30 Day Challenge Series (11 of 30)

10. Your top 3 favorite bands/ artists

Lil Wayne. Eagles. John Mayer. Not much else to say. I have listed the self-proclaimed best rapper alive who can drop albums and top 10 singles from a prison cell. A 70’s rock band with a twist of country/folk who said they wouldn’t reunite until Hell Freezes Over which happened in 94. A guitarist who seems to play with his own chords and tends to drop albums that parallel with his current life. His music has matured from the No Such Thing days to the present day Assassin. I’ve had the privilege to see each of these artists at least twice in concert. 

Since the theme is 3, I’ll also include my top 3 songs for each:

Lil Wayne – I’m me, Got Money, Best Rapper Alive

Eagles – Hotel California, Take It Easy, Desperado

John Mayer – No Such Thing, Slow Dancing In A Burning Room, In Repair

Honorable mentions: Chicago, Michael Buble, Beach Boys, Colbie Caillat, Linkin Park, and Justin Timberlake

30 Day Challenge Series (10 of 30)

10. Talk about your pets or the pets you would like to have.

My two dogs are all I seem to have at times. Charlie and Kobe the canine dynamic duo of the Nguyen household. They share the same breed but they are completely two different Yorkies. Charlie is older with a spoiled/ high maintenance mentality. On the outside, he's tall and skinny with great posture. Something I'm sure he inherits from his champion bloodline. He seems to have anxiety issues. He has a 6th sense when it comes to knowing when someone is about to leave the house. A simple handshake can trigger the 'please don't go' type of bark. Kobe is something else, he doesn't know if he's coming or going. Lazy ears that never stand straight up. Fat and short and without a care in the world. He's mischievous and plays the trouble maker role. They compliment each other, there's never a dull moment as they hangout all day and night. I've been on the road a lot these past few months and I'm glad that they have each other. 

30 Day Challenge Series (9 of 30)

9. Favorite meme at the moment.

I'm not sure what a meme is but I heard that it could be a fad or a trend. In general, I think Twitter is probably my favorite just because not everyone is on it but it's starting to catch on. I get to use it differently than how I use my Facebook statuses. No lyrics or anything. Just me bitching about random things throughout the day. I haven't been on either lately. My mind has been either really blank or just too cluttered because when I open Echofon to say something, nothing comes out. 

30 Day Challenge Series (8 of 30)

8. Are you a fitness guru or a coach potato? Talk about your exercise habits. 

I’m a lazy ass but I stay busy. I guess I’m an in between but when it really comes to fitness, I tip the scale more towards being a couch potato which leads to tipping it to being overweight. The only workouts I do is jogging the lake with a 15 lb resistance vest, play basketball twice a week, and pushups every day. If I’m unable to do any of those on a particular day, I just don’t eat. Haha. I could have another entry on my poor eating habits or lack thereof.

30 Day Challenge Series (7 of 30)

7. How you came across Blogspot and how your life has changed since joining?

I first came across Blogspot because I wanted to see Trang’s new creations on Behind The Seams. It was just a weekly thing that’d I’d do while I browse the internet. I never really had the notion to have my own until I started to follow Tuvy’s then called “Life’s My Muse” and thought I could start sorting everything out that was on the dome by blogging. It was 2010. New beginnings from forced endings. Moving forward when I wasn’t ready. As each entry came, I got stronger, even a bit smarter. I found that I can express who I was and who I know myself to be without having to say much. I remember for Thanksgiving, I randomly tweeted that I was thankful for my blog because it was my everyday escape, my thought process defined and refined.

Inner-FOB

I can never get enough of this song.

30 Day Challenge Series (6 of 30)

6. Your favorite season and why?

Winter is a little too cold for my linking both inside and out. Spring is ok because my birthday is in it but I was never fond of my birthday. Good things happen in the summer which sets up an awesome Fall season. So, Fall is definitely my favorite season. It’s when seven Saturdays are chosen to supersede any other event. That's right, Louisiana Saturday nights on LSU campus. As the last second ticks away in Death Valley, it's time to change from purple and gold to black and gold and join along with the rest of the Who Dat Nation for a football environment where every Sunday feels like a Super Sunday. Lakers and Pandas come back into full swing just before the winter and time to start attending Hornets games. If you haven't caught on to my drift yet, this is probably my favorite time of the year. Time spent with family and friends is always time well spent. It's my reward for surviving a summer with no sports (with the exception of Vayla) and long office hours. My summer has been quite an adventure with lessons learned and a changing of ways. No clouds are in my vision and I’m usually undoubtedly happy.

30 Day Challenge Series (5 of 30)

5. Tell us your three favorite colors and why?

Purple because of Lakers and LSU. I find that it's the color I see the most of when I go through my closet other than Black which is another favorite of mine. Black is slimming which is probably why I tend to favor it. It portrays a very clean look. Blue was my high school's color and defines my early transition to becoming an adult. It gives me a sense of pride of all the things that help mold my personality and beliefs.

Self-Improvement [repost]

This blog is really here for the time being to help keep me focused on righting my wrongs. Also, I'm always in search to find lyrics to make parallels to the things that are going on with me whether they be big or small. I titled this blog 'The Top Gets Higher' because to me it means that there's not a day where we should stop trying to improve ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually. With the top getting higher as we climb our list of goals in life, there should never be a point where there isn't room for improvement. I hear from 9 out of 10 people I know that I'm a great guy, but it's what that 1 last person has to say and makes me realize that I can be better than great, especially if that one person is the one who matters most. To start my way back to the top, I'm going to start with strength. It's a pretty broad and heavy load but it has to be done eventually. To be strong for me can be hard at times, but to be strong for a friend, a girlfriend, a family member and whoever else makes it a little tougher. I have to fight my urges and put my wall back up. Whether we go with the cliche 'out of sight. out of mind.' or accept things for the way they are and not dwell on the past... something must be done. I'm tired of reliving the past.

30 Day Challenge Series (4 of 30)

4. Write about your closest friend(s)

These people all have a friendship with me that are beyond words. Their understanding of my extreme habits and our mutual appreciation for each other makes everything worth it. Each of them know what they mean to me and in honor of our friendships I will keep it between us where it's safe. 

Myron and Brian, there is no better dynamic duo than you two unless it were TuVy and Thuy. The four of you are great together as my partners in crime for the club and for our concert adventures. Spending Jay-Z, John Mayer, and my birthday in two cities was the best thing that I could hope for to help start turn things around. 13 years of friendship between the Ho Bros and I certainly speaks for itself.

Thinh and Sumit know me for who I am that others can relate to. Mr. Nice Guy Thinh can relate with me alot. Sumit lives the baller lifestyle.

Lynn, Julieann, and Pamela are pretty much the same but cover different regions. Our friendships all started off the same which was randomly and things clicked within an instant.

Phi and BaoNgoc are two that I can always depend on no matter what it is. They were what brought me to Nola in the first place and look how everything is now.

Julie has been my cornerstone for almost half a year. Whether she's a boo friend or just a friend, her support for all of my goals and intentions have allowed me to become a do-er rather than just a dreamer. I've blogged about her enough to define who she is to me.

30 Day Challenge Series (3 of 30)

3. Write about your favorite TV programs

Oh shiiiiiit. I don't even know where to begin or  how to start breaking this down. I live for retro and I keep past shows present. If you don't know by now, my ideal time of relaxation is laying in bed and watching old tv shows that I grew up watching. It takes me back to a time where the drama and hurt never existed. I'm very simple minded and stuck in the past. It's my inner child that will absolutely never go away. Let's try to keep it short...

Thank you Peter Engel for providing me with Saved By the Bell and California Dreams. Pretending to be a student of Bayside High is something we all did growing up. California Dreams didn't get the publicity as SBTB but its release to DVD in the past few years has brought back some memories along with a few catchy tunes.

Warner Bros is one hell of a company. Full House, Fresh Prince, Friends. All three speak for themselves. I can still beat anyone head to head on Friends trivia. Scene it? Not so much.

Will&Grace is one of the recent series that I love to watch. The humor, allusions to current news, and cameos made it enjoyable. Patrick Dempsey's role in season 3 was what made him my favorite actor and had me follow Grey's Anatomy since day 1. Grey's is probably the only show currently running that I watch that isn't on Food Network or ESPN.

Quick shout out to Bill Cosby for the Cosby Show and A Different World, Home Improvement, Roseanne, and The King of Queens.

Boy Meets World probably rounds off my list of sitcoms. TGIF on tv in 5th grade was something I always looked forward to when getting home. Corey and Topanga was like the next Zack and Kelly... always wondering if they'll ever get back together. The show started to take a different path in the later seasons which gave it more of a serious twist but thankfully Eric and Mr. Feeny made a good duo to bring some comic relief.

Cartoons... Way to many to explain so I'll just list the ones that I can never part with. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Woody Woodpecker. Alvin and the Chipmunks. Chip and Dale. Chip N Dale's Rescue Rangers. Flinstones and Jetsons. Gummi Bears. Real Ghostbusters. Doug... to name a few.

Completely forgot about this song

Cyndi Thomson - What I Really Meant To Say

30 Day Challenge Series (2 of 30)

Day 2: Talk about your piercings or tattoos if you have any

I don't have any piercings and I don't ever intend to get any but I wouldn't mind getting a tattoo. For religious/spiritual purposes, I'd like to get 'Nam mo quan the am bo tat' tattooed on my ribs with an image possibly. It's something I know I want but too chicken to get. The pain will be no joke with the shading etc but it'll be worth it. I honestly would have to shed a few pounds before I get it and that's more of the issue with being hesitant to get it. The message roughly translates to asking the Gentle Mother, Guan Yin, for healing. I like my clean image but this is something I know that I would love have inked on me for the rest of my life.

30 Day Challenge Series (1 of 30)

In a chain letter type reaction, I'm following what TuVy is doing by posting a list with a different, personal topic to discuss every day. For the past few months my blog had hit a dry spell due to lack of confidence and interest to be able post a few times a week like I used to. Hopefully completing this list in the a month will have you know me more than the average person. Check back daily and try doing the same for your blog.

1. My middle name and how I feel about it

Daniel H. Nguyen is what I go by and the H is for Huu. It's my dad's middle name and he wanted me to have it as well. It's not my Vietnamese name like most people seem to think when a person has an American first name with a Vietnamese middle name. I actually don't have a Vietnamese name  for those of you who didn't know. During school, people would always phonetically pronounce my name as Daniel Who Win. So I'd often hear in class, "Daniel who? Daniel Nguyen. Who? Win? Daniel Nguyen." And random shit like that. I wish I had a better middle name but I make the most out of it. I include the initial everywhere and even like to use the H for other significant meanings like my first series of blogs about what the H stood for. As much as I want this awesome name of mine to live on, I have a feeling my mini-me won't have the same name.

Time is up

142. To have another part of me die.

You have found peace.

Giving and Receiving [repost]

My favorite holidays are Valentine's Day, Christmas, and a great friend's birthday. My least favorite holiday, my own birthday. This mainly has to do with my personality and the willingness to give and be extravagant yet deeply thoughtful for others but unable to take the spotlight on my own special day. Hopefully this entry can give my readers an insight of why I do the things I do and have these beliefs.

Giving and receiving go hand in hand. It's a rule that most people follow and with the people I know, they love to receive more than they give. Who wouldn't right? If they do go hand in hand, which one is better? We always hear that it's better to give than receive. Giving does give good fortune and brings a heightened sense of satisfaction but we need to come to the realization that receiving is a very important part of giving. With no receiving, there is no giving. Not true? Take a look at other things that we can consider: Is it better to exhale than to inhale? Or be awake or be asleep? Or better to talk or listen? Which is more favorable or commendable? Think about that for a moment before reading on. So, how can one be "better" than the other? How can one exist without the other? How can we exhale if we don't inhale, and vice versa? My point exactly, or is it?

I don't get much nowadays when it comes to receiving gifts. People say one of a few things: I'm too hard to shop for. I have everything already. I buy what I want for myself before anyone has the chance. While most of that holds true, I had to wonder what it was about my personality that made it that difficult for others. I give and I give. I think outside the box. I love to give because as a child, I was given a lot by my wonderful family. I'm not talking about just material things, but also core values and beliefs that help make me a better person. I worked hard through school and playing by the rules to turn into the person I've become. I take these values and make them my own. If you're someone of importance to me, I put the responsibility on myself to turn your rainy days into sunny ones. Give birthdays and Christmas' that they've never seen before just to show that we all need a break in life once in awhile. This doesn't mean bags full of gifts. This just means that I'll think outside the box and try to do something that the average person hasn't thought of. If someone likes handmade gifts, I'll make a card or paint pottery and use art to express my appreciation. I know sometimes I go overboard, but it's part of my character. Once I have ideas, I feel like they're too good to pass up so I do them all. It's something I do regret because these special occasions are supposed to be a pleasure and going overboard tends to take the special away from it. It's not the dollar spent, it's just the thought that's involved.

Back to my point, I have a fear that people might not make the effort in tapping into the things I truly want. I rush to buy my own things not only because of my independence, but I fear that if I don't get it, no one will. Sad huh? I'm sure there's some things that are false about it but it is a fear nonetheless.

My next question is, if I don't receive, why do I continue to give? Earlier I stated that they both go hand in hand and that there would be no giving if there weren't receiving. I honestly like to see people happy. It really does give me a higher level of satisfaction and knowing that I can I can make someone's holiday a bit more special. As long as that feeling for me is fulfilled, I won't stop giving. Another reason I just realized is that maybe I give in bulk to have more than enough fulfillment that I won't have to think about my end of receiving. Just something else to ponder...

Who are we?

Who are we? And why won't we go away? Call us what you want: Cheaters. All black. Cop. Old... Pick your poison. Bottom line is that we are who we are, people we've always been. We don't fly high. We aren't nasty. And we obviously aren't all Asian. We break racial barriers. We put chemistry and sportsmanship before everything else. In our winning formula, we have no black starters. We have more Asians than your team. We are a fusion of races. We're the shortest but fastest team in our league. We are aso the most humble. We have star players on the court and in the classroom. We're students, married, and single just like the rest of you. We win because we know what it's like to lose. Like our mascot we are rare, black/ white with an Asian twist, and far from ferocious. We're Pandas.

Somewhere a clock is ticking

There are no words. No emotions. Just a stoic face standing still and looking 'pretty'. I've always been a numbers kind of guy. There are 365 days in a year. 69 days of misery. 122 to turn 24. 200 days to get back on track and I haven't looked back. 31 days remain. Ready to get it over. I've endured, longed, embraced and all things in between. Waiting to see what happens isn't enough. Doing something is doing one step too much. I've grabbed life by the horns. I messed with Texas (figuratively). Take every single Facebook status, tweet, and blogspot entry of mine and it will lead you to a silhouette of me. More like a shadow that follows me as I wander in my open field of opportunity. It's a part of me that won't go away. It's behind me like my past but it's close enough to remind me of who I once was or have become. I've had so many chances to turn my year around. Pretty soon I get to answer the question I've asked myself for 334 days... If I had to start the year off again, how would I do it differently? As the 8,760th hour comes to an end and a new one begins for 2011, it'll be just a matter of time.