1 Down, 80 or so to Go!

Well, it feels like I just started school 5 days ago, but I have actually finished a whole week already!! Only about 80 weeks left to go!! So, I'm pretty much done now, and I have to say, I'm not sure I learned all that much. Something about a balance sheet, if I remember correctly.

Val and the kids are being very patient with the busy schedule, although Zach has been giving me dirty looks every once in a while (that could be completely unrelated). I have been getting home at a decent time, but I have spent most of every night doing homework after the kids are in bed. With my laptop and all of my books, the kids are very excited to have more things to get in trouble for playing with. Amazingly, they get older every time I come home. Ethan is already acting like a teenager half the time. We're very proud. Alexa, by the way, just noticed that sometimes I have little tiny hairs growing out of my face. I tried to explain that these hairs are the reason I smear white stuff all over my face and drag that funny-plastic-thing-she-can't-play-with across it. She first noticed me doing that a couple of months ago and said, "Daddy, you are erasing you!" Not sure if she meant that literally or figuratively, but, either way, she makes a good point.

It is nice, though, to go unshaven and dress down a little more. I still can't quite feel comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt yet, but I'm rocking the jeans Friday all week long. Looking at my classmates, I see an amazing variety of dress, from the recent graduate in flip flops to the guy who can't stop wearing a tie every day. I think I am safely in middle ground, with a slight lean toward more dressed up.

I'm still trying to sell my Altima (any takers?), and find something that gets comparable mileage to a moped. I could probably just hitchhike on 35W every morning-I think they are all going to the same place I am anyway. I'm still a little annoyed that no one has perfected the personal jetpack yet! Apparently, people just can't get used to that warm sensation on their backsides; I mean, you could sell them with a pair of fireproof pants. I gotta say, the future hasn't quite lived up to the hype. What was I talking about?

I Hereby Christen My Blog

Hello bloggees! I am officially entering the 21st century by starting a blog, particularly to discuss the next big phase in my life and that of my family. For those who are not aware, I recently left my job at Washington Mutual to pursue an MBA at Texas Christian University. Because of this change, I will be out of direct contact with a lot of former co-workers, making new friends and contacts and hoping to re-establish contact with a lot of people that I haven't spoken to in some time. I decided that the best way to keep all of you wonderful folks updated on the events of my life and my progress in school is to start a blog. That way, if you are interested, you can check out my updates, which I hope will be frequent, and if you're not interested, you don't have to feel obliged to answer emails, etc. Of course, you are all more than welcome to make comments, and I look forward to hearing from you.

So, I just finished the START workshop to orient me to life as an MBA candidate. It was very informative and busy, but it's over and it has helped me get a better understanding of what the next 2 years will be like. The event culminated in a formal team presentation of a business proposal to a (mock) venture capital firm--actually second-year students who evaluated our presentation. In the final coaching session the day before the presentation, I performed my portion so abysmally badly that I began to wonder if I was in the right place. But with lots of practice, I was able to complete my part effectively and received some very nice feedback. So far so good.

There are all kinds of things to look forward to, including potential trips to Chicago and Germany, an internship next summer and plenty more opportunities to fail at a presentation! I will keep the updates coming as these and other potential plans materialize.