It's From the Top Down...

 The guy that inspects local restaurants for the health department is quite eloquent when reporting his (or her) findings. These reports sometimes take almost a full page of the paper each week they are published. Some establishments have zero violations. I eat out often and I can usually make an educated guess about whether a place would or would not have violations of the health code which may not really have anything to do with how good the food is. There is though one thing in common in these negative reports. 

The first complaint is usually, "must have onsite manager." That means there is no one present at the top to educate employees that there should be no slime in the ice machine, that the drink nozzles do not have black mold and that food is not stored next to chemicals. I mean this should be common sense but some one has to get the ball rolling, a manager that knows stuff and I can only imagine how this is going to go when the department of education is eliminated. 

Back about the turn of the century there was one summer Cathy and Mary got involved in Taekwondo. They went crazy working out and going to tournaments and Morgan and I decided if we were going to see them again we better participate also. This turned into about a 12 year run for me and many personal successes for all of us with the kids working teaching martial arts while in college. Cathy and I also taught a bit. 

Parents brought their kids to the school because they heard all about how Taekwondo was good for increasing physical activity, discipline, attention span and perseverance. That's all correct but one thing that was glaringly apparent was if the parent did not have these things an instructor teaching a class 45 minutes a couple of times a week was not going to instill them. Sure some of these kids got a black belt but for great success you must lead from the top down. An instructor could tell what it was like for a kid at home. With good groundwork by parents kids took to martial arts like a duck to water. 

I could not help but notice this week how President Trump criticized an Episcopal Bishop in her appeal for him to show mercy for marginalized people. She was leading from the top down. Trump also leading from the top down rejected one of the main ideas of Christianity and called her tone "nasty." 

How long before you are at a restaurant, find a fly in your soup and when brought to the waiter's attention they say, "nasty in tone, not compelling or smart" remember, before you resort to Taekwondo it all starts at the top.   

             

    

My Taekwondo Instructor Passes...

Sad to say today my taekwondo instructor, 6th Degree Master J.D. Olford has passed away. It's been about three years since I worked out or taught a class at his school here in Lufkin but under his instruction Cathy competed for world champ forms and sparring, I competed for world champ forms and Morgan and Mary competed for world champ several times and taught at his school while going to high school and college. We were all state champs several times in our various age classes. You don't get that kind of instruction and through it those opportunities everywhere. 

Thanks J. D. for what you gave us. 

Hauled This to the Dump Last Week...

I hauled this little lawn mower trailer overflowing with old Taekwondo trophies to the dump last week. They were things me, my wife, Morgan and Mary had won at competitions dating back as far as 1999. It's about half of the amount I have thrown away and there are still odds and ends such a pendant medals and a few trophies tucked here and there around the house. 

Some of the trophies won at world TKD tournaments stood waist high to me. That was from the good old days when school owners tried to one up each other with their trophy size. Most were not savable and had rotting particle board bases. Now a days medals are mostly pendants. They are easy to store and display and the student looks like he has won the Olympics. 

These trophies represent a lot of hard work, travel and perseverance in many various forms. I miss it a bit and remember how much time I spent to bring my skills to a presentable level. I remember the pride I felt when my wife and kids did well. I missed it a bit this weekend when me and Morgan visited a local school owner in Bryan/College Station and looked around his school. I am thankful for the training I got at Master Olford's school here in Lufkin. 

Things move on. I have kept busy. Sorry everyone for this big carbon footprint.     

Looks Like Little Rock This Year...

Mary continues on the tournament trail with a 1st in sparring and 3rd in forms last weekend in Humble. She is currently ranked middle of the pack Top Ten in the world sparring. If this ranking holds she will compete for world champ in Little Rock this summer.










Thanks to Miguel for the photos, I had to work so no old manning around at the tournament for me.

Black Belt Nationals, Dallas, TX...

Mary was at her usual best at yesterday's Black Belt National Tournament held in Dallas Texas. Here you see her form, she lost out on a tough tie breaker but placed 1st in sparring. The points from this should score her in the top ten in the world leading to a possible trip to the world Tournament in Little Rock this summer if she maintains the standings.
Here's Mary sparring. You can see other Lufkin folk looking on in the distant background.
As for my tournament they did not like anything I had. Low form scores, did not seem to see any contact I made sparring other than this illegal punch to the face, captured so vividly by Mary. This is what happens when you don't feel like they are calling your points, you push harder, hit harder and end up making dumb mistakes. I guess i can't really complain, after all I will be another year older this week, I have had a pretty good run, placing if I remember correctly, the record can be researched on this blog, at all National Events I have attended the past three or four years. I did not really put much prep time into the material this time and there were a bunch of guys younger, new to the ring and hungrier than me. Morgan also felt he made a rusty showing, it's been difficult for him to train, the nearest ATA school is 40 miles from his home.
After the tournament paid a visit to cousin David and his wife Kathy. They live in Plano. We had a meal at a Red White and Blue BBQ joint decorated with photos and music memorabilia of the great regional blues performers and venues of the Texas and Louisiana music circuit.

Taekwondo Pictures...

Recently had a photographer come to the Taekwondo school and make portraits. I chose this several shot collage. Looks like me does it not?

By the way that's a real kick, caught in action. I did not have to have Mary hold my leg up there or anything and then have her photo shopped out later. That's a real real sword, the one Juan made me, with the rattle snake scabbard. They did not think it was a good idea to take my photo riding a lion and all that, you know animal rights these days.

More Tournament Fun...

Here is a pretty new event for the American Taekwondo Association, combat weapon sparring. In this photo, a little blurry because of the speed Mary jumps to land a blow with the short stick. She placed second in the event. Looks like two schools of thought in scoring points for this competition. Jump strikes count more, but some go low working it out one point at a time. This event got Cathy's attention. She thinks she could do well, she has long arms with minimal physical conditioning required. Some say the sparring is 80% mental, 20% physical. Mary might have an unfair advantage, depending on the competitions birth order. See, the youngest in the family learns to pick up a stick and use it as a force multiplier against older brothers and sisters at a very young age. Mary has been stick fighting a long time, very experienced.

Mary also took 1st forms, second sparring.

















Morgan's eyes gleam inside his sparring gear. He took a first in the long range staff.

Lufkin Tournament Time...

Master Olford held his regional tournament at The Angelina College Gym yesterday with many out of town guests arriving to compete and help out. Here's a shot from the opening ceremonies. Total participants 703 with over 1200 separate entries for such events as tradition weapons and sparring, creative and extreme forms and weapons.
Special guest was Mrs. Sun Lee Chairman of the American Taekwondo Association and wife of the late Eternal Grand Master Lee. She received the Key to the City from Mayor Jack Gordon. That's Master Olford standing far left who also received an award from the Mayor for meritorious service to the City of Lufkin.
No awards from the city to me, but not a bad day for the old guy competition wise. Here I am doing my weapon, the double son jah bong. That's the Korean word for what the Chinese and Americans call num-chucks. I placed 1st weapons, and 3rd in forms and sparring.

2010 Black Belt Nationals...

Traveled to Dallas for a national American Taekwondo event, the 2010 Black Belt Nationals. Here's Master Olford, our instructor with Mary, Nick, Morgan and Rolando.

It was a good tournament for me, I placed second in sparring. Took winning three matches to get to the fourth for first and second, only loosing that one. Not bad at all for a national event, I felt for no more training than I have done, I teach mostly now, that I really had good stuff today. Did not place my form.

Morgan spars. He placed 3rd in forms. Mary did not place. She had a good form score that would have placed a regional event but not good enough for a national where judges are tougher.

Lufkin Black belts again, Neemisha, Morgan, Nick, Mary and Rolando.

Got These in the Mail...

Got my Taekwondo Certificates from the 2009 competition year in the mail last week. This one is a certificate of competitive achievement, 9th in the world for forms, American Taekwondo Association, 50-59 age class. It's for the World Tournament held last June in Little Rock where I competed but did not place in the top three. Points gathered for the year at other tournaments placed me in the 9th spot. With my placing now all of us, Cathy, Mary, Me and Morgan have competed in the Top Ten big show one year or the other over the last 10 years since we began this sport with Morgan doing the best, a second place one year. Cathy did well one year qualifying in both forms and sparing.

I also hauled in Texas State Champ for the second year in a row, no tournament competition for this, but just the competitor in each state with the most tournament points each year.

I am not the best and it's doubtful I will ever make world champ, but I am proud to be able to perform at a level that is competitive at national and world events. That's a credit to the instruction received at our school, click the link on the web page side bar for more info. There were also two more from our school to compete Top Ten and make state champs.

Sad to say, I won't be state champ this year. New Tournament year began in June and for one reason or another I have been busy with other things with higher priority. There is an up coming regional tournament in Dallas in November and in January or February there is a new national event, held in L.A last year and rotated to Dallas this year for black belts only with the big Las Vegas tournament to follow soon after. Could be a dark horse...

Worlds 2009...

No glory for Carl yesterday at the 2009 American Taekwondo Association World Championships in Little Rock. I qualified in the Top Ten in the world in my age division for forms. Here I do my form. I guess I have to be content with the achievement of getting there, I did not go to many tournaments this year, but placed well in the ones I attended. Tall guy standing to my right, hands on hips took world champ forms and sparring.

Does standing on one leg like this make my butt look big? I may have to stop doing that. I did have enough points to win Texas State Champ for the second year in a row. Flags on the back wall in addition to the U.S. and Korean are from the ATA, WTTU and STF, the various ways our association is known around the world.

Two more students from our school qualified for Top Ten, Mrs. Willis and Miss Rowjee, but no place for them either. People ask me about our school and I tell them that the instruction is good enough to get you to the big show.


If you don't place you get a nice little ribbon, kind of like a military decoration that if you go on and spent a couple of thousand on instructor camps you can then get a blue suit like Senior Master Lee has on here as I shake his hand and wear the ribbons to let folks know your story.

One of my TKD friends from the Midland school joked that the Top Ten ribbon cost him $10,000. I hate to hear that because through the years Cathy was Top Ten Forms and sparring, Morgan was Top Ten (placed second sparring at worlds) Mary has been Top Ten twice and now me. That's a lot of late night driving, bad sleeping on hard hotel beds, fast food, getting up early, staying late, judging rings, and so on on a tournament trail that has lead from Orlando to Las Vegas through Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.

I guess you have to take the journey in perspective. First time I went to worlds as a 1st degree black belt I thought I was ready. Got my hat handed to me, nothing. Since then I have continued to progress and work as I have been able to be competitive at world and national tournaments. May be by the time I hit that 60-69 ring I will be hitting my prime. You know how it goes, the older you will get...

Happy Father's Day...

Here's a couple of dads, me and Quince at Mary's graduation a few weeks ago. We continue our 30 year bromance at every opportunity we get. May be we will make one of those movies, no not one of those movies but one of those new bromance movies.

There are some upcoming movies to be made this week. Our little state school band, we play a dance once a month for the residents there, gets an award, Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) Vision Award in the Wellness category. I have been doing this for about 9 years, thanks to Dan and Runt, who have been doing it for 20 odd for having me along.

I am currently ranked 9th in the world, American Taekwondo Association, (my age bracket) for forms. I get to compete for world champ in Little Rock on Friday.

Saturday is The Lufkin High School Alumni Band Concert. I'll play tuba. Proceeds benefit the scholarship fund.

More Rocking From Relay for Life...

Here's a young band, I think they called themselves Falling Forward or something like that. Pretty good, well rehearsed, I did not know any of the songs. I think it might have been what they call Christan Rock.

I am not too familiar with that kind of music but it is pretty big I think. I play at church and all that but it's liturgical music, kind of Mexican folk songs and old Catholic favorites. Lots of polka type stuff which on it's good days can kind of veer into gypsy territory. That's why I am not up on the latest stuff, to busy with something else.

From the back, hey I got back stage at a gig!

Nick and Marshall. Both Black Belts from the Taekwondo school, Marshall plays with us in the Stone Wall Rockers sometimes, Nick teaches at the TKD school and is up for drum line leader on Mary's graduation. Young men doing lots of things well.

Morgan Does Well at Tournament...

Morgan did well at Master Rose's Taekwondo tournament in Dallas this weekend. Double 1st forms and sparring. That's great, he is in a real tough division.

This is an old picture from last year of him judging a ring at Worlds.

I guess I should have gone up there and competed myself, may be a little of that would have rubbed off on me. Most activities here were a rain out Saturday.

Today I ran the sound board at 9am Mass, played music at RCIA, rehearsed with the Stonewall Rockers for a gig next weekend and then played for our usual Mass at 5.

Make up some lost time tomorrow. Off work, we play for a funeral at 10 and then it's out to the lake.

Sky Pictures...

What a weekend, very busy. I did not have my camera with me so I'll narrate it with some sky and field pictures Cathy made last week around the house that I think are pretty good.

Friday night I played harp with the Stone Wall Rockers for the Pink Pearl Pajama Party Benefit for the American Cancer Society. Next Stone Wall gig is a road trip to Longview on March 13th.


Saturday was the Humble Texas Taekwondo tournament. Got up at 4:30am to drive there. Mary placed 1st sparring, Morgan placed second in all categories, form, sparring and weapon, I placed second in form, third in sparring. Not bad for me considering the amount of time I have spent training lately. Most of the time I am teaching white, orange and yellow belts on Monday and Wednesday. I drill the fundementals, but not getting the cardio workout I need to really be competitive. On top of the competition I judged in several rings including a ring of tiny tigers which are 5 year olds. That was a first. I usually don't do tigers. I also forgot my camera which is why there are no TKD pictures, first time in nine years I have not taken a camera to a tournament.

But as life goes on with all this fun there is sadness. A guy I used to work with at the mill passed this weekend. Bob was an old biker dude and some times, back in the day when my hair was long people got us mixed up. They would ask me how the bike was or they would tell him how much they like what he played at church Sunday. He lived a few miles from here and when our kids were little they often played together. I'll keep his family in my prayers.

Sometimes I Think About My Own Business...

Ever get tired of the daily grind? Think about may be getting your own thing going on? I hang around the Taekwondo school a lot and while some might dream of having their own school, I know that one day I'll be too old for all those kicks and punches or I will jump, bend or squat and rip my trousers and then I will be too embarrassed to keep training up there.


So my idea, and your own business seems to always combine two things, one which you like to do and one thing we usually don't like to do which is work, into one thing. I like to cook, among other hobbies so I think it would be real great to open an Asian Tak-Key-Outee food joint right next to the Taekwondo school.


You used to see a bunch of these things in the French Quarter on Bourbon St. A long narrow room, four tables against one long wall with a counter which you order from and stand there watching a guy (me!) cooking your greasy rat or shrimp on a stick, sticky fried rice and limp over cooked veggies. You know the kind of menu I'm talking about, stuff that tastes real good when you are hungry as heck or real drunk.

Location is everything and I figure with the Asian motif right next to the Taekwondo school coupled with lots of hungry kids finishing a work out business would boom. Of course may be I am a little mean and really want to see the kids in their white karate outfits squeezing sweet and sour sauce out of little plastic packets and getting it all over them.

Other people have had similar ideas and made them work. Here is the Taekwondo school in Evansville, Indiana, I have worked out here before on a previous visit, they are the same association as us. Seems the target market for the business next door is a little different, but you get the drift. You could probably see people getting stuff all over them too.

Taekwondo Christmas Party...

Here is the food line, stretched way out as people wait in line to eat at our Taekwondo School Christmas party. I think we counted 110 folks eating and eat the did. It was pot luck and do not think there was enough left to fill a good pot.

Mary and Miguel goofing off.













Mary serving at the desert table is like the fox guarding the hen house.