The School's Specialty Is Teaching ABCs And 123s

I think back from my kindergarten to my high school senior year. I listen to family stories their children attending K-12 schools. A school's specialty is education. There is nothing more. There can be less. Anything else is a bonus. The supplemental support is available on school campus such as counseling, college advice, nutrition, library services, and medical. School computers meet any minimum standards at best. Expectations should be low. The students receive a public education as a government service funded by the tax dollars. Students who want stronger supplemental learning or supplemental help should look outside the school campus.

Teachers are not the best at their subjects. Otherwise, the teachers aren't in the education field. If the teachers are the best, then they get promoted to an incompetent higher position. The Peter Principle applies in the education field. Likewise, the promotions include counselors, deans, administrators, principals, janitors, and school support staff. Furthermore, if a teacher teaches their students how to learn from making mistakes, the teacher must quit teaching school. Find a better job.

I have an understanding some students blame any teacher, support staff, or administrative staff for not solving their problems. They're not the best. It's the education system. Times have changed. Students and parents bear more responsibility to solve their own problems. Fortunately, in today's Information Age, there are online resources and information. Good luck.

Finally, what's today's public reaction if they saw the 1980s Public Service Announcement commercial Reach For The Power, Teach Teaching PSA, 1988 or 80s Teacher Commercial today? The commercial is not a representation of today's Information Age youth. The youth may be vomiting.

Update On A Past Blog

I Wasn't A Dumb Child After All and I Wasn't A Dumb Child After All. The two blogs were written on Apr 17, 2019 and Aug 3, 2013, respectively. The Apr 17, 2019 blog I realized my poor short-term memory falsely convinced me I was dumb. I learn. I forgot. I must be dumb.

The Aug 3, 2013 blog I blamed my parents because they were poor teachers. Let's be objective. Some people can't teach. Both my parents can't teach.

I wanted to learn. I wanted to succeed. I was motivated. Unfortunately, nobody taught me the skills to learn and to succeed in my childhood. I wanted to do well. I didn't learn flexibility. I didn't learn adaptability. I didn't learn frustration tolerance. I didn't learn problem solving. I worried too much. Nobody taught me to stop worrying too much.

English Teacher Jordan Last Night Dream

I dreamed last night I was a student in ninth grade. One of my afternoon classes was in a bank. I didn't know the subject. My desk was a table where customers fill out either deposit slips or withdrawal slips located at the center. The size of the desk was small. The bank setting was a dark 1980s style. I conversed with students talking gossip when class was over. I rushed out of the bank when the bell for the final class of the day rang.

I arrived late for English I. There was an exam on the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The class was in the guest room of my house. The hallway light outside the guest room was the only light source. Half of the guest room was in the dark. English instructor Mr. Jordan was angry before I arrived. I picked up the exam at his desk located in the front of the classroom. I walked to the right side completing the exam in the dark.

The timed exam was difficult. I didn't prepare. Filling out my name was cryptic. Additional information was required to identify the exam paper. The exam questions were true or false and fill in the blank composed of multiple sentences and multiple blanks per paragraph. Mr. Jordan collected all exams at time expired. Almost all of the students did poorly from our reactions. Ironically, To Kill A Mockingbird is my all-time favorite fiction book.

Mr. Jordan taught a brief lesson after the exam. Another student passed around an unverified document showing Mr. Jordan's assigned books. The student likely hacked in the school computer system to print out the document. I received the document from a student behind me. I passed the document to a student in front of me. The too honest student got up from desk to hand the document to Mr. Jordan. He was furious. I woke up.

Some Endings Are A Relief

I remember my junior year and senior year attending San Jose State University. I felt relief when I completed my last final exam of the semester. The relief feeling was the same for a good semester and for a bad semester. All semester obligations completed. The stress was removed. The tension was gone. The brain relaxed. Freedom. My post-semester activity was shopping later in the day after the last final. In particular, I completed my Christmas shopping after the fall semesters. The mandatory stores were Valley Fair shopping mall in Santa Clara, CA; Fry's Electronics; and Barnes & Noble.

There was no post-quarter activity after I completed a quarter when I went back to school at De Anza College. There was no relief. There was no post-quarter activity. Stress and tension were mild compared to San Jose State University. I was in my mid 30's with life experience, maturity, and not repeating my mistakes as a second-time college student.

I digress. The end eventually happens. It's over. Finish. Complete. Victory or defeat. Win or loss. It's the end. Take time off. Stop. Take a breath. Evaluate. Debrief. Reflect. Think of the positives. Think of the negatives. Strengthen the accomplishments. Correct the mistakes. Resume life or continue living life when the break is over. It's the life system.

Pencils Are Good

I thought of a silly political movement. Bring back the pencil. There are too many people using pens. There are too many people writing with ink tools. I used a pencil from preschool to 12th grade. The only time I used a pen was English classes. I switched pencils and pens in college. I used pens throughout college. The only time I used a pencil was exams involving numbers including calculus, physics, and economics.

I want people use pencils more. I started using pencils more in Oct 2019. Sharpening your pencils is a positive. It forces people to take a break. Get up from the desk to move. There's something about pencils when people read their own notes in pencils. I can't put it into words. Rough beauty? Pens don't make writing beautiful. Handwriting make writing beautiful. Mechanical pencils are accepted.

Update On A Past Blog

Our past generations were correct regarding exercise and reading books. Prevent physical muscle loss by exercising. Prevent mental brain loss by reading. Exercising and reading are the best ways to maintain strength and intelligence. They maximize transition or application to other activities, functions, and responsibilities. Moreover, aerobic physical exercise benefits mental health, too. Aerobic exercise improves blood flow to the brain. Exercise and reading books can benefit emotional health such as positive behavior, spiritual health such as better sleep, and financial stability such as less time to spend on wasteful goods and services.

The above paragraph applies to three previous blogs on physical fitness and mental fitness. I said more people underestimate physical fitness from the blog More People Must Get Physical written on Oct 13, 2019. Exercise Your Body From Head To Toe Inside And Outside written on Jan 6, 2015 is about use it or lose it physically and mentally. Our bodies are meant to move and to think. The blog title Humans Have The Ability To Improve written on Nov 30, 2009 is self-explanatory for which we can change our physical abilities and mental abilities by exercising and reading.

Here are four blogs related to books for mental fitness. These are My Self-Help Books Recommendations written on Jun 28, 2020. My outdated Top Ten Favorite Books I Read I wrote on Oct 27, 2019 needs to be updated with more favorite books added. I said I prefer printed books which is number eight from the blog Top Ten Old School I wrote on Oct 16, 2019. The blog Read Books For Your Life on Oct 16, 2011 I regretted I didn't read books outside school during my childhood. I also said reading books keep the brain active.

Something To Remember Album By Madonna Cover

Something To Remember by Madonna was a CD I listened regularly during my Spring Semester 1997 at San Jose State University. CD music saved the semester. It helped me complete my homework and study for exams. It was the first time listening to music helped me concentrate. I desired quietness for all my school work beforehand.

Something To Remember is a compilation album released by Maverick Records on Nov 3, 1995. The songs were her softer songs. You'll See, One More Chance, and I Want You are three new songs. My favorites songs are Take A Bow, Crazy For You, This Used To Be My Playground, and Rain.

I like the back cover. It's attractive, sexy, and intelligent. The Wikipedia Something To Remember stated the CD covers "showed Madonna looking 'deliciously cosmopolitan' as she wore a tight-fit white cocktail attire, while the back cover artwork is predominantly more playful."

Life Knowledge And Life Wisdom From De Anza College Oct 2010

Today's blog is an update on a past blog. The blog is inspired from the current feature post.

Update On A Past Blog

I want to review my blog De Anza Week Oct 25, 2010 written on Oct 28, 2010. There were life knowledge and life wisdom I want to repeat. I attended the Fall 2010 quarter four days a week. It was the only quarter I attended classes four days week.

Mon Oct 25: I have a better understanding why most students eat out more than they want. The reasons are saving time from cooking and saving money . . . . Eating out is convenient. Less time cooking and more time studying.

The food at home was boring. The household did a bad job cooking boring meals. The boring meals continue today. The change is I'm doing a better job making the boring meals awesome.

Tue Oct 26: Intermediate Acct and Integrated Computer [Acct] classes are behind schedule. What else is new in life? I believe everyone is behind on something. The irony is students who submit their homework and projects late are penalized. Teachers grading homework and mid-terms late and are behind schedule in the syllabus are not penalized. Similarly, sons and daughters who are late doing something are penalized by their parents--at least strict parents; however, if parents are late with something, sons and daughters don't [penalize] their parents.

In the real world, sometimes work, projects, and commitments are completed late.

I thought students were lazy submitting assignments late while I was at San Jose State. Now that I think about it, many of those students submitting assignments late were not lazy. They have other commitments such as working and taking care of their family. There is so much we do in today's [Information Age] way of living. The honest people complete their responsibilities and commitments the best and the earliest we can.

An irony yesterday. An irony generations ago. An irony today. An irony tomorrow. The people at the lower ladder steps, the people at the lowest level, or the people at the lower end of the totem pole can't get away with tardiness. Also, everyone is behind schedule in something in the Information Age. People choose their priorities. Sometimes there are penalties. Sometimes there are no penalties. We want to say "yes." Unfortunately, there are saying "no" or saying "can't do it."

Wed Oct 27: Read the textbook, do the homework, and study hard are keys to earn high grades. Another key to earn high grades teachers and counselors fail to advise their students is eat well. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are meals unavoidable. No junk food. No cookies and chips while doing your math. If you need to skip a meal, skip lunch. Breakfast is the most important meal.

Sometimes the easy answers are incorrect. Sometimes the clique answers are incomplete. Good meals are important to earn high grades. I add physical fitness and sleep. I accept students exchanging physical fitness for completing class projects and exchanging sleep for working at their jobs. I accept flexibility. I allow leeway.

Thur Oct 28: Timing and luck are part of success. If you're at the right place at the right time, life is good. My first accounting class in Fall '09 obviously was Financial Acct I. I never knew the basic accounting classes are three quarters. Timing and luck were in my favor. I took Financial Acct I in Fall '09, Financial Acct II in Winter '10, and Managerial Acct in Spring '10. I completed the basic courses in one year while retaining what I learned carrying forward to the next class without worrying about summer vacation forgetting the concepts.

The first sentence is self-explanatory. I want more successful people to be honest admitting timing and luck favored them.

It was my fault I failed researching the beginning accounting classes when I started Fall Quarter 2009. The beginning accounting consisted of one academic year or three quarters. I was lucky I took all three classes in one academic year instead of a summer break in between any of the three classes.

Grown Up Lessons In Second Grade Completing A Word Search

My second grade teacher assigned homework on Wed nights only. A classmate shared a word search to the class created from his parents. The teacher changed the Wed homework assignment from English to a word search. A word search is a group of random letters organized on a grid. Sometimes the random letters are organized in a shape. There is a list of words below the grid. The objective is search for a group of letters in the grid to find the words. The words are horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, and either forwards or backwards.

I started the homework in the evening. It was difficult. I asked my mom to help. It was difficult for her. Hours were spent on the word search. Bedtime arrived. My mom told me it was okay to submit the incomplete word search. I felt guilty I didn't complete the assignment.

The first conversations Thur morning was the homework assignment. Students told other students how many words they found. Few students found all words. I felt relieved somewhat. What were the adult lessons I could have learned?

The first lesson was some assignments can't be completed. Sometimes assignments need more time. Sometimes assignments lack background information. Sometimes assignments the criteria makes no sense. Time was up. Time to stop. It was bedtime. Be comfortable submitting the incomplete homework assignment tomorrow. I did my best.

Cheating was the second lesson. I cheated. I changed one letter erasing the letter with my eraser to match a word. My mom said no cheating. On the other hand, I reference the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Admiral Kirk told Lieutenant Saavik he cheated in The Kobayashi Maru scenario by reprogramming the simulation. Kirk didn't believe in the no-win scenario. I could have gotten away with cheating because the homework assignment was just a word search which leads me to the third lesson.

The word search was just a word search. Nothing gained on an insignificant assignment was the third lesson. Nothing was rewarded. Nothing was penalized. Low stakes. It was not studying for a spelling test. It was not arithmetic. It was not a book report. The homework assignment didn't affect my grades. The word search was lighthearted. The word search was supposed to be fun. The bonus third lesson was I should have forgotten the word search. I took the assignment too seriously.

Scott Found Nine Words

I remember one student named Scott. He shouted to the entire class he found nine words. Scott reassured the third lesson. The word search was not worth the effort. Quit. Stop. Go watch TV. Go read a book. Listen to music. I should have done something constructive for a normal second grader.

Less Play And More Maturity

The education systems are correct when it comes to free time. There are playgrounds at elementary schools kindergarten to fifth grade. The children play before school starts, recess, and lunch hour. There are no playgrounds at junior high schools and high schools. The students socialize around the halls or complete homework assignments before school starts, break, and lunch hour. Some students play school athletics after school which is their physical activity; although, I played touch football and basketball in the mornings and lunch hours in my junior high years. I don't know if today's junior high students play any athletics during their mornings and lunch hours. An exception is students arrive at school minutes before classes start.

Students who start junior high school and students who start high school for the first time should immediately experience a maturity moment. Less play. Less goofing off. It's another step to become an adult. It's a moment to take life more seriously. There is more homework. There are more exams. There are more people to meet. There are more social activities. There are more mistakes. There are more lessons. Schoolwork and gatherings replace watching Sesame Street television. Reading books with pictures are stopped. Grown up books are read using their brains for pictures. The children toys, children music, and children games begin to collect dust. The play toys time is learning Algebra. Music is anything else such as rock, classical, and hip-hop. Chutes And Ladders and Candy Landy board games are changed to Settlers Of Catan and poker. The children are growing up.

Half Ass Doesn't Work Anymore

I was a high school senior when a classmate told the entire classroom any high school student graduates with a 2.0 grade point average. Students could earn C grades applying 10% of their brain. I don't know if the 10% applies today because high school graduation requirements changed. Expectations are higher. There is more to know. Requirements for college are tougher for college bound students.

Moreover, I'm confident applying up to 50% of the brain doesn't work to be an average success outside school and college. More jobs require more responsibilities. More jobs require more skills. Tell me what jobs Excel are not required. More jobs requiring technical skills require Python programming. Hardware engineers know software engineering, and vice versa. A rising tide raises all boats. Competition is fierce. Retail, janitors, and waiting tables jobs are exempt from the higher expectations and requirements. There is no evolution in cleaning toilets and serving plates with meals.

On The Other Hand, Better Than Nothing

A common sense statement is better to do something compared to do nothing. I agree. Doing something better than nothing is a judgement call depending on the situation, seriousness, timing, and stakes. Half ass doesn't apply to changing a motor vehicle's breaks.

Prove Me Wrong

There were plenty of opportunities decades ago. There were plenty of success pie slices generations ago. Fewer requirements and fewer knowledge required to complete responsibilities. Expectations were easier.

There are fewer opportunities today. The size of the success pie is the same. More people are not going to get a slice. There is more to know. More jobs require getting more done with less time. There is still 24 hours a day. There is still seven days a week. I guarantee them. There is no evolution in time. Humans must sleep.

Update On A Past Blog

I uploaded a better picture for the article My Lunch With 2 Fraudsters: Food For Thought For Investors written by Herb Greenberg for MarketWatch. The article can be viewed at the blog Meet Fraudster Barry Minkow posted on May 5, 2011. "Do not trust--verify," said Minkow.

Children Following Sports Should Learn Life Is Unfair

There are four major professional sports leagues in North America. The National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), and Major League Baseball (MLB). The NBA has 30 teams divided in two conferences and six divisions total. The NFL has 32 teams divided in two conferences and eight divisions total. The NHL has 32 teams divided in two conferences and four divisions total. MLB has 30 teams divided in two leagues and six divisions total.

What is one commonality among the four sports leagues? The answer is one team wins their championship in a season. All other teams lose. One NBA Finals winner. One Super Bowl winner. One Stanley Cup winner. One World Series winner. There is no second-place winner. There are no playoff participation awards. There are lots of good teams in each league. A few of the good teams are championship caliber. I repeat. Only one team wins their championship. All other teams lose. Life is unfair.

There are more popular teams. There are less popular teams. There are teams the ownership provides the necessary monetary funds. There are teams the ownership limits monetary funds. There are teams with many all-stars. There are teams with few all-stars. There are teams in big markets. There are teams in small markets. There are teams with good coaching staff. There are teams with bad coaching staff. There are teams with the latest stadiums and facilities. There are teams with outdated stadiums and facilities. There are teams with strong fan bases. There are teams with weak fan bases. There are no equal teams in each league.

Timing and luck are factors. Which team has the fewest players on the injury list? Which team has the most players on the injury list? Which team is the healthiest during the championship game or championship series? Good weather or bad weather? Does the ball bounce perfectly? Does the ball tip to an opposing player? What team benefits the puck ricochets off the wall? Which team wins the attrition battle? Which team their star-players are in a slump? Which head coach or manager guesses correctly? Which player makes a winning gamble move? Which team benefits from an incorrect referee call? Which team gets the breaks?

Update On A Past Blog

I reminded people There Is Truth Serum During COVID-19 And After COVID-19 on Sep 16, 2024. I want to add some truths change life from good to bad. The blog Life Is Good Because It's Predictable And Certain written on Jan 20, 2022 said bombshells shook people's sense of predictability, certainty, and calmness. Life changed after the smoke cleared and damage assessed.

Learn By Example

I remember the first time I learn by example. It was in fourth grade English. I didn't know I learn by example at the time. Every homework exercise the teacher assigned the first question which included the answer at the bottom of the page. I understood the English concepts clearer following the first question and answer than the teacher lecturing on the chalkboard. My best example was learning subject-verb agreement. The singular and plural are opposites, unmatched, or not equal. A singular noun is followed by a plural verb. A plural noun is followed by a singular verb. One noun is followed by more than one verb. More than one noun is followed by one verb. For example, Tom runs to the store for which Tom is a singular noun and runs is a plural verb ending in s. Another example, Tom and Jane run to the store for which Tom and Jane are plural nouns and run is a singular verb without ending in s. It may not be grammatically logical. The logical fits my thinking process.

The learn by example continued in my high school math classes. I completed the homework assignments. I checked the answers at the back of the book. If I got the answer wrong, then I corrected the mistake by figuring out my incorrect calculations. I thought the answers at the back of the book was for students to cheat. I admit I was naive. The answers helped students check their work for students to confirm they solved the problems correctly.

Moreover, most of my high school math teachers believed in learn the concepts instead of practicing and drilling. These math teachers assigned fewer problems covering the section for which they believed if the students understand how to solve the fewer problem, then they understood the concepts. Any problems could be solved. I was in the minority. My learning process was practicing and drilling. The more I practiced. The more I drilled. The more I find patterns. The more I thought instinctively. The more I understood the concepts myself.

Practicing and drilling with examples are my best way to learn being an adult. My intuition becomes stronger. My reflexes become stronger. I think quicker.

Update On A Past Blog

I remind Beelzebub continues to collect the bills from the blog Times Are Changing written on Sep 17, 2020. People who made deals with Satan better pay up. Never overestimate or overspend. Know the limits. Nobody imagines the consequences.

Throwback Blog: De Anza Week May 23, 2011

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

Today's throwback blog is titled De Anza Week May 23, 2011 written on May 25, 2011. I reflect these three days I went back to college during the Great Recession. My goal was to earn an A.A. degree in Accounting. I hoped to strengthen my resume when the economy recovered from the Great Recession. I thought a B.S. in Economics and an A.A. in Accounting were a good combination. They didn't work.

I visited the De Anza College-Accounting Department website. Four instructors remain in the department since 2011.

Reading the blog recalled my memory as if the three days happened earlier in the week. The week was memorable with action.

Mon May 23: The bad habit arriving late to class was never eliminated. Bad discipline. I was irresponsible.

Shocked was another verb the students felt when the professor handed out more homework. I finished the initial homework assignments before Memorial Day weekend.

Tue May 24: I missed driving to Mission College every Tue night. The class was easy. Attendance counted in the final grade. Important announcements were given in-class only.

Wed May 25: I should have exchanged contact information with the California State University (CSU)-East Bay graduate. She was informative on the accounting degree. Her accounting knowledge including auditing was good. For instance, there were in-class exercises. She exceled them for which sometimes she didn't read the textbook. The reason was she took an auditing class as an undergraduate.

I mentioned above the Economics degree and Accounting degree combination didn't work. The CSU-East Bay graduate explained a reason for which I was ignorant and I was in denial. The accounting classes taught in junior colleges are the same in four-year colleges; however, some important accounting classes are taught in four-year colleges only. Companies prioritize four-year colleges accounting degrees over two-year colleges accounting degrees. A person can say a two-year A.A. degree is fraud.

I think back about the conversation 13 years and at least three months later. I should have been proactive by researching skills I could learn related to accounting, data analysis, or both. The learning should have continued after graduation.

Mon May 23

The drive to De Anza was the shortest ever. I had one red light which was the first left turn that was a short wait. I still was 10 minutes late. The time could have doubled if I had more red lights.

The professor surprised the entire class. He handed out an additional chapter 5 homework assignment due Wed. 24 multiple choice questions. That's not good for those who wanted to finish the initial homework assignments before Memorial Day weekend. My goal is to finish all homework assignments before Fri.

Tue May 24

I arrived at Mission College at 7:20pm. The instructor said the official start time for the final is 7:30pm. Students can come at 7:00pm. I was running behind in everything. I ate a Snickers candy bar at the parking lot.

I turned in the take home final and received the final. My usual seats at the back of the class were occupied. I moved to the front. The final was doable. I didn't study. I recognized some questions from the take home final and lectures. I completed around 20 minutes. I received the take home final solutions after I submitted the final. It seems I did well because the debit and credit numbers matched what I calculated.

In a small way, I'm going to miss driving to Mission College every Tue night. It was a set activity for the beginning of 2011. I can use the two and a half hours to study for auditing and work out at the gym.

Wed May 25

The professor immediately checked the students completing the additional chapter 5 homework assignment as soon as he walked in the classroom. Then he began lecturing chapter 6. Finally, we reviewed the additional chapter 5 homework. The professor made me read all the questions.

I did poorly on the assignment. I got most of the questions wrong. Most students were surprised at some of the answers to the questions. The classmate who sat on my right was absent on Mon. She got most of the questions correct when she answered the questions before the professor announced the solution.

The classmate and I went to the library after class to photocopy the assignment for her. We talked about accounting degrees and economics degrees. She corrected my knowledge on accounting degrees at the California State University (CSU) systems. An accounting degree is actually a business administration degree. The account part is the business administration's emphases. I incorrectly thought an accounting degree is a stand alone degree with more accounting classes took compared to a junior college. The correction is the number of accounting classes is almost the same between a CSU and junior college. In particular, my classmate noted there are key classes taught at CSU junior college don't teach, and that's a key factor when it comes to companies hiring a person with a four year degree and a two year degree in accounting. The accounting classes I have taken at De Anza are the same as any CSU school. If I transfer to a CSU school, then some of my accounting classes count towards the transfer and I must retake some classes I already took at De Anza.

Update On A Past Blog

I finished reading the book version of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowing, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne. The story is overrated. The plot twist saved the theatre production. I watch the live action play. I prepare myself to avoid being hyped.

I add two more lessons to the blog Top Ten Plus Nine Equals Top Nineteen Harry Potter Adult Perspective Takeaways written on Apr 29, 2020. The lessons happened at the end of Year 4 Goblet Of Fire. Harry, Ron, and Hermione visited Hagrid because there was no Defense Against The Dark Arts class. Hagrid told Harry it was okay to feel bad. Hagrid also told the trio, "Known it fer years, Harry. Knew [Voldemort] was out there, bidin' his time. It had ter happen. Well, now it has, an' we'll jus' have ter get on with it. . . . No good sittin' worryin' abou' it. What's comin' will come, an' wel'll meet it when it does. . . ."

No Job Breaks During My Job Search

I share my no breaks job search being long term unemployed in descending order. I forget all phone interviews. Phone interviews are phone interviews. Most of the phone interviews are recruiters instead of hiring managers for contract positions. Long-term unemployed can get job interviews.

*Dec 2019. I was interviewed for a data analyst position in a hardware networking company. A second interview was scheduled in Mar 2020. The reader should know the outcome given the date Mar 2020--the COVID-19 global pandemic. The company announced a hiring freeze.

*Feb 2019. A US based temp agency arranged a phone interview for a six-month data analyst contract. The company produced hardware chips for Internet-Of-Things. I requested a person-to-person interview because I needed to fulfill my due diligence. I experienced bad job opportunities because I failed my research. I was given an offer. I completed the paperwork. The 11th hour the agency said the contract was cancelled. I suspected a director in the division cancelled the contract.

*Aug 2018. The same US based temp agency arranged a business analyst contract for another hardware networking company. I passed the interviews. I passed the Excel test. The hardware networking company choose to hire a contractor internally.

*Nov 2017. A hospital interviewed me for a Customer Product Analyst. The hospital rejected all the candidates. I saw the same job ID with a different job title weeks later.

*Oct 2017. Google interviewed me for a Reporting Analyst II. I found out I was the sixth candidate to be interviewed. The five candidates previously interviewed were rejected because they failed the interview skills test. They must have failed intentionally. I realized why after the interview.

Side note: I took an Excel test during an interview for a low paying contract analyst position decades ago before my current long-term unemployment. The recruiter told me the contractor position was open for weeks. The recruiter must be desperate to fill the position. I arrived at the job site. I realized why the previous job interviewees intentionally failed the Excel test 30 seconds inside the building. High cubicle walls. No sound. Dull air. I forgot the idea of taking any position to strengthen my resume. The contract analyst position likely weakened my resume.

*Nov 2016. I interviewed for a four-month contract position at a software company for hospital information systems. I was interviewed for the incorrect position. Also, the job agency submitted my resume modified to the hiring manager.

*Jul 2016. A Canadian based aerospace company interviewed me for a database coordinator position. The panel interview consisted of all the department employees. The questions didn't match the job description. The technology used was outdated. It was a dead-end job.

*Aug 2013. Interview for a sales support position for a Taiwanese technology and manufacturing company at their Fremont, CA location. The interview was short. The questions asked were irrelevant to my experience. I suspected the hiring manager interviewed the weakest candidates to hire a specific worker. My interview was dead on arrival.

*Aug 2013.. Interview for an analyst position in the accounting department for a Japanese technology and manufacturing company. The interview was at their South San Jose campus. The hiring manager was fired for doing something illegal.

*Oct 2012. The position was a Contract Support Specialist for a biotech company in North San Jose. A friend helped me forward my resume to human resources because she knew someone responsible for hirings. I was approved for a first interview. Unfortunately, there was no interview because the San Jose location was incorrect. The correct location was in the East Coast.

*Sep 2012. I interviewed for an analyst position at my alma mater San Jose State University. I passed the Excel 2003 and Access 2003 exams administered to all job candidates. The actual interview half of the job requirements were not mentioned in the job description. I was unqualified. My interview was dead on arrival.

Instant Bullets Blog Feb 8, 2024

*The US Prison System. 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.

Moreover, a lot of prisoners need help. They ended up locked up with sociopaths. Most are under-medicated or over-medicated. All are undertreated.

*Similarly, 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.

*cordon: 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. The troops cordon around the headquarters. The city center was cordoned off after fires were discovered in two stores.

I thought cordon was pronounced "corner off" when I was a child.

*The World Needs More Kind Teachers. 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.

*Is The Color Grey? 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.

You may cover half of the middle line above or below.

*Internal Monologue. 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.

*Aphantasia is the inability to visualize images in the brain. Mind blindness. Aphantasia is pronounced a-fan-tas-ia.

*A cow is female 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.

*Miscarriage And Stillbirth. 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.

*Harry Potter. Diagon Alley is diagonally. Knockturn Alley is nocturnally. Grimmauld Place is grim old place.

*Snap Fingers. 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.

Snap your fingers. Hit the palm hard with your finger.

*A Child Is Thirsty. 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.

*Dear Abby Oct 24, 2023. 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 Dear Abby Tue Oct 24, 2023 to view the column.

*Rank 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.

*Human beings don't know what they need until they have seen what they asked for.

*sanctimonious: making an exaggerated show of holiness or moral superiority. A sanctimonious control freak.

*omniscient: knowing or seeming to know everything. I'm the omniscient narrator.

*Can a person experience the highs without experiencing the lows?

*Make A Marriage Bet. 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.

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.

*A Granola Person. 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.

*Successful Marriage? Yes or no. A couple is married for 50 years. 47 of the 50 years are miserable. The couple is not divorced.

*The secret lies in the reading and the writing. 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

Schools Give Out An Unlimited A Grades

I admit I'm not an educational professional. If schools want to give out more A's for an easier school day, need to give out more A's while convincing more students to attend classes for more funding, feel less guilty conscious being dishonest, turn off their sincerities, and stop caring, then all of the above are accomplished easily. Students must not be fooled life in the classrooms reflect real life. The purpose of going to school is to learn. Students learn the ABC's and 123's; in particular, college bound high school students prepare for college enrollment taking required classes and exams. Nothing more. Nothing less. Anything taught outside the ABC's and 123's are bonuses and exceptions.

True A graded students learn outside the classroom 365 days a year. True A graded students are not the 3.5's and the 4.0's. Never stop learning. Never stop innovating--innovate infinitely. If students don't participate in athletics, then exercise at home. Read leisure books. Learn life skills such as cooking, tying knots, programming, Excel, changing the oil in a car, running basic PC, and sewing. There's nothing wrong with playing video games, watching movies, and socializing with friends. Know the priorities. Strengthen your self-confidence, self-esteem, socializing skills, and communication skills. Discover motivation. I will is more important than I know. It's okay to make mistakes. Make intelligent mistakes to learn from them. Schools teach none of the above.

The real life is not A grades. The real life is not feel good participation awards. People show up resulting in people succeeding is false. Students attend school whether they like it or not. Students attend school whether they're present or the minds are someplace else. The real life is people don't do anything not feeling up to it. People do quit. People say goodbye. The real life is limited opportunities for too many people.

People should wonder why the big successful people didn't earn A's and B's. They earned C's. Or they dropped out of college such as Bill Gates, the late Steve Jobs, and some professional athletes.

All Is Ready Cue The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Show Opening Theme

Click CBS Bugs Bunny Road Runner show open 1979 to watch the YouTube video. Click bugs bunny road runner show opening to search for variation openings.

Overture, curtain, lights
This is it, the night of nights
No more rehearsing and nursing a part
We know every part by heart
Overture, curtain, lights
This is it, we'll hit the heights
And oh what heights we'll hit
On with the show this is it.

Tonight what heights we'll hit.
On with the show, this is it.

There is nothing more to add. Research completed. Knowledge learned. Set-up is done. Everything acquired. Preparation accomplished. The i's are dotted. The t's are crossed. Drills are mastered. Practices checked off. The teacher taught everything. The student takes the pebble from the teacher's hand. The present is now. This is it.

Update On A Past Blog

Follow the patterns. People who live long enough realize the Same Shit. Different Day. Everything Happens. blog written on Jul 28, 2021 is 100% true. Follow the patterns everyday. An additional wisdom is go back to the past. Find the source. Learn from the source. Get to the root of the cause.

Continue The Lie

I dreamed last night I was a data analyst for an unknown business located in San Jose, CA. I completed a pricing analysis. I didn't analyze. I didn't research. I faked the report. I made up the numbers.

Two co-workers brought to my attention an email from our manager. Our manager was embarrassed. A local university said her presentation was incorrect. The students spent hours past midnight proving the incorrectness. She defended her presentation.

I woke up. I realized I should have continued the dream because I could have lied my way out of my fake analysis. The dream represented today's life. Some people get away with bullshit. I could have escaped my bullshit with more bullshit.

Update On A Past Blog

My dream last night reminded me of the blog Did The Dumb Ass Co-Worker Wanted To Change? on Jul 15, 2009. My dumb ass co-worker faked the statistics for years. He was eventually caught. I was told he found another job in the same industry before he got fired. He was too lucky.

I could follow lesson six by keeping my mouth shut in the Five Minute Management Course written on Jan 12, 2010. Lesson six is three parts. The third part is to be silent when I'm in trouble. Although, lesson five is nobody stays on top lying 100% of the time.

A Second Look At 2021

It's the time I look back at my 2021 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 2021 best blogs.

1. A 46 Year Old Mind And Spirit Inside A 13 Year Old Body
Date: Sat Jan 9
Summary: I dreamed I was the captain of my co-ed basketball team in junior high school.
Feedback: I can't explain my feeling I need to take charge more in life. I take charge inside the household, outside the household, any group of people, and any situation nothing is happening. Making the decisions and making the choices are the first time I step up. I'm the person to speak up. If nothing happens, then I accept it. The absolute minimum is I done something. I create action. Success or failure doesn't matter. Start small. Climb up the ladder slowly and surely.

2. No On The Job Training For Excel. Also No Classes On How To Use A PC. Better Know How To Type.
Date: Tue Jun 29
Summary: More jobs require more prerequisites, additional acquired knowledge, and higher self-taught skills.
Feedback: More white collar professions self-training and self-learning are required because there is more technology to know, more technology to learn, and more knowledge to acquire. There is not enough time in an education setting to teach everything. Perhaps, blue collar professions, too, such as auto mechanics self-training and self-learning are required to get an interview.

High schools and colleges should be increasing the number of classes require to graduate. There is more to learn. There is more technology to learn. Otherwise, a student is responsible for himself or herself to self-teach anything important for success not taught in school.

I remember an Excel assignment in Accounting 1C class at De Anza College. Half of the class didn't finish the assignment because their Excel skills were poor. High school students should learn basic spreadsheet skills.

3. Throwback Blog: A Mixed Bag Of Everything
Date: Wed Jun 30
Summary: I took a second look at Aug 2006.
Feedback: The month Aug 2006 summarized most of the year 2006.

I said most of the happiness was faked. I was depressed most of the year. I was unhappy most of the year. They are incorrect. I take them back. 2006 was a good year. I admit I could have done a better job to make 2006 a better year. For instance, I mentioned, ". . . I could have done such as find a new job, self-teach myself Excel correctly, and research gym workout plans." The positives outweighed the negatives. The 2006 happiness was good.

I forgot my grandmother on my dad's side past away in Jul 2006. I visit my grandparents on my dad's side at least once a year.

A simple, sarcastic, and wise quote from a friend must be repeated. Barnes said, "Enjoy it or complain."

4. The Look
Date: Tue Aug 10
Summary: I dreamed I was in a contest to put puzzle pieces together inspired me a person's looks show who he or she is.
Feedback: I stand by my opinion with 98% accuracy. We always judge people by their looks. We always judge people by their appearances. The judgements are 98% accurate. The 2% are the exceptions.

The day Thur Dec 1, 2022 convinced me to add The Look on A Second Look. I shopped at a grocery store and a drugstore. The grocery store cashier and the drugstore store manager looked like they don't belong in retail. They belong in tech. Something happened in their pasts they are desperate for any job. The cashier job and the store manager job are the best jobs they found. Underachievers? Maybe. Bad luck? Maybe. Unfortunate circumstances? Likely.

5. A Loser Is Pissed At People Who Screw It Up
Date: Sun Aug 22
Summary: I expressed anger some winners self-destruct their good lives.
Feedback: People like me are false losers. False losers are doing their best to live a good life. We prepare for the next opportunity. We continue to get stronger, get smarter, and get wiser. There is no complaining. We appreciate life. We take care of ourselves inside and outside. Spending is controlled. The false losers are hidden. Nobody talks about the false losers because we're losers.

The real losers are the people who screw up their freedom. The real losers take life for granted. The real losers fail to maintain and to strengthen their successes. Sometimes the real losers become losers by the sign of the times or too many down on their lucks. It's unfortunate. Some real losers are losers through no fault of their own. It's life.

6. I Was Lonely, I Fell Through The Cracks, Everyone Let Me Go
Date: Tue Sep 14
Summary: I recalled my teachers and my managers failed to help my learning problems.
Feedback: I use the feedback to address my youngest nephew in pre-kindergarten who cries. I cried many times in pre-school. It's part of growing up. Be patient. Don't give up parents. Don't quit. Teach your children. Be tough and be fair when rough parenting are in play.

7. Algebra II Math Intuition
Date: Sun Oct 17
Summary: I dreamed I took an Algebra II exam in high school for which one question the answer was unequal or no answer.
Feedback: I trusted my intuition to conclude the proof question was unequal. Trust intuition. No analysis paralysis. Sometimes there is no solution. If there is no solution, then no solution is correct.

"I began to realize that an intuitive understanding and consciousness was more significant than abstract thinking and intellectual logical analysis . . . intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect, in my opinion. That's had a big impact on my work." --Steve Jobs

The third blog from my dreams in A Second Look 2021.

8. The 1992 Presidential Election Bill Clinton At San Jose State University
Date: Thur Oct 28
Summary: Impatience cost me an opportunity to attend an once-in-a-lifetime presidential rally.
Feedback: I remember the Paul McCartney concert at AT&T Park in Jul 2010. His band was significantly late. It was intentional. Fans waited longer. The longer the wait, the more excitement the audience became when the band played. Life wisdom. If you need to wait for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, then take the wait.

9. Celebrities Are Assholes Because We're Assholes
Date: Sun Nov 28
Summary: The second look is an update on a past blog Today Is A Lucky Day I Count My Blessings written on Feb 23, 2020 when I realized I became a genius.
Feedback: Focus is good; however, don't focus too much. Can't finish it today? There's always tomorrow. If you need a break, then do something else constructive. Don't want to finish it? Delay when you feel refreshed or quit when it's a no go. On the other hand, don't delay or quit because of laziness. Incomplete work is not to be submitted. Wait for the work to be completed; although, half-ass is better than nothing. Make the intelligent judgment.

10. My Six Guarantees
Date: Sat Dec 11
Summary: The six guarantees in no particular order are death, taxes, everyone is weird, everyone changes, everyone has problems, and there are 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Feedback: If there are awards for blog of the year, then I nominate the blog. I refer to the blog more times in the future.

The following blogs are honorable mentions: Everybody Doesn't Manage and Have The Courage To Be Sincerely Happy.

Sensing Desperation And Feeling Desperation

My sophomore year in high school could be described in one word. The word was desperation. I sensed desperate. I felt desperate. I acted desperate. It wasn't urgency. I was desperate to keep my friends. I was desperate to get good grades. I was desperate to keep my sanity. Maybe I was lost. The desperation avoided losing myself in a negative way. I didn't have direction in tenth grade.

I wasn't desperate in my freshmen, junior, and senior years. My freshmen and junior years were too easy. I attended another high school in my senior year because my initial high school closed due to budget cuts. I went with the flow. Going with the flow should have been my adult lesson in twelfth grade. I digress.

Adult Desperation

Call it adult desperation. Call it 2022 desperation for government. Call it 2022 desperation for economics. Call it 2022 desperation for businesses. Call it 2022 desperation for long-term pandemic victims. Ironically, I'm long-term unemployed and live with my parents. I look out the window. I sense desperation is clear and present. I run errands outside. I feel desperation is clear and present. The fear of losing is intense. Acting desperate is rarely successful; for example, watching professional sports team losing towards the end of the game. The chances are low. If all parties behave desperately, then one party should win. Time will tell afterwards. There is indefinite time to evaluate afterwards.

Personally speaking, I keep my senses open when I feel desperate. I pause. I assess. I remain calm. There are exceptions such as a sense of emergency my life is in danger. I remember past moments I was desperate. I connected the dots backwards. Time told me the unsuccessful percentage was high.

Be A Weekend Warrior

There is work on the weekends. The work is not necessarily from the company. The work can be career improvement, life skills improvement, learning new life skills, exercising, completing chores, researching, and raising children. Vacations are an exception.

Likewise for students. My teachers assigned homework on the weekends in high school. My professors assigned homework on the weekends in college.

Professionalism counts on the weekends. Practice maturity on the weekends. However, take it easy. Pace oneself. Slow it down.

Update On A Past Blog

I removed the last sentence "Pray for the worse" in Control What You Can Control And Trust Life What You Can't Control written on Jun 18, 2017. The sentence is supposed to mean pray the worse doesn't happen after the sentence "Hope for the best." I removed the last sentence.