~:[CH5 - Day 60]: ~ A Wordly Leap

~:[CH5 - Day 60]: ~ A Wordly Leap

We woke up in the morning and it was a nice day. We walked all the way to the UN without issues and got through our tour. Out of the first three rooms (SC, Trusteeship, ECOSOC), there were three meetings going on including the OSCE. It was cool, but of course, it also meant that we didn't get a lot of time in the rooms including no time in the SC. Regardless, the kids got to get into the UN and that experience in itself is amazing. We got a good meal in at Grand Central and even had enough time to relax in the hotel before heading up to the Natural History Museum. The museum was normal and after walking around in the butterfly exhibit, I enjoyed the beauty of the big blue whale. Yes, he is extravagant. We had our great race back to the hotel and the girls took care of business while the boys lagged behind. The best part of the night was that our lone sick student was feeling better and so it definitely helped make the night even better. While the rain poured down a bit, it cleared up and left a beautiful day for us to enjoy.

~:[CH5 - Day 59]: ~ On Repeat

~:[CH5 - Day 59]: ~ On Repeat

It's pretty cool when you get a chance to relive a memory. It was awhile ago, but my friend Jenn and I took this photo in the snow a number years back and we were able to recreate the shot from that day. A little older and a little wiser, we did our jumps and re-enactments in order to "get the shot." It was a tough morning, as we had to get our motor going after a late night, but we did. We got over to security on time and got on the boat to head to the island. The picture session was great and after a quick stop at Ellis Island, we headed to the 9/11 Museum. We were on a bit of a time crunch early on, however, it started to ease up as the day went on. We headed to Chinatown/Little Italy/SoHo and enjoyed the environment, including a stop at a hand-made noodle shot, which was pretty good. It's amazing how different hand-made noodles can be. After exploring Chinatown, we ventured through SoHo and then relaxed in the middle of the street on Houston, just enjoying the bench they placed there as we people watched. We ventured to Washington Park before relaxing a bit back at the hotel. We ended the evening at Rockefeller and just enjoyed the environment and while it was not the best ice skating group, they actually worked to learn it and by the end of the night, we had a healthy group of kids in terms of injury. I got a great surprise before the end of the night as an old friend stopped by just to chat, but otherwise, it was an exhausting, but great day and it always feels nice to put one of the busiest days in the books. 

~:[CH5 - Day 58]: ~ In the Air

~:[CH5 - Day 58]: ~ In the Air

It's always tough to get a later flight, but I have to deal with all of these every so often because the flight is that much cheaper. Regardless, we were efficient and got everything done within a reasonable time. We got our dinner in and headed to the Empire State Building before calling it a night. The group was quite for this first day, but of course, you can never really tell from a single evening. While I forgot my battery in the room tonight, I still was able to get a few good shots. Technology at its finest. I am exhausted, but it definitely was a great start to the week.

~:[CH5 - Day 57]: ~ Right on Target

~:[CH5 - Day 57]: ~ Right on Target

It's always nice when you are lined up and ready for what's ahead. I had most things in place on my last day before I left. So much so that Friday night was relaxing. Yes, relaxing. I ended up with my normal stack of printed papers, but I wasn't stressed. I am heading to sleep at a normal hour, am completely packed, and even just shot the breeze a bit before wrapping it up. I guess it's become a little routine, but regardless, I always worry that something needs to get done. There is something I am missing, but I'll have to take care of that while on the road, so I guess, it's smooth sailing then. Hopefully the weather stays relative the same as it says because if it does, it should be a great week. 

~:[CH5 - Day 56]: ~ And We're Off ...

~:[CH5 - Day 56]: ~ And We're Off ...

It was a crazy day trying to get ready for the Nationals trip and also trying to get everything together for today's kickoff meet, the Black & Gold Meet. It's become a fun event and while we have a few things to work on before our first home meet, we ran a pretty smooth meet. It was great to see that all our areas had an abundance of athletes and it looks like we potentially could have a pretty solid team. Obviously, we need to build up the numbers here and there, but overall, it looks like we'll be in pretty good shape. After the meet, it was nice to get out and just chat for a bit. We ended up going to Gombo, which is a small little Korean restaurant by school. It was quiet and provided a great environment for the chat. It's been nice, but I know it's just the calm before the storm, as things will pick up as the preparation for Nationals begins.

~:[CH5 - Day 55]: ~ Back to the Norm

~:[CH5 - Day 55]: ~ Back to the Norm

I walked in and it was ready to go. Yes, the carpet wasn't right, but it smelled new and fresh, unlike before. I had to move things around and unpack boxes, but it was back to a more normal reality and for that I was grateful. You often forget to be thankful for what is normal, but if you don't appreciate it, it'll be too late to appreciate if what is normal is gone. As while we may take it for granted that our friends and family will be around, we have a job to come home to, we'll have good health and the like, we must learn to appreciate these "norms" daily, as one day, that norm could be gone. While things were not perfect, I enjoyed the day, as it was back to a more normal reality. 

~:[CH5 - Day 54]: ~ From the Ground Up

~:[CH5 - Day 54]: ~ From the Ground Up

My classroom was empty; literally empty as they began the process of laying new carpet. It'll be weird to go into the room, but it will definitely be nice, that is, if they take care of everything else. While the craziness of my room still continued, we had a nice class session in the theater. It was actually a good setup and worked out as the students were able to get more space for their Romanticism pieces. I loved a lot of the speeches and SO many of the students grew since September. It was evident. I smiled as I left class, but knew, it was a busy day ahead. I quickly ran out to grab a tea for my throat and it worked well, as I started to clear up again and my "feel good" day continued as my cold seemed to be fading away. I came back for my Nationals meeting, finished my last track errands then jumped on the bus to our game. The drive had traffic but was not too bad. We were able to eat our dinner and head to the game where the two rooter buses were already waiting. Out fans showed up in large numbers and even before this game started, we had won a big victory. Our school spirit was evident as despite the distance, we had an amazing crowd show up thanks to our principal and the school who supported them and also gave them a little tailgate before the game. I was once again upset by the lack of gamesmanship in seating by Hart, but definitely not surprised. Regardless, our students section and cheerleaders were amazing and the environment was amazing. We were tied in the third, but ran into a stretch where we couldn't score and had trouble stopping them and that cost us the game; however, it never cost us the victory - that already happened. This was a team that worked so hard day in and day out, a team that was accepting, who would get on each other's cases, who would compete fiercely, who entertained us (on and off the court), who showed us that a group of complete different people can work together, and who ultimately showed us something most important, that the cared. They cared about the game, they cared about getting better, they cared about the program & school, and they cared about each other. It's definitely a sad day to part from such an amazing group, but ultimately, who could ask for a better group to end with. I will forever remember this team and while I wish that another game would be on the horizon, at least I know that you have built something that will tower over us for years to come. While it's easy to say that you lost, if you really look closely, you'll see how victorious you truly were tonight and this season, if you look at what you built and if you look at what you've all become, individually, as well as a team.

~:[CH5 - Day 53]: ~ New Beginnings

~:[CH5 - Day 53]: ~ New Beginnings

This year has started off as a whirlwind. It's been amazing, don't get me wrong, but a whirlwind. I wish I could say it would be easy, but with a busy schedule, things always added to the to-do list, and trips and conferences galore in the first eight weeks, it's a little bit of a challenge. This is our busiest stretch of the MUN season and by next weekend, it would have been our fifth straight week/weekend with MUN-related conferences and trips. Over this course of time, I've also been in ten states outside of Calfiornia already this year (passing through one) plus DC. It's been a little nuts and while I've enjoyed it, it's also nice to get back into routine. Today was like my 2016, a little nuts. With so many people coming through today, ultimately, I had to pack up my things and I'm starting fresh. It's quite a hassle, but I guess in the long run, it could be a blessing in disguise, we'll just have to wait and see. I guess some of that was evident, however, as I filled half a garbage dumpster of stuff I decided to let go of. Regardless, through the process, there have been so many people who have supported me, given me advice, came to my aid and the like, many of whom may never read this, but I do appreciate everyone who helped and ultimately, a resolution was made. It's inconvenient, yes, but it's definitely for the best. Cleaning also gave me a little nostalgia and ironically, one of my alumni, Kent, showed up today! It was a great surprise and reminded me of all the great athletes and students that I have that have continued to make this job the best ever. So as tough as today was, mainly the physical movement of things for temporary storage (thanks brother and Diane) while being sick, it was made easier by the thought of those both past and present who make life amazing every day. Let's a raise a toast to new beginnings and the continuation of the amazingness we already have! 

~:[CH5 - Day 52]: ~ Dreamscapes

~:[CH5 - Day 52]: ~ Dreamscapes

Sometimes it's only in a dream can you see reality so clearly. As I closed my eyes for the longest period in some time, I ran across a number of scenes in my mind, none of which I remember, but all of which I carry with me. It was definitely a day that I had planned to do a lot more, but my body was just not ready and so I listened. In the past, I may not have listened, but I did this time. I slept and slept some more, lounged around, did some work, then went back to sleep, doing my best to recover from the misery that lurked within me. Somewhere in between the suffering and the dreaming came that clear view of reality that sometimes had been clouded by things around me. I saw things that needed more work, things I needed to move on from, people I could help, and the things I can possibly aim for going forward. It was kind of glorious, as if I was floating, yet grounded at the same time. No, it was not supernatural, just naturally super. Yes, it was a dream, but it had that sense of reality that gave me a senses that it was not a dream, but a connection between my heart and my mind that has been lacking for some time. No, nothing is the matter and it doesn't have to be. Sometimes, a little fine tuning, even when things are going well, is just want you need to make reality seem even more like a dream, as it's only in reality that dreams actually come true. Happy Sunday!

~:[CH5 - Day 51]: ~ Surviving

~:[CH5 - Day 51]: ~ Surviving
It was a challenge to drudge around during the day. I took a hot bath in the morning that helped me relax and clear a lot out of my system. It got me off to a good start, as I loaded my car, picked up some ice, and ventured to school. Things were already rolling as we began setting up and prepping for the arrival of the delegates. The clock seemed to move slowly as it seemed like I had a lot of time to do what I needed to do. The conference began and while we had to use our backup rooms because of the stench in my room and the surrounding rooms, it all ended up working out. This year ended up being one of the most well-balanced conferences we had with almost all of the delegates excelling. It was tough because some great performances didn't get awards, however, it was great because you really had to be on top of your game to get an awards. After cleanup, I went with Mustard to get some more Kumquat tea. I decided to stay in for the rest of the night, because by the end of the conference, my body started to go backwards. I came home and laid down right away and stayed there for the rest of the night but slept well, especially knowing how good of a day it was despite how miserable I was feeling.

~:[CH5 - Day 50]: ~ To Overcome

~:[CH5 - Day 50]: ~ To Overcome

I woke up and was still sick. It's never nice to be sick, but somehow you manage. My classroom still was not usable so I ended up having class outside. It was a nice day out, so it ended up working out. I was able to get what I needed for the conference and felt better that I got that taken care of. As practice rolled around, however, I started to feel pretty sick. I almost decided not to go to the CIF game that evening I was feeling so bad, however, when stopping at TapEx, Grace told me to get Kumquat tea and magically, it worked. I overcame a lot of the problems holding me down and I felt good enough to go to the game. We drew a very good crowd at our game, filling both of our bleachers. It didn't look good early as they opened a double digit lead early, but we were able to close it down to six by the half. We pulled ahead and were able to hold off their attempts at tying up the game. As they took one last 3-point attempt to tie the game that fell short, the crowd stormed the court and the celebration ensued. It was a very dramatic win and victory for the team against a very good Northwood team who was ranked sixth in the final poll. Everyone was going out after the game, however, with the conference the next day, I turned in early, hoping to kick this cold. 

~:[CH5 - Day 49]: ~ Heading Down Victory Lane

~:[CH5 - Day 49]: ~ Heading Down Victory Lane

A crazy day got crazier. After spending the morning printing placards and credentials, I got to school to find out that my room was flooded, AGAIN. It was squishy all over so I was relocated to the theater for the day. It worked out for speeches and it gave the students a stage to work with. The speeches went well and while I did not have a repeat of last year's perfection, they were still pretty good! After completing a yo-yo workout for track, I headed to grills for the evening. We covered all we needed to cover before I ran to the gym to do the starting lineup video. It worked out as I ran back and had plenty of time to get myself ready for the parent meeting. After answering all the questions, I jetted back to the gym for the game and by that time, it was virtually over. The team ended with a running clock in the fourth and pulled out a fabulous 67-25 victory. I came home to see the Clippers also get a W over the Spurs. My body is telling me to rest tonight, so I am going to turn in early, however, it definitely was a slam dunk of  a day.

~:[CH5 - Day 48]: ~ Moving On

~:[CH5 - Day 48]: ~ Moving On

I was a little tired in the morning, but there was a lot to do. I got the I'm Just a Bill video burned to DVD and then headed to school to setup the projector. We ended up getting all the videos played and they were all pretty good! While I make the DC group do it in one take, the other groups got to edit them and incorporated a lot of funny edited scenes. Speeches in class also began and while I had hoped for a more complete day of speeches, getting some good speeches in was definitely the goal. I was able to order our catering order for the conference, grilled, and even stopped off at TapEx before setting up track practice. I rushed over to the Bloomfield lot after doing so, to catch our bus for the game. The rest of the day was mostly spent in a bus. The traffic was horrid and it looked like we could fall behind schedule. A little over two hours later, we arrived near Norte Vista, grabbed dinner, and then headed to our game. I was appreciative of the staff and fans of Norte Vista. They were definitely welcoming and while during the game, the fans talked a little trash and the like, it was all within the realms of what I feel is normal. It was a great start and you could tell it would be a very fast paced game. However, we ended up opening up the lead and finished the first quarter with a 31-15 lead. We kept the pace up, defended well, and moved the ball with some passes that even got their fans saying, "ooooooooooo." That was one of my favorite parts of the evening. With a 53-21 lead at half, we needed to do a little more to close them out. I was so proud of our team because they played so well together and did a lot of what we have asked of them all year. Our defense and our pace of play held a solid Norte Vista (17-9) team and allowed us to get the win. We had a great bus ride back and definitely proud of our team. No matter what happens going forward, these are the type of games, you'll never forget. 

~:[CH5 - Day 47]: ~ The Unexpected

~:[CH5 - Day 47]: ~ The Unexpected

It was hard to wake up in the morning and it wasn't even in my own bed. The couch was still very comfortable. I bounced up, knowing I had work to do, so I headed on my way. The day itself went by as I tried to shed the cold that was fading away slowly from the trip. I came back to discover that my whole family was sick including my relatives. Crazy! I eventually got most of it away. I was able to grab Northern Cafe for lunch and after grills got a great surprise! While it wasn't the best situation, I got a redo at the TapEx meetup! A missed flight led to the redo and I am glad that I got the redo. I came with card in hand because of it and it definitely was worth it. I headed back afterward to practice and despite the 90 degree temperatures, we had a solid practice. After, I caught Makoa's game and he hit a shot from the elbow! Swish! I didn't know about the game until today and I am glad it worked out so I could go to the game! In the end, I relaxed, caught up with work and with people tonight. I still have some work and catching up to do, so I'll be up for awhile, but at least I got some unexpected surprises that made today special. 

~:[CH5 - Day 46]: ~ Escaping the Storm

~:[CH5 - Day 46]: ~ Escaping the Storm

It felt like a movie. We rushed in the morning to get out of the hotel, as our driver messaged us that she was coming early so we can try to avoid the storms coming in. Of course, it would be the morning that my room that was always early, woke up late. We got half of our group ready and out the door and waiting on the second. The weather was mild as compared to the evening, but it would stay that way. The Seattle flight that was suppose to leave before 6am was still at the gate when our flight was suppose to board. Our plane was waiting to come to the gate. Twenty minutes turned to thirty, which turned to an hour and more. It was crazy. We were trying to escape the storm and it did not look good. To top things off, my stomach started to rage and just left me exhausted. Finally, we saw the Seattle flight leave the gate and just as the worker was announcing at the plane was not coming because the runway was being cleared, our plane came out of the white background and emerged like a hero from a movie. It was dramatic to say the least. We actually were going to board. Of course, this has happened to me before. Let's board the plane and then be told to deplane because you can no longer fly out. We sat at the gate for awhile and finally when I saw the deicing liquid hit the wing, I smiled. Home, here we come! We headed back 3.5 hour after our scheduled departure. The flight home was fairly smooth, as I had the only open seat on the plane next to me (I normally get this kind of luck - just bad luck with weather). In any case, we landed and I made it home. I was going to TapEx at 8:30pm, so I figured, I'd lay down for awhile. I set my alarm and the next thing I knew, I was responding to a text at 9:30pm. I missed my meetup with Allen. I was pretty devastated, as he was leaving the next morning. With only a few percent of battery left, I laid back down and dozed off, but the sleep would not be comfortable, as I hate missing plans! In any case, I made it home and got away from the storm and as I stared out onto the runway, the hopelessness of not knowing if I'd make it home melted away as the warm SoCal rays soon radiated upon my face. Home is where the heat is.

~:[CH5 - Day 45]: ~ With All Your Heart

~:[CH5 - Day 45]: ~ With All Your Heart

Today was quite the day. Yes, it was Valentine's Day, but like most, it wasn't a day for me plus one, unless you count Apple Jack. I never have really minded. My friends Erika and Will swung by the Hilton and it's always great having a conversation with them. I love the fact that they always make it work even when it may not be the most convenient! It's always nice to see you two! We headed into awards and knew it would be a tough one with such a great spread of schools attending. With conferences bookended this one, it made it hard to focus on it, but they did well in committee and I was definitely proud of them even before the award ceremony. One of my delegates had a streak of commendations and she finally broke it with an outstanding! It was definitely the highlight of the morning, but we had a lot in store on the day. After venturing to Union Market and enjoying the wonderful foods it had to offer, we headed back to the Washington Monument. In the process, my phone died and we lost our Uber. We eventually got one and arrived at the monument. At the site, we shot our "I'm Just a Bill" video along with having our photo shoot there as well. We also stopped at the World War Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial before heading back. We ended up picking up Pizzeria Paradiso and having everyone eat in. Along with some garlic chicken, strawberry chicken and veggies, we had a feast on our hands! We ate it all as we saw the start of the all-star game but that soon became a distant memory as Sunny came and mesmerized them all with her wonderful singing voice and even got a few of them to sing as well. It was definitely a fun night with flowers, cards, and candy. I even got a thoughtful gift - a Disclosure record! I was so touched and impressed and it continued to be a group I enjoyed working with. How did the night end? With some beautiful snow coming down. The conference, the performances, and of course Valentines, allowed us to truly enjoy the day with all of our heart. 

~:[CH5 - Day 44]: ~ It's Elementary, My Dear ...

~:[CH5 - Day 44]: ~ It's Elementary, My Dear ...

It was frigid today. However, when I woke up, I felt really great. Yes, I still had a bit of the cold left over, but most of what was bothering me disappeared. It was nice. I had a relaxing morning, was able to get long sit ins at each committee, I cooked up a quick brunch pasta, and also caught up with three alumni - Danny, Michelle and Eugene (again)! The crab cake pasta from Afterwords Cafe was super delicious especially the noodles. After committee, we ventured back and relaxed for dinner and headed back for the delegate dance. I relaxed for most of the evening in the lobby. We then headed to a last minute add - the Great Escape Room. It was themed for Sherlock Holmes and was a library. It took us a while to get started, but we started to figure things out as we went along. I think we took a lot of things to literally and didn't interpret as much as we could have. With 12 people, we were able to divide up the work and slowly worked our way through puzzle after puzzle. We solved the orange, then then pink, then the yellow, then the blue, then the green and wrapped it up with the red. We finished all the clues with time to spare or so we thought. We didn't realize we didn't have the key to get out and so we scrambled to finish off the task and we did, just past the time expiring though. Sadly, we finished all the clues in time, just didn't leave the room in time. It was a great experience though for first timers and they seemed to really enjoy the experience. It was definitely a great way to end the night and while tired, it was well worth it. I was happy with how they worked together to complete these tasks and also how they worked through the day in committee. "

“If my friend would undertake it there is no man who is better worth having at your side when you are in a tight place. No one can say so more confidently than I.” 

- Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles

~:[CH5 - Day 43]: ~ The Road to Georgetown

~:[CH5 - Day 43]: ~ The Road to Georgetown

The group voted to wake up earlier in order to head up to Georgetown, so we did. We ventured us as they enjoyed the beauty of the neighborhoods leading to the campus. I always feel transported when I venture to the campus, as it's a completely different world than where I am from. They have this antique quality to them and definitely create a good vibe for the neighborhood. It's always a special moment when you arrive to the campus because it's definitely a sight to see when you arrive. After our stop, we headed down to M street and Georgetown Cupcakes before venturing around and shopping for a bit. During lunch, I was able to meet up with Eugene who now goes to GW. It was pretty nice to catch up as we remembered when he went to Georgetown in high school, not thinking he'd end up back in DC for school. I headed to committees and saw Sunny as we checked out how the students were doing. I was able to get some rest during the break before heading back to committee. I was able to try Dolcezza, which was pretty good and it warmed me up on a day that ended up not being as cold as I had thought it would be. After committee, we had a fun dinner at Buca di Beppo and the group just enjoyed each other's company in the Pope Room. In the end, I did not feel the best but still was happy that this group continues to be amazing. 

~:[CH5 - Day 42]: ~ Quite Monumental

~:[CH5 - Day 42]: ~ Quite Monumental

We woke up at a more decent hour (while still early) and headed to the Pentagon. We were able to take a wonderful tour of the Pentagon and not only was our tour guide a runner, he also gave a fabulous tour that was informative but also very interesting. We also were able to get our own tour group, which was also nice. We ventured off back to the hotel and got some food before heading back out to the Washington Monument. Sadly, when we arrived up at the monument, we were blown away - literally. The winds were blowing so much that the monument closed and so we were unable to go to the top of the monument. Due to the weather, the group decided to opt to do the museums versus the monuments. We headed around before heading back to the hotel to recover before the conference. The first day of committee required a little bit of an adjustment and we had mixed feelings leaving committee; however, I still enjoy spending time with the group and they have continued to make this trip monumental despite all the obstacles we keep facing and for that, I am grateful. 

~:[CH5 - Day 41]: ~ Our Founding Fathers

~:[CH5 - Day 41]: ~ Our Founding Fathers

It was almost 6am and we rolled into Union Station in DC. We made it. Everyone looked exhausted and we were only hours away from our tour of the White House. Ninety minutes later, we headed out for the White House. How? I don't know, but we made it. To my surprise, they began allowing photographs in the White House again. It was awesome to be able to take photos including at a spot that I took a photo when I was in high school. After another quick nap, we headed out to Founding Farmers for a brunch. While a little pricey, the food was amazing and was made pretty freshly. I thought it was definitely a nice setup and a place that I'll be adding to my list! We ventured back through the cold for ANOTHER nap, as the recovery was not yet complete. I slightly overslept, but headed down and we ventured to the archives. It's always great to see the reaction of the students when they finally get to see the documents housed there. For them to be able to see it, is well worth the time it takes to organize the entire trip, as it is something that will be everlasting. We were able to venture through the sculpture garden before going to the rink. We pretty much had the ice to ourselves as for some reason, no one was there. It could have been the cold or the fact that it was a Wednesday, but regardless, we made the most of it. The student one again impressed me and we continued to enjoy the trip. We headed back and began our annual cook off. It seemed like as was well until I realized I used cayenne pepper instead of chili powder - a huge difference! Regardless, the group made me feel alright about it even though I was devastated and new it was definitely not on par. Luckily, I also cooked up some strawberry chicken and Italian sausage and we ended up buying Prego to balance out the lack of edible sauce for the noodles. We had great garlic bread and pizookies to top it all of and we watched Revenant, which was quite interesting. I cleaned up and just worked on a few things before it was time to call it a night, however, regardless, we made it through and while exhausted, I still managed to enjoy another day here in DC. 

~:[CH5 - Day 40]: ~ Snow Incredible

~:[CH5 - Day 40]: ~ Snow Incredible

It was truly a 24 hour day. When we first voted on doing this trek, I am not sure if anyone really knew how exhausting it would be. For me, this is how I travel, but trying to get a group around, always makes it a bit more challenging. We left our hotel before 6am, as it was still dark outside and it was drizzling on our way to the station. We took the train and arrived early to the bus depot, so we lounged around before boarding. We headed up to Philly and on our way, the snow started to come down and in Baltimore, it really started to come down. We eventually arrived and headed to Reading Terminal Market and got some delicious food and snacks as we wandered around aisle after aisle. We ventured into Chinatown and finally got some decent boba before heading over to Independence Hall. We wandered around and ended up at the beautiful city hall building, the LOVE fountain, and of course, the world-famous Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We ended up having one group get lost, our group unable to get a cab, and of course, a little miscalculation of time, which led to our Megabus driving away. We quickly figured it out and got on a train and made it with time to spare. The crowd at Allegiance was amazing and I was so happy of how the students enjoyed the musical. From the actual performances to the importance of the story, I had no doubt that this was worth the obstacles and the fatigue. Because of the amazing Janelle Dote, we were ALL able to go backstage, which I thought in itself was incredible, but for her to introduce us to not only the stage actors but also to those who made it happen, I was overwhelmed, overjoyed, and so very thankful. As we were leaving, the group ran into Telly and AJ Raphael, as they serenaded him and ended up on his Snapstory. I was happy to sit down with Janelle afterward to just catch up and was so grateful of her generosity and selflessness in giving back to our school with an experience that they will never forget! As while we left on an overnight bus back to DC and fatigue would overtake us, it was worth the experience that the Allegiance cast provided. I am so glad to all those who took the time to make this production and even more thankful for those who spend some time talking to our students so that they could get the full experience and carry this with them for the rest of their lives - George Takei, Telly Leung, Michael K. Lee, Chris Nomura, Greg Watanabe, Stafford Arima, Lynne Shankel, and whoever else I may have missed. #cerritosHSmodelUN

~:[CH5 - Day 39]: ~ Feeling Supreme

~:[CH5 - Day 39]: ~ Feeling Supreme

We all were a little tired in the morning as we ended up sleeping a little late last night. Regardless, for me, it felt like I ended up sleeping a lot. Our morning was brightened by one of the breakfast staff, as he was so lively and energetic. He learned our names and made sure we knew his "name" and his nickname. In the same energetic way, he went about making us all waffles - chocolate chip, blueberry and more, all with happy faces on top. We headed to the metro and found our way to the Supreme Court. To my surprise, there was no line for the lecture. Awesome! We got great seats and had our normal photo shoot outside. Sadly, the Capitol Building was under construction. A very small piece of the dome fell and they normally do repairs on the dome. When feeling how heavy a very small piece of it could be, I was amazed and thought, luckily it didn't hit anyone as it would have been game over. The staffers who took us around were awesome and they gave us a nice casual tour which was much better than the Capitol-led tours. We were able to sit in the House of Representatives chamber before we grabbed lunch in the Longworth Building. We ventured to our Library of Congress tour and I was in awe once again because that building is so beautiful. We ended up all getting readers cards so we can go do some reading in the building the next time we are around; maybe I can even find my book here! We also began our "sweets" tour, which was something that they added. We started with cupcake wars winner, the Sweet Lobby. Although my cupcake fell over on the way home, it still was delicious. Dinner was filled with food from Chinatown. I ended up stopping at Red Velvet as well since we were in the area and the kids grabbed doughnuts from Krispy Kreme. Not everything worked out as planned as the market was closed today, the provided dinner was so so, and everyone was tired, but I was so happy to see how this group dealt with it all and just enjoyed the fact that they were together and experiencing this new city. We were all exhausted though, so after picking up stuff at CVS and the market, we put our heads down really early, so much so that I have already slept more than my normal amount before writing this blog. Of course, I have to wake up in less than two hours before we have to catch our bus for our day trip! In any case, I am definitely feeling supreme and so much of it has to do with this amazing group of seniors! 

~:[CH5 - Day 38]: ~ City Lights

~:[CH5 - Day 38]: ~ City Lights

The timing of our flight wasn't the best. It was nice to fly in late, however, doing so had us lined up to miss the Super Bowl and get in late so we had to make a press to quickly get something to eat. Everyone arrived early at the airport so we go through security early and got to lounge around a bit and eat. This group spend some time together and were all prompt in meeting back up after doing so. It was an enjoyable plane ride with some time to sleep and then I was able to keep a tracker on the Super Bowl. I was sad it was a low scoring affair, but it did work out as I had thought it would have in the win column. I still have to go back and see the highlights including the commercials and halftime show! We got off the plane and I could already tell that this group was going to be fun as they just bond pretty well together, don't lag and just seem to be ready to enjoy the week. As we drove into the city, we got to enjoy the lights that we saw from overhead just a hour or so earlier as we drove by the Kennedy Center, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial at night. What a beautiful site. Pizzeria Paradiso just happened to close early today, so while we thought we had made it on time, we were wrong. So we walked to CVS and grabbed pizza at DuPont Pizza. We ate together at the hotel and watched the Intern, ate some ice cream, and just started the night off right. I'm hoping that today was a sign of things to come as it definitely was a great way to kick it off, as we begin our exploration of the city lights that we saw below. 

~:[CH5 - Day 37]: ~ Family Ties

~:[CH5 - Day 37]: ~ Family Ties

I was going to go check out the petal drop in LA, but I knew when I slept last night, that I needed to sleep. I didn't set my alarm to see what would happen. I slept in until nine and so I stayed home and got to work. Good thing I did. I ended up doing all my laundry, even though I didn't need to in order to finish packing. I wrapped up the buttons, packed my bags and then got ready for the wedding. The drive was strange because of construction and I ended up taking side streets from the 91 to the 15. It took just over an hour and got there about when I had hoped for. I was lucky to even be at the wedding as originally, my flight for DC was schedule this evening and would have probably missed the ceremony and definitely the reception. Somehow, a helping hand, had the airline reschedule our fight which allowed me to attend! The wedding ceremony was short and sweet and I think everyone was overjoyed by that fact. (Great job Ali!) I enjoyed the reception thoroughly and it was great seeing the entire family and some old friends. All the time and effort you put into the wedding made it extra special - handmade bouquets, centerpieces, and more! I never had a real sister, but Ali, you are the closest thing I have ever had to one and you've always made me apart of your family, so much so that I refer to your family as aunts, uncles, and of course, mom and dad. I've always been thankful for that whether it was high school, through college and now, back at Cerritos. It was so wonderful to see you so very happy. as you were surrounded by your family and friends and celebrating this momentous evening with Colby. I know that you and Colby will continue to do amazing things and I can't wait to be a witness to those things. Thanks again for letting me be apart of this special evening and I wish you two the best going forward. I love you sister!

~:[CH5 - Day 36]: ~ A Spectrum

~:[CH5 - Day 36]: ~ A Spectrum

Today had quite the range of things. It was exhausted after arriving home late and having to wake up early in the morning. As I struggled through the day (lecturing), I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I jetted out and caught Jamie in her show. I actually was sitting near the stage after eating my lunch and realized that I was in the wrong spot. I sprinted over to where the performance was and was able to catch a glimpse of her. My phone died in the process of taking photos, which I was sad about, but I did capture a few decent photos #samsungnote4. I had a little bit of extra time, so I stood in line to take a picture with Mickey and Minnie before heading back to school. We headed out to our basketball game. We held the lead at halftime despite squandering a ten point lead in the final minute. We had our chances, but didn't do a good job on the defensive end. Down the stretch, we made a slight comeback, but a few bounces and calls did not go our way and ultimately, we fell just short of Mayfair. I needed to get home so I could do my laundry, pack, and get ready for tomorrow's wedding. I also was able to get all the paperwork for the trip squared away and even got the "extras" done. I can't say what those are :D In any case, it was a rough day, but definitely had it's bright spots, as it showed the spectrum and despite the tough moments of the day, I am grateful for every moment that I have on this earth, especially with those I am lucky enough to call friends.

~:[CH5 - Day 35]: ~ Using Every Second

~:[CH5 - Day 35]: ~ Using Every Second

i came to school expecting to hold class in the library, however, my room ended up being open. I quickly reorganized my furniture in my classroom and prepped for the day. It was a good day of catching up on work and getting what I needed done. I rolled through the day and eventually finished off the buttons for basketball for next week and some paperwork since I'll be gone next week from work. For practice we visited Chao at TapEx and gave him some experience of the "xc/track" rush. He did a pretty good job and the team enjoyed their first food run of the season. We ended up in the weight room as well and got in a great workout. It was nice to walk out and enjoy this sunset, which was a reminder of all that is incredible that is around us. I fulfilled my promise and went to the TC after practice and just chatted for a bit before heading home. I was eating dinner and my friend texted me. At the last second, I ended up stopping by to visit her down at Valley Center. It was quite the long drive, but ended up being some great quality time that had me using every second of the day. I'll be exhausted tomorrow, but hey, it's Friday. I'll manage, somehow. Hopefully this weekend, you all can make use of every second of your day!

~:[CH5 - Day 34]: ~ Coordinating with the BFF

~:[CH5 - Day 34]: ~ Coordinating with the BFF

He doesn't want to admit it, but we're best friends and today proved it. We both were wearing stripes today, matching like BFFs do. It's fun to be across from Jepsen and to visit him on a weekly (if not daily or period) basis. With someone as funny as him, how can you not want to be his BFF! Regardless, we matched and there's nothing he can do about it! The day itself was quite interesting with a delivery of Tpumps and a wet floor that smelled like a wet dog (leading to some action by the school). It's also one of my favorite days because I get to show some past projects and show some of the great scenes of the past! Some of you hate that I show it and some of you love it! I was able to grab Northern Cafe and get some work done before practice today. Practice quickly went by and I spent the rest of the night in the MUN room for grills. We ended up working until 9pm, but had a pretty successful night with some great speeches and performances. We're fine tuning ourselves but we are pretty much set for the conference. I spent the rest of the evening editing and despite some obstacles, I finished it up before heading to bed. It's been another great one especially when you have a BFF like Jepsen.

~:[CH5 - Day 33]: ~ Pounding the Pavement

~:[CH5 - Day 33]: ~ Pounding the Pavement

It was cold ... very cold for SoCal this morning. When you see a three or lower in front of any number, it's cold for US,  not for the rest of the country. [I know, you East coasters are saying, yeah yeah.] Of course, layering is the key and with the proper layers, I survived the frigid morning. I caught up on a lot of work through the day and tried to figure out how to deal with my stinking room that was soaked from the rain on Monday. I was able to grab TapEx  today before heading back for practice. I went out and ran today! It was great to get in a few miles and while I wasn not in the best of shape, I did survive. We finished up a great workout. I ended up grabbing food to eat at the Georgetown grill. It's a small group, but a very fun and lively group, so it should be a pretty good experience all around. In the end, the team showed they were mostly prepared. I headed out to Tpumps after the grill and ended up seeing Mitchell! It was great running into him at the last minute and getting in a quick chat before heading home. I had a little more work to do on the evening, but pretty much wrapped it up and ended a great day. I ended the day sore, but it was well worth it!

~:[CH5 - Day 32]: ~ On the 1st

~:[CH5 - Day 32]: ~ On the 1st

It was cold. I walked out and quickly went back in to get a scarf. These temperatures were about what I had on my trips, but the wind is what truly got me. I didn't realize that today would end up being so busy! With new MUN shirts to hand out, projects to organize and odds and ends from last semester to cover, before I knew it, the period was over and we had no time to do what we actually had on tap. Thus, it was pushed to tomorrow. My room gave me a surprise as when I dropped something, I thought that I had spilled my water on the ground. Unfortunately, I then realized that 1/3 of my carpet was soaked and it was because of the leak in the roof. It was definitely not a calm first day of the semester. I was able to grab Yoshinoya and boy was it crowded! Today was all the first day of practice for track and we had a decent showing, but I know it will grow over time. I rushed over to the Bloomfield lot after practice and caught the bus to our game. We started a little slow, but got into the game more and ended up with a nice, solid victory over Glenn. I decided for the rest of the evening, I would finally relax, so I did as I ate dinner and watched a little bit of television and stayed up-to-date on the Iowa caucus. It was a great first day of the semester and of February and while stormy weather and a storm of a schedule are ahead, for now. I'm warm and cozy in the comfort of my own home.