Words of wisdom Wednesday - "in a pickle"

Ever play the card game In A Pickle? Its a game where you use cards with nouns on them and stack them to show a relationship. We go throught life where we're stuck in a pickle. Its how you play your cards right to get you out of those situations. Use your best judegment and stay focused and you will find yourself winning the game.

How to stay positive around negative people

Below are some useful tips on how to get through a positive day while being around negative people:

1. Avoid negative people outright if you can. Sometimes that might be impossible. That negative person can be your boss or coworker. It can be a family member. But, whenever possible, try to limit your contact with that person. The less negativity you experience, the better.

2. 
   

   Dwell on your accomplishments and not your failures. There will always be ups and downs in life, but by focusing on what you've accomplished, you'll be able to maintain your positive spirit even when others try to bring you down with their negativity.

3. 
   

   When confronted by negative people, smile. Experts say that smiling puts you in a good mood. Smiling is a great way to disarm negative energy and it just might also send out some positive vibes to the people you're dealing with.

4. 
   

   A negative person might also be hostile. Try not to meet their hostility with your own. Try to see things from their point of view, even if you disagree with their outlook. Empathy can go a long way in defusing any negativity you might feel toward this person.

5. 
   

   Do things that make you feel good or relaxes you. Take a bubble bath, listen to soothing music, cook a delicious meal, or do anything else you can think of that will help you disarm any negativity you've dealt with that day.

6. 
   

   Keep quotes or sayings with positive messages nearby. Tack them to your workspace or hang them in your kitchen. These messages can be gentle reminders that will help you maintain your positive outlook on life.

7. 
   

   If you are a religious person, turn to your spirituality to help you remain positive. Pray, attend services, or even seek spiritual counseling

8. 
   

   Count your blessings. No matter how much negativity you're surrounded by, whether in your own family or in your workplace, know that there are things you can appreciate and be positive about.

Thankful Tuesday

People come and go in our lives. Its the people that stick with you through good times and tough times that matter the most. No matter how bad your day is, there are people out there to support you. Throw away the negative vibe and take comfort in those that care about you. Use the advice and comforting words of your elders, grandparents give the best advice.
With that in mind, stay clear, be thankful for what you have and stay focused.

Good night,
Rico

Inspirational Quotes

Below are some great quotes that I find inspirational. I hope you do to :)

Do you give your pets enough attention? Just like with family, the more time and love you give, the more you get back. So put the time in and your pet will teach you the best trick of all, unconditional love ~ Rev. Run

Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people.
- Randy Pausch ( 1960-2008 )

If you can dream it, you can do it.
--Walt Disney

I’m not saying I have all the answers. I have failed as much as I have succeeded. But I love my life. I love my wife. And I wish you my kind of success
-- Dicky Fox (Jerry Maguire's Mentor)

Tell me, do you spend time with your family? Good. Because a man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.
-- Don Vito Corleone (The Godfather)

Motivation Monday

Meetings, tasks, action items, home life, traffic, bad weather...sound like your day? Don't let negative surroundings get you down. Things happen to make you stronger, smarter, thankful and blessed. Always know that family is love, love is power, power is strength, strength is life, life is family, life is love, life is power, life is strength :) Get motivated. If you have a goal, and that goal is to make a million dollars, don't just get to the prize and stop. Reflect back on your journey on how you got there. The prize will be more rewarding.

Stay up, smile at a stranger, hug your loved ones and love yourself

Rico...

First Audio Blog

Check out my first audio blog. Hope you enjoy it. I'm glad I'm getting into blogging :)

Click to hear Audio Blog

Are you bored?

We all have been bored at one time or another. Try this..instead of visiting your 'usual' websites(facebook, myspace, news, music, etc) do some random Google searches. I don't know what the fuck I was thinking one day, but I decided to google 'cholas'. Yes, female gangsta's. Ah man, hardcore shit and funny shit out there. So go google choloas. Check out the websites dedicated to them and the pics of them posing and throwing up their neighborhoods...fun times :)

I Bleed Blue

Its 7:10 pm on a summer night. Most people are at home from long day at work. Some people are at the dinner table getting ready to eat a home cooked meal. As for me, I'm at Dodger stadium having dinner that consists of a Dodger Dog and garlic fries. If I am at home, then I'm probably on the couch getting ready to hear those famous words, "Its time for Dodger baseball". As you can tell, the Dodgers are my favorite sports team of all time. I came to America from the Philippines and the first thing I learned was who the Dodgers are. My childhood past is filled with memories of going to Chavez Ravine with my uncle and cousin to watch one of the greatest sports teams. The grass is so green, the air is filled with the aroma of grilled Dodger Dogs and beer and most importanat, I'm surrounded by the most loyal fans there are. No matter what your nationality is or no matter what your religious beliefs are, everybody is family there as long as you wear that unique Dodger blue color.
I remember going to a game when I was a kid. I actually got to shake hands with Pedro Guerruero, Steve Sax, Fernando Valenzuela and Mariano Duncan. Man what an honor to be greeted by some of baseball's greatest legends. To shake your heroe's hand is every boys dream. Since then I knew I would be true to Dodger blue.
Going to a game is a ritual to me. I always have to drive a certain path, arrive at a certain time and park at a particular spot (depends where my seats are). Then when I get there, I always make sure I bring my lucky glove, lucky hat and my Dodger jacket with my famous Dodger Dog mustard stain (yes, a stain I will never clean off because I got that stain the night the Dodgers hit a walk off home run in 2007). I arive at least an hour before the game. I mean, who doesn't want to watch batting practice. If our seats are nearby, I usually head to center field to catch the fly balls). Then we head to the food lines. 2 Dodger dogs, garlic fries and a beer, maybe a soda sometimes. Then off to our seats. Grub on the food before the National Anthem then its game time! Once the game starts its a whole new zone. All I can see is the field of dreams and the players. By the way, don't bother talking to me about random jibber jabber, there's no time for that, the Dodgers are playing for Christ sakes! Everybody and everything is zoned out. I only focus on one thing, the greatest sport of all time. You will catch me talking to myself. I might say things like, "what the fuck are you doing ump?" Or "hit that outta here Manny!" Or I could just be uttering some plays and pitches Joe should call. Come on, everybody is a baseball coach in some form. Maybe around the 3rd or 4th inning I'll wake up from the haze and catch a couple of bags of peanuts. I mean who doesn't eat peanuts at a baseball game? Then the 7th inning stretch comes, now its time to put my arms around my wife (who is the best Dodger fan that I know!) and all of those who are with me and just sing along and appreciate the sport's traditions and fan loyalty. "Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd...". If you don't know those words, you need to be kicked. After the 7th inning stretch, its time to gain focus again. There's more yelling, more cheering and booing. If we're down on runs, then its time to flip you hats inside out and wear that rally cap! Wear it proud too because it works! We don't need no fucking monkey to help us rally, all we need is heart and determination! Now if we're up, its time to cheer on our closer. Let's pay the bill and check out of here! Oh and no matter how much we're winning or losing by, you will never, ever see me leave a game early. I never have and I never will!! So when the game ends and its time to leave the stadium, I always feel proud no matter if we win or lose. Get out from your seat and file out of the stadium. Don't forget to high five the other fans. We win and fall together. As I look back and I always look at the field one last time before exiting the stadium, I always get that feeling of "man, what a great game". All of these emotions and senses mean a great thing. The same emotions and feelings since my first Dodger game. It will never die from me.
I had the opportunity to take my niece to her first game last year. Before the game, I took her to the gift shop and decked her out with the latest Dodger gear. Shirt, hat, Dodger plush animal, the works! Since then I've taken her to every game since. I notice that look in her eye now too. That same look I got when I went to games as a kid. It feels great to pass on that tradition. It feels great to know that I helped create a new loyal fan. Most important, it feels great to see the Dodger family grow. We all now bleed Dodger blue!

A Little Too Extreme?

You'll understand once you click on the link below. Ok, so I believe in animal rights, protection of endangered species (animal, plants, tree or anything living). However, the activist depicted in the YouTube video below are way nuts!! Well, you make up your own mind.

Death Of A King

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

It's been days now since Michael Jackson has passed away. The media is at an all high frenzy. This is the same media that wrote horrible stories about him for years. The same media that invaded his personal life. Now it is the same media that is honoring him. We've all read the papers and stories so I won't get into that. What I want to talk about is his music and what he meant to me.
Who in the world does not know who Michael Jackson is? I remember growing up and listen to his music. My vivid memory was hanging out at my cousin Alfred's house and watching the Thriller video over and over on VHS (yeah, VHS!!). It was the Thriller video where they showed the 'making of Thriller'. It was great to see Michael's thought process on how revolutionized the whole music industry. That was the begining of the change of music videos.
Other fond memories I have are just hanging out and playing some good ol Jackson 5 music. 'Who's Loving You' is my all time FAVORITE Jackson 5 song. Just hearing lil Mike wail on the vocals truely showed his compassion for that song. Like Smokey Robinson said on his memorial, how can a little boy of Michael's age know the true feeling of losing somebody. He portrayed that in the song.
Michael is the GREATEST ENTERTAINER THAT LIVED. I do not think there is anybody today that can top that. Maybe in the future there will be. Maybe one day God will bless the world with an entertainer that will affect people's hearts. Until then, thank Michael for the great songs and performances you have shared. Though your life was tarnished for a short amount of time, your generosity and heart felt gratitude speaks higher volumes. You now have your spot light on the big stage in Heaven.