Cathedrals by Raymond Carver....

This week, we had to write a short essay based on our reading and understanding of the narrator of the story "Cathedrals" by Raymond Carver. I found the individual somewhat high-minded and insulting in the beginning, but came to understand him as misguided and ignorant as the story progressed. The story begins as his wife invites a blind gentleman named Robert to stay with them for a while. The wife and Robert have history together, because she used to care for him. The husband resents this seeming intrusion in his life, and has already made up in his mind what this gentleman will not only look like (cane, dark sunglasses, and no humor), but how he will sound (old, mournful, pitiful).

It is during a program on cathedrals that the narrator recognizes that he is the blind one as his perception of his visually impaired visitor is challenged and he realizes that he is spiritually ignorant. So the blind man comes to help him to find his spirituality within himself. He metaphorically closes his eyes to take it all in, to allow the realization of his own mental blindness to cause him to change.

I really enjoyed reading this story, because it showed that what we thought we knew about certain things can be challenged, and we may have to come to a new understanding.

Ethnocentrism=a no-no in public speaking....

This week's Oral Communication chapter focuses on the art of public speaking, and how we can practice and become effective public speakers. For instance, the chapter lists ways in which we can use nervousness to our advantage, rather than our disadvantage. It also talked about ways that we can trim a lengthy presentation and still get the message across that we want conveyed. There was other important information, such as how to let our verbal cues and non-verbal cues mirror each other; tailoring our message to fit our audience; and acting as a sounding board for others to practice their speeches (and inviting them to do the same).

On the other hand, we're taught how to avoid ethnocentrism (or holding one's own cultural values as superior to those of other cultures) in public speaking. For instance, we would do well to be familiar with local customs and what certain gestures mean to certain cultures. In many parts of Europe, a rapping of the knuckles on a desk would signal that a presentation was well-received. However, other gestures that we perceive as harmless in the U.S. would be considered offensive or confusing in line with the message being given. So it is necessary to be effective in communication of any kind.

Resumes and dating...

This week in Business 220 (Business Placement Seminar), we're discussing how to create a resume that will get employers interested in talking to you and possibly hiring you. The professor suggested that the resume is a lot like dating in terms of preparation and how you appear to others. Some of the pointers I mentioned were (as brought out in the eHow.com article):

• Make your resume aesthetically pleasing (as you would yourself on a date)
• Bold and underline headings sparingly (as you would makeup on a date)
• Use bullets when listing skills and certifications (as you would point out to prospective mates what you have in common)
• Exclude information that doesn't pertain to the job you are applying for

These are just a few of the pointers that I picked up from this article, and they would certainly be very helpful in applying for--and obtaining--a position that you are interested in.

In Hum 332 (Fiction) this week, we're learning about character development in stories. The first week, we talked about short stories and morals. This week, we're discussing the characters more in detail, how the writers can either "flesh out" the characters or just point out a few characteristics about the character, depending on their relevance and importance to the story.

The right--or wrong--camera makes a difference....

I have to take English 111 (Oral Communication) this quarter, and I had to make a little trip to the mall today, because the camera I purchased just wasn't compatible with my notebook computer. So I went to Radio Shack and got a Logitech QuickCam that I needed for class. When it came time to download the software, the only problem I really had was that the anti-virus software kept labelling it as "high restricted". So I had to disable it and install the software. After I did that, it was smooth sailing. I created my introductory video, following the instructions to the letter, and sent it to the teacher. I do hope that she likes my video--or at least can tell me what I need to improve on. Talking into a camera is not as easy as others make it seem, but this will soon replace being present for conferences in business.

Next week, we'll have to go over a chapter in the book and base our Week 2 video on the notes we have online and based on the chapter reading(s). I'm looking forward to it now, whereas before, all I felt was dread.

I'm also loving my fiction class; this week, we're discussing fables, parables, and morals. One of the stories we had to read was about a foolish camel who chose the wrong set of friends and suffered grave consequences (I won't tell you what happens, though, just in case you want to check it out for yourself).

New quarter started....

So I'm going over information for Finance 400, and there are so many different types of taxes that are involved in so many different transactions. So far, I've learned about excise taxes, income taxes, use taxes, gift taxes, and the like. Gift taxes are taxes that are paid on the transfer of a gift to another party during the owner's life; whereas a death tax is a tax paid on the transfer of a gift to another party after the owner's death. This is important if one is considering leaving his or her loved ones an inheritance. The closer one is to a relative, the lower the tax levy will be.

In Business 220, we had to fill out forms pertaining to our first internship. Again, I'm excited and nervous to see how this will go. I typed out the application and stated that I would need assistance in job placement as far as my internship. I would hope to be able to do my internship at my own place of employment; however, it is a not-for-profit organization, and my field of study is in Finance. The only way I could see doing my internship at work would be to work under the accountant in her office; I may suggest this and see what happens. Either way, I will work to face the challenges ahead of me. Graduation is well on the way, and I don't want to do anything to ruin it for myself.

So I lucked out this quarter....

I ordered my books for the summer quarter at Berkeley, and I paid less than one hundred dollars for my books. I lucked out, because I already had one of the books from last quarter, and my Business Placement Seminar class doesn't require a textbook. So I only had to order two used books from amazon.com. I verified the texts to make sure they were the right ones, and then I placed my order. I've already received one of the books, so tomorrow I'm gonna study the chapter for the first week and get started on the assignment(s) that are associated with it.

My Business Placement Seminar class should also be pretty interesting, what with learning how to market oneself in the job market. I've already mentioned some of the tasks we'll be completing, so I'm just going to print out copies of the documents posted to the Course Documents section so that I'll be able to complete the assignments in a manner satisfactory to both the professor and myself. Turns out I have the same professor for this course that I had for Business Math. I look forward to conversing again with my fellow Berkeley students and getting their perspectives on certain readings, and with the Oral Communications class, I look forward to getting to know my classmates via video and the discussion board.

I'm also going to frequent Career Services now more than ever as a result of taking the Business Placement course, just to see how I can apply what I've learned and will learn. I saw some of the same documents in our Course Documents folder, and I feel a little more confident that I'll be successful in the job market and subsequently, the workplace.

New quarter starts next week!!!!

I just got my new text book for Finance 400 this afternoon, and I'm going to try and start on some of the assignment this week; that way, I won't have quite as much to do next week. I'm also taking Business 220--Business Placement Seminar. This course is going to teach us how to search for a job in today's market. We're going to learn how to put together resumes, cover letters, and thank you letters. We're also going to learn how to have a successful interview and about blunders that can keep us from landing the job of our dreams.

This all brings me back to my initial concern: How am I going to do my internship while I'm still working? Will I have to take a leave of absence for school purposes or not? Will I find an internship that will allow me to work around my current schedule? Well, I'll have twelve weeks to figure it out; in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy learning how to be successful in the business world and learning how to market myself. I am also signed up for English 111--Oral Communication. I am going to find out how to download the camera software to my computer so that I can record and post my videos to the discussion board (this is how our discussions will be performed). I have a few days to figure that out, as well. Well, here's to a new and successful quarter, Berkeley students.