Further Discussion

I think we learned a lot but I’m sure there’s topics could use further discussion if the class was longer. I really enjoyed the textbook for this course and can’t really pinpoint one topic that seemed to lack information so I’m going to go off of what I thought was more interesting and what I’d personally like to look further into. I really enjoyed the marketing and advertising chapter from THINK by Judith A. Boss. It gave a lot of information on marketing strategies, advertising, etc. which was very useful. What I’d like to learn more about though is the science behind it. For example, according to Boss, stores have come up with strategies to get customers to stay in a store longer to buy something they hadn’t planned on buying. The text also says we, as critical thinkers, should be aware of these strategies but doesn’t really say how to do so.

Some Things I've Learned This Semester

I have definitely learned a lot over the semester. I thought the discussions were very helpful because it showed different people’s ideas on a certain question and had us critically thinking about our responses. I felt like there were a lot of topics in the book that I was able to relate to and it was interesting seeing an explanation for something that I do or see normally. For example, we learned about inductive arguments and one of our discussion questions asked us when we used an inductive argument in the past week. Before this course if I was asked this question, I would have no idea what that meant. After learning about it through this course, it’s easy to say “Oh yeah, I did use that type of argument.” Something else I learned through this course was to pay more attention to marketing strategies that get people to stay in stores longer. After learning about ways stores do this, I’m definitely more aware and may be less likely to impulse buy because I’m in a section too long (i.e., near the pharmacy).

My thoughts on this course

I really enjoyed this class and definitely feel like I learned a lot from it. What I like most about it is that it was online and that the assignments were laid out in the beginning of the semester to complete earlier if needed. I knew I was going out of town one week so I was able to write my blog posts before I left and submit them via the blogspot application on my phone while I was gone. My least favorite thing about this class was the group assignments. Don’t get me wrong, they were not awful, but it’s hard to work with a group you know nothing about or see in class on a regular basis. Since this is an online class, everyone has different schedules so there wasn’t a time easily decided for everyone to get together or meet before or after class like a regular on campus class group would be able to.  Other than that I have no complaints. =) the discussions were very interesting and eye opening and I’d recommend the course to anyone who asks!

Mission:Critical Links

Mission: Critical (Casual Arguments)

-          I thought this link was very helpful because it gave an example and then showed how the example fit the pattern of the inductive argument and then further goes on to discuss it in more detail. I thought this was helpful because it allows you to relate the information to the example which helped me understand it better. At the end it says that the strength of a casual argument relies on 3 factors. It lists what they are and again relates them to the example.

Mission: Critical (Main Menu)

-          This site offered links about arguments. For example, the first link takes you to a page which is the Introduction to Statements (or Claims). This page gives a general definition then goes on and gives information on universal statements, qualified statements, specific statements, non-specific statements, comparative statements, etc.

Both of these websites are very helpful and offer information that is very easily accessible.

Observation

A few weeks ago my TPMS light came on in my car (tire pressure monitoring system). I was running late for work so decided to keep driving. I also did not think it was a big deal because when I had first bought the car the light came on and I took it to the dealership and they said there was an error with the monitor and they fixed it. So my problem was my tire, and based on my observation was based on previous history with the monitoring light so I hypothesized that it was an error in the monitoring system again. That night I checked my tires and one looked like it was going flat so I took it to a mechanic the next day. They proved my hypothesis to be incorrect and there was nothing wrong with the monitoring system. Instead, they found that I had a huge screw stuck in my tire which was causing it to go flat.

Horoscopes

According to cafeastrology.com this was my horoscope for the day:

Cancer Daily Horoscope

Today's Cancer Horoscope from Cafe Astrology

April 28, 2012

Willingness to resolve problems will get you everywhere now, dear Cancer. There is a desire to grow and improve in our interactions today. As such, don't shy away from conflict now. Approach it with a sincere desire to move past difficulties rather than with defensiveness. Concentrate less on who is right and most on what can be done to make important changes. Friends are supportive and your biggest fans right now. Close relationships are strengthened with confidence in one another. Some of you could enjoy a gift or unexpected gain today.

Creativity: Good ~ Love: ~ Business: Excellent

I do not think this prediction is accurate at all. I do not believe horoscopes but I do pay attention to them, if that makes sense. If I get positive information I’ll think “hm, maybe it’ll come true” but realistically, a prediction for everyone that was born in the same time range cannot possibly be true. I remember I would read the horoscopes in magazines and I’d read everyone’s and I felt like I could relate to almost all of them. Anyway, back to the question. I think there’s a 50/50 chance that a horoscope can possible be accurate. The book uses swans as an example to show a hypothesis is falsifiable. In THINK Judith A. Boss says “For example, the hypothesis that ‘all swans are white’ was based on observations of hundreds of thousands of swans, every one of which was white. However, the hypothesis was falsifiable, since it would take only one swan to prove it false.” (381) So comparing this to my horoscope prediction, I would have a desire to grow and improve in our interactions today. This is falsifiable because I did not have this desire, therefore my horoscope is incorrect.

Plagiarism

As mentioned in the textbook THINK by Judith A. Boss, the internet has become an enormous part of research. At the same time, the internet has also made it easier for students to commit plagiarism. The book defines plagiarism as “fraudulent copying that involves deception and the intent to mislead the reader.” (361) Two articles discuss plagiarism and what the academic community should do about it. Brook J Sadler argues that plagiarism is wrong and should be severely penalized, while Russell Hunt views plagiarism as a way for the academic community should rethink ways that encourage plagiarism. I feel like both are strong arguments, and if I were to listen to both present their arguments in person, I would definitely think Sadler’s argument was stronger because there’s so many points he makes and highlights the seriousness of the problem. I feel like Hunt’s argument is stronger because it is more positive and suggests students are to learn about plagiarism and take workshops to avoid it as opposed to just threatening them with failing.

Media Experiences

Media experiences have reinforced my existing worldviews and values and also have changed and expanded my views. The textbook says: “If we are unaware of the impact media has on our lives and decisions, or if we engage in self-serving bias by fooling ourselves into thinking that the media affects others but not ourselves, we run the risk of being controlled by the media rather than being in control of our own lives.” (357) The text also says that only watching programs that confirm your worldview contributes to confirmation bias and narrow-mindedness. (358) THINK by Judith A. Boss suggests reading or watching coverage of the same issue or news event on another channel to overcome bias and narrow-mindedness. I do this because you cannot rely on one source for your news because one story can be interpreted and given so many different ways. I do not do this with every story I read or see, but it is interesting to do so especially with news surrounding politics.

Social Networking

According to THINK by Judith A. Boss, ‘The internet is affecting daily life by reshaping social dynamics among young people” (353) I definitely agree with this statement and it has definitely had an impact on the way I communicate. Something I found interesting under this topic was points to consider when posting a message on a social network site. These include: What is my goal or intention in posting this message? Who is the recipient of the message? Include both intentional and unintentional recipients in your answer. What information is being conveyed in the message? What feelings and attitudes are being communicated in both the verbal and nonverbal messages? Does the message being posted enhance or move me closer to my life goals? (354) I feel like in a normal Facebook or Twitter post I don’t usually take any of these points into consideration! I put thought into what I’m posting but definitely not as much thought as the list mentions.

Children's Food Advertising

Healthy habits start from home, not the T.V. With that said, if parent’s do not want their children exposed to television advertisments of companies who pay to have their ads shown, their children should not be watching that much T.V, or limited to watching when their parents are present to fast forward through commercials they don’t want their kids watching. I understand where Margo G. Wootan is coming from because the obesity rate has gotten out of control, but parents cannot rely on the television to influence their children. They should be informed on the importance of eating healthy and how junk food, if eaten uncontrollably can harm their health. The guidelines of food and beverages that are outlined in this article are understandable, and in an ideal world should be followed but I personally feel like you cannot blame advertising for children’s unhealthy eating habits so I think the criteria of what should and should not be marketed is a little crazy. Because of all of this, I think that Robert Liodice makes a stronger argument. The article says “Without the free exchange of information, we limit the ability of Americans to be fully informed to make the choices that are inherently theirs to make. When those freedoms are jeopardized, we all lose. When you begin to chip away, even marginally, we all run the risk of sliding down that slippery slope of diminishing rights and privelages.” (336) I agree 100% with this point. I feel like I could quote his whole article because I agree so much with what he says so I’ll limit myself to the following: “Unlike CSPI’s guidelines which mislead the public by narrowly focusing on food advertising, the Surgeon General’s report [2001] contains thoughtful, specific recommendations on how to address the challenge [of childhood nutrition] in a balance, comprehensive way” (337)He goes on to say the challenge of childhood nutrition instead calls on individuals, families, schools, etc. to work together to bring better health to everyone in the country.

Product Placement

Product placement is an advertising strategy in which a real commercial product is used in fictional media, and the presence of the product is the result of an economic exchange between the company and the business that produces the product. (321) I think that this is an effective way for companies to advertise because it is hitting their target market without having to use a commercial. For example, the text says the logo for a sports apparel company may appear on sports uniforms and equipment. This is great advertising because if a runner is wearing Nike’s and their race is televised, someone who is watching is likely interested in running and in turn may think, “Wow, this person just won a super long race and was wearing Nikes, that must be a great brand of shoes to buy” which may lead to them purchasing the shoes in turn bringing profit to the company.

Marketing Strategies

I feel like I have been victim to all of the marketing strategies mentioned in the text recently! For example, the text says marketers have come up with strategies to get customers to stay in stores longer than they normally would to buy something they wouldn’t buy if they had been in and out. Boss says most drug stores make customers wait 15 minutes while a prescription is being filled, not because it takes that long but in order to give customers time to make additional purchases. (No wonder the people who go through drive through pharmacies are always helped so fast!) Just in the past week I was picking up an antibiotic at Walgreens and while I was in there I bought chapstick, toothpaste, hair ties, and a notebook just because I was browsing the aisles, not because I needed any of it!! I know I always buy things on impulse and have a serious spending problem! Now I feel like I’ve been conned into doing so lol. I’ll definitely be more aware now!

Healthy habits start from home, not the T.V. With that said, if parent’s do not want their children exposed to television advertisments of companies who pay to have their ads shown, their children should not be watching that much T.V, or limited to watching when their parents are present to fast forward through commercials they don’t want their kids watching. I understand where Margo G. Wootan is coming from because the obesity rate has gotten out of control, but parents cannot rely on the television to influence their children. They should be informed on the importance of eating healthy and how junk food, if eaten uncontrollably can harm their health. The guidelines of food and beverages that are outlined in this article are understandable, and in an ideal world should be followed but I personally feel like you cannot blame advertising for children’s unhealthy eating habits so I think the criteria of what should and should not be marketed is a little crazy. Because of all of this, I think that Robert Liodice makes a stronger argument. The article says “Without the free exchange of information, we limit the ability of Americans to be fully informed to make the choices that are inherently theirs to make. When those freedoms are jeopardized, we all lose. When you begin to chip away, even marginally, we all run the risk of sliding down that slippery slope of diminishing rights and privelages.” (336) I agree 100% with this point. I feel like I could quote his whole article because I agree so much with what he says so I’ll limit myself to the following: “Unlike CSPI’s guidelines which mislead the public by narrowly focusing on food advertising, the Surgeon General’s report [2001] contains thoughtful, specific recommendations on how to address the challenge [of childhood nutrition] in a balance, comprehensive way” (337)He goes on to say the challenge of childhood nutrition instead calls on individuals, families, schools, etc. to work together to bring better health to everyone in the country.

UFOs

Condon: He concludes that no scientific knowledge has been gained from the 21 year study of UFO’s and also adds that the future study of UFO’s cannot be expected to advance science. Codon goes on to suggest that if scientist agree with their points then they will turn their attention elsewhere and if they disagree then the report will show them which studies are incomplete and faulty so they can continue to push for more accurate studies.
Hynek: Believes that there is content in UFO reports that is worthy of rigorous study that is to be a challenge to the human mind and can be considered potentially productive in contributing to the progress of mankind. Hynek points out that the confusion surrounding UFO’s and the lack of attention from scientists have prevented proper data collection. Hynek suggests starting research almost from scratch and if there is indeed definite patterns and other correlations then the probability that the UFO represents something ‘truly new in science – new empirical observations- would be a virtual certainty’ (127)
Paynter : Paynter says that skeptics are criticized for demanding physical evidence of alien invasions. He also points out that those among us who don’t believe in alien invasions …’physical evidence is the key to everything. We will believe, if some artifact can be found on Earth that is demonstrably alien’ (128) He concludes by urging the UFOlogical community to adopt properly scientific standards of investigation and proof in their work in order to support their conclusions with probative evidence and reasoning to confront the skeptics. (128)
I believe that Paynter has the best argument because he looks at it from both sides and says since there is no direct evidence to prove either side’s points, there needs to be direct evidence for the UFOlogical community to encourage skeptics that UFOs are real.

Wisdom vs. Knowledge

Aristotle taught that wisdom is the greatest virtue. According to Judith A Boss’ book THINK, knowledge is information or experience that we believe to be true and for which we have justification or evidence. Rationalists believe this comes through reason, and empiricists believe the truth is discovered through our physical senses. (97) Wisdom, according to dictionary.com is “the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.”
I think that we are acquiring knowledge in college through the courses we take. We believe what we are learning in these classes to be true because we trust the credibility of the school and professors which would be the ‘justification and evidence’ part of the definition. I believe that wisdom comes over time by applying the knowledge we gain mixed with personal experience. I that by gaining more knowledge we are becoming both more knowledgeable and wiser.

Diffusion of Responsibility

One concept that I found interesting this week was diffusion of responsibility. Judith A Boss defines Diffusion of Responsibility in THINK as the tendency, when in a large group, to regard a problem as belonging to someone else. It is a social phenomenon that occurs in groups of people above a critical size and if responsibility is not explicitly assigned to us, we tend to regard is as not our problem, but as belonging to someone else. (122)
An example the text used of this was of an old man being hit by a drunk driver on a bust street and was lying in the street paralyzed and bleeding while people continued on with their lives and ignored him. Cars drove around and didn’t stop or offer assistance. This completely baffled me and reminded me of a show I’ve seen before called What Would You Do? It’s where people are unknowingly part of social experiments to show how members of society would act in certain situations. Sometimes when I would watch it I would be dumbfounded by how little people would do to help. An episode I really remember was when a ‘parent’ acted like they were too drunk to drive and was having their kid who was no more than 10 try to get behind the wheel. So many people walked by and didn’t do anything because they didn’t pay attention or chose to ignore and stay out of the situation, but when one person interfered, then more usually stepped in to help.
To avoid this tendency, the text says as good critical thinkers we need to be aware of this tendency and need to cultivate the ability to think independently while still taking into consideration other’s perspectives. (122)

Ride : Characteristics of a Skilled Critical Thinker

According to Chapter 1 in THINK by Judith A Boss, characteristics of a skilled critical thinker include: having good analytical skills, possessing effective communication skills, being well informed and possessing good research skills, being flexible and able to tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty, being able to adopt a position of open-minded skepticism, being a creative problem solver, being attentive, mindful, and intellectually curious, and being able to engage in collaborative learning. (Boss, 12)
After reading about Sally Ride, it is apparent that she exemplifies these qualities. She is described as being calm and focused, able to see the heart of things, and quick to figure things out. I believe that this shows creative problem solving, which is a characteristic of a skilled critical thinker. It was also said that she is able to clearly articulate and develop strategies to meet goals and realized what was important to reach those goals and executed a plan. She double majored in English and Physics because she realized the value of the two majors. I believe that this shows her research and inquiry skills because she realized what she needed to do and did research to find the best way to reach her goals. This also shows that she is intellectually curious. The text also says that she is an excellent speaker and writer which shows that she possesses effective communication skills.

Rhetorical Devices

According to Chapter 3 of the THINK textbook by Judith A. Boss, rhetorical dices use psychological persuasion, rather than reason to persuade others to accept a particular position. A euphemism is the replacement of a negative term with a neutral or positive one to cover up or sugarcoat the truth. In the past week or two I’ve used a euphemism when posting an ad for my Dad online. We got a new jet ski and were selling our old one and while it is in okay condition, on the ad we put “like new” which sugarcoated the truth that it’s actually kind of old. It runs great still but by putting “has been used for years but runs great” would be less appealing to a buyer than “like new.” Another rhetorical device is a hyperbole which is a type of rhetoric that uses exaggeration or overstatement to distort the facts. I definitely use this type of device every day probably lol. For example, at work last week I had a headache because we were being audited and things were super stressful. I went to talk to my coworker and told her “my head is KILLING me right now” which was a total exaggeration. I also used this just yesterday when meeting a friend for lunch. I think I said “I am starving to death, where are you” which was also a hyperbole.

Individual Styles of Communication

One concept I found interesting was individual styles of communication. I thought it was interesting that the way we communicate can’t be separated from who we are and there are 4 basic types of communication styles. These are: Assertive style, aggressive, passive, and passive aggressive. On page 77 of THINK by Judith A. Boss, there is a self-evaluation questionnaire that gives 6 scenarios and you pick the best response that matches how you would react to them. I got 3 “A’s” and 3 “C’s”. According to the back of the book, A’s = a passive communication style, and C’s= Assertive. According to the text passive communication is based on compliance and efforts to avoid confrontation at all costs. Assertive style, according to the text, is how we express ourselves when we are confident and our self-esteem is strong. I feel like those two are complete opposites, but I guess we act different when dealing with strangers, than dealing with people we know.

Pg. 39 Using Reasoning for a Career Choice

Identifying your strengths is definitely important when choosing a career. If you do not have strong math skills, you shouldn’t aim for a career in accounting. If you do not have good communication skills, you should not go for a customer service job, and so on. Chapter 2 in the book THINK by Judith A Boss discusses empathy and defines it as the ability to enter into and understand the experiences and emotions of others. I believe that I am an empathetic person and according to the text, “An empathetic person is more flexible and open to other’s perspectives and is motivated to use critical analysis, important skills in forming a satisfactory logical argument regarding a plan of action.” (43) I believe that this has been used while making a career choice by me choosing to major in human resources. The book also says empathy helps make us better listeners and communicators which are definitely two extremely important strengths to have in the HR field.

Integrating Reason and Emotion

One of the concepts that I found was interesting from Chapter 2 in THINK by Judith A. Boss was “Integrating Reason and Emotion.” The text says that the education process tends to undervalue emotion and is instead geared towards encouraging us to be rational at all times. (45) I have always thought that when reasoning you should separate your emotions so they do not cloud your decision making even though it’s super hard to do so. Boss later goes on to point out that by combining emotion with reasoning, you can actually use that as an advantage, “The combination of feeling and reason gives us a double-prolonged tool in critical thinking. Emotion alerts us to problems and to other people’s perspectives. Emotions also motivate us to take action and resolve problems.” (45) I thought this was interesting because it goes against the original thought I had that emotion should be separated from reasoning.

Cause-and-Effect Reasoning

According to the text, Dr. Novello was nominated to be U.S. Surgeon General. One of the four key health problems that Novello focused on as Surgeon General was reducing the causes of tobacco related health problems. According to the book, the number of teens and children who smoked had begun to increase in 1988 when Joe Camel ads for Camel cigarettes were introduced.
Dr. Novello took this information and used cause-and-effect reasoning to seek a solution to end the problem of smoking among children and teens. She did so by noting the cause: Joe Camel ads for Camel cigarettes introduced in 1988 led to the effect: The number of teens and children smoking increased dramatically. Dr. Novello used this information to find a solution to reduce the causes of health problems due to cigarettes by pushing for more education in schools, and also bans on cigarette and alcohol ads that targeted youth.

Effects of Question Wording on Responses

A concept in chapter 7 that I found interesting was the effects of question wording on responses. According to THINK by Judith A. Boss, bias may result from the way a question is worded (207). The book gave an example of a poll from 1980 for the National Abortion Rights Action league asking people’s views on amending the constitution to ban abortions. They asked the same question worded differently. The main difference between the questions was the use of ‘prohibiting abortions’ in one question and in the other ‘protecting the life of an unborn child.’ According to the book, 21% more people favored the amendment that when the use of ‘protecting the life of an unborn child’ was in the wording. The second question was an example of a slanted question which is written to elicit a certain response (207). This type of questioning worked because when it was asked in that manner more people agreed with the amendment. I thought this concept was interesting because there was such a big difference in favoritism by just using different wording and It’s crazy to me how such a simple change can make such a huge impact.

The Use of an Inductive Argument in the Past Week

Something happened recently that I didn’t want to keep to myself and felt the need to confide in a friend. While I have a lot of friends I feel that I can talk to about anything, there are certain issues that I don’t feel comfortable discussing with just anyone. This is mainly because I didn’t want anyone repeating what I was telling them. According to the text, if an argument is inductive, you should look for certain words that suggest that the conclusion probably, rather than necessarily follows the premise. The book goes on to say that these include words and phrases such as probably, most likely, chances are that it is reasonable to suppose that, we can expect that and it seems probable that. (203) I believe I used inductive reasoning when choosing who to call first in the following way. I thought; Trustworthy friends keep conversations private. I have confided in a particular friend before who has kept our conversation private. <<

Arguments Based on Mathematics

According to our text, THINK, by Judith A. Boss, an argument based on mathematics depends on a mathematical or geometrical calculation. This is a type of deductive reasoning and until seeing examples or reading about the definition I would have assumed I never used arguments based on mathematics. The text says that by knowing how to make arguments based on mathematics can help you make better informed decisions like calculating costs and finding the best cost-effective methods. (244)

The book gave an example about finding the size of a room based on measurements. Here’s a personal example of mine that I think fits with this type of argument;
My car has 86 miles until the gas tank is empty
San Jose State is 22 miles away from my house
Therefore, I can make the trip twice without running out of gas

I hope that example was right lol… I am constantly driving back and forth from home, to school, to work multiple times on some days so I’m always keeping an eye on my remaining mileage so I don’t run out!

The Death Penalty

Sister Helen Prejean maintains that the death penalty is a violation of human dignity and is contrary to the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, “who taught us to not return hate for hate and evil for evil.” Based on the quote alone, I believe that this scriptural passage prohibits the usage of the death penalty because the death penalty is basically returning evil for evil and taking an eye for an eye.

Taking away someone’s life is evil.

The death penalty is taking away someone’s life as punishment for serious crime.

Therefore, the death penalty is evil.

Like the quote said, Jesus of Nazareth taught us to not return hate for hate and evil for evil. I tried to put the definition of the death penalty, as well as the fact that that taking away someone’s life is evil (based on what Jesus of Nazareth taught) into the form of syllogisms to make my point a valid deductive argument.

The Art of Reasoning

In the story “Silver Blaze” from our text, Sherlock Holmes tells Watson that when it comes to the art of reasoning many people rely on opinion and unsupported assumptions. The difficulty, he maintains is to detach the framework of undeniable fact from the embellishments of hearsay and reports.

I think what Sherlock Holmes meant by this was that you need valid proof to back up your reasoning. Going off of opinions and unsupported assumptions turns any type of reasoning into a game of telephone and the end result always gets messed up In the end.

I think this concept can be linked to many fights in relationships. I’d like to say I don’t listen to hearsay and rely on my opinion or unsupported assumptions when it comes to reasoning and that I usually go straight to the source before listening to others or crazy scenarios I’ve come up with by over thinking. That hasn’t always been the case though. For examples, a few years ago a good friend and a boyfriend of mine were planning something for my birthday and I saw a message come up on his phone from one of my girlfriends. I didn’t read it or anything; I just saw the name and ignored it. I immediately jumped to conclusions because that particular friend’s boyfriend wasn’t single when they first got together, and I immediately thought the worse. I consulted other friends about the situation which freaked me out even more. It was this huge ordeal and I began avoiding them both. When I finally asked my boyfriend about it he showed me the messages and told me what was going on (before my birthday which ruined the surprise). I felt like such an idiot for going off of unsupported assumptions and not detaching ‘framework of undeniable fact from the embellishments of hearsay and reports’ and not trusting two people who were the closest to me.

I know my example is way different than what Sherlock Holmes solved in our book but when I was trying to link it to a personal experience, that was the first thing that popped into my head =)

Introduction

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my blog! I've never used a blog before, so I hope I'm doing this right! (Are we allowed to use our real names? I won't unless I see other people doing so lol) Anywho, my Major is in Business-Human Resource Management and my Minor is in Communication Studies! I find Communication Studies extremely fascinating which is why I chose to minor in it. I hope to gain as much as possible from this course and hope to get an A =) I'm taking this course because it seemed interesting and the fact that it is online works perfect with my schedule! I work around 30 hours a week as a legal assistant and I'm also a full time student finishing up at SJSU in May! Yayy!!
When I'm not working or busy with school, I love to go out with friends, spend time with family, or get into a good book! I'm a huge book worm! When the weather is nicer, on the weekends, I'm usually at Lake Anderson in Morgan Hill with friends on our boat and/or jet ski!!

Well, there is a little insight to my life =) I hope everybody has a great semester and I look forward to getting to know all of you (or just your aliases? Haha)

=)