Tasha's Blog Spot

Home at Last!!!!!!

2007-12-16T07:54:00.001-08:00

Wow.... so, here I am, thinking about this semester as a whole. First of all, I have to speak on my grad school/student experience. On September 4, 2007, I began my career as a first year grad student. I figured it would be just like undergrad, but with more writing (little did I know!). I remember reading over my course syllabi and thinking "okay, I can handle this... I'll get my calendar and begin writing down the times I'm going to study/work each week". I was so organized in the beginning. However, in my organization, I hadn't calculated times that the baby would get sick or my husband wouldn't be home because of night classes. I hadn't alloted time for "reality". So, I quickly learned how to manage my time as I went along, as opposed to trying to plan it in advance. I think I have done a pretty good job, the only time I fell behind was due to technical difficulties with my ISP.

I have learned so much this semester. I now have a much better understanding of IT as it applies to business as well as the economy. The world of IT is an empire in its own right and has become a financial lifeline for America as well as abroad. There are so many aspects and applications of IT that I have begun to reconsider the career path I would like to take. I have been throwing around a few ideas, but have yet to settle on any as of yet. I want to hurry up before I get too deep into my program.

As I have stated earlier, this semester has taught me alot about time management. Moreover, I've learned that I can be a mother, wife, employee, and student all at the same time. This has been a wonderful ride so far and I am looking forward to a successful next semester. Good luck everyone!

Session 15 Reflections

2007-12-16T07:28:00.000-08:00

I found the reading for this week to be very interesting. I enjoyed reading Carr's points of view on the role of IT from a business standpoint. As reflected in my discussion posts, I agreed with certain aspects of Carr's arguement that IT Doesn't Matter.

Outside of the course reading, I made some revisions to my research paper and submitted it, I completed and submitted my website for another course final, I reviewed my grade for my group project participation, and now I am working on my final final! Whew! Can someone say we could use a break?! I have enjoyed this class from the assignments to my classmates and professor. I can only hope for a class like this next semester.

session 14

2007-12-08T07:33:00.001-08:00

This week has been another week of busying myself with all of my "final" assignments. I tell you, it seems that the semester has gotten busier the closer it gets to the end. I am in the middle of completing a website on "Virtualization" in one class and still trying to be an active contributor to my group project for this class.

This week has taught me more about time management and multitasking. I have begun to work on some of my assignments from my job (thankfully, my supervisor is very understanding). I have been able to get a huge amount of my research paper done that way. Now, all I have to do is type it and make it presentable.

This semester has been fun and I am proud of the progress that I am making. However, I am looking forward to a little bit of a break.

session 12 blog

2007-12-08T07:24:00.001-08:00

Session 12 was really about my family. I took a much needed break away from work (and school) to focus on myself and my family. My hubby and I took a trip to visit my mom this week (along with our son). Of course, it was like hubby and I weren't even there because from the minute we stepped in the door (after having been on the road for 5 hours), it was all about "grandma's baby".

I had a wonderful time helping my mom prepare our Thanksgiving feast. This was my first year being an "active" participant in the food preparation process (usually, I'm an active food sampler... lol). I must say, I did an excellent job! I can cook, but I get nervous when I have to cook for more than two people. Everyone cleaned their plates and returned for seconds (and thirds, and next-day plates) so I feel pretty good. Who knows, maybe I'll host Thanksgiving next year and make all of the preparations on my own..... lol, right.

What happened to my session 12 Blog?

2007-12-03T17:36:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if I neglected to post a blog for session 12, but I only see 11 blogs published. Wow... that just goes to show how easy it is to get side-tracked when you have too much going on at once! Well, hopefully missing one blog won't have too heavy an impact on my grade (I'm reaching for the moon!).

So, session 13.... wow... what can I say? This week has been full of "juggling" between building a website, concluding research, continuing research, and anticipating a final exam. As this course is quickly coming to an end, I am feeling slightly overwhelmed (but in a good way) with trying to make sure I am doing everything I can to apply what I've learned to these final assignments. I am also trying to be an active contributor to my group's case study. I am enjoying (have enjoyed) this class immensly. This has truly been a positive learning experience. I never thought that I would be able to handle as much as I have this semester with a job, a husband, a toddler, and school. I know it sounds corny, but this semester has taught me that even the impossible is possible through prayer, self-motivation, and a strong support system.

I wish everyone a straight "A" semester! Now, I must be getting back to my paper!

(End of scene... Enter, session 14.)

I am a week behind!

2007-11-19T18:25:00.000-08:00

Wow!!! Is this really the END of week 11? I don't know how or when, but I seem to have lost a week... (for those of you who read my mini-project for this week, please ignore the fact that I named my document "session10miniproject"... I think I shall blame daylight savings time for my sudden time lapse).

Session 11 (what I really thought was 10 all over again) has served as a "Wednesday" for this entire semester. This session marks the "hump week" of the semester. I have really begun to buckle down and focus on my research paper on Ethical Hacking, as well as being a contributor to my group project. This has been a week of making sense of research materials I've gathered for my paper and actually putting pen to paper to put my work in order. I'd have to say that I've learned alot so far in this course, both from Les as well as my classmates. I am looking sooooo forward to being able to say that I have SUCCESSFULLY completed my first semester as a GRAD STUDENT!!!!

Come on week 12... I'm ready for ya!

I would also like to take the time to wish everyone a very Happy and safe Thanksgiving... for all who are traveling (like myself), be careful on the roadways and take your time! Remember to relax, enjoy your families, and have some fun!!!

session 10....

2007-11-12T18:10:00.000-08:00

Chat bots are.... interesting...
Santa told me my list was getting longer and longer after asking for only one item.
A.L.I.C.E. is probably still talking to herself right now.
Ramona told me to mind my own business when I asked what was her birthdate.
SGT STAR was nothing more than an Army brochure at a recruiting station.

I am sure that this technology will continue to develop and improve. For right now though, I think I'll stick to chatting with my live friends and family members.

Nothing much has happened personally this week. My son is continuing to grow and learn (and run!!!). He has mastered the phrase "All Gone!!!" He says this after he's finished his bottle in the mornings.... so cute!!!!! Though it sounds more like "Ahhhhh Guuuu!", I know what he is talking about, and it's still soooo cute!! I'm so glad he's not a bot!! :-)

Feeling Fine with Number Nine!!!!

2007-11-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Hello All!

Class this week was geared toward "teamwork" and tools for making online collaboration successful. I learned about some tools that I have yet to experience. I would like to get my feet wet with WebEx and SharePoint. As I mentioned in my posts, I have only had experience with WLM, NetMeeting, and Tivoli. Session 9 has geared me up to assist my "6 Sigma" classmates in any way I can so that our group project will be a total success!!! I am looking forward to working with each of you!

On a personal note, I am learning a lot on my new job! I received my second "QA" today, it was an 88.50 ( I earned 100 points out of a possible 113). My first "QA" was a 92.80! Though my score dropped a bit from the first to the second, I understand my mistakes. Thankfully, they were not "troubleshooting" issues. My deductions came from not following the "call script" exactly as written. I have my own way of retrieving information from customers, and of getting information to the customers. At the end of the day, I am providing great customer service and I am resolving my customers issues.... Therefore, I am happy :-)

Aside: Les, I thought you might appreciate my Current Events post this week. For some reason when I read it, I had an "Aha!" moment... I just knew that was my article! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I would love to see the results of such an assignment.

Is this where I submit my MIDTERM???

2007-10-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

Oh boy! This has been an extremely busy week for me! The majority of this week has gone toward completing my midterm for another class. It wasn't very difficult (thank goodness!!), but it was very time consuming!!! There were alot of "definition"-type questions, which of course required research, which in turn meant "reference list".... we all know how that goes. I am just happy to have completed it, and I hope that I did well because I did my best.

On a personal note, the week seemed to go by in a blur! I had oral surgery (OUCH!!!) on Wednesday... thankfully, I was put to sleep for the procedure. I was a big dish rag for the rest of that day up until Friday. I was in a little pain on Friday, but my son (whom I refer to as my "sun") made the pain disappear when he decided to take his first steps!!!!!! I was videotaping him because it just so happened that Friday was his 10-month birthday. I was recording him playing with his dad when all of a sudden, he just started walking. It brought tears to my eyes (I never realized how sensitive a new parent could be). I pulled out my cell phone and recorded a few clips of him walking so that I could send them to friends and family. ..... YAAAAY Elijah!!!!!

I really enjoyed the class discussions this week. I had actually considered E-commerce as a major field of study at one time. My interest was also piqued in the area of the "internet sales tax". I know that certain online products are already taxed. However, I agree with a few of my fellow classmates who stated that products ordered online should be taxed in accordance with the seller's state tax laws.

Lucky Number Seven!

2007-10-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a safe and knowledge-filled week. Class this week took on a mostly business feel. I learned about different approaches (some more successful than others) that organizations have taken (CRM) and are taking (ERP) in the name of maximizing overall productivity.

My eyes were opened to just how far the arms of technology stretch into society. I had no idea that technology was playing a part in environmental preservation. With the introduction of the "Green Laptop", who knows just how far "GreenTech" will go. I admire people who get out and make a positive difference in the world. I would have loved to have been a part of the team who developed the environmentally-friendly laptop!!

Well, I must go and prepare myself for tomorrow. Take care everyone... Hello Week 8!!!

Is it just me?

2007-10-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

Wow... The time sure seems to be whizzing by! I have to say, this week (I have been put into a new queue at work... helpdesk analyst) I have become very familiar with the Blackberry Desktop Manager. I am thinking that I should invest in a Blackberry, just so I will know exactly what the users are talking about when they call me about their "activate enterprise" icon. This has been an interesting week. I am dog tired, but I am enjoying every learning opportunity I get! I was wondering if anyone could recommend any packages that I should look into when I shop around for my BB (blackberry)? I would like to play around with it and see what all the fuss is about.

Class this week touched on a sensitive subject for me, Identity Theft. I have been the victim of Identity theft. I can say that I am still a victim because my credit is still scarred from it. To all of my "credit-savvy" classmates, how can a person who has been the victim of an Identity fraud repair damage that has been done to his or her credit?

I look forward to your responses... I hope everyone has had a lovely ride so far... Week 7 here we come!!!!

Week 5, All the Way Live!!!!

2007-10-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

(above) My Simpson's avatar

How are all of my fellow classmates doing? I am finally back online and loving it! There is nothing like being able to work from the comfort of your own home. I am not sure what the problem was with my computer, or why I was "kicked off" of the Internet for the past week. The technician said that part of the problem was the number of connections that I had going to the computer and I had a modem that I did not need. The tech also suggested that I clean my system. I need to do some back ups and take my computer in for a "refresh", it does run rather slowly. I would really like to get a new computer. Any suggestions?

This week, I really enjoyed reading the responses to the "Privacy vs. Security" discussion. Some of my classmates really made some thought-provoking arguments to support their positions. Even positions that I didn't totally agree with were argued in such a way that I could actually put myself in that classmate's shoes. I don't really believe there is such a thing as privacy where government is concerned. I feel that we are given just enough security to make us feel as though we have a right to privacy. The discussion board this week has been quite an eye-opener for me.

Week 4 Reflections... Cheers to Les!!!

2007-10-03T15:58:00.000-07:00

This week has been very interesting. As some of you know (6 Sigma and Les), I have been experiencing technical difficulties with my internet service. Hopefully, my issue will be resolved soon. Nonetheless, I have been blessed to have good friends who allow me into their home to "take over" their computer in the evenings. They have even extended the offer for me to bring my son with me to their house while I do my work. I have learned that pride will hold you back everytime. I say that because when I lost my internet service, I tried to just deal with it all by myself. I was panicking about not being able to turn in my work and not really having the luxury of going out to a library to do my work. I was stuck and frustrated and I just kept it to myself.

It's funny that Les was the person who actually motivated me to ask for help. I explained to him in detail the problems that I was experiencing. I emailed all of my professors from my phone and explained the situation to them. I had one professor say "do the best you can, thank you". Another gave me a lecture about student responsibility and the reason he runs his class the way he runs his class. But Les actually responded as a human being. His response was didn't appear to be "scripted" or generic. His response gave me the push I needed to get over myself and my computer and realize that all I have to do is ask for help. I called one of my good friends and just happened to ask her if I could come over to use her computer. I explained my situation once again. She said sure, come on over. I was able to complete alot of work, however, her daughter needed to use the computer for homework so I called it a night and prepared to go home. She asked me if I had finished everything, I told her no but that I would try to see if a supervisor at work would allow me to use the computer the next day. She told me that she had the day of the next day (which is today) and that I could come back. I told her "no can do" because I would have to take care of my son and he goes to bed at 7pm. She simply told me to bring him and he could sleep in her baby's crib. All I can say is I'm blessed to have such good people in my life.

So here I am, in my friend's house, finishing up the work I couldn't get to last night. Thank you Les for being a person (and not a "nanobot" lol!).

I know this has nothing to do with the class, well, in a way it does because it's related to our professor. I am just a firm believer in recognizing the POSITIVE things that people do. We have enough negativity going on in the world today.

On my mind

2007-09-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

I realize that this may not be the place to discuss this topic. However, this subject has been a major part of my life last week (and weeks prior). I have been closely following the story of the Jena 6 and everything that has been taking place in Jena, La. I have been very active in letting my peers and pretty much anyone I come in contact with know what's going on in Jena, La. For those of you who are interested in learning more about the Jena 6 or who don't know anything about them, follow this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jena_Six. There is alot of information out there, but this is a start.

Okay, now, on to my reflections on week two. I will have to say that my "creative bug" is in the process of being re-awakened. Let's just say that a military life does not allow for much creativity. You are pretty much directed to carry out someone else's thoughts and ideas. I enjoy the freedom of thought in this class. I forgot how good that can feel! LOL! When I sit at my computer, I don't feel like I'm doing "work". I simply feel like I'm making a contribution to the class. I have decided that this will be the last time I will be turning in all of my classwork at the last minute! I am struggling right now trying to keep up with a demanding work schedule and working around my husband being in school while I'm home with the baby. It's all a learning process... and what a process!

I enjoy seeing how creative my fellow classmates are! Wow! Once again, I really look forward to working through this semester with everyone.

Reflections on Week 1

2007-09-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Wow, I'm not sure where to begin. Last week marked a few beginnings for me. Aside from becoming a full-fledged graduate student, I began working my first civilian job (since separating from the Navy in May '07) on Monday (9/10). My 8 month old son also started attending daycare (9/10), which was actually more painful for me than it was for him. Also, my husband just began working on his undergraduate degree (9/4) and I have been helping him adapt to life as a first time college student. So, I've been dealing with trying to manage the household schedules as well as balancing school work, work training, and motherhood. I must say that I am proud of myself and my family. We seem to be coasting along right now.

This past week of classes has helped me reset myself to "student mode". It has also helped me somewhat adjust to the online learning environment. I am learning more how things run and operate. I feel fortunate to have the professors and classmates that I have. There seems to be a great deal of comradery among us. I feel that everyone is extremely supportive and motivated. Let's keep it up!

This is only the beginning...

2007-09-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

So far, in this course, I have learned that I am surrounded by many talented and intelligent individuals. I actually feel like the "baby" of the class because I don't have much experience in the IT field. My background is mainly mathematics (although I took more than a few Computer Science/Computer Engineering courses along the way). My interest in computers/electronics goes back to my younger days. I was always taking things apart to see if I could put them back together (in working order, of course). I thought I wanted to be an electronics engineer, but somewhere along the way, my focus shifted solely on computers. I wanted to know how and why computers worked. Now, my interest lies in the inner-workings and security of networks. I know I have a long road ahead of me, but I will be successful at the end.