Dark Souls Elden Ring Improve My Life But Not In The Way You May Think.

Elden Ring gives you a perfect balance of deep concentration and big-picture thinking. The simplest knight can drain your life if you are not paying attention. A group of low-level skeletons can be the end if you are not focused. There are breaks in the intensity due to the massively open world. You can explore aimlessly and stumble across hidden dungeons, or plan accordingly for a particular armor set. Elden Ring Wiki is the best. No matter your play style, there is no wrong way to play. Noneducational video games shouldn’t be played with the mindset that it will improve your real life. It should be played with the sole purpose of having fun, but in the real world that’s not the cast. People play games for competition, to let off steam, the bond with their friends and to make money. You may not fall into any of these categories listed but if you play Elden Ring you will most differently reap some benefits.

I’m a security guard and yes I do many boring and repetitive tasks. The roll call, deviation sheet, filling out times, and giving out jobs. Elden Ring helped me to develop the focus to complete my tasks in a timely manner and with any mistakes. Not being rushed and not underestimating tasks that I have done hundreds of times because that’s how you get a “YOU DIED”. I know I have to get post filled, so I have to take a step back and strategist my next moves.

There was a promotion out for special inspector and my coworkers said I don’t have the qualifications for the job. I went into a dungeon boss battle with on summons, the sign on the floors saying use fire and I got a bleed build. Don’t tell me about qualifications. I did so well on the interview that HR helped me with my resume so I could get the job. In not saying playing Elden Ring made me a millionaire but it did shift my perspective. I have better focus and I don’t shy away from difficult tasks.

Finding Passion is the Key to the Meaning of Life.

Every pastime and venture we pursue doesn’t always have to make us money but in this world we live in time is money. So we don’t have the luxury of spending hours per day increasing our skills in a hobby unless we are well off already and don’t have to work for a living. Even people with high-income careers don’t have the time and energy for soul searching. What to do, is all hope lost in this bottomless abyss we call the modern times? The short answer is no. The most powerful tool we have as a species is our mind, we must make use of it as our go-to. Two powerful functions of the mind we can utilize are awareness and perception. Of course, there are more functions but I will not be reviewing them today.

Awareness used to be a cultural concern but now it’s a social media concern. The downside is that hustle culture and get-money-quick scams are rampant. The cure to that is to have conversations with people you know about career choices, aspirations, and what topics they find interesting. But more important is an inner dialog with yourself with no distractions. If you can spend an hour just to think about what you find interesting you will be surprised at how transformative that will be. You will discover what truly interests you and start your deep dive into that topic. Conversations with people will become more interesting and time by yourself will be energizing.

Perception is more of an individual function, two people may be aware of the same artwork but they will perceive it differently. After you are aware of what motivates you, the next step is how you can start that journey. If you discover you have an eye for fashion you may look for jobs at the top firms and top clothing line. This is the first mistake. Your passion is fashion, this is who you are and in this pursuit, you will find deep meaning in life. In the beginning of self-discovery is the perfect time to utilize your perception capabilities and see fashion where others don’t. If your kid’s clothes are too small, find ways to change the size. You can sow outfits for your child or their toys. Become a stylist for yourself and others will come along. Begin a fashion blog, design accessories, or become the person who knows all the trends. Make your passion an integral part of your life.

When people say they wish they were back in high school, they are really saying they had an incumbent passion and now they don’t. If you played basketball in school usually your whole being revolved around basketball. From the food you eat, the sneakers and clothes you buy, the games you play, the people you talk to, and the events you attend. As we become adults and “real life” hits us, the passion gets knocked back into the past. If you want to have a meaningful life, you must discover your passion and see it in everything you do.

Time is Never Wasted. (Poem)

Time is never wasted.
Whether you watch the ball or chase it.
Days will always change.
Whether you are content or complain.

Perception shifts the seconds.
Losing your mind in solitary Isolation,
or discovering solace in self-enlightenment.

Reflecting stalls the minutes.
Saddened heart by a traumatic experience,
or motivated to prove them wrong.

Time has no weight.
Time never waits.
Times is always used.
But never wasted.

Increase Your Value, Grow Your Pockets.

Value can be found in anything, also value can be lost in anything. There is a basic rule to value and that can be summed up in one word, quality. Before I continue I am not referring to sentimental value. There is no iron-clad way to quantify sentimental value. Meaning you can’t put a price on it. Something of lower quality will cost less than an object or experience of higher quality but quality will reach its limits. That’s when intrinsic value comes into play. I can not stress this point enough, top tier quality must be established before intrinsic value can be properly unitized. If not it will be considered a scam. So, the quality of the goods or services has to be high before you can charge what you are worth, i.g. exorbitant prices.

Five-star restaurants, expensive cars, high-end fashion clothes, and stadium concerts. All of these categories pass the quality test but the intrinsic value is what sets them apart. The community, the story-line, the exclusivity, and the perspective are what increase the value. This concept even works in the real world. If you want a promotion at work don’t ask for one, let the promotions come to you. After you are proficient at your task or even before then there are questions you have to ask yourself. What do supervisors wear, where do they go for lunch, and what do they talk about when they not talking about work? What is the structure of their emails and how do they package their work? This may sound like you are compromising your identity but you did that a long time ago when you got that job. Your title is not Payroll Analyst when you are home and you also don’t take lunch breaks at 12 o’clock in the afternoon. You are trained to do things a certain way at work. Now you have to train yourself for that promotion by increasing your intrinsic value. Ever wonder why a slower less talented co-worker got that promotion, now you know.

Some may see intrinsic value as useless and unnecessary but it’s 100 percent untrue. Perception is the key that controls most of reality. A 4 Star General can move entire Battalions with a hand gesture while a younger, faster, and stronger Private can barely get someone out of their way so they can use the restroom. A luxury Item must display prestige and exclusivity. The Image must also fit the audience. The tech world may not be impressed with luxury but is impressed by lights and cyberpunk ascetics. The main takeaway is that the packing, design, and lifestyle are what increase value. Remember Apple is an ecosystem and Harry Potter is a universe, make yourself or your product one.

“Stick and Stone May Break my Bones but Words will Never Hurt Me.” How True is This Timeless Phrase?

We all heard it growing up over and over again but as we became adults this phrase quickly faded away. As you go into the workforce certain words can put you on the unemployment line. It could be sexual harassment or workplace bullying but I’m not talking about that. I’m referring to words hurting someone, not just the repercussions of using such chosen words. We have to understand the levels and types of hurt. Such as a broken limb versus a mental breakdown. First, we need to take a trip to the land of why is it taught to kids in the first place.

Children have a high sensitivity to tone of speech. This is because they may not understand what you are saying but they understand the context through your inflections. As they grow more mature they transfer that sensitivity to the context of speech. That also affects the way they communicate, they don’t “say what they mean and mean what they say”. When a kid gets into trouble for fighting because another kid said ya momma, we tell that kid words can’t hurt you and they don’t even know your mother. In the child world, ya momma isn’t ya momma it’s much more. It’s the final step to a fight. After the name-calling, rumors, and paper-throwing, ya momma is up next. It’s saying lets fight but I don’t want to throw the first punch so I’m going to do everything in my power to get you to initiate the fight. Instead of saying words don’t hurt we should teach children the power of words.

A weapon can harm or protect. Words have the power to discourage or inspire. Think of a negative Nancy or a sports coach. Now, back to the physical pain. I was heading home after a doctor’s visit. I didn’t eat all day because I was ordered to not eat or drink after midnight the night before. It was 1 pm when my friend called me to help her out because she needed help to carry some stuff out of Target. Boom instant headache. She just assumed I should go directly to her after my appointment instead of saying, take your time it’s no rush. If those words can cause unintentional harm what else words can do? I’m fully aware that words can teleport you into another land. There were plenty of times when I lost inside the universe of a book and almost missed my train stop. So, words can affect you mentally and physically, but is it the same as a physical assault? No, it’s not but that doesn’t mean it’s not harmful.

Sleep deprivation, loudness, poison, and cancer will not break bones but they will hurt you. The same is true with words. Depression, anxiety, self-doubt, headaches, and thoughts of suicide can be triggered by words. Whether it be from speech or written text words can be as harmful or even cause more harm than a physical attack. You can defend yourself from sticks and stones but it can be difficult to defend against words, especially if you don’t see it as a treat. Words can creep up on you well after the exchange and put your mind in a vulnerable state. I don’t condone physical violence in retaliation to harmful words but what else can a person do to defend themselves? We put kids in karate class for self-defense, so is it wise to assume people don’t need to be trained in verbal warfare? Verbal abuse happens more than physical abuse, we need a system in place to train ourselves in the art of words. Stick And Stone May Break my Bones and Words Can Do Some Serious Damage.

Time (poem)

As every moment passes in smooth motions counted by jagged lines.

We set our focus on ruff oceans hoping for calmer times.

Blissful thoughts in active dreams but painful life in idle minds.

On and on we go, on and on we stay.

Relaxing resets my soul but I have to move to save face.

Frantic is my state, no time to play no time to prey.

Having an Unfair Advantage is the Only Way to Succeed.

I will make a distinction between learned advantages and born advantages. Learned advantages are skills you develop through effort and time. Any skill can be a learned advantage, like mastering a new language or cooking a dish. The reason they are advantageous is because most people will not spend the time to learn them. The reality is, even though you will develop this skill it will not drastically change your life. Maybe it can be a party trick to entertain some friends. Born advantage will transform you dramatically, but only if you take advantage of it (see what I did there, advantage …. advantage, whatever). Born advantages can be physical or mental. The list is almost infinite but I don’t feel like making an absorbent list only to be criticized later by someone saying “Oh you missed blah ha meh”. Physical advantages are height, build, attraction, and motor reflex (don’t mind me I’m just blending attributes). Mental can be summed down what you found interesting when you were young, focus and attention to detail on certain subjects. Before the deep dive begins, let’s examine how this idea got sparked.

At work, I started to have to do more physical writing that other co-workers would have to utilize to perform their jobs. I don’t like to share what I do for a living because people look down on security (oh yeah I work as a security guard). It was one time at the barber shop when the barber was asking me questions to lighten the mood. Such as where you grew up and your favorite sports teams. He asked me what I do for a living and I told him I work as a security guard, the response was awkward crickets. Then he stated having conversations with his coworker from then on. Guess he lost a customer that day. When my wife introduces me she says I work for the military but that’s besides the point. I prepare the deviation sheets for the other “Agents” and it’s a lot of writing and color coding. There are over three hundred agents and job changes. There are note sections, vacation sections, absent relief, and special jobs (temporary posts). It’s a twenty-four-hour operation and my penmanship has to be clear so other supervisors can understand what’s going on because it’s a fast pace position. They don’t have the luxury of time to interpret what I wrote because they have to forecast, update, and make proper adjustments. So, that got me thinking, my handwriting hasn’t improved since Junior High school. I have to write slowly so my penmanship can be legible but when I answer the phone to quickly write details for a report I have trouble understanding my hieroglyphs. Most children in the class wrote neater than me and I wrote twice as much than them. The sloppy version and the not-so-sloppy version (iPhone X then iPhone 11). I would have taken a penmanship class if was available but imagine if the scholar scribes enrolled in a calligraphy class.

Anyone at the top of their respected field has always been the best at a particular task and stuck with it well into adulthood. I’m not going to talk about that person, we will go over the shoulda, woulda, couldas. Let me kick the giant pink elephant out of the room, Yes LeBron James dominated basketball with his physical gifts and coordination. Yes, Warren Buffet started and ran businesses when he was a smitten young lad. Yes, Elon Musk read and understood engineering books when he was in diapers. There are a million articles, books, and podcasts on the topic. Deep breath, whoosah. Talk about beating a dead horse (please don’t cancel me). Most people won’t reach their full potential because of something called … GUILT. The tall kid that doesn’t use his height advantage. The fast kid who slows down so others can catch up. The smart kid who doesn’t study so they don’t look like a smarty pants. The well-organized kid who doesn’t want to seem too perfect. I can go on all day (like and subscribe if you want to go on all day). If my daughter confided in me that her friends don’t like her because she is an overachiever, I’m going to tell her that is correct but you are wrong on one small detail. Those are not your friends, they are your competitors. The people it stands that are cheering you on are many. The competitors that want to diminish your talents are few but a friend worth having is a blend. Someone that competes with you while cheering you on. There is no need for a life coach to help you find your calling because you already know. That time in life when you were better than everyone else at a task but you mysteriously stopped or slowed down, yeah bro that’s your advantage.

It’s not your fault, It’s not your fault, you reader it’s not your fault, OK let me stop playing. Mentors play a key role in a person’s development and you can’t seek out a mentor, they don’t even seek you out. Mentors discover you by chance and keep you on the right track to stick to your advantage. Michael Phelps was discovered when he was swimming recreationally, not because he was exceptional, but because he had the body type for it. Most people fall into three categories. Those who forgot their advantage on purpose, are aware of their advantage or mastered their advantage. The people that are reading this are in the latter, ah ah ah I mean the middle. You may think your advantage is reading and writing, nope. Reading and writing are tools (ching, ching, brum). Your advantage is your analytical thinking, your scientific mind, your passion for soccer, I mean futbol. Everyone what the all-mighty tips so here we go. Whatever energizes you or a task you find easy to focus on, you should lean in too. If you have an advantage like heritage, parents’ money, beauty, or anything else, own it and don’t feel ashamed of it. When you take advantage of your advantages (there I go ago) people and opportunities will gravitate towards you. Certain people will not like you but you are not doing for them. You own it to yourself and your legacy to, come on say it with me “Take advantage your your advantages”. 

The Key to Spiritual Awakening is Mastery.

If you are convinced by the title and understand what I mean, you can go home now. You are done, but if you insist on further explanation or just like to examine people’s thoughts, let’s continue this exploration. Being spiritually awoken or being enlightened has nothing to do with your base personality. We all are born into this world with different personalities, but we conformed depending on social rules. Mahatma Gandhi was said to be a bit of a diva, Buddha had bad eating habits and YouTube “Exposed” spiritual masters (quotations are intentional). Being a higher-level self is about understanding the connection of all things and transcending any activity you put your will into. Your everyday life is determined by your natural self and a spiritual awakening will bring you closer to your true being.

Achieving mastery is the journey to a spiritual awakening. High school is one time in life when most people witness students on their journey to mastery. The track star, captain of the cheer team, or valedictorian all have an aura that transcends understanding. Whether it drew people to them or made others hesitate to get close, others wanted to siphon that energy or learn how to obtain it themselves. No matter how hard you tried you couldn’t wrap your brain around it, so you give up. Not knowing all you had to do was dedicate your every being to one skill or study. The reason I mention high school is because most students had the time, energy, community, and fewer responsibilities. When studying gurus or yogis you will observe the time and dedication they pour into their craft. The difference between top-performing high school students, gurus, CEOs, and high-level professionals is minimal. The main similarity that ties them all together is focus.

We have a new challenger and its focus. Have you ever had a conversation with someone you consider a high performer or someone who only focuses on you? It can be intimidating or awkward. It’s like the person is staring into your soul. They are not just hearing your words but they are understanding your every intention. If they wanted to they can understand your insecurities and deepest thoughts. That my friend is a spiritual awakening in a nutshell but instead of looking into someone else soul you look into your own. The only way to achieve that is through high-level focus. The only way to obtain high-level focus is through mastery. Just as any professional can lose focus, any enlightened person can lose touch with their spiritual perception of the world. But once you reach any form of mastery, you can reconnect your spiritual awakening. So, dedicate yourself to something, and you will reach a spiritual awakening.

Manners are alive and kicking (In a respectful way)

Politeness has never gone away as much as the News and Tiktok would have you believe. If you think I’m just making that up, then go and say good morning to people at work you usually bypass on the regular. Say good afternoon to people shopping in the grocery store. Courteous fumes will perforate your soul. When someone holds the door for you, you are highly likely to return the favor to someone else. I know you may be thinking about people that will flip on you if you don’t say thank you, but that’s the exception, not the rule. And come on, those people have a distinctive look about them. Please don’t force me to spell it out for you. I don’t want to get canceled before I even get started.

This insight is short and sweet. When your focus is on the real world, it’s not as bad as it is on your pocket alternative reality device. It’s human nature to weigh one bad event equal to one thousand good events (I am not a human, I am a Martian). Most good deeds go unseen, and most bad deeds go unpunished. But in your day-to-day life, it is mainly pleasant, just with a few hiccups like Pepsi Max (this is not a sponsored post, nor do I have any affiliations with Pepsi… PS give me a call). Just remember manners are contagious, and disrespect is like the jab. No, no, I mean chick noodle soup. That’s not right either. Breathe. Manners are the chi, and don’t let negativity block your flow.

Reading Harry Potter as an adult.

I’m going to start by saying Harry Potter is a fun adventure, and you will feel like a witch or wizard while reading. It is not the best written book, but the story will draw you in even if the main characters don’t. The world is immensely engaging, and you will feel like you’re part of it. As an American, I had to look up certain words and Phrases because this series was made for a British audience, especially the food. I’m getting hungry thinking about it. I was apprehensive about letting my peers know that I was reading Harry Potter. It was something like a guilty pleasure. Now that I read it, I don’t mind letting people know, but I will change the date by a couple of years.

What got me wanting to read Harry Potter wasn’t Hogwarts Legacy that was coming out soon, no. It was Obama’s A Promised Land. He read Harry Potter to his daughter every night for a bedtime story. So with myself a lesser man I followed the great Obama’s lead. Only to be met with an “NOOOOO, not Hairy Potter”. A three-year-old rather be read Danial Tiger for a bedtime story. Since I started the series I might as well finish it. As me being a slow reader, with a full-time job plus overtime, a husband, a father, and a social life. It took me three months to read the entire series.

I would love to have in-depth conversations about Harry Potter but that is not happening. That’s where this short spiel comes into play. If any one wants to trade critiques or hear my opinion on who the real main character is feel free to start the conversation. Oh yeah, on a side note. I didn’t watch the Movies. I should, but probably not going to happen.