Thu, 3 Dec 2009 09:37 am
Weighted Average:
An average in which each quantity to be averaged is assigned a weight.
These weightings determine the relative importance of each quantity on the average.
What a wonderful mathematical concept!
Even with an F on the final, weighted average made it possible for me to pass this class.
I’ll take it and RUN!
God is sooooooooooooo good!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Preparation
Wednesday, December 02, 2009 9:01 AM
This morning as I drove into work, it was still pitch black outside. The standing water on the roads I travel to come to work was invisible in many spots and I’m glad this morning that I chose to travel at or below the speed limit on the surface roads. It is wet and cold, the two together making today of one my least favorite weather days (ya’ll know I’m ALWAYS cold, but wet and cold is the worse!) I got here early, 6:12 to be exact, logging onto my computer well before 7 am for the third day in a row, feeling pretty good. Navigating through the computer prompts, I made my way to the Blackboard site to see if any of my instructors had posted grades. In particular I was looking for my last Tax Memo grade and Final Test grade. I eagerly clicked on the highlighted message that a grade had been posted, excited about it.
56. I had to search the page to see what that meant. How many points was that out of? My eyes darted across the page, looking for an indication of scale, a standard, the measurability factor that would tell me what a 56 was. 56 out of 100? 56 out of 100! 56 OUT OF 100?! What grade is that? Let’s see, seventy is a C, sixty is a D, less than sixty is an…… F. Oh my God! I got an F on my final. My heart sank like it was tethered to an anvil and thrown into the lake. I sank to the bottom quicker than I anticipated, bubbles in tow as I lost my breath, hoping to be buoyed back to the surface by perhaps something I might have missed in my reading. But there it was on the screen: 56 out of 100. DANG! I failed my final exam. DANG! I failed my final exam. DANG! I failed my final exam. How did that happen?
I know you’re wondering: did you study? Yes, I studied.
My studying was obviously not enough and obviously not the right items. Since I made a B on the first test (mid term), I knew how to study for this class and I felt pretty confident going into the test, especially since I had gone over the problems, understood the concepts-especially concerning distributions and redemption of stock and all that (or so I thought). I had that down pat. When I got in there, there were a few things I didn’t exactly remember, so I made an educated guess using the process of elimination and went on. When I left Monday I felt ok about it. It was one of those “I think I did ok, but I’m really not sure” feelings as I drove home after class. I was not expecting to see such a profound indictment against my preparation and skill ability in this class for these particular chapters. I’m wondering what kind of sign this is. All I keep thinking is “poor preparation leads to piss poor performance.”
I’m embarrassed to be sharing this, but it’s me. Before sending this email, I reviewed my “POSSE” distribution list and saw all the names on it of people I admire, respect, love, and cherish. Some of the names on this list are those who I would rather only send the “good stuff” too, if you know what I mean. I strongly considered taking them out of the recipient list, because this is bad and I didn’t want them to know about this. But while reviewing the list, my spirit reminded me that my standard is not other people, regardless of their status in my life. My standard for excellence is not dictated by others, but comes from the One who created me. So each of you is receiving this email, unabridged and without discrimination (even though I’m more embarrassed to share this with some of you than others). I have to share the good and bad, right? The pretty and ugly (this is pretty ugly). I’m hoping sharing it is going to help me get it off my chest and into the atmosphere so I can push on. I’m also hoping that my failure on this test will help someone who reads this. (Chris and John, this is especially for you. Sometimes things just don’t work out and at the end of the day, you have to cut your losses and move forward.) Even down the last second before sending this, I contemplated scrapping the entire email. But I’m sending it.
In a strange way I feel that a conversation I had with the Lord (not Lyord) yesterday morning in prayer prepared me for today. In our conversation he was dealing with me about preparation time, how I needed to spend more time in preparation for what was to come. I have always been what the world calls a “one-take” kind of girl. A lot of things I am able to do without a lot of time and prior preparation because I was just good at it. For assignments, I could do things a day or two before, turn it in and get an A. For creative ventures, I could make up things on the spot and it would turn out great. But yesterday, the Creator clearly told me that the things that I am to do in the future will not be able to be done in “one-take” and that I would have to prepare extensively for their success. With that hovering in my spirit like a humming bird over a fresh bloom, I stepped into today and walked right into the manifestation of those words. I studied for two days, ample time for me in the past. But obviously, this was my first lesson in my revelation. So to the Creator I say “point taken.”
So as disappointed as I am in myself, today will pass and I will prepare myself better for what’s ahead. Are there things in your life you need to be preparing for? I’m learning through the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People that the Quadrant II Things are where most of our time should be spent (See below). Don’t spend your entire life in Quadrant I, III, or IV. Not sure what the Creator is dealing with you about, but when you see it or hear it, take heed.
I’ll be alright. I definitely have some more praying to do, more fasting to do, more listening to do. And as embarrassed as I am, I’m grateful to be able to share my weakness. I’m trading this weakness in for a strength. If you see me veering off the path, you have my permission to call me out.
Side note: Would you share your preparation techniques with me? For life, for tests, for presentations, for whatever. There is a wealth of information in you and I’d like to draw on that. Please share something with me, if only a little nugget.
Embarrassed but growing,
Crys
This morning as I drove into work, it was still pitch black outside. The standing water on the roads I travel to come to work was invisible in many spots and I’m glad this morning that I chose to travel at or below the speed limit on the surface roads. It is wet and cold, the two together making today of one my least favorite weather days (ya’ll know I’m ALWAYS cold, but wet and cold is the worse!) I got here early, 6:12 to be exact, logging onto my computer well before 7 am for the third day in a row, feeling pretty good. Navigating through the computer prompts, I made my way to the Blackboard site to see if any of my instructors had posted grades. In particular I was looking for my last Tax Memo grade and Final Test grade. I eagerly clicked on the highlighted message that a grade had been posted, excited about it.
56. I had to search the page to see what that meant. How many points was that out of? My eyes darted across the page, looking for an indication of scale, a standard, the measurability factor that would tell me what a 56 was. 56 out of 100? 56 out of 100! 56 OUT OF 100?! What grade is that? Let’s see, seventy is a C, sixty is a D, less than sixty is an…… F. Oh my God! I got an F on my final. My heart sank like it was tethered to an anvil and thrown into the lake. I sank to the bottom quicker than I anticipated, bubbles in tow as I lost my breath, hoping to be buoyed back to the surface by perhaps something I might have missed in my reading. But there it was on the screen: 56 out of 100. DANG! I failed my final exam. DANG! I failed my final exam. DANG! I failed my final exam. How did that happen?
I know you’re wondering: did you study? Yes, I studied.
My studying was obviously not enough and obviously not the right items. Since I made a B on the first test (mid term), I knew how to study for this class and I felt pretty confident going into the test, especially since I had gone over the problems, understood the concepts-especially concerning distributions and redemption of stock and all that (or so I thought). I had that down pat. When I got in there, there were a few things I didn’t exactly remember, so I made an educated guess using the process of elimination and went on. When I left Monday I felt ok about it. It was one of those “I think I did ok, but I’m really not sure” feelings as I drove home after class. I was not expecting to see such a profound indictment against my preparation and skill ability in this class for these particular chapters. I’m wondering what kind of sign this is. All I keep thinking is “poor preparation leads to piss poor performance.”
I’m embarrassed to be sharing this, but it’s me. Before sending this email, I reviewed my “POSSE” distribution list and saw all the names on it of people I admire, respect, love, and cherish. Some of the names on this list are those who I would rather only send the “good stuff” too, if you know what I mean. I strongly considered taking them out of the recipient list, because this is bad and I didn’t want them to know about this. But while reviewing the list, my spirit reminded me that my standard is not other people, regardless of their status in my life. My standard for excellence is not dictated by others, but comes from the One who created me. So each of you is receiving this email, unabridged and without discrimination (even though I’m more embarrassed to share this with some of you than others). I have to share the good and bad, right? The pretty and ugly (this is pretty ugly). I’m hoping sharing it is going to help me get it off my chest and into the atmosphere so I can push on. I’m also hoping that my failure on this test will help someone who reads this. (Chris and John, this is especially for you. Sometimes things just don’t work out and at the end of the day, you have to cut your losses and move forward.) Even down the last second before sending this, I contemplated scrapping the entire email. But I’m sending it.
In a strange way I feel that a conversation I had with the Lord (not Lyord) yesterday morning in prayer prepared me for today. In our conversation he was dealing with me about preparation time, how I needed to spend more time in preparation for what was to come. I have always been what the world calls a “one-take” kind of girl. A lot of things I am able to do without a lot of time and prior preparation because I was just good at it. For assignments, I could do things a day or two before, turn it in and get an A. For creative ventures, I could make up things on the spot and it would turn out great. But yesterday, the Creator clearly told me that the things that I am to do in the future will not be able to be done in “one-take” and that I would have to prepare extensively for their success. With that hovering in my spirit like a humming bird over a fresh bloom, I stepped into today and walked right into the manifestation of those words. I studied for two days, ample time for me in the past. But obviously, this was my first lesson in my revelation. So to the Creator I say “point taken.”
So as disappointed as I am in myself, today will pass and I will prepare myself better for what’s ahead. Are there things in your life you need to be preparing for? I’m learning through the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People that the Quadrant II Things are where most of our time should be spent (See below). Don’t spend your entire life in Quadrant I, III, or IV. Not sure what the Creator is dealing with you about, but when you see it or hear it, take heed.
I’ll be alright. I definitely have some more praying to do, more fasting to do, more listening to do. And as embarrassed as I am, I’m grateful to be able to share my weakness. I’m trading this weakness in for a strength. If you see me veering off the path, you have my permission to call me out.
Side note: Would you share your preparation techniques with me? For life, for tests, for presentations, for whatever. There is a wealth of information in you and I’d like to draw on that. Please share something with me, if only a little nugget.
Embarrassed but growing,
Crys
Aye, Dios Mio- Tuesday, December 01, 2009 9:22 AM
Tuesday, December 01, 2009 9:22 AM
We have an onsite cleaning service in our building and the Mexican gentleman and I have brief conversations in Spanish if I run into him around the building. We have built camaraderie around my wanting to practice my Spanish skills. So in passing, we share our salutations, talk a little about weather, and our weekend plans in Spanish. This same guy checks the restrooms every morning to be sure they have supplies like toilet paper, hand soap, and he also cleans the mirrors. Before entering the restroom, he uses this metal thing to tap on the door to see if there is anyone in the restroom before he comes in. I’m not sure what time he begins this ritual in the morning, but sometime between 7 am and 10 am, it is done. If someone is in the restroom, he waits outside the door until they come out.
Now call it coincidence or what have you, but in recent days, it has been in the morning, sometime between 7:30 and about 9:45 that my body indicates to me that it is time for our “Talk with Jesus”, if you will. Always having reading materials with me (lately my articles for class or something I’m proof reading for someone else), I slide my literature and a pen (for taking notes) into an interoffice envelope and travel to another floor’s lavatory to handle my business. Sometimes I go to the 3rd floor, sometimes to the 5th floor, sometimes I stay on my own floor (but don’t do this often because I don’t want anyone recognizing my shoes… you know what I mean). Now in months pass, there have been several times when I was “talking with Jesus” and heard that tapping on the door. Needless to say, my immediate reaction is “Dang!” followed by a loud and clear, almost melodic “SOMEBODY’S IN HERE…” And depending on whether I had just arrived or was midway through my visit, I dreaded the inevitable face-to-face meeting with this guy, the same guy who I greet with a “Buenos Dias” or a “Buenos tardes” when we greet around the building. And it’s not like you can hurry up or anything like that when you’re “talking to the Lord.” It takes its own sweet time. And with each passing minute, the embarrassment, irritation, and dread builds like a bricklayer stacking mortar-brick-mortar-brick, until all you see is a wall of inevitable, uncomfortable meeting that must be climbed over. I’m sitting there, thinking to myself “Maybe he’ll go on to another floor and come back this time….” wishing to make a stealth escape without him knowing I’m the culprit- again. But to no avail. It doesn’t matter how long my “talk” ends up taking; when I am through, and open the door to the lavatory, there he is, all smiles of course, saying “Hola” and there I am, sheepish and embarrassed saying “Hola” in response, rushing away like a blushing school girl, wanting to be a flea so I’d be so small he wouldn’t see me come out. Just last week I was “caught” on the 3rd floor.
This morning I did it big and went all the way to the 6th floor for my daily “talk”, thinking that I would dodge the Mexican’s silent, patient guard, trying to tap into his strategy for the task. Maybe started on the bottom floor or better yet, maybe he hadn’t started at all and I wouldn’t run into him at all. But no such luck. Once I was settled, on the second page of my literature, there was the tap-tap-tap on the door. “DANG…” I thought. “SOMEBODY’S IN HERE…” I replied to the tapping. The time drug on like a lecture class taught by an attorney and I promise things seemed to slow down like the trains going through Alabaster, as if they weren’t moving at a turtle’s pace already. But finally, literature neatly slid back into the interoffice envelope and sealed, hands washed and properly sanitized, paper towel in hand so I don’t touch the door handle on the way out, I emerged to face him yet again… “Hola” I say first. “Hola” he says in reply, his mouth smiling but his eyes definitely saying “not you again.” You could see the corners of his mouth rise ever so slightly as if he wanted to giggle or laugh at our chance meeting. At least he was gracious enough not to roll his eyes. I think I would have died if he had.
I’m thinking why must we meet like this so often? Is this some form of weekly punishment? Is this a candid camera type thing? Did my coworkers put him up to this, sending him my way soon after I leave my office? WHY are we meeting like this? I wish this would stop. I just want to “talk with Jesus” in peace. Is that too much to ask?
As I typed this, I laughed out loud several times. I hope you did too.
We have an onsite cleaning service in our building and the Mexican gentleman and I have brief conversations in Spanish if I run into him around the building. We have built camaraderie around my wanting to practice my Spanish skills. So in passing, we share our salutations, talk a little about weather, and our weekend plans in Spanish. This same guy checks the restrooms every morning to be sure they have supplies like toilet paper, hand soap, and he also cleans the mirrors. Before entering the restroom, he uses this metal thing to tap on the door to see if there is anyone in the restroom before he comes in. I’m not sure what time he begins this ritual in the morning, but sometime between 7 am and 10 am, it is done. If someone is in the restroom, he waits outside the door until they come out.
Now call it coincidence or what have you, but in recent days, it has been in the morning, sometime between 7:30 and about 9:45 that my body indicates to me that it is time for our “Talk with Jesus”, if you will. Always having reading materials with me (lately my articles for class or something I’m proof reading for someone else), I slide my literature and a pen (for taking notes) into an interoffice envelope and travel to another floor’s lavatory to handle my business. Sometimes I go to the 3rd floor, sometimes to the 5th floor, sometimes I stay on my own floor (but don’t do this often because I don’t want anyone recognizing my shoes… you know what I mean). Now in months pass, there have been several times when I was “talking with Jesus” and heard that tapping on the door. Needless to say, my immediate reaction is “Dang!” followed by a loud and clear, almost melodic “SOMEBODY’S IN HERE…” And depending on whether I had just arrived or was midway through my visit, I dreaded the inevitable face-to-face meeting with this guy, the same guy who I greet with a “Buenos Dias” or a “Buenos tardes” when we greet around the building. And it’s not like you can hurry up or anything like that when you’re “talking to the Lord.” It takes its own sweet time. And with each passing minute, the embarrassment, irritation, and dread builds like a bricklayer stacking mortar-brick-mortar-brick, until all you see is a wall of inevitable, uncomfortable meeting that must be climbed over. I’m sitting there, thinking to myself “Maybe he’ll go on to another floor and come back this time….” wishing to make a stealth escape without him knowing I’m the culprit- again. But to no avail. It doesn’t matter how long my “talk” ends up taking; when I am through, and open the door to the lavatory, there he is, all smiles of course, saying “Hola” and there I am, sheepish and embarrassed saying “Hola” in response, rushing away like a blushing school girl, wanting to be a flea so I’d be so small he wouldn’t see me come out. Just last week I was “caught” on the 3rd floor.
This morning I did it big and went all the way to the 6th floor for my daily “talk”, thinking that I would dodge the Mexican’s silent, patient guard, trying to tap into his strategy for the task. Maybe started on the bottom floor or better yet, maybe he hadn’t started at all and I wouldn’t run into him at all. But no such luck. Once I was settled, on the second page of my literature, there was the tap-tap-tap on the door. “DANG…” I thought. “SOMEBODY’S IN HERE…” I replied to the tapping. The time drug on like a lecture class taught by an attorney and I promise things seemed to slow down like the trains going through Alabaster, as if they weren’t moving at a turtle’s pace already. But finally, literature neatly slid back into the interoffice envelope and sealed, hands washed and properly sanitized, paper towel in hand so I don’t touch the door handle on the way out, I emerged to face him yet again… “Hola” I say first. “Hola” he says in reply, his mouth smiling but his eyes definitely saying “not you again.” You could see the corners of his mouth rise ever so slightly as if he wanted to giggle or laugh at our chance meeting. At least he was gracious enough not to roll his eyes. I think I would have died if he had.
I’m thinking why must we meet like this so often? Is this some form of weekly punishment? Is this a candid camera type thing? Did my coworkers put him up to this, sending him my way soon after I leave my office? WHY are we meeting like this? I wish this would stop. I just want to “talk with Jesus” in peace. Is that too much to ask?
As I typed this, I laughed out loud several times. I hope you did too.
Lining up my ducks
In an effort to prepare myself for the coming year, I took about 20 minutes this afternoon to browse through my Outlook calendar to reflect on what I've done in 2009, mostly perusing the entries since January for a small glimpse of how I've spent my time. The first thing I noticed is I didn't use Outlook during the first quarter of the year for anything other than birthdays and anniversary's, which puzzles me because for the last three quarters, the calendar was full of events, perhaps indicative of a more active life calendar that needed closer management and reminders to keep in tact.
I'm attempting to learn how to live more by principle, wanting my decision making to be consistent with the things I truly value and build towards the legacy I want to leave behind. So after making a list of things I've done based on my Outlook calendar, I found my values worksheet I'd prepared earlier this year from my 7 Habits of Highly Effective People planner and was looking for a place to plug all my "life information" into so I can really be intentional about mapping out the important things, or, as they say, being sure first things are first.
A google search for a life planning template led me to the website of Michael Hyatt, and began to peruse, in search of easy to use spreadsheet or other document to try to plug all this "life" stuff into. As I read over the articles, I began to hear echoes and even quotes of the things taught in 7 Habits, and found the information quite helpful. One thing that interested me is his an annual time block that gives a visual picture of time that you can block off for annual important things so they don't get pushed to the wayside by the immediate and urgent.
http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/01/creating-an-annual-time-block.html
So those of you who are looking to live your next year or several years focused and intentionally and with specific purpose, perhaps the resources and articles found on his site may be of assistance to you.
Here's to a new beginning at an old life,
Crys
I'm attempting to learn how to live more by principle, wanting my decision making to be consistent with the things I truly value and build towards the legacy I want to leave behind. So after making a list of things I've done based on my Outlook calendar, I found my values worksheet I'd prepared earlier this year from my 7 Habits of Highly Effective People planner and was looking for a place to plug all my "life information" into so I can really be intentional about mapping out the important things, or, as they say, being sure first things are first.
A google search for a life planning template led me to the website of Michael Hyatt, and began to peruse, in search of easy to use spreadsheet or other document to try to plug all this "life" stuff into. As I read over the articles, I began to hear echoes and even quotes of the things taught in 7 Habits, and found the information quite helpful. One thing that interested me is his an annual time block that gives a visual picture of time that you can block off for annual important things so they don't get pushed to the wayside by the immediate and urgent.
http://michaelhyatt.com/2009/01/creating-an-annual-time-block.html
So those of you who are looking to live your next year or several years focused and intentionally and with specific purpose, perhaps the resources and articles found on his site may be of assistance to you.
Here's to a new beginning at an old life,
Crys
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