With the new specially delivery green light bulbs installed in the club's front lobby and pool table area, it was time to open the club for yet another Free Train Friday. And no sooner did I open the front doors right on time but then my phone started ringing.
At exactly 1:57pm the IFBA (International Female Boxing Association) President called me from America, Ms. Judy Kulis.
She's a woman I originally met here in Korea many years ago and whom I see once or twice a year at tournaments, whenever a foreign female boxer travels over here to fight a Korean female boxer. She is an amazing representative and spokeswoman for our sport because she knows so many of us female boxers beyond just our names, she protects us boxers and fights for what's fair like a mother but cheers us on and gives advice like an older sister. And every time I see her she always gives me a big, warm western hug. Today she called me to ask me about what's going on regarding Korean boxing -- KBA, KBC and the two other quarrelling organisations. She's just as confused about it all as all us actually in it are and that's what I told her. We talked more about it and also about an upcoming big match of particular interest to me. We also discussed my championship match I had two years ago, a fight in which many present still bring up and frown over, a fight that I wanted to clear somethings up over and get off my chest.
So that's how my day started, not as expected but on such a surprising note. Oh, and I should note here that instead of heading out for a morning run, I ditched it because of the chilly ran and instead ate a full bag of candy. I don't even own candy, well not usually, but I bought some to hand out today to our Hulkies. I justified it all by stating that I never got to experience my pre-fight milk and bread overdose, a "tradition" that I never fail to do when I am cutting mad weight for a fight. So today I overdosed on pumpkin caramel candy from Diaso and I don't think I'll ever eat another piece...well maybe one.
So I put the new lighting up today, chatted with the IFBA President (and consequently one of Korea's female champions), overdosed on pumpkin candies, and then geared up for training because the mix of excitement over the coolness of the lights and the phone call, mixed with the ultra sugar high caused by the candies meant I couldn't stay still.
Do I feel guilty about my sugar rush overdose? Absolutely not. What I do feel somewhat uneasy about though is the drop of cash I handed over today for the club's new heating system...ouch. Snickers installed it tonight just in time to warm up the place for the Spooky Movie Night.
Our Spooky Movie Night was a success but it wasn't until the first movie ended that it really became the kind of party that I really liked -- a small, adults-only kind of party. After the first movie, many of our party goers went home and while we started cleaning up a bit and setting up for the next movie, Hulkies had pulled up their chairs to our new coal heater and started chatting. From there, sitting by the coal heater, our party went from being a casual get together to being a bare-all open discussion, especially when the drinks started pouring. It had turned into quite the party and I had quite liked the unexpected turn it took. It's always interesting who comes to our events as it's also interesting who doesn't. Those who came had made our event their evening plans, one even secretly planned a party surprise to be delivered to us, and I really, really appreciated it.
I know tonight's event wasn't some crazy, show-stopping wild party that'd be talked about for weeks, nor did we want it to be, but it was an evening we wanted to share and enjoy with others. I for one was never allowed to really celebrate Halloween growing up because of my parents roles within the church and my own religious beliefs but this isn't Canada, I am not a child and my life isn't just about me anymore. I don't particularly care for Halloween but I enjoyed planning it all for our Hulkies to enjoy. I felt great pride whenever I saw a random Hulking snapping shots of our festively decorated club because I knew then that they really liked the effort I had put forth for them. Korea isn't big on Halloween but we're big on our Hulkies and that's exactly why we did it, why we decorated the club and made a special event for them. We wanted us all to enjoy another memory with each other and that's exactly what we did tonight, perhaps more so with those who stayed for the "after party" but hey, I can only leave it at that because what happened at our after party stays at the after party... hahaha [wink, wink].
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