Focus

Multi-tasking
Wacky day today, beyond the usual back-from-a-trip madness. Just like reading the essays of Montaigne: one damn thing after another.

Domestic stuff, like laundry, grocery shopping, baking. Home repair stuff, like finishing the trim in Robbie's room. Writer stuff: two articles to finish and send in, photos to take. And the boys home with me, too. I'm not very good at multi-tasking.

By the time I left for TKD, just was not sure if I was completing everything to satisfaction.

I felt splintered.

Monotasking
One good thing about being at the dojang: you have to be where you are, focus on doing TKD.

Small class today, but a good workout, from stretching to forms to combination kicking up and down the floor.

Dual-tasking
In the combination kicking I noticed, as usual, that the turning kicks are the hardest: reverse kick, jump reverse, and--my downfall (often literally)--the wheel kick.

I don't understand this. I can turn and turn in ballet with little problem. So instead of walking back up to the front of the room, I remind myself how to turn and do chainé turns, piqué turns along the side of the dojang, turn after turn. No problem. But the wheel kicks still gave me trouble!

Extra Work
Master Hughes is going to be out of town next month; Ms. Pryor too. So we brown belts were asked to help out with teaching. I'll do Saturday, and may help out with Monday or Wednesday kids' class. I guess it's part of moving up in rank. I'd rather be taught--teaching when I'm there seems like a busman's holiday--but I guess I'm moving into a semi-teaching role at the dojang.

Bon Voyage
Justin leaves for a 4-week visit to France Wednesday morning--Master Hughes had forgotten, but I hadn't. I wished him bon voyage this evening, a la francaise (darn; I don't know how to type those accents and cedil).

I'm curious--is TKD popular in France? I sense it is in Great Britain, as I have some readers from there. I wonder how it's taught, and if an American black belt would be welcome to visit or take classes. Perhaps some investigation is needed . . . !