Rp: Appearance

"Appearance. One dilemma everybody shares. Whether it's a pimple, or the way you dress, appearance seems to be an issue everyone has to deal with, some more than others."

Now Amy Trieu, is one of the people that I truly care about and cant agree with more here. Appearance to me has slowly gone down the hill of me not caring over the last couple of years. When you do as much as I do on a daily basis, all you what to do is be comfortable in whatever you wear. now this doesn't mean that I wear sweats to school everyday, even though that would be awesome, it just means that I'm more prone to wear basketball shorts, high socks and sandals to school. now this is not a usual thing, its a one or two times a week thing. the rest of the time ill wear jeans and a tee-shirt, or sweater or something.

Now if you are the type of person who like to spend thirty minutes of your morning deciding between boots or ugs, you and I probably aren't the closest of pals. I admit I am fickle on my shirts and stuff, maybe it is part of my OCD or something but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. To me, I shouldn't have to impress people with how expensive of a price tag there is on my clothes rather than impress you with my personality.

Re: Frustrations in the NBA

Here was a current events post I was reading on my good friend Gendarme Docena's blog and also had some words to say on the topic. As the NBA lockout continues to go on with no solution, the fans grow more and more frusturated. We as the fans want to watch the high energy game of basketball and cheer our team on. And teens like me want to see our heroes like Stephen Curry, Kobe bryant, Russel Westbrook, and some nay others (not Lebron James) play. And they players are willing to reduce their pay in order so they can get out and play. However, just like it is in so many other cases in America, the wealthy CEO's want more and are willing to step over us and deny us until they get what they want.

Its is this way of thinking that has started the occupy protests and that will ultimately lead to the downfall of the rick and powerful. We just want ot see our heroes play and cheer them on, and the players just want to compete and use the girfts they were given in order to give back to the community. It shoes in there willingness to cut down there pay just so they can play. But with the wealthy and corrupt in charge, they want ot suck every penny they can get before they put there players on the court. As a HUGE basketball fan, it makes me livid to see this situation and have to wonder if im going have to watch Hockey for another effing season before I can watch my favorite season again.

Free: An Athletes Favorite Question.

Why? As I wake up mornings, some as early as four thirty, this seems to be the question I find myself asking before I get up and start preparing myself for the long day ahead of me. Why do I do this? Why do I get up so early just to have my ass kicked at practice? Why do I come back in the afternoon, just to go another round? Why do I come back the next day? These are all things that we athletes ask ourselves on a daily basis, and something that we all have our individual answer and motivation for. And since I've been asking lately, its really got me thinking. Why do I do it? And the answer I always come up with this two-part answer, "To become better and because I love it".

All Ive wanted to do is make myself better, for whatever reason it may be. But Ive just wanted to be the guy that others can look up to and the guy who seems to have no weakness. And of course I love the sport which is part of the reason I get up to do it every morning. No matter what sport you play, we all have this addiction to it and this competitive drive to be better and to become better at our sport. And I know I get this high when I'm in the weight room or having a great shooting day in the pool, its something that just cant be explained. Athletes no what I mean. We seem to just get this satisfaction while we do it, even though it sucks to get up from my bed in the morning. As hard as it is, i will continue to get up every morning and ask myself, "Why"?

Re: Taken for Granted

"The choices that some people make really confuse me. You're offered free education, something that isn't available to everyone and yet still decide to take it for granted." - Peter Nguyen.

I really believe that Peter nailed this one right on the head. It really gets under my skin that we are blessed to be given a free education and ultimately a chance to better ourselves, yet, there are individuals for one reason or another, that they believe they are to cool for school. Well have i got a reality check for you..... YOU'RE NOT. You have been blessed with a golden opportunity that not nearly everyone gets and you flush it down the toilet. There are people on this planet that would give everything they have for an education. And the worst thing I hear that makes me want to punch people in the face is "I'm tired," or "I'm to lazy." I HAVE BEEN UP AT 4:30, GONE TO PRACTICE, HAD SCHOOL, HAD A GAME, AND THEN HAVE GONE HOME AND DONE HOMEWORK. And you have the nerve to tell me that your to tired? get over yourself.

As you may be able to tell, this is something that gets under my skin. I feel the same way when i would see a polo player who is 6 foot 4  but doesn't have the work ethic to become a better player. I would kill to be that tall and have the physical build, but I don't, so I've been blessed with the work ethic of an ox, and I'm truly thankful for that. I guess the bottom line and the point I'm really trying to drive home is, you have been given something special and no one said it was going to be easy, but take advantage of the opportunity

Ce: Bombs in High and low places

Now we all know that there is Many terrorists who fight in action to avenge many fallen brothers as a result of war, but here is quite the peculiar case. Now, there are many ways I could take a stab at this, but my biggest question is, "How the eff did that get through security?" It seriously concerns me that after all the crack downs on security that people are still able to find ways to get bombs through. Point to humman inivativness. I guess im just more dumb founded that that they wont let you carry a shampoo bottle on a plane, but they don't bother to think that maybe as planted a bomb in their bloomers. But on a more serious note, there is a bigger issue here besides a man with a bomb in his under wear, it's what was his motive behind it.

Our bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, had pleaded guilty to all charges against him, but had justified his attempts saying, "It was to avenge my fallen muslim brothers and inncoent Muslims who had fallen as a result to war". And he also said, "The US should be warned that if they continue to kill and support those who kill innocent Muslims, then the US should await a great calamity ... or God will strike them directly." Which intrested me. He feels like the only way to stop the war is by taking other innocent lives rather than turning the other cheek. It's another strange iterpretation of God's word and a way to justify ones actions. Now I'm not saying im perfect and neither is America.....by far, but this is a topic that will have to wait for a future post. I actually made 2 current event posts last week, so this should count towards the next week.

CE: Torture In Afghanistan

There are many turmoil situations in Afghanistan. However, none are as cruel as the torture methods used to interrogate prisoners in order to gain there secret knowledge and obtain confessions. Now I can honestly say that this doesn't surprise me. Its not a shocker that men still use brute force to obtain the things they want. It had been a human instinct since our creation. However, it doesn't excuse the fact that this is truly inhumane and there are much better ways of extracting information and obtaining what you want.

Take this for an example. If you simply wanted to obtain information from someone, All you would have to do is lock them in a completely empty room with nothing but a bed built into the wall, a blanket, and a toilet built into a wall. From there, you simply wait. If you cut a human off from all any other human activity, it goes against there basic instinct to socialize and bond with others, thus making them mentally unstable and willing to tell you what you want. you don't need to use basic brute instinct and revert to animal instincts. it simply takes a little bit of time, patience, and isolation to get what you want. This method is much more ethical and a lot easier on your fists, not to mention much more cost effective. i guess in the end, it just doesn't surprise me how in some aspects of life, we thrive into the future, while in some, we simply revert to a caveman way of life.

Free: The Season Is coming to An End

As I go into today's game against Hercules High School, I cant help but feel a little sadness in me. I See our game today, then I look forward to the remaining hurdles in my path. All I see is one or two more leaps left and just beyond that lies the finish line. We play Hercules today, Bishop O'Dowd Thursday, and Pinole Valley next week. It wont be long before we're on the home stretch with all the other teams right on our heels.

As it stands, with Alameda barely holding on to our first place seat in the league, many teams our duking it out for second and third and looking to knock us off. And with the teams like they are this year, any team can win on any given day if the other is exactly on point with each other. So we can't take for granted our lead. We must continue to fight, scratch, and claw for every win. We don't have a major player this year who we can just go to for goals, we have to rely on one another and work together to earn our tittle.

With these thoughts running through my head, it brings yet another upon me, "The season is coming to an end". And as much as I would love to get to sleep in every morning, and have an extra three hours to do my homework, I still hate giving up high school polo for the rest of the year, and waiting for swim season to roll back around. However, the ending of the high school season means that i get to come together with the other high school guys and play club with them. So I guess I'm a little confused with where this leaves me. But what I am sure about is.....I'm ready for these last couple of weeks.

Re: Tired

"I feel so sleep deprived." -Cody Le

Simple and sweet as this quote may be, it is exactly how I've been feeling this week. Cody is fellow polo player and someone who I honestly love. he has recently been attending morning weight room workouts at six in the morning. Combined with afternoon workouts, games, and schoolwork in between, we struggle to find time to ourselves. And when we do, its usually to take a shower, or to get a meal in before we go to bed and get up at the butt crack of dawn, just to do it all again.

I guess the question really becomes, "why"? Why do we get up every morning, and push ourselves to our limits? Even though it goes against all of our instincts to just sleep in and be more well rested for the day. And the only answer I can conjure up is, "because we love it." We love the sport and are willing to put ourselves through hell and back just for it. Its like all athletes who are reading this, also sleep deprived. We simply love what we do and we're willing to sacrifice all personal time, for our sport. We have this drive to just push through pain and instinct to better ourselves and become the best student athlete we can be. And at the end of the day, I don't mind doing it. It gives me a release for all stress I accumulate during the school day as well as teach me self-discipline. At the end of the day, I will go to bed exhausted and overworked. However, I will continue to get back up every morning, knowing I get to do what i love

 

CE: The Death Of An Inivator

As you all know by now, Steve jobs, the co-founder of Apple, died this morning after his long battle with pancreatic cancer. As I mentioned, Steve was the co-founder of Apple. He started this life- changing business like any other, in his basement Making computers. He was a visionary who seemed to know exactly what we as the people wanted, before we did. he saw the world going into the digital age far before anyone could even process the idea of what a computer was. He started with computers the size of cinder blocks and as technology evolved, so did his products.

Steve brought us life-changing products such as the I-pod, the I-phone, the Mac Book, I-pad,and the game-changing ITunes. His visions quickly hastened the demise of CD's and changed the way we would listen to music, forever. His brilliance would soon skyrocket Apple to be the richest company, of all time. But like many brilliant people in the world, he had a burden to bare, Steve had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. And even during his never-ending dance with death, Steve still committed his life to his work and giving the people what they wanted. This world has truly lost one of the most brilliant minds of all time, his actions shaped this world to send it into its digital idea. He will be missed for generations to come. Steve was truly a visionary whose view to better our wrold through technology will continue to live and inspire many for years to come.

Free: As the Weeks Continue To Role ON.

As I sit here in one of the many AHS computer labs listening to the masterpiece "Hallelujah" by the brilliant Jeff Buckely, I continue to think about the weeks going by. I think about the weather and how all I seem to want to do is lay down in bed, with the lights off, the window open, and listen to the wind fill my room. Polo takes up most of my time now so I really take advantage of any time I get to myself to just lay donw and think. However, before i get to go and do this tonight, I have one more obstacle in my way, the long-antisipated game against Encinal. To be honest, as much as i want to go home for the down time I long for, I am excited to see all the great guys on the Encinal team.

Don't get me wrong, just because they're my friends doesn't mean I wont hesitate to play my hardest against them, and I hope they feel nothing less towards me. I'm hoping that this game will break me free from the little bit of an energy slump I've been in. So other than the weather, life's been good, cant complain here. Been staying healthy, warm, fed, and more importantly, been getting to play polo.this game will cont inue to be running through my head until the last seconds of school slowly but surely tick away. And after a battle against some of my closest friends, it will finally be time to go home.