Over the past several years, I’ve really only wanted one thing from life and that was the chance to meet the person I love and spend time with her. My life has been full of complexities, “drama”, as well as adventure. However, I’ve known for sometime that the true serenity missing in my heart was the presence of a loved one. In the past few weeks, I’ve had the rare and sacred opportunity to meet someone special in my life. Her name is Andrea Schmidt, and she is perhaps the only person I’ve ever met that really has taken the time to understand me.

Andrea is from Germany and is a co-op/intern who works at John Deere Waterloo Operations here at Waterloo, Iowa. What really makes her special to me is the fact that she and I have both had similar pasts filled with personal struggles. Moreover, both of us took different paths in our lives and yet we learned the same lessons. Throughout our lives, we both were looking for that someone special who we could rely on, talk to openly, and really understand our own perspectives on life. The question that remains is, “Do I love her?”

For me, personally, the term love is very powerful term and I seldom use it. The term love doesn’t simply imply intense affection for someone or something. Rather, love is a term that encompasses a variety of emotions and thoughts that really are tied to your heart. In other words, these are thoughts and emotions that cannot be changed simply by a few actions and are really a strong bond. To put it simply, Andrea is the only girl I’ve ever truly loved and she really is the center of my heart. Her words, her thoughts, her presence, are all elements that really provide clarity and peace for my soul. She really does give me the happiness and serenity that I have been craving for so many years.

I think it is fair to say that I love Andrea and I want to be with her. What a wonderful life and I could not ask for anything more. Thank you Andrea and I love you!

I just finished perhaps one of the best books I’ve read in my life, “Veronika Decides to Die“. Simply put, the book is about a girl who attempts to commit suicide, fails, and is told she only has one week left to live. However, the book does not simply end there. Paulo Coelho vividly describes how she lives that one week and learns the true value of her existence. Like “The Alchemist,” this book has a number of subtle messages that are designed to provoke thought and squeeze the reader into understanding the value of life.

There have been moments in my life where I felt I was lost in forest surrounded by darkness and completely off the path. Often, I would resort to asking God if He could go ahead and end my life so that I could move on and enjoy eternal bliss. Much of this was brought on by the fact that I was not content with who I was or the life I was leading. I overcame my addiction to the darkness by continually reading motivational books as well as turning to meditation to help.

The most important lesson I learned was that I need to live my life on my terms and everyone around can either choose to befriend me or walk away. This lesson taught me to push myself beyond my limits and start creating dreams that were once simply unimaginable. I never thought that I would end up working for a prestigious company such as John Deere. I never thought that I would end up driving on my favorite cars as soon as I graduated. I never thought that I would enjoy my life as much as I do today.

Today, I have virtually no regrets about my life. Every event that comes my way, be it good or bad, I take with laughter and prepare myself to tackle it and embrace its aura. So what is the downside? Because of my insistence on setting high goals and the constant perseverance to achieve those goals, I don’t think I have the ability to rest and enjoy the precious moments and people I meet. My only regret is that I wish I could simply find someone who would open their arms so that I can collapse and look up at her and say, “thank you for grabbing a hold of me as life took me further and further away from you.”

I know that sounds a bit cheesy or lame, but the fact is that sometimes everyone needs to simply slow down and enjoy life. Have I found the right person yet? No. But I did learn one thing. Like Veronika, I gave up and I came back and I realized I need to treasure my life. And that is what I have been doing for the past 16 months. Thank you to everyone who has been a treasure and a guiding light in the forest I now call, my life.

Veronika Decides to Die is fantastic novel that you should definitely check out. I’m a big fan of Paulo Coelho and I intend to read the rest of his books. Thank you Paulo for your continued support and vibrant thoughts.

UPDATE

It seems like the worst is over. There were very strong winds and apparently there was a funnel cloud that I could see, but not exactly a tornado. Coming from the city, I have absolutely no idea what a tornado looks like except from what I have seen on TV and in movies (Twister comes to mind). Everything is pretty calm right now, no more flying branches and winds strong enough to shake the whole apartment.

Nothing Runs Like A Deere

Now that I got the formal excuse out of the way, what have I been up to lately?

As you may already know, I have a job at John Deere as a Manufacturing Engineer at their Waterloo Works. I work on the 7000 series tractor assembly line and – knock on wood – I am enjoying every minute of my work.

So where is Waterloo Works? Waterloo Works is actually comprised of several plants in the Waterloo, IA area:

• PEC – Product Engineering Center
• DTO – Drive Train Operations
• TCAO – Tractor & Cab Assembly Operations
• SPO – Service Parts Organization
• Foundry – where all the casting takes place

Needless to say, I’m working at the TCAO facility, which is over 2 million square feet and climate controlled. In other words, the entire manufacturing floor has a controlled climate of approximately 72 degrees Fahrenheit. How awesome is that?

Das Auto: GLI

I cannot begin to tell you how much I really love my brand new car. I never thought that driving a six-speed manual would be so much fun out here in Iowa. In fact, it is far more comfortable than my parents’ car and packs a punch in the front. With that much power also comes responsibility, so I tend to drive far more rationally than ever before and I do not give into my temptation to speed unnecessarily.

What surprises me is the fact that not very many people consider looking at a Volkswagen while looking at a Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and others. VW’s might seem a bit pricey, but they are worth every penny. The creature comforts in my GLI easily outperform any comparable vehicle from Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Chevrolet, and others.

Updates Here We Go Again!

Now that I am settling into my new job and life, I am starting to create time for the things I enjoy. As such, it is time now to look at updating this blog and fixing many of the “errors” I seem to encounter every now and then. I’m very much tempted to go ahead and start from complete scratch, but I’m not sure if that is the smart thing to do. It is my hope to continue using my blog as a platform to improve my writing and express my thoughts and opinions as I experience LIFE.

These days the environment is a growing concern among Americans. As the average national gas price soars past the $4.20 mark, the average American is starting to reevaluate vacations, commutes, car purchases, groceries, and much more. Former Vice President Al Gore has committed himself to pursuing issues concerning the environment and encouraging everyone to do their part to assist the environment. However, both political parties have stayed relatively neutral when it comes to environmental concerns. Neither Barack Obama nor Hillary Clinton have outlined a detailed plan that either eases the rising oil prices or reduces/eliminates American dependence on foreign oil. So what exactly are we to do?

I read an article today that outlines how expensive gas price (namely $8 a gallon) can be good for the American economy. The author outlines eight specific reasons that support his main idea:

1. RIP for the internal-combustion engine
2. Economic stimulus
3. Wither the Middle East’s clout
4. Deflating oil potentates
5. Mass-transit development
6. An antidote to sprawl
7. Restoration of financial discipline
8. Easing global tensions

Surprisingly, the author does a great job of procuring valid consequences if the gas price increases to nearly ten bucks. However, my issue with this article is the fact that the author assumes that most people, including myself, would simply live near urban centers and let go of our suburban upbringings.

I enjoy the city of Chicago and I know it has more activities year round than my own suburban community. However, if I had a family, I would most definitely live in a suburban setting because it would allow my family to live somewhat quietly, live in a nice single-family home, and near other kids in a good neighborhood. I don’t have to worry about pimps and gangs invading my streets. As a single adult, I would live in the city of Chicago in a heartbeat. However, as a family man, I would live in a suburban community with no doubts in my mind.

The author also talks about how the high prices would reduce our dependency on Middle-Eastern oil and spur innovation in alternative and renewable energy sources. In case anyone forgot, the past eight years have seen the emphasis in U.S. policy shift from domestic to foreign issues. Moreover, my personal opinion is that the war in Iraq was a screen for growing Republican interest in securing oil fields for American companies. To this day, not one Republican or Democrat has shown interest in pursuing alternative energy. In order to reduce our dependency on foreign oil, we must have a strong alternative.

Most people talk about hybrid vehicles or ethanol, yet they do not even consider completely eliminating oil. Hybrid vehicles STILL require oil and ethanol production requires substantial amount of oil. Why not consider alternative technologies which do not require as much oil such as wind power, hydrogen fuel cells, nuclear power, etc.?

Then again, we come back to the argument that public transportation is not well developed. The reason is because most people drive everywhere. Innovation needs to start prior to its use, not after. If companies and local governments started to innovate public transportation, we would see increased usage of those facilities once gas prices started to rise. Public transportation needs to be convenient for as many people as possible, otherwise, no one will use it.

My argument has always been that if gas prices rise to an absurd level, consumers will undoubtedly change their habits. However, the American dream has always included tokens such as cars, homes, and a comfortable lifestyle. That is our culture and I don’t think that will change. Maybe in the far future, it may. But for now, our culture is going to be one that is filled with cars and people driving them. Alternative fuel needs to be researched and implemented NOW so that all of us can then reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

Article source: Market Watch

Since landing my job at John Deere, I have had numerous people, including professionals, ask me how I was able to secure a job at a Fortune 500 company. What most people don’t know is that I also had a job offer at GE and HydraForce. All three of these companies have excellent reputations within their respective industry and it was not an easy decision. However, a few factors made the offer from John Deere sound much better than the other offers. To be fair, I gave the other companies a chance to counter-offer, but sometimes that works in your favor and sometimes it will not. Throughout the entire job-hunting phase, I never had to waste my time with Monster, CareerBuilder, or any of the other job finding sites. In fact, I did not even bother to visit my own university’s career placement office for assistance. The key to my dream job was simply networking.

Rule #1: Aim Big, Win Big

No matter what school you go to, there is no reason why you cannot work for a company such as GE, John Deere, Microsoft, Google, etc. The advantage of going to a bigger school such as UCLA, University of Michigan, Purdue, etc. is the fact that it is far easier to be exposed to larger corporations. However, that is only a minor setback. Almost every company hires an individual based on their qualifications. If you feel that you are qualified for a particular position within a particular company, go for it. No company will hire a poorly qualified student from MIT over a well qualified student from University of Georgia in the same field of concentration. That’s why, I suggest you follow the principle, “Aim Big, Win Big.” This basically tells you to aim high because there is no point in aiming for a company that is below your own expectations. The moral of this point is: never let the size of a company deter you from your dream job..

Rule #2: GPA Is Just A Gimmick

GPA is pretty much over-rated in my opinion. What really matters is the professional experience you have gained during you collegiate career. If you have a 3.85 GPA with no work/internship experience and someone else has a 3.36 GPA with relevant internship/work experience, I’m willing to bet that the latter is definitely in a far better situation than you. GPA is primarily used as a prescreening tool to filter out large volumes of resumes. On that note, if your GPA is not above 3.0, you will struggle to find a job and I highly suggest you start improving your grades. You should always remember that if your GPA is below 3.0, don’t worry because you can still get a great job. You just need to make sure you can interview well and are a great talker. The moral of this point is: do not worry about your GPA, but focus on the skills you need to land a job: have great goals and stories and articulate them well during an interview.

Rule #3: Learn to Network

This is perhaps the most important tool you will ever need to remember. Many of the jobs out there require you to know somebody in order for you to get your foot in the door. Why is that? In my view, I think it is because most companies find it far more reliable if they have one of their existing employees recommend somebody for a job. More often than not, most employees will only recommend people they themselves would trust, thereby reducing the chance for a new employee not working out. Networking is really the art of talking to others and finding out how they can help you advance. Believe it or not, you have friends because of networking. Networking isn’t only for professionals, but also personal friends. The more you network, the more connections you’ll have to a variety of resources. The moral of this point is: networking can land you a dream job or at least an interview without having to go through the snail-channels such as Monster.com or your school’s career placement office.

Rule #4: Attend Conferences

Are you an engineer? Are you a med student? Many different fields of study have annual conferences in various locations throughout the US and the world. Attending any of these is a pure gold mine for networking opportunities. You get to meet not only industry professionals, but also other students and peers who could become your best friends or even a ticket to your dream job. Conferences bring together people from all over the world and introduce them to a world that they all can thrive in. You can learn about new techniques or new areas of research going on in your field. However, the most important part is the chance to showoff your networking skills and get the chance to interview for a great company. The moral of this point is: attending conferences is a great way to land an interview or even a job.

Rule #5: Befriend Your Recruiters

One of the most common things I see at job fairs is how inept students are at talking to recruiters. They tend to think of recruiters as gods and generals that are way too holy for them. First things first, recruiters are your friends. These guys and gals are the ones who will filter your resume and let the hiring managers know whether or not you deserve a second glance. Get to know them! There is nothing wrong in talking to a recruiter on a more personal level and treating them with respect and kindness you would show to your friend. Try to avoid talking about crap that does not pertain to the job. Rather, talk about their experiences and how they cope with various situations. In a way, interview the recruiter while you are talking about a job. The recruiters know what they are looking for, try to subtly find out what the perfect candidate should have and mold yourself to that image. You don’t need to change or alter your personality, but you do need to present yourself in a more unique manner that will capture the recruiters’ attention. The moral of this point is: get to know your recruiter and talk to them as you would a friend.

Rule #6: Just Ask

Worst comes to worst, just ask around for a job. Family friends are a great way to find out if they can hook you up with a job. Many students these days are too shy to even ask their own friends for a job. There is nothing wrong with a college student asking for a job. Often, companies like the fact that you initiated a question and are seeking a job. Sometimes they might even call you for an interview. Your professors are also another great resource for jobs. They have many contacts in the industry and could assist you with finding or securing a job at a great company. No matter who it is, just ask and you may earn more than just a job!

Disclaimer: The rules I have outlined above are simply steps that I have experience with. Your mileage may vary and it is certainly possible that none of my tips can help you. Either way, good luck with your job search. Your career awaits your presence!

No more ecomagination

Earlier last month, I decided to reject my GE offer letter. I had initially accepted it, but my own personal and financial circumstances changed; and I had decided that it was no longer in my personal interests to pursue an internship with GE. The staff at GE have been very understanding and have encouraged me to pursue the course of action that I feel is best. Although they are undoubtedly disappointed in my decision, they do feel that it is perhaps best for me.

Run with the best

A few weeks after I had accepted GE’s offer, I received notice for an interview for a position at John Deere, the worldwide leader in agriculture equipment. After three rounds of interviews, I was offered a manufacturing engineering position at the Waterloo Works facility in Waterloo, IA. John Deere’s offer was actually much better than I had expected and was simply too true to pass up. After talking to my parents, I felt that it would be better for me to simply forgo my master’s at this time and pursue a full-time opportunity with John Deere. So now it is time for me to run with the best!

German Engineering!

Since I accepted my offer at John Deere, my parents and I felt it was only appropriate for me to have a meaningful present. In a way, I have struggled quite a bit, and have much more ahead of me in which I will surely struggle through. After many years of hard work and persistent challenges, I am finally drawing my undergraduate career to a close. Therefore, my parents felt that I should go ahead and get the car I have been wanting for two years.

Just a couple weeks ago, I purchased – in my name – the 2008 Volkswagen GLI. This car is pretty loaded and here’s a quick rundown of what it has:

• 6-speed manual
• Black exterior with black leather interior
• GPS Navigation
• Heated leather seating
• Sunroof
• 18″ all season tires
• and the list goes on

GE, Imagination at work

One of the biggest challenges I have been facing for several months is trying to secure an internship without going through my school’s career fairs. NIU’s career fair is, in my opinion, quite abysmal since it attracts small-time companies from the Rockford area. Almost all of these companies’ internship opportunities relate directly to manufacturing and nothing else. Personally, I’m not very fond of an internship in manufacturing. I’d rather do something with six sigma, inventory control, forecasting, process analysis. The manufacturing jobs typically have me doing line balancing or actually “working” on the line which is a waste of my talent. It should be noted that it is important to be on the line to understand and improve a process, but it should not be your primary task.

After flexing some networking skills, I finally pulled off an internship with General Electric’s Healthcare Division. Since my search, I basically wanted to work for a Fortune 500 company such as Boeing or GE. At this time, I am about 99% ready to accept GE’s terms of employment. The 1% is simply holding back because I’m unsure, now, of whether I want a full-time job or a part-time job. Here’s the deal: if I get an offer for $60,000 or more and tuition reimbursement, I’ll gladly postpone my graduate studies. That is my 1% hesitation.

Stay tuned for some post(s) that will outline my effective interviewing and speaking tips. They work for me and have the potential of working for you.

I know it has been some time since I last wrote, but ever since the shootings at NIU, I have been busy with numerous campus activities. In addition, last two weeks I had been busy preparing for the 2008 IIE North Central Regional Conference in Chicago, IL in which UIC and NIU were the hosts. However, this post is not really about the conference, but about one of my favorite podcasters, Anji Bee.

A few days after the shooting at NIU, I turned to music to help me sleep at night and “forget” the pain that everyone was feeling. Anji’s podcast, “The Chillcast with Anji Bee,” is an exquisite blend of ambient beats with uplifting lyrics. My friends and I listened to the different songs and it really helped us heal. To my surprise, Anji wrote back and was really touched by my letter and went ahead mentioned my email on another podcast she did with Ryan. I was surprised because I figured that Anji would have hardly any time to even acknowledge my email, let alone mention it in a podcast.

Just last week, while I was at the IIE conference, Anji emailed me and gave me the heads up on a collabocast she was working on with several podcasters from around the country and the world. Fittingly, she labeled it as a “NIU Tribute Collabocast.” I cannot believe that artists from all over were willing to pitch in and extend their warmest wishes to the NIU community. I am practically speechless and I’m not even sure what to say. I really want to thank Anji, her collaborators, and the entire group of listeners for their warmest wishes.

If you have not subscribed to Anji’s podcast, do so. The best part is that you can subscribe to it right from iTunes, the premier multimedia store. On behalf of the entire NIU community, I want to thank everyone for their support and encouraging words in this time of chaos. Being so close to such a tragic event, I feel vulnerable but yet stronger as we move forward, together.

So you think you have what it takes to memorize information? How good are you at memorizing words? Students who are preparing to enter college and even college students have a big need to learn “big words.” The SAT is notorious for using complicated words to test your understanding of not only context but also comprehension. Sure, the SAT no longer has those dreaded analogies, but it does still have the reading section. Why bother memorizing words when you can learn them and use them in your everyday writing and/or talk?

The problem with memorizing words is that you will often forget them after several days. The trick is that you need to learn HOW those words are USED in everyday instances. According to my professors and friends, my writing (my blog does not count) is quite advanced and equivalent to what most researchers and academic professionals use. This includes (note: it’s just a small list):

• use of proper grammar
• use of intellectual words
• correct use of images, figures, and tables

So what’s my secret? It’s really not a secret, but more of a formula for success:

1. I read books, magazines, flyers, blogs, websites, etc.
2. I note down and look up words I don’t know as soon as possible
3. I practice using those words in writing and in everyday conversation

There you have it! That is my formula for successfully learning how to use words rather than simply memorizing them. Now let’s go further and I’ll explain each step in more detail.

An In-Depth Look At My Formula For Learning Words Successfully

1. Read Read Read

Yes, your mother’s advice on reading was correct. The more you read, the better it is. However, you should also read a variety of different publications. This means, read different magazines such as Forbes, Car and Driver, Cosmopolitan, etc. Honestly, it may seem weird reading a “chick” magazine, but you’ll be surprised as to how well thought out and well written the articles are. How about reading books from different authors? From my experience, reading books by the classical authors works wonders for your grammar skills and word-hunting expeditions. These authors include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, etc.

The key here is that you want to focus on the type of words they use and their use of grammar. You don’t necessarily need to enjoy the material, but you should have the attitude that you want to observe their usage and see how you can learn from it. In a way, you’re doing the same thing that your high school English teachers wanted you to learn.

2. Write it down if you don’t know it!

If you don’t know a particular word, WRITE IT DOWN! What if you’re on the go and don’t have a pen and paper handy? Use your phone and write up a draft text message with the word. You don’t even need to send yourself a text message. The point is that you should note down any word that you are unfamiliar with. The second step is then to look it up and learn the meaning of the word.

What I generally do is look up words as I am reading. This way, I can understand how the word was used in context. It helps to understand what I am reading and it is definitely much more beneficial to me than to wait and look up words. However, there is nothing wrong with compiling a list of words and then looking up their definitions. Try it out and see what method works for you.

3. Practice what you have just learned

Remember what the problem with memorizing words is? You eventually forget what you memorized. The best thing to do is to practice using the words you have just learned. I do the following:

1. Write down the word five times
2. Write down the definition of the word in your own words
3. Write a minimum of five good sentences using the word
4. Re-write the word five times

Yes, it does sound like a lot of work, but it works. The reason why I write down the word ten times is so that I become used to writing the word. I write down the definition in my own words so that I know I understand what it means. And I write a minimum of five good sentences so that I know how to use the word correctly.

What exactly are “good” sentences? A good sentence, to me anyways, is one that reflects thought and accurate use of the word. This may mean that I end up writing five paragraphs using that word only once in each paragraph. The point I make is to ensure that I know when and where to use a particular word correctly. Learning words is a long process, but it will ensure that you will never forget how to use a word.

The Bonus Step

The next step after all of that is really just consciouslly knowing to use the word in everyday lingo. Next time you’re conversing with some friends, go ahead and use the new word you learned. It will help you understand how to use the word correctly and it will become natural for you to use it. Try these steps out and share your experiences.