2100

Hello, how's it going? I was thinking about the current state of affairs in the world and started thinking about what planet Earth would look and be like in say, 2050, 2100. I'd like to jot down some ideas on that subject. 

1) Will we take to the Stars?

Well, technically speaking, we have already gone far in space via machinery. But to see the human race fly to the stars and live there, that would be a true scientific revolution, the likes of which haven't been seen for a long time.

2) What would a banana republic like the United States look like in say, 2100, over the current debacle going on since 2016?

Government has shown to be effective and useful when used by the right hands, working with the heads and hearts of the people. But there are always going to be bad actors in any sort of governing, thus, as bad as Trump is, is there any more worse it can get?

3) How would we react to an overheated Earth, with lots of pollution? Natural disasters that get worse and worse every year. It's already happened in the California and Australian fires recently, but the key to effective climate control is your government officials, signing laws that lessen the impact of pollution, using clean, renewable energy and resources and cracking down on companies that violate those protocols. 

4) What if there's life out there?

The potentiality of others, alien life, is always there. Perhaps not in our solar system but in another one like it, or different to it. Possibly travel there via wormholes. Wormhole technology. I surely jest with science fiction but if there's water on other planets perhaps there's a slight chance that sentient life lived there at some point in the billions of millennia.  

5) Will education fail our young?

Education is a powerful thing, especially when imposed upon the young. What we teach our youth, or even younger friends even, is what we know based on education and experience. Learning through various methods will help you get through in life, bearing a modest sentimental education. You don't have to go to college, you don't even have to have finished high school, the more you educate yourself through various activity like reading, writing, and public speaking, the better your chances. Sounding less street can get you places. 

6) Will there be hover cars? 

Of course! But probably meant for the pure novelty at first until they figure out how all the techno-gadgetry works.  

7) What will people eat?

Obviously, the world's supply of chicken, beef, and pork will run out. With a growing population, planet Earth is eventually going to run out of food. Will this inevitably bring about an apocalyptic vision that was early COVID where all retailers rationed chicken, beef, and pork to only two packages? Perhaps we will need a lot more farmers in the world and America can become like the Old West. Oh, where the buffalos roam. 

8) Will we run out of air? 

What if the oxygen on Earth runs out and we all have to fly to colonies on Mars? Or perhaps to some neighboring star?

9) Will there be laser-guns or portal-guns? 

There are some great laser-gun fights in Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. It gave the novel a lot of pure action. Would laser-gun tech come about easily? Likewise, it would be cool to have a real, live, portal-gun, and be able to go places through your portals. Much like the critically acclaimed Steam game, Portal.  

10) Where does humanity go from here?

Well, you ask that question to everyone and they'd all tell you something different. Some would say we need to take to the stars and colonize them. Others would say stay home and read your Bible. Yet more would say we need to improve science and technology, because, as they say, things like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cognitive learning are where it's at. We live in a postmodern philosophical world if one could even call it that. There's no telling where we as a people, as a tribe, as dna, will go. 

Excelsior! 

Anger Management in Video Games

 Everybody's been there. You're in the middle of a competitive match in a video game and then one of your teammates berates you and the rest of the team, hurling insults and cuss words, sometimes even slurs. 


It's not a good look on the individual that performs this action, but nonetheless, it is forever constant no matter what rank you are and no matter what competitive game you play. Here are some tips and tricks on how to control your anger in competitive video games. 

1) Don't react 

No matter what you do don't give that person who is toxic and angry the power of a reaction. It's always better to ignore that person and move on. If you're the angry person, realize that you overreacted and stepped out of bounds, and come to the conclusion that you have to control your emotions and the way you react to the game. 

2) Keep calm

Always keep calm. When you're winning, keep calm, when you're losing, keep calm. Don't raise your voice if you use voice communication in the game, rather, always speak with a cool and even level and tone. The calmer you are the more effective you can be in the game and improve. This is the most effective way to use voice coms in competitive games too. 

3) Get used to losing

Get used to losing. No matter how good you are at a game, all these team-based games that I play have many variables based on what my teammates and enemy team players are doing. So technically speaking, no matter how good I am as an individual player, I can still lose if my teammates are just a little derpy. Get used to it. It will happen and you will lose as a result of it. It's a part of life. 

4) Get mad, then get over it

Sometimes you have to just lay someone out on the pavement, and watch the gore from behind the scenes afterward. You will get angry at people and will inevitably tell them off. That's normal. What you must accept is that it was wrong to do so, apologize if you like or have the willpower to do so, and then simply move on. 

5) Keep playing

When most 'nerd rage' gamers get mad in a game they get so worked up emotionally that they stop playing the game. While this might be a good way to take a time out like a toddler, I actually think that if you're angry at the game, you should continue to play, and learn to calm down while continuing to play. Instead of smashing the TV screen, just keep playing and learn to enjoy the solace of gaming again. After all, the reason why we play video games is so that we can have fun. The longer you keep playing, the higher your chances are of having fun while doing so. So remember, have fun. 

Good luck and have fun!     

Dealing with Boredom and Frustration

We all get bored and we all get frustrated. I'd like to jot down some quick tips and tricks on how to deal with boredom and frustration. 

1) Get over it. 

Life isn't all thrills. In fact, most of life is an utter bore. It's how you deal with it that makes life more meaningful, and therefore, better. A lot of people complain about family, friends, kids, girlfriends, wives, boyfriends, husbands, coworkers, bosses, work, and you name it but the fact of the matter is that you will like yourself more, and other people will like being around you much more if you simply get over it and don't complain, or at least don't complain that much. Get over it.

2) Deal with boredom in your own intrinsic way. 

a) Everybody deals with boredom in their own way. Some people read books, like me. Others watch TV shows or the news. You should look for ways to deal with boredom in your own way that is unique to you. I don't even get bored at home because I've got so much to do; reading, writing, gaming, guitar playing, and even keyboard playing if I'm really feeling up to it. What you should not do is call your friends every time you're bored and try to hang out. Which leads me to my next point. 

b) Create, build, and develop your interior life. An interior life is a life that stands on its own, strong and resolute. Activities like reading, writing, and solo guitar playing are a regular part of my interior life. I would also include things like exercise, meditation, sleep, and getting enough rest as a part of the interior life as well. What the interior life is not is hanging out with your friends, your girlfriend, your wife, and kids. Not that that's bad, but you must truly develop your interior life on your own and on your own time. Doing so will result in your being able to deal with boredom and frustration in a much easier way. Why? Because you'll learn how to read yourself much better, which will result in you being better able to understand others, and consequently, the world.     

3) Deal with frustration in a constructive way.

If somebody completely insults you what is your response? Most people would fire back and insult them back quickly without thinking too much. Sure, that works but it's not constructive. A more constructive response would be to insult the person with a much smarter insult that leaves them looking like a dummy that can't read. Now that's constructive! LOL

But seriously, you must learn to deal with frustration in a constructive way. Sometimes at work, it's a hassle when other people who aren't managers ask me to do something for them. For the longest time that was a big pet peeve of mine, until I dealt with it in a constructive way; by simply not being mad about it. Sure, it's one extra task, but is one small extra task in my day really going to stop me from fulfilling my job to the best of my ability? When I thought about it in those terms I realized that helping a coworker wasn't that bad. Plus I have uber brownie points with all managers as well as lesser employees now. Not too shabby. 

4) If you're having trouble, simply change your perspective. If you can't change your perspective, just slightly change your attitude. 

Some people will never change their perspective on the world. They're the person they are right now and can't change no matter how much they try even though they want to because they're comfortable and they're simple. Nothing wrong with that. 

But for those individuals that want to get more out of life, they will have to eventually change their perspective on the world. This includes changing the way they perceive themselves as well as others. 

One of the hardest things for me to figure out in life was how to chill and keep a positive attitude no matter what under any circumstances. It's easier said than done and it took me thirty years. Some people figure it out in childhood. Others will never see the light. 

If you can't change your perspective, try just slightly changing your attitude. Maybe you're more of a loner, so try being more social and talking to people more in every way you can. Maybe you talk to too many people, so try talking to fewer people. Maybe you complain a lot about work, so try not complaining about work for a month. These small changes will lead to big progress which can eventually help you to change your perspective for the better. The war is over if you want it. 

"Boredom leads to frustration, frustration leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to the Darkside." 

The Importance of Routine

The importance of routine can't be understated especially during the time of COVID where most people are unemployed or working from home. A good schedule is great for your well being and health. Here are some of my thoughts about why a routine is important. 

1) It keeps you on schedule. 

A good routine keeps you going with forward momentum. When l was in quarantine and isolation my routine was simple; wake up, clean up, read, eat, go for walks, and play video games. It kept me busy and engaged during the entire period, leaving me with very few moments where I was watching the paint dry on the wall.  The structure in a good routine can make or break you. Use it wisely. Lose it and everything drops like dominos. 

2) It's important for your well being, health, and mental health. 

A good routine makes you feel good. The fact that I've been writing blogs at the same time every night makes me feel really good. My attitude improves every time I do it. If you're used to working all the time and then all of sudden you're at home in isolation for two months, you're going to have a hard time adjusting. I would say that my time away from work was actually bad for me in terms of mental health and well being. I'm a social person that's used to a certain amount of contact, discussion, and affirmation from others. Of course, when I don't get that, I become a much different person. Not a worse person, but definitely not a better person for that matter either. 

Here's a funny story to show how important routine is for your mental health. 

One time I was chillin' with a couple friends and one of them was wasted. I took a Lyft home that night but my drunk friend wouldn't let me go home because he said he had to sober up and give me a ride home. He said he couldn't let me go via Lyft because he had to go through the routine of giving me a ride home. It was an interesting moment because although he was pretty buzzed he knew he still had to stick to what he was used to in order to feel right and/or good. Very important.

3) It improves you and everything you do. 

This is commonsense but it should be looked into. Every routine you adhere to improves you in some way. Cleaning the dishes at a certain time every day? That's an improvement on the character of the individual. Practice the guitar every day. That's +10 guitar skill ability. Work four or five days a week? That gives you money in your bank account. Going for a walk three times a week? That reduces stress and reduces calories. The point of doing all these things is to do them often enough so that you develop a routine. Once the routine sinks in you get those much sought after number of hours. Once you develop the fabled 10,000 hours in any one skill, you've begun to climb the stairs of excellence towards mastery. Of course, you never really master anything in life, but you can get better and better even when it seems like you've plateaued. An amazing feeling.     

4) You can find out what works for you in life and change as needed and accordingly. 

A routine helps you figure out what works for you in life and allows you to change your routine as needed and accordingly. With a good routine, you can truly be yourself, find yourself, and even do soul searching. Without it, you are aimless, adrift, and hugging the shore, meaning you'll be too afraid to try new things or change up your same old, same old. Are you still the same person year after year but want to change? Change up your routine and create a new one. That is an easy way to improve and/or change your character. Remember to find out what works for you. Stick to it or change up it as needed. Rinse and repeat.

Human, Ghoul, Zombie [rewrite]

Been practicing my fiction writing. Here's a rewrite of my zombie apocalypse virus short story called Human, Ghoul, Zombie. Enjoy and thank you for reading. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRRIycTDqOtVFWEfjfPmufpDHivxuRDStb75Oep91NONu8_N0L2xsYgaBd5Ey_jlZj-aGEEAeFl5bTD/pub?fbclid=IwAR0KioquKiYor5rwHalbX8hF8hBaDN4KMi55s3gjkeKPfYcieUrXivVWHik 

Retail vs Corona

It's been three days since I've been back to work after a two-month personal leave of absence. Here are my thoughts about the safety conditions of working at a grocery store at this stage in the pandemic. 

Okay, so I would say that things are a little safer overall but not that much safer. Most of the customers are all wearing facemasks but there are always a few bad apples; eating, drinking, and talking. Management has called for a rule in the breakroom that only allows up to four people to be in there.

As for customers' wellbeing, there's always a courtesy clerk outside cleaning cart handles for each individual customer. I've actually never seen that kind of service at a grocery store and question if other grocery stores are as precise and on the ball as we are in regards to cleaning cart handles. We're doing it every hour for every customer. Many customers have told me that other stores aren't doing this and that's the reason why they come to my store. 

But to the detriment of everybody's safety, there is no longer a limit on the number of customers that can be allowed to enter the store. So at any given time if the store happens to be busy, it's a zoo. Management is no longer limiting the number of customers, probably as a way to boost sales as they are way down. However, late at night, there aren't as many customers as two months ago, so there are times at night now that don't require a limit on customers in the store. But I would say, overall, that during the peak business hours in the morning and afternoon, it's a very unsafe working environment with too many people too close to each other. I only wish management would put the limit back in place in order to make us that much safer. 

In terms of things that I do personally, one must be smarter than ever before in terms of safety. All the associates are wearing masks but unfortunately, most of my coworkers aren't wearing gloves. This is a grave mistake and management should step up the requirement of facemasks with the addition of gloves. The store has free disposable gloves but for some reason or other, most of the staff aren't wearing them. This is especially dangerous for the courtesy clerks cleaning the cart handles and doing carts. Personally, I wear thick latex gloves that I clean and sanitize every day. It's a hassle to wear them and my hands do get sweaty sometimes but it's worth it to be safer. Again, I wish management would step up and require gloves for the safety of everyone.

The morale of the workforce is at an all-time low. Some of the older employees as well as the young new hires have bad attitudes or they're just tired. Well, when you see that we're working for minimum wage with the addition of the company taking away our hazard bonus pay, you realize how demoralizing it really is. Again, I believe this is where management should step up and rally their workers into some sort of happy place or even just a slightly better place. They did this yesterday when management bought us all gourmet food from a high-end restaurant. It takes things like that in addition to personal talks with employees as well as general statements to the entire staff. I don't see that kind of leadership coming out of the store or the company. There's no mutual leadership to bring us together. Rather it is the employees themselves that rally together and brings the group together. Thank God!   

It's safer for sure but it's going to take a much smarter individual to truly be safe. If somebody gets COVID and can't afford to take off work because of bills, is there any incentive to actually stay home? The fear is still there. 

Let's hear it for all grocery store workers! 

Hurrah! 

The Heat Death of the Universe

Summer is here and the time is right, for dancing in the street. Dancing in the street! No, just kidding. I actually don't dance but I have gone to the club on a few occasions to do just that. What this post is actually about is working all day in 100 degrees California summer heat.

I've been back at work for only two days so far but both days were all day ventures doing work outside; carts and cart handle cleaning duty. Both require a lot of strength, endurance, and will power to complete without being overly tired when you get home. So, without further adieu, here are tips and tricks for working all day in the California summer sun, or as I like to call it, the heat death of the universe. 

1) Drink water: Okay, so this is a given. But only you personally know how much water you need at any specific time. Maybe you only need one bottle of water and that will last you 3 hours, perhaps you drink one bottle and you feel thirsty again 10 minutes later. This depends on the individual. When you're working outside you don't want to be going in and out to the bathroom all day. So you want to drink water and/or other drinks but drink them conservatively. For example, I'll chug a bottle of water when I'm super thirsty but only drink small amounts when I've got more energy. 

2 a) Move your body and do all physical tasks with no tension in the body, likewise, breathe easy breaths: Alright, so this is probably the most difficult bullet point because most people who work outside all day do physical labor that requires a lot of strength and endurance. It's easier said than done but essentially all you're doing is standing, walking, moving, and doing all your tasks with the least amount of effort, resulting in a relaxed body, easing all tensions. This is where Flanders comes in with his famous Simpsons line, "It's almost as if I'm wearing, nothing at all." 

2 b) The other part is breathing. This is the most complicated part of this post because there isn't any one true, right, or wrong way to breathe. What works for me when I'm out in the blazing sun is that I'm so calm and relaxed, that it's almost as if I'm not breathing. Of course, I actually am, it's just that I'm breathing such small, shallow, but essential breaths that I don't even realize it, feel it or think about it. What helped me a lot with this is actually meditation, guitar sessions, and live performances in front of people where I had to calm nerves by controlling my breathing. When I used to have more time for meditation I would exclusively focus on my breathing and do variations of breathing. Try breathing exercises and see what works for you. This is what works for me. Now I feel as if I'm a fish in water. "I dreamt I was a butterfly."  

3) Don't think too much; Thinking a lot requires energy, which we want to conserve as much as possible. This is where your zen training from meditation and breathing comes in. No matter how boring the work outside is, you can't eventually realize that this is boring, this sucks, and start thinking about a million other things. If you do that, then your head isn't in the game. If your head isn't in the game you're using energy to think about other stuff. The energy used in thinking about other stuff will whittle you down until you forget about the work you're doing, resulting in a piss poor job done.  "You're fired!"

4) Lastly, get plenty of rest. Even if you do all this stuff perfectly you will still be tired eventually even if it's two days later. For me, I don't get tired the day I work. For others, they might get tired sooner, or perhaps later if they are a super physically fit Superman. The point is that you want your muscles to be relaxed and have no tension every day that you work. The only way to achieve this Herculean task is by making sure you get plenty of rest. I recommend sleeping 6 1/2, 7 1/2, to 8 hours every night. Doing more makes me groggy. Doing less makes me think too much and have little strength. I recommend drinking chamomile tea before bed to relax the nervous system and fall asleep more easily. Other people that are so inclined might want to smoke some marijuana or have a shot of liquor. Whatever works best for you. Just make sure to get plenty of rest. 

 "Here comes the Sun King...Everybody's happy..."