This is an Ode to life in general. Since I returned home from Phoenix, it has been a very interesting time. Baby Fine is due any day, but Bella is ready to pop. Not to mention she has been very ill for the last three days. All things combined have made for a very stressful 10 days. At work, I have been informed that there will possibly be promotional opportunities in the near future. I was so elated to begin with, but as time passed, I realized the way my supervisor described the position, it was basically lined up for Victoria, my arch-nemesis to take that spot. I have been incredibly stress over this because I do not want to work for her. If she got that position, I would report directly to her. I have since asked Heavenly Father to help me deal with this added stress and bless me that I will know everything is working out this way for a reason. I may end up moving the family down to Phoenix after all. ;-) In addition to this crazy news, everyone has been on edge at work lately. It is crazy to think that people have actually argued over music volume in the next cube. I truly feel that things are not going to turn out the way I want, but I pray that my supervisor sees through the cloud of smoke Victoria is putting up. I am going to dispel the rumors floating around and remember my priorities. I am so excited to have Baby Fine joining our family soon. It is hard to believe we will actually have a boy running around soon. I am grateful for all of the blessings we receive on a daily basis. My beautiful wife reminds me constantly that I am expecting things to happen without doing my part. That can only happen so much before Heavenly Father decides that I am in need of humility and opportunities to learn and grow, rather than the worldly success.
I am reading a wonderful book by Lee Cockerell, the former executive director of operations at Disney, and he describes effective leadership and customer service. I am almost excited about reading more. I want to lead my team in the same way he is describing in this book. I would take a job at Disney, simply based on what he is describing in this book. Time will tell. We have been very successful at getting stuff done around the house. We finally got the trim up in my oldest's room and shelves in the closet to boot! I finally found something that I dislike about our new van. It took me 90 minutes in the cold to move our bucket seat over to the middle to accommodate another car seat. I am optimistic about the future. There are great things in store. I told Bella that I can no longer hate February because our son will be born at that time. I have a feeling I will know soon enough about the job, but at this point, I need to focus on other things.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
When Did I Grow Up?
This is going to be a really quick post. I remembered an experience that I was so excited to blog about when I arrived home from Arizona, but I totally spaced it. When did I really grow up? I went to the store to purchase a surprise for my oldest daughter. I was very excited to find some Kung Fu Panda stuff, but of course, they were all out. I started looking around and found the next best thing: Tinkerbell and Princesses. I found just what I was looking for, but the price was an incredible $25. All that bought me a Tinkerbell action figure that could flap her wings and a wardrobe change. At this point, I was frustrated and realized that everything was too freakin' much money. Did my parents spend this much on toys for me when I was a kid? I loved them all I am sure, but I would kick my parent's butt if I could go back and see they were spending this much money. I decided on a middle-of-the-road Tinkerbell figure, with no wardrobe change, but functioning wings. It only set me back $12. Granted all the toys I want now that I am all grown up are upwards of several hundred dollars, but we won't get into that.
Residency Journal - Day 5
1. Identify personal insights, moments of critical questioning, and comments or ideas from today’s workshop that have impacted you.
At this point in time, I continue thinking about ways to apply the things I have learned and not become stagnant or continue on in the program without applying the skills and knowledge I have gained in this residency. Talking about the dissertation today actually got me really excited about the prospects for the future. I am becoming more and more undecided about my current job, and I hope that time will tell regarding moving here to Phoenix and continuing on in another capacity. Our presentation went better than expected, but feedback included simple items of content and reflective praxis that we should have included. I guarantee the model was not sufficient, and we should have applied each facet to the model. Also, there was a question regarding our ethics issue and possibilities why leadership would not work with telecommunications.
In talking with Dr. Deb, I believe I am ready to move forward, but I have to apply these issues to the class and everyone exists with information imbedded in them. Given enough time, this information will surface.
She also mentioned that every unresolved issue I have in my life will come up during my residency. That is a very scary thought. I can see the baby, moving, finances, family member issues, and work all having some impact within the next year or so.
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
I need to have my own bag of creativity that enables me to think outside the box, get creative with my solutions, and develop my creative thinking abilities. In regards to reading, synthesis, and overall analysis, I really need to take the position of asking questions and determining why something may or may not be the case. I can do that with work, school, and home life. I want to play with my daughter more, and allow myself to get creative with her. I also want to read two articles a week that may apply to my dissertation and catalog everything I have into a spreadsheet like what Dr. Deb mentioned in class.
I believe I can move forward with my dissertation idea, as long as I spend the time to properly research the topic, and develop a process, or method of solving the problem. I do not need to develop an actual solution. I also need to apply the same carefree attitude I used here at residency in the workplace. If they do not like my ideas, that is one thing. I need to be able to lead, yet also have difficult conversations and reason with them regarding our situatedness and make them get creative with me. I know if I put it back on them, they will produce more than if I keep it on myself.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I am going to explore some documentation on critical thinking, actually read the articles that have been assigned, and relate to others who are having difficulty thinking critically. I also need to find out about relational nets. ;-) I feel that in order to provide effective communication, I cannot assume I know where someone else is coming from. I have to ask when I have questions relative to a situation or problem.
At this point in time, I continue thinking about ways to apply the things I have learned and not become stagnant or continue on in the program without applying the skills and knowledge I have gained in this residency. Talking about the dissertation today actually got me really excited about the prospects for the future. I am becoming more and more undecided about my current job, and I hope that time will tell regarding moving here to Phoenix and continuing on in another capacity. Our presentation went better than expected, but feedback included simple items of content and reflective praxis that we should have included. I guarantee the model was not sufficient, and we should have applied each facet to the model. Also, there was a question regarding our ethics issue and possibilities why leadership would not work with telecommunications.
In talking with Dr. Deb, I believe I am ready to move forward, but I have to apply these issues to the class and everyone exists with information imbedded in them. Given enough time, this information will surface.
She also mentioned that every unresolved issue I have in my life will come up during my residency. That is a very scary thought. I can see the baby, moving, finances, family member issues, and work all having some impact within the next year or so.
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
I need to have my own bag of creativity that enables me to think outside the box, get creative with my solutions, and develop my creative thinking abilities. In regards to reading, synthesis, and overall analysis, I really need to take the position of asking questions and determining why something may or may not be the case. I can do that with work, school, and home life. I want to play with my daughter more, and allow myself to get creative with her. I also want to read two articles a week that may apply to my dissertation and catalog everything I have into a spreadsheet like what Dr. Deb mentioned in class.
I believe I can move forward with my dissertation idea, as long as I spend the time to properly research the topic, and develop a process, or method of solving the problem. I do not need to develop an actual solution. I also need to apply the same carefree attitude I used here at residency in the workplace. If they do not like my ideas, that is one thing. I need to be able to lead, yet also have difficult conversations and reason with them regarding our situatedness and make them get creative with me. I know if I put it back on them, they will produce more than if I keep it on myself.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I am going to explore some documentation on critical thinking, actually read the articles that have been assigned, and relate to others who are having difficulty thinking critically. I also need to find out about relational nets. ;-) I feel that in order to provide effective communication, I cannot assume I know where someone else is coming from. I have to ask when I have questions relative to a situation or problem.
Residency Journal - Day 4
1. Identify personal insights, moments of critical questioning, and comments or ideas from today’s workshop that have impacted you.
Up to this point, I realize now that I have a greater impact on the class and on the other students than I thought. I believe there is a huge issue with charisma and leadership. With charisma, someone like myself can turn into an effective speaker, full of confidence, and one that can direct a team into the future. That does not necessarily mean doing everything or forcing my ideas upon everyone, but I can impose my opinions and be asked what I think.
I realize that even though are presentation was good, there was a great deal of opportunity to improve. We did not discuss the team dynamic in great depth, and I realize we did not walk through the process very well. There was no ‘understood leader’, but I would put myself as the closest to that. I felt we all accommodated and collaborated with each other to come up with a game plan. I would like to take a journey down the entire process. It is important to take notes throughout the project regarding dynamics, power, authority, and decision making paradigms.
Content wise, we should have improved our problem statement, with more along the lines of the problem with online learning teams is that asynchronous communication results in…..
Provide more depth regarding tools available, why we think this is an issue, and perhaps ask why two more times to get to the level we want to be at.
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
Again, there is so much more I can do if I do not limit myself and provide greater structure, sythesis, critical and creative thinking, and work on dynamics.
We talked about our situatedness yet again, so I really need to focus on where I am coming from with that perspective, or where I believe the author is coming from, based on what I read. What assumptions or biases could cause these reactions.
Synthesis is putting the two articles together and coming up with something new. In the case of the assignment, I did more compare and contrast. I should have pursued the line of implementing more discussion on controversial topics along with writing and lecturing in the classroom.
I think this is going to affect the overall structure of my writing and the way I analyze and present the data. Hopefully, all of this will add more clarity, order, and create less confusion within my processes.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I really need to spend time thinking critically, asking why, think about assumptions I am making and how that applies to my situatedness.
Up to this point, I realize now that I have a greater impact on the class and on the other students than I thought. I believe there is a huge issue with charisma and leadership. With charisma, someone like myself can turn into an effective speaker, full of confidence, and one that can direct a team into the future. That does not necessarily mean doing everything or forcing my ideas upon everyone, but I can impose my opinions and be asked what I think.
I realize that even though are presentation was good, there was a great deal of opportunity to improve. We did not discuss the team dynamic in great depth, and I realize we did not walk through the process very well. There was no ‘understood leader’, but I would put myself as the closest to that. I felt we all accommodated and collaborated with each other to come up with a game plan. I would like to take a journey down the entire process. It is important to take notes throughout the project regarding dynamics, power, authority, and decision making paradigms.
Content wise, we should have improved our problem statement, with more along the lines of the problem with online learning teams is that asynchronous communication results in…..
Provide more depth regarding tools available, why we think this is an issue, and perhaps ask why two more times to get to the level we want to be at.
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
Again, there is so much more I can do if I do not limit myself and provide greater structure, sythesis, critical and creative thinking, and work on dynamics.
We talked about our situatedness yet again, so I really need to focus on where I am coming from with that perspective, or where I believe the author is coming from, based on what I read. What assumptions or biases could cause these reactions.
Synthesis is putting the two articles together and coming up with something new. In the case of the assignment, I did more compare and contrast. I should have pursued the line of implementing more discussion on controversial topics along with writing and lecturing in the classroom.
I think this is going to affect the overall structure of my writing and the way I analyze and present the data. Hopefully, all of this will add more clarity, order, and create less confusion within my processes.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I really need to spend time thinking critically, asking why, think about assumptions I am making and how that applies to my situatedness.
Residency Journal - Day 3
1. Identify personal insights, moments of critical questioning, and comments or ideas from today’s workshop that have impacted you.
Today I have furthered my argument that I can be a good scholar if I develop a writing process strategy and actually spend the time to develop my thoughts and research specific topics. I received feedback on my first paper and presentation, which went very well. I also received feedback on my deconstruction of a non-peer reviewed article in which I selected Robert Krugman. I did well on that assignment too, except I misunderstood that I needed to add my own insights regarding the author’s style and voice and how it applies to my writing, rather than in regards to the content.
We discussed thinking outside of the realm of our assumed reality with the triangle exercise. We also did an activity with the thinking models. We selected the Attitude Choice model and we basically went through what events are important, how our beliefs or assumptions work, and then how that relates to emotions, consequences, and reactions. I learned that not everything is so obvious, and depending on others’ backgrounds and perspectives, their reaction may result in vastly different beliefs and consequences or emotions. We did draw a loop back to the belief/attitude box.
Finally, we reviewed our peer’s article. I was actually very disappointed because the author’s paper I received was practically unfinished and had very little content in it. I realize how bad it looks for others in the scholarly community to read something like that.
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
The dilemma I face with my writing is getting more in depth, spending more time to improve quality, and then having someone else read my work. This will provide additional insights into what works, what doesn’t, and I also need to focus on my audience so that I format the paper and use the proper tone. This will provide additional clarity in my writing as well as provide some order to my paper.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I would like to talk with Dr. Deb about my writing, critical thinking, and how to dive down once I have scratched the surface. I know I have a lot to offer, and being in this class, I am not afraid to vocalize my confusions or voice my opinions. What happens when I am at work? J
Today I have furthered my argument that I can be a good scholar if I develop a writing process strategy and actually spend the time to develop my thoughts and research specific topics. I received feedback on my first paper and presentation, which went very well. I also received feedback on my deconstruction of a non-peer reviewed article in which I selected Robert Krugman. I did well on that assignment too, except I misunderstood that I needed to add my own insights regarding the author’s style and voice and how it applies to my writing, rather than in regards to the content.
We discussed thinking outside of the realm of our assumed reality with the triangle exercise. We also did an activity with the thinking models. We selected the Attitude Choice model and we basically went through what events are important, how our beliefs or assumptions work, and then how that relates to emotions, consequences, and reactions. I learned that not everything is so obvious, and depending on others’ backgrounds and perspectives, their reaction may result in vastly different beliefs and consequences or emotions. We did draw a loop back to the belief/attitude box.
Finally, we reviewed our peer’s article. I was actually very disappointed because the author’s paper I received was practically unfinished and had very little content in it. I realize how bad it looks for others in the scholarly community to read something like that.
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
The dilemma I face with my writing is getting more in depth, spending more time to improve quality, and then having someone else read my work. This will provide additional insights into what works, what doesn’t, and I also need to focus on my audience so that I format the paper and use the proper tone. This will provide additional clarity in my writing as well as provide some order to my paper.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I would like to talk with Dr. Deb about my writing, critical thinking, and how to dive down once I have scratched the surface. I know I have a lot to offer, and being in this class, I am not afraid to vocalize my confusions or voice my opinions. What happens when I am at work? J
Residency Journal - Day 2
1. Identify personal insights, moments of critical questioning, and comments or ideas from today’s workshop that have impacted you.
I realized today how much I lack in creative thinking, and I truly do not question many assumptions handed down from society. I really have to work hard and focus on depth, asking questions of the articles I read, becoming more critical of what I hear and what assumptions I have made to draw conclusions. I need to look at the assignments like the deconstructing an article assignment as a learning tool, and this will require a great deal of practice.
I learned about the author’s authority, and the references to voice and ‘priviledged’ voice in the article. A prividedged voice stems from someone we consider in our society to be higher up the social ladder such as celebrities. However, this can be relative to the people we are comparing. A business man may be more priviledged than a musician. They are in the capacity to be heard more by others around them.
Regarding the article I chose, there is the possibility the author was plugging for a job, there is the possiblility that he is criticizing someone in particular rather than an administration. There is also the possibility that he considers himself a priviledged voice and knows better than others. Why did he publish this article in the New York Times with his credentials?
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
I noticed that when I do not understand a concept, idea, or aspect of an assignment, even if I research it, it helps if I talk it out so that I can use the learning experience and do well on the assignments. I also realize that I will not be successful in this program if I cannot analyze and be critical of others’ assumptions and conclusions because everything is relative to personal biases and conclusions always change. I believe that if I can get in and spend more time reading, analyzing, and practicing with my critical and creative thinking skills, I will be much more successful and fulfill the requirements of the scholar-practicioner-leader model. I believe that this again, adds to my confusion, but provides a pathway to clarity.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I really need to practice critical thinking and creative thinking. Dr. Deb gave me an example of her bag of oddities and how if she needs to get creative or if she is struggling with explaining something or moving on with some aspect of her writing, she pulls something out of the bag and with the knowledge that the thing she pulls out somehow contains the answer to her question. She also mentioned playing with children and allowing them to lead. Do not stifle them and their creativity. Allow them to ask why, within reason of course.
I believe these actions will help me to become a free-thinker, and discard many of the assumptions I have paved the way of my development. I will question others’ assumptions a little more and probably allow my family and my peers to question me a little bit more. I will continue on with this process by spending extra time thinking about the articles I am reading and how the DQ’s relate to assignments, and also how authority and credentials are relative based on the situation.
I realized today how much I lack in creative thinking, and I truly do not question many assumptions handed down from society. I really have to work hard and focus on depth, asking questions of the articles I read, becoming more critical of what I hear and what assumptions I have made to draw conclusions. I need to look at the assignments like the deconstructing an article assignment as a learning tool, and this will require a great deal of practice.
I learned about the author’s authority, and the references to voice and ‘priviledged’ voice in the article. A prividedged voice stems from someone we consider in our society to be higher up the social ladder such as celebrities. However, this can be relative to the people we are comparing. A business man may be more priviledged than a musician. They are in the capacity to be heard more by others around them.
Regarding the article I chose, there is the possibility the author was plugging for a job, there is the possiblility that he is criticizing someone in particular rather than an administration. There is also the possibility that he considers himself a priviledged voice and knows better than others. Why did he publish this article in the New York Times with his credentials?
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
I noticed that when I do not understand a concept, idea, or aspect of an assignment, even if I research it, it helps if I talk it out so that I can use the learning experience and do well on the assignments. I also realize that I will not be successful in this program if I cannot analyze and be critical of others’ assumptions and conclusions because everything is relative to personal biases and conclusions always change. I believe that if I can get in and spend more time reading, analyzing, and practicing with my critical and creative thinking skills, I will be much more successful and fulfill the requirements of the scholar-practicioner-leader model. I believe that this again, adds to my confusion, but provides a pathway to clarity.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I really need to practice critical thinking and creative thinking. Dr. Deb gave me an example of her bag of oddities and how if she needs to get creative or if she is struggling with explaining something or moving on with some aspect of her writing, she pulls something out of the bag and with the knowledge that the thing she pulls out somehow contains the answer to her question. She also mentioned playing with children and allowing them to lead. Do not stifle them and their creativity. Allow them to ask why, within reason of course.
I believe these actions will help me to become a free-thinker, and discard many of the assumptions I have paved the way of my development. I will question others’ assumptions a little more and probably allow my family and my peers to question me a little bit more. I will continue on with this process by spending extra time thinking about the articles I am reading and how the DQ’s relate to assignments, and also how authority and credentials are relative based on the situation.
Residency Journal - Day 1
1. Identify personal insights, moments of critical questioning, and comments or ideas from today’s workshop that have impacted you.
After asking myself why I am in this doctoral program, I reasoned that my father had a lot to do with this decision, both directly and indirectly. He was not home very often, and I look back and wish he was more involved in my life and held family values higher on his priority list. As I was growing up, I fed off of other men’s examples who spent more time with me, not knowing that their home life was likely a little twisted as well, but each of them pursued and earned a masters or doctorate degree. I want to be more involved in my children’s lives and that means I need to have the highest level of education so that I can entertain any opportunity that I am presented with.
Another insight stems from looking at the differences and similarities between the students in the classroom. I came into the program concerned about my lack of experience and the amount of time I would have to allocate towards my class. Others have more business experience, but I need to remind myself that I have a great deal to teach and to offer those around me. I am unique in my values and desire to obtain a degree for the benefit of my family.
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
I never really imagined that my father had this type of an impact on me obtaining my degree. Both good and bad, he fulfilled his promise that I would have the opportunity to pursue my education. I hope with all of my heart that I can push myself and earn this degree. It will help me succeed both professionally and personally. I have not aspired to be a leader, but I need to now.
I truly wonder what other influences I have overlooked that have created the man today. I feel as though this created both clarity and chaos in my mind. I understand a little bit more as to what my true motivation is, but I do not believe that this motivation alone will sustain me throughout my program. I realize that I am holding my children to the same high standards that I was exposed to, and I am not sure that is the healthiest environment for them. I need to let them individualize and devleop their strengths and talents to be successful. Without personal motivation, my work here is fruitless.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I am going to ask my father about his motivation for encouraging me to attend college and why that was always an expectation. I am also going to review my parenting style and techniques with my children. I do not want to be authoritative, but I need to express them the importance of higher education.
After asking myself why I am in this doctoral program, I reasoned that my father had a lot to do with this decision, both directly and indirectly. He was not home very often, and I look back and wish he was more involved in my life and held family values higher on his priority list. As I was growing up, I fed off of other men’s examples who spent more time with me, not knowing that their home life was likely a little twisted as well, but each of them pursued and earned a masters or doctorate degree. I want to be more involved in my children’s lives and that means I need to have the highest level of education so that I can entertain any opportunity that I am presented with.
Another insight stems from looking at the differences and similarities between the students in the classroom. I came into the program concerned about my lack of experience and the amount of time I would have to allocate towards my class. Others have more business experience, but I need to remind myself that I have a great deal to teach and to offer those around me. I am unique in my values and desire to obtain a degree for the benefit of my family.
2. Describe why these insights, questions, and ideas are important to you. What effect do they have and what dilemmas, questions, or possibilities do they raise? How do these issues affect the clarity, order, confusion, or chaos of your thinking?
I never really imagined that my father had this type of an impact on me obtaining my degree. Both good and bad, he fulfilled his promise that I would have the opportunity to pursue my education. I hope with all of my heart that I can push myself and earn this degree. It will help me succeed both professionally and personally. I have not aspired to be a leader, but I need to now.
I truly wonder what other influences I have overlooked that have created the man today. I feel as though this created both clarity and chaos in my mind. I understand a little bit more as to what my true motivation is, but I do not believe that this motivation alone will sustain me throughout my program. I realize that I am holding my children to the same high standards that I was exposed to, and I am not sure that is the healthiest environment for them. I need to let them individualize and devleop their strengths and talents to be successful. Without personal motivation, my work here is fruitless.
3. What issues, questions, and dilemmas are you going to explore further? Why and how? How will your actions influence who you are and how you relate to others? What relational nets can you construct to continue this process of reflective and critical learning?
I am going to ask my father about his motivation for encouraging me to attend college and why that was always an expectation. I am also going to review my parenting style and techniques with my children. I do not want to be authoritative, but I need to express them the importance of higher education.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
1st Year Residency
I have to throw in a bit about my residency last week. What an incredible educational experience. That was a five day boot camp unlike anything I have ever experienced. I think I went into the residency very intimidated by the whole situation and I really did not know what to expect. There were nearly 100 people down in Phoenix for their residency at the same time I was there, which meant I was in a class of 16 students, only one of which I actually had attended a class with previously. After the first 15 minutes or so, I realized that the only way I was going to get my money's worth required me to raise my hand a lot, participate, and really throw out my thoughts, as outlandish as they may seem. I really enjoyed my facilitator, Dr. Deb Williams. She was certainly a feminist, but she and I had some great discussions. Overall, this class opened up a realm of thinking and analyzing that I never knew I had. During the class, there were flashes of me from the past, way in the past. Even though I was the second youngest person in the room, these adults with far more experience than myself, looked to me as a leader. When we were in our group projects, I never really stuck my neck out, but if I did not say anything for a while, my teammates would actually ask me for my opinion and I would actually provide some good ones. I enjoyed being the leader. What I wouldn't give to be able to start from scratch at work and apply these leadership skills I have developed into practice.
Words like situatedness, synthesis, creative thinking, and critical thinking were used extensively and took on a completely different meaning. If I discipline myself enough to actually apply these things in my upcoming courses and for my dissertation, I will be in great shape. While I was down in Phoenix, I stayed with Molly and Andy and co. That was actually really nice. It saved us the cost of a hotel room, plus, I did not have to stay with the other students and I think that made a big difference. Mike was kind enough to let me borrow a car, so I was able to celebrate at the Hard Rock Cafe on Monday night after everything was all over. I ordered something a little off-menu. Salmon fajitas! They are actually really good. I would order them more often here except they want to charge me a small fortune. I missed my girls a great deal while I was gone, and I know my wonderful wife was probably stressed and struggling more than she let on, but we made it through just fine and I have already started my next class. Man, time flies when you are trying to turn into a doctor.
Words like situatedness, synthesis, creative thinking, and critical thinking were used extensively and took on a completely different meaning. If I discipline myself enough to actually apply these things in my upcoming courses and for my dissertation, I will be in great shape. While I was down in Phoenix, I stayed with Molly and Andy and co. That was actually really nice. It saved us the cost of a hotel room, plus, I did not have to stay with the other students and I think that made a big difference. Mike was kind enough to let me borrow a car, so I was able to celebrate at the Hard Rock Cafe on Monday night after everything was all over. I ordered something a little off-menu. Salmon fajitas! They are actually really good. I would order them more often here except they want to charge me a small fortune. I missed my girls a great deal while I was gone, and I know my wonderful wife was probably stressed and struggling more than she let on, but we made it through just fine and I have already started my next class. Man, time flies when you are trying to turn into a doctor.
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