years down the line and already 2009 is here... having started this blog during the early years of college, through grad school, and now into my 6th year of teaching... it's kind of crazy. i look back on early postings and become nostalgic at times. of course, i also feel embarrassed, silly, angry... just a trip that when i read what wrote at the time, i remember how i felt at that time.

anyway, i'm forgetting now when things have occurred in my life. years used to be distinct, but now they get hazy. and i'm only 28! i find myself saying 3, 4, or 5 years ago when i try to place an event somewhere in my memory timeline. this past summer of 2008, for record's sake, i went to oaxaca and jalisco. summer of 2007 i was in south korea. summer of 2006 i was in guatemala. summer of 2005 i was in jalisco. summer of 2004 i was in hawai'i.

at this point in time, some important happenings (so that i remember for my future self): 10 days coundown until the inauguration of barack obama. U.S.-supported Israeli attacks on Palestinians in Gaza (conveniently timed along with the final days of war-monger Bush). economic "crisis". parent's home foreclosed. california state budget cuts. UTLA preparing for a strike. 2,300 provisional/probationary teachers to receive RIF letters. who? when? my first grade students are now in 5th grade with me. what will i teach next year? 2 years with alex. my parents love him! brother has been working as a software engineer in silicon valley for a year now. as for me, in my 6th year of teaching and organizing... i have to say it's taking a toll on me. i find myself tired more easily now. i know i'm taking on too much. what to cut? UTLA chair. organizing my colleagues at the school site, organizing with parents, organizing with fellow teacher organizers across LA... winning our fight against the Green Dot charter takeover. worth it. in the beginning stages of the mayor's partnership... who knows where it's headed? trying to push for real educational reform is really something else. can't cut my involvement with PEAc (Progressive Educators for Action). can't cut CEJ (coalition for educational justice). i'm cutting down on school site meetings. stepped down as School Site Council chair. can't cut out korean drumming every sunday. can't cut out futbol every sunday. can't stop volunteering for all these various community organizations. can't cut out my students. i may be able to cut my facilitator role for AEMP. i can't even remember what else i'm doing because i've been on break for 3 weeks. definitely needed it. am i ready to go? for sure. but as i near my 30s i can sense that my body just isn't the same. i'm experiencing a lot more physical downpulls... fainting spells, wounds that take longer to heal, joint problems, teeth grinding at night (stress-related?), unstoppable allergies that suddenly developed a year ago, and my soccer injuries certainly don't help either. i realize i'm still young, but i can also feel the gradual effects of aging. anyway... future self, you can laugh at my current self when you're older. =)


for the first time in my life i saw the sunrise on the first day of a new solar year! drumming with fellow korean drummers at the top of griffith park while watching the first sunrise of 2009 is something i will keep with me always. what new suns will rise in 2009? let's find out!