random blurb

My name is Edward
I am a software engineer and an aspiring strategist in life and business
It is my dream to earn so much money that I don't know what to do with it
Ok, I lie. I will know what to do with it
I will just earn it all and give most of it away
Money talks in this world
But that's not all
Not just money, but I will give words
Words that bring hope, full stomachs, mended hearts
This is my dream
But it's not my only dream
I'd like to get married
I'd like to have sons and daughters
I'd like to smile through the good and bad days
I'd like to make everyone proud, including the Big Guy that keeps me in check
Yes, THAT Guy. People call Him God... for those of you that don't know.
Right now I know I'm slowly getting there
Right now I know I need to keep learning
Right now I feel that the hardships will be worth it
But right now, I also need help
Because I know, I can't do it without those around me
And because I'm weak
But that's life eh?
So how about it?
You and me and a bunch of other people
Let's do somethin real fun and cool
My hands are extended open
And the door always open =)

What do I believe in?

I'm not quite sure exactly what it is that I believe in that convinces me to make the decisions that I make. I guess you could call it a hunch, and despite that things don't fully seem to be going my way, I wonder if that is only because they are the steps required to reach the last level.

Of course, if this was a video game, that would mean there's a mean, nasty boss waiting for me at the last level, and I gotta do everything it takes to beat it. However, before I do, I must beat a handful of lesser bosses to attain all the key ingredients to defeating the final boss. That which is the ultimate weapon, like a sword of justice, to impale the final boss with. Some kind of protection, like a shield of righteousness, to quell the boss's attacks. Perhaps a few magic potions to heal me during the entire battle? Ok, I've gone too far into this metaphor now.. hehe

Life is no video game. You can't save and walk away, or restart and build your characters up perfectly. It's more like a one time opportunity to do lots of stuff before you pass away and can never do it again. Sounds kind of depressing when you think about it, but that's how precious life is. It's a one time shot, so you make the most out of it.

Going back to where I started, however, we live this single life following some kind of belief that we could achieve our ultimate happiness. That we could find peace within ourselves by doing various things in life that bring what we think are the desired results. You have a belief, and I have mine. Mine's is deeply rooted in my Christian background, but that is not to say I am right or you are wrong. We believe in what we believe.

However, lately, I really do wonder where this faith really comes from. Whether what I believe in is really Christianity, or just a gut feeling that I'm hoping is from God. We make decisions off these beliefs everyday, so it's important to know exactly what we believe and why. To reflect and question ourselves everyday to make sure we are on the right path.

It was once said that one should ask even if he/she knows the path.

I've got many decisions to make in front of me. There are some things I know, and some things I don't know. I guess the key to life, then, is not to simply do your best. But rather, know where you're headed first. After that, you can hack away into that jungle called life and reach your ultimate destination.

Of course, this is not possible until you stabilize yourself with whatever it is that you can firmly believe in, and say that you could trade this life for.

Quick, decisive action

Earlier this year, I thought of creating a fitness based website to create some kind of workout buddy software in addition to creating a community hotspot for those who wanted to live an active lifestyle. I had drawn up all sorts of plans and ideas on what to do over the past few months, and was about to give it a go with some help from a few people I've talked with.

Over the past few months, however, there has been a site that launched late last year that quickly grew into the type of website that I wanted to build, including building their own iphone application to extend their website functionality. I was pretty impressed, but at the same time a bit deflated because they implemented over the past couple of months about 95% of what I wanted to build.

It's not too late the jump into the market and go through with my project, as I believe marketing is a huge factor when launching new websites. However, they have a clear upper hand to which I am unable to counter at the moment. Making some noise will effectively increase their exposure as well, and without an app to compete well against theirs, my attempts may only end up helping the competition.

Ultimately, there is no way to tell unless I jump in and give it a try. I've got nothing to lose, except maybe a few hundred dollars in hosting fees and other associated costs. However, as I think about it, I realized the importance of taking quick, decisive actions when playing in the business realm.

In my current scenario, quick action probably wouldn't have sufficed. The competition simply has more people and had a 6 month window of a headstart. However, there will be times when I have an idea first, and if I don't act quickly, someone else might take what could've been mine.

Of course, with any business idea, you gotta scout first and get a feel of the market and obstacles around you. However, sometimes, you just gotta move forward and strike fast... lest you be struck first!

Doubtful Injections

Ever notice how sometimes, you go into battle without a shadow of a doubt that victory will come, until someone comes up to you and asks that 'what if' question? 'What if we lose?' And then, out of nowhere, the reality hits you that it's still possible to lose.

I wonder why things like this happen. Do they come up when it's time for a true hero to be born? Or is this just foreshadowing a cruel fate for our beloved protagonist?

Obviously, the one who is shaken up, as a result of this simple 'what if' now has to go through the unending chain of thoughts that occur when doubt fills the mind. It's not as if the situation has really changed, but it still seems like the playing field has totally changed for the worse.

So 'what if' you lose? What are you going to do about it? Are you gonna cry? Are you gonna grit your teeth and try harder? Are you gonna walk away and find a different solution to what you seek? I wonder...

Knowing you're not in debt: Priceless

Decided to switch back to money talk for a little bit. As you all know [if you kept up with my blog], our housing market is in a slump, and has caused us some major trouble in the financial world where banks have lost so much money, that they're selling off whatever they have to raise capital. While they're at that, they are not able to make loans for people who need some extra cash to do whatever they need to do, and ultimately, causing the bottom line of the economy to slow down.

Most people are slowly starting to come around that we're experiencing recession. Furthermore, unemployment is still on the rise [though not as fast] and prices for basic necessities are still increasing. Money is tight everywhere, but people are still somewhat getting by.

I think a part of this has to do with another potential pitfall in the grand scheme of American consumer culture. There are probably hundreds of thousands of people out there that would've lived off fumes if not for a small plastic card that behaves just like money. Indeed, credit cards have been the alternative financial fuel that people have resorted to in hard times, and during these hard times, it's not surprising to see this trend.

The question is, however, what happens when you reach your credit limit? What happens when people can't pay their credit cards either? Are we going to go through another one of these financial blowups again? My guess is that it won't be as bad, considering we have a fresh wound still in need of healing in the form of the housing bust. However, it makes me wonder about what more financial gloom and doom we might have to face in the near future.

For those of you who've bought stock in the CC industry, I hope you guys know what you're doing. I'm sure you can ride those stocks up a little while longer, but who knows when they'll drop down. The trend lately seems to be stocks being driven up by good speculation only to be deflated back down lower by the bottom line, which can be found in those financial statements that show them yummy earnings reports. De~Lish!!

Put into perspective...

A while back I posted on the Stockdale Paradox and mentioned how firm believe in difficult times have helped people to keep hope and ultimately succeed. I tried putting myself in their situation, as a prisoner of war that undergo random torture and don't know whether or not I could ever go back home, let alone leave the prison.

In such a situation, people still had the courage to look towards the future and come back home. I could imagine the worry in their eyes and faces as they think about the families they've left behind and how they could no longer watch after their young ones. Of how the future was bleak inside those prison walls that could quite possibly be the last walls they see before they die.

So why am I sweating? What loss could there be that's possibly worse than the ones those soldiers have faced? Yet my head twirls and spins in absolute confusion and fear and doubt, wandering inside the mind as if lost and not sure where to go.

I've invested far too much to come out of this cool and calm, but I gotta stay level headed to play out the rest of this hand. What a position to be in eh? At the very least, if I lose it all, I can say that the sky is still the limit. If anything, having less will free me to do everything and anything. Cut my losses, put on new wings and maybe fly even higher the next time around.

I am not invincible, but my heart is resilient. Greatness awaits.

1 + 1 = 1

Sometime last year, a mentor of mine proposed this equation, promising me that if I could figure out the proof behind it, that I would have the ability to succeed in life. As an example, he mentioned how the co-founder of KB Home had solved this equation before he went off to start KB Home. Motivated and encouraged, I asked him a barrage of questions to define the nature of the problem, and tried to solve it the best way I could... as an engineer.

Needless to say, I failed horribly and came out of many hours of trying with little to show. 1+1=1. How does this add up? Some of you readers might also be curious and start to formulate your own answer. For those of you who know it, I can only tell you that this is not a very logical problem, but more of a creative one.

"Think outside the box" was the main hint I was given, as I was asked to throw away my engineering instincts to figure this one out. Simple equation, simple answer, but in a world like the one inside my mind, a complex set of pathways to demolish before I could grasp the meaning behind it all.

My success may have nothing to do with this equation, or perhaps after a lifetime of success, I will have realized I knew it all along. Or maybe someday soon, I figure it out, and it'll push me towards some greater places. However, the problem still lingers inside my mind and I think about it from time to time, just wondering what secret the equation holds, and whether it really is something that will lead me to ultimate success.

Whatever it may be, it remains fact that 1 + 1 = 1. The laws and principles behind it will remain just the same, and will help many to a future filled with greatness and glory.

Even good things can go bad

I'm not talking about food here, but about an honest intent at a better life. I think I've stressed myself more than I should have over the past couple of weeks. What was once a healthy attempt to try to do better turned into a horrible obsession towards perfection and delusion.

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but I can say that my ambitions and desires got the best of me, and the slightest shift felt like magnitude 8 earthquakes that broke apart mountains. It was only until today, when I took some time in reflection that I was able to regain some control of sanity and try to figure out a healthy outlook once again.

Even though I know that life has its ups and downs. Even though that every door closed can still leave open a window of opportunity. Even though there's faith, good karma, friends and family. Your own emotions can get the best of you. You drown yourself in those desires and let it take control, and it causes immeasurable stress in mind and body and ultimately your heart.

Finding balance is key in all aspects of your life, but I think it's especially important in managing your goals and objectives. Reach as far as you can, but don't let the fact that things aren't working out get in the way of your progress or overall happiness. I know it certainly took hold of my happiness when I kept looking at the wrong with laser-like focus.

In life, there are things that work your way, and things that don't. I think when they don't you try harder, but you stay open minded to the alternatives. Your heart will probably be jumping and screaming for you to keep going after the one prize that's near impossible to reach, but don't let it take over your entirety and burn inside of you in such a way that it makes you miserable and filled with pessimism, fear and doubt.

Whether or not our goals are achievable, it's more important to have a good head on your shoulder and figure out the greatest happiness that we can achieve, and of all things, I believe everyone is capable of being happy... as long as they pursue the right paths.

Sometimes it's better to stand still

Amid the flurry of changes going on in my friends' lives, I started to reach a point where I wanted to make a big splash too. I've already had my big splash last year when I switched jobs and got myself a hefty raise, or the previous year when Viacom bought our little internet company and paid all of us some nice bonuses.

However, it still boils my blood when I see people progress as I stand by and watch. I really do care about the success of my friends, and I would do anything to help them. It's just that I don't want to be the one watching them make milestones while I wait my turn. It's a horrible habit that I've picked up... this thing called impatience.

The past few days and weeks have been a flurry of thoughts and daydreaming of envisioning myself in new roles and greater things, and while these are all things I would like to accomplish someday, I'm trying to convince myself to slow down. Jumping all over the place will do nothing but stress me out and throw me off course.

It's fitting that I am like this though. I am the type of guy to launch a million projects and finish only one. I'm not very much for details, though I get pretty scrupulous at times. I'd a man of general direction, and I'd prefer to point the finger in one direction as I gaze over the horizon. Perhaps someday, I can do that and earn lots of money while doing it.

But until the, I must understand that sometimes, it's better to stand still and not run around in the same circle over and over again. Plan, execute and move forward to the next step. Ah... patience and discipline... where hast thou gone??

Grownups should get summer vacations too

Of course, this is just one of those far-fetched thoughts on life that really wouldn't apply so well in real life. However, adults should get summer vacations too! Just like students who work so hard all fall~spring before going crazy and unwinding over the summer! I mean, adults are people too, and they need time to reduce stress and enjoy life!

Of course, there would be major issues with running businesses, as businesses don't close for the summer. But what if there was some sort of well-developed shift system, where people can have up to a month of vacation at a time? Perhaps similar to the public school "track" system? Now THAT would be the coolest thing since the internet!

I know. It's just my lame excuse as I breathe in the last few breathes of vacation air before I head back to the office to work tomorrow morning. Not that I don't enjoy work. I do like what I do, at least enough to spend an entire day and not be bothered by it. However, lately I've been feeling some major pressure and need to unwind for a bit longer.

Perhaps it's my own ambitions built up into a flaming snowball that builds up over time? I need some better stress management skills I guess. Perhaps some of you can offer some good advice? Otherwise, I think I'm going to kamakaze into my dreams! A one way trip to paradise... hahaha

the bigger picture

It's easy to be positive when things are good. It's easy to be negative when times are bad. Our outlook is often times tied to the experiences we go through, and though this is a very human thing to do, I sometimes feel we should strive to be above it.

Being human, our vision is limited. We rarely see the entire picture, but just bits and pieces of it, and we have to figure out how to fill in the rest of it. We're artists of our own lives and we paint the void according to our own liking, with colors that reflect our dreams and strokes that define our passion.

So when times are good, we use vibrant colors. Likewise, when times are bad, our strokes turn to paint over those vibrant colors with darker ones and destroy the beautiful painting in progress. Few times, however, will we step back to take a look at all the other pieces and make a reasonable guess to what the picture may look like.

I bet if we all just stepped back and took a look at the big picture, we could realize something significant in our lives. Too often we see what's in front of us, and we forget the goal we strive after. We look at the fact that there's a forest in front of us and forget that the map specifically pointed out that we'd have to walk through that forest to reach our destination.

While it's not good also to look at the goal and not what's in front of you, I think we should not forget to keep an open mind and see through the opportunities provided within hardships in life. Some of us we can simply avoid and ignore, while most others we will overcome, but ultimately, these are temporary moments, and they'll help you along the way.

Somehow, someway, the bigger picture had already taken it into account. It's no fun sometimes, but there's purpose and reason. And for that, all you can do is to smile and walk forward and be thankful the picture is slowly being completed as the masterpiece it should be.

The tree and the bird [revised and unfinished]

This is just a little folk story I felt like writing... it's not done yet, and I've certainly written something similar before. But I decided to edit it a little and redo it. I'm thinking perhaps someday, this could make a nice bedtime story. Until then, it's a work in progress. It's a step different from my usual topics, but I figure it's good to switch things up a little sometimes :)

__________________________________________

There once was a small bird flying by on a windy winter's day when it flew down to a tree to rest. Upon landing, the tree, noticing the little bird, gathered up its branches to shield it from the wind. The tree was intrigued to see such a bird flying in this weather, and introduced itself to the bird. The bird likewise returned the introduction and started to converse...

After a while, the tree had learned of the bird's journey, of how it had dreamed of flying high up into the endless sky, up to the stratosphere and beyond. The bird had big dreams, and even on windy days like this, it was determined to give everything it has to fly through and reach its goal. The tree was inspired, and admired the young bird. It too wanted to do its best, and wanted to see the bird reach its goal.

Over time, the bird would fly out and return every once in a while, always to and fro in a flurry, but sharing its tales of working hard to fly higher and higher each day. However, one day, it didn't return as it usually did. The tree was saddened by this, as it seemed to have lost a friend to grow together with, and soon started to wither here and there.

It was a little bit before the tree decided to get out of its funk and strive towards improvement and better things. Although it wasn't much at the beginning, the tree made a choice towards a this new way of life. However, not before long, the bird reappeared onto the tree's branches, as if a ghost returned from the grave.

Soon after, it was as if nothing had happened, and the bird made its routine stops by the tree, telling it of its adventures into the open skies, and its struggles flying into higher altitudes. The tree would then, in turn, talk about life on the ground and the things going on in the world below. The tree was happy again to spend such wonderful times, but still felt a partial fear that the bird may one day fly off again and not return. It had hoped the bird would stay, that it could watch the bird fly high up in the air and fly up into its dreams.

Soon, the tree's passion and ambition grew as a result of this desire, and it too decided to dream big and strive for the unending skies. However, the tree realized that it was not a bird, so it could not do the same things like a bird. This didn't stop the tree's ambition. In fact, it only made it bigger as the tree decided to be the best tree that it could.

It expanded its roots to reach the river over the hill, and grew bigger and stronger. Its branches thickened and created a safe haven for the bird to sleep. It bore fresh, ripe fruit to provide nourishment and energy. It also grew taller, and allowed the bird to sit atop high in the air and watch the land below as if it were flying.

Everyday, as the bird broke barriers, so did the tree, and the two continued to progress forward in their respective paths. Both becoming stronger, and closing in on their goals. It was a memorable time that the tree and bird shared, and through the tough times and good times both thrived in their passions and ambitions.

These were quite happy times for the tree, but even after a little while, it was still troubled. Perhaps someday, the bird may have to move on to other places to reach even higher skies. The tree, however tall it may be, realized it could not catch up with a bird's movements. Trees could not fly, and could not roam free like birds. Another day could come, where the bird may fly, and being the best tree in the world could not suffice.

The tree, once again distraught, was unable to figure out what to do. In the end, all it had left was a simple prayer... perhaps hoping it would wake up as a bird the next morning, or that somehow, it could hold the bird's key to unending skies.

With great emotion and conviction, the tree prayed and asked for a solution...

The following morning came...

unemployment and the future

I'm not much for trends, as trends tend to come and go, but as a young 26 year old who's goal is to prosper financially all the days of his life, I have to think ahead and figure out how I'll go about doing that.

That in mind, nowadays, the unemployment rate continues to show unfavorably and the target group of people who are getting axed are those who are old, but not old enough to retire. Those who are 50~64 years of age who have too much experience to be compensated fairly in the down market and have health-care liabilities. It's an unfortunate situation, and having to watch this happen from the sidelines is a bit unnerving.

Someday I'm going to be 50 years old [God willing I survive that long... haha]. When that time comes, I must secure a stable source of income. In order to do this, however, I must figure out a way to break free from working for someone else OR be at the top of the food chain, where I will have to make the painful decision to axe others. It sounds very cruel, but at the same time, we're talking worst case scenarios. If you had the choice, which end would you rather be in?

I certainly would like to live to see the day I turn 50 and 60 and beyond, and I would like to live it without struggling to survive. I am sure there are plenty of ways to ensure this, but the one most secure to me is by securing my cash flow.

It's pretty crazy when you think about the current situation. Most of us tend to think about as far as just a few years from now. When you were in grade school, you thought as far ahead as summer break. In Jr. High, a few years to high school. In high school, a few years to college. In college, a few years to your first permanent position.

But from there on out, you can't simply think about what you'll do until you reach senior level. You'll have to think beyond that. You'll have to think about what you'll do when your industry goes through a meltdown. About what you do when you've hit peak. About 10 years down the road, and then 15, and then 25 and all the way up to... say 50 years ahead.

People envision saving up and enjoying financial prosperity until they're 65, and then cruising their way through life until they rest in peace. The world is not so simple or as easy anymore, at least not here in the US. It used to be the land of dreams and unending opportunities, and while it still is for many people, the price of this dream has gone up a few more gallons in sweat and tears, and perhaps a few pints of blood as well.

Do you have it in you?

the upper class... and then everybody else

I was reading a few real estate articles today, and the general trend I've been noticing lately is not only how prices are still sharply declining [5~10K a month!!] but also how homes in more affluent areas are not only staying afloat, but still appreciating in value. Though I guess this may be no big surprise, it does reflect a little bit of something more interesting of note, and that is the current standing of people in the upper class.

Currently, our country is going through a recession [though some are still in denial], and with food and gas prices going up, a whole lot of people are straining their belts a little bit to get by in these tough times. Yet, there are still people shopping for multi-million dollar homes in affluent areas across the US; Homes which have accrued more value since the credit crisis that blew up last August.

It just comes to show, at least to me, just how far up the upper class really is. It's lead me to the feeling that middle class is far from a truly middle class. Middle class is just another term for those people who can get by with paying for food and bills and have just a little bit extra breathing room to enjoy a few more simple things in life. It's come to the point where the gap between middle class and upper class has become almost like the gap between upper class and lower class.

To put more clearly my case in point, the difference between upper and middle class are in hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. The difference between upper class and lower class are a mere 50K. Though these numbers are a bit arbitrary, I do feel it's accurate enough to get my point across.

The true middle class is fading away fast, and now I believe that it's the upper class, and then just everybody else....

________________________________

on a side note, i haven't posted in a while, but i'm glad i had something to post. it seems i still got quite a few visits while i was 'away.' i appreciate y'all checking up on this blog. =)

I'm still alive y'all

Just to let you all know, it's the freelance gig that I picked up that has caused me to slow down in my posts. I'll get back up to posting when I have more time to do so! For now, I hope you all are well and that y'all continue to kick ass in life [like me! hahaha... sorta... umm... nevermind!!]

That said, I leave with this note:
“It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go.”

Life Stock!!

In the news today, the dollar picked up some strength against the Euro and pushed oil prices back down to $116 a barrel. This caused Chevron [CVX v2.2%] to take a hit but allowed some of the financials to bounce back with CitiGroup [C ^4.6%] and JP Morgan [JPM ^4%] leading the way. Overall, the market outlook remained positive among investors until near the end of the day until Microsoft released high earnings but released an outlook that didn't beat expectations. The market remained positive but closed on a downward beat.

On other news today, shares of EdwardKim [EKC ^3.5%] have been steadily climbing up due to speculation of an oncoming deal with potential partner BHDG in setting up it's new software unit that intends to expand towards the end of the year. Analysts report this could bring in extra revenue of up to 10~15% of what it reported at the end of Q1, and have raised their price target on the stock.

"[EdwardKim] has shown some real growth over the past year and looks to break another plateau by the end of this year. This one's not only great for short-term but is also a keeper" said one analyst from Wall Street.

"[EdwardKim] will beat its Q2 outlook for sure" commented another analyst, who admits to selling off half of his Apple stocks to buy up shares of EKC.

While it was a great day for EKC, there are still plenty of analysts still struggling to find reason to buy now. For a while, EKC has been looking into new ventures into the LOVE commodity, but has found itself just a bit shy of tapping into the right sources for this precious good. There's currently speculation about EKC already having found its source, but the company has yet to make any public announcements regarding this venture.

"There's just too little we know at the moment" said one Wall Street broker who has been following EKC since it's last venture into this precious good. "Once I see some signs of commitment I'll be ready to buy, but until then, I'll watch carefully to see its next move."

The CEO of EKC, Mr.Kim, in a brief interview with CNBC, did not comment on its venture and left everything 'up in the air.' "Who knows where we will head next?" the CEO said.

Kim did say, however, that it's plan to take over Apple by buying majority share has been retracted. It intends to, instead, look into other industries that show a bit more promise during these tough market times. "As much as I like Apple, they're still a luxury that people are now starting to feel they cannot afford" commented Kim as he referred to the declining cash flowing in the pockets of young teens who's parents are not only making less money, but also losing jobs.

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Confidence

Confidence. It's when you believe in the ultimate success in all the things that you do. Without it, your struggles may go in vain. With it, you will claim the highest of victories.

The past few days, I've been struggling over some technological difficulties with setting up a project environment for a freelance job I was asked to do. Last night was especially frustrating considering I had only today to make sure I got everything working so I could make the proposal by tomorrow. Nothing I tried worked last night, but I didn't give up. In fact, despite my progress, I just thought to myself quietly that I just needed to keep trying, and it will work out in the end.

Lo and behold, today I got it working. I was so ecstatic to see it work that I just stopped there to enjoy the rest of my night. [It was only one hour, so I thought it was worth it...haha] It's funny how it works that way. I honestly felt that perhaps there was no way out of this, but as I kept trying, I kept inching closer and closer to the goal until I reached a point when it just suddenly clicked and it all worked.

It's greatly improved my morale, and also reaffirmed my determination in a few other 'projects' I have going in life. You never know how close you are when you try, and some day, it'll just click and magically happen. However, it'll only work if you keep trying and learning as you go.

Don't be afraid to scrap a few things and step back. At the same time, don't give up on any particular method until you have tried it all the way through. I know I wouldn't have accomplished tonights feat if I wasn't persistent.

And once you succeed, WOW WHAT A GREAT FEELING IT IS!!! But it all starts, and it all ends with your confidence. Believe =)

[I'm a bit cracked out after coffee... pardon my broken chain of thoughts if any]

Tagged... haha

he rules are:
1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about himself.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

What was I doing 10 years ago:
Student at a private Catholic ALL-BOYS high school... OH BABY!

Five things on my To Do List today:
1. Call my mutual fund broker
2. Set up my tomcat web server to handle web services
3. Gym; today is chest and triceps day
4. Take some time to pray
5. Write a letter

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Invest in the market and/or other small businesses in the local area [maybe franchise]
2. Buy a home to live in
3. Donate to Charity
4. Set up retirement for my folks
5. Travel around the world


Three of my bad habits:
1. Taking extended breaks when I'm studying or working on a personal project
2. Leaving all my bills piled up on my desk
3. Neglecting my lower level priorities for extended periods of time

Five places I’ve lived:
1. Los Angeles, CA
2. Pusan, South Korea
[i haven't lived anywhere outside of these two places]

Five jobs I’ve had:
1. Snack shop cashier
2. Freelance Web Designer
3. Software Engineer [current]
4. High school tutor
5. Sweatshop factory worker

Five books I’ve recently read:
1. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle - Tom Venuto
2. Good to Great - Jim Collins
3. Winning - Jack Welch
4. Stay Mad for Life - Jim Cramer
5. Our Iceberg is Melting - John Kotter et. al

The five I tagged:
[Unfortunately, I don't know any bloggers outside of the dood who tagged me...]

I was tagged by TED.

Stock Market Madness

Last week, I opened a fake stock market account, just to test the waters a bit before I decide to jump into it for real. It was my original intention to just let my fund manager just allocate the funds to the right places and have me just watch my money grow without thinking too much about it. However, somewhere along the way, I have peaked some interest in the market, especially with a few companies that I've been starting to like. If you look at the image [click for larger view], you'll see that I've picked out 4 companies. Walmart, Microsoft, Apple and McDonalds. Most of you who read my blog regularly know that I was tracking Apple and McDonalds for a little while.

Based on the results you see in my account, part of me sorta wished I just jumped in already. However, I know that kind of wishful thinking will get me in the hole someday! haha... for now, I'll be happy even with these fake earnings as I progress forward. Someday these stocks will take a hit, and perhaps then I might be glad I didn't invest just yet. In any case, it's still so far so good. Hopefully, I pick up a feel for the market and start trading within the next couple of months. Though I give up current opportunities, I know there's much more to be had in the future. That's the key to good investing, and no matter what, I intend to do well!

Are you an investor? Do you invest real money? Or fantasy money? Doesn't matter to me, as long as you can play the field as if it were your own money, but if you want to talk stock, just holla and we can discuss =)

To wish you all a good day!

ps. Perhaps for those of you who are religious, can you all pray for some peace at home? It has become somewhat of a warzone lately! Thanks ^_^

Counting my blessings

Around June of last year, I decided to leave my old company and started interviewing for my next gig. Of the places I interviewed, one was technicolor. Most of you should know technicolor. They're the guys that produce the videos/dvd's and now HD-dvd's and distribute them to retail stores, where you guys all go and buy them up! =)

Anyways, back then, it seemed like a great opportunity where I got to play with some pretty cool technology. Though I can't disclose what they were planning on doing, it was something I definitely would've bragged to all of you about whenever you popped in a dvd or HD-dvd into your player. However, despite it all, I got a fast offer from my current company, who promised some decent benefits as well as a pay increase that somewhat fit the bill. It was a good deal and turned out to give me some great experience.

On top of that, as you all know, Sony corp. decided a couple months ago to pull the plug on their blu-ray project. After my good buddy's company WB decided to switch to HD-DVD, Sony lost major steam and decided blu-ray wouldn't survive. I guess that's another swing and a miss since their mini-disc fiasco, but I digress.

When I think about it now, I wonder then, what if I had worked for technicolor, and was assigned to a team that worked on blu-ray technology? Your guess is probably the same as mine when I say that I would've ran into some serious hurdles had I found my way to technicolor and not my current company.

I was sitting in dinner with relatives when the thought occured, as my uncle used to work for a lab where they manufacture and research DVD technologies. For a moment, it made me think about my current situation, and that I should count my blessings. I could've really gone either way last year, but events happened to lead me to a place that has offered me something wonderful.

So tonight, I'm counting my blessings. I know that there's a lot of other things in life that I sometimes feel is not going well, but I wonder if everything is just a plan set in motion, only needing time to resolve and take place. If that is the case, I feel I should do my best to be ready, and make the most of what I have until those new blessings show up. And when they do, I hope I can share them with all of you.

Unless it's a girl... you know, you can only share so much! lol... but hey, if i win the lotto, dinner's on me! =P

Work the body

The weather was really hot today, but I couldn't help but admire how beautiful the day was. The sky was so blue, and being out with just a t-shirt on was great. I can't wait until I get in peak shape and start my vanity parade! haha

My exercise routine has been slowly evolving, though my intensity has been wavering. Hopefully, I can push harder in the oncoming couple of months. I've come a long way since November, but I know I can push harder.

Speaking of which, after half a year of learning how to exercise and what to eat, I've reached a level of knowledge to figure out a decent routine and diet. Granted, I've got a long way to go before mastering anything, but the basic exercises [especially cardio and weights] have been a real joy to learn, and I'd gladly share any info with any of you readers if you guys want some advice.

Exercise has been one part of my great change over the past year. It's certainly raised my confidence, boosted my immune system and has given me a way to push in other aspects of life. Because for each week I add more weights to my workout, the more confidence I get in lifting more emotional and intellectual weights. I take challenges head on, and I feel power to do.

Exercise... it does a body good =)

Random thoughts

Sometimes, you don't care to be told you're wrong. You just want them to cover your back long enough until you finally get your head back on straight and do the right thing. I've rarely had those type of people in my life. Everyone's usually on their high horse letting me know it's wrong and forcing me to do certain things, and shame on me for thinking I had no freedom in my own actions!

Lately, I don't really care for what others think. I do what I want, and I move forward. The only ones who could ever change my course are the ones I love dearly. Even if it's a stupid thing, or a nuisance, I do it anyway out of love for them. If only they could do the same for me... haha

Who are you??

All things considered, my past few days have been quite grand. I've been feeling good and picked up some motivation to kick some more butt in life. Unfortunately, amidst all of the doing, I have slowed down in my thinking, and ended up having little to write on these blogs =) I guess balance is key in everything in life.

Don't worry though. I will continue to post up some good content once in a while, as I know that you wonderful readers come out every now and then to read what I have to say! haha... but something does spark my curiosity as I write these blogs. Would you like to entertain my curiosity? Quite frankly, aside from 1 person, I don't know who else reads these blogs. I think it would be nice if you guys came outta the woodwork and introduced yourselves!

In the same way, I guess if you guys are curious to know more about me, feel free to leave a comment and ask. Let's up the social aspect of this blog, yea? :D

[edit] On a side note, Jim Cramer loves Apples too! Have a good one!

The Stockdale Paradox

Admiral Jim Stockdale was the highest ranking US military officer in the "Hanoi Hilton" prisoner-of-war camp during the Vietnam War. During his imprisonment, he set up a system of communication between soldiers to prevent difficulties from isolation, a way to endure torture and give as little intelligence as possible and overall tried to keep everyone physically and mentally intact to survive the whole ordeal, all the while continuing to fight the war internally.

In a book "Good to Great" he shared his story to the author, and after hearing his story, wrote this conclusion.

"Life is unfair - sometimes to our advantage, sometimes to our disadvantage. We will all experience disappointments and crushing events somewhere along the way, setbacks for which there is no "reason," no one to blame. It might be disease... injury... accident... losing a loved on... getting swept away in a political shakeup... getting shot down over Vietnam and thrown into POW camp for 8 years. What separates people... is not the presence or absence of difficulty, but how they deal with the inevitable difficulties of life. In wrestling with life's challenges, the Stockdale Paradox has proved powerful for coming back from difficulties not weakened, but stronger - not just for me, but for all those who've learned the lessen and tried to apply it."

Also to quote, the Stockdale paradox was defined as:

"Retain faith that you will prevail in the end regardless of difficulty AND confront the brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be."

In admiral Stockdale's interview, he said the ones who didn't make it out were the optimists. The one's who thought they'd be out by Christmas, or by Easter. That those were disappointed and died of a broken heart.

I think that's some pretty deep stuff [for lack of better terms]. To have a goal in mind, and to believe in victory, despite the reality of the situation. I think that's the key part here. It's not so much faith by itself, but faith despite knowing reality. There are times when you can have faith under any circumstance, but it's attributed to ignorance and denial of truth. In such times, unable to live with reality, one relies on faith, but breaks apart because they were no longer grounded.

I think a lot of us live like this. We say 'if only' we finish high school or 'if only' we graduate college. If only I got married. If only I became CEO of a large company. If only I [fill in the blank]. And as time goes, some are achieved and some are not. For each item that is not achieved, you slowly degenerate and step back from your objectives. You lose hope, because you've defined your failures absolutely, and while this isn't a total loss, for you who perceives it that way, it is a loss.

How do you view life? Is it a timeline of events that happen when you expect it to? Or is it a journey that's not exactly set, but still contains all the things you strive for? Lately, I've been setting up my timeline as if i had the perfect timing for everything in life. In two months, I will have achieved x. By the end of the year, I will have achieved y. Of course, I still set goals and deadlines for myself, but I wonder if I should reconsider the expectations that come with it.

I hope I look fit this summer. I hope I finally make that connection by the end of the year. I hope my investment in the market returns me a certain percentage by 2nd quarter of next year. These are my goals, but not so much set in stone, since if I don't reach it by then, then I must press on and have faith that it's not that much further away. That my good fight was not so much in vain, and that success was just a little more longer.

It was similar to the book I mentioned. I started reading it this past January. I read about 95% of it by mid-February, but because of the appendix [60 pages long!] I thought I had quite a long ways to go. I used to read a page or two here and there over the course of the next 6 weeks. Last week, I had 3 more pages to go thinking I had about 65. I told myself how it's going to take me forever at this rate. I should try to commit more to it and finish it.

I sat down today to finish it, and 2 pages later, realized I finished the book. Dumbfounded as I was, I flipped back to my favorite parts, and the Stockdale Paradox came up. I was a 5~15 minute read away from finishing the book a couple months ago. Who knew? =)

I've got goals in life, as I am sure you do. In unfavorable conditions, you lose hope, or get depressed if you're in it too long. You motivate yourself by setting deadlines and assuming you'll be out of that unfavorable condition within a set time that seems reasonable. In the end, unless you've lucked out, you will be setting yourself up for disappointment. Granted, people get worn down when they're trying to climb up, or get out of any situation they don't like, it's better to deal with the hard facts while still keeping hope.

This goes back to the excerpt I posted above, on how life is unfair. Sometimes you just deal with the burn and hang on. It hurts, and there might be no emotional release as there is nothing to blame. But we're people. We're resilient beings capable of incredible endurance, especially when empowered by the slightest bit of hope.

In the Hanoi Hilton situation, the prisoners would wash the floor with mops in a rhythm that tapped the floor. The rhythm was the coded communication that admiral Stockdale taught all the prisoners. The tapping consistently spread the message every single day to all prisoners saying "we love you."

You're not a POW as you read this blog. You're free to exercise your right to be great, and even though it may take many years before you see a glimpse of your greatness, who knows, maybe you're just a few pages away?

Impatience

Sometimes I wish I was set already. That I've already gone through all the hard work, and have accomplished all I wanted to accomplish. So that everything I do from here on out is just extra. I'd still live an active life, but the burning desire wouldn't feel like an uncomfortable burning that digs deep into my inner soul, but one that simply burns brightly.

My friend, the other day, sent me a link to an article on perception. About how our happiness and unhappiness is caused by ourselves, and that our happiness can arise from simply being content. I'm wondering if the author was confusing or lacking distinction between peace and joy.

I think there are different types of happiness. One is a happiness that comes from peace. The feeling that makes you think life is good, and you're doing just fine. The other happiness is that which comes from joy. This is the explosion of inner goodness that rushes out of your heart with indescribable force. Both induce good feelings, but are different.

The author of the article I read prescribes a dose of peace by changing our perception of the world. To be thankful for what we have despite always seeking for more. And I agree we should all count our blessings, but would it be too much to have greater ambition and desire it to the point of feeling the burn of passion and desire?

This sort of leads me to the notion that I may not be ambitious, but simply greedy. Let's think on that matter for just a short minute. What is ambition? What is greed? Perhaps they are the same? Often times, greed is associated with wealth, while ambition with achievements. One is associated with obsession while the other for a healthy desire. Is this burning one of excessive desire that leans towards greed? Or is this a healthy burn, like that you feel when pumping iron at the gym, that you must overcome to keep progressing?

Either way, being human that I am, I have times when I dislike the burn. I dwell on it and wish it were to stop. No one likes to suffer, even if it's a good suffering. But I cannot help but question whether or not this burn is a good thing or a bad thing. Whether I've gone too far in my desires, or whether this is how it's done when good people move on to greatness.

I guess it comes down to the vision I've talked about a couple posts back. The direction and groundwork on which I decide to press forward in the direction of my choosing. I don't think I'm wrong in the destination I want to go, but I realize perhaps I wasn't as strong as I used to be, or as strong as I thought to be.

A long time being stagnant can wear down a person. Turn them immobile and harder to gain momentum. Of course, the tricky part being the fact that sometimes, you really don't know whether you're moving or not. Or whether sitting down is as helpful as standing up and walking. And naturally, this results in the tunnel vision that causes your perceptions to change and narrow down into only a handful of things that cause your heart to feel like bursting.

Ultimately, it's hard to say what I'm really feeling, or even trying to say for that matter. Quite honestly, my brain tells me little has changed, and what little change there has been have all been benefiting me these past few months. I live and learn and push forward with the new might that I've acquired. But this persistent heart of mine that keeps seeking the quick rewards, what can I do to gather patience in those small quarters?

Do you love apples???

This one's for you savvy investors willing to lay out a few months of your paychecks on the line, though I would have to ask you to season my thoughts with a grain of salt [just one grain! ;)]. The other day, RIMM, the makers of blackberry released their earnings report and claimed victory on the street currently filled with potholes. The estimated earnings of 66~70 cents per share were topped by 72 cents a share, effectively doubling last years output, and outperforming the upper limit of this quarter's estimates. I guess not everything in the market is crashing down ^_^.v

With that said, I'm wondering about the outlook on another decent performer in Apple. Apple's come a long way since the Ipod and the birth of its sexy line of laptops, including their most recent AIR. Despite some losses since their peak this past dec/jan, Apple's marching forward and rebounding fairly nicely thus far. Today's news of Itunes being the biggest US music retailer has further pushed Apple along it's way to restore it's 200 point high, and with earnings reports as well as the launch of Iphone v2 later this year, I wonder if Apple is ready for another jump in the market. The current Iphones are flying off the shelves, and the outlook on earnings look pretty good. Though I'd have to do more research into other parts of the business, I think it's fairly safe to say Apple is a pretty hot commodity at the moment.

Valued at just over 152 today, I can only imagine where it might be later this summer or this winter. On the positive outlook, I can imagine Apple shooting up 20~30% by the end of the year. But it's really hard to tell as people have less money to play with nowadays. It's a pretty mixed crowd, but I feel that perhaps Apple is not just a pretty face, but has a heart of gold. It'll attract the shallow as well as the good boys who did everything right. After all, there are people who still buy those $3~$4 sunshine lattes and compromise their meals for the rest of the day, so why not buy those sexy Iphones which only cost 100 or so lattes more?

Of course, the smart people are doing the new hip thing. $2 iced coffee at McDonald's! Perhaps I should put some there, and come around the same time next year, I'll also be lovin' it.

Do you see what I see?

The past couple of days, the topic of my life has been vision. What do I see, and what am I failing to see? I've been so caught up in the moments that my vision went from 120 degrees to just 5 degrees. In doing so, I've forgotten about the bigger picture and only focused on some very negative aspects which have lead me to endure major amounts of stress!

On a brighter note, however, I think I'm back to about a 80 degree field of vision =)

In any case, I think vision is important on many different aspects. For one, vision is direction. People with a game plan generally do more in life because they know where they want to go. They have a list of things to do and they execute on it. They move forward along with the rest of the world, often times at a faster rate [since our society has been reduced to laziness and being stagnant!]

For another, vision is a skill. Take, for instance, Magic Johnson. He's probably one of the greatest [if not the greatest] passers in the NBA. His court vision was phenomenal and had eyes all over the place, to the extent that he found people that seemed to have disappeared off the basketball court. It was almost like he could feel the presence of his teammates across the floor from end to end. This vision made him one of the most exciting players in the NBA, not because of dunks, but because of his passes!

This latter concept of vision, as a skill, is something I feel is what makes the difference between being above average and being great. Anyone, given enough effort, can be good, but all the effort in the world cannot help you on the path of greatness. This is because vision, in this context, is used almost interchangeably with insight. You start to see a bigger picture that makes sense, and it gives you freedom to decide accordingly what you want to do next.

That's POWER, with a capital P!

Now some of you might be thinking "I'm just not smart enough for it. I don't know much about it. How do you acquire this type of vision?"

Granted, not everyone is good at it, but I believe that it's a skill that's learned. Vision is an application of knowledge, experience and your own mental capacities. I guess, to a certain extent, it has a little to do with your natural processing power. Some people just have a better knack for putting two and two together. However, that knack does you little if you don't have the knowledge to apply that talent.

This is why people say knowledge is power. The more you know, the more options you will have, and with enough experience and some mental know-how, you'll acquire a vision that'll help you see what most others don't see. This is where the great ones find opportunities and take off with it, and they do this over and over to stay ahead of the game.

Across all markets, all industries, all aspects of life, your vision, both your plans and insight, will take you to places far beyond what you've imagined, but only if you make the most of it. Read, do, reflect, experience, learn, laugh, love... and by the end of it, you'll look back and realize you've lived quite a good life.

That's the future I envision for myself... do you?

The housing front, upon further review

It's come to my attention to pay a bit closer to the ARMs rates to see if the resets in 2009~2011 will really have a big impact on the housing market. At first, it was my initial thought that the resetting rates will have a similar impact as that of the subprime mortgage meltdown. However, upon further review, it seems that a good number of those on ARMs may see a reset that proves beneficial to them.

The rates are lower now and will likely stay low for a bit [though i guess i'm crossing fingers here], so for a lot of people, the reset rate will be lower than what they were paying, and therefore, they won't be hit with the shock that many subprime borrowers have run into. This doesn't mean ARMs are not an issue. The rates in 03/04 have seen some huge cuts and the 5/1 ARMs mortgages from 03/04 may see a jump in their rates similar to those who took the subprime route.

So, what does that add up to in terms of those who are waiting to buy a home? Well, I cannot say for sure, since there are also a variety of other factors, the main one being unemployment. However, my previous outlook on ARMs resets seem to be taking a turn away from doom and gloom to just gloom.

Prices are still going down, and without new jobs or money to stir the economy, the bottom line still stands. I guess we'll see how far the prices will indeed drop, but my plans of home ownership remain stable as I look to purchase towards summer of 09 into spring of 2011.

Love... where's the fine print?

Lately, I've been wondering if the current marriage vows are enough, or whether they should be modified to add in some extra fine print. Yes, it's great to say 'richer or poorer, in sickness and in health' but sometimes I feel perhaps this doesn't give married couples enough of an idea of exactly what they signed up for. Therefore I feel there should be some fine print attached to wedding promises that each couple should read at least 10 times and memorize before they say I do.

The current marital vows, I believe, are great to give the general idea that you promise to love your spouse UNCONDITIONALLY. However, it just seems that this 'unconditional' is a fairly impossible goal to reach among us regular human beings. Not only that, it's a concept relatively unknown to many couples who get married when times are great. But what about times when things aren't going well? What about when the problem is not about finances and well being? What about the part where one simply fails to love another?

What would it be like, if on the wedding day, you made a vow to love your spouse, in all financial and physical circumstances, but also added a line such as 'even when you fail to love me.' Let's think about that for a minute. "I promise to love and hold and cherish you, even in times when you don't love me in return."

At first it makes you think, "If this person is promising to love me in all circumstances, why do I have to say I love this person when he/she will fail to love me?" But honestly, it's human to fail. It's human to make mistakes. And by adding such a line like this, it makes the hardships of marriage very real, and perhaps it will make couples think twice about what that promise really means.

I know I'm not perfect, and because I've never been married before, I might be in way over my head. Marriage isn't a simple black and white, but that's why I started this post in the first place. On paper, I can say all that I want about the nature of human beings, but in practice, I may be no different from any one of those people who fail to maintain a good marriage.

But I think that at the very least, people should be asked to read some fine print before anyone gets married and changes the course of many lives.

On that note, I think people should really consider why they want to get married to someone. Is 'because I love you' really a reason enough? That because you cannot live without that person, you must get married? I guess that's certainly a reason to consider it, but to actually go on ahead and do it?

I am not one to judge, but I would like to reiterate that marriage is a promise to love each other, and not have dependent feelings for each other. I believe that's the song of marriage, meant always to be sung as a duet, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part, and especially in times when you just don't feel like singing and even in times when your partner takes a break to catch his/her breathe. [hopefully that break was just a breather...]

Sing for love, sing for life. Just sing

A true friend

The past weekend, I heard a quote that just sort of blew me away. It goes:

A true friend is someone who knows your song, and will sing it back to you so that you won't forget.

Do I know my friend's songs? And what if their songs are songs of sadness? I guess the speaker meant 'song' in terms of their life goals and promises, but I can't help but wonder, what each and everyone's songs are. Sometimes, I forget my song, but I hope I've a friend who hasn't forgotten, and will sing it back to me every once in a while to remind me where I'm headed.

A Weekend Weekday

I think this week is taking a bit too long to pass by. Granted, my days have zoomed by pretty fast. But for each day I thought about what day it was, I felt like the weekend just couldn't come soon enough! Not that I have crazy plans for the weekend anyways. =/

So what's on tab for Ed's fantabulous life this weekend? Well, to start, he's got a dentist appointment at 9am, bright and early on Saturday morning! No morning cartoons today! Just some drilling and filling. This followed by some gum treatment [more like gum demolition] and 2 hours of recuperation before heading out to a wedding, yay! See Ed swollen on his right cheek, wearing his fashionable Hugo Boss suit and pearly white half-smile [full smile not possible until the numbness wears off... hehe].

This followed by the reception where I should get some feeling back, enough to drink water without spilling it out the side of my mouth. [How's that for sex appeal?] And then to finish off at church to discuss the salvation of 3 dozen teenage souls. Ah yes... the yummy, tasty souls of young teens to offer to Mr. You-Know-Who! [Before you start thinking, there's just one answer... God, duh! hehehehe]

And so, by roughly 5pm, I would've done a perfect 9-5shift filled with random tasks that almost make my weekend not really feel like a weekend! Hopefully, my post-5pm shift will be something more relaxing, perhaps along the lines of some cardio workout and reading a book or... I don't know... I'll figure something out, as I usually do. =)

I guess Sunday sounds pretty nice compared to Saturday though. Just spending the entire day fighting crime and saving souls. All in a day's work I guess.

Anyways... why am I sharing my schedule with you guys? This is totally off from the stuff I usually write here. Oh no... is this turning into a personal journal?! Ack!

Well, I guess it cannot be helped. It should only come to show I'm a perfectly normal human being like any one of you, and therefore the life of passion I live can also be applied to all of you as well.

What? You think I'm crazy? Well, y'all crazy too then! Same rules apply ;)

Happy Friday! Thursday!

Home sweet home

My blog is titled "Life and the pursuit of happiness." I think that's what we all strive for, no matter how you look at it. We all want to be happy. We all want to be rich, because wealth leads to comfortable living. We all want to have someone to love, and someone to love us. It is human to feel so, and it is simply how we are.

When thinking about life and happiness, I think one of the first things we think about [as we get older and become adults] is to have a place to call home. We want to own our own home, as it is a reflection of achievement that we call the "American Dream." You've heard it before. To have your own home with a white picket fence, with a beautiful wife/handsome husband and 2.5 kids [the 0.5 being a pet, like a dog], etc.

It's unfortunate, however, that the past decade has recently seen a boom in housing that has inflated prices well beyond what's affordable, especially in california! The average price for a home in southern california is around $465,000 right now [a big dip from 560K around this time last year!], which is well above the 200~250K range that it was before things went out of control. In fact, I remember a 2 story, 5 bedroom house next door to my apartment complex, which sold for about 350K back in 2000.

To tell you the truth, if that house sold again for 350K, I'd jump on it so fast, not even light could catch up. As a working professional with some money saved up, I sometimes wish I was born 6~8 years sooner. Not only could I have picked up on the tech boom in the 90's, I could've taken full advantage of cheap housing and bought me some nice investments and a place to call my own.

However, no big deal. And for those of you who think you lost your chance, no biggie for you either. Why is that you ask? Well, for one, there's been a trend of housing 'collapses' every decade, where prices fall to an affordable low before prices start kicking up again. Though I do have to admit, the 2000's have extended it's stay a bit too long, and due to reckless behavior by lenders, the housing market sustained a bit longer than usual.

On the bright side [not bright for the general population, but perhaps for future home buyers], the prices are dipping. Subprimes are resetting everyday and the bulk of it will continue into the end of this year. This spring and summer will see the most resets like never before, and current owners under those evil 2/28 plans are gonna financially bleed to death with no way out [save for winning the lotto]

On top of that, ARMs rates will also reset in 09, causing quite a few more to bite the housing dust. Mix that in with our currently above-average unemployment rates, and the painting depicts a bigger picture in which people simply cannot afford housing for a while. Sellers cannot comprehend the situation as they just want to get bailed out with a sell with minimized loss, but more likely than not, this is not reality.

Short sales are still up and climbing, and inventory is still overstocked with homes [up to a year's worth and not the usual 3~4 months worth!]. The numbers don't lie, and these trends only come to show that the other numbers, the price of homes, will continue to dip down lower and lower until consumers decide that they could afford homes again.

Right now, though, it's neither a buyer or seller's market. Buyers need to wait out and sellers, unfortunately, have to be at the mercy of buyers or the banks.

So "When should I buy a home?" you ask? Well, for one, buy it when you can afford it! But if you feel that you have the financial power to do so, my best guess would be sometime around summer of 09 into fall of 2010. Prices should continue to slide with our current economical standing, especially within California [with the exception of rich areas where people can afford homes regardless of price].

I'll be waiting and monitoring as we go and giving updates every once in a blue moon on this blog. I'm no professional, mind you, so do compare my statements with other sources and decide for yourself. However, as a potential buyer, I can promise you that I have no intention to do you wrong.

To wish you and I both the chance at the American Dream

Pearly Whites

So it's been a hectic past few days [and therefore the hiatus in my blogging!]. For those of you not familiar, it was the holiest week in the Catholic calendar starting with Holy Thursday all the way to Easter Sunday! And I hope you're all glad to know that I've survived! hehe... and I also wish you all a Happy Easter =)

On that note, I got my teeth whitened last Thursday! I have to tell you though, for all those who are as 'vain' as I am, that the process actually hurts! You figure you just dab some gel on your teeth, and about 30 minutes later, your teeth are pearly white and ready to go, right? Well, that's only half the story!

It seems that the gel treatment [with a high concentration of peroxide] leaves your teeth pretty sensitive, and it my case, I felt shooting pains like I've never felt before! Well, to be honest, I have, but that was during a one time root canal treatment that hurt no longer than a minute. But yes, there's a painful price to teeth whitening, and if you want to get it done the 'right' way, do prepare for a little bit of pain.

On the bright side, the pain lasted only one night, and I had to be careful of hot/cold drinks for another day. It's day 4 now, and I'm doing totally fine. WOOHOO!! Unfortunately, though, I still have to watch what I eat! DOH!

Yes, you heard me, I gotta watch what I eat. I'm not supposed to eat foods with color, especially foods that are 'wet' and can stain my teeth, like coffee, tea, curry, wine, etc. As a result, I've been on a white food diet the past few days, and have FINALLY picked up a decent eating habit to keep up with my workout and normal nutrition plan. It's too bad I've only 3 days left, but I think it's good to know for future references.

My menu items are along the lines of:
-jack cheese quesadillas
-plain/egg bagel with cream cheese
-egg white omelette w/ mushroom, onion
-hashed browns [lightly grilled so it's not too brown]
-baked potato with sour cream
-any white fish with steamed cauliflower
-white peach, banana, pear and coconut
-vanilla flavored protein powders [they're usually white, so all good! drink with milk]
-white rice
-ice cream
-fettuccine alfredo and other pasta w/ white sauces

and the list goes on~ hehe... so if you guys ever decide to get your teeth whitened, feel free to use this menu. Aside from the last two options, this is a healthy menu that people can follow without too much hassle, and you can maintain your workout routine while on it.

I think overall, I am still unsure as to whether I'll get professional teeth whitening done again, as the pain really sucked, but if I ever fall into the trap of coffee/coke in some other point in my life, perhaps I will. I learned my lesson though. If you want to keep your pearly whites, don't just brush! Floss once [or twice] a day as well, and get a cleansing done 1 or 2 times a year, with a deep cleansing [this hurts too btw] maybe once every several years.

As I get older, I'm starting to appreciate maintaining my dental hygiene as well as taking care of my body overall. Same goes with taking care of my intellect and staying sharp in life, career and relationships. Sometimes it feels like you gotta be superman to handle it all, but I think it just requires a bit of diligence and discipline, and lots of sacrifice.

The path of least resistance should be resisted the most. Do your best. Run as fast as you can, and I promise you that you won't be complaining how your life sucks everyday. Maybe just once or twice a week. =P

March Madness and the Faithful

Couldn't help but to enjoy a little something from Dan Wetzel's blog post:

3:01 p.m. EDT: In 1985, my mother won a big NCAA pool by picking just the Catholic schools. That year Villanova, St. John’s and Georgetown came in for her. Now, as a fine young lady from Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Queens, N.Y., she’d never change.

However, my father, always looking for an angle, is wondering which religion he should be this week to better his bracket chances. And on further review, going Catholic makes a great deal of sense.

The Catholics have Xavier, Mount St. Mary’s, Notre Dame, Butler, St. Joseph’s, Villanova, Siena, Marquette, Gonzaga, Georgetown, St. Mary’s and San Diego.

The Protestants have Oral Roberts and Baylor.

The Mormons have Brigham Young.

The Jews have Temple (kidding).

“Isn’t Austin Peay some religion?” my father asked.

“It doesn’t mean all of the teams don’t have some God-fearing young men,” noted Tony. “I like this. You’ve got to have a system.”

Well, tomorrow is Good Friday.

Yea, I'm biased. I'm Catholic! But I do have to say, Catholics make some pretty good ballas! HOLLA!

Starbucks revisted!

So last night, I went on my whole rant about Starbucks, the latte and the California dream, and interestingly enough, I ran into a report on Bloomberg on some changes going on at Starbucks:

March 18 (Bloomberg) -- Starbucks Corp. Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz may introduce a plan for a loyalty program to stanch declining U.S. sales at a shareholders meeting tomorrow.

Schultz will probably offer free coffees or discounts to customers using prepaid Starbucks Cards to entice the chain's most frequent customers to visit more and avoid competitors led by McDonald's Corp.

You can find the entire article here: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&refer=home&sid=aybc7Mp4Kbmk

So apparently, some of the nation has indeed decided their Starbucks latte are no longer made of dreams, but of real money that was earned through good-to-honest hard work! Furthermore, with McDonalds ushering in a new era of caffeinated drinks at a much cheaper cost, it seems to me that you can have your burger with your latte, and eat it too!

Of course, the point here is not so much having a burger with your latte, but understanding the current situation that a lot of us face today in the slowing economy. We must spend more wisely, and in things we need and especially in things that help increase our wealth [though they may be harder to find now]. Think and plan, because what you do over the next couple of years can seriously change your life tenfold!

There are still people out there drinking their $3 sunshine lattes while barely making ends meet, but you, on the other hand, will know that sunshine lattes are temporary highs. Because as my dear friend Stacie once said...

"there's gotta be more to life than chasing down every temporary high to satisfy me"

One day, you'll dot your i's with happy faces if you make the best out of this situation, and when you do, be sure to make check payable to Edward Kim in gratitude for the morale support! [haha.. sorry, couldn't help but to push that in!]

Comeback special... starbucks and the economy!

So it's been a 2 week hiatus! I'm really sorry for not keeping updated. I promise to update more often nowadays. To be honest, I broke out of my rhythm and didn't know what to do about it. You know, like how those ants totally freak out when you place a rock on the line, and they start scrambling like it's the end of the world? If you don't, feel free to give it a try. Be sure not to crush our little buddies though =)

In any case, I lost my rhythm, but I'm slowly picking it back up again. I do have to say though, life has not skipped a beat. With each day that passed by, it seemed the longer it took me to get back in the game, the more I things I had to figure out or just let pass by, and I do have to say, leaving things be might be a great thing sometimes, but in general, you don't want to let things be! You want to be the mover and the shaker. We move, we shake, and we set the pace in this life. Because life's no fun when you're trying to catch up!

On that note, I was thinking, as I always do. As you all know, our economy is in near shambles. The fed keeps making these cuts and loans to try to keep the economy going, but in all honesty, our country is in some serious financial trouble, and I can't help but think about what my folks told me today about the new starbucks that opened across their shop.

So yes, big bad starbucks has pitched up tent and decided to make a splash into the little commercial area that's slowly turning into lots and lots of condos and apartments. Never mind the whole credit/housing crisis for now, and let's think about the other aspects of our little mess, that which is unemployment and high oil prices.

Now, we're currently all a bit tight on money. We gotta pay for rising gas prices, rising food prices and also for some of the unfortunately growing minority, we gotta figure how to acquire that next paycheck. Yet, despite it all, when the starbucks opens shop, people rush on over to buy their $3 lattes which not only costs just under a gallon of precious gas, but it also cuts into the lunch they will have to buy a few hours afterwards.

Why? I wonder, when I think about these same people, most of whom work for not-for-profit agencies earning barely enough to get by, that they would condone such action and try to thrive within it? I guess it makes sense considering the current spending habits of the average american, but it does make you wonder, doesnt it, of where the priorities are.

Of course, I could certainly entertain one thought that has come across me from some notes from the great depression. Most of you may not know, but the 1930's were some booming times for hollywood. People came out to see movies despite the brutal reality of their once wealthy lives be washed away as each day passes.

And the reason? Suppposedly these movies provided a quick escape and some hope for the american people, and therefore, no matter how broke people were, they still came out for a movie, or two, or three... oh heck... how about 10!

Well, as I flash forward to 2008, I wonder, then if the latte has a similar holding. $3 here and there adds up, but it's not so significant that it'll cost you a paycheck or two. You might starve a meal, or force yourself not to drive out to play once a week, but perhaps the latte is the current American hope? That no matter how horrible life might be, we can still live our great southern california dream... sipping our lattes in the forever burning and brightly shining sun, hoping that someday, we can have some cake or salad with our latte.

Whatever it is, I hope that this current economic recession will be a time of learning for all of us, and for those of us few who are wise and responsible enough, that the enduring times of today will lead us to thrive within these hard times, and shoot even higher when the good times roll. We have a few years before the market and the economy picks up again.

Where will you be when it happens? Make the most of the next couple of years, and let's kick some major butt. Success is not too far away. Put your mind into it! Put yo back into it! Let's go! =)

Postponement

Apologies for not posting in a bit. Was out of town over the weekend and had a long day yesterday. I've been pretty hectic with 'life' as you would call it. Honestly, I don't know what I got done in the past few days, but I've been busy nonetheless!!

So what knowledge will I impart today? None at all. I just thought it would be nice to let y'all know I'm alive and well. [Though I guess you readers won't return the favor!! BOO!!!]

That said, I leave today with a quote =)

"My reason for living is for the one[s] whom I will love and cherish all my life"

progress

sometimes it seems the slightest progress is unseen until much later, when all those little drops come together to form a small puddle... i guess even drizzle can eventually get someone drenched!

quote of the day:
constant dripping can hollow a stone

Where need meets possibility

I often read other blogs. Most have to do with some of my more immediate concerns, like real estate, the economy, tech news, the market, health, etc. I read them because they have something to teach me, and I believe that if I knew these things, I could somehow find my way to a better life. I'd be more prepared to see what's coming, and be able to act accordingly. Such is knowledge, such is the synergy between it and my ability to think and process that knowledge.

So what, then, could I possibly offer to you, my valuable several readers who come on and read my blog posts every other day? What knowledge can I impart on you that you may go on your life, better prepared and able to kick butt in life?

Well, I thought about it, and I'm not really sure at the moment. All I know right now is that I've picked up a passion for life. I've acquired this desire to go out and live my best, and I wanted to share it with you. Fully knowing that I am not a professional in any field [besides software engineering], and that I cannot teach you the intricate details of how amino acides are delivered from your stomach to your muscles, or how the market will ultimately react to the constant bailouts by the government.

I guess in a way, this blog then becomes a jack of all trades, as it will contain bits and pieces of random information and knowledge, but most of all, the message of wishing you the best in life. As I thrive, I wish for you to thrive. As you thrive, I wish to thrive even more. A cycle of neverending improvement that leads us towards one goal after another.

I am not a man of genuis intelligence. Nor am I a man of courage that can stare any fear in the eye without flinching. I am not the holiest guy out there, despite that I haven't commited any dire crimes. But I will say that I am a man of vision. I can see from different perspectives and feel through different hearts. And though I have lots more to go to sharpen this vision, I firmly believe in it.

It was once said that vision is where need meets possibility. More than ever before, I can start to see possibilities. Endless possibilities. It's not so much a lack of opportunity anymore, but which opportunity to pursue. No longer a matter of whether or not I can do it, but whether or not it's worth the investment.

I've picked up the "I can do it" mentality and fully believe in the possibilities that are laid out before me. I pick, I choose, I practice my freedom, and I do. And someday, I hope these visions involve all of those around me, and all of those whom I don't even know... and see them walk towards a brighter and glorious future. One that of greatness, full of love, joy and success.

Freedom

The greatest freedom in life is not money, or physical strength, or sheer charisma. The greatest freedom you could ever have is the freedom to choose.

Before you use your money to create opportunities, before you use brute force to make things happen, before you charm yourself into a favorable position, you make a decision. Whether or not this decision will bring you the results you desire is irrelevant to the principle of freedom that having a choice holds.

The world could declare war against you, but you still have the freedom to surrender, or go down swinging. You could be face to face with a ferocious lion right before it opens its mouth wide open to take a bite out of you, and you have the freedom to get eaten, or give life a shot and lay the smackdown on the goliath.

A choice. A decision.

When you think about it, that's the only thing that separates your actions. In between actions are simply your decisions. Your decision to do good, or do evil. To do something, or do nothing. It's beautiful, isn't it?

Granted, there are many influences around us that play into the decision we make. There are influences from within us that have somehwat been programmed as we were raised. But ultimately, we are free to choose what we want to do.

This is where no is as much an option as yes! Where 'have to' turns into 'want to.' And where a life of slavery to external factors become a lifetime of freedom coming from internal factors.

You have power to choose. Don't let anyone take that away from you. Because ultimately, this will determine whether you'll succeed in life. Successful people choose success. Unsuccessful people follow others in their success. Which one would you rather be?

Friday night blues...

Home on a friday night... While the rest of the city are out and about, having fun and doing things, I find myself at home, with books lying around, and my new whiteboard filled with notes.

I promise you, it's not what it seems. I tried to go out tonight, I swear!! It's just that plans fell through, and I happened to end up home by 10, and not out to my next destination...

On one count, I'm sorta glad. I mean, I've been working out hard, and a day of binging on alcohol could set me back a couple of days. But at the same time, sometimes, you just want to stay out and do something, ya know?

Well, perhaps tonight just wasn't that type of night. I guess I should be thankful, that in place of endless drinks, I can sit down and think about the stuff that I'm doing. My goals that I've been writing down on my board. Heck, maybe someday I'll take a picture of that board and share it with you guys. [But only when I get off my lazy butt to take a picture and transfer it to my PC!]

So.... Friday night at home. What do you people do? Me, times like this, I wish I had someone next to me. Maybe cuddle up to a movie or have a nice candle-lit dinner and follow up with some coffee and a long conversation. haha... sappy romantic? Very much so! But that's who I am, and I'm proud of it!

I guess with all the things I have to say, I have very little to say about my love life really. For one, I firmly believe that the love life should stay private. But even in the case that it's not, there's no love life right now for me, so I can't share even if I wanted to! hehehehe

Anyways, I guess lately, my blogs have been injected with some ramblings as of late. Don't worry. I'll pick up the fire right where I left off. Just give me a couple days to digest this horrible night and a couple days of writers block. I'll be back with a passion yet again, and who knows, maybe I'll talk about a new topic? YES!

What are you waiting for?

"To thirst for something, and live in waiting for it. It's an important part of life."

What are you waiting for? What am I waiting for?

I know what I'm waiting for. I'm waiting for the day I finally get around to start up that company. To run my own show, and see how far I can go in life. I'm waiting to succeed, and share that success with those that I've always wanted to. I'm waiting to find out new things about the world, about myself and those around me. To see in a different light so as to see the beauty of it all. And last, but not least, I'm waiting for HER. The person whom I'll spend my life with, for richer or poor, in sickness and health, whatever the conditions until death do us part. =)

However, let's get one thing clear. I may be waiting, but I'm not lying around. I'm working hard. I'm learning and reading books. I'm exercising and doing. I'm taking action and producing results. It's just that I'm doing all these things, I'm still waiting for the day to come when short term and long term goals are achieved. For instance, my goal can be to start up a company that will someday become a multi-billion dollar company. And while I work towards it, I can certainly wait in anticipation.

And I think that's the underlying theme of the quote stated above. Waiting in anticipation is not merely lying around, but the anticipation is the motivation behind which we act towards the goal. As mentioned a couple posts back, what's your motivation? What's your desire? What's making you burn inside that it makes you want to move?

The answer to those questions are simply answered by answering "What am I waiting for?" What are you waiting for? If you're not waiting for anything, you're missing out. Find something worth waiting for, and worth working really hard for. Then you'll realize a new passion for life, and the anticipation in waiting will lead you to higher places.

Certainly, you will find greatness in the path ahead... so... what are you waiting for? =)

gear switch

So I've been working out a little more recently, and have been TRYING to get on a stricter diet. For the most part, I've been all right, minus the occasional chicken sandwich or burger at a fast food joint before I head off to the gym. [No more than once or twice a week though] I think I've been pretty good about it, and a lot of people have been saying I look like I lost a lot of weight. Little do they know, I've actually lost ~14 pounds since October! hehe

Anyways, I've come at the crossroads of my training, where I've decided that I've lost enough weight, and it's time for me to bulk up a little. While I want those 6 pack abs by summer, I realize I've gotten way too skinny along my limbs. My arms and legs have always been skinny, but I guess now I realize that it's because I've had NO muscle in them, and ALL fat.

Mind you, just because you have a high body fat % doesn't mean you have to look fat. If you have NO muscles, then the fat will simply take it's place, and you may simply look skinny. Unfortunately, such people still have a belly that sticks out, and I am one of those at the moment!

I've come a long way since I started. I went from the 2nd notch on my belt to the 5th and final notch. I'd say that's a good 2 inches of my waist since i started, and nowadays I could actually squeeze all my fat in my hands! haha... sounds gross doesn't it? But it just shows my progress, and now, it's time to switch things up.

Gain muscle, more and more, because even though the 6pack wont come just yet, in the long run, I'll be better off! I'll be working on gaining muscle until mid to late April, and depending on my progress, switch back to fat loss. Hopefully, by then, I'll have gained enough muscle to speed up losing body fat.. and then come july... i'll be RIPPED!

if all else fails... i guess i'll play hunky santa by christmas! muahahahha

Feel the burn!

Sometimes, you can't help but feel down, and you just can't shake it off. You know there's nothing really wrong. It's just that you feel there's nothing really right. But why do you go on about just sitting there and pondering about it?

"I don't know what to do." A response I know all too well, because I've used it quite often! I realize now, that such an answer should only lead to another question. "If I don't know, then what can I do or try to figure it out?"

Take an action, get a response, and work from there. Remember a few posts back? I talked about feedback. About keeping track of progress. Feedback is one of the greatest things that's part of the process of making process!

Nike commercials used a great quote, that which is "Just do it!" Of course, people twist and pervert this for their own personal convenience of doing things that should not be done! But at the same time, I can't help but be mesmerized and awe-inspired by it! I mean, whether for good or bad, it's great principle that helps one to achieve goals of whatever intent.

Just do. hehe... I'd love to!!! But let me rewind just a little bit, back to the earlier part of my post. So you feel down. You don't feel like anything, and even if you did, you don't know what to do, so instead of doing, you shut down your brain and sit there.

Unfortunately, you can't shut down the feeling of lacking. The heart doesn't stop even if your brain does. And if your heart DOES stop, I sincerely hope you haven't gone off to kill your emotions and rob yourself of some of the greatest moments you'll have in life! Sure, there's pain, but there are those times when life is just so sweet, you wouldn't trade anything for it! But now I digress...

I think that in times like this, when you're just not motivated, you should just sit down, and think about how you'd be if you did nothing. hehe... you know what's coming if you do nothing. You'll go through the same feelings and inclinations, and the same empty feeling you've been trying to avoid.

Think about it long enough, and I hope it burns your insides. Let it burn a gaping hole that hurts your inner self so much, that it pushes you to go out and do something about it. I hope it hurts too. It's a healthy sign of passion and desire.

It was once said that the biggest sinners make the biggest saints, and I think in a similar way, the biggest losers have most potential to be the biggest winners. Take a look a James Cramer! Sleepin in his car to rich, wealthy wall street man! Gotta see the dark side to know what it's like to bathe in the light. I can go on and on...

With that, however, I would like to say, look within yourself, and break out of dullness. Let your frustrations grow if need be. Let your desire burn in you to the point where it makes you move and think, and once you do, go out and live life. Passionately, with burning desire, to a life of GREATNESS, to what you're called to be... to be great =)

[sorry, this was kinda rushed... i'll edit later if i can! hehe]

V.D.D. [Valentines Day Declaration]

Wow, almost a week since my last post! Sorry all for not posting sooner! Valentines day is coming up, and well, I got to thinking through a lot of things! I've been single for quite a while now, though some people think 2+ years is not nearly long enough, but I don't think those of you who've never dated in your life count! hehe... I'm hope that didn't rub salt on your wounds! I mean well... I really do! =)

It's a matter of affairs in the heart that I've come to a decision to pursue love in the most fulfilling way a human being can, to simply love with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. However, I believe that the path ahead lie dangers and traps that may quite possibly push me over the edge. Not that I believe that I will fail. Otherwise, there would be no point to begin with! I try only because I CAN succeed, and I dream a dream worth dreaming!

As it is, I am but a dreamer that keeps dreaming and trying until that dream ultimately comes true. I must admit, that the dream changes according to the changes in my own perception as well as my limitations. Nothing is impossible, but the past cannot be changed in such a way to ensure a future. We merely look back and adjust to it, so that we may still push forward and find our way if ever we get lost.

I think, as a result, the real push in life becomes the moments when we make the bold decision to move forward. In the face of darkness and doubt, to muster up the courage and faith to take that step into darkness, and finding the hand on the other side reaching out. Of course, I could just be the crazy dreamer who never finds the extension of another, but life is pretty crazy anyways, and I could be perfectly content with staying mad not only for life, but for love.

To the ones we love dearly, I offer this blog post to say that I love you. Though right now these words lack meaning, someday they'll hold true, tested by fire and the enduring lifetime. Someday you'll know. Someday you'll see. And soon, when the future becomes now, you won't regret the moment you decided that it was OK for me to be this way. Because you and I will be living a dream that intertwines between us and takes us to a new happiness that one cannot simply now on his/her own.

Happiness is the most feasible possibility, but the greatest happiness is one of synergy.

Happy Valentines everyone =)

knowledge is power

"If you don't read, you're no different than those who are illiterate" or so the saying goes.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. 5 books in the past 2 months to be exact, and going on finishing 2 more maybe over the next 2 weeks, and that doesn't cover all the newspapers and magazines and online articles I read. This effectively beats the half book that I read in the span of graduating from college up until last November! Granted, I did read sports articles during that span as well. hehe

In any case, the past couple months have really taught me a lot in many aspects of my life, and I've found that many books on self-improvement touch upon concepts that are universal. Books on negotiation could be applied to dating while books on business management could be used for interpersonal family relationships. It's an interesting web that seems to be ever expanding into the depths of what I would call the very lesson of life itself.

Every book has a story, each with it's own lesson to teach. Even picture books. I mean, playboy magazine teaches us that some women on this world are just plain HOT! hehe... of course, I only kid and I unfortunately do no subscribe to such publications. But I digress! Each book has a story to tell, and from it we gain an experience that we could apply into our own lives.

There's a wealth of knowledge in books, and with increasing technology, on the internet, and this knowledge is so powerful, that people ought to really think twice about how they spend their time. I mean, TV is great. Games are great. Sleeping an extra hour is GREAT. But you know what? Knowledge is greater. The power it holds within will change your life, and let you do things you've never even imagined doing.

I can vouch for that as I've been living out a life I could've never imagined living. It's not like I do crazy things, or have undergone a divine transformation. I'm still the same me, but deep inside, my perception of the world has changed, and I've acquired something that a lot of people in this world seem to lack. I've acquired freedom. The freedom to act according to my own will by my own strengths through my intellect and knowledge.

That.... that's power. And make no mistake, if you want this power, go start reading and make the most of your literacy. If you don't, you're not different than the illiterate. They're not reading anyways, and so are you.

Think, learn, think some more, and do.... and someday, I'll see you at the finish line in all your greatness.