Monday, May 5, 2014

My thoughts on "The Amazing Spiderman 2" -spoilers-

Gwen Stacey died. My head keeps revolving to that. I knew it would happen but I didn't think it would happen on this movie. I thought it would be on the third one. But, she dies. It's one of those feelings of loss that makes me feel so much for this movie. 

After Harry fights Peter, Gwen falls in the clock tower. Peter tries to save her slinging his web to prevent her fall to her death. Just as his web gets to her its too late. She hits her head on the ground while her body floats in the air with the web. Peter not noticing this until he goes down to the floor level sees that she's not waking up.

I usually hate endings like this but it continues with peter coming back to Gwen's tombstone for 5 months, New York reporting that it misses spiderman, And Peter being utterly depressed... Until, he watches her graduation speech as a valedictorian in her class.  

Hope is the main message of this film. Hope is what Gwen talked about in her speech. And hope is what got him out of mourning and to become Spiderman again. He represents hope in bleak circumstances that there's no way out. Which I would say New York represents the tough circumstances we have to swing by. We can't stop having hope or else we get consumed by our dark situations. Never believing that we can get out. There's never not a way out. We just need to keep hope alive and believe.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Why do people hate work?

If you really think about it why do we hate work. The jobs that we do help put food on the table, clothes on our backs, and burns a hole in our pocket to spend. Why can't we appreciate work. I wanted to understand this concept so I can appreciate my job better. I made a list of my examination.

1. I don't have interest in the product.
Put me in front of a game/computer system and I'll list the benefits right there. Even put up the disadvantages of owning it and bending over backwards for you to get it anyways despite the fact but any other things I try to sell I generally have the feeling of "meh". Especially when you could get that thing for cheaper and better quality somewhere else. It just feels like robbery in that case.

2. Are you truly helping anyone with this product?
With computers I would say a dominant Yes! But anything else it's truly a hit and miss. With customer service for a certain bank I sometimes felt I was supporting a greed lurching cockroach with a hidden agenda that only benefitted the bank other than it's own customers. If I wanted to keep that job I would do as I'm told and roll with it but it still didn't sit right with me. Looking back I thought how could I work for such a company. But really the question is  does any business really deal honestly anymore? But that's a question for another day.

3. Boss' always demand better results, never rewards.
Have you ever had that boss that always demanded better of you. When you reached that critical goal no praise came afterwards but more railings on how we're not good enough and that we need to be better. Having that from 6 months to a year is taxing mentally especially when you work so hard and nothing seems to be just "fine". More and more is being demanded and more and more you give only to be slapped that "You could do better." Aggravating.

4. The pay is not worth the job itself.
There are some jobs that you try to help the customer and after you helped them they beat you to a pulp mentally for you saying something to them that they weren't expecting. Customer service jobs know what I'm talking about and this happens to no end. How many times I talk to a customer and they're nice as can be only at the end they're screaming at me in horror like I offended their grandbaby's honor by charging a fee to their account (a small fee, that they could easily pay) which was clearly their fault to begin with. This alone put me through so many headaches. Why would I want to go through this drama again and again?

With all these points being said how can we overcome these hurdles so we can actually enjoy these short term careers and live happy (sane) lives.

1. Don't take things personally. Do whatever it takes to take on this method. Everything that customers say may hurt you. That is their intention to make you feel what they feel. Most of the time it's not professional to get down to their level of emotion. Just don't let it happen. Be courteous and nice and go your way. (Easier said than done right?) You'll have a more calm demeanor when expecting bad behavior and being prepared what to do when you meet that behavior.

2. Really evaluate who you are helping.
Take a deep examination and put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if you received bad service? What if this service is the only service they could use for some reason? Is it really that bad that you're helping them? Think about it really intently.

3. Be the person that can help.
More specifically be that person that can make things better. If the only way to make things better is by being a manager then shoot for that position. Aim to help yourself improve with the company or the service you are in. Be creative. Add suggestions. 

4. If all else fails...
Quit. If it's really that bad of a place then it may be better for you to quit altogether. It'll save you and others trouble if you're bitter hearted to the point of hating life. There maybe something better for you if you honestly examined yourself to see why you hate the job so much. In short of being a drug dealer if you can't see any benefits to keep your job then look somewhere else. But really be honest with yourself.


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Power of love

I noticed now what drives me to go toward my goals. It may seem silly or even weird but it all matters of what's in your heart. Think about it. What draws you close to the ones you love. Don't you make decisions for the people you love? Why do you love them? How do you love? What drastic decisions have you made for a loved one? Let that sink in for a moment. Love is a powerful motivator to get toward your goal. But how do you love? You let it happen. You choose what or who you let in and cultivate it from there. And you would do anything for those you love if it's strong enough. That goes the same for goals. What you put in your heart is where your treasures are.

I knew this concept but I didn't see it in this point of view. It's very simple and easy. If you really think about it you've seen it all your life. Try thinking of a man who was so fixated upon money. Nothing else matters to him but money. His heart is full of greed, or, his heart was fully invested in money itself. We can guide our sails toward the horizons we want to go only if we figure out how to get there and how to steer.

Try this concept and see for yourself. 

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results - Einstein

This quote above keeps ringing in my mind. And yet, I still do the same thing waiting for different results. It may be the way I grew up where everything was just given to me with minimal to no effort. Just taking from my parents hands. I'm just done with it all. 

My new job is at pest control rather than call center work and I just found out now that I only have a one day weekend. Forget the fact I have finals this week, forget the fact that my job drains me every time I'm done with it, and my family barely sees me now. I just feel I have no control over things like this. I feel perpetually stuck and still waiting for someone else to get me out. Like a superhero to save the day.

I guess it took me a couple years to get this but... The only person that can save me is me. There's no one that's going to randomly give you a fortune just because they like you. There's only 2 people out there. Those that are willing to do and those that are willing to sit and wait. And sadly I was one of them. Sitting on a miracle that I could only muster myself. I am done waiting. I'm doing.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Monsters

When ever I imagine my problems I make them a character in my imagination. They're usually monsters that I have a difficult time slaying. But the more time I stay with the monster (the problem) the more I figure out how to beat it. 

It gets me sort of angry that we created so many ways to run away from our problems. Drinking, drugs, binging habits. The monster always gets you at the end. It's usually 10x worse than the problem began. Don't be your own monster. 

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Apple...what are you becoming?

There's a lot of things that I look forward to in coming years. Christmas..Birthdays..and new Apple product announcements (even though I don't own anything apple). I think their products are great regardless if I have the money to throw at them whenever a new product appears. They often push the envelope on giving us the sweetest new edge of sexy gadgets that can do the newest things sooner than anyone else is issuing them out...until now.
Just look at this thing. Looks like a steaming pot full of awesome gadgetry. And you'd be wrong. Just see what's different. If you said bigger screen then that's correct. If you knew the specs of it than you know they have a faster processor and a better face time camera. But then I wish Steve jobs was still here to tell us "One more thing" but sadly what you see is what you get. I mean this isn't necessarily a bad thing. It definitely in my opinion needed a bigger screen and sure a faster processor is excellent if you want to stay ahead of the game but what else is there? Last year it was Siri being the hot new thing in 4s devices. Year before that it was the face time cam that was revolutionary. But now ..what does this thing boast? Basically what it's doing is what every other cell phone maker was doing for years. Put in a faster processor and huger screen, maybe a better camera and here you go (go crazy).

My rant isn't all on this phone but what the company is becoming. This was supposed to be an event that showed this company can still be innovative and strong without Steve jobs since as he claims the company is stood upon great people. But it takes vision to get all those great people to work beautifully together. Sadly that vision seems to be gone...6 feet under in Jobs grave. If this is what the new Apple is becoming into then it may be the beginning of mediocrity for Apple. And the start of many weeping Apple fans.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Nothing lasts forever?

Today is Sunday. Tomorrow is Monday. Next day is Tuesday. And the next is wednesday.  No I'm not singing a Rebecca Black song. I'm just recounting that these days everyday stay constant. Monday doesn't just up and deccide to take Wednesday's place and Tuesday doesn't just jump into cool Saturday's place either. It all stays constant. Then why can't regular life be that way.

But it isn't. Things change. We learn and grow to take advantage and accept these changes but doesn't anybody wonder sometimes that we could wish the world to stop for just one moment.

What recently has been happening is now both our roommate's are moving out. Not at the same time but close enough that we both will miss them. We love our roomies and its sad we have to say good bye to them soon. One is getting married to this great guy and the other just had  difference of opinion with our rules and is leaving on good terms. When people go out if our lives I wonder how many times will I see in the future good friends to go. It isn't the same in life when they leave. So I always take a moment to think about people that mean a lot to me in my life. My room mates will be in my thoughts while they go in their separate ways. I really do hope for the best for the best for them. Cheers for having friends in our lives.