I Read The Story About Ping Book In First Grade

I remember a book titled The Story About Ping by Majorie Flack and illustrated by Kurt Wiese in first grade. One student read the book during the reading period. A student passed the book to another student at the beginning of the reading period. The teacher didn't log her students who read the book at least once. It seemed my classmates ignored me when passing the book to another classmate. I read the book once during the entire school year. A classmate named Lindsey passed me the book. I was happy because she recognized my presence.

I read the book for the second time today as an adult. My life world awareness was immature and undeveloped being six years old. Ping was not an English word defined as a short sound. Ping was a Chinese name. The story took place in China. Perhaps, my Chinese nationality caused students passing the book to other students. I could relate to the yellow duck being ignored in a positive way during some social situations. Also, luck favored me and saved me in bad moments.

The end of the story my lesson takeaway. Accept the small inconveniences because they can be better than potential big inconveniences.

Children Growing Use The Bowls Indicators

I poured a bowl of Cheerios in the morning for a quick breakfast before a full breakfast. I woke up late because I woke up multiple times last night. I needed to prepare the household meals.

The size of the bowl was the smallest bowl. I reminded myself the smallest bowl size matched the size I ate Cheerios when I was a child attending grade school. The bowl size increased when my body grew bigger. I realized my stomach grumbled in school too many times. The bowl sized increased again in high school.

Parents use the bowls indicators to determine how fast your children are growing. Use the bowls indicators to budget the household groceries. Use the bowls indicators to prove their physical changes. Be prepared for bigger bowl size changes in rapid time.

The Broccoli Indicator

Another physical change indicator was eating broccoli. I ate four pieces of broccoli when I was a child. One reason was to share the broccoli with the family. Another reason was to control the grocery costs. I listened to my growing body. I ate more broccoli as a teenager.

Update On A Past Blog

The Five Year High School is still a good idea in today's Information Age. I wrote the blog on Jan 28, 2011. I said, "There is more to learn and know. Expectations and requirements are more challenging. Life today is more complex 20 years ago." True today.

There is a four year junior high school if junior high school is defined as sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. Eighth grade students enroll in eighth grade twice. Click The Journal Podcast The Big Business Of Holding Back Eighth Graders.

The School's Specialty Is Teaching ABCs And 123s

I think back from my kindergarten to my high school senior year. I listen to family stories their children attending K-12 schools. A school's specialty is education. There is nothing more. There can be less. Anything else is a bonus. The supplemental support is available on school campus such as counseling, college advice, nutrition, library services, and medical. School computers meet any minimum standards at best. Expectations should be low. The students receive a public education as a government service funded by the tax dollars. Students who want stronger supplemental learning or supplemental help should look outside the school campus.

Teachers are not the best at their subjects. Otherwise, the teachers aren't in the education field. If the teachers are the best, then they get promoted to an incompetent higher position. The Peter Principle applies in the education field. Likewise, the promotions include counselors, deans, administrators, principals, janitors, and school support staff. Furthermore, if a teacher teaches their students how to learn from making mistakes, the teacher must quit teaching school. Find a better job.

I have an understanding some students blame any teacher, support staff, or administrative staff for not solving their problems. They're not the best. It's the education system. Times have changed. Students and parents bear more responsibility to solve their own problems. Fortunately, in today's Information Age, there are online resources and information. Good luck.

Finally, what's today's public reaction if they saw the 1980s Public Service Announcement commercial Reach For The Power, Teach Teaching PSA, 1988 or 80s Teacher Commercial today? The commercial is not a representation of today's Information Age youth. The youth may be vomiting.

Update On A Past Blog

I Wasn't A Dumb Child After All and I Wasn't A Dumb Child After All. The two blogs were written on Apr 17, 2019 and Aug 3, 2013, respectively. The Apr 17, 2019 blog I realized my poor short-term memory falsely convinced me I was dumb. I learn. I forgot. I must be dumb.

The Aug 3, 2013 blog I blamed my parents because they were poor teachers. Let's be objective. Some people can't teach. Both my parents can't teach.

I wanted to learn. I wanted to succeed. I was motivated. Unfortunately, nobody taught me the skills to learn and to succeed in my childhood. I wanted to do well. I didn't learn flexibility. I didn't learn adaptability. I didn't learn frustration tolerance. I didn't learn problem solving. I worried too much. Nobody taught me to stop worrying too much.

Top Ten Plus Seven Equals Top Seventeen Favorite Arcade Games

Playing video games in the arcade was a childhood moment. Playing arcade games on video game consoles was a childhood moment. The pure arcades are rare today. Computers, emulators, consoles, internet, and cell phones make playing classic arcade games accessible.

I was a below average arcade player. I can say I completed Blood Brothers and Area 51 in one coin without continuing. Moreover, Area 51 was the arcade game I played when I attended San Jose State University. Many of the seventeen arcade games relate to a life memory. Blood Brothers is number five. Area 51 is number two.

I recognize Ghost Squad as a favorite arcade game released in 2004. Ghost Squad was my first game I played at the Golfland weekend opening morning unlimited arcade game play. I'm one of the few players who prefer the shotgun. I also recognize Metal Slug 2 as a favorite arcade game released in 1998. The victory music at the end of every mission is great. Eri was my character.

Here are my top ten plus seven equals top seventeen favorite arcade games. These favorites are from my childhood to my young adult years attending San Jose State University.

17. Super Pac Man. I watched the game for the first timing confused when Pac Man became big he didn't chomp the ghosts. The first time I played I made it to level 3 without dying.

16. Super Mario Brothers. I played the game on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I didn't play the game at the arcade. I include the game because I completed the game without warping and without getting additional lives at World 3-1.

15. Rygar. I dedicate number fifteen to Arthur who was a friend to my brother and I. He always died at the last level.

14. 1943. A high school friend and I always died at the last level. No continues allowed. All strategies were used such as changing from Auto to 3-Way. Unsuccessful.

13. X-Men vs. Street Fighter. I was terrible at fighting games. It was entertaining watching people play. I played the game on a modified Sega Saturn. Cammy and Chun-Li were my fighters.

12. Street Fighter 2. Another fighting game I was terrible. My cousin introduced the game to my brother and I.

11. Frogger. I played the game at Marie Callender's restaurant in sixth grade. I continued completing level after level after level attracting a crowd.

10. Raiden 2. Use the cluster bombs for defense.

9. Time Pilot. I was the only student in my fifth grade class who made it to World War II when my class took a lunch field trip to Chuck E. Cheese.

8. Time Crisis 2. The only arcade game I played at anime conventions decades ago even though Time Crisis 2 was released in 1997.

7. Ikari Warriors. The first video game I played with the 360 degree knob on top of the joystick to rotate the character to shoot in eight directions. One of two video games defined my youth at arcades.

6. Twin Cobra. If the helicopter could fly faster and fewer power ups required for full firepower, then the game is a top three favorite. I used the colors of the helicopters red and blue and the word cobra as nicknames in high school: red cobra and blue cobra. I remember playing the game at Great America amusement park with the background music Got My Mind Set On You by George Harrison for the eighth grade graduation party.

5. Blood Brothers. I can win the game on one coin.

4. Midnight Resistance. Fire is the gun and nitro is the secondary weapon.

3. Cyberball 2072. The game is optimized for running plays. No passing plays.

2. Area 51. I mastered the video game in Fall Semester 1996 at San Jose State University. I admit I needed a partner; in particular, an art major I partnered multiple times. We never knew our names. We never talked afterwards. We never became friends. One game we thanked each other.

Honorable mentions: Aero Fighters 2, Dragon Spirit, Gauntlet, and Magic Sword.

1. Gauntlet 2. The second of the two video games defined my youth at arcades. The game was popular and was unpopular. The popular times the arcade set 1,000 health for one coin. The unpopular times the arcade set a multiplier when four coins were deposited at the same time for bonus health.

A Full Time Job For Children

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

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

A child's full time job is to learn.

Update On A Past Blog

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

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

A Second Look At 2024

It's the time I look back at my 2024 blogs to give myself feedback. The goals delaying one year are relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, correcting errant blogs, and sharing changes. The 14 blogs are also the 2024 best blogs.

1. Do You Really Care About Other People?
Date: Mon Jan 15
Summary: You must care about yourself to care for other people.
Feedback: There are multiple feedbacks on the blog post and on the Update On A Past Blog. The blog consisted of two paragraphs with wisdom. Boundaries is the one-word summary for the first paragraph. I remind myself boundaries from the blog I'm Tired Stepping Up Making Other People Feel Comfortable written on Mon Oct 13, 2025. Be fair. Stand up for yourself. Don't be taken advantage. Let the other party be angry.

I wrote "Don't sacrifice yourself to care for other people" is the other people don't necessarily pay you back or return the favor. Napoleon Hill said, "The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does." The statement is false. It's not aloofness does pay in the service industry. It's niceness doesn't pay in the service industry. There are exceptions such as five-star hotels.

Self-respect and self-esteem are required to care for other people.

I repeat my favorite wisdom for the second paragraph. "Motivation or desire is more important than knowledge. Further, a little knowledge is better than a lot of ignorance."

One of the Update On A Past Blog is the day I grew up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The blog Connecting My Dots Backwards written on Oct 13, 2011 details the immediate changes. The first two sentences I wrote: I reiterate an action on the day I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The action was "I forgave everything and everyone. . . ."

2. The San Francisco 49ers Third Super Bowl Lost Hurts The Most
Date: Tue Feb 13
Summary: I shared my opinion on the 49ers overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Feedback: The two sentences "I believe the 2024 Super Bowl hurts the most because head coach Kyle Shanahan did everything correct. He did it right." should be corrected to did almost everything correct and mostly did it right because I mentioned "Multiple reports stated some 49ers didn't know the new overtime playoff rules." Moreover, some sports journalists said a Shanahan weakness is he can't adapt and improvise when his game plan fails. Perhaps, the weakness explains Shanahan can't think ahead and anticipate multiple outcomes before the game and during the game.

I stand by my opinion as of today. Shanahan made the correct choice to receive the ball first in overtime. Go on offense, score a touchdown, and attempt the two-point conversion. There is no punting. The offense uses all four downs or all four chances to get first downs. Score eight points to win or lose the Super Bowl.

I reiterate to myself and to the readers. You can do everything correctly. The end result is a lost.

War of attrition. Chiefs won by attrition. No significant in-game injuries.

3. Throwback Blog: The Lesson To Be Successful Rarely Taught
Date: Wed Feb 28
Summary: The rarely taught lessons are timing, luck, opportunity, chance, learn from mistakes, and motivation or desire.
Feedback: Another factor to become successful is not taught in classes. The factor is nature. Natural talent. The powers to be granted something special to the person. I'm not a biologist. Natural selection must be considered.

Timing, luck, opportunity, chance, learn from mistakes, motivation or desire, and nature are factors to be successful.

4. Underachieve And Did Nothing About It
Date: Sun Mar 3
Summary: I dreamed I was an options trader laid off by Roseanne Barr.
Feedback: I wrote seven blogs sharing last night dreams. The blog represented one of the seven.

5. Homeless Encampment Eviction Day Real Story
Date: Sat Mar 23
Summary: The YouTube comments told the truth on a homeless encampment Eviction day for Oakland's Wood Street homeless encampment from KTVU Fox 2 News on Apr 10, 2023.
Feedback: The real news reporting is in the comments. The real journalism is from the comments acting as news reporters. There are some life lessons people can learn regardless of age. A favorite: You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

6. Self Job Training Graduation Analytics Research Technology
Date: Fri Apr 19
Summary: I documented my Analytics Research Technology job training from Aug 2014 to Mar 2024.
Feedback: The post Analytics Research Technology learning started on Jul 15, 2024. JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Excel, Python, and WordPress. I read one book on Power Pivot from Jul 2024 to Sep 2024. Power Query was a drill reminder rereading selected chapters from Aug 2024 to Jul 2025. I cleaned my code for my webpage Innovate Infinitely after JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

The education is Python and Excel as of the blog post. Did I reach my maximum what I needed to learn and to know for a data analyst is a question for the remainder of 2025. I don't know what new skills to learn starting in 2026.

The WordPress deserves its own paragraph. I started in Jul 2024. I ended in Aug 2025. I used my previous web hosting provider to learn WordPress. The web hosting provider accused me of using too much bandwidth. I closed my account. I found a better web hosting provider. I lost interest learning WordPress. The new web hosting provider is one blessing in disguise. A second blessing in disguise is I cancelled copying my Innovating Common Knowledge blogs to a WordPress blog template for further learning. Google Search Console and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are part of the WordPress learning.

R, R-Studio, and VBA are dead. I see no job postings requiring these skills. Linux is unseen in 99% of job postings I'm qualified. Access is seen in 1% of job postings I'm qualified. Moreover, almost all job descriptions the latest and greatest knowledge in Excel is not required; although, almost all job descriptions imply Excel.

7. Crossing The Line To Become An Adult
Date: Tue Jun 4
Summary: I declared myself an adult.
Feedback: I reiterate to correct the blog and the Update On A Past Blog. Age 46 is incorrect. Age 45 is correct. I was 45 years old when I became an adult.

8. Shelter In-Place COVID-19 Blog July 2024
Date: Fri Aug 2
Summary: My COVID-19 blog for July 2024.
Feedback: One consistent Shelter In-Place COVID-19 blogs is the surges. The virus mutates; however, there's no second COVID-19 global pandemic. No shut downs. No restrictions. No partial restrictions. The vaccines must be working. Herd immunity protects people from COVID-19. Regardless, friends and relatives are still testing positive.

9. Blame Life For Too Much
Date: Wed Aug 14
Summary: There is too much to do with too little time.
Feedback: The title is true. I made a mistake on the content. The content is mostly bullshit. The individual blogs combined for the title blog should not be combined. The bottom line is blame life and blame the Information Age there is too much to do. Life and the Information Age don't increase the number 24 for the 24 hours per day.

10. Half Ass Doesn't Work Anymore
Date: Tue Oct 8
Summary: People can't half ass to become successful.
Feedback: I want to clarify sometimes half-ass is good enough. Half-ass work depends on the responsibility, the assignment, the request, the resources or support available, and timing. It's a judgment call. A lazy person doing everything half-ass is another conversation.

11. Grown Up Lessons In Second Grade Completing A Word Search
Date: Tue Oct 22
Summary: I recall a word search homework assignment in second grade.
Feedback: I want to reiterate the first grown up lesson. The first lesson applies to everything in life. School, college, workplace, helping friends, helping family, and personal projects. Need more information. Inadequate support. Short amount of time. Can't complete it. Fuck it. Stop doing the assignment.

I wrote ten blogs referencing my past childhood or past childhood in school. The blog represents one of the ten.

12. Throwback Blog: Throwback Blog: A Mixed Bag Of Everything
Date: Thur Oct 31
Summary: Moments from the year 2006.
Feedback: 2006 is the year I talked about the least when it comes to good years. I still agree with the sentence 14 months later. 2006 was a fake happy year. I need reminders 2006 was a fake good year. 2006 was the least good year.

13. The Perfect Error
Date: Wed Nov 6
Summary: I shared my thoughts and opinions on the 2024 US Presidential Elections Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.
Feedback: I made a mistake. The title is incorrect. I'm incorrect saying Harris committed the perfect error. If Harris won, then she fulfilled the political miracle in the history of the United States Of America. A reason why Harris and the Democrats lost was no focus. The Democrats were too spread out. The Democrats were too diverse. The Democrats were too diluted.

I wrote the sentence, "Harris did her best to convince the American people to vote for her in 107 days." 107 Days is the title of her new book which reached number one in the New York Times Bestsellers list for nonfiction. I want Harris to name names who screwed up the Democratics and screwed up her political career.

Harris had little fault for her defeat. She was given one star ingredients to make a five star dinner.

14. My Problems Are Nothing
Date: Fri Dec 27
Summary: My life is happy because my problems are nothing.
Feedback: Another end of the day thought. My life is paradise. Shelter, food, sound mental capabilities, no physical injuries, mattress to sleep, minimal expenses, and internet. I'm not lost in the woods. No drugs or alcohol addictions. No video game addictions.

My problems are nothing relatively speaking. My life is not nothing relatively speaking. A person with nothing doesn't need money. A person with nothing doesn't need shelter, food, and the internet. He or she is nothing. Nothing. Period.

I wrote eight blogs referencing my long-term unemployment. The blog represents one of the eight.

The following blog is a honorable mention: The 10 Percent Physical Is Much Bigger With 90 Percent Mental.

My First Memories

I share some of my first memories.

*First dream. I fell down from the sky at Meyerholz Elementary School in San Jose, CA. I saw wise old Asian men watching from the mountains. I landed on top of a waterslide made of square wooden pieces like a 1970s playground metal slide supported by wooden posts shaped in squares. I slid down to the main playground. The air dried me immediately. I walked home minutes away from the school.

*Pre-school. I attended Wilson Elementary School in Cupertino, CA. My teacher's name was Miss Sue. She was red haired. One school day I cried myself to the time-out section with my brown paper lunch bag. The time-out section was a wall cordoned by a large red and white color gym mat perpendicular to the floor. My brown paper lunch bag was written with my first name and last name. I read when I was four years old.

*Pre-school parking lot. The end of my school day I walked around the parking lot sidewalk saying goodbye to the school buses.

*First stuffed animal. My mom sewed. She made a lamb for me and my brother. My mom named the lambs after my brother's first name and my first name. My lamb was Raymond Lamb. There was a day my brother played with all of the stuffed animals except for Raymond Lamb. I played with Raymond Lamb alone pretending to watch the house for all of our stuffed animals. The house was the glass coffee table in the living room. My brother thank me and Raymond Lamb for watching the house when his lamb and the stuffed animals came home.

My mom made Raymond Lamb with a mean smile :< My mom made my brother's lamb with a happy smile :)

*Living room glass coffee table. I favored clean. I cleaned up the living room by moving all the toys under the glass coffee table. I told everyone the room was cleaned.

*A late afternoon walk. My parents, brother, and I walked to Meyerholz Elementary School to play at the playground. I played on the playground equipment doing everything wrong because nobody taught me how to use the equipment.

Past Lesson Blogs

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

Update On A Past Blog

Here are 31 blogs with the word "lesson" in the blog title sorted by date in descending order from Dec 31, 2024 and earlier. Choose any blog to review and/or to relearn past lessons.

1. Grown Up Lessons In Second Grade Completing A Word Search written on Oct 22, 2024. Some assignments can't be completed for whatever reasons. People do cheat. And don't take everything seriously.

2. Reading Books Reinforce Centuries Life Lessons written on May 7, 2024. A pic blog from books Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw, Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, All The President's Men by Carl Berstein and Bob Woodward, and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Humans deserve kindness. A person realizes life becomes a joke the longer he or she lives. 99.9% of young people are not going to change the world. The word "rat" can be used in joke, metaphors, and anecdotes. Always verify. Give it time; for instance, it was inevitable Richard Nixon resigned. Every human being has at least one redeeming quality.

3. Throwback Blog: The Lesson To Be Successful Rarely Taught written on Feb 28, 2024. I repost timing, luck, opportunity, and chance blog from Sep 12, 2018.

4. A Lesson From The Rich People written on Jun 27, 2023. Understand the true meaning of work more and play less.

5. Life Lessons And Reminders written on May 21, 2022. A pic blog which includes two pages from the book Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden. Remember standard procedures. Narratives can change in minutes.

6. Three Grown-Up Lessons I Didn't Learn When I Was A Child written on Apr 17, 2022. The first lesson is nobody is perfect. The second lesson is actors and actresses don't make one movie and one television show for their entire careers. The third lesson is families change.

7. High School R.O.T.C. Leadership Lesson Another Viewpoint By Rank written on Oct 24, 2020. I rank the leadership attributes and leadership skills by importance.

8. Top Ten Lessons I Learned The Hard Way written on Jun 23, 2019. Never stop meeting new people is number one. Don't take life for granted is number three. Grow up is number four. Earn it is number six. Take care of your body inside and outside equally is number eight. Timing and luck are factors is number ten. These are my favorites.

9. The Lesson To Be Successful Rarely Taught written on Sep 12, 2018. If I can teach timing, luck, opportunity, and chance, then I'm a millionaire.

10. Another Lesson From Never Stop Growing Up Regardless When It Started written on Sep 5, 2018. People come and go in our lives. One reason is we change. People naturally grow apart.

11. Relevant Life Lessons And Trends written on May 23, 2018. Another pic blog. Active parents raise active children.

12. Throwback Blog: Top Ten Life Lessons From The Beatles written on Oct 30, 2017. I repost the Beatles blog from Jul 1, 2015.

13. Never Stop Learning Lesson Emphasized Because One Of The Shermans Past Away written on May 5, 2017. A lesson I repeat. Never stop learning. Innovate infinitely.

14. Top Ten Life Lessons I Learned Watching Sports written on Nov 5, 2016. Support, good coaching, consistency, be professional, and a strong core are some of the lessons.

15. A Lesson From My Bad Years written on Nov 1, 2016. I share a lesson from my bad years in 2002, 2007, 2008, 2013, and 2014.

16. Life Lessons Learned Playing Mahjong Riichi written on Mar 18, 2016. Skip all the lessons except the last lesson which is luck is part of the game. I'm an advanced mahjong player. My luck is terrible.

17. Life Lessons From Space Brothers written on Aug 17, 2015. My number two all-time favorite anime series. The lessons are part of my Inspiration Cheer Up life wisdom.

18. Top Ten Life Lessons From The Beatles written on Jul 1, 2015. Ten Beatles song titles are life lessons: Let It Be, Get Back, I've Got A Feeling, The Long And Winding Road, We Can Work It Out, Carry That Weight, Something, Here Comes The Sun, You're Going to Lose That Girl, and Getting Better.

19. Top Ten Lessons I Learned Working At My Last Job written on Nov 16, 2014. I worked at a retail startup selling wine. Shipping and receiving require training. There is no such thing as 100% customer service.

20. Top Ten Lessons I Learned Incorrectly written on Jul 28, 2014. I'm happy I corrected these lessons. They're no longer part of my life.

21. Top Ten Lessons My Parents Failed To Teach Me written on May 2, 2013. Parents raising children existed for centuries. Parents raising children exist in today's modern world. Unfortunately, some parents make the same mistakes my parents made when they raised me.

New parents remember some of these lessons from my top ten: communicate with your children, don't take life for granted, be mature, learn how to cook, read, and don't ignore problems hoping they disappear.

22. A Life Lesson I Learned Gangnam Style written on Aug 29, 2012. Ignore the lesson. I communicated incorrectly.

23. Lessons From My Office Space written on Jun 17, 2012. The first mistake was I didn't talk and socialize with my co-workers. The second mistake was I didn't realize people supported me in my second company. I believed I was lonely. I believed I was on my own. I had to be strong. I was a coward.

24. Life Lessons I Learned From Alex Smith written on Feb 15, 2012. The fifth lesson summarized Alex Smith's NFL career. Smith experienced bad luck and bad timing. I add a seventh lesson which is grit. Continue grinding. There was no reason to quit.

25. Another Lesson I Learned From My Grandparents written on Oct 15, 2010. My grandparents failed to meet new people and make new friends. People come and go. It's important to be surrounded with people. Make sure the people are good.

26. Derek Paravicini Teaches A Lesson On Life written on Apr 2, 2010. Begin in a friendly way.

27. A Lesson Learned Tonight written on Feb 2, 2010. There are no guarantees in life.

28. A Lesson From The Ants written on Dec 19, 2009. Don't make the same mistake twice.

29. A Lesson On Life Yesterday written on May 5, 2007. It was a reality check. Times have changed in the workplace from my parent's generation and the years before the Great Recession. Workers were on their own to solve problems. Everyone was too busy.

30. One Lesson Of Life Cosplaying written on Aug 28, 2006. The one lesson was don't rush. Take it slow. I add a second lesson of life cosplaying worth repeating is never stop meeting new people.

31. $100.00 Lesson written on Jan 24, 2006. Read the expiration dates for all rebates.

Pencils Are Good

I thought of a silly political movement. Bring back the pencil. There are too many people using pens. There are too many people writing with ink tools. I used a pencil from preschool to 12th grade. The only time I used a pen was English classes. I switched pencils and pens in college. I used pens throughout college. The only time I used a pencil was exams involving numbers including calculus, physics, and economics.

I want people use pencils more. I started using pencils more in Oct 2019. Sharpening your pencils is a positive. It forces people to take a break. Get up from the desk to move. There's something about pencils when people read their own notes in pencils. I can't put it into words. Rough beauty? Pens don't make writing beautiful. Handwriting make writing beautiful. Mechanical pencils are accepted.

Update On A Past Blog

Our past generations were correct regarding exercise and reading books. Prevent physical muscle loss by exercising. Prevent mental brain loss by reading. Exercising and reading are the best ways to maintain strength and intelligence. They maximize transition or application to other activities, functions, and responsibilities. Moreover, aerobic physical exercise benefits mental health, too. Aerobic exercise improves blood flow to the brain. Exercise and reading books can benefit emotional health such as positive behavior, spiritual health such as better sleep, and financial stability such as less time to spend on wasteful goods and services.

The above paragraph applies to three previous blogs on physical fitness and mental fitness. I said more people underestimate physical fitness from the blog More People Must Get Physical written on Oct 13, 2019. Exercise Your Body From Head To Toe Inside And Outside written on Jan 6, 2015 is about use it or lose it physically and mentally. Our bodies are meant to move and to think. The blog title Humans Have The Ability To Improve written on Nov 30, 2009 is self-explanatory for which we can change our physical abilities and mental abilities by exercising and reading.

Here are four blogs related to books for mental fitness. These are My Self-Help Books Recommendations written on Jun 28, 2020. My outdated Top Ten Favorite Books I Read I wrote on Oct 27, 2019 needs to be updated with more favorite books added. I said I prefer printed books which is number eight from the blog Top Ten Old School I wrote on Oct 16, 2019. The blog Read Books For Your Life on Oct 16, 2011 I regretted I didn't read books outside school during my childhood. I also said reading books keep the brain active.

Read Dr. Seuss Books

Today I read Dr. Seuss books I didn't read when I was a child. There were plenty of his books I didn't read. Any adult who read either too few Dr. Seuss books or never read Dr. Seuss books must devote three hours to read some of his classics. All parents must read these timeless classic Dr. Seuss books to their toddlers and young children.

Dr. Seuss was born as Theodor Seuss Geisel on Mar 2, 1904 in Massachusetts. Geisel created the Dr. Seuss name while studying at Dartmouth College and Lincoln College, Oxford. He received multiple awards including two Primetime Emmys and a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation.

Here are the books I read:

ABC. Toddlers can learn their ABC's.

And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street. Seuss's first book written in 1937. The book may awaken children's imaginations and comedian skills.

Are You My Mother? I corrected myself the crying bird is from The Best Nest. Written by P.D. Eastman.

Go, Dog. Go! The only book I read multiple times as a child. One reason was the signal lights. Written by P.D. Eastman.

Great Day For Up. The book may be written for the young parents. It's okay the great day for down.

Green Eggs And Ham. I praise the consistent writing. The child may learn consistency.

Hop On Pop. Good book on rhymes.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas! I watched the animated cartoon when I was a child. Read the book for the first time.

I'll Teach My Dog 100 Words. Teach verbs to children. Written by Michael Frith.

In A People House. Good vocabulary book.

Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! Geisel used the book as a satire for the Watergate scandal in the United States from 1972-1974. Mooney was Richard Nixon.

Oh, The Places You'll Go. A number one must read for grade school children.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Introduce the young children on randomness.

Put Me In The Zoo. I remember the book in my room never read for a long time. I might have been an older child I read the book for the first time. Written by Robert Lopshire.

Ten Apples Up On Top! An action book and comedy book.

The Best Nest. The book with the crying bird. Written by P.D. Eastman.

The Cat In The Hat. Read the book for the second time. I needed to be reminded Thing 1 and Thing 2.

The Foot Book. I didn't read when I was a child.

The Lorax. Written in 1971. The book aged well.

The Shape Of Me And Other Stuff. An okay book.

There's A Wocket In My Pocket. I laughed at each page I read. Parents can learn how to communicate silly rhymes to their children.

Wacky Wednesday. My brother's favorite book. My least favorite book. I was a squared child. The incorrectness made me uncomfortable. The wisdom was wackiness must come to an end.

Update On A Past Blog

I Read When I Was Five Years Old blog written on Apr 22, 2024 included the Dr. Seuss books. I remember reading Go, Dog. Go! on my desk multiple times.

Oreo Can't Be Milk's Favorite Cookie

The Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies were part of yesterday's Super Bowl LIX snacks. It has been multiple years since I last ate an Oreo. I didn't eat an Oreo during the COVID-19 pandemic. I purchased a Costco size box on sale in Dec 2024.

I couldn't believe it after taking one bite. The Oreo changed compared to my childhood. There was less cream. The cookie felt lighter in weight. There was no crunch sound. My tongue felt foamy. It was like air holes filled part of the texture.

I read the ingredients. A few ingredients include palm oil, cocoa process with alkali, invert sugar, wheat, and soy. There is a bioengineered food ingredient. A marketing ingredient exclusion is no high fructose corn syrup. I choose not to research further the ingredients for the changed Oreo. I'm not eating Oreos. I take my chances on Costco's bakery cookies.

I Made Good Choices After All

"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. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." --Steve Jobs

People said I did it wrong throughout most of life from Sep 2019 and earlier. I made mistakes. The logic was illogical. People didn't follow me. They wanted it their way. My thought process was nonsense. My actions were insincere. Ignore Raymond Mar because of ineffectiveness.

Times have changed. Attitudes have changed. Opinions have changed. Circumstances have changed. New knowledge acquired. Connect the dots backwards. Hindsight is 20/20. I did it correctly. I could have been successful. The logic was logical. People should have followed me. Their way was problematic. My thought process made sense. My actions were sincere. Listen to Raymond Mar. Take candid pictures. Physical workouts are equally or more important than mental capabilities. A person's inside is equally important than a person's outside. Drinking eight glasses of water per day is false. Read books. Minimize processed foods. There are not enough pie pieces for everyone. There are no valid reasons to watch all those television shows. It's okay to be alone. Sometimes be patient and go for the long run. Don't be a nice person. Do be a good person. Listen to intuition.

I have not been perfect. I admit my mistakes to anything brought to my attention past and present anytime. I should have earned my share of wins. The past is the past. All is forgiven.

A Third Look At 2011

I give a special case to take a third look at the 2011 blogs. I wrote A Second Look At 2011 on Aug 9, 2012. I started A Second Look blogs written in Dec for the 2013 year blogs because the goals delaying one year are relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, correcting errant blogs, and sharing changes. I wrote A Second Look At 2011 blogs which were given eight months. A Second Look At 2010 blogs were given five months written on May 13, 2011. There is no plan to take a third look at 2010 as of today. I give myself 13 years relearning from my mistakes, reinforcing my lessons, reminding myself my moments, refreshing acquired knowledge, rediscovering new wisdom, correcting errant blogs, and sharing changes from 2011.

1. Established Today And Tomorrow
Date: Sat Jan 1
Summary: Nobody is 100% established. Life finds a way to lower the percentage established regardless of a person's choice.
Feedback: The first 2011 blog makes it to A Third Look. A wisdom acquired I'm reminded. Appearances can be deceiving when people see other people. Is the person or are the people established to the maximum? Is the person or are the people under established? My intuition tells me most people are under established? I can say people's weakness prevent maximum establishment.

2. De Anza Week Jan 31, 2011
Date: Thur Feb 3
Summary: I attended Mission College to take a class on Quickbooks.
Feedback: I forgot I attended Mission College in Winter 2011 quarter and Spring 2011 quarter on Tue nights. The semester class was easy. I attended all classes sitting at the back with my laptop concentrating on the lectures half-ass. The project and the take-home final were easy as long as students started early.

3. De Anza Week Feb 28, 2011
Date: Sat Mar 5
Summary: I mentioned four weeks of fatigue on Mon Feb 28.
Feedback: I hesitate to share my feedback for the fatigue. Most college students experienced fatigue; however, as a college graduate with adult wisdom, if I minimized processed foods, spent less time watching anime, more time working out at the gym, slept more hours, and improved my prioritizations, then I reduced fatigue. Furthermore, I mentioned fatigue and sickness throughout the rest of the Winter 2011 blogs. Those two spread throughout campus like the early COVID-19 global pandemic.

4. De Anza Week Apr 18, 2011
Date: Sun Apr 24
Summary: The Mon Apr 18 entry I dropped Advanced Accounting. The Spring 2011 quarter was Auditing and Quickbooks at Mission College classes.
Feedback: A lesson to remember. A mistake I didn't repeat. It's okay to quit. It's okay to drop out. It was not a match. It didn't match my expectations. Anyone who says never quit a responsibility is partially correct. Staying or quitting depends on the circumstances. Staying or quitting is a judgement call.

Also, a representative from a CPA preparation course gave his sales pitch for students to enroll in CPA preparation courses. The students learned a bachelors degree is required to become a CPA. The professor confirmed the CPA changed. A rising tide raises all boats.

Number four third look is in a second look.

5. Meet Fraudster Barry Minkow
Date: Thur May 5
Summary: The auditing professor passed out an article on 1980s fraudster Barry Minkow.
Feedback: Minkow teaches the lesson, "Do not trust--verify."

60 Minutes Minkow interview Barry Minkow Master Mind of the ZZZZ Best Fraud.

6. De Anza Week June 6, 2011
Date: Mon Jun 13
Summary: I lost interest in Auditing class. Boring lectures. Survival mode. Too much to learn in a quarter. Information overload.
Feedback: The Auditing class is one of my best personal examples there is too much to learn in too little time. We live in the Information Age. More jobs require more training, more knowledge, and higher costs. The additional time spent in leisure doesn't pay the rent.

Number six third look is in a second look.

7. The Unemployed Like Me Has Expenses
Date: Sun Sep 18
Summary: The unemployed people must pay to live.
Feedback: The blog stands the test of time. I said, "The unemployed people living in today's tough economy still has to live life: eat, wear [clothes], drive to places, stay clean, [stay] in touch with people via cell phone and/or internet, mail letters, and more." Also, "The unemployed most likely has more time than money. Use the extra time wisely to prepare for your next job and be a better person."

8. A Childhood Lowlight
Date: Sun Oct 23
Summary: My childhood was inactive. There was no learning outside the schools. I didn't have friends outside the schools. There was too much solo fun. There was little parental involvement. Life was too easy.
Feedback: I can't change the past. I'm correcting as many mistakes as I can today. I continue catching up what I missed all the way back to my childhood. I forgive my parents.

9. I Must Declare Bankruptcy If I Was 15 Trillion Dollars In Debt
Date: Tue Nov 22
Summary: The United States Of America was $15.04 trillion in debt.
Feedback: The United States Of America is $36.05 trillion in debt.

10. The Human's Most Precious Possession
Date: Tue Nov 29
Summary: Memories are the human's most precious possession.
Feedback: True today. Take care of your brains. Never take brains for granted.

Number ten third look is in a second look.

United States Of America Today Is Election Day 2024

I voted today in the 2024 US Presidential Election. I dropped off my absentee ballot at the local library. I went inside the library to shop at their small used bookstore afterwards. I completed errands at the bank, Nike Store, Ross, and Target.

The first time I saw a vote sign was Nov 1980 at my elementary school. I was in first grade. I read words and sentences being six years old; although, I didn't know it was Jimmy Carter and Ronald Regan. The school was decorated with the standard American flags, voting signs, and direction arrows. I remember a school administrator or a teacher telling me the sign says vote.

The first time I voted in a presidential election was Nov 1992. Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush. I voted in all elections. California should keep the absentee paper ballot system. The old school still works. If it's not broken, then don't fix it.

Time Tells The Narratives

The 2024 presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump prepare multiple speeches. Harris and Trump prepare for all outcomes. Harris and Trump prepare for all narratives. I wrote the blog Prepare Multiple Conversation Subjects on Oct 20, 2016 which stated prepare a victory speech and a defeat speech. I wrote the blog United States Of America Today Is Election Day 2020 on Nov 3, 2020 which stated the system works. The people vote for the best candidate.

Furthermore, the voting system is secured. The media overhyped and overblown the fear people's votes are uncounted.

Some of my bullets points from the blog Instant Bullet 2020 United States Presidential Election Version written on Jan 20, 2021 are valid today. My favorites are the following:

*There are 46 Presidents Of The United States. These 46 Presidents are out of all the people who live or lived as naturalized born United States Citizen age 35 or over. 46 dreams came true. It's unfortunate few people accomplish their dreams completely.

*Any given day the President influences at most 25% of your daily life. Think carefully. Think deeply. The President doesn't affect much.

*The Electoral College works. For example, 18.5 million votes were casted in the battleground states Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Georgia. Biden won all four states over Trump by 125,000 votes or 0.676%.

There Are Too Many Toys Qualitatively Speaking

I received the 2024 Target Toy Holiday catalog last week. There are 80 pages including the front page with the popular toys and the back page with my mailing address. There are too many toys to choose.

My childhood generation the toys included Fisher-Price, Lego, Transformers, Barbie, Play-Doh, GI Joe, Hot Wheels, Disney, Star Wars, Nerf, books, Tonka, board games, art, cosmetics, sports, My Little Pony, Cabbage Patch, bikes, manual four-wheel cars, and motorized toy cycles. The top video games were Atari and Intellivision.

Today's childhood generation includes the toys above plus Bluey, Pokemon, Marvel, Melissa & Doug, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jurassic Park, DC Comics, Furby, Giggle Scape, Ms. Rachel, PAW Patrol, Gabby's Dollhouse, Perfectly Cute, Baby Alive, Out Generation, Mini Brands, Monster High, Rainbow High, Unicorn Academy, LOL Surprise, and Jurassic World. The top video games are Nintendo, XBOX, and PlayStation. FAO Schwarz and Sharper Image are available. There are multiple electronic toys companies. Cheap small size circuit boards and processors must be appreciated. There are many more from lesser-known companies. PC video games gifts are worth mentioning even though they're not included in the catalog.

The marketing department knows how to sell. The bottom of each page or the footer sells to the consumer easy ways to buy, free shipping, free store pick-up, batteries, save 5% with restrictions using the Target credit card, and a QR code. Repetition works. Up to three pages are books. Books generate low revenues. Kids want toys requiring batteries.

I'm surprised there are enough pieces of the pie for all of the toys to earn revenues for Target and their companies. Competition is tough. Children can't play all of the toys 24 hours a day. I'm flabbergasted.

A Brief Childhood Moment

I remember playing toys in the toy aisle at TG&Y. TG&Y was a five and dime chain store in the United States. The children and I literally made a mess playing with toys on the floor. An old man in his 50s wearing a shirt and tie told us to stop playing with the toys. He must be the manager. We ignored him. Everyone continued playing. I saw the manager walk around the store ignoring us minutes later.

Update On A Past Blog

I admit a second mistake following the blog It Was My Fault I Made A Mistake I wrote on Jul 23, 2023. The first mistake was arriving late for a family event. It was my fault my mom, dad and I arrived late. The second mistake happened on Mar 14, 2024. The house landlines phone base is connected to the VoIP device. The phone connection was poor. I called the VoIP tech support. The technical ran tests on their end. No error messages. It turned out I connected the ethernet cable from the router to the VoIP device to the wrong port. Otherwise, the VoIP connected wirelessly. I failed to check the blinking lights behind the broadband port to confirm the ethernet cable connected from the router to the VoIP. Another reminder to check and to confirm the little details.

Grown Up Lessons In Second Grade Completing A Word Search

My second grade teacher assigned homework on Wed nights only. A classmate shared a word search to the class created from his parents. The teacher changed the Wed homework assignment from English to a word search. A word search is a group of random letters organized on a grid. Sometimes the random letters are organized in a shape. There is a list of words below the grid. The objective is search for a group of letters in the grid to find the words. The words are horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, and either forwards or backwards.

I started the homework in the evening. It was difficult. I asked my mom to help. It was difficult for her. Hours were spent on the word search. Bedtime arrived. My mom told me it was okay to submit the incomplete word search. I felt guilty I didn't complete the assignment.

The first conversations Thur morning was the homework assignment. Students told other students how many words they found. Few students found all words. I felt relieved somewhat. What were the adult lessons I could have learned?

The first lesson was some assignments can't be completed. Sometimes assignments need more time. Sometimes assignments lack background information. Sometimes assignments the criteria makes no sense. Time was up. Time to stop. It was bedtime. Be comfortable submitting the incomplete homework assignment tomorrow. I did my best.

Cheating was the second lesson. I cheated. I changed one letter erasing the letter with my eraser to match a word. My mom said no cheating. On the other hand, I reference the movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Admiral Kirk told Lieutenant Saavik he cheated in The Kobayashi Maru scenario by reprogramming the simulation. Kirk didn't believe in the no-win scenario. I could have gotten away with cheating because the homework assignment was just a word search which leads me to the third lesson.

The word search was just a word search. Nothing gained on an insignificant assignment was the third lesson. Nothing was rewarded. Nothing was penalized. Low stakes. It was not studying for a spelling test. It was not arithmetic. It was not a book report. The homework assignment didn't affect my grades. The word search was lighthearted. The word search was supposed to be fun. The bonus third lesson was I should have forgotten the word search. I took the assignment too seriously.

Scott Found Nine Words

I remember one student named Scott. He shouted to the entire class he found nine words. Scott reassured the third lesson. The word search was not worth the effort. Quit. Stop. Go watch TV. Go read a book. Listen to music. I should have done something constructive for a normal second grader.

Less Play And More Maturity

The education systems are correct when it comes to free time. There are playgrounds at elementary schools kindergarten to fifth grade. The children play before school starts, recess, and lunch hour. There are no playgrounds at junior high schools and high schools. The students socialize around the halls or complete homework assignments before school starts, break, and lunch hour. Some students play school athletics after school which is their physical activity; although, I played touch football and basketball in the mornings and lunch hours in my junior high years. I don't know if today's junior high students play any athletics during their mornings and lunch hours. An exception is students arrive at school minutes before classes start.

Students who start junior high school and students who start high school for the first time should immediately experience a maturity moment. Less play. Less goofing off. It's another step to become an adult. It's a moment to take life more seriously. There is more homework. There are more exams. There are more people to meet. There are more social activities. There are more mistakes. There are more lessons. Schoolwork and gatherings replace watching Sesame Street television. Reading books with pictures are stopped. Grown up books are read using their brains for pictures. The children toys, children music, and children games begin to collect dust. The play toys time is learning Algebra. Music is anything else such as rock, classical, and hip-hop. Chutes And Ladders and Candy Landy board games are changed to Settlers Of Catan and poker. The children are growing up.

Learn By Example

I remember the first time I learn by example. It was in fourth grade English. I didn't know I learn by example at the time. Every homework exercise the teacher assigned the first question which included the answer at the bottom of the page. I understood the English concepts clearer following the first question and answer than the teacher lecturing on the chalkboard. My best example was learning subject-verb agreement. The singular and plural are opposites, unmatched, or not equal. A singular noun is followed by a plural verb. A plural noun is followed by a singular verb. One noun is followed by more than one verb. More than one noun is followed by one verb. For example, Tom runs to the store for which Tom is a singular noun and runs is a plural verb ending in s. Another example, Tom and Jane run to the store for which Tom and Jane are plural nouns and run is a singular verb without ending in s. It may not be grammatically logical. The logical fits my thinking process.

The learn by example continued in my high school math classes. I completed the homework assignments. I checked the answers at the back of the book. If I got the answer wrong, then I corrected the mistake by figuring out my incorrect calculations. I thought the answers at the back of the book was for students to cheat. I admit I was naive. The answers helped students check their work for students to confirm they solved the problems correctly.

Moreover, most of my high school math teachers believed in learn the concepts instead of practicing and drilling. These math teachers assigned fewer problems covering the section for which they believed if the students understand how to solve the fewer problem, then they understood the concepts. Any problems could be solved. I was in the minority. My learning process was practicing and drilling. The more I practiced. The more I drilled. The more I find patterns. The more I thought instinctively. The more I understood the concepts myself.

Practicing and drilling with examples are my best way to learn being an adult. My intuition becomes stronger. My reflexes become stronger. I think quicker.

Update On A Past Blog

I remind Beelzebub continues to collect the bills from the blog Times Are Changing written on Sep 17, 2020. People who made deals with Satan better pay up. Never overestimate or overspend. Know the limits. Nobody imagines the consequences.

Top 50 Most Memorable Moments

Number 50. 50 years on planet Earth. A life milestone. Life can be better. Life can be worse. We do the best. I do my best. These top 50 are the moments from when I was born to my 50th birthday. Each person is responsible to live a memorable life. Here are the Top 50 Most Memorable Moments:

50. My Boss Was Fired (Sep 2002). Officially, she found another job. Unofficially, she was fired. The reasons were incompetence and doing nothing. Lesson learned: have nothing, do nothing, get nothing, be nothing, and people treat you like nothing. Never be a nobody.

49. 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.

48. Neverland Album By Nirvana (Aug 1, 2025). I can't explain why it took me decades to listen to the album. There are some songs I didn't realize Nirvana sang from other medias.

47. Bonchon (Jan 27, 2021). I ate Korean fried chicken for the first time. The fried chicken is fried twice.

46. Team Fortress 2 And Final Fantasy VI-VIII (Oct 21, 2007, Dec 20, 2020, Aug 9, 2021, and Feb 2, 2022). Team Fortress 2 was my first video game I played online with other players. I took advantage of the COVID-19 global pandemic to play classic Final Fantasy games. VI is my favorite out of the three Final Fantasy games.

45. Witnessed An Eviction (Mar 6, 2024). I helped a family friend evict a tenant who took advantage of the COVID-19 global pandemic eviction moratorium living rent free without paying back rent. Lesson learned: it's coming--give it time. Everything happens in time.

44. Riichi Mahjong (Oct 2009). I played Japanese Mahjong Riichi for the first time in summer 2007. I hated it. I quit. I accepted a challenge from a friend to relearn Riichi. I accepted. Mahjong is one of my all-time favorite table top games. I also play Hong Kong and Taiwanese styles.

43. Moby-Dick By Herman Melville (Oct 17, 2023). The last three chapters are the best last three chapters I have ever read. I understand all the jokes and references from other medias.

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

41. Harry Potter By J.K. Rowling (Sep 2019-Mar 2020). I can't explain why it took me decades to read a modern classic. I read the books two more times during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Harry Potter is my favorite character. Gryffindor is my house. My favorite volume is either Year 5 The Order Of The Phoenix or Year 7 The Deathly Hallows.

40. Classic Rock Music (Sep 2005). I was introduced to the local classic rock station 98.5 KFOX. The station saved me from driving without music. I lost interest in pop music. Classic rock is one of my favorite music today. The Beatles is my favorite band.

39. Rent A DVD From The De Anza College Library (Oct 2010-Mar 2011). I rented one DVD a week for my movie of the week. Almost all of the movies I rented were from the American Film Institute's Top 100 Movies 1997 edition. Some of the movies I rented include King Kong, Singin' in the Rain, Midnight Cowboy, Vertigo, and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

38. Las Vegas 2004 (Dec 13-15, 2004). My friend from Washington and I met in Las Vegas. Both of us won money at the Luxor casino playing craps and playing the camel race machine. We visited Fremont Street where we played limit poker at Binion's. The casinos we stayed overnight were Paris Las Vegas and Bellagio. The Bellagio is my all-time favorite hotel and casino.

37. Oregon Trip (Nov 16-20, 2005). My parents, uncle, aunt, and I drove from the Bay Area to Oregon for a road trip. We visited Portland, Salem, and Multnomah Falls. Shopping, sightseeing, and real estate were our top activities. I won $100 at an Indian gaming casino along Interstate 5.

36. Anime Expo 2006 (Jul 1-4, 2006). Best Anime Expo I attended. Some of the highlights included the guest of honor CLAMP, cosplay gatherings, meeting new people, and sneaking in the dealer's room without lining up. It was the last year Anime Expo was held at the Anaheim Convention Center.

35. 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.

34. Steve Jobs And Stephen Hawking (Feb 26, 2016 and May 25, 2022). I read the late Jobs' biography Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and the late Hawking's A Brief History Of Time. Two geniuses. Steve Jobs is my all-time favorite book. Lessons are learned. Wisdom acquired.

33. Paul McCartney Up And Coming Tour (Jul 10, 2010). I missed the opportunity to see Paul McCartney at the HP Pavilion in 2005. I wasn't making the same mistake twice. I saw Paul McCartney at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Great concert. He played for almost three hours.

32. Podcasts (Various Dates). I listen to 99% Invisible, Awesome Etiquette, Damon Bruce: Plus, Freakonomics, Lex Fridman, MuggleCast, Sex With Emily, Stuff You Should Know, The Dave Ross Commentary, and The Problem With Jon Stewart. My current events podcasts are 60 Minutes and Nightline. My retired podcasts are Car Talk and NBC Sports Bay Area Happy Hour.

31. Artisan Wine Depot (Nov 2013-Sep 2014). My first start-up company I worked. My second retail company. Great business idea selling high-end wine at discount prices.

30. Palo Alto Networks (Nov 2014-May 2015). It was nice going back to a tech company. The timing was good I earned money for the 2014 Christmas Holiday. The experiences from the mistakes and the politics were greater than the work experienced itself.

29. New Laptops And New Desktops (Various Dates). My first laptop was the Dell 8600 Inspiron in Feb 2005. My second laptop was the HP Compaq 8510p in Jul 2008. My third laptop was the HP Spectre in Nov 2019. I built my first desktop in Jan 2009. I built my second desktop in Jan 2020.

28. My Bible (Aug 7, 2012). I created my bible from past blogs. My bible reminds me who I am, my strengths, and my lessons learned from my mistakes. I say with high confidence I am who I am today reading the bible: stronger, smarter, kinder, wiser, confident, and having faith in myself.

27. My Blogs (Aug 4, 2005 and Sep 2, 2008). I created two blogs. The first blog is Innovating Common Knowledge. Innovating Common Knowledge innovates life's common knowledge. My second blog is Finding Raymond Mar. Finding Raymond Mar is my personal blog for which I blog anything without restrictions.

26. The Perfect Semester At San Jose State University (Fall 1996). I attended classes on Tue and Thur. I learned how to write. 3.64 semester GPA. I mastered the shooting arcade game Area 51. I worked part-time at Blockbuster Video. I lost weight. I began listening to music while I studied.

25. Washington Canada 2005 (Aug 27-Sep 4, 2005). I visited my Washington friend in his home state for the first time. It was my first time in Washington. It was my first time in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Some of my highlights included visiting the Space Needle, winning money at an Indian casino, shopping for used books, visiting small towns, and seeing new sights I never saw in California. I don't consider Canada my first foreign country because anyone in the United States can visit Canada easily.

24. My First Car (May 19, 2007). I purchased my first car from my neighbor who moved to Virginia. It was the Toyota Camry 2005 XLE V6. Very dependable car. No major problems. I take my car to the auto repair shop for routine repairs. I change the oil myself using Castrol. I fill my car with Chevron gas.

23. My New Face And My New Haircut (Sep 2004 and Apr 2017). My new haircut was a buzzcut in Sep 2004. I lost weight which included a new face in Apr 2017. Today is the best I've ever looked.

22. Cisco (Mar 19, 2007-Nov 22, 2008). My first job working at a tech company. I experienced working in a cubicle for the first time, eating in a cafeteria, and my first work-issued laptop. I went on a business trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on my second week. My 18 months was good experience in the tech sector. My contract was terminated because of the financial real estate bubble burst leading to the Great Recession.

21. Hiking (Apr 2009-Present). Hiking became a new hobby. My first trail was Uvas Canyon in Morgan Hill, CA. Some of my favorite trails include Castle Rock State Park in Los Gatos, CA; Point Lobos in Monterey, CA; and Pinnacles in Paicines, CA. I purchased hiking clothing, shoes and a backpack at the 2009 REI anniversary sale. I recognize four hikes in four months between Sep-Dec 2019. The hikes were Montara Mountain trail at San Pedro Valley Park in Pacifica, CA; Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland, CA; Castle Rock State Park; and Mission Peak in Fremont, CA.

20. Ballroom Dancing (Jan 2009-Mar 2011). My sister was an amateur ballroom dancer. She introduced me to ballroom dancing. Dancing is a great social activity. I took dancing classes at De Anza College. I met new people and made friends.

19. De Anza College (Mar 2009-Jun 2011). I choose to go back to school after I lost my job at Cisco. I took Beginning Weightlifting and Social Dance in Spring Quarter 2009. I choose to go back to school full time majoring in Accounting. Accounting was an alternate major when I attended San Jose State. I earned my AA degree in Mar 2011. I finished in Jun 2011. Going back to school was a second chance to relive life as a true college student. My experiences were satisfactory.

18. Fanime Forums Valentine's Day Gathering (Feb 18, 2006). It was my first forum gathering. We met at a bowling alley. I made lots of new friends. I keep in touch with most of them on social networking.

17. Innovate Infinitely Was Created (Nov 2000). There is no innovateinfinitely.com without Innovate Infinitely. Innovate Infinitely was created driving to Japantown-San Jose. The words "Innovate" and "Infinitely" came to my mind waiting at a signal light. I said, "Innovate Infinitely . . . Never Stop Innovating Life." I innovate infinitely. Always find something new to learn, always improve, always create, and always becoming a better person.

Blogger's note: Sep 2000 is incorrect in the Top 40 Most Memorable Moments. Nov 2000 is correct.

16. innovateinfinitely.com Is Online (May 1, 2004). I created a web site to promote Innovate Infinitely. It took 10 months finding a web hosting company, learning how to register a domain name, learning how the domain name servers work, and learning the basics of web pages and the Internet.

15. Fanime Con 2009 (May 22-25, 2009). Best Fanime Con I attended. Everything started on time. The weather was perfect for cosplayers. I made lots of money at the Swap Meet. I danced at the Black And White ball. I always did something. It was the perfect con with minimal problems.

14. COVID-19 (Mar 17, 2000-Present). California issued shelter in-place orders on Tue Mar 17, 2020. I'm in the minority. My life has been improving. There are life changes such as new cooking techniques, old school boiling water to drink clean water, completing more errands in the morning, and sleeping with the windows closed. A few COVID-19 moments appear in the Top 50.

13. 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.

12. Washington Canada 2008 (Nov 15-20, 2008). I visited my Washington friend in his home state for the second time. We went to Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The highlights included visiting Hurricane Ridge, playing Betrayal At the House On The Hill board game, touring The Underground Tour in Downtown Seattle, and shopping for books. I also climbed the indoor wall at REI in Downtown Seattle. The timing was good because I needed a life distraction desperately. The vacation satisfied the distraction.

11. Japanese Anime (Summer 1996-Sep 2014). I became an anime fan watching Sailor Moon on TV. The first anime series I purchased was the first season of Ranma 1/2. Anime influenced my life. I created many memories. I officially retired in Sep 2014. Full Metal Alchemist is my all-time favorite anime series.

10. The Shawshank Redemption (Sep 21, 2019). There is a reason the movie is number one in the IMDb Top 250 movies. The movie is my all-time favorite.

9. Life Skills (Various Dates). Learning life skills is part of my training to become a self-trained genius. The skills I have been learning include rope knots, paper airplanes, shuffle cards, sew a button, read a compass, and basic electricity. I'm open to new suggestions.

8. The Triple Play (1984-1988). My brother and I played G.I. Joe, Transformers, and MASK. We played on Saturdays and during the summers. We created plots to determine the scenarios like a cartoon episode. Our collections were not the biggest. I believed having enough toys for the three series was better than having all the toys for one series. There was a lot of variety.

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

6. Cosplaying (Sep 11, 2004-May 27, 2013). I attended anime conventions cosplaying from Sep 11, 2004 to May 24-27, 2013. Memories were created. I made friends at cosplay gatherings. Cosplaying saved me from quitting anime at the end of 2004. I thank my mom for making the costumes.

5. Wall Street Bets And Superstonk (Jan 2021-Present). I learn more about financial investing following the two Subreddits wallstreetbets and Superstonk compared to my B.S. in Economics and A.A. in Accounting degrees combined. It's an example people learn more outside the classroom.

4. The Real Job Training (Oct-Nov 2014 And May 2015-Present). 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 is completed with a graduation in analytics research technology on Mar 2024. I began my graduate self job training on Apr 2024.

Blogger's note: Oct-Nov 2013 And Jul 2014-present are incorrect in the Top 40 Most Memorable Moments. Oct-Nov 2014 And May 2015-present are correct.

3. 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.

2. 50 Years Old At The Age Of 45 (Sep 2019). In my opinion, a genuine adult is a genuine adult at age 50. I became a genuine adult at the age of 45. I crossed the line four years and 11 months ahead of schedule.

1. Growing Up (Oct 4, 2008). My life changed forever when I realized I must grow up. I walked to my car after attending the Los Altos Fall Festival when the moment happened. The life changes were immediate. I built a new Gaming PC, I started to read fiction books, I wore new clothes, I purchased my first fine watch, and I slept on a new mattress. I found new hobbies which included hiking, ballroom dancing, and listening to classic jazz. I started following new gym workout plans. I live life stronger, smarter, wiser, kinder, and mature. The real innovate infinitely continues today.

I Prove Myself Ignorance Is Bliss

Nobody called out my faults throughout my childhood and most of my adulthood. The people accepted my weaknesses. My weaknesses became my normal. The people believed I'm happy being ignorant. The people believed I'm happier being naive. I wasn't going to succeed. Don't waste time correcting me. Don't waste time teaching me. Keep quiet. I was judged let me be. I accepted my weaknesses ignorantly.

Times have changed. I'm on the other side. I identify younger people and older people who used to be me with faults. I make a judgement choice do I call out their weaknesses? Do I call out their mistakes? Can they handle the solution? Can they handle the truth? I understand the teachers, grown-ups, co-workers, and managers when they identified my faults. They made a judgement choice do they call out my weaknesses? All of them were quiet withholding the solutions. All of them were quiet withholding the truths. All is forgiven. The top reason is . . .

Update On A Past Blog

. . . I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. My life changed forever. I welcome maturity, strength, professionalism, courage, and wisdom. I'm lucky. I'm fortunate. There are adults older than me who didn't grow up.

I wrote Growing Up Too Late Was Not My Fault on Nov 14, 2015 not blaming myself I grew up later than a typical adult. My parents were slow raising me. My parents never finished nurturing me. I fell through the cracks in the school systems. My life was too easy.