Reindeer Roasting On an Open Fire...

So, now that finals and IP are over I get 4 weeks off. I was hoping for some contract work, but that didn't work out, so now I get to spend the time with my family. Even better! We just got back from Tulsa a couple of days ago--we spent about a week there and had a great time despite every single one of us getting sick except Lexie. But isn't that what Christmas is all about!? Oh, wait, no, Christmas isn't about that at all....

It was great to see family and friends. Even though we have been in Texas for about 4 years now, we just don't have the same kind of relationships that we left back in Tulsa. People who know us well, have a history with us, recognize what makes us different & special and who are excited to see us. At least now, though, we have a date by which our transitory state will be over. When I graduate in May 2010, whether we stay in Fort Worth, go back to Tulsa or end up somewhere else in the world, we will at least put down some roots somewhere!

So, anyhow, we had a fantastic time. Special thanks to the Darcy family, who we did not see while we were in town but who were generous enough to let us use their house in their absence, hopefully with minimal physical damage to their house or psychological damage to their cats.

For those we did not catch when we were in town and those who live elsewhere, Merry Christmas. There is a reasonably good chance that we miss you very much and would love to hear from you!

It's Getting Closer To the Present!

Well, it's hard to believe another week has already gone by and Integrative Project (IP) is over (you don't have to imagine new squiggly lines--they are continued from last post--in case I forget though, plan to imagine squiggly lines at the end of this post to bring you back to the present again). Basically, IP is a 6-day intensive business simulation designed to force us to implement everything we have learned in our various classes in the first semester. The faculty makes us work from about 8am to 9pm every single day to simulate a real, stress-filled business environment. It began the day after finals mainly because they're sadistic.

The short story is that my team and I worked very hard, designed and stuck to a clear vision, executed as well as could possibly be expected and came in third out of five due to the unrealistic nature of the simulations and factors that were impossible to predict. Or maybe that's just sour grapes. We were graded on the simulation as well as two presentations, both of which were very strong, if I do say so myself and ended up with an A minus. I would complain a little more, but that would probably be unfair to those students who worked just as hard and ended up with a B. On the upside, we had the opportunity to present to a bunch of real live recruiters, so I had a chance to demonstration my skillicity as a presentator and the interesting word usements I structure. I'm sure they are all just waiting for the winter break to end before calling me with a job running their companies. I'm not technically holding my breath, but I am saving some of my CO2 in a jar, which is essentially the same thing.

So now the semester is officially over and I am breathing a big fat sigh of relief. Only 12 more shopping days until Christmas!! (cue the squiggly lines)

Life After Finals

Well, it's the week ending 12/05, and I just finished finals (imagine some squiggly lines like we're going back in to the past). Hoo boy was this a tough week. Spend all day every day studying as hard as possible. The accounting final was particularly tough. It was really hard to read the test questions because of the drops of blood dripping from my forehead. But I lived through it.

I'm going to go out on a limb and predict some minor disappointments plus one or two happy surprises and an overall acceptable GPA considering it's my first semester and I'm old and I haven't been to school in a long time and I promise to do better next time. Of course, I can't actually put my GPA right out here for you to see because, well, I don't know you all that well. Perhaps we can spend a little time swapping war stories, you let me in on a couple of your own confidences and we can start talking numbers. Suffice it to say, my scholarship is not in jeopardy!

Well, I better get some rest because integrative project starts tomorrow!! I can only just wonder how that will go.....

Welcome To the Past. In advance.

So a lot has happened since my last post. I'm going to pretend like it hasn't happened yet and unfold the recent events of my life serial-style over a few blogs. If I was a more careful writer, the posts would be fraught with foreshadowing, symbolism and universal significance. More likely, they will resemble a really dull soap opera with no plot twists.

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! Finals Stress

I will live through this week, I will live through this week, I will through this week, I will live through this week.............