Long Time No See

It's been a while....a long while...I apologize but I haven't felt like writing or sharing.  I have been going through a long and difficult thought process.  I am still thinking but I believe it's time to go back to school.  I may change my mind...which is my prerogative (What up Bobby B.?!).  However, this will be the first educational endeavor that I have not finished.  I think that may be what's bothering me the most.

I have to admit that the financial burden will be great.  I can only hope that it will pay off in the end.  No, let me be positive...finishing my PhD will pay off.  I have two alternative options to making enough money to pay my loans AND live comfortably: either the government will wipe out my loans or I'll move to a foreign country so I can't be held responsible for my debt in the US.  Sad I know but that is a possibility (not for a couple of years though).  In the meantime, I can just stay in school and defer, defer, defer!  How are you all doing paying back your student loans?  I am so far gone, it doesn't make sense.

On another note, the business is doing well.  We are always looking for new clients.  I think it's time we treat ourselves like clients and do things we do for others, like get our website done.  It's really sad at this point in the game.  So maybe that will be what I focus on before going back to school.  Classes don't start until spring so I have time.

I met someone over the weekend that will be a client next year.  I'm preparing my proposal now.  I want to submit it before the holidays.  It looks like a pretty exciting project.  It will be one of the things that will showcase the diversity of eye90.  Although, I'm beginning to wonder if we should separate the services we offer into two different companies.  Some of our services are complementary and others just don't mesh.  I guess I figure that out when I complete our business plan. Yet another thing that should have been completed by now.

Yeah, it seems like I have a lot to do before the spring.  I'll get busy and keep you all posted.  Thanks for tuning in.

Never too Late to be Nasty.

Yeah…I’m still here. So, I started my PhD program two years ago (….hmmm maybe three….no I think I actually started four years ago…wait...three..idk...any way) through an online university.  I loved the environment.  The people I took classes with were wonderful.  They brought such a wealth of knowledge with them.  I know I would have never met such a diverse group of people had I been in a traditional face to face program. The professors were masters of their domain.  They mastered their subject matter, online education, and the adult student (I had one really bad instructor but who hasn’t). So why am I not enrolled right now?  It has nothing to do with finances (well sorta but not really); nothing to do with the course work (while it was abundant, it was all relevant and necessary for learning...no busy work there) and; nothing to do with the professors (top notch in my book).  So why, why, why am I not enrolled?  

Well, I had it out with my academic advisor.  I mean it wasn’t pretty.   I didn’t take the issue to the director, I don’t know why.  However, I do know that I would have in a face to face situation.  When I finally was ready to return, I had missed a very important deadline.  Because I missed it, I had to jump through hoops.  I was highly upset and decided I would not jump through anyone’s hoops but my own.

Now, let’s really examine the situation.  Had this been a face to face environment, I would have resolved the issue before it escalated.  I chose not to.  In missing my deadline I placed myself in a category that I shouldn’t have been in but only I could change.  The university did everything in its power outside of visiting me at home or at work.  I went back through my emails to prove they hadn’t done due diligence and of course there were regular emails, emails with subjects in all caps, emails in bright colors, emails marked urgent; all reminding me of my deadline.  Not to mention I actually read most of them…further reason to place the blame squarely on me.  I received several letters (yes actual paper in the mail) as well as a slew of phone calls.  They did more work to get me to fill in a few check boxes (yes… all of this because I didn’t fill in a few check boxes) then they did to get me to enroll

The whole point of this story is not to wear my “stupid” badge but to openly confess that I miss school (such a dork) and to spread the word that online education is a wonderful opportunity.  Some institutions actually go above and beyond to reach their students (far more than many traditional universities). Finally I am confessing that the college, while I was originally upset for something that could have been resolved, did nothing wrong.   I however did nothing until it was too late. So now I must pick up the pieces of my educational puzzle and put it back together.  Maybe this time next year I’ll be saying “My first name ain’t baby. It’s Kelly…Dr. Showard if you’re nasty (total Janet Jackson flashback, I aged myself right there…definitely laughing on the inside).  Until next time.

Never Understood why Education is Tough to Tackle-Updated

Miss Beadle, the teacher from Little House on the Prairie, could teach everyone from youngins to "get–out-there-on-the-farm" age kids all in one room. She had only a chalk board for modern technology. How come we can’t achieve the same with millions of dollars in resources? I am battling the decision to take my child out of public school for the next school year.  I don’t know what I am going to do but I have resulted to considering homeschooling.  I never saw (still don’t see) myself as one to home school.  I could never understand how parents have the dedication and time management skills needed to teach their children from home.  Not to mention the energy, patience and…dare I say it out loud…the will to be around your children for 24hrs a day*. It’s just not my thing.  I am however, willing to make it my thing for the sake of my child.

Never kill the cat

So have you ever wanted to just give up? Throw your hands in the air and run for the hills?  I had a moment just like that yesterday.  My day was wonderful.  I had a positive mental attitude all day.  I helped a friend out and she ended up helping me out in the end.  I bought a few groceries for the kiddies and even a snack for me and the hubs.  My contract is running smoothly and the business is looking good.  So, what could have pushed me over the edge?  It wasn’t the random socks on the floor, unfolded clean clothes or a kid’s heavy book bag (which lives on the ground outside and on the bus) on the couch. It wasn’t the other kid’s inability to fold up a blanket before they left (they’re a teenager quite capable of folding a blanket). All of these things made our small house look like vagabond city.  None of it bothered me.  The culprit?  Our cat…

Never spill the beans!

Ok so I broke the news about eye90. I wasn’t supposed to…at least not yet.  We aren’t ready to launch. However, we have been contacted for work.  Well of course we accepted silly.  However exciting there is a major con. Because we are working on other clients, we haven’t had the time to dedicate to ourselves.  It has however worked in our favor. It’s because…..things change!

Never forget your webutation

In this age of over sharing information on the Internet I always wonder if I have put too much information out there.  Is it possible for someone to figure out my passwords or bank account info because of something I wrote? The answer is probably yes.  I mean honestly, if someone really wants to know who I am, where I live or work, what my favorite color is, information about my family, my credit score, etc. they can find out.  I just don’t want to make it easy for anyone.

Never accept Tyranny

I've read two blogs today that are inline with my current trajectory.  I am launching eye90.com with my business partner.  Eye90 seeks to meet the needs of companies, organizations, institutions and individuals that want specialists in social media, marketing and web content and design.  The combination of our services and skill sets are matched by no one. I say that because we are the best at what we do. We don't have a "special interest" that we serve.  We have backgrounds in higher education, law, medicine, small businesses, large corporations and more.  Our strength is not just in what we've done.  Our strength is in our ability to analyze current needs and move individuals and organizations towards the future.

Never underestimate corporate America.

WHAT THE $&*#&$ (#$&(#$*  #(*$*$ (#*(*$(#***& &^@%!$^#^ **#&&@^@#(@))  IS GOING ON???? Ya know, I am a loyal loyal (that means real loyal) Tmobile customer.  I've known for some time now that it may be sold but I was hoping against all hope that it wasn't true.  Or at least bought by Verizon or even Sprint. But no, the expensive *!@^$%&@&# AT&T bought them.  Well had I known that they were serious, I would have totally paid 38 million..I mean billion dollars for them. That's pocket change.  I would have out bid them up to 1 trillion.

So, they say that there will be no change in the service or billing.  Well we all know that's just until the deal gets approved.  I will not be moving to AT&T.  Tmobile has the best rates, the best customer services and as far as I am concerned the best coverage.  I can give you many self imposed horror stories about the things I have been through and Tmobile has always gone above and beyond to resolve my issues.

I was going to write about my new business and the excitement and all that good stuff but this totally messed up my day.  I know it's just a cell phone company.  But it's the one that has treated me like a customer.  I know it will take time to change over or whatever the heck they have do to try and convert us to AT&T customers. However, I'm quite sure that when the time comes, Verizon and Sprint will be making some sweet deals.  That or At&T will grandfather us in with our current plans.  Whatever the case, in the words of Byron Brown, the mayor of the City of Buffalo "I'm pissed" (total inside joke with most peeps in NYS...yes an inside joke can span an entire state).

If this weren't the Internet, I would really tell you how I feel.  But I will save that for our dinner discussion at home with the kids.

Never forget to plan ahead (kinda sorta maybe)

from Everything Below 29.99

So I was on Twitter and saw a tweet from @michellestonge  and was shocked because she said she was planning out the rest of her month.  Now, I'm not necessarily a fly by the seat of my pants type of girl (well, sorta kinda but not really) however, I was in awe that someone with a crazy schedule like hers can actually plan more than a week or two away.  No I'm not talking about conferences, meetings and vacations but actual work to be done. I'm in the process of embarking on a new endeavor (more on that to come) and I realized that while I have been planning the endeavor and giving myself (and accomplishing) deadlines, I haven't been doing the same with other areas of my life.

Never forget to listen

Flickr: wsimmons

Ok, I think this one might be a soap box stander. Many of my friends and peers are beginning their families. I’ve been in the game for a while so I’m totally looking forward to mine all leaving for college. I find that I have been the only person for many of these women AND men that has been truly honest about those first few years of parenthood. Yeah, you have people talking about the woman’s hormonal changes in the first few weeks and laughing about not sleeping at night but no one is telling people that it is ok to feel whatever is in their heart.

Never drink the Lemonade

When life gives you lemons….give them back.  Simply say “no thank you” and walk away.  Why waste your time making lemonade?   Now if you get hit in the back of the head with them as you’re walking away, you have every right to throw them back.  I’ve been struggling with positivity lately and well…it’s been a struggle.  You have to smile when you want to cry and keep moving to prevent yourself from becoming stagnant. I have taken the lemons that have been rapidly firing at me in the back of the head and, instead of throwing them back I’m going to learn how to make those fruit design thingies.

It's Alright to Cry

This time I have broken away from the “never” theme but the point is still the same.  We grow up in society thinking that crying is for the weak.  A society that preaches strong men (and women) should not cry.  That you have to learn to handle your emotions internally and not let the world know how you feel inside.  Well I’m here to tell you it’s all a bunch of hooie (I have no idea if that is how you spell the word).  IT’S ALRIGHT TO CRY.  You will go through things in life that may bring tears to your eyes from happiness, pain, delight or sorrow.