I haven't blogged much. But I have kept VERY busy! I have been training hard, working hard, getting things done, accomplishing projects, competing in-completions, making time for important things to me and people who are important to me, and a lot of it required TRAVELING.
My mother is a travel agent and I practically grew up on an airplane. I am very grateful for all the opportunities I got to travel, but at one point in my life it was just too much for me. It actually became a problem for me at one point, so I took a looooong break from traveling. However, in the last year or two, I made up for all the years I ever traveled. Actually, I don't think I EVER traveled as much as I did growing up as I have in these last two years alone!
And guess what? I'm LOVING it! However, one of my major goals for the next five years requires A LOT of traveling. But I've been a part of some majorly awesome things since the end of August. Many of them will be blogs in themselves, but this is just to capture a small glimpse of my traveling adventures, which has been every week or weekend since the end of August.
I began with me going to Chicago, Illinois for the Tactical Offensive Warfare (T.O.W) Blade Warrior Certification with Mike Lee Kanarek. It was a fantastic experience! I even ran into my buddy Tyler Mineo from Georgia there! It was my first time in Chicago and I really enjoyed it. But what I enjoyed even more was the fabulous training that I always get a thrill from with Mike Lee.
The following weekend I went to one of my most favorite places ever, Georgia! For my best friend Stacey Stone's 40th birthday! She doesn't look a day over 28! She doesn't act a day over 28 either! She won't agree with that first statement. She WILL agree with that second statement! LOL! She and Bobby are family to me and I wouldn't have missed the occasion for the world.
The following week, I went to Ft. Lauderdale with Master Balon for the AAU Taekwondo Team Trials. This is one of the biggest events the AAU Taekwondo runs. All the gold medalist Black Belts from Junior and Cadet age divisions competing and fighting for the spot on the national team for elite training and competition experience on the international level. The greatest coaches, athletes, and referees. I was happy to have the experience with my mentor, Master Balon, to spend time with my AAU TKD family, and for the experience of refereeing at that level.
The next weekend I was in Pennsylvania for the HaganaH Ground Survival Certification. It was one of the last certifications I was going for in the system. The following weekend, I went to Nashville, Tennessee for the Family First Martial Arts Black Belt testing. I spent my time with the great Master Kathy and the wonderful Jo Wright. I also got to spend time with their son Grisha and had a great time. But I also loved my time with Masters Larry Kooyman, Richard Winston, Master Andy Tourin from Nevada, and Soke David McNeil, who I also had the opportunity to interview.
Then I went to LBI for my traditional trip for the Chowderfest for a little getaway after my school's belt testings, and the following week TMAFC had it's own Black Belt testing. Then the next weekend was a doozy. I drove an hour down in New Jersey for part 1 of my best friend, Nina Harkhani's, wedding. I got home 1:30am. Woke up 6:30am, to leave at 7:30am to be in Pennsylvania 8:30am for the Mike Lee Kanarek seminar, left early at 1pm, drove four hours down to Baltimore, Maryland for part 2 of the wedding where Nina and her new husband live, left at 12:30am, drove three hours home with Robert on the phone and arrived 3:15am, woke up 6:30am, left 7:30am to be back in Pennsylvania 8:30am for training all day with Mike Lee Kanarek and the Striking Militia where we sparred and did sparring drills all day.
The following weekend I had the honor and privilege of going to Nashville, Tennessee again to be a groomsman for Taylor Wauford and Jacob Hooper's wedding. It was an absolutely beautiful wedding. Spending beautiful time with family and dear friends. The next weekend (this past weekend) I was in Orlando, Florida with MORE Taekwondo family for DC Turnbull Taekwondo's 20th Black Belt Camp Anniversary, to participate and support and experience this camp I've heard so much about! (later blog).
Next week I'll be in back in Atlanta, Georgia for Thanksgiving week, and I'll have a little breather until February. Then February to June, just about every week I have adventures all over the country. I am NOT complaining by any means. I am so grateful and blessed to have these opportunities to be doing such great things, being with beautiful people, and having the time of my life right now. Times are good. Tears of gratitude come when I think of the wonderful things I am privileged to experience. And I feel good, for the most part. Movement is life. And you can never hit a moving target. And God knows, I am one!
The comical parts of my travels? Oh every trip had one. A plane having horrible turbulence, flying through lightning clouds, delays because parts broke on the plane, fire alarms going off at airport, security line delayed because of faulty technology, all those things still happen. But they just make for funny haha stories for later! (BOWS)
Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO
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