Throwback Blog: To What Bad Degree Are These Tiny, Minor, Small Stuff

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 To What Bad Degree Are These Tiny, Minor, Small Stuff in May 2013. I have been experiencing many tiny problems, minor inconveniences, bad luck, and bad timing. Most of these negative moments were small going back to 2016 to be honest. Some of these negative moments I mentioned in May 2013 happen today including signal lights turning red when I arrive at an intersection, items dropping from a table, unwanted phone calls, and paying with the wrong credit card. These negative moments adds up to become a big deal. I become frustrated. I ask myself when is good luck coming to me.

My advice in May 2013 is the same today. Grind it out. Ride it out. Let it go. Let it be. Stay strong. I realize they suck. It's life. Also, laugh it off. Chuckle. Have grit. Get better. Learn from the mistakes.

Finally, I share my alternated titles. They are the following: These Few Seconds Moments Bugging Me, Commenting On My Life's Few Seconds Moments, Commenting (or Sharing) My Life's Many Little Moments, My Feelings On My Life's Moments During My Few Seconds, These Tiny Moments Here And There Good And Bad.

I'm going to talk about my tiny problems, the minor inconveniences, the small bad moments for the past three weeks. These are the first time they're affecting my life since Fall 2004. My goal is find the proactive solution. How do I deal with these?

Most of these stop bugging me moments, these "are you kidding me" moments, these bad timing moments were beyond my control. They just happened. The most common moments were yellow lights at signaled intersections. I drove to an intersection. The green light turned yellow. I slowed down and stopped. These yellow lights happened two or more times per drive locally and from city to city.

Likewise in Fall 2004. I remembered the countless yellow lights driving to work and driving home. I thought the yellow lights were a message. I realized the message was slow down. I lived a fast paced life. Slow down and be patient. I slowed down and 2005 was a good year. I don't think the slow down message applies to my recent bad timing moments.

Another common moment was related to signal interactions. More pedestrians were crossing at interactions I'm waiting. I drove short distances doing errands in my neighborhood on Thur May 9. I waited for pedestrians crossing the intersections three times. If it wasn't for the pedestrians, I wait a shorter time for my green light. I drove to the gym six minutes away from my house on Tue May 7. I waited for pedestrians crossing the intersections two times.

Another group of aggravating me moments, these sigh moments, these "oh my God" moments were dropping things on the floor, knocking things off a table, and being a klutz like moments. I had these moments in the past. These were the longest time span I experience drops, falls, and slips to date.

There were many more. They included the following:

*I dropped off used motor oil at an O'Reilly auto parts store. The store turned me away because their oil tank was contaminated. The worker told me to drop off the oil at another O'Reilly.

*My car needed a car wash. My favorite Chevron car wash station had a four car wait. I went to another Chevron car wash which did a less than good clean. I couldn't wait another day because my car was dirty and I didn't have free time thereafter.

*There was the gym workout Tue night where a few people hogged the machines. I could have worked in. I wanted to go home instead.

*My alarm clock failed to wake me up. It appeared I didn't turn the alarm on.

*Unwanted phone calls. There were too many, and when they rang, I checked the caller ID because my parents were out of the house.

*Unwanted door bell rings. There were too many, and when they rang, I asked my parents if they're expecting someone to visit because most of the time they don't tell me.

*Fuel injection cleaner. I paid a higher priced gas for the second time in the last three pouring fuel injection cleaners in my fuel tank. It's advisable to pour fuel injection cleaner in a near empty gas tank before filling up the gas.

*I used the wrong credit card to pay for some items because the correct credit card I receive a bonus cash back.

*I made an Amazon purchase. It took me too much time to find an item between $4-5 for free shipping. I ended up buying a DVD. I wasted too much time.

*I watched a movie in a movie theater. There was a mentally challenged person in my movie shouting out random words. It bothered me a few times initially. I ignored him thereafter.

*I backed up my car in a parking lot. I waited for neighboring cars to back up before me three times at three different parking lots this week.

Add these little things up and it becomes a big deal.

My solutions are to grind it out. Ride it out. Let it go. Let it be. Stay strong. I realize they suck. It's life. You must learn how to deal with these with a mature attitude and, sometimes, professionally. Stay cool. Focus and remember to be a good guy. I said enough solutions. I believe I understand. I feel a little better letting it all out.

I know these bad moments I experienced many in a short time period is short-term. My life should turn around with good fortunes soon. I hope the short-term ends quickly. I want it today.

Finally, I apologize to the O'Reilly employees for my angry reaction.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

Unemployed Borrowed Time

The common definition of borrowed time is living beyond a point of time he or she should have died. I define a different kind of borrowed time which is long-term unemployed. I speak on behalf of some long-term unemployed living on borrowed time. Personal savings are low. More hiring managers ignore a resume with a growing time gap. Job skills are forgotten--use it or lose it. Professional social skills and business communication skills are getting rusty. New job knowledge is not acquired on the job. Personal morale is weakening. We feel more pessimism. Bad luck. Unfavorable timing. No opportunities.

Life is unfair. Someone wins. Someone loses. Many unemployed live their best earning no income. Every dollar saved counts. There are weekday job searches hoping for an interview. Some unemployed review their existing job skills and/or learns new job skills. We feel depress in June because more college students graduate adding more supply of job candidates. Also, we feel depress when another person got the job instead of us. Age discrimination exists. Some employed treat the unemployed as losers believing we can't find a job in today's low unemployed job market. We don't blame the employed for their misinformation. The employed don't know. The job market is tough. We unemployed know the truth. Layoffs, company mergers, and company reorganization continues. Those employed become unemployed eventually know the truth.

There are bills to pay. We sleep. We eat meals. We find time for leisure. We socialize. We have family obligations. We have personal responsibilities. The world moves forward while we slow down falling behind. The day we accept defeat like a football team losing 48-0 in the fourth quarter arrives soon. Life collects all the unemployed borrowed time. We are the losers.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

Top Ten Movies I Can Watch 100 Times

Blogger's Note: I wrote a similar blog titled Top Ten Movies I Can Watch Again And Again on Apr 14, 2017. My list must be revised.

Everyone has movies which touch them. There's something which attracts us to watch 100 times resulting in the satisfaction entertainment or better to outstanding entertainment. It's like we are investigators who look at evidence videos or professional sports players or coaches who look at past game tapes numerous times getting something new. These movies cheer us up when we feel down. These movies prevent being bored. These movies bring people together.

Shout-outs to TV series Breaking Bad all seasons and Malcolm In The Middle season one and season two. I can watch these episodes 100 times.

Here are the top ten movies I can watch 100 times:

10. Grease (1978). The movie cheers me up when I'm depressed. I like the music. I pictured myself attending high school in the late 1950s during one movie watch. I consider Grease a family movie.

9. For Your Eyes Only (1981). My personal all-time favorite Bond movie. It was the first Bond movie I watched. Humor, action, gadgets, car chase, and a great opening Bond scene.

8. Up (2009). My all time Disney Pixar movie. A family movie children and adults enjoy. There are mature scenes perfectly made for children to understand.

7. Wall Street (1987). The movie about Bud Fox who wanted to be Gordon Gekko realized he was just Bud Fox. Most of the movie regarding business is true today.

6. Aliens (1986). An honorable mention movie in my Top Ten Movies I Can Watch Again And Again blog which shouldn't. The dialogue was written intelligently.

5. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982). An alien was abandoned on earth, a child befriended the alien, and the child helped the alien go home. I wished I had the child's courage when I was in grade school.

4. Stand By Me (1986). Four boys took a journey to find the body of a missing boy before they begin junior high school. It was my first coming-of-age movie.

3. Star Wars IV (1977). Destiny arrived for Luke to leave Tatooine. The farmboy couldn't stay cooped up with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru forever. My favorite scene is Obi-Wan gave Luke his first lesson in The Force inside the Millennium Falcon.

2. A Few Good Men (1992). The only scene I watched was Jack Nicholson taking the witness stand. I watched the scene randomly when I channel surfed in hotel rooms. The last time I watched the scene I was a hospital inpatient. I watched the movie in its entirety after I checked out of the hospital. I can't explain why it took me decades to watch the entire movie. Tom Cruise is a good actor. I'm happy I have the DVD.

Honorable mentions: Gravity, The Dark Knight, Toy Story

1. Good Will Hunting (1997). I watched the movie for the first time in 2014. It's another movie I watch when I feel depressed. I tell myself I'm a good Raymond Mar sincerely. My all time favorite ending and end credits. "It's not your fault." - Sean Maguire

Update On A Past Blog

I wrote a blog titled No Help For Those Behind on Apr 11, 2018. I visited a Bank Of America branch understaffed, card readers couldn't accept embedded chip, and older ATMs in a building built in the 1980s. My regular Bank Of America branch is fully staffed, card readers accepts embedded chip, and ATMs are the latest. Business is unfair. Good branches receive help. Bad branches need help.

I visited an old Bank Of America branch in another city earlier in the week. The city per capita income is higher than my home city. I was shocked to see the same characteristics comparing the two branches including an old building built earlier in the 1970s. I expected a better looking branch with the latest and greatest at least inside. Perhaps the branch was a low performing branch. Ironic.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

No Help For Those Behind

I went to a Bank Of America in another part of my city earlier today. The visit inspires me to write today's blog. Winners receive good things. Losers receive bad things. Or the good performers receive benefits. The good performers take care of themselves. The bad performers get little help. The bad performers are behind needing lots of help. Interpret them anyway you want.

It was decades ago I went to the Bank Of America mentioned above. I ran errands outside my neighborhood. I knew there was a Bank Of America nearby. I entered the bank for which I required teller service. The inside of the bank looked like 1980s. There were Plexiglas security barriers between the tellers and customers. The card machines didn't accept card chip technology. I couldn't determine if their security cameras recorded in HD. I guessed the ATM machines were not updated with the latest features such as security screen and horizontal mirror.

I felt I went to an inferior Bank Of America branch. It was like I visited a loser branch. The line was long because of tellers understaffed. The latest and greatest features are found in the best performing Bank Of America; for example, their card readers accept card chip. Where's the help for these worse performing Bank Of America branches needing upgrades to attract more customers? I must feel grateful my nearby Bank Of America branches include the latest and greatest features. I see many customers. Winners attract customers. Losers repel customers. Winners can get help when needed. Losers can get help if needed. A common saying "life is unfair" applies to business.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

I Owe The World

The world doesn't recognize who I am. Life owes me nothing. I'm invisible. Nobody knows me. I'm in debt to life. I'm in debt to the world. I must earn respect. I must earn recognition. I must earn freedom. Strength, courage, knowledge, grit, intelligence, and wisdom are developing respect, recognition, and freedom. I'm working hard intelligently to be happy.

I have a personal responsibility. I take care of myself. I achieve my happiness with some support. The breakdown is below:

1. Freedom. My freedom is a work in progress. I see freedom living on my own. I see freedom being a mature adult. I work full time being free. I find a long-term relationship with a woman soon.

2. Goodbye. I'm retired watching anime and playing video games which were two long-time hobbies. I say goodbye to some friends. It's time to move on. Perhaps we see each other again.

3. Stay Healthy. I minimize eating processed foods. I workout at the gym four or five days a week. I sleep eight hours a night. I eat three meals a day.

4. Never Stop Learning. I also include reviewing the basics such as databases and Excel. I have been learning Python, CSS, JavaScript, Tableau, Oracle, and more. I realize I have a gift on databases and analysis. I never had training. I learned on the job. My intuition assisted me. I self-teach myself a database foundation. Thank you YouTube videos.

5. New Adventures And New Experiences. I seek new adventures and experience new experiences 24/7. My life is never settled. Life is work, leisure, rest, and self-fulfillment.

One person may ask today's blog is another self-pity blog. My answer is no. Today's blog is for humankind. I owe the world for saving my butt. I was weak. I was naive. I took life for granted. I owe the people who helped me in the past. Much appreciated, people. Thank you, world. Thank you, life. It's time to pay back. I trust one day both the world and life reward me for my hard work. I earn everything working intelligently.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

The Green Steno Notebook 2

The picture above is the notebook I acquired on the first day of my new white collar job. I wrote notes during my job training. I wrote other notes, reminders, and knowledge thereafter. I share many of them. Here is the second blog.

*Sep 2009. I have an above average long term memory. I share some of my past memories:

Sep 1985: I purchased a cinnamon roll in junior high school for $.30.
Summer 1989: I watched Will Clark hit his first career grand slam at Candlestick Park San Francisco Giants vs. Philadelphia Phillies.
Summer 1996: I watched Sailor Moon which introduced me to Japanese Anime.
Sep 2004: I cosplayed for the first time. My cosplay was Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist.
May 2007: I purchased my first car 2005 Toyota Camry.
Fall 1997 and Summer 2009: I watched Titanic twice and UP! twice, respectively, in the movie theaters.
Oct 2008: I read The Choice by Nicholas Sparks which was my first fiction book I read in decades.
Winter 2009: I learned the Fox Trot my first ballroom dance lesson.

*Nov 2009. I created a Twitter account @ININ61 at Monsieur Beans in the Willow Glen neighborhood in San Jose, CA. It was my first time I connected my laptop to a WiFi network outside my home.

*Dec 2009. Police officers and sales people are the best sources for good restaurants. There was an article on best places for breakfast. The list included the following: Lloyd's Donut Kitchen, Country Way, Dino's Family, Queen Donuts, Flames, Country Inn, Jim's Country Style Restaurant, Bill's Cafe, Holder's Country Inn, Greenlee's Bakery, Cafe Rosalena, Santa Cruz Diner, Heavenly Cafe, Sunrise Cafe, and Red Apple.

*Early 2010. I remember watching a movie a donut machine making donuts continuously. The name of the movie is The Donuts released in 1963. The main character's name is Homer. Click The Donuts for the IMDB information.

*Mar 2010. I asked myself the question, "Where are the anime fans in the 1990s?"

*Apr 2010. I believe the following below:

*Have nothing, do nothing, get nothing, be nothing, and people treat you like nothing. Never be a nobody.
*Life is really not that bad. Skip a night watching the news on TV. You may feel better. If you feel better, skip more nights watching the news on TV.
*Curses are meant to be broken.
*Redemption is one of the best ways to learn anything--to learn from your mistakes.
*"I believe" is a great conversation starter.
*Education is not always the answer.

*Apr 2010. Say you have 20 people. Split into groups of four or five. Each group eats at a different restaurant such as Thai, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, or American. It's like a seminar split into smaller groups which satisfies people who prefer small groups. Smaller groups are easier to get to know each other.

*Aug 2010. Cook green beans in two batches in a smaller pot. Cook bok choy in three batches. I wrote the two sentences in Aug 2010. It took me years later to follow through.

*Aug 2010. The standard biological sex symbol for male is the Mars symbol ♂ representing a shield and spear and for female is the Venus symbol ♀ representing a bronze mirror with a handle. Wiki source Gender symbol.

*Oct 2010. Websites Shirt.Woot, Black Friday, Reddit, and Las Vegas Gold Star to find last minute good deals.

*Oct 2010. Watch Love Actually. I actually watched the move in Nov 2011.

*Oct 2010. A rhetorical question is a question asked for effect which neither expects nor require an answer. In other words, don't answer a rhetorical question.

*Dec 2010. My friend Appu told me to watch YouTube tutorials. I followed his advice starting in Jul 2014. Some of the tutorials I watched were Excel, SQL, Python, HTML5, and electricity.

*Dec 2010. Pour milk little by little in a cereal bowl to keep the cereal crunchy.

*Jan 2011. Windows 7. Press the Windows key and the number button together to open the program pinned on the taskbar.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

I Need More Stories

One gauge to determine how good a person's life is stories. Does a person share many stories? It's likely he or she lived a good life. Does a person share few stories? It's likely he or she lived a boring life. Some stories are bad; however, some bad stories have good endings. Lessons are learned. Wisdom acquired. Strength gained. There are tips to improve the quality of stories at the end of today's blog.

I already have stories such as the first time I was an inpatient in a hospital, improving my Mahjong skills, cosplaying, backpacking, late bloomer growing up, ballroom dancing, self-teaching new job skills, local sports teams winning championships, and attended a Paul McCartney concert. I share stories getting married and becoming independent soon. I need stories visiting a European country, visiting Hawaii, playing new board games, making new friends, and improving my cooking skills.

Tell a Story

The scenario is I'm interviewing for a job. One of the interviewers asked me to tell a story. I was inspired from the movie "La La Land" when Emma Stone's character was asked to share a story in a movie casting.

"Okay, it's a risky story. Risky is an incorrect adjective. I can't think of another adjective. Interpret the story on your own terms.

"I want to share a story finding my wife. I'm looking for a woman who is still new in life. She is still fresh. She's behind in life. I'm behind in life. I want her and I to catch up what we missed. I haven't visited a foreign country. Canada doesn't count. There are places I haven't visit in San Francisco, and my home city San Jose. My bucket list includes a Chow Mein pot luck, hosting board game nights, hiking in Hawaii, and an all-time favorite movie night binge. There is a blackout night we pretend there's no electricity we entertain ourselves with candles and flashlights.

"The best example I'm catching up is I drank an alcoholic beverage for the first time when I worked at a retail start-up. Another best example is I both camped and backpacked for the first time when I visited Zion National Park."

Tips To Tell A Good Story

Carmine Gallo wrote the book "The Storyteller's Secret: From TED Speakers to Business Legends, Why Some Ideas Catch On and Other's Don't" shared some rules from The Costco Connection magazine July 2017. Here they are:

*Don't tell a boring story.
*Do tell a story with a clearly defined villain.
*Don't pretend you never had to struggle.
*Do embrace your past and the experiences that define you.
*Don't end the story in the middle.
*Do provide a happy ending.

Side note 1: Alex Haley said the best way to being a speech is, "Let me tell you a story."

Side note 2: A little knowledge is better than a lot of ignorance.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com