Ponder a bit on paper, answering only one of the following questions:
When you are 90 years old, what will matter most to you?
Imagine I am giving you one billion dollars(you are welcome). Now, the only condition is that you must still find a job to do. What job would you chose, knowing that money is of no concern?
Ask yourself, when did I last push the boundaries of my comfort zone?
To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
What is your number one goal for the next six months?
What did JFK mean by this quote? "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them."
When I am 90 years old, first of all what a blessing, the thing that'll matter to me the most will be family. Like I said, what a blessing it would be to met my grandkids and perhaps even my great grandkids. I would definitely be excited to be apart of that and to be able to enjoy my children. Family is the most important thing to me as it is, I don't think that would change with my age, especially when my family begins to grow. I would love to be able to be apart of that. It really would be a blessing.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds very important, I am on the same page as you are. I think family will come first.
DeleteFamily is all we've got. I would definitely spend time enjoying my family as well
DeleteJasmine Martinez & Karla Guzman I think it would be awesome just to live to see 9o, but even better to be able to experience the family growing.
DeleteAgree! Family comes first.
DeleteA blessing it is!
As graduation approaches my number one goal is to find a career in my field and begin to place my roots in the corporate world. It is sad to see that many graduates are left continually searching for jobs after graduation, so it is my goal to work hard and find a job. I know it is very competitive to find a job right now but I believe that my with some of my past work experiences will aid me in landing the right job. It is also one thing to fins a job, but another to find a job that you love doing. After graduation I hope for a career that I find gratifying as well as can utilize the skills I have gained from my education.
ReplyDeleteI am sure you will find a job you just have to keep looking and not give up:)
DeleteYour work experience will definitely help you. I'm sure you will find a job you love : )
DeleteTo what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
ReplyDeleteI took control over the course of my life when I decided to continue to pursue my education after blindness. In the early stages of my blindness, my family did the best they could to provide and protect me but about eight months of this, I started to feel a strange sense of dependency. This emotion made me uncomfortable because before I was very productive, working two part time jobs and attending college full time.
A shift in my mentality did not occur until, my Elementary Principal stopped to speak to me one day. She said that she had rode by a few times that week and saw me sitting in the front yard in the same spot. Then, she expressed that she did not want to drive by in twenty years and still see me sitting in the same place. After that conversation, she went online, and found a school for the blind in Fresno and thought I should go there, just to see what they had to offer. I began taking a bus to the school and after a period of time, I completed all the classes they had to offer, which included: Braille, Computer technology, Living skills, Group therapy and mobility. When I finished the classes at the Valley Center for the blind in Fresno, I was eligible to go to the Junior Blind of America in Los Angeles. I lived on campus for six months and continued to expand my knowledge in the previous areas, but now on a more intensive level. After I completed the program at JBA, I decided to register for the upcoming semester at West Hills College. There, I would complete the remaining credits needed until I earned an Associate’s Degree.
wow, what a powerful story, especially the part about your principal driving by. Thanks for this, Danelle!
Deletehow amazing! truly an inspiration! I could not agree more with Dr. School on the principal part of your story! keep on truckin' girl!
Deleteamazing! I'm so glad you have continued your education. How inspirational.
DeleteThis is inspiring in so many ways! Your strength to continue to succeed in life is incredible. Way to go!
DeleteIf I ever get to live to be ninety years old, first of all that would be a big blessing. The things that would matter most to me would be God and my family. Hopefully by the time I am ninety, I will be retired, and I would like to spend my time being devoted to my family and church. I would also like to active so that I am still able to help. I will be spending my days with my husband, children, and grandchildren. I want to be able to spend time next to my husband doing the things that we love. Then, I would spend time with my children and grandchildren as much as I could. I would watch my grandchildren and tell them stories about traditions about my family and my husbands. I would prepare things for my family for when I am gone, so my family does not have to worry about certain things when I am gone. My faith and my church really matter to me now and that is the one thing that remains unchanging in my life. I would like to volunteer and serve others, and most of all pass down memories and advice to others. There is nothing better than being able to help others, and I would be more than humbled to spend my last year’s giving back. When people become older, they become like they are not needed, so I want to be active enough in my life where I do feel like I am needed.
ReplyDeleteKeeping tradition is important. A lot of people don't know much about their family traditions and it is important to know your family history.
Delete@Graciela: I agree, if we want our children to have our traditions we need to teach them.
DeleteI work in a assisted living facility and I was surprised to learn how many of my residents are over the age of 90, and are incredibly active! The stigma that comes with aging is so bad you can be active at any age including 90!
DeleteTradition is also something to be cherished. It is something that can bring the family together.
DeleteDr. Brett Schmoll,
ReplyDeleteNo problem, I am always happy to share! I now know for a fact that words are really powerful and the right words spoken at the right time, can greatly impact an individual’s life.
Crystal villatoro,
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, you got it!
ReplyDeleteIf Dr. Schmoll would bless me with a billion dollars, I’d still want to achieve my goal and use my degree to work as an elementary school teacher. I have always said that if money was not an issue I would fully focus on finishing my Bachelors and the credential program. Unfortunately I cannot focus on my education as much as I’d like because I have to work. I work at a school site as a secretary and that has become a blessing because I get to learn how a school works from a different perspective. If money was not an issue, I’d keep working in a classroom with students until I’m too old to be in there. At that point, I’d still want to volunteer in the community and find a way to work with children.
, Karla Guzman,
ReplyDeleteThank you. We all share the same inspiration, our desire to be influential in society is what fuels us to strive towards achievement, regardless of the area of study we select.
...good responses. You people are inspiring!
ReplyDeleteIf I were lucky enough to be handed a billion dollars, I would still continue to do what I am currently doing, which is attend college to become a nurse. I have always wanted to do something that will benefit others, and so naturally I wanted to become a nurse. Even if I didn't have to do it to support myself, I would still want to do it because I know it will be a very rewarding career on many different levels. I cannot wait to get my degree and start working and I hope to be able to work as a nurse for many years to come!
ReplyDeleteDo you plan on attending CSUB Nursing school?
DeleteMy sister is second year nursing student and she loves it!
Keep pursing your dreams.
With a theoretical billion dollars in my pocket, I'd probably go into becoming a writer. As a young child, I had always written short stories and novels to pass the time or simply to write down my thoughts but I didn't actually sit down and write them out until I was 12. When I was younger, my friends and I used to come up with our own storyline and play them out with props and costumes. Sci-fi, mystery, action, comedy. Name the genre and we’ve probably done it, or a version of it at least. Thankfully, we never recorded a single thing.
ReplyDeleteAs I grew older, however, I began to spend more time writing, so much so that I buried myself in it. There were days when I literally spent hours glued to my computer, that my writing became my companion during school breaks. Over the years, I've written so much material that I've lost count (mostly because I’ve literally lost them over the years). For years, I struggled with sharing any of them with my family and friends. Although I did end up anonymously posting a few of my short stories online, the works I have written remain deeply buried in my computer's hard drive. A few years ago, I was even given the option to publish a novel after my father sneaked in a copy of one of my novels. I was 17 at the time and extremely apprehensive about it since I considered them to be very personal. They had given me two weeks to sign the papers but after mulling it over, I realized that I wasn’t ready nor will I ever be. To this day, I have no plans of ever publishing any of them unless it is done so posthumously.
By no means am I saying that I’m a great or talented writer, but I chose this profession with a theoretical billion dollars in my pocket because I see it as a passionate outlet for myself that I would never dream about making money from.
From reading this, I can tell you're a great writer. If you're ever ready to publish any of your novels, I would definitely look forward to reading your imagination!
DeleteWow! what a gift to have. I always admire people that can engulf readers with their thoughts and feelings by words. Hopefully one day you can publish some or let them out of that hard drive. I'm sure there would be a lot of people ready to read them.
DeleteIf I were given a billion dollars, I would like to work in a food truck. Owning a food truck has been my parents’ dream for a couple of years now. A billion dollars is more than enough to start up a small food truck business. My parents would be the owners and I would be their employee. I wouldn’t mind if I had to cook, clean, help customers, or do a bit of everything. They wouldn’t have to pay me. I’m hoping my brother would also work with us. My parents have always wanted a family business so that we would all help out and be together. My parents always talk about how if they had their food truck they would sell coffee and hot chocolate in the mornings accompanied by Mexican sweet bread or the pastries my mom makes. Then once it was lunch time they would sell tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and other Mexican food. Cooking is my parents’ passion. All our family and friends always want my parents to cook when there are parties because their food is amazing! Saying they love to cook would be an understatement. They are always cooking and trying out new recipes. Even though working on a food truck isn’t a glamorous job, I would love to work for my parents so that they could work doing something they love. Family is important to us, so having a family business would be great because we would spend more time together and help each other out.
ReplyDeleteI would love to go to your food truck! It sounds amazing and delicious! In my opinion, I find that food trucks always tastes better. I bet the authenticity of you and your parents cooking is amazing!
DeleteI would be the first one in line at your food truck! I think food trucks can be very glamorous. I seen some decked out food trucks on the food network before and I'm sure a billion dollars, would make your food truck the one to be at.
DeleteThank you for the positive vibes!
DeleteIf Dr. Schmoll had given me a billion dollars, I would want to work as a beautician. Something about makeup, hairstyling, or skin care fascinates me. I love trying out and putting on makeup on my friends or family members and see what art I can do with the face. I picture their face as my canvas and I'm the artist. With hair styles, I try to learn how to style and cut hair. Whether it would be women, men, or children. They're all interesting to work with! Skin care would have to be my most therapeutic hobby because I love working with it so much. Skin care that involves with either waxing, facials, cleanse, exfoliate, etc. always excites me. I tend to test my skills on my friends and I always find it relaxing for me. I feel that if I were to have a billion dollars, the hesitation on getting my dream job would be less stressing. I think that we tend to struggle on having our dream job or doing what we love because of the situation on not making enough money to make a living. Nonetheless, becoming a beautician would be my best choice as a job.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right, we tend to choose jobs that can offer us the financial security we need as opposed to jobs we're passionate about. This was one of the reasons why I chose nursing, it's a sure thing. Regardless of your major, I think you should go for it, even as just a hobby or as an outlet after a hard day's work. Good luck!
DeleteMy number one goal for the next six months is to move out of my parent’s house. I’m a senior now and moving out would definitely be a big push to become a more independent person. The only issue with moving is trying to get my parents approval. It’s not that my parent forbid me to move out, it’s that they see no reason for me to move out when they are providing a roof over my head free of charge. I appreciate what they do for me but moving out allows me to have the opportunity to acquire a job or career within my major of Geology. I live in Delano which is about thirty miles from Bakersfield; the money I spend on gas in a month alone could pay for the rent of an apartment here in Bakersfield. In a way it seems like a "no brainer" to move out, but I also think about the cost of living and how I’m going to be relying on myself rather than my parents.
ReplyDeleteMoving out is also a goal within a goal because it’s a test of how I can handle myself independently. I fear for not being able to make ends meet in the days to come or having to move back with my parents because I just couldn’t handle it. I know if I put my mind to it, anything is possible.
I think moving out would be a great goal for you and it sounds like you are more than ready to conquer this goal. I can see where your parents are coming from, mine were like that too. Sometimes they don't see how much of a benefit it is to stand on your own two feet. It's like ok let me go, I need to grow up and live lol.
DeleteYour parents and my parents should go out to dinner together because that is exactly what my parents believe!!
DeleteI struggled to move out of my parents house because I was so attached to them. I still am so I always come over when I feel lonely. Moving out IS A BIG STEP, but enjoy the time with your parents because then you will miss them. Especially moms cooking:)
DeleteMoving out is a big step, and I think our parents think that they worked hard so that we could focus on our education. Once you move out you have to worry about so much and I think they are just afraid it would take from you school work. But do what makes you happy as well, I know privacy is a great thing to have.
DeleteIf I had a billion dollars, my job that I would pursue would be in photography. Lately my passion for taking pictures has increased. I love the symbolism and the connection the lens makes with the people and objects. I've always wanted my pictures printed out for people to buy. I would love to open a gallery up and display my personal photos. I always imagined them hanging in houses, offices, galleries, and venues. I would love to make an impact on people looking at them, hoping it would bring them a peaceful intereptation of the world through my eyes. If I could do it all day for the rest of my life, I would. Then by the money I collect by selling my pictures, I would be able to give back to charity or to research team for cancer or Alzheimer's.
ReplyDeletePhotography is so fun! I could definitely understand why you would chose that to be your profession!
DeleteThe way you explain photography makes it seem like a hobby, which is a good thing because eventually people get tired of their jobs. That's something you can definitely do the rest of your life.
DeleteDonating to cancer or Alzheimer's is a noble. Donating to any medical research is a great idea.
What is your number one goal for the next six months?
ReplyDeleteMy number one goal for the next six months is to graduate from this university and start the credentials program. This is my ultimate goal because ever since I was in kindergarten I told my parents that when I grew up I wanted to become an elementary school teacher. Now, my dream is so close to becoming a reality. To me it is such a blessing to be so close to what I have always aspired in life. I will be the first person in my family to ever graduate from a university. Therefore, my goal is to pass all of my classes in the next six months to obtain my Bachelor's degree.
No way!! I recently just submitted my application to the Credential Program. Hopefully we get in and goodluck to you. You'll be an excellent teacher.
DeleteHow exciting! I'm so happy that your childhood dream is going to be fulfilled. Good luck on the next 6 months...they are going to fly by!
DeleteYou can do it Jackie! You are so close and I know you will be an awesome teacher. When my daughter starts school, I will sign her up so you can be her teacher:)
Delete@Maritsa Torres I really hope so too ! Good luck to you too .
Delete@Marina Arias Thankyou , it is truly a blessing to be so close to my dream!
@Viviana Sanchez
DeleteAww thanks for the encouragement vivi , that would be awesome !
Imagine I am giving you one billion dollars (you are welcome). Now, the only condition is that you must still find a job to do. What job would you chose, knowing that money is of no concern.
ReplyDeleteIf I was given a billion dollars I would still find a job, regardless if it was a condition or not. I could not imagine being home all day bored. However, before I got the job I would travel as much as I could to gain more life experience. Once I was done with that, I would go to school to become a veterinarian. I want to help animals but it is too expensive to go to school for that profession, or the profession of a doctor. Therefore, I decided to go to school to be a teacher instead. Now, if I had a billion dollars to put towards my profession, I would have no qualms and nothing could stop me from helping injured and sick animals.
Hey now that you're a billionaire, you will be able to go to school for that profession!!
DeleteImagine I am giving you one billion dollars(you are welcome). Now, the only condition is that you must still find a job to do. What job would you chose, knowing that money is of no concern?
ReplyDeleteIf I was given a billion dollars I would first provide money for my families needs. I would still go to school for my psychology degree because I believe that it's always important to continue to have goals even when you're set and content in life. I Love my job now. Therefore, if I was a billionaire I would choose to be a paraprofessional in a Special Education classroom. Even as a special education teacher, I would work for free. It's so rewarding to be able to help these students become more than what they expect in themselves. I love my job so much now and sometimes I don't even feel like I'm at work. It literally feels like I walk into a family once I enter Room 47. :)
Yes, Krystie! I agree with you! I sub in a couple SPED classrooms and I love the students! I've even considered changing my credential program.
DeleteWhat is your number one goal for the next six months?
ReplyDeleteMy number one goal for the next six months is to watch all of the seasons of Breaking Bad and The Office (United States version) on Netflix, while balancing my classes for summer and fall quarter. When attending college, it is very difficult to watch our favorite shows because of homework, studying for exams, and maintaining a job. I am looking forward to this summer because I get to stay up until 3 in the morning watching television shows, and not worry about getting to class in the morning. Hopefully by the time fall quarter arrives, I will be done with Breaking Bad and The Office and move on to Games of Thrones or Sons of Anarchy. Well, once winter break arrives I will be able to watch at least of the shows (FINGERS CROSSED).
I agree, keeping up with television shows while balancing school and work is difficult.
DeleteI wish I had more time to watch TV. I am looking forward to this quarter being over so I can binge watch all my shows on Netflix. There are so many good shows to watch now! I can never pick just one to watch!
DeleteI think your in over head with trying to watch "The Office" in that list. You've got three other shows that at least have five plus seasons. The Office alone has so many cringe filled moment that I have to pause it to accept what just happened.
DeleteI have faith in you, you can do it.
Lol, you sounded so much like me. During winter break, I binge-watched all 10 seasons of Grey's Anatomy and all 9 seasons of Scrubs that I barely had a social life. This summer break, I'm contemplating whether I should binge-watch CSI (the Las Vegas one) but that might be too much for me. Good luck!
DeleteIf I were given all that money and still had to pick a job I woud most likely pick to work as a teacher still or at Disneyland. I love working with little ones and I feel like if I got either job I would be able to love my job truely. I wouldn't care about the money and I would be able to just have fun and make children's lives better.
ReplyDeleteMy number one goal for the next six months is to finish taking all my required courses to graduate. I am nearing the end of my college career, and I have to keep pushing hard. There was a point in my life where I questioned finishing my college education, but thankfully I had the support of loved ones to keep me going. Graduating has been my number one goal since day one, but once I finish the next two quarters, I will finally be able to get my Bachelor’s degree! What has been a long bumpy road to accomplish, my goal is slowly becoming a reality.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand where you are coming from! One thing I always had trouble with was putting on weight! Buying groceries can be expensive, but coupons and buying things in bulk can save you a lot of money in the long run!
ReplyDeleteImagine I am giving you one billion dollars(you are welcome). Now, the only condition is that you must still find a job to do. What job would you chose, knowing that money is of no concern?
ReplyDeleteI would still become a teacher:) I love being in the classroom and working with kids! I volunteered a lot before I decided to go back to school to teach. I imagine with one billion dollars, some lives could be changed, not just mine. Yep, I think I would just end up giving it away, whether it be to the needs of my classroom, my school, or my community, I don't know what else I would do with it.
I think its awesome that you would donate some of the money. I know some people who would keep it all and forget everyone else. It's good to know that there are still some caring people still.
DeleteMy number one goal in the next few months is to spend time with my daughter. She will turn 2 months tomorrow and I can't believe how fast she is growing! I've been working hard because I am a few weeks away from graduating and I feel like I don't spend as much time with her since I'm concentrated on all my work. However, I can't wait to make my daughter and family proud! This is a huge accomplishment because I will be the first one in my family to earn a college degree. Not only am I setting the example for all the little ones, but this is a big step in life that I am taking and all of this is for them. I am already on the lookout for a job but even with that, my daughter will be my number one priority. This is going to be the best summer vacation ever because it will be the first summer I spend it with my new little family!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your new little family and on graduating! You will do amazing things, and although its hard not spending enough time with your little princess it will all be worth it in the end.
DeleteI can't believe your baby is already 2 months they do grow up too fast . However , I'm happy that you will be able to spend all summer with her. I am so proud of you Vivi !
DeleteOne billion dollars, is quite a bit of money to do a lot with. With that one billion dollars, I imagine fulfilling my life time goal. Which is to open up a school for troubled children of all ages till they are 18. By troubled, I mean homeless, ran away for some reason, abused, etc. In the school I want to hold activities to help them get through their problems. With the one billion dollars plus the extra money I make with my job as a clinical lab scientist I should be able hold enough activities whether it be a recording studio for kids to express their feelings through music. Or an art studio, etc...
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome what you would do with the money. I think it's a great idea. Children who go through stuff like you mentioned need someone to lead them in the right direction and show them that there is hope in life. They need motivation and encouragement and a school like the one you would have would definitely help those children!
DeleteI think what JFK meant by his quote is that it is one thing to tell someone you appreciate them by simply telling them “thank you” , and another thing to actually do something for them in return. When I tell someone I appreciate what they did for me, I don’t stop there I do what I can for them until they understand that what they did for me was more than a favor, and that I truly appreciate them taking their time to help me. I am not implying that a simple thank you will not be enough, but sometimes when someone says “thank you” we never know if they mean it or if they would return the favor if need be. We should always appreciate everyone we come across with our actions and our words because they both work hand in hand. I personally enjoy bringing bagels to the ladies I work with to let them know that I appreciate their hard work, and also helping me whenever I have a question. When I great my friends I always great them with a smile and a big hug a simple way of me always showing my appreciations towards them.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. It often surprises me how others don't make a point to do this. When my professor and my supervisor wrote recommendation letters for me, I got them both cakes from my favorite pastry shop along with a small gift and they were so shocked. They were so touched that they started crying because they said nobody had ever thanked them that much. It's a small, inexpensive gesture but to others it can mean so much.
DeleteI really thought I was reading a about myself, I can lose a good amount of weight and just lose all motivation to continue. Stay motivated MIND OVER MATTER, which really means Mind over Food am I right? I just love food so much I need to work out more!
ReplyDeleteIf I were given a billion dollars I would want to travel all around the United States and go to all of the baseball and college football stadiums. I would also want to be able to support my mom so that she could retire. I would still want to become an elementary school teacher. I also would want to move out of California. My mom, her husband, my boyfriend and I have been talking about moving to Tennessee once I graduate so I definitely would do that if given a little extra money!
ReplyDeleteIf I were given a billion dollars traveling and family would be at the top of my list too. I'm curious to know why you would move to Tennessee?
DeleteI feel the same way! I start doing really good for a while and lose weight, but then I go back to eating bad and not wanting to workout. It definitely can be a struggle, but once you start seeing results its such a great feeling! I've been doing Insanity for two weeks now and I am already seeing such great results. I love it! Keep at it!
ReplyDeleteMy number one goal for the next six months is to lose weight. I want to join the National Guard but I do not meet their requirements. I’ve been dieting and working out for about a month now consistently and have lost some weight and inches from my waist. I think that if I continue at this pace I will be able to reach my goal in six months. My goal is to lose 50 pounds and be able to run 2 miles in 16 minutes. So far I am able to run two miles in 20 minutes. I want to do this so by the time I graduate from CSUB I can enter the National Guard as a college graduate. I’ve established a group of friends who know my goal and are helping me along the way. My best friend has become inspired by what I’m doing that she has also started her own diet and exercise. I find it easier for me to work out in a group than by myself. It’s been challenging, working downtown in an office does not help either. I’m constantly sitting down at my desk and I’m not very active during working hours. Each day I try to at least get 10,000 steps in that I keep track of with an app on my smartphone. I feel like with the help of my friends and family I will be able to achieve my goal within the next six months.
ReplyDeleteLoosing weight is never easy , however I'm glad that you are committed and have already seen results. Keep pushing forward and don't give up ! When you least expect it you will have reached your goals. Gooodluck to you .
DeleteI find it easier to workout with someone else as well. I feel as if you can push each other when you need it. I know it's not easy to lose weight but you put your mind to it and keep your eye on your goal you will reach it! Don't give up and reach for that goal!
DeleteI'm totally in the same boat! My weight has always been a problem for me since it always fluctuates and I can never be able to maintain it. My main problem is staying motivated and junk food (I am literally snacking on hot cheetos as I'm typing this). In any case, it's great that you're making healthier choices, we can all learn from that. Stay motivated and make small weight goals each month/week (1-2 lbs per week or 4-8 lbs per month). You'll get there!
ReplyDeleteWhen I am 90 years old the only thing that would matter most to me is my family. To me family is most important to have in life because everything else comes and goes but family will always be there for you. Family will be there to support you when you need them and always be willing to lend a hand to you when you are in need. Without my family's support I would not be where I am today. They have always been there every step of the way pushing me and believing in me. So when I'm 90 years old I wish to be close to my family and make sure that my future children know how important family is. At that age all that I will want is being close to my family and knowing that I still have them near me.
ReplyDelete