Back to School

Work has been crazy the past month - in fact I completely forgot that the quarter at PCC started yesterday. I remembered right about the 3rd quarter of Monday Night Football watching they NY Jets get their rear ends kicked by the Chargers. So, I rushed upstairs and logged on to my online class with PCC "Mangement Fundamentals" and introduced myself to my classmates.

For those of you who have not been privileged to learn in this environment - the first thing the instructors do is ask all their students to post an introduction. This is a sneaky way to make sure you are logging in right away and are doing your course work. One of the many benefits of taking online courses...WOW! That was a close call...:)

I also taking a class from OIT (dual enrolled in PCC and OIT) that will start next monday night. Actually have to attend class in a live classroom every monday night. The class at OIT is "Organizational Behavior".

Be Careful What You Ask For...

I have been on the interviewing panel the past three weeks and boy am I ready for it to be over with.
Yes, I did ask to be a part of deciding who makes the cut into our group but this takes so much time during the week to interview all these candidates.

Hearing myself repeat the same behavioral questions is also getting quite boring...:) For example, "Having a good solution for a problem often entails more than just being intelligent. Often, exercise of good judgment is needed to complement logic in choosing a practical solution. Describe when you used good judgment in solving a problem."

Maybe if I wasn't already so busy - I could enjoy it more. We did have a couple very good interviews last week - scary smart individuals that I would love to work with.

So...next time, I am going to think about how much my opinion really matters to me before I decide to open my big mouth and volunteer for an additional time sink to my crazy schedule.

We got tickets!!!!

I am going to see my beloved Eagles play on Nov. 2nd!! Was feeling very depressed that I was going to miss out this year after traveling to Indianapolis and Philadelphia the past two years. Well...they are coming to me this year. Proof that dreams really do come true...:)

They are actually playing the Seahawks in Seattle. For those who don't realize how cool this really is - west coast teams who want to play the Eagles - travel to Philadelphia. Looked back 5 years and they haven't been out here - so who knows how long it has been - if ever. Need to do some more sport trivia research on that... But it looks like the Seahawks are finally good enough to make it worth the trip for the Eagles.

So...my baby brother Brett (also known as my Eagle game going sidekick)along with Dad and Judene (awesome parents who support my McNabb/NFL addiction) will be joining me for a memorable afternoon watching the Seahawks get their butts kicked by my Eagles.

Let's just say Christmas is coming a little early for Michelle this year!!!

Jury Duty

Every two years like clockwork, the "random" selection process picks me for jury duty. I have decided that there is actually some sort of "secret list" that they keep, so they can select their favorite jurors and make sure they get jury duty every single time. Seriously...I have friends who are registered voters who have NEVER been selected. Is it really random if I get picked every two years?!!

Here is my story...I showed up at the courthouse last Friday morning and went into the jury room, along with ~60 other people who had also been selected. Once they were ready to get the show on the road, they directed us into the court room and we were introduced to the Judge, the two attorneys and the defendent.

Next up - another random selection of 12 people - I was selected (of course). The attorney for the prosecution and the defense attorney asked us questions and picked 6 people to be the trial jury. Once again...I was selected. Too bad this was not the lottery or something...:)

Quick summary of the trial - defendent was being accused of disorderly conduct and refusing a direct order from a Peace Officer (in this case the policeman). The defense attorney was an absolute wreck. I felt very sorry for the defendent. In criminal cases such as this - the burden lies with the prosecution to prove their case beyond a resonable doubt. But...the defense attorney needs to help establish that doubt, otherwise what is the point of him being in court? Each side had one witness that testified. So it was one story vs another - we simply had to decide who was more credible.

The story goes that the officer received a phone call from someone about a strange car driving around in their neighborhood. He went to investigate. Found the suspicious car and followed him for a bit. The driver decides to run a stop sign, so the officer pulls him over. Turns out he has a suspended drivers license and no insurance. The officer tells him that he is going to impound his vehicle - normal protocol for driving with a suspended license. The driver gets really angry about this and decides to use his freedom of speech to yell at the top of his lungs that his rights are being violated. So, the officer charges him with disorderly conduct because he will not shut up. Then the driver will not move away from the car when the tow truck gets there and the officer has to grab his arm and move him to the sidewalk. Thus the arrest for refusing a direct order from a Peace officer, which is a felony.

We, (the jury) deliberated for almost 4 hours. What would seem like an open and shut case based on the officer's testimony turned into quite the debate. We all took good notes and had issues with both sets of stories. Finally came to the conclusion that we had reasonable doubt on the refusing the order situation. So, we found him guilty for disorderly conduct and not guilty for refusing a direct order from a Peace Officer. When you are deciding whether or not someone is going to be convicted for a felony...you want to make darn sure the prosecution has proved their case and we felt like they had not done that. For one thing...the officer said the defendent had never physically resisted or acted physically at all against the officer, even when being pulled away from the car. I feel good about our decision.

Anyways, once again....I have served on another trial and feel good for doing my civic duty. A part of me enjoys the whole "Law & Order" thing and being involved with the judicial system.
But...it was just the busiest week I have had at work so far this year and one of the worst days possible for me to miss a day of work. It was the friday before the Labor Day wknd and we ended up working most of the wknd.

Smart Remarks Book Club

I did not follow the assignment correctly - did not realize we were suppossed to post our comments to the book club on our own blog sites. Now that I have figured that out...:)

Here is my review of Breaking Dawn:

I love the way Stephenie Meyer develops her characters and their relationships. I could feel the characters thoughts, how they were going to react to each other, what they were thinking, feeling. She has the ability to bring you right into the story, like you are part of the script. I felt like I was right there with them in the meadow fighting the Volturi and I could see the island that Bella and Edward were on and feel the explosion of emtions they were feeling. I missed Edward when he was away from Bella, because she did.

Jacob is my favorite. He would be the hands down winner of my heart, if I was the one he and Edward were fighting over. But then Jacob would have imprinted on me and not Renesmee. It would just seem wrong to snuggle up to a cold vampire no matter how beautiful he was. I just never got over Edward leaving Bella the first time and how Jacob was the one who tried to put Bella back together (early books). Jacob is so loyal...my heart was breaking for him at Bella's wedding, when he danced with her.

I wrote a bit about Bella on Jenny's blog - but I finally enjoyed her character in this book - she is much better as a vampire - cool, strong charcter who has finally decided to love only Edward. I mean really...if she almost stopped breathing over her love for Edward - how on earth could she love someone else? Her indecision was a little irritating.

Renesmee, Renesmee - don't even like typing the name out. She's just a really creepy (best word) character. Vampire/human baby just doesn't make sense. And, I wanted Bella and Edward to have some time alone together before starting a family - not that the thought really entered my mind, because I missed the memo that this could ever happen. Not in any other vampire books or movies have I heard of this. And the name Renesmee is just awful - really that is the best they could come up with??!!

Final comments - I get so caught up in these books that I cannot put them down. Feel like I am a kid again, reading in bed late at night with the covers pulled over my head and flashlight. I re-read the first three books in a week before starting Breaking Dawn and that took me a couple of days to finish. I'm left wanting more.

NFL TIME of YEAR!!!

It is officially my favorite time of the year....FOOTBALL season!!!

Eagles have their first game 9/7 against the Rams. GO EAGLES!!!

Accepted into OIT

I'm officially admitted into OIT (Oregon Institute of Technology). Classes start 9/29. But I am dual enrolled at PCC as well - taking one on-line class that starts 9/22. FUN! FUN!!

Every one will be expected to attend my graduation ~2011. So just reserve that date now...:)