I just gave my first training session by myself. It was to teach these non-technical people how to manage their Division's website through the CMS we developed.
They were confused. :( I felt bad even though I think the confusion was not mostly through my explanations. The way we implemented certain things on the website ended up making it more confusing. We caved in to certain departments' requests and added various options without taking the time to figure out how to do it in a more user friendly way. Some of the things we addressed were fixed (but on QA and not pushed to Production yet) so all I could say was "we have a fix! it's not implemented yet, but it will be!"
By the end, they were asking me if there was a manual. I suppose that's the next item that I need to focus on getting up ASAP, because there's no way they are going to remember everything we went over. Scott saw me afterward and said I should have gave them a print out manual first thing. You live you learn... I actually was preparing one, but I felt like it would just be so much information I needed more time to organize it properly.
Now I have less than a week to prepare for Admin Services' training session. Scott said that for sure, they would need a print out manual.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
"Discussions"
It gets so frustrating having discussions about controversial subjects with Lawrence. They often turn into something more like arguments. It's hard for me to distance myself emotionally from the subject matter when it's something that I feel strongly about. This makes it worse for me because I can't put my thoughts into a coherent argument...and I don't even know if I have a valid argument or not.
I do appreciate his efforts to get me to think about the world differently, but it's hard because I feel like I've already done so much solidification of my worldviews while in high school and college.
Is science as a worldview the same as religions as worldviews? I feel that science is separate but not mutually exclusive from religion. They're just different things like how the subject of math is different from the subject of history. Lawrence would argue that I only feel this way because I grew up in a society that taught me to think secularly. If I grew up in a more religious culture, religion would tinge everything in the world around me. Scientific arguments would have no weight. Religion and science are both ways in which we interpret the world around us, and he would argue that as worldviews, their relative utility is irrelevant so I can't use that as a reason for denying them equal status.
I do appreciate his efforts to get me to think about the world differently, but it's hard because I feel like I've already done so much solidification of my worldviews while in high school and college.
Is science as a worldview the same as religions as worldviews? I feel that science is separate but not mutually exclusive from religion. They're just different things like how the subject of math is different from the subject of history. Lawrence would argue that I only feel this way because I grew up in a society that taught me to think secularly. If I grew up in a more religious culture, religion would tinge everything in the world around me. Scientific arguments would have no weight. Religion and science are both ways in which we interpret the world around us, and he would argue that as worldviews, their relative utility is irrelevant so I can't use that as a reason for denying them equal status.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
life changes
As much as I wish things could stay the way they are...life changes. Major changes will be taking place in life soon, hopefully for the better. It's hard to say for sure because change is difficult. I need someone to talk to about this.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Back to the heavy kettlebells
Last night, Melody thought I was ready to go back onto the 35lb kettlebell. That thing is heavy, especially when you have to swing it around and stabilize yourself against the weight of it. Apparently in the Russian kettlebell weight system, the 35lb kettlebell is 1 "pood". It's nice to know that I can use a kettle bell in its most basic unit of measurement
As the workouts get tougher, I increasingly find that my breathing technique is very vital to how much I can do. Not only do I need to breath out with the exertion portion of an exercise, I need to pull in air deeply (the belly swelling thing) and force it out with the exhale.
After 30 2-handed swings with the kettlebell, I had to do 1-handed swings with each arm. I got to do a kettlebell snatch. Before the snatch I had to practice a hi-pull, which is where you swing it up and then when it is at shoulder level, jerk it towards your body then push back out, as if you were punching with the kettlebell. For the snatch, the kettle bell starts between your feet on the ground. You swing it up, and as it moves up to shoulder level, you do a short jerk so it flips over and onto the back of your hand/forearm while simultaneously punching upwards so it ends with your arm vertically straight up in the air. You have to do this quickly in one smooth motion so that your are not caught with your arm horizontal when the kettlebell flips over. These were actually pretty fun. I did not do this with the 35 lb kettlebell but Melody did. :)
I had to do a spiderman pushup where you start off in normal pushup position, then left one leg bent with foot off the ground so your knee is reaching for your armpit. Do a pushup with your knee up like that, then put that foot down, and crawl forward with your hands until you're in pushup position again. Lift your other leg the same way and do a pushup. Do this a few times, then do this backwards.
I also did a modified pistol while holding a kettlebell. While holding the kettlebell to my chest with both hands, you lifted one leg and sit down on a bench. Keeping that leg lefted, you stand back up. Leg still lifted, you repeat 20 times.
I used the Smith machine for pull-up exercises. I did assisted pull-ups where my legs were crossed and feet could touch the ground. I did another exercise where I had to hold onto the bar and with my feet extended out in front of me so my body was straight at an angle to the ground and I had to lift my body in a cirular motion - circular pull-ups I suppose.
Lastly was an ab exercise. Using the sit-up bench (the one with the padded bars for your feet & knees), I had to lean back and keep my arms extended in front of me. I had to then move each arm up, back down, to the side, and then back to the middle. This was tough because my abs were still sore from Monday. I did not lean as far back as I probably should have so most of the burning was in my legs as I tried to keep my torso upright.
As the workouts get tougher, I increasingly find that my breathing technique is very vital to how much I can do. Not only do I need to breath out with the exertion portion of an exercise, I need to pull in air deeply (the belly swelling thing) and force it out with the exhale.
After 30 2-handed swings with the kettlebell, I had to do 1-handed swings with each arm. I got to do a kettlebell snatch. Before the snatch I had to practice a hi-pull, which is where you swing it up and then when it is at shoulder level, jerk it towards your body then push back out, as if you were punching with the kettlebell. For the snatch, the kettle bell starts between your feet on the ground. You swing it up, and as it moves up to shoulder level, you do a short jerk so it flips over and onto the back of your hand/forearm while simultaneously punching upwards so it ends with your arm vertically straight up in the air. You have to do this quickly in one smooth motion so that your are not caught with your arm horizontal when the kettlebell flips over. These were actually pretty fun. I did not do this with the 35 lb kettlebell but Melody did. :)
I had to do a spiderman pushup where you start off in normal pushup position, then left one leg bent with foot off the ground so your knee is reaching for your armpit. Do a pushup with your knee up like that, then put that foot down, and crawl forward with your hands until you're in pushup position again. Lift your other leg the same way and do a pushup. Do this a few times, then do this backwards.
I also did a modified pistol while holding a kettlebell. While holding the kettlebell to my chest with both hands, you lifted one leg and sit down on a bench. Keeping that leg lefted, you stand back up. Leg still lifted, you repeat 20 times.
I used the Smith machine for pull-up exercises. I did assisted pull-ups where my legs were crossed and feet could touch the ground. I did another exercise where I had to hold onto the bar and with my feet extended out in front of me so my body was straight at an angle to the ground and I had to lift my body in a cirular motion - circular pull-ups I suppose.
Lastly was an ab exercise. Using the sit-up bench (the one with the padded bars for your feet & knees), I had to lean back and keep my arms extended in front of me. I had to then move each arm up, back down, to the side, and then back to the middle. This was tough because my abs were still sore from Monday. I did not lean as far back as I probably should have so most of the burning was in my legs as I tried to keep my torso upright.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Back into the groove of things
Last night I went to see Melody at the gym. She had me do 10 sets of alternating 10 kettlebell swings and 10 wheel outs on the rolling wheel of upper body doom. Then, I had to do 3 sets of 10 squats with a kettlebell and 10 presses with a kettlebell using each arm (holding the kettlebell at the chest and then pressing straight up). By the last kettlebell press, my left arm could not lift any more - muscle failure. Woohoo! It feels good to be sore today. I'll be even more sore tomorrow.
After dinner, Lawrence went with me to Borders where we bought some drinks and played Dominion. It was our second complete game and with that I decided to draw 10 random action cards to use. Lawrence wanted to use the suggested beginner action cards, but I put my foot down and made him choose 10 random ones. :) That's when I found out I got the rules wrong. I thought that you were supposed to re-shuffle all your cards after each turn. You discard all the cards in your hand after a turn, but you pick up your new 5 cards from your deck. It is only after you've exhausted all the cards in your deck that you shuffle the cards in the discard pile and make that your new deck. It made the game very fun to play.
We actually didn't finish the game before Borders closed at 11pm, so we took the game and drove to the dealership to finish the game in his office before going home. :D
ETA: oh my gourd...coughing hurts my abs...
After dinner, Lawrence went with me to Borders where we bought some drinks and played Dominion. It was our second complete game and with that I decided to draw 10 random action cards to use. Lawrence wanted to use the suggested beginner action cards, but I put my foot down and made him choose 10 random ones. :) That's when I found out I got the rules wrong. I thought that you were supposed to re-shuffle all your cards after each turn. You discard all the cards in your hand after a turn, but you pick up your new 5 cards from your deck. It is only after you've exhausted all the cards in your deck that you shuffle the cards in the discard pile and make that your new deck. It made the game very fun to play.
We actually didn't finish the game before Borders closed at 11pm, so we took the game and drove to the dealership to finish the game in his office before going home. :D
ETA: oh my gourd...coughing hurts my abs...
Monday, February 2, 2009
superbowl!
I watched the SuperBowl for the first time yesterday. It was better than I expected and there were actually some very exciting points in the game. I probably snacked on stuff wayyyy more than I should have. We didn't even eat all the snacks though.
I started training with my personal trainer again last Thursday. It was about time as I had been slacking off for over a month already. My stamina was definitely not up to par, but I am definitely looking forward to my twice weekly sessions.
I started training with my personal trainer again last Thursday. It was about time as I had been slacking off for over a month already. My stamina was definitely not up to par, but I am definitely looking forward to my twice weekly sessions.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Social Networking Sites
So I've been on Ravelry for over a year now. When I first found it, I was amazed at the ingenuity of the concept. A niche website that integrated social networking with both user-generated databases as well as personal inventories that catered to specifically to the niche. Given someone with enough knowledge of a niche and the skills to create such an interactive website, one could revolutionize the online world of that niche and become THE resource for anyone interested in that niche.
Just recently with my new found interest in board games, I found the site BoardGameGeek. Much to my surprise, they have been doing this since as far back as 2004. Reflective of its "geeky" nature, the site is more cluttered than Ravelry and carries a Web 1.0 look and feel. Don't let that fool you, however. They have an active community and as evidenced by numerous Google searches relating to board games, is THE source for Board Gaming knowledge on the net.
I also recently found a site regarding books called GoodReads. I've been to a few websites before that were similar, but it seems GoodReads has taken the extra step. Like Ravelry, it exhibits a clean Web 2.0 style. You can place books on your "shelf" and mark them as read, currently reading, or plan to read.
I wonder how many other niche knowledge-driven community sites there are. The idea really resonates with my inner organizer. These websites seem like the kinds of projects I could wholeheartedly sink my teeth into. Too bad they're usually 1-2 man operations that earn very little money and do not have the resources to hire and train a newbie like myself.
Just recently with my new found interest in board games, I found the site BoardGameGeek. Much to my surprise, they have been doing this since as far back as 2004. Reflective of its "geeky" nature, the site is more cluttered than Ravelry and carries a Web 1.0 look and feel. Don't let that fool you, however. They have an active community and as evidenced by numerous Google searches relating to board games, is THE source for Board Gaming knowledge on the net.
I also recently found a site regarding books called GoodReads. I've been to a few websites before that were similar, but it seems GoodReads has taken the extra step. Like Ravelry, it exhibits a clean Web 2.0 style. You can place books on your "shelf" and mark them as read, currently reading, or plan to read.
I wonder how many other niche knowledge-driven community sites there are. The idea really resonates with my inner organizer. These websites seem like the kinds of projects I could wholeheartedly sink my teeth into. Too bad they're usually 1-2 man operations that earn very little money and do not have the resources to hire and train a newbie like myself.
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