Jessticulations

Forecasting Diet Coke Consumption at the B-School

2009-11-16T14:28:00.002-06:00

Last year, after we moved into the new building, the new cafeteria management people had a lot of difficulty with their demand planning ... especially when it came to the diet coke. We were always running out. This year they have improved their forecast and ordering levels and I have only noticed a handful of out of stock situations. I took this picture during Fall A finals week. What I love about this picture is that they increased the facings from the normal 3-4 to 11. This speaks volumes about the consumption patterns and the positive correlation between stress, time pressure and diet coke.

Now if only they could get the whole restocking thing right. There's lots of warm diet coke going around. Not that I mind. I'm not temperature sensitive.

LDS Education Conference

2009-11-16T12:37:00.009-06:00

At the end of October I went to the LDS Education Conference which is held in Boston every other year. Basically, I wanted to see friends I don't have the opportunity to see very often because I live in the Midwest and they live on the East Coast. And let's face it, when you live in New York, Boston or DC you don't think 'Ann Arbor, that's where I'd like to spend my vacation' even if one of the coolest people to walk the face of the earth happens to be living in Ann Arbor. It just doesn't happen.

Now, while the conference was interesting and inspiring, my favorite part of the weekend was the time I spent with my family on Friday. My friend Dan and I flew into Boston around noon and went to Wagamama (tasty) with my mom and sister, Julie. Afterward we went to Modern Pastry because the people who know prefer it over Mike's. It's just better. They fill the cannolis after you order them. That's all I got to say about that.

Next up was a trip to the Museum of Science to see the Harry Potter exhibit. Those of you who know me well know how much I LOVE Harry Potter. I have lost track of the number of times I have read the books. I've been to 4 midnight book releases. Deep and abiding people, deep and abiding. The exhibit was a collection of props and costumes from the movies and was a heck of a lot of fun.

After the museum we met up with my dad and went to dinner at the Union Oyster House. It is the oldest restaurant in the US and in my opinion not as tasty as Wagamama. After dinner we may have gone back to Modern Pastry for round two but I can neither confirm nor deny these rumors.

To cap off a lovely afternoon and evening of magic and food we went to the Garden and watched the Celtics destroy the Bulls. What a day.

As for the conference, it was all about missionary work and innovation. Elder Ballard was there for bits of it. That's about all I have to say about that. There was also a masquerade ball at the Harvard Club. Between the conference and party there were a series of events that made me want to sit down on the sidewalk and cry but we don't need to go into that here. Like I said, Friday was the best part. I had never been to one of these big, multi city YSA conferences and I don't think I will ever go again but I am sure to go back to Boston to hang out with my family. Live and learn.

Cupcakes and sadness

2009-11-16T12:25:00.006-06:00

I walked out of the business school a couple of weeks ago and saw this.

I was struck by the image and it made me think ... ' is there anything sadder than upside down cupcakes on the sidewalk?' Ok, yes, that is a little over the top but you know what I mean. Right?

Oddly enough, I walked by again a few hours later and one of them was gone. Not both ... just one.

Street Performer

2009-10-08T07:28:00.002-05:00

When I think about street performers images of busy city centers and subways come to mind (particularly the L and the underground portion of the red line). You know what does not come to mind. This guy. He was rocking out outside the Big House during the most recent home game ... you know, that one where Michigan beat IU. Yep, that one.

He was really good and there was just something about his performance and music that bring a smile to my face. As I was walking away a news crew was coming up to film and interview him. I hope he is at the next home game. I think I want a CD. I wonder if he is on iTunes.

Shout-OFF! (and taking YouTube love to the next level)

2009-10-05T13:21:00.007-05:00

I have long been a fan of the YouTube. It is a great time waster and there are a few gems out there. Like the wedding entrance dance that went so viral last summer it was shown on World News Tonight and all the babies dancing like Beyonce. Yup. Good times. But until recently I have only been a watcher, not a contributor. All that changed at the beginning of this semester.

Every year SCJ hosts a little competition we like to call "Shout-OFF!". Shout. OFF! Get it, get it. Yeah, well, maybe not. Anyway. Shout-OFF! is a competition between the six MBA1 sections. The challenge is to come up with two choreographed cheers (note Cheer is not made by SCJ ... it is made by P&G). Each section performs their first cheer in the middle of the U of M campus at 5pm on the first Thursday of classes. It turns into quite a spectacle. Based on those performances, two sections are chosen to face off in the final round.

How does this relate to YouTube you may ask. Well, this year I stopped by to watch the MBA1s make fools of themselves and happened to record the final performances. Which I will now be sharing with you (and the world) by way of YouTube. It occurs to me that these clips may not have the same impact on people who are not familiar with Ross or b-school. I hope this is not the case, but I acknowledge the potential. Please bear in mind that the performers contained in these videos are the future business leaders of the world. If any of them become well known during their career I hope that someone pulls up these clips. Because this is exactly the kind of thing that could come back to haunt you.

In the spirit of full disclosure. I participated in this event last year. I haven't seen video of it and I hope I never do.

Watermelon Yogurt

2009-10-04T23:20:00.001-05:00

Did you know that there are seasonal yogurt flavors? I knew about they existed in the world of ice cream but recently I saw watermelon flavored yogurt. I guess it is a summer thing. I like watermelon but couldn't imagine how it would translate to yogurt so I bought one. The color was fantastic and while I'm sure it was created using some kind of dye it really was a feast for the eyes. In the end I quite liked it. Though, I must admit, I nearly spit out the first bite. At first it tasted disgustingly like a mushy watermelon jolly rancher. Gross. But I was hungry so I powered through and decided that should Dannon do the flavor again next summer I'll buy at least one container.

Vessels

2009-10-04T18:52:00.004-05:00

This summer, while in Panama, I had a conversation about souvenirs with a girl who's mother collects spoons. I guess she is sort of known for it and now whenever anyone who knows her travels they bring her back a spoon. This got me thinking. Is there something I collect, something I go back to over and over. Something I buy everywhere I go. At the time I couldn't think of anything but after further consideration it dawned on me. I collect vessels.

These three are what I picked up in my various travels this summer. The fish vase is from a pottery studio in Hatteras, NC. The basket is from Panama. The blue glass is from Bar Harbor, ME. I have them from all over the world and people do in fact bring me vessels as souvenirs when they travel. So, in conclusion, if you're going anywhere bring me back a vessel. I like them.

Summer = Beach (In Theory)

2009-08-27T16:07:00.007-05:00

I lived with my parents this summer while interning in Rhode Island. They live about seven minutes from the beach and the first and only time I went to that beach this summer was on the day I left to drive back to Ann Arbor. What was I thinking?! I could have spent every weekend at the beach. The reality of my summer was that it rained like every day and was unnaturally cool... not at all pleasant for beach going. But the day I stopped by Nantasket Beach was beautiful.

To make up for my beachless summer I took a trip to Panama (in the name of full disclosure this trip was planned long before the beachlessness) where I went to what is, without a doubt, the best beach town I have ever been to. The town was called Bocas del Toro. It was sunny, hot, humid, and the water was like a giant warm bathtub. I went surfing, got sunburned, lounged in the water and ate at ocean side restaurants. Brilliant!

Two days after I returned to the US I got back on a plane to spend a week in Hatteras, NC with a group of friends. We rented a house on the beach and went swimming every day, multiple times a day. We managed to get lots of perfect beach days sandwiched in between two hurricanes / tropical storms.

Now I am back in Ann Arbor where I will be staying ... for at least a few weeks.

Down East

2009-08-24T18:00:00.000-05:00

This summer to celebrate my dad's 60^th birthday the family headed up to Bar Harbor, ME to check out the town and Acadia National Park. It pretty much rained the whole time I was there but I still had a heck of a lot of fun.

We went up to Acadia to check out thunder hole and I climbed out on the rocks to watch the waves. There was such a sense of joy watching the water splash and I have to say, if I were water I would travel as far as I had to to have the opportunity to crash into a rocky coastline and jump up into the air.

We also went kayaking… one of my favorite activities. We saw starfish, sea urchins, seals and an eagle.

But quite possibly my favorite activity was a biplane tour of Mt Desert Island that I took with Abi.

Blight

2009-08-23T22:21:00.000-05:00

For all those who have followed the saga of the upside-down hanging tomato plant thing. I would just like to say that, despite my best efforts, the only tomato to be ripe before I returned to Ann Arbor appeared to have fallen victim to the blight plaguing many tomato plants this year. Other that the quality of the tomato plants I used, I feel like the Topsy Turvy was a success and definitely something I would repeat in the future. The plants were not destroyed by critters and in my book that is a win.

Turtle Crossing

2009-08-02T05:00:00.001-05:00

This sign is on a street near my parents' house.

I have seen many turtles crossing the street this summer but never by the sign. So, my question is – when does the turtle outreach and education program start?

Final Intern Moments

2009-08-01T14:35:00.001-05:00

I have completed my summer internship! It went by so fast and I accomplished so much. Linden Place now has a seriously awesome business plan (hopefully a new website is not far behind) and the historic sites in the great state of RI (why is every state a "great state" or are there some states that aren't great?) have training materials on how to create their own business plans and collaborate.

The best part about this summer though, was the team PRI assembled to work on the project. Each of them interesting and accomplished women in their chosen field and wonderful people to work with. On our last day we went out to lunch, got some ice cream and went shoe shopping. Do last days get any better?

Birthday Fun

2009-08-01T05:24:00.003-05:00

For my birthday this year my family went to the MFA to see an exhibit called Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese: Rivals in Renaissance Venice. I was great! They arranged the paintings by subject so that you could compare the three masters side by side and really see how they would compete with each other. I took a museum audio tour for the first time and was glad I did. It made me wonder what I've missed in all the museums I've been to throughout my 29 years because I didn't buy the extra audio tour.

After the MFA we went to Chipotle for a birthday burrito. I know, it was my birthday and I could have chosen anything … I just really enjoy Chipotle.

And then came the best part. The cake. In my mind there are only 2 kinds of cake worth eating – Rainbow Chip and German Chocolate. This year I couldn't decide which one I wanted so …

A new cake has been created and I loved every bite.

Beheading!

2009-07-07T20:55:00.003-05:00

This is the face of a killer, a lethal assassin.

There is no escape.

He always gets his man.

This one lasted less than four days.

This year’s winner for best flag display

2009-07-07T20:37:00.006-05:00

Every year the 4^th of July brings out over the top patriotic displays. This is a house down the street from my parents' house. My question, did they commission a flag to fit the front of their house or was this a lucky find?

Uh, what the ... ?

2009-06-23T17:46:00.002-05:00

This is what I had for lunch today. When it came I didn't know what to make of it. I had ordered the "5 cheese on wheat, warm, no veggies". I suppose that this was a literal interpretation of what I said. There were a variety of cheeses between two pieces of wheat bread and the whole thing looked like it had been placed in a microwave and warmed up. I'm not saying it was bad … it just wasn't the grilled cheese like creation I was expecting.

Pebble in the Sky

2009-06-19T19:37:00.003-05:00

With the excruciating commute to Rhode Island every day, I have once again taken up listening to books on tape to make those 3-4 hours a day more tolerable. This week I "read" Pebble in the Sky by Isaac Asimov. I loved it. This is not really a surprise. I have loved every Asimov book I have ever read and I have read many of them. The Foundation series were some of the first science fiction books I ever read and because of their brilliant introduction into the genre I have been a fan ever since. Books, movies, television series … I love them all. Star Trek is one of the only shows I remember watching with any regularity growing up and even now, if I am channel surfing and notice any of its iterations I stop and watch. Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those people that know all the workings of the Enterprise or can speak Klingon but I am a fan. Always have been, always will be. My love of science fiction is perhaps why I harbored the dream of becoming an astronaut until the age of 19 when I realized that, while I was good at math, I was not skilled enough to get through my aerodynamics classes. It was a sad, dream crushing day. Though all that dreaming was not without its benefits … I had the opportunity to intern at the National Air and Space Museum and go into their archives and see the collection that is not on display to the public, I have flown a plane, and I have met Gene Cernan (the last man on the moon). Alas, I ramble. The purpose of this post was to tell you of my adventure in the Hingham Public Library and my excitement that they had the first book of Asimov's Galactic Empire series on CD. Brilliant! It turned the commute into a little slice of science fiction heaven this week. I'm headed back to the library to find something new for next week … what will it be, oh what will it be? A side note on the library experience: I wish that they would organize their audiobook collection by genre and then by author within that genre. It would be easier to navigate. Just sayin'.

Mystic, CT

2009-06-19T15:55:00.004-05:00

Oh yeah, that's right, I did it. I went to Mystic … just for the pizza. And it was dang good. The restaurant has been converted into shrine to the movie (it runs on a continuous loop) and they sell the "slice of heaven" t-shirts and a variety of other souvenirs. My co-worker Sarah and I had a meeting in Westerly, RI and when we were done we decided to take advantage of our proximity to this famous pizza joint.

After the pizza we went to investigate the ice cream offering. What we found was delicious and homemade.

Totally worth it.

Bristol, RI

2009-06-19T15:20:00.008-05:00

My focus for this business planning project that I have embarked on this summer is a grand old house in Bristol, RI named Linden Place. The house is beautiful. I mean, check out these stairs! It was built in 1810 for the DeWolf family, was involved in the triangle trade and was home to the great aunt of Drew Barrymore. Now it is a historic house museum, summer camp and event space. As part of the project I spent the day in Bristol going to all the museums and public spaces in the town to scope out the competition.

One of the places I went was Blithewold. This mansion is ok as far as mansions go … a little dark if you must know. But the grounds, oh the grounds! They are AMAZING. There are intricate gardens, old stone walls and a great lawn sloping down to the bay. The house is known for its gardens and as a wedding venue and while I was there I could imagine what it would be like to be married there. It would be beautiful. It would also be way fun to stage a massive croquet game on the lawn.

Honestly, I can't believe that this is my job.

Progress

2009-06-19T13:55:00.007-05:00

The garden is progressing beautifully.

The peas are ready to harvest.

And the tomato plants are HUGE and have their first flowers.

Mmmmmmm … tasty.

A second blog?!

2009-06-10T13:06:00.002-05:00

Part of me thinks that this is a really bad idea but, ignoring that train of thought, the group of interns I am working with this summer is chronicling our adventures on a project blog. Don't get me wrong, the project blog concept is great. I love that we can update the world on our progress and the things we are thinking about and all of our stakeholders can feel as in or as out of the loop as they want to be. I just don't think that I should be responsible for a second blog when I can barely get my act together to maintain this one! Thus far we have not signed any of our posts but I wonder if people will be able to tell that it is me. You'll have to let me know if my signature style of nonlinear thought comes through.

BTW ... we are currently in the middle of our "followers drive". It is like a fund drive but with no money involved. We are just trying to get as many followers as we can. So, I'd really appreciate it if the 2.4 people out there that read what I write here would go over there and, well, you know ... become a "follower."

What some might call work

2009-06-07T18:12:00.006-05:00

The internship has begun. I spent the last week driving around the state of Rhode Island touring historic house museums, meeting with Executive Directors, Boards, scholars and volunteers and I have to admit that I just don't get it. I also don't think that I can adequately describe what it is that I don't get but I have come to the conclusion that we are a nation of hoarders. I'm not sure that this is healthy. Maybe group therapy is needed. I should call Oprah ... this seems to be right up her alley. While I freely admit that I have too much stuff, my accumulation has more to do with laziness than emotional attachment. In fact, you could take it all (with the exception of my couch) and I wouldn't miss a beat. The whole time I was driving home to survey the damage after the Fall Break Fire all I could think was "please, anything but the couch." I really love my couch. But that is beside the point. The people I have surrounded myself with for the summer abhor the idea that any building anywhere would ever be torn down regardless of whether or not said building is of architectural or historical significance. I love modern architecture and converted spaces. Give me steel, glass and concrete! Give me a warehouse that has been sitting empty for decades and convert it into useful space! But please, please, please don't "save" another building only to turn it into a historic house museum that is only open to the public for six hours a week or by appointment. Buildings were meant to be used. I guess what it boils down to is that I am a creator not a saver.

On the upside, this is my office.

This is going to be an interesting summer.

You know you want one

2009-06-07T18:01:00.004-05:00

I saw this infomercial like a million times and when I was given a Mother's Day gift at church I decided that there really was nothing to be done but take the plunge and purchase. Luckily they had a whole pallet of them at the local as seen on tv warehouse otherwise known as Bed Bath and Beyond (clearly this fits into the "beyond" category). I know you all are just dying to know the object of my most recent infomercial obsession. Here it goes … I am now the proud owner of not one but two Topsy Turvy tomato planters!

They remind me of my 6^th grade science fair project where I studied the effect of light on tomato plants and observed the lengths to which the plants would go to find the light. It was a really cool project. The plants are growing at an alarming rate (this picture is about a week old and they have already quadrupled in size). I hypothesize that this is due to the upsidedownness and the use of copious amounts of miracle grow.

Endings and Beginnings

2009-05-10T18:09:00.007-05:00

I am what some might term limbo. I am no longer an MBA1. That's right, I successfully completed MAP (though I don't have the grade yet ... but then again we don't really do grades ... more on that some other time). The project came to a good conclusion. I am pleased with the final product and with the process in general and am toying with a new career path because of it. And no, I am not talking about low end kitchen cabinetry. We'll see where it goes after this summer and after some serious reflection and a feasibility study. There is much to ponder when it comes to career choice. This is really the last time I will be making this kind of choice unless I decide to throw something similar into a midlife crisis though I won't know about that until it happens and it is about 20 years away so there really is no point in thinking about it in detail now, especially since I have more pressing career choices to consider. But, where was I? Oh, yes, MAP. It is a heady thing to have a CEO clap for you. Just sayin'.

And so my first year as an MBA student has come to a close. I packed up what I would need for the summer and made the trek to my parents' house where I will be living this summer while I work in Rhode Island. I have never really lived in my parents' house on the south shore of Boston. They moved here while I was in college and so I have never really had a room. There is a room that I use whenever I come home and my mom uses it as a sewing room for the other 360 days a year so I suppose for the purpose of this discussion we can call it "my room". In making the shift from sewing room to bedroom we emptied out one of the closets and shoved in with all the fabric and projects that I am sure my mom will do someday were a few boxes of my things. Among this random collection of childhood memories (including presidential fitness awards, science fair reports in which my teacher deemed me a 'careful and thoughtful young scientist' for my expert use of organization, procedure and diagrams, newspaper clippings of my rhythmic gymnastics teammate when she made the Olympic team and of a mock Democratic Convention that my grade school held when I was in 6^th grade) I found this list entitled "When I am 32". I don't know when I wrote it but if I had to guess I would say I was 11 or so and at that point in my life this is how I saw my future:

When I am 32 I will be married
When I am 32 I will have 2 children
When I am 32 I will wake up at 6:00 am
When I am 32 I will coach rhythmic gymnastics
When I am 32 I might be an artist
When I am 32 I might be working at a vet
When I am 32 I will have 5 dogs
When I am 32 I will be having fun

I am now only three years away from when I am to have accomplished all of these things and know that some of them like being a gymnastics coach, working at a vet and having five dogs are never going to happen. Not when I'm 32, not ever. Other things are possibilities, like being married though for the having two kids to happen by the time I am 32 I would need to get married yesterday. So maybe not the two kids thing. As for the rest of it I am totally there. The art I practice is business (I realize that most people don't think of business as art but then again most people don't know the truth about financial statements and how you can make them say whatever you want them to say), I do wake up at 6:00 am and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, and most importantly I am having fun. So much fun.

Most recently this fun has taken the form of an afternoon at Fenway with my dad. The Red Sox lost but there is something about sitting in an old ballpark with your dad on a warm afternoon that can't help but make you happy. Even if you do manage to get mustard on your shirt.

Memories and Influences

2009-04-19T13:12:00.006-05:00

I passed these yellow flowers yesterday and was astonished at the memories that one little bush could bring into my mind.

This is a forsythia bush. It is one of the things that indicates, for me, that spring is finally here but the memories that flooded my mind were not of spring, they were of winter. One snow storm in particular. I think I must have been in 8th grade or so. Living in DC meant that we didn't get much snow and having a Headmaster from Chicago meant that we rarely got the day off even when the snow did manage to accumulate. The only recipe that would get us the day off was multiple inches of snow followed by a significant amount of ice. This is exactly what happened during the storm that I remembered yesterday. I went over to my best friend's house to spend the day sledding. The reason that that particular day, sledding, Jessica Ohly's house and these bushes are tied in my memory is that it was the day I truly came to understand the power friction has in slowing objects down. Ice is a relatively frictionless surface and forsythia bushes are very easy to get tangled up in when you sled into them. It took me several minutes to get out of the bushes at the bottom of the hill in her yard. I was careful to avoid them after that.

Having remembered that sledding experience / physics lesson, I quickly moved on to other memories of my friend Jessica. The first time we met ... she was my assigned friend as I transitioned to my new school. We went putt putt golfing and I fell down the stairs. I still have the scars. Playing monopoly for hours on end and making up rules to have the game end more quickly. The time we had chocolate mouse for dessert and I spent most of the night in the bathroom throwing up. I haven't had chocolate mouse since. Sitting in her dining room trying to come up with creative ways to photograph eggs for a photography assignment. But more than anything I remember her house and her furniture. The house was secluded in a mature forest and was made almost entirely out of glass. There were even full sized trees growing inside. And her parents had collected the most amazing furniture over time. They had both an Eames lounge chair and a Marcel Breuer Wassily chair and I'm pretty sure I remember them having some Barcelona chairs. I remember sitting in these chairs for hours and hours and thinking that they were more comfortable than any chair had the right to be. This was, of course, before I knew exactly what I was sitting on. Looking back, her house and furniture had an enormous impact on my personal style. Unconsciously I have been trying to recreate that look my entire life and I think that when I finally buy or build my own house the influence of the first house I truly loved will be everywhere.

unplugged

2009-04-13T12:51:00.004-05:00

Ok. Confession time. I like information. No, I love it. Crave it. I spend so much time on the computer, listening to NPR, watching the news, listening to music, and on and on and on. Really there are very few hours of the day where I am not plugged in to some form of electronic media and to be perfectly honest it is usually multiple forms at the same time. In fact, it is really just when I am asleep and walking from one thing to the next that I am 'unplugged'. Then again, if the walk is longer than five minutes I usually have my headphones in. There is just so much out there. There is always more to know, to experience. But, every now and then, I get overwhelmed and totally shut it all down. I stay home, turn on nothing aside from lights, and sit or read books I've read before. I don't answer the phone or read emails. I cut myself off completely. It is a very interesting feeling. Very peaceful. I lose track of time and because I live alone, speak to no one. I did this over the weekend and now that I am getting back into life I am shocked at how much I missed in just a short span of time. I have tons of email and about 40 blog posts in my reader queue not to mention all the shows in my hulu queue. Sigh. I guess it is time to catch up and dive in. The pool of information awaits.

Extreme Carpooling (MAP Weeks 2 & 3)

2009-03-23T20:31:00.014-05:00

For the last two weeks I and my MAP team have been traveling around Ohio, learning about cabinets, touring manufacturing and distribution facilities and getting a move on on figuring out who wants what we're selling.

Driving

Basically, because I have the biggest car and don't mind driving long distances, I am the team driver. I have lost track of the number of hours / miles we have driven in the past two weeks but let me tell you, it has been intense. Usually I am the only one who is awake but Sang Hee and I have had some long and lovely conversations and I now know a lot more about South Korea than I did before MAP. While we are working at MRCG headquarters we are staying in a Residence Inn about 45 minutes away. This is because HQ is in Middlefield, OH ... 4th largest Amish community in the US! ... which means there isn't a whole lot to do and there are only two restaurants worth going to but there were several enjoyable and unique roadsigns.

The commute really isn't that bad. There is never any traffic (except that one time when the GPS misdirected me and it took us two hours to get back to the hotel ... after that I decided to go GPSless, it worked out much better) and we have dedicated time to talk as a full team, brainstorm and give feedback on what everyone is working on. We also take advantage of the adapter that makes it possible to plug my computer into the car and draft many of our team documents during the longer road trips.

Cabinetry

I have been a fan of cabinets for as long as I can remember. One of the reasons I picked this project is because we are working for the same company that makes Kraftmaid (I'm hoping there's a future discount there but I wouldn't bet on it). There is something about beautiful kitchens that makes my heart go pitter patter. When I own a home, I'm going to have one seriously sweet kitchen. Due to my fondness for cabinetry I already knew most of what we have been told about the product we are working with. In fact, on our first plant tour, I was told that I wasn't allowed to answer any more questions because it wasn't fun if he didn't get to share any information about the product.

Plant Tours

Over the past two weeks we have toured millions of square feet of manufacturing space. That's right people I said MILLIONS. And we have done it all at "plant speed" which is just a touch slower than "missionary speed" which meant that I was the only person on my team that could keep up with the guys showing us around. I was told that, had I been interviewing for a position, I would have passed the crucial laziness test with flying colors. As many of you know, I like myself a good plant tour every now and then. Ever since college where I had an internship at Subaru and would go out on the catwalks just to watch the cars zip around the factory I've been hooked. I never pass up the opportunity to see how something is made.

Who wants what we're selling?

Who the heck knows?? But seriously, we are making some progress on this front. We hammered out some initial estimates of the size of the opportunity for MRCG last week. Now we just need to figure out the characteristics of the people that fall into that group. We should probably also work on understanding what motivates them ... I'll have to think about that one some more. We've put in a lot of long hours and expect to put in many many more before we're good and finished. Guess what that means. Diet Coke!!! It also means palling around with a rooster (no terrorists here) but you don't really want to know about that. No, don't even try to get it out of me. It won't work and no I don't have photographic evidence. I said NO!

Monsters in Lake Erie

On Thursday MRCG let us use their box at the Q to watch a minor league hockey game. It was super fun to unwind and enjoy some downtime with some of the people we are working with on the project. They are great people and I am so glad that I have the opportunity to know and work with them. (MAP team = 4 people in the middle)

Taking Multidisciplinary Action (Week 1)

2009-03-12T12:53:00.004-05:00

This term in the good old b-school we are taking multidisciplinary action. We have all been assigned projects at companies around the world and this week we had our project kick off, met all of our faculty advisers and other support personnel, started drawing up our letter of engagement and team charter, assigned project roles and started doing research. My team is assigned to Masco RCG and so we headed off to IKEA, Home Depot and Lowe's to learn about how kitchens are designed and cabinets are ordered. I fell in love with a kitchen in IKEA. Chocolate cabinets with modern lines and white quartz counter tops. It is a deep and abiding love that will one day result in my being the proud owner of such a kitchen. I picked this project because I LOVE cabinets and logistics in manufacturing organizations. Love, love, love. The next month and a half have the potential to be brilliant. The picture at the start of the post is of one of my teammates, Sang Hee, during her first ever trip to a home improvement warehouse. After cost accounting she (and the rest of the MBA1s for that matter) has a special space in her heart for John Deere.

Spring Break

2009-03-05T08:12:00.007-06:00

At the beginning of February I indulged myself in fantasies of secluded Mexican beaches, trips to Hawaii, the possibility of South America, and adventures in Spain and then I got the call that I had been selected for final round interviews at BASF in Florham Park, NJ. Those dreams faded and were replaced with the reality of spending at least some of my spring break in New Jersey being interviewed for a summer internship position. I readjusted my plans and decided to stay in the region and visit friends and family that I don't get to see as often as I would like as well as cities that I love and have not visited in years.

After my interviews I met up with my mom in NYC. We spent a few days together going to restaurants, the ballet, shopping and MOMA (the picture at the left is Joan Miro's The Birth of the World... I like it).

We were also able to meet up with Maria for lunch at a tasty noodle bar.

On Thursday I boarded a train to DC and I have to say, I quite enjoy traveling by train. The seats are more comfortable, there's more space in the overhead compartment so you don't have to shove all your stuff in there, there's lots to look at during the trip and phone conversations that should really be held in private to eavesdrop on. You see what I mean? Quite enjoyable.

In DC I got to spend time with my sisters. The one thing I really wanted to do while there was visit the Newseum. As I think I may have mentioned before, I LOVE the news. Just love it. I've wanted to go to the Newseum since it opened.

They have a section of the Berlin wall there as well as the antenna from the top of the world trade center not to mention endless exhibits on, well, news and the journalists that make it all happen. Abi and I spent several hours there and could have spent much much more time looking at everything. I nearly bought a "news junkie" t-shirt. It felt appropriate but I really never wear t-shirts so I didn't buy it. After the Newseum we went to Curry Fest 2009 and all I have to say is tasty. I really like curry. In fact, I don't think I've ever had a curry I didn't like.

Now I am back in Ann Arbor getting my apartment in order after a very busy term and taking advantage of a few days of down time to get caught up on several things I let go by the wayside over the past couple of months. Soon I'll be heading off on my next great adventure, the Multidisciplinary Action Project. Very exciting stuff.

Culturefication

2009-02-27T15:06:00.006-06:00

I’m a little slow in posting this but, you see, there really hasn’t been time. So, dear readers, I ask that you rewind your brains to Valentine’s day weekend and the days leading up to it. For all of the MBAs here at the RSB this meant that finals were fast approaching, we were getting several emails a day congratulating the new leadership of clubs that we are not members of and getting stir crazy – ready to get out of Ann Arbor and hopefully to somewhere warm and sunny. I went to New Jersey – something I will tell you about in another post. Along with all of the generic goings on I also had the opportunity to attend two concerts in the Hill Auditorium with some of my sectionmates. First up was a group called Sweet Honey in the Rock. While they are very good musicians and I found their music uplifting and inspiring, I found them to be overly political for my taste. I mean, I’m jazzed that Obama is the president but I don’t feel the need to turn every conversation into an opportunity to sing his praises. Next up was Kodo, the Japanese drumming group. Going into this concert I have to admit that I was less than excited. I don’t really like loud sounds. I think that this has something to do with the number of ear infections I had as a child, my ability to actually feel my eardrums moving (or at least I think I can… I wonder if I am alone in this sensation or if other people feel it too) and my paranoia that they are going to burst again. Something that most people don’t know about me is that I am hyper vigilant about my ear health. Now that I got that off my chest, back to Kodo. The concert was the day before valentine’s day and clearly prime date night. The problem? I went with a classmate of mine who is engaged. We’re friends and all but it was a little awkward especially because we ran into several people we know. We also just met in our seats and parted ways right after the concert. In that way it was like sitting next to a stranger except we aren’t strangers. Aside from the awkwardness and the loud noises I have to say I LOVED IT and I would totally go again. The drummers were amazing and the music was moving, soothing and exciting all at the same time. If you have the opportunity to see them I highly ask that you seize it.

Aside to Hill Auditorium: Only people that are 5’2” could possibly fit in those chairs. Do us all a favor – remodel and get yourself some legroom.

What does this say about me?

2009-02-18T16:18:00.005-06:00

One of my friends posted this on her blog (apparently the BBC has speculated that most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books in this list) and I thought it was interesting because as I was scanning down the list I noticed that I had read more than six of these books by the time I was 13. Additional proof that I attended some seriously fantastic schools. I've also read some crazy things like Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in Middle English. What does your list look like and what does that say about you?

Key:

x - I've read it

+ - I love it

* - I plan on reading it

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen x+

2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien x

3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte x

4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling x+

5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee x

6 The Bible x+

7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte x

8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell x

9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman *

10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens x

11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott x

12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare x

15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier x

16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien x

17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger x

19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

20 Middlemarch - George Eliot

21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell x

22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald x

23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens

24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy x

25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams x+

26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh *

27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky *

28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck x

29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll x

30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame x

31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy *

32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewisx +

34 Emma - Jane Austen x

35 Persuasion - Jane Austen x

36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis x+

37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Berniere

39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne x

41 Animal Farm - George Orwell x

42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown x

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez *

44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery x

47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding x

50 Atonement - Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel *

52 Dune - Frank Herbert x

53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen x

55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens x

58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley x+

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck x+

62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt

64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac

67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding

69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie

70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville x+

71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72 Dracula - Bram Stoker x+

73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett x

74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson

75 Ulysses - James Joyce x+

76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath x

77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78 Germinal - Emile Zola

79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80 Possession - AS Byatt

81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens x

82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker

84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro *

85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White x

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle x

90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery x

93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94 Watership Down - Richard Adams

95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas x

98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare x

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl x

100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo x

A Magical Place

2009-02-04T16:51:00.009-06:00

This is a magical place we at the Ross School of Business like to call the "Winter Garden"... never mind that we like to call it that because that is what we have been told it is called. Oddly enough there are no plants. Can a place be a garden if there are no plants? Just one of the profound questions I ponder while sitting here (which I am doing right now... the sitting, not the pondering). Shockingly enough I know many of the people in this picture. For example, the red head with her feet up on the table... I've never talked to her but she is friends with the girl who picked up my blackberry and returned it to me when I dropped it in a lecture hall after hours in the school of education a few months ago so I have to like her plus she always wears scarves and I like scarves. But we were talking about the winter garden. It is our main common space in the new building, the cafeteria is there and there are plugs in the tables so it pretty much satisfies all the needs of your average MBA. Food, power for your laptop and lots of people like you to talk to about things you are mutually interested in - like how to make money and/or get an internship. I really like sitting here. The chairs are comfortable and the ceiling is made of glass which makes it feel like you are outside even when you are desperately trying to avoid ever being outside. I like it so much that I spend all my non-class time here which nets out to several hours a day. Basically what I'm saying is that if you ever need to find me this is where you should look because it is probably where I am. Thank you and goodnight.

Oh How Far I've Come

2009-01-23T23:44:00.002-06:00

This week I've been thinking a lot about the past year and everything that has happened. I know that this is something that most people do around New Year's but, you see, something happened a year ago today that I think may have changed my life forever. A year ago I interviewed for the Michigan MBA program. In the year since that day I have waited patiently for Michigan to make up its mind about me, accepted a place at Boston College, left my job in the middle of a recession, went skydiving, got accepted at Michigan, changed all of my plans, started the whole MBA thing, had my apartment building burn down, moved again, and on and on and on. That brings us to today. Today was an uncanny repeat of this day a year ago. I had an interview with Apple and I think it went well but I can never really tell and then tonight I went bowling. Bowling is not spectacular in and of itself but as I was getting out of the car I realized that exactly one year ago I went bowling in the same bowling alley. It was like reliving the same day one year later and now as I get ready to turn in for the night I am amazed at how much has happened, how far I've come and how some things are strangely the same. The question is, will today prove to have been as life altering as that day one year ago?

Treat yourself right

2009-01-17T11:52:00.005-06:00

Sometimes life gets away from me. I get so wrapped up in the day to day things that I have to get done (mainly schoolwork) that I neglect myself and the things that make me happy. Last night I took a step back and did somethings that I don't usually get around to. I stopped at Wholefoods on my way home from school to get some top quality ingredients for dinner. By the way... I don't think that I've been to the grocery store all month and I certainly haven't made dinner since winter break. Do you see what I mean about not doing things for myself? Anyway. I am a huge fan of the food network and all the time I have spent watching other people cook has given me the confidence to just sort of throw things together that sound good. Last night it was bow tie pasta with pancetta, salmon, artichokes and fresh parsley not to mention some really good bread. Whenever I do take the time to cook I remember how much I love cooking. It is a deep love that probably won't end until I have kids that hate everything I cook and that will ruin cooking for me but then again maybe I'll get lucky.

While at Wholefoods I also picked up some tulips. I love flowers. Back in Evanston I was a frequent customer at the farmers' market where I would get flowers for myself nearly every week throughout the summer. It was a simple indulgence but one that brought me joy every week. Last night I put the tulips on my bedside table and when I woke up this morning they were the first thing I saw. There really is no better way to start the day that by looking at something beautiful.

So friends, get out there and do something that makes you happy.

Sweet Home Chicago

2009-01-03T14:33:00.007-06:00

I decided to make the most of the final week of winter break by taking a trip to Chicago for New Years. I hadn't realized how much I've missed the city during the first semester of b-school. I went by many of my favorite places and caught up with several of my favorite people. I made a trip to the Field Museum and went to an exhibit on the Ancient Americas (if I remember correctly the statue to the left is Incan) as well as a special exhibit on the Aztecs. They were both fascinating and left me amazed that they at the detail of their art and sophistication of their cultures. I also have a strange desire to have a totem pole but that is neither here nor there. I stayed at the Fairmont while in the city and I have to say, it was very comfortable even if they forgot my toast at breakfast and I couldn't figure out how to turn on the shower. All in all a lovely mid week trip that made me realize just how much happier I am when I live in a city as opposed to rural middle America. Don't get me wrong, I love Ann Arbor. I just love cities more.

Rest stops

2008-12-29T15:54:00.002-06:00

As an addendum to my previous post regarding rest stops. This is a picture of my favorite one. It is on 90 between Cleveland and Toledo and has a TCBY, Panera and a Starbucks. Everything a weary driver needs to refuel. Plus, it is in the shape of a circle and for some reason that makes me happy.

Cleveland Rocks!

2008-12-29T15:34:00.006-06:00

In my old age I am finding it harder to drive for long distances. I used to be able to make it all the way from West Lafayette to Boston in one go but now I find it difficult to make the shorter trip from Ann Arbor without stopping. On my way back this weekend I had to stop for the night in Cleveland. I have driven through Cleveland many times but I've never stopped so it was fun to see what the city had to offer. I took a little extra time getting going in the morning so that I could go over to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Some of the highlights were the incredible beadazzling on one of Elvis' jump suits, Jim Morrison's cub scout uniform and John Lennon's yellow jacket from the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Unfortunately they don't let you take pictures inside. I also went past the Brown's stadium and saw some interesting public art installations. The "free" stamp was my favorite though I don't really get it. There's probably a social commentary I missing. Apparently it is "controversial".

Palmyra, NY

2008-12-29T14:54:00.005-06:00

On my way back to A2 I stopped in Palmyra to check out the sights and grab some lunch. I haven't been there for about 7 years and was surprised at how much of the town's layout I remembered. I really shouldn't have been surprised, I have a gift for internalizing maps and for some reason they stick with me. The one possible exception being the town my parents live in. I don't usually get lost but I know where very few things are. I think that is because my family takes "back roads" to get everywhere and I haven't been able to figure out how everything links up. Anyway. Back to Palmyra. I stopped briefly at the Hill Cumorah visitors center and then went to Grandin Print Shop where the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon were printed. The sister missionaries there took me on very informative tour that was made only slightly awkward by the fact that there was only one of me and three of them.

After the print shop I headed over to Nima's for lunch. I got a philly cheese steak which was delicious. The bread was amazing and the beef was nice and peppery. If you find yourself in Palmyra I highly recommend a visit.

My Parents' Dogs

2008-12-29T14:01:00.016-06:00

These are my parents' dogs. Shadow is the Gray one and Pippen is the white one. Nearly a week of my winter break was spent hanging out in my parents' house alone taking care of these dogs.

They are cute and can provide hours of entertainment but by the end of the week I was tired of having them follow me around constantly. They are rescue dogs and therefore have some interesting personality quirks. Shadow seems to be unsure that he will ever eat again and therefore takes advantage of every opportunity to steal food. While I was there he managed to eat an entire container of dried apricots, 1/3 of the Christmas ham, and nearly got a pan full of s'mores cookie bars off the counter. Shadow is also the ultimate cuddler. He's not happy unless he is in contact with someone. Pippen really likes his squeaky toys. He also likes to play catch. So much so that sometimes he plays catch with himself by grabbing a toy, throwing it across the room and then running after it to grab it, shake it, and throw it back to the other side of the room. He also likes to pose for pictures. The moment he heard my camera turn on he would sit very still and look straight at me. I love his ears and his hair. So adorably scruffy. I've uploaded some videos of them playing for your enjoyment.

Death and Dying in Canada

2008-12-21T13:43:00.020-06:00

Last weekend I took a little road trip to visit my family in Boston and because google maps says it takes less time if you go through Canada that is exactly what I did. Aside from a very confusing border crossing in Detroit it was a very pleasant drive. I quickly got used to having the speed limit be in kilometers (can I just say that having the speed limit be '100' felt great even if I really was only going about 60). That part of Canada is very flat and the sunrise was very pretty. Apparently they enforce the speed limit from the air. I guessing that it is more efficient than using the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Canadians are also very preoccupied with the dangers of driving. They have several very helpful roadsigns to help you avoid dying. These are my favorites.

See what I mean. Very helpful.

Before crossing back over into the US I stopped at Niagara Falls for a couple of hours to take in the sights and buy a patch for my backpack. The falls were great. I hadn't been in about eight years and I had only ever been in the summer. In the winter the spray from the falls freezes and coats everything in ice. The day I was there is was very cold so I didn't get to do as much walking around as I would have liked.

I took a look at the falls.

Wandered around a bit.

Took a ride in the big enclosed Ferris wheel.

And got some nice aerial shots of the falls.

After that I crossed back into the US, got asked several awkward questions by the border patrol guy and continued on my way to Boston. As a side note, I stopped at a rest stop somewhere in NY that has a Fuddruckers. It was pretty much amazing though not amazing enough to replace that special rest stop in OH at the top of my list of favorite rest stops. Yes people, there's a list.

2008-11-25T11:11:00.012-06:00

A few weeks ago I went to a workshop on centered leadership put on by McKinsey. The Centered Leadership training is something that McKinsey has created to develop female leaders. It evolved from the desire to understand what drives success for women and is designed to help women better cultivate the skills and mindsets needed on their journeys to become leaders. There are five themes that are covered in the training. We focused on energizing (knowing where your energy comes from, how it is drained, and what you can do to manage it).

This workshop has helped me to crystallize several things I've been thinking about over the last couple of weeks. I have been developing this mental list of what activities make me happy irregardless of whatever else is going on. Here's my (abbreviated) list:

1. Ironing - this is one of my zen moments, I especially like shirts

2. Making apple pie - I can't decide if this is because I know I'm good at it or if it reminds me of fun times with my dad

3. Improving processes - I love finding ways to do things better and faster... it makes me happy

4. Crafts in general - I'm never too concerned with doing something "right" so this is really low stress because the outcome doesn't matter

5. Sharing knowledge or understanding - maybe this comes from being an oldest child but I really like developing other people and sharing my knowledge and experiences

6. Talking about other people - not in a gossipy way... I'm just always interested in what is going on in other people's lives more so than talking about what's happening in my life

I've also learned a lot about what saps my energy here at b-school. First and foremost, I hate being put in a position where I have to get other people excited about an activity, idea or project. I am firmly of the opinion that people should excite themselves and get on with it. I also don't think that it is a big deal if people aren't excited. There are some things that just aren't exciting and this expectation that whatever generation I have been lumped into (is is X, Y, why not ... I can never remember) has that every moment of every day should be fulfilling and exciting is ridiculous. Just sayin'.

In conclusion, mix it up. Do things that energize you but recognize that there are times when you will have to tap into your energy reserves and that's just the way it is.

Burn baby burn

2008-10-22T20:39:00.003-05:00

This is my apartment building. While I was out today exploring my new home state (btw - Orchard Lake and the surrounding area is beautiful) I got a call from my apartment office manager letting me know that my building was on fire and requesting that I return home right away. I turned the car around a mere hour from the destination I had in mind and headed back to Ann Arbor. When I got there I was greeted by the Red Cross, some very good looking firefighters and this lovely sight. I waited around for two hours so that I could be escorted into my apartment to collect valuables, gather a change of clothes and take an initial look at the damage. For those of you who know me and my possessions ... the couch is safe. There is quite a bit of water damage and they mentioned that they would probably have to make a hole in my ceiling to drain out the rest of the water. I'm guessing that there will be new carpet and paint and some patching that goes on in the next few weeks. Luckily there didn't seem to be much smoke damage which I think would be harder to remedy than the water. Tonight finds me in the ever welcoming apartment of some of my friends in Ann Arbor, grateful that I and the majority of my possessions are fine and that I have a few more days without classes to take care of whatever comes next.

What a week

2008-09-27T06:18:00.006-05:00

This has been an incredible week. On Monday I had the opportunity to have lunch with one of my thought idols, C.K. Prahalad. As we went around the table and introduced ourselves, our backgrounds and our interests in emerging markets there were a lot of people that talked about non-profit work, eradicating poverty, BOP and micro finance and I have to say that when it was my turn I was feeling a little out of place. My interests lie more in working with large multinational corporations to find efficient ways to deliver goods and services to the emerging markets of the world. But when I introduced myself C.K.'s face lit up and throughout the lunch conversation he kept going back to my interests and mentioned that some of the most exciting research being done in emerging markets is happening in my area of interest. I felt such a rush of validation and a renewed sense of purpose. This has long been something I an interested in and it is exciting to know that someone that I have a lot of respect for is excited about it too. Beyond the lunch on Monday, I worked organize next week's penny wars, learned about McKinsey's Middle East office, watched the season premier of The Office, went to a section BBQ, and spent some time getting cozy with t distributions and the effects of trade barriers. All in all, a pretty great week.

I make about as much sense as a ferret.

2008-09-19T08:56:00.017-05:00

I have a problem. I have all these ideas and experiences I want to share but they are completely unrelated to each other and none of them is really long enough for a blog post. So, if you want some insight into what I find interesting or at least noteworthy when it comes to chronicling my existence, read on.

If any of you have lived in or been to Boston you have probably noticed a sign that looks like this. Ever since my family moved there I have found these signs intriguing and have often wondered who coined the phrase. On my last trip to Boston over Labor Day weekend I

promised myself that I would take a picture of one of these signs because every time I see one it makes me smile ... ah, the little things. Unfortunately I did not keep that promise (I nearly asked my mom to turn around and find me a thickly settled sign when we were half way to the airport but I decided that the picture was not worth a missed flight). This is why when I saw this sign at the end of someones driveway mere blocks from my apartment in Ann Arbor I slammed on the breaks, got out and took a picture. Ok, you're right, I didn't. I went back a few days later and got the shot but the other way makes for a better story. I don't think that this is a sign that is maintained by the city of Ann Arbor mostly because it isn't the right height and it is right next to someones mailbox which means that this family probably stole it from somewhere in Boston presumably because they enjoy the phrasing as much as I do. I've thought about taking one too but when it comes right down to it I don't think I'd be able to get it past the watchful eye of the TSA.

Fall in Ann Arbor comes early. Or maybe I haven't come to grips with the fact that it is mid-September. My bet's on the latter and yours should be too. Anyway. While walking to class bright and early Monday morning I noticed that the sidewalk I was walking on was covered in fallen fall foliage. And I thought, "what kind of tree drops its leaves in the summer?". I know ... the kind that knows its FALL.

Yesterday while I was waiting at the bus stop an old Buick drove by at about five mph with its windows down and some sweet jazz music blasting from its stereo. The 85 year old man inside gave me a full face wink. It made me feel pretty good about myself.

Last week I went to hear Vicente Fox speak. He spoke on globalization, immigration and NAFTA but didn't express any of his more "radical" views. To be quite honest it was a bit on the boring side. The most interesting part of the night was when he opened it up for questions and someone asked if he had an RFID tag inserted in his arm so that the government could keep track of him at all times. The audience laughed at the man asking the question (he sounded like a crazy big brother is out to get you and aliens may abduct you at anytime kind of guy) but then Presidente Fox took the question and turned it into a commentary on the kidnappings and the war Presidente Calderon is waging against the cartels and what Americans could do to help. I was impressed with his kindness and care for this man and the skill with which he turned an awkward moment into an opportunity to teach. I hope that I am able to develop that skill as I grow as a leader.

Boo Yeah!

2008-09-10T18:20:00.005-05:00

Today I broke down and did something about some general maintenance that I had been putting off on my beloved Doug-Doug. After all the trips back and forth between Chicago and Ann Arbor last month he was in serious need of an oil change. I located a Jiffy Lube which I have found to be generally reliable and started them on babying my baby. I went for the full flush out because, frankly, he needed it. In the process the friendly guys working on my car noticed that one of my headlights was out. Unfortunately they didn't have one to replace it. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I stopped at an auto supply store on my way home and got a new bulb and then I started tearing up the inside of my car. I came out a little dirty but successful and feeling super good about myself. Yay for conquering a new basic auto repair all on my own!

The First Week

2008-09-06T08:28:00.001-05:00

I survived the first week and I liked it! And yes, it really was a matter of survival. There were classes, lots of reading and problem sets, several late nights and some fierce section competition. On Thursday I wasn't sure it was going to be possible but now having made it through Monday classes after not having spent as much time on preparing over the weekend as I felt I should have I am feeling optimistic about my abilities to find balance in my current patch of crazy. Part of that balance comes from me wrapping this up well before I have said everything I could about my professors, classes and section mates so that I can prepare to talk about one of my passions, Wal-Mart, during Strategy on Wednesday. I also need to go eat lunch.

Ponderings

2008-08-25T17:19:00.003-05:00

How did I get from there to here? Just three weeks ago I was on my way to BC. I had plans. Now as my life is starting to settle down I am sitting on the floor in my new apartment in Michigan wondering what happened and how I feel about whatever it was that did happen. I've started orientation and have been meeting lots of people. I think I like it here but I don't think I'll know for sure until classes start. For now I'll just have to keep going hoping that I made the right decision.

Change of Plans

2008-08-07T16:33:00.003-05:00

I am a planner. It is the very essence of my being and so I am constantly amazed at how good I am at changing all of my carefully laid plans at a moment's notice. I suppose the root cause of that lovely character trait is that I am also a really big fan of change. In fact, I love it so much I find it very difficult to stay in one place for very long (unless that place is my big, beautiful, gray, velvet sofa ... or is it a couch? and what is the difference between a sofa and a couch anyway?). It is for this reason that my having stayed in one city let alone one apartment for nearly three years is a real shocker. To be quite honest, I've been feeling a little unbalanced about it. But this week all that balance was returned in a flurry of plan changing.

Right up until Monday afternoon my grand plan for the next two years was to move to Boston and get an MBA. I had an apartment, was registered for classes, had joined online communities and virtually befriended many people I have never met before. Today, four days later, I am sitting in a computer lab at the University of Michigan blogging about change. I have undone all my Boston plans, found a new place to live, registered for classes, joined online communities and am seriously considering virtually befriending about 400 people I have never met.

This week has been crazy and I am being stretched to the limits of my ability to plan on the fly and I am sure that things will get crazier during the next week and a half. I only hope to handle it with poise and grace or at least with a healthy dose of humor.

Look Ma, No Hands!

2008-07-29T20:10:00.006-05:00

Today was an amazing day. I woke up to the song of some very persistent birds in time to see the sunrise from a peaceful meadow overlooking a beautiful valley.

I brought some comfort food to help me prepare for what was next.

Yep, that's right, what was next was jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet with Chad strapped to my back. Or was I strapped to his front? Either way, we were really close. Surprisingly enough as I was kneeling at the door of the plane I was completely calm. As I was falling all I could think was that I was 100% present in the moment and I was loving every second of it. The freefall was fantastic! I had so much fun spinning around and watching the ground race up to catch me. I even managed to deploy my own chute at the correct altitude! We then glided for the final 5,500 feet, pulled some tight spirals, flew threw a cloud and touched down gracefully. Enjoy the pictures!

I honestly think that this may become my new favorite hobby. It is beautiful, peaceful and a heck of a lot of fun. I would love to spend an entire summer at a dive site and jump 5-7 times a day or maybe I'll try to do a jump in every country I travel to from now on. What a life.

Ba-Ba-Reeba Birthday

2008-07-25T21:30:00.002-05:00

Today for my birthday Stephen & Angela took me out to a tapas restaurant called Ba-Ba Reebas. It was DELICIOUS!! I got to have this egg-potato-onion concoction that I fell in love with when I went to Spain in 8th grade ... it's called a tortilla española. But the best part of the dinner, the icing on the proverbial birthday cake if you will, was this butterscotch pudding.

A-MA-ZING. I just about died. Seriously.

On a side note, I whipped out some of my new eyeshadow tonight and went for the somewhat smoky blue look. Definitely not an everyday thing but when you're feeling special why the heck not?!

Anniversary Sale

2008-07-18T17:04:00.006-05:00

This weekend is the best weekend at one of my favorite stores. Nordstrom. It is their anniversary sale where they put all the new fall clothes on sale before they are picked over and the only things left aren't your size. My girls, Jamie and Sarah, at the Trish counter did my make up. I look fabulous! I have some fun new shades of eye shadow that I am excited to play with and some new basics ... foundation with all kinds of super additives like spf 15, green tea and antioxidants, black eye liner, my favorite fragrance ... and something called a luminizer pen that make it looks like your face is lit from within. And then there were these ...

... they are quite possibly the best pair of black heels I have ever owned. Shiny, peep toe, buckle around the ankle. Can you ask for anything more?

I decided to take my new Obama shirt out into the open during my little shopping trip. I loved all the reactions! There was this cute old lady who asked me where she could get one, someone that walked up to me and said "we can only hope" and then walked away and one of my friends who told me that she knows him. It was interesting to so publicly declare my desires for the future to a mall full of strangers. I felt like I was exposing my most intimate self without knowing how I would be received.

Entering the Arena, Sort Of

2008-07-17T19:38:00.002-05:00

For the first time ever I have contributed to a presidential campaign. Granted I made a contribution of about $30 and in return I got a magnetic bumper sticker and a t-shirt but part of Senator Obama's 52M in June was all me.

Concerts in the Park

2008-07-16T22:08:00.003-05:00

Tonight my friends Kate and Whitney met me in Millennium Park to hear the Grant Park Orchestra perform Beethoven's Symphony No.7. It is tradition to bring a picnic to the concert and dine on the lawn while listening to some really excellent orchestral performances. My grand plan was to hop on a Purple Express train and get downtown in record time, grab some Chipotle on the way over and have a fabulous time. No muss, no fuss, no stress. Unfortunately in my rush to change out of my work clothes and run to the train I must have left my "I am a local - ask me anything" sign tied around my neck. Not only was I questioned about the nature of the express train, I also helped several people get off at the right stop and explained the menu and ordering procedure at Potbelly's not having been able to find anyone with a sign similar to mine when I went one El stop too far while trying to explain where to go to a very confused passenger and couldn't remember which street Chipotle is on. In the end I was pleased to have been so helpful to so many people and did make it to the concert in time for the Beethoven. It was definitely a night to remember in my beloved Chicago.

Memories

2008-07-10T20:56:00.009-05:00

Five years ago today I left Paraguay to return home after serving a year and a half long mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have spent much of the day thinking about my friends there, the people I taught, the lives I helped change and the impact the experience has had on my life. As I sit here I am listening to my favorite Polka Paraguaya and dreaming of chipa and cocido. Even now my heart is full of an indescribable love for the people of Paraguay.

Coronation

2008-07-09T08:21:00.001-05:00

That’s right, I’ve been crowned. Or I’ve had my first crown “seated” in its elevated position in my mouth. I am no stranger to dental / orthodontic work having had nearly everything you can throw at a person’s mouth lobbed in my direction. One notable exception to that is headgear. Thank goodness!! The remarkable thing is that, in spite of all my experience, I really don’t mind the dentist. I even kind of like my dentist even though he does that thing where he goes to shake your hand with his palm facing the floor. I once read that this indicates a subconscious feeling that one is superior to the person toward which they are extending their hand. In the arena of oral hygiene I’m sure his subconscious is right about that.

What endeared me to this dentist is that midway through my hour long appointment during which he seated my crown and did six fillings he stops, hands me a mirror and says “I want to show you what I’m doing because I think it makes it more fun for you”. Why on earth would seeing six of my teeth with holes drilled in them make the experience more fun?? Gross, yes, but fun? What can I say? The man likes his work.

On a peculiar side note, this go around my sensitivity to Novocain reached an even stranger level. My nostrils went numb. Not the outside of my nose. Just the nostrils.

Independence Eve

2008-07-04T10:33:00.035-05:00

As many of you know, in a few short weeks I will be leaving the ever fabulous city of Chicago for a new adventure in Boston. Due to my impending departure I have decided to relish everything I love most about summer in this amazing city and yesterday was packed with some serious highlights.

Walker Brother's Pancake House

I love this place. I remember coming here as a kid and in the three years that I have been living in Evanston I have taken full advantage of having some of the best pancakes in the world right up the street. This is one of my favorites ... the Dutch Baby. Yum Yum!

Wandering around the loop

After pancakes I went downtown and went to some of my favorite places.

This is my all time favorite local news station, ABC 7 Chicago. I'm a bit of a news junkie. In fact, it borders on obsession. I happen to go to the same gym as one of the anchors and whenever I see her on the treadmill I get on the one next to her but I have yet to talk to her because there is a tiny part of me that thinks that might be creepy. Seriously though, seeing the set where the magic happens sends tingles down my spine.

Next up was a trip to the old Marshall Fields State Street store with it's famous clock and amazing interior. What other department store has a ceiling like this? I love the sheer size of this store! It is a full city block and who knows how many floors high. I have literally gotten lost inside.

Under the category of amazing ceilings, the restoration of the Tiffany dome in the Chicago Cultural Center is finished! For those of you living in Chicago this is a must see. Truly awe inspiring.

The Taste of Chicago

In a city that loves it's food as much a Chicago does it only makes sense that there would be a ten day festival dedicated to food. Where else can you eat Italian beef, hot dogs, Chicago style pizza, pad thai, watermelon, empanadas, steak tacos, turkey legs as big as your head and so much more all in one day.

These are some of the tastiest tastes. Steak tacos and the most flavorful watermelon I've had this season.

Concert and Fireworks

After the Taste I made my way over to the Petrillo Music Shell to pick out a good spot for the evening concert and fireworks display. Some friends joined me and we settled in for the show.

The fireworks were amazing. These are my favorites.

There is something about sharing something so impressive with 1.5 million people that immediately brings people closer together.

Then again, maybe that closeness is spawned during the rush to the El after the event.

2008-07-02T13:34:00.007-05:00

I work in the coatings industry as an analyst. This is good for two reasons the first of which being that I am a generally crafty person so the unlimited access to free paint is a major plus but the more important reason is that I love Excel. In fact, it is one of my most closely held beliefs that any problem can be solved by the creative use of an Excel spreadsheet. There are; however, moments where I feel like Asok in this Dilbert cartoon.

I love my spreadsheets, especially the tracking ones, but sometimes I wonder if they matter to anyone but me. Today is one of those days. I also feel a bit like an overeager intern at times but that is a subject for another day.