Some of the best advice I have ever received from a teacher was during my first year at Hotchkiss. "Gnothi Seauton!", Mr Delprete proclaimed to my Ancient History Class during our first meeting. It was advice that would stick with me, even to this day.

Mr. Delprete, or "Delly", as he was so affectionately nicknamed, was the athletic director and former head football coach at Hotchkiss. But since every teacher at our school wore many different hats, Delly ended up becoming our freshman History teacher that semester. Our class dean, Mr. Barker would take over the following semester, but Delly made his mark on our class- specifically me.

This is the kind of guy I didn't expect to teach history- or at the very least, teach it well. After all, he was the athletic director, and if most high schools are any indication of what to expect, Delly should have been an arrogant prick who couldnt give a damn about Caligula or Caesar or Charlemagne. But he did, and the first week of class, he made his mantra for the semester well known- Gnothi Seauton!

Gnothi Seauton, as the Greeks say, means Know Thyself. It's a mantra that calls for constant self examination, adaptation, and execution. As you grow up, figuring out who you are and what you stand for is like trying to figure out a Rubik's Cube- a few select people can do it very easily, but for most, it's a constant struggle that usually ends with you figuring out by some stroke of dumb luck. It's easy to forget who you are because it can change so quickly, so knowing yourself keeps you grounded and self aware- virtues that can be difficult to practice at times.

I should know better than most- I've been a geek, a spazz, a respected nerd, a self respecting nerd (not the same), a somewhat cool guy, and that's just the surface- the amount of self examination and adaptation that I've had to have has been pretty substantial. I can't stay that it's always been easy, but it's helped me become who I am today.

So take a few minutes in your spare time to Gnothi Seauton- your future depends on it!

So While You're Here, Enjoy The View

Whenever I find myself in a rut and life just sucks, I think of the theme song from One Day At A Time:

This is it. This is it.
This is life, the one you get
So go and have a ball.

This is it. This is it
Straight ahead and rest assured
You can’t be sure at all.

So while you’re here enjoy the view
Keep on doing what you do
So hold on tight we'll muddle through
One day at a time, One day at a time.

So up on your feet. Up on your feet
Somewhere there’s music playing.
Don’t you worry none
We’ll just take it like it comes.

One day at a time!

Hope that helps!

You Cannot Be Afraid To Lose!

Disney movies tend to be preachy and quite cheesy when it comes to their message, but I do have to say- this is one of the more meaningful speeaches given in Disney lore. I give to you, from The Mighty Ducks 3, Coach Orion's speech on hockey...and life. If you can't access the Youtube video, the text is below. The first couple of sentences in parentheses was the dialogue before the speech begins. Enjoy!



[What's the one thing all great teams have in common? Defense. See, unlike scoring, defense never quits. But to play great defense you need one thing above all else.] Confidence. Listen, if you learn nothin' else when you're here, you learn this, all right? Cause it's not just about hockey. It's easy to be confident when you have control of the puck. It's very, very difficult to keep that confidence when you gotta take whatever strange bounces life throws your way. Don't be careless, but don't be too careful either. You cannot be afraid to lose! That's how you gain the confidence to attack the game when the puck isn't yours. That's how you attack life... even when you think you don't have any control. And that's how you play real defense.

The Plan Leads to the Celebration

Just a quick tidbit today: I just watched some NFL highlights on Youtube yesterday, and, not surprisingly, the majority of eye popping highlights come from plays made by running backs and wide receivers. They jump, twist, catch, hurdle, truck, and high step their way into the endzone...well, not all of them. But when some get in, they have these elaborate dances they do to celebrate a touchdown. Some of these players have scored so little that it seems that they spend more time practicing their celebration dances, not their fundmentals.

I though about that for a minute, and then I realized how it applies to life: You can't play hard if you don't work hard; that is, you won't have moments of glory and happiness of you don't put in the work to get there. You can't achieve your dreams by making plans of what you'll do when you get there. It's planning HOW you get there that counts.

Work hard to play harder- that's my suggestion to you!

Twelve iPad Apps for Young Professionals

It seems that over the years, gadgets get smaller, faster and more efficient. Just 15 years ago, people had big, clunky computers running Windows 95 (and even then, we thought those computers were small). Now, gadgets like the iPad are small, nimble, and pack more features than ever- not to mention that they're affordable. If you're young (like me) and are a professional (like me) and own an iPad (like me), then here are 12 apps that will help you streamline your workload, your class work, and your personal life.

1. iWork, $9.99 per app

iWork may be on the expensive end of the office suite spectrum in the App Store, but let me tell you- you get what you pay for. Apple has put together a robust, effective trio of software options for the iPad. The best part? You can buy all three apps separately at $9.99 a pop. Keynote is the best of the three, as putting together presentations on the fly is simple and fun. Pages and Numbers are great as well, and they serve their purpose. All three can import and export documents as iWork files or Microsoft Office files. My only complaint is that iWork uses a limited number of fonts, so not all documents translate well.

2. Bento, $4.99

Bento, to put it best, is a database app. That means that tasks like billing, inventory tracking, and other information strongholds can be stored here. If you have the Bento program for your Mac, you can sync data between the two.

3. Zillow, FREE

Are you a young professional looking to relocate? Tired of your dorm, that crappy apartment, or even your city? Check out Zillow. You can set parameters for what type of housing you're looking for, how much you like to pay, and Presto! Zillow pinpoints all your search results on its map, complete with address, pictures, and the realtor's contact information. Even if you're looking for a full fledged home, Zillow tracks not just homes on the market, but homes that aren't but have a "Make Me Move" classification as well. Highly recommended.

 4. Linked in, FREE

Linked in is actually an iPhone app, but since all iPhone apps are compatible with the iPad and the screen size can be magnified, I'm counting it in this list anyways. It does all the basic features that you can do on the website, and that's all you'll need- after all Farmville and your professional life should never meet...unless....you work for the company that created Farmville.

5a. Pulse News Reader, FREE

The best customizable news reader on the iPad, hands down. For the longest time, I used Flipboard, which is also pretty awesome. My biggest gripe with Flipboard, however, was that it wouldn't allow me to import blog feeds. Pulse allows me to import blogs, tweets, Facebook pages, and full fledged websites (Pulse finds the RSS feed). This is the only third party app in my dock, and for good reason.

5b. Flipboard, FREE

UPDATE: Flipboard was named the iPad App of The Year for 2010, and for good reason. I blasted Flipboard in my blurb about Pulse, the app directly above this one, but a major update to Flipboard added blog/RSS capabilities, as well as a slew of other improvements that really make this app the quintessential digital magazine. This should probably be the first app you download when you receive your iPad, but if you're not into the magazine style, try Pulse. 

6. Skype, FREE

Here's another iPhone size-doubled app. Okay, so you may not have video. But you still have free Skype-to Skype voice and IM chatting. In addition, most Bluetooth headsets are compatible, so this app is still versatile. In addition, you can make calls to any phone line for merely $2.95 a month. With multitasking causing Skype to update its app to be iOS 4.2 compliant, you can keep it running in the background while you work, and it will notify you when a call comes in. In addition, Skype has added video functionality for those who use the app on an iPhone/iPod Touch. With cameras being added to the second generation iPad, this app will increase the value of the iPad to not only the casual users, but also to the corporate world.

7. USA Today, FREE

USA Today is the canned comedy routine to Pulse's Second City improv. While there's no customization of USA Today other than the weather settings, there's still a lot to like here. The layout is superb, and a free app that sends you national headlines straight from the paper itself every morning is a nice change from the overpriced Wall Street Journal.. Last month, I stayed at a hotel that left free USA Today papers at the doors of all guests. I fingered through the paper, and at the very least, all of the headline stories were already on my iPad version. They weren't shortened "free versions" they didn't require a subscription to read, and I got all of the same pictures, except mine were crisper. The app also includes the daily USA Today crossword puzzle-what more could I ask for?

8. Kayak, FREE

In the past year, Kayak has gotten a lot of publicity, and rightly so- they're trying to compete with the more established Expedia and Travelocity- no small feat. In essence, they're no different than either of those two sites...except in the app department. Looking at the screenshot above is a good representation of how to describe the app- it's informative. You've got a small search box, a map, a list of previous searches, and a hotel slider to the right with options for your destination city. The cherry on top is the Explore feature- it allows travelers to broaden their horizons. Say you want to travel over the summer, but you don't know when. Just set your parameters to June-August, then select your preferred activities, price, and temperature, and Kayak fetches the lowest flight for every qualifying city. Most excellent.

9. Blackboard, FREE

Most college students have to use Blackboard at one point or another, so it's nice to know you can have it at your fingertips. Blackboard is a college file-sharing program that allows teachers to post announcements, class materials and grades. Not much else to this app, but it gets the job done when you're trying to use your iPad as a super-student assistant.

10. Dropbox, FREE

Dropbox, a file sharing app, is a great way to store important files online that you;ll need access too elsewhere. The great part is that you can add users to your dropbox, effectively creating the perfect collaborative software. You can upload your part of the proposal, while Mike and Sue can download it from their end and add their parts and re-upload. It's like having a download base without needing a website!

11. iStudiez Pro, $1.99

the iPad may have the iCal app, but it can't track your school assignments and their respective grades, now can it? iStudiez has an assignment tracker, notification when they're almost due, and you can personalize the grading scale (Sure, Mom! Of course a sixty percent is an A minus!), since every school varies. It may not be totally necessary, but for two bucks, it's a nice addition to your home page.

12. CourseSmart, FREE

Textbooks are way too expensive, not to mention that you don't hold on to half of them after the end of the semester anyway. CourseSmart is here to remedy that. For 180 days, you can rent an e-textbook and use it to your heart's content. The app allows you to highlight, take annotations, and much more. Even better is that most textbooks normally cost between $60 and $85. Since a new textbook normally costs $200 and you sell it back for around $100, you still lose $100. So why not save a little more for you Broke College Student Fund?

If you were to download every app on this list, you could have a professionally stocked iPad for about $40, and that's not a bad deal. Most of the financial weight comes from the iWork suite, and not everyone will download the whole trio of apps. If I missed an app that you think is worthy of this list, or if you think an app on this list isn't so great, add a comment to the post!

Failure is an option...isn't it?

So I still have yet to get a grade lower than a C on any of my assignments in grad school. Most of the time, my motivation for studying is to learn the material and do better in my classes. But every now and then, there's that class or two where you go the extra mile just to keep above water. Face it- every college student goes through it. Usually, this situation comes about when there's a class that you HAVE to take, rather than a tough elective. Whether your class was a requirement or an elective, remember this quote from Michael Jordan:

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."

You're in college! Push yourself to the limit academically! Even if you fail and are forced to drop a class, you will have gained new knowledge, new friends, new contacts, and a new appreciation for a subject you may not have known about. Furthermore, failure can help you decide how much you love your major and may help you reevaluate whether or not you want to change your major. I was a communications major, and no matter how low I may have gotten in some of my classes, I still loved what I did- that's how I knew I was in the right field; even when they're getting hit, boxers still get up and work harder to keep fighting. Even when a doctor can't find a cure, he goes right back to the drawing board to figure out the problem. Love for your profession is a powerful thing; even when you fail, you still succeed. So learn from your failures! Seize the day!

The Waters Have Settled

Today, I have reached a milestone that I've been waiting to reach for about two months now. It's taken longer than I expected, but I've done it.

I, Jeremy Nelson, finally feel totally comfortable at my job.

When I was an intern at Kurtis Productions through the University of Dreams Program (Now Dream Careers), I was told during our orientation session that it usually takes interns anywhere from one to two weeks to finally feel totally comfortable in their new roles. Naturally, I expected that to carry over into my new job at the Department of Transportation. Wrong!

It's a little weird, because I'm used to working in big open spaces and not rows and rows of cubicles. At first, I felt a little closed off rom the rest of the office, partly because my cubicle is in a corner in the very back of the office. I knew I wasn't going to get an office or anything, but I didn't think I'd be this far away from people, either.

Don't get me wrong; the people at my job are freindly and quite easy to get along with. But when I have to leave my cubicle to complete a task of some sort, I only really have time to say "Hi!" and "How are you?" because I want to stay on task. Of course, that makes this whole ordeal my fault in the end for not sticking around longer, because I'm under the influence that everybody else has important work to do, not time to jab with the college student.

Of course, assumptions are terrible things, and I soon realized that people here really don't hesitate to take the time out to ask you how your day is going or how your life is going in general. Unfortunately, it took me two months to really understand that. Well, late is better than never, right?

If you're at a job and feel alone or shut out, make a conscious effort to get up and move around the office in your few spare minutes. Don't hesitate to actually talk to the people who you say hello to on a daily basis- you'll find that it means something to you and them. I wouldn't turn it into a full on conversation, but 90 seconds to trade weekend stories goes a long way.

Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You...

I just got a call from a student hoping to make it in the television industry- she was referred to me by my college professor and mentor, Bob Walker. She seems to be a good student, but as a professional trying to gain contacts, she needs work. But then again, when you're a sophomore in college, professionalism isn't exactly high up on your to-do list. So here's a few quick tips to help you out.

1. Learn to talk to people!
Talking to people is a game in and of itself. People who constantly Facebook and text tend to be lacking in real time face to face conversational situations. The best way for you to get better at it is by talking to as many people as possible- starting conversations with random people in places like an elevator is great practice. Say something about the book in their hand, their outfit, their cell phone....anything! Whatever you feel most comfortable talking about, strike up that conversation!

2. When asking a new contact for something, be specific!
Bright, young, chipper new interns get referred to certain contacts on a daily basis; it's not uncommon for someone to get emails from 40-50 new interns a day. Because you never know how many interns your new contact is speaking with, you need to set yourself apart. Simply stating "I need an internship" isn't going to cut it. Be specific in what you want, and make yourself memorable. I don't care if your dream is something as crazy as wanting to have a TV show about pepperoni pizza- you can either be Doug, the guy who wants his own pepperoni pizza show, or you can be Doug Who?- it's all up to you!

3. Do not inform a new contact that you can be texted at this number.
Ah, texting- the wave of the future. Teenagers who send thousands of texts a month are now becoming college students who send thousands of texts a month. Even social media marketing firms have phones for calling people. In 20 years, everybody from the age of 45 downward will be proficient at texting. Those people on the older end of that spectrum will be the ones running businesses, but until we get to that point, calling is the only way to go for the older generation. When you tell a new contact that you can be texted, it makes you look like you don't have enough social skills to get up and call someone.

4. Clean up your Facebook page.
This one is the most common one to address. Making your profile public means that just about everybody can see your pictures, comments, and whatever else, good or bad. Either set your profile to private or untag yourself from photos that show you in less than a positive light. The more you permanently get rid of, the better. If possible, only use a Linkedin account when asked for a website.

That's all I've got for now. What tips do you have?