"Differential Diagnosis"

A colored belt in Taekwondo symbolizes your journey through life and its teachings.? You are born pure and white as you descend from the heavens, only to be slowly submerged into the darkness and cruelty of the real wold as time goes by. To be honored by receiving a belt promotion from your master is a pretty big deal at most institutions.? It symbolizes your progression in that style and embodies the dedication you have put into your training.

Early one Saturday morning, I was awakened by the irritating, non-stop sound of my phone’s reminder tone. As I clumsily stumbled around my room looking for the phone, I realized the sound was coming from my gym bag for some odd reason. I open up the bag and start rummaging through it in hopes of shutting off that phone and getting back to bed. Taking little note of my pressed “special events” Taekwondo uniform inside the bag, I finally silence my phone and went back to bed. More »

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My recent successful fight debut against an opponent I had never seen or trained with before,? showed me how effective using proper technique can be. In the months leading up to that match, I had trained long and hard.? During my sparring sessions, I had come to rely on my superior mass, speed, and knowledge of their attack style to lead me to victory, but when facing an opponent much larger and stronger, using unknown attack styles, my advantages were no more.

It was then that I realized how crucial certain techniques can be, despite their complexity, speed, or strength. Of course, having taken quite the beating from the boxer, I was determined to improve…but first it was time to cut loose! More »

???Fight!??? The referee yelled, just seconds before a flurry of kicks and punches swarmed at me. With a quick sidestep and deflection, his initial attacks missed, leaving him exposed to several quick and powerful kicks to the ribs.

Adjusting his stance to better protect his freshly sore ribs, he rushed at me with another series of? attacks. A straight kick to his hip canceled his forward momentum and left him temporarily stunned as he attempted to regain his balance. More »

Spend any amount of time in a club, and you’ll quickly learn that everything in there is a sham to keep you spending money.? From the moment you enter the building, they’re already working you.? The cover charge, the free peanuts, the “specials,” VIP areas, bottle service, and even the girls.

Bartenders have their game face on as soon as they punch in, and many of them go the extra mile to earn their tips.? Overly excessive flirting, skimpy little outfits,and a free drink every now and then, can make all the difference between a “good night” and a “horrible night” for tips. “Nothing personal, its just business.” I’ve been told. More »

As an older brother, its my responsibility to keep my younger sister out of too much trouble. That???s why, when she told me that she was to become a bartender at one of the local clubs, I wasn???t too happy about it.? The thought of my sister associating herself with the classless lowlifes who frequent that place on an almost daily basis simply didn???t sit well with me.

On her first night on the job, I decided to take a step down from my pedestal and provide some moral, and possibly tactical support. I met with the bouncers, the manager, and chatted with several of her co-workers before my sister even realized I was on the premises. More »

About a year and several months after the events detailed here, I inadvertently found myself meters away from what had been her house. A small detour, due to road construction, had altered the course of my bicycle ride around town, and led me straight to realization???I had somehow stopped thinking about her completely. More »