First and foremost, this class is not one of those that you need to dread! Although considered a requirement for most, if not all, it is quite enjoyable. There are only a few things that you may want to keep in mind if you plan on doing well in the course.
First, always keep up with the work. As a student in the online section of the course, keeping up with the work was very important. A weekly "To-Do List" was always posted on Sunday nights and it was imperative to pace yourself wisely to complete the assignments by the following Sunday. When you think about it, you had MUCH more time and leeway to complete the assignments than those in the actual lecture section, so take advantage of it, but don't abuse it!
Second, understand and become knowledgeable about the concepts that this course covers. Unlike many of your other classes that usually don't stick with you after that final exam, this class is important. You will learn how to write some very important documents, the correct way, that you will need to use over and over again in the future. Not only that, many things that you will write will end up being second nature to you with whatever job you chose in the future. So understand and learn the right way now, it will only make things in the very near future that much easier!
And third, NEVER hesitate to ask questions! Mrs. Rogers is probably one of the best professors you will ever have here at Clemson, and I'm not just saying that! She is more than willing to help you with anything at anytime. She isn't one of those professors that gets annoyed with questions, or your not understanding certain things. She would much rather help you until you fully grasped the concept, even if she answered the same question five times! She always made me feel so comfortable about sending her e-mail after e-mail with questions! The simplest way to put it would be: "You send her 1000 e-mails with questions or concerns, she replies 1000 times with the answers!"
There may seem to be a good bit of work to do at one time, but overall this class is not difficult at all. The atmosphere, even for online students, is very relaxed and comfortable. Mrs. Rogers does an excellent job at preparing you for real world situations where the documents you learn to write will be used. She is very nice, helpful, and understanding with absolutely everything. Finally, a course that you will actually be able to recall things from, and that you will constantly use concepts from in the future!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Ethics Assignment Reflection
The ethics assignment really opened my eyes to things that I was completely unaware of. The ethical lapse that we chose to research was titled "Guidant Corporation Fails to Recall" and it was a very interesting case. It dealt with heart defibrillators that were being surgically implanted into patients. The problem that inevitably caused this ethical lapse was the fact that there was a rare malfunction in the defibrillators. They were short-circuiting and failing to administer the electrical shock that allowed the heart to return to a normal beat. The problem was reported to the FDA but nothing was ever said about what happened to the original devices.
It was stated that the problem had been fixed, but was later discovered that the company continued to sell the original devices even after gaining knowledge about the malfunction.
I was completely shocked that Guidant didn't feel the need to warrant a recall for the product just because the malfunction was so rare. Their excuse for not sending out the recommendation for removal was that "they believed the risk of operation and infection was greater than the rare chance it would malfunction". A heart defibrillator is a huge lifeline for heart patients, and is essentially what determines life or death for that individual. The fact that they would basically "push aside" the malfunction for their own good is unbelievable. In addition to that, it shows how much they were out for themselves because the only reason they decided to issue a recall at the time that they did was because they learned that the New York Times was in the process of writing a story on the whole situation.
From my research I've learned that, bottom line, its hard to trust anyone or anything. You really don't know a company's true intentions and can never be sure of what would happen in a situation like this one. It seems that they are more concerned with their own company, money, and well being as opposed to the well being of the patients that receive their products. It really is sad that the world is like this, and that extremely serious matters such as this one are kept hidden, especially from the individuals that it can affect most.
It was stated that the problem had been fixed, but was later discovered that the company continued to sell the original devices even after gaining knowledge about the malfunction.
I was completely shocked that Guidant didn't feel the need to warrant a recall for the product just because the malfunction was so rare. Their excuse for not sending out the recommendation for removal was that "they believed the risk of operation and infection was greater than the rare chance it would malfunction". A heart defibrillator is a huge lifeline for heart patients, and is essentially what determines life or death for that individual. The fact that they would basically "push aside" the malfunction for their own good is unbelievable. In addition to that, it shows how much they were out for themselves because the only reason they decided to issue a recall at the time that they did was because they learned that the New York Times was in the process of writing a story on the whole situation.
From my research I've learned that, bottom line, its hard to trust anyone or anything. You really don't know a company's true intentions and can never be sure of what would happen in a situation like this one. It seems that they are more concerned with their own company, money, and well being as opposed to the well being of the patients that receive their products. It really is sad that the world is like this, and that extremely serious matters such as this one are kept hidden, especially from the individuals that it can affect most.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Ethical Lapses Distract U.S. Workers
I was somewhat shocked when I read this particular article. I didn't realize that ethical lapses were that prominent in the workplace. The findings from the study were startling. I was completely unaware that these "ethical lapses" even occurred, much less at a reported once a week by more than one in three respondents. I also didn't realize that there was a drastic effect on individuals because of this. Knowing that people spend a day or more, or even a month or more distracted by these issues is mind boggling. I don't feel that it is a very positive or productive atmosphere at all if ethical lapses are occurring.
The next thing that was very shocking to me was how "One in 10 American workers believes a current issue at their company could create a scandal or business disruption if it was discovered...". Its strange to think that it could lead to such trouble and confusion. It doesn't seem like a business is being run correctly or to it's fullest positive potential if there are ethical issues present, especially those that could be serious enough to cause scandal.
The last part of the article talked about ways to handle ethical lapses. These findings were shocking as well. I can see the point of view from each of the scenarios though. Some think that it is best to handle it themselves, while others believe that involving company management would be better. I also see how employees would get others involved, such as other employees, due to certain circumstances. I guess that everyone would have a different reason for the action that that choose to take based on the given situation.
The next thing that was very shocking to me was how "One in 10 American workers believes a current issue at their company could create a scandal or business disruption if it was discovered...". Its strange to think that it could lead to such trouble and confusion. It doesn't seem like a business is being run correctly or to it's fullest positive potential if there are ethical issues present, especially those that could be serious enough to cause scandal.
The last part of the article talked about ways to handle ethical lapses. These findings were shocking as well. I can see the point of view from each of the scenarios though. Some think that it is best to handle it themselves, while others believe that involving company management would be better. I also see how employees would get others involved, such as other employees, due to certain circumstances. I guess that everyone would have a different reason for the action that that choose to take based on the given situation.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Writing on the Web vs. Writing on Paper
Writing on the Web and writing on paper have similarities as well as differences. To start, when writing on the web it is much more challenging than writing on paper. This is due to a few things, but mainly concerns the individual that is reading whatever it is that you are sending. They do not have a "paper copy" in front of them, which usually means that the message on their computer screen is expected to get the point across to them quickly and efficiently without loads of effort needing to be put into the thought process.
Writing on paper is a bit different. Usually, something that is given to you, in hard copy form, is expected to be thoroughly analyzed so to speak. It is usually intended to have time spent focusing on the important ideas as well as taking into account all other content. Things written on paper are more thought-out and more formally written due to this.
Aside from the differences, there are similarities between the two. A few of the most important are that your purpose and audience need to be understood, your subject needs to be carefully researched, your thoughts need to be organized, you should use plain language, and your text must be free of grammatical and typographical errors. These things apply to both Web and print forms of writing.
There are a few things that you should focus on when transferring a document formerly read on paper to the Web. These include things such as organizing your content so that your key points and conclusions appear first, along with having accurate content that is backed by supporting evidence which should be expressed to your audience in an appropriate tone. Another thing would be to break up dense blocks of text into shorter paragraphs that follow the inverted-pyramid method. Lastly, you could hyperlink other important information that you may not necessarily want to include in the main points so that it is available to your audience at the click of a mouse.
Writing on paper is a bit different. Usually, something that is given to you, in hard copy form, is expected to be thoroughly analyzed so to speak. It is usually intended to have time spent focusing on the important ideas as well as taking into account all other content. Things written on paper are more thought-out and more formally written due to this.
Aside from the differences, there are similarities between the two. A few of the most important are that your purpose and audience need to be understood, your subject needs to be carefully researched, your thoughts need to be organized, you should use plain language, and your text must be free of grammatical and typographical errors. These things apply to both Web and print forms of writing.
There are a few things that you should focus on when transferring a document formerly read on paper to the Web. These include things such as organizing your content so that your key points and conclusions appear first, along with having accurate content that is backed by supporting evidence which should be expressed to your audience in an appropriate tone. Another thing would be to break up dense blocks of text into shorter paragraphs that follow the inverted-pyramid method. Lastly, you could hyperlink other important information that you may not necessarily want to include in the main points so that it is available to your audience at the click of a mouse.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Spring Break
Another "topic of your choice" week, so clearly Spring Break is at the top of the list to be talked about!! To start, it went by too fast!! I have no idea where the week went, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Now I wasn't one of the college students that fell into the "big trips" category, because I simply spent Spring Break at home. I know it sounds incredibly boring and not exciting at all, but it actually wasn't that bad. I got to spend a lot of time with my family, some of whom I don't see much at all, and a lot of time with friends. It was nice just being able to kick back and relax for pretty much the first time this entire semester. I did absolutely no work, although I had plenty that I should have gotten a head start on, but such is life!! I feel like I blinked once and reality was waiting for me right where I left it!! It was tough having to come back...but just the thought of "5 weeks left until summer" made it a lot easier!! It definitely cannot get here soon enough!!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Lying On Your Resume: What Are the Career Consequences?
The article, "Lying on Your Resume: What Are the Career Consequences?" completley opened my eyes to what many individuals are doing everyday in today's world as far as jobs are concerned. I was overwhelmed at the statistic given by research that suggested that more than 50 percent of people lie on their resumes. I honestly had never really entertained the thought that people indeed do this.
After reading further, I can understand how such things as "falsifying academic credentials, padding dates to mask employment gaps, exaggerating job titles, embellishing job responsibilities and achievements, claiming sole responsibility for team efforts and even making up fictitious employers" can be very easily done.
It seemed that lying about such things, or viewing them as harmless white lies, not only hurt the individual that was dishonest, but it also could hurt the honest people. I didn't realize that one person lying about things concerning himself/herself could have any effect on outside individuals, but it made a lot more sense as to how it could after reading this article.
I've always viewed honesty as the best policy, especially given the fact that it makes life so much easier. The article touched on how you may never get caught in your lies, but that you will have to "live in constant fear that someday you will be caught and punished and with the guilt of knowing what you did was wrong". This in itself would be enough to have a constant black cloud over my head.
The last thing in the article that surprised me was the fact that there are indeed ethical resume strategies that can be used for certain situations or issues. I would never have thought that things such as job-hopping, time off from the workforce, minimal work experience, etc., would have anything other than "just that" to explain it. I feel that it is a good thing that these ethical strategies exist, because it can only help an individual out, not hurt them.
I loved the quote at the very end of the article. It is very true and should be remembered at all times by everyone. "You jeopardize your future when you lie about your past."
After reading further, I can understand how such things as "falsifying academic credentials, padding dates to mask employment gaps, exaggerating job titles, embellishing job responsibilities and achievements, claiming sole responsibility for team efforts and even making up fictitious employers" can be very easily done.
It seemed that lying about such things, or viewing them as harmless white lies, not only hurt the individual that was dishonest, but it also could hurt the honest people. I didn't realize that one person lying about things concerning himself/herself could have any effect on outside individuals, but it made a lot more sense as to how it could after reading this article.
I've always viewed honesty as the best policy, especially given the fact that it makes life so much easier. The article touched on how you may never get caught in your lies, but that you will have to "live in constant fear that someday you will be caught and punished and with the guilt of knowing what you did was wrong". This in itself would be enough to have a constant black cloud over my head.
The last thing in the article that surprised me was the fact that there are indeed ethical resume strategies that can be used for certain situations or issues. I would never have thought that things such as job-hopping, time off from the workforce, minimal work experience, etc., would have anything other than "just that" to explain it. I feel that it is a good thing that these ethical strategies exist, because it can only help an individual out, not hurt them.
I loved the quote at the very end of the article. It is very true and should be remembered at all times by everyone. "You jeopardize your future when you lie about your past."
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Chosen Business
The type of business that my partner and I chose for this project was a clothing company. During our meeting in Second Life, we discussed the basic things about our business that we would be creating. We determined that we wanted our company to be geared toward women, specifically those in college with "small" budgets. We would focus primarily on "dressy" clothing for "going out" purposes to satisfy the needs of these ladies. We decided that to begin, we would offer mainly spring and summer styles, seeing as how we are beginning this business just months away from these particular seasons. Our main focus will be dressy tops and bottoms, along with a suitable selection of dresses. One of our main priorities would be keeping our clothing fashionable, yet affordable. This specific type of clothing, "going out" clothing for lack of a better term, is hard to find at a decent price these days. My partner and I realize this from personal experience!! We want to be able to offer other college students, like ourselves, that trendy look that makes them feel great without them feeling like they have to pay an arm and a leg for it!!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Interview Reflection
I felt as though my interview with Mrs. Rogers went fairly well, aside from some computer problems that I was experiencing. It was quite different than what I had expected, and that could partially be due to the fact that it was online in Second Life. The questions that she asked were very in depth and made me think really hard before I gave my answers. I did find some of them quite difficult, and now wonder if I answered them the way that I should have, or if I could have answered them better. The interview was very quick and Mrs. Rogers made me feel confident about it at the end. Overall, I felt like it was a great experience and made me think about things that could actually happen in a face-to-face interview with someone in the future.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Summer
This week, seeing as how we are able to write about the topic of our choice, I am choosing to write about summer. I love it!! It has, by far, got to be my most favorite season of all!! This could partly be due to the fact that I do NOT have school everyday of my life, which leads to minimal work that stresses me out!! Actually, its probably a LARGE part of why I love summer!! I tired the whole summer school thing last summer, and well, lets just say it didn't go so well!! I refuse to ever do it again...and don't know how those who do stay for summer school do it!! Its just not "summer" if you have school!! I love just being able to stay out until whenever, get up whenever, and just do pretty much anything that my heart desires!! I usually have a job in the summer, but it always seems to be one that doesn't feel like "work" at all, so its never really a big deal!! Being able to see my friends from home everyday is a nice little perk too!! I love going out on the lake and soaking up the sun, and the beach is a must!! I like being able to see my family; my parents, grandparents, and little cousins all the time too, seeing as how that doesn't happen too much during the school year. Needless to say, I CANNOT wait until summer!! This semester has been, and will probably continue to be, nothing less than brutal and its killing me!! I'm thinking that the day of my last exam, some type of celebration will take place!! A celebration for actually making it through the semester, if I do, and for the the first official day of summer vacation!!!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Writing Cover Letters
I do agree with all of the advice given by this particular website. However, I will admit that I am new to the concept of cover letters, so everything that was pointed out was more than I knew before.
I really like the link titled "The Reality of Cover Letters" because it seemed to lay out the main things that you need to know about cover letters, from the eyes of one who is reading them. The thing that surprised me most in this particular section was the the cover letter should be about the "company, your prospect, your target". I would assume, having no prior knowledge about cover letters, that it should automatically be about the actual person seeking the job.
I also found the section titled "The Best Use Of A Cover Letter" to be very useful. I liked how it somewhat had "steps" for what you should have in the cover letter, again, from a hiring manager's point of view.
All in all, each one of the tutorials were very helpful, especially since this is really my first time being exposed to cover letters. The sample cover letter was nice to have so that I could have something to go by when writing mine, along with the checklist to make sure that my cover letter has everything in it to be "professional and complete". I imagine that I will use many, if not all, of these concepts when writing my own cover letter for my mock interview in this class.
I really like the link titled "The Reality of Cover Letters" because it seemed to lay out the main things that you need to know about cover letters, from the eyes of one who is reading them. The thing that surprised me most in this particular section was the the cover letter should be about the "company, your prospect, your target". I would assume, having no prior knowledge about cover letters, that it should automatically be about the actual person seeking the job.
I also found the section titled "The Best Use Of A Cover Letter" to be very useful. I liked how it somewhat had "steps" for what you should have in the cover letter, again, from a hiring manager's point of view.
All in all, each one of the tutorials were very helpful, especially since this is really my first time being exposed to cover letters. The sample cover letter was nice to have so that I could have something to go by when writing mine, along with the checklist to make sure that my cover letter has everything in it to be "professional and complete". I imagine that I will use many, if not all, of these concepts when writing my own cover letter for my mock interview in this class.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Virtual Recruiting for Real-World Jobs
"Virtual Recruiting for Real-World Jobs" was a very interesting article with many good points supporting the "virtual interview". It seems, to employers, that an interview conducted in a virtual world, such as Second Life, allows them to learn things about a potential candidate that they otherwise wouldn't if conducting an in-person interview. However, I do not believe that someone's "avatar" can accurately convey the aspects of a candidate as well as an in-person interview would.
This virtual interviewing may be a nice to use as a step toward an actual face-to-face interview, but not necessarily as a replacement. Although this "Second Life" type interview would allow an employer to "see what they chose to wear, you see what they laugh at or what they interact with", it doesn't allow them to get to know the actual person themself. It may be a nice representation of the individual, but there is no way to see their "true colors" so to speak.
Another point mentioned in the article was that "you can always hit the backspace button when you start to answer an interview question; you can't do that in real life, although I'll bet a lot of people wish they could." To me this is not a good thing. An interviewee should come well prepared to their interview, and should be able to answer questions to their fullest potential, with exactly what they want to say, on the first try. It would be nice to be able to "backspace", but when you think about it, you aren't able to do this in the business world the majority of the time. You can't just "go back" and change your words or actions, so I don't believe it would accurately represent a person if this was allowed to happen, espeically in this virtual world.
Also, there are many ways to make mistakes in worlds such as that of Second Life. The example given in the article for this was the individual, Carlos Krefft, who "mistakenly handed a greeter a beer instead of his resume". Clearly something like this would not happen in the real world with a face-to-face interview, but it seems it can easily happen in a virtual one. Although this would be overlooked as just a "mistake", if you are looking at the overall quality of an individual through this virtual world, you should have to take into account everything that happens throughout the process.
Aside from the aspects mentioned above, you also have to keep in mind that technology continues to change, but individuals do not. Those who are not "tech savvy" would, in all actuality, be struggling with a concept like this. It may leave behind very qualified individuals based solely on their lack of technological understanding.
To answer the overall question, I do not believe that a company can get a quality interview with a candidate using a virtual world such as Second Life. I just feel that it is not personable enough to help an employer make such a serious decision. There seem to be both advantages and disadvantages of the virtual interviews, but I personally feel that the latter of the two would be the case more often than not.
This virtual interviewing may be a nice to use as a step toward an actual face-to-face interview, but not necessarily as a replacement. Although this "Second Life" type interview would allow an employer to "see what they chose to wear, you see what they laugh at or what they interact with", it doesn't allow them to get to know the actual person themself. It may be a nice representation of the individual, but there is no way to see their "true colors" so to speak.
Another point mentioned in the article was that "you can always hit the backspace button when you start to answer an interview question; you can't do that in real life, although I'll bet a lot of people wish they could." To me this is not a good thing. An interviewee should come well prepared to their interview, and should be able to answer questions to their fullest potential, with exactly what they want to say, on the first try. It would be nice to be able to "backspace", but when you think about it, you aren't able to do this in the business world the majority of the time. You can't just "go back" and change your words or actions, so I don't believe it would accurately represent a person if this was allowed to happen, espeically in this virtual world.
Also, there are many ways to make mistakes in worlds such as that of Second Life. The example given in the article for this was the individual, Carlos Krefft, who "mistakenly handed a greeter a beer instead of his resume". Clearly something like this would not happen in the real world with a face-to-face interview, but it seems it can easily happen in a virtual one. Although this would be overlooked as just a "mistake", if you are looking at the overall quality of an individual through this virtual world, you should have to take into account everything that happens throughout the process.
Aside from the aspects mentioned above, you also have to keep in mind that technology continues to change, but individuals do not. Those who are not "tech savvy" would, in all actuality, be struggling with a concept like this. It may leave behind very qualified individuals based solely on their lack of technological understanding.
To answer the overall question, I do not believe that a company can get a quality interview with a candidate using a virtual world such as Second Life. I just feel that it is not personable enough to help an employer make such a serious decision. There seem to be both advantages and disadvantages of the virtual interviews, but I personally feel that the latter of the two would be the case more often than not.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Persuasion In Writing
"Letter from Birmingham Jail", written on April 16, 1963 by Martin Luther King Jr., was done so following a peaceful protest against segregation. King wrote this while serving time in the city jail in Burmingham, Alabama. Eight Alabama clergymen made statements about how his activities were "unwise, and untimely". They believed that he was an extremist, and although was non-viloent in the things that he was doing, believed that they were uncalled for. The clergymen "agreed that social injustices were taking place but expressed the belief that the battle against racial segregation should be fought solely in the courts and not taken onto the streets". King was arrested because of the Civil Rights activities that he was staging and taking part in, but felt as though he had good reason for doing so.
In "Letter from Birmingham Jail", King attempts to persuade readers to understand why he was doing the things that he was, and to ultimately get them to believe that he was not in the wrong for his actions. He uses elements of persuasiveness such as the appeal to reason, to character, to emotion, and through style. He only wants everyone to see that nothing is being accomplished by sitting back and letting the system go on as it is, and therefore something needed to be said. King clearly was very persuasive in his writing.
With this, I began searching for Marketing related jobs that may have persuasive job descriptions. I found a company in Charlotte, North Carolina, very close to where I live, called F.P. Marketing Inc. This company specializes in working with clients in the service industry, with a unique approach to marketing Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. Their vision, enviornment, and approach all seem to paint a very pretty picture of the outcomes expected from employees in their company; overall seemingly persuading individuals that their company would be the best to work for given this particular business.
The particular job description that I viewed was titled "Sports Minded Sales and Marketing Managers" but wasn't nearly as complex of a persuasion as King's letter seemed to be. The description didn't go into much detail as to what benefits the job offers, however, it did point out how the top individuals in the company have such great backgrounds only stemming from their involvment in the company.
There were some similar elements between the two, but not as many as I had expected. It seemed that they were on two different levels of persuasion that were not easily compared. However, it was made clear, in both, how persuasion in writing is very important in order to get the point across to the specified audience.
In "Letter from Birmingham Jail", King attempts to persuade readers to understand why he was doing the things that he was, and to ultimately get them to believe that he was not in the wrong for his actions. He uses elements of persuasiveness such as the appeal to reason, to character, to emotion, and through style. He only wants everyone to see that nothing is being accomplished by sitting back and letting the system go on as it is, and therefore something needed to be said. King clearly was very persuasive in his writing.
With this, I began searching for Marketing related jobs that may have persuasive job descriptions. I found a company in Charlotte, North Carolina, very close to where I live, called F.P. Marketing Inc. This company specializes in working with clients in the service industry, with a unique approach to marketing Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. Their vision, enviornment, and approach all seem to paint a very pretty picture of the outcomes expected from employees in their company; overall seemingly persuading individuals that their company would be the best to work for given this particular business.
The particular job description that I viewed was titled "Sports Minded Sales and Marketing Managers" but wasn't nearly as complex of a persuasion as King's letter seemed to be. The description didn't go into much detail as to what benefits the job offers, however, it did point out how the top individuals in the company have such great backgrounds only stemming from their involvment in the company.
There were some similar elements between the two, but not as many as I had expected. It seemed that they were on two different levels of persuasion that were not easily compared. However, it was made clear, in both, how persuasion in writing is very important in order to get the point across to the specified audience.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Ten Years From Now...
Its hard to imagine what life will be like ten years from now. At times, I feel so caught up in my life right now that imagining what next week will be like seems to be a difficult task! It seems like life is a whirlwind; constantly moving, staying way too busy, and feeling like you never get to catch your breath! At this point in my life, imagining the future is somewhat scary! I say everyday that I can't wait until I'm done with school and actually have a career, but actually sitting down and thinking about it makes me rethink my rushing it to be over! When I do finally finish, I'm going to be on my own, and that's the reality that will be hard to face! No more money from the parents every week, no more partying every weekend, no more sleeping in on days I have late classes, no more of the way college life is in general! Its going to be work everyday, supporting myself and having responsibilities that I'm not used to having! But, even so, its all a part of growing up, and in ten years, I imagine a good life!
Ten years from now I want a lot of things. I want to have a successful career doing things that I truly enjoy. I want the type of job that I actually look forward to getting up and going to every morning, but not the kind that overtakes my life. I'm planning on graduating with a degree in marketing so I assume something in that field will be where this wonderful job will be, but that's not all I want as far as a job goes! I've always wanted to be a cosmetologist and hope to be able to have a salon of my own one day. This won't necessarily be a full time affair, but I would love to be able to do it on the side. Clearly this would come after my career in the marketing field took off seeing as how money would be in high demand to even begin thinking about starting something like that!
In ten years I also want a wonderful personal life. I want to find and marry the man of my dreams and spend a few years with it being just the two of us. Then I want to have a family. I want kids, not sure how many, but I'm guessing that this will be determined by the first one!! I want the picture perfect family, the one that everyone wishes they could have. I want to be able to be completely involved in my kids' lives and be a wonderful mother to them, as well as wonderful wife for my husband. I will be completely devoted to my family; they will definitely be my first priority in life!
Overall, I imagine my life to be fantastic in ten years, or I hope it is at least! Happiness, with every aspect of a persons life, seems to be lessening in today's world, but I hope for the complete opposite. I have learned by watching others, and through my own experiences, that life is too short to be unhappy. Ten years from now I want to be living the life of my dreams, but I also want to look back on the previous ten years with absolutely no regrets and all smiles. In ten years, I hope to have accomplished all of the things that I mentioned above...and more!
Ten years from now I want a lot of things. I want to have a successful career doing things that I truly enjoy. I want the type of job that I actually look forward to getting up and going to every morning, but not the kind that overtakes my life. I'm planning on graduating with a degree in marketing so I assume something in that field will be where this wonderful job will be, but that's not all I want as far as a job goes! I've always wanted to be a cosmetologist and hope to be able to have a salon of my own one day. This won't necessarily be a full time affair, but I would love to be able to do it on the side. Clearly this would come after my career in the marketing field took off seeing as how money would be in high demand to even begin thinking about starting something like that!
In ten years I also want a wonderful personal life. I want to find and marry the man of my dreams and spend a few years with it being just the two of us. Then I want to have a family. I want kids, not sure how many, but I'm guessing that this will be determined by the first one!! I want the picture perfect family, the one that everyone wishes they could have. I want to be able to be completely involved in my kids' lives and be a wonderful mother to them, as well as wonderful wife for my husband. I will be completely devoted to my family; they will definitely be my first priority in life!
Overall, I imagine my life to be fantastic in ten years, or I hope it is at least! Happiness, with every aspect of a persons life, seems to be lessening in today's world, but I hope for the complete opposite. I have learned by watching others, and through my own experiences, that life is too short to be unhappy. Ten years from now I want to be living the life of my dreams, but I also want to look back on the previous ten years with absolutely no regrets and all smiles. In ten years, I hope to have accomplished all of the things that I mentioned above...and more!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Web 2.0
This video was very excentric in many aspects. From beginning to end there was never a "dull" moment, and I felt as though you couldn't miss a second of it in order to fully understand. However, on the same note, the video seemed to present the information or "get the point across" in a very simplistic way. I believe that the title of this particular video is suggesting the importance of the internet to society as a whole, and how simple, yet complex it can be. The "Web 2.0" seems to be a general title for the overall technological phenomenon. I completely agree with another student's comment on this video speaking of how the "2.0" is a very small number which only suggest that it will become larger as time goes by and as technology advances. You see this with numerous computer-related things such as versions of programs as well as different types of software. Beginning with "Web 2.0" somewhat forshadows the potential complexity of this everchanging phenomenon that seems to rule our lives. From "2.0" it can only go higher as time goes by.
I believe that Web 2.0 affects someone who is ready to enter the workforce in a few ways. It clearly can convey to them most all of the imformation that they would possibly need regarding pretty much anything at all. On top of that, entering the workforce with this type of technology at your fingertips can clearly make your job much easier with all of the attributes that things such as the internet provides. Employees can complete task, communicate, research, almost anything you can think of, at a very fast rate with the aid of this tool. As for individuals who are already in the workforce, the same may apply. However, with the everchanging developments in technology, someone who is already a custom to doing things a certain way, may have difficulty "learning the ropes" of such a futuristic system. The internet, and technology in general, can be a frustrating concept to grasp, especially when one is already set in their ways. But I do believe that the benefits would far outweigh "consequences" to using such a system.
When they say that we will have to rethink everything, I think they are meaning that we shouldn't "set in stone" the way things are right now. Technology changes daily, and advancements seem to be made by the minute, so getting completley used to something one way is not an option. This "Web 2.0" seems to be just the beginning and over time will develop into something much more complex, yet useful. The way that things are now will clearly not be the way they are in five years. Every part of your life, personal and professional, will have to be taken into consideration with a system such as this. At this moment in time alone, just about anything can be found on the Web. Just think what it will be like in one year, muchless five. There will have to be a constant "rethinking" on, and in, everyday life as we know it.
I believe that Web 2.0 affects someone who is ready to enter the workforce in a few ways. It clearly can convey to them most all of the imformation that they would possibly need regarding pretty much anything at all. On top of that, entering the workforce with this type of technology at your fingertips can clearly make your job much easier with all of the attributes that things such as the internet provides. Employees can complete task, communicate, research, almost anything you can think of, at a very fast rate with the aid of this tool. As for individuals who are already in the workforce, the same may apply. However, with the everchanging developments in technology, someone who is already a custom to doing things a certain way, may have difficulty "learning the ropes" of such a futuristic system. The internet, and technology in general, can be a frustrating concept to grasp, especially when one is already set in their ways. But I do believe that the benefits would far outweigh "consequences" to using such a system.
When they say that we will have to rethink everything, I think they are meaning that we shouldn't "set in stone" the way things are right now. Technology changes daily, and advancements seem to be made by the minute, so getting completley used to something one way is not an option. This "Web 2.0" seems to be just the beginning and over time will develop into something much more complex, yet useful. The way that things are now will clearly not be the way they are in five years. Every part of your life, personal and professional, will have to be taken into consideration with a system such as this. At this moment in time alone, just about anything can be found on the Web. Just think what it will be like in one year, muchless five. There will have to be a constant "rethinking" on, and in, everyday life as we know it.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Introduction
Hi, my name is Brooks and I'm a sophmore here at Clemson!! I'm a marketing major but really want to go into cosmotology when I finish school!! It has just always been what I wanted to do!! I'm from a small town about thirty minutes south of Charlotte but love to go shopping at the malls in the "city"!! Clemson isn't much different from home; lots of open fields, out in the middle of nowhere!! I love it though!! I have the most wonderful family in the world and am lucky to have ALL of both sides living in the same town!! Needless to say, that doesn't happen much!! My parents are the best that anyone could ever ask for and I love them more than life!! I love warm weather and the beach in the summertime, but I love snow, which we don't see much, too!! My friends mean so much, and I don't know what I would do without them!! Clemson football is clearly the highlight of my year...as it seems to be most everyone else's too!! I used to be the type of person that looked at bad experiences as a horrible chapter in my life, but I've learned that without those experiences I wouldn't be who I am today~ One of my favorite quotes, that I relate a lot too, is a Marilyn Monroe quote:
“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe less so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”
So true, don't you think?! Well, enough of that....now you know a little about me and my life!!
“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe less so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.”
So true, don't you think?! Well, enough of that....now you know a little about me and my life!!
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