Positives Sun Dec 16-Fri Dec 28, 2012

*Upgraded the firmware for my camera.

*Created an Excel log for my job searching.

*Walked along the Fulton Street Christmas home decorations in Palo Alto, CA.

*Played Gauntlet Of Fools card board game for the first time.

*Visited the Town Of Woodside, CA and drove along Candy Lane in Redwood City, CA.

*Watched The Great Escape and Django.

*Also, I watched a Blu-Ray movie on a Blu-Ray player for the first time.

*Look at my first meme and second revision I created below.

*Anime marathon. Watched 9 episodes of Space Brothers.

*Merry Christmas!

*Shopped at the Vacaville Outlets for the first time. Also in Vacaville, CA, I visited Nut Tree where I ate at Fenton's Ice Cream for the first time.

*TV marathon. Watched 8 episodes of The Shield Season 2.

*Ate at Spice Thai & Kitchen Bar and Isabella's Restaurant for the first time. Isabella's is a Peruvian South American restaurant.

*Drank Inca Kola for the first time.

Positives Sun Dec 2-Sat Dec 15, 2012

*Finished reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and re-reading Moneyball by Michael Lewis.

*Purchased a long sleeve gym shirt.

*Created a new Gmail for job searching.

*Played Legendary card board game and Ascension card game for the first time.

*Watched The Terminator unedited for television broadcast for the first time. Also watched Looper.

*Visited Downtown Los Altos in its entirety. Ate at Fiesta Vallarta and Satura Cakes.

*My family upgraded our broadband service.

*My sister graduated nursing school.

*Ate at Old Spaghetti Factory for the first time.

The State Of Raymond Mar

This is Raymond Mar. It's been a long time since I blogged a self-interview on myself. I was inspired after hearing an interview with an owner on the current state of his business on the radio. I pretend 60 Minutes' correspondent Bob Simon is interviewing me. I know Simon is an international correspondent. I like his voice.

The blog entry is unedited for grammar and content. 60 Minutes is represented by "60M" and I'm represented by "RM".

Introduction

60M: We are interviewing Raymond Mar, a gentlemen who's living life one day at a time. He has been searching for a job. While doing that, he continues to get better, get stronger, get smarter, and improve his life. Life without a job is okay he said. He's ready to make his own choices. There's so much he wants to do. He's waiting for a little luck and timing in his favor. We sit down with Mr. Mar to tell us the state of Raymond Mar.

Interview

60M: You wanted to interview in Oct.

RM: Yeah, I did. Oct. was a bad month. I felt gloomy and almost depressed. Then I felt happier in late Oct. Then I started to feel terrible and I got sick in mid Nov. I feel better now. The optimism and friendly attitude are back.

60M: How did you make yourself feel better?

RM: I went back to my basics. I remembered I was a human being. I read my daily rules for living. I read my top 30 blogs; in particular, remembering to appreciate people close to you. Christmas is coming so good timing to give gifts. I'm unemployed, yet I find a few bucks to buy gifts.

And getting sick helped, too, because I was able to reset my life. It was like taking a vacation from job searching. Refocus and regroup.

I even made some daily changes now and for the rest of the year.

60M: What are the changes?

RM: One change, and it's a big change, is to focus on job searching, taking care of the house including cooking, and going to the gym on weekdays. On weekends, I enjoy life with pleasure. It's like I'm working full time at a job. Business Mon to Fri and pleasure Sat and Sun. My goal is a consistent life schedule. Not routine. Consistent.

Another change piggy backs the business and pleasure lifestyle which is sleeping earlier so I can wake up early in the morning the next day. I prepare myself just in case I find a job soon.

Another change is keeping in touch with all the people in my life. I'm not a Facebook fan for the reason of some people posting spam updates. I want to find more time to check my Facebook to see how everyone I know is doing. I check Twitter daily. I should check Facebook more often.

I'm also changing my email address. I created a gmail account. I inform everyone on my address book my new email address soon. Likewise for my job searching. I created another gmail account to communicate with everyone I send resumes and cover letters.

60M: How's the job search going?

RM: Frustrating and optimistic. I know I find a job soon. I rewrote my cover letter and made minor updates to my resume in July. Since then, I interviewed at five companies. At the beginning of the year, I interviewed just twice. I must be doing something right for the higher success rate.

The economy continues to be slow. Companies want to hire someone with background experience and recent job experience. There are millions of workers like myself who need a chance. Give us a chance and we're going to do a good job.

60M: Your last job interview you experienced a key moment in your life. What was it?

RM: I experienced another grown up moment. The employees were loose, joking around, having fun, smiling, yet they were mature. They were shaking hands and patting each other on the backs. Everyone began in a friendly way in conversations. I tell you that workplace is a dream such that everyone wants to work there.

By the way, I wrote a blog on that moment. Readers can read the blog Growing Up Part 2.

60M: You want to be a person more lose, more fun, less serious?

RM: I do. That key moment was like I raised a life level. I want to have a good personality. I want to do a better job being a "there he is" instead of a "here I am."

I lived a serious life when I was in my 20s. I have been changing my personality loosening up. I'm still mature, and I'm serious when the moment calls for it. Life has been much better being more lose, more open, smiling, joking around, and sarcasm. I'm improving my small talk skills and starting conversations with new people. Shaking hands, eye contact, smiling, listening. Giving appreciation and recognizing achievements are important, too. I want to live a life like those employees.

I remember doing all this back in late 2008. It's all coming back to me now. So yes, the changes I mentioned earlier and the key moment all started from that last job interview.

60M: There is so much you want to do. What do you mean by that?

RM: It's time for me to have a life. I have a limited life living at home with my parents. My parents are neither the best parents nor the worse parents in the world. They live a routine life with very little excitement. They're not interested in change. If you give them a life changing improvement on a silver platter, they're not going to take it. Don't count them out, though. They do succeed in emergencies or situations requiring helping others.

Living in an environment where I can't cook new foods, living in an environment with junk and clutter everywhere, and little communication, the house sucks my life away. My parents, sadly speaking, take their life for granted. They try their best live an active life and staying focus. I feel they can do more. I encourage them to have an active life style physically, mentally, and emotionally using me as an example how I live. They don't notice most of the time. What's keeping me smiling is optimism. One day I'm going to find a job, move out, and live my life.

60M: You live a life in the present and the future.

RM: I do. I believe in living in the present, living for the moment. I also live for my future. Some of the activities I do are for my future. I do physical activity such as hiking and going to the gym to stay fit. Use it or lose it. I want to stay healthy all the way to my senior years. My grandmother lived past her 90s. I want that. And her mind was sharp, at least above average, for a 90+ year old person. I want that, too. I read books and I have a desire to learn something new. I like to play puzzle games on my smart phone and board games with my friends.

I believe in having people in my life. I always meet new people and make new friends. People are important in life. I hate to say this: my parents have no friends. I don't want to live a life with no friends. I always have the mentality of keeping people in my life. Having said that, that's another reason why I find more time to visit Facebook to read, like, and comment on my Facebook friends' status updates.

I seek to visit new places. Sometimes these new places are once in a lifetime. I do it. Memories are important and precious in a human being. I feel a good person lives a good life creating memories, new memories, big memories. I look forward to new experiences and adventures for more memories as I continue to live my life one day at a time.

60M: You recently discovered the CCC or C cube or C^3. What does that mean?

RM: The three C's stands for Control, Consistency, and Choices. Order of the C words doesn't matter. I believe a good person can control more share of his or her life, live consistency, and make his or her own choices. I'm going to write a blog on CCC so I elaborate CCC at a later date. In the meantime, control your daily life, get stuff done on a consistent basis, and make good choices, then you're going to have a good life.

60M: Was going back to school to earn an AA in Accounting after your contract was terminated back in 2008 worth it?

RM: I'm going to prepare a self-interview sharing my experiences, telling my life lessons I learned, finding more about myself, and expressing my feelings at another interview. In short, my answer is yes.

60M: You could have not went back to school, and, instead, use the time to find a job and/or take job training classes.

RM: Again, I learned more about myself and more about life going back to school. I learned accounting. I experience new experiences and went on new adventures I can't get from a textbook.

I believe everyone should have a do-over, a mulligan. I used my life mulligan going back to school. I promised myself to correct the mistakes I did when I went to San Jose State as an undergraduate. I met new people, made new friends, and did stuff I should have done when I was in my 20s. The experience going back to school in class and out of class was satisfactory.

60M: What are you plans if you don't get a job before the end of the year? I know there's less than a month remaining?

RM: I look into taking some classes in statistical software programs I see from job openings. I watch some YouTube tutorials on Office to keep my knowledge refreshed. I have no plans going back to school. I feel going back to school is a waste of time and money. I rather use the money towards a specific job skill.

60M: Where do you see yourself in the future?

RM: To quote Steve Jobs, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward . . . trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” I don't know where I'm going, what I do, when I move out, how I succeed, who are still part of my life and who are the new people I meet, and why. I trust myself what I do today and what I have been doing since the day I realized I must grow up lead me to my next success.

60M: Is 2012 a good year for you?

RM: I don't give myself reviews on good years and bad years. My short answer is 2012 is all right.

60M: What do you want to tell the world?

RM: I'm ready to join the world of many adults living their own life.

Misses, Undeserving, Overvalue, Undervalue, Overrated, Upsets Part 3

I want to think about my opportunities and moments I missed, didn’t deserve, awarded for the wrong reasons, or never given the opportunity. I wonder my life could have and should have been different if some of these events happened to me in my past. My timeline could have gone a different direction. There is a high probability I’m a better person. I become stronger, smarter, and realized I must grow up at an earlier age.

Part 1 was my high school years. Part 2 was my years at San Jose State University (SJSU). Part 3 is my working years.

I worked in commercial real estate for 8 years after I graduated SJSU. I worked in the research department supporting the brokers. The responsibilities were not difficult. There were some challenges. I successfully mastered my function as an analyst.

The missed opportunities were nobody trained me how to be a good worker. The manager who hired me at my first job and my second job didn't train me new skills and new knowledge above my "entry level" skills and knowledge. I mastered my function because there was nothing more to learn. I learned what I needed to know, completed my assignments and requests, and nothing more.

My manager worked with me for three months before going to my second company in Oct. He gave me little training. In my second job, my same manager, who hired me in Feb of next year, didn't have time to give me more training. Our managing partner assigned my same manager too many projects, especially designing a new database. The database project was the number one reason he was hired to my second.

Moreover, I received no training, no guidance, no mentoring on surviving, dealing, learning, adapting, and being active in the work environment. Most of the experience and knowledge working in commercial real estate could not help me in other companies and those better work environments.

Grow Up Before Sat Oct 4, 2008?

I didn't have a mentor, someone to follow and model how I'm supposed to act, behave, and think in the workplace. I admit I was naive and immature. I took my career for granted. Nothing bad was going to happen to me. Nothing bad happened; however, nothing good happened. I did the same thing every day for eight years. I accepted that.

I believed if I grew up anytime during my second company, I might have acted, behaved, and thought of myself as a smarter and wiser worker who took more responsibility for my actions, my thinking, and got along better with my fellow staff. I might have taken charge for myself to grow, to earn, to learn, and to innovate.

I continued to think about my past jobs. I'm looking forward to apply the lessons I learned and mistakes I corrected for my next company and living life one day at a time. I promise the world and my next company Raymond Mar is a mature, grown-up, ready to contribute employee who communicates, gets along with others, have professional knowledge, and in good physical condition.

Positives Mon Nov 12-Sat Dec 1, 2012

*Thanksgiving Day with the family.

*Black Friday. Purchased Breaking Bad and Burn Notice Season 1 DVD box set. I also purchased The Terminator, Gone With The Wind, and The Expendables.

*Cooked with Southwest Sweet & Smoky seasoning for the first time.

*Watched Brave and Skyfall in the movie theater and That Means War on Thanksgiving Day.

*Two mini anime marathons to catch up.

*Cyber Monday. Purchased a better compact flash for my camera.

*Backed up my photos in my external hard drive.

*Finished reading Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls and The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle.

*Played Viva Java board game for the first time.

Positives Wed Oct 31-Sun Nov 11, 2012

*I voted.

*Interviewed for a contract position at a tech company in Mountain View, CA.

*Customized my dad's new laptop.

*Ate at Little Chef for the first time since 1997. I also ate at Henry's Garden restaurant for the first time.

*Connected my uncle's wireless printer with his family's computers.

*Purchased Guns 'N Roses Appetite For Destruction CD and I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell expanded edition by Tucker Max.

The Colors In My Life

Here are most of the well known colors. I think of something random related to the color in my life. Here we go:

Red: My first anime cosplay (costume) consisted of a red jacket.
Orange: One of my favorite fruits.
Yellow: Here Comes The Sun is one of my all time Beatles songs.
Green: I visited Portola State Redwoods Park this past summer. There were lots of trees.
Blue: My family's three station wagon cars were blue.
Indigo: Google this color.
Violet: I call it purple. My gf's favorite color.

Brown: My comfortable for the winter nights sleeping.
Silver: The background color for my Finding Raymond Mar blog.
Gray: The color of the thief in my Settlers Of Catan board game.
Black: I look good wearing black color slacks.
Gold: I think kids should receive gold wrapped chocolate at least once a year.
Pink: The Pink Ladies are from Grease and Grease 2. Grease is a movie I watch when I need to cheer up.
White: My favorite color. My favorite LED light. (Okay, I mention two here, lol.)

Positives Sat Oct 13-Tue Oct 30, 2012

*Finishing And Catching Up Anime With A Mini Marathon: Dog Days', Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita, Binbougami Ga, and Tari Tari. Binbougami Ga is on my all time favorite list.

*Rooted my Droid X2 and installed Ice Cream Sandwich.

*Ate at Chick-Fil-A restaurant for the first time.

*Played Galaxy Trucker board game for the first time.

*Attended my cousin's baby shower.

*Interviewed for a temp job in Sunnyvale, CA.

*Tried Bull Eye's Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce.

*Won my first Dominion card game.

*The San Francisco Giants won the 2012 World Series.

Quiz: San Francisco 2

I had fun with the first quiz. Let's have another quiz on San Francisco.

1. What year did I attend my first San Francisco Giants baseball game?
a. 1987
b. 1989
c. 1991

2. I watched a San Francisco Giants baseball game on the same day fugitive O.J. Simpson was in his Ford Bronco in 1994?
a. True
b. False

3. Who was the opponent when I watched my first San Francisco 49ers football game?
a. Denver Broncos
b. Miami Dolphins
c. St. Louis Rams
d. Seattle Seahawks

4. What event took place in Treasure Island, one of two times I visited the island?
a. A concert
b. An anime costume gathering
c. A wedding
d. A family reunion

5. Angel Island is a . . .
a. County park
b. State park
c. Federal park

6. My mom and aunt took my younger brother, cousin, and I to San Francisco from the East Bay. How did we travel round trip?
a. My aunt drove all of us.
b. We took BART.
c. We took AC Transit, a bus.
d. We took a ferry.

7. I attended the California Academy Of Science in Dec 2008, months after it reopened. How many times did I attend afterwards?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3

8. When was the first year I participated in the San Francisco Cherry Blossom Parade?
a. 2006
b. 2008
c. 2010

9. Choose two of the five years I attended New Year's Eve?
a. 1997
b. 2000
c. 2005
d. 2009
e. 2012

10. My company enrolled me in a software training class in 2001 and 2006. What was the program?
a. Excel
b. Crystal Reports
c. SAP
d. Oracle

Positives Sat Sep 29-Fri Oct 12, 2012

*Completed Half Life 2: Episode 1 video game.

*Finished watching Glee Season 1 and Justified Season 1.

*Another 83.5/84. Almost perfect playing Quell Reflect. I needed a small cheat for one move in a level. I deducted .5 points.

*Interviewed for a staff position at Evergreen Valley College.

*Attended the Northern California Ren Faire at Casa De Fruta. I also visited and shopped the stores. I purchased dried kiwi.

*Ate at Famous Dave's restaurant for the first time.

*Anime marathon. Finished watching Natsuyuki Rendezvous and Hyouka. Hyouka is on my all time favorite anime list.

*Installed a new cabin air filter.

*Light snack. Ate McVitie's Digestive biscuits for the first time.

Quiz: San Francisco Solutions

Here are the solutions:

1. Madam Butterfly was a show I saw in San Francisco. Name another show I saw.

a. The Phantom Of The Opera
b. The Nutcracker
c. The King And I

2. Who was the artist I saw at AT&T Park in 2010?

a. Paul McCartney
b. Bruce Springsteen
c. Steve Miller Band

3. I went on an urban hike along The Embarcadero. Which of the following did I visit for the first time?

a. South Park
b. China Basin
c. Coit Tower
d. All Of The Above

4. Pier 39 has an aquarium. What occupied that space in the 1980s?

a. Nothing. The aquarium is the first new attraction.
b. An arcade.
c. A retail store.

5. What is my favorite attraction in Fisherman’s Wharf?

a. The retail shops
b. Clam chowder
c. Musee Mecanique
d. The wax museum

6. The last time I watched a San Francisco Giants game was in 2002. How many home runs did Barry Bonds hit in McCovey Cove?

a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3

7. Did I walk the entire Golden Gate Bridge round trip?

a. True
b. False

8. My mom supposedly saw a famous actor in 1987. Who did she think she saw?

a. Richard Dawson (yes, he acted)
b. Richard Dean Anderson
c. Kevin Costner
d. Morgan Freeman

9. My family, closest relatives, and I visited Chinatown many times when I was a child. Where did we also visit many times?

a. Union Square
b. Palace Of Fine Arts
c. Japantown
d. Pier 39

10. I walked AND drove on Lombard Street, the world record for the crookest road.

a. True
b. False

Positives Sat Sep 15-Fri Sep 28, 2012

*Reconfigured my aunt's new laptop.

*Updated my web page Innovate Infinitely.

*Interviewed for an open position at San Jose State. I also took a pretest interview.

*Ate at Mi La Cay and Bombay Garden restaurants for the first time.

*National Ice Cream Day. I ate a Baskin-Robbins soft serve ice cream for the first time.

*Finished reading Microsoft Visio 2007 Step By Step by Judy Lemke and Resources Online.

*Played Tzaar board game and Cards Against Humanity card game for the first time.

My Open Cover Letter

Blogger's note: I choose to post my open cover letter at both my blogs to increase my chances of someone who's interested in hiring me. My resume is available to prospective employers.

September 17, 2012

Dear World,

I worked as an analyst for over 10 years: 8.5+ years in commercial real estate and 1.5 years in technology. I was the proactive worker solving problems. I made the working days easier with my positive attitude and the stability such that I was missed working somewhere else. My experience and background:

•Statistics. I calculated statistics monthly and quarterly using Excel, Access, Crystal Reports, and MySQL.
•Analysis. I studied them, interpreted them, and communicated the results such that anyone could understand--the bottom line in plain English.
•Reporting. I extracted the data to create marketing reports for the clients. I created internal reports for management and stakeholders. Ad hoc reporting and last minute presentations were easier with templates.
•Research. I find information for the brokers. I researched on the internet including subscribed information databases and online resources. I choose relevant information for their client's requirements.
•Database Administration. Data entry and database maintenance were a daily responsibility in the Research Dept. I maintained my Proposal Experts' internal database.
•Audits. I audited the internal database between the data and my team's individual records. I checked their information with the database followed by verifying and correcting with them. I sent a monthly report of all the contracts and account managers we supported.
•Never Stop Innovating. I always find ways to improve. I do it better continuously. It's second nature.

My highlights working at my technology company were cleaning up the data, sending weekly and monthly audit & ad hoc reports, and publishing quarterly reports. I was responsible for extracting the data, calculating the statistics, and analyzing the results. I used Excel, Access, Crystal Reports, PowerPoint, and SQL. I increased the number of surveys submitted for the satisfaction survey every month instead of every quarter.

At my commercial real estate company, I calculated monthly and quarterly statistics, maintained the database, and created marketing reports. I expanded the Research Dept. providing technical support, training in real estate software programs, and researching companies to create a jack-of-all-trades dept. I completed up to 95% of all my broker requests in one business day because I always find better ways to complete my responsibilities.

For example, I expanded my Excel skills and I learned SQL to calculate weighted average asking rents faster and update standard monthly reports in seconds. My knowledge in graphics and Photoshop propelled me to edit building photos for the database and modify marketing email campaigns. The bottom line was I wanted to give the brokers first-class service and accurate information for their clients.

I earned an AA degree in Accounting. I learned business knowledge from an accounting point of view. I'm a better worker combining that with a BS in Economics thinking analytically. Despite going back to school, life continues every day. I started to read fiction books, learned ballroom dancing, and hiked in the trails around the San Francisco Bay Area. I visited new places for the first time including the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and Hoover Tower in Stanford University. I became interested in classic jazz, board games including mahjong, and eating new foods. I re-learned Excel, PowerPoint, and Crystal Reports. I self-taught myself MySQL and Visio. Learning new skills never ends. Bruce Lee said it best, " Even today, I dare not say that I have reached a state of achievement. I'm still learning, for learning is boundless."

I'm looking for an analyst position for databases, reporting, contracts, and analysis. I'm also looking for a support position such as supporting a sales team or supporting a dept. to let the big players concentrate on the moneymaking opportunities; in other words, I worry about the little things. My ideal working conditions include the following:

•Open Office. I like to see, hear, and talk to my co-workers. Cubicles are no problem as long as there is some kind of openness.
•Loudness. Continuing from the first bullet point, I like to hear conversations, jokes, and music, as well as work socializing. Background noise is good.
•Working With Others. I believe working together is the best way to complete responsibilities and tasks. We help each other when one of us needs help. We channel our minds together learning from each other. Moreover, we also get to know each other better.
•Music Helps Me Think. I listen to classic rock, classic jazz, classical music, and big bands at work.
•I'm Here To Work. I prefer to work at the company. Telecommuting is okay under a few circumstances.
•There Is Always Something To Do. It's hard for me to be bored. I'm doing something, anything. I'm at my cubicle working on a deadline, completing my to do list, finishing secondary tasks, or talking with co-workers.

My desire is to meet new people, learn new skills, and grow. I want to do my best for my team and my dept. to stay together for years. My working values are team chemistry is more important than a smart team, the procedure is more important than the final result, and action speaks louder than words. I never criticize, condemn, and complain. I work smarter, not harder. Businesses prosper and grow when people support each other and information is communicated swiftly and efficiently.

Thank you for taking the time to consider me. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Raymond Mar

Positives Wed Aug 29-Fri Sep 14, 2012

*Finished reading Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 Step By Step by Joyce Cox and Joan Preppernau and Excel 2007 Step By Step by Curtis Frye.

*Hiked at Portola Redwoods State Park for the first time.

*Celebrated my dad's birthday with family.

*Replaced broken headlight on my car.

*Completed orthodontic work on my teeth. Yearly checkups continue.

*Read The Preserving Machine by Philip K. Dick.

Places

Share some places you have visited. Here we go:

Hiking: Uvas Canyon, Shoreline, Plugas Ridge, Los Trancos, Castle Rock, Pinnacles National Monument, Monte Bello, Edgewood Park, Portola Redwoods.

Household Name Places: Disneyland, Las Vegas, San Diego Zoo, Seaworld, Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Space Needle, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Universal Studios.

San Francisco: Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Embarcadero, Ghirardelli Square, Coit Tower, Telegraph Hill, Treasure Island, Japantown, Yerba Buena Gardens, South Park, Chinatown, Union Square, China Basin, AT&T Park, Candlestick Park, Musee Mecanique, California Academy Of Science, Alemany Farmer's Market, Golden Gate Bridge, Crissy Field, Angel Island, Rode Cable Car.

Anime Conventions: Fanime, Anime Expo, Animation On Display, Yaoi Con, Japantowne Anime Faire, SacAnime. Also WonderCon.

States: Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Arizona.

Positives Sun Aug 12-Tue Aug 28, 2012

*Family birthday dinner. I celebrated my birthday at a Chinese restaurant.

*Watched The Dark Knight Rises.

*Purchased The Hunger Games. I also downloaded a digital copy of a movie which was The Hunger Games for the first time.

*Attended the Palo Alto Arts Festival.

*Purchased a emergency sewing kit.

*Ate at Pluto's for the first time.

*Car maintenance: oil change, tire rotation & balance, fuel injection cleaner, and alignment check.

*Second interview with the same company in San Jose.

*Played For The Win board game for the first time.

Misses, Undeserving, Overvalue, Undervalue, Overrated, Upsets Part 2

I want to think about my opportunities and moments I missed, didn’t deserve, awarded for the wrong reasons, or never given the opportunity. I wonder my life could have and should have been different if some of these events happened to me in my past. My timeline could have gone a different direction. There is a high probability I’m a better person. I become stronger, smarter, and realized I must grow up at an earlier age.

Part 2 is my years at San Jose State University (SJSU). Part 1 was my high school years (Misses, Undeserving, Overvalue, Undervalue, Overrated, Upsets Part 1). The two moments happened in the Fall Semester 1993.

Computer Science 46A. I was a math major starting my second year at SJSU. Math majors were required to take one semester of computer science. The timing was bad because C++ was the new programming language for the department and my professor taught C++ for the first time. If I took CS 46A in 1992, then I learned PASCAL which was easier.

I struggled with C++. My homework grades kept me from failing. I sought help from the professor during his office hours. The professor was one of the best programmers in the department. I told him I was struggling and I was a math major who just needed to pass one computer science class. I wasn't ready for the final. He assured me everything was going to be okay. He said there could be magic on the day of the final.

I studied hard. The final was difficult. My intuition answered most of the questions. A few classmates gave me tips for the final. One of them said my perfect attendance was an advantage determining my final grade because it showed I cared about my classwork. My final grade was a C-.

The professor should have failed me. I didn't deserve a C-. The false lesson I learned was I took my classes for granted. More importantly, I took life for granted. I should have retaken the class and earned what I truly deserved. Furthermore, the fake lesson cost me As and Bs in other classes.

English 1B. On the other hand, I should have passed English 1B. There were students who had worse writing skills than me. Maybe it was bad luck and bad timing I was the worst of the worst in my section. The professor gave me bad writing skills advice when I visited her office hours.

SJSU's grading policy on English 1A and 1B classes was A, B, C or no pass. Students couldn't fail the class. I took my English 1B at a junior college. I transferred the credits to SJSU. It was a waste of my time and money retaking English 1B.

The professor who taught me how to write was my Economics professor who taught the Economics Writing Workshop major requirement. I learned most of my writing style from the workshop. I forgot everything I learned in my English classes. I admit I'm not the perfect writer in the world. My writing skills are solid I can get a job and I communicate clearly.

Positives Sat July 21-Sat Aug 11, 2012

*Finished watching Fate/Zero anime series.

*Watched Scavenger Hunt, K-ON, Run Lola Run, and 10,000 BC movies.

*Satisfied learning and refreshing by reading Excel 2007 The Missing Manual by Matthew MacDonald.

*Resume and Cover Letter. Minor edited my resume and rewrote my entire cover letter for searching a job.

*Ate at Su Hong Chinese Restaurant.

*Showered using Old Spice Matterhorn Body Wash.

*Visited Hoover Tower in Stanford University and Felton Covered Bridge Park for a going away get-together.

*Interviewed for a job located in Downtown San Jose.

*Installed a hard drive enclosure for my old laptop hard drive.

*Watched a meteor shower for the first time.

Top Mistakes The Final Part

Part 7 and the final Top Mistakes. I recap the six parts and the mistakes learned:

1. Always meet new people and make new friends. Always. I never met new people.
2. Never take life for granted. I took life for granted.
3. Follow a gym workout plan. My workouts were ineffective.

4. Read fiction books, any literature. I used to read non-fiction books such as business, investment, and self-help only.
5. Life is really not that bad. I criticized, complained, nagged, took my disappointments on others on my life.
6. Grow up. I was immature.

7. Trivia can be common knowledge. Trivia was too trivial for me.
8. Get out and do something, anything. I had no interest in new experiences, new adventures, and learning something new. Update: My new motto is "get up and do something, anything."
9. Food does make a difference in a person's life. Put effort, love, and sincerity cooking. Food was just food.

10. Never be afraid being wrong. Be assertive my abstract thinking, abstract mind. I was afraid communicating my thoughts being wrong.
11. Be a good guy. I was a nice guy.
12. There is no such thing as fate. I believed in fate, letting life came to me.

13a. Don't quit after making one mistake. I was discouraged easily.
13b. I learn from my mistakes. I was a person who never made mistakes. I didn't make mistakes because I was scared to try something new.
14. Quit when something is not working out. I was stubborn and arrogant to quit.
15. Never stop learning, even for children on vacation. It was fun, fun, fun during my childhood vacations. No job, no extra activities, very little parent involvement.

16. Trust my gut feeling and intuition. I didn't trust my gut feeling to save me from problems.
17. My humor strength is dry, slow, optimistic, and ha ha non-lol laughing. Never stop improving my humor side. I was serious all the time because I afraid to be funny.
18. Trust my face, trust my looks. I failed to realize people did recognize my unique face.

Here are the last three mistakes:

Mistake 19: I Was Quiet With A Group Of People

I was a quiet person from my childhood to early 30s. I talked when I was with people I knew well and family I saw many times. However, I was quiet at new places and with new people I saw for the first time. I was a bad conversationalist when I talked to new people. That explained why I had trouble making new friends in the past. That affected my confidence when I approached new people. That affected the way I lived. I lived with few friends in my life. Making new friends was rare.

The lesson I learned is know and practice good conversation skills. The skills are important to get to know other people, make connections, and socialize. Conversation skills are important in the professional world. We talk to our co-workers, management, customers, and competitors daily. If people want to get along with other people, then be a good conversationalist.

Mistake 20: I Could Do It Alone.

My second job after I graduated college I was a bad-ass, did it myself, mistake free, all-star worker. I handled everything myself. I didn't need help. I wanted nobody to "waste" time for me. I was an expert. I solved my own problems. I was a loner.

I realized being a loner was alienating others. I created a shield blocking others trying to help me, trying to correct my terrible work attitude, and correcting my bad behavior. My co-workers wanted to help me, wanted to show support and recognize I worked with a dumb-ass next to my work station. I was stubborn for refusing help and support. My co-workers were afraid to call me out and correct how I should work professionally.

The lesson I learned is support, knowing people, having connections, and networking with peers are important to be successful. I request help and support when I'm in trouble. I share my problems and voice my concerns to others. I have people backing me up during the worse times. People help each other. I help people. I should let people help me.

Mistake 21: I Was Immature For My Age

I was in my mid 30s and I had the wisdom of a 24 year old. I realized it was time to catch up what I missed throughout my life from the day I was born to today on Sat Oct 4, 2008. I feel smarter and wiser correcting my mistakes I made in my past. I'm gaining wisdom never to repeat again.

There is still more to learn, more wisdom to acquire, new experiences, new adventures, new people to meet, new activities to try, new food to eat, new hobbies to explore--just something, anything for my life. I'm not ready to die. I'm happy to say I'm doing a good job catching up to my current years in life.

Positives Wed July 4-Fri July 20, 2012

*New Innovate Infinitely Blog template.

*Ate Dutch style bread and Japanese milk chocolate for the first time.

*Installed a new SSD hard drive on my laptop.

*My laptop's new SSD installed with Windows 7 made me clean up and reorganized my desk.

*The San Francisco Embarcadero Urban Hike. Walked along The Embarcadero including visiting Coit Tower and China Basin for the first time. And I rode a trolley for the first time.

*Major cleaning my house.

*Watched The Hunger Games movie.

*Attended The San Jose Obon Festival and . . .

* . . . I played Bingo for the first time.

*Ate at Sushi 88 restaurant for the first time.

*Played Kingsburg board game for the first time.

*Watched the second season of Malcolm In The Middle.

Quiz: San Francisco

San Francisco, open your golden gate
You’ll let nobody wait outside your door
San Francisco, here comes your wandering one
Saying, “I’ll wander no more”
--San Francisco, Lyrics by Rufus Wainwright

The more new sights I visit for the first time, the more I feel spoiled living close to a great city.

1. Madam Butterfly was a show I saw in San Francisco. Name another show I saw.

a. The Phantom Of The Opera
b. The Nutcracker
c. The King And I

2. Who was the artist I saw at AT&T Park in 2010?

a. Paul McCartney
b. Bruce Springsteen
c. Steve Miller Band

3. I went on an urban hike along The Embarcadero. Which of the following did I visit for the first time?

a. South Park
b. China Basin
c. Coit Tower
d. All Of The Above

4. Pier 39 has an aquarium. What occupied that space in the 1980s?

a. Nothing. The aquarium is the first new attraction.
b. An arcade.
c. A retail store.

5. What is my favorite attraction in Fisherman’s Wharf?

a. The retail shops
b. Clam chowder
c. Musee Mecanique
d. The wax museum

6. The last time I watched a San Francisco Giants game was in 2002. How many home runs did Barry Bonds hit in McCovey Cove?

a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 3

7. Did I walk the entire Golden Gate Bridge round trip?

a. True
b. False

8. My mom supposedly saw a famous actor in 1987. Who did she think she saw?

a. Richard Dawson (yes, he acted)
b. Richard Dean Anderson
c. Kevin Costner
d. Morgan Freeman

9. My family, closest relatives, and I visited Chinatown many times when I was a child. Where did we also visit many times?

a. Union Square
b. Palace Of Fine Arts
c. Japantown
d. Pier 39

10. I walked AND drove on Lombard Street, the world record for the crookest road.

a. True
b. False

Positives Fri June 22-Tue July 3, 2012

*Ate at Omogari Korean and Napoletana Pizzeria restaurants for the first time.

*Watched Traffic the movie.

*Celebrated my mom’s birthday.

*My car: new breaks, car wash, vacuum, and applied Meguire’s protectant on my dashboard and tires.

*Attended a birthday party playing sardines for the first time.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Wed May 23-Thur June 21, 2012

*Purchased a neck security wallet from REI. Useful when wearing a cosplay and future travels.

*Fanime Con 2012. Highlights were cosplay gatherings, Black & White Ball, and mahjong in Tabletop Gaming. Lowlights were first day of con, pre-registration line, and the concert.

*Ate at Yat Sing Chinese Restaurant for the first time.

*Two interviews: Cisco and Accountemps. Unfortunately, no job. I did learn from my mistakes and much more.

*Watched The Avengers.

*Finished editing my cosplay pictures from the gatherings I attended.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Top Mistakes Part 6

I’m almost done. Top mistakes #16-18 are below.

Mistake 16: I Was Afraid Of My Gut Feeling

I was a person afraid of guessing throughout my teens and twenties. I was a fact thinking person. I either knew it or I did nothing. I didn’t think with my gut feeling. I didn’t attempt to solve problems or find a solution with my intuition. I was afraid to be wrong. I memorized facts throughout school and my past jobs. Memorizing facts can be good. Sometimes, I just don’t know it and I must do something at the moment.

The lesson I learned is trust my gut feeling. My intuition is above average. I realized some of my problems have been solved using my intuition. There were difficult moments I solved without thinking. I just do it and the problem was solved. Trust my intuition. Don’t think, just do it. I’m a person who, sometimes, doesn’t need training. I’m better off just doing it.

Mistake 17: This Was Not Funny

Most people have a sense of humor. Most people communicate their funny side in their own ways. My verbal humor is dry, slow, and positive. My ha, ha or laugh out loud humor is terrible—which can be good at the perfect moment. I admit my comedian funny skills don’t come natural compared to others. I never stop speaking my funny side even when I’m the worse among my circles of friends. I never stop even when I say stupid jokes. There is always improvement.

I want to be an example who communicates their funny side better in writing. I believe I’m funnier when I write my jokes; for instance, playing board games such as Balderdash. My sense of humor is better when I write in my blogs. Communicate your sense of humor in the best way whether it’s talking, writing, or even a video blog.

I can apply mistake #16 to mistake #17. I have been funny when I say something without thinking. I speak the words and sentences so funny everyone else laughs and I don’t realize what I said.

Mistake 18: Nobody Recognizes Me

I consider my handsome beauty average. I still have blackheads on my face. I considered my looks below average before 2009 because my smile was terrible and my face experienced acne. I wore braces from January 2007 to August 2009 to improve my smile and I took Accutane from February 2009 to February 2010 to significantly reduce my acne outbreaks.

I was a person nobody recognized me by my face. I looked at myself saying, “Who wants to be with me? Who wants to be with an ugly person?” People recognized my face for the wrong reasons: naive, unsocialable, and a person with no life.

The lesson I learned is trust my face and trust my looks. I have a distinct and unique face. People recognize my face when I walk around areas I frequently occupy. I received feedback my face is really distinct and unique. However, it’s more than people recognizing my face. I don’t look as handsome as Brad Pitt or George Clooney. My face portrays my personality, my confidence, my friendliness, and being a good guy. I want people to recognize my distinct and unique face and associate me as a person who’s easygoing, friendly, talkative, active, smiling, and a “there he is” person. I want to be a person who is a “you should meet this guy” man.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Sun May 6-Tue May 22, 2012

*Read Mockingbird Jay by Suzanne Collins.

*Ate Cinnamon Mini Wheats for the first time.

*Watched the movies Rango, Iron Man, The Hurt Locker, and Bambi.

*Finished watching Saki anime series.

*More Korean cuisine. I ate Bibimbap for the first time. Think of Bibimbap like “Korean Chipotle.”

*I’m sleeping with a Tempur-Pedic pillow.

*Happy Mother’s Day.

*Played The Resistance card game for the first time.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Quiz: The Joy Of Work Solutions

Let’s score high for an excellent review!

1. How many Blockbuster Video WOW awards did I win?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3

2. How many free rentals did employees earn a week?
a. 1
b. 5
c. 10

3. What was a rare experience my Blockbuster Video store had very few retail stores in general experienced?
a. Fewer customer complaints like three a week.
b. Pro-employee; in other words, management cared for their workers and solved problems fast.
c. Lower turnover rate.

4. The first few weeks at Grubb & Ellis, my first job after graduating college, I experienced quite a few company changes. What were they?
a. Grubb & Ellis acquired a competitor.
b. The manager in charge of my office was ousted weeks before I started.
c. My office began planning to move to a bigger location.
d. Four brokers and staff went to another competitor.
e. I felt alone because I didn’t have a mentor to guide me.
f. All of the above.

5. True or false? Did I work for that same competitor that took the four brokers and staff?
a. True
b. False

6. At Colliers International, what was my first joy on my first day?
a. Shorter commute.
b. I purchased a new car for the new job.
c. Better working hours.

7. How many staff person of the year awards did I win?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3

8. Similar to question 4, which of the following did I experience at Colliers during my first few weeks? (Choose two.)
a. Colliers acquired a competitor.
b. There were administrative staff and office management shake-up weeks before I started.
c. My office began planning to move to a bigger location.
d. I felt alone because I didn’t have a mentor to guide me.

9. I self-taught two skills that helped me work at Colliers. What were they? (Choose two.)
a. Access
b. Excel
c. Powerpoint
d. HTML

10. What skill did I learn working at Colliers?
a. Photoshop. I accept this answer.
b. Illustrator
c. SQL
d. Crystal Reports

11. What was a positive I failed to grasp at Colliers?
a. Almost all of the staff and brokers supported me.
b. Management was concerned with my career being stalled and actually wanted to talk to me.
c. I should have taken more pizza on pizza Friday’s to take home.

12. What was the lesson I learned in 2002?
a. Learn how to play poker because you co-workers play it.
b. If you don’t ask, you’re not going to get it.
c. Have nothing, do nothing, get nothing, be nothing, and people treat you like nothing.

13. The first few weeks at Cisco, I experienced quite a few new experiences immediately. What were they?
a. The second week I attended the annual worldwide meeting in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
b. I never received formal training. Management wanted me to work blindly and not knowing what I’m doing.
c. I received a new laptop and the networking software was not installed. I needed IT to install them. That took two days.
d. I worked inside my own personal cubicle.
e. All of the above.

14. I was introduced to a new form of communication for the first time. What was it?
a. Texting
b. Instant messaging.
c. Conference calls from my phone.

15. What was one perk at Cisco I failed to take advantage?
a. Reasonable priced food in the cafeteria. I don’t have to bring lunch from home everyday.
b. Telecommuting or working from home.
c. Drive on the carpool lane with a co-worker.

16 The final months at Cisco were shaky. The great recession started when the real estate bubble burst. Which of the following did I experience for the first time, and they’re not going to be the last time?
a. Contractors terminated and layoffs.
b. Politics as departments fought for funding to keep their staff working.
c. Drastic cutbacks including travel.
d. All of the above.

17. What was my number one impression I showed to everyone at Grubb & Ellis, Colliers, and Cisco?
a. I smiled and I was liked immediately among my co-workers.
b. I found the problems and solved them quickly.
c. I was a fast learner.
d. I brought donuts for my first ever meetings.

18. What were the top lessons I learned working at Colliers and Cisco? (Choose two)
a. Never take anything for granted.
b. Talk to your manager for gripes and complains. Get them off your chest.
c. Be social. Talk and get to know others.
d. Show up on time.

19. What skills did I learn after working at Cisco?
a. Accounting
b. C++
c. Cooking

20. What skills am I learning now to help find my next job?
a. Crystal Reports
b. SQL
c. Digital photography

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

What Do You Need In Your Life For The Next Two Years?

I need more circle of friends. There is no such thing as having too many friends. I’m grateful, appreciative, and full of joy when I’m with my friends. They have more circles of friends than me. I need to meet new people, make new friends, and create more circles.

I need to be stronger. I need to be stronger physically, mentally, emotionally . . . a stronger human being. I strongly believe in myself to succeed in this.

I need more experience. A good life is having experiences that can’t be found from a book. My definition of experience includes life experience, work experience, happy moment experience, and first-time doing something. I’ve done a good job catching up on experiences I failed to experience in my 20s. I’m not done yet.

I need more interests. Similar to needing more experience, there are more interests I want to pursue.

I need more dedication, passion, and desire. I need these three to pursue new experiences and find more interests. There is something holding me back. I must break it and move forward.

I need a job. I search for jobs at Monster, Careerbuilder, Careercenter SJSU; meta search engines such as Indeed.com, SimplyHired, and Dice; and craigslist. My resume and cover letter are improved often.

All of these needs are accomplished in time. I continue to work hard, create solutions, seek support, and learn from my mistakes.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Thur Apr 26-Sun May 6, 2012

*Read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.

*Ate dinner at the Willow Glen Food Trucks gathering. I also ate at Five Guys for the first time.

*Finished watching the anime series Mirai Nikki.

*Purchased a pair of Polo shorts and Champion gym shorts at the Gilroy Outlet Mall.

*Watched Rango.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Sun Apr 15-Wed Apr 25, 2012

*Played and finished Quell puzzle game. Final score was 83.5/84. I needed help for one move in a level.

*Updated my webpage Innovateinfinitely.com.

*Finished Crystal Reports XI Encyclopedia by Brian Bischof and Learning SQL by Alan Beaulieu books satisfactory.

*Watched Titanic on IMAX 3D.

*Attended an Oakland A’s baseball game with my family. Thanks to my brother for last minute free tickets.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Top Mistakes Part 5

I share top mistakes #13-15 in my occasional top mistakes blog.

Mistake 13a: An Easy Quitter

I was discouraged easily when I get frustrated. I was angry at myself when I fail to understand something I’m learning for the first time. I felt dumb not learning the first time. I lost control of my temper. I quit without giving myself a second chance.

The lesson I learned is try again. I shouldn’t be discouraged easily. Sometimes we need more time to learn something new. The best of the best spent years being a professional. I shouldn’t expect instant expert level at everything I do immediately. Take my time and be patient.

Mistake 13b: I Never Made Mistakes

I was afraid to make mistakes. I believe that explains why I failed to learn the importance of making mistakes to learn. I was scared to try something new when I was younger. I had a boring childhood.

Mistake 13a and mistake 13b are complementary. I quit immediately, thereby not learning the lesson of learning from my mistakes. If I didn’t quit, then I learn from my mistakes and frustrations to understand what I’m doing wrong.

The lesson I learned is making mistakes is required to learn. We make mistakes because we’re human.

Mistake 14: Quit When It’s Not Going Well

I remember my mom taught me to never give up. Don’t quit because quitting means I failed. I misunderstood that lesson. Quitting is the best choice sometimes. It’s okay to quit when something is not going well; not necessarily quit because I didn’t try hard enough. I quit because I’m wasting my time.

The best example is I dropped Beginning Japanese in Spring 2009 at De Anza College. The instructor was terrible. I consulted with my friends who took Japanese. I told them how the instructor taught and her expectations. All of my friends said quit the class. It was the correct choice. Over 50% of the class dropped out on finals week.

On the other hand, I failed to drop Beginning Singing in Winter 2010. There was nothing wrong with the instructor and how she taught the class. The reason I should have quit was time. The class didn’t meet my expectations. I could have spent my time on productive non-school related activities such as reading books and going to the gym.

The lesson I learned is quit when the going gets too rough.

Mistake 15: Too Much Fun In The Summer

My summer vacations were fun and, sometimes, boring. I didn’t concentrate on my summer school classes. I watched too much television. I didn’t go to camp, didn’t do activities to make new friends, didn’t play sports, and didn’t read books. I did fun activities with my brother or by myself. My cousin or the neighborhood kid sometimes joined us. There was little parent involvement. My mom signed my siblings and I up for swimming and piano lessons. Out of many summer activities my mom could have involved us with, we hated those two lessons. My mom didn’t ask what we wanted.

My college summer vacations remained the same. I stayed home throughout most of my college summers having too much fun. I didn’t seek an internship. I didn’t seek part-time employment. Pitiful. I was lucky my senses woke me up to get a summer job on my last college summer. I found a job at Blockbuster. I continued working at Blockbuster throughout my final year.

The lesson I learned is have fun and learn during summer vacations.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Wed Mar 28-Sat Apr 14, 2012

*Purchased Balderdash board game.

*Played Jab card game and Fealty board game for the first time.

*Happy Easter.

*Finished watching Ano Natsu De Matteru, Rinne No Lagrange, Another, and Nisemonogatari.

*Finished reading The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and The Rescuers by Margery Sharp.

*Ate at Beef Noodle #1 and Tomi Sushi for the first time.

*Won my first RISK Legacy game.

*Hiked new trails at Edgewood Park & Preserve.

*New hiking hat. I got a new hiking hat because my old hat is too small.

*Watched The Secret World of Arrietty (Kari-gurashi no Arietti).

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Tue Mar 13-Tue Mar 27, 2012

*Happy Pi Day.

*Played RISK Legacy and Tanto Cuore games for the first time.

*Ate Honey Bunches Of Oats Just Bunches cereal and drank Fanta Ginger Ale for the first time.

*Daylight savings check. Checked batteries in flashlights and smoke detectors. I also checked the first aid kit for expired medications.

*Finished watching Thermae Romae.

*Visited Bernal Heights including shopping at the Alemany Farmer’s Market for the first time.

*Purchased two Vocaloid CDs: Mikunopolis and Vocalo Smile.

*1,000 tweets.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Mon Feb 13-Mon Mar 12, 2012

*Cooked with Garlic Herb & Seasoning and Yoshida’s for the first time.

*Happy Valentine’s Day.

*Ate at Black Bear Diner for the first time.

*Finished my new Access expense database using SQL.

*Purchased a new belt clip for my phone.

*Created a new cribbage cheat sheet.

*Ate Planter’s Trail Mix, Nongshim Udon, Belvita, and pink lady apples for the first time.

*Watched Princess & The Frog movie.

*Toyota recall. My crankshaft pulley was repaired.

*Uploaded files to Google Docs for the first time.

*Played Cosmic Encounter and Forbidden Island board games for the first time.

*Watched Cheap Life and James Becker: Not Dead Yet movies at Cinequest. It was the first time I went to Cinequest.

*Attended the Nor Cal Cosplay Spring Gathering in Kelly Park.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Quiz: The Joy Of Work

I think back of the companies I work at. I’m eager to take the joy from my past work experiences for my future career.

1. How many Blockbuster Video WOW awards did I win?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3

2. How many free rentals did employees earn a week?
a. 1
b. 5
c. 10

3. What was a rare experience my Blockbuster Video store had very few retail stores in general experienced?
a. Fewer customer complaints like three a week.
b. Pro-employee; in other words, management cared for their workers and solved problems fast.
c. Lower turnover rate.

4. The first few weeks at Grubb & Ellis, my first job after graduating college, I experienced quite a few company changes. What were they?
a. Grubb & Ellis acquired a competitor.
b. The manager in charge of my office was ousted weeks before I started.
c. My office began planning to move to a bigger location.
d. Four brokers and staff went to another competitor.
e. I felt alone because I didn’t have a mentor to guide me.
f. All of the above.

5. True or false? Did I work for that same competitor that took the four brokers and staff?
a. True
b. False

6. At Colliers International, what was my first joy on my first day?
a. Shorter commute.
b. I purchased a new car for the new job.
c. Better working hours.

7. How many staff person of the year awards did I win?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3

8. Similar to question 4, which of the following did I experience at Colliers during my first few weeks? (Choose two.)
a. Colliers acquired a competitor.
b. There were administrative staff and office management shake-up weeks before I started.
c. My office began planning to move to a bigger location.
d. I felt alone because I didn’t have a mentor to guide me.

9. I self-taught two skills that helped me work at Colliers. What were they? (Choose two.)
a. Access
b. Excel
c. Powerpoint
d. HTML

10. What skill did I learn working at Colliers?
a. Photoshop
b. Illustrator
c. SQL
d. Crystal Reports

11. What was a positive I failed to grasp at Colliers?
a. Almost all of the staff and brokers supported me.
b. Management was concerned with my career being stalled and actually wanted to talk to me.
c. I should have taken more pizza on pizza Friday’s to take home.

12. What was the lesson I learned in 2002?
a. Learn how to play poker because you co-workers play it.
b. If you don’t ask, you’re not going to get it.
c. Have nothing, do nothing, get nothing, be nothing, and people treat you like nothing.

13. The first few weeks at Cisco, I experienced quite a few new experiences immediately. What were they?
a. The second week I attended the annual worldwide meeting in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
b. I never received formal training. Management wanted me to work blindly and not knowing what I’m doing.
c. I received a new laptop and the networking software was not installed. I needed IT to install them. That took two days.
d. I worked inside my own personal cubicle.
e. All of the above.

14. I was introduced to a new form of communication for the first time. What was it?
a. Texting
b. Instant messaging.
c. Conference calls from my phone.

15. What was one perk at Cisco I failed to take advantage?
a. Reasonable priced food in the cafeteria. I don’t have to bring lunch from home everyday.
b. Telecommuting or working from home.
c. Drive on the carpool lane with a co-worker.

16 The final months at Cisco were shaky. The great recession started when the real estate bubble burst. Which of the following did I experience for the first time, and they’re not going to be the last time?
a. Contractors terminated and layoffs.
b. Politics as departments fight for funding to keep their staff working.
c. Drastic cutbacks including travel.
d. All of the above.

17. What was my number one impression I showed to everyone at Grubb & Ellis, Colliers, and Cisco?
a. I smiled and I was liked immediately among my co-workers.
b. I found the problems and solved them quickly.
c. I was a fast learner.
d. I brought donuts for my first ever meetings.

18. What were the top lessons I learned working at Colliers and Cisco? (Choose two)
a. Never take anything for granted.
b. Talk to your manager for gripes and complains. Get them off your chest.
c. Be social. Talk and get to know others.
d. Show up on time.

19. What skills did I learn after working at Cisco?
a. Accounting
b. C++
c. Cooking

20. What skills am I learning now to help find my next job?
a. Crystal Reports
b. SQL
c. Digital photography

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Misses, Undeserving, Overvalue, Undervalue, Overrated, Upsets Part 1

I want to think about my opportunities and moments I missed, didn’t deserve, awarded for the wrong reasons, or never given the opportunity. I wonder my life could have and should have been different if some of these events happened to me in my past. My timeline could have gone a different direction. There is a high probability I’m a better person. I become stronger, smarter, and realized I must grow up at an earlier age.

Part 1 starts with high school. If I started with junior high and earlier, then I could have written a book on my parent’s missed opportunities and lack of being proactive.

Spring Vacation in San Diego*. I took the United States Marines’ ROTC (Reserve Officer’s Training Corps) class in my freshmen year. Every spring vacation, selected cadets were flown to an actual Marine base in San Diego to experience basic training. There was physical training, lectures from officers, actual firing of a real M-16 rifle, and eating in the mess hall. The Senior Marine Instructor, a retired colonel, selected cadets from each of the two platoons. One by one, each cadet’s name was called. After the last name was called in my platoon, there was a five second pause, and one additional cadet was called. That additional cadet was not me.

I was told the additional cadet cased trouble. He missed curfew. He behaved badly and acted like a jerk. He spent time inside the military jail. If I recall correctly, he dropped out of ROTC class. I wonder if the Senior Marine Instructor kicked him out.

Two cadet officers came up to me and said I should have been the additional cadet. That could have been an unforgettable experience as a 14 year old. I fired an actual M-16 rifle. I exercised on an obstacle training course. I could have joined the armed forces when I graduated high school. Um, not really.

*I’m not 100% sure it was in San Diego. Another possibility was Hawaii. The spring vacation field trip was a big deal. The USMC paid for the entire field trip including transportation.

Blackford vs. Prospect. 1991 was a bad economy year. We were experiencing a recession. I remember Japan taking advantage of the weak dollar investing millions of money in the US. My school district was financially hurt. There was no money to keep all six high schools open. The school board held meetings and public hearings for ideas and suggestions. The final decision was close two high schools.

I attended Blackford. Blackford was selected to remain open according to the student body officers, active teachers, and school administrators. Prospect was one of the two schools expected to close because Prospect had higher operating expenses. Blackford was the bigger campus to accommodate a bigger student body population.

The school board made the announcement on a night the local news covered live. Blackford was one of the two selected to close. Prospect was saved. I had to graduate high school in a different school that I attended for one year.

My senior year at Prospect was the toughest year academically. The teachers were tougher. They assigned lots of homework and their exams were hard; for example, I never had essay questions at Blackford. The Prospect students were smarter and more sophisticated with teenage life. Blackford and Prospect seniors didn’t get along. We kept our distances. The sophomore and junior students, however, got along because they had a more recent connection from their junior high years.

I wonder what happened if I attended Prospect for all my high school years instead of Blackford. I could have been a smarter, hard-working, and more responsible student. Prospect offered more foreign language classes and AP classes. I had to work harder to maintain my GPA was in the top percentile to be accepted at a California State University. Blackford was a kick-back, relax school. Blackford teachers put less pressure on students to earn high grades; they actually curved bigger than Prospect teachers. I could have learned to take life more seriously at a younger age.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Top Mistakes Part 4

I started an occasional blog sharing my top life mistakes. Here is a brief review from parts 1-3:

Mistake 1: I didn’t meet new people and make new friends continuously.
Mistake 2: I took life for granted.
Mistake 3: I didn’t follow a workout plan at the gym.
Mistake 4: I avoided reading fiction books.
Mistake 5: I complained and nag at everything in life.
Mistake 6: I acted like a child.
Mistake 7: Trivia is trivial in my life. Who cares.
Mistake 8: I didn’t want to expand my horizons in life.
Mistake 9: Food is food. Food doesn’t make a difference in life.

Here are the next mistakes I corrected:

Mistake 10a: I Stay Quiet Because I’m Wrong

I was afraid talking and communicating with people because I was afraid to be wrong throughout my childhood, high school, college, and part of my adult life. I was afraid to say something wrong because I didn’t want to be embarrassed, be laughed at, and I didn’t want others thinking I was an idiot. I believe that’s why most people thought I was a quiet person. I really wasn’t a quiet person. I like to talk to people. I’m actually a loud person—I must talk softer because I tend to be a loud talker. I didn’t talk to prevent saying something stupid.

The lesson I learned is have courage to make mistakes and say something wrong. How am I going to be correct if I don’t say something wrong and somebody corrects me or I ask questions? Nobody is going to say I’m stupid. We learn by doing and making mistakes.

Another benefit is I continue to improve my conversation and social skills. I’m catching up on these skills I should have mastered when I was in college.

Mistake10b: My Abstract Thinking Is Stupid

I believe my abstract thinking was the reason I was a quiet person throughout most of my life. I said something different and people said I’m wrong. Some of them didn’t want to listen to me and some of them were not convinced with what I said. I was afraid and nervous I didn’t speak clearly and I didn’t speak in a way for the listeners to understand.

The lesson I learned is speak up. Share what you’re thinking. Speak your opinions. Talk what you know. Communicate your moments. Don’t be afraid and nervous. Smile to show sincerity in your communication. Trust your abstract thinking and abstract mind. That’s why you majored in Economics.

Mistake 11: I’m A Nice Guy

Too polite. Apologizes too many times and even unnecessarily. Being passive when it comes to making choices. Letting the other person have his or her way. Sometimes not speaking up to avoid conflicts. Being boring. These are the top characteristics of a nice guy. I used to be that person. Not anymore.

The lesson I learned is be a good guy. Don’t be a nice guy. A good guy has courage. A good guy seeks new adventures, experience new experiences, attracts people or a there he is person, and learns from his mistakes. He sincerely apologizes. He likes action—his actions speak for himself. He speaks his mind. If the situation dedicates, he makes the choice as if he’s a leader. A good guy is dependable.

Mistake 12: My Life Is Set

I corrected this mistake before I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. I believed in fate throughout my high school and college years. I believed my life was set. I was going to be this person doing this, being that, living here, and working there without question.

The lesson I learned is there is no such thing as fate. I believe my life is what I want to do, who I want to be with, where I want to be, and I choose how I accomplish all of these. I always question why I do all these. I make adjustments to correct my mistakes and to improve and to innovate my life. Life doesn’t choose my life. I choose what I do in my life.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Wed Jan 25-Sun Feb 12, 2012

*Played Android board game for the first time.

*Installed a new air filter for my car.

*Finished watching C3 Cube X Cursed X Curious.

*Super Bowl XLVI.

*Watched Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2.

*Went to the Game Kastle flea market and purchased Muchkin, Dixit: Odyssey, and Shootin’ Ladders for a total of $35.

*Celebrated Chinese New Year with my family.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

What Is A Moment Everyone Must Have?

There is a moment every person must experience. This moment is growing up. There are two ways the moment arrives. The first way is another person tells the person to grow up. The person can be a parent, close friend, sibling, ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend, ex-spouse, or anyone creditable in the person’s life. The second way is self-discovery. The person experiences the moment, the tipping point that being immature, being a jerk, and being a prick are over. It’s time to end the behavior of a teenager.

My moment I realized I must grow up was self-discovery. It was on Sat Oct 4, 2008 in Downtown Los Altos. I was walking to my car after visiting the Los Altos Arts & Crafts fair. I said to myself, “I must grow up.” I realized that after seeing all the families at the fair and seeing (comparing) the people inside the library playing board games. I played board games with a friend earlier in the morning.

It’s unfortunate there are some people who never experience the growing up moment. These immature people are everyone if one thinks carefully. These immature people work retail, blue collar, or white collar jobs. For instance, my co-worker at Colliers was immature, yet he worked at the company for a long time. We had a few brokers who were hard to get along with.

There are two articles that talk about growing up:

Askmen.com’s John Cheese wrote about “The Reformed Douchebag.”
Link: http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/austin_3800/3857_the-reformed-douchebag.html

Forbes Magazine’s Michael Ellsberg interviewed Tucker Max, the bestselling author of “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell.” Max is retiring from the wild life and ready to settle down. The interview is long.
Link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelellsberg/2012/01/18/tucker-max-gives-up-the-game/

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Wed Jan 11-Tue Jan 24, 2012

*Watched the movie Moneyball.

*Attended a friend’s one year old daughter birthday.

*Ate at Han Yang Korean BBQ and The Red Onion restaurants for the first time.

*Finished watching Ben-to, Ika Musume season 2, and Working season 2 anime series. Ben-to is one of all time favorites.

*Tires rotated and balanced.

*Finished Half-Life 2 video game seven years later. It took me 26 hours to complete.

*Shopped at Costco Business Center for the first time.

*Too sweet for me. Ate Frosted Toast Crunch for the first time.

*Purchased Crystal Reports XI Encyclopedia to further self-teach and refresh my Crystal Reports skills.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Top Mistakes Part 3

I continue sharing my top mistakes I made in life. We become better people learning from our mistakes. Here are mistakes 7-9:

Mistake 7: Trivia Is Not Trivial

I avoided trivia because it was a waste of my time and brainpower. Who cares about trivia? I rather spend time studying while I was in school? It’s not going to help me get a college degree. It’s not going to help me get a job. I have better use for my time than read useless information and memorizing weird facts.

The lesson I learned is trivia can be good. Trivia can be used to start a conversation. Trivia, if used properly and discretely, can be funny and make people laugh. Trivia can bring people together. I have witnessed it.

I signed up to receive daily trivia on my Twitter at Trivia Cafe.

Mistake 8: Doing Nothing And Waiting For Something

I did nothing and waited for something to happen during most of my 20s. I say it with sadness, angry at myself, with regret, and forgiveness. I realized life doesn’t come to me on Sat Oct 4, 2008. Seek new adventures. Experience new experiences. Learn something new.

I created a personal motto: Get out and do something, anything. That’s the lesson I learned. It’s simple, clear, and straight to the point.

Mistake 9: Food Is Food. It’s All The Same.

My mom told me food is food. We ate the same food and cooked the same way 95% of the time. I enjoyed that food. We cooked easy and healthy. I thought we ate good tasting home meals. I got bored eating the same food as time went on. The taste became bland. There are better ways to cook healthy and tasty food. In short, my mom taught me to cook lazy, cook with minimal mess, and cook enough food so I don’t cook the next day or two.

The lesson I learned is put heart into my cooking. Put effort and sincerity in preparing food. Learn how to cook new dishes. And always improve my cooking skills.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Wed Jan 4-Tue Jan 10, 2012

*Ate at Taqueria Los Charros and House Of Soul Food for the first time.

*Played Mahjong (Riichi) online at Mahjong Time.

*Watched the anime movie Redline.

*Played Chez Geek for the first time since 2007.

*Saw a Chinese show performed by a Chinese dance company in San Ramon.

*Watched the animated movie Tangled.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Feeding Off One Another

The answer to the question is the question for the next. I start with an event in 2009.

*2009. What classes did you take at De Anza? Strength development, social dance, and beginning accounting.

*Social dance. What was the first dance you learned? Fox trot taught by my sister.

*Fox trot. What type of dances do you like? Smooth.

*Smooth. Name a song from Michael Jackson? Smooth Criminal.

*Criminal. Fact: one of my favorite shows I watch to waste time is Cops.

*Cops. Fact: take pictures of police cars is one of my favorite hobbies.

*Hobbies. What are your longest hobbies you have done? Play video games and watch anime.

*Video games. What is your all time favorite arcade game? Gauntlet II.

*Gauntlet II. Where did you play Gauntlet II for the first time? Chuck E. Cheese in 1986.

*1986. My homeroom teachers were Mrs. Greene and Mr. Mahn in sixth grade.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge

Positives Sat Dec 24, 2011-Tue Jan 3, 2012

*Merry Christmas. The best Christmas since 2008.

*Finished watching Tiger & Bunny anime series. Thank you tsubasa for the episodes.

*Chewed 5 Gum Solstice flavor for the first time.

*Watched Transporter 3 for the first time.

*Changed my car’s oil.

*Happy New Year. Watched the fireworks at San Francisco on New Year’s Eve.

*Drank Starbucks’ Hot Cocoa for the first time during breakfast. I also drank Trader Joe’s Hot Cocoa for breakfast.

Always Innovating and Changing Innovating Common Knowledge