Dirty Thirty: 2 for 1 Special
“Life is too fucking short, go Balls Deep” - The Hoodie I’m Wearing
The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire. You know that meme with the room on fire and the little dog just sitting there like 'like this is fine’. That about sums up 2019 for me. After trying to bounce back from a rough year, I welcomed age 29 and vowed to have 20:20 vision the following year. New opportunities came along and I moved to California. Lost some good friends and made some new ones. The world shut down due to a Pandemic. Apparently that dog just sat there and let the world burn rather than getting off his ass and putting out the shit show. I let myself go because I was on crutches for four months and then lost 22lbs. Now I am in the best physical shape I’ve ever been in.
When you wake up every morning, you have two choices: Sleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them. Sometimes it feels that life is working against your favor. If you think about it, we will always win after death. Unfortunately, that is the way of the world. However, no matter how hard it gets, you must always tell yourself that making it is inevitable. You become stronger because you have to be. You become smarter because you make mistakes. You become happier because of the sadness you encounter. In the end, you become wiser because of what you learned. You don’t always need advice. Sometimes you really need a hand to hold, an ear to listen, and a heart to understand. You have a solid support system. Your support system is there. Use it!
In this world, there is always going to be some type of fire under your ass. Whether it is a fire that is going to motivate or a fire that is going to burn, never forget that life goes on. You either chose to move on and risk it all or live in the past… thinking what could have been. Don’t waste time looking back at what was lost! It was lost for a reason! Life is not meant to be traveled backwards. Dori keeps swimming. Dori is smart. Be like Dori.
Let me give you a different perspective. Now read the quote again before you continue. However, replace the word ‘you’ with ‘I’ and the word ‘your’ with ‘my’ in every instance.
I am going to be my only priority going into 2021. So should you! Everybody isn’t your friend. Just because they hang around you and laugh with you doesn’t mean they are there for you. Just because they say they got your back, doesn’t mean they won’t stab you in it. People pretend well. If they can say ‘lol’ without making a sound, they can say ‘I love you’ without feeling anything. Jealousy sometimes doesn’t live far. Know your circle. At the end of the day, real situations expose fake people, so pay attention. When people show you their true colors, don’t get mad… Paint a beautiful mural of life lessons and keep moving forward. I created all new social media accounts to remove the toxicity of my past. Even though my circle will decrease in size, it will increase in value. Challenges are what make life interesting, overcoming them is what makes them meaningful. Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never have enough. With all that being said, I am blessed. Thank you all for making me the person I am today. Happy 30th Birthday to me!
New iPhone, Who Dis?
“When there is an elephant in the room, introduce him” - Randy Pausch
I am blown away by this camera. The new iPhone 12 Pro Max with LiDAR is a GAME CHANGER!!!!! With a little bit of help, this picture was created in a dark room. Behind me is a red LED tube. Behind the elephant was a blue LED tube. Both tubes were about three feet away from the elephant. The swirling white light was made with an iPhone Flashlight with a finger halfway covering LED. Using night mode, we moved the iPhone in a bunch of different directions to achieve the light trail… WOW! The above image is the edited version. The below image is the unedited version DIRECTLY off the camera! Can you tell the difference because I barely can!
This picture is brought to you by Everyday Experiments!
Treat Yourself
“It all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to, has power over you, if you allow it.” - Unknown
Twelve weeks ago, I started my journey. Quarantine got the best of me physically and mentally and I needed to commit to a change. It got to the point where I was panting after walking up and down the stairs. None of my clothes fit and I felt like a slob. For the first time in my life, I focused on fitness and watching what I eat. Here are some fun facts:
Weight ≈ 189.8 lbs → 167.6 lbs
Waist Size ≈ 38 inches → 31 inches
BMI ≈ 27 → 23
Body Fat ≈ 16% → 12%
Muscle Mass ≈ 81% → 85%
I averaged a 4,800 calorie deficit every week
I worked out for ≈ 7,000 minutes
I burned ≈ 50,000 calories
I consumed ≈ 13,386 grams of protein
I consumed ≈ 11,945 grams of carbs
I consumed ≈ 4,361 grams of fat
I drank ≈ 65 gallons of water
I slept ≈ 635 hours
It has been 129 days since I had Portillo’s Chocolate Cake and I earned one today!
I have always been the person to say I can never watch what I eat because I love food too much… If I can do it, you can do it! Never lose faith and never give up! If you have a friend that is struggling, motivate them. I want to give a huge shoutout to all my friends and family that supported me these last twelve weeks and encouraged me to keep going. I even appreciate all the “you fat bitch!” comments from two of my close friends. You both know exactly what to say to get me fired up so I can continue to push myself. For the next twelve weeks, I am going to focus on gaining. Let’s see how this goes!
Are you looking for a workout plan to follow? Check out Fitness Culture and use my referral code AA-1201-15495 for your own gains!
Consistency Is Key
“Stop feeling bad for outgrowing people who had the chance to grow with you” - Unknown
This is my escape… This is my anchor… The place I go every day. To be alone with my thoughts. To push myself. To prove to myself I can go beyond the pain, beyond any limits I thought existed. Not everyone gets it. That’s ok. I don’t get them either… This is MY time! My time where I leave the world behind… headphones on, world off! Sweat, pain, out of breath… I’d rather die than leave with anything left! There won’t be anything left! NOTHING in my TANK! Not an ounce of effort! I give my ALL! Every time! That’s who I am. That’s all I know. That’s how I GROW!
I’ve never known anything less than 100%. Maybe that’s why I’m not in the 99%. The 99% who settle: Who never push… Never reach for what they want in life… Never go the extra mile… Those who make excuses… but never take action! Those who quit when it’s hard so will always find it hard! They’ll always find life hard because they always choose easy. I’m just glad that’s not me. I DEICDE who I am going to be! It starts and ends with ME! It starts here every day! That’s why I go through hell. To prepare myself for the world! To callus my hands and callus my mind so I’m not the average kind!
It starts here! Here where I’m willing to die! I’ll die before giving up! I’ll die before giving in! That’s just who I am! It’s starts NOW! And it never stops! That’s just who I AM! And I’m not changing for any one.
Belly of the Beast
“When you walk up to opportunities’ door, don't knock it. Kick that bitch in, smile and introduce yourself!” - The Rock
I’ve been home for 9 weeks and I am still adjusting to everything being open in the Midwest. I am definitely not complaining BUT its a huge culture shock compared to The Bay Area. Here are the final numbers for the Quarantine Movie Binge: A total of 782 movies, tv shows and audio books with a total run time of 18 weeks 3 days 3 hours 39 minutes. To put it into perspective. my total quarantine was 24 weeks 4 days 3 hours and 30 minutes. In that time, I gained weight just like everyone else and I was disgusted so I have been hauling ass. Consistently going to the gym 6 days a week and watching my diet, I am down 15 pounds and have 5 more to go! There are also a lot of gears turning a lot of different wheels at the moment. I am hoping for a lot of positive things to come out of this hustle. Sucess is all about consistency, not greatness. Working hard consistently gains success. Greatness will come!
Bittersweet
“But when I go to Chicago, I know I'm home” - Hank Sauer
Hey everyone! Life is still crazy and I know I haven’t posted any pictures in a while! I am back in the Midwest and the world is open out here so hopefully I find some time! I want to thank everyone that reached out during the drive to make sure Danny and I didn’t drive off a cliff or get arrested! For now, here is a picture of the middle of no where from the road trip and a before/after picture of a basketball court! Click here to see the few pictures I did take when I lived in California during a Pandemic!
Everything Will Be Alright
And now a video message from our sponsor!
This year has been rough for everyone. Some of us have been quarantined for 105 days. Some of us have been quarantined longer. What ever your situation is, know you are not alone. Do not forget to check on your friends. We are all in this together. Do not let the fuckery keep you down. Keep your head up and everything will be alright! #2020Vision
Keeping Up
“It is easier to keep up than catch up” - Unknown
Hey friends! Here are a few of my latest pictures! I have been super busy with work so I haven’t been able to post a meaningful blog. However, I do have a video done and ready to be posted! I will get that up along with more pictures this weekend! I hope everyone is doing well!
Side Note: I have watched 646 movies and tv shows (not including episodes) with a total runtime of 13w 5d 20h 34m. I am being very productive with this quarantine. Shoot me a message if you want my list!
W.T.F.
“Go home, brush your teeth, and wash your ass.” - Rob Nammari
Can everything just go back to normal so I can go outside? That would be great. I just want to do hood rat things with my hood rat friends. Speaking of hood rat things, all I am going to say about the events that are currently happening across the world is this: Stealing and being destructive isn’t helping the cause. If you are partaking in these activities, you are part of the problem. Go home, brush your teeth, and wash your ass.
The Little Things: Part 3
“April showers bring May flowers” - Unknown
Don’t let the Rona get the best of you. If you go out to enjoy the little things, please be safe.
The Isolation Station
“You don’t lose anyone when you’re intentions are pure, they lose you.” - Unknown
The Trip
I decided to take a little trip this quarantine. If I am going to be stuck in the house working from home, I might as well go home and do it. It was nice visiting Chicago for the week. Granted I couldn’t do anything but it was still fun. I created the picture above by merging the two pictures below. It was an accident really. At first I wanted to get a picture of the plane in focus. On the second attempt, the focus point was the rain drops. I decided to roll with it after having a chat with my buddy Kevin. It looks like some of the rain drops were wiped away. Think of is as is the glass half empty or half full. There were some pros and cons to this trip. Traveling during this time is scary. I took three flights this week and I traveled with a total of fifty people. To put it into perspective, the capacity for all three aircrafts is 175 people each.
Evaluation
Let’s change direction a little bit. I’ve been wearing shorts or sweatpants for the last month and a half with no complaints. Working from home is nice and all but it gets you thinking. Literally… you’re going to be thinking about stuff all day everyday. It can be distracting as well. You need to find something to keep you occupied. By the way, my total movie and tv show count is 334 titles with a total runtime of 4w 3d 4h 20m. How about them apples? Anyway, it is good for us to use this time to think about life. It is ok to contemplate what you want to do, where you want to live, who is worth keeping around, when will you get off your ass and make something of yourself, and why is life the bitch that it is.
The Process
You cannot move on until you accept the following:
You will not receive closure in every situation but you can create it for yourself. Sometimes bad things happen and there is nothing you can do about it. Sometimes you have to turn your back on the world when it turns its back on you. Kudos to whoever gets that reference. It isn’t a bad thing to be cold in a world like this but don’t let it change who you are. No matter what happens, you control the outcome. Kudos to whoever gets that reference too.
Most of what other people do is about them, not about you. This might sound selfish but you really have to make sure you’re good before you worry about others.
Some things cannot be explained. That’s life. There can’t be a word, idea, definition, or reason for everything that happens.
Some people won’t apologize because they can’t. Not everybody is a horrible person. Some people know their actions are wrong but they can’t apologize because of the outcome in will produce. Thinking back to the second bullet point. It isn’t that persons intentions to do you wrong but they have to think about themselves to benefit from the situation.
You cannot change people, no matter how much you think they need to change. People change themselves. The longer you live in the past, the less future you have to enjoy.
Life can raise your spirits and make you the happiest person in the world. On the other hand, life can bring you down and make you feel like you don’t exist. There is always a time when you have to step back, breath, and look back at recent events. Stay Positive. Do not watch the petals fall from the rose with sadness. Know that, like life, things sometimes must fade before they can bloom again. Everything will fall into place as it should.
Quarantine: Day Unknown
“Every bad situation has something positive; even a dead clock shows the correct time twice a day” - Unknown
So far, I watched 258 movies and 6 tv shows since March 15th totaling a run time of 3w 3d 19h 47m. Tell me about the movies and shows you have watched this quarantine. Social distancing at its finest. Here is a picture of my blinds. Enjoy!
California Living
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending” - C.S. Lewis
Wow… where do I even start… Culture shock!!!!! I have only been in California for three weeks and I am still processing it. My body is still getting used to the weather and elevation change but I can breathe and sleep better already. Getting used to corporate life is still a work in progress. As you can imagine, it is nothing like retail! I wish I can tell you more but I can’t. Lets just say Apple Culture is amazing and the adjustment is going very smooth! Apple Park is by far the most mind blowing facility you will ever see or go to. I took this picture at night with no flash! Night mode on the iPhone 11 Pro Max is honestly the most impressive feature with iPhone camera. In terms of pictures, this is all I am able to take. At this time, employees can only take photos of building exteriors at Apple Park, and must ensure confidential information or projects are not unintentionally revealed. Otherwise, employee photography is not permitted at Apple Park. Crazy right!
If you want to know more about what is going on, you can read the quoted section. If you already know, feel free to skip it.
Now I know a lot of you are wondering how everything is going with COVID-19 aka coronavirus. Just like other states in the country, it started with local gathering spots have been restricted. The region is the first to direct people to stay home as much as possible and avoid even small social interactions. On Friday, Santa Clara County had banned all gatherings of 35 people or more. Now, everyone is supposed to stay inside their homes and away from others as much as possible for the next three weeks in a desperate move to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus across the region. The directive was set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and involves San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties — a combined population of more than 6.7 million. It is to stay in place until at least April 7. The three other Bay Area counties — Sonoma, Solano and Napa — did not issue similar mandates. The orders — which are all similarly worded — fall just short of a full lockdown, which would forbid people from leaving their homes without explicit permission. Violation of the orders is considered a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or jail time.
To say the least, I was not worried until this order went into effect. Businesses that do not provide “essential” services must send workers home. Among those remaining open are grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants for delivery only and hardware stores. The directive allows for people to go outside — and in fact, health officers encouraged people to run, hike and walk their dogs, as long as they do it alone or with close family, and keep 6 feet away from others. Trails and parks are open, but people cannot gather in groups. Recreation centers and clubhouses are closed. People may travel for shopping for necessary supplies, accessing health care and providing aid to family and friends who need assistance, and for non-residents, returning to their homes outside the region. Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open, and restaurants may stay open to provide takeout food only.
I want to thank everyone that reached out to make sure I was doing ok since I am on my own out here. My posts will obviously be limited for the next few weeks because of current events so I will give you all two pictures with this post. This is the homie Turbo! I’ve never seen a snail in person before. These little guys come out after it rains and swarm the sidewalks! Be sure to watch your step! Be sure to keep your eyes open for more pictures and a recap video!
Goodbye Chicago...
"Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go what you can't change" - Unknown
I am going to keep this one short and sweet. Going into 2020, I vowed to make positive life changes. Consistently focusing on my physical and mental strength. I forgave some people and tried being a better human. That being said, I am happy to announce I will be moving to Cupertino, California for six months. I will be leaving next week so if you want to hang out, please let me know! I am so excited for this Career Experience and I look forward to all the upcoming content for the website! #2020Vision
1 Cat, 1 Post, 2 Pics!
“If cats could talk, they wouldn’t” - Nan Porter
The moments of non-fuckery are the moments that define our lives. Stop dealing with people who are toxic and have no respect for you. People that make you uncomfortable. Don’t live life walking on eggshells. I encourage you to read ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck’ by Mark Manson. It is a huge eye opener. Often the only difference between a problem being painful or being powerful is a sense that we shove it, and that we are responsible for it.
“The more something threatens your identity, the more you will avoid it"
- Manson's Law of Avoidance
One day you’re going to wake up and it will feel different. You’re in a place that feels right. As if it is exactly where you need to be. Your heart is calm. Your soul is shining bright. Positive thoughts are overflowing and your vision is clear. You’re at peace with where you’ve been and with what you’ve been through. You are finally at comfortable and at peace with where you’re heading. Don’t miss out on something that could have been amazing because of a difficult time.
“Nothing is as easy as it looks. Everything takes longer than you expect. If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong... and at the worst possible moment“
- Murphy’s Law
When you wake up every morning, you have two choices: Sleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them. Sometimes it feels that life is working against your favor. If you think about it, will always win after death. Unfortunately, that is the way of the world. However, no matter how hard it gets, you must always tell yourself that making it is inevitable. You become stronger because you have to be. You become smarter because you make mistakes. You become happier because of the sadness you encounter. In the end, you become wiser because of what you learned. You don’t always need advice. Sometimes you really need a hand to hold, an ear to listen, and a heart to understand. You have a solid support system. Your support system is there. Use it!
In this world, there is always going to be some type of fire under your ass. Whether it is a fire that is going to motivate or a fire that is going to burn, never forget that life goes on. You either chose to move on and risk it all or live in the past… thinking what could have been. Don’t waste time looking back at what was lost! It was lost for a reason! Life is not meant to be traveled backwards. Dori keeps swimming. Dori is smart. Be like Dori.
Let me give you a different perspective. Now read the quote again before you continue. However, replace the word ‘you’ with ‘I’ and the word ‘your’ with ‘my’ in every instance.
Be like KitKat. Don’t give a fuck! Relax and enjoy what you have. Just keep moving forward and don’t give a shit about what anybody thinks. Do what you have to do for you!
First Video of 2020
“A pathway towards family empowerment through Martial Arts” - Braulio Corral
First video of the new year! Corral's Martial Arts asked me to film a commercial for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Be sure to sign up and let Professor Baulio know you saw the video on my website!
Public Service Announcement
“When was the last time we just looked at the stars… ever feel like you’re alone in the universe” - Agent Jay
Surround yourself with people that are going to help you grow. People focus on failure, negativity and controversy. Do not give in to the click bait. YOU have a support system. Talk to someone if you need to. Never believe you have no one in your corner. Try to find a light in everything that you do. The weather is dark and gloomy; it feels like rain and ice has consumed the midwest. I am not letting it stop me. I am reaching for the stars and continue to stride forward. I challenge you to do the same. If you struggle, let’s talk. I am here for you! Contact me! Please don’t hesitate.
(P.S.) This is a picture of icy rain on my windshield with a reflection of a street lamp. I wish the midwest was clear enough for me to take pictures of stars.
New Beginnings (Official Announcement)
“Fight for what you want” - Team CMA
I am proud to announce a partnership with Corral’s Martial Arts! I am currently working on a commercial for the new year and will be filming some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions in 2020! If everything goes as planned, I will be competing as well. Stay tuned for updates in the next few weeks!
Full Circle
“George Michael was right. I'm never gonna dance again. Fuck!” - DeadPool
Is your cup half empty or half full? It all depends on your perception of life. Once you change your perception, you will change your reality. Every path to a new understanding begins with confusion.
Limelight
“Every situation in life is temporary. So, when life is good, make sure you enjoy and receive it fully. And when life is not so good, remember that it will not last forever and better days are on the way” - Bruce Lee
A lime wedge on a cutting board. A picture says a thousand words. I am going to start from the ground up. If you don’t believe me, start counting:
Parts of the board are in the shadows. It’s the unknown. A dark abyss of who knows what. Other parts of the board are in the light. There is an area you can see but it’s out of focus. Unsure of what is ahead. Then you have the area that’s in focus. This area in your personal space. The areas that are in focus represent something you can control. The areas that are out of focus are the areas you do not understand. The darkness is unpredictable. The darkness can be the home of many things that haven’t stepped into the light. Multiple knives have damaged the smooth surface of the cutting board. No slice in the same direction. This represents what life can do to your body. You fall and rise after making mistakes. As a human, you live and learn. Heartbreak does not negate the fact that you’re alive - able to breath, to think, to enjoy, and to chase what you love. Sometimes the journey is filled with sorrow but there is still a lot of beauty ahead of you. We must continue to put one foot in front of the other even when we hurt, for we will never know what is waiting on the other side. Smoothing a wooden board with sand paper is just as easy as self care. Rebuild your mind and your mentality. Rejuvenate your perspective to be better. Psychologically damaged people tend too be the strongest because they know they can survive anything. The strong minds tend to suffer without complaining, while the weak complain without suffering. Pain strengthens the mind. Do not play the victim to the circumstances you created. Be persistent in your journey despite the difficulty of the road you travel. Just remember that karma is only a bitch if you are.
We define ourselves by the best thing that is in us, not the worst thing that has been done to us. People who are sensitive tend to be the most genuine and honest. Nothing is kept secret with these type of people. They will pour their hearts out to you if they trust your kindness. The lime shines bright in the darkness. You see all the little vein like strands in the lime. Showing all of its imperfections. Wedges within the wedge representing all of the emotions that lay within. Strategically placed, the lime represents a smile. Standing out of the darkness; overcoming adversity. However the lime has a secret. The pain from the hidden area found its way into the light and compromised its mentality. True strength is smiling when you want to cry, and laughing to hide the pain. Regardless of what is happening in life, the lime will stand tall. Of course, life tends to fight back from time to time. Sometimes we only hear and see what we want to. With a small squeeze of the edges, all of the juice (emotion) will come out of the lime. As if it is being betrayed, it will reject you. Out of no where, there goes your eye with some lime juice that represents reality punching you in the face. You can do everything you can to avoid reality but you can never avoid the consequences of reality. If you ever fall, be sure to get back up and keep fighting. Keep yourself in the limelight of your life. Respect others if they respect you. Continue to respect others even if they disrespect you. Do not allow the actions of others to decrease your good manners because you represent yourself, not others. Sometimes you need to silently step back and look at the bigger picture. Then you’ll know what to do.
What can say one about the light? Does it bring out the good quality of the object in focus or is it positioned to hide what the artist does not want you to see? Could it be both? Regardless of what I see in this picture, your eyes may see something different. We spend an entire lifetime looking for a message to help us understand our existence. As a human, it is your responsibility to interpret life and because that is our message. Life is always changing and it will always get harder. All this does is make you stronger. There is always going to be something that is obstructing your path. It is hard to let go of something you care about or something that is not right for you. In the process of letting go, you will most definitely lose things you do not want to lose but in the end, you will find yourself and what is right for you. The fact of the matter is, unless you let go, and forgive yourself, forgive others, forgive the situation; unless you realize that the situation is over, you can never move forward.
When you wake up every morning, you have two choices: Sleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them. Sometimes it feels that life is working against your favor. If you think about it, will always win after death. Unfortunately, that is the way of the world. However, no matter how hard it gets, you must always tell yourself that making it is inevitable. You become stronger because you have to be. You become smarter because you make mistakes. You become happier because of the sadness you encounter. In the end, you become wiser because of what you learned. You don’t always need advice. Sometimes you really need a hand to hold, an ear to listen, and a heart to understand. You have a solid support system. Your support system is there. Use it! In this world, there is always going to be some type of fire under your ass. Whether it is a fire that is going to motivate or a fire that is going to burn, never forget that life goes on. You either chose to move on and risk it all or live in the past… thinking what could have been. Don’t waste time looking back at what was lost! It was lost for a reason! Life is not meant to be traveled backwards. Dori keeps swimming. Dori is smart. Be like Dori.
Let me give you a different perspective. Now read the quote again before you continue. However, replace the word ‘you’ with ‘I’ and the word ‘your’ with ‘my’ in every instance.