Never Say Never To The Person Who Wore A Headlamp

A common knowledge is nobody can be too prepared in case of an emergency. Meet a person who can be an amateur rescue person. A person always wore a headlamp except when going to bed like taking off eyeglasses. The person placed the headlamp on the nightstand. The person feared darkness except sleeping.

Three events happened in a calendar year. The first event the person drove on the freeway home one winter night. One of the car's tires went flat. The car pulled over to the right shoulder with no streetlights. The person turned on the headlamp. The flat tire was exchanged with the spare tire. The person arrived home safely.

The second event the department participated in an offsite event one hot summer day. The building power shut down. The electrical generator stopped. Some of the emergency lights turned on. Almost total darkness. The person turned on the headlamp. The person led everyone to evacuate the building.

The third event a city blackout in a weekend autumn night. The person turned on the headlamp. Life continued. The emergency radio was on. The candles were lit. The person relaxed.

The fiction story is never say never. The improbable can happen. It's not absolute zero percent. There is always something new. Anything can happen. Anything new happens every day. It may be old to you. It can be new to another person.

The counterpoint to the story is the person could carry the headlamp in a pants pocket or jacket pocket instead of wearing the headlamp on the forehead during waking hours.

An Accident From Flying Lumber

An example of the improbable can happen. An example it's not absolute zero percent. Lumber falls from truck on Pennsylvania overpass, sweeps car right off highway. The YouTube description is the following: Dashcam video captured the moment a load of lumber flew off a truck driving on a Pennsylvania overpass and slammed into a car below.

The Dots Connect Backwards To Everything Except Financial Rewards

Blogger's note: Today's blog is posted at both Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar.

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." --Steve Jobs

I agree with the late Steve Jobs. I must trust myself what I'm doing today rewards me tomorrow. I have been doing the same since 2015. I review my existing job skills such as Excel and SQL. I learn new job skills such as Python and R. They're self job training. Job searching is five days a week. I exercise four days week consisting of two days cardio and two days strength training. I read books. I write blogs. I cook. I eat healthy. I sleep well. I learn life skills such as tying knots, typing Morse Code, making paper airplanes, and memorizing jokes. I catch up what I missed in my 20s and 30s. My movie of the week is on Sundays. I play video games once a month. Never stop learning. Innovate infinitely. Get up and do something, anything. Furthermore, I do my fair share maintaining the household. Costs are minimized. I control my leisure spending. Most of the above are boring; however, I make them awesome. I socialize with people outside the family post-pandemic starting in Aug 2024.

I have been doing everything correct. I have been doing everything right. I'm an example there are people who do everything right. The favorable outcomes don't happen. No job. No income. No freedom. Life moves slowly at best. I'm an example life is unfair. There are winners and there are losers. I'm one of the losers. I'm an example being a loser beyond my control.

What am I going to do? The answer is continue the present path. There are no alternatives. There's nothing to lose. I pay my debts to the family. I appreciate all who supports me. I help the supporters when they need help. Playing video games, watching television, and eating processed foods seven days a week are unacceptable; I might as well die.

A Shout Out To The People Like Me

I'm open to all suggestions to help me escape being a loser. I'm open to all suggestions to correct my unrealized mistakes. However, I don't want to hear easy answers and clique solutions. Go back to school? No. Get a part-time job? Depends. Unlikely my job skills match any part-time position. Network? Overrated. There are too many people applying to the too few job openings. Attend job networking seminars? A waste of time for 90% of the unemployed attendees who are losers. Hire a professional to improve your job search? Waste of money. Most of a professional's advice can be found online for free. Freelance? Not a match with my background. You said do something, anything earlier--do something? I said it. I'm not doing anything half-ass. All-in or all-out. I have nothing to lose. It's a judgment call.

I recognize myself and I recognize the millions of long-term unemployed people with bad luck and bad timing. I recognize us as false losers. Good opportunities pass us. We do our best sincerely. We cause no trouble. We make our lives and the people in our lives as easy as possible.

Update On A Past Blog

Some people experience the opposite Life Is Good Because It's Predictable And Certain on Jan 20, 2025 when President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated. I wrote the blog on Jan 20, 2022. These people are uncomfortable living an unpredictable life. These people desire a predictable life with 99.9999. . .% accuracy. They don't want bombshells. They want to keep the same security blanket. The 47th President is uncertain as of today. The 2025-2028 future is unclear. Time is the ultimate judge Trump makes the correct decisions for the United States Of America.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog November 2024

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. Almost no COVID-19 coverage whether case numbers increased, decreased, or held steady. Post-election coverage was too much. There were more activity outdoors witnessing almost no concern of people getting COVID-19. These activities were more prevalent than the COVID-19 news articles I read.

Fri Nov 1. Shopped at Costco at the 11am hour. There was a Nissan pickup truck the driver locked his keys inside. A tow trucker driver assisted.

Costco was busy inside. There were lots of children. I retrieved a receipt dropped from a customer's pocket after I paid my groceries.

The Southwest District Health in Idaho was no longer providing COVID-19 vaccines. The regional health department appeared to be the first in the USA to restrict administering the COVID-19 vaccine. Demand declined from 1,601 people in 2021 to 64 people in 2024 year-to-date.

Tue Nov 5. I voted. I shopped at Nike afterwards.

Wed Nov 6. Donald Trump won the 2024 Presidential Election.

Fri Nov 8. Shopped at Safeway, Ross, Lucky, Costco, and Smart & Final. I went to the post office to mail letters.

Sun Nov 10. Ate at Kazoo Sushi restaurant.

Tue Nov 12. Shopped at Safeway.

Wed Nov 13. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) reported 37.6% of seniors aged 65 and older received the latest vaccine. 22.6% received the latest vaccine at the same time in 2023. 27% of nursing home residents received the latest vaccine compared to 21% at the same time in 2023.

Fri Nov 15. I worked out at the gym seeing the most people wearing masks.

A study at Northwestern University found COVID-19 shrunk or slow the growth of cancer. The COVID-19 virus triggers the immune system to kill cancer cells. More studies are planned.

Sat Nov 16. Fastest week of the year to date. Tomorrow was another Sunday in a blink of an eye as if the previous Sunday was yesterday.

Thur Nov 21. First rain storm of the season.

Shopped at Smart & Final and Lucky.

Mon Nov 25. Got gas for my car. Shopped at Walgreens, Dollar Tree, and Cost Plus World Market.

Wed Nov 27. The CDC reported nationwide the COVID-19 positivity rate is 3.6%. The rate was 10.1% the same time in 2023, 6.8% the same time in 2022, 7% the same time in 2021, and 13.6% the same time in 2020. 18% of US adults were up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations.

The state of CA positivity rate was 2.4%. Wastewater surveillance indicated minimal viral levels. Hospitalization room visits were low. Weekly deaths reached a record low at 219 for the week of Nov 16, 2024.

A Third Look At 2011

I give a special case to take a third look at the 2011 blogs. I wrote A Second Look At 2011 on Aug 9, 2012. I started A Second Look blogs written in Dec for the 2013 year blogs because the goals delaying one year are relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, correcting errant blogs, and sharing changes. I wrote A Second Look At 2011 blogs which were given eight months. A Second Look At 2010 blogs were given five months written on May 13, 2011. There is no plan to take a third look at 2010 as of today. I give myself 13 years relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, correcting errant blogs, and sharing changes from 2011.

1. Established Today And Tomorrow
Date: Sat Jan 1
Summary: Nobody is 100% established. Life finds a way to lower the percentage established regardless of a person's choice.
Feedback: The first 2011 blog makes it to A Third Look. A wisdom acquired I'm reminded. Appearances can be deceiving when people see other people. Is the person or are the people established to the maximum? Is the person or are the people under established? My intuition tells me most people are under established? I can say people's weakness prevent maximum establishment.

2. De Anza Week Jan 31, 2011
Date: Thur Feb 3
Summary: I attended Mission College to take a class on Quickbooks.
Feedback: I forgot I attended Mission College in Winter 2011 quarter and Spring 2011 quarter on Tue nights. The semester class was easy. I attended all classes sitting at the back with my laptop concentrating on the lectures half-ass. The project and the take-home final were easy as long as students started early.

3. De Anza Week Feb 28, 2011
Date: Sat Mar 5
Summary: I mentioned four weeks of fatigue on Mon Feb 28.
Feedback: I hesitate to share my feedback for the fatigue. Most college students experienced fatigue; however, as a college graduate with adult wisdom, if I minimized processed foods, spent less time watching anime, more time working out at the gym, slept more hours, and improved my prioritizations, then I reduced fatigue. Furthermore, I mentioned fatigue and sickness throughout the rest of the Winter 2011 blogs. Those two spread throughout campus like the early COVID-19 global pandemic.

4. De Anza Week Apr 18, 2011
Date: Sun Apr 24
Summary: The Mon Apr 18 entry I dropped Advanced Accounting. The Spring 2011 quarter was Auditing and Quickbooks at Mission College classes.
Feedback: A lesson to remember. A mistake I didn't repeat. It's okay to quit. It's okay to drop out. It was not a match. It didn't match my expectations. Anyone who says never quit a responsibility is partially correct. Staying or quitting depends on the circumstances. Staying or quitting is a judgement call.

Also, a representative from a CPA preparation course gave his sales pitch for students to enroll in CPA preparation courses. The students learned a bachelors degree is required to become a CPA. The professor confirmed the CPA changed. A rising tide raises all boats.

Number four third look is in a second look.

5. Meet Fraudster Barry Minkow
Date: Thur May 5
Summary: The auditing professor passed out an article on 1980s fraudster Barry Minkow.
Feedback: Minkow teaches the lesson, "Do not trust--verify."

60 Minutes Minkow interview Barry Minkow Master Mind of the ZZZZ Best Fraud.

6. De Anza Week June 6, 2011
Date: Mon Jun 13
Summary: I lost interest in Auditing class. Boring lectures. Survival mode. Too much to learn in a quarter. Information overload.
Feedback: The Auditing class is one of my best personal examples there is too much to learn in too little time. We live in the Information Age. More jobs require more training, more knowledge, and higher costs. The additional time spent in leisure doesn't pay the rent.

Number six third look is in a second look.

7. The Unemployed Like Me Has Expenses
Date: Sun Sep 18
Summary: The unemployed people must pay to live.
Feedback: The blog stands the test of time. I said, "The unemployed people living in today's tough economy still has to live life: eat, wear [clothes], drive to places, stay clean, [stay] in touch with people via cell phone and/or internet, mail letters, and more." Also, "The unemployed most likely has more time than money. Use the extra time wisely to prepare for your next job and be a better person."

8. A Childhood Lowlight
Date: Sun Oct 23
Summary: My childhood was inactive. There was no learning outside the schools. I didn't have friends outside the schools. There was too much solo fun. There was little parental involvement. Life was too easy.
Feedback: I can't change the past. I'm correcting as many mistakes as I can today. I continue catching up what I missed all the way back to my childhood. I forgive my parents.

9. I Must Declare Bankruptcy If I Was 15 Trillion Dollars In Debt
Date: Tue Nov 22
Summary: The United States Of America was $15.04 trillion in debt.
Feedback: The United States Of America is $36.05 trillion in debt.

10. The Human's Most Precious Possession
Date: Tue Nov 29
Summary: Memories are the human's most precious possession.
Feedback: True today. Take care of your brains. Never take brains for granted.

Number ten third look is in a second look.

Top Ten Plus Four Equals Top Fourteen Problems Solved Are Impossible

Life is unfair. It's a common wisdom. The world is not perfect. It's another common wisdom. There are always problems every minute. Think about the history of humans. Some of these problems existed since the ancient history. Some of these problems existed since the dawn of the human. These fourteen problems finding permanent solutions for every human being on Earth are improbable. If a person solves one of the fourteen problems below permanently, then the person is a god. I write with 99.9% confidence even though I'm not a professional in their respective fields. Here are the top ten plus four equals top fourteen problems solved are impossible.

14. Too Big To Fail. The global big name companies. The top Fortune 500 companies. The top of the top can't fail. These companies are built to last doing everything legal, border line legal, border line illegal, anything. AT&T, Wal-Mart, NFL, Cisco, Bank Of America, Chase, Google or Alphabet, banks, tech, finance, governments, manufacturing, etc. If any of the above fail, then the impact affects many people in many countries. Bailouts, mergers, and interventions can prevent failure.

13. World Wars. There is always conflicts between at least two countries leading to war.

12. Natural Resources And Energy Shortages. There are not enough water, electricity, and natural gas. The population increases require natural resources and energy for life. Expect prices to increase indefinitely.

11. US Democracy. The US government democratic system consists of two parties which are Democratics and Republicans.

10. Mass Shooting. The violent crime deserves its own entry. More people die from criminals shooting multiple victims.

9. Divorce. A book can be written by one hundred top marriage counselors. There are always divorces at a divorce rate around 50%. People always change. Couples always change. Families always change.

8. Mental Depression. More people become depressed for whatever reasons such as the current COVID-19 global pandemic, loneliness, loss, and financial problems. More people have poor social skills. More people feel isolated. Today's Information Age living increases anxiety. There is too much screen time on phones and computers. Other common mental illnesses anxiety, fear, drug use, and alcoholics are included.

7. Illiteracy. Adults and children can sneak through the cracks during their education nobody taught them to read for whatever reasons.

6. Drunk Driving. Call it brain fart. Call it stupidity. Call it taking life for granted. People drive over the legal alcohol limit for whatever reasons. Some can escape. Some are arrested. Some kill people.

5. Cancer. Humans and life mutate. It's life. It's evolution. Also, there's no cure for the common cold.

4. Crimes. I include violent crimes such as domestic violence, murders, robberies, homicides, and burglary. I also include white-collar crimes such as fraud, money laundering, and embezzlement.

3. Homelessness. More people are going to be homeless globally. There are not enough resources to help them. There are not enough resources to slow down the homelessness rate. The cost of living increases. In addition, the job market is tight indefinitely. More people can't find work. Homelessness leads to number two . . .

2. Income Inequality. Social economic barriers. The rich gets richer because of the laws, the economic system, and the finance system. There is always poverty.

1. Discrimination And Racism. There is preferential treatment. Racism, discrimination, and prejudice existed in the past. Racism, discrimination, and prejudice are present. Racism, discrimination, and prejudice exist tomorrow. They continue throughout humankind.

The Years 2016 To 2019 Were Better Than The Years 2020 To 2023

I begin backwards. 2020-2023 years excelled. I'm in the minority the COVID-19 Global Pandemic benefited me. The world paused. The world slowed down. I used those years to catch up. The catching up continues today. I'm not finished. Here are some specifics: proper self job training, new physical workouts, faster reading comprehension, acquire new life skills, relearning financial education, and new computers. Unfortunately, no financial rewards and no employment. The four years were good.

On the other hand, the 2016-2019 four years were better. 2016-2019 years sucked. There were struggles. There were frustrations. There were mistakes--too many mistakes. There were trials and errors resulting in no solutions. 2016 was the last year I went on a vacation outside my city. I needed two surgeries in 2017. 2018 was all bad luck and all bad timing. Here are more specifics: improper self job training, poor physical workouts, improper diet, too much leisure, and outdated computers. The turnaround began in 2019. The specific month was Sep. I watched The Shawshank Redemption for the first time. I started to read Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling for the first time. I hiked four trails. I purchased new desktop hardware and a new laptop in Nov and Dec. I began training as a self trained genius.

I connect the dots backwards. The 2016-2019 created momentum for 2020-2023. The 2016-2019 were the foundation for 2020-2023. 2016-2019 set up 2020-2023. I endured the struggles. I worked my way out of the frustrations. I learned from my too many mistakes. The light bulb on top of my head lit intensely because I figured out the solutions in 2020-2023 from the 2016-2019 trials and errors. I learned from failures. I needed more time. It took four years. The wait was worth it. Patience paid off.

Three Steve Jobs Quotes

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

"Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact, and that is everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you, and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use. Um, once you learn that, you'll never be the same again."

"Stay hungry, stay foolish."

Top Ten Good Connected The Dots It Was An Introduction

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." --Steve Jobs

I look back at my past moments. I look back at my past actions. I look back at my past choices. I connected the dots . . . it was an introduction. These top ten made me a better person today. These top ten lead to positive outcomes today. Nobody knew these top ten turned out well. I didn't know. I made the best choices which were successful. I made more than my share of bad choices. These bad choices were good choices initially. Time is the ultimate judge. Here are the top ten good connected the dots it was an introduction.

10. Home Version Mini Gym (Mar 2020). I purchased a Muscle & Fitness May 2018 magazine. One article contained weight plate workouts. California announced the state shutdown on Tue Mar 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The people of California were given a 24-hour notice. I purchased a 45 pound plate and a 25 pound plate at a specialty fitness store. All major sport chain stores their fitness equipment were sold out. I began working out at home on Mar 2020.

9. eBay (2002). eBay is a great place to find bargains. eBay is a great place to sell my junk. I have sold lots of junk to create free space. eBay is prioritized over Amazon.

8. Classic Rock Music (Sep 2005). I was introduced to the local classic rock station 98.5 KFOX. The station saved me from driving without music. I lost interest in pop music. Classic rock is one of my favorite music today. The Beatles is my favorite band.

7. Washington Canada 2005 and 2008 (Aug 27-Sep 4, 2005 and Nov 15-20, 2008). I visited my Washington friend in his home state for the first time in 2005. It was my first time in Washington. It was my first trip visiting Canada in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. The 2005 trip helped me navigate Vancouver in Mar 2007 for a business trip.

The 2005 trip lead to a second visit in 2008. The timing was good because I needed a life distraction desperately. The vacation satisfied the distraction. One place I visited was REI for the first time in their Downtown Seattle location. I signed up for their REI lifetime membership. The membership paid off because hiking became a new hobby in Apr 2009. My first purchases were hiking clothes, shoes, and a backpack at the REI Anniversary Sale in May 2009.

6. Ballroom Dancing and De Anza College (Jan 2009-Jun 2011). My sister was an amateur ballroom dancer. She introduced me to ballroom dancing. I took dancing classes at De Anza College starting in Mar 2009. I continued attending De Anza College full time majoring in Accounting and taking dance classes. I earned my AA degree in Mar 2011. I finished in Jun 2011. Going back to school was a second chance to relive life as a true college student. My experience was satisfactory.

5. innovateinfinitely.com Is Online (May 1, 2004). I created my first webpage at geocities.com after learning HTML in 1998. Innovate Infinitely was created driving to Japantown-San Jose in Sep 2000. The words "Innovate" and "Infinitely" came to my mind waiting at a signal light. I said the words together, "Innovate Infinitely . . . Never Stop Innovating Life."

I choose to create a web site to promote Innovate Infinitely. The webpage went online on May 1, 2004.

4. I Became An Anime Fan (Summer 1996-Sep 2014). The first anime I watched was Ranma 1/2 in Dec 1993. I exclude Robotech, Transformers, and Voltron in the 1980s for the purposes of the top ten. I watched Sailor Moon in summer 1996. The first anime series I purchased was Ranma 1/2 season one on VHS in Dec 1996. I cosplayed for the first time on Sep 11, 2004. The character was Edward Elric from Full Metal Alchemist. I cosplayed at all anime conventions I attended from Sep 2004 to my last anime convention on May 24-27, 2013. I announced my retirement in Jul 2014 finishing the anime series Space Brothers in Sep 2014. I thank my mom for making the costumes.

3. O'Connor Hospital (Apr 2-6, 2017). I was diagnosed with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. I required two surgeries for the first time in my life. The first surgery was Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones. The second surgery was Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder. It was the first time I was a hospital in-patient. I lost 28 pounds afterwards. I'm currently at my best health in my life minimizing processed foods and drinking water when I'm thirsty.

Moreover, I eliminated dairy one month earlier. I lost five pounds immediately.

2. Ubuntu, Linux, and Python (Oct 2014). I was unemployed between Sep 2014 and Nov 2014. A friend encouraged me to learn Python by installing Ubuntu. I learn Python and Linux with Ubuntu. Fast forward to today. I learned FFMPEG on Linux. I run MySQL and R-Studio on Linux instead of Windows.

1. Self Job Training (Aug 2014). I failed an interview for a contract Data Analyst position because I failed the Excel tests. It was an example of use it or lose it. I started to relearn and refresh my Excel skills. I added Access, SQL, VBA, and PowerPoint. The job training inspired me to redesign my webpage using Sublime Text, relearning HTML, and learning JavaScript and CSS. I completed my self job training in analytics research technology in Apr 2024 consisting of learning and reviewing Excel, Power Pivot, Power Query, Power BI, SQL, Python, Linux, Git, and R-Studio.

Update On A Past Blog

The Wonder Years television show aired on ABC from Jan 31, 1988 to May 12, 1993. The show is about a suburban middle class family in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Season 1 episode 3 titled My Father's Office the main character 12 year old Kevin Arnold spent a work day with his father Jack Arnold at the fictional defense company Norcom. The scenes in Norcom are true today. Pay attention to the workers' desks. There are no computers. The men wore ties.

[HD] The Wonder Years: Kevin at Jack's Office The first scene Kevin and Jack in Norcom. There was no time for Jack to settle in. There was no time for Jack to tell Kevin his responsibilities. On the other hand, Kevin was impressed with Jack working his butt off. Jack tells Kevin, "Tell you want Kevin. It is time you learned about the most important part of the working day. The coffee break."

The Wonder Years (S01E03) - My Father's Office. I don't remember any scenes between the coffee break and going back to the office. Jack said, "You know, Kevin, you can't do every silly thing you want to in life. You have to make your choices. You have to try and be happy with them. I think we've done pretty well, don't you?" Voiceover older Kevin version said later, "But as we walk back to my father's office, I suddenly realized something that made a lot of things make sense. My dad was too good for this place. Sure, it was a good job, and we were all lucky he had it and all that, but my dad had something finer in him than S-14's and distribution reports. I'll never forget how I felt at that moment I felt that my father was a great man."

The episode reminded me of the blog Can I Be Overqualified? written on Jan 10, 2022. I speculate I may be overqualified because of the self job training learning new job skills. Almost no company wants to hire overqualified workers; although, all companies employ overqualified workers.