Good times with good friends ;)Thursday, January 31, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Thursday, January 31
1. In addition to my daily routine of waking up with mad bedhead, the occassional puffy eyes, and pillow lines all over my face, today I woke up and my hand was just as puffy as my eyes... actually, it was worse! I knew my hands had taken a brutal beating at boxing but I didn't imagine this. My middle finger knuckle was totally swollen. It looked like it had been engulfed by a skin-colored marshmellow. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't good.
2. I opted out of going to the doctors to get my knuckle checked out. I figure the worst he'd tell me and the best thing he'd tell me would pretty much be the same thing: refrain from boxing for the next couple of days. Mind ya, he and I both know, that isn't really an option at this point in the game.
3. Nervously headed into boxing but much to my surprise, Junior Mint was away at a meeting and so it was just Milk Dud and I. Milk Dud gave me a dirty look about my knuckle and repeatedly blurted out, "danger"... which didn't really help the situation. We both agreed that I shouldn't do any pad work or sand bag work today and so training today just consisted of skipping, shadow boxing, and abs.
4. Turns out Mr. Incredible isn't so incredible, that is, unless you add "ly" to his name, along with the words "one-track minded". Since I informed him that I am happily coupled, he's stopped his routine "Good morning Amy!" messages and has refused to respond to any of my texts, and my call. I don't blame him, after all, what good could possibly come from hanging out with a girl who's not single anymore?!... ummm... maybe FRIENDSHIP. Crazy idea, I know.
5. Q has some big work assignment he's been studying for and so all plans with him this week have been canceled. Apparently he is in charge of testing driving a new electric car on Saturday... that should be very cool.
6. Got a chance to meet up with Jae Min, that is, after he kept on changing our meet-up time... like 3 times. None the less, always a good time. He kicked my butt at our favorite race car game at the Multi Plex and then we sipped on tomato juice at a local juice shop.
7. Jae Min's new word of the day: white-rain. In normal English; snow.... hehehehe.
8. He tried to give me dieting advice and I laughed it of considering his "diet", and lack there of it, consists of cigarettes and what ever street food his pocket change will buy... hehehe. We both had a good laugh about that and the fact that he tried to eat healthy tonight. "For you!" he said as he chomped down on the corn he bought from the street vendor. I don't even think he likes corn though... hehehe.
9. Later in the evening we went to the movies. The large theater looked rather sad as only 8 people bought tickets to watch a movie called "The Brick". It was a strange film, filled with no-namers, a storyline bombarded with lots of play on the English languague... including English slang that made even me feel like I should study English, and one really intense main character. I liked it. Actually, I liked it a lot and am happy to say that it restored my faith as we know it in movie writers just when I was begining to see no hope for them. I'm hoping that the new upcoming flick, titled "Vantage Point", will finally pick up the scene at the theater box offices.
10. Yikes... Mi Nam had majorly bodily functions misfunction tonight when I went to pick him up and carry him off to bed. No sooner had I put him down but then he puked all over my clean blanket... nasty! Then, if that wasn't bad enough, after cleaning up that mess, he then went and peed all over the new blankets I had just put down... ahhhh!!! I take it he must have eaten something bad when I was out of the house and it didn't agree with his tummy... apparently. As for the peeing, that's a first. I think it was just bad nerves, I don't know. But with no more blankets in my house, I was forced to curl up on the hardwood floor under my Puma jacket... so ghetto :(
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Do you know of any good upcoming movies?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Words calculated to catch everyone may catch no one.
-- Adlai E. Stevenson Jr
2. I opted out of going to the doctors to get my knuckle checked out. I figure the worst he'd tell me and the best thing he'd tell me would pretty much be the same thing: refrain from boxing for the next couple of days. Mind ya, he and I both know, that isn't really an option at this point in the game.
3. Nervously headed into boxing but much to my surprise, Junior Mint was away at a meeting and so it was just Milk Dud and I. Milk Dud gave me a dirty look about my knuckle and repeatedly blurted out, "danger"... which didn't really help the situation. We both agreed that I shouldn't do any pad work or sand bag work today and so training today just consisted of skipping, shadow boxing, and abs.
4. Turns out Mr. Incredible isn't so incredible, that is, unless you add "ly" to his name, along with the words "one-track minded". Since I informed him that I am happily coupled, he's stopped his routine "Good morning Amy!" messages and has refused to respond to any of my texts, and my call. I don't blame him, after all, what good could possibly come from hanging out with a girl who's not single anymore?!... ummm... maybe FRIENDSHIP. Crazy idea, I know.
5. Q has some big work assignment he's been studying for and so all plans with him this week have been canceled. Apparently he is in charge of testing driving a new electric car on Saturday... that should be very cool.
6. Got a chance to meet up with Jae Min, that is, after he kept on changing our meet-up time... like 3 times. None the less, always a good time. He kicked my butt at our favorite race car game at the Multi Plex and then we sipped on tomato juice at a local juice shop.
7. Jae Min's new word of the day: white-rain. In normal English; snow.... hehehehe.
8. He tried to give me dieting advice and I laughed it of considering his "diet", and lack there of it, consists of cigarettes and what ever street food his pocket change will buy... hehehe. We both had a good laugh about that and the fact that he tried to eat healthy tonight. "For you!" he said as he chomped down on the corn he bought from the street vendor. I don't even think he likes corn though... hehehe.
9. Later in the evening we went to the movies. The large theater looked rather sad as only 8 people bought tickets to watch a movie called "The Brick". It was a strange film, filled with no-namers, a storyline bombarded with lots of play on the English languague... including English slang that made even me feel like I should study English, and one really intense main character. I liked it. Actually, I liked it a lot and am happy to say that it restored my faith as we know it in movie writers just when I was begining to see no hope for them. I'm hoping that the new upcoming flick, titled "Vantage Point", will finally pick up the scene at the theater box offices.
10. Yikes... Mi Nam had majorly bodily functions misfunction tonight when I went to pick him up and carry him off to bed. No sooner had I put him down but then he puked all over my clean blanket... nasty! Then, if that wasn't bad enough, after cleaning up that mess, he then went and peed all over the new blankets I had just put down... ahhhh!!! I take it he must have eaten something bad when I was out of the house and it didn't agree with his tummy... apparently. As for the peeing, that's a first. I think it was just bad nerves, I don't know. But with no more blankets in my house, I was forced to curl up on the hardwood floor under my Puma jacket... so ghetto :(
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Do you know of any good upcoming movies?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Words calculated to catch everyone may catch no one.
-- Adlai E. Stevenson Jr
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Wednesday, January 30
1. Korean language class was a bit brutal today on account that I was super tired and my right hand ached when I try to hold my pencil. I had studied the grammar really hard but when asked simple questions that I knew I could handle, I stumbled… ahhhh. Silly mistakes.
2. After tutoring I met up with Mr. Incredible. He swung by the bus terminal to pick me up in his ultra pimped-out black town car that was super shinny and smelling of major hunkiness… hehehe, is that such a word?! Anyways, he was on his lunch break and so he was dressed to the max. He looked like he had just walked out of a GQ magazine with his hair slicked, old skool police glasses and crisp black suit.
3. Mr. Incredible is one of the bodyguards for the president of Seoul’s massively tall 63 Building and so we swung by his office for lunch and a quick tour of the 63 Building. Wow… awesome! Inside the building there’s an IMAX theatre, stores, restaurants, offices (obviously)… and a Sea World!!!
4. At one point, Mr. Incredible turned to me and said, “Amy, I so curious. Why you no boyfriend?” Me, no boyfriend?! Oh gosh… that’s not true and I am very proud of that. My boyfriend rocks. Sure my boyfriend doesn’t roll up in a car that probably costs more than my house, he doesn’t smell like the newest CK cologne, and he doesn’t wear suits. Instead, my boyfriend picks me up in his truck that's no fancier than the teddy bear t-shirts he wears, he wears scented body lotion from the Body Shop, and I don’t even think he owns a suit. But you know what, I trust him and I know his heart. With Q there is no guessing; he wears his honest heart on his sleave for me. And, no sooner had I told Mr. Incredible that, his tone changed. Mr. Incredible didn’t seem so incredible anymore and I wanted nothing more than to see Q walk through the restaurant doors.
5. Today was a nice change from my boring, predictable routine that’s been filling my holidays but it was nice when Junior Mint texted me, asking me to come home safe and come into training.
6. My lunch was definitely a cheat meal. I let Mr. Incredible ordered for us and he chose army soup, fish and rice. I tried to stick to the boiled egg side dish but did allow myself some army soup and definitely enjoyed eating some rice… yummy carbs! Mind ya, on my way home I felt so guilty. My weight has really been changing a lot this week. The pounds have been finally shedding and so I was hoping today I would continue this downward spiralling of my weight. And so on that note, I downed about 2 liters of water to try to flush my system before training... and it worked!!! Today I am lighter than yesterday. My diet is working… Halleluiah!!!
7. Gotta love kids, especially the random little kids that occasionally workout at my boxing club. Today I met this pudgy little, rosy-cheeked, girl named Je Hun who was working out with brother. She is about 7, maybe, and he looked about 9. Anyways, Junior Mint asked her if I was pretty and she giggled, so I thought it funny to give her a little kick in the bum. I guess pretending to eat her head was what really started her interest in me though cause for the next hour or so, she sat and watched me train. She was all smiles though when I let her try on my gloves. They reached way past her elbows… hehehe.
8. I trained late today, not something I want to keep up though cause training started around 8pm but ended after 11pm and left me bursting with energy! Mind ya, training late means I get to train with Black Skinny and Panty Boy Jr. so that was pretty awesome. For a good while, we were the only ones in the club and so I was totally pumped about our fights. My punches were extra hard tonight, extra fast and I went solid for a good couple of hours. Have the swollen knuckle to prove it too… yikes!
9. The other day Junior Mint ordered me a “dam-bok” (it’s like a plastic sweat-inducing shirt) and today it arrived. Wow… talk about sweat, nasty! After training I changed into a clean sweatshirt and literally rung out the sweat from my dam-bok and 2 undershirts.
10. After training, Junior Mint and I hopped in his car and we went out for a quick bit to eat. He kept on saying that I was his “haeng eun”. He spelt it out for me in Korean but I didn’t know what it meant. Upon returning home, he texted me thank you. I looked up the word haeng eun, it means “a stroke of good fortune; good luck; a lucky break”… wow, that’s awesome!!!
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Who is your "haeng eun"?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Each of my days are miracles. I won't waste my day; I won't throw away miracle.
-- Kelley Vicstrom
2. After tutoring I met up with Mr. Incredible. He swung by the bus terminal to pick me up in his ultra pimped-out black town car that was super shinny and smelling of major hunkiness… hehehe, is that such a word?! Anyways, he was on his lunch break and so he was dressed to the max. He looked like he had just walked out of a GQ magazine with his hair slicked, old skool police glasses and crisp black suit.
3. Mr. Incredible is one of the bodyguards for the president of Seoul’s massively tall 63 Building and so we swung by his office for lunch and a quick tour of the 63 Building. Wow… awesome! Inside the building there’s an IMAX theatre, stores, restaurants, offices (obviously)… and a Sea World!!!
4. At one point, Mr. Incredible turned to me and said, “Amy, I so curious. Why you no boyfriend?” Me, no boyfriend?! Oh gosh… that’s not true and I am very proud of that. My boyfriend rocks. Sure my boyfriend doesn’t roll up in a car that probably costs more than my house, he doesn’t smell like the newest CK cologne, and he doesn’t wear suits. Instead, my boyfriend picks me up in his truck that's no fancier than the teddy bear t-shirts he wears, he wears scented body lotion from the Body Shop, and I don’t even think he owns a suit. But you know what, I trust him and I know his heart. With Q there is no guessing; he wears his honest heart on his sleave for me. And, no sooner had I told Mr. Incredible that, his tone changed. Mr. Incredible didn’t seem so incredible anymore and I wanted nothing more than to see Q walk through the restaurant doors.
5. Today was a nice change from my boring, predictable routine that’s been filling my holidays but it was nice when Junior Mint texted me, asking me to come home safe and come into training.
6. My lunch was definitely a cheat meal. I let Mr. Incredible ordered for us and he chose army soup, fish and rice. I tried to stick to the boiled egg side dish but did allow myself some army soup and definitely enjoyed eating some rice… yummy carbs! Mind ya, on my way home I felt so guilty. My weight has really been changing a lot this week. The pounds have been finally shedding and so I was hoping today I would continue this downward spiralling of my weight. And so on that note, I downed about 2 liters of water to try to flush my system before training... and it worked!!! Today I am lighter than yesterday. My diet is working… Halleluiah!!!
7. Gotta love kids, especially the random little kids that occasionally workout at my boxing club. Today I met this pudgy little, rosy-cheeked, girl named Je Hun who was working out with brother. She is about 7, maybe, and he looked about 9. Anyways, Junior Mint asked her if I was pretty and she giggled, so I thought it funny to give her a little kick in the bum. I guess pretending to eat her head was what really started her interest in me though cause for the next hour or so, she sat and watched me train. She was all smiles though when I let her try on my gloves. They reached way past her elbows… hehehe.
8. I trained late today, not something I want to keep up though cause training started around 8pm but ended after 11pm and left me bursting with energy! Mind ya, training late means I get to train with Black Skinny and Panty Boy Jr. so that was pretty awesome. For a good while, we were the only ones in the club and so I was totally pumped about our fights. My punches were extra hard tonight, extra fast and I went solid for a good couple of hours. Have the swollen knuckle to prove it too… yikes!
9. The other day Junior Mint ordered me a “dam-bok” (it’s like a plastic sweat-inducing shirt) and today it arrived. Wow… talk about sweat, nasty! After training I changed into a clean sweatshirt and literally rung out the sweat from my dam-bok and 2 undershirts.
10. After training, Junior Mint and I hopped in his car and we went out for a quick bit to eat. He kept on saying that I was his “haeng eun”. He spelt it out for me in Korean but I didn’t know what it meant. Upon returning home, he texted me thank you. I looked up the word haeng eun, it means “a stroke of good fortune; good luck; a lucky break”… wow, that’s awesome!!!
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Who is your "haeng eun"?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Each of my days are miracles. I won't waste my day; I won't throw away miracle.
-- Kelley Vicstrom
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Tuesday, January 29
1. As the days get warmer, I am reminded by the scary pictures on Jenn's homepage that no matter how chilly it may still feel here in Korea, it sure beats the winter white scene that she's dealing with in Canada. Reminder Jenn: keep the snow in Canada or else you'll be dealing with ME... hehehe... just jokes. But seriously, keep it there!!!
2. Wondered into Hongik gym to train biceps and shoulders today. I don't really weight train so much anymore, maybe 3 days a week, if that. I figure my brutal boxing training pretty much covers all the training I need... the stretching, cardio and gruelling arm workout. Surprisingly enough, boxing is also a really good leg workout, especially when you strap on the ankle weights... yikes!!!
3. Apparently I am missed at Hongik and I was surprised actually. Both Buff Boy and Newbie bombarded me with questions and continual "fighting Amy!", but some of the other Hongik members approached me to wish me good luck with my fight. Now, considering I only talk to about 5 people in this whole gym, it was kind of strange to be bombarded by all these other people. Turns out Buff Boy and Newbie have been spreading the word about me and so now there's quite a number of them that want to come see me fight... oh gosh.
4. Did a wickedly evil workout on my biceps and shoulders... wish I had taken a picture. My arms were all swollen and red; it was awesome. I love not being the stereotypical weak girly-girl. Strong is beautiful.
5. Having trained really hard on arms in the morning, needless to say, it kind of affected my boxing in the afternoon. None the less, I still got in an awesome training session. Junior Mint totally drilled me on the pad work and so I got my usual natural high off that. Who needs drugs when you got a full-grown man telling you to hit him with your best shot... repeatedly!!!
6. Totally split open my knuckle on the sandbag and didn't realize it till I took my gloves and hand wraps off, and then wiped my forehead. I looked like a solider just coming back from battle, with blood smeared from ear to ear on my face.... not exactly pretty. Junior Mint joked and said that if I showed up at my fight like that, that my opponent would for sure be scared of me.
7. New boxing nickname: Amy the Animal, or just Animal (for short)... hehehe. Seems rather appropriate when you consider I feel like I've been training like an animal, eating like an animal, and am being taught to fight with natural animal-like instincts. I rather like the name but here in Korea, the name has a rather negative connotation to it. Comparing and claiming a human is like an animal isn't exactly good mannered. When I think of animal though, I think of something wild and rough, tough, a bit barbaric, but something that does something out of natural instincts. Like when I watch Black Skinny in the ring, he looks so natural fighting, like he's not thinking but instead is just acting on impulse and instincts. I envy him for his amazing talent. I still get in the ring and contemplate my moves.
8. After training, I rushed home, scarfed down my blah chicken with lemon juice squirted on it, popped some tomatoes in my mouth and then showered. I had plans to meet up with Ki Dong at Coffeebean. I was quite looking forward to it too cause honestly, besides Q, I haven't really hung out with my friends since my winter vacation started.
9. I had a good laugh when Ki Dong said he envied me. I told him, "If I weren't me, I wouldn't envy me!". I am only about my boxing right now and I'm sure those of my friends who don't care for the sport must think, "Oh gosh, here's Amy with more of her boxing ramblings!"... so be it. Ki Dong's girlfriend (English name is Sara.. she's Korean though), came along with him and so I didn't feel so bad rambling about boxing cause she trains at my boxing club too.
10. Stayed out a bit too late with Ki Dong and Sara, considering I still had to study Korean, cook my meals for tomorrow and do laundry, but that's ok. I honestly don't get out much. Actually, that's SUCH an understatement. I REALLY don't get out, and lately my conversations have been limited to just me talking to Mi Nam, and Mi Nam doesn't exactly answer me so you can imagine how "interesting" those conversations have been... hehehe.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Any regrets?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
-- Mark Twain
2. Wondered into Hongik gym to train biceps and shoulders today. I don't really weight train so much anymore, maybe 3 days a week, if that. I figure my brutal boxing training pretty much covers all the training I need... the stretching, cardio and gruelling arm workout. Surprisingly enough, boxing is also a really good leg workout, especially when you strap on the ankle weights... yikes!!!
3. Apparently I am missed at Hongik and I was surprised actually. Both Buff Boy and Newbie bombarded me with questions and continual "fighting Amy!", but some of the other Hongik members approached me to wish me good luck with my fight. Now, considering I only talk to about 5 people in this whole gym, it was kind of strange to be bombarded by all these other people. Turns out Buff Boy and Newbie have been spreading the word about me and so now there's quite a number of them that want to come see me fight... oh gosh.
4. Did a wickedly evil workout on my biceps and shoulders... wish I had taken a picture. My arms were all swollen and red; it was awesome. I love not being the stereotypical weak girly-girl. Strong is beautiful.
5. Having trained really hard on arms in the morning, needless to say, it kind of affected my boxing in the afternoon. None the less, I still got in an awesome training session. Junior Mint totally drilled me on the pad work and so I got my usual natural high off that. Who needs drugs when you got a full-grown man telling you to hit him with your best shot... repeatedly!!!
6. Totally split open my knuckle on the sandbag and didn't realize it till I took my gloves and hand wraps off, and then wiped my forehead. I looked like a solider just coming back from battle, with blood smeared from ear to ear on my face.... not exactly pretty. Junior Mint joked and said that if I showed up at my fight like that, that my opponent would for sure be scared of me.
7. New boxing nickname: Amy the Animal, or just Animal (for short)... hehehe. Seems rather appropriate when you consider I feel like I've been training like an animal, eating like an animal, and am being taught to fight with natural animal-like instincts. I rather like the name but here in Korea, the name has a rather negative connotation to it. Comparing and claiming a human is like an animal isn't exactly good mannered. When I think of animal though, I think of something wild and rough, tough, a bit barbaric, but something that does something out of natural instincts. Like when I watch Black Skinny in the ring, he looks so natural fighting, like he's not thinking but instead is just acting on impulse and instincts. I envy him for his amazing talent. I still get in the ring and contemplate my moves.
8. After training, I rushed home, scarfed down my blah chicken with lemon juice squirted on it, popped some tomatoes in my mouth and then showered. I had plans to meet up with Ki Dong at Coffeebean. I was quite looking forward to it too cause honestly, besides Q, I haven't really hung out with my friends since my winter vacation started.
9. I had a good laugh when Ki Dong said he envied me. I told him, "If I weren't me, I wouldn't envy me!". I am only about my boxing right now and I'm sure those of my friends who don't care for the sport must think, "Oh gosh, here's Amy with more of her boxing ramblings!"... so be it. Ki Dong's girlfriend (English name is Sara.. she's Korean though), came along with him and so I didn't feel so bad rambling about boxing cause she trains at my boxing club too.
10. Stayed out a bit too late with Ki Dong and Sara, considering I still had to study Korean, cook my meals for tomorrow and do laundry, but that's ok. I honestly don't get out much. Actually, that's SUCH an understatement. I REALLY don't get out, and lately my conversations have been limited to just me talking to Mi Nam, and Mi Nam doesn't exactly answer me so you can imagine how "interesting" those conversations have been... hehehe.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Any regrets?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
-- Mark Twain
Monday, January 28, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Monday, January 28
1. Ahhh... sweet Monday morning. Woke up nice early, only to watch everyone else rush off to
work... and it felt so good... hehehe.
2. Maybe I've taken too many shots to the head or something but today, when someone asked me how old I was, I totally stumbled on my answer... hehehe. It made me remember my former hagwan students and how I use to giggle when they couldn't remember their age. Now I totally relate. My birth date was August 6, 1980, so that makes me 27, but, here in Korea, they take into consideration the fact that you're really 9 months old when you are "popped out". And when New Year's comes around, you turn another year older, well, according to Korean thinking that is. So, on August 6th 2007, I turned 27 but was already technically 28 to Korea and then on January 1st, 2008, I turned 29... oh gosh. The bonus here being that it'll give me time to adjust to being 29 before I actually turn 29... hehehe.
3. Had an awesome training day today... seriously, it was wickedly good! So good... fantastic! The club was busy with boxers but Junior Mint really focused on me today. Drilling me extra hard and then holding the sandbag for me and calling out shots while I totally gave it my all.
4. Q showed up during my training and so it was pretty cool to let him see my development. He said he was so proud watching me and so that made me feel awesome. I know he, along with my teammates and friends, all say I'll win but hey, he's my boyfriend, they're my team mates, and they're my friends, they're supposed to say that. But today, hearing Q say that he was really proud of me really made boosted my confidence about my fight.
5. My problem right now is that I find myself daydreaming and zoning off, thinking about "her", my opponent. I always wonder what she is doing to prepare herself; is she dieting like me; is she as hardcore about boxing as I feel I am?! But tonight, after listening to Q's encouraging words, I decided it best to forget thinking about her and just focus on myself. I know we're obviously both going into this fight thinking that we are going to win, but tonight, after I finished my training, I just hope she's prepared for me! She has no idea... 3rd round baby! 1st round is going to be brutal, a round of just warming up and getting a feel of her style, 2nd round will be us fighting... but 3rd round... that's what will make the difference between her and I, and I'm looking forward to it.
6. Q told me something the other day that really stuck with me. He told me that a couple minutes before Black Skinny's most recent fight, he texted Q, saying, "Please... I want to run away." Now I should mention here that Black Skinny is an incredibly talented boxer. He's a national champion but I thought it relieving and really encouraging to hear that even he, as great as he is, gets nervous about his fights.
7. Met a new friend today at boxing... Mr. Bambo Stick. Actually Mr. Bamboo Stick is exactly that, a bamboo stick. Junior Mint decided to get tougher with my training and so out came the bamboo stick during my heavy bag exercise. Every time I dropped my left guard, he'd hit me on my leg. At first it was kind of funny but after awhile, it really started to hurt. Definitely scoring a bruise from that!!!
8. After training Q and I went back to his place. I washed up while he cooked supper. I'm proud to say that my boyfriend is quite the chef in the kitchen, mind ya, it really sucked having to watch him chow down his most delicious kimchi jigga and rice while I nibbled on my blah boiled eggs, mundane boiled plain chicken and tomatoes.
9. In order to try to distract myself from snatching some of his food... and whining, we started to talk about all the lovely foods I'll be able to eat after my fight. The big question among my friends is, "What do you want to eat for your first meal after your fight?" Simple question... I want cheese tak galbi, followed by ice cream, a big glass of milk, a massive chunk of cheese, and lots of fresh bread... hehehe... and that's just the first course of the meal, just joking... well, not really.
10. Stayed in tonight and studied with Q. Not a very exciting, I know, but it was good... boring but productive.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
If you were allowed to have one last meal, what would you chose?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
-- Jim Davis
work... and it felt so good... hehehe.
2. Maybe I've taken too many shots to the head or something but today, when someone asked me how old I was, I totally stumbled on my answer... hehehe. It made me remember my former hagwan students and how I use to giggle when they couldn't remember their age. Now I totally relate. My birth date was August 6, 1980, so that makes me 27, but, here in Korea, they take into consideration the fact that you're really 9 months old when you are "popped out". And when New Year's comes around, you turn another year older, well, according to Korean thinking that is. So, on August 6th 2007, I turned 27 but was already technically 28 to Korea and then on January 1st, 2008, I turned 29... oh gosh. The bonus here being that it'll give me time to adjust to being 29 before I actually turn 29... hehehe.
3. Had an awesome training day today... seriously, it was wickedly good! So good... fantastic! The club was busy with boxers but Junior Mint really focused on me today. Drilling me extra hard and then holding the sandbag for me and calling out shots while I totally gave it my all.
4. Q showed up during my training and so it was pretty cool to let him see my development. He said he was so proud watching me and so that made me feel awesome. I know he, along with my teammates and friends, all say I'll win but hey, he's my boyfriend, they're my team mates, and they're my friends, they're supposed to say that. But today, hearing Q say that he was really proud of me really made boosted my confidence about my fight.
5. My problem right now is that I find myself daydreaming and zoning off, thinking about "her", my opponent. I always wonder what she is doing to prepare herself; is she dieting like me; is she as hardcore about boxing as I feel I am?! But tonight, after listening to Q's encouraging words, I decided it best to forget thinking about her and just focus on myself. I know we're obviously both going into this fight thinking that we are going to win, but tonight, after I finished my training, I just hope she's prepared for me! She has no idea... 3rd round baby! 1st round is going to be brutal, a round of just warming up and getting a feel of her style, 2nd round will be us fighting... but 3rd round... that's what will make the difference between her and I, and I'm looking forward to it.
6. Q told me something the other day that really stuck with me. He told me that a couple minutes before Black Skinny's most recent fight, he texted Q, saying, "Please... I want to run away." Now I should mention here that Black Skinny is an incredibly talented boxer. He's a national champion but I thought it relieving and really encouraging to hear that even he, as great as he is, gets nervous about his fights.
7. Met a new friend today at boxing... Mr. Bambo Stick. Actually Mr. Bamboo Stick is exactly that, a bamboo stick. Junior Mint decided to get tougher with my training and so out came the bamboo stick during my heavy bag exercise. Every time I dropped my left guard, he'd hit me on my leg. At first it was kind of funny but after awhile, it really started to hurt. Definitely scoring a bruise from that!!!
8. After training Q and I went back to his place. I washed up while he cooked supper. I'm proud to say that my boyfriend is quite the chef in the kitchen, mind ya, it really sucked having to watch him chow down his most delicious kimchi jigga and rice while I nibbled on my blah boiled eggs, mundane boiled plain chicken and tomatoes.
9. In order to try to distract myself from snatching some of his food... and whining, we started to talk about all the lovely foods I'll be able to eat after my fight. The big question among my friends is, "What do you want to eat for your first meal after your fight?" Simple question... I want cheese tak galbi, followed by ice cream, a big glass of milk, a massive chunk of cheese, and lots of fresh bread... hehehe... and that's just the first course of the meal, just joking... well, not really.
10. Stayed in tonight and studied with Q. Not a very exciting, I know, but it was good... boring but productive.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
If you were allowed to have one last meal, what would you chose?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
-- Jim Davis
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Sunday, January 27
1. For once, not another Sunday first birthday party to attend… good. Those parties were clearly sabotaging my diet and leaving me with sneezed-on shirts from all those mini Koreans asking me to twirl them one more time… it’s never just one more time… hehehe.
2. Q and I strolled over to our favorite little bakery nestled in the middle of no-where, well, practically. Mind ya, it’s down the street from a pretty big competitor, Paris Baguette. We prefer this little bakery though. I allow myself a treat from the bakery every few days, and by treat, I mean a small freshly baked bun. Q goes for the massive bread, it's about a foot long and oozes with sugar and icing.
3. Ran the stairs in my building today on account that Junior Mint was out of town today and not able to train with me. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with that. I really don’t want to be unprepared for this upcoming fight.
4. Q informed me today that his buddies from Daejon want to come see my fight… oh gosh. Honestly, besides writing about it on my homepage, I haven’t really told many of my friends here in Korea. It’s already so hyped up as it is and so adding more people in the crowd shouting my name will just add more pressure. Q advised me keep my crowd attendance low, inviting only one or two people, but already so many people have been asking to come. Even the bank manager at KB Bank asked if he could come.
5. Am seriously thinking of boycotting the movies. Tonight we went to watch Alien vs. Predator and oh please, it can’t get any cheesier than this! I know it didn’t help the fact that I don’t really like fantasy-type movies. I like realistic drama and well, an alien strapping himself up with armor and sucking the life out of humans isn’t scary to me.
6. Got dirty looks from the girl beside me for laughing when the alien bit off the dude’s head. Winked back at her and it was safe to say that stopped her from looking at me again… hehehe.
7. I personally don’t think aliens exist but I could see how some many believe they do, after all, the galaxy is massive and us humans still haven’t fully reached the corners of it. But, having said that, I highly doubt that if aliens did exist that they’d resemble the human form. Aren’t they suppose to be smarter than us? What’s so smart about limiting yourself to only two arms and two legs. I mean, if I were an alien, I’d think being a big massive blob would be better. No limbs to break and I could change my form at any given moment. I don’t know. The whole idea of aliens looking like humans is so blah to me.
8. Had a late night picnic with Q,… in his house, hehehe. I had brought along boiled chicken and tomatoes, but we also had dried octopus, bread, and tomato juice. I stuck to the boiled chicken and tomatoes. I never thought I’d be so addicted to that dried octopus though. They sell it at the GS Store in my building and it comes in this sealed package. It’s all stringy, smells kind of funny, but has a peanut taste seasoning to it… and I love it!
9. New word: dongo. It’s a mix of two Korean words, and I should warn you, it’s a pretty immature word… hehehe. It’s a mix of the Korean word “dong”, meaning poop, and the Korean word “bongo”, meaning gas (toot). I don’t really know how Q and I got on the topic but I mentioned the English slang word “shart”, when upon hearing it, he asked me to explain what it meant and so I came up with it’s Korean equivalent slang word, “dongo”… hehehe.
10. Later in the evening, when we were studying at Q's house, Q turned to me and said, "Thank you for being my girlfriend." I really didn't know what to say in response. He then sat down beside me, told me that I am a good girl and hugged me. Now, if that doesn't already ooze with sappiness and make you go, "Ahhh...." then I don't know if you'll care to hear that he then kissed my forehead ;) Say it... He's so adorable!
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Does he know how awesome he is?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.
-- Sam Keen
2. Q and I strolled over to our favorite little bakery nestled in the middle of no-where, well, practically. Mind ya, it’s down the street from a pretty big competitor, Paris Baguette. We prefer this little bakery though. I allow myself a treat from the bakery every few days, and by treat, I mean a small freshly baked bun. Q goes for the massive bread, it's about a foot long and oozes with sugar and icing.
3. Ran the stairs in my building today on account that Junior Mint was out of town today and not able to train with me. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with that. I really don’t want to be unprepared for this upcoming fight.
4. Q informed me today that his buddies from Daejon want to come see my fight… oh gosh. Honestly, besides writing about it on my homepage, I haven’t really told many of my friends here in Korea. It’s already so hyped up as it is and so adding more people in the crowd shouting my name will just add more pressure. Q advised me keep my crowd attendance low, inviting only one or two people, but already so many people have been asking to come. Even the bank manager at KB Bank asked if he could come.
5. Am seriously thinking of boycotting the movies. Tonight we went to watch Alien vs. Predator and oh please, it can’t get any cheesier than this! I know it didn’t help the fact that I don’t really like fantasy-type movies. I like realistic drama and well, an alien strapping himself up with armor and sucking the life out of humans isn’t scary to me.
6. Got dirty looks from the girl beside me for laughing when the alien bit off the dude’s head. Winked back at her and it was safe to say that stopped her from looking at me again… hehehe.
7. I personally don’t think aliens exist but I could see how some many believe they do, after all, the galaxy is massive and us humans still haven’t fully reached the corners of it. But, having said that, I highly doubt that if aliens did exist that they’d resemble the human form. Aren’t they suppose to be smarter than us? What’s so smart about limiting yourself to only two arms and two legs. I mean, if I were an alien, I’d think being a big massive blob would be better. No limbs to break and I could change my form at any given moment. I don’t know. The whole idea of aliens looking like humans is so blah to me.
8. Had a late night picnic with Q,… in his house, hehehe. I had brought along boiled chicken and tomatoes, but we also had dried octopus, bread, and tomato juice. I stuck to the boiled chicken and tomatoes. I never thought I’d be so addicted to that dried octopus though. They sell it at the GS Store in my building and it comes in this sealed package. It’s all stringy, smells kind of funny, but has a peanut taste seasoning to it… and I love it!
9. New word: dongo. It’s a mix of two Korean words, and I should warn you, it’s a pretty immature word… hehehe. It’s a mix of the Korean word “dong”, meaning poop, and the Korean word “bongo”, meaning gas (toot). I don’t really know how Q and I got on the topic but I mentioned the English slang word “shart”, when upon hearing it, he asked me to explain what it meant and so I came up with it’s Korean equivalent slang word, “dongo”… hehehe.
10. Later in the evening, when we were studying at Q's house, Q turned to me and said, "Thank you for being my girlfriend." I really didn't know what to say in response. He then sat down beside me, told me that I am a good girl and hugged me. Now, if that doesn't already ooze with sappiness and make you go, "Ahhh...." then I don't know if you'll care to hear that he then kissed my forehead ;) Say it... He's so adorable!
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Does he know how awesome he is?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.
-- Sam Keen
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Saturday, January 26
1. Spent a good part of my morning and early afternoon at the Dankook University Hospital visiting my student. He’s been pretty bored out of his skull but was in high spirits today, on account that we’re hoping he’ll be able to leave this week.
2. Rushed off to boxing where low and behold, what secret should I find out but Junior Mint has a girlfriend!!! I love it how I am always the last one to find these things out. It’s like I can’t keep a secret or something… maybe they know about my homepage… hehehe.
3. So Junior Mint’s girlfriend is this ultra girly-girl who loves dressing in head-to-toe in pink. It was like the color pink on overdrive… hehehe. Anyways, she’s a pretty gal with super straight long black hair and a cute little smirk. Turns out she’s a yoga instructor and so I started up a conversation with her about hot yoga. Apparently they don’t have hot yoga in Cheonan.
4. With an empty chilly boxing club, I was allowed to crank up the tunes and fully concentrate on my training. So, on that note, training was awesome today and it totally pumped me up about my fight. Cause no other members were training today, Junior Mint worked one-on-one with me for my whole training. We got to do major extra rounds on pad work and then when I hit the sand bag, he stood there holding the bag for me and called out shots.
5. Out of curiosity, and cause I see my team mates always doing it, I weighted myself both before and after my training… wow!
Apparently I lost 2.5lbs of sweat during my workout! That’s crazy!
6. Q had told Junior Mint about me being stressed out about my diet and so today I took a shot to the head for it… ouch. Junior Mint told me to relax about my diet but no sooner had he told me to not be stressed out, he told me about the implications if I fail to shed the weight… and the hefty fee, great.
7. After training Junior Mint and I headed over to the sports store across the street to check out a “dam bo”, as it’s called in Korean. Not too sure what we’d call that in English. “Dam” means sweat though. It’s a kind of shirt that athletes wear when they train. Most of my team mates wear one and Junior Mint wants me to wear one now. It looks like a plastic long-sleeve shirt and, from what I gather, it increases your body temperature and makes you sweat… a lot!
8. Q wasn’t feeling too good today, he was kind of sick. We had plans to meet up but they got cancelled of him being sick. No worries though… even when plans are cancelled with him, they’re not really cancelled. They’re more like just delayed.
9. A couple hours later, Q showed up outside of my building.. I love that… hehehe. That guy is addicted to me… hehehe…. as I am him.
10. Got into a super hilarious conversation with Q about why I like some sports as supposed to others. My argument is that I like sports that give me skills I can use in real life, like boxing. If some dude were to attack me, I could fight back. But yoga, what do I need with yoga?! I really don’t care to touch my head with my toes, those two ends should never naturally meet… hehehe. And so what if my toes can touch my head, now what? As far as I am concerned, it only goes to prove that I have too much time on my hands or I need a better hobby… hehehe. And on that note, I’m sure to get an earful from many yoga-lovers out there…. Relax. Don't get yourself all bent out of shape... literally... hehehe.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
What sport do you think is most useful to know?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.
-- William Jennings Bryan
2. Rushed off to boxing where low and behold, what secret should I find out but Junior Mint has a girlfriend!!! I love it how I am always the last one to find these things out. It’s like I can’t keep a secret or something… maybe they know about my homepage… hehehe.
3. So Junior Mint’s girlfriend is this ultra girly-girl who loves dressing in head-to-toe in pink. It was like the color pink on overdrive… hehehe. Anyways, she’s a pretty gal with super straight long black hair and a cute little smirk. Turns out she’s a yoga instructor and so I started up a conversation with her about hot yoga. Apparently they don’t have hot yoga in Cheonan.
4. With an empty chilly boxing club, I was allowed to crank up the tunes and fully concentrate on my training. So, on that note, training was awesome today and it totally pumped me up about my fight. Cause no other members were training today, Junior Mint worked one-on-one with me for my whole training. We got to do major extra rounds on pad work and then when I hit the sand bag, he stood there holding the bag for me and called out shots.
5. Out of curiosity, and cause I see my team mates always doing it, I weighted myself both before and after my training… wow!
Apparently I lost 2.5lbs of sweat during my workout! That’s crazy!6. Q had told Junior Mint about me being stressed out about my diet and so today I took a shot to the head for it… ouch. Junior Mint told me to relax about my diet but no sooner had he told me to not be stressed out, he told me about the implications if I fail to shed the weight… and the hefty fee, great.
7. After training Junior Mint and I headed over to the sports store across the street to check out a “dam bo”, as it’s called in Korean. Not too sure what we’d call that in English. “Dam” means sweat though. It’s a kind of shirt that athletes wear when they train. Most of my team mates wear one and Junior Mint wants me to wear one now. It looks like a plastic long-sleeve shirt and, from what I gather, it increases your body temperature and makes you sweat… a lot!
8. Q wasn’t feeling too good today, he was kind of sick. We had plans to meet up but they got cancelled of him being sick. No worries though… even when plans are cancelled with him, they’re not really cancelled. They’re more like just delayed.
9. A couple hours later, Q showed up outside of my building.. I love that… hehehe. That guy is addicted to me… hehehe…. as I am him.
10. Got into a super hilarious conversation with Q about why I like some sports as supposed to others. My argument is that I like sports that give me skills I can use in real life, like boxing. If some dude were to attack me, I could fight back. But yoga, what do I need with yoga?! I really don’t care to touch my head with my toes, those two ends should never naturally meet… hehehe. And so what if my toes can touch my head, now what? As far as I am concerned, it only goes to prove that I have too much time on my hands or I need a better hobby… hehehe. And on that note, I’m sure to get an earful from many yoga-lovers out there…. Relax. Don't get yourself all bent out of shape... literally... hehehe.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
What sport do you think is most useful to know?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.
-- William Jennings Bryan
Friday, January 25, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Friday, January 25
1. Have you ever had so much you wanted to say but couldn’t find the right words to say it?! Well, throw in the fact that even if you did find the right words, no one around you would understand your words anyways. They don't speak your language… that’s exactly the situation I find myself in… repeatedly. Tonight stress reached it’s limit at training and I just snapped… POP! Junior Mint was away on business and so Q and I went in together to train. He kept on trying to help me out, and much love to him for it, but I couldn’t help but just wish we both spoke the same language. I mean, how the heck am I supposed to learn if I have no idea about what he is saying?!
2. I rubbed my ears vigorously, shook my head, and hoped that I’d open up my eyes and we’d be speaking the same language… but that didn’t happen. I got all stressed about it. I knew he was trying to help me but it’s so hard… so frustrating.
3. I feel like a cornered cat, a mute, and how ironic… a hermit. I feel like a hermit in a country often referred to as the Hermit country. How appropriate is that?! There’s literally days that go by when I don’t speak a word. And to explain this to Q or my friends, as to why I get frustrated and shut myself off, would just cause more confusion and more disappointment. My homepage has been what’s been keeping me sane this past week.
4. And so on that note, I threw on my jacket and left training. Q called out to me, asking me why I wasn’t waiting for him. I told him I was just stressed. I wanted to spill my beans out, right there and then, make him understand. But I knew, even trying to attempt to explain it would just confuse him and cause more frustration. I can’t expect him to understand and so I chose not to even explain. This is Korea. He is Korean. I don’t have the luxury of speaking the native tongue and so sometimes it makes my life so hard, like today. I live in a country infested with over 50 million people but sometimes I feel so isolated cause of my language.
5. Running into Ms. Ignorant in the stairs definitely didn’t help the situation. The deal with her is a month or two back, at a previous boxing dinner party, she decided to get all cocky on me and ask me a million and one questions in Korean. I answered best I could but when I got stuck on one question, she looked at me wide-eyed and said, “You live in Korea long time but you no learn me language?”… or something jumbled up like that. My response to that was, “Ya, and you teach English? How did you get that job?!” Ever since then, I have refused to like her despite her repeated efforts to butt-kiss up to me and shower me with flattery. I don’t like rude people and I sure as hell rather sit at home on a Friday night than deal with their patheticness.
6. My Korean is definitely much higher than Junior Mint’s English and considering I see Junior Mint as my key to success with boxing, I stayed in tonight and plugged away at my Korean studies. I joke around with him, telling him that his English is in the minus numbers cause what few English words he does know, he mixes up. He says “you” when he means “me”, but I am happy to note that he has finally mastered “left” and “right”, and thank God too cause I was taking too many hooks to the head to let that go on for any longer… seriously! Hehehe…
7. My initial plan was to attend the boxing dinner party. Tonight I skipped out though. It’s the first monthly boxing meeting I’ve ever missed but I knew tonight’s one was going to be a biggie. They’d be celebrating Black Skinny, Panty Boy Jr., and my February 23rd fight and so I knew I should have attended but I just didn’t feel like being around anyone. Having people drill me about my boxing techniques and bombarded me with tons of food I could only wish to indulge in cause of my diet, really wasn’t what I felt I could handle tonight.
9. Later on I found out that many members of the Korean Boxing Commission showed up, as well as many other influential people in the boxing community. Kind of kicking myself for not showing up but I still think it was for the better.
10. Around 1am Q showed up at my apartment building. I told him I was getting ready to hit the hay but he insisted I let him see him… “even if just for a minute”, he said. And with that, I was convinced to get dressed and go downstairs to see him. Q greeted me with a huge smile and a big hug… and a chocolate dipped, jelly-filled ice cream cone! I beat off the temptation and refused to eat it. He said he was all concerned about me and that so many people asked about me at the party. Hearing that made me feel so much better. Sometimes I honestly feel as if I am not missed and so it’s nice to know that I am.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Am I the only one that feels this way?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
2. I rubbed my ears vigorously, shook my head, and hoped that I’d open up my eyes and we’d be speaking the same language… but that didn’t happen. I got all stressed about it. I knew he was trying to help me but it’s so hard… so frustrating.
3. I feel like a cornered cat, a mute, and how ironic… a hermit. I feel like a hermit in a country often referred to as the Hermit country. How appropriate is that?! There’s literally days that go by when I don’t speak a word. And to explain this to Q or my friends, as to why I get frustrated and shut myself off, would just cause more confusion and more disappointment. My homepage has been what’s been keeping me sane this past week.
4. And so on that note, I threw on my jacket and left training. Q called out to me, asking me why I wasn’t waiting for him. I told him I was just stressed. I wanted to spill my beans out, right there and then, make him understand. But I knew, even trying to attempt to explain it would just confuse him and cause more frustration. I can’t expect him to understand and so I chose not to even explain. This is Korea. He is Korean. I don’t have the luxury of speaking the native tongue and so sometimes it makes my life so hard, like today. I live in a country infested with over 50 million people but sometimes I feel so isolated cause of my language.
5. Running into Ms. Ignorant in the stairs definitely didn’t help the situation. The deal with her is a month or two back, at a previous boxing dinner party, she decided to get all cocky on me and ask me a million and one questions in Korean. I answered best I could but when I got stuck on one question, she looked at me wide-eyed and said, “You live in Korea long time but you no learn me language?”… or something jumbled up like that. My response to that was, “Ya, and you teach English? How did you get that job?!” Ever since then, I have refused to like her despite her repeated efforts to butt-kiss up to me and shower me with flattery. I don’t like rude people and I sure as hell rather sit at home on a Friday night than deal with their patheticness.
6. My Korean is definitely much higher than Junior Mint’s English and considering I see Junior Mint as my key to success with boxing, I stayed in tonight and plugged away at my Korean studies. I joke around with him, telling him that his English is in the minus numbers cause what few English words he does know, he mixes up. He says “you” when he means “me”, but I am happy to note that he has finally mastered “left” and “right”, and thank God too cause I was taking too many hooks to the head to let that go on for any longer… seriously! Hehehe…
7. My initial plan was to attend the boxing dinner party. Tonight I skipped out though. It’s the first monthly boxing meeting I’ve ever missed but I knew tonight’s one was going to be a biggie. They’d be celebrating Black Skinny, Panty Boy Jr., and my February 23rd fight and so I knew I should have attended but I just didn’t feel like being around anyone. Having people drill me about my boxing techniques and bombarded me with tons of food I could only wish to indulge in cause of my diet, really wasn’t what I felt I could handle tonight.
9. Later on I found out that many members of the Korean Boxing Commission showed up, as well as many other influential people in the boxing community. Kind of kicking myself for not showing up but I still think it was for the better.
10. Around 1am Q showed up at my apartment building. I told him I was getting ready to hit the hay but he insisted I let him see him… “even if just for a minute”, he said. And with that, I was convinced to get dressed and go downstairs to see him. Q greeted me with a huge smile and a big hug… and a chocolate dipped, jelly-filled ice cream cone! I beat off the temptation and refused to eat it. He said he was all concerned about me and that so many people asked about me at the party. Hearing that made me feel so much better. Sometimes I honestly feel as if I am not missed and so it’s nice to know that I am.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Am I the only one that feels this way?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Thursday, January 24
1. Training was a bust today on account that I was feeling mentally drained and couldn’t concentrate. Junior Mint stopped me during pad work to ask me if I was having “magic”… hehehe. Seriously, what’s so magic about magic and why do they call it that? For those of you who haven’t figured it out, “magic”, according to Koreans, is what us Westerners call a girl’s “monthly friend”, or “Bloody Mary” as my university mates referred to it as.
2. I guess he figured that “magic” could account for why I just couldn’t mentally focus today, but that’s not it… and no, I don’t have “magic”. I haven't been eating properly lately. I eat clean but apparently not enough, or so I think is the problem. My schedule has been so out of whack lately and so with my training, running off to Seoul for Korean studies, and meeting up with Q, it's been really easy to skip a meal or just forgot to eat. Q told me about how my former team mate Min Young dieted... she just flat out didn't eat for 4 days. What?! That's awful. I'm no pro at dieting but I know enough that starving yourself only leaves you with no energy and actually makes you gain weight. Your body goes into starvation mode and so any food you take in, it stores. Moreover, it eats away at your muscle. Having said this though, I didn't really just how bad I had sabotaged my diet this week by not eating my planned meals. My diet still needs some working on, I know.
3. Lately I’ve been getting tons of grief from my friends, well, some in particular, who think they’re right on the button by calling me a bad friend. Jae Min texted me today at 6am to tell me I am a bad friend cause we don’t hang out a lot, like we use to. He blamed it on the fact that I have a boyfriend and stated that I always see my boyfriend but never see him. Ok, fair enough, this is true. And my response to him is, well, if you trained at my boxing gym (like my boyfriend does), then you too would see me a lot. Jae Min always wants to hang out late at night and at bars… at bars with lots of food. I just don’t have any energy that late in the night. I’m usually in bed by about 11 or midnight. And being surrounded by food that I can’t indulge in is really not going to help my diet nor do I enjoy being put in that situation.
4. Honestly, I wish I could hang out with Jae Min and the rest of my friends but, as it stands, I am in the gym everyday training hard. I really have to keep focused on my fight, not only with my physical training but mental training too. I have even gone so far as to ignore my emails for days and thank God no one calls me cause I would be ignoring them too.
5. On a somewhat different note, I realize that all I really talk about lately is boxing. I noticed this the other day when my Korean language teacher asked me what I did yesterday, what am I going to do today and what do I usually do on the weekends, all of which my answers were boxing, boxing… and boxing. And when I am not boxing, I am either watching boxing videos on YouTube or talking about boxing with my boyfriend.
5. Long time, no see… met up with an old friend for sushi and a movie. I’ve been watching a lot of movies lately actually. I’m quite the movie buff now,… hehehe. I’ve been itching to see a good thought-provoking, intellectually stimulating movie, especially after the brutal movie I watched yesterday night with Q. Q really wanted to see this one particular Korean movie, I didn’t really care for it but agreed to go see.
7. Is there no good movies being written anymore? Seriously folks. Yesterday I sat for two hours watching some cheesy, totally over-rated film who’s budget was clearly spent mostly on the leading lady’s clothes… and lack there of them. I’m sure the guys were loving this flick but the director could at least made this movie less painful for us chicks to watch by at least throwing in a couple handsome, chest-baring men. The only male hottie was the main lady’s sidekick and he didn’t have any speaking parts.
8. And as for tonight’s movie, “Cloverfield”, well, if the one-man handheld camera didn’t leave you nauseous than the overly simple story line left you bored half to death.
9. After the movie I got a call from Buff Boy’s friend, Mr. Incredible… incredibly handsome that is. I had been texting him throughout the movie, jokingly asking him to kidnap me from the dreariness of the retarded movie I was being held captive and being forced to watch.
10. Met up with Q later on. He had been waiting for me at the movie theatre and so we headed to his house for some chicken. Am convinced that boy is non-stop hungry… much like me… hehehe.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Any dieting tips?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Mistakes are the portals of discovery.
-- James Joyce
2. I guess he figured that “magic” could account for why I just couldn’t mentally focus today, but that’s not it… and no, I don’t have “magic”. I haven't been eating properly lately. I eat clean but apparently not enough, or so I think is the problem. My schedule has been so out of whack lately and so with my training, running off to Seoul for Korean studies, and meeting up with Q, it's been really easy to skip a meal or just forgot to eat. Q told me about how my former team mate Min Young dieted... she just flat out didn't eat for 4 days. What?! That's awful. I'm no pro at dieting but I know enough that starving yourself only leaves you with no energy and actually makes you gain weight. Your body goes into starvation mode and so any food you take in, it stores. Moreover, it eats away at your muscle. Having said this though, I didn't really just how bad I had sabotaged my diet this week by not eating my planned meals. My diet still needs some working on, I know.
3. Lately I’ve been getting tons of grief from my friends, well, some in particular, who think they’re right on the button by calling me a bad friend. Jae Min texted me today at 6am to tell me I am a bad friend cause we don’t hang out a lot, like we use to. He blamed it on the fact that I have a boyfriend and stated that I always see my boyfriend but never see him. Ok, fair enough, this is true. And my response to him is, well, if you trained at my boxing gym (like my boyfriend does), then you too would see me a lot. Jae Min always wants to hang out late at night and at bars… at bars with lots of food. I just don’t have any energy that late in the night. I’m usually in bed by about 11 or midnight. And being surrounded by food that I can’t indulge in is really not going to help my diet nor do I enjoy being put in that situation.
4. Honestly, I wish I could hang out with Jae Min and the rest of my friends but, as it stands, I am in the gym everyday training hard. I really have to keep focused on my fight, not only with my physical training but mental training too. I have even gone so far as to ignore my emails for days and thank God no one calls me cause I would be ignoring them too.
5. On a somewhat different note, I realize that all I really talk about lately is boxing. I noticed this the other day when my Korean language teacher asked me what I did yesterday, what am I going to do today and what do I usually do on the weekends, all of which my answers were boxing, boxing… and boxing. And when I am not boxing, I am either watching boxing videos on YouTube or talking about boxing with my boyfriend.
5. Long time, no see… met up with an old friend for sushi and a movie. I’ve been watching a lot of movies lately actually. I’m quite the movie buff now,… hehehe. I’ve been itching to see a good thought-provoking, intellectually stimulating movie, especially after the brutal movie I watched yesterday night with Q. Q really wanted to see this one particular Korean movie, I didn’t really care for it but agreed to go see.
7. Is there no good movies being written anymore? Seriously folks. Yesterday I sat for two hours watching some cheesy, totally over-rated film who’s budget was clearly spent mostly on the leading lady’s clothes… and lack there of them. I’m sure the guys were loving this flick but the director could at least made this movie less painful for us chicks to watch by at least throwing in a couple handsome, chest-baring men. The only male hottie was the main lady’s sidekick and he didn’t have any speaking parts.
8. And as for tonight’s movie, “Cloverfield”, well, if the one-man handheld camera didn’t leave you nauseous than the overly simple story line left you bored half to death.
9. After the movie I got a call from Buff Boy’s friend, Mr. Incredible… incredibly handsome that is. I had been texting him throughout the movie, jokingly asking him to kidnap me from the dreariness of the retarded movie I was being held captive and being forced to watch.
10. Met up with Q later on. He had been waiting for me at the movie theatre and so we headed to his house for some chicken. Am convinced that boy is non-stop hungry… much like me… hehehe.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Any dieting tips?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Mistakes are the portals of discovery.
-- James Joyce
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Wednesday, January 23
1. Raced off to Seoul today all pumped about starting level 2 Korean… ya, I’m such a geek, so what… hehehe.
2. Am nursing a strained muscle on my side on account that I don’t think I stretched properly yesterday and so today I paid the price for that.
3. On my way home from Seoul, I got a phone call from Panty Boy. I vented to him about my dieting and how it’s been very discouraging. He claimed he had something to “do the trick” and so I agreed to meet up with him before training.
4. Panty Boy secret to dieting success was in the form of some drink. At first glance I thought it was a protein shake but it smelt too good and went down too smoothly to be that. It was delicious but he warned me not to drink the whole thing at once.
5. No sooner had he left but I gulped the rest of the bottle down.
6. By the time I arrived back to my apartment I was craving the toilet… seriously! My tummy was grumbling and I thought I was going to be sick. Turns out his “secret drink” was none other than milk mixed with a melted substance similar to exslax!!!
7. Sat on the toilet for a good 40 minutes…. Yikes!
8. Needless to say, training today was a bit uncomfortable. Not only was I not feeling up to par cause of being nervous of having to wait it out on the toilet, but I had just "lost" all the food I had in my tummy and so I felt like I was running on empty... not fun; not good.
9. Well I finally did it… again. I cheated on She Ann with the same girl that dyed my hair the other day. Today she cut my hair… and I mean CUT!!! Chopped it right off, about 3 inches of hair!
10. I love my new hair cut. It’s definitely a cute little bob, maybe a bit too early to get it so short, but nonetheless, it’s great for working out. No more getting my hair caught on my zipper or my sweater hoodies. My hair feels so light now and I always love a fresh new style.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
What exactly was in that drink?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Patterning your life around other's opinions is nothing more than slavery.
-- Lawana Blackwell
2. Am nursing a strained muscle on my side on account that I don’t think I stretched properly yesterday and so today I paid the price for that.
3. On my way home from Seoul, I got a phone call from Panty Boy. I vented to him about my dieting and how it’s been very discouraging. He claimed he had something to “do the trick” and so I agreed to meet up with him before training.
4. Panty Boy secret to dieting success was in the form of some drink. At first glance I thought it was a protein shake but it smelt too good and went down too smoothly to be that. It was delicious but he warned me not to drink the whole thing at once.
5. No sooner had he left but I gulped the rest of the bottle down.
6. By the time I arrived back to my apartment I was craving the toilet… seriously! My tummy was grumbling and I thought I was going to be sick. Turns out his “secret drink” was none other than milk mixed with a melted substance similar to exslax!!!
7. Sat on the toilet for a good 40 minutes…. Yikes!
8. Needless to say, training today was a bit uncomfortable. Not only was I not feeling up to par cause of being nervous of having to wait it out on the toilet, but I had just "lost" all the food I had in my tummy and so I felt like I was running on empty... not fun; not good.
9. Well I finally did it… again. I cheated on She Ann with the same girl that dyed my hair the other day. Today she cut my hair… and I mean CUT!!! Chopped it right off, about 3 inches of hair!
10. I love my new hair cut. It’s definitely a cute little bob, maybe a bit too early to get it so short, but nonetheless, it’s great for working out. No more getting my hair caught on my zipper or my sweater hoodies. My hair feels so light now and I always love a fresh new style.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
What exactly was in that drink?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Patterning your life around other's opinions is nothing more than slavery.
-- Lawana Blackwell
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Tuesday, January 22
1. Strolled into the Cheonan Trump's swanky office tower today that just ozzes with luxury and screams "MONEY!!!". We haven't really talked lately and today he called me, asking me to come visit him, and so I did. He bombarded me with flattery, like usual, asked me if I'd reconsider being his girlfriend (ongoing inside joke there), and asked me a million and one questions.
2. After some time, it was time for me to leave. I had to get going to boxing but as I turned to bow and say farewell, he took hold of my hand and place a white envelop in it. I knew it was money but I didn't know why he was giving it to me, nor did I know what to say. I tried to refuse it but he insisted, saying that it was "fight money" and that if I won, there would be more. I tried to joke it off, telling him that if he kept this up, I definitely wouldn't need my university job, but the truth is, I felt uncomfortable receiving such a large amount of money from him.
3. My so-called not-so-secret admirer has gained confidence and today ventured into actual physical touch. I had just stepped out of the ring from doing pad work with Junior Mint when he stepped up, grabbed my gloves and then bowed to me, bringing his forehead down on my gloves. He said it was for "luck"... I don't believe in luck. I believe in hard work, self-dedication and heart. Luck is for those who think their lack of preparation will still earn them success.
9. I figure if I'm going to continue being deprived such luxurious as the average person cause of my diet, and by luxuries here I mean common things like milk, bread, coffee, and so on, I figure that what limited things I am allowed to have I am going to have the best of. So from now on, I only do my grocery shopping at Galleria... it's the luxury food store, as Q says.
10. I'd love to kill my diet, seriously. Every day I walk by an average of three bakeries and breathe in the smell of their freshly baked rolls and cookies.... ahhhh, so nice. I eye the coffee shop and check out their new flavors but only indulge in their coffee once a week and that's only cause I get tutored at a coffee shop. I trace the freezer packed with ice cream in the stores and dream of days when we'll reunite... hehehe. Ah, food.... I envy those who can freely eat what they're stomach desires. I can't even eat my Lucky Charms cereal.. and that's killing me, seriously. The other day I found myself having more than a fair share of Lucky Charms and so I gave up my Lucky Charms to Q.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Why won't my 5kg just leave me?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.
-- Mae West
2. After some time, it was time for me to leave. I had to get going to boxing but as I turned to bow and say farewell, he took hold of my hand and place a white envelop in it. I knew it was money but I didn't know why he was giving it to me, nor did I know what to say. I tried to refuse it but he insisted, saying that it was "fight money" and that if I won, there would be more. I tried to joke it off, telling him that if he kept this up, I definitely wouldn't need my university job, but the truth is, I felt uncomfortable receiving such a large amount of money from him.
3. My so-called not-so-secret admirer has gained confidence and today ventured into actual physical touch. I had just stepped out of the ring from doing pad work with Junior Mint when he stepped up, grabbed my gloves and then bowed to me, bringing his forehead down on my gloves. He said it was for "luck"... I don't believe in luck. I believe in hard work, self-dedication and heart. Luck is for those who think their lack of preparation will still earn them success.
4. Training was awesome today and I thank my clean eating for that... totally! Mind ya, jumping on the scale today wasn't so cool. I tell ya, if there's ever such a brutal discourager for gym-goers, it'd be getting weighted-in everyday. I hate it, seriously. I arrive at my boxing gym, strip down to my bare essentials (well, not quite) in the freezing club and step up on the scale for all to see. Then, if that wasn't brutal enough, Junior Mint than shouts out from across the room, asking me how much I weigh today. And, of course, I have to respond.
5. The store owner at the GS 25 store in my building knows me as "Sports Girl" and he's always asking me questions about my training but today he had a good chuckle at me after I returned from buying a water bottle. I just couldn't twist off the cap... my fists hurt that much, seriously. My left hand isn't so bad but my right hand is pretty much my handicap outside of boxing. Even grasping my pencil hurts.
6. Q insists that I should go to the hospital to see about my hand, but why I ask. Regardless of what they prescribe or claim, I'm sure "take a break from boxing" will be included in their words and well, I can't afford to take a break.... no pain, no gain... right?! Well, if that's the case then well my friend, I am definitely going to gain a hell of a lot!!!
7. The curse of the walking ajjumas apparently lingered around in the gym, waiting for me and so when I went running late in the evening, they were there! Two of them.
8. Much to my surprise... very much to my surprise, one of the walking ajjumas befriended me by saving me a treadmill; I was shocked. She waved me over, said "Hello" and then off we went, burning calories together on the treadmill... hehehe. Good times, lots of sweat.9. I figure if I'm going to continue being deprived such luxurious as the average person cause of my diet, and by luxuries here I mean common things like milk, bread, coffee, and so on, I figure that what limited things I am allowed to have I am going to have the best of. So from now on, I only do my grocery shopping at Galleria... it's the luxury food store, as Q says.
10. I'd love to kill my diet, seriously. Every day I walk by an average of three bakeries and breathe in the smell of their freshly baked rolls and cookies.... ahhhh, so nice. I eye the coffee shop and check out their new flavors but only indulge in their coffee once a week and that's only cause I get tutored at a coffee shop. I trace the freezer packed with ice cream in the stores and dream of days when we'll reunite... hehehe. Ah, food.... I envy those who can freely eat what they're stomach desires. I can't even eat my Lucky Charms cereal.. and that's killing me, seriously. The other day I found myself having more than a fair share of Lucky Charms and so I gave up my Lucky Charms to Q.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Why won't my 5kg just leave me?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.
-- Mae West
Monday, January 21, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Monday, January 21
1. Q thought it funny when I woke up and called him to tell him my pillow was splattered with cho-pee... literal translation "nose blood". I have no idea on what I had been dreaming about but he joked, saying that I think about boxing too much... maybe.
2. On account that I had a pillow to clean up and really didn't want to deal with the curse of the walking ajjumas, I skipped my morning run and decided to go running later on in the evening.
3. My once secret admirer at my boxing club is slowly but surely gaining confidence and isn't so secretive anymore. Before, his admiration was only visible with his random glances at me, blushing around me, and asking Junior Mint questions about me. Today, he got daring... he clearly winked at me.
4. I was in the ring doing pad work with Junior Mint when he winked at me and well, it totally caught me off guard. He had been watching me train from the ring side when I looked at him and he winked, causing me to kind of step back and I ended up messing up... I forgot to dodge Junior Mint's left hook and ending up taking it in the side of the head... ouch!!!
5. Junior Mint thought he'd give me some motivation to help me with my body shots and so he called my not-so-secret admirer into the ring and told me to have a go at him... oh gosh. And so, he stood there while I did a round of non-stop body shots on him. "That's for winking at me... and that's for the punch to my head I took cause of you!" I thought to myself.
6. Many of us, Junior Mint included, aren't really expecting me to have a fair fight on February 23rd. This is Korea and well, as much as I love it, I know (and THEY know), there's a bias at play. They have a love-hate relationship with foreigners, or so it seems... or the "lying wide-eyes" as they occasionally call us foreigners. Having said that, Junior Mint is worried about this. I know my defense is still weak but my endurance is high, my punches are strong, and my left hook is my signature move. Junior Mint advised me today to aim for a knock-out, saying that the judges can't be bias on a knock-out. A knock-out is a knock-out... there's no way around it. And so, today, we worked mainly on my hooks.
7. No sooner had I returned home, showered and ate yet another meal, Junior Mint called me up and told me to go to Hongik to weight train. A couple of weeks ago I dropped weight training. It was making me strong but I felt it was also making me slow and heavy... muscle weights more than fat. Today I returned to weight training... and it felt good, soooo good! Trained shoulders and biceps.
8. I'm not one really for crowds, especially when I'm at the gym. Tonight Hongik was packed and the usual class-acts where there: Buff Boy, Newbie, Peg Legs, Peg Legs Jr., the Hongik Hulk, and even Ms. Vain was there too.
9. I'm such a guy when it comes to weight training... I love it. I love the pump that comes with straining my muscles and really working hard. It's like a natural high; it's awesome. After weight training, I took my swollen arms (hehehe) for an hour run on the treadmill and then felt like I was going to puke when my hour finally ended. Ju Wan thinks I'm a nut for running in a heavy hooded sweater, Buff Boy always gives me thumbs up, and well, I'm sure the girl on the next treadmill was amused by my singing. Mind ya, I'm sure she didn't really care for the fact that I must have listened to Rihanna's "Shut Up and Drive" song like a million and one times... hehehe.
10. Am officially addicted to the National Geographic You Tube site... it's awesome. Today I watched some dude dress up and pretend to be a hippo so that he can collect sweat from a real-live hippo... cool. I'd be lying if I didn't say that was like the coolest thing I've seen all week, but it was. Say it, I don't care... "Amy, you're a geek!" Ya, thanks... come step in the ring and say it again... hehehe.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Can I be a hippo too?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.
-- Anna Freud
2. On account that I had a pillow to clean up and really didn't want to deal with the curse of the walking ajjumas, I skipped my morning run and decided to go running later on in the evening.
3. My once secret admirer at my boxing club is slowly but surely gaining confidence and isn't so secretive anymore. Before, his admiration was only visible with his random glances at me, blushing around me, and asking Junior Mint questions about me. Today, he got daring... he clearly winked at me.
4. I was in the ring doing pad work with Junior Mint when he winked at me and well, it totally caught me off guard. He had been watching me train from the ring side when I looked at him and he winked, causing me to kind of step back and I ended up messing up... I forgot to dodge Junior Mint's left hook and ending up taking it in the side of the head... ouch!!!
5. Junior Mint thought he'd give me some motivation to help me with my body shots and so he called my not-so-secret admirer into the ring and told me to have a go at him... oh gosh. And so, he stood there while I did a round of non-stop body shots on him. "That's for winking at me... and that's for the punch to my head I took cause of you!" I thought to myself.
6. Many of us, Junior Mint included, aren't really expecting me to have a fair fight on February 23rd. This is Korea and well, as much as I love it, I know (and THEY know), there's a bias at play. They have a love-hate relationship with foreigners, or so it seems... or the "lying wide-eyes" as they occasionally call us foreigners. Having said that, Junior Mint is worried about this. I know my defense is still weak but my endurance is high, my punches are strong, and my left hook is my signature move. Junior Mint advised me today to aim for a knock-out, saying that the judges can't be bias on a knock-out. A knock-out is a knock-out... there's no way around it. And so, today, we worked mainly on my hooks.
7. No sooner had I returned home, showered and ate yet another meal, Junior Mint called me up and told me to go to Hongik to weight train. A couple of weeks ago I dropped weight training. It was making me strong but I felt it was also making me slow and heavy... muscle weights more than fat. Today I returned to weight training... and it felt good, soooo good! Trained shoulders and biceps.
8. I'm not one really for crowds, especially when I'm at the gym. Tonight Hongik was packed and the usual class-acts where there: Buff Boy, Newbie, Peg Legs, Peg Legs Jr., the Hongik Hulk, and even Ms. Vain was there too.
9. I'm such a guy when it comes to weight training... I love it. I love the pump that comes with straining my muscles and really working hard. It's like a natural high; it's awesome. After weight training, I took my swollen arms (hehehe) for an hour run on the treadmill and then felt like I was going to puke when my hour finally ended. Ju Wan thinks I'm a nut for running in a heavy hooded sweater, Buff Boy always gives me thumbs up, and well, I'm sure the girl on the next treadmill was amused by my singing. Mind ya, I'm sure she didn't really care for the fact that I must have listened to Rihanna's "Shut Up and Drive" song like a million and one times... hehehe.
10. Am officially addicted to the National Geographic You Tube site... it's awesome. Today I watched some dude dress up and pretend to be a hippo so that he can collect sweat from a real-live hippo... cool. I'd be lying if I didn't say that was like the coolest thing I've seen all week, but it was. Say it, I don't care... "Amy, you're a geek!" Ya, thanks... come step in the ring and say it again... hehehe.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Can I be a hippo too?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.
-- Anna Freud
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Sunday, January 20
1. Woke up to the sound of Q's mom making some kind of feast for us to chow down on for breakfast. I was starving. Young Moon came to wake me up and so I joined him, Q, and their mom on the floor for breakfast... breakfast was fish stew.... oh gosh, I'm not a big fan. Nor am I a big fan of making stew my whole meal. Stew is more like a side dish for me. None the less, I ate it... it wasn't that bad actually, once I was able to swallow the skin that is.
2. After breakfast Q's mom loaded our truck up with a couple of bags of goodies, hugged me good-bye, and off we went, listening to our new SG Wanna Be CD. I still hadn't washed my face nor applied make-up and so I was itching to hit a gas station. I hate not wearing make-up, even if it's just a bit of mascara or lip gloss... I guess it's like a kind of security blanket I've always relied on. Q said I looked no different without make-up... I think he's just butt-kissing and has really good manners ;)
3. Oh my gosh... I am 29!!! No, today isn't my birthday and in Canada I'm really 27 but I totally forgot that on January 1st, according to the Korean culture, everyone turns another year older. Q thought it was funny at how I freaked out at the realization of this until I turned and told him, "Ya... you're 31 now!"... hehehe.
4. On our way home Q told me we were going to yet another one of his coworker's child's first birthday. First birthday parties mean shilling out a lot of cash... for Q that is. For me, it means dealing with the possibility of kids crawling on me and lots of free food. Food as far as the eyes can see, well, all most.
4. On our way home Q told me we were going to yet another one of his coworker's child's first birthday. First birthday parties mean shilling out a lot of cash... for Q that is. For me, it means dealing with the possibility of kids crawling on me and lots of free food. Food as far as the eyes can see, well, all most.
5. Sure enough, Q shilled out mad cash and I had to deal with the kids... hehehe. A couple of months back, I had gone out for dinner with Q and some of his soccer club members. The wife and child of one of the members also joined us. Today they also were at the party and we all had a good laugh when their 1 & 1/2 year old son recognized me and reached out for me. He's a super cute kid with pudgy cheeks and a little belly that shakes when he giggles. I'm convinced he's straight out of a Toys R' Us catalogue. He's the "Tickle-Me-Korean"... hehehe.
6. I sense a kind of Sunday ritual forming with Q and I, are ritual being every Sunday we have nap time. Today's cat nap turned into more like a mini hibernation, lasting 6 hours... yikes.
7. Ordered in fire chicken for dinner. I think Q must have asked for extra spicy cause after the first piece, my lips had turned a million and one shades of red and I literally could not feel them nor the inside of my mouth... delicious!!!
8. The other day I had brought over some random pictures of my family, friends, and etc. He's always so curious to hear stories about my family and how life was life for me in Canada. He's always asking me questions about my family and so it's really quite cute at what he knows about them. He still can't say the name "Troy" though... hehehe.
9. Got into quite an "interesting" discussion, to say the very least, with Q about relationships.... close relationships. I had told him that one of my friends said that you know you're in a close relationship when you're able to gas in front of each other, laugh it off, and not be embarrassed. He said that he wanted a closer relationship with me, I knew he didn't really understand what I had just said but on that note, I tooted.... hehehe. It was so funny too cause he thought it was his cell phone... hehehe.
10. Taught Q what a "Dutch Oven" is... and he thought it was the funniest thing ever... hehehe.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
What's there not to love about a child?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
The thing that impresses me the most about America is the way parents obey their children.
-- King Edward VIII
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
What's there not to love about a child?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
The thing that impresses me the most about America is the way parents obey their children.
-- King Edward VIII
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Saturday, January 19
1. Peeled my face off my pillow, brushed my teeth, and then headed off to boxing. Q came along to train with me. Junior Mint doesn't go to the club on Saturdays but he's past the responsibility on to Q to help me train on Saturdays.
2. Today Q worked with me on my left hook; it's my pride, seriously. He had shown me a wicked move involving my left hook and so we really focused in on that today. We continued on to work on another move... a wickedly dangerous upper cut move he says I should save for round 3 and 4... when the crowd is unsuspecting! Cool.
3. Headed out to Daejon with Q and his coworkers for the SG Wanna Be concert. One of Q's coworkers asked me a billion and one questions on the way and so that was quite entertaining. He was all curious about how Q and my relationship worked, considering the language barrier. I reassured him though that the so-called language barrier isn't really a barrier at all, if anything, it just adds to our relationship. Then he turned to me and asked, "How do you feel about a Korean husband?"... Gee, I wonder what he's getting at... hehehe.
4. The seats Q and I scored were awesome! His coworker generously gave us her special seats, valued at $88. They were in the front section... big bonus was the fact that those seats also scored us signed limited edition SG Wanna Be calender and CD... cool!
5. Despite probably being the ONLY foreigner in the packed concert hall, I was familiar with the songs and had a blast. Surprisingly enough, the group even sang some English songs. Apparently the guys in front of me thought I was some kind of friend of the group and so when the English songs started up, they kept on looking at me. One even took my picture. Q and I thought it was funny and so we hammed it up by pretending I was a celebrity... hehehe.
6. Yes, the boys sounded amazingly beautiful, the fireworks in the show were impressive, spraying the crowd with mist was fun, and bombarding us with confetti was fun too, but my favorite part of the show was the encore song. A year or so ago I had learned a SG Wanna Be song and sung it for my coworkers at Eumbong Middle School. Tonight, that same song was their encore piece and so it was so much fun singing and dancing to it with Q.
7. After the concert, Q and I headed over to see his friends. Every month he and his group of middle school friends (about 13 of them) gather in Daejon. Tonight we all met at one of their houses. Although I have only known them for a couple of months now, it's been interesting to note the changes in the group. This month's change was the fact that one of the friends got married... congrats!
8. For the most part, I had no idea what the heck they were all talking about. I sat there trying to comprehend it but wow, their Korean was too fast and full of lots of slang. So I sat there nibbling on the massive table of food in front of us and smiled.
9. Q is convinced kids have this natural attraction to me cause it seems no matter where we go, if there's a kid and I'm there, most likely within a couple of minutes that kid is going to be crawling all over me. Sure enough, tonight there were two little girls... and sure enough, they were crawling over me for the rest of the night... hehehe. Because they're so young, their Korean is very easy for me to understand and they don't ask complicated questions. So, for the rest of the evening, I played with the two little girls.
10. Upon arriving at Q's parent's house, his mother woke up and called me over to sit with her on the floor. She had been sleeping in the family room. Q joined me on the floor with his mom, as did Q's brother, Young Moon. I didn't really know what they were talking about but it felt so nice to be sitting there, all snuggled up under one big blanket with out feet in the middle of the circle. I don't know how to really describe what I felt, sitting there, I guess I could say that I felt like I was a part of something greater... like this wasn't just four people sitting in a circle at 2 in the morning, that this was something special.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
How do you feel about mixed marriages?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
All marriages are mixed marriages.
-- Chantal Saperstein
2. Today Q worked with me on my left hook; it's my pride, seriously. He had shown me a wicked move involving my left hook and so we really focused in on that today. We continued on to work on another move... a wickedly dangerous upper cut move he says I should save for round 3 and 4... when the crowd is unsuspecting! Cool.
3. Headed out to Daejon with Q and his coworkers for the SG Wanna Be concert. One of Q's coworkers asked me a billion and one questions on the way and so that was quite entertaining. He was all curious about how Q and my relationship worked, considering the language barrier. I reassured him though that the so-called language barrier isn't really a barrier at all, if anything, it just adds to our relationship. Then he turned to me and asked, "How do you feel about a Korean husband?"... Gee, I wonder what he's getting at... hehehe.
4. The seats Q and I scored were awesome! His coworker generously gave us her special seats, valued at $88. They were in the front section... big bonus was the fact that those seats also scored us signed limited edition SG Wanna Be calender and CD... cool!
5. Despite probably being the ONLY foreigner in the packed concert hall, I was familiar with the songs and had a blast. Surprisingly enough, the group even sang some English songs. Apparently the guys in front of me thought I was some kind of friend of the group and so when the English songs started up, they kept on looking at me. One even took my picture. Q and I thought it was funny and so we hammed it up by pretending I was a celebrity... hehehe.
6. Yes, the boys sounded amazingly beautiful, the fireworks in the show were impressive, spraying the crowd with mist was fun, and bombarding us with confetti was fun too, but my favorite part of the show was the encore song. A year or so ago I had learned a SG Wanna Be song and sung it for my coworkers at Eumbong Middle School. Tonight, that same song was their encore piece and so it was so much fun singing and dancing to it with Q.
7. After the concert, Q and I headed over to see his friends. Every month he and his group of middle school friends (about 13 of them) gather in Daejon. Tonight we all met at one of their houses. Although I have only known them for a couple of months now, it's been interesting to note the changes in the group. This month's change was the fact that one of the friends got married... congrats!
8. For the most part, I had no idea what the heck they were all talking about. I sat there trying to comprehend it but wow, their Korean was too fast and full of lots of slang. So I sat there nibbling on the massive table of food in front of us and smiled.
9. Q is convinced kids have this natural attraction to me cause it seems no matter where we go, if there's a kid and I'm there, most likely within a couple of minutes that kid is going to be crawling all over me. Sure enough, tonight there were two little girls... and sure enough, they were crawling over me for the rest of the night... hehehe. Because they're so young, their Korean is very easy for me to understand and they don't ask complicated questions. So, for the rest of the evening, I played with the two little girls.
10. Upon arriving at Q's parent's house, his mother woke up and called me over to sit with her on the floor. She had been sleeping in the family room. Q joined me on the floor with his mom, as did Q's brother, Young Moon. I didn't really know what they were talking about but it felt so nice to be sitting there, all snuggled up under one big blanket with out feet in the middle of the circle. I don't know how to really describe what I felt, sitting there, I guess I could say that I felt like I was a part of something greater... like this wasn't just four people sitting in a circle at 2 in the morning, that this was something special.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
How do you feel about mixed marriages?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
All marriages are mixed marriages.
-- Chantal Saperstein
Friday, January 18, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Friday, January 18
1. Beat the curse of the ajjumas today when I bolted it to Hongik and ran pass the bus packed with the walking ajjumas. They had got held up in traffic and so today they had to wait for ME!
2. Wow... it's finally Friday, I can't believe it. Where did the week go, seriously. I've been so stinkin' busy with training and studying... time is flying but it hasn't exactly been fun, it's been flat-out hard work!
3. Well, I did it... I cheated on She Ann... I had too! She had told me back in December that she'd be having her baby and would return in mid January. She hasn't returned yet though and my patience with my hair ran dry today. My natural hair color is so much lighter than the color I'm curr
ently sporting and so the roots show extra fast. I've been trying to cover them up with hats, hairbands, and wearing my hair in a ponytail but tonight I gave in. Tonight some random girl, ironically located at She Ann's former hair shop, dyed my hair... jet black!
ently sporting and so the roots show extra fast. I've been trying to cover them up with hats, hairbands, and wearing my hair in a ponytail but tonight I gave in. Tonight some random girl, ironically located at She Ann's former hair shop, dyed my hair... jet black!4. Rushed off to boxing with my head smelling of fresh hair dye and ended up running into ALL my team mates. I haven't trained this late in the evening for quite a long time now and so I hardly see them anymore. There's officially 6 members in our team plus one coach and one assistant coach... me being the only girl. There use to be 2 of us girls but then Min Young stepped down from the ring and no longer boxes.
5. All us team members had promised to meet up tonight outside of boxing but because three of us are fighting on February 23rd, we had to keep it on the low. If Junior Mint knew we were meeting up, he'd freak on us. He always insists we go to bed early, watch our diets and drinking, well, that's definitely out of the question. I don't drink but tonight I knew my team mates would be drinking, and bar food, well, it's never really nutritious!
6. And so, after training, I met up once again with my team mates and some of their friends. Every one of them had their own boxing secret that they wanted to share with me. Q's secret move is by far the most useful to me though.. it'll be my signature move, I'm sure of it!!! 
7. Black Skinny's fight is the main event, it'll be a 12 round fight... brutally long! And, between the three of us (Black Skinny, Panty Boy Jr., and me) we have 23kgs to lose... that's about 51lbs... yikes. Black Skinny has to lose 10kgs and so I guess I really shouldn't be complaining about my 5kg, considering.
8. Although the fight day is still about a month away, tonight we celebrated our victories. We even took beats on what round we'd knock our opponents out. Black Skinny joked about knocking his opponent out in the 4th round, claiming that he wanted a short fight (as oppose to the 12 rounds planned) but wanted to give the crowd a good run for their money and a good show.
9. After everyone calmed down, drank their drinks and had talked their mouths off about boxing, we all parted our ways. Q and I ended up staying out a little while longer with Panty Boy Jr. I think it was the first time I've really gotten a chance to sit down and talk seriously with him. I told him I envied him for his boxing talent, he told me he envied me cause I have the "perfect relationship", as he called it. I wouldn't go so far to call it perfect but yes, I think it's pretty awesome.
10. Q thought he was ok enough to drive... I knew he wasn't. He had been drinking with the rest of the team and so I wasn't cool with him driving. He tried to get me to drive, I could have but instead, I insisted on him calling the "call driver" service. I told him that if he dare drove with me in the car and something ever happened to me that my father would fly to Korea and kill him... "Jung maleyayo?" ("Are you being honest?"), he asked... I answered, "No, I'm joking... I have enough friends here in Korea that'd kill ya first." And on that note, he called the call driver service.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
Do you understand, your life is not just your life?
Do you understand, your life is not just your life?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
Man drives, but the Creator holds the reins.
-- Jewish Proverb
Man drives, but the Creator holds the reins.
-- Jewish Proverb
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Highlights of my Day... Thursday, January 17
1. Had to take a later bus to my Korean tutoring class on account that apparently, and this is new to me, the KB Bank machines open up at 9am.... what's up with that?! What's up with a bank MACHINE having working hours.... it's a computer!!!
2. Did my level 1 Korean exam... aced it! I'm on to level 2 next week, sweet!!!
3. Came back to Cheonan and headed off to boxing where I had a somewhat disappointing and discouraging workout with Junior Mint, on account of our language barrier. Thankfully Q unexpectedly showed up and was able to somewhat further explain what Junior Mint was trying to teach me. Mind ya, I walked away feeling like I was 100% the source of Junior Mint's stress. Q tried to reassure me that I am not but I couldn't help but feel like I was.
4. As if I wasn't training like an animal already, Junior Mint told me today to enjoy this Sunday and when I questioned him about it, he said because it'll be my last Sunday off training. This means I'll be training 7 days a week... yikes.
5. And if that wasn't brutal enough, Junior Mint makes me get weighted-in everyday. So, everyday, in front of my team mates and whom ever, I have to step on the scale for him to record my daily weight.
6. Today my weight was much different than yesterday, almost 1 kg more. He turned to me and asked me if it was having "magic". I wasn't having "magic", instead, I blame it on the fact that I just wolfed down chicken prior to training and so I arrived feeling rather full. And for those who don't know what "magic" is, well, ask a Korean... hehehe.
7. Ran into my "friendly neighbor", you know... the one who hits me whenever she sees me, anyways, she ended up taking me by the hand to her apartment. She lives at the end of my hall. Twenty minutes later, I was leaving with a massive container that I was sure wouldn't fit into my fridge and that contained enough kimchi to make even Kimbab Chunkuk jealous... hehehe. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I can't eat it cause of my diet :(
8. Watched Mi Nam like a hawk today. Lately I've noticed that his face has blood on it. It looks like the part of his face where the whiskers poke out are bleeding... very strange. I came home from boxing today and his face was all polka-dotted with blood.
9. Had opted out of my early morning run and instead ran the stairs in the early evening. With 26 floors to my apartment building, making 52 flights of stairs, at 8 steps a flight.... up AND down = 832 stairs. Ya... my calves will definitely be feeling this for the rest of the week... and longer probably.
10. Q is a member of some movie club and so tonight he and I headed out to meet them. We all went to go see Johnny Depp in "Sweeny Todd" and honestly, even with the cutest man sitting beside me and the discounted ticket, it definitely wasn't worth the two hours of my life that I will never get back. Don't get me wrong, the visuals were quite impressive.. but that was about it. It was a musical that made people who shouldn't be singing sing, a movie with a story line that was too simple and so I was quite disappointed.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
What's so magical about magic?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.
-- William Bernbach
2. Did my level 1 Korean exam... aced it! I'm on to level 2 next week, sweet!!!
3. Came back to Cheonan and headed off to boxing where I had a somewhat disappointing and discouraging workout with Junior Mint, on account of our language barrier. Thankfully Q unexpectedly showed up and was able to somewhat further explain what Junior Mint was trying to teach me. Mind ya, I walked away feeling like I was 100% the source of Junior Mint's stress. Q tried to reassure me that I am not but I couldn't help but feel like I was.
4. As if I wasn't training like an animal already, Junior Mint told me today to enjoy this Sunday and when I questioned him about it, he said because it'll be my last Sunday off training. This means I'll be training 7 days a week... yikes.
5. And if that wasn't brutal enough, Junior Mint makes me get weighted-in everyday. So, everyday, in front of my team mates and whom ever, I have to step on the scale for him to record my daily weight.
6. Today my weight was much different than yesterday, almost 1 kg more. He turned to me and asked me if it was having "magic". I wasn't having "magic", instead, I blame it on the fact that I just wolfed down chicken prior to training and so I arrived feeling rather full. And for those who don't know what "magic" is, well, ask a Korean... hehehe.
7. Ran into my "friendly neighbor", you know... the one who hits me whenever she sees me, anyways, she ended up taking me by the hand to her apartment. She lives at the end of my hall. Twenty minutes later, I was leaving with a massive container that I was sure wouldn't fit into my fridge and that contained enough kimchi to make even Kimbab Chunkuk jealous... hehehe. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I can't eat it cause of my diet :(
8. Watched Mi Nam like a hawk today. Lately I've noticed that his face has blood on it. It looks like the part of his face where the whiskers poke out are bleeding... very strange. I came home from boxing today and his face was all polka-dotted with blood.
9. Had opted out of my early morning run and instead ran the stairs in the early evening. With 26 floors to my apartment building, making 52 flights of stairs, at 8 steps a flight.... up AND down = 832 stairs. Ya... my calves will definitely be feeling this for the rest of the week... and longer probably.
10. Q is a member of some movie club and so tonight he and I headed out to meet them. We all went to go see Johnny Depp in "Sweeny Todd" and honestly, even with the cutest man sitting beside me and the discounted ticket, it definitely wasn't worth the two hours of my life that I will never get back. Don't get me wrong, the visuals were quite impressive.. but that was about it. It was a musical that made people who shouldn't be singing sing, a movie with a story line that was too simple and so I was quite disappointed.
QUESTION OF THE DAY...
What's so magical about magic?
QUOTE OF THE DAY...
An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.
-- William Bernbach
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