Fun facts (highlights) about this blog:
This blog has grown to 332 posts!
I have been posting for a little over a year.
After posting for about six months, I decided to start working on publishing my PhD papers. So the purpose/focus of the blog changed.
Now for today's update....
I created a new board in Pinterest called 'Running Off Track.' It is very interesting. Take a look at:
https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/running-off-track/
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Guyana is known for the Kaieteur Falls (the single flow waterfall with the highest drop in the world), the tallest wooden building/cathedral in the western hemisphere (St. George's Cathedral), and so on. I usually see photos of these important places in tourism/marketing documents, promotional materials, and websites on Guyana. An example is this article on Kaieteur Falls by travelandleisure.com: https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/worlds-largest-single-drop-waterfall-kaieteur-falls-guyana. I was surprised to see "different" photos shared in an article to market/promote Guyana (link to article: https://www.guyanatimesinternational.com/oh-beautiful-guyana/). Two are photos of the Ayangaik mountain. One of the photos made me think of (or maybe reminded me of) Noah's Ark.
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Today is Friendship Day! I immediately thought of the group I joined recently. It is a group of old friends from high school. The girls are like my sisters (because we lived in a dorm together).
I have other friends too. I made friends at college, at work, and so on (after high school). And, I am from Guyana. I have a connection with people from beautiful Guyana.
I am currently working on a paper on online communities. I hoped to finish the paper by the end of this week but was unable to because I was working on other things. There is a lot going on. Online communities turned out to be a more complex topic than I thought. The paper looks at the topic from a different angle.
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I thought I selected the right journal for one of the papers I submitted recently, but I guess I did not. I am still learning about the best journal for a paper, especially one of my interdisciplinary papers. The editor of the journal recommended another more specialized journal for the paper. He wrote:
"Indeed, while the topic of this study is of potential interest, its overall contribution to the field appears too limited for the broad readership of the journal. Therefore, this manuscript would be better suited for a more specialized journal."
I have never heard of the journal he recommended, but it does seem to be a better fit. It accepts APA 7th edition so no reference changes are needed (reference list changes as well as changes to in-text citations).
I recall eating breadfruit and breadnut as a child. I loved breadnut. I didn't like breadfruit a whole lot, but I still ate it (because that was what my mother prepared for the family on some days).
The names (breadfruit and breadnut) imply that these foods are types of bread. They are "different" breads (see my Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/a-different-bread/). Breadfruit is like bread because it fills you up and is sometimes eaten for breakfast.
These "different" breads are not made from flour. I believe all breads are made from flour (or at least have flour in common). The flour may be different. There is wheat flour, rice flour, and so on (see Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/flours-coconut-rice-other-gluten-free-flours/).
I guess breads are complicated. Some breads have different shapes, are smaller, and made with unusual flours such as cassava flour (so can also be called "different" breads). I have a Pinterest board called 'Not The Usual Loaves' that includes breads such as banana bread and cinnamon swirl bread (https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/not-the-usual-loaves/). I have a Pinterest board called 'Smaller Bread or Bread-like Bites' like bruschetta and garlic bread twists (https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/smaller-bread-or-bread-like-bites/). And, I have a Pinterest board called 'Flat, Round, & Bread-like Eats' that includes pancakes, flatbread, and cassava bread (https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/flat-round-bread-like-eats/).
There is a saying that there is more than one way to skin a cat (more on this saying is available at: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/there-is-more-than-one-way-to-skin-a-cat.html). I discovered that this is true even for the alphabet. For a long time, I thought there was only one alphabet song - a classic song I learned as a young girl in school (I found this version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75p-N9YKqNo). I was in high school when I discovered there was another alphabet song. The song seemed official. I heard it when I saw a performance by the boys/males at my school (they sang the song and used their bodies to "sign" the letters - it was some sort of sign language). It was very interesting. I am not sure why the girls were not involved.
I submitted two of my papers for publishing today (to two different journals). I found "good" journals to submit the papers to. There was no need for a lot of revisions. However, the submissions took quite a while. For one journal, I needed to include reviewers. Finding reviewers for the paper was challenging (partially because it is a "different" paper).
After a long time, I recently ordered food from Papa Johns. I purchased breadsticks and some other items. I ordered a lot of breadsticks and pizza from Papa Johns when I lived in Gainesville. The breadsticks haven't changed.
Photo of breadsticks I ordered in Gainesville, FL (taken when I used my food blog for tracking food choices):
Most people associate salt and vinegar with salads, but there are salt and vinegar chips, salt and vinegar chicken wings, and salt and vinegar crisps/potatoes (examples are included in my Pinterest board 'Salt & Vinegar,' https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/salt-vinegar/). My Friday Flashback is to the period during high school when the local beverage company sold a popular salt and vinegar snack. I didn't like it at first, but I got used to the taste. I guess it was an "acquired taste."
(Another Pinterest board you may interested in is: 'Acquired Taste,' https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/acquired-taste/.)
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These are photos of the 1991 graduation program for President's College. It shows the graduating class. I did not hide names because I assume this is public information.
I was out today for a doctor's appointment. We had a quick, easy ride to the hospital (no
heavy traffic or other problems) even though we left home later than planned. It was a welcome break from a typical day for me these days - working on the computer at home.
Selecting the journal for publishing my updated paper on the online review industry/domain is taking longer than anticipated. The paper includes a lot of information on decision support systems but a "pure" IS (Information Systems) journal does not seem to be the best fit. I spent some time researching journals that combine both business and technology as well as ethics journals. My top choice required the APA reference format and accepted papers from a lot of disciplines. However, the journal had a limit of 25 pages. My paper has 27 pages. My second choice accepted manuscripts between 8000 and 12000 words. My manuscript met that requirement, but the reference style was Chicago which would require updates to my reference list. I am looking into a third option. I am also pondering whether to make the necessary changes for one of my top two choices.
Author Description Take/Attempt 2:
(See the first attempt here: https://fahmeenaodetta.blogspot.com/2023/07/description.html)
Fahmeena Odetta Moore has completed over 40 credits towards a PhD at Northcentral University (now National University). She completed over 10 signature assignments (major papers, some with new ideas) at Northcentral University. She is currently working on publishing her PhD papers. Ms. Moore uses or applies her background a lot in her papers. Ms. Moore has a background in multiple fields of study and usually combines ideas from different disciplines in her papers. She has worked as a Financial Analyst, Sr. IT/Business Analyst, and Consultant. She holds master's degrees in Finance and Information Systems from US universities, a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Guyana, and success at A-Level Accounting, Pure Mathematics with Statistics and Economics examinations.
This description is shorter, but I removed important information such as my research areas/topics. Research topics are usually included in author descriptions. There is also no information on my sub-topic Usability for Decision-Making. I think I need a take/attempt 3.
Math, it's all over. My Pinterest board 'It's a Math, Math World' (https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/its-a-math-math-world/) shows why I say this.
Some related boards that are not really related are:
For Large Numbers
https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/for-large-numbers/
Be Squared
https://www.pinterest.com/fahmeenaodetta/be-squared/
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LinkedIn provides very good information on the career paths people take, how fast people "rose to the top," and so on. I was surprised to see that some people who write for a
living have a Mathematics ("Math") background (such as a bachelor's degree in Math). I wonder how many people like that are out there. People don't seem to excel at both Math and English (courses such as: English Literature, Writing, English for Native English speakers). I know some people who are very good at English but they hate Math. And, I know some people who are good at Math but struggle with English.
Today, I was reminded that I wore a "patch" (wound dressing) over my left eye during high school. I got the patch because of a small "growth" on my left eye. The school nurse at President's College arranged for me to go to Georgetown Hospital to get rid of the "growth." I was transported to the hospital and everything went well. I didn't feel any pain when they cut off the growth (and I was awake through it all). When I returned to school, some of the boys called me pirate.
I received a form/letter notifying me of a decision that caused some confusion. One person thought the decision was a rejection (maybe because that was the first thing she noticed or maybe because she doesn't know the type of plan I am on). When I reviewed the form carefully, I realized that the decision was actually 'approved'. There were two lines with 'rejected' and one line with 'approved' that applied to me. The 'rejection's seemed to be highlighted in some way. I am attaching an example to make this clearer. Notice that there are two lines with 'rejected' and one line with 'approved.' The two lines with 'rejected' do not apply to me. I think this shows that white space and usability could make a difference.
I like lemons. Sometimes I add a few slices or squeezes to my water to add flavor. Sometimes I make delicious lemonade. The sourness really does help to break down the food in my system (helps with digestion). An article on Vogue.com advises readers to drink lemon water first thing in the morning. Then, it is more likely to help with constipation (item 5 in the list at https://www.vogue.com/article/lemon-water-health-benefits). I assume the expert (who explained the benefits of lemon water in the article) meant hot lemon water. Maybe it is cold lemon water as well.
A long time ago, when I was on a diet program, I drank hot lemon water in the morning. That was a standard recommendation for participants in the program. I drank the hot lemon water for quite some time. I don't recall when I stopped it but I did years ago.
I had "special" lemons during my last hospital stay. I wasn't sure what to expect when I selected the "lemons" option from the menu. I really liked what I got. The juice was not sour (no sourness at all) and it had a really nice flavor. It probably assisted with digestion, but I am not certain.
I am working on combining the descriptions I submitted with previous papers. This is my new version:
Fahmeena Odetta Moore is working to publish quality papers based on papers completed for her PhD courses at Northcentral University (now National University). For her PhD courses, she completed papers on a variety of topics: Decision-making, Usability and Consumer Analytics, Innovation, Technology to Handle Employee Risk, Quality and Success, Videos, and Social Media. She has a background in multiple fields of study and usually combines ideas from different disciplines in her papers. One sub-topic she likes is usability for decision-making that combines ideas from information technology, economics, and marketing, and involves design, requirements, and even data analysis (when used for dashboards, financial applications, and so on). Ms. Moore's background includes master's degrees in Finance and Information Systems from US universities, a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Guyana, and success at A-Level Accounting, Pure Mathematics with Statistics and Economics examinations. She qualified for and attended top schools in Guyana that instilled the idea that she should strive for excellence in everything she does. Ms. Moore has a BA/Analyst background. She has worked in the IT Analyst role supporting organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
I think this may be too long. I have to work on it some more.
Previous versions:
Fahmeena Odetta Moore is currently working on publishing papers so she could graduate with a PhD from Northcentral University (ncu.edu). For courses completed thus far, she has completed papers on a variety of topics: Decision-making, Usability and Consumer Analytics, Innovation, Technology to Handle Employee Risk, Quality and Success, Videos, and Social Media. Ms. Moore's background includes master's degrees in Finance and Information Systems from US universities, a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Guyana, and success at A-Level Accounting, Pure Mathematics with Statistics and Economics examinations. Ms. Moore qualified for and attended top schools in Guyana.
Fahmeena Odetta Moore is close to completing a PhD at Northcentral University. Her research interests include technology vs. employment decisions, usability for decision-making, achieving successful outcomes, and new and innovative uses of social media. She has taken an interdisciplinary approach in her papers. She is now working on publishing some of her papers in academic journals. Ms. Moore has a BA/Analyst background. She has worked in the IT Analyst role supporting organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
REPOST (from Facebook post https://www.facebook.com/fahmeena.moore/posts/pfbid02HqCHcN1n9fJ553Z56kSPpMUaD1hiLt4y5pLDm3pG3TZbiUsoScLpmCUGhEmwLBmDl)
Another good #gospel song. This song is part of my daily #morningroutine (l need to get back on track):
"You are holy, holy
Are you Lord God Almighty?
Worthy is the Lamb,
Worthy is the Lamb,
You are holy...."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBeEqA1VrNk
#HolyBible is used because the god of our Bible is holy!!
In yesterday's post, I wrote of comfort in the hospital. I had a flood of memories after that post. I should have mentioned my scarf that provided comfort when I was at the rehabilitation center. I wish I had it when I was at the hospital (prior to rehab).
While at rehab, I wore my prayer/biblical scarf around my neck all day every day. I wore it when I visited the gym to exercise and "practice" walking. I wore it while I ate. I wore it at night. That scarf was comforting (and it warmed my neck a little but I was not overheating because of it). I think it reminded me that God was in charge. It was like I was asking for God's presence for him to "do his thing." The scarf has a Bible verse on it so it was like I was continually praying too. I had my Bible with me but the scarf was like a Bible that I could wear. I guess that piece of long, flowy fabric around my neck meant a lot to me (and I am not sure why I told one of the rehab specialists that I just felt like wearing the scarf when she asked if it had special meaning). It was probably a little weird, but I felt so much better because I was wearing that scarf. I am happy that no one asked me to take it off. They just let me wear it.
After rehab, I put the scarf in a safe place. Now that I am thinking of the scarf again, I want to wear it. But, it is too hot for the scarf now. I will wear it again when it cools down.
It is a really nice scarf. I attached a picture of a very similar scarf below. I had that scarf for a long time (for over 10 years). I didn't wear that one much.
While taking a break from working on a paper for publishing, I decided to respond to today's prompt in Wordpress. See responses to the Wordpress prompt for 7/12/2023 here: https://wordpress.com/tag/dailyprompt-1994.
What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?
I read this question and immediately thought of air conditioning. In the summer, air conditioning provides much comfort, especially on 90 degree days like today (It is 1:38pm and it is already 89 degrees fahrenheit). Unfortunately, we are currently dealing with an AC issue.
Sometimes I listen to music, which provides comfort. When I feel stressed, music could be the stress reliever. Music also relaxes my mind.
Reading a good book can also provide comfort. Reading the Bible is supposed to provide comfort. A simple Google search will provide verses for or about comfort - https://www.google.com/search?q=bible+comfort.
One of the most important things is to get a good mattress. Everyone needs a good night’s sleep (comfort at night). Your day is more likely to be miserable if you did not get a good night’s sleep.
Comfort also makes me think of hospitals and the nurses who ask, "Are you comfortable? I could move the pillow...." Simple changes (such as moving the pillow or covering your legs) or a drink of water could bring comfort in the hospital.
It was my birthday yesterday. I enjoyed the day with family. I had cake, lots of food, and lots of conversation. It is always good to catch up on what's going on with family and friends. I read some of it on Facebook, but I got a lot more information from conversing.
I received gifts, but didn't get any birthday freebies. Birthday freebies, which are free items or discounts from companies (such as a free pretzel from Auntie Anne's or a free scoop of ice cream from Baskin-Robbins) on your birthday, seem to be a "thing." See more on birthday freebies here:
113 Best Birthday Freebies to Take Advantage of in 2023
By Jamie Ballard and Kristi Valentini
https://www.womansday.com/life/entertainment/a36295235/best-birthday-freebies/
I signed up for the birthday drawing at UMBC. Alumni can participate.
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Yesterday's post on the use of parks for Fourth of July celebrations got me thinking about different parks I visited in the U.S. I am not a frequent park user/visitor but I have visited a lot of small recreational parks over the years. I was a part of quite a few outings/events at parks, including church-related events and school-related events. I am yet to visit national parks such as Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon National Park.
I also recalled my experience at Bryant Park in NY years ago. It was a difficult situation, but some good came out of it. I got an idea for a project on cell phone privacy tradeoffs while at the park. It is included in the Summary section of my LinkedIn research profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fahmeenaodetta.
There were likely lots of posts on social media from parks across the U.S. yesterday. Such posts are being used in research. I found an interesting journal article that used Twitter posts by individuals while at a park in NY. The research question is very interesting: "Will people’s sentiment towards a place be more positive when they are in New York City parks as compared to their sentiment when they are in other places?" The results are interesting too. Read the paper here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204618305863.
It is July 4th! In years past, I spent most of the day at a location (usually a park) good for watching fireworks. In the evening, from a good spot on the grass, I enjoyed the fireworks display. I did this when I lived in Maryland and also when I lived in Gainesville, FL. Here are some photos of a park in Gainesville on the 4th of July 8 years ago (from my old weight loss blog at https://moorefo1.tumblr.com/). I recall that the fireworks display in the evening was spectacular!
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Notice that the park is crowded. A lot of people visit parks on the 4th of July. They make it a family affair.