Merry Christmas!! :)

Catch Up

So it's definitely been a while since I've posted. I've been busy with school and recruiting, but now it's break time! It's been great to be back home in Austin and to hang out with family and friends.

The last few months have included a trip to Chicago to visit Berto and Ann as well as my trip to Cali and then a few holiday parties here at school. Here are a few shots from Chicago - including seeing the Jordan statue at the United Center and visiting Harpo Studios (Oprah). But of course, I had to include at least one pic of Lucas! The little one is so observant especially with his big eyes!

My Summer Fling

I've been reunited with my summer fling...




In 'n Out! So good!!! :D

Interviews!

Interviews. I always forget how they tend to stress me out until I have them coming up. It's one of those things where when you haven't had one in a while, they don't seem so bad, but then when you do have one, it seems a lot worse.

Anyway I had a few 2 weeks ago and one tomorrow and another on Friday. Please pray they go well and that I don't stress. I'm trying to embody that attitude as much as I can...

Fall

As I mentioned earlier, it's already started to cool off here, but the nice thing is that the leaves are changing so it's beautiful. Timed with a random good weather weekend, my dad came to visit. We watched UT become the#1 ranked team (go Horns!) and enjoyed some of my fav food spots. To get more of the New England flavor, we drove up to Maine for lobster and apple picking.

It was fun long weekend (gotta love the schedule this year) of hanging out with my dad and just enjoying the area.

Here are some classic photos including some 'action shots' while eating lobster and apple picking!

Weather Patterns...

Last week, it rained a lot. :( It's not like when it rains in Texas where it pours and then stops. We had non-stop raining for 3 days and then more scattered rain afterwards. Plus, it put a damper on what I could do since I have to walk to get around. I had to skip out on grocery shopping, meeting up with people etc. Thank goodness for rainboots - they are amazing for living up here!

The other downside of the rain is just how it makes everything gloomy. I think I have seasonal affectiveness disorder (yup that's aka SAD) where not having any sun makes me lethargic and tired. All week it's been hard to wake up and motivate myself to do things. The occasional workout helps at least...

Speaking of weather, I hope all my friends in Houston are doing better! I've been praying for you all!

While the rain has passed, sadly it's been exchanged for a cold front. We're already dropping to lows around 48. Seriously, where did fall go? I've had my sunglasses on my desk for the last month - don't think I'll be needing them for a while.

On the upside, my dad is coming to visit next weekend. I'm hoping we'll have some nice fall weather as we drive around New England and try to work in some hiking.

Bolting to NYC

So 2 weeks ago I went to NYC to visit Peggy and Leo and see the US Open. I had gotten tickets over the summer for the Men's Semifinal so I was pretty excited. The weekend was great! I started out by getting there on the Bolt bus where it only costs about $17 each way b/w Boston and NYC (much like the Chinatown bus). The only difference is that it is equipped with wireless as well as electrical outlets so I could do work on the ride.

For the US Open there was slight damper - called rain! They moved up the Federer Djokovic match and then decided to have Murray and Nadal play in the Louis Armstrong stadium before the Federer match had finished. Since they moved it into the other stadium, it was first come first serve so we rushed from our nosebleed seats and got to sit up close for the match. It was amazing! Too bad it started raining, and the game was rescheduled for the next day. Even though I didn't get to see 2 full matches I guess it was worth seeing Nadal and Murray up close!

I also enjoyed yummy food with the Chens. We tried out this Japanese restaurant thanks to yelp and it was awesome! Yummy food at a very good price - you know that makes me a fan!

Updates

I'm in my last week before school starts! The summer flew by especially the past 2-3 weeks with moving from Cali back to Boston, Nate's wedding, Turkey and Greece, Neeti's wedding, and visiting Austin.


My trip was great (pics to post later) but I'm grateful for this week to take it a little slower before everything gets going again!


In the meantime, I'm still posting some pics from my hike in Muir Woods and Stinson Beach. These spots are just a little north of San Fran - it's so easy to get out of the city and do some fun activities. One of my section-mates came with me, and he and I opted to be more adventurous with our hiking. This kind of led us astray, but it all worked out. It's gorgeous out there - I would definitely recommend it!

Au Revoir Cali

I'm sitting in my room look at the remains of what's left to be packed. I *think* it will all fit. Only time will tell tomorrow morning when I put my blankets and towels in...

It's been a fast 10-11 weeks in the Bay Area. I can't believe how quickly it's gone. As I've been meeting up with a few people before I head out, I realize I'm actually going to miss Cali. When I left Boston, I didn't really feel that way - maybe because I knew so many people would be leaving Boston as well, but I think there's something special about Cali. Even though I spent more than 1/2 of my time outside of Cali, I still think I'd enjoy living here. The weather is amazing (sunny but with breezes), there's an abundance of good food, plenty of day trips and activities, and I already know some people which helps. I guess we'll see what happens in the fall...

Here's the agenda for the next month before school starts:
Thurs morning - 6am flight to Boston. Get in at 3pm, get keys to apartment, and begin moving things out of storage.
Friday - move furniture that I'm borrowing for the year into the apartment. Finish setting up. Get ready for Nate's wedding weekend (dinners etc).
Saturday - take friends around for touristy things.
Sunday - the wedding and reception
Monday - fly to Turkey!!! :)
Spend 10 full days in Turkey and Greece.
Aug 21 - fly to Philly
Aug 22 - 24 - wedding weekend in Philly
Aug 25 - 31 - Austin!!
Aug 31 - return to Boston and start school

Whew, I'm tired thinking about how I've packed this all in. Hopefully some of you will be in Austin and we can catch up soon :D

Picture time!

From rock climbing in the Colorado Springs in the Garden of the Gods. It was so pretty!!! :)

Got to hang out with my old NI bud Will at the Broadmoor.

The view from our condo in Tahoe. And an attempt at bailing out the sinking kayak.

Fun weekends!

This past weekend I continued my streak of fun weekends by going to Tahoe. Tahoe is further than I thought - it's longer than Austin to Dallas! So after a long drive and arriving in Tahoe around midnight, I was happily surprised by our lodging. A classmate on the trip has a friend who agreed to let us stay at his condo. It just so happens the condo is right on Lake Tahoe, nicely furnished with plenty of beds, and with kayaks and a tennis court. It was awesome how nice this place was.

After getting 9 hours of sleep (that's a record for me!), I woke up and got ready to go mountain biking. Unfortunately, the altitude hit me, and I got light-headed early on in the ride. So our sub-group took it a little easier but still did a lot of biking. Then after a very Californian healthy and yummy lunch, I went swimming in the lake (cold) and then warmed up in the complex swimming pool. Afterwards, it was time for tennis and then we made dinner. It was delicious with steak, burgers, grilled veggies and corn, salad, watermelon, and dessert.

Sunday morning we went kayaking and almost sunk a kayak. How that's possible, I don't really know. Thankfully, we had a canoe too so we were able to use that to help empty the water from the kayak. I got a good workout and was happy when I was sore the next day. Then it was another swim before I headed back home. So relaxing!

Now this coming weekend, the plan is to go to Napa. Yay! :D

The Broadmoor

As part of my summer internship, they hold a Summer Associate Conference in Colorado Springs at this resort called The Broadmoor. It was amazing! It's a beautiful resort right in the mountains; it's a very large and extensive resort so we were definitely pampered. I arrived on Wednesday and left on Sunday morning. Part of the conference had to be professional program, but I also got to go river rafting (but it was only a Class 3) as well as go outdoor rock climbing in the Garden of the Gods. I already went to Maui as part of the job which was cool, but I think I'd have to say this trip was better. The spacing between the professional programs and fun things was more even, and the resort itself was really fun. There was a cool pool with 2 big water slides, and the firm had a cabana available for us to hang out at. I know - I'm pretty spoiled. There was even a night where we ate dinner at this lodge where they had different birds and wolves for us to look at. We also saw a bear hanging out near a golf course while at the lodge.

The rock climbing was the big highlight for me. After climbing a few times on the easier rocks, I went to the big leagues where they had some climbs set up in the Garden of the Gods. It's this beautiful park in Colorado Springs. It was definitely difficult, and the guide helped me here and there (including, kind of pulling me up to help me reach), but it was great to reach the top and enjoy the view. I scratched up my hand and leg in the process, but now I can say I have battle wounds. So fun!!

A Z-elightful Day

On Monday, I was back in my typical routine, flying out to Seattle. This time I got to take the 9:00 am flight instead of the 6:30 am, so the week was already off to a better start. Then, I got another little surprise. I usually don't rent a car because I carpool during the week with another person, but since I was the only one from my office this week, I headed over to the Hertz counter. The woman at the counter was super chipper and really nice. Surprised by her cheerfulness, I reciprocated even though I was a little groggy from my flight. After I had told her I was the only one in the car for the week, she smiled and said she had a suprise for me. When I got to the lot, I found a pretty, silver 350Z coupe. I don't think I've even driven a 2-door before other than a little hatchback. It's been fun to drive it around Seattle since it's a lot more zippy then any other rental car I've gotten. It's also funny to me because all the guys are jealous since their free upgrades usually end up being mini-vans.

Then the nice day was capped off by dinner. Last week I had noticed that there was a Z Tejas right across from my hotel. So on Monday, I got a to-go order of the crispy salmon, a side caesar salad, and the mud pie. They even gave me cornbread! Obviously by the ordering, it was a case of the eyes being bigger than the stomach, but I was so happy to be reunited with yummy Z Tejas food. mmm

Foodies

I've always been quite the foodie - well at least around those that I'm typically exposed to. But after working this summer, I see that there are heights of foodiness to which I can never attain to. We had a team dinner last night, and 3 of the people were serious foodies. They knew about the Michelin guide (I just heard about it this summer); they knew what the top restaurants in the country were; and, they all talked about the Fat Duck (I think that's what it's called) in Spain where the wait is 3 years and your food is almost like a science experiment. There are courses with lasers involved and much more.

So I guess I can't legimately call myself a foodie anymore. I'm just someone who likes to eat. :D

Business = Busyness

So now that I've started work, I am reminded of the enormous blessing it is to go to school. Even though the year was tough in a lot of ways and kept me busy and low on sleep, I know that I still like it way more than working. haha

I've been staffed on a project in Seattle, which means I fly back and forth each week. I knew that would be the case, and I knew there was the high likelihood of working 12+ hours days, but I was being hopeful that might not be the case. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I think I'm getting adjusted to it slowly, but I'm trying to remember to keep up a positive attitude as I do it. Hopefully I'll get more acclimated over time. If not, I only have 7 weeks left so I guess that's not too bad either. :) In addition to getting some good work experience, my side goals include accumulating frequent flyer miles and getting hotel points. There's definitely a lot of eating out with the job - especially dinners, but I'm trying to limit myself with the temptation of dessert. I think I'm doing an OK job of eating healthy. Hopefully that continues. :)

That also means on the weekends I have to make the most of my free time. This past weekend was a busy but fun one including - 2 trips into San Francisco to see classmates, a game of Ultimate frisbee at Stanford, 2 barbeques, errands, and church. A very full weekend. I'm not ready to start work again tomorrow...

Berries?

Ok this is somewhat of a random post, but have you heard about the magical berries? Apparently, there is some fruit from West Africa where if you eat it, everything you eat afterwards for about an hour tastes sweet. Odd, right? You can read the article in the New York Times about it here --> it's pretty humorous. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/dining/28flavor.html?ref=dining

On a related berry note, my favorite dessert this year has been the pinkberry-style of frozen yogurt. If you haven't had it yet, it's basically fro yo that tastes like if you took normal yogurt (like Dannon) with a sweet, tart flavor and made it into a frozen yogurt. From there, you add fruit toppings to it. My favorite combination is the yogurt with raspberries, blueberries, and mochi. My reasoning is that I get both calcium and fresh fruit this way. :)

Anyway, today I went to Red Mango (one of the chains of this type of yogurt). The one in Palo Alto was recently opened by Yul of Survivor fame. I've always heard his name but had no clue what he looked like. Tonight, as I was in line, I noticed that the man behind the counter was Asian, and looked for professional (he used to work for the consulting firm I'm working for now). I thought to myself, maybe this is Yul. Sure enough, at the counter as he was taking my order, I noticed an article about him on the counter. So yes, today, I was served frozen yogurt by Yul. My random comment for this post.

Bye-bye Boston

After finishing finals Wednesday, and then hanging with my section for our last hoorah, I began the process I despise the most - packing! Thursday was filled with packing with intermittent stops to get food, trying to turn in a lease etc. Unfortunately, I was not very productive. Plus my friend agreed to let me borrow his Jeep so that I didn't have to get a zipcar to move my boxes into storage but this pushed the timetable up for me too. Under pressure, I finally finished at 5:45 am today. I went to sleep, woke up at 10 to turn in my lease for next year and began the moving process around 11. We finished moving everything in storage around 3 and then I shipped a box off to Palo Alto. With traffic, I got back at 4. Then it was time for last minute errands including mailing some items (finger puppets I got for my niece and nephew in Peru) and returning things like dresses and ink cartridges. The only problem was that the T (subway) was having delays so I didn't make it back to campus until 6, when I was supposed to meet my friend for dinner. Now I'm back home (got back at 8), showered, and getting ready to pack the last bits for my flight to Cali early in the morning.

I really can't believe the year is over. It's been really quick - someone asked me if I thought I've changed this year. I'd definitely have to say I did. How... that's a little harder to put my finger on. I'll think about that for a bit and will report back later.

And next time, I promise I'll add more pics including my newly sad and empty dorm room.

Almost over....

I have about a week left of school! We finish classes on Friday and then have our last finals Monday-Wednesday. It goes by so quickly! Once finals finish, I have 2 days to pack before I fly out to Cali to start my summer job. I can't believe school is about to end. Kind of sad - but I'm also looking forward to the change of pace. The better weather in Cali is especially enticing since it's still pretty cool/cold here. Today was a nicer day, and it was between 40 - 60. Seriously, it's May - you think it would be a little warmer.

In the meantime, lots has happened, and I've been delinquent in picture posting. Some events include...
The Wine and Cuisine Bacchus Ball - the funest formal of the year: a multi-level house with different wines and appetizers (including chocolate fondue!).










Some pictures from my birthday celebration.























From Mindy and Philip's wedding...

Pics from the Game

The game was a lot of fun. It was one of the best days in terms of weather - mid to high 70's but since it was an evening game it had cooled off a little bit.

Our seats were in the Green Monster!! They were standing room, but we managed to find some unused seats and graced them with our presence so that they weren't so lonely. We sat right along the wall and had a great view. Too bad we lost, but the game was close until the end so it was at least exciting. Here are some pics... enjoy :)














Isn't that a cute hand stamp to verify I got into the game. It's a green monster :)

Diversions

Guess who's going to a Red Sox game tomorrow? It'll be my first time inside of Fenway! :)

A fun filled weekend

Somehow my birthday fell on Patriot’s Day weekend which meant, 4-day weekend! Now, you must be thinking, Patriot’s Day, what is that? In all honesty, I don’t really know, but it’s a holiday that’s celebrated here in Massachusetts and Maine – my theory is that it’s around the level of Confederate Heroes Day in Texas. It seems to mainly coincide with the Boston Marathon – how convenient. ☺

After class on Thursday (my actual birthday), I went to a couple of meetings and then broke free to go shopping. It was so nice to take the subway to downtown because I got to walk outside, and spring is finally here! After shopping, I relaxed with a quick nap and then packing for my trip to Dallas.

To celebrate the birthday in Boston, I went to this Tex-Mex restaurant in Cambridge that is actually GOOD. Then, we went to a pub where more of my classmates were. It was really fun to have so many people celebrate my birthday with me. Fortunately, my master plan worked and I was home by 1 so that I could get a little bit of shut-eye before waking up at 4:30 to catch my 6:00 am flight.

Friday was relaxing - good food with my dad and then ample nap time to make up for my 6 am flight. Saturday was catch-up time with friends. I had coffee with Christina where we got to catch up before hitting Osaka for lunch with Jason. Then it was Philip and Mindy's wedding where I was able to catch up with so many good friends! It definitely made me miss Texas! Wedding's are always a great time of reunion, although I'm starting to realize there won't be so many weddings anymore as a lot of people are married now!

Sunday and Monday have been relaxing family/school time. I've hung out with my dad while also getting some homework in. One big benefit of coming back to Texas is that the pace has been slower. I've managed to get close to 8 hours of sleep these last 3 nights which is pretty unheard of for me in Boston.

Too bad the craziness will start again tomorrow...

The End is Near..

I've got something like 6 weeks of school left and then I'll be 1/2 way through my MBA degree. Craziness.

But before that happens, I have a final tomorrow. Yikes! And it's been hard to motivate to study... double yikes!

Wish me good luck please (and if you read this in time, prayer wouldn't hurt either) :)

Peru!

I just got back from spring break in Peru and it was amazing! I flew into Lima and then to Cusco. After 2 days of acclimating to the high altitude (it's around 10,000 feet there), we set off for our 4 day hike to Machu Picchu on early Tuesday morning.

This 4 day hike is known as the Inca Trail, and it's not an easy walk in the park. We trekked around 26 miles over the 4 days, which doesn't sound that bad, except for the fact that:
1) It's done at high altitude - from 10,000 to 14,000 feet
2) We go up and down - so a whole morning's upward hiking can be canceled by an afternoon going downhill, only to be repeated the next day.
3) The steps are uneven and very steep at times
4) Incas didn't seem to believe in switchbacks. For the most part on Day 2 we hike uphill for a straight 4-5 hours.

Fortunately, they recommend porters who took the tents, food, and out nighttime belongings for us. That dramatically lessened the load so that I only had to carry water, spare clothing, and snacks which was probably around 8 pounds or so. These porters are AMAZING. They carry so much weight and they zip and up and down the mountain. A lot of them are from poor farming towns, and this is their way of making more money - which is pretty sad because for 3 days of carrying work, we gave each porter a $15 tip which is supposedly considered on the high side. I was very humbled by the experience.

This was also my first time to go camping for 4 days. Yup that means no showers for 3 nights and VERY non-ideal bathroom conditions. Two of the nights, the bathrooms (ie squatties) were far away and I almost got lost trying to find them in the dark.

All in all the experience was awesome though. The Andes mountains are beautiful and grand - I couldn't believe some of the views we got. And Machu Picchu, well it is truly amazing. It's located in this beautiful spot between mountains and streams and it is VERY big.

Here are a few teaser pics and if you'd like to see more, you can go to my Picasa album.

Spring Break in Peru - Machu Picchu

Cali Calls

After all the recruiting hoopla, I now have settled on my summer plans. I'll be in the Bay Area working for a consulting firm. I'm excited because it will be a great opportunity and good experience, plus I get to enjoy great weather for a bit. Part of me wonders though if I should have done something risky, like not find an internship and try to do some type of social venture. Oh well, I don't have a great business idea right now so that might not be the smartest of moves at this point :) At least it's making me think of different field studies etc I can do next year.

In the meantime, anyone know of any good housing sunlets in the Bay Area? Something near Palo Alto would be awesome...

Why I Hate Delta Part II

After making it to the airport, I try to use the ticket they've given to be at the electronic kiosk. But surprise, it doesn't work. They point me to the long check-in line - I guess that's why I left at 7 am. While I'm in line I'm told I can't go standby because I'm not high enough in the frequent flyer program. We'll see about that I think to myself.

I finally get my chance in line, and I get my boarding pass for the San Antonio flight at 9:30 and a standby ticket for the 9:00 to Austin. I go to the Austin flight gate to see what my chances are. I'm #2 in the list which is great, but since the flights are delayed for weather there's more time for someone to claim their seat. I wait, and then good news finally comes! I made it onto the Austin flight. No ridiculous flight to San Antonio and then riding a bus into Austin! I'm so happy. Then the euphoria starts to wear off as they continually delay my flight. The flight crew is here they promise, but we don't see them. Finally we board the plane and then we wait in line again for our turn to get de-iced. I think we finally take off at 11:30 am.

I arrive in Austin and have a VERY quick visit (about 25 hours outside of the airport).

On the way back, I get to my gate and everyone is supposed to be on time. Then the announcement is made: my flight has been delayed. If your connecting flight is before 7:40, you should be fine they say. Hmm, my connection is right at 7:40. I wait in line to see if I have any other options. None. Then the flight gets delayed some more before we finally board. I find out that our flight was delayed because they had forgotten to refuel it when they were in Portland. That comment gives me a lot of confidence. My only hope is that my connection is also delayed.

I land in Cincinnati and haul it. As I reach the terminal, I ask the customer service rep, that they've "placed their for own convenience", about my flight. It's at 7:40 she says. I ask if it's been delayed. She doesn't seem to know but tells me instead that it's 7:30 right now. I didn't really understand what her role was if she was going to be less informative than a flight monitor. I run through the airport, catch the shuttle, and then run to the gate to find out, indeed the flight has been delayed. Whoo hoo - I'm going to make my flight afterall - I won't have to spend another night in Cincinnati. YAY!!!! Never have I been so happy about such an annoying situation. Delta is forever banned from my list no matter how cheap the flight is.

Why I Hate Delta

When I was a kid, and we would fly to Taiwan, I would ask my parents not to choose Delta. I always got airsick whenever I flew Delta, and so we stayed away from it. This weekend, prompted by a cheap $300 weekend fare to Austin, I decided to give Delta another try. Maybe my stomach has settled with age... but it became obvious that Delta really stinks.

Original flight plan:
Leave Boston Friday morning at 10:20, layover in Cincinnati, and land in Austin at 3:30 pm.

Thursday night at 10pm, I get an automated message telling me that my Cin - Aus flight had been canceled. They rebooked me for a flight leaving Boston Sat morning and arriving at 11:40. Since I'm only going for a weekend (and was leaving Austin Sun afternoon), this didn't sound like a great plan.

I sat on hold for a while, and was able to take a different connecting flight that got me into Austin at 11pm. Not great, but better. And they said they would rebook my first flight to 5:40 pm so I wouldn't have to sit at the Cincinnati airport all day. So nice, I think to myself.

Friday morning I check my itinerary again - it says I was still scheduled for the 10:20 am flight. It's now 11 am. Technically I've missed my first flight. Afraid they'll claim it's my fault and make me pay extra, I frantically call, and they change me to the 5:40 pm flight. They apologize for the confusion, and I think ok, they're still nice.

Bos - Cin flight is late. I have a tight layover so I sprint to the other terminal and arrive to find out we've been delayed by 30 minutes. OK, I can handle that. Then they delay becomes 45 minutes. Then 1 hour. 1.5 hours. 2 hours. They say they're waiting on a crew member to arrive. She arrives, and we wait another 20 minutes. Then she leaves. An announcement comes: the crew member we're waiting for has timed out, so she can't fly. We're getting a replacement as we speak. Another 15 minutes go by, and then the cancellation announcement comes at 11:45 at night. They can't find another crew member but since it's their fault they'll put us up in a hotel and will rebook us.

I'm told I'll be put on the first Austin flight in the morning at 9 am. After further questioning, I find out I'm not confirmed on that flight - just standby. Since my other option is a 4:45 pm flight, they put me on a flight to San Antonio at 9:30 and say they'll provide transportation.

Then the horror of hotels comes... I've got a voucher for the Baymont Inn and $14 in food vouchers that I won't be able to spend because their kitchen is closed by now and I have to be back at the airport at 7 in the morning. Great. :) I trek to the shuttle location to find out they won't pick us up for another 45 minutes. I try to find people to share a cab with. No luck at first, but then I find some folks and jump in. Kindly one the guys is traveling for work and puts it on his expense account for us.

We arrive at the Baymont, and the line is wrapped around the whole lobby. He makes an announcement about an alternative motel since he probably doesn't have rooms for all of us. Delightful. I wait for 45 minutes to hear him say (with 12 people in front of me) I think I only have 7 rooms left. Wonderful yet again. I start trying to drop the hint that I would be ok sharing a double room with another lady in hopes of having a bed to sleep on. Praise God - the girl 2-3 in front of me overhears me. The front desk says they have a room for 2 or more people and the girl offers to get that room and let me and the other women sleep in it as well. I have a room!!! I go to sleep for 5 hours and then wake up to catch the shuttle to the airport...

to be continued...

Pampering...

So... the interview process has been pretty good to me I must say. It must be everyone's prayers. I got an offer with the firm I'm most interested in and also have a second round for a position that I'm pretty interested in. God is good! I know the process can drag on and with classes and everything else going on, it's quite the blessing to know my process will be wrapping up soon.

I'm also fortunate that I have an offer, and now I'm enjoying a few perks as part of the sell process. I must admit it's nice, especially with my college mindset. Today I went out for a nice dinner celebration complete with a wine tasting competition (and 3 desserts!). I fly out to San Fran again for a sell weekend (more nice meals) and my 2nd round interview. Then they're treating me to a manicure next week for a women's event. I know it won't last for long, so I'm enjoying the perks while I can. :)

Long Weekend!

Well after a very long week, I'm taking off for San Fran. Tomorrow I have an interview, and then I'm sticking around Saturday and Sunday to hang out with some good friends! Just my luck, I get to catch Sandy before she moves to Australia, hang out with Nora over in Berkeley and then see the fam too!

Grace

So I've recently been in love with this song by Ingrid Michaelson, "The Way I Am". It was on an episode of Grey's Anatomy and has immediately found a spot on the mellow mix on my iPod. One reason I love it is obviously the way it sounds but also the lyrics of the chorus - the singer talks about being accepted the way she is. It also reminds me of one of my favorite lines in Bridget Jones Diary when Mark Darcy says he likes Bridget the way she is.

I know it's a common concept in songs and movies, but this past Sunday at church it came to mind again when I thought about the beauty of God's grace as we sang this song called Majesty:
"Your grace has found me just as I am
Empty handed, but alive in your hands"

While that type of acceptance is so longed for and desired in romantic relationships, I often forget how powerful it is that we already have that with God and that it's the crux of His relationship with us.

Random warm and fuzzy thought that I wanted to share. :)

Let the interviews begin!

Wish me luck! :)

At least I don't have cases this week...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

That's how I've felt today. I don't know why, but at the same time I do...

1) Interviews are next week. While I've done OK practicing for the case part of my consulting interviews I still have the other typical prep like researching companies, figuring out good questions to ask, and recalling my examples of leadership, teamwork, etc...

2) Spring Break plans needed to come together this week. After being wishy-washy and trying to decide between some trips, I've settled on Peru where I'll get to hike Macchu Pichu. I think it should be awesome but it's been the rush to find a trip, pick one with friends, get your deposit in, and find flights etc. Thank goodness for AA miles, otherwise I probably wouldn't have gone on the trip.

3) School work. While my classes are interesting, some of them can be hard and time-consuming - sometimes more than last semester. Especially this class on Business, Government, and International Economies - it's interesting to look at things like German hyperinflation, the Tax cut of 1964, Nixon's economic policy in 1969 and 1971, but gosh, it isn't easy to figure this stuff out when you don't really remember taking a economics class.

4) Trying to find time to relax. Today my free time composed of going to a prayer meeting for those of us looking for jobs, stopping by our fellowship for a quick 30 minute dinner, an unplanned 40 minute nap, and now the time it took me to write this entry (which won't be proofread - sorry). I'm hoping to have more free time tomorrow.

5) Preparing for tomorrow - I have a random phone interview and I need to do some research on another job I'm considering applying for. Plus because of my new seat in class, I'm partially responsible for putting together this presentation that makes fun of people in my class - random right?

It's really not that bad, but it just feels worse. I don't enjoy feeling like there's one of those '60 minutes' watches ticking away behind me waiting for me to finish all of my random tasks...

OK, I've vented now. Thanks for listening (reading)... :)

Back to School...

It's been a hectic couple of days as I landed in Boston Sunday night and promptly started class on Monday. I'm still tired, but I'm telling myself I've only got 2 days to go. Tomorrow will be a tougher day to prepare sadly so. Anyway, my trip was great! It was very cool to be in such a different location.

In Dubai we went on a sand dune off-roading safari which means drivers drive us around the dunes which in turn made me nauseous. It was cool to see, but I could have gone for a shorter ride. :)

This is the Burj al Arab - the fancy hotel built on a man-made island.

Seeing the Sphinx and pyramids was a definite highlight. While in Egypt we got to meet with the CEO of Egypt's largest business, the premier Egyptologist who told us about some of his discoveries etc, and spend a day at the Red Sea.

From the Colossi of Memnon and the Temple of Queen Hathsheput


Karnak Temple, in front of King Tut's tomb, while on a faluka, and sailing down the Nile.


At the Red Sea and in front of the Giza Pyramids.

We ended up having a free day in Egypt since our meetings were canceled for Islamic New Year. Some of thought it might be fun to go to the Red Sea, and it turns out the student who organized the Egypt part of the trip has a family beach house on the Red Sea. Even though it was pretty cold, I still swam in it for a bit just to say that I've swam in the Red Sea! The water is amazingly clear and pretty.

Well that's it for now since I need to get going on work... but hopefully I'll have time update with more soon.