My Generation X Sucks

Gen X is known as the forgotten generation. Gen X is between the bigger size and expressive generations Baby Boomers and Millennial or Gen Y. Gen X are people born between 1965 and 1981. Baby Boomers are people born between 1946-1964. Millennials are people born between 1981 and 1996.

Our childhood was latchkey. A latchkey kid is defined as a child left home alone or without supervision for most of the day because their parents are working. Another definition is a child returns to an empty residence after school or after other activities without supervision. We went to school by ourselves. We went home by themselves. We gathered in feral packs. We roamed the streets. The activities included riding bikes, playing baseball, skateboarding, and jumping rope. We included kids we didn't like because of inclusion. There were commercials reminding latchkey parents about their children; for example, a local news commercial said, "It's 10pm. Do you know where your children are?" Our parents said before we exited the front door, "Be home before dinner." Perhaps, our latchkey childhood explained no parental involvement. No guidance. No teaching. No nurturing.

Gen X prefers calls over text. We desire offline communication over online communication. We are more patient. Persistence and grit are true attributes. The process is more valuable than the result. Privacy is paramount. We prefer cash over credit cards.

Some world events included the Vietnam War, Watergate, the energy crisis in the 1970s, AIDS in the 1980s, President Ronald Regan's Reaganomics, Chernobyl, the Berlin Wall collapse, the Cold War ended, and the Apple and IBM personal computers. There were disco, MTV, and Michael Jackson.

The Gunnie Pigs

Gen X are the first people to watch educational television such as Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and Schoolhouse Rock! We experienced changes in music from vinyl records, cassette tapes, CDs, and then mp3s. We experienced changes in communication from typewriters to word processors; from landlines, car phones, pagers, mobile phones, cell phones, and then smart phones; from floppy disks, USB storage devices, email attachments, and then the cloud.

Gen X are the first workers with defined contribution accounts. These accounts are 401(k) and IRA for which the workers are responsible for their retirements. Baby Boomers retirement accounts are defined benefit pensions for which the company funded their retirement accounts. Moreover, we are the first generation both parents worked for dual incomes.

We Gen X juggle our lives by taking care of our children and our aging parents. We care about our families. We make sure our children are active such as dance class, band practices, and sports practices. We make sure our parents arrive at their medical appointments and rehab sessions. On the other hand, our generation saw an increase in the number of divorces.

Further, Gen X struggles with personal finances. It's an economic inflation storm of college tuition, utilities, mortgages or rent, insurances, and bare necessities. Some Gen X support their parents and their adult children. The increase costs make some Gen X work in their 60s and 70s. I hope they don't lose their jobs. They experience ageism while finding employment. They experience some jobs replaced with AI.

The 2000s decade Gen X's 401(k) and IRA declined because of the dot com bubble in Mar 2000 and the real estate bubble in Sep 2008. Our retirement accounts declined during a brief inflation in late 2018, COVID-19 global recession from 2020-2022, and the present inflation. We can be the first generation to experience the Social Security collapse. The forecast is Social Security loses all funding in the year 2033. Payments are decreased by 20% to 25%.

Update On A Past Blog

I wrote blogs blaming my parents for my unsuccessful life or loser life. I forgave them decades ago. It's not entirely my parent's fault. Gen X is to be blamed, too. Here are three blogs I blamed my parents: Top Ten Don't Be My Parents written on Mar 17, 2020, There Are Many Children With Parents Like Mine written on Jun 2, 2014, and Top Ten Lessons My Parents Failed To Teach Me written on May 2, 2013.

Top Ten Plus Five Equals Top Fifteen Moments From Oct 2013 To Aug 2019

Common life wisdoms. Learn from mistakes. Get better. Moments define us. We learn from moments. We grow from moments.

I'm proud no mistakes are repeated between the dates. Something good happened. These 15 moments are good moments and bad moments. There are life pains. There was a literal life pain in Apr 2017. 2016 was the fastest year. 2018 was the unluckiest year. Aug 2019 was the last time daily melancholy stopped. Patience and hard work paid off.

Here are the top ten plus five equals top fifteen moments from Oct 2013 to Aug 2019.

15. The Worst Day Of My Life (Sep 2014). There was a company located in Palo Alto, CA I worked for two days. The business activity was border line illegal. I felt sorry for the uneducated and the unfortunate who needed the job for income.

14. The Golden State Warriors Won The 2015 NBA Finals (Jun 16, 2015). I was less than one year old when the Warriors won the 1975 NBA Finals. It felt good the Warriors won a championship as a conscious awareness human.

13. Breaking Bad (Dec 2012-Dec 2014). My all-time favorite television series. The show is number one in the IMDb Top 250 TV Shows.

12. Pacific Mahjong League (Mar 2015-Feb 2019) and South Bay Mahjong (Aug 2015-Aug 2019 continue). Shoutouts to the Mahjong groups playing Hong Kong and Riichi styles. I include a Riichi self-promotion to intermediate level in 2017. The South Bay Mahjong continues past Aug 2019.

11. South Bay Job Search Network (Oct 14, 2013). I joined a local job networking group. Their experiences and their knowledge helped me get a job in Nov 2013. I used their information to improve my job search. They inspired me to continue learning new job skills and to continue reviewing my existing job skills. Joining the CSIX job networking group is included in the moment.

I include all job interviews in moment number 11. If you want me to share job interview stories, then we eat either lunch or dinner. Coffee is too short.

10. Steve Jobs (Feb 26, 2016). I read the late Jobs' biography Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Steve Jobs is my all-time favorite book. Lessons learned. Wisdom acquired. Click Steve Jobs Compilation Blog I wrote on Aug 12, 2020 to read my past Steve Jobs blogs.

9. Artisan Wine Depot (Nov 2013-Sep 2014) and Palo Alto Networks (Nov 2014-May 2015). I combine these two companies which failed to strengthen my resume. The experiences from the mistakes and the politics inapplicable on a resume were greater than the work experience itself.

8. Joaquin Miller Park (Oct 6, 2018). A friend recommended hiking at Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland, CA hills. I include the four hikes at the end of 2019. There were the San Pedro Valley Park And McNee Ranch State Park in Pacifica, CA in Aug 2019, another Joaquin Miller in Oct 2019, Castle Rock State Park in Nov 2019, and Mission Peak in Dec 2019.

7. Mission Peak (Sep 2015, Sep 2016, and Feb 2017). The Mission Peak moments receive a separate entry. I hiked the Hidden Valley trail ascending to the 2,517 feet elevation peak. Mission Peak is located in Fremont, CA.

6. Zion National Park (Oct 3-4, 2015 and Sep 16-17, 2016). My cousin organized the two visits to Zion National Park. My first time visiting Utah. My first time in the Mountain Time Zone. My first time camping. My first time backpacking.

5. Retired From Japanese Anime (Sep 20, 2014). Anime gave me experiences, adventures, lessons learned, and fun memories. It was time to move on. New priorities. New choices. Click Top Ten My All Time Favorite Anime Series I wrote on Sep 20, 2014 to read my all-time favorite anime series. Full Metal Alchemist is my all-time favorite anime series.

4. New Webpage Design (Jun 29, 2016). The 2015 and 2016 job training inspired me to redesign my webpage using Sublime Text, relearning HTML, learning JavaScript, and learning CSS.

3. The Real Job Training (Oct-Nov 2014 and May 2015-Aug 2019 continue). The skills include Power BI, R-Studio, Excel, Python, and SQL. YouTube videos, online education, books, articles, and online posts are my learning sources. My self job training continues past Aug 2019.

2. Restaurant Closed On Tuesdays (Tue Dec 4, 2018). It was the first time I saw a restaurant closed on Tuesdays. Not Mondays. Tuesdays. The event summed up year 2018. Bad luck. Bad timing. Misfortunes. Missed chances. Missed opportunities.

1. O'Connor Hospital (Apr 2-Apr 6, 2017). I was admitted as an in-patient requiring two surgeries. The first surgery was Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones. The second surgery was Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder. The doctors diagnosed me with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. I wrote the blog Top Ten Daily Changes After O'Connor Hospital on Oct 21, 2017. I changed number seven New Jobs Search Schedule to one day from Mon to Sat.

My Vocabulary Dictionary

Words Numbers
4H: Head, heart, hands, health. We learn to do by doing.

Words A-C
Absence Of Malice: a requirement against defamation in a court of law. In journalism, it brings to attention the conflict between disclosing personal information and the public's right to know.
accursed: infallible. Absolutely trustworthy or sure. Unfailing in effectiveness or operation; certain.
acumen: keen discernment; insight; the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions
adjudicate: to reach a judicial decision on something, to make an official decision
algorithm: a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer
aloof: not friendly or forthcoming; distant; disinterested
altruism: the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others. The principle and moral practice of concern for happiness of other lives.
anecdotal: not necessarily true or reliable based on personal accounts rather than facts or research. Based on reports or observations from unscientific observations. Unreliable; hearsay; unscientific. anecdote is a brief story, usually told because it is relevant to the subject at hand. An anecdote a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature. A short, obscure historical or biographical account.
antagonist: a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another, opponent, adversary. The adversary of the hero or protagonist of a drama or other literary work.
apathy: lack of interest in anything
aphantasia: [a-fan-tas-ia] the inability to visualize images in the brain. Mind blindness.
apolitical: not political; of no political significance
apprehensive: anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen
arbitrage: the simultaneous buying and selling of securities, currency, or commodities in different markets or in derivative forms in order to take advantage of different prices for the same asset. Buy and sell assets using arbitrage.
asinine: extremely stupid or foolish; unintelligent or silly; devoid of intelligence
assuage: to make milder or less severe; relieve; ease; mitigate; soothe, calm
astringent: 1 causing the contraction of skin cells and other body tissues. 2 taste or smell slightly acidic or bitter.
atomic: 1 of or relating to or comprising atoms. 2 of, using, or powered by nuclear energy; a source of immense power. 3 immeasurably small; an extremely small amount of a thing.
atrocious: 1 horrifying wicked. 2 of a very poor quality; extremely bad or unpleasant. Brutal, barbaric, appalling, cruel, awful.
attrition: the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure; wearing down; wearing away; weakening
au pair: a young foreign person, typically a woman, who helps with housework or child care in exchange for room and board
autoimmune disease: a disease the body's immune system attacks healthy cells
automaton: a machine moving by itself, designed to follow predetermined sequence of operations
awning: a covering attached to a building or residence
axiom: a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true
axiomatic: [ax-e-o-matic] self-evident or unquestionable; obviously true; accepted. For example, it's axiomatic good athletes have a strong mental attitude. It seems axiomatic people benefit from a good education.
bane: a person or thing that ruins or spoils. A deadly poison. Death; destruction; ruin.
benign: gentle and kindly. Not harmful in effect such as a benign medical condition; no cancer in a condition, tumor, or growth.
bereavement: [be-reav-ment] loss, grief, sorrow, sadness, death in the family, passing, passing away, decease.
blight: a specific symptom affecting plants in response to infection by a pathogenic organism
blithe: 1 happy, cheerful, carefree. 2 casually indifferent.
bravado: a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate
capricious: tend to make sudden and unpredictable changes
carnauba: a fan palm with an edible root and leaves that yield carnauba wax. A carnauba tree.
catatonic: purifying. Producing a feeling of being purified emotionally, spiritually, or psychologically as a result of intense emotional experience or therapeutic technique.
catharsis: purification or purgation of the emotions (such as pity and fear) primarily through art, writing, theater, or music; spiritual renewal or release from tension
cay: a small low island; key
chyron: [ki-ron] a text-based graphic caption superimposed on a television screen or film frame; close captioning
cinderella liberty: a Navy jargon which is a shore pass which ends at midnight
cisgender: a person with gender identity is the same as their sex assigned at birth. Opposite of transgender.
clinch: 1 to settle a matter decisively. 2 to secure an object by beating object down. 3 boxing: to hold the opponent in the arms or body to prevent the opponent's punches. 4 slang: to embrace.
cockamamie: [cock-a-may-mie] ridiculous; implausible; pointless; stupid or silly
cohort: a group of people with commonality being together
compass rose: a diagram on a map displaying the directional orientation north, east, south, and west
concerto: a composition for one or more principal instruments, with orchestral accompaniment
concoct: 1 to create something by mixing or combining various ingredients in a new way. 2 to think up a story or plan.
conscientious objector: an individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service
conservatorship: legally defined as a court case where a judge appoints an individual or organization, called the conservator, to care for someone who "cannot care" for themselves or who cannot manage their own finances
contentious: causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial
coolly: in a way that lacks friendliness or enthusiasm
copyright trap: a publisher intentionally places wrong or fictitious information, so that if someone copies from them they can find out. Common examples are made-up cities and words in maps and dictionaries.
cordial: [kawr-juhl] As an adjective, courteous and gracious; friendly; warm. Sincere; heartfelt. As a noun, a strong, sweetened, aromatic alcoholic liquor; liqueur.
cordon: a line of circle of police, soldiers, or guards prevent access to or from an area or building. Prevent access to or from an area or building by surrounding it with police or other guards. The troops cordon around the headquarters. The city center was cordoned off after fires were discovered in two stores.
corollary: 1 a proposition which follows from and is often appended to one already proved. A proposition that follows directly from the proof of another proposition. 2 a direct or natural consequence or result; for example, the huge increases in unemployment were the corollary of expenditure cuts.
cull (verb): to remove as worthless. Remove an inferior thing or person from a larger groups.
culpable: deserve blame. Merits condemnation. Guilty, criminal, blameworthy.
cyclic: occurring in cycles; regularly repeated

Words D-F
daft: 1 silly, foolish British informal. 2 mad, insane British informal.
day of reckoning: the time when one is called to account for one's actions, to pay one's debts, or to fulfill one's promises or obligations
debutante: a young woman making a debut into society
decrement: a reduction or diminution. A gradual decrease in quality or quantity. Becoming smaller or shorter.
delectable: delightful, highly pleasing, enjoyable; delicious
demigod: a being with partial or lesser divine status such as a minor deity, the offspring of a god and a mortal, or a mortal raised to divine rank. Part human and part divine or part human and part deity.
dilemma: a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones. A difficult situation or problem. An argument forcing an opponent to choose either of two unfavorable alternatives.
discombobulate: to throw into a state of confusion; upset; frustrate
disintermediate: to remove middlemen from a transaction, supply chain, or decision making process. Reduce or eliminate intermediaries between producers and consumers.
dole: a portion or allotment of money, food, etc.; distributing. To distribute in charity.
dote: 1 to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually. 2 to show a decline of mental faculties, especially associated with old age.
dowager: a widow with a title or property derived from her late husband
dox: search for and publish private or identifying information about an individual on the internet with malicious intent. Doxxed is past tense or past participle. Doxing or doxxing is the act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organization, usually via the Internet and without their consent to do so; for example, post a drivers license id on social media with contact information. A cyberbullying.
Drinking The Kool-Aid: refers to a person or people believing in something usually negative without examination
dysentery: bacterial diarrhea which is bloody diarrhea. The symptoms are fever, abdominal pain, and incomplete defecation. Causes include contaminated food and contaminated water with feces.
ELI5: explain like I'm 5
elucidate: make clear, explain, clarify
emaciated: [uh-mish-e-a-ted] abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of nutrition; malnutrition
embellish: to make something more attractive, interesting, or entertaining by adding details or features, especially ones not true
embolism: blockage of artery. A condition in which an artery is blocked by an embolus, usually a blood clot formed at one piece in the circulatory and then lodging in another.
endearment: a word or phrase expressing love or affection
engender: to produce, cause, or give rise to
enigma: somebody or someone not easily explained or understood
entailment: 1 a relationship between sentences where one sentence is true if the others are; for example, "Her son drives her to work every day" and "Her son knows how to drive" are related by entailment. Logical consequence.
entropy: a state of disorder or a gradual decline into disorder; chaos
ephemeral: [uh-feh-mir-uhl] anything short-lived. Lasting a very short time. For example, the ephemeral joys of childhood, a passing fancy, youth's transient beauty, and love is transitory yet it is essential.
erudite: having or showing great knowledge gained from studying and reading
esquire: (initial capital letter) an unofficial title of respect, having no precise significance
estrange: to cause somebody to stop feeling friendly or affectionate toward somebody else or sympathetic towards a tradition or belief
excelsior: a Latin word meaning ever upward
exogamy: marriage outside a specific tribe or similar social unit
expedient: [x-pee-di-ent] 1 appropriate, advisable, or useful requires action. 2 an advantage.
extort: to wrest or wring money or information from a person by violence, intimidation, or abuse of authority; obtain by force, torture, threat, or the like
facade: 1 the front of a building, especially an imposing or decorative one; any side of a building facing a public way or space and finished accordingly. 2 a superficial appearance or illusion of something.
fallible: capable of making mistakes or being erroneous
fealty: 2 fidelity; faithfulness
feral cat: a domesticated cat returned to the wild. In contrast, a stray cat is a pet cat lost or abandoned.
fibromyalgia: a chronic muscle pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and widespread tenderness
flabbergasted: greatly surprised or astonished; shocked
fledge: to raise a young bird until it's able to fly.
fledgling: an inexperienced, immature, underdeveloped person
forbear: to refrain or abstain from; withhold. To hold back, to be patient.
foregone conclusion: a result that is obvious to everyone even before it happens. A result that can be predicted with certainty. An inevitable conclusion or result.
fornication: voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or two persons not married to each other
fritter: a word describing a wide variety of fried foods

Words G-I
gallows: a structure, typically of two uprights and a crosspiece, for the hanging of criminals; execution by hanging
garden variety: of the usual or ordinary type; commonplace
going commando: not wearing any underwear
golden handcuffs: an employer defers payments and benefits to an employee to prevent him or her working at another company
granular: resembling or consisting of small grains or particles. Finely detailed, highly detailed; having many small and distinct parts as in granular reports.
greenwash: a superficial or insincere display of concern for the environment by an organization; the process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company's products are more environmentally sound
grift: a group of methods for obtaining money falsely through the use of swindles, frauds, dishonest gambling, etc.
gully: a small valley or ravine originally worn away by running water or prolonged rains. (slang) of or relating to the environment, culture, or life experience in poor urban neighborhoods.
haircut: 1 the act or process of cutting and shaping the hair. 2 a reduction in the value of an asset such as a stock or a bond.
harbor feelings: to have a thought or feeling in your mind for a long time
harlot: a prostitute
hedonism: the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence
hegemony: leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others. Aggression or expansionism by large nations in an effort to achieve world domination.
hemorrhage: a medical term for heavy discharge of blood from the blood vessels; ruptured blood vessel. A rapid or uncontrollable loss or outflow; the loss of assets.
heuristic: 1 encouraging discovery of solutions; discover solutions. 2 involving trial and error.
heuristicism: a method of solving a problem for which no formulas exist based from methods or experiences
hovel: a small, squalid, unpleasant, or simply constructed dwelling
hubris: excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance
hygge: a Danish term to relax with good friends or loved ones with food and drinks
hypochondriac: a person who is often or always worried about his or her own health. An excessive preoccupation with or anxiety about one's health.
hypocrisy: a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral, or religious beliefs or principles, etc. that one does not really possess. A pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.
idiosyncrasy: a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual
idyllic: [i-dill-ic] serenely beautiful, untroubled, and happy
impassive: without emotion; apathetic; unloved
impertinence: lack of respect; rudeness
impertinent: not showing proper respect; rude. Not pertinent to a particular matter; irrelevant.
improv: short for improvisational theater. The actors make up scenes, dialogue, and characters on the spot. An improv time length is short lasting minutes.
incorrigible: a person not able to correct, improve, or reform their bad tendencies; uncontrollable, unruly
increment: Something added or gained; addition; increase. The act or process of increasing; growth.
indefinable: not able to be defined or described exactly. Hard to define. Hard to describe.
indict: formally accuse of or charge with a serious crime. To charge with a crime by the finding or presentment of a jury in due form of law.
ineffable: incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible
inept: lacking the competence or skill for a particular task
infallible: incapable of making mistakes or being wrong; never fail; always effective. Absolutely trustworthy or sure.
inimitable: so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique. Can't be imitated. Can't be copied.
insinuate: suggest or hint in an indirect and unpleasant way. Usually something bad or reprehensible.
insufferable: not to be endured; intolerable; unbearable
inure: [in-nor] to accustom to accept something undesirable. Frequent exposure to something bad; accustomed. Get used to something difficult or unpleasant. Past participle is inured. Law definition is come into operation; take effect.
irascible: having or showing a tendency to be easily angered

Words J-L
jackal: 2 a person who performs dishonest or base deeds as the follower or accomplice of another. 3 a person who performs menial or degrading tasks for another.
jaded: tired, bored, worn out, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something
jewel: a person unique, beautiful, pure, sweet like an angel; a precious possession; a person or thing treasured
juxtapose: to place or deal with close together for contrasting effect; black and white photos of slums were starkly juxtaposed with color images
keel: the longitudinal structure along the centerline at the bottom of a vessel's hull, on which the rest of the hull is built, in some vessels extended downward as a blade or ridge to increase stability. Base. Bottom. Bottom side.
kleptomania: a recurrent urge to steal, typically without regard for need or profit. A persistent neurotic impulse to steal especially without economic motive.
knee-jerk: readily predictable, react without thinking, react by a habitual manner
lame duck: an official (especially the president) in the final period of office, after the election of a successor
latchkey kid: a child left home alone or without supervision for most of the daylight because their parents are working. A child returns to an empty home after school or other activities without supervision.
leeway: the amount of freedom to move or act that is available. An allowable margin of freedom or variation; tolerance.
loath: unwilling; reluctant; disinclined; averse
loathe: to feel disgust or intense aversion for; abhor
lobotomize: 1 surgical operation nerves at the prefrontal lobe of brain severed. 2 make someone sluggish, mentally numb, lack energy, vitality.

Words M-O
macabre: to include gruesome and horrific details of death and decay
magnanimous: generous in forgiving an insult or injury, especially toward a rival or less powerful person
magnolia: any shrub or tree of the genus Magnolia, having large, usually fragrant flowers and an aromatic bark, much cultivated for ornament. Also the state flower of Louisiana and Mississippi.
maintain: to keep in existence or continuance; preserve; retain. To keep in an appropriate condition, operation, or force.
masticate: to chew
maven: an expert or connoisseur. A person who acquires knowledge.
melodramatic: behaving, speaking, done, or said in a way which is more dramatic, shocking, or highly emotional that the situation demands
microcosm: a little world; a world in miniature
mimosa: a cocktail drink composed of champagne or sparkling wine and citrus fruit juice
misassembled: to put the parts of something together in an incorrect manner; to assemble wrongly
misogyny: dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women
morbid: an unusual interest in disturbing and unpleasant subjects such as death and disease. A curiosity in grisly or gruesome matters
mutually exclusive: two or more things can't happen or exist at the same time. Or things which contradict each other.
myopic: lacking in foresight or discernment; narrow in perspective and without concern for broader implications. Lacking tolerance or understanding. Nearsighted.
mystic (noun): a person who claims to attain, or believes in the possibility of attaining, insight into mysteries transcending ordinary human knowledge, as by direct communication with the divine or immediate intuition in a state of spiritual ecstasy
mystic (adjective): involving or characterized by esoteric, otherworldly, or symbolic practices or content, as certain religious ceremonies and art; spiritually significant; ethereal
nebulous: hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused; hard to define
nefarious: a wicked or criminal action or activity. Crime. Villain. Evil.
nepotism: the unfair practice by a powerful or influential person of giving jobs and other favors to family and relatives
nihilist: a person who believes life is meaningless and rejects all religious and moral principles. Nihilism is a philosophy negating knowledge, the meaning of life, and morals.
non sequitur: a conclusion or reply which doesn't follow logically from the previous statement; a reply which has no relevance. A statement containing an illogical conclusion.
normalize: to make something normal or return something to normal, or become or return to normal. Make conform.
nothingburger: something that is or turns out to be insignificant or lacking in substance. Not deliver in promise. Nothing, nobody.
nubile: 1 (of a young woman) suitable for marriage. 2 (of a young person, usually a woman) sexually developed and attractive.
odious: deserving or causing hatred; hateful; detestable. Highly offensive; repugnant; disgusting.
oligarchy: a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution. Government by the few. The government in which power rests with a small number of people.
omniscient: knowing or seeming to know everything. I'm the omniscient narrator.
op-ed: short for opposite the editorial page. Also opinion editorial.

Words P-R
pagan: [a broad definition] a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized religions
pageantry: elaborate display or ceremony. Spectacular display.
palimony: a form of alimony awarded to one of the partners in a romantic relationship after the breakup of that relationship following a long period of living together
panacea: 1 a remedy for all disease or ills; cure-all. 2 an answer or solution for all problems or difficulties.
panache: flamboyant or grand confidence of style or manner. Verve; style; flair. A stylish, original, and very confident way of doing things which makes people admire you.
pander: a person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others
parasite: 1 an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment. 2 a person who receives support, advantage, or the like, from another or others without giving any useful or proper return, as one who lives on the hospitality of others.
parenthetical: relating to or inserted as a parenthesis
parity: the state or condition of being equal, especially regarding status or pay. (of a number) the fact of being even or odd.
parlay: turn an initial stake or winnings from a previous bet into a greater amount in gambling. A cumulative series of bets in which winnings accruing from each transaction are used as a stake for a further bet.
parochial: 1 of or relating to a church parish. 2 confined or restricted; limited or narrow in scope or outlook.
partisan: a strong supporter of a person, group, or cause. A resistance fighter.
patrician: an aristocrat or nobleman. High social rank. A person of high birth. A group of ruling class families in ancient Rome.
pauper: a very poor person
pedantic: of or like a pedant. Pedantic describes a person who annoys others by correcting small errors, caring too much about minor details, or emphasizing their own expertise especially in some narrow or boring subject matter.
pedestrian (adjective): lacking uninspired or excitement; dull. Lacking in vitality, imagination, distinction.
penchant: a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something. A strong inclination, taste, or liking for something.
pensive: engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought
peregrine: coming from another region or country; stranger; wanderer
perfidy: treachery or deceit
perpetual: lasting forever, lasting indefinitely, occurring repeatedly
perverse: willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary; disobedient
phallocentric: focused on or concerned with the phallus or penis as a symbol of male dominance. Dominated by male attitudes. Having the male, or male sexual feelings or activity, as the main subject of interest.
phallus: a penis. An erect penis. Used to reference male potency or male dominance. An object resembles a penis.
philanderer: a person who frequently enters into casual sexual relationships or affairs; a womanizer
pinnace: a small boat, with sails or oars, forming part of the equipment of a warship or other large vessel
placate: to make someone less angry or hostile. To pacify by concessions or conciliatory gestures. Stop someone from feeling angry. Appease, soothe, pacify, comfort, calm.
pliable: flexible and easily bent. Easily persuaded or influenced.
polarize: to break up into opposing factions or groupings; divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs
polymer: a natural or synthetic compound that consists of large molecules made of many chemically bonded smaller identical molecules; for example, starch and nylon
pompous: excessively elevated or ornate; having or exhibiting self-importance or arrogance. Characterized by an ostentatious display of dignity or importance. Conceited. Inflated ego.
posh: sumptuously furnished or appointed; luxurious; very classy or sophisticated
posthumously: after the death of the originator
Potter's field: slang for an unmarked burial ground. Pauper's grave, common grave. Unknown, unclaimed, or indigent people are buried.
precipice: a very steep rock face or cliff. Close to a bad situation or dangerous situation.
premeditated: an action thought out or planned beforehand. Full conscious willful intent and a measure of forethought and planning. Thought of or planned before being done. Planned in advance with a purpose; no accident. Done deliberately. Planned in advanced. Planned. Calculated. Deliberate.
proselyte: a new convert to a religious faith or political doctrine
protagonist: the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work. A proponent for or advocate of a political cause, social program, etc. The leader or principal person in a movement, cause, etc.
punitive: inflicting or intended as punishment. Extremely high taxing or charging.
purgatory: in Roman Catholic, a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are explaining their sins before going to heaven. Having the quality of cleansing or purifying.
putative: generally considered or reputed to be. Commonly accepted or supposed. To be known as something by reputation or generally accepted.
QED: Latin for quod erat demonstrandum. Translated as that which was to be demonstrated.
quagmire: 2 an awkward, complicated, or dangerous situation difficult to escape
quorum: the smallest number of people who must be at a meeting for official decisions to be made by voting
reckoning: count; computation; calculation. The settlement of accounts as between two companies. Bill. An accounting, as for things received or done. An appraisal or judgment.
red herring: something intended to divert attention from the real problem or matter at hand; a misleading clue
regurgitate: bring swallowed food up again to the mouth. Repeat information without analyzing or comprehending it. Taken in at least partially digested and then spit back out. To bring back swallowed food into the mouth or back up through one's throat and out the mouth. Repeating facts.
remunerate: to pay, recompense, or reward for work, trouble, etc.
resonant: strong and deep in tone; echoing, as sounds
revenant: a person who returns; a person who returns as a spirit after death
rhetorical question: a question asked for effect that neither expects nor require an answer
rue: to feel sorry over; repent of; regret bitterly. To wish that something had never been done, taken place, etc. To feel sorrow, repentance, or regret. Sorry, repentance, regret.

Words S-U
sanctimonious: making a show of being morally superior to other people. Acting as if morally better than others. self-righteous; moralist; righteousness.
satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices
sea grape: plant native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean
secular: of or pertaining to worldly things or to things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred
sentient: capable of feeling and perception. Capable of responding emotionally rather than intellectually.
shill: an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others; one who acts as a decoy. To act as a spokesperson or promoter.
skibidi: [skip-pity] comes from a series of extremely popular YouTube videos titled "skibidi toilet." A nonsense word which means nothing.
skittish: 1 nervous or easily scared. 2 lively or playfully unpredictable.
sobriquet: a person's nickname
sportswash: an individual, group, corporation, or government using sports to improve their tarnished reputation hosting a sporting event, the purchase a sports team, or by participation in the sport itself
subsequent: 1 occurring or coming later or after. 2 following in time or order. Something that comes after something else.
succinct: short and clear; short and to the point
sundries: items, especially small, miscellaneous items of little value
sunset clause: a sunset clause is a provision in a contract, law, or regulation that automatically expires on a specified date or after a certain event. It essentially puts a time limit on the agreement or law, requiring renewal or modification to keep it in effect beyond that deadline.
superficial: existing or occurring at or on the surface. Appearing to be the true or real only until examined more closely.
superfluous: being more than is sufficient or required; excessive. Unnecessary or needless.
suprarational: beyond rational comprehension; based on or involving factors not to be comprehended by reason alone
sycophant: a person who tries to win favors from wealthy or influential people by flattering them up; a flatter; a suck up. A servile self-seeking person.
taciturn: [tass-a-turn] habitually uncommunicative or reserved in speech and matter
tertiary: third in order or level; in geology, the first period of the Cenozoic era
Timbuktu: slang for a place or location too far away. Timbuctoo is the incorrect spelling.
tonic immobility: can cause humans to be involuntary paralyzed during a trauma moment
transcendent: going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding; exceeding usual limits
trepidation: tremulous fear or alarm; perturbation. A feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen.
trope: a word, phase, expression, or image that is used in a figurative way for rhetorical effect
tumescence: the quality or state of being tumescent. Ready for sexual activity marked especially by vascular congestion of the sex organs. The normal engorgement with blood of the erectile tissues, marking sexual excitation, and possible readiness for sexual activity.
tumescent: swollen or becoming swollen, especially as a response to sexual arousal
turd: a lump of excrement. A person regarded as obnoxious or contemptible.
uncanny: strange, mysterious, or unfamiliar, especially in an unsettling way. Being beyond what is normal or expected.
unequivocally: in a way which leaves no doubt. Clear and unambiguous.
ungodly: irreligious or immoral. Unreasonably. Denying or disobeying God. Extremely unacceptable.
uppity: self-important, arrogant, superiority, presumptuous

Words V-Z
veranda or verandah: a roofed, open-air hallway or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure.
vicarious: performed, exercised, received, or suffered in place of another. Taking the place of another person or thing; acting or serving as a substitute.
vicariously: in a way that is experienced in the imagination through the actions of another person
vindictive: having or showing a strong desire for revenge motivated by a feeling of injustice or hurt; unwilling to forgive
virile: [ve-ril] having strength, energy, and a strong sex drive. Strength. Full of energy.
visceral: 2 relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect; emotions over intelligence; instinctive. 1 relating to the viscera or internal organs in a body.
vitriol: something highly caustic or severe in effect as criticism
voir dire: the questioning of prospective jurors by a judge and attorneys in court; jury selection. French for to see and to say.
wallflower: (slang) someone who could be called shy, someone who doesn't feel comfortable around other people. They don't like to have attention on them because it makes them uncomfortable.
watershed: a turning point, or historic moment; e.g., the day you got your braces off might have been a watershed moment in your life. A turning point, the exact moment that changes the direction of an activity or situation. A watershed moment is a dividing point, from which things will never be the same. A critical turning point in time where everything changes that will never be the same as before.
whitewash: to gloss over or cover up an error, a fault, or some wrongdoing. In sports, it's to hold an opponent scoreless.
winsome: charming, especially with a naive and innocent quality
wistful: having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing. Melancholy. Sad longing. Sad appearance. Thinking sadly about something. Full of yearning.
yule log: a large log of wood that traditionally formed the backlog of the fire at Christmas

People Waited Inside Cars At REI

I arrived at my local REI on Sun May 25, 2025 at 9:50am to avoid the big crowd during the Anniversary Sale. I was the second customer at the front door waiting for the 10:00am open. The REI staff were outside for the preparation meeting. All other customers waited inside their cars. Waited inside? We're REI customers. We're supposed to be outdoors. The customers waiting inside might have their reasons. Maybe some stayed warm inside the unseasonably cooler morning. Maybe some were on a phone call. Maybe some wanted to avoid the crowd at the front entrance due to COVID-19. I wore my mask. Everyone waited at the front entrance at 9:59am.

I purchased a Swiss Army Knife Huntsman for my nephew's high school graduation. My total shopping time was seven minutes. The shopping time could be five minutes if I didn't browse the lighters briefly and unexpectedly waited longer at the checkout line because the two customers ahead of me conversed with their cashiers. I exited REI to my parked car. I was surprised the number of cars doubled in the parking lot. It was the REI Anniversary Sale.

The Amazon eCommerce Is A Factor For Small Businesses Demise

I went to a local bookstore to purchase a book for a graduation present. The book was not in stock. The book is a New York Times Bestseller in the triple digits weeks on the list. I needed to special order. The wait time was one week.

The one week wait was a small deal because I shopped early before the graduation date. On the other hand, if I needed the book immediately, then I shopped at Barnes & Noble. The local bookstore lost a sale and lost a customer due to lack of inventory.

No Benefit Of The Doubt

Today's blog I call out the ownership and management of small businesses. The big box stores and the big eCommerce retailers attract many customers due to lower prices, greater inventory, and fast shipping. No excuses for the small businesses. Any businesses struggling is ownership and management fault. Any businesses in bankruptcy ownership made bad choices. There are exceptions. Small businesses can't control the market. Small businesses can't control the economy.

I want to support small businesses. Small businesses keep cities alive. If ownership and management practice competence, then customers continue utilizing small businesses goods and services.

Graduating High School Seniors All Back At Square One

My nephew graduated high school yesterday. There were 750 out of 800 graduating seniors who attended their ceremony held in the football field. No tickets were required. Seniors could invite any number of family members and friends. The open seating area on the field was full. Both sides of the bleachers were filled. Some family members and friends disobeyed the graduation ceremony rules. No big deal at the end of the evening. The graduating seniors met with their family members and friends to share a once in a lifetime moment.

There was a commonality when all graduating seniors received their diplomas. They're all even. They're promoted to high school graduate level 1. A new experience points system is activated. Everyone starts with zero points. Everyone opens a new book starting at chapter 1. Level the playing field.

It doesn't matter who were the high school students. Athletes, trouble makers, C average 2.0, goths, rockers, skaters, geeks, loners, straight A 4.0+, popular students, gamers, and good looking students. If the term "college preps" still exists, then they're included. Weirdos, fat students, bullies, bullied, special ed, and bad looking students. All high school students were included.

The rumors disappeared. The mistakes learned. Popularity no more. No more ranking students in *fill in the blank*. Send the bad memories to vault. There were bygones. There was forgiveness. The past is the past. The past four years matters none. The end arrived. High school is over more for better and less for worse. Time to say goodbye.

Boring Ceremony Not Boring

Parents and younger siblings who said high school graduation was boring must take it back. Retract the boring feeling. If parents said high school graduation was boring, then their high school graduation was boring, too. If younger siblings said high school graduation was boring, then their high graduation is going to be boring. The siblings are going to graduate soon.

High school graduation is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Nobody must screw up a once in a lifetime moment.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog May 2025

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. COVID-19 is back in the headlines. The latest strain is the NB.1.8.1. The last time I mentioned a strain was the XEC from the Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog December 2024 blog written on Jan 3, 2025. May 2025 was like Jan 2020. More people are wearing masks. May 2025 was faster than Apr 2025.

Thur May 1. China blamed the US for the origin of COVID-19. China said COVID-19 was present in the US earlier than officially announced; in other words, COVID-19 came from the US before the outbreak in China. China accused the US of a lack of effort to defeat COVID-19. The country recognized the World Health Organization (WHO) study COVID-19 was likely transmitted from bats to humans via another animal.

Fri May 2. Health And Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. changed how vaccines are tested. All new vaccines need placebo-controlled clinical trials. Some people receive the actual vaccine. The other people receive the placebo vaccine.

However, flu vaccines are tested by updating the present vaccine with the flu variant. The testing determines an immune response against the variant. The updated COVID-19 vaccines copy the flu vaccines model. mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were designed to easily update for COVID-19 variant strains. The updates take months. Vaccine makers receive the updated COVID-19 strain in the spring. The doses are ready in the fall.

The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) vaccine advisory committee meets in May or Jun to recommend the strains for the next updated vaccine. If the FDA deems Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines as new vaccines, then the doses are unlikely available in the fall. The drugmakers must conduct an actual trial as if the updated vaccine is a new vaccine.

Thur May 8. Ran errands at AAA and Safeway. Visited Calibear Cyber Cafe.

Mon May 12. Shopped at Nob Hill first thing in the morning.

China, Thailand, Singapore, and Taiwan reported increase in COVID-19 cases.

Sat May 17. The FDA approved the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is the only protein-based COVID-19 vaccine in the US. The full approval is for adults age 65 and older or people age 12 to 64 with an underlying risk condition.

Mon May 19. Ran errands at the post office, Stevens Creek Surplus, REI, Nob Hill, Books, Inc., Costco, and Chevron.

Wed May 21. The FDA told Pfizer and Moderna to add warning labels on their mRNA COVID-19 vaccines about the risk of heart injury side effects. The warnings affect Pfizer and BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine and Moderna Spikevax vaccine. The earlier warning labels specified males age 18 to 24 for Moderna and males age 12 to 17 for Pfizer. The new warning applies to males age 16 to 25 for both vaccines.

The FDA announced a plan to limit future COVID-19 vaccine shots to people over 65 years old or people with an underlying health condition. The change applies to future updated vaccine versions. Annual booster shots are not worth the risk for healthy people. However, vaccine makers can pay for trials to test future updated vaccine versions for younger people or healthier people. The new plan recommendation matches other countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

There is scientific debate whether annual boosters are necessary for young and healthy children and young adults. Most Americans have immunity from past vaccinations and infections. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) vaccine committee discussed keeping the recommendation people age 6 months and older receive an annual COVID-19 vaccine.

The CDC reported an average of 300 people died each week in the US. The average was 1,000 in Jan 2025.

Thur May 22. The CDC detected the COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 from international travelers at airports in CA, WA, and VA. The NB.1.8.1 was detected in New York City. The international travelers came from many countries including Japan, South Korea, France, Thailand, Netherlands, Spain, China, and Taiwan from Apr 22, 2025 to May 12, 2025. OH, RI, and HI reported positive NB.1.8.1 cases.

The variant is dominant in China and parts of Asia. China researchers preliminary research found the variant is no better evading the immune system compared to past strains. However, the variant is more transmissible.

Fri May 23. Ran afternoon errands at Costco. Ran evening errands at Lucky and Nob Hill.

Sun May 25. Shopped at REI first thing in the morning.

Tue May 27. Secretary Kennedy announced healthy children and pregnant women are removed from the CDC's prevention immunization schedule for COVID-19. The immunization schedule is a guide for doctors, insurance coverage, and Medicaid programs which includes government purchasing vaccines.

The latest CDC data reported 13% of children received the latest COVID-19 vaccine as of late Apr 2025. The rate was 14.2% in Apr 2024. 14.4% of pregnant women received the latest COVID-19 vaccine as of late Apr 2025. The rate was 12.3% in Apr 2024.

Thur May 29. Shopped for used books at the Saratoga Library and Los Gatos Library. Visited Sports Basement and Books, Inc.

Fri May 30. The CDC updated the COVID-19 prevention immunization schedule for children. Children from 6 months to 17 years old get the vaccines after consulting with a health care provider called shared decision making. Pregnant women don't have any guidance or recommendations.

The shared decision making is patients must consult with a health care provider about the COVID-19 vaccine. A provider is anyone who can administered vaccines including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. The shared decision making vaccines must be covered by insurance. Immunocompromised people also qualify.

The FDA approved the Moderna mNEXSPIKE (mRNA-1283) vaccine. The vaccine is for adults age 65 and older or people age 12 to 64 with an underlying risk condition.

A Bonus Pic On Good Habits Three Pics Total

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

An afternoon view of cars on a freeway after driving on a freeway. Another batch of pictures of first times. The first time I saw a cigarette disposal and a freeway workers memorial; labels telling customers to microwave their food; repair sunglasses; and soap, shampoo, and conditioner dispenser secured in a hotel room shower. There are eleven pictures in today's blog because I needed an 11th picture to mention the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. Spoiler alert: if you didn't read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, then skip picture number seven. Not spoiler alert: a quick lesson on oral sex involving the vulva.

Read Books To Learn Different Wisdom

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

Different wisdom perspectives: You don't need to learn every day, nothing is possible, take and take the opportunity, and quitting or stopping may be the best choice. Ring Security owners a reminder the motion sensor slides up and down from the wall mount. Lowe's sells working gloves. The Riichi junk mat can be used for other Mahjong styles. Blame management for JoAnn Fabrics' bankruptcy. It's okay to spoil oneself for soft serve ice cream.

Car Maintenance Reference Pictures

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

A second picture of the Christmas pirate boat. I try to remember car maintenance if I need to remove the engine cover and lubricate the locks. Board gamers don't need a giant Connect 4 board game. Costco does sell goods in clearance. I share most of my books I read. Always learn life skills such as tying rope knots. Condoms is another life skill. Anyone remember California Stationers retail store? See Downtown San Jose from East San Jose.

The Cabin Air Filter Continued

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

Finish posting the clogged cabin air filter from my car pics. I remember a family ornament gifted from a neighbors couple decades ago. Walked inside a Christmas maze and topside a pirate ship for the first time. I reference the different types of work gloves. I use a staple removal tool the shape of a pen. I saw a dog park for which no leashes on dogs for the first time.

Cliffhanger On The Cabin Air Filter To Be Continued

Blogger's Note: May is pic month. I'm catching up posting pics from my smart phone. Enjoy!

Another pic blog with first time experiences: saw a cotton candy vending machine, longest delay on a freeway, using a new sunscreen, and trail mix for emergency food on the road. Anything Bluey and cheap made Christmas gifts are guarantee money makers. Another minimum to live a good life is do your best honestly. No inflation relief in supermarkets. The last pic is a teaser for the clogged cabin air filter for my car.