Super Bowl Prediction

Any man will tell you that he is pumped for the Super Bowl, and I am no exception. The last footballs game of the season, until college starts back up. Getting together with your friends, eating pizza (preferably from Papa Johns)...that's what makes the Super Bowl so enjoyable, at least for me.

So tomorrow, me and my cousin will be going to get so Papa John's (Yes!) and some drinks as we prepare for the Super Bowl. But then the question comes up: who do you want to win? Or who do you think will win? Which, by the way, are two different questions. Just because I say one team will win doesn't mean I am cheering for them.

So. My Super Bowl Prediction.

In my honest opinion, I believe that the Seahawks will win the Super Bowl...again. 

Now in my defense, I have absolutely nothing against the Patriots. All that nonsense about deflated footballs. It doesn't even make any sense as to how that could go unnoticed. I mean don't the refs handle the footballs? So how could it get past the refs? Anyways, I don't care about that at all. What I do care about is defense. In my opinion, defense wins ball games. And the Seattle Seahawks have an amazing defense. I love defense. 

But aside from the football game itself, I also enjoy watching the commercials. This is when companies put out their best commercials, especially beer companies. On a side note, I don't drink alcohol. Any kind of it. But the commercials are so entertaining and sometimes are even better than the game itself, especially if it is a blow out. Well, except for last years. Those commercials weren't so good. I think there was only one commercial I actually thought was any good. Honestly, last years Super Bowl wasn't so entertaining for me. Of course I don't think that had anything to do with the fact my car had broken down right before the game (sarcasm). 

But I hope this Super Bowl is entertaining: the commercials and the football game. Getting to be with friends and family, enjoy delicious game foods and watching the Super Bowl. One of the best things in the world. 

Super Bowl Prediction: Seattle Seahawks 35-28

Dying Light

If you are a gamer like me or you have friends who are hardcore gamers like mine, then you've probably heard of the game, Dying Light. It's basically a zombie apocalypse game that has the style of Dead Rising and Assassin Creed all rolled into one from what my friends told me. I have never played the game myself.

My two best friends love the game. The day after they got it, we all met at college and both of them started discussing the game. How much fun they had, smooth graphics, and getting the crap scared out of each other because of the attacking zombies. Apparently zombies get stronger and faster at night. 

And imagine me just sitting off to the side not having a thing to say.

To be honest, I'm not big on such games. I did play Dead Rising and enjoyed it but when I looked at Dying Light, it just didn't strike my fancy. A game I'm super excited for is No Man's Sky. Now that is going to be an awesome game.

But back to Dying Light. From what one of my friends told me, apparently the game has a punishment system where if you die you get sent back to a safe house and you lose all the stuff you loser as well as survivor exp. Also, parkour. That's what the game is all about. Jumping and climbing. 

 I can guarantee that if I go to either of my friend's house they will play it and I'll end up watching. To my surprise though, I actually wanted to watch some gameplay videos about it on YouTube but the friend I was with wouldn't let me. Now, this friend knows me better than I know myself and he really knows that I don't do horror. So I believe that he stopped me from watching it because it is a horror. That's just a guess though and I won't question it. I don't like horror stuff. One time, this guy who lived in my dorm tricked me into watching a horror movie called insidious. I never heard of the movie at the time and he told me it wasn't scary at all. Funny thing about trust huh? Well I watched the first 10 minutes of it then texted my friend and got him to call me and act like he needed my help. So I got out of the room, went back to mine, turned on the light and tv, and sat on my bed. If you saw me you'd probably either feel bad for me or laugh at me because of how horrified I was. 

I don't do horror. 

But anyways, Dying Light. I probably won't like it and probably will never play it. 

College: The Place That Never Sleeps

As i sit here and blog about this, my eyelids are slowly falling over my eyes. But i snap back awake in order to write this blog.

So why blog about this?

Well, first off i am currently a college student and therefore i know what it is like to lose sleep. Having to stay up all night in order to finish that paper or to study for that test. It was exhausting and it felt like you were never getting any sleep. I remember at one point when i would only get about 5 hours of sleep Monday through Friday then sleep for 9-10 hours Saturday and Sunday. Falling asleep around midnight then having to wake up around 5 a.m. in order to get to the shower and get ready for my early class. I won't lie...that sucked!

However, in my final semester, my first class doesn't start until 11 a.m. everyday versus 8 a.m. everyday in the past. You won't believe what 3 hours will do for you in sleep.

I remember going to Vietnam and what is was like to sleep over there (ngủ - sleep in Vietnamese). Considering i traveled halfway around the world and was in a different timezone, not to mention i was in a completely new surrounding with people who were basically strangers, it was next to impossible for me to get sleep. But as i grew accustomed to my surroundings and better understanding of the people i was staying with i was able to get sleep again.

Ok now to the second reason i decided to blog about this.

Aside from experiencing sleep deprivation in the past, i was listening to the radio on my way to school today and heard the host of the radio show talking about hte medical side of sleep.

First off, you know that your body does most of the healing while you are asleep. But there's more to it than that. As humans, we are supposed to get around 8 hours of sleep. Not getting 8 hours of sleep does have consequences. For example, did you know tha not getting the proper amount of sleep can lead to diabetes, a spike in your blood sugar levels and a drop in your body's insulin? That's like a triple whammy right there.

Lack of sleep can also lead heart disease, memory loss and loss of concentration as well to name a few. Remember in my last post when i said Vietnamese people eat healthier than we Americans do? Yeah, they sleep better than we do as well. No seriously, i went to Vietnam and Vietnamese took naps in the middle of the day. It's like every Vietnamese's internal clock said "pull out the hammock" around noon and take a nap. Do you know how wonderful a nap is? Now that I'm back in America, i don't nap. But Vietnamese people do. Oh, they do. I saw people literally sleeping on the sidewalk in hammocks out in the open. You do that in America, you get mugged.

So now that i have shown you how important sleep is, are you going to get 8 hours of sleep? I am. Yeah, I'm going to go get myself some ngủ.

Vietnamese Food

As I sit here with a fat greasy slice of pizza in my hand, the thought of delicious healthy Vietnamese food comes into my mind and I become sad. So, I blog.

Vietnamese food is amazing. Probably the best food I ate while I was in Vietnam was a Vietnamese noodle called phở. It was unbelievably delicious. I had all kinds of delicious Vietnamese foods, even sweet fruits. I even ate some new fish in Vietnam. All of it way more healthy than American food. Want to get healthy America? Eat some Vietnamese food (biased opinion). 

When I first went to Vietnam, I remember I was homesick and it took me about two weeks to adjust to Vietnamese food. My first Vietnamese food was actually phở. Trying your first foreign food in   foreign country is something you will always remember. It's amazing when you go outside of your comfort zone. But more to the point, sitting here eating mini Snickers doesn't make me feel any healthier. While I am considered a little under average weight for my size, I should eat healthier...yeah...really hard. 

You ever eaten goat? Goose? Duck? Well I have. Not gonna lie, I was tricked into eating the duck and goose. Not creatures that we eat in America. At least not where I'm from. Ducks and geese are just birds that the only purpose is for them to sit gracefully on the water. "What is that?" I ask my girlfriend. "That's chicken." She replies. So I eat it and when we are leaving she explains to me that it was duck. I came home from Vietnam and my brother had gotten some baby ducks...what a cruel twist of fate.

Even the seafood from Vietnam was amazing. Fried squid, oysters, all kinds of fish. One time, we went to a restaurant where you fished and then they would cook what you caught. For the record, me and my girlfriend were having a little competition to see who could catch the most fish and I won. But the seafood in general was good from Vietnam. I ate at many different seafood restaurants. One time, we were eating crab and one of them somehow managed to survive and ran off the table. It was so funny how some people freaked. 

But Vietnamese food wasn't all about health. I remember eating some cake from a local cake shop and it was delicious. Actually, funny story about cake. When I first went to Vietnam I weigh about what I weigh now. But I quickly lost weight because my body was pissed because I didn't have a McChicken in my hand. In response to my weight dropping, my girlfriends mom gave me cake for breakfast! It was her way of trying to help me gain weight, while my girlfriend was having rice, noodles and egg, I was having cake. 

Oh Vietnamese deserts. Now that's some good stuff. While I doubt that some of the deserts originated from Vietnam, I'd never seen them until I arrived in Vietnam. There was one desert that was a drink but had some jello at the bottom. It was delicious except for the seeds I kept finding in them. 

But yeah, sitting here wallowing in my sorrow because I am eating completely unhealthy and I envision the healthier Vietnamese food I once had. Phở, above all else. I mean think about it. Normally, if they live a decent life, Vietnamese live longer than Americans. Why? Well for one I saw a park full of Vietnamese every morning running and jogging. You won't see that in America. Second, the food they eat is way healthier than ours. I'm not kidding and it's actually good food. Well, except for the squid I ate there. I refuse to eat squid unless it is fried. Suction cups....don't touch me! So if I want eat healthier, I need to go Vietnam where I don't have a fast food restaurant everywhere. 

Don't Argue with a Mac User

So, a lot of people believe that all Apple products, iPhone and Mac, are superior to everything.

I believe that it is personal preference. 

But I have a cousin who believes that Mac's and iPhones beat Windows computers and samsung phones. 

I have a Samsung phone and I love it! 

But to the point. I believe that it comes down to personal preference. If you like Apple or Samsung that's fine. Just don't think you are better than someone who doesn't use an Apple Mac or iPhone. 

Unfortunately, that's what my cousin believed. He believed that Macs are superior to every other computer (remember what I said about personal preference). And he thought that his iPhone is better than my Samsung (again personal preference). He also believed that Macs are immune to virus' which is a lie. 

Macs are just as susceptible to virus' as Windows computers!

Back to my point. I learned in my information security class what a virus really is and how it infects software. Upon learning this and finally having facts to prove that Macs are not invincible, I tried to explain it to my cousin.  I probably should have listened to my professor when she said, "You can't argue with a Mac user."

So while I was trying to prove how a Mac can get a virus, my cousin was too busy saying, "Superiority!"

Never argue with a Mac user. 

So in the end, I simply stated the fact that a Mac can get a virus and left it at that. It's fine if you really favor something but don't ignore the facts and don't think you are superior. 

But about that virus. 

Well a virus is a code that has to be executed in order to take effect. Thus a .exe file. For a virus to infect software, it has to contain the operating system code of the software in order to infect it. Window users trust so much stuff that it's easy to see how windows computers are so easily infected. As for Macs, well they are more secretive about their operating system. Don't get me wrong, there are virus' for Macs but not as many like Windows. 

But why is this? 

Well first, let me ask you a question. In America, do more business use Windows or Macs? The answer is Windows. 

Now another question. Would you rather win $1 or $1,000? Well that's a no brainer. 

Since more businesses use Windows over Mac, it makes since that people create virus' designed for Windows computers. There is more to gain from targeting Windows computers rather than Macs. Now if Macs were to become popular in businesses over Windows, more people would be trying to create virus' for Macs in order to get a bigger reward. People create virus' either to get information or to cause chaos. To make a big point, target Windows computers because more businesses use them. It makes since. 

But, referring back to my previous statement, Don't argue with a Mac user.

I Have a Dream

Just a few days ago, it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day which is noted by his famous phrase, "I Have a Dream.

I Have a Dream Too.

I'm just a little college student learning about business and information systems. I'm also studying Vietnamese, trying to be proficient at it. Imagine that, an American trying to learn Vietnamese. Why not learn Spanish? Or Chinese? 

Well as previously mentioned, my girlfriend is Vietnamese and I have been to Vietnam and greatly enjoyed the culture. So it's no surprise that I am trying to teach myself Vietnamese. While my little side dream is that this blog will gain some readers, especially Vietnamese readers, I do have a big dream. And what is that dream?

I would really like to work in Vietnam! Maybe run my own business or use my computer skills. 

But Zacub, you are crazy! Why leave the developed United States and live in a developing country? 

Well, firstly I understand how is may seem crazy. The United States is a luxury country. But recently, the United States has become "disorganized." You got incidents like the Ferguson incident that throws this country into disarray. So while the US looks beautiful, all that glitters is not gold. So why stay in a disorganized country?

Another point is that EVERYONE is coming to the US, legal and illegal. With so many illegal immigrants flowing in, it destroys the economy and takes up many jobs, and with people coming from all over the world legally, it makes things difficult when trying to get a high paying job. COMPETITION. So why stay somewhere where I am not needed when I can go to a country that could use my talent? I could go to Vietnam and maybe help businesses or computers. 

Finally, I like to experience new cultures. Plus, not many people are learning a second language, let alone be wiling to go work and live in a different country so this gives me an edge. Vietnam was an interesting country to me and I would like to experience it for more than three months. 

So I really really REALLY wish that I could work and live in Vietnam. My favorite part would be that I get to experience a new culture. New foods, new sites, just all new. So, first things first, I am learning Vietnamese. If I can do that, I have a better chance to get to go to Vietnam. Hopefully, one day, my dream will become a reality. 

Lone 9

I'm sure no one has ever heard of a game called, Lone 9. Unless you come from my hometown. I literally googled it and nothing came up in the search results. Talk about unknown. Even Google doesn't know it.

In Lone 9, as the title suggests, the 9 is your best. I watched my family play it but I couldn't fully grasp the game. Eh, maybe next time. But basically, you get 6 cards. Ace and King can "catch" the nine. You use these cards to try to get your opponents to throw the nine out.

But first, you have to bid on how many points you will think you will make (if you make less than your bid, you lose that many points). So if you win the bid, you get to call the suit. Them that's when you start trying to fish out that nine. First to 50 wins.

Sounds like a fun game right? Probably, but it takes a lot to learn.

But what this reminded me of was a Vietnamese card game that my girlfriend showed me. It's called, Tien Lin. Actually, the spelling is completely wrong and i apologize. But hopefully those of you who know Vietnamese better than I do know what I am talking about.

It was one of those things I learned during my three month stay in Vietnam.

My girlfriend showed me how to play. You split the deck four ways. The you try to empty out your hand first to win. Make a straight, pairs, whatever you want. Just empty your hand out first.

My girlfriend beat me 9/10 times every single time we play. I think her being Vietnamese and myself being American gives her an unfair advantage.

It's one of those things I learned while staying in Vietnam and something that makes me enjoy Vietnam even more.

First Week Back to College

So I've survived my first week back to college. And as an added bonus, this is my final semester of college. Yay! For four years I've been doing this but it's finally coming to an end. But I will miss some of my business professors though.

One thing I would like to point out is, "The college bookstore is a rip off!"

I needed a code for the business strategy game for my business strategy class. So I went to the bookstore to get it. I thought it would be around $50 without the book. So I had my money in hand , ready to pay and...

$160!

I felt like I was getting ripped but out of desperation, I bought it only to go to class and find out I could order it online for $40. So I went straight back to the bookstore and got my money back. Quadruple the price! I think not. The bookstore at college is a complete rip off.

But not all week at college was bad.

I got to meet my friends who I haven't seen in a month due to Christmas break. I have all my classes with one of them but we all still hung out. It's awesome when you get to see your friends.

The classes were good too. One business class and three information system classes. In one, I'll be learning a little bit about hacking (hopefully). For Halloween, me and my friends decided to dress up like Brad Pitt. I called Blackhat Brad Pitt because of the hacking class. One of my friends called World War Z Brad Pitt and the other called Seven Brad Pitt.

So meeting with my friends, we all decided to go to IHOP for the "All-You-Can-Eat-Pancakes." Out of competition, we seen who can eat the most.

Friend #1 had 2

Friend #2 had 4

And yours truly had 5. I win!

I loved IHOP and would love to go back soon. But being there with my friends was what made it so amazing. Not to mention, that one of them had never been to an IHOP before.

Oh yeah, the one thing that college will conflict with is my Vietnamese studies. That's right, I am trying to learn Vietnamese. All because my girlfriend is Vietnamese. I won't lie though, Vietnamese is a very tough language to learn for foreigners such as myself. I have a book that I study from and my girlfriend tries to help me but we are both busy with college so I don't get to use it much. Since I can't use it, I can't retain it.

To retain Vietnamese, I plan to sometimes use it in my blog in order to burn it into my brain.

Một, hai, ba, bốn, năm, sáu, bảy, tám, chín, mười.

I figured writing about it would give me a good way to retain it in my mind. So throughout my blogs, I will use some Vietnamese. Also, if you are Vietnamese and see a mistake, please let me know and scold me if you see fit. Seeing as i speak Vietnamese at an elementary level, I can't write big sentences. Therefore, my sentences will be small and probably wrong. Anh yêu Tiếng Việt.

So hopefully, this can help me learn Vietnamese.

Going back to college (trưởng đại học) and studying Vietnamese is definitely going to require a lot of effort but hopefully I can pull through. And blogging will help because: 

1. It can help me learn Vietnamese

2. Because it relaxes me

It's my final semester and, fingers crossed, I will be graduating in May with a major in Business Administration and a minor in Information Systems (and technically Marketing as well but my college doesn't recognize it as a minor). Maybe I can even get a job over in Vietnam! What a dream come true that would be. I visited Vietnam for 3 months and I loved it. Getting paid to work and live there...tears couldn't describe how happy I would be.

But first things first, I have to get through college and I have just gotten through my first week back to college.