The Power of Value

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/value

: the amount of money that something is worth : the price or cost of something

: something that can be bought for a low or fair price

: usefulness or importance

Isn't this completely wrong?  I wonder what a little kid would say if you asked them what value meant and I'm talking about like a 10 year old kid or maybe even a 13 year old raised in the suburbs of middle America.

IN MY OPINION (IMO - which took me forever to understand, always just breezed past it) this definition and a lot of people's definition makes value calculable in dollars.

Are you successful once you achieve a $100,000 salary a year?  Or when you FINALLY reach $1,000,000?  You're a MILLIONAIRE.  KABOOOOM!!!  What do you think your happiness percentage will be once you reach that goal?  Is there a 100% you will be truly happy?  What would you do if you reached it?  Can't you do that right now?  What will you do and how much money does that ACTUALLY take?  

I want to live in a SFO apartment for $5,000 a month or $60,000 a year  cause I'm a gangster.

I want to be able to fly all over the world at any time which let's say is $10,000 a year.

I want to take an Uber EVERYWHERE because I dislike driving.  Who knows, but can't be more than $20,000 a year and that's definitely way over but I want to be driven like a boss.  I want to eat like a beast, who the fuck cares $100,000 a year - JUST. ON. FOOD.  Mostly lobster and Kobe beef.

60 +  10 + 20 + 100 + 100 (a salaried 100k job just for fun) = $290,000 a year for me and I'll tack on $10k to spend on my nieces and the nephew.  $300,000 a year to live a lifestyle I just threw out there.  That's possible, right?  

So a more realistic goal is to be like $300k rather than be a millionaire cause then I'd have whatever I want in LIFE and more.

Back to the power of value...  I've got an interview in 3 minutes and I'm sitting here thinking about the power of value.  How I can add more value to my life and more importantly add value to other people's lives.  That's something I will conscious do from now on and I think you should too.  Actually, I know it.  Go and add value to other people because it will only enlighten you.

A. Trinh

A message to my Gurlz coming upon the age of 7 from a Super Saiyan

If I could (and I can and will) sit in a room with my two oldest nieces what would I teach them?  How can I change their lives?

Imagine yourself in a room with two almost 7 year old girls that you love.  They are cousins.  You are their uncle who has spent a great deal of time with them growing up, but have been traveling and for the past 3 years.  But now you're reunited and they still remember you.  Amazing.  They even sometimes retell you stories of when they were kids and you brought them to a park and found bird poop on the swings.  Over 3 years ago!  Beautiful.

If I'm in a room with them, this is what I'd do.

********

Girls.  How are you doing today?

Now, I know the UNCK hasn't been around much lately cause you know I've been traveling to crazy places like Vietnam and San Francisco!  BUT I am here now and I love you.

I know I've missed a lot of time with you but I've been keeping track.

@Bel, I know you've been KILLIN it in karate.
@Maya, I see you in front on stage dancing with your tip toes.

I love it all and I'm so happy to see you girls being such beasts.  You've grown up so much and look at you, you're both huge!  Probably still couldn't wrestle me down though.

 (Then we'd wrestle and resume the convo)

Now since we have this amazing opportunity to spend time together, us three, let's have a talk.  Huddle up.  OK, first off - group hug.

OK.  Now down to business.  I've got some questions for you girls that I have been DYING (I pretend to die) to ask you now that you're so much older, bigger, and smarter.

I'd ask them some what I hope to be meaningful questions that will help shape their minds.  I stole these points from lifehack.com though but would definitely ask them the following:

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/15-questions-ask-your-kids-help-them-have-good-mindsets.html

Who knows what well thought out questions can do for a budding human being.  What inspiration they can catch or curiosity that tickles their nose.  It's all about teaching them to explore, wonder, and do.  I want to add value to their lives and wonder what questions or actions can help be come a Super Saiyan Uncle instead of just a Super Uncle.

Discipline is the Greatest Trait of All Time

What is the most important attribute in the world for a human being?

Discipline.  Don't even argue with me - it just is.  If you ahve discipline, you can teach yourself anything.  You can train your body properly.  You can raise children with manners.  You basically become impregnable.

I got super pissed at a $4 toothbrush today

Today I woke up and on my way to the bathroom I saw my essentials were missing:

1.  Toothbrush
2.  Tooth paste
3.  Contact Solution
4.  Contact Case
5.  Gel
6.  Floss

I opened up one of those shady mirror medicine cabinets we have and all my stuff was in there along with my FOUR DAY NEW toothbrush, electric disposables ones from Costco (the best) on the flood of this dirty ass medicine cabinet ledge.  I was so furious I immediately just continued on to take my shower.  I was fuming in the shower, face palming myself and letting out a groan of UGHHHH.  I was distressed.

I come out and all my stuff is there again.  I know who just did it.  I called this person and said they were cleaning and it would have only sat there for 5-10 minutes.

I thought and said probably in a very aggressive manner "You put my toothbrush on there where it is dirty and was going to put it back.  You are saying sorry for not telling me about it, but what if I didn't catch it?  You would have just put it back and I wouldn't have known and brushed my teeth with it.  Thank you for cleaning but I personally think that's disgusting."  She continued to say sorry she did not know, but personal hygiene is very important to me.  Something I sickly NEED in my life.  Cleanliness and a high degree of personal hygiene.

Fine, call me weird.

I take two showers a day.
I actually wash my hands after I go to the bathroom.
I use paper to open the bathroom door as I leave cause I just washed my hands and I know not everyone does.  Otherwise I use my pinky in the area I think people grab the least, like the very top of one of those C shaped handles.
I will pretend to wash my hands a little longer, dry them a little more thoroughly if I see that a guy is going to open the door so I don't have to touch it.
I brush my teeth every morning and every night.
I have strictly sleeping clothes only and will never lay on my bed with clothes that I wear outside.
I change my underwear every time I take a shower which means I'm wearing 3 different pairs of underwear every day of my life.
I only wear shirts once then wash it.
I used to wear pants only once, but living alone changed that and now I rewear it a few times or until it's dirty OR if I'm doing laundry.
If I wear my hat, I think my head is now dirty unless I just washed it and have only worn it briefly and didn't sweat in it.
I slept on my clean t shirts in a hostel/hotel/guesthouse because I think it's cleaner than their washing.

I'm all over the place.  But the moral of the story is that  I super pissed over something so small.

Life's crazy when someone touches your toothbrush.  

Should I share my ideas with people? Or just let them know the final result?

I've been trying to become an idea machine and have probably cranked out at least 200 thus far.  I just got done listening to a podcast that begs the question should you share your ideas with people or will explaining and defending it take up too much of your time?

For example, if you are writing a book.

If I had this great idea about a book, like a entitled "Viet Kieu OG Killas" about the most gangster and most humble Vietnamese Americans or Vietnamese French/German/Chinese who "made it" in Vietnam.  If I had this idea for this book, if I told everyone would I have to take so much time explaining it to each person that it'd take away from my ultimate goal?  Yes.  Yes I do!

My philosophy just changed and it is to share my ideas, but also keep a close secret as to which ones are too elaborate to explain on a mass basis.

Drop the mic.

Dark Post about Repatriation

People talk about it.  You might read about it if you're planning to go and work abroad.

Repatriation is basically when you come back to the location you were before you set off to your exotic journey of working abroad AND traveling.  So when I left MSP to live and work in SGN for 2.5 years it was amazing.  Now it is almost one year (plus 2 days) so on June 10th, 2014 I was diagnosed with guillain barre syndrome.

It didn't even really hit me until a few weeks ago though I was actually in SFO.  It's almost as if this last year just sped past me, but this year it was extra fast.

Chronicles of my life a year ago in one month and two days

June 9th - I'm in Vietnam and just started my new job, 2nd week or work and ThuyKha leaves back to ATL at midnight
June 10th - Admit myself to the hospital in D1, then D7, then D5
Early Julyish - I fly back to the US and spend a few days in ANA before heading back to MSP
August/September -  Physical and occupational therapy two a days (just like NFL and NBA players) along with a special nurse gives me King treatment
September - I fall and crash my niece's scooter, scar up my body and beautiful face for the rest of my life but lesson well learned.
End of September I move to SFO, start my new job on September 28th or 29th to receive health insurance for October
December 27th - the day after Christmas I get fired for the first time ever.
End of December - I finally get a life long achievement award and have someone pay for my flight and hotel.  I ended up going to CES in Las Vegas and getting horribly sick the moment I return.
December - Boo boo came to visit for the next two months!
January and February - Discover San Francisco, Monterey, Carmel, Twin Peaks, Kirby Cove, Golden Gate Bridge, Mission District, 24th Street in Noe Valley, hipster cafes, Pacifica and the beach, Highway 1, drove to LA and spend 2 weeks there with my family + Laguna Beach, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara on the way back.  Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf, the Ferry Building and scary SF downtown late at night, Super Duper Burger, home cooked meals with organic produce from Trade Joe's and multiple fun Costco runs.  Learning how to make Hispanic food with hella cheese.
April my mentor and straight OG killa comes to SFO from Vietnam and we get to catch up
April my bro and his family come, I finally meet my first nephew
May my best friend from MN comes and we play 30+ games of chess in 4 days, I come out victorious

May 8th, 2015.

Meant to write about repatriation.  OH!  My point is that after almost a year of coming back to the US, I'm still having effects of repatriation because I don't feel comfortable.  I can''t seem to find the place I where I fit in and am actually happy.

ALSO!  Aren't there side effects from having a life threatening episode like guillian barre syndrome?  I wonder if there are any emotional painful periods and do I need psychological counseling to help me adapt?!  Or is that just crazy talk?  I don't know.  Whatever.

Resetting with my boy D

Just hung out with basically my best friend here in SF.  We played a lot of chess and drank a lot of coffee.  Told him about Saigoncisco and this period in time in my life.  Listened to his current period in time of doing deals for Prospect Park Properties.

Now that he is gone, I feel like I'm starting fresh.  This whole experience and with a new approach.  To be smart, witty, cunning, EFFICIENT, productive, hard working, curious, passionate, positive, LOVING, and just overall gangster with it.  Make what I want.  Get what I want.  Do what I can.

"Seek what art thou seek." Anthony 5.6.2015