Consumers and A Greek Tragedy (Day #15 January 31, 2013)

Good Morning Colorado!!! Well I started writing this morning anyway and just now finished it, haha, whoops... Hey, have you ever read the famous Greek tragedies "The Iliad and The Odyssey," You know they are definitely tragic, but teach life lessons at the same time. I am reading SO many books right now, especially having to do with ancient Greece, it makes my head spin I'm taking in SO much information haha. I absolutely LOVE IT!!! It's awesome!! 

There are certain incidences that are happening in my life with almost everything, except my relationship which is pretty much the most amazing relationship a human being could ever hope for or ask for. We never fight, we always talk about our 'problems' or differences with one another and we are always quick to make sure we are on the same page when it comes to.....everything! There is always something that get's under our skin and makes us annoyed or angry or upset. We need not only lear how to deal with these things in a professional and grown matter, but with a sense of ease and forgiveness. If we get upset at everything we come into conflict with we become a conflict within ourselves and cause it subconsciously. That is not the person I want to be or become. I myself am a kind, caring, giving and generous person who does care about other people in the world and not just myself. Yes I DO like nice things and materialistic items, but then again who doesn't to some degree?? We ALL do!! I believe their is nothing wrong with this want and yearn for materialistic items in life, especially because we are brought up in a world that gives us this pre conceived notion that more/bigger is better. Some of you might be thinking "that's not really how I am," but think about it; from the day you can remember as a child you have wanted toys, to play with something or someone and you have always wanted more and more and then a little bit more. Take food for instance. We eat until we can't eat anymore (most of us) and even though we don't "nee" more to survive, we WANT more to feel satisfied. How about money in general? We ALL want more money to get more stuff that contributes to our daily lives and activities, pay stuff off we got when we couldn't afford to begin with and for things such as traveling. We don't necessarily 'need' to travel, but most of us sure as hell want to travel. Right? It is engrained into our very own ways of life from the day we are born on how to purchase, progress financially, consume what we can and climb our way up the social ladder (so to speak). 

I am writing this because I myself am one of these Karl Marx's consumers and capitalistic type beings, as is everyone I know. Now...what I choose to do with my earnings and understandings, like give to those who don't have, or help others experience life as you do and achieve happiness as much as you can, is totally up to the individual. As I see it, we only have an extended amount of time to do what we want to do with the time given. Helping others is something Lyly, my mother and I have chosen to do with out time and lives. What about you? Are you only interested in getting things for yourself? Money, clothes, music, etc. etc. Or would you give your last $20 to a friend in need? I was encouraged to write this today because last night my co-worker didn't have money to get a little gas to get home. He wasn't sure if he was going to make it there or not and I only had a $20 or $2. I gave him the $20 and told him to pay me whenever he could. Am I positive he was going to go buy gas with it? No? But if someone wants to ask you for money like that and you have some to give, and they obviously want/need the money enough to ask you for it, then I say give it to them. Don't let $money$ dictate the way you are and turn out to be. It is a ruthless cycle of greed, power and anger. Don't let it take a hold of you. 

A Clear State of Mind (Day #14 January 26, 2013)

Whenever there is something we really really want in/out of life, I feel as though we would do anything to get it! We will push our bodies through extreme strengths and weaknesses to do so, we will put our minds through a tumble of psychological trips to find an answer we seek or find a truth that is undiscovered...but just maybe....just maybe...that truth, answer, goal, objective or the plain and simple 'THING' we are looking for is literally right in front of us the entire time. Has anyone else ever had this happen to them? I know we all have similar occurrences when we are looking for a piece of our laundry and can't find a certain shirt or sock, and then all of a sudden you lift something up the next day and it was right in front of you. But because it was so easy to see our minds give us a false sense of belief and the item is right in front of our eyes. Or how about when you're talking on your phone and you are rushing to get out of the house and you keep saying "where is my phone?" Same thing!! Just with slightly different variables involved. Another aspect to this for a lot of people is finding the right person/companion. We all know it or they find you, you don't find them. Just as I was completely unaware of relationships and on my own things, I met with Lyly to have coffee and catch up. It was game over from that day forth and have never loved something or someone so much in my life. Nor will I.

I am in a place of my life that is full of discovering new things, as we all are discovering new things, but how many of us can say that about ourselves? Do we take the time to take that small step back and look around at our lives and ourselves to see what is really going on? I am trying more and more to learn about myself and the people who are engaged within my life. You look to see the people you hang out with and associate yourself with, because whether we like it or not it says a lot about the person you are and choose to be. I myself have stopped hanging out with a lot of people I used to associate myself with because I have moved passed that area of my life and most of them are still there. Not to say it's a bad thing to be there, but I personally decided to move on to something new with a clear state of mind. As I made my transition, not everything was as clear as I hoped for it to be. Most things, as I spoke of before, were right in front of me when I seemed to be looking everywhere but there. 

We must continue to grow and develop ourselves as individuals in the world. Michel Foucault says that their is no such thing as the individual, because we are shaped, molded and formed from society itself. It creates us into the people we are. Everyone who thinks otherwise is dead wrong, he says. But, if you actually think about it, he is right (to a degree). Our influences to be a certain way are what, and from where? Television, magazines, newspapers etc... We are individually founded and driven by the things in society such as the ways we dress (from a rock star), or a suit and a tie, a rapper, a skier and on and on and on. These people who push their outfits and ways of thinking towards society also are influenced by those in fashion at the top of the tree who says "this is what is going to be cool and hip next." It is an endless circle of a top few persons who dictate the way we are in society. Our ways of thinking come from books, teachers, parents, friends and family and they all got it from somewhere, so Foucault's point is that not one person can be an individual in our world because society actually dictates and promotes who and how we are.

With this being said, I encourage everyone to find themselves through themselves. Discover something new about your life and in general. Find what lurks behind your consciousness and is demanding to be set free. Push for greater heights through ones own self! Refuse to let ANYONE discourage you, no matter how much they mean to you, influence you or partake in your life! Get it!! And Stick with it!!!! 

If At First You Don't Succeed...Try and Try Again (Day #13 January 24, 2013)

I have never really been good at taking multiple choice tests, or even just tests in general, but when it comes to writing an essay for a test or verbally describing information I have been given or have read about, I'm dead on. I was writing in my journal last night about how I haven't passed this exam 2 times!! This is a test that allows me to continue my masters degree of special education. I take full responsibility for not passing the exam these two times and I know that it is completely my fault for not studying as much as I should have. But 2 times...who does that? Well, apparently I do! I also lost the last fight I did a year1/2 ago in August. It was from the SAME exact correlation of not being prepared and ready for something I knew was coming. I didn't train enough, or run enough, or didn't look at my study book enough, go through all my notecards. The reality is that I didn't do what I needed to do to get to where I wanted and needed to be.
This has ALL changed in my life as I speak before you today. I am more focused in life than I have ever been. These two events in my life (mentioned above) were true wake up calls that allowed me to realize certain things and aspects in my life that needed to change, like procrastination. My girlfriend is one of the biggest positive reinforcements in my life, if not the absolute biggest. She has helped change me into the person I am today, as well as the person I am becoming and I couldn't be more happy about our future together. She is not only my love, but she is my companion in life, my soulmate and life savior. Another side to this is that I don't drink or smoke anymore and don't really go out as much because it's the same thing everywhere you go!! Even in different countries and cultures it is the SAME THING people, it's not going to be ANY different getting drunk in one city than it is in the next.  It's been the same people since I was 15 doing the same exact things. They are doing now the same things they were doing then, but in different settings and more of an evolved state of mind, but yet not, haha. I just don't get how some people just don't grow up in a sense of consciousness and awareness of their personal subjectiveness to society. Maybe try and grow and become something you might not have seen possible some years ago? And then again, people are people, they'll do what they do and desire to do. No one can  can help someone change unless they want to change and yearn for higher learning. 

What changes in for people that wants them to become a new person, or better person? You mostly hear stories about people who come from nothing and make something of themselves by becoming well established in society as a successful human being. What you don't hear is about the people who already have money making more money because money is what they DO have. You might hear about fluctuations with their money, but what else is new? Don't let people with money who hang with the 'cool' people direct your ways of life and thinking. Think for yourself and create/build yourself as an individual within the world. You take the first couple of steps, and believe me...they will definitely follow.


"It is better to take lead than to follow those who are lost"

-Preston Smith

Do The Right Thing? (Day #12 - January 22, 2013)

We are all put in a situation (daily) where we KNOW what the right from the wrong is. We don't always choose that 'right' decision, but we know what it is when we see it or hear it, don't we? You can convince your self that one decision might be the more of the right answer than the other, but your morality, which has been driven into you from society since the day you knew how to talk, or understand that touching a hot stove would burn your hand, you know what right from wrong is. I myself am a firm believer in a thing called Karma. There are various names for this type of belief, or what goes around comes around ideology, but it is all the same principle thought of something coming back to you as you have done to others. It is not simply that you do un to others as you would have done to you because you don't want something bad happening to yourself, because that is based on a lie within morality that suits only your desire and wants and then you're right back to where you started in the first place. Rather, you do un to others because it is the 'right' thing to do. You would not want to be called a certain name, so you don't call another person that same name or an equal verbal standing. You could always as the question "wouldn't right be the thing that you think and say is right?" Well...yes you could but the fundamental cultural and human values that have been developed and processed over time have shown us what right and wrong is. Wouldn't most of us agree that emotionally hurting someone to gain self fulfillment is wrong? Meaning that you make someone who is over weight feel like shit because of the way they look and came to be that way, just so you can have a laugh for self fulfillment in comparison to your own body? 

It's ideologies such as this that help make the world a better place and to create new ways of thinking for the betterment of the world. We are all human beings who make mistakes, do the 'wrong' thing, make a 'bad' decision and do things that we either wish we hadn't done, or something we promise ourselves to never do again in the future. I think this is a huge part of life, if not one of the main points to it, learning as we go, learning from our mistakes and applying our knowledge towards the future of ourselves and those around us. To achieve these distinct operations of thought you must first have the 'want' and 'will' to be a better person above all the rest, in a world filled with greed, selfishness and ego's. 

Today was a good, long day! I worked last night from 3-11pm to then head home (around 12am) to rest only to be back at work the following morning at 7am, meaning I went to bed at 1am and got up at 5:45am. Another thing I have been doing here in the new year and 'new' part of my life is getting up early and either meditating for a bit, maybe a little yoga, focusing on the things I want to accomplish for the day or how I will go about them, or just simply getting up early to have my coffee and juice while reading or writing (blog or journal). After work I picked up my best friend Robert from grandmas house and then headed back to my apartment before having to be at training at 6pm. It gave me about and hour 1/2 to take a quick nap before putting in some work. Training went great!! I still feel a little winded and not exactly where I should or want to be because of taking some time off, but its definitely coming around and getting back to where I want and need it to be. I was hoping to spar tonight, but it didn't seem like anyone was either up for it or doing so, so I just went home to relax while eating some dinner and a nice hot shower. All this before I go back to training in the morning to put some more work in. Muay Thai baby!!! Muay Thai!!

My precious and amazing girlfriend made this video for her sister Lynn, who left 4 or 5 days after we got back from Vietnam for 3 weeks for a study abroad. Lynn is starting her adventures in Washington D.C. for four weeks, then Brazil for another four weeks, Vietnam (again) for four weeks and ending in South Africa for four weeks before coming back home to Denver. It was the nicest and sweetest video a person could ever do for another human being let alone a sister. I'm not going to lie, but it made me a little sappy watching it and seeing all of my baby's family and Lynn's college friends wishing her safe travels and good luck on her trips. It was simply amazing in all ways,shapes and forms. 

Enough for today, now it's time to keep reading my book "The God Delusion" and get some rest before another day of adventures and training 2x tomorrow. 

I hope everyone is having a GREAT week thus far and enjoying life to their fullest potential!!! You only live once, so do the things you KNOW to be the RIGHT thing to do. Don't let other dictate who you are or what you choose to do with your life. Do what YOU want to do!!! Goodnight :) 

Every Day Truly IS a New Day (Day #11 January 20, 2013)

Every day Truly IS a new day!! For all of us! We take on the powers that be and we shape ourselves into the person we want to be. We can always change who this person is and wake up the following morning and decide to be another person, with different goals and objectives for our futures. It's YOUR choice what you want to do with what you are given and it's YOUR choice what not to do with them. Of course it may not be easy to change your ways and habits, but you MUST start somewhere and it is ALL in your mental state of being and becoming. With enough determination (as I spoke of yesterday) you can seriously accomplish ANYTHING!!! Procrastination always seems to get to me in the past. I usually will let it take over for a while, or most the year(s), but that is another thing on top of everything else that I am personally working on this year. The idea and fact of that is you just have to DO IT!!! Like Nike says "Just Do It!" There's so much truth to that. The discipline comes into affect when you apply this philosophy, but it definitely works too! What do you want to make of YOUR life?

My day kicked off yesterday with a great run in the morning and then work at 3 which was great as well. I love my job I have right now. I am a concierge at a condo establishment in downtown Denver, next to city park. The address I have at the bottom of my posts sometimes (yesterday). I have been working here for a couple years now and absolutely love it!! It's the PERFECT college job a person could hope for or dream of. I get paid $14 an hour to sit, conversant with the residents, talk to my girlfriend on Skype, read, do homework and surf the web!! I mean come on, how much more awesome could a college job be unless you were getting paid to go to your classes right? 
The other job I will be applying for tomorrow is in my field of student/kids with special needs and disabilities. I am currently in the middle of getting my masters degree in Special Education at Metro State University. I got my bachelors degree at the University of Colorado (Denver) in History. At first I wanted to teach History to high school students. I then asked myself WHY I wanted to become a teacher to begin with. Who were the people that made a big enough difference in my life to make me want to become a teacher? These were my special education teachers in middle school (mostly) and in high school. If it wasn't for these amazing human beings, I would definitely NOT be where I am today and I owe them my life! But this is where my life changed! 

I had just graduated high school (Cherry Creek 2004) and was looking for a job because I didn't want to do what EVERYONE does, which is keep going to school because they don't know what else they want to do in their lives and feel an obligation. NO! I wanted to see if school was even for me or what was happening in the real world. At the time I was staying most of my nights at my ex girlfriends house and her stepdad was a plumber. He said I could get a job with him on his work sight five days a week with great pay, for a kid straight out of high school anything above $7 an hour was great pay. No, this was me bringing home $1,500 paychecks a WEEK!! It was ridiculous!! But of course I was still partying away in and well after high school, so I would spend most of my money on partying. After the rent (with a roommate) of about $300-$400 a month on top of cable $30 and car insurance $150 I still had plenty of cash to go around and party with. Especially if I was bringing this much home each week. Well...one day I woke up and said "Its time for a change!" I definitely do NOT want to be doing this (Plumbing) for the rest of my life, I thought to myself. And then I wondered what I wanted to do and why? And it immediately hit me that I wanted to become a teacher, so I started the process and took a class at CCD (Community College of Denver). I failed my first class, proceeded to take more classes the following semester all while working and then it was either plumbing, or an academic education if I wanted to start a different career in a decent amount of years, so I quit the plumbing after 2 years, went to school full time and got a part time job at 24hour Fitness on the side. I moved to a single bedroom apartment where I could actually keep my place clean, account for all my OWN actions and take on the responsibility of an individual making his way up in the world. 

The rest of the story will be continued in another post because you can't spoil everything and give up all the goods at first!! You must ease into it. Talk about a bit of my life in portions, piece by piece you will begin to understand who I am as a person and individual and you will know where I come from and why I think the way I do about everything . 

I Hope everyone is had a GREAT weekend!! LyLy, Baby, I love you with ALL my heart and can't wait until I get to touch you, feel you and have your comfort again tomorrow. I hope everyone has a great week and remember that EVERYDAY IS A NEW DAY!!! Change your life if you feel the need, or want? It is yours....

Push!!! Even When it Really Hurts! (Day #10 January 19, 2013)

We all would like to think that we try and give most things our best all the time, or even some of the time. Things such as tests, relationships, workouts and everyday life happenings, but the truth is, most of us don't and others could do a lot more than what we are doing now. My life saying and quotation, which my mom has been telling me since I was a kid is "Tomorrow is a New Day!" There is so much to this saying its indescribable...because everyday IS a New Day and Beginning for each and every one of us. Haven't you gotten out of bed or gone to bed thinking "Tomorrow is a New Day?" We all have! It's incredible what the human mind is capable of with just a little push, confidence and determination. Ask people such as Jared Leto (singer of 30 seconds to mars and who is also a famous actor. Leto grew up extremely poor with other siblings along side him, but look where HIS push, drive and determination got him!! To the TOP!! As there are multiple others who also made their way to the top of the world of success by having these things as well. It's not so much the idea of materialistic wealth, but rather succession of your own determination. The place YOU want to be! Your idea of success!! You just gotta PUSH even when it HURTS!!!  

Today was an awesome day today here in Denver, Colorado! I think it almost hit 60 degrees today for the high. But then again for us in January, we could possibly get up to 80 degrees. Colorado's weather is like that, it fluctuates a lot!! One day it will be below zero, like last week, and the next day it's in the 50's. Nothing to complain about, but people can definitely be getting sick from the alteration from hot to cold very easily if you're not careful. I for one got sick already and just about everyone I know has gotten sick as well, except my hunny bunny, love muffin, sugar bear, sweetie pie. And she is the one who is ALWAYS getting sick too!! haha. So I am getting over my sickness and wanted to start my incline to success with my fights i'll be having this year and wanted to kick it off by going for a run today. I did and it was a success, but I haven't ran in over a month, so it was hard and painful haha. I wanted to stop a few times because my lungs were on fire, no thanks to the cough I had and brown stuff I was coughing up while I was sick, which I also coughed a little up while running, my legs started burning, but I did NOT quit one time and kept pushing and pushing. I ran about 3 1/2 miles or a little over. The last part is up hill when I return back to my apartment complex and it was tough!! That's when I wanted to stop the most, but that's also where I put ALL my energy and push into!! I ran/sprinted up the damn hill and made it my personal B*%&$!!! It felt GREAT!!! The whole rest of my day has been filled with good feelings and healthy thoughts haha. I love running (only because it lets me know Im in shape and keeps me there because otherwise I absolutely hate it!!) and working out period. The pain let's me know I'm ALIVE!!! The muscle burn, lung burn, throbbing and ache, it's all awesome in its own unique way of expressions. This is another reason why I love Muay Thai Kick boxing and Jiu Jitsu/Wrestling. Because they help keep my mind calm, potential to it's maximum and health at its strongest. Not to mention my discipline, self respect (as well as to others), awareness and determination as well. Hopefully other people can find the physical activity or mental activity that does this for them too. But for me...there is nothing like Muay Thai, it has forever changed my life for the betterment of being. 

Another passion of mine is Philosophy, which we all know coordinates with EVERYTHING imaginable. I would like to think my love for both Muay Thai and Philosophy not only help support each other and play a role as one, but that they will help affect my teaching career and goals as well. I want to change learning in new developmental ways and help students reach areas of knowledge they didn't even know was possible. I want them to learn in ways that I was never taught and could have helped me as a young adolescent who never had the 'right' guidance in school. I would like to think, or feel, that new ways of approach for and towards students is not only on teachers, but on everyone surrounding the school systems, which is pretty much everyone, because everyone (mostly) has someone in their family who is in school, or some sort of educational setting. All people can help contribute!! But yes we all know that teachers are the main teachers of students, but we must always be thinking of ways to educate. This is where my philosophy comes in. How can they learn more about a book. What can they take away from this assignment and which part do I think is more valuable and should stick longer or forever with them etc...

Life Moves Fast...(Day #9 January 18, 2013)

Life really does move way too fast...It's as though you make your mark here on earth with either a small imprint, or a large imprint. It cannot be both, because you make choices that affect the people around you, depending upon that circle of people who surround your life also depends on the effect you will make in shaping the world. Regardless...as far as human beings know and have been able to find out, we only live once and then you die. We are headed to the grave the second we exit the womb. And as we all know, it's what you do with the time you are given for life that matters in life. The other thing with this is that you never know when you're going to go. You could randomly choke on something and die immediately on the spot, or get hit by a car or a disease, or something completely random that can take you at ANY given moment during our journey through life. This is why people tell you to do the things in life that make you happy and love the ones you have dearly because you never know...

Most will comfortably do and say the things they believe to be the 'right' thing in life by justifying their doings or sayings off of that of government. Not openly or consciously, but when you take a step back and wonder why you think the way you do or believe the way you do, you begin to see a little more each time. But its government, or even religion, which has definitely helped shape government and our world in very significant ways, but has also brought ideas such as 'thou shall not kill, lie, steal...etc' showing us that these forms of behavior and action are bad or wrong in life. I ponder the notion of why we know these things to be bad. Not simply the thought that 'yea of course these things are bad,' but why are these things bad and what is it through life that helped develop these formulations?  I personally agree with these types of actions and thoughts. We must first realize that these types of things are only in place because of government, or political type action to begin with. You You don't steal because the owning on something of someone else is 'their' legal carrying of an object that is supposed to be paid for or earned in some type of manner. To lie is to not tell the truth, which to all human beings is something none of us want to hear or have done to us, so why not make it a law? No one like to be screwed over or made a fool right? By killing another man you are inflicting damage towards another and the people who lye within their surrounding of communicational relationships. Going back to what I said at the beginning of this blog, how the people in one persons life are affect by the doings, death, actions and words of the person at hand. Killing another human being is doing much more to someone than just taking their short life and ending it, it is ideologically corrupting the ones who surround that individual.As we have studied these things over time and people have come to agree that what is right and what is wrong is a cohesive understanding of life itself. How people should treat one another and learn to get along on this earth during life while you are here because you're going to have to live with it, die with it and pass it down. Collectively, the great thinkers and men or women over the countless years have shown us why life is too short to waste time and do bad, wrong, evil and useless things. Because it moves fast and in order to make something of what you have been given you must make particular choices that affect the present and future for you and yours. 

LyLy came over around 8am so we could go see the movie Gangster Squad at 10:45am at the Cherry Creek Mall. Great movie for sure!! After the movie we got my watch fixed at a place who charges $16 to just take a link out, but ended up not charging me at all yesterday. Then we went to Tiffany's to get LyLy's 6 month anniversary necklace cleaned up. Then home for a couple hours before she had to work. We just cuddled...or something like that? When she went to work I started watching the show Modern Family. I was watching it on my compute, but actually my flat screen tv because I got the adapter to do that hahaha. After LyLy got off of work we met at the Chili's next to the movie theater so we could again go see another movie. Chili's is always good isn't it? There is something there for any and everyone of all types, flavors and dishes. We met our friends Tanner and Brooke over at the movie theater to see Django. We all loved it! And I loved it for the 2nd time...Great GREAT movie haha.

Staying Focused and Determined!! (Day #8 January 16 & 17, 2013)

It's very easy to let things distract you and get in the way of your primary or even secondary goals. We all must remember to stay Focused and Determined towards and with our goals in life. One could argue that you could role with the events that happen in everyday life, but then where is the inner motive or distinction of purpose within ones self? Where would our drive towards anything come from or establish itself? I believe we set goals and future plans so that we can strive toward something bigger and better. Meaning, we want to accomplish things in life whether it is getting a new pair of shoes, a new cd, dvd, table, phone, or whatever... We construct these goals so we can become a better person. So we can make something of the life we have been given. And so we have some sense of given purpose here on earth while we are alive. Who's to say we don't? 

I am supported in my goals and objectives in life by my truly amazing and perfect girlfriend. She gives me that feeling of purpose and need of fulfillment. She is my rock! She is my soul! She is my EVERYTHING!! Without her, the biggest of big things, to the smallest of small things would not be the same or complete without her. Thanks babe :)

My goals and objectives of the new year are always to become a better person. A better person by helping to make the world a better place while I am here and a part of it. To make others happy however and whenever I can. To make people feel good about themselves and what they have accomplished in life, or are accomplishing. I am going to read more books, gain more knowledge/intelligence, train Muay Thai, Wrestling and Jiu Jitsu harder than I ever have in my 7 years of on going practice, get at least 2 A's out of the 4 classes I will be taking in the fall (not this spring because...long story for a different time). Save money to be able to buy my girlfriend the ring she wants for when we get engaged soon. Take my dogs on more walks. Eat healthier food (when I can). Watch how I spend my money and not spend it if I don't have to or need to. Show myself as well as others more respect, in more ways than one, even if they are complete assholes. Letting their words of hate and anger slip past my ear and shoulder, as though I was slipping a jab or cross and comfort them with words of peaceful intention and joy. 

These are some of the things I am Focused and Determined to do this year and for the remainder of my life and I refuse to let ANYONE take this away from me. I am my own person and I am the only one that can make the change I hope to see or achieve. As I said in another writing, it is a fight! Life is a fight and you must fight for the things you have been ideologically constructed to believe to be right in life. What other motives, purposes, or objectives could you want to strive for? Self intentions for producing self success starts with helping others while all at the same helping yourself. Some only strive for themselves and making the money that mass produces the materialistic items we so desperately strive for in life. For these things of materialistic texture are momentary and last but a short while. The help towards others in need and devotion towards making the world a better place is ever lasting. As the Greeks believed, these types of deeds and markings left on and in the world, are the things that make a man or woman immortal. Immortality starts with yourself and the improvement YOU choose to make with your life and others. 

"The Soul of Man is Immortal and Imperishable." - Plato

Back to the grind...for the most part (Day #7 January 15, 2013)

Forgot to write in my blog last night (January 15th, 2013) so I am making up for it by writing in it today (January 16, 2013) here at work once again. Yesterday after work I went to get my dog from my parents house, then went home to take a short nap, woke up went to run a few errands and then came home to get some reading and writing done, but by the time i was ready to write in my blog it was getting late and I had to be up again at 5am. So therefore I am writing in it now for tomorrow and will write in it again tonight to make up for today.

Yesterday I was starting to feel better from my sickness. Thanks to the fact that I went to the doctor on Monday and he gave me some antibiotics which have obviously helped a lot. No more sore throat and low energy. I still have a slight caught, slight chest pain when I cough and some of that green stuff, not brown...YaY!!! 

For the most part I am back to my usual grind, except I cannot train for another day or two because the wheezing that comes with the sickness is harsh and prevents me from catching my breathe, if at all...haha

Today after work I will be going to run more errands and wont probably make it back to the house until around 6pm or so. That is going on the fact that I don't even get out of work until 3pm. But as soon as I return home I think I might go see a movie. I want to see 'The Hobbit' which I haven't been able to yet and I want to see 'Gangster Squad.' I joined the Fandango website last night which is where you can find movies close to you and anywhere in your location on your phone (with the app of course) and on you computer. It truly makes things a lot easier when searching for a good movie near you, but this is not why I joined the site. I joined Fandango because whenever I would go to the site to see what the critics and fans say about a movie I would always want to put my two cents in, as everyone does, because a lot of the time I don't agree with what the hell either one of them are saying. So I joined and rated the last couple of movies I have seen which have been 'Zero Dark Thirty, Jack Reacher and Django,' which I must say Django got the reviews it definitely should have on Fandango, or anywhere for that matter. That movie is beyond awesome!! It is probably my favorite movie ever made now...Next to 'The Hurt Locker.' It's just a top quality, action packed and great film with great actors...to say the very least. I definitely recommend seeing this movie as soon as you can while it's still on the big screen because seeing it on blu ray or dvd will not do it justice. 

I still need to take my baby love to go see it because this is one I went to see by myself and didn't want to wait for her attendance. I had been waiting for this movie before we left for Vietnam on the 19th of December and Django came out on Christmas day, which put it over two weeks in the theaters and I don't think it's going anywhere for a while either. Point being I am going to take my sugar bear to go see Django as soon as we see Gangster squad first (on Friday hopefully). 

I Hope everyone is having a great week thus far and remember to keep calm and be patient through your troubles or struggles in life and always remember tomorrow is a 'Brand New Day.' Life IS what YOU make it, so make the best of it while you're here and love the ones you got because the world is NOT the prettiest place in the world and people WILL take you for what you are and got. But always remember to smile and laugh because life is too short not to...and why not????

Fighting is EVERYTHING!!! (Day #6 January 14, 2013)

Fighting IS everything in life!! You must fight for what you want and need. This can be a literal translation or a metaphor. I have learned many things about myself through martial arts and fighting is one of them. You fight in the gym and in the ring to win and become a better person. You fight to survive in the exterior world of martial arts to gain ground in life so that you may proceed forward with the hopes of a better and secure one.

I woke up this morning feeling worse than I did yesterday and the day before. By far the worst yet, so i decided to call the doctor to see what was up with me. My chest had been hurting along with my throat and I was coughing up the green, mostly brown, stuff which I knew was no good. My loving and amazing girlfriend LyLy came over this morning to help aid me with whatever wants I had or needed. She cooked me food, went and got me medicine and the whole nine yards. I couldn't be more thankful and appreciative for a girl like her in my life. She is truly an angel. After going to the doctor (Kaiser) and feeling segregated as I walked in, making me put a mask on to prevent others from getting sick (a good thing), but then they told me I had to sit on the other side of the room away from all the other people as though I was the "infected." Turns out there was 'nothing' wrong with me except a harsh cold with severe chest pain and cough, but the fact that I seemed to be the only one in the x-ray room and the waiting room to see the doctor made me feel uncomfortable. It was pretty funny though. Sitting there with a mask on while people look at you weird and strange, as though you are diseased and infected badly. This one girl, with her brother or boyfriend, walked in and saw a sign and other people with masks and gave the disgusted look, as though she didn't want to be associated with us people. If it was her or her loved one she would have though twice about the way she acted when she came to the doctors office. Though I would share this because it was interesting and funny all in one. Along with the fact that I am 'good to go,' having got some extra strength cough medicine and anti-biotics I should be back to normal in a couple of days. You must fight the cold and sickness and do whatever you can to get it out of your system, such as drinking tons and tons of liquid, especially water, so you pee it out and your body stays hydrated. You must always fight!! :)

 There is always something that goes on or that happens in life. Of course you're probably thinking...uh ya! Duh!! What I mean is that maybe you set your sights on a certain goal or a certain area of interest, but something keeps happening or getting in the way that slightly hold you back from completing your task. I'm not talking about your will and want to do something, I am simply talking about life happening. For instance, the only thing I have wanted to do since I got back from Vietnam is train, fight, read, study, work and train some more. Well...I haven't been able to get in there once because I was extremely busy the first week I got back (last week) and it seemed like work, plans, errands that had to be done always kept getting in the way and had to be taken care of. Then, of course, I get sick. It's not just a simple sickness where you get over a chest or head cold in a few days or maybe a couple weeks, but yet its still manageable, NO, this isa sickness to the point where I was short of breath walking up my apartment stairs with a wheezing noise coming from my chest and mouth. This really really sucks because this is ALL I have wanted to do since I got back and I can't even do it. I WILL get better soon and I WILL accomplish my goals this year and stick to them!! You must FIGHT for what you want and take it!!! It will never be handed to you and if it is you must always question motives and morals behind it because something is missing.

I hope everyone has an awesome start to their week and enjoys their Tuesday. Keep your head up, chin down and eyes open!! :)

Sick :( And the lost city of El Dorado (Day #5 January 13, 2013)

Feeling worse today than I did yesterday, it was horrific!! To have that burning sensation in your chest when you want to cough something up, like the green mucus that lurks in the bottom of your throat waiting to be depleted, but it just won't come out unless you push for it? And then, when you push for it, all at the same time it hurts too much to push because while these motions are taking place they give you an even worse burning sensation along with frustration. And now as I sit at work, 10pm at night, I feel as though my body is extremely weak and it could collapse at any given moment. This definitely sucks!!! I have tried to drink water all day, enough to where you pee it all out and get rid of your sickness, which you're supposed to do right when you start feeling the sickness arise so you don't get sick! This works every time I take action on it and pee, pee, pee when I start getting the scratchy throat, or runny nose. Tomorrow is a day off and rest I shall all day, that is until LyLy and I go and see 'Gangster Squad.'Going to a movie while your sick is just as much the same thing as sitting on your couch and watching movies, except for the fact that I could possibly get someone else sick in the process, but then again I try and avoid all situations that could even possibly get someone else sick because to have someone else suffer because you were to eager to leave your house isn't fair to them; even if you don't know or don't care. Avoid it!!

I saw the new wave of technology on BBC network this evening as my girlfriend LyLy pointed out to me a new touch screen device, like that of the iPad, or tablet, that has a new function of an actual keyboard to forms INTO the screen when you pull it up!! No Shit!!! Something to do with the micro fibers and conbustulator exemtron fibulator and flux cepasator. Language I do not quite understand in technology...but it looked really awesome and should be mass produced (the gentlemen said) late this year or early 2014. 

A much more interesting thing that caught my eye on the BBC website, along with the up and coming technology of the year was an article on that of the lost city of gold. Or also known by the Conquistadors as El Dorado. They have shown historical writings and findings to prove that this is no longer an actual city within the amazon or anywhere near it. But instead, it is an actual person, or man. This was an ancient Mayan king who would, in the morning on his awake, cover, or bathe himself in gold and wash it off in the river or lake in the evening. El Dorado, according to Dr. Jago Cooper, is a mythical city that is in fact a myth and was an actual human being bathed in gold that the Mayan people took note of and quite a fascination with. 

What about the lost city of Atlantis? Which direction in mythical outcomes will this story take? If it is even a myth at all? Was it actually a type of island surrounded by water that had a constructive and prominent aqueduct system, making the ancient people think the city was 'under' water, when in fact it was surely above and only consisted of a highly technologically developed water system? I don't know? But, I do know that whatever may come of the lost city of Atlantis, or any other lost city for that matter, is that when our people in history wrote about these places, cities and adventures, they had reasoning beyond imagination to write what they did. You read the historical knowledge that's out there, or travel the world and decided for yourself what's imaginative and considerable, no ones stopping you ;) 

Living the Dream (Day #4 January 12, 2013)

Life is Amazing in all ways, shapes and forms of magnitudes. You must make the best of what you have and what you get. I am not a man of religious beliefs, but I am a person who believes that everything happens for a reason. To some this means that I must believe in something because believing in things happening for a reason indicates that something is pushing or making that happen. Not necessarily though...but then again is it so hard to believe that there is someone out there watching over us??
 I forgot to write in my blog early this morning when I arose and then decided it would be better to write here when I am at work. I awoke at 8am this morning not feeling well at all. Last night LyLy and I went to dinner at the Outback stake house and then to the 10:10pm showing of 'Zero Dark Thirty.' It was a great movie!! A little slow for my liking, but definitely a good one. The same director did the other movie 'The Hurt Locker' and it is my all time favorite movie ever made, so I had high hopes, to say the least. I wasn't feeling well when the movie ended around 1am and knew I wanted to make it to training in the morning at 10am, but didn't even get to bed until 3am. Not getting enough sleep and rest when your body is sick is not the best way to get rid of the sickness. 

One of things I am going to try and do this new year, and with the remaining years of my life is gain or understand the idea of patience more. Yes we all have the knowledge of what patience is, but how well or often do we take the time to understand and practice this discipline? To what extent are we all patient and for how long can we apply our patience until we break? This is definitely something I want to develop more within my own life and work on in the future. Patience will not only help with daily activities and events, but it will help develop my training in martial arts, through physical and mental positioning, as well as with my life in its entirety. Patience IS key ladies and gentlemen. It is an answer most seek but never find.

The Broncos lost tonight in a game that was neck n' neck the entire game. The Baltimore Ravens definitely brought their A game. Yes there were some bad calls by the referees and nonsense plays, but the fact of the matter is that we lost. We lost because we didn't take a big enough lead to cushion our faults or mis-haps. It's like what they say for a fight "Never Leave It To The Judges TO Decide." Much like this game, if not all games of sport affiliation, you never want to leave the game to the calls of the referees in making decisions that look worse than they are near the end of the game making it look a lot worse. I am not the biggest Bronco fan but I definitely envisioned them in the Playoffs, let alone in the SuperBowl this year. Getting Payton Manning attributed to the team was a huge plus for the Broncos offense. He made great incredible and great plays this entire season and in this first playoff game. He also made some bad ones. He did what he could people and he's an amazing quarterback so now it's back to the drawing board and it's time to work on the Broncos defense a little more. Great game, great plays and one hell of a season the Broncos had. 

Todays Agenda (Day #3 January 11, 2013)

What will the world bring my way today?

My girlfriend (LyLy) has come over this morning and we have started the day off with breakfast. And like yesterday, but a little different today, we had scrambled eggs with coffee (Vietnamese) and rolls with butter and Jelly. Nothing to crazy or extraordinary, but definitely delicious! We are then going to school to sell back our books as LyLy also buys her new books for this upcoming semester. Then we shall head to my work to give my boss her present, collect my holiday gifts from the residents and show my boss some pictures of our adventures in Vietnam. Then we will be stopping my friend Ally's house to get some info on my new job she is hooking me up with, then heading to Kohl's (For a New Shaving Razor), to Target (to get my stepdad the right size house shoes), to get our movie tickets for tonight for 'Zero Dark Thirty,' to the dry cleaners and then home for me and work for my baby.

Today is another busy day, but I get to spend it with my amazing girlfriend today instead of solo, or with my dog. My dog Robert and I are best friends and we do everything together. He is a 5 year old English Bulldog. He is my LIFE!!!

I will get a small workout of weights in tonight while LyLy is at work and I am waiting here for her for our dinner at Outback Steakhouse and then the movie (Date Night tonight). 

I am trying to finish a book right now entitled "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins about the reasons and 'facts' of why their is no god and god doesn't exist. Great book, in the sense that the book presents you with wonderful information and an array of enlightenment, but Dawkins seems to be a little too harsh on religion. He strikes it down like a Samurai with the need for vengeance. That part I feel he could of left out. I will be finishing it this week sometime and look forward to moving on to multiple other books. 

The last book I read was by Malcolm Gladwell "What the Dog Saw," which didn't really get good until a little after half way through the book, but then it was great. A book of short stories and essays could have been done better and more delicately chosen. His other books are Awesome!! Blink, The Tipping Point and Outliers.

I hope everyone who reads this, if anyone at all, has a wonderful day and loves the ones closest to them as if it were your last day alive and let them know, even if you're mad at them, how much you love them. Don't let material things get in the way of friendship or love. We only have one time on this earth and shouldn't waste it on materialistic items and concepts. May the Force be with You ;) Have a GREAT day!!! Keep Smiling!! :) 

My New Life: Day #2 (January 10, 2013)

My New Life: Day #2 (January 10, 2013): Today begins at 7am with a Starbucks caffe latte with a total of 4 shots of espresso in it,5 scrambled eggs with two pieces of toast. Defini...

My New Life: Day #1 (January 9, 2013)

My New Life: Day #1 (January 9, 2013): My name is Preston. This is something completely and utterly new for me. I have never done an actual blog on my own before, but I am lookin...

Day #2 (January 10, 2013)

Today begins at 7am with a Starbucks caffe latte with a total of 4 shots of espresso in it,5 scrambled eggs with two pieces of toast. Definitely a good morning here in Denver Colorado, cold, but the sun is shining and it's a great day to be alive and breathing. 

On the list today is a small workout this morning in my apartment complex gym, followed by a meeting with my friend Ally who is giving me the ins and outs to this new job I am hopefully getting, going to see the movie 'Jack Reacher' with Tom Cruise at 1:20pm, making a tattoo appt to finish my back piece that is a Native American piece, getting thank you cards for all the residents who got me a gift this holiday season before leaving for Vietnam, picking up my dry cleaning, getting mason jars to put my Vietnamese coffee in that I got for people and last but not least I am ending the day with training (Muay Thai Kickboxing) at 6pm. I could possibly go see The Hobbit tonight around 9 or 10, but we will see if I have the energy to carry it out. 

I Love my tattoos and will continue to get more as I personally see fit. They are definitely addicting. I plan on doing a philosophical and Greek methodical sleeve on my other arm. The first being a Native American, Egyptian, Aztec, Mayan and Inca style and now for the other styles of historical knowledge I love and seek in life. 

I hope everyone has a great day and continues to do the things you love, inspire to be something great, educate yourself until their is nothing left to know and never let others bring you down because they only want something that you have. Keep pushing and pushing and pushing. 

Day #1 (January 9, 2013)

My name is Preston. This is something completely and utterly new for me. I have never done an actual blog on my own before, but I am looking forward to seeing how this goes.

Today starts with the official day of the return from Vietnam (for three weeks).Having been since Monday morning and it is now Wednesday morning, it took all of us a couple days to get back on track with sleeping and routine ways of life. But as for myself, I am starting something new in and with my life.

This new Year is a great time to start doing what it truly is that I really want to do with my life. Now and for the future. I want to make the world a better place and do as much as I possibly can to make this change I want to see, as the famous Mahatma Gandhi.

Originally I wanted to make it to training (Muay Thai Kickboxing) at 9:30am and my girlfriend called to make sure I was awake at 8am and she said I sounded like a zombie who didn't know what was going on. I re awoke at 9:30am, the time training starts. I was furious! I really wanted to make it back to training, I haven't had a good solid workout in over a month and this was to be my day. 

It didn't happen...a lot of things in life don't go the way we want them to go and work out in other ways than we could possibly imagine. Sometimes we have to get the things we want to see done ourselves, especially when they revolve around self attribution.