Wednesday, July 23, 2008

What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life?

How many times do you ask yourself the question? Some people say anyone who asks the question is lost in their life. These lost people have no goals, no aspirations, no motivation to move to the next level, and no interest in finding a better life. I agree to some extent. These people picture these losers waking up late and sitting in a couch watching cable during lunch time and the afternoon during any given weekday.

I believe the question is a good question. I bet my year’s salary there are some executives, senior managers, and public service leadership position asking the same question. Most likely these people mastered their position, mastered their responsibilities, and mastered their skills they seek a new challenge, seek a new career path, and seek a new road in life.

I believe there is always a better life. One may see a husband, wife, and their two kids walking in the park smiling happily. Most people think they’re having the best time of their lives. Who knows, perhaps, the wife is thinking in the back of her head, “This life stinks and I want more?” I walk around my company campus, I see different people when I shop, I see families when I watch a movie or walk in the park, I think either they’re having a good life or they’re having a good life and want a better life.

I admit I ask myself the question quite a few times. Who did not ask themselves the question? If you have not ask yourself the question, then ask yourself the question and answer honestly? My answers vary. One day I have a different answer. Another day, another different answer. Timing is everything. Perhaps in the future when I find the answer, the timing is in my favor to follow through and work at my new goals, my new focus in life.

One may say I’m wasting my time doing nothing and thinking of different answers. Perhaps, yes. Perhaps, no. I learned a lesson during my Washington Canada trip in 2005. It’s patience. Be patient. Good things can happen to those who wait. Take life one day at a time. When the big moment happens, it’s going to happen to you fast. Good luck. Never stop innovating life.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Triple Shot 1 of 3: Full Moon Yesterday

Hello, everyone. I write three Blog entries because I have never been the laziest person ever before yesterday. Award me the Lazy Person Of The Day award, and nobody can’t be lazy at Cisco. My attitude was full of laziness. How did I complete my assignments? It was a miracle. It’s time to eliminate my lazy attitude for the next work week =)

I arrived at work at 9:30am, the earliest for the week. I arrived at 11:00am on Monday. Thank goodness for Cisco’s flexible hours. Get the work done and arrive and leave work anytime. I completed my weekly assignments in the morning. There were no new assignments and new requests. Around 11:30am, I received information the 2:00pm meeting was delayed to next week. Thank goodness. My laziness attitude reached the peak at 11:30am which I never recovered.

I ate lunch around 1:30pm in the cafeteria. My building has a cafeteria. The cafeteria closes 30 minutes early on Friday’s for the summer at 1:30pm. I saw some people trying to order lunch late. The late people purchased packaged to-go food. I watched Vampire Knights episode 5 and episode 6 during lunch.

I arrived at my cubicle around 2:45pm. From 2:45pm to 6:30pm, I did no work. Absolutely nothing =P I wanted to leave early because I wasted my time sitting on my cubicle doing nothing. I stayed in case of emergencies. I surfed the web, checked email, and chatted online with friends. If I received a request for a report, then the report is completed on Monday because I just could not change my attitude sorry to say ;__; Today and tomorrow are recovery days.

Side Note: My department received a new manager on Monday June 9. Since then, I average two hours of real, quality work a day. I surfed the web and kept myself occupied for the average six remaining hours >.>

Triple Shot 2 of 3: No More Speedy Gonzalez

I paid $4.51 a gallon the last time I filled my car with gas. California is one of the highest states for gas prices. I read an article that surveyed drivers at what price are drivers begin to slow down. The survey found most drivers slow down when the price reaches $5.00.

I drive the expressway to and from work. An expressway is a like a freeway with signal lights and slower speed limits from 45mph to 50mph. I started to slow down around the second week of June. Instead of driving 55mph on the expressway, I drive 45mph-50mph. Instead of driving 75mph-80mph on a 65mph speed limit freeway, I drive 65mph-70mph. I drive 60mph for short distance and no traffic. Moreover, more drivers are slowing down during my commutes which I’m happy. Yay!

Driving slower saves gas and saves money. Do it now. And don’t drive talking on your cell phone. Use hands free devices. On July 1, it’s illegal to drive with a cell phone in California. I noticed more people concentrate on the road including driving at the speed of traffic *__* 9 out of 10 times when I see a car driving as if I’m in danger, the driver is talking on the cell phone.

Triple Shot 3 of 3: Learning Mahjong

Yesterday, I played Mahjong for the first time in 10 years. The last time I played Mahjong was in August 1998 with one of my Uncle’s family in Southern California visiting my house. I read a MahJong book and read an article on Mahjong on Wednesday and Thursday to learn the basic rules and the Japanese rules. The Chinese and Japanese versions are different; however, the basic rules are the same. My friends play the Japanese rules.

I did terrible as expected. My biggest weakness was having no knowledge in the different Japanese hands, kanji or symbols, and terminology. My goal was to make mistakes, to be disappointed, to be depressed, and to experience the play style feeling. The game was also observational seeing how my friends played the game. If I know the NFL football teams, MLB baseball teams, most NBA basketball teams and most NHL hockey teams, then I can know the Japanese hands ^__^

Learn Mahjong is important for me because it is a new game and a new hobby. I learned nothing new in 2008, and even though Mahjong is just a game (with no assistance in my career skills), it’s a game requiring memorization, practice, and thinking just like learning another skill. Mahjong is another way to meet new people. Mahjong is like poker with more options and more critical thinking. I’m not going to be a master . . . it takes two minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. I want to learn to be confident and comfortable I play Mahjong with my friends who are, in my perspective, masters.

What The Heck, Let’s Add Four: If It Can’t Break, It Eventually Is Going To

I have been going to the gym three days a week to increase my physical fitness since Memorial Day. Unfortunately, my combination pad lock I have been using since high school broke. I dropped the padlock after I opened my locker. The combination wheel detached from the padlock immediately on impact at the ground.

I purchased the padlock in 1990 for my high school gym locker. In 1991, I used the padlock for my photography locker. I used the padlock in Fall Semester 1994 at San Jose State University for my locker when I took Beginning Basketball class. And since 1998, the padlock has been used for my locker at the gym. I went to two gyms. The first gym was a small gym at the business park from my first job out of college. The second gym is the gym I’m currently working out.

I purchase a new combination padlock tomorrow.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Remembering Your Lost One Everywhere You Drive

I drove to the library on Saturday and I noticed one car has the license plate “Jason Jr.” The top of the license plate frame said “Rest In Peace.” The bottom of the license plate frame stated the dates I’m guessing Jason Jr. lived. He lived for 10 years. Very young =(

There are lots of ways to remember loved ones from carrying pictures, personal memorials, dedicating a website, writing a memoir, visiting the burial, and much, much more. Add to the list personalizing a license plate and personalizing the license plate frames. Rest in peace 0:-)

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Underground

Check out the video “Underground”, a short film by Kristen Dehnert & Aimee Lagos. The film is 11 minutes. Continue to watch after the credits for the lesson ^__^ Enjoy. If you choose to watch the video at Yahoo website, click the link

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Open The Jello Box Away From The Boiling Water

Yesterday, I made Jello lime flavor. I finished broiling the water in the pot for three boxes of Jello and I placed the pot on the table. I successfully poured the first bag of Jello in the pot. I was opening the second box on top of the pot and I dropped the second box in the pot. Water spilled on the table and the floor. I immediately cleaned up the floor because the hot water damages the floor. I cleaned up the table next. I was pissed =< After I finished making the Jello, I mopped the floor where water spilled.

Lesson learned for making and cooking food. Open, cut, or tear the ingredient box away from the liquid source to prevent accidental dropping the box inside the liquid source. Open, cut, or tear the ingredient bag on top of the liquid source to prevent spilling the ingredients outside the liquid source.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Go, Go, Go

Here’s a tip for businesses and companies when proofreading, editing, or completing quality checks (QC). When the first draft of a presentation, program, or report is completed, tell your department or team it’s a “Go, Go, Go.” Note somewhere the draft is “Go, Go, Go.” Have three workers look at the draft, give feedback, make corrections and comments, and suggest new ideas. The worker who finishes looking at the draft replaces a “Go” with his or her name. The first draft is completely proofread three times when all three “Gos’” are replaced with a worker’s name.

Thank you Appu for the suggestion.