*Updated my webpage Innovate Infinitely.
*Watched The Last Temptation Of Christ, Brubaker, The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent, True Grit (1969), The Holdover (2023), and Oppenheimer.
*Cooked with Grill Mates Classic Smash Seasoning for the first time.
*Replaced my cabin air filter.
Blogger's note: Today's blog is posted at both Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar.
"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." --Steve Jobs
I agree with the late Steve Jobs. I must trust myself what I'm doing today rewards me tomorrow. I have been doing the same since 2015. I review my existing job skills such as Excel and SQL. I learn new job skills such as Python and R. They're self job training. Job searching is five days a week. I exercise four days week consisting of two days cardio and two days strength training. I read books. I write blogs. I cook. I eat healthy. I sleep well. I learn life skills such as tying knots, typing Morse Code, making paper airplanes, and memorizing jokes. I catch up what I missed in my 20s and 30s. My movie of the week is on Sundays. I play video games once a month. Never stop learning. Innovate infinitely. Get up and do something, anything. Furthermore, I do my fair share maintaining the household. Costs are minimized. I control my leisure spending. Most of the above are boring; however, I make them awesome. I socialize with people outside the family post-pandemic starting in Aug 2024.
I have been doing everything correct. I have been doing everything right. I'm an example there are people who do everything right. The favorable outcomes don't happen. No job. No income. No freedom. Life moves slowly at best. I'm an example life is unfair. There are winners and there are losers. I'm one of the losers. I'm an example being a loser beyond my control.
What am I going to do? The answer is continue the present path. There are no alternatives. There's nothing to lose. I pay my debts to the family. I appreciate all who supports me. I help the supporters when they need help. Playing video games, watching television, and eating processed foods seven days a week are unacceptable; I might as well die.
A Shout Out To The People Like Me
I'm open to all suggestions to help me escape being a loser. I'm open to all suggestions to correct my unrealized mistakes. However, I don't want to hear easy answers and clique solutions. Go back to school? No. Get a part-time job? Depends. Unlikely my job skills match any part-time position. Network? Overrated. There are too many people applying to the too few job openings. Attend job networking seminars? A waste of time for 90% of the unemployed attendees who are losers. Hire a professional to improve your job search? Waste of money. Most of a professional's advice can be found online for free. Freelance? Not a match with my background. You said do something, anything earlier--do something? I said it. I'm not doing anything half-ass. All-in or all-out. I have nothing to lose. It's a judgment call.
I recognize myself and I recognize the millions of long-term unemployed people with bad luck and bad timing. I recognize us as false losers. Good opportunities pass us. We do our best sincerely. We cause no trouble. We make our lives and the people in our lives as easy as possible.
Update On A Past Blog
Some people experience the opposite Life Is Good Because It's Predictable And Certain on Jan 20, 2025 when President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated. I wrote the blog on Jan 20, 2022. These people are uncomfortable living an unpredictable life. These people desire a predictable life with 99.9999. . .% accuracy. They don't want bombshells. They want to keep the same security blanket. The 47th President is uncertain as of today. The 2025-2028 future is unclear. Time is the ultimate judge Trump makes the correct decisions for the United States Of America.
*Watched 1917, Notorious (1946), Indiscreet, and The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford.
*Booster shot Pfizer vaccine. Sixth shot overall.
*Finished reading 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.
*Ate bibigo Steamed Dumplings Chicken & Vegetable and Birds Eye Garlic Chicken for the first time.
*Flashlights, first aid kit, and smoke detectors checked.
*I voted.
Blogger's note: Today's blog is posted at both Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar.
The number 300 references my 300th blog I wrote on Dec 7, 2008. I selected my top 30 blogs out of the first 300 blogs I wrote. I updated the top 30 blogs for the first time on 300 Revisited on Feb 4, 2009. I update the top 30 blogs for the second time. These are good changes. The blog is another example time changes people's thoughts and opinions. The edits are as-is.
1. Never take anything and anyone for granted.
2. Trust my gut feeling.
3. My [updated] daily top five rules for living: (1) Don't criticize, condemn, and complain. (2) Don't act like a jerk or bitch. (3) Always speak calmly and be calm. (4) Don't daydream when driving. (5) Keep your head up high . . . look at their cute face when talking.
4. Continue to live life finding what you want to do.
5. Never judge a person by their appearance.
6. Remember to learn from 03/02/23-->[your] failures as well as your successes.
7. It takes patience to learn who a person is for long-term family, friend, business, and romantic relationships.
8. Do something else to take your mind off something you hate.
9. Meet new people and make new friends continuously.
10. It's OK to be alone.
11. You must earn what you want in life.
12. You are responsible for yourself.
13. 12/29/16-->Schools have summer vacations; life doesn't have summer vacations. Life has vacations. Life has seasons like sports and TV series. Fiscal years, resets, endings. Life can say one continuous life; however, there are chapters, volumes, parts, checkpoints. 12/29/2016-->There are times in our lives everyone needs to stop and take a breath. Time outs and checkpoints are part of life.
14. Age is just a number.<--05/04/21
15. Have courage to say goodbye to anything precious.
16. First years, first impressions, first go-around, and first successes are equally important as second years, second impressions, second go-around, and second successes.
17. 07/12/14-->Everyone has the right to find happiness. Pursue happiness to find happiness.
18. Be patient. Never rush.
19. Take life one day at a time. 12/31/16-->Increment from Freakonomics. 04/26/15-->Have fun, learn, and enjoy.
20. If you talk the talk, you must stand by your talk.
21. Do something to receive something.
22. Money is a way to help people, create action, and show appreciation.
23. Fight the pain, the suffering, and the struggles to keep living.
24. Use your mind to see.
25. Time is the ultimate judge.
26. Live the present. Live the moment 07/06/15-->[intelligently].
27. Wait 24 hours for goods or services less than $100 and 48 hours for greater than $100 to avoid the urge to splurge.
28. Do the little things and they add up in time.
29. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
30. When you in a jam, go back to the basics.
I include a bonus. The lessons I learned attending De Anza College:
1. Everyone is human.
2. Go with the flow.
3. Timing is everything.
4. Use it or lose it.
*Ate Honey Bunches Of Oats Vanilla for the first time.
*Finished reading The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Confessions Of An Economic Hit Man by John Perkins, and She Comes First by Ian Kerner.
*Watched Waiting (2005), 48 Hours, Drugstore Cowboy, Maximum Overdrive, and All Quiet On The Western Front (2022).
*Ate at Halal Street Hot Pot & Xinjiang Cuisine restaurant for the first time.
*Watched Ex Machina, Bruce Almighty, The Bad News Bears (1976), and Why Worry?
*Finished reading His Dark Materials Book II: The Subtle Knife and His Dark Materials Book III: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman, and Harry Potter And The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne.
*Played Taiwanese Mahjong for the first time.
*Wore Buffalo underwear for the first time.
*Finished reading 1906 A Novel by James Dalessandro, An Abundance Of Katherines by John Green, The Power Of One by Bryce Courtenay, and His Dark Materials Book I: The Golden Compass by Philip Pallman.
*Watched Guy Ritchie's The Covenant, Platoon Leader, Strike Commando, Monsters Of Man, and High Risk.
*Watched The Color Of Money, Fahrenheit 451, Saw II, Valley Of The Dolls (1967), The Man In The White Suit, and Big Nothing.
*Wore Eddie Bauer lounge shorts for the first time.
*Finished reading The Lord Of The Rings Part One The Fellowship Of The Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien.
*Replaced license plate lights.
*Ate at Amakara and Cheung Hing restaurants for the first time.
*Tested negative for COVID-19.
*Watched Happiness, Carlito's Way, World's Greatest Dad, and God Bless America.
*Cooked with Kinder's Garlic Salt seasoning for the first time.
*Drank Starry soda for the first time.
*Watched Jane Eyre (1943), Sabrina (1954), and Tootsie.
*Ate at Gim's Chinese Kitchen for the first time.
*Dried mopped wet floors using the B-Air VP-15 Air Mover for the first time.
*Updated my webpage Innovate Infinitely.
*Finished reading Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.
*Ate Tony's Chocolonely dark milk chocolate with brownie, Happy Village organic strawberries, and Tony's Chocolonely milk chocolate for the first time.
*Flashlights, first aid kit, and smoke detectors checked.
*Watched Run Rabbit Run (2022); Run Silent, Run Deep; Bull Durham as a rewatch; and Emma (1996).
*Replaced driver side belt moldings at the driver door and passenger door for my car. Also, repainted the hood.
*Waxed my car. Also, full headlight restoration including my fog lights.
*Worked out at the gym for the first time since CA shutdown due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
*Finished reading Influence The Psychology Of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini and The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen.
*Completed my self job training. I graduated.
*Ate inside a restaurant for the first time since CA shutdown due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
*Watched The Wizard Of Lies (2017), Sweet Smell Of Success, Mulholland Dr., True Romance, and Pygmalion (1938).
*Changed my car's motor oil.
*Super Bowl LVIII.
*Finished reading A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith.
*Cleaned the house.
*I voted.
*Ate Nyakers Holiday Gingersnaps for the first time.
*Finished readingA Good Girl's Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson, Looking For Alaska by John Green, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, and The Greatest Beer Run Ever by John "Chick" Donohue and J.T. Molloy.
*Watched Top Secret (1984), Capitalism: A Love Story, The Whale (2022), and To Leslie.
I share my greatest favorites of all time.
*Professional Athlete: Michael Jordan
*Musical Band: The Beatles. My favorite song is Let It Be.
*Board Game: Puerto Rico
*Nonfiction Book: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
*Fiction Book: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
*Comic Strip: Peanuts
*Bay Area Sports: Joe Montana from the San Francisco 49ers, Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors, Buster Posey from the San Francisco Giants, Joe Pavelski from the San Jose Sharks, and Chris Wondolowski from the San Jose Earthquakes.
*Calendar Year: 2005
*Calendar Month: November
*Calendar Day: Sat Oct 4, 2008
*Semester At San Jose State University: Fall 1996
*TV Series: Breaking Bad
*Anime Series: Full Metal Alchemist
*Video Game: The Legend Of Zelda for console. Gauntlet II for arcade.
*Harry Potter Book: Year Seven
*Movie: The Shawshank Redemption
*Meal: Broccoli beef with rice
*Candy Bar: Milky Way
*Cookie: Sugar
*Cereal: Cheerios
*Number: 40
*Color: White
*Favorite Sesame Street Character: Cookie Monster
*Classical Music: Mozart
*Modern Classical Music: Helen Jane Long
*Soda: 7-UP
*Actor: Cary Grant
*Actress: Meryl Streep
*Innovating Common Knowledge Blog: No answer.
*Charlie composed a message to his LIT 101 online class*
"Dear Fellow Journeymen:
One last lesson:
Fuck these ridiculous essays.
FUCK the readings.
JUST WRITE ME SOMETHING HONEST."
"These assignments--they don't matter. This course doesn't matter. College doesn't matter. These amazing, honest things you wrote--they matter." --Charlie, The Whale (2022)
Today's blog is posted at Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar. Today's blog or essay is inspired from the two quotes above from the movie The Whale (2022). I choose Permanent Unemployment as the topic.
I speak for some long-term unemployed people. The job market has been rough for years. I experience phone interviews, person-to-person interviews, incorrect position interviews, mismatched skills and mismatched experiences interviews, 11th hour job offers rescinded, and another candidate was hired. The job market is harsh today and tomorrow regardless of a good economy or bad economy. The number of job candidates increases at the end of every academic year. The number increase applies to all education levels and all job openings. There are not enough blue-collar jobs and not enough white-collar jobs for the too many job candidates. The demand is greater than the supply.
Further, artificial intelligence (AI) replaces human jobs. I'm not a software engineer. Give it time. AI never stop innovating. A rational executive saves money replacing human labor with a 90% success rate AI. AI can replace outpatient doctor consultations, accountants, and data analysts. I'm not a robotics engineer. AI may not replace a plumber; although, a robot may.
A rising tide raises all boats. More jobs require additional skills and addition experiences. Education is expensive. Training is expensive. Knowledge is more technical; for instance, a Kohl's employee didn't know how to use its proprietary tablet scanner when I picked up an online order. More time is required to learn. More time is required to train. Higher incomes are earned for people who succeed in acquiring the additional skills and additional experiences. Job security is stronger for people who master their responsibilities.
Timing and luck are part of finding employment. Qualified candidates are subjective. Qualified candidates are relative. A job candidate may be a top five in one position. The same candidate may be in the bottom hundreds in another position. It depends on the hiring manager's expectations. It depends on the company. The qualified candidate found the position immediately. He or she is an early job applicant. Conversely, the qualified candidate found the position days later. He or she may be rejected because too many job applications are submitted. Moreover, networking is overrated. Networking does matter; however, imagine a scenario where a hiring manager receives dozens of qualified resumes for the hiring manager's dozens of networks. I remember a conversation with a friend decades ago. If we were educated in the same field, then why help each other find jobs. We want the job. We need an income. The bottom line is everything matters.
Unemployed Me
I'm doing the best I can. I self-train new skills such as Python, R-Studio, Power BI, and Linux. I review existing skills such as Excel, SQL, and data analysis. I'm catching up what I missed in previous jobs. I'm catching up what I missed in my younger years. Also, I learn life skills such as tying rope knots, folding paper airplanes, and using a navigating compass. Never stop learning. The clique wisdom is emphasized in today's Information Age. Never stop innovating.
When am I going to quit job searching? When am I going to stop learning? The quick answer to the two questions is not today. There's no reason to quit searching. There's no reason to stop learning. I'm unemployed. I live with my parents. I'm the George Costanza in the family. There is too much free time. I learn indefinitely. It's better than watching TV and playing video games eight hours a day. I stay sharp because a miracle can happen. Timing and luck favor me. I found a new job. I read books, exercise, cook for my parents, maintain the household, write blogs, and watch a weekly movie when I'm not being a self-professional. I'm fortunate there is family support.
The long answer to the two questions is I stop when I'm permanently unemployed. Age is a factor. Resume gaps are a factor. Weak working experience is a factor. Missing skills are a factor. A benefit to job searching is knowing what skills are required for my profession. These factors are not excuses to stop searching and stop learning.
The statements, "a rising tide raises all boats," "more skills are required," and "higher expectations" are valid when job candidates read job descriptions. A cash sweepstakes or a prize contest disclaimer "many people enter, few people win" applies to job candidates applying to multiple job positions. I'm not dumb. People are not dumb. Life is too hard.
*Finished reading Refugee by Alan Gratz and Ranger's Apprentice Book 1: The Ruins Of Gorland by John Flanagan.
*Watched The Elephant Man, Sunset Blvd. (1950), Roman Holiday (1953), and Everything Everywhere All At Once.
*Jogged wearing ASICS shoes for the first time.
*Cleaned the house.
*Watched Utopia (UK) Season 2.
*Ate David's Cookies Butter Pecan Meltaways for the first time.
*Wore Under Armour Sportsmask Featherweight.
