Positives Sat Nov 18-Fri Dec 15, 2017

*Black Friday purchases included motor oil, slippers, foot care, socks, soap, and desktop speakers.

*Flashlight, first-aid kit, and smoke detector check.

*Spot vacuumed, mopped main floor areas, and cleaned bathroom.

*Applied Earth Therapeutics foot therapy kit to my feet.

*Finished reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.

*Watched The Peanuts movie.

*Rinsed my mouth with Crest Pro + Health Multi-Protection mouthwash for the first time.

*Phone interviewed a Technical Product Manager position and a Sales Operations Analyst position.

Positives Thur Nov 3-Fri Nov 17, 2017

*Interviewed for a CPM analyst position.

*Watched A Beautiful Mind movie.

*Played Japanese Mahjong or Riichi online at Tenhou creating an account.

*Baked and ate New York Style Sausage Company sausage for the first time from an online recipe.

*Cleaned the house.

Positives Sun Oct 15-Wed Nov 1, 2017

*Ate at Bobbie's Cafe and Three Brothers From China restaurants for the first time.

*My car passed smog check.

*Cleaned bathrooms and mopped floors.

*Watched Badlands (1973) and Patton movies.

*Ordered an In-N-Out secret menu item for the first time. It was Double Meat.

*Ate Lotus Biscoff Biscotti cookies for the first time.

Positives Wed Sep 27-Sat Oct 14, 2017

*Interviewed for a Reporting Analyst II position.

*Watched Jerry Maguire, The Addams Family, i Robot, and Spaceballs movies.

*Checked flashlight batteries, first-aid kit, and smoke detectors.

2017 The Game Is Over

There are 78 days remaining in 2017 counting today. The chances of two back-to-back bad years from Jan 1 to Dec 31 increases while I'm unemployed and living with my parents. It's going to be the first time I live two consecutive bad years. 2013 and 2014 were bad years ending on a good note. 2015 was a good year.

I might as well call 2017 a bad year. It's like the 2017 San Francisco Giants. Their season was over months before the regular season ended. I take it easy. I prepare for 2018. No job is no freedom.

Two consecutive bad years is going to happen. Nobody lives a perfect life all years good from the cradle to the grave. I hope I don't live three consecutive bad years. Moreover, life is unfair. I hope I'm not a person who lives the remainder of his life all bad years. There are people who live a bad life for their entire lifespan.

I continue living life. Life goes on. I continue searching for jobs, learning new job skills, reviewing existing job skills, eating healthy, working out at the gym, and reading books. I hope all my 2017 expectations and goals happen in 2018. Two less worries for the remainder of 2017. Maybe I should go back to 2009 when I'm a beginner again less sure about everything.

Positives Sat Sep 9-Tue Sep 26, 2017

*Finished reading Small Gods by Terry Pratchett.

*Completed all BTD5 Special Missions.

*Ate Stan's Donuts and Hula Wok BBQ restaurant for the first time.

*Cleaned my teeth with the Waterpik for the first time.

*Watched San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium.

*Updated my web page Innovate Infinitely.

*Watched Blade Runner movie.

*Ate Trident Seafoods The Ultimate Fish Stick and mochi ice cream for the first time. I also drank IZZE soda for the first time.

*Cleaned the house.

Positives Sat Aug 19-Fri Sep 8, 2017

*Watched Hell or High Water movie.

*Finished reading The Return Of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Shack by W.M. Paul Young, and Small Gods by Terry Pratchett.

*Cleaned the house main areas.

*Phone interviewed for a Business Operations Analyst II position.

*Assisted a family friend home improvement repairs.

Raymond Mar Act III. Act IV Coming Soon.

Blogger's note: Today's blog is posted at both Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar.

I separate my life from the day I was born to today in three acts. Here they are below:

Act I: 34 Years As A Child (day I was born to Oct 3, 2008). My childhood was boring. My parents provided little guidance. They were too quiet. They were slow. They did have intelligence. Honestly speaking, they were not dumb. I learned more child life lessons watching Sesame Street. I have a small amount of childhood stories to share; likewise for my teenage years. I experienced a less than my share of typical teenage firsts such as first kiss, first date, first school dance, and first girlfriend. My high school years were 50% good and 50% bad for which some may argue I had a good high school life.

I failed to take advantage of living life in my 20s in the 1990s. The mistakes I failed to learn in my 20s caught up in my 30s. I didn't earn my successes. I wasn't responsible. I didn't meet new people. I didn't make new friends. I didn't learn new ideas. I didn't experience new experiences. I didn't seek new adventures. I failed to take advantage experimenting new ideas and trying new activities as a San Joe State University student. I took life for granted.

Act II: De Anza College (Oct 4, 2008 to Nov 19, 2013). I was a late bloomer. I was overdue for adulthood. I realized I must grow up on Sat Oct 4, 2008. The actions growing up paid off immediately. First, I forgave my parents for doing a poor job raising me as a child. I'm responsible for myself catching up what I missed in my young adult years. Second, I discovered new hobbies such as ballroom dancing thanks to my sister, hiking, reading fiction books, and listening to classic jazz. Third, I purchased a new mattress, new clothes, and built a new desktop personal computer thanks to my dad, gmontem, and Appu for guidance.

I took advantage of the Great Recession going back to college. I earned an AA degree in Accounting at De Anza College. I was satisfied I corrected some mistakes. I experienced what I should have experience when I attended San Jose State University; for example, I met new people and I made new friends. Furthermore, the time from the day I graduated at De Anza College to my first day at my new job I continued seeking new adventures and experiencing new experiences I should have done both during my 20s. I continue catching up what I missed today.

Act III: Lonely Soul (Nov 20, 2013 to day before independence date). I finally got a break working at a retail start-up. It was my first job since I lost my contract job back in Nov 2008. I was hired as a contractor in a networking company for six months after working at the retail start-up. I'm job searching, learning new job skills, and reviewing existing job skills. I pace myself with leisure reading books and watching movies. I stay in physical shape working out at the gym four to five days a week. I'm lonely most of each day.

It was time to say goodbye to people holding me behind. It was time to retire from anime. It was time to go on my own to find my independence. I don't know when I achieve independence. Independence can be tomorrow. Independence can be next month. Independence can be next year. I continue living the present life intelligently. I'm not watching TV eight hours a day. I'm doing what I feel is the best for me today. I'm doing what I feel is the best for me tomorrow. I'm open to new ideas. If I stop living, then I die.

Act IV: Independence (independence date). All of my successes. All of my failures. All of my frustrations. All of my experiences. All of my wisdom acquired. All of my mistakes and the lessons learned. One of these days I connect all of the above backwards to who I am in my future. My future is a strong, intelligent, and independent Raymond Mar. Grit, responsibility, hanging on, strength, courage, and earning my winnings pay off on the day I declare myself independent.

Positives Sat Jul 29-Fri Aug 18, 2017

*Watched Five Easy Pieces, Rebel Without A Cause, Other People's Money, and Sling Blade.

*Sold all MASK toys on eBay.

*Finished readingAmerican Gods by Neil Gaiman.

*Ate Rocky Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders for the first time.

*Dental care. My two front upper teeth filling with a resin-compound.

Prelude Going To Paint

I helped paint inside a house for a family friend in Jul 2017. I hate painting. I helped a good family friend. I made the correct choice. I wrote the notes for today's blog while I patiently wait to fall asleep early for the first day of painting.

Could sleeping earlier be a preview for an upcoming event? Possibly. What is the upcoming event? A new job? I hope so. The time before I fell asleep I did nothing. I rested my brain. Time went by fast while my brain activity in leisure mode.

I ate lunch at 11:30am on the first day of painting. It was an early lunch I never ate early in years. I ate dinner at 6:00pm. It was an early dinner I never ate early in years excluding eating at restaurants. Otherwise, I have been eating lunch at 3pm and dinner at 8pm. Also, I came home exhausted. I couldn't learn new job skills, read a book, and check emails; however, I continued job searching. Could not learning job skills or coming home exhausted be a preview for a new job coming soon? Possibly. One of my two vows is minimizing stress. The second vow is money doesn't control my life. Ironically, I'm reducing stress coming home relaxing my brain instead of learning new job skills and going to sleep early like a school night.

I remember the events painting when I get my next job. These preludes serve as a guide how to live my life when I go back to work.

Positives Sat Jun 8-Fri Jul 28, 2017

*Helped a family friend painted the inside house.

*Watched The Thin Red Line movie.

*Cleaned the house.

*Purchased a DenTek Dental Guard, Shirt.Woot 10th Anniversary t-shirts, and Forbidden Desert board game.

*Ate Mammoth Bar Almond Vanilla Protein Bar.

Positives Mon Jun 19-Fri Jul 7, 2017

*Finished reading Equal Rites and Mort by Terry Pratchett.

*Showered with Nivea Pure Impact for the first time.

*Watched Valley Girl, La La Land, Heathers, and Hidden Figures movies.

*Ate Breyer's Girl Scout Thin Mints ice cream for the first time.

*Reread Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

*Ate at Little Joe's, Pearl Bay Tea House, and T&K Cafe restaurants for the first time.

Positives Thur May 25-Sun Jun 18, 2017

*Different cleaning the house. Spot spot vacuumed common walk areas downstairs. Spot vacuumed all walk areas in the entire house.

*Shopped at Sports Basement for the first time. I purchased Klymit Static V Sleeping Pad.

*Finished reading i, Robot by Isaac Asimov.

*Shampooed my hair with Head & Shoulders Eucalyptus for the first time.

*Cooked with Mrs. Dash Seasoning Salt Free for the first time.

*Watched Fast Times At Ridgemont High movie.

*Golden State Warriors won the 2017 NBA Finals.

*Purchased Exped Synmat UL Winter LW sleeping mat.

*Ate Ferrero Rocher candy for the first time.

Control What You Can Control And Trust Life What You Can't Control FRM

Blogger’s Note: I wrote two versions for today's blog. I rejected my first version because it was another daily activities or recent events blog my regular readers know. However, I choose to post the first version here because I express my frustrations and I share a life lesson. Click Control What You Can Control And Trust Life What You Can't Control to read my second version at Innovating Common Knowledge.


I believed in fate when I was in high school and college. My life was set. There was nothing to change. Live my life what was given daily. My freshmen and junior high school years were good. My sophomore and senior high school years were bad. My college years were similarly 50% good and 50% bad. My post college life in my 20s were mostly good than bad. I should have experienced a better life in my 20s and in my early 30s.

I realized I must grow up Sat Oct 4, 2008. One discovery was don't take life for granted. I took life for granted. Nothing bad happened. Nothing good happened. I lived a quiet life. I lived a boring life. I lived a life nothing ventured nothing gained. I had my share of moments between post college life and Sat Oct 4, 2008. Those moments were poorly executed. I didn't earn my successes. My successes were mostly good timing and good luck; however, some professionals believe it's better to be lucky than good.

I also discovered I must control more of my life. I'm doing the best I can in my present situation. I job search five days a week, learn new job skills and/or refresh my existing job skills five days a week, sleep eight hours a night, workout at the gym four or five days a week, minimize eating processed foods, and pace myself. I find time for leisure such as reading books and watching movies. I control my proactive response to earn independence. However, I can't control the job market such as hiring managers rejecting my resume and the recruiting system. I can't control companies reducing job openings. I can't control the economy sluggish growth.

I must trust what I'm doing today results in an independent me tomorrow. I must trust my choices living as unemployed today an independent employed me tomorrow. I must trust life being unemployed today to be independent employed me tomorrow. I stop living a frustrated life every weekday I stay home instead of earning an independent living because I can't control everything in my life. I must trust whatever I can't control destiny, fate, karma, Feng shui, chance, and life flow my way tomorrow.

Positives Fri May 5-Wed May 24, 2017

*Finished reading Slaughter House-Five by Kurt Vonnegut and The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum books.

*Shopped at Dollar Store for the first time.

*Cleaned the house.

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

*Ate Tastykake cupcake and chewed Orbit gum for the first time.

*Post gallbladder surgery living a normal life. Jogging on the treadmill, lifting weights on machines, and riding on a lifecycle.

*Showered with Nivea Cool Body Wash for the first time.

*Watched A Fish Called Wanda, Clueless, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, and The Revenant (2015) movies.

*Applied Refresh Tears Eyedrops for the first time.

Positives Mon Apr 17-Thur May 4, 2017

*Ate Voodoo Doughnuts, Trader Joe's Ultimate Vanilla Wafers, and Trader Joe's Crispy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies for the first time.

*Post gallbladder surgery living a normal life. Drove my car, exposure to sunshine, and working out at the gym light workouts.

*Applied Pond's Dry Skin Cream on my face for the first time.

*Finished reading Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sleep by Philip K. Dick.

*Watched A Few Good Men, Courage Under Fire, and Mississippi Burning movies.

I'm Doing The Best I Can, Really III

Blogger's note: Today's blog is posted at both Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar.

No more advice. I heard everything. No more telling me because it's highly likely I already know. I'm frustrated when I heard the same lectures I feel I'm a failure because I'm not independent. Change the subject. End the conversation. My ears are open to new ideas. I listen to fresh knowledge. Give me leads.

My life has been the same. I'm still unemployed. I'm still living at home. I'm doing the best I can. I really am. God is my witness. I job search two times a day five days a week. I used to job search six days a week. The Sat search saved little time. I continue learning Python. I continue reviewing my existing skills. Currently, I'm reviewing SQL. I take personal responsibility 24/7.

The late Steve Jobs said, "Keep looking. Don't settle."

My feelings are the same: sacrifice, nothing to lose attitude, going out of my comfort zone, willpower, and not giving up. It has been difficult finding opportunities going out of my comfort zone because I have been indoors more hours per week honestly speaking. No more data entry. I worked data entry hoping those jobs catapult me to higher positions. Failed. My life can't get worse.

I work hard intelligently working my way to live independently. I'm stronger with the pains of rejection. I'm wiser with the mistakes I learn. My brain grows bigger with new knowledge. Each day is devoted to be a good productive day. I trust what I'm doing today benefits me tomorrow.

Furthermore, I'm lucky. I have shelter in my parent's house. I have a solid desktop to job search, learn new skills, and review existing skills. I'm in good health. My gym is 2.5 miles from my house. I minimize expenses. Money is a lower concern. I pace myself. I read books, watch movies, and sleep eight hours a night. I complete my house chores such as cleaning, cooking, and laundry.

Finally, there is more working hard intelligently after I fulfill independence. There are more people to meet. There are more adventures to seek. There are more experiences to experience. Never take life for granted. Never stop learning, training, and reviewing. I never stop innovating my life.

Side note: The first time I wrote I'm Doing The Best I Can, Really was on Oct 8, 2012. The second time I wrote I'm Doing The Best I Can, Really II was on Apr 6, 2016.

Positives Thur Mar 16-Sun Apr 16, 2017

*Finished reading The Bridges Of Madison County by Robert James Waller, The Reader by Bernhard Schlink, and The Red Badge Of Courage by Stephen Crane.

*Freakonomics podcast marathon.

*Drank Waiakea Hawaiian volcanic water for the first time.

*Watched The Accountant, Singles (1992), and Sixteen Candles movies.

*Successful surgery for acute gallstone pancreatitis. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography (ERCP) and Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

*Microwaved instant oatmeal for the first time.

Positives Mon Feb 27-Wed Mar 15, 2017

*Drank Ghirardelli Hot Coca with Chocolate Chips for the first time.

*Watched Annie Hall, Balls Of Fury, The Black Hole, Moaha, and The Sound Of Music movies.

*Ate yogurt at Penny Lane Frozen Yogurt & Candy and dinner at May Flower Restaurant for the first time.

*Updated my webpage Innovate Infinitely.

*Cleaned the house.

Don't Be Me

Blogger's note: Today's blog is posted at both Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar.

We've been told to like ourselves. Great. There are parts of our lives we dislike. I accept. Here are parts of my life I don't want other people to be. I also share what I'm doing to turn around my dislike to like. Don't live my life I did in my past. I admit today's blog is another "don't make the same mistakes as me" blog. I remind myself as repetition; don't make these mistakes again.

1. Living at home with my parents. I remember reading a college graduating speech saying live with your parents as long as you can. I accepted the bad advice. A person knows the time to move out is when the person becomes an adult. Independence is achieved when a son or daughter moves out of the house. Become independent naturally; however, don't rush being independent. I became an adult too late in my life. I'm a late bloomer. I'm preparing my moving out when my opportunity comes.

2. Unemployed too many times. I worked in Commercial Real Estate for 8.5 years. High job security. Low career advancement. I failed to learn new skills during the 8.5 years. I learned small skills here and there. Those small skills were weak transferrable skills. The best way to minimize unemployment is learn new job skills indefinitely. I learned the lesson in Aug 2014. Job searching is a full time job. I learn new job skills such as Python and Tableau and I review existing job skills such as Excel and SQL when I'm not job searching.

3. Small circle of friends. Call my circle small. Call my circles few. There are too few people in my life. I need more friends. I need more contacts. I said goodbye to some people because I must move on. Some people held me back. Some people and I diverge to different paths. People come and go naturally in our lives. People change as time moves forward. Meet new people continuously. Make new friends continuously.

4. Expand yourself. My mind was closed most of my life when I was introduced to something new or I discovered something new for which I ignored. I opened my mind for the first time in Oct 2008. The world is full of interesting which must be discovered. Keep an open mind when introduced to new hobbies. Hobbies come and go like people. Some hobbies we lose interest naturally. Some hobbies we grow out. Some hobbies we discover new they're better than existing hobbies. Hobbies, interests, experiences, adventures, and people all belong to expand yourself. Get up and do something, anything.

5. Desire more important than knowledge. I was raised to be a smart person. High GPA is important. A's are important. Know everything. Making mistakes mean I'm a stupid person. They're all incorrect. I recently discovered desire or motivation is more important than a high IQ. My desire is the reason I'm learning new skills I never thought I learn which are Python, JavaScript, and CSS. Nobody knows the future. One of these days the new skills help me become successful. Never stop learning. Never stop innovating. Innovating infinitely. The last three sentences are motivating me to learn. Nobody needs to be smart to motivate oneself to be a better person.

Side note: Here's the top mistakes blog I wrote in my Finding Raymond Mar blog titled Top Mistakes The Final Part. Click the label "Top Mistakes" below to read my top mistakes blogs.

Positives Sun Jan 29-Sun Feb 26, 2017

*Watched The Goodbye Girl, Henry & June, The Bridge On The River Kwai, and In The Heat Of The Night movies.

*Finished reading The Little House On The Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

*Super Bowl LI.

*Completed BTD5 maps.

*Sold my eBay auctions.

*Ate at Bill's Cafe for the first time.

*Happy Chinese New Year, the year of the rooster.

*Ate Belvita Sandwich Vanilla Yogurt Creme for the first time.

*Phone interviewed a Business Analyst position.

Anti-Social For The First Time

Blogger's note: Today's blog is posted at both Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar.

I feel anti-social today and yesterday for the first time in my life. I never believed people can be anti-social. People can be alone to take a break from being with people. People can't be alone to avoid human contact. I'm incorrect. People can be alone to avoid human contact.

I believe I'm anti-social for the entire week. I had trouble sleeping Sun Feb 12. I thought my trouble was drinking Coke and an adrenaline rush--Coke and adrenaline are a bad mix. Today's blog questions the Coke and adrenaline. I workout at the gym yesterday and earlier today only. I didn't workout most of the weekdays. I didn't learn Python and JavaScript the entire work week. I did review Excel and VBA earlier today before going to the gym. I job searched inconsistently. The bottom line is I'm not being myself.

Why do I feel anti-social? Can it be a chemical imbalance? Can it be a hormone imbalance? My brain messes up my feelings. I'm not a psychologist. My answers are yes. Also, I have thought about me being a failure. I'm doing my best to find a job, meet new people, and live independently. None of the three exist. I ask myself what am I doing wrong? Sometimes I answer I'm doing everything correctly. I'm strengthening my resume learning new job skills. I job search two times a day five days a week. I workout at the gym four or five days a week. Sometimes I answer I'm a failure. Almost all the people I know have jobs, live independently, and have a social life. They're mature adults living independently. I want to stay away from them. It's not their fault I feel anti-social. I feel like a failure when I'm in their presence.

Today's blog is an example I'm a human being. Feeling anti-social is temporary. I continue holding on. I hope next week I'm myself again. Life flows my way soon.

Positives Mon Dec 26, 2016-Sat Jan 28, 2017

*Watched Star Trek: Beyond, Home, Bridesmaids, and Wreck It Ralph.

*Brushed my teeth with the Philips SonicCare for the first time.

*Cleaned the house.

*Cleared the A/C drain which was clogged in my car.

*Slept with a Sleep Right Dental Guard for the first time.

What Are You Tired?

I'm tired having bad luck, bad timing, and life beyond my control. I'm tired life treats me unfairly. I'm answering the question the clearest I can answer. There is no worry. I continue moving forward. I continue living life intelligently pursuing happiness. I express my frustrated feelings tonight.