MO-400 a sigh of relief

This was a journey, and I am so excited to finally get my certification for MO-400. LabSim is an introduction to Microsoft Outlook, it will not prepare you for the MO-400 exam. LabSim barley scratch the surface of the knowledge required to pass the MO-400. So, I did not pass on my Second attempt, then Professor Wu suggested searching online for study materials or I could purchase Gmetrix. At first, I was going to purchase Gmetrix. But I was having email issues, so I decide to get Gmetrix the next day with the help of the professor solving my email issues. But that gives me time to search the internet. I was able to find some extremely helpful material on YouTube which help me to pass on the third attempt. Which is really the second attempt because the first attempt my computer froze, and I was not able to take the exam, it counted anyway as one attempt. I use Microsoft Outlook at work and know how to send, add attachments, and check my email. Now I know so much more, and I am so excited about that. It was worth it!

Farewell but not goodbye

I am glad the semester is finally over. And at the same time a little sad. I will miss everyone, even though it was not a socializing event, I cannot help but notice everyone contribute to the class setting in their own unique way that made us one whole. It is not the same when everyone did not show up especially the ones that show up often than not. I really appreciate Professor Wu encouragement and acknowledgment it meant a lot to get his feedback. It was as if we were his own children and he wanted us to succeed, he seemed genuinely excited for us when we finally got it right. I want to say thank you Professor Wu for being you. Going forward I will remember every encouraging words you have ever said to me in times when it seems impossible to go on. As Jaime once said we are the best, I agree we are the best because of you. You are one of a kind. Thank you. I wish everyone the best on their journey.

My TD10 clean up session

Today I completed TD10 with Professor Wu. He helped me cleaned up my blog page comments and update the background. He also help me update some of my email rules and check my A5 slide show presentation assignments to make sure they are downloaded to the right folder. He went over the A6 Spreadsheet Analysis with Trailer and A7 mail merge assignment. I was not too happy about the results. He explained OLE which I am sure I still do not quite understand. He also showed me how get the link to the websites reference show up as a link, which can be clicked on to go to the web page intended. This is the step by step details.

First highlight the web address, then clicked on the link symbol at the top of the page where the tools are, then click the pen icon which is the edit link, select advance, then check the box next to open link in a new window, then click apply. I surely would not have figure this out on my own. I also figure if I can explain it, I get it. so, I still can't explain OLE, I understand it a little better how the professor explained it, but I can not explain it if I were to tell someone how it works. That is something I will have to work on, I guess. 

Interesting facts found in 2019

Here are a few facts I have chosen from the article I have read, looking for a blog topic. Study found that popping a bottle of champagne releases the same shock waves as a jet. The supersonic shock waves that are released from popping the top can produce the same Mach 1 level force as a jet.

People who function on less sleep may have a gene mutation. Some people may have a rare quality that gives them that unique ability to function on less sleep than the rest of us. A 2019 study published in Neuron shows that a mutation of the β1-adrenergic receptor allows some people to function on shorter spans of sleep better than those without the mutation. (Louis Ptáček)

Beer is good for your gut health. It turns out Belgian beers including Hoegaarden, Westmalle Tripel and Echt Kriekenbier, are just as good as yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut for your gut health. these beers are fermented twice and use a specific yeast that produces acids that kill harmful gut bacteria. (Eric Claassen, a professor at Amsterdam University, told 'The Independent') https://bestlifeonline.com/interesting-facts-2019/

The post office system has come a long way

The postal service has come a long way from being the most important service industry, to almost being obsolete due to emails, and the many ways people are able to communicate through the internet. In 1639 the very first post office was established in a Boston home of a man named Richard Fairbanks, this was also a tavern. Then on July 26, 1775, the US postal system was officially established. It has been an essential part of American society ever since. Because the us mail was the only official way to send money, harsh penalties were imposed on mail theft. First time offenders were punishable by a public whipping and a prison sentence of up to 10 years. Second offenders were subject to death. This was unchanged until 1872. Did you know the Postmaster General was once a semi-celebrity?   His next position after postmaster general was U.S. Supreme court justice, he was also viewed as a serious presidential candidate.

The civil war help change the way we get our mails today.  In early America everyone had to go to the post office to get their mails, this meant long wait in freezing, sunny, or rainy weather. A postal clerk in Ohio City is said to have come up with the free delivery system, when he saw so many women forced to wait in long lines at the post office, in hazardous weather conditions, fretting, since the only way to get news to their loved ones fighting in the war, was through the mail. His free delivery system was such a success that it quickly spread to other cities before becoming a national norm.

 
Even though mails get delivered to people’s homes, mail carriers were to hand it only to the recipients. This meant workers waited and waited or circled back repeatedly until their customer came home. On March 1, 1923, all U.S. homes had to have a mailbox or slot, this meant postal employees no longer had to worry about patrons, just their dogs. I felt it's important to share this article I read by Daryl Chen. https://www.rd.com/article/us-postal-service-facts/

Things I didn't know about roses

Did you know that roses are one of the oldest flowers in the world I have read that archeologist have found roses dated back to 35 million years, Roses are eatables, in the medieval days roses were use to decorate buildings, medicinal extracts, cooking ingredients and ornaments.

 
Their fragrance is used to make perfumes, specifically rose oil. Bulgaria is one of the largest producer of rose oil. The colors of roses have meaning in the western world, like red roses is associated to love and romance, pink, grace and elegance, and so on.  I didn't know that the rose is the US national flowers. President Ronald Reagan officially made the rose, the national flower emblem of the United States. Very interesting fun facts about roses.

Animation 6.9.1

Animation is an interesting feature. I enjoy learning about this feature because the text remain stationary on the slide by default, so when you apply an animation this make the presentation animated which is more fun. When animation is applied the text can appear one bullet point, or one picture at a time, there is a variety of options to choose from. You can use the timing to determine whether the selected animation begins on click, with previous, or after previous.

There are four types of animations, entrance, exit, emphasis and motion. you can apply any animation of your preference to your slide and the cool thing about that is you can preview the animation to see what it will look like during the presentation. I like this topic so much I think I previewed all or most of the effects. I especially liked to see the eclipse of the moon slide, with the motion effect.

Easter tradition in Jamaica

Lately I have been missing home, I haven't gone since the pandemic and I truly miss it. Easter was coming up soon.  So I went to the Jamaican store to buy some Easter bun and cheese. Because traditionally in Jamaica at Easter time we eat Easter bun and cheese, fried fish, make rice and red bean with steam fish and watched the crucifix all day on television. The Jamaican store I usually get it at, didn't have any. I was so disappointed, so I vented to my daughter. She went to the same store about a week later and they were closed, on a day they should be open, I know this because of their hours of operations posted on the door. "Makes no sense to me". I was over it but not my child.

Her and her husband went and found a Jamaican store all the way on East Flamingo Road. It was a little mom and pop eatery,  that also have a groceries section.  So they ate their and were able to get Jamaican bun and cheese, ackee, salted fish and yams. I was able to have a traditional Jamaican food I haven't had in years,  for a moment it felt like home and that makes my day. Ackee looks like scrambled eggs when it's cooked but it's delicious with salted fish. It was canned ackee of course but delicious anyway. These are pictures I found online because I didn't think to take pictures, and I didn't planned to write a blog about it either. I figured why not I can't think of anything else to write about anyway.

Observing how rude our society have become

Working in the service industry you get to see and observed a lot. The regulars who are like family, you address them by name, they address you by name. They share what's going on in their lives and even  gives you updates on past events, they've already told you about. And then you have the ones that are unhappy if they win, unhappy if they've lost, unhappy if nothing happens, they are unhappy no matter what. And then you have the high rollers who are so privileged, it doesn't matter how busy you are, they expect you to stop in the middle of what you are doing, or whoever you are helping to cater to them.

Let's face it, we all need the workers in the service industry to render services. During the pandemic everyone came to the realization that the people in the service industries are essential workers. So the next time you walk into an establishment and see someone doing the job no one else wants to do, be kind and know that, that might be someone else's mother, daughter, brother, uncle, or grandmother. Say something kind or say nothing. You never know what kind of day a person may be having and a kind word might brighten their day. We are all human and a little kindness goes a long way.

Reflecting on a particular Life decision

Never put off the things you want to do today for tomorrow, because tomorrow turns into next week, next week turns into next year, then twenty years later and you still have not accomplished what you wanted. There is never the right time to do important things such as getting married, starting a family, buying a house, or get a degree, but do it anyway, push through the struggles and get it done at all cost. I wish I had done that with my education, it is definitely harder now and I really regret not finishing years ago.

When you are young you don't think, or even know what it's like to be older. So take my advice, it's inevitable, everyone gets older eventually.  You are not as fast, your memory is not as sharp, patience wears thin easily, and everything hurts, "I am not there yet in the hurt department", but I know it's coming. I have to say in the beginning I didn't think I would finish this class, if it wasn't the encouragement of Professor Wu, I probably would have given up, but now I know  that I am not doing as bad has I thought I was, I will definitely take my own advice. If the school load gets too much drop down to one class but don't stop completely, it is easier to pick up a few more courses than to start from scratch many years later. That's my advice speaking from experience the struggle is real.

Concatenating in Excel 5.6.5

Concatenate is a cool feature. I have to admit, when I first saw this feature I felt like wow!, this is a lot to remember, but once I got it down I'm loving it, this is great.

I know now, how to add a whole string of text together with this function, that cuts the typing time in half. This is awesome, to be able to combine contents from different cells together into a single cell. I also learned how to Concat first and last names without having to type the whole thing, and how to add emails in with the text. This feature is so cool.  You can even use the '&' symbol as a shortcut to Concat a string of items together into the same cell.

I have learned how to add space, comma, and period, into the data by putting it in quotations. Quotation in an Excel function, let the computer know it is working with text. I am in awe about these new functions, not just Concat but a few others. Excel is pretty cool, I wish I knew all these functions years ago. I love all the new features I am learning about Microsoft Excel.

3D Model 4.7.4

3D model is the topic I find very fascinating. I have learned that models are made of points and 3D space which can connected by lines, curves, and geometric shapes, then a process is added called textured mapping to give it a realistic look.  The fact that an image can be inserted into a document page, rotated and viewed from many different angles, and be formatted to look so real is awesome. And to be able to zoom it as far as possible and the image won't get pixelated is even better.

I remember shopping online and seeing 3D images of products and thought how awesome, and wondered how do they get it to move around like that. I never knew I would have first hand knowledge of how it's done. Computer programming is awesome. I am learning a lot in IS101 and LabSim.

Introspection

Why am I taking IS101?

First I enrolled into IS101 because it was one of the few classes that wasn't online. I wasn't sure what to expect in this class when I selected it. Then I quickly realized, this will be a challenge since I really didn't know anything about computers. I needed this class more than I was willing to admit. I struggled desperately to keep up with the curriculums. I will repeat if I have to but I won't give up.

What are my proudest moments?

My proudest moment so far was when I pass the MOS exam. I am excited to learn about excel since I perform tasks in excel at work and don't know much. I will always be grateful that I took this class. The tips, tricks and lessons I've learned will stay with me forever.

Printers 2.1.9

Normally when I buy a printer, I usually go for the best price and then if it has the scan, copy, and fax features, that's a plus. I always wondered what is the difference between inkjet printers and laser printers, and why is one so much more expensive than the other. After watching LabSim video 2.1.9 on Printers. I don't have to wonder anymore. The breaks down of the differences, the advantages and disadvantages, between the two, is very fascinating.

It is interesting to learn that Inkjet printers spray small dots of ink from an ink reservoir onto a sheet of paper. The Inkjet printers are not that expensive and produces good quality print jobs. But the replacement ink cartridges are expensive and don't print that many pages, also the ink tends to fade overtime.

As for the Laser printer, who would of thought toners are tiny plastic particles, fixed to a page by electrical charges and heat, that's genius. The Laser printer has some advantages over the inkjet printers, such as the print output is better. It can print faster and handle more print jobs. Toner is less expensive than ink,  the print job doesn't fade overtime and toner doesn't bleed into the paper. But laser printers are more expensive to initially purchase and more complex to maintain. These are feature I really don't think about when buying a printer but it good to know. Maybe next time I will get a laser printer instead.

Online academic research 1.5.5

I knew it was very important to evaluate and fact check everything found online, especially if I am doing a research paper. But then I watched the video from LabSim on 'online academic research' which breaks down the different sources and how to use them. I find this very informative.

I learned that academic sources are usually written and published by people who are experts in that field. These publications are then reviewed and validated by experts of their peers in the same field. Consumer level sources tend to be less reliable because they are not written, or peer reviewed by other scholars.

I also learned that academic sources can be divided into categories primary and secondary sources. primary sources include things like original speeches, laws, and poems. Secondary sources are articles or books that reviewed, described, and analyzed primary sources. Then there are tertiary sources which are more like bibliography abstracts and references from the primary sources.

LabSim even introduced Google Scholar. I have never heard of Google Scholar until now. In Google Scholar you can modify your search by date range, or a specific phrase. You can also refine your search by selecting the advanced search options. I learned it is less hassle to use an online database like Google Scholar because you can be confident the content is reliable and accurate verses if you find the information through regular search engine. Thanks to IS101 this information will be very helpful for future research.

Driving on the wrong side of the road

Jamaica was once ruled by the British, they got their independence on August 6th, 1962. Even though Jamaica got their independence they kept some of the British traditions, like driving on the left side of the road. I never drive in Jamaica; I take the cab or the bus, almost all the locals do. I came to the US in 1999 and noticed only a questionable few take the bus, everyone drives. So, it felt very lonesome walking, and waiting for the bus seems to take hours depending on when you get to the bus stop. 

Even though I never drive in Jamaica, I still had to reconditioned my brain to stay on the right side of the road during the learning possess. It felt unnatural at first driving on the right side of the road. Now when I go to Jamaica, I can't help but press my imaginary brakes when someone else is driving, because it looks like they are about to drive in oncoming traffic.

I was so excited to finally get my driver's license, and have the independence to go where I want, when I want. Then I quickly realized I need a GPS device because I am always getting lost. When I got lost, I forgot the rules of the road. I couldn't understand why it freaked me out so badly. Maybe because the U.S. is such a big place, I fear I might end up in a different State. I am doing better now. Now I drive like a professional. 

I drove in Jamaica once, but my sister tells me how to turn. Most of the time I am following someone.  I will not drive by myself because I would have difficulty turning. Turning is very tricky. Also, their traffic mileage is in meters and gas is measured in liters, very different from when I lived there.

Culture shock about food in a foreign land

Growing up all three meals were cooked, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so most times the meals were heavy. This ensured we stayed full until the next meal. Home cooked meals are passed down from generations. So, imagine my surprise when I moved to another country and realized that donuts, coffee cakes, cereal and other kinds of pastries are considered breakfast. Not to mention home cooked meals like pizza, hamburgers, and macaroni and cheese, to mention a few.

Rice is a main part of every meal and meat is cooked to produce what is called gravy in my culture. Gravy is resulted from stewing the meat and adding a lot of water and spices then let it simmer to a thick paste. Then there are yam, green banana, and dasheen, these are starchy roots, except for the banana, these roots are dugged out of the ground, peeled and cooked. These starchy roots sometimes substitute for rice.

Living in a foreign country with a different culture where food is concerned has proven to be quite difficult. In order to get what I consider real food; I have to find an Asian or Hispanic restaurant because these meals are somewhat similar to what I am use to. Even grocery shopping is hard because I can't find the traditional food I want. Sometimes I can get a few things at the international markets.

Now looking back, my mother must have done it that way for a reason. Maybe because there were many of us siblings. Whatever the reason was, it has a lasting effect, because now I am not a fan of fast food. I especially won't eat it for dinner.

Realizing I need a college education

Being in the casino business for 21 years, I finally decided, that's not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I have thought of going back to college for some time now, but never actually took action, something always came up. Then the pandemic happens. Being in quarantine gives me a lot of time to think and I realized I did not like my job, mainly the hours. Then I got called back to work, my staff cut in half, less staff means double the workload, now I really don't want to be here I thought to myself.

I called CSN inquiring about the classes I took in the past, wondering if after seven years my credits were still there, and if I could apply them to a different degree, I was excited to find I could. I started having doubts during the enrollment process, especially when I noticed most of the classes were online or hybrid. I got very excited, anxious, and confused all at the same time, not sure what to expect. I got a welcome back email from CSN that put a smile on my face. I didn't check my student email after that not on purpose just not use to it. Then I got a text from Professor Wu about a WebEx meeting. After talking to Professor Wu I was convinced I could do this, I felt better about coming back. 

I am very excited to continue down this path to a brighter future. This time I intend to see it through to the end.