It shouldn't have happened this way

This was not a good TKD day for me. First of all, I went in only to take one half hour specialty class (forms), and I never even got a chance to work on it! Since it was only Mr. A and myself, I tried to fill in at the desk, and it was a disaster. Mr. A was helping a parent with an order for stuff, and asked me to stretch out the class. Okay, easy enough, and it was done. So, stupid me said that I could take over the rest of the admin work so he could get back to teaching the class, as I didn't know what he had on the agenda. As hindsight is 20/20, I think I could have winged it a bit. I've been to enough instructor classes now that I should have been able to do it. But I didn't, and ended up having computer problems where I charge that parent twice about $200 worth on his card. Since I've only learned the program used (Quickbooks) by the seat of my pants, I didn't know how to void the second charge, or print it out, or anything like that. I tried calling SW, but completely forgot that she was at the tournament (big DUH on my part), and what she was describing was not on my screen. The guy stopped being pushy after 15 minutes, and said he'd just call the credit card company to put a stop on that particular charge. :-S Then I processed a testing package (paying for multiple testings at once at a discount), and realized hours later that I might have charged for the wrong package. Oh man. After struggling with that, it ended up that I missed forms class altogether, or the important part at least, and that was a waste of time! Grrrr.

So, a big part of the reason I was there too was to help start the white/orange/yellow (beginner three belt colors) class, which is mostly little kids. Drew is in the class. He was acting up, but I don't think it was because of me. In some ways, he was actually behaving, and he has it more together than many in the class. So, with a few directions from Mr. A, I warmed up the class with some drills. Again, in retrospect, I think I did fine but I also think I might have done things differently. I might have even been able to take the whole class if I knew the whole form (which I don't remember it, but I will eventually have to remember to get my certification). By that time, Mr. A was freed up from the weapons class that he was teaching as it had ended, and he took over from there. Yes, I missed weapons class too. Board breaking was cancelled because I can't teach that, and Mr. A had to teach the W/O/Y class. So, things are going along, and then Mr. A needs help with the one step. It turns out to be one of the few one-steps that I remember. Man, those kids are pretty...um...empty headed about this particular one. Now, Drew had it, and a couple of the older kids (and the one adult in the class) had it, but I swear most of them couldn't do it by themselves at all, and that was after doing it with them -- no joke-- at least 10-12 times with them first. You'd think they'd get a clue, but no. The older kids who did have it, like Drew, have done it before many times, so of course they had it. But the littler ones...oy vey. It even has a little saying thing that goes with it, and it's known as "Pizza Dude". First, it's a step out with a single low block to the right (knock open the door), then you turn towards the back (to load up and "grab the pizza", and then you rotate back around to do a left outer forearm block (here's your pizza), then a knifehand on the same side (here's your change), then rotate around to do a round kick with the right foot (where's my tip?), and the step back into sparring stance (ai-yah!). Easy as pie (pizza pie, don't 'ya know), if you remember the words.

I think overall, between my experience teaching the cubs for the last 10 or 11 weeks, as well as helping out today, I can certainly be an instructor and a fair one. I just have to learn the material, and I could probably hold my own for the most part, at least with most classes. It's just a lot of material to cover!

The thing that made it worse was the fact that I couldn't attend the regional tournament today. I had wanted to go SOOO badly, and had even skipped the one in DE with the intent of going to this one, but between finances (which SW said she would've helped in some way since she is the regional tournament director and has some swing on these things), and babysitting (too long a day for Drew to bring him, and too long to leave him with someone else), I couldn't go. I got the report from Sandy, who did go, that first of all, she did great for a newbie. She got 2nd place in both weapons and sparring! Now the latter of that got me, because, with no offense to Sandy (and she even acknowledged this independently in a note to me), I usually beat her when we spar in class. She even said that my killer head kick would've really done some damage, as no one there did any head kicking. To add to this, there were only *6* people in the ring, and even that was a number that was actually two age groups combined, namely 30- and 40-somethings. Cripes! So, based on her descriptions of what was going on in that ring, I can truly say that it sounds like I could've had a really good shot at getting some decent points today to secure a better placement in my weapons ranking, and might have even gotten on the map for the forms and sparring. It pisses me off, and I've actually cried about it already. I sent an email to JC that it's all his boss's fault, because he was the one that made JC go on this trip and put me in this position when I had already planned to go to this tourney months ago, and was forced to cancel it. I'm really angry about it. I might not have won any placements, but it sounds like I had a decent shot at them, and I would've really liked to have had that opportunity. But now it's lost. I told JC to tell his boss that he now owes me a new chest protector (a more streamlined one that I want), new bahng mah ees, and an XMA uniform. Not cheap stuff, mind you. Oh yeah, he owes me BIG time. I will have to keep my temper at JC's office Xmas party next week when I see his boss. I'm that upset.

So, not a good day in the ATA world for me. (SIGH) I just want to get through the graduation now, get through my interschool tournament at the end of the month to get some tiny points that MIGHT get me on the ranking map, and hope there's another "B" tourney before the big Lincroft one (an "A" tourney-- more points) in March. Sandy and I are talking about possibly doing some XMA stuff (don't laugh!), and at least either of us could rank 1st or 2nd. With my dance background, I might be able to pull it off. I just have to see how to choreograph the whole thing.

Now, to get through the rest of my weekend.....:-(