The Beast

Cool. I’ve studied data science off and on over a few years and have worked on data projects at work. If I stay with my current employer I will graduate with my master’s degree next May. But I’m really trying to get into health care on the data analyst side to now so I may leave and continue my education if the new employer pays for the last two courses. Writing code is where it is at. JavaScript and Python seem to be the most useful to me, along with SQL. It can’t hurt to have languages on your resume and see if an employer will take a chance on you even if you have a basic understanding.

What are you using SQL, Python and R for, Jack?

This umpire loves calling one ball on each side of the plate on the corners. What the heck? At least he did it consistently to both sides.

Why is Covey still here? He sucks!

And it is unfortunate that he will lose his job over the next 72 hours. He can be the sacrificial lamb, but it’s not his fault the players underperformed this year.

They tempered their tone today. That is why I said vintage Dan Bernstein, the one that roasts callers.

I wish you and people like you making similar arguments would call into the Score and get roasted by vintage Dan Bernstein.

Do you think students could take prerequisites at a community college and then transfer in for the doctorate degree? Just asking in case I ever were to do this.

What were there backgrounds, did they already have a science background? What program includes the prerequisites and graduate coursework?

Do you know if they had kids or what their backgrounds were in? I was average in science in high school and haven’t taken biology or chemistry since then and I never took A&P or physics. But that doesn’t mean trying as an adult wouldn’t work. I think that helping people would be a great thing to do, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be physical therapy and it instead could be nursing, but I am looking for something where I could get more job satisfaction and earn enough to live and provide for a family. (Which is something I didn’t think of when it came to undergrad.)

If I were to spend on another career path, the cost would be entirely on me. Aside from the mortgage and my wife’s graduate program, along with the kids we would have, we don’t have any debt. We aren’t rich but we aren’t poor either. The current job that I have is getting boring and I have kept it to have a secure income and for them to pay for my school. If I can’t find a job before the year is up, I will probably stay there until the middle of next year, when they can pay for the next two classes and I won’t owe them again. I have a class going on right now and I have multiple weddings this fall, so unless my next job started in November, I don’t think I could start a new job right now. But I do find value in interviews and intend on applying for new roles while trying out new projects related to the data science skills I have been learning so that I can practice those skills and keep them fresh.

I wonder what you and others would say about finishing a degree, finding out from working in a field that it isn’t for you and going back in your late 30s, 40s and 50s to retrain for something else that is in demand. I’m guessing it is possible with some personal sacrifice (like selling a house for a cheaper home elsewhere or not taking vacations and working while in school), even with kids.

I may have said this before, but first of all, thank you for your service. Thinking back to my years after high school I wish I would have registered for the national guard so I could serve my country. It must have been an honor to serve and one of the things on my bucket list is to make an impact on people’s lives and on the country so that our kids and future generations can have the same opportunities we had. That being said, your post strikes several chords with me and I think there’s a lot of value for Jack to read here. How were you able to settle on teaching with a Criminal Justice degree in undergrad? I suppose it varies by state, but I thought for sure you needed a content area and not any bachelor’s degree to be able to teach, but maybe that is only in Illinois. How did you settle on teaching as a career? I have felt that way about my pursuits. If the data science program doesn’t work out, I would have invested two years of my life into something that I put a lot of time and effort into. Luckily I will walk away only paying $5,000 since my employer has picked up the remaining balance of nearly $15,000. Now I just need my next employer to pick up the remaining tab. The challenging thing is that I need to finish the program soon in case my wife gets pregnant next year and I hope to be in a job where I can use the skills I have learned rather than just do the day to day work I do and try out the work when I have time with teams in different offices nationwide. But at least I have an opportunity elsewhere to use data and reporting and eventually try data science. You are correct about college degrees. I think the four year college mindset works for some but not for every student. There are two year degrees that make more than liberal arts majors and can provide a comfortable lifestyle. I also maintain that not everyone knows what they want at ages 18-22, so I find value in working and going to a community college for a short time while doing informational interviews and observing different careers is an excellent and more efficient way of figuring out what to do as long as people don’t suffer from analysis paralysis and slim their list down. The fear that I am just going to have to overcome is the financial resources to make a change at any point in life. My concern about having kids is that if I want to make a change, I am not sure about how to make it in another educational program while being a parent, paying a mortgage and going to school. I need to tell myself that it can be done, even if sacrifices must be made. But again, there is no such thing about being stuck or it being too late, right? I can certainly see the freedom that you feel in your pursuit of this investment and would love to know more. (Not to get political but I heard one of the presidential candidates talk about economic freedom and high job satisfaction that comes from being in the right career. The challenge is being able to have the means to do so.) Anyway, please do send me a PM about your pursuit and best of luck.

I would be curious to see what you would have to say about some of my previous posts about my career dilemmas. And I want to hear more about your investment to make your dreams a reality. Giving life to our dreams gives us a positive mindset, freedom and dignity.

Jack, I have found myself using these words before, “if I could, then I would...” I have learned it is not productive to just say that, you have to go out and act in some way. The lessons I’ve learned from failure have propelled me into something better. And this is coming from someone who is trying to overcome negativity. It doesn’t hurt to go out with a plan, evaluate from it and if that doesn’t work, try something else.

What do you do and what did you do in last lives?

What if you tried a trade? I had a friend who was an apprentice for a carpenter for a while and he didn’t stick with it, but there have to be apprenticeships or inexpensive programs in the trades for you to pick up?

Nagy should be able to adapt and get Mitch in position to roll out and get a bunched up backfield of some kind to run the ball up the gut and off tackle. The i formation isn’t dead even if they have no fullback.

Bears couldn’t afford to keep Amos...

This is the game right here. Finally a post that isn’t just about Trubisky.

Chicago is now having a meltdown and I can’t wait to listen to the Score tomorrow. All of the blame is going to be put on Trubisky regardless of what happened in the other phases of the offense. What was the issue with the offensive line tonight? What is really going on with Burton? Why does Trubisky need to throw so many times and why can’t they run like normal teams do? Runs off the guard to the outside, pitches and up the gut still work in this league? Was it the best decision to not kick from 51 yards and go for it on fourth down? What was the reason for all of the five yard curls? Did they really need to play players in the preseason? I mean, would that really have helped? Maybe, but I’m not positive? This game was overhyped and they didn’t look ready for it on the offensive side of the ball.

Crucify away Trubisky haters. But he’s your quarterback and you need him to win. Also, what do they do if he’s not the guy?

That third and one play with Trubisky running for his life pissed me off more.

I’d be mad if I paid $300+ to sit there too, but if they are booing Trubisky for that drive, that is ridiculous.

I didn’t agree with trading up to get him, but did the picks themselves really matter? Kamara wasn’t even picked by the 49ers, the Saints picked him.