San Rafael CA
Sunny with a high of 93
 | |
| Angelico Hall |
Capt Chris, Student
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
My Little O'le University in the Spotlight
Dominican University of California
San Rafael CA
Sunny with a high of 93
Campus was certainly a buzz with the influx of busy bodies and protesters this week. Last night the California Governor's debate was held in Angelico Hall where I have one of my classes. Tis a big deal for Dominican University and the town of San Rafael. I am at the library today on campus, and all seems to be getting back to normal. Don't forget to vote!
Capt Chris, Student
San Rafael CA
Sunny with a high of 93
Capt Chris, Student
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
I Really Do Plan on Continuing to Blog
San Rafael, CA
I've taken a break from blogging mostly due to a needed break, but the crush of writing that has been required my first semester has eaten away at any creative thought I may have. Suffice to say, I'm well and enjoying all that my transition has afforded me. School work is easing somewhat as I become better at being a student. Anticipate more blog posts in the near future. I'm gittin the itch again. Below is one of the weighty issues I spent many hours on. It may be tough going for some readers, but some may be just bored enough to make it through, and I'd enjoy any commentary that readers may have.
Capt Chris (Shoreside huge)
Women and Work in the Military
 |
| MT Diablo State Park, East of San Francisco |
I've taken a break from blogging mostly due to a needed break, but the crush of writing that has been required my first semester has eaten away at any creative thought I may have. Suffice to say, I'm well and enjoying all that my transition has afforded me. School work is easing somewhat as I become better at being a student. Anticipate more blog posts in the near future. I'm gittin the itch again. Below is one of the weighty issues I spent many hours on. It may be tough going for some readers, but some may be just bored enough to make it through, and I'd enjoy any commentary that readers may have.
Capt Chris (Shoreside huge)
Women and Work in the Military
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Educational Compromise
Dominican University of California
San Rafael CA
I took the above picture just the other day. Very amusing, very California. But I guess what I want to write about today is what is happening in the present and will have a heavy impact on my future.
In the past I have blogged about the next chapter in terms of career. I felt pretty strongly about teaching and would investigate the occupation. Teaching is not completely off the table, but I am less inclined to follow the teaching path. You can read about what I wrote about teaching in May by clicking here.
First off, after spending 20 years working for the government I much prefer to enter the private sector regardless of what is happening in education today. While I am versed in the trend toward charter and private schools, the majority of teaching positions are public. The thought of entering a bureaucratic laden situation turns my stomach. Such instability exists in terms of school funding and property taxes and the like; it gives me enough pause to where I'd rather play my cards elsewhere. Plus I'm no fan of the standards movement.
My classes start in about two weeks. But mentally I've already begun. This means meetings with my academic adviser and career councelor. Based upon information I gathered from these meetings, I reached out to the Humanities Chair for further advise. This lead to a meeting with his assistant, who doubles as an associate professor. And back to my academic adviser and career councelor I go with new perspectives. I always knew that once I was exposed to the university, its curriculum and its voluminous network I'd evolve. It seems I am a question machine, which fits well with philosophy major as all philosopher's do is ask questions. An answer is a rarity. Or more accurate like is an answer is provided in the form of another question which is dubbed the answer. Get it? I think therefore I am.
My educational compromise is as follows. My planning is driven in large part by the Post 911 GI Bill which provides 36 months of benefits. Given that time frame I can achieve a Bachelors degree and a teaching credential in the state of California. My intent has always been to get a Graduate degree. I naively thought I could do all three, BA/BS, MBA and have the certifiables to teach. No can do within that time frame. And the teaching route would really jimmy up my curriculum as an undergrad. The totality of the situation has compelled me to shelve the teaching for now. I must be cognizant that time is a slipping and that entering the workforce at 47 will be weird anyway.
Capt Chris
PS: My coveted iPad was stolen. Puke.
San Rafael CA
In the past I have blogged about the next chapter in terms of career. I felt pretty strongly about teaching and would investigate the occupation. Teaching is not completely off the table, but I am less inclined to follow the teaching path. You can read about what I wrote about teaching in May by clicking here.
First off, after spending 20 years working for the government I much prefer to enter the private sector regardless of what is happening in education today. While I am versed in the trend toward charter and private schools, the majority of teaching positions are public. The thought of entering a bureaucratic laden situation turns my stomach. Such instability exists in terms of school funding and property taxes and the like; it gives me enough pause to where I'd rather play my cards elsewhere. Plus I'm no fan of the standards movement.
My classes start in about two weeks. But mentally I've already begun. This means meetings with my academic adviser and career councelor. Based upon information I gathered from these meetings, I reached out to the Humanities Chair for further advise. This lead to a meeting with his assistant, who doubles as an associate professor. And back to my academic adviser and career councelor I go with new perspectives. I always knew that once I was exposed to the university, its curriculum and its voluminous network I'd evolve. It seems I am a question machine, which fits well with philosophy major as all philosopher's do is ask questions. An answer is a rarity. Or more accurate like is an answer is provided in the form of another question which is dubbed the answer. Get it? I think therefore I am.
My educational compromise is as follows. My planning is driven in large part by the Post 911 GI Bill which provides 36 months of benefits. Given that time frame I can achieve a Bachelors degree and a teaching credential in the state of California. My intent has always been to get a Graduate degree. I naively thought I could do all three, BA/BS, MBA and have the certifiables to teach. No can do within that time frame. And the teaching route would really jimmy up my curriculum as an undergrad. The totality of the situation has compelled me to shelve the teaching for now. I must be cognizant that time is a slipping and that entering the workforce at 47 will be weird anyway.
Capt Chris
PS: My coveted iPad was stolen. Puke.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Infineon Raceway Sonoma California
I spent a really great day at the old Sears Point Raceway, now dubbed Infineon Raceway, watching motorcycle racing. What a rush. Pictured below is the kid and one of the riders, who also doubles as one of the yoga teachers at the studio I practice at. Yoga and motorcycle racing? Weird!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Shipmate Janina On a Great Adventure
Marina Side San Rafael Yacht Harbor
Our good friend Janina is aboard a U.S Navy Helicopter carrier, the USS IWO JIMA off the coast of Haiti. She is on a 4 month humanitarian mission. I skyped with her this morning. She sent out this message and the following pictures. Hopefully over the next four months she can send out some dispatches which I will readily post. Here's Janina message.
"On July 19, 2010, Keri and I are embarking on a fascinating
humanitarian trip on behalf of “Give a Kid a Backpack” for the
duration of 4 months. We are joining forces with the U.S military on a
special mission called Continuing Promise. Our purpose on this trip is
to distribute 4,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to Costa
Rica (480), Guatemala (520), Guyana (1,500), and Colombia (1,500).
“Continuing Promise is an annual humanitarian civic assistant
operation supported by U.S. and international military medical
personnel, U.S government agencies, regional health ministries,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and U.S academic institutions.”
The relationship which is built among theses groups help preserves
peace and stability with Central and South America and the Caribbean
region.
No matter were we live, obtaining an education is very important.
Education is structured to teach us how to read, write, and calculate.
Education challenges a child so that they can be well prepared for
society. In the U.S we are very privilege to be provided with a free
education. In certain parts of the world children are not able to
attend school because most families can not afford the entry fee
and/or school supplies. Also, families tend not to promote education
to their children because they need their child to work.
“Give a Kid a Backpack” helps promote and educate the importance of
education to communities domestically and internationally. One way
Give a Kid a Backpack has promoted itself through Central Florida is
by partnering up with Orange and Lake County Public Schools. The
organization strategically put together a campaign called Clean Out
for Kids which helps collect lots of useful recyclable school
supplies. Remember it is essential for a
child to have his or her backpack with school supplies because it
helps develop the beginning path to amazing goals."
Good Job Janina!
Our good friend Janina is aboard a U.S Navy Helicopter carrier, the USS IWO JIMA off the coast of Haiti. She is on a 4 month humanitarian mission. I skyped with her this morning. She sent out this message and the following pictures. Hopefully over the next four months she can send out some dispatches which I will readily post. Here's Janina message.
"On July 19, 2010, Keri and I are embarking on a fascinating
humanitarian trip on behalf of “Give a Kid a Backpack” for the
duration of 4 months. We are joining forces with the U.S military on a
special mission called Continuing Promise. Our purpose on this trip is
to distribute 4,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to Costa
Rica (480), Guatemala (520), Guyana (1,500), and Colombia (1,500).
“Continuing Promise is an annual humanitarian civic assistant
operation supported by U.S. and international military medical
personnel, U.S government agencies, regional health ministries,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and U.S academic institutions.”
The relationship which is built among theses groups help preserves
peace and stability with Central and South America and the Caribbean
region.
No matter were we live, obtaining an education is very important.
Education is structured to teach us how to read, write, and calculate.
Education challenges a child so that they can be well prepared for
society. In the U.S we are very privilege to be provided with a free
education. In certain parts of the world children are not able to
attend school because most families can not afford the entry fee
and/or school supplies. Also, families tend not to promote education
to their children because they need their child to work.
“Give a Kid a Backpack” helps promote and educate the importance of
education to communities domestically and internationally. One way
Give a Kid a Backpack has promoted itself through Central Florida is
by partnering up with Orange and Lake County Public Schools. The
organization strategically put together a campaign called Clean Out
for Kids which helps collect lots of useful recyclable school
supplies. Remember it is essential for a
child to have his or her backpack with school supplies because it
helps develop the beginning path to amazing goals."
Good Job Janina!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Regression of Project Management
San Rafael California
What am I doing in Cali? Click here.
To run an efficient life is no easy task. Especially for someone like me, who may be on the cusp of ADHD. This may be why I love planning and planner software and all the associated items that go with. Follow through is especially tough for me. Without my gadgets I think I'd be especially disorganized. I wrote a blog entry back in April of 2009 pertaining to how I manage information. You can read that engaging post by clicking here. Above is a JPG of a mind map I have been working with in trying to develop some essay themes for this coming semester. You can sign up and use this web based software for free. Just click here and check out MINDOMO.COM. I find the use of mind maps very helpful at the beginning phase of a project. It's a brainstorming tool to help flush out ideas and find the connections or dislocation of ideas and lists. You can easily share the mind map and collaborate with someone across the planet, even in real time. But I have found the mind map only works for me in planning. Once put into motion the ideas or tasks brainstormed must be transferred from the map into a more traditional work list. If I don't, the practical steps of getting things done plummets.
Enter ToDo for iPad. I bought this APP from the iTunes Store for a punishing $4.99. It's fantastic. Since iPad is a touch screen it acts just like an old school paper style planner. I set up important things I must accomplish or appointments with email reminders that blast off to my Blackberry Curve as a tickler. Yes I may have a problem. To much multi-tasking. I move ideas and taskers developed within the mind map to the iPad in an effort to actually complete tasks.
Recently I have been having meetings with people and found myself bumbling around with note taking. I don't want to be a bumbler. Important things were being conveyed and I had no easy way to capture the info. I did not find the iPad good enough for note taking and what not. The iPad and ToDo APP is stellar while sitting in a coffee shop and even better when siting up in bed, but will be substandard in a class room or meeting setting. Enter the Franklin Covey Planner System.
As I mentioned in my April 09 post, the Coast Guard paid for a week's course for myself and my shipmates in the use of Franklin System. I used it consistently my entire career, but abandoned it when I retired. I'm back in the Franklin Covey saddle. I purchased a refill (as I still have my now 18 year old leather binder) and am using the old tried and true, old school style system.
If you look closely at my mind map JPG above, you will see I'm thinking of writing a 20 page essay on organizational change within the Coast Guard. Generally speaking, I dislike change. The Coast Guard is obsessed with change. I found many times a change would be set in motion only to come full circle a few years later, with the latest change being the original policy that never should have been changed in the first place. Kind of like maybe I should never have changed my planning system in the first place!
So to recap, Allaire does the following:
1. Large scale projects are tackled originally using mind mapping.
2. Tasks developed are transferred to both iPad and Franklin Covey.
3. Tracking and Progress are monitored using both electronic and paper system.
Sound like a pain? You bet! But is seems to work for me.
Capt Chris
PS: I wonder if anyone finds this stuff remotely interesting. Of course I'm absorbed by it.
What am I doing in Cali? Click here.
 |
| Mind Map Done With MINDOMO |
To run an efficient life is no easy task. Especially for someone like me, who may be on the cusp of ADHD. This may be why I love planning and planner software and all the associated items that go with. Follow through is especially tough for me. Without my gadgets I think I'd be especially disorganized. I wrote a blog entry back in April of 2009 pertaining to how I manage information. You can read that engaging post by clicking here. Above is a JPG of a mind map I have been working with in trying to develop some essay themes for this coming semester. You can sign up and use this web based software for free. Just click here and check out MINDOMO.COM. I find the use of mind maps very helpful at the beginning phase of a project. It's a brainstorming tool to help flush out ideas and find the connections or dislocation of ideas and lists. You can easily share the mind map and collaborate with someone across the planet, even in real time. But I have found the mind map only works for me in planning. Once put into motion the ideas or tasks brainstormed must be transferred from the map into a more traditional work list. If I don't, the practical steps of getting things done plummets.
Recently I have been having meetings with people and found myself bumbling around with note taking. I don't want to be a bumbler. Important things were being conveyed and I had no easy way to capture the info. I did not find the iPad good enough for note taking and what not. The iPad and ToDo APP is stellar while sitting in a coffee shop and even better when siting up in bed, but will be substandard in a class room or meeting setting. Enter the Franklin Covey Planner System.
If you look closely at my mind map JPG above, you will see I'm thinking of writing a 20 page essay on organizational change within the Coast Guard. Generally speaking, I dislike change. The Coast Guard is obsessed with change. I found many times a change would be set in motion only to come full circle a few years later, with the latest change being the original policy that never should have been changed in the first place. Kind of like maybe I should never have changed my planning system in the first place!
So to recap, Allaire does the following:
1. Large scale projects are tackled originally using mind mapping.
2. Tasks developed are transferred to both iPad and Franklin Covey.
3. Tracking and Progress are monitored using both electronic and paper system.
Sound like a pain? You bet! But is seems to work for me.
Capt Chris
PS: I wonder if anyone finds this stuff remotely interesting. Of course I'm absorbed by it.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Me at 43 Years
Marin County California
It is my birthday today. Maybe I'll start an annual self-portrait project. Kind of puts things in better perspective. An annual check on how your using your time kind of thing.
Capt Chris
It is my birthday today. Maybe I'll start an annual self-portrait project. Kind of puts things in better perspective. An annual check on how your using your time kind of thing.
Capt Chris
Sunday, July 18, 2010
German Coast Guard Trainee
This video provided endless entertainment while I was in the Coast Guard. Found it again the other and laughed just like before! Wonder if you need to be a coastie to appreciate it.
Capt Chris
Capt Chris
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Way Into Libraries
Mill Valley Library, Mill Valley California
I love visiting libraries and always make it a point when traveling to check out the local scene. You can derive alot about a community based on their library system. Here I am at the Boston Library. Love the "Free to All" etched in stone.
And again, here I am at the New York City Library in Midtown Manhattan.
My favorite library thus far in life has to be the Nantucket Public Library, pictured below.
In my current location in California, I have two gems to choose from. The first is the Alemany Library on the campus of Dominican University. I blogged recently of the beautiful and peaceful nature of the campus. The library is the same. Wireless, an art gallery, plenty of seating and great views outside giant windows. Below is my base of operations I've been setting up on some days. The chairs are comfy and functional. Blam!
On most days, I head about 8 miles south to Mill Valley to take a yoga class. This works well as the library is just a stones throw away. Now Mill Valley Library is in hard running with the top spot of my favorite library. The place is stellar in terms of its services and beauty. It sits in a small red wood forest, with full on picnic tables, small theatrical stage and babbling brook to boot. It also has a wooden deck where you can sit outside in the sun and soak. Lots of folks falling asleep on the deck......and cell phone chatterers too. Here are some pictures I took just the other day.
Enjoy!
Capt Chris
I love visiting libraries and always make it a point when traveling to check out the local scene. You can derive alot about a community based on their library system. Here I am at the Boston Library. Love the "Free to All" etched in stone.
 | ||
| Boston Library |
My favorite library thus far in life has to be the Nantucket Public Library, pictured below.
 | ||
| Nantucket Library |
On most days, I head about 8 miles south to Mill Valley to take a yoga class. This works well as the library is just a stones throw away. Now Mill Valley Library is in hard running with the top spot of my favorite library. The place is stellar in terms of its services and beauty. It sits in a small red wood forest, with full on picnic tables, small theatrical stage and babbling brook to boot. It also has a wooden deck where you can sit outside in the sun and soak. Lots of folks falling asleep on the deck......and cell phone chatterers too. Here are some pictures I took just the other day.
 |
| Mill Valley Library |
Enjoy!
Capt Chris
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