Good morning everyone. I say good morning because it is Friday at 6:37 am. You may ask why am i up at this ungodly hour and it is because i am coming to you from the NJ Transit express train to Penn Station. It is difficult to get up at 5 in the morning everyday but you gotta do what you gotta do. Registration for the Spring quarter has begun so submit your class request either online or in person. Check blackboard for information on how to and where to send your requests via online. I still have not figured out what classes i am taking as i am down to just free electives and there is nothing really good to take. Berkeley has great classes and the computer classes they give are great, just wish there were more of them. I found a couple that i will take online and probably come in one day of the week for class. I will definitely look it over again this weekend and try and figure out what i am going to do. With that said it is onto how my classes are going.
Week 4 not only signifies open registration but also that midterms are approaching and that we are half way through the winter semester. That is the focus now in most of my classes. In forensic science we have a review this Tuesday in preparation for the exam. I have to figure out how i am going to print the chapters necessary for the exam as it is 8 chapters we may have to sort through. I am also printing the index page in order to find anything. It is a 100 hundred question exam so i figure i should be out after about and hour to and hour and a half. My Wednesday class is not really having a midterm per se but our presentation is due week 6 so i guess you can figure that it is our midterm. So far out of my group i got information from everyone but two members. Hopefully i will get that this weekend in order to put the PowerPoint presentation together and make it look as nice as it should be. In Advance Database we have our first exam next week and luckily it is open book just in case i need to refer to one of the tutorials that we have done. I do know that the exam will be on tutorial 3 which is querying a database. If that is the case then the test should be easy. We may have some multiple choice or word fills in order to make sure we understand the vocabulary but that should not be to bad.
So far this semester has gone by okay and i am hoping it continues. I know that i am on the home stretch and that if i can make it through the next semesters i will be done. I am definitely considering taking a year before i go for my masters. Reason why is because depending on what happens with my transcript re-evaluation will determine ultimately what happens. If i am stuck through the summer then i will not have enough time to apply for the fall and that leave the spring or the following fall. Since i have been hurt and trying to balance everything i have not been able to study much for the GMAT or my CCNA. I was speaking to my coworker and he said i do have some time but to try and get it as soon as i can. He especially encouraged me to do the security portion in order to get a better paying job and a more stable job such as working for the government. I am also at an impasse because i want to try and find another job but i am currently using my current employer as my internship. I have to contact my department chair to see if i have the ability to change because some of the offers people have sent me look great and would be a nice jump in salary which would help the family. Lets cross fingers and i will keep all of you abreast of what transpires over the next few weeks. I think i can hold out until march but i fear most of the good jobs and stable jobs will be taken. Later for now.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Game Review
Hey everyone and welcome back. I know it is a little late in the week to try and get two posts in but i am determined. I have been sick for most of the week so that is part of the reason for the huge lapse in time. Hope everyone enjoyed their three day weekend last week as we celebrated Martin Luther King Day. As stated i spent most of my three day weekend sleeping and fighting a cold i got from my coworker. Life at the cube farm i guess. I am still sick but at least it is just congestion now and nothing else, although sinus pressure is not fun. While i was trying to get myself feeling better i did get the chance to play some video games i figured i would give you my views on the ones i played. I have never done a game review blog post and i know this blog is about Berkeley College and it is. We all have to relax sometime, especially when you work full time and go to school full time. It can become physically and mentally taxing, especially the mental part. So i personally like to unwind by playing some video games and escaping into the fantasy realms they create. So here goes my first Berkeley Blog game review.
The first game i played, which i actually started the week before is, Darksiders. It is a game where you play as one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and you have unknowingly started the war between heaven and hell. You are on a quest to rectify your mistake and punish those who tricked you. Graphically it is a beautiful game and the gameplay is solid. The moves are easy to learn and the puzzles are a welcomed addition to the game itself. Some of the negatives for me at least is sometimes the levels are too long and the boss battles, whether mini or main, are long and there is no notification of how much life the boss has left. I have put a solid 7 hours into the game and i have only fought and beaten two bosses when normally i should be half way through the game. I still have at least 4 to 5 bosses remaining. Other than that the game is solid and i would definitely recommend it to any games out there.
The next game i played was one that got great ratings yet i don't know why it did. The game is called Bayonetta, who is a witch that has lost her memory and is trying to figure out what her past is. The game is graphically stunning and beautiful to look at but that is where the game ends. The storyline is lackluster and confusing as characters are introduced into the game with no knowledge of their role in the game. The controls are simple and you can pretty much just press every button on the control and win battles. The battles are usually difficult and i have died countless times but that just makes it even more frustrating. I don't mind dying countless times but it better be because i have advanced further in the game and are facing harder levels. This game is difficult from the get go. The tutorial is lame and most of the controls you learn by trial and error. Outside of the graphics i find little joy in the game. I am hoping that it improves as i play but i have a feeling that it wont. Once i am finished i will probably return it and swap for another game. I would not recommend this game to others, unless you really like that type of a game.
The final game is actually a Beta test of a game that will be released soon. It is an MMORPG called Star Trek. Now for all you Star Trek fans it is actually a decent game to play. Right now i am beta testing it and it is very buggy but when the game runs smoothly it can be very enjoyable. There is a lot to do as far as missions are concerned and i know it will increase once they add the PVP portion of the game. Graphically they could have done a better job with it. It is nothing like Eve Online which is another popular MMORPG. I am hoping the developer will fix these minor annoyances before the release in February. I will have more on this game as i continue to play.
It is always important to find time for yourself. Do something that you enjoy at least once or twice a week and dedicate a large amount of time for it. I normally play on the weekends and i a lot myself about 3-6 hours just to relax since i do not get to do so the rest of the week. I would love to hear how everyone else spends there down time so drop me a comment. I will see all of you tomorrow when i go over some important things more Berkeley related. Later.
The first game i played, which i actually started the week before is, Darksiders. It is a game where you play as one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and you have unknowingly started the war between heaven and hell. You are on a quest to rectify your mistake and punish those who tricked you. Graphically it is a beautiful game and the gameplay is solid. The moves are easy to learn and the puzzles are a welcomed addition to the game itself. Some of the negatives for me at least is sometimes the levels are too long and the boss battles, whether mini or main, are long and there is no notification of how much life the boss has left. I have put a solid 7 hours into the game and i have only fought and beaten two bosses when normally i should be half way through the game. I still have at least 4 to 5 bosses remaining. Other than that the game is solid and i would definitely recommend it to any games out there.
The next game i played was one that got great ratings yet i don't know why it did. The game is called Bayonetta, who is a witch that has lost her memory and is trying to figure out what her past is. The game is graphically stunning and beautiful to look at but that is where the game ends. The storyline is lackluster and confusing as characters are introduced into the game with no knowledge of their role in the game. The controls are simple and you can pretty much just press every button on the control and win battles. The battles are usually difficult and i have died countless times but that just makes it even more frustrating. I don't mind dying countless times but it better be because i have advanced further in the game and are facing harder levels. This game is difficult from the get go. The tutorial is lame and most of the controls you learn by trial and error. Outside of the graphics i find little joy in the game. I am hoping that it improves as i play but i have a feeling that it wont. Once i am finished i will probably return it and swap for another game. I would not recommend this game to others, unless you really like that type of a game.
The final game is actually a Beta test of a game that will be released soon. It is an MMORPG called Star Trek. Now for all you Star Trek fans it is actually a decent game to play. Right now i am beta testing it and it is very buggy but when the game runs smoothly it can be very enjoyable. There is a lot to do as far as missions are concerned and i know it will increase once they add the PVP portion of the game. Graphically they could have done a better job with it. It is nothing like Eve Online which is another popular MMORPG. I am hoping the developer will fix these minor annoyances before the release in February. I will have more on this game as i continue to play.
It is always important to find time for yourself. Do something that you enjoy at least once or twice a week and dedicate a large amount of time for it. I normally play on the weekends and i a lot myself about 3-6 hours just to relax since i do not get to do so the rest of the week. I would love to hear how everyone else spends there down time so drop me a comment. I will see all of you tomorrow when i go over some important things more Berkeley related. Later.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
An Intro to Blended Learning
Hello everyone and welcome back. I know it has only been two days but a lot of stuff has happened in the past two days both academically and personally. First i want to give a reminder to all that registration for the spring will begin in two weeks so start planning. Currently i am on the train ride home from school and using my new little gadget, which is the AT&T connect card, and so far so good. Load times don't appear to be much different than standard wireless signal. The only fear i have of using not only this device but my laptop is there tends to be some unsavory characters on the train, or at least they appear that way. I don't know why people insist on looking poor when they can present themselves in such a better light. Anyway i digress, on to the top of this blog which is intro to blended learning. Now i knew Berkeley College offered it but i have never ever taken such a class and it just so happens that i put myself in it, quite accidentally but it works out well. What blended learning is a combination of in-class and online class time with the professor. The good thing about it is you don't necessarily have to come into class every week which allows you a much need break sometimes. I personally was wondering how i could go three days in a row and now i get a break in the middle thanks to blended learning. Now i personally do not know the particulars of how to tell if a course is blended learning, hopefully any one of the staff members that read this post can give me the answer to that question.
Forensic science was again an interesting class, the problems usually with week 2 is that professors tend to do a lot of review from week 1 for those students that missed it. Now i personally have never missed a week 1 class, but there are a lot of people that do. Personally i think professors should offer only a quick recap, like 15 minutes and then move on, if the student missed it, it is there responsibility to get the info. We all paid for 12 weeks of classes not 11 and that is just my personal opinion, let me know if you differ. Now my only exception would be the winter because a lot of international students go home for the holidays and that usually tends to be the only time they get to go home so they want to spend that extra time. Outside of that i don't think there is any excuse. Tomorrow i have Advance Database and hopefully i can get out early of that class as well by posting what need to do quickly can correctly. We shall definitely see what the day has in store.
I mentioned that a lot has transpired in two days personally and that is true. It was the worst two days of my professional career as unrealistic deadlines forced me to stay late yesterday and come in bright and early today. I had to wake up at 4 am after getting home late yesterday from school so basically i am running on approximately three hours of sleep, how do i do, perseverance. It got to the point i almost go into it with my boss for being a jerk, which is putting it mildly as this blog is a G to PG rating on the Berkeley System. I am now even more motivated to jump ship in order to better my position. The worse feeling of it all is i do a lot of work for the company and i always put 110% into everything i do and i do it efficiently and correctly. When situations arrive like what had transpired today i would expect some courtesy back, instead big slap in the face and a job well done. Ah well we shall see what becomes of this. Anyway i will see you guys in the next couple of days. Later.
Forensic science was again an interesting class, the problems usually with week 2 is that professors tend to do a lot of review from week 1 for those students that missed it. Now i personally have never missed a week 1 class, but there are a lot of people that do. Personally i think professors should offer only a quick recap, like 15 minutes and then move on, if the student missed it, it is there responsibility to get the info. We all paid for 12 weeks of classes not 11 and that is just my personal opinion, let me know if you differ. Now my only exception would be the winter because a lot of international students go home for the holidays and that usually tends to be the only time they get to go home so they want to spend that extra time. Outside of that i don't think there is any excuse. Tomorrow i have Advance Database and hopefully i can get out early of that class as well by posting what need to do quickly can correctly. We shall definitely see what the day has in store.
I mentioned that a lot has transpired in two days personally and that is true. It was the worst two days of my professional career as unrealistic deadlines forced me to stay late yesterday and come in bright and early today. I had to wake up at 4 am after getting home late yesterday from school so basically i am running on approximately three hours of sleep, how do i do, perseverance. It got to the point i almost go into it with my boss for being a jerk, which is putting it mildly as this blog is a G to PG rating on the Berkeley System. I am now even more motivated to jump ship in order to better my position. The worse feeling of it all is i do a lot of work for the company and i always put 110% into everything i do and i do it efficiently and correctly. When situations arrive like what had transpired today i would expect some courtesy back, instead big slap in the face and a job well done. Ah well we shall see what becomes of this. Anyway i will see you guys in the next couple of days. Later.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Week 2 is Among US
Hello everyone and welcome back. It is the start of week 2 and there is a lot that has happened since we last met. First off as a reminder registration for the Spring Semester will begin in two weeks so start scanning your Degree Audit Report to figure out what you are going to take. If you last read i was in my forensic science class which turned out to be quite fun. The professor is very lively which it what you need after working for 8 hours. We discussed the basics of forensic science and some of the cases the professor has worked on himself. It was quite interesting and he seemed very enthusiastic about the subject matter. The next class was on Wednesday and it was very short since the professor was not in. His mother, who must be a professor at Berkeley, filled in briefly as she took attendance, and told us all our groups. I am a little disappointed because i would have rather picked my own group because at least you have a shot with working people you know who can do the work. I know that my group looks reliable and i got to meet all of them and fortunately i have someone i know in my group.
The next class was on Thursday and that was Advanced Database Management. Prior to class starting the IT department was repairing the computers and it gave me a shot to talk to them and trade war stories about IT. I felt that i was in a Dilbert comic strip just like at work. It was a boring class as we just went over the basics of Office 2007 which most of us should know especially since this is an advanced course. I was bored and i cannot wait until this week when we actually get to do some work so that way i can start moving ahead. The other thing is i found out when i will have surgery on my knee which will be February 19th which will be 5 months and a day after the accident. I am happy that i don't have anything life threatening or else my wife would be a widow, but that is Workers Comp for you.
On Friday I went to handle the situation about my Degree Audit Report not being correct. Once again i got excellent treatment from the staff in advisement. Unfortunately due to a technical malfunction she could not access my archived transfer credit report from when i first enrolled. She did give me alternates such as asking for a reevaluation of my transfer credits to see if there are any other classes that can be transferred. She found three and i have to bring in course descriptions from the LaGuardia course description. Hopefully i can shave off twelve credits which would put me in line to graduate in the spring like i am supposed to. That is for now, i will see you guys later this week.
The next class was on Thursday and that was Advanced Database Management. Prior to class starting the IT department was repairing the computers and it gave me a shot to talk to them and trade war stories about IT. I felt that i was in a Dilbert comic strip just like at work. It was a boring class as we just went over the basics of Office 2007 which most of us should know especially since this is an advanced course. I was bored and i cannot wait until this week when we actually get to do some work so that way i can start moving ahead. The other thing is i found out when i will have surgery on my knee which will be February 19th which will be 5 months and a day after the accident. I am happy that i don't have anything life threatening or else my wife would be a widow, but that is Workers Comp for you.
On Friday I went to handle the situation about my Degree Audit Report not being correct. Once again i got excellent treatment from the staff in advisement. Unfortunately due to a technical malfunction she could not access my archived transfer credit report from when i first enrolled. She did give me alternates such as asking for a reevaluation of my transfer credits to see if there are any other classes that can be transferred. She found three and i have to bring in course descriptions from the LaGuardia course description. Hopefully i can shave off twelve credits which would put me in line to graduate in the spring like i am supposed to. That is for now, i will see you guys later this week.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Happy New Year
Hello everyone and Happy New Year to all. It is not only the start of the New Year but it is also the start of the Winter quarter here at Berkeley College. Currently i am sitting in my Forensic Science class waiting for the class to begin. It is annoying that classes on Tuesday start at 6:25 but we all have to make due. I hope everyone had a great New Year, mine was particularly quiet as it always is, such is the life of having kids. I actually had to work New Years Eve but lucky for me we got out at 3pm so i was home in no time. I am now gearing up for this semester with a new attitude and a new resolve especially since i had my worst academic semester last semester i am eager to get back to work. As stated in a previous post i am going to be subjecting myself to a lot of work as i not only have to study for the classes in Berkeley but i am also studying for my CCNA and my GMAT. This will be tough not only on my but also my family as they rarely see me as it is and it is very difficult not to want to play with my children as they along with my wife give me motivation to keep going. It is not easy being full time at work and in school and i know there are many other Continuing Education students that are in the same boat. So those that are with me i salute you and encourage you to continue to push through to graduation.
As previously stated i am currently sitting in my forensic science class awaiting for the class to begin. This semester i am taking, organizational behavior, advanced database management and my internship which just so happens to be my job. I am especially eager because if i get an A in that class it is a 5 credit course so it should boost the GPA a bit. Forensic science looks to be fun and i hope the professor is good and entertaining as with most sciences it can get very boring very quickly if not taught right. It is going to be a long night and i hope the soda i am drinking will at least get me through half the class or at least until the break if we get one. The easiest class i think, besides the internship will be the advanced database management as it is simple Microsoft Access work and i intend to get all or most of it done by the first few weeks. The biggest obstacle i see this semester is that i will be undergoing surgery for the tears in my meniscus's that i obtained while on the job. I will probably miss at least two weeks of school and i am hoping that does not set me back from all the work i will be missing. my goal is for every class to find a friend or familiar face that i can get any important information from. Forensic science is taken care of because i have a long time friend and classmate of mine in the class.
On top of all that is going on i still have the responsibility to blog for Berkeley and i intend to do so with all my energy. I know i say it every year and every semester so i understand if most don't believe me but only time will tell. I intend to treat blogging as a discussion board assignment for one of my classes. Figuring i am going to be online, i might as well make an extra effort to post, the biggest issue i have is finding things to write about, so i am asking all of you, students and faculty a like to help out. Is there any questions or topics that you want me to discuss besides the day to day musing of my life and stay here at Berkeley? To the Faculty, the bloggers are an excellent way to get events and other things out to current and prospective students, let me know and i will post it. That is it for now and i will see all of you again at the end of the week.
As previously stated i am currently sitting in my forensic science class awaiting for the class to begin. This semester i am taking, organizational behavior, advanced database management and my internship which just so happens to be my job. I am especially eager because if i get an A in that class it is a 5 credit course so it should boost the GPA a bit. Forensic science looks to be fun and i hope the professor is good and entertaining as with most sciences it can get very boring very quickly if not taught right. It is going to be a long night and i hope the soda i am drinking will at least get me through half the class or at least until the break if we get one. The easiest class i think, besides the internship will be the advanced database management as it is simple Microsoft Access work and i intend to get all or most of it done by the first few weeks. The biggest obstacle i see this semester is that i will be undergoing surgery for the tears in my meniscus's that i obtained while on the job. I will probably miss at least two weeks of school and i am hoping that does not set me back from all the work i will be missing. my goal is for every class to find a friend or familiar face that i can get any important information from. Forensic science is taken care of because i have a long time friend and classmate of mine in the class.
On top of all that is going on i still have the responsibility to blog for Berkeley and i intend to do so with all my energy. I know i say it every year and every semester so i understand if most don't believe me but only time will tell. I intend to treat blogging as a discussion board assignment for one of my classes. Figuring i am going to be online, i might as well make an extra effort to post, the biggest issue i have is finding things to write about, so i am asking all of you, students and faculty a like to help out. Is there any questions or topics that you want me to discuss besides the day to day musing of my life and stay here at Berkeley? To the Faculty, the bloggers are an excellent way to get events and other things out to current and prospective students, let me know and i will post it. That is it for now and i will see all of you again at the end of the week.
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