~:[CH12 - Day 120]:~ Vicariously

 
~:[CH12 - Day 120]:~ Vicariously

People often tell me that they live vicariously through me. Little do they know, that I live vicariously through them. Working in different places around the world sounds great, but when you're working most of the time and not exploring too much, I actually end up spending time scrolling to see what others are up to. It's funny how we experience things through others, when we each are living vicariously through each other. Personally, I find something more commonplace something great to enjoy through others. A family gathering, a beautiful date or even time to rest at home, as simple as these things are, I sometimes envy those who have those opportunities when I am busy working. As great as it may sound to be away, it's not always as great as it seems when you feel like you're missing out on some things that truly matter. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy exploring, but there are moments during those stretches when I do wish for things that are a little more simple, as they tend to be the most valuable things in life. As I looked through photos of a fun day for my family at California Adventure, I lived vicariously through the photos wishing to be there, as I worked through my piles of work at home. I hope that we all can enjoy all the simple moments we have in our lives and hope we realize just how important and amazing they are. It may not always seem as special as being somewhere exotic, but the reality is, these moments are the ones that are truly extra special.

~:[CH12 - Day 119]:~ Backlogged

 
~:[CH12 - Day 119]:~ Backlogged 

I hate being backlogged. It happens way to often, but I don't like the feeling of knowing I have things to do, so often I go through and get it done or try to forget it altogether. Today I got some rest, but also got to work. I started working on the backlog of things I needed to do. I knew I wouldn't finish, but still, knowing that I was getting some of the work done felt good. Often, it's great when the backlog is photos, as you get to reminisce about a great experience you just had. Boston definitely was memorable and while I was only there a short while, that short time was jam packed with memories. How do you mentally prepare yourself to tackle that list of things you were suppose to do and now are catching up on it?

~:[CH12 - Day 118]:~ Legally Blonde

 
~:[CH12 - Day 118]:~ Legally Blonde

It was a recovery day. The week has been truly exhausting and while it was another day of work, I tried to keep it relatively low key. We gave the athletes a break after a late night at the track, so I used that time to prep my equipment for the musical that evening. It's always fun to go to the productions and see the students in a different light. I am always surprised to see a student I had in the past, not knowing they'd be interested in performing. It was definitely a fun show and great to see all of their performances. The crowd love the performance as they were enthusiastically supporting their friends and family. I always seem to come on the day that the Macy's judges also come, as one of the judges chatted with me, thinking I was in charge of the music (he loved the music last time he came). Ultimately, it was great capturing many of the great moments and definitely know that they audiences will have enjoyed this year's production. I went home and processed the photos and wrapped them up before bed. If you didn't get a chance yet, catch the last night of this fabulous production on Saturday!

~:[CH12 - Day 117]:~ Fears, Cheers & Celebration

 
~:[CH12 - Day 117]:~ Fears, Cheers & Celebration

Any competition has its ups and downs. After an exhausting morning prepping for the meet, printing, organizing, coordinating and planning, we headed to the meet where the setup continued. Even with a few more hours to setup, it didn't fee like it was enough. Frustrations were definitely high with this and that not being taken care of, but we got it all settled and were ready for the long night ahead. Of course the most exhausting part of the day comes with the unpredictability of these championship races. After a season of building a strong foundation, it was finally time to see whether the structures we built can withstand the moment. We had to address disappointments and tears, chat with athletes to help them learn a lesson from their mistakes, we calmed them down when their anxieties were getting the best of them, and even had to remind them to ensure they didn't make a mistake. The anxieties faded as the athletes focused all their efforts on their races. The chats and reminders, soon became words of support and cheers. The disappointments and tears were also followed by smiles, celebrations, and tears, of joy. What started out as a season of uncertainty soon became one where the athletes showed how the work they put in became the results they outputted tonight. They did not back down as they confidently pushed themselves through competitions, as PRs were set, goals were met, and even records were achieved. With a few events to go, we had already sealed the championships, but the medals and titles were far outweighed by the progress this group had made. I had to keep the group in check so that they would not get disqualified for celebrating too much, but in reality, it's in that desire to celebrate for each others that comes one of the greatest pieces of our foundation. While not everyone had the day they wanted, there was definitely a lot to smile about and a lot of attributed to the daily grind that started even before our official practices began. What started as a sprout bloomed into something glorious and while there's still room to grow, the growth cycle definitely has been expedited faster than expected. I'm definitely exhausted, but I too will carry a smile as I head to bed knowing that tonight ended with what we built still standing strong. Congratulations ohana!

~:[CH12 - Day 116]:~ Envisioning Success

~:[CH12 - Day 116]:~ Envisioning Success

There was some sadness as we said farewell to our Grandma Taira. As we bid farewell at her viewing, I still thought how amazing it was that she has experienced over a century's worth of life events. With life expectancy just over 77 years old, you could imagine how much you can do with another quarter century. I've always thought, when I pass, will I have done all I wanted to do and will my life be considered a success or a failure. My answer came from the most unexpected source, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks were upset by the 8th seeded Heat and he was asked, would you consider the season a failure. He compared winning a championship to life. He mention about how in life, we're not always going to get that promotion or reach that goal we set out for, but it doesn't mean we've failed. Every time we don't get what we are trying to pursue, we have to work harder. When you really think about it, it's true about all things in our lives. There are so many things we hope to achieve and we will never reach our goals every time, in fact we may not reach our goal ever. With league finals coming up, I thought it was a perfect time as this message is one that can speak directly to my athletes. I hope that they see that whether they get first place or reach a new personal record, that standard cannot measure whether they succeeded or failed. The measure of success comes in the process. How hard did you grind every day to reach your goals? How have you grown physically and mentally due to your hard work? Did you put in your full effort or did you cut corners along the way? Did you do all the little things you needed to do to line yourself up for success? If you answered yes to most of those, you've done what you could and now, you just got to give it your all. Show sportsmanship, do everything you can do, give it your all and there is no possibility for failure, as you've already succeeded. As he said, there are days where others will surpass you or get promoted over you, but that just means, you need to get back to work. I'm sure in Grandma Taira's life, she did all she could to make the most of her years as just as I know that her years were full of success, I am hoping the same for this next generation of athletes as they prepare for this next test in their lives. 
 

~:[CH12 - Day 115]:~ Student Athletes

 
~:[CH12 - Day 115]:~ Student Athletes

Sometimes it can be a little challenging being at an academic school as athletes are often asking to go to academy, an AP review session or extra credit. Of course, it's also nice that they focus so much on their academics which also means I have to worry less about their potential ineligibility. I definitely get my share of those I need to be on top of, however, it definitely isn't as many as some other schools have to face. To be a student athletes, however, you need to be able to learn to time manage, push through especially after a long workout, and learning how to focus in so you can finish efficiently. As I saw one of my athletes doing her homework right after practice, I recalled my own days of doing this very exact thing as I continue to maintain respect to all those athletes who dedicate themselves to their sport, sacrificing so much time, while also keeping up with their school work. As we wrapped up another practice, we are closing in on the final few days for the majority of the team. Strangely, we still have over 100 alive in league competition and I am hoping we'll still have a large chunk of them making it through to CIF. While it means they'll need to balance practice through AP week, based on how they've done in the past, I have full faith these student athletes are truly capable. Mad respect to all of them. 

~:[CH12 - Day 114]:~ Survival

 
~:[CH12 - Day 114]:~ Survival

I was exhausted. I was trying to do work last night, but took a nap and woke up so that I could print out the docs for league finals. 250+ pages later, I was all ready for the meet. Waking up, I could sense my body was in survival mode. It made it worse, as I typically have time to get everything together before the meet, but with no school business subs available on this day, I had to be in class until just before the bus headed out. I scrambled around and got everything taken care of, but it wasn't easy. To top it off, the seniors convenient picked today to have a senior ditch day, which also led to a handful of my athletes eliminating themselves from prelims, which was upsetting. Of course, the responsible ones went to school and did what they needed to do to qualify. Prelims is all about survival. You show up, you place and you move on. For many, they just need to run a normal race and they were in and a good chunk of our athletes advanced. I was proud of those who ran today as they demonstrated that they'll be ready for finals. It's obviously difficult to determine who was running at 100% or not, but I felt a great sense of comfort with our performances across the board. It was an early finish, something I was hoping for, and so I was able to get home and rest. I took another nap, before sending out the results and doing the first step to prep for league finals. I've been working non-stop for the past few days, so it will be nice to slow down just a bit tomorrow, the first day without an even in a the past few days. I survived! 

~:[CH12 - Day 113]:~ Alma Mater

 
~:[CH12 - Day 113]:~ Alma Mater

It's always fun to go back to my alma mater. It's so beautiful and every time I go back, there is something new that makes it even better. The student center, where I hosted all those events and conferences looks amazing now and of course the UTC is a great place to relax and grab a nice bit during the breaks. I was a little upset at myself that I volunteered to take the second day, but at the same time, I was glad I was there. The conference was quite small with only five committees, so it was easy to go around and check out the committees. With a group of less than 30, I was happy with how easy it was to monitor. In the end, the students were active and engaged. Of the five committees, we got three best delegates and added the large school delegation award. It was cool to see one of my students who really grew in Model UN since freshman year. I was impressed while watching him in caucus and strangely, when he won the gavel, I wasn't surprised after watching him in committee today. One of the greatest things about working with this program are the transformations that I get to see with these students. Some are quite, some are disengaged, some are unfocused, but many turn it around and find their own path towards success. This student was one of them. Just like how my alma mater transformed, year after year, these students transform and for both of these transformations, I am forever grateful and proud.

~:[CH12 - Day 112]:~ Until the Stroke of Midnight

 
~:[CH12 - Day 112]:~ Until the Stroke of Midnight

I wasn't looking forward to today. It wasn't because I didn't want to go to the events, but I knew how grueling of a day (and weekend) it would be. Not only did I have to worry about preparing for league next week, I had a weekend full of MUN conferences and prom. I jumped on the bus at 7:15am and took the students to Huntington. They did really well. The majority of my freshmen gave their speeches without any notes. While there are many who do, I haven't had this large of a majority of them do it at the same conference. You could tell they were much more excited about their performances and for that I am grateful. We got back and so I drove home, showered and changed, heading to the prom site. It was a beautiful site and it was amazing to see all the students enjoying themselves. I was a little stressed out as my camera was giving me a whole bunch of issues, but I made it work as best as possible and while I didn't get the best photos, I was happy with some of the ones I took. With exhaustion creeping in, I decided to call it a night a little early to avoid the traffic and so I could get some rest for tomorrow. The thought of finishing prom photos creeped into my mind, but ultimately, I decided against it as my body rebelled. It was definitely a long day, but one that was worth every minute and ounce of energy. 

~:[CH12 - Day 111]:~ The Final Stretch

 
~:[CH12 - Day 111]:~ The Final Stretch

It was our final hard workout for the regular season. While we have a few things here and there, the majority of the work is done and now, it's just prep time for league finals. It's weird to have this workout on a Friday, but with our crazy schedule this year, it's just how it fell into place. The weather ended up being one of the hotter days of the week which made it a bit challenging, however, the athletes held tough and got through it. The funny thing is, despite it being an interval workout, when I called the workout, they wondered what was wrong with me. Our workouts must have been tough through the season so I guess this definitely was scaled down (on purpose). I hope that this means that we're ready for the final stretch. The ball is now in their court to see if they can take care of their bodies, rest well, eat well and mentally prepare themselves to they are best prepared on the day of the meet. Only time will tell. Wish them luck!

~:[CH12 - Day 110]:~ Never Quit

 
~:[CH12 - Day 110]:~ Never Quit

Often times, my parents know more about what's going on in basketball (well, all sports) than I do. While I follow along with the teams I support, they tend to stay afloat with the majority of the teams as they play on TV. My mom knows the players, not only on the Clippers, but on most teams. When I was in Boston, we decided to go to game 3, but sadly, before the game, we found out, we would be out our 1-2. What I like about this year's team is, they have a never quit attitude. It gets frustrating when they make mental errors and have their defensive breakdowns, but you always see them giving their all. In this game, the frustrations mounted with the crowds as the Suns went to the line 46 times. It looked like they would be cruising to victory, yet this team chipped away at the lead and had a three in the final minute go in and out, which could have been a turning point. There are no consolation prizes for a loss, however, you gain a lot of respect when you see these athletes step up into these roles. It's easy to get discouraged when you feel like you're at a disadvantage or when everything that could go wrong does, but when that happens, I hope we can see that no matter what, we should never back down and never quit. I definitely was sad and frustrated (at the refs) as I drove home, but still, there was a piece of me the was inspired by this team that never backed down even when all the odds were stacked against them.

~:[CH12 - Day 109]:~ Traditions

 

~:[CH12 - Day 109]:~ Traditions

The tradition of me hating picture day continues. It's often difficult to get everyone in order and to do what needs to be done in a timely manner. This group wasn't perfect, but they got it done fairly quickly. My disdain for picture day wasn't as high today than in years past. One of my favorite photos to take has always been the vault shot. They always are the most creative and this year, they continued a tradition they began and we'll just have to see how much further it goes. In the end, it seemed like the athletes had a good time and strangely the day went off fairly well. I had to sit at the school for a while longer, but still yet, I was relaxed and happy that it finally was all over. By days end, I still am hating picture day, but as I look back through all the photos, I know that in the future, this day will be one of my most treasured days, with so many wonderful and heart-filled memories captured that we'll be able to look back on and tell so many wonderful stories. The traditions will continue to live on if we allow it and my hope is we all work to maintain those traditions we truly enjoy and deserve. 

~:[CH12 - Day 108]:~ Fine Tuning

 ~:[CH12 - Day 108]:~ Fine Tuning

I always call this workout, my fine tuning. As we close in on the final stretch of the season, I work to try and peak my athletes at these final stretch of races. As we start to reach the end, my goal is to fine tune these athletes so they have their engines running properly as we cross the finish line. For some, they still need to fix a few things here and there, while others, are ready to go and truly benefit from this extra push. I am always excited for this moment in the season, as they run their best races at this point, but also anxious, because there is a lot on the line. Regardless, my hopes is, that with all of this work, they'll find their way to their best performances, shining from this moment of fine tuning. Let's get it!

~:[CH12 - Day 107]:~ Even the Best

 
~:[CH12 - Day 107]:~ Even the Best

I was feet away from the fastest marathoner in the world. He unofficially broke two hours in the marathon and was just over two officially. Boston, of course, is a different beast. One, as we drove around yesterday, we did see so many runners out and about. You could sense the difference in the air from any other marathon. It's iconic and its course is also iconic. If you haven't run the course, you better strategize before the race, as it definitely requires some planning to successfully maneuver through the course. The rain didn't help either. As while it was just drizzling down most of the time, at times, there were downpours that made life tough for the runners. As I watched Kipchoge work his way through the course, you saw that he didn't have all cylinders firing. It was rumored that he missed a water station and faltered from there, however, in the end, the defending champion repeated and Kipchoge was a few minutes behind. TNT did exactly what he was supposed to and strategized. While the rain and the hills pushed him back from his goal, he still was able to reach a new PR on the course, which was impressive for a first timer. Despite the rain, we had good reason to celebrate. Our "celebration" was relaxing together and just eating together, while resting our exhausted bodies. Even though we didn't run, moving around definitely took its toll. We felt like we should stay in and just watch the games, but we ended up heading out and enjoying the night in town, before finishing off the night with the Warriors / Kings game. As I look back on the day, it makes you think that even the best have an off day. For that reason, even when you think you don't stand a chance, you prepare, you strategize, and you do everything you can to give yourself a shot. All those in that front group did and the end result was coming out on top of the field. Even the best have that day and so that's why you never count yourself out and just give it your all. In the end, TNT didn't get Kipchoge, but being one of the best who I've every coached, I was proud to see him run such a great race, overcoming so many obstacles and ending up with his best time ever. That truly was a victory and really made this trek out to see him completely worth it. In the end, each and every time you put yourself out there, give it your all, believe in what you can do, and never back down, even when all odds are stacked against you.

~:[CH12 - Day 106]:~ All Things Fall into Place

 
~:[CH12 - Day 106]:~ All Things Fall into Place

So I am on this trek for just a few days. It's a bit crazy to have such a turnaround, but I know most people won't be surprised. Things just seemed to fall into place today as I got a free double upgrade and because of it, had a nice comfortable ride which allowed me to sleep. I needed the rest as I tried to make a shoot which I tried to get to 30 minutes after landing. I actually made it, but it was delayed due to some closures. Regardless, despite the obstacles, it was a success and we celebrated over breakfast. Soon after, we gathered our things and headed to meet an alum for lunch. It was great to see him and his family. It's wonderful to see them grow up and start their families. Even more so, I am always so glad to simply get to sit down, chat and reconnect. After a fruitful afternoon, we grabbed our stuff, checked into our lodging and headed down the Freedom Trail. We knew we couldn't hit the entire trail, but we were able to trek through a good portion of it before headed to dinner. It was nice to just relax and enjoy, celebrating the great moments of the day, as everything seemed to fall into place even though not everything went as planned. Sometimes things stray off course, but when they still seem to workout, it's quite wonderful. The end of the night found us sitting around the TV, watching the Clippers game. Strangely, I was with a bunch of Suns fans, so I guess it ended up being even more exciting when the Clippers ended up pulling the W. We finished the night planning our routes for the marathon tomorrow. We have a strategy to provide full support for TNT in hopes that he'll hit his goal. The first goal was reach today, let's hope that the second part of this plan falls into place tomorrow. 

~:[CH12 - Day 105]:~ Representation

 
~:[CH12 - Day 105]:~ Representation

I did a lot of preparation for the quick turnaround coming up. When first scheduling this along time ago, I didn't realize how chaotic it would end up being, however, I accomplished a lot last night and today was mostly wrapping up what I needed to. I headed out and grabbed a nice meal before meeting the Shibutanis at their event at the Grove. It's been amazing to see them do so much for the AAPI community. Their first two books really helped young readers find characters they can relate to. This new release can be read by and even larger audience as they highlight individuals who have been amazing for the AAPI community. The question I have for all of you is, do you feel more able when you see people who have broken boundaries and who can relate to your upbringing? I think while role models don't have to be just like you, that representation brings even more inspiration and motivations to others to follow in their footsteps. For the Shibutanis, they did their own trailblazing as Asian-Americans in the Olympics and it's great that they started with inspiring young athletes and broadened their influence to inspiring young minds. I've been lucky to know so many who are apart of these groundbreaking pushes, many who I have worked with. To see them succeed and highlighted makes me appreciative of the walls they are bringing down so that others have less barriers to overcome on their way to success. It's not easy being the first, but those who take on these challenges of being trailblazers find that the rewards are much greater than they could ever imagine as they see many who aspire to be just like them. Representation truly matters and that's why books such as Amazing by the Shibutanis mean so much more than simply highlighting important people in history, as their efforts will inspire so many and will allow them to believe that all that they dream of will be possible. For those paving the way for those behind them, know that all of your efforts will be well worth it. At times you'll be tired and discouraged, but know that every ounce you devote will be worth it. 

~:[CH12 - Day 104]:~ All Done

 
~:[CH12 - Day 104]:~ All Done

I felt a little weight being lifted off my shoulders. I enjoyed the evening with my family after finishing up some cleaning, wrapping up my preparations for the weekend and most importantly filing my taxes. This year was quite the challenge as my numerous trades and different variables had me trying to figure out new forms and requirements. I had errors with my CSV imports for my trade and went back and forth trying to figure out exactly what was wrong. In the end, I figured out all the different issues I was facing one by one and ultimately clicked submit. I had planned on paying a little bit more in taxes this year, but strangely, when it all panned out, I actually got a refund. When looking at the adjusted brackets, I figured out that they were more favorable, a true blessing among the stress of trying to wrap this up before the deadline. As I went back and forth between finishing tasks, I continued to feel better as one thing after another was wrapped up. As Alyssa was washing up, I felt the same feeling after washing off all that dirt and grime off your hands as you prepare to relax and enjoy a good meal. I was all done and ready to enjoy the evening. Today definitely was not smooth sailing, but the fact that I am now "out at sea," means that I survived the initial rough waters to enjoy the beauty of this tranquil sea called break. While it took until Friday to do so, at least I can take that deep breath and enjoy. 

~:[CH12 - Day 103]:~ All In

 
~:[CH12 - Day 103]:~ All In

I often try to convey to students and athletes that if you truly want to be successful, you got to put in the effort. It doesn't stop with doing what is required, but taking on extra work and even taking care of the intangibles. The intangibles are definitely key. The pandemic put a little dent in our routine as it became hard to get athletes to focus in on these smaller things such as stretching, sets, rolling out and icing, but little by little, they're getting on board. I am not sure if they truly 100% understand how these smaller things play a role in them reaching their goal, but all I can do is help guide them, remind them and see what comes of it all. In the classroom, it's no different. The students have to decide how much effort they're going to put in. We can make every effort and go above and beyond, but they still have to do the work.  In the end, a few mistakes along the way help them learn that shortcuts don't always work and when they put in they truly go all in, they increase their chances of success. This week, I had a pretty good showing for my practices and I hope that means that the final showdown with the league will lead to good results. Only time will tell, but I am glad to see that many of these athletes and many of my students are starting to take that step by going all in.

~:[CH12 - Day 102]:~ Scheduleless

 
~:[CH12 - Day 102]:~ Scheduleless

It was nice. A day without a plan. I had an idea of what I was going to do, but I left the day pretty scheduleless. Get to it when I get to it, I thought. I think in our lives we need these days. Coming from a job that is so structured, I needed to add a little flexibility to my day depending on how I felt. I felt a bit unproductive although, I did accomplish a lot, but still yet, there were things that I wanted to do that were left undone by day's end. Our body and minds need a break every once in awhile and my scheduleless day allowed me exactly that. I chuckled as I knew I should have done much more, but when you look at it, maybe the day will allow me to be more productive in the days ahead. Only time will tell, but for now, I'll simply appreciate the fact that today, there was no place I needed to be and no time schedule I needed to follow. It's not the answer to my everyday, but definitely a day that we all need in our lives. 

~:[CH12 - Day 101]:~ Shotime

 
~:[CH12 - Day 101]:~ Shotime

Immediately when I discovered Shohei was pitching, I bought my cheap outfield seats and prayed the schedule wouldn't change. A few times, it happened to me, tonight I lucked out. After a morning practice, a wonderful catch up lunch, and some work, I headed to the stadium. I was definitely excited and felt the anticipation. As planned, I got a great angle of him in the bullpen as he warmed up for the game. It's amazing to see so many people flock to the games just for one player. In America, he is celebrated, but in Japan, he is on another level. When you look around, there are advertisements of him everywhere and the newspaper will report on him in Japan regularly, as the fans follow him. While we can never predict for how long, for the time being, we are witnessing someone who is incredible, both as a player and as a person. His work ethic is beyond explanation as he constantly is working on what he needs to without losing much focus. He adds weapons to his arsenal of pitches, so much so that the scoreboard read unknown and the term sweeper has become a pitch you see more of from him. He has had control issues so far this year, but has been good at damage control (with help from his team), allowing just one run in 19 innings. On top of it all, he has has a decent start batting. While he'll face his toughest test on Monday against the Red Sox, Shohei has shown that he is someone that can be cemented into the history books and we're lucky to witnesses in front of our very eyes. In all things in our lives, there are people that are iconic and you are lucky enough to witness, Whether you get to work closely with them or get to see them in action, I hope that we can treasure those moments, as later on in life, I'm sure we'll be sharing stories about this and that. For now, I hope we can appreciate the greatness in front of us whether a professional athlete, the most improved student, or that dependable friend who are icons in their own right. 

~:[CH12 - Day 100]:~ Precious Days

 
~:[CH12 - Day 100]:~ Precious Days

It was Jodan's birthday today. It's amazing how time flies and how quickly the little ones grow up. It was great to be able to see him as he celebrating turning five years old. While they just stopped by for a quick second, looking at this shot, it reminded me of how precious time is. It reminded me of pictures that I took when I was five years old. Often times in my younger years, I would pretend to be sleeping in all my photos. I wonder what we will notice as we look back on all of his photos. As time goes on day by day, I hope we can remember just how precious every single one of these days are. As we get older, we know not what the future holds and how many days we have left, so I hope we can treasure and celebrate each of these days so we can collect these precious memories to cherish for the remainder of our days. Happy Birthday!

~:[CH12 - Day 99]:~ What's Hidden

 
~:[CH12 - Day 99]:~ What's Hidden

I used to wonder what the history of the Easter egg hunt had to do with the religious holidays. Of course, seeing the connection with birth (rebirth) and Easter, over time, the reasons behind it made sense. It was said that this tradition dated back to Martin Luther, further solidifying its religious roots. As children, we often didn't consider this as we excitedly ran around the house and yard, searching for eggs. Even as adults, however, our lives continue to be like these egg hunts. Some run around collecting as many as they can while others look for only specific ones to pick up. With each new discovery, we decide, is it worth our time and effort or do we pass on by until we find what we are looking for. Sometimes, what we pass by, may be the gem we're looking for, but never gave a chance to, while in others, we work frantically to find the one, only to be disappointed. In our lives, we'll uncover our own Easter eggs about ourselves. In our own egg hunt, we'll have to decide what do we prioritize? Do we search for something specific or collect as much in possible? Will we end up what we expected or will we be disappointed or even pleasantly surprised with our discoveries. In the end, aside from any religious connections, today is also a reminder that today we are given a second chance. There are moments in our lives that we may feel have brought us to the end, but today should remind us that we can remold ourselves and give ourselves that second chance. When we head down the wrong path or we've lead a life we aren't proud of, this season is the reason why we have another opportunity, that second chance. What's hidden along the path on our road ahead, only time will tell, but no matter what it is, just know that each of us will need to make our own choices as we try to learn more about ourselves and the life we live. 

~:[CH12 - Day 98]:~ Our Masks

 
~:[CH12 - Day 98]:~ Our Masks

I wonder what people thought who were walking around the area dressed up. Did it really matter though? Today I staffed AniFest. I got asked awhile back and wasn't sure if it would work out or not. Luckily, in the end, it did. It was a fun event as you saw everyone showing off their creativity and doing something that they were so invest in and loved. I've been watching a Kdrama simultaneously and it's funny how they talk about how each of them were wearing a mask hiding who they were. In this case, it's the opposite. Everyone at these cons are trying to show what they truly love and enjoy. As while the mask often tries to hide who we are, they were unapologetically showing off themselves and I loved it. In many facets of our lives, we've been forced to be someone who we truly don't see as ourselves. We hide struggles that we face and sometimes even change who we are or what we like to "fit in." The one thing I often tell students is to not let others determine what you want to and end up doing. I don't mean to say that they should find new friends, but to truly make decisions on what they want and are interested in, allowing them to take off that mask they're wearing to hide their true selves. Today, I enjoyed the company of so many who truly enjoyed cosplaying or just being among those who love it and I appreciated everyone of them. In the end, I was exhausted as we cleaned up and dragged ourselves to dinner past 10pm. Everyone looked like they were going to pass out with most of them working on site for 16 hours excluding their commutes and preps, but looking back, the sold out event ran smoothly and while there were some speed bumps, they simply slowed us down a bit before we reached the finish line. In the end, we created an event where everyone could be themselves and celebrate their passions with so many others and for that I am appreciative to be apart of it all. I hope that we all find ourselves in a place where we can take off those masks so we can all celebrate who we truly are.

~:[CH12 - Day 97]:~ Not Alarmed

 
~:[CH12 - Day 97]:~ Not Alarmed

Today I set no alarm. I think one thing that retired teachers mention after they retire is, they don't miss the bells. Our lives are so structured around moving from one bell to another, that we kind of are trained to move by this bell, our daily alarm. While we wish we could snooze it, the school bells don't wait, as it's going to happen with or without you. I enjoyed not having that alarm today and got a taste of what retirement life might feel like. I felt rested and unrushed for a change, rolled out of bed, did my laundry, and got a little bit of work done. I didn't do as much as I wanted as I had to finish up a few tasks for tomorrow including the event buttons and getting my equipment ready. The day quickly passed by as my list of things to do today was kind of misplaced. Yes, I'll have more work to do down the road during the break, but at least for today, I truly enjoyed the fact that this day was not alarmed. No schedule, no deadlines and of course, no alarms. 

~:[CH12 - Day 96]:~ Contribution from All

 
~:[CH12 - Day 96]:~ Contribution from All

Today was chaos. I arrived at school and found out that we were leaving 30 minutes earlier. Knowing that, I had to find someone to cover the end of my class and setup for that, had to send out a memo to the staff, and then get word out among the students. Typically it wouldn't be a huge deal, but today was the last day before break. I feel bad because I know how disruptive it is to a classroom to have a student out, however, with a meet of this caliber, it's a must. With our first scoring meet in league, I knew it would be an important one. I was hoping I wouldn't get many messages from athletes saying, I am going on vacation Thursday. Luckily, most of the athletes listened to me and we arrived with mostly a full squad. One of the things about track is that it's challenging when there are so many different parts. It truly requires contributions from all and while we may not have a whole lot of athletes you'd consider elite by CIF standards, we do have solid athletes in every area that allow us to find success. Our girls held a solid lead midway through the meet, but our boys were losing and our boys frosh/soph team held a slim four point lead. After a quick talk to my 800m athletes, we saw a dominating 200m effort followed by a strong 800m effort. It quickly widened the gap and truly helped us push forward. Some would say it was our numbers that helped us, but in reality, we had numbers, but those numbers include quality athletes. As stated previously, I've truly enjoyed watching these athletes blossom and today was one of those moments where their growth was highlighted. Early in the season I worried how our team would be, but today they showed me that they're ready to all contribute to this win. In the end, we swept all four divisions and enjoyed a celebratory meal together, exhausted from the chaotic day, but glad that we've arrived at the break especially with four big wins on the day, which was made even more incredible by the fact that it was achieved because of the contributions from all. Victory is sweet, but earning it as a team is truly priceless, just like today.

~:[CH12 - Day 95]:~ Blue Skies Ahead

 
~:[CH12 - Day 95]:~ Blue Skies Ahead

As we inch closer to break, today was one of the final practices when all the athletes are expected to compete. With only league finals left, many of the athletes may be training, but may not have a race to compete in. It will all need to play out as we look at the best team to win the title, but it felt a little strange knowing that the season passed by so quickly. As I looked up though, I felt a little weight off my shoulders as I knew the last day before break was coming, but at the same time, knew how busy Thursday would be. With us hosting every league meet, meet days are always a little chaotic and I am hoping that everything falls into place. For now, I'll enjoy this breath of fresh air and the beautiful weather before the final day brings it's wrath, which will allow me to appreciate this spring break even more when those blue skies will have arrived.

~:[CH12 - Day 94]:~ Roots

 
~:[CH12 - Day 94]:~ Roots

One thing I like about my upbringing is how close I grew up connected to my roots. I always enjoyed the American lifestyle, but never really lost contact to the Japanese culture. Of course, when it comes to language, I definitely have a long way to go, but in terms of connecting with the culture of Japan, my friends and relatives in Japan are astonished how much the culture is embedded in my daily life. I do like to experience all cultures, attention festivals and events, learning from friends, studying the history and of course eating the food among other things, however, I have always stayed close to my roots. As most know, I've been working on some projects in Japan and when I go back and forth, the transition is nearly seamless. My meals are similar to what I may normally eat and nothing really surprises me, except when I get stuck trying to respond to something some said to me so quickly in Japanese. I had a few things to finish up as we head into the break, but as I did, I got to enjoy another beautiful moment reminded me of my roots. It won't be long before I have to head back to work on my next project, but for now, I'll still enjoy life here at home without losing contact with my roots. 

~:[CH12 - Day 93]:~ Blooming

 
~:[CH12 - Day 93]:~ Blooming

It's strange how close we are to the end of the season. I didn't realize it, but our entire team has just a week left together. While we still have meets after this week, only about half of our team will be eligible to compete at league finals. Sadly, this season has been tarnished with canceled meet after canceled meet as dates for meets fell on different weeks, other meets got canceled, and the rain definitely took its toll. Regardless, when there is rain, it leads to a beautiful bloom and today I saw just how much this team has blossomed over the course of this season. There are still some loose ends I need to tie, but ultimately, I have seen so much progress from this group, not only in their times, but on days like this, as the groups are bigger, as more of them push their limits. Coaching is exhausting and the pay, well you know about that, but in the end, it's moments like these that remind you why you're doing this in the first place. I enjoyed seeing this transition and progress, as many athletes overcame some early struggle sand found themselves apart of this beautiful bloom after the storm.

~:[CH12 - Day 92]:~ Round of Applause

 
~:[CH12 - Day 92]:~ Round of Applause

I didn't want to wake up today. I was tired from the meet yesterday and also staying up late for the International. Regardless, I am the one who set this up because I thought it would be a good experience. While this session only had a few international students, I was glad that a few joined us from France. While many of the students were trying to get conference credit, there were those who also made an effort to make this time worthwhile. We wrapped up as I headed to buy drinks for the chairs. A few showed up and reaped the rewards of their hard work. They definitely deserved a round of applause. I headed home to catch the women's championship game and the Angels game. LSU played such a strong team game especially with a few bench players stepping up. It was a little disappointing to see Reese taunting Clark, following her around the court. I never really liked these reactions from players, especially in the NBA, as it sends the wrong message to youth players. Regardless, in most cases, these "celebrations" are quite short. This definitely exceeded that and sadly overshadowed the victory, creating a social media storm online. I just hope that the younger generations coming up don't accept this as okay. I turned my attention to the Angels game, celebrating the game as I worked on this and that. I tried to limit the amount of work I was doing since I worked almost every minute of this weekend, but there was still a bit of work to be done including transferring files to my new hard drive. Of course, all the attention of the day was really focused on the NBA. I watched closely, trying to decide which moves to make to get myself the victory. I made a few good moves last round and knew that one move could be the different. At night's end, I realized that having one player in, would have actually gave me a comfortable 7-2 victory, but I still sweated out a 5-4 victory, as I had to watch until the very last game to ensure I had secured the title. Strangely, with as many great teams I've had, this was my first win. In many cases, injuries derailed my playoff run, but this year, I was able to hold on for the most part. It definitely was an impacted weekend and as tired as I was, it was one of those weekends that you're proud that you survived. When you plan something, execute it and it goes well, it definitely feels good as you feel like giving yourself a round of applause. Just like I would tell my students, do it. When you do something well, give yourself credit, as it definitely is well deserved and you deserve to hear that praise. 

~:[CH12 - Day 91]:~ ZOOMing Through the Day

 
~:[CH12 - Day 91]:~ ZOOMing Through the Day

It was a crazy day for sure. We loaded the bus just past 6am and headed to Yorba Linda. I drove since we had the International during the day and I needed to be working from home to make the awards and couldn't just let it stream from the meet like I did for day 1 of the Europe session. It was funny to check in from the meet as there would always be athletes in the background and the background noise couldn't go unnoticed by those in the Zoom tech & support room. The weather actually was pretty warm through the day. I was so proud of the athletes as we had a lot of athletes who placed in their heat and a few who placed overall. While some had tired legs from a tough week of training and a meet, they still performed and I was hopeful for what's ahead when their legs get some rest. I was a little frustrated as the meet ran really late as it went from one hour to 90 minutes and got closer to two hours late by meet's end. I thought I could stay until close to the end, but ultimately I had to miss some of the races I wanted to get splits for. I got home just as committee began and survived through the session. I was great to work with the school from Jeju and see them succeed even if they went up delegates years older than they were. We wrapped up and I was pretty exhausted after zooming through the entire day. I try to avoid stacked days, but sometimes, they're unavoidable. Regardless, as busy as the day was, I truly enjoyed both experiences and am glad I got to maximize my time and resources so I could do as much as possible. Of course, I'll be glad when this weekend is over so I can plop down and enjoy the comforts of my bed. Good night.