~:[CH3 - Day 365]:~ Making Noise into 2015

~:[CH3 - Day 365]:~ Making Noise into 2015

There were screams and hollers all around as the ball dropped ... changing 2014 to 2015. In a year with so many memories, it is always tough to say goodbye but it is exciting to say hello to something new. I guess it is up to use to make what we want of the coming year and I do hope that I can make it a memorable one. This past year was very special and much of it was attributed to my amazing family, my wonderful friends and my stupendous colleagues and students. There is very little I can complain about because the people who surround me are so awesome and I am glad to be heading into a new year and beginning the next chapter of my life as well as my blog. Thank you to all those who have faithfully followed me. I know that my posts have strayed away from poetry and the insightful posts that I enjoy writing. With the overwhelming schedule I faced, it made it a challenge to stay on top of it, however, I do vow to make an extra effort to post as much and as often as possible. To everyone, may you have a great and wonderful 2015 and may it bring you prosperity, as well as the ability and opportunity to help others as well. Happy New Year!

~:[CH3 - Day 364]:~ The Family

~:[CH3 - Day 364]:~ The Family

It was our final day in San Diego for the tournament and our final day with the whole group for the new year. Checking out and packing up is usually a challenge, but my car was ready so quickly and we waited as the other athletes strolled out of the hotel. We headed to Fashion Valley and while it was not a good day to be at an outside mall, we still had a good time. We headed to the gym to play a very structured Fallbrook team who was very good at running their sets. A few of their player played very dirty and the ref did little to handle those situations which led to a very chippy game. The foul count after the first quarter and a little bit was 13-5 but we kept ourselves in the game. We executed pretty well and played fairly well defensively, but couldn't get the ball to fall in the 4th quarter and fell just short. As we headed back, I knew there would be a storm, but did not know how bad it would be. Our drive back took awhile, not because of traffic, but simply because we had to slow down for safety. The rain and wind made it a challenge at some points, but thank the Lord that we made it home safely. While we ended up in sixth place in the tournament, it still was a fun tournament and we were able to overcome some of our challenges early on to make the progress we hoped for.

~:[CH3 - Day 363]:~ Ace in the Hole

~:[CH3 - Day 363]:~ Ace in the Hole

It was an earlier than usual game at the tournament so we got a quick lunch before heading to the game. We were playing against a solid Patrick Henry team who tried to pound the ball inside against us. However, we were able to counter it with good post defense. They scored 20 in the 1st quarter and only 28 points the rest of the game as we started to get it clicking down the stretch. We ended up pulling away for a 63-48 victory. Afterwards, we headed to eat before having our annual miniature golf competition. Someone in our group shot a -12 (42) on the course and won the competition. It ended up begin a great day but another exhausting one, leaving me to pass out when we got back. 

~:[CH3 - Day 362]:~ It's a Team Day

~:[CH3 - Day 362]:~ It's a Team Day

With the day off of games, our team headed to Sea World for a day of adventure. It was tough to wake up in the morning after a late night, but we did, we the intentions of having an early night in. We ventured around the park with less crowds than usual in the morning as it built up through the day. We rode Manta, Atlantis, Wild Arctic, and the Sky Ride and saw the Dolphin Show along with Shamu. Throughout the day, I was trying to stay on top of the Green Bay game which included the excitement of the lead, the concern with the injury, the dismay with them tying the game and the relief when they pulled away. It allowed me to enjoy the rest of the day. The highlight of my Sea World day was definitely shooting people with the water canons on the rides. When coming back to the hotel, we had five HUGE pizzas and everyone at the hotel kept coming in and saying, "wow, those are huge." After eating to our heart's content, I ended up turning in to relax and recover from an exhausting two days. Now it's tournament time again. Two more games to go.

~:[CH3 - Day 361]:~ Just Another Day

~:[CH3 - Day 361]:~ Just Another Day

As typical with a night game, we needed to find ways to burn some time so we headed to the mall. As usual, the mall was packed and finding parking was difficult. I thought I found parking when a girl went to her car but she ended up just dropping something off. I didn't realize my window was down and I joking shouted, "cheater." I quickly said sorry as she heard as she waved as she walked away. Quite an awkward moment. In any case, at our game, we had trouble making layups and free throws and it ended up costing us the game. We were down double digits and our leading scorer fouled out with about six minutes left. It still looked troubling with a few minutes to go before we made our run and cut it to seven, then down to three but we couldn't close it out and ended up falling short. We ended up heading to Buca di Beppo as usual where we had awesome service and it ended up being a good time. We also saw Unbroken and while I enjoyed the movie, it was a bit of a slow movie for a late night showing after a game, however, it did send a good message to the team. 

~:[CH3 - Day 360]:~ We've Arrived

~:[CH3 - Day 360]:~ We've Arrived

We took the morning to prepare and then headed over to San Diego. As usual, the seniors jumped into my van and we headed down the coast. The drive was pretty smooth and we got to our lunch stop near the gym in good time. I was a bit sad because their menu displayed the McRib, as well as the signage outside, but when I ordered it, the manager said they did not have it. Very sad, very sad. Since we weren't allowed to check into our hotel, we headed to the gym to watch a few games. The team we played looked good as they warmed up as they towered over us. However, we came out aggressive and jumped out to a 12-1 lead. However, our intensity dropped and their size played a big role as they came back and took the lead. Going into the half, they had the lead to almost 15 before we went on a closing run in the final two minutes to close within four. We battled in the third as we closed it back up, however, we weren't able to close up the lead, in fact, we were down five instead. In the fourth, we made our run as we pulled ahead by one on a four point play. After that, we didn't look back as we got layups and free throws and ended up winning by nine. Afterward, we headed to Hometown Buffet and the quality of the food there went down even more. While the service was great, I was surprised as the food looked good but didn't taste as good as in the past. Regardless, it was food and it filled me up before heading to Mira Mesa Lanes. We ended up bowling and it was great because both games came down to the wire for who won each of the games. One of the players came back with a turkey in the 9th and 10th frames to take the win while another held off the competition in order to win. I had a fairly good day except for the fact that I could get one of the pins down on my first ball so I had a marathon of spares with a few strikes mixed in between. In any case, it ended up being a good day with it finishing with the Gridiron Gang. Good night San Diego. 

~:[CH3 - Day 359]:~ What's Going On?

~:[CH3 - Day 359]:~ What's Going On?

My dog looked at me confused when I set down her new toy in front of her. Unfortunately, it scared her more than she wanted to play with it. On a day where presents are given and received, it was definitely a day I enjoyed simply spending with my family. Sure, I may never have left my PJs and lounged around the house, as I cleaned and packed before departing tomorrow, but it still was a special day. It's always a joy to read messages from your family, friends and even students. While I got some very thoughtful gifts that I will enjoy, the real weight is in the thoughts and messages. The night ended well as the Clippers ran the Warriors out of the building just before I wrapped up cleaning my office and laid out everything in my bedroom so I can finish cleaning it when I get back. To all, I wish you a very Happy Holiday and I hope that you found great joy in this very special holiday.

~:[CH3 - Day 358]:~ Ho Ho Ho

~:[CH3 - Day 358]:~ Ho Ho Ho

"Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!" I shouted as I walked through the house again during our family Christmas. Playing Santa has been quite fun and rewarding. It's always a joy to initiate the new members to our celebration and to say hello to all of our guests for the evening. I didn't make as many children cry as I usually do, which is great and despite the huge guest list, it didn't end up being too bad. In any case, it's always a joy to see my wonderful family and spent time with them. While things always change, some things will always stay the same and the love we have for each other has been one of those constants. Thank you to all my family and friends who have made this year and my life so amazing. My life would be nothing with you all and I sincerely thank you for all that you contribute, whether you realize it or not. Each of you have done something to make this world special. Keep making this world amazing!

~:[CH3 - Day 357]:~ Back at it Again

~:[CH3 - Day 357]:~ Back at it Again

We haven't had a dual program coaches holiday dinner in while but it was definitely fun having both programs together. We ended up at Red Robin and despite the crowds at the mall, it ended up being a great night. Our waitress was entertaining, my meal was delicious and we all ended up having a great time. I ended up drawing my brother in the exchange and I got him a recalling 2014 gift lineup which included the Starbucks frap that the girls condo stole from him in one of the best pranks at camp. During the day, I was getting most of my holiday prep done along with my cleaning and laundry. Of course, first, I had to get on my run and ran for the second day in a row. While I know that I have a lot of miles to go before being ready for next month's race, it feels nice to at least make a little progress. Baby steps, baby steps. In any case, tomorrow is Christmas Eve, so I better start getting things together. Before I go, I am proud to announce that I made Crystal league :) Anyway, good night!

~:[CH3 - Day 356]:~ Taking Down Royalty

~:[CH3 - Day 356]:~ Taking Down Royalty

It was a day of running errands and, oh yeah, running. I woke up early to take care of the holiday business, then came back to get my run in. After doing so, I started sending out my holiday card. It was great because I got to reconnect with some people I haven't talk to in a bit and while I have not yet finished sending them out, it's already been wonderful doing so! The time passed by so quickly as I was doing it and I realized that the Clippers game was going to be on. As I headed to watch it, I got a text about going to the King's game. Being a Ducks fan, it felt weird going to a King's game, but I ended up going and it was well worth it. I love watching hockey games because they're quite entertaining and fast paced. The Kings were up 3-0, but in hockey, there is no lead that is safe. We were ready to dart out to go eat when the Flames scored a goal and then another to send it to OT. We were hoping for a shootout, unfortunately, the Flames ended up scoring and taking the game. It was a chilly night and at the Yard House, we got seated outside (my fault). It was a good meal and catch up (except for the cold) and while my night was filled with blunders, it was a great way to spend an evening.

~:[CH3 - Day 355]:~ Appreciation

~:[CH3 - Day 355]:~ Appreciation

I am blessed. While I don't always appreciate how blessed I am, from time to time, I am reminded. I was cleaning around the house today in one of my first real days off, as I had time to read through the letter from my sponsor child. The letters take awhile to get here so the letter was written a few months ago. After my visit in July, I made an additional donation to the family, seeing how much more they could use the money than I could. While getting a picture from my sponsor child is rare since the center must take it and print it for them, I got one sent to me showing what the money I had given them had allowed them to do. They got a gas stove, a cabinet, and some dishware with the money as well as money for school. To see how excited they are for these things we think of "necessities" has continued to make me see how little I need some things. My hope is that I can cut back on some of these non-essential expenses so that I can provide more support for their family. I think it's been such a blessing to take on this venture and am so proud to be able to communicate with them as often as I can. While there may be things that bother me and that I wish I could take care of, it will be letters like these that will help me realize that I need to be appreciative of all the things that I have, as there are many people who do not have the luxuries that I may sometimes take for granted. Appreciate all that you have which includes a roof over your head, food on the table, a nice warm place to sleep, and the family and friends that are there for you day after day. 

~:[CH3 - Day 354]:~ Ballin' All Day

~:[CH3 - Day 354]:~ Ballin' All Day

It was the first day of break but I still was waking up at my normal time, as we had to be at school at 7:30am for our basketball game. We headed to Sonora to face up against San Juan Hills, one of the teams ranked in our division. It's been a brutal tournament with sickness and injury affecting us. We had only one normal starter in the starting lineup today. The team hung tough as everyone on our team got to play today because of our limited bench. We were able to pull within one at the end of the third quarter, however, ultimately fell in the game. After getting home, I stopped by Sweetee Thai to get some take out before heading to the frosh-soph girls game, which was the consolation championships. They had a shot as they were down just three at the quarter, but couldn't score in the fourth quarter and fell short. It was a good effort against Maranatha who field the freshman and sophomores of their JV team since they have so few girls in the program. Our girls had a true frosh-soph team. I ended up at the varsity girls game at Cerritos versus Norco. Norco was a very solid team and opened up strong. Our girls fought back though and took the lead. However, Norco surged back and was able to take the win. It was definitely fun to catch all those games today but after a week with five games in a row, I was a little over basketball. What did I do when I got home? I watched the Clippers game on TV. At least they pulled out the victory.

~:[CH3 - Day 353]:~ What a Ball

~:[CH3 - Day 353]:~ What a Ball

The day was hectic as normal on the last day before break. With the students all wanting to say goodbye and last minute things coming up, it's always a little crazy. I was happy because I got the grading done that I wanted to have completed. I packed up my things and was able to head out in time to grab some food before heading on the bus for our game. Yes, this was our fourth game in a row! What a crazy tournament. We got two of our starters back for the game, however, fell into foul trouble earlier including our best player. It made it tough especially because we were playing a pretty solid team. We ended up hanging around and had a chance at the game but fell to Claremont by five points. Afterwards, I realized that the girls frosh/soph team was playing so I ended up helping out. I have a number of students who are on that team. With some pressure and fast play, the girls defeat La Mirada 46-21 and even took off their press at half time! It was a great way to end the night and glad I ended up staying. They play for the consolation championship tomorrow!

~:[CH3 - Day 352]:~ Just

~:[CH3 - Day 352]:~ Just 

It just felt like a routine day as we closed in on break. Nothing too crazy during the day as I tried to avoid having the students see it was break so they could stay focused a bit more. We had an early game after school so I had a lot to take care of before we headed out during lunch. We were missing three of our starters for our game, so it was a tough game, but we definitely could have played better even with them out. Unfortunately, we lost although we did have a chance at the game going down the stretch before having to foul to keep the game alive. After we got back, I helped one of the frosh-soph girls with her shooting before their game as they warmed up. I didn't realize she was on the team, as she is from my MUN class. I also shot around a bit and made three half court shots in my first six attempts! Regardless, it was nice to go home and enjoy some soba as I worked on my holiday card so I could get those out soon.

~:[CH3 - Day 351]:~ Time to Celebrate

~:[CH3 - Day 351]:~ Time to Celebrate

While today was only Wednesday, it felt like my Friday. After the banquet is over, while my body is still recovering from the stress of it all, my mind is free and I feel so wonderful to be over all of that stress. In the morning, the wonderful ASB, headed by two incredible women (Holly Matchett & Sue Rausch) hosted a delicious breakfast for the staff. While I was a bit tardy because I had to move all the banquet items to my classroom, I still was there for the delicious breakfast and the wonderful presentation of our amazing principal, Mr. Walker! I breezed through the day, was able to get Northern Cafe along with TapEx before heading off to our game at Sonora. I wish I could say that our game went as well as my day. We ended up playing 3.5 bad quarters of the game and even with that, we closed the lead down to one point with a good last 5 minutes of the game. Unfortunately, we fell short over a team who showed that they wanted that game more. It was definitely a good lesson for the team and we are hoping they can bounce back from it, as we have to play five consecutive days for this tournament - brutal! In any case, the night ended well and not so, as I got to catch up with Kat at Cha2o, however, had to jet out as the Northern Cafe chiles got to me a bit. Oh well, it's still a day to celebrate and I hope that the rest of the break brings nothing but good cheer!

~:[CH3 - Day 350]:~ Stars of the Show

~:[CH3 - Day 350]:~ Stars of the Show

It's always great to put the attention on the stars of the show, the athletes. While the banquet preparation process is quite grueling, I always love to get to the banquet and be able to talk to and see the athletes for the last time as a group. While we end up losing a bit of money for every athlete that signs up, I always enjoy being there watching our athletes all dressed up in a place as nice as the Sheraton and the atmosphere makes this event even more special. Our banquet program is quite long as we run an almost 5 hour campaign with presentations, videos, and awards. In the end, it all becomes worth it when you see how the athletes enjoy the experience. Normally, I am running behind and run late in the evening. This year, I almost hit every time marker on my itinerary and that is quite amazing. I have really appreciate all the effort of all the athletes, coaches, parents, alumni and other supporters who have made such an incredible season possible. I am so grateful to be in a place where the surroundings are quite pleasant and while we have our issues, in the end, I am glad that we can come together as one OHANA!

~:[CH3 - Day 349]:~ Through the Night

~:[CH3 - Day 349]:~ Through the Night

It was definitely crunch time. After being away for the weekend, I had to focus in to get the video and everything together for our cross country banquet. After a few weeks of prep (almost a month), I can now say, it's coming down to the wire. Waiting on the computer to render is always a stressful time, but in the end, things have been working out and I am on pace to get everything taken care of on time. I printed most everything and sorted a great amount so that when I wake up, I shouldn't have too much to do. We'll see how that ends up! In any case, it will be a long night, but at least I think I'll be done with time to spare.

~:[CH3 - Day 348]:~ Soothing

~:[CH3 - Day 348]:~ Soothing 

It was a great morning, as we got to relax with our flight being later in the day. I was able to get working on more of the editing for the banquet after staying up most of the night doing it as well. As we ventured out, we got on the BART and seamlessly made our way back to the airport and Cerritos. Of course, I was able to get Ramen and a beef bowl at SFO, one of my favorite airports as of now. I headed home only to be greeted by more time editing for the banquet, but at least it was in the comfort of my own home with home made ramen!

~:[CH3 - Day 347]:~ All in Sequence

~:[CH3 - Day 347]:~ All in Sequence

I was really focused on our trek around SF after the conference finished this morning. It was a little hectic as there were a number of things to worry about. With committees being moved earlier due to protests in the area later that day, I missed my run and headed down to committee an hour earlier. The speaker actually was pretty good and he talked about what the students could do before the next sequential day on January 2, 2034, as today is the last one until then (12/13/14). I thought it was  a good message and the students seemed to buy into the message. After it let out, we headed over to the F train to head to Pier 39. It's always nice to take the kids around to that area for them to enjoy. I grabbed my normal Chowders, visited a few stores including a hot sauce store, saw the sea lions, and just walked around. We ended up stopping at the arcade at Pier 45, which was pretty cool as they had a lot of the very old arcade games in there. Before meeting up, we got a fresh crab and scarfed it down before we met up. I was able to get them to the Marina before heading up to Ghirardelli Square. After grabbing dessert, we did our normal trek up to Lombard and back down and caught the F train back. Since it was closed beyond Embarcadero, we had to walk the rest of the way. We hit up Union Square after all the protests had gone through and most of the signs there had been a protests were in the form of police all of the area. It actually made things feel a bit more safe. Of course, you could easily be thrown off today, as it was Santa Con Day and almost half of the people in the city had a Santa suit or a Christmas suit on. Quite strange! I was able to grab a delicious authentic Japanese meal, which was super amazing before turning in back to my tasks of editing and keeping an eye on the kiddos. I'm sure that this evening will last into the wee hours of the evening, but it will be a great one knowing it was a pretty great day. 

~:[CH3 - Day 346]:~ Inner Warmth

~:[CH3 - Day 346]:~ Inner Warmth

It feels like it's been a long trip already on the second day but it's been good. The morning led me to just rest as we had a little later start to committees. After grabbing lunch across the street, I checked out a few committees. I stopped off to grab a quick tea and snack with my friend Mon on her lunch break before heading back to checking out the committees. With one of our students needing to work out, I changed and we ended up running over four miles with the last mail being in the rain. It's great for them to have two hour lunch breaks in order to be able to do that. I ended up showering before dinner and it was perfect to have ramen after it started getting colder at night. After hitting up a few more committees, committees started to wrap up. With that, I got a bit of editing done before checking in one last time. After they went to their rooms, I had Naan and Curry delivered to my room and it was fabulous! Loved the delicious food and it was the perfect midnight snack before heading to bed. 

~:[CH3 - Day 345]:~ Storming In

~:[CH3 - Day 345]:~ Storming In

It was definitely a challenge to wake up at three in the morning, however, I did and was out of the house by about 4:15am. It's weird being out so early, but I guess other people do it, since there were cars out there on the road with us. Luckily, our flight was still good and the flight after us was canceled so we were able to fly in and to SFO, not without a little dramatics. As we were in descent, we got a pretty good rocking in the air, however, we ended up landing safe and sound. We trekked to our hotel and walked through the rain with our luggage to safety only to find the area in a power outage. It was a challenge as the kids just got a chance to change before committee and had to head there without very much rest. In the end, they got there in time in delegate dress. For dinner, I was able to catch up with Doug and Gina! It's always great to see them and they've always been good about coming out to see me when I am in town! It was quite the exhausting night and it was capped with me falling asleep, before waking up again to get some more editing done for the banquet. As challenging as things have been, we all have worked together to overcome these storms, hoping for the sunshine to come our way soon!

~:[CH3 - Day 344]:~ Work It Out

~:[CH3 - Day 344]:~ Work It Out

It was definitely a challenging day. With speeches in my senior class and a reading in World History, the day flowed pretty quickly, but it didn't mean it was an easy day. From collecting SC assignment requests to holding my third meeting in three days at lunch to finishing up paperwork, parent meetings and dealing with deposits and payment requests, I barely found the time to breathe today. However, it being my school "Friday," it was well worth the stress. After school, we had another strength workout day which went fairly well. I then was able to get over to Costco to finish my last pickup for the banquet so I could wrap a lot of that up before tomorrow's trip. With my stuff packed away, I've been able to focus and get most everything together for the weekend. I am hoping that the storms will be kind to us, however, assuming not, I've packed for the rain and I hope that I can overcome :D It's an early wake up tomorrow, so it means, I will be going to bed early for once! BTW, my new fit band for my phone logged me at over 11k steps and I don't think I exercised that much today. Either it's wrong or I move around a lot more than I thought. Oh well, good night!

~:[CH3 - Day 343]:~ In a Snap

~:[CH3 - Day 343]:~ In a Snap

The day itself flowed pretty quickly with a test in Econ and a lecture in World History with my new half remade power point. However, before you knew it, it was time for picture day. It's been a bit hectic this week as I try to get ready to go to San Francisco. Picture day, always tends to fall in the middle of this madness. However, I ended up getting through without very many issues and even was able to snap a senior photo of the boys. The rest of the night was spent running errands and printing out even more stuff for the banquet. I really need to get more time to work on the video, however, I guess I will have to do my best to start tomorrow. Lots of work to do and so little time.

~:[CH3 - Day 342]:~ Close Calls

~:[CH3 - Day 342]:~ Close Calls

The day itself was not a challenging one with a review day and then conference evaluations. However, with a track and field meeting and the beginning of strength workouts, it added a bit more than I had on my plate before. I always want to spend this time doing work for banquet but always end up getting caught up doing something else. Regardless, I did what was necessary and came home only to get distracted. First I watched the Packers pick a part the Falcons, but returned to see how close it was. While they had a chance in the end, the Packers were able to hold off the Falcons. The Clippers were also trying to keep their streak alive against a pesky Suns team. Bledsoe always will be one of my favorites and had a great game against us. For some reason, Crawford was thrown out of the game which changed the dynamics of it. We ended up losing the lead and falling behind only to be able to get into OT. It didn't look good with 40 seconds left, but we got a lucky bounce to get Redick a point, then got a stop, and finished with a great 3-point buzzer beater to win! It was a close call of a day, but and exciting one where things bounced in the right direction.

~:[CH3 - Day 341]:~ Warming the Soul

~:[CH3 - Day 341]:~ Warming the Soul

Sundays always tend to be a recovery day for me, as I normally work through the weekend. With the ability to wake up a bit later, I took advantage of it before getting to work preparing for the cross country banquet. It's always amazing to think how much time it takes to prep everything for it. In any case, I spent most of the day doing that and also keeping tabs on our students at Mira Costa. We had a massive amount of delegates there which made it challenging for our team but had a number of great individual performances even though we had a number of students waiting to attend RHSMUN next weekend. In any case, I ended up meeting my friend at President Thai in Pasadena. I was amazed at how popular the place was and with almost a 1,000 reviews, it almost lived up to all of that. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but I still feel that it was not the best Thai place I've been to. I saved some room because I knew my dad was making soup from the ham we had from Thanksgiving. After boiling the bone all day, he ended up with a delicious soup that warmed my soul and gave me a good reason to smile heading into the week. What a day!

~:[CH3 - Day 340]:~ Simply Novice

~:[CH3 - Day 340]:~ Simply Novice

It was an early morning rise after a late night at the gym. I woke up to over 230 students crowded around five buses. Strangely enough, with the help of some great students, we loaded and left in about 10 minutes! Heading to Mira Costa, it was a little crazy trying to talk to that many students so I sorted them and sent them on their way, advanced first, then the novice delegates. Overall, the students performed well through the day. I saw what needed to be worked on by the freshmen and the advanced delegates were doing well in a number of committees. While we have to wait to see how the advanced students do on Sunday, at least I know that the freshman are about where they normally are at this point. With the sophomores being able to go to the advanced side of things, it put the conference in the hands of the freshmen, which I like. When I got back, I was able to grab a quick bite to eat before heading back to school for the championships game of the Cerritos-Gahr Tournament. Unfortunately, we did not come out victorious, but the crowd was super and we'll get another shot at Gahr on Friday.

~:[CH3 - Day 339]:~ ReUNION

~:[CH3 - Day 339]:~ ReUNION

It was a bit of a catching up day as I realized that my Yogurtland credits were going to expired. I contacted a few people and we used up the credits at Yogurtland. It ended up being a good idea and a good chance to see a few alum. I ended up jumping over to Tapex after before our game against Long Beach Jordan. We ended up playing a good game against them to reach the championship game in our tournament and started 3-0! The day itself was a little rough as I came back from Utah last night and my quads were burning through most of the day. However, I survived. I got through the day and was happy to have one day to prep my kids for Mira Costa tomorrow. We'll see how they do!

~:[CH3 - Day 338]:~ On The Slopes

~:[CH3 - Day 338]:~ On The Slopes

Today was a wonderful day. After waking up to the melody of alarms that continued to play over and over, we woke up and drove over to Park City. After grabbing our rentals, we headed up to the slopes and took two lifts up to the to top of the mountain (for today). We didn't realize how long the run would be, but it ended up taking about 45 minutes to an hour roundtrip. My body was killing me after that run and I struggled to shake off the rust of the skiing on a real mountain as I put the snowboarding days behind me. There are actually a lot more skiers up here than boarders. After making it down, I took a rest for a run, then headed up for my second run which turned into a run and a half, as we hit the bottom of another lift and took it back up. The rust shed and I made it down a little bit easier but not quite the way I imaged the whole run to be. I guess I need to work on that a bit more. It was nice up there though and much better than skiing locally in California, which is the only place I have been recently aside from the summer mini-slope in the Alps. Before we left, we rode on the Alpine Sled, which ended up being pretty cool and fun. Didn't think it would be as fast as it was! We stopped off at Bruges Waffles and Frites. It was a hoot and the foot wasn't too bad either. The fries were pretty tasty with all the dipping sauces. We hit up the airport and since my flight was so late, I stuck around at my friend's gate until she left before coming to my gate hear to wait for mine. I hope my flight is on time and all goes well for the rest of the day, as if it does, today will end up being such a fabulous day even with the soreness and cramping. 

~:[CH3 - Day 337]:~ A Night of Planning

~:[CH3 - Day 337]:~ A Night of Planning

It was a bit exciting because I haven't been to SLC for awhile and the first time I came here to go hit the slopes. After I finished up work, I packed up, ate some leftovers for lunch, then headed on my way. With no traffic in the way, it was an easy going trip to the airport. No rushing necessary even though I left later than expected. When I arrived, my friend picked me up and we headed to Red Iguana which is a fairly popular place in the area. It was pretty good and my almond mole was awesome with my dish. Afterwards, we headed to the hotel to start scouting the area. As usual, I grabbed brochures to help add to my travel information collection. I'm trying something new with it to make it easier to hand over to someone in case they travel there. We found out what slopes were opened, rented our gear and reserved our lift passes. I couldn't be more excited for tomorrow, as I haven't really hit the slopes in awhile. 

~:[CH3 - Day 336]:~ Designs in Mind

~:[CH3 - Day 336]:~ Designs in Mind

One of the most challenging things about coaching cross country is prepping for the banquet. Between the video, the program and the awards, it is quite the time-consuming challenge. The other thing that takes some time is designing the shirts. It's been a busy road, but I am getting through the planning process fairly quickly and am happy with the designs I ended up with. I guess things can sometimes get better with age. The rest of my day was spent catching up with friends in Pasadena. I was so exhausted by the end of the day, but ultimately gathered enough energy to make the trek in the rain. It wasn't too cold but man, Californians cannot drive in the rain. It never really rains in Southern California (Milli Vanilli), but when it does, it's chaos. 

~:[CH3 - Day 335]:~ Kicking It Off

~:[CH3 - Day 335]:~ Kicking It Off

It was the start of the season and the first day back from break. It was a little difficult coming back from a break, but we did end up surviving the day so we could get ready for our first game of the season. Playing against Warren, the team got out to a blazing start. We ended up having a decent crowd for the first day back and they got treating to a nice showing. While we have moments that were not the best during the game, ultimately, it was a good sign for the upcoming season. With a fast-paced team and a good balance, we'll be able to contend in a lot of games this season.

~:[CH3 - Day 334]:~ A Walk in the Clouds

~:[CH3 - Day 334]:~ A Walk in the Clouds

The weather was not what I had hoped for on a day I wanted to snap a bunch of photographs, however, the traffic was clear and I was able to get up to Hearst Castle by 2pm after a few stops up the road. It was completely cloudy at the top and we were pretty much walking in the clouds. I haven't been to Hearst Castle since I was small and it was cool to return, but I will definitely have to make my way back when it is clear. However, the trip did not disappoint, as I captured a few great photos on the beach at San Simeon as the sun was about to set. The drive back was fairly smooth and was able to get some delicious food for dinner in Oxnard on the way back. It was an exhausting drive, but one I do not regret taking at all. It was a great trip with great company and will hopefully have time to head up the coast again in the near future!

~:[CH3 - Day 333]:~ Hidden Gems

~:[CH3 - Day 333]:~ Hidden Gems

I cheated a bit with this one since I posted a day late. However, after spending most of the day prepping for the banquet, I headed to Santa Barbara for a quick turnaround trip. Since we had to leave later in the evening, we didn't do much in SB but did stop off at the Coronado Butterfly Preserve! It's always awesome to see the monarchs hanging from the tree and while there were not many in the grove at this point, I know there were many more on the way and the ones I captured were still beautiful! This will definitely always be one of my favorite spots!

~:[CH3 - Day 332]:~ It's SONday

~:[CH3 - Day 332]:~ It's SONday

While I was suppose to get away on a day trip today, I saved the day for TNT who return to the area from UK! It was great to see him and to catch up. It's so strange when you see someone almost every day and it changes to almost never, but I guess it's a part of life. Later that night, I met up with my friend from Japan who is teaching here in the states. It was great to hear how things were going and just to learn all about her experiences here. 

~:[CH3 - Day 331]:~ Giving Thanks

~:[CH3 - Day 331]:~ Giving Thanks

I believe in appreciating all that you have in life on a regular basis, however, I still believe that these holidays are good reminders to be even more thankful. I always enjoy seeing my family and while we may not do much more than eat, chat and hang out on these days, who needs much more? I've never missed a Thanksgiving in my life and I hope that rings true for the rest of my life as I hope I never lose sight of what's important in life. Today is always special day and I hope that all of you enjoyed your day as much as mine. I was a bit sore, however, as I actually ran the Turkey Trot this year. However, it has been quite a while since I even ran at all, so even a 10k was quite the challenge and it reminded me, I better start training. One of my athletes won his division and finished 16th, while my assistant coach finished 5th overall and won his division as well. After, I was able to cook up my chicken saltado for dinner!

On this day, I want to thank all the wonderful people I have met in my life who are nearby, far away and somewhere in between. Each of you have allowed me to do all I have wanted in life and I hope that I have contributed something to yours. I hope that we can continue to share this wonderful life with each other. I look forward to all the wonderful memories we have waiting for us and once again, thank you, as I am truly indebted to you for all of your selflessness, love, and care! Thanks for making me a better person!

~:[CH3 - Day 330]:~ The Last Meal

~:[CH3 - Day 330]:~ The Last Meal

It's amazing how time flies, but it does. It only seems like a few weeks ago that I was sitting at Canes and eating my last meal last year and now, we are already on our last meal of our Vegas trip this year. It's a great tradition to make this stop and it makes me appreciate the fact that I only eat this in Vegas. The trip was a great one and some great bonding time with my dad. We didn't get to sleep well because of the partiers nearby who kept slamming their door and making a lot of noise in the hallway. I know it's Vegas, but >50 door slams is pretty excessive especially when it's past 3am. In any case, we made it back through all the traffic and got to enjoy some time with the family at our first Thanksgiving dinner. What a joy!

~:[CH3 - Day 329]:~ Par for the Course

~:[CH3 - Day 329]:~ Par for the Course

We hit the links in the morning, however, since it was chilly, they had a frost delay. Amazing, eh? We had time to relax before teeing off. My wrist was still bothering me, so I taped it up and hoped that I would be okay. It wasn't too bad but did bother me a bit throughout the round. In the end, I couldn't hit my driver straight to save my life and shot an 88. Oh well, maybe I'll do better next time. After, we met up with JJ and ate at Monta Ramen! It's always a place we love to stop at and while the wait was long, it was pretty good. Exhausted from the day, we headed back but before I went to the room, I started to play, Deal or No Deal. I couldn't believe how much it paid out! I got three big payouts in the night from the machine, but the guy next to me won the big money. Good for him, sad for me. I also got to catch up with an old high school teammate, Roger. The day was highlight with a miracle come back by Villanova and a delicious final dinner in Vegas with my dad at the Bellagio after we walked to and from there.  I guess looking back on the day, it wasn't a par, more like my dad's eagle. 

~:[CH3 - Day 328]:~ Pawn of a New Day

~:[CH3 - Day 328]:~ Pawn of a New Day

My dad and I ventured out to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop from the show Pawn Stars. He watches the show all the time and so we ended up going out to check it out. It was pretty cool to go to, however, there wasn't much in terms of things I really wanted to buy. Afterward, we tried to save some money by heading to watch the Hunger Games. We got there just in time and ended up in one of those upgraded theaters. Empty but cool. We then headed to eat at the Lotus of Siam which is always one of my favorite places to eat. Before heading to the room, we stopped at the sports book and got in our bets and also played on the floor. Unlike yesterday, it was quite the profitable day. Because of that, I ended up taking the bill at the steak house. The surf and turf was delicious especially considering that it was paid for by house money. With an early rise in the morning, it means I have to head to bed early! It was a full and fun day! Hopefully tomorrow can be just as awesome! 

~:[CH3 - Day 327]:~ Moving Along

~:[CH3 - Day 327]:~ Moving Along

I spent the morning prepping for my trip to Vegas later that evening. However, in the middle of the day, I had to stop to head off to watch two of my athletes run in Jr. Olympics. It was great to see them both do well. I believe they both finished in the top eight as they zoomed along the course. Heading to Vegas was strange as the traffic was minimal and it got dark really quickly. I didn't have a very good first day on the floor in Vegas. Let's hope the rest of the week brings good things. Of course, while I may not have won on the floor, eating at Emeril's was definitely a win!

~:[CH3 - Day 326]:~ Championship Caliber

~:[CH3 - Day 326]:~ Championship Caliber

At the last minute, I decided not to head up to Fresno because it was going to be a rough turnaround for an event that would be about an hour. Since I made that change, I ended up going to our water polo CIF Finals game at Irvine HS. The game drew quite the crowd and we ended up with two-third of the fans. As it has been throughout this year, the spirit in the crowd was high and the game did not disappoint. In a defensive battle, the game ended up at 3-3 at the end of regulation and went into overtime. Unfortunately, while our Dons fought hard and made our school proud, we fell short of Righetti. We still were the runner-ups in CIF and I couldn't have been more proud of the team, the coaches and of course, our fans! I hope that the spirit continues, as if it does, it's going to be quite the amazing year! After the game, I headed home and continued working on banquet preparations. While I still have a lot to do, I am getting closer to finishing things that I normally do not complete for a few weeks down the road. Heck, I even finished the introduction titling for our video and already converted all the video! Can you believe that?

~:[CH3 - Day 325]:~ Ballin' it Up

~:[CH3 - Day 325]:~ Ballin' it Up

Alumni/Staff Games is always a fun day. It was even more fun, as the crowds filled the stands more than ever before! Of course, before all that could happen, I had to survive the craziness of the day. After finishing up our Columbus Trial and the Production Possibility Curves Quiz, our classes made cards to people they were thankful for! It's always a great assignment and an opportunity to have the students thing about what they are thankful for. In the Columbus Trial, Columbus was found guilty on 3 of the 6 counts against him among the three periods with the defense winning twice and the prosecution once. After class, I had to go get the senior privilege items which was apple pie this year. In the past, they bought pies and distributed them, but they ended up being a challenge to hand out, so we used McDonalds. It may not have been the best, but it was something and a relatively quick handout. I then was able to prep for the game. In the teachers game, the staff was down big as the freshman were sinking 3-pointers all game. However, the staff battled back and got a few favorable calls in order to seal the comeback victory! The coaches faced the JV team and despite the close battle, the coaches pulled away enough and kept the comeback at bay. In the game, I took two charges, the second of which left my wrist in pain (I'll check it out soon). I also got to play in the girls alumni vs varsity game. The girls varsity team was strong and was able to handle us and the alumni. The varsity boys faced their alumni and despite a furious comeback from the alumni, the varsity team was able to fend them off. It was an exhausting day, but still ended up heading out to Lazy Dog for a post-game meal. It was nice catching up again and look forward to this great season!

~:[CH3 - Day 324]:~ Order, Order in the Courtroom

~:[CH3 - Day 324]:~ Order, Order in the Courtroom

It always is a joy to watch the students grow. Through just the first few months, the students have really shown their growth in our recent exploration simulation. Our prosecution lit up the competition with their amazing opening and really showed us the skills they are starting to develop. It was definitely a fun day in the courtroom and we'll see how the rest of this case goes. After practice, our team went to go support the frosh/soph girls basketball team before heading to our team outing at BWW. It was definitely a good idea to have a post-season outing as everyone had a great time. All I can leave you with is two words that made it great ... mango habanero!

~:[CH3 - Day 323]:~ My Buddy Andrew

~:[CH3 - Day 323]:~ My Buddy Andrew

My buddy Andrew just got off work and fought through traffic for a last minute catch up meal at Kariya. It was cool to catch up considering we hadn't hung out in weeks if not months. It's always great to catch up with Andrew and glad the things are going well for him! My day kind of breezed on by without anything special coming up. After collecting the last of the on-time banquet forms and selling out our initial seats. Looks like we'll have to request more! I also had a short practice before heading to scrip after school. Since it was fairly quiet, I was able to catch up on the Clippers game. The time passed by fairly slowly, but in the end, it was a pretty easy session. Regardless, it was a good day and nice to catch up with a great friend!

~:[CH3 - Day 322]:~ STRIIIIIIKKKEEE

~:[CH3 - Day 322]:~ STRIIIIIIKKKEEE

It's that time of year again. All those who were members of past Nationals teams probably know this well. Now with Google Docs, they can keep track of their strikes live, which make it even more interesting. However, it's always good as it keeps me on top of things and focused on making sure I don't fall behind on my checks. It was a little nice to go home earlier than usual. While I still was doing cross country stuff, I was able to focus on that and try to prep for our banquet. I figure, if I can do most of this work now, then I won't have to worry about it later on :)! So far, so good! In the end, I got to sleep an hour earlier than normal and when that happens, life is good. 

~:[CH3 - Day 321]:~ A Glimpse

~:[CH3 - Day 321]:~ A Glimpse

While we were only there for a short while, it was cool to see the future of our district's program battling it out. We ended up at Haskell for their annual race with the district schools. It's always fun to take pictures of them now and post them to our team page when they are older. The day itself went pretty smoothly for a Monday. My stomach was giving me issues from the start of the day but settled down by the end of the day. I guess milk tea does a body good, because somehow it ended up settling my stomach. In any case, I made it through the crazy day which was mostly focused on collecting banquet sign ups! Pweh! We're down to about 20 spots now, so we should be in pretty good shape! I ended up ordering everything I needed for the banquet and am on track to get everything done on time, yahoo! Somehow, I already started converting video for the video presentation, what????? That never happens! In any case, maybe for once I won't be stressed out before the banquet ... yeah, maybe not.

~:[CH3 - Day 320]:~ Feeling Fishy

~:[CH3 - Day 320]:~ Feeling Fishy

It felt a little weird with nothing on the agenda, but as the days go by, I believe it will feel more and more like this. After cross country season ends, I end up with a bit more time and days like these where I need to start planning things on. I spent the day cleaning up some of my photo files, paperwork for cross country, and watching the Packers wreck the Eagles. Of course, I also started planning and thinking about my multitude of trips coming up ... Fresno, Vegas, California Coast, Utah, San Francisco, San Diego, Orlando, Vancouver, Seattle, New York, and Chicago. I will see what I am able to fit in other than those, but it should be quite the ride going forward. I ended the night with a beautiful layout of sashimi and topped it all off with uni. How can you beat that?

~:[CH3 - Day 319]:~ All About the Team

~:[CH3 - Day 319]:~ All About the Team

It was a bright and early morning as we headed to the bus, however, as I checked off the name, we were all ready to go pretty promptly. It was a great start to what ended up being the last day of the season. If I could change anything about this past week, it would only be that it would not be our last. The group I had to work with this week was amazing. I enjoyed the events, the practices, and even the race alongside them. With a range of different personalities, they meshed pretty well and am glad that we had this opportunity. While we are not going to log a CIF Finals year or even an all-time team mark, I think this year's CIF team understood - it's all about the team. They grew together, they adapted together, they healed together and ultimately, they figured it out. At the end of the day, the hugs and smile were a plenty. I couldn't have been more proud and am so happy for all the work that they put in. For some, their season was not what they had hoped it would be, for others, it was ground breaking, but regardless, they should all be proud, as in the end, we grew together and anchored this program with the roots of success. Thank you to all the athletes, parents, coaches, and other supporters including our incredible principal who was on site, who made this season a success!

~:[CH3 - Day 318]:~ Spice

~:[CH3 - Day 318]:~ Spice

I once again went to one of my go to places, Northern Cafe. While it only has been open for a bit, having one of my favorite dishes has drawn me in. Of course, the pile of chiles left on the plate makes for an interesting looking challenge. Regardless, I am smart enough to toss them but not to avoid this dish. It was our last day before CIF and it's amazing how fast this season flew by. Regardless, this week has been the best of the season and I have enjoyed working with this year's CIF group. While we had a tough draw in heats, I am proud of my group no matter what happens tomorrow, as it's not about where you place or even the time you run, but the effort you pour into it and how you do it. My hope is that they all see this and can be proud of any effort they produce tomorrow. I spent the rest of the night, writing a message to them with their annual poem and catching up the rest and relaxation I've been missing out on lately. What a lovely Friday!

~:[CH3 - Day 317]:~ Celebrating into the Night

~:[CH3 - Day 317]:~ Celebrating into the Night

My seniors continued the reality of budgeting and finances as they closed out their final day tabulating their family incomes and will present their budgets tomorrow. I feel as if they gained a lot of this assignment as usual and hope they become financially responsible adults. After covering the reformation, I was able to grab some Northern Cafe for lunch. While I had a DAO Workshop at lunch, my cross country athletes came in to sign their cards to each other at lunch (which they've done all week). It was great to celebrate with them all at another fun-filled evening. I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience and hope that this group has a great finish to this season. While we eventually left, it was great to see everyone hanging around to take photos with each other. These are the types of nights that you'll remember and am glad that I got to spend it with such wonderful people.

~:[CH3 - Day 316]:~ Signing My Life Away

~:[CH3 - Day 316]:~ Signing My Life Away

I was a bit tired going into the day, as a Tuesday day off meant a full day indeed. However, I made it through and successfully completed a number of tasks that I set out to do on the day. Our athletes blasted through a workout including one of our best performances of the season as a team for this workout we did today. It was late by the time I headed home, but still, I was determined to sit down after our meeting and finish off signing all the cards that we have every year for CIF. I grabbed my markers and began signing and before the stroke of midnight, I was able to complete all 37 cards! While they were not as neat and thoughtful as I had hoped for, I got the messages across and finished within the evening. I was overjoyed to see people so eager to sign these cards and hope that the messages bring joy into each others lives and continues this wonderful week that we are having.