I'm a plumber??

On a random Wednesday afternoon... I find myself doing some plumbing work for SH at her new home.  Not only am I a social worker who helps her fill out forms... I'm also the IT guy that gets her TV and WiFi set up... I'm now also a plumber. What did I sign up for????

爸B Dance

Was asked by Larry to choreograph some dance moves for our Friday night presentation.  I stayed up late with NN to come up with some dance moves and after we were done, she spoke some truths.  "That's really good... for a 爸B Dance."  And as she predicted... no one was able to do the dance today.  

Back to the drawing board... HA!!

Try outs... team selection

Day 3 of tryouts.  Right away... I can tell that SW is in the lower tier of players. No knock on him.. other than he other boys in the upper tier played club... or are physically bigger and more gifted.  During the 2nd day's "tryouts", when Coach Jacob separated the boys into two teams... it cemented the fact he won't make A-team.  And then when the boys scrimmaged... it was obvious he was one of the better players in that lower tier.  He wasn't gonna get cut.

Turns out... with players dropping out... no one was cut.  And today... when Coach Jacob separated the sheep and the goats... the elites and non-elites... Team A and Team B... I knew that SW was gonna be in team B. 

After tryouts were over and we were waiting for NN... I had a sit down with SW.  His classmates/teammates were a shouting distance away...  and they were excited about making Team A.  I saw that SW was upset.  So I asked him, "Are you sad you didn't make it into Team A?" While holding tears back in his eyes... he said, "A little."

Yes... son... it is sad.  Life will throw you these curveballs. Sometimes... it's unfair.  Other times... it's just life.  Work hard son.  Earn your way onto the starting lineup.  You can do it.  Bah B is so proud of you.

On the defense

Got a fairly random email from a parent we don't even know... that NN and their daughter has some issues that's elevated to a level where they have to contact the school to resolve. I try really hard to take an impartial stance and let the truth be told.  But already we're in a disadvantageous position where we have to defend someone's accusations.  

I took the high road and said, "Let's mediate through the school."  But school hasn't contacted us.... yet.  We'll see where this goes. 

辭職信

 

Our Town

There's a very thin line between good theater and bad theater. Throw in singing and dancing and it can go very right... or very wrong!! Make a "junior" version of something, it takes away from the soul of the very being that once brought that script to life. Speaking of life... Emily said, “Do human beings ever realize life while they live it ?-every, every minute?”

Quoting Emily Webb from Our Town, by Thorton Wilder.

First came across Grover's Corner in 7th grade.  As a kid... I loved reading plays. In class, we would take turns reading the lines. It was much more engaging than reading a novel.  But this wasn't your typical play... with character development, challenge, overcome, and climax.  If anything... it forced us to grow up before most of us were ready for it.  All those words to say... did not like it.

Then some where / some time in the 90's... there was an episode of Growing Pains where perennial goofball and troublemaker Mike Seaver (played by Kirk Cameron) was in a high school play.  He struggled with the play and was in it to get close to the female lead.  But when it came time to deliver his line... to have his moment... he nails it. 

George: "Emily... would you be...? Uhm... could you be...."  

Emily: "I am now!  I always have been...."

From that moment on... no one can deliver that line any better.  

In high school... we had a chance to re-read it.  And I still wasn't old enough to fully appreciate the passage of life.  Haven't experienced love, marriage, death... the lowlight of that experience was Stewart butchering George's line.  In the most mono-tone mutter - we completely lost the essence. 

A few years ago, Wonder - the movie starting Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson.. tried to capture the moment through the life of their daughter Via.  Originally the understudy, she was launched to leading lady on opening night... and like Kirk Cameron, she cemented how Emily should deliver the closing lines of Act 3. And all-hail her for her excellence... Julia Roberts with her teary eyes and massive grin puts her stamp of approval. 

TKA High School Visual Performing Arts took on the challenge of Our Town.  A bunch of teenagers.. awkwardly scrambling through three Acts of Life, Love, Death.  Unlike Jr. High... who butchers the script but making them a junior version... the full on script stands on its own.  Without being too critical of the acting and performance... Thorton Wilder is a legend in his own right and transcends time for reasons that appeal by the flow of diction, magnification of the little things, stopping to smell the grass by the flowers, the tugging of the heartstrings. 

Looking past the overacting... the mis-cues... the soft attempts to be "adults"... they actors stood their grounds and owned their roles.  Stage Manager... smoking a pipe and bringing the audience through this time machine.  Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb.... cooking 3 meals a day for 20+ years... never taking a break. George and Emily... from childhood friends, to high school flirts, to the marriage.

Why have I never noticed the future son-in-law and future father-in-law scene? Why don't I remember George freaking out and.... and his mom of all people... slapping some sense into him? (I swear Elisa would've teared up) Why can't I recall Mr. Webb having a similar conversation with Emily? Or the long soliloquy about "marriage" being a destiny? 

I guess... from an English class... we focus mainly on Act 3.   "You must live life to have life.  And you must have life to live life." or "I can't look at everything, hard enough." A melancholic ending... but a wake up call to a dozing audience. As such.. I ask myself...  Do I ever realize life while I live it ?-every, every minute?”

And with every TKA performance... I especially get choked up during ovations when they point to the audience... point to the tech crew... and then point to the heavens.  All glory to Jesus. 

 

成了…?

After 6 months of back and forth... filling out forms... filling out more forms... getting proof, money orders, notary stamps... we did it.  Unit 408.

The final interview to get past the finish line took over 2 hours.  I'm soooo hangry.  And it ain't over yet.  Gotta get her set up for internet, PG&E, phone, laundry.... OMG.... how do non-English people do this without help?!?!?

Talk about timing

 As SH is finishing up her application process... we get this email.  Talk about timing... heh.

Mia Naomi

At approximately 7:40AM... I shot MC a text, "早晨", not knowing what she was up to.  Was she in labor? Was she pushing? Was she recovering? Surprisingly... she texted back and said, "Here la." Hahahahahhaa.... she just gave birth during the middle of the night and here she is texting?!?!? Must've been a smooth delivery.  

Oh.... I soooooo wanna go visit.  So wanna hold baby Mia.  But alas.... COVID is still very active.  As is the cold and flu.  I can't wait to spoil this princess.  Not my own... but I will make her my own. Muahahahahhaha..... 

M.I.P.

At the end of season team celebration... Coach Noah started handing out awards.  "The Most Improved Player award for The King's Academy Jr. High Flag Football goes to... Joshua!!"  With both arms raised in triumph and pride... SW aptly accepts the M.I.P. award.  

Keep pushing, son.  This world is not always on our side.  We need to earn every bit of it... with every last ounce of strength and grit.  So proud of you. 

Tainted

Upon launching Uber on company phone... I noticed I only had 4.5 stars out of 5.  Who docked me?!?!  I always tip well.  I'm never late. I'm courteous. I tried to go back in my records to see which trip it was... but d'oh.... it's anonymous.  Why's this stressing me out so much... heh

Legacy

At the Leadership Offsite this week....

• A newer leader whom I've never met in person comes up to me and says, "I just wanted to say... I so appreciate your humor.  You are so funny."
• During a discussion on "Speak Up Culture", I encouraged all leaders to not hesitate to ask the dumb question.  You may know the answer... but someone else might not.  Another newer leader whom I've never met commented, "I've seen you do that.  And it helps.  Thanks."
• While sharing some person struggles to change, a leader was pouring his heart out on the uncertainty when coming to his new job.  I shared the same thing.. but I found a confidant to confide with.  He quipped... "You're always so uppidty-up. I would've never thought you were having problems."  And one of my direct report says, "Hank has a lot of energy."

All that being said...  I am who I am, not cuz what I want to create a persona. But people are watching and observing.  That's my the legacy or better yet... it's my Hank-gacy. 

The power of gratuity

Went to Top's Cafe today during lunch rush... and their waitress gave away our baked porkchop rice/spaghetti.  I watched with wide-eyed despair. What are the chances...another table ordered the exact same thing as us, where they wouldn't say, "We didn't order this." 

I got so pissed...  for a $43 check... I held back and only gave a $4 tip.  Shouldn't have given anything.  Ugh....