Will Smith did it again. The latest version of Karate Kid stars his boy, Jaden Smith. I was lured in by the beautiful China scenery and the hopes of reliving a piece of my childhood years. For my son’s birthday we headed to the Cinema 8 Theatre in downtown Fort Dodge on a Monday afternoon and stuffed our bellies full of popcorn. I was so excited. My memories of the original Karate Kid are go great. I loved that movie and even aspired to be a “karate kid” myself.



I, like Ralph Macchio and Jaden Smith, was a tiny kid with something to prove. Granted the rival karate or kung fu gangs weren’t out to get me, but still…I had something to prove. My parents must have agreed that karate would be just the thing to improve my self esteem. So right down to the Fort Dodge YWCA we went and this scrawny kid with coke bottle glasses enrolled in karate! I loved it. All my dreams of becoming a professional karate woman champion were coming to light.