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.