Lake Mead 2015

What a trip.

This past weekend, a couple of my high school friends and I took a house boating trip to Callville Bay, Lake Mead, Nevada.

Prior to going to this trip, my friend Mark, who planned that trip about a month and a half in advance, asked me if I wanted to go. There was a little money involved and with the amount of money I was paying for it, I was skeptical that it wasn't going to be all that great. Either way, I told him I was in.

The entrance to Callville Bay, Lake Mead

Mark got 8 of us to go and we left on Friday around 2:30 a.m. after I got off of work at Fox Sports. The drive was a little bit further than to Las Vegas leaving from the South Bay. After making a pit stop at the Primm Valley Resort and Casino and a Walmart just outside of Las Vegas, we finally made it to the lake.

We unloaded all our luggages in a crate and made our way over to the houseboat we were going to rent out for 3 days.

Before we got out to the lake, we had to go through an orientation listen to direction on how to operate the boat. Our instructor gave detailed instructions but I couldn't even understand anything because he was trying to explain everything at a fast pace so we can go out and have fun.

We also rented out a speedboat (Thanks Anthony and Marissa!) so we can go tubing and get around the lake at more of a faster speed since the houseboat could only go up to 7-8 MPH.

Shot of the mountains from the deck of the boat. The white
on the mountains indicates were the water level used to
be at.

The worst part of the trip was finding a cove to dock the boat on to because we didn't want the water to be too shallow so that the propeller wouldn't get damaged. Once we found a place to dock the boat, it was all fun from there.

We went tubing, barbecued, drank a ton, drove around in the speedboat, camped around a fire at night, went for a swim and fished. just imagined that in a 48 hour span.

One thing that struck me during this trip was how bad the drought is. Not just in California, but also in Nevada.

Most of us don't mean to at times, but we waste water without noticing.


According to the U.S. Geological Survey, we waste about 76-95 gallons a day per person by drinking water, doing laundry, using the bathroom, washing dishes, etc.

As I sat on the deck and looked at the mountains, I thought about all those times I left a bottle of water unfinished and drained the rest of it out on the grass or when I would have the sink running when I could have had it off for a couple of minutes. All those times I can't get back so I have to make a better effort in myself to try to conserve as much water as I can. Although one person can't really make a difference in this situation.

But biggest thing that took a 360 for most of us was that there was no internet connection or lack of it. The only time we had some kind of connection was in the middle of the lake where there was some random hot spot for data service. It was good for us in the long run because forced us to be creative on things to do instead of play games on our smartphones and also forced us to have conversations instead of texting or looking at some kind of social media through a screen.

On the speed boat on Lake Mead. Missing one guy in the
picture that was sleeping on the houseboat before we left.

For most of the trip, I had my phone on me because I took pictures since no one else really did on this trip. Then one of the times when we were out in the middle of the lake, I noticed I had service and said, " What the! I have service." Not even a second passed by and I saw every one take out there phones like it was some kind of drug and was tapping away on their screens.

This trip was a eye opener for me.

I realized that we get away from society by being on our phones and forgetting what's really around us. We don't cherish those moments enough.

Next time when your hanging out with your friends, take some time away from your phone and enjoy what surrounds you.

Live. Laugh. Love



Jun


Shout out to Mark Yamashiro for planning the houseboat trip for the 7 of us. This was a trip of a lifetime and hopefully there's more to come.

Memorial Day for Murph 2015

First, I want to thank all my friends, men and women who have served or are still serving for our country.

Memorial Day to me a special day.

One year ago today, I walked in to Deuce Gym for a special Memorial Day work out they held called "Murph" in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy of Patchogue, New York, who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005. Most of you recognize this name from the movie "Lone Survivor."

6 months later, I told my childhood friend about it. And he wanted in. We would train on a weekly bases. And even at times when I couldn't, he would do it on his own so he can prepare for this special day.

Then on this Memorial, I took my buddy Brian to Deuce Gym for the first time, showing him the place where my fitness background comes from.

Not only that, a guy I haven't seen or worked out with for a year and a half shows up for a surprise appearance (Tyler, made my whole year already!)

As the clock hit noon, Logan gathered the 50 or people that attended this event and gave a speech prior to the workout. Never felt more power and emotion at the same time (You're the f**king man, Logs!)

Post "Murph" on Memorial Day 2015

Then came the workout. All 55 minutes and 19 seconds of it. Beat me up.

As I crossed the finish line on the final mile, huffing' and puffin',  I looked around as people were still working out and the people who were sitting as spectators that we are really blessed to be living in this country.

We talk about adversity all the time. It may be about work. It may be about choosing one friend over another. It may be about pay bills. And of course, those are important things to deal with.

But after listing to Logan's speech, we, well at least I don't, really don't know what adversity is because there are people who are out there risking their lives to protect our country so other people can live their lives. Personally, in the overall scheme of things, that's adversity.

So lastly, although I'm reiterating, Thank you to all my friends, men and women who have served or are still serving for our country. I salute to every single one of you.


Jun

Friendships and Memories

This past weekend, I went back to Iowa to go watch all those who were a freshmen when I transferred to Mount Mercy University play in there last baseball game of the collegiate careers on their Senior day.

The one picture I took during the trip.
Teaching my friend Anne how to
throw up the Westside.

Though I only got to watch one game during the weekend, it made me reminisce the time I played my last game of my college; Standing in on deck waiting for my at bat with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning and the next thing I know I was watching the other team celebrate before my eyes. And then 2 years later, within a blink of an eye, they stepped on to the field as a college athlete for the one last time. And I've told them before, not many people get to say they played 4 years of college baseball in their lives.

Of course, winning in sports cures a lot of thing and losing just sucks, but besides all that it's about the memories and friends you've made throughout the years that makes it special, and that's part of reason why I made these past two trip out there.

On this trip to Cedar Rapids, I tried laying low because last time I was overwhelmed with all the warm welcome backs and going from place to place without having a car. But once word gets out that someone is coming to visit, there's no hiding from it but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Every time I come visit, a (dysfunctional) family dinner is set in stone with my one of teammates fiancé anchoring down the group; Seeing my roommate during the summer when I lived there is a definite; Linking up with my Puerto Rican has to be a for sure thing; And I can't forget to mention all the nursing girls (Thanks, Emily!) for the hospitality and making your house feel like I am at home the past two trips.

To every one of you guys, thank you and you guys rock!


Jun

Life on the Futon

At the beginning of March, I told my mom was going to move in to my dad's apartment. And I'll tell you that she didn't take it in well. As I sat down eating dinner for the last time under my mom's roof, I felt the tension between her and I. We didn't even speak a word at the table.

19 months ago, my mom opened up her apartment for me to live in with her and my two sister's after I graduated from college. The only thing was I was going to be sleeping in the living room on a futon that my mom bought for me during the summer going in to my senior year, which I was fine with at the time having no place to stay back home in Torrance.

The futon I slept on in the apartment
of my mom's apartment

During that time, I landed a full-time job, got to pay off majority of my student loan and most of all, I saved and built my financial status up. Not only that, my mom would always have dinner ready for me when I needed it and she would bring the futon from her room to the living room and have it ready when I came home from work everyday at midnight. From the sounds of it, it's not that bad.

But obviously, there are the cons. With not having my own room, all my things were in the living room including clothes, backpack I take to work, gym bag, books, shoes, etc. With that being said, I had no personal space. If I wanted no one to bother me while I was trying to write a blog or watch a film on Netflix, I had no escape. Also, having cats running around the house at night didn't help with my sleep at all, along with the footsteps and commotion I hear every morning whenever I try to sleep in. I just couldn't handle it anymore.

So when I brought up that I was going to move in with my dad in the beginning of the month, she was calm about it first and told me she was ok with it. But as the conversation went on, the 'mom' side came out and started playing 21 Questions with me on how I was going take care of myself?

On the week I was going to go to my dad's, she asked me almost everyday when I was going to move in to my dad's place? I told her I was going to at the end of the month. She then started her guilt trip ramble on me for making the decision on moving to my dad's, even if I'm going to be living only 5 minutes away.

Of course, my mom is pissed off at me. She has the right to because her and my dad don't get along and that's the last person I want to upset. Even as I finish this blog, she hasn't spoken a word to me. But just turning 25 year's old, sleeping on a futon in the living is not ideal, but if an opportunity presents itself, like my dad having an extra room open at his place, of course I'm going to take it.

Sometimes, not every person is going to like the decisions you make. But if you think it's going to make you a little happier and help you in the long run, do whatever is best for you.

Even though my mom hates my guts, there's aren't enough minutes, hours, days, months and years during my life time to thank my mom for what she has done for me during these past year and 7 months, let alone my whole life! I know she'll always be there for me no matter what.

Thank you and I love you, mom!

Let's see what's in store for me next.


Jun

25

This past weekend, I reconnected with some friends I usually haven't seen in a while. "A while" being about maybe a span of one to four months, maybe even more. With a unusual work schedule I get throughout the year, I don't get to see any friends, let alone never see them.

25th birthday dinner at C&O Trattoria at Venice Beach

But it amazes me how if or when I do shoot them a text or give them a ring on their phones, they'll make the time at any given point to maybe just go shoot some pool or go to a local pub to reminisce the glory days on the field.

That's something I cherish every single day when I'm having a rough day at the office. Those moments when you know your friends are going to be there for you no matter what, even if you haven't seen or spoke to them in a while.

I can't thank my friends enough for celebrating my birthday with me this past weekend. You guys are the best group of human beings on this planet.

Cheers to another fulfilling year of fun!

Jun

February 2015 Challenge: The Conclusion

"You have to participate in the process..."

Earlier this month, I wrote a blog on doing a nutrition and fitness challenge for 28 days. 

In my previous blog for the start of the February Challenge, I mentioned that I was going to keep a log of what I ate and the work out I did, but during the challenge, I got a new phone and switched services and my notes got deleted from my previous phone.

Anyways...

I wanted my nutrition to be something close to what the Whole Life Challenge offered, which was no carbohydrates, no soy, no beans, no starch, no corn, no dairy of any kind, no sugar what-so-ever, no processed or artificial food and no soda, alcohol or juice.

Before: February 1st at 182 pounds.

But I didn't want it to be that strict so I added carbohydrates, dairy and sugar to my diet but only took a small portion throughout the month. 

During the month of February, my meals included eggs, bacon and/or breakfast sausages for breakfast, a bunch of protein such as steak and chicken with a side portion of rice and/or vegetables for lunch and whatever my mom made for dinner. I also drank coffee and fish oil everyday. And water, lots of water.

I also bought into protein shakes for meal replacements so I can save a little bit of money and food for the month.



For my workouts, I planned to work out 5 days out of the week. I went to Deuce Gym twice a week and also to a global gym twice a week as well. The other remaining day, I wanted to get in a cardio day, but that only happened less than a handful of times.

My workouts consisted of a lot of lower body movements because I was skeptical of injuring my right arm again because it wasn't 100 percent healed. But towards the end of the month, a lot of upper body movements were involved in my workout and the pain came back again. None the less, I kept going.

In the 28 days or so days during my workout, I met a personal record of 400 pounds on my deadlift. The last time I did a heavy rep of a deadlift was in December 2014, which was at 375 pounds. I also PR'd on a 5 rep deadlift at 345 pounds. Needless to say, I felt like I was getting stronger throughout the month. 

The biggest thing for me during the challenge was eating right food. 

Prior to the challenge, I would "try" to eat "healthy," but didn't really take it seriously. I would go buy a burger from time to time, eat pizza that my job provided once a week. You know what I'm talking about here.

After: February 28th at 175.5 pounds.

But during the challenge, I was a little more strict on myself with what I want I was going to eat. But there were a couple of time that I "cheated" on my nutrition plan. When my cousins was visiting the States for the first time, my family and I tried to take her to some "American" food places so I ate some burgers and greased up food in the 3 days I hung out with her and her husband. Another time, I went to go get a gourmet burger and a beer with a co-worker after a long day of work. Lastly, after another long day at work, I went to go grab a few drink with some other co-workers. In the total of 28 days, I had 3 beers during the challenge. I didn't want to intake any alcohol during it but not even drinking a handful of an alcoholic beverage had a big part in my diet.

Im not really a big weigh guy ever since my coach at Deuce, Logan, told me something along the words of being functional fit and being able to do everyday stuff through those movements, I'll be fine. But the little part of me still wants to know how much I weigh and get results from working out.

So on the last day of February, I weighed myself in the morning at 175.5 pounds, where on the 1st day I weighed about 182 pounds. Not that much of a difference in weigh but I feel as if the fat in start of the challenge turned into some muscle in the end.

At the end of challenge, I felt better and healthier about myself. I knew that I had to put in the hard work, time and effort to make the changes. I was going to end the challenge at the end of this month but I'm going to try to continue this for the whole year.

Put the time and effort in if you want to see changes, not just in seeing result with your body, but also in life. 

Nothing comes easy.

Jun

Being a Role Model Part 2

Someone is always watching...


Before I moved back to California from Iowa, I played in a semi- professional baseball league in Dubuque County.

At one of the games at Dyersville, one of my teammate's wife came up to me and said, "Our son thinks you're so cool, especially with the hair you have. He said he wants to grow it just like yours." I never had someone come up to me to say anything close to that (See http://keepinthatswag.blogspot.com/2013/08/being-role-model.html).

In the past two weeks, I got to visit Deuce Athletics, the sister gym of Deuce Gym, located just in my backyard of Torrance, California.

The classes I attended were with young middle school that are pursing to play high school baseball, and then move onto the highest level they can afterwards.

On the second week I attended a class, the first half an hour involved a strength portion and then the rest was the Workout Of the Day.

Deuce Athletics athletes, Sebastian and Justin.

For the strength portion, we were doing 5 reps of heavy deadlifts.

As I got to my max weight for the deadlift, I remember when I was going through my pre-preperation to stay focused before the lift, the other five young athletes stopped what they were doing and watched me pull up a 345 pound bar 5 times.

One kid asked me, "Is that even heavy for you?

Hell yeah it was.

I talked to the two coaches the run the gym after the workout and one of them said, "It's good that you came to class. All the kids here looked at you today and probably thought to themselves, 'I need to get to that point someday.'"

It's a very humbling experience to hear someone say that he or she wants to be like you or looks up to you from doing what you like, whether if it's playing baseball, lifting weights or just going about your business.

A saying from one of my high school coaches stuck with me, which was, "Always run a hard 90 out of the box because you never know who's watching you."

I take pride in hard work that I put in at the gym, at work, on the field, in everything I do and I think it all started from that saying from my coach.

I hope, in the years to come, I can become a better person to be a role model and set an example to more people.


Jun