Wow

Why do good things keep happening to me?

~Anthans

I'm going to be very busy...

for the next 7 weeks. But I'm still going to try and keep this going everyday.

~Anthans

Throwback Thursday: A Detour

It's official: I'm going far far away, once again. This time, Japan: an isolated nation filled with cutting edge technology, rich culture, and Pokemon.

As usual, the above video is related. It's the theme song for everything I'm feeling at the moment. I'm going to a foreign land, thousands of miles away, where everyone will look, sound, and perhaps smell different than me. Even the chorus line, "Lordy don't leave me, all by myself" is relevant to how I'm feeling. It reminds me of the fact that I'm going to be away from all my close friends and family for at least a year. And maybe more, depending on where my journey takes me.

A year ago I started looking into opportunities that could take me abroad; teaching English was the most popular way to do this. I began to investigate opportunities located in Korea, Mexico, Spain, China, Costa Rica, Guatemala and of course, Japan. At first I was hesitant about applying to these programs. What if I didn't like it? What if I was wasting my time? What if I don't make enough money to pay off my student loans while I'm teaching? What if something happens to my family while I'm away? What if, what if, what if. After months of careful research I found the ideal program for me in Japan: The JET Program.

I applied to the JET Program along with two of my close friends. After assembling all the application materials and writing our Statements of Purpose we sent out our deliverables and hoped for the best. We knew our chances were slim though, considering how the program had a low acceptance rate of about 15%. After months of waiting the three of us found out together that our days of toiling away at the application process were not going to be awarded. Neither of us were given an interview for the position and it was a dark day for everyone. "How could they not accept me?" was what we all thought to ourselves. Nobody I knew could understand why, after reading my Statement of Purpose, they wouldn't take me in for at least an interview. The universe works in mysterious ways.

After a day of living in remorse I was able to snap myself out of my "the world is ending" pattern of thinking. After all, my next plan of action was to apply to another program in Japan just in case I didn't get into JET (but I won't mention the name of the company here). That company has accepted me for a full-time position beginning in May and it's going to change my life forever. I'll elaborate more on this tomorrow. For now, have a read of the Statement of Purpose that didn't get me into the JET Program. I may not have gotten into my Number 1 Program, but sometimes life throws us a detour and it's up to us to make the most of it. For now, I am happily content.


JET Statement of Purpose
(November 2009)

I walked into an elevator in Japan occupied by a local Japanese couple and wanted to go to the third floor. I faced the Japanese couple and said, “san, onegai shimasu.” They looked at me confused, unsure of what I was requesting. I repeated again, “san, onegai shimasu.” They looked at each other, laughed, and then pressed the number “3” button on the elevator. At the time I couldn’t understand why they were puzzled. The answer came after I woke up.

       I have never been to Japan. The story above was a dream I had recently: my first in Japanese. I started learning Japanese this past August from a book called “The Everything Conversational Japanese Book.” For the past three months I have been teaching myself how to speak and listen in Japanese. “San, onegai shimasu” sounded like “three please” to me in the dream. After asking a friend what I did wrong he told me that I forgot to add the word “gai” to my request, which would have indicated the floor of the building. I had only been learning Japanese for a week when this dream occurred and my subconscious brain was already practicing and making mistakes while I was asleep.

Learning about different cultures of the world is just as important as learning about our own. I realized this last year after living in Hong Kong for four months as an exchange student, and also while traveling to nearby countries like Korea and the Philippines. After becoming interested in JET I began teaching myself Japanese in order to prepare myself for another cultural immersion in the near future. As an aspiring JET participant I want to promote cultural exchange on all levels, to facilitate deeper levels of understanding between Japan and America.

Japanese is not the first language I have tried learning on my own. My heritage is Mexican-American but my parents never taught me Spanish; I had to learn it on my own. In college I took Spanish courses that were not required of my major: business. I was shy to speak Spanish and struggled with learning it. However, after making many mistakes and learning from them I was able to pass a third level college Spanish class, attaining a lot of practical usage while living around the greater Los Angeles area. Therefore, I am acquainted with the difficulty and frustrations that accompany learning another language. This will allow me to better relate with my students in Japan as an ALT.

As a member of a renowned speech organization, Toastmasters International, I have learned how to speak properly when delivering speeches. Not only will I be fearless when presenting material to students in class but I will also be able to teach them techniques such as enunciation and how to speak with confidence. Prior to being a Toastmaster I developed an outgoing persona as a student leader with the Latino Business Student Association (LBSA). I spoke at meetings, assisted fellow students with homework, and helped plan events. Engaging in these activities helped me get out of my comfort zone and helped me become a leader.

I enjoy meeting new people everywhere I go, especially while traveling. In Hong Kong I met people from all over the world, including Japan. People from Japan spoke to me in English; however, it wasn’t as easy to communicate with them compared to somebody from China or Korea (where English is also a second language). Based on these interactions I could tell that the Japanese could use more help with their English education. When I found out about the JET Programme and its mission of promoting international exchange I immediately recognized myself to be well suited for it. Compared to other teach abroad programs JET has the best reputation for providing support and memorable experiences to its participants. In today’s global economy the world is becoming smaller and cultural awareness is becoming more important. As an internationally conscious individual I feel it is necessary to embrace this movement.

My desire for wanting to participate in the JET Programme is simple and straightforward: I’m dreaming of Japan, and based on what you first read, I’m not exaggerating. 

~Anthans

Sometimes...

good things happen.

~Anthans

Comfort Zone, revisited

We may not always be upfront about it, but we all have a soft side for pop music. It's the music of our time, right now. It's what's happening, this instant. Some people have very specific tastes in music that don't include pop music, and that's their freedom; however, I find it difficult to understand how anyone could pass up on a great new song like the one above by Lil Wayne. I know homeboy's in jail right now, but that doesn't discredit the fact that he's a musical mastermind. If you're familiar with Lil Wayne's music then you'll notice that his new song "Knockout" sounds completely different than what he's produced in the past. Rock with rap? Yes, and it sounds great! Keep an open ear and you'll hear what I'm talking about.

I didn't used to be open to very many things. As a kid all my hamburgers and hot dogs were always plain and vegetables were foreign objects to my stomach. Like my dad says, "Variety is the spice of life." It took many years of peer pressure, bravery, and life changing experiences to get my mind where it is today. The only music I liked as a kid included classical music and songs that I heard from my favorite Nintendo games. A lot has changed since then. Now I order food with everything on it (except for pickles) and keep an open ear to everything I hear. Rather than being stuck in one mindset with blinders on I like to try everything out, at least a few times. Once for a trial run, twice to see if I like it, and three times to see if I want to continue with the activity. Try this method at least once, then twice, and next a third time.

I recently warmed up to all different genres of rock: soft, alternative, metal, classic, etc. Before that I was anti-rock. Can you believe that? How narrow minded can one be to say that they are anti-everything-in-a-category. It's a good thing for video games like Guitar Hero though; they can influence your life in ways you never thought possible. My advice: keep your horizons open and you'll eventually discover everything the world has to offer.

~Anthans

One of those days where you...

-Wake up after McDonald's breakfast hours.
-Change your clothes and nobody knows outside the house.
-Eat the same thing at least three times during the day.
-Clean up the files in your computer.
-Wonder what that smell is.
-Lay down but don't fall asleep.
-Get to know your pet better.
-Preplan your next conquest.
-Recover from recovering.
-Get back to something you've been putting off for weeks.
-Listen to the same three songs over and over.
-Wonder if anybody else in the world accomplished anything today.
-Get back to something you've been putting off for months.
-Catch up with an old friend.
-Realize how far you've come with something.
-Count the keys on your keyboard (106 on my Mac keyboard).
-Discover what a "chevron" is.
-Help a friend.
-Don't give a damn.
-Realize how far away you are from accomplishing something.
-Watch 2.7 hours of television.
-Wait for the day to end nine hours ahead of time.
-Refresh your email 28 times too many.
-Wait around for something to happen.
-Wonder if your friends are having as much fun as you.
-See yourself in the mirror twice.
-Wonder what on earth that smell could be.
-Hope that tomorrow is 100% different than today.

~Anthans

Progress Bars

Progress bars are aesthetically pleasing to look at. When we see them our minds are filled with delight. Whether it's downloading or uploading, a progress bar will be there to remind us of how far we've come. It could be for a song, movie, software program, or loading sequence. Progress is a fun thing to measure. Computers usually generate them for us, but we could also produce them on our own. How far are you in your studies in school right now? 85%. What's your progress until you advance from a brown belt to a red belt? 32%. How is reading your latest book going? 58%. Progress, progress, progress.

If you could, I'd suggest attaching a progress bar to the most important things in your life. This could include your progress in reaching your ideal profession, your advancement towards buying your first house, and perhaps your progress in becoming better at a sport. Measure it however you want, but just remember to put in on paper or MS Paint. It will look visually pleasing at first; however, you won't be completed satisfied until you see it reach 100% completion. Afterwards, set a new goal, and start working towards that.

~Anthans

Life is a Craps Shoot

Look at all the happy diverse people in the picture above. Equality: it's finally here!

Life is a gamble. Ever since the day you were conceived there were odds being placed on you as to whether or not you would reach your mother's egg. You're probability of being born was somewhere in the neighborhood of 20,000,000 to 1. How unbelievably improbable! Why did you even bother in the first place? You'd have a better shot at winning the lottery.

Since your arrival into this world you've been faced with other probability affairs as well. Such events have included your likelihood in being picked for a sports team, your acceptance into colleges, your chances of ending up in prison (depending largely on your ethnic background), your adoption into an organization, your candidacy for a job, and your odds of getting into a car accident on a daily basis.

Whoever didn't take statistics in school is missing out. Luck is almost as important as skill and it's why we have so many different superstitions floating around to accommodate for it. The rabbit's foot, wishing wells, and women blowing on our dice are all myths that have no way of ever being proven or disproved. Instead of disqualifying any of these old wives' tales I'd say you'd be better off embracing them. Skill can only get us so far in life and sometimes we need to call upon luck to be on our side.

Come on 11!

~Anthans

Throwback Thursday: This must be the "Macaroni Poem"

Opportunities come our way in unexpected forms. For example, four years ago I came across a Kraft Macaroni & Cheese box with a contest for kids on the back. It was a contest to find "the cheesiest" kid in America and kids could enter by writing of a poem centered around this theme. "Hmm," I thought. "That sounds like something I can do." But then I read the age requirement and saw that I was too late to enter by about four years: the age limit was 15. But then I remembered that I had a younger sister who was 14 at the time. "Hot shit!" I exclaimed when I realized this fact. I was already into poetry myself at the time so I decided that it would be a splendid idea to write the poem myself and then enter the contest under my sister's name. Before telling her what I planned to do I sent out the poem without her consent anyway, just in case she rejected the idea. Fortunately she was OK with it, but even if she wasn't, there's nothing that would have stopped her from accepting the throne of "The Cheesiest Kid in America." The prize for winning the contest was a chance to have your face appear on Kraft Macaroni & Cheese boxes across the country, and about $5,000 in scholarship money. The scholarship money was the real prize to me.

So as I brewed the homemade cheese for my delicious macaroni noodles that day, my mind began to concoct a poem that could make everyone know that my sister was indeed, the cheesiest.

When Art met Kraft

(circa 2006)
By Melanie

When people ask me why I’m the cheesiest,

I simply respond “It’s not the easiest”

Because sure, there’s lots of Mac brands to buy.

But when it comes to Macaroni, Kraft is the one that I will stand by.

My Kraft Macaroni is the food that matters only,

to me when it comes to what’s for supper.

Better than the leftovers stored in last night’s Tupper…

where, I can still see sitting in the fridge.

I just want a meal that’s meant for kids!

Kids like me who value quality pasta,

and one that’s great but won’t necessarily cost ya’.

I think the theme of the poem was "arts & crafts." Even for me that took a minute to register. And I wrote the damn thing! They must have known someone of higher intelligence wrote a piece like this. It's probably why they didn't give us the scholarship money and why I never saw my sister's face on thousands of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese boxes.

~Anthans

Dante's Inferno

The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri, Inferno, is one hell of a read. I only read it because I saw the commercial above for "Dante's Inferno." It's a new video game that was promoted during this year's Super Bowl and it caught the interest of millions of Americans. Even my dad – who does not play video games – was captivated by the awesome display of visuals in this commercial. It made me want to play a demo of the game, so I downloaded it on my friend's XBOX 360.

I've never played God of War, but the gameplay in Dante's Inferno is similar to that. The demo begins with the main character, Dante, defending himself against a wave of attackers on a dock. After you kill off these nuisances the game progresses and you find yourself being stabbed in the back by an assassin. This is a pain in the ass, seeing as how you just fended off 50 men. Your death takes you face to face with Death where you find yourself fighting for your life, again. It's very strange. Once you defeat Death you are bequeathed with his massive Scythe; the same one you see in the trailer. Meanwhile, as all this is happening, I keep demanding to know, "When do I get to go to Hell?" I think that was the big appeal of this game. We all want to explore our notions about Hell to see how Dante's Hell matches up with the one we have pictured in our head. The human psyche has been obsessed with the afterlife for thousands of years. It doesn't surprise me that there's a video game now devoted entirely to exploring this unknown kingdom.

Eventually you do find yourself in Hell (in the game). Your passage is guided by a fallen poet, Virgil, who leads you through the Nine Circles of Hell to try and find that hot chick in the white dress, Beatrice. The dialogue throughout the game is spoken in meter much like the book and every corner you turn is filled with vile wretches. After I read the book I reflected back on my gameplay experience and saw how the two stories lined up: they don't. That's OK with me though. I'm not a historian nor am I a paid critic. In the book Dante does not die, fight with Death, or acquire killer fighting abilities. He just makes his way to the bottom of the Earth, talks to some souls along the way, and then sees Lucifer's feet. It's intriguing the way he describes his experiences, but it doesn't compare to fighting off demons with Death's Scythe!

Overall, I'm appreciative of Dante's Inferno. I consider both works, the book and the game, to be outlets of entertainment.

~Anthans

The War on Fatigue: Part 2, The Solution

Pushups. Loud music. Yoga. Cold Shower. Running.

Fatigue is a problem that plagues us all. It gets in the way of us exercising, completing homework, applying for law school, starting a business, traveling the world, starting a music career, investing capital, going to the beach (to relax), and finishing the many projects we started long ago but can never seem to find the time to complete now. No wonder there's a $10 billion dollar industry revolving around The War on Fatigue. And that' no red bullshit.

Everyone wishes they had more energy. More energy = more time. More time = doing more things. Doing more things = living life more. And who doesn't want that? It's like my friend Josef once said to me about our intramural basketball team: "[We need to] pass more, shoot more, score more, win more." "More" of everything tends to be favored in life. The more the better.

I'm somewhat of a purist when it comes to substances entering my body. Generally, I try to stay as far away as I can from products overwhelmed with caffein, ginseng, and sugar. Diabetes is rampant in my family and I don't intend on encouraging Type 1 or 2 to become a part of my daily routine anytime soon. Whenever I need more energy in my day all I need to do is one simple activity: dancing. It'll snap you right out of whatever funk, slump, or chump mood you're in. Just get up, put some music on, and dance like your on the stage of Soul Train! Do this for about five minutes (if you're physically able to). By about the third minute you'll be telling yourself, "Man, I wish I was doing something sedentary like writing a paper or drawing a cartoon." When the fifth minute comes you'll be gasping for air; five minutes of straight dancing can do this to you. Benefits from dancing include:

• Trying out all your latest dance moves
• Getting to know one of your favorite songs better
• Working up a sweat
• Feeling rejuvenated

The first three benefits are more like convenient side effects. The real benefit you should be after though is the last one: "Feeling rejuvenated." It seems counterintuitive, but using up energy to dance will actually create more energy in your body and will zap your brain into becoming more alert. Think of all those beats you just hit! Your mind was really working at full capacity, that is, assuming you were trying to dance on beat.

You can use this fresh burst of energy towards whatever you like. Just don't get sucked into thinking that you're tired again. Then you're going to have to get up and dance to The Backstreet Boys all over again.

Problem solved. Don't buy energy. Create your own.

~Anthans

The War on Fatigue: Part 1, The Problem

Red Bull. 5 hour energy. Monster. Full Throttle. NOS.

Energy drinks have invaded our blood streams and drink manufacturers around the world are cashing in on it. Prior to Red Bull's debut in 1997 the world got by just fine without energy supplements: they just used coffee every morning. Well, it was either coffee or cocaine. Both tend to have overlapping ingredients as some energy drinks – the Red Bull in Germany – have shown us in the recent past.

When did everyone get so busy all of a sudden? Perhaps this point of view is biased, as I myself am not so busy at the moment. Nonetheless, today everyone seems to need a 5 Hour Energy fix or Monster hit before they can undertake any task, which might include physical and/or mental duties. Writing a paper, working a night shift, working a day shift, driving in traffic, paying attention in class, and working out. Doesn't anybody just smack themselves awake anymore? Or how about doing a few pushups? If you're strong willed and determined, you can overcome an addiction to any substance that companies are shoving down your throat.

Remember when cocaine and heroin were legal? Boy, those were the days. I certainly hope that energy supplements don't follow the same path and become outlawed. Although I don't use energy supplements myself, I sure do like what they do to other people. They keep them wired and exciting. I like being around those kinds of people.

I have a solution to solving The War on Fatigue. I'll explore it in detail tomorrow.

~Anthans

Hiatus

(Picture related)

Even while in remote locations like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, I still found the time and energy to blog 46 posts in a row this year. I consider this to be one of my greater feats in life as it has helped me immensely with other things. I did not write anything in the last two days and I have a good excuse, too. I'm not lazy, I'm just taking a much needed hiatus. Last week took A LOT out of me; you could say I gave it my all. I'll be back on the daily grind again though, starting tomorrow. Read ya then.

~Anthans

Throwback Thursday: I'm so Sorry

Apologies and excuses: we've all succumbed to these at some point in our lives. When we fall short of meeting a goal or expectation then apologies and excuses seem to make their way into our rationale of explaining our way out of things.

Although I was an avid student in college, I did not always meet my assignment deadlines on time. The following written work is not one of my proudest moments; however, I think it is worth sharing anyway. It is an apology letter I wrote to a TA for one of my General Education classes at USC explaining why I was so late in turning in an assignment. I drafted the letter in Word before I sent it via email, which should give you an understanding into the severity and seriousness revolving around a letter like this.

Appology Letter:

(circa late 2007)

Xxxxx,

Attached to my final essays you will also find my Research Paper that I never turned in. After I missed the deadline to turn it in I wasn’t really sure how I was going to get it to Professor Xxxxxxxx. He doesn’t have an e-mail or a number to be reached at. I figured that he would only frequent his box in the anthropology department that one time on Friday so I’ve been hesitant on where I should turn it in to.

If you could, I’m asking very kindly, please hand my research paper to Professor Xxxxxxxx. I know I will be graded down significantly for this, and there’s nothing I can do about that now. I am deeply sorry but I just want to turn it in finally to him. Thank you.

~Anthans

Competition

"Competition brings out the best in people — it also brings out the worst in them."

-Tommy

Competition among strangers is one thing — among friends is another story. Most of us play games just for fun; however, when titles, pride, and status are on the line, a simple game can turn into a complex battle of egos. Whatever the outcome may be, just remember that it's just a game.

~Anthans

Plan B

Plan B will always be preferred to Plan C, and Plan C will always be preferred to Plan D, and so on and so forth.

Plan A, as most of us soon discover, does not always work out. This is when Plan B surfaces. However, after you've been working towards putting your Plan B into effect for a while you'll notice that your Plan C starts to turn into your Plan B and that your Plan B starts to feel like your Plan A. Assuming you've gotten over it by now, your Plan A should feel like a distant memory. It is but a mere fact: let it be. Plan B should be your new Plan A.

Currently I'm in disbelief. It's not denial; it's my inabilty to accept a positive turn of events after a long drought. None of my plan A's have been working out within the last year. And because of this, any good news that comes my way seems to be out of the ordinary. My new Plan A (previously known as Plan B) might actually work itself out.

Your Plan B should never be resorted to unless you've tried everything in your power to carry out your Plan A first. The only way a Plan B can truly be called a Plan B is if you never try to live out your Plan A. Otherwise, B is the new A, C is the new B, and so on and so forth.

~Anthans

Pivotal Moments

The picture above is related; it represents the hope that glimmers behind a silhouette of despair. The tree's leaves have died for the winter whereas the sky behind it is full of color and life. The tree is an obstacle in my path and the luminous sky is the destination I desire. This is the same poetic vision that continues to surge through my mind as my eyes gaze towards the horizon. 

The next 2 days could decide the next 2 years of my life. 

~Anthans