~:[CH13 - Day 120]:~ Keeping Things in Order

 
~:[CH13 - Day 120]:~ Keeping Things in Order

There's always something to organize. On my list of to-do's, my list of things to organize ranges from clothes to school materials to pictures and more. It's an endless cycle of things I need to do and it can be exhausting to think about. When you think about a mountain, it feels impossible to scale, but when you look at the step in front of you, you don't think much about it. When we want to avoid the stress and chaos of life, I think it's best if we break it down into smaller chunks. We wouldn't try to eat a hamburger in single bite, therefore, why do we try to take on these difficult tasks all at once. As I move from task to task, I keep it manageable so I can keep thinks in order and avoid stressing myself off. I take frequent mental breaks and find ways to keep myself motivated and happy. Yes, work can be a grind, but it can also be a lot easier when we take it all piece by piece. 

~:[CH13 - Day 119]:~ Togetherness

 
~:[CH13 - Day 119]:~ Togetherness

There's something about just being together that brings people together. In cross country, we hold a number of events and while they don't always know each other, the more time they spend together, the closer they become. It's true that not everyone will get along, but being in close proximity of people increases your chances of connecting. It's always nice to stake a step back and observe the students together and see them interact. After months preparing and a week in New York, you could see the connections they made over the course of this stretch in order to find the bonds that they have. In my own life, the ones I spend the most time with tend to be those in my inner circle of what I am doing. It's hard because I always want to connect with those who I hold dear in my heart, but often times because of my schedule, it's limited to those within close proximity. It's great to be able to form stronger bonds with those I see regularly, at the same time, it makes me realize that I have to make a greater effort to reach out to those who I don't see as much to ensure that we can also maintain our bonds despite our distance. As the night closed, it was fun to see the team together one last time as they joked around and ran around the shopping plaza before calling it a night. There was plenty of reason to celebrate, as they were recognized one final time for their wonderful efforts to reach this goal they aimed for. Congratulations to the Nationals 2024 delegation from Japan and the Republic of Korea on your accomplishments! 

~:[CH13 - Day 118]:~ On the Scenic Route

 
~:[CH13 - Day 118]:~ On the Scenic Route

 I used to be one of those kids who always tried to be the fastest to do something. I wanted to finish my homework first, learn a skill first, or even attain something first. I am not sure why I was always in a rush, but over time, I learned that while moving so quickly, I missed a lot along the way. When typing directions into Google Maps, it often gives you the fastest route, but is it the route you want to go? I often change it up and find a way to go the route I want to go; oftentimes the scenic route. I discovered in life that we often miss these beautiful moments when we preoccupy ourselves with trying to make everything happen so quickly. Even when we are not trying to be first, sometimes when we are often so focused on a goal, we miss out on opportunities that may have taken us to where we want to go or others that would have opened our eyes to new beauties and wonders to explore. In our lives, just remember that there is no one single route to where we want to go. Life is full of detours and also, life allows us to travel at our own pace. Even when that pace is not one that we ourselves want to go be going, roll down the window and enjoy the scenic route your on. Shake things up and force some of the things you want to happen, but also don't worry if things don't pan out, rather that having tunnel vision focused on your destination, look out and soak in the beauty of the route you're on. Eventually you'll find your way to your destination or a destination that is destined for you, but don't be afraid not toss Google Maps out the window and follow your own path to discover what lies out there on this path unknown. Maybe, just maybe, it'll be a path that brings you to a place better than you could have ever imagined. 

~:[CH13 - Day 117]:~ Finding Neverland

 
~:[CH13 - Day 117]:~ Finding Neverland

A moment can only ruin your day if you allow it. In the challenges of a given day, you have the choice to allow that moment to determine how your day is perceived or in many cases, you can allow yourself to focus on what you can control. It's true that in many cases, you have a right to be upset, angry and resentful, but acting on those emotions or allowing them to fill  your mind will keep you from progressing. The overwhelming tides of life push us downward as we drown in work, stress, and frustration. However, in some cases, we have the power to overcome it. While we may not need to find Neverland, we can find ways to find joy in our days and take ourselves to a place that is far away from the world that overwhelms us. No, it's not a fantasy world. The things we need to find joy are around us; sometimes right next to us. We just have to clear space in our minds of all that overwhelms us to see all that will bring the happiness we see. Whether creativity, imagination or something simple and precious, there are many things that will help takes us to that Neverland which will allow us to feel free. Life is already challenging enough, so let's not make it harder on ourselves, instead, let's release all that that hold us down so we can truly soar to places we only wished we could be in the past. Let's find our own Neverland, a place where we can truly live, love and find the joy that will bring us happiness. We deserve it and I think we can all find it, if we just believe that a place like Neverland can actually exist in our life. 

~:[CH13 - Day 116]:~ A Little Change in Pace

 
~:[CH13 - Day 116]:~ A Little Change in Pace

It felt a little weird knowing that I wouldn't have too large of a group for practice. For distance, I was left with three runners, plus two 4x400m teams. We had a short meeting for CIF, then we headed off to Bopomofo, something different than usual. It's nice when the pace of things changes as it kind of feels new and refreshing. Most times, I prefer a fast-paced and jam-packed day, however, it is nice to hit the slo-mo button and find yourself seeing life at a different pace. I bought lunch for my family and then headed out to a catch up dinner after practice. It felt nice to be able to relax, albeit briefly. I ventured home to finalize our entries for CIF and then relaxed a bit, as I cleaned up around the house. I still have a lot to do, but with this change of pace, I'll finally be able to find some free time to do the things I didn't have time to do in the past. 

~:[CH13 - Day 115]:~ Shining Under the Lights

 
~:[CH13 - Day 115]:~ Shining Under the Lights

There was a lot of chaos today, but most of it wasn't about our team. There were issues here and there that I had to deal with, which is not typical of league finals. My job as a meet manager is typically focusing on everything before a meet and rarely, during. Regardless, I still got to enjoy watching many of my athletes give their all, as they were shining under the lights. We had many excel and surpass our projections as they closed out their final race of the season. While a solid group of athletes advanced to CIF, tonight we also say farewell to many of our seniors. With each meet, the number of athletes shrinks and tonight is where we lose the most athletes during the season. It's always a bittersweet moment as we celebrate all the work these seniors did, but also are left with a bit of sadness as tonight is their last night. For many, tomorrow, they will face the strange reality of finishing up after sixth period, as they figure out to do with the extra time they usually spend working hard at school. For a few others, however, they will still attempt to keep their focus from another week longer, as they aim at giving their best performance so that they can extend their season even longer. No matter what happens down the line, however, I know that today, they all shined so brightly under the stadium lights. Congratulations on amazing season! 

~:[CH13 - Day 114]:~ The Second Round

 
~:[CH13 - Day 114]:~ The Second Round

I went to see another performance of Sweeney Todd. The casts were divided into two groups and today was the first performance of the Pie Cast. I truly enjoyed seeing the musical for a second time. The feel was different, yet it was also familiar which allowed me to be able to prepare for the changes in lighting. When doing things for a second time, I think we all can admit that it allows us to prepare for what's to come. However, while we may be able to predict most of what will happen, there are variables that will arise that change how things play out. I enjoy watching musicals again to see the smaller details I missed or the differences in how a performer will execute a certain line or action. They did a beautiful job with this production and I am glad I had the opportunity to be there for both casts. As dark as the plot and storyline of this musical is, these students definitely shined on stage. 

~:[CH13 - Day 113]:~ Framing

 
~:[CH13 - Day 113]:~ Framing

For those who are unaware, I do a lot of photography in Japan. I spent some time there covering events, planning, and also collaborating with various artists while there. During my time there, I came across another photographer. The first reason his page caught my eye was that his name was Junya Watanabe (reference to a song). Of course, secondly, it was because of the last name and his initials JW; the same as mine. It was great to finally connect in Japan at one of his shows and see his wonderful work. He recently release a book and I was glad to received his second print. When thinking about photography, when we are behind the lens, we need to frame our photos the way we think is most pleasing. We crop out what we don't want in our photos to give us the best image possible. If we Zoom in too far, we're stuck with what we have, but when we take a step back, we can later crop that photo. Life is kind of like photography. We have a choice to frame our view of life the way we want. Frame each moment in our lives as best as we can and while life doesn't have a photoshop that we can crop everything out we don't find pleasing, there are opportunities where we can crop things out and move forward and frame our lives the way we want. While some times it's unavoidable, many times, we have the power to change how our lives our and all it takes is a little bit of cropping. Keep our perspectives wide and then focus in on the things we want and the direction we want to go. As I continue my journeys working with photography around the world, I hope that at the end of the day, the photographs I take reflect a world that I want to share with the world. I hope that instead of making what others find beautiful, I find the image that I want for myself, as at the end of the day, others may have an opinion of what they say, but only I have to walk down this road that is my life. 

~:[CH13 - Day 112]:~ To My Seniors, With Love

 

~:[CH13 - Day 112]:~ To My Seniors, With Love

It was less than 12 hours after I got back from the airport when I had to head to league prelims. The turnaround was quite challenging, yet the day went so smoothly. The day was even better as my seniors organized their senior night at league prelims. Even when we had a home meet, we've never had a senior night, but we had a number of wonderful individuals who stepped up to the plate so that seniors could enjoy themselves. I always appreciate the seniors who make it this far as it's not easy to give up so much time to do something like this, but they do and it pays dividends. The seniors have given so much to this program and it will definitely be hard to see them leave, but as they do, I hope that they understand all the opportunities that await them. While the road ahead is long and arduous, they are fully capable of facing it head on and being able to find their way to the paradise in which they seek. The world will show them the highs and lows, however, I am confident that they'll be ready to handle it, especially if they face it on together. There was a bit of sadness within as we closed out the evening, of course, the throwers relay at the end of the meet, made the day even more special. Yes, my mind and body are beginning to rebel as I write this post, still yet, I am excited to be able to express my thanks to my seniors for all that they've given to this program while I only gave you intervals, hill repeats and fifteen pushups. Sending my deepest thanks, with love, Coach Watanabe.

~:[CH13 - Day 111]:~ Lost in the Whirlwind

 
~:[CH13 - Day 111]:~ Lost in the Whirlwind

After driving from Lexington to Cincinnati, I boarded a plane to Chicago and met up with an alum in the city, We grab lunch, went to a game at Wrigley field, and watch the second half of the Clippers game before I headed back to the airport for the last leg of the trip. Of course, my mind must have been elsewhere as demonstrated through my restaurant etiquette, as I forgot to leave a tip despite the great service. I realized it when I was already driving away. While my mind was clear enough to figure out a solution, I could tell that this weekend was quite demanding and that I needed a rest. I rested well on the plane as I knocked out after a beautiful impacted weekend. With league finals on my mind, I am not sure if I ever was able to truly relax, still yet, looking back, I can't say that it wasn't a wonderful time. My mind was lost in a whirlwind, yet I still landed in a few locations where I got to enjoy such beautiful moments that can never be replaced. When I got home, I headed straight to the computer and began planning and printing for tomorrow's race. While my head may have been lost in the whirlwind, I could feel that my heart was soaking in all of these precious moments. I never want to travel to four states in a single day again, however, I would also not a change a thing if I had to do it all again. 

~:[CH13 - Day 110]:~ On Cloud 9

~:[CH13 - Day 110]:~ On Cloud 9

There were a lot of things to appreciate today. An early morning run reminded me of our roots. I first met Thien when he joined cross country. The boy that always said, "I quit," and gave me every white hair I had at that time, grew into this Boston Marathoner. His love for running led him to having his guest join him for an eight mile run on his favorite course. To reunite with former coaches and athletes was quite enjoyable, as it allowed me to reminisce. Another plus side of the run was being able to enjoy the beauty of Lexington. The houses in the area they ran were gorgeous, including a run across a narrow roadway across the lake. While I was tired, it was fun spending time with the groomsmen, learning the surprise dance, only to completely blow it after I nearly allowed Thien to fall on the ground during the trust fall in the routine. I guess you can never really trust me. Regardless, as I told them when we are practicing, the reality is, nobody will really notice when we perform as long as we bring the energy and so we did. I loved hearing the beautiful speeches, meeting strangers and being friends by night's end, and of course, celebrating the night away together, especially with our Euro-step train around the dance floor. I was exhausted and tired as we cleaned up and packed everything away. However, as impacted as this weekend was, I truly was on my own cloud 9 enjoying this whole experience. It was definitely a pleasure and I am forever grateful for the love you two found and the opportunity to join you on this journey, as together we've shared some fond memories. Congratulations on your marriage! 
 

~:[CH13 - Day 109]:~ What a Show!

 

~:[CH13 - Day 109]:~ What a Show!

What a day. I took a red-eye just past midnight and connected through Chicago before heading off to Cincinnati. I drove the remaining distance into Lexington, hitting some traffic at the end. The delay pushed me back as I arrived late at Keeneland, but still yet, I was happy I at least arrived. It was a joyous feel amongst the crowd and I caught two almost amazing races. Why almost?? In the first race I saw, my trifecta trio fell to 2nd, 4th and 3rd. Seeing the trifecta might be difficult, I did a single win for #9 since I liked the name. There were two amazing races even though I just missed out on winning. We ventured off to the rehearsal before heading over to dinner as it was non-stop since arrival. I took a break to get work done as I sat down and finished seeding the league championship race. The new system is such a pain and took so much longer than before to sort through the wildcards, add them to the meet, then seed them properly. I was happy that I felt I did it correctly. Regardless, it was neary a 20 hour day from start to finish, but as exhausting as it was, it was definitely quite an awesome day. What a show!

~:[CH13 - Day 108]:~ Defying Gravity

 

~:[CH13 - Day 108]:~ Defying Gravity

As I finished all I could making sure all was in order before I left, before I knew it, I reached the end of the day. It was nice to wrap up practice and go around and watch the other areas wrap up. I watched one of our high jumpers who is shorter than I, leap six feet off the ground and over the bungee. It's cool to see him defy gravity and to jump to heights that get others around him excited. After a long week of work, I went home and packed up my things for a mini journey, while still having to get everything in order for league prelims Monday. The timing of this event wasn't ideal, but for this, I'd do everything I could to make it work. I said my final goodbye to LA for the weekend as I myself defied gravity, as I looked down below as the plane took off. It was a stressful day, but also a simple day, still yet a day where we defied gravity. There are so many things that we'll be amazed by throughout a day and we ourselves may be apart of it as well, but the reality is, while we may not have wings to fly, we're destined to realize in our lives that the sky's the limit. Our potential is limitless, so let's all aim to defy gravity.

~:[CH13 - Day 107]:~ Truly Sharp

 ~:[CH13 - Day 107]:~ Truly Sharp

It was a little bloody and gory, but Sweeney Todd is definitely a thriller that is quite enjoyable. I love  how they have to play such a range of characters in the same musical. It was my first time at Whitney and it was fun to see a collaboration between their school and ours to create this production. While the musical is quite dark, the lighting was just enough to be able to allow me to capture some of the moments. While changing settings as the scenes went on was challenging, I captured a few memorable moments. I definitely felt that this performance was quite engagement and spectacular, as the cast was truly, sharp. I will be back to catch the second cast next week, however, if you get a chance, you should definitely go out and check out how wonderful this production is. I am so proud to see all of my students on stage and see them transform into another character as they take us away into a different world during the few hours they have us captivated. 

~:[CH13 - Day 106]:~ Survival

 
~:[CH13 - Day 106]:~ Survival

The extra time and effort these students put in is amazing. After a full day of school, there with me until five or six working hard and on meet days, sometimes we'll get back as late as 10 or 11pm. They balance all their work with the work they have to do here and they definitely deserve to be commended for it. Still yet, as grueling as it is, it also means that it's a war of attrition. Many try to do it, but slowly through the year, there are less and less until we have those who survive. As we approach our final weeks of the season, those who have survived are here and now their performances will determine how much further they go. Every day seems to be "their last" as we head towards the close of the year. Today was our last interval workout of the regular season and just like the season, the workout was a bout of survival. We end with survival of the fittest to see who can withstand the grueling workout. There is a cutoff, but we do last person standing and often times, they're on the floor by workouts end. In any case, I truly appreciate them all the work that they put in, because I know it's not easy and they have other choices, but they choose to be right here with us, hoping to survive until the very end. I can't wait to see them all at the finish line.

~:[CH13 - Day 105]:~ Just Plain Strange

~:[CH13 - Day 105]:~ Just Plain Strange

Mondays are a little rough, but they're easier when you enjoy working with your colleagues. My best friend's room is just across from my and I constantly bother him. Together, we're just plain strange, but that's what makes it fun and original. I find it funny that we don't really talk about much, just this and that, but it's always great to have someone that can make your day better. With how busy my schedule has been, I was missing a day here and there, but I hope that I'll get back on schedule to get my daily dose of selfies with Jepsen. In twenty years from now, we'll both be edging towards retirement and I wonder what will it be like then? I guess we'll just have to wait and find out. For now, I'll enjoy these special days and moments and appreciate that I have them, just like many other moments and interactions in my life as I try to focus on what I have and what is great, rather than what I don't and what is not. 
 

~:[CH13 - Day 104]:~ A Moment, Unscripted

 
~:[CH13 - Day 104]:~ A Moment, Unscripted

Sometimes, you can't write a better ending. As an MUN teacher, you see a range of students. Some who come in as confident speakers from the start, some in the middle, and some who aren't the most comfortable speaking or don't speak at all. It's always great to see how much they grown and improve over the years, as I watched them in committee as I went from room to room. They were working hard despite being exhausted from spending most of their weekend in committee. One of the committees was a historical crisis committees. I don't really like these committees as they stray away from the UN topics, but at least the students could use their historical knowledge, in this case, US History. One of my students freshman year really opened up, when we joked around with him leading our class discussion how their period was superior. It was fun and games creating a rivalry between periods, which we often have. However, I was pleased to see how much he had grown over time. He was truly engaged in his role and fluidly said line after line, comfortable and confidently. He has a bit of timidness to him, but in committee, he is able to set that aside and truly speak confidently. As he was called up as best delegate to receive his gavel, he still had that same timidness, a bit of amazement, and just as he returned to his seat, a little celebration that was so pure and felt like one out of a movie, yet this one was unscripted. At that very moment, one of our students was so happy for him and she ran up and gave him a celebratory hug. It's moments like this that make teaching work it. For those of us in activities or athletics, we spend countless hours of our free time at conference such as these, but when you ask most who do it, it's not a waste of time at all. It's an investment and today I received a return on that investment. For all of us, life has it's challenging moments, especially when we are grinding and sometimes feel like we're going nowhere. However, if today could be an example for you, at some point, when you keep at it, eventually you'll find your own unscripted moment where you find your breakthrough. Believe it, keep working at it, and I hope that we can all find a moment like this, where we find acknowledgement for all the work and effort that's been put in. Today, this student found that moment and I couldn't have been more proud. 

~:[CH13 - Day 103]:~ (Not) The Restful Weekend

 
~:[CH13 - Day 103]:~ (Not) The Restful Weekend

I had a fun Saturday planned before my little blunder. However, just because I didn't have a restful Saturday, didn't mean it wasn't enjoyable. It was nice to revisit my old stomping grounds as I looked around and not much had changed from the previous year, while a lot had changed since I went there. The renovations were quite nice, although they seemed to be having some issues due to the recent weather. Regardless, I still was in awe of how nice of a job they did. It was nice to see the students in committees. For many, they came to complete their last conference, still yet, I was pleased to see them working hard in committee. I did my rounds, found a few moments to rest in between before making the rounds again. I was a little distraught knowing that I would have to come back tomorrow, but at least I was glad to have some time to see my seniors in committee for one last conference and also to revisit my alma mater. The rain started to pour just as we left, which also left me a wet drive to Arcadia to attend the end of the event I was suppose to go to originally. Although I missed it, I still shot a few photos for them and enjoyed a nice post-event dinner together. My little blunder changed my plans around, but looking back, it actually allowed me to enjoy two different moments I was happy to enjoy, albeit at the expense of my restful weekend. Of course, sometimes restful weekends are overrated as sometimes you find hidden treasures in the moments you never would have experienced had you stayed home. 

~:[CH13 - Day 102]:~ As Time Passes By

 
~:[CH13 - Day 102]:~ As Time Passes By

As time passes by, things around us change and we change. Sometimes we see the transformation happening and sometimes we don't. Sometimes we can be proud of the transformation and sometimes we aren't. Sometimes the reflection of ourselves that we see is not quite what we actually are and sometimes we know exactly how we've transformed. Change is not a bad thing at all. When time passes, we are going to change, but how that change happens and in what direction it goes is key. As I sometimes find myself on the wrong trajectory, I have to stop myself and redirect where I am going and when an opportunity comes, I will also to the same to help those around me and the programs with which I work. I hope that we can all take that step back and re-evaluate ourselves. Are we the best version of ourselves or even close to it? What changes should we make in order to redirect ourselves? If we're headed on the right path, what can help us ensure we stay on the right path? Decide what changes you need to make, whether slight adjustments or a complete change of environment. This process must be a constant one and even when you know that some situations may be hopeless, do what you can to make the changes, as in the end, it will take a weight off of your shoulders. As I looked at this flower on the hillside after our tough afternoon workout, I did think about the changing future ahead and how things will change as time passes by. With many changes ahead, we'll see how we adapt, but no matter what, I hope we can constantly see all the things we need to change and adjust so that can remain on a path that aligns with the direction in which we wish to go.

~:[CH13 - Day 101]:~ More Difficult Than Yesterday

 
~:[CH13 - Day 101]:~ More Difficult Than Yesterday

Yesterday was exhausting and difficult, but I actually always dread picture day more than a meet day. With a large team, picture day is a chore. From making sure the envelopes are handed out, making sure they have their jerseys (most of them did today!), to coordinating them and making sure they're all good to go (especially in the heat), there are so many variables. Regardless, we quickly moved through our full team picture, division pictures and area pictures. It actually went a bit more smoothly than I anticipated and I waited around a bit before heading to my friend's cafe. It was fun to visit the cafe (finally) and take a few clips to make a reel. The food was delicious and the drink was quite refreshing. It's out in Arcadia, so it was a bit exhausting after a long day yesterday, but it was totally work the drive. Regardless, at the end, looking at the photos we took, I am happy that things went well. I still will say picture day is more difficult than running a meet, but that might just be me. I wrapped up the evening finishing up editing the reel and decided to leave the photos until tomorrow, regardless, I survived and I guess in the end, that's all that matters. If you get a chance, visit the Arcane Cafe in Arcadia! (arcanecafe.com)

~:[CH13 - Day 100]:~ At the Helm

 
~:[CH13 - Day 100]:~ At the Helm

It's stressful sometimes to be the coordinator of an event. However, once you get the hang of it, it becomes a little bit easier every time. Still yet, there is this and that to deal with, so you always have something you need to worry about. Despite it, it sometimes is easier to be at the helm, as you know what is going to happen most of the time and are caught off guard less. Sometimes it can be less stressful as you know what to expect and what is going to happen, allowing you to plan ahead. Despite being a bit tired, I pushed through and survived the long day. We arrived back past 8pm, as we packed some things away and slowly, but surely, the athletes got picked up. There were so many variables that made the day difficult, but still yet, not only was it another weight off my shoulders, it also was a proud moment as so many athletes stepped up and took care of business. With both our top sprinters out due to injury, our athletes still pulled out all four victories, coming up clutch when we needed it. As the sun set and the stadium lights came on, I was happy at how smoothly the day went. There still work to do to wrap things up, but at least I know what to expect being at the helm. Congrats to the track & field athletes on an excellent meet!

~:[CH13 - Day 99]:~ Phenomenal

 
~:[CH13 - Day 99]:~ Phenomenal

All the buzz was surrounding the eclipse today. While LA was not in the path of totality, it was still cool to see the eclipse happen. Someone had donated glasses for the students, but I had already secured my own. Sadly, I forgot my solar eclipse filter for my camera, but I still was able to capture the moment using a few filters and my phone. The thing I love the most, however, was seeing the students so excited for the moment. It was a little difficult getting back into the swing of things and became more stressful because I made a mistake on the date of an event, meaning I had to cancel something else, however, in the end, I think we solved the problems, although I feel bad for those it impacts. With the upcoming meet, I spent most of the rest of the day reviewing the entries and contacting coaches as we finished up our adds and scratches in prep for tomorrow. It was our first day back and definitely felt like I was dragging through it, but something about the day just felt phenomenal despite all the ups and downs of the day. The rest of the week may be quite the challenge, however, I am ready for what's ahead and hoping that my mind and body is also up for the taxing week (and MUN weekend) ahead. 

~:[CH13 - Day 98]:~ Hopelessness

 

~:[CH13 - Day 98]:~ Hopelessness

There will be many days in our life when we feel like hope is lost. Whether it's trying to reach a new goal or to find something that you've been missing. They often say that many people give up hope when they're right on the brink of breaking through. I am here to remind you to stay strong and be confident. If it's something you really want and it's something realistic, keep going after it if it's still something you want to aim for. Even when you think you're defeated, you never know what might happen. Similarly, in the sports I coach or programs I work with, I remind students to finish out strong, no matter if you're ahead or behind. Yesterday, I was reminded about this. In our fantasy league, it was the championships. I actually was content with making the championship after winning last year. It didn't look good as I started to lose ground in rebounds and assists and it seemed like I was out of it. I ended up reclaiming FT% and then somehow, flipped the FG% with just a few players left. My own player clutched it when my others stars didn't do so well. With one player left, I thought I would fall just short, but in the end, I edged my way into victory. You just never know. Even when it seems like the odds are against you, sometimes, a route presents itself that will allow you to find a way to what you're hoping to reach. Never give up because at the end of the day, even if you don't get to where you wanted to be, at least you can say, you gave it  your all. Life will be filled with these hopeless moments, but the more times you keep moving forward even when your chances seem bleak, the higher chance you'll have of making that hopeless moment into one of true victory. 

~:[CH13 - Day 97]:~ Half & Half

~:[CH13 - Day 97]:~ Half & Half

My alarm went off at 5:30am. Was my spring break over early? With my typical school day alarms on, it felt like it, but it was off to Irvine for our second meet in two days. Some of our team was in Irvine, while the others were at Cerritos College. While spending over 12 hours at a track doesn't sound appealing, it was fairly relaxing and fun to see many of the athletes find PRs. There were some who were disappointed, but many who found breakthroughs on the day. It was tough as there were long gaps between races, but that also meant I had a bit of time to take a short nap. It was too cold in the shade, but too hot in the sun, so I pulled up my hood and laid down in the sun with my jacket on. Part of me wished I had the day free to explore, but I also didn't mind coaching my athletes while also having time to relax in between races. How quickly did the break pass on by with half of it being work and half of it allowing myself to catch up on things that I didn't have time for, regardless, sometimes, the balance between the two is just right. Half sun, half shade; half work, half play; when you look at it, it's not too bad as you keep the balance between the two. If you feel at times your life is in chaos, maybe check the balance you have between the time you give yourself and the time you give to others (including work, family, etc.). While it doesn't have to be 50/50, sometimes, without realizing it, we fail give yourself the balance in life that you need and deserve. 

 

~:[CH13 - Day 96]:~ The Unexpected

 
~:[CH13 - Day 96]:~ The Unexpected

I was supposed to do a shoot in LA today, but unexpectedly, we discovered that the pole vault had been moved to Friday. I wouldn't have been upset about it, but the meet director didn't even inform the teams that it had changed. Their original paperwork was the same, but they did change it on the registration site. Regardless, we figured it out on time. I fit the poles in my van and headed to the meet. Because of the change, a few athletes didn't end up showing up, which I thought would make the competition quicker, however, we were the last ones in the stadium. The good news is that all three athletes ended up receiving a medal. In life, we have too many of things that happen unexpectedly. From an injury or illness, a schedule change, or something similar, we find ways to adjust and adapt to them. It's not the way that we may have wanted things to go, but you do what you can and from there, you roll with the punches. There are some things you can change or at least bring attention to, but when things are out of your control, you just have to do your best to make it work and hope for the best. Tonight, we all did just that and it ended up working out for the best. For these three athletes, I know they were proud of what they accomplished, especially with the tough windy conditions that made pole vaulting even more difficult than it already is. 

~:[CH13 - Day 95]:~ The 180

 
~:[CH13 - Day 95]:~ The 180

After practice in the morning, I headed out to pick up my friend. I offered my services as otherwise, I would be working on a few things at home. While driving, I wasn't able to take the onramp at the freeway interchange and thus, I had to detour and turn around at the next exit. It was only about a mile or so away, but of course, it was the heaviest portion of the drive, adding about ten minutes to a thirty minute drive. Still yet, I was happy to have taken the break, as I had some time to catch up and just relax again. It was a nice mental break from working at home and energized me as I worked for the rest of the day. I started with cooking up some chicken soup for my family and then focused in the computer to design some headers for the albums that I just wrapped up. It's always exciting to work on these, but they don't always come so easily. Sometimes, I am working on a design and completely scrap it, take a 180, and do something completely different. Sometimes it fails and I go back to what I was working on and other times, it ends up like this. I was happy with how this came out and found myself finishing up more things than I had planned originally. I was a bit sad as I thought about the limited time remaining in our break, but also glad that during this stretch, there is so much that I accomplished. While I thought I might end up vegetating around the house during the break, I was happy to take that 180 and find myself being more productive than ever, as I wrap up one item after the next on my checklist. While we may have a direction in mind in our own lives, don't be afraid to take that 180, as while some people may see it as going backwards, I often see it as a route to new opportunities that we may have missed along the way. Even if it feels we're not going anywhere in life or even backtracking, just remember that we all take different paths and we should never worry about the way that others want us to progress, rather take our own time and find our own direction in our own lives. 

~:[CH13 - Day 94]:~ Same Here

 
~:[CH13 - Day 94]:~ Same Here

Yes, it's break. Yes, I am at school. Yes, I just want to sleep. However, part of my job is to keep my athletes ready for the meets ahead and thus, we're here on campus working towards our goals. I didn't make them (and myself) come every day. I picked the most important workouts and planned our practices on those days. With an earlier arrival than normal school, when I got home, I wanted to sleep, but I had work to do and then headed off to LA. It was nice to finally go out and relax. It was great to catch up with a friend and just enjoy the environment of finally being out. While the load of work awaiting me was on my mind, I still was able to enjoy the time and was even more excited when I saw the final product of all the work I put into this latest shoot. Once I wrapped up, I definitely was ready for bed, but still yet, I was happy to have had such a productive day and still have the time to enjoy some leisure time as well. Even though I was at school during break, looking back, I was also happy that I did something with the hours of my day, as without these tasks, I may have just wasted the day away. 

~:[CH13 - Day 93]:~ Schedule Stacking

 
~:[CH13 - Day 93]:~ Schedule Stacking

One thing I learned when itinerary planning is about stacking. Save time by not having to travel back and forth to create efficiency in your schedule. The question I always get about fitting things into a day include this type of planning. With my shoot centered around Irvine, I was able to do a quick catch up that we've been putting off for awhile. It's always nice to chat and see what's going on, as over time, while you may be aware of somethings going on, you don't get the true essence of everything that you realize when you're face-to-face. It ended up being a nice chat and time well spent. It worked out well as the delay allowed me to miss traffic, something I didn't want to do after a day full of shooting. I drove home pretty happy as my shoot went well in the morning and I was happy with how the images came out. I excitedly ventured home to work on the set and began processing right away. I was able to wrap up the album from my event this weekend as well! It definitely was a productive day and it's always a cherry on top when what you produced was beyond your own expectations. Take a look at your schedule and see how efficiently you planned it. By moving just one or two things around, you may be saving hours that you might be spending in traffic. Here's to hoping you can make the most out of your days, hours, and even minutes! 

~:[CH13 - Day 92]:~ Not To Be Fooled

 
~:[CH13 - Day 92]:~ Not To Be Fooled

People always ask me, where am I going since it's spring break. Actually, I don't travel much during holidays and some breaks because everyone is traveling and it's the most expensive time to travel. As much as I am working here and there, I also am economical in deciding when I accept jobs. I plan most of my local jobs when prices for travel are high. Today, I spent most of the day cleaning and planning. I have a few upcoming shoots, so I got that work out of the way while I also began the process of cleaning, something I've had to put off for awhile now due to my schedule. I was kind of glad I stayed home most of the day, as I didn't want to be fooled on this 1st of April. I didn't scour the Internet too much, but earlier in the day (just past midnight), I had already fallen for one with a client I'll be working with soon. Instead of adventuring around, I stayed home, cooked lunch and dinner, and took care of business. It felt good to be productive. While part of me wishes that I had gone on a quick road trip or something similar, I also was just fine spending time with family and doing some work that I've been meaning to do. In the end, I took care of business and was able to catch an amazing basketball game while eating the warm and delicious Zuppa Toscana soup. It wasn't glamorous, but it was still fabulous. As while glitz and glamour grabs the attention of so many, let's not fool ourselves, that staying in and relaxing is just as grand sometimes.