We Experience Bad Years Like Actors Starring In Bad Years

Tom Hanks starred in a string of bad movies: The 'Burbs, Turner & Hooch, and Joe Versus The Volcano. Bruce Willis started in a string of bad movies: Hudson Hawk, The Last Boy Scout, and Striking Distance. The actors resurrected their careers eventually. Hanks starred in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. Willis starred in Pulp Fiction. They're household celebrity actors with a good list of good movies.

My 2013 and 2014 were bad years. The last time I experienced back to back bad years was 2007 and 2008. 2013 and 2014 ended on a good note when I found new jobs. Similarly, I realized I must grow up in 2008. 2013 was a bad year because I had too much fun, made bad choices, and I took life for granted. I admit I forgot one of my life lessons which was don't take life for granted. I was reminded don't take life for granted when I found a job in Nov.

2014 started being a bad year when I got sick in May. The sickness lasted six weeks. I didn't work out at the gym. I took two days off because I was sick. I felt fatigued on some of my shifts. I failed a skills test during an interview in Jun. The failure motivated me to review my job skills in Jul and Aug. The saddest day of my life happened on Tue Sep 9 when I quit my new job after two days because of questionable business practices. I job searched six days, I reviewed my job skills seven days, and I learned new job skills seven days for each week in Sep and Oct. I reviewed Excel, SQL, and Salesforce. I learned Python. I announced my retirement from Japanese Anime in Sep which gave me more free time to prepare for my next job. The hard work paid off in Nov when I found another new job with good business practices.

The experiences I experienced and the lessons learned in 2013 and 2014 and opening myself up began 2015. Be professional at everything I do. I work out at the gym to stay in shape. Don't take life for granted. I escape my comfort zone trying new things. I completed the Community Emergency Response (CERT) volunteer training in Feb. I continue reviewing my job skills starting in Apr. I continue working on my goals: meeting new people and making new friends, learning new job skills, finding a permanent job, working out at the gym consistently, and moving out.

Currently, I'm looking for another job. My last job the contract was satisfied. I follow the same routine in Sep and Oct 2014: job searching, reviewing my job skills, and learning new job skills daily. I workout at the gym four days a week. I find time to take care of the house. I find time to take a break.

Everyone experience down years. It's life. There are some aspects in life nobody has control. Stay strong. Stay positive. Learn from the down years. It's part of getting wiser. Hope for good timing and good luck to lead us to successful ventures or to bounce back from negative events.

Positives Sat May 2-Mon May 18, 2015

*Polished my watch for the first time.

*Phone interviewed with Facebook and N.F. Stroth And Associates, LLC, and a second phone interview with Align Technology.

*Played board games at an event in Queensborough for the first time.

*Played Alchemist and Spot It board games for the first time.

*CERT training incident command and search & rescue neighborhood drill.

*Finished reading The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

*Watched the San Jose Earthquakes at Avaya Stadium for the first time.

*Backed GameFindr app on Kickstarter.

Positives Sat Apr 11-Thur Apr 30, 2015

*Watched Sleepless in Seattle, School Of Rock, The Expendables 2, and Despicable Me.

*Purchased Dyson DC56 Handheld and superVIZOR.

*Finished reading Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck.

*Cleaned the house.
*Interviewed at TEKSystems. Phone interviewed at Align Technology.

*Attended the 2015 Unpub Protospiel at Game Kastle.

*Backed the Game Findr app at Kickstarter.

Positives Sun Mar 23-Fri Apr 10, 2015

*Purchased Eton emergency radio, Blackhawk Rapid Flex Medical Litter stretcher, 3M dust masks and 3M medical masks, and Omaker USB power backup.

*Attended my cousin's baby shower.

*Ate Special K Protein Cinnamon Brown Sugar cereal for the first time.

*Backed The Super Vizor from Kickstarter.

*Recycled electronics at Green Citizen.

*Disposed hazardous waste at the Santa Clara County Recycle. Items included expired medications, old fire extinguishers, an old ice pack, and old hair spray.

Positives Sat Mar 7-Sun Mar 22, 2015

*Played Mahjong (Riichi) with the Pacific Mahjong League.

*Shaved with Nivea shaving foam.

*Checked flashlight and smoke detector batteries. I also checked the first aid kit.

*Purchased Team Fortress 2 items online for the first time.

*Finished reading The Pearl by John Steinbeck.

*Upgraded my personal desktop renamed to Raymond's Personal Computer (RPC).

*Played Viticulture board game for the first time.

*Ate brisket for the first time.

How Do I Self-Improve My Entire Self Inside And Outside Top To Bottom?

Blogger's Note: Today's blog I ask myself questions. I post at both Innovating Common Knowledge and Finding Raymond Mar blogs.

I blog how to improve myself. I blog getting stronger, smarter, kinder, and wiser. I blog being responsible. I blog earn your successes. Don't take life for granted. Always meet new people and make new friends. Find new adventures. Experience new experiences. Never stop improving life. Never stop innovating. I ask questions questioning some of the blogs I have written those themes above. I have few answers. How can I practice what I preach with quicker and/or better results? I give myself a B- grade practicing my preaching. I want to raise the grade to a B+. Then I raise the grade to an A.

I imagine myself I'm with a group of people in a social situation. The situation can also be a professional meeting, a training seminar, or a family gathering. And the situation can be small and brief such as waiting in line at the grocery store or small talking the bank teller.

How do I improve my strength, appearance, confidence, charisma, kindness, and sincerity in any social situation? How do I get stronger? How do I look handsome? How do I communicate my gentlemen side? How do I attract more people? How do I share the goodness from my heart? Also, do I know I'm a good person? And how do I show I'm a legitimate person? There's no acting. People look at me for the first time thinking I'm the person they want in my life. I believe the older I get, the more handsome I become. I must be doing something correctly. My better look is related to my increased maturity. How is my self-awareness being myself telling me I'm being a good person? I could be a jerk not knowing it. I could break etiquette rules without my knowledge. I hope my conscious and my awareness are sharp to tell myself I must make improvements and corrections.

What do I offer with a group of people today? A good conversationalist. I enjoy conversations getting to know other people, learning, and sharing experiences. Trust. There's no faking. I communicate the Raymond Mar inside and Raymond Mar outside. I believe being true towards others is a strength. I don't need to be somebody else. How do I improve? How do I communicate a good vibe from me to others? It's like my presence is in a room of people. There's a good aura coming out of me other people feel. The feeling is having people talk about me in a positive way. The feeling is other people want to be with me.

Can I Do Better?

I stay active never being bored. I read books. I work out at the gym. I minimize watching TV. I listen to a variety of music such as classic rock, classical, and classic jazz. I cook healthy meals. I minimize eating out. I listen to four podcasts to acquire new knowledge. I completed training being a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and I continue my disaster training. I play board games. I'm open to try something new. I started a new theme this year for which I continue indefinitely. The new theme is do something out of my comfort zone.

My final thought is when I'm in a jam, I trust my intuition. My intuition saves me in an awkward social situation. Smile and listen.

Positives Thur Feb 19-Fri Mar 6, 2015

*Ate French Toast Crunch, Cheerios Ancient Grains, and Nature Valley Protein Crunchy Granola for the first time.

*Drank tea at Cafe LaTTea for the first time.

*Finished Burn Notice Season 2.

*Ate at Patxi's Pizza for the first time.

*Sold my old Gaming PC hardware on eBay.

*Happy Chinese New Year.

*Cleaned the house.

*Listened to Car Talk and Freaknomics podcasts for the first time.

*Backed Zero Hour XP tactical flashlight on Kickstarter.