Not a guitar hero

One of hottest selling games on the market now is Guitar Hero. I’ve played it in the store for minute or two, but usually wasn’t able to perform all that well, and besides there was usually a mob of kids waiting for their turn to play. Of course, most of them were good at it.

During a Christmas party for work, I was able to play the game a little longer. It took me a few tries to complete a song. I know that if my co-worker who owns the game reads this, he would disagree, but it’s nothing like playing a real guitar at all.

So, I don’t feel ashamed about not being able to play the game. I have plenty of real guitars at home so I can be a true guitar hero. Without the xbox (or whatever game console) the plastic piece of junk that costs $80 is worthless. Whereas the real Fender Strat which costs more than that piece of junk will always work and sound good.

I can’t believe for a second that I was actually considering getting Guitar Hero, instead I am going to practice my real guitar.

On South Park there is a entire episode describing exactly what I’m talking about, and I think Matt Stone and Trey Parker must be guitar geeks or know someone who is, because it seems to be making fun of Guitar Hero. Sure, the funniest part is when Kyle’s dad Stan plays a real guitar and the kids laugh at him, but it gets the point across.

Finally did it…I graduated!

I finally did it, I graduated again. This was actually the third time that I graduated from college… Technically, I graduated with an associate arts degree from Central Lakes College in 1996. In 1998 I graduated with a Bachelors of Science from Moorhead State University with a degree in communications, minoring or with an emphasis on Print Journalism.  I then took some time to get into the real world and put my degree to use, then I started back in school in 2000 and finally by 2004 I figured out that I wanted  a Masters Degree in Instructional Design and Technology. (Don’t ask me to explain it – actually, just kidding, I will try to explain it as best as I can). So on Friday after a what seemed like a long time, I walked across the stage again and shook hands with the University of North Dakota President Charles Kupchella during the graduation ceremony.It still doesn’t seem real, I guess it will finally sink in once I get my degree in the mail and then hang it up in my office.This time it’s different than before though. The first time I graduated, it was a big deal… and then it was the “real deal” when I got my bachelors, and also a big deal… This time, this is the highest degree I have earned but it didn’t seem that big of a deal, even though it’s quite an accomplishment, not that many people get a masters degree. Oh, what’s Instructional Design and Technology? Well, it’s a relatively new field… but just imagine this, you get a new present for you kid for Christmas, crack open the box and it requires assembly. You discover that the directions are not easy to read and you probably would have been better off with out them. What instructional designers do is create better instructions, but not just for toys but for all sorts of things, from providing teachers with well planned lesson plans to corporate training and much more.Now, I am planning on working on graduating one more time and then I think that’s it… no more stages for me to cross. This next time, it will be a really big deal for me and unlike all of the other times, this time when I cross the stage I will actually get my degree handed to me, instead of some piece of paper which looks like a degree but still says… we’re not sure if you actually graduated, so hang tight and wait until it comes in the mail.I am talking about getting my Ph.D. or Doctorate of Philosophy and then I will be Dr. Dennis A. Stangl. That will be cool. I will then be qualified to be a professor, even though technically, I am now.I have discovered that teaching is what I like most. I love technology and love sharing how to use it with others… I love learning about it and all of the new things, there is always something to learn and I sometimes feel like a little kid discovering something new for the first time, almost every day.  Well enough, babbling, if you read this might think, what the heck, they gave this guy a degree…. yup, they did! 

ADD and ADHD does it really exist?

Of course it does, it’s documented, but really what does it mean when a person has ADD or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)? I usually don’t admit this, but I think I have ADD. I am not sure maybe it’s ADHD. Regardless, I’m not any medication for it, I just live with it.. and so does my wife and kid. I have taken some meds in the past and suffered some bad reactions so, I decided against that. I have been tested for it and I guess I do have it but it could also be just stress and anxiety, which also lead people to suffer from the same symptoms of ADD or ADHD. I am sure some smarty pants will read this and comment on how wrong I am on all this. AND this is what I say to them.. do you think I care, this is just my blog.. where I can express my opinion and you can read it or not.. It’s not like I am stating all of this as fact etc… Anyway,  I read a blog posting by a 15 year-old kid and was inspired to write about this. I guess that’s all I have to say about it for now.