Noi Doc w/ Nam

Ah, this is an embarrassing story of when my middle school friends and I tried to be tough guys.

It was the late 90s and gang culture and violence were popular amongst young boys.

Teen boys from all over gravitated to gangster rap and movies, and the WWE. Their minds were intoxicated with this version of masculinity and they just wanted to be tough guys that were feared by other guys.

I was one of them. Continue reading “My Embarrassing Attempt At Trying To Be A Tough Guy”

For a major chunk of the season, I felt like an imposter.

I started playing basketball when I was in grade 3 and it has been my favourite sport and activity to do ever since.

However, I’ve never been that good (despite the exuberant amount of time I put into it). I don’t suck, but I’m also never the best player on any team. 

Even though I lacked talent, I still kept playing because basketball is so fun.

I mainly played pick-up games at my local gym but roughly five years ago, my friends asked me if I wanted to join a co-ed rec league team with them. I was hesitant at first, seeing how I was in my early 30s and scared of injuries, but eventually agreed because, well, basketball is so fun.

And good thing I did because that season was great. Our team came in second place (because we were carried by one of my friends) and I also played pretty well.

I was averaging quite a bit of assists, was scoring a couple of points per game, and did well on the defensive end.

I was pretty proud of my performance because we were playing against good teams and I was able to hold my own. This increased my confidence in my ability to play basketball.  Continue reading “Playing Basketball in My Late 30s Helped Me Overcome Imposter Syndrome”

Here’s a story of the time I overcame a big fear and got a welt in return.

I was what you would call a “chicken” in my youth.

I was afraid of almost everything. Dogs, insects, public speaking, girls -you name it, I was probably scared of it.

But the thing that I feared the most was heights.

I was terrified of being up high. Even on the second floor of a shopping mall turned my Spidey Senses to the max.

Another thing that scared me a lot was this climbing dome at a park a few blocks away from my house.

One day after school, my uncle, who’s not really my uncle but was just a really close family friend who lived with us for a bit, took me and my friend to the park.

My uncle was babysitting me that day and he wanted to play tennis, so he dragged us with him.

No problem. I loved playing at the park even though we always went there. Continue reading “Story Time: Scar”

I recently went to my first professional basketball game and part of my childhood was satiated.

For as long as I can remember, I have been in love with basketball.

Actually, that statement is a lie. I can remember before the time I first learned what basketball was.

But regardless, I have loved basketball for a long time.

I started playing when I was in the fourth grade and started watching the NBA when I was in the fifth.

Back then, my favourite players were Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Charles Barkley… you know, just the best players from the nineties.

But my favourite team, oddly enough, was the Vancouver Grizzlies. Continue reading “I FINALLY Went To My First Pro Basketball Game”