Welcome to John's Blog Space (JBS)! Latest News/Notice(s):

(LATEST UPDATE: May 20, 2013)

• Thoughts and Prayers... - I would like to offer my thoughts and prayers to all affected by tornado damage in the Mid-South (including Moore, OK, USA), Midwest, and all other places affected. May God be with all of you in this horrific time.

• Still On Blogging Hiatus... - Because of Internet troubles lately, I've shut myself off from blogging and taken a hiatus. I apologize for this inconvenience. I will return when I feel my situation has resolved (or when things get better).

• Follow Me on Bloglovin! - I've added an item to allow you to connect with my blog on Bloglovin. Check the sidebar to connect with my blog via Bloglovin. I will be adding these items to my other blogs as well.

Welcome to "John's Blog Space!" This blog is best viewed in 1024×768 resolution and with JavaScript enabled. Use the bar below this blog's header to Get Social With Me and visit my links. You may contact me via E-Mail just to say hello or to send me questions/comments. Don't forget to Follow and subscribe if you love my blog. Scroll down with this box to see all news notices regarding JBS. Thank you for visiting!

• Games Reviews May Be Moved to "John's Shop Space?" - To maximize usage of my other blogs, I may decide to move some of my game reviews over to "John's Shop Space." I'll let you know what I decide to do with some of my game reviews in the future.

• 2,000,000 Views and Happy (Belated) 4th Anniversary! - "John's Blog Space" has surpassed 2 million hits all-time (Blogger/Blogspot statistics) yesterday! Thanks to all of you for contributing to these numbers! Since Blogger/Blogspot unveiled its own stat engine in June 2008, very few blogs have reached the 2M view count. So I am very pleased to receive so much attention from such a worldwide audience. Can't say enough- thank you so much for contributing to this milestone for me! Also, my blog celebrated its 4th anniversary back on Wednesday, January 23, 2013.

• I May Be Idle... - ...but I am not "dead." I do contribute to my other blogs as well as just living life. So do remember to keep checking in to see my latest posts here on "John's Blog Space" and my other blogs.

• Over time, the "Car Style" label will not be discontinued, but posts will not take on the "Car Style" name. It was originally intended to be about how I think certain vehicles look. Because of spam comment concerns, however, I have not discussed this topic as much as I used to. Some old "Car Style" posts will be deleted with newer versions just to keep the topic alive on John's Blog Space.

• Some of this blog's old blog posts will be edited and/or deleted. Many of them are old Gran Turismo posts that will be moved over to "John's Gran Turismo Space." So I invite you to visit JGTS to get your fill of Gran Turismo commentary from me.

• My blog will take on a new theme in the near future. The current theme is called "Sea of Stars." The new theme will not really be an overall change to the look of this blog. However, I am working on something to give this blog some new life.

• 1.9M views! - John's Blog Space has recently surpassed 1.9M views all-time (Blogger/Blogspot statistics)! Thanks to all of you for contributing to these numbers! I am now less 100K hits than the unprecedented mark of 2M hits all-time. Glad to get so much traffic for my three-year old blog.

• Sidebar Updates - My Cafepress widget and Twitter widget have both been updated. Be sure to look at each of the items I've provided to you. Don't forget also to take advantage of any offers I have for all of you. Please help yourself now that you're here.

• New Search Bar - I am experimenting with a new search bar. This search bar will allow you to search for items not only in this blog, but in my others as well. Feel free to use this new search bar to your advantage. I may, however, go back to the old one and leave this newer one behind if I am unable to make the absolute most of it.

• Have You Visited My StyleSpace Blog Yet? - Visit stylespacebyjbm.blogspot.com to check out my fairly new blog devoted to fashion. StyleSpace is all about anything and everything regarding fashion. Diverse topics, diverse opinions... it is not your average "fashion" blog.

• Joined ShopSense - If you see any ShopStyle widgets, that is because I joined ShopSense, their affiliate program. This will help my fashion lovers to find more items based on relevant material in my blog posts. That leads to the next point...

• "An Important Amazon Note" is now "Affiliate Notes" - "An Important Amazon Note" now falls under a new name. It still has information regarding other affiliate programs I've signed up for. Even though it pertains to Amazon, it also includes other programs I've taken part in; and so I have to change up the info.

• Layout Changes - Incremental changes to the current layout will be made over a certain amount of time. The whole blog will have a much different appearance as the changes are being made. Forgive me if the blog appears to be messy- all I am doing is making changes in a slow and steady manner. The new Social Bar is now below the header (which I was trying to go for all along).

• "Like" Me on Facebook! - Have you "liked" my Facebook fan page? If not, and if you have Facebook, I have an easier-to-remember link. Just search "TheJohnMarine" on Facebook or just click this: http://www.facebook.com/TheJohnMarine to visit my Fan Page. Also, don't forget to add my Google+ page to your Circles. Links to all can be found at the top of my blog in the Social Bar.

• Important Note Regarding Comments Posted Here - Any suspicious comments posted on my blog will be deleted promptly. It makes no sense that the majority of comments posted here are mostly from non-genuine people (spammers, bots, etc.). It makes no sense that I get so many hits from so many people, but only so few (mostly spammers and loyal readers) actually respond to my work. So please- share your thoughts on anything I post. But with recent rough times for my blog and blogging work, I at least need some assurance that people actually care about my work. Anything that even just sounds like spam will be shot down immediately.

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Sunday, May 5, 2013

Sexual Pressure

(UPDATED: May 23, 2013)

Pressured into sex or being sexy? It seems tough to try to avoid sex and being sexy in today's postmodern times. In no way am I suggesting there is nothing wrong with this or dabbling with being sexy. However, I feel there is constant and persistent pressure to be sexy. Mainstream society will likely honor and praise those who are in the vein of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll." Society will praise the male who is either overbearingly handsome or has a body seemingly chiseled from stone. They will praise the female who wears short skirts/dresses and has a body every heterosexual male would dream to impregnate. Some things have inside sexual undertones, even among things that are not meant to some sort of sexual influence. So the one thing I wonder is... how much are we (as a society) under sexual pressure? Are we oversexed? This blog post is my contribution to the matter.

I feel like I am either discussing something nobody brings up or wants to discuss in a certain manner. Regardless, welcome to another "John's Blog Space" post.

WARNING: This topic may not be suitable for all audiences.


LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

MAY 23 2013 - added an extra section





--- Sexual Pressure ---

Let me set the mood with a picture:

sexual pressure
^ from: www.getthelowdown.co.uk - How much sexual pressure are we under? Being pressured into sex as a society is like pumping a balloon or igniting a fire.

As times progressed, modesty has been pushed aside in favor of a more rebellious culture. You can hark back to times like the 1920s when flappers became popular- women who ditched long skirts and long dresses and started wearing shorter dresses. You can also look to the times of Woodstock- a huge counterculture movement where young folks (at that time) had their own fun- including having sex. You can even look to iconic figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Madonna, and the like as being seductive figures in our society.

We've become a society mostly that favors and capitalizes on sex. To be accepted to some people, you have to be sexy in some sort of capacity. You have to market something on an appealing level to get certain people to care. You have to sexualize something to make it attractive. At least... this is among most media types and at least among American media. For one, we've sexualized everything ranging from schoolgirls, to secretaries, to even librarians. It is all in the effort to market and promote things to others.

While I am not suggesting that being sexy is anything wrong, what I am saying is that there is enough sex and sexiness to go around to where you can't seem to escape it all even if you tried. Even as a publisher of online content, I don't want to feel like I am feeding a monster any more than it needs to be fed (so to speak). So I am even careful of what I post online because I know I may be pleasing the sexual desires of certain shady people online who search any of my blogs and blog posts. I am careful of what I post and how I post.



--- Sexual Pressure: Talking Points ---

There are a few dynamics to this topic. To explain what it is I am trying to explain, let's look at a few key points:


Do You Need to be Sexy to be Loved?

Some are not content with looking hot or showing themselves in certain ways. If sexy equates to beautiful to you, then you feel under constant pressure to look and feel attractive enough to be loved by someone. You feel importance in trying to be worthy of sexual arousal. It means you are willing to make yourself as much of a hottie to people you love or want to be loved by.

The other department of this topic relates to what qualifies as sexy. Does it mean looking appealing? Does it mean being willing and ready to engage in sexual intercourse when wanting those desires fulfilled? Or to quote a song from Ludacris, is it about "being a lady on the streets but a freak in the bed?" Some feel being sexy and feeling sexy is very important. It all depends on a number of social and romantic factors.


Do You Need Sex in Your Life?

You can't escape sex in today's society. All kinds of tones and themes only draw us in when it comes to trying to escape from the notion of sex and being sexy. Look at various advertisements and celebrities who promote products and services in a suggestive manner. I can speak as someone whom follows fashion- seeing advertisements in various forms of media are often times sexually suggestive. For example, think of ads of muscular males wearing only underwear or some kind of male swim bottoms. Think of topless female models in a jeans ad covered only by long hair or with the model covering her breasts with one of her arms. In these situations, it's true what they say- sex sells.

Trying to be modest only makes you boring among some members of society.


Sex in Our Youth.

The most damaging aspect of sexuality is in our youth. That includes both being involved in sex and teaching others about sex. One of my most popular blog posts here on "John's Blog Space" is my post regarding pregnant youth. Being involved in sex as a youth involves the issue of teen pregnancy. There is a campaign by Candies that urges teenage girls not to get involved in teen pregnancy.

About as worse as getting youth involved in sex is the notion of teens becoming promiscuous. Think of teenagers who parade around boastfully bragging about being sexy and feeling indestructible. I have certainly seen many a daytime talk show of teenagers (and even some children) who get drawn into and indulged in sex. Certain teenagers live wild lifestyles to where they are engaged in sexual activities and even wear sexy clothing. In addition to being oversexed, they may also be wildly active partying, doing drugs, getting violent, and things of that nature.

What has to be of the utmost importance is the ability to properly teach sex and sexual matters to youth so they don't screw themselves for life later in life. Learning to abstain from sex at a young age is also key in properly developing youth. Many people usually think youth should enjoy being young and not get involved in things like sex. Getting involved in sex at a young age can lead to situations like getting tested for sexually-transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and things like that.


Looking Sexy or Being Seen Only as a Sex Object.

(ADDED: May 23, 2013)
Doesn't it disgust you if people don't even care about something you try to discuss, and people mostly hate on your looks? I was disgusted when I saw a video of the beautiful Arika Sato, and most of the YouTube commenters were hating on Arika just because she wasn't showing her breasts. It is like some people couldn't care less about actual factual material. Only instead people care about certain females only on the grounds of their appearance. Females who aren't sexy or don't look sexy get ridiculed and hated on.

I even seen a video of a teen girl doing some high-energy dancing to a Japanese song, and someone referred to her as a "pussy." Another teenage girl (and a fellow blogger) I encountered online talked about how she should be doing pornography... as a 15-year old girl! What is more disappointing (and disgusting) than be talked about as a mere sex object is being a young person being trashed on as a mere sex object. It's like people don't care about certain things people try to express and instead only look at females as sex objects. That is even if the female in question is not trying to be sexy or suggest something sexy.

It is okay to be visually appealing and sexually appealing. However, what becomes disgusting is how people can only view certain others as sex objects or as cheap thrills.


Regarding to Items as Pornography.

(ADDED: May 23, 2013)
Anyone familiar with Internet lingo may have heard of "Rule 34." If you're not Internet-savvy, Rule 34 states this:

"If it exists, there is porn of it."

-Rule 34 of the "Rules of the Internet"

So you have these terms using the word "porn": gadget porn. Shoe porn. Food porn. Honestly... do we really NEED to market things as pornography just to make them more attractive? Some people on the Internet community would say yes. I NEVER market and will never market or refer to anything as porn just to make it more viable and visible to others. I think of pornography much like I think of negativity and hate- there is already enough of it, so why contribute to it? I am always careful in how I present my material; because if I post something in a suggestive manner, people aren't going to care about a certain topic in a way I want it to be expressed. I do have fun with what I post and suggest. However, I am always careful not to have something be famous for the wrong reasons.


Using Sexual Terms to Describe Something.

(ADDED: May 23, 2013)
Here is what I mean: if a sports team is beating another in a rout, some people will say something like, "this team just demolished the other team." Some other people, will say something like "this team just raped the other team." Sometimes on YouTube, I've seen people comment saying one ear got an orgasm with videos that have videos with audio only coming from the left channel or the right channel. Sexual references, to me, are really unnecessary. I would never use sexual terms to express something.


So sex and being sexy takes on a huge number of factors. I looked at sexual pressure from a number of different perspectives. How do you feel about these subject matters?



--- A Little Sex and Sexiness Goes a Long Way? ---

Now a further look at this topic. Here is an article from 2010 regarding Selena Gomez needing to be sexier to take advantage of more lucrative roles:

"Experts Say Selena Gomez Needs to be Sexier" (Celebuzz)

Most of what is expressed is that these "experts" think Selena Gomez can benefit in the long run by being sexier. Almost as if the "good, sweet girl" image is only going to lead to not getting as many serious attention. Many of the comments that people said in response on Celebuzz were along the lines of "Selena Gomez is fine as is; we don't need another slutty (at the time) teenager."

This is the world and society we live in. You HAVE to be sexy to be cool. You have to look sexy to be cool. In the eyes of most people, cute and modest (in terms of females) doesn't make you cool- it just makes you boring. You often hear of certain celebrities (especially young ones) being recognized and represented in negative context. Such examples include the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus, and others like that. You then have those young celebrities who don't use sexuality or controversy to become famous like Miranda Cosgrove, Shay Mitchell, and Taylor Swift among others. Whatever happened to getting ahead with talent and hard work? Being sexy or seductive is purely natural, but are we forgetting that talent REALLY pays the bills and extends our personalities all the further?



--- Sexual Pressure: Masculine Issues ---

After going on about sexual pressure from a feminine standpoint, it is now time I think about this issue on the masculine level. As much as sexual pressure impacts females, it impacts a lot of us males equally. Most males seem to really be at a level where they have to be hunky and handsome. They have to be under pressure to be as appealing as any lustful female celebrity. Males who aren't overbearingly handsome or (for lack of a better term) can't perform in the bedroom are disliked among members of society. The same disregard also applies for males who lack sexual drive.

I don't feel being under this sort of pressure because I know I am not the kind of guy that females in mainstream society would consider lustful. I know who I am. I know what I am. I understand my character and accept myself for who I am. And the bottom line is- I DO NOT consider myself any sort of figure mainstream society would deem "sexy" or "handsome." So to avoid embarrassment, I won't lower myself to any sort of degree.



--- Sexual Pressure: Who Has It Worse? ---

Who do I think is under greater sexual pressure- males or females? Both sides have their own levels of intensity as far as sexual pressure is concerned. But if you ask me, I think females are under greater sexual pressure than us males. This pressure is either influenced among themselves or among various other social influences. Even some pregnant females feel they have to be and feel sexy even while pregnant. Many of these issues boil down to self-confidence and self-esteem. Those females who feel the need to be and remain sexy don't have enough self-confidence and self-esteem in themselves to accept themselves for who they are.

Who one really thinks has it worse between males and females depend mostly on who basically feels sex and being sexy impacts more.



--- Sexual Pressure: Final Thoughts ---

You don't need to be sexy to be cool or loved. Sadly, society makes it seem like you have to be indulged into the concept of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" to be accepted among the greater public-at-large. A lot of us feel we have to be on a certain level to become better admired. That even includes being sexy in some capacity. People who therefore lack a certain level of sex appeal are not considered cool or liked among others. While it is not true that some of us have to be at the level of certain celebrities to feel sexy and confident, what is more important is just being ourselves and being proud of who we are regardless of what others may think about us. Nothing at all is wrong with sex or being sexy. But likewise, one does not need to be sexy or be real sexually active just to be loved and respected. Learn to be confident with yourself and your personality before taking on being sexy.





Sexual pressure affects just about all of us in some sort of capacity. How does this affect you, if at all? Do you find it easy or hard to escape excessive sex talk? How sexed do you think our society is? Feel free to comment away. And of course... thank you for reading!

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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

World's Worst Tenants

"World's Worst Tenants" on Spike TV is a show that I have been watching a lot of lately. I usually watch Spike only for watching wrestling, but I've recently been seeing this show a lot lately. Allow me to review this show based on various episodes I've seen. This will be my chance to share a review of this show here in my personal blog. Thank you for visiting "John's Blog Space!"

To keep up with updates about me, one of the best ways is to connect with me on Facebook. So please visit (and even "like") www.facebook.com/TheJohnMarine!





--- World's Worst Tenants at a Glance ---

Even though the show is called "World's Worst Tenants," this show features mostly properties within the greater Los Angeles area. The premise of this show is to showcase incidents involving unruly tenants and various complaints thereof made by residents and citizens regarding certain residences and commercial properties. A three-person team is responsible for working with various landlords in handling certain incidents. Here is the trio:

• Todd Howard - former United States Marine and eviction specialist of 20+ years.
• Randye Howard - Todd's wife, licensed process server
• Rick Moore - partner of Todd and Randye, eviction specialist.

So what is this team paid to do? The team is responsible for protecting the property owner(s) and the various properties involved. Sometimes, that protection may involve getting physical with the suspected tenants. You may see the crew get involved in takedowns, fights, and even dealing with armed people. "World's Worst Tenants" is not a police show. The eviction team is not trying to solve crimes. They aren't out to make arrests (though they do make citizen's arrests at times). They are responsible for investigating properties and responding to certain incidents regarding certain properties. To give you some insight on their job and what they do, brief scenes showcase certain laws and certain notes regarding the work of evicting others. So this show also offers some educational insight on property management.

The various incidents can range from some simple to outrageous. For example, a few simple cases can range from tenants not paying rent to complaints of loud noise. More outrageous incidents can relate to poorly-maintained buildings to illegal businesses run at residential properties. Whatever the case, the trio of Todd, Randye, and Rick are all in to try to help to protect the landlord(s) and the properties they own- at any cost. Usually, notices are handed out for tenants and suspects to clean up certain violations or move off of the property. Some people may even face jail time, be given fines, and/or get evicted from properties. The properties may be re-rented or converted to other spaces.



--- "World's Worst Tenants" Review ---

Needless to say, "World's Wildest Tenants" will make you think twice about being around people you can't stand. You think people you are around are bad enough? Think about people who run illegal businesses (usually sexually-oriented businesses), cut off electricity and gas to other apartment rooms, and things like that. The show offers some intense and dramatic moments while also being completely real. You have no idea just how insane the action can be on this show.


Video Preview.

I say you should see at least one episode to see just how insane this job is and how Todd, Randye, and Rick handle things. To prove this point, here is a little sample episode for you all to give you some insight on this show (WARNING: This video may not be suitable for all audiences):


^ "World's Worst Tenants: Video Game Meltdown"


To learn more about "World's Worst Tenants" or any other on Spike TV, visit www.spike.com/shows.





Even though I posted this blog entry, I am still trying to work out my PC issues. I have now mostly nailed them down to some sort of kernel issue involving my PC. My regular blogging habits will resume once I get those issues sorted out. For now, my blogging is limited. Thank you for reading!

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Friday, April 12, 2013

John's Corner: Away

(UPDATED: May 2, 2013)

This "John's Corner" is about why I haven't been blogging lately. Now before any of you think I've somehow lost motivation to blog, think again. I've faced some computer and online troubles that have led me to blog less often. In fact, I haven't prepared many posts since facing these troubles. I will explain what has happened.

What happens is that at some random times while connected to a browser (or sometimes away from browsing), my PC would either randomly freeze or have my wireless connection switched off. The dropped connection then leads to temporary usage of my keyboard and mouse. Then eventually, the PC freezes for good, leaving me no other choice but to perform a hard reset to have everything running back to normal. I even had to do a System Restore last week just to be able to properly start my PC. I still haven't figured out what exactly is crippling my PC and my online issues.

Blogging is very much dependent on the Internet. Without a way to connect online, I am basically grounded. My issues surely have slowed down my blogging habits. I have basically stayed away from blogging (including commenting on other blogs) as I tried to attend to my PC issues. My connection online is fine- I am just trying to avoid having to deal with the threat of having my PC constantly freeze and disconnect from the Internet.

Among many things, I am thankful I have my Samsung Galaxy Player to do WiFi access of the Internet. I would otherwise have no real connection to the Internet and no real way to conduct my usual business online. So I have other ways to use the Internet. Only problem is just how to find other ways to blog more often in terms of not having to always worry about my PC connection to the Internet with little or no fail. As much as I love my Samsung Galaxy Player, using it isn't TOO practical in PC-like usage. So I have been thinking about maybe looking towards getting a tablet PC as an alternative form of online usage at home (and maybe on the road). Being a recent Samsung fan, I've been eyeing the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch tablets.

So with these issues, I regret saying that I have faced multiple snags that have limited my enjoyment of blogging lately.


On a different note, I finally bought a refurbished Samsung Galaxy Player 4.2 from Amazon. I hope to review this device in my "John's Shop Space" blog. I still have the Samsung Galaxy Player 3.6 model, but the 4.2 is my new baby. It's what I have wanted all along.





--- A Description of my PC/Online Troubles ---

(ADDED: May 2, 2013)

I figured I would share what PC trouble I am facing. This is your chance to get an idea of what I am experiencing.

The PC trouble that has faced me in recent times has been times where my WiFi connection would randomly drop for some unusual reason. It will happen either browsing online or sometimes away from the Internet. I could simply browse files on my PC, and the WiFi would drop. So as long as I am connected online, I am liable for my WiFi connection to drop at a random moment. When the WiFi disconnects, it is followed by the sound card going out and the keyboard no longer being functional. If I attempt to get the connection going again, I will only have functionality of my mouse. And eventually, the PC will freeze... leaving me no other choice but to do a hard reboot of my computer to regain all of my PC's functionality. I can connect to the network and stay connected. The only problem is, there will be that moment when the WiFi on my computer will randomly disconnect from the Internet and crash my PC. It will either be at a moment where I am browsing files online or trying to surf the Internet through a browser.

I am given almost no idea of what actually happened when I check certain logs. All I get from Event Viewer in Windows XP is an Event 4202. Event 4202 basically states that the Internet connection was disconnected from the network. This is either because of the network adapter malfunctioning or because of something causing the network adapter to malfunction (like a virus or spyware). This issue has infuriated me to no end as I feel there are very few solutions or answers to how to resolve my PC/online issues.

Recently, I've gone from AT&T to Comcast Xfinity, thinking this was going to solve my problem. I thought it was something related to the 2Wire modem at first; and I thought going to this new service and new connection would solve matters. Nope. If anything, it just takes me back to the original problem I've started to face since mid-late March. This issue only affects my PC and not any other devices.

Because of the fear my WiFi will randomly switch off at an inopportune moment, I have limited (or even stopped) any and all online activity on my PC. Why take a chance hoping the PC and my connection will cooperate as I try to do my work? So that's why I've stayed away from almost any and all online activity on my PC. Most of my communication with others is done through Android. I am therefore thankful I have another way to communicate online as well as have another way to access the Internet to find answers to my PC/online problem.


That is what prevents me from really enjoying returning to online activity. I am sorry for the delays and lack of updates to my online material because of these issues.





If you think I've been a bad blogger just because I haven't been updating my material lately, I sincerely apologize. You at least know why I've been so down in blogging lately. Frankly, I've fallen on some hard times blogging lately. Since March 19, 2013; I have yet to get over 1K views to JBS in one day. I am facing an epic slump these days. Having these recent PC/Internet issues with my PC isn't making things better. This has not been a good year for me blogging except for the fact that I've reached 2M blog hits all-time for "John's Blog Space" back in January 2013. Some of my poorly-viewed blog posts will be deleted and/or replaced. I'm not giving up, though.

If you enjoy my work, PLEASE get social with me to keep up with all the different news and notes regarding yours truly. Thank you for reading!

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Sunday, March 24, 2013

"Coming Out"

When someone "comes out," he/she announces and admits being gay. Why is this a big deal? Most people feel hateful or intolerant of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, or whatever. Acceptance of one's gay lifestyle can be a difficult task. Some people may never want to associate with or be around certain gay people- even friends and family! Considering that people can have strong hostility towards those who are gay or transgendered, there are two parts of "coming out"- the actual coming out and seeking acceptance. This blog post is a look at "coming out" and trying to get accepted by others.


BEFORE I BEGIN...

As with all of my posts in this category under the LGBT label, I would like to send a special welcome to everyone among the LGBT community who may be reading "John's Blog Space." All of my material and commentary are provided for educational and helpful purposes. "John's Blog Space" is not any kind of humor site, and I make sure to provide useful and respectful material while paying proper respect to certain subjects involved.

I would like to stress that this blog post does not have anything to do with me "coming out" about anything. I'm providing this post as a look at coming out from a number of perspectives.

WARNING: Due to the subject matter of this topic, some of the material featured may not be suitable for all audiences. You are reading and viewing this topic at your own discretion.





--- Coming Out ---

If it were easy to announce being gay and be accepted, then there would be no need to want to be accepted- because we would be accepted with little or no protest and with no regret of the consequences for coming out. But as with many things in life and society, not everyone takes even the simplest things lightly. Most people make mountains out of molehills (so to speak). The topic of coming out to others is especially one of grave concern to those involved. Some people who are gay feel as if they committed a crime worthy of being incarcerated in federal prison; and if they confess their gay or transgender ways to loved ones, people feel they will lose the ones they love most. It is not a crime or anything illegal to be gay or transgender. When someone feels they have skeletons in the closet (so to speak), they feel the need at some point to confess their gay tendencies and their most intimate emotions and feelings in being gay. This is the "coming out" process that can seriously alter or affect relationships with others. Some people may be understanding. Some others may be disgusted and may not be so understanding. The most important phase of "coming out" is actually releasing and confessing rather than just hold in your thoughts and emotions.


The Anatomy of Coming Out.

Being gay is NOT a choice. It isn't funny or comical to want to be gay. It isn't a switch that you can just turn on or off. It is not a disease. There may be certain situations which may seem homosexual in nature (like romantically touching or kissing someone of the same sex), but being TRULY gay goes much deeper than anything really casual or comical in regards to LGBT matters.

Being gay or transgendered is the result of personal feelings ranging from comfort to certain mental aspects. A certain person may have deep personal feelings towards wanting to be involved in same-sex relationships or conduct himself/herself in a way mainstream society may readily disapprove. A person who is wanting to come out feels the need to tell people of his/her gay or transgender tendencies. He/She may feel the need to release his/her innermost feelings and passions after holding them in for so long. For example- a male may enjoy having stronger romantic tendencies towards other males than with females. A female may enjoy the romantic company of another female more than with males. A bisexual person may equally enjoy the company of both males and females. Some people may be sexually aroused at thoughts or visions of erotic or appealing images of one's same sex. Someone transgender may feel trapped in the wrong body and want to emerge as someone of one's opposite gender. But until someone actually "comes out," these are all just deep feelings.

So when someone comes out on these issues, a major release is made. It takes courage to let out these gay or transgender intentions rather than hold them in for so long. Letting these innermost feelings remain in you only fester to the point where they take over your life. Here is an analogy about "coming out" for you. If you're trying to "come out," you are like a boat or a ship- you want to set sail and venture out on the water, but you docked by the anchor of your own gay or transgender feelings. The only way you can go on your journey on water is if you let go of that anchor so you can sail the seas. Letting the anchor loose in this analogy is one's "coming out."


When is it Time to "Come Out?"

The best time to "come out" is when you have held in your own gay or transgender tendencies long enough to want to proudly portray your gay or transgender pride to the world. It should be reserved for a time where you feel weak after holding in something like this for so long to where it is eventually time to announce being gay or transgender. It is not only about announcing these feelings to others, but also about living with and enduring these LGBT lifestyle changes.

Coming out, however, shouldn't be a confession. The decision to "come out" shouldn't be the result of being under pressure because of suspicions one may have of one being gay or transgender. One should be able to announce being gay or transgender when he/she feels most comfortable and ready to express these feelings; not at a time to be confronted. There may be a time where someone may be caught in the act being gay or transgender, but the best time to come out is when one announces and exposes their innermost gay feelings and tendencies. It shouldn't have to be at a candid moment.

One should be comfortable enough to be able to act out and live with certain decisions made. That even includes being involved in gay and transgender matters. Many of our lifestyle habits and decisions come with their own consequences no matter what they may be in whatever lifestyle habits or choices we make or live by. That even includes certain decisions in being gay or transgender. Someone who is gay may want to openly flirt with and be romantically involved with same-sex partners. Someone who is transgendered wants to enjoy dressing up as and living as a member of the sex different from one's birth gender. "Coming out" in these situations involves letting one's true feelings emerge so one can enjoy being gay and/or transgendered. A person can only hold in such feelings for so long until feeling the need to finally confess to loved ones of his/her gay or transgender intents.


Why Would Someone Make a Big Deal About Coming Out?

...because it IS a big deal! Someone may be disrespected for a long time. Someone may end up losing the ones they love most. Announcing these sorts of things can be detrimental to the love and respect of others. To those hateful of LGBT people, you may think I'm just making excuses. Fact is- these people fear they will lose the love and respect of others simply because of announcing being gay. The one thing people fear most is losing the ones they love most because of something like being gay. It is almost like being punished for a crime you didn't commit. That's why it is so important to "come out" rather than be caught in the act or have to confess something you are not comfortable to confess about in a most inconvenient time.


Potential Consequences of Coming Out.

One may be ridiculed and hated on by loved ones. If the person who comes out says this to family he/she lives with, a chance may be run of that person being kicked out of the house or have to live someplace else. Certain friends may think of one differently and may end up losing friends. If a person is so hateful of coming out as he/she intended, being lonely and depressed will also result from this. Some gay and transgender people may even be bullied by others. At the very worst, some people may be so depressed and lonely that they inflict serious damage or injury or at the most extreme- even commit suicide. It is a potentially life-altering decision to want to "come out" to others. However, letting these intents out is better than storing them in for so long to where you can't live a healthy life.

In some cases, being gay or transgender can even take on religious connotations. So if you are very religious or come from some sort of religious background, coming out can be very damaging from a religious standpoint.


So, uh... yeah. Coming out is a big deal.



--- Coming Out: The Quest For Acceptance ---

As mentioned in the introduction, coming out involves both actually "coming out" and trying to be accepted. Here are two schools of thought:


Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Acceptance.

What if you wanted to come out to announce being gay? What if you prefer to be openly gay or prefer the romantic company of same-sex partners? This can be difficult to ask for acceptance from loved ones if you came out to the ones you love. It can be even more difficult wondering if people will ever accept you or think of you positively after coming out. People may possibly make jokes about you or harass you for being gay. More accepting people would appreciate and respect your opinions. People don't have to like or accept gay people or gay lifestyles, but at least seeing the good in someone despite one's lifestyle of choice is reassuring to someone who came out.


Transgender Acceptance.

What seems equally as difficult in "coming out" is in transgender acceptance. This is where "coming out of the closet" comes into play. People who want to be accepted for their transgendered ways try to hope loved ones accept the person for wanting to be transgender. Being a transgendered person can mean one of two things- someone may feel the desire to become either a part-time or full-time (through surgery) member of one's opposite sex. Or, someone may feel born in the wrong body and want to have surgery done to become a full-time member of one's opposite gender. Either way, it is tough to consider being any capacity of transgender; and therefore, looking to be accepted as someone transgendered is no easy task. It is not only a difficult task for wanting to be transgender to some capacity, but it can also be a problem both financially and health-wise, especially if seeking surgery or wanting to take on hormone therapy.

In terms of the desire to come out as someone transgender, the toughest task is in trying to convince others to accept your ways. A transvestite (clinical term for a crossdresser) is someone who feels the desire to act as and become a part-time member of one's opposite sex. They do not want to be full-time members of one's opposite sex. Instead, they enjoy acting as and being members of one's opposite sex. A person who desires to be a transsexual- a full-time member of one's opposite sex may opt to have surgery and various other procedures to transition into becoming that full-time member of the opposite sex.

The stronger case for coming out would be for those seeking to become transsexual. In addition, it is also the tougher case for not only acceptance, but actually wanting to go through with all the individual elements to successfully transition from one's birth gender to being one's opposite gender. Either way, trying to gain acceptance as a transgender is actually a good bit tougher than gay acceptance.


All that is asked for is acceptance of these lifestyle changes. Some will get that acceptance; but many others may not be so fortunate. It all depends on whom you are around and how accepting they will be of you.



--- Coming Out: Inspirations ---

If you are a normal reader of my fashion blog- "StyleSpace by JBM," you know I may link to certain blog posts online relevant to the topic. Well here, I decided to share some insight on other people whom have "come out" in some way. I actually wanted to be diverse in providing these inspirations. I had intended on finding blogs in addition to videos, but I will only feature videos. The inspirations here come from videos. Click on the link below the videos to see them on YouTube if you're unable to view embedded material in your browser.

Here are video inspirations on "coming out." Some of these videos are rather long, so you may probably want to view them on YouTube rather than just see them here in my blog post. Most of the videos contain some bad language. Be mindful of this if you are easily offended by such bad language.


• A Gay Coming Out Story
The first video I'll share is from GregoryGORGEOUS. The very popular Canadian YouTuber is best known for his makeup and fashion advice. I have even featured him in a few of my posts here on "John's Blog Space" and on "StyleSpace by JBM." Here, though, GregoryGORGEOUS shares his coming out story in this video (WARNING: some bad language in this video):


^ "My Coming Out Story"

Honestly... whether you like this guy or not, you have to respect him for sharing his views and just simply being himself.


• Lesbian Coming Out Stories
Remember I said I wanted to be diverse? Well, after sharing a male story, I wanted to share a video of a lesbian "coming out." This lady's story can be checked out below:


^ "016. My First Coming Out."

She does bring across some great points. Here is another video, featuring a lesbian couple this time:


^ "Coming Out Stories"

So there is a more comical look at coming out. Comical, but still very real.


• A Bisexual Coming Out Story.
There may be a special reason why I am featuring this video. That reason is to show that you can be VERY young and feel the need to come out. This girl is only 13 years old as of this video and came out to people. So please take a look at this video. If you learn ANYTHING from this video, learn that you can never be too old or too young to develop and experience these LGBT feelings (WARNING: a little bad language):


^ "My Coming Out Story: I'm 13 and I'm Bisexual!"

I wanted to feature both a bisexual male and a bisexual female, but I ultimately decided to feature just this video.


• A Transgender Coming Out Story
Finally, here is some transgender coming out inspiration. Remember that coming out transgender can be not only difficult, but potentially a financial situation. The video below is good enough evidence of this:


^ "Coming Out As Transgender To Parents"

I found it extremely hard to believe she used to be a boy. She's freaking cute!


These videos are examples of what it is like to consider or think about in regards to "coming out." I provided these videos just to show you that coming out is not easy, and that these are real people sharing real problems in real situations. Let their experiences help you if you are in this situation of wanting to "come out" to others.



--- Coming Out: Final Thoughts ---

There is nothing wrong with being gay or transgender. What becomes a problem is in "coming out" to loved ones. You may fear they will hate you for what seems like forever. But if certain people are accepting of you even after coming out, you should truly be thankful and fortunate. No matter what you think of gay or transgender people, they are still people. Maybe you don't buy into their lifestyle or their ways. Maybe you can't tolerate people being gay or transgender. It takes bravery to want to "come out." It takes even more bravery to be able to "come out" while also accepting any and all consequences of coming out- especially as it involves being accepted by others. If you feel the need to "come out," do so when you reach a point where you ultimately want to confess what you've been hiding as far as gay and/or transgender feelings and passions are concerned. If you just keep these feelings in, you are only festering the problem and further letting these feelings take over your life. So at some point, you need to "come out" when the time is right.

If you don't become accepted by loved ones after "coming out," it is not the end of the world, nor is it the end of life as you know it. Some people may not accept you right away. Some may never accept you. If anything, you've done something admirable- acknowledge and accept something you feel you may not proud of confessing towards others, like admitting and confessing about your gay and/or transgender feelings and emotions. If a person's heart really means something to you, accepting someone's coming out will make a world of a difference in the life of someone who feels broken down holding in these gay/transgender feelings. Can you look within someone who "comes out" and realize they are the same person you've known and loved for some amount of time, or do you cut someone out of your life just because of his/her coming out?

A person- regardless of being straight or gay- is still a person. They breathe the same air that we do, interact in the same world we live in, communicate the same way other humans do... what makes gay and/or transgender people any different? They are still people just like the rest of us. A person just can't think of someone as a total outcast from society just because of being gay or transgendered. That is why "coming out" bears great importance in helping move on with our lives while also properly releasing our gay or transgender feelings and emotions rather than just hold these feelings in to where they interfere with us living healthy lives.

When the time is right, or when it is time to finally confess; "come out" with confidence. You may or may not get the answers or responses you may be hoping for, but it is at least worth trying. In addition, at least it is better to release and confess your innermost and intimate gay and/or transgender feelings and emotions, rather than just letting them fester and control your life.





Good luck to all of you who may be looking to "come out" to people you love most. I hope the ones who you come out to are able to accept you and love you as much as (or even more so) as before coming out. What do you all think about "coming out" to others, or how did you respond if someone may have "come out" to you? I hope this blog post was to your liking and that I could possibly help or motivate any of you in this situation. Thank you for reading!

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Friday, March 22, 2013

Too Much, Too Little, or Just Right?

Too much? Too little? Or just right? We never know if we have prepared or carried too much or too little for anything in life. You may be going on a trip, and you don't have enough with you for your trip. You may engage in something, but may not have enough to make the experience great. One never knows if he/she ever has enough to get through a certain experience.

The challenge of having too much or too little for something is a very common problem we all face. How do we know if what we have available is just enough to do a certain task or go through the day ahead? How do we know if what we bring along is just enough in our travels? These factors all depend on what we are doing and how we prepare for them. Sometimes, you need more than what you have; and other times, you may have more than enough. Part of our decision to carry or prepare more than we really need is mostly based on instinct and what we think a certain task or journey requires. You may bring a certain textbook to your backpack and may not even need to use it for the day. I'm pretty sure my female audience can attest to this- a girl may or may not bring a certain piece of makeup with them when out and about. No matter what the case, wondering if you have too much or too little really depends on what actually happens for what you've prepared for.

Wondering if you have too much or too little, however, isn't always a problem. You may bring too little or too much just to challenge yourself. You probably have a lot of money and decide to take only so much to try to curb your spending habits. You may leave behind a few items to challenge yourself to go through the day without certain things you normally use.

We want to have or feel like we have just enough to get through whatever is in our way. Sometimes, though, even having too little or too much is just right for any sort of task that comes our way. Whether we under-prepared or over-prepared for something is its own challenge. Whatever the case, prepare properly for what lies ahead- even if you have too much or too little.





I know a lot of you may face this issue sometimes. So how do you deal with something like this? Feel free to share your thoughts here in my fine blog here. Follow my blog with Bloglovin' by clicking on the Bloglovin' button in the sidebar. If you're viewing this post on a mobile device and not viewing the Desktop version of JBS, Follow JBS on Bloglovin with this link instead. Thank you for reading!

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Saturday, March 16, 2013

"The Reveal"

The American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Road Racing Association have announced a merger back around August 2012. At the Chateau Elan hotel at Sebring International Raceway, and in an event called "The Reveal," a host of individuals representing both the ALMS and Grand-Am and many journalists all converged for this big announcement uniting both the ALMS and the Grand-Am as one unified series. This unification for the ALMS and Grand-Am is almost as impactful as the unification of the IndyCar Series and the former Champ Car World Series. This blog post is a brief one regarding my thoughts on this sportscar racing merger.

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--- "The Reveal" ---

Before I begin, let me share this from Twitter (because I'm too lazy to find this elsewhere or put into my own photo album):
United SportsCar Racing
^ from: twitter.com - United SportsCar Racing- the new unified series of the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am. Get to know it.

The American Le Mans Series and Grand-American Road Racing Association will merge under the name "United SportsCar Racing." It will merge two of the biggest sportscar racing series in the United States into one super series. SME Branding- one of the premier branding agencies in the United States- is the firm behind the branding of the USCR. The name for this unified series, however, was chosen in a contest called "Name the Future," where fans were given the opportunity to name the new series. Over 70K people and entrants and entries have been submitted in naming the new series. The winning entrant was from Louis Satterlee- the 2011 Florida Karting Championship Rookie of the Year.

IMSA (International Motor Sport Association) will be the sanctioning body behind the new USCR. Its logo was updated to represent the new changes and the evolution of this sanctioning body, that has been around since 1969.


United SportsCar Racing Scheduling Issues.

The United SportsCar Racing series will be the evolution and progression of sportscar racing in North America. One of the issues is in scheduling. The best thing about the USCR and its schedule is that it would bring prestige to some of the venues and races- especially from the Grand-Am side. Sebring is still a big deal as is Petit Le Mans. However, Daytona and Watkins Glen will be more of a big deal in this modern era of sportscar racing with the USCR involvement. The key venues to me today are the following: Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis, Circuit of the Americas, Laguna Seca, and Road Atlanta (Petit Le Mans). So in the scheduling scheme, at least seven venues HAVE to be there. But in addition, you have to service specific business markets. Business markets even include Canada. Once in Grand-Am, they used to race in Mexico City at Mexico's Autodromo de los Hermanos Rodriguez- once the home of the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix. I'm pretty sure the series will have either Toronto or Montreal in mind on the Canadian side. So respectively, you're looking at Mosport returning or even Mosport and Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve. Lime Rock Park is a key market since it represents the greater New York City and Boston area.

The question then is, how do you schedule the dates? And also... what about teams who want to go to France to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June? You don't want to schedule some race and not allow the teams enough time to prepare everything to go overseas to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. So you need that break in the schedule to allow teams to compete at Le Mans in addition to all of the big races here in North America.


Class Structure.

A series of five classes will set up this series for the future. Here are the five classes of competition for the USCR:

• Prototype (Daytona Prototype, ALMS P2, and DeltaWing)
This class consists of the fastest-possible racing machines. It consists of the Daytona Prototypes of the Grand-Am series, the ALMS Prototype-2 class, and DeltaWing. DeltaWing is an Indianapolis, IN, USA-based company designing the very unique Nissan-powered prototype. You either love the DeltaWing or hate it. Personally, I wish people would stop hating on the DeltaWing. Okay- so it looks like a land missile, but it can still race and still is an important evolution of prototype racing. The LMP1 class will be done away with entirely, making the Daytona Prototypes perhaps the premier class of racing in the new USCR.

• PROTOTYPE C (ALMS Prototype Challenge)
The American Le Mans Series introduced the LMPC class as an entry-level series for prototype racing.

• GT LE MANS (GTLM): (ALMS GT Evolution)
The highest form of production-based racing machines are in the GTLM class. Here are some of the most powerful production-based racing machines racing in anger.

• GT DAYTONA (GTD): Grand-Am GT and ALMS GTC
GTD will combine the GT cars of Grand-Am and the GT Challenge series of the American Le Mans Series. These are capable racing machines that comprise mostly the Grand-Am's GT machines. Also included in the class are the various GT Challenge cars from the American Le Mans Series. Like with the Prototype Challenge class, the GT Challenge class is like the entry-level GT class of racing.

• GX - Grand-Am GX
In the GX Class, this is a class focused entirely on cars with alternative technologies. These are cars disqualified for GT class entry and are either unmodified or vastly modified versions of certain racing machines. One such example of a GX-class car is the diesel-powered Mazda Mazda6 Sedans that race in this class.


These are just my thoughts on the whole USCR situation. Up now is a look at things pre-merger between the ALMS and Grand-Am.



--- The ALMS and Grand-Am: Pre-Merger ---

One of the preoccupations regarding the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-American Road Racing Association is that these are two different brands of sportscar racing. You liked one or the other. The American Le Mans Series was always predicated as bringing European-style sportscar racing stateside. That's why I enjoyed the American Le Mans Series for what it was. What served as a deterrent for me was when the American Le Mans Series went from Speed Channel to ESPN/ABC with mostly Internet feeds and such (not to mention highlight packages for TV).

On the other end of the spectrum, you have Grand-Am. Grand-Am established its own identity starting with the Daytona Prototypes in 2003. Grand-Am had more of a (for lack of a better term) more NASCAR approach to sportscar racing with hard-fought racing and intense finishes. Even as an ALMS fan, I still watched Grand-Am because I am a sportscar racing fan. I didn't follow Grand-Am religiously, but I do follow.

So one of the thoughts about this merger was that it was tough to try to be a fan of both series at once. Either that, or it was tough for two different big time sportscar racing series to compete at the same time. I never stopped caring about either series. Both series are now under the United SportsCar Racing banner.



--- My Thoughts on the USCR ---

United SportsCar Racing will surely extend the history of racing in North America. I think this will bring prestige and important internationally regarding certain tracks- especially Daytona and Watkins Glen. It would bring back prestige and value to the Six Hours at the Glen. Other tracks could include the likes of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Circuit of the Americas.

I'm actually okay with the name. I like the logo, though I would have liked something a bit more consistent in sportscar racing, like the prototype logo in the ALMS. I'm otherwise okay with everything. All I know is that I can't wait for the 2014 season even though the 2013 racing is still ongoing!


For More Details...

For more details on the USCR and all the individual elements of it, check out their official site at www.unitedsportscar.com.





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Friday, March 15, 2013

Sushi Rolls

A lot of people love eating sushi rolls. Some love sushi rolls regards to what the proper kind of sushi rolls are. I personally like sushi rolls myself. Some others are more into real sushi. This blog post, however, is all about sushi rolls. It is the more "modest" (if you will) sushi that I will make mention to.

Please note that this blog post is about sushi rolls. Many people into real sushi enjoy having real sushi as opposed to sushi rolls. This is actually a topic I wanted to discuss for a long while in my blog.

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--- Sushi Rolls at a Glance ---

sushi rolls
^ from: (my Facebook profile) - Love you some sushi rolls? Here are plenty of them on one plate.

Sushi rolls are a delicious blend of various kinds of items. The most common ingredients for most sushi rolls are usually rice and seaweed. There are many other things that go into a sushi roll. Among other incredients: salmon, shrimp, cucumber, cream cheese, and stuff like that. These sushi rolls can be great tasting and actually a good bit filling. The only deterrent some people have towards sushi rolls is the fact that they are mostly prepared raw. You very much have to prepare sushi rolls properly so that it doesn't become such a risk eating sushi rolls. They still make for great-tasting food once you taste these.



--- My Sushi Roll Experience ---

In the early 2000s, my brother took me to a sushi restaurant in Rice Village here in Houston called Japon. This was where I got my first taste of sushi rolls. The first-ever kind of sushi rolls I've had was the California Roll. It is the most common sushi roll that I've eaten and usually eat. My brother recommended me Futomaki rolls. The best thing about Japon was that all the sushi was prepared right in front of you, so you know your sushi is completely authentic. Sadly, the Japon restaurant is no longer with us. What was so cool about Japon was that across the street was a store called Planet Anime. That was where my brother and I would rent anime videos. We used to rent lots of videos of the Ranma 1/2 series there. Lots of memories...

Not everyone can pick up a sushi roll using chopsticks. That's okay. You just have to practice putting the chopsticks in your hands and practice picking things up with them. I always use chopsticks because while I love sushi, I try to be as cultured as possible. A guy who loves Japan and Japanese culture should at least conduct himself culturally. I do not pick up sushi with my hands or with any silverware. If the sushi breaks up, I try to break it up piece-by-piece using my chopsticks. So I may pick up a cucumber from one piece of sushi followed by the rice and everything one at a time.

I enjoy having sushi rolls. I eat with chopsticks and sometimes dip sushi rolls into soy sauce. I sometimes eat a little ginger to go with sushi. Ginger is paper-like yet crunchy. Its taste is a bit spicy, but sweet. I almost never touch wasabi. Wasabi is the green stuff usually eaten with sushi. It is VERY spicy. Maybe it isn't like eating peppers, but the spice in wasabi is crazy!

Some people can't take raw sushi rolls prepared from the kitchen. Sometimes, I usually get pre-made sushi rolls from grocery stores. They can be just as good as sushi from sushi restaurants. You may want to consider getting store-made sushi rolls if you don't really fancy traditional sushi rolls. As with all sushi rolls, I ALWAYS use chopsticks. I sometimes even pick up chopsticks for free even when getting some sushi rolls from stores.


Types of Sushi Rolls.

There are a number of different sushi rolls of many varieties. Here are some of the different kinds I can recall from the top of my head:

• California Roll
• Futomaki
• Tekkamaki
• Tempura Roll
• shrimp sushi roll
• eel sushi roll
• salmon sushi roll
• Prawn roll

And here are many other varieties, such as the Philadelphia Roll and the Alaska Roll. Regardless, there is at least one kind of sushi roll sure to spur your interest.


Do you like sushi rolls? After what all you've read, you know I certainly do! :)





--- Sushi Roll Resources ---

Here are some links in case you want some sushi roll resources:

Sushi Encyclopedia
Sushi Roll Recipes
Sushi Rolls Recipe - Food Network
How to Make a Sushi Roll in 10 Easy Steps
How to Make Sushi Rolls (Eating Well)

More resources may be featured in future edits.





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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Qubicle Constructor

(UPDATED: March 8, 2013)

Making voxel models can be tough. One program that makes things a bit less complicated is Qubicle Constructor. It allows you to create and edit voxel images to your liking. If you are a gamer, you can even design voxel models for games (like Duke Nukem 3D, Minecraft, and Ace of Spades) through Qubicle Constructor. Qubicle Constructor can even be used with the Unity 3D engine for commercial game development. No matter what your needs are, Qubicle Constructor has you covered. My blog post pertains to this program and what I think about it.

BEFORE I BEGIN...

The current version of Qubicle Constructor as of this blog post's initial date (March 7, 2013) is Version 1.5.6.0, and so this blog post is based on my experience with this version. A big part of this blog post is on making voxels. If you don't know what a voxel is, read my post entitled "Voxels" here on John's Blog Space. Click on the link to see my blog post on voxels: "Voxels" (John's Blog Space).





--- Qubicle Constructor ---

What is possible with Qubicle Constructor? This video below demonstrates what this program is capable of utilizing its power (click on the link below the video if you are unable to view Flash media right away):


^ "Qube Race Game Trailer HD"

Qubicle Constructor from Minddesk is really one of the real easy and powerful voxel programs available. This program was created by a fellow named Tim Wesoly. Hardly any other program allows you so much freedom and ease to make voxel models. Editing is done through a Matrix mode and a Slice mode. Models can be viewed from the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom. You are given the power to edit as much or as little of the model as you like. If your intent is to make models and be able to export them out of Qubicle, however... you will need to purchase one of different versions of Qubicle Constructor. That is really the only negative to this great program if you are content with the Basic version.

I eventually bought the Voxlap edition of Qubicle Constructor to make voxel models for Duke Nukem 3D (especially with JonoF's port of DN3D). The Voxlap version allows you to import and export VOX format voxels into Qubicle Constructor. I spent most of this past weekend making models from bitmaps to put into Qubicle Constructor. The process is nowhere near tedious if you just make a simple model and build upon it. All you are doing is setting the ground work and eventually edit it as you go. To make a complete model you can be proud of, it will take a good deal of time to perfect and hone these voxel models to your absolute liking. As long as you have artistic talent and an eye for design, nothing is impossible with Qubicle Constructor.

Various versions of Qubicle Constructor allow you to do only so much with each version. The Voxlap version I mentioned is good for Build engine games. There are also versions which will allow you to export to OBJ format as well as a version to make schematics for Minecraft. If you want the full experience and as much editing power as possible, you must get the Master version of Qubicle Constructor. You can even get a maxed-out Qubicle Constructor package called the Education version... as long as you provide a valid academic ID.


A Word of Warning for Making Voxel Models for Duke Nukem 3D...
Now if you're going to make models for Duke Nukem 3D, you have to have a workaround going because Qubicle Constructor will not allow you to save under the KVX format. So you will need to save under VOX and then convert them to KVX through a program called SLAB6. It is recommended you find a bitmap to convert the color palette so everything comes out properly when you eventually do convert the model from VOX to KVX.


Since there aren't many resources or reviews of this program, I feel like I must provide something for the people to search and enjoy regarding this program. Please read on for my extended thoughts on Qubicle Constructor.



--- Qubicle Constructor: Overall Review ---

Here is a piece-by-piece review of Qubicle Constructor.


Qubicle Constructor: Positives.

These are the positives of Qubicle Constructor.

• fairly simple and straightforward
There is really nothing you are unable to do when making voxels, especially from scratch. It doesn't take a whole lot to get started. Once you get going, let your creativity flow as you meticulously edit models to your heart's content.

• easy to learn (difficult to master, of course!)
Have poor luck with polygons? This may be your best chance to make quality 3D material. Anyone who knows how to operate Paint programs will easily find this program to be easy in creating 3D models.


Qubicle Constructor: Negatives.

After reading those positives, here are negatives of mine regarding this program:

• can be buggy
My biggest flaw with this program is how buggy it can be. It can be a tedious task trying to copy-and-paste elements to make voxel editing easier. There were times I tried to undo certain mistakes I made, and I would get a message saying "Can't Undo while in transaction." So basically... I can't Undo what I tried to undo. The program sometimes crashes when I try to copy-and-paste some image from the Windows Clipboard while slice editing. These bugs need to be sorted out to fully enjoy this program and editing with it.

• troublesome when editing larger size images in Slice Editing
Sometimes, it can be tough trying to edit larger slices of a voxel model. Sure, you can zoom in and out on individual slices, but you sometimes can't edit the farthest edges of a slice. What would work better is if you had one Paint-style interface for Slice Editing where you could freely zoom in/out and move around the entire image as you're editing the slices in Slice Edit mode.


Qubicle Constructor: Tips for Improvement.

These are things I think are indifferent regarding Qubicle Constructor...

• More Tools Would Help
The Pencil tool allows you to freely add pixels to the voxel. If you hold down Shift while using the Pencil tool, it becomes a line editor. I would rather just want a proper line tool rather than

In addition to more tools, I even want the ability to increase brush size as well as making other primitive shapes, such as ovals, circles, squares, and the like.

• Magic Wand Troubles
Using the Magic Wand is a big help in editing large portions of a slice or a matrix. However, when I try to delete big parts of an image, I am unable to delete it by simply pressing the Delete key. So I have to use the Delete function from the menu to delete. It just gets pesky having to use the Delete function as opposed to having the Delete key work properly when editing.

• 256 Color Support
Since I mentioned Duke Nukem 3D, I want to be able to use palettes from certain games to be able to properly insert them into games. Even making models not for any kind of game would benefit from a 256-color palette so they could be properly used and utilized for games and other models. I want to see this be made available for more concentrated and focused voxel models.

• less confusing Slice Editing
Sometimes as I try to edit Slices of models, I often get confused figuring out what specific slice I'm working with or what exactly I'm trying to edit. I get confused often times what slice I'm working on as I keep pressing Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, and stuff like that.

• Specks Often Times
A problem I sometimes have is that some dots come up as I'm trying to edit some models. These probably happen because I'm using (for example) the Pencil tool and trying to rotate a model I'm working on by holding down Alt while rotating with the mouse. No big deal, but these end up hurting the voxel model I'm working on.

• Right Mouse Usage (added: March 8, 2013)
For things like using the secondary color and other uses, I would like some more creative uses for the right mouse button when editing. You hardly use the right mouse button for anything, so I'm suggesting some more creative usage for the right mouse button. I basically just thought of this as I was coming up with this update to this post.


This is otherwise a very good program. And again, you're going to need to purchase Qubicle Constructor if you really want to take and utilize your creations in games and in other forms of media. You will need any of the different commercial use versions of Qubicle Constructor to be able to use your creations for commercial use.





Learn more about Qubicle Constructor by visiting these links:
Minddesk Official Page
Qubicle Constructor

Thank you for reading!

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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Anger

Having anger is healthy. How you manage it, though, can make a big difference. Some people can manage being angry to where they get upset while not completely losing it. Some others... well, they'll go on tirades and don't want to be bothered. Some angry people can be violent and physically abusive. The scary thing about being angry is that a person has a certain capability of anger that we don't even know we have. It is like finding a beast within you that needs just the right cue(s) to be unleashed. And unfortunately, anyone in the immediate path may fear an angry person's wrath.

Here is a brief post of mine regarding anger. You are reading "John's Blog Space"- my main blog and the main space of my blogging universe.





--- Anger ---

Feel the need to vent? We all do. Anger allows us to unleash our pent-up frustration so that we don't let it consume us. One needs to be careful as to how he/she channels that anger, though. Anger can drive us to become extremely hostile and destructive when channeled improperly. Some people even break things around them or even do psychotic things like punching walls and glass. As I mentioned in the introduction, anger sometimes make us realize just how hostile and unstable we can be when pushed to the limit. Face it- you can be a very sweet person... until someone makes you extremely angry to where you become beast-like. You go from friendly to wanting to fight somebody. You go from humble to borderline psychotic.

In the aftermath of any extreme anger, we begin to realize what insanity we committed and begin to think: "I did THIS?" That is especially if you did something REALLY out of the ordinary while in (dare I use this expression playfully) Beast Mode.


Sources of Anger.

So what constitutes to being angry or going on angry spats? People may do these sorts of things that lead to being angry:

• violently screaming
• desire to inflict physical violence towards someone or something- even themselves
• becoming frustrated or annoyed
• seeking revenge against a loved one being hurt, injured, or killed
• being pushed around by peers or other people
• being dealt a negative or unfavorable outcome

Imagine taking all of these factors and still trying to suppress your anger as best as you can. It is never easy, but it can be done. It all depends on how much you are willing to make sure you aren't consumed entirely by your own anger.


Some Self-Admittance.

I will admit myself- I can be very angry when pushed just the right way. Being frustrated or rubbed the absolute wrong way (so to speak) results in me ready to lash out at someone or something. I can be hot-blooded despite being a mostly humble fellow. Naturally at times, I get to feel sad after being angry. As if I'm happy to get anger out of my system, but then enter this sort of "Recovery Mode" to return to my normal self. Everyone has natural reactions to almost anything- anger included.


Anger Management.

It is okay to be angry, but managing your anger is key. You may need to seek methods of anger management if you need help dealing with your anger. Got to learn to control that anger as best as you can. Need help managing anger? These are some of many online resources that may interest you:

Controlling Anger -- Before it Controls You (APA.org)
How Can I Deal With My Anger? (TeensHealth)
Managing Your Anger (About.com)
How to Manage Anger (Psychology Today)
Anger Management: Tips and Techniques for Getting Anger Under Control (helpguide.org)

Thank you for visiting "John's Blog Space!"





Randomness that makes sense. This has been a quick and casual blog post regarding anger. Hope you all have a great day. Thank you for reading!

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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars is one of the finest singers in today's landscape of music. The (born: October 8, 1985)-year old has some of the smoothest vocals and some of the coolest songs of any recent recording artist. I'll showcase his music here on John's Blog Space for my music-loving audience. Perhaps my audience can get to gauge his talent and what he brings to today's music scene. This blog post is mostly a look at his music.





--- A Brief Look at Bruno Mars ---

Peter Gene Hernandez goes by the stage name of Bruno Mars. He was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. So I could put him among the fine contingent of South Pacific musicians. It was a combination of Bruno Mars and B.O.B. that first got me to notice Bruno Mars. I think Bruno Mars has a great singing voice. His vocals are smooth and cool. Once I start sharing some of his music with you all, you may agree with me on his singing ability.



--- Music of Bruno Mars ---

This section is mostly the highlight of this blog post. You will hear Bruno Mars for the first time if you've never heard of his music. So have a listen to these. If you can't view embedded videos (granted the ones I find allow embedding), click on the link below the video to see the video on YouTube.


• "Nothin' on You (features Bruno Mars)"
This was the first song to come to mind when I hear of Bruno Mars. It isn't Bruno Mars' full song, but he is featured and does a darned good job in his feature if you ask me. I like both B.o.B. and Bruno Mars in this old-school style song:


^ "B.o.B - Nothin' On You [feat. Bruno Mars] (Official Video)"


• "Just the Way You Are"
From my "Yes... You ARE Beautiful!" blog post, this was the song I made mention to starting off that post. So listen to this one:


^ "Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are [OFFICIAL VIDEO]"

IN CASE YOU'RE INTERESTED: My blog post "Yes... You ARE Beautiful!" is about instilling confidence to those who think they are ugly. I used the chorus of "Just the Way You Are" to start off the blog post. Read my post on looking and feeling beautiful if you want some encouraging words on looking and feeling beautiful: Yes... You ARE Beautiful!"


• "Count On Me"
I usually hear this song after a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas radio commercial here in Houston. The singing is mellow and cool. It is still a cool song regardless. You might agree with me after hearing it for yourself:


^ "Count On Me - Bruno Mars Lyrics"


• "The Lazy Song"
Well, it doesn't hurt to be honest. :) Who wants to do stuff when you can be lazy? This song makes lazy cool. Initially, I thought this was something Jason Mraz (who I respect) did. Goes to show you- you actually do learn something as you blog. Lazy people of the world, unite!


^ "Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song [OFFICIAL VIDEO]"


• "When I Was Your Man"
I have not heard this song or even recall it. So I am only featuring this song just to add another song to this blog post. Do you dig this one:


^ "Bruno Mars - When I Was Your Man [Official Video]"


And there is your fill of Bruno Mars for the day. :)





--- What I Would Tell Bruno Mars (if he read this) ---

I have great respect for you and your music. Keep up the great work with all you do.

Would I Want to Meet Bruno Mars (if given the chance)?

I sure would. He seems like a cool guy.





You can learn more about Bruno Mars and get social with him by taking a look at these links:

Bruno Mars' official page
Bruno Mars on Myspace Music
Bruno Mars on Facebook
Follow Bruno Mars on Twitter!
Bruno Mars on YouTube
Bruno Mars on last.fm

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Thank you for reading!

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