The 2nd New Year of 2007

Unlike most times I think I have an over abundance of things to "blog" about. I guess that makes sense in that the more things I do outside of my routine the more that I'll find something that stimulates me thinking. And believe you me I've been thinking plenty. And I sort of miss talking out these ideas with my wife. Unfortunately for her she's not always interested in what I have to say. Most times I can become "passionate" about my ideas and I get a little exuberant or other times I just need a guy to share with to spare myself of the rolling eye balls or the feeling of offending my wife's better sensibilities.

Today we had a family gathering for Chinese New year and my cousin asked me a question that I've been thinking about lately. She'd axed me, "So if you could do anything and not get paid, what would it be?" We were talking in regards to a career and ways to make money so I didn't figure any of my hobbies or the usual response..."nothing" in my answer to her.

That's when I thought about what I did this week. I spent some time and volunteered to help spread good Mitsubishi will at this year's 2007 Floral Street Fair in Monterey Park, CA.


I guess it's a annual street fair event that goes along with Chinese new year. Basically Mitsubishi had 3 cars that would be available for the passer-byers to look at and feel. I would be the friendly person to help with questions and to point out features.


This is something that I did for free... Well i did get a tee-shirt, hat, and dinner... So not "free" entirely... Through this fair I basically figured out I like cars and am a car enthusiast. And the auto industry is a pretty neat field to be apart of and I'm lucky to be a part of it. I've met a lot of people that were HoHum about working for a car manufacturer and I've always wondered why they couldn't be more excited or enthusiastic. But I guess that's only me and I shouldn't judge, I know. But sometimes I feel that I've never met such dull people who could care less about what they drive. Might as well drive 4 wheels and a box... Oh! isn't that a scion xB?..

Boy, don't I wish that these two worked at Mitsu... these two were supplied by the free auto magazine that Mitsubishi advertised with that were at the fair too... When I first saw these two I was thinking Hmm A bit too much and perhaps a little too wannabe-ish. Sorry girls, just trying a tad too hard. but I had to get the picture for the "camp" factor. Now the one below... That's my kinda car and I guess the model is okay too.


Anyways, love cars. I'm going to have to think of a way to try and make it so i can be better fulfilled in my field of work. Parts, inventory control can get pretty boring but again it's nice to be a cog in the machine that makes up Mitsubishi Motors.

linear thinker

All my life I've tried to see myself as an unconventional thinker. I don't know where this stems from. I'm starting to believe it's from my desire to be different without really doing anything to be different. Almost like being different on the cheap side. No need to spend money on tattoos, drugs, cars, clothes, etc.. Just dazzle people with a profound statement or concept and viola, different.

I think this all started when I saw Star Trek 2 the Wrath of Kahn... Towards the end of the movie Kahn follows the crippled Enterprise into the Mutara Nebulae seeking to kill Kirk. Kirk uses the nebulae to play hide and seek with Kahn's undamaged ship hoping to level the playing field as the nebulae makes shields and sensors inoperative... Khan in his wrath only thinks in one dimension. This is when Spock politely nudges Capt. Kirk to think in a multi dimensional up-and-down basis... Being thusly inspired the Captain is able to get the jump on Kahn effectively disabling his ship, leading to Kahn's death.

From that moment on I've always thought to myself, "be a multi-dimensional thinker, not a chump like Kahn"..."An outside box thinker is better than normal thinking"...

Well after all these years it doesn't seem that i'm getting too far with this out of the box thinking. What I've learned is that people don't really like radical ideas. They want the old ways. And if I can't communicate my ideas anyhow it does me no good. My ideas and concepts are so outside the box I confuse myself even. So what do the other people think...

Anyhow the reason why I'm rambling about this stuff is that I'm onto a new paradigm shift. I figure it's about that time and I'm losing focus... Or rather i'm getting slothful. I feel myself struggling to get "fit". And by fit i want the all encompassing FIT. And by thinking how to get fit, I've come to the realization that to accomplish this goal, I will most likely have to act in a linear fashion. Short cuts or bypassing stages won't do me any good.

Go figure. All my years of trying to be a radical concept thinker leads me back to the first square I've never really gotten to. Square one. I can achieve and obtain different levels of fitness but unless I do things on a linear basis I won't truly succeed. And by truly succeed I mean to carry these things out on a long term basis. In a nutshell I want to be:

Spiritually fit
physically fit
dietary fit
mentally fit
relationally fit
financially fit

I guess I can't take the credit for these desires as the Journey is discussing some of these actions in their sermons. (see their podcasts and message notes if available, very worthwhile). This is a burden that weighs on me as I'm struggling to deal with being on the back end of middle aged as well as suffering from a growing back end...

With luck and some help from God maybe I can achieve all my goals and maintain them for the rest of my life.

All grown up?

There use to be a time when the mention of going to a gun show would fill me with excitement and joy. The sights and smells and people of common interests conversing about guns or shooting without a care in the world or fear of being considered a crazy gun nut... After all at a gun show you were among fellow "brothers".

Back in the day it was a different feeling, a different vibe. We weren't at war, Columbine hadn't happen nor had the terror alerts begun. We were just some good old patriots reveling in our rights to bear arms. The assault weapons bans weren't so restrictive as yet and you could buy and find parts for all sorts of things for your gun of choice. You could handle displayed weapons, look for used combat fatigues, hunt for that needed accessory, and look through all sorts of paramilitary gadgetries whatever. I'd loved it. Everything. Common people, common interests, common goals. It was as good as Christmas except without the family drama.

I'm sad to say that I just went to the crossroads of the west gun show in orange county and I felt none of the excitement or energy that I had before. Again, maybe it's because of the internet. Nowerdays you can buy all sorts of stuff cheaply and from vasts distances. No need to wait for the gun show. Or maybe it's the war or the strict gun controls that make me remember how good it use to be and sadden because of the state we are in now. I can't help but feel sad to see how far we have gotten away from our past freedoms and how oppressive it's become.

I just don't know anymore. It doesn't make sense. I use to love going to the gun show. Now I feel nothing but a loss and sadness and perhaps a slight disinterest. Am I growing up? What's with this paradigm shift? Nobody told me. what changed. Certainly not my love for guns. Because I know once i'm out there shooting targets, i'll be giggling like a 4 year old... Or like beavis or butthead.

Maybe as I'm getting older I'm losing my idealism and my rose colored glasses are now coming off. I now realize that not all people view life and firearms as I do... with respect. That I don't have as much in common with the people at the show as I thought i did. That the show really doesn't have that much to offer me anymore.

I guess deep down I realize that I'm moving on and am mourning the event of me saying "bye" to the crossroads of the west.