Family Dynamics

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

I played a popular classic board game for the first time solo. A Safeway deal is better than a Costco deal. A clean residence is proper maintenance. Families change for the worst--blame life. Replace wear and tear car parts is proper maintenance. There is enough marriage wisdom to avoid a clique marriage husband makes wife's dreams come true. Families must share family history to avoid the clique history always repeats itself. Only death, taxes, and health care costs never decreasing are certain. Physical injuries is not a valid reason to stop exercising.

Perspiration Is The Real Work

A common success wisdom is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Success = 10% inspiration + 90% perspiration. Anyone can talk inspiration. Success can walk perspiration. My personal bible Inspiration Cheer Up is the 10% of the total success. The file is as-is with edits, additions, and deletions.

The content includes my personal daily rules such as don't criticize, condemn, and complain; don't daydream when driving; and be discrete. There are Steve Jobs quotes. There are Stephen Hawking wisdoms. Honestly speaking, the 10% explains why I stopped reading my personal bible weekly years ago. I replace the reading time with the 90% working on my daily life priorities. My personal bible doesn't earn income, pay bills, lose weight, become a master in mechanics, increase the number of hours each day, and improve sleep. My personal bible is an inspiration reminder. My personal bible enlightens me up when I feel depressed. Depression is rare because I always work.

Some Endings Are A Relief

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

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

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

I Didn't Get Sick On Thur Jan 8, 2026

I went shopping inside a mall to exchange a Christmas gift I didn't want. I exited the store I exchanged the gift. I walked inside the mall heading to the exit. A man walking towards me coughed multiple times without covering his mouth approximately three feet away. I detoured away from the man. I felt phlegm in my throat immediately. I swallowed multiple times. I wore two masks.

I felt mucus down my throat multiple times later in the day. I feared I got sick. I didn't panic. I drank a can of Coke for lunch and a can of Coke for dinner. I exercised at home with a limited workout due to a left tricep muscle injury. There was no point not doing any exercises. I was still healthy. I took advantage before I got sick.

Furthermore, the air was dry. The temperature range was the mid 60s and the upper 30s. My body is weak when my body adapts to a big temperature range.

I'm lucky. I woke up on Fri Jan 9 without a sore throat. No symptoms of a stomach flu. No symptoms of RSV. No symptoms of potential COVID-19. Maybe it was allergies. Maybe my body falsely overreacted. Maybe the COVID-19 vaccine prevented my sickness. I wear new masks as a precaution even though the masks I wore on Thur Jan 8 were in good condition.

Do Everything One At A Time Is A Strength

Slow down. Relax. Take a breath. Forget multi-tasking. Do everything one at a time. Multi-task one at a time. Be productive rationally. Haste makes waste. Quiet down everyone. Stop panicking. Everything is going to be completed one at a time. Hang on for a second. All tasks are completed in time. Be patient.

Update On A Past Blog

The blog Connecting My Dots Backwards written on Oct 13, 2011 the title is misleading. The blog detailed the immediate changes when I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. Any previous blogs on growing up should reference the Connecting My Dots Backwards blog.

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.

A Garden

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

A Bonus Pic On Good Habits Three Pics Total

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

An afternoon view of cars on a freeway after driving on a freeway. Another batch of pictures of first times. The first time I saw a cigarette disposal and a freeway workers memorial; labels telling customers to microwave their food; repair sunglasses; and soap, shampoo, and conditioner dispenser secured in a hotel room shower. There are eleven pictures in today's blog because I needed an 11th picture to mention the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. Spoiler alert: if you didn't read In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, then skip picture number seven. Not spoiler alert: a quick lesson on oral sex involving the vulva.

Star Wars Episodes IV-VI On Wait And Patience

Here are selected dialogue quotes from Star Wars IV, V, and VI with "wait" or "patience" from iMDB Internet Movie Database. A common life wisdom is patience. Star Wars can teach waiting.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Darth Vader: [as Obi-Wan finds him and ignites lightsaber] I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan. We meet again at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the master.
Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi: Only a master of evil, Darth.
[fights Vader]
Darth Vader: Your powers are weak, old man.
Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi: You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
[fights more]
Darth Vader: You should not have come back.
[fights more]
Luke: [Obi-Wan spots him and allows himself to be killed] NO!
[stormtroopers shoot at him]

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

[Luke has just encountered Yoda. Yoda is pretending to be senile to test Luke's patience; R2-D2 watches as Yoda plays with a little flashlight-like lamp. Already impatient, Luke tries to take the lamp away from Yoda]
Yoda: Mine! Or I'll help you not.
Luke: I don't want your help. I want my lamp back. I need it to get out of this slimy mudhole.
Yoda: [insulted; as he speaks, R2-D2 opens a side door and extends a pair of pinchers and grabs hold of the lamp and tries to pull the lamp away from Yoda] Mudhole? Slimy? MY home, is this!
Yoda: [startled] Wha?
Luke: [Yoda and R2-D2 start a tug-of-war with the lamp; R2 beeping and humming protestingly] R2, let him have it. [Yoda grabs his cane and starts whacking R2-D2 repeatedly with it]
Yoda: [as he is whacking R2] Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!
Luke: [firmly] *R2!* [R2 relents, sinking his pinchers into his metallic body. Yoda uses his cane to close the side door for R2-D2's pinchers]

Luke: How far away is Yoda? Will it take us long to get there?
Yoda: Not far. Yoda not far. Patience. Soon you will be with him.

Yoda: Why wish you become Jedi?
Luke: Well, mostly because of my father, I guess.
Yoda: Ahh . . . father. Powerful Jedi was he. Powerful Jedi.
Luke: [suspicious] Oh, come on! How can you know my father? You don't even know who I am. Oh, I don't even know what I'm doing here! We're wasting our time!
Yoda: [Looking away from Luke] I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience.
Obi-Wan: [voice-over] He will learn patience.
Yoda: Much anger in him . . . like his father.
Obi-Wan: [voice] Was I any different when you taught me?

Yoda: Stopped they must be; on this all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight, with the Force as his ally, will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end your training now - if you choose the quick and easy path as Vader did - you will become an agent of evil.
Obi-Wan: Patience.
Luke: And sacrifice Han and Leia?
Yoda: If you honor what they fight for? Yes.
Obi-Wan: If you choose to face Vader, you will do it alone. I cannot interfere.
Luke: I understand. R2? Fire up the converters.
Obi-Wan: Luke! Don't give in to hate. That leads to the Dark Side.
Yoda: Strong is Vader. Mind what you have learned. Save you it can.
Luke: I will. And I'll return, I promise.

Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi

[Aboard the Death Star, The Emperor's shuttle is greeted by hundreds of Imperial troops and officers. As the last of six red-robed Royal Guards exit the shuttle, both Darth Vader and Moff Jerjerrod kneel in reverence at the foot of the boarding ramp as the Emperor himself emerges]
The Emperor: Rise, my friend.
Darth Vader: The Death Star will be completed on schedule.
The Emperor: You've done well, Lord Vader. And now I sense you wish to continue your search for young Skywalker.
Darth Vader: Yes, my Master.
The Emperor: Patience, my friend. In time, he will seek you out, and when he does, you must bring him before me. He has grown strong. Only together can we turn him to the Dark Side of the Force.
Darth Vader: As you wish.
The Emperor: Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.

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.

Half Ass Doesn't Work Anymore

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

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

On The Other Hand, Better Than Nothing

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

Prove Me Wrong

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

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

Update On A Past Blog

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

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.

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.

Throwback Blog: A Second Look At 2015

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 A Second Look At 2015 written on Dec 17, 2016. These are the top 18 blogs in 2015. All of the feedbacks are true today. The general feedback for the feedbacks is I practice them today. An additional feedback for the feedback 4. A Sample Of Changes Everyday is I see more people losing natural beauty as they naturally age. I reiterate 6. I Define Self-Respect for which people with problems don't respect themselves. I remind responsible adults 14. Accept The Daily Adult Living. I could have slowed down multiple times during my Self Job Training Graduation Analytics Research Technology; on the other hand, it took me nine years and two months to complete. Regardless, 17. Yes Slow Down eat breakfast, eat lunch, eat dinner, sleep well, and pace accordingly are great to slow down.

It's the time I look back at my 2015 blogs to give myself feedback. The goal is the same as past second looks: relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, and correcting errant blogs. These blogs are also the 2015 best blogs.

There are 18 blogs for A Second Look 2015. There were 17 blogs for A Second Look 2014 and 11 blogs for A Second Look 2013. These 18 blogs are spread throughout the year. The breakdown: Jan has 3, Feb has 1, Mar has 3, Apr 1, Jun 2, Jul 3, Aug 1, Oct 3, and Nov has 1. I continue my second looks in Dec because I want a full year to think about my past year.

I provide the title and link to the original blog, date, summary, and my feedback. Enjoy!

Blog Title: 1. Exercise Your Body From Head To Toe Inside And Outside
Date: Tuesday January 6, 2015
Summary: Use it or lose it. Use your abilities physically, mentally, and emotionally. Otherwise, you lose them.
Feedback: The blog is another way to say maintain your body inside and outside.

Blog Title: 2. My Spirituality Discovery
Date: Sunday January 11, 2015
Summary: Reading my personal bible once a week and sleeping seven nights a week are my spiritual discoveries.
Feedback: The next job my spiritual practice sleeping is a weekday priority. I admit I haven't read my personal bible weekly for months. Ironically, I have been productive completing my responsibilities one at a time. No rushing. Minimize stress. I pace myself. Fortunately, I remember most of my personal bible I recite at times I need encouragement.

Blog Title: 3. Go Get My Life
Date: Saturday January 31, 2015
Summary: Getting a life requires working. A good life is not given on a silver platter. Be responsible. Don't take life for granted.
Feedback: I wonder if I wrote the blog in 2007, then I tell myself I'm full of shit. 2007 was the year I took all my successes and fortunes for granted. The blog above is I'm a man of my word today sincerely and truthfully. I continue learning new job skills. I workout at the gym. Moreover, I'm retired from anime. I say goodbye to anything and to anyone holding me back. I have more free time to earn a good life.

Although my past contract job ended up nowhere, I continue doing what I wrote. No wasting time. No jerking around. No taking my life for granted. Work and earn.

Blog Title: 4. A Sample Of Changes Everyday
Date: Friday February 27, 2015
Summary: I wrote four life changing samples humans experience. They were beauty, jobs, climate, and computer.
Feedback: Quoted for emphasis. Our looks change as we age. Many of us find another job. The weather patterns are changing. Technology innovates every day. Most changes are beyond our control.

Blog Title: 5. Work Sat Mar 7, 2015
Date: Saturday March 7, 2015
Summary: I drove on the carpool lane solo to work on Wed Feb 25 and Thur Feb 26 because there were two car accidents in those two days.
Feedback: I never drive on the carpool lane solo for the rest of my life regardless of time. I never drive on the carpool lane solo between the minutes before the carpool time starts and the minutes after the carpool time ends. Why? A police officer pulled over three solo drivers minutes before the carpool lane time ended on Thur Feb 26. I was lucky I merged out of the carpool lane.

Blog Title: 6. I Define Self-Respect
Date: Thursday March 12, 2015
Summary: My self-respect definition is live a good life. Take care of yourself. Be active. Avoid situations where you're uncomfortable.
Feedback: Here is another blog I wonder if I wrote the blog in 2007, then I tell myself I'm full of shit. To repeat, 2007 was the year I took all my successes and fortunes for granted. Self-respect is controlling more of your life. I want to control more of my life. I want to be in my driver's seat. Be professional. Avoid anything and anyone holding me back. Self-respect requires strength, courage, intelligence, and desire. Sometimes self-respect includes saying good-bye.

Blog Title: 7. My Girlfriend's Ultimatum Or Her French Black Dress
Date: Sunday March 15, 2015
Summary: The blog is from a dream. It tells me how to make my lover happy. Also, for the record, my lover must make me happy.
Feedback: Be the best. Never take my woman's love for granted. I want to be the person not to get the French Black Dress. Be strong. Be smart. Improve. Show the world the woman is happy being with me.

Blog Title: 8. Never Give Up Finding The Ultimate Happiness
Date: Saturday April 11, 2015
Summary: There is a human being meant to fall in love with another human being.
Feedback: The bullshit blog theme continues. I wonder if I wrote the blog in 2007, then I tell myself I'm full of shit. To repeat, 2007 was the year I took all my successes and fortunes for granted.

I believe it today. I'm always working on finding my ultimate happiness even when I'm unemployed and living with my parents. A lover makes happy life happier and sad life bearable. There is someone out there who's a match. There are an infinite amount of different people including geeks, boring people, introverts, book lovers, adventurers, wine lovers, and preppers.

Blog Title: 9. The Past Caught Up With Me
Date: Wednesday June 10, 2015
Summary: The problems I ignored in the past are affecting me in the present. Some of the problems included living a boring life and poor job skills.
Feedback: Checkpoint. How am I doing solving my past problems? They're a work in progress. I need more time. I'm optimistic my hard work catches me up what I missed pays off soon.

We live with problems. Nobody lives a life problem free. Carefree, worry free, and lazy people ignores problems. Eventually the problems come back in a negative way.

Blog Title: 10. My Manifesto Jun 11, 2015
Date: Thursday June 11, 2015
Summary: I wrote eight promises to live a good life. Some of the promises included get a job, live independently, and no hoarding.
Feedback: I need more time to accomplish the one shot goals. The indefinite promises are continuing accomplished.

Blog Title: 11. Top Ten Life Lessons From The Beatles
Date: Wednesday July 1, 2015
Summary: The ten life songs from The Beatles are Getting Better, You're Going To Lose That Girl, Here Comes The Sun, Something, Carry That Weight, We Can Work It Out, The Long And Winding Road, I've Got A Feeling, Get Back, and Let It Be.
Feedback: I repost to remind myself and my readers.

Blog Title: 12. Independence
Date: Friday July 3, 2015
Summary: The day I declare myself living independent is coming soon.
Feedback: Here is a 2015 bullshit blog. On the other hand, I wrote it on Independence Day weekend. Also, I have been repeating myself throughout 2015 my current life situation. In other words, duplicate blogs on how I'm getting better. Is it okay? I remind myself by repetition.

Blog Title: 13. Did I Make A Difference?
Date: Tuesday July 7, 2015
Summary: I recognize the people who helped me, taught me, and corrected me. I don't know how to pay back my debts for their assistance.
Feedback: I want to make a difference to other people. I have big debts to pay back. It's a question of when. I live my live in the driver seat. There are people who take a ride with me for which I make a different to all my passengers.

Blog Title: 14. Accept The Daily Adult Living
Date: Tuesday August 4, 2015
Summary: Strength, courage, flexibility, maturity, professionalism, and a grown-up behavior are required to live the adult life. No day is the same. Expect to be always behind in something. Be prepared for emergencies. Accept new challenges. Always meet new people. Stay active.
Feedback: Here is a good summary to live a good adult life; although, sometimes there are bad times. Nobody lives a 100% perfect easy life. Sometimes we must say no.

I see myself the life I described above as an adult. I hear stories and witnessed myself other people living the adult life above. Unfortunately, some of the adults do a poor job living the adult life. I live my adult life responsibility and intelligently.

Blog Title: 15. What I Learned Finishing CERT Academy Training?
Date: Wednesday October 7, 2015
Summary: One of the two concepts I learned was schools plant the seed. The responsibility to learn more and to become an expert is you. Don't take knowledge for granted. Never stop learning. Continue training. Continue refreshing. Innovate infinitely.
Feedback: Good parents encourage their children to infinitely learn. There's school vacation. There's no learning vacation. Continue learning something, anything. Likewise for adults. It's normal for a working adult to relax after a long day's work. Rest is required. No problem. Find some time in a calendar work week to learn something new. The learning can be job related or life related. The repetition is learning something new and reviewing something existing. Repeat infinitely.

In particular, the CERT 21 hour training planted the seed, started the motion what to learn and what to review, and continued learning. Similarly, I'm following the CERT self-learning attitude to learn Python, VBA, CSS, and JavaScript. There is so much to learn books and videos scratches the surfaces to become an expert. It takes time.

Blog Title: 16. Today I Want To Talk About Adventure
Date: Thursday October 8, 2015
Summary: Adventures are required to live a good life.
Feedback: Good adventures means a good life. Good stories attract good people or meet new people. Good stories mean a life without boredom. I have something to say. I don't have to stay something. Nobody wants to hear boring conversations.

Blog Title: 17. Yes Slow Down
Date: Friday October 9, 2015
Summary: Listen to your body. Get rest when you're tired.
Feedback: Eat your breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals daily. Never skip meals. I want to repeat. Sleep, take a breath, and pace yourself are all important.

Blog Title: 18. All The People In My Life
Date: Tuesday November 10, 2015
Summary: I ask myself the people I met in the past are doing better today. I want to be part of a group of people living a good life.
Feedback: I must make the blog true. My bullshit blogs end here. I don't take past people who helped me, shared their knowledge, and spent their time with me for granted. The next time these past people see me I'm a better Raymond Mar. I prove it to them. I prove it to the world. I nominated the blog for the blog of the year if there was an award.

There Is Work To Be Done

There are responsibilities to be completed. Get it done. In particular, the single and unemployed people. Not all work involves being compensated with money. There is physical work staying in physical shape and maintaining good health. There is work preparing healthy meals. There is work maintaining a clean and organized living environment. Work to get smarter by reading books and learning skills. Training in job skills is work. There is nothing wrong with watching television and playing videos games. They're leisure activities. Watching television and playing video games to avoid work is a problem. Watching television and playing video games don't pay the rent or mortgage.

Going Back To The Gym

I went back to the gym yesterday on Sun Mar 17, 2024 for the first time since Mon Mar 16, 2020. It was exactly four years ago yesterday Governor Gavin Newsom shut down the state of California due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. I've been working out at home with my mini gym. My mini gym consists of two adjustable dumbbells from 2.5lbs to 50lbs, a 25lb plate, a 45lb plate, and a workout mat.

I was rusty. The gym changed the name for marketing purposes. I recognized almost all of the equipment including machines, cardio, and free weights. The gym expanded the astro turf section. Almost all of the new equipment was found in the free weight section. The mini gym succeeded maintaining my physical strength. I could still bench press 135lbs two sets and 12 reps. I felt sore last night and today.

There is no comparison between a mini gym and a full gym. People who say a mini gym substitutes a full gym to avoid gym fees and to stay home for convenience shortchange their physical benefits. It was like when I changed job industries decades ago from commercial real estate to technology. The skills and knowledge in commercial real estate were inadequate in technology. I struggled for months learning new skills and unlearning my incorrect training.

I continue working out at home and going to the gym. The present weekly workout plan is two days jogging around the neighborhood, one day mini gym, and one day at the gym. The choices working out at the gym and working out at home gives me flexibility.

Permanent Unemployment

*Charlie composed a message to his LIT 101 online class*
"Dear Fellow Journeymen:
One last lesson:
Fuck these ridiculous essays.
FUCK the readings.
JUST WRITE ME SOMETHING HONEST."

"These assignments--they don't matter. This course doesn't matter. College doesn't matter. These amazing, honest things you wrote--they matter." --Charlie, The Whale (2022)

Today's blog is posted at Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar. Today's blog or essay is inspired from the two quotes above from the movie The Whale (2022). I choose Permanent Unemployment as the topic.

I speak for some long-term unemployed people. The job market has been rough for years. I experience phone interviews, person-to-person interviews, incorrect position interviews, mismatched skills and mismatched experiences interviews, 11th hour job offers rescinded, and another candidate was hired. The job market is harsh today and tomorrow regardless of a good economy or bad economy. The number of job candidates increases at the end of every academic year. The number increase applies to all education levels and all job openings. There are not enough blue-collar jobs and not enough white-collar jobs for the too many job candidates. The demand is greater than the supply.

Further, artificial intelligence (AI) replaces human jobs. I'm not a software engineer. Give it time. AI never stop innovating. A rational executive saves money replacing human labor with a 90% success rate AI. AI can replace outpatient doctor consultations, accountants, and data analysts. I'm not a robotics engineer. AI may not replace a plumber; although, a robot may.

A rising tide raises all boats. More jobs require additional skills and addition experiences. Education is expensive. Training is expensive. Knowledge is more technical; for instance, a Kohl's employee didn't know how to use its proprietary tablet scanner when I picked up an online order. More time is required to learn. More time is required to train. Higher incomes are earned for people who succeed in acquiring the additional skills and additional experiences. Job security is stronger for people who master their responsibilities.

Timing and luck are part of finding employment. Qualified candidates are subjective. Qualified candidates are relative. A job candidate may be a top five in one position. The same candidate may be in the bottom hundreds in another position. It depends on the hiring manager's expectations. It depends on the company. The qualified candidate found the position immediately. He or she is an early job applicant. Conversely, the qualified candidate found the position days later. He or she may be rejected because too many job applications are submitted. Moreover, networking is overrated. Networking does matter; however, imagine a scenario where a hiring manager receives dozens of qualified resumes for the hiring manager's dozens of networks. I remember a conversation with a friend decades ago. If we were educated in the same field, then why help each other find jobs. We want the job. We need an income. The bottom line is everything matters.

Unemployed Me

I'm doing the best I can. I self-train new skills such as Python, R-Studio, Power BI, and Linux. I review existing skills such as Excel, SQL, and data analysis. I'm catching up what I missed in previous jobs. I'm catching up what I missed in my younger years. Also, I learn life skills such as tying rope knots, folding paper airplanes, and using a navigating compass. Never stop learning. The clique wisdom is emphasized in today's Information Age. Never stop innovating.

When am I going to quit job searching? When am I going to stop learning? The quick answer to the two questions is not today. There's no reason to quit searching. There's no reason to stop learning. I'm unemployed. I live with my parents. I'm the George Costanza in the family. There is too much free time. I learn indefinitely. It's better than watching TV and playing video games eight hours a day. I stay sharp because a miracle can happen. Timing and luck favor me. I found a new job. I read books, exercise, cook for my parents, maintain the household, write blogs, and watch a weekly movie when I'm not being a self-professional. I'm fortunate there is family support.

The long answer to the two questions is I stop when I'm permanently unemployed. Age is a factor. Resume gaps are a factor. Weak working experience is a factor. Missing skills are a factor. A benefit to job searching is knowing what skills are required for my profession. These factors are not excuses to stop searching and stop learning.

The statements, "a rising tide raises all boats," "more skills are required," and "higher expectations" are valid when job candidates read job descriptions. A cash sweepstakes or a prize contest disclaimer "many people enter, few people win" applies to job candidates applying to multiple job positions. I'm not dumb. People are not dumb. Life is too hard.

Update On A Past Blog

There are two more moments for the blog Top Ten Plus Six Equals Top Sixteen Moments Never On A Top Ten Before written on Jan 11, 2024. I add the 1986 Lake Tahoe trip where my family, my cousin's family, and a friend of the family's family stayed at a cabin. I touched snow for the first time. I include a 1987 Lake Tahoe trip for which I remembered reading a self-help book. The last sentence said, "Normalcy will return." My brother, cousin, and I went fishing at a retail fishing pond.

I also add my sister acquired tickets to watch a live Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? gameshow at a local mall in summer 1994. The game was held at the food court. The host Greg Lee moderated the show with children contestants.

I Correct Be Patient And Go For The Long Run

I thought of the "be patient and go for the long run" when I was a student at San Jose State University. The wisdom was correct. The attitude was correct. The adaption was incorrect. The execution was incorrect. I did it wrong. College life was too much fun and too little learning. Obviously, any student read the book, attended the lectures, and passed the exams to graduate. I took life for granted. Outside the classroom was unproductive growth.

I'm doing the "be patient and go for the long run" correctly decades later. Work. Give everything time. Take everything one day at a time. Build a little every day. Add the little accomplishments for the big goals. My job training approaches the endgame. I learn investing following WallstreetBets since Jan 2021. I'm training for a 10k marathon since 2021. I'm close to the 6.2 miles. My longest distance is 6 miles. It took me six months to read Harry Potter from Sep 2019 to Mar 2020. I researched two hours every Sun from Jul 2019 to Nov 2019 to build a new desktop. Furthermore, medical scientists continue to research the COVID-19 virus since 2020.

I was irresponsible then. I'm responsible now. It's okay for immediate fun and leisure. Work for most of the week. Take a break for a few. I did none of these as a college student. Perhaps, my biggest regret was being a naive person in my 20s. The regret is forgiven. My life catching up continues.

Too Much Fun Is Too Dumb

Minimal brain thinking is needed for most fun activities. The purpose of fun is resting the brain. The purpose of leisure is relaxing the brain. A brain is not needed to watch TV, watch YouTube, play video games, and browse social media. There is a limit on fun. A fun life 24 hours a day is not fun. A fun life 24 hours a day is counterproductive. A fun life 24 hours a day the brain becomes dumb. Intelligence decreases by eating too much processed foods, having too much sex, and accumulating fun junk. Although, there was a Seinfeld episode titled The Abstinence where George became smarter when he couldn't have sex with his girlfriend due to mononucleosis; on the other hand, Elaine became dumber because she didn't have sex with his boyfriend to help him successfully pass his medical licensing exam.

How does a person live an intelligent life and live a fun life? My answer is fun and intelligence are the outcomes after work is completed. Work is done. Daily goals are successful. Intelligence is either maintained or increased. However, don't work to maintain intelligence indefinitely. Find new work to increase intelligence. Fun is rewarded. Furthermore, physical fitness is required, plenty of sleep is required, and financial discipline is personally enforced.

Ignorance is bliss. On the other hand, use your brain or lose your brain.

Boredom Is Better Than The Alternatives

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

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

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

Update On A Past Blog

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