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Everyone has a Top Ten something. Click on a link to view: Top 18 Favorite Anime Songs, Ten Fundamentals to Raise A Child in Their Early to Mid-Early Years, Top 30 Most Memorable Moments, Top Nine Classic Rock Songs, or Top 31 Personal Values

Top 18 Favorite Anime Songs

Here are the latest Top 18 Favorite Anime Songs.

1. Kesenai Tsumi (Unerasable Sin),
   Full Metal Alchemist First Ending Theme

2. A Little Pain,
   NANA First Ending Theme

3. Motteke Sailor Fuku (Take It! My Sailor Uniform),
   Lucky Star Opening Theme

4. Bouken Desho Desho (Adventure, right? Right?),
   The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi Opening Theme

5. Anata Ga Ita Mori (The Forest In Which You Were),
   Fate/Stay Night Ending Theme

6. I Will,
   Full Metal Alchemist Fourth Ending Theme

7. Kinjirareta Asobi (The Forbidden Game),
   Rozen Maiden Opening Theme

8. Loop,
   Tsubasa Chronicle Ending Theme

9. Lost My Music,
   The Melancholy of Suzumiya

10. God knows . . .,
    The Melancholy of Suzumiya

11. Tsubasa,
    Tsubasa Chronicle Sakura's Version

12. Ready Steady Go,
    Full Metal Alchemist Second Opening Theme

13. Mou Sukoshi . . . Mou Sukoshi . . . (A Little More . . . A Little More . . .),
    Midori No Hibi (Days Of Midori) Ending Theme

14. Life Is Like A Boat,
    Bleach First Ending Theme

15. Sakura Kiss,
    Ouran High School Host Club Opening Theme

16. Jun (Genuine),
    Cromartie High School Opening Theme

17. Itooshi Hito No Tameni (For The Sake Of My Beloved),
    Fushigi Yuugi TV Series Opening Theme

18. Zankoku Na Tenshi No Thesis (A Cruel Angel's Thesis),
    Neon Genesis Evangelion TV Series Opening Theme

Ten Fundamentals to Raise A Child in Their Early to Mid-Early Years

I never raised children; however, I do know children in their early years to mid-early years need care, attention, kindness, and love to become great people.

1. Read. Get the Charlie Brown, Sesame Street, and Dr. Seuss books. Where's Waldo books, Cosmopolitan magazines, and stock tables don't count. Do you know where the library is?

2. Vocabulary lesson: love, pretend, laugh, smile, compassion, dream, dinner table, gentle, play, learn, fun.

3. Never say "Because I'm the Mother" or "Because I'm the Father." The more said, the less creditability the children believes from their parents. Children learns. Explain the reasons.

4. No hitting and no spanking. The acceptable physical contact are hugs, kisses, holding hands in the park, and dancing to Elvis Presley's Burning Love.

5. Know the trends. Kermit the Frog is green, Barney is a purple dinosaur, Angelica is four years old, and Pikachu is a yellow mouse. If parents know the Major League Baseball Rosters and who married who and who divorced who, there is no excuse to not know Sponge Bob Square Pants.

6. Be patient. It takes 18 years for children to become adults. Parents, there is plenty of time to raise children. Doogie Hauser, M.D. children are very, very rare. Regardless, lessons on life need to be taught and their questions answered.

7. Teach the little things. Knowledge equips the children to learn and have an active life ahead. Start with telling time, fold the clothes, count from 1 to 20, say thank you, brush their teeth, know the home phone number, share, make the bed, eat properly to grow healthy and to become smart, drink water, and put things away when done.

8. Wonder with the children. They love new things, new sights, and anything interesting. Look, there's a butterfly. When they run, hold hands and run with them.

9. Never forget to say "Good Morning," "Good Afternoon," and "Good Night, Sweet Dreams."

10. Have a sense of humor. Situation: The child spills milk. Don't say, "Look at the mess you made. It's all over the floor. Don't do it again!" Rather, say, "Well, at least the entire milk carton was not spilled. Ha, Ha. I grab the towels, you pick up the milk carton, and lets clean the mess together."

©2000, Raymond Mar

Top 30 Most Memorable Moments

30 years on planet Earth. That's one way to say that I turned 30 years old in 2004. Good moments and bad moments define people. For someone's good moment, someone else has a bad moment. I have my share of good moments and bad moments.

I got the idea of sharing my top 30 moments from ESPN's Top 25 Lists. In 2004, ESPN celebrated 25 years of sports broadcasting with their Top 25 Lists.

Am I going to get personal? Yes. It's no different than a rant section, opinions, on-line journals, blogs, bulletin board systems, on-line diaries, and other personal webpages which gets really personal. Some people are more open personally and some people are less open personally. Here, I'm being more open personally compared to when I post on the bulletin boards.

The reason I'm sharing my top 30 moments is because some people have experienced similar good and bad moments and experiences. It's all part of living and it defines who we are. And I may be able to help some people realize that life is really not that bad and it's always worth the time to find something to like yourself. In the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, (spoiler, highlight to view: in Episode 26, Shinji realized that life is not that bad and that if you like yourself and be yourself, people like you. All the world is a stage.). It's easy to be depressed and feel bad when life doesn't go your way. Remembering the best and worst moments remind us that everything is going to be O.K.

People are mentioned in the top 30 moments. I'm going to use the first name and last name initials for people involved in moments which they made a positive impact for me and themselves. I'm not going to mention names for people involved in moments which they made a positive impact for me only.

The following moments are not included in the top 30: getting my first driver's license, graduating from San Jose State, graduating from high school, my first school dance, promoted to Second Lieutenant in R.O.T.C., gambled for the first time, first traffic ticket, 18th birthday, 21st birthday, and my first job. The reason these moments are not included is because, to me, they were just another day. In the anime series Love Hina, (spoiler, highlight to view: I felt like Naru when she graduated high school and nobody was with her to celebrate. It was just another day.). And nothing spectacular happened at those moments which made me cherished them.

Here are the Top 30 Most Memorable Moments:

1. My First Dream (Around 1978). Who can remember their first dream? Probably not many. My first dream was I was floating down the sky passing big and puffy white clouds. I gently landed next to a waterfall at the Meyerholz Elementary School playground. The waterfall was not a waterfall found at a forest; rather, it was like a slide in a playground. It wasn't made of metal. It was made of wood. The outside of the waterfall was made of perfectly squared pieces of wood with grooves along the outer pieces of the squares and stacked symmetrically to form the slide.

   The water calmly flowed like a stream. I stepped on the water and slid down like sliding down a slide. As I slid down, I saw on my right a mountain with Chinese wise men wearing traditional Chinese clothing staring at me. When I landed softly without harm, I walked home. I lived 5 minutes away from school. I walked home not paying attention that I was wet. When I arrived home, I rang the doorbell. The front door opened. I went in.

   On occasion, I think about my first dream. I wonder if those who remember their first dream had a dream similar to mine. Sometimes I think about my first dream when I'm in a stressful situation or when I'm bored and need to think of something.

   Update April 3, 2005: On April 1, 2005, I was sorting a stacking of papers at work (yup, boring job, I know) and I was thinking about my Top 30 Moments. I thought about my Number 1 Moment. I said to myself that I really don't have a Number 1 Moment during my 30 years of life. I choose to take back my Number 1 Moment and save it for the real Number 1 Moment. Granted my Number 1 Moment is after my 30th birthday; however, I'm want the Number 1 Moment to be the best moment I feel proud I can tell anyone. I want to save the Number 1 Moment for my true and genuine Number 1 Moment no matter when it happens because it's going to happen. I'm working my butt off to earn my true Number 1 Moment.

2. The Next Rich Dad, Poor Dad (2002)? The first time I heard of Robert Kiyosaki was a late night infomercial. The infomercial was the only infomercial I watched from beginning to end. The information made perfect sense. L.M, a friend and former co-worker, introduced Kiyosaki with greater detailed. She told me about Kiyosaki's books, tapes, seminars, and the web page.

   I went to Costco the same week and I saw Kiyosaki's first book Rich Dad, Poor Dad. I purchased the book, read the book, and became more aware about my financials and my future. I read books by Peter Lynch, learned how to read a financial statement, attended seminars, read more Kiyosaki books, and, in short, started to learn more about businesses and expand my skills and knowledge professionally and personally.

   In 1999 when I was out of college, I never had a five year plan. Today, I have a five year plan. I want to innovate myself with knowledge and skills in technology, web pages, stock market, and whatever else I'm interested in learning. Also, I want to meet and know more people-expand my circle of friends, family, and acquaintances.

   Ms. L.M., we do keep in touch from time to time and it's hard with our busy schedules. When I make my first million dollars, I'm going to make sure you are appreciated.

3. The Perfect Semester at San Jose State University (Fall 1996). How perfect was it? Read the following: classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays; missed only one day of classes; 3.64 semester Grade Point Average; no math classes; learned how to write at Economics Writing Workshop; mastered video game Area 51; flexible part time job; became an anime fan; learned to keep your present job while searching for another job (employers, it's not a secret); ate breakfast and lunch at Student Union for the first time (and I lost weight); browsed on the web for the first time; playing music while studying helped me; drink water to prevent getting sick; and the semester was not torture.

4. Ms. C.H. (1980). Ms. C.H. was my first friend and classmate in school. We met in Kindergarten at Sierra Elementary School. I remember one time we talked on the phone about Sesame Street and Cookie Monster. And I remember you invited me to your birthday party. When my Mom came to pick me up, I was nervous leaving the party I keep forgetting to say thank you. I don't know why I was nervous.

   Ms. C.H., you probably don't remember me today. I still remember you. I hope everything is going well. I'm doing all right myself.

5. The Triple Play (1984-1988). G.I. Joe, Transformers, and MASK. If I was buying stocks in the 1980s, I bet Hasbro and Kenner were great companies to buy. (Kenner also made Star Wars in the early 1980s.) During the 1980s, my brother and I played G.I. Joe, Transformers, and MASK. We played on Saturdays and during the summers. Also, we watched the cartoons. We had a list of plots and titles and we took turns choosing which scenario to play and whether each of us played either the good guys or the bad guys. Our collection was not the biggest. There were some big name figures, robots, and accessories we never purchased or got for our Birthday and Christmas presents. I think, however, having enough toys for the three series was better than having all the toys for one series. There was a lot of variety.

6. www.innovateinfinitely.com Is Online (May 1, 2004). On June 2003, I choose to create a new web site with a new design to promote Innovate Infinitely. Everything I learned in the 30 years at work, in leisure, at San Jose State, reading books, and living life everyday can be summarized in two words-Innovate Infinitely. It took 10 months finding a web hosting company, learning how to register a domain name, how the Domain Name Servers work, and learning the basics of web pages and the Internet. The experience and journey were worth the adventure. I admit I have lots more to learn. www.innovateinfinitley.com is a start. I hope the people who visit my web site are satisfied and come back to visit again.

7. Innovate Infinitely Was Created (2000). There is no innovateinfinitely.com without Innovate Infinitely. Innovate Infinitely was created when I was driving to Japantown-San Jose. Initially, I needed a web page theme because my family, friends, and acquaintances' web pages have a theme. I wanted a never stop learning theme. Always find ways to be a better person. And when you accomplished something, find another way to improve it.

   At a stop light, the words Innovate and Infinitely came to my mind. I said the words together, "Innovate Infinitely . . . Never Stop Innovating Life." Today, I'm innovating infinitely--always finding something new to learn, always improving what I know, always creating, and always becoming a better person professionally and personally.

8. What's My Major? Economics (Fall 1995). In Fall Semester 1995 at San Jose State University, my careerpath of becoming a math teacher was not going well. The preparation, volunteering, reading, and the people who helped guide me to become a math teacher were falling apart. I lost my desire to become a math teacher. I didn't know what to do. It was a realty check.

   After asking for opinions from professors, classmates, and friends, the choice was made to switch my major from Mathematics to Economics and to switch my minor from Economics to Mathematics. Changing majors was the obvious and only choice. I was good at Mathematics, and I probably be a better thinker because math involved lots of thinking and logic; however, I didn't have the potential to be the best at Mathematics. At the time I was a student, the average student changed majors 3.2 times. I think it's higher today with more career choices.

   I believe changing majors was the most important choice in my life. If I graduated with a Math degree and earned my teaching credential, then I probably quit being a math teacher in 5 years. At the time I was a Mathematics major, 50% of teachers quit the profession within 5 years.

9. Anime Expo 2003 (2003). Anime Expo 2003 was the perfect vacation. Great anime series released, no lines in the dealers room, registration was organized, rarely stayed in my hotel room, everyone had the anime enthusiasm, the scheduling was perfect (for me and planning lunch and dinner), music videos were great, terrific cosplayers, and I was within budget. The convention is currently my all-time favorite convention. Everything went perfect for me.

   If anyone wanted to be introduced to anime and wanted to attend an anime convention for the first time, Anime Expo 2003 is the convention to attend. 2003 was a great year for anime. Anime Expo 2003 proved it.

10. Anime Expo 2001 (2001). Anime Expo 2001 was a great convention. Anime Expo 2001 is currently my second all-time favorite convention. I rented a car for the first time and my friend and I drove to an all Japanese arcade 30 minutes away from Long Beach.

    The convention itself, however, was not the reason Anime Expo 2001 is Number 10 on my Top 30 Most Memorable Moments. The event immediately before Anime Expo 2001 was the reason. Through the first half of 2001, I had problems professionally and personally. The economy was in a recession. One night, I had trouble sleeping. Then I realized something. The professional and personal problems were beyond your control. Control what you can control and don't control what you can't control. What you can't control let it be. After the realization, I freed myself from all the worries which I should not have been worrying in the first place. Now that I was free and realized that everything is going to be O.K., the convention was going to be O.K. There were no problems, no worries, and the convention was more than O.K.

    In summary, Anime Expo 2001 was one of my memorable moments because I learned to control what I can control and don't control what I can't control. I controlled my attitude and convince myself that it's a vacation, forget your worries, and have fun. I did have fun.

    Unfortunately, there was one negative about the Anime Expo 2001 vacation. It was over budget.

11. First Job After College (1998). I'm not going to mention the company's name because the company is not worth writing home about. My brief tenure at the company was a positive negative. I learned something about bad companies. Bad companies exist with people and management who are unqualified at their positions. I wonder how these bad companies stay in business? Luck?

    When I was in college, the career planning placement center and the career books I read taught students how to find a job, how to work well with others, get promoted, and look for opportunities in the company. Unfortunately, there was no training on how to identify bad companies.

    Lesson to undergraduates and high school students: learn how to spot bad companies. You may think you never work in a bad company. There is always a good chance you work in a bad company. I worked in a bad company for my first job after college. If you work in a bad company, begin searching for a new job. If the company you work at is nothing, you are probably going nowhere. There are good companies to work for with good people and great opportunities. Don't believe in so-called job experts. Believe in friends and family with experience in the workplace and read the Dilbert comic strip.

12. Around the State of California in 90 Days (1995). My family and I visited Raging Waters Theme Park in San Jose, Yosemite National Park, Santa Barbara, Disneyland, and went River Rafting in Central California near Sacramento. Summer 1995 was a fun summer. I don't think any college student trade an internship or part-time job for a summer vacation around California in 90 days. Those going to Yosemite National Park next summer, bring lots of water, comfortable clothes and shoes, and the best flashlights money can buy. There is no price for safety.

13. 1997, The Year of the Role Playing Game (RPG) (1997). If anyone wrote a book on the fundamentals of a RPG group, look for my friends and I in the book. 1997 was the perfect year for RPG. Everyone was in San Jose, everyone adjusted their college and work schedules, everyone participated in the action, and the plots were terrific. Overall, it was a year my friends and I never forget.

    I was introduced to Advanced Dungeon & Dragons (AD&D) in 1997. I met some new RPGers through my friends. When some of us had to leave San Jose, the ones remaining participated in an AD&D campaign taking place in late 1997 and finishing in early 1998.

14. To Crush and Be Crushed (1981). I was in 1st grade when I had a crush on someone and someone had a crush on me. The person I had a crush on sat on my left. She and I sat at the second to the last row. There was nobody sitting on my right. Her first name is M.(no last name initial). She had short, bright, and brown hair. I remember the pink overalls she wore. I never talked to her. And she never talked to me. I never started a conversation. Was I that scared or shy?

    The person who had a crush on me was in my class. Her name was J.(no last name initial). She had long, blond hair. She wore a dark purple dress, and I think she wore the dress everyday because the dress was my favorite. During lunch time, she wanted to kiss me. I remember the kids in the playground trying to pin me to the ground so she could kiss me. When the kids attempted to catch me, I made a stupid move. I went up the slide, slid down, and the kids were waiting for me at the bottom. Why I went up the slide remained a mystery to me? I was successfully pined down. Then I blank out. I don't remember if J.(no last name initial) kissed me or I successfully escaped.

    When lunch time was over, I told the teacher that J.(no last name initial) was bothering me. When J.(no last name initial) entered the classroom, she smiled at me. The teacher told J.(no last name initial) to leave me alone. After I told the teacher, she stopped liking me because she stopped talking to me and she found someone else she liked.

15. A False Start (Fall Semester 1992 and Spring Semester 1993). I was a freshman at San Jose State University in Fall 1992 and Spring 1993. The semesters were easy: little homework, easy instructors, content not difficult to understand, and some classes I already knew the content.

    In Fall Semester 1993, I thought it was going to be the same as my first year. Learn quickly, easy instructors, have time for fun, and breeze through college. I was wrong big time. The semester was the worst semester ever. The homework, essays, and tests were hard. I took a computer programming course. I took BASIC in junior high school and did well so I thought learning C++ was easy to learn. Bad thinking. I struggled with C++ and barley passed.

    Was I really smart? I was dumb--dumb to realize that the classes I took in my first year were so easy I created a false impression college was easy which was not easy. I was an example of a student who selected the easy courses in their first year and created a false impression that college courses were not difficult at all.

    Lesson learned: the first year is always easy and it doesn't get any easier after the first year.

16. Lunch Hour Run (1982-1983). I was in 3rd grade at Meriholz Elementary School. Every Wednesday lunch hour, the school has a running program where students run around the grass field. I participated every Wednesday running one mile. Weekly, the teacher coordinator created a map of the world and took the top runners, added the miles ran, and charted how far the top runners ran around the world starting from the school. I felt really cool my name was on the top runners list. Thanks to the running, I became a fast runner. I was not a Carl Lewis or Michael Johnson runner; however, I was somebody who could chase a baby carriage going down a stairway out of control and saving the baby.

17. In The Retail Business (1996-1997). My first undergraduate job outside college was at Blockbuster Video at Westgate Mall in San Jose. What I learned at Blockbuster Video applied to my future jobs. Being good is smart, nobody likes jerks, consumers buy good products at low prices, dumb customers exists, dumb workers exists, the workers are really in charge, the executives are not really in charge, friendly management exists, there are good days and there are bad days, customer service is one important factor and not the important factor in a successful business, and the best companies always innovate.

    I like to make a suggestion to the educators in the pubic school system. I believe students should work a semester in retail to graduate high school. The students have the opportunity to learn something outside the classroom, learn how to deal with people, learn business, learn the workplace, and earn money. The students work 10-20 hours a week for a semester, or make students entering their senior year work in retail during the summer to earn high school credit. No homework should be assigned and no tests. The students remember what they learn on the job because the experience helps them for their future jobs.

    Likewise to parents. Children in high school should get a part time job in retail. Isn't it better for your children to work part time rather than sit at home and watch TV or play video games?

18. Meet Mr. J.F. (1983-1984). My fourth grade school year was at a new school. Also, I attended a public school for the first time. I met Mr. J.F. He was in my class. He was the most popular fourth grader. He was smart, athletic, and was a leader among the boys. What impressed me about Mr. J.F. was that he treated everyone equally. I was not smart, terrible in athletics (but a fast runner), and was the last person picked in team P.E. sports. Mr. J.F. made school comfortable for me. He made sure everyone recognized me, taught me how to play football, and made sure everyone treated me like one of the boys.

    Mr. J.F., I hope you are doing O.K. I never said thank you for what you did in fourth grade. Thank you. You were a friend to me.

19. The 1987 Depression (1987). I was in 7th grade when I became depressed. It was the first time I heard about the word. Nothing went my way in 7th grade. The teachers stink, my classes were boring, and I really didn't have any friends that school year. I was a person nobody wanted to be with, and thinking about it now, I'm glad nobody did. I was the biggest jerk nobody else knew, and anyone who knew didn't want to be with me.

    I remember one night I was lying on my bed. Relatives visited my house and the kids went to Bullwinkles to play video games. Bullwinkles was like a Chuck E. Cheese with pizza, video games, and skeet-ball. I didn't want to go. Actually, I did. I wanted the family to give me more attention by insisting me to go. I probably declined anyways.

    Like many depressions, there was an end. During the last months of my 7th grade, I had a new math teacher, meet some new friends, and played basketball during lunchtime.

20. Aye, Aye Captain Mar (1980). When we were kids, we remember certain words we learned for the first time. One of the words I remembered the best took place in Washington Park in Alameda, CA. In the park, there was a surviving steam locomotive train. The black train was a Southern Pacific #1227 S-11 0-6-0 steam locomotive (Source: http://pages.tca.net/lruback/sp_stm.htm, http://www.trainnet.org/Libraries/Lib002/STEAM3.txt, and http://home.socal.rr.com/coscia/sp_steam.html)

    My brother, cousin, and I were playing with the other kids in and around the train. Somehow, someone created some game and I was appointed the Captain. Captain?!? What did that word mean? For the rest of the day, the kids called me Captain. When there were problems around the train, the other kids called me, "Captain, there is a fire. Come take a look." And I took a look. Everywhere throughout the train, the kids called me to investigate problems around the train. My brother and cousin followed me like they were my lieutenants. All the kids looked up to me. I was the center of attention.

    A Captain made sure everything works correctly. A Captain portrayed himself and herself as dependable among his or her subordinates, co-workers, team, personnel, etc. A Captain never accepted failures. A Captain brought the best out of his or her people. And a Captain accepted the role as an additional subordinate, co-worker, team member, personnel, etc.

21. Collecting Baseball Cards (1988-1992). In the end of 1988, I needed a new hobby. I was still playing video games, but I didn't play everyday. I was not a diehard video game fan. My cousin started to collect baseball cards in 1987. Why not give it a try? My first rookie card I purchased was a 1982 Donruss Cal Ripken, Jr. Pretty good choice.

    I attended baseball card conventions, opened baseball card packs, and took great care of my expensive cards. I was really into the sport of baseball. I remember reading the baseball scores, memorizing the best players of today and yesterday, reading baseball card magazines, and watching baseball on TV and listening to baseball on the radio. I was a really dedicated baseball card collector and fan. And during the summers, my brother and I gathered our friends and play baseball.

    What got me out of baseball card collecting was that there were too much baseball cards in the market. Baseball card values were lowered because the baseball card manufactures printed too many cards. For a high school student with a high school allowance, baseball card collecting was getting expensive.

    I officially ended my baseball card collecting in 1992 and I stopped following baseball as a dedicated baseball fan in 1995. Today, I still have my best rookie cards and baseball card singles.

22. Raymond Mar's First Girlfriend (1988). I was in 8th grade and I met her during the Christmas dance. I was sitting on the sidelines. I saw a girl sitting near me. I went up to her and asked her to dance. She accepted. It was a slow dance. I found her again and asked her for the last slow dance. She accepted. I never even asked her name. The following school days I learned her name was M.M. and she was in 7th grade.

    What I'm about to say is very, very embarrassing and I'm not going to B.S. I'm blaming my lack of experience and lack of knowledge of being on how to treat a girl. For starters, I never kissed her. I don't know what the heck I was thinking. Also, she gave me clues and signs for us to be alone outside of school. She was very clear she wanted to do something with me alone like a couple. I didn't understand the clues because I didn't have the knowledge that she wanted to do something with me. I was a dummy big time.

    O.K. I must have done something correctly. I did call her and we talked about lots of stuff. Was that the only thing I did right? Oh, boy. I did have a lot to learn back then. As expected, she broke up with me one month later. When I tell my friends that I had a girlfriend in junior high, they were surprised. As society becomes more aware of loving relationships on the media and entertainment, I wonder if more junior high students are experiencing their first relationships?

    Ms. M.M. the last time I heard about your whereabouts you were in Colorado. I hope everything is going O.K.

23. The Miracle Final (1996). Spring Semester 1996. Religion 190-Religion in America. How appropriate. A miracle with religious influence. There was divine intervention when I took the final.

    The professor gave the students eight questions for the final. Out of the eight questions, six appeared on the final. Out of the six questions on the final, the students must answer four.

    On the night before the final, I researched the six easiest questions using the textbooks and the lecture notes. I admit the lecture notes were not good. As I researched, I wrote down the answers I write down on the final if the questions appeared on the final. When the answers were written down, I went to sleep.

    The next morning, I woke up really early. I dressed, ate breakfast, and drove to San Jose State. When I arrived at San Jose State, I went to the main library to memorize the answers to the questions. With the final at 6:00 P.M., I memorized all morning, took a small lunch break at the Student Union, and memorized all afternoon. I knew everything was going to be O.K. The religion class was a General Education class and didn't affect my major Grade Point Average. Who said cramming was bad? :-)

    My final grade in the Religion in America class was a B+. It was a miracle. The reason why I included The Miracle Final is because some successful people somehow completed the presentations, speeches, assignments, projects, term papers, proposals, contracts, etc. at the last minute, and were successful. I guess these people thrive on the pressure of last minute preparation. In my case, I crammed on the day of the final and I was successful.

    Who says a person needs to prepare early to become successful? There are people who prepare at the last minute and become successful. The Miracle Final proved to me that some people don't have to prepare early to accomplish something.

24. Raymond Mar Officially Becomes An Anime Fan (1996). The first anime series I watched were Starblazers, Robotech, and Voltron. In 1996, however, I became an official anime fan watching Sailor Moon on TV and purchasing my first anime series. The first anime series I purchased was the first season of Ranma ½. The place I purchased was at a comic book store going out of business. The owner was selling the VHS tapes at 33% off retail. Not bad for my first anime purchase.

25. Raymond Mar's First Touchdown (1985). I was in 5th grade. During recess and lunch, the boys played football. I didn't know how to play football. Nobody taught me the rules. I learned as I play similar to learning on the job. My first touchdown took place when I recovered a fumble. The opposing team dropped the ball. I didn't know what a fumble was. Someone yelled, "Pick up the ball." I picked up the ball and ran to the end zone and scored my first touchdown. The person who yelled congratulated me for scoring.

    I continue to score touchdowns for the remainder of fifth grade, junior high, and high school. Too bad I didn't join the high school football team. I could have been a great wide receiver.

26. Chess Anyone (1988)? In my freshmen year in high school, I joined the Chess Club. During the lunch period, I hang out in the chess room. Many of my junior high students needed a place to hang out. Somehow, we ended up in the chess club. I learned how to play chess and tandem chess.

    The Chess Club is in the top 30 because I met some new friends, and some of them I hang out with after school and during the summers. The members were not all nerds and geeks. Some of the members were popular in campus with lots of friends, some played sports, and some had romantic relationships.

    A lot happened in the club. For 35 minutes a day, I hang out with my friends, eat lunch, played chess, and have fun. Sometimes, some of us play football at the grass field. And sometimes, we just eat lunch outside the club because we were bored with chess.

27. Raymond Mar Did It On eBay (2002). eBay kicks butt. I wished I joined eBay a long time ago. Forget the bad reputation on the media and forget about the security problems on the news. eBay is a great place to find bargains and sell junk. I sold lots of junk to make space in my house. I plan to sell more junk. My junk may be someone's treasure.

28. Raymond Mar On Stage (1994). I was an extra or super at the San Jose Cleveland Ballet production of Giselle. I was a guard during the first act and all I did was dress up and stand at one place with a spear on my right hand. Before curtain call, I learned how to play poker with the stage crew beyond five card draw Twos and Jokers wild. And I saw the San Jose Sharks hockey games when the San Jose Sharks were in the playoffs for the first time.

29. The San Francisco 49ers Win Super Bowl XVIII (1985). I didn't know how to play football when I was a kid. Nobody taught me the rules. I had to learn myself. When watching football, however, just by hearing people talk about the San Francisco 49ers, just by watching the sports, and just by looking at the sports section, I was convinced to become a 49ers fan.

    I really didn't know all of the 49ers players. Nobody told me the players on the 49ers. One name was mentioned every 49ers game and on the media. As I think today, when I was a young 49er fan, all I needed was to remember one name and one name only: Joe Montana. If I was at a sports party and the 49ers were playing, all I had to convince the grown-ups was to say Joe Montana, and the grown-ups believe I was a 49er fan.

    Lesson to the fathers who are football fans: teach your kids football. It doesn't matter if your kids are boys or girls. Most of my female cousins under the age of 12 understand the rules of football.

    When Super Bowl XVIII was played at Stanford University between the 49ers and the Miami Dolphins, I saw a championship team. The 49ers were an example of teamwork--a team such that every person wanted to win the championship. For a team to win a championship, everyone must have the focus, the desire, the knowledge, the motivation, the self-confidence, the enthusiasm, and the teamwork to win the big prize. If one person on the team doesn't have the championship mentality, then the team is not going to win the championship.

    The 1984-1985 San Francisco 49ers is one of the best examples of a team playing as a team and winning a championship together. When I was a kid, I dreamed of being on a team just like the 49ers won Super Bowl XVIII. I want to learn and experience being on a winning team. Today, when I watch playoff games on TV, I can determine which team is going to win, and 99.9% of the time, the winning team is the team that plays as a championship team.

30. Raymond Mar's Ex-Boss Released (2002). Dilbert fans know that the boss is clueless with the engineering department, and his workers jokes around and goof-off. In today's workplace, the Dilbert comics do a great job representing today's workplace. Don't get the wrong idea. There are great bosses. It's the bad bosses that make workers wonder, "How did he (or she) get the promotion?"

    In my years in the workplace, one reason the bad worker gets the promotion to management is because he or she is the least competent worker in the department. Please let me explain. The boss doesn't do the assignments or functions of the department; rather, the boss sits on a chair at the desk, make sure the workers do their work, hear complaints, conduct boring meetings, and sign papers out. How hard is that? In other words, the lease competent worker received the promotion because he or she fits the chair.

    In my case, the reason my ex-boss was released was more than incompetence. It was doing nothing. My ex-boss did nothing, nobody knew what my ex-boss did, I didn't know what my ex-boss did, and my ex-boss created nothing new for the department.

    Lesson learned: have nothing, do nothing, get nothing, be nothing, and people treat you like nothing.

That's my top 30 moments. Maybe when I reach 40 years old, my top 40 moments are 40 times better. Or maybe when I reach 60 years old, my moments are 60 times better. I'm looking forward to add wearing a costume at an anime convention, purchasing my first laptop, win a championship of some sorts, receive a big promotion, and get hired in the technology industry as memorable moments when I reach 40 years old.

Top Nine Favorite Classic Rock Songs

I started listening to classic rock music in 2005. I really got into classic rock in 2006. The list grows as I get more into classic rock ^__^

Here are my Top Nine Classic Rock Songs:

1. Layla, Derek And The Dominos
   Eric Clapton rocks in the song.

2. Jet Airliner, Steve Miller Band
   Parents must teach kids the message in the song.

3. Bad To The Bone, George Thorogood And The Destroyers
   We all have a bad side.

4. Who Are You, The Who
   Do you know who you are drunk (and sober)?

5. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, U2
   Everyone experiences lost in life.

6. Feel Like Makin' Love, Bad Company
   It takes hugs and kisses :(()):

7. Oh Sherrie, Steve Peery
   I remember the song from the 80s.

8. Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR)
   Some nights it's better to stay home.

9. Drive, The Cars
   I remember driving home at night from my cousin's house everytime I hear the song.

Top 31 Personal Values

Our values motivate us to live our lives. Values have emotional power. The stronger and knowledgeable your values are, the more you control you actions, behavior, and presentation. Values change-I mean, innovate. There are moments your current values are going to be questioned. When it does, choose to either keep it or innovate for the better.

Everyone has different values. To get along with other people with different values, we must understand, learn, and recognize the different values which take patience. Knowing other people's values creates long term business, personal, family, and friend relationship.

Here are my Top 31 Personal Values:

1. Never Stop Meeting New People. People come and go in our lives. The next person you meet could find you a new job, help you get into your dream college, or be your next special person.

2. The Present. I live in the present. I make good moments now. Life is a collection of our moments we do today.

3. Innovate Infinitely. Never stop innovating life.

4. What Is The Other Person Thinking? Honestly try to see the other person's point of view. If the other person or persons have a different point of view, a different way of thinking, a different opinion, a different response, then think about why-what's the reasoning behind it. Seeing and thinking about the other person point of view makes you a better person, meet more people, and another way to get along with more people. Maybe the other person's or persons' views have merit and you probably learned something new.

5. Charms. Being charming is more important than looks. A charmed person is sincere, credible, trustworthy, modest, responsible . . . someone who needs no introduction when going into a room full of people and someone people talk about positively. I never stop innovating my charm.

6. Action Speaks Louder Than Words. If I can do something, I let my actions speak for myself. If I can't do it, I'm going to be honest and say I can't. I know people who are great with lip service, great at communicating they are good, yet when the time calls for action, they fail to deliver.

7. Modesty. Modest, humble, never brag about your accomplishments, your successes. It's O.K. to tell people about your latest happenings. Just communicate the headlines of your life as if they're printed on the back page of the newspaper.

8. Family + Work + Play + Prepare = Great Life. The key word is prepare. Always plan ahead and think ahead to keep busy. Life waits for nobody. If you want to keep an active life, plan ahead to stay active and find something to be active.

9. Family and Friends. Nobody can live alone. Cherish your family and friends. You help them and they help you. Keep the good ones and dump the bad ones.

10. Work Smarter, Not Harder. Can you think of a way to work on a project more efficiently?

11. One At A Time. There is a story about two bulls overlooking a pasture with cows. The baby bull asked the daddy bull, "Daddy, let's run and get all the cows." The daddy bull, nodded in disagreement. "No, son, let's walk down there and get them one at a time."

    In today's lifestyle, we live in the Information Age. Information is communicated instantly. We are living in a face pace world. There is so much to do. Yet, we must practice patience. Do your stuff one at a time.

12. Appearances Can Be Deceiving. Know the true essence of a person beneath. Judging a person by looks and appearances is prohibited.

13. $$$$$ To Create Action. I create action with my money when the situation calls for me to act. Treat a friend to a dinner, help pay someone for admission, give money for appreciation, pitch in extra money to buy food and drinks for a party. If my participation benefits everyone, then I'm going in. Be aware if anyone borrows money from me, then pay me back as soon as possible because the next time anyone borrows money from me, I check my list of people who paid. If anyone fails to pay, then the bank is closed.

14. Control What You Can Control . . .

    . . . and don't control what you can't control.

15. No Half-Ass Job. It's either I do it all the way from start to finish or I don't do it. I go for the true deal, the 110% complete finish. No half way, half-ass success.

16. Physical Fitness. Active minds require active bodies. The better shape you are, the better your brain functions. Go to the gym, play a sport, jog--do something.

17. Keep criticism, complaints, and condemning to yourself. The three C's are pointless when you say them. Putting the other party on the defensive side accomplishes nothing.

18. Honest Feelings And Emotions. Deny your feelings create internal conflicts. The frustration keep adding up and your emotions can get out of control.

19. Perfect Practice Makes Perfect. If you practice incorrectly or practice with no results and no progress, then you're wasting time.

20. Make Mistakes To Succeed. To be successful, take risks. If you made a mistake, ask yourself, "What happened?" Gambling is unsuccessful. And using the value as an excuse to make silly mistakes is a no, no.

21. Timing and Luck. The successful people take advantage of good timing and good luck.

22. Eat Three Meals A Day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are important. Never skip a meal. Want to lose weight? Innovate your diet, your three meals a day.

23. Always Pay Back Your Debts. Paying back your debts is an action you tell others you're a trusted person.

24. Shop Around. I believe in shopping around to find the best bargain and the best value.

25. Visit New Places. Want a reason to go out? Find new places to visit.

26. Less Junk. I hate useless items. If an item is collecting dust and never used, then it's junk and I must get rid of it.

27. Don't Waste Food. Seeing food in the waste basket saddens me.

28. Eat At Home. Eat at home with home cooked meals. I rarely eat out and rarely take out food to eat at home. I want to live healthy. I minimize eating processed foods.

29. Infinite Hobbies, Activities, Interests. Always keep your eyes seeing, ears listening, hands touching, nose smelling, mouths tasting, and brain acting to seek new things to do in life. They can be just getting into stamp collecting, jogging, and/or wanting to draw.

30. No Email CCs. CCing anyone on an email is like a demotion. Avoid the CCs. If anyone is being CCed, either move them to the To and write the email to address everyone on the To or send a separate email.

31. Avoid Watching The Evening News. Watching the news on TV makes me depressed. I never watch the TV news in its entirety including the news magazines such as 20/20, 60 Minutes, and Dateline. I keep up with the headlines on the Internet. I read headlines only. I admit I rarely watch 60 Minutes only when the topics are interesting and I expect to learn something.