So it's about Midnight and the beginning of a new day; yesterday ended with me being at work.
I work part time at McDonald's and I've been there for about almost two years... With saying that two things come to mind: 1) Whoa two years fly by fast and 2) Wow, am I really still here?
lol. Don't get me wrong. I love that I even have a job - it's hard times these days and any money is better than no money, especially when you need the money. (Biggest cash consumer? Gas, then food). So before I rant, because I feel like it, keep in mind that in the end I am thankful that I'm employed...
Now, moving on ...... uggggh!! *sigh*
I think there comes a point when you've been working at an establishment so long (with one exception...I'll talk about this later) that you realize how much you want to change it up and move on to another (hopefully better) job. And I can't lie, I'm getting to the point where I'm tired of working at McD's doing the same thing over and over - it's the kind of repetitiveness that I don't enjoy.
But, with respect, I have learned a lot of things working at this job of mine that will definitely help me in my job search for the future; for the sake keeping this blog short (relatively to my usual blogs..lol) I'll only share two things I learned the hard way - and I hope you can take them into consideration as well:
1.) Meet your boss/store manager before you apply - see if he or she is or isn't someone you can enjoy working with.
2.) Don't settle for anything less / Don't settle for pay that doesn't match the load of work. I can honestly say that there are more than a handful of other jobs which pay minimum wage that I would rather work at knowing how hard I work at my job (for the record - fast food isn't as easy as you think it is...and if you think it's easy than you're, in my opinion, dope).
Of course...there are more things I can try to convey, but I think these two criteria are overlooked by young job-seekers today... but really when it comes down to it - it's your choice and, given your own circumstance, you make the decision for yourself and if you don't think my two suggestions are worth taking into consideration, or if you think you don't need to consider them.... if when your working you realize how I tried to help, then all I can say is I tried to warn you. ;)
But definitely, I love my coworkers. They are all about my age group and older, and they really make the job a good time for me. ANY JOB is a PLUS when your coworkers are DOPE and there's no work drama (yeah, work drama actually exists. -___- . I know, right!)
I eluded to this earlier in the blog, but I mentioned there is one exception to working at your job for a really long time. Call me naive, but I firmly believe that I would never rant about a job if it's my DREAM JOB. :)
It's still in the works for me right now, and I'm still thinking about what I really want to be for sure, but if I had to share what I believe my dream job is.... I believe it is as a Lead Biochemical Researcher of my own Laboratory. (That means my own lab coat with my name one it... Love it!).
I don't think I can ever be tired of working in the lab. Even in school when the class has a lab component - time flies for me when I'm just doing Lab. I can be in the lab for hours and enjoy! Yup!...
In retrospect, I realize that my dream job is one where I would like to use my brain, and not my hands to make a living. At McDonald's I'm working with my hands and not so much my brain... But as a researcher I'm working more with my brains and my hands not so much. One day, one day...
Oh yeah, and to set the record straight - Money isn't my calling in life. I have come to understand that for me, yes I would like to live having a little extra from my career and especially more than enough for raising a family, but I don't need to be a multi-millionaire to be happy. I really don't think money will satisfy me. I only hope that from my career as a researcher I can make a difference in this world - cliche as that sounds - I sincerely really hope that one day I can make a positive difference.
.............
But until then, I guess I'm stuck flipping burgers for now... Uggggh. lol Maybe I'll find a new job..Hmm ;)
Goodnight and God Bless.
May 26, 2010
May 24, 2010
Back from haitus / Congrats Graduating C/O 2010
It's been a while since I've blogged! But I feel the need to really start this blog site back up, because I've been having really overflowing thoughts recently and I think blogging about them can help me sort through them out. So, Hi again :)
Okay... I think a reintroduction is in order. Hi, My name is Aaron, I'm 18 turning 19 soon, I attend community colleges of the Los Rios district, I work part time at McDonald's, I'm a youth leader of the St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, and I love pandas. But if you already knew that, a little more... I'm a biochemistry major with the aspiration to one day become a lead researcher of a laboratory. I want to, with God's will, make a positive difference in this world. And I've most recently have developed this hunger to know more about my theological and personal beliefs... And I've developed a small knack for reading too (which is a big change since last blog lol).
So more blogging from now on. Yup.
---------------------------------------
Congrats to the Graduating C/O 2010! Today I attended the Sheldon Graduation ceremony at Arco Arena... I want to give a special congrats to one of my best friends Brittany Welence, and a very good friend of mine Elaine Maher. It was especially nice to see them walk across that stage...
All throughout the ceremony, I was happy for the graduating class; I was also praying for them. It was nice to be surrounded in the audience by the families of the graduates, and it was really touching to me - I saw mothers and fathers cry, siblings and cousins cheer, and grandparents smile proud smiles. I could tell that the families loved their graduating children so much... That their accomplishments made them feel so alive. In truth, I was also rejuvenated by the fact of their accomplishment (graduating) in my hopes to follow my own dreams and to continue to try to make my family and friends proud of me. That was the most powerful part of watching the graduation for me - realizing, once again, that my actions effect more than just me, but my family, my friends, and my community...
With that in mind, as I sat watching the ceremony I kept praying... praying that those walking the stage can continue to influence and succeed in their own endeavors... that in the midst of trials that they are kept in solace by the fact that they are extremely loved by their family and friends. I prayed that the Class of 2010 would continue, which each graduate, to make differences in this world despite the odds. The significance of this graduation was more than the end of high school, but the beginning of a life long endeavor with a diploma from high school signifying that "I did this, and with even more hard work I can continue to do great things".
After the ceremony ended, I rushed to take pictures of me with the future of the world that is the graduates of the C/O 2010. :)
I couldn't help but be reminded by the fact that it's been one whole year since my graduation. With each passing year, I only hope that my high school graduation wouldn't be in vain, that I would continue with each year to better myself with the same spirit I had going into my graduation "I did it".
-------------------
*On a side note, it feels good to blog again!
Okay... I think a reintroduction is in order. Hi, My name is Aaron, I'm 18 turning 19 soon, I attend community colleges of the Los Rios district, I work part time at McDonald's, I'm a youth leader of the St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, and I love pandas. But if you already knew that, a little more... I'm a biochemistry major with the aspiration to one day become a lead researcher of a laboratory. I want to, with God's will, make a positive difference in this world. And I've most recently have developed this hunger to know more about my theological and personal beliefs... And I've developed a small knack for reading too (which is a big change since last blog lol).
So more blogging from now on. Yup.
---------------------------------------
Congrats to the Graduating C/O 2010! Today I attended the Sheldon Graduation ceremony at Arco Arena... I want to give a special congrats to one of my best friends Brittany Welence, and a very good friend of mine Elaine Maher. It was especially nice to see them walk across that stage...
All throughout the ceremony, I was happy for the graduating class; I was also praying for them. It was nice to be surrounded in the audience by the families of the graduates, and it was really touching to me - I saw mothers and fathers cry, siblings and cousins cheer, and grandparents smile proud smiles. I could tell that the families loved their graduating children so much... That their accomplishments made them feel so alive. In truth, I was also rejuvenated by the fact of their accomplishment (graduating) in my hopes to follow my own dreams and to continue to try to make my family and friends proud of me. That was the most powerful part of watching the graduation for me - realizing, once again, that my actions effect more than just me, but my family, my friends, and my community...
With that in mind, as I sat watching the ceremony I kept praying... praying that those walking the stage can continue to influence and succeed in their own endeavors... that in the midst of trials that they are kept in solace by the fact that they are extremely loved by their family and friends. I prayed that the Class of 2010 would continue, which each graduate, to make differences in this world despite the odds. The significance of this graduation was more than the end of high school, but the beginning of a life long endeavor with a diploma from high school signifying that "I did this, and with even more hard work I can continue to do great things".
After the ceremony ended, I rushed to take pictures of me with the future of the world that is the graduates of the C/O 2010. :)
I couldn't help but be reminded by the fact that it's been one whole year since my graduation. With each passing year, I only hope that my high school graduation wouldn't be in vain, that I would continue with each year to better myself with the same spirit I had going into my graduation "I did it".
-------------------
*On a side note, it feels good to blog again!
October 28, 2009
"Are you Jesus?"
Today, I had a blessed experience which reminded me of an email I recieved long ago...
-------------------------------------------------------------
++++++++++++++++ ARE YOU JESUS+++++++++++++++++++++++
A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.
In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. All but one.
He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved goodbye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later
flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.
The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one Stopping and no one to care for her plight.
The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display.
As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.
When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to
him, "Mister". He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"
He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"
Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world (shopping, working, reacting to others that are serving us) that is blind to His love, life and grace.
If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.
You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.
Let us live like we are worth the price He paid, then we are truly special.
------------------------------------------------------
Today, while on my lunch break there was a blind man that was walking next to me while I was sitting down at a table in the cafeteria eating my lunch. With his walking stick as an aide, I noticed he was navigating his way through the cafeteria, but I didn't really know why it took him so long to leave the table area I was at. He was using his stick to make sure he didn't walk into something or someone, but more strangely he was bending down feeling the ground with his hands - I assumed he just wanted to make sure he wouldn't trip on any backpacks. The cafeteria was full, and I can sense a lot of the other students were looking at him too because he was acting very...not as normal. I've seen this same blind man once before walking the halls with his stick-aide so it was strange seeing him actually feel the ground for something.
Then all of a sudden another girl student came up to the blind man and said to him, "Sir, are you missing something?"
He responded, "Yes, I seem to have misplaced my backpack and I'm trying to find it".
She said, "Sir, I can help you, let me find it for you".
So she went to a table far away, grabbed a roller backpack that was laying on the ground, and brought it to the blind man. I guess she had known that was his backpack - I didn't know how.
She said, "Here you go Sir, I believe this is yours".
I saw him smile and say, "Thank you so much. I've been looking for this".
She smiled back and said, "Your welcome, Sir. No problem at all".
With his roller backpack at his hands and his walking stick-aide in the other, he then tried to navigate his way out of the cafeteria, through the maze of tables.
Again the same girl came up to the blind man and said, "Sir, if you would like, I'd be happy to help you find your way out"...
Then again, the blind man smiled and said, "I'd love that. Thank you so much".
....Wow, I thought. She is such a nice person.
Then I realized, at that moment, I saw Jesus. That's Jesus, and how lucky was I to have witness sush a beautiful act of His love, right before my very eyes.
Thank you, God - for reveiling yourself to me. It may have been a very subtle way, but I saw You. Help me to never forget that You are always there for me. Thank you so much.
.....I am left speechless, and I am left inspired.
Always,
Aaron
-------------------------------------------------------------
++++++++++++++++ ARE YOU JESUS+++++++++++++++++++++++
A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.
In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. All but one.
He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved goodbye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later
flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.
The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one Stopping and no one to care for her plight.
The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display.
As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.
When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to
him, "Mister". He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"
He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"
Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world (shopping, working, reacting to others that are serving us) that is blind to His love, life and grace.
If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.
You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.
Let us live like we are worth the price He paid, then we are truly special.
------------------------------------------------------
Today, while on my lunch break there was a blind man that was walking next to me while I was sitting down at a table in the cafeteria eating my lunch. With his walking stick as an aide, I noticed he was navigating his way through the cafeteria, but I didn't really know why it took him so long to leave the table area I was at. He was using his stick to make sure he didn't walk into something or someone, but more strangely he was bending down feeling the ground with his hands - I assumed he just wanted to make sure he wouldn't trip on any backpacks. The cafeteria was full, and I can sense a lot of the other students were looking at him too because he was acting very...not as normal. I've seen this same blind man once before walking the halls with his stick-aide so it was strange seeing him actually feel the ground for something.
Then all of a sudden another girl student came up to the blind man and said to him, "Sir, are you missing something?"
He responded, "Yes, I seem to have misplaced my backpack and I'm trying to find it".
She said, "Sir, I can help you, let me find it for you".
So she went to a table far away, grabbed a roller backpack that was laying on the ground, and brought it to the blind man. I guess she had known that was his backpack - I didn't know how.
She said, "Here you go Sir, I believe this is yours".
I saw him smile and say, "Thank you so much. I've been looking for this".
She smiled back and said, "Your welcome, Sir. No problem at all".
With his roller backpack at his hands and his walking stick-aide in the other, he then tried to navigate his way out of the cafeteria, through the maze of tables.
Again the same girl came up to the blind man and said, "Sir, if you would like, I'd be happy to help you find your way out"...
Then again, the blind man smiled and said, "I'd love that. Thank you so much".
....Wow, I thought. She is such a nice person.
Then I realized, at that moment, I saw Jesus. That's Jesus, and how lucky was I to have witness sush a beautiful act of His love, right before my very eyes.
Thank you, God - for reveiling yourself to me. It may have been a very subtle way, but I saw You. Help me to never forget that You are always there for me. Thank you so much.
.....I am left speechless, and I am left inspired.
Always,
Aaron
September 20, 2009
Figuring Me Out
I'll get a lil' intra-perspective for this blog.
Everyday I seem to surprise myself. Each day I live, only if I live it, adds on to the meaning that I've accumulated over the rest of the days in my life. This goes without saying, but I'm really figuring out a lot more about me.
What I like and what I don't like.
What pisses me off and what gets me thankful.
What I can stand and what I can't.
What I can do in moderation and can't.
How hard I work, How hard I can work, and How hard I can't.
What I want and what I don't want.
....
It's weird kinda, because at 18 y/o you think you'd already figured you out, know what you like, yada-yada. But I guess not...completely yet.
Call it a self-reflection, but a lot of that really gets me. Sometimes, I just like to sit down and go, "Okay, so where exactly am I at?".
"How am I doing, Am I still okay? Is my plan alright? "
Just to make sure I'm still on track with all I hope for. It's so easy to get side-tracked - that's for-damn-sure.
Everyday I seem to surprise myself. Each day I live, only if I live it, adds on to the meaning that I've accumulated over the rest of the days in my life. This goes without saying, but I'm really figuring out a lot more about me.
What I like and what I don't like.
What pisses me off and what gets me thankful.
What I can stand and what I can't.
What I can do in moderation and can't.
How hard I work, How hard I can work, and How hard I can't.
What I want and what I don't want.
....
It's weird kinda, because at 18 y/o you think you'd already figured you out, know what you like, yada-yada. But I guess not...completely yet.
Call it a self-reflection, but a lot of that really gets me. Sometimes, I just like to sit down and go, "Okay, so where exactly am I at?".
"How am I doing, Am I still okay? Is my plan alright? "
Just to make sure I'm still on track with all I hope for. It's so easy to get side-tracked - that's for-damn-sure.
September 15, 2009
Amazed
Sometimes, I think I'm really lucky to have people to look up to.
There are a lot of people in my life that I give a lot of credit for, for all of my outlook and perspectives. It could be that of a celebrity making decisions, or someone as subtle as a guy letting me cut in line at the grocery stores.
Kanye West was out of line, Taylor didn't deserve his rudeness. Beyonce was as much of a class act as Taylor, also. Taylor took the comment, she didn't let it affect her and she still performed 5 minutes after the incident (phenomonally I may add). Do you know how hard that could be? I've performed plenty of times, and there were times when my performances were rattled because I let other people get to me just moments before. That's tough, and Taylor also didn't lash out. She gracefully let it die down, I don't think she has even Tweeted since after the VMAs. Her determination to her performance, strength of self-preservation, and grace in the face of struggle just speaks volumes to the age of this 19 year old country singer who was once living the lives we all live attending high school and such. And I love her for that.
Beyonce also paid the price. I loved her performance by the way, girrrl got it locked. Kanye should be ashamed even more because frankly, Beyonce didn't even get to say a Thank You for her award, he should also apologize to her IMHO. Goes to show, actions always affect people...
I made a mistake at work today, which I quickly got corrected for. I guess it just wasn't my day (NO FOOD MISTAKES, EVERYTHING SERVED IS CLEAN & TASTY). I chose to talk with my boss manager, and he gave me a meaningful critique. I got to say, much respect to the man:
"Everyone makes mistakes".
It's not like I didn't know that, I guess it's just nice having a reminder about it.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm feeling a little mixed right now. It's always easier giving in to things, doing the wrong thing, and all - but it's that strive to just keep straight that is as beautiful and painful as a rose with thorns, - or the Kingdom of Heaven in that respect ;)
But when I see people who are living lives that are even more cross-laden than mines, who are living it through with a positive attitude, and doing their best to keep there head up and not moping around just...amazes me.
It gives me hope.
There are a lot of people in my life that I give a lot of credit for, for all of my outlook and perspectives. It could be that of a celebrity making decisions, or someone as subtle as a guy letting me cut in line at the grocery stores.
Kanye West was out of line, Taylor didn't deserve his rudeness. Beyonce was as much of a class act as Taylor, also. Taylor took the comment, she didn't let it affect her and she still performed 5 minutes after the incident (phenomonally I may add). Do you know how hard that could be? I've performed plenty of times, and there were times when my performances were rattled because I let other people get to me just moments before. That's tough, and Taylor also didn't lash out. She gracefully let it die down, I don't think she has even Tweeted since after the VMAs. Her determination to her performance, strength of self-preservation, and grace in the face of struggle just speaks volumes to the age of this 19 year old country singer who was once living the lives we all live attending high school and such. And I love her for that.
Beyonce also paid the price. I loved her performance by the way, girrrl got it locked. Kanye should be ashamed even more because frankly, Beyonce didn't even get to say a Thank You for her award, he should also apologize to her IMHO. Goes to show, actions always affect people...
I made a mistake at work today, which I quickly got corrected for. I guess it just wasn't my day (NO FOOD MISTAKES, EVERYTHING SERVED IS CLEAN & TASTY). I chose to talk with my boss manager, and he gave me a meaningful critique. I got to say, much respect to the man:
"Everyone makes mistakes".
It's not like I didn't know that, I guess it's just nice having a reminder about it.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm feeling a little mixed right now. It's always easier giving in to things, doing the wrong thing, and all - but it's that strive to just keep straight that is as beautiful and painful as a rose with thorns, - or the Kingdom of Heaven in that respect ;)
But when I see people who are living lives that are even more cross-laden than mines, who are living it through with a positive attitude, and doing their best to keep there head up and not moping around just...amazes me.
It gives me hope.
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