~:[CH14 - Day 90]:~ Anticipation

 
~:[CH14 - Day 90]:~ Anticipation

I'm not sure if it was because I was looking forward to the time or if it was because I was home all day, but today felt like one of the longest days. As I think back, I don't even remember going to class in the morning, as it felt like it was another day. To keep myself busy, I went grocery shopping and cooked up lunch and dinner. I wanted to remake the seafood noodle recipe I created in January and it turned out just as good. I made so much that I ended up having to share with my family as I packaged it up and sent it out. I watched part of a few games and some dramas, plus I cleaned on top of it all. Finally, the time had arrived as my friend and I were trying to get our express pass for Universal. As I jumped on when it opened at 11pm, it was lagging. I knew there were some system issues, so I kept trying. It continued to fail, time after time. My friend actually told me the Japanese site was working so I was about to wrap it up on their site, although it required a Japanese address. I jumped back on the global site and failed time after time. I was a bit discouraged as the anticipation for this moment led to disappointment. In life, we face that. We anticipate something and are let down. Sometimes, we have to wave the white flag and sometimes, we can search around and find another way. People who know me, know that I will keep working to try and make something work out if I want it to. Tonight, I didn't give up. I refreshed time and time again and finally, it popped up. An open slot on our day! To my dismay, there was an error when finalizing the order and the stock had run out, or so it said. I didn't give up and finally, it worked out where I was able to secure what we were aiming for. Despite a temporary let down, my persistence paid off. For those moments we wait in anticipation, it won't always work out, but when it does, it feels great. I feel accomplished today, not only because I secured what I was aiming for, but also because of all the things I accomplished throughout the day. I hope we all get to experience that thrill of anticipation for a particular moment and I hope that when you finally arrive at that moment, you find the same joy that I did tonight. Have a wonderful week ya'll!

~:[CH14 - Day 89]:~ Diligence

 
~:[CH14 - Day 89]:~ Diligence

It's hard to stay disciplined. On a day I wanted to just play, I woke up early and jumped online for class. We were practicing situational conversations and it was nice to be able to go through some situations and ask questions when needed. Leaving class, I felt like I had picked up a few more things I could use for the summer. Focusing in on what you need to do is not easy, but when you do, you tend to be able to accomplish a lot. For some, it takes a lot to stay on task, however, know that you can do it. Like my students, each of us has to find our way to get on track. We must find our way to find a way to become efficient and diligent so that we can make progress. Today, I made progress, I accomplished a few things on my list and was able to make efficient use of the day. I allowed myself some free time, still yet, I did accomplish what I had hoped for today. At the end of each day, ask yourself, did I accomplish what I wanted to? If not, do your best to figure out what can get you on track and what will motivate you throughout your day. You can do it! 

~:[CH14 - Day 88]:~ Waiting on a Breakthrough

 
~:[CH14 - Day 88]:~ Waiting on a Breakthrough

I got to sleep in a bit longer than usual, as the meet began a little later. I still had to go to school early to get the poles and then load the car on the way to the meet. It was a nice small crowd for us, which was nice as there was less to worry about and allowed me to focus on the athletes there. One of my seniors has been desperately trying to hit his goal and it's a little sad to seem him struggle with it. Of course, I can sense that based on the work he does, he's going to get there. For all of us, we feel like we are on the cusp of something greater. We sense what is possible and we hope that we can find that breakthrough. My word of advice to you is, don't give up. Keep pushing forward. Trust the process. If you've done what you can to get to that point, know that your time is coming. Believing in yourself is a large part of the battle. While it may not always carry you across the finish line, it will help you get closer. At the end of the day, I hope that this senior reaches that goal and all of my athletes find their way to progress. There will be the typical ups and downs of life, but as they keep pushing forward, I am anxiously waiting on a breakthrough I am confident is coming. 

~:[CH14 - Day 87]:~ Catching Up

 
~:[CH14 - Day 87]:~ Catching Up

This weekend was an unexpected three day weekend. We've never had this day off before, thus it was nice to be able to enjoy this extra day. I've been so behind on everything that this extra day will be spent catching up on work I needed to complete. One of those tasks will be uploading photographs. Last night, I was lucky enough to attend the song release party for Kevin Woo. I went through and edited those photos today, as part of the stack of tasks I have to complete in the next few days. As much of a bore it may seem to be, I find happiness when I catch up on the work I need to finish, as it takes a weight off my shoulder and truly allows me to enjoy my free time ahead. As while some may prefer to go out and enjoy their time exploring, I'll only truly be able to enjoy those moments when I wrap up everything I need to have done. I closed the night out chatting my with friends from Japan planning out our projects that will start in a few months. This was just the tip of the iceberg as I will roll up my sleeves and start tackling the pile of tasks I have lined up to finish this week. How do you feel when you are able to finally catch up on that to do list? How do you reward yourself?

~:[CH14 - Day 86]:~ Connections

 
~:[CH14 - Day 86]:~ Connections

It was quite the challenging day. I woke up early and moved all my boxes to my room. I had most everything I needed, now I just needed it all to fall into place. For the most part, it did. They arrived early, leaving us enough time to take our time on the tour. My students seemed a little timid at the start, but opened up and they began to converse comfortably. With presentations, the students learned about each other, before they interacted in a variety of activities that the students from Japan prepared. It was great for our students to learn about Japanese culture while meeting new people. From games to karaoke, traditional dance and calligraphy to origami, there were a range of activities for them to participate in. Our students performed a few songs for them, which was one of the highlights of the day for them, while I could see how much our students enjoy participating in their activities. At the end of the day, the connections these students make will have a lasting impact. While they may not be life changing, simply experiencing a different culture will help open their eyes to the world around them and the same will go for their students. I'm sure they learned a lot from each other. After practice, later that night, I headed to LA for a release party for Kevin Woo. I often get asked how I have so many connections through various channels and it's just like how our Tezukayama experience began. In life, you end up finding the right people who connect you to opportunities. You either take them or you pass them by. However, when you take them, you often find yourself gaining even more opportunities and experiences or get the drive to chase these types of experiences down. The key to making connections is putting yourself out there, as once you do, you never know where that road will take you. For today, that road took me to a wonderful cultural exchange for my students and a fun night celebrating an artist on a journey of their own. I hope we all can find those connections that will lead us to the destination we hope to arrive at in the future. 

~:[CH14 - Day 85]:~ Cooling Off

 
~:[CH14 - Day 85]:~ Cooling Off

It was warm the past two days. Today, it cooled off significantly. It's strange that one the days we want to chill out, it gets a little cold, but regardless, it still ended up being a nice chill day overall. It was a bit chaotic as we prepared to welcome the students from Tezukayama, however, for the most part, everything else was pretty relaxing. It was interesting to have a conversation with one of my seniors as we talked about the layout of the Cerritos Towne Center, as we discussed, rent and business. We talked about the challenges these business face and we joked about his run for office in a few years, although it's not something out of the question down the line. I always love to see the insights of my students. Aside from the classwork and practices, it's always intriguing to see what is going on in their minds. For some it's sports, others it may be pop culture, while others it's politics and economics. Just taking the time to listen though, teaches you a lot about these students, a side you don't see in the classroom. I hope we all find the time to take a break from what we typically do and do something to chill out, cool off and discover new things, as you'll never know what great things you'll uncover.

~:[CH14 - Day 84]:~ Behind the Scenes

 
~:[CH14 - Day 84]:~ Behind the Scenes

I attend and work at a lot of events, some of which I plan myself. It's incredible to watch the inner workings of an event. From concerts, where you consider the sound, video, lighting and more, to even what may seem like the simplest of gathering and events. Each requires such a large amount of preparation and thought. As I move from event to event, I always have to go through the checklist to ensure that I didn't forget anything. As I plan for the upcoming visit from the students from Tezukayama, I thought of all the various things I needed to make sure I took care of before the day. As I wrap up the last few things on the agenda, I took a quick look at the names tags I made for the visit. I smiled knowing that they turned out well. Through the process of planning, I learned so many things. I learned how to make and create things, I figured out how to do certain things easier and faster, and I learned what was needed and what is not. As I attend events, I learn the layout, which helps me create a plan for the future, hoping to be more efficient than the last time. To all those who plan events, I appreciate all the work you put in focusing on every last detail. We don't always know and see what goes on behind the scenes, but every person plays a role in helping make an even move like clockwork. It may seem easy at times, but it's not. From sporting events to concerts, birthday parties and more, all the work put in should be appreciate. I applaud those who do this on the regular and I hope that we all can appreciate those who make these wonderful events work. The next time you're at an event, but sure to appreciate all those people who made it possible, as while it may seem like a breeze, there's so much more going on behind the scenes, which should never go unnoticed. To all those past and present who played a role behind the scenes, I thank you!

~:[CH14 - Day 83]:~ A Little Extra Energy

 
~:[CH14 - Day 83]:~ A Little Extra Energy

It was a bit random. On this hot day that drained a lot of out of me, one of my runners handed me a Pokemon card. He said, "this is for you." I laughed as I turned it around and saw it was a basic energy card. It's worth a few cents, but as I thought about it more, its value was quite immeasurable. Even the simplest of things has a value greater than its market value. The market determines what people are willing to pay for something, as I often cover in my econ class. However, while this card may not be valuable and its intrinsic value outlook is similar, the card came to me at just the right time. It lightened the mood on this challenging day. Most things were actually going pretty smoothly as I wrapped up grades and took care of this and that, however, it still provided me with a little boost I needed at the end of the day, which helped me push through as I wrapped up another project. To many, this basic energy card is just a common card, but the value of something to the right person and at the right time, may be much more than you may realize. Luxury items may dominate the advertising market, but little do they realize that the things that bring the most into our lives don't always have a price tag. An old photograph, a handwritten letter, or a simple compliment may have a value greater than you could have ever imagined. Today, I received a little extra energy from one of my students and while I'll never be able to sell this card online or trade it for anything, it is just the thing I needed and at this very moment, it was the most valuable card in the deck.

~:[CH14 - Day 82]:~ Let's Rock!

 
~:[CH14 - Day 82]:~ Let's Rock!

I wasn't feeling to well last night, so I was debating whether to show up to today's event. However, I ended up heading out in the morning to the Shrine for the Arc World Tour Finals. I didn't realize I would be seeing some of the same competitors that I came across at EVO, but I discovered the connection when I arrived. It was cool to see the interactive free play booth when you're battling against some of the same characters that are playing in the game. I think for a fan of the games, it's an unrivaled experience. The lines were constant throughout the day, which made time pass by so quickly. It was fun to capture all the moments and interactions throughout the day. It was also cool to get a special screening and sneak preview during the event. It was also cool to follow the CEO around a bit as he greeted fans in a polar bear suit, an unusual, but catchy idea. By days end, I was exhausted, but I will appreciate all the experiences that so many had today and was glad to be able to capture many of these moments through a camera. No matter what you're interested in, I hope that you always  allow yourself to enjoy it and never allow anyone to deter you from enjoying what you love. While it may not be the preference of others, don't feel like it means you can't enjoy it yourself. Soak it all in and make the most of your precious moments. Let's rock!

~:[CH14 - Day 81]:~ The Power to Do Great Things

 
~:[CH14 - Day 81]:~ The Power to Do Great Things

We woke up early and arrived early. We planned for some traffic and the meet was pushed back, so we ended up on site before most teams. It gave us time to relax and enjoy before the meet began. The meet went smoothly with some running great performances and others falling short of their goals. There always is a bit of a mix. However, you see athletes who break down walls and find a way to accomplish things they may not have imagined. Two athletes shook their heads when we told them the time to aim for, yet they hit those times. Another athlete was thrown in to fill a race and he excelled. For all of us, we have the opportunity to do great things. First, we need to get out there and do something and secondly, we need to believe in ourselves or sometimes just have someone believe in us. Be that person who believes in others so that they can excel, however, similarly, believe in yourself so that you can accomplish great things and find out what you are really capable of. I was hoping to get home early, yet an accident on the freeway slowed us down as we literally were parked on the 91. However, while the smooth ride home didn't quite work out, I know that there will be another chance where we will be coasting along, on the path to doing something great.