The Art of MC-ing

NGL... and as modest as I am... and as many humble pies I can eat.... I'm good at MC-ing.  People ask for me.  They remember me.  It's even been commented that "the MC is like a 7th speaker."  Do understand... it's nature and nurture.  The art took years to refine... and there's been as many downs as there are ups.  

Quite recently... was asked to come back and MC an event I've done for two years, but skipped last year due to scheduling. I was initially hoping for another conflict and thereby, after back to back years of rejection, won't get asked again.  But as the skies opened up for a beam of light, my calendar was miraculously opened.  

Sat in a prep meeting yesterday... and was blown away at the level of intensity my co-MC is putting into this.  2-3 weeks out and there's already a script.  What really knocks me off my feet is... there's a website for dad jokes... so we can be funny.  I don't know if that's how I can be funny.  I don't know if I can come up with a script that far ahead.  I simply don't work that way.  

But who am I....? I'm just a humble servant happy to be tapped on my shoulder to help out where I can.  Now... for some eerie reason... I feel like I'm going to blow this (for my standard).  We shall see. 

Brown or Black

Every man... supposedly... should own two pairs of dress shoes.  Brown and black.  I've never given it any thought.. but more often than not, it was for color (and belt) matching.

This week at training, I noticed that 90% of the room, regardless of what color pants they wore, wore brown shoes.  I had black because I didn't want to pack another pair and thought "Black goes with anything."  Felt so out of place.  And then I did a google search to find out.... 

Swim like a fish and fly like a bird

Was playing Street Fighter on the Switch with SW... and typical smack or trash talking going back and forth.  Until he erupts with a "You swim like a fish, but I fly like a bird!!! CAW CAW!!!!"  #BOOM. That was pretty good!!  

Later that night... we were playing Beyblades in his room and I was finishing up a Dr. Pepper.  Normally, I would clean up after myself and toss it, but tonight, I messed with him a bit left it on the floor.  I can tell he was irritated, so I rage baited him a little and put it on his bookshelf. He then asked I get rid of it... which I promptly did... but he followed me to make sure I threw it away.  Hmm.....

I was gonna do something that night, but I got tired.  So next day... while he was at his friends' house, I washed it and hid it under his pillow.  No harm, no foul.  A little more ribbing.  He didn't get home till pretty late that night... and I was already in bed before he went to bed.  I'm guessing he didn't find it.... yet. 

Next day.... however.... I came home late cuz I had to make a grocery store run.  He wasn't home yet... so I snuck into his room to look for the bottle.  It was gone! He found it!! But where is it??? I looked under my pillow and other places... nothing.  No worries, it'll turn up.

So I started cooking... and first thing I noticed was... my PJ's were missing.  Hmm... coulda sworn it was where I left it.  All good... i'll wear my workout shorts.  Then as I started cooking... SW comes home from practice.  First thing he says was, "Did you go workout?? Why are you wearing those shorts??" I said I couldn't find my regular PJ's.... and then, I saw him try to hold a smile in.  

Oh gawd.... payback is a B.  Here it comes.  

I pretended I didn't see the smile and continued cooking.  3-4 times, he'll come downstairs, singing "Real American" trying to coax a response from me.  And I did the best thing/worst thing possible... I didn't bit.  I didn't get baited.  He was getting more and more frustrated.

Then after dinner... I went to our guest bathroom and saw my zip-up hoodie folded up with a piece of paper that said, "SWIM WITH THE FISHES."  Hahahaha... he really did hide my clothes.  I thought my PJ's would be in there, but it wasn't.

The problem now is... I'm perfectly content with not finding my stuff... but SW really wanted me to engage.  It got to a point where Joyce was pushing me to look for the things... to play along.  Ohhhh alright.  

One by one... I found things.  The bottle was now underneath MY pillow... with my toothbrush inside.  Pretty clever!!

And my PJ's were wrapped up.... in my shower stall with a piece of paper, "FLY LIKE THE BIRDS" on it.  Not too shabby!!!

He kept it fun... kept it safe... kept it wholesome.  But SW... the practical joker... has arrived.  Couldn't have been more proud.

The night ended with Joyce saying to me, "Honey... this stops now.  Ok?  No more."  To which I smiled, grinned, and nodded.... with my fingers-crossed behind my back.  #BOOM!

A Loving Father's Gestures

Typical long week... with early rises... hitting the gym... and chores at home.  Atypically... SW asks to play Beyblades with me.  (Don't know how many more times he'll ask).  As tired as I was... I jumped at the opportunity to "Let it Rrrriiiiiiiipppppp!!!"  

And as I was starting to wind down... to chill... to read a little before going to bed... NN starts going downstairs and asks, "Wanna watch Toy Story with me?"  In my mind... same thing, (Don't know how many more times she'll ask) so I jumped to THAT opportunity.  What I initially thought was a rewatch turned out to be the new Toy Story 5 that just came out.  

Boy did it hit home and tug at the heart strings... when the main character had a very hard time making and sustaining friends.  With everything that NN has gone through and continues to go through... I had to hide a tear or two from rolling down my cheek.  

Long week... long day.  Tiring night.  But when my kids ask... who am I to say no?? That is a gesture of a loving father... 

Another pasta moment

 In some random group training today and the instructor broke us up to groups of 4... gave us a random powerpoint slide... and had us practice briefing that chart to the other 3 people.  I got my slide... thought about it for 5 seconds... had my concept... rehearsed it in my head and was ready to go.

Sat through the first two people's "presentation" and I had no idea what they were talking about.  They spent more time analyzing the content and complaining about their program than following the instruction.  Here I am wondering... "Did I hear the instructions wrong?!?"

Then came my turn.  

I started with a "hook" - a lead in question.  "How do you eat an elephant?"  (Pause for dramatic effect) "One bite at a time."  Then I pulled the analogy to the topic.  Sliced, diced, and carved my way through how we'll choke if we try to do too much.  And also... while you're eating the torso, start thinking of how you want to serve up the hindlegs.  Wrapped it up with... and that is how we can achieve our goal and address (wait for it) the elephant in the room.  It was easy... natural... and it worked.  I thought nothing of it... all in a day's work.

Then a Director went and I had no idea what she was trying to say either.

Come time for open feedback around the room... one guy in my group raised his hand and said, "We had one guy in our group give a VP level briefing." And he turned and looked at me.  I simply smiled and nodded.  

As someone would say... another pasta moment. 

10 year legacy

 Ran into a couple at church today..  someone I met eons ago at SJCAC.  I walked up and re-introduced myself.  Both the husband and wife recognize me.  The wife even went as far as saying, "This must have been 10 years ago when my son was still a baby.  We were in the cryiing room together... and you ended up holding up son for an entire hour.  And my son did not cry.  So I knew, 'This must be a good man.' " 

There are some things that you do... that can haunt you or bless you for the rest of your life.  

Ready. Aim. Fire!!!!

Was taking a piss the other day... and a fruit fly zips by.  Then it busts a you-y and comes back! This time I was ready for it... and just like Hawkeye or 節別, I took aim and drenched it.  Wiping it out and knocking it haplessly into the vast ocean of the toilet.  Haha!!! We can't aim, huh!? We always miss, ey?!.  Not today. 

No ants

For the first time in a week… I wake up to no ants in the kitchen. 

Happy place

After his first XC meet of the season, we're on 280 heading home.  It was dark.  Quiet.  Peaceful.  SW and brings up his love for the ride to tournaments on a Friday nught. After a long week of school, the traffic, the calm, the stillness, the dark, getting lost in mysterious places, the bad restaurants, the smell of the Best Western, crashing cuz he’s so tired. He loves all of it. But not when we go as an entire family... only when it's with a single parent. 

Then he said this was his last season for club volleyball. No more. Hanging up his knee pads and sticking with only school volleyball. My heart sank. So many fond memories in spite of all the complaining. We don't have a lot of things in common anymore.  Volleyball was something I planted, cultivated, and dare I say, relied on, to stay connected with them.  It somehow brought our family closer together in so many ways,  

And that bond... is about to end.  

Random act of kindness

Was at Smart and Final one day... I parked my car and what do I see??? The mother of all pet-peeves - an abandoned shopping cart.  So I did what any kind hearted, considerate person would do... I walked over and adopted it since I needed a cart any ways.

Was walking up and down the aisles and the store cart-collector walked past me... stopped... and said, "Sir, thank you.  You probably didn't hear me earlier.  Thank you for grabbing the cart.  That was cool."

"My pleasure."  And indeed... the pleasure was all mine. 

神關起、一扇門

祂必開一條新路