Author: Dan Dickinson

The reasons for my masochism

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People occasionally ask me why I’m doing an MBA. Recently I’ve found it difficult to answer that; I’ve been down in the weeds of it for so long that it’s sometimes hard to remember why I signed up in the first place. So today I decided to write this, partly to explain it to people, and partly to remind myself. The major reasons:

Colleagues and managers told me I should. This wasn’t a reason so much as a driver. I actually wouldn’t have even considered it if a colleague, one of the first people I worked with when I returned to my company, hadn’t suggested I get into the program (my company has a special MBA program set up through a particular university). She was just about to finish hers and suggested I look into it. A couple of years later my new manager suggested I apply, and this time I did.

To assuage a bit of guilt. Yes, I have a business degree, and yes it’s from the same university from which I’m now seeking an MBA. However, my brain just wasn’t geared for learning in those four years, and what little sank in atrophied in the following five years as I took on a series of technical jobs. Around the time I signed up for the MBA I was back on the business side of things and starting to use those parts of my brain again, but I always felt like I hadn’t used those years as well as I could have. Signing up for the MBA helped me make up for that.

To create a good network of colleagues. Networking isn’t something I do well, or easily. It’s anathema to an introvert. My afore-mentioned colleague (and other people I’d since met who’d gone through the program) talked about the benefits of being thrown into a group of 30 people from all over the company and the networks that develop just by dint of being locked in a room with them. So far it’s worked pretty well; I know more people in different parts of my company (and country) now, and I’ve developed some pretty good friendships too.

I just always feel the need to learn something. Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, Dan’s gotta learn something new. I’m not happy unless I’m learning something on a semi-regular basis. As much as I’m looking forward to finishing this thing, I know that two months after I graduate I’ll take for German lessons or teach myself Python or sign up for digital photography classes. Actually, maybe I should delay the education for a little longer and sign myself up for a 10k…

Any of those strike you as weird? I’ve had people tell me they wouldn’t have signed up for four years of lost evenings and weekends for any of those reasons.

[tags]mba[/tags]

"That's right, preacher, get me drunk so I don't stick my foot up your ass."

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I just watched Black Snake Moan (imdb | rotten tomatoes). Here’s my over-analytical review:

Good: Samuel L. Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson’s mutton chops, Christina Ricci, Christina Ricci’s persistent nakedness, Christina Ricci’s acting & the way the premise worked out better than I would have suspected.

Bad: Justin Timberlake. What the bow-legged hell was he doing in this film?

Awesome: the music. I’d heard the soundtrack before, but the film gives it all context. Hearing Sam Jackson play “Stack-O-Lee” and seeing him play it in a sweaty blues joint are two different things.

Something else I’m noticing since we got TMN: movies are just better in hi-def. You’d think I could have made that leap since I’ve been watching hi-def TV for over a year now, but I guess my brain was still saying “movies: bad; old tv: bad; new tv: bitchin’.” Now I might have to speed up my plan for a hi-def DVD player. There might not be any waiting for the format war to end; I might just have to pick a side.

[tags]black snake moan, samuel jackson, christina ricci, blues, hi-def dvd[/tags]

"It's just like the 60's. Only with less hope."

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Been home sick the last couple of days. Nothing too bad — just a low level nausea and complete lack of energy — but there’s no particular reason why I need to be in the office today, so I’ve stayed home. My boss is leaving on vacation tomorrow and the last thing I want is to infect her before she leaves.

The worst part about being moderately ill like this is that I can’t focus. Yesterday I tried to do some work, but it took me about 3 hours to do what would normally take me 30 minutes. I just couldn’t concentrate and focus on the screen. I’m blogging right now ’cause I know that by noon my brain will be mush again.

.:.

I would’ve paid a great deal of money to see Led Zeppelin last night, but I hope they don’t tour. It kills me to say that — I consider them one of the greatest bands of all time, and regret that they effectively broke up when I was still in diapers — but I hope they don’t go after the carrot that must surely be dangling in front of them.

.:.

Couple of movies we watched on the weekend (when I could still focus on the TV):

Shortbus (imdb | rotten tomatoes) was as weird and explicit as I’d heard…and that was about it.OK, it was mildly funny in places too, but I think the shock of the film is what would have made it remarkable if I wasn’t already hyper-aware of the film’s racier content following last year’s film festival.

American Gun (imdb | rotten tomatoes) was one of those films with a compelling subject and stellar cast that just never got anywhere. With Forest Whitaker, Donald Sutherland and Marcia Gay Harden starring in a film about America’s obsession with guns, you’d expect more meat on the bone, however the director decided to play it. I have no problem with subtlety, but I do have a problem with melodrama. It was OK, but I couldn’t really recommend it.

[tags]led zeppelin reunion, shortbus, american gun[/tags]

"Does the Archbishop of Canterbury know you talk like this? "

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Ever since we signed up for TMN we’ve been recording movies left and right. Unfortunately, because we’re recording in high def, the PVR fills up awfully quick. We’ve had to kill off a few to record the ones we really want to see. This weekend we knocked off a couple:

  • The Last Kiss (imdb | rotten tomatoes) was ok, even if I couldn’t identify with (or stand, in some cases) most of the characters. I’m sure part of the low RT score comes from the fact that Garden State set the Zach Braff bar so high, and I know it affected my expectations as well, but even setting that aside there was very little redeeming about this film. I can only listen to so much whining from a posse of scared little 29-year-old boys.
  • The History Boys (imdb | rotten tomatoes) was a hard one to figure out. At times I felt like the film wason the verge of greatness, about to grab me with some high-minded debate about purity-vs-competition of education, or with a touching exploration of student-teacher bonding, but it too often drifted and teetered into melodrama or tawdriness. There were parts of it I liked very much, but overall I can’t say it’ll stick with me.

Nellie also watched Date Movie (imdb | rotten tomatoes) which, based on the ten minutes or so for which I could stand to be in the same room, was one of the worst movies ever made.

[tags]the last kiss, zach braff, the history boys, date movie[/tags]

I'm a fine, fine fellow

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In the summer I was struck by how much greener Toronto looked from our balcony than it does at street level. Now, with the leaves on vacation and the snow taking up residence, it just looks gray.

.:.

It’s not official yet — the paperwork still has to go through — but I heard back from our adviser today: we passed our final project. That effectively means that I am now a fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers. I’m now in the home stretch of finishing the MBA: 256 days left!

.:.

Poor Nellie’s not feeling well today. We had dinner at Fieramosca last night and were plied with a little too much Limoncello. It was supposed to be a quick meal, out by 8:30, but there’s really no such thing with us anymore. We kind of lost track of time somewhere around the sixth shot.

.:.

News from last week: Toronto councillor Giorgio Mammoliti asked for the army to be brought in. Not because of some snowdrifts, mind you. No, councillor Mammoliti wants the army to come in and crack down on gang violence.

Having had a few days to consider and weigh the councillor’s words, I have arrived at this conclusion: Giorgio Mammoliti is batshit crazy.

I’m all for curbing gang violence, councillor. I suggest you lobby for more police funding, or a special anti-gang task force. Perhaps you could move to ban handguns in the city, or increase funding to social programs that keep kids out of gangs. Any of those seem fairly reasonable, if not politically expedient. Maybe it’s my quaint inclination toward freedom, but I don’t think military occupation of a civilian area is something a democratically-elected politician should suggest.

Sigh…every time someone from this city mentions the army I just know the rest of the country’s going to make fun of us for the next three years.

[tags]toronto the gray, institute of canadian bankers, fieramosca, limoncello, giorgio mammoliti, gang violence[/tags]

'Tis the season to be zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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I’m so tired. Been at a conference the last two days, and didn’t get very much sleep at all last night. I’m a zombie tonight; no energy left. I’m so out of it I actually left my card in the ABM and walked away. Still signed in. Some nice lady had to chase me down and give it back to me. I should not have been out in public.

I’ll blog more tomorrow when I’m coherent again.

[tags]sleepydan[/tags]

Tip tip

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I’m all for capitalism, but Jayzus.

McDonald’s Blasted for Advertising on Report Cards 

Susan Pagan was recently surprised by her 9-year-old daughter’s report card. Her daughter had made the honor roll, but that wasn’t a shock. What was surprising was that her daughter was now entitled to a free Happy Meal because of her grades.

(Hat tip: Ron Shevlin)

.:.

Decent Nova Scotia wine? I might have to pick some up the next time I’m back on the ancestral manse. Actually, I do believe the vineyard is very close to my aunt’s house…

More remarkably, it achieved something no other Nova Scotia wine had before, taking home a silver medal in a mainstream category at the All Canadian Wine Championships in Windsor in May, beating out highly regarded rivals from Ontario and British Columbia.

(Hat tip: Duarte)

[tags]mcdonald’s, report cards, ron shevlin, gaspereau vineyards, wineboffin[/tags]

In which I geek right out

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  • That’s a pretty kickass-lookin’ Iron Man.
  • Jenna Fischer wants to do more nudity in her films. Well, if that’s what she feels she has to do for her craft, I guess we’ll all just have to support her.
  • Ray Park, the who portrayed Darth Maul (probably the only good thing about Star Wars: Episode I) will now get to play Snake Eyes in the upcoming G.I. Joe movie. That’s two iconically cool characters in one lifetime, Ray. Give thanks.

.:.

May not blog for a couple of days. Conference. Talk amongst yourselves.

[tags]iron man, jenna fischer, ray park, darth maul, snake eyes, g.i. joe[/tags]

UnZipped

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Here I thought taking some time away from the MBA would be nice and relaxing, but with work being what it is and with Christmas just around the corner, it’s still loopy. Still, anything’s better than reading about the effect of tax shields on corporate financing decisions.

.:.

Do you love yourself? Do you love good music?

If you answered yes to both of those, then ask yourself this: have you listened to Spoon‘s Kill The Moonlight? If you haven’t, then you were probably mistaken about the first two questions. Really, it’s one of the best collections of music I’ve ever heard. If you haven’t heard it, I can’t really give you a good reference point for comparison, even if you’ve heard other Spoon albums. Just do yourself a favour: go download it. At first you’ll only like one or two songs, but soon they’ll all grow on you.

.:.

I have signed up for The Movie Network and am planning to cancel my Zip account. It’s just not cost effective; I’m paying $15/month and not watching any movies. TMN, on the other hand, gives me a lot more immediate variety (as opposed to variety that I have to order) and access to TV shows that we want to see in real-time like The Wire and Dexter. Some day — like when the MBA is finished — we may go back to Zip, but for now it’s going bye-bye.

[tags]spoon, kill the moonlight, tmn, zip.ca, the wire, dexter[/tags]