Wednesday, May 25, 2011

De Anza Week May 23, 2011

Mon May 23

The drive to De Anza was the shortest ever. I had one red light which was the first left turn that was a short wait. I still was 10 minutes late. The time could have doubled if I had more red lights.

The professor surprised the entire class. He handed out an additional chapter 5 homework assignment due Wed. 24 multiple choice questions. That’s not good for those who wanted to finish the initial homework assignments before Memorial Day weekend. My goal is to finish all homework assignments before Fri.

Tue May 24

I arrived at Mission College at 7:20pm. The instructor said the official start time for the final is 7:30pm. Students can come at 7:00pm. I was running behind in everything. I ate a Snickers candy bar at the parking lot.

I turned in the take home final and received the final. My usual seats at the back of the class were occupied. I moved to the front. The final was doable. I didn’t study. I recognized some questions from the take home final and lectures. I completed around 20 minutes. I received the take home final solutions after I submitted the final. It seems I did well because the debit and credit numbers matched what I calculated.

In a small way, I’m going to miss driving to Mission College every Tue night. It was a set activity for the beginning of 2011. I can use the two and a half hours to study for auditing and work out at the gym.

Wed May 25

The professor immediately checked the students completing the additional chapter 5 homework assignment as soon as he walked in the classroom. Then he began lecturing chapter 6. Finally, we reviewed the additional chapter 5 homework. The professor made me read all the questions.

I did poorly on the assignment. I got most of the questions wrong. Most students were surprised at some of the answers to the questions. The classmate who sat on my right was absent on Mon. She got most of the questions correct when she answered the questions before the professor announced the solution.

The classmate and I went to the library after class to photocopy the assignment for her. We talked about accounting degrees and economics degrees. She corrected my knowledge on accounting degrees at the California State University (CSU) systems. An accounting degree is actually a business administration degree. The account part is the business administration’s emphases. I incorrectly thought an accounting degree is a stand alone degree with more accounting classes took compared to a junior college. The correction is the number of accounting classes is almost the same between a CSU and junior college. In particular, my classmate noted there are key classes taught at CSU junior college don’t teach, and that’s a key factor when it comes to companies hiring a person with a four year degree and a two year degree in accounting. The accounting classes I have taken at De Anza are the same as any CSU school. If I transfer to a CSU school, then some of my accounting classes count towards the transfer and I must retake some classes I already took at De Anza.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Monday, May 23, 2011

De Anza Week May 16, 2011

Mon May 16

I earned a 74% on the mid-term. I can say either my intuition was good that I didn’t fail or my intuition was bad that I didn’t get a 90%+. The professor said scores were good overall. This is the first time I got a score in the 70s attending De Anza. The final score is probably going to be a C+ when the professor curves the grades or adds “benefits of doubt” points he refers his curve.

I realized most of the questions were theoretical questions. There was too much theory to remember. My mind was overloaded. However, in all honestly, my mind was not focused on studying. My brain is tired from schoolwork. I’m eager to move forward in my life, yet I’m patient such that my opportunity is coming soon.

On the positive side, I’m actually learning. I’m retaining information and knowledge from the lectures and the reading. One of my uncles has a structural engineering degree and a few friends at San Jose State earned poor scores in mid-terms yet they learned in their classes. I didn’t learn anything in my professor’s Intermediate Accounting classes, and my lowest exam score was an 82%. Auditing is my first class I score lower than average grades yet I learn something. It’s a new feeling.

I talked to a classmate about the Advanced Accounting class. She said more students dropped.

Tue May 17

I forgot my textbook when I rushed out of the house to Quickbooks class. Fortunately, the lecture was bonus chapters 8-9 not part of the final. I completed the take-home final. I need to worry about the final which I’m really not worried. I was tired I slept during the first hour of the lecture.

Wed May 18

Today was lazy and moody. The professor ended the lecture 30 minutes early. Many classmates were unfocused and wanted to leave. I was focused because the professor asked me to read the sample CPA questions from the projector.

No homework was due this week. He wanted to give us a break. I finished reading Chapter 5 in three days. I want to finish Chapter 5 homework before Memorial Day weekend.

I learned the classmate who sits on my right went to De Anza part time when she worked full time. She was laid off in 2009. She transferred to Cal State East Bay to attend school full time. She received her business degree in accounting in Winter ’11.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Monday, May 16, 2011

De Anza Week May 9, 2011

Mon May 9

The professor passed out evaluation questionnaire to the students. The quarter is not over. Some students were surprised we completed evaluation questionnaires. One student joked the professor is committing fraud such that the envelope must be signed by the student in charge and dated. The professor said not to date it.

The mid-term review was different. The professor reviewed possible short answer questions and then read off the multiple choice questions. He didn’t read the entire questions. He gave hints. He teased us by giving us the four choices to a few questions as if we were playing jeopardy.

The mid-term is a personal test for me. How good is my gut feeling, my intuition, and my osmosis. Most of the review was straight from the lectures. There is too much to know. I feel information overload after reading chapter 2. The concepts are dry and boring.

Some students wanted to delay the mid-term one week later. I wanted the mid-term as scheduled on Wednesday. The consensus is the students are worried and don’t fully comprehend all the material. We shall see what happens on Wednesday. The professor is correct. Auditing is harder than Intermediate Accounting.

Tue May 10

We finished Chapter 7. The instructor finished all of the chapters covered in the green sheet. Next week is the last regular class meeting. He discusses Chapters 8 and 9 as bonus chapters. The students and I started the take home final that requires many hours.

The room was stuffy. The front door was open before the instructor started the lecture.

Wed May 11

The Auditing mid-term was a test of my intuition and gut feeling instead of my understanding of the concepts. Completing the mid-term was like completing the final. I experienced a big sigh of relief. There were 32 multiple choice questions and short answers. The short answers were not writing sentences and paragraphs. They were matching. One section of the matching the answers were given. The section had ten choices and ten statements numbered one to ten. The numbers next to one to ten were the answers. Hilarious!

To the student who sat next to my seat, who are you? You must be an online student.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Friday, May 13, 2011

A Second Look At 2010

I’m taking a second look at my 2010 blogs to provide comments and feedback. Was I correct? Was I wrong? OMG, I wrote that—-what was I thinking? Was it true? Did it happen? For the record, this blog is not a 2010 review. I don’t believe in year end reviews and new years resolutions. I believe a person should evaluate and critique their lives daily and make changes immediately.

My goal is to learn from my mistakes, reinforce my lessons, remind myself my moments, and rethink again. I gathered all my 2010 blogs including my weekly De Anza blogs, read them, and posted my self-evaluation. I included the title, date, blog summary, and feedback. The link is provided to read the original blog entry.

Blog title: The State Of My Life
Date: Feb 25
Summary: I wrote there was a moment I felt depressed and out of control. Regardless, life continues day by day. There is no time to sulk. Do anything to regain control of your life and get out of being depressed.
Feedback: OMG, I wrote that! I must have been depressed to blog something depressing and sad in Feb. I remember from 2000-2004, March had always been my depressing month. I hope my Feb 2011 is not depressing. Given it’s May 2011, March 2011 was a bad month. Hence, I continue to experience depressing days. We’re human.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/state-of-my-life.html

Blog title: De Anza Week Mar 22 2010
Date: Mar 26
Summary: I wrote my highlights for Winter ’10 quarter at De Anza. I blogged my mistakes which were I didn’t drop singing class and I should have stopped attending free salsa lessons.
Feedback: Continuing singing class was the worse choice I made in De Anza to date. The class failed to meet my expectations. The instructor lost her voice for three weeks. We had classes the instructor didn’t feel like teaching.

I attended free salsa lessons too many times. It took too much time away for other important activities. There were times when one must stop his/her obligations. I had to stop attending the salsa lessons. Too much to do and, yes, gym was important to stay in shape.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/de-anza-week-mar-22-2010.html

Blog title: How to Build a Lasting Relationship
Date: Apr 15
Summary: Zig Ziglar wrote an article how to build long term relationships. The point was, “Compromise is not denying right and wrong; it's admitting that both sides can have some right and both sides can have some wrong.”
Feedback: Reading the article made me think about my guilty conscious indirectly related to the article. I fear that one mistake jeopardizes my relationship with my family and friends. The little mistakes are not a problem. I should know that we’re human and we make mistakes big and small. I should also know that almost all mistakes don’t lead to an immediate break up. I never experienced any breakup from a mistake I made.

On second thought, yes, I experienced a breakup. I was in 8th grade. It was the summer before I started my freshmen year in high school. I went on a date with my friend’s ex-girlfriend. My friend and I started high school. He never spoke to me throughout our four years. I was in 8th grade and I was immature for a 13 year kid.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-build-lasting-relationship.html

Blog title: The Year Was 2007
Date: May 17
Summary: I blogged how 2007 is the worse year in my life. I wrote it Q&A as if I was interviewed by 60 minutes.
Feedback: Lol, I wrote a similar blog titled “2007 Was Actually A Bad Year” on Mon Oct 13, 2008. Click to read it: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/2007-was-actually-bad-year.html.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/year-was-2007.html

Blog title: Bruce Lee Is The Man
Date: Oct 8
Summary: I paralleled Bruce Lee’s philosophy with some of my top 30 blogs.
Feedback: I posted this blog to review Bruce Lee’s famous quotes and how they match my top 30 blogs. Lee quoted he never reach achievement and “learning is boundless.” I posted blogs reiterating that quote.

Side note: To view my top 30 blogs, click to read it: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/300.html.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/bruce-lee-is-man.html


Blog title: De Anza Week Oct 25, 2010
Date: Oct 28
Summary: I mentioned many students eat out instead of eating at home to save time and save money (arguable, eating out is cheaper).
Feedback: I looked at the nutrition information for a McDonald’s Big Mac. That burger is fattening a frozen pizza is healthier. I promised myself I never eat a Big Mac for the rest of my life.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/de-anza-week-oct-25-2010.html

Blog title: Why I Think The San Francisco Giants Won The World Series
Date: Nov 5
Summary: I shared my thoughts why the San Francisco Giants won the 2010 World Series. It was all action.
Feedback: Manager Bud Black from the San Diego Padres won manager of the year which he deserved. Bruce Bochy outmanaged Texas Rangers’ Ron Washington. Good luck to the 2011 San Francisco Giants defending their world championship. The team must seek better actions to win the World Series.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/why-i-think-san-francisco-giants-won.html

Blog title: De Anza Week Dec 6, 2010
Date: Dec 15
Summary: I wrote Fall ’10 quarter was a bad quarter.
Feedback: Fall ’10 really wasn’t a bad quarter. Winter ’10 was worse than Fall ’10. Winter ’11 is now the worse quarter.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/de-anza-week-dec-6-2010.html

Blog title: Happy Life
Date: Dec 21
Summary: Happy people earn their happiness working hard, doing better, innovating and improving indefinitely, and living life. The happiness becomes real. Innovate infinitely for a happy life.
Feedback: If there are awards for best blogs, Happy Life blog is a final nominee. The blog reminds me never take life for granted. Happy life is not for people who sit on the sofa watching TV. Happy life is not for people who play video games 24/7 and given shelter, food, and clothing from someone else.
Link: http://ininblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-life.html

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Saturday, May 07, 2011

De Anza Week May 2, 2011

Mon May 2

Spring ’11 quarter has reinforced the importance of showing up on time. Today I struggled arriving in class on time. I was ten minutes late. Fortunately, I missed nothing because there were technical problems. The professor wanted to show a video on Barry Minkow, a convicted fraudster in the 1980s. The plan was to watch the video and he let the class out early because he had a meeting. He lectured Chapter 4 instead and the class was released around 2:15pm.

The first mid-term is Wed May 11. I’m behind in my studying.

Tue May 3

Tonight was another long class session. The instructor finished Chapter 6 and started Chapter 7. The instructor passed out the take home final instructions. The students who went home early should have stayed; however, I’m sure the instructor posted the instructions online. I looked at the take home final in the textbook. It’s long. I do a little each day like I did for the take home mid-term.

Wed May 4

There is a section in Chapter 4 that discussed analytical procedures. I read it and I realized what I did at Cisco was analytical procedures. Wow. I must have done something correct because my analysis was accepted by my manager and her managers. I never took accounting classes at San Jose State. I must be a natural who needed more education and experience. In all honestly, I find analysis boring.

One of the students created a DVD copy of the Barry Minkow fraudster documentary video. We watched the documentary in class. Then the professor finished lecturing Chapter 4. Oh, I showed up to class on time. Yay! Monday May 9 is the mid-term review. I’m still behind. There is too much to know.

I went back to Admissions & Records after Auditing to check my AA degree application. I talked to a different worker who actually did something. She asked for my student ID card and went to the back to confirm with another staff. She confirmed my application is being process. That was a relief. She said I can check my application status online. I didn’t know that.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Thursday, May 05, 2011

Meet Fraudster Barry Minkow

My auditing professor passed out an article from the Wall Street Journal discussing two men convicted of fraud. One of the men is Barry Minkow, a famous fraudster in the 1980s. Minkow took his carpet cleaning company ZZZZ Best public. The IPO stock reached an all time high of $18. Minkow has no education in accounting and business. Here’s the article:


The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

De Anza Week Apr 25, 2011

Mon Apr 25

I drove to school running late. I choose to spend an additional five minutes at home to pay a bill. The five minutes turned into arriving at class 10 minutes late. I blamed the red signal lights.

Fortunately, I missed nothing. There was a speaker for Rogers, another CPA exam prep company. She spoke for ten minutes handing out information. I went up to the front of the class to look at the handouts.

The professor started today’s lecture after a five minute delay. I talked to a classmate about Rogers. The professor came back and lectured Chapter 3. He told us Chapter 3 is hard such that the authors combined two chapters into one. I started the homework. It’s not really hard. There’s too much to learn. I do a little bit everyday. The first mid-term is two weeks from today. I study a little bit everyday.

Tue Apr 26

Today was a long day that included today’s Quickbooks lecture. The instructor covered most of Chapter 6. We learned purchase orders and bills. We finish next week. The instructor also tells us about the take home final.

Wed Apr 26

This week I experienced mental fatigue. If there is no such thing as metal fatigue, I create the new term today. I press the snooze button every morning the alarm clock woke me up. I’m physically okay such that I raised myself from my bed instantly. However, my brain said to me, “I’m tired, more sleep.”

I admit I have a snooze habit. The good news is I have been pressing the snooze button less frequently the past two weeks. I’m considering getting a new alarm clock without a snooze button.

I went to Admission & Records after Auditing to verify the department has my AA application. I was told the supervisor is the only person who confirms applications. He was in a meeting. I was given his business card to contact him by email. I email him tomorrow.

The Personal Side Of Me Finding Raymond Mar