Unit Five

In my job, I am constantly managing large teams of people. These people are chosen because of their knowledge and expertise in certain areas. We also have many subcontractors that we bring onto our teams to strengthen our chances for a win. They are brought on for the specialties that their companies provide and for customer knowledge or connection that they hold. These teams are brought together to write proposals. It is my duty to manage the team, their writing and efforts, the schedule, the reviews, the deadlines, and the production and delivery of the proposal. Needless to say, this can often be a challenging job and I have met and worked with some of the most interesting people. For the purposes of this post, I have chosen one particular proposal and team to discuss.


The proposal was a re-compete of a contract that we already held and therefore a must win. Due to the importance of the proposal, many top-level people were put on it and we had over 50 subcontractors. One of the most important people on the team, from my company, was a woman who had managed the original contract for years. Being told that she had all the knowledge, I tasked her with several key writing assignments. At the daily meetings, I checked on the progress of all my writers. This woman always had some crazy excuse as to why she had not written anything. I went to my boss to help me handle the situation. Nothing came of it. I decided to send out daily notes to the head people in my division to let them know what was going on with the "important effort" in hopes that her boss' boss would make her write the sections. As important as this effort was, no one ever made her write or took the time to get the information out of her head.

The rest of the team worked very well together. Deadlines were met and the writing was great, but the reviews did not go well because several important sections were blank. I eventually had to tell upper management that they needed to make this woman do her job or remove her from the effort. Finally, the VP of the department holding the contract had to step in and write the missing sections, and the other woman was removed from the team. Her inaction led to a later than planned production but thanks to the efforts of the rest of the team we were able to get everything done in time to submit to the customer. Unfortunately, we did not have all the key information that we needed and we lost the re-compete.

It was imperative for us to win the contract and due to the inaction of one writer, and the inaction of her boss, we lost regardless of the entire team's efforts. It was a very sad situation as every other member of the team spent countless hours writing and reviewing. These people truly put their heart and soul into this effort. Many people lost their jobs because we did not retain the contract. We stood a very strong chance of winning and possibly could have if we would have had the full support we needed. The woman who did not contribute to the proposal eventually lost her job after her boss lost his.

Short Response Four

Growing up I experienced a lot of anxiety, confusion, anger, and a mixture of low and high emotions. I would be extremely happy one moment and the wind could blow and I would go into an controllable rage the next. Other times I would be so depressed that I would not get off the couch. I comtenplated suicide often and actually attempted it twice. Luckily death at such a young age was not meant to be for me.

Some doctors would say that I inherited these mental and emotional issues from my parents. Depression and anxiety run on both sides of my family, and my mom's oldest sister was Bipolar. I knew in my heart of hearts that I did not want to live like this and I truly believed that I did not have to. I asked my mom for help one day and I began to see therapists and take several different medications. One doctor told my mother that I was just an overacting child. Several other doctors said, however,  that I defintiely exhibited signs of being Bipolar, though I was never formally diagnosed. I remember every emotion and outburst, every harmful thing I did to myself. It was agony for me and everyone around me.
My life was an emotional roller coaster. Up and down, up and down. I did my best to wear a mask around my friends and family so they couldn't see the real me. I tried to swallow down all the pain and confusion. I remember the Soul Asylum song Runaway Train. Although my experiences were not like the people shown in the video, the words were metaphors for my experience as I truly felt like I was on a runaway train.

Around the time when I was 21, one of my aunts on my mom's side, who had been on medication and in therapy for depression for years, suddenly got off her medication and stopped seeing her therapist. She had finally found a way to understand herself, her emotions, and to control her life. After reading every book by every guru and trying every self help course available, one day she went to a course called Avatar run by a company called Stars Edge. This group of people, headed up by a man named Harry Palmer, had figured out through years of study how to understand human behavior and how to teach people to take control of their lives back. She let go of her depression and the things in her life that she let bring her down. Yes, this is actually possible. I did it myself.
Harry Palmer, and other like minded researchers, studied the concept of psychology in the Eastern and Western senses, the effects that people's beliefs had on them, and the importance of compassion towards others. They did this to find the tools necessary to help this world become compassionate again and not so individualistic. They wanted to help people control their emotions and the way they experienced their lives. They created the tools so that people could use them if they choose to. When you are in the state of mind of depression, anxiety, or any other mental condition you believe that you have no control. It is a medical condition and there is nothing that you can do about it. This is because your will power is weak and you give into the emotions allowing them to define and control you. I experienced this and did not like it and chose to change it. I went to several of their courses and I turned my life around. The Aerosmith song Amazing then became my theme song. While the video has nothing to do with my life, the words ring SO true to me!

When I finally graduate from college I plan to have a degree in Developmental Psychology.  I do not want to be a typical Psychologist though. I am doing this to have a better understanding of the human mind and child development, and because you have to have a degree in order to put yourself in a position where you can help people. I want to either be working for myself in a non-profit organization or for John's Hopkins in some fashion.  Maybe in the Children's Center. I want to eventually have a center of my own though, that teaches the tools that I learned in Avatar to children so that they have them to use if they choose to.
Imagine having the tools to create your life the way you want at an early age. Avatar teaches adults how to be compassionate, to understand and accept the things that have happened to them, and to create what you want from that point forward. I want everyone to have the opportunity and option to be able to grow up and create their life as they go, and not to have to turn around in later years and do it. My goal is to give children the tools to handle every situation in life, good or bad. If they are faced with an amazing opportunity or a sad time, they will have the power over their own emotions to choose how to react and handle it. If I had understood beliefs and emotions when I was younger, my life would have been very different.

Unit Three - Short Response

I did not go to college right out of high school. I had a job managing a movie theater and I absolutely loved it! I did not really see why I needed to go to college so I stopped stressing and trying to over achieve and never took my SATs. I graduated my senior year with a 4.0 and felt that I had done enough in regards to education. Eventually I left Oklahoma and my job at the theater for a better opportunity in Virginia. My aunt, who never went to college herself, had a great job at a defense contracting company making  A LOT of  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and she offered me a position. I had always looked up to her and thought that this was the best decision for me. Seperating from my mother was extremely hard though. I had been with her my entire life and I was suddenly leaving and moving several states away. My aunt took over the role of my mother in a way and helped my transition "out the nest" go smoothly. Little did I know that the transition into her world would be the worst experience I have had so far in my life.

I was born in Virginia and visited my father almost every summer, so I had friends when I arrived. The only problem was that they were still goofing off in life and not really going anywhere. When I started my new job I was broken down and retrained, not unlike a marine. I was told that everything I thought I knew about life and working was wrong. I was not allowed to stand up for myself in anyway. I was to understand that I was always wrong if someone above my pay grade said I was. I worked many hours every day of the week and began to resent the job because I wanted to goof off with my friends. I was told to get serious about my life and stop hanging out with them. It was time to be an adult. I fought my aunt for a while insiting that I knew how a business worked and that she had no right to tell me to drop my friends. I tried to contradict her and make her see things my way. I wanted to, and tried to, leave several times but I always ended up bowing down to her. Eventually I caved in and let her reprogram me.

I worked for the company for over eight years and things only seemed to get worse. I became the worker-drone I always hated. I did not see my family or friends as I believed that my career was more important and that I was doing important things. My office became my home and my fellow employees became my family. I became fully integrated into the ways of the defense contracting world. I talked the talk and walked the walk. I was a very important memeber of the team and thought I was proud of myself for such an accomplishment.

As I said before, things only got worse over the years and after my drill instructor, oh I mean aunt, left the company I began to think for myself again. I was sick to stomach at how many years I had buried myself in the work and shut out the world. I finally realized that I had become a worker-drone that I never wanted to be. I was offered an opportunity to quit and go back to school full time, and even though it took me two years to transition into the idea of it, I eventually took the offer.

Transitioning back to school has been a little bit rough but very exciting at the same time. It has been over 10 years since I have been in a learning environment and I felt a little overwhelmed when I could not remember how to outline an essay. I use to write wonderful essays and I could not remember how to form a thesis statement to save my life! I took a deep breath and got myself in check. I started making lists and applying the time management skills I learned in my job to my school work. My ACDV class has also helped a lot. I am still transitioning back into school, but feel that step is coming to a close. I have not fully seperated from my job as I do work on a part time basis when I need $$$$$$, but plan to by next semester. I think I will fully integrate at that point. 

Unit 2 - Short Response (Batteries Not Included)

Teddy Ruxpin!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who do not know, or may not remember, Teddy Ruxpin was an animated story telling teddy bear from back in the mid 80's.  My all time favorite toy!!!! Anyway, this video was the very first commercial I saw for the toy and their marketing tactics definitely worked on me! It starts off with a child nervously getting on a school bus, probably his first day, and he doesn't seem to know anyone.
Does that situation sound familiar to anybody? Well, the Worlds of Wonder toy company could fix that problem for you! Just ask your parents for the Teddy Ruxpin bear!!!!! Simply put a story cassette tape in his back, 4 D batteries (not included), press play, and Teddy begins to move his mouth and tell you stories. His eyes even blink! Presto! Instant friends and attention!!!!
This commercial has both positive and negative appeals to it. On one hand you would feel appreciated, rewarded, like you were held in high esteem, like you were on a great adventure, famous, and most definitely satisfied. Who wouldn't? Everyone would be paying attention to you. They would all want to sit next to you and they'd think you were SO cool! Plus, the moving, talking bear would tell you stories!!!!
I was an only child at the time, and thought he could be like a little brother. I had plenty of friends but could empathized with the boy in the commercial. So much so that I just had to have that bear! Which leads to the other hand...if..I..did..not..get..this..bear..I..would..feel..like..a..TOTAL LOSER!!!!!! I absolutely had to have it. Plus, they even made a cartoon about this bear. If you didn't want one before, you'd have to want one after that!
Is this commercial realistic? In my mind? Yes. It could be hard for some people to make friends, and as a kid, toys could facilitate that bond. LOL Before everyone and their dog had one I got A LOT of attention because of it. Pretty much any kid with a new and innovative toy like that would get attention. Looking back on it now, I believe that they wanted kids to think that they would remain nameless and friendless without this bear! Pretty messed up thing to make a child feel if you ask me, but, it sells.


I have to share this next commercial because it was my favorite Teddy Ruxpin commerical. I was obsessed with scary stories and movies, not to mention talking animals. Thanks Disney. Had I not begged enough after the first commercial to get my bear, this one would have motivated me even more. It was exciting and inspiring. You could make a bear come to life!!!!!!! This one was also probably suppose to have positive and negative appeals. Positive:  you would be held in high esteem and embark on a great adventure! Negative:  you would be just another normal, no-name kid without it.

In closing, I had to add this last video to show that this bear is STILL being marketed to me!!!!!! I remember what it was like to have this toy and how much I loved him!
Ahhhh!!! A different company makes it now, but they are not any less effective in speaking directly to my soul. If I buy this bear, I will feel young and adventurous again. If I don't I will just be plain 'ol boring 29 year old me. Heck, it even makes me want to have children! Then I could share the amazing feeling that Teddy Ruxpin gives me with a kid of my own. I would buy it for someone else's child but then it would not be in my house for me to enjoy :-)
Wow! That is pretty ridiculous. What do I need with a talking bear for? LOL Marketing is a powerful tool!

Unit 1 Short Response

When it came time fore my parents to pick my name, my mother knew that she wanted my nickname to be Nicki but did not want Nicole to be my first name. My dad's name starts with a 'J', as does my older brother's, so he wanted my name to start with one as well. He wanted to call me Joy, to be exact. My mother said no, thank goodness, and countered with Jennifer. I was thus named Jennifer Nicole Kent.

I was actually obsessed with my full name growing up. I wanted it to have meaning and felt that Jennifer was too common and simple. I also only ever heard it when I was in trouble so needless to say, I hated my first name.  I felt that my nickname, Nicki, was spelled too "alphabet simple" and changed it to be spelled N-i-k-k-i. Many people spelled it that way so I ended up changing it again to N-i-c-c-i. I also did not want to follow the Kent way of life, so I could not wait for the day I got to change my last name. I believed at the time that the meaning of a name could determine who a person would grow up to be. You know, like if you name a cat Odin, after the God of War, then you were destined to have a holy terror on your hands.I hoped if I researched my name a little I could find a reason to appreciate it. Alas, the search I did revealed that Jennifer was a variant of the name Guinevere.

Are you kidding me?! She cheats on her husband, the King, with his right hand man! Who in their right mind would want to grow up to be like her?! I officially HATED my first name and despised anyone who called me by it. I laugh about this all now as I think back. Eventually I came to realize that our lives are our own and they are what we make of them. I know that my name does not define me in any way. It is simply a label used to distinguish me from everyone else. To think, if I put as much energy into my life as I did in hating my name and fighting against it, I could have accomplished so much more.

Unit 0 Test