Introductory Post

Hello everyone. My name is 'Jay' and I'm excited to finally be blogging! I love to write, and have always envisioned myself doing this. Yet as a husband, father of two kinder-aged children and a full time student, I have been simply too busy to blog for pleasure. I'm a "real talk", "call 'em like I see 'em" kind of guy. An extrovert for sure. My wife is a bit more shy, to say the least.  She gets mad at the few moments a week I 'waste' on Facebook (she's one of the last people I know who doesn't have an account), and would've previously killed me for taking time away from the family to Tweet, Yelp or the like. Now I have an excuse, yay!

I am a Communication Studies major at San Jose State and expect to graduate with honors in the spring of 2012. My grades mean alot to me as I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity to finish my education. I do have an A.A. in Communication Studies from Gavilan College in beautiful Gilroy, California. Although I was born and raised in San Jose, graduating from Oak Grove High in 1991, I love it here in Gilroy and no longer have any desire to move back. Life here is a bit slower, something I, a very fast paced and pretty much 'hyper' individual, never thought would appeal to me. But there's a small town, community feel to Gilroy where you chat with and get to know your neighbors and store owners/workers and actually care about them...I fit right in!

As an aspiring Marketing Communications Specialist, I love being a Comm. major. I was briefly an engineering major first (way to much math and science), then an advertising major throughout my lower division G.E. Then I was lucky enough to find Communication Studies. I am diligently dedicating myself this summer not only getting an 'A' in this course, but also to finding an internship that will help successfully launch me into some decent money in the world of marketing after graduation. I do have a few leads, and am extremely hopeful about only one in particular, so to anyone interested in marketing communications, feel free to ask me anything, anytime.  

I worked for almost 20 years at the former "NUMMI" plant (manufacturer of the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma) in Fremont, Ca. During that time I managed to earn my A.A. and do nothing with it, as I was working a ton and making good money at NUMMI. However, it closed last April and my wife, an L.C.S.W. and SJSU alum, is currently the 'bread-winner' as I finish my B.A. Nearly 4000 union workers got laid off when the plant closed. I understand that only 6 of us were given the okay by EDD (California's unemployment department) to "retrain" at a University rather learn to be a truck driver or a plumber or something. So as I mentioned before, I feel extremely blessed for this, my best and last chance to earn my degree, and take my studies very seriously.

As students, we are all very fortunate to be in this position, but also very busy and sometimes stressed as we struggle to juggle work, relationships, kids (for those of us lucky enough) and our coursework. So I hereby offer my help and/or advise to anyone who needs it. In regular contact with all of my instructors, I 'stay on top of it' and love to help...clarification on assignments, questions about due dates, something your too embarrassed to ask the instructor, whatever.  Note my active email account at top and please feel free to use it. With that said, it is very nice to meet you all and let's have a great summer session!