Top Ten Plus Seven Equals Top Seventeen Favorite Arcade Games

Playing video games in the arcade was a childhood moment. Playing arcade games on video game consoles was a childhood moment. The pure arcades are rare today. Computers, emulators, consoles, internet, and cell phones make playing classic arcade games accessible.

I was a below average arcade player. I can say I completed Blood Brothers and Area 51 in one coin without continuing. Moreover, Area 51 was the arcade game I played when I attended San Jose State University. Many of the seventeen arcade games relate to a life memory. Blood Brothers is number five. Area 51 is number two.

I recognize Ghost Squad as a favorite arcade game released in 2004. Ghost Squad was my first game I played at the Golfland weekend opening morning unlimited arcade game play. I'm one of the few players who prefer the shotgun. I also recognize Metal Slug 2 as a favorite arcade game released in 1998. The victory music at the end of every mission is great. Eri was my character.

Here are my top ten plus seven equals top seventeen favorite arcade games. These favorites are from my childhood to my young adult years attending San Jose State University.

*17. Super Pac Man. I watched the game for the first timing confused when Pac Man became big he didn't chomp the ghosts. The first time I played I made it to level 3 without dying.

*16. Super Mario Brothers. I played the game on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I didn't play the game at the arcade. I include the game because I completed the game without warping and without getting additional lives at World 3-1.

*15. Rygar. I dedicate number fifteen to Arthur who was a friend to my brother and I. He always died at the last level.

*14. 1943. A high school friend and I always died at the last level. No continues allowed. All strategies were used such as changing from Auto to 3-Way. Unsuccessful.

*13. X-Men vs. Street Fighter. I was terrible at fighting games. It was entertaining watching people play. I played the game on a modified Sega Saturn. Cammy and Chun-Li were my fighters.

*12. Street Fighter 2. Another fighting game I was terrible. My cousin introduced the game to my brother and I.

*11. Frogger. I played the game at Marie Callender's restaurant in sixth grade. I continued completing level after level after level attracting a crowd.

*10. Raiden 2. Use the cluster bombs for defense.

*9. Time Pilot. I was the only student in my fifth grade class who made it to World War II when my class took a lunch field trip to Chuck E. Cheese.

*8. Time Crisis 2. The only arcade game I played at anime conventions decades ago even though Time Crisis 2 was released in 1997.

*7. Ikari Warriors. The first video game I played with the 360 degree knob on top of the joystick to rotate the character to shoot in eight directions. One of two video games defined my youth at arcades.

*6. Twin Cobra. If the helicopter could fly faster and fewer power ups required for full firepower, then the game is a top three favorite. I used the colors of the helicopters red and blue and the word cobra as nicknames in high school: red cobra and blue cobra. I remember playing the game at Great America amusement park with the background music Got My Mind Set On You by George Harrison for the eighth grade graduation party.

*5. Blood Brothers. I can win the game on one coin.

*4. Midnight Resistance. Fire is the gun and nitro is the secondary weapon.

*3. Cyberball 2072. The game is optimized for running plays. No passing plays.

*2. Area 51. I mastered the video game in Fall Semester 1996 at San Jose State University. I admit I needed a partner; in particular, an art major I partnered multiple times. We never knew our names. We never talked afterwards. We never became friends. One game we thanked each other.

Honorable mentions: Aero Fighters 2, Dragon Spirit, Gauntlet, and Magic Sword.

*1. Gauntlet 2. The second of the two video games defined my youth at arcades. The game was popular and was unpopular. The popular times the arcade set 1,000 health for one coin. The unpopular times the arcade set a multiplier when four coins were deposited at the same time for bonus health.

I Forgot The Pic On Apr 20, 2025

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

The gratuity debate continues indefinitely. Eye protection is important. I forgot the SD card broke pic for Apr 20, 2025. Life moves forward in heaven and in hell. People need to sleep more. Teamwork overrated? Smart phones at the restaurant table in 2014 and present. Coke is back at Costco. Support Pokemon books at the library.

My Last Homeward Bounds

Today's blog is the first time I said the words "Homeward Bound." My last two homeward bounds were O'Conner Hospital in Apr 2017 and Zion National Park in Sep 2016. The O'Conner Hospital was a short homeward bound. I was diagnosed with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. I was an inpatient for five days and four nights requiring two surgeries Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones and Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder in two days. My parents drove me home. We stopped at a Walgreens for a prescription. The pharmacy closed in ten minutes. I choose to fill the prescription at another drug store the next day. I went to sleep immediately when we arrived home. My total sleep time was 12 hours. My dad picked up my prescription.

The Zion National Park homeward bound I flew from Las Vegas, NV to San Jose, CA. My cousin organized a day hike at The Subway Bottom Up. It was my most strenuous hike. My cousin chose to stay at a hotel outside Las Vegas because the price was cheaper and less night time driving from Zion National Park. It was easier to drive from Utah to Las Vegas in the daytime. My flight was delayed because Southwest needed to change pilots. Everyone received a credit voucher with a due date to compensate for the delay.

Two Business Lessons I Learned At Cisco

I share two business lessons which were business skills I learned when I worked at Cisco. I didn't learn them in college. I didn't learn them when I worked in the commercial real estate industry after I graduated college. It was an example of learning on the job.

The senior manager was gracious to teach me tables. Report data on tables. Don't use bullets. Don't write long sentences. Don't create boring charts. Use tables. There are column headers. There are row labels. Place the data matching the column headers and the row labels. Most readers don't have the time to read the specific details. Most readers don't want to move their eyes multiples times looking at multiple charts. Most readers want the summary. Most readers want the bottom line. Easy. Simple. Precise.

My department manager taught me to fidget the numbers. The company's fiscal quarter ended. There were deals which closed at the next fiscal quarter. My department manager told me to include those deals in the fiscal quarter ended. Manipulate the department quarterly report. Divisions and departments fought against each other for funding from senior executives. Include everything now. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. It was my first real experience with business politics.

Update On A Past Blog

The world can reduce the number of Same Shit. Different Day. Everything Happens. by being more honest. The blog focused on people reading and listening to daily events. The update focuses on people's character, behavior, attitude, qualities, and attributes. More people tell the truth. Lower the same shit. Express sincerely. End the cliques. I wrote the blog on Jul 28, 2021.

Top Ten Plus Fifteen Equals Top Twenty Five Favorite Books I Read

I update my Top Ten Favorite Books I Read blog written on Oct 27, 2019. I repeat some of the introduction: Reading books is one of my favorite hobbies. I started reading more fiction books in 2008. I learn life reading fiction books than nonfiction books. Fiction books give me wisdom. Nonfiction books give me intelligence. I read 75% fiction and 25% nonfiction. I was on volume three in the Harry Potter series at the time of the blog. Harry Potter is number five. Here are my top ten plus fifteen equals top twenty five favorite books I read:

25. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. The author did his research on the Civil War. Some aspects of life exist today such as unfair life, read books, work hard, and despair. A recommendation from my uncle.

24. All The President's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. The Richard Nixon Watergate history is part of the book. Persistence is another part of the book. Memorizing all the politicians is not necessary.

23. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The illiterate main character stole books during World War II in Nazi Germany. Read World War II from innocent Germans point of view. Comedy, sorrow, and anger are some of the feelings the reader experiences.

22. Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss. I Read Dr. Seuss Books on May 2, 2025. The Places book is a top must read for grade school children.

21. Looking For Alaska by John Green. College students can both be smart and be a prankster. Best John Green book.

20. From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. A random book recommendation from a source I forgot. I thought it's an adult literature. It's actually a children's book. The adventure side of a child may open up after reading the book.

19. The Invention Of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. I purchased a European edition book. The author wrote the story and drew the illustrations. The main character had courage I wished I had when I was a child.

18 The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Everyone must bring a towel.

17. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. The book is more violent than the movie. The Ian Malcolm character stole the story.

16. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. If you didn't read the book as of the blog post, then don't watch the movie trailer. The movie trailer is major spoilers. I cried three times.

15. The Power Of One by Bryce Courtenay. Teenage boys and teenage girls must read the book. The wisdom is learned at the beginning of the book. The main character practices the wisdom thereafter.

14. Forever . . . by Judy Blume. All teenagers and all parents must read the young adult classic book. The sex scenes and growing up lessons are relevant today.

13. Thinking, Fast And Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Follow the patterns.

12. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. A family lives in multiple cities being in poverty. The reader experiences all emotions in the emotional spectrum. Watch the movie end credits after reading the book to put a face to the family on YouTube. I enjoyed Walls' writing style.

11. The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. A book from My Self-Help Books Recommendations blog written on Jun 28, 2020. Discover core habits. Practice, practice, practice the habits.

10. A Brief History Of Time by Stephen Hawking. I learned more than science reading the book. I learned life.

9. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. How do people become rich? Kiyosaki answers the question how. The answer is not a college degree, an MBA, or working a six-figure income.

8. How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Readers adapt 20% of his suggestions increases his or her likelihood to meet more new people and create more circle of friends.

7. The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I loved Hemingway's writing style. Short. To the point. No wasted words. An easy and a quick read to satisfy a quick urge.

6. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. My all time favorite sci-fi book.

5. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I took me decades to read the book. I read the book three times during the COVID-19 pandemic. My house is Gryffindor. My wand is a white 10.75 inches made of oak with a phoenix feather core. My patronus is a tiger.

4. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. The last three chapters were the best last three chapters I ever read. I understand all the references in the media.

3. To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. Atticus Finch is strong. Atticus Finch is a model for a man.

2. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell wrote luck and opportunity are the reasons why some people succeed.

Honorable mentions. City Of Thieves by David Benioff, Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden, Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, and Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett.

1. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Jobs was a genius. Jobs was an artist. I promise everyone who reads the book becomes wiser.

A Garden

My dad and I assisted a family friend with routine garden maintenance. Mowed the lawn. Removed weeds. A lawn mower cut the grass. A weed wacker trimmed the grass edges. A metal rake, shovel, clippers, and loopers were tools to remove weeds. These tools existed at least a century. The front yard is maintained. The front yard is beautiful. Peace is created taking a break from today's Information Age. Effective time spent outdoors. The life lessons gardening are patience, take it one at a time, and breathe.

Down And Out Both Are Never Permanent

Blogger's note: Today's blog is posted at both Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar.

I connect the dots from yesterday to today. The following moments were down and out. There were no permanent downs and outs. The following moments could be a catastrophe. Disasters were prevented. The following moments could be negative life changes. I'm fortunate these negative life changes were temporary. The following moments were potential failures. Failures became satisfactory successes. Life found a way to bounce me back up. The system worked at the end of the day. Destiny, intuition, karma, going with the flow, divine intervention, whatever. A bad luck moment was countered with a good luck moment plus more goodness.

Faith, good luck, and/or good choices saved me from a permanent down and out. Many of these moments were luck. Few of these moments were good decisions. I needed help from family, co-workers, and friends. All assistances were appreciated. Here are the moments from oldest to newest. I categorized the moments good luck or good decision. I want to tell the story. Some of these moments connect.

*Changed Majors (Fall Semester 1995). Good decision. I changed majors from Mathematics to Economics as an undergraduate at San Jose State University. The preparing, volunteering, reading, and the guidance to become a high school math teacher were falling apart. I couldn't pass my math classes. I lost my desire.

One could say the change in majors were killing two birds with one stone. The first was switching majors my grade point average went up every semester thereafter. The second was I'm not teaching in high school today. I graduated with a Bachelors Of Science in Economics and a minor in Mathematics. I didn't waste my lower division math classes.

*First Job (Jul 1998). Good luck. It took me six months to find my first job after graduating at San Jose State University. I was a Research Analyst in a commercial real estate company. My parents pressured me to find a job naturally. I thought about going back to San Jose State University to earn a master's degree.

*Second Job (Feb 1999). Good luck. The manager who hired me at my first job hired me for my second job. Same job title in the same industry. I was a Research Analyst in commercial real estate. The second company was better than the first company. A total of five employees quit from my first company to work at the second company. Moreover, the second company saved me from the first company because I thought about quitting the first company.

*My Second Boss Was Fired (Sep 2002). Good luck. My first boss who hired me at my first job and my second job moved to Australia. My second boss was nothing. Officially, she found another job. Unofficially, she was fired.

I warned the office manager she was ineffective. I waited two years for her release.

*Full Metal Alchemist Midnight Marathon (May 2004). Good decision. A Fanime Con 2004 anime convention event was a midnight marathon showing the anime series Full Metal Alchemist. I watched 17 episodes from midnight to 7am. I stayed awake. The end of episode eight I said, "I'm going to cosplay Edward Elric." Edward Elric was the main character. I thank my mom for making my Edward Elric cosplay.

I contemplated retiring from anime for the remainder of 2004 because I talked to a friend much younger than me. He retired from anime. Watching the marathon delayed my retirement for nine years and four months. I officially retired in Sep 2013.

*Third Job (Mar 2007). Good luck. The second company started going downhill in late 2006. People began quitting. My third job was my first tech job. The company was the largest employer in San Jose, CA. I belong working in the tech industry.

*Grow Up (Oct 2008). Good decision. I remember the day for the rest of my life. I was lost in Aug-Sep 2008. I was weak. I realized I must grow up. My life changed forever. The life changes were immediate. I built a new Gaming PC, I started to read fiction books, I wore new clothes, I purchased my first fine watch, and I slept on a new mattress. I found new hobbies which included hiking, ballroom dancing, and listening to classic jazz. I started following new gym workout plans.

I include going back to school earning an Associate Of Arts degree in Accounting at De Anza College and vacationing in the state of Washington and visiting Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

*First Job In A Start Up (Nov 2013). Good luck. I was a data entry and bookkeeper in a retail start up selling high end beer, wine, and sake at a discount price. Timing was good because I needed a distraction.

*Another Tech Job (Nov 2014). Good luck. My contract job at the start up company was satisfied. I found another contract job supporting an engineer at a networking server company.

*O'Connor Hospital (Apr 2017). Good decision and good luck. I experienced stomach pains since Mar 2017. The pain was too severe. My parents took me to the emergency room. The wait time was minimal. I was admitted as an in-patient requiring two surgeries. The hospital was not busy. The hospital was quiet. I was the only patient in a double occupancy room for three out of the four nights. The first surgery was Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones. The second surgery was Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder. The doctors diagnosed me with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis.

The moment was the first time I was an in-patient and first time doctors performed surgery.

*Safe At Home Plate, 50 Years Old At The Age Of 45, or Self Trained Genius (Aug-Sep 2019). Good luck. I can't choose a title for the Aug-Sep 2019 moment. I include any of the three. Choose any one.

I began hiking again devoting one day per month. I hiked the Montara Mountain Trail in Pacifica, CA for the first time on Labor Day weekend. I started to read Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I watched The Shawshank Redemption for the first time. My soul was saved. I became a genuine adult at the age of 45. I began training to become a self trained genius.

A Song And A Genius On The Uncontrolled Life

Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you; When you think everything's okay and everything's going right; And life has a funny way of helping you out when; You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up; In your face. --Ironic, Alanis Morissette

You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. --Steve Jobs

Update On A Past Blog

The Top Ten Saves blog written on Apr 25, 2020 mentioned four moments from above: my second boss was fired at number ten, number seven mentioned The Shawshank Redemption, number four was the Fanime Con 2004 Full Metal Alchemist midnight marathon, number two was O'Connor Hospital, and number one was growing up.

Three high school saves happened in my sophomore year. I took Geometry after my sophomore year in summer school to take Algebra II in my junior year. I played chess during the lunch hour. I played softball in Physical Education.

Another moment in Fall Semester 1995 which was a save. A shoutout to my Physics 61 laboratory partner who majored in General Engineering. He saved my ass.

First Time Observation Pics To Remember

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

$9.88 for gas. I saw a fire insurance company fulfilling their obligations. Japanese Miffy bunnies and gashapons. Automotive maintenance pics to remember. There are many Star Wars novels. I got sick in Jul 2024 which was not COVID-19. A falling down pic to remember.

Take Another Look At The Happy Life Checklist

Today's blog is an update on a past blog.

Update On A Past Blog

I remember the One Lunch Day In 2000 I wrote on Aug 9, 2007. There was a homeless person with a sign saying all hope is loss. If you're not homeless, then you need to reread the blog Checklist Do You Have The Following written on Mar 16, 2018. Complete the checklist again. For example, check or uncheck the following: shelter, food, bed, and clothes. We live in the Information Age. Add internet and a computer to the checklist. Enjoy your life or complain about your life.

Less Can Be More Or Too Much Is Too Much

Awful Announcing posted an article titled "Do The Olympics Prove That Less Is More?" on their The Back Page for their Wed Aug 14, 2024 emailed newsletter. Olympic sports are held every four years. The other three years and 50 weeks people do other activities. People go back to their normal lives. The Olympics is an example we devote time to the event every four years. We satisfy new Olympics desires every four years; although, technically the Olympics are held every two years because the International Olympic Committee changed the format from the Winter Olympics and the Summer Olympics held at the same year every four years to the Winter Olympics and the Summer Olympics alternates every two years while maintaining every four years in 1994. Each Olympics is different. In contrast, sports media repeats the same reports, the same top athletes, and same top stories daily. For instance, the San Francisco Bay Area is tired of the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk contract situation.

Keep the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL to one season every 365 days of the year. One Super Bowl a year is satisfactory.

No Need To *insert blank* 24/7

People don't need to play video games daily. People don't need to watch television daily. Anime fans don't need to attend the same anime convention two or more times a year; in other words, one Anime Expo a year is satisfactory. Vacationing at Disneyland once a year is good enough. Vacationing at Disneyland once every few years is better. Hike different trails. Spread out the hikes. The grandparents don't need to be bothered day after day. Make good choices on spreading out leisure. Make good choices on spreading out traditions. Make good choices on spreading out secondary responsibilities.

2023 Year In Review

The six nominations and its explanations for the moment of the year.

1. Job training. Excel, Python, R and R-Studio, Linux, Power BI, SQL, and more. The basics were learned. I began the endgame which was the final review, final practice, and combined documentation from my favorite books and favorite videos. Five days of training per week plus one day for life skills training.

2. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. I spent less time job training and more time finishing Moby-Dick for seven job training days. The last three chapters were the best final chapters I have ever read. I understand the jokes and references from other medias.

3. My 2005 Toyota Camry. The roof, trunk, left quarter panel, and right quarter panel were repainted. The headliner or the fabric inside the car's ceiling was replaced. I hand wash and hand wax four times a year to protect my classic car.

4. Physical fitness. My longest daily jog was 6.1 miles. I created a fifth workout plan for my mini home gym. I jogged with a knee brace on the right knee temporarily.

5. Wallstreet Bets. I learned more about Wall Street and financial investments in 2023 than in the past decades and the classes when I was a student at San Jose State University and De Anza College.

6. Video Games. I completed Left 4 Dead 2.

Explanation: The consistent and productive job training approached the final year like a senior year in college; moreover, I continued the Moby-Dick days spending less time job training like a graduating senior in high school suffering from senioritis. An all-time classic Moby-Dick deserved a nomination. Steve Jobs' biography by Walter Isaacson won in 2016. A Brief History Of Time by Stephen Hawking was nominated in 2022. Forget my car and video games. Too trivial.

I incorrectly mentioned my left rear knee injury in Nov-Dec 2022 from the 2022 Year In Review. It was my right rear knee. I learned a correct way to jog for which I don't need a knee brace. Wallstreet Bets continues my attention since Jan 2021. Financial education is part of my life skills training.

What Won: Physical fitness.

What Should Have Won: Physical fitness.

My Thoughts On The Winning Moment: I'm 0.1 miles away from running a 10k marathon. I continue learning better jogging techniques. I jogged from 3.0 miles in 2022 to 6.1 miles in 2023. I purchased a pair of ASICS jogging shoes not Nike for the first time. No major injuries.

Job training shouldn't win because I'm not completed with the training. It can win in 2024 when I complete the endgame.

2023 Letter Grade: B+. 2023 year ended fantastic. There were plenty of little wisdoms. There were plenty of wisdom reminders. Add those wisdoms for something big. Be grateful. Appreciate the present life. Don't take for granted the minimums food, shelter, and clothes; in addition, don't take for granted the Information Age minimums cell phones and computers with internet access. The minimums shouldn't be boring. There are some teenagers with wisdom beyond their years. There is a good way and there is a bad way to be patient. Life moves forward regardless of good moments and bad moments. The COVID-19 global pandemic survival mentality continues.

Past Moments Of The Years And Its Letter Grades

2022: Wallstreet Bets. Grade B.
2021: Wallstreet Bets. Grade B.
2020: First responders, doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. Grade B.
2019: Consistent gym workouts. Grade C+.
2018: Consistent gym workouts. Grade C-.
2017: O'Connor Hospital. Grade D.
2016: Steve Jobs' biography by Walter Isaacson. Grade F.
2015: Zion National Park. Grade A.

My Greatest Favorites Of All Time

I share my greatest favorites of all time.

*Professional Athlete: Michael Jordan

*Musical Band: The Beatles. My favorite song is Let It Be.

*Board Game: Puerto Rico

*Nonfiction Book: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

*Fiction Book: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

*Comic Strip: Peanuts

*Bay Area Sports: 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.

*Calendar Year: 2005

*Calendar Month: November

*Calendar Day: Sat Oct 4, 2008

*Semester At San Jose State University: Fall 1996

*TV Series: Breaking Bad

*Anime Series: Full Metal Alchemist

*Video Game: The Legend Of Zelda for console. Gauntlet II for arcade.

*Harry Potter Book: Year Seven

*Movie: The Shawshank Redemption

*Meal: Broccoli beef with rice

*Candy Bar: Milky Way

*Cookie: Sugar

*Cereal: Cheerios

*Number: 40

*Color: White

*Favorite Sesame Street Character: Cookie Monster

*Classical Music: Mozart

*Modern Classical Music: Helen Jane Long

*Soda: 7-UP

*Actor: Cary Grant

*Actress: Meryl Streep

*Innovating Common Knowledge Blog: No answer.

Update On A Past Blog

I forgot another Fry's moment for the blog Top Ten Plus Four Equals Fourteen Fry's Electronics Moments written on Feb 25, 2021. I shopped at Fry's Electronics on Black Friday 2005. I blogged the only store I shopped I Fried Fry's Electronics 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.

A Silent Thinking Appreciating My Present Life In Writing

Today's blog is take a deep breath. Today's blog is another time to say thank you. I'm grateful for my present life who I am, what I am, where I am, when I'm living today, how I am, and why I'm the present person. Strength, intelligence, health, wisdom, and motivation are the highest. Confidence and self-esteem are the highest. I acknowledge my parents for their assistance. I'm indebted to friends and to people who helped me be who I am. I tribute the two moments which are the day I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008 and The Shawshank Redemption movie on Sat Sep 21, 2019. I don't take life for granted.

Job training continues. Job searching continues despite a tough job market. I exercise four days a week. I maintain a clean body. I minimize eating junk foods. I read books. Spending is controlled. Expenses are checked. I learn life skills. I listen to music. I listen to podcasts. I write blogs. I watch one movie a week. I maintain a clean household.

Destiny, life, karma, the stars, the heavens, and the powers that be are acknowledged. Timing, luck, chance, and opportunities are respected. I want my life to get better. My life can get worse which isn't. I understand patience to be happy. I comprehend the lessons learned from mistakes. I'm conscious of intuition. Thank you to everything. Thank you to everyone.

Update On A Past Blog

I give sincere thanks again for the people who assisted. The blogs are Acknowledgements on Jul 10, 2022, My Two Grandfathers on Jul 3, 2018, and Top Ten Thank Yous on Nov 22, 2014.

I count my blessings again such as my brain, my health, food, and shelter. The blog is Be Grateful Day on Aug 14, 2016.

Rename Past Blogs Titles Because The Original Title Are Incorrect Or Misleading

I rename 26 past blogs because the title is deceptive. The title doesn't explain the blog content. The title relating to the text makes no sense. 15 of the 26 or 58.70% blogs are between 2007 and 2009. 18 of the 26 or 69.2% blogs are between 2007 and 2010. Four blogs reference cooking. Three blogs reference taking life for granted. Technically speaking, these past blogs are updates on a past blog.

Update On A Past Blog

Original Title: Free Bird
Date Written: Apr 15, 2007
Renamed Title: Cooking Solves The Problem Being Stressed And Do Something Solves The Problem Being Bored
Explanation: I posted two life tips still valid today. The first tip is cooking destresses a person. Cooking is an activity to take a break. Cooking minimizes eating processed foods. The second tip is avoid being bored doing something out of the ordinary. For instance, I became sick in Apr 2022. I relaxed such as catching up writing blogs, watching old DVDs, and listening to old CDs to recover.

Further, I wrote, "Do something, anything, . . ." which became a life motto when I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008.

Original Title: A Lesson On Life Yesterday
Date Written: May 5, 2007
Renamed Title: Practice Personal Responsibility
Explanation: I learned personal responsibility on my second month working at Cisco. Nobody was going to help me with my assignments. I was responsible to learn what I didn't know. Asking for help was the last resort.

Original Title: A Moment Being Selfish
Date Written: Jul 12, 2007
Renamed Title: My Dream Home
Explanation: I thought how I live life owning a home. I cook my meals, park my car in the garage, and invite friends and family for social activities. The last paragraph is true today: . . . I think about the millions of people who can't afford a home. It's sad, yet life is unfair.

Original Title: Something New To Me
Date Written: Aug 6, 2007
Renamed Title: People Thanking Me Is New To Me
Explanation: The first time in my life people thanked me. The first time in my life people helped me. The first time in my life people appreciated my presence. Beforehand, I thank other people, I helped other people, and I appreciated other people.

Original Title: One Lunch Day In 2000
Date Written: Aug 9, 2007
Renamed Title: I Saw A Homeless Person One Lunch Day In 2000
Explanation: The specific lunch day I saw a homeless person with a sign saying all hope is loss. I should have purchased a sandwich for the homeless person.

Original Title: A 12 Year Mistake
Date Written: Aug 12, 2007
Renamed Title: Making No New Friends Was A 12 Year Mistake
Explanation: The renamed title is self-explanatory. I failed to make new friends from college to beginning cosplaying at anime conventions.

Original Title: I Wake Up, Now What
Date Written: Jan 5, 2008
Renamed Title: What Am I Doing In My Life?
Explanation: The renamed title is self-explanatory. I questioned how I lived my present life. I worked at Cisco, I lived at home with my parents, I watched anime, I worked out at the gym, and I read books. Marriage and moving out of the house were afterthoughts.

Original Title: Runners Stop And Walk
Date Written: May 31, 2008
Renamed Title: Run To Get One Done Or Walk To Get Them All Done
Explanation: Physical fitness is irrelevant. I paraphrase the last paragraph: Two choices. The first choice is run completing tasks hastily increasing the chances for errors. The second choice is walk completing tasks one at a time decreasing the chances for errors.

Original Title: Straight From My Gut
Date Written: Oct 18, 2008
Renamed Title: Straight From My Gut Trust Intuition
Explanation: I realized my intuition helped me through fearful moments. I realized my intuition saved me from tough situations.

Original Title: Point A to Point B. Where's Point C, D, E, F, G, . . .
Date Written: Oct 26, 2008
Renamed Title: Don't Take Life For Granted
Explanation: I shared past moments I took life for granted. Never stop improving. Never stop learning. Never stop innovating. Innovate infinitely.

Original Title: How Do They Do It? How Do They Do It?
Date Written: Jun 4, 2009
Renamed Title: Some People Have The Charisma, Good Vibes, And Good Looks
Explanation: There are people who attracts other people to them. I questioned my charisma, good vibes, and good looks.

In particular, one friend attracts people at anime conventions. High school educated, worked in retail, overweight, talked slowly, learns slowly, and a standard geek. I saw him conversing with new groups of people most of the time I saw him. The same friend watched an anime convention masquerade from the side stage because he got a press pass.

Original Title: My Solution To Solve Problems
Date Written: Jun 20, 2009
Renamed Title: Cooking Skill Can Solve Some Problems
Explanation: Cooking may not solve world problems. Cooking can solve some personal problems. One less personal problem is one less problem the world deals with.

Original Title: I'm Keeping The Door Closed
Date Written: Dec 27, 2009
Renamed Title: I Say No To Death
Explanation: I'm not ready to die.

Original Title: Gratitude
Date Written: Dec 28, 2009
Renamed Title: No More Taking Life For Granted
Explanation: Another reminder don't take life for granted.

Original Title: Riding On Bad Luck
Date Written: Dec 31, 2009
Renamed Title: Riding My Car's Tire On Bad Luck
Explanation: I shared past moments I had a flat tire.

Original Title: A Lesson Learned Tonight
Date Written: Feb 2, 2010
Renamed Title: There Are No Guarantees In Life
Explanation: I learned the life lesson when Conan O'Brien agreed to a $45 million settlement to leave "The Tonight Show," with $33 million to O'Brien and the staff receiving $12 million from NBC. The Jay Leno Show and O'Brien hosting The Tonight Show were failures.

Original Title: Dumb and Dumber
Date Written: Mar 28, 2010
Renamed Title: Don't Spend Time With Dumb People
Explanation: You may become dumb if you spend time with dumb people. I repeat, "[Don't] lower yourself to get along with the friend or group. Whether you continue to spend time with the friend or group is another discussion.

Original Title: A Frozen Dinner
Date Written: Jul 9, 2010
Renamed Title: Try Eating New Foods
Explanation: Eating new foods can add a little excitement. Eating a new junk food is approved.

Original Title: 23 Is Too Short
Date Written: Jan 28, 2011
Renamed Title: A Friend Died At Age 23. 23 Is Too Short.
Explanation: A friend died from sickness complications at age 23. I blogged what my life was at age 23.

Original Title: I Know It Lifestyle
Date Written: Dec 9, 2011
Renamed Title: A Dynamic Life Or A Predictable Life
Explanation: There's no right way or wrong way to live life. Either choose a predictable and routine life or a dynamic and "on the fly" life.

Original Title: Ice, Ice, And More Ice, Baby
Date Written: Mar 13, 2013
Renamed Title: Ice Is Important In A Residence
Explanation: Every freezer must have ice.

Original Title: What Is Wrong With This Picture?
Date Written: Apr 4, 2013
Renamed Title: What Is Wrong With The 2003 Raymond Mar In This Picture?
Explanation: This picture refers to me. I critically analyzed my appearance in 2003. The short answer is I looked pathetic.

Original Title: What Happened?
Date Written: Jul 28, 2013
Renamed Title: Connect The Dots Backwards Life From Mar 2007 To Jul 2013
Explanation: I looked back at in my life from Mar 2007 to Jul 2013. There were mistakes including taking life for granted, failing to earn my successes, and being weak. I corrected a few. The mistakes I failed to correct continued to affect me.

Original Title: Frustrating, Adjusting, Taking Action, Changing
Date Written: Aug 13, 2013
Renamed Title: The 2013 San Francisco Giants Adjustments
Explanation: I wrote my opinions how the Giants took action to adjust and to change.

Original Title: Bringing Home Meals
Date Written: Oct 30, 2014
Renamed Title: Meal Preparation Describes A Person Or Family
Explanation: Pay attention to the meals when people meet other people for the first time and families meet other families for the first time inside their residence. The meals are signs how the person or people live their daily lives. People or families who cook are more happier. People or families who don't cook are less happier.

Original Title: There's An A In Overachieving
Date Written: Oct 11, 2020
Renamed Title: The Oakland A's Are Overachievers
Explanation: The professional baseball team lost 10 of its past 11 postseason series on Oct 2020 when the A's lost to the Houston Astros. Management trades its star players at the prime of their careers; in other words, sell high, buy low for which buy low is acquire young baseball talent at low salaries or old veterans at the end of their careers. Ownership is cheap.

I also wrote 1+1+1=3 which is one superstar plus good coaching plus good management or good ownership equals a championship.

Bleach Anime Songs Turn Back The Clock Briefly

The following tables are openings and endings songs from the Bleach anime series episodes 1-229 for which I watched. I stopped watching at the Zanpakuto Unknown Tales arc beginning on episode 230. The point of the blog is I temporarily stop the present clock to turn back the clock. I reopen the life chapter I cosplayed Toshiro Hitsugaya at anime conventions, made friends, watched the anime, and read manga. I thank the chapter for the good times and bad times. I close the chapter. Start the present clock. Life changes. There are new chapters. There are different chapters. Move forward.

The first table is the opening songs. The second table is the ending songs. The third table is songs sorted by episodes and opening or closing. The Link(s) column includes the studio version and a live version if available.

Opening Songs

Song #	Eps	Artist	Title	Link(s)
1	1-25	Orange Range	*Asterisk	Studio Live
2	26-51	UVERworld	D-TecnoLife	Studio Live
3	52-74	High And Mighty Color	Ichirin No Hana (One Lone Flower)	Studio Live
4	75-97	Beat Crusaders	Tonight, Tonight, Tonight	Studio Live
5	98-120	YUI	Rolling Star	Studio Live
6	121-143	Aqua Timez	Alones	Studio Live
7	144-167	Asian Kung-Fu Generation	After Dark	Studio Live
8	168-189	Kelun	Chu-Bura	Studio
9	190-214	Aqua Timez	Velonica	Studio Live
10	215-242	Scandal	Shoujo S (S, Girl S)	Studio Live

Ending Songs

Song #	Eps	Artist	Title	Link(s)
1	1-13	Rie Fu	Life Is Like A Boat	Studio Live
2	14-25	Home Made Kazoku	Thank You!!	Studio
3	26-38	Younha	Hokiboshi (Comet)	Studio Live
4	39-51	Skoop On Somebody	Happy People	Studio Live
5	52-63	YUI	Life	Studio Live
6	64-74	SunSet Swish	My Pace	Studio Live
7	75-86	Ikimono-Gakari	Hanabi (Fireworks)	Studio Live
8	87-97	Takacha	Movin!!	Studio
9	98-109	JUNE	Baby It's You	Studio Live
10	110-120	Mai Hoshimura	Sakura Biyori (Cherry Blossom Weather)	Studio Live
11	121-131	OreSkaBand	Tsumasaki (Tiptoe)	Studio Live
12	132-143	Chatmonchy	Daidai (Bitter Orange)	Studio Live
13	144-154	Kosuke Atari	Tane Wo Maku Hibi (The Days When Seeds Are Scattered)	Studio
14	155-167	RSP	Kansha (Appreciation)	Studio Live
15	168-179	Lil'B	Orange	Studio
16	180-189	Pe'zmoku	Gallop	Studio
17	190-201	Stereopony	Hitohira No Hanabira (A Single Petal Piece)	Studio Live
18	202-214	Shion Tsuji	Sky Chord ~Otona Ni Naru Kimi E~ (Sky Chord 〜To The Adult You〜)	Studio Live
19	215-229	Sambomaster	Kimi Wo Mamotte, Kimi Wo Aishite (I Protect You, I Love You)	Studio Live

Opening And Endings Songs In Order Of Broadcast

OP Or ED	Song #	Eps	Artist	Title	Link(s)
OP	1	1-25	Orange Range	*Asterisk	Studio Live
ED	1	1-13	Rie Fu	Life Is Like A Boat	Studio Live
ED	2	14-25	Home Made Kazoku	Thank You!!	Studio
OP	2	26-51	UVERworld	D-TecnoLife	Studio Live
ED	3	26-38	Younha	Hokiboshi (Comet)	Studio Live
ED	4	39-51	Skoop On Somebody	Happy People	Studio Live
OP	3	52-74	High And Mighty Color	Ichirin No Hana (One Lone Flower)	Studio Live
ED	5	52-63	YUI	Life	Studio Live
ED	6	64-74	SunSet Swish	My Pace	Studio Live
OP	4	75-97	Beat Crusaders	Tonight, Tonight, Tonight	Studio Live
ED	7	75-86	Ikimono-Gakari	Hanabi (Fireworks)	Studio Live
ED	8	87-97	Takacha	Movin!!	Studio
OP	5	98-120	YUI	Rolling Star	Studio Live
ED	9	98-109	JUNE	Baby It's You	Studio Live
ED	10	110-120	Mai Hoshimura	Sakura Biyori (Cherry Blossom Weather)	Studio Live
OP	6	121-143	Aqua Timez	Alones	Studio Live
ED	11	121-131	OreSkaBand	Tsumasaki (Tiptoe)	Studio Live
ED	12	132-143	Chatmonchy	Daidai (Bitter Orange)	Studio Live
OP	7	144-167	Asian Kung-Fu Generation	After Dark	Studio Live
ED	13	144-154	Kosuke Atari	Tane Wo Maku Hibi (The Days When Seeds Are Scattered)	Studio
ED	14	155-167	RSP	Kansha (Appreciation)	Studio Live
OP	8	168-189	Kelun	Chu-Bura	Studio
ED	15	168-179	Lil'B	Orange	Studio
ED	16	180-189	Pe'zmoku	Gallop	Studio
OP	9	190-214	Aqua Timez	Velonica	Studio Live
ED	17	190-201	Stereopony	Hitohira No Hanabira (A Single Petal Piece)	Studio Live
ED	18	202-214	Shion Tsuji	Sky Chord ~Otona Ni Naru Kimi E~ (Sky Chord 〜To The Adult You〜)	Studio Live
OP	10	215-242	Scandal	Shoujo S (S, Girl S)	Studio Live
ED	19	215-229	Sambomaster	Kimi Wo Mamotte, Kimi Wo Aishite (I Protect You, I Love You)	Studio Live

Source credits: Bleach Wiki Fandom and YouTube.

Graduation Means Continue Learning

I misunderstood graduation. I accepted graduating high school and college incorrectly. The congratulations were valid. The partying was earned. The relaxing was deserved. I began my vacation. The awards came afterwards.

My mistake was I stopped learning. Graduation was a validation all the requirements were fulfilled. Graduation was a completion of the learnings. Graduation opened new paths for new requirements and new basics. Graduation meant continue learning in subject one, subject two, subject three, subject four, subject five, etc. Graduation was actually a checkpoint.

I'm lucky I corrected the error in May 2015. I reviewed SQL, Excel, and Access. I made a mistake learning Salesforce with their online videos and tutorials. I made a mistake learning Tableau signing up to use their trial accounts multiple times. They were a waste of time. Power BI was better because it's free and incorporates Microsoft 365. A friend told me learn Python instead of Ruby. Relearning HTML and learning CSS and JavaScript encouraged me to redesign my personal webpage Innovate Infinitely.

I changed my training on Feb 2020. I created a two-week rotation schedule. One week was a set of job skills to learn and review. Another week was another set of job skills to learn and review. I took advantage of a new desktop PC. Consistency was strong. I graduate my job training on Tue Jun 6, 2023. Jun is graduation month. Good timing. The skills learned and/or reviewed are the following in no particular order: Excel, Power BI, SQL, Python, Git, Sublime Text, Linux, PowerPoint, R, and Access.

The Endgame

I personally call my continue learning the endgame. It's possible I create multiple endgames. Multiple endgames are innovate infinitely. The endgame started on Wed Jun 7. I finished watching two Git tutorial videos for the third time. These two videos are considered my review videos when I need to review Git. The endgame continued on Fri Jun 9 when I use my old desktop to review Oracle SQL using Oracle SQL Developer. I create a personal database using the same data for Excel, Power BI, SQL, R, and Python. I create a personal Python textbook combining all the lessons I learned. Furthermore, the endgame includes life lessons I learned such as rope knots, physical fitness, paper airplanes, Morse Code, and cooking.

Top Ten Redos

Today's mulligan blog is a redo. I redo a moment at a different time. I redo a moment the way it should have been in the first place. I redo a moment to increase my chances of being successful. I redo a moment to increase my chances of a better outcome. Here are the top ten redos:

10. Job Search Working At A Start-Up. I started working at a retail start-up selling high-end wines, beers, and sake at a discount price in Nov 2013. I found another job in Sep 2014. I started job searching in Aug 2014.

Redo: I started job searching in May 2014 when the company fired a manager because he was the fall-guy. Bad management was exposed. Also, the new beer buyer submitted his two-week notice at the end of his first day.

9. Anime Expo 2007. It was a disaster when Anime Expo was held at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA. Hotel overbookings, hot weather, not enough parking, convention center too small, and crowds too big for the downtown.

Redo: I skipped Anime Expo 2007 instead of Anime Expo 2008. Anime Expo moved back to the Los Angeles Convention Center in 2008. Anime Expo was held in Anaheim, CA from 2003 to 2006.

8. Fanime Con 2013. I planned Fanime Con 2013 to be my last anime convention for the rest of my life. I skipped day one for good reason. Con attendees waited hours for their membership badges. I was lucky. I waited one hour on day two.

Redo: Fanime Con 2012 should have been my last anime convention. I should have ended my anime convention experience on a good note.

7. De Anza College Winter 2006. I enrolled in a business plan night class. I went back to De Anza College from 2009 to 2011 to earn an A.A. degree in Accounting.

Redo: Take one evening accounting class starting in Winter 2006 instead of going back to school full time in Fall 2009. A bold redo is quit my job, become a full-time student taking accounting classes, and transfer to San Jose State University. I earn a B.A. in Business Administration-Accounting when the economy recovered from the Great Recession in 2011. My full disclosure connecting the dots backwards is who knew about the Great Recession in 2006. Five years is sufficient time earning a B.A. taking night classes.

6. Mahjong (Riichi). I started learning Japanese Mahjong in summer 2007. I quit because it was too hard. I relearned in Oct 2009 because a friend challenged another friend and I to learn the basics in one week. I have been playing ever since.

Redo: I continued learning Riichi finding better ways. Riichi might have saved 2007 from becoming one of the worse years in my life.

5. Moved To The New House. My parents moved the family to a new house in summer 1983. My parents heisted moving in 1982.

Redo: My parents accepted the bold choice to move in 1982. How my childhood life changed moving to a new neighborhood one year earlier is another blog.

4. Job Search Working In Commercial Real Estate. I job searched in Jan 2007 resulting in a new job at Cisco in Mar 2007.

Redo: I job searched starting in summer 2006. Bad management became front and center throughout the partnership.

Redo addendum: I job searched during the Great Recession. Two friends found jobs in 2009.

3. Changed Majors At San Jose State University. I changed majors from Mathematics to Economics in Fall 1995.

Redo: I changed majors in Fall 1994. The Math 42 Discrete Mathematics class should have been a wake-up call in Fall 1994. I struggled proving math formulas and math theories.

2. Stock Investing. I sold all my dot-com stocks after the 2000 dot-com recession. Most of the stocks sold were at a loss.

Redo: I sold all my stocks the day after NASDAQ closed above 5,000 for the first time in history. I remember a conversation with a senior executive broker who listened to a financial expert who said sell all stocks. Also, I purchased stocks during the Great Recession when the markets were down an average of 50%.

1. The Day I Grew Up. I grew up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The changes were immediate. For example, new clothes, new workouts, new desktop computer, and reading more fiction books.

Redo: I grew up on Mon Mar 17, 2007 which was the first day I started working at Cisco.

Update On A Past Blog

I add more life saves to the Top Ten Saves blog written on Apr 25, 2020. These saves are ordered date descending.

Wall Street Bets (Jan 2021). GameStop, AMC, Sundial Growers, and Nokia. Stock options. Short squeeze. Naked short selling. The stock market events made me a smarter investor. The stock market events revitalized my interest in the stock market. There is no more passive stock investing.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (Sep 2019-Mar 2020). I fail to explain why Harry Potter was not mentioned on the same month I finished reading all seven books. Hindsight is 20-20. The COVID-19 global pandemic shut down the world on Mar 2020. I'm reading the books for the third time. Moreover, the next blog was Top Ten Plus Nine Equals Top Nineteen Harry Potter Adult Perspective Takeaways blog written on Apr 29, 2020.

The Shawshank Redemption (Sep 2019). I mentioned the movie in saves number seven. A special recognition. The movie saved my life. The movie saved my soul. The movie set me free.

Python (May 2015). I mentioned Python in saves number three. A special recognition. I thank my friend Appu for introducing Python, Linux, and a text editor together.

Physics 61 Lab (Spring 1995). My lab partner JoshC. We were the worst lab team. I was the worst lab student. I couldn't pass the class without your help.

The System Works

People who have shelter, income, friends and/or families, employment, reading skills, ability to learn, love, a mattress, access to bare necessities, good health, clothes, phone, internet, and food the system works. I explain differently. People who have an education, a job, a home, food, bare necessities, transportation, and health the system works. Get an education such as high school, vocational, college, and/or specialized training. Find a job after graduation. Find a spouse till death do us part. Rent an apartment or buy a house. Raise a family. The parents provide guidance, nurturing, bare necessities, clothes, food, and shelter for the entire family. The system works.

People who benefit from the system needs faith. People who follow the system needs favorable timing. People who succeed from the system needs good luck. People who model the system needs assistance. The system chooses these people. Life selects these people. Trust intuition, make good choices, destiny, karma, good fortunes, and favorable outcomes are part of the reasons the system flow with these people. An Act of God favors these people.

Nobody is perfect. Nothing is perfect. There are cracks. There are pitfalls. There are dead ends. There are loopholes. The people who benefit from the system must never take the system for granted. Otherwise, these people are at the other end of the system being screwed.

The bottom line is if the system didn't work, then the world is chaos.

Update On A Past Blog

I rarely lose items in my possession outside the residence. Unfortunately, the rare occurrence happened on Fri Mar 10, 2023. I lost a gift certificate. It was inside my jacket pocket because of rainy weather. I hold important papers on my hand by habit most of the time. One reason is my poor short-term memory. If the papers are out of sight, chances are high the papers are out of my mind. The rare occurrence reminded me Always Protect Your Precious Belongings written on Aug 12, 2005. I lost an Edward Elric keychain from the anime series Fullmetal Alchemist. I was lucky a family found the keychain.

I Owe The World By Making A Difference

Today's blog is an update on a past blog.

Update On A Past Blog

I thought about all my past friends and my past co-workers. 95% of them got my backs if anything bad happened. Good people support good people. Good friends support good friends. I failed to realize all 95% supported me. My past friends go as far back as junior high school.

I questioned did I make a difference to the 95% from the blog Did I Make A Difference? written on Jul 7, 2015. I said the 95% made a difference to me. "They made my life better. I'm a better person today."

I failed to be a difference maker to the 95%. I could have been and I should have been a better friend. I have no excuses. I owe the 95% something in return. I don't know what is the something. My feeling tells me the something must be multiple permanent life changers big or small.

I can't explain what I did correctly to earn their friendships. I thank my intuition. Was it I showed up? Was it I listened well? Was it I smiled when they needed a smile? I hope my self-pity didn't attract people.

The minimum owing back the 95% is become stronger. Don't be a jerk. The world needs one less bad person. I assure the 95% and the world I practice personal responsibility. I wrote I Owe The World on Apr 8, 2018 I take care of myself in a positive way such as working hard to earn freedom, stay healthy, and never stop learning.

Top Ten Plus Two Equals Top Twelve Hits And Top Ten Plus One Equals Top Eleven Misses

Hits and misses. The simplistic outcome of an event, a choice, a move, or an action. Hits succeed. Misses fail. Hits can be relative success. Fails can be absolute failures; on the other hand, fails can be successful as a successful failure. My number of hits is greater than the number of misses; however, my fails' weight, worth, value, and influence is greater than my hits. In other words, my fails are heavier than my hits on a balance scale. Life is unfair. The numbers are misleading. It's like a baseball game. The winning team scored more runs than the losing team; however, the losing team got more base hits than the winning team. Life is weird.

Here are my the top ten plus two equals top twelve hits:

12. My Two Blogs. I remember a conversation with a friend between Blogger and LiveJournal. He recommended LiveJournal. I choose Blogger. Blogger still exists. My two blogs are Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar.

11. eBay. I started buying and selling on eBay in Dec 2002. Thank you for helping me sell my junk.

10. VirtualBox And Ubuntu. Learning Linux and Python are paying off. I'm confident these two skills help me for my next full-time job.

9. Settlers Of Catan. Thank you Settlers for bringing me back to board games starting in 2007.

8. Rich Dad Poor Dad. Robert Kiyosaki may be another person in the many investments experts. His first book educated me why the rich people are rich. WallStreetBets is recognized, too.

7. Innovate Infinitely. My life motto never stop innovating was created in Nov 2000. My webpage Innovate Infinitely went online on May 1, 2004.

6. O'Connor Hospital. I admitted myself to the emergency room on Apr 2, 2017. I was admitted as an in-patient requiring two surgeries. The doctors diagnosed me with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis.

5. Steve Jobs. The late Apple co-founder influences my self-train genius. I read his biography written by Walter Isaacson twice.

4. Anime. I became an anime fan watching Sailor Moon on TV and purchasing my first anime series Ranma 1/2 in 1996. New friendships, new experiences, and new adventures were created. I retired from anime in 2014. Cosplay is recognized, too.

3. The Shawshank Redemption. There is a reason why the movie is number one in IMDb Charts Top 250 rated by IMDb Users. The movie saved my soul.

2. Infinite Learning. I combine job training, learning life skills, and learning useful skills. Examples of job training include reviewing Excel and SQL, learning Python, and learning basic finance. Examples of life skills include navigating with a compass, pioneering, and making paper airplanes. Examples of useful skills include rope knots, cook meals, and sew a button.

Honorable mention: Team Fortress 2 video game, social dancing, classic rock music including The Beatles, B.S. degree in Economics, and Breaking Bad television series.

1. Growing Up. My life changed forever on Sat Oct 4, 2008 when I realized I must grow up. The changes paid off immediately: new gym workouts, read fiction books, get back to clothes I used to wear, Gaming PC, Fry's Electronics $4 DVD movies, new mattress, new watch, wet shaving, classic jazz, and hiking.

Here are the top ten plus one equals top eleven misses:

11. Books. It's rare a book achieves a 100% approval rate for all its readers. Here is a sample of books I disliked: Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Olive Kidderidge by Elizabeth Strout, Up In The Air by Walter Kim, The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame, Ten Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Went Out Into the Real World by Maria Shriver, Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins, and The Age Of Turbulence by Alan Greenspan.

10. Napster. I was stupid I paid for the subscription.

9. De Anza Classes. Writing a Business Plan, Beginning Japanese, and Beginning Singing were the three worse classes. On the one hand, I dropped Beginning Japanese which was the worse of the three. On the other hand, I should have dropped all three classes because they wasted my time. The Business Plan and Japanese instructors were terrible. The Beginning Singing was a mismatch of teacher and student expectations. I talked to a student the following quarter who completed the Beginning Japanese class. She said more than half of the students dropped out.

8. Green Tea. I'm in the minority regarding the health benefits of green tea. Drinking green tea daily negatively affects my body. Likewise with drinking eight glasses of water a day. I drink water when I'm thirsty. I stopped drinking green tea decades ago. I stopped drinking eight glasses of water after O'Connor Hospital. I'm the healthiest I've ever been today.

7. 2000 Dot-Com Crash. I failed to sell all my shares when NASDAQ reached 5,000. The crash was in the air. Admit it. I could have doubled my money easily.

6. Role-playing Games (RPGs). Many of my past friends hate my number six. Playing RPGs was a waste of my time. RPGs was a poor escape from life. RPGs was a poor leisure activity. It should not have been a match for my hobbies. Ironically, RPGs is a top life moment. I continue catching up what I missed today.

5. Cisco And Palo Alto Networks. I failed to strengthen my resume working at these successful networking companies. Ironically, I strengthen my resume when I worked at Blockbuster Video and a retail start-up selling artisan wines.

4. Growing Up Part 2. I wrote about my Growing Up Part 2 on Dec 6, 2012. The lesson I learned is personality. Be positive, cheerful, kindness, and joyful. I corrected myself on Oct 28, 2013 with The Correct Growing Up Part 2 saying I took the second growing up moment back. I made the wrong changes having too much fun and too little job preparedness. I corrected myself a second time on Oct 7, 2020 with The Correction To The Correct Growing Up Part 2 reiterating I lived life with too much fun. There is no growing up part 2.

3. Accounting. I earned an A.A. degree in Accounting during the 2008 Great Recession going back to school. As of today, the Accounting degree is a miss because I didn't find permanent employment. All my friends who were unemployed during the Great Recession found permanent jobs.

2. 2008 Great Recession. I failed to buy stocks when the stock market was down 50%.

1. 1990s. The 1990s was the best decade in history in my opinion. It was the ten years to be young making mistakes, experimenting, and learning. It was the best time to establish a foundation for the highest probability of long-term success. I fucked up.

Update On A Past Blog

The 1990s should have been my top mistake in Top Ten Mistakes, Bad Decisions, And Bad Choices written on Mar 22, 2013. Number ten Napster was the number one mistake in the blog. Number seven 2000 Dot-Com Crash and number nine De Anza Classes Beginning Singing were mentioned in the blog.

I add Short Circuit 2 to the list of movies I cried on Top Ten Make Me Cry written on Sep 26, 2021. The list of movies I cried is number nine in the top ten.