Amanda Takes Off...

"Good Man, can you cook? Or does your mom cook everything?"

"I can cook ramyeon."

I giggled. "The food of college boys. Ramyeon and grilled cheese sandwiches."

"In the military, we had to sneak food. We ate ramyeon."

I was confused, "Didn't you eat at normal times?"

"US Army, Korean Army, different. My job was very hard and I was always busy, so no, we didn't always eat. But we would eat ramyeon, but we had to sneak it, so we would make a hole."

I couldn't stop laughing. He was telling this story so seriously, and I just kept thinking of his "hiding in my army hat" text message, so I was imagining him cooking ramyeon in his helmet. "What?"

"Yeah. We would make a tiny hole in the packet, put the hot water in it. Wait. Then eat."

I remembered my friend Mark's story about cooking ramyeon in a hostel in Europe by running hot water over it in the sink. I told that to Good Man and he said very seriously, "We didn't make much money, and we had to sneak around. Ramyeon was very precious."

I went to tonight's class, which was extremely short. I warmed up with 400 turns of the jump rope and some light stretching, then started practicing forms. After 20 mins or so, Master and our new Sabumnim (who shall be Sabumnim the Third or Sabumnim the Man, I'm not sure yet) came in.

Turns out I'm the only one in my class testing. I believe that was the case last year, too. In fact, many names have been wiped off the white board. Yesterday Master told me that many students visited their grandparents over their school vacation and thus haven't been practicing.

Master called me to the front and had me do Koryeo with and without count. Then he had me do some other forms: Sa Jang, Yuk Jang, Chil Jang, Pal Jang. Pal Jang and Yuk Jang are fine, I adore Chil Jang (it was my random form last year), but Sa Jang caused me to wrinkle my nose and look at him. He laughed, because he knew what I was thinking.

Main point: Master said there are two methods of kicking. Sparring method is a quick snap, while poomse method is to hold the leg fully extended for a moment before returning. He said I am right between both methods and to hold the leg for a second longer before returning. He also said to go for slightly lower kicked with stronger form rather than a sort of whipping kicking motion.

Koryeo: On the return, end with hand in front of face, pause, then move to neck and sweep across body. I wasn't pausing in front of face. Also during elbow strike, palm needs to be flat against fist.

Pal Jang: No comment.

Chil Jang and Yuk Jang: Kicking comment.

Sa Jang: Apseogi, then apkubi!

Master then asked if I wanted to spar. He said he didn't think I needed it. I said, "I don't want to. But I need to."

Master grinned and called Goalie's Brother up to spar. His only advice was "do like always, Amanda Style."

Master told me to meet him at the testing location at 2:20 tomorrow. He said to bring my ARC and passport, even though we don't think that I'll need the passport this time. He told me to run through each form once, then mentally several times. "Amanda, you pass, OK!" I laughed and he said, "I...everyday, OK! I think, always, OK!"

OK!