Category: MBA

This is how badly I want to be done the MBA

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

This time next year — and I mean exactly this time; I’ll finish my last exam by 11AM eastern time on 22 August 2008 — I’ll be done the MBA. I’m so excited about this, and so pissed that I’m missing this year’s film festival because I’ll be on course, that I’m already thinking about what I’ll do next year when it’s all over.

First of all, I plan to undergo elective surgery on the part of my brain that knows about swaptions. I really don’t see myself needing that ever again.

Second, I will immerse myself in the probably-just-released list of festival films and choose the ones I want to see.

Third, I will spend the next two weeks coming home from work and NOT studying. In fact, I may engage in the most ridiculous time wasting exercises I can think of, like counting all the cat hairs on the floor or measuring the exact height of every book I own. My aim is to revel in the sudden lack of lessons to read or assignments to complete.

Finally, I will take a week of vacation and watch as many festival movies as I can stand. I’m thinking 30 in 10 days oughta do it.

I know…sad. I’m planning recreation a year in advance. This is what I’ve been reduced to: a 15-year-old girl planning her sixteenth birthday party.

[tags]mba, toronto international film festival[/tags]

I Do Have Weapons

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

I “bought” two more albums from eMusic yesterday: Mogwai‘s soundtrack (pitchfork) to Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (imdb | rotten tomatoes) and Okkervil River‘s The Stage Names (pitchfork | metacritic). The ‘gwai album I listened to last night (I find their music perfect to listen to while working) and it’s fantastic. I haven’t listened to the OR disc yet, except for the excellent first track “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe”.

Speaking of working, I pretty much need to finish this assignment tonight. I’ve long since stopped caring about doing a good job. Everyone in the program that I’ve talked to has complained about how ridiculous the assignment is. I feel I’ve put the amount of effort into it that it deserves…which is to say, not much.

[tags]mogwai, zidane, okkervil river, emusic[/tags]

Yea and verily, we need a no-Speedo bylaw

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

A rooftop pool near where I live. It always looks so great when someone’s swimming and the sun’s hitting it. I took a few pictures of “rooftop life” today, like this one, and stuck ’em on Flickr.

.:.

Oooowheeee. After working on a stupid assignment all day (seriously, this may be the first time that I’ve hated school, rather than feeling simply annoyed or overwhelmed) it felt good to run a few miles. I spent too much time sitting on my ass this week. Why didn’t I buy an Aeron chair when I started this 3 years ago?

.:.

Songs that won’t leave my head today: “Bridges” by L’Spaerow and “The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill” by Husker Du.

[tags]rooftop life, mba, running, l’spaerow, husker du[/tags]

MBA: DO NOT WANT!!!1!

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Had a nice, quiet little birthday dinner last night at Fieramosca. Perfect way to end a nice, relaxing birthday: good food, good wine, good friends and perfect patio weather.

Before dinner Nellie took me to Bay Bloor Radio and bought me my birthday present: some outdoor speakers so I can get my music fix on the balcony. Thanks baby!

.:.

It’s almost torture to see the film festival lineup announcements appear in my inbox and feed reader. This year I have a course right smack in the middle of festival week, and we leave on vacation immediately after my course ends, so the best we can do this year is one or two films on opening weekend. No frantic schedule-wrangling this year, which is always half the fun.

Next year, when I’m done this freaking MBA, I’m taking a week off and watching 30 films, even if it kills me.

[tags]fieramosca, birthday, tiff07, toronto international film festival[/tags]

I turned red there many, many times

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

2islands.JPG

That’s a shot from the beach (fairly) near my home where my nephew and nieces were playing earlier today.  Something that never struck me as remarkable until today is how the land goes from woods to cliff to beach in just a few yards.

That’s the Bay of Fundy, by the way, in case you’re wondering why the tide is out so far.

.:.

I finished about 7 pages of my paper tonight, and have another 1.5 or so planned. Not quite what I was supposed to turn it but it’ll have to do for now. I can write no more; I have to get up at 6 for a run and my ass is sore from sitting in front of this damned computer all day.

[tags]bay of fundy, two islands[/tags]

If you're depressed and have ADD and you know it, download these (and clap your hands)

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

If you’re in need of a song that’s less than two minutes in length and guaranteed to put you in a good mood, here it is: “Quito” by The Mountain Goats.

Ah shit, I’m feeling generous. Here’s another: “Half-Empty Halls” by The Evaporators.

You’re welcome.

.:.

Nellie’s away for the night, and part of tomorrow. I lazed around for a bit, did some errands, went to the Nike store (as I was paying I realized Jason Spezza was standing next to me, buying a stack of stuff as tall as my wife), went for a run, ordered some pizza, watched JFK (just ’cause), cleaned up and am now listening to music at a volume that seems to frighten the cats.

.:.

I needed a drink last night after work, so we met up with CBGB and a friend at The Auld Spot. The veggie burger was extra tasty, the beer was cold, the waitress was hot and the conversation was lively. It was just what I needed to ease into the weekend.

.:.

As of today I am 5/7 of the way through my MBA.

Aweso.

.:.

Two cool bits of news courtesy of the two best Toronto-centric blogs: Torontoist points to the new and improved driving directions on Google Maps (which is very helpful if you’ve ever tried plotting a scenic route) as well as a neat little mashup called Taxiwiz that predicts your Toronto cab fare. BlogTO, on the other hand, discusses the recent decision that permits street vendors to sell more than hot dogs.

.:.

Finally, I leave you with this hilarious little comic my friend Dino sent me.

Vegetarian Zombies

[tags]mountain goats, evaporators, nike store, jason spezza, auld spot, fun with fractions, torontoist, blogto, taxiwiz, google maps, vegetarian zombies[/tags]

The best defense against ribs

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Normally after I write an exam I’d just come home and crash, but today I had things to do. I dropped my stuff and went up to the office; I wanted to get moved into my desk so I could hit the ground running Tuesday morning. I shared a brownie with T-Bone, caught up on some email, waited for Nellie so I could show her my new floor and then headed home. On the way I bumped into two of my classmates on Bloor; they’re hanging around the city for the weekend.  Now I’m home, catching up on a bunch of stuff, waiting for Nellie and her mom (who’s visiting) to make pizza. Tomorrow, when I have more energy we’ll visit the Distillery District.

.:.

If I lived in London today, I’d buy one of these t-shirts.

.:.

Thank goodness the Toronto Ribfest has moved out to Centennial Park (wherever the hell that is). I don’t think I could bear to have it just around the corner on Front Street this year.

[tags]keep calm and carry on, london bomb, toronto ribfest[/tags]

97.548%

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Heading in soon to write my exam. I would say that I studied/prepared less for this exam than for any other exam in my life. Still, I feel totally confident.

Uhhh…you might wanna wish me luck just in case though…

[tags]mba[/tags]

87.717%

Dan DickinsonLeave a comment

Awwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!

Joe posts songs of little girls singing cute songs…I post ICHC pictures.

.:.

Maybe a commodity isn’t really a commodity anymore:

“Thirty years ago, bottled water barely existed as a business in the United States. Last year, we spent more on Poland Spring, Fiji Water, Evian, Aquafina, and Dasani than we spent on iPods or movie tickets–$15 billion. It will be $16 billion this year.”

[from Fast Company]

.:.

The pizza earlier was goooood. I’ve packed some of my stuff, I’ve reviewed a tiny bit and I’ve watched most of the draft. Oden-Durant 1-2, who’d have guessed it? Anyway, I’m gonna head over for a drink soon and then chill…maybe watch Studio 60 too.

[tags]cheezburger, bottled water, fast company, nba draft, greg oden, kevin durant[/tags]