Finals week!

Its finals week! I can not believe how fast this semester went by. To be completely honest with all of you I wish I had taken more classes so I could have tried to finish school a semester early. I have made a lot of good friends at school even though that was not my intention when I started. I have also noticed that a lot of high school students see college as a continuation of high school, and probably don't take it as seriously as they should. Then again that is their choice to make.

Here is a break down of my finals, and what you could expect if you take these classes in the future.

Intro to Software Applications- 8-11 slides in a power point presentation on the topic of my choice.
Time to complete- Roughly 2 weeks ( Take Home)

Principles of Marketing- No final
Instead of one final we spent the semester working in groups to understand the 4 P's of Marketing.

English 1021- 800-1000 word essay on the definition of a word (word of my choice)
Time to complete- Two class periods. Essay must be written in class!

Interpersonal Communication- 25 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions
Time to complete- 75 minutes. Must be done in class during a predetermined time (different than normal class time).

Today was my last day of Marketing, and Thursday will be my last class day of Software class. Wednesday will be my last class day of Communication, while Friday will be my last day of English. I can not wait for the semester to end! It's not because I don't enjoy school, but I am very eager to get my final  grades! I hope you are all enjoying spring where ever you are!

As always thank you for taking the time to read this. Have a great day!

Spring break is finally here!

The title says finally when in all reality this semester is just flying by for me. I am still really enjoying all of my classes. I only had one midterm out of the four classes, and that was taken on Friday. Tonight I got my grade back and found out I score 45/50 points or 90% I am extremely happy with that grade.
I was kind of waiting to make this post, I was supposed to get my rewrite of my narrative essay and also my compare and contrast paper back on Friday and I was hoping to be able to share some good news. Unfortunately the instructor did not have enough time to grade all of the papers so he ended up not giving any of them back.

I will attach copies of the re-write and the compare and contrast paper. Hopefully on March 25th I will be able to share some news about the grades I received. If you are a student and are on spring break this week enjoy your time off, and try to reflect on the things you have learned so far. If you are reading this and are not attending school yet I promise you the time goes by much faster than you expect it to. No matter who you are or what you're doing thank you for taking the time to read this.

The Birth of a Father

                I can still remember that moment like it was yesterday; walking into St. Johns Hospital at 7:00 AM on April 5^th, 2007 and heading straight for the maternity ward. My wife, Val, was scheduled to have labor induced and, whether I was ready or not, I was going to become a father. Many things were going through my mind as I wondered if I would be a good father or if I could teach new son the right values. I desired to teach Christopher what I considered to be the right values; values such as respecting elders, making sure to say “please” and “thank you”, and always treating women respectfully. One thing was certain; becoming a father was a breathtaking experience that would change my life forever and would help me to mature, alongside my new son.

                Once induced, Val’s labor progressed normally at first. The contractions started and became closer together. She became more dilated and it seemed I would be holding Christopher in just a few hours. That was not the case; after a few hours had passed a complication arose. Every time Val had a contraction, Christopher’s heart rate cut in half. The doctors decided the best course of action would be for an emergency Cesarean section. The doctors reassured us that everything would be fine and in just a few minutes I would be in the operating room, holding Val’s hand and talking to her while we waited to hold our baby boy. My first lesson as a father came to me at this time; to be a father you must be patient.

                My mother-in-law and sister-in-law joined me in the waiting room as emotions began to course through my body. Nervousness, fear, excitement, and worry all set in; I knew Val did not want to have a Cesarean section and it felt like hours had passed before I was finally escorted to the operating room. Walking into this cold, clammy, yet well lit room filled with doctors, surgeons, and nurses, I was horrified by what was revealed to me. Val was lying on the operating table with a tube down her throat, her eyes taped shut while her arms were spread apart and strapped to the table. The anesthesiologist explained to me that the local anesthetics had not worked and that Val had to be put under. I was not prepared to see this, as this was certainly not the way we had expected Christopher to enter the world. My second lesson as a father came to me at this time; to be a father you must be prepared to be surprised.

                A good amount of time passed while I attentively listened to the doctors, nurses, and surgeons talk about a variety of topics while cutting, poking, prodding, and pulling at my wife. The following moment produced the most amazing sound in the world. This was a sound that I could never forget; the sound of my child crying for the first time. Christopher was born healthy with a full head of hair. He seemed to have Val’s eyes and my nose; he was the perfect mixture of both of us. My third lesson as a father came to me at this time; good results are a product of tough decisions.

                The nurse asked me to follow her to the scale in the operating room, and I vividly remember watching her administer three tests. Christopher was tested for his hearing, vision, and APGAR (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration). When the nurse was confident everything would be okay with Christopher, she swaddled him tightly and passed him to me so that I could hold Christopher for the first time. When I received Christopher into my arms, the most amazing thing happened; he stopped crying and seemed to feel so comfortable in my arms. This moment was one I will never forget as I was ecstatic to realize my fourth lesson as a father; there is an instant and unconditional love between Christopher and myself, a father and his son.

                Christopher and I were escorted to the nursery and were greeted by the smiling faces of several friends and family members who were anxious to watch his every move. Nearby, I found a rocking chair where we sat down, and began to talk to each other. I told Christopher of the enthusiasm Val and I had felt in the anticipation of his arrival as well as the joy I felt of becoming a father. This experience seemed surreal. Christopher and I waited anxiously for his mother, my wife, to return from recovery. We both became excited as the time inched by, and we were finally going to be able to see her. When the time arrived for Christopher to meet his mother, I cautiously carried him down the hallway to Val’s recovery room. We walked into a faintly lit room filled with several monitors and several more beeping noises. I could not wait to finally introduce Val to our beautiful son. She was barely awake and seemed to be in a state of panic. Val had so many questions about the delivery and immediately asked to know if there were any complications with the delivery; I answered with a confident “no”. When I finally handed our perfect baby boy to Val, the smile on her face could have melted an ice berg. We were finally able to spend our first moments together as a family.  It was at this time that a fifth lesson occurred to me; good things can happen to those who are willing to wait.

After about an hour, we headed back to our room which was equipped with a television, DVD player, a couch which pulled out into a bed, and a view of the parking lot. Over the next few hours, many of the family and friends who were once watching us in the nursery came to visit the newest member of our family and to also sign the matte that would surround his baby picture, which we would hang in our house.  After visitation was over, a nurse came by and bathed Christopher, got his footprints, and combed his hair. When the nurse had finished, she asked me if I had ever changed a diaper before. I had told her “no” and she had stated she was pleased to tell me the correct way to do so. Practice would make perfect, so she carefully observed my method to make certain I could repeat this after she had left.

After such a long, hectic, and exhausting day, we were ready for bed. It felt like I had been sleeping for a matter of minutes before Christopher awoke for the first time that night. I realized from that point on, there would be many sleepless nights to follow. I also realized that these sleepless nights meant I was a father now and had more to think about than just Val and I. My priorities were to be reorganized, and I learned my final lesson that night. I would be required to do what a good father does for his family and put their needs ahead of his own.

The Battle of The Brothers

                One might expect having two kids would be simple math; caring for one and adding another should equal twice the work. Much to my surprise, this has not been the case. Simple math turned to exponentials and two children created four times the work. I have two boys and the added work, if any, they create depends on the situation. The first is nurturing, sweet, and caring; the second is tough, protective, and self-driven. I had little idea how these two brothers would clash, until Christopher and Lucas’ personalities began to show.

                Christopher, my first, has shown to be a very nurturing, sweet, and caring boy. He is ever ready to help others, whether they are friends, family, or complete strangers. I can recall one particular instance of how Christopher revealed his unique personality to my wife and myself. It began when Christopher’s school was hosting a fundraiser to build a new playground. This was Christopher’s first year of school and he was still very new to kindergarten and the process of making new friends. One day, Christopher came home from school with his usual glimmer of hope in his eyes. He stated he had wanted to help his school build a playground, and was determined to do something to make this happen. I remember Christopher asked his mother, “Mommy can I take some money out of my piggy bank to give to my school?” We were very happy to see the thoughtful side of Christopher’s personality had begun to show. This was easily one of my proudest moments as a father and led me to reflect on my other boy, Lucas.

                Lucas is a tough, rough, and protective child. Often times he does not realize how much stronger he is than his peers and sometimes ends up playing too roughly with his friends while playing. The more I think about Lucas, the more I realize that he has been this way for most of his life. One example of this was at a birthday party. Lucas wanted a turn on a video game, and he shoved an older child so he could get his turn.  Watching Lucas throw another child to the ground was hard to watch. Trying to explain to Lucas why this was wrong was not easy; he sometimes

has difficulty understanding right from wrong and thought this was ordinary, acceptable behavior. As his parents, my wife and I must sometimes remind him to be gentler and to use his manners to get the things he wants, especially when Christopher is involved.

                When Christopher and Lucas are together, a battle is sure to begin. Lucas has no problems with taking things from Christopher just to get his way. Often times he resorts to hitting or yelling in an attempt to get what he wants. This contrasts with Christopher, as he is polite and courteous; Christopher makes sure to use his manners while asking for turns or when we are at the store, and he asks for his favorite treat. One example of my boy’s differing personalities occurred during playtime. Lucas, in what seemed to be his normal behavior, hit Christopher because he did not like what his brother was up to. This is often times exhausting and I tried a new approach; I finally told Christopher to stop waving his white flag and to engage his enemy; I thought this may be their expression of sibling rivalry. I remember fighting with my siblings during many points in my life so I decided to find out how bad this could really get. Christopher hit Lucas, and needless to say, global warfare began spreading throughout the house. Their battle took place in the living room and ended as Christopher retreated to his bedroom, with Lucas in full chase. Lucas thought Christopher wanted to play, and that their fighting was the greatest thing in the world. I figured these boys would limit their rough housing to just a few minutes before they decided it was not fun anymore. This was not the case as I had to break them up, all while waving my white flag as to say “I surrender”! As things calmed down, I explained to Christopher and also to Lucas that this behavior was unacceptable, even while admitting I had encouraged it just minutes before.

                In conclusion, it may be that my boy’s differing personalities will seemingly create endless fights when they are together. I hope that as they grow, they will more often than not find a middle ground to hold a truce long enough to have a few moments of peace. And as I reflect on this, I can remember the many times that Christopher will read books to Lucas. I also think about the times they walk around together at the zoo or even Mall of America

and holding each other’s hand. Often times they look like the sweetest brothers anyone has ever seen. I have realized over the past few years that their never ending war is a basic math problem; it is a product of two boys who have many things in common mixed with many things they do not. These boys will be sure to have more and more moments which are peaceful, as they grow to understand each other more. Those moments will certainly make me the happiest father alive as I have also grown to understand that amongst all their squabbling and rough housing, these boys will love each other unconditionally with their realization that they are each other’s best friend and only brother.

My spirit was crushed today!

 School has been going really well for me. I have been staying on top of my homework and even working ahead in some classes. I have a 90% grade or above in each class until  today. Today my spirits were crushed. I wrote a narrative essay on having Christopher. I had my wife and even a few friends proof read it along with getting help from the writing center. I felt great about the paper; until I got it back today. Here is a copy of the paper I turned in.

The Birth of a Father

I can still remember it like it was yesterday. We walked in to St. Johns hospital at seven a.m. on April 5^th, 2007, and headed straight for the maternity ward. My wife, Val, was scheduled to have labor induced. I was going to be a father; this was going to happen whether I was ready or not. A lot of things were running through my mind. Would I be a good father, could I teach my unborn son the right values? I wanted to be able to teach my son all of values that should be instilled in all young men: respect your elders, say please and thank you, and treat women with the highest standards. One thing was for sure; becoming a father was a breathtaking experience that would change my life forever by forcing me to grow up and become a parent.

Once induced, Val’s labor progressed normally. The contractions started, she became more dilated, and the contractions became closer together. Hours later there was a complication, the baby’s heart rate dropped with every contraction. The doctors established the best course of action would be an emergency C-section. I was reassured everything would be fine, and that in a few short minutes; I would be going to the operating room and talking with Val while we waited to hold our baby boy. I just needed to be patient.

I waited restlessly in our room with my mother, mother in law, and sister in law. I had so many emotions flowing through my body. I was nervous, scared, excited, happy, and sad. I knew my wife didn’t want to have a C-section, and I was concerned with how she felt about the situation. It felt like hours had passed before I was finally guided to the operating room. The room was cold, clammy, well lit, and filled with doctors. I was horrified by what I saw, Val was lying on the operating table with her eyes taped shut, a tube in her throat, and her arms spread and strapped to the table. The anethistesologist explained to me that the local anthistetics didn’t work and that Val had to be put under. A Warning would have been nice because I was not prepared to see that, and it certainly wasn’t the way we had expected our son to enter the world.

I am not sure how much time had passed while I listened to these nurses, doctors, and surgeons talk about everything under the sun while they cut, poked, prodded, and pulled at my wife. And then I heard the most amazing sound in the world; it was a sound no parent will ever forget, the sound of my son crying for the first time. Christopher was born healthy with a full head of hair and He had her nose and my eyes he looked like a perfect mix between Val and me.

I followed a nurse to the scale in the operating room and watched as she administered several tests, hearing, vision, and APGAR (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration). Everything seemed to be fine with Christopher, so the nurse swaddled him and handed him to me. This was the first time I was able to hold my baby, the baby I had spent the last nine months talking to, singing to, and watching move around in my wife’s stomach. The moment I took him into my arms the most remarkable thing happened Christopher instantly stopped crying and seemed so at ease. The unconditional love felt between Christopher and myself was such an incredible feeling.

We were escorted to the nursery where we were greeted with many smiling faces watching our every move. I sat in a rocking chair and talked. I talked about his mother, the eagerness we had both felt in anticipation of his arrival, the joy I felt being a father; it all seemed so surreal. Christopher and I waited anxiously while my wife, Christopher’s mother, was in recovery; after some time had passed, we were finally given the opportunity to go see her.

I cautiously carried Christopher down the hall way to Val’s recovery room. I walked in to a faintly lit room full of monitors and beeping noises. Val was barely awake and almost seemed in a panic mode. She had so many questions about his health and if there were any unexpected complications during delivery.  Confidently, I told Val that everything was fine and showed her our perfect baby boy. The smile on Val’s face when she saw Christopher for the first time could have melted an ice berg. We were finally able to spend our first moments together as a family.

We headed back to our room equipped with a T.V., DVD player, a couch that pulled out into a bed, and a view of the parking lot. Over the next few hours a lot of family and friends came to visit the newest member of our family, and to sign the matte that would surround his baby picture we would hang in our house.  After visiting was over, a nurse came in and bathed Christopher, got his footprints, and combed his hair. When our nurse had finished, she asked me if I had ever changed a diaper before. When I told her no, she was pleased to tell me the correct way to do it, watching meticulously to make sure it was done properly.

After such a long, hectic and exhausting day, we were ready for bed. It felt like I had been sleeping for a matter of minutes before Christopher awoke for the first time that night, and I knew from that point on there would be many sleepless nights to follow, but also that the sleepless nights meant I was a father now and had more to think about than just Val and myself. My priorities had to be reorganized and I needed to start putting my family first.

Here is what I got back......

 Let me give you all a piece of advice when you go to school if you haven't started yet. Take all of your work serious. Read your written assignments out loud to yourself and take advantage of all of the resources you have available to you. I probably could have avoided this F had I payed closer attention to my sentence structure....

5th week in school

Things are progressing great for me in school. I find myself doing my best still which is a plus although I have gotten worse at staying on top of my homework. I have begun to like all of my classes including my composition class which I previously was not a fan of. There has been a lot of reading involved in school so far. My marketing class gives be about 4-5 chapters a week to read as well as a group capstone project which will be a majority of my grade. Interpersonal Communication is teaching me a lot about the way we all communicate with each other and some helpful tip on communicating with people in general. Intro to Software Applications is very enjoyable for me still. I find myself working ahead just because I enjoy the work so much. I have learned a ton about Microsoft office so far and have already been applying the things I have learned to the papers I write for COMM.
 We were recently given an assignment to write a short paper on a metaphor. Mine was chosen to be read in front of the class today and it was received very positively today. I figured I would share that paper with all of you.

Roller Coaster

                I’m on this ride full of climbs to the highest peak only to be plunged down to the earth’s surface. Just when I think I am going to crash helplessly to the ground a sweeping turn flings me back to the tracks I was effortlessly gliding across in the first place. My life is a roller coaster.

                Before I get on this ride, I contemplate the risks and the excitement of the adventure. Will the end result be worth the price of admission? I quickly decide to take on this troublesome experience in hopes that the end result will nothing short of magnificent. I’ve sat down and been buckled in as I wait for the ascent to start. Each moment of this climb to the top has a methodical clink every time I make a gradual step to top. Just when I think I’m at the top of the world and nothing can stop me I am hurled to the ground only to recognize I had just peaked in that moment. Right before it seems as if I was meant to crash and burn, the rails I am riding on make a graceful curve as if this was planned. My path has been rerouted to a point that is controllable as I begin to make another climb to the highest point of the ride. Only to be sent into a downward spiral before it looks like I can stay on top just a little bit longer.

                My life is a roller coaster filled with crests that I want just another minute on top of. A moment to feel like I am on top of the world and that there is absolutely nothing that can stop me from achieving my goals. Then I realize that one peak is just a portion of my goal, just a small fraction to get me to the end result of complete jubilance, the time at which I have conquered my world. No matter how many ups and downs there are I gripped the rails tightly and refused to let go of my dreams. I am the one in control of this roller coaster and no carny or ride operator can tell me when my time is up. I make that choice, I create my own destiny.

I am open to all criticism. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Hopefully things are going well for all of you. Until next week.......

It's my third week

I am in the middle of my third week of school, and while the homework load has picked up significantly I still find it quite manageable. At the start of this week we had a key term quiz for interpersonal communication as well as some group stuff. It almost seems like we are doing a chapter a week in there. Composition.... ugh
Composition is one of those classes that you enjoy because you like the topic being covered, but at the same time you dread doing the work. On Monday we had to prepare two thesis statements for our narrative essay. I wrote mine as the teacher walked into class which is a habit I would love to avoid.
Thesis statement 1
Becoming a father is a life changing event. It made me realize that I need to reorganize my priorities and start putting my family first.

Thesis statement 2
Becoming a part for the first time is an exhilarating experience that introduced me to so many new things. Things like diapers, midnight feedings, and losing a lot of sleep...
The rough draft for this paper is due today, so I wrote mine yesterday in about 40 minutes. All of our papers are supposed to be 800-1000 words. It seems hard at first but after a while I was already at 922 with out being conscious of it.
Tuesday brought intro to software applications, and principles of marketing. I really like both of these classes, something about them just feels right. Intro to software applications is pretty easy so far we are currently working in word. There is a little home work for this class but it's not to bad at all.
Principles of marketing- this is a fun one. On Tuesday we broke into groups to begin our capstone project. The plan is to get a team together that will build a marketing plan for this generic product. I had originally signed on to be the designer/creative person, but as no one chose to be the writer I opted to do that instead. I gotta get headed out the door to bring my kids to daycare and to go to class. I will leave you with a little video I find quite humorous. Have a good day!

My second day in school

Today started like any other day, got up and got ready for school, woke my kids up and got them ready for school and it was out the door we went. As I drove down 94w I noticed quite a traffic build up so I took the next exit and planned an alternate route to daycare. That route was also full of standstill traffic and I hit panic mode! Thoughts of walking in late to my first day of Intro to Application Software kept going through my head. I never imagined being late for any classes and thought I would be embarrassed if I were. I couldn't help but look at the clock in my car and try to guess what time I would finally arrive at school.
 After I dropped my kids off I quickly checked twitter and saw a traffic update from Kare 11. I found out there was an accident on 35e N that had shut the freeway down a few miles before the exit I needed. I had to plan another alternate route, but there aren't any as fast as 35e to 36 to get to school. I hopped on 94e and exited on Century ave and tried my best to get to school on time. I had made it to the parking lot with 10 minutes to spare which isn't much when the parking lots at school are a mess and cars are packed in like sardines in a can. I took the first spot I found and hustled into the building.
 Walking in the hallways were quiet and empty which was quite a change from yesterday. I had about 8 minutes to make it to class on time, a class that I had never been to, and a room that I never bothered to find prior to today. As I walked down the empty corridor watching the room numbers I couldn't help but be paranoid that I would walk in a few minutes late. Finally I was close to my classroom, now to find it. Turning left here and right next and..... that is not my class room. How could I have missed it? There were a couple of students walking who were looking for the same class as me, however they were smart enough to stop and ask for help. I gingerly followed them while watching the time hoping I would make it.
 I walked into class with 5 minutes to spare and took a sigh of relief. The professor greeted me by holding a roll of toilet paper and saying "take how much you think you'll need." Confused I ripped off a few squares as I awkwardly found a place to sit. Later in class she revealed that the toilet paper was an ice breaker, the number of pieces you ripped off determined how many things about yourself you had to tell the class. I had 5 here are the things I told them.

• I have been married for almost 8 years.
• I have 3 children
• This is my first time in school in ten years
• I write a blog where I interview athletes who are on twitter
• I am majoring in Marketing Management

This class was full of a lively group who seemed to have fun, and I really think I am going to enjoy it.

 My next class was Principles of Marketing and just right up the hall from my first class. There were about 4 students from my software class who were also in this one. Lynn (the professor) talked briefly about the syllabus and what would be expected of us, and what we can expect of her. After that we had to "market" ourselves to the class. This is a class that will be mostly team based so the purpose was to let the others know what they were in for had you ended up on their team. It was a really interesting exercise that gave you the chance to get to know your classmates in a non typical form. I can already tell that this will be my favorite class of the semester.

 I will write again on the weekend if time permits otherwise it will be between classes on Monday. As always thank you for taking the time to read, have a great day!

My First Day!

 I will update this through out the day as I complete classes!

 My first day started off like any other typical day, I got up and got the kids breakfast, dressed, and ready for school, but I couldn't help wondering what my first class was going to be like! It was interpersonal communication. Would I need to use a computer during class? Would there be homework? Is there a chance I will know one of the 40 students in the class? Will I get lost in the West campus trying to find my class rooms?
 I sat around the house waiting to bring my two youngest kids Lucas and Caitlyn to daycare so I could officially start my first day. I put my coat on about an hour before I needed to leave and double checked my backpack to make sure I had everything I would need. Pens, notebook, planner, course books yep it's all in there.

 I just finished my first class Interpersonal Communication. It was not quite what I was expecting but it did remind me of being back in high school. There are about 40 students in the class from what seems like all walks of life. We were given our first homework assignments; read the syllabus by our next class (Wednesday) and read the first chapter of our text book by Friday. I plan to do both of them today after I get home from picking the kids up from school, although I am sure it will take me a few days to read the textbook chapter with all of the other things going on with my kids. PS as far as double checking my backpack and making sure I had everything I overlooked the notebooks. I didn't need one for my first class today, hopefully I won't need one for my second class that starts at 1:00pm


 My last class of the day was composition, man the hallways at school get crowded when one class gets out and there is a hoard of people waiting to get into a classroom! I get this feeling composition is going to be a difficult class, but also a great class for developing and also fine tuning my writing ability. I found myself with three short stories to read for that class by Wednesday, I plan to do that after my kids go to bed tonight. I was able to complete both of my homework assignments from my first class before I started cooking dinner.

 So far I really like being back in school, it's nice to add a sense of routine back into my life to help balance our the craziness of having three kids. It seems all of my nervousness was over nothing! Being back in a classroom felt so right, I have no clue what I was so worried about, but people say your brains natural reaction is to freak out when it is forced to make changes. I probably won't post another update until next week unless something extraordinary happens.
As always thank you for taking the time to read this, have a wonderful day and feel free to subscribe to this blog or my other blog where I interview athlete http://athleteinterviewsviatwitter.blogspot.com