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: A Second Look At 2010

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 2010 written on May 13, 2011. Today's blog started A Second Look blogs for which the title is somewhat self-explanatory. I looked at the previous year's blogs. They were not year-end reviews. I commented myself. I provided feedback to myself.

I second looked at my 2010, 2011, and 2012 blog years six months later in its next year. The six months later was changed to 12 months later thereafter. My year-end reviews started with the blog A Brief 2005 Year In Review And Not Jinxing 2006 written on Dec 23, 2005. I brought them back starting with Moment Of The Years written on Jan 14, 2016 which briefly reviewed years 1998-2015. The previous individual year-end reviews were written two or three months on its next year which started with 2016 Year In Review. Is 2016 or 2007 The Worst Year Of My Life? written on Feb 5, 2017. There are no new year's resolutions blogs.

Today's throwback blog is my second A Second Look. My first throwback blog A Second Look was Throwback Blog: A Second Look At 2015 written on Apr 28, 2024. Today's throwback blog is different. I take a third look at the nine blogs. I write my Second Feedback below the Link. I edit when appropriate.

A Second Look At 2010
Friday May 13, 2011

I'm taking a second look at my 2010 blogs to provide comments and feedback. Was I correct? Was I wrong? OMG, I wrote that--what was I thinking? Was it true? Did it happen? For the record, this blog is not a 2010 review. I don't believe in [year-end] reviews and new [year's] resolutions. I believe a person should evaluate and critique their lives daily and make changes immediately.

My goal is to learn from my mistakes, reinforce my lessons, remind myself my moments, and rethink again. I gathered all my 2010 blogs including my weekly De Anza blogs, read them, and posted my self-evaluation. I included the title, date, blog summary, and feedback. The link is provided to read the original blog entry.

Blog title: The State Of My Life
Date: Feb 25
Summary: I wrote there was a moment I felt depressed and out of control. Regardless, life continues day by day. There is no time to sulk. Do anything to regain control of your life and get out of being depressed.
Feedback: OMG, I wrote that! I must have been depressed to blog something depressing and sad in Feb. I remember from 2000-2004, March had always been my depressing month. I hope my Feb 2011 is not depressing. Given it's May 2011, March 2011 was a bad month. Hence, I continue to experience depressing days. We're human.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/state-of-my-life.html
Second Feedback: It's normal to feel depressed. Don't use depression as an excuse to stop living life. If you feel better, then solve problems.

Blog title: De Anza Week Mar 22 2010
Date: Mar 26
Summary: I wrote my highlights for Winter '10 quarter at De Anza. I blogged my mistakes which were I didn't drop singing class and I should have stopped attending free salsa lessons.
Feedback: Continuing singing class was the worse choice I made in De Anza to date. The class failed to meet my expectations. The instructor lost her voice for three weeks. We had classes the instructor didn't feel like teaching.

I attended free salsa lessons too many times. It took too much time away for other important activities. There were times when one must stop his/her obligations. I had to stop attending the salsa lessons. Too much to do and, yes, gym was important to stay in shape.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/de-anza-week-mar-22-2010.html
Second Feedback: Two life lessons worth reminding. First lesson: Quit when something is not working out. Second lesson: prioritize. It's okay to keep the foot on the accelerator. There are times the foot must be let go; otherwise, the engine overheats.

Blog title: How to Build a Lasting Relationship
Date: Apr 15
Summary: Zig Ziglar wrote an article how to build long term relationships. The point was, "Compromise is not denying right and wrong; it's admitting that both sides can have some right and both sides can have some wrong."
Feedback: Reading the article made me think about my guilty conscious indirectly related to the article. I fear that one mistake jeopardizes my relationship with my family and friends. The little mistakes are not a problem. I should know that we're human and we make mistakes big and small. I should also know that almost all mistakes don't lead to an immediate break up. I never experienced any breakup from a mistake I made.

On second thought, yes, I experienced a breakup. I was in 8th grade. It was the summer before I started my freshmen year in high school. I went on a date with my friend's ex-girlfriend. My friend and I started high school. He never spoke to me throughout our four years. I was in 8th grade and I was immature for a 13 year kid.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-build-lasting-relationship.html
Second Feedback: Compromise is required for strong human relationships. On the other hand, don't be taken advantaged. Some humans don't get along with other humans. Nobody gets along with everybody.

Blog title: The Year Was 2007
Date: May 17
Summary: I blogged how 2007 is the worse year in my life. I wrote [a] Q&A as if I was interviewed by 60 minutes.
Feedback: Lol, I wrote a similar blog titled "2007 Was Actually A Bad Year" on Mon Oct 13, 2008. Click to read it: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/2007-was-actually-bad-year.html.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/year-was-2007.html
Second Feedback: 2016 is the worst year of my life. Read the blog 2016 Year In Review. Is 2016 or 2007 The Worst Year Of My Life? written on Feb 5, 2017.

Blog title: Bruce Lee Is The Man
Date: Oct 8
Summary: I paralleled Bruce Lee's philosophy with some of my top 30 blogs.
Feedback: I posted this blog to review Bruce Lee's famous quotes and how they match my top 30 blogs. Lee quoted he never reach achievement and "learning is boundless." I posted blogs reiterating that quote.

Side note: To view my top 30 blogs, click to read it: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/300.html.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/bruce-lee-is-man.html
Second Feedback: I wrote more Bruce Lee quotes in the Bruce Lee Was The Man Revisited blog on Nov 4, 2019. These quotes are from the movie Enter The Dragon.

Blog title: De Anza Week Oct 25, 2010
Date: Oct 28
Summary: I mentioned many students eat out instead of eating at home to save time and save money (arguable, eating out is cheaper).
Feedback: I looked at the nutrition information for a McDonald's Big Mac. That burger is fattening a frozen pizza is healthier. I promised myself I never eat a Big Mac for the rest of my life.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/de-anza-week-oct-25-2010.html
Second Feedback: I broke the promise in 2011.

Blog title: Why I Think The San Francisco Giants Won The World Series
Date: Nov 5
Summary: I shared my thoughts why the San Francisco Giants won the 2010 World Series. It was all action.
Feedback: Manager Bud Black from the San Diego Padres won manager of the year which he deserved. Bruce Bochy outmanaged Texas Rangers' Ron Washington. Good luck to the 2011 San Francisco Giants defending their world championship. The team must seek better actions to win the World Series.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/why-i-think-san-francisco-giants-won.html
Second Feedback: The Giants won two more championships in 2012 and 2014.

Blog title: De Anza Week Dec 6, 2010
Date: Dec 15
Summary: I wrote Fall '10 quarter was a bad quarter.
Feedback: Fall '10 really wasn't a bad quarter. Winter '10 was worse than Fall '10. Winter '11 is now the worse quarter.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/de-anza-week-dec-6-2010.html
Second Feedback: I change the feedback. The Fall 2010 and the Winter 2010 quarters were good.

Blog title: Happy Life
Date: Dec 21
Summary: Happy people earn their happiness working hard, doing better, innovating and improving indefinitely, and living life. The happiness becomes real. Innovate infinitely for a happy life.
Feedback: If there are awards for best blogs, Happy Life blog is a final nominee. The blog reminds me never take life for granted. Happy life is not for people who sit on the sofa watching TV. Happy life is not for people who play video games 24/7 and given shelter, food, and clothing from someone else.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-life.html
Second Feedback: Happy Life is an all-time top blog. It's still true today.

Review And Remind Self-Esteem And Life Guarantees

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

Update On A Past Blog

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

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

To Read Or Not To Read

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

I'm too young to read books. I question more if I have stronger reading skills. I waste time eating potato chips increasing in price. I need therapy to stop mental declining. My therapist said read more books.

Routine oil changes are required for a car driving hundreds of thousands of miles as long as the car owner possesses the necessary tools. Don't use new towels when changing oil. New towels are unfounded at evicted tenant's residences.

Throwback Blog: I Celebrate My Independence Soon

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 I Celebrate My Independence Soon written on Jul 4, 2016. My number one goal freedom is clear and present. I substitute the word freedom for the word independence anytime I talk about living on my own because of preference. Freedom is coming. There is no alternative.

The working intelligently for freedom partially changed. I job search once a day from Mon to Sat. I continue learning job skills and life skills when I'm not job searching. The job skills training is the endgame or one final practice including Excel, Python, R, and Power BI. My workouts are two days strength training and two days jogging outdoors.

The working intelligently for freedom partially not changed. I fulfill household chores such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I sleep well. I read books. I'm happy I read Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling for the first time on Sep 2019. The timing was perfect I read Harry Potter three times during the COVID-19 global pandemic. I minimize watching television, eating junk food, and visiting my social media.

Today is Independence Day in the United States Of America. The Americans celebrate our independence when the thirteen American colonies became a new nation leaving the British Empire on July 4, 1776. One of these days I'm going to be independent making my own choices, living a consistent life, controlling more of my life, and being more proactive. The bottom line is freedom.

I'm working intelligently to be independent. I'm strong. I'm brave. I job search two times a day every weekday. I learn new skills when I'm not job searching. My current personal projects are learning Python and HTML5. I also stay active. Boredom is a motivation killer. Boredom defeats the reason to live. I workout at the gym four days a week. I fulfill household chores such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I sleep well. I read books. My last book was 1984 by George Orwell. I minimize watching television, eating junk food, and visiting my social media.

My independence is not if. My independence is when. I promise to myself and I promise to everyone my earned independence is exciting. I can say my next manifesto includes an exciting independence.

The Devil Is Persistent Collecting The Bills

People make deals with the devil. The devil logs all deals in the ledger. Nothing is missed. Expect the devil to collect when the bill is due. Some bills may be past due. The devil allows leeway sometimes.

How can people pay the devil back? Most people can. Few people can't. Some people took the deals for granted. Some people took too much for what the deal is worth. If you want X, Y, and Z, then people should pay back X, Y, and Z equally. People don't blame themselves something bad happens sometimes. There may be circumstances the payment is unavailable. Bad timing? Bad luck? Maybe bad timing and bad luck are either the warnings or the penalties.

Regardless, follow the deal. Complete the contract no more. Complete the contract no less. Don't do more than stated.

Update On A Past Blog

I remind myself and my readers Most Things Don't Work. I wrote the blog on Feb 26, 2020. Be honest. There is failure. Each person counting their own failures throughout life is infinite. How many failures become successes? The answer is a few. How many failures become absolute fails? The answer is many.

Written Blogs By The Numbers

Here are some blogs I wrote by the numbers. The blogs are presented in descending order latest to earliest.

*My Six Guarantees (Dec 11, 2021). Everyone is weird, everyone changes, everyone has problems, and there are 24 hours in a day. Benjamin Franklin said " . . . nothing is certain except death and taxes" rounds up my six guarantees.

*High School R.O.T.C. Leadership Lesson Another Viewpoint By Rank (Oct 24, 2020). I blogged the four leadership attributes communication, ability to deal with others, professional knowledge, and physical fitness. I blogged the nine leadership skills motivation, integrity, self-discipline, self-confidence, courage, responsibility, enthusiasm, emotional stability, and knowledge.

*My Four Mount Rushmore Greatest Moments In My Life (Aug 9, 2020). The four moments are cosplaying, growing up, job training, and the movie The Shawshank Redemption.

*Be Strong, Be Useful, Strong Self-Esteem All Relationships (Jul 27, 2020) and My Two Question Marriage Is He Or She My Spouse Till Death Do Us Part (Dec 1, 2019). These two blogs explain what I look for in a spouse. They're be strong, be useful, have strong self-esteem, ask the question "Do you trust your spouse to take of you if you're the weaker person?", and ask the second question "Is the couple motivated to work hard on their marriage?"

A side blog is He's More Than Charming Or She's More Than A Sweetheart written on Sep 25, 2019. I have high expectations. I have deal breakers.

*Review My Daily Life Rules (Mar, 3, 2018). My ten minus one equals nine current daily rules of life updated as of today:

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.
6. Breath with your nose and stand up straight. Shoulders back.
7. Have faith. Believe in yourself.
8. Let me think. Be discrete.
9. Welcome a roller coaster life.
10. Back in time and front and present.

*Two Personal Vows (Apr 12, 2017). I vow to control my money. I borrow the late Steve Jobs on money, "I saw it through people at Apple how money changed them, and a lot of people thought they had to start being rich, so they bought big homes, and their wives got plastic surgery, and I saw these nice simple people turn into these bizarro people. And I made a promise to myself that I'm not going to let this money ruin my life."

I vow to control my stress. It's ironic work is required to minimize stress. I follow the basics which are eat healthy foods, physical workouts, and sleep for eight hours.

*My All De Anza Review Blog (Dec 9, 2012). The four lessons I learned going back to school are everyone is human, go with the flow, timing is everything, and use it or lose it.

*300 (Dec 7, 2008). My top 30 blogs. 300 Revisited written on Feb 4, 2009 summarizes the wisdom from my first 300 blogs for the second time.

1. Never take anything and anyone for granted.
2. Trust my gut feeling.
3. I updated my daily top five rules for living. [Update 02/04/09: See 02/03/09 Blog for new and updated top five rules.]
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

*The Best 100 Blogs (May 14, 2006). My 101st blog is the best blogs from my first 100. Some of the best blogs are Washington Canada Trip Part 1 of 7, 24/48 Rule, A U Is Worst Than An F, What Is The Best Day To Take One Day Off From Work?, and Using $$$$$ To Help People, Create Action, Show Appreciation.

Update On A Past Blog

I connect two blogs about brushing my teeth. I wrote I Brush My Teeth To Save Ten Thousand Dollars on Aug 23, 2022. I remembered I wrote another reason to brush my teeth. The other reason is sex The Number One Reason I Brush My Teeth written on Jan 22, 2013. Sex and money are the motivators to brush, floss, and, if necessary, rinse with mouthwash and/or use the Waterpik.

I Owe The World By Making A Difference

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

Update On A Past Blog

I thought about all my past friends and my past co-workers. 95% of them got my backs if anything bad happened. Good people support good people. Good friends support good friends. I failed to realize all 95% supported me. My past friends go as far back as junior high school.

I questioned did I make a difference to the 95% from the blog Did I Make A Difference? written on Jul 7, 2015. I said the 95% made a difference to me. "They made my life better. I'm a better person today."

I failed to be a difference maker to the 95%. I could have been and I should have been a better friend. I have no excuses. I owe the 95% something in return. I don't know what is the something. My feeling tells me the something must be multiple permanent life changers big or small.

I can't explain what I did correctly to earn their friendships. I thank my intuition. Was it I showed up? Was it I listened well? Was it I smiled when they needed a smile? I hope my self-pity didn't attract people.

The minimum owing back the 95% is become stronger. Don't be a jerk. The world needs one less bad person. I assure the 95% and the world I practice personal responsibility. I wrote I Owe The World on Apr 8, 2018 I take care of myself in a positive way such as working hard to earn freedom, stay healthy, and never stop learning.

Honey Maid Grahams Crackers

The first time I saw a Honey Maid Graham Cracker was in kindergarten. The teacher's assistant gave each student a graham cracker at the end of recess. I declined. Why? I didn't know a graham cracker. I was a picky eater. These are the best answers thinking back as an adult. I might have the wisdom and the attention span of a two year old for a five year old body. On the other hand, I might have the intelligence of a seven year old for a five year old body because I read words and I added numbers. Moreover, I remember many days the teacher's assistant always responded with a shock and surprise I refused a graham cracker. I give the teacher's assistant credit she was consistent giving every student the opportunity to eat a snack after recess daily.

I'm confident I didn't eat a graham cracker in grade school, junior high school, and high school. I might have eaten a graham cracker as an ingredient for a prepared food. I exclude those moments. I'm also confident I didn't eat a graham cracker in college. There were infinite-like chances I eat a graham cracker because Costco sells the Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers since Costco opened for business. Nope. I likely ate a graham cracker for the first time in my mid-20s after college.

Fast forward decades later. I ate a Honey Maid Graham Cracker today. My lesson today is be open to try new foods and new drinks. My reminder today is be open to try new foods and new drinks. There must be a reason the classic foods and classic drinks are classic foods and classic drinks. I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The people who read my blogs know my life changed forever. One of my immediate actions was trying new foods and new drinks. I ate Stacy's Pita Chips for the first time last week. I continue catching up what I missed before Sat Oct 4, 2008.

No More Spring 2008 Behavior

I was mad. I was frustrated. I was full of rage. My dad wanted me to help a family friend replace his roof on Saturdays. They were behind schedule. I wanted to play video games. I thought of video games while I worked.

Times have changed for the best. I was immature. I was naive. I failed to understand helping a family friend was more important than playing video games. I failed to understand priorities. Video games are the lowest priority. I'm happy today. I'm not the Spring 2008 Raymond Mar. I'm mature. I'm professional. I get the job done earnestly and sincerely. I reward myself afterwards maturely.

I Was Lonely, I Fell Through The Cracks, Everyone Let Me Go

Today's blog is an update on a past blog. I write more reasons why growing up too late was not my fault.

Update On A Past Blog

Growing Up Too Late Was Not My Fault was a blog written on Nov 14, 2015 assuring my past problems delayed adult maturity. I'm lucky. I grew up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. I'm responsible for my life. I'm responsible to solve my problems. I'm responsible to earn my successes. I continue catching up what I missed in my younger years. All is forgiven. Here are more reasons why I grew up too late:

Wilson Elementary School. I remember the three below in pre-school:

*School bus. I rode the school bus which was a van. The van was marked school bus with the yellow and black colors, long length seats, and red flashing lights. All the students didn't wear seat belts. My mom said the first day of school she and my baby brother rode the school bus because I was scared.
*Time out. I cried a lot during the beginning of the school year. I was frustrated I cried and took my bagged school lunch and hid in the time out section one day. I didn't have a kid lunch box. The time out section was a red and white color gymnastics floor mat inverted to form an enclosed section with a desk facing the wall in the classroom.
*Miss Sue. She was my red hair teacher. I believed she quit on me. I was a lost cause. Miss Sue taught the students who were more likely to succeed.

Wilson closed on June 30, 1989 according to the California Department Of Education School Directory. The school opened on July 1, 1980. I attended Wilson in 1978-1979. Either the website is incorrect or Wilson was a private school before it became public. The school buildings no longer exist. It was demolished to build homes.

Reading Lab. I had reading comprehension problems. I attended a reading lab in first grade, fifth grade, and sixth grade. I'm not sure I attended a reading lab in second grade; although, I remember going to a big room multiple times where a teacher taught by flash cards. I remember the teachers: first grade was Mrs. Jones, fifth grade was Miss Smith, and six grade was Mrs. Kumagai. The reading labs didn't help me. I realized my reading comprehension problems was poor short-term memory. I read a sentence. I forgot what I read immediately many times.

The Rest Of My School Teachers. I slipped through the cracks. The teachers quit on me like Miss Sue. The teachers gave up. I was a lost cause. No motivation. No desire. Impatient. The teachers focused their time on students who could be saved. It was an example of life is not fair.

Little Parent Involvement. I repeat the Too much fun from the Growing Up Too Late Was Not My Fault blog. I had too much fun. I had too little learning.

Piano Teachers Quit. My mom forced me, my brother, and my sister to play the piano. It was not the piano teachers fault I played poorly. I hated piano. I didn't practice enough. I realized I'm partially tone deaf. I couldn't comprehend the loud sounds and soft sounds. I have small hands. Reaching the keys were difficult.

Side note 1: The best deal my mom didn't take. I made a deal to my mom I learn swimming, I learn Chinese, I take summer school, and I participate in anything in exchange for no piano lessons. She refused the deal. I wonder how my life changed if I was active in all of the above except piano--less fun and more learning.

Side note 2: I can't swim because I can't tread water. I have a buoyancy problem. I sink no matter how I'm taught treading water.

Side note 3: The Chinese class was taught on Friday nights. Friday nights!?! Who wanted to teach a class on Friday nights!?!

My Managers. I performed my jobs with outstanding results even though my flaws were obvious. Management believed don't touch me. Management accepted my flaws. Management ignored my problems hoping they solve by themselves. Nobody wanted to help me solve my problems. Nobody wanted to help fix my flaws.

I compensate my learning problems taking control, finding solutions, and going back to the past. My short-term memory problems are solved by writing notes to remember names, facts, instructions, future blogs, new knowledge learned, appointments, and tasks.

I learn by repetition. I learn by practice. I learn by drilling. I earned higher grades every time I followed the procedure in school. I earned lower grades every time I didn't follow the procedure in school. I wished somebody confirmed the repetition, practicing, and drilling when I was young. Everyone learns differently. Write notes, repetition, practice, and drill are how I learn when I learn new job skills, review existing job skills, learn life skills, and review life skills learned. The new job skills I have been learning include R, Python, and Linux. The existing job skills I have been practicing include Excel, SQL, and Power BI. The new life skills I learn and I practice include tying knots, sewing a button, cooking new meals, and folding clothes quickly.

Influence Another Person

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

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

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

No More Driving Half Asleep

I drove tired or half asleep three times in my life. I share the three times once in July 2006 and twice in July 2007. All three times were either late night after midnight or early morning before sunrise. I was lucky all three times. The July 2006 happened from Anaheim, CA to Watsonville, CA driving with three friends starting at 7pm. I ate potato chips on Interstate 5 to stay awake. I reached from the driver's seat to the driver's side rear to eat one potato chip every five seconds. The third friend drove from San Jose to Hayward while I slept. I was fully awake driving myself home from Hayward to San Jose.

The first July 2007 happened from San Jose to Long Beach, CA driving with two friends starting around midnight. I drove half-asleep and dozing off on Interstate 5 after the Grapevine. My eyes closed briefly. Then my eyes opened wide. Repeated multiple times. Very scary. I took a nap after I refueled in Newhall, CA. One of my two friends who rode with me should have drove before the Grapevine. The third friend didn't have a driver's license.

The second July 2007 happened from Long Beach to San Jose driving solo starting around 10pm. I drove half-asleep without dozing off. My eyes never closed. It must have been adrenaline. I drove 90mph on Interstate 5 to arrive home faster. It must have been the speed rush, too. I drove dangerously fast on Highway 152 with its hills and two-lane curves. I never thought of taking a nap at a rest stop. My focus was arriving home fast. The biggest mistake was poor snacking. I stopped at a 24-hour gas station in Gilroy, CA for food. I had bottle water. I purchased sugary cake snacks. I thought eating sugar kept me awake. The snacks somewhat kept me awake. My stomach grumbled in Morgan Hill, CA. The correct snacks should have been beef jerky, trail mix, or peanuts and a healthier starch with less sugar such as bread or a roll. A Snickers candy bar was better than a Twinkie.

A lifetime promise is never drive fatigued. Never drive half asleep. Drive intelligently. Eat healthy. Bring healthy snacks. Minimize sugar on the road. Eat sugar foods away from the car.

Throwback Blog: Am I Becoming A Wally?

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 Am I Becoming A Wally? on Jun 10, 2008. I reference Wally from the comic Dilbert by Scott Adams. My last six months at Cisco my typical working day was like Wally. I did nothing. My average hours of quality work were between one hour and two hours a day. The responsibilities were too easy. I automated most of my weekly and monthly assignments. My contract was terminated in Nov 2008.

I experienced the same Wally at Palo Alto Networks in 2015. I did nothing. The projects my engineer assigned requires little brain power. I also automated most of my weekly and monthly assignments. My contract was terminated in May 2015.

There are going to be more workers experiencing the Wally because the economy is in a recession. I anticipate more workers with fewer projects. There are going to be full-time employee layoffs and contract terminations.

My answer to the question how to cure the Wally Syndrome was quitting. The answer was incorrect. The correct answer is learning, training, and drilling. Learn new skills. Refresh existing skills by repetition. A Wally cure is watch YouTube videos to refresh my Excel skills, review Power BI, or write Python code to improve my job performance. The bottom line is stay busy. Don't browse the web. Don't watch nonwork related YouTube videos. I made mistakes at Cisco and Palo Alto Networks. I'm not going to make the same mistake at my next job. There is no three strikes and I'm out of a job permanently.

Going off topic first. There was one accident on Wednesday June 4 and Thursday June 5 driving to work. The accidents were my first accidents on San Tomas Expressway since I started driving there in December 2007. The fire alarm went off in my building on Wednesday. There is a scheduled drill on Tuesday June 10. I received unconfirmed information the alarm was a drill. I find out on Tuesday.

Going on topic ^__^ The past month I have been experiencing the Wally Syndrome. I name the syndrome after Wally, the lazy, carefree engineer from the comic strip Dilbert. The past month I have been lazy. There were many working days I completed no work for hours and hours. The days I worked I completed the assignments and the reports so efficiently and so quickly I gained more free time. There were approximately three or four days I was slammed I never browsed the web, never checked my personal emails, and never pinged anyone.

I'm currently waiting for two co-workers to submit their portions for my department's quarterly report and the latest monthly report. The last two months my division experienced personnel changes some assignments have been delayed indefinitely. Another co-worker came back to work on Monday June 9 after going on maternity leave since April. The return gives me more free time, LOL as she resumes her responsibilities I have been doing. And on Monday June 9, my department's new manager starts. I have a meeting with her Monday morning.

If my new manager requests new reports and assignments on a daily basis, then my Wally Syndrome is suppressed. If I receive the final information needed for the quarterly report and the latest monthly report anytime, then I complete each report, finalize it, and email to appropriate people in about two hours. Then I have free time from the time I submitted the reports to the end of June XD Then the Wally Syndrome comes back. Oh, when I have an assignment due days later, sometimes I complete half in one day, become lazy, and complete the second half another day rather than complete the assignment on the same day.

Is my Wally Syndrome continuing? It's going to take my new manager months to understand the department and what everyone does. I anticipate few assignments from my new manager in the short-term. The daily requests and assignments take me either minutes or hours to complete. I'm really efficient ^__^

The cure to the Wally Syndrome is quitting. The current Economic conditions and the strength of the economy worldwide are questioning whether I still have a job in December. Many companies are nickeling and diming every department to save a buck. Being lazy at home and lazy at work are different.

The But Dealbreaker

I read the Dear Abby advice column daily. One particular reader's letters pattern is relationship advice. A pattern is most men are stupid. 90% of the wives say their husbands are the best man in the world. 90% of the girlfriends say their boyfriends are fantastic. There is a "but." The one "but" is the dealbreaker which ends the marriage or relationship. If men solve the "but" problem, then there are fewer divorces, many relationship counselors must find a new career, and more couples are happily married. There are fewer cheaters. There are fewer adulteries. There are fewer broken families. The "but" problem applies to women, too.

Top Ten Don't Be My Parents

Sometimes children learn from their parents what the parents did wrong by avoiding the parents' mistakes when the children are adults. Parents are humans. They make mistakes. Children can become wiser than their parents learning from mistakes including their parents. Nagging is a mistake I stopped when I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. Someone called me out. She was correct. I thought back to my childhood years. My parents nagged. Avoiding nagging is part of my daily rule number one "Don't criticize, condemn, and complain," rule number two "Don't act like a jerk or bitch," and rule number three "Always speak calmly and be calm."

Here are the top ten don't be my parents:

10. No desire. No motivation. Desire is more important than knowledge. "I will" is more important than "I know." The knowledge follows motivation doing something, anything. The rewards follow motivation when responsibilities are completed.

9. Take too much life on their own hands. My parents rarely trust other people to help them live easier lives. They rarely ask for help. They rarely ask for professional help.

8. Boring life. Boring and no social life complement each other. However, there are people who are happy living a boring life. There are times boring is good. They avoid conflicts. They avoid arguments. They save money for emergencies. On the other hand, the benefits being active outweighs the risks. Get out and do something, anything. It's a judgement call.

7. No social life. No social life and boring complement each other. Don't be the quiet couple. Use it or lose it practice social skills being with people consistently.

6. Cheap. Don't be cheap. There is a common life saying, "People who save a dime ends up spending a dollar."

5. Poor self-responsibility. If everyone is just 20% more responsible of their life, then life is 20% less stressful for everyone.

4. Don't be old fucks. Another example of use it or lose it. Never stop learning. Keep the brain active.

3. Watch too much TV. The brain loses the ability to learn when people watch too much TV.

2. Hoarding. My parents are hoarders. There is too much junk in their house. There is too much stress coming out from the useless junk.

1. Take life for granted. Perhaps, my family is lucky. My family is healthy we experience fewer family problems. There are no major problems such as divorces, chronic health problems, and financial problems. We have too few fights big or small. Nobody breaks the law. Regardless, don't take life for granted as if live a normal life nothing bad happens. Life finds a way bad moments happen to all families such as car accidents, natural disasters, and misunderstandings. Families must be prepared.

Side note: I wrote a blog titled My Parents Raised My Correctly for which I am my parents.

My Two Question Marriage Is He Or She My Spouse Till Death Do Us Part

I share two questions to ask long-term relationship couples with potential to marry. The first question is, "Do you trust your spouse to take of you if you're the weaker person?" Examples of being the weaker person are permanent physical disability, severe mental illness, long-term emotional distress, expensive financial disaster, and/or spiritual loss. Relationships change. Couples change. You change. Everyone changes. Today you're the best husband or wife. Tomorrow you're the worse nightmare like the neighborhood jerk, the roommate from hell, the community bitch, the borderline felon, or a convicted felon. Can your spouse help you become the best husband or wife? The converse is true. The converse first question is, "Do you take care of your spouse if he or she is the weaker person?"

The answer to the first question leads to the second question, "Is the couple motivated to work hard on their marriage?" A marriage is professional love. The couple is strong. The couple is brave. The marriage is always fresh. The days get better as time passes. They add new spices. They seek new adventures. They experience new experiences. The couple maintains the desire and dedication. I will is more important than I know.

John Lennon said it best about love, "We've got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can't just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it's going to get on by itself. You've got to keep watering it. You've got to really look after it and nurture it."

Update On A Past Blog

I was anti-social for the first time on Feb 18, 2017 Anti-Social For The First Time. Correction. I actually was anti-social for the first time on Jan 6, 2014 Feeling Anti-Social. I denied anti-social. I wanted to be alone instead because I feared being anti-social I lose my relationships. The feelings I experienced in Jan 2014 was the same feelings in Feb 2017. I wanted no human contact in real life. I wanted no human communication on my phone and online.

He’s More Than Charming Or She’s More Than A Sweetheart

Single people finding love with one expectation is naive. He just needs to be polite. She just needs to keep the bed warm. He just needs to write love letters. She just needs to cook comfort food on a bad day. He just needs to say "bless you" when I sneeze. She just needs to tell me there's a problem with her car. There are success stories accepting the one expectation because of good chance, good timing, and good luck the couple meets. I was a person finding love with one expectation naively; fortunately, I was a senior in high school. My future wife just needs to be a sweetheart.

Times have changed. Decades ago married couples with one expectation each was valid. He's a nice guy. She's a good cook. The expectations are raised today. He must be more than a nice guy. She must be more than a good cook. Human relationships have evolved with more knowledge. We accept more knowledge to increase our chances of finding lasting relationships.

I have high expectations decades later. My high expectations are not impossible. I have deal breakers such as avoids driving freeways, eats too much junk food, smokes, and hates board games. I have must haves such as enjoys outdoor activities, reads books, financial discipline, and good self-esteem. I'm fortunate I tell a story the woman I'm seeking. A story is powerful. A story is better than the common one liners such as beautiful, intelligent, good smile, *insert hobby one*, *insert hobby two*, and no drugs.

There are single men. There are single women. There is a match for a man. There is a match for a woman. There is chemistry. There is compatibility. There is compromise or give and take. It's supposed to be hard finding love because marriages last till death do us part. A marriage is a one-shot opportunity.

Here's My Story

I'm looking for a woman who is still new in life. She's fresh. She's behind in life. I missed many experiences when I was younger. I'm catching up. I want a woman to join me catching up. We seek new adventures. We experience new experiences. Our bucket lists have too many unchecked boxes. For example, I haven't visited a foreign country outside North America. Canada doesn't count as visiting a foreign country. Another example is playing a song from a jukebox. Get up and do something, anything.

Instant Bullets Blog Jul 19, 2019

*People Adopt In Social Groups. Ars Technica published an article people adopt their behaviors in all social groups to belong. Here is the article People adopt made-up social rules to be part of a group.

*Sometimes you must know the answer before you understand the question. Agree or disagree?

*You Are Learning. Young Caine doesn't take the pebble from Master Kan from Kung Fu. YouTube video.

*You Are Leaving. Adult Caine does take the pebble from Master Kan from Kung Fu. YouTube video.

*Desperate Recruiter. A job recruiter called me at 8:00pm my time zone.

*Perfect NCAA Men's Basketball Sweet 16. A person predicted all 16 teams for the first time in the 2019 March Madness. The person predicted #12 Oregon and #13 UC Irvine which defeated #4 Kansas State advanced to the Sweet 16. Here is the article Perfect Sweet 16.

*NBA Is An Example Everyone Is Human. NBA analysis, journalists, and insiders make mistakes. They predicted the Los Angeles Lakers play in the playoffs. LeBron James didn't play in the 2019 NBA postseason for the Lakers. James played in the last eight NBA Finals for the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Moreover, the Lakers missed the playoffs for the sixth straight season. The Lakers finished the 2018-2019 season 37-45 which is the worse regular season record in a James' team. James' injuries caused him to miss the most regular season games including the last five weeks with a groin injury in his career.

*NBA Is An Example Life Is A Crapshoot. Past performance doesn't guarantee future outcomes good or bad. Present potential doesn't guarantee future success. The NBA Draft is an example. NBA teams drafting players roll the dice. The NBA is human. Opinions vary. The following web links below are examples:

The biggest NBA Draft blunders of all time

Biggest draft busts since the 1980 NBA Draft

On the other hand,

All-time NBA draft: Best player picked at every slot, from 1-30, in league history

25 of the best NBA Draft picks ever

NBA Draft: 30 greatest draft picks in league history

*Rules are good. Rules and exceptions are great.

*If I get a job today or tomorrow, then it's a miracle.

*Whoopi Goldberg Looney Tunes Disclaimer. Goldberg said it best. Stop being politically correct. Relax. History is history. Remember the good. Remember the bad. Here is the disclaimer Opening Commentary by Whoopi Goldberg on the "Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 3" on DVD.

*Today's music is garbage. Today's youth must find time to listen 1990s music and 1980s music. They can listen to 1960s music. Today's contemporary music station plays music in the 1990s such as Alanis Morissette, Mariah Carey, No Doubt, Nirvana, Backstreet Boys, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. There are fewer legitimate music artists today compared to the past.

I listened to an adult contemporary music station one day. I was angry listening to a mix of crap songs. I changed stations to all 1980s. I relaxed. Moreover, light music radio stations play mostly 1980s-2000s music.

*Tight Rental Market From A Landlord's Perspective. Most cities experience rental shortages. One reason is landlords make finding housing affordable. On the other hand, landlords say the tight rental market makes finding responsible tenants difficult.

*Household Cleaning Is Part Of Bare Necessities. Walk at the household cleaning aisle in hardware, grocery, and drug stores. There are more choices to clean a residence compared to decades ago. Today's cleaning technology is impressive including chemicals, brushes, buckets, and mops.

*One Sign Poor Self-Esteem. A person has poor self-esteem when he or she has too much time on their hands. He or she has too much free time.

*The Borrow Time Clock Stopped. The San Jose Sharks lost to the St. Louis Blues 4-2 in the 2019 NHL Western Conference Finals. The Sharks should have lost the first round playoffs against the Las Vegas Golden Knights due to injuries and fatigue. Here is the article Sharks' resilience unable to fend off borrowed time in NHL playoffs.

"My disappointment isn't thinking about next year, mine is about the group that we had this year," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said, "and the adversity we faced ... and the number of times they were written for dead and buried, and the number of times they kept getting off the mat. ... That's the disappointing stuff for me. That's stuff you don't see [that] should get rewarded ... but it's a harsh league, and it's a hard trophy to win. So, my disappointment's there."

*Windows 7 Support Ends. January 14, 2020 is the last day Microsoft supports Windows 7.

*The Pursuit Of Happyness Quotes. Two quotes from the movie starring Will Smith below:

It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what. How did he know that?

Thomas Jefferson mentions happiness a couple times in the Declaration of Independence. It may seem like a strange word to be in that document, but he was sort of . . . he was an artist. He thought that English is the disturbers of our harmony, and I remember standing there that day thinking about the disturbers of mine. Questions I had whether all this was good. Whether I had make it.

*Dear Abby Advice No Thank Yous. A grandmother sends a birthday card forgetting the money. Read the advice in full dated May 26, 2019 Woman in Love Longs to Hear Three Little Words From Beau. It's the third advice.

*Gentlemen Mature Behavior. Gentlemen must think, act, and behave with our brains and our hearts. We must trust our intuition, too. All three takes priority before we think, act, and behave with our crouches.

*I'm Not Dumbing Down. Never dumb down your life. Don't be an asshole for yourself. Some people leave your life. New people enter your life. Nobody holds you back.

*We Learn More About Human Beings. Yet, common problems exist today. Relationship problems. Health problems. Financial problems. Communication problems. Honesty or lack of honestly. We still have these problems given how we learn human relations as time goes by. These problems exist today. These problems existed yesterday. These problems existed in our parent's generation and grandparent's generations. These problems existed decades ago. There is little change for better and for worse.

*Edited Resumes Submitted. I fail to understand why job staffing agencies submit edited resumes removing all contact information to their clients. The contact information includes web links such as LinkedIn, personal webpages, and online portfolios. Job candidates want the hiring manager to see who we are beyond the resume. Job candidates being interviewed must submit a complete resume to all interviewers. Communicate to the interviewers the complete you.

*New Parents. One common goal is don't repeat the mistakes from their parents when they raised the couple. Noble. New parents must remember to take care of themselves. Be aware there are new mistakes. Solve them. Learn from them. Honestly speaking, I'm not a parent. I'm not parental worthy. I have seen and I have heard new parents fail to get along after making vows to be better parents.

The worse parents in modern history is depicted from the documentary Abducted In Plain Sight. A neighbor slept with one of their daughters for five years including two abductions. The neighbor committed suicide before going to prison on a related, yet unrelated crime. Reference links: IMDB, Wikipedia, Oxygen, and YouTube Trailer.

Does Everything Happen For A Reason?

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

A common life statement is, "everything happens for a reason." I question does everything happen for a reason. I have been unemployed since May 2015. Companies submit my application for permanent or contract positions. I had interviews. No offers.

Why am I unemployed? Is there a reason? I may find the reason after I begin working. I may find the reason after I achieve mature adult freedom. Why "may?" I may die tomorrow. I may never find a job. Its life. I may lack intelligence to find the answer. I may find the answer with dumb luck.

On the other hand, if my present life is my future life, then I rather close my eyes, stop breathing, and be somewhere else. There is no point living as a loser. There are no rewards being a loser. Life is unfair.

The People Are Lucky

I can give up life easily. How? I watch TV and play video games. I work at a dead-end retail job. Maybe I work as a manager for the extra money. Nobody cares in retail. I weigh at least 200 pounds eating too much processed foods. I avoid exercise. My clothes are tattered because I spend more money on sci-fi goods and less money on quality clothes. I have body odor because I exchange time taking care of my body for time playing more video games. People are lucky I avoid the loser life.

Misunderstood

My intuition tells me the people of the world believes I’m still the Raymond Mar between Oct 2008 and Sep 2014. I retired from anime in Sep 2014. No more anime conventions. No more wearing costumes. No more video games; however, I play a video game app on occasion. Watching television is minimized. No more Family Guy. Gym workouts are consisted. Eating processed foods and eating at restaurants are minimized. The world believes I'm the opposite of these.

I said good-bye to people holding me back. I learn new hiking and backpacking knowledge. My writing skills are improved. My reading speed is faster. I'm gaining strength. Intelligence is expanding. Wisdom is acquired daily. I'm one step closer to become a genius. I'm hungry for new adventures and new experiences.

There are different kinds of loneliness. My loneliness is misunderstanding. I have zero confidence people accept my corrections. I have zero confidence people want to understand. I don't trust the people with my feelings. The people are weak, unwise, and ignorant to hear me. The people reject the present Raymond Mar. They don't listen. Their minds are closed. They can't handle my truth.

I Do My Best

I motivate myself. Boredom is a life killer. I job search five days a week applying to contract positions and full time positions I qualify at least 50% of the requirements. I learn new job skills such as Python. I review existing job skills such as Excel and SQL. I learn JavaScript and CSS which I applied on my webpage Innovate Infinitely. I complete my responsibilities maintaining my household including cooking, cleaning, and washing clothes.

I'm doing my best. I really am. Honestly. Nothing is working out today. I'm not doing enough. Maybe something works out tomorrow. Maybe I find strong, wise, and smart people who handle my truth. Time is the ultimate judge. The future answers the question what I'm doing now is correct.

Update On A Past Blog

There are more reasons why people are quiet from Another Perspective On Quiet People on Feb 20, 2019. People have nothing to contribute. They are being a good listener. They are polite. They may be learning something new. Moreover, other people shouldn't take it personally people are quiet. We're currently nothing. We're currently nobodies. If the conversation is something we contribute, then maybe we speak. The quietness is small stuff. Let the quietness pass.

I repeat the quote from Plato, "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something."