~:[CH12 - Day 90]:~ Kickin' Off the Weekend Right

 
~:[CH12 - Day 90]:~ Kickin' Off the Weekend Right

The whole day was focused in on the conference. We've been prepping for this and while we didn't get the numbers we had hoped, we had a group of delegates we really wanted to put on a good conference for. I made it through the day, did our check in for practice, then headed home to get prepped for the conference. It actually started off a little shaky as one of the committees links wasn't working and the passcode was enabled for a few committees, but once we got rolling, all was good. The committee sizes were perfect and the delegates seemed mostly engaged. We didn't deal with as many problems as we faced in the past and mostly, things seemed to roll through smoothly. Most know that a few weeks ago, we hit our snags as our administration was facing a shake up. Just like the few issues we faced today, we problem solved, found the solution and ran with it. Tonight, was a little easier as there was a solution to the problem. With our admin, it was hard to tell whether our solution was the right one. In the end, the work that the students put in the petition, the community put into speaking up for someone we cared for (Walker & Co), and the fact that we didn't accept the situation quietly, we ended up stumbling upon a decision that worked. In the end, I am still disappointed that we faced this decision at all and how it all went down. It's definitely something I will not forget and this decision doesn't solve the fact that it happened (with all but ONE board member supporting the initial removal), however, we ended up kickin' off the weekend right, as so many were celebrating this great news. I received text after text and message after message congratulating our school on our victory, as while the decision only impacted the job of a handful, their impact resonates with a much larger community of students. I hope that we all remember today that our voices do mater. When injustice and unfairness rear its head, know that it now becomes an opportunity to demonstrated that your efforts can mean change. I am grateful for everyone who helped us form a chorus of voices to ensure that we were heard. After a visit from my niece and nephew (who I played with during my conference break), I was exhausted from everything that happened through the day. Regardless, I powered through to the end and still was riding this wave of happiness that helped kick off this conference weekend off right. Many times we look toward the weekend to being our break, but this time around, the weekend will be our chance to celebrate. 

~:[CH12 - Day 89]:~ Survival

 
~:[CH12 - Day 89]:~ Survival

Today was the first of three survival workouts. It's always interesting to see who is able to last through the entire workout. Typically, this workout favors the 1600+ athletes, however, this time around, there were a good chunk of 800 athletes. This workout has become increasing challenging as the grit of many athletes I have had decreased. Today made me wonder if the grit has returned. This group of athletes battled. A few thought of quitting early, but they all continued on and two even hit every single split. While this workout doesn't always show who will be my best athletes, it often shows who are the toughest, especially when it comes to mentality. As we make the step up to the second round, I wonder how many athletes will accept and complete the challenge. I am increasingly confident that more and more of these athletes will have what it takes to survive. Today they showed the spark and I hope that it leads to lighting a flame within each of them that helps them find that burning desire to reach the very end of these challenging workouts. Only time will tell who will be the few that survive. 

~:[CH12 - Day 88]:~ Missing a Chance

 
~:[CH12 - Day 88]:~ Missing a Chance

Most know, I hate picture day. It's a little tedious. It's great to capture these images, but sometimes a pain getting it just right. Many times, I rather take a quick shot, rather than this highly staged photo. Of course, there is no denying how nice it turns out. Today was suppose to be picture day, but seeing the weather reports, we canceled it. While the wet ground would have posed problems, it strangely cleared up and left beautiful blue skies above. How did the pouring rain in the morning lead to these beautiful afternoon skies? Who knows. We missed our chance for photo day. Many times we speculate on the path ahead rather than taking a chance. We take the safe route and thus miss our opportunity. Today, we could have gotten it out of the way, instead, I have to wait until another day to wrap up my least favorite day. It wasn't all bad as I enjoyed the beautiful sky, albeit a little chilly. Next time, maybe I'll just take the chance, but for now, at least we didn't have to worry about scrambling to get it all together today. 

~:[CH12 - Day 87]:~ Avoiding the Storm

 
~:[CH12 - Day 87]:~ Avoiding the Storm

It was a little chaotic. Our bus got moved up an hour and I watched to see if the storm would overtake us, canceling another meet. We survived. We avoided the storm and had blue skies for most of the meet, as the athletes finally got a meet in. I wasn't sure if I would survive the day as I was prepared for the unexpected, but overall, we got through and avoided a few storms that could have ruined the day. Obviously, there are areas for improvement, but for the most part, I was happy how smooth the day went. Sometimes we expect bad conditions, but end up with conditions we couldn't even have dreamt up and today was one of those days. When we got back, the spirit of the athletes was high as they decided to eat out. Of course, I had almost forgotten that I had a training meeting that night. Regardless, while I wish I could be out eating and enjoying the night, I was still happy that we avoided the storm and got our chance to step on the track for an entire meet. We don't always get this lucky, but when we do, we should definitely soak up the sun.

~:[CH12 - Day 86]:~ Beyond the Book

 
~:[CH12 - Day 86]:~ Beyond the Book

One of the things I like about MUN the most is that it teaches you so much beyond what's in a textbook. You pick up skills that you'll use the rest of your life and I sometimes wonder why more people aren't in this program. Sure, we have about 10% of our school enrolled, but I definitely feel that so many more would benefit from these experiences. Regardless, I am Blessed to work with so many students and gain so many great experiences with them from the conferences, trips and even class lessons. Recently, we've done more to connect to those outside the country. The pandemic allowed us to do so. Just last week, we trained students from Korea and today, we had visitors from Nara, Japan. The students were all a little shy to start, however, as time went on, they opened up a bit more and ultimately began to connect with one another. The freshman met half the group and the sophomore met the other half as they gave presentations to each other and established a quick connection that will hopefully last. The students went on their way to Disneyland, but I hope that visiting our school will be on of the memories they carry with them when they go home tomorrow. We will be working with the school as they start up their own MUN program and it is our hope that in building this relationship, we will be able to pass on the experiences we gained so that many others can see the same opportunities we've experienced. I hope the same can be said for many future Dons who come to our campus. 

~:[CH12 - Day 85]:~ Anticipation

 
~:[CH12 - Day 85]:~ Anticipation

Luckily my dinner plans got canceled, because otherwise, I would be up super late tonight. With multiple track meet registrations due, lists and emails to send out and task to complete, it definitely was a workday for me even though I wish it truly could be a day off. Of course, while it was a day to grind, there were a few things that brought excitement to the day. The first was nostalgic as we did an ice bath. We used to do this often when our biggest races were upcoming and with Boston just three weeks away, we brought out the cooler. It was exciting enough that he qualified for the marathon, but even more excited that now the countdown has begun for the race. Similarly, there was anticipation for tomorrow as the long awaited visit from our school from Nara, Japan has arrived. Last year, I visited the campus as I introduced MUN to their staff and because of that, when they came to SoCal this year, they wanted to visit our campus during their tour. We were able to squeeze in a time and in anticipation of it all, I made gifts for them. It was fun to do all that and I am excited to have them meet our students and in the summer, visit their school again to begin working with them in person. Finally, it was a day of anticipation with the Final Four being decided and the final day of my fantasy league semis. It was good news with SDSU advantage, but even better news that I eeked out a victory in fantasy, even though it didn't look too promising. How close was it? Let's just say, it came down to less than 0.1% and one more shot missed would have lost me the victory. There was a lot of anticipation today and on those days, it's always exciting, but also nerve-racking as you hope that all will go as planned. However, just like I tell my students, you can only do what you can do to prepare and after that, you just have to see if things fall into place and fix what you can. Let's the excitement begin! 

~:[CH12 - Day 84]:~ A Little Bit of Change

 
~:[CH12 - Day 84]:~ A Little Bit of Change

There was definitely chaos. The meet got off to a slow start and quickly was behind. The track events were upwards of one hour behind and field events weren't on track either. In the end, the throwing events ended 90 minutes after they were supposed to be done, even though they rushed through them. Attending the meet was definitely a change from what our routine was, but there were many parts of it where they athletes welcomed the change. Many of the teams did really well and after a long day, these athletes experienced the most exciting moments of the day, the thrower and pole vault relays. The throwers were in great spirits and since we had the most vaulters, we had the most athletes who knew how to run with a pole. In the end, we ended up collecting the most medals in those last eight relays. I was exhausted when I arrived home and didn't look forward to the work awaiting me at home, but I got down to it, finished up the work, then plopped down. Whether or not we return, it's definitely up in the air, but it was great to see so many athletes excel, but also enjoy the experience in the process. 

~:[CH12 - Day 83]:~ Longing

 

~:[CH12 - Day 83]:~ Longing

Life is a cycle of love, celebration, heartache and heartbreak. No matter how great life is, at some point in our lives, we'll face this cycle. We'll have moments when we're full of joys and others when we feel empty inside. Some days when our minds are full of thoughts and others where we cannot find the words. The spectrum that life spans is immense at times, we get lost in it all. A full day today left me exhausted. It was full of great moments, but also left me longing for some reason. It was a bit inexplicable, but for some reason, I felt this wave overcome me. As I thought back through the day, I thought back to the moment I saw this flower laying as the sun began to set. It looked a little roughed up, yet at the same time, its beauty never faded. Life has a way of testing you and throwing you through the spin cycle. At the end of the day though, the beauty of one, never faded. Sometimes we're blinded by this fact as our eyes are drawn to the imperfections we see, but in reality, nothing has changed. I found a tranquil moment today as I looked at this flower and found what I had been longing for. As while initially when I looked at the flower I felt heartache and loneliness, in this moment, I found hope. I stood alone as the sun slowly disappeared over the horizon, but I am confident that this longing will fade, as I begin to discover what I've searched for all along; as the beauty of life began to once again reappear.

~:[CH12 - Day 82]:~ Welcoming the Workload

 
~:[CH12 - Day 82]:~ Welcoming the Workload

I've had my frustrations seeing so many flake out on the work that they needed to do. Whether in the classroom, on the field or even when working with others, they just expect success to come, without doing all the work to get there. Even those who excelled in the run, didn't complete the full workout, as they didn't understand the importance of all aspects of it. Explaining time and time again wasn't enough or was it? Slowly, that complete workouts are coming more often and even welcomed. The athletes were excited as we headed to the overpasses, ready for the strength workout ahead. It's not always easy and there's always someone I need to get on, but slowly, I've seen progress. I always know that we need to keep a balance with work and our own time, but still yet, there's been a bit of a gap because people thing that success is instantaneous. It's the fault of instant gratification as they fail to understand the process and long arduous hours it takes to achieve something. Most of us know that success doesn't come overnight and I hope that as time passes, more and more, these young minds will see what it takes to get to what they want to achieve. The effects of the pandemics are mostly greatly seen in their ability to grind things out. but I am confident, we'll begin to see all these things restored to their previous levels, if not surpass them. As just like them, I must be patient in this redevelopment process. 

~:[CH12 - Day 81]:~ Lending a Hand

 
~:[CH12 - Day 81]:~ Lending a Hand

Fresh off returning from New York, this group of juniors joyfully volunteered to help these elementary students in Jeju with MUN. These elementary students are quite sharp and already on the ball in preparing for the upcoming international conference. Aside from a few of them being shy, these students are definitely quite impressive. In the second half of the training, our students worked with a group trying to organize their elementary afterschool activity for MUN. I was impressed by the questions they asked our students and our juniors were impressed by how they had everything planned and thought out. In life, it's always great to be able to lend a helping hand and with technology, the opportunities have grown. I have appreciated the many great opportunities that the pandemic helped create as it truly has allowed us not only to lend a helping hand, but do so globally. As while we are the ones who are helping, I know for a fact that my students have learned a lot in this process as well. It was exhausting as we wrapped up just before midnight due to the time zones, but ultimately, it's not an inconvenience at all, as it's quite rewarding to invest this time into something so valuable. 

~:[CH12 - Day 80]:~ Walk with Walker

 
~:[CH12 - Day 80]:~ Walk with Walker

Most people who know me, know that the introverted me hates the spotlight. At Nationals, I had to go to the front of the opening ceremony to receive an award and it was one of the most uncomfortable experiences. Tonight, I debated back and forth whether or not I was going to speak. I figured that most of those attending would say what I wanted to say, but just before the session started, I wrote my card and submitted it. While I prefer not to speak, I definitely try to avoid speaking when I am frustrated. However, as I deliberated on this moment, I thought about how much of himself Mr. Walker has given to the school and this was the least I could do. Every time I see Mr. Walker, I think about the moment I met him in the interview for this job and these was no doubt in my mind that he is what the school needed. While I met him before, the interview truly highlighted all that he could bring to the school and his words in that interview have been on display for the past nine years. I am always complimented for how much I do for the school, but when I compare it to Mr. Walker, my contributions pale in comparison. He is everywhere doing everything he can and he is 100% invested in these students, the staff, and this school. It was confirmed tonight with a line of speakers waiting to back him up, fighting for him and the other members of our admin potentially on the move. Every time this team dealt with the curveballs the district threw at them, they responded, not bowing down to what the district wanted, but fighting in the best interests of the student as the district continuously failed to see the complexities of a school like Cerritos. They failed to understand that a one-sized fit all approach is not the answer for every school as just like people, every school has it's own qualities and dynamics you cannot see from the outside.  In many cases, they lost, but behind the scenes, they've worked their tails off. To hear so many great messages, especially from my students made me so proud, as they let their voices be heard. My emotions got the best of me and since I didn't have a speech written out, I missed the ending of my speech, however, as I think about the line I wanted to finish with, I felt that I should definitely share while reflecting tonight. The line that was never heard stated, "Walker is the symbol of our alma mater. In one of the lines, it says, 'our guardian, shield, and guide.' Walker has been just that. He has been the guardian of the mental health and welfare of the Cerritos HS students, he is the shield from all the obstacles we face along the way, and he is the guide showing our students the Cerritos Way, being ready, respectful and real. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the man for this job and at heart that he is truly a Don, which is why I walk with Walker." I only hope that our voices were heard as while we may continue to raise our voices, the powers at be may have kept their minds set on their decisions. However, until the very end, I am loyal to those who deserve that loyalty and Mr. Walker is one of those people I will always be ready to fight for. Looking back, the decision to hire Mr. Walker all those years ago was absolutely the right decision and if I had to sit in another interview to hire a new principal again, I would not hesitate to hire him once more, as he still is the right choice, as I hope to see him retire as a Don because he truly exemplifies the Cerritos Way.

~:[CH12 - Day 79]:~ Walk Out, Walk Off

 
~:[CH12 - Day 79]:~ Walk Out, Walk Off

It was a little chaotic being the first day back. I had to wrap up the financials from the trip, catch up on grading and be ready for classes today. I found out upon arrival that the students coordinated a walkout during third period. I was able to witness the students exercise their right to protest. Hundreds of students walked through the office and protested on the school's front lawn. It was short, but sweet, as they made their voices heard. It's been a little disheartening to hear all that was going on. While rumors have been circulating about this, without any dialogue existing, the district has left us all guessing what exactly is going on. Those frustrations vanished temporarily as I got back to finishing up some work, running practice, and then catching the World Baseball Classic. It looked like it would be a terrible day with Japan going down early, but they battled back and walked it off in dramatic fashion. I guess this game was a lesson the students can take to heart as they use their voices to try to make change, it isn't over until it's over. Just like Japan in tonight's game, you do every little thing you can and even when you feel like you're out of it, you might just find yourself victorious with that walk off. Keep shouting and hopefully your voices will lead to change.

~:[CH12 - Day 78]:~ Recovery

 

~:[CH12 - Day 78]:~ Recovery

Today was my day to rest. I just laid in bed even though I had woken up pretty early. It was nice. I did a little planning, a little paperwork, bust mostly caught up on things I wanted to do and not much else. I unpacked a little, but will do laundry tomorrow. Some days, you just need to put everything down and let yourself be a sloth. I did just that. Of course today was about recovery in more ways than one. One thing I did focus on was trying to make a comeback in my fantasy league. I thought this week would be easy sailing as I went up big early, but little by little I got caught with athletes out or underperforming. I was down 3-6 and made a few desperation moves, adding three new players to my team. One added a 3, 11 assists and two steals, another added two blocks, and the last shot 55.6%. The three choices were spot on as I won FG% by less that 0.1%, 3s by 3, assists by 4, and blocks by 2. It's always great to squeak out a victory in a year where I got edged out most of the time. These changes will impact the playoffs ahead, however, at least I got through this round and hopefully I can make more choices to get me through to the finals. I guess it's not a bad day when this was the most stressful thing about my day as at this point, I feel recovered and ready for the long week ahead! 

~:[CH12 - Day 77]:~ In Closing

 
~:[CH12 - Day 77]:~ In Closing

It was an early wakeup. We had to pack and load our luggage on the bus since closing was schedule later than before and it was at the UN. The good thing is that we were able to return to the General Assembly Hall, but the bad news was, we would be racing against the clock to get to the airport, as our scheduled departure kept getting changed against our favor. In hindsight, we could have had another 15-20 minutes to sleep in, as we loaded efficiently and everyone was on time, however, it's better to be safe than sorry. Despite being the first to arrive, a few schools cut in front of us since we were waiting where we were supposed to. In the end, I think it worked in our favor, as I liked being a few rows back from the podium to capture a nicer angle of the hall. After a long wait, we entered the hall and got the amazing experience of sitting in the very seats that the representatives from around the world sit. Six of our students were selected to speak at closing, which is one of the greatest honors you can earn at Nationals. One of our delegates was especially excited as she was Army and got to stand in the very spot that BTS was. All six did an exceptional job and definitely represented our school well. In the beginning of preparation, this group found many struggles as they tried to grasp the amount of work that would be required of them. I could sense their anxiousness, but as the conference went on, I could see that they realized that the work that they put in allowed them to be prepared for this moment. After winning the Award of Distinction for Research and Preparation (the highest award) the group got more and more nervous as they called the final few awards and Cerritos had yet to be called. As they got to the final award, the delegation was overjoyed as their name was finally called. When we started this process, our puzzle was missing a few pieces, however, as we went on with week after week of preparation, you could see that they began to located those missing pieces and today, they found the last piece to complete the masterpiece. Of course, even without these two awards, they would have completed it, as they represented our school the way we had hoped. As delegates, they were substantive and diplomatic, the worked well with others and worked tirelessly to ensure they did everything they could to best represent our countries of Japan and the United Arab Emirates. At the end of the day, I cannot ask anything more of them. As we quickly exited the hall. I was a little sad that I could not have our typical post-closing photo or to enjoy the moment a bit more, however, the team enjoyed the ride to the airport, proud of the work that they put in which resulted in this recognition. In closing, when we set out on building our puzzles in our own lives, we are often presented with one that is incomplete. It's easy to give up when we learn that this is the case, but we find our greatest moments when we can find a way to overcome these challenges and fill that gaps we never thought we could. This year, our group found away and because of it, we arrived home with a masterpiece that they found a way to complete. 

~:[CH12 - Day 76]:~ The Sigh of Relief

 
~:[CH12 - Day 76]:~ The Sigh of Relief

It's always a challenge for the juniors to get over the fatigue of this conference. They're comfortable with a two day conference, but after a long stretch of touring, it's even more challenging for them to handle this four day run. Luckily, the third day is where most of the work ends, as the awards and rapporteurs are selected on this day. You could see that the students had a sigh of relief as they wrapped up. They have worked so hard the past few months and today is the culmination of it all. For three days, they showed off all the work they put in and demonstrated their skills. Their research always seems to shine in the eyes of the chairs and their work definitely does not go unnoticed. We ended up with over half receiving awards and it came against some of the best programs in this country and even a few from around the world. Enjoying their St. Patrick's Day donuts, their traditional cookie from Levain, and of course their final night out, they celebrated and it seemed like that weight was taken off their shoulders. Only time will tell how they will fare, but at least for tonight, they can celebrate knowing they did all that they could and now, they can enjoy their final hours in New York. 

~:[CH12 - Day 75]:~ The Skies Connect Us All

 
~:[CH12 - Day 75]:~ The Skies Connect Us All

You always see those moments in those romance movies where two lovers long for each other and look up to the sky. They miss each other and say that they believe they're both looking at the same sky. The cliche moments in a film. Regardless, there is a lot of truth in that statement. When you look up at the sky, you're looking at the same sky as someone else and you wonder, just who else is looking at that sky. While I was in New York, our interconnectivity had me communicated back home with the track and field team as they competed in the first league cluster meet. However, as my past few posts have been quite reflective, I also thought today about who is looking down upon us and watching over us as we go through our day. Who else is thinking about me (and others) as we go through the day? I thought this week would be filled with rain and gray skies, however, the past few days, I was Blessed to see these beautiful blue skies overhead, putting a smile on my face as we ventured through one of the longest days of conference. Today, we were lucky to meet a Counsellor from the Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN and it was great to watch the students work so hard in committee. As I walked back and forth today from meeting to meeting, I realized later that I had glance to the skies a few times today and I would be interested to know just who held us close to their heart today as went about our day. Until the day that we can all reconnect, for now, let the skies be the thing that connects us all. 

~:[CH12 - Day 74]:~ Milestones

 

~:[CH12 - Day 74]:~ Milestones

I've been doing this for so long. Actually, it's been so long, they gave me a pin in recognition of being old, I mean for doing this for so long. As I went up, I thought about the first group I brought to New York. Just out of college, I thought, what were the parents thinking leaving me to care for them. Fast-forward so many years later and now I've brought close to 800 student to this conference in New York. There definitely were the good moments and the bad, the challenging weather, the delays, the fatigue and even being chased by the pandemic. So many years later, I'm still standing here alongside them all, some who are siblings of those who came before and before you know it, I'll have children of my former students. Milestones are always interesting because they make you reflect and think back to all the memories and experiences you have, jumbled in a ball that I will carry with me for the remainder of my life. I am truly Blessed to work with so many great students and no matter how many times they were later or how many white hairs I gained due to them, they've definitely made moments like today even more special. To all those past and present, thank you so much and to those who will join me in the future, let's continue to make amazing memories. 

~:[CH12 - Day 73]:~ Those We Meet

 

~:[CH12 - Day 73]:~ Those We Meet

I watched Wicked tonight, again. As many times as I've seen it, it always is a show that I truly enjoy and I love taking the students to see the show. I think that the show is one that appeals to so many. It's funny, it has drama and many of the scenes are relatable. While it does make more sense if you've seen the Wizard of Oz, you can still enjoy the show without having seen it. One of my favorite songs is For Good, as the message it sends definitely relates to me. Do you ever wonder why you met someone? Why did they come into. your life when they did? Sometimes the decisions we make and timing in life is no accident. Coincidences can happen, but many times, these coincidences happen for a reason. Each decision we make leads to another and at some point, we'll realize why everything happened, even if we don't understand why just yet. Even for my experiences with each of these students, while I am always credited for helping them, they also in turn help me learn and grow. As the song says, "we are led to those who help us grow" and I am definitely who I am because I met all of you. In my life I always hope that if someone helps or inspires me, I can do everything in my power to also do the same for them and while that may not always be possible, I hope they realize that they've truly impacted me in a ways that I may never be able to repay. Whether our encounters are long term or brief, each and every person has left their "handprint on my heart" and because of that, they've helped me rewrite my story for the better. In all honestly, for many, I may never see again in my lifetime, but even if we don't, a part of them will always be carried with me as I head down this wonderful road of life. To all those I have met and all those I will meet, I thank you for helping me become who I am.

~:[CH12 - Day 72]:~ (Mis)Timing

 
~:[CH12 - Day 72]:~ (Mis)Timing

I've always realized how important timing is in life. Often time, my timing is off, but for the position I hold now, the timing was perfect. I could easily be working in another field and my life completely different, however, I get to truly appreciate this job and share my experience with those around me. We headed out with rain falling lightly from overhead. Switching the route a bit, we ended up getting off a little early, but got to enjoy the exterior of Grand Central Station. As we arrived to the UN, we had to wait for a group that was attending a conference before we headed in for our tour. Because of the tight window, we had to rush, but luckily, we had just enough time. The tour was great and even had some time before our reservation at the AMNH or so I thought. As they only take reservations over the phone, the agent marked our time as 11:30am versus 2:30pm. Little did we know that the museum was closing early due to another event. Regardless, the students worked quickly through the museum and enjoyed a number of sites. It may have worked out in their favor as I know a lot of them end up tired on this day and just try to find a nice cozy place to rest. They also got a little more time to eat before our study session. The timing of this session is perfect as we all could use a break and they also need time to finish up the work they have left to do. While we have moments in our life where we miss the right timing, I hope we find a way to roll with it and figure out how to best approach the situation and make the most of our time. As while we may wish we had more time or the timing was just right, sometimes it's out of our hands and we just got to deal with the cards we are dealt before we run out of time. 

~:[CH12 - Day 71]:~ Freedom

 
~:[CH12 - Day 71]:~ Freedom

We got held up a bit as a few students had trouble waking up after losing an hour last night. We rushed down to Battery Park, but missed the first ferry. We still were able to get what we had planned done and we were able to stay on schedule as well. As I take the students through these locations today, I am always reminded of the freedoms and privileges we are granted in this country. From the Statue of Liberty signifying the land of freedom to Ellis Island where the immigrants passed through, the 9/11 memorial which is an emotional trek through a tragic moment in our nation's history and the Brooklyn Bridge, an iconic landmark in our country, many of these places remind me of the opportunities we have. Exhausted, the students dragged themselves back to the hotel, yet still had the energy to skate around the Rink at Rockefeller, another iconic spot. It was another full day and the students were ready to turn in early. However, as I reflect back on this day, I am grateful that all I have and have even more appreciation for all those who helped secure the comforts that I live with today in this nation.

~:[CH12 - Day 70]:~ 5 Hours & 33K

 

~:[CH12 - Day 70]:~ 5 Hours & 33K

This schedule is definitely a challenge, but we survived. I was a little worried at first as the sleet came falling down as we drove to the city, but somehow, it cleared up when we were about to head out. We hit the ground running and headed out to Hudson Yard and the High Line after dropping off our luggage. It's quite a trek, but definitely a beautiful stroll through New York City. I am not sure if the students appreciate it as much as they should, but here and there, you hear them appreciating this and that along the way. We enjoyed our lunch in Chinatown, shopped in SoHo and wandered around Washington Square before finally taking a break. We grabbed our dinner around Times Square then trekked to the Empire State Building, our classic first day schedule. Despite the fatigue, it went smoothly as we coasted from place to place. At day's end, I had 33,000 steps after that red-eye flight. It was definitely exhausting, however, it's a great way to introduce the students to New York City in a jam packed day. We'll see how this trip goes, but for now, the first SUPER full day was a success. 33k steps later. 

~:[CH12 - Day 69]:~ Sometimes ...

 
~:[CH12 - Day 69]:~ Sometimes ...

It was a crazy day. I was finalizing my sub plans, prepping for the meet plus next week, and of course packing up for New York. I ventured out to Irvine with the team and got them all set up. As I went out, the rain got worse. We were assured the meet would happen, but this led to that and by the time I was heading back home, I was told the meet was canceled. Sometimes, you get all your ducks in a row yet still something gets in your way of getting everything to run as it should. Mother nature definitely took the chances of success out of my hands. You can't always control how things turn out, but you can give yourself the best chance to make things go smoothly and today I did just that. In the end, it didn't work out for the meet, but at least all my prep got us headed on our way to New York safe and sound. I survived today, but tomorrow, we'll just have to see about that. 

~:[CH12 - Day 68]:~ Counting Down

 
~:[CH12 - Day 68]:~ Counting Down

Chaos. It's probably the best way to summarize the day. I've been running around, not only trying to prepare for the trip, but ensure that everything for the team is covered for next week, which happens to be the week of our first league cluster. It also happens to be Open House next week, so I also had to get everything prepped for that as well. As most teachers will tell you, it's often harder to be absent than it is to be at school. Regardless, we made the most of the day as I began to say my goodbyes and we even had a food run today since we have a race tomorrow. It was nice to lounge around with the team. Many of them decided to stick around and just relax together and so it ended up being a good afternoon. The rest of the evening, my printer was running as I finished up gathering all the documents I needed for the trip. While the time flew by, by night's end, I finished printed hundreds of pages of documents. 

~:[CH12 - Day 67]:~ The Measuring Stick

 
~:[CH12 - Day 67]:~ The Measuring Stick

We continued our 1-on-1 meetings in MUN. I started this awhile back and found it to be rewarding. Giving feedback to the student to try to understand them better truly can work wonders. It also helps them understand themselves better as well. I often find that I get a range of students from those who don't see their mistakes, others who are excelling yet still critical of themselves and those in the middle. As I think about it. life is challenging because we all have our own measuring stick. How do we use our measuring stick? Tonight I was lucky to get invited to a Clippers game. The seats were incredible and I got to witness a decent three quarters (the 1st was terrible) and also one of the best performances by Westbrook as a Clipper, as he had the best +/- on the floor tonight from both teams (+12). Seeing his name plastered online with so many negative comments makes me sad for a number of reasons. I have not always been the biggest Westbrook fan as a player (shot selection, turnovers), but what I liked most about Westbrook is the 110% he lays out on the court regularly, the passion and energy he plays with, and as I learned more about him, the type of person he is. I love Westbrook when you look at the total package especially when he takes on his role as a playmaker, rebounder, and the source of energy and passion. There are stories of his generosity in the bubble, players always praise him for the type of person he is, and tonight I saw the kind of leadership he provides, as he looked like a coach as he pointed things out to his teammates. He's worked hard to adjust to fit his role and while he's made some mistakes, I'm sad to see so much directed toward him specifically. Although I've seen the up and down so far this year, with their new personnel, it's taking some time for the staff to see what works and what doesn't. Undoubtedly there were mistakes on his part, but social media and the media have placed Westbrook next to an impossible measuring stick. Much like my students who are overcritical of themselves, many have done this to him. I'm hoping we can all find the right measuring stick to calculate our progress, but at the same time, I also hope that we think about how we use that measure stick on others. Even athletes and celebrities are impacted by our comments and our words and much like as a teacher, I need to be responsible about what I say and do, I think that we also don't have the right to be so condescending to others even if they are some type of celebrity. Just like our students, our friends and our family, everything we say or do can impact them, positively or negatively. Tonight, I was happy to see him succeed and get an up-close view of things that may not be shown on TV, how he acts while playing and more so what he does when he's not on the floor. As I move forward. I'll focus more on measuring my own progress and not using it to compare to or judge others. As while I have a right to my opinion (as some would say), I also have the choice whether it's right or not to share that opinion, as I must weight the consequences of doing so and this in itself requires it's own measurement. 

~:[CH12 - Day 66]:~ The Weight of the World

 
~:[CH12 - Day 66]:~ The Weight of the World

I wonder how much the world weighs? To many around the world, they feel as if they are carrying the world on their back as they're just trying to survive. The world can definitely weigh on us when things become challenging. However, just like lifting weights like my athletes, the weight of the world helps us build the strength we need to survive on this road ahead. As I watched the athletes, I realized the resistance we face on a daily basis is something that helps us train our body and minds for what's ahead. On the track, every week, the athletes get smarter and figure out how to approach a workout and my students seem to do the same. While some may look more carefree than others, we are all carrying our load as we step forward through the day. We will never know just how much weight someone is carrying, however, I am hopeful that we can be respectful and treat each other knowing the challenges those around us are facing on a daily basis. My own struggles today added a weight on my load today, but I know that in the long run, it will better prepare me to handle what's ahead. 

~:[CH12 - Day 65]:~ Rolling Along

 
~:[CH12 - Day 65]:~ Rolling Along

Another Monday, another week. I would say this is just another week, but with a pile of work and only days until we depart for New York, it's been a bit crazy. On top of it all, I've been trying to adjust a reservation due to the change in the conference schedule that we've been used to. Regardless, I just keep rolling along. It's easy to get dragged down by it all, but there also is so much to be uplifted by. Today, the athletes did a fairly good job on their run and were responsible and got their groups together to do their sets. Class had an enjoyable day with our annual imperialism game (day 2) and I began to finish things on my list one by one. I feel the anxiety of all the work that is left to do, but as I said before, I just keep allowing myself to roll along. Eventually, things will get done and I can kick back a little bit and relax, but for now, I'll work to get all my ducks in a row until I take off again.

~:[CH12 - Day 64]:~ The Right Moves

 
~:[CH12 - Day 64]:~ The Right Moves

I wanted to sleep in. I woke up early. I ended up getting some work done before heading out for my normal boba run. It left me just enough time to finish up most of the work I had to do for track, as I tried to record all the splits for my distance team for the past few meets. I think it's important for them to know their splits so they can figure out what they need to adjust. As I wrapped up, I headed out the door. I thought it would be a bad day, as I turned out of my block as a car was turning in. Behind that car, a U-Haul came blazing through, tailed me, and then continued to honk at me for about 1/4 mile. It was kind of ridiculous as I definitely was pulling away from him until he tailed me again when I came up behind a slower car. In the end, however, the day was full with the right moves. Just before I went to dinner, I made a move with my crypto and missed a drop and hit a gain. It was lucky timing, but also based on a lot of research I had one. The dinner we had was delicious and it was a great choice to pick this spot. While I know the other option would have been delicious as well, it was nice to choose a newer spot. I headed home and just had enough time to catch the end of the Clippers game. I walked away when it was getting ugly seeing that the game started going the wrong way when I sat down to watch. Sure enough, when I went back to my room, they started to catch up and finally broke their losing streak. In the meantime, I finished up assigning spots for the International, prepped for school tomorrow, and started to wrap up my planning for Nationals. Some days feel like they could go downhill quickly, but when you keep your cool and don't let others ruin your day, you may just find that you'll make all the right moves to make the day wonderful. In those tense situations, keep your cool and you'll find that you can definitely avoid a day that seems like it's a disaster in the making. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Let's have a great week!

~:[CH12 - Day 63]:~ Development

 
~:[CH12 - Day 63]:~ Development

District is always so early in the year. It's tough because we normally have a lot of athletes still learning how to approach their events and some who only have been doing their events for a few days. I encourage all the athletes to come to this event, but at the same time, don't stress over winning or losing at this meet. Don't get me wrong, I want to give our team the best chance to win (hence emphasizing the importance of them being there), but at the same time, know that this is just the beginning of a long season. It's great if someone can come out and do well, but unless there is some development through the year, I haven't done my work as a coach. I am hoping that by season's end, each of these athletes end up better than when they started this year and that will be the true victory we aim for each and every season. In the end, that development also puts us in prime position to succeed as a team, thus it ends up being a win-win.

~:[CH12 - Day 62]:~ Flying High

 
~:[CH12 - Day 62]:~ Flying High

Last year, I walked by this guy in the gym during basketball and said, you should high jump. He ended up coming out, but when he jumped, he was as stiff as a board. It was hard to adjust as we only had about a month to do so, thus, we relied on his pure jumping ability with a little bit of form. We gave him homework and he truly did work on it. Watching him today, he still has some things to work on (mostly through experience), but he truly made the bar look like it was super low as he soared over six feet in the air high above the bar. Looking at the arch in his back made me so happy as I know how much work he put in, doing his homework, which a coach is always appreciative of. This is something that can't happen over night, so I am glad he did what he needed to do so that we only need to focus on his mentality and finding the most comfortable approach so he gets into a rhythm. He ended up winning the District Championships and while there wasn't a huge crowd to watch since we had two events a day early, I am hoping that he'll find his way to the spotlight soon enough. 

~:[CH12 - Day 61]:~ Kicking It Off

~:[CH12 - Day 61]:~ Kicking It Off

The weather delayed us a week, but we still were able to hold our annual Black & Gold meet. It's great to have our team have a little fun inter-squad meet and even have alumni come out and join in on the fun. With alumni, staff, parents and more joining us, it truly become a great affair that we can look forward to every year. I am definitely glad that despite the weather, we were able to reschedule and while it means that we'll be a little tired for this weekend's meet, I think that it was more important for the athletes to have this opportunity to get used to how a meet runs, learning how to approach their events and interacting with all those who joined in on the fun. Until next year ...

 

~:[CH12 - Day 60]:~ Phenomenon

 

~:[CH12 - Day 60]:~ Phenomenon

It was nice that we finally got some clear skies, but before we did, we got a bit of crazy weather. With high winds, we ended up with a little morning precipitation which turned to snow in areas which almost never see snow. Reports from Disneyland reported that the magic truly was brought to the Magic Kingdom. Sometimes these types of phenomena happen. In life, we hope that these experiences will bring great moments in our lives, but sometimes, these events derail everything we've been working for. The last week definitely has provided many challenges to our lives, but at the same time, it's benefitted us with the water that was much needed and some beautiful opportunities from the reflections to the uncommon arrival of snow. Sometimes we can't prepare for everything, but we can definitely have the choice on how we want to respond. When life brings us a storm, I hope we can do our best to stand strong so we can enjoy the clear skies that will arrive after. The last week has been tough, but we got clear days ahead plus mountains full of snow which means a long ski season. Stay warm ya'll!