Well, we’re one third done with the semester, and it’s project start time.
I am planning on designing and partly implementing and online class for travelers to Greece.
I was going to make it broader, a start-to-end trip to Greece, with language and culture for a variety of occasions, but I don’t think I will have time. Instead, I think that I will be focusing on everyone’s favorite subject: food!

Tags: projects

Well, this is the end of my second week of online classes. Thus far things seem to be going well, I enjoy the forum interactions with my classmates, but not having that face to face contact, sometimes I get the sense that some of my classmates are a-holes. They probably aren’t, but when you just read text, you tend to read into things, and often your mood at the time you are reading what they wrote colors your perception of what is written. If for example you are tired, and therefore irritable, chances are that you will have a more negative view of what is written compared to when you are rested.

The one thing that I don’t like as much with online classes is that the class materials are released one week at a time, which means that I don’t have the opportunity to do what I normally do: front load the semester with all the reading, and most of the assignments, and then cruise through the last quarter of the semester with just maintenance work.

Tags: online, classes, school

OK, so this is my second week in my online class experiment. This is the first time ever that I am taking online classes and I have to say that thus far I like it. It reminds me a lot of my ‘early days’ on the internet, where I spent a ton of time in Yahoo! Chat and in various forums (such as macosx.com and howardforums.com), except instead of reading about the newest apple product, or the newest Nokia, Motorola or Ericsson phone and then offering up an informed opinion, the topics are more academic and there is homework to hand in on top of the forum postings and chat sessions.

We’ll see how the rest of the summer goes, but I am feeling positive (maybe I will do more online classes in the future)

Tags: classes, school

So my classes started this week, both online and face to face.
The face to face class should offer no surprises (given that I know how face to face classes work).
I am particularly interested in seeing how the online classes will work ou,

Tags: instructionalDesign, summer, online, classes

Classes start tonight, but convocation is tonight as well!

I have decided to skip class (shock!) to go to convocation.

Normally I would not care (I skipped last year's convocation and graduation), but this time I am getting an award.

Tags: convocation, award, school, classes

Just came back from a GIDA (graduate instructional design association) event.
It was pretty interesting, most of the people there were students just about to graduate.
It never ceases to amaze me the variety of students that the ID program attracts. Pretty cool if you ask me.

Tags: school, events, meetings, GIDA

That’s an interesting question posed in this article (CLICK HERE). Personally I do not know if the BA/BS is dead, but it certainly costs a lot of money, so graduates with a Bachelor’s degree usually leave school with a lot of debt. I have also noticed that many of my peers, or even people older than I, are back in school for a Master’s because it appears that you need a Master’s degree for anything other than entry level jobs…and of course the Master’s costs a pretty penny too.

Perhaps the Bachelor’s isn’t dead, but it would be an interesting experiment to have Bachelor’s be considered required post-high school education that is provided free by the state, or to have the schooling and associated degree highly encouraged by the state, but make sure that those accepted into BA/BS programs only pay a nominal fee for their education (I would say no more than $400-$500 per course).

Just my 2 cents.

Tags: education, bachelors, degree, obsolete, commentary

I handed in all of my papers! Some I handed in yesterday evening, and some today.
I am officially done with the semester! Now I can rest…I guess

Tags: homework, exams, done

I am done with my final! Hooray!!!
Well, done with a rough draft of it anyway.
If I can proof and improve it by Monday I can hand it in after our last class and be done for the semester!

Life is good

Tags: homework, exams, linguistics

OK people! All men to stations! Finals are upon us!
Having already put the finishing touches on the projects for my two Instructional Design classes, I am now working on my Applied Linguistics final. Three essay questions, each a minimum of four pages in length (or is that max? hmmm), with references and citations, proper grammar, and spelling and of course logic! It will take me the whole weekend, and then some, to finish this monster!

Tags: homework, school, hardwork, projects, research

Only one more week left before I can go and pick up my cap n’ gown!
I am still not sure I will be attending my graduation - I will need to take a day off from work to do so, but taking a day off from work, in order to go to your place of employment to attend graduation seems a little bizarre to me.

I definitely want my cap n’ gown though! I paid for it, I am gonna get it!
I wish it had a hood on it, but unless I get a Doctorate, I don’t think I will be getting a gown with a hood on it.

Tags: school, Graduation, cap, gown, ceremony, pondering

I got a letter in the mail yesterday from the College of Management. I thought the information contained in the letter would be pretty standard stuff, mostly information about graduation, since I am graduating this coming summer.

When I opened the letter, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I am being honored at this year’s College of Management convocation. I apparently am the recipient of this year’s MSIT Academic Excellence Award. Wow!

I must say that I feel pretty good about myself right about now

Tags: school, award, academic, excellence, pondering

In February of 2007 I signed up for a Second Life account. I spent some time in the world, but I frequented populated areas and my computer’s graphics card bit the dust, so it was really choppy! In addition to that I left the orientation island, did not know how to get back (and the sluggishness did not encourage me to find my way back either), so I was stuck naked in second life with no way to getting dressed. I gave it up.

Now I am back. With a little help from my professor I found myself on a better orientation facility, got clothed, and I am now in the ‘hunter and gatherer’ stage of my second life. I have also constructed some basic objects (pedestals and skate board ramps), and I have tried my green thumb.

I am now in the process of visiting university campuses on second life to see what other universities have done with their spaces. Some are occupied, some not so much. I am interested in seeing how it can be applied in teaching and learning.











Oh yeah, the guy on the left is me...

Tags: secondLife

School has started again, and with the commencement of classes we are finally seeing life in the library: students, professors, and yes, even some parents coming to see what they are paying for. It’s all quite invigorating.

More importantly (for completely selfish reasons of course) I have started classes for the two Master Degrees that I have started pursuing. One in Instructional Design, and the other in Applied Linguistics. Some former classmates are scratching their heads as to why I would go back to school when I already have two Master Degrees. Well… It’s fun, it’s refreshing, I like to meet new people, and a great side effect of the whole learning experience is that I can apply what I learn to my job.

Tags: school, work, energy, general

This semester I have started a new Master’s program (having already finished two). I am studying the art and science of Instructional Design so that I can be a better teacher (when I do finally become a professor), or to use the skills that I have gained to help existing teachers with their course design dilemmas (or something like that anyway).

In years past I have always looked at ways to get cheap books, because as most college students know – textbooks are no cheap. My ally up to now has been addall.com – a website that searches 30 or so websites, and gives you a list of sellers, and their prices, and you can go ahead and order the book you want. I have generally saved anywhere from 50% to 75% compared to Campus Bookstore prices.

This semester I decided to try something I haven’t tried in ages – look at my local library’s catalog (and the virtual catalog as well.) I was able to find ALL of my textbooks. I paid absolutely nothing to get these books, and I can use them throughout my semester. I think I can renew the books at least a couple of times, and I can also check them out again.

If at the end of the semester I decide that I like the book, or it will be an invaluable reference for future endeavors, I can go ahead and buy a used version from addall.com (something that I have already done for one my semester books already). This semester I saved 90% by going to the library.

Lessons learned:
1. Never trust your bookstore – just go there to get your ISBNs
2. Always check your public and/or college library for the books
3. If you don’t find them, use addall.com
4. Always support your public library – volunteer, become a ‘friend of the library’ by donating a small amount of money, make sure your local leaders know you support your public library – because as things have proved – a small donation here and there can save you money elsewhere!

Tags: money, school, libraries, books, bookstore

The end of the semester has come...and gone!
I have finished both my finals (Project Management and Supply Chain Management) and this signals the completion of my MSIT program!

woo hoo!!!

Since I am still a student I am considering joining the PMI (project management institute) and if the exam isn't too expensive maybe I will go get my PMP certification. You never know when you are going to need it...

Now I can sit back and play Castlevania, Daxter, and Metal Gear Portable Ops on my PSP!

Tags: finals, semester, school, end, MSIT, PMI, PMP

Back at the end of 2006 I was part of an audience for a demonstration (and sales pitch) for a plagiarism detection service called turn it in. As a student and as someone who has been in academia for close to ten years now, I can see how such a service can be useful. There are things though that really irk me about turn it in, the main one being that anything submitted to their service for examination automatically becomes part of their database, and any future work submitted is compared to past works submitted. In effect, they are using your original work for their benefit without paying you (the creator of the original content) royalties for using your work!

When we quizzed the reps on what the papers are compared against, they essentially told us that they are compared against papers already in their database, and any freely available content on websites that their crawlers scavenge. They do not have subscriptions to academic journals, newspapers, or other sources that require payment. If it's free, they have it, if not, they do not. They are in essence building, marketing and selling a for pay service while harvesting papers from students without giving those students any payment for contributing to the system. I recommend that no one use this service, and if you are a college student put a copyright disclaimer on your paper that prohibits submitting your paper to any service that will utilize it for commercial or non-commercial purposes without your expressed permission! Time to fight back!

Tags: homework, civil disobedience, rip-off, corporation, unbelievable

the end of the semester is less than one week away!
A multitude of emotions flood my inner being at the moment...
... worry that I won't be able to get my OO prototype working...
... happyness that it's almost over ...
... excitednessessess that the summer is almost here (and I can enjoy a beer on my deck without homework in the evening) ...
... the adrenaline rush as I do my OO homework ...
... the warm and fuzzy feeling that I am half done with my second masters ...

Let's get to it!

Tags: exams, homework, excitement

Well... I feel like an idiot!
I decided to mess around with my virtual PC image (the one that has Windows XP and Visual Studio 2005) to see if I could determine why I was getting a webserver error whenI was trying to compile my ASP.NET pages. I shouldn't need to have IIS installed with 2005 (at least according to my sources) but I did install it anyway - just in case. Guess what? It works! My application needs to have some changes made to it so that it does what I want it to do, but the webserver comes up and I am able to see it!

The speed is slower than a snail...but hey, beggars can't be choosers!
A week and a half left until end of the semester - development crunch time is now!

The end of the semester that is! (yeah, I know, it's a stale joke!)
With only three more weeks left, I have two things to look forward to (well in addition to the end of the semester)
1. My Data Modeling Final Exam
2. My Object Oriented Systems Final presentation
Despite my recent development woes (see virtual PC and visual studio not playing nice with one another) I am feeling rather optimistic
At the very least I can code everything and I can make improvements on the database back end of the proof-of-concept application that I am designing. Now if the webserver does not work...that is a completely different story now, isn't it?

I know that other students, both in my school and in schools nationwide are getting ready for their final presentations, and most are undoubtedly going to use powerpoint. I just wanted to post this video of Demetri Matrin doing a great job at presenting his material, without powerpoint! Enjoy!

The light at the end of the tunnel that is!
There are three more weeks left in the semester, in terms of projects 5.
I have:
[a] two presentations for my OO class (no sweat, just need to sit down and finish up some code)
[b] two exams for my data modeling class (again, no sweat I don't think)
[c] one last homework for OO due Tuesday. This one has me scratching my head. I think I will spend all of Marathon Monday doing this one - but I think I can pull it off

Since I no longer have a windows machine at home anymore, I have to go to Campus on a sunday to use Visual Studio 2005 (If I had an Intel Mac this would not be a problem LOL)

Unfortunately no China for me this year
A combination of costs, vacation time, work and overall exhaustion (2 years straight of classes & work without any noticeable vacation).
Oh well...I'll save up my pennies, vacation time, and take a break from school, re-energize my batteries, and then we'll see - the great wall will still be there

I had made my original prototype of the library 2.0 website, however I had not made most of the widgets that I wanted to make.

I also had not implemented any of the login functions. Granted, this is just a proof of concept (PoC) for a library 2.0 website, however I do want to get as much functionality as I can into my PoC as possible before the end of the semester because a better PoC means the end user, investor, director, provost (or whoever) that sees it, gets a better idea of what the system is intended to do...

Currently I am working on this week's homework - that hopefully will help with some of the PoC problems I am facing.

On with the battle

I've got a class where homework is really optional. You can do it an hand it in, if you want, but if you do not there is no consequence.
The rationale is this: you learn the materials by dissecting the problems in the book, and doing them yourself. Therefore, doing them and handing them in gives you the ability to practice, and free feedback from me (the professor).
I've done the first few homework 'assignments' and handed them in. However as the semester is progressing and I have more work to do, I am questioning the whole do them, if you want, and hand them in. Honestly I am tempted to not do them now, but do them later, before the exam, with solutions to them on hand, so I can practice for the exam. I think I will be the only person doing this which would single me out. To do the homework (now)...or not to do the homework (now).... that is the question!

I have a presentation in 2 days that I completely forgot about!!!
I think it's best now to start crankin'....

I was in class a couple of nights ago, and we were presenting some linear programming models.
Once one of the groups was done, the professor threw them a curve ball and asked them why their model was correct.
Upon explaining their methodology - they end with '[microsoft excel] solver told us'.
The professor did not like the answer and questioned the validity of the software itself - the group had no argument for his argument (they appeared blind-sighted by the whole discourse.) One classmate suggested that they could argue that their model is correct because you can experiment with other figures and you will not find a better answer - try as you might. The professor agreed that that was a good answer, and solicited others. Someone said that linear programming models have a finite number of possibilities and solver goes through all of them and determines the best one (brute force attack in other words). The professor liked this answer better - so it seemed.

I questioned him on it because 'solver told me so' is the condensed version of 'linear programming models have a finite number of possibilities and solver goes through all of them and determines the best one.' You could STILL argue that the software itself is flawed. Then the professor argued that you could buy a software package that is accepted to be of high quality, run the numbers and if solver has the same answer - then solver is just as good. (paraphrasing of course) Then the professor went back to the 'try other numbers as much as you want, but you wont get anything better than what I tell you' argument - and here I had a flashback to my undergraduate mathematics days.

I was younger, and more naïve, and I was trying to prove that my answers to something were absolutely correct by using the 'try other numbers as much as you want, but you wont get anything better than what I tell you' argument. The professor did not buy it, and rightfully so, and went on to teach me how to prove my argument mathematically.

So what is the difference between math and business? In math you don't beat around the bush in an attempt to tire your opponents - you provide a full mathematical proof - even if it is beyond the comprehension of you audience, whereas in business you tango (figuratively speaking) and try to tire out your opponents. At least that is what I got from those presentations - in solver we trust and if you don't, feel free to plug in numbers and test it out yourself

First presentation of the semester is on tonight!
It's my data modeling class - not the hardest class in the world (at least I hope it doesn't get too hard) - but still getting a bit of the pre-presentation jitters.

We're back with classes!
Honestly I feel a bit tired, but I am excited!
Tonight's Entertainment: Management Decision Models (aka Supply Chain Management)

This winter has not been bad temperature-wise, but never the less I cannot wait for spring to start.
All my books for the spring semester are in...I now feel like I can start classes

Studying hard for my final exam in International Finance...
Forwards and swaps, and forwards and swaps and forwards and swaps, and option too!
Oh my head....

OK,
This is it!
This is my last presentation for the semester, and the last presentation ever for my MBA!
Quite phenomenal! However...I did not dress up! Oh well...
We're recommending that the library take over EdTech from IT, thus having the ability to provide a 360 degree customer experience.


OK, off I go...

After 10 or so hours today, and another 10 or so over the last week, I am done with the finance paper! yay!

Now what's left to be done:
1. Presentation for IT strategy tomorrow
2. Final Exam for finance on Wednesday

Thank God... Only 48 hours to go!

after 6 hours of re-re-re-re-review and note taking the pen is finally on paper
1 page of analysis, bibliography and 4 exhibits are down.....4 more pages to go...

One Presentation down, one paper down, one class down
One Presentation, Two papers, One exam and two classes left to go...

It's gonna be a sucky weekend, but I can see the light!!!

T-Mobile Strategy Paper:
Pick Topic: 100% done
Research: 99.9% done
Writing: 30% done
Proof reading: 0% done
Presentation 2% done
Due: December 7, 2006

IT Strategy Paper:
Pick Topic: 100% done
Research: 99.9% done
Writing: 70% done
Proof reading: 50% done
Presentation 5% done
Due: December 5, 2006

International Financial Management Paper
Pick Topic: 0%
Research: 0% done
Writing: 0% done
Proof reading: 0% done
Presentation 0% done
Due: November 29, 2006

I GUESS IT'S CRUNCH TIME!!!!

About 20 days left for this semester to end (and for me to have my MBA).
I am a bit tired, but I think that caffeine is sustaining me as I chug along...

So tomorrow - group meeting (IT strategy), putting the final touches on revisions the primary part of our final paper and working on the secondary part.
Then further work on the T-Mobile project (strategic management) ...and finally some research for the final paper for international financial management.
I cannot wait until "vacation" season

On related news, my university has started offering a Masters of Science in Information Technology. I looked at the classes offered (I am already familiar with the faculty that teach in the program), and they look pretty interesting! I already submitted my paperwork for entry into the program, so if all goes as planned, I will be starting school again -- what can I say? I like learning

I can see it!
I can see it! The end is near! repent! repent!

Just kidding, no need to repent, almost time to rejoyce!

It will be a busy 32 days.
This coming week I have an exam for International Financial Management, so this weekend is study your finance weekend.
I also have to continue working on my final paper/presentation for all my classes
(1) T-Mobile for Strategic Management
(2) The school library for IT Strategy
(3) something international-financey for international finance (no ideas yet)

60 days until the end of school (and thus graduation!!!)
I get momentary bursts of "I have to do some serious work!" energy....and then I get last-semester-lazyness that sets in.
60 more days! Serenity now

The first presentation of the semester is coming up tomorrow! (darn and I am not done yet!!!)
This is for the capstone course (Strategic Management) .... back to work!

Trying out new stuff is always interesting.
I've always been involved with learning management systems.
First it was blackboard, then we switched to prometheus (not sure if this was a product name, or code name), and now to WebCT VISTA (no relationship to MS vista). I have been following WebCT now for a year, in a support function, but now I am using it as a student. I must say that it is quite interesting! I like that the calendar has event and homework reminder functions, just in case my iCal, and my PDA don't remind me of when stuff is due.

There is one thing I greatly dislike: when you send email through WebCT to the professor or Classmates, if STAYS in WebCT! You need to be proactive, login, and check your mail all the time because it does not get automatically forwarded to your email account - maybe it's a setting I have yet to discover.

This LMS looks promising....more on the subject as the semester continues.

Five more days until my final semester starts....I think I can see the finish line!!!!

Wednesday (July 12) is it!
End of the first Summer Session, beginning of my "summer vacation" and the end of my maiden voyage with summer classes.
My team and I are presentation (and paper submission) on the World Bank and its treatment of sub-saharan countries (ethical or unethical?)

Final presentation tonight - doing it first so that I can get done early
Next couple of weeks everyone else presents so I can sit back and enjoy the show (and focus on my huge Ethic group project)

So we picked a project for the team presentation/research part of my Business Ethics class (only 2.5 weeks to go! Both excited at the prospect of getting done, and scared that we are not further along! anyway...) The topic: the World Bank. I was pretty impartial about it, it really did not effect me, so I did not care much to investigate into the matter in the past - all I heard is that "the world bank is evil" - is it good, evil, or shades of gray?

We will soon find out!

Even though I came across pretty hash on my last post regarding the use of presentation technologies (such as powerpoint) they do have a place and a use - the trick is to know when and how to use them to make your presentation very effective.

I recently came across this mock-add for macintosh computers: Macintosh: the power to crush other kids.
Sometimes when I bring my powerbook to class, and fireup Keynote - I feel like this

Have a look here
Alternative link

Once I was done with my BA in Computer Science, the tech bubble was leaking air (if not deflated completely!), and I felt a bit burned out from the ultra theoreticalness of my BA experience.

When I was talking to one of my friends (whom I respect) who did her undergrad in Business Administration, she told me that an MBA would be a valuable tool, and she was pursuing it. For lack of a better choice, because it was free, and because my day-job was managerial in nature, I decided to become part of the MBA program.

Generally I did not respect most people with degrees in business educations, I perceived it to be a bunch of bullshit. I am nearly done with my MBA, and I still hold that view, with some modifications and amendments of course. There are many fellow students, and many faculty that I have met that make me appreciate the intellect that goes into business. I have also met many duds outside of academia indicate to me that a business education without a functioning brain has pretty bad consequences.

So now where does this leave me?
I am left asking myself "What Now?"
I want to learn more - things that might be useful in my work life and in my personal life.
This has lead me on a quest to find a doctorate that is good for me....

When I was in High School, I knew that going to college was expected of me.
I did not really think twice about it. There were two topics that really interested me
1) Computers (and computer science)
2) Anatomy and Physiology (or how the human body works)

When I was in the process of completing my undergrad degree, I decided to just focus on computer science, since going for a medical degree seemed like such a drag (so many years of this, then so many years of that, then add in some of the other thing... I will be 40 by the time I am done!)

I had a lukewarm reception for the computer science program where I went. It was focused too much on the math of it all, and not so much on the "getting things done" aspect. After some reflection I thought to myself that I was probably in the wrong program (!) There is such a thing as Applied Computer Science and Theoretical Computer Science, and I was stuck in the theoretical! Of course by that time, I was nearly done, so I stuck the course and got my Bachelor's in Computer Science. Despite the feeling of Pulling-Teeth that I had, I really did learn a lot from the program.

The classes that I really really enjoyed were Databases and User Interface Design.
Then came graduation time! Of course I did not think that I would be going on for a Master's but fortune had smiled on me, and I was able to pursue a Master's. Should i go for computer science? It would be like pulling teeth, but I would be continuing on with something that I started in my Bachelor's. I decided that computer science, at this specific institution, would not be for me given the curriculum, and I think that back then I needed a break from the theoretical aspect of computer science.

So... what to do?

Finally!
Grades are in!
Did well this semester

So, I've made my decision - I will be graduating this coming December, so in order to do so I will need to go into overdrive mode (or commando mode as it is known in the Art Dept.)

This summer I will be taking two courses:

1. Business and It's environment (business ethics mostly)
2. Organizational Diagnosis & Change (woohoo!)


This fall I will be taking:
1. Information Systems for Qualitative...blah blah blah (long title but should be fun)
2. Finance: Massachusetts in the global economony (should be interesting)
3. Strategic Management (woohoo! the final course).


I just hope that the Masters in Information Technology gets off the ground soon, so once I graduate I can start my 2nd Master's (LOL..just kidding... I WILL take a small break before I start my 2nd Master's)

Had my last class last night (for the semester).
One Take-home exam, and one small research paper to do and I am scott-free!
Time to get crankin' !

I know that some people are just not meant to be public speakers, but placing what you have to say verbatim, on a powerpoint slide is not a presentation!
I felt sorry for some of the people that presented last night. No one is perfect, but the slides were really the slides from hell.
You needed a microscope to view the text from the back row and what what on the slide was what the presenter actually said!
I told me team-mates that presented with me last night that it was not polite to critique the other group's presentation while they were presenting (or while preparing for it) - no need to add extra pressure.

If you do happen to stumble on this blogpost, don't take it the wrong way! This is a positive critique!


Check out Presentation Zen - 'cause it's just so darn useful!

Also this is good: information about visuals


And remember: you do not want your presentation to look like this:


Your message just gets lost in the clutter

19 more days of school!
...or 4 more class sessions and 2 finals depending on how you see it, I prefer the latter to the former.

So what's left?
- A presentation in Finance about the Adidas acquisition of Reebok (in Keynote of course)
- A final paper for Knowledge Management (regarding the Newton community -- need to finish it up, 1/4 done!)
- A final exam for my Finance Class

Then a small break for one week, and then I start again - way! (sarcasm)

This is a public service announcement for all students, young and old -
Please learn to present! No more bowing down and preaching to the powerpoint.
LOOK at your audience!
Don't overload your powerpoint with text
Don't kill me with bullet(points)

One of the many resources online: presentation zen

Please check it out!

34 more days to go until the end of the semester!
(and then another one starts...can't wait to be done)

Starting my final paper this Thursday and finishing a rough draft by this weekend.
Then I am finishing tworough drafts of presentations for two separate classes by this weekend as well.

Must...find...time...to....have a life!

Being in Management School (doing my MBA now) is quite different than being in a school of Math and Science (got my BA in computer science).
In Business school you read "cases" - sort of like Aesop's tales, but for business students and no fuzzy, furry animals. Well... I have decided to roll my own!
I have never written one before, but I am going to solicit help from the wonderful faculty that teach in my college.

As mentioned before, I am thinking of doing a case study regarding communities of practice with a focus on the Apple Newton community.
The Amiga community was also an interesting tangent, but I do not know much about them since I never really owned an Amiga - just the emulator

Working on several things these days.
1. Presentation on the "Knowledge Roles and Skills" aspect of Knowledge Management - Info Systems related
2. A paper describing the success of KM in the Apple Newton community - Info Systems related
3. A presentation on the Adidas/Reebok merger (must beat Nike!) - Financial Management related
4. Still following along (from a distance) with Classical Greek 102 (rough grammar outline is done, gathering more materials, already spoke to professor about next semester )


Still trying to create that Russian Grammar reference that I started two years ago (Боже мой!)