2.246: Wanted: Good Luck

Single, Asian Male Seeking Positive Vibes and Lots of Luck

Hello Universe,

I'm John and for most of my life, I have been a miserable individual that has been stricken with a string of negative karma and terrible luck, but I'm looking for a change if not long-term, then at least, short-term and specifically, in regards to an important life event that will be occurring on Monday.

People that know me will say that I can come off as arrogant, but I prefer to spin it as confidence though in reality; it is a facade.  The fact of the matter is this:  I'm a horribly self-deprecating individual with low self-esteem that is only capable of building himself up at the expense of tearing another down.

Yet, despite this major character flaw, I am intelligent and knowledgeable in regards to a number of topics.  I am also a law-abiding citizen with healthy respect (or fear) of authority figures that attempts to do as little ill-mannered actions as possible.  I am firm believer of the idea of treating others how you wish to be treated

So, Lady Luck or Karma, if you are looking to bestow upon someone your good grace, then I would be overjoyed to accept.

2.245: Quick Blurbs 001

I am going to try something different today.  If the title of this post did not already give it away, I am calling this new writing format, Quick Blurbs.  Basically, I pick between three or five (I will pick a more precise number at a later time) current topics and I have fifty words or less to express my opinion on the topic.  Now, I am seeking a source for determining what "hot" current topics to discuss, but I will figure that out as well at a later time.  For this initial Quick Blurbs, I will be drawing the topics from Facebook's Top Trends:

Screen Captured on 02/26/2016

Topic #1:  Cheryl Tiegs Hates Full-Sized Women

Honestly, who cares what Cheryl Tiegs thinks?  She had her time and if her time did not permit her to have a waistline over 35-inches, then too bad.  But for anyone to come out and attempt to criticize another person because they are comfortable in their own skin is lame.

Topic #2:  More Stupid $#!+ Comes from Raven-Symone's Mouth

If Raven-Simone wants to move to Canada because a Republican is nominated for President, then let her leave.  Clearly (or at least, I hope), she meant to say that if a Republican is elected President, but she is notorious for saying really stupid stuff (like a human being).

Topic #3:  A Rated R Dawn of Justice Blu-Ray/DVD Release?

If I actually purchased blu-rays, I would still have no interest in purchasing Dawn of Justice.  I rarely re-watch films much less purchase them so this announcement means nothing to me because I believe the film is going to be bad.  I am waiting for Suicide Squad.

Topic #4:  Ariel Winter's Smaller Breasts

Good for Ariel, but who is this person?  Again, if you feel comfortable with your body, then more power to you.

Topic #5:  #FreeKesha

I could go on a much longer rant about this situation, but I am not allowed.  If Sony were a person (and according to Citizens United, it is a person), then I would implore it to have a shred of decency and #FreeKesha.  Why torment her?

And there you have it, my first ever Quick Blurbs.  Personally, I enjoyed this format though I am distraught by what is considered important enough to be "trending".  I hope to do more of these in the future as well as more Random Topics, but until next:  take care and DFTBA!

2.244: Liga MX > MLS?

I voted today and I voted for...HA! GOT EEM!  But, seriously, it is not difficult to figure out which candidate received my vote.

Anyway, I have spent the past two nights watching (or trying to watch) the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.  To be honest, I do not normally watch these matches because the matches typically pit Liga MX sides either against one another or against another side from Central America, but this year's quarterfinals are different; this year's quarterfinals feature FOUR Liga MX versus MLS matches.  Well, that was the angle MLS and most American soccer pundits decided to use in promoting the matches.  Unfortunately, it did not pan out as MLS had hoped as DC United fell 2:0 to Queretaro, Seattle Sounders twice floundered their advantage and had to settle for a 2:2 draw with Club America, Real Salt Lake also fell 2:0 to Tigres, and the Los Angeles Galaxy played to a scoreless draw against Santos Laguna.  Sadly, it is the scoreless draw from the Galaxy-Santos match that was the lone bright spot from an otherwise dim series of results, but even then, the Galaxy face an uphill battle to either win or draw against Santos away.

As for the remaining MLS sides, they face far more difficult tasks heading into their respective second leg matches:

DC United:  Yes, they will be at home for the second match of a two-match series, but they will not only need to score at least two goals (to even the aggregate score and force extra time and then penalty kicks) and not concede an away goal and given their performance during their first leg away in Mexico; it does not look promising.

Seattle Sounders:  Despite the draw, the Sounders face an even more difficult situation than DCU or RSL as they will need to head into Estadio Azteca and win.  Conceding two away goals to one of Liga MX's perennial powerhouse clubs has pretty much sealed the Sounders' fate.

Real Salt Lake:  See DC United

Now, there will be a number of articles published and discussions held over the next few days about why MLS continues to struggle in the region's premiere club tournament, but most of these articles and conversations will simply be regurgitating the same basic points:

1) Fitness Levels.  During the quarterfinal knockout stages of the CCL, Liga MX sides are well into their professional seasons while MLS teams are in their preseason.  For MLS supporters, the preferred method of remedying this issue would be to shift the tournament's schedule to begin and end within the same calendar year as opposed to using the FIFA club calendar.  Of course, there are detractors that believe MLS should be the ones to shift its schedule to match many of Europe's top domestic leagues.

2) Available Resources.  When it comes to club budgets, there exists a massive gap between Liga MX and MLS.  In Liga MX, all clubs are owned by private individuals or ownership groups that are permitted to spend as much as they are willing to spend on the purchase of players and their wages.  Meanwhile, MLS teams are severely hampered by the league's salary cap that is the result of the league being a single-entity organization in which the league owns the clubs and players while individuals invest in teams.  I saw a great tweet that made reference to the fact that even MLS teams "with cash" are forced to sell some of their top talents to Liga MX sides because they are unable to fit the player's wages under the salary cap while Liga MX sides do not share this worry.

There are plenty of other points to be made, but it is late and I have to be up early. So, take care and DFTBA!

2.236: Random Topics 002

Sorry, but I have not been feeling too creative today.  I have had a number of things on my mind and I have been unable to focus on coming up with an original topic to discuss.  So, here we go:

Topic #1

What you ought to know about One Punch Man.  Basically, OPM is the best anime series I have in some time, but I have not been watching much anime in recent years despite volunteering at an anime convention.  OPM is a fun series that features insane, over-the-top action sequences, easy to grasp humor, and heart-warming moments.  So, if you like that sort of thing, then you should check it out.  And now that I have mentioned it, I may go back and watch it again because I originally ran through the series on my iPhone.

Topic #2

What my dog taught me about finding comfort in simple things.  I have had many dogs in my life.  And the thing I love most about dogs is the fact that they are able to find such joy in simple things like finding the perfect shaded spot, eating almost everything that is thrown your way, and never worrying about human issues like debt.  Dogs are not high maintenance and they are loyal to the point of incurring personal harm, unlike cats.  Honestly, simply writing about dogs makes me miss my last dog.  She went missing around the turn of the year and I feel that I may have had a part in her disappearance.

I am going to stop it with two topics this evening because (1) I am getting tired and (2) the third topic I generated would require more brainpower than I am willing to commit at this moment.

2.235: Random Topics 1(?)

I am struggling to identify a topic to discuss for this post so I have decided to use a random topic generator to help inspire me tonight.  Here we go:

Topic #1

Oh, the irony.  I suppose one of the things I do to "beat" writer's block is to use random topic generators like "The Blog Post Ideas Generator" found at BuildYourOwnBlog.net.  To be honest, I am not entirely sure just how "random" this particular topic of discussion is, but it is a start and I am writing.  Success?

Topic #2

Since I am an expert at spotting the latest and greatest new trends, I am going to let you in on the next big thing.  Are you ready?  Here we go:  Funemployment!  Now, I know that there are some of those that are confused, but allow me to elaborate.  Funemployment is when a competent individual that actually fulfills the duties and responsibilities of his position is unjustifiably terminated from his position because small, petty individuals are incapable of handling opinions that are different from their own opinions.  Funemployment is fantastic!  It affords the funemployed countless hours to draft posts for blogs, tolerate ungrateful and despicable trolls that try to pass themselves off a relative, and wonder when and where one's next paycheck will originate.  Of course, I should warn you, funemployment is not for everyone, but if you want to earn hipster status; it may be the trend for you.

Topic #3:

To be honest, I am not sure how I am supposed to word this phrase (or question) regardless I am going to with the following:  Why I love to blame others for my shortcomings.  It is a simple answer: it is because it is typically someone else's fault.  I accept blame for my termination at the library, but I would be lying because who expects to be terminated from a position at which he excels and he goes above and beyond the call of duty?  Not me.  I could say it is my fault that I am seen as a poor older sibling for failing to care and support a troll, but why should I be expected to have any tolerance for an individual that cares little of himself and nothing of others?  Look, I am not a blameless individual.  I am at fault for a number of things (e.g., my aunt's income tax returns) though in many cases I still attempt to lay blame at the feet of others, but I know that I was wrong and it eats at me. I lose sleep at nights because of some slight I may have made at another, but I have come to realize that there are times when it is someone else's fault and I refuse to accept blame or lose sleep for it.

-----| J+30 |-----

I will admit that this approach to writing was good and I may utilize it more in the future, but I still intend on coming up with topics on my own.

2.231: Internal Politics

The Presidential primary election in Georgia is just over a half-month away and I still have not decided which candidate will receive my support and vote.  On Facebook, the majority of my "friends" are "click-and-share conservatives" (individuals that "share" contrived anti-Obama / anti-liberal headlines without taking a moment to see if the article has any basis in fact) that support either Cruz or Trump, but amongst my fellow liberals; there exists a steep divide between those who are "with [Hillary]" and those who are "feel[ing] the Bern".  And to be frank, I have observed the interactions between the two groups of supporters and it is discouraging.  The latest example of this degenerative banter amongst the two supporters groups centered around statements from Georgia Congressman and Civil Rights icon, John Lewis.  In his statement expressing support for Secretary Hillary Clinton, Congressman Lewis called into question Senator Bernie Sanders's participation in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s:

"I never saw him, I never met him. I was chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee for three years--1963 to 1966. I was involved in the sit-ins, the freedom rides, the March on Washington, the march from Selma to Montgomery. I directed the board of education project for six years. I met Hillary. I met President [Bill] Clinton."

Of course, every man is entitled to his own opinion, but given the amount of vitriol directed toward Congressman Lewis from supporters of Senator Sanders; it appears one's loyalties can cloud one's judgment and cause a normally rational individual to react ignorantly.  First and foremost, I have an immense respect for Congressman Lewis because of his role in the Civil Rights movement; the man literally had his skull cracked during the Selma march.  Congressman Lewis stood side-by-side with Dr. King and other luminaries of the movement and confronted the harassment, the threats, and the violence head on.  Congressman Lewis is the sole individual still alive that spoke at the March on Washington. It is one thing to simply disagree with Congressman Lewis about the candidate he has chosen to support, but it is an entirely different matter when an individual attempts to diminish his role in the Civil Rights movement, proclaim that he is a shill for the establishment (Congressman Lewis has been fighting the "man" for longer than many of his detractors have been alive), and insult his intelligence because he supports a candidate that is not your candidate. These individuals should be ashamed of their behavior. Yes, you are entitled to your position and you are free to voice your opposition, but when you hurl juvenile insults and profanities at a great man like Congressman Lewis; you have crossed a line.  Now, before I step too much further into the mire, let me simply say that this is merely an example of the sort of nonsense I have observed from both, the Clinton and Sanders, camps and it is disheartening.

It is one thing to engage in such behavior toward members of the Tea Party contingent of the GOP, but to act in such a manner toward members of the same party is harmful.  It is my hope that at the end of the nomination process, supporters of the non-nominated candidate would support the DNC's Presidential candidate despite one's initial beliefs.

2.229: Status Update and More

As some of you may or may not know, I have been unemployed for about five months now.  Initially, I joked about my predicament going so far as to call it "fun-employment".  At the time, I found comfort in the following assumptions: (1) I would easily find a new job, especially, because there was open position at a local library that is managed by the same individual that hired me at my previous library position and (2) if I did not get the position; I would be eligible for unemployment benefits.  Of course, neither of these things worked out:  I did not even receive a call in for an interview while an acquaintance of mine (a former part-time library co-worker that I actually trained) did receive an interview request (which he turned down because he had already accepted another position at the local state prison) and I was refused unemployment assistance because it was determined that I was at fault for my termination despite the fact that I was not afforded a proper opportunity to explain my side of the story (the Department of Labor reviewer made it clear through her tone and persistent requests for terse responses that she had no interest in hearing my case and had already determined how she would side).  I will not lie about the fact that I am still bitter about both incidences, but there is no point in continuing to dwell upon my past errors in judgment.  Rather, I have decided to take an opportunity to simply say that the search for employment continues and while the pace at which I am submitting applications and resumes is well below what one would expect from an individual in dire straits; I can only hope that something turns around for me sooner rather than later.

To be honest, I am uncertain of why I am writing this post aside from perhaps providing an update on my situation.  This is not a plea for pity because I have no desire to be pitied by anyone.  Instead, I believe it is simply a matter of me wanting to write and having nothing better to write about.

-----|| J+30 ||-----

Now, in a completely unrelated note:  Have you had an opportunity to see the new Columbus Crew kits?  Well, here it is (as modeled by MF Tony Tchani, left, and FW Kei Kamara, right):

SOURCE: Twitter | @TonyTchani23

My initial reaction:  "Wow, what a bold...choice?"  First, let's take a moment to commend the designers of this kit for attempting something different, but let's also take a moment to say that this design was a nice gesture that was executed horribly.  The kit is dubbed as the "For Columbus" kit and the designers drew their inspiration from the city of Columbus's flag, but at some point during the creative process; the designers decided to have one too many adult beverages and this led to a hangover that was never fully remedied.

Also, in one more soccer kit-related note (or more accurately, inquiry):  Who decided that it was a good idea to have New York City FC's secondary kits share a color scheme that is similar to that of the New York Mets?  I only ask because I could have sworn that NYCFC played its matches at Yankee Stadium.  Again, I'm curious.

2.228: (Unaffordable) Footy Swag

I don't often venture into the realm of fashion because I'm one of the least fashionable individuals you'll ever meet despite my personal fantasies of being named "World's Sexiest Man" by whatever magazine hands out that title.  But, I'm not discussing solely fashion, I'm discussing soccer fashion. On Sunday, the MLS club I currently support Sporting Kansas City released its secondary kit, here have a look:

SOURCE: Sporting Kansas City | www.sportingkc.com

Personally, I like it.  It's a simple design featuring alternating horizontal stripes of various width and shades of blue.  For me, a good soccer shirt is a shirt that could be worn in everyday situations without looking like a wanker.  Of course, this shirt will be priced out of my price range initially because everything is out of one's price range when you're unemployed, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to add this shirt to my collection of socially-acceptable, wearable soccer tops  Also, another positive with this top is how the corporate sponsor sits inconspicuously across the chest, drawing little attention unlike some shirt sponsorships and their logo placement (i.e., I'm looking at you Chevrolet).

2.227: Keep Dabbing!

Do you remember toward the end of 2015 and the start of 2016 when I said that I would be embarking on a journey to discover my one true focus?  Well, I failed or, more accurately, I failed to document it.  Now, I'm not saying that I embarked upon some sort of spiritual journey; it was more of an epiphany.  But, I have figured it out!  From here on out, I'm going to write about whatever I feel like writing about at the moment.  Of course, I'm going to say it right here and right now that a large number of my posts will be related to sports, but there will be moments when I feel like discussing books and films, cooking and dining, or politics and current events and I will write about these topics at will.  I realize that I am an incredibly complex and complicated individual and to attempt to define myself with a handful of descriptions is impossible.  So, I'm embracing the complexities, accepting the complications, and rolling with the punches to write about what I want to write about and when I write about them.

In fact, I'm going to start right now by discussing the relentless and unwarranted persecution of Cam Newton by sports journalists and football "purist" (or more accurately, racists).  I'll start by saying that Newton is the quarterback for the NFL team I support: the Carolina Panthers.  I'll also add that starting point for this particular post stems from last night's (7 February) Super Bowl post-game press conference in which Newton abruptly left the podium after being continuously questioned about his performance in the Panthers loss to the Denver Broncos.  The first bit to aggravate me was a retweet from Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods notoriety of a tweet from Rob Lowe:

Wow. What a press conference from Cam Newton. So gracious!So classy! So humble! What an example to kids! Just like Peyton. #dab #SuperBowl

— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) February 8, 2016

So, here's the issue I have with this retweet and the series of tweets that followed on Zimmern's account:

1)  The belief that professional football players are required to provide a full account of their actions immediately following a game, especially, players on the losing team.  Journalists (or more accurately, pundits) and certain types of fans are always demanding authenticity and honesty from professional athletes and yet when professional athletes provide them with this authenticity (e.g., Cam walking out of the press conference because [and I am only speculating] he was emotionally hurt from having his worst performance of the season during the most important game of the season) they are quick to judge him as being classless or acting like a "spoiled brat" because Cam choose not to play nice with them.  Of course, the response to such a realization is that Cam is a professional player that is paid millions of dollars to play a game and he should understand his responsibilities and his position as a role model.  Sure, I could accept that argument if I accepted the belief that professional football players are merely overpaid assets within NFL's corporate structure, but I don't accept that premise because Cam and every other player in the league are human like me. Professional football players are human and they possess the same emotions that all other humans possess. So, for pundits and fans to expect otherwise from players is disingenuous, but that's not what is really desired, is it?

2) And this brings me to my second issue with Zimmern's tweets (by the way, please don't mistake this post as an attack on Zimmern as I really do like him and his show; it's just that it was his tweets I saw first): the idea that Cam shouldn't be allowed a passed because no one else "gets a pass".  To be honest, that's absolute (pardon my language) bullshit.  People, especially, celebrities get "passes" all the time. For example, a celebrity behaves irrationally (or in some instances, illegally) and yet after a few stints in rehab and a major public relations overhaul; all is forgiven and they go back (or continue) to make millions.  No one expects or should expect a person to have to be subjected to intense scrutiny immediately following one of the most difficult moments of their life; we typically "give them a pass".  And if for some reason one were to find himself in such a situation, then it would be reasonable to believe that he is well within his right to not be very cooperative with his interrogators, right?  So, why is Cam or any other professional athlete expected to behave in a manner that's any different what would be expected from ourselves?

3) And finally, Zimmern tweeted about how Cam asked for respect and that because Cam asked to be respected he is unable to "have it both ways" when he refused to subject himself to pointless scrutiny immediately following a loss in the Super Bowl. First, the issue is that Cam should have never had to ask for respect in the first place.  Let's be honest, did Peyton Manning have to ask for respect?  Did Tom Brady have to ask for respect?  And now let's be brutally honest, did any of Cam's successful white quarterback peers have to ask for respect?  I believe the answer would be:  "No."  Cam's white counterparts were immediately given widespread respect from the media following their successes whereas Cam has had to time and time again prove himself to the media despite his record-breaking on-field performances, his spectacular feats of athleticism, his unbridled joy and passion for a game that will undoubtedly shorten his lifespan and diminish his mental and physical faculties, and his caring and giving personality that his brought immeasurable to happiness to children.  One would believe that such acts and behavior would lead to immense respect from others but instead, Cam receives grief for his touchdown celebrations, criticism for fathering a child out of wedlock, and outrage for his immaturity because he has chooses to have and express emotions.

I have nothing but love and respect for Cameron Newton and it's not only because he's the quarterback of the professional football team I support, but because he's earned it.  Keep dabbing Cam and I'll #KeepPounding along with the rest of the Panther Nation.

2.222: Dying Inside

I am unable to put into words the amount of hatred I feel towards COVER LETTERS!  My god!  What is the point?!  Am I really going to miss out on a job because I am incapable of regurgitating my resume into a block-style letter format?

From the countless asinine tips from professionals to the vast multitudes of bland and generic templates for every industry known to man except for the one position I need, cover letters are redundant, ridiculous, stupid, and useless.  What does a cover letter offer that a resume does not or, better yet, a generic application of employment form?

Do hiring manager actually sit down and read any of these letters?  Honestly, the idea that an individual would rather read a cover letter over a bulleted list of professional experiences and academic achievements is baffling.  And yet, here I am--struggling to put together a series of words into a paragraph of sentences that will astonish yet not overwhelm, demonstrate confidence while exhibiting humility, and be dynamic yet not too over-the-top.

Read that last sentence again (I will wait) and reach the same realization that I reached many moons ago:  cover letters are contradictory pieces of garbage that serve the sole purpose of confusing rational individuals for the amusement of human resource managers and hiring managers.

I am honestly at the point of simply saying "FUCK IT!" and just writing whatever comes to mind (very similar to what I am doing at this moment), but I cannot.  Why?  Because I really need this job and I really want this job and because I have been conditioned to jump through hoops like a circus monkey in order to earn a treat.

If they want a cover letter, then I will give them a cover letter.  But, by god, if I am ever in a position in which I able to make hiring decision, then you can damn well believe that cover letter will NOT be necessary because despite being an asshole most of the time; I can be a nice guy too.

2.220: No Place to Hide

Tonight marks the beginning of the end of what has become a nearly two-year election cycle.  The Iowa caucuses took place tonight and as I draft this post, Ted Cruz of Canada has been declared the victor on the GOP side while the race between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont remains neck-to-neck on the Democratic side with Clinton maintaining an advantage of less than half of a percentage point.  I could make the focus of this post politics, but there is plenty of time for punditry down the line instead I am going to speak about something more significant; my grandfather.

Today marks my grandfather's 85th birthday (that we are aware of) and as I sat on the couch across the room from him, I wondered about (1) would I make it to 85 and (2) would I want to make it to 85?  I understand that in the grand scheme of the universe, 85 years is a speck of dust in comparison to the unfathomable expanse of time (and I am being incredibly generous).  Regardless, I figured the answer to both of my questions would be a resounding NO!  For starters, I am morbidly obese, suffer from gum disease, poor eyesight, poor hearing, and likely, suffer from undiagnosed diabetes.  Of course, the aforementioned are only things that I am physically aware of and do not even include the mental frailties that reek havoc on my psychological health (e.g., depression).  But, I have gotten side tracked and gone off on a tangent.

My grandfather, despite his current appearance, is an interesting individual.  While he may only have 1.5 legs and dialysis tube protruding from his abdomen, his mind remains sharp and he is able to recall things that most people have long forgotten.  On top of his remarkable memory, he remains sharp though his physical handicaps make it appear as though his mental faculties have diminished as demonstrated by his ability to maintain a witty rapport with his children and grandchildren.  Anyways, I am at my limit for the day (time-wise), but my grandfather is an awesome individual and may he have many more birthdays after today.