~:[CH11 - Day 365]:~ Just a Mix

 
~:[CH11 - Day 365]:~ Just a Mix

I vividly remember my mom making fried rice. It was my favorite dish and when I was young, I watched her in the kitchen, which is how I learned a lot of the cooking skills I have today. I liked to taste everything as it went in, but one of the sauces she put into the fried rice definitely wasn't so great on its own. As I put the same sauce into a dish I made for new year's eve, I was reminded of those days. Sadly, our family did not gather, but we still good up a feast and sent out food and some traditional food to them as we could all celebrate as we would together. I guess this is like that sauce. This past year of 2022 wasn't a great year, but it also wasn't a bad one. There were some highlight such as the long awaited return to Japan, some amazing events and opportunities and meeting some incredible people. At the same time, I found myself busier than ever, isolating myself a bit more to recharge, and just trying to keep everything balanced. Things in 2022 definitely didn't work out as I had hoped, but at the same time, I cannot discount the many pluses that I had through the year. I will not going into 2023 with resolutions or high anticipation of great moments ahead, but be ready to figure out how to make the moments that are not as pleasant mix in with the other ingredients of the year to make a dish like my mom's fried rice. Not everything that tastes unpleasant will ruin what you're working on, but it can if you can't figure out how to adapt and make it work. Life is definitely a mix of ingredients that are both sweet and sour, bitter and tasty, hot and cold, etc. and I hope that in 2023, we take what is given to us and make it work so it doesn't ruin the dish that we place before us. Here's to making things work in 2023. Wishing you and your families and wonderful and safe new year. Thank you for all that you do to help make the world a better place and I am forever grateful to have you all in my life. As I close out another chapter, I am so grateful to be here breathing through another day as we head into another year and ready to mix all that life throws at me. 

~:[CH11 - Day 364]:~ Rain Drops

 
~:[CH11 - Day 364]:~ Rain Drops

I headed out for lunch today, one of the first meals I've had outside in the last week. It was quite nice to be able to enjoy the hot ramen broth on a rainy day. It was great to have another day of just chatting and enjoying the day. I didn't have any deadlines for big projects, so I could relax a bit and not have to worry about a load of work awaiting me when I got home. Instead, I focused on the rain as it dropped to the floor and the ripple that ensued. Rain often sends people scrambling like ants and of course, the roads turn into chaos. However, like many others, I see the beauty when the rain drops. There is something aesthetically pleasing when they show those slow motion videos of a water drop. There's a bit of suspense as you wait for the water to drop as you look down and see the beautiful ripple. The pitter patter of the rain also is something that always has been soothing to me. The day was similar to that pitter patter as it flow like the gentle ripples on the ground below and the soothing sounds of the day left me relaxed as I worked on finishing a list of random things. While it didn't rain all day (or I don't think it did), I enjoyed the time I got to enjoy it, warmed even more as I thought back to the hot and delicious bowl of ramen. While the broth warmed me up, it felt like everything else found a way to warm my soul.  

~:[CH11 - Day 363]:~ On Cue

 
~:[CH11 - Day 363]:~ On Cue

It was about time. Locked away at home, it was finally time to get out. It was great to get some work done and catch up on things I wanted to, but the timing was on cue to have a little time outside the house. It definitely was the longest I've been outside the house since Christmas Day. It was great to get back to the billiards hall. I think it's been about a year since I went last and I've always enjoyed the chance to hang, but also have a little competition. While winning and losing isn't the main goal, it's fun to add a little competition to the night. In the end, it was nice to finally go out and do something, yet just enough to not be too exhausting. I realized how easy it is for me to focus in and work through the entire day, of course, it's always refreshing to have a little social interaction before refocusing on what I was working on before. How have you kept yourselves occupied the last week?

~:[CH11 - Day 362]:~ Chill

 
~:[CH11 - Day 362]:~ Chill

It happens a lot. I am either really busy or just bumming. I don't mind isolating away, of course, the past few days, I've actually been working as I edit photos, finalize plans for our upcoming school trips and even did a few raids from the comfort of my home. It's funny how much you can do in a day, but also how little you can do in a day. I was thinking at some point today that while I am a really efficient person, it's so easy for me to get off track and the line between efficient and simply unproductive is truly thin. I'll do that in an hour becomes tomorrow and it's so easy to get yourself off track. While a day here and there is needed, I can also see how it can snowball in either direction. Regardless, I found time to get the work I needed done and stayed on task even though I was isolated away from the world, at least for most of the day. I headed out for just a bit to Tapioca Express realizing that I've been outside a total of an hour the past few days. While it was warm on Christmas Day, the air turned a little more chilly and we even got some rain. It was weird to have a warm Christmas, but at least we'll get some slightly chilly temperatures the next week or so. Although it doesn't feel like winter, I'd much rather have this than what the rest of the country is experience. Of course, maybe I should be outside enjoying it a bit more. 

~:[CH11 - Day 361]:~ Joker's Wild

 
~:[CH11 - Day 361]:~ Joker's Wild

There aren't any spoilers in this blog. Since it was released, I've been wanting to watch Alice in Borderland (S2). It's only been out a few days, however, I've been anticipating the second season While Squid Game was the talk of the town, Alice in Borderland was actually released before and had a similar vibe to Squid Games. I feel a sense of the underlying messages and the storylines in the show are intriguing including the ones that carry into season 2. If you're looking for a show, this could be the one, albeit a little graphic. As I spent the day binging the show, I did some work, but allowed myself to just enjoy this time. I thought about going somewhere during this break, but thought I would truly make it a break while slowly catching up on the work I needed to do. Wise choice. As I ended the night wrapping up the show so quickly, it made me think of the battles that we have in life. In the show, the characters all have to make their choices from who to trust to whether or not they can keep going on. The struggles they faced paralleled a lot of what we face in our own lives. It's difficult to say that life is great when you're facing struggles in your own life, but the chance to eat, live and breathe is something I hope we don't take for granted. Sometimes in life, we're dealt a hand that seems as if we have no chance, but hopefully if we keep playing, keep moving forward, we'll land that wild card that can help us turn the tables. 

~:[CH11 - Day 360]:~ Hope in the 0.01%

 
~:[CH11 - Day 360]:~ Hope in the 0.01%

There are times where you feel like there is zero percent chance you'll win. I often watch win probability during games and the sites will never say 100% for a team's win until the end. Why? Because there is always hope in that 0.01% chance that you'll be able to pull off a miracle. As I watched the Clippers game, I actually turned it on when they were down 12 (I beleive they were down 14 with three minutes to play). A writer for the Clippers already said it was a "bad loss" for them. Just as I watched a few of their great comebacks, I watched as the win probability made a drastic turn as the Clippers ultimately tied it on a TMann turnaround and then demolished the Pistons in overtime. It's easy to take your foot off the gas when you realize that your chances are slim to none, but when you keep pressing forward even when there is no hope, you may just get a breakthrough, even if they odds are stacked heavily against you. The reality is, you sometimes know that probability of you succeeding in some situation, but at some point, you might as well do everything you can to find success rather than simply giving up. Whether or not you end up flipping the script, in the process of chasing something with that 0.01% hope, at the very least, there is something you gain, something you learn, and something new you hope for. Instead of giving up, let's continue to press forward even when the cards are stacked against us and see how everything plays out because you just never know what will happen in the process.

~:[CH11 - Day 359]:~ Trifecta

 
~:[CH11 - Day 359]:~ Trifecta

You could argue that quinfecta fit today more as I watched the Packers win their game today, completing the fifth piece of the puzzle that needed to fall into place today. As I thought about all the parlays I did in my life, I could never have imagined them all falling into place for my team. There obviously is more to do in the weeks ahead, however, it was a great way to start off the day. I continued to wrap up editing a project and progressed pretty well through the day, leading to the second part of a successful day. Of course, the piece that completed the trifecta was definitely the most special - time with the family. I can't remember the last time we've seen everyone three days in a row, but today was the third in a string of wonderful family days. I've been excited to give out a few of the gifts I had as I brought them home from Japan including this shinkansen set. I was trying to bring it back in the summer, but with so much stuff, it was impossible. Thus, when I went for a meeting this time around, I brought an extra large back and squeezed it in on the way home. I'm not sure if he'll like it or not, but my set was my treasure and I hope it can be one for him as well. Regardless, the day was less about presents and more about the time we had to spend together. Today I was productive, I celebrated a W for my team, and I wrapped it up with quality time during a perfectly packaged day. A trifecta!

~:[CH11 - Day 358]:~ Reviving Traditions

 
~:[CH11 - Day 358]:~ Reviving Traditions

I wrapped presents and did work most of the day as we got ready to revive our family Christmas. While it was a little smaller than normal, it was nice to have a return of something that was so precious. A lot of hard work went into the decorating and we were able to pitch in to make it run well. From Santa to our gift exchange and even BINGO, it was nice to have a revival of our family traditions together. By night's end I was tired and a little disappointed my voice decided to play hide and seek again, but still I was in good spirits as I got to spend the evening with my family once again. Each year we will continue to see these types of moments reappear in our lives and with each of these precious moments, I'll be sure to treasure them and never take them for granted. Wishing you and your family a Happy Holidays!

~:[CH11 - Day 357]:~ Just Lit

 
~:[CH11 - Day 357]:~ Just Lit

It was fun shooting on media day for the girls team as we prep for the league season. I was grinding all day trying to wrap up editing the set of photos from yesterday, but took a break in order to get groceries, get presents ready then head out to take their photos. The setup worked out nicely as the shots came out pretty pure. Sometimes things just work out and for this shoot, it did. I ventured home to have dinner with the family as we chase the kiddos around the house. I went back to editing for the remainder of the night and wrapped up half way through the album. Regardless, it was quite a productive day, but also one where I was more relaxed, not having to worry about deadlines, as I could do what I wanted to at my own pace. While there's a lot I want to accomplish over break, I'll be sure to take my time and just enjoy the time I have. 

~:[CH11 - Day 356]:~ Adversity

 
~:[CH11 - Day 356]:~ Adversity

It was mostly a joyous day as the students enjoyed the final day of school of 2022. We exchanged our greetings before I headed off and helped out at a photoshoot. After wrapping up, I headed over the basketball game, as the teams played three close games versus Gahr. We won the first by one and we lost the last two in overtime. It was a little devastating, but my sadness turned to anger as an assistant from Gahr ran up to our bench and started unnecessarily gloating in front of our team. As I drove home, that moment repeated through my mind as I kept thinking about how sometimes when you win you lose and there was no better example than that. As the wave of emotions started to fade though, my thought turned towards our teams and how painful losing can be. It made me remember of all the most challenging times in my life and how difficult it was to navigate. I hope that they can see that this adversity that they are facing is what will actually make them the strongest in the end if they can keep pushing forward. As the dark cloud of their struggles linger over, keeping the hope and motivation to keep moving forward (no matter how slowly or quickly) is key. As the weight of each challenge is place on their back. it would be easy to give up and just fall, but the key through this process is to never give up. The weight of each of those challenges will make them stronger and it's moments like today that can hopefully motivate them, rather than conquer them. It's definitely not easy to face the frustration of facing each of these challenges and disappointments, but the adversity can turn into a victory greater than any winning streak could provide. In these most challenging of times, I hope that they can uplift each other to help carry the burden of these challenging times so that instead of giving up and falling, they will rise even stronger than they were before. As I went through editing the photo from the shoot today, I scrolled through the photos of these glorious and joyous moments and I just know that these are the images that await these athletes after they navigate through the adversity and when they are ready to rise into the spotlight. To the team, keep your head up and keep moving forward together. 

~:[CH11 - Day 355]:~ Life is Suite

 

~:[CH11 - Day 355]:~ Life is Suite

My body and mind were definitely exhausted, however, at the same time, my shoulders felt good as the stress and weight of the past month were finally gone. I was done. I could enjoy the time I had and didn't have the pressure I faced before. I guess it served as a reward, however, I got invited to enjoy today's Clippers game from the comforts of a suite. It was a great celebration after completing the banquet and a great way of transitioning into my last day of school in 2022. It's been a long and exhausting stretch, but I finally wrapped it up and just enjoyed the evening, relaxing, eating and watching the game. It was great to enjoy such a wonderful banquet last night, but today, I truly enjoyed the freedom I felt as I wrapped up this challenging stretch. As I got home, I smiled knowing that it was a great day, but as I type this, I can already feel that my mind and body are still exhausted and the only thing I need to make this day perfect is a good night's rest. Good night ya'll!

~:[CH11 - Day 354]:~ Momentum

 
~:[CH11 - Day 354]:~ Momentum

Momentum is an interesting thing. When it rains, it pours. Often times, when things are going bad, it's a train wreck waiting to happen. We've faced those challenges and things just went reeling and the wrong way. Of course, this year, the momentum was positive as a rebuilding year, turned into one where our athletes improved, the environment changed the the team found success. There were definitely places where we could have improved, but to make such a dramatic shift may have been asking for too much. Like I said with a number of athletes, patience is important. We used the momentum through the season to zoom past much of the rebuilding phases and now we must focus on keeping that momentum up. This team may not have been the fastest I've ever coach ,but I definitely was proud of this amazing group because of how much of a leap they made. The progress they found made their group special and I am truly proud to be a part of this special team. As I told them, this team is what you make it out to be and momentum is the same way. You can ride the wave of momentum when things are good, but when momentum is going the opposite way, you must not be afraid and step up in front of it and face it head on. This year's group changed their momentum and pushed it into a positive direction allowing this squad to discover their potential during this wave of momentum. 

~:[CH11 - Day 353]:~ Feeling Festive?

 
~:[CH11 - Day 353]:~ Feeling Festive?

If you walk around, you can feel how festive the vibe is as we close in on the holidays. However, while locking myself down, it was hard to focus on all that's around while I am glued to my screen working away. I was able to get away for a bit, however, as I enjoyed the beautiful decorations around me. After a quick break, I locked myself back down and wrapped up this unending project. It took about 200 hours of my computer converting the footage and about sixty hours of editing/rending time to wrap up this project, but when I clicked the final export, I was satisfied with the results. Sadly, I could not make each minute as precious as I wanted to, but it truly encapsulated all the great moments of the season. As the final video hit the one hour mark, I left out a lot of footage which was probably better as the wheel of death was still haunting me through the day. As it slowed, however, I sorted papers, packed envelopes and did my final checks for tomorrow's banquet. I'm too busy to feel festive, even during my little break, but soon enough, I know that I will wrap up this project and finally be able to enjoy all of the festive spirit around me. 

~:[CH11 - Day 352]:~ The Wheel of Death

 
~:[CH11 - Day 352]:~ The Wheel of Death

It was "wheely" annoying. It actually was beyond frustrating as I tried to figure out a way to get my computer to run faster. I had a hunch that Friday and Saturday went to smoothly as the wheel of death appeared and never allowed me to escape. I started the day realizing I had not converted one meet's worth of footage with took the morning to do. With a late start, I refocused and got to work. Sadly, what should have taken a few more hours, took the rest of the day and I still was not done. Luckily, I was ahead so I had a bit of time to spare, but still, this tech issue meant that I couldn't search through the footage thoroughly and create as good of a video as I wanted to. When I made the choice to use the older version of Final Cut, I wasn't sure how it would go, but after Saturday thought I made the right choice, but today, I regretted that choice and wish I used the newer version even if I was unfamiliar with it. Regardless, I painstakingly survived the day, although I did not complete what I should have even though I spent seven hours more than I thought I would have. While painful, I am glad that I am progressing towards wrapping up this project, creating something that will leave everlasting memories for these athletes. As while the wheel of death spins, it cannot defeat the will to finish this project so that athletes can cherish these precious moments they've shared this season. Bring it on wheel of death! I'm ready.

~:[CH11 - Day 351]:~ Focused In

 

~:[CH11 - Day 351]:~ Focused In

I got the rest I needed, then focused in on the task at hand - the video. I put a lot of work into the video and made a lot of progress today, wrapping up most of the video with only a small segment left for tomorrow to finish. I printed certificates and had almost everything in line to wrap up banquet prep. It felt weird as I had most everything taken care of with a few days to go, but that's what happens when you're focused in. Sometimes things are just rolling and you need to keep with the flow and not allow your progress to stop. I kept pushing forward and the results I got were just splendid! It was a great day of progress and just hoping that tomorrow is just as smooth. I'm guessing they'll be bumps in the road, but at least I am already mentally prepared for what's ahead. I stayed laser focused through the day and hope tomorrow I can do the same.

~:[CH11 - Day 350]:~ A Little Longer

 
~:[CH11 - Day 350]:~ A Little Longer

Normally we have this gift exchange after banquet and by the time we have this dinner, we are officially on break. However, this year, our break is pushed back a little and thus, next week we still have school and since our banquet was a little later than normal, I still have the stress of banquet to deal with. Nevertheless, the evening was just as joyous as normal. As while I know they had different homework and exams they still had left this upcoming week, it was still a break from the stress they'll have before we wrap up 2022. It's just a little bit longer before I can wrap up the stress of banquet and have some time to wrap up the planning of our various trips and also to finally have time to clean up around the house and catch up on editing and posting old photos and videos. It's strange that what I look forward to during our long vacation is simply time. With one of my first free weekends at home, I will actually be locking myself down and finishing up our banquet video. Hoping for the best, I hope that I will be allowed some time to enjoy this weekend, however, for now, I'll just focus on this work I have left to do and if I don't have any free time this weekend, at least I can note that we just have a little bit longer before we can smell the freedom of our upcoming winter break! Wish me luck!

~:[CH11 - Day 349]:~ In Formation

 
~:[CH11 - Day 349]:~ In Formation

I knew it was going to be tough. I only gave the athletes five days to choreograph and learn their dances. For many of them, dancing is not their forte and to teach others to do it is even more challenging. I was impressed at the groups as their coordinated themselves and created a day of these beautiful dances. Even if the presentations may never win a talent show, to see where they started to where they were was impressive. From ballroom dancing to blasts from the pasts, we had such a range of music and styles and it made it even more enjoyable. In the end, it took me awhile to decide on the winner, but the sets this group put together and the energy they brought to their performance made them stand out. Of course, they didn't win by much as I had a number of groups who did so exceptionally well. I loved it. In the end, they all joined together to say our last "ohana" to close out this dance unit. I thoroughly enjoyed our time and look forward to what they have in store for next year. 

~:[CH11 - Day 348]:~ Life Behind a Screen

 
~:[CH11 - Day 348]:~ Life Behind a Screen

It seems more and more that life for my students is behind a screen. Even before the pandemic, their phones were a source of entertainment and connection. Now the world has become even more detached from face-to-face communication and life as we know it is stuck behind a screen. For my MUN students, they get the most exposure to that communication as we constantly are speaking in class, however, with their research and papers, they too are also forced behind that screen. Since college, my life has also been like that, as I worked on my various projects in college. One time I was tuck behind the screen for 23 hours in a 24 hour span. Crazy, right? I hope that this world will change and lead us to a place where we connect more face-to-face and students (well, everybody) detaches themselves from their devices every so often so we can interact more and isolate ourselves less. At the end of the day, those screens await us, so I hope we take the time we have with others to make a connection that truly matters when there is no longer a screen to separate us.

~:[CH11 - Day 347]:~ Santa is Coming

 
~:[CH11 - Day 347]:~ Santa is Coming 

Many grew up with the stories of Santa during the holidays. We'd visit the local mall to get our photo with Santa and our family had a tradition of visiting Santa one by one which I took over years ago. Our city created a tradition of having Santa's sleigh take trips through the city of Cerritos. It's one of the cool things to look forward to during the holidays. My parents seemed excited as they waited outside to catch Santa in a chilly evening. We had good timing and were able to catch Santa. On a day where I was running around from dance practice to helping the girls frosh-soph team to working on banquet prep, it was a nice break to enjoy this moment and venture back to those carefree days when I was a child. Even in my grown age, just seeing the sleigh roll down the street gave me a smile and nice break from the loads of work and deadlines looming over my head. As we have our final countdown until the break, I'll focus in on the work I need to finish, but also take some time to enjoy the wonderful holiday spirit around me. 

~:[CH11 - Day 346]:~ Squeezing In

 

~:[CH11 - Day 346]:~ Squeezing In

The countdown clock beings for banquet as we have about a week left before its time to wrap up the final big event of the year for me. It's quite chaotic as this stretch has been filled with a last minute venture, reservations galore and even today's visit. They swung by to check out our MUN class and try to work out the details of a potential visit in the future. They drove up from the San Diego area just for part of the day to try to coordinate this, so it was a little bit of a squeeze for them as they visited the classroom, watching my seniors impressively discussing marketing tactics (algorithms, tracking), and then having a quick meeting to hammer out a few ideas and details. In the middle of it all, the power shut off at the Towne Center where we were meeting. Regardless, I was happy to have a few moments with them and crossing my fingers that a future visit and MUN trainings can happen with this school. I was luck to have visited their campus this summer and hoping that we can build a bridge in the future that can allow my students to connect with others across the world.