~:[CH4 - Day 59]:~ Home Sweet Home

 ~:[CH4 - Day 59]:~ Home Sweet Home

Everytime I come here, I am reminded that I could live here. I love being here and while Times Square is not the ideal place, ultimately, it's a great city. Of course, by the end of the week, my thoughts always change. In any case, we got off to a late start with a later flight and a short delay which was made worse by our bus being delayed. By the time we got to our hotel and checked in, it was already 9:15pm! We grabbed a quick meal and then headed down to the Empire State Building before heading home. It's so late, but I guess we will have to deal with it for tomorrow and try to readjust afterward. Tomorrow is going to be an ugly day, but I think the snow will help make it a great day. In any case, I am beat and it's time to go to sleep. Sleepless in New York? Maybe, but I am heading to bed soon. At least this is a normal time for me after doing room checks so I am used to this. 

~:[CH4 - Day 58]:~ To The Point

~:[CH4 - Day 58]:~ To The Point

Some of the speeches were as funny as this one, however, regardless of the humor in their speech, the students all showed great improvement from September. It's always nice to do the IR debate, as the students begin to show how they have grown. After spending the week using common core structure to dissect a few documents and help the students gather information for this simulation, they put it all into action. While today's debates were not as good as yesterdays, the closing statements really brought up the quality of the day and ultimately led to a successful debate! Ultimately, one class went on strike, with two negotiating - one class had half the class fired and the other had just one. After getting everything together for next week, I headed to practice and also had to prep everything for next week as well. I got some shirts and bags distributed, went to the weight room, ran a few errands and finally came home to pack. I now sit here finished and packed and am hoping I did not forget anything. I know I will forget something, so I guess I shouldn't worry. In any case, it was a long week and I am glad to be heading to NYC tomorrow. Good night world!

~:[CH4 - Day 57]:~ Just Golden

~:[CH4 - Day 57]:~ Just Golden

Class ended up being successful as they debated about the conditions in the factories during the Industrial Revolution. After compiling documents through the week and dissecting them in class, they ultimately prepared their argument s for the debate. The students have improved a lot since September and I am glad to see some of them starting to make the improvements that we hope to see. With New York just a few days away, it was quite the busy day as we were finishing up our final few things before leaving on Saturday. However, the Black & Gold Meet took priority today. I kept thinking to myself, why would I schedule this right before I leave or could I have done without this meet? In the end though, I am very glad that we did it and it seemed like people enjoyed it and got used to how a meet is suppose to be run. For the distances, the gold team won despite the black team having the winner of the 1600 and 3200 on the boys side. For the 4x100m race, the distance crew with the volleyball coach, Mr. Cuthbert, took home first place with girls varsity close behind but the administration team did a great job with Ms. Hundley, Mr. Baek, Mr. West and Mr. Wright. We also had the one woman wrecking crew, Ms. Lee, run the 400 during the 4x100m, making her own relay race. In any case, the times were pretty solid for February and I am excited for what this season will bring. The perfect way to end the day??? Sweetee Thai! Today was definitely just golden.

~:[CH4 - Day 56]:~ Don Pride

~:[CH4 - Day 56]:~ Don Pride

It was another day of waiting until the game began. While I had a very productive day in class, meeting with students one-on-one, I was excited for the CIF game. I made it through the school day, finished up the food run at practice, distributed bags, hit the weight room, then prepped for the game. I changed into my yellow suit for the game, as I wanted to be in full Cerritos HS pride gear! We got off to a slow start in the game against a team who matched up well against us, as they were very similar in their aggressive defense. Throughout the game, their second chance points hurt us a lot, but we kept battling back. We got stuck down seven for a long period but started chipping away at their lead, as they began to make mistakes and we capitalized on them. We fouled them with five seconds to go after just missing a chance to tie the game up. Down two, they missed the free throw, we got the ball and the time ran out on us. The referee did not give us the time out that was being called and didn't call a foul at the end either (although the latter is not often given). Immediately, the referees ran out of the gym with no chance to discuss the issue. It was definitely painful to end that way but ultimately, the hard fought effort of the girls who had that no-quite attitude was something that our school could be proud of. They kept battling back and gave themselves that opportunity to win. While I will miss basketball season, I am glad I had the chance to watch one of the best seasons that our boys and girls programs have had in the same year. It was definitely a fun ride and nice to reconnect with the girls staff and allow me to work with them throughout the season.

~:[CH4 - Day 55]:~ Battle Until the End

~:[CH4 - Day 55]:~ Battle Until the End

The whole day was focused on the day's game. While I worked through the day, ultimately, the game was something that was ever present on my mind. As we headed out, we hit traffic all along the route on the way to the game. Ultimately, we arrived at the gym after a good meal (which was delicious BTW). The game started with a stalemate with a 0-0 game through the first half of the quarter. However, Hart slowly pulled away and opened up a 28-13 victory at the half. Our crowd support was amazing and despite being down, they were loud. They arrived a little late due to traffic, but was proud of how loud they were. They almost made it feel as if we had a home game. To open the third, we went on a run and ultimately took a 36-34 lead into the fourth quarter. While we ended up falling behind and started fouling when we were down 10 to stop the clock, our team never stop playing and fighting and I was proud of the effort that was put forth. While the inappropriate chants of the Hart crowd and a Hart coach cussing out our crowd weighed heavy on my mind at the end of the game, everything seemed to vanish when we closed out our season. After the tears had flowed, the team did what they had done all season, take some of the positive out of the game, as they came together as one unit, after a season of battling so much. This team never quit and at the same time, while they battled, they never forgot that it was just a game and they couldn't forget to enjoy it. Enjoy it they did and I was lucky enough to enjoy it with them. Thanks to all those who came out and supported us and made the drive today and also throughout the entire season. I was truly inspired by the spirit our crowd showed and am excited for the future of Cerritos.

~:[Spotlight]:~ Thien-Nam To

~:[Spotlight]:~ Thien-Nam To

I still remember during his freshman year when I almost cut him. He would go run off with his friends to go jump around with people like Yoshi and not care that he missed practice one bit. His favorite line that year ... "I quit." Fast forwarding a number of years, I remember how he sprained his ankle just before the National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in Sacramento. He wanted to take down the youth record, but just before that race, he sprained his ankle playing basketball. Despite the difficulty, he finished the race and did his best, while it may not have been the race he had hoped for. Somewhere along the way, this athlete grew up and in the process became my pseudo-son. While I still want to strangle him from time to time because of his antics, he has helped build the Cerritos Cross Country program to what it is today. As an athlete, he improved, became the first individual to qualify for CIF Finals and won almost half his races his senior year. He battled through injuries and continued running in college, giving us another team to cheer for. He added to his impact on the program by joining the coaching staff at Cerritos and it was apparent that he was one who would really could take the program over the top. He always is thinking of ways to improve his athletes and spent so much time working with them. He helped lead his boys to multiple league championships and continues to be the reason why they are successful. When asked to take over the jumping program for track and field, he learned everything he needed to and really helped them as well, even getting to go to the state championships with one of his athletes. Want to know his level of dedication? Despite rupturing his achilles, he was at practice almost every day he could get there during that track season and even showed up to a meet immediately after his surgery. Despite losing him to the University of Kentucky, he always checks in with us and am glad that he was a part of our program. I am also glad that he came into my life. He is a great and loyal friend and now that he is gone, I realize even more how often I hung out with him. He always was willing to go out and eat and even venture on a short trip here and there. Because I miss him so much, I have decided to take my talents to Lexington ... well only for a day or so, but despite all the headaches (mostly early on), you really showed me that people can change drastically and you helped remind me to not take life too seriously all the time, only when it's necessary.

*****

The spotlight is a column that will highlight at least one person every week who deserves all the gratitude in the world for what they do. While the individual may never make the headline news, they are the type of person that deserve their moment in the spotlight.

~:[CH4 - Day 54]:~ On Track

~:[CH4 - Day 54]:~ On Track

 The rains came down but made for a beautiful morning as the blue skies mixed with the clouds are always a beautiful sight to see. The day itself just zoomed by and before I knew it, it was time for practice. This year's group has been a great one to work with and while we are still waiting on some winter sport athletes, I have enjoyed working with this group a lot. While I wish I had a magic injury wand to help some of them, for the most part, they do what they are asked and then some. I even had to cancel distance practice tomorrow due to CIF and there are already groups organizing their own runs for the day. In any case, I am excited for this season and hope that this start is a sign of things to come.

~:[CH4 - Day 53]:~ The beauTEA of it All

~:[CH4 - Day 53]:~ The beauTEA of it All

Today was a wonderful day. I got to sleep in for the first time in awhile and headed out the door to meet my friend at Tsujita. We were one of the first in line so we got in and out pretty quick. After walking around Sawtelle for a little while, I ended up at TapEx for a quick drink before go back home to start my packing for next week's trip! I normally am not this ahead, but for some reason, I was enticed to get things done. After getting my paperwork done, I headed back out to Yojie's to do some catch up. It was great hanging out including a follow up at Tea Station. While we rolled a little into the evening, I enjoyed every bit of it and am glad that things fell into place today. I took care of a few other things on my to-do list and stayed dry in the process. It may have been stormy outside, but it was truly a beautiful day. It was made even more beautiful as today is my parents' wedding anniversary! Hooray! Thanks to all those who made it so amazing!

~:[CH4 - Day 52]:~ Roles of Engagement

~:[CH4 - Day 52]:~ Roles of Engagement

It's always a great day at our Security Council Conference but even better when things run pretty smoothly. Yes, the day was busy, but we had some good help and people around to make the day an excellent one. I was proud of so many of our delegates in the committees as they rose to the challenge of the conference and even dealt with me as a Ukranian refugee, a Russia commanding officer and a Ukrainian prime minister. The only thing that probably could have been better was my accent during the Q&A sessions. As the day went by, I ended up running to the gym in order to announce for the girls basketball game. It was fun doing it and while we faltered a bit today, we still got the W and will now look to prepare for the next round on Wednesday at HOME vs Colony at 7pm (COME OUT AND SUPPORT)! The setup for Sadies started quickly thereafter and my plan was to go and stop by for a bit, but I got offered last minute tickets in the 100 section for the Clippers game and I decided to take it. I quickly changed and headed out to Staples thanks to Jenn! (THANK YOU). The game was great and while they blew them out, a few players had excellent games including JJ Redick, DeAndre Jordan (1st Half) and Austin Rivers. DeAndre had 11pt-15reb in the first half and sat most of the second half. In any case, it was a very long day and I am pooped, so it is time to hit the hay. Toa ll my comrades, spokoynoy nochi.

~:[CH4 - Day 51]:~ Moving On

~:[CH4 - Day 51]:~ Moving On

It was pretty awesome to see the team celebrate after today's win on a day that I was glad to survive. The morning had me finishing up some work for the conference and some editing for the CIF game that evening. I ended up transferring everything before heading to school, but I forgot my hard drive at home. I ended up only answering questions all periods and then hoping I had enough time to edit after lunch. After fulfilling my TapEx craving, I headed back to collect more paperwork, before editing a bit after getting my hard drive. I held practice and really worked them, distributed bags, and even got into the weight room before the game. I setup the video and finished the additional half time clip! We got off to a great start in the game, as we overwhelmed them from the opening tip. However, in a CIF game, some teams will just never go away. They kept battling back and crawled back from the 20 point deficit while making some incredible shots. However, we had a solid game. We took care of the ball, shot well and made our free throws. While we missed a few key layups, we did what we needed to to pull of the W. It was great to see the excitement in the eyes of the team as they celebrated the victory in front of a very great crowd (thanks so much crowd!). It was amazing to see and I am so proud of my brother for doing such a great job to prep and focus this team. We waited a long time before getting our table for dinner at TGI Friday's but it was great to down my food and hang out with the coaches. Today, was a good day and now we play on Tuesday at Hart at 7pm.

~:[CH4 - Day 50]:~ This Speech Will Set You Free

~:[CH4 - Day 50]:~ This Speech Will Set You Free

I love this particular speech. Why? Because the SC speeches tend to be the turning point for the freshman. From the shy students that they were on the first day of school to the blooming MUN delegates, they begin to move away from the paper and really deliver their speeches instead of reading them. I've really seen a lot of growth in their speeches and even got one of the best speeches I have ever had for a freshman. It's great to be a part of. The SC speeches came after a morning of more Berkeley grills. It's great to see how they have also grown since freshman year and while I have a lot of work that I should be doing during that time period, I did enjoy the experience the past two days. Getting ready for the SC conference has become more pressing as we come down to the wire, but I think now we pretty much have everything in order. I also had another accomplishment today, I ran again! I ran for the first time since my marathon. I can't believe it's been that long. My achilles was bothering me a bit, but I was able to get through it. After practice, we headed to Road Runners to track down some new shoes and spikes. While I had some prep work to do for tomorrow's CIF game, I ended up watching the Clippers vs Spurs game. It upset me how they kept fouling DeAndre. I understand the benefits for your team and increasing your chance of winning, but doing it was many times as they did when they did, really took some of the entertainment value out of the game. I understand the strategy and don't even mind if it's used a few times, but tonight was excessive and definitely something the NBA should look at. In the end, I sit here working on stuff for tomorrow's CIF game. It will be a long night, but you can make my recovery better if you join us tomorrow night at 7pm at CHS for the opening round of CIF! Be there!

~:[CH4 - Day 49]:~ Howdy Partner

~:[CH4 - Day 49]:~ Howdy Partner

I definitely looked the part with maybe the exception of my boots that were not the typical cowboy boots. Regardless, I walked out happy with my dress up for the day on the staff's western day to promote Sadies. The day itself was a busy one as we had our meeting in the morning, I had Berkeley grills during first, speeches in class, a number of errands needing to be done during break, practice after school, followed by scrip, conference prep, and of course a Costco run for Saturday's conference. By the time I got home, I just wanted to veg but of course, there was still work to do. I ended up printing only half the placards/credentials because of my printer. However, in the end, thanks to a delicious lunar new year lunch given to me by a colleague and a fun western day, it ended up being a very busy but GREAT day!

~:[CH4 - Day 48]:~ The Final Grill

~:[CH4 - Day 48]:~ The Final Grill

It was the last night of grills for the team and we finished up with a bang. I think this group is ready for the road ahead. While it may be the toughest we've faced at NHSMUN, it will be great to see how they all do. The day itself was a whirlwind as getting back from two trips that weekend made it a rough Tuesday back, but I survived. I got through my lecture notes and rolled into intervals. Our intervals were okay, but we did make some progress which was nice. In the end, I got home and was able to relax a bit before getting back to work preparing for the trip and the conference on Saturday.

~:[CH4 - Day 47]:~ Lion on the Beach

~:[CH4 - Day 47]:~ Lion on the Beach

Well, I wasn't lying on the beach, but I was at the beach checking out the sea lions spread across La Jolla Cove as I tried not to smell the terrible air in the area. Regardless, it is always nice to see the sea lions fairly close and while I will never get too close to them, it makes for a great picture, even when I just have a phone. In any case, it was a fun day despite the traffic that slowed me down. I headed down to Hash House and grabbed some stuffed meatloaf with my Kiwi Watermelon Lemonade, which was my best choice of the day. Earlier, I also had a rock road bar as I waited accompanied by a hot chocolate which made for a sweet pre-brunch snack. In any case, it was nice just touring around San Diego - Hillcrest, Balboa Park, Coronado, Torrey Pines, and La Jolla. There wasn't a lot of time, but I made the most of it and it was quite enjoyable. I guess I drank a lot of liquids while I was there, as I had to stop twice on the way back from SD, pretty unheard of for that stretch. In any case, it was definitely a great day and a nice mini trip after working this weekend.

~:[CH4 - Day 46]:~ Going Home in Style

~:[CH4 - Day 46]:~ Going Home in Style

We rolled down the coast of California, as the sun set over the horizon. We headed home and despite the traffic, it was all good as we had our charter bus to take care of us. With no need to drive, beautiful scenery the whole way home, and the all-star game streaming on my laptop, how could I complain? It was the third weekend in a row of MUN-related days and we ended it in style. We were able to take home two gavels of the six committees at the conference, which is the 11th gavel we've collected over this same stretch of time. Not too shabby. The day itself was a bit long as I felt tired the whole day despite getting some good sleep in last night. Maybe I am just getting old, but I thought I would feel good in the morning. It was nice because I was able to catch lunch with Kendall and Ganesh and also ran into Gau at the SRB. I also had some time to do a little research after the CIF basketball brackets came out. We have back-to-back home games on Friday and Saturday! In any case, it was definitely nice to get home, even though when I got back, I was greeted with some work to do for basketball. What can make it even better? A day off tomorrow!

~:[CH4 - Day 45]:~ Eyes for Only You

~:[CH4 - Day 45]:~ Eyes for Only You

It's funny how I am always away on an MUN trip on Valentine's Day and while we were not at Georgetown this year, I ended up going to Gaucho MUN. As I had a day of reflection as I walked around alone most of the weekend, I got to thinking, maybe I did find my true love already, FOOD :) I had a delicious Korean-fusion burrito at Kogilicious and followed that up at dinner with my date at Naan Stop. Who was my date you might ask? It was none other that curry, garlic and garlic/chili naan, chicken biryani and milk tea for my drink. The food at naan stop wasn't good, but I still enjoyed my date with my food. I actually almost lost my watch, as it flew off when I put on my backpack, however, luckily, when I went back a few minutes later, it was still lying there on the street. AMAZING! In any case, the conference itself was going so so. Caucuses in some committees were going on for an hour at a time with a committee with over three hours of caucus in a single day when they were only in committee for just over six hours. Also, one committee got moved way out of the way, which ended up being a 10 minute hike across campus. Overall, most of our students were doing well, but we did have our share of delegates I had to get on during committee. At the end of the day, I was exhausted, but was glad I had a great day with my true love, FOOD. 

~:[CH4 - Day 44]:~ Not a Freaky Friday

~:[CH4 - Day 44]:~ Not a Freaky Friday

Friday the 13th, blah blah blah. Yes, it could be a cursed day, but it wasn't for me. I guess when you buy into the nonsense, it could happen, but I don't and it ended up being a pretty good one. After getting through the day, I had a quick stop at the CTC before heading back and getting things together for the trip. I had to drop my car off and held practice, before heading to the bus to get picked up. We headed to SB with 49 students, but before we did, we grabbed dinner at City Walk. It was actually a great stop, as there were a lot of choices and some of our students got on the big screen as they danced at the main stage area. I had not had Flame Broiler in awhile, so it was nice to get in a great meal. I was able to work on my travel journal in the bus and am making great progress on it. While it will be a long time before it is done, I am glad that I started it as I am starting to reflect back on all the great times that I have had so far in my life and my desire for more! As we headed up, the only bad thing to happen to me was that my stomach started acting up because of my spicy chicken for lunch, but ultimately, I made it up and with enough time to spare. Before we left City Walk, we got a picture of our seniors, and it was to be able to grab a picture of them. While I traveled with a number of them last week in Vancouver and Seattle, we also added a few from our group who did not join us for that venture. In any case, it ended up being a great day and we even ended up in a pretty nice hotel, even though it is a distance from the campus. Freaky Friday? I think not, but it was definitely TGIF! 

~:[CH4 - Day 43]:~ Seniority

~:[CH4 - Day 43]:~ Seniority

It was quite the exhausting day, as I stayed up late to get things prepared for senior night. After surviving the day, including a number of grills throughout it, I made my way to the gym to prep for senior night. After practice, I jetted to the gym, so I could read off the senior night bios. Unfortunately, because of the lighting system they put in, I couldn't see the names at the bottom of the slideshow, so I didn't play all the videos for the girls since I was also reading. In any case, I think it turned out fine except for the delays in between when I was trying to get it to work. The boys was a lot easier as they had no music on theirs and the order was almost exactly as they were going to have it. With our normal starters sitting, our team got off to a solid start and kept pulling away throughout the game. It was a great game, as we got even minutes for all the players and some work for everyone to fine tune themselves for CIF. The girls ended up winning league and the boys finished second, as La Mirada held off Artesia, despite a close score at halftime. I thought I would end up resting a bit after getting home, but am going to have to do my laundry and pack for Santa Barbara. It's going to be a long night!

~:[CH4 - Day 42]:~ A Whole New World

~:[CH4 - Day 42]:~ A Whole New World

It's always a fun day when you get to draw on the board. Today for class, I drew the Little Mermaid! We were doing a lesson on Romanticism and I always draw a piece on the board in case they don't bring anything in. Today, I drew the above piece (of course, I colored it in on the computer). In any case, it was fun playing around and while I only had about 15 minutes to draw, the kids seemed to like the drawing! Usually, they end up poking fun of the drawing. In any case, the morning WASC meeting actually ended up being pretty fun. I enjoyed Dandy Don versus Doomsday Don and am glad that they are making this process a little exciting. Today was another day filled with grill session as I had one at snack, two at lunch, one after our group grill on top of the group grill. I ended up being in the MUN room from 5pm to just past 9pm! It's strange how everything falls on the same day because on top of it all, I had to finish the senior night videos for the boys and girls, the buttons for the boys, and also go to track practice! Pweh! At least I had some time to catch a little bit of the Clippers game, even though it may have been about 10 minutes or so. Oh, I almost forgot! I also got to catch a quick bowl of pho with mi amigo Damon! It was quite the hectic day, but I definitely felt accomplished in the end. 

~:[CH4 - Day 41]:~ Keeping Track

~:[CH4 - Day 41]:~ Keeping Track

When I was in Seattle, I came across these cool journals and ended up getting one of them. I thought it would be a cool journal in order to keep a little record of my travel adventures. I had a hard time figuring out how I wanted to structure it, but ultimately, I started plotting it out by location, rather than chronologically in order to make it easier to get it complete. Well see how it goes as I will be compiling trips through my entire life! This should be quite the task! In 2015, I have already been to Texas, Florida, Washington and Vancouver, Canada. While it will be able to log the most recent trips, going WAY back will be quite the challenge and I will see if I am up for it! I'm going to try to make it memorable though so we'll see how this thing ends up. So what's on tap for my travel ventures in the next few months? ... Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, San Diego (again), Chicago, Nashville, Louisville/Lexington, Las Vegas, Utah, Arizona, San Francisco, and Mammoth scheduled through August! We'll see what I can squeeze in in between!

~:[Spotlight]:~ Julie Belanger

~:[Spotlight]:~ Julie Belanger

I "mustache" you a question, who is one of the coolest people you know? Yes, it is Julie Belanger, even though she is a Dallas Cowboys fan. I am not sure exactly when, but over the years, I have been lucky enough to get to know this wonderful individual. From venturing the streets of New York to simple chats about all the wonderful food that we've chowed down on, Julie has been such a great person to be around. I could not have imagined how much fun we would have roaming the streets of New York, which we needed to do to work off all the food that we were eating. She has always been there for me and has dealt with all of my errors (sorry) that I've made and dealt with them even when she was facing her own obstacles in her life. It hurt me deeply to know the difficulty that you've had to face this year, however, I wanted to spotlight you this week because I wanted to know how special you were to me and many others and hopefully you know that we will always be here to support you! While I know that he already knows this, your father has one of the most incredible daughters than anyone could ask for and I'm sure that is the greatest gift that you could have ever given to him. Thank you for always be there for us and I hope that now, we can always be there for you, hopefully with Peeps in hand. Thank you for being an amazing colleague, but more importantly, an incredible friend.

*****

The spotlight is a column that will highlight at least one person every week who deserves all the gratitude in the world for what they do. While the individual may never make the headline news, they are the type of person that deserve their moment in the spotlight.

~:[CH4 - Day 40]:~ Look Who I Found

~:[CH4 - Day 40]:~ Look Who I Found

While today was a day off for me, it was also a workday since I was able to finish up my reservations for the Nationals trip. I worked my way down the list to confirm all the reservations and ultimately, I wrapped up most everything for that trip. While I am waiting on a few responses, for the most part, I am ready. I was able to sneak out to grab lunch with this guy, who took his nose out of his anatomy book to grab lunch. I ended up working on a few other things before heading to TapEx for another meet up. It's always great to have days where you can just catch up with people. Whether for a short chat or a long conversation, socializing is the key to sanity. While I have enjoyed my time away, I am definitely glad to be going back to work tomorrow.

~:[CH4 - Day 39]:~ What to Do?

~:[CH4 - Day 39]:~ What to Do?

There is almost always work to do, however, what do I do with a day with no other plans other than that? It felt a little weird in that situation today, but yes, I was in that bind. I was trying to figure out what to do with my day other than a little bit of work. After finishing some of those tasks, I watched a movie, lounged around, thought about doing laundry, thought about it again, ate dinner, then headed out to meet some of my friends in LA. It was good to get out of the house at night even if it was for a short while, but I still was confused most of the day with what I should do. Tomorrow shouldn't be as bad, as I was able to secure a few things to do, but ultimately, I figured it out. Of course the highlight of the day was reconnecting with someone I haven't talk to in quite some time! That always feels nice! In any case, time to call it a day, no matter how confusing of a day it was.

-[The General]- Be Together

 

(Photo Credits: Android)

The Dave, Mahoney and DK Morning show recently posted an Android commercial to their Facebook page and it was quite the touching video of animals of different types getting along. The slogan for the campaign is, "Be Together. Not the Same." As I watched this commercial, I couldn't help think about how our society has become so divisive. From race to religion to gender to sexual orientation and political views among others, we have become a society that has looked out for ourselves and for that reason, we have not seen that despite out differences, we can be together. While the meaning behind the commercial may not be sending the same one I am discussing here today, I think that this message can easily be taken from this commercial.

It tears me up inside to see the divisiveness of all these factors and while I may not be comfortable with a persons decision or may not support it, it doesn't mean I hold it against, treat them differently, or worse yet, discriminate them. We have a right to hold our own beliefs and to try to convince others to believe in your view, but ultimately, we need to find a better way to work with each other to have our differences educate each other to bring us together, rather than making a force to divide us apart.

When someone breaks the law, the ideas of race, religion, etc. shouldn't instantly become a factor. It should come down to, right versus wrong. When hiring is taking place, the same should hold true. When people are discriminated against, whether we believe in what they believe in or associate with them or not, it is our job to stand up to stop the discrimination. It's never going to be an easy topic and maybe even not natural for us, however, this commercial goes to show that even the strangest combinations of animals can come and be together, no matter what their differences are - big or small.

Ultimately, the choice will be yours and while changing the mindset of the people of this world will take some time, we have the opportunity to take the first few steps towards change. It could mean that we have to take two steps or two million steps, but in either case, if we come together and embrace our differences, we can one day be together in harmony, no matter how different we may be.

VIDEO LINK: Be Together - Check It Out!

~:[CH4 - Day 38]:~ We're Back

~:[CH4 - Day 38]:~ We're Back

I've been back less that 24 hours and it was already time to head to my first practice since I came back. We headed out to Sand Hill again and ventured up and down until our time slot expired. It was quite nice and great to have a visitor come stop by to join us! It's always great to see alumni join us for a workout, especially when they can still wreck you on the hill. In any case, after a quick stop at the beach and another stop at Bristol Farms, we headed back. We also held our annual captains meeting today with our three new captains. It will be interesting to see how things go this year, but I am confident that they can do a fairly good job. I was able to catch up on a few things throughout the day, including sleep and am happy to be back home. While I know I could have been more productive today, why not take the rest of the day off?

~:[CH4 - Day 37]:~ Wingspan

~:[CH4 - Day 37]:~ Wingspan

Sometimes you just sit there and are in awe of this world in which we live. We are lucky to have so many things that often we take for granted and it's moments like these that make you realize, we should appreciate things more. From being able to travel from places to place to the love and support of friends and family, good health, and more. While there are so many more things that you wish would go your way or how much more money you wish you could have, you have to admit that we are lucky. Lucky enough to have the ability to read this very post, while others may not be as fortunate and may never have even touched a computer. While delays may happen, we are lucky enough to leave the city where we are from. I've had just a glimpse of the poverty that exists around the world and it has made me appreciate what I have and help me to realize that I also need to do my part to give back. As while finding success in one's own life can build up their own empire, helping those around you, will give you the wings you need to sear, as you will get a whole new perspective of the this beautiful world. 

Today, I finally returned from my trip to Vancouver and Seattle. While I enjoyed the trip, it was great to come home. I was able to stop by the end of practice, headed to Northern Cafe, grabbed some Tapex with some friends and vegged around with no responsibilities for the rest of the evening. All in all, it was nice to be home and I can't wait to enjoy this wonderful weekend ahead.

~:[CH4 - Day 36]:~ The Music in My Heart

~:[CH4 - Day 36]:~ The Music in My Heart

Today was our final full day in Seattle and it was a great way to end a wonderful trip. We woke up to the pitter patter of rain, as we headed to the Underground tour. We eventually got there and it was a great tour. Our guide was great and he actually was an Elvis impersonator! In any case, it was cool learning about the history of Seattle and understanding the structure of the city. We headed up to Pike's Place after stopping off at the gum wall. After getting some delicious scallop chowder, I went shopping in the market area and it was great to see all the different things that are out there. It was great! I even ran across this band playing in front which pumped some energy into me as I moved throughout the day. We went to the Seattle Wheel before walking through the Olympic Sculpture Garden. We got some rest time after a tiring day where I racked up 20,000 steps. We ended the day on Lake Union, as we enjoyed a great dinner and performance on the water! The kids enjoyed the experience and it was the perfect way to end the week. This trip felt extremely long, but also was quite exciting and fun. While I will be glad to get home, I will definitely miss the good times I had on this trip and made me realize again how much I love my job.

~:[CH4 - Day 35]:~ The Beauty of Art

~:[CH4 - Day 35]:~ The Beauty of Art

Today was a day full of art. We woke up a little later in the day, as I knew that we would be tired the next day and plus the Space Needle didn't open until 10am anyway. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy day, however, it still had a good view despite the gray skies (in Seattle, what's new?). We got some good shots and walked around for a bit before heading back down to Chihuly Glass Museum & Gardens, one of the most beautiful places I've been. It was such a joy moving through the museum and I was the last one through. As I exited, I caught a glimpse of the Space Needle in a reflection off a piece and got the shot. It ended up being a great one and I was glad I snapped it. I realized later that they used that shot for promo in a few of their post cards and on the wall of the museum. After grabbing a bite to eat, we headed to the EMP, one of the most beautiful buildings around! I love seeing it because it's such an incredible design and such a different structure. I was able to get a GREAT panorama with our team. The EMP was AMAZING! The team had a great time in there and seemed like they could have stayed longer there. We got our rest in before a delicious dinner which ended with my sampler of Pikes Place clam chowder. While I have had more packed days, this day was definitely a fun one and I enjoyed the experience of it all, as I appreciated even more all that Seattle has to offer. 

~:[CH4 - Day 34]:~ In Transition

~:[CH4 - Day 34]:~ In Transition

Today was a rough day, as we had to wake up just before 4am and be downstairs ready to leave by 4:25am. We got down to the Amtrak station and made it through security and made our way to Seattle. The train ride was not as scenic as I had hoped, but still, was a good ride and I got some sleep on the way down. When arriving in Seattle, it was raining so it was a bit of a pain getting to the hotel, however, to our delight, they were able to get us in our rooms ASAP. We made our way to the international district and we got some xiao long bao, which was a great way to start off our time in Seattle. After making it back, we rested for a bit before heading back out to the mall to grab a nice dinner. I had a nice steak and shrimp with the perfect compliment of garlic frites. In any case, after returning, it was back to resting and working on getting the photographs all prepped. Been wondering where the photos were? I'll be posting them tomorrow night! It's been that great of a trip. 

~:[CH4 - Day 33]:~ Amazingness in Many Places

~:[CH4 - Day 33]:~ Amazingness in Many Places

I couldn't have guessed how this day would have gone. With so many factors coming into play, I was just hoping that we would have a great day and so we did. The day was one of the best days I have had especially when comparing it to other MUN trips. After getting on the shuttle to head to Capilano, we entered the park, not knowing everything we would see. The rain held off just long enough so we could venture around the park, over the suspension bridge, through the tree tops, along the cliffwalk and around the nature boardwalk. With the crowds rolling in, it was a spectacular view even though it was cloudy overhead. Just as we headed into the shops, it began to pour. We caught the bus up to Grouse Mountain, after waiting in the pouring rain in our ponchos (provided free by Capilano). It was snowing at the top of the mountain and was quite the amazing day. Despite the fact that two of the lines were closed, we zipped through the course and it was SPECTACULAR! I know there is more we could have done on the mountain, however, in the end, it worked out well. The exhilaration of the zipline, the beauty of the snow, the snowball fights, and of course just the time to see the beauty of Vancouver made it amazing. The day ended with a seabus across to the Waterfront, a stop at a famous gelato shop, and of course dinner at the delicious Gyoza Bar. While I am exhausted, it was definitely a day to remember and made me think to myself ... there is no doubt in my mind, that I will be back to visit you Vancouver. 

~:[CH4 - Day 32]:~ Rising Above the Challenge

~:[CH4 - Day 32]:~ Rising Above the Challenge

The timing of this conference was difficult as our students did not have as much time to prepare for the conference as they might have for other conferences due to finals. We literally left minutes after they finished their finals and had committee less than 24 hours later. However, they showed that they could rise to the challenge and prepare themselves as best as possible for this conference. I felt that the environment of the conference was more of a diplomatic one and a lot of the delegates were not only willing to work together with our delegates, but also befriend them. One of our students said this is one of the first conferences that he went to that he genuinely felt like he connected with other delegates and wanted to talk to them after the conference ended. Despite the fact that a few committees could probably have been run better and a few things could have improved, all in all, this conference ended up being a great choice for our team, as we seemed to fit in with their structure. While they do not do delegation awards at this conference, we ended up with three gavels, five outstandings, five honorable mentions, a research award, and a verbal commendation. It's not too shabby considering that they only gave a handful of awards and we had a small delegations - a split delegation I may add. After committee ended, we gave them some time to recover and to watch the Superbowl. I really didn't care who won the game since the Packers lost, but I was rooting for the Patriots since I wanted to see the Seahawks lose, but wanted the Seahawks to win so I could be in town when they had their parade. Regardless, it ended up being a good game. We finished the night by stumbling across a delicious Mexican restaurant and I couldn't have been more content with my meal choice. Hooray to a great day, as exhausted as I may be!