Friday, July 24, 2009

One last, difficult challenge for class

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.42.70
Current Song - In a Big Country (Big Country)

I'm taking a break from my "blog absence" to let you in on some school developments. This edition of WSN will be tweaked to be SWN to emphasize the school things.

School: I completed my PSY stuff, and just one Humanities assignment. I'm hovering somewhere around a 57%. Here's what the final project consists of:

It is a teaching unit - come up with a topic to teach people about.

Fill out an "objectives" form about the topic - the topic has to be approved beforehand
Write one lecture - 3 pages
Either write one reading, or use something already published - 8 pages
Write an outline of the reading - 2 pages
Create a 20 question multiple choice quiz on the topic
Write out a writing assignment about the topic, plus an outline - 2 pages
Write out another writing assignment (just an essay answer)
Work Cited page - minimum 7 sources
Come up with five more related links about the topic

Yikes!

The instructions include this:
"Feel free to choose a topic that you may have an interest in or some background in."

The topic has to be related to the Humanities, obviously. So, using these two thoughts, I jotted down a list of things that interested me:

Illinois High School Sports (and it's journalism form)
Asperger's Syndrome
Lost Film/Movies
Destination Shortcuts
Illinois Lottery
Blackjack
Abandoned Buildings
Histories of defunct high schools in Illinois

I sent this list to my Humanities instructor, along with a description that I can't seem to find a topic.

After a day-and-a-half of no response, I went ahead and started on "lost film," and had a good idea about what to write about.

I then get this back:

"You need to accept the fact that this is a humanities course. (This is exactly the reason the State of Illinois requires higher ed students to take different types of courses, so that you begin to appreciate what's out there in this big old world.)"

If I get a teacher to spit out "the State of Illinois requires" it must mean I did something REAL terrible.

"You're right, the only topic on the list that is even close to being appropriate is the Movies. But here's a suggestion based on your list-- how sports are portrayed in the Arts."

Okay, so I'll go with "How Sports Are Portrayed in the Arts" then.

Cody + Sports = Easy ... right?

The Mighty Ducks? The Big Green? Field of Dreams? "Centerfield" by John Fogerty? John Tesh? Ancient Olympics?

Back to square one. Sports is a topic I'm interested in, yes. Sports portrayed in the arts is a topic I'm not interested in. I guess this is the only way I can do the assignment. Time is running out.

The instructor posts a Q&A about the final, with this included:

"But how do I come up with objectives if I don't know anything about the topic?

"Obviously you need to teach yourself about the topic before you can teach it to someone else. In other words, you need to do a fair amount of the research before you begin to see ideas for the sub-topics, although what really happens is that it is sort of a back and forth process."

So I need to learn about "How Sports Are Portrayed in the Arts" before I even fill out the SECOND objective form. I was also recommended to do a Google search for "making sense of sports." Turns out that is a title of a book. A book that I cannot acquire in time for the completion of the project.

I have been given three Internet links to try to figure something out ...

http://www.asama.org/index-2.html
http://www.customsportsart.com/
http://www.edgarbrown.com/index.php

I will have no hair on my head by August.



Work: It looks as if the current scheduling arrangement is going to be the status quo. If this keeps up, the possiblilty of filling in at Route 30 seems hopeful. I get another four-day stretch next week. Plenty of time to work on the Humanities thing.

NISB: I was able to send out the many mailings this week. I have heard back from only one school thus far. Not sure what that really meant, however.

I also posted the NISB Master football schedule on the Message Board. This thing helps for the scoreboard and pick'ems, and it's also a guide for the fans. I'm holding on the photo feature for a while, until I get the Humanities thing done.


IF I GET IT DONE!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Homework Home Stretch

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.02.70
Current Song - That's the Way of the World (Earth, Wind and Fire)

A bunch of things to get done before Sunday.

I completed all of my PSY quizzes. I have to write two papers and do a test (15 fill-in-the-blank, 5 essay). I'm going to try to get this done all at once. I will have PSY done completely, before tackling HUM. I have two papers and a final exam for it.

Updated Grades:

PSY - 84.5%

If I omit the two writing assignments, I'll be at an 82%. It may be worth it in the long run in order to catch up with my HUM. If I did one paper, it would be an 83%. I would have to score no lower than a 67% on the last test in order to maintain a B in the class.


HUM - 66.07%

The class asks for a lot of time commitment that I simply do not have. It was the same situation with the Music class I took.


I think what I'm going to do is this:

Monday after work - Write one of the writing assignments (the one on Asperger's!), and begin the test once I'm done with that.

Tuesday afternoon - Complete the PSY test, and therefore the course.

Tuesday night - Writing assignment on poem readings

Wednesday night - Writing assignment on listening to music

Thursday morning until next Thursday night: The Godawful Final


There's no denying that this classwork will be time consuming. Therefore, I am taking an absence from NISB, IHSGD, MySpace, Facebook, This Blog, and all other message board postings until this is all due - on July 31.

Aside of work, I will be concentrating in full to my classwork. Work has been going well lately. I just left the store in record time tonight. I have four straight days off once more this week. I hope it continues the following week :)

So until July 31 - See ya!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

WSN - Your Favorite Hits from ... the Codeman

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.81.07
Current Song - Deacon Blues (Steely Dan)

W - Work
S - School
N - NISB

For those that don't recall.


Work - I just enjoyed four days off of work in a row. My mini vacation started on Monday and ends today at 5:00. I got a lot done in this time off. I just hope that when I come back nothing has changed. Change always happens when I'm gone. I'm working three days this week. I also work on Sunday. After this, I don't know - hopefully four days. But there goes the good paychecks for a while.

School - It's almost done. But I haven't really started on anything yet. I kind of hit a snag somewhere. My PSY grade is still in the B range, but I'm really not looking forward to the rest of HUM. I'm going to try to get all of my PSY stuff done at once (three quizzes, two writing assignments and a test). Then I'm going to try to accomplish as much HUM crap I can.

NISB - It was a wonderful accomplishment trying to get summer stuff done for NISB. I completed nearly 100 letters to the coverage area's ADs and will get them mailed as soon as I can find money for five books of stamps. I'm also in the middle of doing a photo feature. I have half of it done: four sets of pictures have been snapped, three more are needed, plus the writing part of it. Now that the football schedules are all out, I'm going to try to set up the NISB Master Football schedule. That won't be done until after classwork has been accomplished. Other than these two things, the Edgy previews are next.


As I mentioned before, money is going to be a little tight for a while. I can only hope for quick classwork in order to find an extra work day sometime and somewhere. I have a $15 Yahoo payment later next week.

I'm saving up for a bicycle with the rest of the paychecks. There's a LaJolla bicycle at Wal-Mart I'm wanting. Only because the seat is big and it is sturdy enough to hold someone like me. I hope it can do wonders. Once I get the bike, I will save money to get my left-turn light fixed. That's been a problem for almost a year now. I don't have any real necessities after this.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

W-S-N

Cutter's Log - Supplemental

Time for another edition of "WSN" - Just because I'm bored.


WORK: I got next week's work schedule yesterday. Bre is coming back, which reduces my hours. I'm down to three days next week after working five days for over a month. I'll see what I can do with the three days, but if I'm feeling any money effect, I will want to do a fill-in a Route 30 maybe.

I'm working tonight, Sunday night and Monday night. Then I have the next four days OFF. I get these mini-vacations quite often, and I don't know why really.


SCHOOL: I wrote two PSY papers this morning. I have one more paper left, and a unit test to complete by Sunday evening. That means when I get off of work, I will have to work on these two things before sleeping. After this, I can focus on doing a couple of Humanities quizzes before working on papers for it. The days off will help.


NISB: The four days off has created a working period for me. I'm planning on working on my summer projects (the Badminton project, summer mailings, and the 7 Wonders photo feature). I want to get this done and then concentrate on EdgyTim.com football previews.

The four days off is a perfect time for me to get the picture for the 7 Wonders series. Three or four of them do not warrant any kind of permission to snap. The others I think I need advance notice. I hope this plays out well.

Rest In Peace Karen

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.11.70

My aunt Judy's best friend of more than 40 years passed away yesterday. Karen Hull had been battling breast cancer for 20 years.

Karen taught at Central School and Jefferson School in Sterling for over 30 years.

Her obit: http://www.saukvalley.com/articles/2009/07/10/r_yqkm9jq4t2uq9whmp_sjfa/index.xml

Friday, July 10, 2009

Updated Grades

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.01.70
Current Song - Hold Me Now (Thompson Twins)

An update to my PSY Grade from the past post:

Last posting: "PSY: 82% - B- (with one test grade pending)"
Currently: 87.7% B+

I got a 96% on a test.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Lets do THIS ...

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.80.70
Current Song - Poker Face (Lady GaGa)

There are 3 major entities surrounding my life at this time: Work, School, NISB. One is scheduled to end at a set time. The other two I'm hoping to get merged. That gives me some time to do other things and enjoy life.

I'm spending a lot of time toward these three things. The amount of time is so great, that I've had to cut out certain things. I've delayed Illinois HS Glory Days research, abandoned the Turk board (Turkdom kind of interfered), and the usual social banter. This blog, or journal, or diary, or web site, hasn't had a whole lot of posts in it.

So here's what I'm going to do ...

I'm going to make one post a week. Each post will have an update on the three major things, plus some more information if I care to share.

Here goes ...


WORK: The paycheck I'm about to get will most likely be my biggest until quite a while. I have been working 39 hours a week for a month. When Bre gets back I'm probably going back down to 3-4 days a week. I don't mind the 3-4-day thing because it will make me concentrate more on my schoolwork.

I've developed a plan for getting my chores done. Each night I write down a list of chores on a piece of note paper:

Cigs - Sweep - Mop - F. Cooler
F. Ice - Cap - Coffee - Papers
Restrooms - I. Trash - Rugs*
Sandwiches* - Bags* - Lot*
Lotto - Lotto #s - Lotto 7

*If not already done

BTW - F. Cooler means Facing the beer cooler, F. Ice means put ice in the fountain machine, I. Trash means inside trash, Bags means bagging ice, Lotto 7 means printouts of the last 7 lotto draws in each game. Coffee means dump coffee, Cap means clean and fill Cappuchino machine.

Cigs and Cap by 6
F. Ice and I. Trash by 7
Bags of Ice by 8
Papers, Lotto stuff by 10
Coffee, Restrooms, Beer cooler and lotto markdown by 11
Rugs, Sweep, Mop by 12
Cooler and Sandwiches after Closing
Outisde trash and flower watering after Lockdown

I don't think I should have any problem at all if I follow this to a T.

Starting in August I'm off Mondays and Tuesdays. I'm trying to get mid-shift on Fridays, instead of taking the whole day off. Usual reasons.

Possible splitting time between East End and Route 30 in October. Stay tuned.


SCHOOL: As mentioned, my extra time off after this week should help my schooling. I have three PSY writing assignments and a test to do before Sunday midnight. I'm going to try to get some HUM stuff done in this time. Classes end at the end of the month.

Up-to-date grades:

HUM: 75% - C
PSY: 82% - B- (with one test grade pending)

My goal for both courses is a 70% or higher.


NISB: I have a column at the copy desk (dinner table) waiting to be proofread. I haven't been doing F5's because of the increased work time. I think I've got 3 of 5 items lined up for this week. Let's hope I can get 5 by Friday.

I have begun summer mailings with 3 of 91 sent out thus far. I won't do any more until a gap between the end of schoolwork and Sunday midnight comes up. I've got a few audio clips to upload, and a YouTube channel to post by the end of this month. I'm also trying to put together a photo feature of the NISB 7 Wonders.

By the time August rolls around, I want to concentrate on 13 football previews for EdgyTim.com.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Biggest Customer Meltdown Yet

Cutter's Log - Stardate 9002.70.70
Current Song - Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)

I've worked at gas stations since September 2006. I've seen a lot of customers during this time from the entire range of demographics. I can decipher what a customer's attitude will be when I look at their face, their license plate, and what car they drive. Because of this, I prepare for the possible conflicts that arise.

You cannot scare the crap out of me. I'm prepared for it.

Today I had a customer who pulled into the prepay pump. He walks in while I'm with a customer. He throws his credit card across the counter (mind you, I'm in the middle of a transaction), and orders me to start the pump for him.

Here's the problem: Inside registers do not have the capability to store your card information after you swipe it. Unlike a card reader.

Easy solution: SWIPE YOUR CARD AT THE PUMP!!!!

I give the card back to him.

"Can you hold on for a sec, mam ... Sir, it doesn't work this way."

(Imagine the voice of a Alaskan prospector) "It's a prepay pump! I'm prepaying!"

"You can't prepay an unknown amount with a credit card in the store."

"Here, give me that!" - He storms out of the store, and proceeds to move his car to the pump on the other side of the prepay one (this particular pump is not a prepay). Credit card in hand, he proceeds to pump his fuel the old-fashioned way. He comes in and pays with his card.

"Sir, the way it ..."

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU! (SLAPS HANDS ON THE COUNTER) I'VE ALREADY ... (I couldn't make it out) I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM DOING THIS WITH ANYONE ELSE OTHER THAN YOU!"

What really makes this the biggest meltdown is the decibel level of his voice. It's louder than him striking gold. In my head I'm thinking "prospector"

I don't say a word. I just maintain my cool. I give him the signature receipt and his copy. He signs it and walks away.

Meanwhile, a regular is the next person in line. She is absolutely stunned at what had just happened.

"Was he joking?"

"No," I said, smiling. "What happened was ... Have you ever been to pump one, the prepay one? He doesn't know how to use a credit card at the pump." She is amazed on how I can put up with crap like this.

"In the end, what I'm going to remember from this is how much of an IDIOT he is."

This gentleman has been in the station before. He has used a card at the pump before. I was going to mention this, and the fact that he interrupted a customer in the first place before he screamed "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU!" His card was a Shell card, so the "account holds" rule does not apply to his card.

I shrug this off, and write a blog entry about it. I hope he finds this.

The sad part about this whole ordeal is that this happened two days after a robbery took place at our store. (Saturday morning - http://www.saukvalley.com/articles/2009/07/06/42391334/index.xml). The clerk in the middle of the robbery was supposed to work today. I told her I would fill in for her. After all of that, I don't blame her for not wanting to work at night. In addition, her Godfather was murdered a week ago. This ordeal with the prospector would have sent her over the edge.

I can put up with a lot of crap. You just CAN'T phase me.