Back at it...again...

I haven't bowled in over 2 weeks. This month has really took a toll on me. I had the flu for 5 days and it really took a wind out of my sails. When bowling again, I have to rebuild my strength of not only how to roll it but get it back when I used to before I got sick. I have to admit it is no easy but being away from the game for over 2 weeks, I have a itch to practice. I miss the game and bowling is a way to relax and get away from things. Now I need to get ready for some tournaments. Looking forward to go back to Reno for the USBC's. Bowling at the stadium there is a experience to believe. It is good getting back into the game. Happy New Year everyone!

It felt like a 1 and 2 punch....

December 14th will be the day that I will remember the most in a long time. I never felt this way before on any day. When I heard the news, you could probably stab me in the back or the stomach. It was so wrenching and so heartbreaking that I really couldn't fathom how someone would have the mind would kill innocent kids at a elementary school. Yes! An elementary school! I have a one year old daughter and thought in my mind said, this can't be happening. Then I said, yes it is happening and it has happened before but no action.

Every blame that I see is about everything from the movies that is out there, music lyrics, violent video games and some peoples (including politicians (smh) ) says the answer is not let guns but MORE guns! Really! Is that going to solve anything? I don't think any children want to go to school that feels like a prison. As an American I do belief that it is okay to have a gun, but NOT an assault weapon. In my childhood, I went through my dad's dresser near the bed and I saw a small gun there. I didn't ask and I didn't tell. I was scared to death seeing that. I should have asked about that but I don't think my dad was willing to tell or just say "Get away from that dresser."

What can we do? Can you say mind illness? Could be however I am not saying. Our decaying culture of what great it used to be? Maybe. Something has to happen from our president to our congress. Our congress is decaying and it is not going to get anything done unless something happens and I hope this is it. Something has to happen. This was a new low in my nation.

What to do..what to do...

Well today, my contract with my carrier is up and now it comes to decide what to do. I have been using both of these phones during my tenure. I gave my wife the Android phone due to my impulse reaction on charging the battery all the time due to the apps and my persistence to check out on a normal basis. These are both Nokia phones and they always the best when it comes to call quality. The one on the left is a E71x that my wife bought from a friend to replace a Blackberry Flip that she had issues. The one on the right is a N97 that we got in the Philippines back in 2010.

The Nokia N97 was good at the time but now since the apps are taking more memory and install on the phone memory rather than the mass memory, I can't use much apps and it is slow due to the apps taking over most of the phone memory. The speaker on the phone loses volume no matter despite being on maximum volume. Despite all of this, I have to keep rebooting and hard reboot just to clean apps up that I decide not to use. I plan to keep on using the phone as a GPS since I do like the Nokia Maps as a GPS.

The question is now, what phone to get next. I have looked around at places and checking out phones what to get. When we bought the Nokia N97 in the Philippines, they had a lot of selection that we didn't get. Anything from Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson are there at your fingertips. I haven't seen any Sony Ericsson phone in the US for years. If we get a iPhone, then we have to think about if we really want to switch to a difference carrier since only AT&T, Verizon and Sprint offer iPhones or stick with T-Mobile and get any Android or Windows Phone that is out there even those 3 carriers sell them too. We will see.

One week later....

It has been close to one more week since the election, and I really can't get over the feeling since. It is the first time in my life that I felt a sense of something that I never experienced. Call me crazy but America is changing and it is not going to be the same anymore that I used to see it as. Lets face it, we are a multinational, multicultural nation with ever person believing in different religions and ideas. People come all over the world just to make a dream and to live it. Just like my mom who came from Germany when she was 4 years old. How about that?

It has been over 10 years since 9/11 and I am weary about war. I am weary of people hating people just because of a different faith or race. I am weary about the Republican party due to their extreme and bigot statements and not able to compromise. I am weary of people that go on hate crimes just because they are "not American." I am weary about people saying that the election was a "tragic day" and "America died." Pearl Harbor was tragic, 9/11 was tragic but this election was kind of historic in a way.

The world is changing and America is on to something new. I don't know what it is but that song by Bob Dylan is in my mind. We will survive. We will be okay.

Decisons....decisions...decisions.....

Time to get new phones. Our contract with our carrier is almost up and now we are planning to switch. With all of the new smartphones out and different operating systems, it is getting hard to choose. With so much competition, it makes it very hard to figure out what phone is the best and to the one that represents you. What could that be...

iOS?
Android?
Windows Phone?
Symbian?

I have a Nokia N97 that I bought in the Philippines back in 2010. I was in love with the cellular stores since they have every company that makes them. I got Nokia because it was a maker of my first cellphone that I ever had. They had the reputation of great design and good phones. Over time now, Nokia has an agreement with Microsoft to handle it's Windows Phone OS on Nokia phones, and it has become a 2 horse race with iPhones and mostly Samsung phones.

All through out my feeds on FB and G+ these days, you have people that live and die with Apple and then you have the people that are all about android. Each one is taking jabs over each other and it is deja vu. This case of Apple Vs. Samsung reminds me of the Apple Vs. Microsoft court case. I am neither a fanboy when it comes to this saying on which is the best these days. If we do get a iPhone, I can be happy by saying that I have bought a iPhone. Nothing less, nothing more.

Taking the plunge to...Windows 8

I have read a lot press on Windows 8. I have been using Mac's in the home for the last 6 years. I still have a PC around and I am using it today. I downloaded the Widows 8 Preview and installed it to my PC. There was a problem booting it so I though "Oh boy." It worked on my iMac using Boot Camp. So I played around with it. It was a completely different experience than I was used to when it comes to Windows.

I finally made the plunge and put it in my old PC. I have to say I do like the look of it and the experience, it will take time getting used to. That said, I do enjoy it and I do like what Microsoft is doing. They are making a all round tablet and not only give their OS a fresh look.

My Windows 8 Screen

The more I use it, the more that I like it. Although for people that are really used to the previous edition of Windows, it will take time getting use to. There are not much apps to speak of but that will depend if more people sign on. It will take a extra click to get where you want to go, especially if you still want to run programs via desktop. It boots fast and it take less amount of time to get everything ready.

But the one thing I was most impressed with is IE. Yes, IE. I am mostly using Chrome or Firefox but I was impressed how IE is fast and the vivid look of the web pages. It is a good thing that Microsoft made something with different in mind but give it a fresh new look.

I don't know if Windows 8 is going to be a big splash and not sure if more people will make the jump, but it is a good start. I am more curious about Windows Phone 8. If Windows 8 looks promising, then the phone operating system is. Who knows what goes on from here though.

That's all folks!

I never been outspoken in my political views. So much so that when when I got back from bowling tonight when all the results are through, Obama won a second term. After that, I just breathed a sigh of relief that this 2012 Presidential election is finally over. After months and months of negative political ads on TV, posts on Twitter and Facebook, flyers in my mailbox and plenty of phone calls, I never ever experienced quite a election like this and it pretty much changed my thinking what our government represents. 

I came to a decision after going back and forth not to vote. After voting in 3 presidential elections, it got to a point that all the negativity was too much, especially to the Republican party. I was raised by the fact that you have to respect the President. No matter if you agree with him or not. You go in and decide who is the best person that can do the job. So I was going to put it all in gods hands on what is best. I don't want to complain about it later.

As I was driving home from bowling this evening, I usually get a sense of feeling and calm when I drive. As I was hearing the results and Obama being re-elected, to me it felt like we are in a new kind of America. We are a multi-cultural society with different beliefs, but we are all one. I feel all those people that had rough years, but they will get through it. I will get though it as well. That is all that i can ask for the moment. I was not raised to show hate to a person like this election. I don't think my mom will approve of that. I don't know what will happen for the next 4 years. I am all for the ride and see where it goes and be happy for what I have. That is all I could do.

Times that you have to shut it off....

The internet is an addiction. Plain and simple. The more times I think about it, sometime I think why am I doing this or posting what I posting. Of course, you might get those people that say about everything about their detail life on FB. Not only that but looking for a significant other. I have read a lot of those profiles about it.

It was 10 years ago that I went through 2 relationships that lasted 6 months. I was depressed about life and looking for "the one" that will make complete. I was cheated but it did for a reason and it was my fault too in that matter. I was in a deep rut that most of my depression situated when I was growing up, but I didn't know about it until that time. I was looking for companionship to fill my emptiness. The internet is a sure thing due endless time of chats late at night and a webcam to see each other. As more and more people are getting into it, the more empty I became. I mean, there is nothing like seeing people in person, a phone call or just to hang out. From when I graduated in 1997 till around 2004-2005, I was on the internet all the time chatting away. I lost a lot in my life. I still bowled but never tried anything different until I gave ballroom dancing a shot. My mom said it was dancing that saved my life and I became much happy again just by going out. I have nothing against online relationships but sometimes to experience happiness, you have to just shut it off for a while and go somewhere.

The internet is a wonderful place, if you are careful. People can post anything or talk about anything and do what they please. I don't chat as much as I can anymore but I try to do it once in a while. It is good to talk to people but hopefully I will be able to see them in person. I have a host in Malaysia that offered me and my wife to spend time with them. Sometimes there are good people in the world. Got to know when to talk and then are times that you have to shut it off.

Thought on 10/20/12

I am american however I am on this world for a reason. It is amazing how social networking can throw governments to one direction and connecting people from all faiths and backgrounds. With all of the media focusing on the minority rather than the majority, communicating people from different nations really opens my mind to a lot of things. There are times I hope that more people talk rather than being ignorant and attacking things that they don't understand. If we don't understand, we should ask questions. The world will be in a better place when we respect other peoples views on anything.

Think before you click.

The more I logged in Facebook these days, the more and more disappointed I get of what people post. I am reading of more things that are hateful and negative to people. People mad because they don't add each other as friends and complain about life in general. You probably heard it a lot. Well I can't blame about Facebook because Facebook doesn't post things for you automatically. You are what you are and what you post. I understand that some of them need a outlet and what better outlet to have than social networking.

Think before you click. It is that simple.

Long time no write.

It has been a way long time since I last wrote something. Some of it is due laziness while some is for more important thing that came in me and my wife's life. On December 10, our daughter Ella was born. It capped 9 months of pregnancy, 24 hours of labor, and 1 hour and 45 minutes of pushing to get this 9lb 4oz baby to come out.

Our daughter Ella

For the last 3 weeks, we have been staying in one room and taking care of the baby. So we have the laptop to check our Social networking and watch programs. We very rarely watch TV but when she gets older, we will be able to get back to our regular routine. We are trying to raise our daughter the best that we can. It is not a perfect world these days.

Another thing that is changing. I have been getting more in Google+ these days? Why? With all the hype of it saying it is a FB killer, most of my friends haven't made the switch. I thought to give it a try. Why not take advantage of it. It took me a while to get a network going but then lately, I have been communicating people from Malaysia. I am new to the country and communicating really opens my mind to things. One thing I realized that we are human beings just like anybody else. I have done a couple of hangouts and taking advantage of the services that offers and I have to say I am impressed with it. It gives you more flexibility to use rather than FB. Facebook has been getting way too complicated. However how small Google+ is, one of these days it could go the same way when it comes to Facebook of what people have posted.

Google+ has inspired me to learn a new country and way of life.

I know a lot of people have talked bad about social networking but today it is getting more important in the way we look at the world. It allows us to communicate, learn something, starts revolutions and anything that you can imagine. I wonder what could happen when my daughter gets into high school and college. Only I would know. So here is for a good year of 2012 and more time to learn, inspire and communicate with people.