Saturday, January 24, 2009

When I'm sixty-four (or thirty)...

In order to form a more perfect union between me and my job, I must explore my field of work. I must explain that my career will more than likely involve a series of jobs that will not be permanent. But as I understand that I will more than likely be moving around quite a bit in my early career, I realize that more doors will open for me. Therefore, I will be focusing more time on my professional career as I enter the workforce than my personal life. I wish it did not have to be like this, but I believe that if I will put time into my industry early, I will be rewarded in the future with a successful, steady job at which point I will be able to live my personal life to my liking.
In ten years, I am hoping to have settled down in one job that will allow me to focus on personal matters such as starting a family. Additionally, if I have not settled down, I will plan on trying to find a stable job. As a golf pro, I will need to accept certain things as part of my life. Such aspects include the loss of weekends (as that is the busiest time of your business), and adjustments to a seasonal position (if I choose to look for work up north, where I am originally from). As for where I would like to live, I am on the fence. The northeast is my home and is the source of the industry's highest paying jobs. I know that money isn't everything, but the budget of a golf pro is tight as it is, so the extra bucks may impact my decision. Also, these positions are usually seasonal, so I would have to figure out what to do with the extra few months when it becomes frigid and snowy. However, after my schooling in the great state of South Carolina, I have learned the wondrous qualities of the south. The people and attitudes down here are hard to match, for sure. If I were to decide right now, I would go up north when I enter the workforce. The main basis for this is that I would want to be close to my roots and core values and family as I am returning from intermission and starting a new act in the play I call my life.
In conclusion, I would like to work in the golf industry, preferably in the northeast, where I can establish strong connections, while staying connected to my family and core roots. I would consider the possibly of working in the "off-season" down south, so I could have the best of both worlds. As far as the "lifestyle" I would like to live, I would love to start a family when I am ready and stable and steady eddy. However, I do reckon that this may take some time to establish myself in the professional world.
As for now, I am living my life one day at a time and not focusing too hard on the future because you really have no idea what life might have in store for you. So until that day comes,..

Saturday, January 17, 2009

blog post 2.0

The machine is us/ing us. I suppose this title is a bit of a pun. The composer of this work thinks that the new functions of the world wide web (the machine) is encompassing human identity. Also, he claims that the machine is using the users to gain more knowledge and eventually take over the world (if it hasn't already). All in the meanwhile, the author cleverly uses "us/ing" as a little reference to how web 2.0 has changed how communication takes place.
As I am typing this post, I realize how much word processing has changed and how you can really express yourself in a completely different way that you could have 10, 20, 50, 100, 10000 years ago. I mean before, all you could do was try to bang a sharp rock into a bigger flatter rock and try to "write" "messages." As time passed, you were able to put a piece of processed tree into a feed roller, and then instantly "type" a message (but if you messed up, you had to bust out the white out [don't put it in your eye, though]). Nowadays, we take for granted the ease of changing fonts, styles, size, layout, and the everso useful backspace key. Web 2.0 has taken the expression of ideas and words to a new level. Communication links people and the outlet of today's communication is changing an exponential rate.
But is web 2.0 a good thing? Everything is good in moderation, right? Well, I think that web 2.0, and all that comes with it has really helped the greater good of humanity. But, I also think it is a little scary. The amount and type of information that is available on the internet makes you think what people can see and find out. Also, it is scary to see how communication is breaking down in this country. I have heard that our people my age are said to be part of "generation x" or "generation next." I think today's kids will be soon called "generation text." That gives me chills, just to think of how our language will soon be condensed to one letter words and the absence of vowels. ya no wht im sayin?
For generation x, we must be ready how to utilize web 2.0 effectively as we enter the workforce. The future will demand our abilities to communicate through these technological mediums. If you already have these skills, you will be ahead of your class, most likely.. As important it is to know what web 2.0 is, is to know how not to use web 2.0. For example, web 2.0 is all about self expression and communication, but you do not want to express yourself negatively, especially in the professional world. Sites like facebook and myspace are of public domain, and I am pretty sure some people would not potential employers looking at their "spaces." I have heard that people post pictures of themselves in inebriated states. I guess that makes you cool? Doesn't smoking make you cool too? Maybe, I'm missing something.
Anywho, the video refers to this idea of rethinking everything. My interpretation of this is that we must remember to think before we type. Clearly, I am not a hypocrite, as I really thought about everything I wrote in this composition.. But, I think it is important to take advantage of the ease of personal expression through 2.0, but you must also communicate intelligently. Post over.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

no one in da club got swagga like me

my name is nate. i am originally from new city, ny (which is a suburb or nyc). this means that i am not from "upstate." please do not ask if new city is upstate, because it is 33.4 miles from the heart of downtown. i am not a city person, as it is obvious that i'm going to school in the middle of south carolina. i am a morning person and need sufficient sleep on a daily basis ~8 hours. i like ordering new things at restaurants. i like golf so much that i am going to make a living out of it. i own a 10 year old goldfish. i like to read a wide variety of novels and nonfiction. i am big into music (playing/listening/creating). i like to dance to disco, funk, and trance music. i like to cook without recipes. i like to cook with recipes. on weekends, i have been known to drink some root beers and bust out the pictionary (if i'm feeling frisky, watch out parcheesi players). i am a giants fan as well as a yanks fan (do not hate). however, i really do not like the yanks new purchasing plan. it was much more fun to see actual talent come up through the farm system, instead of wasting quarters of billions of dollars on washed up vets. i think that as exciting as professional sports can be, u.s. money can go to much more productive efforts. i will get off my soap box, and will try not to ramble about my opinions. i can not stand the bias in the media. people have to experience something first hand in order to get a true idea of what is going on in this world. i will be the first to admit if i am ignorant on a topic. i try to stay educated on current events. i tend to be a man of very few words (spoken). i am leaving a lot out, but that is what the rest of the semester will reveal. it is relatively apparent, that i am an at length writer, but i will conclude for now. until next time... cheers!