Happy 9th Birthday Sean: Like Father, Like Son

Sean turns 9 years old today, and it’s hard to believe how quickly he’s growing: physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. Obviously, I love all of my children abundantly and equally, but I’ve always felt a special connection with Sean, likely because he’s my first child.

Thus, it wasn’t too hard to find 9 similarities between us, in celebration of his 9th birthday. And as always with these types of lists, there’s good, bad and ugly:

1. Sports. We both love playing them and watching them, and we both name the Canucks and Lions as our favourite teams. Our favourite thing to do is play street hockey in our neighbourhood. The practicing definitely paid off this year as Sean enjoyed a successful foray into ball hockey (making it all the way to the Provincials) and I have my roller hockey semi-final game later tonight.

2. Diet. Our favourite things to eat are Japanese food and steak…and we often combine both in the form of beef sashimi. Our favourite thing to drink is pop (cola to be more accurate, and Pepsi to be exact). Unfortunately, we have also both seen our bellies expand just a bit over the past couple of years. I still need to teach him to tell people it’s because of Gail’s good cooking.

3. Sleeping habits. For guys who love to sleep, we sure don’t get enough of it. My poor sleeping habits have been well-documented (just check out the times I post my blogs and videos) and it’s plain to see that Sean is following in my footsteps. It’s 2:30am as I write this blog, and he’s sitting right beside me. ‘Nuff said.

4. Communication skills. Sean is an excellent public speaker and writer, easily near or at the top of his class for both. While I wouldn’t call myself excellent at either, I’ve never met a chance to speak, write or make a video that I didn’t like! Sean is also an outstanding listener, and I’ve been told similar things. Whether I offer anything of substance in return is another story.

5. Card games. I learned how to play Crazy Eights at the age of 2, and I was able to thwart off repeated attempts by my aunts and uncles to trick me. Sean knew how to play Poker…a game much more complicated than Crazy Eights…by the time he was 4 years-old. Not one of my proudest moments…even if it’s one of his.

6. Music. Sean enjoys playing the piano and is quickly becoming very proficient at it…thanks in large part to his wonderful teacher Kevin. He loves playing worship music (Matt Maher songs in particular) and has a decent ear. Unfortunately, his practice habits leave a bit to be desired, just like mine 25 years ago. Let’s just say that if he practiced all week as hard as he does the 2 days before his lesson, he’d be a certified piano teacher by now!

7. Rapping. Although very humble about it, Sean is a very good rapper: he has an understanding of music and rhythm (see the proof here). I too rapped back-in-the-day with my group G.I.E.: Gentlemen in Effect. Mostly because I couldn’t (and still can’t) sing…but the guys were too nice to kick me out of the group. Thanks Ryan, Ardee and Akira!

8. Our sense of humour. Sean and I laugh at exactly the same things, for better or for worse. Those of you who have spent any time with us (especially at the dinner table) know that it doesn’t take a lot to make us laugh. No wonder Sean and I get along so well: he comes down to my level all the time! (Thanks Mike for that line…I use it all the time).

9. Good looks. Oh well…8 out of 9 isn’t bad.

Happy Birthday Sean Isaiah!

Right or White...or Yeah: After the 1st Night of our Summer Road Trip

Here's a quick 50-second clip from the early stages of our 2010 summer road trip. To this day, we still can't figure out if Kayla was saying "right" or "white." Not that it matters!


Come inside our hotel room in Wilsonville, Oregon and see our sleeping arrangements: the ladies on one bed, the brothers on another, and good old Daddy on the rollaway cot.

That's what happens when you book a hotel room for four...but with five people!

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Life in a Day: Family, Fun, and Fruit Loops

This is my submission for "Life in a Day": a historic cinematic experiment to create a user-generated documentary film shot in a single day. This unique project is being executive produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Kevin Macdonald.

On Saturday, July 24, 2010 we were at the tail-end of our 3 week road trip from Vancouver, BC to California. On this particular day, we left White City, OR on our way to Salem, OR.

See footage of us eating, swimming, shopping and goofing. The day got off to an auspicious start when Jake spilled his bowl of Fruit Loops and milk all over himself.

Also, I was to answer 4 questions:
1. What do you love?
2. What do you fear?
3. What makes you laugh?
4. What's in your pockets?

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When Stereotypes Don't Pan Out

It was one of the lazier days of our family vacation on Wednesday, our last full day in the LA area. So with our trips to Disneyland complete, we did our best American Idol wanna-be impression and went to Hollywood. After a quick drive up and down Hollywood Boulevard, we headed into the hills towards the famous Hollywood sign.

As an aside, it was both comical and surprising that the GPS in our van actually had “Hollywood Sign” programmed as an attraction. When we got to the suggested address, it was actually someone’s house…haha.

After snaking our way through the windy roads, we found a great lookout place affording a good view of the sign. However, it wasn’t the safest of places, as the road dropped off almost immediately to the mountainside…hence the “no parking” signs plastered everywhere. We decided to risk it though for the sake of a couple of good pictures.

We parked the van in front of a red pick-up truck (who by default was also illegally parked) and proceeded to take a few shots of the kids. I noticed the couple from the truck taking some of those “hold the camera as far out as you can with your arm extended so I can take a picture of ourselves” self-portraits with a pretty darn expensive-looking camera.

Wanting a family shot as well, I asked them if they could take a family picture for us before they left.

“Sure,” the male answered, stepping down from his truck.

“What’s your name, bro?” I asked.

“Kenji.”

“I’m Clay,” I said, extending my hand. “Are you Japanese?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I’m half. So you’re probably good at taking pictures then.”

Kenji offered a sympathy laugh while Gail shook her head in disgust, having heard me use that line countless times before. Usually, I’ll say it about myself in offering to take pictures for others. For example, a common occurrence at Disneyland went like this:

***

Clay sees a family taking a picture but with one member missing (the photographer).

Clay offers to take the picture for the family.

The family obliges.

“It will be good, I promise,” Clay says, “I’m Japanese. We make these things (referring to the camera).”

Family doesn’t know if they should laugh or run away.

***

Anyway, back to the current story. As we took our places for our picture, I asked Kenji about the massive contraption he had hanging around his neck.

“It’s a Nikon 42-6.934-G-SL-R-U-Crazy” he said. Actually, he named the true model of the camera but I have no clue what it was.

“Wow” was my articulate answer.

“Yeah, it costs like 9 thousand grand.”

I could barely contain my laughter. Technically, Kenji just told me that his camera cost him 9 million dollars. I knew it was nice…a heck of a lot nicer than my Canon PowerShot…but I’m pretty sure he meant to say 9 thousand…or 9 grand.

“Well, hopefully this one isn’t too complicated for you” I chuckled as I gave him our Canon to use.

I was extremely confident as Kenji took 3 shots of our family, each time adjusting the camera ever-so-slightly to surely get both our smiling faces and the Hollywood sign in. I mean...we had the best situation possible: a Japanese guy who was into photography taking pictures for us.

He handed me back the camera and then asked if I could return the favour for him and his lady-friend…using his Nikon of course. I said sure, and as I put the marvellous piece of equipment around my neck, I thought of myself as the ultimate photographer: Derek Juneson, Pat Guevara, Peter Vetter and Megan Siy all rolled into one.

After what seemed like a 10-minute tutorial on how to use thing, I snapped a few shots of them, carefully focusing on their faces before shifting towards the sign in the background. After a couple of practice shots, Kenji seemed pleased with the results. So I was pleased with myself too. I was pretty darn nervous. After all, I had a 9 thousand grand camera around my neck.

We said good-bye and headed off in our respective vehicles. At a stoplight a few minutes later, I took a quick look at the shots. I was happy with the ones of the kids and of Gail and me. Then, I saw the family pictures that Kenji had taken.

The first one had the bottom part of Jake’s face chopped off, and Sean’s mouth covered up by Jake’s head.

The second one only had Jake’s hair…the rest of him was missing.

The third one was very similar to the first…with the same amount of Jake missing but more of Sean covered up.

Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed. Not one of them turned out well, despite the great potential. I admit that it wasn’t Kenji’s fault that Sean was partially covered by Jake…but he still could have said something.

I guess the old adage is true sometimes: if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.

Either that, or don’t presume that all Japanese people with expensive cameras can take good pictures.

I’m still gonna use my line though!

Sean's 1st Video Creation: Songs From a Couch (with Kayla and Jacob)

Here is my son Sean's first-ever video creation: he did the filming, the editing, and the music.

This video features his sister Kayla singing and his brother Jacob directing. She tackles songs like Jesus Loves Me, Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Twinkle, Twinkle. Watch until the end to see a special bonus song.

Enjoy!

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The Good (and Rather Unimposing) Samaritan

Today, I got to help a brother out.

It all started earlier this afternoon as Gail and the kids waited in the comfortably air-conditioned van while I ran across the busy intersection of Sepulveda and Vermont in Torrance, California in 90 degree heat. I was on my way to meet a complete stranger in the Food4Less parking lot, as he bought my extra Disneyland tickets from me through Craigslist (that’s another blog on its own!). As I had a few minutes to spare, I headed towards Burger King to use the washroom. That’s when I noticed that a big jeep had run out of gas in a left-hand turn lane…thankfully not yet in the busy intersection.

Promising myself that I would offer to help after taking care of my business, I used the restroom as quickly as I could. As I returned to the street, I noticed that the driver had succeeded in pushing the massive vehicle through the intersection and next to the curb in front of Burger King. In looking at the guy, I wasn’t surprised at his feat: the guy was massive. His legs were tree trunks, his chest was protruding from his under-sized tank top, and each of his tattooed arms seemed bigger than both of my legs combined.

“Did you need help, bro?” I offered…not really knowing what I wanted to hear as an answer.

“Yeah, sure, thanks man” he answered. Then he looked at me more closely. “It might be tough getting the truck into the parking lot though.”

It was likely a comical scene; in fact I wouldn’t have blamed him if he burst out laughing. Here was a smallish, wimpy-looking stranger offering his assistance to the second-coming of Brock Lesnar. I shot a quick glance at the entrance to the Food4Less parking lot: it indeed had a slight incline, both at its entrance to the street and also for the next 10 or 15 feet afterwards. I convinced myself that he was more concerned with the incline than my rather unimposing physique.

“Hey baby” he said to whomever had taken over the steering of the jeep, “we’re gonna push the jeep up into the parking lot.”

We counted three together and gave the jeep a mighty push from behind, our legs driving our collective strength up against the trunk. It took a few seconds to get going, but to my delight, the jeep eventually started to roll forward, and my new friend seemed a little surprised at my strength (or at least at the fact that I had any).

“Hey, don’t let this gut fool you,” I laughed, pointing to my stomach.

Bad idea, as I said and did this WHILE we were still pushing, costing us whatever momentum we had accumulated to that point.

“Whoops…sorry.”

After another 45 seconds of pushing, grunting, and sweating, the jeep finally came to a rest safely in the parking lot. The big guy thanked me and shook my hand, assuring me that they could take care of things from there. As I walked away from the jeep, I noticed that there were 4 heads inside of it, and not just one. No wonder it was so difficult to push: the other passengers (other than the one steering) didn’t bother to get out of the jeep!

Laughing to myself, I resumed my look-out for stranger #2 (the Craigslist guy).

After completing the transaction (it seemed so shady exchanging goods for money in broad daylight…anyone who has bought or sold anything from a stranger online would attest to this), I returned to the van and we embarked on our drive to San Diego.

I told Gail and the kids why I was sweating and out of breath. Sean, ever the inquisitive one, asked “Why did you help him, Dad? You didn’t even know him. That’s dangerous!”

“That’s what we’re called to do, son” I replied, admittedly a bit proud of myself.

“We should always help those in need,” Gail added simply yet pointedly. No wonder she’s a teacher!

“I guess the only time we shouldn’t help people is if we’re on our way to church,” Sean said. “Because we don’t want to be late for God.”

I smiled as the parallel to the Good Samaritan story from Luke (that we heard at Mass last week) struck me right away. How both the priest and Levite avoided the Jewish traveler that had been beaten and robbed and left at the side of the road for dead. Whether the priest in the parable was going to church, leaving church, or just wanting to “stay clean”, the bottom line was that he didn’t stop to help. The Samaritan, the supposed enemy of the Jew, was the one who helped.

“God will understand if you’re a few minutes late, Sean. Especially if you’re doing the right thing.”

As we continued our drive south on the freeway, I thanked God for the small opportunities to minister, whether it be with strangers or my own family.

Imoo Family Road Trip to California: Sean and Clay on Splash Mountain

Here's some quick video footage of the last drop on Splash Mountain. We were in the back seats and I took this footage with my Palm Pre (so the sound is a bit off-synch for some reason). I was too chicken to take our Flip on...haha.


Also, check out the pic at the end of the video...you can clearly see me holding my phone up to record! By contrast, you can barely see Sean...he's either hiding or the momentum of the drop is just too much for him.

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