John Spahr

I do not like public speaking. It is a weird inconsistency in my character. I am fairly extroverted, able to engage with others easily, and pretty upbeat. I think that the organized nature of public speaking is what makes it unappealing to me. I like to ramble, and I'm a pretty casual sort of guy. Public speaking assignments don't really cater to my style. They make me very nervous. Today, I had an interesting experience. I was tasked in my business communications class to create a pitch speech about my key attributes. It was worth a hefty 100 points, but I put off preparing for it until 30-45 minutes before I presented. It is the worst example of procrastinating I have had in a hot minute. Yet, I got 100%. The professor wasn't strict, but I also barely even tried. Here's my takeaway on how I managed to wing public speaking and succeed this time. These are the factors: Have a Chill Professor If you're winging it, you're going in unprepared. Ultra-strict professo...

Hey, folks. As some of you are aware, I have become interested in building a wristwatch collection again. As a college student, I tend to favor cheap watches, and I realized there was a void in my collection: A subtle, diminutive, and dressy watch. Luckily, some digging led me to find a very compelling watch at a jaw-dropping price. Behold, the Casio MTP-V005L-7B5!  Ugh, what a name. Anyway, I paid $30 for this watch brand new on eBay. It came in one piece, and I was instantly impressed. First of all... The Dial What a looker. It has a bold sunburst effect that reflects light beautifully. Otherwise, its silver dial is pretty conservative in its design. Price necessitates this, and it's not a bad thing. The face features classy flat roman numeral and line markers around the perimeter and a lined chapter ring within. The center of the dial is spare of the usual tacky "water resistant" text, populated only by the Casio logo.  The hands are also simplistic with some lackluste...