~:[CH14 - Day 304]:~ A Version of Myself

 
~:[CH14 - Day 304]:~ A Version of Myself

Halloween is always a fun day to dress up and be a character. Sometimes it's the easiest costume you can find, sometimes it's the happening trend, or something that you like. With the KPOP Demon Hunter craze, I decided early to take on a series of costumes. On top of it, we themed our cross country rally around it, so it fit perfectly. As I look back on the images, I wonder, how much of the characters do we make into a version of ourselves. Do the costumes we wear change as we become the character themselves? I've always had fun buying into the characters and I wonder if I represented the character as is or if the character changed as I played it. Regardless, I enjoyed this series of costumes, but at the same time, it made me wonder how people survived cosplaying. What is your most memorable costume? Hope your day was full of treats :)

~:[CH14 - Day 303]:~ Up, Up, Up

 
~:[CH14 - Day 303]:~ Up, Up, Up

Rally day is a bit chaotic. I not only have to worry about work, but about making sure that everything is aligned for the rally. We did a lot of work early to prepare, however, not much was done after that, leaving us scrambling to get things done. Regardless, we figured it out. In the end, we had our five dancers and I got to play the role of Bobby, the manager of the Huntrix, which was fun to do. I always hope that things will run smoothly and everyone will do their part, but I think part of the adventures of teaching and coaching are seeing how these athletes deal with these situations. Like parenting, I think that we have to allow them to fail and struggle from time to time, so they learn how to help themselves rise up and overcome the obstacles they face. We ended with a celebration and our final food run of the regular season. There's always a bit of sadness on this day as we wonder, "where has the season gone?" Still yet, I am appreciative we had the opportunity and look forward to making the most of the days ahead. 

~:[CH14 - Day 302]:~ Right Under Our Nose

 
~:[CH14 - Day 302]:~ Right Under Our Nose

I got an invitation for a free screening of Stitch Head and so I took it. I didn't look into the movie at all and thus, I didn't know what to expect. I won't rave about it and tell you it's the best movie ever, but I did appreciate the movie and it was better than I had expected. I think one lesson to learn in life that often times we search the world for where we belong and for the great things that await us, but sometimes those things are right under our nose. Sometimes on our journey for greatness, we actually miss the opportunity to reach greatness, because we are looking too far ahead. Have you ever lost something only to realize it's right next to you? I think the classic example is looking for your keys and it's on the lanyard around your neck or when you look for your sunglasses that are on top of your head. Just like these mistakes, we often miss out on what is closest to us, like our parents, friends, and other family. As we head into the holiday season, I hope we seek out great things, but also remember that sometimes that opportunities lies in the things that are right under our nose.

~:[CH14 - Day 301]:~ The Beautiful Sunset

 
~:[CH14 - Day 301]:~ The Beautiful Sunset

It's a little nicer taking a lesser role sometimes. I realized you get to sit back and relax a little bit, while also focusing on finer details. I arrived earlier after finishing up a quick food social media review in the area and then waited a top the hills at Clark Park. It was nice to wait in various locations where I knew I could get a good shot and this was one of them. This team needed a lot of work in the hills and they've been focusing a bit more on their strength and it's beginning to show. We had a fairly large group join in and I love how they focused in and worked. As the sun began to set, I knew our workout would be wrapping up, but before it did, a few of the athletes pushed through a final few repeats before they could no longer. As while their is a little bit of a void when you take a step back, you can find ways to fill those voids with new pieces that you never thought would have fit. As I figure out this puzzle, I know that with each passing day, I'll appreciate all that I can experience as I discover where I want to go from here. For at least today, I stood a top the hill and enjoyed the sunset, as each of these athletes passed on by. There was a sense of tranquility, as the weight on my shoulders was lighter, allowing me to better appreciate the work that they all were putting in. Appreciate each day and each opportunity and hopefully we'll all be able to enjoy life's sunsets, as we look forward to what the new day brings.

~:[CH14 - Day 300]:~ Spirit Week

 
~:[CH14 - Day 300]:~ Spirit Week

We've been doing a spirit week for a few years now, trying to get the athletes more engaged and involved. Today was twin day! It was fun to see some of the athletes join in the fun, as this day requires them to coordinate and ultimately figure out a plan. I think that when you coach or do anything with a group, finding connections is the first key to success. Sure you can figure out ways to train better or to find success in whatever you are doing, but until they are willing to work together and give their all for each other, you're never going to get the most out of them. This is one of the many things we do to try and get them to form those connections that will hopefully last a lifetime.

~:[CH14 - Day 299]:~ Half & Half

~:[CH14 - Day 299]:~ Half & Half

I was pretty exhausted today after a long day yesterday. I didn't set an alarm and woke up when I felt like it. It was still early. I was able to go through my normal Sunday routine as I transferred my photos for the week, charged my batteries, and got some work done. I decided to pop over to the gym to catch the early session of scrimmages since I missed the early one last time. I was glad I got to go as it was fun to watch them play for their final time together. I went home and got to work, as I had to catch up on a number of projected that I was backlogged with. It's not fun to sit around and think about what you need to do, but it also motivates you to wrap it up. Because of it, I stayed home for the remainder of the day to get my work done and it allowed me to catch the Packers game as well. Just like my day, the first half was much different that the second. Luckily, the Packers pulled out the victory and looking back, I also had a pretty successful day. My thought process in life has often been, full speed ahead as I try to get everything done and all the bases covered, but sometimes, cutting back and allowing yourself a little bit of breathing room will help you find yourself at a place you can be glad you are at. 

~:[CH14 - Day 298]:~ The Haunted Hills

 
~:[CH14 - Day 298]:~ The Haunted Hills

If you run cross country, you're most likely familiar with Mt. SAC. The course is legendary. Some people love it, while others fear it. When the weather gets warm, it is quite scary to have my athletes on it, as it's a variable that is hard to predict. Regardless, the weather stayed relatively mild and even cold at times. The athletes did what they needed to do, we collected a few medals, and called it a day. It felt a little strange as we sat a lot of our athletes on the day to rest for league finals, but those who needed to get on the course did. I quickly cleaned up and headed to my family Halloween party. It was great to see how festive everyone was. I was hungry, so the taco setup was perfect, of course, I forgot about it and filled up one plate with food already, which meant, I had two plates. Regrets. Of course, the party always is the most entertaining since we get to play some games. Although the last game was a little questionable, it still ended up as a fun night and even better since our team won this year! We walked out and had to brave the scary lawn decorations that were setup at my cousin's house, however, just like Mt. SAC, when you have the right perspective and conditions, you'll be well prepared and able to deal with any scary situation that may come your way. 

~:[CH14 - Day 297]:~ A Little Bit of Pop

 
~:[CH14 - Day 297]:~ A Little Bit of Pop

Halloween is always a fun time of year where you can get creative and dress up. Typically, our Halloween potluck is the start of all of it. This year, I themed all of my costumes so that they would all align and it was actually relatively economical. With the new hit KPOP Demon Hunters out, I decided to be one of the characters. I originally ordered some of this to use for something else, but it came in handy for this costume. The sweater that I ordered was a bit too small and thus, I ended up improvising and figuring out an alternative. It worked out just right. I realized I had to go to Walmart after and so I cleaned up my hair so at the very least, I didn't have the wig on. I still stood out as I carried my basket around, but it added a little pop to the day. In the end, it seemed like everyone enjoyed themselves spending the evening together. It's always great to have a bit of fun to add to the mundane life we live. Whenever you get a chance, add a little pop into your day and lighten the mood for everyone around you whenever possible! 

~:[CH14 - Day 296]:~ Tears in the Eye

 
~:[CH14 - Day 296]:~ Tears in the Eye

Life is emotional. There are a lot of different emotions and reasons to express them, but tonight, there was a bit of happiness and sadness that counteracted each other, living us with an evening that was bittersweet. The last competition for someone in an organization is tough. As the girls realized it was their last game, the sadness was evident, still yet, you wonder if it countered the happiness that was express by the team throughout the match. Despite the rough starts, down 8-16 in the second, the girls excelled in the second half. They nearly took the second set and had it not been for a controversial call, they may have been able to pull it out. They rolled through game three and nearly mounted another comeback in round four, but ended up falling a bit short. As the tears filled the eyes of many of the players, I slowly made my way out of the gym, as watching that emotion is a bit tough. It's hard not to get teary-eyed, however, it was easy to applaud them for their efforts as they mounted a few charges to keep them in it. In the end, those tears they shed demonstrate the love and passion they have for the sport and/or their team. Sadly, today was the end of the road for the volleyball team, however, there's no doubt in my mind that they will be gathering together, sometimes down the line in the future remember these many moments they shared including the moments they comforted each other as the tears rolled down their face. 

~:[CH14 - Day 295]:~ In a Snap

 
~:[CH14 - Day 295]:~ In a Snap

Some days, it just feels like everything is crammed together. With a fifth period this year, it's been increasingly difficult to complete what I need to for cross country. I've had to arrive just as practice begins to complete the work I need to do, plus avoid the afterschool traffic. Similarly, today became a lot tougher. Typically, I have enough time to grab my equipment and get all setup before the media day beings. Today, I had just about fifty minutes to setup, take the photos, and also clean up. I flew through the shoot so quickly and was able to capture some of the images I hoped for. Obviously, I didn't end up with incredibly gorgeous photos, yet, I still was able to capture some of the many moments we had. It would have been easy for me to cancel something or throw my hands up in the air and give up, but I stuck with it, planned it all out, and executed it to perfection. Next time your schedule gets in a bind, do your best to believe in  yourself and ability to do what you need to do and more, however, also don't forget that this process takes time and thus, don't forget to be patient, as life moves quickly and passes by in a snap.