Exercise/Stretch 5+ Days a Week, Body Fat 14%
I'm back in the gym working out with weights - gradually, since it's been nearly a year away, but consistently three days a week. On alternate days I've been running 3 miles and pushing 150 beats a minute. I've done a fair amount of stretching or knee exercises, which will need more focus. The fat-o-meter's been in the 13-14% range.
Healthy Elbow, Knee, Teeth
The elbow lets me know it's there after my workouts, but I have stretches to counteract it so the discomfort should be manageable. The knee complains in the morning but behaves reasonably well after I warm up. The most exciting news on this front is that the root canal has eliminated my lower tooth pain for the first time in about 18 months and I am loving it!
Tutor 800 Hours
August is developing at the same pace as last year, about a half-dozen students per week. To hit 800 I'd need to move faster than last year's pace, so I may need to jump into some extra marketing. I think I'll give credit for my ISU substitute teaching here, too; establishing a reputation at the school would be a boost.
Blog Thanks Weekly
Three straight months of perfect attendance on this goal!
Make 10 New Acquaintances, And Volunteer For A New Organization
Since the new acquaintance goal is met, I'm going to pivot now toward finding a new organization to volunteer for on a short-term basis. Truthfully I'd like to find about one a month, but baby steps are appropriate here.
Clean House
Our basement wall is repainted and looking good; our water problems have not returned. I presented the driveway project to the condominium Board and got some key feedback, also volunteering to handle the signage by the street.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Fresh Paint: The Week In Thanks
The night's got humidity, but it's still plenty comfortable for Cupcake and I to take a walk around the yard without giving a thought to the idea of long sleeves or pants. Summer is the season I cherish most of all, and two months into it, plan to make the most of the fair-weather days we have left.
Slowly Cupcake's getting her mojo back, after going through a phase where she was timid about going outside, and then scampering blindly for the front door at the first sight of anything that moved. She's climbing fences, strutting confidently around. Maturing, as they say.
It's Dena's birthday month, so we are flooded with coupons from outfits that have birthday programs. One night this week we ate at local favorite Tobin's pizza. One day we had a free slice of double-chocolate cake at Avanti's. Tonight it was free eats at Subway. We topped it off with Blizzards at DQ, and then watched Wayne's World on Netflix. I guess you could say it was a bit of Sentimental Sunday.
Dena involved me in the decision as to which shade of gray (no jokes here, please) to repaint the basement, and she's been splashing away at it ever since. I'm a lucky guy to be married to someone with a reigniting passion for redecorating. It keeps things fresh.
When I joined the band at Epiphany, I wondered if Jennifer and Sean would have to stop leading once their son was born. Nope. Now they're expecting a girl. So guess what? They decided to double the number of days that we play. This is a committed couple, willing to sacrifice for the craft. It's a good example to have.
This week went so well teaching. Heartland went smoothly, ISU was fun, and I'm up to seven private students which is on par with last year. NCHS hasn't called for substitute teaching, but that's on the horizon.
The Cubs are within 5 games of moving out of last place in their division! With all their exciting September call-ups, they can do it.
I'm thankful for Wal-Mart. They've taken cost-cutting to a new level that sets the pace for American retailers.
Jack and I have the kind of relationship where we trip over each other with kindness trying NOT to be cutthroat in competing in our fantasy baseball league. We get along, and that's cool.
I'm fairly sure there is something crawling around in our condo attic which is shared with three other units. I'm thankful that the only sign of it is occasional odor. I'm triply thankful that there is no direct access from the attic into our unit. I'm thankful that Orkin exists if the problem persists. I have to marvel that the biggest problem in my life right now is the occasional unpleasant smell of an unseen creature.
Tomorrow when I wake up it will be a federal holiday, a new month (so a fresh pair of contacts), a clean summer day for a run, a handsomely painted basement, a cookout, a Skype with Mom and Jack. Maybe a few dominant games of FIFA14 as well.
So blessed.
Slowly Cupcake's getting her mojo back, after going through a phase where she was timid about going outside, and then scampering blindly for the front door at the first sight of anything that moved. She's climbing fences, strutting confidently around. Maturing, as they say.
It's Dena's birthday month, so we are flooded with coupons from outfits that have birthday programs. One night this week we ate at local favorite Tobin's pizza. One day we had a free slice of double-chocolate cake at Avanti's. Tonight it was free eats at Subway. We topped it off with Blizzards at DQ, and then watched Wayne's World on Netflix. I guess you could say it was a bit of Sentimental Sunday.
Dena involved me in the decision as to which shade of gray (no jokes here, please) to repaint the basement, and she's been splashing away at it ever since. I'm a lucky guy to be married to someone with a reigniting passion for redecorating. It keeps things fresh.
When I joined the band at Epiphany, I wondered if Jennifer and Sean would have to stop leading once their son was born. Nope. Now they're expecting a girl. So guess what? They decided to double the number of days that we play. This is a committed couple, willing to sacrifice for the craft. It's a good example to have.
This week went so well teaching. Heartland went smoothly, ISU was fun, and I'm up to seven private students which is on par with last year. NCHS hasn't called for substitute teaching, but that's on the horizon.
The Cubs are within 5 games of moving out of last place in their division! With all their exciting September call-ups, they can do it.
I'm thankful for Wal-Mart. They've taken cost-cutting to a new level that sets the pace for American retailers.
Jack and I have the kind of relationship where we trip over each other with kindness trying NOT to be cutthroat in competing in our fantasy baseball league. We get along, and that's cool.
I'm fairly sure there is something crawling around in our condo attic which is shared with three other units. I'm thankful that the only sign of it is occasional odor. I'm triply thankful that there is no direct access from the attic into our unit. I'm thankful that Orkin exists if the problem persists. I have to marvel that the biggest problem in my life right now is the occasional unpleasant smell of an unseen creature.
Tomorrow when I wake up it will be a federal holiday, a new month (so a fresh pair of contacts), a clean summer day for a run, a handsomely painted basement, a cookout, a Skype with Mom and Jack. Maybe a few dominant games of FIFA14 as well.
So blessed.
Winning With Respect
I've been the treasurer of our condominium association for 12 years. As the guy who collects your monthly condominium fees, there are occasions where I'm treated like a merciless dictator.
No one likes to be accused of lying, "railroading," "screwing someone over," etc. or being threatened to call an attorney.
As Carnegie says, the best way to win an argument is to avoid it.
I explained why the overdue amount couldn't be negotiated downward. Offered to set up a special meeting with the condo board. Agreed with the idea to involve the attorney so that things could be further explained.
I genuinely hate to be the bearer of bad news. I am willing to take personal abuse without fighting back, except with continued respect. I like to think that the version of the person attacking my integrity was only a temporary one, not the genuine person but one put into an unusual financial situation. We're still neighbors. We're still human family. We win with respect.
How To Grow Brain Strength
Dena spotted this article:
My 5-year-old son has just started reading. Every night, we lie on his bed and he reads a short book to me. Inevitably, he’ll hit a word that he has trouble with: last night the word was “gratefully.” He eventually got it after a fairly painful minute. He then said, “Dad, aren’t you glad how I struggled with that word? I think I could feel my brain growing.” I smiled: my son was now verbalizing the tell-tale signs of a “growth mindset.” But this wasn’t by accident. Recently, I put into practice research I had been reading about for the past few years: I decided to praise my son not when he succeeded at things he was already good at, but when he persevered with things that he found difficult. I stressed to him that by struggling, your brain grows. Between the deep body of research on the field of learning mindsets and this personal experience with my son, I am more convinced than ever that mindsets toward learning could matter more than anything else we teach.
Researchers have known for some time that the brain is like a muscle; that the more you use it, the more it grows. They’ve found that neural connections form and deepen most when we make mistakes doing difficult tasks rather than repeatedly having success with easy ones.
What this means is that our intelligence is not fixed, and the best way that we can grow our intelligence is to embrace tasks where we might struggle and fail.
However, not everyone realizes this. Dr. Carol Dweck of Stanford University has been studying people’s mindsets towards learning for decades. She has found that most people adhere to one of two mindsets: fixed or growth. Fixed mindsets mistakenly believe that people are either smart or not, that intelligence is fixed by genes. People with growth mindsets correctly believe that capability and intelligence can be grown through effort, struggle and failure. Dweck found that those with a fixed mindset tended to focus their effort on tasks where they had a high likelihood of success and avoided tasks where they may have had to struggle, which limited their learning. People with a growth mindset, however, embraced challenges, and understood that tenacity and effort could change their learning outcomes. As you can imagine, this correlated with the latter group more actively pushing themselves and growing intellectually.
The good news is that mindsets can be taught; they’re malleable. What’s really fascinating is that Dweck and others have developed techniques that they call “growth mindset interventions,” which have shown that even small changes in communication or seemingly innocuous comments can have fairly long-lasting implications for a person’s mindset. For instance, praising someone’s process (“I really like how you struggled with that problem”) versus praising an innate trait or talent (“You’re so clever!”) is one way to reinforce a growth mindset with someone. Process praise acknowledges the effort; talent praise reinforces the notion that one only succeeds (or doesn’t) based on a fixed trait. And we’ve seen this on Khan Academy as well: students are spending more time learning on Khan Academy after being exposed to messages that praise their tenacity and grit and that underscore that the brain is like a muscle.
The Internet is a dream for someone with a growth mindset. Between Khan Academy, MOOCs, and others, there is unprecedented access to endless content to help you grow your mind. However, society isn’t going to fully take advantage of this without growth mindsets being more prevalent. So what if we actively tried to change that? What if we began using whatever means are at our disposal to start performing growth mindset interventions on everyone we cared about? This is much bigger than Khan Academy or algebra — it applies to how you communicate with your children, how you manage your team at work, how you learn a new language or instrument. If society as a whole begins to embrace the struggle of learning, there is no end to what that could mean for global human potential.
And now here’s a surprise for you. By reading this article itself, you’ve just undergone the first half of a growth-mindset intervention. The research shows that just being exposed to the research itself (for example, knowing that the brain grows most by getting questions wrong, not right) can begin to change a person’s mindset. The second half of the intervention is for you to communicate the research with others. We’ve made a video (above) that celebrates the struggle of learning that will help you do this. After all, when my son, or for that matter, anyone else asks me about learning, I only want them to know one thing. As long as they embrace struggle and mistakes, they can learn anything.
Friday, August 29, 2014
10 People I'm Thankful For
"Give honest, sincere appreciation." - Dale Carnegie
Few things create a loving life quite like sharing appreciation of people who have been a major influence for the better to me.
I'm excluding family from this list - too much of a cop-out and too easy to leave someone out.
In no particular order other than the order in which they occurred to me. This list could be 100 people long. Here are ten.
1. Rusty Schopp. The most positive role model of my State Farm career. He is humble, funny, driven, sensitive.
2. Shari Lauer. We teamed up to provide a great experience for Leadership McLean County last year. Her ability to connect with people, remember details, get things done, smile all the way, and nurture others was an extroverted inspiration.
3. Hannah Meece. Corporate America is full of skeptics and cynics. She's not one of them. Polite beyond measure, generous, and optimistic. She was one of the pillars of happiness during my last year at State Farm.
4. Sean Stevens. Being a leader is hard; a leader of musicians can be even harder, with high risk of "creative differences" not to mention the natural stress of providing a quality sound. The band couldn't succeed without the complementary skills of both he and wife Jennifer, but I know the extra difficulty of playing guitar and singing. And he's not much older than 20!
5. Bev Buckley. My condo neighbor of 20 years, and partner on the board of directors for many of them. Into her 70's, she spends as much time as anyone at cleaning up the grounds and looking for ways to make things better. I hope I'm as alert and useful as her when I'm that age.
6. Chris Terven. Everyone loves this guy. He's talented and hard-working almost to the breaking point; not for himself, but to help those near him.
7. Ryan Short. I'm pretty sure he has at least two brains. There's no other explanation for how he gets done all that he does. He's more responsible and communicative than anyone I know. Another elite example of sensitivity for others, he also has a way of making you feel like the most important person in his life when you're with him.
8. Dan Hill. A fellow tutor at Heartland who is almost singularly passionate about math. He carries himself with Ghandi-like peacefulness and carries no ego with him.
9. Amber Gruenloh-Luecke. If I had her energy, I might be mayor. Passion gushes out of her, she reaches out to the needy, she thrives on networking. She's a self-made success to the fullest. I've spent more time on the couch this afternoon than she's probably spent in a decade.
10. Jeremy Levine. He's closer to my end of the extrovert-introvert spectrum, but way ahead of me on the kindness-toward-fellow-man scale. He has bright ideas and shares them with feeling and tact.
Few things create a loving life quite like sharing appreciation of people who have been a major influence for the better to me.
I'm excluding family from this list - too much of a cop-out and too easy to leave someone out.
In no particular order other than the order in which they occurred to me. This list could be 100 people long. Here are ten.
1. Rusty Schopp. The most positive role model of my State Farm career. He is humble, funny, driven, sensitive.
2. Shari Lauer. We teamed up to provide a great experience for Leadership McLean County last year. Her ability to connect with people, remember details, get things done, smile all the way, and nurture others was an extroverted inspiration.
3. Hannah Meece. Corporate America is full of skeptics and cynics. She's not one of them. Polite beyond measure, generous, and optimistic. She was one of the pillars of happiness during my last year at State Farm.
4. Sean Stevens. Being a leader is hard; a leader of musicians can be even harder, with high risk of "creative differences" not to mention the natural stress of providing a quality sound. The band couldn't succeed without the complementary skills of both he and wife Jennifer, but I know the extra difficulty of playing guitar and singing. And he's not much older than 20!
5. Bev Buckley. My condo neighbor of 20 years, and partner on the board of directors for many of them. Into her 70's, she spends as much time as anyone at cleaning up the grounds and looking for ways to make things better. I hope I'm as alert and useful as her when I'm that age.
6. Chris Terven. Everyone loves this guy. He's talented and hard-working almost to the breaking point; not for himself, but to help those near him.
7. Ryan Short. I'm pretty sure he has at least two brains. There's no other explanation for how he gets done all that he does. He's more responsible and communicative than anyone I know. Another elite example of sensitivity for others, he also has a way of making you feel like the most important person in his life when you're with him.
8. Dan Hill. A fellow tutor at Heartland who is almost singularly passionate about math. He carries himself with Ghandi-like peacefulness and carries no ego with him.
9. Amber Gruenloh-Luecke. If I had her energy, I might be mayor. Passion gushes out of her, she reaches out to the needy, she thrives on networking. She's a self-made success to the fullest. I've spent more time on the couch this afternoon than she's probably spent in a decade.
10. Jeremy Levine. He's closer to my end of the extrovert-introvert spectrum, but way ahead of me on the kindness-toward-fellow-man scale. He has bright ideas and shares them with feeling and tact.
10 Most Tax-Friendly States In The U.S.
By Sandra Block, Yahoo! Finance:
These ten states impose some of the lowest taxes in the U.S., according to Kiplinger's 2014 analysis of state tax rules.
State taxes and the ways they are collected vary significantly across the country. For example, some states with low income taxes impose above-average sales or property taxes -- a big consideration if you intend to own your house. Most states allow cities and counties to add their own sales taxes, which can boost combined sales taxes in some cities to 10% or more.
It's also important to consider the potential trade-offs. Low tax revenues may give a state less money to spend on education, transportation, public safety and other quality-of-life services important to you and your family. Then there's the unfolding drama in Kansas, where steep cuts in individual and business taxes enacted under Gov. Sam Brownback in 2012 to foster economic growth have drawn sharp rebukes from both Democrats and Republicans, who say the cuts threaten the state's fiscal health. S&P recently downgraded the state's credit rating.
But for those who have reason or need to live near state borders, which side you pick can make a significant difference in your tax burden.
1. Delaware
State sales tax: None
Gas taxes and fees: $0.23 per gallon (National average is $0.31)
The First State is first on our list. Known for its tax-friendly treatment of corporations, Delaware imposes no sales tax on consumers. Its income tax rates cap out at 6.6% on taxable income above $60,000.
Delaware also has some of the lowest property tax rates in the U.S., according to the Tax Foundation. The median property tax on the state's median home value of $249,400 is $1,078, low compared to other states.
Excise taxes on beer and wine are also modest: 16 cents per gallon for beer and 97 cents for a gallon of wine.
2. Wyoming
State sales tax: 4%
Gas taxes and fees: $0.24 per gallon
Thanks to abundant revenues from oil and mineral rights, residents of the Cowboy State shoulder one of the lowest tax burdens in the U.S. (Note: Alaska actually pays individuals some of the revenues from its taxes on energy companies, but The Last Frontier has relatively high property taxes, so it isn't on our list.)
Prescription drugs and food for home consumption in Wyoming are exempt from state sales taxes. But counties can add up to 3% in additional sales levies.
The median property tax on the state's median home value of $184,000 is only $1,058, according to the Tax Foundation. The tax on beer is two cents per gallon, the lowest in the U.S.
3. Louisiana
State sales tax: 4%
Gas taxes and fees: $0.20 per gallon
Residents of the Pelican State can deduct all of their federal income tax from state taxable income. Income tax rates range from 2% on less than $12,500 of taxable income to 6% on more than $50,000 of taxable income.
Property taxes here are the lowest in the nation. The median property tax on the state's median home value of $135,400 is just $243, according to the Tax Foundation.
While the state sales tax rate is low, local parishes and jurisdictions may add their own sales taxes, which can boost the total to 10.75%. But gas taxes are 20 cents a gallon, well below the national average of 31.1 cents per gallon.
4. Mississippi
State sales tax: 7%
Gas taxes and fees: $0.18 per gallon
The Magnolia State is home to some of the lowest property taxes in the nation. The median property tax on the state's median home value of $98,000 is $508, according to the Tax Foundation.
Gas taxes are 2 cents lower than in neighboring Louisiana (where gas taxes are also low) . Income tax rates are modest, although the top rate of 5% kicks in once taxable income exceeds just $10,000. Mississippi is one of a minority of states that charges sales tax on groceries. But prescription drugs, residential utilities, motor fuel and newspapers are all exempt.
Vehicle sales are taxed at 5%, two percentage points below the general sales tax rate. Mississippi charges an annual personal property tax based on vehicles' age and value. Rates are set at the county level. In Lamar County, for example, it's $305 for a vehicle valued at $20,000.
5. Alabama
State sales tax: 4%
Gas taxes and fees: $0.21 per gallon
The Yellowhammer State moves up from 6th to 5th on our annual rankings because its state and local property tax collections, per capita, have dropped to the lowest in the U.S., according to the Tax Foundation. Income tax rates top out at a maximum rate of 5% on taxable income of more than $3,000 for single filers and $6,000 for married couples. Alabama also allows residents to deduct all of their federal income tax from state taxable income.
While the state's sales tax is 4%, additional levies from cities and counties boost the state average to 8.5%. And Alabama is one of a minority of states that doesn't exempt food from sales taxes. Prescription drugs and insulin-related items are exempt, however.
The median property tax on the state's median home value of $119,600 is a low $398, according to the Tax Foundation.
Alabama also has one of the lowest cigarette tax rates in the U.S., at just 43 cents per pack.
6. Arizona
State sales tax: 5.6%
Gas taxes and fees: $0.19 per gallon
The Grand Canyon State's top income tax rate of 4.54% doesn't kick in until taxable income exceeds $150,000 for single filers or $300,000 for married couples. State gas taxes are well below the national average of 31.1 cents per gallon.
Like most states, Arizona excludes prescription drugs and food for home consumption from state sales taxes. However, all 15 counties levy an additional tax that ranges from 0.25% to 2%, and some extend that tax to apply to groceries.
There is also an annual vehicle license tax. The tax is based on an assessed value of 60% of the manufacturer's base retail price, reduced by 16.25% for each year since the vehicle was first registered in Arizona. The rate is $2.80 for new vehicles and $2.89 for used vehicles, for each $100 of assessed value. So for a vehicle costing $18,000, the vehicle license tax for the first year would be $302.
The median property tax on the state's median home value of $187,700 is $1,356, according to the Tax Foundation. Arizona moves from 5th to 6th this year.
7. Nevada
State sales tax: 6.85%
Gas taxes and fees: $0.33 per gallon
The Silver State is one of nine in the U.S. that impose no income tax. And unlike some other no- or low-income tax states, Nevada doesn't make up for lost revenue with high property taxes. The median property tax on the state's median home value of $207,600 is $1,749, below average for the U.S., according to the Tax Foundation.
Food and prescription drugs are exempt from the state's 6.85% sales tax. But counties may tack on up to 1.25%. In addition to sales taxes, vehicle owners are charged an annual "government services tax" that's based on the vehicle's value and age. Tax on a two-year-old vehicle with an original sticker price of $20,000 would be $298.
8. New Mexico
State sales tax: 5.125%
Gas taxes and fees: $0.19 cents per gallon
The Land of Enchantment moves up to 8th this year, ahead of South Carolina, because the latest data from the Tax Foundation now ranks it 47 among all 50 states for state and local property tax collections. Personal income tax rates in the Land of Enchantment top out at 4.9% on taxable income over $16,000 for single filers and $24,000 for married couples filing jointly.
Gas taxes are below average for the U.S. Car buyers get a break: Sales taxes on motor vehicles are 3%, well below the overall sales tax rate.
Property taxes are among the lowest in the country. The median property tax on the state's median home value of $160,900 is $880, according to the Tax Foundation.
The state levies a sales tax of 5.125%, which is imposed on businesses and typically passed on to consumers. County and city sales taxes may add up to 3.56%. And unlike most states, New Mexico doesn't exclude food from sales taxes, although prescription drugs are exempt.
9. South Carolina
State sales tax: 6%
Gas taxes and fees: $0.17 cents per gallon
The Palmetto State's top income tax rate of 7% kicks in once taxable income exceeds $14,400.
Groceries and some cold prepared foods, prescription drugs, dental prosthetics and hearing aids are exempt from state sales taxes. Localities can add up to 3% in sales taxes. But the state's gas tax is well below the national average at 17 cents per gallon.
In addition to the state sales tax, South Carolina levies an annual tax on vehicles. Rates are set by counties. The average annual tax for a vehicle valued at $10,000 is $268.
Property taxes are among the lowest in the U.S. The median property tax on the state's median home value of $137,500 is $689, according to the Tax Foundation.
10. West Virginia
State sales tax: 6%
Gas taxes and fees: $0.36 cents per gallon
The Mountain State's property taxes are among the lowest in the U.S., according to the Tax Foundation. The median property tax on the state's median home value of $94,500 is $464. Income tax rates are also modest. They range from a low of 3% on up to $10,000 of taxable income to a high of 6.5% on taxable income of $60,000 or more.
Nonprepared food and prescription drugs are exempt from the 6% state sales tax, and vehicles are taxed at 5%. Municipalities may add a local tax of up to 1%. The tax on beer is low, at just 18 cents per gallon.
Two caveats: Gas taxes are above the national average here. And West Virginia is one of a handful of states that taxes Social Security benefits.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Magnetic Personality
Marketing a business can be a dicey thing to measure. When you spend money to get your name out there and it actually pays off, it's like finding a unicorn. At least, I imagine it is.
This morning I got an e-mail from someone through my web site. My daughter has a regular tutor but has some extra homework tonight, are you available today?
Yes!
Whenever I park at the library, I try to find a spot right in front of the doors, so that the magnet ad I've got on my car door will face people as they leave. Sure enough, this mom was there with her daughter for their regular tutor, saw my ad:
Math problems?
bntutor.com
She had her daughter write down the site address, one thing led to another, and everybody won!
This morning I got an e-mail from someone through my web site. My daughter has a regular tutor but has some extra homework tonight, are you available today?
Yes!
Whenever I park at the library, I try to find a spot right in front of the doors, so that the magnet ad I've got on my car door will face people as they leave. Sure enough, this mom was there with her daughter for their regular tutor, saw my ad:
Math problems?
bntutor.com
She had her daughter write down the site address, one thing led to another, and everybody won!
"Professor McDonald"
I had a brainstorm this morning while preparing to teach another 2-hour actuarial math class.
The raw content was simply an expansion of the calculations we'd learned on Tuesday - just more of them, so more tedious. I had the choice to walk through them as I'd done the previous class. It just felt so lame.
Then came the idea to simulate real-world actuarial work.
I assigned them into three teams and had them introduce themselves to each other by pretending they were in a job interview: "Why did you choose ISU instead of another, bigger school?" Then they shared with the whole class.
Having completed introductions, I directed them to a handout with a bunch of numbers organized on it. "I'm the head of your actuarial department, extremely busy. I just got this information from a competitor but don't have time to figure out where they came from. I need your team to develop a presentation and write it on the board explaining all four of these indicators. First one to finish becomes my A team of all-stars in extra-good graces with the boss."
And so, with fairly little direction about how to get the numbers or how best to organize themselves, they got busy looking up formulas and crunching numbers. Trying to match numbers was such a big part of my State Farm career, and definitely for new hires.
Eventually one group got up there, and I hammed it up as a grouchy end-of-day tired overworked VP asking for clarification on many of the numbers they hadn't fully explained.
We did the exercise a second time, with the same teams and different numbers. I "promoted" the A team and so even though they weren't eligible to win again, gave them a special project of developing the pros and cons of life versus auto insurance actuarial jobs. During that discussion I was able to share several anecdotes about actuarial work.
The third time around, we shuffled the teams. I asked them to introduce each other by explaining what skills/traits are important for actuaries (i.e. Why should I hire you?). That let me point out things we look for in job candidates, and other comments on professionalism and culture.
Coincidentally, and happily, it took them almost exactly the full class period to complete all three exercises.
What could have been a dreary pre-holiday weekend, sleepy afternoon tedious class turned out to be a workshop in problem-solving, teamwork, and tips on choosing their career and becoming more employable. I could hardly have been happier.
Although I must say, the most memorable moment of the day was when one of the students addressed me as "Professor McDonald." I suppose a pessimist could've felt old by that comment. I'm not generally a person fond of titles, so it surprised me that a wave of warmth and affirmation washed over me in that instant. I can see why it would get addictive.
Back to school Tuesday!
The raw content was simply an expansion of the calculations we'd learned on Tuesday - just more of them, so more tedious. I had the choice to walk through them as I'd done the previous class. It just felt so lame.
Then came the idea to simulate real-world actuarial work.
I assigned them into three teams and had them introduce themselves to each other by pretending they were in a job interview: "Why did you choose ISU instead of another, bigger school?" Then they shared with the whole class.
Having completed introductions, I directed them to a handout with a bunch of numbers organized on it. "I'm the head of your actuarial department, extremely busy. I just got this information from a competitor but don't have time to figure out where they came from. I need your team to develop a presentation and write it on the board explaining all four of these indicators. First one to finish becomes my A team of all-stars in extra-good graces with the boss."
And so, with fairly little direction about how to get the numbers or how best to organize themselves, they got busy looking up formulas and crunching numbers. Trying to match numbers was such a big part of my State Farm career, and definitely for new hires.
Eventually one group got up there, and I hammed it up as a grouchy end-of-day tired overworked VP asking for clarification on many of the numbers they hadn't fully explained.
We did the exercise a second time, with the same teams and different numbers. I "promoted" the A team and so even though they weren't eligible to win again, gave them a special project of developing the pros and cons of life versus auto insurance actuarial jobs. During that discussion I was able to share several anecdotes about actuarial work.
The third time around, we shuffled the teams. I asked them to introduce each other by explaining what skills/traits are important for actuaries (i.e. Why should I hire you?). That let me point out things we look for in job candidates, and other comments on professionalism and culture.
Coincidentally, and happily, it took them almost exactly the full class period to complete all three exercises.
What could have been a dreary pre-holiday weekend, sleepy afternoon tedious class turned out to be a workshop in problem-solving, teamwork, and tips on choosing their career and becoming more employable. I could hardly have been happier.
Although I must say, the most memorable moment of the day was when one of the students addressed me as "Professor McDonald." I suppose a pessimist could've felt old by that comment. I'm not generally a person fond of titles, so it surprised me that a wave of warmth and affirmation washed over me in that instant. I can see why it would get addictive.
Back to school Tuesday!
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
About Going Pro
While "roundtabling" with the actuarial math class I was sub teaching, I got a question about the difference between being a student and a professional upon entering the world of work.
The first thoughts that arrived:
1. Self-education was a must. My boss was busy, and not a natural teacher. We didn't have a formal training program. There are no lectures with accurate notes to go from. Be resourceful! It's easier, much easier, now with Internet to do research.
2. You can't do it alone. Self-education more often than not means going to people with questions, sometimes really basic questions. As a student, you pull your own weight almost entirely. As an employee, you need the help of your teammates, not only to learn the basics but also, as you get more seasoned, to get things done. Introverts have a challenge here, to get out of your shell.
3. Don't confuse "experience" for "intelligence." Most co-workers know much more than you because they've been around longer than you. A high-achiever with school grades will now have less knowledge than those around you, an uneasy feeling to get used to. It chipped away at my confidence in my intelligence more than it should have. I needed someone to coach me that in time I would excel as I got the lay of the land.
The first thoughts that arrived:
1. Self-education was a must. My boss was busy, and not a natural teacher. We didn't have a formal training program. There are no lectures with accurate notes to go from. Be resourceful! It's easier, much easier, now with Internet to do research.
2. You can't do it alone. Self-education more often than not means going to people with questions, sometimes really basic questions. As a student, you pull your own weight almost entirely. As an employee, you need the help of your teammates, not only to learn the basics but also, as you get more seasoned, to get things done. Introverts have a challenge here, to get out of your shell.
3. Don't confuse "experience" for "intelligence." Most co-workers know much more than you because they've been around longer than you. A high-achiever with school grades will now have less knowledge than those around you, an uneasy feeling to get used to. It chipped away at my confidence in my intelligence more than it should have. I needed someone to coach me that in time I would excel as I got the lay of the land.
Mentutoring
Most of us know the word "synergy" to mean something about the efficient power when two or more entities combine forces and basically get in sync.
Here's a hybrid word for you: mentutoring. I know this is not a real word because spell check tries to split it into "men tutoring." But you emphasize the second syllable, men-TU-toring.
This is when a tutoring session is less about the subject matter and more about being a listening ear, or otherwise being a sympathetic mentor to the personal needs of a student.
Yesterday my student had been charged with running a mile for timing during 7th hour. It was a good 90 degrees outside. He was physically drained, and more in the mood to chatter than to learn.
The Type A part of me wants to squeeze math production out of every minute to maximize their parents' dollar, so this can't go too far. But these are teenagers, sometimes pre-teenagers. Even the adults I tutor sometimes need a mid-session break, or just don't have it working that day.
My parents gave me good genes for this aspect of "counseling" except that I don't have advice to give but more like pepping up a conversation where needed. It's one of the subtleties of the tutoring profession to gauge a student's energy level. It's one of the perks of the job.
Time to contact the U.S. patent office.
Mentutoring.
Here's a hybrid word for you: mentutoring. I know this is not a real word because spell check tries to split it into "men tutoring." But you emphasize the second syllable, men-TU-toring.
This is when a tutoring session is less about the subject matter and more about being a listening ear, or otherwise being a sympathetic mentor to the personal needs of a student.
Yesterday my student had been charged with running a mile for timing during 7th hour. It was a good 90 degrees outside. He was physically drained, and more in the mood to chatter than to learn.
The Type A part of me wants to squeeze math production out of every minute to maximize their parents' dollar, so this can't go too far. But these are teenagers, sometimes pre-teenagers. Even the adults I tutor sometimes need a mid-session break, or just don't have it working that day.
My parents gave me good genes for this aspect of "counseling" except that I don't have advice to give but more like pepping up a conversation where needed. It's one of the subtleties of the tutoring profession to gauge a student's energy level. It's one of the perks of the job.
Time to contact the U.S. patent office.
Mentutoring.
ISU Teaching Debut
Technically I'd taught math at ISU when I was an undergraduate, leading a lab a couple of days a week.
That was basically high-school level algebra.
Yesterday was my first time teaching actuarial science. It was also a two-hour class.
I'd anticipated that parking would be a challenge, so (correctly) assumed that the parking passes I was given would be for lots that were already full.
Arrived at campus 45 minutes prior to class starting, to help with any surprise delays (there were none).
I'd done a trial run the previous Thursday and actually watched the teacher lead the class to get a sense of what they were used to.
With notes in hand, I launched into the lecture. I slipped a couple times, but nothing too serious as to be confusing. The topic was pretty straightforward.
I got through the notes in one hour, even though I thought I did a pretty thorough job of explaining why the formulas made sense, and paused often for student questions or to get their input.
With an hour left, I offered to stick around for anyone who wanted to rap with me about my experiences as an actuary. Five students took me up on it. Three of those asked about my offer to set up a job shadow with someone from State Farm.
On the whole, not too bad. It was encouraging that the department head caught me in the hallway and asked if I'd be willing to sub again sometime. Glad to do it!
That was basically high-school level algebra.
Yesterday was my first time teaching actuarial science. It was also a two-hour class.
I'd anticipated that parking would be a challenge, so (correctly) assumed that the parking passes I was given would be for lots that were already full.
Arrived at campus 45 minutes prior to class starting, to help with any surprise delays (there were none).
I'd done a trial run the previous Thursday and actually watched the teacher lead the class to get a sense of what they were used to.
With notes in hand, I launched into the lecture. I slipped a couple times, but nothing too serious as to be confusing. The topic was pretty straightforward.
I got through the notes in one hour, even though I thought I did a pretty thorough job of explaining why the formulas made sense, and paused often for student questions or to get their input.
With an hour left, I offered to stick around for anyone who wanted to rap with me about my experiences as an actuary. Five students took me up on it. Three of those asked about my offer to set up a job shadow with someone from State Farm.
On the whole, not too bad. It was encouraging that the department head caught me in the hallway and asked if I'd be willing to sub again sometime. Glad to do it!
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Back In Shape: The Week In Thanks
It was another one of those leisurely weekends when I just felt like staying up late to watch many episodes of "Dexter." With an average bedtime of 3 a.m. the last two nights, I'm thankful for my flexible work hours. I can also say that I've satisfied my Dexter fix for a while, having run through the end of season 4 with a somewhat shocking character departure.
I also like the freedom that a new-computer battery gives me. I thought the display was wrong the first time I saw it at 100% after ten minutes. I'd just assumed that laptops lost about one percent of power every minute or so, like my old one. It allows me to nestle into bed (or couch) and play online Scrabble or fantasy baseball without disturbing Dena's sleep.
My hours will be filling up slowly. I currently have six students, and inquiries in from two others. My hours at Heartland are down to 6 this semester which gives me more hours to dream up other stuff like inventing fliers to post around the ISU campus.
Speaking of ISU, Tuesday will be my debut as a teacher this century for them (did a two-year stint as an undergrad). While visiting my old academic hangout Stevenson Hall to prep for this week, I ran into none other than my favorite calculus professor Mike Plantholt. He's the one who answered some questions for me about IRA's; I bought one, and still own it, and it's done quite well.
At long last I am back in the weight room three days a week doing upper body exercises. The elbow continues to hold steady, probably 99% healthy which is plenty. The wisdom of not overexercising has helped keep the growing pains in check. Plus I'm armed (no pun intended) with an arsenal of stretches to keep me loose.
Oh, and I have Aleve. My back started crying while I was holding Cupcake on Friday, so it was time to pop the anti-inflammatories and ride out the storm. NSAID's are a great umbrella for a physical rainy day, until the storm blows over.
Our new condo neighbor moved in this week, and got hassled by another neighbor who was displeased with the driveway blockage caused by the moving truck. Both Dena and I, after returning from errands, and without each other's knowledge had the same impulse to drop by and introduce ourselves later in the day. It shows why we're so good for each other; sensitive souls with strong impulses to be welcoming.
Dena also maintained the tradition of keeping our home interesting to live in, buying some new curtains and lights that give off a warm glow. She's no spendaholic but does just enough to keep things fresh.
Got to - GOT to - be thankful for air conditioning this weekend. I got back from a run dripping so torrentially that I had to head straight for the shower without stopping. A cold shower wasn't enough to keep some sweat from recurring after the shower. It's hot. Brutally, sappingly so, without AC.
Digging the FIFA14 scouting staff feature. I snapped up a couple of outstanding players to fill some lineup holes even better than before, which is why we're still undefeated this season in league and tournament play. Meanwhile, for at least an hour, I'm in first place in one of my fantasy baseball leagues.
I'm that age where near-term vision should be faltering, but it hasn't begun for me yet. My only problem this year, if you can call it that, was one eye's vision improving.
Today the church was more packed than usual due to the return of college students and the sponsoring of the church's annual "fellowship luncheon." Big crowd to lead musically, and free food. Can't beat it!
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Physical Therapy Knee Exercises
Here's the final list from my $1,800 physical therapy month. Courtesy of Josh Gerdes, PTA at Medical Hills Internists:
Crossovers. Begin with left foot in front of right. Jump up slightly, enough to spread legs while in the air, land with feet shoulder with apart. Jump again, land with right foot in front of left. Repeat in reverse order. Do as quickly as possible for a minute. 2 sets.
Jump lunges. Start in lunge position with left foot in front. Jump up and switch legs. Reverse. That's one rep. Do two sets of 20.
"Dot" leg hops. Picture the "5" side of a die, in front of you on the ground, if one side of the die were five feet in length. Stand at one end with feet spread, one on each dot. Jump forward and land with both feet on the middle dot. Jump forward again and land with feet spread on far set of dots. Jump up and spin mid-air, land facing back where you started, with feet spread on dots. Repeat to return to original position. Do as quickly as possible for a minute. 2 sets. VARIATION: Do it all on one leg. When you reach the far side, use your one leg to hop on each dot. Don't bother to do the mid-rep "spin."
Broad jump. Feet spread shoulder width. Leap forward as far as possible. About four leaps out, and four leaps to return. Do five of these sets in all.
Sidestep squats. Start with feet shoulder-width and knees slightly bent into a mild squat. Step sideways with left foot and as the foot lands, squat further down. Now bring the right foot along too, so as to end up in the mild squat. 20 reps.
Shin touches with hip hike. Balance on left leg, reach down and touch ankle, trying to keep back straight. Return to standing position while balancing on left, and bring right knee high into the air. 20 reps for each leg.
Low jumping jacks. Do about 5 regular jumping jacks, then lower the center of gravity so that legs are jumping out extra wide. Do two sets of a minute each.
Multi-dimensional run. Run in place for a while, then continue running but take a few steps in a random direction (forward, back, left, right), run in place a few seconds, return to center. Do two sets of a minute each.
Crossovers. Begin with left foot in front of right. Jump up slightly, enough to spread legs while in the air, land with feet shoulder with apart. Jump again, land with right foot in front of left. Repeat in reverse order. Do as quickly as possible for a minute. 2 sets.
Jump lunges. Start in lunge position with left foot in front. Jump up and switch legs. Reverse. That's one rep. Do two sets of 20.
"Dot" leg hops. Picture the "5" side of a die, in front of you on the ground, if one side of the die were five feet in length. Stand at one end with feet spread, one on each dot. Jump forward and land with both feet on the middle dot. Jump forward again and land with feet spread on far set of dots. Jump up and spin mid-air, land facing back where you started, with feet spread on dots. Repeat to return to original position. Do as quickly as possible for a minute. 2 sets. VARIATION: Do it all on one leg. When you reach the far side, use your one leg to hop on each dot. Don't bother to do the mid-rep "spin."
Broad jump. Feet spread shoulder width. Leap forward as far as possible. About four leaps out, and four leaps to return. Do five of these sets in all.
Sidestep squats. Start with feet shoulder-width and knees slightly bent into a mild squat. Step sideways with left foot and as the foot lands, squat further down. Now bring the right foot along too, so as to end up in the mild squat. 20 reps.
Shin touches with hip hike. Balance on left leg, reach down and touch ankle, trying to keep back straight. Return to standing position while balancing on left, and bring right knee high into the air. 20 reps for each leg.
Low jumping jacks. Do about 5 regular jumping jacks, then lower the center of gravity so that legs are jumping out extra wide. Do two sets of a minute each.
Multi-dimensional run. Run in place for a while, then continue running but take a few steps in a random direction (forward, back, left, right), run in place a few seconds, return to center. Do two sets of a minute each.
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