~:[CH4 - Day 243]:~ And So It Begins ...

~:[CH4 - Day 243]:~ And So It Begins ...

I woke up early and headed out. It's normally pretty easy to wake up this first week as I have been waking up at 5am most of the summer. After setting up and talking to the seniors, I was able to get rolling. My freshmen classes are the typical quiet at the start type students, however, I know that they will break out of their shell. As I left, the once empty classroom was filled and at the end of the day, looked peaceful again. As I stepped out, it felt nice to be back. Different, but nice. I headed out to practice and got things going. I could only stay for the first half of practice, as I jetted back to do CPR/First Aid training at school. Afterward, I picked up Northern Cafe for lunch for tomorrow and Wednesday and then went back to get some work done. Since there isn't much going on, it feels nice to come back home, but I know there is a lot of work to do. I wrapped up the night finishing up the team awards for the Great Cow Run. It's going to be that week that if I'm not doing something to prepare for that race, then I'm behind. We'll just see how this week goes.

~:[CH4 - Day 242]:~ Unexpected Treasure

~:[CH4 - Day 242]:~ Unexpected Treasure

I didn't expect today to be special. I thought it would be a fun day, but it ended up being spectacular. I drove down to San Diego to grab some brunch. We ate at Caroline's and it was fabulous. The food was good, the weather was good and the view was spectacular. While we did make a mistake with the parking situation, the enjoyment of the day far outweighed it all. We took a quick break and then head back down to the beach. While I didn't want to get wet since I was going to drive back homoe soon, I still was able to get in a pretty good way since the tide was low. We chased little fish (and one big one) and even jumped a seaweed rope. Earlier we saw dolphins and a turtle, but we missed out on seeing the hammerhead shark, which was said to be roaming the waters. I headed back home and caught the Japan vs PA game. It was an amazing game and the pitcher I thought should have started for Japan, did a nice down shutting down the offensive machine of PA. In the end, Japan was able to pull out the title! My dad and I then moved a filing cabinet into my room, as I had cleared a lot of space to do so. It helped me organize myself and now my room looks half way decent. I still got a lot of work to do though! Regardless, I can be happy with the progress. In the end, I got some work done but still have some work to do. At least I am ready for school tomorrow! 

~:[CH4 - Day 241]:~ A Long Road to Paradise

~:[CH4 - Day 241]:~ A Long Road to Paradise

I woke up early after a night at Disneyland and headed over to Malaga Cove. It's always one of my favorite runs, but I got a little bit worried because the sun was already out. When we got there, it was cooler than Cerritos, but still warmer than our normal day there. My achilles was bothering me a bit as we headed out, but it eventually went away and I made it to the 10mi turnaround. I sent the athlete I was running with, with the group ahead and I was able to cruise it to that point. With a pack behind me, I picked it up the last 1.5mi to the finish and survived and didn't do too shabby. We hit up Teri Hawaii on our way home, which is always paradise. The teri beef plate with rainbow shave ice is the best way to recover from that run. It didn't hurt that Japan took the international little league crown with a thrilling 1-0 victory in extra innings. When I got home, I did an errand with my cousin, claimed my free drink at Starbucks, cleaned up a bit in the house, then rested for a bit. We had a captains meeting that night, so I headed back out and we had a pretty good discussion at dinner. I headed back home and just relaxed and rested, as my muscles were sore. It was a long road, but well worth it in the end.

~:[CH4 - Day 240]:~ Truly Magical

~:[CH4 - Day 240]:~ Truly Magical

I got to school earlier than yesterday and I didn't even need to be there THAT early. However, it allowed me to get some work down and lounge around a bit. I took care of most of what I needed to do on the day, so i got to relax until the meeting. For picture day, I got to wear my sombrero for the ID picture, but I had to take another picture for the yearbook sadly. After lunch, I did a bit more prepping before heading over to practice. It was super hot so we just did a food run and called it a day. Of course, I lifted a little, which may have been a mistake considering I had PV on Saturday. I had a quick stop off at Dolphin Bay before ending the night at Disneyland. The lines were a bit long but we caught the fireworks show from outside and then rode on Big Thunder Mountain and Indiana Jones. The ride broke down as we rode on it and so I got to see the ride with the lights on and get another round on the ride. We ended up stopping off for an ice cream cone on the way out. I also got another idea while doing it, get Apple Jack a "1st Visit" button. The guy helping us at city hall gave me a little bit of a strange look at first but then took interest in it and even asked to see the Instagram hashtag. We headed out knowing it was a great night, but I know I may pay for it a bit tomorrow.

~:[Spotlight]:~ Sandy Hu

~:[Spotlight]:~ Sandy Hu

Sometimes you wonder if things just happen by accident or if things really fall into place. I still remember back when a girl in my math class lost her money for prom. My friends and I didn't really know her that well, but we ended up getting a collection to get that ticket (or something along those lines). Regardless, that moment seemed to start one of the high school friendships that I still treasure to this day. 

While we have always been separated by quite a distance, we've always seemed to connect. Whether back at home, in San Diego or in New York, it always is a joy to reconnect with you and to see you thriving in what you do. 

When you headed off to New York, I was a little sad, because I knew you had the skills to make it there and would be quite the distance away. However, I am happy to see you adjust to the city and to find such great success. It's always a pleasure to catch up and see you, no matter how short of time we have together. 

I will always remember you love for dolphins, your thoughtfulness, your creativity and now it's a joy to see your growth with the Lord. To be able to see the places you worship have been quite the blessing and have also reminded me to keep my conversation with God open. 

I always keep you in my prayers and while we are quite the distance away, I will always keep our friendship as one I hope will last. 

You've always been a behind-the-scenes type of person, but for your love, care and concern for others, the effort and love you put into all you do and for the smile that shines brighter than Times Square, I believe it's your time to be 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 239]:~ AJ Meets Jepsen

~:[CH4 - Day 239]:~ AJ Meets Jepsen

Mr. Jepsen is the most famous person on my blog and AJ is the most famous subject on my Instagram, together, they make the perfect team. Today, my best friend Jepsen met Apple Jack. It was awkward as expected, but all was good, except for maybe that Cubs shirt (haha, jkjk). However, it was really nice to get back in the habit and have lunch with Jepsen. The meets went off pretty well as we had a pirate themed meetings with the ideas of "digging" throughout the year. After the meetings, I had a former IA come in and help clean up, which was awesome. We ended up grabbing lunch at Northern Cafe and just as we headed out, a former athlete also showed up just as we were leaving. Ironically, it was our Shoot for a Cure team. It ended up being pretty fun. I headed to Gahr after for the two-mile. It was a little warm, but we all survived and had some nice surprises again. After the race, we stopped off at BJs and grabbed a good meal to end the day. It was a very long day, but it was pretty nice. It's back to work tomorrow where I get to finish setting up my room. I also have to decide what the wear for picture day. Any suggestions???

~:[CH4 - Day 238]:~ My Best Friend

~:[CH4 - Day 238]:~ My Best Friend

My baby was asleep when I got home and since she has been sick, I let her sleep, but I was able to snap a picture with her. I remember when the roles were reversed and I had just come home from the hospital. She was there to greet me, kiss me and take care of me. I hope that I can do the same for her. The changes in her worry me a bit as I know she is getting older but I am hoping she can still be by my side. Today was also my last day of summer. I spent the morning and early afternoon eating lunch and catching up with my friend, then stopped by the Block to do some work shopping before heading to practice. I did catch the beginning of the Japan vs Venezuela game. It was so intense that I caught more of it on my phone. We got to run the Cow Run course today before heading over to Chick-Fil-A. I was craving Tpumps and since it was the last day of summer, I headed over there before calling it a night. It was a good day to call my last of the summer and even better that it was a day dedicated to dogs all around.

~:[CH4 - Day 237]:~ Heavy Lifting

~:[CH4 - Day 237]:~ Heavy Lifting

I got to sleep in for the last time. It wasn't late, but hey, 8:30am isn't too shabby. I got a few things done, ate lunch real quick, before heading out on my way. I got to the library and only a few people were there, but just as 12pm rolled around, a pretty good size group walked in. They did such a fabulous job moving the text books to the floor today and we ended up finishing with time to spare! I selected the stacker position again and while I regret doing so, at the end, I felt pretty good as I got in a good workout. I ended up stopping off at the CTC for a little before practice since we had so much time left over. Practice itself went fairly well but it was a little challenge with the weather being a bit warm. It cooled down towards the end of practice, which helped. We ended up stopping off at BWW. They handed us trivia tablets there and I ended up playing. The game was super slow, but I ended up doing pretty well and was happy! I won all my rounds despite a very challenging final game. I love trivia. Anyone down for a trivia night? After wrapping up and getting home, I finished off my Cow Run work and e-mails and got back to planning a bit. I have a little ways to go, but am starting to see my trip laid out! I can't believe I am planning so far in advance! Hopefully that means that this will be a very detailed and exciting trip! 

~:[CH4 - Day 236]:~ By Design

~:[CH4 - Day 236]:~ By Design

I scheduled the morning to get some work done. I have a lot of work to do. However, I made some progress. After getting what I needed to done including organizing my room a bit more, I headed off to get some stuff done for the Great Cow Run. There is a load to do, but it is slowly coming together. I didn't realize that Aaron Brothers was closed in the LBTC, so I had to search on Amazon for the award frames I needed and I found them! I stopped off for a quick lunch before heading to practice. It was warm but not crazy hot. We got some good mileage in despite the warm temperatures and I played course monitor and water boy along the route. We lifted in the hot weight room before calling it a practice. I headed out to Little Tokyo to visit my friend. It's always great to catch up and we had our moments. We both had trips that we had gone on, so we had things to share plus we had trips that we had planned so it was something to talk about. It was a great night at Spitz, which has a pretty awesome decor and relatively good food. I'd go back. I also love being in the Little Tokyo area, so that helps as well. In any case, we headed to get tea afterwards and I ended up with a Hawaiian Sunset Fruit Tea with lychee jelly. It ended up being a pretty good choice. Despite some distractions outside, it was a nice night be sit outside and just chat the night away. In the end, I made it back to my car safely (hehe). When I got home, I did a little more work then worked on an itinerary I've been working on. I'm trying to keep my travel expenses low and I got off to a good start. As of now, I booked LAX to Honolulu to Tokyo ... Tokyo to Manila ... Manila to Bangkok to Chiang Mai ... Tokyo to Honolulu to LAX. I won't even tell you how much I have spent so far because you might be sad. Anyway, if you want to be in the seat next to me, let me know! I still have a few more places to include in the itinerary so we'll just have to see how it goes from here! 

~:[Spotlight]:~ Jonathan Watanabe

~:[Spotlight]:~ Jonathan Watanabe

We've had our differences, but when I think back to my life with my brother, I can honestly say that he has been such an incredible person in my life who has always cared for me since the day I was born. When I was little, he used to sneak into my crib to be with me and throughout my life, I have played the roll as his sidekick.

I got to toast to him and his new wife at their wedding last week and it was great to think back to all the memories that we shared. I can't believe that we went to the same K-8, High School, College, Credentialing School, and Masters Program.

Brother, you've been there for me throughout my life and I was lucky enough to say a lot of what I would have said in this post to you in person at your reception. I am just so thankful to have a brother like you who has always cared for me as much as you could (because I know I would have to cook if we were stranded somewhere) and has always looked over me.

While I may not always show it, I am thankful every day that I have been blessed to have a brother like you by my side. I couldn't imagine many other siblings being able to room together in college and work next door to each other at school. Of course, I wasn't too sad when you  moved away because I inherited a second room :)

I am so glad to see you so happy and to see you move on to the next stage in your life. Just remember that I will always be here for you and I love you so very much! Thank you brother and for all that you have done as my superhero, 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 235]:~ Place of Zen

~:[CH4 - Day 235]:~ Place of Zen

I wanted to find a place to relax in one of my last days off before the school year began and the Huntington Library would be where I ended up. I think the membership was the best thing I could have gotten as it's definitely nice to say to myself, let me just stroll around the gardens. While it may almost be impossible for me to go on a weekday now, I still don't mind getting over there on a weekend. I was able to get a little more up close since I have seen most of the site in the outdoor areas. Trying to capture the smaller things that you may often overlook was my goal. I was able to do that for the most part. While I still have some things to figure out, at least I found some solace in this beautiful place. Maybe I'll venture out that way again next weekend. After touring around, I went to Tpumps and my favorite cashier was working. The last time was so awkwardly funny. At least this time, it was more of a normal transaction. Of course, I was craving TapEx so before heading home, I stopped off to grab some. I caught the Japan vs Mexico game on TV, which was my goal before getting down to business with some work. I had a pretty productive workday except for the fact that I have not yet booked flights I wanted to have set. Of course, now that I think about it, I'll be waiting a little longer until the prices/deals are better as even when using miles, there is a good time to jump in. In any case, it was a pretty great day and while I have a lot of work to do, I am happy with the progress that I am making. Tomorrow is my first weekday without morning practice. Maybe I will start getting my classroom prepped. Who is ready to help? Haha, jkjk :P

~:[CH4 - Day 234]:~ KOed

~:[CH4 - Day 234]:~ KOed

Throughout the summer, I kept thinking to myself, when am I going to get that KO day. I have been pretty busy and trying to do as much as possible this summer, but I finally got that day to do almost absolutely nothing. While I had things I wanted to do this weekend, I felt like sleeping would be the most productive thing I could do. I spent some time with JD and Max, passed out on the ground. I woke up to no alarm, ate a little, went back to sleep, ate some more, then watched a little TV. It definitely is the first day in a very long time that I did not leave the house at all, which also solidifies the fact that I should be in no hurry to move. In the end, I have more to do tomorrow because of this productive unproductive day, but I can live with it as long as I don't have another one anytime soon. With all I have left to do, I can't afford it anyway.

~:[CH4 - Day 233]:~ Our Diversity is Our Strength

~:[CH4 - Day 233]:~ Our Diversity is Our Strength

After a successful silhouette shoot at practice on Thursday, we had a silhouette shoot at our bonfire on Friday. What I realized is how diverse our team is, yet how our diversity is our strength. We have such an interesting mix of athletes from different backgrounds and different interests, but that in turn, helps us become a better team. One of our athletes is a dancer and her skills are quite apparent in the shoot as some of the best shots of the day were from her. Overall, the bonfire went well as we had plenty of food and the weather was perfect. We were set up right next to a girls Los Al XC group and our athletes went over and ended up talking to them for a bit. It was a long day, but a successful one. I ended up stopping at Frostbites and Buffalo Wild Wings since we didn't have morning practice on Saturday. It was a very long day as we had morning practice at 6am and I finished uploading pictures at almost 2am, however, it was well worth it.

~:[CH4 - Day 232]:~ The Uphill Battle

~:[CH4 - Day 232]:~ The Uphill Battle

It was our finally travel afternoon practice of the summer, as the school year is going to get rolling and our practices move to the afternoon. After a good morning practice, we also had a pretty good afternoon practice, despite the warm weather. We normally don't do this workout on a weekday, however, with our schedule, it just worked out that way. In the end, the day went pretty well. In between practices, I stopped off at Ironwood and got in a quick round. I actually had a good number of birdie puts but only converted one, missed an easy par put and was even through eight. Of course, I ended with a triple bogey to ruin my round, but I am making baby steps as I haven't practiced this much in a few week span in awhile. Maybe I should keep it up ... we'll just have to see about that. After a quick lunch, I headed to Heartwell to get a little more practice in before heading to afternoon practice. After practice, we headed to Northern Café, which was a great way to end a successful run.

~:[CH4 - Day 231]:~ The Next Generation

~:[CH4 - Day 231]:~ The Next Generation

It's fun to watch the new athletes roll onto campus. At this year's orientation, we were stationed outside and while it wasn't as effective as in the past for recruitment, it was nice to being inside the gym. We found a good amount of athletes and hope that they will come out and join. We definitely had quite the elaborate setup! After the orientation, we headed to Frostbites to enjoy a job well done! I ended up going to Hard Times and ended up feeling pretty good! I went undefeated on the day, thanks to a little luck at the end, which looked like a sure loss. I headed home and ended up going to play tennis. My grip on my racket had worn down because it hadn't been used in awhile. Despite that, I shook off some of my rust, but now, I want to work on that a bit. We ended up at Snow Station to cool after playing around. By the end of the day, I realized that it was such a full day, but definitely a productive one. 

~:[CH4 - Day 230]:~ Another Patch

~:[CH4 - Day 230]:~ Another Patch

We had our normal morning practice, however, we were missing a chunk of people who ended up going on the 40-mile Bike Club ride. As usual, the ride is about 35 miles, but we round up. While we missed the picture at the beach, we ended up having most everyone stick around for the picture at the ending spot, minus our last two and a few alumni. The ride went fairly well despite having to pick up three bikes on the way, one of which we fixed. We grabbed our lunch on the pier, played some volleyball, and just relaxed. I even got a new bubble maker, which I hope works as well as I've seen it work. I probably just need the right solution. Today, was also the day that we visit Regina. It was nice to bring some new faces to the site and to help them understand the story behind RNR Ohana. I was glad to hear more stories while I was there and to simply have some time to chat with Regina. We stayed for quite a bit before heading on our way. I ended the day relaxing a bit before Korean BBQ. I almost ended with a disaster but was able to save the day! Today was quite the full day and while there always is sadness that fills this day, as this day never gets easier, I still felt that another patch has been placed on a heart that has been bleeding since. Of course, I have learned so much along the way and use this as a reminder of how important it is to live each day to the fullest and how we need to cherish all of the wonderful moments we have with our family and friends. RNR Ohana.

~:[CH4 - Day 229]:~ The Start of Something Special

~:[CH4 - Day 229]:~ The Start of Something Special

I went to practice in the morning and while it was suppose to be efficient, I had one group go five miles off course and ended up being a long morning. Of course, it didn't really put me off schedule, as I even stopped off at Jamba Juice before going to rehearsal. The site at Old Ranch was very beautiful and was happy with the surroundings. The run through was quick and we ended up grabbing Islands after. I even had time for a short nap before I headed back over to the wedding. I felt the fatigue, but I managed. Before I knew it, it was time for the ceremony. The whole night was amazing, from the ceremony to the performances, the toast, the presentations, and everything else about the night. It is great to go to weddings, but to go to your own brother's wedding is something so special. It was great to see everyone so happy and as expected. It was great spending the night with family and friends and I wouldn't have changed anything about that night! Congratulations to my wonderful brother and my new sister! I truly am honored to be your "sidekick" for the rest of our lives!

~:[CH4 - Day 228]:~ The Red Line (Un)Express

~:[CH4 - Day 228]:~ The Red Line (Un)Express

I decided at the last minute to follow through on my plan to go to Santa Barbara, even though I lost my riding partner. It ended up being a good decision. While I wanted a relaxing drive in both directions to think and clear my mind, it ended up being a red line almost the whole way both ways, results in 3 hours in each direction. However, in the end, it was well worth it. I jumped in my car and headed up. As I did, I got a message from Kendall and we ended up meeting at the Old Mission Santa Barbara, the mission that I did my project on! I know the only reason he came was because I brought him poke. (jkjk) It was great to walk around the mission and luckily, I got to see the church since service just finished up. Since he came down, we ended up stopping off for lunch at Los Agaves as I ended up with a Burrito Mojada. I ventured off to Stears Wharf to get some time to ponder life and to clear my mind. It helped me think and find the right words for tomorrow. After the drive home, I stopped off at TapEx and ended up going to the driving range, even though I knew I had work to do. In the end, it ended up being a good night and we even taught Joey how to golf, well, sort of. With a quick stop at Dolphin Bay, the end to a very long day was now complete. I finished writing my toast and now it's time for bed. Tomorrow is going to be a long, yet very memorable day. While it has been slightly stressful, in the end, it will all have been worth it. 

~:[CH4 - Day 227]:~ Family

~:[CH4 - Day 227]:~ Family

The morning heard the alarms sound after a better night's sleep. We headed to our workout at Manhattan Beach and battled the dunes. It's always a tough workout, but with the heat, it made it that much more difficult. As usual, we got to enjoy some beach time and then stopped off at Bristol Farms on the way home. I ended up making a poke & guac chips that went well with the lobster bisque that Victor biked over in the heat! What a great friend! After getting a hair cut, I began working on the last few items on my wedding list, as we close in on the date. I got to spend time with the family at Ten Ten. It's always nice to catch up and I was so happy to see my cousins from Hawaii! After dinner, I met up with my friends from LA. Since they were all out there and going to stay out there, I got some time to drive alone which also seems to be therapeutic for me. It helped clear my mind a bit and helped me enjoy the evening even more. I'm exhausted but today was definitely a great day.

~:[CH4 - Day 226]:~ Just Living

~:[CH4 - Day 226]:~ Just Living

I woke up to the sounds of alarms just as I was about to close my eyes. I got up and I headed to practice. Fridays always seem to be the most difficult. Yet, I got out bed, ran practice and ended up with a game of Footsoccer. The weight room was getting work done, so we closed up shop early, but I was feeling pretty exhausted, as I didn't really get to bed, but rolled through the day. I laid down for a bit to get my thoughts together, then headed out to Costco to do some returns. On my way home, I stopped off at the Nishis to a crowd that gathered for the day. The kidnapped Apple Jack and threw her into the pool (in a bag). She was finally recovered and I headed on with my day. I grabbed a quick lunch at Yoshinoya, worked on the wedding video, got my car washed for the first time, and then picked up my tux for the wedding. Tonight was members night at the Huntington Library, so I headed out there to get in some shots, of course, after we stopped off at Tpumps. It was cool because I ran into the Yue family and we caught up a bit. The rest of the night was spent shooting. I was pretty tired by the end, as we headed home and I ended up eating at home. However, I am glad that we ended up going and that I had the quality time wandering around that place. I've begun to think more about how you need to treasure as many moments as you can no matter how big or small they may seem. Tonight was definitely a special night and while I still may not rest easy tonight, I will still be glad for today and the chance to live. 

~:[CH4 - Day 225]:~ In Good Company

~:[CH4 - Day 225]:~ In Good Company

I knew today would be a packed day and it ended up being quite draining, but regardless, it's always nice when you have good company to help pick you up. We had time trials early in the morning and I was able to get my own lifting in for the day as well. We headed out to Jamba Juice again and just relaxed a bit before heading back home. While I barely survived the ride home (uh em), I arrived home and avoided work by playing with Max and taking a quick nap. It was nice to relax a bit in the middle of the day. I headed out grab a quick bite before Gahr. As usual, I ran into some familiar faces at the TC. Gahr went pretty well with a lot of PRs and improvements. We ended the night with our favorite server at Red Robin. She is a crack up and we all had a better time because of her because of all her shenanigans. Regardless, while there was a lot to take in on the day aside from everything else I did, I survived, drained, but I survived and a lot because I was in good company.

~:[CH4 - Day 224]:~ The Dog Whisperer

~:[CH4 - Day 224]:~ The Dog Whisperer

My mind hasn't been so clear lately, as there are things I wanted to do and need to do, things I'm unsure of and things on my agenda. I knew I needed to get away for a bit so I headed down to SD to just relax. I ended up starting my trip down as a dog whisperer. Zuma was quite the cutie and I got to spend some time trying to bond with him and get him to like me a bit. I think I ended up being successful! I ventured around La Jolla, as I stopped off at the Taco Stand. The Mar y Tierra burrito was amazing. Combined with chips and guac, freshly made churros, and a strawberry ice cream bar. We wandered down to beach before heading to La Jolla Cove. As usual, the smell at the cove was horrendous, but it made for a good walk and the smell got better as we walked around. We had a little impromptu photo shoot before heading back. After doing a little pondering, resting and relaxing, I ended up grabbing some poke before heading home. I still have some deep thinking to do as I try to figure some things out, but in the end, today was a good day and I began plotting my future travel plans, which is always nice. The next adventures begins today.

~:[CH4 - Day 223]:~ Framing an Unplanned Day

~:[CH4 - Day 223]:~ Framing an Unplanned Day

With afternoon practice being canceled as normal after Mammoth, we had a full team during tempo run in the morning. The workout gave us a better idea of where our team stands, yet we still don't have the full picture just quite yet. Regardless, we got in the work. After eating at Fantastic, I stopped off at TapEx for boba and a little catch up session which ended up becoming a practice day at the range, then a round of golf, and finally into a stop off at TPumps and King Taco. Unplanned days can become great ones, but of course, I wish I was a little more productive when I came home, as I still have a load of things to do this week. We'll see how it goes. 

~:[CH4 - Day 222]:~ Right on Target

~:[CH4 - Day 222]:~ Right on Target

It was back in the habit on Monday, but the crowd was a bit smaller than I had hoped. Getting people back on track is always a bit of a challenge. Yet, the runs went well as I didn't have to pick up anyone, which is rare on this first run back. Afterward, I grabbed some pho to help with my voice, which I lost at the fiar and then I headed to hard times and shot some pool. It ended up being a pretty good day, as the only game my teammate and I lost, we beat ourselves and were up in the game. I guess, it's all about having that good day at the right time. I was suppose to get some work done afterward, but ended passing out for an afternoon nap. I woke up and headed out to dinner and it ended up being a great one with some great conversation. The food at Pita Hot was pretty good as well. I got to relax finally and found some time to catch up on some sleep, but still, the list of things to do is still long. While I have a lot of things to do ahead, everything about today was on target. 

~:[CH4 - Day 221]:~ FAIRy Nice to Win

~:[CH4 - Day 221]:~ FAIRy Nice to Win

I've been wanting to go to the fair, but it's always difficult with cross country and Mammoth. With the fair one week later, I was able to stop off at the fair without it being the last day. I twas pretty packed inside but I was able to go around and enjoy the day. I love playing carnival games, so I always like to help out people take home some prizes. Today was one of the best days yet. I won on a number of games and was able to secure almost all of the prizes aimed for. It's always fun to do so and always good to get my once in a year fix in. The frog legs were delicious as always, as was the fried pickles! The remainder of the day was spent cleaning and packing up from the camp. I will have a few more days of work to do, but in the end, today was well worth it. Did I mention, I was able to get boba twice today? Once at TapEx and again at Fusion. It was definitely a fairy nice day.

~:[CH4 - Day 220]:~ The Road from Manzanar

~:[CH4 - Day 220]:~ The Road from Manzanar

As usual, the last day of Mammoth is completely nuts. After a quick run in the morning with a handful of the athletes, I headed back and began the cleanup process with the rest of the campers and counselors. We gathered, cleaned up and packed away all the stuff we had and loaded it all into the vehicles. We snapped our photos and headed back on our way. We stopped off at Mahogany as usual and then after eating lunch, we headed down to Manzanar. One of my former athletes and coaches built some of the furniture in the visitors center and it was a very good experience to step on the grounds at Manzanar. The cemetery was one of the more impactful of the places, as it was place on quite the backdrop and while beauty surrounded it, the reminders of what went on there was also evident. As we finished up our quick stop, we headed back down and met the bus back at school. We ended the night with our group of almost 30 at Sweetee Thai, as we ate together for the final time. It was a great trip that would not have been possible without the contributions of so many. I am so happy that I have so many great people surrounding me, as none of this would be possible without them. Now, it is time to sleep. 

~:[CH4 - Day 219]:~ Closing It Out

~:[CH4 - Day 219]:~ Closing It Out

It was the last full day of Mammoth and it started on the wrong foot as thunderstorms rolled in, forcing us to switch up our morning run. There would be no Ascent this year, but it also meant we got to sleep in. We did a run up to Eagles Landing and around town before we had our option time and clinic. Dinner was one of my favorites, but it definitely stressful based on the amount of time I had to finish the rice.The evening performances were actually pretty good this year and senior hike ended up being a very good night despite how cold it was. We ended the night with the end of Forrest Gump, which started before we left for the hike. In the end, we made it and with just the packing day left, I am glad that we had a great week. 

~:[CH4 - Day 218]:~ The Greatest of Times

~:[CH4 - Day 218]:~ The Greatest of Times

It was an early morning, as we headed out to the Crater. I felt really good as I ran today and made it four sets out before turning back. While exhausted, we headed to the park for our annual camp olympics. While there were some issues in the first few games, we ended on a high note with two of the camps best games. In the end, I felt pretty good about the games. We headed back and completed a pool workout at the condos, which ended up being pretty successful despite the cold weather. At goal setting, the teams worked out their issues and figured out their goals and I felt good about the progress made on the night as I headed off to bed that evening. Sometimes the problems you face, make the results feel that much better. 

~:[CH4 - Day 217]:~ Disappearing Act

~:[CH4 - Day 217]:~ Disappearing Act

We had a great run in the morning at the ridge, as I was able to make it out and then flew down the hill back to the finish. I always love the view from the top and then the run back to the bottom. As I was running down, I was flying. However, as I jumped to my next step on the ground, one of our alumni moved to the left as he heard me coming and I body slammed him into the bushes. I felt bad, but glad he was okay other than a scratch. We finished breakfast pretty quickly and had a bit of a break before camp olympics. Camp olympics went pretty well despite the wind. I ended up doing horseshoes and was pretty on, despite missing a lot of the targets. During the games, Apple Jack disappeared and the search began. We ended up finding AJ before we headed down to Bishop. Dinner was good as normal and I added a green domo to my collection. We headed to the bowling alley and had a fun time bowling. We ended up chillin' in the condos before turning in, but not without a little adventure, as a bear roamed around our complex. All in all it was another great day and I can't wait for tomorrow. 

~:[CH4 - Day 216]:~ To the Falls

~:[CH4 - Day 216]:~ To the Falls

We woke up early to head down to Rainbow Falls. It's always a beautiful hike with a lot of scenery to check out. We got our group down to the base of the falls and noticed that the water level was quite low. It's a bad sign that it was low, but it made it easy to explore and walk around the area. We headed back and got a little bit of rest before we headed to our next run, Eagles Landing. We ventured up the slope and battled the wind. We ended up with a stop at Nike Outpost. They started with a pushup competition and we ended up with a 2-1-1 record. Our last girl standing, an alumni, had the longest battle and ended up in a truce. Both were previously gymnasts and our athlete is under five feet but tough as nails. She wouldn't quite. We got our shirts done and headed back for dinner and turned in early. I KOed, but woke up to wish one of our counselors a happy birthday. It ended up being a fun day and worth every ounce of energy expended. 

~:[CH4 - Day 215]:~ Smooth Criminal

~:[CH4 - Day 215]:~ Smooth Criminal

We woke up in the morning and headed to Convict Lake for an always enjoyable run. It went fairly smoothly, as did making breakfast. It was nice to have a smooth day after yesterday's craziness. Of course, it wouldn't be without its issues. Our golfing option got changed because the range was closed so we drove around and ended up at mini golf. I went to get them ice cream to make up for it, but McDonald's ice cream machine was broken. The afternoon run and stretching clinic went well and it was time to make chicken for dinner. Different counselors made different types of chicken and I made my typical strawberry chicken. We had camp competitions and performances that evening. One of the games didn't go off too well. The performances got better as they went and we ended up me embarrassing myself. I don't think I would have it any other way. In the end, before heading to bed. we all packed sandwiches and just hung out. It ended up being a good day.

~:[CH4 - Day 214]:~ Exhaustion

~:[CH4 - Day 214]:~ Exhaustion

Usually the trip up to Mammoth is pretty tiring after prepping and then having to drive up. The drive itself was pretty easy, as there was no traffic and we made it up to Mammoth half an hour early. However, a lot of craziness in the end, left me totally exhausted. At the end of the drive, our bus driver began feeling sick and had to deal with that (he's ok) and then when checking in, they switched our condos without letting us know, so I had to try and sort that all out and because of that, it won't settle down until tomorrow at the earliest. Regardless, we got things unpacked, got in a good run and wrapped things up. Dinner went pretty well except for the fact that we have noodles for days. At night, I boiled potatoes as normal but one of them ended up burning since the water ran out and so I have to clean the pot today. At least I had time to relax a bit and just relax with the counselors. All in all, it ended up being a good day, but I am still a little stressed and definitely exhausted. 

~:[CH4 - Day 213]:~ Taking a Second to Breathe

~:[CH4 - Day 213]:~ Taking a Second to Breathe

My alarm sounded and while I wanted to go back to sleep, I woke up. I took my shower and headed to practice. It was going to be a long day. After practice, we grabbed a quick bite to eat before I headed to get ice. I tipped the guy and it was amazing how happy he was. It goes to show you that a little generosity can mean a lot. I headed to Costco and finished up our frozen food shopping, not without some issues. I accidentally mixed things up and we ended up without any vegetables! While running my errands at Target and Ralphs after packing the ice, I ended up grabbing some replacements which were more expensive per ounce, but at least we got that settled. I rushed over to Chups graduation/farewell party for a bit, played some ball, chatted and even got to put on her green. It was nice to be there, but I was sad I only stayed around for a bit! I headed to get our first set of cars before coming home and finally getting some time at home. I then headed back out to get the second half of the cars. We packed all the cars very quickly with the help of the alumni/athletes. I was so happy to have the help and we got out of there in time for me to grab Yoshinoya. I packed, finished up the paperwork and am praying that I have everything I need. I always forget something, but I am hoping I am fairly close. Finally, the amazing Steve Park posted the music video from our trip #UtahrnMeZion at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAYRs3OmBTI. Check it out! Thanks Steven, Allen and Justin for a great trip! One more shoutout to dingus, Jas and Justin for doing awesome at their competition - international champions! Yahoo!

On a side note, if you haven't already, meet Apple Jack. She'll be joining me on as many adventures as possible. In order to follow her though, you must do it on Instagram!