Wednesday, August 29, 2012

A Life Lesson I Learned Gangnam Style


You probably heard about Gangnam Style, a rap song by South Korean rapper PSY. The rap video is currently number one on YouTube's Most Viewed Videos in the music category. Gangnam is a district in Seoul, South Korean populated with trendy and affluent people. The song's theme is about girls behaving well or behaving wild at the perfect moment.

Jae-Sang Park, PSY's birth name, was born on Dec 31, 1977. He has been singing since 2000. He attended Boston University and Berklee College of Music. His Gangnam Style song won awards this year.

The life lesson I learned is PSY himself in his video. He taught me everything in a person counts: looks, appearance, confidence, strength, eye contact, social skills, knowledge, conversation skills, style, charisma, personal hygiene, physical fitness, emotional stability, etc. PSY is not the most handsome person in the world; however, he's a good looking man because of his other attributes. He can dance, he dresses with style, he performs with confidence , and he shows good charisma. I'm sure his social skills and conversation skills are great because he has a public life.

Every attribute, feature, and characteristic in a person complement each other. If a person is beautiful, that person should be responsible, show knowledge, and have a sense of adventure such as trying something new or visiting a new place. If a person is not beautiful, that person should dress well to show there is beauty and take care of the body . . . brush the teeth and bathe regularly.

The bottom line is the inside of a person brings out the outside and the outside of a person brings out the inside. Nobody wants to be with a good looking person who acts like a jerk. Nobody wants to be with a responsible person who wears t-shirts and sweat shorts. Both inside and outside must be in sync working together to show the best in the person.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Accutane Day 1,300

I went to my dermatologist on Thur Aug 9 for my yearly routine appointment. I stopped using Atralin in July because it dried my skin on my face. The dry summer also caused my dryness. I started using Ziana which is a milder gel to control my acne and blackheads. I apply Ziana three days a week. My dermatologist said it was better to apply the milder Ziana three times instead of applying Atralin two days a week.

I applied Vanicream on my face when my face is dried. My dermatologist suggested I discontinue Vanicream and apply CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM. Vanicream clogs my pores. It's okay my skin is dried and chapped as long as there is no irritation and itchiness. I apply the CerVe lotion to relieve those symptoms.

Acne appeared on my face two or three times this year. That's really good. I have been experiencing blackheads and whiteheads flare-ups. I believe a significant cause is the food I eat at restaurants. I have been eating out more often. I hope applying Ziana three days a week reduce the flare-ups.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Life Is Really Not That Bad

My title is clear and direct. Think carefully about your life. If you have people in your life, life is really not that bad. The friends, family, and acquaintances are important. Human interaction is important. If you have a place to sleep, life is really not that bad. Sleep tonight with a smile. If you have a job, life is really not that bad. Make sure you save money for emergencies.

We're all human. Everyone is prone to feel gloomy, feel depress, stress out, and lose focus. Everyone is susceptible having off days. We're strong. We find ways to recover and to deal with down days. I watch the movie "Grease", listen to The Beatles music, sleep, workout at the gym, or write a blog when I feel I need a life time out. I find a distraction sometimes such as playing a video game, watching a DVD, or completing a task that was never completed. Moreover, we remember how we recover so that the next recovery is faster and better.

Think and remember your positives in your life. Let go of the negatives. Life somehow finds a way to get better. I think back of catastrophes throughout my lifetime, current events, and history. We, as human beings, find a solution to deal with all the crises. I stay focus and take responsibility for my thoughts and actions. I'm confident I succeed in solving my problems in time.

Friday, August 24, 2012

My First Pics Of 2012

2012 started off not that bad. I hope it gets better. Here are the pics. Enjoy!











Thursday, August 23, 2012

A Better Living

I believe there is always a better way to live our lives. There is no such thing as settling in and living one way. Some people prefer a routine, knowing that's there, and avoiding uncertainty living. Keep it the same. No variety. If it isn't broken, don't fix it. My life is boring if I choose to live where everything is in place. For instance, I know where the milk is in the refrigerator, my underwear is in the second dresser drawer, my work hours are set, my routine days going to the gym, and closing myself meeting new people such that I see the same friends again and again.

I choose to live better. Always. I never stop living better. I make small changes such as moving furniture around my room to maximize open space, and I always find better ways. Another small change was rearranging my closet and desk. Seeing my clothes and pencils at different places were new sights to add a little variety. Also, I installed a new hard drive in my laptop. I use my laptop more often on my rearranged desk. In book reading, I'm trying out a sci-fi book. My girlfriend encouraged me to try sci-fi books. And I try various ways cooking meals; for example, I combine different spices and sauces.

Another way to live better is talking to new people. Seeing the same friends is great because it means long term friendships; however, I believe people should always meet new people and make new friends. I want to have multiple circle of friends.

There is a moment coming soon I make my living bigger and better. I find a residence I live on my own. I open myself up to new experiences and trying new ways to live better. I picture myself living a clutter free residence and minimizing junk. My lamps have LED light bulbs. I serve glass jars for drinking water and juices. I have a small collection of Blu-Rays because I'm picky and I buy movies and TV shows I watch over and over.

What I mention is a small sample how I plan to live better. The more I do, the more I experiment, the more I experience new experiences, the more ideas I create to live better. My living is like a tree. The more branches that grows, the more ideas to live better.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

The World Can Use More Good Guys And Good Gals

I'm calling out to every human in the world. The world can use more good people. There is no complex list describing a good person. There is no minimum IQ. I'm not asking for everyone to be like Superman. A good person is someone who follows, acts, behaves, thinks, and knows how to be a good.

I'm a good guy. I'm a person who pays back my debts, wants to help others, and thinks about the other person's concerns and welfare. I'm a person who seeks new adventures, wants to experience new experiences, learns something new, and meets new people. I have a positive attitude. I seek joy in everything. I admit my mistakes and learn from my mistakes. I never stop improving; I innovate infinitely my life. I smile when I'm with other people. I like to listen to other people talk and become interested in them. I never complain. I'm a "there he is," not a "here I am" person. I do my best to be a good company when I'm with people. I'm gaining strength in my life. I'm going forward and upward. I'm a good person who's getting better daily.

The world is not going to end tomorrow. Life is really not that bad if one thinks about it. I believe life can be better when people take action and answer the call for more good guys and good gals.

Thursday, August 09, 2012

A Second Look At 2011

I'm taking a second look at my 2011 blogs to comment and give myself feedback. Did I do something wrong? Was I correct? Did I really blog that? What was I thinking?

Like "A Second Look at 2010" in 2011, my goal is to learn from my mistakes, reinforce my lessons, remind myself my moments, and rethink. I provided the title, date, blog summary, and feedback. The link is provided to read the original blog entry in its entirety.

Blog title: De Anza Week Jan 3, 2011
Date: Sun Jan 9, 2011
Summary: I blogged the first week in Winter '11 quarter.
Feedback: I want to remind myself the lessons I learned from past De Anza quarters. There were no lessons in Winter '11 and Spring '11 quarters, my last quarters. My De Anza all review blog is coming soon. Here are the lessons:

Fall ’10: Use it or lose it.
Spring ’10: Timing is everything.
Winter ’10: Go with the flow.
Fall ’09: Everyone is human.

Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/de-anza-week-jan-3-2011.html

Blog title: Streaks Of Imperfection
Date: Fri Mar 4, 2011
Summary: I blogged 2011 started off well. Then, all of a sudden, the year went bad.
Feedback: 2011 started off bad. I read my De Anza blogs in Jan and Feb. I felt bad, unfocused, lost interest, depressed, and fatigued. I even felt laziness.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/streaks-of-imperfection.html

Blog title: Me Versus My Stomach Flu
Date: Thur Apr 14, 2011
Summary: I blogged how I recovered from the stomach flu.
Feedback: I forgot I had a stomach flu. I was sick three times in 2011: March weeks before finals, July in Downtown Los Angeles, and September.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/me-versus-my-stomach-flu.html

Blog title: De Anza Week Apr 18, 2011
Date: Sun Apr 24, 2011
Summary: I blogged the third week of Spring '11 quarter; in particular, dropping Advanced Accounting class.
Feedback: Best choice I made in 2011. I wasn't going to make the same mistake in Winter ’10 when I should had dropped singing. I talked to one of my classmates in Auditing who continued Advanced Accounting. He said more students dropped out. The Advanced Accounting professor was the worse professor ever.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/de-anza-week-apr-18-2011.html

Blog title: De Anza Week June 6, 2011
Date: Mon Jun 13, 2011
Summary: I blogged three weeks before finals. I was in survival mode such that I just wanted to finish Auditing. The class was going slow. The professor had no engagement and connection with the students.
Feedback: I wonder if some students experienced survival mode like me. They just wanted to pass the class. They stopped caring or lost interest. It sucked students stopped caring because this was education that could help them get jobs. The same thought applies to working. I believe some workers are in survival mode completing projects and assignments. They don’t understand what they’re doing. They just do it by following the instructions. They hope they’re doing it correctly.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/de-anza-week-june-6-2011.html

Blog title: Get Back
Date: Wed Jul 13, 2011
Summary: I shared some of my changes after Sat Oct 4, 2008, the day I realized I must grow up. These changes were going back in the past that made me happy and successful; for example, the clothes I wore.
Feedback: I created a basic life list I uploaded in my smart phone. The list includes my top mistakes, top 30 blogs, top six daily rules, and Steve Job's Stanford graduation speech. I open the file containing the list to remind myself to be happy again anytime and anywhere I feel depress.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/get-back.html

Blog title: The Human’s Most Precious Possession
Date: Tue Nov 29, 2011
Summary: I answered the question "What is the human's most precious possession?" My answer was memories.
Feedback: If there was a contest for best blogs written by amateur bloggers, then I submit this blog. Take care of your brains. Make memories daily.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/humans-most-precious-possession.html

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

The Month Of July Is Finally Past Us

Last month went by slow for me. The days went by fast, yet the entire month was the slowest so far in 2012. Perhaps skipping Anime Expo during the first weekend was a factor. It was the first time since 2008 my Fourth Of July weekend was spent at home instead of spending six days and five nights in Downtown Los Angeles.

I still kept myself active including an urban hike in San Francisco, installed a SSD in my laptop, cleaned my house, watched The Hunger Games movie, and attended the Obon Festival. I continued searching for a new job as well as overhauled my cover letter and edited my resume. The daily activities cooking, working out at the gym, reading, dating, and spending time with friends continued.

Regardless, July was a slow down month for me. I liked it. I hoped more people experienced a slow down. It was time to take a deep breath. It was time to relax and to reevaluate our lives in today's unsettled world. It was time to slow down and pace ourselves. The rest of the week I finish fulfilling the take a deep breath, relax, and slow down. For example, my gym workouts are easy going. My goal is to resume my normal four day workout routine beginning next week.

I hope August continues a slow down. The world needs a breather.