Proactivity Blog Entry #6: Retraining

President Obama discussing retraining at Lorain Community College in my home state of Ohio and highlighting two factory workers' working full-time jobs while enrolling in a 6-month retraining program resonate with me. After completing my ALDP detail in November 2008, I wanted to become a statistician. The federal government required 15 math credits, 6 of which must be in statistics. Though I had over 15 math credits, I had 0 statistics credits thus last summer I took elementary statistics. During the same time one of my friends received a GS-13 Survey Manager position, I was motivated to complete business statistics last fall semester to qualify. Immediately upon finishing business statistics, I requested a student copy of my transcript to vie for similar statistician positions. Now I am on the cusp of receiving a promotion. My retraining is not limited to mathematics because I am pursuing my BA in Political Science.

While researching the college catalog for my BA in Spanish, I learn that my BA qualifies me for a lot of the political science credits. The university has accepted all 120 undergraduate credits thus allowing me to bypass the major's general requirements. In addition, I think that the department would waive the introductory level courses because of my BA and MBA. Having taken a political science class while enrolled at Hiram College, I am petitioning the university to accept it as an elective; thereby, leaving me with only four classes. However, I want to take the credit by examination to liberate my money. This is manageable especially if I take a position outside of downtown Washington, DC. The majority of statisitcians are outside the District. Today the Arlington Library has notified me that it has placed my poli-sci book on hold for me at its Central location. This weekend I will gather it and begin reading the book because I really want to test out of the classes. The university credit by examination fee is $50 versus $350 for actually enrollining in the class so why not go for it?

Earning my BA in political science is my way of expanding my career opportunities. Here in DC there are an abundance of job positions. Even though I possess a BA in International Economics and an MBA, having the poli-sci degree is equivalent to having my passport stamped. I can secure political appointments and foreign service positions. One of the department's elective is US foreign policy. Obtaining it along with two degrees and five years' economist experience enable me to lay the foundation for passing the Department of State's foreign service officer exam. Attaining important assignments allow me to fully use all of my skills and as a Type A personality I love it!

Financially Empowered Fashionista

Last Friday after saving the money and placing my name on the waitlist four months ago, I purchased the yellow Jimmy Choo Hunter boots from the Chevy Chase store. I truly loved them for their originality. My reason for buying the yellow was that everyone else had the red and the black. The store manager confirmed that I was the sole size 42 yellow boot pre-order which was wonderful because I did not want anyone esle to have it! Upon exiting the store, I asked the manager if I had to put my name on the red and the black waitlist since I wanted the other colors. She said that it sold out of the red but still had the black; but, I should contact headquarters. Immediately I emailed the company about the procedure because I wanted them in red, my favorite color.

I am going to pair them with each a white or navy blue raincoat because these colors complement my yellow rainboots. In the meantime, I will continue saving my money and rocking my yellow pair!

Proactivity Blog Entry #5: Following Through with my Commitment

My commitment to rebuilding Haiti is unwavering as I continue using my Twitter page to inform my audience. Today I have retweeted non-profit organizations CARE and UNICEF USA. These are reputable organizations which will use donors' money for Haitian relief. Furthermore, I am retweeting Wyclef Jean's Yele Haiti $5 cellular phone charity donation because the singer is in Haiti now. Moreover as a native he has always helped his homeland and I respect that. The rebuilding process will take at least 5 years. The first year is about stabilization because a 7.0 earthquake will dismantle any infrastructure be here or in Haiti. The second and third years will be about reestablishing the Haitian economy and encouraging foreign direct investment. The fourth and fifth years will be about returning to any kind of normalcy, if I can call it that, because really how do you accomplish that in the face of astronomical loss? This week I will continue giving money to Yele online (It will reach Haiti faster than my cell phone donation) and notifying my audience about progress.

Proactivity Blog Entry #4: Helping Haiti and Myself

Yesterday I donated $50 to Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti organization online, $5 to Yele via text message and $10 to the American Red Cross via text message. Two days ago on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, I started my Twitter advocacy. It continues today because the relief supplies will start arriving today. Furthermore, it will take at least 36 months to get over this hump because a 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti. When one of my Twitter friend asked what if everybody gave money everyday to crisis. I promptly responded that people give money everyday but the earthquake put people on alert. Ironically, this was when I realized that I did donate to Dress for Success and other non-profits to eliminate daily suffering. Now it is time to plug-in and donate even more money to ensure that people can eat, cloth, and start rebuilding.

Senator Harry Reid's Hypocrisy

It is amazing that some people deem Reid's words regarding Obama being a light-skinned black man who speaks without an urban dialect as 'candor' but if he is so honest why does he not examine his ranking within his own race? Senator Reid is neither blond hair nor blue eyes so he is not the fairest of them all? So when a certain MSNBC commentator exclaims that "people who says racist things are not racist" then this is hypocritical. As a dark-skinned black woman, I see President Obama constantly parade his dark-skinned wife and children around constantly. Finally, to the black people saying that Reid is telling the truth, ask yourself this: can you speak for yourself?

Proactivity Blog Entry #3: Eradicating the Negativity in My Life

As much as I like this particular liberal blogger, I must subscribe from her newsletter because of her continued marijuana legislation advocacy. Marijuana is an illegal drug and should remain illegal because of its potency. Ask any crack addict how they have become hooked on this drug and he or she would answer marijuana. First, they lace their marijuana cigarettes with crack cocaine. Second, they become addicted. However, I will use current social policy regarding cigarettes to make my point. Nearly every restaurant and office building have banned smoking. Eliminating an activity reduces the number of smokers; thereby, reducing tobacco company revenue. Therefore, why legalize a drug when there is no real break-even point? That's just plain stupid and you do not need to be an economist to understand that when your costs outweigh your revenue, you shut down! Finally, if the public contends that it does not want to smell cigarette smoke, why should they want to smell marijuana smoke?

Proactivity Blog Entry #2: Following Through

This morning I have revised my resume and applied for seven positions because I really want the promotion. Instead of watching college football bowl games all day long, I have decided to sacrifice by investing time and energy in my pursuit towards ascending the corporate ladder. Completing the six statistics credits required to become a statistician have given me a real mental boost because now I can apply for more than one mission-critical occupation. Becoming a Senior Executive Service professional is my career objective; and, this demands GS-14 status. Securing the promotion ensures that I am one step closer towards bringing my dream to fruition. More importantly, I am looking for additional growth opportunities to broaden my reach. Working as a statistician on my Aspiring Leaders Development Program detail has given me insight into another occupation; and, this is something that I want to pursue. Furthermore, I am majoring in statistics so this job perfectly complements my studies. I receive graduate from the University of the District of Columbia in 2012. Hopefully, I will be a GS-14 by then.

Proactive Blog Entry #1: Creating My Own Luck

Today is the first day of this year and this decade. I have decided since I am unhappy with my current career trajectory that I will create my own luck. Right now I am revising my knowledge, skills and abilities for economist and statistician announcements. Saturday I will apply for these jobs. Make no mistake: I will receive a promotion this year by employing my newly acquired statistician abilities and Aspiring Leaders Development Program capabilities.

This Year, This Decade and the Next

From graduating from the agency mentoring program and the Commerce Department’s Aspiring Leaders Development Program to completing the six statistics credits, I have accomplished so much this year. However, I must admit that I am frustrated with not being promoted so I have decided to do something about it and apply for both statistician and economist jobs. Now I know that I can find a job twice as quickly. By March I will have a GS-12 or GS-13 promotion because I refuse to settle.

Never settling for something has been my mantra ever since starting my blog; and, it will continue well into next decade because there are so many milestones I want to reach. In 2010 I will accomplish the following objectives: GS-12/13 promotion; payoff last two credit card bills; travel to my Warrensville Heights High 15th high school reunion, Greater Cleveland Black MBA Association 25th Anniversary and the National Black MBA Association 40th Annual Conference in Los Angeles; attend both the DC and NOVA fashion week events; and test out of elementary statistics II, business mathematics I and II, and differential equations if UDC decides to cancel the class during fall 2010 semester. By the end of next decade, I will achieve Senior Executive Series professional status before 2015; payoff all of my credit card and student loan debt; l travel more; and, found my own Hiram College and Cleveland State University book scholarships.

DC Sports Bog is a Classist and a Hypocrite

I cannot believe the high level of classcism spouted in Mike Wise's Washington Post column regarding Tiger Woods. First, Tiger has done this to himself. As a married father or two, no one tells him to get a harem of misstresses. Mr. Woods will experience the same level of embarrassment every other man does when he repeatedly cheats on his wife: divorce. Furthermore, telling the audience not to judge further pushes Wise's classicism because the rich are beyond reproach. Second, Wise did not come to Kobe Bryant's aid when he got caught cheating in Colorado. Was this because Bryant possessed a high school diploma, whereas, Woods attended Stanford? I graduated from Hiram College, the same college that President James A. Garfield graduated, so I possessed some credibility regarding my class argument. I highly doubted that Mike Wise would write an article in defense of Kobe because of his academic pedigree. Third, I totally agree with Augusta's and Woods promoters stance against him. It is business and contracts have morality clauses. Tiger Woods violates them with his public infidelity. Why should Woods be treated any differently than anyone else? I congratulate his sponsors on showing no preference to Tiger because of his middle-class background and Stanford education. This is a business and they have done the one thing that no one else especially Wise has done: punish Woods for wrongdoing. I believe if Tiger Woods do not have all of these yes-men, he would not be embarrassed. Finally, if Mike Wise can defend Tiger Woods what is next, a Bernie Madoff column?

Becoming a Statistician

I check UDC Web4students grade site and learn that I have received an A in business statistics! This is huge because I keep my statistics streak alive and well. I need to blog about this because I am so happy to qualify for the statistician classification. It is essential to be the best at anything. Now I can enter 2010 qualifying for two mission-critical occupations instead of simply one; and, upon receiving my linear algebra grade I will become eligible for the mathematician occupation.

This journey started September 2008. I was on detail at another federal agency and during my 45 days, realized the similarities between economist and statistician. While visiting the Office of Personnel Management's classification site, I read that to become a statistician I would need 15 math credits, 6 of which must be in statistics. Though I possess the mathematics credits, at the time I had no statistics classes. Since my graduate studies return did not pan out as I had planned, I returned to UDC to retake calculus III spring semester, elementary statistics I summer semester, and business statistics fall semester. Enrolling in these three classes along with linear algebra helped qualify me for both the government's statistician and mathematician positions.

The government lists these two occupations as mission-critical because retirements would create a dire need for replacements. Currently I am an economist, also a mission-critical occupation, however, I want to expand my career options especially since I want to join the Senior Executive Service (SES). SES takes only mission-critical people and having three different ways to qualify ensure that I will become an executive one day.

Opportunity Journal Entry #27: Testing Out of Elementary Statistics II

This Tuesday I learned from my advisor that I only had to pay $50 to test out of elementary statistics II. Dr. Rice told me that he was using the same book and would send me an email (He still has not after emailing him a reminder). However, I refuse to wait on him so today I call the math department to receive a copy of the syllabus. I will call again because this is so important to me. I really need the copy to finalize my study schedule. I have a lot going for me. Presently I am enrolled in business statistics so I am mentally fresh to take the exam. For the rest of fall semester, I will use my business statistics resources to prepare for elementary statistics. Even though I will only receive credit, this is exactly what I want because it enables me to qualify for more science, technology, engineering and mathematics occupations.

Taking Care of Family

My friend discusses that her mother does not babysit her grandchildren is somewhat disturbing. I cannot see anyone in my family saying that they would not watch my children. This is crazy because someone watched out for you. Moreover, my parents especially my mother paid for daycare but we saw our paternal and maternal grandmothers every weekend. It is quite selfish though I have learned that her mother has arthritis. She remarks that my family is nice. In addition, she says that most grandparents are busy and have lives. My maternal grandparents went on numerous cruises yet still found time to babysit us. I guess because I do not have that kind of dissention within the family ranks! It just sounds weird.

Black Friday Observations

Today on Black Friday I have bought five Ann Taylor cable-knit sweaters for $106 and an Acer computer for $450 (it includes anti-viral software subscription!). I am so thankful that I have the money to buy another computer because now I can schedule the Monday Comcast appointment tomorrow. Right now I am tired because Black Friday has consumed an abundance of my energy.

Earlier this morning I had to walk to Ann Taylor Loft twice because when I originally arrived at 9:05am, the store was closed forcing me to return home and call the store to verify. As soon as the saleswoman said that the DuPont location was open, albeit late, I returned to the store. That took a lot out of me. After watching Matlock I went to Farragut North and boarded the red line for Tenleytown metro. After climbing those escalators, I arrived at Best Buy where the small netbook screen saddened me. Immediately I looked for a laptop and after talking with two employees I bought the $349 Acer with anti-viral protection for another $79.99. Since the software was not installed I had to sit in the Geek Squad lounge for 15 minutes. Though stores were usually packed on Black Friday, this was not the case at Best Buy and it was not because I arrived at 11:15am. The recession took a very huge bit out of Christmas spending. Though many of my friends comment that Wal-Mart and JC Penney are crowded, when you are scared about keeping your job, a new computer is not high on your list! This situation is another realization that I am lucky to have a high-paying job to allow me to replace my computer. Later, I walked to Chipotle where I ordered the usual chicken burrito. I used cash and it was only returning home when I realized that the company mailed me two free burrito coupons. Rats! Speaking of returning home, this man who resided in my apartment was moving real fast through traffic. If I did not have my computer I would had secretly raced him home.

Response to Bissinger's NYT Opinion

On the eve of Michael Jordan’s 25th anniversary playing his first NBA game, I am disappointed the New York Times would publish Bissinger’s opinion. He is a UNC graduate and ardent age and college supporter. Bissinger is wrong to solely focus on the NBA when the NFL has the same age and college requirements. The fact that no one is disputing weakens Bissinger’s argument. There is a huge difference between high school and college. Colleges prepare these boys to handle publicity, improve teamwork at a higher level and improve their conditioning to avoid injury. These things require college. Ask Carmelo Anthony and Shaquille O’Neal who openly profess that their tenure at Syracuse and Louisiana State University have helped their career development. Just because the focus is athletic as opposed to academic does not mean that college and the age requirement are irrelevant.

I Feel So Honored

Yippee! The National Black MBA Association President has accepted my Facebook friend request! This more than compensates for the Ann Taylor incident! Immediately I have suggested two DCMBAA officers. I feel so honored!

Living Paycheck to Paycheck

No, not in that sense. I realize that by focusing on my paydays the weeks go quicker. For instance, today is payday and in two weeks it will be Monday, October 5th, two weeks from fall break and two months before the end of classes. Adopting this payday mentality makes me accomplish things quicker because there is a finality to it. That’s how I have been able to graduate from ALDP, ace my elementary statistics class and process the new child tax credit. Finally, it will also be the reason for getting my GS-12 promotion and acing fall semester classes to qualify for the GS-12 Statistician and Mathematician positions.

Nice Try But No Cigar

A male blogger friend of mine talks about enabling abuse but I take particular issue with blaming the victim because it was all about the female singers but not male abusers. What are the abusers’ psychology? This sticks at me because even though he’s a gay man, he’s a man nevertheless so he does not understand.

The Problem I Have When People Deem What They Say As Intelliegent But It Really Is Not

Unlike NY Times' Room for Debate, I do not believe that Mexico decriminalizing marijuana will affect the US drug policy because of our no tolerance drug policies. Look at student financial aid. If a student is caught using drugs, his financial aid is cancelled. Therefore, I do not understand why this or any publication would waste trees trying to entertain something like this! The New York Times is just stupid for even making this gesture. Now I am officially on Marc Anderssen's NY Times Deathwatch list because all the papers seems to do is write salacious pro-drug articles to generate web traffic. Wow! How the mighty (newspaper publication) has fallen!

You Cannot Give with a Closed Palm

Increasing my philanthropy has been one of my 32nd birthday wishes so receiving the DC Dress for Success annual luncheon invitation has made my day! Attending this event enables me to realize my personal objective. Having donated money and shoes, I am an avid supporter of this organization because it ensures that women can wear professional clothing, get jobs and feed their families. In addition, the ticket price is affordable. Furthermore, since one of my social service organizations holds clothing drives, I will ask if I may attend this program and give a report at the general body meeting. Since I am picking out my annual event table, I might as well infuse something that’s free! More importantly giving to DC for Success is about lifting as I climb.

This has always been core to my being because no one gets here by himself. Also I want to see people do better. Moreover, charitable giving shows my money maturation because one year ago I could find afford this ticket. However, after signing a one-year rental contract which keeps my costs down, my band promotion, and paying off a student loan, I have enough money to give to others, and in a way, myself.