"Differential Diagnosis"

Eating 12 grapes in 12 seconds as the clock strikes midnight has always been one of the few cheesy traditions my family partakes in.? I’m not sure what the true origins of that Spanish tradition is, but its widely recognized as a way to bring forth good luck in the coming year.? Even if you don’t believe in luck, it can’t hurt to laugh at others as everyone begins stuffing 12 grapes in their mouths.

New Years Eve is a great time to sit back and reflect on what you’ve accomplished throughout the last year.? I find that writing down a short summary of your accomplishments for the year helps you realize just how much you’ve done.? Here is my list:

One of my goals for this past year was to keep my commitment of posting an entry here at least three times a month. This being my 67th published post, and my 75th total post,? I can say I’ve successfully overshot and completed my goal.

In the middle of 2007, I decided to take a break from college for one year in order to pursue my interests of working in the videogame industry.? I may not be working in the game industry just yet, but I gave it a damn good try at the end of ‘07/beginning of ‘08, and I’m actually glad things turned out the way they did.? Few people saw this economic downturn coming, and even fewer people acted on it.? While the company I came closest to working with hasn’t had to reduce their workforce just yet, a recent restructuring might change that. Also, a few of the other studios I exchanged correspondence with have had to cut staff or have since shutdown completely, see here and here.? Times are tough, and the “recession proof” gaming industry found out they aren’t as resilient as economists once thought.? I’m really glad I’m currently employed right now!

Without realizing I was being tested, I earned my brown belt in Taekwondo and successfully conducted a school belt exam under the watchful eye of the assistant instructor and the brand new master instructor.? With the new schedule, training regime, and the persistence of the new master instructor, I’ve noticed several improvements across the board in myself, many of the students, and the school in general.? Sure, there have been some growing pains at the school in the form of several senior students leaving, but in the end the school is much better off and I can’t wait to see what the new year has in store for us there.

A small group, myself included, finally earned their blue belt in Chinese Kenpo after months of hard work.? It was not easy, and the master instructor expected nothing but the best from us while doing so.? We were also assigned a teaching role breaking down the basic manuevers to the new students. Unfortunately, with my year long college break coming to a close halfway through 2008, Kenpo was eventually substituted for college classes.? It was a tough decision, but in the end, academics come first for this scholar.

Good friends have moved on to their next chapters in life.? One has quit his job and moved to a different town, a pair have started their own business, and a few others have loved, lost and loved again.? Why is that an accomplishment for me?? Because I scrutinized their moves, and helped them make those transitions in any way that I could, without being a belligerent, selfish, jackass about it, as I would have been in years past. I even had the honor of lending a helping hand to one of my favorite teachers in his time of need.

Its been almost two years since the break-up, and while girls have come and gone during that time, none of them ever came close to being as special as she was.? Perhaps I never let them, but this year was the closest they’ve come and the improving results have brightened my outlook for the future.

I’m sure I’ve left out a few things, but 2008 was actually a really good year, and I know that 2009 will be an even better one!? Here’s to a new year, cheers!

A mentor is someone important in your life, usually older and more experienced. Such person gives you advice and guidance throughout your journey. Luke Skywalker had Old Ben Kenobi teach him the ways of "the Force," the Power Rangers had Zordon, Robin had Batman, Neo had Morpheus.  The Mentor protege relationship is as old as time itself, and such a relationship is important for personal growth to occur since mentors have a way of pointing out flaws/errors which we might not see in ourselves.

Most people have a set of mentors present since day 1 of their lives, their parents.  Unfortunately, there comes a time when the protoge outgrows the need for a particular mentor, or the mentor no longer has anything new to teach the student.  The Power Rangers may have eventually lost Zordon, Luke Skywalker lost Ben Kenobi, and Robin left Batman to become Nightwing.  Growing up, our parents seem to be "all knowing," but as we get older and wiser we start to learn of their mortality.  The questions we may have, the answers we seek, we soon realize that they don’t have them and must turn to others for knowledge.  Thus begins our school years…

Only a handful of teachers during  school ever made any kind of significant impact above and beyond their teaching duties, and I’ve had the pleasure of returning the favor for one of them by writing something that would later be used to successfully score him a job in his time of need.  Given the chance, I’d willingly help out any of my favorite teachers.

During our professional lives we require a new mentor, which in my case have been more than several different people.  Cruz R showed me the importance of true customer service, Victor McK guided me through the basics of wireless networking, Tony G helped me stand on my own in medical information systems.  These are just some of the few that have mentored me to become the great person I am today.

Much to my dismay, it seems that I currently find myself without a professional mentor which has made professional growth in my field almost grind to a halt.  I’ve taken steps to reach out and acquire a new mentor in order to continue my improvement, but before I can truly continue my growth, I need to be ready to make a difficult decision and posses the constitution to carry on with the choice I may make.  Continuing my current path towards a bachelor’s degree has, and still is, the plan.  Its the next step which I’m currently trying to figure out, and hopefully I’ll receive a helping hand from a wise, as of yet unknown mentor in the near future.

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The enticing smell of meat on the grill and a cold beer is something every guy, from coast to coast, thoroughly enjoys.

Females like to smell nice, dress nice, and look great to gain our attention, but how many females, besides this awesome girl, ever attempted the meat scent strategy?

Some girls, like Far, clearly don’t understand the hidden potential in this strategy. "I’m sorry but who on earth actually wants to smell like flame broiled meat?? I mean unless of course you are trying to attract animals…" Some women would claim that men are animals, and what better way to attract animals than the scent of fire grilled meat?

Now ladies can "have it your way." Burger King has taken lovely Romi’s idea and capitalized on it!  They’ve created the Burger King Flame body spray. "Behold the scent of seduction, with a hint of flame-broiled meat."

As the tightly related series of interesting events that have recently shaken things up in life slowly come to what very well may be a close, I found myself rifting through some old video files on my PC. Some of those files haven’t been viewed in ages, and one in particular had never been opened and was simply a vagabond from a DVD I copied for a friend’s wife years ago.? The title of such film shall remain unmentioned for the sake of maintaining some level of respectability as a male. Yes, it was a “chick flick,” and yes I did enjoy it.

This movie helped to highlight the errors people make in relationships, errors that keep them bouncing from partner to partner never quite finding what they are looking for. It also helped reinforce my belief that women may “know” what they want, but in reality they actually need something else entirely in order to achieve happiness. Its the age old conflict of mind vs body. Cognitive dissonance between “Sex God” & Moral Rectitude.? Any female reader will probably instantly recognize which movie I’m talking about after reading that last statement.

I find it very interesting that I have? recently begun to see “dating” in the same manner I do martial arts.? “Their style, their movements, their expression, it all radiates information about a person, information that simply can???t be communicated by words alone.? You never truly know someone until you???ve seen them fight, or fought against them.” That statement holds true in the dating world with a brief modification. I will add that you truly don’t know a woman until your relationship ends, or is about to end.

It seems that I may be called into the ring a bit prematurely this time around, so I’ll leave you with an appropriate quote & song below.

“To know others is to be wise, to know yourself is to be enlightened” We cannot control others, but if we learn to master ourselves…we won’t need too.

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I just saw this video posted over at David Jaffe’s blog and thought it important to share it immediately!

I pride myself in being a keen observer and oftentimes a cynical commentator of the human condition.? My mind thrives when solving problems or observing interesting happenings around me.? Since one can not simply observe life, I find myself living through my own sets of interesting experiences in which I do my best to reflect upon, rationalize, and add my own criticisms.? How would one expect to grow and learn from an experience if you don’t take the time to analyze it.

Its during these observations that I’ve noticed how often people tend to project controlling behavior onto something/someone in order to attain their desired results.? The guy on the corner shouting commands at his disobedient dog, the woman at the night club glaring her menacing eyes at her headstrong boyfriend, the busy doctor cursing at his unresponsive computer. These are all situations in which people are attempting to control something/someone to fit their own perceived rules of behavior for that thing/person.

Unfortunately, most things in life don’t simply fall into order after receiving a glaring look or upon hearing a menacing expletive.? Quite the contrary, especially when dealing with such fragile things as people’s own emotions and egos.? No, that is one territory where a forceful nature, controlling tendencies, or a rushed approach will definitely not achieve the desired long-term results in a relationship.

As an observer, you oftentimes alter the behavior of your subjects by merely being present, this is known as the “Observer effect.” ? Its my belief? that in a conformist, self-centered society where people place such high emphasis on what “others” may think of them, the observer effect? or some form of it, is present at all times.

This omnipresent effect coupled with some people’s projection of controlling behavior towards others, in addition to obsessions with personal ranks/titles in a relationship with too much commitment from either party, leads to a scenario doomed to fail due to the unhealthy amount of pre-existing, implied expectations. ???I???m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you???re not in this world to live up to mine.??? – Bruce Lee