~:[CH15 - Day 31]:~ Surfing the Web

 
~:[CH15 - Day 31]:~ Surfing the Web

We were at the Surf City Model UN Conference today. I was a bit exhausted from the week, but still felt energized to attend today. I don't always go to Surf City due to Vancouver, but the schedule this year seemed to work out. One thing about Model UN that I love is the ability to be exposed to so many topics. For students, they receive one to two topics per conference, but for me, I am exposed to thirty or more topics, as I hear information for all of my students. There is so much information out there and it's always fun to grasp on to all of this information. The complexities of the word are a tangled web that is difficult to unwind, however, I know that as complex as it is, there are ways to figure it all out. As my students dive into these topics in a setting that is simulating the real UN, I think that the exposure to these things, not only enriches their mind, but also gives them the skills to be able to navigate the complexities of life. At the end of the day, over half of my students left with awards and our school received the outstanding large school delegation. It was definitely a busy two weeks of MUN, but it was a great way to conclude the weekend. Later that night, my family came over to visit and my body gave in as I fell asleep, but surely I can say that today was well worth it. An author once wrote, "what a tangled web we weave," but that tangled web is something waiting to be unwound and I know we have the ability to to do it.

~:[CH15 - Day 30]:~ It's Not the End

 
~:[CH15 - Day 30]:~ It's Not the End

It's Friday, but it's not the end of my week. On most Friday's this is the case. With cross country and track meets along with MUN Conferences, there always seems to be something going on during the weekend. In absence of school, I will also have shoots whether an event or a individual shoot. Friday never signifies the end, as my life is an endless cycle of events. Of course, as busy as my schedule is, I always think about how busy parents with kids are or how busy my students loaded with activities are. Parents have to drive their kids from this to that and try to fit in as much as possible while the students need to try to fit things in such as conferences as games. As much time as what I do takes, I think the mental and physical energy of parents is much greater and I can only imagine the added stress that students have these days. Yes, I do a lot of work, but I think that looking at the bigger pictures, parents exert so much more energy without even having the event schedule I do. The pick ups, the drop offs, the meal preps and more. Students who are involved have a similar schedule to mine, as they have to often wake up early in the morning for an event, much like I will have to tomorrow for the conference. While my Friday's always seem to not be the end of the week, for parents and students, often times, their days are weekless and are just a continuous strand of to-dos. Regardless,, we all have our schedules and we find a way to manage what we do. I hope we can appreciate each other and acknowledge that we all work hard in our own way. Just be sure that despite all that is on our plates, we find the time to make sure that we find a gap between all that we do to sure that we save times for ourselves, as we all need some time to recharge. At the end of the day, I hope that all the hard work that we put in pays off, much like it did for our basketball teams who all ended up with a W after all the time and work they put in. 

~:[CH15 - Day 29]:~ Welcome to Cerritos

 
~:[CH15 - Day 29]:~ Welcome to Cerritos

It was a busy day. With two of my classes doing the imperialism game, I was already busy, but we also had visitors from Taiwan, which added a little wrinkle to the day. Personally, I didn't have to do much more, but it definitely meant a little extra attention to my classes in an attempt to make them feel welcomed. I actually appreciate when people come to our school because I always feel so proud to be at the school, especially considering I am an alumni. Sure, there are things I want to change, but still yet, I am blessed to be where I am, both the school and the city. The city has even more to show off from the library to the towne center, the restaurants and more, when people come to visit, I am always appreciative there are a variety of things I could show them. After all was said and done, I organized my things and prepped for grills. I had to move the date as open houses shifted the basketball games, which mean I had to shift the grill. Problem was that Surf City is tomorrow, too. I ended up calling it a night early, as I didn't want to keep them on campus until too late. We had a good grill for Nationals and ended early enough so they could get some work done before tomorrow's conference. It's been a busy stretch, as I headed home, not to rest, but to finish uploading position paper for Nationals. Walking by the theater where the elementary students were having their musical, I simply thought, I wonder what they think of that students are now just leaving campus? I guess that is part of the Cerritos way. Students who put in that extra effort to be a part of something special. It was makes this school special and our students amazing. I wondered a bit of what the students from Taiwan thought of our school, regardless, I was glad that we could show them a bit of what we had to offer as they witness the range of things that go on in a day at Cerritos High School.

~:[CH15 - Day 28]:~ The Variety Pack

 
~:[CH15 - Day 28]:~ The Variety Pack

When you buy a box of something at the grocery store, do you look for a box with all of the same kind or the variety pack. Personally, I like to focus in on one thing at time, but most of my days are a variety pack. From class to prom premiere to practice to games, there is such a variety of things that go on in a single day and today was the best example. Another night of being at the school late, we hosted the faculty and staff at the game versus Pioneer. It's always great to see a group of staff show up for the game, but I was surprised so many showed up with Open House the night before. Two nights in a row, we were all on campus late into the evening. I guess I appreciate that they are dedicate to the school that they'll be there to support. I guess in all aspects of what I do, despite the varying environments, it is filled with people who go above and beyond. I appreciate that as I go through my days from one thing to the next. I guess that's also why it's much easier to deal with such a variety of things in a day. It also means I get to interact with a variety of people. While I have my go-tos in my life, I don't mind the variety pack, keeping me on my toes and opening me up to a variety of experiences, day in and day out.

~:[CH15 - Day 27]:~ Rest(less)

 
~:[CH15 - Day 27]:~ Rest(less)

I'm actually not great with downtime. If I have nothing scheduled, I kind of waste away. Of course, most of the time, there is something to work on, but if not, I don't get a lot of productivity if I don't need to be. I guess it's a good thing that the next week will be quite busy. We started that stretch with open house. It was different to be in the MUN room, as typically I am in the gym. With handing off that responsibility, I was able to watch the students in action and interact with a number of people. I was slightly under the weather still, so at times, I had to pause while trying to talk, but for the most part, it went smoothly. I wasn't as tired as I thought I would be at night's end even though this happen just two days after returning from Vancouver. I guess my body is used to these turnarounds and it made it a bit easier since there was no time change. Regardless, without much rest, I powered through and enjoyed the evening, watching my sophomores do their best to represent their program. It's always fun to get a preview of the students that I will be taking with me to Nationals next year. I headed home and did a bit of work before calling it a night knowing I'd need my rest for the rest of the week. It will definitely be a restless week. 

~:[CH15 - Day 26]:~ Survival

 
~:[CH15 - Day 26]:~ Survival

My voice was hanging on as I had moments that were just fine and others where I struggled a bit. I actually ended up surviving this tough day, but still, my body told me to rest. I wrapped up the day and paused as I walked away, as I found a little solace in looking at this basket among the backdrop of the setting sun. With each sunrise and sunset, we made it through another day. No matter how great or how tough it is, we survived. In this world, there is no guarantee that we can survive. At moments we may be tired or feel defeated, but we must find ourselves pushing towards surviving another day. It's easy to feel demoralized, but I hope that we allow ourselves to keep fighting and speaking up, even when we feel hopeless. I know many of us our tired, but that's exactly when we need to use a little extra to ensure that we survive. Protect what is precious to us and doing so will take us pushing forward towards reaching another day. Survive. Do everything and anything to get where you want to be by day's end. There is a lot I want to say, but the words are hard to come by, but all I know is, we must keep speaking up to ensure we make it another day. My voice disappeared and yes, I felt the struggle, but I know that just like in life, I can do it; I can make it. We will find our beautiful sunset backdrop among the peace and calm of what once was chaotic, but for now, I hope we find ourselves making it to the end of another day. For those who are defeated and for those who are hopeless, keep pressing forward and even if you get knocked down, get yourself back up so that you can enjoy the sunset of another day that you survived. 

~:[CH15 - Day 25]:~ When the Fog Clears

 
~:[CH15 - Day 25]:~ When the Fog Clears

I think one of the things with traveling with high school students is when you notice what they don't see. I think even as adults, we are blinded by various things that don't allow us to see exactly what we are doing or how we are impacting others. I always try my best to make sure these trips end well, but also approach it with a laissez-faire approach, having them address their own issues. It's always interesting to see how things turn out and whether they solve their issues or not. I thought long and hard about a message I would want to send them and this is what I originally thought up. "Even if you don't end up working at the UN, you still can contribute towards changing the world. You can work a little harder, you can speak a little bit louder, and you can be a little more kind, doing you part to make the path on which you travel a little brighter. You may not be able to influence countries, but it doesn't mean you can't change lives. Think about how your actions impact others and do your best to think about each decision along your journey.. What can you do better? How can you make the world brighter? We live in a world that can occasionally be chaotic, so each of you needs to be the calm within that storm. Be reasonable, be diplomatic, but also be sure you are heard. Within the chaos, you will often face obstacles, but instead of thinking of these as setbacks, thing of them as opportunities to learn and to grow, becoming stronger with each obstacle you must face. Whether you listen more to a friend, lending a helping hand to someone in need, or give an extra effort along this journey, you're making progress towards doing your part to change this world" I ended up revising the message a little as I went on to talk about how these experiences will help them in the future, but more importantly, to help guide them through this fog that is high school, so they can see the bigger picture and realize that all these smaller things that seem so important now (in high school) pale in comparison to what's ahead. At the end of the day, they'll have to decide their path, their actions will decide how things progress, and their final destination will be determined by a series of decision along the way, but at least I can be there to temporarily help fan the fog away, so they can see from just a moment. I think for all of us we can ask that question, when the fog clears amidst all this chaos, where will we find ourselves? 

~:[CH15 - Day 24]:~ Focus In

 
~:[CH15 - Day 24]:~ Focus In

Saturday tends to be the main day of the conference. With the students focusing in on their roles, they were also fighting against the elements as their bodies and minds were exhausted from a long week. It was great to see all of them engaged and while I did poke and prod a few to get a little more involved, they kind of did their own thing. With this being the conference's 25th anniversary, I was dragged into an interview talking about our program and the conference. It was nice to reflect on all the experiences we had and the reasons behind why I do this. While it's easy to get caught up in the chase for awards, I always hope that our students focus in on representing their countries as best as possible with substance and participation. As I said in my interview, you can't always control whether or not you get an awards, but you can control how you present and what kind of information you bring to the table. Many of my students impressed with so much detail, they were asked to not be so specific. I am not a fan of that comment as this program is supposed to be about researching and coming up with tangible solutions, however, it's also a good sign that they put in the work all these years to get where they are today. With the students focused in most of the day, we had our annual team dinner together. It was a bit sad as the restaurant we have hosted this at might be on the verge of closing down, but at least we had one more opportunity to celebrate here together. There is a lot in life that you cannot control, but I hope that we all find ourselves able to focus in on what we are working on so we can find a path that we can always label as successful. With or without recognition, a journey you can be proud of is the greatest success of all.

~:[CH15 - Day 23]:~ Losing Track

 

~:[CH15 - Day 23]:~ Losing Track

There's been so much going on that it's hard to keep track of things. As I was walking around tonight, I forgot what day it was since we've been gone for so long. I kept going back and forth trying to figure it out before I realized what day it was. Committee began and I had a just healthy enough group of students. Despite everything, they did their best in committee as they each did what they could to be a factor in committee. It's always tough adjusting to a new conference style and some of them had some growing pains through the day. I worked my way around the hotel as I learned the route I would take for the next few days. They hung on through the night and learned the hard way of how difficult it was to deal with the elevator traffic of a conference. We'll see how they hold up and how it goes from here, however, for now, I'll try to focus on keeping track of myself and hope they can keep track of themselves. Wish us luck!

~:[CH15 - Day 22]:~ In Love with Nature

 

~:[CH15 - Day 22]:~ In Love with Nature

We enjoyed another beautiful site as we explored the beauty of Capilano. They did an incredible job creating this area that allows you to be one with nature, enjoying the sites from high atop the street and looking down at the gourge below. The seniors ended up doing the scavenger hunt, so they focused in a lot more and immersed themselves in the space more. We headed over to the aquarium and caught the sea lion show. The past few years it was raining and it was so nice to enjoy it without that distraction. I explored the aquarium again as I enjoyed seeing the frogs and jellyfish, although the axolotl was not on display. We enjoyed the sea otter before heading over to Robson to ice skate. The seniors kept up, but they decided to call it a night as they took their food to go. I love coming on this trip as it's a nice balance between city and nature. There's a lot to fall in love with in Vancouver and the beauty of its nature is definitely one of them. I hope these seniors appreciate it as much as I do, as it definitely is something I'll always remember about this place. 

~:[CH15 - Day 21]:~ Snow Nice

~:[CH15 - Day 21]:~ Snow Nice

It's been awhile since the conditions were good enough to tube. The seniors have been disappointed as they were unable to enjoy the hill the past few years, still enjoying the scenic beauty of the mountain. This year, they got to enjoy both. It was fun to see them enjoy the thrill of tubing and to see their faces as they saw the beauty of the mountain.  It was their favorite day so far and I am glad they found fulfillment in this experience. They've had a little bug being passed from one to another, so they were a bit tired, but still managed to trek through the mountains. We ended the night on the foggy streets of Gastown. It was a fun ending to the evening as it felt a little surreal with the conditions. I appreciate the feel of the evening as it was something we hadn't had on this day before which left us with a dreamy image of this wonderful snow-filled day. I hope that this bug disappears as the conference approaches, however, even if not. I'm glad we had some of these moments that were snow nice.

 

~:[CH15 - Day 20]:~ Crossing Over

 

~:[CH15 - Day 20]:~ Crossing Over

We had an early morning rise and headed north across the border. It was exciting for the group as they looked forward to so many things in Canada. We had a bit of delay, but eventually made it to Vancouver. We explored Granville Island and picked up a number of cool snacks before heading back across the bridge. It was a beautiful last shot as we gathered the seniors against the Vancouver skyline. This image makes me think back to all the groups that stood at thia very spot over the years as they made the same trek to this colder climate. The weather is a bit colder so sickness is bound to ramp up among the group, buy hopefully we can stay warm as we make our trek across the border. 

~:[CH15 - Day 19]:~ The Light of the Day

 

~:[CH15 - Day 19]:~ The Light of the Day

It was a little chilly in the morning as we headed to city center, but it warmed up nicely as we ventured back to Pike's Place midday. The beautiful light shone on a significant day as the city celebrated MLK day. It was a bit more crowded around the city, which I was disappointed about, however, we still enjoyed the city and venturing around in our last full day in the city. We enjoyed the beautiful day as we raced towards Olympic Sculpture Park to arrive by sunset. We caught the end of the sunset as the seniors sat at the edge of the park together, soaking in the beauty of their final Seattle sunset together. As many times as I take this trip, this moment never seems to get old. With a little bit of sickness spreading, we stayed closer to the hotel hoping some rest would help everyone as we packed and prepared for our trek across the border. 

~:[CH15 - Day 18]:~ The Underground

 

~:[CH15 - Day 18]:~ The Underground

It's always cool learning about the history of Seattle and heading into the Underground. The history of Seattle is quite a fun one and this tour introduces the quirkiness of the city. We ventured to the Pike Place Market before headed to MoPop, which wasn't usual, but since they weren't available Monday, we had to switch things up a bit. I always enjoy the beautiful architecture of MoPop as it truly is a beautiful site to see amongst the collection in city center. At first, the students are always dreading another museum, but they always seem to liven up in this space. They were happy as they closed the evening watching Zootopia 2 and eating Din Tai Fung, as we looked forward to the many ventures that await us.

~:[CH15 - Day 17]:~ And We're Off ...

 

~:[CH15 - Day 17]:~ And We're Off ...

We headed out in the early morning as we took our flight up to Seattle. Another adventure begins with our senior MUN team, which will eventually head to Seattle. These trips can sometimes be unpredictable, but you always hope they'll go well. With the upcoming game in Seattle, I knew that it will be slightly more packed than usual. It was cool to be close to the stadium and to hear the roars as we ventured around Chinatown. We were all exhausted by night's end, as we finished with another successful run at the escape room. Tomorrow's a brand new day, so we'll see how it goes, but it ended up that this first day ended up being quite nice.

~:[CH15 - Day 16]:~ All Prepped

 

~:[CH15 - Day 16]:~ All Prepped

I wrappedup my week with my normal selfie with the bestie, wrapped up the day, then packed. You would think a lot of prep and time would go into a nine day long trip, but with all the traveling I do for work, it's become second nature. No packing list, just a mental check as I talked my way through. Occasionally there is a snafu, but mostly, I hit it right on the nose. I didn't get a lot of rest going into this trip, however, I'm hoping for smooth sailing ahead as I finish up the prep for work. Wish me luck.

~:[CH15 - Day 15]:~ Let's Rise

 
~:[CH15 - Day 15]:~ Let's Rise

The sun was setting and I had one of my athlete help me create this shot. On a full day of checking things off my list, I was proud of all the athletes who have been grinding so hard so early in the season. While we wait for the winter athletes to join us, we still have a fairly large group coming, even when their area isn't scheduled to meet. That's how you get better. That's how you rise up. It's easier to be somewhere when you have to be there, but when it's optional, how many will be showing up? In life, I've already realized that be there is half the battle. When you are there and work hard, you are bound to get better. Not everyone lives by this code (which is fine), but I feel that those who do, tend to find more success. My whole day was filled as I completed my final pieces of work before we head off. It's been a whirlwind since we came back from break, but I am happy that things will slow down a bit. Of course, knowing all the work that I've accomplished, makes me proud and confident that what's ahead will be incredible. I took one last look at the beautiful sunset knowing that many were already home or lounging around. Still yet, there were a number of athletes still working and still griding and I hope that together, we can all rise up. 

~:[CH15 - Day 14]:~ Game On

 
~:[CH15 - Day 14]:~ Game On

I had a lot of work to do today with Vancouver coming up. I had a lot of grading for Nationals, work for school, and some photography edits to complete. The pile of work did not deter me from going to the basketball games. It was my first league home game of the year as I missed last week's game. There was some great energy in the gym with two close games and in all three, we were able to pull out the victory. It's fun to watch these close games. The nail-biting atmosphere, especially when you are rooting for someone, is amazing. Our teams stayed cool under pressure and I was proud of them as they came through victorious. I hope we all step up to the challenge and whether we are favorite to win or not, I hope we strive for victory and don't shy away from the competition. Tonight our team's didn't and found themselves celebrating by night's end. Congrats!

~:[CH15 - Day 13]:~ Find Your Way

 
~:[CH15 - Day 13]:~ Find Your Way

The electricity went off at 3:30pm. They had to fix some issues on campus, so the campus went dark. Even in complete darkness, some light peeked through and lit the way. Look closely around you as you will find those who will light your path, even when they're in the darkness with you. It's the best way to find your route when times get tough. Trust in those who you can depend on when things in life become difficult and you'll find that life becomes a lot easier. As I was exhausted from moving the mats during practice, I headed to eat with an alum and was recharged. It's great to catch up with alum as you discover that not only can you provide a light for their life, but they often can provide some light into your life. I am forever grateful for all the wonderful students who truly have impacted my life and given me light when things around me became dark. 

~:[CH15 - Day 12]:~ Different Times, Different Places

 
~:[CH15 - Day 12]:~ Different Times, Different Places

My amazing master teacher had a simulation that I still do today. While I've had to adapt it from year to year, this year, I had a full class and thus was able to run the simulation at full capacity. I love how we bring together thinkers from various time periods and different countries to discuss one topic. To watch freshmen take on complex ideas is quite impressive as they demonstrate what young minds are capable of. In the process of learning, these students not only learn about their own ideas and thoughts, but gather the perspectives of people around the world throughout history. As they represent a country, they discover the beliefs that may differ from their own. At the end of the day, they may not believe the policy they just represented, nonetheless, it helps them understand a new perspective and may help them see things from a new point of view. I think that's our problem today. We see things from our perspective and nobody else's. We lose sight of the things that are important in the quest for what we think is right. At the end of the day, our perspective might not change, but let's take a second to see all sides of a situation before we settle on what we believe. To simply shoot down the opinions of others before we even hear them out is exactly is what is keeping us from solving the problems we currently face. Tomorrow, we will continue discussing the same topic and the various philosophers will most likely get more heated, as they dig deeper into their various policies, however, at the end of the day, these young minds will hear the words of those from different times and different places, which will help them formulate what they believe today. This process allows them to discover how to formulate their own thoughts and beliefs and I hope that no matter what they settle on, they do it with fact and reason.

~:[CH15 - Day 11]:~ What We Never Planned

 
~:[CH15 - Day 11]:~ What We Never Planned

There wasn't much of a roadmap for the weekend, but we moved in the direction that we felt was right. A lot of unplanned moments in a life that is often very structured. My schedule is often set a month in advance, as when I finish a meeting, they pinpoint a date to block almost a year in advance. However, life is full of spontaneity and unplanned moments. People get sick, accidents happen, or unplanned celebrations could happen as well, however, the beauty in what is unplanned is that it adds a topping to the structure that already exists in life. As we wrapped up the weekend, accomplishing what we had hoped for, we also ended up with an unplanned stopped that took me down that unplanned path. In a tunnel, I found a staircase and I guess it was only fitting. I guess at times in life, these unplanned moments help us find those staircases that take us to a place we either hoped to arrive to or never planned on, as we discover a new path that may be what we never planned. It's okay. While we may leave our shadow behind, we emerge, discovering things about ourselves we never knew. It was a smooth trek home and as expected, I was exhausted when arriving home, however, I was content with how things went, even as unplanned as things were. There were moments to remember, moments to forget, but also experiences that I am glad that I had. Welcome those unplanned moments and see where they will take you, as you never know where that staircase in life will lead. Just take it one step at a time.

~:[CH15 - Day 10]:~ Look Around You

 
~:[CH15 - Day 10]:~ Look Around You

I get tunnel vision a lot. I look at what I need to accomplish and push forward towards it. It's important to do when you need to wrap things up. However, knowing what is around you is also important. If you speed by a car for instance and narrowly cut them off, your actions can infuriate someone else and cause an unpredictable situations. In a parking structure, we were stuck in relatively the same spot for 15 minutes and the driver in front of my was upset, cut off someone backing up and proceeded to honk at them. A car behind them (who this same driver cut off), drove along side them and calmly talked to that person. It seemed like it calmed her down as she followed along until we finally exited the structure. Our lives are constantly like this. When we do something, someone else is impacted, both positively and negatively. We are a cluster of people together who ping and pong of each other, as our actions and words often inadvertently impact others. Who and how, is often predictable, but what we can do is remember to make decisions considering how it impacts those around us. Emotions are powerful things which often drives us to bad decisions, but I know we can calm them a bit, if we take a deep breath and consider how our actions will impact those around us. There are opportunities to do our part and make our world into a beautiful one, but it takes us all to do it. As I looked up at the beautiful lights overhead, if one or a few of the lights pushed aggressively back and forth, that beauty would come shattering to the ground, instead, each light hung firmly in place, revealing a beautiful harmony that I hope that we as humans can find. We can simultaneously have our own space and co-exist together, but it takes us looking around us to see how we are impacting others and understanding how beautiful society is if we can find a way to exist together. There's a lot that can cause us to spin in disarray, but I just hope that in the madness and chaos of this world, we can be a collection of lights, lighting the path of this world to a beautiful road ahead. 

~:[CH15 - Day 9]:~ Shifting Gears

 
~:[CH15 - Day 9]:~ Shifting Gears

The CES drone show lit up the sky, as the change of environment began. With a last minute shift, I ended up in a new location for the weekend and today was the first of shifting gears. It was a nice recharge while searching through the various locations on the checklist. It definitely was a change of pace, but for the better. In life, we need to shift gears. From full speed ahead to meet the deadline to slowing it down to take care of some X's and O's, you won't always be able to do everything you want, but when you're in control, you can find the pace that is best suited for you. My original plan was scrapped when our deal fell through and when the opportunity arose, I took this path and it was a good choice. I ended up finishing up my dinner at a beautiful spot and although it was a fairly light meal due to the timing of the day, it ended up being such a fabulous way to put my mind at ease at the end of a long week. It's good to be consistent in life, but when the time calls, don't be able to shift gears and find the pace that is best suited for the situation. It may not match what those around you are doing, however, at the end of the day, you have to pick the pace in life that is best suited for you.

~:[CH15 - Day 8]:~ Taxing

 
~:[CH15 - Day 8]:~ Taxing

It's been a little tiring. We've been moving the pits for high jump and pole vault which were moved due to the new track as I talked about yesterday. We continued today and my body was tired from all the moving. Although it's not as bad with a handful of people helping, it still is a lot of work to do. It was a day that was exhausting, yet productive. I got a lot of things done from the manual labor to tying up the loose ends of our upcoming conference. There's so much to do, but so little time. In midst of everything, I was surprised to see this message from UPS asking for me to pay my tariff. I knew it was something I'd eventually have to pay, but knowing it will happen and actually paying it are two different things. Twenty percent later, I was out money that could have remained in my pocket. Even when you know what's coming, until you experience something first hand, you don't truly realize its impact. It was a small amount, but these small amounts add up. Similarly, small things in life build up. If we let these small things go and sweep them under the rug, we'll end up with a pile of dust, rather than getting rid of it when we can. Carrying the weight of these smaller things can end up being taxing, even more so that one big thing. I hope that we can all open our eyes and truly begin sweeping our own lives, cleaning up what needs to be cleaned so we avoid a future that is taxing as we carry the weight of so many things along with us. I hope we can figure things out before it's too late, as for now, it's not a big deal, but if we don't take care of it, we'll have quite the mountain to deal with. Let's avoid that mountain and focus on what we can work on today.

~:[CH15 - Day 7]:~ On Track

 
~:[CH15 - Day 7]:~ On Track

The sun set, as I looked at our resurfaced track for the first time. Over the winter break, they redid the track in preparation for our upcoming season. The track was in pretty bad shape and it was a nice refresh as the new season starts. The refresh also meant that our equipment on the field was moved around. Unfortunately, the rain combined with it not being covered properly led to the mats being soaked, but we managed to move over half of the equipment back to its original location. It felt a little weird as it reminded me of the day when we first installed the new track. It was miraculous moving from a dirt track to an all-weather one. There was a bit of joy despite being a little dirty and dealing with the effort of moving these heavy mats and such. As the sunset, that joy remaining as I cleaned up and headed to MUN. Tonight was our first night meeting for Nationals and I felt that they were on track. Although there is a lot of room for improvement, this being just the beginning, I think we can work on molding them and giving them all a refresh as well. We'll see how things shape up as we head into the future, but for now, things feel like they're on track and we just need to keep pushing forward.

~:[CH15 - Day 6]:~ What's So Sweet?

 

~:[CH15 - Day 6]:~ What's So Sweet?

It was a day of working to try to finish up the basketball starting lineups by Friday. With a change in my schedule, the timeline got a little shorter. Of course, while working, I got a message and took a quick break to meet up with someone who was visiting from the east coast. It was a nice to catch up and find out all that has been going on. I received a nice treat and the weather was chilly, yet not too cold. Life's sweetness is not from fancy desserts or drinks or anything you can buy for that matter, but rather in the conversations, the proximity, and the experiences you have especially with those around you. While it's nice to have a solo getaway, there is something great about maintaining a connection over time as you reminisce about the days gone by. There may not be anything fancy about the time you spend together, but it truly is the most valuable of things in this world and the sweetest of them all. Reach out and connect with those around you constantly even if it's once a year or longer, as maintaining those connections will leaving a lasting sweetness in your life. 

~:[CH15 - Day 5]:~ All in a Day's Work

 
~:[CH15 - Day 5]:~ All in a Day's Work

Technology is amazing, isn't it? I know that the translations apps aren't the most accurate. While making a presentation for students in Japan, I once translated a word for "drinks" and it became the word drinks as in alcohol. Luckily, it was caught before the presentation. However, with the technology that exists, we can at least give some tools to the students who have a gap that is difficult to cross, especially because of language. Working with so many people in Asia, I have come to recognize how these students feel, as the challenge of understanding people around me is not easy, even when I know some of the language. I can only image how difficult it is for students who are trying to learn academic language in a language they are just learning. While I only do it from time to time, with a document-based essay coming up, I threw the documents into a translator and I was amazed at how improved it has become. Again, I know the accuracy may not be there, but still, it provides them with at least some resource they can compare with the original to fill in the gaps. I thought it would be tedious work of cutting and pasting, but the documents translated much quicker than I thought. As we kick off a new school year, the students looked like they were struggling and I don't blame them, I was too. However, I also have to remind myself that I have to work extra hard at the start of the school year to ensure that they are also engaged. If they sense the same feeling from me, they will continue that downturn, however, if I can figure out a way to at least make it a bit more exciting, it will help jumpstart our 2026. Tomorrow could go any which way, as I know that reviewing these documents is quite cumbersome, however, I have faith that they'll focus in and be able to prep themselves to do the work they are capable of. Let's use the tools around us, force ourselves to learn more of what's available, so we can maximize our abilities, especially in times where we lack the motivation that we may normally have. At this point, I am tired and my body is telling me to sleep. In fact, for the first time in awhile, I took a short nap during the day, however, as I look back at the day, I was proud of what I accomplished and will use it to help get myself back on track, one day at a time. Good luck to all those trying to jumpstart your 2026!

~:[CH15 - Day 4]:~ A Nice Little Break

 
~:[CH15 - Day 4]:~ A Nice Little Break

I worked a lot today with school starting tomorrow. I actually wasn't doing a lot of stuff for school, rather I was wrapping up my cleaning, sorting, and also processing photos. I organized a lot of my digital folders, caught up on things I wanted to finish, and began a little prep for the week. Like most, I am not looking forward to tomorrow, but still yet, it will be nice to get back into rhythm for a little before the busy season comes a long. These past few weeks were a nice little break and although a few more days would have been nice, I am content. During the day, I also took a nice little break to watch my nephew's team play. I loved watching him battle. While there are skills he'll need to keep working on, one thing you always like to see is when someone tries hard. You can't necessarily teach that. I have always been more of a defensive minded basketball person and thus, watching him guard the big guy in the middle was a pleasant site to watch. I was happy as I left and even more happy as I made a lot of progress as I closed out the night wrapping up some plans for MUN. My mind still can't process that tomorrow I will be at work again, however, it was nice for my mind and body to get a little refresher as it charges up for the second half. 

~:[CH15 - Day 3]:~ Discouraging

 
~:[CH15 - Day 3]:~ Discouraging

The chants for the Celtics filled the air and it was a little disheartening. It was a blowout. It's easy to linger on it, but there were some bright spots, such as battling back at the beginning of the half or even coming off a six game winning streak. Life is going to bring you to moments where you feel completely and utterly defeated. The loss of a loved one, missing a goal or what not, there will be moments where you want to give up or even feel like you don't want to go on. What I say is, keep moving forward. Yesterday, I talked about finishing what you started, while today I discuss a part of that process, never giving up. I hope that the team can pick themselves back up and get ready to battle once again in a few days. In life, just like in sports, sometimes it's good to have a short memory. Learn what you can from an experience and use it to better yourself as you move forward so that you avoid that discouraging moment again. I think knowing how it feels, allows you to strengthen yourself for the challenges ahead. Yes, hearing the Celtics fans gloat their victory was painful, but I only hope that we can gather ourselves and be ready, much like I have the same hope for all those around me. Don't give up. Believe in yourself and when you can't do that, trust in those around you to help you believe. Life can be discouraging, which is why we were made to be social beings, so we can uplift each other when we are being dragged in the mud. Reach out your hand to either get up from that mud or to help someone who is down on the ground as together, we can defeat discouraging and challenging moments. 

~:[CH15 - Day 2]:~ Late is Better Than Never

 
~:[CH15 - Day 2]:~ Late is Better Than Never

We celebrated New Years a little late. We had our beans and noodles yesterday, but today, we had more food since the rain made it difficult to gather all the food for the 1st. It was great enjoying all the food as I cleaned up more of what I failed to do before the change to 2026. Later that night, we had the whole family together, as we had another night of looking through and picking out Pokemon cards. By night's end, I had cleared a number of albums I had not finished and made more progress on things I wanted to do early. It was a little late celebrating and a little late getting things done, but as they always say, late is better than never. With my students, I want them to learn about deadlines and how to meet them, but at the same end, I also want them to learn to finish things, much like I did today. Things that I may have wanted to finish a few days earlier could have been passed and considered too late, but still yet, I dug my heels in and went back to catch up, knowing that I would feel the satisfaction of finishing what I needed to. I hope that I can make this a year where I finish what I want to and ensure that I close each chapter as I begin writing new chapters in various aspects of my life.

~:[CH15 - Day 1]:~ Flipping the Switch

 
~:[CH15 - Day 1]:~ Flipping the Switch

In sports, flipping the switch means you turn it on and end up taking it to another level. Tonight, Kawhi did just that. With a strong start, the Clippers wavered a bit before making a run on the shoulders of Kawhi. It's been great to see him performing on another level. It was a great break from a day that was only supposed to be about cleaning and lounging a bit. I got a message asking if I wanted to go to the game and I agreed. I started cleaning up a bit before getting some work done. Just as I was about to get to work, the lights turned out. Flipping a switch wouldn't work in this situation and it made me think about the struggles of our lives if we didn't have essentials such as electricity. Could we survive? I decided to make dinner for my parents before heading to the game considering that the lights were not supposed to come on until around 8pm. In the dark, I cooked up dinner and then headed on my way, only to find out that the lights turned back on after I left. In life, we can't always predict when we'll find darkness and struggle through it, but we can figure out ways to light our path just enough so we can transverse it until we have what we need. We can't always control when we can turn it off and on, but we can control trying to make the most of any situation we are given. In tonight's case, it was great to watch Kawhi flip that switch as I enjoyed an experience at Intuit that was also on another level. It was good company, good food, and exciting basketball tonight and I am truly glad that this opportunity popped up. I kept forgetting that today was the first day of the year and if my resolution was to diet, I definitely blew that on the first day, however, it was a also a day where an opportunity arose and I seized it as it brought some light and excitement to a day that would have otherwise been quite dull or even dark. I wonder what the remaining 364 days will look like, but if it's anything like today, I'll have to do a lot of problem-solving to figure out the best way to approach all the obstacles that get in my way. Wishing you the best in 2026, Happy New Year!