~:[CH5 - Day 91]: ~ The Little Things

~:[CH5 - Day 91]: ~ The Little Things

I stepped onto the track this morning and found a little bee. Its time had passed and while most people are afraid of bees, I do appreciate them. I also love to study the details of them and always wonder, how did this little bee die. Sometimes it's the little things that make a day special and this was one of those moments. "A bee, really?" you may ask. Yes, a bee made my day; a dead one at that. Practice rolled on by as we headed to eat pho to quench our hunger. It was nice just eating together and chatting. Nothing special, possibly considered a little thing, but definitely another moment treasured. The satisfaction of boba, the peacefulness of rest, and the warmth of a blank - spectacular. I caught up with a former student who is on the path to becoming a teacher and our conversation was much like everything else on this day - somewhat refreshing. After finding out that I would be hooked into half of the SoCal Ragnar Relay, joining the team past midnight and watching the Clippers bench squander their lead to lose by two, I sat there thinking back to this little bee. of all the square inches of the track, I happened to come across this one bee. Much like us in the world, we are but a small bee, living in a much larger space, barely being recognized by those around us. We are but a speck on a large area of space and one day, we'll have our chance to become noticed. As they study us, what will they see? Can we show them more than meets the eye? While how we portray ourselves is not often as big of a thing as how we appear, it is in this opportunity that I say, that while it may be a little thing, our character and morality, how we treat and respect each other, the hard work that we engage in and the selflessness that we demonstrate are the things that will make us into people who will be remembered for a lifetime and beyond. While beauty and fame may raise you up, it is in these other qualities (the little things) that we will find fame that will last longer than the eye that judges you. As while we may sit in this large space largely unnoticed, we must do what is right always so that when someone crosses our path, that we are ready to show them all the little things that in reality mean everything. 

~:[CH5 - Day 90]: ~ Early to Rise

~:[CH5 - Day 90]: ~ Early to Rise

The sun began to peek out over the horizon as we warmed up. It was a little chilly in the morning, but we managed. Yes, it is spring break, but we have to keep on top of our training especially with a meet this week. Interval day wasn't amazing, but we did have some solid performances from a few athletes. It's always nice to see how people can respond to a difficult workout and we had some overcome some obstacles to reach that next plateau. I'm excited to see more of these athletes PR this weekend. I know it is on the horizon! As we wrapped up the workout, we got into the weight room, before heading our separate ways. I headed to Koreatown and grabbed an excellent meal at Seong Buk Dong. I have been so excited to head back here to eat the Galbim Jjim and it did not disappoint one bit! After a good meal, we headed over to Cottonhi and grabbed a small dessert, mainly because of the novelty of it. Topped with cotton candy, salted caramel in my case, the dessert was a typical dessert with a little flare. It was fancy and a nice way to finish things off. We ran a little late, so I hit traffic on the way home, but with nothing else on the agenda, there was no rush. I took a different route home and it was nice to see the change in scenery. It's nice when things slow down and there isn't a care in the world. I watched some TV, caught up on some games before doing a little work for track. It was a long day with the early rise, but there isn't a bit of me that is sad that I woke up early, because an early rise means a long day and many more opportunities. I was thankful for each one today and look forward to the many more that present themselves tomorrow.

~:[CH5 - Day 89]: ~ Dreamscapes

~:[CH5 - Day 89]: ~ Dreamscapes

No camera could capture this moment. Maybe that is how most moments in life are. I am always so fixed to my camera that sometimes I wish that every moment could be captured the way I saw it with my own two eyes, however, I doubt that will ever be the case. As realistic as the images a camera can capture become, it still cannot match the ultimate camera of them all, your eyes. As I drove home, I thought, it would be nice if our images could be captured exactly as we see them, but then I thought, maybe that's why, we'll never have cameras that are that good - some moments are just too good to photograph. While the storm led to winds that made driving troublesome, it also created a scene that was absolutely breathtaking. I kept telling myself that I would pull over and drive down the road and maybe I should have, but regardless, I still captured an image that was taken directly out of a dream. The clouds hugged the ground, as it looked like cotton candy along the mountainside. The snow dusted the mountain tops and left a scene that I can't even describe. I would simply say, "you'd had to have been there to see how stunning that moment was." I was in awe and while there may have been troubles and issues lurking, all was gone in these moments as the scenes around me were simply breathtaking. No, this is not an exaggeration. Simply stunning and the panorama of it captured by my eyes will never be duplicated. As while a trip back to reality from from the glitz and glamour of Vegas, the dreamscapes that surrounded me, made me feel as if I had never left. The cold was fought off by the warmth of Monta ramen in my stomach and the fatigue of driving disappeared, as my mind tried to process every pixel that surrounded me. As while the lines between dreams and reality was blurred, there was no doubt that wherever this moment was, that is was truly dreamy. 

~:[CH5 - Day 88]: ~ Only the Finest

~:[CH5 - Day 88]: ~ Only the Finest

I woke up early in the morning and picked up my friends as we headed to Vegas. Yes, I ended up going to Vegas. There was space in the room and so I took it. With no plan in mind, we headed out. It was a smooth ride to Vegas and with one a quick stop, we got there in a good amount of time. We ended up at Sister's which has a small restaurant within a market. Being with a Thai person, it was nice to be able to order ahead and get some good treatment. The food was pretty delicious and it was nice to have a place that was a little isolated from mainstream Vegas. After, I hit the casino floor and while there were some good moments on the floor, this would not be my day. Regardless, I enjoyed my time and just relaxed. For dinner, we headed to Chinatown and ate at Pho Kim Long. It was pretty good and what was even better is, there was no wait. The cold weather made the pho taste even better! Since my friends had a meeting, I headed out to watch a show at New York New York. Since I am on a Cirque du Soleil binge, I ended up watching the more risque Zumanity. Well ... it was definitely a bit awkward going to watch that show by myself and probably would not have done so again. Regardless, aside from a few moments in the show, it was funny and had some of the amazing moves that every cirque show offers. Just be ready if you watch this ... don't say I didn't warn you. I explored New York New York a bit and ran across Gallagher's and as I wandered, I realized all the things I love about New York. Since I've been three times in 2016, I'm not quite ready to head back yet, but soon ... To end the night, I headed to Excalibur to collected, then headed back to Bally's to meet up with my friends. While this will be my only night in Vegas, it was worth the short trip and was a good replacement for a more expensive vacation! I guess with the right people, any moment can be simply the finest. 

~:[CH5 - Day 87]: ~ Those We Meet Along the Way

~:[CH5 - Day 87]: ~ Those We Meet Along the Way

I almost didn't wake up this morning. I wasn't feeling well before I went to sleep, so I figured, I might not be able to go hiking in the morning. However, just as I went to sleep, I decided, I'm going to make it a point to go and I am glad that I did. We headed out to Black Star Canyon and headed on the hike. It was a nice brisk morning, so the hike wasn't a challenge because of the weather, mainly because of all the boulders we would have to climb. We enjoyed all that the hike had to offer as we headed up the trail. It was definitely a challenge, but we made it and when we got to the falls, we met a huge group that we found out were related that made it to the falls. It was nice to converse with them there and later on during the hike back. The falls were more of a drip as we referred to it, but it still was nice and was worth the hike  up. We came across a few friendly newts and one even warmed up to Janie and rubbed its head on her fingers before she placed him with the other newts. It was exhausted and I rolled my ankle, but I was happy. We ventured to Diamond Plaza and since the wait at Capital Seafood was a bit long, we stopped at Afters before lunch. I am semi-lactose but the jamine milk tea ice cream sounded too good. It was good, but my stomach definitely was upset. I made it through lunch. The food was delicious, but it was a challenge with my stomach the way it was. Regardless, I still enjoyed the morning. In the afternoon, I cleaned and spent time with my family and got to relax on Easter. I know that everyone does not celebrate, but it is a day that we can celebrate life and all the opportunities we are given. As I read through some Scripture, I came across one of my favorite versus for this very day, " ... just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4). My hope is that no matter your religion and what you practice, you take every opportunity to do good in your life and to use all the skills you have been given to make this world a better place. On the course of this journey, you will face obstacles and make mistakes, but if you keep focusing on making the most of your opportunities, especially in regards to helping others, you truly have contributed to the betterment of our society. 

~:[CH5 - Day 86]: ~ Generational

~:[CH5 - Day 86]: ~ Generational

It was tough to wake up as my alarm went off at 5:30am. I snoozed it, but got out on time, picked up some ice and headed to school. Our meet at Huntington was full of talented teams and it's always a good test for our athletes and an opportunity for fast times. My high school coach was in charge of the meet and so it was nice catching up! We had a good number of PRs on the day and a pretty good time hanging out at the meet except for the fact that I got sunburned. The coolest thing was how our athletes all get along and it was funny how I captured this picture as it has one girl from every grade level just hanging out together. In the end, we collected some great marks including the #2 400m in CIF-SS DII, the #6 1600m in school history, and one of the top sophomore marks in the state in the high jump. I ended up heading out to Tpumps and I was pretty happy to stock up. It definitely made my day, so much so that when I got home, I forgot to eat dinner as I fell asleep with my Tpumps next to me. Oh, what a way to end the day. It may have been along day, but it was definitely worthwhile.

~:[CH5 - Day 85]: ~ Catching Up

~:[CH5 - Day 85]: ~ Catching Up

There was no school today. The day was good; Good Friday that is. We did get the day off and while I tried to wake up for another area's practice, I ended up sleeping in a bit more, before getting ready to head on out. I was planning two separate catch ups, which combined into one. We ended up at Sake 2 Me and it ended up being a pretty good meal, catching up on things and see how all was. One of the people there I had not seen in so long, so it was nice catching up a little before the meal before joining up with everyone else. There wasn't much on the schedule except for doing some work to catch up, so I did have some time to relax before heading out again for a birthday celebration for Kevin. It's always fun to be with the basketball crowd and it was good times as we ate at Haven. The food was great, especially the poutine and while the service was pretty good through the night, it took them almost thirty minutes to give us the check. I didn't mind much, but I know they needed the table for a party later on. While they went out a little longer, I headed home to finish up prepping for the meet Saturday, as we have an early pickup. See you at 6:30am! ZZZZZZZZZ!

~:[CH5 - Day 84]: ~ It's Time for Change

~:[CH5 - Day 84]: ~ It's Time for Change

It was a crazy day. With project diversity and a track meet (where we took three of four and narrowly lost the one), it was already looking to be a busy one, but top it off with the last day of pennies for patients and everything else I had to do goes out the window. My classes started off strong from the start of Pennies for Patients. The event raises money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society to help with research and the like. It's also my attempt to help our students understand that if they can make an effort, they can do something incredible and so they did. I was impressed on how students made the effort to ask others for donations and how they also brought in hoard after hoard of change. Every day, we didn't have a huge sum, but we stayed pretty even with a few spikes in order to reach our amazing totals! I have smaller classes this year, so from the 90 students in my classes, we collected $2,100 towards our school's goal! I was so happy with them and not just because of the money that was contributed. They took out the time to promote it, as for donations,  and through the process, they just seemed so happy to be a part of this venture. Their enthusiasm through the process helped me see hope for this generation during a time where this is so much "me" when we really need a collective "we." I myself find myself falling into that trap and it is things like this that help me remember what I need to focus on. Hopefully over the course of the next few days and beyond, we can make at least one or two extended efforts to reach out to others and help those who we can, whether financially, with our time, our support, or just with our cares and prayers. While I know that we all want to achieve great things and reach our goals, we also must not forget that we should need to make an effort to help those around us - friends, family, and even those who we barely or don't even know. It's definitely time for change and today, my classes showed that they could do it one penny at a time. 

~:[CH5 - Day 83]: ~ If Tomorrow Never Comes

~:[CH5 - Day 83]: ~ If Tomorrow Never Comes

Today was National Puppy Day and I spent the evening with my dog. After a long day of lecturing, preparing for a meet and running scrip, I came home to news that my dog JD was once again, not feeling well. I laid with her, petted her and talk to her. I wanted to be there for her, as she was for me almost every day for the past 13 years that I've had her, as she waited at the door when I arrived home. In 2005, when I went to the hospital with pneumonia, JD was there waiting for me at the door as well. She was definitely a handful at a young age as we watched her around the clock and we had to deal with her protective nature, as she kept her loyalties to me and the family, but defended us valiantly against anyone else, even our guests. She lightened up in her old age, but still remained the protector of the house. She caught mice, opossums and anything else that might have tried to intrude. While she avoided the bath with all costs and did not like taking walks on the street, I knew she was truly mine when she would run out of the gate and would return when I asked her to. She loved me with all her heart and I love her with all of mine. As I pet her this evening and laid with her, I wasn't sure how'd she would be in the morning. It may end up that I stay up all night, but if tomorrow never comes for her, at least I will know, that we glanced into each others eyes tonight sharing all the memories that we had together all the way back to when she could fit inside a popcorn box. In a few glances, I think she knew what I wanted to tell her and I could see what she wanted to say to me. They always say that a dog is a man's best friend, but I am not so sure that is true, as I feel that the connection is much greater than that. JD was my soulmate. No words needed to be spoken, as the joy she brought to me when she said goodbye each morning and welcomed me back each day with that look in her eyes is something that is greater than a bond of friendship. She is the soup to my soul. She warms my heart and if tomorrow never comes, she will be no longer in flesh, but will also be a part of my soul. Cherish those around you, because you never know when tomorrow isn't going to come.

~:[CH5 - Day 82]: ~ Every Penny Counts

~:[CH5 - Day 82]: ~ Every Penny Counts

As the week already is half way over (because of spring break), I started to think about what is going to happen next week. We have a few days off without track and so I'm hoping that I can get in a little time to find some relaxation. Of course, as I thought about it, I refocused knowing that I still had a few more days left. Our collection of change continued and while I am not collecting for fifth period, our MUN freshmen have raised over $1,300 with a few days left. We often get our best fundraising days on our last few days, so I'm excited to see where we are headed. Practice was challenging with the winds picking up, but that's exactly how I like it. Running intervals in the wind was tough and there were not very many survivors out there, but we did make it. It was a little weird not heading to Tpumps today after practice like I normally do, however, with a fridge full of it, I need not go. However, Tuesdays will always be a bright spot on the calendar, as it definitely is one of the days I look forward to ... tacos and Tpumps, what a combination! 

~:[CH5 - Day 81]: ~ To the Beat of the Drum

~:[CH5 - Day 81]: ~ To the Beat of the Drum

Mondays are always a challenge. However, with a reading, it wasn't too bad. The class read the period away and I was able to keep up with the work I needed to complete. At lunch, I was lucky enough to grab a seat to watch the Project Diversity performances. It always is cool to see the diversity of our campus on display. I overheard a student next to me say, "I really love how diverse our campus is." Most people look at our school and say, they're all Asian; however, when you really look closely, you'll find the variations of cultures on our campus, including the countries of Asia. It's fun to see the talents you never knew people had. Practice was a little interesting, as I got to run today. I definitely was out of shape, but it felt good to run. While only a few miles, it definitely was a good start to my opportunity to get back into shape considering I have a workout plan so I can successfully summit Mt. Fuji this summer.After practice and weight room, I had a quick stop off at TapEx before getting ahead on some work and finishing up a few things I had on the to do list. I then finalized some plans with some friends and wrapped up a wonderful day of productivity. While days can sometimes be crazy, it always seems to be worth it in the end, even if at the end, I'm dancing to the beat of my own drum. 

~:[CH5 - Day 80]: ~ In the End

~:[CH5 - Day 80]: ~ In the End

I got a little bit of work done and also had another issue arise. It will take a little bit of figuring out to do in order to plan for the best resolution, but ultimately, I know I will find the answer. After dealing with that for a bit, I headed out to Temecula to meet up with a friend at the Promenade. I checked my GPS and the 70 minutes that it told me, turned into almost two hours because of multiple accidents and construction. Every re-route seemed to lead me to more trouble. However, I made it and it ended up being just as the movie was playing, which meant no waiting around. I am behind on the movie scene usually, so I finally got around to seeing Deadpool. I enjoyed it. It wasn't the typical superhero movie, but definitely was nice to have one with it's own style. There was a little something at the very end of the credits, so if you haven't seen it, you can stay and not waste your time because there is something (minimal). We ended up heading to the Yard House after since it was a quick walk away. It was a pretty nice plaza and definitely enjoyed just chatting and hanging out. The vampire taco was pretty good, but obviously, don't get it if you don't like garlic (hence the name). I headed back for a project meeting, which went pretty well and now we have our plans laid out, which is quite exciting. You want to know what else is exciting? A day with more TapEx. I caught up with Ryan and Erika, which was nice on a brisk evening. In the end, I had a delicious dinner and even caught Madam Secretary and the end of some NCAA games, before getting on some last minute work before Monday. I spent a lot of my weekend at the track, but at least I had a Sunday to enjoy and while the traffic was bad on the way, it was smooth sailing on the way home; definitely a fairy tale ending.

~:[CH5 - Day 79]: ~ The Struggles of an Extroverted Introvert

~:[CH5 - Day 79]: ~ The Struggles of an Extroverted Introvert

No one every thinks I'm introverted, but I am. Maybe I gave myself this label because I don't understand its meaning or because I don't quite understand myself. It was another early rise, as I was at school by 6:30am and at Cerritos College by 7:15am. I was on time this year. We got into the stadium and the long wait ensued. I thought, maybe I'd be out of here by 4 or 5. I was wrong. The running events finished by 4, but the triple jump ran long and didn't end til 6:30 or so. In that time, I ended up dropping the vault poles off at school to save time. Luckily I did. At the meet, I realized how unlikely it is that I will strike up conversation unless I feel it's needed. I wouldn't even mind if someone put a box around me and I got to watch the races in that box. Of course, I must coach and talk to my athletes, but it does require a lot of me to do so. After the meet, I headed to LA Brisket and had a catch up sess. It was very fun and we ended up heading to Tpumps afterward. Again, the introvert in me, saw someone I knew, but sadly, I did not spark up conversation, rather, stared at the blank screen on my phone. Sometimes people mistake this for me not liking them or wanting to talk to them, but for me, it's just the struggle. I thought about that through the evening and tried to figure out why. Regardless, I know that I'll have to make the extra effort to step out of the box and continue to grow. That is life and each of us have our own struggles we must face. At least I know that there are others around me who will always be there for me, as I am for them, which definitely makes it less of a struggle.

~:[CH5 - Day 78]: ~ Unleash the Beast

~:[CH5 - Day 78]: ~ Unleash the Beast

It was a work day in class, so I was able to finally get the work done that I needed to complete. It was a great start to the day which was topped off by the fact that I had Thai style pasta for lunch! Yahoo! I ended up getting ready for our meet, as I tried to get everything in order and organized which included the energy provided by TapEx. Yes! After school, I loaded up the poles, stopped off at Senor Baja and headed to Cerritos College. It was a competitive affair, but definitely worthwhile. It's always great to see our athletes compete and the first time we were able to race in the SMRs in quite some time! One of our athletes dropped his 400 to about 50.2 and my 3200m athlete ran a 9:48 despite almost missing his race and his warmup. The race didn't go as late into the night as expected, thus, I had time to go to Dolphin Bay and catch up with some alum back for break. It was definitely a great end to the evening. I was exhausted and fell asleep while inputting the splits, but I definitely felt it was worth it. The competition was tough, but it made our athletes rise to the occasion. 

~:[CH5 - Day 77]: ~ Who Am I?

~:[CH5 - Day 77]: ~ Who Am I?

On a day that can capture a lot about me, I ask, who am I? Today was St. Patrick's Day, however, with a meet today, it was secondary on my mind. I ran through a fun activity in class that I really enjoy having the students play. While it takes the ENTIRE period, it always ends up being worth all the time that it takes and the stress that comes with doing it. It made me happy. I then got everything setup for the meet and we worked it from start to finish. While the race was at home, we were not the hosts, and thus, were not in charge of anything. The meet ran over an hour longer than last week's meet. It was frustrating, but I ended up not minding too much. My stomach minded a bit though, so I treated it to Sweetee Thai. I got home and began working on more traveling plans. Today truly captured the school/work, sports, food, and travel that engulfs my life and when I looked at this picture, it made me think, who am I? We all know what we've done and some know where they want to go, but when you really think about it, you ask who you truly are? How will you be known? If I gave myself three words to describe myself, I am not sure I could figure out what three words to use. While the complexities and the layers within this loaded question can drive a sane man mad, the lack of an answer doesn't bother me. As I am here on a journey. I may not know who I truly am, but isn't that what life is for? We are on a journey to discover who we are and find where we belong. Not all of us find it (the answer), but most of us will eventually stumble on a place that we can call home that ultimately, we will find comforting. I still have yet to find that place, but more and more, this routine that I've found in my life, is becoming every more comfortable and while I know this is not where my journey ends, at least I know I am headed in the right direction.

~:[CH5 - Day 76]: ~ It's Bacon

~:[CH5 - Day 76]: ~ It's Bacon

It was definitely hot today - I would say bacon (bakin'). I thought it was going to be cold, but this weather has been crazy and so wearing a long sleeve was totally the wrong decision for most of the day. Of course, I was at school for a 7am meeting on a day where we had no meeting and I had no first. I had a lot of time to spare after that meeting, but regardless, I found ways to make it productive. Classes were fun to watch, as my senior IAs had IA day today. They were able to run the class and answer questions and even ended the day with a performance. It was great and it seemed like it helped them connect even more with the students in the class. During lunch, I ended up meeting up with Eileen and we caught up at Pier 76 where we had fish tacos and clam chowder with a really strong bacon flavor (I'm not sure about this one yet)! We both have been on the move with a number of trips, so it was definitely great catching up. We both agreed that we needed to get Jamelle out with us next time. We'll be tracking you down Jamelle! We're also going to track down Jae in a few weeks. That one maybe a little bit tougher. Of course, today was a busy one with practice following lunch where we took area photos for the yearbook. Unfortunately, the card in that camera got shifted to my video camera and I can't seem to locate that one. Hopefully it's in the library! Following a crazy day of promoting cross country and track & field in the gym, then talking to parents in the library for MUN, it was finally time to head home. Of course, I rewarded myself with my second trip to TapEx today. Yes it's bad for me, but sometimes you just deserve it! In the end, I got home and got a great surprise! One of my friends is meeting up with me when I am in Thailand! So awesome! After getting that settled, I planned a few more things here and there before wrapping it all  up. However, in the end, while it was an awesome and productive day, it was nice to cool down and relax for the evening. There is a lot of life ahead and I cannot wait to see what is coming my way!

~:[CH5 - Day 75]: ~ Cookin' It Up

~:[CH5 - Day 75]: ~ Cookin' It Up

It started with a text. I got a message early in the morning that woke me up and from there, I had to get a few things done but after that it was nice to be giving a test. I got a lot of grading done and even logged the tests into their grade before uploading them! It feels so great to be caught up. Since my room was locked at lunch, I ended up eating out with Chase at Northern Cafe! Delicious! I got something different (amazing, right?), but I did get my normal to go. It's bad when the servers know what you order. We headed to practice after and got a good workout in. I could see some of the troubles we would face on Thursday, so I'll have to make some adjustments to counter that as much as possible. After weight room, I jetted out to Westminster to meet up with my son and the group to eat Korean BBQ! I love Korean BBQ, but twice in a week is rough and my stomach doesn't really handle it all that well. Yes, my stomach went crazy again. Oh, well. It was all worth it. In the end, I caught up on all the election madness before calling it a day. It'll be interesting to see how it all turns out, but looks like it will probably be a Clinton vs Trump election. In any case, my stomach is happy after today and after a productive day, so am I.

~:[CH5 - Day 74]: ~ Full Deck

~:[CH5 - Day 74]: ~ Full Deck

Today was a little crazy filled with highs and lows and a lot of craziness. As I got some work done before school began, I was able to catch up on more work at school as it was review day. The game is always one of my favorites, but noise control is always key. Regardless, it seems like a nice self-run review game that prepares them for the exam. The day went on and the salad that I got from Trader Joe's was just not going to hold me through the day. My Tpumps helped, but I ended up with a milk tea and a little snack from Del Taco. I haven't eaten there in so long (or any fast food for that matter), but I just had to! I came back and tried to deal with hurdle after hurdle as different issues kept coming my way like a deck of cards stacked against me. However, I made it through and even had some good come out of the day. In the end, we finished up in the weight room so late due to daylight savings and so I had to rush my work for the evening. I got a little planning in, checked the polls for tomorrow's primaries and wrapped up a few loose ends before it was time to call it a night. I guess when I looked back on the day though, you have to realize that all your days are not going to be easy. I saw a video online that pretty much said, we need to be prepared to fail, but regardless of the results we are expecting we must prepare, as we never know how much our preparations will help us. The deck was stacked against me, but it was in my preparation did I find what I needed to tackle each hurdle one by one. 

~:[CH5 - Day 73]: ~ Flying Away

~:[CH5 - Day 73]: ~ Flying Away

Especially when the weather is as beautiful as it was today, you just want to fly away and just float. I had one of those days where I wanted to do just that. As daylight savings stole an hour from my day, it could do nothing to steal the glamour of this glorious day. I ventured down to San Diego for the day, as I hung out at the Gliderport and ate my Californian Club on rosemary bread. It was amazing. The blue skies, the coastline and of course the sites could not be matched and I just felt like I was floating away. It was definitely a great morning and afternoon. The drive was definitely a much needed getaway as I was inspired to get work done throughout the day. Of course, when I got home, I took a short nap. It was also glorious but that meant that I slept through my wonderful Tpumps delivery (how thoughtful! thanks jas!). I woke up and finished planning out the Asia itinerary and slowly but surely, it's filling up. If you're around in the area in June/July, I'll be in Honolulu, Tokyo, Kyoto, Manila, Chiang Mai, Yangon, Bangkok, and Hanoi. Regardless, I worked through the night and while I will always have work to do, progress is what I am aiming for. Of course, while most of the day was amazing, being able to reflect when writing a letter of recommendation was the cherry on top of my day. As I wrote the letter, I was inspired and motivated and ready to take on the week. As the week begins, I feel like I am already being lifted and while today was one hour short, it never felt that was, as I was too busy flying high above in another world.

~:[CH5 - Day 72]: ~ Paying Off the Debts

~:[CH5 - Day 72]: ~ Paying Off the Debts

A Friday meet is difficult, but it also means that Saturday is open as a recovery day. I enjoyed the fact that I got to recover on Saturday, setting no alarm and being able to wake up whenever I wanted. I got caught up on a few things, including sleep, and simply lounged around through the day. However, I knew that being inside all day was not the answer to my Saturday. I ended up paying off a debt to this lad at BBQ Night. I don't often lose, but at least when I lose, I get to enjoy Korean BBQ. It was great catching up and we even stopped off at a packed Tea Station where we snapped live with Terry. My stomach didn't appreciate the Korean BBQ too much and while the out of order at Tea Station almost spelled doom, there was a savior nearby. Quite a funny moment. We finished up and then I rode along to welcome TNT back to the neighborhood. It definitely was a great Saturday and while not too productive, it definitely was nice to be indoors sheltered from everything, even though it was not stormy like Friday.

~:[CH5 - Day 71]: ~ Surviving the Storm

~:[CH5 - Day 71]: ~ Surviving the Storm

There was work to do in the morning as we had an early leave for track and a big activity in class - the Imperialism Game. The game provided the same drama as normal, as the groups quickly caught on to the game and figured out how to maneuver through the game. They also had a great first week of raising money for Pennies for Patients! Since my classes are not part of the homeroom competition, they raise money for the freshman class and they are making great progress! I was so proud of them. Before I knew it, it was time to head to the bus and to the meet. We ventured to the meet without any issues and just as we were about to setup, it started to sprinkle. I didn't think much of it. As they progressed through the 1600s, the rain got worse and worse and even worse. Our tent, even thought it was tied down, almost flew away, the cover did as well and the canopy could not keep us dry. I was soaked and miserable. Wait, scratch that; I meant VERY miserable. The food I had today was good, but it doesn't taste as good when you are shivering. At one point, I did think about packing up and going home, but I did know that the rain would pass and it did as I got to eat my dinner and stand out from under the tent. It was nice. As the night went on, I got more clothes and was wearing more layers than I needed. It seemed like the spirits were changing and we had a pretty good set of performances. We ended up pretty well balanced with three medals from the jumps, two from the sprints, three from the vault and three from the distances. Not too shabby. As much as I enjoyed the evening, I was glad to come home and take off all those layers and jump into a hot bath and just soak there. It was wonderful and quite dreamy. Just laying there was a dream. Just earlier, I was standing in the parking lot of the school thinking, "I survived this." Yes, WE survived the storm and am glad that most of my athletes dealt with the situation pretty well and even had some pretty good performances considering the conditions. My last moment of the day was met with a smile, as I knew that we accomplished a lot, just by sticking it out. 

~:[CH5 - Day 70]: ~ The Search is On

~:[CH5 - Day 70]: ~ The Search is On

It was a busy morning. I had to setup the imperialism game in the morning and then make sure everything was in order for the track meet in the afternoon. It was definitely crazy and so I did enjoy sitting out in the quad during class grading their answers. Oh, I almost forgot, we also had a rally. The rally also threw a wrench into the schedule as it added to an already full plate, but like always, I managed. The meet ran smoothly except for the fact that pole vault did not finish due to light. Since it did not affect team scoring, we ended up cutting it off. Ultimately, Mayfair definitely held the edge on us on this day, but it gave us a good measure of what we need to work on moving forward. It was definitely a busy day, but when I got home and got to relax a bit, I did appreciate the fact that it was a very productive and successful day. There is work to do, but it's not going to be done tonight. It's time to relax. 

~:[CH5 - Day 69]: ~ Seniors

~:[CH5 - Day 69]: ~ Seniors

It's always a little crazy when we try to snap our picture for our yearbook ad, but we gathered our seniors and got as many of them as possible for this picture. It's always bittersweet as for some of them, you remember their freshman year and how time has flied by so quickly. Today was a mostly track and field day, trying to get my rosters in order and trying to get everything ready for tomorrow's meet. As it sits, it seems like everything is in order as we got our shirts out, events out and our rally all set up. Regardless of how crazy tomorrow will be, it will be nice to make it through, as I know it will be an exhausting day, much like today was. I rewarded myself as I ventured out to Pasadena for my first visit to Tpmps in quite awhile. It was nice. I came home and ate some delicious beef stew that was a perfect ending to the night, well that was before I began working on the paperwork for tomorrow's meet. In any case, it will definitely be a nostalgic moment tomorrow as this year's seniors begin their first league meet of the year. Let's do this! 

~:[CH5 - Day 68]: ~ Newcomer

~:[CH5 - Day 68]: ~ Newcomer

It's always great to get a newcomer to a team, especially when you've been trying to recruit them to join. Finally, he came to join and when asking if he knew one of my runners, he said, "of course, he's famous." In his first interval, he trailed only my top runner through the end of the run. While that was his first and the others had did multiple, it was a pretty good sign and start for this kid. He's fun to work with and definitely added a cherry to the top of my day. I had to go to our league meet after practice and while I always want them to be over with, it wasn't all that bad. We kind of skimmed through everything and before I knew it, we were already on our way out the door. Overall, the day itself was interesting as the cold winds made intervals challenging and the day in itself a little bit of an annoyance. However, the obstacles that we face in life, such as this wind, are just a reminder that if we continue to practice in these types of difficult situations, when the climate is perfect, we'll be even more prepared. In the end, we'll be more battled-tested and able to handle all the adversity that will come our way in  life. 

~:[CH5 - Day 67]: ~ Just Chillin'

~:[CH5 - Day 67]: ~ Just Chillin'

The first day back to work after a trip is quite the challenge. It is that feeling that whether or not you have the energy, you seem kind of lost and trying to catch up with all that's been going on since you've been gone. I caught on fairly quickly, but still had my issues adjusting back to the regular schedule. I was trying to stay on top of everything especially all the track and field stuff I need to finish today. I made it to the end and got some stuff unloaded in the shed and most everything was good for track, but the weather was a bit of an annoyance. We got into the weight room, which made a lot of people happy, before we wrapped up our practice. I grabbed some TapEx and had a little bit of a chat before heading home. I had some time to relax with JD and we just kind of chilled out. I didn't do all I had to do, but it was nice to be able to relax and feel like most everything was taken care of. It was my second day in a row of veggin' out but it was worth it. While I love being away and exploring, I love being at home even more. Even if it means that I'm doing a lot less exploring and a lot more chillin'.

~:[CH5 - Day 66]: ~ Up the Coast

~:[CH5 - Day 66]: ~ Up the Coast

I woke up without an alarm today and it felt great. I guess you can under appreciate the ability to wake up whenever, when most of your days are dictated by the day's events. However, it was a day where I did have an agenda ... boba, laundry, entries, and recovery. I did recover most of the day, as I lounged around watching television including the Democratic debates. Watching the debates reminded me a bit of an MUN conference. I was kind of glad that I had a chance to recover and am happy with my decision not to fly up to San Francisco after getting back from NY. While I would have loved to be there, I would have missed most of the conference. Regardless, I was proud to get a message that we received the best school award with our senior-sophomore delegation at BMUN. Twenty six of our 28 delegates received awards, which was a pretty cool accomplishment especially considering that there wasn't an advisor breathing down their necks. They were able to push themselves in committee and represented our school proudly, which is all we ask for. I was in a great mood as I headed out to try KFCs Nashville Hot Chicken (which was pretty delicious), then venture over to grab my boba at TapEx. My original plan was to head to Tpumps today, but I was a little too tired for the drive and also stayed home to help clean a little and help move my brother's old fridge to our house. Since I finished my entries earlier in the day, I had checked off all the items on my list, except for my laundry. I guess we all have a little dirty laundry at some point, right? In any case, sometimes, as much as you want to do everything, sometimes you just need a little R&R and that's exactly what I got. I have a week of adjustments ahead of me, but I know that with the right mindset, it will be the weekend before I know it. Have a great week everyone!

~:[CH5 - Day 65]: ~ Always Appreciate

~:[CH5 - Day 65]: ~ Always Appreciate

One of the hardest things about bringing a brand new group to this conference year after year is that we have to begin from scratch, going over the whole process in preparation for this conference and getting used to this style of a conference, however, the best part of it is, that I never lose appreciate for this opportunity, as the excitement of this day never fades. It's rough waking up so early after a late night, but in a matter of moments, it becomes all worth it. We walked to the UN at 6:45am and with a few late arrivals, we ended up being a little late. Regardless, we got a good seat and were set to enjoy the experience. It was great seeing all of them in awe of sitting in the actual General Assembly, as it was a culmination of all the work that they put in over the past two or three years for MUN. We ended up with six people speaking from four committees and I was so proud of them! With a new change this year, they were able to speak from the actual podium of the GA Hall, a place where many high-ranking officials have spoken from in the past. As usual, I was proud of these students even before the awards ceremony, as they, like many before them, represented their countries proudly, with great substance and doing it diplomatically. I was even more proud that they were awarded the Award of Excellence for Debate and the Award of Merit for Research and Preparation. Receiving two awards is quite the accomplishment! In the end, we got to enjoy one last bit of New York and relaxed in the airport before heading home. I KOed the entire trip home and awoke only to save my halal which fell to the ground and at the shaking of the wheels hitting the ground in the end when we arrived at LAX. We had one last surprise in store, as Stephen A. Smith waited for one of my students to take a picture with him before heading off on his way. I was impressed that he would do such a thing. I fell asleep, which caused me to miss seeing to of my favs and also drinking a boba my first night back, but I would sleep easy, as I enjoyed this wonderful week in New York and this experience which will never get old. It's quite a bit of work over the course of a week, but when you look back at it, it's definitely worth every moment and worth appreciating, as are so many moments in life. No matter the situation, don't forget to appreciate all the moments you have in life, no matter how small they are, as while I've been here before, each of these moments has something special that I can treasure for the rest of my life.

~:[CH5 - Day 64]: ~ Painting the Town

~:[CH5 - Day 64]: ~ Painting the Town

It was a long day, but another great one. After doing some work in the morning, the chaperones brought back Levain cookies for all the students as well as my rations. It ended up saving me a lot of time, so it worked out well. (Thanks!) I distributed cookies throughout the lunch break and rest of the day, as it always seems to get people perked up and ready to go. I even got a few extras for a small circle of elites. (LoL) Committees seemed to go pretty well as a lot of our delegates established themselves well in committees by the end of sessions. All of the work that they put in since November seemed to be paying off. By the end of the evening, we knew of six people who would be speaking of plenary with a few committees that were still up in the air. It's always tough to get chose for plenary with only one speaker per committee, however, for those who are chosen, it's a great honor! We had a quick change and then headed to Times Square before dinner. I was able to do my normal catch up with a wonderful friend before heading back to Stardust for dinner with the team. Everything seemed to go smoothly and we even got a birthday cake in for one of the girls who was celebrating her birthday! The social ended the evening and the students are always amazed at how big the social is. It's always crowded so they all have to get used to how hot it gets inside and with a lot of people taller than them, getting elbowed is not uncommon. One of my students took Apple Jack in to the social as well, which ended with a fun picture. We headed back and as I sat down to blog for the evening, it was a little bittersweet, as while it's great to get through most of the stress of the week, it's sad that we will have to leave tomorrow. As usual, I am so proud of this group of students, all the work they put in, and how they maintained the UNesque style of debate, trying their best to represent Japan and South Africa with great substance and as accurately as possible. Regardless of the outcome tomorrow, I am very proud of them and I am glad to have had the pleasure to work with them over the past four months.  The energy and spirit of this group made this trip fun and their work and effort definitely made it worthwhile. After a week in this town, I can definitely say they left their mark on this city, none of which was due to delinquency. 

~:[CH5 - Day 63]: ~ The Beauty of the Process

~:[CH5 - Day 63]: ~ The Beauty of the Process

We woke up early and got an address from a member of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations who worked on Agenda 2030, mainly on the economic sector. She was able to do a pretty good job addressing the questions that were brought up and while she had the typical soft-spoken Japanese approach, she knew what she was talking about and did her best to answer questions. It was then time to head back to committee. I love seeing our students in committees. All the work that they put into the process really shows and it makes me so proud. When I walked through the committees, I always wish I could change how people treat this precious opportunity called MUN, but I do appreciate all those that do. My hope is that people can see that MUN is not a competition where underhanded ways get you ahead, but knowing your stuff and truly representing your country in debate. Obviously, they're not going to be able to work with everyone because of policies, but Model UN is such a precious thing to me, that it does hurt when people mock it through disrespecting other students, not being prepared, and even cheating the process just to get to the top. I have to try to deal with students of my own who do these same things, but I see it more when I go from conference to conference. If I had a magic wand, I would definitely clean that up. Some people ask why I take it so seriously, well when you have an advisor who gave his all to pass on his knowledge of the United Nations and this program and literally fight the fatigue that comes with fighting cancer in order to do so, you realize how important it is to fight to keep something as pure as possible. It may be a losing battle when I see conferences that make a mockery of what Model UN is suppose to be, taking it into the fantasy realm or don't do a good job mentoring these students, but it's conferences like NHSMUN that restore my hope, as the purity of their committees and approach to de-emphasize awards really tries to maintain the core values of the organization. It's a beautiful process and glad that I am attending a conference that can foster that process. 

~:[CH5 - Day 62]: ~ Let the Games Begin

~:[CH5 - Day 62]: ~ Let the Games Begin

Today is always a relaxing yet nerve-wracking day. We woke up and got to work preparing for the conference. The group seemed excited and you could see the enthusiasm. After taking their MET tests, we headed to St. Marks and enjoyed the deliciousness of the food in the area including boba! As we headed back to prepare for the conference, it started to sink it that it was finally time to begin. I was sad that the guest speaker got tied up working with North Korean resolutions, but the opening still had the wow factor with the students, as we never bring a student who has been to this conference before, as they're always all juniors. Regardless, they stepped in and dealt with all the challenges of the conference including the mere size of the conference with 3800 delegates from over 160 school and over 30 countries. After opening, the chaperones caught up with an alumni of Cerritos, Danton who works in the city. It was a nice catch up and definitely enjoyed the time together. It was also nice to get to all the committees tonight and see how they're doing. While some people had their issues in committees, it was pretty much the norm and I am sure that they will rise above the challenges they will face over the next few days. It was a great day and it's now time to let the conference begin.

~:[CH5 - Day 61]: ~ On the First

~:[CH5 - Day 61]: ~ On the First

It's always one of my favorite days and it just happened to be the first of the month. We woke up in the morning in order to get a run in at Central Park. It's always fun to run around and enjoy the scenery. It was fairly warm, so it was easy to run in. We ventured back and then headed on the Central Park tour with the whole group. I love taking the group around and the two hours goes by very quickly with stops throughout the park including Strawberry Fields, Belvedere Castle,  Bethesda Fountain and the Alice in Wonderland statue. It was a beautiful day to tour the park. We ended up at the MET after after a lunch in the cafeteria, I enjoyed a few different areas of the museum and while I have been here a lot, there are always a few places to stop off at. We ventured back and headed to Wicked! I've seen it over 25 times and since I've seen it so many times, it now becomes more of an analysis which adds its own dynamic to the show. This year, there were a few standouts and a few I know could have been better, but regardless, it's a classic and always so wonderful. I also got to catch up with an old college friend, an alumni, and a friend who is local, which ended up being so awesome! I was very happy at the end of the night and it was even better as I ended the night with halal. I finished the night catching up on the Super Tuesday results, but in the end, it was a fabulous day and a great way to start off the month!