What is the worst weather event that you’ve ever experienced?

2003, I was a sophomore in high school and it was the middle of the school year. I had my hands full with assignments but so far I had everything under control. We had just return from winter break so I was rested and ready for anything. It was the middle of January and it seemed like it was going to be another regular winter in the DC metro area with not that many significant snow storms. I remember that I was asked to be part of a wedding at a church where my sister used to attend. The wedding was in Maryland and it was going to take place on a Saturday. I went to stay over my sister house four a couple of days and my plan was to come back on Sunday. The wedding was very lovely and after the reception I went to my sister’s house. I actually wanted to come back that same night so I called my brother. By brother said he could not pick me up because it was snowing and that he would come Sunday morning. The next day when I woke up I came to realized that it had snowed close to two feet of snow. I could not believe my eyes. I called my brother right away to see f he was coming and he told me that the all roads were blocked. I wanted to go back home so badly because I knew I had many assignments to complete. All of Sunday I tried to find a ride home but I was unsuccessful. As it turns out, school was canceled for the whole week due to the heavy snow fall. In fact I got home a couple of days later just to find out that school was cancel for two week straight due to the fact that there were other small snow storms. Even though I was stuck in Maryland for a few days thanks to the blizzard, the extra vacation was not so bad.

Do animals have something to teach us? What is it?

I think that animals do have many things that they could teach us if we pay attention to them. For example we have the colony of ants. These little insects work really and they work together to accomplish great things. Not only that they plan for the future storing food before every winter. We can definitely learn about being wise and work in teams from the little ants. Recently a bird made a nest under the roof of my house. The place where the bird chooses to make the nest was on top of the lamp just outside house next to the door. As it turns out this is a very difficult place to build a nest. The bird keep bring the material to build the nest and the material kept falling. I do not know how many weeks it this bird to build the nest but the fact is that the bird eventually completed the nest. A couple of week later there were a couple of eggs in the nest. From this I learn that with determination and hard work anything can be done even if something seems impossible. Even more important is that when you have people you care about you should do everything in your power to help them. Another amazing thing about the bird was that every time someone opened the door it would fly away. However the bird would not go too far. It would actually stay very close by to keep an eye on the nest. Again this shows that if you acre for someone you should always keep an eye on them, to protect them and help them.

Write about the things you do when you are procrastinating?

When it comes to procrastinating I do many different activities. When I am procrastinating I usually will surf the web. I will log on to my page in Myspace and in Facebook. I will spend a few minutes browsing through my friends profiles and may be comment on their photos. I also usually will go to Yahoo to check on the news for the day. Another one of my activities while I am procrastinating is watching a TV show or a movie. Many times I am studying real hard and some one turn on the TV and so it happens there is one of my favorite movies playing. I usually will also go out with my friends and maybe go watch a movie or go eat at a restaurant. Sometimes I also decide to work out a little bit while am procrastinating. One of my favorite activities I have while I procrastinate is sleeping. Studying Electrical Engineering can be really exhausted. Many times I have come home with many assignments to work on. Even though I know I need to work on these assignments I always decide to take a 5-10 minute nap that turns in to a 2 hour nap. What is worst is that a night I even more tired. You would think that after sleeping a couple of hours during the day I would be able to stay awake longer at night but that is not usually the case, sadly.

Describe a very, very hot day.

Just the other day I experienced one of the hottest days in my life. I started driving from school to work and the digital thermometer in my car read 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat was unbearable. Being inside my car felt like being on an oven with wheels. I opened the window of my car to let some cool air in. To my surprise the air out side was almost just as hot as the air inside the car. I could feel drops of sweat running down my face; In fact I could feel drops of sweat running down my whole body. At times it was even a bit hard to breathe. The air felt very thick and warm. Since I was on the road at that time, things just got works. It felt like all those driving (including my self) where just adding to the temperature with the heat from our car engines. The sun was very bright, there was no wind. What made it worst was he fact that it was not even the middle of the day year. All that came to my mind while I was driving was that I did not want to go to work and that I wanted to go to the beach instead.

Describe living for a week without your cell phone

Just four years ago, I use to think that I did not really need a cell phone. In fact, I got my until my freshman year in college. Somehow I managed to go thru high school with out ever needing a cell phone. College was a different story; every time I wanted to meet with my friends I could not locate them. It was then that I decided that it was time for me to get a cell phone. The cell phone has become a very important part in my life with out me realizing it. I hardly can spend a day with out my cell phone. Even just a few hours are too much time to be without a cell phone. If I go an entire week without a cell phone I would almost go crazy. I would be a bit desperate and I would like to use other means of contact the important people in my life. I would really get frustrated. I would feel like not having a cell hone would somehow disconnect me from my family and friends, especially friends since I don’t see them as often as I see family. I am sure I would be emailing a lot and use social site such as my space to try and keep in touch with all my friends. It is hard to believe that a small electronic device could have such an impact in someone’s life.

Write a letter as yourself to the child you were at age 10.

Dear Victor Mendez
First of all you should get a translator to read this letter since you do not read, write nor speak English yet. In just a couple of year many great changes will come to your life, some are good and some are bad. I think the best thing you can do at this moment in your life is enjoy your last couple years of your child hood. Don worry about growing up and learning how to drive or getting a job so that you can earn money. You should enjoy this carefree life you have at the moment and just have fun. However, keep studying hard and if you can study even harder. Every time you have an opportunity to learn something new go for it, you never know when it might come in handy. Enjoy the beautiful city you live in. Take a time to relax and appreciate the suppleness of the life in Ciudad Barrios. You should also try to visit your grandparents, aunts and uncles more often. If you can maybe try and learn some English, at least some basic vocabulary. If you can take hiking trip to the mountains and just enjoy the beautiful landscape of San Miguel. You live in a beautiful place full with pleasant people. Enjoy every minute you have in lovely Ciudad Barrios.

Describe the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.

The most embarrassing that has happened was when I accidentally spill a soda all over my pants. What made it really embarrassing was where, when and in front of whom it happened. I was in the middle of my freshmen year in high school. One week end I was set to go on a fieldtrip with the Early Identification Program, EIP. In this program I met students from school all round Fairfax, Arlington and Falls Church. I was exited to spend some time with friends from my high school and my friend from EIP. In our way to a museum in Washington DC, I decided to open one of my snacks for the day. I bought a large bag of Skittles for the trip. The bag seemed to be sealed very tight so when I forced it open, Skittles flew all the way around the front of the bus. It was very embarrassing but thankfully everyone helped me clean up. Sadly my misfortunes were just beginning. I was a bit thirsty so I open the soda I brought along for the trip. After a couple sips I put the cap back in the soda and put the soda inside my backpack. After about 30 minutes we finally arrived at the museum in Washington DC. I looked at the bottom of my seat and noticed that it was all wet. I picked at my backpack and it was soaking wet. I was really mad. My rage turned to embarrassment when I noticed that the right side and the back side of my pants were also wet. For about 3 hours I walked around the museum looking like I had urinated in my pants.

What do you do when you get home from work?

If everything went according to plan, after I get home from work at 7:40 PM, I would eat dinner, and rest for about 10 to 15 minutes. I would do some reading for my physics class and also check the website for my English class for any new updates. I would also take the time to check myspace page and facebook to see if there is anything new. However, in my life I find it difficult to do anything according to plan. Most of the time, I start correctly eating my dinner. Many times as I am eating my dinner I tend to look at the TV and I usually find a good movie that I want to watch. After 2 hours I realize that I did not follow my schedule so I must stay awake for a couple of extra hours just to finish my work. A similar situation happens if I decide to check my myspace and facebook profiles. With out noticing I spend 2 hours in front of my computer wasting my time. This means extra hours to finish any school work. Lately however I have found it easier to follow my schedule and keep up with things. I am hoping that once I graduate I can actually have a more normal life with out worrying too much and actually have some free time for myself.

Respond to the quote: “Memory is our favorite form of time travel.”

Well memory is not only our favorite form of time travel but also our only form of time travel, so far. I think that this quote is actually very true. I do not think there is not a single person in the world who does not contemplate his or her past at one time or another. I often find myself thinking about my life and how it was 10 or 15 years ago. I often take long trips down memory lane to a time when life was very different for me. As an engineer student at Mason I often get very stressed out with all the work. Many times in the middle of my stress I start thinking about my childhood. I think about my once care free life. I think about the time when homework, was not as long and not as hard as it is today. Many times I found myself in a familiar problem so I take a look back at my memories and I try to figure out how I solved the problem before so that I can manage to solve it in the present.
I think memories bring back unique experiences with in a person’s past. This is the reason why many people at one time or another will think about their past. This is the reason why memory is not only our favorite form of time travel but our only one. It is one thing to see an event of the past, but a different thing to actually relieve it. I think memory is the only way we can relieve our past experiences.

Remember the first time that you ever went to the library. Describe your impressions of the experience. (Freewrite, 10 minutes.)

I think the actual first time I went to the library I was in the second grade. I was back in El Salvador so the experience of going to a library over there is different from the library experience here in the United States. I remember I was working on a project about volcanoes with one of my best friends. We went to the town library to look for some book that would give us some useful information. When I went inside I was overwhelm to see many selves full of books. I though to myself that I would never find the information I was looking for. What was also scary is that I saw students in there that were from 8th and 9th grade. There where even some students who were maybe even senior in high school. I felt out of place to see many people older than me looking around for books. In El Salvador the libraries do not have an advance system for storing the information about books, at least not I the time when I was in second grade. My friend and I went to the front desk and ask one of the receptionists for help. Lucky for us there was a section with in the library with books that were at hour level of education. At the end my friend and I were able to find all the information we were looking for. Form that day on, I looked forward to projects that involved coming to the library. (Until I became a teenager and lost interest in books)

list of metaphors that relate to the computer interface

Mouse
Scrolling
Window
Keyboard
Close Window
Open Window
Pointer
Zoom in
Zoom out
Mouse Click
Input
Output
Delete
Undo
Repeat
Cut
Paste

Computer have with out a doubt have made an impact on our writing. The most obvious effect of this impact is that know writing is a lot easier for everyone. A few decades ago it might have been hard for someone who had poor hand writing to develop good written communication skills. Having legible handwriting is still very important, even today. However the computer has made it easier for many more people to develop better written communication skills.
The computer has also impacted the way we think. The computer helps in organizing our though better. For example when some one is writing a research paper, they could easily have all the information in their computer rather than in a table full of books. In a way the computer has made it easier for us to think since we do no longer have to worry too much on gathering information.

Free Write

It is hard to realize that my college experience is almost over when I still feel like it has just begun. After I graduated high school I joined a program known as the Student Transition Empowerment Program also so known as STEP. This program was designed to help students make the transition from high school to college. Many of my good friends from high school were also in the program so it was a very fun and interesting experience. The program consisted in taking to summer classes while living on campus at George Mason University. The program was to last about eight weeks; the full duration of the summer classes. The program paid for the tuition, the housing, the books and the food. All we had to worry about was making sure we passed the classes and that we actively participated in activities design to help prepare for college life. Before I knew it my experience with the STEP was over. I started my fall semester on 2005 and I fully embarked in my college voyage. Six semester and three years later I realize that in lest than a year I will be graduating and that a new chapter in my life will be written. I confess that I am scared of the fact of finally leaving school and starting a professional life. On the other hand, I am very happy to realize that all my hard work and sacrifice will soon pay off.

Free Write

Finally she is here, after nine months of waiting my niece was born. She is a very especial baby to my family. My family consists of 5 brothers and 1 sister. My sister and 2 of my brothers already have a few kids. However until now, I only had nephews. I did not mind having only nephews but for a long time everyone on my family wanted a baby girl. When my brother told me that his wife was pregnant with a baby girl I was overjoyed with the news. For a couple of week my sister in law said that she was having some pains as if the baby was about to be born. However, every time she went to the hospital they told her it was not time yet. On Saturday June 28, my sister in law began to have some major pains and she again went to the hospital. Again, the doctors told my sister in law that it was not time for the baby to be born but it would be soon. She came to our housed and stayed overnight. She was home all day Sunday until the afternoon. At that time she began having pains again so she went to the hospital. This time the doctors conformed that the baby was going to be born around 8:00 PM or 8:30 PM. My brother contacted me so I went to the hospital. I was there for about 40 minutes when my sister told me that my niece had been born. I came in the room and saw the cuties, tiniest human being. I could not believe my eyes when I saw my little nice crying and moving. After she had been cleaned and she had some clothes on, I carried my baby niece and gave her big “welcome to the family.”

FREEWRITE (10 mins) Think of a time when you had to teach something to someone (academic subject, hobby, on the job, etc.). What were your objectives?

There was a time when I try to help my sister with her math homework. I tried to teach my sister the methods she could use to solve each problem. It was actually very challenging because to me each of the methods I taught her was very logical. I have always been good at math and my sister is almost the complete opposite. To me some simple math procedure was basically common senesce but to my sister everything that I was teaching her was extremely difficult. My approach of being tough and actually yelling at her when she did not understand something that to me was very simple was a complete failure. As a teacher I think I have a long way to go before I can pass whatever knowledge I have to someone else. My impression from the experience was that being a teacher is more difficult than what it seems. That experience helped me realize how different people can se and understand the world around them. Teacher is a unique profession that only a few people can perform. I have had my share of bad and good teacher in my academic a career. Some times I think there are people out there teaching that should never be allowed to step into a classroom to teach. I am hoping that one day I learn to pass my knowledge to other people effectively. I plan to someday be a teacher once I have retired from being an Electrical Engineer.

The Future

It’s the 21st century and many people around the world wonder about the future of mankind. Will the world come to and end? Will we human beings learn to work together and live peacefully? I myself often wonder on these questions. The 20th century was filled with problems and conflicts. The 21st century comes with its own problems and conflicts. I once saw a movie that gave a small but yet very inspiring message. We can not all be a Franklin Delano Roosevelt or a John F Kennedy or an Albert Einstein but I think that we can all do a little to help our world become a better place so that we can have a future as a race. The message I saw in the movie was that we should try to always do an ARK, Act of Random Kindness. Though I think it sound very cheesy it is a very important message. Why try to take on the difficult task of changing the entire world when we could easily change the small world around us. There are brothers who need help with their homework, moms who need help with cleaning and many other people with small needs and problems that we could easily help solve. I firmly think that everyone should strive to be a better person by helping those around him or her. This might no ensure a brighter future for the entire human race but it is a small step towards that goal.

Time

It’s been 10 years since I came to the United States from El Salvador. Even though I am thankful for living in the United States I do miss my beloved home land. For some reason I feel like in El Salvador life is more relaxing. In the United States, everything revolves around time. You have to get to work on time, you have to be at school on time, you have to turn your assignments on time, and you have to go to the doctor at a specific time; everything has to be done at a specific time. I think that is the reason I find that times moves very quickly here in the United States and before you know it you are no longer an 11 year old kid but a 21 year old college student soon to be an Electrical Engineer. In El Salvador people do not put too much importance on time. They wake up in the morning eat break fast and go to work, similar to here the United States however people over there never rush. You will rarely see people watching their clock constantly worrying about been late. This does not mean people don’t organize their lives according to time. School and some jobs do start at a specific time. People just tend to worry about doing what they have to do and not worry about when things are due. It might sound crazy but thing tend to work very well and everything seems to fall into place at the right time.

World Cup

If there is one event that truly captures the attention of the world it is indeed the soccer World Cup tournament. Since it was founded back in the 1930s the World Cup has brought great excitement to people around the world. The first few tournaments only featured a small group of national teams and these teams were usually invited to the tournament. Today the World Cup has evolved into one of the biggest events of the planet. World Cup is held every four years with 32 teams from around the world competing for the title of champions of the world. The World Cup is usually help sometime in June or July in a host country that has been picked with years in advanced. In really the World Cup begins a couple of years before the actual final tournament with the 32 teams. The World Cup qualifying games take place in the two years prior to the World Cup. During the World Cup qualifying matches countries around the world play in their respective region to gain a ticket to go to the World Cup. People around the world follow their national teams closely in hopes that their team will make it to the World Cup final rounds.

The Early Identification Program, EIP

I am less than a year away from my graduation. Over the past 3 years I have worked hard to get the best grades and I have made lots of scarifies; such as having very minimal social life. However when I think about it in a little more than a year I will be working as a professional making a decent amount of money. If it was not for the Early Identification program my life would be very different today. I speculate that I would have been working for about 3 years know as a mechanic or electrician. I could be making a decent amount of money but I would really have to work for it. I am really glad that the early identification program showed me the way, so that I could go to college. The EIP is a program that helps First Generation College students go to college. This program helps the students and the parents learn everything that needs to be done in order for the student to be accepted into a college or university. The program does not guarantee the student will make it to college. The students have to put effort in doing everything they learn through the EIP so that they can get accepted to a college or university. The EIP has been active for more than 20 years and has helped hundred students reach their dream of receiving a higher education.

School and Work

Ever since I was a junior in High School, I have been working and studying at the same time. It has been great to be independent from my parents. However, having to work has taken a toll on my academic performance. While I was in High school I did not have to work, but I chose to do it just to have extra cash in my pockets and help my parents. Once I reached college it was an entire different story. I was able to get scholarships to pay for my tuition but there are many other expenses that still need to be paid. Many times I found my self working 20 to 25 hours per week; with travel time this could add up to 30 hours per week. Because of my jobs I don’t have as much time as I would like to study. My engineering classes are time demanding. Many times I have found myself sleeping only about 4 hours which just makes things worst. If I had the resources I would stop working and just concentrate on my studies. My grade point average has steadily declining as the classes get tougher and I spend less time studying because of my job.

annotations, 3 sources

Richard Akers, January, 2008 "New Tidal Power Research Initiative at Maritime Academy"
New York, United States: Marine Technology and SNAME News
This article reports of a new initiative at Maine Maritime Academy to develop a test facility for new tidal power technologies. Overall this article gives important information about the current interest in tidal technology. This article will be an extremely useful source to show that the interest in developing and testing tidal technologies is growing.

Anonymous, May 1999 Catch a Wave
United States: "Today’s Science on File"
This article gives detail on the power that resides within the ocean tides and currents. It also gives details on the types of technologies that have been develop or are in the process of being developed to harness the power of the ocean. The information in this article is very insightful. However there are other sources that have more details and that are more current.

Anonymous, December 2004 "Tidal Turbines: A new Spin on Power Production"
United States: Today's Science On File
This article is about the future installation of tidal turbines in New York’s East River. The article goes into some detail in terms on how much power the turbines will provide the city of New York. This article has good information but since it is a bit outdated it is not a reliable source. According to some other sources, the turbines that this article talks about have already been active for a couple of years.

annotations, 4 sources

Jeff L Brown, 2001 "Tidal Turbines to capture ocean’s energy"
New York, New York United States: Civil Engineering
This article is about the tidal turbines and harnessing the power of tides and currents. It speculates on the ability to install the tidal turbines on bridges where tidal currents are very strong. Overall this source is very short and to the point. It gives a brand new perspective in terms of the installation of tidal turbines.

Anonymous, 2001 "Tidal shift"
Washington United States: Environment
This article gives very critical information about tidal turbines. It states how tidal turbine technology is better at harnessing tidal power than previous tidal technologies. This article seems like a very insightful source. It provides detail on how much power a farm of tidal turbines can produce. It also suggests other uses for tidal turbines besides just generating electricity.

Anonymous, 2002 "British Government funds tidal power"
United Kingdom: Appropriate technology
This brief article informs about how the British Government has funded the research of tidal power technologies. This article is a very good source because it tells how the British Government is willing to invest on the research for alternative, renewable sources of energy.

L S Blunden and A S Bahaj, 2007 "Tidal Energy resource assessment for tidal stream generators"
Southampton, United Kingdom: IMeachE This article is an assessment of the resources available for tidal stream generators. It goes into details about the different requirements needed for tidal technology to work efficiently. Unlike the other sources this source goes very deep in terms of what is needed for tidal technologies to work effectively. This gives a new perspective and shows that a tidal power requires a lot of planning.

annotations, 3 sources

Bret Lortie, 2003 A new wave of energy
Chicago Illinois, United States: Bulletins of the Atomic Scientist
This article reports a brief over view on tidal power and how it can be used as alternative sources of energy. This article gives good general information on how much power tidal turbines can generate. It also tells on how tidal turbines have little effect on the environment.

Anonymous, July 20, 2007 Turbine seeks to turn tide
United Kingdom: The Engineer
This article tells about a new design for a tidal turbine in the United Kingdom. It also tells that because of the lack of support from the government for this new design, the developers might seek support from other countries like the United States. This source provides good information in terms the development of tidal technologies. It also shows one of the challenges of this new technology which is the lack of support from the government.

R.F. Nicholls-Lee and S.R. Turnock, 2008 Tidal energy extradition: Renewable, sustainable and predictable
Northampton, United Kingdom: Science Progress
This article gives a lot of detail about tidal power. It describes in detail the science behind tides. It also list site around the world that where tidal power can be harness efficiently. Overall this article is an extremely useful source since it contains a lot of information about tidal power.

Annotations of 5 sources

Anonymous, May 7, 2007 Bristow Channel Turbines could be operating in two years
United Kingdom: The Engineer
Report on how tidal turbines could be installed in the Bristol Channel and provide electricity the United Kingdom with in two years. This source is helpful because it shows how tidal turbine could be used in actual practice. It also goes into some details on the design of the tidal turbines.

Anonymous, Mar 19, 2008 Tidal Turbines should soon supply the grid
United Kingdom: The Engineer
Report on the installation of the first commercial grid-connected tidal turbine. This source show how obtaining energy forms the tides is actually becoming a reality. It also tells of the difficulties that come when installing the turbines because of shortages in supplies or bad weather.

Cammy Clark, Nov 12, 2007 Keys man's dream: Harnessing the tides
Miami Florida, United States: Miami Herald
This article reports of a pioneering project in Florida to harness the power from the tides. This source is very informative because it gives some details on what the United States is doing/not doing to harness tidal power. It also goes into some detail in terms of coast and possible power output from tidal turbine farms.

Peter L Frankel, 2006 Tidal Current Energy Technologies
Bristol, United Kingdom: Marine Current Turbine Limited
This paper goes into detail about current tidal technologies. It gives a brief history, strengths and weakness, and environmental of tidal technologies. This source provides insightful information about current tidal technologies.

Anthony T. Jones & Adam Westwood, 2005 Power from the oceans
Maryland, United States: The Futurist
This article gives a general report on alternative sources of energy from the ocean which includes tidal power. The article gives a lot of useful information but some of it does not relate to my topic. Nevertheless the information in this article about my topic is useful since it talks about some of the challenges of tidal technologies.

Research Topic

For my research topic, I will looking at alternative sources of energy. Though there are many aletnative sources or energy, most of them provide enough enegry to stop us from depending on fossil fuels and nuclear power. Recently a new idea for an alternative source of energy has been proposed and it is in the prosses of testing. This method of obtaining energy is to use underwater turbines that use ocean currents to generate electricity. These methods looks very promising and if it works according to theory in the near future it could become one of our major sources of energy.

Types of Writing in Electrical Engineering

In Electrical Engineering the most common types of writing are technical papers or documents and reports. Usually the technical papers will be filled with acronyms that the reader must be familiar with in order to understand the message of the documents. The documents are intended for an audience with high level of understanding in Electrical Engineering. Reports also include a high level of sophistications; again the reader is expected to be familiar with complex concepts with in Electrical Engineering.

A more formal type of writing is also found with in Electrical Engineering. Many times Electrical have to write reports to supervisors or clients that are not familiar with the technical aspects of engineering. This reports or documents have to be well written with explanation of technical terns when ever necessary.
Being able to effectively communicate through writing is a trait that all engineers have to develop in order ton work more efficiently.

Visual Porfolio

Victor Manuel Mendez

vmendez1@gmu.edu

Eng 302-BN6 (Natural Science) Online Course

Professor Mel Nichols

Visual Project

Introduction

My name is Victor Mendez and I am a senior at George Mason University. I am seeking a major in Electrical Engineering and I am planning to graduate on May 2009. Currently I am not seeking a minor however I am interested in getting a minor in Mathematics. If I chosen to go for minor in Mathematics then my graduation will be postpone until December 2009. I chose Electrical engineering because I have always been interested in electronics and applications of electricity in general.

My current career goals are to gain experience through internships before I graduate and after graduation find a gratifying job that will enhance my knowledge. After I graduate I would like to either work for the government or in the private sector. I would also like my future job to be related to the development and testing of new technology. I also plan to seek my master’s degree after getting my bachelors. I want to start working towards my masters as soon as I graduate. I am hoping that my future job will help me pay the tuition cost of the master’s degree.

Here is some back ground information on me. I am 21 years old and I am from El Salvador. I came to the United States when I was 11 years old. I have a big family composed of 5 brothers including myself and one sister. I happen to be the first person out of my family to go to college and soon the first one to get a bachelors degree. I hope my younger brother and my younger cousins follow my steps into s successful life. I firmly believe that the United States is the country of opportunities and one of the keys to success is a good education.

Briefing on the kind of visual information used in Electrical Engineering

Purpose: The purpose of this briefing is to give a general overview of the types visual representation of information used in Electrical Engineering

Background: Electrical Engineers are at the front line of innovation in technology. Electrical Engineers usually work in teams with people having background in other fields of engineering and people with no background on engineering. Good communication is vital in these teams for the completion of projects and overall goals. The most common types of visual representation of information used in Electrical Engineering are circuit diagrams, structural diagrams, graphs and videos.

· Circuit Diagrams: Circuit diagrams are used mainly on lab reports. These give the reader a better idea of how the circuit works and how parts are connected together. Complicated circuits are studied more effectively by separating them into different parts and displaying them as separate diagrams. Circuit diagrams usually appear at the beginning of a presentation/lab report to serve as a guide.

· Structural Diagrams: In my current internship I have come across structural diagrams. The diagrams are used to show and simplify the connection between two systems. For example, a structural diagram will show how a satellite communicates with a ground station. Structural diagrams can come at the beginning, middle or end of a presentation. These diagrams also help the reader/audience understand how the two systems work together.

· Graphs: Many times I have preformed a lab and taken tons of data for a circuit. To show the characteristics of the circuit, the data is plotted in a graph to display any relationships. For example, a graph can help demonstrate a linear relationship between current and voltage. Graphs can be found anywhere with in a presentation where there is a table with data that needs to be interpreted or analyzed.

· Videos: Videos are a very useful visual representation of information in Electrical Engineering. Videos are used to show how to set up experiments, to show how a particular device works and to show the completion of a particular project. Videos are highly preferred in presentation because the technical aspects of what is being presented become easy to understand. Usually a video will be shown at the end of the presentation, as a tool to pull the entire presentation together.

Current Status: In project presentations in Electrical Engineering, like a senior design project, most of the above aids will be used. Electrical Engineers work on complex projects that have distinct parts such circuitry, building component, data fathering and data analysis. The preferred presentation for such projects is power point presentations where all the visual aids can be incorporated with ease.

Conclusion: In Electrical Engineers, the most common types of visual representation of information are circuit diagrams, structural diagrams, graphs and videos. Electrical Engineers work in teams which can include people with backgrounds on other engineering fields and people with no background on engineering. Good communication within the team is vital for project completion. Visual representations of information provide a good aid to enhance a presentation with in a team of engineers and non-engineers.

Briefing on some current topics in Electrical Engineering

Purpose: The purpose of this briefing is to give a general overview of some current topics in Electrical Engineering

Background: To day Electrical Engineer have the opportunity to work on various different types of innovative projects. As the world advances into an age where technological advancements make our lives easier, Electrical Engineers put their innovative minds to work. Some current topics in Electrical Engineering are energy, communication systems and embedded computers.

· Energy: One of the most imperative issues in Electrical engineering and the world is energy. Without energy the world would plunges into a new Dark Age. The supply of non-renewable sources of energy will soon start to deplete. It is of most importance for new renewable sources of energy to be developed. Already there are many alternatives sources of energy that are being consider. However many of these sources do not provide the sufficient energy to meet the demands. Electrical Engineers along with other engineers and scientist need to work to improve current alternative sources of energy and come up with new ones.

· Communication Systems: Today the world demands faster flow of information. Every day teams of electrical engineers work to upgrade and come up with better communication systems. There are always satellites and ground networks that need to be upgrades in order to ensure efficient and faster communication. Communication systems can be found in areas such news, weather forecast, wireless phone networks and global positioning systems.

· Embedded Computers: Looking at the world today, computers are found everywhere. Essentially every electronic device as a small computer embedded inside. It is of great importance that these embedded computers and computers in general become more efficient. Examples where computers play a major part are cars, airplanes, televisions, cell pones and hand held music players.

Current Status: Electrical Engineers play an important role in our present society. Electrical Engineers can be found working in power plants, satellite systems, electronics design, and many other areas.

Conclusion: Thanks to the effort of Electrical Engineers technology keeps advancing making our lives easier. Electrical Engineers work in many areas that have a direct impact on us. Some current issues in Electrical Engineering are energy, communication systems and embedded computers. Next time there is a new the technological advancement such as a new cell phone or a faster computer, it is guaranteed that Electrical Engineers play an important part in the development of the new technology.

Proposal: Learning about the Global Positioning System, GPS

The Global Positioning System also known as GPS has come to play an important role in our daily lives. Every time some one uses an application such as google maps, mapquest or navigation systems device, they are essentially using the GPS. It is important that everyone who uses GPS directly or indirectly knows how the GPS works. Just like learning the basics on how to use a computer is essential to everyone, people should also have a general idea about other innovative technologies such as the GPS.

Having knowledge of Global Positioning System is important to anyone who travels constantly, anyone who owns a navigation systems or a smart-phone with Global Positioning System features. In today world almost everyone has come across the navigation system device. But how does it work? Is it a magic box or is there more to it? The audience for this visual project is anyone who owns devices that use the GPS but also anyone seeking to expand their knowledge on technology in general.

The best way to show how the GPS works is to show the diagrams of the different parts that compose it. The first diagram will show the type of satellite that makes up the GPS network. The second diagram will show GPS satellite network with satellites and their respective orbits. Another diagram can help explain how the network is divided into different sectors and how the satellites in each sector work together to male the GPS more efficient. The final diagrams will show the ground stations or devices that received the information form the GPS satellites.

The diagrams can either be presented using full poster boards or a power point presentation. The power point presentation will be the most likable choice to be used in this presentation. It does not take long to come up with a power point presentation and the diagrams can expanded to whatever necessary size to show any important details. To best show the details of the GPS in the diagrams, it would be best to use pictures from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA. Many resources can be found at the NASA website, and other websites dedicated to space technologies, that can help with describing the GPS system.

To show how the GPS satellite network works with diagrams will ensure the audience gets a clear picture in their minds. Most people do know not how map-quest or google maps get aerial pictures and detail maps of the places where they want to travel. The diagrams will make the complex GPS network more understandable and simple. People will be able to understand what happens at the other end of a navigation system. Overall the audience will learn to appreciate the technology that makes up the Global positioning System.

Visual: The Global Positioning System

Use the following link to view Visual Project

http://www.slideshare.net/MrMendez007/victor-mendez-visual-project-group-2/

Short Business Letter:

4013 Lassen Ct

Alexandria, VA 22312

June 17, 2008

George Mason University

Eng 302 Online Course

Dear English 302 Classmates,

Today the world is filled with exiting innovative technology. Thanks to innovative technologies our lives become easier and free of hassle. It is important how ever that the technology should not be taken for granted. We should make an effort to have a basic understanding how technology works I have created a visual representation of information to help you understand how the Global Positioning System, GPS works. The GPS is a network of satellites that was created with military purposes but that has come to have a great impact on the lives of ordinary people. Thanks to the GPS you no longer have to buy large, confusing maps when you go on a road trip. All you need is your navigation system that uses the GPS network to lead you towards your desired destination. If you are interested in learning basic information about the GPS feel free to take a look at my visual presentation

Sincerely,

Victor Mendez

Section for Questions and Comments:

Proposal: Gobal Positioning System Satellite Network

A. Statement of Problem and Target Audience (1 paragraph)

Today I will talk about the Global Positioning System also know as GPS. It is important that we know how the Global Positioning System work because it has become a vital part of our lives. The Global Positioning System has made innovations like google maps, map-quest and navigation systems possible.

B. Detailed Description of the Target Audience (1 paragraph)

Having knowledge of Global Positioning System is important to anyone who travels constantly or anyone who owns a navigation systems or a smart-phone with Global Positioning System features.

C. Proposed Visual Project with Application and Purpose/Usefulness for Target Audience (1 paragraph)

The best way to show the system works to show the diagrams of the different parts that compose it. First, the diagram of the type of satellite that makes up the Global Position System Network. Second, a diagram of the full Global Positioning System satellite network, that show how many satellites are used and the orbits of the satellites. This diagram can help explain how the network is divided into different sectors the role that the orbits of the satellites play to make the network efficient.

D. Plan of Activities--This should include how the visual will be distributed, used, encountered, marketed, etc. (1 paragraph)

The diagrams can either be presented using full poster boards or a power point presentation. The power point presentation will be the most likeable choice to be used in this presentation. It does not take long to come up with a power point presentation and the diagrams can expanded to whatever necessary size to show any important details.

E. Evaluation (how will you assess the impact of your project if you were to implement it--1 short paragraph)

To show how the Global Positioning System satellite network works with diagrams will ensure the audience gets a clear picture in their minds. Most people do know not how map-quest or google maps get aerial pictures and detail maps of the places where they want to travel. The diagrams will make the complex Global Positioning System network more understandable and simple. People will be able to understand what happens at the other end of a navigation system. Overall the audience will appreciate the technology that makes up the Global positioning System.

briefing on the kind of visual information used your field

Circuit Diagrams: Circuit diagrams are used mainly on the labs reports. The diagrams give the reader a better idea of how the circuit works and how parts are connected together. Complicated Circuits can be study more effectively by separating in to different parts and displaying the parts as separate diagrams. Circuit diagrams are usually used at the beginning of a presentation/lab report to serve as a guide to the reader.

Structural Diagrams: In the internship where I am working I have come across structural diagrams. The diagrams are use to show and simplify the connection between two systems. For example a structural diagram will show how a satellite will communicate and relay information to a ground station and how the station processes the information. Structural Diagrams can either come at the beginning, the middle or at the presentation. These structural diagrams can also help the reader/audience understand how the two systems work together.

Graphs: Many times I have preformed a lab and taken tons of data for a circuit. To show the characteristics of the circuit the data is plotted in a graph to display any relationships. For example a graph can be help in showing a linear relationship between current and voltage. Graphs will usually come after tables full of data to be interpret the data in the table.

Videos: Videos are a very useful visual representation of information in electrical engineering. Videos are used to show demonstrations how set up an experiment, to show how a particular device works and to show the completion of a particular project. Videos are highly preferred in presentation because the technical aspects of what is being presented can be made easy to understand. Usually a video will be show at the end of the presentation, as a tool to pull the entire presentation together into a final result.

Visual representations of information related to Electrical Engineering

The following are the most common types of visual representation of information used in electrical engineering.

Circuit Diagrams, Structural Diagrams, Graphs and Videos

Survey of Current Topics in Your Field

Topics
1)alternative sources: Solar Energy/Solar Panels, Underwater Turbines

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/12/nyregion/12mayor.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Underwater+Turbines&st=nyt&oref=slogin

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103BF933A25754C0A9629C8B63&scp=1&sq=Underwater+Turbines&st=nyt

2) World Fastest Computer:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=5028546

3) Electric Cars

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=4991666&page=1

http://www.kentucky.com/101/story/428302.html

http://www.aptera.com/

briefing

To day Electrical Engineer have many opportunities to work on various different types of projects. As the world advances into an age where technological advancements make our lives easier, Electrical Engineers put their innovative minds to work. One of the most imperative issues in the world today is energy. With out energy the world plunges into anew Dark Age. With non-renewable sources of energy become scares everyday, it is of most importance for new, renewable sources of energy to be developed. Already there are many alternatives sources of energy that are being consider. How ever many of these sources do not provide the sufficient energy to meet the demands. Electrical Engineers along with other engineers and scientist need to work to improve current alternative sources of energy or come up with new ones.

Electrical Engineers also work in areas as communication system and computer design. Today the world demands faster communications was well as reliable computers. Every day teams of electrical engineers work hard to come up with better communication systems. There are always satellites and ground networks that need to be upgrades in order to ensure efficient and fast communication.

Looking at the world today, computers are found everywhere. Essentially every electronic device as a small computer embedded inside. It is of great importance that these embedded computers and computers in general become more efficient. Examples where computers play a major part are cars, airplanes, televisions, cell pones and entertainment devices such as iPods. Anywhere where a technological advancement is made, electrical engineers are working behind the scenes.

Writing Goals and Aspirations (freewrite, 10 minutes)

I know that I am not that great of a writer and I hope that this class will help me improve. Learning English as a second language was hard and even though I consider myself fluent in English and Spanish, there is s till a lot for me to learn. I want to be able to write papers more efficiently. Many times when I have to write a paper I feel like I am forced to do something I don’t want to. I want to be able to write a paper and enjoy the experience. As an engineer student I have to write lots of lab reports. I am hoping that English 302 will help me develop appropriate skills to write technical papers such as lab reports. Interms of my future career goals I want to be eable to communicate efficiently and professionally. I don’t want to be the guy who has a degree but he does not know how to write a simple report or worst yet a proper email. I know for a facts that most employers always seek individuals with good writing and verbal communication skills. Hopefully English 302 will help polish my skills to a decent level of writing competency. Personally I jjust want to be a better writer overall. English has always been the class I struggle with more. I don’t want to struggle with writing papers anymore.

Summary of Peer Feedback on Memoir (150-250 words)

The peer feedback for my memoir was very help in showing me where I made the greatest mistakes. I am not that greater of a writer and people always catch stuff I do not see even after I read through my papers. I think all the feedback was very useful and I do not think there is anything I would like to ignore. I specially like the feedback on how in I could use information form the second paragraph and incorporate it in my introduction. I also will try to use one story and describe it in detail and just mentioned the others as support of the main one. I also like the fact that one of my peers told me that the flow of my sentence is good at times. I will try to revise my paper so that the flow of my sentences is smoother. Another important mistake that my peers pointed out was the transition between paragraphs. I usually after I write and revise a paper I tend to always overlook my transition. I will take a closer look to see how I could improve my transitions between paragraphs. Overall all, the feedback was very useful and I’ll try to use as much of it as I can to improve my memoir.

What Are You Passionate About?

What I love about becoming an Electrical Engineer is the extensive possibilities that will be available. Electrical Engineer can be divided into 4 sub-parts or concentration. These four parts are Electronics, Control Systems, Signal processing and Computer engineering. As an electrical engineer I could work designing the next electronic device, more specifically I could be involved in the design of a new computer system. I could also work in satellite communication system, ground communication systems or radar systems. Finally I could also work on control system design which involved working with multiple parts of project. For example I could help design one satellite but in control system I could help design an entire network of satellites. Electrical Engineering will help me be involved in the design and testing of new technology. I am a fan of new gadgets and innovative technological advancvements. Electrical engineering will allow me to be part of the of group of people who are resposnsible for advancing our world into the future. The mere thought of this bring me great excitement.

Observation and Description Exercise

It was Sunday afternoon, when I finally decided to begin working on observation and description exercise. It was a bit hard to come up for a good place to do this assignment. At first I was going to do it in a car near my house, however the day was so hot and I did not want to spend one hour in the heat. I since I had to come to a meeting at the Fairfax Campus of George Mason, I decided to do my exercise in the Science and technology building 2. I choose the Peer Advising room in the second floor.

Usually the peer advising room is a very busy place, but in the summer and especially on a Sunday afternoon the hold building is like a ghost town. I came into the room and as I expected it was empty. I sat down next to one of the tables, got myself very comfortable and began observing. Tick, tock, tick, tock the sound of the clock hand ticking was the most obvious. I thought to myself, hearing the clock think is going to males this hour very long. I also picked up another very obvious sound, the humming of the air conditioning. I began to think that I made a mistake and picked the wrong place. Sooner or later I thought I would be sleeping.

I try it focus my mind and just observe my surrounding. The room was very bright and besides the humming and the ticks of the clock everything was very quiet. This is a very different scene from the weekdays during the regular semester. Usually the most common noises are the tying of the key boards, people chatting, music playing and cell phones ringing.

A few minutes into my hour of observation I hear a couple of extra noises. One sounded like the air condition but it was much louder and the other one was a clamping noise. Soon I realized that it was the water fountain out in the hall way. After the noise from the water fountain stopped it was back to the clock and the air conditioning. But then there was something else. I could hear the dangling of keys. I soon was also able to hear someone walking in the hall. I guess the building was not empty after all. I also caught the sound of doors opening every now and then. I could hear the sound of the elevator stopping and opening. I thought that sooner or later someone and ask me what I was doing.

I was a bit amazed at the fact that I could listen to the movements outside the room and even hear doors opening in the far side of the hall way. I soon realized that I my hour was over. In the mist o focusing on the other sounds I had completely ignored the ticks of the clock.

Autobiography of a Writer

I believe that I am a very poor writer. As it might be obvious from my blogs post, my writing is full of grammar mistakes, spelling errors and just not really creative in general. There are many reasons that have led me to become a poor writer. First of all English is my second language. Secondly, I never really liked writing too much though I know is necessary so I give it my best so that it is not horrible either. Finally my handwriting is really bad and I type very slowly, both of these discourage me from writing to often except when necessary.

Spanish is my first language and there a few differences in terms of the grammar structure between the two. I know Spanish very well in terns of speaking it but my grammar is not great either. I came to the United States when I was eleven. I was just beginning to learn to write with more complexity in Spanish when I stared to learn how to write and speak in English. I think this greatly affected my writing abilities both in English and Spanish.

That fact that I don’t enjoy writing very much, I think is a direct side effect of my typing and handwriting abilities. No matter how hard I have tried my handwriting does not seem to improve. I just hate when I look at the messy notes I have created after and important lecture. Secondly my typing skills are not too bad but not grade either. I tend to mostly use my right hand when typing and I mostly use only four fingers instead of using all ten. I am hoping to somehow improve both my typing and hand writing skills.

I am well aware of the importance of being an able writer. I am soon to be a professional and I really to not want to go into the real world being a poor writer. I am hoping than English 302 takes me a step closer to becoming a better writer.

Choose one event or person from day before and expand it (freewrite, 10 minutes)

MS Hortensia Cadenas has defently impacted my life but also the life of hundreds of other people who have come through the Early Identification program as students. The program started in 1987 how ever she has been the director of the program since 1989 or 1990, I can’t really recall correctly. Ms Cadenas came from Cuba some time in her youth and when she came to the United States one of the first goals she set for her self was to get a better education. She did get a degree from George Mason Unversity, again I can no recall the details. Since she became the director of EIP she has worked extremely hard so that every student that goes through EIP learns the importance of education beyond college. She has helped me and countless other by recommending us for scholarships. She is always meeting with people to try and get fundings to make EIP even better. The best thing about her is that she is never to busy to come and talk to you. When ever I see her she will greet me with the biggest smile and big hug. She is always interested in how I am doing at school. When I first started college she make sure I did not take to o many hard classes. Like I said before she is like a second mother to me. She is always willing to listen and help in anyway she can. Recently she got and award from George Mason, I think for being the best director of a program. She truly has done wonders with EIP and with the students. She is the kind of person who is very passionate about her job and just loves helping people.

Recent Dream (freewrite, 10 minutes)

Ok, for some reason when I was younger I remember that I use to have a lot of dreams and I was able to recall them without difficulty. However, as I have grown older I ten to have less and less dreams. I also don’t seem to be able to recall my dreams exactly. So let me write about a dream I remember very well from when I was around 12 or 13 years old. In my dream I was sitting down in my living room watching tv. It seem like it was a summer night and by the looks of it was around 10 or 11 at night. I remember going outside to a pitch black, star-less night. I tried to look for the moon, but it was not there. As I looked around I noticed that the street lights were very dim. Soon I was filled with a fear like no other. I could also feel the adrenaline rushing through my body. I looked up and out of the blackness from the sky came and extremely bright ball of light. This ball of light was very white and my first thought was that it was a comet. I saw it run across the balck sky and I noticed it crashed landed somewhere in the horizon. I was sitting in front of my house when I saw it hit. Soon there was something like an explosion. However out of the explosion came this white light that started spreading everywhere. It was comeing towards me making the black night bright as day. After that I woke up in my bed and it was time to go to school.

What did you see on your way here? (freewrite, 10 minutes)

On my way here I came through the hall inside my house, pass the bathrrom into my room. Before that I was in the living room eating some popcorn with my mother. There was the Spanish news channel and my dad was sitting down in the sofa infront of us. Before that I was talking a nap in my room after a long day at work. Coming from work takes me about an hour because of traffic. I worked all the way in herdon and even though it is a very highpaying job I hate the fact that I have to drive so much, especially with the high gas prices. On my way here I take the sortest way in terms of distance trhough some back roads. On my way home I passed a lot of traffics light more than 20 I think. It was very hot and I try to use the air conditioner in my car again beasue of the high gas prices. Well it seem that today there were more cars on the road than usual. I passed trhough Fairfax and to my right was a subway. I felt like stoping somewhere and just go out and buy a soda or ice cream since it was so hot. It was a very bright afternoon unlike the past couple of days when it was raining. When I got home I paked the car and I noticed that the grass is a bit hig. I noticed the red flower my mom planted, don’t remember their name but they look very nice. I also looked at some trees my parents planted a few years ago and they seem to have grown a lot since then.

#4 Three Significant Events (freewrite, 10 minutes)

Three significqant events in my life have been, coming to the united states, joing the early identification program, EIP and starting college. I came to the united states when I was eleven years old. Like many I came to the country illegally trhough the US and Mexico border. However since my mother had asylum I was able to gain legal status and just acouple of years ago I became a US citizen. Coming to the US at an early age open the door for me to get a better education. Joinging the EIP prohram helped me underatnd what I needed to know to getting into college. One of the first draw backs that first generation college bound students face is that they do not know how the system works. EIP helped me learn all that I needed to know to apply for colleges and scholarships. Bceasue of EIP I took advanced courses in high school. It was on my advanced physics class where I first comtemplated becoming an electrical engineer. I remember that we started learning about electricity. I though the topic was very cool and interesting. I asked my professor what did was studying before he became a teacher and he said was was trying to become an electrical engineer. Starting college was also very important event for me. This was the culmination of all my hard work in high school. I am the fisrt of my family to attend college and I am really proud of that. I want to be the first to not only graduate but to also go beyond to get a masters degree and possible a Phd.

#3 Three Significant People (freewrite, 10 minutes)

Three significant people in my life? I would have to choose my older brother Jose, Mrs Cadenas, and my mother.

My brother has always been a very hard working individual. Since he was in high school he always tried to the best and work dilegintly. While he was in high school he also had a full time job, and he still manages to get A’s and B’s. After he graduated he started to work as and Air condition and heat technitian. He was always coming home all tired and messy. He would let his hair and bear grow out of control cause he was always to busy working to get a haircut or shave. He eventually made his own company as an AC and Heat technitian. His determination was what inspired me to got to collge and become and professional.

Mrs. Cadenas is like a second mother to me. She is the director of the Early Identification Program design to help first generation college bound students make it to collge. She cares deeply about me and the other EIP students. She always has this caring and motherly presence. She is really sweet and always tries to help me and others.

My mother is one of the most determined persons I know. Though I did not grow up with her she has given me a lot of love. I not only love her but I deeply respect her for her hard work. Even though she only whenm to second grade she has achived a lot in her life. Because of her my brothers and I got a better life than she did. When she was diagnosed with canser in 2001 she did not allow this to stop here. The canser is gone and she still working hard for her family.

#2 Earliest Memory (freewrite, 10 minutes)

Well my earliest memory I think is just a flash back of my sisters birthday party. I don’t remember how old she was turning, I just remember being there with all my brother, cousins and friends. I remember that I was looking at my sister’s birthday cake and I poked it with my finger. My aunt, who was taking care of me and my brother at that time, got really mad at me and sent me to a room. I remember I was really mad and I don’t recall getting out of the room, possible I felt a sleep. My guess is that I was around three years old when this happened. Another memoery was when we moved to a house closer to the city. I am from El Salvador and at first we used to live in a very rural area. When I was around four years old we moved to a house near the city. I remember when I entered the house that I could hear the eacho since it was empty. It also had some windows. I remember I said to myself, “hey this is like the hospital.” In the town/city where I lived the hospital was very big so in someparts it had some echo. Also the windows in the new house where the same kind as the one from the hospital. I guess at the time I came to the house I had some memory about going to the hospital.

One final memoery was when I went with one of my aunts to get a shot at the hospital. I remember that when I saw the doctor with the neddle I started crying and fighting back cause I did not want to get the shot. They eventually gave me the shot and I remember in the way to the house I was limping cause my leg was hurting really bad because of the shot.

#1 Current Major and Career Goals (freewrite, 10 minutes)

My current career goasl are to to go into my final year and graduate. Soon after that I plan to seek employement with and engineering company or maybe go work for the federal government. These are my goals because I guess that is what I want to fo after college. I want to become a professional and the first person in my family to attend and graduate from college. I am working as hard as I can to achive my goals, taking summer classes to keep up with the requirements for graduation. My current major is electrical engineering and I was thinking of maybe minoring in mathematics. If I do choose to get a minor in mathematics my graduation will be pushed a semmeter until fall 2009 instead of spring 2009. That is the current debate I am having, to go for the math minor or stick to just getting my major. In five years I see myself with a masters degree, with a high paying job. In 10 years I hope to be married with a kid or two and possibly working on my Phd. In 15 years I hope that I could start my own business or just have a very high paying job that support my family and I. I just hope to live a confortable life and help people out whenever I can.