This is a great question. I have many family members and friends whose contributions throughout my life have been immensely positive and influential. Today I choose to talk about the closest person to me in my entire lifetime. My godmother/favorite aunt.

My godmother was my dad’s sister, and she was an integral part of my life pretty much from when I was born until her far too soon death at age 50.

She was that favorite aunt the one that would watch my sister and I every time my parents will go out of town or take a trip and we had the best time. We got to stay up later than normal. We got to eat a lot of special treats. We normally get to have. It was wonderful, in fact, I was almost bummed when My came home.

My godmother loved playing games board games in card games even video games (Astrosmash, David’s Midnight Magic, Sammy Lightfoot, and Apple IIe Olympic Decathlon). We’d play: cootie bug, Yahtzee, Scrabble, Sorry, Candyland, checkers, chess, backgammon, Pictionary, gin rummy, double solitaire,Spirograph, and many other games. My love of the rules and playing games the right way came from my godmother because she was a stickler for the rules.

And playing games such as Pictionary my aunt and I were a very difficult team to beat because we could almost read each other’s minds and guess drawings with very little information on the piece of paper. We had the same sense of humor and liked similar stand-up comedians.

Her love of the ocean, pool, swimming, and water also became mine and still is to this day. ❤️ 🌊

My godmother was very brave on the side. She sang back ups and a little Elvis outfit called memories of Elvis. I know she was very shy and yet she went out there and even went on tour with the band several times it reminds me when I get nervous myself taking new steps in my life to go for it like she did.

We’d watched Grease 2 (I know I’m sorry) 100 times. I don’t know why she just loved the movie. I remember she recorded with the tape recorder some of the songs and then we went to the pool we’d sing along.

One of the best parts about my aunt was that she like I was an empath. Therefore, I could be a sensitive and odd as I wanted to be, and I’d be normal around her. she was far more sensitive than I am and I guess I’m thankful for that for if I was any more sensitive, I’d probably go crazy. Even some of her fear is carried over to me for a time. She was always very afraid of storms and lightning and thunder and so was I for a small period of time. She was so afraid, that she’d call me and ask me, “when the storm was going to pass” because I’d always know as I’d have a Weather app open or the Internet up or something.

Being a unique individual is not always been easy for me. I am not always fit in with the crowd of my peers and often was shunned for it so when I was 14 and most of the people I knew were dating I really didn’t have anywhere to go or anyone to do things with sometimes. My aunt knew this and would take me out on a family date. We go out to Whittier and go see Nana and have dinner over at Ruby’s Frosty freeze. It made me feel like a normal kid. She did that for me and it was so huge as I didn’t have a lot of friends and I didn’t measure up like the other kids. She made it so I felt OK anyway.

She had the greatest influence on my taste of anybody in my life. Bands that she loved I love such as: The Beatles, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie wonder, the Little River Band, Elton John, the Electric Light Orchestra, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, Hall & Oates, Dan Fogelberg, and many others. I’m sure my wanting to be a musician and being one for many years also came from her influence. When I was unsure about my abilities as a musician, she reminded me that Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys was told by his music teacher in high school that he would never amount anything and look at all the beautiful music he created. 

I recall hearing a lot of those bands on the radio in her car when she’d take me on adventures when i was young. She took me to Penn Park, where we saw the swans. In the summer times she take me to the Whittier Public library and I spent hours in the wading pool. She took me to the greatest record store on earth (It doesn’t exist anymore) Tower Records.

So, when her time was up on this earth (nearly 20 years ago), I tried pay tribute to her the best I could. I eulogized her talking about a lot of things that are in here. A lot of my gentle nature, my caring, and loving of other people all come from her. She showed me that it was OK to be soft and sensitive even if I am a guy and it’s not easy being a sensitive man.

I can see a lot more, but if this gets too long, no one’s ever gonna read it I know how these blogs work. So I want to say one final thing and it’s going to sound weird to those of you that are not familiar. One day, Marian and Martian in the space cadets (our little group comprised of my Godmother my sister and I) will be reunited again. I thank you for who I am and who I’m becoming.

Rest peacefully,

Your loyal co-Space Cadet

-aaa ❤️❤️❤️

Well it depends I have favorite restaurants depending on the cuisine of course so I’ll break my answer down in that way. I’ll share four different cuisines: Steakhouse/Fine Dining, Japanese Cuisine, Buffet, and Mediterranean Cuisine. Read ahead and have napkins handy as drooling is a definite possibility. 😂

Steakhouse/Fine Dining

Steaks basted and butter and cooked in 1200° ovens what’s not to like? The price is up there, but it’s worth it. The food is very good as the service.

Japanese Cuisine

Definitely the best Japanese food I’ve ever had in my life. The sushi was exquisite and the lobster was unbelievable. The price is way up there but again it’s worth it. I once had a whole main lobster that was basically the meat removed and deep-fried in tempura batter and then placed back inside the shell and about 15 different delicious sauces surrounded the lobster. The presentation was gorgeous and absolutely delicious.😋

Buffet

Lots of delicious food from all parts of the world, fantastic crab, legs, prime, rib, and other delicious foods desserts are unbelievable and plenty of everything that anybody might like. At $85 a person it definitely cost some money but again worth it good food is worth the price.😋

Mediterranean Cuisine

So the best Mediterranean cuisine I’ve had anywhere all styles are here Greek, Middle Eastern, Armenian little bit of everything.  prices aren’t bad. It’s a good size restaurant indoor and outdoor dining downtown Brea, right near beautiful parts of town.😋

-aaa

Now this is a fun question.

In 10 years I will have at least 2 books published, hopefully on it approaching the best seller list.

I will be contented living in a relationship comprised of mutual love, mutual respect, and mutual appreciation for the first time in my life.

I will also be living the most financial secure I’ve ever been, traveling frequently and enjoying the adventures.

The answers to questions I didn’t have will be completed and understood to my full satisfaction.

My journeys will be for many to share and see, and hopefully, learn to not repeat my mistakes.

Lastly I hope my family and friends are still around and part of the joy I’ll be experiencing.

-aaa ❤️❤️

This is an excellent question and it brings about some philosophical questions as well.

For a large part of my life, I believed that happiness was a place to get to or something dependent on someone else. I’ve learned that I was wrong, happiness is a choice and that love is a destination of mutual respect and admiration. Separating my happiness from a dependency on love or being loved is one of the most crucial masteries my life. Now the philosophy lesson aside, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of the question for today.

I will rework my answer to the question, Five everyday items that contribute to the wellbeing of my happiness, are:

1) Music

It is playing pretty much all day as I do my work, walking, driving, bathing, sunning myself, working out , or even in my head when nothing is playing out loud. I have very good tastes crossing a variety of genres. I often dream in it and adore it. Headphones, Bluetooth Speakers etc, my music is always playing. 🎵 🎼 🎶

2) Playing on My Piano/ Arranging Music

Since a young age I’ve had the ability to play piano by ear. I can also imitate what I see and hear and do my own takes on music. Some songs come along easy in an instant while others have taken me years to figure out. I first realized I had this gift at age 8 when I played Mary Had a Little Lamb in every possible key and octave across the piano. My repertoire has grown since then to more significant songs like Imagine by John Lennon and Colour My World by Chicago and some Beatle songs like Hey Jude and Because. These activities really utilize my creativity, and as a result, alleviate a lot of my stress, anxiety or even anger. 🎹🎹

3) The Smell of Rain (petrichor)

That intoxicating scent when rain first starts to fall and things just start to get wet is unbelievable. And it’s a little different everywhere but it’s also the same in the mountains, in the desert, and by the sea. it just does something to me close my eyes and it just is so refreshing. It’s almost like it clarifies me inside I I feel very grounded in the presence of water and rain is no exception. ☔️ 🌧️

4) Writing of all Kinds

Aside from music my other great passion in life has always been writing a pretty young age, I want say maybe six or seven I’ve been writing in one way or another. Areas of writing that I love to do include: poetry (which includes: free verse, various rhyming iambic pentameters, haiku, Raiku, limerick, and sonnet), short stories, literary analysis, music analysis, essays/term papers, and technical writing, (which includes: user guides, operations manuals, business continuity plans, lesson plans, training guides, best practices, system requirements, and many others). It’s very strange when I write it’s sort of stream of consciousness. I almost go into a trance and then when I come out of it, everything‘s down on paper or computer or phone or laptop.

5) My Apartment

No, I’m not a materialist by any means, but I just love my apartment. I love its decor, furniture, furnishings and amenities, and everything on the walls. I basically designed the whole decor of my place and it’s really a reflection of me and my taste and what I love. Ergo, my apartment is my sanctuary and is basically just a very large extension of me. Also, this is the first place of mine that I’ve lived in that has all of my choice, decor and things in it so truly is my place. 🏠🏠🏠

A lot of the items listed above work in concert with one another. As a result, everything is sort of tied together on my list, except for the rain of course that can happen anywhere.

-aaa

I learned a great many things in high school, in this case I’ll focus on leadership.

I was the captain of the drum line and very active in the music program at my high school. I learned that the best way to lead was by example. I could read music fairly well (still can) so I would learn and memorize my parts then I’d assist the other percussionists that could not read their parts. I’d read their parts and then teach them through repetition (rote), until they memorized theirs as well.

I’d also had a few years of practical marching band experience so I would assist them with their esprit decor so they marched correctly stay and step and kept the lines perfectly straight.

I also learned a great deal about responsibility as in when things didn’t go correctly I would get screamed at in front of the band. so I had a incentive to make the drums as good as they could possibly so that we wouldn’t get yelled at. Sometimes I succeeded other times I failed but in the end, we became very good and won some pretty serious trophies during my tenure.

The best lessons I learned in high school where that leadership not only comes with demonstrating by example, but also taking responsibility whether it was just or unjust. it really made me grow up and a lot of the lessons I learned I carried on in life.

-aaa

No fair, describe one positive change in my life? I’ve made so many and each was important. As I recollect, (on my journey) I can see the big changes I made that led to even more progress and changes.

The ‘big kahuna/mothership’ on my journey was learning that love starts within each of us and hence learned to love myself. I have struggled most of my life to achieve this and it took a lot of effort on my part to get there.

As I was navigating a minefield in the rapid exodus (most recent and toxic) of my marriage I had to find it, the strength the inner power to extricate myself. I started journaling and writing daily affirmations to myself. I built myself up became a friend to me and realized at the time it was what I’d been missing all of my life. These love letters to me at first seemed foreign but I persevered and I believed it had reread them often. Though I feel the experience was mildly odd (talking to one’s self or writing in my case) I kept going and it worked. I ultimately escaped that toxic life and will finish paying for it soon (2 alimony payments remain).

Fast forward two years and change (2 months) to present day and I’m living my best life (I guess it began at 50 for me), working a job I love, trying to get my blog going finally (just 3 weeks and change in), I feel peace and grace often, people are in my life or arrive in it because I want them to.

The old adage “You cannot truly love someone if you do not first love and accept yourself” is beyond true but I have my own twist on this. “It all starts with us, if you do not love yourself, don’t expect your partner/significant other to.” This is the lesson which I lived and learned over and over again in the hardest way possible over 28 years.

Love yourself, your weird, odd, eccentric, one of a kind self. You are beautiful and amazing and the mild was definitely tossed away after they created you. ❤️

-aaa

My favorite method is Tennis if I can find a partner to play with. It’s super an atomic mega high intensity workout with frequent stops and starts.

Tennis burns calories into the thousand mark or even higher if you’re matched up well. I have been playing on and off since I started lessons at age 12.

If I cannot find someone to play with then my second choice is working out on the weights and treadmill with my crazy fast music to motivate me (and it does). 🎾🎾🎾

-aaa

Today’s group question is a toughie but I’d have to say “The Untethered Soul: the journey beyond yourself” by Michael A Singer is my choice and a book I’d probably read 100 times. To let its lessons sink in.

This book flips the ideas of consciousness, what is truly us, and dealing with past traumas on its side.

The book proposes that our emotions are not us by rather just our interpretation of our reality.

The voice in our head that is often saying negative things is just a part of the brain that is bored. We should ignore this voice at all costs.

And finally, dealing with life’s painful events. Our brains try to protect us by making us avoid the pain by making decisions (stored processes) to avoid dealing with it. The truth is it’s better to pull off the bandaid and heal and move forward instead.

This book changed my life (for the better) and it would definitely change yours.

-aaa

This is a tough one. I’m going to go with “Ender Wiggin” from the Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow sagas by Orson Scott Card.

One of the most intense, ingenious, resourceful sensitive protagonists I’ve ever read.

-aaa

The best pets I’ve had in the past were dogs and cats. Love, loyalty, and challenges which all differed greatly between these two species.

I am slightly biased though as my favorite pet “Sparky” was an Irish Setter dog I had from age 5 to age 19. He was my best friend and was there from young childhood through young adulthood. ❤️❤️❤️

-aaa

I do several jobs for free and always will.

I write on here, post often on social media as well.

I am a healer and empath and so far I haven’t paid for my services, lol 😂

I also am a musician and never once was paid over that active 17 years of my life. 😂 I still am one but am quite low-key these days (no pun intended).

-aaa

This is one of the less subjective and more objective questions.

Winter Games

Luge

Bobsledding

Ski Jump

Downhill Skiing

Speed Skating

Summer Games

Track and Field

Field Hockey

Swimming

Rowing

Cycling

Diving

Gymnastics

-aaa

We all need to get involved. That’s the problem currently and I’d like to blame Covid 19 at least partially.

Everyone is so narcissistic and self oriented. People cut you off in your car like you weren’t there. Cut in front of you in line as if you didn’t exist. Say nothing when you pass them in the hallways, even after I say “hello”.

I try to be as social as I can everywhere I go, the store, restaurants, etc. I wish more of us were like that. Might lead to a better sense of community. Just my .10.

Peace and good vibes all,

-aaa

COVID 19 affected us all many unfortunately for the worst. I did lose some friends and colleagues on account of the disease and they’re irreplaceable. My heart still goes out to their families and loved ones.

Aside for the inconvenienced and dangers this outbreak caused me, I may be one of the few to say that it was a blessing for my life.

The large stress cracks and fractures in my marriage were magnified and brought into the light as we were stranded at home like the rest of the world. The buffer that travel and vacations brought our troubled marriage was not present for her to hide our problems.

I am not sure if I would’ve had the courage or gumption to leave the most toxic relationship of my life were it not for quarantines we were all under at the time and for that I’m thankful for the immediate changes brought on by COVID 19.

-aaa

My morning rituals have became routine and are the key to my having a great day.

After a series of alarm snoozes I get up. I finish my prayers from the night before and then think of 10+ things in my life that I’m grateful for.

Next I check emails and texts on my phone from friends, colleagues, etc. I also check my blog here and often post an answer to the question of the day or post something I’d been working on.

I check my work emails as well for any new meetings and project changes.

I take all of my supplements and do so with my favorite breakfast cocktail. Wait wait wait, before you judge there is no alcohol in it, it’s just a super orange EmergenC and a white zero carb monster energy drink.

Next I have my earliest meeting(s) then I have breakfast which consists of a banana and or my special version of scrambled eggs and or toast. Since I’ve had a few teeth removed recently eggs are the main breakfast stable.

I get into my work and projects and alternate between that and keeping my apartment as clean as possible.

Oh almost forgot, I do Wordle and exchange how many guesses it too with my dad via text message… 😝

-aaa

There are many characteristics that make all of us unique. Tastes are different for many of us. Personalities and values are also quite unique.

People’s preferences and tastes evolve from their upbringing to their life experiences. Music, movies, food, hobbies, and even people are unique and special to each and every one of us.

Personalities or emotional fingerprints are the most important aspects of our lives. I believe in the existential idea that we all start as a ‘Tabula Rosa’ or clean slate personality wise and they evolve over time. Good events, bad events, and traumas in our lives shape/change our personalities.

Values also stem from our upbringing and are the most difficult to change. Religion, politics, spirituality, are examples of belief systems we have.

Unique values, personalities, and preferences make us all shine in our own way as unique as a snowflake. Commonalities in these aspects are what draw us to our friends/lovers/acquaintances.

-aaa ❤️

I’d love to have a steep hill named after me. I’ve clawed for every inch in this lifetime. Determination has gotten me far as it will you on my hill. 😃

-aaa

The silliness of life. I love irony and always laugh at it. Other people’s laughter is also quite contagious. I also enjoy clever witty remarks and banter.

Lastly non sequiturs always make me laugh very hard and I often use them myself. My favorite example was one Steve Martin who used those a lot in his comedy, published in his book, Born Standing Up, “What does 1+1=?” “Fish” 😂😂🤣🤣🤣

-aaa

Where we all come from. All of us for the better and worse have changed and evolved through our life’s lessons. But many, are quite wrapped up in themselves, they don’t really bother to picture themselves in other people’s shoes. Perspectives need to be taken not account as they’re all different.

I feel like we are living in an age of excessive narcissism and I truly hope our society and world can rise above it and our differences or we are doomed.

We are all humans hence we are all connected I wish everyone could feel that like I do. Hence I digress so that maybe everyone can. ❤️❤️👟👟👟👟

This is an excellent question. There are two answers, one for the me of the past and one for the current rendition of yours truly.

The old me had no boundaries and was a people pleaser. So I pretty much never said “no” to anyone for anything. Therefore, people took major advantage of my generosity and gifts. Many friends, colleagues, and significant others took advantage of this.

My journey and self growth have brought about significant change and improvement in me. I know my value and have firm goals and aspirations in my life that I intend to exceed. I now say “no” to many things. I have healthy boundaries which better protect me from use and abuse.

Any person or thing that doesn’t serve my happiness, wellbeing, and goals I remove from my life. 🔥🔥❤️

-aaa

I love storms. There’s something about a coziness of being inside while the weather rages on.

I lived in Texas for a few years back in 2014 and lived not too far from Dallas. During that brief tenure I saw some of the craziest most intense weather phenomena mostly the epic spring and summer and even winter thunderstorms out there.

Spending over 42 years in California my idea of what a storm was would require a rapid adjustment. As much of the Texas weather can outright kill you.

My best memories of Texas, where during those fierce storms, sitting on the porch at night watching the lightning for hours.

-aaa