Am I the only one?

Just a typical e-mail from my mother:

How are you? Just on the news a pregnant woman - young newspaper delivery person - was found murdered with multiple stab wounds in Raleigh behind AmeriKing store near highway. Be careful especially when you jog. Don't jog at night
or in isolated areas. Jog with someone.
Love, Mommy

Please someone tell me that they have a mother as neurotic as mine. This is not an isolated incident. I get these e-mails on a regular basis...sometimes it's someone who had a pocketbook snatched. Sometimes it's someone's husband that has poisoned them. Is this what my future holds? One day harrassing my kids about crimes that may or may not happen to them?

And I'm not sure what the connection between a pregnant woman being stabbed and me jogging at night is. Maybe someone can shed some light on that one.

Oh, Amie...

Open foot, insert mouth

Background story: one of my sister's dearest high school friends recently got pregnant. She's 21 years old, brought up as a good Catholic girl (aren't we all??) and still has a year of college to finish up. My sister and she literally grew up together, meeting in grade school and remaining close to this day. My sister's friend is devastated, but decided to keep the baby, rather than having an abortion. And, despite her mother's pleadings, has decided not to marry the father, since she doesn't feel like he's "the one."

In general, I have to commend her. She's pretty brave deciding to have the baby, and to hold out for true love to get married. And I know she must be so scared right now, especially since her parents as also devasted and the friend feels like people are going to think she's "white trash."

The story: This weekend, while at home for the reunion, my parents and Scott ran into Barnes and Noble, where we ran into this friend's mother. My parents ran into the mother a few minutes before I did, and when I rounded the corner, they all seemed to be wearing serious expressions. Of course, you can imagine what was on my mind and what I thought they were talking about, so I decided to lighten the mood (read: make a complete ass of myself).

After giving her a hug and saying hi, I said "So I hear congratulations are in order!" Her eyes got wide, she grabbed by arm, and pulled me behind the stacks. "What are you talking about?" This is where I start to babble incoherently, the blood rushing to my face and my heart pounding. "Are you talking about what I think you're talking about? Do you know? Do your parents know? Oh god, I want to die."

So did I.

She came back and confronted my parents (who were champs, by the way) and started to cry. I made a grown woman cry, god damn it. I felt terrible. I still feel terrible. Thirty minutes later, the sniffling subsided and I think she got a lot of fears and issues off her mind. I guess when you're in a situation like that, and you're embarrassed, you don't talk about it with many people and a lot of those feelings get trapped inside. In a way, maybe this was a good way to let a bit of steam out and to know that there are people out there that support you and your daughter, and people are more forgiving and understanding than you may initally give them credit for. Heck, even I was surprised at how supportive my mother was and how she really provided some quick and dirty counseling in the Barnes and Noble.

It's been a long time since I've wanted to sink into the floor and die...or at least rewind time by a mere 30 seconds. This was probably my biggest foot-in-mouth moment ever. I still feel terrible, but maybe, in the end, it helped a bit.

I just hope it doesn't happen again. Because the next moment just might be when I blurt out to the friend: How in the hell do you get accidentally get pregnant in the 21st century??

High School Reunion

This weekend was my 10-year high school reunion. I was actually really excited to go and see faces and people, many of whom I haven't seen in ten years. The reunion was an all-day Saturday affair, with a tour of the school in the morning, a picnic that afternoon, and an evening reception. Since we took the opportunity of being home to spend time with my parents, Scott and I just attending the reception that night.

Typically, the girls were all dolled up and the guys just didn't care (or at least, pretended not to care). There were so many pregnant people! We're all in that time of our lives, I suppose, but it was a regular baby factory out there!

It was fun to see everyone - from my elementary school crush to great friends that I lost touch with to really good friends that I still keep in touch with. And it was interesting to see some people who's lives are just as you expected them to be - and others who certainly surprised you. I guess that's how most high school reunions go, though.

So how did I fare? In high school, I was definitely the awkward, gangly girl...someone who hadn't quite fit into her body - or herself - yet. And I think, partly because of that, I lacked confidence. Ten years later, I think I've found more of that confidence and am more comfortable in my own skin. I think my personality has always been the same, although a bit toned down from high school. I was a bit more crazy, neurotic and "intense" (as Matt told me this weekend) than I am now...I think with my experiences over the last ten years - college, traveling, getting married, grad school - I've mellowed a bit.

I've always found it interesting to see yourself through others' eyes. To get their perspective and compare how it's different from how you see yourself. This weekend, I got to do exactly that and think I've done just about alright these past ten years. My high school self would have been proud!

It was fun to see everyone and to reconnect and I'm looking forward to doing that again in another ten years. Maybe there will be a lot fewer pregnant girls that time!

One man's trash is another man's treasure

On Saturday, we had our yardsale. And we didn't do to shabby...$257. I was amazed at the things that sold - and didn't sell. Clearly, furniture is a big mover. Our old nightstand and dressers were among the first items to go. And clothes sold well, too. But the R5 golfbag went to Goodwill and the golf clubs didn't sell until the last hour. I guess our treasure was another man's trash.

But boy, does it feel good to have gotten rid of some stuff. My wardrobe has been cut by more than half and now you can actually get into our guest room closet. I think it's funny that while we want to reduce and minimize, other people were looking to add by coming to our yardsale. That's the beauty of a perfect market system, right? I'm all about getting rid of "stuff" and clearning out the clutter in my life. But even though we got rid of a lot of this "stuff", there still seem to be more "stuff" in our house. Do we really need all this "stuff?" I think our lives would be less complicated without all the clutter and nonsense that surrounds us.

With a new house on our minds, we keep on throwing things out and we keep an eye on not getting things that we don't need. I want to haul as little things as possible to our new abode and want to start fresh with clean lines and quality furniture, even if it means spending more and having less. Out with the old, and in the new (and few)!

Rejected

Our offer on the house was countered. We then counter-counter offered. And they rejected it. Which leaves us home-less.

I really had my heart set on that house. Scott seems to think that the fat lady hasn't yet sung...something about a strategy on their part. I think not only has the fat lady sung, she has left the stage. Although I do tend to get a bit fatalistic when my dreams have been crushed into a fine, chalky powder.

We'll see and I'll keep you posted.

In other news...my friend, Martha, has told me she is pregnant! Yay for new babies! Boo for not telling me for SIX MONTHS!! Just because I live on the other side of the country doesn't give you an excuse not to spread the good news. At least it's just in time for our 10 year high school reunion next weekend. Can't wait to see the look on everyone's faces! And I can't wait to see pregnant Martha! :)

Off to the races!

Scott and I put our first ever offer on a house today! It's a bit exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. We really like the house - it has tons of charm, lots of what we're looking for, and just a great vibe - but we think the sellers are asking way too much for it. Even their agent admitted, in his own way, to our agent that he advised them to list it for less.

So we offered what is truly a fair price, but it's way lower than what they are asking. I'm just hoping that they see the light and realize that they really want to give this house to a young, deserving, loving couple. Because that's what it's all about, right? Not how much you get for a house, but who's going to take it from you.

Wish us luck...we hope to hear something soon!

Women are revengeful, spiteful creatures

I can say that. I'm a woman.

Scott and I went running at our favorite trail at Lake Lynn and came across quite a sight in the parking lot: a little sports car (well, if you call a Pontiac a sports car) had all four tires slashed (and when I mean slashed, I mean someone almost completely carved out the spokes on one of the tires), had its rear window completely smashed in (glass littered the pavement), had a "spiderweb" on the front windshield from someone hitting it with a blunt object, was keyed down the side and had graffiti written all over the car (not suitable for reprint here).

We came the conclusion that it had to be a woman because only a woman would be this revengeful. Plus, the graffiti had graphics to go with the written insults and I just don't think a man would have that much attention to detail.

And then, a few days later, I heard Carrie Underwood's new song:

I dug my key into the side

of his pretty little souped-up four wheel drive.

Carved my name into his leather seats.

Took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights

Slashed a hole in all four tires.

Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

Hmmm...life imitating art? Or maybe further evidence that woman are revengeful, spiteful creatures. And take their cues from other revengeful, spiteful women!

Save the Turtles

Like many states, North Carolina allows motorists to choose special-issue license plates. Perhaps you'd like to proudly display you're a Purple Heart recipient. North Carolina has a license plate for you. Or maybe you're a proud UNC-Chapel Hill fan. For a mere $49.95 a year, you can wear a tar heel on your license plate. (Yuck).

I came across one just the other day - Save the Turtles. While thinking about this great cause and what I could do to help save the turtles, I thought back to some international friends that went to school with me. Among the many cultural quirks they experienced in America, one of the most amusing to them was the obsession Americans have with their causes. We seem to have an organization for anything you can think of - Race for the Cure (breast cancer), March of Dimes (premature births), PETA (anti-fur), Pro-Life, Pro-Choice, Greenpeace, Cropwalk, Autism Speaks...the list can go on and on. So why so many causes and why does this appear to be somewhat unique to us Americans?

Perhaps having passion for a cause, and rallying others around it, is part of the human condition. How that manifests itself may be more a factor of environment. The Taliban has passion for a cause and rallies others around this cause. In history, the same was true for the Crusades. Maybe in America, where the government is stable, people have disposable resources and people are relatively happy, we find other causes to get involved in. We could rally around religion or politics, as you find in other countries, but since we are relatively happy in our current state, we don't want to tip the balance too far. So we get more granular. More, well, frivilous. And our passion and causes get more and more segmented.

Which brings us back to the turtles.

I would like to save the turtles. I really would. But how can I save the turtles? And what am I saving them from? And why stop at turtles? I would like to save the dolphins, the oceans. The air, the unborn babies (yes, I said it. So what? I'm a little bit country, a little bit rock 'n roll), the rainforests, the poor. Basically, I would like to save the world. Can I get that on my North Carolina license plate?

I suspect we're saving the world from one another, from ourselves. If that's the case, then our cause seems fruitless and much too large for any one person (or even a big group of us) to tackle. Maybe that's why we segment: if we can find a group of people that feels passionately about turtles, then maybe we can help save just one piece of our planet. Maybe it's more than just belonging to a group, giving money, and getting others to believe in your cause. Maybe it starts with each one of us, for us to save the turtles, the babies, the world, from ourselves. Little things we could do everyday to make a small difference. Between a campaign of one and a campaign of many, perhaps we can save the world.

That would be a cool license plate.

Another graduation in the family

This weekend, my sister graduated from Notre Dame. It's hard to imagine that this little person that I grew up with (we're six years apart) donned a cap and gown and is now going out in the real world. To do what, we don't know yet. But she's officially out of school! (What's the saying?..."You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here").

What I find so interesting about graduations is the wave. We've all done it. I did it last week. In the mass of families and friends present at graduation, we, the graduates, struggle to find the people we know in the crowd. And the family is just as guilty. They are waving like crazy to their graduate, somehow thinking that, among the thousands of people in an arena, their baby is going to spot them. And how did we accomplish this goal before cell phones? This weekend, along with everyone else around me, I stood on a bleacher, cell phone glued to ear, talking to my sister on the floor.

"See Section 110? The bleachers above the purple seats? Go up three rows. See me waving? No? Ok, now I'm jumping up and down? See me? Ok, see the woman in the bright pink shirt? I'm just to the left of her. See me now?"

And then the magic moment, when we spot each other. That click, that somehow, we stand out to someone. That someone knows exactly where we are, can find us, and that makes us feel a little better. That we are not just a blob among a sea of strangers. Someone loves us. Someone cares. And someone is always watching out for us.

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

I'm not sure about the healthy part, given that I've been too lazy to work out these past couple of weeks. And given that I have student loans out the ears, I can guarantee the wealthy part is non-existent. But I now have concrete proof that I'm definitely wiser...no thanks to the $80,000 I just donated to Duke.

My wisdom teeth are coming in.

That's right, I'm 27 (going on 28) years old and my wisdom teeth are just now coming in. And no, I never had them taken out when I was a teenager, despite the urging of many dentists through the years. I don't like surgery to begin with, especially when it comes to the mouth or eye area. My adult molars didn't come in until my early teens, and the dentist had to go in and cut out my baby molars to allow the adult ones to come in. There was a lot of cracking and extracting. And bleeding. It seemed like major surgery to me. So you can see why I was always reluctant to have the wisdom teeth taken out. Plus, I'm a weenie when it comes to pain. And I went through enough of that with braces.

So now I'm teething like a little baby. Somebody pass the Ambesol, please! The bottom right tooth is surfacing and the upper right is just starting to poke through. So my dentist told me the bad news...that I need to have them taken out. "Don't worry," he said. "It's not that bad." I may be a bit naive, but I'm no teenager. I've heard from my friends about the dry sockets, the drooling, the chipmunk cheeks, the having to sip food through a straw for a week. Don't lie to me. I can take it like a woman. Maybe.

The good news is that it's not an emergency. The doc said I could wait another six months, maybe even a year. So I'm praying that the new additions don't screw up the thousands of dollars of orthodontics my parents shelled out (thanks, guys) and that they stay clean and under the radar. I made it this long - the last thing I want is to have my wisdom teeth removed.

Plus, I'm kind of liking this whole "wiser" thing.

Finished!

I've done it! I've graduated from Duke and officially have my Masters!

The ceremony was yesterday and my family and in-laws came in to help us celebrate. The ceremony was really nice and then we had a little get-together at our place with our family and friends. It was a nice to way to cap off two years of hard work.

I'm also a bit sad that it's all over. I came to school a bit insecure and doubtful of how I would do among so many talented people. There were some low points during the first year, when I struggled to understand concepts and do well. Looking back now, I think I surprised myself. I'm happy with how I did and feel I learned a lot. I got involved in many activities and am proud of my accomplishments, even though they were small.

Most of all, I'm sad to leave so many friends behind. We're going to scatter ourselves across the country and it's sad to close another chapter and move on, with the hope that we'll all keep in touch. So I'm excited to be done and to start back into the real world, but I'm also a little blue. I guess that's normal, right?

Cheers to all my fellow Duke MBA graduates this weekend, and to all the other graduates who are ready to close one chapter and move on to the next!

Si, Senorita

We're back from our trip to Costa Rica and it was a blast! We had beautiful weather, despite going during the "green" (read: rainy) season, saw magnificent beaches and wildlife and had a blast with our friends Abby and Nathan.

We started our trip in San Jose, where we spent the night and and had some great Tico food. Then early the next morning we were off by bus and boat to Tortuguero, which is on the Caribbean side of the country. This area is very remote. We did a zipline through the trees, saw monkeys in the distance, birdwatched, and just generally chilled. It was so humid in Tortuguero - my hair has never been so curly!

After a few days here, we left by plane to Corcovado, which is the southernmost pennisula on the Pacific side of the country. The plane ride itself was an experience...no security, no ID checks, no cockpit door, no airport (unless you count a 300 square foot room with plastic patio furniture an airport). But definitely an adventure!

In Corcovado, we stayed at Bosque del Cabo, which was a beautiful resort. Not as humid here and beaches that were gentle enough to swim in. The shoreline was breathtaking, and we hiked around the area, went horseback riding, and saw tons and tons of monkeys, macaws and tucans. There was so much wildlife all around, and the food was delicious! We loved our resort - we stayed in a hut that was open air and looked out onto the Pacific ocean. The best part was the shower - it was outside, but private and you felt as though you were showering in the jungle.

Of course, no vacation is without its hiccups. The airline lost Abby and Nathan's luggage...for four days! Luckily, we're all about the same size. And Scott and I got a bit sick for one day each. But we recovered, the luggage was found, and we had a great time nonetheless.

I have to highly recommend CentralAmerica.com for planning our vacation. All our transfers were smooth and flawless, the places we stayed were great, and everything went off without a hitch.

Now it's time to plan our next vacation...

Cipro? Check. Chloroquin? Check. Bug Spray with 25% DEET? Check. Cost Rica, here we come!

Happy May Day!

Enough about Fuqua and cheating. That's old news. Let's move on to something more important and exciting....

We leave in the morning for Costa Rica! Scott and I have done a great job of packing a week's worth of clothing, toiletries, and other necessities into less-than-25-pound-bags. I even broke out my back-packing gear that I haven't used since my European trekking after college graduation. We're packed, medicated, Ti-Voed and ready to go!

Of course, I didn't forget my camera. I plan on taking lots of - what else? - monkey pictures to post on the blog! We're very excited and can't wait to share all our adventures and pictures with you. If I can make it to a cybercafe while I'm there, I'll be sure to share stories!

Until next week...

A little something to talk about

A few boards have gotten some chatter about the Fuqua cheating incident and a few papers have picked up the story. But only the facts of the case are being published, while non-students speculate about the integrity and reputation of Fuqua. So I feel compelled to clarify my thoughts and feelings on the situation.

Fuqua is brave. As some people have pointed out, cheating surely happens at all universities and business schools. But Fuqua has taken a stand about cheating. They could have swept this incident under the rug and no one would have been the wiser. But instead, they had the courage and integrity to do the right thing, regardless of the negative publicity it may have caused. That speaks volumes about the character of the institution and its students.

Fuqua fosters integrity and teamwork. The actions of a few do not reflect the character of the whole. We are a school that supports one another, whether it be helping fellow classmates find jobs, understand an assignment, or comforting them through a difficult time. It's part of our culture and is what makes us unique and our alumni network strong. What's more, we value teamwork in the context of honor and integrity. This means while we are a support system, we also are careful not to cross ethical boundaries, especially when it comes to cheating. This incident has shaken our foundation, and that is why it is not being tolerated by Fuqua. The actions of a few have violated our trust, but it will not violate what we stand for.

Fuqua is compassionate. We all make mistakes. It's actually part of our culture and is what, in my opinion, makes the United States great. We can fail, learn from our failures, and then rise up to succeed and be applauded for it. As I mentioned before, business school is a training ground, and better to make these mistakes now then when it hurts even more people. If those students who were suspended for a year choose to return to Fuqua, I'm sure they will be treated with the same respect and given the same opportunities as any other student. While cheating will not be tolerated at our school, a second chance will be given.

I love Fuqua. It was the best decision I could ever had made for business school. Not only have I learned so much, but I have made incredible friends, met incredible people and have a support system I can count on for the rest of my life. This incident has actually confirmed my passion for Fuqua, because I know that the school lives by its honor code; it's not just a plaque on a wall. And that means that the students it brings in will also live by that code. There will be exceptions every once in a while, but when that happens, I know that the school will take steps to make things right.

That's powerful. And maybe, just what the business world needs.

Here we go again

Last year, Duke made headlines, thanks to the men's lacrosse team. As I had blogged earlier (see post labels), this incident never really affected our business school community, since we were well-insulated from the antics of the undergrads. But now, this incident has hit a bit closer to home. Duke is in the news again, and this time, it's the business school students with the antics.

I've posted the article from the Durham Herald-Sun below. Hopefully this won't make quite the same headlines as the lacross scandal. I think this has hit us hard because Fuqua is a tight-knit commuity and most of us value the honor and integrity not only of each other and our school, but also of business itself. Business school is the training ground for (hopefully) leaders of tomorrow, and if we don't build an ethical foundation now, then we'll be sure to have more Enrons and WorldComs in the future.

I believe in celebrating different cultures, and I also believe that when you're in Rome, you do as the Romans due. And while there are shades of gray across cultures, there are some philosophies that remain constant. I believe ethics is one of them.

Last week, there were police officers tramping around Fuqua's campus. I went up to one and asked why they were there...after all, there are never police officers around our campus. They told me that the Dean had to tell some bad news to some students (the honor code violations) and, in light of the recent events at Virginia Tech, the Dean wanted the police there as a security measure. Anyway you look at this incident, I guess no one is insulated from the world anymore.

Fuqua students may face expulsion
BY BRIANNE DOPART
The Herald-Sun
April 27, 2007
Nine students at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business could be expelled for cheating on a take-home exam, according to Mike Hemmerich, the school's associate dean for strategy and institutional research.

Thirty-eight daytime business students at the school were accused of honor violations in 22 separate cases heard by the school's judicial board over the past several weeks. All but one of the 38 were accused of cheating in a third quarter class while one was charged with "a lying offense."

The charges stemmed from the outcome of a single take-home test taken by 410 of the first-year class's 411 students, Hemmerich said. Friday, the university's judicial board announced it found nine students guilty of "extremely severe offenses" while 15 were found guilty of "severe offenses" and 10 were found guilty of "minor offenses," he said.

Four students were found not guilty of violating the honor code.

The honor code, the preamble of which is posted in "any classroom at Fuqua" according to a statement released Friday by Douglas T. Breeden, dean of the school, is distributed to all students who enter Fuqua. Violations of the code include lying, cheating, stealing and failing to report those offenses.

The school's decision was explained to Fuqua students at a Friday afternoon session. Some students said they felt the punishment for the cheating students was not harsh enough, but at least one student said cultural differences might have confused some of those taking the test and therefore the punishment was too severe.

That student was putting up a poster, which read: "9 EXPULSION is all we need??????? PUNISHMENT OR EDUCATION?????" It also bore a statistic stemming from Duke's own Center for Academic Integrity that says 56 percent of American MBA students reported having cheated in a 2002-2004 survey.

Hemmerich declined to comment on reports that the majority of those charged with the offense were international students. The university is bound by law to keep the identity of the charges against students private, he said, and identifying the charged students as international students could "identify" some of them.

He said that international students do attend a summer program before entering the school that addresses the cultural differences between the U.S. and their respective countries of origin.
Erwin Chan, a second-year student who believes the expulsions were well warranted, said the school's decision to take action against the alleged cheaters spoke to Fuqua's commitment to integrity.

"I think you should see [the expulsions] as a sign we do take integrity very seriously," he said, adding that the school's decision to welcome back those found guilty of less offenses was a testament to his school's compassion.

According to the study performed by the Center for Academic Integrity, which polled 5,300 students, MBA students were more likely to cheat than their engineering, law and education student counterparts -- a finding that led the author of the study, Donald McCabe, to urge business schools to address their significant problem with cheating last fall.

"The type of student attracted to business is exceedingly decisive and often will substitute expediency for ethics," said the center's executive director Tim Dodd.

Hemmerich said the school's new fall curriculum will offer a class called "Global Institute" that will address the issues of leadership and ethics in business.

For the nine guilty of extremely severe offenses, the punishment will be expulsion and a notation that will appear on their transcript for four years.

The 15 guilty of severe offenses received a lesser punishment of a one-year suspension, an F in the related course and a notation that will appear on their transcript for three years. The punishment was similar for the 10 guilty of minor offenses, but the notation on those students' transcripts will appear for only one year.

The single student charged with lying received a zero grade on the take-home test and will have a notation on his or her transcript for three months.

You Ain't 'Cause You Not

I was driving in my car last week, windows down, wind in my hair, when I was suddenly roused to inspiration from the words coming from my radio:

This is why I'm hot.

This is why I'm hot.

This is why

This is why

This is why I'm hot.

I'm hot 'cause I'm fly.

You ain't

'Cause you not.

This is why

This is why

This is why I'm hot.

Who said the great orators of our time are dead? There are few that truly compare to the velvety eloquence of Mims, wouldn't you say?

The greatest invention in the world

I'm going ahead and taking a stand. It's risky - to name the greatest invention in the entire world - but I feel strongly about this and feel that my vote is warranted. This winner is....

The washing machine!

How great of an invention is the washing machine? As I type this, I am simultaneously washing 2 pairs of jeans, 2 bath towels, 1 washcloth, 4 pairs of men's shirts, 2 tank tops, 8 undershirts, 20 pairs of underwear and 5 pairs of socks.

Just think how much time and energy the washing machine saves us. I can do laundry while I sleep, while I go out for dinner, or while I clean the rest of the house. Can you imagine spending your day over a washtub filled with hot water, cleaning each individual clothing item by hand? No wonder it took so long for women to enter the workforce...we were busy doing laundry all the time! Actually, I think I hear that washing machines gave women the freedom to pursue other activities, like a job.

Washing machines get my vote! Of course, without electricity, there would be no washing machine....but now we're just splitting hairs!

I think I'm going to be sick

As I was driving back from seeing a house today (yes, we have officially started the house-hunting frenzy), I was cruising along a lovely, winding country road. It's a beautiful day in the Triangle, and I was enjoying the drive.

But then, a squirrel darts out into the middle of my lane. I slow down. It stops and looks like it's going to go back to the right, so I veer to the left. The squirrel changes directions and goes left just as I'm going past and I feel the tiny bump under my wheels. I scream and look in the rear view mirror to see the lifeless body of the squirrel on the pavement.

Why is killing a small animal so traumatic? Maybe it's because it's this innocent life that was minding its own business until I came along in the Dodge. Or maybe because I actually felt the body of the squirrel through the car. All I can imagine now is the poor creatures bones being crushed by the car wheels. I know, it's morbid. But the whole incident was upsetting.

When I was in second grade, a group of us were outside during recess and came across this hairy caterpillar. We formed a circle around it and some of the girls were gently stroking its fuzz and watching it crawl around. Then this boy said "I'm going to step on it." I told him he better not dare. And then he did. Green guts went everywhere. And I started to cry. Really cry...so much that I think other kids thought I was weird.

But again, it was traumatic for me. This little animal, this life, that we as humans just callously disregard. I think I'm finally over the caterpillar incident, although it's burned into my memory. Hopefully I can get over the squirrel incident, too.

My DC Weekend

I never realized just how close DC is to Raleigh until I drove it this past weekend. I made it in less than 4 hours! The cherry blossoms were on their way out, but the swarms of tourists were still around.

My friend Kristen had a bachelorette party on Saturday, which was so much fun. One of my favorite parts of the night was smoking to hookah, which I've never done before. I never knew mango-flavored tobacco could be so fun! A few fun pictures of Kristen posing with her lingerie and of our beloved hookah. Everyone had a great time and I have to give props to Kristen...she did her fair share of drinking and still made it up for 8:30 am church! Who needs sleep when you have champagne and good friends?

While I was up in the city, I got to catch up with a friend I haven't seen since high school. We were really close back in the day, but as is the case with a lot of high school friends, we kind of lost touch over the years. Last December (2005), I had a b-school friend (who was an alumni of the same college she went to) look her e-mail up and we started getting back in touch. She got married in December 2006 and I was bummed that I couldn't go to the wedding. But we finally caught up in person this weekend! It's funny how so many things can change in your life and you feel as if you've changed with it, but in the end, you're the same as you always were. That's how I feel with Jana - she was the same person - same sweetness, same mannerisms - as always, but with a whole new life.

So now I have lots of reasons to get back up to DC...an old friend, a new-old friend, and lots of dead presidents!

Life is funny

Life likes to play with us, just for fun. Just when things get good, everything changes and you have to start from scratch again.

My non-Fuqua friends keep asking me if I'm excited to graduate. My answer: yes and no. In a sick way, I'm excited to start working again and to try to integrate the information I've absorbed over the last two years with the real world. I'm excited to be on a more normal schedule and not stress about homework or case analysis that's due the next day. I'm excited to make money again and contribute (significantly, this time) to our future.

But there are things I'm really sad about. I'm sad to give up my two-week at-a-time vacations. I'm sad to leave an academic environment where I'm constantly learning new things. But most of all, I'm sad to leave the new friends I've made.

Over the last several weeks (ever since January), our friends have been hanging out together more, spending more time together. For most of us, the stress of the job search was over and our course load lighter (or at least, we didn't care anymore). So we have more time to spend together and do drinks with the girls or potlucks or dinners out or paintball. Yet, now that we're all becoming closer and actually forging those friendships we made earlier, we're also getting ready to leave each other. So why didn't we do this sooner? But any sooner and we would have been too busy.

So we only have time now because we're coming to the end. And because we have time, we're enjoying our friendships more. But just as we're enjoying our friendship more, we're coming to the end. Isn't life funny?