It has been said that the entire business school experience can be broken into two parts: 1) Autumn quarter core, and 2) everything else.This is the closest description to my own b-school experience I've come across. Nicely written and rings true. I'd recommend a read.
Graduation was exciting. RK and Jean came from London and Pops and Black Cobra drove up from NYC. It rained most of the time. Hotel Commonwealth botched up their suite and the poor things had to be relocated to the horrid Sheraton downtown for one night but at least they sorted it out the next day and had the rooms ready. They were so apologetic that we managed to get the limo I'd been wanting to book but was unavailable so that was nice. The Family did get a little annoying with multiple requests for ham sammiches for which Black Cobra and I had to traipse around in the rain for but it was good of them to come and we did have champagne and the limo and Bombay Club for dinner after so it was all good.
The ceremony was very exciting. I was a bit bummed about getting the wrong color tassel but the folks at the GPO sorted that out. Pins were borrowed because I have an unusually small head and the mortarboard wouldn't sit. The speeches were lacking quite frankly. And Ivers went on and on about donating the gowns for the next graduating class and even though he put in a Scottish bit for me, it was a little boring after a while. The keynote was completely useless. Black Cobra, bless her heart, kept the fun levels up regardless. Drove all the way back to NYC in the rain that night she did, poor thing.
Then to Vegas the next day. United Airways managed to muck about with our flights as well so we were stuck in Philly for 5 hours longer than we wanted to be. Pops kept wanting to go out to smoke which meant that we went in and out of security about 3 times. They looked at us very suspiciously. We sat at the food court and ate chips and did crossword puzzles. It was very boring. Plus the people in Philly are ugly.
Finally reached Vegas and the lovely lovely Bellagio with our standard suite on the 34th ready and inviting. The next day saw some shopping (-$66) and some gambling ($-12k). Went to Gandhi for dinner and the food was appalling which is odd because they're usually quite good. The Strip's changed a bit. Aladdin's been bought out and remodeled as Planet Hollywood and there's lots of construction happening with the new City Center place and condos and wotnot. Bellagio's got the flower spring theme so it's drowning in fresh roses everywhere and so of course I want to take them all and pack 'em in my bag and bring 'em back to Boston with me. We do have a lovely large vase full in the living room. Very nice. I oo and aa in my head all the time. Khan would love it here.
More gambling today (+$2k) and off we go with mine host, Olly, to see The Mansion at the MGM Grand. I may not have mentioned Olly to you before. He's hot. I met him for the first time at the Bellagio's art gallery at the Monet exhibit. I wanted to do him then. He's got a little paunchy after his girlfriend moved in with him and he looks stressed out and is greying at the edges and I still want to do him. Since that won't happen, I'll just dream dirty dreams of him.
So The Mansion is the exclusive, secluded, unknown and unadvertised villas at the MGM. As Olly said when we walked in, "if you don't know about this place, you don't need to know about this place." There was a Ferrari, a Raybach, a few BMWs, two Benzs and two Ducatis parked outside for guest usage. I like to imagine Olly offering to go on a ride with me on the Strip but that could just be another dirty dream. They have 29 villas so very secluded from each other, we must have seen about 2 people there and they were fully booked. There's an indoor atrium about 4 stories high where the temperature is maintained at a constant 75 degrees throughout the year. The pool area is the only area that is open to the outside and also the only area (besides your villa of course) where you can smoke. That's right, Vegas has banned smoking in public places. Go figure. The villas itself come in contemporary skyloft style or old English antique with indoor pools, heated bathroom floors, wireless everything and Steinway pianos. There is a private theatre screening room and conference facility at your disposal as well as a lovely restaurant manned by two award-winning chefs. And they're good too - we had lobster in spicy sauce, chicken kung pao, massive baked prawns, wontons-the-size-of-my-small-head soup and lovely petit fours for lunch. Listening to the sounds of the fountains in the atrium feeling the cool breeze scented with the hint of lemon (they have trees in there with giant lemons). Even the lemonade tasted gourmet with a hint of raspberry and ginger. RK thinks we might stay there next time around. I would like that. You can bring your own personal chef because the villas have fully stocked kitchens and he'd like that. Negi won't like it - there's no tandoor for him and he doesn't speak much English. But that's never stopped us before.
They've all pottered off to sleep now. I think I'll go read my book and look at the fountains from the living room window.
The strange thing about being done with finals is that one is besieged with conflicting emotions. On one hand, we're pleased we don't have to study anymore. On the other hand, we're bored out of our minds. Yes, I know it's only been a few days but I can't just sit around with nothing to do.
Wednesday evening celebrations started at Cornwalls (where else), moved on to An Tua Nua with some very bad singing on the karaoke and then back to Cornwalls (where else). I should have bought stock in that place. Didn't drink much since was still a bit hungover from the day before (which would explain the C I get on that final) and pottered on home at 10:30. Did brunch at the diner with Khan on Thursday, bummed around, drank some more. Went for a whisky tasting at the Lenox with Peter and a few others. That was fun. I was ushered into the room by a screamingly gay waiter in pink underwear under his requisition blacks prancing around with a giant white feather. A Chivas Ginger was thrust into my hand, a crab cake into my face and the party was on. Glitter bikini-clad women with giant feathers on their heads popped up and jiggled around much to the delight of all the sad suits and the cabana boys obliged the other sad suits. Can I just say, there's nothing sadder than a 35-yr old investment banker who desperately wants to get laid. Man or woman. I did learn a little bit about whisky and a few very bad Scottish jokes (Why do Scotsmen chop their toes off? To get closer to the bar) and got to sample some 18-yr old Scotch. Very nice. Then Peter and I couldn't take the man in the skirt yelling at DJ Certified Bananas to "pump up the volume, you slimy bastard" anymore and we pottered off to the Hong Kong at Fanueil Hall. On the way out we bumped into Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, freshly arrived from Scotland, a lovely 70-ish year old couple, all wrinkly and kind looking who Peter promptly told to go to Newport, RI and leave the wife at home. After this piece of shocking behaviour we giggled our way to Government Center where at the Hong Kong, more booze was consumed while Pete and Aaron (who runs a belly-dancing supplies shop, how exciting) told me stories of floating down rivers in inner tubes of tractor tires carting about 800 cases of beer. These stories proved too much for me at one point and I insisted we play bar-side games and so we spent a massive fortune in quarters at the nekkid wimmen version of Where's Waldo with self always getting the bits about the chick's hair at which point Aaron deemed me unworthy (since I couldn't spot a boob) and shoved me into a taxicab with a teriyaki on a stick. All in all, a good time was had by all.
Did brunch at the diner with Khan on Friday, scorned the drink, bummed around at Harvard Ave Cafe and finally started reading Jews, God and History (Max Dimont), purchased August 2006 at Denver airport but never had time to open. Interesting book. Very complicated. Khan, bless him, ordered a Vanilla Soy Matte which turned out to be the worst piece of crap I've ever tasted that has been served in a cup with foam. If you are ever faced with it, decline. Do so expeditiously and be not lured by curiosity. It's a horrible drink. Dre had her birthday party here last night and while the upside is that the apartment looks very pretty, cosy and clean, the downside is that people decided that they wanted to pop crackers at 3:30 am INSIDE the apartment. This is because they were stupidly drunk and had to be shepherded outside onto the street where they promptly became Someone Else's problem. Didn't sleep very well last night. Had strange dreams. Lay about, reading, mostly. Still is nice to be in bed swiping one's leg against soft cool sheets, know wot I mean? Khan was mumbling something about how marbles are the fifth dimension but he was in a food coma after having visited that den of vice, India Dhaba, so we forgave him. I did watch Anita and Me yesterday on brilliant NetFlix. Good movie. Nicely done.
I couldn't lie in bed anymore so I've moved to the couch. It's gotten windy, cloudy and 59 degrees suddenly. My wind chime by the window has orchestral aspirations and the curtains billow more often than they did yesterday. I shall sit here now, in my jammies, and read my email and watch Saturday morning cartoons with my cuppa sulaimani. Only two things on the official agenda - Swimming and Giselle at the Boston Ballet. That is if I can get tickets. Although considering the rate at which funds are being depleted from underneath my mattress, I prolly should lay low and cheap until Vegas. Oo, that sounded dirty.
Need more tea.
IS Strategy exam not over 10 minutes and the troops are headed to Cornwalls for a pint or three. We marched in step too. It was a little disturbing.
Many many MANY pitchers later self staggers home on the train. There's only so much beer you can drink on a sunny afternoon with a final exam the next day. Oi, my head hurts. On the flip side, I am done with the MS part of the MS-MBA. Whoohoo!
Apparently we were so loud in our revelling that the school upstairs complained. Serves them right for opening a school above a pub. Silly idea if you ask me. We did boo and hiss rather loudly when people left and yay-ed when they arrived. Also, I think we heckled 3 passing professors. The cops were very amused. Kaya, Pope's bitch, made a guest appearance and left lots of little dog hairs on my black blouse before she wriggled out of my lap to gnaw on Ken's shoe. Someone took pictures. I remember the flashes. Maybe that was not camera flashes but beer flashes. I can't tell.
Here's a tip - don't tip over backwards in a seat trying to look at a tree upside down. Gives you a helluva head rush. On second thoughts, do.
Ok, slightly tipsy now. Must study. Must study. I want chocolate. Must study. Ooo.. Kahlua!
Aww, I'm gonna miss the madness :(
Say hello to Wolfie's new ThinkPad R60 Core 2 Duo with 1GB RAM and 15" of lovely luminescence.
I have a fingerprint sensor *stupid grin*.
So very VERY nice to own a functional computer again. Oh happy days are here again.
3 finals next week.
Not that I'm counting or anything.
Last Branding class today (yay!).
Now would be a good time to email me your addresses so I can send out commencement invites.
I'm getting sick of all this writing papers nonsense. I'd much rather just get up and present, you know?
Ok, I'm just crabby because I can't focus. Blame it on Tranotron. She distracts me with her Vietnam pictures. Now tell me if this isn't the most beautiful face you've seen in ages.
I've got both the Celtic Woman albums to keep me company as I flit around my room spilling Turkish coffee to help me fritter my time away. Can I just say, singing Over the Rainbow in an Irish accent does not make it Celtic music. Why can't they just stick to seaweed songs.
Altogether now! Dulaman na binne bui, dulaman Gaelach... dulaman na farraige, b'fhearr a bhi in Eirinn!
And the reason I've been away is because I'm busy blogging about the 2nd Annual International Business Tech Strategy Case Competition. Be sure to check it out and see what some of the best b-school students are up to this weekend. There are pictures too!
So well I figure, the paper discussion isn't until Saturday so I could technically do it tomorrow night after my client meeting and I'm sure the lawyer won't mind if I FedEx stuff on Monday I was supposed to do by March 1st and so if I quickly zip through my presentation and think really hard on the drive up to Billerica tomorrow, I should be alright. No?
Lord help me, now I have ennui in addition to chronic laziness.
So like I have to work on my country analysis paper, write down notes for tomorrow's client presentation, put paperwork together for my lawyer and sort out my desk and of course I don't want to do any of it so I cleaned the kitchen and refolded all my clothes and changed the sheets on the bed and swept the floor and then mopped it and now I'm thinking about making dinner only I'm not hungry and there is no meat in the freezer and we all know I can't eat an entirely vegetarian meal so I'm tempted to go to the store and get shrimp so I can make chili shrimp and watch teevee and go drinking with the MBAs because it is Arjun's birthday and I mean, shouldn't we be with our friends on their birthdays to drunkenly tell them repeatedly that we love them?
Help me. I need motivation. I am a weak weak woman.
Be sure to check out Mastering IT Strategy and The Fournism of Brands: Why we find them compelling, the latest BU blogs to enter the discussion. Feel free to comment and discuss with some very bright marketing and technology professionals.
I was rudely woken up by the sound of Meg and her boyfriend being nauseatingly cute and loving in the morning. Why is it that when people are being loving there is giggling involved? Disgusting.
However, my annual distaste for the day was mitigated by Random Lifer making me laugh. Everytime I think back on that conversation, I have a marshmellow craving :)
Weather was hideous and I twisted the damn fool ankle on the way to school (yes, again). However, snow day was announced at 3 pm and extremely boring night class was cancelled. So I came home and spent most of it lazing about on the couch with Khan. All in all, a good Valentine's Day was had. Even if I didn't get any flowers.
BU's Symposium happened last weekend. Nothing notable to note except that one person brought up Web 3.0 which made me go all tingly all over. I shall write my paper on it and then blog about it. Big tings, mate. Big tings.
Officially off till Tuesday morning. Contemplated packing my toothbrush and an icepack and heading off the airport and getting on the first flight to anywhere but realized that would be rather boring all by myself. Salad and Bi want me to visit Seattle and Chicago (respectively) and I think Black Cobra comes up north (if driving conditions get better). I do kinda feel like getting on a plane to land into open arms and good friends and witty conversation and lots of fun. Alternatively, I could do with a date for the Aurora Borealis show this weekend. Who's game?
Foolishly, however, I have agreed to a meeting tomorrow at 1 and the BU MS-MBA Silent Auction on Saturday. However, I could technically blow off the auction and take a flight after the meeting. So. Where should I go?
Music of the moment: RDB
So on Friday last we (Dixon, D'va, Rani and meself) went to Basant Mela 2007, a grand production put together by the Paki Students of BU at Metcalf Hall. The acoustics in that place are horrible by the way. Lots of pretty little (and I do mean little) undergrad desi girls running around in impossibly high heels and mesmerizing salwar kameezes. Lady in the pink hypnotizing number, can I just say this one thing, WEAR A BRA! You're not 10 and this is not the playground, when you walk, you jiggle, and not in a good way either. After an entire hour of sound checks (the show started 90 minutes late), the BU Bhangra team came up and strutted their stuff. I have to say they were pretty damn good. All those youngsters leaping about with zest and vim. Even the one Chinese chick. Made my heart warm up to the snot-nosed freaks. Good job BU Bhangra. I'd dance with you any day.
Then Josh came on. That was nice. They sang a few songs. There were some technical difficulties (yes, even after the one hour sound check) but they were nice about it. All in all, a good time was had.
Then Rani, in a fit of utter madness, decided to accost the DJ backstage to invite the Josh boys out for a drink. Crazy idea, you say. Won't ever happen, you say. They're not going to go out for drinks with you, you say. Well, next thing I knew we were in a cab speeding over to Rumor to get our pretty lil' fannies into the VIP area to party it up with the Josh boys. Yes, that's right. You heard me. We partied with Josh. Resh, I can almost hear your groaning.
So anyway, the evening wasn't as magical as we thought it would be - and not because of the gorgeous bouncers (yo, Jimmy-boy, call me sometime) or the very nice Boston Police Officer we had the good fortune to meet (Kevin, how's it goin', where can I get a hat like that?!). It started with Josh (Rup, Q and DJ Pavan) having trouble getting into the club. They were standing in line. It was funny. Rani and I had to get them into the place. Then apparently their promoter was too busy doing the lambada with some chickie-poos so their champagne was not sorted so Rani (bless her) fought her way to the bar to get us drinks. She was pretty pipped about buying Josh drinks. An hour of pretty insipid conversation later (Pavan was spastic, Q was snotty but Rup was such a darling) and its closing time. So we troop our sassy asses out onto the street and yours truly spends the next 40 minutes hailing cabs and letting them go. One after the other. I would hail them because Pavan would decided to leave. Then I had to let them go because Pavan would decide not to leave. It was so VERY annoying. Rani finally got fed up and went home. I was told to hang around and then promptly ignored at which point, I went home. But before I got into that cab, Rup came up to me and gave me a very nice hug. That made it all better.
Here's the kicker - DJ P decides to message me at 3:30 am wanting to know where the party was at. Correct me if I'm mistaken, boy, but aren't YOU supposed to be the party?
Lame. Very lame.
Thank you Rani for a wonderfully groupie evening. I did have fun. You rock, babe. So do you, Rup. I'd farh kay your baah anytime ;)
Sade naal pau bhangra.. nach le o mitra..
Tell me something. How is it that the human body is perfectly willing and able to generate metric tonnes of mucus but will not absorb the most absorbent of creams to combat dry winter skin? Why? Why?
I'm dry and sick. Ugh. It wasn't so bad yesterday so I actually went to one class (it was a Hatten class, I couldn't possibly miss a Hatten class!) but today looks tricky. Getting from the bed to the bathroom to the couch has resulted in a fit of coughing and lightheadedness. No wait, the lightheadedness was always there. Wheee!
So like, if you're reading this, world, send me soup. Actually screw soup, what I want is a large pizza with everything (green peppers, black olives, green olives, tomatoes, pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, eggplant and feta cheese). I'm not so sick that I can't appreciate gourmet food. Don't forget the banana peppers. Or cake! Ooo, cake. I could do me some cake. What time do people start delivering pizza?
Wolfie, how sick could you possibly be if you're still obsessing about the feed-bag, you ask. Plenty sick, say I, pass the crushed red chillies and hand me an anti-biotic.
BU's Internal competition is on. 22 teams wrote essays to get into the Internal BU Competition. Team Unwired came up with the best idea (as reported by an insider). 12 teams received a case Saturday morning at 9 am with a 24-hr turnaround time to present their analysis. Now 3 of the 12 have been chosen to advance to the final round. The winners will represent the best of BU to compete in the main International Competition with some of the best teams from the best business schools around the world. Team Unwired presents at 2:40 pm. The judges panel comprises of the top professors at BU's GSM. The heat is on.
Team Unwired is ready to bring it.
I'm back. Have fixed myself and am back in Boston. Have fixed computer and am back online. Have not yet fixed jet lag so am very zonked out but there it is. Can't have it all you know.
Dubai was lovely. I did nothing. I didn't even make my own bed that's how much nothing I did. The trip back was lonely and boring and remarkably uncomfortable. Boston is cold and rainy. Speedy Zippy (my trusty laptop) was down with a nasty virus this past week so I spent the better part of yesterday and today (in class) fixing it. It's fixed now. Classes have begun. I've been sleeping for two days but I'm still jet lagged. My henna is fading and I'm already behind on coursework. Have had two classes and realize that the brain is a little rusty from all that inertia and watching Bigg Boss on Zee TeeVee all day (stupid show if you ask me). But soon. I shall be back in gear soon. Now I have to go buy $250 worth of course material and wade through all that email.
So, didja miss me?
So like, I forgot to tell you. The DB paper was an A. But the GE paper was a measely B+. To lead to a cumulative semester gradepointaverage of 3.65. Hah bloody hah.
And I got the consulting job. Booyah!
Well 3 of those are Project Management and 3 are the internship so they technically don't count.
Oh, and I'm taking sailing. Yes, that's right, you heard me, sailing. Hah! I decided step and tone was for wussies and well, I kinda miss being on a boat (ah fond memories of taking RumRunner out under the moonlight). But Wolfie, you say, this is a class and it won't be at night. One step towards getting a certificate I say. Don't bring the mood down. I'm feeling quite brave and bold, stepping out of my element like this. Notice how I could have taken stroke improvement (not that kind of stroke you perv) but I didn't. All in the spirit of stepping out you see. Of my element that is. Although, since I'm pretty much shaped like a buoy these days, one could argue the water IS my element. All in all, I'm feeling rather pipped about my decision. Albert Pinto has already made a joke about me in regattas but I shall ignore that and blithely march on into unchartered waters. Look out Charles River, here I come! I'm all atingle with excitement.
I might even get out of bed today!
And it's brilliant! BRILLIANT! The key, Jimmy, is to shut it down and put it away and get to bed and sleep for 7 hours and then wake up at the crack of freakin' dawn and be amazed as you write it all in 36 minutes. An additional 10 to proof-read, save, print, bang, slap, Bob's yer uncle. It's brilliant I tell you. I'm going to get an A and get a fabulous job and make lots of money and rule the world! Hah!
The Angel Gabriel, I'll have you infidels know, is not dead. So there!
