2018 in retrospect and where do we go from here?

Every January I write a post looking back at the year that was, and sharing a few thoughts on the year
that is yet to come. 2018 was a hard year for me, perhaps not taekwondo wise, but it did affect both my studies, training and blogging (and blog related activities). I was going to take the 3rd dan test in the end of January, but a training misshap involving a low kick put me out of training for almost a month so I will have to try again next year (in theory I can try out this summer but I know already that it will not be feasible due to other engagements at that time). I did pass my theory test required for 3rd dan, so the only thing that is left is the physical test that has to be done and passed within 3 months before grading and the actual test itself.




As for my plans for 2019:

• I want to finish a book project I started in 2018 where a lot of the theory section is already written, but as I am writing "norwenglish" I am also getting a friend to look it over and correcting it to English :-) If I can get the theory done it is only a matter of taking the pictures, but Ivar who is my regular victim poser on photographs has already agreed to be as kind as to participate there as well. The book is application based.
• I want to hold a seminar on applications from poomsae which will be my second seminar. The first one was great fun, and I learned a lot by holding it. Hopefully I will get the chance to hold another one this year.
• Finish the Pyungahn series. This one has been very difficult to continue due to other engangements. I am prioritising this after I have done my readers question post which will be due early february. 
• Youtube lectures on Taekwondo history. In 2018 I held a 1,5 hour lecture on Taekwondo history. It was held in Norwegian and not filmed. I still have the presentation and notes, so I am working on making a series focusing on Taekwondo history. 
• Develop more legs to stand on: I believe in my view of Taekwondo as a holisitic martial art, and I think that to share it, it would be better to develop more methods of sharing than only blogging. This blog will be the central hub, but I will also develop more youtube videos, instagram posts, faceboook posts and blog posts. In addition the aforementioned book, and continued support of totally taekwondo magazine will provide with a more robust platform to share from, than laying all eggs in one basket.

As for the retrospect itself here it is:

Most read posts in 2018:

1. MA-Nerd Alert! Deep dive into Horse stance terminology
2. Pyung Ahn Series Part 1: History
3. Self Defense Applications from Taegeuk Oh Jang
4. Video of a Taegeuk Sa Jang Application
5. Four Great quotes from GM. Richard Chun

The post that garnered the most comments in 2018

If there is one wish for 2019, it is that the readers engage more on the blog itself. The number of comments has dwindled a lot, probably as the attention has changed to Facebook, where people happily read the post on the blog, then discuss it on Facebook. That is great, but if you comment here you will get my thoughts and answers as well ;-) I sometimes see posts regarding my work on facebook, but I can not comment on them there eventhough I could have brought more to the table. It is funny but also a little sad when I come across people who missunderstands my "message", interpret it differently and I can not do anything to correct their view on my work. Anyway here is the list:

1. Pyungahn Chudan the Funakoshi version
2. Chulgi Chudan Hyung, history, performance and background
3. Mini Lecture: Mu Duk Kwan and Hwang Kee in TKD History

My Favorite posts in 2018 (in no particular order)

1. https://jungdokwan-taekwondo.blogspot.com/2018/10/index-of-poomsae-applications-2012-2018.html It was great fun to watch how my outline and work has changed from 2012-2018. 
2. https://jungdokwan-taekwondo.blogspot.com/2018/06/mini-lecture-mu-duk-kwan-and-hwang-kee.html Hwang Kee is a fascinating person, and a fascinating subject to me. He is often completly overlooked in Taekwondo history, but I find the Mu Duk Kwan to be an important cornerstone of modern Taekwondo just as much as the other Kwan. I also can not help but to emphasise with Hwang Kee as a fellow martial arts nerd ;-)
3. https://jungdokwan-taekwondo.blogspot.com/2018/07/guest-post-how-to-keep-adults-hooked-on.html Not even a post by me, but Josh`s post is one of my favorite ones on my blog in 2018 ;-)
4. https://jungdokwan-taekwondo.blogspot.com/2018/08/ma-nerd-alert-deep-dive-into-horse.html One of the things I love about modern Taekwondo is its link to Korean culture, history and language. I am a Taekwondo nerd and I am not hiding that fact. Making this post was a very fun time for me :-) 

What do you (the reader) want to see in 2019?

Do not hessitate to ask questions, or to give feedback if there is anything you want to see me write about. I am easily contacted by the blogs facebook page www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondoramblings or you can simply drop a comment on any post and I`ll answer as soon as I can. Messages from facebook comes straight to my phone so they will get answer quicker, but I do rutinely look through blogger.com`s page to see if there are any new (and unanswered) comments. I might be busy, but I do not want to be the guy you ask a question and then never get back to you :-)
Thank you to all the readers and supporters of the blog :-)