Blogging

“WEEK 16 Blog Post on BLOGGING”.

 

Ironically this was my first experience blogging ever. I have stayed away from any kind of social media like Facebook, Twitter and blogging sites. I just think it takes away from other quality time doing things that I love like golf and poker. Overall, I did not enjoy it, but I did get a certain satisfaction out of replying to others postings. Reading other students stories were eye opening.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe I will keep this blog going any longer. I enjoyed every one’s blogs differently, because they were all heartfelt and real. My last words to my class mates would be to stay positive no matter what things come your way! 

My 3 important people

“Blog Entry Week Fourteen”

The three people that have been most important in my life have been my younger brother Erik, my father John and my uncle Dana. My family is a very small and tight knitted group. So when there is a chance to give them credit I jump on the opportunity to do so. The reason I start with my brother being my most important person in my life is simple. He has made me very grateful and fortunate for everything in life. Whenever I think of giving up or think things are too tough to deal with I just think of what my brother has went through.

My brother Erik was a baseball sports prodigy. At the age of fifteen he had a pro baseball career ahead of him locked up. Unfortunately a major injury had literally put a curve ball in his sports future. One day he decided to go surfing with a friend when the waves were big and the sandbars were deep. He ended up diving over a wave and as he was coming up from under the water he hit his head into a sandbar wall. This immediately broke his neck and he almost drowned on the spot. Fortunately his friend and the life guard were there to quickly help him to shore. Within minutes he was air lifted to the nearest hospital to have his life saved. Today my brother has been married for 16 years and has three amazing children that are all gifted as well. He is my true idol for this fact; whenever I think I have it bad or think of giving up I just think of him and my attitude immediately flips around for the better. 

Next is my father John, he has shown me that things will not always be what you want but what you need. He unfortunately has been married three times and has had three fiancés in between them too. However, through all this relationship chaos he was and still is always here for my brother and I. He took sole custody of both us at two and four years old and never looked back. My father has giving me the respect to live my life the way I have and always loved me unconditionally. He always seems to tell me at the perfect time how proud he is of me. This simple gesture keeps me grounded and shows pure love and support that’s so important for me now.

Finally is my uncle Dana, he is my father’s brother that currently lives in Torrance. He has been an important figure in my life and in our family’s life big time. For the last ten years he has been a caregiver for my grandma Patricia who’s 86 yrs old now. There is an amazing part about his ability to do this loving gesture. For the last 25 years he has lived in a so called crazy house. He has been diagnosed a paranoid schizophrenic and wasn’t allowed to leave that house without supervision but only twice a year on holidays. Now here he is for the last ten years going strong through a state program that allows him to live with his mom. As long as she is in need of care and he is capable of providing it without issues; he will be able to care give till she passes.

Writing about these three important people in my life has made me even more grateful for them and what they do. Once I finish my last sentence I will get on the phone to tell them how important they all are. This is the least we all can do in our lives; simply to give the credit to people we love when it’s due.

The best time.

“Blog Entry Week  Fifteen”

Ironically enough my great times have now come to me while I’m at the age of thirty six. Definitely better late than never is what everyone keeps telling me. Speaking of the most amazing memorable time now, it has to be the day of my divorce. On Aug-10-2012, I went to my mail box on a typical morning and I saw an unusual huge yellow folder. I tore the top open so fast almost ripping the forms actually, to find the most amazing new. My divorce has been finalized after 7 months of waiting. This great finding of information has allowed me a new found freedom on life. Especially after a 7 year marriage that I was trapped and tortured in day in and day out…

There are three main things that make this great time so worthy. First being on cloud nine, as they say, is the best feeling I have never experienced and never want to let go of in my life. I have now been freed of a control that was hovering over me like a dark cloud or even a devil; let’s just be blunt. Next my serenity is back my ability to interact with others and to be happy is in full effect. Lastly, my finances are allowing me the ultimate single pleasures that every man should be able to have at some point their lives. Without going into too many details, I really have been blessed after such chaos has happened throughout the military with me, and I am continuing to be grateful. Amen to never getting married again!

golf review

“Blog Entry Week Thirteen”

Review

            In reviewing my favorite thing to do, I realized an epiphany right away; it is no longer my favorite hobby. Mentioning the actual activity will shock you, yes it is golf! I have been playing the sport for over sixteen years. When I first started the game, it actually saved my life in more ways than one. The game does wonders for people when there in need for peace and serenity. If you can block out the frustrations of the actual playing side of it and enjoy the ambiance of nature that is.

Golf is an individual sport, but it is played with a group of others which you compete against. However, if you just manage your own game and not think of your opponents you’ll be better off. Furthermore, there is a psychology side of the sport comes into play. Not only is the game very tough to play physically, the mental aptitude it takes to concentrate and stay focused for four to five hours is intense. Golf is simple yet very complicated at the same time. There are eighteen holes with a variance of yardages and certain par scores to each hole. Golf courses averages are 18 holes with a total par of 72 to finish.

Now here’s the complicated part, since each person has a different skill level, there is a handicap system set in place to help even things out. People who are less blessed in the talent area get extra strokes per hole. This adds as a buffer so to speak to aid them in competing to win. For example; if a person is a handicap of 2, this means he can shoot a score somewhere between 72 and 74 pretty consistently. Now another person with a handicap of 16 is way out of this guy’s league, so he gets 14 additional strokes for the round to even out the difference. Without this amazing system golfers would never compete and would eventually quit the game.

Here is where I’ve come to the reality check of why golf is no longer my favorite hobby. People have become sandbaggers as we like to call them in the sport. For instance, when a golfer tells you he is a 15 handicap and he shoots a round of 70, this is a sandbagger. His score should be closer to 85ish, if his handicap was true of what he stated. Otherwise, now he’s known as a liar, a cheater and a low down scoundrel. These are the kind of people that make the game ridiculous and no fun.

The reason I am so adamant on stating this kind of cheating is, because the game insists on an assortment of gambling side games to create competition. Gambling is just second nature to this game; there are dozens betting games that can get out of hand if your game is off that day, or if there is a sandbagger in the field.

Not only does it take hours of practice to stay on top of your game to be consistently good. The money to play the game is outrageous, costing now upwards of $100 to play one round. Now these fees aren’t so bad if your game is good enough to earn money in the gambling side to supplement playing often.

Finally, if you do have the time, money, talent and mental capabilities to concur playing this sport then by all means go for it. However, if you’re not good at the sport and you want to save money, frustration and time doing other things then I highly recommend doing that instead.

FFN Book thoughts

          I believe the author; Eric Schlosser has now put a face to the once hidden fast food industry.  He did what I like to think of as exposing the reality of something or someone. For example, when you talk with someone on the phone over and over again in a business transaction; you kind of feel you know them like a friend. However, then you finally get to meet them face to face and things don’t quite go as you seem they would. I thought his deliveries of many different stories of people throughout were definitely needed. Particularly, the meatpacking story made me understand the seriousness of this fast food industry and it affected me quite a lot. The changes I will make in the future because of all this valuable information are only three. First is to be conscious of the food I put in my body; next is to make my family and friends aware of the same and lastly is to actually stick with the plan. Obesity is the worst issue ever and it has me thinking of not wanting to get that way at every cost.

One Truth No One Guessed!!!

“Blog Entry Week Eleven”

            Getting straight to the truth of the matter, I was very surprised not one person guessed my real truth hidden between all my white lies. I have and did do all the things I mentioned, but just switched around the numbers a little not to match perfectly. The one perfect truth was number three answer. I really did have an endangered species as a pet. It was called a prehensile tail monkey SKINK from the Solomon Islands. It was a herbivore, green scaled, looked like a dinosaur and had five finger digit hands and feet like humans; as well as his tail was like a money so it could hang from high up in trees away from predators. They unfortunately became extinct recently, because they are a great delicacy to eat by the local people.

            This semester is actually kicking my ass, literally. I haven’t been able to focus and stay committed as I usually have in the past. I know it has a lot to do with my current cocktail of pills I have to take from past war injuries and such. Relentlessly, I have been weaning myself off them to hopefully feel better sometime soon. The ultimate payoff is the ability to manage my life without more complications in the future. I am so very close to graduating with my degree. I’m only eight units away from an AA in Business Management to be exact. My true motivation is my family; they tell me whenever they can, that they are proud of me and say they know that I will succeed. School in general has actually saved my life, and has made me a better person. This simple positivity in my single life is what keeps me grateful and grounded. 

5 lies and 1 truth

My five lies and one truth statement mixed in. Have fun trying to figure out which one is true?

1.) I’ve had 4 different step mothers.

2.) I have traveled to 13 different countries.

3.) I once had an endangered species reptile as a pet!

4.) I played golf with Tiger Woods before he was pro.

5.) My favorite animal is a shark.

6.) I have killed dozens of people in war.