Graduating High School Seniors All Back At Square One

My nephew graduated high school yesterday. There were 750 out of 800 graduating seniors who attended their ceremony held in the football field. No tickets were required. Seniors could invite any number of family members and friends. The open seating area on the field was full. Both sides of the bleachers were filled. Some family members and friends disobeyed the graduation ceremony rules. No big deal at the end of the evening. The graduating seniors met with their family members and friends to share a once in a lifetime moment.

There was a commonality when all graduating seniors received their diplomas. They're all even. They're promoted to high school graduate level 1. A new experience points system is activated. Everyone starts with zero points. Everyone opens a new book starting at chapter 1. Level the playing field.

It doesn't matter who were the high school students. Athletes, trouble makers, C average 2.0, goths, rockers, skaters, geeks, loners, straight A 4.0+, popular students, gamers, and good looking students. If the term "college preps" still exists, then they're included. Weirdos, fat students, bullies, bullied, special ed, and bad looking students. All high school students were included.

The rumors disappeared. The mistakes learned. Popularity no more. No more ranking students in *fill in the blank*. Send the bad memories to vault. There were bygones. There was forgiveness. The past is the past. The past four years matters none. The end arrived. High school is over more for better and less for worse. Time to say goodbye.

Boring Ceremony Not Boring

Parents and younger siblings who said high school graduation was boring must take it back. Retract the boring feeling. If parents said high school graduation was boring, then their high school graduation was boring, too. If younger siblings said high school graduation was boring, then their high graduation is going to be boring. The siblings are going to graduate soon.

High school graduation is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Nobody must screw up a once in a lifetime moment.

Allergies And Coughs July 2024

I got sick in Jul 2024. The last time I got sick was in Apr 2022 Allergies And Coughs April 2022. I blog how I treated myself and the likely causes because I want to reference my treatment the next time I get sick. No panic. Obvious symptoms. Pain never severe. Slow and long recovery compared to the Apr 2022 which was quick.

Tue Jul 2, 2024. Irritating throat. Phlegm down my throat. Possible allergies. First day over 100 degrees in 2024. Turned on the residence air conditioning for the first time in 2024. Drank Coke for dinner.

Wed Jul 3. Took Zyrtec at midnight 12:00am. Minor runny nose. Light cough. White color phlegm. Appetite suppressed. Aches in my legs and calves. Lots of sleep. Slept with Breathe Right nasal strips.

Thur Jul 4. Took Zyrtec at 12:26am. Headaches. Light coughing. Yellow color phlegm. One nap. COVID-19 test negative.

I feared all the minor symptoms became worse in the upcoming days. Lower back pain. Poor appetite. I forced myself to eat.

Fri Jul 5. Took Zyrtec at 12:40am. Coughing woke me up at 5:20am. My stomach growling woke me up at 6:30am. Body sweated. I felt throwing up for which I didn't. Went back to sleep at 7:50am. I woke up at 10:50am. I made Jello.

I felt my sickness was the stomach flu without throwing up. My meals were Jello, bread, saltine crackers, and ginger ale. I questioned a stomach virus caused a loss of appetite. Throat felt sore when I swallowed only.

Sat Jul 6. Took Zyrtec at 1:00am. Best sleep of the week. No interruptions. Post nasal drip caused little coughing. Continued sleeping with Breathe Right nasal strips.

Sun Jul 7. Took Zyrtec at 1:55am. More coughing. More stomach aches. More pooping. White color phlegm. I felt worse.

I changed my meals plan. I ate small portions solid food starting at dinner. My initial plan was eat solid foods starting tomorrow. My mom suggested I stop drinking Canada Dry ginger ale. I accepted. I went back to Coke which was not expired. I immediately felt better.

Mon Jul 8. Took Zyrtec at 1:20am. Little coughing delayed my full sleep briefly. Ate more solid foods gradually. Chocolate soothed coughs since coughing started. White color phlegm. Lost five pounds from 160lbs to 155lbs.

Tue Jul 9. Took Zyrtec at 8:00am. Lots of coughing. Ate lots of chocolate. Coolest day of the month. Another heat wave started tomorrow.

Wed Jul 10. Took Zyrtec at 12:00pm. Coughing started after drinking Coke for dinner. No Coke tomorrow.

My right ear was sensitive when I dried my ears with Q-Tips. I wanted to cough.

Thur Jul 11. Took Zyrtec at 12:15pm. I lied. I drank Coke for dinner. No effect on coughing. No coughing for most of the day. I thought Coke from last night increased coughing. It was false. Recovery was faster as long as I sleep.

Fri Jul 12. Took Zyrtec at 1:15pm.

Sat Jul 13. Took Zyrtec at 1:15pm. Setback. I wasn't ready to stop taking Zyrtec. Weather was cooler and muggy. Post nasal drip intensified. More coughing. I brought back Coke for at least one meal a day.

Sun Jul 14. Took Zyrtec at 1:20pm. No improvements. My parents turned on the air conditioning even thought the temperatures were in the mid 80s. My body failed to adjust to the 80s weather. I continued drinking Coke and eating chocolate. Sleeps were good.

Mon Jul 15. I forgot to take Zyrtec in the afternoon. Worst night sleeping relatively speaking. I took a long time to fall asleep. I ate chocolate to fall asleep. No change in coughing.

I needed to move my body. I began modified workouts. I took Zyrtec at 11:00pm. I needed a Zyrtec for 30 minutes on the stationary cycle.

Tue Jul 16. Took Zyrtec at 11:00pm. I connected the dots backwards. Triple whammy. Triple sickness. I got Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV, stomach flu, and RSV for the second time afterwards. I couldn't get COVID-19 because my parents didn't get sick.

All three of the following continued. I drank Coke for lunch and dinner. I ate chocolate to soothe my coughs. I slept with Breathe Right nasal strips.

Wed Jul 17. Took Zyrtec at 11:00pm. I was sensitive to cold. I drink Coke for dinner only. I could change back to lunch and dinner. I needed chocolate to fall asleep.

Thur Jul 18. Took Zyrtec at 11:00pm. No Coke.

Fri Jul 19. No Zyrtec. White color phlegm. I ate chocolate to soothe my coughs and to relieve post nasal drip.

Mon Jul 22. No Zyrtec. White color phlegm. I ate chocolate to relieve post nasal drip.

Thur Jul 25. Popping my ears continued.

Sat Jul 27. Below average temperatures today. I was sensitive to the cooler weather. I needed more chocolate.

Wed Jul 31. Best sleep. No chocolate to fall asleep. No coughing.

Mon Aug 5. Began full workouts.

How Did I Get Sick?

The sickness could be titled as avoidable mistakes. I experienced stomach aches staring on Fri Jun 21, 2024. I could have drank more Coke. I could have not eaten too ripped pineapple. I could have avoided too much exercise; in other words, don't exercise more than the appropriate meals I ate to exercise safely. And I shouldn't drink expired sodas. Here are the possible causes:

Four mile jog became a five mile jog. I ate a poor lunch. My physical fitness wanted a four mile job. My emotions wanted a five mile jog. Sickness from fatigue. Probability: 80%.

Multiple days stomach aches. Did I get the stomach flu beforehand? Probability: 75%.

Slept with the desk fan on and windows fully open. I forgot to turn off the fan and forgot to close the windows before I went to sleep. I turned off the fan and closed the windows at the 7am hour. The error reminded me of the Jul 2000 sickness; however, the Jul 2000 summer weather was unseasonable cold. Probability: 60%.

Weather temperatures variance. My body is weak when I adjust from a big temperature change. Probability: 30%.

Family birthday gathering. There was a family gathering to celebrate my cousin's twin sons one year birthday on Jun 30, 2024. Weather was warm. I limited my meals because of my continued stomach aches. Was somebody else sick? Probability: 25%.

Dirty water pitchers. I didn't wash the water pitchers for months. Probability: 10%.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog July 2024

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. I got sick. I tested negative. Nobody else got sick. Nobody else tested positive. Almost nobody wore masks to minimize the chances of getting infected. I continued wearing my masks. The summer surge continued.

Mon Jul 1. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) reported cases increased in 43 states due to the FLiRT variant.

Tue Jul 2. First day temperatures were over 100 degrees in 2024.

Wed Jul 3. The CDC said a similar variant to FLiRT called LB.1 with an additional mutation is rising. LB.1 represented 17.5% of cases.

Thur Jul 4. Watched episodes of the original The Twilight Zone on Heroes & Icons' Rod White And Blue marathon.

Sun Jul 7. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tested positive for COVID-19. Vice President Kamala Harris tested negative.

Fri Jul 12. At least 50% of the states reported high or very high levels of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19 in their wastewater testing. The western states worsen in the past month. The number of emergency room patients with COVID-19 increased 115% since Jun 2024 and reached Feb 2024 levels. However, the positive case numbers increase was below the peak positive case numbers during the early years of the pandemic. The summer surge trend was consistent with previous summer surge trends. The source was from the CDC.

Sat Jul 13. Went to my local library and shopped at Daiso.

Sun Jul 14. The Tour De France required masks for race organization staff, media, and guests when they're in contact with racers and their staff. Multiple racers withdrew because they tested positive.

Wed Jul 17. Shopped at Costco and Lucky first thing in the morning. Very little people wore masks.

President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19. Biden isolated himself in Delaware.

Thur Jul 18. The CA Department Of Public Health reported the levels at all wastewater monitoring sites in the Bay Area were elevated.

Sat Jul 20. The CDC reported the KP.3 variant dominated the COVID-19 cases at 32.9%. The KP.3.1.1 variant accounted for 17.7% cases. The combined 50.6% of cases ranged from Jul 7 to Jul 20. CA, NV, AZ, and HI were the largest positivity rates from Jul 6 to Jul 13.

Wed Jul 24. Five women from the Australian water polo team tested positive at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. A statement on COVID-19 stated athletes experiencing respiratory symptoms to wear a mask, limit contacts, and wash hands or use hand sanitizer.

Fri Jul 26. British Columbia, Canada ended the COVID-19 public health emergency. The emergency was declared on Mar 17, 2020. It's still mandatory for health-care workers, doctors, nurses, volunteers, and contractors in public health care facilities to disclose all immunization statuses including COVID-19.

Mon Jul 29. CA wastewater levels surpassed 2022 levels which indicate a worsening spread of COVID-19. Outpatient treatment increased. Fortunately, hospitalization rates were low. The FLiRT variants caused the summer surge; in particular, the KP.3.1.1 variant.

The CDC said wastewater samples from 37 states and the District Of Columbia reported high or very high levels of the coronavirus. CA was one of the 37 states with a 93% of the 2022 summer levels. There were no indications of a decrease in coronavirus levels. The CA positive rate was 13.8%. The CA highest level positive rate was 13.1% in summer 2023.

Medical experts recommended people with respiratory symptoms or cold symptoms to get tested. There are still people dying for COVID-19 in the hundreds weekly. There are still people who get long COVID.

Wed Jul 31. Shopped at Smart & Final and Costco. Costco was busy during the lunch hour. Very little people wore masks.

Top Ten Plus Five Equals Top Fifteen Crappy 1990s Best Moments

My biggest life regret as of today's blog is I failed to live the 1990s to the best of my ability. My downs outnumbered the ups. My ups were crappy ups. Many of the ups were unearned like a baseball team scoring an unearned run or the ups were given on a silver platter. I took the ups for granted. Life was unfair in the 1990s. Life is unfair today. Some people had more downs than ups. I was one of them.

In my opinion, the 1990s is best decade in the history of the human race. The economy was fantastic; although, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's monetary policy is another conversation. Fuel injection engines in automobiles. The internet. Email communication. Watch movies on DVDs. Listen to music on CDs. Mobile cell phones. Windows 95 and Windows 98. Nintendo. Playstation. Apple began the comeback when the late Steve Jobs came back. Opportunities were plentiful. Everyone got a piece of the pie. A piece of the pie was given just by participating.

If my courage increased 20%, then I got a bigger piece of the pie. If two people at the minimum, at any place, and at any time introduced me to something, anything positively new, then I live in freedom today. If either the same two people or two different people at the minimum, at any place, and at any time called out my faults, then I live in freedom today.

One high school moment worth mentioning was I attended summer school Geometry after my sophomore year. I made new friends. I was able to take Algebra II in my junior year and Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus in my senior year. I saw most of my friends in the math classes. Moreover, the summer school was a foreshadow because the school district closed my high school after my junior year. I graduated high school at the same school I took my summer school Geometry.

I salvaged the 1990s. I was naive. I received poor support. I didn't know how to make intelligent mistakes. It was not entirely my fault. I accepted my share of responsibility. All is forgiven today. I have been catching up what I missed since I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. Experiences experienced. Lessons learned. Wisdom acquired. The catching up continues. Here are the top fifteen crappy 1990s best moments.

15. 1993 Bike Ride (Summer 1993). I rode my bike randomly around my neighborhood exploring parts of West San Jose and Campbell, CA. The places included Westmont High School, San Tomas Aquinas Creek, and John D. Morgan park.

14. Working Out At The Gym (Sep 1998, May 1999). My first gym was at my first company's office park. My second gym was at a real gym. I continue physical workouts today.

13. My First Webpage (1998). I created my first webpage at geocities.com Tokyo Bay 9061.

12. The Year Of The Role Playing Game (RPG) (1997). 1997 was the perfect year for RPG. Everyone was in San Jose, everyone adjusted their college and work schedules, everyone participated in the action, and the plots were terrific. The memories are remembered for a long time.

11. Las Vegas Grand Canyon (Jul 1997). My family's first biggest summer vacation. We stayed at a time share during our stay in Las Vegas. We took a two-day trip to the Grand Canyon. The vacation was my first time in Las Vegas, first time I gambled, and my first time in Arizona.

10. Around The State Of California In 90 Days (May-Aug 1995). 1995 was filled with family vacations. We visited Disneyland, visited Yosemite, canoed in the Sacramento River, and visited my grandparents in Santa Barbara. Yosemite was my first time visiting a national park.

9. San Jose State University (1992-1997). I choose San Jose State number nine even though many people think graduating from college should be higher in a person's life. I'm an exception.

*Fall Semester 1993. I earned a C- taking Computer Science 46A despite failing the final. The professor gave me a break. I attended all classes. I completed all the homework. Doing the minimums saved my ass.

*Fall Semester 1994. Physics 60 final. "I studied three hours for that!", said a classmate. Most students completed the four-choice multiple-choice final in 30 minutes. The final was very easy a high school student could earn an A.

*Fall Semester 1995. I changed majors from Mathematics to Economics and changed minors from Economics to Mathematics. My dream of teaching high school math was over. The switch was a good choice looking back. I believe I stopped being a teacher in today's public education environment.

I made a big deal thinking about the change initially. I thought back. The change should have been immediate. My Economic major classes became interesting. I met more classmates. My GPA went up at the end of each semester.

*Fall Semester 1996. My perfect semester. I attended classes on Tue and Thur. I learned how to write. 3.64 was my semester GPA. I mastered the shooting arcade game Area 51. I lost weight. I began listening to music while I studied.

*Fall Semester 1997. My last semester. I attended classes three days a week. I can't explain why I didn't schedule my semesters for at least one day off. Today's college environment most classes meet two days a week instead of some classes meeting either two days a week or three days a week.

8. Music (Various Dates). Yanni, Enya, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Madonna, Shawn Colvin, Sarah McLachlan, LeAnn Rimes, Jewel, No Doubt, Alanis Morissette, Donna Lewis, Hootie And The Blowfish, Paula Cole, Sixpence None The Richer, The Cranberries, Sting, Wilson Phillips, R.E.M., and Spice Girls.

7. Self-training Job Skills (1998). I taught myself Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and HTML. Learning Access helped me get my second job. I wished I continued the self-training attitude indefinitely.

6. The Snowman And Pinky Show (1994-1995). I played stuffed animals with my younger sister. Snowman was The Snowman from the book written by Raymond Briggs. Pinky was a blue bear with a pink nose. The other animals were bears related to Pinky. There was another snowman who looked like The Snowman named cousin Snow. We were terrible naming the stuffed animals. Most of the bear names were referenced from The Simpsons and favorite family movies.

I was Snowman, cousin Snow, and the extras. My sister was Pinky and his bear family.

5. Blockbuster Video (1996-1997). My first retail job. The store manager and I attended the same high school which was the number one reason he hired me.

4. Weekend Trip To Santa Barbara, CA (Aug 1998). My mom and I picked up my grandfather in Santa Barbara, CA as a last minute trip driving the Mercury Sable 1997 station wagon. We transported our family birds to one of my aunts in Los Angeles to be picked up. We listened to music on my portable CD player connected to the radio cassette deck for the first time.

The next day we drove my grandfather back to the Bay Area. The highlight of the trip was a Ford Mustang driving next to me from Soledad to San Jose. Sometimes I was in front of the Mustang. Sometimes the Mustang was in front of me. We separated at the Junction 85-17 freeway.

3. Weekend Trip To Cal Poly (Apr 1998). A friend invited me to visit him during the annual Cal Poly Open House weekend. I helped his club raise money cooking teriyaki chicken at the food booths. The weekend vacation was the first time I went on vacation solo. I went shopping at an outlet strip mall purchasing neck ties.

2. Japanese Anime (1996). I became an anime fan. I woke up listening to the ending song from Sailor Moon when my sister watched the English anime dub. I watched a variety of anime series when I rented anime at Blockbuster Video. The first anime series I purchased was the first season of Ranma 1/2. I attended my first anime convention Fanime Con in Mar 1997.

1. My First Jobs After College (Jul 1998 And Feb 1999). The commercial real estate industry was my first two jobs. My boss who hired me at my first job also hired me at my second job. I worked in the industry for 8.5 years.

Update On A Past Blog

The C- grade in Computer Science 46A was mentioned in Top Ten Good Breaks And Good Timing written on Jul 8, 2013. Number nine was San Jose State University. I should have elaborated the "Failed final, yet passed the class" bullet point.

Highlight and Favorite 2022 Tweets

Here are my 11 highlight Tweets and 2 favorite Favorites Tweets in 2022. The goals delaying one year are relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, and sharing changes. Follow me @inin61. Enjoy!

Highlights

Jan 3: @HistoryInPics, The last photograph of the Beatles together. August 22, 1969 at John Lennon's countryside estate Pic Link

Mar 3: I paid over $5 a gallon for gas at $5.27 earlier today. It was a first in #raymondshistorybook.

Apr 18: condone: to disregard or overlook (something illegal, objectionable, or the like); accept and allow (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive) to continue. #mynewwordoftheday

May 5: Job candidates can get hired by ignorance. Pic Link

May 13: It's brought to my attention the word "analysis" can't be spelled without the letters a-n-a-l.

Jun 27: There were 48 stars in the American flag during World War II. Alaska was admitted to the Union on Jan 5, 1959. Hawaii was admitted to the Union on Aug 21, 1959. #mytriviaoftheday

Sep 7: 109 degrees was a record high temperature in San Jose yesterday. My personal record high was 120 in Las Vegas during my Summer 1997 vacation. #raymondshistorybook

Sep 15: YouTube safety video a car crashes into an electrical pole. Stay in the car. Exit the car only if in danger. Exit jumping down feet together because of electrical touch potential. Walk short shuffling because of electrical step potential Video Link

Sep 29: superficial: existing or occurring at or on the surface. Appearing to be the true or real only until examined more closely. #mynewwordoftheday

Sep 30: Customer: We take the deal with no money down. Salesperson: No, money down.

Oct 13: The three major market indices reached new 52 week lows. The Consumer Price Index is +8.2% year over year. Dow Jones new 52 week low 28,660.94 and closed 30,038.72, NASDAQ new 52 week low 10,088.83 and closed 10,649.15, and S&P 500 new 52 week low 3,491.58 and closed 3,669.91.

Favorite Favorites

Jun 16: @BleacherReport, Warriors 21-0 run Pic Link

Jun 30: @LarryBeilABC7, As you watch the madness unfold with KD, Kyrie, Harden, Simmons, Ayton etc, understand the value of @StephenCurry30. The rare superstar who thinks TEAM before himself. Impossible to quantity how much his attitude & leadership are worth to the Warriors

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog July 2023

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. There is a late summer COVID-19 surge. The surge is the top COVID-19 headline for the month.

Sat Jul 1. Hottest day of 2023.

Mon Jul 3. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) estimated 1 in 4 Americans age 16 and older didn't get COVID-19. 96.7% of all Americans have antibodies from vaccination, surviving the virus, or a combination of both on Dec 2022. 9 in 10 Americans under age 18 survived COVID-19 at least once through Dec 2022. Having antibodies from a prior infection doesn't mean people are protected from future infections. Immunity weakens over time.

Mon Jul 10. Shopped at Valley Fair mall, Costco, and Marukai. Got gas. Went to Bank Of America. Costco was busy.

Tue Jul 11. A friend who is fully vaccinated and updated on boosters tested positive for COVID-19. He consistently wore his mask.

The US Department Of Agriculture Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service analyzed COVID-19 transmissions between humans and animals. Humans transmitted COVID-19 to wild deer hundreds of times. Humans and wild deer transmitted and spread mutated variants at least three times. 26 states and Washington, D.C. were the geographical areas from Nov 2021 to Apr 2022.

Thur Jul 13. The US Department Of Health And Human Services (HHS) said the next vaccines are entering through the commercial market instead of through the US government in fall 2023. Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax are the three companies which manufacture the COVID-19 vaccines in the US. The three companies' latest vaccines targeting the current Omicron variant XBB.1.5 is available in Sep 2023 after the CDC recommendation and the Food And Drug Administration (FDA) authorization.

The CDC provides access to vaccines for people who don't have health insurance. Uninsured children receive free vaccines at no cost through the Vaccines For Children Program.

The CDC reported 69.5% of the US population completed the primary COVID-19 vaccines. 17% received a dose of the updated booster in fall 2022.

Mon Jul 17. Shopped at The Home Depot. A small number of customers and employees wore masks.

Deaths from COVID-19 declined to pre-pandemic levels. New treatments for COVID-19 hospital patients were a factor. Hospitalizations in CA are the lowest since the beginning of the pandemic.

Wed Jul 19. The Nature journal published a study people with a specific genetic variation may be more likely to never develop COVID-19 symptoms whether they're infected or not infected. 136 of the 1,500 unvaccinated people in the study tested positive without symptoms.

The US Department Of HHS suspended the Wuhan Institute Of Virology access to federal funding. The lab failed to provide biosafety protocols and security measures documentation. Federal funding stopped in Jul 2020. A longer term ban is possible if the institute doesn't respond with the documentation.

The lab is a possible virus source. The US and international public health organizations criticize China and the lab for stonewalling their investigations. The COVID-19 origin remains unsolved.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 7,000,000 died globally.

Fri Jul 21. Ran errands at Winchester Auto Parts and Costco.

The CDC said the COVID-19, flu, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) spread is currently low. However, there is a slight increase in both positive cases and emergency room visits. The hospitalizations decline is stalled. The Omicron subvariants XBB is prevalent. The WHO identified the subvariant EG.5 increasing in prevalence globally. The three vaccines RSV, flu, and an updated COVID-19 are available in fall 2023.

Sat Jul 22. Morning shopping at Kinokuniya Bookstore, Mitsuwa, Nikaku Animart, Nijiya, and Valley Fair mall. Family dinner at Happy Sashimi.

Tue Jul 25. The CDC said weekly COVID-19 hospitalizations increased 10% in the US. It's the largest percentage increase since Dec 2022. Emergency room visits increased from 0.49% to 0.73%. The US experienced another summer surge since the global pandemic started in 2020.

Fri Jul 28. The CDC reported wastewater data analysis showed an increase in coronavirus particles in early Jul.

Shopped at Smart & Final.

Mon Jul 31. The US Department Of HHS announced the Office Of Long COVID Research And Practice to research long COVID affecting up to 23 million people. The research is operated by The National Institute Of Health. There are two clinical trials to test long COVID-19 treatments. 900 patients are enrolled in the study named RECOVER-VITAL. The patients take Paxlovid for 25 days. The second is named RECOVER-NEURO. The patients are treated for long COVID-19 symptoms such as brain fog, memory problems, fatigue, headaches, and loss of taste and smell.

At Least Ten Years Ago Last Visited

The following places I visited 2013 or earlier. The COVID-19 global pandemic is part of the reason for the long-term hiatus. I have faith I visit these places soon. The places are off the top of my head.

*Santa Cruz, CA
*The Golden Gate Bridge and north of the bridge
*Santa Clara Convention Center
*Oracle Park home of the San Francisco Giants
*Southern California including Los Angeles, Disneyland, and Santa Barbara
*Tapioca Express
*Oakridge Mall
*Pier 39
*State of Washington
*An ice skating rink
*California Academy Of Sciences
*An arts festival
*British Columbia, Canada
*Taco Bell
*Denny's
*San Jose State University
*Any Mountain store
*Wal-Mart; however, I shopped at a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market once in Jan 2022.
*Ballroom dance studio
*University Avenue in Palo Alto, CA
*Any flea market
*Union 76 gas station
*Golfland

I Went To An Amusement Park During The Global Pandemic

I exited my comfort zone. I deactivated the COVID-19 risk-adverse shield. I was with groups of people including families, couples, and friends. I don't recall the last time I was present with groups of people pre-pandemic. I attended an amusement park yesterday. Mar 2020 was the last time I participated in any gathering before California shutdown on Mar 17, 2020.

I went to the Gilroy Gardens in Gilroy, CA. My brother invited my dad and I because his wife and his son couldn't attend. It was a last minute invite. I rushed preparation. I brought sunscreen. I wore my hiking clothes. Obviously, I brought my mask. I assured myself and my family I minimize my chances of getting COVID-19.

I did my best to social distance. I initiated social distancing when I walked around the park. I wore my mask except eating.

My observations are plenty. Few people wore masks. I saw one Gilroy Gardens employee wearing a mask. People were in groups without social distancing. I saw no groups initiating social distancing. People waited in line without social distancing. People ate in groups were closer than social distancing. People are tired of the global pandemic adjustments. People desire pre-pandemic normal life.

Headlines state omicron BA.5 is contagious and immune to present vaccines. I fear more people contract COVID-19 from Gilroy Gardens. I hope I don't contract COVID. Masks are not 100% protection.

It Was A Life Break

I admit I felt relaxed at the end of yesterday. Yesterday was a break from job training. Yesterday was a break from staying indoors throughout the day. Yesterday was a break from eating healthy. I cancelled my planned physical workout. I ate a vanilla chocolate chip ice cream inside two chocolate chip cookies for which I ate the ice cream at the car instead of inside the park. Yesterday was a change being outside San Jose throughout the day.

Am I going to spend more time outdoors with groups of people? It depends on my comfort feeling. It depends on the COVID-19 case numbers. It's case by case. It's a judgement call. Gilroy Gardens is a small amusement park. There was room for me to social distance when I walked; although, I couldn't control other people walking towards me when I'm either waiting in the shade or other people walking behind me. Did I smell good?

A final observation. I saw more obese children.

Hold On Nobody Knows When The Global Pandemic Ends

The first USA COVID-19 case was January 2020. The US has been in a pandemic for 2.5 years or 30 months. California shut down on Tue Mar 17, 2020. The day count is 838 days as of today. The Fourth Of July weekend and the Summer 2022 headlines explain most people's attitudes about the COVID-19 global pandemic. We are tired. We are depressed. The last two and a half years suck. People are going out. People are going on vacation. People are getting together. People are doing something, anything pre-pandemic.

However, people must hold on. Wear masks. Social distance. Continue vigilance. Get vaccinated. Get boosted if eligible. Continue strength and courage. People forget the global virus. Global COVID-19 case numbers are increasing. USA disease experts says our case numbers are underreported because some people who tested positive at home don't report to their local government. Minimize the chances of getting COVID-19. Experts don't know the long-term effects. Experts don't know the post-COVID-19 effects on the human body. Nobody knows how the world governments continue funding COVID-19 research and prevention.

Full Disclosure

Today's blog reminds my readers and reminds myself. The COVID-19 pandemic is clear and present. I lost my strength and courage last week. I lost my focus. I was tired living in the global pandemic. I diverted from my defensive COVID-19 lifestyle. I hold on. I'm back to my defensive COVID-19 lifestyle. The mini break is over. The distraction is stopped. Move forward.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog June 2022

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. Half of the 2022 year past in a blank of an eye. Global positive rates continued to increase due to omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants. Monkeypox is spreading.

Thur Jun 2. Watched Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors NBA Finals Game 1.

Alameda County reinstated indoor mask requirements effective Fri Jun 3. Indoor facilities included grocery stores, gyms, and summer schools. The county was the first in the Bay Area to reinstate since Feb when California lifted indoor mask requirements.

Fri Jun 3. Assisted my dad running errands recycling metal and shopping at Costco and The Home Depot.

Sun Jun 5. Watched Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors NBA Finals Game 2.

Tue Jun 7 The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee approved the Novavax vaccine. Two vaccine dosage for adults 18 years and older. The risk of a heart attack was a primary concern. Novavax is the fourth vaccine authorized in the USA if the FDA and Center For Disease Control (CDC) approves. There is no data on the effectiveness of the omicron variant because the vaccine targeted the original strain. The side effects were pain on the injection site, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain.

Millions of COVID-19 vaccine dosages were thrown away from Dec 2020 to May 2022. The reasons included expiration dates and open virals containing a few doses with nobody to receive at the end of the day, decline in demand, large minimum orders, and multi-dose virals made it hard to avoid waste.

Wed Jun 8. Watched Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics NBA Finals Game 3.

Fri Jun 10. First Spare The Air alert in 2022.

Watched Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics NBA Finals Game 4. I also watched the Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants 7th inning.

The CDC lifted the requirement foreign travelers must test negative before entering the US effective Sun Jun 12 at midnight. The requirement was in place since Jan 2021.

Mon Jun 13. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tested positive for COVID-19 again. Trudeau was vaccinated and boosted. Trudeau met with President Joe Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom days ago.

Watched Boston Celtics at Golden State Warriors NBA Finals Game 5.

US Health & Human Secretary Xavier Becerra tested positive for COVID-19 again less than a month after being infected.

Wed Jun 15. Top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci tested positive for COVID-19 again. Fauci is fully vaccinated and boosted twice. Mild symptoms.

Thur Jun 16. Watched Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics NBA Finals Game 6.

Fri Jun 17. The FDA approved emergency authorization use for the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine for children as young as 6 months. The Moderna vaccine was approved for children and teens ages 6-18. The Pfizer vaccine is three shots for which the first two shots are three weeks apart, and the third shot is two months after the second shot. The Moderna vaccine is two shots four weeks apart. Children 5 or younger were ineligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Sat Jun 18. The CDC approved the COVID-19 Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for children 6 months to 5 years.

Mon Jun 20. The weather forecast was 90 degrees or hotter for the entire week. It was the first time in 2022.

Wed Jun 22. The European Centre For Disease Prevention And Control said case numbers increased last week due to the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants. Some of the European countries included Portugal, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Greece, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. Affected people with BA.4 and BA.5 didn't experience severe illnesses.

A CDC study from Jun 1 to Jun 13 stated 19% of adults with COVID-19 reported long COVID-19 symptoms. 7.5% of adults reported long COVID-19 symptoms year-to-date. Long COVID-19 is defined as symptoms not experienced before contracting the virus and lasted at least three months after contracting the virus. The symptoms included fatigue, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, cognitive difficulties, and chronic pain. Younger adults were more likely to have long COVID than older adults.

Thur Jun 23. The San Jose Airport passenger count year-to-date is the highest during the pandemic.

Moderna announced a new vaccine providing protection against the omicron variant including the current BA.4 and BA.5 variants.

Fri Jun 24. Alameda County lifted indoor mask mandate effective Sat Jun 25. The county COVID-19 transmission level changed from high to moderate. Masks were still required for correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and long-term care facilities.

California reached 10 million total cases.

Sat Jun 25. An updated Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster is effective against the omicron variant including the current BA.4 and BA.5 variants.

Mon Jun 27. China reduced the number of quarantine days for inbound travelers from 14 days to seven days. China reported Beijing and Shanghai are back to zero COVID cases.

Wed Jun 29. The US purchased 105 million Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses for a fall booster campaign. The total cost is $3.2 billion coming from an earlier COVID-19 relief package to be reallocated for the fall booster campaign. There is an option for an additional 300 million doses. The first shots are the new vaccine version pending approval to combat the omicron variants. The current vaccines are weak to protect from omicron; although, the current vaccines protect against hospitalization and death. There is a stalemate in Congress to pass additional COVID-19 funding.

Thur Jun 30. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported global case numbers increased 18% last week. 110 countries reported increases. The Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 were the biggest factor. WHO was concern over weak vigilance and efforts to sequence the virus.

I mailed a letter at the post office, shopped at used book stores, and shopped at Target. More people were walking in public without wearing masks.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an interview with the Foreign Policy's Global Health Forum he took Paxlovid because his symptoms worsen when he got COVID-19 a second time. Fauci tested negative after he completed the five-day course. Fauci tested positive on the fourth day after he tested negative. Fauci felt fatigue. Fauci took another five-day Paxlovid course. His health condition improved.

The CDC stated regarding additional Paxlovid courses, "There is currently no evidence that additional treatment for COVID-19 is needed for COVID-19 rebound. Based on data available at this time, patient monitoring continues to be the most appropriate management for patients with recurrence of symptoms after completion of a treatment course of Paxlovid." The FDA agreed. However, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said a second Paxlovid course can be used to treat rebound cases. Pfizer makes paxlovid. There is no information how and why rebounds happen.

Active, Slow, Plain, Quiet Summer 2020

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

Reading Harry Potter was a peaceful activity. The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates near zero to keep the economy moving slowly. The State Of California became planet Mars during the wildfires. More people struggled with poverty and hunger during the global pandemic. New fitness equipment was a physical peaceful activity. Follow the advice travel with towels from the book The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I laughed when I saw my last name on a Dodge Ram truck. The minimal car maintenance is open the hood for a visual engine inspection. A history reminder the 2020 US Presidential election was close.

Top Ten Plus Two Equals Top Twelve Reasons Working At Blockbuster Video Was Great

I worked at Blockbuster Video when I was a college student. It was my first retail job. Most people say working in retail sucked. It did when I was a young adult. I think back as a wiser grown adult. I think back being more educated. Today's blog is an example I can't change the past for better or for worse. I can change my opinion. Working at Blockbuster Video was great. I was fortunate the store manager accepted my part-time schedule being a full-time student. Here are the top twelve reasons working at Blockbuster Video was great:

12. The Square Person. Every group of people must have the square person. I was the square employee. Every group of people must have the naive person. I was the naive employee, too. Every group of people must have a slow person--not necessarily the slowest person in the world. Fortunately, I wasn't the slow person. The manager assigned the slow person two hours of work every week or every month.

A square person and/or a naive person is acceptable as long as he, she, or they have a good relationship with the group.

11. Honestly. There is no point being another person. Every worker and every manager were being themselves. There is no reason to fake it. Retail is low. I answer what is low and how low in number one.

10. Dress Shirts And Ties. All the male workers wore buttoned up dress-up shirts and ties on Fri night shifts. The store manager scheduled Fri night all males 90% of the time. I purchased one of my dress-up shirts at Mervyns.

9. Store Manager Pro-Employee. The store manager fixed problems fast. The store manager resolved employee complaints. For instance, one assistant manager lived a life full of drama taking out her stress on all employees. Employees complained. The assistant manager was transferred. My friends told me retail managers don't care. They were correct. My store manager was an outlier.

8. First Time Perks. Blockbuster offered free or reduced rentals. It was the first time I experienced a perk. Blockbuster changed the perk to five free rentals a week because Blockbuster encouraged employees to watch videos to recommend movies to customers.

7. Earn Money And Pay Taxes. Earning a paycheck every two weeks was a first for me. Seeing some of my money paying taxes was another first for me.

6. Earn Money And Pay For Goods And Services. Earning a paycheck to pay for my own goods and services felt good. I purchased anime; for example, Ranma 1/2 season 1 on VHS tapes. I purchased food between college classes.

5. The Winning Store. Management and employees were happy my store was the top producing store in the district. Winning brought out the joy. Winning hid the conflicts. There were conflicts among all workers.

4. Strengthen My Resume. I added Blockbuster Video to my resume after graduating college. I could see high school students adding retail to their college applications. High school students must work in retail. Why? I answer in number 2.

3. Disrespect Minimum Wage Workers. I learned many people don't respect minimum wage workers. Sad. I rarely ask for help in retail stores. Retail workers don't care about their customers. I leave them alone. I leave them at peace. They worry about more important problems.

2. Lessons Learned Outside The Classrooms. It doesn't matter college or high school. If you don't want to work in customer service, then get an education. You think your friends, classmates, and teachers are stupid. Work in retail. You experience slow thinking co-workers, dumb customers, and jerks worse than your friends, classmates, and teachers. Another lesson learned is the management and employee relationship.

Honorable Mentions: I brought balloons from my house on my Fri night shifts for the children. I used my dad's air compressor to blow up balloons. Also, I went to a Hollywood Video store to spy under a request from the district manager.

1. The Lowest Of The Low. Retail is the lowest of the low in the career totem pole. Janitor is higher than retail. If you don't want to work at the lowest of the low, then get an education. The customers make retail the lowest of the low.

Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog July 2020

California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I have been logging the highlights and lowlights. The Jul month slowed down compared to Jun. There were more bad moments than good moments. The pandemic daily life is unprecedented, uncharted, new, unknown, and untested.

Wed Jul 1. The State Of California rollbacked the state reopening. Outdoor bars and many indoor businesses closed for three weeks. Parking lots at state beaches closed. Beaches remained open.

Fri Jul 3. One of the two N95 mask straps broke while I drove.

Shopped at my local Target since Mar 14, 2020. One entrance opened. Second entrance closed. The fitness equipment aisle was sold-out. I tried to use a coupon for buy one, get one free Dove Body Wash. The coupon was invalid when the cashier scanned the coupon. I returned to Target minutes later to buy two Dove Body Wash bottles. I paid for the two body wash bottles at the self-checkout. The coupon was valid.

I headlight restored my dad's truck.

Local governments discouraged fireworks and gatherings for the Fourth Of July.

Sat Jul 4. Independence Day. Neighborhood fireworks went off in the evening and after midnight.

Sun Jul 5. Neighborhood fireworks continued in the evening.

Wed Jul 8. Removed dust from my desktop and laptop. Spot vacuumed main walk areas.

Thur Jul 9. I took a nap because last night was the worse sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I shopped at Nob Hill in the evening. It was the first time since Mar 2020 I turned out my car's headlights. The supermarket disclosed temporary price increases for their meats. I purchased a Digiorno frozen pizza using a $1.00 manufacturer coupon on the box and purchased a box of It's It ice cream.

The main street through Nob Hill was repaved. It was the first time I drove on the main street repaved since Mar 2020.

Fri Jul 10. I watched MLS Is Back on ESPN Seattle Sounders Vs. San Jose Earthquakes at the 78th minute. It was my first sports event I watched during the COVID-19 pandemic. I heard the players speak.

Sun Jul 12. Another poor sleep. I woke up around 5:30am. I watched a sports replay Klay Thompson scored an NBA record 37 points in one quarter in 2015 against the Sacramento Kings.

Mild allergies with mild runny nose. I took a Zyrtec at 4:20pm.

Mon Jul 13. I took a Zyrtec at 4:30pm. The State Of California announced sweeping new closures because COVID-19 cases increases. All counties were ordered to close indoor operations including restaurants, wineries, movie theaters, fitness centers, worship centers, nail and hair salons, and barbershops. Bars and breweries were closed indoors and outdoors.

The State Of California announced 329,000 cases and 7,000 deaths.

Sat Jul 18. Minor injuries during the week. Lower back pain for half of a day. The left side of my body on my waist hurt for two days. A dental floss cut on my gum lower left. Gum irritation on my gum lower middle.

Tue Jul 21. All books in my library are read. My next book is a re-read.

Wed Jul 22. Spot vacuumed upstairs and the family room.

Thur Jul 23. Purchased Colgate toothpaste from a Target promotion.

Multiple aisles and multiple inventory shelves at Costco were empty. I saw five delivery trucks. They must be new inventory.

Gas prices increased.

Multiple news media reported California is the highest number of COVID-19 cases surpassing New York in the United States.

Watched my first MLB baseball game of the 2020 season. I listened to the San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers on KNBR 680 from the fifth inning to the eighth inning. Then I watched the baseball game on ESPN from the eighth inning to the ninth inning.

Fri Jul 24. I took a nap because I was fatigued. The daily temperature was under 80 degrees which was the first time in three weeks.

Mon Jul 27. I backed up my files on my desktop and laptop. I jogged for the first time during COVID-19. I jogged for one mile in the neighborhood practicing social distancing.

Wed Jul 29. Ordered take out at Mizu Restaurant. It was the first time we ate at the Japanese restaurant.

The United States deaths were 150,034 which led globally.

I took a diarrhea pill.

Thur Jul 30. Multiple aisles and multiple inventory shelves at Costco were empty. I continued shopping at Costco during the first hour of opening.

Road construction at one entrance backed up traffic like a normal weekday afternoon. The same entrance was closed for exiting later.

I slept poorly sleep last night.

Fri Jul 31. Shopped at Safeway, Target, and Lucky. Target issued limits on selected household paper products, over the counter drugs, soaps, and all hand sanitizers. Registers didn't enforce limits.

Update On A Past Blog

I add more answers to the question Why Do I Write Blogs? on Dec 29, 2013. My initial answers included sharing my thoughts, sharing my opinions, and keeping my writing skills sharp.

Another initial answer was documenting my life as I improve my life. I want to elaborate. My documentation includes my maturity and my fortunate changes for the better. My past blogs I took life for granted. I was naive. I was an idiot. I was weak. I complained. I was arrogant. I didn't practice what I preached.

I'm not a psychologist. There are two types of depression. There is normal depression and there is chronic depression. A normal depression is a crabby day. Nothing went as planned. There was no flow. Bad luck. Bad timing. Feeling dreadful was short. No excuses. Desire and motivation remain strong.

A chronic depression is a person feels better without solving personal problems. The person doesn't solve problems. The person feels better forgetting personal problems. The person smiles when there is sympathy solicited or unsolicited. The unsolved personal problems cause depression again. There are excuses. There is no motivation. The rest is temporary. The recovery is incomplete.

Motivation is more important than knowledge. I'm cured from chronic depression. My blogs document the permanent recovery. I make intelligent mistakes. I don't live the past. The recovery deal is a person solves problems when he or she feels better.

Top Ten Kid Moments

My kindergarten to sixth grade kid years were boring, uninspiring, slow growing, little developing, and being behind. There was little parental involvement. They were inactive, cheap, and overprotective. They took life for granted ignoring problems hoping they fixed themselves. My childhood was too much fun. The child years were too loose with little guidance. Ironically, I admit some children wished they had my parents because they provided shelter, food, and clothing.

I'm happy to share top kid moments. Some of these moments were experienced with good timing, good fortunes, and dumb luck. Sesame Street is a good example. The classic Sesame Street taught me how to be a good child my parents failed to teach me. I'm lucky I was young at the time Sesame Street influenced my childhood development. I was also lucky to watch the Saturday morning cartoons. Bugs Bunny, Richie Rich, A Pup Named Scooby Doo, and The Real Ghostbusters were my favorites. There are no Saturday morning cartoons today. The Saturday morning cartoons are number six in my top ten.

Here are the top ten kid moments:

10. Won $5 Pumpkin Contest (6th Grade). My junior high school held a guess the pumpkins' total weight contest. I won in the 6th grade division. It was the only time I won cash in any contest throughout my life.

9. Captain Of A Train (Kindergarten). My brother, cousin, and I played on a steam locomotive train at Washington Park in Alameda, CA. We played "captain, there's a fire" for which all the kids told me there was a pretend fire. I investigated. I extinguished the fire. My brother and cousin were my lieutenants. We continued the game throughout the entire day.

8. Solo Play (Various). There were times I was responsible keeping myself occupied. I played Puzzletown Set D Mayor Fox's Town Center. I rode my bike around the neighborhood outdoors and used the sofa indoors pretending I was a school bus driver. I pretended selling new cars at my car dealership named "Snoopy Car Dealer". I was a cashier at a grocery store and a BEST department store using a broken calculator, toy money, and a file cabinet as the till. I was a banker using Legos and preschool toys as the computers. And I was a teacher using obsolete primary grade textbooks my parents got at school closures.

7. I'm Bugs Bunny (1st Grade). I broke saltine crackers in half as carrots when I pretended I was Bugs Bunny.

6. Morning Game Shows And Cartoons (Various). My summer vacation mornings were occupied watching game shows. My Saturday mornings were occupied watching network cartoons. I was sad seeing college football games broadcasted during the fall and winter seasons.

5. First Football Touchdown (5th Grade). There was a fumble. A popular fifth grader told me to pick up the ball. I picked up the ball. I ran to the end zone. It was my first touchdown. I scored many more touchdowns in lunch hour football games.

4. Animal Telephone (Kindergarten-2nd Grade). My brother and I collected stuffed animals. We pretended our beds were apartments housing our own stuffed animals. We took turns an animal from one apartment called an animal from another apartment to hang out. Each of us owned toy jeeps big enough to put our animals inside. We used the jeeps to transport some of our animals inside the house; for example, my parent's bed was the grocery store. It was like old school socializing. Call a friend. Think of an activity. Do it.

3. Lunch Hour Run (2nd Grade And 3rd Grade). My elementary school promoted physical fitness. Students ran around the 1/4th mile grass field every Wednesday. We checked-in every 1/4th mile to 5th grade volunteers with clipboards. I started running in the second half of my 2nd grade year. I ran my entire 3rd grade year. I made the special running wall in my 3rd grade year where top runners were recognized. The teacher coordinator added all of the top runners' miles ran on a global map as if one person ran the entire world.

2. Girls I Liked And Liked Me (Various). I was a quiet child. I had my share of girls I liked. I had my share of girls liking me. My first friend was Carolyn Harper in Kindergarten. We telephoned each other. I liked a red haired girl named Meghan who sat on my left in 1st grade. There was a girl who liked me named Joann in 1st grade. A 1st grade girl named Amy liked me when I was in 3rd grade. I liked a girl named Jackie Russell in 5th grade. I wasn't sure she liked me. Deborah Biron sat next to me in 6th grade. We teased each other--friendly bullying. We never expressed liking each other. And there was a girl from another junior high school I befriended in the school bus going home in 6th grade. Her name was Cristina Dugglby. We dated a couple of times in high school.

1. Triple Play (4th Grade-6th Grade). GI Joe, Transformers, and MASK were the toys my brother and I played throughout our youths. We played on Saturdays and during the summers. We created scenarios or plots. What was the evil planning to destroy? The good responded to the evil. We never played randomly. We took turns playing the good guys and the bad guys. We also watched the cartoons.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

Stop Sweating

I'm not the only person who sweats after a shower in the world. Sweat comes out of my forehead minutes after a cold or warm shower. I feel warmer than a spring or fall evening after a shower. I sweat when I brush my teeth. I don't sweat from the warm air around the shower because I brush my teeth in another part of the bathroom. The bathroom window is completely open. Winter season is the only time there's no sweat. It's my body. I don't know why my body heats up after a shower. I can take a lukewarm shower on a cold winter night. My body warms up afterwards, and since it's the winter, there's no sweat. I never take hot showers.

I started to cool down after a shower by turning on a desk fan in July 2014. The desk fan is next to the window. I feel cool outdoor air. No sweating. My body cools down significantly. There must be a minimum ten minutes cool down period before I go to bed. I brush my teeth when I completely cool down.

I'm a person who must take a shower before going to sleep. I have trouble sleeping feeling dirty, sticky, and sweaty. I can skip a shower when I don't sweat or I avoid any physical tasks which increase my body temperature in a day. My body heats up and forms sweat during any demanding physical activity. I sweat easily.

Email: feedbackininblog@innovateinfinitely.com

A Childhood Lowlight

One of my parent’s failures when they raised me as a child happened during the summer. They failed to encourage me to continue learning outside school, growing, exploring, and finding new adventures. My mom believed summer vacations is the time for children to relax. That’s true to an extent. I shouldn’t relax, stay at home, and have little to do. I should be having fun . . . fun learning outside school, growing, exploring, and finding new adventures.

My mom forced my brother and I to learn swimming and playing the piano. Ironically, my brother and I hated those activities. We showed mom our anger and disapproval. My mom had the idea of doing something in the summer. She failed to be open and to help us explore other choices.

In particular, my kindergarten through eighth grade summers were watching television, playing toys, playing video games, and sitting around doing nothing. I rarely hung out with my friends. I didn’t participate in sports, clubs, camps, or even an activity or summer kids program in a community center. I didn’t read any books at home. On the other hand, I did attend summer schools; unfortunately, thinking back, most of the classes were a joke and the teachers didn’t care. I don’t remember learning anything that helped me in the upcoming school year.

I can’t change my past. I wonder what if I had an active summer. I might be a better person today: better social skills, more knowledge of everyday life, more friends, a better career, and more childhood experiences. Moreover, I might have been a better high school and college student. I’m lucky today I have been catching up what I missed when I was young such as reading books, visiting new places, meeting new people, and trying new hobbies. Also, I’m lucky I realized I must grow up on that day I remember forever.

I encourage parents to keep their children active during the summer. Have your children do something, anything. There are more choices of summer activities and programs than when I was a child. Even reading books at home is better than watching television all day. Have them get out and do something, anything, as long as they’re keeping their brains and bodies active and growing.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

2007 Was Actually A Bad Year

Sat and Sun I thought about the year 2007. 2007 was the fastest year for me ever. I didn’t mention in my 2007 Year In Review that 2007 was a good year no matter what happened because I worked at Cisco starting in March. Apr-Dec 2007 could be bad months and I still have a good 2007. I’m going to be honest. 2007 was a bad year. Why was 2007 a bad year? In all honestly, I had no big goals in 2007 other than working at Cisco and owning my first car. The year included a false sense of accomplishment. I had no motivators from calendar 2007 to calendar 2008. There were some good moments. Overall, 2007 was a bad year. The Summer Sabbatical was a joke. No excuses :< And I was supposed to build a new home PC at the end of 2007. I’m researching on the new home PC today and I finish before the end of the year. Moreover, I forgot who I was. I was not myself in 2007, and the false personality, false attitude, false Raymond Mar carried over to 2008. I was lucky to realize the full of falseness last weekend and especially realizing I must grow up earlier in Oct. I felt ashamed of myself being a person I was not. I acted, behaved, and thought process were not being myself. I apologize to everyone who hung around with me and thought of me as a freak, creepy, weird, dumb, slow, jerk, coward, and impolite person. I’m not. I’m growing up and I’m wasting no time catching up to my age. Side Note: I want to review my new daily Top Five. 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 . . . make eye contact when shaking hands. I get personal at my personal blog Finding Raymond Mar

Did You Have A Great Vacation?

What is the number one criteria to determine your vacation was great? Smooth airplane ride? Car drove perfectly? No mistakes with reservations? Nobody sick? Under budget? No delays? Hundreds of pictures? All true, and not the number one criteria.

The number one criteria is nothing changed at work. On your last day before going on vacation, you finish up your last minute assignments, you set up for the new assignments when you get back, you activate your email out of office response, you set up your voice mail to vacation mode, and your inbox is empty. Then you go on vacation. You forget about work. You briefly check voice mail and email depending on your position.

The vacation is over. You’re back at work. The inbox is full again. The emails are in the hundreds. There are at least 10 voice mail messages. The co-workers ask, “How was your vacation?” Your boss is still grumpy, LOL. Think and pause for a minute. Work is still the same. Your vacation was great XD

Summer Of 2001 In 2007

Summer 2001 was one of the most fun summers in my life. I visited Reno and San Diego, learned how to play craps, and played lots of role playing games and board games. Summer 2003 and Summer 2005 were also fun summers. I mention Summer 2001 in particular because I did no work outside my company. I read no books related to my job. I didn’t worry about work. Work was at work. My outside work was to relax and have fun.

Recently, I realized I forgot who I am and how I have fun. I have been working at Cisco for 11 weeks. Time flies fast. 2007 is the fastest year ever in my life. It seems everywhere I go and everyone I know we are moving faster than the speed of sound. I focused way too much on Cisco to make a good impression.

Starting today after work, I’m going on a Summer Sabbatical 2007. I neglected almost all my activities and my needs outside work including gym, my Blog, and my webpage. I’m going to take it easy, relax, be patient, slow down, and have some fun. For starters, I’m watching anime during my lunch hour just like I did in 2005. My goal is to reset myself, be energized, and learn more about me and how to live my life.

If I’m required at work to learn something new and I need to do it outside work immediately, then I do it. I can’t slack off too much *hee, hee* Crystal Reports and SQL are delayed. I continue learning in September. I did learn Acrobat 6.0 Professional last month XD

I think everyone must take a Summer Sabbatical. The world needs to slow down.