Throwback Blog: How Do They Do It? How Do They Do It?

Blogger’s Note: Throwback blogs are blogs from my past. I start posting past blogs reflecting what I wrote. It's like my "A Second Look" blogs for which I give myself feedback.

Today's throwback blog is titled How Do They Do It? How Do They Do It? in Jun 2009. I asked the question how some people attract other people to be with them. These people immediately blend in with strangers and become the main attraction instantly. Actor George Clooney is a good example of a person. These people have charisma, intelligence, good smile, dress well, strength, courage, and confidence. These people are beautiful on the inside and beautiful on the outside. I answered my question.

One observation I see daily is how some people blend easily in a crowd. The crowd is a bunch of friends, a bunch of strangers meeting for the first time, or a bunch of people in a party . . . any group of people. How do they do it? How do they blend in and bring energy and enthusiasm in a group of people? Charisma? Good vibes? Good looks? Positive energy? Tone of voice? Correct attitude? Funny? Luck?

I had a friend. High school educated, worked in retail, little overweight, 6ft tall, talked slowly, slow learner, and ten times more geek than me. In Anime Expo'99, he successfully got a press badge and watched the main events show from the side of the stage. Everytime we were together and with people, he attracted a crowd and he was an instant star. How did he do it? I have no idea.

I must be doing something wrong. Is it my voice? My voice is my voice. My looks? My braces are removed in June. My accutane treatment is half way completed. Wear makeup? Um, I think about makeup. Am I sending negative vibes? Do I act nervous? Insecure? Angry? I don't know. I'm wearing new clothing. I donated my at least 10 year old clothing. Obviously I buy new pants when I need to. I'm doing something to change and to improve my appearance. Do I need to improve my conversation skills? I say yes, I always improve my conversation skills, do anything to be more charming.

Am I portraying myself as too good a person? I'm too good? I'm too perfect? I'm not good. I'm not perfect. I have flaws. Maybe I do a good job hiding them and I don't realize it. Do I act and behave as a quiet person? Bad luck and bad timing I'm with a group of people and there is no connection between me and them? Do I scare people? I admit I laugh too much. I'm working on that bad habit. Do some people look at me as a nerd, a geek, and all of a sudden, they ignore me? I have bad luck I haven't met people like me to expand my long term circle of friends, my long-term friendships.

I want to be a person who attracts people. I don't want to be a person who chases people. I have many ways to communicate including texting, AIM, Yahoo IM, and Facebook to keep in touch. I want to meet new people. I want to portray myself as a fun and good person, and create long term friendships. Age, race, creed, education. Doesn't matter. I have a desire to meet new people. I want to be a "there he is person." I avoid the jerks, bitches, and people full of drama.

In Fanime 2009, I hung out with a few friends who introduced me to more friends. Some of them do it. They attract people. They're funny. They're the source of energy, source of fun, and source of enthusiasm. How do they do it? I'm still trying to figure it out. Confidence? Opening up? I had a few highlights being with them. What I did was followed how they were having fun. They were my models, my examples how to behave and to act. Oh, I did wear makeup when I wore my costumes. OMG, what a difference!!! People were coming up to me. I don't recall a past anime convention where so many people came up to me to talk, to joke, and to take a picture of me.

The lessons I learned regarding how people attract, retain, and earn friendships and being a friendly good guy are having the attitude of being cheerful, not being a stuck up. Have courage to speak up and everyone makes mistakes and say stupid jokes. Make sure what you say is appropriate; in other words, be tactful when meeting new people. Yes, I have lots more to learn.

Side note: I review my top five rules for daily living:

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.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

Research Reading Sunday Ads

The Sunday newspaper is one activity I look forward. I like to read the Sunday advertisements. I pay attention to the sale prices for retail items such as body wash, bottle water, clothes, and spices. I believe in shopping around waiting for sale prices on goods. Add up the small savings equals big savings in a calendar year. I'm fortunate with good timing most of my items I buy at stores are on sale. Also, I gage the cost of living in my county.

Another reason I read Sunday advertisements is new products available. My eyes experienced dryness recently. I knew Visine eye drops wasn't my solution. I found Refresh Tear eye drops researching online which relieved my dry eyes. It was the first time I discovered eye drops other than curing redness. I notice Refresh Tear eye drops in Sunday advertisements.

Sometimes new products have been in the market for years I notice for the first time; for example, first aid supplies, new foods, and over-the-counter drugs available without a prescription. I discover technology consumers can purchase such as new TVs, new phones, and new computer hardware. Sunday advertisements are an old-school consumer information source; likewise for Wednesday advertisements.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

My Personal Circle Of Trust

If you can trust yourself, then good moments are coming soon. Everything I'm doing today results in a happy future. The late Steve Jobs said it best, "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."

I'm trusting myself. I'm not believing in myself. Trust and believe are two separate thoughts. I'm my own personal mentor; although, I'm open to making new mentors. There are setbacks, frustrations, and depressing moments. I trust myself I overcome these three moments. I trust myself life goes my way. I share what I'm doing below for an independent life. I may be right. I may be wrong. I don't know my future. Time is the ultimate judge.

*Intuition. Trust my gut feeling. I must trust my intuition to save me from problems. I don't think when I make jokes. Jobs said, "Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." Jobs also said, "I began to realize that an intuitive understanding and consciousness was more significant than abstract thinking and intellectual logical analysis . . . intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect, in my opinion. That's had a big impact on my work."

*New Circle Of Friends. I attract new people. I attract new friends. New people are coming to my life as long as I'm a good guy getting stronger, smarter, kinder, and wiser. One of the people I meet is a woman I'm going to marry.

*Learning New Job Skills. Finding A Job. I have been learning new skills such as Python, dashboards, and JavaScript. I have been reviewing existing skills such as SQL, Excel, and SalesForce. Repetition, review, repeat, relearn. I'm not quitting finding a new job. I'm doing the best I can. I have nothing to lose.

*Control, Consistency, Choices, and Proactive. I trust myself today and tomorrow I control more of my life, live a good life consistently, make good choices, and be proactive every day.

*Stay Active. I trust my hobbies and activities keep me moving. I'm physically active working out at the gym four or five days a week. I hike at trails. I'm intellectually active reading books, playing board games, learning new concepts, and learning new job skills mentioned above. I'm emotionally stable controlling stress. I act calmly. I speak calmly. I practice my spiritually sleeping eight hours a night. And I'm financially worry-free. I'm looking forward to a new career to strengthen my finances. My life is not hording. I do almost nothing because I don't have the money in the meantime.

*My wisdom grows learning from my mistakes. I avoid repeating my mistakes. I seek new adventures exposing myself to new opportunities to grow. I experience new experiences to expand my life.

*Finally, stay hungry, stay foolish.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

Eleven Pics To Catch Up

I posted a blog with nine pics in May 2017. Today’s blog is 11 pics to average 10 pics per pic blogs. The 11 pics are a variety: paying the same price for less, online grocery shopping, life’s good moments getting married, life’s bad luck playing poker, telling people the obvious cold and hot, lifestyles for the rich, new insects, a first time or second time cat pic, consumer’s attention to cheap goods, cute anime, and consumer’s attention to closing stores.























Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

Instant Bullets Blog Nov 11, 2017

*In-N-Out Secret Menu. I ordered the Double Meat from In-N-Out's secret menu. It was the first time I ordered from their secret menu. The Double Meat is different than the Double Double. The Double Meat includes two hamburger patties without cheese. No more ordering two individual hamburgers. Here are the websites listing the secret menu: In-N-Out Official Not-So-Secret-Menu and Spoon University 31 Genus Ways To Hack The In-N-Out Menu.

*Super breakfast. There are days I anticipate eating a late lunch. My super breakfast is two pieces of bread, a bigger serving of fruit, almonds or walnuts, Craisins, granola bars or Belivita breakfast bars, and a bigger bowl of cereal or a bowl of oatmeal.

*Agree or disagree? It's better to be lucky than be smart.

*Three parts of a job interview. Two of the three parts of a job interview is obvious. They're the interviewer or interviewers and the interviewee. The third part is the circumstances. The parties may not get along. The interviewee may be the best qualified; however, if the interviewee is a jerk, then no job offer. Conversely, the job system has rewarded job candidates with recent experience and relevant knowledge. Good personality is secondary. The bottom line is if any circumstance says no hire or no job offer, then the position remains open.

Moreover, younger aged interviewers prioritize a plethora of skills, relevant knowledge, and recent experiences. Older aged interviewers prioritize good character, positive attitude, strong work ethics, and an easy personality.

*Life is a full circle. Good moments happen to good people. Bad moments happen to bad people. Life can be cruel. Life can be weird. Life can be unfair. There are exceptions.

Sometimes we thought we do good when we actually doing bad. We realize the good or the bad in time. Steve Jobs said, "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."

Time will tell what you do today is good tomorrow. I believe time is the ultimate judge.

*$6.60 lesson. I failed to look at the expiration date for a 20% off coupon at an online store. I redeemed the coupon two days after the expiration date. Lesson learned. The first sentence I read is the percent off savings. The second sentence I read is the expiration date for all coupons. The third sentence I read is the restrictions.

*Relationships are hard. Most relationships are hard. Most relationships should be hard because the best relationships require hard work intelligently. Dynamic relationships and intelligent relationships require all parties to participate. The types of relationships I refer include professional, friendship, and marriage. All long-term relationships are hard to find and hard to maintain.

*Top Ten New York Times Books Best Seller list in 2008. The following books made the top ten in any given week in Fall 2008. I wonder if I read these books earlier than Sat Oct 4, 2008 I might have realized I needed to grow up earlier. I grew up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The list below is in no particular order with the release date in parenthesis.

--The Choice by Nicholas Sparks (09/24/07)
--The Road by Cormac McCarthy (09/26/06)
--Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (11/18/08)
--Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (02/16/06)
--Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos (11/28/06)
--I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell by Tucker Max (January 2006)
--Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner (04/12/05)
--The Shack by WM. Paul Young (May 2007)

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Dewey by Bret Witter (09/24/08) books are on my wish list.

*I close my mouth when I brush my teeth. I reach the back of my teeth easier. My mouth is big.

*I swish with warm salt water to help heal my tongue from hot food burn.

*Friday night Nov 10, 2017. I turned back the clock when I played video games all night ending in early morning. I played Japanese Mahjong online at Tenhou. It was like I played Team Fortress 2 ten years ago. I heard soccer families playing at the school across the street. No more all night video games.

*Desperate times. Desperate measures. There is an increase telemarketers calling on weeknights and weekends. Also, job recruiters are calling my cell phone on Saturdays.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

Never Say Never Or Always Be Open Minded

I have been playing Japanese Mahjong or Riichi since Oct 2009. Mon Nov 6, 2017 was the first day I played Riichi online with players around the world. The free Japanese site is Tenhou. There is no English site. Reading Japanese is unnecessary. There are websites with English screenshots and English documentation to learn the commands. Here are some websites: Reach Mahjong Of New York translation, Saki Wiki Tenhou instructions, and Arcturus Tenhou.net complete translation wiki. Here is a Youtube video from DdRMaSTeRDan.

I know Tenhou months after I started playing Riichi. I stayed away from playing online because I wanted to play with people and I minimize playing video games especially since I retired from anime in Sep 2014. It has been difficult finding people locally to play with me. Also, I have higher priorities. Tenhou is a low priority leisure activity. I play Tenhou on weekends when I have free time; however, there is no substitution playing with people to socialize. Playing Tenhou on the weekday Mon Nov 6 was an introduction day.

Always be open to anything. I associate playing Riichi at Tenhou a personal instance of never say never.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

I Blog, You Comment Nov 4, 2017

A message to everyone feeling tired. Get extra sleep immediately. The best comments are below.

My parent's former neighbors The Shermans past away. The husband past away in Apr 2017. The wife past away in Jul 2017. The husband reminded me never stop learning in a person's senior years. Never Stop Learning Lesson Emphasized Because One Of The Shermans Past Away blog reminds everyone use your brain every day.

My parents continued learning in their retirement years. On the other hand my in-laws stopped learning. I can tell who are sharp and who aren't sharp as time continued. -- Heather Sparks, Lynn, MA

My children called out on me losing my memory. Forgot my keys. Forgot the time to pick up my grandchildren from school. Then I started spending more time reading books, taking walks. I started watching less television. I could think again. -- Eugene West, Greenfield, IN

I questioned What Is Believe. Anything we do must be done. Common examples include earning a degree, winning a contract, and becoming a champion. Do we really need to believe we succeed?

I emphasize believe everyday coaching my high school women sports. They must believe in themselves. Some of my players have no parents. I must tell them to believe so they can believe in themselves. --Joyce French, Buffalo, NY

You know I think back to raising my kids. I believe I never mentioned believe when I taught them life lessons. --Connie Bates, Jacksonville Beach, FL

Anyone that tells someone to believe in yourself doesn't know how to teach. --Melissa via email

Believe is important. People who believe in themselves have confidence. --Andrea Alvarez, Mexico

A couple comments expressed fear their small cities are losing the small city feeling. I experienced a small city feeling in A Praise For Small Cities.

I blame the tech companies for small cities becoming big cities. My city used to have lots of open fields. Now these open fields are commercial buildings and high-density housing. The city is crowded. I never wanted to live in a crowded city. More people in public areas. --Devin Kim, Pleasanton, CA

I'm in my 70s. I have to concentrate harder on the road because there [are] more cars. Also, I'm sad these ma and pa stores I used to shop are closing not because of the big box stores. It's because of the internet. --Eva Floyd, WA

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com