My Good Friend Drake

I first met Drake about two years ago.  And just for the audiences information I am not talking about the singer of Hot Line Bling.  I can in contact with Drake through one of my mission companions who randomly lived with him at liberty square.  I also moved into liberty square but lived on the opposite side of the building from my comp and Drake.  Drake was a nice guy and through frequent interaction we have come to get to know each other quite well.  We currently have a class together and have a standing appointment of watching the NFL on sundays at his place.  So I would say we have become good friends.  Drake is also in a mcomm class where he is required to write a blog post each week.  The difference between his blogs and mine are that he has the liberty granted from his professor to write about what he darn well pleases.  This freedom allows him to write really intriguing posts on topics that range from girls to poetry.  I learned while reading his posts that he is a very cleaver writer.  This characteristic is something that I never would have know or even guessed about him.  This tidbit of information got me thing about the other hidden talents my friends might have.  It is funny to think about what those around us have the ability to do.  There are many secret gifts that I am sure my friends have that I don't know about because they are not brought up.  I mean when else would the topic of blogging come up in conversation with my buddies?  Maybe right after we talk about girls, guns, sports or girls? 

So what did I learn from reading Drakes blog that I would like to incorporate?  Well maybe its not what I learned in the content of his blog, but what I learned from him having a blog.  I know that I am friends with and surrounded by awesome people.  I mean I did hang pick my friends so they better be pretty good for me.  I want to focus on my friends hidden talents that I do not yet know about.  Ask them about the funny stuff they are involved in.  Get to know about things they would do if they had more spare time.  And I can even take this action a step further with they way I look at strangers.  We have many stereotypes in our culture that tell us what kind of people like to do what.  I want to shed those stereotypes and realize that people always are not what they appear.  Drake is a perfect example.  Who would have known that a strong, athletic, mans man would be a great blogger? 

So I invite you all to check out his blog in the link below.  His stuff really is quite funny and can be related to.  Enjoy it. 

 http://danieldrakekory.blogspot.com/ 

Meeting With My Group Using Technology

I finally got around to meeting with my team from a remote location.  This was the first time I was able to participate in such a meeting with my group.  We had a earlier scheduled at the beginning of the semester that I missed because I was sick.  Thankfully this time around I was in good health and we all were able to meet.  The first step we needed to take was to decide a time to meet, and what platform we would use to hold the meeting on.  We easily found a time that would work for all members of the group. We then needed to choose a plat from to hold the meeting on.

We decided to hold our meeting over Google Hangout.  In the past I have been apart of meeting online but I had never used Google Hangout, instead I would use either Skype or Facetime.  I was under the impression that you would need a special account with Google to use Hangout, which I was wrong about.  It turns out that all I needed was a gmail account. Check.  In the past I have experienced complications with meeting online.  There always seemed to be some unexpected problem that would arise.  The main problem always seemed to be either poor connection and quality or slow stream.  Google Hangout in contrast was as smooth as it could be.  It has been by far my most successful and pleasant experience with meeting over the web.  It was awesome to learn how to use it.  The best part about it was how user friendly it was.  Connecting to my team members was simple and fast.  

As a team we were able to hold a productive meeting by accomplishing our agenda.  Google Hangout assisted in making our communication clear and convenient.   This great experience has helped me to not avoid meeting from remote locations.  It has also helped me realize the handiness of being able to hold a meeting when you are not in the same room with those whom you are meeting with.  And with business heading in the direction that it is this will be great to know.  I am already looking forward to meeting with my associates from the comfort of my own home when appropriate.   Google Hangout will be my go to as a platform for online meeting.

Freakonomics Extra Credit Write Up

Freakonomics is not your typical economics 110 textbook.  There are no theories on how to fix the nation’s debt, lower the unemployment rate, or the role of the monetary system.  The topics discussed by the authors are not the usual supply and demand ideas that students have been falling asleep to for ages.  Needless to say Dr. Kearl’s lectures on the “law and economics of the judicial system and time in compensatory damage” are not found within its pages.   In order to enjoy this book the reader does not need a degree in economics, in fact they don’t have to have any background in the field.  Freakonomics is a book that explores the hidden side of age old questions but it doesn’t stop there.  It also dives deep into questions that few would ever think of asking such as “How is the Ku Klux Klan like a group of real-estate agents?”  It illustrates how economics shows us how the world actually works. Freakonomics uncovers and studies the incentives that lead people to make choices.  It looks at how people can and will misuse information.  And it unmasks lies that are portrayed to the public as conventional wisdom.  This book contains fascinating information on what is going on behind the curtains in our everyday lives.  It answers the questions by showing us the facts and the data.  And I have found out after reading this book that many times the answer to the question is not what it initially seems.

So what? What did I learn from reading this book that I can use to apply to the so what and now what blog format?  Three main areas from the book that I would like to highlight are (1) understanding incentives, (2) the use of information.  These ideas are the what. 

(1) Incentives are at the root of all economics, how people get what they want and what they need.  The authors’ definition on an incentive is something that leads us to do more of a good thing and less of a bad thing.  The three basic categories of incentive are economic, social, and moral.  Incentives are what lead to make the actions that we make everyday.  Sometimes I am motivated to act by not so good incentives.  Moving forward I will pay more attention to what my incentives are.  An example of this implication in my life is dealing with home teaching.  Is my incentive to home teach so that the Elders Quorum leader will get off my back?  Or is my incentive to home teach so that I may attend to the needs of those whom I am assign to visit?  I will look to improve my incentives.

(2) We tend to call someone who has lots of information on a certain topic an expert in that respected field.  If one earns that title they may then council others in decision making.  Experts have long had the ability to take advantage of those without the same information as they have.  And that is exactly what they have done.  Car salesman, real-estate agents, employers, and many other experts have taken advantage of those without the same information as they possess. A great way to battle those who have information that you don't is internet.  I know that there have been times when I have been taken advantage because of my lack of information.  Moving forward I will focus on being more prepared with the proper information.  Where I am doing that right now is in the job searching process.  I will find out all the info I can on industries that I am interested in working in.  That way I can avoid being taken advantage of my the business or the employer.  

This was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone.  It really is very informative on topics that are very interesting.  It also prepares the reader with applicable knowledge. 

 

Enduring to the End of the Semester

This past week has been very stressful.  The saying, "It is always darkest before the dawn" was my experience leading up towards the break. I was under a lot of stress due to this class and my stats class.  With mcom I was working on my group assignment which took me more time and effort than I originally planned. I am sure those of you who read this can relate to that.  And with the pressure of presenting for this class is also on the horizon.  In my stats class I had a important exam that I needed to preform well on.  You know how it goes in college... Always trying to stay a float in all your classes.  I feel this is an especially hard time of the year because up to this point it has been a long time since our last break.  It is also rough because the semester is almost over so many final projects are due and we just want to get to the holidays.  During the chaos of this time of year I have come away with some new insights.

First, enduring to the end of the semester will either make or break me.  This is easier said then done. As of right now I am in pretty good spot to have success this semester, and at the same time I am in a dangerous spot of loosing all I have worked for so far.  Sticking it out will be worth my time and effort.

Second, breaks are much needed and appreciated.  There is a reason why we have a sabbath day or a day of rest.  They are needed in order for us to function better.  Especially during this time of year when you can reflect with gratitude all the blessing that you really have.  This period is a great re boost for moving forward and helping me work towards enduring to the end.  Moving forward I will continue to look forward to breaks from school and continue to put forth a great effort in enduring to the end.

So I would like to get a feel for how all of you feel.  Below is a link to a survey that asks about the most difficult time of the semester. Check it out

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1nqGJkukXSP_9vzrQ4bxYB7tkpnksINtHPWRkpcE4ysM/viewform?usp=send_form

Study Groups

Studying with others is usually something that I try to avoid.  In the past I have been guilty of getting distracted when studying with others.  All to often the conversation will shift from Newton's laws of motion to Tom Brady's QBR.  It takes self discipline to keep yourself and the group you are working with on topic.  I had a goal at the beginning of the semester to improve the study groups that I participate in and focus on getting the most out of them.  My first step was to create a few study groups with some of my classmates, which I was able to establish early on.  With my study groups established for two of my classes I was ready to focus more on being productive, and helping myself and the group members learn the content.  The results have been more than I could have asked for.   The learning experience I am having within these groups and the classes has been excellent.  I am convinced that my current grades in the courses are better than what they would have been if I had continued with my habits of solo study work.  The study groups have allowed me to teach my classmates course material and in so doing implanting the concepts deep in my brain.  I have also been the beneficiary of being taught the material from my classmates in a effective manor.  This experience has taught me the importance of study groups and that I do in fact enjoy them.

Moving forward I plan on establishing more study groups with my classmates.  It is a great way to get the most out of the class.  Talking with others about what you are learning is something that is not done enough in college.  It is also a great way to make friends with people whom you usually wouldn't be friends with.  Two heads are truly better than one.

Staying Connected

Getting older comes with unavoidable consequences, one of which is separation from certain personal connections.  I have met many friends while attending college and have made many great memories with those people.  As time has passed and as other obligations have arose in life people have moved on.  This week I came to the realization that I have become distant to many of my friends.  There are various reasons that have caused the distance include marriage, graduation, and people moving.  I have learned that unless I make a effort to keep in contact with these people that we  will lose touch.  This weekend I made the effort to meet up with one of my friends that has moved to Salt Lake City.  I was able to up and visit him, and he was able to come down and visit me.  We were able to catch up and once again enjoy each others company.  All it took was a little effort on my part to reach out to him.  I think that in this ever changing period of our lives we just get caught up in ourselves.  Its about our work, our schooling, our health, and many other things.  We have to consciously go out of our way to keep our bonds of friendship strong.  A sad example in my life is how much I see some of my old friends who I used to live by.  Now that we have moved less than a mile away from each other we see one another so much less.  It used to be to convenient to walk out my door down the hall and into their place.

Moving forward I will now focus on making more of an effort to keep in contact with my friendships. It may not be as easy to call them up and see them but I can still send a text, message on facebook, or a phone call.  I want to keep my connects strong.  I will stop doing what is always convenient and easy.  Even if that means driving a half mile to see someone.

Online Interview

The mock interview that i did in class and over facetime were very insightful and helpful.  I enjoyed the preparation that I put into the whole process.  The whole situation felt very realistic, from what I was wearing to what I was thinking.  I have never been in a job interview for a position that I would consider for my future career.   Doing this exercise allowed me get a fill for more of an applicable potential interview.  During the in class interviews I was able have the experience of being interview by a panel.  The situation seemed very intimidating at first but I learned to just treat it as if you were being interview by only one person.  By answering to who ever asked it.  I also felt I was very prepared so that helped calm my nerves.  The main areas I focused on to improve my interview skills were answering questions with buzz words, keeping my posture appropriate, and ask the interviewer questions.  I was able to use buzz words from the job description to answer questions in both interviews. The interesting thing was focusing on my posture in the facetime interview.  The interviewer could not see my body so I focused on keeping a smile on my face, and looking at the phone screen.  Following up interviews with a question for the potential employer was very helpful.  I need to get to know what I might be working for and what the job atmosphere is like. Over all it was a very positive experience and I fell it has better prepared me for my job interviews in the future.