New Year's

Wow, I haven't update this blog for a while, where to start... Currently trying to study for GRE and still on the job hunt possibly with Volcom. I'm also attempting (and I emphasize attempting because I not a really that talented in programming) to learn Python and Django. Let's see, 2009 was a rather interesting year, Senior Suite, 97, classes, and lots of outings and video games. My goals for 2010 are: getting in shape, passing the GRE/GMAT, maybe taking the real estate exam (cuz I really love showcasing houses :D), finding a satisfying and fun job, pay all my expenses, and hopefully pick up surfing. I recently skimmed a book about the truths of the real estate career and it states the value of time management commitments and that in order to be successful in real estate, some sacrifices have to be made in order to reaps the benefits in real estate. I think I know what I have to work on. Here's to a wonderful and exciting 2010!! May you all continue to grow and prosper!!

My Strengths

According to Gallup's StrengthsFinder 2.0,
My Top 5 Signature themes are:
Restorative, Woo, Adaptability, Command, Developer

RESTORATIVE
You love to solve problems. Whereas some are dismayed when they encounter yet another breakdown, you can be energized by it. You enjoy the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and finding the solution. You may prefer practical problems or conceptual ones or personal ones. You may seek out specific kinds of problems that you have met many times before and that you are confident you can fix. Or you may feel the greatest push when faced with complex and unfamiliar problems. Your exact preferences are determined by your other themes and experiences. But what is certain is that you enjoy bringing things back to life. It is a wonderful feeling to identify the undermining factor(s), eradicate them, and restore something to its true glory. Intuitively, you know that without your intervention, this thing—this machine, this technique, this person, this company—might have ceased to function. You fixed it, resuscitated it, rekindled its vitality. Phrasing it the way you might, you saved it.
WOO
Woo stands for winning others over. You enjoy the challenge of meeting new people and getting them to like you. Strangers are rarely intimidating to you. On the contrary, strangers can be energizing. You are drawn to them. You want to learn their names, ask them questions, and find some area of common interest so that you can strike up a conversation and build rapport. Some people shy away from starting up conversations because they worry about running out of things to say. You don’t. Not only are you rarely at a loss for words; you actually enjoy initiating with strangers because you derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection. Once that connection is made, you are quite happy to wrap it up and move on. There are new people to meet, new rooms to work, new crowds to mingle in. In your world there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet—lots of them.
ADAPTABILITY
You live in the moment. You don’t see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans. Unlike some, you don’t resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once.
COMMAND
Command leads you to take charge. Unlike some people, you feel no discomfort with imposing your views on others. On the contrary, once your opinion is formed, you need to share it with others. Once your goal is set, you feel restless until you have aligned others with you. You are not frightened by confrontation; rather, you know that confrontation is the first step toward resolution. Whereas others may avoid facing up to life’s unpleasantness, you feel compelled to present the facts or the truth, no matter how unpleasant it may be. You need things to be clear between people and challenge them to be clear-eyed and honest. You push them to take risks. You may even intimidate them. And while some may resent this, labeling you opinionated, they often willingly hand you the reins. People are drawn toward those who take a stance and ask them to move in a certain direction. Therefore, people will be drawn to you. You have presence. You have Command.
DEVELOPER
You see the potential in others. Very often, in fact, potential is all you see. In your view no individual is fully formed. On the contrary, each individual is a work in progress, alive with possibilities. And you are drawn toward people for this very reason. When you interact with others, your goal is to help them experience success. You look for ways to challenge them. You devise interesting experiences that can stretch them and help them grow. And all the while you are on the lookout for the signs of growth—a new behavior learned or modified, a slight improvement in a skill, a glimpse of excellence or of “flow” where previously there were only halting steps. For you these small increments—invisible to some—are clear signs of potential being realized. These signs of growth in others are your fuel. They bring you strength and satisfaction. Over time many will seek you out for help and encouragement because on some level they know that your helpfulness is both genuine and fulfilling to you.

I find some of these findings quite accurate and I hope to continue improving my natural strengths. :)

Job Hunting

Man, job hunting was really bothersome now. Each summer I always try to apply to so many positions and interviews, but get diddly squat. I feel unaccomplished every morning aside from cleaning my room and living room. Maybe I should ride again with the ridazz, just so I can get my mind of it and exercise. I also hate how the ARC is closed for non-summer students, so lame. I think I need to buy a basketball so I can play at the nearby court. Aww, to be stress-free, haha.

The Travel Channel - The Travel Bug Treatment Center

Explorer
-Organized (haha, sometimes)
-Intuitive, Sensitive
-(Mind-Blowing Combination)
-Quiet, Determined
-Occasionally Freak People Out (yup, usually make em laugh though)

The Bucket List

I just saw The Bucket List last night, and I thought it was truly amazing. It's really inspiring to see how two strangers can become the best of buds in a matter of months. Both men lived their last few moments of their lives extravagantly. It makes me want to pick photography and music again for a change of pace from school. Ahh, the pleasures of Spring Break...

Thanks

After watching WALL-E, I am thankful for another sustainable year on Earth. Even though it may seem a little silly. I am happy to be breathing the air I am breathing, clear skies, and clean water. Sometimes, mother nature is taken for granted and often ignored. Earth is our home, yet some societies continue to trash it. We seem to be losing our innate sense of connection with the Earth. Our natural sense of
responsibility to our home seems to be thinning out through the years and I hope future generations will be able to enjoy what we have left.