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snoopyboy

snoopyboy

Antarctica

September 19, 2012

(what I've been up to)


Alas! What a couple of weeks it has been!

This Term, I’m attending some sort of intensive business class, which meets once a week; Saturday. I know-what was I thinking signing up for a class on Saturday,uh?- anyways so we meet once a week but the load of stuff our instructor assigns us with is just hefty, in order words I have a boulder of homework that I’ve been trying to tackle all at once, and the due dates are drawing closer and closer. I have two presentations coming up; one is an individual project, which I pretty much got out the way. I just need to practice my speech in front of the mirror and evaluate myself (I think I got that part covered ;). We had a mock and impromptu presentation exercise last Saturday and the teacher thought I did pretty well, In fact I was the first one after many had performed who remembered to greet and introduced myself to the audience “Hello, everyone I’m snoopyboy and today I’m going to share my opinion ….as we all know…” and then I paused to savor the sitting ovations :’) . I didn’t bring down the house but I think with a little more preparation I could have done better, I went downward and digressed from the main topic a little, kind of like what I do, here on Ebaby :). So overall, we all did well, but two particular students really did incredibly well, like they captivated the audience and I agreed with theirs stands about the topic.


The instructor was impressed and at her request we gave ourselves a round of applause and before we had a chance to digest that moment of self-romance, she announced that in addition to our assigned individual projects there will be a group project also. It took a while before any of us understood the gravity of the situation we all were facing. She too, realized that she wasn’t taken seriously and she stressed “… I’m going to call out the groups and as soon as I’m finished, I want every one of you to exchange phone numbers and “ “ and we all can leave? And you’ll tell us more about it next week” I was hoping to hear – she continued “each group should turn in an outline of the project to me… before” “before pigs could fly?” I was hoping to hear ;) but she concluded “TODAY!”— There was a sea of surprised eyeballs on every face, and 22 jaws on 22 tables, and 1 on the floor, guess whose it was- my jaw . I thought I had a week cushion before my presentation is due, and I was just going to spend time editing and embellishing my business concept paper at ease, no pressure, Alas! Her announcement came as a big shock to me, but I think I was in a better position than some of my peers,  I overheard one of them complain “I don’t even know where to start on my individual project, and now ...this!?” .Others thought that was so intense they couldn’t even bear to look at our instructor, their faces  were buried in their palms. I don’t know whether I have a knack to attract trouble or what, but I did something that almost cost me my life so to speak, :). I committed one of the deadliest sin by uttering the most forbidden question one could ever ask a teacher that just assigned a paper- I raised my hand and “Yes, question, I love that” our teacher said- and I asked it, “ How many pages should that plan be”. “Ah! I’m glad you’d ask. You don’t expect it to be just 8 pages like the other one, this is a group project! but I’ll be kind and ask for a minimum of 15 pages, typed in Times New Roman and font size should be 10, 11 is acceptable “ she answered with a smirk- At this point, I just stared at the board not looking anywhere else knowing that I was probably being pelted with angry eyes. “Anymore questions?….Fine!” I heard the teacher say from a far off horizon, far away from where my mind was.

So the names were called out and we all shifted around to be closer to the folks we were tasked to work with. Now, I’m not dramatizing anything here, my group was the most disorderly, we spent the remainder of the class turning down ideas everyone came up with, “ well, I like your idea, but…” “ Ok what do you suggest we do then?…” “ This isn’t going to work out” “ yeah, it asks for too much work” . We kept bumping heads and we got tired then just sat there staring at one another expecting a light bulb to pop out of someone’s else head like “tadaaaa!” :). In a nutshell, we didn’t get much done, even worse, we didn’t turn in the outline for our project that day, like our teacher advised.

The hourglass is trickling and so far I haven’t been able to get a hold on nobody in my group. I tried calling, e-mailing, texting I even appeared on the local news channel trying to reach out for them ;) but all my efforts led to dead-end.  I really can’t perform well under pressure when it comes to school work and presenting in class has never been my forte. I don’t like to procrastinate but until we all agree on a concept I don’t even know where to start, to be honest.  

I never led a school project before but I have put together a well thought out plan and I feel this coming Saturday I’ll have to turn up the heat on their tushies . :’).

Thanks for reading!

snoopyboy

 

 

More entries: About Resillience :), Presentation Day : The Groups (6), Presentation Day : The individual Projects (10), The Plan :) (4), A Saturday Thrill (10), Snoopy is in the loop :) (9), Being Stubborn Happy :') (7), Practice (9), The Spare Father (30), A Mysterious Place (#3) : "Seeds of Looga" (27)

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08:59 AM Oct 03 2012

Buttafly

Buttafly
Germany

Snoop..I'm just another cog in the machine..but you...YOU have the potential to carve out a niche ;) 

09:59 AM Oct 02 2012

snoopyboy

snoopyboy
Antarctica

Hey Butta you are exempted from having to go through all those stages, your resume is way too buff.

Orchestra, your story gave me hope :), it's thrilling just like the other Saturday I experienced ;)

04:18 AM Sep 30 2012

Orchestra

Orchestra
Russian Federation

Yeah!)) I totally got you) The same stuff was happening when the date of my bachelor's diploma defense was forthcoming and I suddenly figured out that nothing substantional had been done! Oh, that crazy night on the eve of that! All paper work had been done for 6 hours.. and a few more time was taken for speech tweaking and PowerPoint presentation having done.. However, against all odds, I finally  got the highest mark, getting me over the moon))

So, man, please take my kind advice. I don't think you should take it too much serious.  Because, you know, the more you feel stressed and worried about such a big deal, the less impressive and confident you may look and appear. Just stay accurate, charismatic, as you are, and deeply firm of your success! That seems to be the key to me)) .

Btw, your last words, like "I'll fry their asses !" are awesome! Keep it up! And CEO is not bad idea! If you can, leave me a vacancy of a cleaner in case I'm skipped out on at my current work))

And tell us, which way it has ended up! i' m kinda burning with curiosity))

06:58 AM Sep 26 2012

Buttafly

Buttafly
Germany

BIG words for someone who hasn't done anything remotely administrative for years :)

Perhaps I should start again from the bottom up, and the only way to do it is to learn from the best ;) Lesya and you seem to have the exact qualifications to gain capability.

08:27 AM Sep 25 2012

snoopyboy

snoopyboy
Antarctica

Butta, Our Company doesnt embrace the glass ceiling theory, you two are members of the trustees. I need your approvals to validate the suggestions I put forward :). you are cleary overqualified for the meager post of Administrative assistant.

 

04:39 PM Sep 22 2012

Buttafly

Buttafly
Germany

You should have used your whole bag of tricks, snoop. Why didn't you introduce two of your most dedicated executive secretaries  ;)  Instead of cutting you off, perhaps Jason would have perked up his ears zu listen to your track record more patiently if you had brought up Lesya's and my name ;) ( Jost joking ) Oh yeah, the CEO chair is just about the right seating accommodation for you snoop ;)

09:49 AM Sep 21 2012

snoopyboy

snoopyboy
Antarctica

heyyy! :)

Lesya, Butta I appreciate your comments but I think you two have taken your flatteries a little too far. Come on a CEO? A commoner like me will never amount to anything and I don’t want to fantasize about things that I will never be able to achieve. I understand you were being kind but ..come on, a CEO? A C..E… ohhhhh! :) mmm wait a minute , let me sink it all in, let me close my eyes and breath this negative thought out. What if I were a CEO?

I’d slowly rock in my ergonomic executive chair “damn! Those are comfortable , I should get two and set them on my patio ;)”. I’m smiling, relishing the idea that I just made the best decision ever in yesterday’s meeting, the board was very proud of me. The company’s profit is soaring, my daughter’s first day at school went smoothly, I’m in better shape now then I was 10 years ago, life’s good. What is that in that cup? Coffee? Freshly brewed with Irish cream in it? How did it end up on my desk? Oh I know, my assistant put it there!. What’s my agenda for today’s like? (humming and whistling ) round of golf at 5, date night with wife later, well pretty light day I needed that. ( yawns) so I get up to stretch and gaze out my window , I see two lads looking up and pointing at me, and thanks to my sharp skills in sign language I’m able to read their lips, they’re saying “ Dude, I think he’s the CEO man” “ Oh, give me a break , how do you know” “ Dude, check out his tux, these don’t come cheap man” .

Oh yeah! A CEO I can see myself now being interviewed by  Ebaby staff ;)

Jason: “Thanks for your time Mr. Chairman Snoopy. But before we wrap up I’ll ask you…”

Snoopyboy: “ I know, I know, you want me to high-five you and say English,baby! , alright let’s do it”

Jason& snoopyboy : “ English,baby!!”

Snoopyboy: “And if you’re watching this video, I encourage you to like this lesson and comment and…”

Jason: “err… we’re off the air, I’m afraid your last sentence won’t feature in the lesson”

 Tongue out

Lesya, you’re right, after completing this class I’ll get promoted to a tougher one :)

Butta- my group peers had better step up or they’ll have to pass through my 5 stages of fury ;)

Thanks for comments, you know I was kidding. :)

 

 

 

 

02:54 AM Sep 20 2012

Buttafly

Buttafly
Germany

Happy to see you involved, snoop  :)

 What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing  (Aristotle)

 If I remember correctly it was you who wrote in an earlier blog about the well known phrase: Practice makes perfect ; ) And I bet my buttons your tutor only had this in mind when she assigned you guys on the group project. It’s the inner dynamic of How to overcome the arrogance of  "Gee, i don't have time for this" and the democratic process of how to disagree and resolve such disagreements with open communication skills ( it's the basic key to success). I always enjoyed such group projects because I gained a lot of knowledge from my team members. Your little scenario reminded me about the 5 stages a group passes through while developing into something called „ High team performance“

 First and foremost it's the „Forming or coming together". Then there’s the „Storming or conflict resolution“ ( which is obviously the stage you find yourself in right now)..after that you’re ready for „Norming or working out the rules“ which will finally lead you to the „performing  or in plain English „getting the job done“ stage. Ultimately the last one can be emotion packed or a relief, depending on the people as “the breaking up“ puts an end to a hopefully fruitful time ;) 

I believe for your instructor the presentation is only secondary.What she cares about is the ability to listen to each other and find mutual acceptable resolutions for the issue. Pretty much like in life ;) It's nice to see you're already determined enough to motivate your group peers for the sake of the group goal. 

 I agree with Lesya..there's success in the air ;) I like the idea of you sitting in a CEO chair giving advises to all Ebabians ;) Just be yourself and you’re going to survive, snoop. 

Good luck..you can do it :) Oh..one more thing ;) Please don’t forget to drag yourself away from the des kor computer to get a little Vitamin D from the dappled sunlight. It works its magic all by itself ;)

 

10:56 PM Sep 19 2012

kotlesya

kotlesya
Belarus

“Learning is the eye of the mind”  or “It is never too late to learn”

 

Your humorous story would be without problem included into the famous Russian humorous TV serialYeralash”  : ) It shows short funny movies about the teachers, students and generally about  school life.

When I have read “Snoopy is in the loop : )” I was sure it was not text but it was a movie with well-written  scenario. ;)

 Snoopy, have you ever had a thought to attend classes of the scriptwriters? :D The additional certificate will never be spare in life ; ) 

Jesus! :) You have got an experience to appear suddenly on the local news channel?!  :D ( I got your joke )  This idea is full of bright humour and advice how to attract  the attention of the right people : D  

I got the humour along the story. ;) 

As I assume these business class you attend is something like the extension courses which will give you the chance to get a promotion afterwards, is not it?  : )

 After some time Snoopy-businessman will figure in the media :D  and even  eBaby will create a lesson about  CEO Snoopyboy :D  to learn  his new ideas :D

 Happy studying dear friend Smile