Monday, March 12, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
The One in Which I Realize I'm Almost Done
Well that
was a packed week. At least it wasn’t one hour shorter.[1]
I had a couple of assignments, work, a new class and a midterm. Let’s start with
the new class, Project Management. I’m taking it through the global campus out
in Rogers and it’s team-taught by 3 guys with a lot of project management
experience, so it should be a good class. (The problem: it’s a three hour class
on Tuesday, after I’ve been at class and work all day already and the room is
cold.) The assignments weren’t bad but they didn’t leave me a lot of time to
study for my test on Thursday.[2]
Yep, I had a mid-term in Strategic Management and I either got a B or an F. I—and
the rest of the class—ran out of
time on the essay section, so I’m fairly
certain I didn’t get an A. As horrible as that test was—and it was—the
upside was the fact that it’s a mid-term,
meaning I’m almost done with my last semester. Spring Break is next week and
then it’s just a short six weeks to finals and seven to graduation. Except, I
don’t have a job yet. But! I’ve got an
interview this week or next week (we haven’t finalized the day), so there’s at
least a little progress. I’m really hoping I get this one because it’s a great
organization to work for and there are plenty of opportunities from this
position. I’ll tell you all about it when I find out the result. Until then,
cross your fingers.
This
week, the week before a glorious spring break, doesn’t look to be any less
packed. No tests, but a group assignment
and a couple individual assignments. The work for my grant writing class is
really to increase in difficulty and importance[3]
and I have to spend a lot of timing researching and writing for it. (However,
because I love these things and the nonprofit I’m writing for—Life Styles—it’s
pretty enjoyable.) Still, I put a lot of pressure on myself to be successful
because I really want Life Styles to get a grant to do the work they need to
do. I also have a professional development class on Project Management through
Mitchell Communications’ Training Center—they do a lot of work the MBA program—and,
most importantly, a haircut! It’s been three months and I have to wash and dry
at night then sleep on it and then flat iron it to keep it from being an overly
fluffy, shapeless mop.[4]
I won’t even talk about my caterpillars eyebrows.
Alright,
until next week. Be good and have fun. Here's a little something to get you through the week:
[1] Thanks,
Daylight Savings Time. Though I shouldn't complain too much I did get an extra day this year.
[2] I
can also thank night classes on Monday and Tuesday for that.
[3] I
mean that we’re starting to write the grant for real, real now.
[4] I
always identified with Hermione Granger on the hair front.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Fun Video
I keep forgetting to post this embarrassing video of my friend Ellen and I after a show at TheatreSquared. In our defense, we were coerced into doing it. (We show up around minute 1.)
The One In Which I Go To The Airport (And Don't Leave)
So, as I mentioned last week, I had a trip Chicago Tuesday
and Wednesday to see the Walgreen’s format, visit the Saatchi & Saatchi X
office and United’s headquarters. But we had some trouble getting out of Fort
Smith on Tuesday and missed the new Walgreen’s format and, well, most of
Tuesday. We didn’t make it to the hotel until 11:30 pm. At breakfast on
Wednesday, we found out that our flight out had been moved up 30 minutes, which
meant that we had to leave United earlier than planned, but when we got to the
airport our flight had been moved back. Basically,
we spent the majority of the trip in airports and didn’t see much of Chicago.
But it
was fun to get to visit Saatchi and United. They were such different workplaces
but you could tell that everyone was passionate about was their job. It’s
always a little inspiring to get to see people working at something they love. And
the weather was actually really nice, so I didn’t freeze, which is always a
good thing. Anyway, my new picture is one I took at the hotel at 11:30 when we
were checking in.
On the
agenda for this week:
·
My project management course starts on Tuesday.
I’ll now have class and work until 9pm on Mondays and Tuesdays.
·
I have a phone interview on Wednesday, wish me
luck!
·
I have a test Thursday morning in Strategic
Management. A class that always makes me think of this SNL skit.
·
It feels like spring. That means skirts and, of
course, new shoes. I’m open to suggestions.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Deep(ish) Thoughts
For my
returning readers, sorry I didn’t post last week. I was in the hospital with,
hopefully, a freak thing that resulted from some scar tissue from a gallbladder
removal almost two years ago.[1]
I know, I know. I’m being vague but it was nothing serious and I’d just like to
move on now.
Interestingly
enough, I had decided last week that my blog post would be slightly
serious and discuss how this semester has been one of change and figuring out
where I’m going. I’ve never been good at having a defined plan for myself, even
when I’ve had months to think about it, and starting this semester by dropping
out of the entrepreneurship program,
losing my internship (and potential job) and the women’s shelter partnership
falling apart hasn’t really helped matters. Not that spending a week in a
hospital bed helped either. It wasn’t really a contemplative stay; rather, it was a
sleepy-time stay. What I’m saying is that somewhere between classes, work,
group projects and sleeping I’m going to have to figure out some things:
1)
How intense of a job do I want? I like to work hard but do I want a job that
consumes my whole day? Or have to travel
a lot?
2)
Nonprofit or profit?
3)
How many Reese’s peanut butter eggs are too many? Seriously, I love them and it’s
that time of year.
Anyway,
next week’s post should be more interesting because I’m to Chicago on Tuesday
and Wednesday to see United Airlines’ headquarter and the Chicago Saatchi &
Saatchi X office!
[1]
Don’t worry. I won’t bore you with the details, which include a lot of sleeping
and Jell-O eating.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Links and Footnotes
As I
write this I’m finishing the second season of Ugly Betty[1],
it’s been a busy week so I’m a bit slow in watching it. (There haven’t even
been any Daily Shows on Hulu to distract me.) We have two group projects that
have gotten rolling this week and there’s definitely enough work for my fifteen
hours at the library. Other highlights from this week:
1) Never
thought I’d say this, ERP simulation is fun. As one of my group members said, “This
is like Lemonade stand on crack.”[2]
2) My
roommate distracted me from strategic management by showing me a video about
Superman comics. (Warning: Cursing and Sarcasm is involved.)
3) DinaHowell spoke about her career experience. It was insightful and one of the
better speakers we’ve had. (Though, to be honest, anyone who speaks for a less
than an hour is a contender for that spot with us.)
4) I’m
getting my stuff together for my big trip to Chicago in a couple of weeks. I’m
visiting United Airlines headquarters and the Saatchi & Saatchi office
there. Because I’m not a huge pantsuit person but Chicago is cold in February, I
got fleece-lined tights to go with my gray suit (that I just bought because
black tights and black suit is too funeral-y).
6) I
just realized that’s it’s gotten harder to find rolls of SweetTarts. They aren’t
in the Wal-Mart or Target checkout aisles and only a few convenience stores have
them. I can find the boxes of them, but
that’s too many SweetTarts[3].
It’s cramping my style.
7) It
got cold. Is it spring yet?
[1] I
totally love how they’re always referring to it as “the Meade Empire”. I might
have to use that in future endeavors.
[2]
Lemonade Stand was an early internet game that was pretty much what the name
says—a lemonade stand. http://lemonadestands.com/
[3]
Yes, that is possible.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
It's February? Seriously?
Well,
another week down kiddos. I started my new internship at the library and I
think I’m going to enjoy it. It looks like a lot of putting together resources
for business students and analyzing how much current resources are used.
Mainly, though, everybody at the library seems really cool and it’s going to be
nice place to work.
I also
got work back rolling on our partnership with the women’s shelter. We’re
finishing up our deliverable for the finance team and starting work on a
fundraiser for the shelter. Graduate Women in Business is back, too. This
semester we’re just concentrating on bringing some speakers and recruiting a
new group of women for next year. GWIB’s been a real test of trying to find
what works.
Anyway,
here’s a rundown for this week:
1)
We’ve got the big ERP simulation competition this week. My team has been trying
to work out our sale strategy, but, honestly, once the simulation gets going
everything gets crazy.
2)
Grant writing’s first assignment is due—60 pages of reading and a couple pages
of writing. This is the easy one.
3)
Dina Howell is coming to speak on Thursday. It’s a lunch and learn, hopefully
we’ll have Qdoba…(They always get Qdoba for the big speakers.)
4)
I’ve been re-watching Ugly Betty. The US version and I found the original
Columbian version, Yo Soy Betty, la fea, subtitled in Spanish[1]
online. I’d forgotten how awkward the comedy was on these shows. It’s almost
unbearable sometimes. (I have the same trouble with 30 Rock. I thinks it's because I do the same things as Liz and Betty sometimes.)
5)
I get to go to Chicago on the 28th and 29th to visit
United Airlines headquarters and Saatchi & Saatchi offices. Hopefully, the
unusually warm weather persists.
That’s
it for this week! I should get more exciting…eventually!
[1] I
can read and speak Spanish, but my hearing skills have gone rusty on me. Plus
the subtitles help me learn the accents faster.
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