~:[CH15 - Day 59]:~ Keep Shining

 

~:[CH15 - Day 59]:~ Keep Shining

I agreed to take photos at my friend's first concert with his group Vxon. The timing worked out well and I figured out all the logistics that would make it work out. It was a crazy plan from the start, but ya'll know me. I hit the ground running and dropped my stuff off and took a little nap before venturing out. I figured everything out and was able to capture this incredible moment. It was cool to see someone on stage experience this type of moment. Their first stage with only their group in a sold out environment. The energy was wild inside as I focused in on capturing the moment. I was planning to move around, but I found a spot I liked and thus, I stayed there throughout the night. It ran later than expected and I was dragging a bit, but he thought, the night was young, so a few of us went out to eat and get boba. I kept looking back at the photographs and I appreciated how joyous the moment was for the group. I wish the best for them as they venture on theit next journey and for most of those I come across, I'll always hope that they keep shining.

~:[CH15 - Day 58]:~ Be a Go-chan

 

~:[CH15 - Day 58]:~ Be a Go-chan

Many have heard the story of Punch. The monkey who lost his mother and wasn't accepted by the others had so many feelings sympathetic towards him. They were upset at how he was being treated and adored how he adapted by making a connection with a stuffed animal. Many lines up to catch a glimpse of this money and story after story, started coming out. From the care from the zookeeper and the bond between them to the new information of an adult monkey accepting Punch. On a day that I spent resting, I thought about Punch and how many people in this world just want to be accepted. Sometimes, the way they go about it doesn't align with how we do things, but I hope we, myself included, can open our eyes and our hearts when we see this happening. I hope we can be a Go-chan or zookeeper to the Punches the world. Those who are outcasts, but only wanted to be loved. We often can see it when we look at animals or when we are watching shows and movies, but sometimes we miss it when it's right there. I'll remind myself of this story regularly to help me remember we must always be willing to be that comforting and welcoming one to those who just want to feel accepted and loved.

~:[CH15 - Day 57]:~ First Look

 

~:[CH15 - Day 57]:~ First Look

Meet days are the days where this schedule up to 5th period is quite chaotic. I've figured out an imperfect system to get most of the setup and errands done, but with meets, it's a different story. Somehow, I got most of what needed to be setup and the meet was off. I like Black and Gold since it's our preview to the season and our first look at where everyone is at. While we are always a little rusty, time will allow us to adjuat what we need to fix before season's end. It was quite a rush of a day especially with evaluators on campus for an award, I was a bit sad since nobody came by my room and my students did a great job preparing, however, at least I know that they were prepared. I'm a bit exhausted and will take a long nap tonight, however, I will go to sleep satisfied with all I was able to accomplish in a day!

~:[CH15 - Day 56]:~ The Only Open Slot

 
~:[CH15 - Day 56]:~ The Only Open Slot

Sometimes you have your schedule laid out and something you wanted to do pops up. Normally when that happens to me, my schedule overlaps and then I am not able to do it. Coming across a post about this team when I was in Seattle, I wanted to catch this team while I could. In the end, I ended up photographing for their team when they played Pepperdine as it magically fit into the only slot available during the remainder of this week. Although one player I wanted to take pictures for wasn't playing today, I was able to capture shots of the other two. It was a fun game and while they held a large lead towards the end of the game, it got exciting when Pepperdine made a charge back. In the end, Seattle won and so did I. It was definitely exhausting to drive out there after a day of work and before the Black & Gold Meet tomorrow, however, if I had another choice, I would still choose the same fate. Life sometimes tells you when you should and shouldn't do things and with the schedule working out, I was glad that the universe was telling me to go. In the end, I made some connections, got some shots, and enjoyed the game. When you have that only open slot and something fits in it perfectly, welcome it with open arms, as it just may be your destiny. 

~:[CH15 - Day 55]:~ Countdowns

 
~:[CH15 - Day 55]:~ Countdowns

A lot of my work doesn't get posted due to the agreements I have with my clients. However, sometimes, the work can be posted just with a timer. With a single dropping soon and a music video a week after, it was fun to be able to finish up this (and other) edit for the big day. As the clock is ticking, my motivation to finish it up was there and so the night zoomed by and I ended up finishing it all. Of course, that was after we finished our final grill and parent meeting for Nationals, which ended just before 9pm. With school visits happening this week, it was a day where we were on our toes more than normal, however, we rolled with the punches and made it to the end of the day. As much of a load as some moments are in your life, it's always nice when all that work you put in gets displayed and even more exciting when it's done so with a countdown. I'm looking forward to the upcoming releases and I hope you're excited for the the media that will follow.

~:[CH15 - Day 54]:~ A Little Treat

 
~:[CH15 - Day 54]:~ A Little Treat

I walked onto campus early since I had grills early in the morning. Today would be a rough day as I had six meetings up through lunch. Of course, seeing the bestie and giving him a treat made the day better. Of course, today was actually a treat of a day. It would be the only day of the week that I have the evening off. Every other day this week, my schedule is packed and thus, I enjoyed the evening even after a really busy day. With so many things going on this week, I did my best to focus in and get everything done and at the end of the day, I was trying to get to sleep early. Instead, I focused in and wrapped up an album I was suppose to finish tomorrow and although I finished late, it was worth it all. The satisfaction of the product was also a treat and although it was work, it was satisfying. Have a great week ya'll!

~:[CH15 - Day 53]:~ As High As You Can

 
~:[CH15 - Day 53]:~ As High As You Can

Today was a work day. I tried to catch up on as much as I could. I finished uploading a few albums, edited a few posts, and then started sorting through a few projects. I finished up paperwork, took a class, and also prepped for my meetings ahead. It's easy to get weight down by everything especially when you see no end, but the reality of life is, we just need to jump as high as we can. Today was the final day of SEYO and it was great to see this jump ball. To see how much this team has developed over time has been amazing and has made me excited for what they ultimately become. However, no matter how good they become, as long as they do what they can, I know they'll have a group of supporters behind them. In life, we're not always going to be favored, we're not always going to win, and we won't always do well, but those things don't stop us from jumping. When the weight of the world tries to keep us down, instead of getting discouraged, we need to try and jump higher. It's easy to get defeated in life, that's why we have to become people who are hard to knock down (and keep down). My only hope is that these kids learn that and build that into their routine, as if they learn anything in life, learning how to be resilient would be one of the most useful lessons they would have. I was tired when I came home, but focused in and wrapped up MOST of what I wanted to do, but with a busy week ahead, I prepared myself as I know I'll need to be ready to jump as high as I can.

~:[CH15 - Day 52]:~ Setting Up to On Set

 
~:[CH15 - Day 52]:~ Setting Up to On Set

I starting the morning setting up for our Security Council Conference and wrapped up on set of a music video. The conference itself was smooth sailing as things went well with few issues to note. It seemed like the delegates were engaged and there were some pretty competitive committees, which is always nice. We had enough choices for everyone during lunch and the campus was left clean. We wrapped it all up as I hurried home (a little delayed), unpacked, then headed off to LA. I agreed to be the photographer for a music video shoot, capturing all the moments on set. I can't reveal much just quite yet as the video drops next week, however, it was fun to work with a great group of people and I love the scenes they created for the video. In life, we create a series of connections and in my life, I have woven a web that has interlocked me with so many people. I've appreciated the growth over time and between this and my recent events in Japan, my network expanded even more fairly quickly. I'm excited to review the photos and watch the video they create, but for now, I think it's time to go to bed. Good night.

~:[CH15 - Day 51]:~ Getting Prepped

 
~:[CH15 - Day 51]:~ Getting Prepped

I was getting prepped for the upcoming conference. The Friday before the conference is always a bit chaotic as I check off all the things I need to take care of before D-day. I got everything in order and made sure I was ready, as I had a busy Saturday ahead. For the most part, I was a bit surprised as how unstressed I was as we rolled through our practice and I went home to organize things, Sometimes as you get further along in life, you learn how to deal with the storms of life. You know it will be a wild ride ahead and you plan for all the unexpected things. Instead of the storm clouds, you see the beautiful rays of light and use all of your experiences to tackled the problems before they become one. In the end, I ended up working on finishing up a social media project I was working on before my computer froze. I took that as a sign to go to sleep and wrapped up my day feeling confident that tomorrow would be smooth sailing.

~:[CH15 - Day 50]:~ Something New

 
~:[CH15 - Day 50]:~ Something New

I heard about this new dipping sauce and wanted to try it. It seemed like they were having some issues making it in the back and when I tasted it, I thought maybe that was the case. It wasn't bad, just not what I was expecting. If you liked mustard, it would go well with you, but I was waiting for the hot honey flavor to peek through and it didn't. Regardless, when you try something new, a surprise is in store. It doesn't always work out, but hey, you got to give it a shot. Sometimes you regret giving it a shot, but somethings you'll be pleasantly surprised. This applies to almost everything in life. When life provides you opportunities, you can take it or pass, but if you pass, you'll never really know how it would have turned out. As I wrapped up my day trying to get everything in order for the weekend, I soaked in this new dish and appreciated that I gave it a shot. It won't be anything I'll be craving anytime soon, but at least I know that now. Happy Belated Lunar New Year to all who celebrate! May you roll through the year with the stride of a horse.

~:[CH15 - Day 49]:~ Only Patience

 
~:[CH15 - Day 49]:~ Only Patience

Everything was going too well. I woke up on time and didn't have to rush out the door. The train was comfortable. I successfully replaced my ID. Check in went smoothly. I was rested and relaxed until I wasn't. The 45 minute delayed turned to 2.25 hours to three hours then on to four. It would be easy to grumble and complain, but I figured out my plan ahead and went to sleep. What more can I do? Sometimes life is just like that. There are times where we get delayed, but there isn't much we can do about it. Why should we complain when it won't change anything? In that situation, the only thing you can do is show patience. Patience is a skill. When you do it, you keep your blood pressure down, but find that the world isn't against you. Often, you find a brighter path as you head forward and at the end of the day, you can give yourself a pat on the back. In this society of instant gratification and deadlines, sometimes we need to relax a bit and show a little patience as when we slow down, we might see the view we otherwise would have missed. Sure, I wish things worked out better, but at the end of the day, there was nothing I could about it, so why fret? It was one of those long double days as I finished up work and practice after I arrived, but I found some peace in all around me, because I kept my cool and just went with the flow; the kind of situation created by patience. 

~:[CH15 - Day 48]:~ Time to Bloom

 

~:[CH15 - Day 48]:~ Time to Bloom

One thing you learn about students is their on their own path, but also on their own timeliness. As I watched the forecasts for sakuras posted online, you simultaneously hear about trees blossoming at various parts of the city. It made me thinknof how each of my students have their own timeline to bloom. When they first enter my class, I let them know that they should not compare themselves to others and should focus on their own development. They often put pressure to keep up with those around them. It's not a race. Just because someone blooms first, doesn't mean they are the most successful. Some of my freshmen experience that bloom during sophomore year, which is wonderful as I get blown away when I see them at that next conference. Regardless, understanding the varying levels of these students is something I always must remind myself of as I must find patients as they grow in their own selves. As I walked around and capture the first few blooms, I was a little saddened that I would be saying farewell. My day ended up being a full 14 hour day, however, within that time, I created some beautiful and precious memories, much like I've seen across the entirety of my career. 

~:[CH15 - Day 47]:~ Counterbalance

 

~:[CH15 - Day 47]:~ Counterbalance

Some people don't like uni (sea urchin). Crazy, right? Just kidding. Sometimes it's the fishnets, which probably means the one they had wasn't fresh and sometimes it's the texture, just like natto, okra, or mountain yam. It's understandable that we all have our different preferences, but maybe, even if they didn't like the texture of uni, they would enjoy this onigiri (rice ball). I met with my Japanese tutor who happen to be visiting his family in Japan. It was great to speak some English, although I tried to use Japanese. The crispness of the rice paired well with the universe and provided a counterbalance that might make those who don't like it for the texture, believers. It definitely parallels life as sometimes when we go into something, we don't like it for some reason, however, sometimes, just an addition of something to counterbalance it, might just make it bearable, if not enjoyable. Don't just dismiss things in life because you don't like it or you struggle with it, rather, see what you can do to provide a counterbalance. Life is not as straight forward as a line from A to B, thus we can't expect that all our solutions will be so simple. Even when it looks complicated, look around you and figure out how to approach it to provide to counterbalance to something you thought you might not be able to bear.

~:[CH15 - Day 46]:~ Imagine Pandas

 

~:[CH15 - Day 46]:~ Imagine Pandas

I went to day 3 of the Panda Expo to capture a bigger crowd and most festive environment. It was different from Friday where the crowd was scattered. While I would have preferred Friday's crowd, we still managed to get some good footage and enjoy the environment. It was funny since in the morning, my friend said she wanted to ask me a question. She then played Imagine Dragon's Thunder and said, "what animal does this sound like?" I was listening to the noise while she was talking about the sound. It's true that the "thunder" can sound like panda. We got a good laugh out of it anf ironically, I was headed to the Panda Expo. I ended up coming home with a red panda hat, as I think they are the cutest. Of course, my memory of this day will always be paired with imagine dragons.

~:[CH15 - Day 45]:~ Let the Games Begin

 
~:[CH15 - Day 45]:~ Let the Games Begin

With the Olympics in full swing, I had my own little adventure as I got to be apart of the Squid Game Experience. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it ended up that it wasn't as challenging as I originally imagined, yet still fun. The most difficult part was trying to understand the directions in another language. In the first game, I did quite well although our team lost. It was a tug of war and I was able to pull 27.4m. Time after time, Inwas close, but no cigar, yet still enjoyed the experience. I would have been eliminated instantly, but luckily, it wasn't real life and I walked out unscathed. They walked us over to the VIP area to watch the players in the game. It was a bit eerie to do so, but quite interesting. As I gathered my last bit of footage, I left faily happy and would definitely experience it again, just not in real life.

~:[CH15 - Day 44]:~ Off Balance

 
~:[CH15 - Day 44]:~ Off Balance

"Oops!" I exclaimed as I dropped my tray. My food was now all over the place and I was truly embarrassed. It seemed like I was just a little off all day today. There was nothing wrong, but I tripped a few times and dropped things here are there. A lot of it had to do with the fact that I had a lot to carry, but still yet, sometimes you have those days where things are just a little off balance. As I attended the opening of the Kawaii Monster Land, I quickly forgot the embarrassing moments and was enthralled with the amazing performance before me. It was such an interactive experience with so many cool things to look at. It was built in a small space, however, they had just the right amount of people inside to make it manageable. With a cancelation of one appointment, I had some time to explore, a luxury I didn't think I would have, before heading to my next appointment, which ended up being truly wonderful. It is always great to reconnect with someone after some time and we truly never missed a step. With the Panda Expo kicking off, I soaked in a the booths and performances before headed back, collecting a few things on my way. My body was quite sore as I collected too many things along the way and I barely made it back with everything. However, even with the load of bags by day's end, I seemed to have regained my footing, despite how the day started out. In life, we often can turn a bad start into a DNF (did not finish) or can allow it to impact us negatively, but if you keep at it and shrug off the issues, you can sometimes find a happy ending even when a day started with an "Oops!"

~:[CH15 - Day 43]:~ Culture & Diversity

 
~:[CH15 - Day 43]:~ Culture & Diversity

As I walked out of the Towne Ceter, I saw the lunar new years lanterns on display. It was great to see and a reminder of the upcoming holiday. I htink one of the things that makes this city great is the diversity that exists and our ability to celebrate it. That is one of the foundations of this country as we are the land of immigrants. I think at times we forget this. I think we forget that the indigenous people of this land are the Native Americans. In these trying times, I know that it is even more essential for us to emphasize the importance of our cultures and our diversities. We should celebrate our differences and share that culture with those around us. We should be willing to explore and understand the cultures of those around us, as we may not be aware of the reason behind a particular celebration or tradition. In my classes, we are currently on the Nationalism unit and thus it tied in perfectly with this time as we celebrate a cultural event. Looking at all the great things that people have contributed to this place, I hope you begin to see just how essential we all are to make this world a better place. With the Olympics on going and celebrations ahead, let's be willing to open our minds, our hearts, and our arms to all those around us. Let's celebrate, accept, and appreciate our differences so that we can take a step closer to understanding what makes this world ever so incredible. As Bad Bunny said, "The only thing more powerful than hate is love," and the first step towards that is appreciating our diversity.

~:[CH15 - Day 42]:~ One Way or Another

 
~:[CH15 - Day 42]:~ One Way or Another

You can't predict if the ball is going to go in along with another of other factors you can't control. It's often a hard lesson in life. While you can't change how things play out around you, you can always focus in and control what you can. Our team did what they could tonight. They hustled, they stepped in for charges, competed, and battled all night, but they fell short. There were definitely things we would want changed, but the reality is, we can't. Luckily, this group had just one senior and they'll be back ready to hit the hardwood again, looking for another opportunity to do what they can do. One way or another, they'll need to figure out what they need to work on so they can get better and be ready to compete another day. They had a tumultuous season filled with injuries during the first half of the season, despite it all, they finished with a league title and many lessons learned that can help them on the road ahead. There is sadness that today would be their last of this season, but as in life, often there is an opportunity to bounce back and when there is, seize it. Congrats on a great season.

~:[CH15 - Day 41]:~ Lean On Me

 
~:[CH15 - Day 41]:~ Lean On Me

My favorite Econ lesson has arrived. When I created it, I called it North Meets South. It references the North South cooperation, but also ties in to the dating app culture. It's interesting how closely this assignment aligns to the real world as the students research their assigned countries imports and exports, they go beyond to try and find their perfect match. With globalization, countries depend on each other to find the goods they need at a reasonable prize. This balance is quite fragile and with the recent ongoings, that balance is a little off. Through these lessons, I hope to show these students the dependence that each country has to get the goods that they need and how important strong relationships are for countries. This parallels life as we each have a role in each others lives. We need to lean on one another to help each other out when needed. It's not all about dependency, but when  you think about it, when you subtract one of those pillars from your life, you find yourself a little off balance. Cherish these people as they are what will keep you afloat in life and be sure to repay them with your love and support.

~:[CH15 - Day 40]:~ Getting to Work

 
~:[CH15 - Day 40]:~ Getting to Work

I sent messages out to my juniors to get them focused in on the process. Some of them have been falling off pace as the load of school combined with a sickness floating around has hit them hard. It's easy to lose motivation, but at the same time, things won't wait for them. The team got to work as we held one of our evening sessions until late at night. We were able to cover so much ground and the growth I saw in many of them was great! We definitely have a ways to go, but to see a few of them really break out of their shell gives me some hope that they'll be ready for the conference. I pulled my normal antics, trying to distract them, but for the most part, they stayed focus. Success takes hard work and as I said, when you do so, you see progress and growth. Hopefully these juniors continue to stay focused and find themselves on the right path come March!

~:[CH15 - Day 39]:~ What Matters

 
~:[CH15 - Day 39]:~ What Matters

What I like about basketball at this age is, it doesn't matter. Win, lose, or draw, you're praised when you play hard. You make a mistake, that's okay. You lost the game, no problem. We want to succeed, but what truly is the meaning of success. On a day where everyone is flocking to their television to see who wins the Superbowl, the question is, is getting crowned the champion ultimately the sign of success? At the end of the game, you don't know who won or lost since the scoreboard shows 0-0. If that's the case, you can look at all the things you did well and all the things you need to work on. Shouldn't life be that way? Sure we want to get to a particular goal, but we don't control if we can get there or not all the time. All we can do is our best and the rest will play out as is. Yes, some may see this post as a participation trophy or a consolation prize, but I see this as self-development. When we focus on what really matters, which includes improvement, effort and the like, we find ourselves in a better place than when we simply focus on winning or reaching our goals. The motivation to get there is unmatched, but sometimes it also blinds us to the development and progress that needs to take place. This process takes time and when we try to rush the process, we lose sight of what really is important. I love sitting back, cheering when we do well, chuckling when a funny moment takes places, and feeling elated when you see them giving all they got out there on the court. These days don't last forever in this dog eat dog world, but I hope that people can see that the greatest victories in life are often those that people don't see. Work on yourself, develop, grow and truly find your way to success.

~:[CH15 - Day 38]:~ Sorting It All Out

 
~:[CH15 - Day 38]:~ Sorting It All Out

There were a lot of possibilities for my plans today. Originally, I was going to catch a play, but the logistics were a bit challenging. I then was going to head to LA to work with a friend, but that got scratched. At the last moment, I added an event with a group I work with often in their new element, Idol Nova. It's really interesting to see the culture that surrounds this. It's a different vibe that I am used to, but it's also nice to switch it up a bit. After a long week, I just wanted to be home and catch up. I ended up doing that by waking up without an alarm, sorting through photos, editing and posting, but then I headed out to the event. I was happy I did as it was cool to be there to witness all that was going on plus I got to wander around Little Tokyo afterward. It was a nice break from sorting through thousands of photos and it was a much needed refresher. Life forces you to sort things out and even when you have a plan, there may be other options you are destined for. Today, it seemed like balancing a workday with an event was the answer and by night's end, I was satisfied, as I got work done plus got to capture all the moments of today's event. Tomorrow, I'll be a bit exhausted, but I'm sure I'll also figure it was worth it in the end. 

~:[CH15 - Day 37]:~ Thrown Off Pace

 
~:[CH15 - Day 37]:~ Thrown Off Pace

During a tempo run, you are trying to run a consistent and even pace. I always call it a slow burn as you try to use up all your energy, but at just the right speed. No screeching tire starts and no blazing photo finishes. Just a nice even pace. I actually like my days like that. No nonsense. Predictable. Routine. It almost never is the case, but one can dream. Today, while the runners seemed to be on pace, my day was anything but. With classes smaller due to the walkout, I tried to manage lessons that could be while leaving few makeups having to be completed. On top of it, I had my chaotic activity that required a lot of thinking on my end. Definitely not routine. To end the day, I was going to wrap up and take care of some work I needed to do, but a club asked me to help them out for just a bit and it turned into a much longer process. I was a little upset when I went home because of the situation, but when I got home, although I was thrown off pace, I realized it wasn't so bad. I felt good that at least I could help out the club as they faced a dilemma, The activity, although tedious, got the students involved and excited. My students who decided to walkout, voiced their opinions and it seemed like many were actively engaged. While doing a tempo run, you may not want to be thrown off pace, but in life, it's part of the process. You're going to have those chill days, those days you're frantically running around, and everything in between. They'll be days you're energetic and others you're lethargic. Nevertheless, you move forward and you keep going at your own pace. Every day has it's own pace and while you may prepare for your routine day, be ready for what this world throws at you. Today was one of those days and my experience in life helped me deal with everything throw at me and I only hope that you all are prepared too, as life truly comes at you fast.

~:[CH15 - Day 36]:~ Angelic

 
~:[CH15 - Day 36]:~ Angelic

Whenever I hear Priscilla sing, it's angelic. She truly has a captivating voice and I've always enjoyed her music. It was great that we've been able to work together over the years as we first connected a long time ago, but reconnected some point after COVID. I was happy to join in on her event tonight as she raised money for Wonderland. The talent of the parents at the school is truly incredible, but even more incredible were the guests they brought which included Grammy winning artists Lisa Loeb (Stay) and Dani Wilson (Semisonic, Closing Time). Wilson talked about his experiences writing with Adelle and even gave us the story behind the song Closing Time with most mistaking it as a song about the end of the day at a bar, rather, it's about new beginnings. As I sat back and captured each moment, I was truly overjoyed to be in the presences of so many wonderful people. To be here at the Hotel Cafe for this moment was even better as I have so much history with the location and have so many fond memories of it, which made it bittersweet, as the venue will be closing down soon and moving to a new location. Regardless, those memories will be stored away and treasured and will be blessings I will count later on in life. We've received so many blessings in life and I only hope that I can be like the performers and organizers tonight and make an effort to continue to give back as much as possible so others can be lucky enough to be blessed as well. 

~:[CH15 - Day 35]:~ Simply Sweet

 
~:[CH15 - Day 35]:~ Simply Sweet

Our grills were too close together with a conference in between and so I pushed back the grill and it ended up opening up the evening to catch up with a friend. It wasn't planned, but it was nice that my schedule shifted and the timing just worked out. It's always nice catching up with someone who you haven't seen in a bit as there is much to catch up on. Regardless, just begin together is nice because it helps you remember so many of the great memories you shared even if they don't come up in the discussion. It's been a hectic week already and thus I truly enjoyed this little break with a sweet treat that made all the bitterness go away. 

~:[CH15 - Day 34]:~ The First Last of Many

 

~:[CH15 - Day 34]:~ The First Last of Many

For my seniors, we begin to approach that moment where they begin to experience the many lasts of life. As they talked on the way home from Surf City, they mentioned that this is their last high school run conference. Today, we had our last league game of the season. It was hard not to tear up during the girls game. One of our best players was injured and out for the season, however, they were able to have here score a point, her final high school point of her career. You could see the emotion of the face of our PG as she made the pass and the celebration as it went in. Similarly, in our boys game, our lone senior celebrated his final basket in a dramatic fashion. After taking a half to score his point, he strung off two buckets before driving to the hole and powering through with a layup plus the foul. It was a great way to end his last league game. It was a bittersweet night as we celebrated the seniors, but as we also realized that tonight was our last together. There will be CIF, but league has come and gone and now, they'll begin seeing their many lasts coming their way. Life is kind of like that. We zoom by trying to get to a certain point in our lives and before we know it, we're reaching that stretch of lasts in life. In life, it's much harder to gauge, still yet, you get a sense that "this" or "that" may be the final chance, as our time is limited. In life, instead of assuming we have forever, let's live each of these moments as if it's our last. Make the most of these precious moments and appreciate all that you have, even if our day isn't the best. As life is full of ups and downs, but we never know if it's full of time. I hope that we appreciate each tick and tock on the clock, as truly we never really know how many lasts our life will give us. Let's treasure each and every one.

~:[CH15 - Day 33]:~ The First Sunset

 
~:[CH15 - Day 33]:~ The First Sunset

The sun was setting as we waited for our last runner to return. It was a difficult day as I was dealing with a few issues as I then proceeded to spill concentrated ink for my ink pad on my pants. I tried to clean it, but ended up spread it and the rest is history. Another loss for my pants, which was a second stain in a row. Of course, as much as may go wrong in a day, when you look out at the sunset, it seems to soothe the soul. The beauty of the sky as the saturated sky begins to appear at the right moment. At the very point as the sun begins to disappear over the horizon comes a moment that is difficult to describe, yet at the same time, can engulf your mind and body. With the first sunset of the week, I soaked in this very moment and all the stress of the day disappeared. I had taken care of everything, addressed everything as best as I could, and survived the day. That's a win in itself. Just like the moment of the setting sun, my evening ended in a similarly dramatic fashion as my friend who ahs been busy as of late, messaged me. It's been awhile, yet we were able to reconnect and added that beautiful sunset to my day. Whether or not your day goes well, always hope for that moment that can erase most of the challenges of a day away. Life will be filled with ups and downs, but moments like these are there if you keep your eyes open and keep your hopes that things will wrap up as smoothly as the sunset. 

~:[CH15 - Day 32]:~ A Fast Break

 
~:[CH15 - Day 32]:~ A Fast Break

I didn't have MUN today since it was a Friday and Saturday conference, however, I ended up going to my nephew's basketball game with my family. I thought I could use the day to get some work done, but since I had missed a few games, I thought I should go today. They had a fairly good game and while there were some disappointment here and there, there was definitely a lot to celebrate. As much work as I could have gotten done in that time, it was better that I went and took this break to catch the game. These moments mean more than the productivity and it's work working another hour or two into the night to be able to get out to these events while I can. I always talk about how time flies when I am with people and it's definitely been true as of late. Take advantage of these moments in your own life as I try my best to grasp onto these moments within my own. Take that little break, as while you got work to do, there are things that will always supersede productivity.