Advice For My Younger Self

If I could give some advice to my younger self, it would cover a few areas.  There are many lessons I have regretfully learned from mistakes that still haunt me to this day.  There are times when I wish my life was nothing like it is now.  It is disappointing to urge for another chance to make choices when reminiscing on decisions in hindsight.  This topic allows me the opportunity to mentally correct the past after living the path taken.  Some of what will be written can be reapplied to my current situation and the rest will be for someone else to deliberate on.  Let me see who I can help beside myself with this entry.  If it is one person then its effect will be positive and that alone can make the effort worthwhile. 

When it comes to school, I would say to go as far as you can and be passionate about it.  When I was very young, I would make the honor roll by dedicating my focus to performing to that standard.  Still young, I fell out of love with the merits of that achievement.  I do not remember clearly if it was the attention I did not want or if the satisfaction did not feel the same.  The intellect and attentiveness was there but I would not employ the same vigor for assignments for letter grading.  Controlling the line between B’s and C’s was just as intriguing as earning A’s on every attempt.  My advice would be to establish the constituency of recreating the best instance of myself at every moment possible.  Constructing norms and maintaining the momentum of excellence is the hidden prognostication that elucidates the educational system.  It promotes a continuous line for students to earn the proper recognition for themselves.  Students who seem to be advanced at an early age are entered into special programs.  The best elementary students enter better middle schools.  The best middle school learners enroll in premier high schools.  The best high school pupils are then accepted into prominent accredited universities.  Another pearl of wisdom I would offer is to maximize the prospect of college.  To go to college for a bachelor’s and join the workforce as soon as you can cuts off your potential too soon.  That was something I wanted at my first attempt.  Now I wish I would have considered graduate school over the anticipation of a paycheck more seriously.  The rush to have an annual salary of forty thousand at twenty-two seems miniscule to being a doctor of your chosen field at twenty-five.  Netting the credentials of an expert of your craft can mean so much more and produce many more avenues to travel down.

When it comes to life, I would say be the best overall person you can.  I heard a wise man say “sometimes you do what you gotta do to get what you gotta get”.  Excuse the grammar but it does make sense.  At times it might be the only one way to reach a particular objective.  In the case where that is true, I would question if that should be your aim going forward.  See as it stands now I think I value the virtues that are in conjunction with ideals demonstrating deference, innocence and morality.  Having respect for others and making the appropriate distinction between good and evil has a significance that is too often ignored.  Without ample validation we see the chase for other influences commence.  In a world where any publicity is good publicity, we intentionally ensure that negativity is spread faster to tap into our conscious.  But that statement is an enigma as is.  The perplexity of the paradox can be alleviated by putting more clout into things universally recognized as positive.  How is it that people who commit crimes are the first things we see on the news before being removed from free civilization?  Being a decent individual does not garner the same conversation circles or fame it once did.  The sensationalized fall from grace of the troubled makes the triumphant rise from nothing seem mundane by our culture. 

The overall advice would be to find your true self then enable happiness to be bred from that persona.  Do not let the lack of congratulations or affirmation make you alter your character to be the negative images that are portrayed more frequently.  Do not allow pain and mistrust from past relationships to rear its horrid head in the next one.  Do not surrender to pressure to prove you are something you are not comfortable with.  See, you can get it from here as I write my wrongs.  Maybe I would say do not become the person writing this paper.  Or would it be better to not have to be the reason to write this paper?  Everyone has the choice to take advice or go through the flame minus the advantage.  As we all have our one life to live hopefully we can at least determine the valleys and peaks along the way.

Figure of Speech

Learned to breathe underwater

Just to land in the clouds

Design the emperor’s new clothes

So we can address the style

Remember what happens tomorrow

As you invent the past

First to the end

Begins to be last

I close my eyes

To get a better glimpse of my dreams

Let the cold fusion

Train on steam

Jet inside

And manage the perimeter

Sixteen in a mirror

Somehow reflects what’s not familiar

Accustomed to say everything is strange

Listen, only progress is to remain the same

Excited whenever I’m bored

Oppose the difference in one accord

Complete homework in class

The price to be slow is fast

Takeoff in an apterous aeroplane

Alpha of the followers

Individual of my peer group

Keep going to part the infinite loop

Cook up the truth

Then legitimize the fib

Show double negatives

Hide new kids

Why Computer Science

When I was first deciding to attend college I was not certain my major would be computer science.  During a meeting with my guidance counselor, we spoke about my grades, interests and which schools I favored.  I had fairly good grades in math and science courses at that time so she felt that should be my focus as I went forward.  Then I went home to start researching careers and what I thought I would like to be doing years in the future from that point.  Though I had grades in those courses, computer science and programming were completely new concepts to me.  Having that fresh, creative and innovative aspect to it really made me feel positive about college and being a full-time student for another four years.  It eventually took me much longer than that to get my first degree but I can tell parts of that story another time.  Honestly I just seen it as a really intriguing challenge to go to college for something I did not have any prior experience with.  Though I was up to the highest level of math courses available to us as calculus and took nearly every entry level version of science offered to me, I was not sure I wanted to make a commitment wholeheartedly to that path moving forward.  And I hope I am not offending everyone reading this with that last statement.  Computer science and programming was seen as college to me because I did not try it at any other point.  I was happy with computer science and still find it fun to some degree today.

              One of the main obstacles I had to overcome was the learning curve.  I have been taught C, C++, Java, HTML, PHP, XML, SQL, MASM, Visual Basic and COBOL as coding languages.  There was also the concepts of numbering systems, digital logic, pseudo coding, search and sort algorithms, network architectures, operating systems, multimedia applications and internet suites.  All of that was during the pursuit of my Bachelor’s degree and there may be some things I forgot to include.  Each course was different and presented a new form of coding to learn.  I leaned on sites like w3schools.com for tutoring away from the classroom.  The speed of the courses was my main obstacle in addition to the balancing of all my credits each semester was another core issue overall.  It is quite difficult to explain but I knew what I was attempting to do however the completion and execution remained problematic.  The theories were in my mind but convincing the computer did not always go so well.  Programming took the bulk of my time for adjusting to the major and it negatively affected other assignments like tests.  Being a graduate student now, I look back on those times with wisdom about what it took to get to this point.  To gain a Master’s degree would simply mean I was better than I thought I was as a student.  It would always confirm that this discipline is within the range of programs I am capable of.  

The Internet's Effect

The internet has helped my education immensely through the years.  Whether is it for research for assignments or finding assistance with something I cannot figure out, the World Wide Web always provides options to support your efforts.  Doing searches for homework and projects with sites like Google can produce very helpful results.  Google’s search engine will give excellent results for just about anything you can type into it.  Also with sites like Wikipedia and Research Gate, for example, I can find references for any topic I have chosen to cover.  References come in handy to verify your own assertions and make them credible when discussing topics.  Nearly every topic you will write about during the education process has had previous research done on it.  If you are going to reintroduce an idea or add to your own original thesis, citing previously published work will always be useful.  These are just some of the available resources to use as an encyclopedia or document database.  Though there are more sites I could name, those are usually the first I run to when needed. 

 

The internet has changed the way we communication in a variety of ways.  Personally it began with instant messenger and e-mail for me.  Using America Online’s aim service was the best way to chat with friends over the internet when I was growing up.  It became a popular third option to meeting in person and using the phone during those years.  Sometimes we were so infatuated with it that we would talk on the phone and aim at the same time.  Nerdy, I know.  When I became older, e-mail was the best way to send resumes and apply for jobs other than directly through a corporation’s website or in person. Finding the e-mail addresses to human resource departments was just as important as having the number to the business.  In those days, you could simply send a well-crafted resume and cover letter through e-mail instead asking if the company was hiring.  Occasionally employees were able to review information from candidates that they were not even seeking which lead to employment. 

The next phase of the internet revolution will be with the social media sites like Google Plus, Facebook and Twitter for hiring practices.  Having an online persona that fits the corporate culture will be as important as whatever is printed on your resume in coming years in my opinion.  Having a credible reputation will include how you present yourself to others and what you associate yourself with.  As you complete applications, your perspective employer may see who you claim to be online, one way or the other, before they speak with you in person for an interview.  Now this does not mean to change the way you are but it does mean to expect people to believe in what you say and do at all times.  It may be best to have a uniform identity but it will be up to you to have all points of the spectrum covered as long as the shoe fits.  Just know that people may make the decision on whether to move forward or not based on what they see with images in addition to what they are reading on paper.  

Launching Obioku Veers Excitement

Kismet heard keep it to yourself
Virgin rules to accumulate wealth
I think I'm finally ready
Take it from the oven or the shelf
Kitchen kinetics lets you savor the potential
Obligated to the fact that it is more than mental
Overtures sent with rhythmic testimony
Back down to the personification of matrimony
Oblates appear lost to the meaning
Too busy voting for different reasons
Early was the emphasis of the season
Take a day to think about it and speak in the evening
Trying to trust the augur that you're in to me
Even enemies wouldn't share this much energy

Leadership Discussion pt. 2

Dr. Eagly comments after her presentation were interesting yet sorted.  There were at least two statements that stood out to me.  The first was her research was to find empirical answers to gender and leadership questions which, till then, psychologists were not able to do.  I point to this because I thought her answers were still normative to some degree.  When discussing leadership and how women can advance, she mentioned overcoming stereotypes, nurturing women's approach and not having to be like a man.  Those critiques provide an answer but not one that is factual on a plan to accomplish the goal at hand.  Another point of her argument was not to study women for leadership roles because they did not have them.  I do not think this perspective helps her position.  It would be good to study women to see how leadership is missing what they can provide.  Her study can be assisted by seeing the qualities that women would bring as improvements instead of seeing how the genders are different.

The balance question is another topic all together.  She later inferred that the bias is continued by men promoting men and masking it as only hiring the best person for the job without considering women.  Gender equality will be brought about by equal power was something else she offered.  However to have an admitted feminist stance and speaking at a women on top conference, what type of equality or balance is trying to be achieved.  I think appropriate balance can be created by accepting that the genders are different.  Let's understand that there are different beliefs in how to move forward by each.  Men have pursued those roles as a feat to perform for as long as we can remember.  To see how that was completed and the results of it, could respond with women wanting the same but not in the same way that they were able to see it happen.  If we could see what feminine characteristics are sought by men, it would open the door to a discussion on how this can be reversed in some way.  The possibility to begin there exist but I do not know where it shall end.

What she is speaking about makes me want to question what the goal a person is attempting to reach is.  There are people on both sides that want to take from the other to create their own space instead of accentuating the positives of how they can complement each other.  I feel that anyone is worth listening to and has a right to their opinion.  You never know when the next great individual will utter words that can change the future.  And this can come from either gender.  I think it is important to be ready for those words whenever they are spoken or written.  We should also prepare for the opposite too.  As someone could simply be designing their own agenda with the support of credentials and an organization to say they are credible even though their message is destructive and polar.

Leadership Discussion pt. 1

To start, I do not agree with Dr. Riggio that the question is dangerous.  As he stated in the article, the answer you will receive will give insight into what leadership style the person being asked feels is most effective.  To ask the question alone only allows someone the right to give their opinion.  Instead of a calamitous outcome, it may begin a discussion that could begin the exchanging of information and persuade one to think differently about the matter.

I do agree with his viewpoint of the contrasting modes of how someone is seen as a leader.  The natural born leader who has the innate abilities to direct others and is recommended by the higher ups really do exist.  Then there are some who can learn from others and develop into a leadership role after gaining confidence with the right kind of help.  We see instances of both types in the world accompanied with varying levels of success.  The division would be in what version of leader you need at the time.  If something is original and has no precedent, you may not be able to develop someone to take control and progress it forward.  It might require someone with radical techniques to grow with it.  Contrarily, like the styles, once a person is present to get an organization off the metaphorical ground and establish it as a winning entity, they can prepare someone else to continue what has been done.  It could then be improved or shown a new direction for prosperity.

The last paragraph of the article I have mixed emotions about.  First, it is a time-honored position to believe in and accept that all leaders are extroverted.  Extroversion can be associated with getting to the front, rallying the crowd and telling everyone the plan.  We have seen this over and over again.  However, I feel there is a very rare quality to introversion that can be integrated into the most elite form of leadership.  Introverts are able to be themselves in a quiet and reserved way.  If their approach or method of acting can be interpreted as leader-like acumen and astute, it could be welcome by others.  People can see or understand what they did and begin to attempt to do the same.  I feel this is more effective because it was not sought or called for by the perceived leader.  Nor is it the direct choice of another authority figure.  It does get emulated and repeated by the new followers as a result though.  That would show the competence to be able to select your own path and develop yourself into what you chose.  And it appears that was not taken into consideration as a possible option by the author.