act as if you're always being recorded

 When I returned to substitute teaching earlier this year (with one of the private sub-teacher agencies),  we had an orientation where one of the supervisors told us "Act as if you're always being recorded", especially now that people can hide recording devices and things can go viral when you least expect it. 

Alt-Right podcast host Steven Crowder is under scrutiny because his ex-wife posted a private recording of him verbally abusing her when she was about 8 months pregnant! 

Crowder's defenders are complaining about his "private moment" going public without his consent and are asking his critics "How would you like it if you're judged by your worst moment?"

That's a stupid question!

People have ALWAYS BEEN JUDGED BY THEIR WORST MOMENTS!

ALWAYS!

It's just that now in the age of going viral, more of our worst moments get recorded and go viral!

But you know what?

It becomes less of a problem when you act as if you're always being recorded!

Days of "keeping it private" has been over a long time ago, and they're never coming back

Being mad at that fact is like being mad at "1+1=2", "water makes things wet" and"fire is hot" 

It is an indisputable fact of life that you're judged by your worst moment!

Don't like it? Too bad!

Think about it -  job interviewers will ask about how you have handled less-than-ideal situations.  They're less interested in your best moment and more interested in how you dealt with your worst moment. 

Is that unfair? No, they want to avoid hiring someone who'll go viral for handling tough situations the wrong way! 

Now someone might say "Pablo, you had moments when you handled things the wrong way, would you like it if went viral?"

It wouldn't matter if I like it!

If I did something wrong, and it went viral, the #1 person I'll be mad at is myself! 

And if you did something wrong and it went viral, the #1 person you should be mad at is yourself! 

Don't even bother being mad at whoever recorded it or whoever leaked it on social media! Don't get mad at the messenger, get mad at yourself .............. and figure out how to improve yourself! 

And the irony of it all is that the appeal of Steven Crowder is all about being extremely judgmental towards non-binary people, feminists, Black Lives Matter, antifa, and basically anyone who is anti-Trump! They have ZERO shame in judging those people at their worst moments. But Steven Crowder and his simps are so sensitive when their messiah Steven Crowder is judged by his worst moment? Really? 

Facebook still the most user-friendly

 A recent Associated Press article stated that Facebook's audience (2 billion daily users) is mostly older people and that the younger generation are so accustomed to using Instagram and Tik-Tok that they'll likely never make Facebook the center of their social media life.

Associated Press. “Facebook Has 3 Billion Users. Many of Them Are Old.” U.S. News & World Report. May 8, 2023.                                                                        https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2023-05-08/facebook-has-3-billion-users-many-of-them-are-old.

I may be "old" (I'm 42 years old) but even after 14 years on Facebook, I still say it's the most user-friendly social media site. 

Facebook is more user-friendly than Twitter (limited to 280 characters) and Instagram (requires an image to post, too humbug for me when I want to just type my opinions)!

With Facebook, you can type however much text you want or not put text at all. You can add images or you can post without any images. With these options, why would you not want to make Facebook the center of your social media universe?

I wish more of the younger folks can appreciate Facebook's advantages!

------

PS: Yes, Pablo the Mad Tiger Warrior has a Twitter account and Instagram account, mostly to give it another venue to promote my music, videos and blogs.

But even then, most of my Twitter use is reposting/responding to others' tweets, and I don't even post to Instagram often unless I have something to promote.

As far as I'm concerned, Facebook is where the action is!

(personal facebook account under my real name: https://www.facebook.com/pablo.wegesend/ )

(facebook account for Pablo the Mad Tiger Warrior : https://www.facebook.com/Pablo-The-Mad-Tiger-Warrior-1529869177315968/ )

The downfall of Ty Cullen

 In Hawaii, most people know Ty Cullen as the former state legislator who was convicted of taking bribes, along with another former state legislator Kalani English.

(learn more at https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/04/07/hawaii-news/former-hawaii-legislator-ty-cullen-receives-2-years-in-federal-prison/)

Honolulu Star Advertiser

Ty Cullen

I knew Ty Cullen as a former classmate at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This was back in the early 2000's. We were in the same class for Sociology of Pop Culture.  This was one of those cruise classes that many students took to ease the burden of taking the more difficult classes in the same semester.  The class was taught by Dr. David Swift, an elderly man whom many were surprised would be teaching that class. And he kept showing videos from the 80s, as if he couldn't find more recent videos to show us.

Sometimes, before and after class, or even in the days we're not taking that class, me and Ty Cullen would talk stories. We would talk about our background (though he didn't mention his father died while incarcerated, a fact that was publicly revealed recently) and compared stories of people we knew.

He was also someone who liked to joke with people. 

For example, in that pop culture class, when the subject was Valentine's Day, I said I'm not spending money on champagne, I'll just buy a bottle of water. The next day, Ty saw me with a bottle of water and joked about my comment the day before.

He also laughed when he saw me the same day the Ka Leo (UHM's student newspaper) published an angry letter responding to my opinion article that was published a few days earlier. 

That was the Ty Cullen I knew, the chill guy who was lots of fun to be around!

A few years later, I saw him at Stevenson Middle School.  I was a substitute teacher.  He was working with an outside contractor Hale Kipa as a youth counselor working with at-risk students.  First time I saw him on that campus, he introduced me to his students saying "this is Pablo, this guy has a different mindset" in a joking manner! The next time I saw him, I was having a rough day when I over-reacted to a student who was talking while the class was supposed watching an educational video. Talking with Ty Cullen after-school kinda eased the tension I was feeling that day.

After that year, I was on that campus less often, and I haven't seen Ty Cullen in person since. 

I tried to find him on Facebook, but he wasn't there, otherwise, I would've added him to my friend's list. 

A few years later, I noticed that Ty Cullen was running for the state legislature. I was surprised because back in the UHM days, he didn't present himself as a future politician. He wasn't an activist and he wasn't writing opinion articles like I did.  But hey, I give him credit for taking the initiative to run for office and convincing the people of his district to vote for him. 

When I found out about the federal investigation and arrest for the bribery case, I was heartbroken.  One of the coolest people I ever met in my college years will now forever be known by the general public as a stereotypical corrupt politician in it for the bribes. 

In the days leading to his sentencing, some community members pleaded for leniency in this case, noting Cullen's work in the community and his generous nature. When I read what his supporters said, I was like "that's the Ty Cullen I knew".

Ty Cullen was sentenced yesterday to 2 years in federal detention. He was given a relatively lenient sentence because he cooperated with the investigation and expressed remorse for his actions. He noted the issue embarrassed him and his family. 

He requested to be in a facility that has job training programs that he is interested in, now that he most likely will never work a government job ever again.  I hope it all works out for him, and I hope he can live an honorable life when he completes his sentence. 

Probably the best thing he can do is be a motivational speaker encouraging the next generation of wannabe politicians to not make the same mistakes he made. 

=========

Learn more about the case at

Peter Boylan, “Former Hawaii Sen. J. Kalani English, State Rep. Ty Cullen Took Thousands in Bribes, Federal Prosecutors Say,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, February 9, 2022                   https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/02/08/breaking-news/former-hawaii-senate-majority-leader-kalani-english-took-thousands-in-bribes-federal-prosecutors-say/

Peter Boylan, “Ex-Hawaii Lawmaker in Bribery Case Seeks 15-Month Sentence,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, April 4, 2023,                                                 https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/04/04/hawaii-news/ex-hawaii-lawmaker-in-bribery-case-seeks-15-month-sentence/

Peter Boylan , “Former Hawaii Legislator Ty Cullen Receives 2 Years in Federal Prison,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, April 7, 2023,                     https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/04/07/hawaii-news/former-hawaii-legislator-ty-cullen-receives-2-years-in-federal-prison/

My Mental Health & Career Development

 A part of why people will not speak publicly about their mental health issues is that they fear in the social media age, employers would find out and assume

• this guy might explode at the first sign of resistance
• this guy might feel overwhelmed and get an anxiety attack at even the slightest inconvenience

Obviously, those sound like exaggerations, but in the age where employers can look you up online, most job-seekers just won't take any chances. 

But then again, just as employers have to screen out applicants,  applicants should also screen out employers that just won't work out for them.

It's hard when one is desperate for an opportunity to pay the bills.

At the same time, one has to protect one's mental health as much as possible. 

=========

So here I am admitting that I am receiving mental health services on issues related to employment.

I'm in my 40s, I have been an adult for 2 decades, and I have 2 decades more until I can retire.  At the same time, my parents are in their 70s.  The clock is ticking. 

Most of my adult life, I worked as a substitute teacher. 

•   pros: flexible scheduling when school is in session. 
• cons: no work available during school breaks

Because of the cons, I have been looking for something more long-term. I did consider becoming a full-time teacher but I figured the workload will be too stressful for me.  I decided to go the library route, got a degree in Library & Information Science, and eventually landed a full-time library assistant job at a middle school. I left that job in 2020 due to problems with the head librarian. I wrote about it at https://pwegesen.wixsite.com/kalakaua-ms-library 

2020 was also the pandemic year. I did a few side jobs, then I worked at Macy's. I already had previous stints in fashion retail (both Macy's and Nordstrom Rack).  But fashion retail isn't something I want to do for the rest of my life.  

And Macy's does a bait & switch their employees. I applied to do recovery (organizing stuff on the sales floor) but I got switched to sanitizing hi-touch points (easy job, but seen as "low status" by the general public). Then when the mask mandate ended in the spring of  2022, Macy's decided to do away with hi-touch sanitizing.

The geniuses at Macy's thought it would be a good idea to switch me to "back of house support" which has plusses (organizing incoming materials, which I love doing) and minuses (working with machines, which I hate doing). After a few weeks, I had a discussion with them, telling them they are negligent about workplace safety, I told them I'll go to OSHA, and I told them they should've asked me if  I liked working with machines before switching me to a position involving machines. After that, they switched me to "front-of-house support duties" (folding towels and clothes, replenishing the shelves, etc) which was what I should've been doing the whole time because that's where I excel.  But now the new problem is the reduction of work hours.

So time to move on. I did apply to return to substitute teaching. I applied to work at an afterschool program.  I also applied for library and office positions. 

I landed a temp office position with the Department of Health. The easy part was organizing the items in the offices. I could do that in my sleep.  The problem is the direct supervisor is disorganized, only gives oral instructions, and doesn't believe in written guidelines. Even worse, on a day that had more work assignments than usual, the supervisor told me "don't write, just listen" as if I'm supposed to remember everything. At that point, I had a nervous breakdown.  I told her I work better with written guidelines, and she refused to accommodate me on that. I left and I sent an email telling her how inefficient she is as a supervisor. Learn more at https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2023/02/when-working-at-department-of-health-is.html

That was in January of this year.

I knew it was time. 

It was time to do 2 things

• find new work
• apply for mental health services 

 I wasn't unemployed for long because I had something to fall back on.  I did reapply the previous year to work as a substitute teacher under Kelly Services.  And in January, I also reapplied to work as a sub with another private agency Hi-Employment. With both agencies, I can work with private schools, charter schools, preschools, and even some Head Start sites.

As for the DOE, I didn't reapply this time around. They take too long with job applications (the private agencies do background checks much faster) and even worse, take longer to pay employees. With the private agencies, I get paid next week Friday. With the DOE (or any state agency), I have to wait until the following month for my paycheck. I'd rather not wait.

I am very grateful that Kelly Services and HiEmployment are willing to hire me. When there's an issue, I can email them, and they are very responsive to my concerns.  And I have been able to pick up many work assignments with them.

And I feel like I'm back in my element when I'm substitute teaching. Believe it or not, it's actually easier than working in retail.  But still, when working with kids, the job requires split-second decisions and any wrong move can have consequences.  But even with that pressure, it's still easier than retail. 

This time, I'll just stick with elementary and preschool when it comes to subbing. I used to do a lot of middle schools but rarely did high schools.  The problem with secondary schools is that even if (for example) 4/ 5 of the classes went smoothly, the other 1/5 is usually so bad that it ruins the day big time, and I rather not deal with that drama at this point in my life.  Plus, I connect better with the younger kids anyways.

I was a middle school library assistant which was much easier than subbing in middle school classrooms. So if I ever work in a middle/high school again, it would be a library job.  Other than that, no!

Mental health services

As mentioned earlier, in January I applied for mental health services when it comes to issues related to employment. 

My mom actually suggested it late last year. This year, no more waiting. 

The following is what I shared with the mental health professionals about my mental health and my career development

Career-Related Strengths

·       2 degrees (sociology, library & information science)

·       Likes to organize items (both physical and digital)

·       Loves to write (better than speaking)

·       Basic computer skills (documents, spreadsheets, information searching)

·       Works well when given lists, templates, flow-charts, other charts, other visuals

·       Can make visual displays

·       Can connect with children [if they're well-behaved 😉 ]

·       13 years sub teaching

·       Strong interest in social studies

·       Willing to share opinions

·       Willing to help others

·       Able to move boxes

·       Arrive early (at least half-hour), nearly always

Career Related Weaknesses

·       Don’t like being rushed

·       Get overwhelmed if being asked to do too much at once

·       Can only take a limited amount of disrespect, especially from other staff

·       Anger, irritable, easily agitated

·       Harder time learning skills (can learn facts faster) and need repetitions & gentle instructions before mastering

·       Don’t like heavy machinery

·       Don’t drive, don’t like long commutes

·       Can’t stand food service work

·       Speech impediments (mumbles, talk fast)

·       Hard to share concerns orally without writing it out first

·       Don’t like wearing earpieces (learn more at this link)

·       Can’t stand anti-maskers

·       Haven’t been able to establish seniority

·       Difficulty finding a long-term, year-round stable career that I’m willing to remain in.

 

Career History (cliff notes version) (not in chronological order because they overlap in many ways):

·       Temp office assistant (w/DOH) (left recently after only 4 weeks)

·       Just returned to substitute teaching, which I did for 13 years (2005-2018)  (pros: flexible scheduling when school is in session. cons: no work available during school breaks)

·        worked in libraries : mostly in student helper positions as an undergrad, plus internship and Library Assistant for a middle school

·       Brief stints as a tutor for students in Special Ed

·       Summer program (2005-2006)

·       Afterschool program (late 2022)

·       fashion retail employee (Macy’s, Nordstrom Rack)

·       Various temp jobs (inspect ballots, test mobile devices, sign waving, election day precinct official, traffic data collector, manual labor)

·       UH dorm front desk (2000-2002)

·       Friends of the Library volunteer

·       Side hustle: electronic music, visual art  (for sale online)

So I had appointments to speak with a mental health professional about these issues. In fact, earlier today, I had another counseling session to discuss these issues.

We're nowhere near done, but we did discuss the following today

• I did some have good temp jobs in the past, the problem is that they're temp
• Library jobs are a good fit, the problem is people don't want to leave those positions, and I have to wait for someone to retire before a position opens up
• When it comes to clerical work, organizing stuff is (usually) easy for me. The problem is having to do call-center duties, which would be too overwhelming for me
• substitute teaching is a very good fit for me, the problem is there's no paid vacation or sick leave
• I'm very selective in applying for positions so that I don't waste interviewing for positions that aren't a good match for me
• it would be a good idea to apply for teaching assistant positions when possible. Just know if it's a good fit before applying
• When applying for positions, the job listings usually list the generic criteria (especially true for state positions)  but when interviewing for the specific position, what the employer is looking for is usually more specific than the generic criteria listed in the initial job posting
• When it comes to those kinds of interviews, I sometimes aced certain questions (because they match my previous experience) but as soon as they ask about something I have no previous experience with, the vibe of the room changes
• When writing cover letters or doing the interview, I'm going to be more upfront about what works for me (ie. written guidelines, polite instructions, etc). This is to inform the employer ahead of time of how to best guide me, and also to weed out employers that don't want to make those accommodations.

For the last point, I forgot to mention in today's session that I'll be upfront in informing employers I'll be wearing a surgical mask and face shield. Employers that want to hire covidiots can hire someone else instead. 

If I have more time, I could come up with more issues that we discussed.

So I'm writing all this to help everyone understand the position I'm in. Also to help those who might have similar struggles that I'm dealing with. 

And if employers see this, what they do with this information is up to them.  I just want to be upfront about my strengths, my weakness, what works for me, and what doesn't work for me. 

So & So Said This About You: DON'T TELL ME THAT!

On YouTube yesterday, I posted  a video speech titled 

"So & So Said This About You: DON'T TELL ME THAT!"

In this video speech, I explain why it's NOT a good idea to tell others "so & so said this about you".

I mentioned about the time I told two friends who had a conflict what they said about each other behind their backs, and how that escalated a conflict that would've faded had I not told them what they said about each other behind their backs.

Then I mentioned about a time when somebody told me "this person said this about you" and how it made me angry at somebody who I never interacted with before.

So the whole point is telling others "so & so said this about you" does nothing but escalates problems.

you can learn more by watching the video here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOFCytXpSVQ

==================

and guess what?

You can now go on RedBubble and buy some cool merch that allows you to tell the word : 

"So & So Said This About You: DON'T TELL ME THAT!"

The RedBubble link is at https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/143261106

and here are some T-shirts that you can wear declaring to the world

"So & So Said This About You: DON'T TELL ME THAT!"

and it's not just T-shirts or other apparel, it's all kinds of stuff

.... bags, blankets, pillows, mugs, masks & more

Get it all on RedBubble at https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/143261106

The closing of Downtown Honolulu Walmart

 Yesterday, it was announced that the Walmart located in Downtown Honolulu will be closing next month.

That was my favorite Walmart! 

  It wasn't as big & overwhelming as the one on Keʻeaumoku (near Ala Moana) but still had enough stuff to satisfy my shopping needs!

It was very convenient in that I didn't have to walk as far to the nearest bus stop.

Whereas for the one on Keʻeaumoku, I have to walk like 2 blocks to the bus stop I need to get home. Imagine having to walk with 2 full shopping bags.

(yes, there's a bus stop directly in front of the Keʻeaumoku store, but the buses that stop there don't go to my home)

And to add insult to injury, after the closing of the Downtown Honolulu Walmart, there will be no public restrooms left in the area.  For some people, that was THE main reason to go to that Walmart.  

If there are no public restrooms left in downtown, then why should I go to the other shops in the area?

==========

The other question is  ....is that location bad luck.

Before the downtown Walmart opened in 2014, the space was occupied by Liberty House, which later became Macy's!  Both of which provided public restrooms.

If Macy's couldn't last, and Walmart couldn't last there, who could?

It's bad enough some of the other nearby businesses have closed. The Walgreens and Longs on nearby Hotel Street have shut down.

There's still Fisher's Hawaii (which focuses on school & office supplies) and Daiso (which focuses on Japanese imports), but how long will they last in an area that lacks public restrooms?

And while downtown is known for being the business headquarters for Hawaii, it has also become the center of homelessness. 

Downtown Walmart is just walking distance from Hotel Street! Hotel Street (which used to have hotels before Waikiki became THE tourist magnet) is now a code word for the "mentally ill people who rant & rave & scream  profanities for no known reason."

That's what downtown Honolulu has become known for. 

People tend to avoid the area unless they work or live nearby. I mostly come for Walmart! 

And Lord knows how many former downtown workers are now working from home.

And when people with money stop coming to downtown, then more businesses will struggle, even perish! 

And if more businesses shut down, the area could become a ghost town. Sad!

Learn more at

Dan Nakaso, “Walmart Closing Downtown Honolulu Store,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser,  March 21, 2023,                                                                 https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/03/21/breaking-news/walmart-shuttering-downtown-honolulu-store/.

Dan Nakaso , “Closure of Last Big Downtown Retailer, Walmart, Prompts Fears,” Honolulu Star-Advertiser, March 22, 2023,                     https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/03/22/hawaii-news/closure-of-last-big-downtown-retailer-prompts-fears/.

The ever-changing definition of woke

 It is normal for words to have their publicly known meanings change over time.  I mean, we sure aren't using words the same they were used in Old English times.

But the word "woke" has gained many definitions in the last few decades. 

The meaning of "woke" gained special attention recently when author Bethany Mandel was at a loss for words when an interviewer asked for the meaning of the word "woke".

Yes, being at a loss for words can happen to even the best of us.

But here's my interpretation of the ever-changing definitions of the word "woke".

The word "woke" was used among African-American activists to symbolize waking up from all the Eurocentric brainwashing imposed on them from the times of slavery.

It is to be woken up from all the brainwashing imposed by an educational system that has long emphasized the achievements of Europeans and their descendants while neglecting the proud history of Africa before and after European colonization. 

It is to be woken up from all the brainwashing from racist propaganda that treated Africans as savages while neglecting to mention the intellectual traditions that long existed in sub-Saharan Africa!

It is to be woken up from the brainwashing that disrespected African traditions, African cultural norms, African hairstyles, and African physical features. 

It is to be woken up from self-hatred caused by a white supremacist society that tells you that you are inferior! 

And while "woke" is a term that originated among African-Americans, many of the same issues have affected other non-European groups who also strive to be wakened up from the Eurocentric brainwashing from the colonialism imposed on them! 

If waking up from all this degrading Eurocentric brainwashing is being woke, then I strive to be woke.

However, some people have woken up from one form brainwashing and end up falling for another sort of brainwashing.

It is this new brainwashing that claims

• every white person is a racist, every man is a rapist
• Those of non-European ancestries can't be racist because "racism is about structural power"
• Judging those of non-European ancestries by the content of their character is "racist"
• All policing, even arresting violent criminals, is "racist"
• Anti-Asian and Anti-Jewish hate crimes shall only be taken seriously when committed by those of European ancestry. Using police to stop anti-Asian and anti-Jewish hate crimes committed by African-Americans (or other non-Europeans) is "racist"
• Standardized tests are "racist" and expecting people of all ancestries to reach the same academic standards is "racist"
• Anyone of pure-European ancestry (or who looks that way) who participate in anything related to non-European cultures is guilty of "cultural appropriation" (which is a major sin above all sins)
• Any disagreement with far-left activists of non-European ancestry can only be rooted in racism

It is those who fit the above description that are commonly described as "woke" by right-wing conservatives who once mocked them as "social justice warriors" ("sjw" for short) a decade ago!

But you can't really be woke if you traded one sort of brainwashing for another. 

So if you believe that "all white people are racist" and "non-whites can't be racist because racism is about structural power", I don't consider you to be truly woke, you are only Allegedly "woke"! Yes, with the quotation marks around "woke"! 

I take this "judge by the content of one character" very literally! 

If you have good character, then I can't judge you by the negative actions of those who look like you.

If you have negative character and you don't apologize or make sincere amends, then I'm going to have negative judgments about your character!  That you suffered in life doesn't negate any negative judgments towards your negative actions. 

If we are all equal, then we are capable of equal good and equal bad. 

If you understand that, then you are truly woke.

Now look at this  quote from Nelson Mandela, a  REAL social justice warrior, a real hero who has waken up South Africa from white supremacy

During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.

Now, THAT is woke! 

He wasn't about replacing white domination with black domination!

He was about replacing oppression with freedom for all!

He wasn't about hating the white man, he was about hating white supremacy! 

He wanted a world where all South Africans can live in harmony! 

And the thing is many allegedly "woke" activists on social media today HAVE IT EASY compared to what Nelson Mandela had to deal with while fighting against apartheid! 

 He was separated from his family for 27 years and lived under harsh conditions while imprisoned, and yet he never gave up hope for a more just society!

When he was finally given a chance to lead his country, he emphasized peace and harmony among all South Africans. 

That should be the goal of all activists, of all ancestries, in all places! 

--------

Now let's look at this quote from Martin Luther King "I Have a Dream" speech

“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”

Notice that he didn't say "we want to punish all the sons of  former slave owners for the sins of ancestors"

Notice that he didn't say "no sons of former slave owners shall ever participate in art forms started by the sons of former slaves"

No, he wanted all the descendants of slaves and slave owners to move beyond past prejudices and learn to treat each other like family! 

This is not sugar-coating Martin Luther King, that is the REAL Martin Luther King! 

Like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King was the real woke! 

Let's all become the real woke!