judopup

guess wht i got...

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:51:53 GMT

Was over to johns 2day - another blast down the m4. Got the commute tomorrow - did it today in about 25 minutes - though i missed my turning, so carried onto the roundabout and went that way. Still slightly worried about how she's sounding - she is a bit snarlie around the 4-5000 rev range. Dont know why - may just be me being precious. Maybe she needs an oil change. She doesnt fit through the gate, so shes sitting behind sarahs car sulking in the rain, with about 5000 bolts and alarms on.

Went over to the biker school too today (clearly to show off). My old teacher loved the bike - was very happy for me. Theyre doing a ride out on the 17th and he asked if i wanted to go along... so if the bike is all sorted... theyre going to the dams and riding up there - should be awesome.

I tried to get linda a newspaper - but they had the same ones as we have in cardiff - so i didnt. Though i did get nice and lost on the mors down on the gower, That was great fun. Carried on riding till i got thurroughly lost down little windy lanes... and ended up at the sea. It was fantastic. Even had a bird of pray sweep past me at 1 point.... eventually when it got dark i checked into a pub to get directions, and then headed over to the grandparents who took me out for dinner! Can you loose!?

Hehe...

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:38:59 GMT

I'm excited.

For many reasons.

:)

Mainly because 2008 is coming to an end. Yes - possibly the worst year on record is finally over, and most of me made it through. I finally have the international holligan (big bike) endorsement on my driving licence, and am currently trying to find my dream bike... on a budget... without actually knowing what my dream bike is... its tricky! Just know i dont want anything generic...

My break from judo has done me the world of good. I bought my medals back with me from home and are now sitting on my shelf, reminding me of the long hours i have put into martial arts over the years... and therefore, i am now longing to get back on the mats again after 2 month of gym and pool. Think I may take up a new martial art in the new year -or at least restart a new one. mmm...

Work tomorrow - christmas was 2 short!

Moment in time

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:39:50 GMT

Had one of those moments today. One of those moments when you see all around youwith instant clarity for a split second. Was walking home from the gym... under an underpass... where a guy was busking playing the jaz sax... fireworks going off for Guy Faulks day in every direction rouind the city. Walked under the subway, nodded to the musician, wished him a good night, he nodded back, and his music carried me home.

past and future..

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:30:30 GMT

I think it is a valid point tht one tends to reflect on the past more when one has little to do in the present... so it is with this in mind tht i make this post.

I had friday off last week making this a long weekend - so now that its sunday afternoon, im lounging on the sofa having a time out. I got some news on friday that was good. I went to hospital to have some ultrsound scans done. Its for something i have known is wrong since a year last easter... but what with the travel and my aversion to recieving bad news... and the fact that i dint want people to worry unessassarily... i never really got round to getting it checked out. Went to the docs a few weeks back... he sent me to the hospital for emergency scans... and finally on friday, scans showed that it wasnt cancerous... Its a sort of 15 months weight off my mind... and accordingly rather good news... even if most dont have a clue what im tlking about.

Im training with more purpose again... after wht seems like a 9 month slump. I am slightly concious my life seems to be devoted to law and judo.... which im guessing isnt good. But still.

My new kitchen is being put in - thats pretty cool... ooo ... and i have a new bed. Its bigger - and less... single. I so need to get new sheets for it though.

Im bored - im off - need to workout.

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:10:53 GMT

Wow - its been ages since i wrote on here... and with good reason. Ive been working flat out. I passed my LPC... even if spectcularly unspectacularly, and was unemployed all of 2 weeks before I got the job I am at now. Im now working at a decent new firm, just working on litigation. No training contract, but good paralegal experence. Still dont exactly know what my job is... it tnds to change day to day. It ranges from doing instructing experts on half a million pound claims, to photocopying papers to send to counsel. i think my more mundain work isvery much paying for the more interesting stuff atm... but still. Yeh - great fun though, and great experience.
Quite tiring though.
judo s going quite well. Im making good progress, especially with the gymnastic side of things, though things have slowed down as a few people are away at the mo. But im training pretty much every day again. So thats cool. Im aiming to start fighting again in november. there are a few team matches to warm up on... then hopefully that will put me in form to start competing again.
MMM... job this weekend - find a motorbike driving school - im wanting new adventure...

revision blues

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:14:19 GMT

How is it SO cold in this library... in May??
Revising hard and getting nowhere - not my cheerful sell thismorning. I need coffee. But i also know i need to stop living on coffee - its a difficult balance. My revision isnt going too badly i guess - im not really behind schedule - so i guess its in hand. Had an amaizing day yesturday. We went to the Wales Grand Slam celebrations in the millenium stadium - steriophonics, feeder, some randoms - was a good laugh. had to cringe a bit when they showed the reply of there fluke win against england - but hey - it was very cool. Right - i gotta go back to work!

Fri, 23 May 2008 21:51:06 GMT

So... last week exam results way beond my dreams... this week, 2 paralegal job interviews with great firms, and 1 vacation scheme with a really great firm. Yay! I know it means nothing in itself, but its a step in the right direction. Well - several shuffles. I have redoubled efforts, applying for more jobs - interveiws are fun :P
I think the ones i have had interviews with may (or may not) get back to me next week. We shall see.

One of the interviews was with a firm back in home, which gave me a chance to pop home. The min thing i got out of the trip though was clear - you would have to offer me a pretty damn good job to go back there! Was not good - just surved to me remind me of stuff - still kinda makes me sad to think about her tho - cant help thinking the only non family reason to make it worth returning is nolonger there. Meh. im redoubling my efforts to stay here. Cardiffs Awesome!

One little shock though. When i went home i finnally weighed myself. 75kg... Thats more than i used to be - which means im eating well if nothing else. My suits are a bit tight in places... but Yeah - im really pleased. i need to do a bit of careful eating and cardio over the next few weeks, but yeah - possitive stuff.

Had some random encounters though. Train trvel is awesome for that. Met some girl that was wearing a foxes tail - not a real one - one in a fancy dress kinda way... yeh - she was urm,.. interesting. I also met two girls from Natwest who had been on a training scheme in Brum. They were cool... talked to them for ages. Crazy - but in a good way. :) So yeha. And there was also a doctor. His dad was a baraster - so we talked about the law, and sport - he plays tennis - again, in birmingham. Quite funny actually - talked about his cases - he works in A+E... so yeah - some funy stories. Though when he heard that i live between judom and motorbikes, he told me that he thought i am crazy - so yeah - astute lad. Was good actually - was a very good random meet. :)

Then i was walking home from the station, and popped into the coop on the way back. The manager openned a new till for me, asked what i did as a student etc. He guessed that i did law, but was interested in the LPC, cause a mate of his had done a BVC. He then offered me a job... HOW RANDOM IS THAT??

So - yeah - really random week or two - but awesome. Loving It.

Hot sunny days

Tue, 06 May 2008 16:19:00 GMT

Ah the return of sunlight, the return of warmth, and the return of hot sunny days in cardiff. Ive just gotten back in after lectures which was nice, and Im hving a timeout before i do my prep for tomorrow. I would be typing outside in the garden... if i werent on the couch watching the xfiles... but i can see blue sky at least :)

After a lazy weekend, i have started this week at a bit of a jolt. I turned up to my first small group with the normal level of prep, only to be told that i would be interviewing two clients for a lasting power of attourney submission.. in front of the rest of the group of 15 or so students.. with only 10 mins prep time. I guess when written, this doesnt sound like the end of the world... but trust me - its pretty bad - especially when you consider i know sod all about EPA's, and that i havent done an interview since january :S - shockingly, it went pretty well!?

My ankle is still anoying me. I want to go for a run in the sunshine, but i MUST rest my ankle. So i suppose i will just have to do some situps or something. I went to judo last night, which was a bit of a mistake- someone fell on my ankle arkwardly - which cant have done it any good. I think it will heal soon enough though - so im pretty possitive.

SO yeah, all in all, is a prettey damn good day so far!

Anyways - I had better be away to work :)

Aching

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:26:57 GMT

Yes... now I'm a bit sore. FIrst time back on the mats for two weeks... not my finest judo, infact it was bit dire. But it was good to be back on the mats. Today also served to highlight some area I really need to work on, so in that sence it was pretty useful. Photos to come later on facebook hopefully.

The law is going ok at the mo. Im working hard, and although everything still rests on those ultra hossible exams i did a little while back, the work now seems alot more managable. Im even thinking about starting to revise this week - how organised is that??

I am still hitting the paralegal job market when i can, an although I have not had anything yet, im not too displeased with the response from my first round of applications. This weekend i intend to broaden the net, and do another round. I have had a bit of luck though. I have extended my accomidation for a month or two after i finish my course, to give me flexibility and job hunting time - which is a weight off my mind. It means i wont be instantly homeless at least.

I have the resit of my advocacy exam on friday. I intend to smile alot more, and wear a very bright tie. I know who is judging it this time, so as long as i learn from all my mistakes of my first attempt, i should be ok. As i was told about the first one - it wasnt that i hadnt done the work, its just that i didnt come across as likable enough. Live and learn eh ? :P

Post meeting...

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:26:05 GMT

Ok... that was quite ammusing. I failed my advocacy assessment because I wasnt 'nice' enough. Legally my arguments were sound, but i was just too... advisarial?
Haha. Resit - may.
On a lighter note, i just ate a Falafel tortilla. As you may expect, it was "suitable for vegitarians". You may not therefor expect that on the back it also said "may contain trace of nuts and bones"... It makes you wonder... what vegetable has bones??

April 18th

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:31:55 GMT

So things have been pretty darn good here of late. Whilst I still have no job... and no actual job prospects, its good to se that the sun is shining that bit more as we get through spring.

I got the very welcome news that I passed two more of my exams last night, and I have a meeting in an hour to see if I can resit for free the one exam that I failed before Xmas, because of the dyslexia thing. Which... if I can... Would be Awesome in many ways. The subjects im studying now are far and away more interesting that the compulsaries, I am glad to say. Even Private Client tax planning seems to have a level of excitement believe it or not!

I have two weeks off of judo, which is probably no bad thing, as my knee is still getting stronger. Now the weather is better, I have taken to running in cardiffs parks. This is partly because of the weight i put on over the winter, and partly because it has been really sunny - and its hard to resist running in the sun, especially when I should be working!

The job hunt continues, and I have had limmited success. I have a CV I am very pleased with, and I am really keen to get it out as much as possible. I need to get another round done this weekend. I have had some replies - mostly to say that I have been kept on file. Some less helpful ones have told me that they will have a look, and contact me in january... Not so much use... but better than nothing. to be honest, I am not pannicing just yet, because it is still another 2 months until I can take a job anyway... Though it would be nice ot get one secured, because then i could start t think about getting a flat sorted.

But all in all, I have to say I am in a more possitive mindset. Maybe because the end is in sight, maybe because its more sunny... but either way, im rather glad. It sounds odd, but this year is by far the hardest thing i have ever done, and i know in many ways it has really taken it out of me. Since i came back to the UK, it is only recently trhat i feel that im back to being me again. Which is good.

I have looked at MB schools, and if i get a job, I will be sorely tempted to get my 250 licence in the summer. There is such good riding round here. I was thinking that the year off the bike would make me see sence. It didnt. My heart still goes crazy every time i hear a nice custom bike pull up to the traffic lights outside the classroom. And as for the woman i saw the other day on the sports bike... wow. Its crazy i know... but it just seems to be something i cant really stop.

Id also just quickly like to wish all the best to all my mates travelling atm. You are all bastards and i am as jealous as hell... But i wish you all the very best, and i hope you have those experiences that only traveling can give. I would say 'have a great time'... but in my experience, it is some of the images from the worst of times travelling, that stick in the mind and become so indeering. So a bit of both is best i guess.

Take it easy,
x

The one with the time off...

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:48:13 GMT

So... thursday night. That means only 3 more days of nothingness... and whatsmore... i still have work to do! AHHH! This week ha been crazy. Paperwork, Uni forms, tax forms, letters to here there and everywhere... it seems to have taken up a week off.... just with work. On the plus side, I have a pile of applications for work ready to send off, my cv is looking ok, and my room is pretty tidy. So hasn't all been a write off... it just seems it...?

One up side of the week, Judo has gone pretty well. Infact very well. I have trained most days pretty hard, and i am slowly getting results. The crazy irony is that by doing the LPC, studies force me to not train every day... which seems to have really helped. But as i said, i think for the first time, im really happy with the way its fallin into place. Im feeling in really good shape, and am really enjoying the judo.
Sore as anything... and can bearly walk after yesturdays session... but good :)

I have started to put a bit more effort into the fitness again though - being single again i thought i should make the effort... lol - well i have to take frustrations out somehow! Ive notced that the run to judo has been a little harder just recently.
I've really been trying to improve my diet too... and when i say improve... io just mean eat constantly! Its annoying, but has gotta be done. I dont know if it will help- but i am eating more fuit, and loads of oats.. which cant be all bad?

Cardiff is going well. Weve had some sunny days, and it looks ike spring is really just around the courner. Cant wait to go for long cleche jogs through city parks and basically walk round in sunshine.... I MISS THE SUN!! Im sure the sun has a profound effect on my mood! I really hope i get a jobsorted, and a new place to live lined up. I guess i dont really have a choice there - but the sooner i get something lined up the better. Thats the only problem with living here in Cardiff - There are NO margins for error!

Which reminds me. A friend of mine is doing a 5k for cancer research weekend after next... im very tempted... It has been my aim for a couple of years to get to the point where i could do a half triathalon. Its not a ridiculous idea... im the wrong shape for it, so i wouldnt be looking for a good time, but if it was somewhere tropical, it may be fun...

So i should go to bed... one GREAT thing about this week has been the Lie Ins! But tomorrow I can only have a little one - i need a productive day!

Goodnight!

9 months on

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 22:37:13 GMT

So... it's been a while.

I'm still at law school - its good. Very hard, but good. Sadly due to some weaknesses that have come to light since xmas, this course is proving to be a lot harder than anticipated. I got diagnosed with pretty acute dyslexia, which is an interesting thing to find at the age of 22. But still. Now I know - at least I know a bit more about myself, though it is a bit late for it to help my studies. But on the plus side again, it does explain alot. Whislt I guess i am still pretty lazy generally, it does show that alot of my grdes through the years werent all my fault. I just find it funny that despite the severity, noone realised before now.

So other than studies, life is good. I am single again, with mixed feelings. Im still on the judo, which is coming along nicely. I train at a local club, which is small, but with good coaching, and a fair number of BlackBelts to teach me. I also train with some others on an adhoc basis to brush up on technique. My fitness comes and goes on a daily basis, sleep dependant, but again, generally, I seem to be working on it enough. Having to run to and from judo each time with my ghi helps...

thats about it for now. I now have my first true week off since... well forever!
Take care!

So hard to say goodbye...

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 21:57:48 GMT

What the hell do I write here? Im home. Im safe. It was good to see family. I miss my woman, and it hurt unbearably. I miss my friends in suncheon, i miss my bike. Yeah - not such a great time. One day i will look back on this as life experience i hope -- i hope i will just remember the good times.

I must pack to move on again soon - Cardiff calls - and i must try to somehow motivate myself for that, although in truth im just trying to find my feet here. least its raining though - so i know im home.

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 07:24:12 GMT

The irony of journals - when you are doing lots, you have no time to write. But here is just a little summary of the last few weeks. Emma has arrived, and now is teaching my classes without me. I got paid an obscene amount of cash by the hogwon for finishing muy contract, and I am all packed to leave for England tomorrow. Scary thought.

The weekend was a weekend of celebration and goodbyes. Saturday was spent with all my wagook friends. I dont know how many turned out for a meal - but i do remember outback had to open a room outback in which to situate all of us. It hadnt dawned on me just how many good friends i have here. It was a great dinner surrounded by friends. It was awesome. From there we went onto the park, drank long into the night, and went bamboo diving... which hurt the next day. From the bamboo to julianas, and, after an eventful night, and many goodbyes, i ended up with Emma and the last of the drinkers in a Soju bar at 6 in the morning with kev, american dave, and fike. It was a really touching night, and it made me very happy to see everyone enjoying it.

Sunday night was the same but with the judo crew. It started with samgupsal with the higher grades, and a presentation of my Yongmudo 1st dan, and a gift presentation. I was forced to drink again (Yes - i mean FORCED!), then taken to a bar for the night. All of the lads turned up, and there were many gifts - including perhaps the most poinient from a judoka i hugely respect, who litteraly gave me the korea judo shirt he was wearing. After the drinking were the goodbyes. All the lads standing in a circle, and shaking hands with them all. The master was very reserved, but the younger lads that i train with the most were not. It was especially hard to say goodbye to them after having trained so long and so hard with them, and having competed along side them. Sabonnym was perhaps the hardest as he has coached me for so long, and coached me up in young in.

I trained last night, and gave my present to the master then. No big goodbyes last night - all to be said had been - and it was a case of just saying - 'Until next time...'

Apart from that I have spent my time packing and with the Girlfriend. Last night she gave me one of the most poinient gifts i have ever been given. We also talked for ages, and although I will miss her dearly, i want to remember the many possitives of my time with her, and not the fact that it was so short. She has really changed my life for the better, and shes too modest to realise it.

But anyway - I should go rescue emma - there will be korean children swinging from the light fittings otherwise...

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 05:17:48 GMT

Jeju pics now uploaded:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=19565&l=81365&id=508301062

Photo hall

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:51:51 GMT

Two lost of photos today - The tour upto the temple, and daves new house.

Daves moving

Sanggwangsa

Frustration

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:30:56 GMT

Judo club website:

http://cafe.daum.net/suncheonyongin

Today has been VERY frustrating... I had to sit through AN HOUR of speaches in korean for a friends graduation... then they all moaned when i wouldnt stay for lunch. Then i had my Waterpia card taken away - as i refused to buy another months membership for two weeks... and ive been rained on ALL day.

The new Boiler is in - which now means that the cupboard it was in has now been emptied throughout my house - so i now caant move - william says hell help sort that tomorrow - good old william. Getting up at 8 am to let the builders in could well account for the bad mood.

Had a good night last night witht he judo family - showed them a photo of emma - and explained that she was good at judo - and bigger than most korean men... only kidding shes not really - shes just stronger. I had a good training sesh last night, and i hope to go again tonight - but we'll see...

Gifts

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:50:19 GMT

And i just got given my first leaving gift from a student going to highschool in the US - A mobile phone holder for my desk... Thanks for that... Perhaps i should be nice in all my classes - think how much random stuff id get when i leave!!

Coming to an end...

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:30:05 GMT

So much to report. So little time to type - yes again, Im typing through lesson prep time. Things are manic here. Trying to study for when i go home, sorting out loan issues, transfering money... on top of still working full time and judo training - things are a little crazy. I have been up at the water hole on the weekend - and below are some photos of out that way. Ive also been out to the temples recently, and across to the Folk village. Hundreds of photos - but no time to upload them all. Getting ready to come home - starting to think about packing - must not forget that bit! trying to think about gifts etc - as i said - manic.

Gotta help a mate move house saturday which should be fun. maybe ill go out for a ride with a camera after that - i have seriously got to start taking more photos!

On and On

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:40:08 GMT

So - things are ticking on slowly. But good news. I was awarded my blackbelt paperwork last night infront of the club - that was fun. Unfortunately, the condition of the skin on my hands and wristsis getting very bad. I have now started taping them up for training - i hope that helps.

Im making good progress on the law school front - thats reasuring. I still need to secure the loan and suchforth - but i am happy to be making progress. I need to get squires on the phone as a matter of urgency. But still.

Anyways...

Mudfest

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 05:29:35 GMT

Well the Mudfest was AWESOME - Definately one of the best days of... well ever. the whole sorry story is blured, and slightly haizy - here are the photos - have fun!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=14593&l=b5b16&id=508301062

Apart from that... Things go on much as ever. Got the bike fixed yesturday. Th rev counter problem turned out to be a loose... or as i would say... useless wire. My mechanic wanted to replace the whole H.U.D, but as i said to him at the time - no! I knew it was a broken wire - i didnt wnat to pay any more than i had to. So i got him to thake the guard pannel off and cut the protective shieth over the wires - turned out i was right - 6 or so wires had worn through - right mess. My mechanic, realising this was all very much his fault, instantly became very appologetic, and replaced the wires - 30 minutes later, not a penny spent, i was going again. Whats more, the nutral light is now also working. I have a fair idea that it may have been these small wires that were shorting and draining my battery. Good to have it fixed.

Talking about bikes - woke up yesturday at 8 with a phonecall from my boss asking me to move my bike as some korean builders wanted to demolish the carpark it was on. very random. I put on shoes and popped downstairs to see that all the scooters had been moved to one side, and that there were 6 korean men standing around my bike looking confused. But still - i moved it, and now the carpark is no longer there - i dont know what to say!

Yesturday night was an interesting one when it came to martial art experiences. Shortly after i started training, the mastewr threw me a korea judo tshirt and told me to put it on - i did. I was then driven down to shinae to meet a highschool friend of his, who is a hapkido master looking to go to the uk with his church (basically as a missionary). He has an idea of starting a christian hapkido club. This is interesting. I will say no more. Anyway - just by coicidence, he was about to start a class - and asked if i wanted to join in. I had no other plans, so did.

The break falls and the tumbling were great fun. Most of my breakfalls were the same level as their blackbelts because of my judo, so that was no trouble. But then they started with the tumbling. Some I managed - some was harder. As my judo master had been the one to drive me over, he was still there, so i had rather alot of pressure on me to represent what a judoka could do. So when it came to hand springs, it was less a case of 'can i do this?' and more a case of 'they can, so i must'. And you know what ? I did. For the first time in my life, i consistantly landed handsprings.
Great fun. Of course they then did it with no hands.

Then we did kicking. There kicks were impressive, it is true. I was very happy to see how far i could hang on in there with the spinning kicks, though eventually, they were doing things i couldnt. Still - very satisfied that it wasnt bad for a judoka.

The next bit was the let down. Situation drills for groundfighting. Now dont get me wrong - some of their moves were sweet. But you cannot learn groundfighting by learning set moves - it is something you get a feel for. The idea that i wuld ever need a set move to put the other guy in an armbar from us both being in a kneeling possition was laughable.

Still. As terribe as the grappling was - it was a really good experience, and there were bits i loved. Would definately think of doing a more grappling orentated form of it in the future.

Anyway - thats all for now - should go to work. My schedule has just changed. ASSA!

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 10:12:36 GMT

www.mudfestival.or.kr

WISH ME LUCK!

Check in:

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:33:30 GMT

So - things are pretty good here. As hard as its been, im keeping close to the training regeme i wanted. School has been up and down - but the up has been good - and the down i dont care about. My evenings are still kept busy - which is great - though leaves me tired. Tomorrow we head for the mud festival. time to get Muddy!

Why use your own words when anothers are so much better?

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:25:51 GMT

"That heaven had made her such a man: she thank'd me,
And bade me, if I had a friend that loved her,
I should but teach him how to tell my story.
And that would woo her. Upon this hint I spake:
She loved me for the dangers I had pass'd,
And I loved her that she did pity them."

A nice bit there from Othello. One of the lines i wish i didnt remember in there somewhere.

I should hide behind more shakespeare.

Should be part of being an English teacher.

The lesson I just had was really dire - and ive decided to start a new dicipline system - shockingly im getting alot of support - though i almost 'removed' a coteacher today when she 'almost' hit one of my kids... mmm - tricky work. Not a good day. Sucks.
Judo's good - im putting the work in and getting good results. im working hard on the cardio, and hopefully will get fit one day - but cant be sure.
Bikes due for a new revcounter... as mine has busted - hoping it wont cost too much... but god only knows. Shes sounding sweet still though.