Top Ten Plus Seven Equals Top Seventeen Favorite Arcade Games

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spoiler Alert If You Didn't Read Wonder

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

I drank sake for the first time. Children learn reality truth reading Wonder by R.J. Palacio. There are children spending time outdoors running. Take care of indoor plants. Food inflation is real. Inflation affects banks closing branches. I say goodbye to an underwear.

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.

A Full Time Job For Children

My parents are neither the best parents nor the worst parents. If they teach me one lesson, then they teach me to learn. My full time job was to learn as a child. What did I learn? Read, walk, talk, smile, computers, write, . . . . The two-word answer was learn everything. If I must self-learn, then I self-learn. Unfortunately, my parents are terrible teachers.

I failed to learn when I was a child. My parents failed to teach me when I was a child. They did not teach me their if. My childhood was too much fun, too little learning, and too easy childhood. Fortunately, I realized the mistakes decades later as an adult. I taught myself my if--self-learn. I started catching up when I missed when I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The catching up continues today. I learn job skills. I learn life skills. I'm the most physical fitness shape. My emotions are stable. I sleep eight hours a night. I get it. I understand it.

A child's full time job is to learn.

Update On A Past Blog

I wrote a blog Some Parents Can't Teach Their Children on Nov 15, 2022 explaining why my parents are poor teachers. I said they're embarrassed of their lack of knowledge, ashamed of their ignorance, and lazy they don't want to learn what they don't know.

I elaborated my too much fun childhood A Childhood Lowlight written on Oct 23, 2011. One can say too much fun is boring because fun can be an addiction. A fun activity can be boring or dissatisfying leads to another fun activity to compensate for the previous fun activity. Repeat multiple times. Repeating fun multiply times results in fun addiction. I incorrectly occupied my childhood time with too much fun; in particular, summer vacations were playing toys, playing video games, and watching TV.

Three Random Lists

Blogger's note: The three lists below were initially part of the Instant Bullets Blog Sep 10, 2025. The lists were too long to be their instant bullets. I separated the three lists as their own blog.

*A Person's Name Says More Than People Think. The following actors and actresses changed their names. Source: Who was/is forced to hide their ethnicity to make it in Hollywood? from Reddit.

*Margarita Carmen Cansino was Rita Hayworth. Half Irish and half Spanish.
*Helen Lydia Mironoff is Helen Mirren. Half English and half Russian.
*Ramon Antonio Gerald Estevez is Martin Sheen. Half Irish and half Spanish.
*Carlos Irwin Estevez is Charlie Sheen.
*Issur Herschelevitch Danielovitch was Kirk Douglas.
*Kemal Amen Kasem was Casey Kasem. Lebanese.
*Jameel Joseph Farah is Jamie Farr. Lebanese.
*Farrokh Bomi Bulsara was Freddie Mercury. Parsi.
*Krishna Pandit Bhanji is Ben Kingsley. Half English and half Indian.
*Chloe Michelle Wang is Chloe Bennet. Half Caucasian and half Chinese.
*Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff was Doris Day.
*Dino Paul Crocetti was Dean Martin.
*Natalie Zacharenko was Natalie Wood. Russian and Ukrainian descent.
*George Kyriacos Panayiotou is George Michael. Half English and half Greek.
*Jennifer Ellen Chan is Jennifer Tilly. Half Caucasian and half Chinese.
*Eric Marlon Bishop is Jamie Foxx.
*Estelle Merle O'Brien Thompson was Merle Oberon. Welsh and Ceylonese descent. Ceylonese is now Sir Lankan.
*Jo Raquel Tejada was Raquel Welch. Bolivian.
*Linda Jean Cordova Carter is Lynda Carter. English, French, Irish, and Spanish descent.
*Catherine Bachman is Catherine Bach. Half German and half Mexican.

*What are some things younger gamers don't understand today? Source: Gamers 30+, what's something from "back in your day" that younger gamers today wouldn't understand from Reddit.

*Clean the wheels from the mouse's ball.
*Buy a game because of the box art and description.
*Demonstration discs in gaming magazines.
*No streamers and no internet to find game secrets.
*Blow air in cartridges.
*Wipe a CD on your shirt.
*Multiple floppy disks or multiple CDs to install a video game.
*Set the channel to channel 3 on a television set to play consoles.
*Change discs to continue playing a game.
*Read instruction manuals before playing the game.
*No patches.
*Character passwords to restore or to continue games.
*Need the manual to look up a password or answer a question to continue installing a game.
*Can't play online because parents expect a phone call.
*The GameShark and the Game Genie.
*Browse the video rental store to rent video games.
*Trip over a controller cord.
*Lose memory cards.
*Draw dungeon maps on graph paper.
*Load a game from cassettes.

*The BoardGameGeek Hall Of Fame. The following 25 games are the first inductees to the BoardGameGeek Hall Of Fame to celebrate their 25th anniversary. The hall of fame focuses on modern board games. Classic games such as Chess, Backgammon, Go, and traditional 52-card games are excluded. Source: The BoardGameGeek Hall Of Fame.

1. 1830: Railways & Robber Barons
2. 7 Wonders
3. Acquire
4. Agricola
5. Brass: Lancashire
6. Carcassonne
7. The Castles Of Burgundy
8. Catan
9. Caylus
10. Civilization
11. Concordia
12. Cosmic Encounter
13. Diplomacy
14. Dominion
15. El Grande
16. Magic: The Gathering
17. Pandemic
18. Power Grid
19. Ra
20. Race For The Galaxy
21. Terra Mystica
22. Through The Ages: A New Story Of Civilization
23. Ticket To Ride
24. Tigris & Euphrates
25. Twilight Struggle

Update On A Past Blog

The Weekly Show With Jon Stewart podcast interviewed Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin on Sep 25, 2025. Stewart admitted in the post-interview the podcast was a hard listen. The Democratic leadership is weak. YouTube video WANTED: Democratic Leadership with DNC Chair Ken Martin | The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart.

The interview reminded me of the blog The Democrats Are Unhappy They Won written on Sep 8, 2025. I listed past major victories including Obamacare, DEI Diversity Equity Inclusion, and more people earning higher incomes. I add the Democrats are on different pages. There are too many goals. The Democrats are too divided. The Democrats are too diluted. The Democrats are too spread out. The Democrats fail to maintain their victories at the minimum.

The Green Steno Notebook 10

Blogger's note: There are three consecutive Green Steno Notebook blogs. Today is the second of three.

The picture above is the notebook I acquired on the first day of my new white collar job. I wrote notes during my job training. I wrote other notes, reminders, and knowledge thereafter. I share many of them. Here is the tenth blog.

*Aug 25, 2020. Furnace and A/C unit in garage. Furnace on top. A/C condenser on bottom. The power switch is on the left of the unit. Air flows down for the air filter. Top panel removed turns off the unit for safety. The black switch out powers off. The black switch in powers on as long as top panel is inserted.

Used air compressor to air blast A/C unit. Water and some sludge flowed out. The drainage is located to the left of the garden hose in the backyard.

*Sep 8. Don't boil water from the hot water heater. The deposits form the hot water heater are unsafe to drink. The deposits include metallic parts which corrodes water.

*Sep 13. Riichi Mahjong observation. I play online. Players call on dragon tiles and wind tiles early. I might as well discard dragon tiles and wind tiles early. Why did it take me a long time to figure out the problem?

*Sep 20. The Big Short (2015) movie. Use the tabletop game Jenga as a presentation prop. Also, if you don't want to do the deal, then hang up.

*Sep 23. Shower without washing hair. Wash body first. Wash backside second. Wash face third. Shower with washing hair. Wash hair first. Wash face second. Wash body third. Wash backside fourth.

*Oct 11. Listen to 106.5 FM on Sun mornings to keep in touch with today's popular music.

*Oct 12. Rearranged my room. Bookshelves, storage bins, and desk drawers contents. Consolidated desk items. 90% cleaned.

*Oct 18. Dad noticed the ceiling fan blades wabble and shakes when the ceiling fan is on. He checked the screws. Screws are loose. He tighten them.

*Oct 18. Debris on top of my car's intake manifold.

*Oct 22. Accidentally swallowed mouthwash. I lost my concentration.

*Oct 27. Kitchen faucet leaked. Replaced the cartridge.

*Oct 31. G.I. Joe cartoon titled Arise, Serpentor, Arise Part 5 is the episode where the US President knelt in front on Serpentor. "G.I. Joe, why, right here."

*Nov 4. Set aside four white colored socks for my white color workout shirts. These four white color socks and my white color workout shirts tell me it's time to wash my whites.

*Nov 8. Use my florescent desk lamp as additional lightning when I take pictures on my cell phone.

*Nov 13. If I need a rest and there is a folded blanket, then place the folded blanket at the end of my mattress to prop up my legs.

*Nov 24. Clean gutters. Summary. Detach black drainage from downspout at left side of house. Place a ladder on the middle of the roof rafter to sturdy the ladder. If the water is resting on the gutter, then use a hose or fill gutter with water. Shoot water down to downspout. Remove leaves with hand when possible to avoid water on the roof. The roof is designed for water to flow down. Not up.

*Dec 4. For Nov 28. Replacing boot laces. Always buy the laces one size or one unit above. Buy the longer length size laces.

*Dec 14. My dad experienced vertigo. Hospital didn't know the cause. Hospital didn't admit him for an in-patient examination. Dad researched. Found possibilities. Told hospital. Hospital wanted an in-patient examination.

*Jan 12, 2021. hemorrhage: a heavy discharge of blood from the blood vessels; ruptured blood vessel. A rapid or uncontrollable loss or outflow; the loss of assets.

*Jan 16. Toothpaste tube almost out. Squeeze the toothpaste pointing down. Gravity the toothpaste remaining out of tube.

*Jan 26. Jan 2021 feels like Jan 2009; in particular, biggest rain storm of the year with weather warnings. Flood warnings. Wind warnings.

*Feb 16. Bloody nose after I jogged on a cool day. I ate Belvita Chocolate. I suspect chocolate. No chocolate before workout.

*Mar 8. Movie with the stopwatch. Movie is 2 Days In The Valley.

*Mar 11. Denatured alcohol banned in CA. Reason is bad air quality.

*Mar 30. Web articles before the pop-up ad must subscribe to read article. Quickly press Ctrl+A. Then Ctrl+C to copy and paste to Word or a text based program.

*Apr 15. Running land on feet or forefoot or mid-foot instead of heels on ground. Avoid excess stress on Achilles, knees, and calves. Keep legs moving forward. No bouncing. Moving forward longer distance. Blogger's note: Not an expert at jogging.

*Jun 14. Stairway bathroom toilet water main hose burst.

*Jul 8. Neighborhood street lights changed from amber color to LED white color.

*Aug 10. Suggested replace car battery every five years. It's seven years for me because less electronics. I replaced the car battery in 2008 and 2015.

*Aug 24. Interview question. What is culture? My answer is undefined. Culture is an intuitively defined.

*Aug 24. Pre-dream or pre-sleep dream before I went to sleep. I brushed my teeth between pre-sleep and sleep. The pre-dream was my brother and I were at a nearby retail strip mall with a Japanese supermarket. There was an outdoor video arcade with carnival games. Closes at midnight. We exited well before midnight. Mom and dad waited. The four of us drove off in a fire truck. Mom drove. I sat on the driver side rear. We drove south to an indoor shopping mall and strip mall. We shopped inside at 11:45pm. One store was Toys R Us. The Toys R Us looked like a dry cleaners.

*Sep 2. Baking tri-tip. No sizzling. Color is white. Not ready. Color is not brownish. Tri-tip must still be cold inside.

*Sep 9. First time I overwrite an old file to a new file on my new desktop. Old file on my USB drive. New file on my new desktop. I want to backup from my new desktop to my USB drive. I actually incorrectly backup from my USB drive to my desktop.

*Sep 9. The nickel arcade near my neighborhood was Hi-5 Nickel.

*Sep 23. I heard It's All Too Much by The Beatles twice while jogging.

*Oct 22. Headlight restoration. Polishing is more important than applying polish for a clear shine.

*Nov 10. Squirm (1976) is a horror movie involving worms. A childhood horror movie. The Swarm (1978) is deadly bees. Kingdom Of The Spiders (1978) is killer tarantulas.

*Nov 12. Shopping at Safeway. Did price math on my head. I didn't add correctly. Didn't get the extra discount. Don't be lazy. Use a calculator.

*Nov 18. Adam & Eve store. Low inventory. Supply chain problems.

*Dec 1. Home Depot doesn't sell flowers. A Target store may sell flowers.

*Dec 2. Christmas song Christmas In Jail.

*Dec 6. Avoid schools when children are present or when school starts and school ends. Extra driving time because of parents picking up their children and children crossing the street.

*Dec 11. I spilled the boiling water pot filled with vinegar to remove oxidation. I held the pot with my wrists instead of my hand.

*Dec 16. Read my personal bible. Link to download: Inspiration Cheer Up.

*Dec 18. A bloody sock the last two jogs. First time I wore sweatpants jogging. Full moon. Nearby school a neighborhood Christmas celebration. There was a hay ride. Minimal attendance because of COVID-19 Omicron.

Remove fresh blood off clothes. Run cold water from the faucet. Soak cold water with detergent. Repeat soaking if necessary. Soaking 10-12 hours. Hang dry. Best in sun.

*Dec 25. Watched Cowboy Bebop episodes 1-5.

*Jan 1, 2022. For Dec 31, 2021. Everyone has. Not everyone have.

*Jan 9. Wrap towel around my waist. Tuck underneath. Look down at towel wrapped. Wrap down and in.

*Jan 13. The bath scrub brushes sold at Bed Bath & Beyond are different lengths.

*Jan 27. Haircut early afternoon. Jogged after haircut. Full sun. Wore my long sleeve workout shirt and shorts. I forgot to switch my underwear from boxers to jogging briefs.

*Feb 25. Dream last night area with warehouse and industrial buildings. Finished shopping at Costco. Book fundraiser big sale. The catch was a lottery. If you won or chosen in lottery, you purchase books at wholesale prices. Otherwise, you waited. Can't purchase. Most be chosen. Changed from ten winners top of hour to five winners top of the hour and five winters bottom of the hour. Most noted book was Harry Potter first edition Scholastic hardback set volumes 1-7. Initially, I entered warehouse because I saw people buying high-end bedsheets at discount prices.

*Mar 13. Dream professional football quarterback Baker Mayfield and another quarterback fought against each other. Then fought me on a cliff at the high school where I graduated. Then I drove my Toyota Camry out of the high school to an unknown downtown Saturday night before Super Bowl Sunday. There were dancers dancing and wearing masks.

*Mar 14. Another dream people wore masks. Galaktican arcade. There was a public transit station. Bart Simpsons was on a round spinning playground toy. Time passes. Sherri and Terri were on the toy. Some patrons wore masks in the arcade.

*Mar 16. I dreamed last night I was at the west side hills in Fremont, CA. Two entries to enter another dimension black & white colors only. Checkpoints. People can enter or not enter at their will.

*Apr 6. Middlefield Road road trip on bicycles from Sunnyvale, CA to Redwood City, CA. Inspired when I helped my dad with an errand in Menlo Park, CA.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog August 2025

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. The federal government changed the policies for people eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The number of positive cases continue to increase.

Tue Aug 5. The Secretary Of Health And Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. cancelled contracts and funding for vaccines being developed for respiratory viruses. 22 projects totaling $500 million for mRNA vaccines halted. Kennedy removed the COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, fired the panel which recommends vaccines, and stopped vaccine endorsements. Pfizer and Moderna are two pharmaceutical companies affected by the cancelled contracts.

Kennedy is a critic of mRNA vaccines. He wants safer and broader vaccines which don't stop working when a virus mutates.

The COVID-19 variant XFG called Stratus was first detected in Jan 2025 in Southeast Asia. Stratus accounted for 14% of the cases in the USA as of late Jun 2025 according to the Center For Disease Control (CDC). The World Health Organization (WHO) added XFG to the watch list in late Jun. Low public health risk. There's no evidence XFG causes more severe sickness or different symptoms.

The CDC reported XFG accounted for 14% of positive cases, NB.1.8.1 43%, and LP.8.1 31% as of Jun 21.

Fri Aug 8. Shopped at Lucky's and Costco. Filled my car with gas at Chevron.

First day in 2025 daytime temperatures were in the 90s.

President Donald Trump ordered all federal agencies to delete COVID-19 vaccination statuses, prior mandate noncompliances, or exemption requests. Federal agencies are barred from using COVID-19 personal records for any employee related decision. The Trump administration removed pandemic mandates during the Biden administration.

Sat Aug 9. A shooter from Kennesaw, GA named Patrick Joeph White shot rounds at the CDC and a pharmacy. White blamed the COVID-19 vaccine made him depressed and suicidal. DeKalb County police officer David Ross was mortally wounded. White was fatally shot.

Thur Aug 14. Emergency room visits increased because more people tested positive. The XFG variant called Stratus is the most common strain. The significant symptom is a razor blade feeling sore throat. The WHO is monitoring Stratus. The WHO said the current vaccines protect against Stratus.

Sat Aug 16. Purchased a used outdoor garden storage bin in Sunnyvale, CA.

Tue Aug 19. The American Academy Of Pediatrics released an updated recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations for infants and young children. Children age 6 months to 23 months receive a vaccine. If these children are allergic to the ingredients or have allergies, then they shouldn't receive the vaccine. Children ages 2 years to 18 years receive the vaccine if they are high risk, residents of long-term care facilities, never been vaccinated, or live in a household with people at high risk for COVID-19.

The CDC recommendation for infants and young children is a discussion between their parents and their doctor. The guidance is called "shared clinical decision making." The prior recommendation was people aged six months and older receive the latest vaccine without third party advice.

Wed Aug 20. Shopping at Safeway, Books, Inc., and Costco.

Fri Aug 22. The American College Of Obstetricians And Gynecologists recommended the COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant women. The CDC removed the recommendation for pregnant women and lactating women.

Sun Aug 24. Lunch at The Olive Garden. Shopped at the farmer's market at the Great Mall.

Wed Aug 27. The FDA updated the COVID-19 vaccine approvals for a limited group of people. Adults age 65 and older and people age 5 to 64 at risk with an underlying condition are approved for the vaccine. The Moderna vaccine is authorized for children age 6 months and older. The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for people age 5 years and older. The Novavax is authorized for people age 12 years and older. The parents must consult with their doctors before vaccination for people under age 18.

All emergency authorizations are rescinded. A FDA statement stated COVID-19 vaccines are available to anyone with a doctor's consultation.

The 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine targets LP.8.1 which is a JN.1 subvariant.

CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired by the Trump administration. Several senior CDC officials resigned afterwards. Health And Human Services deputy secretary Jim O'Neill is the acting CDC director.

Shopped at Target.

Thur Aug 28. Shopped for used books at the Saratoga Library and Los Gatos Library. Ate lunch at Chipotle.

Sat Aug 30. Played tabletop games at the Guildhouse.

The FDA approved the 2025 updated COVID-19 vaccines for adults age 65 and older and younger people with underlying conditions. Anyone can get a vaccine shop after consulting with a doctor; however, access may be difficult. A doctor prescribes the vaccine as "off label." Off label is defined as a medical product used outside approvals or not FDA approved. The updated vaccines are available in the fall.

CVS Pharmacy administers the vaccines where legally permitted. CVS follows state-level pharmacy regulations. Pharmacists don't administer vaccines not recommended by the CDC's Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices in some states. Walgreens also follow state regulations and FDA policy.

The CDC data reported 71.5% of shots were administered in pharmacies and 9.2% at clinics or health centers during the 2023-2024 respiratory virus season. Also, 23% adults and 13% children reported getting the latest vaccine.

People under Medicare and Medicaid who meet FDA policy their vaccines are covered. It's unknown how private insurance companies cover vaccines for their clients. People can get a flu shot and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Sun Aug 31. Watched Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Miami (FL) Hurricanes from the two minute mark in the third quarter to the end of the game.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Cabin Air Filter Continued

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

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

Throwback Blog: Washington Canada Trip Part 4 of 7

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 Washington Canada Trip Part 4 of 7 written on Sep 24, 2005. The fourth day visiting Washington and Canda in Aug 2005 was Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Who knew I visited Vancouver for a business trip in Mar 2007. The Aug 2005 visited made Vancouver not a strange place in Mar 2007.

Half way there. Thanks for reading!

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 9:00 A.M. Driving the Canadian Freeways

We woke up around 8:00 A.M. without eating breakfast. We choose to eat breakfast along the road. We needed to take a ferry to travel from Victoria to Vancouver. We drove on Highway 17 from downtown to Swartz Bay where the ferry is located. Steve kept a close watch of the speed because Canada uses the metric system and the speed signs are in km/h or kilometers per hour and the speeds changed many times. The maximum speed he drove was 50 miles per hour. And it was raining.

We stopped at McDonalds for breakfast in Saanichton. The McDonalds is the nicest and cleanest McDonalds we ever saw. The common areas has street light posts that acted as indoor lighting, indoor plants and TREES, a huge indoor playground for the kids, and the décor to simply explain is like a middle class home's living room. I should have visited the bathrooms. It's probably better than my bathrooms at home. I ordered the Sausage McGriddle and Steve ordered the pancakes.

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 11:00 A.M. Entering the BCFerries

Before I go on, I forgot to mention all times are in Pacific Timezone. I didn't experience any jetlag or adjustments.

I purchased the ferry ticket at the BCFerries ticket booth. BCFerries is the company that runs the ferry system in British Columbia. The ticket booth is like a toll booth--drive up to an open ticket booth lane that issues tickets for Vancouver. After purchasing the ferry ticket, we lined up on the road along with the other cars waiting for the ferry to arrive. The destination from Victoria to Vancouver is from Swartz Bay on the Vancouver Island to Tsawwassen on the British Columbia mainland.

The ferry Steve and I rode is huge, huge, huge!!! There are three levels for automobiles, trucks, and buses, and people are allowed to stay in their cars if they choose. We parked in Deck 4 which is the upper level for automobiles. The common areas are two floors which included a cafeteria, three arcade areas, gift shop, workstations, play areas for children, and a formal buffet. I even looked at the Ferry schedule. Some destinations take 15 hours!!! My goodness. The cafeteria is big and busy. We could have eaten breakfast on the ferry.

The trip time is 1 hour and 35 minutes. The name of the BCFerries Steve and I rode is named "M.V. Spirit of Vancouver Island." I wonder what "M.V." stands for? I did the same activities and walk-arounds on the M.V. Coho Ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria: I walked around the entire ferry and took pictures of the outside scenery; unfortunately, the rain affected the ferry trip such that I really limited my time outside the ferry and the rain clouds and fog limited picture taking. Steve mostly read his book on Feudal Japan. In the gift shop, I purchased magnets and maps for souvenirs. The Canadians are really friendly. In one instance, I maneuvered around the magazine section, and I needed to say "Excuse Me" to pass by a worker. When I said "Excuse Me", six people around me moved. Talk about politeness. Doesn't happen in San Jose =__=

After getting off the ferry we drove on Highway 99. Parts of Highway 99 are sophisticated. One stretch of the road there are lane signals. Lane signals tell drivers which lanes are open and which lanes are closed. It appears during commute times, Highway 99 opens extra lanes to move traffic faster for commute traffic and close extra lanes for reverse commute traffic. The maximum speed Steve drove was 90 km/h or 55mph.

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 1:00 P.M. City of Vancouver City Limits

We arrived at the city limits. The sky was grey and Vancouver rained during the drive and during the entire day. Steve played his James Bond Greatest Hits CD. Gas was never a problem because Steve filled up the gas tank at Port Angeles, and we were glad because it felt weird to get gas in liters . . . and Steve drove a Volkswagen Bug which has great gas mileage.

Our destination was Downtown Vancouver where the hotel is located. We needed to drive by Marpole, South Granville, Shaughnessy, and Fairview neighborhoods before reaching Downtown Vancouver. These areas are like Santa Barbara, California including the homes, neighborhoods, and the shopping districts; in addition, the area is diverse with many stores and restaurants representing different cultures and different sexual orientations (if you know what I mean *nudge, nudge*) The drive reminded me when I was 5 years old visiting my grandparents in Santa Barbara for which the surroundings, the grey skies, the homes, and neighborhoods were 100% authentic and represented my memory accurately.

When we crossed the Granville Street Bridge, I noticed a lot of development in Downtown Vancouver. It appears Vancouver is growing. Downtown Vancouver kinda reminded of Downtown San Jose; however, the buildings are unique--the looks of the buildings I never seen before. We checked in the hotel and choose to visit the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park for the activity of the day and to eat lunch. And yes, the rain continued.

When we drove on Pacific Street and Beach Avenue and along English Bay and Sunset Beach to the Vancouver Aquarium, there are a lot small apartment buildings that looked like Santa Barbara again. The signal lights are simple like in Victoria.

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 3:00 P.M. Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Aquarium is located in Stanley Park. We drove along the Stanley Park for 20 minutes. For me, it's the first time I drove around a park. The closest I drove in a park was Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, and me and my friends drove through just to get to Highway 1. No scenic tour. There is a public pool at Stanley Park, and there were people in the public pool despite the rain. I believe the pool is a wading pool where people just go to the pool to get wet and play around.

Vancouver Aquarium was really busy. I think the rain and that the kids' summer vacations being almost over were the reasons for the packed aquarium. Compared to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, Vancouver Aquarium is really small. We entered the aquarium, paid admission, and the first stop was getting lunch. I like to tell everyone I donated $2.00 to the aquarium and I got a S.O.S. sticker which stands for Save Our Seals. Hee, hee, hee.

The rain kept pouring as we ate lunch. We saw the Belugas exhibit and they were swimming as we ate lunch. I ordered a burger and Steve ordered pizza. After lunch, we walked around the entire aquarium. We started viewing the outside attractions including seeing the sea lions, sea otters, and a dolphin show. The dolphin show was packed with spectators and their umbrellas. I was fortunate I got a spot and was able to see most of the show. I had to stand on my toes to view some of the acts.

After viewing the outside activities, the rest of the time, Steve and I walked around inside. We saw sharks, giant fishes, alligators, jellyfish, sting rays, seahorns, and entered the Amazon Rainforest. Man, the rainforest is really humid. I felt awkward viewing the maps of Canada on the displays and animal explanations. I'm used to viewing the California map when I visit the Monterey Aquarium, SeaWorld-San Diego, Disneyland, and other amusement attractions in California. The final stop was viewing the dolphins at the lower level of the aquarium. There is the Clownfish Cove where kids can touch the smaller sea animals. Kids, make sure your parents stick with you ^_^

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 5:30 P.M. Dinner Time

We ate dinner at a high class, fancy restaurant named "The Crime Lab." There was nobody there and the food came pretty fast. After dinner, we walked around parts of Downtown Vancouver. Downtown reminded me of Downtown San Jose--quiet during the evening time. We visited a few stores. Most of the shops closed at 7:00 P.M. (for which, in my opinion, most retail shops should close around 7:00 P.M. because everyone needs to have leisure time).

We arrived back at the hotel around 8:00 P.M. and we channel surf. We saw the catastrophic damage Hurricane Katrina caused to New Orleans and part of Mississippi and Alabama.

Property Taxes Change Priorities

Everyone who owns property pays their property taxes. Property taxes pay for county services such as sheriff, fire, ambulance, libraries, schools, parks, roads, and social services. Money must be earned to pay property taxes. There is no fun paying property taxes. All leisure activities, jokes, and discretionary expenses are secondary. Responsibilities are taken seriously. Furthermore, all children who say their parents or guardians being homeowners are boring should be taught property taxes.

The county places a property tax lien on property owners who don’t pay their property taxes. A tax lien is a lien to secure payment for back taxes. A lien is a law term meaning a right to keep possession of the property which belongs to another owner being in debt. If a tax lien is unsatisfied at a future time, then the county auctions the property as a tax default property which includes the land and the house. The winner bidder pays for the winning auction price and the tax lien or back taxes.

Paying insurance is another action which changes priorities. Everyone knows auto, home, life, medical, rental, dental, optical, and personal property.

Update On A Past Blog

Paying property taxes and insurance is a good reminder for the blog The Minimums To Live written on Dec 14, 2023. I wrote food, shelter, and clothing are the minimums. One can say food, shelter, and internet are the minimums. Shelter implies a bed, bare necessities, medications, utilities, and clothes. Internet implies a cell phone. The minimums are paradise at the end of the day.

Buy Time At Restaurants

There are many purposes for the restaurant retail industry. Customers buy meals. Customers meet other customers for social events. Customers support businesses. I focus today's blog customers buy time. Also, customers buy human energy. Customers use the buying time for other priorities instead of cooking meals, eating processed microwave food, or eating frozen food. Customers use the human energy for other priorities instead of cooking meals, eating processed microwave food, or eating frozen food. Customers complete the other higher priorities or lower priorities. Examples of higher priorities are work projects, work reports, job training, physical exercise, raising children, and sleep. Examples of lower priorities are watching television, catching up with social media, and playing video games.

The restaurants provide a big service in today's Information Age. The service is more important today compared to past generations. The restaurants convenience may be too good for some people which can lead to bad healthy habits. Use discretion.

Top Ten Plus Fourteen Equals Top Twenty Four Favorite Black & White Movies

The classic movies. The black & white classic movies. The best movies established today's movies we see today. Take a break from the fast pace Information Age life. Do something different. Slow down. Watch the classics. They're true today. Here are my top ten plus fourteen equals top twenty four favorite black & white movies. There is no restriction on the release year.

24. Why Worry? (1923). A Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston classic.

23. Some Like It Hot (1959). Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon are the names. A comedy and a musical.

22. Modern Times (1936). My only Charlie Champlin movie I watched. No need for green screens. The rush society in the 1930s was a turtle compared to today's rush society.

21. Psycho (1960). An Alfred Hitchcock classic. The ending twist is fantastic.

20. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939). My second James Stewart movie. The politics in the 1930s were the same today.

19. It Happened One Night (1934). Clark Gable stood his ground. You may not laugh out loud during the comedy scenes. A funny romantic comedy a family enjoys.

18. Harvey (1950). James Stewart could do comedy.

17. The Grapes Of Wrath (1940). The movie about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl did a good job adapting 67% of the book written by John Steinbeck. The ending in the movie was not the ending in the book.

16. Schindler's List (1993). It's bad timing Liam Neeson who played Oskar Schindler lost to Tom Hanks from Philadelphia for best actor. The movie should have double best supporting actor nominations Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth and Ben Kingsley as Itzhak Stern.

15. Raging Bull (1980). A movie where a person is the best at something and the best at being a terrible person. Robert DeNiro won an Oscar for best actor.

14. The Philadelphia Story (1940). My first Cary Grant movie. The movie included one of the greatest of all time actor James Stewart and actress Katharine Hepburn. It should be a movie all student actors and student actresses watch.

13. All About Eve (1950). A movie about a fictional biography of a successful Broadway star. The movie watchers realize she's ruthless.

12. Seven Samurai (1954). A poor village hires samurais without pay to protect them from bandits. I watched the movie in two days.

11. Roman Holiday (1953). My critical opinion is Gregory Peck didn't have enough charism. Audrey Hepburn won Best Actress.

10. Metropolis (1927). A science fiction classic with no time boundaries. The futuristic city with dividing social classes. A four star movie.

9. The Apartment (1960). It's all about affairs and adultery in a comedy and romantic way. They existed in the 1960s. They exist today.

8. Citizen Kane (1941). Rosebud.

7. Young Frankenstein (1974). I read the book by Mary Shelley and the 1931 movie before watching Young Frankenstein. Hilarious.

6. Rebecca (1940). A classic psychological thriller. Maybe horror. An early black and white mind twist movie. The only Alfred Hitchcock movie to win an Academy Award for Best Picture.

5. Sunset Blvd. (1950). I heard students majoring in film watch the movie in their undergraduate classes.

4. To Kill A Mockingbird (1962). There is a reason why Gregory Peck portraying Atticus Finch won an Academy Award for Best Actor. Finch was a model strong man and strong father.

3. Paper Moon (1973). Father Ryan O'Neal and daughter Tatum O'Neal are the lead actors. Tatum won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at age 10. She's the youngest to win an Oscar as of today.

2. 12 Angry Men (1957). If your date says 12 angry men is about a movie about 12 angry men, then end the date immediately.

1. Casablanca (1942). Too many movie quotes: Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship; Here's looking at you, kid; Play it once, Sam; We'll always have Paris.

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.

Top Ten My Last Minute Choices Were Correct

The late Steve Jobs said, "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." I connected the dots for the following last minute choice moments. The choices were correct. Here are the top ten my last minute choices were correct.

10. Gilroy Gardens (Jul 23, 2022). My brother's family had two extra tickets to visit the small amusement park in Gilroy, CA. My dad and I went. I did my best to social distance. I initiated social distancing when I walked around the park. I wore my mask except eating. I felt relaxed. It was a good life break.

9. 1998 (Various Dates 1998). Honestly speaking, the opportunities appeared in front of me without effort. I was given no brainer choices.

*Emergency Dentist Filling (Jan 1998). My dentist at the time created an opening for a filling to charge my insurance as a procedure for the 1997 calendar year.
*Celine Dion (Jan). I purchased my first used CD Celine Dion-Celine Dion at a used media store.
*Fanime Con 1998 (Feb 15). I purchased three anime CDs from a dealer who wanted to sell as much inventory before leaving. I was short on cash. He accepted my amount. I didn't pay taxes.
*Cal Poly Open House (May). A friend invited me to visit him during the Cal Poly Open House weekend. The weekend vacation was my first solo vacation.
*Japantown-San Francisco (Jul or Aug). The same Cal Poly friend called me up for a last-minute trip to escape the record heat in San Jose, CA.
*Santa Barbara, CA Weekend Trip (Aug). My mom and I picked up my grandfather driving the Mercury Sable 1997 station wagon. It was the first time the car drove long distance. We listened to music on my portable CD player connected to the radio's cassette deck for the first time. We delivered a cage of birds to one of my aunts.

8. Coraline (Mar 14, 2009). I felt bad at a cosplay gathering in the Japanese garden Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, CA. I wanted to go home quickly. I contacted two friends to watch Coraline with me when I arrived home. Also, another friend organized a 3/14 pie dinner gathering. The three of us ate dinner at the pie dinner gathering. We watched the last showing of Coraline after dinner. I purchased the tickets on a friend's app because I feared the showing was sold out. The theater was dead. It was the first time and last time I purchased movie tickets outside the movie theater.

7. Anime Expo (AX) 2009 (Jul 2-5, 2009). I had no plans to attend AX due to the Great Recession. I changed my mind after Fanime Con 2009 in May 2009. I hung out with my friends. I called my friends. My friends called me. I met new people. I visited Japantown in Los Angeles for the first time afterwards.

6. Ranma 1/2 Season 1 On VHS (Dec 1996). A comic book store was going out of business. The owner sold five of the six VHS tapes in stock for $5 each. The retail price is $30 each. I was short on money at the time.

5. Fanime Con 2004 Midnight Marathon (May 30, 2004). I watched 17 episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist during the Midnight Marathon. I initially planned to watch four episodes. I stayed awake during the entire marathon. I said, "I'm going to cosplay Edward Elric" after episode 8. Fullmetal Alchemist saved me from quitting anime.

4. Washington Canada 2008 (Nov 15-20, 2008). The last minute timing was perfect to visit my friend. My contract at Cisco was terminated. I was lost. I was confused. I didn't know what to do with my life. I needed a break to refocus and reset. We visited Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Hurricane Ridge; the Rock 'n Roll museum; gambled in a casino; visited Downtown Seattle; and shopped in used bookstores. We watched movies. We played board games. The trip saved me from years of therapy.

3. Shopped For Gym Equipment (Mar 16, 2020). CA Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state shut down on Mar 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. I shopped the entire afternoon buying gym equipment for my home mini gym. I purchased a 45-pound plate and a 25-pound plate at a specialty fitness store. I purchased the exercise mat at Sports Basement. I continue my strength training at home. My cardio workout is jogging around the neighborhood.

2. Zion National Park Walking Stick (Oct 3-4, 2015). I went backpacking for the first time. The party and I received information The Narrows Top Down backpacking trail is strenuous. I rented a walking stick which saved my ass walking in the river and navigating the rocks. I purchased a pair of trekking poles afterwards.

1. O'Connor Hospital Emergency Room (Apr 2-6, 2017). I thought I had the stomach flu. The pains were sharp like pins pinning my stomach. I went to the emergency room. I was diagnosed with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. I required two surgeries for the first time. The first surgery was Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones. The second surgery was Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder. I was a hospital in-patient for the first time.

Update On A Past Blog

I mentioned Fanime Con 2009 and AX 2009. Fanime Con 2009 is my all-time favorite anime conventions from the blog Top Ten Favorite Anime Conventions written on Oct 25, 2012. AX 2009 should be on the list because the last minute choice to attend was a good choice. AX 2009 is ranked fifth after Fanime Con 2009, Fanime Con 2010, AX 2006, and Fanime Con 2005.

Thanks No Thanks Processed Foods

Some people have extra free time. Extra free time. Extra free time is rare for many people in today's Information Age. The extra free time is used to watch TV, to work, to raise the family, to read books, to check email, to play video games, to screentime on the smart phone, or do something brainless. These people eat more processed foods. These people may be eating too much processed foods including restaurants, frozen foods, and prepackaged meals. There is more time doing something else. There is less time cooking in the kitchen.

The extra free time cooking less is great in the short-run. The extra free time cooking less is terrible in the long-run. Is eating more fast food worth it to watch more TV series? Is eating more restaurant take-out worth it to finish the reports? Is eating more frozen pizza worth it to sit around doing nothing? Is skipping a meal worth more shopping?

Cooking is a life skill. Cooking is a stress relief. Cook the correct way.

My Greatest Favorites Of All Time

I share my greatest favorites of all time.

*Professional Athlete: Michael Jordan

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

*Board Game: Puerto Rico

*Nonfiction Book: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

*Fiction Book: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

*Comic Strip: Peanuts

*Bay Area Sports: Joe Montana from the San Francisco 49ers, Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors, Buster Posey from the San Francisco Giants, Joe Pavelski from the San Jose Sharks, and Chris Wondolowski from the San Jose Earthquakes.

*Calendar Year: 2005

*Calendar Month: November

*Calendar Day: Sat Oct 4, 2008

*Semester At San Jose State University: Fall 1996

*TV Series: Breaking Bad

*Anime Series: Full Metal Alchemist

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

*Harry Potter Book: Year Seven

*Movie: The Shawshank Redemption

*Meal: Broccoli beef with rice

*Candy Bar: Milky Way

*Cookie: Sugar

*Cereal: Cheerios

*Number: 40

*Color: White

*Favorite Sesame Street Character: Cookie Monster

*Classical Music: Mozart

*Modern Classical Music: Helen Jane Long

*Soda: 7-UP

*Actor: Cary Grant

*Actress: Meryl Streep

*Innovating Common Knowledge Blog: No answer.

Update On A Past Blog

I forgot another Fry's moment for the blog Top Ten Plus Four Equals Fourteen Fry's Electronics Moments written on Feb 25, 2021. I shopped at Fry's Electronics on Black Friday 2005. I blogged the only store I shopped I Fried Fry's Electronics written on Nov 25, 2005. I didn't purchase a projector screen because the line was too long. I'm glad I didn't because I never pursued watching movies on a projector. Online shopping and the COVID-19 global pandemic changed Black Friday decades later.

Top Ten Plus Six Equals Top Sixteen Moments Never On A Top Ten Before

These sixteen moments were small life values. These sixteen moments were small memories. These sixteen moments are examples of the little things in life. I share two examples. The first example is purchasing a Mickey Mouse baseball cap in Spring Semester 1996 while I attended San Jose State University. The pics are below.

The second example is reading Coraline by Neil Gaiman in 2009. I watched the movie on Mar 14, 2009. Why do I remember the exact date? The reasons are there was a cosplay gathering at a local Japanese garden, a friend organized a 3.14 pie day dinner gathering, and the three of us watched the last evening showing. I gave the book for a birthday gift to a friend out of the Bay Area.

My long-term memory is above average. My confidence is high these moments never appeared before. I provide the moment date if I remember. Here are the top ten plus six equals top sixteen moments never on a top ten before:

16. Country Time Lemonade (early 1980s). The first time I drank Country Time Lemonade I was at a zoo. I don't remember if it was a field trip for preschool or kindergarten. My mom was a chaperone. Maybe, it was a gathering with other friends. Or maybe it was a social gathering with other families.

I remember getting lost. I might have found another parent who found my mom. I also remember opening a gate separating two sections of the zoo.

15. Blue Angels Air Show (Aug 1992). My former neighbors the late The Shermans took my family to an air show to watch airplanes and the Blue Angels performed at the Moffett Field airfield and airport located in Mountain View, CA.

14. Pier 39 Arcade Video Games (1987). I used video game tokens from a mom and pop arcade Galaktican. Galaktican is number seven explaining the better deal on tokens. The Pier 39 arcade was the standard four tokens for $1 and 20 tokens for $5. The Aquarium Of The Bay replaces the arcade.

13. Mopped The Floors (Apr 2013). I cleaned the household floors using a mop for the first time. My parents never cleaned the floors using a mop. I don't know why.

12. Drive-in Movies (1986). My family and one of my cousin's family watched Top Gun and The Karate Kid II movies at a drive-in movie theater.

11. Gilroy Outlet Mall (Dec 1994). I finished a terrible Fall Semester. The shopping day was relaxing.

10. Attended Two Jazz Festivals (Aug-Sep 2009). I became interested in jazz music in Nov 2008. I attended the San Jose Jazz Festival in Aug 2009 and the Monterey Jazz Festival in Sep 2009. I was lucky the late Allen Toussaint appeared as the headliner for the San Jose Jazz Festival.

9. Touched Snow (Nov 1986). I experienced snow for the first time in South Lake Tahoe. The second time was Nov 1987. The last time was Nov 2008 in the state of Washington.

8. Mystery Mansion Board Game (Unknown Dates). My brother, cousin, and I played Mystery Mansion when my cousin stayed over during the summers. We followed most of the rules. Some games were finished the next morning.

7. Galaktican Arcade (1986-1991, 1996). My brother and I were addicted to playing video games in the arcade. Those were the times when parents allowed their children to wonder unsupervised. Players received six tokens for $1 and 36 tokens for $5. Galaktican reduced the $5 bonus because business was too good. Unfortunately, Galaktican went out of business due to the video game consoles. I remember the final years players receive bonus tokens when they exchanged $10.

My final visit was Fall 1996. I rollerbladed to and from my house. I played Area 51 with another player who memorized all the enemies. We unlocked a bonus scene in the mountain cave for the first time.

6. Quell App Games (2012, 2014). I played three of the four Quell games from Fallen Tree Games. I finished Quell in Apr 2012, Quell: Reflect in Oct 2012, and Quell: Memento in Jul 2014 all at 100% unlocked and 100% perfect. I needed help once in Quell, once in Reflect, and none in Memento.

5. Nintendo GameCube (Jul 2004). I purchased the console, four game controllers, backpack, two memory cards, and five video games all used for $217.00 on eBay. The video games included Mario Kart and Super Smash Brothers.

4. Professor Blackerby (Jan-May 1995, Aug-Dec 1997). My favorite economics instructor was Professor Blackerby. He taught my Microeconomics and my Microeconomic Analysis classes. Timing was good because Blackerby taught Microeconomic Analysis on my final semester at San Jose State University.

3. Board Game Night (Various Dates). My family and I played Pictionary on Sat nights. It was the only board game we played together.

2. Japantown San Francisco (Aug 1998). I visited Japantown for the first time in decades. It was the first time I visited as an anime fan. A friend suggested we drive to San Francisco to escape a hot Sunday in San Jose.

1. Movie Night (Mar or Apr 1997). My brother and I watched movies on Laserdiscs and ate take-out Chinese food from a mom and pop Chinese restaurant on a Sat night. I rented the Laserdiscs for free because I worked at Blockbuster Video. I told my brother to screen calls in case Blockbuster called for help. My store had been short staffed on Sat nights. My brother stayed home for the semester because of an internship. One of the movies was Escape From L.A. starring Kurt Russell.

Update On A Past Blog

I remind myself to keep fun in check. The blog is Keep Fun In Check written on Feb 26, 2006. Take a deep breath. Be mature. Fun is not fun when there is any injury including physical and emotional. There's a good way to have fun. There's a bad way to have fun.