~:[CH4 - Day 212]:~ Loading Up

~:[CH4 - Day 212]:~ Loading Up

I definitely loaded up on this last day of July as we went shopping for Mammoth today. We loaded three cars with the food that filled four flats at Costco! Our experienced paid off a bit as we zipped through Costco and while there are a few things we couldn't get there, it seems like we did a pretty good job with it. In any case, after practice and shopping, I headed back home and got some more work done. I pretty much spent the whole day focused on Mammoth per usual about this time. While I did a little cleaning (mainly to find things for Mammoth), I think this day was well spent as now I am ahead of where I was last year at this point. We'll just have to see if I am able to be as productive as today was, tomorrow. We'll just have to see about that! 

~:[CH4 - Day 211]:~ Speeding Through

~:[CH4 - Day 211]:~ Speeding Through
Mammoth always tends to sneak up on us. As Thursday hosted the time trial and Gahr, it became very apparent that we were leaving in just a few days. After the morning time trial and weight room, I headed home to finish up some paperwork that I needed to take care of. Unfortunately, I still have some left to do, but I got a good amount done. Of course, the opportunity cost of that was missing the special olympic world games! I was quite sad thinking about it. I ended up moving around some stuff in my room and moved out a desk. It was quite the challenge doing it myself and almost sliced open my foot as I cracked a glass as it shattered everywhere. In the end, I came out unscathed. I was able to grab TapEx real quick before stopping off at Walmart for our watermelons for tomorrow's relay! I then headed to Gahr for the races. It was a bit humid and muggy but in the end, there were some good times and while I had hoped for a little better, it still ended up that we had some great times on the day! I still have to type the morning times up, but I think people will be happy. The end of the day saw Apple Jack going to Korean BBQ for the first time with the XC team. It was nice to go out especially to our normal post-Gahr place as they redid it! It was a fun night and while the weather tried to slow us down, the rainbow reminded us that there is hope ahead.

~:[CH4 - Day 210]:~ Light Shining Through

~:[CH4 - Day 210]:~ Light Shining Through

Life has been a little dreary as of late with am emptiness shining overhead, however, it doesn't mean that the light cannot break through that dreariness to shed some light on the day. After a normal morning practice, I grabbed some food at Galaxy before heading off to see my uncle who has been sick as of late. It was tough to see him in the state that he was in, but he was in good spirits with his wonderful smile. I headed back to Cerritos for CXC bowling, where I just barely missed a 200 game, but still managed the top score on the day. There were some pretty impressive battles for the top scores with some come from behinds and even a 181. In the end, we had a great time and stayed around for a bit. I then headed to pick up Dingus who did not come out (I wonder why), before heading over to meet for an afternoon adventure. We headed to the Santa Monica pier without a plan. We ended up getting Japadog, then riding the coaster, and I ended up winning Apple Jack, which was a pretty cool thing because I started my Instagram series, adventures with AJ and J! Follow me! Afterward, we headed to Koreatown and ate some bomb dinner and dessert, which left me in a food coma. Luckily, I was not driving, as I ended up KOing the entire ride back (sorry!), In the end, it was a full day, but a fun day, as the light poked through. The emptiness remains, but it doesn't mean that I am in the dark.

~:[CH4 - Day 209]:~ Farewell

~:[CH4 - Day 209]:~ Farewell

Sometimes you just don't realize what you have until it's gone. I guess it's a lesson learned that you should not take things for granted. While the carpet in my house may not seem like such an important thing to write about, it also brings back memories of all of the great moments (and not so great moments) in my house. This is like deja vu, as I just did this with my car. Regardless, I spent my final night in that room with my carpet and will say farewell to it tomorrow. The day itself was pretty great as we had another great tempo. We had a large group go get shoes from Roadrunners and then we stopped of at Pokinometry to fill that appetite of ours. Afternoon practice went well with a fairly good sized group. We ended up scarfing down some delicious food at Tampopo before the night ended. I don't remember much after that because I was so exhausted but was glad for the day that I was able to have!

~:[CH4 - Day 208]:~ Surprise Surprise

~:[CH4 - Day 208]:~ Surprise Surprise

It was tough to wake up in the morning after arriving in late, but I knew that regardless, today would be a very tough day. After a solid practicing and weight room, I took a quick nap at home before helping to move furniture around the house. Our den area has never been so empty and it actually echoes in there when you talk. It's amazing and I even got to see the corners/floors of places I haven't seen in my lifetime! I was able to stop off at TapEx and Yasai for a quick snack/lunch and just chat for awhile before heading home to get ready. My brother came home at just the right time, as people arrived after he entered the house. He had no clue, as he thought we were having a family dinner. After I "cleaned the car," I took them outside and he realized that it was a surprise for him, as he looked around in confusion why these people were at our house. We ended up heading out and making it just in time for our reservations at Lawry's. The food was delicious as always and it was nice catching up with this crew. After a bit of time planning this out, I am glad that it came together and we were able to bypass his request to get together, so that we could have this get together (if that makes any sense). A bonus ... we got to celebrate his birthday as well! Yahoo! I am now exhausted and it's time to get to sleep! Tata! 

~:[CH4 - Day 207]:~ To Exhaustion

~:[CH4 - Day 207]:~ To Exhaustion

I woke up at 3am and got prepped for the race ahead. I had passed out the night before, so it wasn't too hard for me to wake up. After getting ready, we headed to the line and walked with the scattered crowds of people who were crazy enough to partake in this 5:30am start. After checking in, we stretched and prepped. Despite three stops, to my dismay, I had to use the restroom again but it was too late to leave the corral. I figured, I'd find a port-a-potty soon, however, it was two miles before I did. I took about eight minutes to stand in line and use the restroom before continuing my race and on paper, it did hurt me. Regardless, I trotted along, just hoping to finish with a six mile run in early July as my longest run since April. Great training plan, right? I knew it was going to be ugly, but surprisingly, I felt good through mile 9 where the wall hit, as the course went through rolling hills to the finish. Despite a horrible, final three miles, I was glad to have finished and didn't care that it was my personal worst time in the half. After resting and showering, we checked out and met up with a few alumni. We Ubered to Marin and saw the bridge from the view point but the wind and fog gave us some trouble .Regardless, we still enjoyed it before heading back to the wharf to meet up with another group. After eating and adventuring, it was finally time to head home. Beaten and battered, I satisfied myself with a nice nap on the BART and ramen to warm me up. However, our plane was delayed 30 minutes, then when we arrived at LAX, we sat on the tarmac for almost an hour, then when waiting for my bags, it took nearly 40 minutes to get my bag. Despite the ending and how exhausting of a day it was, you can't let things like that bring you down. You have to see all the great things that happened and appreciate them, because the negative only narrow your view of this beautiful world in which we live. I'm exhausted, but it was worth even ounce that I had to give.

~:[CH4 - Day 206]:~ Amazing Spontaneity

~:[CH4 - Day 206]:~ Amazing Spontaneity

We woke up early to go meet up with Monica at Mission Beach Cafe. The food was delicious but the wait for those who didn't get there early was crazy! I always love catching up with Monica as she is the boss! After parting ways at the BART station, we picked up our rental and drove to the expo. It took us longer than expected to get around there so we were late to the FC Barcelona vs Manchester United game, as it was in San Jose. While it was crazy, it was nice to see some great skills despite Messi not playing. We rushed back into the city and stopped off at Tpumps of SF. I love that place and it was nice to be able to try the sister store. We met up with Doug at night and while the food place was average, it was great to catch up with Doug. The night ended up with me passing out and getting in a good night of sleep before the race. The non-planned day turned out amazing.

~:[CH4 - Day 205]:~ Falling Into Place

~:[CH4 - Day 205]:~ Falling Into Place

I wasn't sure what to expect from this journey, but it was going to happen regardless. I took care of a bunch of things before I headed on my way to SF. I was a little late dropping off my van at the dealership because of it. I only had about 10 minutes to pack before my ride arrived. I was a little sad I was leaving on my brother's birthday, but my family is going to celebrate on Monday when we get back, so I'll have to make it up then. My "uber" driver was so dressed up and looked like a G (uh em, Terry). We ended up going to Road to Seoul. I was surprised it wasn't crowded at lunch time, but we were able to walk in and enjoyed all the delicious meats they have at this AYCE KBBQ, one of my favorites. We then headed to the airport. We hit a bit of a snag as I'm still having a problem with my complimentary items at check in but for now, I can roll with it. We boarded and just as we were about to leave, I heard a, "Mr. Wat!" I was surprised to see one of my former runners and students on the plane. We were across from each other, but weren't able to talk on the plane. It was a quick flight with a short nap but at the end of the flight, I ended up catching up with Nina! She is doing so well and has such a positive energy spirit and vibe. I was so proud to call her one of my former students. (I'm so proud of you Nina!) We headed on our way and ended up at the hotel. We caught up with another alumni who happened to be around over dinner. I guess it was a day full of alumni because before the end of the night, we saw another group of alumni before turning in. Tomorrow is going to be a packed day on an itinerary planned on the fly, but it's going to be a VERY exciting one to write about. I'm not going to spoil the surprise. You'll just have to wait. Wait, am I here for a race? I better start prepping, but at least for now, things are falling into place. 

~:[CH4 - Day 204]:~ Powering Through

~:[CH4 - Day 204]:~ Powering Through

I was pretty tired today but I ended up powering through the day. I woke up and ran through a good Brookhaven practice. After practice, I headed to the golf course. Since Lakewood was having a tournament, I ended up at Ironwood nine, which was fine with me. I didn't shoot so well over a stretch of three holes, which ruined my round, but I started to piece it together on the last five holes. I ended up stopping off at Northern Cafe for lunch and Fusion after before heading over to afternoon practice. We got through a tough workout and I was impressed by how hard this group worked through it! I ended the night at Sweetee Thai before passing out. What a long day, but definitely a fun one. 

~:[CH4 - Day 203]:~ Eye Candy

~:[CH4 - Day 203]:~ Eye Candy

The weather has been a little crazy lately as it began to drizzle in the middle of the run. I actually got out there and led the boys to the park, as Damon and the girls laughed. It was a fun morning and I got some work in along with a nice warm bowl of pho afterward. I went to go drop off a package but that "drop off" turned into a mini adventured which included TapEx and North Shore Poke and just some time relaxing. I even had time to give a little driving lesson and I'm glad to say that I survived. I got home and took care of some laundry before sitting down and working on the design for the Great Cow Run. We used a spy theme this year and the design is turning out pretty nicely. While I am still revising it, it's pretty much done. I then headed out to meet my friend at Dakara (Whittier), a restaurant that my friend owns! The food quality is so great and to find a good sushi place in the middle of Whittier is pretty cool. With some good background experience, they definitely do a great job with the food. I ended the night chatting in the street like old times until you could no longer see. I got locked out of my house though since my dad forgot that I was outside. I finally got in and with enough time to sit down and get some more work done. Pweh, this has been a long stretch! 

~:[CH4 - Day 202]:~ Doubling Up

~:[CH4 - Day 202]:~ Doubling Up

What should a typical day look like? I'm not sure if this is it, but I guess, today was not a bad way to spend a day. We had a great morning practices, which was one of our best days in sometime. After wrapping up the workout, we stopped off at Carrows for a quick breakfast. I was a bit tired, so I headed home and got some work done. I headed back out to grab lunch with my buddy Gui and it was nice catching up at the India Restaurant. I was working on a little project and then also cleaned up a bit and before I knew it, it was time to head to practice. We got another great workout in as the group did well and even had one of my athletes run her longest run of her life in the hills! We celebrates with a stop at the UTC, before venturing back home. I wanted to watch the rest of Zoo when I got home, but I ended up passing out on the floor, which left me writing this post today. It was a long day and after doubling up on practices, it was nice to catch a good nights rest. 

~:[CH4 - Day 201]:~ A Little Bit Confused

~:[CH4 - Day 201]:~ A Little Bit Confused

It's summer, but the weather has been quite crazy. On my first day with my car, we got humidity and a few sprinkles here and there, but survived any sign of an oncoming storm. While we had a thin practice in part to the weather and more in part to vacation, we had another quality workout and I hope that we can continue this progress. I ended up with another full day and the first full day with my car, as we did a few Mammoth errands, grabbed brunch at Yoshinoya and shot some pool at Aloha. Today was not my day as while I was pocketing a lot of balls, I wasn't able to win except for on a scratch on the break. I then headed home and did a few things I needed to take care of before heading out to the Towne Center. I grabbed boba at TapEx and had our group meet before heading out to Westminster. Out of the three games, I ended up with a 203 and a 200 in a game where I could have bowled a 234 going into the 10th. My split game in the middle left me with a 150 or 160 in a game that I had wagered and so I lost. Of course it would be that game. Something in that range. Sometimes those games happen. As usual, we headed to Tastea afterward before heading back. On a spare of the moment decision, we ended up heading out to Pasadena to stop at Tpumps and to just wander around Pasadena. It ended up being a pretty fun filled night and while the day was filled with a bit of confusion, I survived and am hoping that things clear up moving forward. 

~:[CH4 - Day 200]:~ It's Too Late

~:[CH4 - Day 200]:~ It's Too Late [RESPONSE REQUESTED]

Sometimes in life, you simply try to zip through it and you fail to appreciate all the wonderful things in your life. My van was one of them. Just out of college, I traded in my Honda Accord for an Odyssey, a move that many considered social suicide, but I saw as an investment and boy did I get a return on that investment. Yesterday, as I sat in the parking lot at school, I got a bit emotional at the thought that I would be parting ways with something so loyal and such a big part of my life. It made me thing how often, we don't appreciate those who do the most in our lives until it's too late and this was one of those moments. As I spent almost the entire day with my car (about 20-21 hours if you include just past midnight), I kept thinking about all the good times that I had with it and the memories. As strange as it was, I was never really excited to get a new car, other than the piece of mind that it was going to be reliable, however, my car was super reliable. With almost no engine issues, it was weird how emotional it was to drive away from the dealership, seeing my car sitting there in the lot. as I saw it for the very last time. However, maybe it wasn't just me. When I ran into Boulos yesterday at Ralph's and I told him my car was going to be gone, he asked to go check out the car one last time. So, to my baby, as much as I will enjoy the features of my new car, You will always be the first car that I owned from the very start. The car that took me to Mammoth, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Vegas, San Francisco and more. It was a place where I could blast my music on roadtrips, watch movies as I lounged in the back, take to fancy dinner places as people wondered why in a mini van. You took the well dressed as well as the sweaty. I don't know, there is so much to say, that I don't even  have the words and yes, sadly, this ode is to my Odyssey. I guess my advice to you all is to simply appreciate the time you have to those special to you and while I used a material possession as that memories, this post is not about the van as much as it is in the memories that it fostered. What is your favorite memory of my van? I would appreciate it if you could reply below! 

~:[CH4 - Day 199]:~ Can't Rain on My Parade

~:[CH4 - Day 199]:~ Can't Rain on My Parade

I woke up and headed out after a rough morning with my stomach. I got to practice and noticed that overhead there were storm clouds. The thunder rumbled and the lightning struck in the distance. Luckily, we practiced away from the storms as we ran around Glavinich. We got in a decent workout and we started to focus on getting them to that next level. We'll see how that goes. After that, I had a brief moment of sadness as I cleaned my van for the last time. I am going to have to say goodbye to a vehicle in which I had so many memories. I am not sure if I can do it, but we'll see how it goes. I then headed to the Obon at OCBC! It was definitely great running into people I knew there! As usual, the food was good and the games were fun. I ended up photo boothing and while I did not end up with a fish, it was amusing to see how easy it was for the little kids to win. I got some food to go and then just caught the pouring rain as I got into the car. Ended up stopping at 7 Leaves, which was not the boba I had in mind, so after dropping off food, I headed to TapEx before picking up Audrey. We had to pick up stuff before heading to TNTs and ended up running into an alumni, Boulos! It was great to catch up and while we were running late, I didn't mind at all. Due to the delay, Andrew ended up being able to catch a ride with us! The rest of the night was a great night catching up with old faces and seeing how everything was going. I had a pretty good night and while I slumped a bit in BP, I heated up a number of times and even caught fire here and there. What the??? I headed home, exhausted from the day but I realized that no one can rain on my parade. It was an amazing day that I wish I had the words to describe how I felt about it, as the day survived the storms that tried to ruin the day.

~:[CH4 - Day 198]:~ Finding Inner Peace

~:[CH4 - Day 198]:~ Finding Inner Peace

The morning got off to a great start as our practice and capture the flag game went well. We rolled through the day and got through the weight room. Afterward, we got a basketball game going and ended up running about four games, of which we lost three, but had three very close games other than our win. We ended up stopping off at Fantastic Cafe but since I already bought food, I ended up grabbing a quick bite at home. I then headed out to Tpumps, whic his a little bit of an addiction. I got Hi-Chew before heading off to the Huntington Library. It was an unexpected stop, but ended up being wonderful.I got lost in the beauty of it all and now am in love with the place, so much so that now I am a member. Who wants to go with me? We got our photo shoot done through the library grounds and then headed back to Tpumps to refresh ourselves. The cashier noticed we were there earlier and our second round was definitely memorable. I ordered a drink called the PMS (peach, mango, strawberry) and she made me say it four times. She definitely made the experience that much better! I wish this place was closer. We headed back at about rush hour so we took side streets down to the 5 freeway and made it back fairly quickly. I got invited to dinner, so I headed out right when I got home and had a wonderful meal at Red Lobster (thanks Chuangs). I finally got home and found time to rest, but of course, I still have to go through the photos from today. Maybe I'll just do it this weekend. We'll see. Regardless, I had a fun and wonderful day and definitely found some inner peace. #tpumps #pasadena

~:[CH4 - Day 197]:~ Just in Time

~:[CH4 - Day 197]:~ Just in Time

I rushed in the morning to get everything together before heading out. It's always a little crazy on time trial day because there is a lot to take care of during the normal practice time. The computer had 34 updates to install and my battery pack was, well out of power. However, in the end, things worked out. The race was a great one up front and we had a number of close battles in every division. In the end, we had a great time. We stopped off for dim sum at Seafood House after practice and it was not too great. We stopped there because it opened early, but it's not a place I'd recommend. I went to go get some work done at home after practice, however, I ended up falling asleep. I woke up and made a quick stop at Fusion and Chick-Fil-A (not to eat) before heading to practice. Despite the traffic, the carpool lane helped us get to Central Park in a timely manner. We got in a great workout and then headed back. Before finishing up, I was able to eat at Northern Cafe! So delicious! However, the night ended perfectly, as I checked and saw that my jury duty was complete :) Best day ever. 

~:[CH4 - Day 196]:~ Looking for Something

~:[CH4 - Day 196]:~ Looking for Something

Today is one of my favorite days - scavenger hunt. We always end up with one group who gets lost or goes a really long way and it always seems to have someone who is in summer school. Today was no different. Most of the groups zoomed through the routes and made it back with time to spare. One group was out for a bit, but at least they got to know each other better. Since JT came back, we went out to get pho (again) and it was all good except for they said we paid 80 instead of 90, when we double counted 90. Regardless, we settled on them having to check later and we'd pay when we come back if we were actually short. I headed to MVP afterwards to get my crane game fix. I didn't do so well today, while Erika beasted it, but I did get a sock monkey. It's something, isn't it? I headed back and got back to my sketches. I was happy to be doing a little art and ultimately finish two pieces. I'm getting the hang of it and hopefully can keep doing it through the summer. I moved a bit more furniture today and I think by tomorrow, my bedroom will be clean. Soon, it will be onto my office, Goodness. I also set up Skype on my computer so while I hate it, I'm willing to Skype with you. I wrapped up the night prepping for tomorrow's time trial. I got everything done pretty quickly, so I had some time to catch up on updating websites and more. Did I mention that today was Amazon Prime Day? My wallet officially has a hole in it! 

~:[CH4 - Day 195]:~ Moooooooving Along

~:[CH4 - Day 195]:~ Moooooooving Along

We began our tempo season as the athletes pushed through a great morning workout. We ended up heading over to Chick-Fil-A after the run in order to represent the COW pride. It's an easy task for our team as we have a wardrobe of cow costumes as we filled up the restaurant and scarfed down some great free food. I was able to sneak back home and take a nap before heading out to afternoon practice. I got a good run in and while I did not do the whole trail, I was able to get in what I needed to. We headed back to BWW and ended up catching the end of the all-start game while eating all of those wings. It was delicious and even better as the AL won and Trout was the MVP! Go Angels! After a good meal, I called it a day, but not before I got in some sketch time with my new markers. I am pretty proud of what I sketched tonight even though when I shaded a portion, the ink that had gotten on my clipboard bled onto my paper. Oh well, I am happy as I look at the progress of the piece! It's time to say good night as I moooooove on to another day.

~:[CH4 - Day 194]:~ Nandesuka?

~:[CH4 - Day 194]:~ Nandesuka?

We got back to work as I ended up out on the course with the team again, training for my half marathon along with them. It's great to see things starting to pick up and while we still have a way to go, the team is starting to make progress. After getting through the day, we stopped off at Chick-Fil-A in preparation for tomorrow's Dress Like a Cow Day (not really in preparation, but we wanted to go, even though we'll be going again Tuesday). I then headed to lunch with Jaime as she took me to a nice place next to her work! It was awesome and the sandwich I got was perfect! It's always nice to catch up with a friend even though you unexpectedly see them the day before. I headed back and had a group go to Hardtimes for some pool. The place is pretty run down but we did end up getting in some good games of pool. I lost my focus towards the end, but Jeff and I ended up winning all but one of our games. We then headed over to Westminster Lanes and hit the alley. I bowled decently well even though I was in split mode today. I picked up one of them (the 5-10), which was not a difficult one, but a split nonetheless! We ended up at Tastea again before stopping off at the Art Supply Warehouse which brought back memories of old times, as I used to go there almost weekly because of art school. Before eating dinner, I moved some of my furniture back in my room, since the inspector OKed our windows. Finally! I was so exhausted that I fell asleep, only to wake up realizing that I still had stuff to do. Regardless, I am so glad the way the week started and hope that I can carry this momentum into the week!

~:[CH4 - Day 193]:~ Corn Holes & More

~:[CH4 - Day 193]:~ Corn Holes & More

One of my friend was in from out of town, making the trek over half way across the country back for for a few days. It's always great to be contacted by Van when he returns and it's just as great to see his family. They cooked up a delicious BBQ and we just caught up and chatted. It's great when you have over a decade of friendship with someone and you continue to connect no matter how far they are from you. After stopping at Tastea, we survived the near disaster in the toilet (no more info) before I headed off to my next venture. I missed the original e-mail, however, a reply got me on track and I got the info I needed to celebrate the birthday of another great friend! While I came late, I still had a great time including playing hours of corn hole, which I ended up getting much better at and then just chatting and playing some games, showing off my bird form. I think I needed this because it was the first time in few weeks that I felt like dancing and I was able to. I guess it's just like old times with the crew. We ended up playing corn hole into the night as we cleaned up at the same time. I look back on today and just appreciate all the great people I am surrounded with and am so lucky to have them in my life. Thank you all for a wonderful Sunday.

~:[CH4 - Day 192]:~ Life's a Beach

~:[CH4 - Day 192]:~ Life's a Beach

Another early wake up had me at Sunset Beach for practice. It's always nice to get in a workout and while I am not too fond of the beach, I don't mind jogging around in it too much. It was a bit warm but I managed to do a little strength work at the beach. It was also a great day because we easily found parking. Maybe it was because there have been shark sightings. Interesting. Afterward, I got some Hawaiian food and chicken wings, which was a great combination for brunch and lunch. Before heading home, I also go my free slurpee because it was 7-11! Always a great day in my book. I had some time to take a quick nap and then I headed out to have dinner out in Covina at Fonda Don Chon. It was quite delicious. I had the seafood molcajete and it was giant! I had enough to feed both my parents with my leftovers when I got home. It was a fun time full of great conversation and well worth the drive. I ended up back at home getting some things done before falling asleep on the couch. Yes, I am writing this post on Sunday. Regardless, it was a fun and full day and today was just another reminder of the wonderful world in which we live.

~:[CH4 - Day 191]:~ Change of Plans

~:[CH4 - Day 191]:~ Change of Plans

I was suppose to end up at the beach today, but our plans changed and while it may have seemed that canceling was kind of sad, it ended up in something good. After playing a great game of footsoccer, we headed to pho again and had a pretty good size group join in. I ended up picking up my last lens at Canon today and so now they are all cleaned and fixed! I was so tired, I took a nap on my driveway before heading to our alternate plan, the Minions. We had a larger than expected group join together and it ended up being a good time. It was nice seeing a mix of athletes, family and alumni together. The movie was quite enjoyable and funny and in the end, I was happy. I felt completely relaxed today as I got home and enjoyed two movies on TV, something I haven't done in awhile. I did a little bit of work on the computer before calling it a day, but in the end, the change of plans led to a lot of R&R. Sure, we could have had a great time at the beach, but sometimes, a little change of plans can be good. 

~:[CH4 - Day 190]:~ Almost Perfect

~:[CH4 - Day 190]:~ Almost Perfect

You often find those moments or things that are simply on point, however, sometimes, they are so awesome and amazing but something just isn't right. Today was quite the awesome and amazing day, but it fell short of perfect and I am left a feeling that is so indescribable. Practice ran smoothly and I was pretty happy with how things went. I had an awesome breakfast that while not healthy for me, was a great "first try" of a dish, the DUI. It was chili cheese fries covered with carne asada and pastrami from Fantastic Cafe. Delicious. I was able to get a nap in, which felt amazing and the construction at our house finally ended so now maybe I can find peace and quiet. I ventured out to Disneyland and had an awesome time, as while the crowd index was fairly high, the crowds did not seem very large. Maybe everyone was moving in a different direction than us, but every line we waited in was almost half of what it said it would be! I caught the new Peter Pan ride and just soaked in another day at the Happiest Place on Earth. While I wrapped things up earlier than planned, things went well, but there was something missing that kept this day from being perfect. I guess, as amazing how things are, there can always be that one thing that keeps you from reaching the peak. You can either to choose to stay in that rut or to rise above it and move forward. I'll be looking to move forward and hopefully have the courage to reach that peak and feel that amazingness that I missed out on today. Today was amazing, almost perfect, but I know that this is still more out there for me. 

~:[CH4 - Day 189]:~ Connections & Consumption

~:[CH4 - Day 189]:~ Connections & Consumption

It was definitely a day of connections as I caught up with a number of people and also ate an equally filling amount of food. As exhausted as I was, I made it through the day with some energy to spare. The morning brought a picture a decade in the making, as two of the members our ohana came together again. It's funny to look at it like this, but it's a reconnect of former Dons who now reside at UK pharmacy and Harvard neuroscience. Both were former captains and a big part of this program. After hitting some weights, I headed over to the Canon HQ to grab some of my equipment before heading over to eat at Santouka. It was a great meal with great company! After heading back, I took a quick nap before meeting up with some alumni for lunch at Nothern Cafe. I snapped a picture that was quite similar to a picture we took a few months ago at the same place. We ended up heading to Class 302 where we ran into more alumni. I then jetted over to Chipotle with our team. While sitting there, a number of alumni came through and we chatted. While there, I heard the great news of DeAndre coming back to the Clippers and while I was prepared to deal with it, it's definitely makes the road ahead a little easier, despite the fact that some work needs to be done. While I thought my night was over, I ended with one more catch up at TapEx to end the night or so I thought. The final cherry on top ... I got a letter from my sponsor child. Now that put me into heaven! What a great day! I am stuffed but being filled with all the conversations and catch ups was well worth this discomfort. I always hope for many more days like these and while they will not all be this great, a man can dream, can't he?

~:[CH4 - Day 188]:~ Offbeat

~:[CH4 - Day 188]:~ Offbeat

The second day is always harder to wake up than on the first, but I ended up waking up fairly easily. Strange isn't it? I got out and ran with the team and it felt kind of nice. I still need to run a lot more, but we'll see how it goes. After practice, I was so tired that I took a nap watching tennis. When I woke up, I grabbed some Thai food for lunch then did a little ice dancing/skating at East West Palace. It's nice to float along the ice, but it's not the easiest to free skate there as there are so many lessons going on at the same time. I then spent the next hour or so making bubbles in the park. It was cool to see how to do it and ever since then, I couldn't get the song Offbeat out of my head. The music video is one of my favorites as incorporating the bubbles in the video made it quite spectacular. At the last minute we decided to stop off and catch Jurassic World followed by TapEx, which was definitely an exclamation point. I felt a little offbeat throughout the day, but ultimately, you just kind of roll with the punches and things will all get back on beat. After a long day though, I'm sure I am going to rest well tonight. 

~:[CH4 - Day 187]:~ In a Dream

~:[CH4 - Day 187]:~ In a Dream

It's pretty tough getting back into the habit for practice, but I did and made it with time to spare. It was quite a small showing, but with the holiday weekend, I had a feeling it would be with many people still having to get their athletic packets stamped. We got in a decent run and ended up at Pho Tasty after the workout, which was a perfect stop on the cold morning. I snuck in a very short nap before heading to the Canon HQ to get my camera cleaned. I was definitely in heaven as I saw all the equipment I could not afford to buy. Well, most of it anyway. In one case alone, I would have to spend my life savings and more. After my drooling session, I was able to relax a bit and ended up getting fitted for my tuxedo! It was a pretty quick process and we just missed a quick rush. The rest of the day was just getting a few things done before relaxing. It was a bit boring compared to what I have done the past two weeks, but it's definitely nice to have one of these days. 

~:[CH4 - Day 186]:~ The Beauty is Clear

~:[CH4 - Day 186]:~ The Beauty is Clear

While getting up in the morning was tough, it was well worth it as it was quite the adventurous day. I headed to Hollywood and caught Phantom of the Opera. I haven't seen it in quite sometime and was glad that it had come back to LA. The last time I saw it was actually on Broadway and they have revamped it so that now it is a lot better. Since it was a matinee, I ended up driving by the observatory before heading to dinner. I ended up at Yamashiro for a delicious dinner adding a few traditional orders that I have there with a few new things mixed in. Before heading home, I made a stop at Tpumps, which was a pretty good decision, as their Hawaiian POG tea was pretty awesome. I would definitely suggest making the trip if you're nearby. I was pretty exhausted and headed back but definitely a fun and entertaining day full of fun and great company. A great way to end a holiday weekend. 

~:[CH4 - Day 185]:~ Let Freedom Ring

~:[CH4 - Day 185]:~ Let Freedom Ring

There was a moment that I was amazed when watching how our community come together. We have such a diverse community and to see everyone intermingling the way that they do is something I am always impressed by and proud of. Sure, people may not see it, but walking around the fair today, I got that sense. Before doing so, I ran in the La Palma Run 4 Fun race and finished! My goal was to simply finish and I did so. It was great going with Andrew and having him finish second overall and to be chased down by another former athlete who was right on my heels. After a short nap, I headed to my cousins to venture to the fair. There were a lot of people I knew, which is always a little awkward but I was fine with it. Nala ended up winning a fish while Makoa also picked up a few prizes. However, the best part of the day was simply catching up and hanging out with everyone. Today is a day that we remember all those who gave up something for independence, but I also think of all those who in the current day give up so much so that I may survive and this country can as well. Regardless, it was a fun and long day and I am glad to have made it through the day. Happy 4th of July!

~:[CH4 - Day 184]:~ In Recovery

~:[CH4 - Day 184]:~ In Recovery

I needed a little time to recover from all that driving, but I also came home because JD wasn't feeling too well. After going to Canon only to find out that it was closed for the holiday, I spent the day at home, getting some work done. I was able to do much of the transferring I needed to do for the day and some odds and ends. I headed to the doctors to go help pick up JD. They had scrubbed her down since she had accumulated some infections and sadly was diagnosed with pemphigus foliaceus. Pretty much she is having issues with her immune system which is causing her infections. I was a bit sad but glad that she looked better than when she left this morning. Luckily, she got to come home today, as tomorrow is her birthday! At the end of the night, I got to sit down and chat a bit, while trying to transfer the rest of the footage over. Unfortunately, we're missing a few clips which I hope we can find. We'll just have to see. However, other than the stress of that, today was just the relaxing day I was looking for.

~:[CH4 - Day 183]:~ Light Up The Night

~:[CH4 - Day 183]:~ Light Up The Night

I left the sin city a day early, which may be a sin in itself, seeing that I had a suite to go along with it. However, I just felt it was time and I did what I needed to do while I was gone. I got my R&R and finished the tasks I need to, so I ventured home. I knew the day was going to be good right at the start as compliment followed another compliment and things kind of fell into place. The traffic wasn't all that great, but I still arrived relatively on time. As usual, I hit up TapEx after the long drive home. I ended up at Linbrook that evening. It's been awhile since I've been there, but I still don't like the lanes there. However, with good company, the night was great and despite opening with an open frame, I still was able to bowl a 206. We then headed to Kickin' Crab since all the other options had super long waits. We got in before closing and it ended up being a delicious meal. Looking at the time, we jetted over to TasteTea and made it just before closing, putting the final piece on a fabulous day. While Vegas in enticing, coming home was the best decision, as it was a fun and fabulous day. 

~:[CH4 - Day 182]:~ Show Stopper

~:[CH4 - Day 182]:~ Show Stopper

I was able to sleep in this morning before getting a few things done. I made pretty good progress through the day and was happy with what I did. I headed downstairs and grabbed some food which one again led to me winning a good sum at the Hangover. I stayed in and caught the women's World Cup game and while it was sad for England, I was glad that Japan ended up winning. After doing a little more work, I caught up with Roger over Starbucks then caught Ka, a Cirque du Soleil show. Since they didn't allow pictures in the theater, I ended up using a picture of the cover for today's blog. The show was different than I imagined but was quite amazing as the stage made the movements so different than other Cirque shows that I have seen. I would definitely encourage people to catch the show if they get a chance and they often have 2 for 1 deals, which is something I took advantage of. Afterward, we grabbed some pizza and then hit the floor, but it wasn't a good night, so I think I'm going to head home tomorrow. It was a good trip and nice to relax here, but I don't mind being home.