People often ask why I want to be a teacher.

My answer to you is that being around kids is a gift. People grow up and then become adults and forget how to have fun or be a kid. I also want to be a teacher because I want to re-invent teaching. Get all the old-school stuff out of education systems and bring in stimulating and fun activities/exercises for learning. I want to teach children about life skills and hopefully they can carry those skills with them everywhere they go and into the future. Teachers create leaders. Teachers create the future. And without teachers, the potential of kids and creative thinkers would diminish. I want to help build a better environment. I want to be the support system that kids can come to in times of need. I want to teach kids about saving the environment and treating each other with respect. I want to teach them to become better citizens and become more selfless. I want to teach because I want to keep studying. Education is a gift. I want to assess what types of things help children grow and excel better. Children are in school for most of their hours of the weekdays, and I don't want to be one of those teachers who waste their time with busy work. I want them to learn.

I've been meaning to quit dance this year.

And my heart was set out on quitting after these last performances with 02H and JGP. But... I've come to face the facts that no matter how hard I try to leave dance, I end up staying. Dance has been there for me since the beginning. When I moved here from Japan, I knew nobody. I spontaneously decided to sign up for dance class in high school because I wanted to make some friends and wanted to explore new talents. Then I got really into dancing. I wanted to get better and I took an interest in hip-hop my sophomore year and was apart of the dancing community at Great Oak High School. It's a good feeling being apart of something. Sharing something with others. Ideas, new ways of improving, anything really! So then I joined about 6 other teams in my span of being in high school. The most I learned from dancing is that every team has a different feel to it. And adjusting to the styles and vibe of each team helped me become a better dancer.

Dance was my number one supporter when I hit rock bottom and committed a felony when I was 16 years old. After my relationship took a big hit, I felt like I had nothing left. I started drinking and smoking. But I actually had something left in my life. My family and my dance. I didn't realize that with all the mess that I was creating, it helped create an artful masterpiece. I would be at iCON practice crying on the inside and dancing through those emotions. Then when I walked home, I would feel so depressed. If I didn't have dance, I wouldn't be able to be strong. I would have broken down here and there. I don't know if anyone could relate. I don't know if anybody has ever felt as broken as I did. I think dancing when you are going through a rough patch in life gives a better performance and helps serve the purpose of dance. Dancing without emotion is pointless.

Even now, if I'm enduring struggles, it is because of dance. It is because of the community. The people in it have a way of always putting a smile on your face. I can't give dance ALL the credit for keeping me sane. It's also the people. I'm so grateful to have danced with and met so many different inspirational people. Dancing is my foundation and it keeps me high above the ground. So I ask myself: Why quit? Why just throw something that you've invested so much emotion and time into away? My journey through dance has been a roller coaster. And I just keep getting on and I keep enjoying the ride.

1.25.14

Last night was amazing at Press Play

Zero II Hero won 1st place and fan favorite! Also, Jeffrey and Gianne Project won 2nd place! I am so proud of my team and myself. We all put in hard work and passion! Great victory and very much deserved. This weekend was just so awesome but seriously it's time to get back to college life. Hahaha. :D

Update

Been real busy with 02H practice and school started this week. I'm already overwhelmed ): lots of reading. It looks like I'm going to have to work extra hard this semester.

PRESS PLAY THIS WEEKEND! WOOOOO. SO ESSITED!~

I am so sore from practice last night. At least that was my last 10 hour practice because Press Play is this coming Saturday! Wooo! Everyone should go. It's gonna be fun! Definitely so much fun for the performers. The audience has NO idea what goes on back stage. Hahahahah! We get so crazy. And it becomes so emotional sometimes, cheering for your team mates when you're behind the curtains. Cheering for other teams. It's all a positive feeling and I take something with me/learn with every performance.

It's a holiday on Monday but I still have work. But kids don't have school so it's going to be super busy tomorrow. Hm, school is starting soon. Pretty cool because I only have school on Wednesday :D Yay!

Tom and I visited Charles in SD and had a nice walk on the beach.

These jumping pictures were too hilarious HAHAHA Charles looks like he didn't even jump. He looks photoshopped lmao.

Tom went with Charles to shoot Fab's car!

Babe got his wisdom teeth taken out!