Sun Nov 1 I got a flat tire on my driver's side rear. I saw the flat tire when I walked to my car after buying dinner at Safeway. I said, "Fuck, not again!" I have bad luck on my tires. There were three past incidents:
*Nov 2007. My passenger side rear ran over a nail. I didn't know I ran in a nail. I watched the tire's air pressured decreasing when I checked the tires months before. The air pressure was critically low just after Thanksgiving. I took the tire to get checked and the tire shop found the nail.
*Jan 2008. I was on the freeway driving to Sacramento when my driver side rear tire blew off. The California Highway Patrol stopped traffic for me to drive my car from the center divider to the right shoulder. I installed my spare tire. After the incident, I fill my tires at 36psi instead of 41psi.
*Oct 2009. My driver side front tire was involved even though no damage. I parked my car on a dirt area perpendicular to the highway to hike at Castle Rock State Park. My driver side front tire got stuck in a ditch. Out of all the dirt area, my spot had the softest dirt area and got stuck. The tow truck pulled my car out of the ditch. I wanted to park away from the highway as possible to avoid collision. Lesson learned. Park as close to the highway shoulder line to avoid the soft dirt.
What did I do regarding the Safeway incident? I went back to Safeway and purchased Fix A Flat sealer. I believed my flat tire was too low for me to drive home. I was about 4-5 miles from home. The nearest gas station was .25 miles to fill my flat tire with air. I didn't want to risk it. I filled my flat tire with the sealer and drove home. I arrived home safely.
On Mon Nov 2, I went to American Tire to get my flat tire fixed. Coincidentally, my tires needed to be rotated and balanced. The tire technician said two screws caused the flat. Damn!! The flat tire was fixed and the tires were rotated and balanced. The next maintenance is alignment check.
I now check my tires every two weeks. All tires have 34psi air pressure. I add air when the tires are 32psi. I continue to visual inspect for objects such as nails and screws when I fill up for gas that I have been doing. I hope the added two week air pressure check increases my luck such that I ride on good luck, lol ^__^ And the next air pressure check I check the spare tire's air pressure.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Gratitude
We're in December. 2009 is ending quickly. Are you having a bad year? If yes, then you may say, "2010 is going to be a good year." 2010 happens. It's another bad year because you do nothing to make 2010 a good year. You're hopeful, you have wishful thinking. That is an example of taking life for granted.
I took life for granted. I don't today. Most of my opportunities I earned were luck. Luck is not infinite. I must create opportunities. I must control my life. I must earn success and what I want in life. I must create luck.
There were many moments, events, and experiences I took for granted. Something bad happened to me. I hoped for something good to happen. Sometimes good did happen. That's taking life for granted.
Flashback to 2002 and 2003
2003 is the best example how I took life for granted. 2002 was a bad year. My manager who did nothing and my dumb-ass co-worker still worked in my company. The anime conventions I attended were terrible. I re-watched anime series too many times. I quit playing role playing games in 2001. I had extra time since I spent less time with my friends. I was lonely. I tried to teach myself JavaScript, Visual Basic, XML, and other programming language. All failed. 2002 was a bad year I said to myself, "2003 is going to be a good year." I didn't change my life nor planned how to make 2003 a good year.
Sep 2002 began the turnaround for a good 2003 year. I planned none of this. It just happened like fate, like chance, like luck, taking life for granted. First, my manager who did nothing was fired. Work became a happy place. Second, one of my co-workers introduced me to Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I started to read financial and business books during my extra spare time. Third, I watched the anime Spirited Away in the move theatre. I found new anime to watch thereafter. (Spirited Away won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Picture.) Fourth, my family and I and my uncle's family took a mini vacation to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles during Thanksgiving weekend. Fifth, I created an eBay account to buy and sell. I sold lots of junk.
I planned none of the five events above. All five events came to me. All five events gave me opportunities. Life gave me the opportunities. I didn't create the opportunities. I knew about Spirited Away days before the movie was released. The eBay just happened after I talked with my brother who had an eBay account.
2003 continued the momentum of unearned good luck and good moments that came to me. The economy started to recover. I continued to read business books. I continued to buy and sell on eBay. The anime conventions I attended were awesome. I watched new anime series. I went on family vacations to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, and San Diego. All of the 2003 activities and moments I had nothing to do with. They just came to my life; although, I planned one activity that was my new webpage www.innovateinfintely.com that went online on May 1, 2004. Other than my new webpage, I took life for granted. I expected good things to happen in my life and it did. What happened in 2004? 2004 was a bad year.
Life Is All Me
All my actions, all my choices, all my hard work, all my efforts, all my responsibilities, everything in my life I must learn, earn, make mistakes, and create action for a good life. A good life is not a guarantee; however, a bad life is a guarantee when I do nothing.
They say life somehow find ways to work itself out for the good. That's true if you do something to make your life work out for you positively and you actually do it.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
I took life for granted. I don't today. Most of my opportunities I earned were luck. Luck is not infinite. I must create opportunities. I must control my life. I must earn success and what I want in life. I must create luck.
There were many moments, events, and experiences I took for granted. Something bad happened to me. I hoped for something good to happen. Sometimes good did happen. That's taking life for granted.
Flashback to 2002 and 2003
2003 is the best example how I took life for granted. 2002 was a bad year. My manager who did nothing and my dumb-ass co-worker still worked in my company. The anime conventions I attended were terrible. I re-watched anime series too many times. I quit playing role playing games in 2001. I had extra time since I spent less time with my friends. I was lonely. I tried to teach myself JavaScript, Visual Basic, XML, and other programming language. All failed. 2002 was a bad year I said to myself, "2003 is going to be a good year." I didn't change my life nor planned how to make 2003 a good year.
Sep 2002 began the turnaround for a good 2003 year. I planned none of this. It just happened like fate, like chance, like luck, taking life for granted. First, my manager who did nothing was fired. Work became a happy place. Second, one of my co-workers introduced me to Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I started to read financial and business books during my extra spare time. Third, I watched the anime Spirited Away in the move theatre. I found new anime to watch thereafter. (Spirited Away won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Picture.) Fourth, my family and I and my uncle's family took a mini vacation to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles during Thanksgiving weekend. Fifth, I created an eBay account to buy and sell. I sold lots of junk.
I planned none of the five events above. All five events came to me. All five events gave me opportunities. Life gave me the opportunities. I didn't create the opportunities. I knew about Spirited Away days before the movie was released. The eBay just happened after I talked with my brother who had an eBay account.
2003 continued the momentum of unearned good luck and good moments that came to me. The economy started to recover. I continued to read business books. I continued to buy and sell on eBay. The anime conventions I attended were awesome. I watched new anime series. I went on family vacations to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, and San Diego. All of the 2003 activities and moments I had nothing to do with. They just came to my life; although, I planned one activity that was my new webpage www.innovateinfintely.com that went online on May 1, 2004. Other than my new webpage, I took life for granted. I expected good things to happen in my life and it did. What happened in 2004? 2004 was a bad year.
Life Is All Me
All my actions, all my choices, all my hard work, all my efforts, all my responsibilities, everything in my life I must learn, earn, make mistakes, and create action for a good life. A good life is not a guarantee; however, a bad life is a guarantee when I do nothing.
They say life somehow find ways to work itself out for the good. That's true if you do something to make your life work out for you positively and you actually do it.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Sunday, December 27, 2009
I'm Keeping The Door Closed
Death is everywhere. I keep the door closed when death knocks at my door. I'm not ready to die. There is so much I want to do death is not an option now. I'm a late bloomer. I'm catching up. There are many little and big "I want to do" in life. Here are some:
*Shaving with a razor blade.
*Going back to school and most likely earning another bachelor's degree.
*Learned Weiss Schwartz, Japanese Mahjong (Riichi), and more card games.
*Visiting Washington and Canada.
*Hiking and ballroom dancing.
*Watching anime.
*Wearing new clothes.
Those above are some of the latest and greatest happenings since I realized I must grow up. I'm living the best life. My past years, overall, were bad. Recently, I'm having lots of ups and some downs. I desire higher ups and less downs. I'm not ready to die.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
*Shaving with a razor blade.
*Going back to school and most likely earning another bachelor's degree.
*Learned Weiss Schwartz, Japanese Mahjong (Riichi), and more card games.
*Visiting Washington and Canada.
*Hiking and ballroom dancing.
*Watching anime.
*Wearing new clothes.
Those above are some of the latest and greatest happenings since I realized I must grow up. I'm living the best life. My past years, overall, were bad. Recently, I'm having lots of ups and some downs. I desire higher ups and less downs. I'm not ready to die.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Just Five Minutes
There Is More Than Beauty In The Eye Of The Beholder
Everyone sees beauty differently. Some people think a person is beautiful and some people think a person is ugly. I believe the more I know the person, the more beautiful the person is. Good people are beautiful. Bad people are, well, need to take their head out of their ass. Eventually, we get wrinkled skin, gray hair, and walk slower.
Does Jennifer Aniston look more beautiful as she grows older? How about Sean Connery? How about Harrison Ford?
What The Heck Is "What Not"?
The worse sentence I hate people saying is, "What not?" I hate it. I can take "you know." Please for the love of God, stop the habit saying, "What not?" I don't know what is what not.
Just Park, Dammit
Jan 20, 2009. Yes, I remember the date. I was sick and not being myself. I was difficult, and my face clearly shows it. I'm not myself when I'm sick (and hungry and in a bad mood). A friend and I were shopping. We stopped at a shopping center at night time about five minutes from my house. There were plenty of parking spaces. I drove around three times finding a good spot. Just park dammit my friend said. There were plenty of spaces close to the stores and far. Stop being difficult.
The Asian Curse Being Late
One of my Uncles got married in Los Angeles in 1990. The church assistant told everyone in my family that Asians are always late. He is still correct. Most of my appointments I'm late. It's just the way it is. Fortunately, important appointments such as interviews I arrived in time. Even if I leave the house early, something beyond my control happened that caused me to be late.
I can control myself by preparing extra time for appointments. Don't take extra time doing anything unnecessary before an appointment, an engagement, a commitment for granted. Don't be late.
Let It Be
Is the answer to our problems "Let It Be," a number one song and one of the most popular songs from The Beatles? "When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. . . ."
The problems I experience I think too much, I over-analyze, I ponder too long. I know those are bad habits. It's a weakness I still have. I know there is a simple solution sometimes. I have been doing a better job dealing and solving my problems. There are no escaping problems. Problems are part of life. Just let it be and the answers come in time.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Everyone sees beauty differently. Some people think a person is beautiful and some people think a person is ugly. I believe the more I know the person, the more beautiful the person is. Good people are beautiful. Bad people are, well, need to take their head out of their ass. Eventually, we get wrinkled skin, gray hair, and walk slower.
Does Jennifer Aniston look more beautiful as she grows older? How about Sean Connery? How about Harrison Ford?
What The Heck Is "What Not"?
The worse sentence I hate people saying is, "What not?" I hate it. I can take "you know." Please for the love of God, stop the habit saying, "What not?" I don't know what is what not.
Just Park, Dammit
Jan 20, 2009. Yes, I remember the date. I was sick and not being myself. I was difficult, and my face clearly shows it. I'm not myself when I'm sick (and hungry and in a bad mood). A friend and I were shopping. We stopped at a shopping center at night time about five minutes from my house. There were plenty of parking spaces. I drove around three times finding a good spot. Just park dammit my friend said. There were plenty of spaces close to the stores and far. Stop being difficult.
The Asian Curse Being Late
One of my Uncles got married in Los Angeles in 1990. The church assistant told everyone in my family that Asians are always late. He is still correct. Most of my appointments I'm late. It's just the way it is. Fortunately, important appointments such as interviews I arrived in time. Even if I leave the house early, something beyond my control happened that caused me to be late.
I can control myself by preparing extra time for appointments. Don't take extra time doing anything unnecessary before an appointment, an engagement, a commitment for granted. Don't be late.
Let It Be
Is the answer to our problems "Let It Be," a number one song and one of the most popular songs from The Beatles? "When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. . . ."
The problems I experience I think too much, I over-analyze, I ponder too long. I know those are bad habits. It's a weakness I still have. I know there is a simple solution sometimes. I have been doing a better job dealing and solving my problems. There are no escaping problems. Problems are part of life. Just let it be and the answers come in time.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Monday, December 21, 2009
Get Out Of The House
Everyone experiences many times we are working on projects at work, studying for exams, thinking of solutions for a problem, completing homework assignments, and then all of a sudden, we freeze. We lose our train of thought. We think for hours and there is no solution, no answer, no idea what's going on.
What are you waiting for? The solution? The answer? The idea? Chances are they're not coming to you soon. Get out of the house. Get out of the dorm. Get out of the office. Get out of the apartment. Going to a different location with a different environment may trigger a solution, an answer, an idea.
Two examples. The first is my belt for my Edward Elric anime cosplay costume. I went to a hobby shop. I walked around and I saw an aisle on leather works. There were kits on making leather belts. I thought of an idea. There must be a professional leather craftsman to make my belt. I found a leather craftsman. He specialized in leather gun holsters. I asked him if he could make my belt. He said yes. The belt was perfect.
The second is a Christmas version for my Toushiro Hitsugaya anime cosplay costume. I walked around a department store looking for ideas. I thought about a vest, green dress shirt, red dress shirt, green tie, red tie, Christmas scarf, . . ., many combinations. I thought of a solution. Red scarf, red tie, and green shirt combined with my leather jacket and part of my Hitsugaya costume.
Do something outside. Walk in a mall, drive randomly somewhere, visit the library, shop in a grocery store, walk in the park, workout in a gym. The best ideas and solutions I think is when I don't think of them at all.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
What are you waiting for? The solution? The answer? The idea? Chances are they're not coming to you soon. Get out of the house. Get out of the dorm. Get out of the office. Get out of the apartment. Going to a different location with a different environment may trigger a solution, an answer, an idea.
Two examples. The first is my belt for my Edward Elric anime cosplay costume. I went to a hobby shop. I walked around and I saw an aisle on leather works. There were kits on making leather belts. I thought of an idea. There must be a professional leather craftsman to make my belt. I found a leather craftsman. He specialized in leather gun holsters. I asked him if he could make my belt. He said yes. The belt was perfect.
The second is a Christmas version for my Toushiro Hitsugaya anime cosplay costume. I walked around a department store looking for ideas. I thought about a vest, green dress shirt, red dress shirt, green tie, red tie, Christmas scarf, . . ., many combinations. I thought of a solution. Red scarf, red tie, and green shirt combined with my leather jacket and part of my Hitsugaya costume.
Do something outside. Walk in a mall, drive randomly somewhere, visit the library, shop in a grocery store, walk in the park, workout in a gym. The best ideas and solutions I think is when I don't think of them at all.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Saturday, December 19, 2009
A Lesson From The Ants
Everytime I come home and leave my house I see ants walking or running perpendicular to the walkway. The ants are eight feet in front of the door and travel between the grass on the right and the dirt area where the garden hose is on the left when I walk to the front door.
Why are the ants still here? Why do the ants continue to walk or run along the same pathway? I'm not an ant expert. My guess is the ants' home is in the grass. The grass sprinklers turn on in the morning. The water destroys their home. The ants rebuild their home. The process repeats each day.
Can the ants learn their mistakes? The home is destroyed every day. They must find another place to live or else they must rebuild every day. Maybe there is a big supply of food in the lawn and the ants get the food for their home someplace else? I don't know.
There is a lesson I learned from the ants. The lesson is never make the same mistake twice. Learn from your mistakes. I see an ant, I'm reminded the lesson. If there are ants in my pants, then I get hype up to get rid of the ants and remember the lesson.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
What Have You Significantly Improved In Your Attitude?
I was a cocky person big time before I realized I needed to grow up. I was a big time cocky person. I remembered I raise my voice, yell, criticize, express frustration, acted furious . . . just be an uncomfortable person. I'm surprised I had friends back then.
If anything was wrong big or small, I raised my voice. My voice was loud, frightening, and made me a jerk. I had that attitude at Blockbuster, Grubb & Ellis, Colliers International, and even at Cisco. I felt I was doing my part in my life and everyone else was not; for example, I saw a baby cry and my thinking was, "Those parents suck they couldn't take care of their baby." Another example was in group projects at work I always completed my responsibilities and everyone took too long or did a terrible job. I said to myself, "Man, you guys suck!" I had unnecessary stress and conflict towards my co-workers. Fortunately, the last two months at Cisco I calmed down. I know about don't sweat the small things in life. The problem was I never acted and behaved to forget the small things.
I'm calmer, more relax, more open, more friendly, and a comfortable person since the day I realized I needed to grow up. There is no more hatred, no more piss off attitude, and no more raise my voice. There is no more serious attitude. I'm opening up a little each day and loosening up. I'm becoming more sarcastic and saying jokes even if it's cheesy.
I realize there are moments my cockiness comes back and I don't consciously realize it. I still have more improvement. Nobody wanted to associate with me two years ago.
Speaking of calm, calm is one of my five rules for daily living. Here are my five rules:
1. Don't criticize, condemn, and complain, and don't compare with others.
2. Don't act like a jerk or bitch.
3. Always speak calmly and be calm.
4. Don't daydream when driving.
5. Keep your head up high . . . look at the cute face when talking.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
If anything was wrong big or small, I raised my voice. My voice was loud, frightening, and made me a jerk. I had that attitude at Blockbuster, Grubb & Ellis, Colliers International, and even at Cisco. I felt I was doing my part in my life and everyone else was not; for example, I saw a baby cry and my thinking was, "Those parents suck they couldn't take care of their baby." Another example was in group projects at work I always completed my responsibilities and everyone took too long or did a terrible job. I said to myself, "Man, you guys suck!" I had unnecessary stress and conflict towards my co-workers. Fortunately, the last two months at Cisco I calmed down. I know about don't sweat the small things in life. The problem was I never acted and behaved to forget the small things.
I'm calmer, more relax, more open, more friendly, and a comfortable person since the day I realized I needed to grow up. There is no more hatred, no more piss off attitude, and no more raise my voice. There is no more serious attitude. I'm opening up a little each day and loosening up. I'm becoming more sarcastic and saying jokes even if it's cheesy.
I realize there are moments my cockiness comes back and I don't consciously realize it. I still have more improvement. Nobody wanted to associate with me two years ago.
Speaking of calm, calm is one of my five rules for daily living. Here are my five rules:
1. Don't criticize, condemn, and complain, and don't compare with others.
2. Don't act like a jerk or bitch.
3. Always speak calmly and be calm.
4. Don't daydream when driving.
5. Keep your head up high . . . look at the cute face when talking.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Friday, December 11, 2009
De Anza Week Dec 7, 2009
Mon Dec 7, 2009
I remembered to print my accounting term project before I went to class. I placed more emphasis on the final than the term project. Regardless of the grade I earned on the project, I learned something reading financial statements.
The first five minutes of class the instructor showed us real time pics of skiing mountains in Utah. We saw Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort and Alta Ski Area. I'm going to ski one of these days.
The rest of the class the instructor reviewed for the final. There is so much to know it's information overload. I'm reminded of the days at SJSU. Cumulative finals were harsh.
The instructor didn't spend time finishing Chapter 9 homework. Looking at the review outline, it doesn't look like a Chap 9 problem is going to be included. I'm iffy at Chap 9 because we went fast on Chap 8 and Chap 9. However, looking at Chap 9 at home earlier today, I'm making the material hard. It's not as hard as I thought.
My plan is to begin with Chapters 6-9 and then continue with Chapters 1-5. The end of each chapter I work on the big problems and skip the brief exercises. Next, I look at the lecture notes. Finally, I look at the outline. I should follow the plan twice. If I study a third time, then I'm overstudying. I either understand it or I don’t.
Wed Dec 9, 2009
My accounting final is Thur Dec 10. Today I attended my dance class. We learned a new Salsa move and reviewed Salsa, Cha Cha Cha, West Coast Swing, and Fox Trot. The instructor mentioned Winter '10 classes begin at a later time. She encouraged us to take dancing again next quarter.
Comparing Mon and Wed classes, Wed class was the better of the two. The dances I learned Mon and Wed were great. The difference was the students in the Wed class was much better than Mon; in particular, the students I met in Spring '09 some returned for Fall '09.
Thur Dec 10, 2009
Accounting final. My first final since I graduated at San Jose State in Dec 1997. The extra studying before I went to class was useless. The accounting class proved to me extra studying is useless. The extra studying when I attended San Jose State was mostly useless. I say extra studying helped me about 5-10% of the time. Next quarter I repeat my studying habits avoiding extra studying. It's either I know it or I don't.
The final was comprehensive. Most of the multiple choice questions were straight forward. A few were tricky. There were three questions I had no idea the answer. I don't remember reading nor remember the instructor lecturing the concept. To repeat, it's either I know it or I don't. The short answer questions and the math were no problems.
I picked up my term paper after I submitted my final. I got an A grade. My score entering the final looks good for an A grade.
Before the final, a few students wanted to check their grade to know what they have entering the final. That delayed the instructor passing out the final. The instructor should have passed out the grade sheet on the last day of class for students to know where they are entering the final.
Highlights
There was one highlight that took place on Sun Nov 1. I realized I'm a human being just like my classmates and just like the students at the campus center. The month of Oct was one of my worse months in 2009. I was borderline depressed. I was lucky I took one class that was significant. If I had more classes and felt depressed, I don't think I earn high scores in my exams and homework. I'm human. I experience positive feelings such as happy and cheery and negative feelings such as depress and lonely.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
I remembered to print my accounting term project before I went to class. I placed more emphasis on the final than the term project. Regardless of the grade I earned on the project, I learned something reading financial statements.
The first five minutes of class the instructor showed us real time pics of skiing mountains in Utah. We saw Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort and Alta Ski Area. I'm going to ski one of these days.
The rest of the class the instructor reviewed for the final. There is so much to know it's information overload. I'm reminded of the days at SJSU. Cumulative finals were harsh.
The instructor didn't spend time finishing Chapter 9 homework. Looking at the review outline, it doesn't look like a Chap 9 problem is going to be included. I'm iffy at Chap 9 because we went fast on Chap 8 and Chap 9. However, looking at Chap 9 at home earlier today, I'm making the material hard. It's not as hard as I thought.
My plan is to begin with Chapters 6-9 and then continue with Chapters 1-5. The end of each chapter I work on the big problems and skip the brief exercises. Next, I look at the lecture notes. Finally, I look at the outline. I should follow the plan twice. If I study a third time, then I'm overstudying. I either understand it or I don’t.
Wed Dec 9, 2009
My accounting final is Thur Dec 10. Today I attended my dance class. We learned a new Salsa move and reviewed Salsa, Cha Cha Cha, West Coast Swing, and Fox Trot. The instructor mentioned Winter '10 classes begin at a later time. She encouraged us to take dancing again next quarter.
Comparing Mon and Wed classes, Wed class was the better of the two. The dances I learned Mon and Wed were great. The difference was the students in the Wed class was much better than Mon; in particular, the students I met in Spring '09 some returned for Fall '09.
Thur Dec 10, 2009
Accounting final. My first final since I graduated at San Jose State in Dec 1997. The extra studying before I went to class was useless. The accounting class proved to me extra studying is useless. The extra studying when I attended San Jose State was mostly useless. I say extra studying helped me about 5-10% of the time. Next quarter I repeat my studying habits avoiding extra studying. It's either I know it or I don't.
The final was comprehensive. Most of the multiple choice questions were straight forward. A few were tricky. There were three questions I had no idea the answer. I don't remember reading nor remember the instructor lecturing the concept. To repeat, it's either I know it or I don't. The short answer questions and the math were no problems.
I picked up my term paper after I submitted my final. I got an A grade. My score entering the final looks good for an A grade.
Before the final, a few students wanted to check their grade to know what they have entering the final. That delayed the instructor passing out the final. The instructor should have passed out the grade sheet on the last day of class for students to know where they are entering the final.
Highlights
There was one highlight that took place on Sun Nov 1. I realized I'm a human being just like my classmates and just like the students at the campus center. The month of Oct was one of my worse months in 2009. I was borderline depressed. I was lucky I took one class that was significant. If I had more classes and felt depressed, I don't think I earn high scores in my exams and homework. I'm human. I experience positive feelings such as happy and cheery and negative feelings such as depress and lonely.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Eight Essential Pantry Items
Sara Schwartz wrote an article detailing the eight must have ingredients for meals for yourself and your family.
*Canned Tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes can be a juicy, sun-ripened treat. But anyone who's tasted a mealy, bland tomato knows that quality is of the utmost importance. Tomatoes canned at the peak of freshness are a low-cost luxury not to be underestimated.
*Olive Oil. Oil choices abound on the grocery shelves, but olive oil wins our vote for most essential. This Mediterranean staple contains monounsaturated fat, which can lower your risk of heart disease, and its rich, smooth flavor improves everything from salads to sautés.
*Garlic. Ever since ancient Egyptians began cultivating garlic more than 5,000 years ago, cultures around the world have recognized the value of this strongly flavored bulb.
*Couscous. Couscous, which is composed of little grain-shaped bits of pasta, cooks up in five minutes flat, making it a great addition to simple weeknight dinners. Serve it as an easy side dish in place of rice or potatoes or as a salad mixed with dressing and vegetables.
*Potatoes. Everyone loves potatoes as a side dish, but you can also use these low-fat tubers to thicken soups or turn an egg dish into a meal.
*Lemons. Whether you use just a few drops or a whole lemon's worth, lemon juice adds crucial acidity and brightness to recipes of all kinds, from dressings to soups and cakes.
*Onions. Onions have grown wild since history was first recorded and they have been cultivated for more than 5,000 years. We like having onions on hand since they don't perish quickly and offer an easy way to add flavor.
*Apples. Crisp, juicy apples make a satisfying and nutritious snack, but they are also great in salads, savory recipes, and desserts. Throw together a quick dessert or whip up a tasty main dish with this extraordinary everyday fruit.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
*Canned Tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes can be a juicy, sun-ripened treat. But anyone who's tasted a mealy, bland tomato knows that quality is of the utmost importance. Tomatoes canned at the peak of freshness are a low-cost luxury not to be underestimated.
*Olive Oil. Oil choices abound on the grocery shelves, but olive oil wins our vote for most essential. This Mediterranean staple contains monounsaturated fat, which can lower your risk of heart disease, and its rich, smooth flavor improves everything from salads to sautés.
*Garlic. Ever since ancient Egyptians began cultivating garlic more than 5,000 years ago, cultures around the world have recognized the value of this strongly flavored bulb.
*Couscous. Couscous, which is composed of little grain-shaped bits of pasta, cooks up in five minutes flat, making it a great addition to simple weeknight dinners. Serve it as an easy side dish in place of rice or potatoes or as a salad mixed with dressing and vegetables.
*Potatoes. Everyone loves potatoes as a side dish, but you can also use these low-fat tubers to thicken soups or turn an egg dish into a meal.
*Lemons. Whether you use just a few drops or a whole lemon's worth, lemon juice adds crucial acidity and brightness to recipes of all kinds, from dressings to soups and cakes.
*Onions. Onions have grown wild since history was first recorded and they have been cultivated for more than 5,000 years. We like having onions on hand since they don't perish quickly and offer an easy way to add flavor.
*Apples. Crisp, juicy apples make a satisfying and nutritious snack, but they are also great in salads, savory recipes, and desserts. Throw together a quick dessert or whip up a tasty main dish with this extraordinary everyday fruit.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Thursday, December 03, 2009
My Face And My Voice
I admit I hate two of my physical features. They are my face and my voice. First, my face. Nobody successfully guessed my age. I'm 35 years old. The guesses range from 24-26 in 2009. On the positive side, I look younger than my age. The negative side is my face has acne. I have been getting acne on my face since 8th grade. I look terrible. The worse is blackheads on my nose. If my nose didn't have blackheads, then I'm probably content, and that's a big probably.
Second, my voice. I hate my voice. My voice is too kind. My voice is not strong, not authoritative, not confident enough. I have a bad habit talking too loud. In most instances, my tone is appropriate. For the times I'm too loud, it's bad and impolite.
Action is called forth to transform my hate to love. I have been taking Accutane, a powerful acne drug. My research told me Accutane has a high success rate. In Winter Quarter '10 at De Anza, I enrolled in a singing class. I'm not sure the signing class improves my voice. I do know the singing class improves my singing for singing in Beatles Rock Band video game. Good luck for a beautiful face and a confident voice!
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Second, my voice. I hate my voice. My voice is too kind. My voice is not strong, not authoritative, not confident enough. I have a bad habit talking too loud. In most instances, my tone is appropriate. For the times I'm too loud, it's bad and impolite.
Action is called forth to transform my hate to love. I have been taking Accutane, a powerful acne drug. My research told me Accutane has a high success rate. In Winter Quarter '10 at De Anza, I enrolled in a singing class. I'm not sure the signing class improves my voice. I do know the singing class improves my singing for singing in Beatles Rock Band video game. Good luck for a beautiful face and a confident voice!
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
The Sign Of My Times
ABC's Nightline has a segment titled the "Sign Of The Times." We live in the information age. Our lifestyles changes quickly. Times have changed. Nightline documents the sign of the times.
Adapting Nightline's "Sign Of The Times," I create an occurring blog segment titled, "Sign Of My Times" or SOMT pronounced SOM-T for short. My life has been changing, especially since Sat Oct 4, 2008, the day I realized I must grow up. SOMT is my blogs sharing the changes and innovations my life from yesterday to today. I start SOMT with a common moment almost every driver experienced that is owning their first car.
Sign Of My Times: My First Car
Everyone has a dream car. My dream car is the Audi A6. For some of us, our dream car was not our first car for legitimated reasons including cost and practically. My second dream car is the Toyota Tundra. I don't need a truck in my life now. My first car is the 2005 Toyota Camry purchased in May 2007.
Before I purchased my Camry, I drove my parent's cars. From 1997-2007, the family owned a 1984 Toyota truck, a 1991 Honda Civic, a 1992 and 1997 Mercury Sable, and a 2000 Toyota Camry (purchased in 2005). The Sables were junk. The Toyota truck and Honda Civic were old and unpractical as it grew older, but reliable. My Dad could have done a better job taking car of the Toyota and Honda. I digress.
My Dad purchased a 2007 Toyota Tacoma in Aug 2007. Currently, my Mom drives the 2000 Camry, my Dad drives the Tacoma, and I drive the 2005 Camry. Oh, my sister drives her 2004 Camry. My family and I drive better technology and more efficient cars.
I went on new adventures, created new experiences, and my friends were able to ride with me when I hung out with them thanks to my car. I drove to anime conventions in Southern California. I drove to Santa Rosa to visit the Charlie Brown museum. I drove to Monterey two times since 2007. I helped my friends by giving rides.
Owning a car shows independence. I do whatever I want to. I go wherever I want to. I take care of my car myself including car washes, top of the line tires, and 5,000 mile oil changes.
Everything great that happened to me involving my 2005 Camry is small moments. The big moments are coming soon.
Side note: If I blog a SOMT from my cell, the blog begins with "SOMT:" or SOMT followed by a colon.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Adapting Nightline's "Sign Of The Times," I create an occurring blog segment titled, "Sign Of My Times" or SOMT pronounced SOM-T for short. My life has been changing, especially since Sat Oct 4, 2008, the day I realized I must grow up. SOMT is my blogs sharing the changes and innovations my life from yesterday to today. I start SOMT with a common moment almost every driver experienced that is owning their first car.
Sign Of My Times: My First Car
Everyone has a dream car. My dream car is the Audi A6. For some of us, our dream car was not our first car for legitimated reasons including cost and practically. My second dream car is the Toyota Tundra. I don't need a truck in my life now. My first car is the 2005 Toyota Camry purchased in May 2007.
Before I purchased my Camry, I drove my parent's cars. From 1997-2007, the family owned a 1984 Toyota truck, a 1991 Honda Civic, a 1992 and 1997 Mercury Sable, and a 2000 Toyota Camry (purchased in 2005). The Sables were junk. The Toyota truck and Honda Civic were old and unpractical as it grew older, but reliable. My Dad could have done a better job taking car of the Toyota and Honda. I digress.
My Dad purchased a 2007 Toyota Tacoma in Aug 2007. Currently, my Mom drives the 2000 Camry, my Dad drives the Tacoma, and I drive the 2005 Camry. Oh, my sister drives her 2004 Camry. My family and I drive better technology and more efficient cars.
I went on new adventures, created new experiences, and my friends were able to ride with me when I hung out with them thanks to my car. I drove to anime conventions in Southern California. I drove to Santa Rosa to visit the Charlie Brown museum. I drove to Monterey two times since 2007. I helped my friends by giving rides.
Owning a car shows independence. I do whatever I want to. I go wherever I want to. I take care of my car myself including car washes, top of the line tires, and 5,000 mile oil changes.
Everything great that happened to me involving my 2005 Camry is small moments. The big moments are coming soon.
Side note: If I blog a SOMT from my cell, the blog begins with "SOMT:" or SOMT followed by a colon.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
De Anza Week Nov 30, 2009
Mon Nov 30, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing holiday. My Thanksgiving was great. We had good meals for a change and no more boring dinners. I played video games and shopped on Black Friday finding bargains. Those were two different activities I usually don't do. No complains because I have other important activities than video games and I save money spending less.
In accounting, we finished Chapter 8. Wed is Chapter 9. The term project is due Mon Dec 7. Chapter 8 talked about fraud and safeguarding a business. The lecture reminded me when I worked at Blockbuster. I was naive working there. I trusted everyone. I never thought Blockbuster employees could steal and couldn't be trusted. I was wrong. There was an incident in the Los Altos store where the store manager, an assistant manager, and a worker stole. I have a better understanding the procedures managers and employees must follow. The procedures protected the company from fraud, theft, and unscrupulous workers.
The instructor shared stories from his clients. A few of his client's companies committed fraud. A few of his client's committed theft. One time the instructor worked at a company. One co-worker didn't show up for work for two weeks. His motorcycle was found two weeks later in Nevada. He was never seen again. He was suspected of theft. And another company the instructor worked at someone broke into his office to steal blank checks. He needed money because he was addicted to drugs.
Side note on drugs: oxycodone is a pain-killing drug that is highly addictive. It's more addictive than cocaine. Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxycodone
There was a great turnout for dance class after the Thanksgiving weekend. We reviewed the Nite Club Two Step for the Dance Demonstration Wed night. We started entering in the stage, dancing three times, and exiting out the stage. We repeated for the second time. Perfect practice makes perfect. The rehearsal was good. Then we spent the rest of the class on the Hustle. I didn't have time to review the Hustle before Accounting.
Wed Dec 2, 2009
I woke up at 4:50am to register for Winter Quarter '10 classes at 5am. There were problems with registration. I successfully registered and got my classes around 8:30am. I'm taking Financial Accounting II, Payroll and Business Tax, Peachtree Software Training, Social Dance-Wed, and Beginning Singing. The singing class is for Beatles Rock Band. I mentioned in past De Anza blogs that I'm spoiled (and lucky) I don’t need to take GE classes.
The instructor took the entire class meeting to lecture Chap 9. He went fast. He stopped to share personal stories. The lecture wasn't boring. I didn't feel sleepy. The end of the class some students left class early. The instructor was pissed. He gave everyone four points for staying the entire class meeting.
Mon Dec 7 the term project is due. The instructor is going to review for the final giving us an outline. The rest of the week I finish the term project and then I study Chap 1-8. I start on Chap 9 on Sun Dec 6. I feel it's better to review what I learned already instead of reviewing all nine chapters.
The dance demonstration was today. All students must arrive at 6:30pm. We practiced at the lobby before 7pm, the time doors opened. My Nite Club Two Step and Cha Cha Cha classes danced around 7:15pm. The Nite Club Two Step went perfect. Unfortunately, the Cha Cha Cha was not perfect. For some reason, everyone forgot the last steps in the Cha Cha Cha. Everyone. What were the chances everyone forgot? We all froze. Could someone continue the Cha Cha Cha and everyone else followed? Nope. Fortunately, the second and third times we danced the Cha Cha Cha correctly. There was a long pause between the first time and the second time because we ended the first Cha Cha Cha early. No worries. The dance demonstration was informal and it was all dance classes showing their dances. No awards for first place.
I'm still in the dance mood as I finish the blog. Friday morning and afternoon I self practice all the dances I learned.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing holiday. My Thanksgiving was great. We had good meals for a change and no more boring dinners. I played video games and shopped on Black Friday finding bargains. Those were two different activities I usually don't do. No complains because I have other important activities than video games and I save money spending less.
In accounting, we finished Chapter 8. Wed is Chapter 9. The term project is due Mon Dec 7. Chapter 8 talked about fraud and safeguarding a business. The lecture reminded me when I worked at Blockbuster. I was naive working there. I trusted everyone. I never thought Blockbuster employees could steal and couldn't be trusted. I was wrong. There was an incident in the Los Altos store where the store manager, an assistant manager, and a worker stole. I have a better understanding the procedures managers and employees must follow. The procedures protected the company from fraud, theft, and unscrupulous workers.
The instructor shared stories from his clients. A few of his client's companies committed fraud. A few of his client's committed theft. One time the instructor worked at a company. One co-worker didn't show up for work for two weeks. His motorcycle was found two weeks later in Nevada. He was never seen again. He was suspected of theft. And another company the instructor worked at someone broke into his office to steal blank checks. He needed money because he was addicted to drugs.
Side note on drugs: oxycodone is a pain-killing drug that is highly addictive. It's more addictive than cocaine. Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxycodone
There was a great turnout for dance class after the Thanksgiving weekend. We reviewed the Nite Club Two Step for the Dance Demonstration Wed night. We started entering in the stage, dancing three times, and exiting out the stage. We repeated for the second time. Perfect practice makes perfect. The rehearsal was good. Then we spent the rest of the class on the Hustle. I didn't have time to review the Hustle before Accounting.
Wed Dec 2, 2009
I woke up at 4:50am to register for Winter Quarter '10 classes at 5am. There were problems with registration. I successfully registered and got my classes around 8:30am. I'm taking Financial Accounting II, Payroll and Business Tax, Peachtree Software Training, Social Dance-Wed, and Beginning Singing. The singing class is for Beatles Rock Band. I mentioned in past De Anza blogs that I'm spoiled (and lucky) I don’t need to take GE classes.
The instructor took the entire class meeting to lecture Chap 9. He went fast. He stopped to share personal stories. The lecture wasn't boring. I didn't feel sleepy. The end of the class some students left class early. The instructor was pissed. He gave everyone four points for staying the entire class meeting.
Mon Dec 7 the term project is due. The instructor is going to review for the final giving us an outline. The rest of the week I finish the term project and then I study Chap 1-8. I start on Chap 9 on Sun Dec 6. I feel it's better to review what I learned already instead of reviewing all nine chapters.
The dance demonstration was today. All students must arrive at 6:30pm. We practiced at the lobby before 7pm, the time doors opened. My Nite Club Two Step and Cha Cha Cha classes danced around 7:15pm. The Nite Club Two Step went perfect. Unfortunately, the Cha Cha Cha was not perfect. For some reason, everyone forgot the last steps in the Cha Cha Cha. Everyone. What were the chances everyone forgot? We all froze. Could someone continue the Cha Cha Cha and everyone else followed? Nope. Fortunately, the second and third times we danced the Cha Cha Cha correctly. There was a long pause between the first time and the second time because we ended the first Cha Cha Cha early. No worries. The dance demonstration was informal and it was all dance classes showing their dances. No awards for first place.
I'm still in the dance mood as I finish the blog. Friday morning and afternoon I self practice all the dances I learned.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
Accutane Day 301
I went to my routine appointment on Mon Nov 30. I'm on my second month taking 40mg of Accutane. The new side effects are sore muscles and fatigue. The sore muscles happen when I workout at the gym. My workouts are affected such that I'm going to the gym inconsistently. The fatigue happens at night sometimes. Eczema is under control on my face; however, it's appearing on the opposite side of my palms on my hands. I apply Topicort ointment. And I have dry lips. The photo shows my Blistix lip balm. Man, I look sleepy (-,-)
I discussed about my goal finishing Accutane at 40mg around Apr 2010. The dermatologist was optimistic saying I could finish earlier. Let's hope so. There is no time table when a person must finish the treatment. My research found the average time is six months. I'm over six months.
New acne has appeared. The significant acne happened on my lower left cheek near my mouth. White residue popped out of the acne. The acne was not the acne with a white spot in the middle. Blackheads are still on my nose. I hate it.
I apply Vanicream on my face only when my face looks and feels dry; otherwise, I leave my face alone. I applied Vanicream on my face to prevent Eczema in Aug and Sep. It turned out applying Vanicream daily has plugged up my pores. My dermatologist told me to apply Vanicream when necessary.
I Continue To Find Myself Finding Raymond Mar
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