~:[CH13 - Day 91]:~ At the Center of It All

 
~:[CH13 - Day 91]:~ At the Center of It All

I knew I would be working today, I didn't realize how much work I would be doing. I ended up taking a nap in the middle of the day, but besides that, I focused in on working through my stack of 11,000 photos, as well as prepping for my Zoom meeting later in the day. I was planning for an upcoming art project this summer and our planning meetings always happen in the evening for time zone purposes. As I worked through the day, I was able to keep track of the games, from the Angels came to college basketball and most importantly, the NBA. I actually wasn't as concerned with who won, as I was focused in on the stats with a close call in my semifinal matchup. Similarly, the other matchup was also a tight one. It felt a little strange focusing mostly on work today, but overall, despite all that was going on today, I didn't forget why today was a special one. In my own life, today is a day that I always think about what I will do to better as I move forward. How can I treat others better, how can I improve myself and other like questions run through my mind as I think about this day of resurrection. As we are consumed with so many things in our own lives, I hope that on a regular basis, we can take time out to check ourselves and to ensure that we are traveling the right path. Let's think about how we live our lives and ask ourselves what changes can we make moving forward. No matter how you celebrated or if you celebrated at all, just remember at the center of it all, today is a day we're minded of the blessings of life and opportunity. I hope that we make the most of each one of these precious days. 

~:[CH13 - Day 90]:~ If Anything, Be Resilient

 
~:[CH13 - Day 90]:~ If Anything, Be Resilient

Part of me thought, should I just let myself rest? In the end, I pushed through and woke up, headed to the event, and returned home about 17 hours later. I was tired when I woke up, but once I got there, I was a bit energized. I love the challenge of taking photos. There are many struggles like when you lens gets fogged up from the weather, but you adapt, adjust and figure things out. From lighting issues to simple getting the right spot, you find your way around the troubles and execute. For the event itself, it was fun helping with this and that. I know it looked a little troublesome, but as I did my work as the weatherman, I saw there was a few hour gap where there wouldn't be rain. In the end, the weather didn't end up causing too much havoc. During the performances, I smiled as I was glad that I attended. There were a few performances I truly enjoyed and appreciated. Overall, I just enjoyed the overall environment of people enjoying what they love to do. At the dinner at the end of the night, they were talking about the challenges they faced during the day and one of the resounding points that kept coming up was resilience. In life, we need to have the resilience to handle all the things that come our way. In our life, we will definitely face a lot of challenges, however, if we are resilient, we will find that many times we will be able to work through our problems and find our way to a solution. Even when talent and luck are not on our side, resilience can often give us opportunities we never would have though possible. I could have just stayed in bed and rested, but instead, I worked through it and given many precious moments I wouldn't have had if I wasn't resilient. 

~:[CH13 - Day 89]:~ The Treasures We Never Knew Existed

 
~:[CH13 - Day 89]:~ The Treasures We Never Knew Existed

I walked outside and my niece and nephew were already scouring around, looking for all the eggs hidden in the backyard - 130 of them. It was fun to watch them run around and do their best to find all the ones hiding. Many were clearly visible while others were hidden away quite well. The treasures in our life are like that. There are some that are quite evident, but some that exist that are hidden from plain sight. It's interesting because often times the ones we miss are the ones were are most familiar with. It may be the loved ones we have near us, our favorite t-shirt we often wear, or something as simple as the comforts of having a hot meal to eat daily. The many blessings we've been given in our life are around us, but we just have to keep our eyes open to see them. I headed out to a meet after spending an hour with my family. The meet brought back so many memories of past years here. I was happy to bring an athlete back and allow her to experience the high level of competition. Although she didn't quite reach her goal. I thought back to the struggles she faced last season and even this past cross country season and am glad that after all the work she put in, she found a breakthrough that allowed her to where she is today. I hope that she saw the treasure that tonight was. As we headed home, I smiled appreciating the fact that we had this opportunity. Much like the many opportunities in my life, I was grateful and will treasure all these moments that I am lucky enough to have, even those that I may have taken for granted in the past. While there are many pitfalls surrounding us in this journey, just keep your eyes open, as there will be many treasurers, some of which are easy to miss, but may be the most valuable of them all.

~:[CH13 - Day 88]:~ How Times Change

 
~:[CH13 - Day 88]:~ How Times Change

Today I made sure to check in with my students who needed to make up assignments and get them on what they needed to do to raise their grades. It's been such a hectic year, that I had not done that yet this semester, but I knew it was something I needed to take care of today. It meant a fairly relaxed day of teaching as students got to work, while I met with each one. Overall, my class has changed a bit more, as I allow more time for in class work so that these students are more likely to pass. Still yet, I do get those who can't focus in and complete those assignments. Regardless, I will always at least give them one last shot at bringing their grades up and passing. It was a perfect day for two alum to come in and speak briefly with my seniors. I was happy to see two of my former SGs. For them as well, things have changed. They've learned, they've grown, yet at the same time, they're both still two genuinely wonderful people. I ended this final day of spring break happy as I wrapped up my tasks for the day and was uplifted by the visit of the alumni as I look forward to recharging in the days ahead. Many years, I went into spring break hoping it would pass by quickly, but this year, I hope that spring break can decide to take its time. Who knows how things will change tomorrow or the day after, but regardless, I hope that we find ourselves in a balance between developing the good within us, while also making changes to our lives as everything around us changes. It's not an easy task to adapt to it all, but I hope we can find a way through and find ourselves on the other side of a brand new day. 

~:[CH13 - Day 87]:~ Motivated to Do Nothing

 
~:[CH13 - Day 87]:~ Motivated to Do Nothing

I was exhausted just watching season 2 of Physical 100. I actually had tasks I was supposed to do today, but I decided to do nothing. I figured, I'd have a day where I could catch up in the next week. My mind is spent from all that has been going on in the past week, so I made sure to give my self a better chance of keeping this cold away, but just resting and not thinking much. It's okay to be motivated to do nothing. Others can take a raincheck, sometimes your responsibilities can wait a day or two, but your mind and your body need some time to heal and mend as well. While it felt good that I didn't have to run around campus like yesterday with the Japanese students, I was actually running around the  Cerritos Towne Center looking for one of the student's wallets, as she lost her red wallet. I was hoping to get it back to them before they left, but sadly, nothing turned up. With that and everything else, I got home, showered and then checked out, aimless staring at the screen, watching the show. It some ways, I felt like I wasted a few hours, in other ways, I felt a bit refreshed. It allowed me to think back through the day and appreciate the great practice we had, the drink surprise I received, and even a few kind messages from unexpected places. In my do nothing state, I even locked in a shoot I've been aiming for for the past few years. Even on days where you're motivated to do nothing and do just that, things can fall into place and happen. It will also allow you to clean and cleanse your mind so that the step of your journey can be a little easier. We all carry our own baggage that can sometimes weight us down, so why don't you take a moment to set it down, give yourself a rest, so that you can get back up, recharged and ready to take on the world ahead. For those go getters, it's okay, a single day (or even a few), will not be detrimental to your progress, so find some motivation to do nothing when your mind and body beg you for it, as it may be the best thing you didn't do.

~:[CH13 - Day 86]:~ Just Too Sweet

 
~:[CH13 - Day 86]:~ Just Too Sweet

I've said that blogging is a way for me to express my thoughts, my fears, my angers and my joys. It's not a place I'll usually be specific, but also not a place I'll hold back. It's healthy to express what you feel, rather than bottle it up. It could be the adrenaline running through my veins from making sure everything was in order or just the shedding of the weight on my shoulders, but by day's end, I was exhausted, but I also felt blessed. Another group of students visited from Tezukayama and presented to our students. I was overjoyed to see the timid students barely interact at the start to continued to talk when we had to transition to our next "session." At first, I could sense that some of the students thought of this as just another class today, but many were enthusiastic and tried to stay even longer or visited again during lunch to chat with the students. It was great for the students to learn about life in Japan, while I was glad a few students stepped up to talk about their own experiences in the US. There was a lot of work involved in making this happen and glad that so many people stepped up to make this work from admin, teachers, staff, and students all pitched in to play a roll. Everyone stepped up and all the backup preparation I had made the level of stress a lot lighter. As we ended the day at the Cerritos Towne Center, I chuckled a bit as some of the students said how sweet the drinks were. It was sad to see them depart, but it was just as sweet of a moment to see our students gathered around their bus, waving goodbye and them waving back as they drove away. Even if I stop by their school again in the future, there's a good chance I may not see a single one of them, but I know that at least a handful of nearly 200 students who met them today will keep in contact and who knows, they may be able to meet again one day in the future. Even when a day can feel just too sweet, it's just as important to express it, to think about it, and to denote it for those moments you need it most. They often say, "no rain, no rainbows," however, a more fitting phrase today is, "without tasting the bitter, we wouldn't know just how sweet today was." Thank you to all who made today an incredible and successful day. 

~:[CH13 - Day 85]:~ Discard the Unappealing

 
~:[CH13 - Day 85]:~ Discard the Unappealing

I felt like this orange today. Trying to look normal, but inside, torn apart. I feel like this is the lowest point in my teaching career and it has nothing to do with the students. Change is inevitable, but to have it thrust upon you is annoying. To be lied to when you're told you're doing something is upsetting. To have inaction from those who could change this is disheartening. Gladly, I have a core around me who always have my back, still yet, they are also burdened because of all that is going on. I crossed paths with someone today that I see regularly who said, you look worn down. I am, I truly am. I've worked so hard, which I normally do, but to be disrespected and treated with such unprofessionalism is what truly wears on you. Of course to all of those who thought it would be okay and that I would just accept it, are also at fault. I've been teaching about the Japanese Internment and Holocaust as of late and this unit as well as my genocide unit, I talk about how the bystanders are just as guilty as the perpetrators and in real life, I see why. Of course in life, at some point, you look at what you have and decide whether it's worth salvaging or if you'll discard it. I noticed how this issue has created such a negative aura around me and made me see that maybe it's time to discard it and start anew. Whether it's a whole new refresh as I dust off my resume or if I just discard those who I don't need to interact or concern myself with anymore, I'll have to think hard and decide about that. In the end, discard what's unappealing in your life and be selfish in deciding what you need. As much as you might think about who it impacts, you would not have gotten to that point if they cared enough when you were going through it. Ultimately, you'll know what to keep and what to toss and don't feel a bit of guilt of who you cut ties with. As much as they may tell you things when you're around, their action or inaction will tell you a lot of whether they were a bystander or perpetrator or someone you could rely on when times got tough. I can't think of a time where I've been in a position today, but hey, that's when you find those turning points in your life and decide where you want to go from here. I guess the next few weeks and months will be telling. 

~:[CH13 - Day 84]:~ Grinding

 
~:[CH13 - Day 84]:~ Grinding

I was pretty exhausted from the meet yesterday when I woke up. The weather at these meets makes it even more exhausting. I was supposed to go to a performance at night, but I canceled that and got to grinding. I was able to get more work done than I had planned for the day as I focused in on prepping for Tuesday's visitors. Sadly, I missed most of the NCAA games, although I peeked in to catch the end of the close games, most of which went the opposite way of which I hoped such as the Baylor game. While results are disappointing, sometimes you just keep focusing on grinding until the difficult moments pass. It's been hard to focus with all going on, but when you look towards wrapping up projects you're excited for, it dulls the pain a bit so you can keep grinding away. Let's hope that next weekend I move up the charts even though my final pick got knocked out today. 

~:[CH13 - Day 83]:~ Beautifully Miserable

 
~:[CH13 - Day 83]:~ Beautifully Miserable

We had a lot of solid performances today, but once again, we were hit with miserable weather. As the weekend got closer, it appeared the rain would be inevitable. I don't recall a season where we've encountered so much rain especially during meets, but this year will probably top it all. It wasn't a real heavy rain all day, but it lasted longer than it was supposed to and made life a little difficult. Strangely, it cleared up so nicely that it didn't even look like it had rained, but my sinuses told me otherwise. I felt miserable for the rest of the day, but still enjoyed seeing the athletes excited about their performances. As we closed out the day, on of my 3200m runners ran to the #2AT mark in school history, shaving off 40 seconds, while two of my 4x400m teams closed out the day with medals including a win by the Girls F/S team. It was nice to finally have a team dinner together after we got back and while we were drenched and miserable earlier in the day, the pho was able to warm our bodies, minds, hearts and souls. It was miserable today, but something about it was so beautiful and that's all you can ask for in life.

~:[CH13 - Day 82]:~ Recognition, Deserved

 
~:[CH13 - Day 82]:~ Recognition, Deserved

I was a little confused when I was told there was an article about Nationals. I didn't send anything to a newspaper, so it caught me off-guard. Regardless, it was cool to see something written about them in the paper. These students worked so hard for this moment and so I was glad they got the recognition they deserved. We always start the process in November and while we may go overboard on the preparation, I want them to be prepared for the conference and gain confidence as they prepare for it. They often point out that we have so many fine details and points and that is due to the work that these students put in from the very start. They ended up with an endless amount of information on the topic that seems to naturally come out as they work in committee, which is the point of the preparation we do. I often tell them that they will face up against delegates who are more confident and comfortable speaking than they are, so we must counter that with our substance in research. In the end, the conference recognized the work they put in, as they were award the highest award possible in research along with an Award of Excellence in debate. For being in almost all large committees this year, I was quite impressed by the feat. It was a bright moment in a day marred with so much that I just wanted to wipe away, but even when things try to bring you down, when you focus on what you should, you'll eventually find something that will help lift you out of that fog trying to blind you from seeing the beautiful things around you. I shared the article with my students as they gave their kudos to each other and I'm just glad that someone took the time to recognize them for all the work that they put in. 

~:[CH13 - Day 81]:~ Keeping Stride

 
~:[CH13 - Day 81]:~ Keeping Stride

When I came back from New York, it wasn't relaxation. I did my laundry and jumped right on the computer to begin doing entries for the meets ahead. I did realize that the mounting stress definitely was making me a bit snappy. My students were asking questions I just answered and others not following directions that were covered in a meeting and posted online. I heard a lot of, I didn't hear that or even better yet, I wasn't paying attention. Of course, I have to try and catch myself and try to keep things in stride. It's not always easy to do. At work, I was blindsided with a change made with no heads up, no communication, and no logic. I thought maybe always being willing to step up to do something made me a target, as the thought, he'll just take it on. These are the types of things though that make people apathetic and lose their passion for what they do. It seems like it's progress more in that direction and in life, things will continue to go that way until you put your foot down and speak up. It's strange that about this time last year was the time I was speaking up for something I believed it. It's not common for me to do so, but when I do it, it's because I feel it's unfair. As I thought about it more, I laughed to myself knowing how many hours and weekends I've put in and how underappreciated it is. Similarly, I felt for some of my athletes as I sent out a message to our team, as the same group of students are cleaning up, helping out, while others leave it to them to do it. I know they feel the same frustration. Balance is key in running and in life. You can't always just agree, just like you can't always disagree. In order to keep stride, you need to be welcoming and accepting, but also stern when the time comes from it. Hopefully when I finally get the chance to rest, my snappiness will subside and I hope with time, things will work out. Of course, if it doesn't, it means that maybe it's time to close that door and find an opportunity that awaits at another door that is open. Life is full of detours, but through those roads, I hope we can find a way to keep our stride as we move through life. 

~:[CH13 - Day 80]:~ A Little Break

 
~:[CH13 - Day 80]:~ A Little Break

It's a science. Training is like a fine science where you need to get the right mixture to make it all work. Even from year to year, the formula is not the same. That's why it isn't too often that the distance team "takes a day off." We get our mileage in every day, even if it's an easy day. Of course, I felt bad for them as they missed out on the "hang out" times afterschool. While some may say that they get time together, it's different than being able to relax and enjoy. It is one of the reasons why we started food runs. While they run on these days, they get a chance to relax with their friends for a bit and socialize. I feel that while we could add a few more miles on these days, the connection is a great motivator and actually leads to greater performances in the long run. As much as it may seem like a waste to some, it's been one of the core strengths we've had. I think it's a good lesson for life as we need to understand that there needs to be a balance. While I don't always do a good job of that, I do make sure I find some time to enjoy the free time I am given to make sure I give my mind a much needed break. I hope you all do the same. 

~:[CH13 - Day 79]:~ Learning in Action

 
~:[CH13 - Day 79]:~ Learning in Action

Learning is not something that is stagnant. We learn when we do, when we act, and when we experience. It's true that we need to gather information, but we also must use that information for us to retain it and learn how to use it. While we can't have an active classroom daily, it's fun to have active days where we have a simulation or something similar to help them understand what I am trying to teach. Our active classroom allows students to learn through experience so that they can better understand what we are learning from the perspective of those who experienced it. With our simulation today, I know that many of the students felt the emotions and better understood the predicaments we were discussing. There is a lot of material to cover and we can't always explain thing in this way, but when the opportunity comes, I know that this type of experience is what truly will allow me to have the students connect the dots and understand the lessons being taught. 

~:[CH13 - Day 78]:~ Out of Focus

 
~:[CH13 - Day 78]:~ Out of Focus

I'm really good at getting back on track right away. People always ask me, "how do you do it?" I am not quite sure, but it's likely due to experience. Of course, while I was able to get back to working right away, things still were a bit out of focus. Adapting back to a regular day is not easy and sometimes, when you're trying to get everything in focus, it's anything but. However, on those days, I hope we can enjoy the thought knowing that eventually we'll get things right, figure it out and get back into our routine. It would be nice if life was smooth sailing, but since it's not, I hope we know that sometimes, although we can't clearly see it, the beauty of the world around us is waiting until we're ready to see it.

~:[CH13 - Day 77]:~ From 100 to 0

 
~:[CH13 - Day 77]:~ From 100 to 0

It's been about 24 hours since I've been home and my stress level is down to 0; well, at least close to it. It's amazing how you don't realize during the whirlwind of planning, how much weight you're carrying on  your shoulders. You understand the list of tasks, which sometimes can become overwhelming, but the weight of it all is truly realized when it's lifted off your shoulders. While my planning for school continues with meet registrations and banquet planning, as of today, my stress level felt like a 0. I set no alarm, I went and got my Sunday milk tea, and watched myself lose my lead in fantasy basketball, my most stressful moment of the day. Today, I didn't have to do a room check and walk seven flights of stairs or worry if we would make it on time to this location or the next. I didn't think about remembering to bring tickets, nor did I have to think about if everyone was with us, counting off at the end of the day. My body was still sore and my mind a little tired, but overall it felt good to be home and to enjoy the comforts of it. I took care of this and that, but overall, I felt no pressure. How great does it feel when you wrap up something you've been working on for some time? I know the students probably felt this way when the conference ended. I always joke with them that my favorite part of the trip was when I wave goodbye to them. While there is truth in that it is great when the weight of responsibility is lifted, all the stress that I have to face is worth it when you see how much the group enjoyed the trip. I always love to hear them say that they don't want to go home, because that means they've enjoyed the experience they had. In the end, the week ran smoothly and we return after a successful trip, which means today was full of moments of nothingness and opportunities to relax without a worry as my responsibilities quickly dropped from 100% to 0. 

~:[CH13 - Day 76]:~ Raising the Bar

 
~:[CH13 - Day 76]:~ Raising the Bar

It's great when you program has success, but it's also difficult, because it leads the way to more "disappointments." After a wonderful week, I could sense some disappointment among the students when they didn't get two distinctions. They received an award of distinction for research and award of excellence for debate. In most other years, this would have been cause for celebration, but the environment didn't match what it should have been. In some ways it's good that they're striving for the top, but sometimes when you only see that, you fail to lift yourself up for the things you actually did well. This week I was so impressed seeing the students work in such large committees. The majority of our delegates were placed in very large committees making it a challenge, which they took on successfully. I was proud of them adjusting to the conference layout, as unlike many schools, they only get one shot at attending this conference - junior year. I was also happy to see them be resilient, deal with the challenge of fatigue and ultimately represent our school the way we always hope for - active, diplomatic and substantive. This year's conference was said to be their largest with students from 70 countries around the world and these students took home awards in both categories. I hope that as time goes on, they'll see just how successful they were this weekend, as their accomplishments were definitely ones to be celebrated. In just one week, our sophomores and juniors won the best delegation at Berkeley and our juniors return with both awards from Nationals, a feat many programs would dream of. It definitely reminded me of how blessed I am to be able to work with such a great program, but also today reminded me of the new challenges that come with raising the bar. In our own lives, I hope that as we strive for the greater goals in life, we continue to celebrate those successes that got us here, understanding that feats we overcame in the past, are just a great today as they were back then. Congrats to the amazing efforts of our wonderful junior MUN Dons!

~:[CH13 - Day 75]:~ Survival

 
- Day 75]:~ Survival

You can be the most accomplished delegate or the most prepared, but you can never be 100% for what's ahead at an MUN conference. There are so many variables anf you have to learn to adjust and adapt. I was so proud of this group for how hard they have worked to get to this point. They have stood out in most of their committees and truly demonstrated their skills and preparation in committee. Of course, one of the toughest things to get selected for is to speak at plenary. It's an honor everyone wants, but only two delegations get to speak. A number of delegates excelled and had an opportunity for this honor, but only these two broke through and were selected to speak tomorrow.  I reminded the delegates how they should be proud of all their work and also applauded the selection for these two awesome delegates. Sometimes in life we don't have the control over our fate, still yet, we can work hard in order to give ourself the best chance possible. 

~:[CH13 - Day 74]:~ In Action

 
~:[CH13 - Day 74]:~ In Action

Our speaker from the Permanent Mission to the UN from the Republic of Korea included a quote from the former Secretary General Dag Dag Hammarskjöld which stated, "It has been said that the United Nations was not created in order to bring us to heaven, but in order to save us from hell." The students began their first major day of the conference as they were up and ready by 9:30am for their mission briefing and debated late into the night withe the last group getting out at 10:50pm. I walked along the hallway while checking rooms and thought about that meme where it shows what people think I am doing, what my "(insert person here" thinks I am doing, and what I am actually doing. I think most people think me and these students are sitting around enjoying all of New York. While we did get to enjoy touring the city, today was a reminder of how much work is required of these students are they go to these conference. Many of them were tired, both mentally and physically, and they had to try to maneuver the landscape of a Model UN conference running on just a few hours of sleep, as they finished at 11:00pm the night before. Still yet, they look energized, they worked hard to bring their groups together and do their best to find solutions that could help the world from going the wrong direction. As our speaker closed out this morning, he stated that they UN wasn't created to create the perfect solutions (although they do hope to find these solutions), it was created to find solutions that could help address these issues before they became problems that could not be resolved. Our own students have taken that purpose on their shoulders as they do their best to simulation the same. While their resolutions may not be real-world ones submitted to the Secretary General, their ideas are still real and could be the start of solutions that can become a reality in the future. By night's end, they were exhausted, yet they still were anticipating the next full day ahead, which will close out their exhausting week. 

~:[CH13 - Day 73]:~ Celebrating at 50

 
~:[CH13 - Day 73]:~ Celebrating at 50

It wasn't a typical start to the conference as they brought in a Brooklyn drum line to energize the crowd. I think it did as it seemed as if they students were excited for what was ahead. The groups I bring always work so hard to ensure that they are ready for committee and often time it shows. Still yet, despite their preparedness they are nervous, they still review over and over, and some even have their doubts. Of course, once it begins, they seem to just flow as all that preparation pays off. Instead of having to improv, the students have loads of facts and information as they properly represent their countries. They exemplified the words of the guest speaker Anthony Fauci who talked about allowing the facts to guide and on the first night, they did just that. Who knows how the conference will turn out as things always change after day one, but I know that no matter how it goes, I know that the group has done what we expect of them and more to ensure that they can perform as best as possible, especially when celebrating this 50th anniversary of NHSMUN.

~:[CH13 - Day 72]:~ Opportunity Cost

 
~:[CH13 - Day 72]:~ Opportunity Cost

In economics, we teach about opportunity cost. The students get to realize the importance of time and money. What do you do with your time and what are you giving up because of it? Today, we had an optional morning outing, Many chose to stay in and rest, while a handful decided to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather as they walked (or jogged) across the Brooklyn Bridge. It was nice to cross the bridge when nobody was out. Typically when we go in the afternoon, the bridge is packed and so you can't do much, but when you go in the morning when everyone else is sleeping, it's easy to get across. With all of us, we have to make choices on how we spend our time. In some cases, it's not something we really have a say in since it's taking care of family or working a job, when at other times, we can decide, how do we use the precious time that we have? I've always thought how things would be different if I spent my time a different way and still yet, I wouldn't change how I do. I think it's a good time to reflect on how you spend your time and think about, am I spending my time the way I want or am I giving up too many of the things I want to do and do I need to readjust going forward. Regardless, I just hope that we remember just how precious time is and that we should use every second of our lives wisely.

~:[CH13 - Day 71]:~ Winging It

 
~:[CH13 - Day 71]:~ Winging It

Everyone got to sleep in a bit. My early alarm got snoozed and I slept in a bit longer than planned. It felt nice. Of course, with our 48 cycle, I was definitely a bit tired. We headed to the UN and made a few random stops. We stopped at the Permanent Mission of the ROK to the UN for our delegation and then allowed a few students to stop at Uganda House and Mexico House, Our normal route changed as I got another request for the Permanent Mission of India to the UN and since it was on the way, we made the stop. With another tight schedule due to the late tour because of the CSW conference, we had to rush a bit in order to do everything we wanted. We got to the Natural History Museum, I got lost trying to find the new butterfly exhibit, as I didn't know where it moved. I was winging it, but we eventually found our spot and the student definitely enjoyed the experience. It was fun to watch them desperately try to get a butterfly and one of my students was the butterfly whisperer, even having five on her at one time. We headed home for our study session as we finally had some downtime, as the students could get to their homework. It has been quite exhausting and I'm sure some of them fell asleep tonight, however, I am glad that we made it to the end of another day. While I always liked to have everything laid out, it was a little fun to throw a few curveballs to make this year different than years past. It's great to plan things out, but life is what happens when you just wing it sometimes. 

~:[CH13 - Day 70]:~ Covering So Much Ground

~:[CH13 - Day 70]:~ Covering So Much Ground

With the red eye not being able to be scheduled at a reasonable price, we flew out in the morning yesterday, which meant today became jam packed once again. It was already a busy day, however, we had to squeeze in one more item to the schedule, which mean we had to cut things short, but also cover a lot of ground. I was a little sad that we couldn't give the group more times at every location, but it was a decision between doing everything or cutting it short. I was glad we covered everything, nearly 30,000 steps worth. As we went to the Statue of Liberty, through Wall Street and up to the 9/11 Memorial Museum, we were able to hit our typical Sunday spots. I always enjoy the beauty of the Oculus as well! We quickly headed over to Canal Street and enjoyed Chinatown, Little Italy and SoHo, before stopping at Washington Square. We finished the night with Skating at Rockefeller and almost everyone had sore feet. I know they'll be exhausted, but I also know that they were able to cover so much ground while collecting so many precious memories. In life we have to make decisions and for each of us, those decisions will be different, and today I felt that the decisions made were the best to create these memories they'll carry with them for a lifetime. Everyone looked like they were ready to pass out when we got back and I couldn't be happier as it meant they'd head to sleep right away (at least I hoped). 

~:[CH13 - Day 69]:~ Is Terrible Always Bad?

 
~:[CH13 - Day 69]:~ Is Terrible Always Bad?

I definitely felt bad for the group. We started the trip with bad weather. I opened my umbrella and it was broken. The rain only got worse as the night continued, which also meant that the visibility at the Empire State Building would be nil. I thought about rescheduling, but our schedule was already tight, thus we went for it. It was a terrible start to the trip or so we thought. Everyone was miserable as we got to the Empire State Building. We were all soaked and we knew there wasn't much awaiting us atop the building or so we thought. Some of us braved the weather and walked outside. The wind pushed against the door and it was quite a challenge to open. Once outside, the rain pelted my face and the wind nearly blew me away. Still yet, the students screamed and jumped around. Most everyone actually enjoyed the experience as it became a first and quite memorable. We were still miserable as the weather was still terrible, but within that, we found a moment we could celebrate, enjoy and remember. We will face these terrible moments in life where we may be able to find a gem like this. Even if the aftermath is still terrible, just like our wet clothes, we can still momentary celebrate if we look hard enough for a moment we can enjoy, which may come when you least expect it. 

~:[CH13 - Day 68]:~ Moving Forward

 
~:[CH13 - Day 68]:~ Moving Forward

The last week and half or so has been a whirlwind. With everything on my plate the last ten days, it was finally starting to wrap up in the same way it started. From getting my sub plans, making copies, delivering everything due, prepping for the assembly and loading them onto the bus, finally, when I arrived to Irvine HS, I got to relax a bit. Sure I was taking photos and taking down splits, but it was relaxing compare the this past stretch. There are moments in life where we find ourselves struggling. While I stayed fairly even keeled, I feel like I could have become overwhelmed at any moment. For my athletes, it's probably the same, as they've also had a busy stretch as they had back-to-back meets, an assembly and then an early wakeup to head to the airport tomorrow. Of course, before we headed off, it was nice to see many of them moving forward. They faced some up and down moments and found progress today, as we had such a large number of PRs set today. While I couldn't stay the entire meet, it was nice to hear the name of my athletes called up on the loud speaker as they challenged or held the lead. Some of them, they're used to it, but for others, it took a lot to get to that moment. Many faced trials and tribulations where they almost called it quits, but they stood strong and found their way to success. It's easy to take the easy way out, but you learn and grow so much more when you face up to the road ahead of you and see what you're made of. I was happy as I drove home, even though I knew it was just a few hours before we would be heading off. There will be a lot of anxiousness until we actually board the plane tomorrow morning, but for now, I'll face up to it knowing that I'll be better off when I allow myself to keep moving forward. 

~:[CH13 - Day 67]:~ In a Flash

 
~:[CH13 - Day 67]:~ In a Flash

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw storm clouds rolling in. During the season, I am a weatherman, closely checking the weather. My skills failed me. Wheat I thought would be clear, became a stormy day. It actually didn't rain much, but the lightning ended up having our starters leave the field. We weren't told anything while waiting for them, as we finally realized they disappeared. We ended up canceling the rest of the meet only for it to clear up - 0-2. In a flash, the meet was over, as we figured out a plan to makeup for the missed events. Of course, with this being our first full team meet, it was nice to see all the new talent we have spread around our team. We actually have a lot of young ones who can contribute for years down the line. It's quite impressive to see where they are, but I am hoping to see even great things down the line to see where they end up. It was nice that I was able to get home with enough time to shower, pack and finish getting my files ready for New York, but I as I look back, I was excited to see how they did today, as they zoomed by us on the track. The future looks like it could be bright for this squad and we'll just see how far they can go. 

~:[CH13 - Day 66]:~ Full Circle

 
~:[CH13 - Day 66]:~ Full Circle

I commented to my mom before the meeting that the last time that I was in the board room was to speak on behalf of Mr. Walker. It's weird how life cycles through and how different these moments can be. As I dealt with the chaos of everything between track and prepping for MUN, I stepped out to support the basketball team. Since the last time I was in the board meeting, our school has actually found much success. From winning a few CIF titles and runner up titles to being named a distinguished school, there have been countless of accomplished we've found. I wonder what would be different if we lost our battle last year and had a new principal come in. In life we face these moments and we make those decisions. My brother talked about the decision of the athletes to step up and push forward despite the tragic loss of one of their teammates. It could have easily been a lost season, but not only did they play on, they did so exceptionally. Similarly, our school pushed on and they also did so exceptionally. Life has it's cycle and when we arrive back at the these moments and thing back to where we were to where we are now, I hope that we see that we've progressed and moved forward. As I talked about yesterday, we are all works in progress and similarly, that work will bring us back to a point, where we can reflect and see how far we've come. Who knows what's ahead, but at least for tonight, we can celebrate another victory as we travel along this round of life. 

~:[CH13 - Day 65]:~ Work in Progress

 
~:[CH13 - Day 65]:~ Work in Progress

There was construction going on around my room. I joked around that this looked like Spiderman had visited. Of course, when I thought about what to write today, I was reminded how we are like these buildings and everything else around us. We are works in progress. I know that we strive for perfection and to be the person we want to be, but when we are not where we hope to be, don't be disappointed and don't be discouraged. You are a work in progress and that will always be in the case. Even before you get to where you want to be, you may find something that alters your course and changes who you are. Don't worry about being that perfect image of yourself, just know that you are progress and continuously molding and changing yourself. I think back to a time when I overheard someone say, "you've change." While in many cases, that takes on a negative connotation, in my eyes, it's actually something we are all meant to do - change. Don't be afraid of change. Let's accept that we will be changing and just focus in on making sure to use our opportunities to change for the better. 

 
~:[CH13 - Day 64]:~ Let Them Fly

There was some added stress to the day. With the rain on Saturday, we decided to postpone the field events until today. It meant adding a bus, moving athletes from class to the field and trying to get them all to show up. We actually ended up with more people showing up than originally planned. In the end, they all worked hard and I got to see some impressive performances that I may have missed had it been Saturday. It's fun to watch athletes develop, improve and just made adjustments as they go through the season. There is a lot of independence given to them, which sometimes is good and sometimes fails them. Regardless, instead of coddling them, we let them fly. It won't always mean they'll find success, but it will help them learn, even if sometimes, it's the hard way. Here's to the athletes in hopes that they will all fly high.

~:[CH13 - Day 63]:~ Design in Mind

 
~:[CH13 - Day 63]:~ Design in Mind

When designing different projects for people. I actually like it when our idea contradict, because then you see a new vision and idea. When plotting out this schedule, my initial design was appreciated, yet shot down. The reason was understandable. I listened, adjusted, adapted and then recreated the design. If we go through life looking only at what we want, we may find success, but we also might begin to see that we don't find the success we hope to find. Why is that?  It's because, as much as we know, there is always something to learn, to add, and to incorporate. Whether or not we choose to change, knowing more will leave an impression and will impact our decision making in the future. Listen, learn and then analyze. You can still do you own thing, but also adapt to maximize your potential and increase your chances of finding success. You may have a design in mind, but it doesn't mean you can't tinker with your plan. 

~:[CH13 - Day 62]:~ The Puddles Along the Way

 

~:[CH13 - Day 62]:~ The Puddles Along the Way

It was clear and then it was not. The weather was quite bipolar as it couldn't quite make up its mind. Of course, in our sport, in most cases, it happens rain or shine, so just like other meets, we huddled together and hope that it would clear up. Our principal asked one of the athletes, "which type of weather do you prefer, 80 degree weather or this" and the athlete responded with, "80 degree weather." Of course, he was a sprinter and if he asked a distance athlete, the answer would probably have been "this" (cooler weather) while a field athlete would just want any weather so they could compete. In the end the field events were postponed (rightfully so) while we ended up running the full meet and quite efficiently. In life, we will encounter puddles. How will we react to those puddles? Some will splash in them, some will move around them and some will complain about them. It's easy to get caught up in how something ruined our plans, but sometimes we just got to be patient or see how things unfold. While there were many moments I was frustrated, I remained hopeful and in the end, we had blue skies and sunshine as we wrapped up our meet. The puddles in life are inevitable, but how we react to them is in our control. With events still uncontested, we won't know how we fared until Monday, but regardless, I am proud of all these athletes and how they weathered the storm and all the puddles they faced along the way. 

~:[CH13 - Day 61]:~ Weather or Not

 
~:[CH13 - Day 61]:~ Weather or Not

I was pretty exhausted from the week. Tonight we wrapped up the first event of the District Championships as the weather quickly turned cold. We did fairly well for a group that is half veterans and half newbies. There definitely is some potential looming. I headed home. Originally, I thought I would have time to prep for the race tomorrow, but my brother and his family ended up coming and so I ended up getting a workout in. It's always fun, but I know my body will be sore the next day after lifting them up and moving around the house. It was fun to receive this calendar that Jordan drew of the weather in New York. I am impressed that someone his age could diagram this up. First, it's impressive he knows I am going to New York and secondly, just to be aware of what the weather is like elsewhere. I always have to watch the weather in other locations as I prepare to travel and I guess I won't have to do as much work as I have my assistant to help make my calendar for me. As tired as I was, it was a nice pick me up to end my week on a bright note, no matter what the forecast was ahead.