How to brainstorm innovative ideas

1. Suspend judgment- don't shut down ideas too quickly (regardless of how ridiculous it might seem).

2. Seek quantity- the more ideas you come up with the more likely you are to have at least one workable idea arise from them

3. Seek crazy ideas- some odd ideas might actually be useful in certain contexts

4. Build upon ideas - small ideas can evolve and morph into fantastic ideas

Dark Side of Work/Life Balance

Work/life balance appears to be a non-threatening and a positive thing for women, but only for a certain few "middle class" individuals in our society. The trouble lies when work/life balance is fed by making the lower class continue to provide service to the "middle class," which only promotes the social hiearchy in American society. While, sure it is nice for "middle class" individuals to have more "leisure" and be valued for "unpaid labor," we need to be cautious about the negative implications of work/life balance as well. While these social issues only add to the complexity of life, these issues do not need to be "solved" by still keeping the "poor" and "disatisffied" with their lives. The endless cycle of rich/middle/poor appears to be endless, and we need to figure out if we need to intervene in this cycle, or keep it the same, since it has been working for the selective few all of these years.

Random Smile

A smile means nothing if the other person is blind
A smile may be universal, but it can be interpreted subjectively
A smile has the potential to heal the deepest wounds
A smile promotes wrinkles that mark your character for life
A smile can mask emotions
A smile can make you happy
A smile can make you forget
A smile can make you surrender
A smile can make someone's day
A smile just is

Learning to Play Feliz Navidad on the Guitar

I LOVE Marty. He is one of the best free guitar teachers on YouTube. He makes guitar playing seem like it's common sense. My mom loves Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano, so I decided to learn how to play the easy version on the guitar. To my surprise it is super easy! Here is the video in case you want to give it a try:

Love Is

Abundance of bursting happiness
Never being alone
Surrendering to peace and enlightenment
Feelings that stay within me to enjoy them
Expressing beauty and laughter
Loving unconditionally
Times that are endless
Bliss that is meaningful
Being without fear
Inhaling justice
Caressing empowerment
Love, love just is
You, you are just you
I, I am just me
Together we are just we

Positive Littering

Positive pollutions are solutions for the wounded and isolated heart in all humanity. All individuals want acknowledgment and to know that someone deeply cares for them. If you devote yourself to loving all humanity, then you can express this through small actions. One simple way to show love is to write messages of love by hand. You can cut little strips of paper and put them in secret spots around the local area. Make sure the paper is recyclable and near a trashcan so that the kind individual that notices this "positive litter" may have a chance at reading it and gain an instant lift into their spirit. So, for example, let's say you always walk around the park. Leave a secret note on a local bench where you know strangers are going to sit in, tape a positive message of love and good will to this stranger. Ideally, the stranger will notice this and read it, then have a beautiful day! It's such a simple task. If you want you can write at the bottom of the note, and ask them to share the message to another person. The person then has the choice to leave it there or throw it away in the trash can, either way the chance for expressing love is worth the tiny little effort! Just be careful, do not put any information about yourself (i.e., address, social security, etc...) that may get you in trouble! :D

Connecting by Asking Questions

We all want to connect with others. We desire it, actually. Ask yourself: How can I better understand how this person is feeling and thinking?

Finding the keys to the heart:

1. What do you dream about?
2. What do you cry about? Pains?
3. How is your family? (Wife, children, etc...)
4. What do you sing about? Joy?
5. What are your values? (if they tell you, entered the depth of their heart)
6. What are your strengths?
7. What is your temperament?

These keys change over time...

"Pain" poem

Love of mine be aware of the unknown
It destroys those who remain invisible
Eyes of pain do not dare to watch
Oceans of blood washing through the streams
Of the heart and the soul
Unworthy tears attempt to provide comfort
Only nothing exists
Until the moment, you believe it
You will continue to suffer
You will continue to seek perfection
You will continue to try to feel
Only death exists
One death that will liberate you
One death that will celebrate you
One death that will caress you
Until then my love, let us embrace until the end…

Alanis Morissette Concert 11/14- Orpheum

My dream finally came true... I got to see Alanis Morissette perform live!
I had got the tickets a few months ago in H27 & H29 Orchestra level. Not too shabby! My mom and I went shopping in the ghetto and got some jewelry and some little flashy light necklaces. An hour before the show we ate some Mexican food and watched a novela. Some Staff Pro chicks were eating Mexican food there too. Well, then when the time came we waiting in the line. I took a few pictures of the sign presenting the concert. There was this gorgeous and muscular man, he appeared to be on acid and the cops would just stare at him.

We entered at exacly at 7:15pm and waiting another 15 minutes before they let us take a seat. At 7:30pm we entered on Aisle 4 and the lady walked us to our seats. The opening act was Alexi Murdoch who was so damn hot. I kept looking at his sexiness and his beautiful angelic country-like voice. He played very well and he relaxed me. He sang about 5 songs for about an hour. Then, when it got to his last song the crowed yelled with anticipation to see the one and only Alanis. She was introduced after him and she started singing outside of the stage a few phrases.

Then, she comes running on the stage singing my favorite song ever, "Uninvited." It was so wonderful and very creepy... it really made the crowd go wild and the whole crowd stood up to see her. After she finished, I continued to stand. During her second song, everyone rushed into the front, including me. I really wanted to get a closer picture and see her up close.... After the song ended a security person came in asking for the tickets to get rid of the blasts of people, and I was lucky enough to get a seat, so I sat there, right on the front row. I was thrilled and also a little scared that a security person would come in and take me away to my farther away seat. I was so freaking lucky- I got to sit in that wonderful sit for the rest of the bloody show! I loved it... I enjoyed the performance, her voice, her divinity, and her efforts to inspire positive messages of peace, equality, justice, and love. It was a cosmic like experience.... she even looked at me a few times right into my eyes... which creeped me out because I don't like to look at people I have not interacted with before in the eyes... my shy ways were apparant and I started to look away. The more I looked away, the more she tried to maintain eye contact and look at me. She did smile a couple times, so that was nice. The song Tapes and Everything brought tears to my eyes because those two songs mean so much to me and the personal issues I am dealing with right now... She might had seen my little flashy necklace and my mom because she dedicated a song to us, by saying "this song is dedicated for all of the colored (non-white) people in the crowd." That made me happy that she acknowledged her minority audiences, since the majority of the crowd was white. Although it was mostly white it was diverse in terms of age and sexual orientation. There were tons of hot gay men and they sang with me. I am still amazed at her wonderful talent and happy to see her happy! It was the greatest birthday present I could have given myself! :)

After the show I got a poster and kept my Alanis keychain! This night will stay forever in my heart...

Thank you Lani for the best night of my entire 2008 year! :)

Invisible Shell

I am carrying a burden that I cannot touch, smell, taste, see, nor hear.
It is with me at all times, day and night, and in between.
Sometimes I feel trapped, and only then I feel safe.
Moments and illusions of freedom are dangerous to my ego.
Suppression turns into suspension.
Which prevents actions from all that is hidden.
Carrying tons of baggage becomes slightly easier by the thousandth time.
Attempts from angels to help with the pain prove useless.
Desire is not enough... love may triumph, but only with courage.
Without this cocoon, I would lose myself.
If I let go I would be like the air that brushes the petals of a rose...
If I let go I would be like the sunlight rays that nurture life...
If I let go I would be like the vibrations of sound...
Until the day that I am ready to let go, I will be my universal self...
Meanwhile I will continue to carry my invisible shell...

Money... the world revolves around it and most of our life on earth will depend on it if we want to live in society. I'm reading tons of books about economics, finance, banking, and other strong topics. I believe that thus far, nobody has put it more succinct than Scott Adams, in his latest book Dilbert and the Way of the Weasel. So here is his important list, so feel free to take great notes. Some of it is common sense.

Everything You Need to Know About Financial Success

• Eliminate all debt except for your mortgage
• Create an Estate Plan
• Maximize your tax deferred retirement plan
• If you have kids, save for college through a 529 plan
• Buy a home you can afford
• If you have a family, get term life insurance
• Put six months of expenses in a money market account
• Pay yourself first at least 10% of your income
• Invest your savings in no-load diversified funds:
• 60% in stock funds
• 20% in bond funds
• 10% in REIT funds
• 10% in money market funds

For another awesome blog, which provided this information go to http://ww-success.com/blog/index.php/2007/01/01/everything-you-need-to-know-about-financial-success/

Top 10 Healthy Snacks to Select at a Local Liquor Store

Here are the top 10 healthy snacks that one should look out for in any local Liquor Store to stay healthy! :) *These are in no particular order*

1. Raw Nuts/Peanuts/Almonds
2. Fresh Fruit/Banana, Apple, or Orange
3. V8 Drink or Water
4. Vegetable Soups
5. Raisins/Dried Fruit
6. Popcorn
7. Dark Chocolate
8. Low Fat Yogurt- Strawberry
9. Special K mini Cereal
10. Pretzels

Balloon Animals

Today I had five minutes to kill, so I went on YouTube and typed "balloon" in the search area and found this fun video. I learned how to make a cat/lion in less than four minutes. How awesome is that?



My new goal is to learn how to make my favorite twenty animals by next weekend! Next weekend is my friend's kid's birthday and it would be fun to get exploited by this new talent. I will invest in some good quality balloons. I just need to learn how to blow the air into them, since those suckers are hard to blow!

Graduation

It was the best day ever! I've never felt such an intense happiness in all of my life. I saw all of my dear friends from my department and from other departments as well. It was wonderful to see my family smiling. It was a day full of cheers, hugs, love, and confetti. I was very happy to see the dynamic intellectual trio: K.S.K! I love them because they are my heroes (guardian angel, helping wizard, and fairy godmother).

Walking on that stage was great! I shook President Alexander's hand and he congratulated me. I felt like I was floating in a Utopian planet.

Class of 2007 Rules! :)

L.A. Zoo

As a KIIS VIP member, I won 4 tickets for the Reindeer Romp & Zoo. On Sunday, 24th of 2006, we went along with Pauline A.K.A. The Ireland Lady to the L.A. zoo. It was a gloomy day and a few sun rays peeked from the clouds. Once we were there, we went to the first seal exhibit. The seals were circulating the giant water tank.

Then, we went up the stairs on our way to see the Santa's famous reindeer. A lot of there were eating their breakfast alfalfa, and others were still taking naps. Santa was taking pictures with the young children. Some children appeared to be afraid of Santa and tried to avoid him, while the parents forced them to seat in his warm lap.

Next, we went to take pictures in the winter stage. We realized that only children were taking pictures, and they were cutting in front of us. We patiently waited and finally took our picture. We proved that adults too, can have fun in kiddie land.

Then, we went to stalk various animals such as the pink flamingos, hungry crocodile, sleepy koalas, horny camels, energized zebras, and the kangaroo family. Next, we went to see the crazy monkeys, pissed tigers, cute giraffes, bored lions, and the cold monkeys. We noticed that the monkey was hugging a heat lamp. A lot of the African animals were frozen and needed heat, unfortunately the zoo does not provide them with the heat they need.

The birds were confined to small cages and wanted to escape. The monkeys were having carrots for lunch. An elder person said that two of the monkeys had escaped before, and that soon enough they will escape again. Those fun monkeys were clapping and being very playful throwing those carrots up in the air.

The snakes were sleeping and were motionless. The mother snow leopard had three cubs that were bugging her to death. Three hawks stared aimlessly at us. A wolf was watching a baby with the parents, whom were dangerously close. The wolf could have easily jumped out of his area to eat that baby. The mom instinctively held the baby and walked away from that wolf.

As we were leaving the zoo, we saw a cat trying to eat a flamingo. The flamingos panicked, they squeaked and flapped their wings.

We walked over 5 miles that day and our feet were killing us. We decided that we were not going to go to the Observatory afterwards, instead we went home and ate our delicious tamales!

Fun Fad Diet

I was browsing online to try to diminish my lack of amusement and I found a secret fad diet. It is one day only and it claims to lose 4-6lbs a day. Of course this is all water weight, but it will help you get into that certain outfit fast. In about another day you will regain all those water pounds.

Here is the so called prescription rules:

1) You could only eat lean proteins
2) You cannot eat anything else (exception green vegetables that are low carb like Spinach or lettuce)
3) You must consume minimum of 10 cups of water

Sample diet day:

Breakfast:

2 boiled eggs and 1 coffee with 1 tsp. of sugar

Lunch:
Spinach or ham

Dinner:
Fish, meatballs, or any meat whatsoever

Exercise is optional: 30 minutes aerobics/weights interval training

The next day, step on that scale and you will notice the pounds drop like magic!!! :)

*I tried this fad diet for fun and I lost exactly 4 lbs.*

Fey at Circus Disco

There is one woman singer that I have admired since 1995. Fey will always be my idol. I had the opportunity to see her perform live after 4 solid years! I last saw her perform in the 2002 Dodger Latin Festival. This past Friday, June 9th of 2006 I went to Circus Disco night club to see her perform.

Circus Disco is the best gay latin club in Hollywood. I went with my mother. My sdad dropped us off at around 9:10pm and we got in line to get my Fey autographed poster. After that we went in. The place was absolutely beautiful! At the entrance there was this huge Fey banner and I got all excited. In the patio there were huge trees covered in blue lights and many gay couples holding hands. We went to eat at this small TJ-like Mexican restaurant called Alejandro's and we ordered the most delicious quesadillas ever! After a while, I called Alex to meet him. Alex is the president of Fey Fans USA fan club. I met him along with Enrique who came from Wisconsin just to see Fey. I also met another guy who came from Chicago to also see Fey! It was fun listening to their meet and greets with Fey. Alex gave each of us, the cd single for "Barco a Venus" and that made me happy. Later, we went inside to wait for Fey to perform. She came out around 12:40am. She started singing her regular Mix songs. Unfortunately, my digital camera did not take good pictures because she was never stationary. I hope my other camera's pictures come out. She had such incredible moves! She was super energized! The gay couples looked at me weird because I kept screaming at the top of my lungs and singing along with her. About three times she would dance a few inches away from me and she would just look at me. I got shy for some reason and just smiled---as I took some more pictures. After she sang her songs, the drag queen and a few others gave her an award for supporting the gay community and gave her a shot of tequila. It was funny to see her drinking. Then, she sang acapella a clip from her upcoming single "Faltan Lunas" and everyone cheered! Her last song was "Barco a Venus" and then she left.

We saw Enrique and his friend for the last time and we said our goodbyes. We talked about how awesome her performance was. Unfortunately, I did not get to meet her that night. Soon after my sdad picked us up and went home. This is a day that I will never forget. I know that someday I will finally meet her in person.

The following are pictures from the event. I took the first picture and Alex took the rest of them. Enjoy!

Sweet Butterfly

A small cacoon hiding from the light
Safe within the surrounding coat
Nothing could harm it
Nobody there to hurt it
Time passes a second at a time
A small caterpillar feeds itself on the greens
Hoping to someday grow
Wishing to skip to the next stage of its life
Crawling and pouting for food
Hidden dangers arrive
Protecting itself against pain
Time passes a second at a time
A caterpillar grows its wings
The wings bring hope
The wings bring new realities
The wings bring new opporunities
Flying across the sky
Seeking places from afar
Finding places that did not exist
Oh sweet butterfly
Fly with confidence...
Oh sweet butterfly
Remember to not forget....
Oh sweet butterfly
Continue to dream....

Sweet Cry

Oh, pillow of mine
Day and night
I cry myself about sweet nothings
The heart feels helpless
The mind feels restless
The soul feels defenseless
Day and night
I cry myself about sweet nothings

Plague

A dark and strange plague feeds upon you
It leaves you breathless
A heart that you thought was yours
Taken away by something you cannot understand
Where does the energy go after it has been disintegrated?
What are all these spiderwebs clogging my eyes?
My body wrapped around with bra straps
I need your guidance
I need your care
I need your touch
But most of all I need your love
Without it I cannot go on