~:[CH9 - Day 244]:~ Quit Playing Games

~:[CH9 - Day 244]:~ Quit Playing Games

We kicked off another week of virtual learning. The classes are a bit quiet, but in my classes, they're going to have to speak at least a bit. So far, they're doing a great job. A few days ago, I was able to stop at the park and so I decided to take this photo with my mega. The new release hasn't been too impressive as the setup wasn't the most enticing. Still, you join in and play. However, while these games are fun, it's only a distraction from all that is going on around us. One day, I'll be able to roam around like I did before not worry about a thing, but for now, I get these momentary escapes. The title I used reminds me of the song from the Backstreet Boys and I truly wish that the world will stop playing games with my heart and so we can find a way back to normalcy. Regardless, find the things you enjoy to do and find a way to enjoy them in moderation. We all need moments like these to take our minds off of all that is going on around us. Instead of quitting those games, play them if it means you'll feel better at the end of the day.

~:[CH9 - Day 243]:~ Eliminating the Disconnect

~:[CH9 - Day 243]:~ Eliminating the Disconnect

Without getting too comfortable, it's slowly finding ways to reconnect with people. While it's been nice being able to stay connected via video chat, seeing someone in person (even though not quite their face), is refreshing. It's definitely different. Sitting six feet apart, finding a place outside away from everyone else and doing a awkward wave goodbye is not part of the normal. Even so, this unusual normal is better than no normal at all. Strangely, even when you are masked up, people still are able to find you, as I hear a "Mr. Wat" being called off in the distance. I normally would prefer to run away in that moment keeping my personal time and space, but it was nice to reconnect even more, although not in the close quarters of 315 (my classroom). Earlier I waved goodbye to my friend and then later to the group of students and alumni I ran into and headed home. As I finished up my work, I was re-energized to work and got my prep work done. I even got a cherry on top when I received a letter from my sponsor child. There are so many ways we can connect, but in this day and age, even an introvert doesn't mind connect with others every once in awhile. It's not going to be a habit just yet, but it's a nice treat every so often - eliminating the disconnect. 

~:[CH9 - Day 242]:~ At The End of the Day

~:[CH9 - Day 242]:~ At The End of the Day

I read through so many tributes for Chadwick Boseman today. It's amazing the impact that a person can have on the lives of so many. I watched a video when he appeared on Jimmy Fallon. They had a number of people who cam in and talked about how his role in the movie was important in their lives. It hit me and made me realize that often we don't know the impact that we have on the lives of those around us. I started the morning working with a former student who is in her first year teaching (imagine this being your first year) and we talked about the impact you can have. However, after reading about Boseman and his quotes, it hit me deeper in a way that brought so much value into what we do on a daily basis. We all have our own talents. As a Christian, I always grew up with the knowledge that these were gifts from God. When reading one of his quotes, it gave me more purpose and even more reason to give my all, especially in times like these. We never know when we will be taken from this world. From the most popular to the most obscure person in the world, we cannot control when we leave. Thus, we have to live each and every day as if it's our last. From loving those around us to simply appreciating all the simple things in life. This quote, however, made me think of life in a different way, "am I using all the talents I have?" If I were no longer here tomorrow, could I say that I made use of everything that I have been Blessed with? I hope, Christian or not, we can appreciate all the talents and gifts that we've been given and use them to the fullest so when our time comes, we can leave content that we truly made the most of our days in this world. The greatest gift we are given, is our heart and that heart is made to love. In a world filled with so much division and hate, let's learn to love one another, appreciate one another and accept one another. By truly loving and caring for those around us, we truly use everything given to us. As terrible as things can get in this world, let's appreciate the opportunities we have and the lives we live as while they are not perfect, life itself is a blessing. Our time is limited and when we realize that, we begin to see things from a new perspective. I think Bosemon realized this as he said, "you have to cherish things in a different way when you know your clock is ticking." Sadly, he lost his battle with colon cancer yesterday, but I hope he left knowing the impact he had on so many simply by using the talents bestowed upon him. Let's do the same in our own lives. While we may not ever appear on the big screen, let's make the most of our days and use all that we have so that when our time comes calling, we know we've given everything. 

~:[CH9 - Day 241]:~ At a Distance

~:[CH9 - Day 241]:~ At a Distance

It's a little sad when this is as close as you'll get to a friend you normally greet with a hug. Friendships, however, will survive. It was great to see one of my closest friends, even if it was just for a bit. The last time I saw him was before this all broke out and got to see his children. However, it's the things that life throws at us. Just like this photo, I struggled to position the camera for this "selfie" and rammed my head into the umbrella, which looks like it wouldn't hurt, but there is a frame that made it pretty painful. We will get our bumps and bruises and teachers learned that this week. Zoom went down on Monday (it was up for my class luckily) and the power went out today (luckily I didn't have class at the time). This and that didn't work from what I hear, but in my little world, I found that teaching at a distance, has been bearable, of course, not what I want to be doing for too long. My practice in the spring, made me skilled at making lectures and tutorials. I edited three videos this week for my classes. I compiled everything my students would need linked to one doc so they can click from there and get to everything they would need. I even had EVERY student give a speech in my class (excluding cross country) and in my MUN classes, they've given two. I've dealt with student tech issues and of course having to come into support block to help students, but strangely, even at a distance, it went smooth. At a distance, I talked to an old friend on a phone today, did an errand with another, and shot a quick training video for next week. It may have been a pretty anxiety filled and stressful week, but we made it, as I even had the opportunity to play the wonderful song by Rebecca Black. At a distance, it's a bit sad, but although we cannot get any closer, when you look a bit closer, there definitely are a lot of things to celebrate in a time where it doesn't seem there would be. Wear a mask, social distance, but closely examine your daily life and find those beautiful moments that matter. They are there and even when the internet goes down or your computer is fried, don't worry, everything is going to be okay. You can do it. We can do it. Let's do it. Just like our friendships that may be forced to be at a distance, we will survive. 

~:[CH9 - Day 240]:~ Not Quite What We Envisioned

~:[CH9 - Day 240]:~ Not Quite What We Envisioned

We did speeches in class today. I remember the days when I prepared for speeches and I practice and said, "this will be perfect." When it was finally time to present, it didn't come out like I had envisioned. I think life is like that. As teachers, we face this on the daily as our lessons don't come out as planned. From nights out to vacations to dates, sometimes what we imagine doesn't end up being what we had hoped. I face the same dilemma when I cook or do art because imagine what I want it to look like and it doesn't come out the same. Why am I talk about this? It's simple. We're in a time where we want change to happen. We may create a plan and try to get it to work, but it doesn't. That's fine. Keep working at it, adjust and try it again, but keep trying and keep working. If we want change, we have to be determined and not be deterred by disappoints. There will be may in live. We may arrive at a point where we accept what we got, but other times, when we feel like we can do better, work at it and be persistent. Persevere! I have faith in those around me and I hope that they have faith in themselves that they can do what they set their mind to. Let's take that step forward and be ready to battle until we arrive in close proximity to what we envisioned. It's back to the drawing board (or cutting board) for me.

~:[CH9 - Day 239]:~ Doggin' It

~:[CH9 - Day 239]:~ Doggin' It

Today was strangely a productive day. It was a smart idea for both teachers and students to put this Wednesday in. Students have time to do work and we can do a little bit of planning. Since most of us were trying to figure out the best way to do things, we talked about how to adapt into this period of teaching. After a little technical snafu, I got back online take roll, held a tutorial for cross country and then made a few video tutorials. The first was how I take roll manually using a Google Form with my cross country team in a class of 140 and the second was for that same cross country class on how to make and properly store their individual running logs. It felt good to be able to create these and found an easy format for making tutorials. It was nice that last year I took the time to make quality videos for my class, so I could just transition a lot of that work towards this year as well. It will work well in the future for when I am absent! Today was also national dog day! Sadly, despite having a dog my entire life growing up, I do not have one. My cousin's dog is the closest thing to being my dog, as he comes over to play fairly often. However, today I was able to meet Fuji for the first time and did a little shoot with him. What a cutie and was a perfect way to brighten up my day and get outside from just a little bit. I headed back home and cooked up some ginger beef and researched on all the boycotts and news going on around the world. While I would be sad if my team and other sports were to go due to the boycott, I think they realize the this is their best opportunity to make change in this world. Some won't agree with the way they are doing it, but they are taking a stand for what they believe. To hear Doc Rivers speak about the issues within this country, really hit deep as he addressed the fear that is being spewed out of the RNC when in reality the fear has been a reality in their lives. I can only relate to discrimination on a small scale in comparison to what is being faced. From what has been said, it was an emotional day in the bubble and for good reason. I know as a country we are better than this. The violence, the negativity, the discrimination and all are things that we are going to have to face up to and deal with. This unprecedented response was their way of facing up to it for now. We all have to face these issues in our own way, but in the end, I hope we find a route that leaves us in a positive environment where we begin to work towards reducing the discrimination and violence that exists in hopes we can eradicate it all together. The day was so heavy that playing with Fuji and looking over the photos allowed me to shave off the weight from the day. There was a lot to soak in today, but even though there is a lot to do on our part, let's not forget to take some time for some stress relief, a mental break, and time to enjoy the light that is around us so we don't get swept away by the darkness. 

~:[CH9 - Day 238]:~ Faith in the Direction

~:[CH9 - Day 238]:~ Faith in the Direction

Today I though of this Kusama piece I came across in Tokyo. I was visiting my friend and we ventured into this museum. It was quite an intimate space. It was nothing spectacular, yet spectacular at the same time. As I think of a ladder that seems never ending, I think of the times in which we live. These are the times that are going to be written about in history books, but in our own lives, what is it that we are going to write? Do we know where we are headed? Do we have direction? I think this country itself is in limbo. We don't know where we are headed and it's quite frightening. As while we think of a ladder as climbing up, it is just as functional to be climbing down, into the pits of the unknown. We are in a terrible state of affairs in this country and while we cannot control what is going on out there (although we can influence it), we can control ourselves. When we find ourselves on this ladder of life, which direction will we go and can we be confident that we're headed in the direction in which we want to go. It's easy to get distracted, to be afraid as we see no end, or to simply want to give up and just stop moving, but we have to build up faith within ourselves that we have what it takes to head in the direction WE want to go. Today I asked one of my classes, where do you want to go as we studied geography. I asked the same thing to you, where do you want to go in life? As while we are surrounded by darkness in this endless maze which we see no end, let's find hope and have faith that we will head in the direction of our goals and dreams. As while it's not easy to be hopefully when we cannot see, the more faith we can build within ourselves, the greater the chance we can find exactly what we are looking for. Let's keep climbing and while it seems like it's endless, show perseverance and head confidently in the direction of those goals and dreams. Climb on!

~:[CH9 - Day 237]:~ A Whole New World

~:[CH9 - Day 237]:~ A Whole New World

Welcome to my virtual world. This is where I will live for who knows how long. Sadly, this was my getaway, but now, I will stay out of here as much as I can since I am in here so much. My MacBook has always been an editing and traveling computer, which I think is why it lasted so long. Sadly, I think this stretch may force me to replace it with money I don't have. I found an old monitor that I almost gave away and split my screen. I wasn't planning on using my normal everyday computer, but one of my classes is 140 students (cross country) and so when we have meetings, I need an overflow room since the cap on Zoom is 100. I could use Google Meet, but the features don't go with what we will do and I've been using Zoom with my team since March. So, I am stuck with this setup. I had to order a few pieces to make sure I'm ready as my external hard drive is nearly full since it's my vlog external and I need a few more adapters and such. The bad thing is that I am in a dark corner in my house, the good thing is, it's isolated, quiet and I am out of everyone's way, which is the way I like it anyway. For those who have never seen my workspace, this is it. My editing drives are behind my laptop and right screen. Interesting enough, most everything isn't of too high of value, which makes this setup quite reasonable, just a bit cluttered. Aside from trying to run two separate Zoom meetings at once, remembering to load both docs, the day itself went well and I look forward to surviving another day tomorrow. I ended the day on a wonderful note, as I gave myself a reward for finishing the day, as I whipped up a KBBQ dinner with pork belly, steak and some 반찬 banchan including homemade kimchi, kimchi pancakes with shrimp and mandu! I guess I will be re-energize for tomorrow! 

Fun fact! I already had a group of about seven people show up for my support block. Guess what class they were all from? Cross country! They had to setup a individual running log and were having issues putting in the folder. I guess in the future, I will just make the log for them :) 

~:[CH9 - Day 236]:~ As Ready As I'll Ever Be ...

~:[CH9 - Day 236]:~ As Ready As I'll Ever Be ...

If a student is unable to find something in my class this year, I am not sure what to say. I worked harder than ever to keep myself organized. For every class, I combined EVERY link they'll ever need in one Google Doc from the class link, office hours link, a log of what we did in class with links and more. From getting my captains and IAs setup, to working with advisors at other schools to setup our online MUN conferences, it's been a lot more prep than I've ever had to do, but now that it's done, it feels good. Sure there will be technical difficulties and bumps in the road, but if anything goes wrong, it won't be for a lack of preparation. From finishing up my classroom expectations to organizing my folders, everything is set, now tomorrow, I just need to hit play and see what goes wrong. Good luck to everyone tomorrow, may the technology gods be in our favor :)

~:[CH9 - Day 235]:~ Find Peace

~:[CH9 - Day 235]:~ Find Peace

She looked so happy. She probably will be a roller coaster girl based on how she likes her movements, but I guess only time will tell. Regardless, the time we got to spend with her and Jordan was priceless and allowed our family some peace among the chaos that has ensued around us. It's strange how crazy the world can be around you, but when you take time to enclose yourself off from that world, at times you can find peace. As I worked on prepping for class on Monday, I took some time out of my day to relax and really do nothing. I cooked up lunch and tinkered with a few more art projects. The evening was better as I came across a few people at the drive-by birthday celebration, spent some time hitting balls on the range and finished with a chat outside trying to catch up and reconnect. We will all find peace in our own ways, but be sure to take time out of your days to do so. As while there is so much going on in the world around you, sometimes you just need to shut it all out so that you can you recharge and recover. Let's all find our peace. 

~:[CH9 - Day 234]:~ And So It Begins ...

~:[CH9 - Day 234]:~ And So It Begins ...

I started with an MUN meeting in the morning and it carried through to our check in day. I learned that our preparation and setup has been better than a few other districts close by, so at least I was encouraged that we are starting off on the right foot. It was a little crazy trying to bounce back and forth between classes since I have a different room for my different subject matters. Not sure if that's a good idea still, but I think it's easier to get kids in and out of class. I designed my welcome slide using a picture from Thailand and some of my favorite Bitmojis. Most didn't say anything, but a few new students opened up and chatted for a bit. It was good that we did this as I did not realize the cap on Zoom and people couldn't get into my 7th period class. I will have to have an overflow room on days we have clinics. Luckily, I have a plan in place after today. I treated myself to sushi at my friend's place in Whittier and then headed over to Tummy Stuffers. You should really check out Dakara sushi and Tummy Stuffers. I decided to do a quick boba run before the Clippers game and relaxed after an exhausting week. It's definitely going to be a crazy year, but hey, we got to keep it positive and make the most of it all. Good luck to all the teachers out there as well as all the students and families that will face the same struggles alongside us. We can do this!

~:[CH9 - Day 233]:~ A Light for Each Other

~:[CH9 - Day 233]:~ A Light for Each Other

In movies, you might often hear, "give me a light." Normally it's in relation to a lighter for a cigarette (which I do not condone), but today I wanted to talk about being that light in someone else's life. I didn't get to hear the entire IG live since I had my own meetings to attend, but I was so happy to catch even a part of the message that Jae was trying to send to his followers. He is starting a collaboration with Represent to raise money with the JED Foundation. Essentially he wants to bring mental health support to the youth and teens. Kpop artists already face these issues because of the demanding industry and I know it's an important issue as they have all faced these issues themselves. Somehow it paralleled my entire day. In the morning we heard from a speaker that talked about how he faced challenges in the classroom and always was an outcast among his peers, but also felt the same way about his teachers. It was a good point to reflect on as it reminded us of the different skill sets of our students and also the challenges they face. They are definitely going to face a challenging year and I know that OLAH already took a toll on their mental health. Similarly, later that evening, I popped in to hear Joe Biden speak. He talked about his struggles with his stutter as a youth and hearing him deliver his speech, in my eyes, would give hope to anyone. His message provided even more hope as he talked about unity instead of divisiveness and the respect that we all deserve. All three of these messages reminded me of the challenges that we as individuals face. We know not of the difficulties that others face, even if we are next to them every day. Sometimes people are in their own darkness, looking for a way out and sometimes we are facing a similar darkness. It's easy to say that we don't have time to sit down and help someone around us because we have our own worries and stresses. However, when I heard these messages, especially Jae's he reminded me that as busy as we are, taking that time out of our day may save someone's life, but also provide us with the light we've so desperately sought out. Sometimes when we reach out and extend our hand, we'll actually also be lifting ourselves up out of that pit we've been stuck in for so long. As while you may not think you are ready to help others because of your own issues, maybe that's the key to finding the light in your own darkness while providing a light for someone else. The point is, look to be the light that someone else needs in darkness, but also in light. If you both shine a light for each other, even if one of you struggles and one light fades, there will still be one lighting up that darkness. Life has probably never been more challenging that it is today, but instead of creating more hate, more darkness, more divisiveness, let's find a way to provide more light in each other's lives. It doesn't seem like an appropriate time to celebrate, but maybe it's the right time to do so. Celebrate the small things. One of my favorite photographers @kohki also made a post today that fit perfectly and made me think. We often ask people to look at a glass that is half full instead of half empty. What do we do when it's actually empty like we may feel like it is today? It's a time to celebrate, because at least we have a glass to fill. Even if we are on empty emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, we still are breathing and have a chance to fill up our glasses again. Let's fill each other's glasses, let's shine our lights for each other and let's celebrate that we are breathing. Let's kick negativity to the curb, let's stop judging and discriminating against each other and let's take the time to treat each and every person with the kindness and respect that they deserve as we may not know their story. We live in dark times, but it doesn't have to be that way, we just need to start by turning on a light.

If you are ever are struggle, feel free to message me and let me know if I can help or if you just need someone to listen! Let me turn on my light for you!

~:[CH9 - Day 232]:~ Cool, Not Cool, But Cool

~:[CH9 - Day 232]:~ Cool, Not Cool, But Cool
I was at my computer from 8:30am to 9:30pm with an hour break which I used to cook dinner. It was not cool. I learned a lot, that was cool, but in some cases, our trainings were hijacked by people asking questions in the wrong place. Regardless, I picked up some new things which I might try, which was cool and also met some new people, which was also cool. For a second, I felt the outside air, that was not cool, but felt the heat from the oven as I pulled out some great food, which was cool. Finally, I got to experience tonight's Clippers game from a virtual seat and meet people in my section which was cool, of course, missing PatBev and having a bad shooting night for PG13 was not cool. Every day will have its ups and downs, things that are both cool and not, but we can either let the not so cool things bring us down or soak in all those cool moments. There's no doubt that the days will get better and we will once again start to discover more things that are cool, but for now, let's do what we can to not let the not so cool things bring us down so at least we can enjoy some of those cool moments in our lives. 

~:[CH9 - Day 231]:~ Making History

~:[CH9 - Day 231]:~ Making History

We will definitely be making history with the start of this new year. It is a little sad because I love to interact with my students, however, we cannot drag our feet and hang our heads, rather, we must ride confidently into the school year. One of my current IAs (senior), made this graphic for me when he was a freshman. Strangely, I just came across it today even though I knew it existed. I loved how dramatic this photo was and I said, if I had a photo of me painted, this is how I would want my self painted. He photoshopped me. Regardless, it is a perfect example of how we should approach the year. We can be anxious (as we should be) and even a little disappointed, but none of that will change, so why fret over it. Today's training was much more productive and aside from a few moments of struggle (a nice way of explaining it), we made it to the end. Although I didn't learn a whole lot, it was a great refresher and I did add some tools that I could use for the upcoming year online that should be fun. To all the students and teachers, we will make history this year and while it may not be the history we want to make, let's make the most of this opportunity to be the best under these circumstances. I know for sure that all of this has forced me to learn more, grow more and find even more ways to interact and I know that we will all be better because of it. Are you ready? Let's make history. 

~:[CH9 - Day 230]:~ pizzaZZ

~:[CH9 - Day 230]:~ pizzaZZ

I was debating for awhile if I would go to training or not, but the reality is, my day was filled with a bit of nothingness and I wanted to make sure I had a clear guide on what to expect for the coming year. I truly filled my day, but I don't feel I learned much more than what I already did last year. I already had in mind things I would do to engage the students and I only hope that tomorrow and Wednesday hold the key to unlocking a more interactive virtual classroom. It was nice seeing familiar faces in the training however, especially as there were those who could share the pain with me. After training, I rested a bit, then whipped up dinner. I picked up this flatbread from Trader Joe's and since I was already making a seafood and sausage pasta, I added pizza to the side of it. It became my favorite part of the dinner. It was simple as I laid the diced tomatoes with some veggies, mostly cooked sausage, topped it with cheese, basil, parsley, a cooked egg and truffle oil. I had to eat it with a fork and knife, but it started the highlights for the evening. They continued as the Clippers held on despite a hot shooting first half for Dallas the Angels came back with a walk off home run. Finishing off the highlights, I finally finished all of my senior letters and will be mailing them very soon! It was definitely a day that built up and while it sputtered at the beginning, it ended up being filled with pizzazz! 

~:[CH9 - Day 229]:~ BOOM

~:[CH9 - Day 229]:~ BOOM

It was the last day before a week of training and meetings. I was able to finish up almost all of my senior letters as I prepare to mail them out. It was a busy day so I decided to use the time to treat myself to a bath bomb my friend sent me that I never got to use. I actually wanted to use it more just for the photo/video than for the actual bath bomb itself, but it ended up being a very relaxing experience after a day where I got a lot of last minute work done. I was happy with how the letters turned out and while I wanted to write more for each senior, in order to finish, I kept to my space limits. I guess I can always send more if I have more to write. Regardless, the bath bomb did not disappoint and I was impressed by how it looked like an actual rainbow coming from a cloud. I can give one away for free if someone wants it! BOOM!

~:[CH9 - Day 228]:~ "BEAR"ing Down

~:[CH9 - Day 228]:~ "BEAR"ing Down

Time is closing in on the start of training and prep. It seems surreal that we're not restarting, but starting a new school year. There is so much to do and sadly not a lot of time. I definitely have focused on keeping sane though during this pandemic and so I always make sure to pass on productivity at times to work on self. This is going to be an important key moving forward as it will be a struggle for the youth and teens to learn in an unsocial atmosphere. Furthering on my post from yesterday, Jae (eaJ) is pairing with the JED Foundation to tackling this very issue with the youth and teens which I find fascinating. While we all need the support, I know the biggest concerns circulate around them. We've all dealt with a lot over the length of this pandemic and I hope we can continue to push through. Always find time for yourself, whether it's art, reading, television, games or making koalas into onigiri. (I know they are marsupials, not bears!) Do what you enjoy doing and while you need to get your work done, it's okay to push it off a bit just so you can keep yourself in check. In any case, I ate a lot of rice today just for this image, but it actually was a perfect pairing with this Japanese style dish prepared by my whole family.

~:[CH9 - Day 227]:~ Perfectly You

~:[CH9 - Day 227]:~ Perfectly You

I woke up this morning and got a notification, an IG live has started. I realized it was Jae (eaJ). Recently, he's been just being real and saying what's on his mind and it's been quite impressive. I know that living a life in the spotlight with all the restrictions you have isn't easy. The scrutiny you get from a wrong word, a misinterpreted action, etc is beyond measure in that light. However, in my eyes, I think all of society is like that in a way. I talked about the Sunday message from Citizens on how we try to portray ourselves in this perfect light, when in fact we are perfectly imperfect. Our "flaws" are what make us who we are and are the challenges that make our lives what they are. If life were easy like the movie Pleasantville (1998), we'd find a boring life where we all conformed, looked the same, talked the same, etc. When I talk about this I think of trying to make a sheet of macarons. The amount of effort it takes to make one the exact size as the one before is ridiculous. When we accidentally break the fragile exterior of the shell, we consider it "destroyed." Maybe the blemishes in our lives are what make us unique and special. No, the message here is not to go out and do bad things to make yourself stand out. Rather, it's accept who you are and be happy with who you are. Whether you love sports, are a tech "nerd," a book worm, the chef, a jack of all trades or someone who sees themselves who has no talents or interests at all, that's okay. Be yourself and don't try to be someone else or make someone else happy. Due to space, I cut out a part of his quote that I also find important, he said, it's not when the person beside you thinks you're beautiful or good at something when you should consider by happy. I loved his message and it uplifted me throughout the day and I know that his message resonated in the hearts, souls and minds of many today. I was proud of him and who he has become as he himself is figuring out his path as he helps others find their path as well. As we push forward, I hope that we all can be perfectly us. We can accept who we are, love ourselves and find others who will not make us change, but love us for who we are. As while it may feel cool to be with the "in" crowd, it doesn't matter your "status" unless you're happy with who you are. We are all perfect in our own way and I hope that we can see that. I know that once we do, there will be a lot more light guiding us on the road ahead. Today, tomorrow and every day from now on, I hope you will live every day perfect by being perfectly you. <3 p="">

~:[CH9 - Day 226]:~ Fishing for Something

~:[CH9 - Day 226]:~ Fishing for Something

They often say there are a lot of fish in the sea, I just see fish in my curry. Today I actually made pad see ew, but I had a little extra ingredients and was able to make a green curry. I just threw in a small amount of things together and made it and ended up being a good compliment to the noodles. Of course, based on someone's comment from before, I decided to make koi fish in my curry. It was an okay attempt for a quick one, but I think it has promise in the future. I'll be working on a single koi bento. Regardless, the days are getting closer where I will have regular work hours on top of the projects I have going on, so I might as well enjoy the time I have while I can, because it won't necessarily last. What can I do with my final few days of freedom? I guess I better start fishing for ideas :)

~:[CH9 - Day 225]:~ Back in Iso

~:[CH9 - Day 225]:~ Back in Iso

When everywhere is starting to swarm with people, you can always trek to faraway places where still nobody is. To clear your mind, there's no better place to do it than nature. Just laying out and looking up at the stars is amazing, to watch as flashes surprise you in the sky, is even better. It was darkness, we had lots of space to spread out and we had a beautiful light show without the crowds of Disneyland. The meteor shower will be going on for a little while longer so when the sky is projected to be clear, maybe you can take a little trek out to Joshua Tree, allowing yourself to get out of the house, yet still stay isolated. The healing of nature awaits.

~:[CH9 - Day 224]:~ Scream & Shout

~:[CH9 - Day 224]:~ Scream & Shout

With training and school starting, I am not sure when the next time we'll have a gathering like this, but if this was our last for awhile, it was definitely a memorable one. I was exhausted, but it was fun getting chased around by Jordan as he screamed his lungs out. I think he needed a little time to just run around. I think we all do. It's tough being cooped inside as while there are the benefits (such as having time to cook every meal and more comfortable spots to rest), it definitely is nice to get out of the house. After getting some work done in the morning, it was definitely a much needed day. It must have energized me as I cooked up some fabulous yuzu cold ramen, added a monkey (rice) to my dinner plate and even got to helping a few friends on some projects. I've done a bad job at keeping in contact with everyone, but it's also been nice to separate just a bit and enjoy this space I rarely get, but so desperately need. My focus for the next week though will be to make my WORKING time more efficient, sadly that means my creative working time will diminish. Hoping I can keep that balance, but for now, I'll just scream and shout and let it all out. (will.i.am)

~:[CH9 - Day 223]:~ Finding Balance

~:[CH9 - Day 223]:~ Finding Balance

Just like cooking, life is about finding that balance. For cooking, finding that balance between flavors is essential. Today it was a balance of the saltiness, spiciness and sourness as I made a citrus chicken using yuzu and lemon to balance out the rest. I think I found that right ratio as I cooked as I could feel that balance when I ate it. Just like my day, I limited the work, the social media time and the family time to find just the right balance with my personal time. I told myself that this week, I would be sure to add in a bit more time for myself so that I would be mentally prepared for the year ahead. It will be different and because of that more challenging and stressful, however, I think I can find that right balance between them all so I can keep myself in check. Let's all try to find that balance, but also keep in mind that some days will be a little more sweet, others a little to sour and others a little too spicy. Instead of trying to make it perfect every time, when you can't find that balance, just let it go and try again tomorrow. You can do it! 

~:[CH9 - Day 222]:~ Just for Laughs

~:[CH9 - Day 222]:~ Just for Laughs

I cheated a little bit. I was going to search for a picture to post for my blog since I decided not to do it last night. I actually avoided most of social media for the day. However, as I was about to, this popped up. I guess it's a reminder that sometimes (especially in times like these), we need a little laugh. These are serious times and there is so much to take seriously, but let yourself enjoy moments and be sure to let out a little laugh here and there. I think it matched up with the message today from Citizens. I think we live so much with our guard up. We hide and protect ourselves too much to try and portray us as these perfect beings. We all have flaws and while we want to show the best versions of ourselves, we can't be afraid to be vulnerable and show that we are also flawed. I think one think to be said about this "cancel culture" and this day of social media is that they have this idea that we all have to be perfect and that in itself is perfectly flawed. I held a clinic last week with my team and one of the main focuses is WEAKNESSES. Until we can acknowledge those and even be accepting of them, we will never get a chance to work on them. So let's laugh off today a bit as we acknowledge that we are flawed. Let's allow ourselves to be vulnerable and part of that process is letting our guard down. Individually, let's accept that we are flawed and that we need to work on things. Let's also remember that others are flawed as well and to be forgiving of those around us if they're also willing to work on progressing forward. It's easy to attack and condemn each other especially in a time that is serious and stressful, but in order for us to solve this problem, we must become vulnerable, we must acknowledge where we are wrong and only then can we begin repairing what needs to be repaired. Before we begin this huge task however, I encourage you all to take a little time out of your day today and just laugh especially with those you love even if they upset you in some way recently, as I hope we can see even more so now that time is truly precious.

~:[CH9 - Day 221]:~ FORE

~:[CH9 - Day 221]:~ FORE

Even though we couldn't hi-five or even tend the pin, it still ended up being a nice break from the norm as we hit the course. It was tough to get use to such a short course, but it was fun and it was nice to not have any pressure at all. Just relax and enjoying the day even if I didn't play a hole so well. It's actually a nice practice place for your short game. I guess we do end up appreciating so many things we thought were commonplace or nothing out of the ordinary. It was a great uplift during a day where we should have been returning from a successful week in Mammoth, It was a distraction that was definitely needed. Let's continue to appreciate these small things, as in the long run, they are the most important things. 

~:[CH9 - Day 220]:~ Phases

~:[CH9 - Day 220]:~ Phases

The moon is us or we are a phase of it. Sometimes we show most of ourselves, sometimes we show all of ourselves, sometimes we arrive early and at others, we shine late at night. Daily we find ourselves in different places and in different phases, while some of us are simply just one of those phases. A phase of the moon describes some of us, while all the phases of the moon describes others. What phase of the moon is us and truly what phase do we want to be? It was an interesting though as I peered out to see the moon. I went out throughout the night only to realize that I could only see the moon later in the evening. Being at home, I notice things I may not have had before and the moon has been one of those things. If you were to describe yourself in phases of the moon, what would you be? I would probably be a waning crescent, blending into the background and showing just a bit of myself. As the journey through this difficult time has continued, today we did something that we normally would do at Mammoth Camp, we had our individual goal setting. It was weird to do it online, but even though I rather be blending into the darkness, sometimes, you need to show the light to others who need it. The sacrifice is worth it and my hope is that when you need a light, I can help provide it. No matter what phase your in, let's be sure that we remember that we can also be that something others are looking for in the darkness that surrounds them. 

~:[CH9 - Day 219]:~ Prepping

~:[CH9 - Day 219]:~ Prepping

I'll be having meetings almost daily going forward. It's strange how awkward it feels that we will be starting a new school year, as it seems like (as I saw on someone's post), that we're just finishing up an extended spring break. Actually though, I haven't felt like I've done this much coordinating before school started before, which feels kind of nice, but also a bit nerve-wracking as we are meeting because everything is in a new format such as needing to simulate and train on virtual conferences. I have no clue exactly how everything will look, but I guess you can say that nobody does. I am not sure if I should be comforted by that or not. However, just like life, we'll figure it out whether we have to do it quickly or not. Oddly, there were similarities to that feeling and my prep for dinner tonight. I realized I forgot to marinade my steak for dinner, so I had to rush to do it before my online meeting. Knowing the time, I pushed through and was able to finish up my marinade in time with a minute to spare. I'm sure that the school year is going to feeling a bit like that. You have everything you need, but at the last minute, you realize you didn't have something ready to go. I hope that's not the case, but I won't be surprised if I am rushing around at the last minute, no matter how much prepping I do. People complain about virtual education and I agree, it sucks, but just know that it does take more time, effort and stress for the teacher as well and the next few weeks will surely be filled with a lot more work than usually as our "summer vacation" winds down. To all the educations out there, thanks for all that you do and I wish you the best of luck in this school year. 

~:[CH9 - Day 218]:~ Virtual vs Reality

~:[CH9 - Day 218]:~ Virtual vs Reality

Today I explored Athens virtually, looking at images and imagining I could be wandering through the streets and seeing some historic sites. However, I also realized today as I went to pick something up from work, that we have some nice sites right here in Cerritos. Aside from the green water, it's nice to wander around the park and see all the turtles, now undisturbed. I guess in some ways there have been some benefits to all of this. This virtual vs reality experience made me think of this same debate that we have about schools (and work). It's never going to be the same, but in some situations, it's the best option. As for Athens, there is no way I could get to Greece at this point and it saves a lot just to be able to satisfy my desire to explore or at least a portion of it. Is it better than being there in person, of course not. However, with the current state we're in, the reality is, this will have to do for now. Regardless, I can always enjoy the beauty of the city I live and soak in the opportunity I have to indulge myself in this beautiful city. I look forward to the day where things will normalize, but for now, I'll work with what I got. Do the best with the cards you're dealt, knowing that sometimes, you'll have to fold for now, waiting to play when the time is right.

~:[CH9 - Day 217]:~ Growing

~:[CH9 - Day 217]:~ Growing

It's a strange thing when everything seems to stop, but what doesn't stop is growing unless we allow it to. You may argue that we stop growing at a certain age, I'm not sure, because I keep growing rounder. Regardless of how we grow physically, we can continue to grow our minds, using this time to help ourselves learn more and for those who are religious, spiritually. It's been a bummer with all the loses we've faced these past months, but it's also wonderful for all that we gained. While I hope there is not much time left in this situation, for the time we have, let's find a way to continue to grow. As while physically it may sometimes be out of our control, we do have the ability to grow in other ways. 

~:[CH9 - Day 216]:~ Framed

~:[CH9 - Day 216]:~ Framed

Overall it was a beautiful day. I got work done, I was able to get out to do a little recreation, I started the fermentation on my kimchi, and I took a walk at night when no one was around and got this shot. Yes, it is two separate shots stacked, but ultimately, I tried to frame it just right. I think life is about framing. There is so much negativity around us that it's easy to get caught up into it. I was furious after hearing lie after lie, misleading statements and more. However, if you cut that part of the day out of the picture, you're left with something beautiful. We should definitely pay attention to what is going on around the world, however, at the end of the day, we also have to keep what is beautiful and cut out what is not. Frame only what we want to be left with by dealing with the rest accordingly. Act on it, do what you need to do, then toss it aside. Focus on the positive, focus on the beautiful and the world will become a better place. We only have one life to live, so make sure that our lives display all that is beautiful in our lives. 

~:[CH9 - Day 215]:~ Bored in the House

~:[CH9 - Day 215]:~ Bored in the House

Not really. Sundays are typically my busiest days. I run all my errands on Sunday and it's normally the only day of the week I venture out. While I've found myself going to a few isolated places lately, I still do not venture out very much. Regardless, I followed my schedule of creative time, me time, work time, and cooking time. Of course, boredom often leads you do to stupid stuff and that I did. A little background, I am not really a chocolate / dessert person. I will eat chocolate and desserts, but the reality is, it's not my cup of tea normally. So why did I choose to do a KitKat tasting video? Big mistake. I couldn't hand it and had to take a few breaks. I was only eating a small portion of the KitKats, yet still, I wasn't feeling too well. Not sure if it was the KitKats or my eating schedule, but regardless, it didn't turn out well. Of course, I erased those memories with my creative time as I made this adorable GIF. This is one frame of the GIF. Since I did a quick version of it, I ended up chopping off most of her hair since it was going to take too much effort to closely edit, however, I fell in love with it and spent a good amount of my time just watching it loop over and over. Boredom in the house can sometimes be a bad things, but in many cases, you can find a way to find a way to be productivity with the time that you have.  

~:[CH9 - Day 214]:~ Dish It Out

~:[CH9 - Day 214]:~ Dish It Out

I go grocery shopping every two weeks. Towards the end of those two weeks, it gets a little tough as I'm trying to figure out how to use the last of the food. I ended up with a nice mix of bell peppers and sausage for dinner. It wasn't anything fancy, but good enough to satisfy my hunger. I realized how lucky I am though to be able to put food on the table. For many, these months have been an amazing challenge and I just am hoping that everyone gets the assistance that they need. I have been glad to be able to work with people and do what I can and glad that others have offered their help to raise spirits. These are the times when we realize that we can help each other even if we don't have a dime to our name. Whether providing mental support, running an errand or delivering groceries, by doing just a little, we're able to do a whole lot. I didn't have much in the fridge, but I was able to dish out this meal and I hope that with the resources we have, we can continue to live with minimal struggle. We'll have our ups and downs, but in the end, I know we'll figure out just want we need with the help of those around us.