~:[CH5 - Day 31]: ~ Blown Away

~:[CH5 - Day 31]: ~ Blown Away

The wind picked up as the storm rolled through all morning as I stayed layered in my house. I looked at sound dreading the time that I would have to go outside. The rain poured down and the winds picked up even more, but somehow, it all went away. I dressed up all bundled up, but it ended up being better than expected the whole evening. After stopping off at TapEx, I headed out to LA, then zoomed back to Costa Mesa for Vibe XXI. I haven't been to Vibe in a little while, but it was just as exceptional as it was back in the day. It was crazy. The lines were packed just to pick up the tickets and as the doors opened, the theater quickly filled. I got a seat up in the balcony, but since it was in the front row, it ended up being better than the orchestra seat I had earlier. The performances were awesome as I was definitely blown away. Ganmi, a group from Japan, performed early, but their performance left a mark that lasted through the whole night. They definitely had a killer performance and deserved to win the evening. In the exhibition, the Academy of Villains definitely killed it and was my favorite performance of the evening as they incorporated a great theme, great dancing and technology into their performance. It was great to see the reaction of ACA as they were announced as the runners up. While many of these performances could have placed, it's great to see those who do earn it filled with the joy and excitement of being recognized for all that time and effort that was put in, which was evident, not just by these group, but by all the groups. I am still blown away by all of these performance and am glad that despite the treks I had today, I ended up with the blessing of seeing all of these fine performances. 

~:[CH5 - Day 30]: ~ View from the Top

~:[CH5 - Day 30]: ~ View from the Top

I started the day climbing to the top of a sand-covered dune, looking around at the beautiful views around me and finished doing the same to the Los Angeles skyline. As sometimes,  days just take you to the greatest heights when you least expect it. I knew something was amazing about the day when my struggle up Sand Hill was not as great as it had been in the past. Don't get me wrong, the struggle, it was real; however, I was able to do more without as much of a struggle than in the past. Add poke and guac to the mix and you've got yourself a winning combination all before 11am. It was an exhausting morning, after a late night working on things, so I was a bit tired. Of course, I had a few things to take care of. I e-filed my taxes, wrote a letter, and got my things together and headed out. The traffic was horrific. I never thought it would take that long to get to LA, but it did. Jam-packed freeway after jam-packed freeway, it was nuts! In the process, I realized I left something I wanted to bring with me at home. However, I stayed calm and took a breath. I finally arrived to Koreatown, found parking and headed on the metro to eat ... or that was the plan. When we walked off the Pershing Square exit, we realized that it was Night on Broadway! It was the beginning of an amazing night for the both of us! Our dinner soon became a full fledged events as we ventured from booth to booth, experience to experience, and performance to performance. It was incredible. Arriving just before as it began, we got a thin crowd before we were able to eat. Dinner was just as amazing as Kazu Nori had an amazing setup and great, affordable food. Granted, it wasn't cheap, but for what you normally get, it definitely was a great deal and a great meal. We ventured to our second originally-planned stop, the Last Bookstore and quickly scoped it out before heading back out to the Night on Broadway. It was amazing and I could not say enough of how happy I was to be able to be in the right place at the right time with the right person. Before heading home, I was able to spoil the "prince" (he's a cat) and enjoy the view of the evening skyline. As I pondered out, I just thought, how lucky can I possibly be? I may have been in Los Angeles (for once), but it rivaled a day of any vacation with the view from the top. 

~:[CH5 - Day 29]: ~ Glorious

~:[CH5 - Day 29]: ~ Glorious

It was a glorious day. I was thinking about driving up to Santa Barbara, but I missed the super early wake up call and so I decided to get some work done instead. I rolled through my taxes and finished up before I had to head out, I finished up my reservations for my trips, and even added plans to my weekend. It was a glorious morning. I headed out to work and got the last of my grading and paperwork done before heading out to a quick lunch with Damon. It was nice catching up and seeing our twin vans! Yes, we have twins :) I got some TapEx and headed to the gym for our games. The girls pulled out the victory and now the stage was set for us. In our last meeting, we came back from a double digit deficit in the final four minutes to get a narrow victory. Once again, Bellflower jumped out to a lead. They started the game 12-0 and showed they wanted this game. We slowly clawed our way back and used our defense to eventually take over the lead and kept it from late in the third quarter. It was a great effort with a number of athletes stepping up big for the team. It was great to celebrate, especially with our family (both real and the team) together. We ended the night at BWs and just enjoyed each other's company. I finished the evening on a high note and worked on a project that left me so happy. I don't know why, but today was a glorious day and instead of wasting time worrying about why, I am just going to soak it all in. 

~:[CH5 - Day 28]: ~ Plated So Beautifully

~:[CH5 - Day 28]: ~ Plated So Beautifully

As I ate my dinner this evening, I thought how our lives are just like the presentation in a dish. Too much of the same will be to plain (which is okay for some) and too much can get distracting, but just the right balance, leads to something so beautiful. Today was a reminder of that. I grabbed lunch with Jamie and Randy at Capital Noodle Bar and we were lucky to beat the rush. The trio of beef was delicious and I didn't even have to add anything to the soup base. I also got a chance to catch up with Irene, but since the place was so poppin', there was much to take care of. Regardless, it definitely was impressive. I grabbed Halal Guys since it was next door before heading back to school. I dropped off Halal Guys, finished up a little work I had to do before getting ready to go to Hollywood with Kat. The food at Katsuya is always plated so wonderfully and it was a great meal to have right before the amazing Mamma Mia. I haven't seen the show in some time and thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. It may not be a musical for everyone, but I definitely was drawn into it, especially because of the music that always gets your feet tapping. During and after the show, I was talking to a little old lady who was simply the cutest thing in the world. She said in her accent-strong frail voice, "these are the kinds of things that just make you happy and your heart feel good." Then she smiled and said good bye before we parted ways. I should have taken a selfie. We ended up having Club Odyssey on the way home, which definitely left the evening on the highest note possible. As I thought about it, today I had just the right balance of different people, experiences, and food, and I think that I have been lucky enough to have a life that has been the same way. It is in our diversity that we find our greatest strength and in that we also find our greatest beauty.

~:[CH5 - Day 27]: ~ Just Another Step

~:[CH5 - Day 27]: ~ Just Another Step

Sometimes it's truly hard to appreciate all that you have. The simplest of things can add up to be some of the most memorable in your life. After another day of finals, I was able to have a quick lunch at Northern Cafe. As usual, the spread of food was great and definitely filled me up. I ended up heading back to the gym to test out the starting lineup video, since in recent games, the system was a bit messed up with people messing with it. I got my TapEx fill before heading back to the game, only to realize that I forgot to wear sneakers. While it may seem like a simple thing, to wear those sneakers, the American Cancer Society has tried to make a bigger project out of the suit and sneakers awareness campaign to help coaches spread cancer awareness. I sported by gifted white huaraches which were truly purely white and hopefully I can keep them that way (I've been threatened by the gift giver). It was also great to have some of the staff come out so we could recognize all of their support. In any case, we ended up pulling out a decisive 20 point victory and we completed the perfect home day for all sports at Cerritos! It was a great way to start the second round and to finish our last game during finals.  The evening led to a load of productivity and when looking back, it definitely was a day to enjoy, as I took another step forward.

~:[CH5 - Day 26]: ~ Overflowing with Goodness

~:[CH5 - Day 26]: ~ Overflowing with Goodness

I woke up a little later than I hoped and couldn't find what I needed to find. I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to find it, but didn't. Hoping it was at school, it wasn't. That was the start to my morning. I couldn't thought, it was going to be a horrible day, as I administered finals, graded papers, and logged it all in, but I didn't and in turn, it wasn't. After rolling through the day and getting work done, I lounged through the day and worked at my own page. I wasn't in a hurry, in fact, I had too much time. What is this feeling? I ended up finding company for lunch and while Sweetee Thai closed, we ended up at Yojies before a longer chat at Tea Station. It was nice. No rushing and just a nice mellow conversation. I ended up heading down to Irvine early and ended up having to burn some time. I went to Trader Joe's and walked through the UTC, which brought about incredible memories of UCI! I still had more time to burn, so I went to Albertson's before making my pick ups. I found Sarah pretty quickly and it took me a little longer to find Kristen, but in the end, we got out of there on time and met up with Athie! What a great dinner at Boiling Point and a quick dessert at Mitsuwa. It was great catching up and also a great chance to introduce everyone to one another! I ended up driving home pretty happy and with just enough time to get the work I needed done completed. It feels good when it's taken care of and all you have to do is close your eyes and relax. Yes, it was a good day and definitely overflowing with goodness.

~:[CH5 - Day 25]: ~ Rolling Along

~:[CH5 - Day 25]: ~ Rolling Along

Today was busy. With grills and trying to grade everything before finals, I didn't have a moment to spare. However, I still found time for a little mental break in order to clear my mind before getting back on track. I felt good for lunch as I actually ate a salad, reduced fat and all. I then finished grading and headed home to get some editing done. I felt good because I wrapped up the editing project and while it was super simple, it ended up being quite nice especially considering that I got lost on the way to the site and arrived just as they were walking down the aisle. In any case, after wrapping that up, I went to grab the last set of basketball programs! I had finished the electronic file earlier and finally got around to picking up the three last programs. It's a little bittersweet, but when looking at the cover of my last program, I figure it will be great to end on that note. In the end, I ended up reexporting the video to my flash drive since it wouldn't drag over and just doing work here and there, prepping for the finals that are ahead tomorrow. I love final days, hopefully tomorrow they will love me back. 

~:[CH5 - Day 24]: ~ Just Lounging Around

(PC: Jennifer Jou)

~:[CH5 - Day 24]: ~ Just Lounging Around

I woke up again without an alarm and it was refreshing after not being able to for some time. After a great night's sleep, I ate a quick breakfast and got to work. I was able to get what I needed done before I headed out to meet my friend near downtown. It was great catching up. I also headed out that way so I could finish up some paperwork and ended up spending some time visiting this beautiful creature, Bentley. He is so friendly and nice and such a well-behaved dog! Of course, also so cuddly and cute! I ventured off back to Cerritos and ended up in Little India. I met up with my friend who I hadn't seen in awhile and we were able to catch up. It's always refreshing when we catch up and we're always able to pick up right where we left off. Our food at Kabob Corner was a little spicy (a lot by her standards) but otherwise, it ended up being a fun night. I closed out the evening prepping for finals week and in the end, it felt good to not have as much on my plate as usual. I felt just like Bentley, laying back and just lounging. 

~:[CH5 - Day 23]: ~ Breathtaking

~:[CH5 - Day 23]: ~ Breathtaking

The morning was amazing. I was able to grab some rest and did not have to wake up for anything. I didn't have much on my agenda in the day and was able to take care of some much needed work. I rolled through and while finishing up some work, I realized that I was going to end up leaving late, as I had to finish up one thing before I left. I gathered all my stuff, did myself  up, and then headed out the door. When plugging everything into the GPS, all I thought was, I going to be late. I headed out and rolled through hitting traffic-filled freeway after traffic-filled freeway. I was a little sad. Then, an alternate route popped up, and I saw green. I rolled through and ended up back on track. When almost at the site, I changed to the paper directions they provided. The directions were good, but I missed the intersection where I was suppose to turn and drove for awhile. It was a long while. As I soaked in the breathtaking views of the canyon at sunset, my heart was racing hoping I would not miss the ceremony. Bypassing valet, I happened to make it on time. I went to the wrong way, but ended up at the right site and walked in just as they were beginning. I made it and was able to see and capture the amazing ceremony in such a stunning setting. The clouds that filled the sky earlier in the day, disappeared and it allowed for such a beautiful wedding. During the dinner, I ended up meeting my MUN advisor's (Richard Neville) daughter. If not for the wedding, this would have been the highlight of my evening. I was not expecting it and was so happy to be able to share stories with her of someone who was so influential in my life and a big part of why I am doing what I do today. We enjoyed the festivities and my friends and colleagues danced the night away. Even when walking out of the site, you could still feel how breathtaking the place was and was a perfect match for the beautiful new couple. I wish you two nothing but the best and know that it is where the others is that you will find the happiest place on earth. 

~:[CH5 - Day 22]: ~ Ready to Attack

~:[CH5 - Day 22]: ~ Ready to Attack
I arrived a little late as I dragged a bunch of supplies to my classroom, but I still finished up the last of grills and the last of NGO presentations, which was quite the feeling. In my freshman classes, we simulated the Estates General meeting and it is always enjoyable to reap the benefits of being privileged. In any case, it riled up the students as usual, however, in the end, I believe they never lost sight of what was real. After lunch, I headed home to get some work done and just had enough time to make it to the gym. The audio wasn't working so we had to call in our "pro." Unfortunately, it was fixed after the girls lineups. We got it going for the boys game and boy did we play a game today. We didn't sink too many shots today, however, we moved the ball decently and played good D and ended up victorious. The coaches went out to dinner at BJs and just shot the breeze and enjoyed the evening. I'm so exhausted but know in the end, all of this craziness is just getting me ready for what is ahead.

~:[CH5 - Day 21]: ~ Rising Up

~:[CH5 - Day 21]: ~ Rising Up

It's Thursday. The time has been flying. As exhausted as I was in the morning, I rolled out of bed and was ready for grills in no time. I headed to school and knew, it was going to be a long day. I saw fourteen people today over the course of the eight grill sessions. In the end, my brain was filled with knowledge, even more so than what I had expected. However, I guess there isn't much bad in that. The day itself was a little strange, as it was so busy, yet, it seemed to float along. From sending in the final position paper drafts, finishing up the programs, working on the starting lineups, and catching up with a few people, my day was quite tasked filled, but I still felt good as I was making progress. Track practice saw our vaulters being to do some work as it's always a bit of a challenge to first start out in the event. They're catching on quite nicely. It's late and time to go to sleep and while I want to work on finishing this last program, it's time to get some shut eye. 

~:[CH5 - Day 20]: ~ Information Overload

~:[CH5 - Day 20]: ~ Information Overload

My mind was a little exhausted as I began grills and have been trying to cram as much information into my mind as possible. With more presentations and the addition of the second day of the philosopher's forum, it was quite the challenge to stay focused, but I did. I grilled after school as well until it was time for scrip and finally got home around 7:30pm. My day was already productive as I finished up a lot of the reservation that I had to do. It's always nice when you make progress and this was definitely a good feeling. After a quick TapEx stop, I began working on our Nationals packet and finished most everything up except for a few papers I needed adjusted. It wasn't perfect, but it ended up being a beautiful 638 page document! I dozed off while work on the papers and finally just gave up and headed to bed, but it was nice knowing that I had most everything complete as I went to bed. Tomorrow will be a lot more relaxing now!

~:[CH5 - Day 19]: ~ Simply Saying ...

~:[CH5 - Day 19]: ~ Simply Saying ...

I was tired going into the day, but not exhausted. I'm getting used to this ... let's go to work less than 12 hours after I return home. This trip was no different. I got home at about midnight and headed to work at 7, to be greeted by a fun-filled day. In first period we began our NGO presentations with projects such as addressing housing issues, transportation and animals. I then ventured back in time to 1850, where we held our philosophers' forum. Yes, I know that Aristotle was not alive in 1850, but we used the date as a reference to what could be addressed. I was impressed by the quality of debate by a number of students and am always glad to see when some students really get into their roles. In the end, it turned out to be a very fabulous day of discussion. I also started individual grills today, which means I begin my busy before school/snack/lunch schedule. I ventured to TapEx, then cleaned up the shed and sorting things out before practice began. We had another great showing and it looks like we're making great progress already this year. After practice, I got treated to a delicious shabu shabu dinner before stopping off at Tpumps, something I've missed so much! Yes, that was the end of my night mostly, as I finished up with a short period of relaxation, then some work on the computer. The philosophers brought up many ideas during the forum today, but only one philosophy rang true for me today, that as tired as I may be moving forward, the adventures I take and the maximization of time are well worth it in the end. 

~:[CH5 - Day 18]: ~ Just a Little Different

~:[CH5 - Day 18]: ~ Just a Little Different

It was a strange day. After resting up a bit after dinner, it was the first few minutes of the day when we had to head to the airport to drop off half our group on their flight. We said our goodbyes and headed back into the darkness of the woods around our cabin. It was peaceful and while we hoped to see the auroras one last time, they stayed quiet and so we stayed in until we had to leave for our flight. It was an interesting feeling including the freezing cold that went through my bones as I did not layer since we were about to board the plane. I barely made it into the terminal, yet was able to breathe a sigh of relief. We boarded our plane and got a beautiful propeller plane. It was loud, but I enjoyed the vintage feel of the flight as we flew over the icy landscape of Alaska. It was much warmer in Anchorage, but when we had to walk on the tarmac to the terminal, I got that bone chilling feeling again. It was warmer than Fairbanks, but not much over single digit temperatures if at all. We relaxed in the lounge a bit before grabbing our last Alaskan seafood while editing pictures. The crab cocktail was amazing but the salmon burger was even more amazing and left me in heaven. The dreaminess did not end there, as I was happy with the pictures and little editing that I needed to do. We boarded our next flight and took a nap here and there. Before I knew it, it was time to say goodbye, as we parted ways and I traveled alone back to Los Angeles. It was a little different traveling alone and yet, for some strange reason, I did not feel alone. It must have been the memories from the weekend that I carried with me, but every so often, I couldn't help but smile thinking  how wonderful of a trip the weekend turned out to be. Some people will say I am crazy and the like, but in the end, in taking a risk such as this, I found another experience that I can hang in the gallery of my mind, never to be forgotten. Looking at pictures can help you enjoy what is Alaska, but it is only in adventured there that you will truly know what it is like to be in the last frontier. I hope you make the same leap that I did; it'll be worth it.

~:[CH5 - Day 17]: ~ When You Feel Like Mush

~:[CH5 - Day 17]: ~ When You Feel Like Mush

We planned on sleeping in after a long exhausting night. We relaxed and enjoyed the scenery of the wintery landscape outside of our window. We got picked up and headed to the dog sledding area and met up with the 24 dogs that would be joining us on the journey. While the ride was not too long, it was still spectacular. The white wintery wonderland greeting us at the dogs ran and played in the snow. It was cool to see the excitement on their faces as they were about to run with one who kept jumping around every chance he could. In the end, my face was as frosted as theirs were and we ended with some good shots of the ride and the dogs. After a few more hours of exploration, we ventured to a buffet, which was okay, but gave us clean restrooms (not an outhouse) and a solid meal. We relaxed and just chatted the rest of the night and then dropped half of our group off at the airport to catch their flight. The aurora was quiet tonight and so we just packed and soaked in the last of our moments in the beautiful cabin. It's been majestic being here and while there always things that you wish could be changed or better, I spent my enjoying what I had before me, not wasting a single moment. 

~:[CH5 - Day 16]: ~ Dancing in the Sky

~:[CH5 - Day 16]: ~ Dancing in the Sky

We went to bed when we got to our cabin, because we knew it would be a long day ahead. We were right. We were going to try to catch the aurora in the morning when people try to catch it, as the sun rises at about 9 or 10am in Fairbanks. We met the owners of our cabin and they were fabulous. They were so nice and it started our trip on the right foot. We ventured out into the field near our cabin and enjoyed what was around. It was cold, but not as cold as it could have been. We ended up heading to the North Pole. Yes, there is a place called the North Pole and I officially went to it. As you expect, Santa Claus' House is there and there were reindeer and all! We stopped off at Country Cafe because they had reindeer sausage. We ended up finding out it was Korean owned and in the end, I ate a bulgogi sandwich. The North Pole wasn't as great as I had hoped so we ended up ventured off far away and it was a good decision. We had a great hour-long scenic drive to Chena Hot Springs. We walked around and enjoyed the scenery and ended up taking the ice museum tour. It was great to see the ice hotel and drink out of a ice glass. We headed back and we had some down time before heading out to the the aurora viewing. We got picked up and went away from the lights of Fairbaank to get our views of the aurora. Unfortunately, the light activity was low and we ended up with a high 1 or 2 in the skies while we were there. However, even at some of its lowest, the lights were still spectacular. While I wish I could see them at their best, I was still glad to see something so spectacular than many people dream of. I hope to catch a better glimpse of the aurora in the future, however, I am definitely glad to have seen this as it reminds me of how many incredible things there are in this world. 

~:[CH5 - Day 15]: ~ It's All Relative

~:[CH5 - Day 15]: ~ It's All Relative

The day felt amazing as it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders with all my work getting done, but that didn't help in allowing me to have a restful sleep as a new plan came into my mind. I was exhausted, but I made it through the day with many surprises including this new plan, sweaters and a random visitor. It wasn't too long before I was off to the airport. I headed off, got through security after having them check my bag and my laptop, and then I headed to Seattle. I KOed and relaxed through the whole flight and met up with Allen. We then boarded back-to-back flights with the same crew to Fairbanks. We chatted with the crew since we had them twice and our second flight was lot less full. We waited for two others before heading out in the cold of Alaska. While some saying "cold" is all relative, when I stepped out, it was definitely bone chilling. Maybe not the -30 or -40 they had this year, but -18 was a pretty tough pill to swallow. Luckily our cabin was heated and despite the fear of driving in these conditions, I made it safely to our cabin. The place was spectacular and aside from an outhouse (in the middle of winter), I enjoyed the experience. Did I mention that on our very first night, we saw the Northern Lights dancing in the sky on the way to our cabin. SPECTACULAR! Of course, while this may be another adventure or hassle or while it may not be that cold to others, in my case, today was another page in my story and I know that this one is going to be a chilly one. 

~:[CH5 - Day 14]: ~ Under Pressure

~:[CH5 - Day 14]: ~ Under Pressure

It was one of those days that I was so busy that I could feel the clock ticking and with every tick, it hurt as I knew it was closer to my deadline. However, somehow I survived. I graded all night and into the morning before heading to school to pick up the grading. I graded throughout the day while running errands and eating, which was quite the task. What happened in the end? I finished grading, I wrapped up practice, got the pizzas and to grills on time and even had a quick meet up afterwards to settle every last detail for the trip this weekend. I finished up the basketball lineups and programs and then closed out the night packing my bags for Alaska. At this time tomorrow, it will be 50-60 degrees colder and I will be wishing for the SoCal sun, but for now, I will enjoy this warm house of mine and the feeling that a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It definitely is a wonderful day.

~:[CH5 - Day 13]: ~ Under the Big Top

~:[CH5 - Day 13]: ~ Under the Big Top

I knew this day would be a crazy one and I was right. I started the morning off on hold with the UN twice for over 30 minutes each time with the initial call being 40 minutes or so before I had to head to work. Through the day, I tried my best to get the position papers graded and I made a lot of progress. Of course, it was tough because there were a number of other things to do such as reservations for trips, getting supplies for this weekend's trip, and of course, basketball. After getting through the day, I took a short TapEx break and hit a milestone with my 250th check in! Yes, that may seem like a lot, but it's not considering that I was checking in on Facebook before that rather than Yelp! The sophomore class is always in charge of Sadies and this year, the theme is Cirque du Sadies! It was a fun premiere and I enjoyed it, especially the set design. It was a creative idea and I am not surprised with those two young ladies in the office in charge of it all. In the end, we had a great game and took a comfortable 19 point win with a well-balanced attack and it was topped off with the Clippers winning their 10th straight even though they were missing Blake and DeAndre. Oh, these times are busy, but when your life moves under the big top, you'll get used to it and it doesn't matter as long as you don't forget to enjoy the ride.

~:[CH5 - Day 12]: ~ The Old and the New

~:[CH5 - Day 12]: ~ The Old and the New

On my first day back, I lectured in all of my periods. My throat almost gave out by the end, but I survived. It felt good and I enjoyed being back. While I was only gone for a little, I think being gone has always allowed me to enjoy being present more. I made it through the day and ended up at Northern Cafe. What a surprise! I was able to secure a solid lunch and dealt with a few things before finishing up my day. I headed out to practice and boy did we have a large showing for the first day. It was pretty nice to see so many people show up, especially when there are new faces around. I'm definitely excited to work with them going forward. I also had an alumni show up and she definitely was her talkative self. It was great catching up and we ended up at a quick catch up snack at Dolphin Bay, which is always a nice. I grabbed the programs before heading home and sat down to grade papers for the remainder of the night. However, I couldn't get the musical Allegiance out of my head so I ended up writing a long post (I hope you read it) about the musical. In the end, today ended with the same ol' stack of papers, but it definitely felt like another beautiful new day! 

[General Posts] - Much Greater Than Broadway

[General Posts] - Much Greater Than Broadway

I have had very little time to recover and my stack of papers to grade is high, but I could not get the musical Allegiance off my mind. I wrote an earlier post Gaman in my daily blog, which discussed my initial reactions to the musical. However, the more and more I have had time to think about it, the more and more, I am sad and upset that this musical will be no longer soon. While this musical has an incredible cast including George Takei (Star Trek), Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon/Aladdin), Telly Leung (Glee), Katie Rose Clarke (Wicked) and Michael K. Lee among others (including my former classmate Janelle Dote), the story that was told is something that will sit with me for awhile. I am a history teacher and while I cover the internment camps in my class, while I have visited Manzanar in California, and while I am Japanese-American myself, I believe that this is a musical and story that everyone should have the opportunity to see. The ugliness of war, the discrimination/racism/xenophobia that accompanies it, the loss of everything, the struggle of survival, and the (attempt at) recovery after it all is all addressed along with the attempts at allegiance, love, self-discovery, perseverance, the cultural struggle. and much more. Since I do not want to give too much (if any) of the story away, I want to simply say that in a time where there is such hatred, racism and discrimination practiced by so many including all the way to upper echelons of influence, New Yorkers everyone needs to hear the message this musical portrays. Not everyone who watches it is going to listen and not everyone who watches it is going to have the same connection as I had, but I am not sure that we can deny the parallels to this musical to some of the things we are seeing in our world today. Stereotyping, discrimination, xenophobia, it's all present and for a similar reason. However, Broadway is going to lose a gem that should never leave its theaters until more people have heard the message, as it's not just one about Japanese-Americans and their internment, but about the blind eye that is turned towards reactionary solutions that impact the lives of people for the rest of their lives. In going backstage in this production, most of the talk is about the performances and how amazing everyone and that was not an exception here, as everyone in the cast did such an amazing job, but I was really touched by the fact that the common thread among those in the musical that I had a chance to talk to said that this musical was about the story and get it out. Broadway is often about glamour and the show business, but sometimes, just sometimes, there is a opportunity that presents itself that can make Broadway something greater, a chance to educate while invoking the same emotional roller coaster that these musicals takes us on. I am not an emotional person and this definitely caught me off guard as the reality of the musical and knowing the all-to-real connection to our world today were just too much to hold in. If I lived and taught in New York, I would have my class at the next performance of Allegiance, as I feel that it would provide me the ability ability to translate it into a lesson that can help our community grown and thrive for the better, however, living in California and bringing a group of my students one month too late, that opportunity will never be there and for that I am deeply saddened. 

I would hope that something magical were to occur and Allegiance the musical could garner enough support to continue on beyond its February end date, however, knowing the unlikely hood of this, I encourage all those who have yet to catch this production and are able to get to see it, to head over to the 48th street to catch Allegiance at the Longacre. Hopefully one day, this musical will reappear, but if not, I feel that it is our job to ensure that history does not repeat itself, I pledge allegiance that I will do whatever is in power to ensure that I do my part to help fight discrimination as our country cannot bear something like this happening again. While there will be those who disagree, I hope that those who agree will help me in sharing this message in hopes that we can be accepting and understanding, knowing the lifelong impacts that our reactionary selves can have on the lives of others.

I thank George Takei and the wonderful cast of Allegiance for sharing this beautiful story with us and  making this musical far greater than Broadway. I am glad to have been one of the lucky ones to have heard and experienced it. 

Ergo, I still sit here with a stack of papers left to grade, but it compares not to the stack of responsibilities I have left to do my part. It's going to be an uphill climb, but I know I can do it. Gaman! 

~:[CH5 - Day 11]: ~ Quite Abstract

~:[CH5 - Day 11]: ~ Quite Abstract

Sometimes you look at a piece of art and you wonder, what was this artist thinking. In some cases, the piece is aesthetically pleasing and in others, you cannot even begin to draw a conclusion. Today was a travel day and while I love to go places, the travel part is quite strenuous. I've said it once before and will say it again. If I could teleport from one place to another, I definitely would. Regardless, it is worth it in the end and since I sleep well in planes, I end up getting some much needed shut eye. In the end, the day ended up being like a piece of abstract art. I could see the beauty in being able to travel from place to place and while there were some areas that I was still trying to figure out, I ultimately understood that there was a deeper meaning behind it all. Everything that happened today, happens for a reason and while it may take some time to process, the fact that I can try and process it all, is the beauty that lies within the piece. Every day presents its own piece and while some of these pieces may be perfectly clear, the abstract ones will be the ones that you'll remember down the road. Today's piece has come and gone and now I wonder what tomorrow will bring. I guess only time will tell.

~:[CH5 - Day 10]: ~ The Hidden Gems

~:[CH5 - Day 10]: ~ The Hidden Gems

Sometimes within the shadows, we can discover a gem. Sometimes there is a gem, but all we see are shadows. Today was suppose to be a rainy day and so weatherwise, I wasn't expecting much. The rain was present, but slowly through the day it disappeared, blue skies appeared overhead and the weather was quite warm. While it did get cold quickly later at night, the weather gods cooperated and made my last day in New York pretty awesome. With a nice sleep in, we headed out to Grand Central then to St. Marks through Washington Square over to Greenwich Village and then headed uptown to Levain Bakery. We headed over to Lexington before dinner at Saporro, Wicked, and then finally Shake Shack, Juniors and Halal Guys. It being my last day, it's always bittersweet as everytime I travel, a small bit of me misses home and is excited to go back, while most of me yearns for another day. In the process of venturing around, I found new hidden gems and enjoyed new things and while everything was not perfect, it definitely ended up being an amazing trip filled with gems that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Tomorrow, I will be back home, yet today, I lay to rest in the Big Apple, smiling because it's another day that I have lived and that in itself is the greatest gem that we should never forget to treasure.

~:[CH5 - Day 9]: ~ Gaman

~:[CH5 - Day 9]: ~ Gaman

We overslept a little, but we ventured out in what was suppose to be a icy day. It was cold heading out in the day, but despite all the difficulties we faced from the weather, to no service from certain lines and tired feet from walking, we just kept moving on. From the Statue of Liberty to the 9/11 Museum & Memorial, SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy and then Broadway. I was so excited to catch Allegiance, a story about the Japanese internment during World War II. I think it is such a fitting story that we can apply to how we approaching things today. Being a Japanese-American, the story hit so deep and it was too difficult to hold back the emotional roller coaster that the musical puts you through. Not only was the cast SPECTACULAR including the amazing Janelle Dote, the lesson of the impact of discrimination is a true reminder of how we need to think before we act and not place the blame on a group of people for the actions of a select group of individuals, especially when we may be misinformed. I am always amazed at how much hatred and discrimination there is in this world and Allegiance was a refreshing reminder of how we must really reform our society or else we may fall into the same vicious cycle that destroyed so many lives during World War II. It also hit me personally as the term of gaman became a common term throughout the musical, which basically means to keep your head up and persevere. While no one should be subjected to this type of torment, even when life seems unbearable and impossible, know that with the support of those around you, you can make it through. Life will not always be easy and sometimes, we figure things out too late, but there will always be a chance to move forward. The night ended with the an incredible string of events including seeing Pia Alonze Wurtzbach, Ms. Universe, meeting various members of the cast including George Takei, and of course, seeing an amazing performance by one of my high school friends, who was so incredible, amazing, and hospitable! I am so indebted to the kindness she showed and for the amazing lesson and message that the cast of Allegiance gifted to us all. While I may not have won the Powerball lottery today, I hit the jackpot today and know that going forward, that no situation is unsurmountable and a reminder that we must remember that no matter the situations, we must remember to give our allegiance to society, treating all others with respect, making sure we are not swayed by those who are trying to get us to do otherwise. Gaman!

~:[CH5 - Day 8]: ~ When the Sax is Great

~:[CH5 - Day 8]: ~ When the Sax is Great

The red eye brought us in around 7am and despite the bad flight, I slept most of the way aside from the elbows. We headed out and it took about an hour to get to the city. However, with prior arrangements, we got our room at 9am, which meant, time to sleep! I felt so good after getting some shut eye and felt good walking around Central Park on a beautiful day. Sure it was a little chilly for a Cali boy, but it was great for January in New York. After taking photos everywhere, we ventured to Urban, Niketown, then to MoMa for the free night where we got to see Pollock and Picasso. Awesome! No, the night was far from over, however, as we stopped off at Shake Shack, It was crowded as normal, so we lounged out at Times Square and ate. We ended up at a dance class by Ken Kasamatsu. It was kind of funny because the toilet was broken (before I used it) and I used it ... lets just leave it there. The night also led us to the 86th and 102nd floor of the Empire State Building along with two stops at halal carts with the cart closes to our hotel out dueling the Halal Guys for sure. I love his combo much better. Regardless, it was a long day, but a very productive one and I am definitely excited for everything on the agenda for tomorrow! 

~:[CH5 - Day 7]:~ The Adventure Continues

~:[CH5 - Day 7]:~ The Adventure Continues

It's always exciting when the first trop of the new year arrives. However, it's always a little hectic when you have a pile of work to do. I discovered that the rally was Friday so I rushed to get the video done before I left for my trip. Plus, I failed to pack last night because of it, so it was quite the challenge today. However, it was nice to put my bag in the car and head off. I ventured to Pasadena, picked up some food and then headed to the airport. We were able to relax in the lounge before the flight which has been a nice perk to have and then just headed on our flight. The flight was smooth, but I've never been elbowed so much on my flight and the guy did not apologize once. I held my ground, but didn't think it was worth a confrontation. I needed to sleep. It's the second week of the new year and aside from California, this will be the third state I've been in. Let the adventure continue! 

~:[CH5 - Day 6]:~ The Past is Always a Present

~:[CH5 - Day 6]:~ The Past is Always a Present

I've heard many people say that they just want to forget the past and get on with their future. However, in my view, I have always though of the past as a gift. If it was bad, then it is something I can learn from and grow from and if it was good, it can be more great memories to carry with me along the way. After getting our win over Glenn in basketball, I was lucky enough to get together with two of my oldest alumni from Cerritos and while they are not old by an means (even though I called them old), it was definitely a great reward for me to see how they have progressed since high school. It was great to catch up and to see how things have changed (or haven't changed) and just to talk about the past and also where things are headed in the future. While I wish we had more time and I didn't have to edit, this night led to the potential for a few more get togethers down the road. I was glad to see where they were at in their lives and definitely glad that they took the time to meet up with me. I ended up with a little more hop in my step after the night was over, which helped push me over the top into finishing what I needed done. While you don't want to dwell in the past, appreciate and embrace it for the lessons it provided or the memories it gave you so that your present and future can be much brighter. 

~:[CH5 - Day 5]:~ No Rain, No Rainbows

~:[CH5 - Day 5]:~ No Rain, No Rainbows

It was pouring when I woke up and headed out for the day. I stressed a bit trying to finish up the videos for tomorrow and making sure I had everything. I was tired, running on less than normal sleep and trying to make it to the end of the week. In class, the roof started to leak and soon we could simulate the rain room at LACMA. It got worse and so I ended up getting a bladder to keep it contained. Eventually the leak fixed itself, I made it through the day, I got through my meeting and headed to the Towne Center. I setup a meeting with Ian. I see him regularly when he's back from his break and I always enjoy our conversation no matter how much time we have. This time, it was pouring rain and we were trying not to get wet. As while the rain came pouring down, the beauty of it all appeared as we talked and just enjoyed our time as the rain dispersed and the sun appeared. Yes, there was a rainbow overhead and the day, despite the rain, had its spectacular moments such as this. I followed this up with some more work on the video before grabbing Northern Cafe and heading to the Nationals workshop. It was good to see the whole group do pretty well and while there is much work to do, I can tell that this group is making good progress already. I finished up the videos and just thought to myself, I really enjoyed today and many more moments than just this one as well. The rain will come down the next few days and may cause a few accidents, may soak people and may be an annoyance, but without this rain, there would be no rainbows for us to look up to the sky and enjoy, as while the storm may come, there is always something to look forward to on the horizon. Just look up, wait and smile, because today, like every other day will have a treasure waiting for you if you are paying attention.

~:[CH5 - Day 4]:~ Four the Good Times

~:[CH5 - Day 4]:~ Four the Good Times

I woke up and it was the fourth of January. Four days into 2016 and we had to start up school. It was rough, but I slowly twerked, I mean, worked, my way through the day. With everyone not ready for the school day to begin, I kept it light and easy so that they could transition back into the rhythm. After my day was done, I ran into Eileen and grabbed TapEx and a quick lunch as we had our normal tech, sports, and music chat. I headed home and got some work done for the video and then headed out to dinner at Abricott. I got to catch up with these three before they headed back for break. It's always nice to get a little chance to gather, especially when you haven't had time to hang out with them for awhile. Our meals were good and the Tpumps after even better. After dropping them off, I got another catch up session before heading home to get in more work on the videos. By the end of the night, they were both pretty close to being completed with a little work to do. I guess there is always something to do. It's been a rough start just because of all the work that has been piled on my plate, but hey, I also fit in time to cross paths with even more people, so how could I complain? 

~:[CH5 - Day 3]:~ Wherever This Road May Lead

~:[CH5 - Day 3]:~ Wherever This Road May Lead

It was not a nice drive home. It was quite long and I had to make multiple stops because of all the traffic. However, we eventually got back home. It might have been easier had we wake up earlier, but sleeping late and waking up early aren't always good together in the same sentence. After we got ready, we headed down and soaked in our last bit of Vegas in the casino before grabbing a delicious lunch at Monta Ramen. I am not sure if I can make it without a stop there, but I didn't have to ponder that this time around. As I drove home, it was nice to relax and think about things. It's always interesting to think where we are headed from where we are now. Especially in a new year, I'm excited for what is ahead and hopefully there are great things that I come across as I trek through this year. While some days may seem stormy or omnous like the clouds overhead, there always is a ray of hope peek through. Never feel as if a situation is hopeless, as the road ahead will present its challenges, but will also have its moments of clarity. Trust that this world will never give you a situation that you cannot handle. Believe in yourself always and in the support system that you have around you! As while during my drive, I had my questions of where my road may lead, I don't think I need to worry about it, as I trust that it will take me to some place amazing. 

~:[CH5 - Day 2]:~ Legendary

~:[CH5 - Day 2]:~ Legendary

I almost overslept, as I was suppose to be at Ten Ten by ten. Yes, you read that right. I met up with Isaac to catch up over dim sum. Strangely, it would begin a legendary cross country day. As we were eating, we were visiting by Brian, who happened to be Isaac's cross country dad and when we left, I saw Wesley, who was also a former captain. Crazy. I headed home and packed up but before I left, I stopped at TapEx to catch Ryan working. I headed to Vegas and it was smooth sailing all the way. This trip that was planned in advanced, canceled, then back on, ended up being a pretty good one. We met up with JJ at Bacchanal. Sadly, the line was over two hours, but we decided, let's just sign up for a players card and play some slots and watch some games. It was a great decision. While we started off losing a bit, it quickly came back. Heading to my favorite machine, the Hangover, I got a bonus and only won $12. Just as I was thinking about leaving, I hit another bonus. It turned into Alan's progressive - the highest jackpot in the game. After winning on one more machine, my gambling for the night was pretty much over, as it already was a legendary evening with two legends of cross country. We chowed down and left so full from the buffet, checked in and just relaxed for the rest of night. It made me think of how lucky I am to have so many great individuals who I have come across in my lifetime and seeing so many of them in a single day was truly legendary. 

~:[CH5 - Day 1]:~ Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu

~:[CH5 - Day 1]:~ Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu

I've grown up a lot since my first new year, but maybe not enough, as I am still receiving envelopes in the new year. While the first day of the year provides riches in a monetary form, the new year can also provide riches for our lives if we allow it to. As while many people will set out on these new resolutions in 2016, I see the new year as a continuation and growth from my first new year. With each year, I look back on the past, learn in the present and explore what's in store for my future. Sure, I have things I want to accomplish, however, I keep them simple - to love, to laugh, to explore, and to live. I hope that 2016 brings a bounty of opportunities to catch up with friends, to laugh with my family, to see the world that awaits around me, and to love unconditionally those around me and the life that I live. While there will be problems, failures, sickness and possible even death, I know that each moment is but a ripple that we must endure as we progress through our lives. As while tranquil waters are ideal, the tremors, the storms, and other disasters that await will all pass if maintain our faith, trust in those we love, and have the courage to face up to the challenges that await us. In 2015, I began to see how being vulnerable will lead to failures, but will also help you grow and I hope that in this simple lesson that I take from 2015, I can see that there are treasures untold awaiting me in the envelope that is 2016. I look forward to sharing this year with you and hope that you can become a part of the next chapter in my life, as with you, there would be no story to tell.