I joined the nerdiest community when I was 12 years old. SDF Pulbic Access UNIX Systems is a non-profit Unix Shell account provider. When in the system offers programs and tools that are typical for your average hacker. I found this community in a Google search. The process of connecting to SDF was a challenging itself, but things really took off for me when I did figure out how to use the system. I remember opening up a black screen and typing in foreign commands in the shell to maneuverer through directories with using a mouse. This is still my preferred method of navigating through files.
I would spend much of my time on SDF, inside of school on my breaks and home. Some of the programs provided by SDF allow users to interact with each other in a chat room like layout. Programs like “com” are essential to the community, for it votes on how the system runs.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Module 1 overview
What are some of the things you learned about yourself as a student or a professional in Module I? Did you surprise yourself in any way? Were you proud of yourself? Were you at all disappointed in yourself? Why?
My overall performance in module #1 was not done to my satisfaction. In the beginning of module #1 I struggled with turning my assignments on time. Sometimes I would not complete my homework in time for class. I recovered from this habit quickly but still struggled to remember about turning in my guest speaker questions. It is very easy for me to forget to turn in an assignment after you are done using it to ask a guest speaker a question.
Another thing that I struggled with in module #1 was my lack of communication with my instructors. In the beginning I was afraid to ask for assistance or follow up with an email. But I worked hard on speaking out to my teachers more. I learned that my teachers may feel like I am not very engaged with the program all together.
Public speaking is always something that I need work in. I feel like I am progressing in this area just from attending YearUp. Nevertheless I still need to practice more in class.
On a positive note, I am impressed with the quality of my writing, it has improved dramatically. Putting my thought onto the screen has never been easier for me. Writing is a tool that I will always strive to improve in.
My overall performance in module #1 was not done to my satisfaction. In the beginning of module #1 I struggled with turning my assignments on time. Sometimes I would not complete my homework in time for class. I recovered from this habit quickly but still struggled to remember about turning in my guest speaker questions. It is very easy for me to forget to turn in an assignment after you are done using it to ask a guest speaker a question.
Another thing that I struggled with in module #1 was my lack of communication with my instructors. In the beginning I was afraid to ask for assistance or follow up with an email. But I worked hard on speaking out to my teachers more. I learned that my teachers may feel like I am not very engaged with the program all together.
Public speaking is always something that I need work in. I feel like I am progressing in this area just from attending YearUp. Nevertheless I still need to practice more in class.
On a positive note, I am impressed with the quality of my writing, it has improved dramatically. Putting my thought onto the screen has never been easier for me. Writing is a tool that I will always strive to improve in.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Neighborhood Watch
To what extent does a person’s neighborhood shape who she or he is?
Briefly describe your neighborhood. Which statement best fits you and why?
I am who I am because of the neighborhood I live(d) in.
I am who I am despite the neighborhood I live(d) in.
One's neighborhood will dramatically molded a person’s perspective on life and social progression in diverse atmospheres. I have had the pleasure of living in the rich urban community of East Oakland. Living in the “ghetto” ignited a spark in my mother; she raised my brother in a sense of not being a part of our environment but still living in it. On a daily basis my family witnessed prostitution, drugs deals, drug usage and other crimes common in the “hood”. My mother was so determined to raise her children with less exposure of this environment that she fought for use to attend school in another school district in a suburban area.
I attended school in Castro Valley which is a very safe city in the bay area; going to school here definitely molded the way I socialize and who I associate myself with. Although I lived in Oakland, I spent more time in the safe zone. Every year my mother struggled to get us in Castro Valley Unified School district with success. It was in 2001 that my mother was not able to get me into the school district and I had no choice to attend school in my appropriate school district.
I attend a school in Oakland for the 6th grade and was not prepared to interact with students who lived and went to school in Oakland. Oakland schools back then were known for testing low and struggling with controlling violence within the campus. I didn’t enjoy much of my schooling expirence because I was constantly picked on in class and had little friends to hang out with. The 6th grade was a super crucial in my social development, and attending school in Oakland taught me a lot about being in my environment but not a part of it.
Briefly describe your neighborhood. Which statement best fits you and why?
I am who I am because of the neighborhood I live(d) in.
I am who I am despite the neighborhood I live(d) in.
One's neighborhood will dramatically molded a person’s perspective on life and social progression in diverse atmospheres. I have had the pleasure of living in the rich urban community of East Oakland. Living in the “ghetto” ignited a spark in my mother; she raised my brother in a sense of not being a part of our environment but still living in it. On a daily basis my family witnessed prostitution, drugs deals, drug usage and other crimes common in the “hood”. My mother was so determined to raise her children with less exposure of this environment that she fought for use to attend school in another school district in a suburban area.
I attended school in Castro Valley which is a very safe city in the bay area; going to school here definitely molded the way I socialize and who I associate myself with. Although I lived in Oakland, I spent more time in the safe zone. Every year my mother struggled to get us in Castro Valley Unified School district with success. It was in 2001 that my mother was not able to get me into the school district and I had no choice to attend school in my appropriate school district.
I attend a school in Oakland for the 6th grade and was not prepared to interact with students who lived and went to school in Oakland. Oakland schools back then were known for testing low and struggling with controlling violence within the campus. I didn’t enjoy much of my schooling expirence because I was constantly picked on in class and had little friends to hang out with. The 6th grade was a super crucial in my social development, and attending school in Oakland taught me a lot about being in my environment but not a part of it.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Where did my money go?
The dollar is an indispensable evil and having more is never enough. It is this evil that drives competing financial corporations to remain superior to their competition while the citizen suffers. These corporations market to citizens most vulnerable to be swallowed into a life time of debt. I have been and personally know people who are victims of credit card debt due to sugar coated marketing.
In the year 2009 I was offered a credit card from the Capitol One credit corporation. At age 19 I had a credit limit of $700 with an interest rate of zero percent financing (without reading the fine line). I saw this to be a great opportunity to build my credit from a no credit profile. As the responsible 19 year old I thought myself to be by paying my bill on time for the first two months, I didn’t pay my third month payment on time. Instantly after 12 o’clock Eastern Time a high interest rate was applied to the additional balance. The factor that made this situation so bad for me is that I did not have a job. It was very easy for me to ignore my balance, I ignored my balance for 4 months. My $700 balance turned into a balance of $1200. Unfortunately I had to rely on my parents to pay for my outstanding balance.
Shame on the credit card companies who market to young adults without jobs. Capitol one offered me a credit card when they knew that I did not have a job. This is how such a company makes billions of dollars from naive young adults who desire to be responsible, but are not.
Don’t accept any credit cards without a job.
In the year 2009 I was offered a credit card from the Capitol One credit corporation. At age 19 I had a credit limit of $700 with an interest rate of zero percent financing (without reading the fine line). I saw this to be a great opportunity to build my credit from a no credit profile. As the responsible 19 year old I thought myself to be by paying my bill on time for the first two months, I didn’t pay my third month payment on time. Instantly after 12 o’clock Eastern Time a high interest rate was applied to the additional balance. The factor that made this situation so bad for me is that I did not have a job. It was very easy for me to ignore my balance, I ignored my balance for 4 months. My $700 balance turned into a balance of $1200. Unfortunately I had to rely on my parents to pay for my outstanding balance.
Shame on the credit card companies who market to young adults without jobs. Capitol one offered me a credit card when they knew that I did not have a job. This is how such a company makes billions of dollars from naive young adults who desire to be responsible, but are not.
Don’t accept any credit cards without a job.
Monday, October 3, 2011
You will know me
It has never surprised me that my fellow men may question my mysterious character. Since I am a man of few words, the things that I do and say may often be misunderstood. It does surprise me that it has taken 21 years to realize that my meekness has made me an awkward individual (in my opinion). I guess that is one of the norms of life, you learn about yourself and what others think of you. Here is a little about what I do know about me.
I’m quiet, but I do enjoy socializing with others. One of my goals in life is to become a front man for a brutal death metal band. How is that for quiet? Performing in front of a crowd is easy for me since I wouldn’t need to personally know my audience. Expressing my self through technical rhythm is my fancy. It must be the metal break down that erases my line of comfort and helps me to take risk. I know there is a rock star part of me waiting to be unleashed. I can imagine myself playing solo guitar or growling lead vocals. I can envision me controlling the crowd’s energy through the use of brutal pinch harmonics and blast beats. I know my dream of touching the metal scene is un-realistic for today, but until I blossom out of this written text and into real life, I will practice this leashed part of me in the class room.
I’m quiet, but I do enjoy socializing with others. One of my goals in life is to become a front man for a brutal death metal band. How is that for quiet? Performing in front of a crowd is easy for me since I wouldn’t need to personally know my audience. Expressing my self through technical rhythm is my fancy. It must be the metal break down that erases my line of comfort and helps me to take risk. I know there is a rock star part of me waiting to be unleashed. I can imagine myself playing solo guitar or growling lead vocals. I can envision me controlling the crowd’s energy through the use of brutal pinch harmonics and blast beats. I know my dream of touching the metal scene is un-realistic for today, but until I blossom out of this written text and into real life, I will practice this leashed part of me in the class room.
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