Day 40 - Facebook Celebrates a Milestone

Facebook announced today that it has surpassed the 300 million-user mark, and the company is now making money - for the first time. It was bound to happen sooner or later, but the company had said that it would not happen until next year. Apparently they're ahead of schedule. That's saying quite a lot in light of the recession. According to founder, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook became cash flow positive last quarter. "Over time, Facebook will continue to be as strong as all of the connections you make," Zuckerberg added. "We'll continue building new and better things to make connecting with the people you care about as easy and rewarding as possible."

Source: Chris Crum, WebProNews (9/24/09).

Back to that magic number - 300 million. To put this into perspective, the official 2008 population for the entire United States was just over 304 million. That's a lot of people on one social network.

Amazing, but true.

Meanwhile, back in the land of the studious...um....student
I'm still plugging away at this ever-expanding pile of class assignments, putting way too much pressure on myself, as I tend to do. To counteract this natural tendency, I'm also doing everything I can think of to combat the stress - yoga classes, hitting the gym, meditating, talking to anyone who will listen. Blogging about things is actually fairly cathartic. I think I'll live.

The big news this week is that I have received approval from the IRB (Institution Review Board) to proceed with my survey and final research project. The process of applying for and gaining this IRB approval was scary at first but relatively painless. I even met a new a friend when I went to the office for my interview. Sally, who runs this department, is also from Florida so she and I have a lot in common. I must overlook the fact that she's a Florida State "Seminole" (I attended THE University of Florida). Suddenly, the old football rivalries strike me as nothing but humorous.

Now, I can rock and roll with my survey distribution. It's a big step in the right direction. For anyone out there considering grad school, do not be put off thinking it's all that difficult. It's not. It just requires focus and patience. It's definitely one of the best moves I've ever made. If I can help others to open up their minds to the endless possibilities available through education, then that would be icing on the cake.

On tap tonight: a local "drumming circle." I hope it's a great stress reliever.

Ciao!

Day 38 - Education under water

Always carry an umbrella - even if the sky looks clear when you leave home. If you plan on spending part of the day on campus, carry an umbrella. There it is, plain and simple. Carry an umbrella. Why oh why do I not take my own advice? I actually said those two dreaded words ..."I forgot." Lame!

As you have figured out, I got caught in the rain today. And not just any rain. It was a torrential downpour that sent little rivers of water across campus so there was no way to walk that your shoes were not completely submerged. In fact, it's still raining two and a half hours later as I write; although I think the end may be in sight.
(And, I'm only mildly annoyed.)

Seriously, the sun was shining when I left this morning. I was feeling particularly serene as I ambled out of yoga class with 15 minutes to spare for my walk to the next class. I had an important quiz at 2:00 pm, and there I was, umbrella-less. I took some comfort in thinking that while I would get wet, at least my waterproof backpack would protect my notes and books. Ha! Not so much.

On the positive side, I aced the quiz, despite a more than drippy demeanor. But still, I am beating myself up over this. I know it's just one more lesson I have not thoroughly learned. At least, if anyone ever asks, I can speak with authority about the level of discomfort involved in sitting through a class soaked to the skin with water pooling in my shoes and dripping from my hair all over the desk. Miserable really doesn't do it justice. So, fellow students and potential students, please, either check the weather report in the morning or carry an umbrella in your backpack!

Do you love frogs?
On a decidedly lighter note, I discovered the most interesting blog earlier so I am sharing: http://frogsaregreen.com/. If you are a parent, your kids will love everything about this website. If you are at all concerned about the environment and sustainability, you will also find it fascinating. Check it out, frog fanciers!