Post Graduation Updates

It’s been far too long since I’ve been able to write a post. Some good news though – a lot of time has opened up so that I may write some more!

On December 15^th I graduated finally from Radford University. Even though I stayed one more semester than I thought I would have – I still graduated a semester early. With a career already established, the transition from full-time student to full-time employee hasn’t been such a culture shock.

With increased free-time, what will I do with it? Honestly that is a great question. I may do some much needed relaxing, something I’ve put off since June at least. There are always projects outside of work that I could dedicate my time to and be productive. Then again, the more I push it the more stressed I’ll be down the road.

The holiday season is upon us and I’m thankful I’ve taken care of 90% of my shopping. Still have a few items to purchase for those special loved ones, which isn’t as bad as buying for all of them at once!

Congratulations to all of my friends that graduated with me Saturday. I wish each and every one of you the best in your future endeavors. I know you’re all going to do great things!

Facebook Project

The schedule has been very hectic lately as I'm finishing school and taking off with my new promotion.

For those interested in seeing my MSTD 335 project which focuses on Facebook, check out the link below:

The Facebook Frenzy - The Social Platform and the Society That Deems It Important.
http://www.bobbyhash.com/facebook

I'm cheating on PHP with CSharp and ASP.net

Cheesy title, don't ya think?

At least its better than public void Welcome To Yet Another Blog {

System.Response.Write(Thanks for Reading);
}

The new development position is full of new things to learn. It's an AJAX environment, so kudos for me finding something that interests me. PHP has been my cup of tea for development for the past few years. So why did I take on a position with ASP.NET, something I have minimal experience in?

It's quite simple - I can apply my proven design expertise, food for though and at the same time convert my open source madness to the Microsoft framework. Fortunately its working out very well, once I figured out a few syntax requirements.

More coming soon, especially to my AJAX casestudy series.

And yes - I know the class at the top is crap.

Ajax Case Study: Personal Touches on the User Experience

Since 2005, the term AJAX has become a norm for web developers and designers alike. What many may confuse for a new language is actually a bag of tricks many developers and web hackers have been utilizing for a few years now. I too found a bold interest when Jesse James Garrett of Adaptive Path first spoke about AJAX a few years ago in his article AJAX - A New Approach to Web Applications. It suddenly put into perspective a lot of mumbo jumbo my professors were ranting about.

Now, two years later I have the great opportunity of applying these techniques to some of the web applications that I am developing for ResultsTel Inc, a telecommunications company that I proudly work for. I have the great privilege of working with a genius developer in a data driven company. When you work for a data driven company, you will always need a quick and effective method to pull the data that is requested at any given time. This is where we, the developers at Results come into play. The applications that we develop are geared toward who exactly will be requesting specific queries from the database. Each one is very different in form, look, and feel. AJAX is the common ground though, allowing many techniques to join binary hands to create an open gate for users to obtain the essential elements that their success depends upon.

An Update!

Okay, it seems as though my blogger/google is showing up all in German. I now realize I shouldn't have taken Spanish as my foreign language!

All jokes aside, it's been a busy few weeks. I am transitioning from the site in Galax to the Results Corp as a systems developer. I must say now that my job satisfaction is increasing tenfold. To do what you have a passion for really enables one to enjoy what they do.

I have a few blogs that I'm getting ready to release at Dorm-Room-Biz focusing on div visibility through javascript and how it will enable more dynamic user interface. Keep on the lookout for that.

Castlevania - The Dracula X Chronicles has proved to be well worth the wait. I picked the game up Wednesday afternoon and had already unlocked Symphony of the Night within 2 hours. Since then I have progressed almost entirely through the revamped version of Rondo of Blood. I may post a review of the game once I complete it.

Until next time - happy programming and do what you all enjoy most in life - have fun.

Updates - October 7, 2007

Sorry for the lack of updates lately - a lot has been progressing in my life.

I recently received a promotion - more details coming soon.

Also - I am now writing for Dorm Room Biz. As I post material there, I will post teaser posts on this blog to link you to DRB.

RU to Host Entreprep Summit

I thought I would pass along this article about a summit coming up at Radford University.

My good friend Chris Pund is one of the mastermind's behind this, so be sure to check it out!

http://www.radford.edu/NewsPub/September07/0919summit.html

Flirting with Disaster

While enjoying a cup of coffee at McConnell library at Radford University, I sat down to read a few articles in Wired magazine. One that really jumped out and maintained my attention was an article by Nadya Labi entitled "Flirting with Disaster" (or "An IM Infatuation Turned to Romance. Then the Truth Came Out" for you online readers).

The article focuses on an online relationship that focused primarily on a 45-year-old man and a "17-year-old girl". The man was posing as both a father and son, whereas the 17-year-old was falling in love with the son. Not to spoil anyone's read, but the relationship becomes one giant dramafest, ending in the man killing his competition that was flirting with the girl AND with the girl actually turning out to be the 45-year-old mother of the girl she was pretending to be.

This article is a great read mostly because it focuses on an issue with new media. On the Internet, how safe is it really to know who you are talking to? I know from previous experience that it is hard to really zero in on exactly who a person is.

Take myspace for example - millions of people login everyday to post bulletins, chat with friends, and to meet new people. Just for the record, how easy is it for one to be able to tell the other person is legit? I've taken some crazy steps in the past to "prove" if you will, that the identity is legit.

• Try to see if you have any common ground - common friends, family, associates, etc.
• Make them take a picture that only they could on the spot - lessens the fact of them stealing another photo from someone's page

Overall, this story really brings up an interesting topic. How safe is social networking? How can we protect ourselves against this? Why is it that people feel the need to pretend to be someone that they are not? Ah, the interesting subjects this brings up!

Castlevania - The Dracula X Chronicles

I just recently purchased a PSP off of a friend and to my joy - there is a Castlevania game being released this October.

Castlevania - The Dracula X Chronicles focuses on my favorite series of the chapter. The game will be a remake of the never before released "Rondo of Blood", which was a Japan exclusive Castlevania title. The coolest part about this release that it will include two nifty unlockables - the original Rondo of Blood and Symphany of the Night!

Rondo of Blood made an impact when it was released for the PC-Engine in Japan. It brought to life a new vision of the series, especially with the character Richter Belmont. Fans were delighted when this game was "coming" to the SNES. I was excited, especially because I was 10-years-old at the time and video games were a cornerstone of my entertainment. When Dracula X appeared in the states I was stoked. Others were not so much because Dracula X wasn't exactly direct port of Rondo of Blood - but rather an interpretation. The stages from what I've seen were redesigned. The music held strong through!

Symphany of the Night was a great release and probably the holy grail of the entire series. I remember getting the second edition of PSM magazine (which I still own by the way) and it covered this game in depth. I had to have it and the purchase came soon there after. The game was brilliant among other terms, combining side scrolling action, rpg elements, and a soundtrack that would stun even the greatest composer. Unfortunately that game has never been returned to me..... hint hint clue clue!

For your reading pleasure I've included a few links and the trailor that is floating around YouTube. The chronicles have me excited to say the least. October 23rd can't come fast enough!

• IGN coverage of the game
• 1up.com coverage of the game
• Highscore coverage
• The Castlevania Dungeon - the ultimate resource of Belmont gaming!
  

Tips for working at home

In this installment I will look at the benefits of working at home versus working at the office. For those of you that have been lucky to experience both are encouraged to give their feedback.

It is everyone's dream to be able to work their own hours, arrange the work schedule around their lives and not have to go into the office on a daily basis. For the past 4 years I have worked in various fields as a telecommuter. It has had its benefits but it also has a lot of headaches that are included in the package.

Working at the office entails a lot of experiences. You are in a team environment, dedicated solely to getting the job done while seeing that the company succeeds. You have a reason to leave the house and more reason to work your way through the ranks.

The Benefits of the Office

• Variety of people to interact with
• Resources available to you at little to no cost
• You can ask someone in the matter of seconds if you have a question
• Provides just enough change of routine so that you don't entirely hate your home
  

The Downside of the Office

• Constant interuptions - with more people equals more (and sometimes unwanted) communication
• Time away from friends and family - it can take a toll on you socially
• Staying at the office too much could result in increased stress and fatigue
  

Working from Home is breath of fresh air. You can choose the hours you work, complete other tasks while you work, and more.

For myself - working at home entails modulating my work. I can go to class, come home to knock out an hour of work, go back to class and repeat the process throughout the day. Another upside is if I get too frustrated with what I'm doing - I can release the frustration during a 10 min break. The best part about home - those breaks can include PS2!

The upsides of working at home:

• Save on traveling costs
  
• Work from the comfort of a couch, desk, or recliner
• Choose when you finish your work
• Complete work with less distractions
  

The downsides of working at home:

• You have to make sure your resources are up to speed
• You have to be an even greater master of time management
• You must steer clear of distractions at home when you finally decide to work
• Communication between coworkers and employees can become difficult
  

Midway through the week

The new schedule is a breath of fresh air. In a way it reminds me of how young I am and has in other ways awakened my zest again. I really want to get submerged in web development again. Time will only tell how this will all pan out.

Class so far is fairly easy. I wish I knew how much I had it made during my undergrad years. Easy days, easy work - no real responsibility.

Well, I'm now off to kill a pile of work which includes:

• Development of a web report/database interaction
• RU School of Communication Web Site
• Covers for a few guides for RU Athletics
• Mailing list program for RU Athletics
• and more!
  

Setting up the home office

Radford University resumes its fall schedule on August 20th (this upcoming Monday). With that coming around the corner, it means that I will be adjusting my work schedule, with part of my hours coming at home.

To assure that I have a comfortable working environment, I went out and purchased a few essential items (desk, comfy chair, office supplies, etc.). I hope it works out well, because at home I can finish more of my work with less distractions. Granted, it may put a snag into my IT job, but I can always run to the office if something major happens right?

I will be in class Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I will be reporting to the office on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and maybe some Sundays and other various times depending on the workload/time of month, etc.

Wish me luck, it's gonna sure be a test of my time management skills.

Abundance of projects

I don't know how I let so many projects sneak up on me. Currently I have been working/have worked on:

• New Alpha Kappa Psi: Omicron Sigma CMS driven site
• Results - Galax/XM advertisement web site
• 3 web reports for ResultsTel Inc
• Covers for RU Athletic Media Guides
• New Phi Beta Lambda CMS Web Site
• Launch of HMediaWeb.com

Each project has their own flavor, ranging from graphic design to dynamic programming and even into static placement. I will post links to all of these in the upcoming weeks.

Comparing a college day to a work day

Definitely my days in college were much different than my days now at work. I have a few classes this fall, but those days will be different than my days in recent years. Let's take a look and compare.

College Mornings
Nothing beat being 18 and not having anything to do other than going to class. In college, most classes started at 10am for me, rarely before 9am. Granted, my first college class was a Cisco Networking course that started at 7:30am. This was back when I definitely wasn't a morning person! Back to the subject - while I was at community college, this meant crawling out of bed, driving a mile down the road and going to class. At Radford University it was even more convienent - just roll out of bed 3 mins before class and run. After class was finished I'd hit the Bonnie for breakfast or go back to my dorm to take an enjoyable (and probably well needed) nap.

Work Mornings
I wake up typically around 6:15am, shower and try to be out the door by 7:15am or 6:45am. This gives me plenty of time to drive, depending on the location I am leaving from (Radford Home or my Parent's Home). I begin my workday around 8am. By noon, I've already completed an abundance of data entry, updated forms, and have taken care of various IT related issues.

College Day
Days in college were fun. I'd go to my classes for the day, have lunch with a friend or two, then I'd find something to get into. Sometimes it meant going to the library, but most of the time it meant chillin with one of my fraternity bros.

Work Day
Work isn't college. A lot of my time is spent keeping on top of things, taking care of conference calls, keeping documentation, entering data, and more. There's not a lot of time to waste! Interact with very many different people and I must always keep my composure.

College Night
College nights are why we all go to college. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING beat going out with my friends to a college party and living it up. The amount of people you could meet, the spontaneous energy around it all, and the memories that you'd still talk about for weeks (and years I've found) all made it worthwhile. Going to bed was NEVER before 3am.


Work Night
I'm never up past 11pm and wore out by 9:30pm. I usually reflect on the day, look forward to the weekend, and overall relax as much as possible. Hangouts are are during the week.

Compare and Contrast
Work and College are a like. There's a lot of work to do and I have to work with a lot of people to get the job done. They differ tremendously in terms of seriousness though. College is very carefree whereas work is not. You have to be on top of your game due to the competitiveness. College has competition too, but it isn't the type of competition you see when earning money is involved.

I recommend to those of you in college to enjoy every second of it that you can. To my fellow coworkers in the real world - I hope you made many memories while in school. It'll definitely make icebreakers with the coworkers a lot more interesting!

ASP.NET .. Meet AJAX

At work I've been working with our developer to create a report for our agents to track some of their call/sales data.

This form is trick because of the amount of information that it will be obtaining. In some ways it is easy, but the flowchart itself provides a lot of forks in the road.

The form will be dynamic, with some of the fields populating from a database table. When agents answer specific items with "Yes", a window will appear with more options. Vice versa, if they answer "No" then another window will glide in. This will obviously be done with AJAX. I just hope the dataflow is an easy process. In all reality, this will be my biggest AJAX project since I started toying with it earlier this year.

At the moment I have designed 90% of the layout. From here it will be on to the table creation for the database, creating the javascript to work options in the form, and finally on to the ASP.NET controls for interacting with the database.

ASP.NET has been a smooth transition. I feel I am picking it up much faster than originally thought. I respect the technology now, it's no PHP in my eyes, but it definitely packs a violent punch that delivers results!

*In NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM was that a pun directed at the company I work for... haha*

HMediaWeb.com

While HMEDIAPRO.com is down, be sure to stroll over to www.hmediaweb.com!

HMediapro.com

Well, its been a crapshoot for the past two months. I am happy to say though - HMediapro.com will be back up and running by the end of the week.

I am moving over the entire domain/hosting to a Netfirms. Nothing personal - just didn't really enjoy the last company's service.

I apologize to all of those that have tried reaching www.hmediapro.com in the past few months. It has been an inconvenience to us all and it will be something I will stand to see doesn't happen again.

Feature Fools

As a college student I have a few years under my belt in terms of using social networking. I've been around since the debut of Myspace, Facebook, and Xuqa. Now, a few years later I shall look at the three applications and see how they rank up.

Myspace
Back in 2003, www.myspace.com was a very simple place to set up a profile and meet online friends. At the time Friendster.com had a major share of the newest idea on the horizon - social networking. Over time though, Myspace became more and more popular, especially in 2005. What set Myspace apart was the fact you could customize your own profiles with html codes. Now in 2007 Myspace has a variety of features, including but not limited to:

• Myspace Jobs (utilizes Snagajob.com postings)
• Comedy and Music profiles (for those of us that would rather not pay for music)
• Blogs
• ChatRooms
• Events
• Classifieds
• Horoscopes
• Schools/Univerities
• MySpaceIM
• Music
• Filmmakers
• Profile Editor
• SMS Alerts
• MySpace TV
• Mobile

That may look like a lot, but it really branches out for the various mediums that attract our attention. It's not just a way to make friends anymore - Myspace has quickly become a highly attractive promotional tool. What else will they bring to the plate?

Although they are feature-full - this won't keep me happy. The website isn't dependable at all. The fanbase is too large for the servers to handle. I would highly recommend updating the equipment to hold the bandwidth that the users require or at least.. investing in some better technology than Coldfusion :).

Facebook
Facebook started with a simple idea - make an online contact listing with a photo to attach to the information. It worked splendid for quite some time. It was also very nice because only college students from various networks had access to it. Take that spam!

Then.... Facebook added features - something which they have proven to lack effectiveness. For example, in the later 2006/earlier 2007 period, Facebook launched a feature that allowed for members to track what everyone in their network was doing (literally). Many have labeled the feature as a "stalker" tool. All it really is though is an RSS feed.

Facebook's next reasoning - allow the release of the Facebook API so that developers can create their own tools for Facebook. Is this the way to get the features people want? Yes. Is this the way to drive users like me up the wall? YES!

Now, rather than a feature here and there, I have my contacts sending me requests for using various applications that are just plain stupid - see below:

• Movies Friend
• Horoscope
• X Me
• Zombie
• Beer
• Top Friends
• Poke Me Pro

The list literally goes on. Rather than helping the user connect to their network, they can sign up for applications that allow them to be "zombies biting other zombies", "giving a beer to a friend", or whatever. Since 2006, Facebook has lost its true niches that set it apart from Myspace. It has lost its community sense by opening up to the public and it has lost its pure simplicity that set it apart from the decorative Myspace. At least it's developed in PHP...

Xuqa
Xuqa.com was rather nice when it jumped into the field in 2005. It found a niche in the college market by encouraging the posting of photos from college parties. Collegehumor.com anyone? Another feature was that you could earn peanuts to buy E-items to send to friends. Granted, these features alone were very nice when Xuqa first debuted. Who really wants to stay on the Internet and do this for the rest of their free-time though?

Xuqa found a new way in 2006 to seperate itself from the two social networking giants - make the social networking scene a competition. Just read their tagline -

"Xuqa is a network of 1,000,000+ University Students. Compete with your friends to be the richest and most popular person in the world!"

Nice. Now we can earn peanuts, add people for useless reasons and claim the realm of being the Internet social networking's most popular person. Where is the bragging rights for that gonna hold against .. reality?

Overview:
As you can see, these tools have changed the social life we live. In ways it has made it easier to meet new people, promote businesses, and spread ideas to a greater number of people with less work. In other ways though it has just cluttered our social space with useless tools that will furthermore make our spare time just that - useless. The future is limitless for social networking. I just hope the big guys can use their power for the greater good.

Employee Appreciation Day

Sometimes work gets boring. Then there are days that break the mold.
Today at work we had an Employee Appreciation day to - you guessed right - show appreciation to our employees.

We brought in a dunking booth and allowed employees to buy throws. Why would we charge them to throw on THEIR appreciation day? The reason - to raise money for charity. I must say it was a fun experience, even yours truly was dunked a few times.

I hope to see more events like this in the near future. It's an effective tool for improving internal company relations and takes away the norm of sitting in the office!

I gotta say I've never really been a fan of ASP, ASP.net or C# for that matter.

I know many programmers might laugh at it. In all honesty, I always leaned toward the open source technologies because they were not only free, but provided a lot of documentation for the abundance of questions I would need to ask.

Due to my new job I have been integrated into a .NET environment. With that it means if I want to move up I had best learn the tools of the trade. I have began using Microsoft Visual Web Developer to toy with ASP.net and I must say that I like the tool. It's a nice GUI for programmers. I wonder if there is a tool like this for PHP?

I'm working on a few test projects to get myself warmed up to the thought of things. I may link to the files later on in the week.

As a note to most - I have a lot of work to catch up on and I will be nearly IMPOSSIBLE to reach until around the 26th. Have a great week all!

I hereby raise the white flag

Granted, for those that know me - I'm about as ANTI ASP.net as it gets.

But.. life happens and you get jobs that require stepping up to the plate.

As you all may know I've been working with a very nice company in Southwest VA by the name of Results Galax, apart of the ResultsTel Companies. The site I work at is a call center for our client - XM Radio. Fortunately I have moved through the ranks while there and now will be able to get a taste of the corporate web development life.

What's the flipside? I gotta use ASP.net. It's not bad, it will require me to learn. I have the interest at least :).

Just for that, as a PHP programmer, I have posted a link to a ASP / PHP cross reference. Bookmark it guys!

http://www.design215.com/toolbox/asp.php

Time Management for the College Kid

The quote unquote "real world" is a great instructor in terms of free-time. It has really taught me in some time about how much free time I have had in college and that I never really utilized it. For example, I thought I was almost too busy because I was not only a full-time student, but I was also in a business fraternity, business organization, held part-time jobs, and more.

The beauty of college is that everything is spread out. If you can figure out ways to patch those hours in between your active hours you can really become productive in various ways. Below I have included five suggestions that I have found helpful over the past two years:

• Try waking up before 9am. It adds to your energy and ability to produce. Can't wake up early? Try going to bed before midnight and maintain a consistent schedule of productivity.
  
  
• If you have an hour before class, don't walk all the way back to your dorm or apartment. Find a productive place near where your class begins next and get to work on some tasks that need completion. Possible suggestions could be computer labs or student dedicated centers.
  
  
• Stop spending too much time on certain tasks. A lot of times we study too much for exams or drive the point into the ground in hopes that it will only make us better. Unfortunately, it mostly just wastes useful time.
  
  
• Make use of the time you create by implementing these habits. It wouldn't hurt to use some of the free time to refocus or take a breather from the day's activities.
  
  
• Use a planner! This may sound like a no-brainer, but the effective use of a planner isn't as simple as you would think. Take a week, log what you use your time for. Adjust it accordingly to see how much you can squeeze out of your time in a given day.
  

What they never taught you in college

I've always said nothing will provide a lesson better than experience itself. College can help you with a lot of areas in the business world. One thing it can't truly prepare you for is the corporate world.

If you have noticed my lack of posts lately, it is due in part to a new position I accepted. I currently work as the lead IT for Results - Galax. The company is an XM Radio call center based out of Galax, VA. It's a nice mix for yours truly - fast paced job in a slow paced living environment.

Enough venturing off the subject though. Results has reminded me of what Alpha Kappa Psi was intended to prepare me for: Corporate America. Granted, my fraternity did wonders, but I feel in as little as two weeks I have learned a few things that I can pass along to those yet to reach the cubicle or conference room.

The Go-Getter will receive responsibility
Nothing impresses a supervisor or your peers more than being able to tackle the job and the lack of fear to jump in and get your feet wet. This isn't kissing up - it's showcasing you have a desire to help the company. Don't overdo it though - sometimes stepping up and taking more work than you're required will give others the notion that you will do their job for them. Only do this if you're going to be making their salary ;).

Get used to the Microsoft Office Suite
There are plenty out there that probably hate Microsoft and its Office Suite. The fact is though, businesses use this suit like a preacher uses a bible. Excel will become your best friend for data manipulation! Practice with the suite now for best results in the future!

Promotions happen.. and then they don't
Promotions are a tricky thing in the real world. They come fast to others and at times they don't come at all. Don't down yourself if it doesn't come at the pace you'd like. If you feel you're going nowhere - look into other options.

It's a new world from when your parents were there
Granted, my parents never did the whole office gig. But from what I've been told by their friends, the real world work has changed greatly. Why is that? We're a media driven generation. We can send files in the matter of a seconds with only a few clicks. No need to walk a folder to someone! It's also becoming evident that work productivity isn't as great when you sit at a computer from 8 to 5. In the future, maybe the work week won't start at 8am. Who knows, maybe it will only be 4 hours a day, 3 days a week!

Be social.
It's a no-brainer. Where you go is because of the people you know. Also, being social brings out a more team friendly environment and increases company morale.

That's a few of my tips I thought I'd share from my first two weeks working in the corporate world. If anyone has anymore, feel free to post them as a comment.

The Advantage of Networking

Now to the professional aspect of this blog -

How do you use networking to your advantage?

I was pondering this question while on my way back from PA. I have done more than my fair share of networking over the years and I was completely desperate to use it to my advantage. But how? What really was the important element of networking that would help me out, in this case - land me a job?


The more I thought about it, people that know you best are able to line you up with the job you want. With that thought, I was able to realize a true essential piece of networking, with that being the relationships you make through it. With that, I looked at my best friends that could potentially lead me in the right direction with employment. Now, a few days later I have found myself hired at a well respected brand company with the potential to be moving up into a position that I will more than love.


I will now leave you with my 4 tips for the zesty networker and how it can be used to your advantage:

• Meet people you can touch base with often. This really helps on keeping up-to-date.
• Build a working relationship - you wouldn't realize how much this would help the word-of-mouth advertising that always scores brownie points with employers.
• Don't limit yourself to just one criteria. There could be job openings for another one of your interests and you just don't realize it.
• Ask your friends. Believe it or not, they know your abilities just about as good as you do.

Good luck with the summer job search and keep coming back for more posts!

Back from PA / New Job

Well, the vacation was great but now it is time to get back to work. Boy do I have a lot to cover in this installment!

Last week I was 6 hours north of Independence in Carlise, PA. Why go there you ask? It's the Carlisle All-Ford Nationals! I'm a huge car enthusiast, especially since I grew up the son of a die-hard Ford supporter, automotive technician, and have been around Fairlanes and Mustangs since I was in diapers. With that being said, it's a no-brainer as to why I was at this large event.

Camping out was a fun time and selling parts was just as much fun also. The only complaint I really had about the whole week was the 90-degree weather. That wasn't so bad though, the nights were comfortable and I found a few integral pieces to complete my complete rebuilt of my baby - my 1985 Mustang 5.0 GTX (GT/LX for those that are confused) Convertible (project starting soon!).

On to other notes - I will start training for Results, a company that is apart of XM Satelite Radio. I'm very excited about my new position and I expect to see a lot of growth in the company if things work accordingly.

For those interested, here are a few photos from my trip to PA:

New Olympic Logo Crap?

I haven't been in town long and I've already come across an article sparking my interest design-wise. What does it include? The Olympics of all things!

Recently the logo for the 2012 Olympic Games, which are to be held in London, was unveiled. It is a very rampant approach, tearing down the comfortable previous logo with a broad ravaging new look.

As a designer, what is my take? Honestly, I like the fact that London wants to spice up the games. By changing the logo I feel it shows that the games have their own flavor in each city which hosts them. Unfortunately in this attempt though, the logo conveys far too many things that contradict what the games stand for. For example - notice how all of the pieces are different, but are far from coming together? It's a contradiction of what the Olympics does best- bringing people of different backgrounds, regions, countries, and all corners of the world together for friendly competition and to celebrate the gift of brotherhood.

Best of luck to London. They have started on a shaky road to the 2012 games and have no where else to go but up.

*Photo credit the AFP and Yahoo*

Out of town for the next week or so

Low and behold, posts will slow down for the next few days.

I will be leaving town either Friday night or Saturday morning to attend a few summer carshows. For those of you that know me, I grew up in the industry and it has always been a huge part of my summer. I will be at the following:

• Carshow at the Park - Galax Va
  
• Carlisle - All Ford Nationals - Carlisle PA

I will return Monday, June 4th. Expect a lot of photos from the shows!

BobbyHash.com is up

It's now easier to access anything Bobby Hash related. Go to www.bobbyhash.com to reach this blog and the link to the HM Designs Web Site.

HMEDIAPRO.COM down while transferring

Incase a few of you are wondering why hmediapro.com, the portfolio / web development site I run is down, don't worry!

I am currently trying to transfer the domain to a different hosting company. It should be back up in the next few days.

VT Rampage Game Questions Taste and Freedom of Speech

I might be on an edge by even giving this attention, my input, or other media coverage. I do feel though this is an important subject and I would like for those of you to read through this blog before making any judgements at all.

I was scoping Newgrounds.com today and I ran across a game that really caught my attention. Unfortunately, the game itself isn't one I'd recommend to others. It seems as though someone has tried to exploit the events of April 16th at Virginia Tech (just a mere 12 minutes from my home in Radford) through a video game entitled simply "VT Rampage".

At first my thoughts were simple - How could anyone be this tasteless?

So then I played the game. The creator literally programmed a flash game to "relive" the events. You are Cho, the relentless psychopath that looks to send a message to the world. Your first mission through the 1st stage is to shoot Emily Hilscher - the first victim in the actual events. Events then move on as you return to the dorm to film the manifesto tape. From there Cho must "stealthily" make it past a ward of police to drop the package off to the Post Office. From there is where "the fun begins", as the creator puts it in Cho's words.

Norris Hall is nothing more than a glorified bloodfest. You have a time limit to slaughter as many students as possible, even with a theme song playing in the background encouraging "Go Cho Go!"

At the end of the time limit, with 32 dead and various injured, Cho is left with only one choice - to take this life. The game ends there, with credits rolling in shortly afterwards.

Personally I am all for freedom of speech. What I am not for however is the right for people to be so distasteful. It is an outrage that this online game portrays the events, let alone NAMES one of the victims in the game and allows you to murder her. This is truly a lack of respect towards the victim!

With further research I see that the media has really picked this up and has even conducted an interview with the game's creator - Ryan Lambourn. Turns out he's a 21-year-old living in Australia, but grew up in the United States (credit - MSNBC). With that being said, Ryan should be able to connect since most of those killed were students HIS age. So why would someone still do such a thing?

It has also been stated that he will remove the game if the government pays him a price. Should the government fold and pay the "ransom"? How does this play into freedom of speech and freedom of the Internet?

Frankly, if the government pays to have the game removed, it will create a few scenarios in my opinion.

• By paying the ransom, you open the gateways for similar games. Oklahoma City Rampage anyone? So what will the government do then? Pay to have each game removed?
• By taking the game off, it takes away some of the freedom of the Internet. Should legislation be passed to limit what can be posted on the Internet? Who will be the judge of what is tasteful, politically correct, and eligible to be posted?

Either way, Ryan is getting exactly what he wants. He's getting cheap press and has become highlight of chat through various media, including this blog. What he has done on the bright side has screwed any chance he had at becoming a respected professional in his field of work, let alone a respected human being.

Incase you're interested, this video game can be found at www.newgrounds.com

What? My Program Works?

I gotta say, the ability to understand programming pays off. After getting fed up with the time I was wasting logging into Ta-Da List I decided to write my own listing program.

I like to look at it as a list management system.

I really didn't need to be super organized, such as organizing by day, week, etc. I created the list just how I would create my own sticky notes - random, jot some info down with a title and post it. The program works just the same - I have an idea, I click my bookmark, the web application comes up and I'm ready to go. Add a title, a little descriptive information and wah-la! It's posted. I can even edit the list if I screw something up and I can delete it once the task/list/whatever is completed.

I'm still thinking about releasing it once I complete the interface to meet my tastes. Will it be open source? Most likely!

PHP and MySQL are a great marriage. What are some of the applications some of you guys are building to meet your needs?

Career Portfolio

I created a small portfolio for potential employers to look at. Nothing too fancy - just showcases what I've done and a little about who I am.

www.suddenlysilence.com/bobbyhash

The Education of Freelancing and Staying in the Game

Originally posted Thursday, November 16th, 2006
Updates applied May 20th, 2007 -

Friends always harass me about who my web development and design instructors are. I give them the names of instructors I have taken. Unfortunately what they don’t realize is the concepts that have made me successful were learned outside the classroom.

I must attribute what I have learned to the fact that I started out designing web sites at an early age and was producing for client at the same speed. I was a daily user before I could grasp how web sites worked inside and out. I read various tutorials online. I learned a lot from the days Angelfire.com was a huge free server and WebMonkey was its tutorial counterpart. Years later I own my server and create ways to produce my web sites.

Learning is something you never finish in this industry. To this day I still learn something from every project that I take in. The amount that I know about this industry is far greater than it was when I graduated high school. Heck, what I’ve learned in the past year (thanks to Chris Pund’s talk about Web 2.0 way back in the day) has really amazed me. I also run into various situations where I learn just how little I know about this industry. This is critical as it really showcases where one needs to improve.

LAMP. Web 2.0. AJAX. The User Experience. Hello Divs. Bye Bye Tables. The world in front of us developers is changing ever so rapidly. How does one keep up with the break-neck pace of it all? Online forums, social bookmarking, and web sites geared toward the profession are a tremendous start in terms of help. It also doesn't hurt to have a Barnes & Noble near by either. Just think - go there, grab a cup of coffee, hit up the technology section and read some of the latest books out. It's a cheap and effective way to see what authors are writing about. Think those two previous steps aren't enough? Develop for clients, but do your research on products similar to what you are developing. Take note of the trends.

As of right now, you may wonder what are the emerging technlogies and trends. From my user experience and work as a developer, here is my input on WHAT you should know if you want to be effective in this field of work:

Bare Essentials:

• HTML 4.01
• XHTML
• CSS

Web-Development:

• XHTML
• CSS
• Javascript
• PHP
• ASP, ASP.NET
• C++
• AJAX
  
• JAVA
• PERL
• XML
• MySQL, SQL, Access
• LAMP, WAMP
  

Web-Design

• Standards Compliance & Design
• Validation
  
• User Interface Trends
• Complimentary Colors, the rule of 3
• Simplicity, not Graphic Intense
• Design for lowest medium possible
• Section 508

I know personally I have left out a lot. Just from that list though, it is obvious this field of work spans a wide variety of technologies to meet a specific, common purpose. This field of work isn't going to level off anytime soon. With technology trends and mobility increasing in demand with each day, the thirst to meet those needs will become even more evident.

Thank the Lord for my freelancing abilities - without them I could not up to date, ahead, or let alone in the game itself.

This Sums It All Up

Original Post - Friday, October 20th, 2006 - As unprofessional as this may be, I just thought I needed to post this pie chart I found while scrolling through Flickr today.

Web designers may now rejoice as finally someone has finally put our feelings into a piechart!

An Interactive Session with Dr. Bharath Kadaba

Archive Post posted on Friday, September 22nd, 2006 at 11:57 am.

Today I was very fortunate to spend time and interact with the Vice President of Media Engineering at Yahoo! - Dr. Bharath Kadaba.

The morning started at 7:30 with a breakfast and interactive question and answer session. Dr. Kadaba highlighted on a few subjects that I felt were very interesting.

• At one point Yahoo! did not feel searches were important. Now they realize they are a vital element to the user’s experience on the world wide web.
  
  
• Yahoo is the leader in the new media revolution because their gameplan is to give the user the most power.
  
  
• AJAX is the cornerstone of the Yahoo! experience. For example with MyYahoo!, you can create your own assorted listing of news sources, sports, audio, and more.
  
  
• More than 50 of Yahoo!’s employees hold Doctorates, which I found very pleasing.
  
  
• The transition for Yahoo! from Web 1.0 to 2.0 is still in the process, but it is increasing daily.

After the breakfast I was able to attend his presentation - “Yahoo! - Leading the New Media Revolution”. The presentation focused primarily on Yahoo!’s approach toward social mediums. A few points that I found interesting were:

• Yahoo! News is the leader in Internet news. That’s right folks, Google, CNN, MSNBC, and the rest are beneath them.
  
  
• For the first time in 450 years, users are contributing to the media.
  
  
• For the first time in 53 years, the 14-under demographic is watching less TV.
  
  
• An innovative push Yahoo! is bringing is through Flickr. Now, as events happen in realtime, photos can be posted to give you an up close and personal account of the event. An example presented was the London bombings that took place awhile back. I find this to be a very innovative approach.
  
  
• Yahoo! is continually working on new programs and services to get the user involved. The recently launched Yahoo! Answers gives users the ability to ask a question. Then, other users of the service can answer the question. If you asked the question, yourself and other viewers can rank the best answers accordingly. Originally Yahoo! Answers was tested overseas before making its debut in the US earlier this year.

At the end of the presentation, Dr. Kadaba presented myself, Chris Pund, and Michael Patton with Certificates of Appreciation from the Governor of Virginia - Tim Kaine. The certificates were to show appreciation for our efforts at the 2006 PBL National Leadership Conference.

All in all this morning has been vividly informative and has added details to my open-stary eyed approach to Web 2.0, the user experience, and where exactly I can fit in with the best of the best on the Internet. Could I see myself working for Yahoo! one day? Honestly, I do. There are some really snazzy approaches Yahoo! is taking and I personally feel that I could bring the user experience to the next level.

I’ll have pics up from this event soon!

Client Nightmares Are Felt Worldwide

As a college student in a web design/development major, I run across many students that honestly feel that since they are great designers, that they will have NO problem what so ever in the industry.

Little do they know clients aren't designers but they feel they are. It is great to let a client have their input. Obviously they are the one's with the reason to build a web site or have something designed. They have the business plan, know what they are trying to accomplish and how they are going to market themselves to meet that goal line.

What they don't know is that the web is different medium is isn't a traditional way of marketing. Just for that reason, you must be firm with your input and direction.

I recently saw an article at MB Web Design, a web design firm located in Whales, that really hit home on this issue. I recommend all web designers or anyone looking to become a freelancer to check it out. You may see it at http://www.mbwebdesign.co.uk/blog/
nightmare-web-design-clients/#comment-101.

Boomer Article: Let the Immigrants Succeed

While browsing through Yahoo I come across an article that really stood out and made a point. A big demographic in the business world is about to go missing in the next 30 years and its a big thing to look at. A current issue is immigration and its recent explosion.

Immigration itself could be the missing piece to the puzzle. Check it out, its - Good Life of Boomers Tied to Better Life for Immigrants.

My First True Failure

Hey, I don't get to say I have failed a lot. Bear with me!

As many of you have read recently, I have been interviewing with a popular technology based company here in the New River Valley. It has been an exciting process and much different than other hiring processes that I have been through in the past.

The news is - I didn't get the job.

Some of you may be shocked. Some of you may have expected it from the start. I gotta say this - it was an eye-opening experience and is JUST the jump start I needed.

Today's technology industry is VERY competitive and there are a lot of jobs tailored to specific areas. With this, I was going after the title "web developer" which to me sounded just like my ballpark. I was welcomed in-house for an interview after a few phone interviews and was on my way. Then, once in-house it was a whole different story:

• Web Development is just that - developing programs for the web
• Design and Development are two majorly different spectrums
• Design caters to USD - User Interface Design
• Development caters to making each module work
• Keep your mind sharp. I was given a test with logic answers. Tips or advice include:
• Be able to explain how you answer some things
• As a programmer, dabble in every language you can
• Please, under all circumstances, refresh your memory on syntax!!!!!
• Always bring a small notepad and pencil with you. It helps ;)
• Brush up on brain teasers. These are becoming very popular in the job market

All in all, I may have not got the position. It has not though, detered me from wanting to work with the company in the near future. They really are onto something with their business model and truly care about their employees. This experience has given me incentive to improve upon and take a better interest into a sector of the web world that I have ignored somewhat over the years - true ground up scratch programming.

Aptana Reviewed

As I stated in an earlier post, I have come across an open source IDE known as Aptana. It is directed towards javascript and AJAX which has recently become a huge interest of mine and other developers.

I gotta say I was impressed from the initial startup of the program. Immediately (although it is cluttered) the program opens with a wide variety of tools and options to assist you in your project.

Not much is left to wonder as it has on screen modules/tools for:

• Validation
• IE & Firefox Preview
• Rails Support
  
• Code Assistance (major plus!!)
• File navigation
• DOM Navigation is amazing and very detailed
• On the fly updates when changes are made

The libraries included with Aptana are large and quite impressive to say the least. From what I see, there are plenty of tools for you to include in your projects, ranging from element fading effects to element positioning and even Flash related scripts.

Although I've only been using it for a day or so it has already shown that it is a powerful IDE. I have read that Aptana can be imported into Eclipse, which should provide a better base for JAVA and PHP programmers. Don't waste anytime, go to www.aptana.com and download this tool. It will definitely make your life a lot easier as a programmer.

Upcoming Open Source Reviews

Over the past few weeks I have downloaded Cake PHP, Scriptalicious, Aptana, and PHP Eclipse. Look for reviews and notes to be posted in the next few days!

Drawing a Blank

I tend to find myself as one confident individual - unless math is involved. I personally have a weird way of finding solutions (they work.. just not how its schemed to be solved). Also - when it comes to programming I can't exactly write down the correct syntax as well as I can type it out. Something about the comfort of a keyboard I suppose...

Point being, I found this recently when giving a programming and logic test. I highly recommend testing yourself and keeping sharp with brain teasers and some programming basics. When given the test I found myself drawing blanks on many questions that I KNEW the correct answers for. I also found myself literally stumped on how to correctly write syntax on various items I knew how to program.

Does anyone else have this problem at all sometimes?

15 Nifty Firefox Optimizations

I gotta say del.icio.us hooks me up all the time with awesome bookmarks.

Today I saw a link to an article on LifeHack regarding 15 cool Firefox tricks that people hardly use. I gotta say, I was delighted with a few of them as I had no idea they could be done.

Check it out now!!

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/technology/
15-coolest-firefox-tricks-ever.html

What can you do to build your confidence?

I got to say, the past week has been horrible for me because I have a crucial job interview coming up for a company I really want to work for.

Why should I be worried? My friends are confident I'll nail the job. My family is just the same. For me though, I know this interview will drill me on my knowledge as a programmer. Honestly I would say programming is a weakness of mine, whereas my strong points are interface design, optimization, and being addicted to the field.

How can one build their confidence about situations such as this? I've found over the past few years is to look at what relevant events you've been through that tie to your career field. As a web developer/designer I have seen a lot. I've come a LONG way since my days of programming horrid looking web sites on Angelfire. I've come a long way since last year's 1st place finish at the PBL NLC with Chris Pund (cheap plug, I know). My love for Web 2.0, aka the Semantic Web, was just taking off. From then to now, I must say that my PHP and MySQL understanding has increased tremendously and I have really gotten back into javascripting. I never really realized how important it's features can be to stabilizing the user experience.

Where am I going with this? I've come a long way and I'm still improving everyday. I have the upperhand against most students my age, in my location at least just because of my passion and desire to improve. I love this industry and it doesn't get any better than picking up something new.

You know, after thinking back on all of this - I should be worried afterall. I should just go, show them what I have to offer, and see how it goes from there.

It's something else I can learn from :).

Review OSS?

It dawned on me today that I probably download upwards of 5-10 different open source applications a day. It ranges from a variety of things - including frameworks, web development utilities, games, and much more.

Since I come across a lot of good and bad software, I have decided to actually blog about it. Look for a section coming soon about my endeavors (such as CodeIgniter, which I posted earlier this week).

CodeIgnitor Test Drive

As I posted last night, I downloaded CodeIgnitor, a PHP framework. I must say, so far I am very impressed.

After looking at some of the video tutorials to get a feel for how the framework is based (simple Hello World, Blog in 20 Minutes), I thought I would give it a try. I started by creating a few simple scripts, ranging from 'Hello World' to a basic string that would print variables and solutions to a math problem. From there I created my own blogging system in under 50 minutes, which isn't bad at all I think for just picking up the system.

Now it's time for the fun-run. The listing system I created a few weeks ago is taking shape but is far from where I wanted it. Currently it runs on close to, give or take, 8 files. After 35 minutes I have recreated the system with CodeIgnitor. All that is left is to add the delete function and it will be set to go.

All in all, I think this is a great resource for PHP developers and those that are just picking up the language. If you have programmed in Java, then you will definitely appreciate the libraries as it will make time more manageable in your PHP development.

You think you know Javascript ...

I recently saw a link on del.icio.us that I thought was noteworthy to pass along. You may have noticed that with my blogs lately, I have written quite a bit about Javascript (or at least complained about it, your choice).

Anywhoo, on to the article. It is a four part video series focusing on a presentation by Yahoo's Douglas Crockford. If you are just starting, I recommend you to check out the slides first. For those that have dabbled in Javascript before, start with the videos by checking out the link below!

http://101out.com/js.php

Test Driving CodeIgniter

I've recently downloaded CodeIgniter, a PHP framework. From what I've seen from the videos it looks to quite effective. I'll be testing it out this week and will post later on my thoughts and comments.

Study Galore

Is it not sad that, when out of your element, you panic?

That is exactly what I'm doing.. sort of.

I have a huge interview coming up next week. I will be meeting with the development team for a company I want to work for. Granted, its an honor to get this far, but it really puts a lot of pressure on me.

What will they bring at me? What kind of questions? Will they hit me with a lot of programming techniques, mind puzzles, logic?

It's hard to say but it is all a given. I've found myself in recent days going over random sorts of Javascript, D-HTML techniques, Java, PERL, PHP, and whatever else I've dabbled in over the years. I find myself quite the tool when it comes to Javascript and D-HTML, although my memory lacks at times on a few strings. Nothing that a little research won't do to jog my memory.

It's funny though that I panic - as I look at it - I shouldn't. I have clients that pay me to create these projects day in and day out. I have created various projects related to this subject material in the classroom and in my spare time for fun. That's right, I've come out of the closet - I PROGRAM FOR FUN.

Wish me luck - It should be interesting to say the least.

Logic, 2 New Books, and Nerves

It seems as though in the past 6 months something in my brain has opened. It's like a channel for understanding the logic of web programming has finally opened.

I just recently received two books in the mail that I ordered, Ajax Patterns and Best Practices (Expert's Voice) and Ajax Design Patterns. I have read quite a bit of Ajax Design Patterns at McConnell Library at RU, so I have put most of my time today into Ajax Patterns and Best Practices. Both are great reads and helpful to those starting to implement AJAX. Some may not like a few of the stories that are included with Ajax Design Patterns. Look at it this way.. the stories are similar to real life problems. Who cares if they are true or not.

I'm really nervous I must admit about my phone interview with Webmail.us Monday. I'll be interviewing with the Chief Software Architect, so everyone wish me luck!

Engineer retards

Since the semester is now over, it provides the perfect time for me to return home to visit family. This time around, the trip home wasn't to pleasant.

I drive a 2001 Focus SE, with a 2.0 DOHC that never gives me problems (these cars rock). I was on my way back to Grayson County, VA when my immediately starting over-heating and the check engine light came on. I quickly took an exit and found myself at an Exxon station with my car leaking anti-freeze faster than a school-girl leaking secrets.

Low and behold I found the problem rather fast - a torn hose. It was torn around the clamp. Simple enough - just unclamp, pull the hose tighter and reclamp.. right? WRONG.

Ford, what were you thinking by making a hose that has two different sizes on each end? I see why - considering the pipe coming out of the radiator is smaller than the chamber coming out of the engine. I'm sure theres a reason for it.. but it really makes things stressful when you try to fix a problem. I wish I knew why.. it seems to be a common trend with car companies these days.

Thankfully my father owns a rollback and I was able to get it hauled home (granted.. I had to wait from midnight till 7am in the morning due to phone issues).

I"ll leave it at yesterday just wasn't my day.

Final Exam of the Year

Well, this week has been enough to say the least. Now, in a mere 40 minutes I will take my American Literature final exam. WHOO!

As for other news I will be interviewing with Webmail.us next week. I really hope this turns out well.

Also - out of boredom I scripted my own to-do list. Granted, Ta-da List already does this.. and I do use that quite a lot. The issue that popped out at me was that I personally didn't always have time to boot up firefox and login to Ta-Da. Now, with my own little program I can boot it from my desktop via a flash interface and add away :). I will most likely post the code in the next few weeks once I touch up the visual pieces.

I will be out of town until Sunday night/ early Monday morning to visit family. If you need to reach me try the cell phone or e-mail.

Wish my luck, I'm off!

Exams, Stress, and Javascript

The title alone entails for a great read.

Or so you thought.......


It is that final week of the year that I usually find myself scurrying for all of my notes, library hours, and an enormous pot of pure black coffee. Yes, that's right folks, it's exam time. Fortunately this year is my true, last semester of exams. I will have two next fall, but hey - two are better than a full course load.

On to bigger and better things - my independent study has been approved. This means I get to dabble into the tech world and apply existing technologies to help the student body at large. What? Yes - I will be creating a true web site and application for the students of the new RU School of Communication. If you aren't in the program (or have been under a rock the past year), the Media Studies and Communications departments are merging together to form one school (about time right?).

With this - I will be creating a web site to assist in the process. What are my goals? Glad you asked!

• True web 2.0 application that provides databased content
• Calendar for upcoming events, presentations, and deadlines for applications
• The ability for students to rate their courses online
• RSS Feed capability for instant update notifications

That is just few ideas I've penciled down. I really feel that if all goes well this can be one of the first truly interactive and helpful department web sites Radford University has seen. Students, teachers, faculty and alumni will be the judge of this project's success though.

As for everything else - I'm stressed to the max looking for a full-time job. I have a nice lead though that I think will turn out well. I'm a confident kid with a resume to back it up.

Wish me luck folks

XHTML/CSS provide a better MTV experience

While scoping Simple Bits the other day I saw that the new MTV.com has officially launched. Granted, I was a huge MTV fan growing up. The web experience though, for years, has simply sucked. Engineered predominantly as a Flash based broadband beast, it kept a lot of dialup users from enjoying the experience (i.e. ME).

Fortunately Dan Cederholm and Simple Bits have put the power of XHTML and CSS to use and have really cleaned up MTV.com. No more do I have to wait 5 minutes for anything to load. It's clean, it's simple and it still has that MTV feel. Great job guys!

Plain and simple - web standards the evolution of keeping things simple is finally getting some mainstream attention. What is even more astonishing is that there are a lot of people that don't even realize it.

School nearing year's end

2006-2007 proved to be quite a year for me.

Then again, I'm glad to see it gone. Just one more semester and I'll have my Bachelor's of Science in Media Studies - Web Design. Then - its off to a career.

One wonders how time can pass by so fast. The fact of the matter is, we have no conscience of time when we are having fun.

Thanks to everyone for making this a memorable year. I shall now go slave in the libraries so that I will perform nicely on my exams & finals.

Good luck to you all!

Why I would be an effective web candidate

Typically I never have a problem finding inspiration to write an article. In this installment I will discuss some of my positive points on why I feel employers should look into me for their companies.

Web Design and Development isn't "work"
I think this is very important with the success of hiring efficient and effective employees. Personally, I do not see web design or development as "work" or a "job". Not to say I don't take it seriously, that is not it at all. The fact of the matter is that I can wake up each and everyday and not feel drained from it. I LOVE what I do and that is why I want to make it a career one day.

Knowledge Junkie
This is very important in my industry just because technology and the way society uses it is constantly changing. I adore learning new techniques and methods of implementation. It is nice to keep up to date with new software too because it keeps you one step ahead of the game. I must admit - I am guilty of spending more time in my university's library reading material related to my field rather than what relates to my homework.

Honest About What I Know - And What I Don't
This is a very important trait in anyone, in any field, and in any location. Nothing will drive a person up the wall more is when they find out someone has lied about their abilities. It saves a lot of time, money, and stress when you are just straight forward about something being outside of your abilities.

Challenges are nice
I feel I am at my best when I am challenged. We all are. If you have no challenges laid in front of you then you will only accomplish what you KNOW you can do. Challenges arise, they take us out of our loop and we see exactly what we are made of.

Top 5 Reasons I blog...

Thanks to Chris Pund, I will be posting the top 5 reasons I blog.

Networking
This is pretty much a gimmie. With a blog I can keep people up to date with my adventures and also add feeds from people I've come across at conferences, college, and more.

Decloud my brain
For those that know me, I'm a thinker. I enjoy writing various articles just to relax. By writing these, it also allows me to discard information that I don't necessarily need to retain. It also helps me to remember certain things.

Finding resources
I wouldn't be half the web nerd I am without RSS Feeds, bookmarks, and blogs that combine all of the above.

Test ideas
Post an idea. See how long it takes your friends to laugh or pat you on the back.

Keep others up to date
Okay.. its obvious. But really - think of how much time it saves just to send the news to one area and let people come to that area. It's practical for time management.

Okay.. that's not really five, but it encompasses a lot of the reasons why I blog. What are your five reasons?

A must read from the Tech events

I forwarn, this is a very upsetting, yet uplifting article. To say my emotions were not stirred would be an understatement.

This is a story from one person that was in one of the classrooms...

http://colmanfamilyupdates.blogspot.com/2007/04/details.html

Interviews - the dynamics

How exactly can you survive an interview these days?

I've been through my fair share of job interviews and all of them really have had their perks and unique traits. I've had various settings, including over lunch, e-mail, phone, and directly in the office. Today I personally finished a phone interview with Webmail.us and it was probably the most professional I've experienced to date.

This company means serious business and they really read your resume. To me this shows importance of who they employ and that they really take the time to make the right decision. The contact that I was interviewed by was very professional, was respectful of what I was wanting to accomplish and asked me one thing I have yet to hear during an interview - "What do you want to achieve in the next few years?"

With this I have been motivated to write 5 job interview tips that I feel made this interview a success.


1. Do your research
I feel that the person that interviewed me was impressed that I had prior knowledge of the company and what exactly they represent, their employees, and the products they developed. This is essential to both you and your employer - its best to know what you're up for.

2. Always have a Plan B
Believe it or not, I was going for one job and the interview was directed into another job more suited to my talents. Always be ready for discussion on topics OTHER than the job you've placed your resume in for. You'd be surprised what may come up!

3. Just relax
I personally caught myself getting overly nervous during the first few minutes of the interview. Once I took a few deep breaths and seconds to reflect I was on the go. Remember - it's just an interview - not the end of the world. The company is getting to know you, not judging you.

4. Check your resume not once, not twice, but at least three times.
Commonly people use a resume for various job applications. I personally tailor my resume for the jobs I go after. This time around I unwittingly forgot to put my phone number on my resume. This was a huge goof on my part but fortunately my interviewer was cool with it. Other tips for this include:

• Keep it to one page minimum if you are just out of high school or college
• can be more than one page if you have a doctorate or lengthy work experience
• Spice it up - don't use a typical Microsoft Word template - you want to grab their attention
• Use relevant experience. Just because you worked at McDonald's doesn't mean you didn't gain experience that could be used to treat customers effectively.

5. Be confident of your abilities
This occurs sometimes with the best of us. No matter how experienced you are, you could feel that you don't make the cut. Remember - if they've taken the time to pull your resume and interviewed you, then you definitely have something to say about yourself.

Virginia Tech Tragedy

Last Monday changed my life forever. Never in a million years could I have imagined something so terribly cruel could happen – let alone fifteen minutes away from me!

Someone I used to play basketball against in high school was killed. A few friends of my friends were killed. It is eerily awakening how many close ties people had with the horrific events and they may not even realize it.

Trying to cope with it all has been tough, especially with the final week of classes and exams peeking up. I’m not even at Virginia Tech and its stressful for me – I can’t even imagine the real Orange and Maroon feel.

One way to help out and relieve the stress was the development of www.rememberhokies.com . This is not the official memorial web site for the horrific events that occurred at Virginia Tech. This is however my way of providing a resource for those that has been apart of these incidents and as a way to remember those 33 students and faculty that were tragically killed.

To all of the Hokies - hold your heads up high and proud. Remember those that have unfortunately fallen. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever in the future we shall all walk hand in hand as HOKIES.