Wednesday, July 27, 2011

SOMT: From Land Lines Phones To Smart Phones

Blogger’s Note: SOMT stands for Sign Of My Times, an occasional blog sharing my thoughts how time changes life from when I was young to today. It’s been a long time I wrote a SOMT.

I remember July 1, 1998, the day I got my first cell phone. I just started my first job after graduating college. My first big purchase was a Nokia cell phone in Pacific Bell store. The black cell phone was almost the size of a brick. The weight was as heavy as a paperweight. The screen was about 40% of the phone size.

I had a smaller Nokia in 2001 and two LG cell phones from 2006-2011 thereafter. My last LG phone I texted, took pictures, listened to music, and wrote notes on my notepad. My older cell phones were ordinary phones that included call waiting and voice mail. On July 6, 2011, I purchased my first smart phone on the last day Verizon offered unlimited data. I found out days before Verizon announced an end to their unlimited data plan. I quickly researched and choose the Droid X2. I wanted to purchase a solid, reasonably priced smart phone to lock in the unlimited data plan for future contracts.

I remember students in my high school had pagers. In college, some students had pagers and a few students had cell phones. I remember one student’s phone rang three times in a Calculus II class in 1993. Many students either couldn’t afford a cell phone or believed cell phones were a bothersome when somebody calls.

Times have changed. Cell phones are affordable and a necessity. The reason I purchased a cell phone was for convenience: communicate with my family and friends and for emergencies. I have a smart phone today. Smart phones, used properly, make life easier. I find nearby restaurants, use maps for directions, take better pictures, and connect to the internet to find information. And I keep in touch with family and friends more effectively because my smart phone has Facebook and Twitter apps.

I believe everyone should have a cell phone or smart phones for at least communicating and for emergencies. Twenty years ago, almost everyone was on a land line talking on the phone. A person must find a phone when there is an emergency. Today, almost everyone is talking on a cell phone indoors and outdoors, in a restaurant or at the park, and in a car or bus. Most people can call on their cell phones for emergencies. Smart phones provide additional convenience including paying bills, watching videos, writing notes, listening to music, and doing something to occupy time a person is waiting.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Thursday, July 21, 2011

I Live To Reach The 90 Club

The San Jose Mercury News Wednesday July 20, 2011 edition reported a study on Alzheimer’s disease. The San Francisco VA Medical Center released a study stating lifestyle changes can reduce the chances a person is infected with Alzheimer’s. Physical activity, staying optimistic, non-smoker, and not diabetic are some of the factors lowering the chances.

My grandfather on my dad’s side had Alzheimer’s. The disease slowly killed his brain cells to the point where he forgot how to tie his shoe laces. Very sad. He spent his final days in a convalescent home. On the other hand, my grandmother on my dad’s side didn’t have Alzheimer’s. She experienced typical dementia; however, she communicated well and her brain remembered names, birthdays, and her limited English. She past away at 90 years old.

My lifestyle is summarized as lowering my chances of getting Alzheimer’s. I have been consistent sharing my daily lifestyle in my blog. I write the importance of exercise for physical activity, cooking (healthy) to live healthier, reading to keep your mind focus, visiting new places to satisfy adventures, listening to music to relieve stress, and more. I also write the importance of meeting new people and making new friends. Family and friends are important for a happy, active, and exciting life. And I write the importance of doing better, changing to improve, and never stop innovating life.

Knowing I want to do something, anything reminds me to get my head out of my ass and keep my eyes open, ears listening, mouth talking, nose smelling, and hands feeling. I don’t want to live life inactive. I don’t want a routine life. I want to live life to my best I can, and do better continuously.

Finally, I want to remind myself my six rules for daily living. Here they are,

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.
6. Breath with your nose and stand up straight.

Writer note: I like this blog I’m going to double post in Finding Raymond Mar as a Q&A soon.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Monday, July 18, 2011

It Took Place On Summer 2011

I want to encourage everyone to make summer 2011 memorable. I want everyone to take at least 14 summer days to create memories. Seek new adventures, experience new experiences, meet new people and make new friends, try something new, have courage to get out and do something, anything. If the 14 days were accomplished, then do another 14 days.

The reason I encourage 2011 and not 2012 and beyond is because I feel 2011 is the last good year to make something happen. Summer 2011 so far is stable for the most part in terms of world events, political events, the economy, and peace of mind. My gut feeling says 2012 is less stable. Go with the flow.

Some of my Summer 2011 highlights include graduating college, attending Anime Expo for my vacation, purchasing a new smart phone, and watching a classic movie at the Stanford Theater. I hope to find a job soon.

Make Summer 2011 a time to remember. There is half of July and August remaining. Good luck!

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Get Back

“Get back to where you once belonged.” --Get Back, The Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney

On Saturday October 4, 2008, I realized I must grow up. My life needed changes. I was lost, I took life for granted, and I either took life not seriously or took life too seriously. I initiated changes to begin growing up weeks after October 4. One way I made changes was similar to The Beatles’ song “Get Back.”

The first change was my clothes. I wore polo shirts, plain white-t shirts, dress shirts, and slacks outside work. I went back to when I was in high school, and I now wear buttoned sports shirts without tucking in and blue jeans. I wore hiking shoes and SWAT police boots inside and outside work. I went back to when I was in high school, and I now wear casual dress shoes outside work. If I wear shorts, I wear casual sneakers. I wear hiking shoes when I hike or when I’m outdoors requiring long distance walking such as spending a day in San Francisco or Santa Cruz.

Another change was old school sit-ups. I did new school sit-ups since I started going to the local gym regularly in 2000. I went back to when I graduated college, and I now do old school sit-ups. My gym workouts include 100 old school sit-ups.

And another change was reading fiction books. I read nonfiction books such as business, leadership, investment, and self improvement books after college. I went back to fiction books when I attended college. My first fiction books after Oct 4, 2008 were “The Choice” by Nicholas Sparks and “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy.

I have a better understanding why some successful people who experience a slump or setback revisit their roots. The roots, the core values, the early successes are what made successful people the best they are. It can be people forgot something and they needed to go back and remember the past.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Friday, July 08, 2011

Accutane Day 883



Who you see is who I am. I forgot the last time I applied Atralin on my nose and cheeks and Topicort to treat eczema. It seemed I apply Atralin resulting in eczema most of the time especially under low humid conditions, and I apply Topicort to treat eczema. In other words, one cream almost guaranteed I needed the second cream. That made no sense.

There has been neither no improvement nor worsening on my face. I had maybe one or two. Accutane worked to stop acne outbreaks. I apply Vanicream when my face is dry. I pop blackheads on my nose once a month. I may apply Atralin again on my nose only in the future.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar