Orientation Weekend

Orientation was looooong.  On Friday, we started at 7 AM, and we took pictures for our photo ID (my turned out ok, not the best picture, but whatever).  The picture took 2 minutes, and then I had to wait another hour and 45 minutes until the first speech by our president of the school.  It was good to mingle, but needless to say having to wake up at 5:45 and just providing us with water was not worth it.

During the 2nd speech, I almost fell asleep.  My eyelids were getting heavy, and maybe because I didn't have any coffee, not that it does help that much.  As the day continued and I kept hearing people talk, and there was a discussion session with 2nd years who shared some info with us, I just felt like I was tired of hearing about the experience and actually live it.  I guess at the point I was ready for the challenges of optometry school.

The second day was much shorter, but also just a lot of needless paperwork.  However the financial aid information was important, and I did pay attention to that.  SCCO is really conservative, and I think maybe that struck a chord with my NorCal roots.  I'm not super liberal in anyway, but I know we're professionals now and we represent the institution, but traditions need to meet up with the times and adapt to what is new and modern.  Who wears a tie and dress shirt in 85 degree weather?!?  But yeah, what can I do.  In a way it's good to have and image of credibility when you're a professional, but seriously you're in Southern California...give us a break.

In addition to the events, I've been looking left and right for a basketball court.  Most courts in LA are outdoor, and the indoor courts require memberships or some amount of payment to use.  It's been kind of disheartening.  I guess it's the same way in NorCal, but I've never really had to look too hard for court to play on since I didn't play as much back then.  I guess the search continues.  I'm contemplating a membership at CSU Fullerton, but it is $32/month, which is about the same as my Bally's fiasco, but the deciding factor is if I'll be going often enough with the work load.  I'm looking to get back into swimming and playing a lot more basketball.

There was a lot of stress placed on leadership at SCCO, and participating in class government or student association (SA).  With my college experience and personality, it's hard for me not to want to take on challenges and plan large things for everyone to enjoy, but this time around I need to make sure I'm in the right place that I'm making the grade.  They are saying it doesn't get easier, and the best time to do it is your first year, but I am trying really hard not to bite on the bait.  They say it's good for networking and meeting people, but I'm moving back to NorCal after this (most definitely), and my connections have started there.

Driving around the O.C. the area I would probably most feel comfortable and hang out in is Rowland Heights, the Asian area.  There is good food, and dessert places (to be found).  Other than that I'm down for coffee and movies or whatever.  The bar scene in downtown Fullerton is pretty intense, but I haven't gone into a bar yet.

During the picnic, I pretty much showed all my cards.  There was a game that teams had to choose a person to do something or have something that was requested, and I did a Michael Phelps impersonation,  Best Old School Dance move, and hidden talent.  So all was laid out, and I don't really have any more surprises up my sleeve.  We'll see how those actions follow me throughout optometry school.  So much for keeping a low profile, but just enough to be known, and not enough to be disliked.

I never knew I'd experience this much in one weekend of going back to school; maybe I'm just turning on my observation skills again.  My parents left to go back to the Bay, and I was pretty sad.  It's the first time that I'm actually living pretty far from home.  My parents have done so much for me, and it's time for me to grow up at bit.  My parents and I don't always have the best relationship, but I know they love me and have sacrificed so much for me, so that I could pursue my own interests and goals.

Tomorrow is the first day, and we have a Fall Assembly with a guest speaker.  We are encouraged to dress professional to make a good impression.  The kicker is the speaker is blind....

Racist Spaniards?

Bill Plaschke, a LA Times sports writer, points a finger at Pau Gasol.  The photo above is of the Spanish National Basketball team competing in Bejing.  The photo was published a week ago, and hit mainstream media earlier this week.  It depicts the team using their fingers to create the "slanted eyes" or "chink eyes" look.  It's flat out racist, and it's not only the basketball team, other images have been found of Spanish sports teams posing in the same fashion.

I've just moved to the LA area, and I agree that Paul Gasol was a great addition to the Lakers organization, but to pull a stunt like this and not sincerely apologize or recognize the implications of his actions is irresponsible and disrespectful.  LA is obviously a big metropolis with many Asian Americans, and Pau probably lost all their respect.

The Spanish team had 5 players this past year and upcoming year in the NBA, and has a possible prospect: Pau Gasol, Juan Carlos Navarro, Jose Calderon, Jorge Garbajosa, and Ricky Rubio, and Marc Gasol.  I can't blame everyone or say all of them are racist, but they definitely have talent and have entered the NBA, so we're going to be seeing them around.  To know that players insult my ethnicity like that and not feel sorry, they're going to get booed by me no matter how good they are.

I wish the Chinese National Team had beat them early this week, but maybe Team USA will have better luck.  Pau Gasol is soft power forward, and I hope Dwight Howard shuts him up.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm disappointed that the US isn't beating China in the race for gold medals, and they're sports training policy is too harsh and unethical, but don't hate on someone based on how they look.  Sorry, Pau, we don't all have turkey necks and nasty hair.

Hello, Orange County

So I've been living in Southern California for 24 hours.  LA suburbs are definitely nothing like San Francisco.  San Francisco has cultural neighborhoods, unique restaurants, and scenic views.  What I've seen so far is strip mall after strip mall pretty much, and there isn't much scenic around LA suburbs unless you want to take pictures of parking lots.

I'm not hating, but Orange County is just a different place.  My room is pretty spacious.  Living my relatives will be nice, but it will take some getting used to.  I need to set up a routine.  One thing I did notice about LA, other than the aggressive driving, is that the speed limit is 10 mph faster than comparable areas in SF.  Residential is 35 mph , main streets with traffic lights are 45 mph, and side roads are 50 mph.  That's pretty ridiculous.  However I did find an alternate route to my school which is 50 mph, and it's hilly with curves, so it should be fun to drive as opposed to driving straight on Imperial Hwy, which has all the distractions with strip malls and chain restaurants.  Chain restaurants...I miss the unique family-run restaurants of the Bay already.

Any way, I need to sleep.  I have an orientation tomorrow at 7 am, where they will be taking my picture, and I have to dress formally for the orientation in 85 degree weather....again ridiculous.

Packing 'n Moving

So, I'm packing for the move down to So Cal, and it is somewhat setting in that a transition is happening, a new chapter in my life is starting.  Things that are different from my transition to college:

1) Distance

I won't just be an hour and 30 min. away from home, but at least 6 hours from home.  Yes, I'll be in California, but Northern and Southern California are completely different places.  When I was in Davis, I didn't come home that often, maybe once every 2 months, but this time around I'll only be going home when there are breaks in the school schedule.

2) Friends

When I moved to Davis, I actually was accepted into a summer transitional program, so I made friends before school even started.  Also about 120 of my classmates from high school were going to Davis, so there was always a familiar face.  Many of my friends from my high group of friends also decided to go to Davis.  In this case, there is only one person from Davis (that I kind of know going to SCCO), she was my housemate's friend.  I organized a get together for some of my Nor Cal classmates, where we were able to get to know each other.  Hopefully, that will be a good way to transition into a new environment with completely new faces.  

3) Living Situation

First year of Davis, I lived in the dorms, which was fine.  But what really will be different is that I am living with relatives in So Cal.  In Davis, I had two housemates, Adam and Ethan, whom were great housemates (irreplaceable, actually).  But now I'm living "alone," and with some courtesy rules to adhere to.  Yes, it is easier that I don't have to worry about taking care of chores as much, but living on my own makes it more lonely.  I'm an only child as it is, so this might be more difficult.  On the other hand, it's definitely helping out the wallet, so I should hope to have it work out.

I think these are the 3 things that make me anxious.  Change is exciting, and I'm always open to new things, but it's hard moving from the Bay, and really adjusting to 4 years of preparation for your career.  I'm sure there is some cliche quote about adapting to change is what strengthens our character.  I'm sure I'll do fine and adapt to the situation, whether it be making friends, or studying.  For me, it's that I have to put my mind to it and conjure up the effort to do all those things, not that I'm lazy, but to be a person who is consistently out-going is not who I am.

God has a plan, and I just need to be open-minded enough to see it and follow it, though I may not understand it.

School, Church, and Basketball

My objectives for moving to Southern California and keeping a balance between the pressures of studying and just enjoying my time with minimal stress.  I'll be taking the heaviest course load ever, averaging about 20 units per quarter.  So, I'll need to focus on succeeding in the classroom.

Finding a church, or a body, will be imperative for my walk and just as a community I can just share and be open with.  My relationship with God this past year definitely is different from what it was like in college, but I still look to Him for guidance, and try my best to live up to a higher standard.  What I've been missing this year is a community in which I can continue to grow, and just share things with.

Basketball will be my stress outlet and a way to keep in shape.  When I'm not studying, hopefully I'll be on the court, working out, or just relaxing a bit.  I just want to play and improve my game, and have fun playing with classmates or friends.  Recognizing how my friends play, and just improving together.

This post might be a bit disorganized cause I'm watching the Olympics (beach volleyball).  These three objectives will be my cornerstone for maintaining a balance for my life in SoCal, and hopefully everything else will fall into place: friends, relationships, grades, health.

Customer Service

I went shoe shopping today, and I don't often do that.  If I go shopping for shoes, they usually have all the sizes displayed on the shelf, and I just find my size and try it on.  I was in SF Shopping Centre, and decided to try on some Vans.  The conclusion.  Canvas shoes are not for me.  Converse Chucks are fitted too large, so I wear smaller sizes; the same goes for Vans.  Canvas just doesn't give me the same support for the sides of my feet, so I didn't like them when I put them on.

What I wanted to get was the Nike Hyperdunks, which are the new basketball shoes that are less than 1 lb.  I wanted to look into getting casual shoes, but Hyperdunks were on the top of my list too.  AF-1s are no longer popular, which is why I was looking into Vans.  Now, I'm looking into Nike Blazers and Dunks.  But with the hot weather in SoCal I'm going to need shoes with some breathability.

From my experience in retail at an optometry office, I understand the importance of customer service.  So when I went into Foot Locker, no one greeted me and no one asked to help me, until I asked for a specific shoe.  Granted there may not be enough people on the "floor" to help people, but needless to say, I was less than happy to be there.  I tried on the LeBron Zoom Soldier II, it fit well like a boot, but it didn't feel flexible.  I think the sole was designed in a way for lateral motion rather than speed, more of low post play than guard play.  I came back to the same Foot Locker later that day, and I had the same experience.  I have a gift card for $25 for Foot Locker, which I was more than willing to spend, but maybe the people there just don't like their job that much.

I went to the Champs on the lower level, and they had a pair of Hyperdunks that I tried on.  The salesperson apologized for being busy helping other people, and was more than willing to chat with me a bit about basketball shoes.  I didn't have any gift certificate, but I felt more willing to give Champs my business.  I have never spent over $100 on shoes (Hyperdunks retail for $110), and I was a bit hesitant, but when I tried them on some more at home...I LOVE the shoes.  I was concerned about the fit, which was resolved when I tried them at the store, but the shoes are snug, tight but not too tight, and provide support all around the ankle and side.

Unfortunately, I tried on some Adidas shoes, but they just didn't fit well at all.  I wear the Superstars, but the Somas don't fit at all.  The shoes are too narrow.

The main thing is after doing customer service for a year, I feel that it's pretty important for my own shopping experience.  Check out Kobe's videos about the Hyperdunks:

1st Time Golfing

So, I had my first golfing experience yesterday.  I went to the driving range with Robin, Annie, and Elaine.  I learned some of the fundamentals of the swing.  I had only putted before, and I didn't learn how to putt.  I just watched how they showed it on TV.  I used a 7 iron, 6 iron, sand wedge, and a driver.  When hitting a golf ball with a driver, it sounds like bashing egg shells...lol.

I enjoyed the experience, and it made me appreciate golf more.  Basketball will still be my favorite sport, but at least I've tried my hand at golf, and there are a lot of courses down in Southern California.  I also noticed the different follow throughs or poses that the people have.  It's funny but it matters in the dynamic, and complex motion of a swing.

College is Priceless

"I would love Kobe to come to Duke University to play for me," added Team USA Coach Mike Krzyzewski.  "I can't offer him that kind of salary, but he would receive a university diploma instead." Kobe said he might play for a Russian club team if they could offer him 40 million a year.

Coach K is one of the most well respected coaches in college history.  What he said may have be a joke, but I do believe there is some bitter truth to it.  One side of basketball encourages young, talented athletes to skip college (which is no longer allowed, a one year minimum must be completed) to join the NBA draft.  Another side encourages athletes to remain in college longer if not to continue to develop their individual game, and thus be more attractive in the following draft.  Many times commentators talk about maturing individuals in basketball, not just their game, but their personalities as well.  If the professional basketball business is so concerned about the development of the whole individual, why not have them finish college?

Either way college is four years of not just an education, but a time when ideas and interests can be explored and pursued.  If our society was not so focused on money, celebrity, maybe more people would value the experience of college and the freedom to grow up.  The NBA and respective general managers should not be hypocritical and assume their organization can help someone better mature than a 4 year college experience.  Also who knows, maybe after 4 years they may find out that they don't love the game as much as they used to.  It's a win-win because players are mature and developed, and scouts will be able to paint a better picture of who those players can be in the NBA.

Hilarious