~:[CH4 - Day 151]:~ One of Them Days

~:[CH4 - Day 151]:~ One of Them Days

Sometimes, as much as you want to run around and do nothing, you have to sit down and focus. Today was one of those days as I had to get prepping for my track and field banquet. With just 3 days until the banquet, I knew I should take the day to work and work I did. I actually may have done too much in one day, as I am ahead with my preparations for the banquet. I do have a lot to do still, but am pretty happy with my progress :) The day itself was pretty mellow as I typed, collected pictures and also began working on Candlerose. These next two weeks are going to be madness, but I figure if I can stay organized, I will survive it all. 

~:[CH4 - Day 150]:~ The Many Talents Of ...

~:[CH4 - Day 150]:~ The Many Talents Of ...

I woke up early in the morning and got ready as I headed to the airport to welcome back Grace. The airport wasn't too crowded and I was glad, as I circled it a few times before all her bags came out. Finally they did and we survived the wrath of the crazy officer who was chasing cars down (or so I was told). After getting home, I was still sore from basketball the day before, so I decided to relax. I spent some time with JD, as she has been feeling ill and hasn't been eating. She finally ate some of the treats I had for her as we made progress with her throughout the day. At night, I headed to CHS Idol. I love going, as you discover many of the hidden talents that our students have. The performances were all great! While I liked the class acts better, the music videos were pretty good and I wasn't too surprised that the freshman one, after seeing some videos made from my freshman earlier this year. In any case, it was a wonderful night and it was topped off with a post-event boba and chat. A perfect way to end an evening. 

~:[Spotlight]:~ Grace Kuo

~:[Spotlight]:~ Grace Kuo

I always try to match up these spotlights with important events and while I missed doing this on her graduation, I decided, it would be great to do this on her return to Southern California! I met Grace her freshman year when I was a junior. It's always hard to remember that far back, but while I have a horrid short-term memory, my long-term memory is quite vivid. Being someone going into neurology, I'm sure she can diagnose me. 

She has always been a studious one, being a product of Whitney and all. While hanging out in high school, I remember that I accidentally went south instead of north on the freeway. In order to turn around, I got off at what I thought was an exit, but it was a weight station and I hit a speed bump at sixth. It felt like one of those car chases and Grace was in the passenger seat taking her Chemistry practice test, just before she screamed at me. That was one day short of sixteen years ago and it's amazing that we still keep in contact. Grace stuck it out through the toughest of times and was always there for me and the team when we needed her the most and it was through that stretch that I grew to appreciate her the most. 

She has become legendary within our program as a few of the runners that ran under her, talk about how tough she was on them. She helped build a team of female athletes who were tougher than our boys, as they were all a product of a coach who was one of the toughest people I have always met. I think they became tough because they feared her, but they grew a lot because of  her. (I may just have to institute some Gracesonian coaching tactics next year.) However, behind the tough facade, is a caring individual who gives 110% and then some, making sure that the people around her are taken care of. 

Sure she may buy too many things every once in awhile, but all in all, I cherish all the wonderful moments that we have shared, the places we have explored, and all the delicious food we have consumed. While I know you're going to hate me for posting this picture, I hope that you know how much I have appreciated having you in my life and am so glad that you'll be back in the area so we can all go on fooding and other adventures.

Congratulations on your graduation and also on finally finishing all of your packing so that you could return home. See you very soon!

*****

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 149]:~ Falling Just Short

~:[CH4 - Day 149]:~ Falling Just Short

The day itself moved by very quickly as soon it was time to get ready for the basketball tournament. Just before, I decided to run errands and ran into the Gohatas. We both stocked up on gel :) I then headed to grab lunch with my team and a few others so we can prep for the game. We actually started out pretty well, going 3-0 after the first round. We had a good balance and while I felt I did a decent job on the defensive end, I didn't shoot as much as I probably should have. The second round changed as we went 1-2, which dropped us to a two seed, which made our road a little tougher. In the last game, we probably grabbed about 30 rebounds in a seven minute period, however, we missed a lot of layups, which cost us. We took a last second shot to tie the game, but it fell short and the put back came about a second after the buzzer. Regardless, this team played hard and I was happy to have been a part of this team. I knew we had what it took to go all the way this year, but sometimes, it just doesn't work out and the one point loss sometimes is just a matter of that one extra shot falling. We ended up picking up one additional games since a team left since they did not know there was a third place game. I gave my spot up to a more offensive minded person and it ended up working, as we took that game over an advanced team. It was definitely a good night, which ended up with a one-on-one victory over one of my students. (I couldn't resist adding this in!)

~:[CH4 - Day 148]:~ Truly Excellent

~:[CH4 - Day 148]:~ Truly Excellent

I moved through the day in my final full day of presentations. As while I was exhausted, I was pretty into the presentations today, as espionage always ends up being one of the most interesting. Today was quite the busy day as people were trying to catch up with paying for banquet and settling any other issues they might have. I ran over to the advisors' banquet after spending fifth sorting through paperwork. The theme was cool and ASB did a great job with it! (Way to go!) After heading out to get some work done during sixth, I shot some hoops to prep for tomorrow before going out to practice. I worked the athletes pretty hard and then headed over to the Civic Center for the Mayoral Proclamation ceremony! It was great to see this group who just did an exceptional job in their preparation, in their growth and in their behavior. There is going to be no perfect group, but I definitely enjoyed being around this group! In any case, it worked out nicely because one of our students also received his Eagle Scout recognition so we got to cheer him on. With even more ties to MUN, the mayor is the mother of one of my former classmates from MUN! After taking some photos, we headed over to Macaroni Grill where we enjoyed the rest of the night. I just kept thinking through the night, just how lucky I was to have such a fun chaperone group and also such amazing students who are so self motivated that it makes my job as a teacher so much easier. I love my job ... I love it so much! It's truly excellent!

~:[CH4 - Day 147]:~ The Best Gift Ever

~:[CH4 - Day 147]:~ The Best Gift Ever

Today was my birthday. While I don't really get excited about celebrating my birthday, It's easy to find an appreciation for the day especially when you're surrounded by great people. As I began to reflect on the day, I realized how that enjoy life, it is simple. Surround yourself with quality people who are thoughtful and enjoy the adventures that await you in life. Why is it that simple? The adventures, both good and bad, allow you to grow, allow you to learn, and allow you to see the world around you in a new perspective. There are going to be great times and there are going to be terrible times, but ultimately, you will learn to grown from all of these experiences. In all cases, the people around you are the ones who help mold you into who you are. I have been so blessed to be surround by so many amazing people such as students, colleagues, friends, and family. I cannot imagine life without may of these amazing people and whether I see them daily or once in a blue moon, at some point, they have helped guide me in the direction that I wanted to head. Sometimes I realize that I don't pay enough attention or give enough credit to these people, so I will do my best to do just that. Of course, thoughtfulness is one of the last components. I know many of you are asking, what about love or other things of the like, but thoughtfulness includes love. Thoughtfulness requires care and care requires love. When you are surrounded by people who are thoughtful, you will become one of the richest people in the world, like I am. Day in and day out, I always realize just how lucky I am. The best gifts in life have been those little messages in card or through social media that just make you smile. It may be the smallest of messages, but it means the world to me. While I stayed at school until almost 9pm this evening because of Premios, I have no regrets in doing so. To be surrounded by such amazing people, whether at the ceremony, at lunch with a friend, in my classroom being visited by juniors who wrote you cards, and with a family who, despite sometimes trying to embarrass me, are the foundation for who I am today. Thank you to everyone who have helped give me the best gift ever - a life full of riches that no amount of money could match. As while some people look towards a new car or house, a fancy title, or more, I am content living from paycheck to paycheck surrounded by the people I have, being engulfed in a storm of thoughtfulness and care, and living life to the fullest with experiences and adventures that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Thank  you everyone for making today and every day special.

~:[CH4 - Day 146]:~ Back to Reality ... Again

~:[CH4 - Day 146]:~ Back to Reality ... Again

It was back to reality as I rolled around all night only to hear the sound of my alarm as I just fell asleep. It was going to be a rough day. However, I did survive it, somehow. I snapped a picture on my phone of my seniors prior to doing our photo shoot. It's always a big question mark to see if we will have our full class there and on a Monday, we had everyone. Amazing, yeah? My presentations were not too shabby today and I stayed with them even though I was exhausted. I definitely felt like I was catching up all day today. I ended up grabbing lunch during a planning meeting for our road trip. It got me so excited that when I got home, I booked nearly everything I needed to and then some. I am scared to look at what damage I did, but I guess you just move forward and plan away! All I know is that I will be doing a lot of driving. Otherwise, the night was good, as I did some cleaning and accomplished a lot, including, putting the final touches on the Premios de Oro video. It's now time to sleep, as it's back to reality!

~:[CH4 - Day 145]:~ Into the Winner's Circle

~:[CH4 - Day 145]:~ Into the Winner's Circle

I got a good night's sleep as there wasn't much touring planned in Lexington. I woke up in time to head over to Blue Door Smokehouse. Not knowing how crowded it would be, we stopped there a bit early in order to make sure we would be able to eat there and also to get the brisket which often sells out. I ate with TNT and his group of friends and the food was pretty good especially because we don't get much BBQ in our area. After brunch, we grabbed our stuff and took some photos with Shadow, the dog of one of TNTs friends before hitting the road to Louisville. We stopped off in Versailles to get a shot of the castle, which was pretty awesome to see. It started to rain on the way to Louisville but cleared up just enough to allow us to catch a few races at Churchill Downs before heading to the airport. After evaluating the horses, I set my sights on 8-7-4, however, TNT and I both thought that 4 would be a beast. I almost won my trifecta and would have had I trusted my gut. It ended up being 8-4-7, as missed out on the trifecta. Regardless, it was fun to catch a race at the home of the Kentucky Derby! I headed to the airport and relaxed a bit at the airport before heading home. Hopefully, I will make it back home this evening, as the storms across the midwest may keep me from doing that. My flight from Chicago to LA looks good, but my flight from Louisville to Chicago is delayed. Maybe a sprint to the gate? Crossing my fingers. If I don't make it, my daily blog will get an update. In either case, I definitely arrived into the winner's circle, as this improvised trip was definitely a win because of all the great adventures that were created because of the help of some incredible and amazing friends.

~:[CH4 - Day 144]:~ Down the Bourbon Trail

~:[CH4 - Day 144]:~ Down the Bourbon Trail

We headed up from Nashville to Lexington to stop off at the University of Kentucky. However, before we did, we hit up a number of places, one of which was Mammoth Caves. Being the longest cave system in the world, the Mammoth Caves spread across 400 miles. While we only covered a small portion of it, it was pretty amazing to see where they had been and how they set everything up so people could venture inside. The whole time I kept getting the feeling that it was fake, which it was not. After wandering around a bit, we headed down the Bourbon trail as we headed toward Lexington. After stopping off, we finally ended up in Lexington, sore from sitting and also the hiking. After a quick nap, we hit up a pretty interesting restaurant in Lexington with the most interesting things we had, bacon in a glass. We grabbed some dessert to end the night. This trip is slowly coming to an end, but I am glad to have enjoyed such a diverse experience and not staying in a hotel a single night. I have some great friends!

~:[CH4 - Day 143]:~ Things to Do in Nashville

~:[CH4 - Day 143]:~ Things to Do in Nashville

We had one day left in Nashville so we tried to figure out how to go through our day to see what we had hoped to see. It couldn't have worked out more perfect. We woke up in the morning and headed to Vanderbilt to play some basketball. While there was no one there when we started and I almost passed out after the first game, we ended up having 10 people and had a full court game. I lost most of my games, but am definitely ready to play a bit more when I get back home. We hit up a tofu house before heading out to the Country Music Hall of Fame, which was pretty awesome. We barely made it in time to the actual hall of fame, but clutched it to make it. We headed back to Broadway and picked up some boots before heading to the Parthenon. We grabbed some BBQ at Peg Leg which is a definite must if you're in the area and love BBQ. Patterson House had a long wait, but it was worth it to see the speak-easy type setup. We lounged out for a bit since we waited so long and just enjoyed the ambiance. We rushed out so we could try and make it out to one of the recommended places to visit, I Dream of Weenie. As funny as it sounds, it's a place that has been covered by different shows and newspapers. Imagine hot dogs served out of a VW bug house. We chatted with the one guy on staff late that evening and he let us know about all 75 square feet of the place. We settled on the mac and cheese with chili and it was pretty good, Next time, I think I would add jalapenos. I told the guy there I'd definitely give them a shout out and definitely recommend making that stop, as it's a quick one. Before calling it a night, we headed back to Broadway to check it out at night. All we wanted was a picture but we got all the crowds and saw some the craziness that is Nashvegas. Nashville, you've been good and I think I'd be down to come back again one day.

~:[CH4 - Day 142]:~ Boots are Made for Walking

~:[CH4 - Day 142]:~ Boots are Made for Walking

After another great night of sleep, I said my goodbyes to Chicago, wishing that I had stayed one more day and headed over to Nashville. Being my first time in Nashville, nothing was familiar which is rare when I travel. I grabbed my pamphlets and ventured around the city with TNT who drove from Lexington to pick me up. We headed to the Country Music Hall of Fame, but it was closed so we wandered around Broadway and saw how cool it was. It was nice to see a place where the bars were opened and you could hear the music being played from the street. We walked into a few places and tried on some boots, checked out some hats and just soaked it all in. Probably going to head back there tomorrow. We ventured from there to Hattie B's Hot Chicken. The food was so delicious and the chicken had the crispy outside and juicy inside. Paired with fries, it was a great meal. We were able to catch up with Van a bit while we were there before turning in to watch the game, which probably wasn't worth it, but it was nice to relax a bit. In any case, my first day here was fabulous and can't wait for what tomorrow brings.

~:[CH4 - Day 141]:~ Just Crazy Enough

~:[CH4 - Day 141]:~ Just Crazy Enough

When I arrive in Chicago, I met up with the others who had trekked from California. We boarded the train together and went to Grace's. Her place was fabulous! There was enough room for all of us and more, but with all the stuff in there, we all wondered if she'd be able to trek back to California by the date she had planned. We were able to stop off and grab some donuts before taking a nap since we had all red-eyed to Chicago. When we woke up, we headed to the water tower and met up with Grace and grabbed lunch before the ceremony. The ceremony was pretty cool and the benediction talked about people being just crazy enough to change the world. I am sure that Grace has it in her, but definitely someone who is out to do good for the world. After the ceremony, we ate at the Boarding House and it was a pretty awesome meal. Definitely a great way to end the night. While we were suppose to go back out after dinner, we ended up crashing and that's all I remember. Congratulations Grace!

~:[CH4 - Day 140]:~ The Final Chapter

~:[CH4 - Day 140]:~ The Final Chapter

It;s the last stretch for the seniors who took their senior panoramic picture day. We got a pretty good amount of seniors to take the photograph even though it was on a late day. The day itself moved along as I had to try to make sure everything was taken care of prior to departure. After work, I headed to LAX and boarding my plane to Vegas. I thought about heading to the strip, but ended up just lounging around the airport in Vegas before heading to Chicago. Did I mention I got upgraded to first class going to Vegas? The rest of the day will be a travel day but when I wake up, I'll be in Chicago. 

~:[CH4 - Day 139]:~ The Next Hurdle

~:[CH4 - Day 139]:~ The Next Hurdle

It was an exhausting day. I was quite upset when I found out that Senior Awards was moved just a few weeks ago and no one informed us. I checked the calendar before scheduling my track banquet to avoid any conflicts and the move made it so that my banquet was one the same day as Senior Awards. Regardless, while I finally got to the bottom of the whole issue, Knott's was nice enough to reschedule my banquet and I am still waiting on word, but it sounds like it will be at no cost to change. The presentations today were not too shabby and while the noise level was a little higher, the creativity was also a bit higher, which was nice. Practice saw us taking out the steeples for the first time in awhile. Someone had sliced the top of the steeples and the chains. I keep getting upset at the vandalism that takes place. Why do people even do this kind of stuff? In any case, I worked through all the challenges and in the end, the day got better. I caught up with a few alumni over boba, I realxed a bit, planned for my future trips, and packed away. I guess while things may be challenging, if you keep your head up and keep moving forward, you'll be able to see the next hurdle in your way so that you can navigate your way through the day. 

~:[CH4 - Day 138]:~ Just Plain Comedy

~:[CH4 - Day 138]:~ Just Plain Comedy

I couldn't help but laugh. I could have guessed that this group would keep their lesson light and funny, but it still caught me off guard. While it would have been nice for them to be a little more serious, it's moments like these that keep me on my toes and interested in the day. Today was a mixed bag, being both good and bad. In econ, the currency exchange assignment is always one of my favorites as the students stress over these numbers. The race to finish first is always intense and I love to see the competition in an econ class. There was a bit of a mess after snack, so I got a quiet lunch. It was nice in a way because it was quiet, however, it's also a little sad because it's nice having some conversation in the room. I got Northern Cafe today, which made the day instantly better and had a nice relaxing practice today, with only a handful of people left training. I discovered that one of our school's major events was changed since I booked our date for our track banquet and now might have to move it and no one even told me ... I found out through a casual e-mail conversation. However, how can you let anything bother you in a day, when you get a letter from your sponsor child. Her family is building a new house and while it's not a house like we think of, I'm so glad to see them improving their lifestyle! I cannot wait to go back and visit! Ultimately, while things may be up and down in your life on any given day,  you have the choice on what you let stick with you and I'm going to choose the good. What will you choose? Let's keep it positive and hopefully, we can slowly impact the rest of the world!

~:[CH4 - Day 137]:~ Finding Comfort in Heartbreak

~:[CH4 - Day 137]:~ Finding Comfort in Heartbreak

It was a sad day as the Clipper went down and lost their 3-1 series lead to the Rockets. While the Clippers, maybe with the exception of Paul, didn't deserve to win this game because of their effort most of the game (such as getting back on defense and getting to loose balls), it still was heartbreaking. You can't shame a team who wanted the win more than your team and I definitely give props to the Rockets. In any case, JD provided me with a little comfort as she looked at me and asked for a belly rub. Despite the fact that she took my seat, I obliged. The day never really allowed me to recover, but I did. I ended the night with some boba and nice conversation into the night that let me find some comfort in the heartbreak of the day. I guess the good thing is that I am saving some money and now will have more time on my hands without any games to watch.

~:[CH4 - Day 136]:~ Sweet (Dis)Harmony

~:[CH4 - Day 136]:~ Sweet (Dis)Harmony

Today was not the day I had hoped to end our season, but I couldn't have imagined a more perfect ending. In our relay, our hand offs were better but a bit off, in the distances the first mile split was spot on, but the second was off, and we left the day with but a single PR. I still couldn't be more proud. Our athletes competed and in the span of a single meet, became even closer than ever before. Our jumper had his "kongtourage" join him for every jumps workout, even though none of them were competing. They helped clean up, set up and rake the pit for him before joining on the full day journey out to Moorpark. My van sang their hearts out in true disharmony but in essence, came together as one. The scene when we returned back was chaotic as one of our cars got pranked on, but it brought everyone closer together. In the end, we walked into a crowded eatery and somehow, two booths opened up next to each other just as we did, so we could all sit together. It summed up our day and ended our season the way that I had hoped. We had some obstacles throughout the season, but today made me hopefully about what the future holds. Since one of our first meets at Irvine High School, I knew this group would be enjoyable to be around and I was not wrong. While I have had seasons where athletes have gone on to the next level of competition, it's these types of moments, where your team comes together no matter what the outcome, that makes all the time and effort you put in as a coach well worth it. 

~:[CH4 - Day 135]:~ Short and Sweet

~:[CH4 - Day 135]:~ Short and Sweet

The day was short and sweet, as the students didn't come in until 10am. The sophomores tested in the morning, leaving us to our meeting before seeing the ghost town on campus at about 9:15am. No one roamed the normally busy campus, as the rain added another dimension. It was nice to just relax and have a productive day. While we did not do a lot in class, I feel that what we did will end up being something that the students will carry with them for awhile down the road. I was able to catch a quick lunch with Isaac. Pho Tasty was packed so we stopped at Pho4U and ran into Andrew and Lilly! It was great to run into some friends. Heading back, we finished up our practice and called it a day after I grabbed some stuff from Walmart for the meet tomorrow. It was nice to get home and relax a bit before a long day tomorrow. For the first time in awhile, I sat back and caught an entire movie, Limitless. This is what other people must feel like ... maybe I like this life. Naw, bring on more deadlines :)

~:[CH4 - Day 134]:~ Just Short of Complete

~:[CH4 - Day 134]:~ Just Short of Complete

It was a bit of an eerie day. It was a nice morning until the clouds rolled in and stormed on us all. It almost seemed like a nuclear holocaust on the day that the nuclear weapons group presented. I had a lot of work to do so I came back just before practice began and strangely, it cleared up just as Bill was about to run. When running, the track and the blacktop left off a bit of steam as the area was pretty much a ghost town. No one else on the track practicing and a similar eerie silence. The CTC, no different, as it was also a bit of a ghost town. It got a little chaotic at dinner, as we hosted our CIF dinner. We were down a few athletes who couldn't make it, but still managed a fun outing with the team as we filled our face with delicious food to celebrate CIF! When going home, I sat down to watch the Clippers game and I felt the same eerie feeling that still sits with me now. The start of the game was not comfortable and while excited, I worried that we had too big of a lead too early and sadly, I was right, as they began playing like a team that already won. It helped that they didn't have a defensive liability in Harden on the floor, but ultimately, we lost the game. You can't lose the focus and drive if you want to win and the hungrier team took the victory. I am not sure if this eerie feeling will go away, but I hope it does soon, because I do not like, not one bit.

~:[CH4 - Day 133]:~ All for a Good Cause

~:[CH4 - Day 133]:~ All for a Good Cause

Today was a calm but hectic day. In the morning, I rushed in to get to my tech development mini-class. I didn't really have one that I needed to learn, so I picked one that seemed interested and it ended up drawing a fun crowd, which was great! After giving my seniors their test, it was time for the freshman to begin teaching the class. It will be nice to sit back the next week or so and just observe and grade as they do their thing. Some will thrive, some will struggle, but hopefully, they will all take a lot from this. Today was also "reward" day for those who contributed to pennies for patients. The classes scarfed down a lot of food during lunch in a span of 12 minutes! I was amazed and in shock but it was all well deserved as they raised nearly $2200 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! Practice was pretty relaxing today and allowed me some time to relax before going to MUN for scrip. It was a pretty full day, but I still had some time to catch up with a few friends and watch some basketball. I have a little bit of a calm before the storm coming up and hopefully, I can do a better job of using my time wisely. We'll see ;)

~:[CH4 - Day 132]:~ Singing and Dancing

~:[CH4 - Day 132]:~ Singing and Dancing

I finished up getting through our lessons for the day, as the day just flew by. I started to plan for Candle Rose which added a few more responsibilities to my plate. Regardless, it was well worth it. Practice went well, even though we only had one athlete for distance. Karis helped me yell out instructions to him throughout the workout and looks like she'll be a natural singer or when going out to karaoke. After a quick photo session with my hurdler, \the day ended with frostbites and a disappointing Clippers game where they came out too confident and didn't play with the same drive they had in the first few games. Hopefully, they understand that you cannot just walk in and assume the team is going to let you win. I was able to get a lot of work done on the night which kept me up a little later than I had hoped, but at least I finished most of what I needed to including finalizing my plans for next week's trip! Yahoo!

~:[Spotlight]:~ Justin Chang

~:[Spotlight]:~ Justin Chang

As a teacher and coach, I often go into a school year and season thinking, what do I need to teach these students and athletes? What should take priority and ultimately, what can I do to reach these students and athletes in the best way possible? While that may be my approach, every year, I learn just as much from the students and athletes and they learn from me, if not more. 

Coaching is a tough and demanding job, as the pay is terrible and the hours are long (that is, if you want to put the time in to do a good job). However, at the end of most days, I don't sit there and ask myself, why do I do this. At some points, it's easy to lose sight of what is important, however, Justin reminded me of one of the greatest lessons that I will be reminded of most days, patience and how important this experience is for each and every athlete.

I was a little nervous and anxious to have an athlete come out with special needs, as I had so many questions swirling in my mind. However, after some time, I began to realize that Justin was simply special and was exactly what I needed. Especially at the start, things were not all fine and dandy, as it took some adjusting to having him on the team; however, I adapted and so did the team. He learned our routines and we learned more about Justin. 

I will always remember his first race. He ran straight to the water fountain back when we had one that lined our dirt track. While I thought he would get a DNF, Justin continued to run and I will never forget him crossing the line with his hands up in victory, repeating, "I won." It's a moment that couldn't have been written better by an writer in Hollywood. It will be a moment that will stick with me for a lifetime.

The most interesting part of the whole experience is that Justin made the full transition. He required minimal support by the end of his time and the team required little instruction, as they stepped forward day after day to do what Justin needed. A week prior, Justin raced out too quickly at the start of the race against Norwalk. It was interesting to see that Justin adapted and went out at a much smarter pace against Bellflower and finished the last race of his career on a high note.

Regardless of his times and his performances, however, Justin reminded me to see that coaching cannot be about coaching to win, but about coaching athletes to learn, to love and to experience. As if I can do that, then I truly win, as Justin did in his first race. It's great to see an athlete step up to a podium and accept his/her medal or to beat a record, but ultimately, to see an athlete cross the finish line after the best effort they could, to see them talking and smiling with their friends, and to see them learning and growing, is the greatest thing a coach can experience. With Justin and the rest of this ohana, I have been lucky enough to be blessed with a team who can spoil me with these great experiences day after day.

I still have a ways to go, but I am that much better because of you Justin, which is why you deserve your moment in the spotlight. 

*****

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 131]:~ Something New

~:[CH4 - Day 131]:~ Something New

It was a day out of the ordinary. A new lesson that went decently well. A new experience in dealing with people. Plus a new restaurant with all kinds of deliciousness - unidon. This day was about the new and it ended up being pretty good. While I had to adjust a bit to a few things here and there, all in all, things went well. I enjoyed catching up and trying unidon at Marugame Monzo. At the end of the day, I got to relax and take a nice bath to let all the stress simply melt away. That is the kind of day you want to have and just the kind of day that I had. I also secured a few things that will make my future a happy one if all things fall into place. We'll just have to wait and see.

~:[CH4 - Day 130]:~ (An Awesome Mother)'s Day

~:[CH4 - Day 130]:~ (An Awesome Mother)'s Day

I got the hints dropped to me earlier in the week, so when I asked my mom if she wanted to go to the Clippers game for her Mother's Day gift, you could tell, she was excited. We ended up getting tickets and headed to the game together. The game was at a weird time but still ended up eating an early dinner before the game. I think my mom enjoyed the game, as the Clippers destroyed in the second half. She stood most of the game with us cheering. I'm glad that my mom could enjoy her mother's day and while this year's game was not as exciting as last year, she still got what she ultimately wanted, a Clippers W and time with the family. 

~:[CH4 - Day 129]:~ Together We Zot

~:[CH4 - Day 129]:~ Together We Zot

I got to sleep in today after a late night at the track. It was nice. Of course, when I woke up, I had a project on my mind ... edit those graduation photos. I was able to finish the album by about noon and I was pleased with what came out of it. The shots were pretty good and I hope that they enjoy them. I took care of a few other odds and ends throughout the morning before getting ready to head to the Angels game. I stopped off at PokiNometry with Emi before the game. The game itself was fairly entertaining early and late in the game, the Angels made their charge which ended up just short. Sadly, Puljos could not come through. The consolation prize ended up being the fireworks, but regardless, it was a great night with some great people. Together we zot! I even got a cool hat that I can sport to show my Angel and UCI pride at the same time. Simply awesome!

~:[CH4 - Day 128]:~ Soaking It All In

~:[CH4 - Day 128]:~ Soaking It All In

The school day passed on by as we discussed the sensitive topic of internment in World and tackled pricing in Econ. As the day rolled on, all I could focus on was league finals. Since we left later, I didn't have to take off, but it was a mad rush to get everything in order. Ultimately, we got all setup despite the rain, which passed on through and left us with a nice day to race. We had some great performances and a few that were not as strong, but ultimately, you love to see those who simply work their tails off. I didn't enjoy the fact that people cannot listen to direction, as the field was crowded, which slowed down the process of announcements, awards, and more as so many people kept distracting us from what we needed to do. I got my notes down on what needs to be changed in the future. We ended up with a number of PRs, nine CIF qualifiers, a near league records and much more. I was very proud of everyone despite the fact that I could not enjoy it as much as I wish I could have. In the end, it'll be nice to get back to coaching during CIF. After the race, I uploaded the results then headed to Lazy Dog. They kept us waiting for a LONG time but finally got us seated as I thoroughly enjoyed scarfing down a hamburger and cajun fries. What a day! 

~:[CH4 - Day 127]:~ Moving Up the Ranks

~:[CH4 - Day 127]:~ Moving Up the Ranks

Today was match your teacher day during our annual Teacher Appreciate Week and it was cool to have all the students dress up similar to me. It's funny because my brother, my "sister" (Ali) and I had our class dress the same ... black top and blue jeans (or something similar). My entire fourth period dressed up! About 1/3 to 1/2 of my 2nd and 3rd period students also did and I got two dance performances and one singing performance on the day. What an excellent way to offset the terrible test scores. I spent most of the day after that prepping for league finals. At practice, we got through our workouts and tried to get out before it got too cold. Unfortunately, the jumpers tried to copy the vaulters and attack their coaches with water balloons. At the end of the day, I got hit but it was just before I had to go do a photo shoot at USC. I got picked up after practice and taken over to USC where I got to shoot my "son" and his ROTC friends. It was a great time roaming around and getting the shots. I just wish we had more time and I had more equipment. Regardless, it ended up being a pretty good shoot especially because we stopped at Curry House at Little Tokyo on the way home! The juicy burger curry was amazing and even better because my "son" Richard paid for it! I got some photo editing to do, but not tonight as I am exhausted! I also have another graduation shoot this weekend, so I am going to be a busy bee! Good night! 

~:[CH4 - Day 126]:~ Very Much Appreciated

~:[CH4 - Day 126]:~ Very Much Appreciated

I almost forgot today was the luncheon and was so happy to think that my small lunch would not be enough. I had something to look forward to and it came in an all you can eat setup. Of course, I kept it fairly light, but the food was so good, I had to put a decent amount on my plate. In any case, I was so amazed at the effort the PTA put into our luncheon and I definitely felt appreciate. (Thanks to all the parents!) The day itself was pretty great. After starting with a mini-period since today was AP lit, I worked my way through the day before getting to practice. The team seemed in good spirits and ready for Friday's race. After that, I headed home and unfortunately, the Clippers dropped game 2. They played too much isolation ball at the end of the game and it ended up costing them. Oh well, it happens. They just need to refocus and keep home court advantage now. I did a lot of work compiling records and now, I am almost caught up on everything. Yahoo, finally!

~:[CH4 - Day 125]:~ Another Day Passes By

~:[CH4 - Day 125]:~ Another Day Passes By

The day was dedicated towards league prelims as I gathered paperwork and supplies for the meet later that day. Before I knew it, it was already time to head to Artesia. I met the team at school, then drove all of the supplies over to Artesia. The weather was cold and overcasted but windy which wasn't really good for anyone. The challenging conditions still didn't keep the team from some good times and results, however. We ended up doing fairly well with some good surprises through the day. I was exhausted by the end of the night, but still had enough energy to go celebrate with Marcus for his birthday! AYCE sushi! In any case, I'm exhausted. Here's to another day!

~:[CH4 - Day 124]:~ May the 4th Be With You

~:[CH4 - Day 124]:~ May the 4th Be With You

Yeah Yeah Yeah ... it was Star Wars Day today and so I themed my post title with it. However, today was anything but an space adventure as AP testing began. I was glad to have most of my class around, as we try to increase attendance at our school and while I have more students, they are behaving well. I actually enjoyed going through the day, as all my classes were on task. Maybe there was something a little extraterrestrial going on. I rewarded myself with Niko Niko and TapEx before heading back to practice on the day before league prelims! We got our run in and prepped. It seems like we are ready, but you just never really know until the day of. Afterward, everything was geared towards game 1 of the Clippers-Rocket series. With word of Chris Paul being out, there was a little bit of concern, but I knew we could do well against the Rockets. Despite a terrible first half, we played well in the second half and pulled away in the fourth. It's a long series and we both played far from our best basketball, but it's definitely a great start to the series. I just hope Chris Paul heals soon! 

~:[CH4 - Day 123]:~ Copy "Cat"

~:[CH4 - Day 123]:~ Copy "Cat"

Another day of dog watching and so me and Max go to spend some time bonding together. He is such a strange dog, but we enjoy being around each other. This is what kind of day it was, however. Most of the day was trying to recover from the Clippers game last night which drained me physically (since I stood the entire game) and emotionally (enough said). I had a lot of work to do for the track meet this week and so I began piecing everything together. I got all the paperwork together, reviewed the entires and made photo/media passes. Excited day, eh? I got a busy stretch coming up with a lot of videos and projects, so let's survive this. I am counting down the days until summer, but will not forget to enjoy all these wonderful day ahead! 

~:[CH4 - Day 122]:~ The Happiest Place on Earth

~:[CH4 - Day 122]:~ The Happiest Place on Earth

The happiest place on earth is wherever there are great and positive people. I woke up early in the morning to head over to Disneyland for the morning. While I was tired and hoping to grab some sleep, I was so happy to meet up with some great friends who always make a day wonderful. It actually wasn't too crowded which made the day even better as we swooped around the park, grabbing fast passes and stopping off and rides here and there. I rushed back home to get changed for the Clipper game. In a last minute decision, I ended up going. It was the right decision. I had a great meal - black truffle cheeseburger with avocado, bacon and a fried egg, with truffle fries. Delicious! At the end of the meal, the Kentucky Derby was on and got to see the race. Heading over to the Staples Center, I got a number of great treats before the game including a free phone battery pack, picture with the Clippers spirit, the Stubhub lanyard with picture and more. Regardless, the greatest treat was the game. It was the most incredible and epic game I've been too, either tied or just a notch above the comeback over OKC on Mothers' Day last year. I give this one the edge since this won the series. With Paul injured and coming back, it was the perfect addition to the story line, as he hit the game winning shot which set the place off. In any case, I couldn't have asked for a better day and am so glad for being surrounded by great people as it truly makes everywhere the happiest place on earth.

~:[CH4 - Day 121]:~ In Dramatic Fashion

~:[CH4 - Day 121]:~ In Dramatic Fashion

I survived today. I was tired but I walked in and got through the day. At the end of the day, I got to kick back and just relax a bit with no pressures of time and having to be somewhere, which was incredible. I love those days where nothing much went on, but you feel wonderful a the end of the day. Tomorrow will be a fun and exciting day and I just hope it pans out as it should. Have a fabulous Friday and weekend!