Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Week 29 - Day 2

We are supposed to be doing Outlook this week, but due to unforeseen circumstances, Outlook has been delayed - until tomorrow hopefully.

Power Point had to be extended by two extra days. Partly because we had to squeeze seven lessons into one week and partly because every student had to create a powerpoint presentation and present it to the class.

Everyone had a lot of problems getting their presentations done on time. So today was P-day. Presentation Day.

Topics ranged from Aloe Vera, Pet World and Muay Thai, through piano, cricket, rugby, Italy to Canada, New Zealand and Grenada.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Week 28 - Day 3

The Excel grade has been posted. I got 92%. I am very pleased with that. The more grades I can get in the 90's over the next 3 weeks, the better off I will be.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Week 28 - Day 2

January 20th, 2009.
Barak Obama was sworn in as the new President of the USA today. I didnt see see any of the ceremoney or celebrations. I was in class.

This week I am doing Power Point.

The main assigment for everyone in the class is to create a presentation for the end of the week. On something that is close to your heart, that you have a lot of knowledge of. So I am doing mine on the South Island in New Zealand.

As my profile says, I am from New Zealand. I was born and raised in the North Island and spent a few years in the South Island as well. Altogether I lived in the North island for 26 years and the South Island for 7 years. But I found the South Island to have a much greater variety of activities and natural beauty.

I hope to be able to put my presentation on this blog when it is finished.

Still waiting for my Excel final grade.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Week 27 - Day 3

My final grade for MS Word was 89%. My average over all my courses so far is 89.5. I need to get grades in the 90's for the next 3 weeks. This is to build up a good base for the Bookkeeping and Accounting classes, which start in February. My final 3 courses in Applications are Powerpoint, Outlook (email) and Business Communications.

The winter weather here is very very cold. -22 Celcius, and -30 Celcius with the windchill factor. Very very cold. The Tv says that it has not been this cold since 2005. That makes sense because I remember walking to work in the extreme cold weather, in the winter of 2005. I was working just 3 blocks from home at the time.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Week 26 - Day 5

I finally got my mark for the Business Practice class last year. I got 84% as a final grade - which is pretty good. It's a good mark considering I hadn't had much time to study for the final exam, because my team was too busy working on the business plan project. I need to find out how we did on that final business plan presentation.

And I also need to work on getting more final grade marks in the 90's if I want to graduate with honours rather than distinction (average mark in 80s).

With Accounting classes coming up in February, I am not sure I can do that, but I certainly will try.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Week 26 - Day 3

Did I mention that TRIOS has upgraded all the computers at the Toronto campus from the old bulky ones (the big huge monitors and CPU towers) to nice sleek flat screen monitors with very small CPU towers? These towers are barely 1/3 the size of the old towers.

There are 8 classrooms and assuming an average of 20 computers per room, thats a total of 160 new computers, towers and monitors installed over the 2 weeks of the Xmas vacation.

These new computers all have the VISTA operating system (the old ones were XP) but they are still running MS Office 2003. So far I havent had any problems with VISTA.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Week 26 - Day 1

I am back in school today after the Xmas and new Year vacation. The class has settled down to do Excel for the next 2 weeks. From now on all classes will be half days 5 days per week - no more Fridays off.

I have 2 weeks of Excel, one week each of Powerpoint, Outlook email and Business Communications. Then I have one week off school before my schedule switches to early mornings starts. Which is 6 weeks from now.

I am NOT looking forward to the new schedule. But if the teachers have to do it - then so do I.

Still no grades for Business Practices and Word, but I was told that the person who usually inputs the grades into the database, is still away on vacation. She is expected to return on Thursday, so hopefully I will have some results by Friday.

As for the home front - my son has been coughing for most of last week - the new year break. He was supposed to go back to school today. But he is having a lot of trouble getting rid of the phlegm in his throat. He woke up panicking this morning because he couldnt breathe. His throat was blocked by phlegm and his nose seems to have been blocked by sinuses. So he stayed home from school today.

I did half a day - 7am till noon - babysitting, and his daddy babysat the other half - 12 noon till 5pm when I got home from school. My son is doing fine now, although he is still coughing. He will be going back to school tomorrow. Daddy is also coughing as well. Knock on wood that so far I have not caught their cough and flu bugs. I cannot afford to miss one day of school. So far I have a perfect attendance record.