by ·Comments Off on A Tribute to Kenneth S. Yi–A True Black Belt
Kenneth S. Yi--a true black belt

Kenneth S. Yi–a true black belt

It is hard to believe and difficult to accept the passing of a fellow Koryo Family Taekwondo Center black belt and friend–Kenneth S. Yi.

Who is Kenneth S. Yi?

To the instructors of Koryo Family Taekwondo Center he is a caring family dentist, a sincere family friend, and the embodiment of a true black belt and martial artist.

As one of Dr. Yi’s patients, I know he takes time to meet you at his clinic’s waiting area, and once on a dental chair he’ll take time to check how things are with you and your family–showing genuine concern for everyone’s well-being.

Kenneth S. Yi is a very giving family friend.  Two years ago, after learning of my grandson’s first Christmas play, which was scheduled during the Taekwondo classes, he offered to cover the classes for me.  This allowed me to enjoy a one time only event which I would have otherwise missed.  Ken is a successful dentist and business owner.  Whenever he got a chance, he dropped words of wisdom to my kids, who are young adults, one of which has dreams of becoming a dentist as well.  Ken also openly shared with us some of his common sense business growth knowledge to help our own business.  In September 2013, when my father passed away, Ken was again there, willing to offer help to cover classes on days he was free; we never took him on that offer, but instead closed the school for the duration.  Nevertheless, this shows how much of a true friend Ken can be.

Ken embodies the characteristics of a true black belt and martial artist as he clearly abides by the six tenets of Tae Kwon Do–courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, indomitable spirit, and victory.  Although he is already a successful dentist and business owner, he treats everyone with respect and is very humble.  His word is his bond; when he says something, he does it.  He once said that if we ever needed help in covering a class to let him know; he’ll do what he can to help.  He has already proved that he keeps his word.  As a father of two kids, I’ve seen Ken take full responsibility of his children’s welfare as he and his father take time to bring the kids to classes periodically.  I would say that Ken isn’t a natural athlete, but his strong perseverance and determination carried him through the challenges he faced as he worked his way to black belt.  In my time being Ken’s instructor, I’ve never seen him lose his cool.  He is able to keep it together regardless of underlying pressure.  Our curriculum is comprehensive; it is both physically and mentally challenging; regardless, Ken set his goal for achieving the rank of 1st dan black belt, and did it.  When he trains in class, he gives it his best to the point that his uniform is soaking wet from sweat.  Because of his indomitable spirit, he is able to keep up and outpace some of the younger students.  Ken’s attitude about training radiates positive mental attitude; this helped him deal with the challenges as he journeyed his way up to black belt.  Ken is a first rate black belt; I see him on equal standing with any martial artists out there, regardless of their rank.

Kenneth S. Yi will be missed by the Koryo Family Taekwondo Center family, as well as the Forlanda family.  His passing is a great loss for everyone, but we will never forget him as his spirit lives on within all of us.

 

by ·Comments Off on Minecraft Survival Games

Above is an example Multiplayer Minecraft Survival Game

You’ve heard about Minecraft, right?  It, or its lightweight version–Minecraft PE–is probably the top selling app on iPhone and Android phones.  It is quickly reviving the PC game market since its full capabilities are only available on PC/MAC versions.  There are some 14,000,0000 copies of the PC/MAC version out there!  That is certainly a lot of customers.

Anyway, it’s sort of difficult to describe what it is.  But… It has two game modes–creative and survival.

In creative mode, you–your character, that is–can build anything to your heart’s content.  Building is based on blocks or objects which can be built on blocks.  You could say that it is a 3D editor, in this regard, but its resolution is limited to its block-object oriented paradigm.

In survival mode, your character has to survive the dangers of the Minecraft world.  At night, or in the dark, monsters appear and attack.  Aside from these supernatural dangers, your character can also die from natural means–like drowning, burning, falling, or starvation.

Here’s the interesting thing in survival mode.  Minecraft has a built-in motivation for players in survival mode to do things by using the same natural instincts we have in true life–like hunger and fear of death.  For example, if you simply decide you wish to explore the beautiful surroundings of a Minecraft world, you will soon find out that day light turns to night.  When darkness comes, monsters spawn and attack.  If for some reason you get lucky and survive the night, your hunger meter will eventually drop down to nothing, and your life meter will dwindle down to nothing.  At this point, your character dies. What an awesome natural way to motivate a player to survive!

This same driving force will help the player get motivated to create tools to help with survival.  With tools, a player can mine resources like wood, stone, and various ores.  With resources, a player can build better tools and weapons.  With better tools and weapons, a player can create armor, more tools, farm, and even tracks and mining carts! At some point, a player can get certain resources which allows him to build powered mechanics to allow automated farming, doors, lights, and so forth.

Once a player has mastered the basics of survival, he can then start challenging himself by entering “hell”, also called “the nether.”  The nether is a barren hellish like underworld where there is an eerie athmosphere.  In higher game difficulties, the nether becomes inhabited by stronger and more dangerous monsters.  The surrounding is also filled with danger because there is no water there.  However, there is plenty of lava. An advanced player can learn to enchant his tools, giving him higher level of attack and defensive power–even the ability to swim in lava.  At this level, a player can learn to find his way to “the end” where he will face the big boss–“the ender dragon.”  Once at “the end” he cannot leave until he has defeated the ender dragon, or he dies and respawns in the overworld.

This is pretty much the rough path for player advancement in single player Minecraft.  But guess what?  Minecraft has a multiplayer capability. It is in the multiplayer capability where gamers have flocked.  Imagine playing survival mode in multiplayer Minecraft?  In this mode, players can fight against other players.  The demand for this kind of play has grown so much that Minecraft server hosting has become big business.  Many players have built their own servers so that they can have many other players play along with them in survival mode. Someone even created a survival modifications that mimic the “Hunger Games” type of fighting.  If you look and check around for hosted Minecraft servers, many of them have some version of “Hunger Games” running on them.  There are even ones that boast having over 500 players!

If you did a search on YouTube using “minecraft survival” as search terms, you will see many videos of people playing Minecraft Hunger games. It is amazing how this game has evolved.

I never really paid much attention to it until one time my curiosity got the most of me, and now I find myself playing it more often than some of our electronic-based entertainment systems or games. Today, I have all versions of the game:

  1. PC version from minecraft.net (buy direct form their site)
  2. Minecraft Pocket Edition (takes you to Amazon.com, just in case you decide you too wish to buy it)
  3. Minecraft Xbox 360 (takes you to Amazon.com, just in case you decide you too wish to buy it)

What has been your experience with Minecraft?  Comment below.

by ·Comments Off on Why Self-control is a Key Tenet of Taekwondo

self-controlIn our classes, both young and old, we make it a point to recite the tenets of Taekwondo at the beginning of every class.  The purpose of this, of course, is to remind everyone the general guidelines we, as martial artists, use to live by.  In addition, every week, we discuss one tenet in very good detail–asking each student to find examples they see or actually exercise in their daily lives.

Recently we covered “self-control.”

On the student’s card, this tenet encourages the student to calm themselves down in the face of anger or frustration, by breathing in a relaxed manner while counting up to ten.  This process actually has some logic to it because our emotions generally take over when we get angry; by counting to 10, we engage the side of our brain that deals with reason and logic.  The combination of relaxed breathing and counting help control the anger that is brewing inside us.  The result is that we are less likely to be angry, and thus less likely to say or do something we will regret in the future.

Because we teach everyone targeted defensive blocks, strikes, punches, and kick, it is very crucial that we temper these skills with self-control (in concert with the other tenets).  Without self-control, a person learning these skills can easily become a bully, or worse, a danger to society.

Be advised that students who use their skills for other than self-defense, can quickly find themselves suspended from Taekwondo classes.

Self-control is not just about anger control.  It is all about controlling ones self from temptations.  There are many pressures in our environment, as well as within our feelings, that cause us to do something.  Sometimes what we do is good, but more often than not, it is something that isn’t good.

At school for example, kids are under constant peer pressure to be with the “in crowd.”  Say for example, the “in crowd” are all smokers.  This creates peer pressure for a kid to smoke since that act is associated with that group.  A strong sense of self-control, can help a child justify to themselves why that group is not such an “in crowd” after all.  Instead, they will learn to feel sorry for those that fall and succumb to peer pressure.

There are many other things kids (as well as adults), can be tempted to do.  With self-control, they can temper such urges.

Now you know the importance of self-control, and what can happen, should a student fail to exercise it.

Have you exercised self-control lately, or have you seen someone put it to use?  Please share by commenting below.

by ·Comments Off on 2013 Stockton Run Against Hunger

Stockton, California, is well known for being many things, like being the epicenter of the real estate boom then bust, the crime capital of the nation (a few years ago), and for being known as a city to go bankrupt in 2013.

There is at least one positive thing going on Stockton’s side–it’s dedicated people and the Stockton Run Against Hunger–hosted by the Emergency Food Bank (EFB)of Stockton.

Every year, this event gets bigger and better.  In 2013 they were estimating that about 5000 people will participate in this event.  This is good for the EFB since the proceeds for this all goes towards funding the acquisition of food and support for those that truly need help.

2013 Stockton Run Against Hunger (kids event)

2013 Stockton Run Against Hunger (kids event) (source: Forlanda)

If you just enjoy running, the course is very flat.  It makes for a good training run whether you are doing 5K or 10K.  Just be aware that if you are looking to do a PR, make sure you are close to the front since people don’t really pay attention to the pace placards that are intended to help people place themselves with the appropriate group at the starting area.

If you don’t put yourself in front, be ready to do a lot of “zigging” and ‘zagging”.  Regardless, it still makes for a good training run.

Next year I look forward to doing the 2014 Run Against Hunger.  If you are in the area, make sure to check it out.

by ·Comments Off on What is Indomitable Spirit?

In our curriculum, indomitable spirit simply represents the particular tenet of Taekwondo that helps us set high goals and go for them.

To give you a sense of what high goals are we take you back to 480 BC, to the Battle of  Thermopylae.  It was there that King Leonidas of Sparta led 300 of his troops to help block the advance of some 100,000 to 150,000 Persians troops.

Battle of Thermopylae

Battle of Thermopylae (source: historynow.wikia.com)

Although the Spartans were eventually defeated after two days of battle, you could say that King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans had indomitable spirit.  Basically, their goal was very high–to hold off the advancing Persian army with only 300 troops.  He held them off for 2 days–giving the Greeks time to escape before their cities were overrun.

In modern times, setting high goals means having some ambition to become successful in life.  It could mean studying to become a doctor, an engineer, or even starting your own business.  Whatever it is, it is a worthwhile goal which involves risks, but when the goal is reached, a great sense of accomplishment is felt.

When you want to exercise indomitable spirit, reaching your high goal may take some time.  Take smaller steps to reach your goal by completing objectives that put you closer to your goal.

by ·Comments Off on Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child Box

Operation Christmas Child Box

Koryo Family Taekwondo Center always works to make a difference in the world.

This can range anywhere from helping a student become a better person through Taekwondo training to donating Christmas gifts to local organizations.  This year the center is reaching out across the globe to help needy children by supporting Operation Christmas Child.

About Operation Christmas Child

To support this activity we are looking for gift box donations that include such things as:

  • School Supplies:  pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.
  • Toys:  small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, etc.
  • Hygiene Items:  toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.
  • Other:  T-shirts, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)
  • A Personal Note:  You may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family.  If you include your name and address, the child may write back.

PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE:  used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns; knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans.

Operation Schedule

The center is working to get all shoe box gift items by Friday, 25 Oct 2013.

What To Do

If you wish to participate, please follow the steps below:

  1. Shoe Box:  Use empty shoe box(es) (standard size) or a small plastic container.
  2. Boy or Girl:  Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl and the child’s age category:  2-4, 5-9, 10-14.  Use appropriate Boy/Girl label that comes with the Operation Christmas Child brochure (download and print them).  Mark the correct age category on the label and tape the label to the top of the box.
  3. Fill with Gifts:  Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child.
  4. Submit Gift(s) to Koryo Family Taekwondo Center by 
    Friday, 25 Oct 2013, between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm

    and the center will take these gift boxes to a local drop-off point for pickup.

This less than five minute video sums up what this operation is all about.

by ·Comments Off on A Dedication to My Father
My Dad Leaving for Vietnam

My Dad Leaving for Vietnam

Most fathers have the luxury of spending a lot of time with their wife and kids.  Some fathers don’t always have that luxury, but wish they had.  I think my father was more of the latter.

Does this mean that he wasn’t a good father?  On the contrary.  He is probably the best father in my view.  Of course I have a biased view, but let me elaborate.

My father grew up in a farm area in the Sorsogon Province in Luzon, the main island of the Philippines.  His teen years came to him during the latter part of World War II, just as the Imperial Army of Japan was being beaten back by the US Military.

At the age of 15, my father lived off the land as his father tasked him to plant corn and other crops over a period of several months, with his father coming in periodically to check on him.  During this period, he lived under a hut with no walls, just a roof of straws.  For sustenance, he caught small game and ate fruits and vegetables he gathered from the land.

When he graduated from high school, a friend of his mother suggested taking him to Manila.  His mother was excited and even gave the friend some chickens to make sure my father was able to go.  Turns out the friend was all talk, and left for Manila without my father.  With everyone expecting him to go to Manila, my father set off to go to Manila on his own.

Upon arriving in Manila, he lived with his cousins.  For two months he had he could not find a job, and eventually decided to find his mother’s friend.  He found him, but unfortunately, he was a mere driver and had no power to get him a  job.  His tough luck eventually turned around when he began doing building renovation jobs which led him to a other manual labor jobs.

He got married in 1955.  When his first child was born, he realized that the work he was doing wasn’t going to cut it as his children (current child and future kids) would have no future.  That is when he focused his efforts towards a bachelors of science degree in Radio Engineering through FEATI University.

When he got his degree, his boss promoted him to Assistant Telephone Outside Plant Engineering in Charge.  His responsibilities expanded and even involved contracts with extended tours in Vietnam.  I think he was there for about a year.  Imagine having to be separated from your family for many months!  I for one really missed him.

In 1969, my father had the foresight to know that our lives would be better in the United States of America.  That is when he went to the US Embassy in Manila to apply for immigration.  In 1972, martial law as proclaimed by the dictator Ferdinand Marcos.  My own child experience there told me that brutality by police and military men were rampant then.  Fortunately, in 1973, his exit visa was approved, and he was able to leave the Philippines with just $300 in his pocket.  He wanted to take more, but strict martial law rules kept him from withdrawing more.

When he went to California, USA, the only contact he had was a letter he sent to a friend to ask him to pick him up a the airport.  He was going there blind.   Fortunately his friend got the message and picked him up at the airport.  Finding a job was his next challenge.  Fortunately, he had great help from his friends and other Filipinos in the US.  For a man who had a BS degree in Radio Engineering, he was willing to work odd jobs to help him sustain him while finding the right job.

Eventually he was able to find a position as a janitor in a company called Fairchild through a friend who helped him petition the rest of his family to the US.  All this time, he never forgot to send money to the Philippines to help his family.  He successfully petitioned all of us in 1974.  His friend who was also a janitor allowed us to rent a room in his house.

He later became a draftsman at Fairchild but was later laid off.  He eventually got an interview and a job at Bechtel Corporation as a cable engineer.  Soon he found himself being sent to Atlanta, GA, to support construction there  related to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Agency (MARTA).

He is again separated from his family, living in a one room apartment in Atlanta, Georgia.  He was ready to go back to California and told his boss.  His boss didn’t want him to leave and was able to finance our move to Atlanta.  By this time, my brother has joined the US Air Force to help lessen the burden.  We all lived in a small apartment–living, eating, and watching in one small room.

Living in one room, we all realized how strong of a smoker my Dad was.  All of us convinced him to stop smoking because we all knew it was bad for him.  He stopped “cold turkey” and began chewing gum instead.  We also let him know how much we hate Atlanta and how much we wanted to go back to California.

As soon as he found an opportunity, he applied and was able to get us back to California.  In 1977, Bechtel tried to send him to Washington DC.  Having just bought a house for the family, with his wife holding a steady job at AMD, and the kids all studying, he refused.  This same year, he found another job as an Outside Plant Engineer at International Services Communications under contract with Pacific Bell.

For several more years, he worked with various companies as an Outside Plant Engineer, and even tried to see if North Carolina would help our situation.  He worked there for only two months.  Fortunately we convinced him at that time to stay in California.  He finally retired in 1991.

Because he wanted his kids to have a future, he made many sacrifices including getting separated from his family for very extended lengths of time.  That separation is painful yet he did it to ensure his kids had a future.

Here’s the funny thing.  Not once did I think during my childhood that we were having financial issues.  We always had food to eat, clothes to wear, and were able to do things we never thought we would do when we were in the Philippines.

Today, with the exception of his eldest who passed away from a medical accident, all his kids are successful in their own right.  His children now have their own kids, and even a grandchild.  Because of the ground work he has laid for us, not once did his kids experience the struggles he faced growing up.

My Dad passed away on 19 Sep 2013, at 4:31 am.  Before and at the time of his passing, he was constantly surrounded by the very family he loved and supported, as well as the extended family resulting from the fruits of the future he wished for his children.

Rest in peace Pops!

 

 

 

by ·Comments Off on Safe Running: How to Minimize Risk from the Dangers of Running

RunningRunning is something I do to keep fit and healthy, and hopefully live longer in the process.  However, it is not without its risks.  The good news is that there are things you can do to minimize those risks.

These three places or situations present the greatest risk to runners–especially to those that do long runs:

  1. Crossing a street
  2. Coming across dogs
  3. Sidewalk or street hazards

Crossing a Street

The primary danger in crossing a street is being hit by a car.  This can happen is if you aren’t paying attention before crossing a street and the car driver fails to see you.  To reduce the chance of getting hit take actions that doesn’t depend on the alertness of the driver.  You need to take actions that put you in control of the situation instead of hoping the driver will see you.

The first thing you should be doing is running against car traffic.  This will allow you to see oncoming cars and take action to avoid them should they go out of control and possibly run over you.  This is just a basic prerequisite to safe running.

The most dangerous situation can occur when crossing a street as illustrated  in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Crossing a Street

Figure 1. Crossing a Street

Before crossing a street, common sense tells us to check all directions.   You’ll need to watch out for cars that are turning into or out of the street you are about to cross.

A car in position 1 (see Figure 1), for example, would have a better chance of seeing you, the runner, before you cross the street.  if you can definitely tell the driver is going to let you pass before crossing, you can cross, but proceed with caution.

The car in position 2, is concentrating on cars going the opposite direction.  As such, he may or may not see you.  Do not take a chance, just let that car turn before crossing the street.  The only time you should cross before the car in position 2 turn is if there are cars blocking the path of the car in position 2.

A car in position 3 is probably the worst one.  That driver is concentrating on turning right, spending most of his time checking traffic coming from the left.  He can easily not see you.  The solution is easy.  Just run around the rear of the car, totally removing the risk of getting run over.  Just make sure there are no other cars going in the opposite direction though.

Coming Across Dogs

Figure 2. Beware! Cute Dog

Figure 2. Beware! Cute Dog

When I run, I usually run across a dog or two.  Most dogs I see are behind a fence.  These are the noisy ones that bark at anything or anyone moving.  These are probably the least dangerous of them all, unless they figure out a way to get through, over, or under the fence.

Dogs that are being taken out by their masters for a walk are also possible risks when running.  When you see a dog on a leash, you can’t tell how well that dog is trained, even if it looks cute, cuddly, and friendly.  So continue to be cautious and keep you distance.

Remember, all dogs have an inner instinct to run after anything running–that means you the runner.  You can tell if their master is taking control of their dog when they start pulling the leash shorter, ensuring the dog cannot reach you should it decide to take a bite of you.

The most dangerous dog are those that are just out lose.  Although they are probably domesticated, they may have already developed some wild instincts to chase after things.  if you do see a dog like this, either stop jogging to see how the dog reacts, or cross the street away from the dog so that it doesn’t get close enough to chase you.  You’ll know when a dog is after you!  If your avoidance tactics fail, and you find yourself  face to face with a chasing dog, act like your reaching for the ground.  Most dogs will stop.  If the dog continues to come closer, really pick up a rock and throw it at the dog.  If you are on open ground, it would be no use trying to run; you’ll lose.  However, if there are obstacles or structures the dog can’t handle, use those to your advantage.

Sidewalk or Street Hazards

If you are a long distance runner or are doing a long run, more than likely you are running on the street or sidewalk.  Watch out for the following:

  1. Uneven pavement —  you can easily get tripped up by an uneven pavement
  2. Oil spillage from cars — you can slip on oil spillage
  3. Pot holes — stepping unexpectedly on a pothole can cause some serious injuries
  4. Sandy sidewalk — sand can get slippery when you are stepping a thin layer of it
  5. Overgrown tree root–tree root can become a sidewalk hazard to runner if they start to pop up and force concrete sidewalk slabs to jut up on one end

Final Notes

Running can help you fit and healthy provided you stay alert and heed the warnings of this article.  If you don’t, you could be shortening your life or putting yourself in danger of getting injured.

So watch out for cars, dogs, and street hazards.  Enjoy safe running.

by ·Comments Off on Need a Free Email Marketing Tool?

mailchimp.comIf you only have less than 2000 subscribers, you can get a free email marketing tool through mailchimp.com.  It is easy to set up, and did I say it’s free if you have less than 2000 subscribers?

Note that the free version even allows for 12,000 emails per month.  It’s free forever!

by ·Comments Off on The Journey to Black Belt
Journey to Black Belt is like Driving the Road to Hana

Journey to Black Belt is like Driving the Road to Hana (source: ther2h.com)

Training in Taekwondo is akin to taking the road to Hana (a small town on the Maui island of Hawaii).  Here’s why.

Relatively speaking, driving from the airport in Maui to Hana is a long drive.  The road is long, winding, has ups and downs, and has many great sights. Reaching black belt also takes time.  As you train, you will encounter a few twists, ups and downs, and some great experiences–pretty much like the road to Hana.  It will take time, but you will eventually get there–that is if you persist and commit.

The twists, ups and downs in  your pursuit to reach black belt are the occasional failures to get a curriculum tip for your belt.  This can get frustrating when you have tried once, twice, or even three times.  But if you apply the tenets of Taekwondo as our instructors have explained and taught, you will find that you can get over this hurdle.  When you finally get that tip, you will experience great joy in your accomplishment.  These feelings of great joy in achieving something is analogous to seeing the beautiful sights that you pass on the way to Hana.

Over the course of time, you will go through several promotion tests, and you will mostly pass them; but sometimes you may not.  In this case you must muster your inner strength to get over this, and after a month, retest in the area  you failed to pass.  It will take some practice and focus, but if you persist, you will get over this challenge.  When you do, you will again feel that great satisfaction of accomplishment!  Like the many great sights on the road to Hana, you will experience many accomplishments on your journey to black belt.

In your journey to black belt, you aren’t alone.  Your parents, grand parents, relatives, friends, and peers are there too–encouraging and sometimes pushing you to attend class when you don’t feel like training.  Anyone who trains (such as in sports) sometimes lose motivation.  Training in Taekwondo is no different.  Whomever is encouraging or helping motivate you, is like the tour bus or taxi driver who is helping drive  you to your destination.  It is through their presence and help that you are able to concentrate and appreciate the joys of your accomplishments!

Getting to black belt requires patience.  If you rush it, you either don’t make it or you completely miss the collective beauty of the experience.  It would be like renting a car at the airport and driving yourself to Hana; you may get lost and not get there, or you may get there, finding that Hana is just a small tourist town and completely missing the great views on the way up because you had to concentrate on the road.

The road to Hana is a long one.  If you ever visit Hana, make sure to get a taxi or ride a tour bus so that you can enjoy and appreciate the experience and views of the trip.  It is very much like your journey to black belt.  So enjoy it!  Appreciate it!  It is the journey itself that gives your black belt its unique and special meaning.