~:[CH12 - Day 243]:~ Wrapping Up?

 
~:[CH12 - Day 243]:~ Wrapping Up?

Printing, organizing, emailing and more, there was so much to do and so little time. Of course, as I worked, it did feel a little routine as I knew what I need to do. It's funny when you go through the cycle so many times, you can almost sleepwalk as you wrap things up. Of course, today was anything but ordinary as the campus was filled with pink as today was Barbie vs Ken day. It was great to finally wear my Go Bananas pullover. It turned out quite nice and was happy to wear it all day. I was planning on going all out today with my pink suit, but having to go to Home Depot and other stops for Cow Run errands, I didn't feel the urge to walk in all jazzed up, as I hate that attention. I can deal with it at school, but not beyond. In the end, not only did I get all the emails out, I started printing the final documents and even packed my car for marking the course tomorrow. Life will definitely be better after this meet wraps up on Saturday, but already I feel pretty good as I finished everything a bit sooner than planned. 

~:[CH12 - Day 242]:~ Refreshed

 
~:[CH12 - Day 242]:~ Refreshed

I was definitely a little stressed today. With so much left to do before Saturday, I was running around making sure all was in order. I ran errands and tried to figure out the logistics for Saturday. We had a few snafus, but I ended up getting them worked out in the end and I ventured home to wrap up what I needed to. Just as I was leaving, I got a message that I would be able to take a few packs of blue and yellow fin tuna. Glorious. I was so grateful as the plan was leftovers tonight, but after a long day, the refreshing tuna was definitely a plus. With daikon oroshi and yuzu ponsu, the tuna was delectable and truly amazing. In the middle of the storm, life often gives you some relief and this fish was definitely my relief. Much appreciation to the man, the myth and legend who gave this to me and definitely made this day end on a refreshing note. 

~:[CH12 - Day 241]:~ Look Who It Is ...

 
~:[CH12 - Day 241]:~ Look Who It Is ...

It's really funny because everywhere I seem to go, I run into someone I know. Yes, it's not strange to do so at home, but even when I am abroad, I've run into people or happen to be there at the same time as them, so we end up meeting up. One of those people who I ran into Japan walked into Tastea just as we were wrapping up. It was great to briefly catch up with some alumni. This is the week that I probably see the most alumni as we host the Great Cow Run and many of them come back. It's pretty cool to see them all and while I wish I could talk to them more, you still enjoy being able to see them. In the end, we got to chat for maybe half an hour before we parted ways. It was definitely an exhausting day with the temperatures so high, but it definitely was a great way to end it. Yes, I would much rather go incognito, but I guess it isn't too bad to see people from time to time. 

~:[CH12 - Day 240]:~ Design in Mind

 
~:[CH12 - Day 240]:~ Design in Mind

The one thing in life we don't ever have enough of is time. I end up wearing a lot of hats in whatever I do. I've always grown up as a jack of all trades but a master in none. I have a fairly wide net of things I can do, yet still, I am not stunningly good in any area and I'm fine with that. The problem is that this wide net has left me dabbling in so many areas instead of delegating tasks as I should. Some would say it's being a control freak, but in reality is, the entire blueprint of what I have planned is kept in my mind. My organizational skills don't always allow me to distribute what I should, so then it leaves me working on this and that ensure that things pan out. As I look back on what I do in a year, I realized that I am an event planner, designer, photographer, editor, travel agent, and much, much more. One day, I'll get better at laying things out so I can hand a folder over to somebody and they can take care of everything, but for now, I'll keep working on that blueprint in my mind and try my best to execute what I have there. I've always been blessed with so many dependable people around me who actually figure out (through experience usually) my system, but I know I must drive some crazy as they're left trying to figure out exactly what to do. This year, I'm making an effort to plot more out so that it's not as chaotic on Saturday, but for now, I'll just go with the flow and hope that things work out like the blueprint in my mind. 

PSA ... if you like this shirt above, you can sign up for the Great Cow Run (Higashi Roman Memorial Run) on Saturday at John Glenn HS! The race begins at 7:15am! There also is a little kids sprint (100m) if you want to sign up the little ones! 

https://www.active.com/norwalk-ca/running/distance-running-races/the-great-cow-run-higashi-roman-memorial-run-2023

~:[CH12 - Day 239]:~ Effortless

 
~:[CH12 - Day 239]:~ Effortless

Sometimes you try so hard to accomplish something and it never pans out, while other times, you're not even trying and everything falls into place. That's life. At last year's GoFest, I worked so hard for the regional shiny to no avail. This year, I was working and just playing sporadically and look what showed up! While this is PoGo, this also has happened to me in life. Things work out when you least expect it and not always when you're trying your best. I've been struggling as I've been working on something and putting so much focus into it, but every time I expect things to work out, it has failed. When I worry about it, I think it just puts too much stress and anxiety on myself, so I figure I'll back off and hope things work out. Yes, I do want to give my best, but at the same time, I don't want to obsess over making this project work out. I guess in life, "giving up" is actually not all that bad. While you don't have to abandon what you're hoping will work out, sometimes you let go and find out if fate allows everything to align. When you waste too much time trying to get this one thing to work out, sometimes it means that you also cause yourself to miss out on other opportunities. For now, I'll just hope things work out and will take a deep breath and refocus on other things hoping that all my efforts I already put out will one day show the fruits of my labor. For now, I'll smile knowing that at least one thing I had hope for worked out. I'll take another  step forward and instead of giving up, I'll redirect my energy elsewhere in hopes that all that I've been working on can still work out in the end.

~:[CH12 - Day 238]:~ Hit the Spot

 
~:[CH12 - Day 238]:~ Hit the Spot

The lighting was perfect. The sun hit the area of the trees which created a magnificent view. As the runners passed over the hill and into the dip before the final ascent, they were greeted by this beautiful site. In life we find those moments or things that truly hit the spot. The timing and the placement are perfectly aligned to give us a perfect view. Later that day, I took a nap that allowed me to feel refreshed as I got back on the computer to work. There's a lot of work ahead and between lunch and the nap, it was perfect to give me energy for the remainder of the day. There wasn't anything extraordinary about the day, but that doesn't mean that the day was a waste, in fact, the simplicity is sometimes something that our mind, body and soul need to truly feel refreshed. While it's great to attend an event, accomplish a great feat or go somewhere amazing, the R&R you sometimes can find in the tranquility of your own home is what will hit the spot. No matter what it is for you, I hope that our lives are filled with the right time and the right place to give us that moment that truly hits the spot. 

~:[CH12 - Day 237]:~ Togetherness

 
~:[CH12 - Day 237]:~ Togetherness

Put a bunch of people in a room and you hope that eventually, they'll find something to connect over. Similarly, our food runs are not a waste of a day, rather it's a day to let the athletes be together and hope that they find a connection. It's not as easy to do that during practice as the fastest are way in front and the slower ones behind. Often, they rarely cross paths. However, when we are all confined in the small area of the towne center, they get to enjoy their afterschool time they often miss out on and then also have an opportunity to connect. I think for all of us, we search for a way to connect and it's hard when we are not in proximity. Sometimes it just takes us putting ourselves out there and exploring more to find a connection. Even if we're not good at instigating the conversation, the more chances we give ourselves, the greater opportunities there are. For these students, I hope they learn that lesson early on and find those valuable connections. For others, I hope that we all never feel alone and we find people who we can always count on. 

~:[CH12 - Day 236]:~ How You Frame It

 
~:[CH12 - Day 236]:~ How You Frame It

I was definitely tired. It felt like a Friday and I wanted it to be so much so. Of course, it wasn't and so I had to approach the day with the right mindset. I had to survive the day, survive practice and then get my work done when I arrived home. I did it all. I actually had a pretty good day as I finished up a few projects I have been working on, so after the exhausting day, there was definitely a bit of a celebration to return to. I could focus on the exhaustion that the day was full of, but rather, I definitely want today to be remembered about the finish line I crossed today. It's easy to be overcome with all that is wrong, but if you frame your day right, you'll end the day thinking, what all went right. We finished off a grueling yet successful practice and despite all that was troublesome, I ended the day on a good note and only kept those things in the view. Tomorrow will be another day and just like today, I'll do my best to pick and choose what I allow to hang on the wall for the day. Let's all choose wisely!

~:[CH12 - Day 235]:~ Balance

 

~:[CH12 - Day 235]:~ Balance

I had a short meeting with the team, reminding them of the importance of doing all the little things they need to do, not only to run faster, but also to stay healthy. At times, they lose a little focus and stray from the path. You definitely want to see them enjoy themselves, but also within the confines of what is structured. While this team definitely has stood out since they've been putting in a good amount of effort, I still want to make sure they stay on that path. Regardless, I am hoping that they can take advantage of all the opportunities they have to enjoy themselves, much like the groups that enjoyed today's Homecoming Premiere. Normally, we are just starting school this week, but today, we already hosted our premiere for the first dance of the year. As usual, this year will probably zoom by and I hope that as we do, I as well can maintain that balance between staying focused and letting lose. Wish us luck!

~:[CH12 - Day 234]:~ Surviving on Fumes

 
~:[CH12 - Day 234]:~ Surviving on Fumes

My body and mind were both exhausted from the weekend. The first few weeks of the year are always pretty tough because I am in the middle of getting slammed with planning and events. The beginning of the year itself is difficult enough, but with resetting up the room from scratch, the numerous events, coming off of summer, the Great Cow Run plus our season trip, it all just feels like a whirlwind. Strangely enough, mother nature brought us a storm that just missed us, which may have been good, as it may have added another thing to this plate that is already overloaded. I was supposed to drive out to LA for another event tonight, but I decided that I should just throw in the towel and stay in and get some work done. In the end, it ended up being a wise decision. I wrapped up our season theme design, I finished processing the KCON videos (not photos though), I did a little Cow Run work including finishing up the orders for the event and then took care of a few classroom matters. In the end, one cancelation led to a mountain of things I accomplished and it left a little fuel in the tank to survive the rest of the week. As I think about our cross country theme this year, I think about the fact that many times in life we live in a cycle, but every once in awhile, we face a path that travels into the unknown. As while it may seem like these are the times where we are most likely to fail, it's actually the place where we are most likely to find ourselves and emerge stronger than ever before. As life puts us in these challenging situations, think not of what could go wrong, but rather, what can I do to grow through the challenges ahead. It will not always be easy, but that's exactly why these times present the best opportunity to shine. Let's shine as we head forward knowing that we have what it takes to overcome the unknown territories ahead. 

~:[CH12 - Day 233]:~ A Pizza My Day

 
~:[CH12 - Day 233]:~ A Pizza My Day

I had plans to meet with someone tonight and they got canceled. It allowed me to have time to have another meetup. Deciding on where to go, I wasn't too drawn towards the options put out, but we went with one and luckily it worked out that it was a deal night. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the food, but I always try to look at the most bang for the buck. With half off pizza, it definitely ended up being a great choice. It was nice to catch up, but even nicer to feel like my listening to the conversation being had was valuable. I think at times you get the sense that someone wants to be heard and tonight I felt that, which was nice. Life is not easy and so it's always nice to have people who can be there to support you and be a pizza your day. I stayed out later than I would have liked as I had work to do, but regardless, it ended up that when I arrived home, I was happy with how things turned out. As it's been said many times, when one door closes, another one is bound to open and today it did. I hope that we all have that person we can turn towards when times get tough and even if you feel you don't, trust in those who have always been supporting you, as I guarantee that they will feel blessed that you opened up to them, just as what happened to me tonight. 

~:[CH12 - Day 232]:~ Hurriquake

 
~:[CH12 - Day 232]:~ Hurriquake

It was a little nuts. I carefully trekked over to the venue for today's events/ I was deliberating whether or not I should cancel, but looking at the path of the storm, I decided that it wouldn't be as bad as first expected. It ended up being a fairly smooth drive and I got shelter before any heavy rain or winds. I was worried about the timing, but made it just in time for the panel. It was great seeing Kevin and Min together again, as the last time we all were together was last March! It was hilarious to watch them together as they reminisced about KPOP the Musical. It did make me sad, but it also made me remember the many incredible moments I had because of it. I was debating going to the concert, but didn't want to risk staying late in case the storm got worse, so I decided to try and catch Itzy at the convention. It was great to see them and I probably got a closer view than I would had at the concert. Similarly, what's great about the convention, is you get an opportunity to see groups closer up. While I was there to watch the Showcase to support the MC, it was wonderful to catch these groups - Just B, XG and Riize. I didn't get a good angle of XG at HITC, so it was nice to catch them here, while I have heard a lot about Riize lately, so it was cool to see what the hype was all about. To top it off, it was nice to see a group for whom my alum had written a song for, Just B. The stages were the best of the three days, but also the most challenging as they were the most popular. To top it all off, the earthquake happened during one of the stages, of course, in that environment, it wasn't something that we could feel inside the hall. In the end, I got to enjoy the performances, collected some free last minute samples and even met some vendors. I definitely was exhausted by night's end and the storm didn't help, but as I think back to the challenges of the weekend, I also remember just how memorable much of the weekend was. I'm definitely going to feel it for the rest of the week, but I know that when I finish the final product from this weekend, I'll realize that it was all worth it when the final product is released! Hope ya'll were safe today!

~:[CH12 - Day 231]:~ Completely Full

 
~:[CH12 - Day 231]:~ Completely Full

My schedule today was completely full, but I was also full of joy today. My alarm sounded early this morning as it reminded me of summer with the 5am alarm. I got ready for the time trial, packed up and headed out the door. It worked out well as our athletes got a nice first run in, some found PRs, while others ran a solid race despite it only being August. After wrapping up, I jammed out and headed to KCON. Instead of just one, I had a schedule for two people today. Sadly, despite arriving on time, I miscalculated security and ended up missing the first workshop. It allowed me to position myself for the Viki appearance and I was glad I came across a few previous posts, as I knew exactly where to be. I captured what I needed to, got a free drink, they went upstairs for the workshop. I was so full of happiness and joy to see the accomplishments of another person I know. I guess in my life, I get a lot of happy "parent" moments. To see what great things those around me accomplish is so pleasing and I truly love to soak it all in and celebrate them for what they've done. Even when they do big things, I realize that they don't always get as celebrated as they deserve, so I definitely love to provide as much support as I can, especially when it's in a circle I am already connected to, as it allows me to appreciate it even more. After capturing another Showcase, I ventured home to enjoy the evening with my family. It's always a bit chaotic but I laid down and rested, as I was extremely tired. As tired as I was though, I know that every ounce was well spent and that my energy allowed for the space of the happiness and joy that filled the day. With the pending store incoming, I know that it's definitely a good time to remember to appreciate all that we have, as in an instant, all we knew may be gone. Fill your schedules with what you want to do and allow yourself to be filled with the joy and happiness of the things you love. 

~:[CH12 - Day 230]:~ Step in the Spotlight

 
~:[CH12 - Day 230]:~ Step in the Spotlight

I jammed over to get to the Showcase, only to find out that I didn't look closely enough to figure out where it was being held. It didn't have the info on the program, but if you looked closely, you'd find it on the schedule. I ran around a few times trying to find it to no avail. I finally stumbled across it as I imagined a face palm knowing the blunder I made. Regardless, it ended up that I found it just in time and allowed myself to explore before covering his MCing. It's always great to see someone you know doing big things and also when people recognize it, especially when they didn't know you before. At the last minute, I ended up with a ticket to the concert after the convention so I stuck around to enjoy his performance on the mainstage plus all the main performances of the night. It was weird being in Crypto.com and not be there for a basketball game, but it was nice to be familiar with the facility. I was definitely exhausted after a long day of work and another half day of capturing these great moments, but regardless, no matter how tired I was, I was definitely enjoying the evening and all those who stepped into that spotlight tonight. 

~:[CH12 - Day 229]:~ Shimmer

 
~:[CH12 - Day 229]:~ Shimmer

I'll have to be productive the next few weeks. With school beginning, a meet this weekend, a few tasks at KCON and the Cow Run in a few weeks, there will definitely be a lot of things to take care of. Regardless, despite the challenges of the day, there was still a shimmer on the day as I accomplished a lot of what I hoped to do, Life definitely finds ways to rough you up, but at the same time, when things feel like they're the toughest, they also find a way to give you hope or reward you with something that shines. It's hard not to be negative sometimes. Sometimes that approach life in a negative way and with little expectations can keep you from disappoint, however, at the same time, it could be the roadblock for success. Don't discount yourself. Life is not easy, but when you see the shimmer that every day has, it is more likely to give you hope and keep you moving forward, even if it's just a small bit. 

~:[CH12 - Day 228]:~ A Destination Close-by

~:[CH12 - Day 228]:~ A Destination Close-by

I've always loved this park. It has it's own unique flavor that many places do not. It tells us a story about history, both for our country, but also my own. As a child, I ran through this island, playing much like I see the little children running around and playing. Our team ran across the street and instead of a run, they did something we haven't had for awhile. Absent from Mammoth, we didn't have our team meetings that often ran late into the evening. While this meeting didn't run long, it still gave the team an opportunity to meet together and hopefully begin a connection that could strengthen itself over time. Of course, it's up to us all whether or not we work towards doing so. I also met with an alum and friend tonight as we chatted away about the past, but also about the present. It was wholesome and added something I needed in my day. When I look back at some of the most memorable moments in my life, many of them are at a destination close-by, whether by distance or by connection. We sometimes fail to realize the importance of someone who we see so regularly and who is a pillar in our lives, but I hope that on a day like today, your eyes open up and see just how important many of the things that are a stones throw away from you are. My exhaustion today was a bit greater than usual, but my heart was also overflowing from emotions that were also greater than usual. When we're looking for happiness and looking for comfort, sometimes we can find it at a destination close-by.

 

~:[CH12 - Day 227]:~ Sneak Peek

 
~:[CH12 - Day 227]:~ Sneak Peek

Just a few days into the school year, it's hard to tell how the rest of the year will play out. Regardless, you do get a bit of a sneak peek of what to expect as you begin to see the foundations for the rest of the school year. While I have been busy, it wasn't as chaotic as I thought it would be as I accomplished a lot over the weekend, allowing me to focus on the tasks I have at hand. It was nice to make a quick stop at home to visit this little guy who started kindergarten. It's definitely some great bonding time, even if it's just an hour or so. Despite the heat, we had a great practice today and it was a nice sign of what to expect from the season as well. I have a pile of work to do over the next few weeks and after that, I'll finally get a break, but for now, I'll go with the flow as I wonder if my year will go as expected after this short sneak peek. 

~:[CH12 - Day 226]:~ It's Just a Tear

 
~:[CH12 - Day 226]:~ It's Just a Tear

You may wonder, why on the first day of school does he post a picture of torn pants? For those who know me, you know the recent stories of my struggle with pants (and shorts I guess too). I think I just end up wearing my clothes too often and wear them down, but most people think I either am doing something in them that I should (which I guess lifting weights isn't ideal for khakis) or they're not the right size. Regardless, it's been a funny adventure that I'll be writing a book about in some distance future. Strangely enough, I think back to elementary school when I was playing handball one day. I leaned against the pole and went to sit down when a nail tore my pants open. Maybe that day was the start of this adventure, but regardless, it always means a funny story will remain. Of course, I'm not here to talk about pants. I think that life plays into this narrative. Sometimes we find ourselves facing the dilemma of something ruining our day. We think we got it handle and all of a sudden, the tear happens in our day. It's easy to get mad and frustrated in that moment, however, in many cases, it might be better just to laugh it off and think, it's just a tear. I think sometimes in life we take things too seriously or feed the drama that ruins our day when we can just shake off that moment and continue to stride forward. Even if it gets a little bit drafty, sometimes not allowing a bad moment ruin your day will help your day be great. In the end, the first day went well. Obviously there were things that could have gone better and I ended the day responding with a consecutive string of emails that put me on edge, still yet, I just took it in stride, responded as best I could and celebrated that I survived day 1. Let the countdown to summer begin. JKJK. BTW, can we start a GoFundMe for my pants restocking?

~:[CH12 - Day 225]:~ A Day to Toast

 
~:[CH12 - Day 225]:~ A Day to Toast

There were a lot of reasons to have a toast today. As we clinked our glasses together, it was a joyous day. Sure, my glass was filled with water, but it definitely still didn't take away from the celebration. Life has many moments for you to celebrate. Today, I celebrated wrapping up my setup for tomorrow's first day of school, a sad celebration of the last day of summer and another great moment among friends. Today's toast brought me back to the old days as we hit rewind a bit and slowly trekked through the many memories that brought us here today. I am glad that things worked out how they did as while I wish today was not the last day of "summer," I wouldn't want to celebrate the last day of summer any other way. The days we face moving forward may have their sadness attached to the joys, but it's up to us to see the best in every day and celebrate those moments so we can make it another day to toast in our lives. Instead of simply having a toast when there are big things to celebrate, I hope we remember to celebrate even when it's the simple things in life that have brought us joy. Today and every day, kanpai! 

~:[CH12 - Day 224]:~ Under the Influence

 
~:[CH12 - Day 224]:~ Under the Influence

Obviously that phrase doesn't have a positive connotation. In life we are often influenced by others. They often say, who we hang around changes who we become and I think that is ever true for students. As I see countless students pass through my classroom, I see the potential that most of them have, but I also see the influence that others pose to their success or their failure. They all are responsible for their own wellbeing and choices in life, but it becomes easier (or harder) depending on who is around you. During practice today, there were many times when an athlete was about to stop, as I allowed them to choose when to finish up the workout, but every time they thought about it, another athlete helped inspire them to try to do another. In the end, we had a good quality workout with most of them tacking on some good quality miles. It's days like these that remind you just how being around the right people will help keep pushing you toward progressing in life. Similarly, the wrong support system will bring you down. In my own life, from time to time, I have made my own decisions for the betterment of my confidence and motivation, choosing who to surround myself with. Of course, I do need to do a better job of meeting up with people more often as there are a lot of good people I haven't seen in awhile. If you feel as if you're looking for inspiration, hopefully you can find a crowd of people who can do something just like this for you, getting you to challenge yourself, as you find yourself making progress in territory you never though you'd ever find yourself. 

~:[CH12 - Day 223]:~ Makeover

 
~:[CH12 - Day 223]:~ Makeover

Not going to lie, the end of last year was the toughest. To pack everything up with such a busy end of the year schedule, I felt pretty stressed out putting everything away and deciding what to keep and what to toss. Fast-forward to today, it was just as stressful trying to get everything setup, still yet, for the most part, I got things in order. I did a good job boxing things up, so it was pretty easy to unpack and my IAs stopped by and helped me with the room after our meeting. Looking around, it was nice getting a makeover and while it's still the same room, there are many things that make it look completely different. As people, we often find ourselves in the same situation. We change up so many things in our lives, switching out this and that and when people come back after awhile, they notice how different you've become. In most cases, you're the same person, but often that makeover will impact a number of things. While for many, the makeover isn't necessary, I think it's good for people to do something for themselves that helps them gain more confidence and allows them to more bold as they progress forward. For my classroom, this makeover allows us to keep pace with the times as it helped us discard what we no longer needed and provided us with something new. I hope in our lives, we constantly look at what we can improve, remove what's no longer needed and stride forward confidently so we can accomplish all that we hope to.

~:[CH12 - Day 222]:~ Brand New

 
~:[CH12 - Day 222]:~ Brand New

It was a brand new school year, yet I was not ready for it. The campus isn't ready either. As construction still continues, you could sense the urgency of this and that needing to be completed by so many. Last year, we had to move out of our rooms completely and thus, the setup this year, will be quite taxing. We had our meeting offsite since our gym wasn't ready yet and then we ventured back to tackle the huge task ahead. The refurbished room was quite beautiful, although now I was left with the decisions of what to keep. Knowing our district, we didn't know what would come on time or be completed on time and while things were still being worked on (like our TVs/projectors not ready), at least we had the basic tools we needed to setup. I was lucky to have some students volunteer to help me with the move as I stored some items away myself. They definitely helped me out as I completed the tasks in just a few trips. While I am not sure if I will be keeping everything I brought back over, for now, I have a basic structure of what I am going to keep in my room. There's a lot to work to do and tomorrow I shall hopefully be able to show you the mostly completed project. After practice, I rewarded those who helped me out today as we enjoyed a nice refreshing drink after a tiring day of moving and practice. I wasn't the most excited for this brand new chapter to begin, but I can say that it definitely was a good way to start off. 

~:[CH12 - Day 221]:~ A Little Break

 
~:[CH12 - Day 221]:~ A Little Break

After yesterday's training, I still asked myself, should I attend tomorrow? I did. I also figured out that lunch was long enough to go visit my brother and eat lunch at their house. I walked over and had my food delivered to their house. I arrived and got to enjoy my lunch with Jordan as he trained for his upcoming school days. Afterward, we had a little time to shoot some hoops and have some fun. Despite the long arduous hours sitting in a classroom, it was definitely a nice break to play around and kept me motivated for the day ahead. I survived the rest of the day, I survived practice and got to relax for the remainder of the evening, knowing that the next two days would be quite taxing on my body. It was a nice little break, but tomorrow, the real work begins as work day #1 begins tomorrow. 

~:[CH12 - Day 220]:~ It Begins

 
~:[CH12 - Day 220]:~ It Begins

I debated long and hard if I wanted to attend training. I had signed up, but figured I could decide at the last minute whether to attend or not. I wanted to enjoy a few more days of summer, but then again, it was enticing to earn a little extra cash to kick of the year, as you can see, I attended. It was nice to see a few familiar faces. The sessions themselves had some areas that were useful, but for the most part, there was a lot of review of things I knew. It does help to get myself into the mindset for the school year and also allows me some time to get a few things I need to get done. Somehow, the day quickly passed as I jammed out of the lot to head to practice. We ended up with a double workout as we finished up our on campus workout, then headed out to the hills of Fullerton for another workout. It was a last minute decision as well, but thought we could get one last travel workout before the year began. Sadly, the countdown towards the beginning has begun, but still yet, there's no reason not to make the most of the experience, as I did my best to make this a great way to begin. 

~:[CH12 - Day 219]:~ The Dedicated Core

 ~:[CH12 - Day 219]:~ The Dedicated Core

Coaching is always a challenge. Sometimes you have talent, sometimes you have dedication, and sometimes you get both. It's frustrating to have talent and little dedication and you feel bad when you have dedicated athletes who get outrun because they may not be as talented. Of course, over time, that dedication leads to development and while the short-term gains may not have shown evidence of progress, in the long-term the dedication towards a cause begins to show and eventually you can surpass those who are more talented. I have appreciated a solid core of dedicated athletes the past few years who have slowly made progress and have helped regain some traction to where we used to be. We've definitely had success the past few years, but I am starting to see a larger group making their way up the ladder and for that I am appreciative. A much larger group finished the nearly nine mile run in our first afternoon workout. I was impressed by progress and am hoping that this uptrend can continue, as the success of a team can purely on talent, but the success of a program over time requires that athletes demonstrate good habits that allow for them and their teammates to be successful year after year. Sure, it's great to climb the ladder quickly, but does it truly matter when you stumble quickly thereafter? As a coach, I hope that we can continue to maintain a strong program that lasts over time, rather than simply getting to the top for a short period of time. I am hoping that this dedicated core continues its ways and helps those around them find the same motivation and inspiration in order for them to contribute to the foundation that we are building. 

~:[CH12 - Day 218]:~ Surviving the Sun

 
~:[CH12 - Day 218]:~ Surviving the Sun

I wasn't planning on going to HITC, however, in the end it worked out that I got a wristband and so I ended up going. I really only was intrigued by the event to catch Atarashi Gakko! because of their energy and zaniness on stage, but in the end, there were many parts of the experience that I enjoyed. Of course, every year they perform, as I try to get a good shot of them, my phone heats up and shoots out a bunch of errors. The funny thing is that it always seems to only be during their performances. Regardless, it allowed me to enjoy their performance as I fanboyed to their high energy stage. After surviving the heat, I wandered around, finding shade and running into a number of people around the site. It was great to catch up some of them from alumni to singers & influencers and of course friends. It definitely was unplanned, but things kind of fell into place and worked out in the end. I found a nice spot to chill and although it was a bit far from the stage, I was comfortable in shade, enjoying the periodic cool breeze to keep me alive. In the future, I will question if I will brave this event (or others) if it's not for work, but at least I can leave today knowing that I survived the sun and completed my HITC to-do list. 

~:[CH12 - Day 217]:~ The Insurmountable

 
~:[CH12 - Day 217]:~ The Insurmountable 

Sometimes in life, we see an obstacle in front of us and immediately give up. I see it regularly with students and need to encourage them to give it a shot. They won't always succeed no matter how much encouragement I give or how much work they put in, but not backing down from that challenge is the best prize they can earn. For all of us, I think we're similar. As we drove up to sand hill (as we call it), the reaction to those who never have been is always the same, "we have to run up that, no way!" Can you think of a time where you said that exact thing? The doubts that plague our mind never really disappear in our lives as we face things that seem insurmountable. Sure, we do get stronger over time, but I think that even adults need a little reminder that we are capable and we shouldn't be afraid to try something new. Yes, it will take time and effort plus it will not guarantee success, however, the fact that you face up to that challenge is definitely a win and deserves just as much recognition as reaching that goal. We have it in us to overcome something that seems insurmountable and even if we can't, we should proudly walk away knowing we did our best. 

~:[CH12 - Day 216]:~ Fun & Games

 
~:[CH12 - Day 216]:~ Fun & Games

I think as we get older, we sometimes forget about the life of fun and games we had when we were younger. It's true that we're often overloaded with responsibilities including making ends meet, but there also should be time set aside to allows to enjoy the games we once enjoys in our youth. As we began to close out our morning practices for the summer, we ended with one of our traditional games. It often brings out alumni, who I am also grateful to see, and provides some good memories along the way. It definitely was a memorable day including one athlete who came stylin' to the game, leaving an impression that I know will last for awhile. For now, we may be saying goodbye to summer, but I hope that for them and also for us, we all find time to truly enjoy life and the things that truly can bring us joy in our lives, as sometimes we need to allow ourselves to enjoy the fun and games of life. 

~:[CH12 - Day 215]:~ The Last Few Days of Summer

 
~:[CH12 - Day 215]:~ The Last Few Days of Summer

It's sad that soon we will be back in our classrooms and getting back to work. I know most people don't get this extended break, but still yet, it's tough to get back into the groove of things. I typically don't get much time off at home in the summer as right when I get back from working abroad, I have practice. Of course, there is a good chunk of time after we wrap up practice where I can finish up this and that and enjoy the days that we have. With no afternoon workout today, we wrapped up practice, then I headed over to get the watermelons for tomorrow's practice and then just got some work done at home. I needed to work on a few designs and catch up on my final albums from the last shoot I did. The time is going much too quickly, but at least I can say that there still was time to enjoy the time that remained. Let's enjoy these last few days of summer before school begins again.

~:[CH12 - Day 214]:~ Detour

 
~:[CH12 - Day 214]:~ Detour

With school starting early, our annual bike ride to the beach was a week earlier. It also meant that the day we were supposed to go ended up during the US Open of Swimming. Our typical destination would be swarming with people which would mean, no parking and crowded beaches & restaurants, thus we took a detour and ended up at Seal Beach instead. It brought back memories of our first bike ride where we didn't really know where we were going. One of my athletes asked if we could bike to the beach and so I obliged and it started this biking tradition. In life, we take detours like this. Our destination may not be ideal, so we find a place that is suitable. In this case, it actually worked out nicely as the bike ride was not as arduous and the beach wasn't too crowded. I felt like we were able to do just as much, if not more, than we did on our usual route. The day definitely took a lot out of me, but I also rested well knowing that we had accomplished another successful outing. I was a bit sad to realize that we were closing in on the end of the year, but at least I know we're making the most of the days that we have left. What's the best detour you've taken in your life?

~:[CH12 - Day 213]:~ The Old Stomping Grounds

 
~:[CH12 - Day 213]:~ The Old Stomping Grounds

I think most places I go now, there is some sort of memory that pops up. There are few places that bring up as many memories as this run. As we trekked over to Irvine for our afternoon workout, I was filled with nostalgia as I remembered the runs I used to take, the moments I spent at UTC and on campus and even my old apartment. This place always truly has a special place in my heart as I remember all the memories I created here and all the people that I met. I always run into Coach Sumner here, as we talk about old times when I went to his Mammoth Camp, as it double ups with the memories of all the runners who made this trek. As fast as life may move forward, it always finds a way to bring you back so you can remember many of the great moments you temporarily forget. They're all stored somewhere within us and it only takes a moment to retrieve so many of those memories from the past. What places do this for you?