All four one

Strolling through Golden Gate bridge

I must be crazy for starting off the challenge with writing an entry this late while medicated. I caught a cold in the last few days of my vacation and early hours of the new year.

I read the book within the first month of freshmen year at UC Davis. I was only 18 years old and I already contemplated death, not suicide, in my dorm room which I shared with a complete stranger for 9 months. What would happen if I disappeared from the face of the Earth by next month? Would anyone care? Would life stop just for me or would it go on like a bus running on a tight schedule? I think I want what anyone else wants; I want to matter in this world. What I just said generalizes humanity, but beneath our skin we can be shallow creatures.

The last quote sticks with me and sums me up as a person. I can never stop myself from helping and getting involved. I want to throw my two cents into every cause and save the world. Yes, I suffer from a savior complex as early as my childhood days of watching reruns of Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles, Super Friends, and X-Men. I wanted nothing more than to be a superhero.

Look at me now, I’m a high school English teacher at a charter school that focuses on giving second chances to At Risk students (an individual who does not meet graduation requirements) and high school drop outs. My youngest student is six years younger than me and my oldest one is 4 years older than me; it’s an interesting scenario. Everyday feels like a Hollywood teacher movie like the Substitute or Coach Carter. Except, I’m not the hero in this case and I can’t save them all. I can only do so much in a 30 day module to meet their academic needs before they move one step closer to graduation. As a new teacher, and especially a young one, I find it difficult to wake up everyday excited to teach.

You probably wonder what gets me through the day then? A few handful students make teaching worthwhile to hear about their secret love of the English language; a steady paycheck; a chance to make a small difference; a piece of hope that can help a flower grow out of concrete, and forgiveness. I forgive myself for not doing enough so I can do more than for the class the next day.

To start off the new year, I will read a book for however-long-it-takes-me-to-finish-a-book and write a reflection of that book after I finish reading.

The goal is to read at least 25 books this year or an average of 2.5 books each month. I can read any book, novel, anthology, or manifesto. The only requirement is to finish the book from cover to cover.

The reflection can be a summary, analysis, reflection, or evaluation. It must be academically written and well researched. The amount must be at least 1500 words and no more than 5000 words.

In addition, each day I will pick out a significant and memorable quote; a commentary of a 300 - 1000 words will accompany each chosen quote.

At the end of the year, I will choose the top 5 books of 2012. To kick off the challenge, I will read “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom.

^_^ just being myself

Ask me anything

=], keep it coming (pun intended)

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yea sure, have a ball (no pun intended)

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that’s a touchy subject (no pun intended).

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The assailant’s testes has it coming (no pun intended). Life is precious and so are genitals; protect at all costs. If someone attacks you, then a blow to his groin (no pun intended) is necessary.

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Yes I actually do =]. I miss the team (Lexer, Jules, Nick, Allison, Fariba, Teresa, Molly, Stephanie, Rachel and Allegra). I also miss setting up the game systems for tournaments.

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why thank you =]. I try to be as creative as possible. Inspirations are Jack Zhang, Alex Kim, Jenny Kennedy (former co-workers who taught me design more or less), Phil Wang, Ted Fu and Wesley Chan aka Wong Fu Productions, and anyone else I collaborated with in the past or present =]. Dang this wasn’t a very creative answer at all…fail

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it’s an economy - you have questions i have answers, everyone wins.

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School gets in the way?

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She responds “yo sup”

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