tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-147374882024-03-18T20:41:06.117-07:00Innovating Common KnowledgeMy blog innovates and improves life’s common knowledge. The successful people find ways doing something better. They innovate their lives infinitely. Bruce Lee said it best, “Even today, I dare not say that I have reached a state of achievement . . . for learning is boundless.” I encourage people to seek better ways. Life gets better every day. I share my highlights, my lighter side, my current events, a question, and an opinion.Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.comBlogger1796125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-4147498217784114152024-03-18T20:40:00.000-07:002024-03-18T20:40:12.538-07:00Going Back To The Gym<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRoNKSOmI1UDIPCZ_zig6QvOsYg-Btc-DlblpDyuMPQoukqOiPnxsjZiCmWHGeEVCXVKDzlPcRpWXMktpQHlqAjeZiZCJAkP3mGrR2J-WfWKXvylhr43xrghA4v1oDt3HqohhoNKCLgoBt8Ha3XaIWPVocDzgVyA2Ffd10A9NmwbFmEhlW6fP/s1600/raymondgym0317242.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRoNKSOmI1UDIPCZ_zig6QvOsYg-Btc-DlblpDyuMPQoukqOiPnxsjZiCmWHGeEVCXVKDzlPcRpWXMktpQHlqAjeZiZCJAkP3mGrR2J-WfWKXvylhr43xrghA4v1oDt3HqohhoNKCLgoBt8Ha3XaIWPVocDzgVyA2Ffd10A9NmwbFmEhlW6fP/s320/raymondgym0317242.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>I went back to the gym yesterday on Sun Mar 17, 2024 for the first time since Mon Mar 16, 2020. It was exactly four years ago yesterday Governor Gavin Newsom shut down the state of California due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. I've been working out at home with my mini gym. My mini gym consists of two adjustable dumbbells from 2.5lbs to 50lbs, a 25lb plate, a 45lb plate, and a workout mat.</p>
<p>I was rusty. The gym changed the name for marketing purposes. I recognized almost all of the equipment including machines, cardio, and free weights. The gym expanded the astro turf section. Almost all of the new equipment was found in the free weight section. The mini gym succeeded maintaining my physical strength. I could still bench press 135lbs two sets and 12 reps. I felt sore last night and today.</p>
<p>There is no comparison between a mini gym and a full gym. People who say a mini gym substitutes a full gym to avoid gym fees and to stay home for convenience shortchange their physical benefits. It was like when I changed job industries decades ago from commercial real estate to technology. The skills and knowledge in commercial real estate were inadequate in technology. I struggled for months learning new skills and unlearning my incorrect training.</p>
<p>I continue working out at home and going to the gym. The present weekly workout plan is two days jogging around the neighborhood, one day mini gym, and one day at the gym. The choices working out at the gym and working out at home gives me flexibility.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-29922649909583839622024-03-16T11:49:00.000-07:002024-03-16T11:49:17.143-07:00Correlation Does Not Imply Causation Short Education<p>Correlation means there is a relationship or pattern between two different variables. Causation means one variable or event causes another variable or event. The phase "correlation does not imply causation" is a false cause-and-effect relationship between two variables or events. "Correlation implies causation" is questionable when two variables or events occur together with a result. There is no logical conclusion or logical causation even though there is correlation between two variables or events.</p>
<p>We perform analysis to find what happened. A direct causation is A causes B. A reverse causation is B causes A. A common causation is A and B are both caused by C. A bidirectional or cyclic causation is A causes B and B causes A. A coincidence is no connection between A and B. Another explanation is A and B are correlated when A and B change and move together positively or negatively.</p>
<p>There are six reasons correlation does not equal causation. The first is an omitted variable. An omitted variable is a missing variable or missing factor. The second is an incorrect sample selection, incorrect data, missing sample selection, or missing data. The third is a mathematical error. The fourth is difficult to analyze. The fifth is coincidence. A reverse causation is the sixth.</p>
<p>Here are correlation doesn't imply causation examples:</p>
<p>*Ice cream sales and shark attacks increased during the summer months. More people ate ice cream caused more shark attacks. Correlation? Yes. Causation? No. There were more people in the beaches during the summer months.
<br>*People who exercised were more likely to get skin cancer. Exercise caused skin cancer. Correlation? Yes. Causation? No. Sunlight exposure increased the chances of skin cancer. People reduced skin cancer by exercising more indoors and less outdoors.
<br>*US universities awarded more Master's degrees each year since 1910. Movie theaters earned higher revenues each year since 1910. More people earned Master's degrees led to more people watching movies. Correlation? Yes. Causation? No. Global population increased since 1910. More people attended college. More people watched movies.
<br>*The state of Maine divorce rate increased because margarine consumption per capital increased. Correlation? Yes. Causation? No. The divorce rate and margarine consumption were a coincidence.
<br>*Pool drownings increased since 1910. Nuclear plants produced nuclear energy increased since 1910. Higher pool drownings caused more nuclear energy production. Correlation? Yes. Causation? No. More homes were built with more pools. Nuclear energy became more viable.
<br>*A windmill spinning causes wind. Correlation? No. Causation? No. The wind causes a windmill to spin.
<br>*Drinking too much alcohol caused lung cancer. Correlation? Yes. Causation? No. Smoking was a third variable. People who drank too much alcohol also smoked more causing lung cancer.
<br>*The rooster crows when the sun rises in the morning. The rooster causes the sun to rise. Correlation? Yes. Causation? No. Coincidence. Obviously, the sun rises every morning.</p>
<p>The human mind likes to find patterns even when they don't exist. We formulate correlation and causation logic. It's important to distinguish between what variables or events to conclude causality. Determining causality is never perfect. In my opinion, concluding logical correlation imply causation is an art.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>I wrote <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2019/03/did-greatest-human-generation-doom.html">Did The Greatest Human Generation Doom Their Grandchildren And Their Future?</a> on Mar 14, 2019. Millennials or Generation Y born between 1981 and 1996 and Zoomers or Generation Z born between 1997 and 2012 ask themselves why have children? Some of the present problems influence these two generations no raising families. The present problems include no retirement security, numerous wildfires, hotter summers, unaffordable childcare, expensive housing, mass shootings, and too much consumption. Generation Y and Generation Z may blame Generation X for artificial intelligence and robots replacing opportunities. Further, Generation Y and Generation Z may blame their grandparents during the Baby Boomers generation. Perhaps, the Baby Boomers forgot the tough lessons and rough lessons taught from their parents.</p>
<p>There is a pattern. Every generation blames the previous generation or previous two generations.</p>
<p>Here is the generation breakdown by the years people born in descending order:</p>
<p><b>*Generation Alpha:</b> 2013-present
<br><b>*Generation Z Zoomers:</b> 1997-2012
<br><b>*Generation Y Millennials:</b> 1981-1996
<br><b>*Generation X:</b> 1965-1980
<br><b>*Baby Boomers:</b> 1946-1964
<br><b>*Silent Generation:</b> 1928-1945
<br><b>*Greatest Generation:</b> 1901-1927</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-58883292004733136592024-03-13T22:17:00.001-07:002024-03-13T22:18:10.677-07:00Raymond Mar Political Opinions<p>Government system: Democratic
<br>Political party: Republican. I'm anti-Trump.
<br>Liberal, conservative, or moderate: Moderate
<br>Economic system: Capitalism
<br>LGBTQ recognition: Pro
<br>Income tax: Flat tax system
<br>Sales tax: Against
<br>Legalize marijuana or cannabis: Yes
<br>Gun policy right to bear arms: Pro
<br>Abortion woman's right to choose: Pro
<br>Schools teach cursive handwriting: Yes
<br>Students attend more years in school: Transition kindergarten mandatory, grades K-5 primary school, grades 6-9 junior high, grades 10-13 high school
<br>Fund police: Yes
<br>Fund military: Yes
<br>Fund fire: Yes
<br>Universal basic income: Federal government pays US citizens $2,000 per month no questions asked
<br>Immigration reform: Yes. Limit immigration is yes. Limit H1B visas is yes. American citizens are priority.
<br>Mexican and US border wall: Yes
<br>Rent control: Against
<br>COVID-19 mandatory mask requirement: Yes. The mask mandate ends when people no longer need to wear masks in health care facilities.
<br>Affordable Care Act or Obamacare: Against
<br>Climate change: Pro. Tough changes and sacrifices required.
<br>Government pays for free community college: Against
<br>Fund Planned Parenthood: Yes
<br>Death penalty: Pro; however, if the costs are too high, then against
<br>Women in combat: Against
<br>Euthanasia: Pro
<br>Minimum wage or living wage: Yes
<br>Affirmative Action: Against</p>
<p>More opinions can be found at <a href="https://www.isidewith.com/polls">ISideWith...</a></p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>There is a Reddit post about US students behind in education <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Teachers/comments/1axhne2/the_public_needs_to_know_the_ugly_truth_students/ ">The public needs to know the ugly truth. Students are SIGNIFICANTLY behind.</a> on Feb 23, 2024. The Original Poster (OP) teaches high school. The OP listed what students can't do such as read at a high school level, write complete sentences, spell simple words, round numbers, calculate percentages, and no research skills. Multiple posts said today's students use calculators for simple match such as 4+6. Multiple posts said today's students improperly Google search for information and Google search to learn.</p>
<p>I wrote <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/somt-calculators-are-allowed.html">SOMT: Calculators Are Allowed</a> on Jun 13, 2021 teachers allowed students to use calculators anytime. It started in my senior year in high school. My junior year in high school and my previous school years calculators were not allowed in tests. The teachers wanted to teach the math concepts and math theories.</p>
<p>I'm not a professional educator. Perhaps, education administrators need to go back to the old school days. Bring back phonics. Bring back flash cards. Bring back learning fun and games. Bring back practice, drills, memorization, practice, drills, memorization, practice, drills, memorization. Bring back learning the basics of the basics. Minimize use of calculators. Minimize use of computers. Minimize use of the internet. Eliminate distractions. If the use of computers and internet are approved, then teach students how to Google properly.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-42286055000467934292024-03-06T23:22:00.000-08:002024-03-06T23:22:00.128-08:00The 10 Percent Physical Is Much Bigger With 90 Percent Mental<p>A common success formula is 10% physical and 90% mental. The formula applies to sports, to many physical activities, and professional action activities. The 10% physical mathematically speaking is 10% out of 100%. However, the 10% is much bigger conceptually speaking.</p>
<p>Many people believe mental health is the most important in a human. Many people say good mental status is the top priority. A common knowledge mind, body, and spirit are important for a successful life. Many people neglect body and spirit. My easy definition of spirit is sleep. Sleep eight hours a night.</p>
<p>I speak counterintuitively. The body or the physical is below the brain. The physical or the body is the most important. I include oral hygiene, bathing, grooming, and body nurturing as part of them. A poor physical health makes mental health maintenance difficult. Exercise. Eat healthy. Minimize processed foods. Do all the above sincerely. Motivation is strengthen. The chances of depression decrease. Never stop learning. Innovate infinitely. Earn happiness with courage.</p>
<p>The person's look doesn't lie. The physical appearance tells the truth. The story is told by presentation.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-55185324876983923222024-03-03T11:03:00.000-08:002024-03-03T11:03:09.537-08:00Underachieve And Did Nothing About It<p>I dreamed last night I was an options trader about to be laid off. The company founder and CEO was Roseanne Barr.</p>
<p>I worked at a four story freestanding building. I rarely traded options because I'm conservative. I rarely cold called. My commissions earned was petty. One particular option was a call option for the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) stock. A call option is a bet the stock price for DIA increases. The call option owner has the right and not the obligation to buy 100 shares of DIA for every one option of DIA at the call option price before a particular date. The DIA stock price must be at the call option price or above for the call option owner to buy the 100 shares. The call option price is called the strike price.</p>
<p>I was responsible for one DIA call option at a particular strike price. The DIA stock price traded above the strike price. I exercised my right for one DIA option to buy 100 shares. I kept the remaining options as options. My computer screen showed I was responsible for three call options. Three is too little for a professional options trader. The reader should deduce I was unqualified. The reader should also deduce I was lazy.</p>
<p><b>Enter Roseanne Barr</b></p>
<p>Barr walked to my station. She wanted to talk to me. I followed her from the third floor to her office on the first floor. The center of the building was an atrium with indoor trees and plants. We entered through a thick glass door. There was a waiting room consisting of ten chairs like a waiting room in a doctor's office. Barr told me to wait. I was the only person. Time passed. More people entered the waiting room. One person was a co-worker. He told me I was getting laid off. Barr entered the waiting room immediately. She became angry at my co-worker because I was informed of my laid off before she told me.</p>
<p>Barr told me she's ready for our conversation. We entered her office. Barr explained the reasons for being laid off. The reasons were standard: poor performance, lack of motivation to become a better worker, and the recession. I said, "The company is going to be bankrupt because fewer option traders and fewer clients buying and selling options." She acknowledged money spending is tightening.</p>
<p>Barr ran another business on the first floor. She was the owner of a spa. She offered me a one hour massage as part of my severance. I thought about the message. I woke up.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-30216685551151721162024-03-02T19:34:00.000-08:002024-03-02T19:34:40.610-08:00Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog February 2024<p>California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. Headlines increased in Jan has decreased in Feb. Very few people wear masks after the winter surge.</p>
<p><b>Thur Feb 1.</b> Shopped at Safeway and Lucky first thing in the morning.</p>
<p>A Center For Disease Control (CDC) study concluded the latest COVID-19 vaccine is 54% effective at preventing exposure to COVID-19; in addition, 49% effective against the JN.1 variant. The study looked at 9,000 people who received the vaccine at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies. Other countries reported similar conclusions. The latest CDC data stated 22% of US adults and 11% of US children received the latest vaccine.</p>
<p><b>Mon Feb 5.</b> The CDC estimated 93.1% of COVID-19 infections is the JN.1 variant. There were signs the spread slowed. The South was the only US area the virus rose from wastewater detection. Early research concluded the JN.1 is not worse than previous strains in terms of severity.</p>
<p><b>Tue Feb 6.</b> Shopped at Costco Business Center and got gas at Chevron.</p>
<p><b>Sat Feb 10.</b> Busy at Costco during the 12pm hour. Very few people wore masks.</p>
<p><b>Sun Feb 11.</b> Super Bowl LVIII.</p>
<p><b>Mon Feb 19.</b> Researchers from the Global Vaccine Data Network released a study in the journal Vaccine. The study found an increase in neurological, blood, and heart related medical conditions for those who received certain types of mRNA vaccines. The conditions included heart muscle inflammation, blood clots in the brain, spinal cord inflammation, brain swelling, and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Guillain-Barre syndrome is a neurological disorder for which the immune system attacks the nervous system.</p>
<p><b>Fri Feb 23.</b> 2012 Olympic gold gymnastics champion Gabby Douglas tested positive for COVID-19 at the Winter Cup. She withdrew from the competition.</p>
<p><b>Tue Feb 27.</b> Errands at Firestone, Costco, Lucky, Harbor Freight, Toyota, a local library, and Goodwill.</p>
<p><b>Wed Feb 28.</b> High risk people and people age 65 and older should receive a booster in the spring. The CDC said the booster offers the best protection for a summer surge; however, the CDC recommendation was unofficial because the director Dr. Mandy Cohen must sign off. Historical trends point to winter and summer waves. An official CDC recommendation is needed for health insurance providers to cover the COVID-19 booster cost. The booster is administered at least four months after the previous dose or at least three months after a COVID-19 infection.</p>
<p>The booster is the same vaccine approved last fall for the XBB.1.5 subvariant and effective against the JN.1 subvariant which caused 96% of new US COVID-19 infections in fall 2023. Weekly hospitalizations dropped from 35,000 in early Jan to 20,000 as of Feb 7.</p>
<p><b>Thur Feb 29.</b> Power outage from 9:02am to 10:29am.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-72073870993802437762024-02-28T13:59:00.000-08:002024-02-28T13:59:27.824-08:00Throwback Blog: The Lesson To Be Successful Rarely Taught<p><i>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.</i></p>
<p>Today's throwback blog is titled <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-lesson-to-be-successful-rarely.html">The Lesson To Be Successful Rarely Taught</a> written on Sep 12, 2018. Part of the title word Lesson should be <i>Lessons</i> in plural. The lessons are timing, luck, opportunity, and chance. I add how to learn from mistakes to the list of lessons. Teaching learn from mistakes is easier than timing, luck, opportunity, and chance. I also add motivation or desire is more important than knowledge or intelligence.</p>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<p>What is the lesson to be successful? The lesson is timing, luck, opportunity, and chance. How are timing, luck, opportunity, and chance taught? Impossible. If there is a way, then someone teach me. Also, if there is a way, then it's likely the teaching is difficult. Forget the quotes from the most successful people in business, sports, politics, and arts. Timing, luck, opportunity, and chance are four simple words to success. Many people can be engineers. Many people can be plumbers. Many people can be doctors and nurses. Many people can be accountants. Many people can be athletes making an income. Many people can be actors or actresses. Few people achieve those professions.</p>
<p>Are you at the right place at the right time? If yes, then timing favors you. Are you in good health? If yes, then you're lucky. Similarly, do you have a good brain and do you live in a good community? You have good luck. Do you have a complete college education or do you have good training? If yes, then you have opportunity. Do you have interviews? Do you have callbacks? Do you have invites? Do you have offers? Are you in the second round of an audition? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you have a chance.</p>
<p>Some people have the timing, luck, opportunity, and chance. Some people don't have the timing, luck, opportunity, and chance. There are winners and losers in championship games such as the Super Bowl and World Series. There are winners and losers in life. Some bad people win. Some good people lose. Life is unfair. Pray timing, luck, opportunity, and chance come to you.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>Do you need a conversation starter? Do you need an ice breaker? Click <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2014/12/tell-me-you-games.html">Tell Me You Games</a> for tips to get people talking. My tips I wrote on Dec 2014 may be silly. My tips are successful when people talk. The games bring back old school socialization. There are no texting, emailing, and video chatting. Everyone is present. Conversations are intelligent. Technology is okay to lookup information.</p>
</span></blockquote>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-10354888827280518722024-02-24T18:33:00.000-08:002024-02-24T18:33:32.660-08:00Nobody Weaker Than Me Kicked My Ass<p>I thought about the people weaker than me throughout my life from junior high school to my 30s. There were reasons why the weaker people I knew were weaker than me. I feared the weaker people become stronger than me. I feared the weaker people become better than me. I hated the weaker people whether they were my friends, co-workers, acquaintances, classmates, and family. I didn't want them to be in my presence.</p>
<p>What was my mistake? The fear should have motivated me to get stronger. The fear should have motivated me to get better. I should have worked to be a better child, better teenager, better student, and better young adult. I worked less than half-assed to prevent the weaker people becoming better than me. The end result was either the weaker people remained weak or the weaker people improved to match me. There was nothing to fear. Nobody overcame me.</p>
<p>The motivation to get stronger continues today. I include the motivation to get smarter and wiser. Physical fitness workouts improve indefinitely. Eight hours of sleep is required. Financial education is nonstop. I make a note to learn something every time I encounter a better person than me.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-72678721980300931912024-02-21T20:35:00.000-08:002024-02-21T20:41:07.548-08:00Bad Luck At Schools Predicted My Bad Luck Today<p>A common life wisdom is life changes. One example is schools. Connect the dots backwards. Reverse the timeline. I write a silly blog the school closures being bad luck from preschool to twelfth grade carried over decades later as an adult. Bad timing, circumstances beyond control, and somebody must lose are the same for the blog. Blame life. I include my preschool as another example of neighborhoods changing.</p>
<p>*Preschool: Closed at the end of the 1988-1989 school year. Demolished to build homes.
<br>*Kindergarten and first grade: Closed at the end of the 1988-1989 school year. A Montessori school today.
<br>*Second grade and third grade: Closed at the end of the 2021-2022 school year due to lack of enrollment.
<br>*Fourth grade and fifth grade: Still exists.
<br>*Sixth grade to eighth grade: Converted to a kindergarten to eighth grade school.
<br>*Ninth grade to eleventh grade: Closed at the end of the 1990-1991 school year due to budget cuts. Became an adult alternative school. A private school today.
<br>*Twelfth grade: Still exists.</p>
<p>Side note: My sister achieved the perfect three for three. She attended the same schools for grade school, middle school, and high school.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-54316327192551943962024-02-17T13:19:00.000-08:002024-02-17T13:19:51.327-08:00Seven Thirty In The Morning<p>I woke up at 7:30am today because my brother's family planned a last minute weekend visit. The air smelled cleaner. The air was crisped because of the rain and windy weather. I completed last minute quick cleaning housework. My brother's family arrived at 8:10am.</p>
<p>The last time I woke up early was Mar 2023. I have been waking up between 9am and 11am. I admit I'm inconsistent waking up in the morning. My late grandfathers on my dad's side and my mom's side must be angry. They woke up early for their responsibilities. On the other hand, they must be happy I did my share of keeping the household clean. </p>
<p>I go with the flow. Something happens causing me to sleep later than planned. I hope the flow moves towards sleeping earlier and waking up earlier.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>I blogged <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2018/07/my-two-grandfathers.html">My Two Grandfathers</a> on Jul 3, 2018. I elaborated my grandfather on my mom's side keeping his house clean and organized. I elaborated my grandfather on my dad side on financial knowledge.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-33906791374554140782024-02-15T18:59:00.000-08:002024-02-15T18:59:39.345-08:00Top Ten Plus Three Equals Top Thirteen Stupid Blogs<p>I reread <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-three-cs-choices-consistency-control.html">The Three C's: Choices, Consistency, Control</a> blog written on Apr 2, 2013. The blog was about following the three C's to become successful. I was inspired to compile my stupid blogs. Nobody is perfect. Disclosing my stupid blogs is an example of being honest. New lessons or corrected lessons are learned. The Three C's is number one in the top thirteen. Six of the thirteen blogs or 46.2% were in 2013. 2013 was my worse year of written blogs. Here are the top ten plus three equals top thirteen stupid blogs.</p>
<p><b>13. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-million-dollars-or-your-life.html">A Million Dollars Or Your Life (Sep 14, 2013).</a></b> My brother and I discussed philosophically when we were children do you want a life or a million dollars? We choose life because a million dollars is nothing without a life. Times have changed. Attitudes have changed. Today's lifestyle a million dollars can solve some life problems even in 2013.</p>
<p><b>12. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2015/01/raymonds-calendar-year.html">Raymond's Calendar Year (Jan 17, 2015).</a></b> I wrote my personal calendar year started on September instead of January with no reasons. Stupid.</p>
<p><b>11. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/my-30s-is-like-developing-baseball.html">My 30s Is Like Developing A Baseball Player (Oct 1, 2012).</a></b> I documented my life when I turned 30 years old in 2004 like a baseball player starting his professional career. I said I'm going to be an all-star starting in 2012. No all-star. I was released from my baseball team in 2013. I'm taking oddball jobs including working the night shift at Costco.</p>
<p><b>10. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2017/11/my-personal-circle-of-trust.html">My Personal Circle Of Trust (Nov 18, 2017).</a></b> I wrote I trust myself by creating an inner circle consisting of intuition, a new circle of friends, learning new job skills, staying active, and growing wisdom. Control, Consistency, Choices, and Proactive (CCCP) is also inside my circle of trust. I didn't need to create a trust circle. CCCP is part of the number one in the top thirteen.</p>
<p><b>9. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/bring-back-emotional-thinking.html">Bring Back Emotional Thinking (Sep 25, 2013).</a></b> I don't understand what I wrote when I brought back emotional thinking. I'm still confused rereading the blog.</p>
<p><b>8. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2016/04/naivety-is-ageless.html">Naivety Is Ageless (Apr 12, 2016).</a></b> I didn't need to write a blog adults can be naive. I didn't need to write five paragraphs. Perhaps, the point of the blog is the reader becomes naive.</p>
<p><b>7. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2005/12/board-and-cant-quit-your-job-try-new.html">Board and Can’t Quit Your Job? Try A New Work Schedule (Dec 2, 2005).</a></b> I was bored--not board. Anyone can quit. I should have started finding another job instead of requesting a new work schedule. Nothing changed.</p>
<p><b>6. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/my-professional-dream-work-environment.html">My Professional Dream Work Environment (Sep 21, 2013).</a></b> I said open workspaces. Am I kidding myself!?! What other companies besides Google provide free food; free drinks; on-site physical activities, childcare, auto repairs, banking, dry cleaning; and relaxing areas for pool tables, foosball tables, ping pong, and video games. My answer is fewer companies today compared to 2013.</p>
<p><b>5. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/high-school-fee.html">High School Fee (Mar 19, 2009).</a></b> I wrote high school students pay $100.00 each year. Stupid.</p>
<p><b>4. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/my-open-cover-letter.html">My Open Cover Letter (Sep 17, 2012).</a></b> The blog is a job employment cover letter. Don't read it. I'm embarrassed. I was naive. I was stupid.</p>
<p><b>3. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/an-extreme-great-and-terrible-week.html">An Extremely Great And Terrible Week (Jan 26, 2013).</a></b> The blog was many blogs about recent events which should not have been written throughout 2013. These recent events blogs were written just to write a blog. I expressed my frustrations.</p>
<p><b>2. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2006/04/give-first-to-receive-later-wrong.html">Give First To Receive Later . . . Wrong (Apr 16, 2006).</a></b> What I wrote incorrectly was give first, receive later. What I write incorrectly was give something to receive something. There is no automatic receive later. There is no automatic receive something.</p>
<p><b>1. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-three-cs-and-p-and-two-more-ps.html">The Three C's And A P And Two More P's: Choices, Consistency, Control, Proactive, Professional, Personal Responsibility (Apr 2, 2013, May 4, 2013, and Jan 3, 2018).</a></b> Thanks goodness I never answered an interview question with the three C's and the three P's. The three C's and the three P's are the stupidest idea I created.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-63790600656180189712024-02-13T02:30:00.000-08:002024-02-21T20:41:15.795-08:00The San Francisco 49ers Third Super Bowl Lost Hurts The Most<p>Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII on Sun Feb 11, 2024. The Chiefs earned the back-to-back championship. I believe the 2024 Super Bowl hurts the most because head coach Kyle Shanahan did everything correct. He did it right. There are no guarantees. There is a winner. There is a loser. It's football. The 49ers lost the 2013 Super Bowl and the 2020 Super Bowl.</p>
<p>Shanahan couldn't control luck and timing. The 49ers experienced bad luck and bad timing. Debilitating injuries are bad luck. Lineback Dre Greenlaw torn his Achilles. Right guard Jon Feliciano injured his arm. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel injured his hamstring. Tight end George Kittle injured his shoulder. Samuel and Kittle returned to the game. My intuition told me running back Christian McCaffery was injured. Nobody controlled injuries. Another bad luck was the muffed punt. A punt bounced off Darrell Luter, Jr.'s foot inadvertently resulting in the Chiefs to recover.</p>
<p><b>Outcoached By Keeping Their Men Informed</b></p>
<p>Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said head coach Andy Reid talked with the team about the new overtime playoff rules. If the 49ers scored a touchdown and kicked a one point on its opening overtime possession, then the Chiefs planned to go for a two point conversion if we scored a matching touchdown on its overtime possession. Multiple reports stated some 49ers didn't know the new overtime playoff rules. The new overtime playoff rules short explanation is each team is guaranteed one offensive possession. The overtime becomes sudden death at the beginning of the third possession if the score is tied. The new playoff rules started in 2022.</p>
<p>I'm in the minority. Shanahan made the correct choice to receive the ball after winning the overtime coin toss. </p>
<p>Moreover, a bad timing moment. The 49ers were the guinea pigs as the first NFL team to play offense with the new overtime playoff rules. The 30 other teams know what to do. The Chiefs received confirmation their plan going for two to win if they needed a touchdown on their possession. The overtime goal is either score a touchdown and score a two point conversion or bust.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>Today's blog reminded me of the blog <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/i-did-it-right.html">I Did It Right</a> written on Nov 14, 2013. I can't control everything. Do the best I can. Forget the written bullshit.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-65581904363900643942024-02-09T20:01:00.000-08:002024-02-09T20:01:54.896-08:00Every Person Has A Breaking Point Dream<p>I dreamed last night I worked at my second company in the commercial real estate industry. It was a dark dream like a dark comedy or dark drama. The two-story office building prepared for a Valentine's Day celebration. The air, the environment, and the lighting felt dark except the reception area. There were no decorations. One of the administrative staff prepared many bowls of candy bars like Halloween. Perhaps, the Halloween explained the darky feeling. The back area prepared for a barbeque.</p>
<p>I worked in the Research Department. One of my primary responsibilities was maintaining the database. There was one R&D broker who needed closed deals entered in the database. The broker was a professional, a top producer, patient, respected, and focused. He was preparing a presentation for one of his top clients in the early afternoon. I received the closed deals he submitted in the department inbox in the morning. I delayed entering the closed deals. The broker asked me did I input the closed dealers. I answered, "I get to it." I was distracted. I was interrupted. One incident involved an industrial broker's daughter who started today as an intern. She was going to take my workspace. I was going to take my co-worker's workspace. My co-worker was going to be fired. I refused to switch my workspace. The conversation between the R&D broker and I continued throughout the morning.</p>
<p>Another conversation was during the 12:00pm hour. I didn't input the closed deals in the database. The R&D broker lost it. He grabbed me by the throat with two hands. He lifted me up. He threw me through a window on the second floor. I fell down at the back area where the barbeque was held. My body shattered. Blood came out from my body. I died immediately.</p>
<p>The dream fast forwarded to the evening. The perspective changed to third person who was me watching from above. Maybe I was a ghost. Maybe I was an angel seeing from heaven. The sheriff's department arrived at the R&D broker's house. The R&D broker's wife distracted the deputies as they walked inside the house tactically. He was an emergency medical technician before he became a commercial real estate broker. He drove out of the garage in an ambulance. He crashed the ambulance at another house on the same street. Additional deputy units were around the neighborhood. They surrounded the crashed ambulance. I woke up.</p>
<p>My morale of the dream is every person has a breaking point.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-32660234510713993712024-02-08T18:26:00.000-08:002024-02-13T02:38:19.701-08:00Instant Bullets Blog Feb 8, 2024<p><b>*The US Prison System.</b> I read from an ex prison guard. Sex based offenses aren't tolerated in general population. The prison he worked these convicts are called SO. The SOs shower separately. SOs, severe mental illness, and ex law enforcement are separated in protective custody units.</p>
<p>Moreover, a lot of prisoners need help. They ended up locked up with sociopaths. Most are under-medicated or over-medicated. All are undertreated.</p>
<p><b>*Similarly,</b> the foster care system is similar to prisons. Combining children with trauma and mental health problems don't make a nurturing environment. Foster care facilities are a jail for children.</p>
<p><b>*cordon:</b> a line of circle of police, soldiers, or guards to 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. <i>The troops cordon around the headquarters. The city center was cordoned off after fires were discovered in two stores.</i></p>
<p>I thought cordon was pronounced "corner off" when I was a child.</p>
<p><b>*The World Needs More Kind Teachers.</b> Teachers communicate silently to their students writing notes. Next, teachers walk up to the student's desk to give additional help instead of calling out the student in class. It avoids potential shame.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhR1sW1XcbqOMT_nHBFTRhoizisRpWTTZEd0unObPFQlDV9BuCdCU2Kbxs1DZ5IfmYbb3n2ZRMhl97nHCbMqUmgmEFhjvpRiiqvc0ZjdzYkWlx3u07HT9RGIly7gPKyuCtm97ftTIQZCIsuLp560FPIaeArgJp2hZQnuMHvuB9lfVej8gUTVij/s1221/studentnoteshelpteacherresponds.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="905" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhR1sW1XcbqOMT_nHBFTRhoizisRpWTTZEd0unObPFQlDV9BuCdCU2Kbxs1DZ5IfmYbb3n2ZRMhl97nHCbMqUmgmEFhjvpRiiqvc0ZjdzYkWlx3u07HT9RGIly7gPKyuCtm97ftTIQZCIsuLp560FPIaeArgJp2hZQnuMHvuB9lfVej8gUTVij/s320/studentnoteshelpteacherresponds.jpg"/></a></div>
<p><b>*Is The Color Grey?</b> Follow the instructions. Both blocks are the same color. Use your finger to cover the middle line. Light plays an important role in how we perceive color.</p>
<p>You may cover half of the middle line above or below.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMJxppf4nj3XohxQ35X1vP-mFbP0VAav-F-7BxdFb5dg0sDmZH8_ghKDq78gHGR35AcYfGQqMGeHsBXWa2hKNLDpKm8LAT0O96GNchiQVhnbGcUBfPAE8vLfRrk8Sy5Z4Mk6cfXbtbwnvDtOj_P-wzwsiY3IrjFSQ1mNYOrCAA77GVy20OqH8/s1156/samecolorslightperceivecolors.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMJxppf4nj3XohxQ35X1vP-mFbP0VAav-F-7BxdFb5dg0sDmZH8_ghKDq78gHGR35AcYfGQqMGeHsBXWa2hKNLDpKm8LAT0O96GNchiQVhnbGcUBfPAE8vLfRrk8Sy5Z4Mk6cfXbtbwnvDtOj_P-wzwsiY3IrjFSQ1mNYOrCAA77GVy20OqH8/s320/samecolorslightperceivecolors.jpg"/></a></div>
<p><b>*Internal Monologue.</b> There are brain mechanisms which cause a person to hear himself or herself talk in their head without speaking. On the other hand, a person visually hears himself or herself talk if he or she doesn't hear his or her inner voice. For example, a person visually looks at a to-do list and can't hear himself or herself think.</p>
<p><b>*Aphantasia is the inability</b> to visualize images in the brain. Mind blindness. Aphantasia is pronounced a-fan-tas-ia.</p>
<p><b>*A cow is female</b> given birth to a calf. A heifer is a female cow not given birth to a calf. A bull is a fertile male. A steer is a castrated male calf. An ox is a fully grown castrated male.</p>
<p><b>*Miscarriage And Stillbirth.</b> A miscarriage is a loss of a baby before the 20th week of pregnancy. A stillbirth is loss of a baby at or after 20 weeks of pregnancy. A miscarriage and a stillbirth describe pregnancy loss.</p>
<p><b>*Harry Potter.</b> Diagon Alley is diagonally. Knockturn Alley is nocturnally. Grimmauld Place is grim old place.</p>
<p><b>*Snap Fingers.</b> The snapping fingers sound is from the fingers hitting your palm. Specifically, the middle finger hitting your palm. The sound is not the friction between your middle finger and thumb.</p>
<p>Snap your fingers. Hit the palm hard with your finger.</p>
<p><b>*A Child Is Thirsty.</b> A child asks the parents for a glass of water late night. One of the parents is lazy walking to the kitchen. The mom or dad gets water from the bathroom. The child complains he or she wants kitchen water. Water is water. Don't be fussy.</p>
<p><b>*Dear Abby Oct 24, 2023.</b> 1. The dad is a bad cook. Her advice is the entire family cooks together. 2. Son getting married and father wants to bring his special friend because mother has dementia. Her advice is no special friend because his special friend is a wedding distraction. 3. Old high school girlfriend heard old high school boyfriend arrested wants to contact his mother. Her advice is contact approved because they continue their relationship. Click <a href="https://www.uexpress.com/life/dearabby/2023/10/24">Dear Abby Tue Oct 24, 2023</a> to view the column.</p>
<p><b>*Rank</b> from 1 to 5 being 1 most important and 5 least important the following: emotional, financial, mental, physical, and spiritual. My rank is 1 physical, 2 mental, 3 spiritual, 4 emotional, and 5 financial. I define my spiritual as sleep because I have no religion.</p>
<p><b>*Human beings don't know</b> what they need until they have seen what they asked for.</p>
<p><b>*sanctimonious:</b> making an exaggerated show of holiness or moral superiority. <i>A sanctimonious control freak.</i></p>
<p><b>*omniscient:</b> knowing or seeming to know everything. <i>I'm the omniscient narrator.</i></p>
<p><b>*Can a person experience</b> the highs without experiencing the lows?</p>
<p><b>*Make A Marriage Bet.</b> Make a marriage wager. Look at the groom when the bride walks down the aisle in a church. Don't look at the bride. Make the appropriate bet.</p>
<p>Another note. Neither the bride nor the groom wants to reverse engineer or connect the dots backwards a failed marriage. The multivariant equations are weaponized.</p>
<p><b>*A Granola Person.</b> Granola loves the outdoors, low maintenance, and conscious of the environment. The outside activities including camping, hiking, and skiing. Granola supports local businesses. Granola eats organic foods.</p>
<p><b>*Successful Marriage? Yes or no.</b> A couple is married for 50 years. 47 of the 50 years are miserable. The couple is not divorced.</p>
<p><b>*The secret lies in the reading and the writing.</b> You are able to read. Every day you must read one page from some good book to your child. Every day this must be until the child learns to read. Then she must read every day, I know this is the secret. --Mary Rommely, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-21822538171190983072024-02-04T20:32:00.000-08:002024-02-04T20:32:25.218-08:00Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog January 2024<p>California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. COVID-19 cases and flu cases surged. Headlines continued to increase. The 2024 year started out slow.</p>
<p><b>Mon Jan 1.</b> Wastewater data showed high levels of flu, COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in the Bay Area. The Santa Clara County Department Of Public Health data showed the third highest levels since 2021 for the City Of San Jose.</p>
<p><b>Wed Jan 3.</b> Florida State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo wanted healthcare providers to stop administering the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. The reason was the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) didn't show evidence the mRNA vaccines can't cause cancer. Public health experts and federal officials dispute Ladapo's statement.</p>
<p><b>Thur Jan 4.</b> Shopped at a Costco Business Center.</p>
<p>A study from the University Of California-San Francisco (UCSF) found patients who took the COVID-19 pill Paxlovid didn't significantly lower the risk of long COVID for vaccinated people. The outcomes were similar for patients taking Paxlovid and for patients not taking Paxlovid for long COVID symptoms. A COVID rebound was higher than expected for patients taking Paxlovid. Paxlovid is effective for the unvaccinated. UCSF reiterated Paxlovid is a good treatment to prevent COVID-19 for high risk people.</p>
<p><b>Fri Jan 5.</b> The JN.1 variant accounted for 61.6% of COVID-19 cases according to the Center For Disease Control (CDC). The JN.1 is a descendant of the BA.2.86 variant. JN.1 represented 3.3% of the total cases in mid Nov 2023. Hospitalizations increased for the eighth consecutive week to levels as of Jan 2023. The CDC said either the JN.1 is more transmissible or better at evading the immune system. Experts said there is no evidence the JN.1 has different symptoms or causes more severe illness. The positivity levels in wastewater samples are higher compared to Jan 2023 in the US. 19.4% of adults received the updated vaccine as of today.</p>
<p><b>Sat Jan 6.</b> An uncle, aunt, and a cousin tested positive for their first times.</p>
<p><b>Mon Jan 8.</b> The CDC stated 38 states and New York City are experiencing high or very high levels of respiratory illness activity. These activities include flu, COVID-19, RSV, and the common cold.</p>
<p><b>Mon Jan 15.</b> The Oakland Unified School District announced students and staff who tested positive for COVID-19 can attend class as long as they don't have any symptoms. These students must wear a mask while indoors. The five day isolation period for testing positive is removed. Wearing a mask is optional policy started on Apr 2022.</p>
<p><b>Wed Jan 17.</b> The genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19 was submitted to the National Institutes Of Health database two weeks before the Chinese government released the genetic sequence. The submittal didn't indicate the origin of the coronavirus.</p>
<p>Virologist Dr. Lili Ren of the Institute Of Pathogen Biology at the Chinese Academy Of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College submitted the genetic sequence to GenBank on Dec 28, 2019. GenBank is a public genetic sequence repository managed by the National Center For Biotechnology Information which is part of the US National Institutes Of Health. Ren's submission was incomplete. The submission was removed on Jan 17, 2020. Another submission was published on Jan 12, 2020 from GenBank.</p>
<p>China informed the world of SARS-CoV-2 on Jan 7, 2020. The outbreak started in Wuhan.</p>
<p><b>Wed Jan 17.</b> The California Department Of Health released new guidance on people who tested positive for COVID-19. The isolation period is reduced from five days to one day. These people must be fever free for 24 hours. Wear a face mask when there are other people indoors for 10 days. Stop wearing a mask after two negative tests at least one day apart. Avoid high risk people for 10 days such as the elderly and weakened immune systems.</p>
<p>The CDC reported 21% of US adults and 8% of US children received the updated vaccine. The CDC also reported 24% of CA adults and 7% of CA children received the updated vaccine.</p>
<p><b>Fri Jan 19.</b> The San Francisco Department Of Public Health closes its six community testing and vaccination sites on Feb 1, 2024. The reasons are budget constraints and fewer people getting vaccinated. The end of the COVID-19 emergency stopped funds to pay for the sites.</p>
<p><b>Tue Jan 23.</b> Shopped at Costco at the 10am hour. It was dead inside.</p>
<p><b>Thur Jan 25.</b> Shopped at Smart & Final Extra.</p>
<p>The CDC estimated 86% of COVID-19 cases are the JN.1 variant. Hospitalizations increased 200% for influenza, 51% for COVID-19, and 60% for RSV over the last month.</p>
<p><b>Fri Jan 26.</b> UCLA researchers looked at 199 babies born between Apr 2020 and Aug 2022 to study the chances of babies experiencing respiratory distress. None of the babies tested positive for COVID-19. The odds of respiratory distress in babies born from unvaccinated mothers increased three times compared to vaccinated mothers.</p>
<p>Respiratory distress in infants is defined as difficulty breathing within 24 hours after birth. Also, pregnant women tested positive increases the chances of a premature birth or stillborn baby.</p>
<p><b>Fri Jan 27.</b> The IRS told the Senate Finance Committee 95% of the employee retention tax credit were fraudulent. Congress created the program for businesses to keep workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial cost was $55 billion. The cost was $275 billion as of July 2023. Congress is considering ending the program. A higher tax credit for low-income families replaces the employee retention tax credit.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-54039786841894286762024-01-30T19:43:00.000-08:002024-02-21T20:41:24.948-08:00Top Ten Plus Eight Equals Top Eighteen Improved My Quality Of Life I Wished I Did Them Sooner<p>Anything goes big or small. Never stop improving. Never stop innovating. Innovate infinitely. These improvements changed my life. We experience the "I wish it happened before." Better late than never. Here are the top ten plus eight equals top eighteen improved my quality of life I wished I did them sooner.</p>
<p><b>*18. No More Family Guy.</b> I donated all my Family Guy DVDs. My intelligence improved afterwards. I can't explain it.</p>
<p>I also donate DVDs and books I'm no longer interested. Free shelf space. Less clutter.</p>
<p><b>*17. Cursive Writing.</b> I started to write cursive again on Jul 1, 2017. Writing became faster.</p>
<p><b>*16. Ambient Light.</b> I installed an LED soft white light strip behind my desktop PC and along the wall on Dec 2019. My eyes strained less at night.</p>
<p><b>*15. Harry Potter.</b> I read Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling for the first time in Sep 2019. I read the series three times.</p>
<p><b>*14. Trekking Poles.</b> I backpacked with a rented walking stick for the first time at The Narrows Top To Bottom at Zion National Park on Oct 3-4, 2015. The pole saved my ass. I upgraded all hiking equipment and purchased new camping equipment afterwards. I always hike with trekking poles.</p>
<p><b>*13. No More Sunday Worries.</b> I worried about Mondays on Sundays throughout my childhood and my young adulthood. The worrying stopped when I learned worry about tomorrow--tomorrow. Live the present.</p>
<p><b>*12. The Power Of Goodbye.</b> Be brave to retire. Be courageous to move forward. It's time to move on. People grow apart. It's time to say goodbye. It's life.</p>
<p><b>*11. It's Okay To Quit.</b> Most things don't work. It's okay to quit. Stop when something is not working out. No need to be arrogant.</p>
<p><b>*10 Steve Jobs.</b> I read the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson on Mar 2016. I promise people change after reading the book. A few examples are the following: Picasso had a saying--"good artists copy, great artists steal"--we have always been shameless . . . stealing great ideas; innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have; quality is much better than quantity; and the journey is the reward. I read the book twice.</p>
<p><b>*9. Run Raymond Run.</b> One example the COVID-19 global pandemic changed my life is I jog more miles. I jogged 1.5 miles and rode the stationary bike for my cardio workouts at the gym before the pandemic. My longest distance is 6.1 miles.</p>
<p><b>*8. Release The Cherish.</b> Number eight is a number twelve extension. I was too sentimental. I was afraid to leave my comfort zone. I failed to say goodbye to people, to places, and to objects. We encountered new people, new places, and new objects. We made a choice to keep an existing cherish or choose a new cherish. Sometimes we said goodbye to a cherish to continue living.</p>
<p><b>*7. Diet And Cooking.</b> One benefit learning how to cook is I minimize eating junk food, eating processed food, and eating at restaurants. No moderation. Yes minimizing. I don't drink milk. I reduce my water intake drinking less than eight glasses of water a day. I drink when I'm thirsty.</p>
<p><b>*6. The Shawshank Redemption.</b> It took me decades to watch the movie. I mention no spoilers. There is a reason the movie is number one in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/chart/top/?ref_=nv_mv_250">IMDB's Top 250 Movies</a>.</p>
<p><b>*5. Job Training.</b> Never stop learning new job skills. Never stop reviewing existing job skills. Learn, drill, practice, and repeat; likewise, to any and all skills and knowledge.</p>
<p><b>*4. Grow Up.</b> I grew up for the first time on Sat Oct 4, 2008. My life changed forever. It was time to grow up. No more immaturity. No more taking life for granted. I'm responsible for my life. Life is much better from a mature point of view. The changes were immediate. New clothes, new PC, new gym workouts, fiction books, new board games, and new hobbies such as ballroom dancing and hiking.</p>
<p><b>*3. Timing And Luck.</b> Timing and luck are factors to be successful. Opportunities and chances are required to be successful, too. If a person is not at the right place and the right time, then there are no opportunities and no chances.</p>
<p>Chances happen every second. The future is unknown. We take a chance something good or something bad comes tomorrow. We hope we are at the right place at the right time. Timing and luck are in favor. We hope we're not at the wrong place at the wrong time. Timing and luck aren't in favor. Life is unfair. </p>
<p>We control as much as we can to increase the odds. We can't control everything. Sometimes life decreases the odds. Stop counting the bad luck moments. Forget the bad timing instances. Add up the bad luck and bad timing creates frustrations, loses focus, depletes strength, increases stress, and forgets priorities.</p>
<p><b>*2. Personal Boundaries.</b> Set boundaries. If people don't set boundaries, then other people set the boundaries. People's lives are terrible when they worry about making their own choices and don't make their own choices. It's okay to say no without excuses.</p>
<p><b>*1. Motivation.</b> Desire is more important than knowledge. I will is prioritized over I know. Motivation is greater than knowledge.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-29219650357281563062024-01-28T21:03:00.000-08:002024-01-28T21:03:13.981-08:00The Management Job Training Objectives Are Bullshit<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbba2Rx6gMKAgl4Ekkf9cyR7P1LVagVjFdmo_bwUU4sPqvrXjtPnx3ms4VufCnoARvq5RCBcehqYLY9j0aPF3R9_whjamTO7RvypxrPU7V1ctaPqTOsgd5ev71sm5B8Tw1mEPC-6bhiWrPh1GZuGqVgQjbdzIZSQ4cWoz0n8LfOse-G1B13BX/s1600/awdlgtrainingobjectives.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbba2Rx6gMKAgl4Ekkf9cyR7P1LVagVjFdmo_bwUU4sPqvrXjtPnx3ms4VufCnoARvq5RCBcehqYLY9j0aPF3R9_whjamTO7RvypxrPU7V1ctaPqTOsgd5ev71sm5B8Tw1mEPC-6bhiWrPh1GZuGqVgQjbdzIZSQ4cWoz0n8LfOse-G1B13BX/s320/awdlgtrainingobjectives.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>The pic above is my objectives for the first six months when I worked at a retail start-up. The store sold high-end wine, beer, and sake at discount prices in the store and online. I worked in the back-end of the store where the inventory was received and stored. My job title was Data Entry/Bookkeeper. The title was misleading. My primary responsibilities were receiving inventory, researching prices, and entering products to the webpage.</p>
<p>The title speaks for itself. The program is self-explanatory. It's bullshit. I share my observations. I share my thoughts.</p>
<p><b>*</b>Areas of Responsibility (AORs) was mentioned once.</p>
<p><b>*</b>Nobody received monetary bonuses. Nobody received training for the objectives.</p>
<p><b>*</b>It was impossible for the front-end workers to enter data. The reason was customer service. The objectives were miscategorized. Financial statements?!? The employees worked in retail.</p>
<p><b>*</b>I'm not an English major. The writing was terrible. The formatting was inconsistent. Also, management didn't write the sheet. An assistant must have written the objectives. Management approved by a 5 second scan.</p>
<p><b>*</b>Retail workers earning retail pay were not going to accomplish 80% of the objectives. 20% of the objectives were accomplished naturally such as customer service, knowing the products, and supporting events offsite.</p>
<p><b>*</b>Management neither encouraged not tracked employee objectives.</p>
<p><b>*</b>Social media was outdated. Social media rarely marketed upcoming events to their followers. The company didn't employ a marketing specialist.</p>
<p><b>*</b>Targeted customer e-mails, marketing, web content, artwork, etc.?!? The employees worked in retail.</p>
<p><b>*</b>Finally, the last bullet point on technical skills not related to webpage. The company was lucky I knew PowerPoint, Excel, Word, SQL, and Access. I used the tools to assist in auditing inventory.</p>
<p>I didn't read the sheet during my employment. If I did, then I probably raise a red flag and begin looking for another job. The store went out of business 6.5 years later. I tip my hat 6.5 years was a long time for a retail business.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-73363538357339275722024-01-25T19:46:00.000-08:002024-01-25T19:46:08.787-08:00My Greatest Favorites Of All Time<p>I share my greatest favorites of all time.</p>
<p><b>*Professional Athlete:</b> Michael Jordan</p>
<p><b>*Musical Band:</b> The Beatles. My favorite song is Let It Be.</p>
<p><b>*Board Game:</b> Puerto Rico</p>
<p><b>*Nonfiction Book:</b> Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson</p>
<p><b>*Fiction Book:</b> To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee</p>
<p><b>*Comic Strip:</b> Peanuts</p>
<p><b>*Bay Area Sports:</b> Joe Montana from the San Francisco 49ers, Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors, Buster Posey from the San Francisco Giants, Joe Pavelski from the San Jose Sharks, and Chris Wondolowski from the San Jose Earthquakes.</p>
<p><b>*Calendar Year:</b> 2005</p>
<p><b>*Calendar Month:</b> November</p>
<p><b>*Calendar Day:</b> Sat Oct 4, 2008</p>
<p><b>*Semester At San Jose State University:</b> Fall 1996</p>
<p><b>*TV Series:</b> Breaking Bad</p>
<p><b>*Anime Series:</b> Full Metal Alchemist</p>
<p><b>*Video Game:</b> The Legend Of Zelda for console. Gauntlet II for arcade.</p>
<p><b>*Harry Potter Book:</b> Year Seven</p>
<p><b>*Movie:</b> The Shawshank Redemption</p>
<p><b>*Meal:</b> Broccoli beef with rice</p>
<p><b>*Candy Bar:</b> Milky Way</p>
<p><b>*Cookie:</b> Sugar</p>
<p><b>*Cereal:</b> Cheerios</p>
<p><b>*Number:</b> 40</p>
<p><b>*Color:</b> White</p>
<p><b>*Favorite Sesame Street Character:</b> Cookie Monster</p>
<p><b>*Classical Music:</b> Mozart</p>
<p><b>*Modern Classical Music:</b> Helen Jane Long</p>
<p><b>*Soda:</b> 7-UP</p>
<p><b>*Actor:</b> Cary Grant</p>
<p><b>*Actress:</b> Meryl Streep</p>
<p><b>*Innovating Common Knowledge Blog:</b> No answer.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>I forgot another Fry's moment for the blog <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2021/02/top-ten-plus-four-equals-fourteen-frys.html">Top Ten Plus Four Equals Fourteen Fry's Electronics Moments</a> written on Feb 25, 2021. I shopped at Fry's Electronics on Black Friday 2005. I blogged the only store I shopped <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2005/11/i-fried-frys-electronics.html">I Fried Fry's Electronics</a> written on Nov 25, 2005. I didn't purchase a projector screen because the line was too long. I'm glad I didn't because I never pursued watching movies on a projector. Online shopping and the COVID-19 global pandemic changed Black Friday decades later.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-6985879015498251312024-01-24T01:48:00.000-08:002024-02-21T20:41:51.908-08:00Permanent Unemployment<p>*Charlie composed a message to his LIT 101 online class*
<br>"Dear Fellow Journeymen:
<br>One last lesson:
<br>Fuck these ridiculous essays.
<br>FUCK the readings.
<br>JUST WRITE ME SOMETHING HONEST."</p>
<p>"These assignments--they don't matter. This course doesn't matter. College doesn't matter. These amazing, honest things you wrote--they matter." --Charlie, The Whale (2022)</p>
<p>Today's blog is posted at <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com">Innovating Common Knowledge</a> and <a href="https://findingraymondmar.blogspot.com">Finding Raymond Mar</a>. Today's blog or essay is inspired from the two quotes above from the movie The Whale (2022). I choose Permanent Unemployment as the topic.</p>
<p>I speak for some long-term unemployed people. The job market has been rough for years. I experience phone interviews, person-to-person interviews, incorrect position interviews, mismatched skills and mismatched experiences interviews, 11th hour job offers rescinded, and another candidate was hired. The job market is harsh today and tomorrow regardless of a good economy or bad economy. The number of job candidates increases at the end of every academic year. The number increase applies to all education levels and all job openings. There are not enough blue-collar jobs and not enough white-collar jobs for the too many job candidates. The demand is greater than the supply.</p>
<p>Further, artificial intelligence (AI) replaces human jobs. I'm not a software engineer. Give it time. AI never stop innovating. A rational executive saves money replacing human labor with a 90% success rate AI. AI can replace outpatient doctor consultations, accountants, and data analysts. I'm not a robotics engineer. AI may not replace a plumber; although, a robot may.</p>
<p>A rising tide raises all boats. More jobs require additional skills and addition experiences. Education is expensive. Training is expensive. Knowledge is more technical; for instance, a Kohl's employee didn't know how to use its proprietary tablet scanner when I picked up an online order. More time is required to learn. More time is required to train. Higher incomes are earned for people who succeed in acquiring the additional skills and additional experiences. Job security is stronger for people who master their responsibilities.</p>
<p>Timing and luck are part of finding employment. Qualified candidates are subjective. Qualified candidates are relative. A job candidate may be a top five in one position. The same candidate may be in the bottom hundreds in another position. It depends on the hiring manager's expectations. It depends on the company. The qualified candidate found the position immediately. He or she is an early job applicant. Conversely, the qualified candidate found the position days later. He or she may be rejected because too many job applications are submitted. Moreover, networking is overrated. Networking does matter; however, imagine a scenario where a hiring manager receives dozens of qualified resumes for the hiring manager's dozens of networks. I remember a conversation with a friend decades ago. If we were educated in the same field, then why help each other find jobs. We want the job. We need an income. The bottom line is everything matters.</p>
<p><b>Unemployed Me</b></p>
<p>I'm doing the best I can. I self-train new skills such as Python, R-Studio, Power BI, and Linux. I review existing skills such as Excel, SQL, and data analysis. I'm catching up what I missed in previous jobs. I'm catching up what I missed in my younger years. Also, I learn life skills such as tying rope knots, folding paper airplanes, and using a navigating compass. Never stop learning. The clique wisdom is emphasized in today's Information Age. Never stop innovating.</p>
<p>When am I going to quit job searching? When am I going to stop learning? The quick answer to the two questions is not today. There's no reason to quit searching. There's no reason to stop learning. I'm unemployed. I live with my parents. I'm the George Costanza in the family. There is too much free time. I learn indefinitely. It's better than watching TV and playing video games eight hours a day. I stay sharp because a miracle can happen. Timing and luck favor me. I found a new job. I read books, exercise, cook for my parents, maintain the household, write blogs, and watch a weekly movie when I'm not being a self-professional. I'm fortunate there is family support.</p>
<p>The long answer to the two questions is I stop when I'm permanently unemployed. Age is a factor. Resume gaps are a factor. Weak working experience is a factor. Missing skills are a factor. A benefit to job searching is knowing what skills are required for my profession. These factors are not excuses to stop searching and stop learning.</p>
<p>The statements, "a rising tide raises all boats," "more skills are required," and "higher expectations" are valid when job candidates read job descriptions. A cash sweepstakes or a prize contest disclaimer "many people enter, few people win" applies to job candidates applying to multiple job positions. I'm not dumb. People are not dumb. Life is too hard.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>There are two more moments for the blog <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/top-ten-plus-six-equals-top-sixteen.html">Top Ten Plus Six Equals Top Sixteen Moments Never On A Top Ten Before</a> written on Jan 11, 2024. I add the 1986 Lake Tahoe trip where my family, my cousin's family, and a friend of the family's family stayed at a cabin. I touched snow for the first time. I include a 1987 Lake Tahoe trip for which I remembered reading a self-help book. The last sentence said, "Normalcy will return." My brother, cousin, and I went fishing at a retail fishing pond.</p>
<p>I also add my sister acquired tickets to watch a live Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? gameshow at a local mall in summer 1994. The game was held at the food court. The host Greg Lee moderated the show with children contestants.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-42010464624723840112024-01-19T15:10:00.000-08:002024-01-19T15:10:33.465-08:00Top Ten Plus Five Equals Top Fifteen Crappy 1990s Best Moments<p>My biggest life regret as of today's blog is I failed to live the 1990s to the best of my ability. My downs outnumbered the ups. My ups were crappy ups. Many of the ups were unearned like a baseball team scoring an unearned run or the ups were given on a silver platter. I took the ups for granted. Life was unfair in the 1990s. Life is unfair today. Some people had more downs than ups. I was one of them.</p>
<p>In my opinion, the 1990s is best decade in the history of the human race. The economy was fantastic; although, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's monetary policy is another conversation. Fuel injection engines in automobiles. The internet. Email communication. Watch movies on DVDs. Listen to music on CDs. Mobile cell phones. Windows 95 and Windows 98. Nintendo. Playstation. Apple began the comeback when the late Steve Jobs came back. Opportunities were plentiful. Everyone got a piece of the pie. A piece of the pie was given just by participating.</p>
<p>If my courage increased 20%, then I got a bigger piece of the pie. If two people at the minimum, at any place, and at any time introduced me to something, anything positively new, then I live in freedom today. If either the same two people or two different people at the minimum, at any place, and at any time called out my faults, then I live in freedom today.</p>
<p>One high school moment worth mentioning was I attended summer school Geometry after my sophomore year. I made new friends. I was able to take Algebra II in my junior year and Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus in my senior year. I saw most of my friends in the math classes. Moreover, the summer school was a foreshadow because the school district closed my high school after my junior year. I graduated high school at the same school I took my summer school Geometry.</p>
<p>I salvaged the 1990s. I was naive. I received poor support. I didn't know how to make intelligent mistakes. It was not entirely my fault. I accepted my share of responsibility. All is forgiven today. I have been catching up what I missed since I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. Experiences experienced. Lessons learned. Wisdom acquired. The catching up continues. Here are the top fifteen crappy 1990s best moments.</p>
<p><b>15. 1993 Bike Ride (Summer 1993).</b> I rode my bike randomly around my neighborhood exploring parts of West San Jose and Campbell, CA. The places included Westmont High School, San Tomas Aquinas Creek, and John D. Morgan park.</p>
<p><b>14. Working Out At The Gym (Sep 1998, May 1999).</b> My first gym was at my first company's office park. My second gym was at a real gym. I continue physical workouts today.</p>
<p><b>13. My First Webpage (1998).</b> I created my first webpage at geocities.com Tokyo Bay 9061.</p>
<p><b>12. The Year Of The Role Playing Game (RPG) (1997).</b> 1997 was the perfect year for RPG. Everyone was in San Jose, everyone adjusted their college and work schedules, everyone participated in the action, and the plots were terrific. The memories are remembered for a long time.</p>
<p><b>11. Las Vegas Grand Canyon (Jul 1997).</b> My family's first biggest summer vacation. We stayed at a time share during our stay in Las Vegas. We took a two-day trip to the Grand Canyon. The vacation was my first time in Las Vegas, first time I gambled, and my first time in Arizona.</p>
<p><b>10. Around The State Of California In 90 Days (May-Aug 1995).</b> 1995 was filled with family vacations. We visited Disneyland, visited Yosemite, canoed in the Sacramento River, and visited my grandparents in Santa Barbara. Yosemite was my first time visiting a national park.</p>
<p><b>9. San Jose State University (1992-1997).</b> I choose San Jose State number nine even though many people think graduating from college should be higher in a person's life. I'm an exception.</p>
<p>*Fall Semester 1993. I earned a C- taking Computer Science 46A despite failing the final. The professor gave me a break. I attended all classes. I completed all the homework. Doing the minimums saved my ass.</p>
<p>*Fall Semester 1994. Physics 60 final. "I studied three hours for that!", said a classmate. Most students completed the four-choice multiple-choice final in 30 minutes. The final was very easy a high school student could earn an A.</p>
<p>*Fall Semester 1995. I changed majors from Mathematics to Economics and changed minors from Economics to Mathematics. My dream of teaching high school math was over. The switch was a good choice looking back. I believe I stopped being a teacher in today's public education environment.</p>
<p>I made a big deal thinking about the change initially. I thought back. The change should have been immediate. My Economic major classes become interesting. I met more classmates. My GPA went up at the end of each semester.</p>
<p>*Fall Semester 1996. My perfect semester. I attended classes on Tue and Thur. I learned how to write. 3.64 was my semester GPA. I mastered the shooting arcade game Area 51. I lost weight. I began listening to music while I studied.</p>
<p>*Fall Semester 1997. My last semester. I attended classes three days a week. I can't explain why I didn't schedule my semesters for at least one day off. Today's college environment most classes meet two days a week instead of some classes meeting either two days a week or three days a week.</p>
<p><b>8. Music (Various Dates).</b> Yanni, Enya, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Madonna, Shawn Colvin, Sarah McLachlan, LeAnn Rimes, Jewel, No Doubt, Celine Dion, Alanis Morissette, Donna Lewis, Hootie And The Blowfish, Paula Cole, Sixpence None The Richer, The Cranberries, Sting, Wilson Phillips, R.E.M., and Spice Girls.</p>
<p><b>7. Self-training Job Skills (1998).</b> I taught myself Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and HTML. Learning Access helped me get my second job. I wished I continued the self-training attitude indefinitely.</p>
<p><b>6. The Snowman And Pinky Show (1994-1995).</b> I played stuffed animals with my younger sister. Snowman was The Snowman from the book written by Raymond Briggs. Pinky was a blue bear with a pink nose. The other animals were bears related to Pinky. There was another snowman who looked like The Snowman named cousin Snow. We were terrible naming the stuffed animals. Most of the bear names were referenced from The Simpsons and favorite family movies.</p>
<p>I was Snowman, cousin Snow, and the extras. My sister was Pinky and his bear family.</p>
<p><b>5. Blockbuster Video (1996-1997).</b> My first retail job. The store manager and I attended the same high school which was the number one reason he hired me.</p>
<p><b>4. Weekend Trip To Santa Barbara, CA (Aug 1998).</b> My mom and I picked up my grandfather in Santa Barbara, CA as a last minute trip driving the Mercury Sable 1997 station wagon. We transported our family birds to one of my aunts in Los Angeles to be picked up. We listened to music on my portable CD player connected to the radio cassette deck for the first time.</p>
<p>The next day we drove my grandfather back to the Bay Area. The highlight of the trip was a Ford Mustang driving next to me from Soledad to San Jose. Sometimes I was in front of the Mustang. Sometimes the Mustang was in front of me. We separated at the Junction 85-17 freeway.</p>
<p><b>3. Weekend Trip To Cal Poly (Apr 1998).</b> A friend invited me to visit him during the annual Cal Poly Open House weekend. I helped his club raise money cooking teriyaki chicken at the food booths. The weekend vacation was the first time I went on vacation solo. I went shopping at an outlet strip mall purchasing neck ties.</p>
<p><b>2. Japanese Anime (1996).</b> I became an anime fan. I woke up listening to the ending song from Sailor Moon when my sister watched the English anime dub. I watched a variety of anime series when I rented anime at Blockbuster Video. The first anime series I purchased was the first season of Ranma 1/2. I attended my first anime convention Fanime Con in Mar 1997.</p>
<p><b>1. My First Jobs After College (Jul 1998 And Feb 1999).</b> The commercial real estate industry was my first two jobs. My boss who hired me at my first job also hired me at my second job. I worked in the industry for 8.5 years.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>The C- grade in Computer Science 46A was mentioned in <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/top-ten-good-breaks-and-good-timing.html">Top Ten Good Breaks And Good Timing</a> written on Jul 8, 2013. Number nine was San Jose State University. I should have elaborated the "Failed final, yet passed the class" bullet point.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-80241036860250304342024-01-15T19:05:00.000-08:002024-01-15T19:05:55.395-08:00Do You Really Care About Other People?<p>The answer to the question is counterintuitive. You must care about yourself to prove you care about other people. Don't sacrifice yourself to care for other people. If you're not well in all capacities, then you can't care for other people. The capacities are physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial. Both parties are negatively affected. Never expect greater than or equal to appreciation in return every time. There are jerks who take advantage of someone's kindness. There is less supply of kindness available for a greater demand requesting help.</p>
<p>Be simple, be effective, and be mindful for good timed caring actions. Motivation or desire is more important than knowledge. Further, a little knowledge is better than a lot of ignorance. Exercise well. Sleep plenty. Eat healthy.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>I remind myself I never fully understand anything in life. I never fully understand *insert noun* or *insert adjective* or *insert verb* or *insert adverb*. I wrote <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/i-never-fully-and-truly-understand.html">I Never Fully And Truly Understand Someone Else's Feelings</a> on Oct 7, 2006. Anytime I say, "I understand . . .", or another person tells me, "I understand . . .", I or the other person don't fully understand.</p>
<p>I reiterate an action on the day I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The action was "I forgave everything and everyone. . . ." I wrote blogs on the day I grew up. I choose <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/five-years-ago-today-i-grew-up.html">Five Years Ago Today I Grew Up</a> on Oct 4, 2013 as the update blog. Forgiving or forgiveness is like the weight I carried on my back lighten. Forgiving or forgiveness crumbles personal walls. Forgiving or forgiveness makes breathing easier. I also reiterate "the most important lesson I learned is never taking life for granted."</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-87810153399376985522024-01-11T00:23:00.000-08:002024-01-11T00:23:24.242-08:00Top Ten Plus Six Equals Top Sixteen Moments Never On A Top Ten Before<p>These sixteen moments were small life values. These sixteen moments were small memories. These sixteen moments are examples of the little things in life. I share two examples. The first example is purchasing a Mickey Mouse baseball cap in Spring Semester 1996 while I attended San Jose State University. The pics are below.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9djIIQbw46MilsUjmWEpXIEj3IW3Xqh2EsXcoAn4_bSn5-1HZ4eJEL5YRJQelQmH2E1UPIQ2DxPvQic74b8wuoLPFW8txXkzy1Z0LF6VSISmuHrbkEbsACSaiyqmmWRqINmDy68VeCNFbIfGRY4aKZErxrp85Eouxhpsi49Blc7yWirllnH-/s1600/mickeymousebaseballcap1.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9djIIQbw46MilsUjmWEpXIEj3IW3Xqh2EsXcoAn4_bSn5-1HZ4eJEL5YRJQelQmH2E1UPIQ2DxPvQic74b8wuoLPFW8txXkzy1Z0LF6VSISmuHrbkEbsACSaiyqmmWRqINmDy68VeCNFbIfGRY4aKZErxrp85Eouxhpsi49Blc7yWirllnH-/s320/mickeymousebaseballcap1.jpg"/></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4v4ioME5G4gMIItBPAmMRvylVqvXi0FUpaPBsIoPrYMDUAMrvsdwPBbKZVlKkAdi1BEiSE4We_PcjYzY9gIUDxpO3VcNMJw4F76eMTsRSKYl30SI1grmgGRchw1pQz7vuV-2K4eYlgC-3KoMShuPoYSZE3oUC_g4GT7qMxLXdIC3RBlPwDDt/s1600/mickeymousebaseballcap2.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4v4ioME5G4gMIItBPAmMRvylVqvXi0FUpaPBsIoPrYMDUAMrvsdwPBbKZVlKkAdi1BEiSE4We_PcjYzY9gIUDxpO3VcNMJw4F76eMTsRSKYl30SI1grmgGRchw1pQz7vuV-2K4eYlgC-3KoMShuPoYSZE3oUC_g4GT7qMxLXdIC3RBlPwDDt/s320/mickeymousebaseballcap2.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>The second example is reading Coraline by Neil Gaiman in 2009. I watched the movie on Mar 14, 2009. Why do I remember the exact date? The reasons are there was a cosplay gathering at a local Japanese garden, a friend organized a 3.14 pie day dinner gathering, and the three of us watched the last evening showing. I gave the book for a birthday gift to a friend out of the Bay Area.</p>
<p>My long-term memory is above average. My confidence is high these moments never appeared before. I provide the moment date if I remember. Here are the top ten plus six equals top sixteen moments never on a top ten before:</p>
<p><b>16. Country Time Lemonade (early 1980s).</b> The first time I drank Country Time Lemonade I was at a zoo. I don't remember if it was a field trip for preschool or kindergarten. My mom was a chaperone. Maybe, it was a gathering with other friends. Or maybe it was a social gathering with other families.</p>
<p>I remember getting lost. I might have found another parent who found my mom. I also remember opening a gate separating two sections of the zoo.</p>
<p><b>15. Blue Angels Air Show (Aug 1992).</b> My former neighbors the late The Shermans took my family to an air show to watch airplanes and the Blue Angels performed at the Moffett Field airfield and airport located in Mountain View, CA.</p>
<p><b>14. Pier 39 Arcade Video Games (1987).</b> I used video game tokens from a mom and pop arcade Galaktican. Galaktican is number seven explaining the better deal on tokens. The Pier 39 arcade was the standard four tokens for $1 and 20 tokens for $5. The Aquarium Of The Bay replaces the arcade.</p>
<p><b>13. Mopped The Floors (Apr 2013).</b> I cleaned the household floors using a mop for the first time. My parents never cleaned the floors using a mop. I don't know why.</p>
<p><b>12. Drive-in Movies (1986).</b> My family and one of my cousin's family watched Top Gun and The Karate Kid II movies at a drive-in movie theater.</p>
<p><b>11. Gilroy Outlet Mall (Dec 1994).</b> I finished a terrible Fall Semester. The shopping day was relaxing.</p>
<p><b>10. Attended Two Jazz Festivals (Aug-Sep 2009).</b> I became interested in jazz music in Nov 2008. I attended the San Jose Jazz Festival in Aug 2009 and the Monterey Jazz Festival in Sep 2009. I was lucky the late Allen Toussaint appeared as the headliner for the San Jose Jazz Festival.</p>
<p><b>9. Touched Snow (Nov 1986).</b> I experienced snow for the first time in South Lake Tahoe. The second time was Nov 1987. The last time was Nov 2008 in the state of Washington.</p>
<p><b>8. Mystery Mansion Board Game (Unknown Dates).</b> My brother, cousin, and I played Mystery Mansion when my cousin stayed over during the summers. We followed most of the rules. Some games were finished the next morning.</p>
<p><b>7. Galaktican Arcade (1986-1991, 1996).</b> My brother and I were addicted to playing video games in the arcade. Those were the times when parents allowed their children to wonder unsupervised. Players received six tokens for $1 and 36 tokens for $5. Galaktican reduced the $5 bonus because business was too good. Unfortunately, Galaktican went out of business due to the video game consoles. I remember the final years players receive bonus tokens when they exchanged $10.</p>
<p>My final visit was Fall 1996. I rollerbladed to and from my house. I played Area 51 with another player who memorized all the enemies. We unlocked a bonus scene in the mountain cave for the first time.</p>
<p><b>6. Quell App Games (2012, 2014).</b> I played three of the four Quell games from Fallen Tree Games. I finished Quell in Apr 2012, Quell: Reflect in Oct 2012, and Quell: Memento in Jul 2014 all at 100% unlocked and 100% perfect. I needed help once in Quell, once in Reflect, and none in Memento.</p>
<p><b>5. Nintendo GameCube (Jul 2004).</b> I purchased the console, four game controllers, backpack, two memory cards, and five video games all used for $217.00 on eBay. The video games included Mario Kart and Super Smash Brothers.</p>
<p><b>4. Professor Blackerby (Jan-May 1995, Aug-Dec 1997).</b> My favorite economics instructor was Professor Blackerby. He taught my Microeconomics and my Microeconomic Analysis classes. Timing was good because Blackerby taught Microeconomic Analysis on my final semester at San Jose State University.</p>
<p><b>3. Board Game Night (Various Dates).</b> My family and I played Pictionary on Sat nights. It was the only board game we played together.</p>
<p><b>2. Japantown San Francisco (Aug 1998).</b> I visited Japantown for the first time in decades. It was the first time I visited as an anime fan. A friend suggested we drive to San Francisco to escape a hot Sunday in San Jose.</p>
<p><b>1. Movie Night (Mar or Apr 1997).</b> My brother and I watched movies on Laserdiscs and ate take-out Chinese food from a mom and pop Chinese restaurant on a Sat night. I rented the Laserdiscs for free because I worked at Blockbuster Video. I told my brother to screen calls in case Blockbuster called for help. My store had been short staffed on Sat nights. My brother stayed home for the semester because of an internship. One of the movies was Escape From L.A. starring Kurt Russell.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>I remind myself to keep fun in check. The blog is <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2006/02/keep-fun-in-check.html">Keep Fun In Check</a> written on Feb 26, 2006. Take a deep breath. Be mature. Fun is not fun when there is any injury including physical and emotional. There's a good way to have fun. There's a bad way to have fun.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-26173360955952528122024-01-07T18:38:00.000-08:002024-01-07T18:38:18.898-08:00Unlearn To Be Better And Unlearn The Incorrect<p>All parents are not perfect. There are some lessons not taught. There are some lessons taught incorrectly. There are some lessons outdated. Bad nurturing. Incomplete guidance. In addition, the companies provide bad training leading to future dead-end careers or obsolete job skills. And life itself can teach bad lessons. Nobody corrects the incorrect. The person falls through the cracks without anyone calling out the fault. Regardless, self-awareness, personal responsibility, and motivation are required to unlearn. Forgive the past. Unlearn the past. Correct the incorrect. Retrain. Relearn.</p>
<p>I'm a person from the above paragraph. I work years to unlearn the incorrect. I work years to confirm what I knew I was correct. I realize some people didn't want to teach me correctly. Maybe they didn't want me to succeed. Maybe they wanted to hide their ignorance. Maybe they helped me with little effort. All is forgiven.</p>
<p>I used to live life as life must go my way. I got angry when life didn't. I also got angry when I can't control my life; although, I admit life was great when I controlled life and life flowed my way like the late Steve Jobs' reality distortion field. I used to take life for granted. I didn't take life seriously. I lived life with too much fun. Mistakes were ignored. Problems were ignored. I got away with some of the mistakes and some of the problems. The other mistakes and problems affected me later. I was a coward. I was weak.</p>
<p>The past is the past. Chapters are closed. Some of the above are not my fault because support was poor, mentoring was weak, nobody called me out, and nobody helped me. Nothing is forgotten because I learn from these life events. I don't take life for granted. I'm no longer angry when life doesn't go my way. Nobody controls all of life. I take more of my life seriously. Fun is checked. I'm lucky I correct my mistakes myself. There are more mistakes to correct. Problems are solved. I'm courageous. I'm stronger. Never stop learning. Never stop innovating. Innovate infinitely.</p>
<p><b>Update On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>I remind myself I was correct despite many bad lessons, bad teachings, and falling through the cracks. I wrote <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2016/06/top-ten-i-was-correct-when-i-was-young.html">Top Ten I Was Correct When I Was Young</a> on Jun 9, 2016. Be gritty, no hoarding, exercise, and being a good person are some of the life lessons I have been correct.</p>
Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-85360631564778789272024-01-03T19:43:00.000-08:002024-01-03T19:43:09.856-08:00Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog December 2023<p>California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. COVID-19 headlines increased after months of complacency due to the new variant JN.1. I learned more family members tested positive. Unseasonably warmer weather.</p>
<p><b>Fri Dec 1.</b> China experienced a surge in respiratory illnesses and pneumonia in children. The World Health Organization (WHO) detected no unusual pathogens or novel pathogens. The number of cases was less than the peak in past cold seasons pre-pandemic. The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions during the winter season was the main cause for the surge.</p>
<p><b>Sun Dec 3.</b> An uncle and an aunt on my dad's side of the family tested positive for COVID-19. They're unvaccinated.</p>
<p><b>Tue Dec 5.</b> Picked up Black Friday orders at DSW Design Shoe Warehouse and Kinokuniya Bookstore.</p>
<p><b>Thur Dec 7.</b> Dentist appointment in the morning. Costco shopping afterwards.</p>
<p><b>Fri Dec 8.</b> Shopped for used books. Christmas shopping at Automobuild toy store. Ate lunch at Chipotle.</p>
<p><b>Mon Dec 11.</b> The US Supreme Court dismissed three cases against the federal government for vaccine mandates. The mandates affected executive branch employees and the military. The vaccine mandates are defunct. President Joe Biden rescinded the federal employee requirements in May 2023. The Pentagon rescinded the military requirements due to a congressional action in Jan 2023.</p>
<p><b>Thur Dec 14.</b> The Center For Disease Control (CDC) issued a health alert because fewer people are vaccinated against COVID-19, flu, and RSV. The low vaccination rates could strain the health care system in weeks. Hospitalizations increased 200% for the flu, 60% for RSV, and 51% for COVID-19. 17.2% of adults received the updated COVID-19 vaccine. 40% of adults and children received the flu shot. 15.9% of older adults received the RSV vaccine. These percentages were as of Dec 8, 2023.</p>
<p>A key drug Beyfortus for babies infected with RSV was in short supply.</p>
<p><b>Fri Dec 15.</b> The CDC tracking system showed the variant JN.1 is increasing. Also, a multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children or MIS-C caused by COVID19 is increasing since the summer. JN.1 is a descendant of BA.2.86. JN.1 is a highly mutated variant. It was estimated JN.1 represented 29% of cases in the US.</p>
<p><b>Wed Dec 20.</b> Shopped at Costco. I saw more people wearing masks. Got gas for my car.</p>
<p>The WHO announced the JN.1 variant is a variant of interest because of the rapid spread. Several countries in Europe reported exponential growth including Denmark, Spain, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.</p>
<p><b>Sun Dec 24.</b> The CDC stated the JN.1 makes up 44.2% of COVID-19 cases in the US. The JN.1 doubled between late Nov and md Dec due to holiday travel and warning immunity.</p>
<p><b>Wed Dec 27.</b> The JN.1 variant was the most common strain in the US. Experts said JN.1 is not causing severe illness. The symptoms included coughing, fever, body aches, and fatigue. The symptoms typically last between three to four days. Updated vaccines released in Sep 2023 produced antibodies against JN.1.</p>
<p>26,000 people hospitalized as of Dec 10, 2023. However, the number is lower than the Omicron wave peak in Jan 2022.</p>
<p><b>Fri Dec 29.</b> Morning errands at Smart & Final, Target, and Costco. There was a big crowd at Costco during the 11am hour. Few people wore masks.</p>
<p>The City of Chicago used $95M in COVID-19 relief funds to pay for the costs of 27,000 migrants from the Texas and Mexico border. The costs included shelters, food, and staff support.</p>
<p><b>Sat Dec 30.</b> Los Angeles County reinstated mask mandates for all healthcare facilities. The facilities included hospitals, nursing facilities, dialysis, and hospice care.</p>
<p><b>Updated On A Past Blog</b></p>
<p>The United States deficit is a record $34 trillion on Dec 29, 2023 according to the Treasury Department. The deficit was $15 trillion in 2011 from the blog <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-must-declare-bankruptcy-if-i-was-15.html">I Must Declare Bankruptcy If I Was 15 Trillion Dollars In Debt</a> written on Nov 22, 2011. The deficit was $33 trillion in Sep 2023. The debt ceiling suspension ends Jan 2025.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14737488.post-42739088012828821202023-12-30T17:21:00.000-08:002023-12-30T17:22:11.927-08:00A Second Look At 2022<p>It's the time I look back at my 2022 blogs to give myself feedback. The goals delaying one year are relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, correcting errant blogs, and sharing changes. The ten blogs are also the 2022 best blogs.</p>
<p><b>1. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/01/can-i-be-overqualified.html">Can I Be Overqualified?</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Mon Jan 10
<br><b>Summary:</b> My college educations, past experiences, and current job training disqualifies me for job openings.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> All jobs except my second company on the job training was required. The training included the commercial real estate market, SAP, Salesforce, and a proprietary online sales transaction system.</p>
<p>Some hiring managers and recruiters ignore me because they anticipate I master the job in six months. I become bored afterwards. I think back to my past jobs. I mastered the basics in six months. I fully mastered the job in one year. I became Wally from the Dilbert comics.</p>
<p>Almost all career counselors, professional career consultants, and college job placement centers their information is outdated. The best source for job information is job searching. Read the job descriptions. Read the job requirements.</p>
<p>My job training is currently in the endgame; in other words, there's nothing more to learn. New skills to learn are planned.</p>
<p><b>2. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/01/boring-can-save-your-ass.html">Boring Can Save Your Ass</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Wed Jan 12
<br><b>Summary:</b> Complete the boring responsibilities.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> Patience is required to complete the long assignments. The work can be tedious. The job is completed. Goals accomplished.</p>
<p>The person or people connects the dots backwards. Reverse engineer the process. They're not boring thinking back. The boring process wasn't boring. The formula is pressure and time.</p>
<p><b>3. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/01/life-is-good-because-its-predictable.html">Life Is Good Because It's Predictable And Certain</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Thur Jan 20
<br><b>Summary:</b> People are relaxed and secured because the knowns are clear and present.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> Bombshells were fired. It has been a long time since the bombs were launched. Most bombshells were planned. 2023 was good bombshells fired and bad bombshells fired for family members and friends. Personally, the safeties on my bombshell devices are removed. I don't know when the bombshells explode.</p>
<p><b>4. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/01/accuse-slackers-accurately-because-you.html">Accuse Slackers Accurately Because You Also Waste Time</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Sat Jan 29
<br><b>Summary:</b> Everyone is slacking off. Everyone.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> It takes another distraction to disengage the present distraction to go back to work. For instance, I'm on my phone watching a random YouTube video. Somebody walks in the room. I disengage watching a random YouTube video. I go back to my responsibility. Negate a distraction with another distraction.</p>
<p>The Information Age is also the Distraction Age.</p>
<p><b>5. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/02/stop-and-smell-roses-and-read-your.html">Stop And Smell The Roses And Read Your Receipt</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Thur Feb 3
<br><b>Summary:</b> Slow down.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> I remember the moment when I shop at a grocery store from time to time. I also remember the moment when I feel rushed. I say to myself, "Hold on. One at a time." I realize the older I age, the more I say the sentence to myself.</p>
<p><b>6. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/ive-been-doing-everything-correct-mostly.html">I've Been Doing Everything Correct Mostly</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Thur Apr 12
<br><b>Summary:</b> I realized decades later I was mostly correct.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> I reiterate the sentences, "Nobody told me I have been walking the correct paths. I have stronger confidence I'm earning my successes correctly. I tell myself everything has been well. I tell myself I'm correct."</p>
<p>Nobody told me my path to success is correct. Nobody taught me a system. I self-discovered my system. The system is common knowledge and common wisdom: eat healthy, exercise, read books, sleep well, never stop learning, learn from mistakes, always meet new people, minimize watching TV, and ignore anything toxic. I hope timing, luck, chance, and opportunity favors me. Don't be a nice person. Be a good person.</p>
<p><b>7. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/dear-abby-advice-on-blind-love-guilt.html">Dear Abby Advice On Blind Love, Guilt Trip, And Truce On Wedding Day</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Fri Apr 22
<br><b>Summary:</b> Dear Abby hits the home run on three advice for an abusive girlfriend, a physically dependent boyfriend, and an alcoholic soon-to-be daughter in-law.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> I add one comment for both abusive girlfriend and daughter in-law. Give it time. Be patient. The chances the couples stay together are slim. Life returns to normal in time. Life returns to a relaxing state soon. Furthermore, there is a tolerance limit for his fiancee's drinking problem.</p>
<p><b>8. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/06/i-got-stuff-done-because-i-didnt-play.html">I Got Stuff Done Because I Didn't Play Video Games</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Wed Jun 29
<br><b>Summary:</b> A rare day I become bored because I caught up.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> The blog title and the blog content don't make sense. The first paragraph is being bored because I completed all responsibilities. The second paragraph is playing video games. I was confusing the first paragraph and the second paragraph. I take the blog back.</p>
<p>The full disclosure is I played another classic video game Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo all night on Jun 28, 2022 and Jun 29, 2022. I slept in the early morning. It was a miracle I finished all priorities and responsibilities. I stopped playing Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo on Jul 2, 2022. The priorities and responsibilities continue to motivate me minimizing playing video games.</p>
<p><b>9. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/grading-my-past-years-on-curve.html">Grading My Past Years On A Curve</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Sun Jul 17
<br><b>Summary:</b> I raised the letter grades from 1998 to 2021.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> I forgot about the blog. Good. There should be no curve grading in real life. I take the blog back.</p>
<p><b>10. <a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/11/no-mulligan-no-do-over-no-second-chance.html">No Mulligan, No Do-Over, No Second Chance Going Back To San Jose State University</a></b>
<br><b>Date:</b> Sat Nov 19
<br><b>Summary:</b> I didn't want a mulligan when I attended San Jose State University.
<br><b>Feedback:</b> I take the title back. Yes Mulligan, Yes Do-Over, Yes Second Chance Going Back To San Jose State University. There is one simple reason. The semesters, the classes, the majors, the student services, and the extracurricular activities are irrelevant. The do-over is grow up; in other words, earn it. I take the blog back.</p>
<p>The following blogs are honorable mentions: <b><a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/03/we-make-same-mistakes-twice.html">We Make The Same Mistakes Twice</a></b> and <b><a href="https://ininblog.blogspot.com/2022/08/too-much-distractions.html">Too Much Distractions</a></b>.</p>Raymond Marhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983915840843963882noreply@blogger.com0