My Last Homeward Bounds

Today's blog is the first time I said the words "Homeward Bound." My last two homeward bounds were O'Conner Hospital in Apr 2017 and Zion National Park in Sep 2016. The O'Conner Hospital was a short homeward bound. I was diagnosed with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. I was an inpatient for five days and four nights requiring two surgeries Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones and Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder in two days. My parents drove me home. We stopped at a Walgreens for a prescription. The pharmacy closed in ten minutes. I choose to fill the prescription at another drug store the next day. I went to sleep immediately when we arrived home. My total sleep time was 12 hours. My dad picked up my prescription.

The Zion National Park homeward bound I flew from Las Vegas, NV to San Jose, CA. My cousin organized a day hike at The Subway Bottom Up. It was my most strenuous hike. My cousin chose to stay at a hotel outside Las Vegas because the price was cheaper and less night time driving from Zion National Park. It was easier to drive from Utah to Las Vegas in the daytime. My flight was delayed because Southwest needed to change pilots. Everyone received a credit voucher with a due date to compensate for the delay.

The Green Steno Notebook 10

Blogger's note: There are three consecutive Green Steno Notebook blogs. Today is the second of three.

The picture above is the notebook I acquired on the first day of my new white collar job. I wrote notes during my job training. I wrote other notes, reminders, and knowledge thereafter. I share many of them. Here is the tenth blog.

*Aug 25, 2020. Furnace and A/C unit in garage. Furnace on top. A/C condenser on bottom. The power switch is on the left of the unit. Air flows down for the air filter. Top panel removed turns off the unit for safety. The black switch out powers off. The black switch in powers on as long as top panel is inserted.

Used air compressor to air blast A/C unit. Water and some sludge flowed out. The drainage is located to the left of the garden hose in the backyard.

*Sep 8. Don't boil water from the hot water heater. The deposits form the hot water heater are unsafe to drink. The deposits include metallic parts which corrodes water.

*Sep 13. Riichi Mahjong observation. I play online. Players call on dragon tiles and wind tiles early. I might as well discard dragon tiles and wind tiles early. Why did it take me a long time to figure out the problem?

*Sep 20. The Big Short (2015) movie. Use the tabletop game Jenga as a presentation prop. Also, if you don't want to do the deal, then hang up.

*Sep 23. Shower without washing hair. Wash body first. Wash backside second. Wash face third. Shower with washing hair. Wash hair first. Wash face second. Wash body third. Wash backside fourth.

*Oct 11. Listen to 106.5 FM on Sun mornings to keep in touch with today's popular music.

*Oct 12. Rearranged my room. Bookshelves, storage bins, and desk drawers contents. Consolidated desk items. 90% cleaned.

*Oct 18. Dad noticed the ceiling fan blades wabble and shakes when the ceiling fan is on. He checked the screws. Screws are loose. He tighten them.

*Oct 18. Debris on top of my car's intake manifold.

*Oct 22. Accidentally swallowed mouthwash. I lost my concentration.

*Oct 27. Kitchen faucet leaked. Replaced the cartridge.

*Oct 31. G.I. Joe cartoon titled Arise, Serpentor, Arise Part 5 is the episode where the US President knelt in front on Serpentor. "G.I. Joe, why, right here."

*Nov 4. Set aside four white colored socks for my white color workout shirts. These four white color socks and my white color workout shirts tell me it's time to wash my whites.

*Nov 8. Use my florescent desk lamp as additional lightning when I take pictures on my cell phone.

*Nov 13. If I need a rest and there is a folded blanket, then place the folded blanket at the end of my mattress to prop up my legs.

*Nov 24. Clean gutters. Summary. Detach black drainage from downspout at left side of house. Place a ladder on the middle of the roof rafter to sturdy the ladder. If the water is resting on the gutter, then use a hose or fill gutter with water. Shoot water down to downspout. Remove leaves with hand when possible to avoid water on the roof. The roof is designed for water to flow down. Not up.

*Dec 4. For Nov 28. Replacing boot laces. Always buy the laces one size or one unit above. Buy the longer length size laces.

*Dec 14. My dad experienced vertigo. Hospital didn't know the cause. Hospital didn't admit him for an in-patient examination. Dad researched. Found possibilities. Told hospital. Hospital wanted an in-patient examination.

*Jan 12, 2021. hemorrhage: a heavy discharge of blood from the blood vessels; ruptured blood vessel. A rapid or uncontrollable loss or outflow; the loss of assets.

*Jan 16. Toothpaste tube almost out. Squeeze the toothpaste pointing down. Gravity the toothpaste remaining out of tube.

*Jan 26. Jan 2021 feels like Jan 2009; in particular, biggest rain storm of the year with weather warnings. Flood warnings. Wind warnings.

*Feb 16. Bloody nose after I jogged on a cool day. I ate Belvita Chocolate. I suspect chocolate. No chocolate before workout.

*Mar 8. Movie with the stopwatch. Movie is 2 Days In The Valley.

*Mar 11. Denatured alcohol banned in CA. Reason is bad air quality.

*Mar 30. Web articles before the pop-up ad must subscribe to read article. Quickly press Ctrl+A. Then Ctrl+C to copy and paste to Word or a text based program.

*Apr 15. Running land on feet or forefoot or mid-foot instead of heels on ground. Avoid excess stress on Achilles, knees, and calves. Keep legs moving forward. No bouncing. Moving forward longer distance. Blogger's note: Not an expert at jogging.

*Jun 14. Stairway bathroom toilet water main hose burst.

*Jul 8. Neighborhood street lights changed from amber color to LED white color.

*Aug 10. Suggested replace car battery every five years. It's seven years for me because less electronics. I replaced the car battery in 2008 and 2015.

*Aug 24. Interview question. What is culture? My answer is undefined. Culture is an intuitively defined.

*Aug 24. Pre-dream or pre-sleep dream before I went to sleep. I brushed my teeth between pre-sleep and sleep. The pre-dream was my brother and I were at a nearby retail strip mall with a Japanese supermarket. There was an outdoor video arcade with carnival games. Closes at midnight. We exited well before midnight. Mom and dad waited. The four of us drove off in a fire truck. Mom drove. I sat on the driver side rear. We drove south to an indoor shopping mall and strip mall. We shopped inside at 11:45pm. One store was Toys R Us. The Toys R Us looked like a dry cleaners.

*Sep 2. Baking tri-tip. No sizzling. Color is white. Not ready. Color is not brownish. Tri-tip must still be cold inside.

*Sep 9. First time I overwrite an old file to a new file on my new desktop. Old file on my USB drive. New file on my new desktop. I want to backup from my new desktop to my USB drive. I actually incorrectly backup from my USB drive to my desktop.

*Sep 9. The nickel arcade near my neighborhood was Hi-5 Nickel.

*Sep 23. I heard It's All Too Much by The Beatles twice while jogging.

*Oct 22. Headlight restoration. Polishing is more important than applying polish for a clear shine.

*Nov 10. Squirm (1976) is a horror movie involving worms. A childhood horror movie. The Swarm (1978) is deadly bees. Kingdom Of The Spiders (1978) is killer tarantulas.

*Nov 12. Shopping at Safeway. Did price math on my head. I didn't add correctly. Didn't get the extra discount. Don't be lazy. Use a calculator.

*Nov 18. Adam & Eve store. Low inventory. Supply chain problems.

*Dec 1. Home Depot doesn't sell flowers. A Target store may sell flowers.

*Dec 2. Christmas song Christmas In Jail.

*Dec 6. Avoid schools when children are present or when school starts and school ends. Extra driving time because of parents picking up their children and children crossing the street.

*Dec 11. I spilled the boiling water pot filled with vinegar to remove oxidation. I held the pot with my wrists instead of my hand.

*Dec 16. Read my personal bible. Link to download: Inspiration Cheer Up.

*Dec 18. A bloody sock the last two jogs. First time I wore sweatpants jogging. Full moon. Nearby school a neighborhood Christmas celebration. There was a hay ride. Minimal attendance because of COVID-19 Omicron.

Remove fresh blood off clothes. Run cold water from the faucet. Soak cold water with detergent. Repeat soaking if necessary. Soaking 10-12 hours. Hang dry. Best in sun.

*Dec 25. Watched Cowboy Bebop episodes 1-5.

*Jan 1, 2022. For Dec 31, 2021. Everyone has. Not everyone have.

*Jan 9. Wrap towel around my waist. Tuck underneath. Look down at towel wrapped. Wrap down and in.

*Jan 13. The bath scrub brushes sold at Bed Bath & Beyond are different lengths.

*Jan 27. Haircut early afternoon. Jogged after haircut. Full sun. Wore my long sleeve workout shirt and shorts. I forgot to switch my underwear from boxers to jogging briefs.

*Feb 25. Dream last night area with warehouse and industrial buildings. Finished shopping at Costco. Book fundraiser big sale. The catch was a lottery. If you won or chosen in lottery, you purchase books at wholesale prices. Otherwise, you waited. Can't purchase. Most be chosen. Changed from ten winners top of hour to five winners top of the hour and five winters bottom of the hour. Most noted book was Harry Potter first edition Scholastic hardback set volumes 1-7. Initially, I entered warehouse because I saw people buying high-end bedsheets at discount prices.

*Mar 13. Dream professional football quarterback Baker Mayfield and another quarterback fought against each other. Then fought me on a cliff at the high school where I graduated. Then I drove my Toyota Camry out of the high school to an unknown downtown Saturday night before Super Bowl Sunday. There were dancers dancing and wearing masks.

*Mar 14. Another dream people wore masks. Galaktican arcade. There was a public transit station. Bart Simpsons was on a round spinning playground toy. Time passes. Sherri and Terri were on the toy. Some patrons wore masks in the arcade.

*Mar 16. I dreamed last night I was at the west side hills in Fremont, CA. Two entries to enter another dimension black & white colors only. Checkpoints. People can enter or not enter at their will.

*Apr 6. Middlefield Road road trip on bicycles from Sunnyvale, CA to Redwood City, CA. Inspired when I helped my dad with an errand in Menlo Park, CA.

Top Ten Plus Five Equals Top Fifteen Moments From Oct 2013 To Aug 2019

Common life wisdoms. Learn from mistakes. Get better. Moments define us. We learn from moments. We grow from moments.

I'm proud no mistakes are repeated between the dates. Something good happened. These 15 moments are good moments and bad moments. There are life pains. There was a literal life pain in Apr 2017. 2016 was the fastest year. 2018 was the unluckiest year. Aug 2019 was the last time daily melancholy stopped. Patience and hard work paid off.

Here are the top ten plus five equals top fifteen moments from Oct 2013 to Aug 2019.

15. The Worst Day Of My Life (Sep 2014). There was a company located in Palo Alto, CA I worked for two days. The business activity was border line illegal. I felt sorry for the uneducated and the unfortunate who needed the job for income.

14. The Golden State Warriors Won The 2015 NBA Finals (Jun 16, 2015). I was less than one year old when the Warriors won the 1975 NBA Finals. It felt good the Warriors won a championship as a conscious awareness human.

13. Breaking Bad (Dec 2012-Dec 2014). My all-time favorite television series. The show is number one in the IMDb Top 250 TV Shows.

12. Pacific Mahjong League (Mar 2015-Feb 2019) and South Bay Mahjong (Aug 2015-Aug 2019 continue). Shoutouts to the Mahjong groups playing Hong Kong and Riichi styles. I include a Riichi self-promotion to intermediate level in 2017. The South Bay Mahjong continues past Aug 2019.

11. South Bay Job Search Network (Oct 14, 2013). I joined a local job networking group. Their experiences and their knowledge helped me get a job in Nov 2013. I used their information to improve my job search. They inspired me to continue learning new job skills and to continue reviewing my existing job skills. Joining the CSIX job networking group is included in the moment.

I include all job interviews in moment number 11. If you want me to share job interview stories, then we eat either lunch or dinner. Coffee is too short.

10. Steve Jobs (Feb 26, 2016). I read the late Jobs' biography Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Steve Jobs is my all-time favorite book. Lessons learned. Wisdom acquired. Click Steve Jobs Compilation Blog I wrote on Aug 12, 2020 to read my past Steve Jobs blogs.

9. Artisan Wine Depot (Nov 2013-Sep 2014) and Palo Alto Networks (Nov 2014-May 2015). I combine these two companies which failed to strengthen my resume. The experiences from the mistakes and the politics inapplicable on a resume were greater than the work experience itself.

8. Joaquin Miller Park (Oct 6, 2018). A friend recommended hiking at Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland, CA hills. I include the four hikes at the end of 2019. There were the San Pedro Valley Park And McNee Ranch State Park in Pacifica, CA in Aug 2019, another Joaquin Miller in Oct 2019, Castle Rock State Park in Nov 2019, and Mission Peak in Dec 2019.

7. Mission Peak (Sep 2015, Sep 2016, and Feb 2017). The Mission Peak moments receive a separate entry. I hiked the Hidden Valley trail ascending to the 2,517 feet elevation peak. Mission Peak is located in Fremont, CA.

6. Zion National Park (Oct 3-4, 2015 and Sep 16-17, 2016). My cousin organized the two visits to Zion National Park. My first time visiting Utah. My first time in the Mountain Time Zone. My first time camping. My first time backpacking.

5. Retired From Japanese Anime (Sep 20, 2014). Anime gave me experiences, adventures, lessons learned, and fun memories. It was time to move on. New priorities. New choices. Click Top Ten My All Time Favorite Anime Series I wrote on Sep 20, 2014 to read my all-time favorite anime series. Full Metal Alchemist is my all-time favorite anime series.

4. New Webpage Design (Jun 29, 2016). The 2015 and 2016 job training inspired me to redesign my webpage using Sublime Text, relearning HTML, learning JavaScript, and learning CSS.

3. The Real Job Training (Oct-Nov 2014 and May 2015-Aug 2019 continue). The skills include Power BI, R-Studio, Excel, Python, and SQL. YouTube videos, online education, books, articles, and online posts are my learning sources. My self job training continues past Aug 2019.

2. Restaurant Closed On Tuesdays (Tue Dec 4, 2018). It was the first time I saw a restaurant closed on Tuesdays. Not Mondays. Tuesdays. The event summed up year 2018. Bad luck. Bad timing. Misfortunes. Missed chances. Missed opportunities.

1. O'Connor Hospital (Apr 2-Apr 6, 2017). I was admitted as an in-patient requiring two surgeries. The first surgery was Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones. The second surgery was Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder. The doctors diagnosed me with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. I wrote the blog Top Ten Daily Changes After O'Connor Hospital on Oct 21, 2017. I changed number seven New Jobs Search Schedule to one day from Mon to Sat.

Throwback Blog: Washington Canada Trip Part 4 of 7

Blogger's Note: Throwback blogs are blogs from my past. I start posting past blogs reflecting what I wrote. It's like my "A Second Look" blogs for which I give myself feedback.

Today's throwback blog is titled Washington Canada Trip Part 4 of 7 written on Sep 24, 2005. The fourth day visiting Washington and Canda in Aug 2005 was Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Who knew I visited Vancouver for a business trip in Mar 2007. The Aug 2005 visited made Vancouver not a strange place in Mar 2007.

Half way there. Thanks for reading!

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 9:00 A.M. Driving the Canadian Freeways

We woke up around 8:00 A.M. without eating breakfast. We choose to eat breakfast along the road. We needed to take a ferry to travel from Victoria to Vancouver. We drove on Highway 17 from downtown to Swartz Bay where the ferry is located. Steve kept a close watch of the speed because Canada uses the metric system and the speed signs are in km/h or kilometers per hour and the speeds changed many times. The maximum speed he drove was 50 miles per hour. And it was raining.

We stopped at McDonalds for breakfast in Saanichton. The McDonalds is the nicest and cleanest McDonalds we ever saw. The common areas has street light posts that acted as indoor lighting, indoor plants and TREES, a huge indoor playground for the kids, and the décor to simply explain is like a middle class home's living room. I should have visited the bathrooms. It's probably better than my bathrooms at home. I ordered the Sausage McGriddle and Steve ordered the pancakes.

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 11:00 A.M. Entering the BCFerries

Before I go on, I forgot to mention all times are in Pacific Timezone. I didn't experience any jetlag or adjustments.

I purchased the ferry ticket at the BCFerries ticket booth. BCFerries is the company that runs the ferry system in British Columbia. The ticket booth is like a toll booth--drive up to an open ticket booth lane that issues tickets for Vancouver. After purchasing the ferry ticket, we lined up on the road along with the other cars waiting for the ferry to arrive. The destination from Victoria to Vancouver is from Swartz Bay on the Vancouver Island to Tsawwassen on the British Columbia mainland.

The ferry Steve and I rode is huge, huge, huge!!! There are three levels for automobiles, trucks, and buses, and people are allowed to stay in their cars if they choose. We parked in Deck 4 which is the upper level for automobiles. The common areas are two floors which included a cafeteria, three arcade areas, gift shop, workstations, play areas for children, and a formal buffet. I even looked at the Ferry schedule. Some destinations take 15 hours!!! My goodness. The cafeteria is big and busy. We could have eaten breakfast on the ferry.

The trip time is 1 hour and 35 minutes. The name of the BCFerries Steve and I rode is named "M.V. Spirit of Vancouver Island." I wonder what "M.V." stands for? I did the same activities and walk-arounds on the M.V. Coho Ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria: I walked around the entire ferry and took pictures of the outside scenery; unfortunately, the rain affected the ferry trip such that I really limited my time outside the ferry and the rain clouds and fog limited picture taking. Steve mostly read his book on Feudal Japan. In the gift shop, I purchased magnets and maps for souvenirs. The Canadians are really friendly. In one instance, I maneuvered around the magazine section, and I needed to say "Excuse Me" to pass by a worker. When I said "Excuse Me", six people around me moved. Talk about politeness. Doesn't happen in San Jose =__=

After getting off the ferry we drove on Highway 99. Parts of Highway 99 are sophisticated. One stretch of the road there are lane signals. Lane signals tell drivers which lanes are open and which lanes are closed. It appears during commute times, Highway 99 opens extra lanes to move traffic faster for commute traffic and close extra lanes for reverse commute traffic. The maximum speed Steve drove was 90 km/h or 55mph.

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 1:00 P.M. City of Vancouver City Limits

We arrived at the city limits. The sky was grey and Vancouver rained during the drive and during the entire day. Steve played his James Bond Greatest Hits CD. Gas was never a problem because Steve filled up the gas tank at Port Angeles, and we were glad because it felt weird to get gas in liters . . . and Steve drove a Volkswagen Bug which has great gas mileage.

Our destination was Downtown Vancouver where the hotel is located. We needed to drive by Marpole, South Granville, Shaughnessy, and Fairview neighborhoods before reaching Downtown Vancouver. These areas are like Santa Barbara, California including the homes, neighborhoods, and the shopping districts; in addition, the area is diverse with many stores and restaurants representing different cultures and different sexual orientations (if you know what I mean *nudge, nudge*) The drive reminded me when I was 5 years old visiting my grandparents in Santa Barbara for which the surroundings, the grey skies, the homes, and neighborhoods were 100% authentic and represented my memory accurately.

When we crossed the Granville Street Bridge, I noticed a lot of development in Downtown Vancouver. It appears Vancouver is growing. Downtown Vancouver kinda reminded of Downtown San Jose; however, the buildings are unique--the looks of the buildings I never seen before. We checked in the hotel and choose to visit the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park for the activity of the day and to eat lunch. And yes, the rain continued.

When we drove on Pacific Street and Beach Avenue and along English Bay and Sunset Beach to the Vancouver Aquarium, there are a lot small apartment buildings that looked like Santa Barbara again. The signal lights are simple like in Victoria.

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 3:00 P.M. Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Aquarium is located in Stanley Park. We drove along the Stanley Park for 20 minutes. For me, it's the first time I drove around a park. The closest I drove in a park was Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, and me and my friends drove through just to get to Highway 1. No scenic tour. There is a public pool at Stanley Park, and there were people in the public pool despite the rain. I believe the pool is a wading pool where people just go to the pool to get wet and play around.

Vancouver Aquarium was really busy. I think the rain and that the kids' summer vacations being almost over were the reasons for the packed aquarium. Compared to the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, Vancouver Aquarium is really small. We entered the aquarium, paid admission, and the first stop was getting lunch. I like to tell everyone I donated $2.00 to the aquarium and I got a S.O.S. sticker which stands for Save Our Seals. Hee, hee, hee.

The rain kept pouring as we ate lunch. We saw the Belugas exhibit and they were swimming as we ate lunch. I ordered a burger and Steve ordered pizza. After lunch, we walked around the entire aquarium. We started viewing the outside attractions including seeing the sea lions, sea otters, and a dolphin show. The dolphin show was packed with spectators and their umbrellas. I was fortunate I got a spot and was able to see most of the show. I had to stand on my toes to view some of the acts.

After viewing the outside activities, the rest of the time, Steve and I walked around inside. We saw sharks, giant fishes, alligators, jellyfish, sting rays, seahorns, and entered the Amazon Rainforest. Man, the rainforest is really humid. I felt awkward viewing the maps of Canada on the displays and animal explanations. I'm used to viewing the California map when I visit the Monterey Aquarium, SeaWorld-San Diego, Disneyland, and other amusement attractions in California. The final stop was viewing the dolphins at the lower level of the aquarium. There is the Clownfish Cove where kids can touch the smaller sea animals. Kids, make sure your parents stick with you ^_^

Tuesday August 30, 2005 at 5:30 P.M. Dinner Time

We ate dinner at a high class, fancy restaurant named "The Crime Lab." There was nobody there and the food came pretty fast. After dinner, we walked around parts of Downtown Vancouver. Downtown reminded me of Downtown San Jose--quiet during the evening time. We visited a few stores. Most of the shops closed at 7:00 P.M. (for which, in my opinion, most retail shops should close around 7:00 P.M. because everyone needs to have leisure time).

We arrived back at the hotel around 8:00 P.M. and we channel surf. We saw the catastrophic damage Hurricane Katrina caused to New Orleans and part of Mississippi and Alabama.

Driving Home Safely Fast

Blogger's Note: All drivers must obey traffic laws. All drivers must drive safely. No recklessness. Automobiles and trucks must be running in good operational condition.

I fully understand why some drivers speed on long road trips. Drivers speed 10 miles over the speed limit. Drivers speed 15 miles over the speed limit. Drivers speed 20 miles over the speed limit. The driving conditions favor higher driving speeds. The favorable conditions include no traffic, flat roads, straight-away highway, and no rain.

The faster driving speed purpose is arrive at the destination as quick as possible. The clock is close to midnight. Get home quick. It's unnecessary to stay on the road longer. The quicker the party arrives home, the quicker everyone sleeps. The gas milage is great because of the favorable freeway conditions. Any other driving habits to increase the gas milage is negligible. Time is prioritized over the extra one more mile a gallon.

Update On A Past Blog

I correct the blog Green Tea and Coke Don't Mix written on Feb 4, 2006. I blamed drinking green tea and Coke for keeping me awake. I slept around 4:30am. The correct reasons why I had trouble sleeping were too much hype, too much excitement, and too much happiness. My brain was overdosed on dopamine.

The next time I experience an overdose on dopamine I must distract myself. I must cool down the room. The distraction can be playing video games, watching television, watching movies, listening to music, and/or browsing the internet.

Throwback Blog: Get Up And Do Something, Anything

Blogger's Note: Throwback blogs are blogs from my past. I start posting past blogs reflecting what I wrote. It's like my "A Second Look" blogs for which I give myself feedback.

Today's throwback blog is titled Get Up And Do Something, Anything written on Jul 21, 2012. I created a life motto "Get out and do something, anything" on the day I grew up on Oct 4, 2008. Sometimes do something, anything is indoors. I changed the life motto to "Get up and do something, anything." More people discover there are plenty of productive somethings and enlighten anythings indoors in today's Information Age and today's economy. A balance life of indoors and outdoors is unnecessary; however, people shouldn't spend all the time either indoors or outdoors.

Furthermore, get up communicates to people to get up from bed or get up from the chair to live life.

There is 5-6 weeks remaining in the summer. School and college begin soon it's like one blink of an eye and classes start. There is still time to take a vacation for the full time workers. The year is going by fast. I hope everyone has done something special. It can be a big trip or a few small moments. Never settle on one small exciting day. Never wait for something to happen.

I changed my life motto from "Get Out And Do Something, Anything" to "Get Up and Do Something, Anything." I changed the word "out" to "up" because I wanted to imply people can have a good life indoors; however, a balance life of indoors and outdoors should be achieved. Some of my favorite indoor activities are working out in the gym, listening to music, ballroom dancing, and reading. Some of my favorite outdoor activities are hiking, visiting new places, and shopping.

Get up and do something, anything. Stop sitting on the chair or lying down on the bed. Find a new adventure. Meet new people. Read a book. Rent a classic movie on DVD. Eat something new. Walk around new places. Improve a part of you. Start fulfilling your to-do list. This blog is a solution to stop being lazy. Find happiness and joy in your life today.

De Anza Fall 2010 Note: Going off topic to end this blog, I realized one of my key for my most successful quarter was my Accounting 86 class. The instructor assigned homework on the fourth week. The first 3 weeks I settled in and concentrated on my other classes more difficult than Accounting 86.

Top Ten My Last Minute Choices Were Correct

The late Steve Jobs said, "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever." I connected the dots for the following last minute choice moments. The choices were correct. Here are the top ten my last minute choices were correct.

10. Gilroy Gardens (Jul 23, 2022). My brother's family had two extra tickets to visit the small amusement park in Gilroy, CA. My dad and I went. I did my best to social distance. I initiated social distancing when I walked around the park. I wore my mask except eating. I felt relaxed. It was a good life break.

9. 1998 (Various Dates 1998). Honestly speaking, the opportunities appeared in front of me without effort. I was given no brainer choices.

*Emergency Dentist Filling (Jan 1998). My dentist at the time created an opening for a filling to charge my insurance as a procedure for the 1997 calendar year.
*Celine Dion (Jan). I purchased my first used CD Celine Dion-Celine Dion at a used media store.
*Fanime Con 1998 (Feb 15). I purchased three anime CDs from a dealer who wanted to sell as much inventory before leaving. I was short on cash. He accepted my amount. I didn't pay taxes.
*Cal Poly Open House (May). A friend invited me to visit him during the Cal Poly Open House weekend. The weekend vacation was my first solo vacation.
*Japantown-San Francisco (Jul or Aug). The same Cal Poly friend called me up for a last-minute trip to escape the record heat in San Jose, CA.
*Santa Barbara, CA Weekend Trip (Aug). My mom and I picked up my grandfather driving the Mercury Sable 1997 station wagon. It was the first time the car drove long distance. We listened to music on my portable CD player connected to the radio's cassette deck for the first time. We delivered a cage of birds to one of my aunts.

8. Coraline (Mar 14, 2009). I felt bad at a cosplay gathering in the Japanese garden Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, CA. I wanted to go home quickly. I contacted two friends to watch Coraline with me when I arrived home. Also, another friend organized a 3/14 pie dinner gathering. The three of us ate dinner at the pie dinner gathering. We watched the last showing of Coraline after dinner. I purchased the tickets on a friend's app because I feared the showing was sold out. The theater was dead. It was the first time and last time I purchased movie tickets outside the movie theater.

7. Anime Expo (AX) 2009 (Jul 2-5, 2009). I had no plans to attend AX due to the Great Recession. I changed my mind after Fanime Con 2009 in May 2009. I hung out with my friends. I called my friends. My friends called me. I met new people. I visited Japantown in Los Angeles for the first time afterwards.

6. Ranma 1/2 Season 1 On VHS (Dec 1996). A comic book store was going out of business. The owner sold five of the six VHS tapes in stock for $5 each. The retail price is $30 each. I was short on money at the time.

5. Fanime Con 2004 Midnight Marathon (May 30, 2004). I watched 17 episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist during the Midnight Marathon. I initially planned to watch four episodes. I stayed awake during the entire marathon. I said, "I'm going to cosplay Edward Elric" after episode 8. Fullmetal Alchemist saved me from quitting anime.

4. Washington Canada 2008 (Nov 15-20, 2008). The last minute timing was perfect to visit my friend. My contract at Cisco was terminated. I was lost. I was confused. I didn't know what to do with my life. I needed a break to refocus and reset. We visited Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Hurricane Ridge; the Rock 'n Roll museum; gambled in a casino; visited Downtown Seattle; and shopped in used bookstores. We watched movies. We played board games. The trip saved me from years of therapy.

3. Shopped For Gym Equipment (Mar 16, 2020). CA Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state shut down on Mar 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. I shopped the entire afternoon buying gym equipment for my home mini gym. I purchased a 45-pound plate and a 25-pound plate at a specialty fitness store. I purchased the exercise mat at Sports Basement. I continue my strength training at home. My cardio workout is jogging around the neighborhood.

2. Zion National Park Walking Stick (Oct 3-4, 2015). I went backpacking for the first time. The party and I received information The Narrows Top Down backpacking trail is strenuous. I rented a walking stick which saved my ass walking in the river and navigating the rocks. I purchased a pair of trekking poles afterwards.

1. O'Connor Hospital Emergency Room (Apr 2-6, 2017). I thought I had the stomach flu. The pains were sharp like pins pinning my stomach. I went to the emergency room. I was diagnosed with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. I required two surgeries for the first time. The first surgery was Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones. The second surgery was Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder. I was a hospital in-patient for the first time.

Update On A Past Blog

I mentioned Fanime Con 2009 and AX 2009. Fanime Con 2009 is my all-time favorite anime conventions from the blog Top Ten Favorite Anime Conventions written on Oct 25, 2012. AX 2009 should be on the list because the last minute choice to attend was a good choice. AX 2009 is ranked fifth after Fanime Con 2009, Fanime Con 2010, AX 2006, and Fanime Con 2005.

Less Can Be More Or Too Much Is Too Much

Awful Announcing posted an article titled "Do The Olympics Prove That Less Is More?" on their The Back Page for their Wed Aug 14, 2024 emailed newsletter. Olympic sports are held every four years. The other three years and 50 weeks people do other activities. People go back to their normal lives. The Olympics is an example we devote time to the event every four years. We satisfy new Olympics desires every four years; although, technically the Olympics are held every two years because the International Olympic Committee changed the format from the Winter Olympics and the Summer Olympics held at the same year every four years to the Winter Olympics and the Summer Olympics alternates every two years while maintaining every four years in 1994. Each Olympics is different. In contrast, sports media repeats the same reports, the same top athletes, and same top stories daily. For instance, the San Francisco Bay Area is tired of the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk contract situation.

Keep the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL to one season every 365 days of the year. One Super Bowl a year is satisfactory.

No Need To *insert blank* 24/7

People don't need to play video games daily. People don't need to watch television daily. Anime fans don't need to attend the same anime convention two or more times a year; in other words, one Anime Expo a year is satisfactory. Vacationing at Disneyland once a year is good enough. Vacationing at Disneyland once every few years is better. Hike different trails. Spread out the hikes. The grandparents don't need to be bothered day after day. Make good choices on spreading out leisure. Make good choices on spreading out traditions. Make good choices on spreading out secondary responsibilities.

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.

Merry Unmotivational Christmas

Bad Christmas. Sad Christmas. Depressed Christmas. There was no joy. The Christmas flow went against you. Expectations unfulfilled. The plan backfired. You're not alone.

There were multiple reasons some people were unhappy on Christmas Day. Some reasons could be controlled. Some reasons couldn't be controlled. I share my below expectations family Christmas. There was no desire for a good Christmas. Some family members didn't check their personal problems at the door. A few family members worked to make a happy Christmas. A few family members put in the time and effort to create a good Christmas. Few successes. Many failures. Everyone contributed to a less stellar family Christmas regardless of working or not working. I admit I contributed to a less stellar family Christmas. I should have been stronger. I should have been courageous.

All leisure activities including birthdays and holidays require planning. It's an oxymoron work and effort must be completed for play and fun moments. Chaos is the result without work and effort. Chaotic leisure is not leisure. The rewards pay off after the work and effort are completed sincerely and satisfactory.

Dec 26

Dec 25 is another bad day at the office. Everyone experiences bad days. Blame life, destiny, karma, timing, and luck a bad day happened on Christmas Day.

Life moves forward. The bad Christmas doesn't matter next year. Correct the mistakes. Hope the next Christmas is better. A suggestion to overcome a bad Christmas is go back to the basics. Follow the common wisdoms sincerely. Sleep well. Eat well. It's okay to splurge processed foods. Get to work. Be busy.

Point Blank Movie 5,464 Days Later

I can't explain why I watched the movie decades later. I watched Point Blank (1967) starring Lee Marvin tonight. The movie is part of a three DVD box set I purchased at the Chronicles Of Crime store in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on Nov 18, 2008. The other two DVDs are The Departed (2006) and Bullitt.

The Departed (2006) starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg. The movie won four Oscars including Best Picture at the 79th Academy Awards on Feb 25, 2007. Bullitt stared Steve McQueen. The movie included one of the best car chase scenes in movie history. The two cars were Bullitt's 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT and the bad guys' 1968 Dodger Charger 400 Magnum in San Francisco, CA.

Update On A Past Blog

The Point Blank movie reminded me of another decades old purchase. I wrote The Big Book Of Beatrix Potter 5,902 Days Later on Nov 16, 2021. I purchased the book on Sep 2, 2005 at Half Price Books in Washington state. I finished the book on Oct 30, 2021.

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

2022 Year In Review

The six nominations and its explanations for the moment of the year.

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

2. Gilroy Gardens. My first outdoor activity at the small family amusement park since the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic in Mar 2020. I wore my mask except eating.

3. Job training. Excel, Python, R and R-Studio, Linux, Power BI, SQL, and more. Progress continues learning and preparing for the next opportunity regardless of the economic status. Five days of training per week plus one day for life skills training.

4. Physical fitness. My longest daily jog is 5.0 miles. I created a fourth workout plan for my mini home gym.

5. Wallstreet Bets. I learned more about Wall Street and financial investments in 2022 than in the past decades and the classes when I was a student at San Jose State University and De Anza College. I exercised a call option for the first time.

6. Video Games. I completed my third Final Fantasy video game which is FFVIII and Call Of Duty: World At War.

Explanation: Steve Jobs' biography by Walter Isaacson won in 2016. Stephen Hawking can win in 2022. Forget Gilroy Gardens and video games. Too small. Too trivial. Moreover, no psychological victory at Gilroy Gardens. Another solid recognition to job training because I was consistent and productive. Unfortunately, a left rear knee injury in Nov and Dec prevented a win for physical fitness. I continue researching to prevent future injuries as of today. Wallstreet Bets continues my attention since Jan 2021. Financial education is part of my life skills training.

What Won: Wallstreet Bets.

What Should Have Won: Wallstreet Bets.

My Thoughts On The Winning Moment: The same thoughts in 2021 applies to 2022. No brainer. All the financial education I learned in college was a joke. Regardless, all investors including professionals and amateurs must learn the basics. Thank you Google, Reddit, Yahoo Finance, and YouTube for providing sources to learn deeper.

2022 Letter Grade: B. 2022 year started fantastic. There were plenty of little things. Add up the little things for something big. The flow ended in Apr. The simple words describe 2022: boring, solid, productive, safe, and quiet. The COVID-19 global pandemic survival mentality continues.

Past Moments Of The Years And Its Letter Grades

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.
2016: Steve Jobs' biography by Walter Isaacson. Grade F.
2015: Zion National Park. Grade A.
2014: Palo Alto Networks. Grade C.

Half-Ass Vacation Or Half-Ass Job Training

I approved Dec 2022. It was justified. Something was better than nothing legitimately. I job trained half-ass last month. Or I took a half-ass vacation last month. In other words, I combined job training and vacation. Some days there were more job training and less vacation. Some days there were more vacation and less job training. Either perspective the goals were accomplished.

I thought of the half vacation and half job training when I cleaned the house on Mon Nov 28, 2022 and Tue Nov 29, 2022. There is more to life than work. Or there is more to work than fun. Dec 2022 was catch up during the vacation time. I caught up outstanding life knowledge, lessons, and skills to learn. I couldn't have too much fun. There were mature responsibilities. Distractions were minimized. Lower priorities not finished one day were completed another day. There were no emergencies. All last minute new priorities were minor. One last minute and once in a blue moon event took an entire day.

Injured Reserve

Furthermore, I went with the flow. My physical workouts were half-ass because my left knee strained. I benefited being on 50% injured reserve since Nov. No jogging resulted in at least two free hours each week. Weight lifting continued. I started jogging again on Fri Jan 27, 2023.

Update On A Past Blog

A reminder blog Some People Need A Ferris Bueller's Day Off written on Jun 6, 2021. I accomplished the Ferris Buller.

A Half Day Visit To Sacramento To Pick Up A New Car

My dad and I assisted my brother and his family to pick up a new car in Sacramento, CA. Sacramento is the capital of California. The request for help came at the last minute. My dad and I rushed to my brother's house.

The weather throughout the day was heavy rain. We drove an alternate route to Sacramento driving along the Sacramento River, passing by tiny towns, driving over multiple bridges, and seeing wetlands. The alternate route was new sights for me. We arrived at the car dealership one hour late from our appointment. The dealership was busy. Customer parking was difficult. There were problems with the paperwork as expected. We ate hamburgers for a late lunch. We drove the main freeways back home at the end of the day.

The purpose of the blog is the sights around the Sacramento Arden-Arcade neighborhood area. I'm reminded of the suburbs or rural areas when I visited Oregon and Washington. Moreover, the suburbs or rural areas are similar in other states such as Oklahoma, Ohio, Arkansas, and Texas intuitively speaking. There are no sidewalks, no drainage, and no streetlights in one residential area. Most of the homes were spread out with big yards. All residential streets and all traffic streets are narrower compared to the greater Bay Area. There are no three lane or four lane streets. The retail stores architecture are 1950s and 1960s intuitively speaking. If there are any suburbs or rural areas in the greater Bay Area, then either I don't know or they don't have the suburb or rural feeling in the air.

A Wisdom Reminder

If it doesn't matter a year from now, then forget about it.

A Melancholy 2022 Thanksgiving Holiday

Chances are many people experienced a rusty 2022 Thanksgiving weekend. The expectations were high. The holiday was an underachievement. People wanted a Thanksgiving miracle all is better. Many people forgot how to behave. Many people either forgot what Thanksgiving meant or thought about something else.

There was too much on many people's minds they couldn't stop thinking. There were too many worries. There were too many problems. They thought there was not enough time. There was not enough time to relax. Break time was too little. The holiday went by too fast. The time feeling didn't slow down. People needed more time to take a breath.

People felt unsatisfactory during the final hours of Sun Nov 27, 2022. The holiday failed to meet expectations. There were disappointments. A minority of people shopped successfully on Black Friday. Learn from the mistakes for the 2022 Christmas holiday. Make adjustments for the 2022 Christmas holiday. Don't take the next holiday for granted.

Update On A Past Blog

I remember my first week of the Winter 2010 Quarter at De Anza College. I wrote, "Many students and even my teachers were tired and continued to be in adjust mode after the holidays" from De Anza Week Jan 4, 2010 written on Jan 7, 2010. I remember many students including myself and many teachers were unsatisfied with the 2009 Christmas holiday. 2009 was a year during the Great Recession. Nobody wanted to be at school.

The Real Life Felix Felicis

Felix Felicis is a potion from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. The drinker becomes lucky for a period of time. Everything attempted becomes successful. The potion is also called "Liquid Luck." The drinker must not take Felix Felicis in excess which causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence.

I share three real Felix Felicis. The first is a moment. The second is a partial Felix Felicis in a calendar year. The third is a complete Felix Felicis in a calendar year. Good luck was excellent. Life flowed my way. I could do anything successfully. Good fortunes came to me.

The Felix Felicis moment happened Apr 2-6, 2017. I admitted myself to the emergency room at O'Connor Hospital for severe stomach pains. I was diagnosed with Acute Gallstone Pancreatitis. I required two surgeries which were successful. The first surgery was Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography which removed gallstones. The second surgery was Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removed my gallbladder. The five days at O'Connor went smoothly. The emergency room was quiet. All tests, checkups, and follow-ups went as schedule. The only delay was waiting for the doctors to discharge me. My floor where I stayed was quiet except my last night. The victims of a major car accident stayed around my room. One of them shared my double occupancy room. They were quiet and problem free. One may say I'm still paying back the Felix Felicis Apr 2017 today.

The Felix Felicis partial calendar year happened in 2010. I attended De Anza College to earn an A.A. degree in Accounting. I earned A's in all my classes. I rented a DVD movie from the library once a week. The two anime conventions I attended were perfect. I went to a Paul McCartney concert. I played StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. The San Francisco Giants Won the 2010 World Series which was their first in San Francisco franchise history. I rode the San Francisco cable car for the first time.

Felix Felicis didn't work for my Beginning Singing class in Winter Quarter 2010 and my Cost Accounting class in Spring Quarter 2010. I should have dropped both classes. The Beginning Singing class didn't meet my expectations. It was a waste of time. The instructor for the Cost Accounting was ineffective. I should have taken the class at a future quarter with a different instructor.

The Felix Felicis complete calendar year happened in 2005. I visited Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia, Canada for the first time. I purchased my first laptop which was a Dell Inspiron 8600 on sale. I created my Innovating Common Knowledge blog.

Side note: 2009 can be the Felix Felicis complete calendar year instead 2005. I graded 2009 and 2005 an A+ from Grading My Past Years blog on Aug 13, 2018. The difference is 2009 went downhill in Dec.

Be A Weekend Warrior

There is work on the weekends. The work is not necessarily from the company. The work can be career improvement, life skills improvement, learning new life skills, exercising, completing chores, researching, and raising children. Vacations are an exception.

Likewise for students. My teachers assigned homework on the weekends in high school. My professors assigned homework on the weekends in college.

Professionalism counts on the weekends. Practice maturity on the weekends. However, take it easy. Pace oneself. Slow it down.

Update On A Past Blog

I removed the last sentence "Pray for the worse" in Control What You Can Control And Trust Life What You Can't Control written on Jun 18, 2017. The sentence is supposed to mean pray the worse doesn't happen after the sentence "Hope for the best." I removed the last sentence.

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.