Mentor Blog 1 (2hrs), Total=2hrs

On Tuesday, I met with my mentor at the tennis courts at school. My mentor and I conducted the boys' tennis conditioning in preparation for the boys' tennis season this year. He gave me instructions as to where to place tennis equipment on the court and guided my understanding of how to run certain tennis drills. In addition, we had an important discussion of what he expects for this upcoming season, such as rankings, future prospects to look out for, and other schools' progression.

The first two hours I have spent with my mentor has given me a perspective of what I am going to be dealing with. Initially, I didn't know what to expect coming to the boys' tennis conditioning. My mentor was quick to explain his procedures when coaching his team. It seemed very complicated, yet simple at the same time. I know once I keep working with my mentor I can get a hang of managing the team. This was just my first day. 

Fiscal Cliff Response

With the issue of the Fiscal Cliff deal passage, Republicans and Democrats have been taking opposite positions on the topic. Republicans are against the passage of the deal. They believe raising tax revenues and taxing the wealthy are unfair. Instead, they desire to limit government spending to decrease U.S. deficits. Democrats, however, believe otherwise in this matter. Democrats want to increase taxes on the wealthy and limit government spending. They believe this will balance out the budget.

During my research, I used google to search for useful websites on the Republican and Democratic positions concerning the Fiscal Cliff deal. I typed in specific terms in the search bar, such as "Fiscal Cliff Republican position" and "What is the Fiscal Cliff?". It was helpful to use specific words in the search bar because I was able to find relevant information about the topic. In addition, the small information given with each website was useful because it showed me what type of information the website displayed. This tool definitely accelerated my research and helped me find the information I needed.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-01-06/news/sns-rt-us-usa-fiscalbre8a80wv-20121109_1_fiscal-cliff-fiscal-fight-van-hollen

http://nationalpriorities.org/en/analysis/2013/fiscal-cliff-deal/?gclid=CI_OqPzK3rQCFad_Qgod-0AAug

http://themonkeycage.org/blog/2013/01/03/the-house-gop-and-the-fiscal-cliff-position-taking-vs-policy-making/

New Topic

Since I wasn't able to retrieve a mentor at Seton Medical Center because of liability issues, I am switching to my second option, sports management. I think this topic suits me because I am interested in being a part of the sports world. Gaining experience in managing a team will show me the basic skills I need in order to pursue a career in management in the future (it is an option).