Begin The Divergent

I speak from personal experience. I follow the top four North American professional sports baseball, basketball, football, and hockey. The four diverged years ago. Football and basketball are higher priority. Baseball and hockey are lower priority. I believe my sports divergence and other sports fans divergence started at the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Divergence happens. Divergence can be good. Divergence can be bad. Divergence can be happy. Divergence can be sad. Divergence is present. Divergence is change. Divergence is life. There are forks on the road. Which path does the person choose? A or B. Or C. Or D. Workplace, careers, all relationships, hobbies, and opinions are examples. In particular, marriages. I'm not a marriage counselor. Some marriages end in divorce because the marriage diverges. The marriage changes naturally or intentionally for the worse at nobody's fault. The couple grows apart naturally.

Out with the old. In with the new. Close a chapter. Open a new chapter. The garbage collector arrives to pick up the garbage.

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.

I Grew Up The Changes Were Immediate Growing Up On Sat Oct 4, 2008 Grow Up

I grew up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The day changed my life forever. I stopped taking life for granted. Playtime was over. The stress I felt along my back loosened up. Everything and everyone bad happened in the past were forgiven. I detail the immediate changes for the first time. The growing up blogs I wrote beforehand were generalized. Actions spoke louder than words.

Tue Sep 2, 2008. I experienced an identity crisis. Who am I? What do I want? How am I going to achieve it? Where am I going? Why am I experiencing the identity crisis? When am I going to find my true identity? I was lost. I was a wimp. I was unhappy.

Sat Oct 4, 2008. The location was Los Altos, CA. I attended a board game gathering at the Los Altos Library. I met up with a friend to return his DVDs. We played World Of Warcraft for half of the event because of his doctor's appointment in the afternoon. I walked around an arts and wine festival located in Downtown Los Altos.

There were multiple thoughts in my mind walking back to my car. The thoughts were puzzle pieces. One puzzle piece was everyone congregated together. Families, friends, couples, and acquaintances. I was the only person alone. I crossed the street to the side of the library. Eureka! I said to myself, "I need to grow up." I was lucky. It took me 32 days to end the identity crisis. It was time to catch up what I missed. It took me years later to become a mature adult.

Here are the changes and the actions from Oct 4, 2008 to Dec 2, 2009:

*Wisdom. People come and go in our lives including a brief 15 minute encounter, acquaintances, friends, family, co-workers, loved ones . . . any relationship among ourselves. Nobody keeps in touch with everyone.

*New clothes: pajamas, jackets, sport shirts, a leather jacket, slippers for home, v-neck t-shirts, a red cashmere scarf, gym shirts, gym shorts, and The Gap and Calvin Klein boxers underwear. No more polo shirts. No more plain white t-shirts. I include my first stainless steel watch Citizen Eco-Drive.

*New objects: bedsheets set, blankets, gaming desktop PC, tablecloth for the dining room table, mattress, shower brush for my back, daytime backpack which is also my go bag, hiking equipment, a razor for wet shaving, and a tongue cleaner.

*Rearranged my room. Reorganized my book shelf. Recycled old electronics. Removed junk. Donated old clothes.

*New foods and drinks: cranberry juice, Super H2O, a Beard Papa's eclair, Spaghettios, Hawaiian cookies, 98% cocoa chocolate, Honey Bunches of Oates cereal, Juroku Cha drink, Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies, cherries, pomegranate juice, Evolution Orange Juice, multi-grain crackers, Jack In The Box taco, chocolate milk, Toblerone, Pocari Sweat, grits, Pho Vietnamese soup, Cinnabon, Thai ice tea, Japanese maple bread, New York pizza, calzone, Dr. Pepper, Coco Fizz chocolate soda, Bubble Up lemon lime soda, Faygo redpop soda, and gelato.

*Movies worth mentioning: The Godfather trilogy, Mad Max, The Graduate, Batman Begins, Hot Fuzz, The 40 Year Old Virgin, A View To A Kill, The Departed, Transporter 2, Bullitt, The Dark Knight, Goodfellas, Ben Hur, Coraline, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Blue Hawaii, Star Trek (2009), UP!, Citizen Kane, Inglorious Bastards, 9, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, and Where The Wild Things Are.

The anime The Place Promised In Our Early Days and Voices Of A Distance Star must be mentioned. I marathoned 13 episodes of Natsume Yuujinchou.

*I changed my email writing style. No more indenting when I typed a new paragraph.

*Music. I became interested in jazz music and classic jazz music. Purchased Porcelain CD by Helen Jane Long.

*Events: sold books at Half Price Books, ate breakfast in Downtown Campbell and visited Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, visited California Academy of Sciences, toured Stanford University and University Of California--Berkeley, watched fireworks at New Year's Eve 2009 in San Francisco, visited Charles M. Schulz museum in Santa Rosa, CA, shopped at IKEA for the first time, listened to jazz at the San Jose Jazz Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival in Monterey, CA, and visited a small family amusement park Gilroy Gardens.

A one day trip in San Francisco because I dropped off family members for a vacation cruise. I walked around Pier 39, Fisherman's Warf, and Ghirardelli Square. I ordered the Fudge Sundae. Finally, I visited Japantown and the Viz Video building.

*Anime Events: cosplay gathering at Winchester Mystery House, cosplay gathering at Christmas In The Park in Downtown San Jose, cosplaying at an anime store Christmas party, and cosplay gathering at Hakone Japanese Garden in Saratoga, CA. I walked in the Northern California Cherry Blossoms Parade in San Francisco, CA.

Attended Fanime Con 2009. My best Fanime Con and my best anime convention I attended. I cosplayed Haku from Spirited Away for the first time. A good Fanime Con 2009 convinced me to attend Anime Expo 2009 at the last minute. I thank my mom for making the Haku cosplay.

*I cancelled Napster.

*Books: The Choice by Nicholas Sparks, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Forever by Judy Blume, Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary, Uncle John's Great Big Bathroom Reader, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, Love Walked In by Marisa De Los Santos, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, Q&A by Vikas Swarup, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, The Princess Bride by William Goldman, and Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus from John Gray.

*I changed the oil in my car the fastest ever. I started at 4:30pm in early Dec.

*Washington Canada 2008 Vacation. Timing was perfect for a distraction. Click on the blog links Washington Canada 2008: Prologue, Washington Canada 2008: Day 1 of 6 Sat Nov 15, Washington Canada 2008: Day 2 of 6 Sun Nov 16, Washington Canada 2008: Day 3 of 6 Mon Nov 17, Washington Canada 2008: Day 4 of 6 Tue Nov 18, Washington Canada 2008: Day 5 of 6 Wed Nov 19, Washington Canada 2008: Day 6 of 6 Thur Nov [20], and Washington Canada 2008: Epilogue. Pictures are included.

*Christmas 2008 was the best Christmas holiday. Christmas 2008 is still my best.

*Video Games. I played Team Fortress 2 (TF2) and Crysis on my gaming PC. I played Rock Band and Rock Band Beatles for the first time.

*New. Ballroom dancing and hiking hobbies. I created a Facebook account and a Twitter account. I followed gym workouts from Body Building.

*Accutane. I started taking the acne medication.

*Computer Files Organization. I transferred 54 data CDs to 5 data DVDs. I transferred data from floppy disks to one CD watching Coraline, Wall Street, My Neighbor Totoro, and The Transporter movies.

*Going Back To School. Enrolled at De Anza College in Cupertino CA. I took Strength Training, Social Dance which is ballroom dancing, and Accounting classes.

*My orthodontist removed my braces. I wore my braces from Jan 24, 2007 to Aug 17, 2009. 936 days or 2.56 years.

First Time. I snuck Junior Mints in the theatre. I visited a coffee shop for which I used their free Wi-Fi. I ate at Pepper Lunch, Curry House Japanese, and Ramen Halu restaurants. I ate donuts at a 24 hour donut shop. I ate at a 24 hour restaurant The Mini Gourmet which was in business for decades. I went to Aki's Bakery. I ate dinner at Clover bakery and cafe. I tried coffee for the first time and the only time.

*My home upgraded the HVAC.

New Tabletop Games: The Settlers Of Catan: Cities and Knights, The Settlers Of Catan: Seafarers, Lifeboat, Balderdash, cribbage, Riichi Mahjong, Bang!, Dominion, and Rat A Tat Cat. Also, Google Scrabble for which the rule is any word which comes up with at least 1,000 Google search results is valid.

Update On A Past Blog

I want to add more wisdom to the blog I Define Self-Respect written on Mar 12, 2015. Self-respect is not dumbing down. Never reduce yourself. Don't lower yourself. I said, "I believe with self-respect includes self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-discipline." Don't disrespect yourself. Be courageous to respect yourself. Stay smart. Stay strong.

Permanent Changes Due To COVID-19 Is Another Change Reference Point In Time

California Governor Gavin Newsom shut down California 2,107 days ago on Tue Mar 17, 2020. People reference many permanent changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 permanently changed *fill in the blank*. Schools. Colleges. Job searching. The hiring process. Work environment. Shopping. Contracts. Human relations. Governments. The financial system. Entertainment. Professional sports. Technology.

There are many historical reference points changing everything. The points I know are the following: the airplane, World War II, President Richard Nixon got the USA off the gold standard, the internet, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and COVID-19. There are more historical reference points changes coming soon.

A common knowledge is time changes everything--almost everything. The typical life is the same. A person is born. His or her parents raise their baby. Go to school. Graduate high school. Some graduate college or a trade school. Get a job. Get married. Raise a family. Retire. Death. Repeat. The circle of life.

However, the world changes. Humanitity changes. They are guaranteed. Generations change. Out with the old. In with the new. Let's hope future generations change for the better. Systems change. Processes change. Rules change. Opinions change. Time will tell the change is good or the change is bad. We connect the dots backwards. Forecasting or predicting is bullshit. The forecaster or predictor must sell with confidence to make it come true. Time is the ultimate judge.

Two Business Lessons I Learned At Cisco

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

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

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

Update On A Past Blog

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

The Price Of Maintenance Increases

The week of Mon Sep 8, 2025 was catching up. There were no physical workouts due to fatigue and a minor injury to my left Achillies heel. Circumstances favored me for which there was no weekly household cleaning. I felt good I caught up with most of my backlogged responsibilities and projects.

The week of Mon Sep 8, 2025 inspired today's blog. Prices are increasing to maintain our lives. The price is not necessarily monetary; however, in today's inflationary economy, all goods and services for maintenance increases. Time is another price increase. More time is required to maintain our lives. If a person has too many priority responsibilities to complete, then the price the person pays is less sleep.

Bare necessities for body maintenance such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and aspirin. Prices increase. Shoes, socks, shirts, shorts and supplemental equipment for physical workouts. Prices increase. Human body services such as medical, dental, and gym membership for those who need gym equipment. Prices increase. Engine oil, tires, windshield wipers, and wax. Prices increase. Utilities, light bulbs, batteries, furnace air filters, and cleaning supplies for residence cleaning. Prices increase. Further, more time is required to complete everything above. And learning new job skills to maintain careers. Prices and time increase.

Cut The Distractions

I admit I'm distracted in today's Information Age. There is a song stuck in my head. I must play the song on my computer. I look up information on Google or on YouTube. Unimportant information catches my attention. I click on the website or I watch the video. There is a breaking news headline. I read the news article. Time wasted. The distractions increase the price of maintenance.

Update On A Past Blog

Here are two blogs on maintenance. The first is Car Maintenance Is Expensive written on Mar 26, 2025. I wrote interior maintenance and exterior maintenance are important. The ultimate price for non-maintenance anything is chaos.

The second is Maintenance Is Important As Innovating Infinitely written on Nov 6, 2016. I repeat what I wrote from the Car Maintenance Is Expensive's Update On A Past Blog: "I shared some of my life maintenances including a clean household, job training, physical fitness, and keeping myself clean and groomed. I admit maintenance can be boring; however, my life is in chaos without maintenance."

I also update Normal Adolescents At Chipotle blog written on Dec 9, 2023. The blog was mature junior high school students socializing at a Chipotle restaurant. I overheard a conversation between three ladies at the gym earlier tonight. Two of the three ladies are high school students. The third is probably college. I'm bad at guessing people's ages. The three of them organize a breakfast meetup at their local cafe on Sat at 9:30am. 9:30am in the morning--on a Sat weekend. My initial thought was high school students sleep-in on Sat mornings. The two high school students are mature and responsible.

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.

The Real Moving Forward

Moving forward equals active. Moving forward is closing old chapters. Moving forward is opening new chapters. Life moves on. Strength, courage, intelligence, and wisdom are required.

A person is dying when he or she thinks more about the past than the present and future. There is no more looking ahead. Dying is looking back only. Dying is evaluating what a person has remaining good or bad. It can be knowledge. It can be memories. The person gives up. The person's game is over. The person rewatches old movies and relistens to old music too many times. The planning ahead stops. Making plans to watch the next TV series, play the next video game, or read the next comic book don't count. Make real plans getting up and doing something. Stay busy.

Update On A Past Blog

I wrote the blog My Generation X Sucks on Jun 20, 2025. I said the forgotten Gen X is the gunnie pigs in today's Information Age. Gen X made the mistakes to correct for the future generations.

I wrote two blogs the Greatest Generation doomed future generations including Gen X, Gen Y or Millennials, and Gen Z. The Baby Boomers generation is responsible for the doom, too. I listed unsolved problems in the blog The Greatest Human Generation Doomed Their Grandchildren And The Future Thereafter written on Jun 25, 2022. Some of the problems include loneliness, increase costs of living, and poor physical health. The answer is yes to the question Did The Greatest Human Generation Doom Their Grandchildren And Their Future? asked on Mar 14, 2019. The Greatest Generation and the Baby Boomers created today's life being too good. It's difficult for future generations to learn from our mistakes.

Throwback Blog: 500

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 500 written on Aug 6, 2010. I wrote blog number 500. I didn't write a top 50 blogs. I reposted my top 30 blogs from 300 written on Dec 7, 2008. Today's blog is number 1,930.

I update my top 30 blogs. There are changes. Mistakes made. Lessons learned. My life changed. New knowledge. Intelligence expanded. Wisdom changed. Increased strength. Here are the top 30 blogs with updates in italics, strikethroughs, and my remarks noted with RM:

1. Never take anything and anyone for granted.
2. Trust my gut feeling.
3. My [earlier] daily top five rules for living: (1) Don't criticize, condemn, and complain, and don't compare with others. (2) Don't act like a jerk or bitch. (3) Always speak calmly and be calm. (4) Don't daydream when driving. (5) Keep your head up high . . . look at [their] cute face when talking. RM: Sometimes comparing with others is positive.
4. Continue to live life finding what you want to do.
5. Never judge a person by their appearance.
6. Remember to learn from [your] failures as well as your successes.
7. It takes patience to learn who a person is for long-term family, friend, business, and romantic relationships.
8. Do something else to take your mind off something you hate.
9. Meet new people and make new friends continuously.
10. It's OK to be alone.

11. You must earn what you want in life.
12. You are responsible for yourself.
13. Schools have summer vacations; life doesn't have summer vacations. Life has vacations. Life has seasons like sports and TV series. Fiscal years, resets, endings. Life can say one continuous life; however, there are chapters, volumes, parts, checkpoints. RM: Everyone needs a break. Everyone needs a vacation. Everyone needs days off.
14. Age is just a number. RM: Age is a factor in most situations.
15. Have courage to say goodbye to anything precious.
16. First years, first impressions, first go-around, and first successes are equally important as second years, second impressions, second go-around, and second successes.
17. Everyone has the right to find happiness. Pursue happiness to find happiness.
18. Be patient. Never rush.
19. Take life one day at a time. Have fun, learn, and enjoy. Increment.
20. If you talk the talk, you must stand by your talk.

21. Do something to receive something.
22. Money is a way to help people, create action, and show appreciation.
23. Fight the pain, the suffering, and the struggles to keep living.
24. Use your mind to see.
25. Time is the ultimate judge.
26. Live the present. Live the moment intelligently.
27. Wait 24 hours for goods or services less than $100 and 48 hours for greater than $100 to avoid the urge to splurge.
28. Do the little things and they add up in time.
29. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
30. When you in a jam, go back to the basics. Go remind yourself the basics which is what I'm doing :D :D :D

Number 500! This blog is number 500 and the 5th anniversary for Innovating Common Knowledge. Good timing. I average 100 blogs every twelve months. That's too low. On the other hand, 100 is a good number because I spread my time writing blogs and many other activities. There are both sides to the discussion whether I spend too much or too little time writing blogs.

On my 300th blog, I shared my top 30 blogs. I choose to repost the top 30 blogs instead of creating a top 50 blogs. The reason is the lessons I learned and the wisdom I gained from my top 30 blogs applies to today's living--and tomorrow's living. They are powerful for me. The lessons and wisdoms are both old lessons such as life is a marathon, not a [sprint] and new lessons such as age is just a number. The timing is good for another review.

I continue to write blogs promoting change, improvement, and innovation. I continue to write blogs to open myself up and to experiment what I can and what I can't do. The Sign Of My Times (SOMT) and Accutane blogs continue as I reflect how life is changed now and when I was a child and my acne treatment, respectively.

Here is the summary of my top 30 blogs:

1. Never take anything and anyone for granted.
2. Trust my gut feeling.
3. My [latest] daily top five rules for living: (1) Don't criticize, condemn, and complain, and don't compare with others. (2) Don't act like a jerk or bitch. (3) Always speak calmly and be calm. (4) Don't daydream when driving. (5) Keep your head up high . . . look at the cute face when talking.
4. Continue to live life finding what you want to do.
5. Never judge a person by their appearance.
6. Remember to learn from you failures as well as your successes.
7. It takes patience to learn who a person is for long-term family, friend, business, and romantic relationships.
8. Do something else to take your mind off something you hate.
9. Meet new people and make new friends continuously.
10. It's OK to be alone.

11. You must earn what you want in life.
12. You are responsible for yourself.
13. Schools have summer vacations; life doesn't have summer vacations.
14. Age is just a number.
15. Have courage to say goodbye to anything precious.
16. First years, first impressions, first go-around, and first successes are equally important as second years, second impressions, second go-around, and second successes.
17. Everyone has the right to find happiness.
18. Be patient. Never rush.
19. Take life one day at a time. Have fun, learn, and enjoy.
20. If you talk the talk, you must stand by your talk.

21. Do something to receive something.
22. Money is a way to help people, create action, and show appreciation.
23. Fight the pain, the suffering, and the struggles to keep living.
24. Use your mind to see.
25. Time is the ultimate judge.
26. Live the present. Live the moment.
27. Wait 24 hours for goods or services less than $100 and 48 hours for greater than $100 to avoid the urge to splurge.
28. Do the little things and they add up in time.
29. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
30. When you in a jam, go back to the basics. Go remind yourself the basics which is what I'm doing :D :D :D

My first blog was posted on Thur Aug 4, 2005. The 300th blog was posted on Sun Dec 7, 2008. Click 300 to read the entire 300th blog detailing the top blogs.

My Bigger Picture Of Nothing

If anyone asks me at a dinner table why I'm quiet, then I reply, "Don't mind me. I'm boring." There is truth. I'm boring. I'm nothing. I'm the George Costanza in my family. I'm unemployed. I live with my parents. I do nothing. An anticipated question is what I do with money. Where is my income? Do I have any job? No money is needed to do nothing. An honest answer. Look at my picture. I cook for the household. I clean for the household. I workout four days a week. I job train and I job search five days a week. I watch movies. I read books. I write blogs. Nobody cares. Planet Earth doesn't care.

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.

Smile For One Thousand Three Hundred Dollars

My regular dental cleaning was in Dec 2024. The dentist said I needed five resins costing $1,300. The resins are a generic term. Specifically, the dentist fills in gaps between the teeth to minimize debris stuck between the teeth and gums, and minimize decay. $1,300 or $260 per tooth is expensive; on the other hand, the alternative is future gum surgery which costs higher and more inconvenience.

I went shopping afterwards. The first two retail locations were two high class malls. I thought about $1,300 dental work and $1,300 for X object(s) many stores sell. The chances of X object(s) are useless for practical uses. A $100 jacket is good as a $1,300 jacket. Almost nobody cares for a $1,300 pretty decoration on a table. I thought "a who cares he or she has it (them)" item(s) for sale in the two malls.

Consumerism at its best. Consumerism creates jobs. We don't complain on televisions, movies, clothes, toys, automobiles, and tech gadgets. We complain on food, insurance, utilities, and dental work. Some people need to re-evaluate their budgets and their priorities. A smile can earn more than $1,300 in money. Nobody wants his or her partner with bad dental hygiene during sex.

All prices increase. Higher costs. Spend wisely. It's the 2025 advice of the year.

Update On A Past Blog

Here is additional information on the blog Homeless Encampment Eviction Day Real Story written on Mar 23, 2024. The media doesn't report the real story.

Many legal homeless people receive government support such as Social Security, disabled veterans pensions, food stamps, and Medi-Cal. Some homeless people don't meet the rules for government support.

Some homeless people refuse shelters by choice. Women feels unsafe. Pets are prohibited. Must be sober. Strict curfews; for instance, homeless people with jobs and/or visit family members conflicts with the curfew. Couples must be married to be admitted together.

Change Priorities

I took a Moby-Dick vacation on selected days from Oct 2023 to Feb 2024. Those selected days I spent less time job training and more time reading Moby-Dick by Herman Melville.

I adapt the Moby-Dick vacation job training starting today. My job training continues. I spend less time job training. I spend more time on life. The reasons for the job training priority change are the job market, AI, the Information Age, and the economy.

Furthermore, I job search five days a week. There have been fewer job openings. There have been more people unemployed. More unemployed people apply for the fewer job openings; although, some job applications are submitted by AI. The probability of finding a job declines year after year. The probability of finding a job declines further in May and Jun when seniors graduate from high school and college.

The Costs Outweigh The Benefits

The more time job training cost outweighs the maintaining maximum job training skills benefit. A company hiring long-term unemployed people is rare. I reduce the job training cost. I benefit more living life not job training. The living life priorities are the following in alphabetical order:

*Cook: Everyone eats healthy.
*Complete errands: Shopping, organizing, and filling my car with gas.
*Emails: Sending and replying email to my family and friends. I also read my favorite articles.
*Learn life skills: Tying knots, shuffling cards, and memorizing jokes and riddles are examples.
*Listen to audio: Music and podcasts.
*Maintain the residences: Vacuuming, washing dishes, laundry, moping, cleaning toilets, and taking out the trash.
*Physical activity: Two days strength training and two days cardio.
*Play video games: Lowest priority. I play classic video games I never played.
*Read books: 75% fiction and 25% non-fiction.
*Social life: Spend time with people.
*Social media: Up to 45 minutes a day is nothing.
*Watch movie: I watch one movie a week.
*Watch television: Lower priority. I watch more sports and less shows.
*Write blogs: Write 100 blogs a year or 8.33 blogs a month is acceptable.

Ignorant consistency is removed. I accept half-ass sometimes because there's no penalty for less than 100% completion. I'm more flexible to priority changes beyond my control. I'm more accepting to adjust priority changes beyond my control. There is no reprimand for finishing a responsibility or a task tomorrow. It's okay to delay lower priorities.

I continue job training for the record. I continue job searching for the record. Finding employment is slim. There's more to life than knowing Excel, Python, data analysis, databases, and web pages.

Update On A Past Blog

I can title today's blog Reset Priorities In A Good Way, Reset Priorities II, Reset Priorities Correctly, or Reset Priorities Maturely. It's another life re-evaluation blog. Fair statement. People should re-evaluate their own lives time to time. Re-evaluate properly. Re-evaluate intelligently. It's okay to make priorities mistakes. Correct priorities mistakes immediately when committed.

I committed priorities mistakes from the blog Reset Priorities written on Sep 18, 2013. The two goals creating three priority tiers were consistency and more hours to sleep. I failed. I admitted my mistake on Feb 28, 2018 Throwback Blog: Reset Priorities saying " The blog is full of crap. I reset my life too many times." There is a limit people resetting their lives too many times indicates professional help may be needed.

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."

Take Another Look At The Happy Life Checklist

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

Update On A Past Blog

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

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%.

300 Revisited 2

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

The number 300 references my 300th blog I wrote on Dec 7, 2008. I selected my top 30 blogs out of the first 300 blogs I wrote. I updated the top 30 blogs for the first time on 300 Revisited on Feb 4, 2009. I update the top 30 blogs for the second time. These are good changes. The blog is another example time changes people's thoughts and opinions. The edits are as-is.

1. Never take anything and anyone for granted.
2. Trust my gut feeling.
3. My [updated] daily top five rules for living: (1) Don't criticize, condemn, and complain. (2) Don't act like a jerk or bitch. (3) Always speak calmly and be calm. (4) Don't daydream when driving. (5) Keep your head up high . . . look at their cute face when talking.
4. Continue to live life finding what you want to do.
5. Never judge a person by their appearance.
6. Remember to learn from 03/02/23-->[your] failures as well as your successes.
7. It takes patience to learn who a person is for long-term family, friend, business, and romantic relationships.
8. Do something else to take your mind off something you hate.
9. Meet new people and make new friends continuously.
10. It's OK to be alone.

11. You must earn what you want in life.
12. You are responsible for yourself.
13. 12/29/16-->Schools have summer vacations; life doesn't have summer vacations. Life has vacations. Life has seasons like sports and TV series. Fiscal years, resets, endings. Life can say one continuous life; however, there are chapters, volumes, parts, checkpoints. 12/29/2016-->There are times in our lives everyone needs to stop and take a breath. Time outs and checkpoints are part of life.
14. Age is just a number.<--05/04/21
15. Have courage to say goodbye to anything precious.
16. First years, first impressions, first go-around, and first successes are equally important as second years, second impressions, second go-around, and second successes.
17. 07/12/14-->Everyone has the right to find happiness. Pursue happiness to find happiness.
18. Be patient. Never rush.
19. Take life one day at a time. 12/31/16-->Increment from Freakonomics. 04/26/15-->Have fun, learn, and enjoy.
20. If you talk the talk, you must stand by your talk.

21. Do something to receive something.
22. Money is a way to help people, create action, and show appreciation.
23. Fight the pain, the suffering, and the struggles to keep living.
24. Use your mind to see.
25. Time is the ultimate judge.
26. Live the present. Live the moment 07/06/15-->[intelligently].
27. Wait 24 hours for goods or services less than $100 and 48 hours for greater than $100 to avoid the urge to splurge.
28. Do the little things and they add up in time.
29. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
30. When you in a jam, go back to the basics.

I include a bonus. The lessons I learned attending De Anza College:

1. Everyone is human.
2. Go with the flow.
3. Timing is everything.
4. Use it or lose it.

On The Outside Of Unemployment

Most unemployed people job search daily. There's nothing else important. Today's blog explains what a good unemployed person does outside job searching. If applicable, then today's blog also highlights what a good unemployed person does outside job training, going back to college, or enrolling in specialized vocational training. I'm on the spotlight as an example.

I'm like George Costanza from Seinfeld. I'm unemployed. I live with my parents. A difference is George doesn't cook, clean, and complete household errands. I cook, clean, and complete household errands. I take care of myself exercising, reading books, being calm, minimizing expenses, and sleeping well. I self job train learning new skills and reviewing existing skills. I write blogs. I minimize eating processed foods.

Know The Real Reality

TV, movies, and video games are the lowest priority. Any entertainment with a screen is the lowest priority. Entertainment as a leisure activity is valid. Priorities are priorities. Responsibilities are responsibilities. There is no excuse a son or a daughter lives like a homeless bum under their parent's roof.

What the unemployed people do personally inside and outside matter more than working on finding employment. Anyone can cook, clean, and complete household errands. Anyone can be nice. People want to see the unemployed continue living even if life moves slowly. Life moves forward. Be stronger. Be smarter. Be wiser. Get motivated. Actions speak louder than words.

I want people to know I try honestly. I do the best I can. I do something. I do anything. All mistakes corrected. All accomplishments improved. Innovate infinitely.

No money needed to be a nobody. No money to pay for nothing. The absolute minimum for the unemployed outside of unemployment is don't be a jerk or a bitch.

Crossing The Line To Become An Adult

It's like crossing the finish line in a race. The race is over. The race is finished. The race is successful. A person becomes a true adult crossing the adult line. All puzzle pieces fit together. The dots connecting backwards are connected. The patterns are established. The adult makes the connections. No stupidity. Full understanding. Circles are fully drawn.

Adult Continues Work After The Race

There are more races to cross the finish line. Professionalism is practiced daily. Responsibilities never ends. Never take maturity for granted. Always seek new adventures. Continue experiencing new experiences. Always sharpen the saw. Never stop innovating. Innovate infinitely.

Update On A Past Blog

The blog I Have An Answer To When Is An Adult An Adult written on Jan 6, 2021 answer is 50 years old. I'm lucky I became an adult at age 45. I crossed the line five years earlier. I incorrectly wrote, "I'm four years ahead." The correct sentence is, "I'm five years ahead." The correction applies to Grading My Past Years On A Curve written on July 17, 2022. I incorrectly wrote, "I achieved an adult is an adult four years ahead." The correct sentence is "I achieved an adult is an adult five years ahead."