The Holiday Season

 First, I want to wish everyone Happy Holidays! I understand the holidays can be a tough time under any circumstances, but this year the degree seems worse due to COVID-19. I wanted to give people some resources where they can get help during the holidays, whether it's food or even toys for their children. Every year I donate my time and help arrange and unload toys that will be used for children's gifts. This is actually done through a military program at my office. During the holidays, no one should go hungry and without some form of celebrations. We all have a lot to be grateful for, whether you notice it or not. This year try to focus on all of the things you're grateful for and what you still have. Even though the last few months have felt like a disaster, there's still a lot I'm grateful for. I hope everyone has a great holiday season and has a blast.

Listed below, is a link to website that has a list of helpful organizations that can provide services you may be in need of this holiday season.

https://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/clark_county_free_christmas_an.html

The Final Push

 There's not anything in particular I wanted to share this week, so I thought I would talk about the end of the semester. Since I started college back in 2011 (yes I should have graduated by now), the last two weeks of the semester are always the most stressful. At times, it can seem like the worst things are happening in your work and personal life and it compounds the pressure of the semester timeline. After commenting on everyone's post last night I noticed a majority of the students were feeling overwhelmed, myself included. I thought it would nice to offer some positive support and advice to hopefully cheer everyone up for the upcoming holidays.

Tips:

1. Don't stress over things you can't control. If you miss a deadline or incur an expensive home repair cost, find the most logical way to address the issue and move forward. No sense in crying over spilt milk.

2. When you have too many things to do, focus on one thing at a time. Those chores or dishes will still be later in the day so no need to worry about them until it's time to clean them. When I have a lot of things to do in a day, I just devote all my attention to that one task then move on to the next. It can make things significantly less daunting.

3. Take time out of the day for yourself. Balance is important in order to maintain your mental health. When you get frustrated with a class project or paper, go for a short walk, watch a short funny, or even just play with the dogs. Healthy outlets of stress help keep your mind fresh and can increase your overall happiness.

These are just a few basic tips that seem helpful to during then end of the college semesters. Thank you all for listening and I know everyone will do well in all of their classes this semester. Good luck everyone!

Financial Future

It never seems too early or too late to focus on our financial future. When I presented to you all last Saturday, I left early because I was in a car accident a few hours prior to us taking our MOS Excel Certification exam. My vehicle was totaled and it forced me to look for another vehicle. This got me thinking about my financial future and what plans I need to set in place in order to reach my financial goals.

Purchasing a vehicle can be exciting and stressful. I took it upon myself to find another truck but not as expensive as my last one. This forced me to plan out how long it would take to pay off the vehicle while saving for the house and my long term investments. 

After thinking long and hard about which vehicle to purchase, I stumbled upon a recent article talking about index funds. Now, I'm a little familiar with index funds and what they do, but this article explained them in depth. I also found out I wasn't currently investing enough of my salary towards my retirement. This got me thinking about how I could add more to my retirement. My ultimate goal was to invest another 5% (currently invest 10%)  of my salary towards a long term fund that will be safe. I found out if you invest before you reach 30 years old, you still have lots of time save $1,000,000 for retirement. So in order to reach these goals, I opened up an index fund with vanguard. Rather than me focusing on beating the market, I'm going to play the long game and save up properly. When your in the market for another vehicle or house, do some research and look at the potential growth or depreciation of these large purchases. This can save you thousands upon thousands of dollars in the future. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Potential Jobs with a MOS Certification

 Hello everyone,

I hope everyone is doing well. Since we have our MOS Excel Certification tomorrow, I thought this would be a fitting post. While taking a smoke break at work, I thought about what kind of jobs do the MOS certifications qualify me for? Every Certification I posses and currently are on track to receive offers a large payday. This got me asking myself, how will the MOS Certifications attribute to my resume and overall attractiveness to potential employers. In my field of Networking, as an Administrator it's helpful to know these Applications but not necessary, but these certifications can make me stand out from the rest of my peers in a competitive environment. 

The images above are from a Google search for jobs that require a MOS Certification, such as Word, Excel, and Outlook. I though it would be beneficial to show the class what types of positions exist, and what they are qualified for currently, and they don't even require you to have your degree yet. I selected a few random positions in various states (it was difficult to find ones here in Las Vegas with a short search). I know a few companies that will hire college students with certifications and the pay can start out from $16 to $18 per hour. The world of Information Technology is expanding rapidly and they always need more qualified personnel to work and maintain the infrastructure. Good luck everyone on your MOS Excel certification exam tomorrow.

Rise of COVID-19 cases

 I know recently here in Southern Nevada we have seen a major rise in COVID-19 cases. The positivity rate is over 14% and the number of positive tests has soared to over 1300 per day. There are a few factors that is affecting these numbers. The first factor is tourists. After talking to the State Surgeon (she is the one tracking the Nevada Army National Guard soldiers who test positive), she stated that many people who have tested positive from out of state are tracked on our numbers. Secondly, it's flu season and many people are beginning to show flu like and cold like symptoms.

Based off the information I get daily from our unit Commander (he is on the state COVID task force), a shutdown looks inevitable. I'm very worried for our local economy and the health of all Clark Count residents. Everyone please heed the warnings and try to stay safe. Our Governor, Steve Sisolak, has just tested positive and December looks like it will not provide any sort of relief. During this holiday season, enjoy your time with family but also stay safe and take the necessary precautions. I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable week.

COVID-19

 Hello everyone, sorry that I have been missing all of your presentations. The reason why I missed last week was because I tested positive for the coronavirus. Long story short, many people at work tested positive and the office is on lockdown. I'm finally doing better after a week with a high fever and body aches. I still have symptoms will be on lockdown for at least another week. I'm trying to catch up on all of the schoolwork that I have fallen behind on but hopefully I'll make it to class on Saturday. 

Even if your young and healthy, coronavirus can still have a major impact on your health. Following guidelines and recommendations will help keep you all safe during this time. Southern Nevada is having another major spike in cases and I hope everyone stays safe during the holiday season. Take care everyone and I will try to see you on Saturday.

Graduation is Near!

 I'm finally near the end of my military course. It has been a quick but very busy month. I've felt like I'm falling behind in my classes and making it more difficult for myself to catch up. Once graduation happens I will have a huge relief from all of this stress. Not only will I be able to catch up with all my classes but I can begin to study for another certification exam (CCNA), and I will be getting promoted next week. I'm ecstatic and joyful of the opportunities this will provide me in my career going forward.  I understand that this is only the beginning but I'm excited nonetheless. It can seem so gratifying when you have been working extremely hard towards a goal and it's within your grasp. I'm going to take some time to myself this weekend before I get back on track with school. Have a great weekend everyone!

Working with others

 Working with others would seem like a self explanatory task, or even a simple task. In reality, it can be very difficult when working in a professional environment. I learned as a leader of my peers that leadership has a lot to do with understanding one's views and managing personalities. Every person you interact with will have different personalities, political views, cultural views, and work ethics. Trying to force someone to be a certain way will never work; the only way to manage this is through patience and perseverance. As a great leader or supervisor, you have to find effective ways to inspire your team and subordinates. This could be as simple as leadership through action; which means conduct yourself the way you wish your team to act. 

The most difficult task is managing personalities and keeping the peace. Humans all have unique personalities that require a specific skillset to keep them focused on the task at hand. It can be very difficult to lead a personality that you categorically disagree with, but as a leader you must put your feelings aside and focus on the task at hand. Managing people takes lots of patience and you must learn new ways to approach different people so that your message gets through to them. I understand now why leaders take such a long time to develop and the importance of leadership. The phrase " Heavy lies the head that wears the crown" has never been more relevant to me now. As you all grow in your professional careers, learn to be patient with your leaders and understand their perspective. Even if it may not be want you want to do, don't overstress your leader and finish the task. In the end, you'll learn more from that situation and gain more character from that moment of struggle.

Power Napping

 These last two weeks have been extremely hectic. My workload has increased while College has begun to speed up as well. Let me give you a run down of typical day for me.

0600- Physical training (group training)

0730-Change, shower, eat, and drive over to work

0845-Begin work

1130-Break for lunch, which include either additional physical training, catching up on school work, napping, or running basic errands because everything is closed when I'm finished with work.

1300-Begin afternoon work

1700-Close out the day with a After Action Review (it's a report that reviews the things we did that day and how to improve them or what to keep) and clean up.

1730-Leave Work

1800-Arrive home, shower, make and eat dinner and prepare uniforms for the next.

1900-Leave to attend a study session to help out fellow classmates

1930-Arrive at study session

2200-Arive back home from study session and close out College homework for that day

0000(Midnight)-Go to sleep

0445-Wake up to get ready and drive to physical training.

So throughout my lunch break and in the evening, I've learned to incorporate power naps. These are about 20 minutes each and I try to take at least two per day. Power naps refresh my mind and help me focus on the task at hand, such as school homework or work homework. If you feel like your in need of more time, power napping might be for you.

Working with Peers

 Currently my job is requiring me to work with direct peers, not any supervisors or subordinates. I've always found it most enjoyable to work on a project or assignment with my peers. If your open minded, you can learn a lot more from your peers then from your supervisors. This experience has shown me that working and collaborating with peers opens new perspectives in your work life and daily life. Insights into another perspective from an equal seems to have the largest impact. 

The same concept is present in post secondary education. Collaborating with peers even on a simple project not only helps you learn and teaches you more about that subject, but it's fun and enjoyable. Working with a supervisor on a project together can have unwanted emotions, such as anxiety or stress. This derives from our roles in that environment; unlike with peers, your free to open up new ideas and ways of thinking. Leaders or supervisors don't necessarily take the same input you have to offer and connecting with subordinates on the same level can seem impossible. Again, this is due to the roles you have established and what is acceptable in that role. I can see how in a professional research environment, this can create a welcoming environment and spark new concepts that could have major impacts on future generations. 

Vacation Hangover

A "vacation hangover" is when you finish a vacation and home feels unusual, while also taking a few days to readjust to your regular lifestyles and habits. So this is something that I've always been curious about since I love going on vacations. It seems easy to adjust when I'm headed to my vacation destination, but very difficult to return to normalcy. What's the most puzzling is that it could be due to many different reasons but I see this happening more often with close friends who also return from vacation. Right now I'm trying to poll data and ideas as to why this happens. I go on vacation at least 3-4 times per year and I run into this issue every time I return home. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated. Have a good rest of the week and good luck on your MOS Word Certification exams.

The Art of Grilling

One of my few passions is grilling or smoking meat. I only became really interested in this about 2 years ago. It's one of my favorite things to do on the weekends or anytime there's sports on tv. Whenever I'm genuinely interested in something I spend a lot of time trying to improve my craft. Recently I've gotten a lot better at making a near perfect medium rare steak, chicken that's cooked but still juicy, and overnight marinated pork shops. Another related task I love to do in my free time is smoke meat. This requires a lot of patience but is well worth it in the end. Currently, I'm practicing on cheap cuts of beef and fish; my next step is to marinate and smoke ribs. The best part of all this is the opportunity for my friends and family to hang out and just enjoy the simple pleasures in life. I really enjoy cooking but grilling and smoking are my favorite types of cooking.

Wildfires across the Western United States

 I'm sure everyone has heard of the growing wildfire issues across the Western United States and it's starting to concern. Recently I saw the aftermath only a few hours after a wildfire was started in San Bernadino due to a gender reveal. Yes, it's the same wildfire that is all around the internet and in memes everywhere. Obviously climate change is major factor in the dryness of the Western United States, but I wanted to talk about a different reason.

Believe it or not there has a been a growing Cartel presence in the entire Western United States. Even with the legalization of marijuana, illegal growing still exists. Now you may ask, how does this affect wildfires? Well, the soil in the Western United States is perfect to grow marijuana; therefore the Cartel employs individuals to divert water with make shift dams and piping to irrigate their illegal grow. This not only affects that small ecosystem but nearby ecosystems as well. The diversion in water makes the landscape drier and forces local animals to move to water. This can make the plants in that region die or become even drier which is what a wildfire needs to spread rapidly. Lastly they use strong pesticides in order to protect their marijuana plants from other creatures in that ecosystem. This pesticide makes it's way to the water which can kill animals plants and even kill humans if ingested. The dead plants in the area create additional tinder for the wildfires. 

I understand this may not effect us directly but it's having a major impact in the Western United States. If you go hiking in higher elevations, be aware of these illegal grows and report it to authorities. Stay safe everyone and have a great week.

Working Students

 I hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend. After Labor Day weekend I was called to work immediately for an important task that required travel. This task required daily 12 hour training and was in the classroom and outside practical exercise training. Long story short these tasks that required me to travel 5 hours away from my home of residence and long hours of work have put me at a temporary setback with my education. Which brings me to the topic of this post, "Working Students."

In today's society many students are finding it difficult to afford college and living expenses at the same time. This has forced many students into either part time or full time work. I work full time, which usually entails at least 50 hours per week. It can be difficult at times but as long as I stay on a fixed schedule I can manage all of my responsibilities. The concept of taking student loans to cover these expenses scares students and can impact you financially the rest of your life; but many jobs that students are qualified for, will only make a scratch in the tuition so they're force to take the loans or take less classes. This creates a major issue with the progression of our young members of society. We are forced to work ourselves to death to pay for basic living expenses and our education in order to succeed in life, or we just take the loans and pay for it later. 

Education in my lifetime has shifted from purely academic to knowledge for profit. Not all institutions are alike, but many students shouldn't have to choose between affording an education or working ridiculous hours to afford the chance at it. This is just my opinion and I could be wrong but the working student has become the new normalcy for college students. 

Why don't diets or gym memberships seem to never work?

 I've noticed that there are too many shortcuts and different programs that promote fitness and well being. What seems to irritate me on this subject is that majority of these programs are not sustainable and forgo the hard work aspect. Too many diets are not sustainable and many people quit the diet once they reach their goal, resulting in a loss of progress. The same can be applied to physical fitness. Multiple programs preach that this is the easiest and fastest way to achieve your physical fitness goal. In reality, you can lose all of your strength and conditioning in just three weeks if you stop training entirely. How do I know this information?

Well I kept a log of my training and eating habits pre-COVID. I noticed that within three weeks of not working out (intense physical training) and being trapped in the house, I lost a significant amount of strength and conditioning. I still did my best to train with body weight workouts but my strength had decreased by a large factor. Once I had access to equipment again, I began to show signs of improvement. I know I wasn't the only person in the world who lost physical fitness progress due to COVID, but I was determined to find a solution.

People focus on the wow factor of fitness and not the overall health of that person. This creates an image to focus on rather than a lifestyle. One thing I learned is that changing your lifestyle rather than dieting, has a major impact on your mental health and physical fitness. You won't need to diet, if you change what you eat, how much you eat, and how often. Too many people don't enjoy life's simple pleasure's because they're too worried about breaking their diet. In moderation, one can enjoy all of the same things without having to sacrifice their physical fitness. Same goes with working out; too many people (like myself) rely on the gym to provide all our equipment. Through research and trial and error, I have incorporated multiple exercises that I can conduct virtually anywhere while keeping up my strength. We need to change our lifestyles and habits to live a long a healthy life.

IS 101 Fall 2020

Hello everyone,

My name is Matt and this will be my first semester at CSN. So far, the Professors have been outstanding and exceeded my expectations. The amount of thought and hard work that goes into coordinating with an outside certification source is difficult. Based off my prior experience it shows me that CSN wants to prepare their students for an IT job immediately upon graduation or while attending CSN. The adaptability and patience of the Professors at CSN is well above the rest. I look forward to completing my Degree through CSN.