AE#6- Blog about our blog

   

   As our blogging assignment comes to an end, it is the perfect time to reflect upon the whole experience. :(   :)   ;)  

    I remember in class when the instructor first informed us that it would be an assignment to have our own blog. Of all the thoughts and emotions that went through my mind, terror was perhaps the most memorable. Sheer terror. You see, I had not only recently returned to school after more than two decades away, but was also

a little below average in my computer abilities. I was concerned that this one-two combo was enough to knock out my hopes of earning a good grade in the class. My terror  turned to despair as I immediately experienced difficulty just trying to set up my page. "I can't even get started, let alone actually think of something to say" went through my mind. But I hung in there and managed to learn the 

basics. Progress was slow, to say the least. Slothlike would be a compliment. My computer abilities are still rudimentary but the only way to improve is to practice.

      

     

  

Even with all the difficulty I went through, I am still very happy we had the opportunity to do a blog. It was an excellent idea for an assignment because it is very modern. It has good real world applications. Blogging is huge nowadays. What company doesn't have a blog? Zero. Or at least as close to zero as

as you can get without actually being zero. Anybody who is anybody seems to have their own blog. It's the future and the current way things are. And for me personally it was just a reinforcement of how important it is not to give up when things become difficult.

    

  

  

SG Entry#5- Going Beyond Your Comfort Level



Me earning first place at a tournament in 2010

    
I think it's important to push yourself. Life can go by pretty quickly, and not making the most of it can be a painful regret. Fortunately we live in a country where we have many opportunities to better ourselves. But how to go about bettering yourself? This blog is for a college class, and one way to better yourself is to go to college. There are various ways to improve yourself either mentally or physically. But what about something that improves both? 
    I started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in 2008. It's a martial art that involves grappling and applying various chokes or joint locks on your opponent. If properly done, your opponent will have to give up by either tapping out with their hand or yelling "Tap!"  
     In 2009 I decided to test myself in a BJJ tournament. Some of the guys I train with were going to compete in the American National Championships. I had no idea if I would do well. These tournaments are designed to test you physically and mentally. They are organized into Belt level, weight class, and age groups. So you will be facing someone very close to your level. It requires that you not only be in good shape physically, but have the proper skill. But equally important is to be mentally strong. Imagine facing a trained opponent who has the ability to render you unconscious or dislocate your joints. You must be calm and focused. Right below I have posted links to two of my matches from that tournament  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n-6eSG-Znw     <---


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np4tUCK69Ao    <---

        

Second place at the National Championships

                                                                           

It was stressfull, nerve racking, scary, exhausting.

I did ok, and ended up making it to the finals in my division, where I lost to the defending World champion.

     I was glad I did it. Going through something like that is a great opportunity to better yourself. After something like this, many other things seem easier to deal with. A customer yelling at you just doesn't have the same impact anymore. A flat tire doesn't seem to cause as much stress as it used to. And if I'm ever unfortunate enough to be in a life threatening situation, I feel confident I will be able 

Second place at a tournament in 2012



to handle it well.

    I went on to compete in many tournaments. Sometimes I performed to the best of my ability, sometimes I did not. What is important is to make the most of every opportunity and learn from it, whether it be a tournament or a promotion at work, or whatever endeavor you are involved in.

   So it's important to push yourself beyond your comfort level, the rewards and lessons are definitely worth it. You don't know what you can accomplish until you try.



Third place in two divisions at the largest BJJ tournament in the world in 2012



    



Assigned Entry #5- The Power of Media



Advertisement for car

      Media has power, but that power is balanced by the power of consumers. Media, whether it be advertising or even a newscast, is competing for your time, business, money, etc. They are trying to increase their business. That is their job and responsibility. They will make their product look as good as they possibly can, sometimes even past the point of credibility. 

Advertisement for food

  
     It is our responsibility as consumers to be informed and not swayed by unrealistic claims or images. This can be difficult because companies hire the best people to make their products look good. 

If a company crosses the line of truth, informed consumers will punish that company by taking their business elsewhere.     

            



Reporter for newscast

      Despite the simple logic that I have just explained, it can be difficult to not be swayed or influenced by images. We as humans, tend to be very visually impacted. Images are often times  carefully and painstakingly created to produce a reaction with consumers. For example it is not a coincidence that most people who work in front of a camera for a living are considered to be attractive. Even in a newscast where physical appearance has nothing to do with creditibility, the reporters are usually better than average looking.  
       



Advertisement improperly done, leaving a phantom hand on the model



    Since we have been talking about media recently in class, I have found myself taking a moment to analyze media when I see it. I notice the effort put into keeping my attention. The people, the editing, even the lighting. It all adds up to a powerful combination. But that powerful combination will be overcome by proper analysis and a healthy dose of skeptic. In the free market society we live in, it is worth it to be an informed consumer. We have a limited amount of money. Do your research before buying a product or service, and don't allow someone to take more of your time than absolutely necessary.




 

self generated entry #4/ Success is not easy



Steve Perry



       What does it take to be successful?

Some of the words and phrases that get thrown around might include; hard work, perseverance, focus, a plan, determination, talent.  

Talent? Talent could defined as: A special natural ability or aptitude.Is talent enough? What about a whole bunch of talent? Some people think that just being very talented is enough to succeed. 

Well sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Let's take the case of Steve Perry and the rock band Journey.

The band sold more than 70 million albums and created some of the most beloved songs in rock history. Steve's singing ability was so impressive that he was nicknamed "The Voice" by Jon Bon Jovi. 

With all that you might think, "How could they NOT be a huge success?" Certainly they had a lot going for them but their success very easily could have never happened. I have posted a link to a video that talks about before joining Journey, Steve Perry was ready to give up music. Also, the band members initially did not even want Steve to join the band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1hvoL4bpog



Journey



Seriously?!? The Journey we know and love almost did not happen?! How many people think that the formation of a band like this would have been a no-brainer? We have the benefit of hindsight. But to those people at the time, they weren't sure what the best choices were.

       I think this is a tremendously valuable lesson for anyone. You can have a lot of things going for you but if you don't put it all together you might still fail. Also, seek opinions from experts. The decision ultimately is yours, but getting input from smart people is good advice in and of itself. And lastly, Don't Stop Believing. 


Video for Don't Stop Believing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5wVZwdHmRY

AE #4 Michael Moore

 

                                                                                                I was somewhat familiar with Michael Moore before I saw his movie

Capitalism:A Love Story,but after watching it, I had the thought in my head "Wow, he is an idiot". Wanting to be as fair as possible, I then looked up the definition of "idiot".

                          

 

   

                                                                   Idiot | Define Idiot at Dictionary.com

                                                                  noun 1. Informal. an utterly foolish or senseless person.

SG#3- Pursuing excellence

          I want to talk about two people who have influenced my life in a positive way. The man in front wearing teal is Ben Henderson, a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, in back is John Crouch, coach and instructor. I'm forming a triangle with my hands to pay tribute to the MMA LAB, a martial arts training center. Anyone who has seen Ben fight has seen him throw up the triangle. John is a blackbelt in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) a ground based martial art. BJJ involves grappling, chokes, joint locks, and various other submission holds. John earned his blackbelt from the the legendary Royce Gracie, the man most credited with starting the current MMA craze. Earning a blackbelt from Royce is a feat rarely accomplished. He promotes so very few to blackbelt. So that means John is legit. LEGIT. Ben fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the most prestigious MMA organization in the world. He is the current lightweight champion, that means in his weight class he is the best in the world. Here is a link to a highlight reel of Ben.
     
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46xg60MxISg

      John and Ben have been successful enough that last year they were able to become the new owners of the MMA LAB. I am fortunate enough to train BJJ there. I say fortunate because the people that train there are the best group of people I have ever associated with in my life. All kinds of people train there. Law enforcement, medical field, soldiers, firefighters, executives, business owners, students, professional fighters. Hard working and successful people. But when you walk through the doors of "the Lab" something special happens. It's like a family there, but maybe better, because we all choose to be there together. Helping each other improve. Pushing yourself to the limit. Some might call it a team, and in it's most basic definition that's how some people will define it. But that's kind of like referring to a Lamborghini as "a car".
      


Ben and John with some of his highest ranked students



         This incredible environment at the Lab starts at the top. That's John and Ben. Leading by example. Being kind. Having the knowledge to succeed. Having the work ethic. Putting it all together, day in, day out. Pursuing excellence.
         I consider myself a hard worker. But seeing the example set by these men makes me realize how much more a person can do. Why it's important to make the most of every day.  



Just another Monday at the Lab



       For many years one of my motto's has been "Be the best person you can be every day". But sometimes life is hard. Really hard. You face setbacks. Maybe you can get there on your own. But you will get there faster if you have people in your life who care about you. And you will enjoy the journey much more.

        Ben's next fight is April 20th in San Jose, California, he will be defending his UFC title. John will be there coaching. A few other members of the Lab will be there to help. The Lab has several fighters in the UFC, but this particular trip is for Ben. I will have to settle for watching on tv. I will be cheering loudly. 

                                                   



AE #3- ASU adds more short courses

       


             

          For the Spring 2013 semester that began this past January, Arizona State University began offering more choices in the way of 7 1/2 week courses. These courses are condensed from the more traditional 15 week semester. The same number of hours in class is required but it is squeezed into half the time. Just below I pasted a link to The Arizona Republic reporting the story. For this blog we will focus on our reaction to the article as well as others comments on the article.   
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2011/02/22/20110222arizona-state-university-shorter-classes.html

         Since I haven't taken any of these classes myself, I will rely on my experience as a student taking the 15 week courses, as well as life experience to help me form an opinion. I had a wide range of thoughts about these condensed classes and I was happy to see people expressing similar thoughts.

                   According to the story by the Arizona Republic, reaction in the form of hundreds of emails to one ASU official was split into about one-third in support, one-third against, and one-third had additional questions. It's not surprising that there would be such varied responses. These classes represent choices, and since one size doesn't fit all, there will be people who don't agree.

 Some people commented that they felt these short classes are simply too much crammed into too little time. And therefore the question becomes: Are the students really learning the material well enough? This may cause some to view an ASU degree as less legitimate. Even supporters of the condensed classes cautioned that this format might not work well for certain subjects. I myself have serious concerns about the quality of these courses. Even though I may never be enrolled at ASU, as a taxpayer I have a right to be concerned. Some students will be able to handle these courses, but others might not.
         One person commenting on the story brought up the point that these classes are the same format that is already being offered at summer semester. They are correct about that, and they also mentioned the problem of cramming so much into a shorter time period. The reason that the time schedule is so difficult is, as one reader commented, in addition to the hours required in class, there is a certain amount of study time outside of class needed to properly cover the material in a course. There may simply not be enough hours in a day. In my opinion, this is the biggest reason to approach these classes with great caution.
       

 ASU says they're offering more of the 7 1/2 week courses to provide more choices for students. I agree, and that is why they should offer them, but only with stipulations. ASU should be required to create a template for what the daily schedule would look like while taking these classes. The prospective student should be required to fill out the template with their potential class time and study time. Then they would have a clearer understanding of what they are signing up for. It might seem like a hassle to do this, but since the schedule might simply not fit in a day, it is a necessary step. The university exists to provide an education and it should be their absolute responsibility to give the student the proper information. Once the student is properly informed, they have the best chance for success.  What do you think of my suggestion for the template? Leave your comments below.         

           

  

 

Self generated #2- "Overcoming obstacles"

            The Dark Knight Rises premiered in theaters in the summer of 2012. Some may consider this just a comic book movie and they are welcome to their own opinion, but I think this movie is special. For the benefit of anyone who's been living in a cave, the main character is Batman, a comic book character created many years ago. Many years ago I read comic books and Batman was definitely NOT my favorite but The Dark Knight Rises might be my new favorite movie of all time. I say might because it's been less than a year since it came out and I'm going to give it a little more time. I lost track of how many times I went to see it. At least five times. Let me tell you why I love this movie.                           

           This movie touched me very deeply and personally. I think what I had going on in my life greatly intensified the connection. Let me give you some background. I had recently quit the company where I had worked for 16 years due to not seeing eye to eye with the new manager. I had plans to start a completely new career but hadn't taken any steps yet. I had shortsold my house because I couldn't afford it anymore.It was feeling like a fresh start but more like a huge setback also. I was going to spend a few months coming to grips with the huge changes in my life and doing what I loved more than anything: Training Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ for short) and competing in several tournaments. I went about that, doing four tournaments in 2012, with some pretty good results. I was top 5 in my division in the country. I felt ready to claim the top spot, then at practice one day in May it all came apart. More specifically, my left pec muscle came apart from where it was meant to be. A rather large tear, and what's worse is muscle tears cannot be fixed with surgery the way a torn tendon or ligament can. I was devastated. No job. No set plans. No BJJ. I felt completely removed from life, and not in a good way.

                                                                       Batman
Then I saw The Dark Knight Rises. I will try not to reveal anything crucial in case anyone reading this hasn't seen the movie yet (If you haven't you need to!). Batman is in a terrible time in his life. His body is breaking down and he's facing a powerful new foe. Bane is physically powerful and cunning. He is Batman's equal, if not superior, in every way.     
                                                                            

                                                                         Bane

       At one point in the movie Batman realizes his methods will not defeat Bane. But if he doesn't find a way, many people, including those dear to him will die. Batman is willing to sacrifice his life, but that will still not enable him to save the people. He needs something else. There's an old expression "digging deep within yourself" that applies to what happens. Batman finds within himself the ability to rise from defeat and challenge his enemy. But he also enlists his allies and formulates a plan.

       I think this movie did a magnificent job of showing some life lessons. I won't list them because everyone is going to take something different from their experience. But to me it's about not giving up, and if something matters, finding a way to make it happen. I was truly inspired. 

       An update on me, I'm in my second semester back in college. No matter how much I study it's still a struggle to learn the material,but I find a way. I'm also getting back in shape. There's been some setbacks but I'm making progress, I'm not giving up.                  

        The Dark Knight Rises is out on dvd. I'm going to buy it, I hope you do too. If you saw it already, what did you think about it? Have you ever had a movie that you felt this way about? Tell me about it in the comments below.  

                                                                                 

Assigned entry #2/Resorting to name-calling

    Gun control is a fiercely debated topic. But if during any debate you resort to name-calling you're probably not helping your side. Such was the case when talk show host Piers Morgan said to a guest on his show "You're an unbelievably stupid man."

Piers Morgan

     Piers Morgan is a British journalist,author,television host,and talk show host. In January of 2011 he debuted as the host of Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN. The show bills itself as an interview show that is "unpredictable,lively,challenging,fun,entertaining".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1Z5dqK0aPk&feature=player_embedded
     On the episode of his show aired on December 18th 2012, Morgans' guest was Larry Pratt,who is the Executive Director for Gun Owners of America(a gun rights lobby organization). In the above clip,Morgan is asking Pratt questions but quickly becomes agitated and cannot wait for Pratt to finish responding. At 5:16 of the clip is when Morgan loses his remaining semblance of professionalism and calls his guest stupid. Morgan is still emotional later in the evening and tweets that he is "still seething".

Piers Morgan ✔ @piersmorgan

Still seething after tonight's show. Just can't understand the mentality of those who insist the only answer to #Newtown is MORE guns.

4:24 AM - 19 Dec 12

     It has been said that "He who frames the questions, wins the debate".In my view, Morgan loses on two fronts. One, because he is the host and has the chance to frame the questions but doesn't have the patience to wait for answers. And two, because he resorts to name-calling.
      I believe Morgans' frustration stemmed from his inability to examine the issue at anything other than at surface level. During the exchanges he harps on one statistic(murder rates by guns). Pratt acknowledges the numbers and attempts to put things in a larger perspective, which is what adults discussing a complex issue should do. Morgan quickly realizes he is not prepared for this debate and does not even attempt to discuss the points Pratt brings up. Morgan figuratively brought a knife to a gun fight.
      Regardless of where you fall in the debate on gun control I think this has shown a good lesson. If you have a strong opinion on something ,be prepared to discuss it rationally.   

Assigned entry #1-Learning about blogs

     When it comes to blogs, there's such a wide variety that there really is something for everyone out there. So to give a simple "thumbs down" to the idea of blogs would be disingenuous in my opinion. Some of the blog categories would be: personal,professional,and corporate.They can be so varied and complex that it is difficult to describe the person looking at it as simply a "reader" because some blogs have audio. I will describe that person as a "visitor".
     Our assignment was to look through an assortment of blogs and discuss three of them. As I perused through various blogs I felt most of them had at least something interesting,and overall some were well done, some not so well done.Since the number of blogs is virtually endless I wanted to focus on what I consider to be the most important factor. It should be a worthwhile experience.Every effort should be made so that the visitor feels they got something out of it. Therefore I decided to compare "apples to apples" and look at three blogs of the same category.
     In the "corporate" category the main purpose of blogs is to increase business. So they should be targeting customers and potential customers.Whole Foods descibes themselves as a "natural and organic grocer".There aren't any Whole Foods near me and therefore I'm not a customer, but I did like the blog. There was coupons, recipes,and even an article about a film festival that was started by Whole Foods. I found the page design to have a relaxed look and easy to navigate.  http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/whole-story/
     A page that I didn't enjoy was Ebay. I think basically everyone knows what Ebay does but I tried to find a mission statement or description by attempting to navigate through the website but to no avail. They are a company that helps people buy and sell all kinds of items.I'm not a customer but I love the concept because it helps people be "green" and frugal. Sometimes those concepts are at odds. I hope that Ebay and companies similar to them do well,but when the link appeared on my screen it caused my head to jerk back a little. It was far too cluttered and difficult to make sense of. I stayed on the page trying to adjust to it. Upon closer inspection I noticed all the entries were from 2008. Obviously there has been no effort to maintain make this blog. http://ebaychatter.typepad.com/
     A page that was a complete letdown was the collaboration between Bank of America and MIT. Every link that I clicked on sent me to the homepage website for Bank of America. At first I thought the wrong link had been pasted but the page clearly says Blog in very large letters at the top. Now due to the purpose of a corporate blog there will be some blurring of the lines with a customer service page but there were no articles or anything that could be considered a blog. http://message.bankofamerica.com/futurebanking/
     So there you have examples of how three different companies presumeably with the same goal  (to service customers and potential customers) handle their respective blogs. Is is a shame that more companies do not utilize their blogs more effectively. As I have explained,they lose out on the opportunity to increase their business and simply end up wasting their time and ours.

Introduction/practice entry

       At age 42,I decided I needed to start my life over. So, 21 years after dropping out of college and working in the "real" world, I went back to school. Quit my job,shortsold my house, and started renting a room from a friend. This is my second semester back, last semester was difficult getting my brain working at the capacity I need to learn. .
       Right now I am thinking about earning a nursing degree but am not completely decided.  I have some time to decide while getting through prerequisites. There's a lot to choose from in the medical field right now.
       Being a "starving student" has really cut into my hobbies and social activities, but I know it will be worth it in the long run. So I don't have much time or money, I still do what is most important and rewarding to me. That would be staying in shape by training in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu(a ground based martial art) and I also help teach the kids classes where I train. For me,staying in good shape is mandatory. And as far as helping teach the kids, I'm old enough to know that life goes by really quick, you have to make an effort to do something good and important while you have a chance.  

I'm in the back, yes I'm not much taller than some of them even though they are 12 and under... hey stop laughing :)         

And so it begins...

        This is my first post on my first blog.When my English 102 instructor told the class we would be doing a blog,I had mixed emotions. Curiousity, fear,excitement,and a host of others. I closest experience I have  to this would be sending emails to friends or making public posts on Facebook. I think in the information age this is a relevant assignment.I think it's going to be a very difficult one , but at the same time it should be very interesting. So I shall deal with this assignment in a manner similar to how I deal with most things in life, it will depend on my mood at the time. I may cautiously wade in, or I may jump in cannonball style. Whatever the outcome, I think the most important thing is to gain something from the experience. So here we go!