SCHOOL RELATED POST #9 - Poetry Slamtacular

On day one of this night class,
the professor drove up many a hope.
He promised to enlighten us with management;
Did he think he was the pope?



He also promised an unforgettable semester.
He did this after saying his hello.
I must admit I'll never forget
making a mess playing with jell-o.

We came up with new wacky jell-o ideas.
All this was under the guise of brainstorming.
Someone thought of a jell-o after-school program.
I could already feel the management cells forming.



Through a curve, drop, and extra credit,
as well as decision making that was unanimous and firm,
Many students managed their time by not studying
for that multiple matching second midterm.



I learned about organizational structure.
This knowledge I applied to work.
I told my boss our structure was functional.
But he didn't care, as he's kind of a jerk.



Through teamwork we got through those class activities.
Dominant, influential, conscientious, stable.
Though we all had varying personalities,
We each brought something different to the table.



So what is this science we call management?
Motivation? Innovation? Something from this list?
Power? Planning? Leading? Controlling?
Trying to define it is getting me pissed.



The truth is that management is just too broad.
For one semester it's a lot to learn.
This subject really does interest me,
but I can't guarantee that textbook won't burn.



I think I got an A on this blog assignment.
That plan went off without a hitch.
Still, writing so much is hard.
This blog assignment's been a real bitch.




Thank you.

SCHOOL RELATED POST #8 - Holding Up A Mirror To My Blog (Reflection (Hilarious))

Aside from those fun class activities where we actually employ management techniques (often without knowing it), I feel that the blog has been one of the best parts of this course. It has given me a chance to learn about myself and apply the technicalities of management into different parts of my life. This assignment has given me an outlet for the words that build up inside me. I am glad that I took a class that mandated the creation of a blog, because I love to write about my experiences and creating a blog and writing in it is one way to share my boring adventures.



Making it a requirement to comment on the blogs of our colleagues has vastly enriched this online experience. If it was just optional, I feel laziness would have taken over and I would have just written my blog and not given a rat's ass about anybody else. By making it mandatory, I had to overcome my laziness and in the process, I learned so much about my classmates, when I would not have otherwise. I got insight into the problems and experiences that my fellow students go through. Having every student in the class write a blog allowed all of us an opportunity to take a look inside each other's minds and see how the different personalities in the class felt about various topics relating to management.

The blog was a great communication tool, because as you said, it allowed for students to communicate with each other. Without the blog, I would never have talked to some of the various characters in the class, and they would not have talked to me. I definitely benefited from being able to comment on blogs of "strangers" and have these very same "strangers" comment back on mine, as I gave my honest opinion and insight, and hopefully got the same in return.

Most of the blog assignments involved us reflecting back on the activities we did in class. I feel this was very helpful in getting us to really think about what we did and why we did it. One way in which this was accomplished is that we were given plenty of time to think about our activity, whatever it may have been. We also wrote our blog assignments from the comfort of our own homes. Psychologically, this meant that there was a lot less pressure on us than if we had done it in class. I feel this allows the blog writers to be more truthful and honest in writing the blog, as it feels more like a leisurely exercise you are doing for yourself, and not a boring school assignment that you want to get over with as soon as possible. By making us share our perspectives in a "fun" non-school related medium like a blog, I feel that this is as honest and straightforward as it is going to get for a school assignment.






The professor's blog was definitely one of the better parts of this blog assignment. There were always interesting posts filled with fitting pictures that really got the reader thinking. I remember the post about the bear that was in quite a pickle, and just decided to sleep. I felt that really applied to life, as sometimes you just have to take a nap, or just be cool, calm, and collected. The professor's blog was a great supplement to the topics learned in class, and I feel it really enhanced this management class experience.











I always write relatively long and meaningful blog posts, so I felt that the blog assignment's twenty percent stake in the grade was basically a gimme. I understood that this was a very easy part of my grade to get an A in and definitely felt comforted knowing that this was one area where I could not mess up in (at least not too badly). I hope everyone so far has enjoyed reading my blog as much as I enjoyed writing it. It is giving me a hard time trying to think of ways to improve this blog assignment, so just keep it the way it is.

To be quite honest, it is hard to see myself continuing to post regularly after this assignment has ended. Though this has been a great experience, it is hard to make time to write a meaningful blog entry. However, I feel that one of the reasons I never wrote a blog before was because I was just too damn lazy to set one up. Now that it is already set up, I feel that once in a while, when I have something on my mind that I really want to put on the internet for the whole world to see, I will definitely make the time to write up a blog post.



Until a probable next time,

Kwok

SCHOOL RELATED POST #7 - Blog Topic #5: The ABCs of DISC (fun, but a waste of time)

According to the personal profile system “test,” I am a C high S. This means that I am more conscientious than anything, with steadiness being my next greatest attribute. I think that this test portrays me quite accurately. Looking under the description of conscientious people, I find that it is true that I usually like to analyze things and weigh the pros and cons to make an informed decision. However, sometimes I make a decision very spontaneously, which does not conform very well to being conscientious. I also have a tendency to be diplomatic with people and use assassin-type maneuvers to quell a situation of conflict. However, conflict is sometimes entertaining. It is also true that I like clearly defined performance expectations. When doing something, it would usually be good to know the reason why you are doing it. This basically means having a goal, which is important because your goals shape your actions. It is essential to ask “why” questions to inquire and learn about the task at hand.
According to this profile system, in order to be effective, I need specific feedback. This is only partly true, as I am receptive to feedback only when I am open to it. Some of the time, I just prefer to do my own thing and not be bothered. This test also says that in order to be effective, I need an opportunity for careful planning. Again, though this is sometimes true, a good amount of the time I like to dive headfirst into a problem when I just do not feel like analyzing anything.

This test also said that steadiness is a prevailing quality of mine, meaning I tend to emphasize cooperation with others in order to carry out a task. Overall I feel I am a steadfast person but there are characteristics under steadiness in the personal profile system that I do not believe I possess. For example, although I value steadiness very highly, I am sometimes an unpredictable person. I say things that just come to my head that may not be expected of me. Also, although I demonstrate patience a large amount of the time, I abhor waiting.
There are some qualities of steadiness that apply to me very well. I believe that I am a loyal person and most definitely an excellent listener. To be more effective, I need information on how my effort is contributing towards the total effort. The reason for this is because I always like to know if I am making a difference or not, in any aspect of my life. I also desire an environment where credit is given for work accomplished. This does not only apply to me and my work, as I feel that anybody who has accomplished anything should be given credit where credit is due.

Overall, I do not wish I was another type on this personality profile system. However, one thing that I do not think is accurate about me is that apparently, people who are conscientious work within existing circumstances. Sometimes I try to look outside of existing circumstances to see if there are any ideas outside the box I can implement, or possibly spark new ideas within the box.
I think it would be very difficult to try to change your personality type within this personal profile system. We were shaped into who we are by the environment we grew up in and it would be an arduous task to diverge from the tendencies and characteristics we have had for most of our lives. However, I do think it is possible, given a strong will and discipline.
I do not believe that this is a good test for gauging personalities. I find that most personality tests are bullshit because there are always gray areas within a person’s psyche and the most the tests can do is give a very general idea of what type of manager or leader a person is. I do not believe that a test like this will help me very much in other personal interactions except in giving me a very broad scope of what a person’s tendencies and needs are. Overall, I felt this personal profile system test was a waste of time, unless the goal of this test was to show that the test was a waste of time. Then it would not be a waste of time.

Until next time,

Kwok

SCHOOL RELATED POST #6 - Official Blog Assignment #4: Visions (The Power of Visions)

My first vision is a vague one but a very important one. It is of me doing something fulfilling; essentially, helping other people. It does not matter whether it is volunteering at a hospital, being a Baruch Buddy, or doing work in the peace corps in South America. I just want to give people a chance they otherwise would not get. This vision is rooted deeply in my high school past. I used to be on the track team in high school but I quit in my junior year because I wanted to do something more fulfilling than running around in circles. This is why I decided to volunteer at a hospital. However, one day I felt lazy and decided not to go. This started a vicious cycle of me not going, which eventually lead to me not volunteering at the hospital for a while. I felt too embarrassed and awkward to go back, so I never did.



My vision of helping people exists partly due to wanting to make up for my failed hospital volunteer experience, but also because I believe the best thing you can do in this world is to help people who cannot help themselves. I will admit that I have not done much so far in making my vision actually happen, but I know the steps I have to take and I am willing to take them. I have to do my research on the different volunteer opportunities out there, and furiously pursue what I want to do. While I fulfill my vision, it is important to stick with it and follow through with my obligations, which I no doubt will do. What an incredibly noble vision to start off with, eh?



I’m going to continue my vision posting quest with a very common vision. I see myself working at a job with a lucrative salary in the coming years. The reason for this is that I want to be able to support my family so that my parents will not have to work anymore. However, the steps I have to take to make this vision happen are long and arduous. I have to stop slacking off in my academics and start studying. Though your GPA is only one measly line on a resume, it is a very important line to employers who are contemplating on whether to hire you when you’re still in or straight out of college.



I am also interning at a tax department right now to gain experience in taxation, which will help me in finding a career in that field. I have also volunteered in Baruch as part of VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance), which has really helped me learn a lot about the IRS. Through a combination of doing well in school, interning, and community service, I feel I have taken/will take the right steps towards my goal. My vision, when combined with those actions, will transform my vision, like a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly, into a beautiful reality.



Being a person with some free time, I have tried to fill that void with various things. One void-filler that has stuck, is physical exercise. Working out gives me an outlet for my anger and other negative feelings. It also pushes me to my limits. I feel the good pain and end up feeling good overall. This is why one of my visions is being able to do thirty straight full hang pull-ups. Not only does it work out my favorite muscle (the latissimus dorsi), but it is also a great test for physical fitness.



For my birthday last year, a close friend of mine gave me a pull-up bar, and I must say it is one of the best presents I have ever received, as I use it every day, getting ever closer to my goal. Every morning I wake up and before doing anything else (sometimes I pee first), I do sixteen to eighteen pull-ups. It’s a great way to jolt myself awake and to get some calories burned right as my day starts. Also, before every workout I have at the Baruch gym, I always do at least sixteen straight pull-ups. I know that as I do more and more, my body will adapt to it, making it easier to do even more. This is why I am willing to continue waking up every morning to a brutal set of pull-ups. My morning routine is a recurring action that I am willing to commit to in support of my vision. Reaching thirty pull-ups is a huge milestone which I know will eventually become a reality.



One cliché dream I’ve always had is to travel the world. I envision myself traveling to each of the seven continents (there ARE seven, right?) and spend at least a day (twenty four hours) in each of them. I want to live in different cultures and enjoy the different experiences the world has to offer. By taking action, I hope to turn this dream into a vision.



One medium in which I hope to turn this vision into a reality is Baruch College. This fine school offers many outstanding study abroad programs which I plan to take advantage of in the time I have remaining here. On the surface, being an accountancy major at Baruch may not be the career best geared towards travel. However, by taking the five year accountancy program offered here, I expect to finish my fifth year with a MS (Master of Science) in taxation. Now, taxation may not be the most interesting or exciting career, but my goal right now is to focus on international taxation. I plan on obtaining an internship in international taxation, which will hopefully open up doors for a career in international taxation, which will hopefully open up opportunities for me to travel the globe. If I end up being stuck in an office all day with no potential for traveling anywhere as part of my work, that would run quite contrary to my vision. But hey, that’s what vacations are for.



Traveling doesn’t have to be limited to the globe, it can be limited to a country. This is why one of my visions is of myself riding across the country on a motorcycle. Is that not an awesome idea? Having just got my license in the mail yesterday, I am excited. Before I divulge more into this goal, I’d like to give share the origins of this vision. The thought of even getting a motorcycle, much less a motorcycle license, was a foreign thought to me less than four months ago. They seemed dangerous, complicated to control, and my parents would murder me in cold blood before I would even get on one. I just did not see the point. However, as I drove around more and more with a car, I felt the pain and anger of attempting to find a parking space. I got parking rage, as a certain special someone might call it. Getting a motorcycle, if even just for the easier parking, did not sound like such a bad idea. The only thing stopping me was my laziness. However, as it so often is, the actions of a friend instilled in me some drive, some ambition, some determination. A close friend of mine decided he wanted a motorcycle, and had taken the necessary preliminary steps in getting one. I realized, this is my life, and I only get one shot at it. It was now or never; did I really want to go through life never riding a motorcycle? I did not want to become an old man and look back thinking “damn, I could have been young with a motorcycle, I should have just done it.” So, as a spur of the moment thing, I got my permit, signed up for lessons, took lessons, passed the test, got the waiver in the mail, went to DMV with the waiver, and now I have a license.



Buying a motorcycle is a big investment, but I do plan on buying an actual motorcycle soon when the prices are at their lowest. Eventually I will drive across the country when the time presents itself. If time chooses to play hard to get, well, I’ll just have to make time.

- Your friend, Kwok

SCHOOL RELATED POST #5 - Extra credit, extra fun!

Starting this assignment was exciting. I have purposely been a jackass on numerous occasions before, but I can’t recall the last time I was a jackass on purpose to food service employees. This is mainly because I’ve worked in food service for many years myself, so I know how it feels. Regardless, I was going to try to make the best out of this humorous situation.
















So, after my last class ended at 8:50 PM, I took a walk with my good friend J to the local McDonald’s at Union Square. I felt this was the perfect time because it was late enough so that not many people would be there so I would not hold up any lines with my extra special order. So I go in, and there is practically no line. I go up to a nice young lady named Justine and quickly state my position. I say hi with a big smile on my face. “I want a small order but it’s a very special order…”
This was me, ordering politely.

This was her reaction.
Her warm welcoming smile immediately disappeared. I first told her about my need for a hamburger with four pickles, exactly four pickles, no more, no less. Her face practically turned to stone. There was an awkward silence for a few seconds. I think she was ready to reject me. Kwok may get rejected a lot, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to get rejected at McDonald’s. Justine had to call somebody named Fabry over to help her. He was more receiving, and quickly moved to give the burger artists my special order. “Four pickles!” I heard him say. I thought I saw one of the burger assemblers/organizers looking a little confused. I think I may have also saw a smirk form, as a burger with exactly four pickles does seem like a ridiculous order.

Poor Justine thought I was done, but I quickly ruined her happiness by requesting another special item: a small order of fries with no salt, NO salt. Fabry came over once again. This seemed like it was going to be tough. I could practically hear them say “this is gonna be a looonnng night.” I didn’t think they made fries with no salt, but luckily for me, it didn’t seem to be that much of a problem as Fabry left once again to relay my message. I felt so bad for that poor cashier as I gave her the final dagger. “Can I get a receipt that says everything? You know, like the four pickles…”

Fabry came over once again. Justine told me that I could get a receipt that just lists the hamburger and fries. No, that wouldn’t be good enough; I reiterated my point. “Can’t you make it say like… extra pickles or something?” Fabry saved the day. He told me they could do it, as they started working the machine. He mentioned he had to go somewhere else to get the receipt, and he did just that as he walked a short distance to get that very important piece of paper, which I guess was printed at a different machine. I looked at the receipt, satisfied. They told me the fries would take two minutes. I thanked Justine and stood to the side, wondering if they would get my order right.

As J and I waited, we observed the kitchen intently. As a new batch of fries came out, we saw Fabry RUSH over like a racehorse with rabies and say “WAIT WAIT, KEEP THOSE SEPARATE, DON’T MIX THOSE IN WITH THE OTHERS!” I was pretty sure that new batch of fries was saltless, made especially for me. It made me happy that he took extra special care in making sure my order was perfect. We watched quite observantly as he scooped a small portion of that batch into a small bag. I felt a little bad that they made so many saltless fries just for my small order. He smiled as he put the fries in a bag and handed it to me. I thanked him, but realized that the burger was not in the bag. I asked him where my burger was and he seemed a little confused. I reminded him about the four pickles, and he quickly regained his senses. I wondered though, had my burger not been special, would he have remembered? No time for silly thoughts. I got my burger, and we sat down to eat.

Fries with no salt? Check. Burger with exactly four pickles? Check. I kind of expected the pickles to be placed one in each corner, forming a square made of four circles. I was quite taken aback though, as the formation of the pickles was nothing like I imagined it. They put two horizontally first, then two vertically on top of them, forming some kind of cross. This small meal cost $2.90 and I thoroughly enjoyed it, though I had to get some ketchup for the fries.

I had thought that the McDonald's employees would adhere strictly to their one pickle burger and all-and-only-salt fries policy,


but they did good.


The approximate time from the moment I first talked to Justine to when I got my full order took maybe around five minutes. They mentioned the fries would take two minutes. I understand that having special requests probably isn’t all too common. I would imagine that the burgers are pre-made. If they are not, then the person who prepares them is probably so used to making the burgers the same exact way each time that a request for exactly four pickles on a burger would throw him or her off of his or her burger making equilibrium. Asking for fries with no salt also posed a problem, as it seemed they had to make a new batch just to accommodate my preference. Requesting a receipt that denotes the extra pickles and no salt fries also seemed like a hassle, as Justine really didn’t seem to want to go through the trouble of taking the extra step in making a more detailed receipt. All in all, around three to four people got involved: Justine, Fabry, and maybe one or two people in the kitchen. I felt I was treated a little awkwardly during the process of ordering, but after that, it was smooth sailing. I was practically dancing to the McDonald radio music while waiting. Aside from the mix-up regarding the four pickle burger when I they gave me my bag, everything was superb. The order was completed correctly and to the highest standards of Mr. Mickey D.

The staff’s manufacturing and order preparation was above satisfactory. Though I have no other similar experience to compare and contrast it to, overall I was happy with the process and outcome. When requesting something special at a fast food joint, it should be expected that I would get a few weird looks, and I was prepared for it. What mattered was that my food came out right, and it did. The staff communicated well, as whenever Justine had a problem, Fabry was over in an instant. Fabry also communicated my order to the kitchen staff in fantastic fashion. He truly rose to the occasion. Coordination was not perfect, as they did forget my burger. The customer service process was excellent though, as Fabry did everything humanely possible to keep the customer happy.

The manner in which McDonald’s currently handles special orders is stupendous. However, if I was brought in as a consultant to McDonald’s, I would recommend forming a SOU: Special Orders Unit. This unit would take care of all the crazies who come into McDonald’s expecting everything to be tailored to their liking. I would make sure this SOU would be advertised to the maximum, to take full advantage of this unit. This group of hardened food service veteran employees would have to go through a rigorous training program regimen, consisting of taking outrageous orders and preparing them as fast as physically, mentally, and emotionally possible. Only then would they have the privilege to serve on McDonald’s: S.O.U. Having a specially designated area in the kitchen, the SOU would ensure the highest efficiency in unusual food request preparation, thus leading to a much smoother management process.

Until next time,

Your friend,

Kwok

SCHOOL RELATED POST #4 - Imagine what would have happened if one person disagreed.

I didn’t want to be late for this class, knowing that for some odd reason, it would be the most important class of the semester. When the professor said that we as a class were going to propose what should be done about this midterm as well as the next one, I was a little confused. Apparently the grades were really low, so this drew a bit of concern. I did not see how this class was so important, seeing as how we were going to spend an entire period just talking amongst ourselves about how we can get a higher grade, without much professor interference. After thinking about it for a while, I decided that since the midterm is a huge chunk of our grade, maybe by giving the hand in forming our own destiny, Professor Kurpis was right on target about this being the “most important class.” By thinking in this manner, I effectively missed the point.

After Professor Kurpis said that we as a class must decide for ourselves what we should do and that we must get one hundred percent agreement, he just sat back. Once he did that, I knew what we were in for. He was going to observe the class dynamic and most likely dissect what happened in the next class. He had a smug look on his face as everyone on the class was talking at once. He really seemed to enjoy watching us get nowhere. He smirked as we made absolutely no progress towards a proposal. We all talked in separate groups, and there were a lot of groups. I was not too disappointed with my grade, so a simple curve or drop the lowest grade proposal would have sat fine with me. I heard somebody mention a curve AND drop proposal, meshed together. That seemed too good to be true. However, as the class wore on, more things got added to the proposal, as the students had many different ideas. We were practically writing our next midterm, as well as invalidating the one we just had, if need be.

The class became quite chaotic, as does happen under pressure. We were given a time limit (the class period), and as time wore down, the students became increasingly agitated. Harsh words were exchanged and assertions were realized. I was content to sit back and enjoy the ride, as everybody had already agreed on a curve and drop, which was more than enough for me.

Some people in the class definitely used the “compete to win” approach in handling conflict. For example, one girl would not tolerate anything other than multiple multiple choice questions where the number of correct choices was stated. The class as a whole, however, had to use the “compromise” approach, as everyone had to be happy. If we did not reach one hundred percent consensus, we would have walked away with nothing. If I understand the “accommodation” approach correctly, then I used that approach in handling the decision conflict. I definitely was more apathetic than the rest of the class. The issue was much more important to everyone else, and I already got more than I wanted with a curve and drop, so I basically agreed with any other additions the proposal. Everybody in the class wanted to improve their grade, and any addition to the proposal could not possibly do any significant harm.

For a class this big, getting everybody to agree is going to be tough regardless of what we are voting for. I feel that a strict democracy would be the best way to handle the conflict we had. Our class was a democracy, in that everybody had an equal vote, but there was too much chaos. It would have been best if there was a rule that was enforced that only one person could speak at a time, and only for a limited amount of time. Realistically, I feel that would be the best solution for our scenario.

One thing I found particularly interesting was that a few times, a single individual would have the courage to rise up and disagree with the entire class. This rebellious behavior was quickly put down each time. I remember Professor Kurpis saying, while he was tallying up the votes, that there was nothing wrong with disagreeing with the proposal. I seriously contemplated doing just that, as a joke. It would have been quite humorous.

At the end of the class, Professor Kurpis said that during the next class, we would dissect everything that had just happened, confirming that the class we just had was indeed just a giant experiment. We basically studied group decision making firsthand.

- Kwok Tse

SCHOOL RELATED POST #3 - Heart/egg break

I’m not going to lie, I felt our group’s planning process was a few steps beyond pathetic. We all had different ideas and if I remember correctly, the idea we actually implemented was a last minute afterthought (redundant I know). We did not define our goals and objectives very clearly. We were given 25(?) minutes for planning our contraption. We spent about 99% of that time thinking about what kind of design we should use. Due to this lack of definition on the specifics as well as general characteristics of our egg protection device, we really did not know when we were done, stopping only when the time was up.

In terms of knowing where we stood in reaching our objectives from the start, it was like we were blindfolded with no tightrope walking experience, while walking on a rope suspended very high from the hard concrete floor. We knew what materials we were going to use to build our egg haven, but we did not realize the strengths and weaknesses within our group, and thus did not assign tasks based on these undiscovered strengths and weaknesses.

Our group had a bunch of great designs that we did not implement. I guess you could call those our alternative strategies. We did not really assess the strengths and weaknesses of these alternative designs, or any of our designs for that matter. The people in our group basically thought that most of our designs were too hard to build or that it simply would not work. This hurt the most when we saw designs that we had thought up, being successfully used by the other groups.

The tactical plan part of our planning process was not very defined. We spontaneously chose a design because we were very low on time. There was nothing tactical about the way we chose our egg shielding mechanism. Desperation played a large role in the process of choosing how we used our supplies. There was no job assignation aspect to this step, as tasks just sort of fell into place during the actual implementation process.

On a positive, note, once we did decide what to make (because we had no other choice, there was only a few minutes left), we subconsciously assigned jobs like an assembly line. Though what happened before the device building and the results of the device building was disastrous, the efficiency of the actual building process was a nice positive change. I do not think the limitations of this project allowed us to evaluate our results and take corrective actions to revise our design. However, even if we could, I doubt we would have had the time.

To summarize, we skipped most of, if not all of the first four steps. The fifth step we performed partially, as it was absolutely unequivocally necessary. I would rate our team’s overall ultimate performance as quite low. We could have been more effective as a group had we quickly and thoughtfully assessed the strengths and weaknesses of our various design ideas. To end on a high note, we have a lot of potential and room for improvement. Things can only go up.

Until next time,

Kwok

SCHOOL RELATED POST #2 - Second time blog management post

I'm going to go a little cliche here and say that time management is definitely the bane of my existence. I thought that fitting all my classes onto two days (Monday and Wednesday, 11:10 AM - 8:50 PM) would be awesome. It's turning out alright, but it's pretty damn brutal. It can be cool getting out so late but going home alone can be a bummer, especially when you realize you spent your entire day going to class. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, I intern for the regular work day, in which afterwards I spend time with my iron friends in the Baruch gym. On Saturdays, I help my dad with work right smack in the middle of the day, killing pretty much any social life I can possibly have.

Right now I'm thinking about how I can put in AT LEAST a half-assed effort on all the imminent schoolwork, get to the gym 5 days a week, and still spend time getting to know and having fun with the people that matter. And not just any time, QUALITY time. Sometimes I find it hard just to get a decent meal in the day, especially on those fretful school days where I sometimes try to fit in some gym time.

It's still relatively early in the semester (not true for some people though, some classes already have midterms! geez!), so the work hasn't piled up significantly yet. Right now I'm in the "Don't worry, be happy, just cruise" attitude. In terms of school, I really don't do anything until I feel the pressure, as in right before the walls crush me or if I'm jumping into a pool of lava, right before I get severely burned. Professor Kurpis, consider yourself extremely lucky that I am writing this wayyyyy before the deadline. I like to make things up as I go along, like building a bridge I'm walking on. That really isn't the best way to manage your life, because as you're looking down, building your path of walking, you might realize that you built a circular bridge. That's why it's better to have your bridge mapped out first. If only I could procrastinate my procrastination, I'd be set.

I once read somewhere that it is better to have 5 small meals throughout the day, rather than 3 big meals. I guess this applies to my time management issue. I know what I have to do, which is to take things in small pieces, so I don't end up needing first aid. Now I just have to apply it; put it into practice. That would be what this management is class for, eh?

So yeah, right now it's not so bad, but soon, the tests and the projects and maybe even those pesky little homeworks will come a knockin'. That's when it's time to put my game face on, pretend those visitors are crack, and deal with it.

Until next time,

K-wizzle

SCHOOL RELATED POST #1 - My first blog post ever.

Hello everyone! I'm very excited to be in this class and I'd like to get to know each and every one of you. However, I can't expect you guys to tell me about yourself without dishing out a little dirt on myself. So here, we, go.

My name is Kwok Tse. I was born in St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan but my parents are from China. I used to read a lot of books and my favorite genre was mystery, but I fell out of that and now I can't remember the last time I finished a book. It really is a shame, because reading sucks you into crazy adventures you never thought possible, as lame as it sounds.

Like everyone, I enjoy eating, immensely. It's great because my palate is terrible so I'll eat pretty much anything. Except warm milk, durian, and celery. As a general note, I like my vegetables soft and my fruits hard. If anybody ever feels like not eating alone, just give me a ring and we can share a meal and deep conversation. I enjoy egg whites, green vegetables, wraps, chicken, and fish.

Lifting weights is a favorite past time of mine, as I feel it is a great way to release some insane emotions. It's a unique experience being alone with the weights, knowing they're never going to quit on you. It is a calm, peaceful, perhaps harmonic, yet dreadful feeling. I also LOVE bike riding. If you live in Brooklyn, you'll know the spot where I always bike to, which is from Owl's Head Park to Ceasar's Bay. I go that distance at least twice when I'm out, feeling the wind in my hair.

I started attending Baruch College in the Fall of 06 because I was rejected from all the other schools I applied to (not really, but the ones that I thought mattered at the time). I was a Baruch basher at first, but it really isn't that bad. In fact, it's great. Everything worked out pretty well for me, and it all started with Baruch. So hurray for diversity, hurray for CUNY, hurray for Baruch!

I'll be honest with you, I signed up for this MGT class because it just fit my schedule; I had no idea if the professor was going to be a real hardass or a friendly helpful guy. I didn't even look at ratemyprofessor.com, if you can believe it. The first day was a tad above mediocre, and I expect it to go nowhere but up. Getting the textbook is a female dog though.

I know you enjoyed reading about me, and if you have any questions, send an e-mail to i_dont_care@gmail.com. Just kidding, freedonuts@gmail.com is the appropriate address to send any questions and/or concerns. I look forward to a great semester with all of you.

You friend, Kwok