Recreating Silicon Valley

treseder · Joined: 05 Apr 2011 Posts: 6

Hey guys, I'm excited to be working on this project with you both!

I think I'll talk about an academic failure. It's kind of a strange one, but since I'm a returning transfer student, my experiences on campus have been a little different. I tend not to write about topics (we're talking about fuzzy classes here) that the teacher assigns because I often think they're boring and I hate being one of a crowd. What I did when I first arrived here was just write about whatever the hell I wanted, and my grades suffered as a result. I learned quite early on that it was important to express yourself, but it's equally important to explain your reasoning to the people in charge. Once my professors understood my need to be unconventional, they worked with me to find a constructive and responsible way for me to participate in the class. Basically, collaborating and communicating made a huge difference for everyone involved. I hope I can remember that long enough to avoid screwing up this team project . . .

Matthew Pruchniewski · Joined: 05 Apr 2011 Posts: 2

My biggest failure that I will describe is also academic. I was recently in a class that required our group to work in teams over the course of a ten week period. We selected our own teams and the teams were set for the entire ten weeks. After just two weeks into the class, two to three of our five teammates already began to slack off. Another teammate and I were constantly responsible for schedule meetings and making sure assignments were completed in a timely manner. I regret not having had more open discussion with my team to get everyone more active in our effort. Our team was ultimately successful, but the lack of communication made the project more stressful.

Maxim · Joined: 04 Apr 2011 Posts: 4 Location: Moscow

Here is a story of my failure, the first and the most memorable. It is funny and I am glad to tell you that tale:
One day my father a short-sighted man (you will see why it is so) and the owner of outstanding imagination made a special New Year present for me, a drawn map of a mysterious treasure island. It was given to me in top secret. And it was his fault that he had forgotten to tell me that it was a figment of his imagination.
For 5 year old boy who lived in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk the capital of Sakhalin places which can`t be reached not only on foot but also by bus didn’t exist. Then I learnt that such places are called Desert Island, and some of them are full of different treasure. I hold the map of one of them…
With cold in the head and commonly strong for a coastal city snowstorm outside I dreadfully dreamt of being there on my Island, with yellow drawn sand and palm trees among witch one can be as free as a bird, where one likely to find the remains of some dinosaur or treasure then find steps of another man. I dreamt, it was easy for me, I liked it. I think it is the favorite thing for all boys in their childhood, maybe not only in their childhood. Who knows?...
Than the plan has matured in my head. Next morning I folded my map and pulled it together with sandwiches thoughtfully made by mother in bag. With my father holding my hand who was already not only my father but also my first business partner, imposing partner I must admit, I opened the door to my first business.
Soon I entered my first office kindergarten number 1 in my hometown. Hardly holding my breath I carefuly carried the box with my future Mercedes and mention inside in the classroom. I go trought crowds of noisy drawf-spies. Having said goodbye to my elder partner I started my first task. I decided to get a workplace. My choice fell on standing alone table at the back of the classroom. It was occupied by Maria Burkowskaya my sandbox friend. Masha poured invisible tea to guests of her Barbyhouse. I came to her put my both hands on my briefcase and secretly whispered in her ear:
- Maria, I have an offer to you.
She even did not looked at me. Than she imperturbably exclaimed:
- Come in! But first wipe your feet, Kan has an allergy to dust from the corridor. Would you like tea, I am out of coffee I can't get it the weather is non-flying.
- No thanks, I have already had breakfast. I just wanted you to do me a favor. I need your table just for one day. I will take to a secret journey in exchange.
- Where? - asked she curiously - Maybe to POW camp?
- No - I looked around to make sure that no one tried to steal my intellectual property. I unfolded the map - This is a map of treasure island. I am sure you have never heard of it. It is like our kindergarten but it is surrounded by water instead of fence. It can be reached only by boat better schooner because island is full of different treasure, heavy treasure, heavy as pots after a quiet hour. I would rather play escape from POW camp. Than I'll give you my table.
- Agreed!
She raked her Barby family in the box and began to play with girls in other room. I put my map in the centre of the table and begun to wait for the first customer. I did't take long. Very soon Boris came to me and offered place of second pilot in his attack plain made of chairs. While he was speaking his attention was atracted by drawn picture.
- Is it yaishnitsa (a dish of eggs)? - he wondered.
- No - I answered - Tastier. THE MAP OF TREASURE ISLAND...
I told him all the details. Explained how danger it was. I added that weather presented us real chance to get rich. Borya's eyes shined and he sorrowly continiued:
- Cool, but I wish I would....
- Just 9.99 rub. - I suddenly exclaimed - We will go there once we leave the kindergarten. My father will drive us there. Tomorrow we will return rich. Full touristic package: desert, jungle, beach, beach, dinosaur remains. One is allowed to take one boan. Masha goes with us - I added finally. After that he agreed, and run out of the room to take his pocket money which was given to him for ice-cream from cupboard. I ceremonially wrote his name on a bubble gum sticker and gave him it in exchange for his sparkling coins.
My next client was Katya friend of Masha. She sheepishly tried to flirt asking questions about journey to that uninhabited Island. Finally she confessed that she just wanted to have her grandma's earrings. She added that her brother told her that there are great deal of them on such treasure islands. She had no money that's why she would watch the dinning room instead of me.
The interest to my favor increased, and soon my table was surrounded by my classmates. Everybody uriously examined the map, measured with fingers the route between start point and that charished cross. Some of them even arqued about the amount of bakings they should take in the trip. The brook began to flow. There was no end to clients. I ardently described all the advantages of my tour, I made up some new. I took payments in all forms, when someone could't pay with money I used direct barter: cinema tickets, candies, Ninja turtles. In the heat of the market battle I did't notice the shadow of my educator Nina Fedorovna ( the way one call elder people in Russia, second is the derivative of elder people's father's name. In that case Nina' s father was Fedor)
- Kooooolin! What are you doing here?
- Bbbuisness, Nina Fedorovna - I answered trying to stay confident.
- What business?
- Touristic, don't you want to go to treasure island with us?
- What Island?
- T R E A S U R E - I drawled out - Here is the map. One can reach it only by boat, once you get there you should follow the black line on the map. There will be mountains, crocodiles in the swamps and dinosaur skeletons.
- Oh, what a great inventor you are! However I agree. Let's go to your Island, Maxim. I see you are going to take all the children with you!
- Yes, - I answered hesitantly - but the journey is not common. It is PAID. Only 9.99 rub.
I glanced at Nina Fedorovna. Her eyes turned in horror.
- Rubles, Maxim? Did you really sell tickets to your Island? - here she noticed three plastic bucket under my table. The bigger two have already been full of different toys and the small one was full of coins and several bonds.
That was the moment of my first bankrupt procedure. Just after my abrupt ascent of buisness Olimp. Money was confiscated, toys were returned to their owners. My pereira came to my kindergarten. The educator talked to them very long shaking drawn map or my small money bucket with her hand. When we returned home everybody kept silent. The whole evening, when we ate, watched " Spokoynoy Nochi Malishi" ( TV program for children - " Good night, Children") when somebody tried to get my parent on the phone.
When I was about to sleep. My father crept into my room. He came to my bed and scratched out something.
Here, son. Its 130 rub. Nina Fedorovna counted it in your bucket. You are certainly great rogue. Don`t tell your mother. You shouldn’t do that. Though… Don`t forget to get license right to use otherpeole secrets. And know for now that Accompying of children are going everywhere free.