finding out what comes next...

Branson and Information Gathering

2008-03-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

This weekend T and I went to Branson for a day of shopping and relaxation before our new arrival joins us. We drove up Friday and left the kids with with my Mom and Dad. This was my first trip to Branson and I was impressed. The outlet mall had two of my favorite clothing stores, Nike and Polo. I got several things for exercise and work and also got my watch fixed at the Fossil store. The kids made out very well as usual, getting lots of stuff for next winter.

The only attraction we visited was this morning. We went through the Titanic museum and I found it very interesting. While Titanic gets most of the historical coverage because of the crash, most of the pictures you see of the gigantic ship are actually of the "sister-ship", the Olympic. Only smaller by a few inches, it was built on the same plans as the Titanic and actually sailed for several years. If it was built on the same plans, how is it smaller? Makes you wonder doesn't it.

The last store we went to this morning before we left was Bath and Body Works. I was NOT happy to go in there as the smells are so strong that I can hardly stand walking in that place. T had to get some hand soap for our bathroom and I knew it was the last store of the trip so I went in. Once at the checkout counter, we paid our bill and before handing us the receipt, the clerk asked us, "do you have an e-mail address?" First, what kind of question is that? Everyone has email. Do you breathe? Do you sleep? 95% of America has email, probably multiple ones. Tia quickly responded that we didn't needed anything and we left to go.

I was floored. I couldn't believe that they would ask that question. Why would you give them that information so easily. However, as I was standing there a teenager at another check-out counter was giving her cutiepie43@yahoo.com address. HELLO! SPAM! Welcome to millions of emails telling you that you need to smell fruity! Why would you do this? I cannot stand companies sending me information about stuff they think I should have. If I want something, I will visit your store or website. If not, leave me alone.

Anyway, I was happy to be able to spend some time with T. We won't be able to do something like that again for a while. Time to head to bed. Sleep well.

Bison Basketball

2008-03-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

Basketball has obviously been a passion of mine for most of my life. Now that I am only left with city league and pick-up basketball, I find myself becoming more and more just a fan. I love watching games on my TV, online viewing the stats, the radio, and most of all live. During the break I had the opportunity to Travel to Memphis and Southaven, Mississippi to watch Harding finish out the regular season and play in the conference championship game of the GSC tournament. I went with several great guys and the trip was very fun.

The guys played Christian Brothers University in both games, which has always provided entertaining games. They play a different style than Harding so the clash of styles makes for interesting discussion to and from the games. In a very brief recap, we lost both games. Their center is a long, smooth player that never really seems to move very quickly or play with a sense of urgency. He is a great rebounder and has a good defensive presence in the middle. The rest of the front line is strong and physical, often getting away with holds and pushes underneath. We played well in both games at times but their slow down style and good defensive rebounding limited our possessions.

Since we did not win the conference tournament, Christian Brothers received the automatic bid to the national tournament. Harding received a 6 seed in the 8 team South Region as an at-large team. We play Tampa later this week in the first round.

I was very proud to be a Bison following the game, even though we suffered the defeat. The commissioner of the GSC talked about both teams and their accomplishments but focused more on Harding. He spoke of the character of the coach, Jeff Morgan, and the players. He spoke of the great atmosphere of the Rhodes Fieldhouse and the Rhodes Rowdies. He spoke of the campus and the great people that are there. What a compliment! It feels very good to be a part of a university and a program that receives such accolades, even in defeat.

Of course I would love for Harding to go far in the tournament this year. I would love to see Matt Hall take this team further than we have ever gone and break a few more records along the way. However, I think that this season has been a success, no matter the outcome.

Geeky Shoes

2008-03-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday ended our "Spring Break" with yet another snow day. While the snow has mostly already melted this morning, it is still 33 degrees according to my Vista gadget. Today I have the kids while Tia and my Mom are off shopping together. The kids are watching some of Toy Story 2 before lunch. Rocky has been on a Buzz and Woody kick lately taking his little action figures everywhere with him. Last night Abi spent the night with Mom and Dad so Tia and I only had one child with us. It is amazing how easy it is with only one of them in tow. In about a month, we will have 3. Hurts the head a little bit. Anyway, we went to Hastings and found nothing worth renting and while Tia walked down to Bath and Body works to look for some hand lotion, I went in to Hibbetts Sports to get something that I was wanting for a long time. I recently got some new running shoes and now needed to get the final piece in order to start using them as they were intended. I purchased the Nike+iPod Sport Kit to go with my Nike+AirMAX180 shoes.

I have spent the morning setting up my account on the website and calibrating the sensor that is now in the shoe. It is really going to be pretty cool. Now I just have to get out and start pounding the pavement again. I have run with my iPod for a long time now and actually have a hard time running without it at this point. Hearing my size 14's hitting the ground and the wheezing coming from my body aren't the best noises to motivate you to trudge forward. If Tia gets home at a decent time this afternoon I am going to try and get my first 3 miles logged. I wonder if blogger has anything to sync with the Nike+ website so that I can post my progress here as well. If they don't, perhaps I can export the graph and then import it here or on Facebook. Either way, I have a new way to keep myself accountable and see how I am doing.

Time to make lunch for the kids...

Spring Break?

2008-03-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

This week, the first week in March, is Harding's Spring Break. While almost half of the semester is over, this week has been anything but spring like. Saturday and Sunday topped out at 70 degrees and I thought I was going to be getting in a LOT of golf this week. Monday, it rained all day. Not just a little drizzle. It RAINED. I did read some of a new database book I got, I know geeky, but that was not what I had planned for my Spring Break. As if it couldn't get any worse, Tuesday it snowed most of the morning. This the 4th of March! The kids loved it of course, but golf was looking to be more out of the question. While we got about 2 inches of snow, but the evening most of the snow was gone. Today was again a new day. It ended up being about 60 degrees and I got out and played 9 holes. I actually played pretty well considering there were several soggy spots in each fairway.

The rest of the week should be productive. This morning I spent with the kids while Tia ran errands and then clean and organized the garage before playing golf. Tomorrow I will get some more cleaning and personal things done. I have to go pick up my mom from the airport as she has been in California all week.

My workouts have been going poorly these past few weeks. I have a good plan set up, but I haven't been able to get the discipline in my system to get out and get it done. My shoulder finally is pain free for the first time in a couple months, even when swinging a golf club so I feel like now is the time to start getting in the weight room again.

All in all, a pretty basic entry, but this week has been very relaxing. I should, and will, get a couple of more technical and other things entered before heading back to work.

The Return of the Rhodes Rowdies

2008-02-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

Today at Harding we had our first nationally televised basketball game. Over 28 million homes were able to view the game, however I doubt that we had that many tune in. This game historically has been one that has contributed to being the winner of the Western half of the Gulf South Conference. However this year, the Henderson State team is a "rebuilding year" and does not have a conference win. The game was close in the first half but the Bisons behind a great overall game from Kevin Brown, another solid performance by Jesse Bynum, and Matt Hall being Matt Hall, torched the Reddies in the second half. Everyone got to play, even if just for a minute.

While the game was a victory, the best thing about the whole game was the return of the Rhodes Rowdies. The rowdies have not been as they have been in the past. Attendance is down, cheers are not as in sync, and the atmosphere has been somewhat lacking. Perhaps the Rowdies are in a "rebuilding year"? This game however was not the case. Maybe the cameras had something to do with it. Maybe the historical rivalry between the two teams contributed to the great showing. Could it have been the training and encouragement of one of the original Rowdies, Logan Light, that helped get the them back on track. Whatever the case may be, today was great. While I have always been one of the guys that sits on the other side of the student section and never was a Rowdie, I have always felt like that the atmosphere has been one of the reasons why HU has done so well playing at home.

We only have one more home game remained this year. I hope that the same atmosphere and energy will be felt then as well. I also hope that this will carry over to the next year as well and the Rowdies have returned for good.

Problems create opportunity for learning.

2008-02-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

Being fairly new to the whole teacher gig, I am amazed by the things that students do each day. I currently have 35 students that are enrolled in my Data Management course. This course is not designed for IT people, but for all business majors. I have had students tell me throughout this course both this semester and last they are "not computer people" and that the "computer hates them". However, I think that it is these people that are learning more in the course. These people spend more time and are much more involved in the course than the student who just sits back and either skips things that they don't know or understand. These students, while they may break more things with their assignments, will be the people that will remember many of these things years after they have taken the course. While the student may get frustrated with it, I love when they have problems and want to fix them. It creates such a great opportunity for them to better grasp a concept or to fully teach them more about the functionality of the application.

Anyway, I thought it was something I wanted to write down as I go through this experience. Back to answering questions.

NBA Midseason Report

2008-01-28T10:50:00.000-08:00

I love the NBA. I know many people do not like the 1 on 1 isolation, bloated salaries, and chronic off-the-court issues but I have always been a big fan. While I have never really pulled for any one team exclusively, I generally have always liked the Sacramento Kings in the West and the Celtics in the East. Being that I live closer to this coast at this point in my life, I get to see more Celtics games. This season they are also easy to root for. Since the regular season is half over, I thought I would give my mid point evaluations and give out awards to teams and players.

Most Surprising Team, Portland Trailblazers: When they drafted Greg Oden on draft night, everyone knew that in a few years they would be a title contending team. However, once news of his micro-fracture surgery surfaced, the season was deemed over. I guess no one told the rest of the Blazers. Brandon Roy and his supporting cast that make up the youngest team in the league have played excellent basketball. I still think it will be difficult for them to make the playoffs in the power house of a conference called the West, but that team is one that we should be talking about for a long time.

Most Disappointing Team, Miami Heat: I am a huge Shaq fan. Always have been, always will be. He is the reason I detest Kobe. You don't do the best big man ever that way. Period. His decline this year is not all his fault, but it has been hard to watch this year. The team he has around him, sans D-Wade, is awful. They can't score or defend. I wish something could be done so that the Diesel could go out on top. I am not sure the Heat is where that can happen. Dallas? That sure would be interesting.

MVP of the West, Chris Paul: Who would have thought that the Hornets would be atop the West at this point in the season? Paul is the reason. He is amazing. He can score, defend, and make his whole team better. He's a good guy too.

MVP of the East, Lebron James: Some would argue that Kevin Garnett needs to be in this spot but given the fact that everyone "expected" the Celtics to be that good and he has 2 other HOF players on his team, I give the mid-season nod to the King. His team is bad. When he is not on the court, the offense is poor at best. His scoring in 4th quarters is amazing.

Rookie of the Year, Al Horford: Durant is still a couple of years away from being a great player. His shooting in the past 2-3 weeks has been terrible, leading many to believe that he has hit the "rookie wall". Big Al was ready to play right away coming from a winning school in Florida. He knows what his strengths are and doesn't force things. He could be the next Elton Brand if he continues to work hard.

Most Surprising Player, Hedo Turkoglu: I wish the Kings would have never let this guy go. He can flat out score. This year he is also passing and rebounding well. His game winner yesterday against the Celtics was incredible, although I almost threw something at the TV when it went it. He looks more like the player that should have gotten MAX money, not Rashard Lewis.

Most Disappointing Player, Pick a Knicks Player: Exception, David Lee, Nate Robinson, or Renaldo Balkman. Those 3 play hard every night. The rest of them, including the coach, is a the reason why so many people are turned off by the NBA. This team and franchise should be better than this. It is so disappointing to see how far they have fallen since the glory days of Patrick Ewing.

There you have it. I am especially happy for a couple of other players, mostly because of fantasy basketball stuff. I have done pretty well in both leagues thus far. I just hope that it will continue throughout the playoffs. We now return you to your regularly scheduled broadcast.

The next Google?

2008-01-16T19:57:00.001-08:00

Tonight I watched this segment on 60 minutes that I had recorded on my DVR from Sunday night. I thought it was interesting to hear how analyists are saying the Facebook is the next Google. I wondered if they were going to compare Facebook and MySpace and their differences. I know the Facebook is huge at Harding and MySpace is blocked under the category social/dating. While the interview talked a little about the technology involved, it really focuses on the business aspects of Facebook and the worth of the company. How will Facebook make money? Is it really worth the estimated 15 Billion dollars? I guess only time will tell.

To Certify or Not To Certify, That is the question?

2008-01-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

I recieve at least one question a week from students regarding certifications and what cert that they should pursue. As with almost every technology related question, the answer is "depends". No, not the diapers for adults, but it really does depend on multiple factors. I plan to use time during one of the Business Information Technology Students, BITS, meetings this semester to give a presentation over this topic but thought I would get the ball rolling here with some of my findings at this point.

Who should certify? My personal opinion on this matter is that all "techs" should have a certification of some kind. While demonstrating ones abilities is important in the world, it is important to have a piece of paper that says you have completed all of the necessary requirements to be "X" certified. This does not prove anything by itself but it does complement experience in a very positive way. I don't think that possessing a certification can hurt you in any way.

What to certify in? This is where many people, especially inexperienced people, do not know in which direction to turn. I would say that the first thing you need to consider when considering a certification is to talk to your supervisor about the directions he/she thinks you should pursue. While you may not agree with their advice, obtaining a certification in an area you boss thinks is the right direction will only help you. If you plan on staying with the organization for a while, this is probably even more important. If you have their "blessing", they may pay for study aides, give you time to study or work towards your cert during work time, and/or give you an incentive in terms of pay to add this cert to your resume. How cool is that?

If you do not know which certification is right for you or are looking for a cert to get you in the door, a non-vendor specific cert may be the way to go. In doing this, you get a broad scope of a area rather than focus on a particular hardware type or company. For example, don't get Cisco Certified if you are not planning on going into networking. Certifications, at least the ones that are worth something, will make you earn them. Don't waste your time, effort, or $$$ on something that will not benefit you in multiple ways in the long run.

How do you certify? Blood, sweat, and tears. Really, there are several options to do this and each deal with an inverse relationship between time and $$$. Previous experience and knowledge also pay a big part in these as well.

The cheapest option that takes probably the most discipline and time is self-paced study. This is done by getting a couple of books related to the subject, practice exams, and lots and lots of note cards if you learn like me. This method IMO is best utilized if you have a study partner. Just like exercise, having someone to encourage and push you to achieve a goal is much easier than doing it alone. I also feel like you probably will learn the material the most in this method. The drawback is that it is much more difficult to teach yourself and you still have to take care of all of your obligations in life during this as well.

The most expensive option that take little time other than the course is a boot camp. Boot camps are not lots of push ups and running at 5am. They are intense, but only on the mind. My MCSA boot camp actually made me gain weight! These courses are designed to get an individual prepared for the exams and then to take the exam during the time you are there. The end result for the majority of these people is the certification before you leave. This can be a good option however there is a caveat to this. If you do not have a good amount of knowledge AND experience PRIOR to going to one of these types of courses, you WILL struggle. If you do pass, your certification will be worth much less than someone that actually knows their stuff. If may help you to get a job, but if all you know is the answers to the test questions, you may be looking for another job rather quickly.

There are other courses out there that are not boot camps that can aid in getting certifications, but their purpose isn't necessarily to get the certification. These are designed more for individuals that desire both knowledge and the cert. After the course, some self-paced study is required but it is something that is easier if you took good notes during the course.

Questions? Comments? I will sharing more things related to our IT majors during the presentation that will hopefully be during the early part of February.

Welcome to the New Year

2008-01-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

I am excited for this new year to start. I have had a great 2007 and look forward to this year as well. I am archived all of my previous blog entries as I am starting fresh looking into the new year. I have previously used this blog to jot down events in my life, particularly in relation to my health and fitness. As I start this New Year, one of the things that I am going to use this blog for is to communicate happening in my life as well as things that I see that may be of use to others. I am hoping that more people will start to read this as a result. Now I just have to add entries on a regular basis!

This week I am mostly in an organizing mode. I have spent a little time in the office and have tried to slowly get prepared for the new semester but I have a lot of work to do to feel prepared for Spring.

The classes I am teaching for the Spring are as follows:

IT260 - Data Management (2 Sections)
IT312 - Systems Administration
IT410 - IT Project (Capstone)

I am particularly excited to teach the capstone course this semester. This will be my first time to take this course and hope that it will be a successful one. This class is basically a project from start to finish for the students where they utilize many of the skills that have acquired to solve a "real world" problem. These are projects that they will be completing this term.

Website - Creating and enhancing a website for a local dental office.
Networking project - Students will build a Windows 2003 forest that spans a WAN connected by Cisco routers. This forest will have MS Sharepoint 2007, Exchange 2007, and SQL installed and configured as part of the project as well.
Database project #1 - Creating a database and website for the MSDNAA software that is available for all IT students.
Database project #2 - Database for a local landscaping company.

This class will be a lot of work so I am glad that I have taught the other courses previously. I have more to work on today before leaving so I will stop for now. Welcome to 2008.