so proud...

Now THAT was a black belt test. I'm so proud of Mel and Ken I could burst. Which I guess is quite possible, since I was holding my breath for so much of their test.

Sometimes you get those fleeting moments where you invest so heavily in someone and suddenly you see them shine. And somehow all the hours and frustrations and sometimes tedious efforts because more than worth it. I had some of those moments when coaching at MIT...the first time women's B won 1st place...when N won at Collegiate Nationals...when JoHo broke his spinning hook kick board break...I guess it was easier to have such emotional highs as a coach when I had the whole team...but today I got another strong taste of that in the context of the dojang and in a long term sense.

With these two it wasn't really frustrating or tedious, they're two of the most motivated people I've ever met. But after the test I was downright giddy along with them at how strong they were. Sometimes you see hard work and determination really bring out the best in people, and that's what I had the pleasure of witnessing today...

Gosh...I love teaching. Not just for these moments, but because you can really make a difference in someone's life (and in so doing, they make a difference in yours). The relationships built through such intensely shared experiences really sneak up on you over time. It's so challenging to work with so many different types of students, but it's just a puzzle waiting to be figured out...and when you figure it out together, you get some pretty spectacular results.

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I love my friends. I love sitting around, doing nothing, telling stories and laughing. What a spontaneous night of hanging out (as much as I normally don't deal well with spontaneity)...I really ought to laugh more in the course of each day. We all should! "Eighth or moss" =)

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"Tomato" is back...only the best K drama ever. =) Well, my favorite. Perhaps it's predictable but...so good.

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I love gentlemen. I've been noticing these things lately esp. at work when I have to take elevators and go through doors a lot, but the little things that people do are so nice sometimes - someone who holds a door, waits for you to get in or out of the elevator first, picks up a bag for you...haha I remember when we were in Turkey and Coachie P would make sure to walk on the outside of the street. I was like, what are you doing? And he was saying how in Oklahoma it's unheard of NOT to do all these chilvalrous things, like walking on the outside of the street, and opening the passenger door for a girl. If anything he was surprised that we'd gotten used to doing everything ourselves. But in any event...I really appreciate the gentlemen in my life.