My Best Motivational Quote On Winning From Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan on winning from The Last Dance documentary aired on ESPN in 2020. A camera crew was given unrestricted access to the Chicago Bulls 1997-1998 season. The ten-part documentary is Michael Jordan's NBA career and the Chicago Bulls' six NBA championships in the 1990s. Here is the entire quote:

"Well, I mean. I don't know, I mean. Winning has a price. And leadership has a price. So I pulled people along when they didn't want to be pulled. I challenged people when they didn't want to be challenged. And I earned that right because my teammates who came after me didn't endure all the things that I endured. Once you joined the team, you lived at a certain standard that I played the game. And I wasn't going to take any less. Now if that means I had to go in there and get in your ass a little bit, then I did that. You ask all my teammates. The one thing about Michael Jordan was he never asked me to do something that he didn't fucking do. When people see this, they are going say, 'Well he wasn't really a nice guy. He may have been a tyrant.' Well, that's you. Because you never won anything. I wanted to win, but I wanted them to win to be a part of that as well. Look, I don't have to do this. I am only doing it because it is who I am. That's how I played the game. That was my mentality. If you don't want to play that way, don't play that way. . . . Break." *Jordan requests a break*

The motivational pics are 4K 3840x2160 resolution. There are two full versions excluding the last sentence when he cried and wanted a break. There is a half version and there is a quarter version for those who want a condensed quote. The full, half, and quarter versions include a clean version without the swearing.

2025 Year In Review

The five nominations and their explanations for the moment of the year.

1. December 2025 Depression. A depression caused by the Christmas holiday beyond my control and self-imposed. Life lessons learned. New experiences acquired. I blogged Good Way Depression And Bad Way Depression on Jan 6, 2026. Eat well. Sleep well. Stay busy. There's no excuse to be a jerk. Keep going. Move forward.

2. New Webhost Provider. My previous webhosting provider falsely accused me of using too much bandwidth. I found a new provider. I include rewriting my webpage code.

3. Physical Fitness. I combined all the positive and negative physical fitness. The positives were I jogged 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles for the first time. I jogged wearing Hoka shoes for the first time. The Hoka was Bondi 9. I wore a running cap and arm sleeves for the first time.

The negatives were bicep tendonitis and tricep tendonitis on my left arm. The tricep tendonitis is cured. The bicep tendonitis is present. I treat with massages and stretches. My strength training is modified. I wear a left elbow sleeve to maintain my left arm downwards while jogging.

4. Portal 2. The video game nomination for 2025. Is Portal 2 the greatest video game of all time?

5. Riichi Mahjong. I promoted myself as an advanced player. I played at a board game cafe, food hall, and a gaming hall for the first time. I played on Riichi City.

Explanation: I expect the December 2025 Depression to be referenced the next time I'm depressed. The New Webhost Provider ended the five days a week post Self Job Training Graduation Analytics Research Technology; for example, I stopped learning WordPress. The Physical Fitness injuries were the first time I experienced non-short-term injuries. The tendonitis has lasted months dating back to Nov 2025. Portal 2 is not a moment of the year.

Riichi Mahjong is the remaining moment. Many people say a tabletop game is not a moment of the year. Fair statement. The rise is huge from intermediate to advanced. Reading books and rewriting my .pdf file Riichi Hands must be recognized.

What Won: Riichi Mahjong.

What Should Have Won: Riichi Mahjong.

My Thoughts On The Winning Moment: Many people say 2025 should be no winning moment. Fair statement. Riichi Mahjong moment took advantage of weak competition. Depression is a no. Webmasters change webhosting providers daily. No more Physical Fitness or gym workouts to win. Video games don't win.

2025 Letter Grade: C+. 2025 was a lower qualitative life. I could write home these five highlights. I didn't expect the home to respond. Also, I didn't expect the home to celebrate with a party. On the other hand, comparing the boring year 2024 and 2025, 2025 was more exciting than 2024 even though the 2025 letter grade is one-third lower.

Past Moments Of The Years And Its Letter Grades

2024: Analytics Research Technology. Grade B-.
2023: Physical fitness. Grade B+.
2022: Wallstreet Bets. Grade B.
2021: Wallstreet Bets. Grade B.
2020: First responders, doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. Grade B.
2019: Consistent gym workouts. Grade C+.
2018: Consistent gym workouts. Grade C-.
2017: O'Connor Hospital. Grade D.

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.

Life Lessons From The Baseball Movie Bull Durham

Click on the YouTube links for scenes from the movie Bull Durham on life lessons.

BULL DURHAM (1988) | Meet Crash Davis | MGM. Any other job is usually better than retail.

Bull Durham (1988) - Kevin Costner - Tim Robbins - Fight. Buy a drink to break the ice to meet up from people in the past. Also, Don't think.

Bull Durham (1988) - Strikeouts Are Fascist Scene (3/12) | Movieclips. Listen to veterans. Listen to experience.

Bull Durham- Wanna Make it to the Show?. Don't date bossy people.

Bull Durham (1988) - Bunch of Lollygaggers Scene (5/12) | Movieclips. A good manager explains in simple words. Motivate explaining in simple words.

Bull Durham - Throw it at the Bull. Diversion is a trick. Diversion is a tactic.

Bull Durham (1988) - Getting Woolly Scene (6/12) | Movieclips. Job skills are more important than material goods. Say no to material objects. Say yes to job skills.

Bull Durham | Winning Streak. The feeling of a winning streak. Maintain the winning streak.

Bull Durham (1988) - Winning's Better Than Losing Scene (7/12) | Movieclips. Cliques can save a person from trouble. Boring can save a person from trouble.

Bull Durham (1988) - I Want you Scene (9/12) | Movieclips. Manners, self-esteem, confidence, strength, and intelligence attract men and women.

Bull Durham- Best Scene. The number one makes a difference. An average of one more makes a difference. Also, talent is more important than intelligence.

Bull Durham (1988) - Kevin Costner - Susan Sarandon. You can't get everything you want in life. There are going to be losers through no fault of their own. Some dreams don't come true. Also, out with the old and in with the new.

tourists in bull durham.mov. Almost all good news and bad news nobody knows.

Update On A Past Blog

The number one makes a difference scene> Bull Durham- Best Scene reminds me of the blog Today I Want To Talk About The Numbers Greater Than Zero And Less Than Or Equal To One written on Jun 17, 2020. Percentages make a difference. 20% increase. 20% decrease. A few percentage points is the difference between *fill in the blank one* and *fill in the blank two*.

I wrote past life lessons blogs. Here are two of my favorites. The first favorite is Top Ten Life Lessons I Learned Watching Sports written on Nov 5, 2016. Some of the lessons include curses are meant to be broken, be professional, and be calm. There are multiple updates on a past blog adding more lessons to the blog which include luck, circumstances, and talent are factors to succeed as a professional athlete; don't waste time thinking about something making no sense; and winning solves problems.

The second favorite is Life Lessons From Space Brothers written on Aug 17, 2015. Space Brothers is my second all-time favorite anime series. Some of the lessons include it's faster to just do it, veterans help newbies, find one interesting think to lose track of time, improve failures, and teamwork.

Live For Living

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

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

Knowledge For Strength

A more accurate title for today's blog is, "I take knowledge for $2,000, Ken." Any knowledge can open doors. The doors can be new job opportunities, new hobbies, meet new people, earn money, and save money. The knowledge for strength isn't necessarily physical strength; although, more knowledge on gym workouts can increase physical workouts. A common wisdom is, "A little knowledge is better than a lot of ignorance."

White collar people can learn blue collar knowledge. Learn cooking. Sew a button. Change the motor oil for an automobile. Diagnose a leaky toilet. Paint a room.

Blue collar people can learn white collar knowledge. Learn basic Excel spreadsheets. Keep up with financial headlines. Understand income taxes. Upgrade from basic computer skills to intermediate computer skills such as memorizing hotkeys and shortcuts for an operating system.

It takes motivation to gain knowledge; on the other hand, it doesn't take knowledge to gain motivation. The examples I mentioned above I completed them. I performed the words with action. I'm one step closer to become a self-trained genius.

A Full Time Job For Children

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

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

A child's full time job is to learn.

Update On A Past Blog

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

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

Top Ten Bad Advice, Bad Lessons, Or Bad Teachings

Everyone receives bad information. Everyone is taught bad knowledge. There are professionals with questionable advice. There are adults with false encouragement. One former hygienist taught me to angle my toothbrush to brush both the teeth and gums. Incorrect teaching. Adults told me to attend my high school prom to avoid regret in my adulthood. There is no regret I missed my junior year and my senior year high school proms. Here are the top ten bad false information:

10. Whistle With Dry Mouth. I was taught to whistle with a dry month in fourth grade. I self-taught how to whistle with a wet mouth in 2017.

9. Freeway driving is like driving on the expressway without signal lights. The speed difference between a freeway and an expressway is the only counterargument to prove the previous sentence is false.

8. Broiling Without Cooking Oil. It's doable. The truth is use cooking oil to broil food in the oven.

7. Education Equals Success. Education is a factor. Motivation is more important to be successful compared to education. Timing, luck, chance, and opportunity are factors to be considered.

6. Remedies To Cure My Sickness. The following doesn't work: vitamin C tablets, garlic tablets, gargle with salt water, Ricola cough drops, drink plenty of water, yogurt, orange juice, green tea, and ginger ale. The following does work: Coke, chocolate, and Breathe Right Nasal Strips.

5. Water, Milk, And Green Tea. Drinking eight glasses of water, two glasses of milk a day, and green tea to maintain a healthy lifestyle are false.

4. Eat In Moderation. Okay to eat junk food is false. One cheat day a week is false. There is no eat in moderation and there is no cheat day for professional athletes. Minimize eating junk food is true.

3. English 1B Teaching Writing. My professor taught me to write like a newspaper journalist using many paragraphs. I'm not a journalist. 100% false.

2. Excel Training. The senior research analyst taught me Excel at my second job. Everything was wrong. The teaching was wrong Excel.

1. The Shawshank Redemption movie is boring. A friend watched the movie when it was released in 1994. He told me to skip the movie because he didn't understand the point. I watched the movie in Sep 2019. The Shawshank Redemption is number 1 in IMDb's Top 250 Movies.

Top Ten Plus Three Equals Top Thirteen Lessons Schools Don't Teach

Schools teach ABC's and 123's. Schools teach 1+1=2, water is H2O, verbs, animals, and telling time. Schools don't teach manners, wisdom, and money. There is too much to learn. There is not enough school funds. There are not enough teachers. Parents must supplement their children's education. I wrote a blog FYI, Parents You Are Teachers, Too on Jul 30, 2009. I said, "Parents, find time to teach the soft skills schools don't teach."

There are multiple ways children can learn some lessons because we live in the Information Age; for example, YouTube. Parents must be aware some sources are wrong. Parents and children must use their best judgement they're getting accurate information.

Here are the top ten plus three equals top thirteen lessons schools don't teach:

13. Etiquette, Politeness, And Manners. It's unlikely teachers teach thank you, please, share, honesty, respect, more listening, and less talking. Teachers say them. Teachers don't teach them.

12. Financial Education. No person with a teaching credential knows the stock markets, interest rates, consumer price index, gold, cryptocurrency, and mortgage rates. Otherwise, the teacher works in another industry avoiding children five days a week.

11. Physical Fitness. Put the video game controller down. Turn off the phone. Get out. Move the knees and elbows. I include healthy eating for number 11.

10. Sex. The school districts policies teaching sex are a joke.

9. Depression. Welcome depression. Depression is okay. Do you feel better? If the answer is yes, then solve depression long-term. It's the deal.

8. Intuition. The late Steve Jobs said, "I began to realize that an intuitive understanding and consciousness was more significant than abstract thinking and intellectual logical analysis . . . intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect, in my opinion. That's had a big impact on my work."

Trust your gut feeling.

7. The World Is Not 100% Successful. Some dreams don't come true. Some people fail. Most things don't work out.

6. Don't Take Life For Granted. Self-explanatory.

5. Earn it. Success is not given on a silver platter.

Bonus: Time is the ultimate judge. Time will tell what you're doing in the present results in something good or something bad in the future.

4. Life Is Unfair. The first rule in Bill Gates' 11 Rules For Real Life is "Life is not fair - get used to it."

3. Bad Timing And Bad Luck. Timing and luck are factors to success and to failure. Most successful people never admit timing and luck are factors to their accomplishments. However, they're not the only factors themselves to be successful. Hard work, intelligence, repetition, and grit are factors, too.

2. Stop complaining about your crappy life. Life doesn't care about your problems. Too fat? Get physical. Eat healthy. Poor grades? Self-teach outside the textbook. No friends? Learn social skills. Get help.

1. Change. If you don't want to change, then life finds a way to change your life. You may not like life's choice for change.

Update On A Past Blog

I mention FYI, Parents You Are Teachers, Too written on Jul 30, 2009 for the second time. I started learning both the soft skills and the life skills in May 2015. I can't explain I consciously follow the lesson daily starting in Sep 2019.

I asked a question, "How do teachers teach failure is good?" in Reward Failure In Schools written on Nov 20, 2018. Did any professional educator find a way to teach students failure is good? Reward failure. Reward intelligent mistakes. The professional educator is a millionaire if the answer is yes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*I cancelled Napster.

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

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

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

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

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

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

*Accutane. I started taking the acne medication.

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

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

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

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

*My home upgraded the HVAC.

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

Update On A Past Blog

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

A Compilation My Changes Blogs

Here are my top blogs about changes in my life from Aug 4, 2005 to Dec 31, 2024. Blogs written from Jan 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025 are considered for A Second Look 2025 written in Dec 2026.

Connecting My Dots Backwards written on Dec 13, 2011. I wrote about the changes when I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008.

Top Ten Daily Changes After O'Connor Hospital written on Oct 21, 2017. I was admitted as an in-patient for the first time in my life. I was diagnosed with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. Some of the changes included drinking less water, changing my job searching schedule, and changing my dental care.

My Four Mount Rushmore Greatest Moments In My Life written on Aug 9, 2020. The first day I cosplayed, the day I grew up, self job training, and The Shawshank Redemption movie are the four moments. Also, the four moments changed my life forever.

Top Ten Plus One Equals Top Eleven Life Changes Since The COVID-19 Global Pandemic written on Feb 11, 2023. The sum of the small life changes added to big permanent life changes. Examples included cooking, shopping in the morning, closing my windows before I sleep, and boiling water at home.

Side note: I rewrite the Connecting My Dots Backwards blog with a new blog post detailing the immediate changes when I realized I grew up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. Also, the title of the new blog is more accurate.

Update On A Past Blog

I watched the movies Planes, Trains & Automobiles on Mon Jan 12, 2026 and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on Tue Jan 13, 2026 while I exercised on the stationary bike. The two movies used to be traditional movies I watched during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The two movies were a late consolation for the bad Christmas 2025 Good Way Depression And Bad Way Depression written on Jan 6, 2026.

Harder To Make Other People Angry

Most people do a poor job making other people angry. It's unnatural to piss off other people. These people are raised and behave to avoid confrontations. It's better to reason or to negotiate than being angry at each other. Proactive is better than reactive.

There are times the anger emotion is valid. The default "fuck you, asshole" rarely works. The other party is unconvinced. The other party thinks, "do better pissing me off." The other party thinks you're not the person to make me angry. Talking anger smart-ass is an art. Trash talking with malice is an art. Communicating degrading criticism is an art. It's like a master sharpshooter intentionally missing the target which is harder than hitting the target. It's like a professional singer singing offkey which is harder than singing on tune. If you want to make other people angry, don't think. Use intuition. Pretend to behave like a professional bully. Be a Homer Simpson. Don't be a Ned Flanders.

Two simple actions may work. One action is ignoring or keep silent; although, passive aggressiveness rarely succeeds. The second action is counterintuitive. Give a thumbs down instead of the middle finger. The PG movie rated family friendly reaction may be better than the R movie rated mature audiences only reaction.

Maxed Out On Career Learning

I finished my WordPress self job training last week. Full disclosure. The WordPress was a satisfactory failure. The training resulted in finding a new web hosting provider for my webpage Innovate Infinitely and ending the training project due to costs. The last WordPress tutorial was an offline training I found from the YouTube algorithm. Regardless, I added the skill to my resume.

The remaining self job training skills are Excel, Python, and HTML as of the blog post. Years 2022 and 2023 were peak with the following skills: Excel with Power Pivot and Power Query, Git, Linux, Power BI, Python, R and R-Studio, SQL, and Sublime Text. There is no new job training related to my profession thereafter. Reviewing existing job skills are too repetitious with no additional benefits--borderline boredom and tiredness. It's like no more promotions. There's nothing more going up. My salary is maxed. My rank is at the top ceiling. Anything new adds no additional value; although, I receive information to learn PyTorch for machine learning.

I never thought about running out of new job training skills. I never realized the self job training spanned a decade. Students graduate high school. Students graduate college. The common wisdom is never stop learning; however, all training must come to an end. The student takes the pebble from the master's hand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Vocabulary Dictionary

Words Numbers
4H: Head, heart, hands, health. We learn to do by doing.

Words A-C
Absence Of Malice: a requirement against defamation in a court of law. In journalism, it brings to attention the conflict between disclosing personal information and the public's right to know.
accursed: infallible. Absolutely trustworthy or sure. Unfailing in effectiveness or operation; certain.
acumen: keen discernment; insight; the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions
adjudicate: to reach a judicial decision on something, to make an official decision
albatross: 1 a large long-winged seabird which spends most of its life in flight. 2 an oppressive burden or hindrance; a burden which somebody can't escape.
algorithm: a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer
aloof: not friendly or forthcoming; distant; disinterested
altruism: the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others. The principle and moral practice of concern for happiness of other lives.
anecdotal: not necessarily true or reliable based on personal accounts rather than facts or research. Based on reports or observations from unscientific observations. Unreliable; hearsay; unscientific. An anecdote is a brief story, usually told because it is relevant to the subject at hand. An anecdote a short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature. A short, obscure historical or biographical account.
antagonist: a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another, opponent, adversary. The adversary of the hero or protagonist of a drama or other literary work.
apathy: lack of interest in anything
aphantasia: [a-fan-tas-ia] the inability to visualize images in the brain. Mind blindness.
apolitical: not political; of no political significance
apprehensive: anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen
arbitrage: the simultaneous buying and selling of securities, currency, or commodities in different markets or in derivative forms in order to take advantage of different prices for the same asset. Buy and sell assets using arbitrage.
asinine: extremely stupid or foolish; unintelligent or silly; devoid of intelligence
assuage: to make milder or less severe; relieve; ease; mitigate; soothe, calm
astringent: 1 causing the contraction of skin cells and other body tissues. 2 taste or smell slightly acidic or bitter.
atomic: 1 of or relating to or comprising atoms. 2 of, using, or powered by nuclear energy; a source of immense power. 3 immeasurably small; an extremely small amount of a thing.
atrocious: 1 horrifying wicked. 2 of a very poor quality; extremely bad or unpleasant. Brutal, barbaric, appalling, cruel, awful.
attrition: the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure; wearing down; wearing away; weakening
au pair: a young foreign person, typically a woman, who helps with housework or child care in exchange for room and board
austerity: a set of political and economic policies implemented by a government to reduce its budget deficit
autoimmune disease: a disease the body's immune system attacks healthy cells
automaton: a machine moving by itself, designed to follow predetermined sequence of operations
awning: a covering attached to a building or residence
axiom: a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true
axiomatic: [ax-e-o-matic] self-evident or unquestionable; obviously true; accepted. For example, it's axiomatic good athletes have a strong mental attitude. It seems axiomatic people benefit from a good education.
bane: a person or thing that ruins or spoils. A deadly poison. Death; destruction; ruin.
belligerent: hostile or aggressive, ready to start a fight, or ready to go to war
benign: gentle and kindly. Not harmful in effect such as a benign medical condition; no cancer in a condition, tumor, or growth.
bereavement: [be-reav-ment] loss, grief, sorrow, sadness, death in the family, passing, passing away, decease.
blight: a specific symptom affecting plants in response to infection by a pathogenic organism
blithe: 1 happy, cheerful, carefree. 2 casually indifferent.
bravado: a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate
callous: showing no concern if other people are hurt or upset
capricious: tend to make sudden and unpredictable changes
carnauba: a fan palm with an edible root and leaves that yield carnauba wax. A carnauba tree.
catatonic: purifying. Producing a feeling of being purified emotionally, spiritually, or psychologically as a result of intense emotional experience or therapeutic technique.
catharsis: purification or purgation of the emotions (such as pity and fear) primarily through art, writing, theater, or music; spiritual renewal or release from tension
cay: a small low island; key
chyron: [ki-ron] a text-based graphic caption superimposed on a television screen or film frame; close captioning
cinderella liberty: a Navy jargon which is a shore pass which ends at midnight
cipher: a written code in which the letters of a text are substituted according to a system. For example, to write a text or message in cipher.
cisgender: a person with gender identity is the same as their sex assigned at birth. Opposite of transgender.
clandestine: something planned or done in secret because it is illicit, unauthorized, or forbidden. Kept hidden or executed with stealth and secrecy.
clinch: 1 to settle a matter decisively. 2 to secure an object by beating object down. 3 boxing: to hold the opponent in the arms or body to prevent the opponent's punches. 4 slang: to embrace.
cockamamie: [cock-a-may-mie] ridiculous; implausible; pointless; stupid or silly
cohort: a group of people with commonality being together
compass rose: a diagram on a map displaying the directional orientation north, east, south, and west
concerto: a composition for one or more principal instruments, with orchestral accompaniment
concoct: 1 to create something by mixing or combining various ingredients in a new way. 2 to think up a story or plan.
conniving: given to or involved in conspiring to do something immortal, illegal, or harmful. Scheming, up to no good, conspire with evil intent.
conscientious objector: an individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service
conservatorship: legally defined as a court case where a judge appoints an individual or organization, called the conservator, to care for someone who "cannot care" for themselves or who cannot manage their own finances
contentious: causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial
coolly: in a way that lacks friendliness or enthusiasm
copyright trap: a publisher intentionally places wrong or fictitious information, so that if someone copies from them they can find out. Common examples are made-up cities and words in maps and dictionaries.
cordial: [kawr-juhl] As an adjective, courteous and gracious; friendly; warm. Sincere; heartfelt. As a noun, a strong, sweetened, aromatic alcoholic liquor; liqueur.
cordon: a line of circle of police, soldiers, or guards prevent access to or from an area or building. Prevent access to or from an area or building by surrounding it with police or other guards. The troops cordon around the headquarters. The city center was cordoned off after fires were discovered in two stores.
corollary: 1 a proposition which follows from and is often appended to one already proved. A proposition that follows directly from the proof of another proposition. 2 a direct or natural consequence or result; for example, the huge increases in unemployment were the corollary of expenditure cuts.
cull (verb): to remove as worthless. Remove an inferior thing or person from a larger groups.
culpable: deserve blame. Merits condemnation. Guilty, criminal, blameworthy.
cyclic: occurring in cycles; regularly repeated

Words D-F
daft: 1 silly, foolish British informal. 2 mad, insane British informal.
day of reckoning: the time when one is called to account for one's actions, to pay one's debts, or to fulfill one's promises or obligations
debutante: a young woman making a debut into society
decrement: a reduction or diminution. A gradual decrease in quality or quantity. Becoming smaller or shorter.
delectable: delightful, highly pleasing, enjoyable; delicious
demigod: a being with partial or lesser divine status such as a minor deity, the offspring of a god and a mortal, or a mortal raised to divine rank. Part human and part divine or part human and part deity.
dilemma: a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones. A difficult situation or problem. An argument forcing an opponent to choose either of two unfavorable alternatives.
discombobulate: to throw into a state of confusion; upset; frustrate
disintermediate: to remove middlemen from a transaction, supply chain, or decision making process. Reduce or eliminate intermediaries between producers and consumers.
dole: a portion or allotment of money, food, etc.; distributing. To distribute in charity.
dote: 1 to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually. 2 to show a decline of mental faculties, especially associated with old age.
dowager: a widow with a title or property derived from her late husband
dox: search for and publish private or identifying information about an individual on the internet with malicious intent. Doxxed is past tense or past participle. Doxing or doxxing is the act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organization, usually via the Internet and without their consent to do so; for example, post a drivers license id on social media with contact information. A cyberbullying.
Drinking The Kool-Aid: refers to a person or people believing in something usually negative without examination
dysentery: bacterial diarrhea which is bloody diarrhea. The symptoms are fever, abdominal pain, and incomplete defecation. Causes include contaminated food and contaminated water with feces.
ELI5: explain like I'm 5
elucidate: make clear, explain, clarify
emaciated: [uh-mish-e-a-ted] abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of nutrition; malnutrition
embellish: to make something more attractive, interesting, or entertaining by adding details or features, especially ones not true
embolism: blockage of artery. A condition in which an artery is blocked by an embolus, usually a blood clot formed at one piece in the circulatory and then lodging in another.
endearment: a word or phrase expressing love or affection
engender: to produce, cause, or give rise to
enigma: somebody or someone not easily explained or understood
entailment: 1 a relationship between sentences where one sentence is true if the others are; for example, "Her son drives her to work every day" and "Her son knows how to drive" are related by entailment. Logical consequence.
entropy: a state of disorder or a gradual decline into disorder; chaos
ephemeral: [uh-feh-mir-uhl] anything short-lived. Lasting a very short time. For example, the ephemeral joys of childhood, a passing fancy, youth's transient beauty, and love is transitory yet it is essential.
erudite: having or showing great knowledge gained from studying and reading
esquire: (initial capital letter) an unofficial title of respect, having no precise significance
estrange: to cause somebody to stop feeling friendly or affectionate toward somebody else or sympathetic towards a tradition or belief
exacerbate: to make worse. Make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse. To increase the severity, bitterness, or violence.
excelsior: a Latin word meaning ever upward
exogamy: marriage outside a specific tribe or similar social unit
expedient: [x-pee-di-ent] 1 appropriate, advisable, or useful requires action. 2 an advantage.
extort: to wrest or wring money or information from a person by violence, intimidation, or abuse of authority; obtain by force, torture, threat, or the like
facade: 1 the front of a building, especially an imposing or decorative one; any side of a building facing a public way or space and finished accordingly. 2 a superficial appearance or illusion of something.
fallible: capable of making mistakes or being erroneous
fealty: 2 fidelity; faithfulness
feebly: in a way that lacks strength or force. In a way that fails to convince or impress.
feral cat: a domesticated cat returned to the wild. In contrast, a stray cat is a pet cat lost or abandoned.
fibromyalgia: a chronic muscle pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and widespread tenderness
flabbergasted: greatly surprised or astonished; shocked
fledge: to raise a young bird until it's able to fly.
fledgling: an inexperienced, immature, underdeveloped person
forbear: to refrain or abstain from; withhold. To hold back, to be patient.
foregone conclusion: a result that is obvious to everyone even before it happens. A result that can be predicted with certainty. An inevitable conclusion or result.
fornication: voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or two persons not married to each other
fritter: a word describing a wide variety of fried foods

Words G-I
gallows: a structure, typically of two uprights and a crosspiece, for the hanging of criminals; execution by hanging
garden variety: of the usual or ordinary type; commonplace
gentrified: (of a formerly poor urban area) changed in character by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, typically displacing current inhabitants in the process. Having changed from a poor area to a richer one, by people of a richer social class moving to live there. A gentrified neighborhood has transformed from being a poor, working-class area to one where wealthier people live.
going commando: not wearing any underwear
golden handcuffs: an employer defers payments and benefits to an employee to prevent him or her working at another company
granular: resembling or consisting of small grains or particles. Finely detailed, highly detailed; having many small and distinct parts as in granular reports.
greenwash: a superficial or insincere display of concern for the environment by an organization; the process of conveying a false impression or providing misleading information about how a company's products are more environmentally sound
grift: a group of methods for obtaining money falsely through the use of swindles, frauds, dishonest gambling, etc.
grifter: a person who engages in petty or small-scale swindling. Someone who gets money dishonestly by tricking people. A person who operates a side show at a circus, fair, etc., especially a gambling attraction; a swindler, dishonest gambler, or the like.
gully: a small valley or ravine originally worn away by running water or prolonged rains. (slang) of or relating to the environment, culture, or life experience in poor urban neighborhoods.
haircut: 1 the act or process of cutting and shaping the hair. 2 a reduction in the value of an asset such as a stock or a bond.
harbor feelings: to have a thought or feeling in your mind for a long time
harlot: a prostitute
hedonism: the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence
hegemony: leadership or predominant influence exercised by one nation over others. Aggression or expansionism by large nations in an effort to achieve world domination.
hemorrhage: a medical term for heavy discharge of blood from the blood vessels; ruptured blood vessel. A rapid or uncontrollable loss or outflow; the loss of assets.
heuristic: 1 encouraging discovery of solutions; discover solutions. 2 involving trial and error.
heuristicism: a method of solving a problem for which no formulas exist based from methods or experiences
hovel: a small, squalid, unpleasant, or simply constructed dwelling
hubris: excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance
hygge: a Danish term to relax with good friends or loved ones with food and drinks
hypochondriac: a person who is often or always worried about his or her own health. An excessive preoccupation with or anxiety about one's health.
hypocrisy: a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral, or religious beliefs or principles, etc. that one does not really possess. A pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.
idiosyncrasy: a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual
idyllic: [i-dill-ic] serenely beautiful, untroubled, and happy
impassive: without emotion; apathetic; unloved
impertinence: lack of respect; rudeness
impertinent: not showing proper respect; rude. Not pertinent to a particular matter; irrelevant.
imperturbable: unable to be upset or excited; calm. Serene. Steadiness. Free from agitation or excitement.
improv: short for improvisational theater. The actors make up scenes, dialogue, and characters on the spot. An improv time length is short lasting minutes.
incorrigible: a person not able to correct, improve, or reform their bad tendencies; uncontrollable, unruly
increment: Something added or gained; addition; increase. The act or process of increasing; growth.
indefinable: not able to be defined or described exactly. Hard to define. Hard to describe.
indict: formally accuse of or charge with a serious crime. To charge with a crime by the finding or presentment of a jury in due form of law.
ineffable: incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible
inept: lacking the competence or skill for a particular task
infallible: incapable of making mistakes or being wrong; never fail; always effective. Absolutely trustworthy or sure.
inimitable: so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique. Can't be imitated. Can't be copied.
insinuate: suggest or hint in an indirect and unpleasant way. Usually something bad or reprehensible.
insufferable: not to be endured; intolerable; unbearable
inure: [in-nor] to accustom to accept something undesirable. Frequent exposure to something bad; accustomed. Get used to something difficult or unpleasant. Past participle is inured. Law definition is come into operation; take effect.
irascible: having or showing a tendency to be easily angered

Words J-L
jackal: 2 a person who performs dishonest or base deeds as the follower or accomplice of another. 3 a person who performs menial or degrading tasks for another.
jaded: tired, bored, worn out, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something
jewel: a person unique, beautiful, pure, sweet like an angel; a precious possession; a person or thing treasured
juxtapose: to place or deal with close together for contrasting effect; black and white photos of slums were starkly juxtaposed with color images
keel: the longitudinal structure along the centerline at the bottom of a vessel's hull, on which the rest of the hull is built, in some vessels extended downward as a blade or ridge to increase stability. Base. Bottom. Bottom side.
kleptomania: a recurrent urge to steal, typically without regard for need or profit. A persistent neurotic impulse to steal especially without economic motive.
knee-jerk: readily predictable, react without thinking, react by a habitual manner
lame duck: an official (especially the president) in the final period of office, after the election of a successor
latchkey kid: a child left home alone or without supervision for most of the daylight because their parents are working. A child returns to an empty home after school or other activities without supervision.
leeway: the amount of freedom to move or act that is available. An allowable margin of freedom or variation; tolerance.
loath: unwilling; reluctant; disinclined; averse
loathe: to feel disgust or intense aversion for; abhor
lobotomize: 1 surgical operation nerves at the prefrontal lobe of brain severed. 2 make someone sluggish, mentally numb, lack energy, vitality.

Words M-O
macabre: to include gruesome and horrific details of death and decay
magnanimous: generous in forgiving an insult or injury, especially toward a rival or less powerful person
magnolia: any shrub or tree of the genus Magnolia, having large, usually fragrant flowers and an aromatic bark, much cultivated for ornament. Also the state flower of Louisiana and Mississippi.
maintain: to keep in existence or continuance; preserve; retain. To keep in an appropriate condition, operation, or force.
masticate: to chew
maven: an expert or connoisseur. A person who acquires knowledge.
melodramatic: behaving, speaking, done, or said in a way which is more dramatic, shocking, or highly emotional that the situation demands
microcosm: a little world; a world in miniature
mimosa: a cocktail drink composed of champagne or sparkling wine and citrus fruit juice
misassembled: to put the parts of something together in an incorrect manner; to assemble wrongly
misogyny: dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women
morbid: an unusual interest in disturbing and unpleasant subjects such as death and disease. A curiosity in grisly or gruesome matters
morose: gloomy, unhappy, bad-tempered, miserable, unwilling to speak
mundane: lacking interest or excitement; dull. Very ordinary. Common, unimaginative, unexciting.
mutually exclusive: two or more things can't happen or exist at the same time. Or things which contradict each other.
myopia: lack of foresight or long-term planning
myopic: lacking in foresight or discernment; narrow in perspective and without concern for broader implications. Lacking tolerance or understanding. Nearsighted.
mystic (noun): a person who claims to attain, or believes in the possibility of attaining, insight into mysteries transcending ordinary human knowledge, as by direct communication with the divine or immediate intuition in a state of spiritual ecstasy
mystic (adjective): involving or characterized by esoteric, otherworldly, or symbolic practices or content, as certain religious ceremonies and art; spiritually significant; ethereal
nebulous: hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused; hard to define
nefarious: a wicked or criminal action or activity. Crime. Villain. Evil.
nepotism: the unfair practice by a powerful or influential person of giving jobs and other favors to family and relatives
nihilist: a person who believes life is meaningless and rejects all religious and moral principles. Nihilism is a philosophy negating knowledge, the meaning of life, and morals.
non sequitur: a conclusion or reply which doesn't follow logically from the previous statement; a reply which has no relevance. A statement containing an illogical conclusion.
normalize: to make something normal or return something to normal, or become or return to normal. Make conform.
nothingburger: something that is or turns out to be insignificant or lacking in substance. Not deliver in promise. Nothing, nobody.
nubile: 1 (of a young woman) suitable for marriage. 2 (of a young person, usually a woman) sexually developed and attractive.
odious: deserving or causing hatred; hateful; detestable. Highly offensive; repugnant; disgusting.
oligarchy: a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution. Government by the few. The government in which power rests with a small number of people.
omnipotent: having unlimited power or influence; supreme; powerful
omniscient: knowing or seeming to know everything. I'm the omniscient narrator.
op-ed: short for opposite the editorial page. Also opinion editorial.

Words P-R
pagan: [a broad definition] a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized religions
pageantry: elaborate display or ceremony. Spectacular display.
palimony: a form of alimony awarded to one of the partners in a romantic relationship after the breakup of that relationship following a long period of living together
panacea: 1 a remedy for all disease or ills; cure-all. 2 an answer or solution for all problems or difficulties.
panache: flamboyant or grand confidence of style or manner. Verve; style; flair. A stylish, original, and very confident way of doing things which makes people admire you.
pander: a person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others
parasite: 1 an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment. 2 a person who receives support, advantage, or the like, from another or others without giving any useful or proper return, as one who lives on the hospitality of others.
parenthetical: relating to or inserted as a parenthesis
parity: the state or condition of being equal, especially regarding status or pay. (of a number) the fact of being even or odd.
parlay: turn an initial stake or winnings from a previous bet into a greater amount in gambling. A cumulative series of bets in which winnings accruing from each transaction are used as a stake for a further bet.
parochial: 1 of or relating to a church parish. 2 confined or restricted; limited or narrow in scope or outlook.
partisan: a strong supporter of a person, group, or cause. A resistance fighter.
patrician: an aristocrat or nobleman. High social rank. A person of high birth. A group of ruling class families in ancient Rome.
pauper: a very poor person
pedantic: of or like a pedant. Pedantic describes a person who annoys others by correcting small errors, caring too much about minor details, or emphasizing their own expertise especially in some narrow or boring subject matter.
pedestrian (adjective): lacking uninspired or excitement; dull. Lacking in vitality, imagination, distinction.
penchant: a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something. A strong inclination, taste, or liking for something.
pensive: engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought
peregrine: coming from another region or country; stranger; wanderer
perfidy: treachery or deceit
perpetual: lasting forever, lasting indefinitely, occurring repeatedly
perverse: willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary; disobedient
phallocentric: focused on or concerned with the phallus or penis as a symbol of male dominance. Dominated by male attitudes. Having the male, or male sexual feelings or activity, as the main subject of interest.
phallus: a penis. An erect penis. Used to reference male potency or male dominance. An object resembles a penis.
philanderer: a person who frequently enters into casual sexual relationships or affairs; a womanizer
pinnace: a small boat, with sails or oars, forming part of the equipment of a warship or other large vessel
placate: to make someone less angry or hostile. To pacify by concessions or conciliatory gestures. Stop someone from feeling angry. Appease, soothe, pacify, comfort, calm.
plinth: a slab-like member beneath the base of a column or pier. A square base or a lower block, as of a pedestal.
pliable: flexible and easily bent. Easily persuaded or influenced.
polarize: to break up into opposing factions or groupings; divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs
polymer: a natural or synthetic compound that consists of large molecules made of many chemically bonded smaller identical molecules; for example, starch and nylon
pompous: excessively elevated or ornate; having or exhibiting self-importance or arrogance. Characterized by an ostentatious display of dignity or importance. Conceited. Inflated ego.
posh: sumptuously furnished or appointed; luxurious; very classy or sophisticated
posthumously: after the death of the originator
Potter's field: slang for an unmarked burial ground. Pauper's grave, common grave. Unknown, unclaimed, or indigent people are buried.
precarious: a state of danger, instability, or insecurity, where something is likely to fall, collapse, or fail
precipice: a very steep rock face or cliff. Close to a bad situation or dangerous situation.
premeditated: an action thought out or planned beforehand. Full conscious willful intent and a measure of forethought and planning. Thought of or planned before being done. Planned in advance with a purpose; no accident. Done deliberately. Planned in advanced. Planned. Calculated. Deliberate.
proselyte: a new convert to a religious faith or political doctrine
protagonist: the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work. A proponent for or advocate of a political cause, social program, etc. The leader or principal person in a movement, cause, etc.
punitive: inflicting or intended as punishment. Extremely high taxing or charging.
purgatory: in Roman Catholic, a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are explaining their sins before going to heaven. Having the quality of cleansing or purifying.
putative: generally considered or reputed to be. Commonly accepted or supposed. To be known as something by reputation or generally accepted.
QED: Latin for quod erat demonstrandum. Translated as that which was to be demonstrated.
quagmire: 2 an awkward, complicated, or dangerous situation difficult to escape
quorum: the smallest number of people who must be at a meeting for official decisions to be made by voting
reckoning: count; computation; calculation. The settlement of accounts as between two companies. Bill. An accounting, as for things received or done. An appraisal or judgment.
red herring: something intended to divert attention from the real problem or matter at hand; a misleading clue
regurgitate: bring swallowed food up again to the mouth. Repeat information without analyzing or comprehending it. Taken in at least partially digested and then spit back out. To bring back swallowed food into the mouth or back up through one's throat and out the mouth. Repeating facts.
remunerate: to pay, recompense, or reward for work, trouble, etc.
resonant: strong and deep in tone; echoing, as sounds
revenant: a person who returns; a person who returns as a spirit after death
rhetorical question: a question asked for effect that neither expects nor require an answer
rue: to feel sorry over; repent of; regret bitterly. To wish that something had never been done, taken place, etc. To feel sorrow, repentance, or regret. Sorry, repentance, regret.

Words S-U
sanctimonious: making a show of being morally superior to other people. Acting as if morally better than others. self-righteous; moralist; righteousness.
satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices
sea grape: plant native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean
secular: of or pertaining to worldly things or to things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred
sentient: capable of feeling and perception. Capable of responding emotionally rather than intellectually.
shill: an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others; one who acts as a decoy. To act as a spokesperson or promoter.
skibidi: [skip-pity] comes from a series of extremely popular YouTube videos titled "skibidi toilet." A nonsense word which means nothing.
skittish: 1 nervous or easily scared. 2 lively or playfully unpredictable.
sobriquet: a person's nickname
sportswash: an individual, group, corporation, or government using sports to improve their tarnished reputation hosting a sporting event, the purchase a sports team, or by participation in the sport itself
subsequent: 1 occurring or coming later or after. 2 following in time or order. Something that comes after something else.
succinct: short and clear; short and to the point
sundries: items, especially small, miscellaneous items of little value
sunset clause: a sunset clause is a provision in a contract, law, or regulation that automatically expires on a specified date or after a certain event. It essentially puts a time limit on the agreement or law, requiring renewal or modification to keep it in effect beyond that deadline.
superficial: existing or occurring at or on the surface. Appearing to be the true or real only until examined more closely.
superfluous: being more than is sufficient or required; excessive. Unnecessary or needless.
suprarational: beyond rational comprehension; based on or involving factors not to be comprehended by reason alone
sycophant: a person who tries to win favors from wealthy or influential people by flattering them up; a flatter; a suck up. A servile self-seeking person.
taciturn: [tass-a-turn] habitually uncommunicative or reserved in speech and matter
tertiary: third in order or level; in geology, the first period of the Cenozoic era
Timbuktu: slang for a place or location too far away. Timbuctoo is the incorrect spelling.
tonic immobility: can cause humans to be involuntary paralyzed during a trauma moment
transcendent: going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding; exceeding usual limits
trepidation: tremulous fear or alarm; perturbation. A feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen.
trope: a word, phase, expression, or image that is used in a figurative way for rhetorical effect
tumescence: the quality or state of being tumescent. Ready for sexual activity marked especially by vascular congestion of the sex organs. The normal engorgement with blood of the erectile tissues, marking sexual excitation, and possible readiness for sexual activity.
tumescent: swollen or becoming swollen, especially as a response to sexual arousal
turd: a lump of excrement. A person regarded as obnoxious or contemptible.
uncanny: strange, mysterious, or unfamiliar, especially in an unsettling way. Being beyond what is normal or expected.
unequivocally: in a way which leaves no doubt. Clear and unambiguous.
ungodly: irreligious or immoral. Unreasonably. Denying or disobeying God. Extremely unacceptable.
uppity: self-important, arrogant, superiority, presumptuous

Words V-Z
veranda or verandah: a roofed, open-air hallway or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure.
vicarious: performed, exercised, received, or suffered in place of another. Taking the place of another person or thing; acting or serving as a substitute.
vicariously: in a way that is experienced in the imagination through the actions of another person
vindictive: having or showing a strong desire for revenge motivated by a feeling of injustice or hurt; unwilling to forgive
virile: [ve-ril] having strength, energy, and a strong sex drive. Strength. Full of energy.
visceral: 2 relating to deep inward feelings rather than to the intellect; emotions over intelligence; instinctive. 1 relating to the viscera or internal organs in a body.
vitriol: something highly caustic or severe in effect as criticism
voir dire: the questioning of prospective jurors by a judge and attorneys in court; jury selection. French for to see and to say.
wallflower: (slang) someone who could be called shy, someone who doesn't feel comfortable around other people. They don't like to have attention on them because it makes them uncomfortable.
watershed: a turning point, or historic moment; e.g., the day you got your braces off might have been a watershed moment in your life. A turning point, the exact moment that changes the direction of an activity or situation. A watershed moment is a dividing point, from which things will never be the same. A critical turning point in time where everything changes that will never be the same as before.
whitewash: to gloss over or cover up an error, a fault, or some wrongdoing. In sports, it's to hold an opponent scoreless.
winsome: charming, especially with a naive and innocent quality
wistful: having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing. Melancholy. Sad longing. Sad appearance. Thinking sadly about something. Full of yearning.
yule log: a large log of wood that traditionally formed the backlog of the fire at Christmas

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.

Read Books To Become Smarter And Wiser

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

Long term temporarily signal lights aren't permanent. Read books to learn these wisdoms: head is prioritized over heart or intelligence prioritized over emotions; avoid controlling people because it's a sign of poor self-esteem; good self-esteem is attractive; don't believe experts all the time; and prostitutes have stories. A remembrance to old running shoes. Soda cans needs air. Breathe clean air in the mountains.