To Know Coursera is to Love Coursera

Earlier this year I wrote about Tampa's Free Skool, which is part of a brilliant yet mostly unorganized movement of free education going on around the United States. 

Near the end of that post, I linked to a Cousera course that I had stumbled across, intending to take it. But I didn't have the time since I was working full-time & taking part-time grad classes at USF's College of Public Health. 

I was extremely lucky that my esteemed employer at that time, Tampa General Hospital, paid my tuition because otherwise I would not have been able to afford to go back to school. I wish that encouraging your employees to have more education was the norm
these days, unfortunately, I think those kinds of excellent employer benefits are becoming more of the exception. 

That's where Coursera comes in. It offers free online courses from America's top schools. Co-founder Daphne Koller said during her TED Talk that the purpose of her organization is to provide “The best courses from the best instructors at the best universities and provide it to everyone around the world for free.” 

After some struggle, I found that public health wasn't the best fit for me, and as my frequent readers know, I instead went after the program that was. Three weeks ago I started my master's in film & video at American University in Washington, DC. 

I've already learned that my decision to come to AU is one of the best things I have done or will ever do for myself, though it comes with a very hefty price tag, via federal student loans. 

In the months before I left Tampa, I was antsy and bored and wanted to prep my brain for school, so I finally enrolled in a Coursera class. It was Internet History, Technology, and Security, taught by the University of Michigan's Charles Severance, but known to his students as Dr. Chuck. 

Coincidentally Dr. Chuck was in DC the week after I moved here and I got to meet him, as well as some of my DC-based Coursera classmates, at his "office hours" in a cafe downtown.

IHTS is definitely more of a history class than a tech class, but since my knowledge on both the internet & tech world is limited, I figured it was a good starting place. And not a moment too soon - I can't be a multimedia maven while not knowing all I can about the internet and where it came from. Without that knowledge, how can I possibly become one of the people who figures out where it might be headed?

Coursera's IHTS might be the cheapest class I've taken all year, but it's possibly the most priceless.

Charleston, SC



Best way to see the sights.

Colorful old houses on Rainbow Row



Between traveling to Nashville, the Florida beaches & Charleston, I feel like I could be happy living in any one of these places, as long as I got to do the kind of work I like.



Glad to be moving on towards more learning & work opportunities. Hope I like D.C.

Holmes Beach to Cocoa Beach

Last 24 Hours in Florida.


Welcome to St. Pete

Breakfast with the Ekhos in Holmes Beach, Manatee County. 



Brevard County



Took me hours to slosh through Jacksonville, but I made it out in one piece.  

Vegucated

WMNF presents Vegucated Wednesday, August 15th at 7:30 p.m. at the Roosevelt 2.0. 

If You Knew You Couldn't Fail

What would you do? 

That was the topic of discussion at August's Conversation & Cocktails, a networking event sponsored by the Ekho's (of which I am a member), and open to the public. 

The conversation was led by Susan Freeman, founder of Step Up Leader. She reminded us that failure comes down to perception and attitude. 

Susan with Ekho Laura FontanillsDoes failure cause you to work harder or give up?

One Ekho, a nonprofit professional, said that she has yet to take her biggest risk. Via text message she explained that she "takes risk in professional life but [in] personal life, always over analyze and play it safe." 

Another Ekho said her big risk came with a big benefit. "Getting divorced and finding the love of my life!" 

It was the perfect topic for me to mull over as I prepare to leave a comfortable but ultimately unsatisfying professional life in search of a better fit in Washington, DC. It's a risk, albeit an exciting one, and I'm open to wherever it takes me in grad school and beyond. 

Becoming an Ekho earlier this year was a risk too. At first these young mid-career professionals seemed so different from me. 

My inner Woody Allen wanted to know why a bunch of bankers & PR professionals would want me in their club. 

But I got to know these ladies beyond their job titles. They're mothers and girlfriends and artists and readers and need an outlet to discuss issues all women face. In this short time the relationships have given me much needed camaraderie and improved my overall outlook. 

I wouldn't have been as mentally prepped to leave for a bigger city had I not been inducted into this group. Getting to know them, and be one of them, is the cherry on top of my life in Tampa.  

A Night of Daniel Rodriguez

All month long at Carrollwood Cultural Center

Daniel's grandson & local musician Carlos Rodriquez

with friend Alvaro Montealegre & Cantinflas

Jim, the curator of the exhibit, said we had the same taste in fashionable dresses.

I suppose these guys won't ever make a comeback?

Colombians and Gringos

I met my friend Jim De Mauro a few years ago when we were both FMOPA volunteers. 

Tonight is the opening of a month-long photo exhibit at the Carrollwood Cultural Center that is dear to his heart & family. 

Jim's lovely wife Martha, who passed away earlier this year, was previously married to the son of Colombian photojournalist Daniel Rodriguez. She remained close to her former father-in-law, and continued to visit him in Colombia with Jim and her son Carlos.

Jim said he'd scour through thousands of Daniel's photos, and one day advised him to write down the names of all the people in them. 

When Daniel passed away, Carlos received box upon box of photos, all neatly inscribed with the time, place and people featured in each one. 

With the help of their supportive community, Carlos & Jim are giving Daniel's work its first American appearance.