Tuesday, March 23, 2010
My break
So my break was a very big one. To start it off i went to Dallas Texas for a judo tournament. I had a total of 12 national ranked matches and out of the 12 i won 11 of them. My coach nicknamed me bend because at one point i was bent in a way that you are not normaly suppose to bend.Then i came home on sunday and packed some more cloths for my trip down to Flordia. My family has a house down there so we stayed till friday. Here is the best part, I moved out of my house and into my first appartmnet with one of my buddies. My mom and i went to Weekends only and bought some stuff for my new place. My roomate also got a cat. And well if you know anything about me, i hate cats.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
my idea for spring break
so my friends and i are really into air soft guns. So we thought it would be cool to go out to my buddies land and set up to camps for a capture the flag three day game. you would be able to attack at anytime for the three days. His dad would pick the areas were the two camps will be held so that no one on the other team knows where the other camp is right off the bat. It would be like our own mini war for three days. we are all going up to the bing shop in edwardsville to pick out some guns and ammo and cam-mo for the game today. Im thinking about getting a sniper rifle air gun but idk i saved up 300$ to do something so might as well go big.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
So far.
So far i think blogger has been ok. I dont feel i have taken the need time to really get to understand it. Then again i dont really have time to mess with it. I do like that we all can talk to each other as a class in it. I think my best blogger post has been the one where we had to pick a quote in our book. I really liked that post because i could really relate to the quote. One thing i keep on seeing on peoples blogs is whats on their mind type of comments. And to pick which blog i like the most would be hard to do. I cant really say which one really stticks out in my mind.
SMALL TO BIG
Small too Big.
When you think of a family business, what do you see? Maybe you see plates, children or a bunch of papers. Well when I think of a family business, I see auto parts and computers. My family owns Al’s Automotive. We buy and ship auto parts to companies that are need of them. If your car breaks down and you take it to just about and shop around here chances are more than likely you got your replacement part from Al’s. We are the largest shipping company of auto part south of Chicago. There is a lot of behind the scene actions that keep our business a float. One being the technology we have had to use to keep the whole company running.
First off, let’s talk about how technology is the backbone of every business in the world. And no I did not need to go to some web site to figure that one out. Phones, computers, scanners, copiers and even the internet are all must have technologies that you have to have in order to run a small or large business. Working in a fairly small business I have came to understand that the key to a successful business is to keep up with the technologies that are out there for you. One example is a phone system. This is a great example because when you need to put someone on hold you have to have some where to put them. But, the key is to keep them on the phone. How do you do that you might ask? It is simple, have music playing while they are on hold or set up an advertisement skit.
One man that understands all of these concepts is my dad. His name is David Scrivner. I started off my little interview with a few simple questions. But, even with the small simple questions I could tell my dad was very interested to talk about the technologies that have let the company flourish since October of 1953. One question that was asked in the interview was “What is one of the most important technologies that we have adopted?” He happily answered “Well it would have to be hands down the internet. More than 2/3 of the day to day business is done on the internet. It is a very common piece of technology that people might over look. When I go to order part, I don’t use the phone. Instead I use the internet. Think of it as a whole other world.” I think what he means by “It’s a whole other world” is, the internet takes way from the miscommunication that a phone could cause and when ordering parts that cost twenty-five thousand dollars a mix up could spell trouble.
“I do not think there is really a difference in technologies used from a large company to a small company.” This was an answer to a question I asked him retaining to differences in technologies used in a large to small company. This can better be explained by looking at a larger auto parts company like O’Reilly compared to Al’s. O’Reilly is able to reach out to people by their sales and by advertisements. Well the same is done by AL’s but only on a small playing field. We use the internet, local races and the TV to get our name out and on the other side the same is done. They have about a thousand different cars and trucks to move their parts; well we do the same only we have 250 cars and trucks to do the same job. My dad always likes to say we are doing what the billion dollar companies are, we just don’t make as much as them.
“In the tough world, only the strongest of companies will survive! And to survive you have to be up to speed on all types of technology, even if it does not apply to you.” My dad said this in the interview after I asked him “If he thinks technology will lead us into the future?” I also share the same idea. Working day to day with the great technologies of the new world I can be the first one to tell you when they stop working it make the rest of the tasks for the day I pain in my ass. We have eleven stores all around the metro area and at all moments of the day and even at unopened hours, the computer and phones must keep working. If they fail then the next work day will be hell.
All in all, the entire interview with my dad went very well. It might have taken a few hours to get down to the good questions but, I think after I had a greater value for our family business. I learn in the interview that a great company takes time to build. There will be set back and great gains no matter what you have to keep up with the amazing technologies the world has to offer. “The new day will one day start with you. How you decide to run that day will show the true you!” Thanks dad!
When you think of a family business, what do you see? Maybe you see plates, children or a bunch of papers. Well when I think of a family business, I see auto parts and computers. My family owns Al’s Automotive. We buy and ship auto parts to companies that are need of them. If your car breaks down and you take it to just about and shop around here chances are more than likely you got your replacement part from Al’s. We are the largest shipping company of auto part south of Chicago. There is a lot of behind the scene actions that keep our business a float. One being the technology we have had to use to keep the whole company running.
First off, let’s talk about how technology is the backbone of every business in the world. And no I did not need to go to some web site to figure that one out. Phones, computers, scanners, copiers and even the internet are all must have technologies that you have to have in order to run a small or large business. Working in a fairly small business I have came to understand that the key to a successful business is to keep up with the technologies that are out there for you. One example is a phone system. This is a great example because when you need to put someone on hold you have to have some where to put them. But, the key is to keep them on the phone. How do you do that you might ask? It is simple, have music playing while they are on hold or set up an advertisement skit.
One man that understands all of these concepts is my dad. His name is David Scrivner. I started off my little interview with a few simple questions. But, even with the small simple questions I could tell my dad was very interested to talk about the technologies that have let the company flourish since October of 1953. One question that was asked in the interview was “What is one of the most important technologies that we have adopted?” He happily answered “Well it would have to be hands down the internet. More than 2/3 of the day to day business is done on the internet. It is a very common piece of technology that people might over look. When I go to order part, I don’t use the phone. Instead I use the internet. Think of it as a whole other world.” I think what he means by “It’s a whole other world” is, the internet takes way from the miscommunication that a phone could cause and when ordering parts that cost twenty-five thousand dollars a mix up could spell trouble.
“I do not think there is really a difference in technologies used from a large company to a small company.” This was an answer to a question I asked him retaining to differences in technologies used in a large to small company. This can better be explained by looking at a larger auto parts company like O’Reilly compared to Al’s. O’Reilly is able to reach out to people by their sales and by advertisements. Well the same is done by AL’s but only on a small playing field. We use the internet, local races and the TV to get our name out and on the other side the same is done. They have about a thousand different cars and trucks to move their parts; well we do the same only we have 250 cars and trucks to do the same job. My dad always likes to say we are doing what the billion dollar companies are, we just don’t make as much as them.
“In the tough world, only the strongest of companies will survive! And to survive you have to be up to speed on all types of technology, even if it does not apply to you.” My dad said this in the interview after I asked him “If he thinks technology will lead us into the future?” I also share the same idea. Working day to day with the great technologies of the new world I can be the first one to tell you when they stop working it make the rest of the tasks for the day I pain in my ass. We have eleven stores all around the metro area and at all moments of the day and even at unopened hours, the computer and phones must keep working. If they fail then the next work day will be hell.
All in all, the entire interview with my dad went very well. It might have taken a few hours to get down to the good questions but, I think after I had a greater value for our family business. I learn in the interview that a great company takes time to build. There will be set back and great gains no matter what you have to keep up with the amazing technologies the world has to offer. “The new day will one day start with you. How you decide to run that day will show the true you!” Thanks dad!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Quotes!
So the quote that i think has been the most interesting one of them all, up to this point was, "The human race is a race of cowards. I am not only marching in the parade, I am carrying a banner." This quote was written by Mark Twain and can be found in chapter six, page 81. I picked this quote because this one, out of them all so far, made me stop and read it a second time. At first i didn't understand it. Then i started to think more into the words its self. I think what Mark was getting at, as he said this, was people are scared to do a lot in the world. Let it be fear of rejection or unnecessary criticism but, whatever it may be there is a wall that tends to show up sometime. Also, i like this quote because, he agrees that he also is one of the cowards. By showing this he can relate alot better to his words. I feel in writing that people tend to cower away from the plain but also the hidden messages. Are you scared to know the truth? Or is you head to far stuck up your own ass that you can not see what is right in front of you? Whatever it may be, people that are trying to become better writers need to over come their fears and cowardnesses in order to be a better writer and be able to fully let out the greatness inside them.
Interview Essay Proposal
For the interview essay, I would like to find out more about how my dad started his own business. My family business, which is called “Al’S Automotive,” was started by my grandpa back in the 1950s. Since 1990 the business has been in David Scrivner’s hands. I know the business has been in my family for a long time but, I would like to learn how it got started and what changes my father has made to it.
1. Focusing Question- What changes have been made since the business first opened in 1950.
2. Primary Purpose:
Explore: What new technologies have been useful in keeping the business afloat for so long?
Analyze: How has the new technologies affected productivity and sales? What door has the new technologies opened for the business?
3. I think that technologies like the internet have been a major influence in the micro managing for my father.
4. Who will I interview: David Scrivner (my Dad).
5. Other sources: I will also talk to those who have been with Al’s Automotive for a long time. Also, I’m going to also interview Jim Scrivner and Jeff Scrivner. My family also has a family book, so I will look in there also for maybe direct quotes from my grandpa about the business.
For the interview essay, I would like to find out more about how my dad started his own business. My family business, which is called “Al’S Automotive,” was started by my grandpa back in the 1950s. Since 1990 the business has been in David Scrivner’s hands. I know the business has been in my family for a long time but, I would like to learn how it got started and what changes my father has made to it.
1. Focusing Question- What changes have been made since the business first opened in 1950.
2. Primary Purpose:
Explore: What new technologies have been useful in keeping the business afloat for so long?
Analyze: How has the new technologies affected productivity and sales? What door has the new technologies opened for the business?
3. I think that technologies like the internet have been a major influence in the micro managing for my father.
4. Who will I interview: David Scrivner (my Dad).
5. Other sources: I will also talk to those who have been with Al’s Automotive for a long time. Also, I’m going to also interview Jim Scrivner and Jeff Scrivner. My family also has a family book, so I will look in there also for maybe direct quotes from my grandpa about the business.
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