It’s that time again to make MORE New Year’s Resolutions! This year however, I’m keeping it much simpler. So here are my two resolutions for the year:
1. I will not purchase soda. However, if it’s available and free, I’ll take it. But this also means that I can’t sneak 50 cents out to buy my secret soda while at work (I hope the wife doesn’t see this!).
My second resolution has a little story behind it. When I was stationed in San Diego during my time in the Navy, aside from hanging out with my best friend Matt and his friend/fiancée/wife Cherise, there wasn’t much else to do other than go shopping. For quite a while, I was hesitant to use my credit card and would only use cash for purchases. However, I hated change. It took up room, was impossible to manage, and was a pain in the butt to dig through pockets to find that perfect amount. So, when I got back to my car, I simply dropped my change on the ground and called it good. Somebody else would pick it up who would use it. Heck, maybe it was someone who actually needed it.
Fast forward to the first time I went shopping with my then-girlfriend Lori, when she witnessed my act of dropping money—being the C.P.A.’s daughter and financially savvy woman that she was (and still is)—she immediately questioned why I would do such a thing. Since then, I have saved the annoying small pieces of metal…but have never found out just how much money I wasted. Thus, I give you my second New Year’s resolution:
2. To save and keep track of all change received throughout the year. This should be an interesting experiment!
My wife and I have a joint-resolution to be able to run a half-marathon by year’s end. I think it’d be cooler to be able to run a full marathon! I mean, heck, I’ve already run a half-marathon on my own when I ran from our apartment in Everett to my dad’s house in Kenmore. Okay, fine… so by the time I got to the never-ending hill on Brier Way, my knee started to give out. Maybe a half-marathon would be a better way to go.
Wish us luck!
It is my hope that all of you set realistic goals and follow through with them! Go get ‘em!
A very Happy New Year to you all! :D
~ N.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Gettin' Healthy
Last year my wife received a gift she would treasure forever: a pedometer (or, as Lori’s cousin Tate would say, “nometer.”
Over the next month or so, I had it built in my head that I could get one as well to help keep her in check. Okay fine, so I viewed it as more like a race than anything. What can I say? I’m competitive. My wife approved the purchase and on March 18th, I received the very same pedometer.
Since then, there have been days where I only netted 50 steps all day. Of course, there have been days when I have forgotten to wear the gadget altogether. Over the past 282 days, I have accomplished the following:
Walked 429.62 miles
Burned 1,497.2 grams of fat
Burned 26,387 calories
Accumulated 2,210 minutes of “aerobic walking time” (at least 10 minutes per “session”)
I walk 3,842 steps per day according to my fancy-schmancy ‘nometer. So here’s my problem: I wanted to walk one million steps by year’s end. My total so far is 941,343. In short, this means I need to average 8,380 steps per day over the next 7 days (including today). Every day the goal is not accomplished compounds the dilemma significantly. If I walk my daily average today, that would mean I would need to get 9,135 steps per day over the following 6 days in order to achieve my goal.
For your information, my daily record is 30,815 steps… but that was accomplished on May 22nd—when it was WARM.
Those who know me know that I am as stubborn as a mule when it comes to accomplishing things. So…here goes nothing! I’ll let you know how it goes.
And, by the way, a very Merry Christmas to all of you!
Over the next month or so, I had it built in my head that I could get one as well to help keep her in check. Okay fine, so I viewed it as more like a race than anything. What can I say? I’m competitive. My wife approved the purchase and on March 18th, I received the very same pedometer.
Since then, there have been days where I only netted 50 steps all day. Of course, there have been days when I have forgotten to wear the gadget altogether. Over the past 282 days, I have accomplished the following:
Walked 429.62 miles
Burned 1,497.2 grams of fat
Burned 26,387 calories
Accumulated 2,210 minutes of “aerobic walking time” (at least 10 minutes per “session”)
I walk 3,842 steps per day according to my fancy-schmancy ‘nometer. So here’s my problem: I wanted to walk one million steps by year’s end. My total so far is 941,343. In short, this means I need to average 8,380 steps per day over the next 7 days (including today). Every day the goal is not accomplished compounds the dilemma significantly. If I walk my daily average today, that would mean I would need to get 9,135 steps per day over the following 6 days in order to achieve my goal.
For your information, my daily record is 30,815 steps… but that was accomplished on May 22nd—when it was WARM.
Those who know me know that I am as stubborn as a mule when it comes to accomplishing things. So…here goes nothing! I’ll let you know how it goes.
And, by the way, a very Merry Christmas to all of you!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The Time Is...NOW! :)
Over the past couple of weeks I have had a very gradual epiphany of life. This may sound very broad, and perhaps it is, but it is also all-encompassing. During Thanksgiving Break, I dabbled in some homework here and there and helped assist the family in packing up the house from time to time. Believe it or not, I even had time to play some video games…or did I?
A job application had to be submitted by Monday, along with an assignment for one class and an essay for another. Tuesday, in addition to spending nearly 6 hours tutoring, I need to make corrections to a previous assignment, submit suggestions to a classmate for a presentation that’s due on Wednesday. Moreover, I need to type up and submit a resume and a cover letter for a class on Wednesday. Come Thursday, I need to begin preparing a presentation for another class along with studying for 2 finals and writing 2 more essays.
Now I’ve spent the past 48 hours frantically running to and fro, stressed out beyond belief. I didn’t even take a deep breath…until now. I’ve realized that, rather than stressing out over challenges, they should be welcomed with open arms and then tackled. So…fellow students, I invite you as well to sit where you are for a good minute and take several deep breaths and view the impending challenges from a positive perspective. Seriously: breathe in through the nose, hold it for two seconds, and breathe out through your mouth. Repeat this process for an entire minute…you’ll be glad you did!
Best of luck to all! Now GO GET ‘EM!!! :D
~ N.
A job application had to be submitted by Monday, along with an assignment for one class and an essay for another. Tuesday, in addition to spending nearly 6 hours tutoring, I need to make corrections to a previous assignment, submit suggestions to a classmate for a presentation that’s due on Wednesday. Moreover, I need to type up and submit a resume and a cover letter for a class on Wednesday. Come Thursday, I need to begin preparing a presentation for another class along with studying for 2 finals and writing 2 more essays.
Now I’ve spent the past 48 hours frantically running to and fro, stressed out beyond belief. I didn’t even take a deep breath…until now. I’ve realized that, rather than stressing out over challenges, they should be welcomed with open arms and then tackled. So…fellow students, I invite you as well to sit where you are for a good minute and take several deep breaths and view the impending challenges from a positive perspective. Seriously: breathe in through the nose, hold it for two seconds, and breathe out through your mouth. Repeat this process for an entire minute…you’ll be glad you did!
Best of luck to all! Now GO GET ‘EM!!! :D
~ N.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Turnaround (Thank you, Matthew West!)
So this is it. Day 1 of getting myself back into gear. I figure I'll ration out my reading based on the number of pages per book per subject per day. Wish me luck in my endeavor... but it shall be done! It NEEDS to be done.
Hope you fall semester is going well (for you fellow college students)!
~N.
Hope you fall semester is going well (for you fellow college students)!
~N.
Monday, September 14, 2009
A Hard Lesson in Humility
And so it has come to be that Nick has fallen behind in all of his classes. Not one--not two, but all three of his classes.
As a near-30 year old man, it was extremely difficult and humiliating to tell my professor, "I'm sorry that I don't have my essay completed due to falling into habits formed back in high school." I'm 30 freakin' years old, I should KNOW better! Yet, here I am.
Of course, I never told her the specifics of the habits (they are rather irrelevant), but I shall tell you the story.
I started out high school great! I got excellent grades my freshman and sophomore years. Come junior year, I started to slack off a bit. And my senior year?! It was horrendous!! I almost didn't graduate! My problem was I would do anything to get me out of doing my homework. Be it by playing video games, watching TV or hanging out with friends... I would simply avoid it.
Now here I am in the same situation. I know I need to just buck up and do the work. As my mother would say, "The books aren't going to read themselves!" And Howard Kang's (see the other UIS bloggers) New Year's Vlog about not simply stating a resolution, but DOING it has had a lasting impression.
I'll let you know when I get all caught up. Hopefully it'll be sooner than later. Freshmen and sophomores be warned: DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON TIME!!!
For now, I'm off to do homework. I'll talk to y'all again soon.
~N.
As a near-30 year old man, it was extremely difficult and humiliating to tell my professor, "I'm sorry that I don't have my essay completed due to falling into habits formed back in high school." I'm 30 freakin' years old, I should KNOW better! Yet, here I am.
Of course, I never told her the specifics of the habits (they are rather irrelevant), but I shall tell you the story.
I started out high school great! I got excellent grades my freshman and sophomore years. Come junior year, I started to slack off a bit. And my senior year?! It was horrendous!! I almost didn't graduate! My problem was I would do anything to get me out of doing my homework. Be it by playing video games, watching TV or hanging out with friends... I would simply avoid it.
Now here I am in the same situation. I know I need to just buck up and do the work. As my mother would say, "The books aren't going to read themselves!" And Howard Kang's (see the other UIS bloggers) New Year's Vlog about not simply stating a resolution, but DOING it has had a lasting impression.
I'll let you know when I get all caught up. Hopefully it'll be sooner than later. Freshmen and sophomores be warned: DO YOUR HOMEWORK ON TIME!!!
For now, I'm off to do homework. I'll talk to y'all again soon.
~N.
Monday, August 24, 2009
I'm back and better than ever...or maybe just older!
Hey Everybody,
Okay, so fall semester 2009 has officially begun and, as I sipped my coffee and ate my blueberry bagel, I received word from the moderator in charge of us *UIS Bloggers* that I can do it again!
So far, I have two blogs to write up (which will be posted soon) and one event coming up on Thursday 8/27: an informational session on studying abroad in Japan where hopefully they will cover UNI460.
I'll keep you posted. Hope everybody's summer was lovely despite the unseasonably cooler temperatures!
~ N.
Okay, so fall semester 2009 has officially begun and, as I sipped my coffee and ate my blueberry bagel, I received word from the moderator in charge of us *UIS Bloggers* that I can do it again!
So far, I have two blogs to write up (which will be posted soon) and one event coming up on Thursday 8/27: an informational session on studying abroad in Japan where hopefully they will cover UNI460.
I'll keep you posted. Hope everybody's summer was lovely despite the unseasonably cooler temperatures!
~ N.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The Ride-Along
I recently had the opportunity to go on a ride-along with an officer from a local police department. For some reason, I just knew it was going to be an exciting evening; so much so, I left the American Legion early. Once my butt hit the sit of the officer’s patrol car, the lights and sirens were on for the next 3 hours straight.
It played out like a movie: It began action-packed with a couple of fights, there was a slight lull in the middle, and the ride-along climaxed (and subsequently ended) in a foot pursuit. By far, this has been the most exciting evening this year!
For those men in blue or brown protecting our neighborhoods and cities, I thank you for everything that you do!
It played out like a movie: It began action-packed with a couple of fights, there was a slight lull in the middle, and the ride-along climaxed (and subsequently ended) in a foot pursuit. By far, this has been the most exciting evening this year!
For those men in blue or brown protecting our neighborhoods and cities, I thank you for everything that you do!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Charlie Tango Lima!
Throughout the first half of my freshmen year, I heard many classmates express their disdain for the mandatory visits to the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) by describing it as unnecessary, boring or annoying—sometimes in combinations thereof. At the age of 28, even I initially found tutoring to be a bit degrading. However, over the course of the following two semesters, I have come to realize that every appointment has taught me something new; therefore, I conclude that the CTL is perhaps one of the most underutilized, best, free resources available to students.
It is not my intention to boast, but nearly all of the professors I have studied under have said that I am a good writer. And while I appreciate the compliments, I know that I still have much to learn, which is why I continue to visit the CTL. For example, my latest tutor, a graduate student named Lindsey, has taught me how to use more professional-sounding nouns (i.e., instead of ‘a blue-collared worker,’ ‘a blue-collared employee.’), eliminate ‘roadmapping’ (paragraph one says, “First…” paragraph two says, “Secondly…,” etc.), avoid ambiguous terms such as ‘they,’ or ‘it’ if ‘it’ isn’t mentioned earlier in the sentence, and explain topics in order to afford somebody who has no prior knowledge the ability to follow along. These tips are not only effective in the literal sense, but they also help provide an overall sense of direction for the paper. In order to effectively teach this, each tutor has their own methodology.
Lindsey has a very straightforward, no-nonsense approach. She will read the paper aloud, and if anything in the paper does not strictly pertain to the topic—even the tiniest item—consider it deleted. She despises clichés, cop-outs and fluff with a passion, but this passion does not compare to her unwavering devotion to her red pen! These are all remarkable qualities I am thankful she has, and I am certain the other tutors in the CTL share certain aspects of them. The tips the tutors provide may seem like simple, basic rules that should have already been noticed in the paper prior to the appointment, but they find these faults and teach students just how surprisingly easy it is to fall into traps in writing. Of course, procrastinating doesn’t help matters either.
Again, in typical Nick-fashion, I delayed writing my paper until approximately 4 days before the due date; thus, when I submitted my paper to Lindsey for review, she only had about half of the paper to look over. As it turned out, if I had received one half of one percent better overall in the class, my grade would have been 90% (A-) vice 89% (B+). Perhaps if the entire paper was reviewed, I might have received the 3 percentage points needed to achieve the higher grade. Partially because of this fact, my cumulative GPA was docked .06 points. O woe is me!
Time management continues to be my arch nemesis, but I am hopeful I can turn things around and manage my time more effectively this semester. Several appointments will be made by yours truly to visit the CTL this semester with the hope of becoming a more effective writer--I strongly encourage my fellow classmates to do the same. After all, we all attend UIS to learn.
Visit the CTL today!
It is not my intention to boast, but nearly all of the professors I have studied under have said that I am a good writer. And while I appreciate the compliments, I know that I still have much to learn, which is why I continue to visit the CTL. For example, my latest tutor, a graduate student named Lindsey, has taught me how to use more professional-sounding nouns (i.e., instead of ‘a blue-collared worker,’ ‘a blue-collared employee.’), eliminate ‘roadmapping’ (paragraph one says, “First…” paragraph two says, “Secondly…,” etc.), avoid ambiguous terms such as ‘they,’ or ‘it’ if ‘it’ isn’t mentioned earlier in the sentence, and explain topics in order to afford somebody who has no prior knowledge the ability to follow along. These tips are not only effective in the literal sense, but they also help provide an overall sense of direction for the paper. In order to effectively teach this, each tutor has their own methodology.
Lindsey has a very straightforward, no-nonsense approach. She will read the paper aloud, and if anything in the paper does not strictly pertain to the topic—even the tiniest item—consider it deleted. She despises clichés, cop-outs and fluff with a passion, but this passion does not compare to her unwavering devotion to her red pen! These are all remarkable qualities I am thankful she has, and I am certain the other tutors in the CTL share certain aspects of them. The tips the tutors provide may seem like simple, basic rules that should have already been noticed in the paper prior to the appointment, but they find these faults and teach students just how surprisingly easy it is to fall into traps in writing. Of course, procrastinating doesn’t help matters either.
Again, in typical Nick-fashion, I delayed writing my paper until approximately 4 days before the due date; thus, when I submitted my paper to Lindsey for review, she only had about half of the paper to look over. As it turned out, if I had received one half of one percent better overall in the class, my grade would have been 90% (A-) vice 89% (B+). Perhaps if the entire paper was reviewed, I might have received the 3 percentage points needed to achieve the higher grade. Partially because of this fact, my cumulative GPA was docked .06 points. O woe is me!
Time management continues to be my arch nemesis, but I am hopeful I can turn things around and manage my time more effectively this semester. Several appointments will be made by yours truly to visit the CTL this semester with the hope of becoming a more effective writer--I strongly encourage my fellow classmates to do the same. After all, we all attend UIS to learn.
Visit the CTL today!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
The Headphones Saga (Part 2)
I am sorry I completely forgot to inform you all of the latest regarding my headphones dilemma. Well, I first purchased a pair of Nike in-ear headphones and a pair of Sony “ear clip/in-ear” headphones. Neither pair fit very well, so I took them both back and purchased an updated pair of Sony in-ear headphones and a pair of Bose in-ear headphones. The Sony pair was somewhat similar to the pair I had originally lost, and the Bose in-ear headphones were about 40 dollars cheaper than the Bose around-ear headphones I set my eyes on earlier. I had hoped that the smallest size of ear bud would work well enough so that I could still go running while wearing them. No dice. After taking both pair back, I broke down and purchased the Bose tri-port headphones which seemed to do the trick, until…
My gracious Uncle Mark e-mailed me asking if I was still searching for a pair of headphones, informing me that he had a pair he was looking to get rid of. After many hours of research, I concluded that the pair Uncle Mark offered to send was much better than the Bose pair I purchased, as made evident by reviews on Amazon.com:
I returned the Bose pair on December 21st, which allowed the $140 to go back into the birthday/Christmas money account. And on Monday the 29th, the blessed headphones arrived! Here are the pros and cons of the new pair:
The pros are:
- They sound just as good, if not better, as the Bose pair.
- They look and feel more sturdily constructed.
- The all-black color matches my iPod perfectly.
- They look more normal.
- The longer cord affords more maneuverability while wearing them.
And the cons:
- There are none!
While they are a little worn, it’s to be expected. Moreover, it’s an honor to own something that was once owned by my legendary uncle!! Uncle Mark, thank you very much!
My legendary Uncle Mark, Aunt Diane, and wifey Lori.
So now the question is, what do I do with all my extra coin? :D If it goes towards something extraordinarily awesome, I’ll let you all know…
Until next time,
~ N.
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