Well, I dropped the math class. It was just too much work, and I need an in-class style class. Then, it turned out I didn't even need the class! They re-evaluated my transcript, and accepted 4 more classes. That means that pretty much anything that is 1000 level I don't have to do. There is one writing class I have to do, but that shouldn't be hard. The rest - it's all gravy!
I have to continue my technology course, since that was never in my plans before - so the "Survey of Software" will continue. It helps to learn MS Office, but I actually have to take a no-credit course for Quickbooks. And since they dropped so many classes off the ticket, I'm going to take a second accounting course. I need it, and I have room.
The original program was 61 credits. Dropping 18 (my transcript) puts the total credits at 43. Add 3 for the accounting, and I need to take, and pay for, 46 credits.
Dropping the class moves me from 3/4 time to 1/2 time, so there will be an adjustment in Financial Aid monies, too. That's a bummer, but necessary. I just hope I don't have to pay any back! That will all be sorted by next week, so let's just pray, OK?
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Agism vs Experience
I'm taking a management class at the local junior college. There is a group of young men - probably all in their 20's who snicker when I open my mouth to discuss, ask questions or contribute to the class.
I've owned (still own some) businesses, worked in many fields, lived in many parts of the country - I'm double most of their ages! They could all be my sons, and possibly even my grandsons, if they are young enough.
It gripes me that youth can't learn from experience. They look at my gray hair, overweight body and wrinkles, and think I have nothing in my past. Just because they have no past, doesn't mean I have no past. In my youth, I was cute, skinny, and very active in life. I was busy making mistakes, failing, and trying again.
There's a lady in the class who's either been in an accident or had a stroke or something. Part of her body doesn't work. She's intelligent and interesting. She's a winner. She didn't roll over and die just because she has a disability. I admire her a lot. These boys - I'm sure that eventually they will have a thought worth thinking, and a dream worth pursuing.
But you know, how many of them have a side business that pays them almost $200/mo without doing anything? It's not a lot, but it's something. It makes more if I pay attention to it and answer e-mails. I have earned over $500/mo from it, when I was paying attention to it. And yeah, it can all go away in a flash.
It just makes me wonder. Was I like that in my 20's? I'd like to think that I honored older people a little better. Gert, Helen, Veronica - the women who passed through my life when I was that age. All gone now, but they each had something to teach me. My mom had lessons to teach me, too. I had a harder time with her lessons, but I'm thinking about some of them lately.
I hope these young folks I'm meeting today will see wisdom, not just failure or strength, in me.
I've owned (still own some) businesses, worked in many fields, lived in many parts of the country - I'm double most of their ages! They could all be my sons, and possibly even my grandsons, if they are young enough.
It gripes me that youth can't learn from experience. They look at my gray hair, overweight body and wrinkles, and think I have nothing in my past. Just because they have no past, doesn't mean I have no past. In my youth, I was cute, skinny, and very active in life. I was busy making mistakes, failing, and trying again.
There's a lady in the class who's either been in an accident or had a stroke or something. Part of her body doesn't work. She's intelligent and interesting. She's a winner. She didn't roll over and die just because she has a disability. I admire her a lot. These boys - I'm sure that eventually they will have a thought worth thinking, and a dream worth pursuing.
But you know, how many of them have a side business that pays them almost $200/mo without doing anything? It's not a lot, but it's something. It makes more if I pay attention to it and answer e-mails. I have earned over $500/mo from it, when I was paying attention to it. And yeah, it can all go away in a flash.
It just makes me wonder. Was I like that in my 20's? I'd like to think that I honored older people a little better. Gert, Helen, Veronica - the women who passed through my life when I was that age. All gone now, but they each had something to teach me. My mom had lessons to teach me, too. I had a harder time with her lessons, but I'm thinking about some of them lately.
I hope these young folks I'm meeting today will see wisdom, not just failure or strength, in me.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Overwhelmed
I've been huddled up with school books, class DVDs, and a calculator. I'm not ignoring the world because I'm depressed- I'm extremely busy!
I finally got to the post office yesterday to get stamps. I mailed the cell phone back to the provider with a "request" to cancel service. I'm so over them...
I checked out of Facebook early last week - posting a status that left no doubt as to why I'm not checking in.
I got another 150 e-mails overnight. This has got to stop! Not the good kind, either. Most were spam, something I don't need to see everyday, or just notifications. It all takes time to sort and sift. The remaining 10 or 20 needed to be read and dealt with. And that's not even including business and school e-mail!
Oh, well....
All will be well. I should be caught up on math by Monday, and have the management test done tonight.
I finally got to the post office yesterday to get stamps. I mailed the cell phone back to the provider with a "request" to cancel service. I'm so over them...
I checked out of Facebook early last week - posting a status that left no doubt as to why I'm not checking in.
I got another 150 e-mails overnight. This has got to stop! Not the good kind, either. Most were spam, something I don't need to see everyday, or just notifications. It all takes time to sort and sift. The remaining 10 or 20 needed to be read and dealt with. And that's not even including business and school e-mail!
Oh, well....
All will be well. I should be caught up on math by Monday, and have the management test done tonight.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Cell Phones
When I get a cell-phone, I'm suspicious of it. They never last in my life for very long.
The one I just de-commissioned was because the company that issued it would not honor their contract with me. When my contract says I get x-amount of minutes per month, I expect to see those credited to the time on the phone.
They consistently halved my minutes, so I cut up the sim-card (the little card inside the phone with your phone number - it makes the phone work) and packed it all up (sim-card included) and sent it back to the company. Of course, I included documentation, and a photograph of the contents of the box, and I sent it registered, return-receipt. I know all too well how people and companies, particularly unethical companies like this one, will try to say that so-and-so never happened.
Anyway, I don't like cell-phones. I spent $13 to have a bumper-sticker made up that says "Hang Up And Drive" and I pasted it on the back window - low enough that I won't get a ticket, and high enough that the gal in the SUV in the next lane with the phone on her ear will see it while she's veering into my car. I'm sick of it!
There's even a story today in the news about a driver who was texting while driving and drove right into a home! These things ought to be outlawed while driving.
I saw a kid, absolutely dejected, spending time with his weekend-dad, and the guy (Dad) was on the phone for over an hour. The poor kid was about to cry, and didn't dare, because that might ruin his time with Dad. I felt so bad for the kid, I wanted to take the phone and step on it. Maybe Dad would pay attention to his kid. DAD - HONOR WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU!
I saw a Mom, 2 little kids running wild in the store, totally oblivious to her kids destroying merchandise, pulling things off shelves, and running into people, while she was engrossed in the conversation with someone miles away. Those kids were out of control! MOM - TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS!
I have a class where the teacher has said if your phone rings or you answer it while in class, you will be failed for the day. Your attendance will be struck from the book. How can you possibly pay attention in class when you are on the phone? Texting or talking - it all splits your attention. STUDENTS - YOU ARE PAYING A LOT OF MONEY TO FAIL CLASSES!
Telephones in and of themselves are an evil invention. No other appliance rancors, demanding immediate attention, as much as the telephone. Husbands and wives in the middle of life-changing discussions, and the phone rings, so the discussion is never concluded. All that emotion just left to build up in the nervous system. Topics never resolved, anger with no target, no release. Concentration broken, solutions never reached.
A friend of mine doesn't take phone calls during certain hours of the day. I find that a refreshing attitude. She won't answer the cell phone or the office phone. It all goes to voice mail. She gets a lot of work done, because she follows that path. Even her parents and children know to not call. If it's an emergency, there are ways to get her attention, just not by phone.
Just think about what you do when you talk on the phone. Every one and every thing around you fades into the background. You are on the phone. The person on the other end of the line has your attention and your focus. You aren't here. You aren't now.
Put it down and turn it off.
The one I just de-commissioned was because the company that issued it would not honor their contract with me. When my contract says I get x-amount of minutes per month, I expect to see those credited to the time on the phone.
They consistently halved my minutes, so I cut up the sim-card (the little card inside the phone with your phone number - it makes the phone work) and packed it all up (sim-card included) and sent it back to the company. Of course, I included documentation, and a photograph of the contents of the box, and I sent it registered, return-receipt. I know all too well how people and companies, particularly unethical companies like this one, will try to say that so-and-so never happened.
Anyway, I don't like cell-phones. I spent $13 to have a bumper-sticker made up that says "Hang Up And Drive" and I pasted it on the back window - low enough that I won't get a ticket, and high enough that the gal in the SUV in the next lane with the phone on her ear will see it while she's veering into my car. I'm sick of it!
There's even a story today in the news about a driver who was texting while driving and drove right into a home! These things ought to be outlawed while driving.
I saw a kid, absolutely dejected, spending time with his weekend-dad, and the guy (Dad) was on the phone for over an hour. The poor kid was about to cry, and didn't dare, because that might ruin his time with Dad. I felt so bad for the kid, I wanted to take the phone and step on it. Maybe Dad would pay attention to his kid. DAD - HONOR WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU!
I saw a Mom, 2 little kids running wild in the store, totally oblivious to her kids destroying merchandise, pulling things off shelves, and running into people, while she was engrossed in the conversation with someone miles away. Those kids were out of control! MOM - TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS!
I have a class where the teacher has said if your phone rings or you answer it while in class, you will be failed for the day. Your attendance will be struck from the book. How can you possibly pay attention in class when you are on the phone? Texting or talking - it all splits your attention. STUDENTS - YOU ARE PAYING A LOT OF MONEY TO FAIL CLASSES!
Telephones in and of themselves are an evil invention. No other appliance rancors, demanding immediate attention, as much as the telephone. Husbands and wives in the middle of life-changing discussions, and the phone rings, so the discussion is never concluded. All that emotion just left to build up in the nervous system. Topics never resolved, anger with no target, no release. Concentration broken, solutions never reached.
A friend of mine doesn't take phone calls during certain hours of the day. I find that a refreshing attitude. She won't answer the cell phone or the office phone. It all goes to voice mail. She gets a lot of work done, because she follows that path. Even her parents and children know to not call. If it's an emergency, there are ways to get her attention, just not by phone.
Just think about what you do when you talk on the phone. Every one and every thing around you fades into the background. You are on the phone. The person on the other end of the line has your attention and your focus. You aren't here. You aren't now.
Put it down and turn it off.
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