Graduation

"You have fought the good fight.  You have finished the race.  And you have kept the faith." - 2 Tim 4:6

Another year bites the dust... good job students!!  And now I get my Tuesday evenings back. 

Adieu

An email I wrote to some of our CS Brothers and Sisters...

Family Softball

Towards the end of the school year... SW was gloating how he's awesome at softball, batting 1.000 in PE.  So when the announcement came out asking for players... I signed us up for the church league.  A couple weeks ago... they had finals... so they didn't play.  This time around... they got to wear a glove, get in the box, and take a mighty swing.  

NN went 2 for 3 with a walk.  No defensive plays but impressed a lot of people with her hustle on the base paths.  She was a clam.

SW went 1 for 3 with a walk.  His first hit came at a clutch moment in the game too... when it was two outs and I was on third.  "Bring dad home! Bring dad home!!" was the chant.  Defensively, he picked up a fly ball and threw it to the cutoff man.

I went 3 for 4... with 1 error at short, when the ball was hit hard up the middle and took a tricky bounce.   Nate had me batting cleanup!! HA!! He must think I'm good or something.  Ah wellz.

I was quite happy tonight.  Quite happy!  To be able to hang out with the kids at their age and at mine... what a blessing. Was burnt to a crisp from a day long outdoor volleyball tournament though... but today... was a good day.

Tahoe Camping - Day 3

Woke up to a nice buffet breakfast. The three families got together to recount last night's event over coffee and juice.  Then by 9AM... we headed back to camp to pack up.  When we got there, it was a ghost town!!  Everyone... and I mean EVERYONE has left.  They either left last night when we evacuated.  Or they broke down camp early in the morning.  We searched for our belongings and they were all there. 

After packing... decided to hit up the nearby beach for a few minutes.  A few minutes turned into a few hours.  The kids wanted to have fun.  The adults needed to relax a bit.  So I went to the general store and grabbed a 12 pack.  Grabbed some chairs and beach mats.  And before long...the tats broke out their stove and we had ourselves a feast.  We rented a SUP and kayak.  Played some volleyball.  Chatted.  Laughed. Good food.  Good scenes. Good company.  

Wasn't exactly how I imagined it going... but alas... a wonderful way to wrap up 3 days of camping.

Tahoe Camping Day 2 - The Bear

 Continuation of Day 2....

We started to head back to camp... about 10 minutes from the pier... NN realizes she lost her phone.  But she doesn't have Find My turned out (d'oh!!).  But thankfully... some nice person found it and turned it into the Lost and Found.  So we picked up our phone.. picked up a nice Starbucks and off we went.

Got back to camp and folks had already started cooking.  We were in the middle camp so I started a fire... having a feeling that dinner was going to be at our picnic table.  This time I was smart... found a bunch of dry pine needles... giant pine cones... and the fire was blazing in two minutes.  I'm a pro at this now... I can make it to the final 3 if Jeff ever summons me.

Dinner was.... uhhhh-mazing!!!!!!  That Tat's bought chicken and duck that can be eaten cold.  They made some stew that we needed to reheat.  We had packs and packs of instant noodles.  And they even brought a rice cooker. Hehehehhee... camping like the Chinese do!!  Everyone showered... had their filling... and out of the blue... we hear a lot of honking from a short distance away.  First I thought it was someone's car alarm going off... then a bunch of other cars started honking.  Turns it... it was an attempt to scare off a bear!!  Roy goes and checks out what happened... and we heard "BANG! BANG! BANG!"  Someone brought an air gun and used it.  Rumors start flying that it was a giant bear that carried off someone's cooler.  And ran into the woods again.  

We didn't think much of it so we continued cleaning up and started to make smores.  Everyone settled into a bit and was having a good time when to our left... we heard a bunch of honking again!  This time it was loud and persistent.  And then... our neighbors to the left, almost like a marching army, got up in unison and started running for their cars.  We saw them do it... and I gave the command, "Let's go!"  I didn't know what was going on... but didn't want to take a chance.  Me... Joyce... the kids... and the Yu's... all 7 of us piled into our dinky little CRV.  YY was still carrying her half melted marshmellow - getting it onto everything.  We got in... I closed the door...  looked over my shoulder and there it was.  A medium size black bear... running through our neighbor's campsite.  Then it dawned on me.  Our locker is still open!!!  Our garbage is still out!!!  And like a bundle of laundry... that brown fuzzball rolled onto my campsite.  It was literally 10 feet away from the car... sniffing through garbage.. trying to find a meal or two.  Out of the corner of my eye... I then see a park ranger... slowly creep out of the bushes holding a rifle - which I think is a tranquilizer.  He slowly got closer on his approach and "zip!!!" fired away.  I didn't see or hear the bear go down.... so it must've run off.  The ranger also disappeared... he must be on hot pursuit. 

We were now at a lost... not entirely sure what to do, we decided to go take showers and then decide.  Joyce and I were on the same page.  The bear's gone...he's scared... we're safe. Right???  After showering, we came back and our neighbors thought we left.  They were packing already and calling it a weekend.  We repacked everything... sticking it in the bear locker... throwing away the garbage and got into our tents.  Then all of a sudden... blaring horns again!!!  The third time!!! That's when I decided... gotta get the wife and kids to safety.  I told them to run for the car.  This time... we're outta here.  Gonna get a hotel and not taking chances again.

Evacuation... never had to do it.  Have heard about it... seen it on TV.  But when it comes down to it... what do you really need when your life depends on it.  Car keys... phone...wallet.  Wallet!!! OH NO!!! Left my wallet in the tent.  That's when I made that precarious 10 feet trek from car to tent... and voila... I am whole again. HA!!  We made it our hotel... nice warm and clean bed.  Calling it a night... good night!!

Tahoe Camping Day 2 - The Lake

 I got up... went to pee... and decided to take a stroll.  One night into camp... and one of the two toilets was already clogged with toilet paper and sh*t.  How are we gonna survive???  I got to the beach and the scene was majestic.  God is amazing.  He truly is.  I got my me time in and walked back to came and it was feee-reeezing!!!

Tried lighting the fire again... cuz it was so cold. Had a lot harder time this time because our fuel was damp from the morning dew.  Thankfully, we were able to borrow a torch from our neighbors.  Before we knew it... everyone was awake and we feasted on a warm meal of instant noodles and canned Vienna sausages. Ironically.. everyone was complaining how noisy it was at night... and here they were speaking a high volume.  I cringed and rolled my eyes at their hypocrisy. Oh well...

Slowly and surely, everyone got up and within a blink of an eye... it was time to set out.  Yu Tai was brave and bold enough to take the kids to Treetop.  While the rest of us went to enjoy a nice hike in the wilderness.  But unfortunately.. all the trails we wanted to go to were closed for construction!! Boo... ended up hiking a long road down to Emerald Bay and back up.  I got so bored with that hike... I took a detour just to walk some rough rocky terrain.  It's a hike, for crying out loud!!!

After the hike... we would rendevous at the harbor for our 2 hour pontoon ride.  Yes, there was valet parking, but no, I wasn't about to pay.  So I parked on the street... sent the address to the Tat's and Yu's.  GUess what... they followed my lead!! HA!!  

Everyone got together... and we got on our pontoon.  Everyone was disappointed.  We wanted a boat with a slide... or a faster speed boat.  But we got... exactly what it's described as... a friggin pontoon!! Ok...it's not that slow.  From South Tahoe... it was 30 minutes to Emerald Bay.  The water was freezing cold.  I brought an ice chest... but didn't bring any adult drinks (much to many people's disappointment) and no one was in the mood to get in.  We finally park at Emerald Bay... and I needed to set an example.  Everyone wanted to go in... but no one dared.  So I finally put on my life jacket and dove head first.  DANG the water was freezing.  Once I got in... some of the girls followed.  DANG... the water was freezing.  Then I tried to swim back to the boat... but the current kept pushing me away.  I saw the two girls successfully swim back.  I got jealous, but relieved.  They were safe.  Farther and farther I drifted away.  I strugged and I tried.  I kicked. I crawled (figureatively).  But the boat got smaller and smaller.  

My head suddenly thought... would I freeze to death??? (It was in the high 60's... no where near freezing).  Then I thought... would I drown??? (I had a life jacket on).  For some reason... no one on the boat cared... and no one was coming to save me.  Then I saw these three paddle boat guys.  I waved to them..."Can I get a ride?" The first person waved back... and started leaving.  I'm like, "No... don't leave me!!"  I thought he was making a U-turn... but he never came back.  His two friends started coming and I called for them again... this time, the sorta kinda understood me.  I waved and pointed to the boat.  And I said, "You speak English?"  They said, "No... Ukraine."  Ohhhhh... no wonder the first dude left.   The two friends tried to circle... and they were having a hard time pushing towards me due to the current.  With their broken English and my zero Russian... they asked why my friends won't come.  They even shouted on my behalf, "Your people!!!!"  By now... the third friend realized what was happening and turned back.  We were able to communicate with "You tired?" and "You cold?"  They quickly realized that I needed a place to hang onto.  And they know that the current was simply too strong.  The pontoon had a big tube for us to play on... and they finally tossed it in the water.  My three Ukrainian friends went to grab it and brought it over to me.  Even then... I wasn't able to simply hop on the tube, they had to give me a giant lift.  

After what seemed like eternity... I finally got on the tube.  It got roped up.  And I was back on the boat.  Phew...... this is the 2nd time of nearly drowning!! The first time was in Hawaii in that little lagoon. Man.. .I needa get better with swimming.

Anyhoo... I got back on the boat and I wanted to show everyone I wasn't scared or nervous.  So I immediately decide to play on the tube and have the pontoon drag us.  Part of it was to show everyone that I wasn't scared.  It was nothing.  Dust it off and continue playing.  I think it worked to some degree... but as I found out later, it backfired. SW was first one up... none of the other kids wanted to play after seeing what I went through.   But after seeing us have fun... one at a time, everyone started playing.  And even some of the adults got into the action!! WOOHOO!!   

I finally got into the boat... and someone told me... (I forget who).... your daughter is upset.  It turns out NN was balling her eyes out.  She was worried sick with me not being able to get back on the boat.  And once I got on the boat... I didn't check in with the family and went straight out to the water.  Oops! My bad.  I tried apologizing...but she wasn't hearing it.  Woe is me....  I screwed up big time.

I finally got in the boat... and was freezing my @$$ off.  I changed... put on new clothes... but the wind chill was still killing me.  Ah wellz... I had to man up and take it and not show signs of weakness.  We finally got back to the pier, parked, and changed.  Everything was calmer now... and the last thing I had to worry about... a missing iPhone that turned up in lost and found.  Boom... time to head back to camp for a night of camp life and chill.  

Tahoe Camping Day 1

"We got the full camping experience in 1 day." said NN.  

A full experience indeed.  We headed up to Tahoe on Friday morning and on our way... we stopped by Castro Valley and had brunch with 大恩人-嫻姨。 She dressed soooo nice... as if she's going to a wedding.   After Dim Sum, great company, great conversation... we took off for our final destination.

We skipped through the backroads and made it Tahoe.  Upon entering the campground... the ranger warned us to leave our doors unlocked.  Let the bears get in vs getting your door smashed in.  And consider keeping the doors open because if bears show up, you won't have time to fish for keys.  Just run into the car and close the doors - quick.  We thought he was joking... until we find out he wasn't. 

We got to our site.. and met the Yu's there, easily one of our closest church friends.  They helped us pitch our tent and set up camp.  Then we headed out for dinner.  We got back after dinner and it was dark already... enough for us to start our camp fire which wasn't easy at all!! All those years of watching Survivor paid off. You start with the fuse on the bottom (pine needles) with dried pine cones sitting on top to fuel the flame, and eventually, the $12 firewood we got from the general store.  A little later in the evening, our other closest church friends, the Tats, showed up.  Someone took their campsite, but thankfully, another family overbooked and gave them theirs.  We helped them set up camp and by then... the kids had their smores and it was bedtime.

Bedtime was horrible.  Our neighbors were loud.  It was cold.  It was uncomfortable.  And by the wee hours of the night... it got freezing cold, especially the head which was exposed.  Luckily, I was wearing a hoodie, so I was able to cover my head and we had a throw.  I got maybe 2-3 hours of shuteye and after falling in and out of sleep... the sky was lit up and it was too bright to sleep anymore, especially with nature's alarm clock, the bugs and birds in the wild screaming their heads off.  Time for Day 2....

Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling

Was invited to be a panelist at my work's Asian American Professional Society to speak on the topic "Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling" which is coined after the book published by Jane Hyun. 

I spent a couple days thinking about what I would say... how I would say it.  There's the business environment thing to say.  There's the ethical thing to say.  There's the hot-take thing to say.  And there's also the brutal, honest truth that's hard to say... but can't be left unsaid.

Some of the brutal soundbites

• 5000 years of civilization... there's a lot of pride... and a lot of fallouts and I quote, "as you can see with some of the geopolitical happenings"
• It's hindered me because I was raised to put my head down, work hard, and not rock the boat... that doesn't work in modern corporate America
• I brought attention to some of my personal heroes that's reshaped my upbringing... MLK, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson....
• I talked about the intersection / collision of upbringing and MTV/Nickelodeon culture
• I dropped "fearfully and wonderfully made..." to which I got a PM from an audience member - "appreciate you quoting Psalm 139:14" 
• When asked, I admitted to shivering every time ppl mention Chinese spies... and I'm self-conscious enough to look around to see if anyone is staring at me
• I drew on the fact that our ELT and Csuite has evolved over the last 10 years... it will continue to evolve... and the call to action is... someone in the audience needs to be the first AAPI to sit in one of those spots

And lastly.. I threw out my hot take for the day when asked specifically on how to break the bamboo ceiling.  I said, 

"Don't.  Don't break it.  The tensile strength of bamboo is greater than metal.  Instead.. navigate through it.  Remodel with it.  Use it as a stepping stone (stick?) for your next endeavor.  What I meant to say was...the ceiling is there for a purpose.  It represents your past and who you are.  Don't break or shatter it.  Embrace it. Own it. And shape it where you want to go next."

Cathartic

Started to clean up my Whatsapp chat groups by archiving every group text or individual text of people that I haven't texted... or because of my exodus... will likely not text in the near future.  One after another.  A working group.  A planning committee.  A project.  And then individuals... who outside of church... I don't think I'll ever contact.  Swipe left... swipe left... more swiping left.  Boom boom boom.... cleaned up my list of chats.  It's now so empty... but so clean!! 

Twenty years later...

Twenty years ago... when we weren't married yet... when I still lived in a little apartment... I was invited to Anderson's baptism.  And after that... it set off 20 years at SJCAC.  20 years later... we officially move on.... 

If I were to list out my SJCAC passport:

• baptism by water
• baptism by Holy Spirit
• lead bible study
• serve in Tutoring ministry
• serve in ESL ministry
• serve in VBS
• home group leader
• home group co-parent
• serve as usher
• serve as communion steward
• college outreach
• serve in nursery
• supermarket outreach
• teach Children's Sunday School
• teach Adult Sunday School
• lead Wednesday prayer meeting
• lead morning TWA
• run AV during worship
• lead worship 
• serve on worship team
• translate sermon on stage from English to Chinese
• translate sermon on stage from Chinese to English
• translate sermon over headsets
• translate on stage for Mission Conference
• lead people to Jesus
• attend church retreat
• lead and organize church retreats
• serve as 團長
• serve as MA
• MC just about every major and minor event
• move chairs and vacuum sanctuary / 擔擔抬抬
• cooked and cleaned  

I've been Mary.  I've been Martha.  Not waiting in line to be Lazarus... 

I think the only major item I haven't checked off is serve in Youth Ministry.  Not sure why that's been so elusive.  And never gone on a Short Term Mission.  Hrmm... 

But after 20 years... after my last turn banging on the drums... it's official.  We're moving from CS and over to NV.  It's not like we're leaving SJCAC... at least I don't feel that way.  Still Christ's church.  Still Christ's family.  And then the obvious.... 

Twenty years later....?

Has it been that long??? 20 years... I think it has.  It was before the kids for sure.  And it was probably around or before the time we got married.  20 years!  Wow.... 20 years since I've put on my cleats... came to the plate... and stared down the pitcher.  20 years since I've slipped on the piece of leather and picked up a roller and shot it to first.  20 years since I've stepped foot on a diamond. 

We won my inaugural softball game... as I emerged from retirement.  Though... I never really retired.  I just took on a second career.  

Strangely enough... I felt pretty at home.  Both teams were from church.  I knew about 80% of them... or recognized them.  There were some great players.  There were some average players.  And a handful of beginners.  I didn't have a batting glove.... was wearing soccer cleats... had a $30 bat when everyone else used $150-$300 bats.  But when I came up to bat... everyone, including the OF took a few steps back.  HA!!  I'm not a power hitter... I can barely swing for contact.

I asked to play SS or 3B cuz I don't have the depth perception.  I'm not good... nor do I have the range.  But I still have one heckuva arm.  During warm ups.... had to get use to the infield bounce.  And during the game... made a couple of errors.  Most likely due to nerves.  But also made a couple of heads up plays and including that amazing backhanded snag.  

Too bad there were no lights at the field.  There's nothing like a summer evening... as the bugs are buzzing away on the pitchers mound... the wives are yapping away.... and children are giggling on the side... and world is alive with the murmurs of.... "Plaaaaaaayyyyyy baaaaaallllllllll." 

Gonna feel it tomorrow.  Over strenuated in all sorts of ways.  But pain never felt so good. 

Regional Champs

 Undefeated. Undisputed. Regional Champions.

Tropical Touch 14-1 went all season without dropping a game.  In all... we lost 3 sets.  2 of those 3 when NN wasn't around.  And the other one was when 2 of their star players were out.

In the end... we went up against the #2 team and it wasn't even challenging.  The most challenging games were against the 13 and 12th seeds where it went to 29-27 and 26-24.  But in the end... it wasn't a satisfying season.  After one practice and one game off... NN wasn't in any of the starting line ups.  Her reliable serves were off... and she was relegated to Defensive Specialist.  And the other players notably have stepped up and dominated.

We've come so far from that night when NN first made the team... and we had Taco Bell and a bottle of Coke to celebrate.  Who knew this team was gonna climb this high.. ride this far... and dominating, rolling past all their competition.

One parent came up to Coach Tati saying they want to try out for our team.  Another parent said our coaches are recruiting her.  And a third parent said she felt sorry for us.. for the regime that our coach put the players through (running laps) when things are going bad.  This was suppose to be a non-competitive, fun, growing team.  It's turned into an animal that's the envy of the Bay Area.

In the ned... when the coach invited the team to practice on Mother's Day afternoon... NN came up to be and said she "wanted to go." Go to practice? No... go home.  She was done.  She was drained.  She had homework to do.  

Today... we held our heads high as champions. What a wonderful feeling.

Dance Showcase 2024

 NN's annual dance showcase is upon us. An entire year's of hardwork and dedication for the TKA Dance Classes culminates with 3 shows on Friday and Saturday.  It's also the once or twice in a year where I get mom and dad together to have a meal together... in the name of their grand daughter... and so I can drive them out to SF just once.

Mom just came back from her epic Seattle bus tour... which is amazing on its own.  And dad is always flexible enough to come in at any time... any hour.  

Picking them up for dinner was... strategic.  Ended the 3:30 show.  Picked dad up.  Drove to San Jose 99.  Had dinner at Venus Cafe while mom showed up from her vacation.  We sat down...broke bread... and chatted.  Almost like a family, but not quite.  Mom and dad aren't friends, but they are friendly.  Afterall... they're immigrants in their 70's that are going through the aging process together.  It was an enjoyable dinner. 

Now onto the show.  The show was amazing.  Stacey Reed topped herself again with her creativity and poignancy. She hit the nail on the head with her salute to superheroes... every day heroes... and heroes in our time.  Her salute to Captain America (tap), Firefighters (modern), Military (step and clap), and Rosa Parks (ballet) was breathtaking and tear jerking.  Not as tear jerking as the Seniors Dance... and their shout out to their parents.  Over and over again... I kept thinking of the time NN said she was going to do her senior dance with me.  Father / Daughter modern dance.  And I started thinking of how I can get fit and get flexible in the next 3 years for that event.  But when she started talking about Senior Dance... she made no mention of our dance anymore.  Ah wellz.....

The drive back out to SF was less eventful.  I was tired.  It was a long day.  And it's always awkward.  I had Pandora on Canto Pop that filled in the silence.  And occasionally... I would humor dad and his off the cuff questions and comments.

At 11PM... I got home.  To a kitchen full of flowers.  I dug the vases out of the garage and put them in water.  So that's how a celebrity feels.... to have a room full of flowers.  My Nui Nui Ju.  So proud of you. 

孟母三遷

 For the 3rd time in 2.5 years....we had to move.  This time, because our landlord wanted to sell.  Instead of moving.. we offered to buy the house off-market, but we couldn't come to an agreement on price.

So from the end of March to mid-April... we shopped and looked at a dozen houses.  We found a place that we loved... but in the end... the landlord wasn't open to installing an EV charger and that broke the deal.  Eventually... we found a town house with a swimming pool. And within a month... we scheduled a wholesale move. 

The move was smooth. Packing was a lot less laborious than last time and I found the same movers as last time. 80+ boxes... 3 full beds... all the furniture... and over 16,000 steps later... we moved into our new home.

Home isn't a place... (like Asgard), it's where the family is.  We're now housed in a much smaller house... but it doesn't matter.  As long as we've got each other... we can and will make it work.  

On moving day... they had to move our piano.  Which they dubbed "the beast." I was legitmately worried.  Joyce didn't want to be in the same zip code when it happened.  These Russian / Mexicans could not hold a lick to our Chinese movers from back in 2017 when we moved to remodel.  And the owner's wife got us Matcha Lattes.  When all was said and done...we had a roof over our heads and beds beneath our backs.  That's all that matters.

A new chapter begins.... 

Did not get a rose

 SW went to a club volleyball summer league tryout today... and he did not get a rose.  His two friends from Titan did.  One even had to turn it down because he'll be vacationing during the summer.  I wasn't there but SW was very disappointed.  Joyce is kicking herself for not enrolling him with this club for Winter League... as it seems those who have rapport with the coaches will get in.

I didn't add any commentary.  Just told Joyce... to tell SW.... Kobe Bryant once got shafted from tryouts.  That offseason... he worked harder than he's ever worked.  Refined every skill he can think of.  And along the way... grew a whopping 6 inches.  And he never looked back. 小小苦楚等於激勵.  May this little speed bump be an opportunity for SW to fail forward.  

Reno

3 day tourney up at Reno - National Qualifiers. So many interesting moments... 

The drive up was horrible.  It was dark, rainy, foggy... couldn't see the lanes.  Hated the drive.  But we made it safely.  Praise God.

The AirBnB wasn't mind blowing but it served it's purpose.  We had space and privacy... and a place to make coffee in the morning or chill at night. 

The in-laws coming were awesome.  Glad they're mobile and can drive so we don't need to worry too much about them.  Grandparents are a true blessing.

Playing up was a great idea.  It's amazing how well the girls can do if they play up to their potentials.  We met a formidable foe... apparently ranked #5 in the nation and we came back to beat them.  The girls learned a lot from adversity.  But when they went up against the #3 (or #2?) ranked team... reality finally set in.  Aside from 4 players... everyone was new to club volleyball.  It was quite apparent.  

Made sure to have fun beyond volleyball!  SW was excited to go rockclimbing and go-kart racing.  He really wanted to go up against me (and beat me).  But he wouldn't have stood a chance.  He drove that race track like a grandma going below speed limit.  We also had the opportunity to take NN's teammates siblings with us.  I like helping other parents out when they're in a bind.  I wish we had a third child... sigh...

Circus Circus was a trip down memory lane.  It's not as novel as when were growing up.  As kids... Circus Circus was the Mecca of child entertainment.  Arcades. Carnival games. Circus acts in the center ring.  Nowadays.. you get all these games at Golfland... D&B.... Bowlero... Chuck E Cheese. The circus acts come out every 45 minutes and perform for 3.  And there's 2nd hand smoke everywhere.  Not the Circus Circus I grew up with... or I choose to remember growing up with.

I still remember in 4th grade... when we went to Vegas and the Grand Canyon... we went to Circus Circus.  And we just couldn't get the two basketball carnival game.  Kept on missing the first... or 2nd basket.  And I never got my inflatable crayon.  I cried when dad said he was out of money. 

I still remember in 7th grade... mom and dad were on the brink of bankruptcy and we made one last trip to Reno.  I was suppose to work on my report on the Great Depression and the Great Crash of 1929.  I brought a book to read on the way... but didn't get past chapter 1.  That was when streetfighter II came out... and I remember hearing about it from my friends... but seeing it for the first time in person.  I was mesmerized.  And while mom and dad were doing their thing at the casino... I won a white tiger from the softball-in-a-milkcan game.  Heh...  it's winnable!!  I also remember two guys fighting and the police breaking them up.

I still remember in college... went snowboarding with Greg, Rooz, and the gang.  We went to circus circus at night.  And I don't remember which game it was... but I won 鹿先生.  That same week... Joyce came back from HK.  We went out at night... I gave her the doll as a welcome home present... and all was history.  Heh... 

Then the last time I was at Reno... was for an Alan Tam concert sometime in the early 2000's.  Been over 20 years.  And I don't miss it.  I don't care if I come back.  But if I do... I know where those memories are kept.  

女大女世界

 Ever since one of our many fights... NN hasn't wanted me to "uhm 佢瞓." No more Crossword, Wordle... No more bedside chit chat.  No more pray pray.  She's been shifty... saying she has to work late.  Or she needs to stretch out in bed.  But last night... I finally confronted her and asked why she won't let me put her to bed.  She said, "我就離十五歲喇."  She looked up at me... thinking I would be/could be tearing up.  Amazingly... I wasn't.  

Today... while standing in line at the supermarket, I felt something brush up against my leg.  I look down and it was a little girl, no more than 2 years old.  She was hugging me... mistaking me for her dad.  She looked up... I met her gazed, smiled.  And then she ran off.  

Then later in the afternoon... we had our father / daughter date.  Going to watch "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at school.  I had a feeling before I got there that she might want to sit with her friends.  And as I got there... that's exactly what she asked.  Of course I nodded.... 女大女世界.

She ended up sitting with me for the first half prior to intermission.  After intermission... I was by my lonely self.  And y'know what... I was perfectly fine. 

It's a matter of when

With all the crazy, distracted drivers out on the busy streets of the South Bay... it's not a matter of if... but a matter of when you'll get into an accident.  Was minding my own business on Lawrence today... when out of the blue... comes this huge crash behind me.  I look into the rear view mirror and can see the driver covering his face in shock and disappointment after the hit.  First thing... was checked on SW.  He was fine.  Then I took inventory of myself.  And I slowly pulled over... slowly... because I wanted to block him in case he started to run.  But he pulled over after me.  I got out... fist bumped the guy... asked if he was ok.  And saw that it was a direct, almost 100% straight shot into my rear bumper and tail gate.  If you can draw a line between the left and right tail lights... the dent was smack in the middle.  So the car absorbed most of the hit... which mean... thankfully... SW and I were protected.

Sigh... now have to go through insurance and body shop and rental and all that mess. Thankfully... no one was hurt.  Just one of those things in life.... 

Odds stacked against you

Last of NN's League Tournaments this Spring... but it also coincided with a bunch of the girls' Spring Breaks!! One was in Hawaii... one was in Paris... One had a Badminton Tournament for her school... and one was a last minute illness.  Her team was now down to 7... without the starting middle and OH.  To top it off... the 7th player's uniform was stuck in the washer that morning!!! And she was going to be late!  We told her to grab any old shirt... and we'll use masking tape to tape a number on her.  Heh...

It was a big mystery of who was gonna play where.  But to our luck... the first two games were against very green teams.  The girls had a chance to settle in.  

By the third game... they met their match.  Our team has never dropped a set all season, until this team stole one from us last tournament when NN was on her Service Trip.  This team is good.  They're a solid, complete team, with chemistry.  And right off the bat... they stormed through and took the first set.  Parents from other teams started coming up to me asking where the players were.  More and more people started flocking over to our court.  They wanted to be there to see David slay Goliath.  Second set was much the same... lots of miscommunicates, mental errors, stupid mistakes.  Within a blink of an eye...  we were down 24-22.  Game point.  First loss of the season, pending.  It was inevitable.  There's no energy.  There's 1 person on the bench - trying to cheer.  NN - was frustrated and miserable.  The coaches were flabbergasted.  And all the parents were stunned.  

Wait.... who's David and who's Goliath here? This is an underdog story, right??? David's the underdog... right???  So does that mean... a team that's down 4 players, 2 starters....is the underdog?? Damn straight we are!!!

24-22 quickly became 24-23.  Then we tied it.  After that... there was no looking back.  26-24 VICTORY!!!  After winning the 2nd set... the 3rd set was a cinch. 

We struggled a bit after that 3rd set marathon against a team we've consistently beaten.  But once again, we never once doubted the resiliency and grit of this team.  By the team we got to the championship bracket... the rest of the teams knew they've met their match.  Once again... victory belongs to us. 

But it wasn't without paying its price.  NN got so frustrated in that 4th game and with the constant berating from the coach... she started to weep.  Her whole team tried to console her.  Parents on the sides saw it.  The opponents' parents saw it.  The coach saw it.  It was painful to watch.  

When the odds are stacked against you.... that's when you rise to the occasion to show them what you're made of.  Proud of you NN. 

Super Mario Brother

In all my years of renting and home-ownership... I've dealt with numerous plumbing problems, but not the classic clogged toilet.  Until today.  I had the pleasure of using a tried and true plunger to force my way through a sh*tty situation.  Ha.... and it worked like a charm.  I told the kids... it's either a face wipe... or a pad.  Something got stuck.  And boy did it feel good when the water started flowing again... ahhhhhh... sweet relief.

Service Trip

Day 1 of TKA's Annual High School Service trip for Seniors.  NN got selected to go to the Navajo Nation in Arizona.  Woke up before dawn to get to the airport by 5AM.  Course... with the nervousness of oversleeping... you really don't sleep well the night before.  And as I expected, and much wanted to avoid, got into a little spaz with NN when she was packing.   But all is well.  We got there on time and blessed her as we released her into God's hands.

Occasionally, we'll get a text here or there.  And there's also the official TKA blog that's following this trip. 

The more pictures we got... the more it seemed like a glorified camping trip.  Smores... hmm....

Nonetheless... the pastor's message is a reminder, they're here to serve, not to be served.  They're here to serve, this isn't a project.  And the importance of listening.

NN lands tonight... I wonder what she'll smell like after a week of no showering.  Can't wait to feel her hug and embrace. 

 

背影

Jr High Volleyball tryouts... SW's been looking forward to this.  After an entire Fall of Club Volleyball and then Winter League at MVVC.... he went into tryouts with a chip on his shoulder.  Too short? Too small? Too weak??  Open gym after open gym... he impressed the coaches and friends.

"Night and day."  Said the Jr High AD.  

"Joshua's improved so much!!" Said Coach Molly.

And on the last day of tryouts... SW wanted to wear his MVVC practice shirt.  He wanted every edge to get onto A team.  And at the end of the day... he said he got pulled aside with another Sevvie and 4 other Ocho's by the coach.... "You guys need to show leadership and start setting up the net."  It was almost guaranteed he rostered.  But he had to wait till tonight to get the official word. 

A true underdog story in the making.

 

Part of your world

Growing up... I hated the story of the Little Mermaid.  I guess the first taste of it was a Chinese Story book that was based really closely on the Hans Andersen version where the star character dies and becomes sea foam. In the 90's... when Disney took a stab at it and rocked the animated and soundtrack world... I didn't like it because it was about a girl and Ursula was simply hideous.  Fast forward to becoming a dad and the Disney Princess era... I hated it because the story is about a girl defying her father, getting herself in deep doo-doo, almost getting her dad killed, then she gets what she wants!!!! HORRIBLE!!!  

So in the Leung household... we watched all the Disney animated features, except Little Mermaid.  

Then last night... after a week of boiling and simmering at home... I come to realize that a gut wrenching father/daughter story this truly is.  Rewind 10 years... my younger more brash self would say it's a disobedient teenage daughter wreaking havoc to everyone's lives.  10 years later.... the father drives the daughter away because he chooses to decide what's best for her/for him.  

Several times I teared up during the show.... and at the finale... the wedding scene... I simply couldn't watch anymore. If All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players...then NN, would you allow me... to be part of your world? 

Signs of old age

For like.... the 3rd or 4th time in a row... I meet someone face to face.  And I say, "Great to finally meet you in person,"  And they will all say... "We've met before at X-Y-Z." 

Man.... I use to pride myself on meeting people, remembering people, and even remembering the time/location/attire.  So embarrassing and disappointing.

Me Day

Things have been pretty rough lately...  to a point where stress is boiling over to the kids.  And to which Joyce "rewarded" me with a Me-Day.  Take some time off... you're tired.  It's Daylight Savings.  Go and just have some "Me-Time."  So I did....

So without hesitation... I decide to go out to the city to see Mom and Dad.  Had a hard time finding mom, so I got a hold of dad.  I initially suggested Horse Racing at Golden Gate Fields... but we ended up brunching at Beach Chalet.... and walking the sands of Ocean Beach and a flower garden at Golden Gate Park.

After dropping dad off... I was gonna go for a spin around the city... perhaps drive to the Golden Gate Bridge and kill some time before dinner with mom.  Oddly enough, I found myself driving to a 打卡點 at Lyon Street Steps... a place I've never been to while growing up in the city.  The top of those steps led me to the Presidio.  And entering the Presidio... eventually led me to the Yoda Fountain.

I looked up and felt I was just 20 minutes away from Palace of Fine Arts... so I kept going.  It was a downhill walk...  Somewhere in the midst of the Presidio... I found a self made Pickle Ball Court.  Go figure.

At that point.. I was within walking distance to the Golden Gate Bridge... so I crossed through Crissy Fields and ended up at the bridge.  To which point I thought... oh why not.  So I crossed the bridge itself.  Halfway thru crossing.... I was wondering... "Crap... I have to walk back to the car!"  So I was thinking of bus... or Uber.... or heh heh heh... a rental scooter.

 

Finding a scooter or Lyft bike wasn't as easy as I envisioned.  Normal people would pick one up and go to the bridge/and back... and head back towards civilization.  There's no way someone left it close to the bridge.  Indeed... it took me forever to find a rack of Lyft bikes... only for me to realize I would have to park it in a rack that wasn't close to where I parked.  I found an abandoned scooter on the beach... and after towing it back to land... I find that it's out of commission.  When I finally found a couple of scooters by the Palace of Fine Arts... I celebrated in joy!!!  Only to find... the scooter didn't make it up the hills of San Francisco with much torque.  I ended up pushing with my now spaghetti legs more than anything.  To top it off.... when I parked the bike... my phone was out of juice, so I never "returned" it until I got back to the car and recharged my phone.  That added another 10 minutes to my rental time.

I did however... time myself perfect to pick mom up for dinner.  As expected... she wanted Italian so we headed to North Beach.  I initally wanted Mona Lisa's Spaghettini Amatriciana (spicy pasta) but thought we might as well try something new.  I found a highly rated, hole in the wall.  

The waitress was amazing... gave me samples of wine to my liking.  Checked in occasionally but wasn't too intrusive.  And complimented me on my choice of attire (ha!!). I ended the night by shaking her hand and giving her a prefunctory kiss on the hand.  (Did I cross the line???)

The night wrapped up at the Gonz.  I almost would've hung out with him instead of walking the streets of SF.  But he was busy...so we ended up pouring a couple of Kolsch's while watching the Oscars.  After a while... we tuned out the Oscars and just caught up.  It was a great evening.

No... it was a great day... a "Me Day."  We all deserve more of these. 

有朋自遠方來

 There comes a time in life... when you find a friend, a companion, a mentor... who shows up in your life out of nowhere where you can be nothing but raw...and they can say nothing but truth.  Such is the case tonight when I hung out with Sandy姐。   She who's been in my life since we first came to SJCAC... and she has never disappointed.  Through highs and lows... she has been a constant.  Filling her role in my life where she is my guardian.. my guardian angel.  She who will always end a conversation in prayer... she who has dedicated her life to "praying prayer to the nations."  

I shared with her my current struggles... and she... in her unassuming self... brings me back to God.  I wouldn't expect any other.  And she takes no glory... she brings no judgement... but she brings the truth of what God has for us.  

Do you have a friend like that? Someone who can you go to at any moment... whether it's 1 year...2 year... 10 years past? I have that friend.  And I pray... she finds her next door that God will open. 

So many choices…

At an Asian mart shopping for Udon.  They range from $2.99 to $5.99 (not pictured).  They can't be high quality.  They're all frozen.  Why would anyone pay 2x the price for it????? 

Greener pastures

Like the French Laundry... and maybe House of Prime Rib.  After all that waiting and wanting and coveting... you finally get there.  But is it really worth it??  SW is miserable.  He got separated into the C team (probably due to his size) and his teammates are mostly noobs.  SW was literally in tears with his frustration. To a point where he wants to, but won't say it, quit.  "It's a short season.  It'll be over soon."  Oh... my poor baby.

No Dinx

End of a 3-Day weekend... and a 3-Day volleyball tournament.  Every day... show up at 2pm for a 3pm start time (aka the PM-wave).  But of course... coaches want us to be there by 1:45PM.  And NN wants to be there at 1:30PM instead.  Depending on the rack and stacking... the schedule can mean an hour of waiting... or HOURS of waiting.  

The weather was horrible.  Heavy showers throughout.

I hated to pay for parking... especially if the event center does NOT have in/out privledges.  We were trapped... unless we want to pay another $15. 

The food options were few... greasy pizza, burgers, fries, chicken strips or pre-packed salads.

The noise was deafening.  Over 70 teams... each team with around 12 girls.  Each girl will bring an average of 2.5 family members.  That's over 2000 people screaming and yelling in a confined space.  My ears were ringing throughout the weekend.

We were projected to finish by 7PM but we never left before 9:30PM, got home around 1030PM.  Luckily it was in the Peninsula and not Sac or Roseville.

The play.... I'll say... the competition was a lot closer and thusly a lot more entertaining.   

Day 1 - we swept our competition.  Until the last game... the one that mattered.... when we lost in 3.  Holy Toledo what were the coaches thinking.

Day 2 - we swept everyone and it ended on a great note.

Day 3 - the final brackets.  Both games went to 3.  We shouldn't have lost the first game.  And thankfully, eeked out the second game.

As I talk more with parents and friends who are/have done club.... the more I will cherish every last waning moment of all this.  And if there's one thing I can't help wondering is.... what if I joined a club back in high school.  Sigh....

Forget regrets... or life is yours to miss.  

One week later....

 It's been a week... and I'm slowly recovering.  It doesn't help when people try to console you.  Or tell you "I was rooting for them."  Or try to analyze the game with you.  Or try to talk anything related to anything even close to the Niners.  I can't.  Sorry.  I just can't.  

It doesn't help that Twitter/X keeps showing highlights and / or pundits' reactions.  I skip it all.

It doesn't help that Wilks got fired.  I admit... it helped a little.

It doesn't help that BA is pouting about his contract. 

It doesn't help that people are saying to trade Deebo.

It doesn't help that deep down.... I don't think Brock is the answer.

It doesn't help that Niners are Odds on Favorite to win the Super Bowl next year. 

It doesn't help.  It simply doesn't.  The only thing that will help is winning it all.  There is no two ways about it.  And even then... the wound won't ever be completely healed. 

The Talk

Joyce drove NN to practice... so I was home with SW.  We played cards and joked around.  Then he said he had homework... he needed to color in his biology notes.  And it turns out... it was on the reproductive system.  He busted out with pictures from when I took sex-ed in 7th grade... and probably when Franklin Roosevelt took sex ed when HE was in 7th grade!!

Nonetheless.... I used the opportunity to talk have "the talk."  Where babies come from.  How babies are made.  The structure of his body.  The structure of a woman's body.  Even went a little beyond his notes and got to what we would consider taboo and most Chinese families.  Keeping it very mechanical and scientific... and it shouldn't be awkward.  And if I make it awkward today... it'll be awkward for the rest of his teenage life.  I hope I did the right thing and left the door wide open for him to return with questions. 

Irrational

Once again... I chose to avoid the big game... knowing I can't fathom the moments, the plays, the drops, the misses.  And yet.. I couldn't turn away during the final quarter... which then turned into extra innings.. or the 5th quarter.  So close. During the final seconds... as the guillotine was about to drop, I put on my shoes... put on my jacket... and at the very moment of absolute... I walked out of Grace's house. 

So close.  So very close.  So many chances.  So many opportunities.  I admit.. I knelt down and prayed. I called out to Jesus.  Knowing there won't be a response. 

I was in shambles. 3rd time in 12 years.

In 2012... after the game was over... I gave NN a bath.

In 2019... I sat in my car for an hour after driving around the Bay Area for 4.

This time... I walked through the silent streets of Belmont.  Hearing fireworks go off... but not for my team. Joyce picked me up and we drove home.  It was a silent car ride home.  And after we got home... I slid into bed and didn't move for the next 12 hours.  

Joyce kissed me on my nose. NN slipped me a loving note... words of love.  Words of encouragement.  But nothing worked.  

I hate football.  I hate how this is tearing me apart. I hate how stupid this game.. .THIS GAME... can cause me so much anguish. 

I took the day off work.  To burn off PTO.  And really... to wallow in my misery.  I called into one meeting... and my friends tried to console me.  It didn't work.  What worked was... it took my mind off of things.  I spent the day scrolling through Twitter.  Reading pundits. Re-examining all the coulda-shoulda-woulda.  I ran a bunch of errands.  Then the kids got home... and I took another nap.

I was exhausted. It didn't help that drumming took a lot out of me and I way under-performed. Messed up so many times.  And my groin muscle is still sore from the Kick Drum. 

29 years.  It's been 29 years.  What if it doesn't happen?

A friend of mine said his dad didn't want to watch it... cuz he didn't think his heart can take it.  But he watched it anyways... thinking this might be the last time before he.... passes.  The anguish. The pain.  The depression.  It's sooooo suffocating. 

I didn't cry.  It's not worth crying for.  Or worse.  It's beyond tears.  It's hell.  I'm in freakin' hell.  

No.  None of this is rational. I have my health.  I have a loving wife. I have amazing kids. We are very blessed in so many ways.  I shouldn't feel this way.  And yet... this void is still eating at me.  Eating away more than 2012 or 2019.  I can't find fault in anyone.  Not Maholmes.  Not Reid.  Not Brock.  Not the refs.  I can't point to anyone or anything.  No excuses.  We simply didn't win.  

A part of me died yesterday.  I am not the man I was.... nor will I ever be.  Yes... we might win it some point in time.  But that will never make up for the 3 losses.  This pain will never subside.  It might be buried... it might be numbed.  But it's very real.  I want to quit football.  I want to quit the Niners.  I can't do this anymore.  I can't stand the pain anymore.  I've been burned too many times.  This pain... this disappointment... this bitter cup... is not something I can bear.  

As irrational as any of this is.... this is real.  This isn't a moment in time.  This is... a lifetime.  A lifetime of hell. 

Boy's Volleyball 2.0

SW finished Titan volleyball... so we signed him up for another season of off-season volleyball.  The teams we tried out for are so impacted.  So many people willing to pay $1000+ for their sons to play.

We finally opted for MVVC... .the mecca of all club volleyball. SW made the team... but that's cuz there are no cuts.  SW had his first practice.  He came home sad and depressed.  He was miserable!!  I didn't press him until later in the evening.  It turns out... there were three Winter Teams made.  He was put on the worst team with in to no experience players.  And he said... the coaches only focused on the bad players.

The reality is... he's too short to ever make a good volleyball team. And the fact is... he's too good to be on a bad team.  What are we doing as parents!?!??! 

年三十

The day before Chinese New Year's eve... Dad texts me that he has COVID and can't come in for dinner.  Instead of buying food for dinner... I opt to go to Ranch 99 to buy stuff to cook for him, including 羅漢果.  I get to Ranch 99 at 8PM... thinking it'll be less crowded.  The supermarket was so busy... the checkout lines reached the aisles 15 deep.  There was no way I can even go shopping.  So I come the next day... 年三十 at 8AM.  I get there... and the parking lot is already full.  I walk over to the seafood section and I'm 7th in line.  By the time I'm done... there's 15 people in line.  And in the end... I didn't even get to buy my 羅漢果 for dad.  They're sold at an herbalist store.  The economy is back. 

NJHS

Got an email from King's.... SW is eligible for the National Junior Honor Society.  What does an honor society even mean???? It's a way of gathering students who score above a certain GPA.  You pay $75... have a mandatory ONE TIME community service... and you graduate 8th grade with a tassel.  Nothing else. No meetings. No joint pursuit of bettering the community.  It's nothing but a money grab.  

I almost want to tell SW... skip it.  It's worthless. 

Another tournament bites the dust

 NN had another tournament... this time, at Pescadero, where SW had his tournament last year.  It's a town without stop lights.  Their down town has one bar/restaurant, one general store, one coffee/bakery...and a high school that serves the entire area.

NN's team dominated.  The other teams barely made double digit.  I'm getting to know some of the opposing teams parents.  And they know me now.  "Did your team win all your games again?" 

So proud of NN.  Though... she's obviously losing playing time with the new addition.  Let's hope she turns that corner and finds her next plateau.

Tropical Touch - Ranked #1. 

A pleasant surprise

On a random Friday... I had a lunch date with Joyce again... like we always do on Fridays.  Then as we're almost done with our meal... in comes the Short and Stubby himself.  A stranger from the present... but a monument from the past.  My best friend through college and the early parts of working.  We've drifted apart over the years cuz of our lives and where we lived.  But he's still Mark.  Moments later... Mel also showed up.  They were having lunch together. An unplanned reunion.

Mark was Mark.  The most successful of the bunch...but always down to earth and optimistic.  He was truly raised well... and has a good head on his shoulder.  I will say... the hair on that head is thinning much faster than mine.  

Mel... still the sarcastic tell-it-like-it-is person.  Sometimes it's hard talking to her, but if you look past that... she's the amazing person that out of no where became a huge part of our lives through marriage, house hunting, day-care finding.... and now... volleyball parent.

We had our short moment to reconnect.  I miss talking to friends.  These two are truly two of my best friends...and the bestest friends anyone can have.  I wish we were closer. 

A Leaky Problem

Got a text from our tenant... we have a leaky roof.  Damnit!!!  Those remodelers continue to haunt us even though it's been so many years.  So I went on Yelp.... randomly finding roofers to look at our problems.  

The first person that responded was too busy... too many leaks going on with the atmospheric river.  The second person that responded was able to show up the next day.  His quote... $35,000 to replace the entire roof.  His claim... the material and the handiwork is suspect.  I quickly got a 2nd quote... that came out to be $1450.  What a difference.  A chasm the size of the Grand Canyon.  I found a 3rd contractor to quote me... and he's right in between... $10,000.  I didn't even bargain and was interested.  His surprised response... "Let's make a deal." 

We weighed the pros and cons.  The cost / risk benefit.  In the end... we went with the cheapest option.  Although deep down... I know that eventually I'm going to have to replace the entire thing.  Snake and Rat simply did not do their job.

Let's hope the roof holds up for the next storm.  

Torture

 Tried to stay away from the game today - but failed.  Started out with playing pickleball outside.. .but every now and then I'll take a peek at the score.  0-14.  Ugh....  Then I did a bunch of chores around the house.  And I couldn't control myself.  7-21. Then I sat down and read.... couldn't concentrate.  7-24. I started dozing off and almost feel asleep - which woulda been perfect.  10-24. Then around 3 hours into the game... when I gave myself the initial green light to sneak a peek. 24-24. OMG!!!!  I went downstairs and started to make dinner. 27-24 - we're in the lead.  FOCUS!! FOCUS!!!  Then I checked again... with 2 minutes left... 34-24.  "Ok... it's safe to watch now."  And even then... with a 10 point lead... it was still.... TORTURE...

Again…

 Haha… another broken stick. Boom!!!

When the lectur-ee becomes the lectur-er

Been walloped with another bout of the cold bug... just when I started to recover from the last cold.  This time it's hitting me so much harder.  SW came into my room last night and starts talking to me, "Bah B.... you need to rest more.  You're up so early and sleep so late.  You have to drink more water.  And stop wearing T-shirts.  You need to wear long sleeves - otherwise you'll 凍親。"  I was staring at him like he had 3 eyes and 4 noses.  Who IS this kid?!?!??!? 

Good Vibes

Met with a handy man yesterday to get some quotes for the rental.... after meeting for about 30 minutes and shooting the breeze and such he went to his truck to grab his card.  I followed him to his truck about 10 seconds later and as he saw he come close he asks me, "Why are you so happy?" I was confused.  He then said, "You give off good vibes." 

A Hairy Situation

A couple who we know some-what well walks up to me and hands me a bottle of hair loss recovery shower gel and advises me to rub it in for a few minutes every day after shampooing.  They weren't judgemental or anything... just very matter of fact.  Heh... 

Unexpected Results

Haven't watched one second of NN's volleyball team this season.  All I hear is her complain about this and that.  On day 1 of the tourney.. they won their first set!! Then they won their first game.  Then second game.  Lost third game in 3.  On day 2... they swept all their sets.  And on the last day... when they were in the championship bracket... they won their first two games handedly (without their starting OH).  

By the time it got to the championship game... 1 vs 2... they were out of gas.  But what a way to start the season!!  

Nexus Summit

4 years later... we're back at the San Jose Sheraton.  Same concept... different name.  LEAD Summit in 2019 and NEXUS Summit today.  A conference on Leadership... and in reality... a means to build relationship to bring people to Jesus.  I was blessed to be invited to MC again.  For some rhyme or reason... I've built a reputation for being a 金牌司議。 I have no idea how that came to be.  

Still remember in the St. Mary Chinese school days... Mother's Day performance was a big deal and I was also asked to speak.  Maybe cuz I had a loud voice?? I dunno.

At SSPP... I MC'ed another Mother's Day event... which bombed.  I was totally unprofessional and not close to be funny. 

Then I started to have my break... the first one was Mission High's spirit rally in Senior Year.  I think that was the first time that I got accolades for my humor and performance.  Then slowly and surely... there were other speaking engagements.  And the one event that truly put me on the map... was Ken and So Chi's wedding.  I was initially invited to be the English translator.... but I captivated the entire audience.  And that launched me into a whole new stratosphere of a career.  For various events here and there... I continued to have the opportunity to sharpen my tools... including that fateful day 4 years ago where I was totally buttered up. Today...  after just 1-2 opportunities to speak... one of speakers came up to me and said, "You have a calling to be a stand up comedian."  She may have done it out of courtesy... but I can also tell... she was genuinely entertained. 

But the Summit isn’t about me… it’s about leadership, learning about ourselves, finding our faults, repairing those injuries and taking that next step towards our North Star. Of all the anecdotes and sound bites that I heard today… the one that stood out to me the most came from Jo Vitale… who answered a question about her biggest Mentor. In her case it was her father who was a Pastor that preacher on the pulpit and lived it at home. She shared that there were times she’ll be walking to the kitchen at 4AM to get a glass of water and she’ll see her dad on his knees praying and spending time with the person he loved most. She commented that whenever there was a disagreement… he would always be the one to make the first step to reconcile… not because he was wrong, but because that’s how you show love and grace… and he’s so secure in his being, he needn’t worry about being emasculated for unconditionally loving his daughter. That reasonated with me more than all that passion and drive and defining moments stuff. It’s my fatherly relationship with my Daughter.

Oh! Happy Day!

Work has restarted... but we're taking week off to spend more time with the kids. We go play mini-golf today, which I originally objected to because it's expensive and not fun. Turns out it WAS fun... all things considered. Then we headed into the arcades and had a blast. SW played Street Fighter. NN did her bouncy fish. I lost to Joyce in Mario Kart... and we all played Deal/No Deal together. Our very first game... we won 200 tickets! Then we kept going back... "No deal!!" Until... eventually, we ended up with the box with 1 ticket. We went to collect our prizes and both of them got the slime kit... to which they came home and started play with right away. It was as if they're still 8 and 10. Today... was a good day. It was a happy day.