~:[CH9 - Day 305]:~ Normalcy or Opportunities?

 

~:[CH9 - Day 305]:~ Normalcy or Opportunities?

I quickly jetted out to a plaza I used to frequent a lot before the pandemic to quickly pick something up. It was weird to see the changes include the outdoor dining at all the establishments. I guess we have to accept that things will be different. Handing out candy to my cousins has been a normal thing, however, maybe instead of "normalcy" these have now become opportunities. This year, I painted a pumpkin for the first time and they carved one for the first time in awhile. While the normal Halloween trick or treating and festivals were a no go, new opportunities have arisen out of it all. From more time to work and collaborate even to Saturdays at home (maybe too many), there definitely have been some opportunities that I've appreciated although it would be nice to have more normalcy. While it was a variation on how Halloween was celebrated, celebrating it provided at least a little normalcy to the day, even if it was at a distance, it was one day where a mask was not out of the ordinary. 

~:[CH9 - Day 304]:~ Not Afraid

 

~:[CH9 - Day 304]:~ Not Afraid

Halloween potluck tends to be one of our favorites of the year. The pandemic shrunk our attendance down, but it was nice to see the current athletes, but also some alum I haven't seen in some time. Even though they stopped by just for a bit, it's been awhile since I've seen them. We carved and painted pumpkins together. I ended up transferring my Cherry Blossom painting and added Mt. Fuji. The screenshot didn't get a clear shot of it, but it came out pretty good for doing it on a pumpkin. The athletes and parents did a good job with theirs as well. The movie picked was very good, but not too scary. Regardless, it was nice to watch together and ended a day where I thought voting in person would be scary, but it was far from it, as the lines were non-existent as I went at a non-peak hour on the first day they opened. We'll see how scary the days ahead will be, but for now, I'll enjoy the day knowing that it ended up being a very full, but great day. 

~:[CH9 - Day 303]:~ Fried

 

~:[CH9 - Day 303]:~ Fried

I was so exhausted that I even forgot to journal on time this day. It's been a little madness between it being a spirit week, online meetings on top of events for Halloween like our upcoming ePotluck. As "easy" as some may say teachers have it, it is so much work to get everything together and I just find myself sprawled out on the couch after work, exhausted from trying so hard to keep as normal-as-possibly type situation. It doesn't always happen, but we can try. Thursdays is also special because it's family night. I end up coming for both our household as well as my brothers. It's great to provide them with something to enjoy. Despite being exhausted, it's one thing I can always find the energy to do. I hope that we all find a way to avoid burnout and keep our brains from being fried. Being stressed and anxious is a part of this process, but be sure that you are also not pushing yourself too far or allowing yourself to fall too deep. We can do this! Keep our spirits up and keep moving forward!

~:[CH9 - Day 302]:~ Daydream

 

~:[CH9 - Day 302]:~ Daydream

Yesterday I talked about focus, today I'll talk about daydreaming. It's definitely hard to stay on top of it every day or even on consecutive days. So many dynamics play into if you can stay focused through a day and have a good one, however, is it wrong to let your mind wander when you're still getting your work done. My answer, definitely not! Daydreaming in my opinion is what makes you more productive. It stimulates your imagination and drives your creativity. As I sit towards an end of a class, I might think, what can I cook for lunch? As I begin prepping for class, I can think about the design for the project I am working on. During a faculty meeting, maybe my mind wanders to a magical world with no time schedules (I still was incredible productive.) The reality? You need to get your stuff done. Don't be that slacker that makes others pick up the work. However, if you need to take a short vacation from reality just to get your mind refreshed, you actually might find that you're more focused after that instead of stressing yourself out trying to get it all done. Often times, instead of daydreaming, I find the hobbies and interests I find therapeutic, but sometimes, the daydream is what keeps me productive. In fact, sometimes it leads to me to do more than I ever realize, as I wonder how I got it all done (the quality is still there too!). Life has a laundry list of things we need to accomplish on a day-to-day basis, but it's all worthless when we forget to keep dreaming at night, but also during the day. Let's never forget to dream. 

~:[CH9 - Day 301]:~ Eye on the Target

 

~:[CH9 - Day 301]:~ Eye on the Target

It's not always easy to stay focused. We often get distracted, lose focus or lose patience. However, we must keep our eyes set on our goals and our targets. A source of maintaining my sanity and exercising, while staying social distanced has been the range. It's nice to have found this spot, as while it's a drive, you don't have to wait and worry about coming in contact with someone and you don't even have to touch a ball. You temperature check, keep your mask on and stay in your stall. It's hard to see your ball at night, but it's nice because it goes off into the distance and disappears into the night's sky. We all need to find a way to keep our focus. It's not an easy thing to do, especially when we get anxious, but we must. We can find safe things to do to keep ourselves sane and occupied, while practicing those things we need to do. We each have a role in solving this problem. We don't need any politician to lead us through this, but only if we have the discipline and will power to do what we should do. As the cool air provided the perfect weather to hit balls into the night's sky, I was able to relax and enjoy the evening, never losing sight of the target ahead of me. Let's be safe and let's solve this problem together.

~:[CH9 - Day 300]:~ Light the Way

 

~:[CH9 - Day 300]:~ Light the Way

My friend posted the other day, that since she knows how to cook, the pandemic hasn't been so bad. It kind of is the truth. It is a lot easier to enjoy the day when you can have the foods you want to eat without having to pay to order in. I've figured out how to make so many of my favorite foods and also experimented with new ones as well. I've already made burritos, soft shelled tacos among other things, but for some reason, I was craving hard shell tacos. I ended up making it along side some chili lime chicken with rice that I also made from scratch. It's funny, but if you think hard enough, you'll be able to get what you need to make what you want. I think it's a way we have to start thinking, how can I do "X" without being increasing my risk or without violating any protocols in place. It's doable, we just nee to figure it out. Just like class, I've had to figure out ways to reach my students. Today in cross country, we talked about mental health a bit as we dive into our theme for the year, Light the Way. The idea is essentially, what can we do to help each other out of the darkness. How can we shine a light for others. It connects with a campaign that was started with one of our alum (Jae of Day6) with the JED Foundation. I started the process with my cross country athletes to look into ways we can help each other and hopefully we can make this into a large project so we can create a greater support system. We face so many challenges in a normal routine and this has compounded it. However, in times of struggle, just like finding ways to fulfill those cravings, we find a way to make it work and even times where we learn more, grow more and ultimately do more than we would have. It's a milestone day (300th day of the year) and a day that we should definitely celebrate. As while there is so much wrong going on around us, we can find a way to make it work. Let's pray for each other as we face the challenges of fires, hurricanes, sickness, and division in hopes that we can find a way. Have faith! We can do this especially when we try to find our way out of the darkness together, as finding a light is useful, but a collection of flashlights with Light the Way.

~:[CH9 - Day 299]:~ ... And We're Done!

 

~:[CH9 - Day 299]:~ ... And We're Done!

About 900 delegates later, we're done. Over the course of three days, we held over 30 committees, hosting about 900 delegates. Today, I officially can say, we're done! The feeling of finishing the last award was amazing. It was stressful, but we learned a lot and have a lot of wealth of knowledge on how to run this smoothly. There are always going to be issues, but there are a lot less worries. In fact, it was almost easier to host a conference online that in person. Today I was reminded how amazing our students are who did such an exceptional job hosting this conference with the sophomores doing an awesome job in committee! We will gladly pass the torch to the next school hosting and now our anxieties will be focused on preparing for the conferences ahead. While we may not have our normal set of conferences, we will get some amazing competition and possibly host even more conferences with schools we had not previously been able to connect with before. The future is definitely exciting and this weekend just prove that although this time period "simply sucks," it also provides opportunities to learn and grow and to figure out things we never would have without it. The students will learn how to adapt and truly discover what they are capable of. They'll learn independence and also find more resources than they did before. Sure there will definitely be issue here and there with mental health and a lack of social interaction which must be addressed, but it doesn't discount the fact that these opportunities exist. After completing my normal shopping round, I celebrated with boba and even ended up stopping off for an event to pick up some stuff and ended up winning a raffle :P I guess it was a nice reward to highlight the weekend. For now, it's time for bed, but I'll definitely sleep well as every ounce has been drained, but at least we're done! We made it!

~:[CH9 - Day 298]:~ Command Center

 

~:[CH9 - Day 298]:~ Command Center

We're back. Months ago (I think), I posted an image of my setup and once again, I bring us back to the command center as we begin our second round of MUN conferences. It's been fun to figure exactly how to most effectively run a conference online. Most people who hear about it ask me, how do you coordinate that many students on Zoom. It's definitely not easy, but has gotten easier conference after conference. After our novice conference two weeks ago, we figured out a few of our hiccups and have fine tuned the machine with the help of our circuit. We created a small brain trusts of schools to coordinate our online circuit for the year. While we have less delegates than normal, the competition in these committees will be relentless this year with Mira Costa, Huntington Beach, Edison, Santa Margarita and Peninsula. We were the guinea pigs and had to figure out the ins and outs of the program, but I was pretty happy with our Tech and SGs along with the staff, as they figured out the best practices we can use. While this was our last conference we are hosting in the circuit, we hope to hold our normal novice Security Council in February and a new national/international conference in the spring (interested?) By days end, I definitely had Zoom fatigue, but was also energized by how well things went. Aside from the normal delegates having trouble getting into committees, from all our command centers, we zapped all those problems away. Of course I came to the realization (with this being our first advanced conference) that we still have work to do TOMORROW! Until then ...

~:[CH9 - Day 297]:~ Presidential

 

~:[CH9 - Day 297]:~ Presidential

I made this podium with my dad my senior year in college. Previously I wrote about the senior art show I did entitled Viral Infection. With many presidents in history facing controversy, we may truly have seen the least presidential president in history. The courts recently weren't sure whether or not to declassify certain documents because they didn't know whether to follow the order from the White House or from the Tweet of Donald Trump. We do have a Commander of Tweet though. I didn't really want to write another political post, but I read an interesting article from John Piper and while I don't know enough about him to say he is a reliable source to support an argument, a few of his points stood out to me. One is in regard to pro-abortion policies. He clarifies his disdain for abortion, but he also argues that supporting someone who is self-absorbed and models bad character can not only lead a nation to destruction, but also lead to eternal damnation. The character of the person is more important than their policies. Why? He argues that "laws and policies that protect life and freedom are more important than being a certain kind of person." Donald Trump and those who have supported his efforts through demeaning, demoralizing and falsehoods are those people who Piper warns are "spreading gangrene" as they have shown a character that truly does not represent who we should be if we want to follow the path of God. It's hard to determine what a person will become, however, can't you judge the character of a person by their character? If you simply look at the Twitter feed of Trump, is that the kind of person we want to be if we are trying to walk the path of God? It's not my place to judge Trump himself, but as a Christian myself, I do not want to be someone openly attacking people, spreading lies about them or misleading with all these fear-tactics that have raised anxiety among the citizens. Piper argues that even if our rights and liberties are taken away (which they won't be as much as Trump claims they will be), our love and holiness for good will never ben taken away. Our youth have to listen to someone whose speech is so vile and is so self-absorbed that he fails to recognized what his job is, to serve and protect the people. They wonder if how he speaks and acts is acceptable since he is the president of the United States. I can recall how much emphasis there is on not bullying people (especially on social media), yet it's a regular occurrence on his feed. Everything we've been trying to instill in our youth goes against everything this president is about. He's ignored the experts as he did not quarantine like he should have, he has ignored gathering, masking and distancing rules wherever his rallies have been held, not caring that the spikes in cases have followed. Sure, he may have survived Covid, but he has access to treatment we don't and he won't have the bill we all have when all is said and done. Furthermore, who knows what kind of long-term impact contracting the virus will have on us. We're all sick of the restrictions, but if he would model the behavior we all should be doing, this all will end sooner than later. I digress. Simply put, we need someone who at least acts more presidential. My hope is that if the Democrats gain power, they won't do the same we've seen these past four years and hoping Biden remains true to his president of America line. Regardless, however, we won't have to be governed through Twitter any longer and truly find a president who better represents the characters and morals that we look for and someone who is not like the person Piper writes about. I know there will be those who disagree, but if you are someone of faith, just recall that those who showed the greatest faith in the Bible faced the greatest oppression. They needed to maintain their love and holiness even when the policies and laws didn't support them. Piper writes that there is a connection between leaders and their subjects as he refers to 1 Kings 14:16. A leader influences the people and helps shapes their character and seeing the influence our current administration has had on us, is just a Twitter feed away. I hope that we can begin to see the light and find our way to leadership that is more presidential, for now and into the future.

~:[CH9 - Day 296]:~ The Simple Things

 

~:[CH9 - Day 296]:~ The Simple Things

Quality Time. I've stated it time and time again, it's been the best thing about the pandemic. Simply being able to spend time with my parents and embrace them more has been the biggest blessing of the pandemic. Even if I was away, I would make no other choice than to stay with them, as the time with them is more valuable than anything else. Today we played with Maui Max and it was so wholesome. Running up and down the block, playing in the front and back yard and just laying around. Similarly in cross country, I think simply having time to just get to know each other was a benefit to the team. A little time to chat with each other and meet new team members. Sure, they need to talk more, but if they don't get the chance, they never will. These are the simplest things that make these days bearable. It would be easy to say I should lock myself away from everyone, but ultimately, our sanity is maintained by relying on each other. Even after this is all said and done, let's not forget that it's these simple things that make our world go round and we should make them the special things we never forget to treasure. 

~:[CH9 - Day 295]:~ Perfect Mix

 

~:[CH9 - Day 295]:~ Perfect Mix

I had an oden pack, but it wasn't enough. Luckily, I had a lot of things in my freezer from a previous jjigae I made and it worked out perfectly for this dish. It just so happened that it was a little colder today, which panned out perfectly for this dish. Sometimes we mix things into our lives we weren't expecting or having things that we put aside temporarily until the time was right. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but today it did. When it all works together, you celebrate and when it doesn't, go back to the drawing board. It's a process of trial and error and today's trial was a success. From trying to run errands, get my flu shot and even a quick chat with my cousins, it was a day that was a perfect mix with the work that I had to do. When these days arrive, just smile, soak them in and then get ready for the next round.

~:[CH9 - Day 294]:~ Create

 

~:[CH9 - Day 294]:~ Create

I recently got a new commission that I added to my list of projects that I will be working on over the course of the next few months. We live in a time where so many things have been destroyed, that I figure that instead I rather create and building things up. With so many anxieties and worries around, I try to block out what I can that stresses me out. I stay aware of what I need to do to be responsible to do my part, but also try to avoid adding to the anxiety and stress of those around me, especially when I am teaching. As a teacher, we have to find a way to keep a positive atmosphere where they feel that they can create, think and learn. It's not an easy time to do that, but my motivation to not give up is help raise the spirits of as many of my students as possible. Similarly, I've used this chance to create in the kitchen, experimenting with as many things as possible. It's been a blessing to spend time with my parents and while it's exhausting cooking the entire week, ever week, it definitely has its rewards. Let's look towards creating rather than dividing and you have to start by blocking out what will bring you down. I'm not saying ignore what you need to do and should pay attention to, but also to clean house and take the Marie Kondo effect and declutter your intake of what you don't need. Make smart decisions, be responsible, but also look to control what you can, yourself. Before you respond to that post or message, ask yourself, do I really need to? Our world is already full of division and hate and full of anxieties and fears, let's not contribute to it, rather let's use that energy to create rather than bring ourselves down. Today I created and decluttered what I didn't need and tomorrow I will do the same. Not only will you not contribute to the division and worries, but you'll find that you can be more focused on spending time on things that matter and you'll keep your mental health in check. Ready, set, create! 

~:[CH9 - Day 293]:~ The Light

 

~:[CH9 - Day 293]:~ The Light

I recently wrote a poem, but thought it was fitting to share with everyone as we all face our darkness during these challenging times. I know the world is definitely not the place we were living in over half a year ago, but there is no reason why we cannot be trekking forward, even if we are crawling. Let's make it a time where we can help each other out of our own darkness and find the light that shines within us to guide us forward and we maneuver through this maze of 2020. Life throws us these challenges, but I trust that the challenges we face are ones we are always able to handle, it just might take longer than we first expected. Just know that by finding our light and shining it, we don't only light the way for ourselves, but for those around us. Let's brighten up all our days! 

~:[CH9 - Day 292]:~ Ground Game

 

~:[CH9 - Day 292]:~ Ground Game

The focus has been at the top of the ticket, but the down ballot races are just as important. It was great to be able to work with David Kim in his attempt to get elected in the 34th district. It was weird being in the area I was so familiar with when there were no people around, but the campaign was trying to grab the attention of those driving on by. At times I felt like I was in my own bubble as we were all separated by a pretty good distance, but seeing each grab the attention of those driving by connected us all despite the separation. Often times, you see clips of people just trying to look the part, but it was nice to see that this candidate wasn't just about those few clips as his enthusiasm was present throughout. It was nice to get a quick chat in about important issues that need to be pushed into Congress and hoping that if the polls are true, it won't be long before he gets a chance to push through some of those ideas. If you live in the 34th, give him a look as he is definitely more for the people than his competitor and really working hard to hear the concerns of the constituents. The ground game is even tougher when you're distanced, but we used our enthusiasm and energy to appeal to all those who passed on by. It's just a few weeks away, be sure to vote on November 3rd if you haven't done so already!

~:[CH9 - Day 291]:~ Sky High

 

~:[CH9 - Day 291]:~ Sky High

Eventually Jordan would be flying into the sky, lifted up by my brother. It's a routine that has happened every time they visit and it's fun to watch the learning process that goes along with it and the games we play to mix it up a bit. He normally crouches down when he wants to jump, but then my brother began squatting in front of him or next him, especially when a rest is needed. It's part of the learning process. Later that evening, I would also be high above the ground, as I got away to work on that swing at a tiered driving range. It was nice because it wasn't crowded and didn't have to touch anything as the ball system was an automatic one. It was a nice way to get some stress out, to get some "fresh" air and just to do something to take my mind of work in between two loaded weeks full of work. Soon enough things should lighten up (a little), but for now, I'll enjoy the view high above the ground as I launch the golf balls into the distance. As while there is so much for us to worry about in our lives right now, we need this type of getaway to take us away.

~:[CH9 - Day 290]:~ How's it Going?

 

~:[CH9 - Day 290]:~ How's it Going?

I just saw a post from another teacher and they did a picture update of how they were doing months into this experience. I though I could summarize mine as well. Strangely, I've never really felt lost or scrambling too much, but overwhelmed has been a familiar word at times. However, despite the moments where you forget to do something and scramble to get it ready, there have been a lot of pluses. Aside from drowning my papers in bitmojis, we've already hosted our first MUN conference and will host another next weekend already, our team hosted an online paint night, I've ran a ramen cooking experiment and now me and Sapporo Ichiban are almost best friends. I've also come up with new ideas, I sang to my class (which I guess is normal), but had those moments where I wondered, is anyone even listening to me when all I hear is crickets when I ask for questions or tell a pun. All of my students have shared in class at least three times or more (I think) and for the most part, the students have been on top of it. Regardless, it's still a little disheartening knowing that we haven't met in person yet. It does seem like some of them are comfortable now in this environment and at least happy there is some interaction, but I know they much rather be able to see their friends and chit chat as they work. It is hard to make sure they are doing what they should be doing as our in class work time has a mandatory camera check just to make sure they didn't run off to McDonalds, but for the most part, the assignments have been rolling in. How's it going? I would say probably better than expected, but we will see in the end. Will students love MUN just as much? Are my runners training as hard as they should be on their own? Do these online activities help them connect? Are the students learning the main points? In the end, I am learning what to cut out and what to focus on, which may help in cleaning up my material and although I don't get to see these students physically, there are still ways to interact and connect with them online. While it may not have been the same feel as a real conference, there was still excitement among the students in our evaluations after the conference and hope this carries into the next conference so they are motivated to do well and excel and no simply just make it through the day. I know it's not easy for anyone of us, so let's be sure to help each other and support each other even if it's just a word of it encouragement. How's it going? Great over here, but more importantly, how's it going for you?

~:[CH9 - Day 289]:~ Feeling Crabby?

 

~:[CH9 - Day 289]:~ Feeling Crabby?

I once bought my friend a shirt from Baltimore that said, "Don't bother me, I'm crabby." She wasn't a morning person and it was a perfect fit for her (she also agreed). Today, I decided to make a crab for my design in my curry. Sadly, the crab did not survive the end of this session, but it was a beautiful site while it lasted. I couldn't find a rice only sample of the crab, so I just had to wing it. My first thought was to have it blasting from the center of the curry, but worried the claws would fall, so I ended up making it hang off the edge begging for help. Strangely enough, the crab didn't symbolize my mood today as I was in good spirits. However, it did remind me that my philosophy is that it's okay to be crabby every once in awhile, especially under these circumstances. You can't be expected to have a great day everyday. Be real and true to your feelings and don't always mask your true feelings. It's okay to be crabby (every once in awhile). As just like my crab creation today, that feeling will be here today and gone before you know it when you surround it with something amazing, in this case it was deliciousness (curry).

~:[CH9 - Day 288]:~ You Learn If You Try

 

~:[CH9 - Day 288]:~ You Learn If You Try

Most of you know by now, I just try new things. I try to cook new things, invent new recipes and in general, try to come up with new ideas. It doesn't always work. For instance, in the classroom, the assignments I am most excited for, the students don't like. A dish I may be excited to make, may simply turn out to be a dud. Who knows how things will turn out, but who cares? You want to carefully plan, you want to try your best to do well, but when all is said and done, you just have to give it a shot. Lay out your plans and go! Sometimes it will work out and sometimes it won't. Today it worked out. I made a donburi ramen for lunch and followed it up with a beef noodle for dinner. Each step of the way I learned and I know what I can do better next time, but for now, there's a lot to be satisfied about. We live in a time where this trial and error method will be crucial to our survival. Seeing restaurants have their makeshift menus or setups, medical offices try to setup waiting rooms, and of course teachers finding creative ways to reach their students, we all got to try and learn and we learn by giving new things a try. Keep at it, don't give up and hopefully you'll find your way to success! 

~:[CH9 - Day 287]:~ Surprise!

 

~:[CH9 - Day 287]:~ Surprise!

Sadly, I don't get to play PoGo as much anymore. The inability to walk around as freely as before has limited my time to play and thus my exercise (haha). However, I do enjoy popping open the app and trying to play when I can. Sometimes you get a surprise. No, this whole post is not about PoGo, it's just about those moments in the day that are the least unexpected and you simply needed that moment, even though you may not have realized it. Surprise! Sure, sometimes there are the bad surprises we don't want, but more often than not, those surprises come in the form of good ones. As I pondered over my post from yesterday, I knew popping open PoGo for a bit during a short break was needed. There were things to do, but since it was my "personal block" of time, I made sure I took myself away to avoid being drowned in work or unneeded anxiety so I could find a smile. It wasn't a huge treasure, but something just enough to be a surprise. I hope we all find that surprise in our day! 

~:[CH9 - Day 286]:~ Overwhelmed?

~:[CH9 - Day 286]:~ Overwhelmed?

What is it? It's my grade book from ONE period. Sure it's a sports class, but since I am actually doing assignments and using this time as teachable moments, we have assignments galore. It's been over a half of a year since we last were on campus. Initially, we had to convert our assignments digitally and figure out a way to teach our students even though they didn't quite require live interaction at the end of last year. In a way it was good because we were in the process of trying to save paper and reduce costs, this forced us to do that. Expecting to be back in person, a lengthening of the outbreak meant, virtual education. The good thing is that we meet with the students live a few hours every week, the bad news was that everyone had to learn and adapt. As I was talking with a friend, they said how virtual teaching should be easier, but in reality it's quite the opposite. Just in the grading alone, I've spent so many more hours per week, aside from developing my material so that it can be effective in a virtual format. Regardless, we adapted and learned. However, that feeling of being overwhelmed is something we can all feel from time to time. How do I deal with it? One, I definitely have to do a good job banking my time. Two, I try to sometimes be a little selfish and no allow others to overtake my time. I help when I can, but also draw the line that I do no cross. I keep my banked time, which may even include my time to eat, my time to mentally recoup and more. As while there are piles of things to do, it will go nowhere if you break down. Similarly, I try to avoid making emotionally decisions, deciding too quickly and getting wrapped up in other's people's issues when I don't see the need. Support others, but also don't get dragged down. It's definitely a time where we must be cautious and be anxious, but we also cannot allow it to be time where we let it drive us into hysteria. I am going to be smart in my decisions, but I also am going to make the decisions that I need to make for myself and my sanity and will respect others when they make theirs. I think this rigid structure has allowed  me to keep a good balance, especially as things have gotten busier with a virtual MUN season starting up. Some days will feel glorious, while others may feel a bit overwhelming, but in the end, be sure to take care of your own self, as while you may be someone who is always there for everyone, you cannot do that if you are not standing on your own two feet. Help when needed, but also be sure to not carry any unnecessary emotional baggage by trying to overextend yourself. Overwhelmed? I hope eventually we can figure it out and get back to normal, but for now, take a deep breath and be confident in yourself that you can do this one step at a time or in my case, one grade entry at a time.

~:[CH9 - Day 285]:~ A Twist of Life

 

~:[CH9 - Day 285]:~ A Twist of Life

As I keep inventing recipes, you have your hits and misses. Luckily, they've all been edible and for the most part, pretty good. However, looking at food ties into part of the message I took in at service today. When we go out to eat, my dad often looks at the pictures on the menu or advertisements to determine where to eat. In most cases, the food doesn't come looking like the advertisements much like tourist destinations or phenomena like the Aurora Borealis. We often judge by our perceptions before we even experience how amazing or not, something or somebody is. As while sometimes our deductions are correct, our judgement is what blinds us from seeing the reality of things as we only see the perspective we want or trained to see. I always find it incredible when I go eat at a hole-in-a-wall with low expectations, yet end up utterly surprised. You look at the food and often decide before you give it a shot and we do this in many areas in our life including our own faith. The twist of life though is discovering what is hidden beneath that layer we pass judgement on. Sometimes our analysis may be correct, but the discovery of something greater is a moment that cannot be described, as you uncover something as you have an "angels singing in the background moment." Let's do our best to open our eyes and our ears, instead of quickly shunning people away. Sometimes the things that look the most appealing are far from it and vice versa, however, luckily in this case, the visual matched the tasted. My hope is by opening ourselves up, we can all find that twist that makes life that much more amazing.

~:[CH9 - Day 284]:~ Beyond the Idea of Perfectionism

 
~:[CH9 - Day 284]:~ Beyond the Idea of Perfectionism

I woke up early in the morning and jumped online. It was the day of our conference. We had a meeting with our directors, trying to make sure that everything was lined up. The funny thing is, after doing this for so many years of my life, I already accepted the fact that it wouldn't be perfect. While a Secretary-General at UCI, I would slave for months dealing with every minute detail, trying to coordinate 1,500 delegates and a slew of staffers on top of it. I aimed for perfection. As we prepare delegates for the conference, we put as little pressure on them as possible. We remind them, it's a learning experience and making a mistake is okay. Similarly, with our chairs, we want them to run a committee well, but know there will be bumps along the way. We plan for it. We setup a support room expecting problems and sure enough there were. The things we often aim for is to be the best in what we are doing, but often times the thing that drags us down is our aim for perfection. Why? It's the idea that we have to be perfect. It's always strange that my message is supported by things that line up just as I am thinking about what to write. It's not a coincidence. It started with me coming across an add for the books of It's Okay Not to Be Okay followed by a video I saw about these influencers online trying to get the "perfect" shot often times painting this false reality. Then I hear Arden talk about the struggles she faces, as she faces her own vulnerabilities, posting an image with no makeup and without doing her hair while Jae of Day6 talks about his own struggles with mental health and this idea of perfectionism has been problematic amongst idols. I think he put it best when he said that he wishes that musicians can be just people who play music rather than seen as an idol. Celebrities are human, adults are human, and our youth are humans and humans are not perfect. Don't get me wrong, we all want to achieve in this world, but it's also not worth the stress and strain we put on our minds to achieve something that is unattainable. In the live tonight, the comparison was physical versus mental limitations. We often limit ourselves when we face physical limitations, as our body doesn't allow us to push on, so why is it that when we become mentally exhausted or struggle with mental health, we ignore it and keep pushing on. Like influencers, everyone wants to give this impression that they are okay, when in actuality, we all have our own issues we deal with. To my students, I want them to be confident in themselves, but I don't expect them to be perfect. I encourage them to make mistakes, as it is then that they know they are pushing their limits and trying new things. I hope that they, along with us all, can throw this idea of perfectionism out the window. Let's move on from this influencer social media era and move back to an era or realism, where we can just be ourselves and show ourselves to the world. We often try to control everything on our path to find perfectionism that we often find ourselves spinning out of control because of it. Loosen that control, forget about perfectionism and remember that we are imperfectly perfect, in reference to the writings of Brene Brown. Similarly, let's also loosen up our expectations for those around us and instead of looking towards celebrities and athletes are idols or even role models, why don't we see them as humans. All our perceptions, myself included, are skewed and slowly we must work our way back towards seeing things straight and the first step towards that is not to aim to be perfect. Our Secretaries-General looked a little stressed as we tried to figure out problems (much of which was no fault of theirs) as they felt that things weren't running perfectly smooth. However, as I said, we expected these bumps in the road, we learned from them, we handled the adversity and ultimately, were better became of the imperfection we faced. Let's not be so uptight when our order gets mixed up or it takes a bit longer than expected, rather show forgiveness and compassion when a simple mistake is made. Forgive others, but more importantly forgive yourself. Rather than harp on all that went wrong, let's show gratitude for all the things that went right. By days end, I had a quick chat about this and that with our tech and we all wrapped up the conference. Was it perfect, of course not, but that is perfectly okay. 

Especially for those who have struggled with mental health over the course of these past months, I hope you can find the support and care you need to make it towards the road of recovery. Just know that there are always people around you who will be there for you, who will not judge you and want to help you. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable, as you may not realize that we all struggle in our own ways. To all others, be accepting of those who struggle with mental health, as while we may not completely understand, that doesn't mean we cannot show care and compassion. Together let's shed this idea of the perfect shot, the perfect moment or aiming to be perfectly and rather simply be perfectly ourselves; that person who trips over everything or misspells this or that, the one who forgets names and those who are terrible at cooking. We all have our flaws, but those flaws are make us who we truly are and that is what makes us perfectly imperfect.

~:[CH9 - Day 283]:~ Innovate

~:[CH9 - Day 283]:~ Innovate

It's time. D-0 has arrived as we wrapped up our final meeting, I held my final office hours and we made our last minute adjustments. It feels a little strange that one year ago, we would host about a 1,000 students on campus. Without having to order lunches, deal with facilities and deal with finances, it kind of feels like a dream. We simply have to rely on technology working and our ability to execute our plan. Within our circuit, we will host the first two conferences and so we have to set the table for others to follow. We created plans and backup plans, found ways to create efficiency, and of course ways to innovate, making a virtual experience extraordinary. From new "virtual awards" which can be nicer since they don't need to be printed (although we still have a printed version) to link trees that allow advisors to move from one room to the next, we've tried to streamline everything so our conference can literally ZOOM on by. Although we had a last minute surge in delegates, it seems like all will be good, but of course, whenever you plan an event, you never know what the expect. Things may go awry, but sometimes it's just out of your control. You plan, you innovate and you see how things go. If things go awry, you innovate again until things pan out. Tomorrow will be a day of innovation and while we did this once before with our own students, it will be the first time we collaborate with other schools to keep opportunities like this alive. Wish us luck!
 

~:[CH9 - Day 282]:~ A Little Bit of This & A Little Bit of That

 

~:[CH9 - Day 282]:~ A Little Bit of This & A Little Bit of That

I've always grown up cooking with experimentation more than recipes. Don't get me wrong, I look up recipes here and there, but I often adjust the recipe to my own liking if I use one or make a spin off of the same recipe. I think life right now is like that. You have to try something in your classroom to see if it works, if it doesn't, try something different. The same goes for helping your mental health, your energy levels, your happiness and more. It's going to be a trial and error life for awhile and we just have to make sure we are ready to keep our minds open and do what we need to do to make it all work. It's not easy to change so quickly and so drastically, but one of the best skills you can learn to have in life is adaptability. Don't stick to those recipes (unless maybe it's a secret family recipe or something), as your tastes and abilities vary from whoever created it. I hope in our lives we can experiment a bit so we can find what truly fits our palette. It's not an easy task to do, but eventually you come across that very thing that makes you smile. It takes some time, a little trial and error, and a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

~:[CH9 - Day 281]:~ Technology Leads the Way

 

~:[CH9 - Day 281]:~ Technology Leads the Way

People often say, imagine if this crisis hit when we didn't have the technology that we have today. We wouldn't have the tools at our fingertips to be able to teach class online or to video chat with friends and family. Although sometimes it's a hassle to learn how to do everything or our internet goes down, the fact that we can do all we can do when not face-to-face is amazing. Technology has led the way and it will only get better. In some ways, however, we also have to make sure that technology does not control us. From work following us everywhere we go to always looking at a device, especially following the negativity of social media. we have to maintain that balance between technology and life itself. Let technology grow and even lead the way, but let's also remember to not allow it to control us. Regardless, I am so glad for all the tech at my fingertips, the only thing I need now is better phone reception in my house and I'll be set XD

~:[CH9 - Day 280]:~ What's Up Dog?

 

~:[CH9 - Day 280]:~ What's Up Dog?

At least there is some regularity. I get to see Max. I used to see Max pretty much every day, but unfortunately with Covid, even being next door, it hasn't been the case. It was nice to get outside and be able to breathe in some fresh air. You can tell the difference when you are constantly inside that you lose some of the energy you gain from simply being outside. Personally, I don't mind being indoors all day, but it is a good idea to get outside every once in awhile. One day we will return to some normalcy, but for now, remember to self care and find some time for you to get yourself safely out of that confined space to give yourself a short mental break.

~:[CH9 - Day 279]:~ The Rise & Fall

 

~:[CH9 - Day 279]:~ The Rise & Fall

Over 225 years ago at the Champ de Mars, Maximilien Robespierre rose to the top of a man-made mountain in Paris appearing as the champion of the revolution in France. The revolution successfully challenges the power of the monarchy, but over time, Robespierre abandoned many who were part of this revolution as he departed from reality as he rose above the center of Paris. The festival of the Supreme Being, as Robespierre stood high above those around him, may have felt like a moment of grandeur, but to those around him, it was a realization that he had gone too far. Soon thereafter, Robespierre was no more. Today felt surreal. As I heard the news of a possibility of Trump returning back to the White House, I didn't think it would be true, as he was still dealing with Covid. However, with his little joy ride yesterday, exposing the USSS members, I wasn't surprised of his return, as he cares not about those around him (even those closest to him). He landed on the lawn of the White House, directed a photographer to a specific location and despite being highly contagious, took off his mask when the wind from the chopper could blow the virus in who knows what direction. He stood proudly saluting and not too long thereafter, a "patriotic" video of Trump returning home popped up on his Twitter feed. He put so many at risk to get back to the White House for something of this sort. Much like Robespierre, this felt like Trump's departure from reality (although he has had many), this felt like the last straw. There will be those that defend him, but if you truly see what is happening, not only is he risking his own  health (which I do still pray for), he now has risked the health of so many around him and it begins with this "photo op." He started on a platform of challenging this system that abuses the people of this country. In some ways, he was right, the system in place must change. However, unlike Robespierre, the majority of this nation never bought into his "revolution." In fact, it created division and today, displayed that it was never about fighting the system, but fighting to get himself in the spotlight time after time. Many of us saw through it, but I hope after today, we all can see it, because I know outside these borders, it's quite evident, much like Robespierre, he has departed from reality. I bring this up not to downplay Trump, but to remind us all that we have to keep our eyes open. Even if the person we follow has done good for us, eventually that benefit will wear off. Historically, it's been consistent with dictators. Today paralleled a nation under a dictators rule. Today was all about Trump. How do you know? Look at his Twitter feed. While he has the same messages he had all along, do you see any messages reaching out to people like Kayleigh McEnany, his advisors or staff or even his wife who all suffered the same fate as him, infected with Covid? Did he show any empathy for the 200k+ people affected by Covid? No, in fact, he said not to be afraid of Covid and not let it dominate your life. As a "student of Covid" after this experience, I am not sure how much he learned. He stood on the balcony of the White House looking as if he was restraining his cough or facing shortness of breath, but it mattered not that he might infect others around (or cause greater harm to himself), as he needed to appear as if he championed this virus. I hope that I am wrong and that he will come back into full health and that no one else around him contracts the virus, but today displayed more than ever, that he is unfit for this position, much like Robespierre had lost his way. If you want to continue to follow Trump after today, be my guest, however, at least do us all this favor and take this virus seriously and no I am not talking about Covid. One of the reporters said, the virus has arrived at the White House and while he said that in regards to Trump having Covid, I am saying it in a way about Trump. He has gotten so many to believe the lies he tells and has infected our lives, our relationships and even our daily routines and lives. It goes beyond the virus. During my senior year in college, my senior project was a video installation called Viral Infection. The pieced discussed how politics infected us. Strangely enough, that idea has come full circle. It's time we wake up and realize just where we are headed and denounce this threat. He is a threat to our health and safety and also to our democracy. I hate using my posts for politics, but I also vowed that I must speak out against him, as this is far greater than politics. Our country is not someone else's reality show especially when lives are at mistake. We must demand that the only thing that Trump and this administration unmasks from now on is the truth. 

~:[CH9 - Day 278]:~ Gratitude

 

~:[CH9 - Day 278]:~ Gratitude

This weekend was overwhelming in a lot of ways. From the news about our president to being able to hear so many people amazing people speak, I think I have cleared my mind (a bit) as I begin to look forward to the days ahead. In service, the conversation was about following the Word. I think it's the case for so many who religiously attend church, but they don't follow what they are learning. Your actions, such as how you treat others, are one of the only true ways to measure your faith. You can read and pray religiously, but your actions are the true gauge of where you stand with God. We are so wrapped up in social media, our finances and now more than ever, politics that we sometimes allow that to pull us away from our focus on the Word. We become so wrapped up in it that we become a version of ourselves that is not who we were. The vile and disparaging comments I see online are discouraging and we live in such a divisive world. Why? We've allowed politics, our finances, our interests cloud our vision. We've followed people because they can give us what we need rather than those who will help water us and help us grow. However, a message stuck with me throughout the weekend after I listened to a live conversation with Jeremy Lin. He talked about despite all that was going on, the Word was his guidance and he made sure that he gave thanks for all the opportunities he was given, both in the morning and at night. As I walked into the house today, I did what I did most Sundays and brought my parents a drink from the local boba shop. It's a simple routine, but the fact that I can see my parents is something I never gave gratitude for. To see my dad working on the intricacies of a wooden toy he was carving, I began to appreciate more, as he was healthy enough to still be able to do such a task. To be able to listen in to one of my favorite artists as they talked about what they could do to help their community is political, but is also a way we can show our gratitude, by giving back to those around us. Our world cannot be about likes on social media, the amount of money in our bank accounts, the position we hope to gain in our company or even about the comforts of our future. Why? It cannot be about those things if it means we sacrifice us being true to the things we believe and guiding us away from practicing the very thing we learn through the Word. It's easy to go astray, but it's never too late to get back on track. We may discover ourselves going through the motions, but it's never too late to wake up. Let's wake up each day and go to sleep each night thinking about all the things we should so gratitude for and all the things that we should appreciate and put those to the forefront. Let's leave our wants and desires in the shadows so that we may prioritize what really matters. We live in a world where mocking, degrading and lack of concern for others have become more commonplace and it's time we took back control and put ourselves back on track. It's our first step towards putting into action what we've been learning and our first step towards showing more gratitude for the privileges we saw as guarantees. 

~:[CH9 - Day 277]:~ Steps of Learning

 

~:[CH9 - Day 277]:~ Steps of Learning

He loves sprinklers. He can point out every sprinkler in the yard even at my house. His grand finale? The sprinklers turning on. As much as he loves them, based on today, he may think that you have to fill them up for them to work as he poured water into them. I'll laugh remembering the grunt he made as he lift the watering can when he lifted it from the wading pool. There isn't a lot of water in it, so he had to hang over to fill it up. It was even more memorable when he started to follow along when I pointed out where to pour it including his dad's feet. I think today paralleled life for us all. We deal with things we don't understand sometimes even though we know so much already. We make mistakes. Instead of getting discouraged by our failure or mocking someone for their mistakes, we need to understand that we need to learn. Someone may truly be interested in something, but simply not know. I even think this even applies to social issues. Sometimes people act with good intentions and just don't understand what they did wrong. Let's work together to fix society, rather than divide it; let's work to help educate, rather than demoralize; let's love instead of hate. We've gone through a tumultuous time and I hope that we can all see the problems that we need to fix, in our lives and in our society. However, we're not going to fix them if we hold each other back, rather, we need to life each other up. We've made a lot of mistakes, but that is the process of learning. As long as we are willing and open to learn from our mistakes, then we will grow and move past our errors, but until then, we'll be stuck down in these pits. If someone is unwilling, there's not much you can do, but you can only hope that together we can all move forward and we can all rise up. Just like when you eat something that tastes horrendous, you reach for something to clean that palette. Let's clean our palettes from these foul-tasting days, but also remember not to eat that same thing again, as it will only bring more suffering and pain. It's part of the steps of learning and we all got a lot of it to do.

~:[CH9 - Day 276]:~ In the Heavens

 

~:[CH9 - Day 276]:~ In the Heavens

I really wanted to capture the harvest moon, but there really was no way. My consolation? I got to see the moon in close proximity to Mars. Mars is but a speck in the sky, yet it's beautiful nonetheless. The heavens are quite amazing as you wonder how something millions of miles away can still be seen here on Earth. Often times you think how awesome it is how this was all created and in those same heavens you look up to, you wonder who is looking down upon you. In all the craziness of this historic day, I finished by looking up into the heavens and just staring and wondering. Who is looking at this very sky tonight and what are they thinking of? Does their mind wander the same as yours or do they image thoughts far different from yours? Many of the answers we seek when we look at the sky above we will never find in our own minds, as only the heaven knows the answer to some of these questions. Send your thoughts so high above and maybe they'll end up in a place you least expected. Regardless, no matter what you believe, these heavens still leave you in awe, time after time. 

~:[CH9 - Day 275]:~ Do Your Part

 

~:[CH9 - Day 275]:~ Do Your Part

I hate it. When I am walking around especially when it's hard, it's not easy to wear a mask, but I do it. I do it because if I have it, I don't want to spread it to others and also to protect myself so I don't spread it to those around me. There's absolutely no way you're going to stop it from infecting you, but you can try to do all you can so you can slow it down. If we had all bought in awhile ago, we would have slowed this virus like many other countries around the world. Australia for instance had about 900 deaths. Sure it's an island nation, so let's take a country who started with staggering numbers because they used massive testing and contact tracing, South Korea. Their issues lined up with our timeline and while their initial numbers were staggering due to high testing, they current stand at 23k cases and 416 deaths and life there is somewhat back to normal. Sure the survival rate here in the US is high, but how many of those will live with issues for the rest of their lives and how many will do worse and pass on those symptoms to others like we saw this evening. Mocking someone for wearing a mask and denying that they are effective is what got us so deep, so maybe we can make an attempt at doing it. The sooner we do it, the less time we are impacted by this virus. Listen to those who guide us with the scientific knowledge to back it up rather than those who politicize our lives. Go out, do your shopping or stop by here or there if need be, but be sure to wear that mask and distance yourself. I know that for some, your lives have been turned upside down and that your financial status is in limbo, but the sooner you get on board, the sooner we all move forward. I hate teaching from home, which is why it makes we more frustrated when people fight the very thing that can help us move along. Most of us won't get it and if we do, most of us won't die from it, but does that mean we just throw the vulnerable into a "Hunger Games;" a game of survival? Some of the biggest anti-maskers have caught this virus and because of it, more of us are at risk. As restrictions ease, do what you need to do to keep yourself mentally healthy, but also do so in a way that is safe and if you don't care if you catch it, fine, but don't risk the health of those around you. Wear that mask and social distance. Even if you do everything, there's no guarantee you won't catch it, but can't we at least put the odds in our favor? I know times are tough, but let's find a way to get through this together. This virus knows no party, no position of power, and it does not discriminate, as it will pounce on anyone when it gets the chance. Please let's do our part. Stay safe and stay health.