As the story has it, one day I headed to the opposite side of the globe – the Flipside. I arrived in Korea February 16th, 2005 and thought I’d do a year, then leave. I was wrong. I stayed, launched my first company, Flipside Fitness, and then opened Korea's largest boxing club, Hulk's Boxing (now called Hulk's Club).

After 11.5yrs in Korea, I then picked up one day and returned to Toronto, Canada. But then I left again.

Now I live in the Philippines where I am the CEO and head coach of Empowered Clubhouse, the Philippines' first and only boxing clubhouse exclusively just for women. I also am the founder of the Lil' Sistas Project, CEO and designer of Slay Gear and Baa Baa Black Sheep .Ph.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Highlights of my Day... Wednesday, January 24

1. Woke up nice and early at 9am to some random fire alarm. I’m not too sure if it was scheduled or not but I shook my head and then buried myself deeper under the sheets and waited for it to end…ㅋㅋㅋ
2. Gotta love it when I am walking down the street and the huge Korean shoe man opens up his door and yells out “Annyounghaseyo sangsamnem” (“Hello Teacher”). He’s this young guy but he’s a big brute of a guy and I think it’s awesome. It’s funny how here in Korea I’m sure he’s considered too big but in Canada, wow, he’d be VERY popular among me and my female friends! He has NO idea.
3. You definitely have to love the “service” they give you at the store! Only in Korea do walk in, buy something and leave with more freebies (they call it “service”) than you expected. A trip to my favourite make-up shop for foundation today sent me home with a bag of goodies. Here’s what I got:

a. 3 sample packages of white & age serum by A3F
b. 2 samples of face cream by Wrinkle Signity
c. 2 samples packs of eye cream by Wrinkle Signity
d. a box of face cleaning pads by L’Oreal Paris
e. 4 sample packs of tination (kind of foundation) by Rita Rove
f. a sample of Hydro & Pore reforming serum by Ipkn
g. sample of Hydro & Pore water balance cream by Ipkn
h. mini bottle of Hydro & Pore toner by Ipkn
i. a mini bottle of Hydro & Pore emulsion by Ipkn
j. a really funky cute make-up travel bag!!!!
k. a 3000 won discount coupon (=$3 CDN)

4. Ordering my food at Kimbab Nala is always a funny occasion, especially when there’s other people in the restaurant. I’ve mastered the ordering conversation and even have some jokes as back-up. I love Kimbab Nala… I will DEFINITELY miss that place when I’m in Canada.
5. Ran into my favourite Mr. Fruit Man at his little truck. I stocked up on oranges and apples, and had a cute chat with him. He remembered me telling him about my trip and so he wished me well. He said he looks forward to seeing my face in three weeks…. Cute!
6. It’s official… congratulations to me!!! Tonight I met up with Ki Dong for supper and he brought me my university work contract and visa application papers. So of course I was eager to sign them… so cool! Finally getting my contract papers, amazing, discovering that my pay check will be higher than I expected, so awesome!
7. Ki Bum joined Ki Dong and I for supper, as well did another foreign teacher, Sean. It was me and three cuties… great! I took them to Mainz restaurant and they loved it! Score for me! We ate till our bellies ached. The guys all had a good laugh at the added attention the manager gave me with the free pop and loads of smiles…ㅋㅋㅋ.
8. After dinner we went to Starbucks and had LOTS of laughs. I was super pumped talking to them cause my eagerness to start my university job and work with these guys was greatly growing. It’s obvious that the university job is going to kick major butt! Not only are the benefits of my job awesome but, as it turns out, my co-workers are pretty awesome too. We had originally met up tonight at 7pm but we had such a good time and so I didn’t get home till close to 11pm.
9. Came home and Kim Tae was chilling in my house…ㅋㅋㅋ. He had come over and surprised Mi Nam with two bones. The one bone was massive but the other one was a milk bone…. it smelt really delicious actually…ㅋㅋㅋ. Mi Nam bounced on it. But, Mi Nam’s problem with food is that he’s got absolutely NO control and so within an hour he had eaten 1/3 of it and spat most of it up… all over the floor. Soooooo nasty!
10. The other day I found out that Byung Hyuk was going to get lasik eye surgery, like me. He had insisted on going to Seoul but I tried to encourage him to check out my Doctor Na. Doctor Na is here in Cheonan, he’s very well-known and what really sold me on Doctor Na was his personal approach and the fact that he really believes in what he does. He loves his job. Well… it worked! Byung Hyuk showed up today at Doctor Na’s place and got the surgery done. He mentioned my name and they remembered me so he got a sweet discount, cool. I’m imaging Byuk Hyuk is in a lot of discomfort right now and but I feel so much better knowing that he went to Doctor Na. Ah, I remember my surgery like it was yesterday… so scary but I definitely have NO regrets! Congrats to you Byung Hyuk over your new eyes!

QUESTION OF THE DAY...
How do you feel Byung Hyuk?

QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Understand the obstructions you are putting in the way of love, freedom, and happiness and they will drop. Turn on the light of awareness and the darkness will disappear. Happiness is not something you acquire; love is not something you produce; love is not something you have; love is something that has you.
-- Anthony De Mello

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