New Year’s Resolution 2012

It’s that time of the year when we all need to start remembering to write down “2012″ instead of “2012″ on our assignments. It’s also that time to set goals for the upcoming year. I know not to make those goals too outlandish, so I’d have a chance to even accomplish them. This year I’ve learned so many things that have made me a better person. I’ll use this newly acquired wisdom to carefully write down my goals.

I feel like everyone and their mother has this goal. Yeah, you guessed it. It’s to lose some weight and be healthier. The problem that people have every year when setting this goal is that they don’t set quantitative goals. If you don’t set goals that you can track and reach, you don’t have a way to truly reach for. My goal is to lose about 20 lbs for the year. If I lose more than that’s a plus. I plan to work out, and adjust my terrible eating habits. These two actions will also help accomplish the 2nd half of my goal. There is one thing to lose weight, but to do it in a healthy way is another. I would like to lose the weight and keep it off.

This next one is very simple to say, but will require a lot of self motivation to accomplish. I will post a new blog posts in a timely matter. To be more precise, I will at least post three of them a month. This might seem like a simple goal, but it isn’t. It is not that easy for me to post regularly, as you can see from the little posts I’ve posted. I will also like to add to that.  I will also post blogs that at least have 250 words. That’s a modest amount for someone who doesn’t post on the regular. WordPress’ word count feature will make it easy to keep track of that.

I like to do things in threes, so this is my last official goal for the year. This is an important one for me. I will like to touch base with old friends that I’ve made in the past. To make the goal measurable, I will touch base with at least 18 people who I’ve not talked to in a while. I will like to rekindle my friendships. We became friends for a reason, and I will like to continue it. I will utilize the different social networking sites that I have, my phone and many personal get-togethers to reach my goal. This is the one I’m most excited about, and the most rewarding.

Also, notice that I didn’t put an image for this goal. I couldn’t find an abstract image that isn’t corny or dumb looking, so here’s a picture of a furry animal. Careful, it might break into your home and sleep on your couch. Here’s the article . Enjoy.

 

Besides the three that I posted, here are some honorable mentions. haha

• Sleep more at night because God knows I need it
• Read more books
• Tell that girl that she’s pretty
• Find an internship
• Draw and create more

Happy New Year to all. I wish you all good luck on your own resolutions.

Stay Frosty,

+john

Things I shouldn’t be doing while doing things I should

We all go through this on a nightly basis. Some of us in a lesser or greater degree. I go to my desk to do some work for the night, but I keep ending up doing everything else except for work. I think my body has become accustomed to some procrastination rituals that I have to do in order for me to start working.

Here is a list of things that I do that shouldn’t be doing while doing things I should:

• Like everyone else, I get on Facebook, and waste what seems like hours looking at pictures and my time line.
• I check all four of my emails account. I should probably consolidate them.
• Watch the news. I at least have it in the background.
• I check twitter nonstop! I obsessed over twitter. I have to go back to old tweets that people have posted, so I can be up to date. haha I know that’s creepy, but I need to read those in order to understand what their recent tweets are about.
• I check my blog. Notice that I said check and not publish a new blog post. Yeah, I’m bad at that, but I’m working on getting better.
• I check my phone for texts and notes that I have on my notepad.
• I check my bank account to see how much money I have. I usually get depressed after viewing it. haha
• I read several blogs and articles. Mashable is usually one of them.
• I update my calendars. I have one on my phone that I use. It’s called Jorte. I also have a large paper one that is hung to the right of my desk. I use three different markers to write on it.
• I add and remove stuff from my to-do list that is written on a dry-erase board that is hung underneath the calendar.
• I start doodling and scribbling on the many sticky notes that I have on my desk and makeshift hutch that I made.
• I grab a glass of water from the Brita water filter jug that I have.
• I sit back, and think about what I’m going to work on.

I always finish what I have to do, though not in the time that I plan on. Hopefully, I can cut some of these things, so I can go right into work.

Am I the only one that has this man things to do before being productive? What do you suggest for me to cut from these things?

Until then,

+john

I Miss Being Creative

Proudly holding longhorn john after completing it.

I used to be actively creative. I use to carry my sketchbook around with me, doodling and noodling. I would make things out of construction paper. I would shape things out of wire. Now, I do nothing.

It has been a little over a year since I last sat down to express myself in any media. It frustrates me that I have neglected this part of me for so long.

As I sit here typing this post, I wonder what got in the way of my passion. Was it  because I started to work at The Office of The Registrar? Was it because I got too busy with school work? Was it because I pledged a fraternity?

I don’t know the answer to why I have stopped. All I know is that I need to start-up again. I brought my light table from home, and I am going to attempt to use it at least once this semester.

I forgot how calming and relaxing drawing was. I use to spend hours sitting at a table drawing. I use to think that was fun.

My first attempt of being creative is designing a concept for a shirt. Another attempt was making a jack-o-lantern our of paper for work. Yeah, I know. I am taking baby steps, but in the right direction. Hopefully soon, I will post things on here.

Wish me luck. Show me your support.

+john

One of the Worst feelings EVER!

I am still shaken up. My body is still shaking as I am typing this. I thought to myself that if I write this down, that it would help calm my nerves down.

This was one of the scariest things I have ever been through. As I was walking home from my friend’s apartment to mine, these two large individuals started running towards me quickly. The first thing I thought was that they were just running. I don’t know. I don’t think that negatively. I noticed that they were actually running towards me.

The first thing I could think of was that I might die tonight. That I was going to get mugged and stabbed and going to be left on that parking lot to die. My first instinct was to run as fast as I can. I never thought I would ever had to run for my life. I should add that my knee is badly injured. I had to run through the pain of my knee. I can’t think of another time that I ran that fast. The pain was excruciating.

As these bad feeling and thoughts went through my head as I was running through Ballpark to Townlake. I have never felt so victimized in my life. So helpless. The only thing that kept me optimistic was the fact that there was a patrol car. I did not stop until I was next to it. He wasn’t much help, but at least I knew they stopped chasing me.

Right now I am in my room shaken. My knee is swollen like if a papaya has suddenly appeared in my leg. I will try to calm myself down as I attempt to finish my homework and unlock my phone.

 

+john

If I Had 60 Minutes To Live

This is a though question to answer. There are a lot of things that come to mind. Truthfully, I will post it on my Facebook , Twitter and any other social media that I have. I know that updating them should be last thing I should ever do, but.  I admit, I am quite hooked on them. I really wouldn’t do anything without looking at these. It really is a problem. It’s big enough to be one of the first things I would do.

This is a hard scenario to answer. It will depend where I am at and my physical limitations. I am most likely over thinking this, but what things do I not over think. If I was at home in San Antonio, I would spend most of my time with my family and partially with one of my good friends, Paige. I would love to surround myself with loved ones. I would listen to some music that I cherish the most. Music that has had a big impact to my life.

If I was in Austin, I would immediately call my family and Paige. I would like to talk to them both for the last time. Calling would be the only way to do it since they would be in San Antonio. I wouldn’t know what to do after that. Dying in general is one of my biggest fears. Not the act of dying but the what it stands for. I hate the idea of me disappearing from existence. It scares me. It is an existential fear. Just the thought of me not being anymore puts me into a serious mood. Knowing me, I would be in shock that I would just have one hour or 60 minutes or 3600 seconds left to live. I wouldn’t know who to contact first. I wouldn’t know where to go. I would be very emotionally unstable. There are so many people I would like to hang out with and talk to that are in Austin that I would be over whelmed.

One thing  that I would like to do before I die is to go for a run. I would like to run with as many people who would run with me. I would like these people to run with me until the point that I die. Run as fast as I can. Run as far as I can. I would just run until I die. Running has always been one of my favorite things to do. It is one of the most natural things one can do to feel free. I would run until I can’t run no more and some how muster up the energy to keep moving forward. I want to feel most alive before I go. I want my heart to pump hard. I want my legs to feel the burn. I want to run until the point I die. I want to collapse on to the floor.

I know that last paragraph was a little too weird, but that is just s part of what I would do. If I don’t do what was said above, then I would just go through this whole thing by myself. I would just load up my music and go out for an hour run. This sounds pretty emo, but what the hay, I’ll do what I want.

What would you do in your last hour of your life? Would you go through it alone or with other people? Do you think I am mad that I would be willing to go through this alone?

+john

Some Late New Year’s Resolutions

Every year I always think it. I use these resolutions to motivate myself to do things. All in all, I think they work as good motivators. Last year I told myself I will:

• Lose weight
• Start reading more
• Make new friends and be more social

After a year, I think I was successful. I lost about 33 lbs; I am much healthier and livelier. I feel a thousand times more confident. I have more energy to accomplish things. My life from 4th grade on, I have been overweight. I can’t really remember a time that I’ve ever been fit or skinny. College has definitely motivated me to lose weight. UT’s Gregory gym help a lot. I worked out 3 hours a day 3 days a week. I think I was successful. I still think I need to lose more, but 33 lbs is a respectable number.

I started reading some books. Though, I have been lagging lately. I really should start again. It was quite a change from the year before. I never grew up reading books on a regular basis. Reading has not been a thing I have ever truly enjoyed. Reading has some bad things associated with it in my life. Growing up in California, I was in a program called E.L.D., English Language Development. It was a program that is similar to E.S.L., English Second Language, but it is just to improve the English skills one would have. Reading was a thing that was used against me, labeling me as an unintelligent individual. I am sorry that I couldn’t read in the same grade level as the other students. I just tried to undo this way of thinking. All in all, reading is a good thing. It is just not the first thing I do for fun.

I most definitely made a lot of good friends this past year. This year is when I met my good friend Derek. He is real funny and understanding. I met him through another friend. I’m glad I met him. I can’t talk about friends without talking about OA. I love OA. I have met so many people because of UT’s Orientation Program. Many of my coworkers are my current friends. Many of the students we worked with in the summer are my friends now. It is surprising to think that, but many of them are either the same age or older than me. haha My current roommate, Jarrett is another good friend I met this year. I am grateful for all that he has done for me, like helping me get my current job. Last but not least, I have met many incredible individuals in the Fraternity that I have joined, Delta Sigma Phi. They have definitely giving me  a new experience to my college career. I couldn’t ask for more from this past year when it comes to my friends.

Now for some New New Year’s Resolutions.

My new resolutions are going to be similar to last year’s. This year I am going to tell myself to:

• Lose more weight
• Be more organized and prioritize
• Write more

Of course, one of them would be the obligatory ”lose weight” resolution. Face it, I need to lose more weight. I think another 30 lbs would be best. I would like to reach “my” BMI for once in my life. I just want to know how it feels. I also would like to fit into more clothing. I want to feel more comfortable and confident. And hey! I can do what I want. Losing weight is not that hard, trust me.  Just this winter break I lost a total of 3 lbs.

I need to be more organized. Let’s not kid ourselves, I am the most disorganized person ever. Okay, maybe I’m not, but I am bad at it. I need to prioritize things, too. I suck at it. I rather hang out with friends than do homework. I rather pay for something then to buy something that is needed. I need to prioritize my friends, too. I have to decide which of my friends deserve most of my time than others. Last year, I sure need to do this. I would hang out with this one friend all of the time. They would take priority over other people even my homework.

I need to write more this year. Last semester, I started a Tumblr, but I didn’t like the constant weird posts and the constant rebloggings. I know that is a microblogging platform, but gosh darn people reblog everything. It was just not for me to an extent. I need to write more, so I can improve my writing skills and to express myself through a new medium. Also, I have had this idea for a story for over a year now, and I would love to have it down somewhere more concrete than just my mind.

Let’s see a year from now if I make it and succeed in accomplishing these.

What are your resolutions? Did you uphold to your resolutions from last year?

+john

The Start of My Galactic Adventure

For a year and a half now, I have been thinking about an epic space adventure. I kept thinking about it night and day. I find inspirations around me like my friends, experiences, objects, buildings, what I learn in my classes, and existing systems in our government. This complex story has been in my head that long and now I can share it with everyone.

I am quite excited to start posting maps, diagrams, concept art, writings, character concepts, comic strips. I love detail. What makes a good sci-fi space story is the complexity of the story and the details in the imagery.

I hope you all like my story. I will be posting stuff periodically. Please comment, suggest and ask questions. The more questions that are asked the more it is revealed. A lot has gone through my head. I might have forgotten parts of the story or some details and your question might help me remember.

 

+john

I’m Posting Every Week in 2011!

I am going to call it my 2011 weekly inspiration. I am starting this challenge to motivate myself to post more frequently. This year I have decided to put more effort into my blog posts. I felt  that participating  in this challenge would help me with this goal.  2011? Wow! I can’t believe another year has gone by. 2010 was definitely a memorable year. I know for sure that 2011 will be even more exciting. I better get used to writing “11″ instead of “10″ on my dates. I feel like I will forget to post something until the last day of that week, so that is the reason why I am doing the weekly challenge instead of the daily one.

I like challenges and especially ones like this one. I did a Tumblr challenge, but I stopped at 17 days. I know that is bad, but that was  daily challenge. There were a lot of things going on I my life that took priority over Tumblr. I know this is not going to be easy being  college student that is transferring to another major while working in an office. I know, office jobs are awesome. I am  going to be busy with my fraternity’s functions. Also, I have family responsibilities that still have to take care of.

To help me along the way I have signed up to My Daily Post and will participate in the community of other bloggers with similar goals.  I will do my best to ask for help when I get stuck and will promise to encourage others.

I will love it & will be ever so humbly grateful if you would come along and walk this adventure with me.  Your encouragement through comments and likes will aid me to stay on track, learn from mistakes and grow.  Heck, we all may grow together in this!  Woo!  I’m so Excited & I hope you are too!

Are you participating in this challenge?

+john

My Small KiD CuDi Project

In the near future,I will rate all of KiD CuDi’s albums from best to least best. Face it, he has no bad albums/mix tapes. I will also rate the songs in the individual albums. My rating will be based on how I like the sound of the songs, the emotional appeal I have, it’s popularity, how often I listen to the songs, and the memories I have with the song. There are many things that I enjoy doing and rating things from best to worst or from one criteria to another is something I enjoy doing. I am excited for this mini project.

Do you also enjoy rating things for fun? How do you feel about Kid CuDi? Is there a particular song that you like the most?

+john

Lo and Behold!

Hello everyone,

My name is John. This is my first post of many to come. A lot goes through my mind and my life that I would like to put down on something more concrete than thoughts and experiences. I am looking forward to posting things about my life, thoughts, small projects, a story I have been thinking of for over a year now, music, and things that interest me. I hope you all will enjoy what I have to say. This will be fun.

 

+john