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Studies confirm that men prefer attractive women

Well Duh.

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A week or so ago, I had a great conversation with someone very like myself. We were discussing as to why were both not happy, but also not unhappy. Our conclusion was that a) we know how good life can be b) we’ve experienced it c) we do miss it.

I don’t want to sound too egotistical, but I will go ahead and make this one statement:

I could have lived a normal life, but I made a decision a decade or so ago not to.

During the heyday in San Francisco, I’ve lived as a so-called “socialite” lifestyle, made piles of money, dated incredible women, and then literally lost it all. I moped around for a while, slaving away at a 9-7, and not being not exactly happy, but then again not miserable either. Every reason I worked for before ended up making me feel empty. I felt stagnated in life. Eventually, the opportunity came for me to move to Asia and I grabbed it. I sold almost all of my material possessions, cashed out a lot of what was left in my portfolio, and left town.

I traveled the world. I then saw how good things could be.

My move to Asia was an eye opener and eventually, through my friends and family contacts the cycle repeated again. I started to rise. Things I thought were important, suddenly wasn’t. Not necessarily in the same fashion as I regulated myself back to being a student, but nonetheless I started to feel the “rush” again. The energy in Asia was incredible…and infectious. It was like my younger years where I was growing up in the Silicon and Internet gold rush. Like before, I’d go to school during the day, work at night, and make contacts people-who would at first glace would be dismissed here, but actually were the movers and shakers of an entire continent- at all night private parties. I was living AS a rock star- not like a rock star- and enjoyed it. Everything I hated in the US wasn’t there, everything I liked was, and I was hooked.

Fast-forward a year later.

I move back. San Francisco is exactly the same…well actually everything is a bit worse. A Starbucks homogenized version of life . I see my friends and realize that most haven’t changed at all; careers, friends, relationships, everything is the same. They’ve stagnated…and are happy!?!?! Yes they complain about work, stress, all the normal petty things, they want to do more, but won’t because they don’t have any motivation and fear to do so. Yet they are perfectly happy.

I didn’t understand. How could they be perfectly content? I thought I was losing my mind.

I almost moved back, but one thing stopped me- family. As Baz Luhrmann sang in the song, “Everybody’s free…to wear sunscreen”:

“Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future.”

I realized I haven’t spent enough time with my parents, sisters, and grandparents. All the memories, good times, funny stories…could stop tomorrow and I could completely miss it. There is no bigger regret I have than not to really know my grandfather (maternal) and nothing I do can fill that. I am determined not to let it happen again with the rest of my family.

I have made an unconscious decision years ago and bit the fruit of knowledge. I have seen and experienced how good life can be for me. I want it again. It’s what I was looking for my entire life. However I realized that I couldn’t live it forever.

Today is almost the one year mark of my return. My friend Jin told me her fortune from a fortune cookie:

Happiness equals reality minus expectations.

In a few years I might move back to Asia, but I know now that I learn to thrive here again. I can’t afford to get too addicted to the lifestyle in Asia as I want my kids to be raised as I was and I want them to have, at the least, the same opportunities I had here.

Ultimately…
I bit the fruit of knowledge and am forced to live with that decision. By biting the fruit of knowledge, my expectations have gone VERY high. If I live my life in Asia again, I need to make sure my reality is set just as high when I return.

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Given a choice would you bite the fruit of knowledge and work hard to be happy? Or would you prefer to be dumb and happy?

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Edit- There are other reasons why I’m planning on staying here for a couple of years.  Grad School being important and the other being family.  Please don’t freak out on me.  =D

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Hello Virgin America.  Competition is good.  As of today, Virgin America has begun ticket sales to NYC and LAX from SFO.  The response?  A flooded Virgin America website and long delay times over the phone.  I’d say they’re looking to be a strong player out of San Francisco.

United responded over the top with a fare sale.  $22 each way from SFO-LAX.  Total?  65ish RT taxes included!  The SFO-JFK flights are even better- $160 RT all in!  Does anyone want to go to JFK for a weekend?

I wish them the best of luck.  I look forward to giving them a chance.

P.S. The fares are valid from Aug 9 to Mid November.

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I am currently looking for a mid level marketing or sales job.  If you know of any available positions, please let me know.  I prefer small to medium companies (less than 500 employees) and prefer to be located in either San Francisco or an expat package in Taipei, Malaysia, or (Shanghai/Beijing) China paying in USD.

If you find me the job that I can accept, I can award a bounty of one of the following:

Dinner with me or a date at a fine (i.e. expensive) San Francisco establishment
1 Coach airline ticket to either Europe or Asia.
2 domestic coach tickets or 1 FC Domestic ticket.
$200 Cash

Oh yes, my gratitude is free!

Thanks!

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I have found my favorite new website!

THE ultimate universal translator.

Have a great weekend!

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There are some things that are so coincidental that I cannot believe they happen.

Last month:

I fly 2,500 miles to Boston and meet some new people at a random bar. One of those persons I met, who is a friend of another person I had JUST met though a friend of mine, lived in the same city as I. That in itself isn’t very interesting as there are many people who live or have lived in Fremont, CA.

However, it gets more interesting.

Trust me.

This person lived in the same district as I. Again somewhat peculiar, but meeting someone from the same district is quite common.

However, it still didn’t prepare me for the shock that this random stranger… lived on the same street, about 6 or 7 houses down- for a few YEARS.

I never saw this person in my life before.

Question 1- When is a coincidence just a coincidence?

Like in the TV show, Cheers…

I remember at my childhood home where I knew who all my neighbors are. Young and old- I knew everyone.

However, if you ask me right now to name people who live in my neighborhood currently, the truth of the matter is that besides my direct neighbors… I don’t know! Am I a simply a hermit on the Internet or are the children playing Xbox instead of going out? Am I not walking around enough to meet my neighbors…Or is it simply that my neighbors don’t care? Does the concept of a neighborhood still exist or did it die away?

Question 2- I’m curious, do you know who most/all of your neighbors are?

Here is a great link for you:
Find out if your neighbor is a sex offender

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I felt completely out of place.  I feel old.  I really can’t relate.  Just in case you haven’t been out in a while, there is a new disturbing trend of hip hop that has come about in the past few years- coined Hyphy. 

What in the hell is up with the “HYPHY” movement?  It really doesn’t sound good, the lyrics simply don’t make ANY sense, and it’s just simply annoying.

According to Wikipedia, “Those who consider themselves part of the Hyphy movement would describe this behavior as acting “stupid” or “going dumb.”  Much to my suprise and dismay there were plenty of kids out this past weekend who WANTED the attention of looking stupid by actually doing so.  I can’t believe that they actually thought they looked cool dancing like a bunch of fucking monkeys in a cage.  Actually, I laughed when I saw one actually jumping back and forth with his arms around his armpits like a gorilla.  At least I know eventually that gene pool will clean up a bit since NONE of them will be getting laid anytime soon.

I don’t understand the current generation of rappers. 
I don’t care if this makes me feel racist, but man, all the rappers in the “Hyphy” movement are black.  Does the African community in America really need to strengthen the stereotype of them being dumb, obnoxious, and stupid?  What ever happened to the good old stuff rappers used to talk about?  Good stuff like 187, political stuff, smoking weed, having good days, smacking ‘da hoes, fucking the bitches, and MONEY!?!?!!?!?? 

The Hyphy movement is raps about sunglasses, ghost riding, and sideshows.   What is the appeal of that?  The latter two are both examples of darwinism at it’s finest.

Now I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but I’m not that stupid to stand on MY CAR!

Someone please, PLEASE, explain to me what the appeal is to being part of the hyphy movement? 

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This is HILARIOUS.

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Today, It is my official birthday.  I am sore, exhausted, and hungry.  Suprisingly, I’m not hungover.

I have been celebrating since Thursday night.

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A play by play:

Thursday:
Went to a professional mixer in Palo Alto.  Didn’t eat dinner.
I had:
1 Amstel Light
1 Vodka Cran
1 Glenlivet

Met up with Jimmy then went to the old Studio 8 for drinks…8 drinks later, got home and fell asleep.
I had:
1 Vodka Cran
1 Purple Hooter
1 Remy Martin Shot
2 Grey Goose Chilled
1 Pineapple Kamikaze
2 Shots of unknown liquor(s)

Friday:
Went to my birthday thing at Whisper.
I had:
19 shots of Grey Goose in varying forms
i.e. Goose Cran, Goose Tonic, Goose Chilled

p.s. Thank you all who came.

Saturday:
Sat around being lazy and watching movies all day.
Went to Stephen’s birthday at CPK and Myst (old Ibiza).
10-12 shots of Goose (some were doubles, hence the range).  *damn you Joe!!*
Crab Ceviche, Tacos, and Eggs afterhours…mmmm
Got home at 5:30AM.

Sunday:
Woke up at 11am for the Giants game.
Afterwards went Paintballing and In-n-out burgers…and now I’m in PAIN!

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Summary:
I have survived another birthday.

I have killed a few million brain cells, weakened my liver from consuming 40-42 shots this weekend, bruises from flying paint, and an ulcer from an obscene amount of ballpark garlic fries and spicy ceviche. 

Please, for the love of god, no more Grey Goose or Vodka for a while.

Not looking forward to next year.

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*edit- added fare of the day

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I was in Amsterdam last week.

While waiting for my plane back to Toronto from the land of Heineken, I was having a beer at some random bar.  There wasn’t a Football (Soccer) game on, so I just sat there, drinking my beer, listening to some guys talk about women…and how crazy theirs are and can be.  As this was something I was quite familiar with (okay fine!, almost expert), I joined the conversation.  Over the course of the next hour or two, we were swapping crazy women stories, buying each other beers, laughing the time away, and relieved we weren’t the guy we were sitting next to.

I have a hunch.  No matter where you are in the world, all you simply need to say to a group of guys is, “Women are crazy!”, and you have just about found yourself your new best friends.  It is an INTERNATIONAL phenomenon and I guess is something that all guys can relate to.

At the end of it all, I learned something I didn’t even know I learned until today.  Something said in the bar that night struck a cord so hard that I repeated it to one of my oldest friends.  I guess bored guys drunk are just bored drunks, but bored drunk guys talking about women suddenly become genius philosophers.

He met a new girl a few weeks ago and I asked him what attracted him to this new girl so much.

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LostSock21:: so yeah, what attracts you so much to this chick?
Friend: very intelligent, seems to manage money well, good career, pretty good looking
Friend: and my standard crap…. nice eyes, nice smile, nice ass
Friend: she says some of the most witty intelligent sarcastic things
LostSock21:: okay sounds good
Friend: grew up poor = not overly spending, knows the value of money
Friend: family oriented…. she flew her mom down to LA last weekend
Friend: what else…..
Friend:  and we get along really really well
Friend: I think this chick might be smarter than me
LostSock21: : hah wow
Friend:  like straight IQ-wise
LostSock21:: you might as well purchase a ring now
LostSock21:: haha
Friend:  ahahahahaha
LostSock21: : cause by the book, it ain’t gonna get better than that
LostSock21: I had a good conversation with some guys in a bar in amsterdam
LostSock21: one guy told me, if you go about looking for the perfect girl, with all the requirements you think you want, you’ll end up alone
Friend: that’s true
LostSock21: what you should be looking for instead is one that you get along with great, makes you happy, that you love and will love you unconditionally, and I guess…won’t kill you.
Friend:  ahahahahaha

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I now sit here and am thinking back about my previous relationships and where they have brought me:

Happiness, Smiles, Smiles, Elation, Love, and Hope. 

However, I shall not forget the fear, panic, dread, heartache, or infinite sadness I have endured.

All the time I may have been looking for my unicorn- the perfect woman for my ideals.  Maybe she simply doesn’t exist.  Maybe she does, but my requirements are too stringent.  I suppose I should think about what I’ve been looking for in the past and modify the list to emphasize, “one who gets along with me“.

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What do you look for in a significant other?  Do you have a list or is it all by feeling?  What makes the perfect guy or girl for you?

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Jon’s fare of the day:
LAX-GUA (Guatamala)- On Taca- 253 Taxes Included.  Good in April and most of May.

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