Tae Kwon Do / About a Boy / Black Belt

I received my Tae Kwon Do black belt yesterday. It was the best thing I could do for myself. A twenty five year journey with stops and starts. Below is the 500 word essay I was required to submit for my testing criteria. I share it now...

My Tae Kwon Do Journey

By
TANYA TAIMANGLO
February 2015
USTA

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”—Lao Tzu

My journey in Tae Kwon Do began 25 years ago when at the age of 16, I joined my first dojang in Guam. I had been familiar with this school for four years prior, but never had the courage to join the class. I sat in the back while my two younger brothers moved up in the ranks. During those four years of observation, many of the tenets of Tae Kwon Do seeped into my being. My father would nudge me to join from time to time, but not having the courage to do so, I declined, even when my father added, “You need to honor your Korean culture and mom by joining.”

My first Master, Hyung Ho Lee was young, skillful, and proud. Classes were on the second level of an old two story building. The hard wood floors were not pristine, but the wide windows brought in the fresh ocean air. For five years, I continued to move up slowly in belt rank, ending my time with Master Lee at a high blue belt. Belt testing happened only every six months, and with graduating from high school and beginning college, I advanced slowly, but surely.

I remember the day that would be my last with Master Lee. I was competing in an island wide Tae Kwon Do tournament. I was 21 at the time. Prior to that, I had some success with poomse and sparring competitions, gaining further confidence and trophies with each year. But, this day was different. I was unfocused, because I was transitioning socially. I had my first date that evening (in my entire life), which is late by today’s standards. I lost the tournament, already abandoning Tae Kwon Do for a boy. For six years, while I established my teaching career and hoped for marriage with the boy I had my first date with, I let my physical self deteriorate. At the age of 27, I found myself suddenly single, unhappy, and unhealthy.

My knee jerk response was to join Tae Kwon Do again. Master Lee no longer had a gym, and I found Master Chuuth Sekria. He welcomed me at my blue belt level, but I saw his disappointment when he realized that I lost much of my training. That first week in his class was frightening, with a weaker me struggling to not faint. I made it though and even got a few teacher friends to join with me. For the next three years, I flourished. Advancement came quicker and I realized that Master Sekria was both a teacher and a business man. At the age of 28, I reconnected with a childhood friend, who is now my husband. My husband was in the Navy, and I knew that after our wedding I would relocate to California. Master Sekria knew my time on Guam was limited. With an upcoming belt test, he told me, “I’m going to give you your junior black belt, then you’re getting married and leaving our gym.” It was true, once again, I was leaving Tae Kwon Do “for a boy.”

My new focus was marriage and starting a family. Fast forward ten years and another military move to Washington State. My son joined USTA after two years of proving his worthiness. His first class brought back many memories of sitting in the back with my father. I was filled with pride and at home with the familiar sights and sounds of the dojang.

When Master Ekle announced that parents would be invited to practice for free, my immediate reaction was YES. I’ve been with my new dojang and new Master now since October 2014. It has been the best reinvention of myself, even if my Korean mother thinks I’m “too old.” I’m proving that at age 40, it’s never too late to strive for a goal. My goal is my black belt.

My father passed away in 2007, but I’m certain that he would be proud to know that a black belt is in my grasp. I’m thankful for the opportunity to put my body and mind to the test. This time, I joined a dojang and embraced Tae Kwon Do again “for a boy”, my son.

Guam Goddess in Training Does a Book Review! 'Scarlet Lies' By Lani Young

“Scarlet, are you a cynic?”
“No, I’m a realist. I think you’ll find many romance writers are.”

*SPOILERS.

This is a book review of Lani Young’s ‘Scarlet Lies’ (Book One of the Scarlet Series). I was excited to receive this book from Lani herself in April. There are so many reasons I love anything Lani does and so many ways I loved ‘Scarlet Lies’ even before reading it. For one, Lani has become one of the strongest female voices for Pasifika writers. Her ‘Telesa’ series (YA) is a force upon itself. Young’s work is important because it offers islanders of all backgrounds a connection to characters who reflect their culture. We need more stories about US in this sea of literature, and she is a pioneer. Photo:jennphotog.com

I nibbled at ‘Scarlet Lies’ at first, getting to know Scar, the heroine of this story. Sometimes I devoured entire sections of the book; much like Scar would when faced with a tasty dessert. I had many LOL moments and many moments of cultural connectedness. I’ve discovered so much of the Samoan life reflects my life as a Chamorro from Guam. As I jumped from chapter to chapter, I highlighted sections in blue that hinted at Scar’s tortured past, pink for cultural observations, and brown for progression in her connection with love interest, Jackson.

Jackson=perfection. I’ll leave it there and let you discover more about him. #JasonMomoa

Young does an excellent job of giving you glimpses of the true pain that Scar has lived with. The Scarlet Letter A, so to speak that she’s been branded with controls her life in so many ways. And aren’t we all tortured by something in our past? Being from an island, they don’t let you forget it, do they?

The writing, every delicious layer, kept me eager to find out more about Scar. The broken Goddess that she is, Scar begins an evolution in this story. Scar is such a real person in my mind that I want to be her friend and bask in her unknowing awesomeness. I love that she is a dessert fiend and also blogs. Big Brown Beeetch.com, I wish it existed, trust me I checked. But Scar’s blog exists in this book and Young folds it into the story expertly. And Lani's blog link is here.

Without giving away too much more about this lovely story, because you should really get a copy and read it for yourself, I will praise Young’s writing magic and the journey I took with Scar. I identified with lovely Scar immediately—from being more woman than the norm #curves, to her predilection for anything sweet #croquembouche, and her admiration for sculptured physiques #mancandy, ‘Scarlet Lies’ is a complex, sophisticated dessert of a story and I cannot wait for the next serving, ‘Scarlet Secrets’.

Solitude Makes Me a Better Me.

"I only go out to get me a fresh appetite for being alone."
--Lord Byron

Random fact: I attended both my junior and senior high school proms alone, or stag as it was called. I didn’t stress that I was dateless. I had my bestie with me and we had fun. I only bring this random fact up because as I was sitting in my mechanical massage chair getting a pedicure yesterday, and the many young ladies around me were discussing prom. I was privy to their schedule for the day, with nails getting done, hair and make up later and so forth. It was nice to see their enthusiasm. It’s been great seeing my friends' children’s prom pics on Facebook, reminding me that time has surely flown.

I have a good seven years or so before my first born is in the throngs of prom season. I want him to know, and my daughter to know when it’s her time that going “stag” or whatever they may call it in the future is fine. Not going at all, not a big deal either. You won’t get screwed up later in life despite the messages we get in movies or books or TV, as in Pretty in Pink, when Annie Potts’s character, Iona tells Molly Ringwald’s character, Andie that she had a friend who didn’t go to prom and is now “off’ somehow.

I’m also reading, and enjoying Paper Towns by John Green, where prom is a hot button topic. (Book review soon/in tandem with a movie review once I see it).

Here's Seventeen magazine's take on going to prom solo and I agree (except for the high heels thing). LINK, yo!

Solitude is a good thing. To be alone and to like yourself, that’s a healthy thing. I’ve had many opportunities to explore this, from eating alone in a restaurant, attending a concert solo (many, actually), and heading to a part of town that I don’t particularly like just to attend an author signing (as in Joe Hill). I know when the house is quiet, that I will be fine. I crave some solitude daily and use it, well heck, mostly to do chores, but more importantly to check in with myself.

As my family is playing golf in our backyard, and checking on wildlife (we have a raccoon family under our hot tub), I’m carving out a bit of time to write, in solitude.

I may feel this way too because I am an introvert, but alone time will always be my party time.

United Roots Event-Island Night at The Jet Club

Me, stay out until 2:30 AM? Unheard of, at least in the last ten years (I even wore contacts, that's major). But, being a part of United Roots, a group gelling to promote Guam/Marianas culture, I did. I'm happy to be connected to a group of twelve talented Chamorros/Guamanians. Just sharing the Animoto videos I created to commemorate last night's fun.

Biba, Chamorro! Biba, Guam! Biba, Ma Tulaika! And, Biba, to cha cha dancing in a 2' x 5' space. It was awesome to see our elders smile, dance, and enjoy.

Matilda

Matilda does the LIBRARY correctly.

Emerald City Comic Con

Mission meet Stan Lee. Complete. Excelsior!

Mission meet Isaac Marion, author of Warm Bodies (which is also a good movie). Complete.

“In my mind I am eloquent; I can climb intricate scaffolds of words to reach the highest cathedral ceilings and paint my thoughts. But when I open my mouth, everything collapses.”
― Isaac Marion, Warm Bodies

Emerald City Comic Con became a lovely reality when my awesome husband said, "Go, forth, Geeky Wife and have fun."

So, without a pass, and with a fellow Geeky mom, we set off early to Seattle. Within three minutes of arriving we were armed with passes and off exploring.

It was my first excursion to Emerald City's version of Comic Con, but it won't be my last. It was a manageable con, after what I like to think is a crazy big con; being initiated via San Diego Comic Con in 2011 and 2012. If you're afraid of large crowds, then that's not the con for you. But, ECCC might be your fit.

Overall, I was happy with ECCC. There were great writers and artists. It was nice to gaze at the likes of Tyler Hoechlin (Teen Wolf) and Scott Wilson (Hershel from the Walking Dead).

Being in Stan Lee's easygoing presence was great. Especially when my first picture was blurry and they declared a retake. So, upon sidling up to Mr. Lee, and smiling, he said, "You go girl." And go I did, because my 10 seconds of basking in his genius geek glory was over.

The nicest surprise was meeting Isaac Marion. When he politely accepted my request for a photo, he rose, and kept rising and I craned my neck to look up at his scruffy brown beard. Like a dufus, I declared, "Wow. You are tall!" He replied, "Yeah, that's why it might be better to stay seated." Although I told him to sit if he was more comfortable, he didn't and I ended up with a great picture next to a tall awesome author who writes of love and zombies, and I looked like the happiest Pacific Islander Asian hobbit next to this statue of a man, but that was okay.

Future Mission. Meet Kevin "Silent Bob" Smith.

COSPLAY!

Once Upon a Mickey.

Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows. ~John Betjeman, Summoned by Bells

Mickey Mouse and Disneyland were never big highlights in my life. Wonder Woman and Bruce Lee, well that’s another story if you know me. I didn’t actually set foot in Disneyland until I was 28 during a vacation with my fiancé in California.

But yesterday, when I walked into a thrift store to scour shelves for books, comics, or geek toys, (my regular pastime), I found a vintage Mickey Mouse piggy bank and I didn’t even realize that I missed it until I saw his cute self on the toy shelf.

I had a similar 1971 Mickey bank as a child in Massachusetts. I recall that when my dad left the Army for life back in Guam, that bank made it home with me. I can’t tell you when Mickey left my life, but I’m quite sure I had him throughout my grade school years. I remember collecting my coins from chores and birthday gifts into that Mickey. I remember my grandpa on the hard floor and me earning a dollar for walking on his back to relieve his sore muscles (a Guam thing). I would fold each dollar neatly and use smelly masking tape to wrap my cash, wrote the date on the tape and pushed my earnings into the back of Mickey’s head. I recall the smell of the bank’s plastic, the red shirt and green button and his smiling face. So much of that bank reminded me of some 30+ years ago and simpler times.

I was glad to bring home vintage Mickey for $3.99. Considering, this bank goes from $15.00 to $275.00 online; I’m thankful to have found a piece of my childhood.