The Real Ramond Mar Correct Choice Is Still

The open choice continues today. The same choice real Raymond Mar is available. There's no change. I'm still a strong choice. Today's blog is an update on a past blog. I reflect past blogs on Raymond Mar from latest to earliest.

Update On A Past Blog

The statements against me dwindled from the The Real Raymond Mar Please Stand Up blog written on Dec 5, 2021. The real George Costanza is temporarily real. Nobody controls bad luck. I'm catching up narrowing the falling behind gap. I compensate my inherited weaknesses such as poor short-term memory and prone to hot temperatures. I'm reading faster. Recent successes are earned.

I Choose Raymond Mar Today written on Apr 9, 2020 is a yes 2,260 days later. The choice was a no beforehand.

Here's an update pic of me from the blog Raymond Mar 2015-2019 Looking Better written on Jan 5, 2020. I'm an example of a person who looks better aging.

The odds on favor are increasing. The payouts are higher. People who placed bets Bet On The Real Raymond Mar Coming Soon on Oct 4, 2014 being patient the long-term rewards pay off. I continue job searching, learning Python, reviewing Excel, working out physically, learning life skills, and completing housework. There's nothing to lose.

Live For Living

Keep going. Keep living. Use the brain. Use the muscles. Be physical. Talk, converse, and socialize. Sleep well. Eat healthy. Keep moving. Read books. Maintain a life full of freshness. Be motivated. Seek new adventures. Experiences new experiences. Innovate infinitely.

The simple sentences above are suggestions to live a strong life. The concise sentences above are suggestions to live an intelligent life. The quick paragraph above can't be any clearer. There is natural decline due to aging. The decline can be delayed by staying active. The decline can be minimized by living a busy life. Don't stop.

Live A Productive Life At Best Or Not Waste My Life

Today I shopped for used books at multiple libraries. Libraries donated books for their used book sales to raise money.

I asked the question at one library, "What am I doing?" I'm wasting my time. My life is George Costanza. I'm long term unemployed. I live with my parents. I didn't ask for my current life. I didn't want my present life. I waste a day shopping for used books. I buy books at cheap prices on a weekday mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Waste is relative. I should be earning an income working instead of shopping. I should be living in freedom.

Life goes on. I read books which is an activity today. I gain knowledge for tomorrow. I acquire wisdom for tomorrow. Today is today. Today is it no matter the degree. Tomorrow is tomorrow. Tomorrow can be a life break in my favor.

Inbox

Today I fully understand the inbox is never empty. At least a piece of paper is in the inbox for tomorrow. The email inbox counter is greater than zero at the end of the day. Do it one at a time. Do whatever I can today. Continue tomorrow. Another responsibility is placed in the inbox tomorrow. There are no rushes. There are no emergencies. Choose and prioritize. I can say no to myself with no penalties. Many times I say another yes to myself with no extra rewards. Stop for the day. Rest, recover, and reset the focus to 100% tomorrow.

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.

Take Away The Security Blankets

President Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 47th President Of The United States. Republican candidate Trump defeated Democratic candidate Vice-President Kamala Harris 312 to 226 in electoral votes in the 2024 Presidential Election. Trump received 77,303,573 of the popular vote. Harris received 75,019,257 of the popular vote. The pollsters who predicted a tight race were incorrect. The political scientists who said be prepared the court system determines the election outcome were incorrect.

The next four years I want to see huge changes. I want to see bombshells. I want to mix everything. Stur the pot more than the recipe states. Launch the uncertainty missiles. Stand to attention from the relaxation. Change the routines. Ignore the professional predictions. Chances are they're incorrect. Nobody knows what happens in the next four years. It may be better. It may be worse. It may be a push; in other words, a zero-sum change. A question is how big are the explosions?

Actions speak louder than words. Bring on everything. If my life gets worse, then so be it. If I'm screwed more, then so be it. My life can't get any worse. I'm George Kostanza. I'm unemployed. I live with my parents. My life can go up only.

107

The number 107 is the only number to analyze why Harris didn't win the presidency. All other analysis are secondary. Harris was given 107 days to convince the United States to vote for her. Not impossible. Improbable. If Harris won, she pulled the political miracle in the history of the United States.

The Dots Connect Backwards To Everything Except Financial Rewards

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

"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

I agree with the late Steve Jobs. I must trust myself what I'm doing today rewards me tomorrow. I have been doing the same since 2015. I review my existing job skills such as Excel and SQL. I learn new job skills such as Python and R. They're self job training. Job searching is five days a week. I exercise four days a week consisting of two days cardio and two days strength training. I read books. I write blogs. I cook. I eat healthy. I sleep well. I learn life skills such as tying knots, typing Morse Code, making paper airplanes, and memorizing jokes. I catch up what I missed in my 20s and 30s. My movie of the week is on Sundays. I play video games once a month. Never stop learning. Innovate infinitely. Get up and do something, anything. Furthermore, I do my fair share maintaining the household. Costs are minimized. I control my leisure spending. Most of the above are boring; however, I make them awesome. I socialize with people outside the family post-pandemic starting in Aug 2024.

I have been doing everything correct. I have been doing everything right. I'm an example there are people who do everything right. The favorable outcomes don't happen. No job. No income. No freedom. Life moves slowly at best. I'm an example life is unfair. There are winners and there are losers. I'm one of the losers. I'm an example being a loser beyond my control.

What am I going to do? The answer is continue the present path. There are no alternatives. There's nothing to lose. I pay my debts to the family. I appreciate all who supports me. I help the supporters when they need help. Playing video games, watching television, and eating processed foods seven days a week are unacceptable; I might as well die.

A Shout Out To The People Like Me

I'm open to all suggestions to help me escape being a loser. I'm open to all suggestions to correct my unrealized mistakes. However, I don't want to hear easy answers and clique solutions. Go back to school? No. Get a part-time job? Depends. Unlikely my job skills match any part-time position. Network? Overrated. There are too many people applying to the too few job openings. Attend job networking seminars? A waste of time for 90% of the unemployed attendees who are losers. Hire a professional to improve your job search? Waste of money. Most of a professional's advice can be found online for free. Freelance? Not a match with my background. You said do something, anything earlier--do something? I said it. I'm not doing anything half-ass. All-in or all-out. I have nothing to lose. It's a judgment call.

I recognize myself and I recognize the millions of long-term unemployed people with bad luck and bad timing. I recognize us as false losers. Good opportunities pass us. We do our best sincerely. We cause no trouble. We make our lives and the people in our lives as easy as possible.

Update On A Past Blog

Some people experience the opposite Life Is Good Because It's Predictable And Certain on Jan 20, 2025 when President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated. I wrote the blog on Jan 20, 2022. These people are uncomfortable living an unpredictable life. These people desire a predictable life with 99.9999. . .% accuracy. They don't want bombshells. They want to keep the same security blanket. The 47th President is uncertain as of today. The 2025-2028 future is unclear. Time is the ultimate judge Trump makes the correct decisions for the United States Of America.

The Years 2016 To 2019 Were Better Than The Years 2020 To 2023

I begin backwards. 2020-2023 years excelled. I'm in the minority the COVID-19 Global Pandemic benefited me. The world paused. The world slowed down. I used those years to catch up. The catching up continues today. I'm not finished. Here are some specifics: proper self job training, new physical workouts, faster reading comprehension, acquire new life skills, relearning financial education, and new computers. Unfortunately, no financial rewards and no employment. The four years were good.

On the other hand, the 2016-2019 four years were better. 2016-2019 years sucked. There were struggles. There were frustrations. There were mistakes--too many mistakes. There were trials and errors resulting in no solutions. 2016 was the last year I went on a vacation outside my city. I needed two surgeries in 2017. 2018 was all bad luck and all bad timing. Here are more specifics: improper self job training, poor physical workouts, improper diet, too much leisure, and outdated computers. The turnaround began in 2019. The specific month was Sep. I watched The Shawshank Redemption for the first time. I started to read Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling for the first time. I hiked four trails. I purchased new desktop hardware and a new laptop in Nov and Dec. I began training as a self trained genius.

I connect the dots backwards. The 2016-2019 created momentum for 2020-2023. The 2016-2019 were the foundation for 2020-2023. 2016-2019 set up 2020-2023. I endured the struggles. I worked my way out of the frustrations. I learned from my too many mistakes. The light bulb on top of my head lit intensely because I figured out the solutions in 2020-2023 from the 2016-2019 trials and errors. I learned from failures. I needed more time. It took four years. The wait was worth it. Patience paid off.

Three Steve Jobs Quotes

"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."

"Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact, and that is everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you, and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use. Um, once you learn that, you'll never be the same again."

"Stay hungry, stay foolish."

United States Of America Today Is Election Day 2024

I voted today in the 2024 US Presidential Election. I dropped off my absentee ballot at the local library. I went inside the library to shop at their small used bookstore afterwards. I completed errands at the bank, Nike Store, Ross, and Target.

The first time I saw a vote sign was Nov 1980 at my elementary school. I was in first grade. I read words and sentences being six years old; although, I didn't know it was Jimmy Carter and Ronald Regan. The school was decorated with the standard American flags, voting signs, and direction arrows. I remember a school administrator or a teacher telling me the sign says vote.

The first time I voted in a presidential election was Nov 1992. Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush. I voted in all elections. California should keep the absentee paper ballot system. The old school still works. If it's not broken, then don't fix it.

Time Tells The Narratives

The 2024 presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump prepare multiple speeches. Harris and Trump prepare for all outcomes. Harris and Trump prepare for all narratives. I wrote the blog Prepare Multiple Conversation Subjects on Oct 20, 2016 which stated prepare a victory speech and a defeat speech. I wrote the blog United States Of America Today Is Election Day 2020 on Nov 3, 2020 which stated the system works. The people vote for the best candidate.

Furthermore, the voting system is secured. The media overhyped and overblown the fear people's votes are uncounted.

Some of my bullets points from the blog Instant Bullet 2020 United States Presidential Election Version written on Jan 20, 2021 are valid today. My favorites are the following:

*There are 46 Presidents Of The United States. These 46 Presidents are out of all the people who live or lived as naturalized born United States Citizen age 35 or over. 46 dreams came true. It's unfortunate few people accomplish their dreams completely.

*Any given day the President influences at most 25% of your daily life. Think carefully. Think deeply. The President doesn't affect much.

*The Electoral College works. For example, 18.5 million votes were casted in the battleground states Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Georgia. Biden won all four states over Trump by 125,000 votes or 0.676%.

Review And Remind Self-Esteem And Life Guarantees

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

Update On A Past Blog

I want to take another look at two past blogs. The first blog is Be Strong, Be Useful, Strong Self-Esteem All Relationships written on Jul 27, 2020. I want the following attributes for my future spouse: strong self-esteem, be useful, good strength, and high motivation. The second blog elaborates strength and motivation in My Two Question Marriage Is He Or She My Spouse Till Death Do Us Part written on Dec 1, 2019. The strength is the question, "Do you trust your spouse to take of you if you're the weaker person?" The motivation is the question, "Is the couple motivated to work hard on their marriage?"

A third past blog is My Six Guarantees written on Dec 11, 2021. Benjamin Franklin is credited with two of the six guarantees death and taxes. My four of the six guarantees are everyone is weird, everyone changes, everyone has problems, and there are 24 hours in a day and seven days a week.

Boredom Is Better Than The Alternatives

Good health, decent shelter, books to read, a bed to sleep eight hours, good intelligence, and no debt. These are boring. These boring are better than alternatives. The alternatives include bad health such as chronic sickness, shelter too cold during the winter, illiteracy, less than six hours of sleep, poor mental comprehension, and rolling debt into debt.

The assignment is complete. The project is final. *fill in the blank* is successful. The task is finished. Take everything one at a time. The process is not boring looking back. The process is not boring connecting the dots backwards.

Boredom is better than doing nothing. Motivation is not boredom. Motivation is better than doing nothing.

Update On A Past Blog

I posted my Inspiration Cheer Up on my webpage. Click Inspiration Cheer Up File to download the .pdf format. The file is as-is with explicit edits. I mentioned the Inspiration Cheer Up at Why Do I Pray? on Aug 3, 2014. I mentioned reading the Inspiration Cheer Up is part of my spirituality at My Spirituality Discovery on Jan 11, 2015. The Inspiration Cheer Up is my personal bible.

Two What Ifs in 2016

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

I interviewed for two jobs in 2016. The first job interview was an analyst position for a Canadian space company in Jul 2016. The department was offsite from the main campus. The official job title was Database Coordinator with minimal data entry. The job was a non-traditional business analyst or data analyst. The requirements included database administration, reporting, and updating webpages. Outdated proprietary software. The employees were senior citizens for which the youngest was the late 50s. They wanted a younger jack-of-all-trades employee to bring fresh air.

The second job interview was another analyst position for a medical devices company in Dec 2016. Four month contract position. The hiring manager initially interviewed me for the wrong position. He didn't know what's going on; although, many of my past jobs I didn't know what's going on. My confidence was low on my job skills. Regardless, I completed all of my job responsibilities satisfactory. Too much unnecessary worry. Past history was in my favor.

A Paycheck Or A Career

I digress. I worked in neither of the two companies. An important question yesterday and today is, "Do I want a paycheck or do I want a career?" I choose all or nothing. No middle ground. I choose all-in for happiness, being lucky, and wake up in the morning to a good job. Or I choose nothing for melancholy, being unlucky, and praying in the morning for a good day; in other words, I work for the company to cut me the paycheck.

The bad luck, bad timing, and bad choices cost me eight years as of today. Most people say I'm a loser. I can't get a job. I earn no paycheck. I live at home. I don't have a family of my own. I live a stalled life long-term.

I recognize the criticisms. I recognize the observations. I listen to opinions. I took chances. None worked out in favor. I take full responsibility not getting a job. I thought I could do better. Nothing happened.

What Are The What Ifs

I'm the best person ever today. I'm the strongest, smartest, and wisest ever today. I graduated my self job training. The present job training is the endgame. My physical fitness is tops. Health is strongest. I'm one step closer to become a self-trained genius at the end of day.

I believe the above paragraph didn't happen if I worked at either the Jul permanent job or the Dec contract job. I didn't vacation at Zion National Park in Sep 2016. I didn't need two surgeries for Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis at O'Connor Hospital in Apr 2017. My Mahjong skills stalled since I didn't play more games. 2016 was the most recent bad year. All 2016 failures became successes years later. I'm unemployed. I live with my parents. I'm not George Costanza. I'm not embarrassed. Independence is maintained to the best of my ability.

At Least Ten Years Ago Last Visited

The following places I visited 2013 or earlier. The COVID-19 global pandemic is part of the reason for the long-term hiatus. I have faith I visit these places soon. The places are off the top of my head.

*Santa Cruz, CA
*The Golden Gate Bridge and north of the bridge
*Santa Clara Convention Center
*Oracle Park home of the San Francisco Giants
*Southern California including Los Angeles, Disneyland, and Santa Barbara
*Tapioca Express
*Oakridge Mall
*Pier 39
*State of Washington
*An ice skating rink
*California Academy Of Sciences
*An arts festival
*British Columbia, Canada
*Taco Bell
*Denny's
*San Jose State University
*Any Mountain store
*Wal-Mart; however, I shopped at a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market once in Jan 2022.
*Ballroom dance studio
*University Avenue in Palo Alto, CA
*Any flea market
*Union 76 gas station
*Golfland

Read Books First, Watch Movies Second

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

Don't eat donuts in a new Tesla. Prisoners don't count the days in jail. Experiment do something out of the ordinary bottom first and kiddie goods. Chaotician Ian Malcolm needed more Jurassic Park screen time to share his thoughts.

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.

No Need To Look At My Poker Hand I Keep The Cards

An anime meme pic I created from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Episode Adventure 10 D'Arby The Gambler. Jotaro Kujo vs. Daniel J. D'Arby in heads-up poker.

Seven Thousand Dollars 1998 Mentality In 2022

$7,000 was in my savings account at the beginning of 1998. I graduated from San Jose State University in Dec 1997. I share my thoughts in bullet points below:

*Guilt spending is my attitude, behavior, and conscious anytime I want a good either by necessity or by desire. I continue my 24/48 Rule waiting 24 hours to buy a splurge good or service under $100 or waiting 48 hours to buy a splurge good or service $100 and over.

*Black Friday 2021 was another boring Black Friday which can be good. I purchased two pairs of running shoes, two board games, underwear, and replacing outdated items in the first-aid kid. I sold older board games I lost interest on eBay to make room on the game shelf and to help pay for the two board games. I didn't purchase a new tablet. I didn't purchase a new phone to replace my old phone going six years in 2022.

*Obviously, my savings are going down. Financial discipline is high. Monthly financial statements are checked carefully.

*Be grateful for what I own. Take care of my personal goods such as clothes, computer, laptop, phone, and books. Take nothing for granted. There is no neglecting maintenance. Maximize the life cycle for all durable goods and accessories. Make the best for what I have.

*I'm also grateful for living in my parent's house. I do my share of household maintenance.

*Find the sales. Buy on sale.

Also 2008 Feeling In 2022

I got the 2008 feeling in 2022. I was a business analyst at Cisco working as a contractor. There were days I did nothing. The days I did something my assignments were completed quickly because I developed an efficient and an accurate system. In addition, there were uncertainty which contractors' contracts were extended or were terminated. Cisco renewed contracts every fiscal month instead of every fiscal quarter starting in Oct 2008. My contract was terminated in Nov 2008. There was a news article published in 2009 Cisco employed no contractors.

There was economic uncertainty because of the real estate bubble. The bubble popped and the stock market collapsed in Sep 2008.

The uncertainty feeling is back. There is economic uncertainty. When is the next recession coming? Late 2022 or 2023. How long is the inflation? Is there hyperinflation or stagflation? There is pandemic uncertainty. When does the COVID-19 global pandemic end? Cases decrease. People talk about the pandemic ending. People behave pre-pandemic. Restrictions loosen. Mandates end. Time passes. Cases increase. Restrictions tighten. Mandates begin again. Mandates end. Repeat.

The 2008 summary feeling "whatever happens, happens" is back in 2022.

And 2009 Attitude In 2022

My attitude is like 2009. I'm a beginner again. I learn new life lessons. I experience new experiences. I reinforce past life lessons. My opinions and my beliefs are confirmed. I consume new goods minimally. Fun is carefully checked. More responsibilities are completed. Focus is stronger. Structure is reinforced.

I apply today's life from everything I learned, acquired, and experienced from Oct 4, 2008 to Dec 31, 2021.

Update On A Past Blog

I wrote a blog Unemployed Borrowed Time on Apr 27, 2018. I'm long-term unemployed. Nobody on planet Earth knows when my clock stops. My life is over when I'm out of time. No food. No clothing. No shelter. No support. Luck eventually runs out. Ironically, bad luck can't last forever for which I find a job. There is a defined borrowed time.

I finished reading Dewey by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter. I mentioned Dewey in the Instant Bullets Blog Nov 11, 2017 written on Nov 11, 2017. The book was on my wish list from the bullet point Top Ten New York Times Books Best Seller list in 2008. I finished the other book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho on Feb 2018.

Top Ten Make Me Cry

A friend told me a person who doesn't cry doesn't have a soul. Some cries no tears are necessary. The crying feeling is inside. The sad feeling is inside. The body language communicates sadness. There is happy sadness. There is sad sadness. There is despair sadness. There is frustrating sadness. The person is angry no more; the person is sad.

One day I cry success after years of earning freedom. The hard work learning new job skills, reviewing existing job skills, minimizing eating processed foods, working out four days a week, and reading books. Also, I learn life skills, experience new experiences, seek new adventures, and never stop innovating. One day I cry freedom happiness is achieved. Here are the top ten make me cry.

10. Waste Food. Hunger had been a problem yesterday. Hunger is a problem today. Hunger is a problem tomorrow. There are too many people. Every day more people can't afford food. Don't waste food.

9. Movies. There are movies I cried including Snoopy Come Home, UP!, Argo, the second time I watched Titanic, Inside Out, and The Hunger Games even though I read the books beforehand. I also cried in the anime series Fushigi Yuugi.

8. Hoarding. It's sad when I see junk inside a residence. I twist my body. I hop or jump. I bump at stuff. There are multiple counts of the same item. There's no need for ten of the same table cloth.

7. Bankruptcy Courts. One of my cousins works for the United States Bankruptcy Courts. She says work in the bankruptcy courts for anyone who wants a job to cry. There are too many sad stories people declare bankruptcy through no fault of their own.

6. Ignoring Problems Hoping They Go Away. Problems don't solve themselves. Sometimes ignoring problems work. Sometimes ignoring problems don't work. Both worked for the late Steve Jobs. One ignored problem which was cancer cost his life.

5. Too Many Or Not Enough. I continue from number ten Waste Food. There is too many people or overcrowding. There is not enough opportunities. There is not enough X to satisfy the too many Y. There is too many A and not enough B.

4. *Fill in the blank* the improbable happened and the impossible happened.

3. No Motivation. No desire. Willpower is more important than intelligence. Sometimes 50% effort makes a difference. Sometimes 20% effort makes a difference. The percentage number is a case-by-case situation. The percentage number is a judgement call. Regardless, doing anything at 0% effort is sad.

2. People Don't Admit Their Mistakes. Self-explanatory. Also, people are irresponsible. Self-explanatory.

1. First Responders. I smile. I cry. I have faith. The first responders police, fire, and ambulance save another life.

Update On A Past Blog

My Cyber Monday 2020 I purchased bare necessities at Walgreens using their online 30% off coupon. I purchased bare necessities at Walgreens' website for which I selected pick-up at a nearby store. I purchased soap, updated medications for the home first-aid kit, shampoo, and condoms.

The following week I purchased more bare necessities using a Target gift card I purchased during Target's 5% off gift cards. I purchased more updated medications for the home first-aid kit, Band-aids, bleach, lip balm, after shave lotion, and bath sponges.

Some people say my purchases at Walgreens and Target are boring. I recognize their opinion. I refer to my blog Money And Life on Sep 12, 2019. Cost of living is going up. Inflation is present. There are costs to maintain a healthy life. There are costs to maintain a clean life. Smart consumers find ways to save money on bare necessities. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not boring. A person who feels good is an attractive person.

Life Finds A Way

We control limited parts of our lives. Life controls the rest of our lives. We can't control everything. We control how we sleep, when we sleep, where we sleep, and the number of hours sleeping. There are exceptions such as family emergencies, crying infants, and natural disasters. These exception examples we can't control. There are exceptions to everything except death. I digress.

We can't control timing, luck, fate or destiny for those who believe pre-determined life paths, and being at the wrong place at the wrong time or being at the right place at the right time. We can't control the reasons life treats us. Life has its reasons.

Anything good we do good happens most of the time. There are exceptions. Anything bad we do bad happens most of the time. There are exceptions. Some particulars are doing drugs, drinking too much alcohol, playing too much video games, eating too much processed foods, watching too much television, poor education, dirty living environment, and committing adultery. We're aware with these particular problems we should stop. Some don't. They continue committing these particulars. Every day new people begin committing these particulars. Poor intelligence. Poor motivation. Perhaps, despair got the best of these people. People ignoring problems life finds a way to get back at them. The consequences are coming soon.

Life finds a way to reward people. Life finds a way to punish people. Life finds a way to ruin something good. Life finds a way to help the unfortunate. Time is the ultimate judge.

Update On A Past Blog

The scene from Kindergarten Cop when Arnold Schwarzenegger's character John Kimble asked all the kindergarten students who's your daddy and what does he do reminded me of the blog A Sample Of Changes Everyday on Feb 27, 2015. I shared four changes which are beauty, jobs, climate, and computers. Anything changes. Life changes for better or for worse. Life changes whether we control the change or not.

Another change is families. A family can change in five or six years for better or for worse. Parents can change. Couples can change. The students told the class their good daddies and their bad daddies. Watch the YouTube video Kindergarten Cop: Who is your daddy? HD CLIP.

Influence Another Person

I live a crappy life. My life changed forever on Sat Oct 4, 2008 when I realized I must grow up. I correct some mistakes. I catch up what I missed in my 20s. I seek new adventures. I experience new experiences. I earn my successes. I work for happiness. Motivation is high. Never stop learning. Never stop innovating. Innovate infinitely. If I die tomorrow, then I die as a mature adult. Fewer regrets. My obituary is better today than any day before Sat Oct 4, 2008.

On the other hand, did I influence another person? Did I change another person? Did I save a person's life? I feel I owe the world. I'm in debt to the world because there are people who influenced me; moreover, I remove people who influenced me in the past for which their influence was wrong. The people and the world saved me for whatever reason God only knows. I appreciate their help.

I hope I influence another person before I die. I change another person. I save a person's life. I make a difference to one person. I die with no debts. I die a less than crappy life. My obligation is fulfilled.

United States Of America Today Is Election Day 2020

Today is the day US citizens votes. US citizens have a civic duty to vote. Express your thoughts. Express your feelings. Express your opinion. You may submit your vote leaving the presidential candidate field blank. You may vote for any qualified person in the write-in candidate box.

I blog my unprofessional political science opinion on past US presidents. I play the connect-the-dots card starting with the 2000 election. All of the presidents voted to serve were the correct choices. The losing candidates likely performed worse than the winning candidates. Presidents don't need a 4.0 GPA in college. Presidents don't need to be white. Presidents don't need past government experience or hold past elected positions. Presidents connect with people. Do you feel comfortable having a beer with the candidate *insert last name*? The answer is the candidate you vote.

Time is the ultimate judge for the 2020 winner. I believe the voters of the United States Of America vote for the best candidate. The voters have been successful. The voters have spoken.