I'm getting a little tired of it. I think the next cycle I do will be the fall time frame. This will be short and not very sweet, due to the fact that I'm having a hard time spelling "dog" correctly. I might be doing a little medicating tonight for a good night sleep. I despise taking medication of any type. I would make a terrible pharmaceutical salesman. Thank God for spell check.

I just realized that I still need to do my taxes. This cycle can consume so much of your life, I forget about the other responsibilities that also go along with April. I'm sure I will do another extension this year. My wife will probably claim me as a dependent due to the fact that she has been doing the majority of the house work and dinners, while Connor and I are in the basement working out. I;m sure she's counting the days down more than we are. Did I mention how much I despise day light savings time? I'm dragging here, feeling like the 1970's bionic man running in slow motion. I think I'll be turning in early tonight. Peace out.  

Not sure what the title means. I just didn't want to type much. The snow was a nice change of pace. I enjoyed watching it while drinking my coffee. It was also nice having the need to start a fire in the wood stove. Yeah, we're a regular ma and pa Kettle here. Wouldn't change it for the world. I went by my old neighborhood yesterday. They seem to squeeze in three more communities around it to make sure you hit gridlock in any direction you go. We went to the movies today and saw The Shack. They did a phenomenal job. They were right with the book. I'll give a quick warning for all you dudes who are thinking of taking a date to it, it's a mega tear jerker. So, unless your girl friend likes her men on the sissy side, you may want to see King King instead....

Ah, it's time to spring forward and take away that precious hour of sleep. I fear the sermon tomorrow will be accompanied by dozens of head nods. Not the type giving an Amen to the preacher, but good church folks struggling not to fall asleep. I always wonder every year, if this will be the year they get rid of day light savings time. It doesn't seem to serve much of a purpose as it once did. I think the world will keep spinning if we didn't mess with our clocks. And the rest of the world could have an easier time calculating what time it would be in America.  Sparring class was fun. Got a lot of rounds and Master Knight did a great job, as always. There was only two adults today, myself (I do call myself an adult sometimes) and Instructor Smith. He's going to make a great...

Well Duke won! That was for all of the Carolina fans out there. As well as the Charlotte Hornets. It's the first Hornets game I have been to, so the least they could do is win for me. Had a good time. We went with other parents of the boys school. Fun group. Had to chop some wood to get ready for the snow storm coming. I'm having difficulty believing it's going to stick to the ground after all this warm weather. We'll see if I'm wrong. It's happened once before. No laughing now. That would be the beginning and the butt of a joke I imagined. If you're not counting, we have 49 days left. Tired yet? The strange thing is all my requirements have jumped into the red, even though yesterday I was in the green. This website must have been built with duct tape and bubble gum. Still,...

Here we are, passed the mid point of the cycle, and looking good. 50 more days left according to my calculations. Hopefully everyone is somewhat on track. The key is strategy. Knowing what to focus on first like the push up and sit ups, pomsaes, and self defenses. That stuff will kill you if you don't have those knocked down to a manageable level by now. What's really gong to put me six feet under is the new skill. I still haven't found something new to learn. At least something that doesn't cost a lot or take a great deal of time. I am thinking of taking a pool maintenance class. Something that could help me with my pool up at the lake. Chlorine, free chlorine, pH, blah blah blah. It's a lot of fancy talk for, "make pool look blue." I'm going to keep looking at options, but the clock...

It never fails, when you spend weeks helping your son do his project, and you think it's in the bag, then BOOM! You find there are three papers and other parts that has to be done the night before. Fortunately, we are done with it, and it turned out pretty cool. We did a Rube Goldberg machine (I had to you tube what that was) that started a robot to dance. Tricky to explain, but it has a lot to do with levers, incline and decline planes, dominoes, two mouse traps and of course, one toy dancing robot. Hopefully it will work at school as it did here. All I know, is it's out of my house tomorrow, and that is good.  The other big thing today, yes it's a memorable day, is we priced out installing a pool into our back yard. How is it that you think you know...

Not sure what that title means. It's late and I'm a little tired. I have been trying to get a topic together in my head. It's like yelling into a large cave and listening to the echo that follows. Today was so uneventful that it's hardly worth writing about. I worked up at Lake Norman, came home and made dinner, went to King Tiger, and home again. Well, some times we get wash, rinse, and repeat days. Makes the interesting days more exciting. I starting to nod off, so that's my cue. Hot shower and a blissful slumber. Are we there yet?

Still a bit sore, but the funny thing is, the run felt great. I was only planning on doing a one miler, but felt so good, went for two. Sometimes just getting some blood flow to the sore muscles is the best cure. Fortunately, today was a light work day. I went and saw the Logan movie. Still trying to come to a conclusion on that one, whether I liked it or not. I don't know if you read my previous journal about how I like old fashion movies that the good guy saves the day and doesn't die. I won't do any spoiler alerts here. But I am insulted with marvel with the use of profanity they have been using. Your heroes should not be dropping the f bomb all the time. Especially to kids. I guess marvel is trying it's best to push the morality limits. Why is that?...

Today, is a ibuprofen day. Returned home from instructors camp and now even my eye lids are sore. But, it was the best camp I've been to. Connor came with me and got to feel the joy/pain of instructors camp. The best way I could describe instructors camp is a blend of the TV shows, Kung Fu, Hogan's Heroes, Survivor, and Seinfeld. Training, camaraderie, toughness, and good humor. Although, there are a few Three Company moments, when I thought I heard the instructors say something but interrupted into something completely different to fit my needs. I enjoyed the special time it gave Connor and I on the drive there and back, talking about everything or just hanging out together. I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance. Enjoy and recover.

The only that sticks out in my mind from today was that it was club sub day at Harris Teeter. Since my work is very mobile, I end up eating most of my lunches at Harris Teeter. What can I say, $3.99 for a sub, it's hard to beat. Another interesting thing that happened to me, is a fell asleep on my sons school lawn. I have to pick up Trent at 2:30, then wait an hour to pick up Connor at 3:30. Usually, Trent and I throw the football around, but it was just so nice outside, and the grass was so crisp from the rain yesterday, I laid down for a second, then woke up to a small voice, Trent, that said, "Daddy, are you ok?" I sat up and all the other parents in their cars were lined up starring at me. I must have looked like a...

During my exploration of the of the Kannapolis galaxy, I came across these fascinating creatures that drive great speeds in their rolling transporters, while performing incredible feats of hair care, talking into their communication devices, and applying layers of paint to their faces. As I watched carefully, there were plenty of encouraging spectators from other vehicles, making cheerful goose noises, and displaying the way to heaven with a single finger. I thought to myself, what a wonderful and endearing people with such amazing capabilities of careful multitasticity. If only all the systems out there could feel the love and joy this one gives to their fellow human. With such skill and confidence, I feel assured to cross the road here and SPLAT!   Yes, I'm a little nerdy with my old Star Trek stuff. Don't worry, I don't dress up at night (unless asked to by the wife) or hang out at...

It happens every year, Instructors Camp. And every year I have to brace myself for the roller coaster that goes with it. For me, it's a test of my patience and humility. It's a lot of fun most of the time, but there are some times and some people that test my resolve, and make me feel like I am back in basic training again. One of the reasons I am self employed is freedom. Freedom from others making decisions in my life. I enjoyed my time in service, but no way in hell will I go back to being under someones thumb again. So I remind myself, to breathe, and find my happy place, when others wish to pull me around by the nose. Never lose the smile, and never let anyone take away the joy of life. Laugh at those who try.  I'm a bit tired so this will...

Today...... What happened today? Well, it started off dark, then got light, then dark again. Some days it seems that way, the day flies by and I don't even realize it's gone. They say, the days go by faster as you get older because of the lack of new experiences in your life. So the ticket would be, do something different every day. Probably trickier then it sounds. I can't even think of a new skill that's not lame. Connor and I were ready to kill each other on the run. I told him the days of doing one mile a day are at an end. He felt whole heartedly that I couldn't do math and we had plenty of time to run single mileage days. So the second mile consisted of me practically kicking him along the road for him to run another mile. The few neighbors we have were...

I used to look forward to the weekend to relax and recharge. That seems like a long forgotten dream, like the one on the stranded island being fed grapes by the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Or something like that. Saturday, sparring at 9, black belt at 10:45, get home, eat, then go to Connor's soccer game, get home, run, then requirements. Felt like a a dog with peanut butter on his tail, trying to lick it off. Sunday, the supposed day of rest, started with church, then I had to run up to Lake Norman to take care of the lawn at our rental house. February, and I'm doing lawn maintenance already. And of course, there's always fifteen other items that need repair to adjusting. I get home, a little tired, and my lovely wife is all smiles in the driveway. She just bought a tree at Lowes, and guess who gets...

What will history say about my generation? The other day, I was listening to one of the founders of the school the boys attend, and she was talking about the post Christian generation that many sociology professors are referring to this current generation. That gave me some pause as I let that simmer on the top burner. Post Christian generation. That's sad and scary in my book. Now I'm not going to convert anyone over this blog to have peace and life everlasting. That's a journey that every man, woman, and child should walk, and a desire to find the answers of faith through research, and put what they really know on trial. I would hope for my generation, which I believe is generation X, would leave this world knowing they started out as rebellious knuckleheads, but found a deeper meaning along the way. I started off pretty stupid. I was doing my...

Today, Connor and I had to finish his Rube Goldberg project. So far it's pretty cool, but the time flew a little faster than expected and we didn't get finished. It's that whole stopping for food thing that kills me. When I am in project mode, I don't want to stop for anything. Meteors could be crashing all around me and I will keep screwing the pieces together and aligning everything just right. It's a bloody curse, because it's driving me nuts looking at this project uncompleted on the floor of the basement, starring at me, mocking me. But Connor went to bed and I think he might notice in the morning if it was all completed and working flawlessly. Though, I don't think he would really care. I guess it's a principle thing being his project and all. I guess he's a little too old to believe in the project...

Floods in California, spring in February, snow storms raging up north. What an odd winter we are having. I just got off the phone with my parents who live in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California, and they are finally enjoying a couple of sunny days after weeks of constant down pours. The highway that connects them to the town has been shut down due to flooding. It's been a crazy mess there. And the funny thing is, California has been suffering from a severe drought for the last decade. I'm not sure if I admire my parents living and staying in California or think they are just idiots. The state of rolling blackouts, super high taxes, earthquakes, forest fires, mud slides, and now, major flooding, and they want to live there? I grew up there, and it is a beautiful area. Great weather, the beach, great skiing, and lots to...

This was a great way to spend my birthday. I'm done with going out, parties, or celebrations. A quiet day at home with the family, and then some Tae Kwon Do with my son. I think I disappointed the wife though. I think she was looking forward to going out for dinner. When she asked me where I wanted to go to eat, hint hint, I pointed at the kitchen and said, I'm where I want to be. So we had tacos and then she gave me my own apple pie (I don't do cake). I almost couldn't move after the pie, but it was time to get to class. So we rolled into class feeling like I was about to burst in a most undignified way. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I got a wheel barrow. Finally, I have something to put the wood into after I chop it...

As many of you might have heard before, one of my favorite sayings is "What you got in your pack, is what you got in your pack." It's an expression about preparedness. If you going into the woods and plan on being there for a while, what you planned and packed will be essential to your survival or maybe your comfort. There are two main types of camping. Backpacking with the guys and family camping. Both will have very different challenges and obstacles. The guys (or gals if you prefer) backpacking trips are usually going to have something significant to overcome, or something to kill and eat while it still moves (ok, a little over the top on the last one). It's all about cutting your pencils in half to save on the weight of your pack, looking at the map legs you are traveling and pushing all boundaries. It's going...

I enjoy studying about leadership. There's something fascinating about someone who naturally has people follow them with little effort. It's like they have something contagious that others want. I read this book about the 21 characteristics of leadership. Very interesting read. One of the main characteristics that always pop up is compassion. Most would think it would be strength of will or something. But having compassion on your fellow man or woman allows you to lead in a meaningful way. While in the service, I had the opportunity and the discomfort of following different kind of leaders. There were the ones who said, "Look at my stripes, now do as I say." They never earned respect of their followers. Great leaders never force their will on others. Their followers would follow them into hell itself because they want to, because their leader cared enough about them. Honor, is also one of...

Hello my King Tiger family. I'm still feeling like the something that sticks to the bottom of your shoe, but it's time to drive on. For those I read who are getting concerned about all the red on the requirements, it's not as bad as you might think, though red is still not the goal. I believe the website has us finishing on the physical and written test. Because when I did the math, (the old math, not the new math) we should almost all be in the green. Double check on that. If I'm wrong, I blame the California public school system. They are the ones that led me astray. Man, what a beautiful day. It's like a Hollywood winter. You know, when the movie has snow and ice on the ground but nobody is feeling the cold. Or when the actors are trapped in a cave but there's still...

I guess it's looking like it might be my turn to be coming down with something. I've been fortunate so far, but when your traveling and living in a motor home, there's no escaping the sick people. Had a great time in sparring. Got some good rounds in and a good work out. Black belt class was fun as well. After coming home, I worked on cleaning the motor home, then had to chop some wood for a fire tonight. After that, had to make dinner because the wifie is really sick. It was a taco rice night. One of my specialties. Then, requirements, requirements, and some more requirements. So much harder when your not feeling good. Hope everyone out there is staying healthy. God bless and be well.