2.312A: Random Topics 008

NOTE:  Sorry, but there will be no screencaps of this week's random topics so you will have to take me at my word that these topics were genuinely (and randomly) generated.

Topic I:  Top Ten Three Examples of Beautiful...Things in Life (in no particular order)

When Your Favorite Sports Team(s) Win - As I a sports fanatic, I have an inherent desire to be successful at everything. But as an unathletic nerd, I rarely win anything. Therefore, I live vicariously through my favorite teams. When they win, I win and when they lose, I lose. Personally, winning equals happiness and success. On the other hand, losing equals failure and sadness and I have a general disdain for both feelings.

When Your Plans Work Out - In life, we are taught to "expect the unexpected" and to "live in the moment" but both of these adages run in contrast to my personal mannerisms. I am a creature of habit and (despite the appearance of my workspace [i.e. my bedroom]) I am a creature of order. Is it too much to ask for my plans to go off in accordance with my plans? This is why I find it beautiful when a plan comes together because (1) it happens rarely and (2) I know how to optimize my own happiness.

Schadenfreude - This is self-explanatory but in case you are ignorant of the meaning of this term, it means:  "pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune". I realize how bad this sounds but that is because it is a bad thing but I find an incredible amount of pleasure from the failures of my enemies because I know that (1) the feeling is reciprocated and (2) they deserved it.

Topic II:  How do you think the world will end? (NOTE: This question was generated using another generator:  Conversation Starters.)

In my opinion, the world will end when the Sun engulfs Earth as it progresses through its life cycle. Of course, scientists predict that such an event is billions of years from now. As for humanity and its relationship with Earth, I believe its end will come eventually. It will not be billions of years from now but it will be much sooner. Now, I am not saying that humanity will cease to exist but I am saying that human life on Earth will cease to exist as the planet will become inhospitable either because of man-made causes (e.g. global warming, war, etc.) or naturally-occurring causes and humans are forced to move onto other worlds. In other words, humans will thrive but it will not be on Earth but that time is in a far distant future.

Topic III:  If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I have thought about this for only a few minutes but I would say tacos because tacos can be made with many different fillers: meat, vegetables, dairy (cheese), or grains. In my opinion, tacos are the ideal vehicle for ensuring I continue to eat a balanced diet filled with the essential nutrients I require. And yes, I realize that this response is a cop out answer but I play by my own rules--LIKE A BOSS!

2.298B: (Not So) Random Topics 007

This week's Random Topics will not feature any topics generated by the Blog Post Ideas Generator instead this week's column will feature a (not so) random topic that I want to touch on (very) briefly:

Political Discourse

I know that people are tired of hearing or reading about the dwindling state of current political discourse but I felt the need to express a few thoughts on the matter.

(1) The negative rhetoric amongst campaigns is nothing new but the quality of the debates has diminished. Let's face the following fact: Donald Trump's "plain speak" is nothing more than personal ignorance and condescension toward the electorate. When I hear an individual making a statement about how he (and I use the pronoun "he" in this instance because let's face another fact: the vast majority of Trump supporters are male) is able to better relate to Trump because Trump speaks in the same manner he speaks, all I hear is the following:

"Donald Trump speaks to me like a child because Trump believes that he is superior to me because he has his name plastered along the sides of tall buildings and he is on television."

To be honest, I find this apprehension towards speaking at a level higher than grade school to be rather disheartening. I have never understood why people insist on having leaders that are relatable and/or on par with them intellectually. Personally, I want a leader to be better than me because I know that (1) I am not as intelligent as I believe to be the case and (2) other world leaders are not as ignorant as I am as well. Possessing a greater intellect and utilizing a higher degree of discourse are not things to be shunned but rather things to be possessed by a leader. Why would I follow a leader that is no smarter than me?

(2) There is a difference between political devotion and political obsession. You will these sort of individuals amongst the ranks of every political campaign; the supporter that is annoyingly abrasive toward any sort of perceived slight against his/her candidate of choice. A particularly good example of this sort of brash behavior can be seen amongst "Bern Bros" that have come to the basic conclusion that any sort of negative action against Sen. Sanders is either (1) a part of an elaborately-designed conspiracy orchestrated to hinder his campaign or (2) the result of an individual being ignorant or out-of-touch (e.g., the attacks on Rep. John Lewis following his endorsement of Hillary Clinton).

I firmly believe that if we are able to accept the notion that political discourse should be of an elevated status as well as informed, then we may be able to push beyond our current state of juvenile-level discourse.

2.292C: Random Topics 006

To be honest, I did not have an opportunity to know and learn from the majority of my grandparents. My paternal grandparents lived in Laos and Thailand and passed away many years ago. On my maternal side, my grandmother, who took care of me during my infant years, passed away when I was in second grade and she resided in Virginia. So, if I were to learn anything from any of my grandparents, then it would have to be from my mother's father (or my grandfather) since he is the only grandparent that I know closely. In fact, he is the grandfather that I have been keeping an eye out on for the past week.

So, what, if anything, have I learned from my grandfather? Not much. I wish I could say that my grandfather and I have held meaningful conversations but there remains a language barrier between the two of us. But this feels like a cop out reply so I will say that I learned to be appreciative of others around me.

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

I am going to call it an evening here since I am growing tired and it is almost "Day 293".

2.284: Random Topics 005

The Ultimate Guide to...Happiness!

1) Accept the fact that there is no single guide in the universe that can tell you how to find happiness.

2) Sorry  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯?

I do not have the ultimate guide to anything much less happiness but I will share with you some of the things I have been trying:

Focus on you.

Focus on what you can control.

Focus on what makes you happy.

ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY!

It is a struggle but I continue to persevere because I know that I deserve happiness.

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

Stop worrying about things that are beyond your control, Start focusing on the things you can take control of to improve your life and find happiness! (And no, I did not plan this out--it was a genuine coincidence.)

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

I will not lie and say that I did not click the "Generate Blog Post Idea" again following the last topic but I decided that concluding this week's edition of Random Topics with the preceding "random topics" would be the best course of action considering the amazing coincidence that occurred.

2.277: Random Topics 004

Warning:  Use These 5 Tips at Your Own Risk

1)  DON'T brush your teeth at least twice a day

2)  PAY for college tuition with a credit card

3)  TAKE OUT a private student loan

4)  LISTEN to They

5)  ACCEPT life advice from Snapchatting hip-hop moguls

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

The benefits of... sexual intercourse

I would not know because I have not had sex in a very long time.  But, I am a firm believer that a number of great tragedies could have been averted if only the perpetrators of these tragedies were able to have sex.

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

The Cheater's Guide to... ruining a friendship by sleeping with your friend's wife.

1)  Find a friend

2)  Make sure your friend has an attractive (and sex-crazed) spouse

3)  Fuck the spouse while your friend is at work

4)  Regret your decision despite how good the sex felt

5)  Respond to your regret by cutting your ex-friend (and their spouse) out of your life

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

Sorry for the half-assed column and the terrible jokes but I am feeling rather poor at the moment and I needed to draft this column now or I may not have a chance to draft it later today.

2.270: Random Topics 003

The single most important advice I have to give you is...never go into debt. Only a man that is free of debt is truly free.  I wish I had known this fact but there was no one there to teach me this lesson. If I were debt free, then I would be in a much better position than I am today.  Every month I spend over $700 repaying debt.  Now, if I did not have any debt, then I would be free to use that $700+ on what I want and unemployment would not be such a burden because I would not have to worry about making my next credit card payment or risk being penalized with exorbitant late fees.  Unfortunately, I had no one to explain to me the unnecessary burden of credit cards, private student loans, and other forms financially-debilitating debts.  So, I say to you with all sincerity:  Do not incur debt.  If you wish to make a big purchase (e.g., an automobile or a home), then work and save your money until you are able to afford to purchase the item with cash.  It may take some time and a lot of sacrifices but you will not be tethered to anyone and it will be more cost-effective since you will not be paying interest rates.

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

I wanted to recommend you watch...FLCL.  I could have recommended a number of books or television series but I decided to recommend my favorite anime series of all time.  FLCL (or Fooly Cooly) is one of the wildest things I have ever seen--animated or otherwise.  The series features various animation styles throughout its six-episode run and one of the best soundtracks from a television series. The characters are fun and over-the-top even the dour and much-too-mature-for-her-age Eri Ninamori and the plot is something right out of a fanboy's dream.  I want to say much more but I do not want to ruin it for anyone even if it is fifteen years old.  Please, go and watch it!

2.263: Random Topics 002-A

Here's what I do to get myself out of a funk...

(1)  I determine what is the cause of my funk and then act accordingly to remedy the funk.

For example, if I am going through a writing slump, I force myself to write.  It was a writing funk that led to the idea for this column.

(2)  I remind myself that I am capable.

Believe it or not, I suffer from poor confidence and low self-esteem.  And while this sort of action is generally met with self-deprecation and opinions to the contrary, I have to remember that I am an entirely capable and above-average intelligent individual that has absolutely no reason to believe otherwise.

(3)  I count my blessings.

As I have often heard it said:  "It could be worse."  And while there are times, I refuse to believe that fact; I simply have to consider my surroundings to see how wrong I am.  I have a roof over my head, I comfortable bed to sleep on at nights, internet access, food on hand despite my selective tastes, and so much more that others do not have.

(4)  I go for a drive.

If all else fails, I drive.  I get behind the wheel of my car and drive and vent and think and clear my mind.  Most of the time this works and sometimes I wind up some place that makes me feel much better.

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

Some of my favorite [vloggers] are...

I am going to change things up a bit because I really do not read many blogs.  Sadly, I do not read very much aside from comic books and graphic novels.  So, in the interest of giving me something to actually write about here, I am going to share with you some of my favorite video bloggers (or vloggers) because I watch way more YouTube than I read personal blogs.

(1)  Casey Neistat (www.youtube.com/caseyneistat)

All die hard YouTube viewers know (or know of) Casey Neistat or you have seen at least one of his viral videos:  Aladdin carpet ride through NYC (a collaboration with Jesse from Prank vs. Prank) or snowboarding through NYC during a winter storm.  Aside from the viral videos, Casey's daily vlogs are filled the daily ins and outs of his pretty awesome life as well as tidbits of positive life advice.

(2) Vlogbrothers (www.youtube.com/vlogbrothers)

Author John Green and brother / all-around nerd of all trades Hank Green make up the Vlog Brothers as well as the inspirations behind the Nerdfighter community.  Their, now, biweekly vlogs (John posts on Tuesdays and Hank on Fridays) cover a wide-range of topics from the less than serious (e.g., John attempts to prove that water is the best accompaniment to cereal) to the more serious and informative (e.g., Hank explains net neutrality) all while keeping things as casual and easy-to-follow as possible.  Along with their vlogs, John and Hank also make it a point to "decrease world suck" by hosting the Project for Awesome as well as promoting other important causes like the Syrian refugee crisis.  In the end, the mantra for their vlogs is simple and it's one I try to always make an effort to remember:  DFTBA (don't forget to be awesome).

(3) Jimmy Conrad (www.youtube.com/thejimmyconrad)

So, Jimmy is actually pretty new to the vlog scene, but it is clear that he is trying his best and he does not have an issue with sharing his growth with his viewers.  Fortunately, he has some prior in front of the camera experience as a former presenter for KickTV.  Oh, did I forget to mention that he was a professional soccer player?  A former United States men's national team player as well as the anchor and captain of the back line of the Kansas City Wizards, Jimmy has plenty of charisma and loads of charm.  For me, as a fan of his and as a consumer of copious amounts of YouTube, it is fun to see a channel start from scratch and hopefully grow into something amazing.

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

That does it for this week's "Random Topics".  Hopefully, I was informative and insightful or at the very least, engaging enough to keep you reading up until now.  DFTBA and bye!

2.256: Random Topics 001-A

Ignore the odd numbering format, all will return to "normal" in two weeks!

For newcomers, Random Topics is where I draft a post based on a series of topics generated by the Blog Post Ideas Generator.  In other words, I ran out of ideas for new posts.

Lessons learned during my time at...college.

(1) Socialize.  You may have been a social outcast during high school, but nobody at your college will know unless you decided to attend college in your hometown.  Regardless, socialize (or more accurately, network) because the pathway toward your dream profession begins the moment you enroll in college.  I know that this sounds harsh, but the reality facing most recent college graduates is either an entry-level position at a job that is not even in your field of study or unemployment, but you can avoid this scenario by making an effort to make connections with others on campus.

Real Talk:  Being qualified for a position means very little to potential employers, especially, if you are competing for the same position against a less-qualified candidate that also happens to be best friends with the son of the boss.

Making connections is something I learned much too late and nowadays I find myself struggling with perpetual unemployment, insurmountable debt, and undiagnosed depression.  Okay, I am exaggerating (slightly).  Regardless, making lifelong social connections will go a long way to ensuring a more prosperous career.

(2) Take Your Studies Seriously.  Yes, you may have graduated from high school near the top of your class while barely turning a page in your textbooks, but that shit will not fly in college.  From the moment you arrive on campus and enroll in classes, take your studies seriously because the first couple of semesters of college will kick your ass if you are unprepared.  The first two years of college (or the core curriculum phase of your studies) are designed to weed out the weak and ill-equipped individuals from the pack.  Also, if you screw up your first couple of semesters and manage to right the ship enough to complete your studies, then it is still a long uphill climb to redeem your GPA.

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

How to solve the biggest problem you had with...negative influences.

Now, I am certain that the "experts" will say that you should confront the negative influences in your life and attempt to resolve the issue or, even more, attempt to turn the negative into a positive.  Well, that is fine and I will let the "experts" have their beliefs, but my solution is to avoid the problem altogether.  Yes, simply ignoring the problem does not mean the problem will go away, but until you are prepared to undertake the massive task of confronting an issue that so consumes you that you become an irritable, hate-filled creature that lashes out at anyone or anything regardless of their actions; it is best to remove yourself from the situation.  I know that it can be difficult (and in some cases, damn near impossible) but you have to make the effort because no one else will look out for you except you.  Of course, I speak from personal experience and I know it is an incredibly difficult, but you will be better off for it and, perhaps, you may finally find yourself in a position where you are able to confront the problem or it could be an issue that is irreconcilable regardless do it for you!

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

I think that is it for this week's Random Topics.  Join me (hopefully) next week as I tackle two more random topics generated by the Blog Post Ideas Generator.  Until next time:  DFTBA!