TejanoJuanSays

December 23 rd . Went to the mall for Christmas shopping today. It is two days to Christmas, so not last minute, I’d like to think. After spending 10 minutes on the expressway, the traffic slowed to a crawl nearing the cxit. This took about 15 minutes. Then to find parking another 15 minutes. Finally, an open space in all the traffic. Did not matter where I was parking, I knew I was going to walk around the mall store by store. Now to get to the stores. My phone counts steps. So far at 1500. Made a stop at Home Depot. Need to mow the lawn after shopping, depending on energy level. First stop Macy’s, first floor found perfume for wife. Nothing for daughter. Second floor nothing interesting. Third floor men’s shop. Cologne, wife will get that for me, hopefully the one that comes with the free watch. Leaving Macy’s at 2300 steps. Walking through the mall, people all over looking for gifts like I am. One lady was wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, did not know if I missed the cont...

I have given countless presentations and talks in my life. I have worked as a substance abuse counselor at methadone clinic and I also worked in a prison with substance abusing offenders. I also spent some time developing my routine as a stand-up comedian. In the last 5 years as a professor, I have prepared for class, local, state and national presentations. I still get nervous and I have learned to use that energy to my advantage. The most difficult presentation that I have done was a eulogy about six months ago. It was for my best friend, David. It was not a presentation that I had prepared for like all other presentations in my life. I remember the day that his brother Michael tried to find me. He called any and every number. He found my work number and I had just missed him. I sat at my home computer and decided to check Facebook. There was a direct message from Michael’s daughter, Angela. The message said to call her father Michael because David had died. At the time, Ange...

Today I was helping a colleague understand the results of the last class she gave her class of upper division college students. She kept telling me that she was not teaching well, she felt she did not do enough to prepare the class for the exam. We looked at the results of the exam and compared them to the scores on the first exam of the semester. The scores are supposed to drop off from the first exam, because of the difficulty of the course. It is a research methods course that students need to complete to graduate with their Bachelor’s degree. Through the magic of blackboard, we did item analysis, statistics that give the percentage of correct answers and the percentage of each of the wrong answers. This was a multiple choice exam. The statistics essentially say that the student did not student enough. Some would get the correct answer, but many would choose all of the other wrong answers. Some of the questions were designed to be easy, but still they would get the wrong answer...

We all have the right to a safe and humane work environment. Especially in the professional world. Is the NFL different? Are the players in the NFL professionals? These are some issues that are not being talked about at this time. Is the NFL Culture so different from other professional cultures? http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9913324/sources-nflpa-eyes-miami-dolphins-richie-incognito-jonathan-martin-case This incident between Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin is the discussion and debate in the world of sports at this moment. On one side, Incognito has been riding Martin about his toughness all season. This includes phone calls and text messages that are very personal, racist, and threatening. On one side, Jonathan Martin left the team for his own personal reasons because of Martin's actions. Martin talked to his coach and has not returned to the team. Is Richie Incognito a bully or a team leader? Is Jonathan Martin soft and going against team rules or the NFL culture...

I went shopping at Wal-Mart and another grocery store. They have decorated for Christmas and show very little trace if any of Thanksgiving. I remember when this was an important holiday to give thanks, an important part of the History of the United States. Now it feels like it is the day to get ready to go shopping on Black Friday. Some stores are now opening on Thursday evening. Thanksgiving has been hi-jacked by corporate America. I have no issue with people make money, just not on this day. Of course, it would be good if United States Citizens would honor this day as it was so long ago. So much for the Great American Holiday, I just hope I can get a good deal on a television.