Tournament bound. That's me. I ended up with another private lesson, which went pretty well. I'm really working hard on making corrections in how I do things. My biggest problem seems to be keeping my feet straight and forward ahead. From all my ballet years, my feet want to desparately turn out, and that's way wrong in TKD. That and wide stances, and synchronizing my striking hand with my feet. Otherwise, I'm not doing too badly. I think another problem is that I've got an easy form this time around, almost too easy. So, I keep thinking there should be more to it, and there's not, so that messes me up. Some of it comes more naturally to me. I get all this easy stuff mixed up, so what I think should be coming actually is coming, if that makes sense. A few slight tweaks with the one-steps, and they are much easier. Heck, the last form I had to do jump-kicks! Nothing like that here. No board breaking today, which is okay. But I did work on the bahng mahn-ee some more. From what Ma'am told me, it's a freeform thing, so she said since I know nothing, she was making it up for me, and I could always change it as I learn. So it was the first 6 moves, then move #7 in reverse behind me, then a reload where I whack them from behind, then front, reload, punch, and swivel back to a kneel and #10 with the wrist twist. Works for me for now! So, I'll have to practice that. I'm getting a little more flexibility with my wrists now, so that helps.

I also finally broke down and asked Ma'am about doing tournaments. I said to her that I would understand if she said I wasn't ready yet, but what would I need to do in order to start in tournaments? As I predicted, she didn't discourage me. She said for the Interschool Tournament next month, I'd just have to do my form, one steps, and a weapon. The regional one, I will be a newbie Camo belt, so I'll have to spar as well, and she knows I don't like to spar. I said that was fine, and I knew I had to spar, that's expected. But she didn't say anything about how I have to work harder on technique or anything like that, but I'll probably push myself anyway. She also encouraged me to be in the regionals that our school is hosting in July, which I'll definitely do if we aren't on vacation somewhere. (Heck, if there is a tournament at the same time and place where we are on vacation, I'll go!) So, I felt a little encouraged by that. I know I'm only a color belt, and only time will tell if I can be up to par at the black belt level for my age group later on. I'm still about a year away from being at black belt recommended level, from what I can tell, but I don't know that for sure. That's my guess. So I have time to get into tournament routine. I can still try to be best color belt in the state if I attend enough of these, I think, for my age group. That's my goal, so I have to hanker down and really work out these kinks. But again, I am encouraged by this. I have only about 3 weeks left to perfect what I have for the interschool tournament, and it's my first opportunity to get my first points. You don't know until you try!