Collin's blog

Suprise!

2010-11-13T13:14:00.003-07:00

Friday I came home to a mysterious package from Amazon. I say mysterious because I know that Michelle and I had not ordered anything from Amazon lately. My first thought is that Michelle might have surprised me with the new Call of Duty: Black Ops game I've been going on and on about.

As I opened it up I was shocked to see a new Amazon Kindle. I have been doing some pro bono for my old work and they most graciously decided to send me one.

As you can see it is very simple, which is the greatest thing about this fantastic little device. In the picture below you will notice writing on the kindle. No that is not a sticker on the screen it is the e-ink. The great thing about e-ink is that once the image is on the screen no power is consumed. So when you turn it off a portrait of a famous author or painting is put on the screen while it is off.

After spending about a day non-stop on my new Kindle I can say that this device far exceeds my expectations. Lately I've been feeling like I need to grow up and start bettering myself. For example, in High School I did all I could to slack off, so I've never read the classics like A Tale of Two Cities or anything from Steinbeck, and I've been wanting to start reading more. Well my Kindle has been the perfect catalyst.

First off about the Kindle. The e-ink display is awesome. It doesn't hurt your eyes because it is the same ink that is in a pen, but just electronically manipulated to form the image on your screen. Also the contrast is excellent, and the speed just great as well. But its the features that are so awesome. I have the Wifi-3G model, and I've signed up for the Wall Street Journal. Every morning it just loads onto my Kindle and I can read it. And navigating through the Journal is a breeze. I can sort through the articles by section or briefly read a half page from each.

The Kindle also has a new feature called text-to-speech. This makes the journal perfect to listen to on the way to work or while at work through some headphones.

The Kindle store is also great. I downloaded the new George W. Bush memoir from the store, which would be about $30.00 for the hardcover for $9.99, and it was on my kindle in seconds. There are also thousands of magazines, and newspapers. I have noticed that the price for newspapers is a bit higher than I would like, but for example the WSJ is $15.99, which I will happily pay, and that works out to about $191 per year. I could get the journal at my house everyday for about $120, but the Kindle version has no ads, which is kind of nice.

For other features, the Kindle can play mp3's, has a web browser for checking that is quite functional, and can upload any quotes you like to Facebook or Twitter.

As a close for the price you really cannot beat the Kindle. For those that think they may want an ipad, if you want to read the news and books this device has it beat hands down, which is saying a lot because there are those out there that know how much I like the ipad. I really love my Kindle and I can't wait for the many trips I have to make to Indiana and Canada over the next month.

Sleeping Beauty

2010-10-30T23:50:00.001-06:00

On the surface of this may just look like Delilah sleeping with a Tiara on. But it is also one of the first really decent pictures I've taken with our new camera. I took a bunch of other pictures that were really grainy. Then I decided to mess with some of the settings. So either this is me messing with apperature or sensitivity (still not sure exactly which setting this was so if anyone out there can clue me in I would be grateful), either way I finally felt like I didn't waste $500.

What Delilah Has Been Thinking

2010-09-01T20:15:00.000-06:00

You know this is exactly what Delilah is thinking now that she's going to have a Brother.

Chrysler Day Picnic

2010-08-24T21:19:00.001-06:00

You would think that the day I meet the CEO of Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat, Sergio Marchionne, a man that I greatly respect, that might be the highlight of my day. But in all actuality it really was a backstory to meeting the love of my life. If you ask Michelle, she will tell you that I am currently obsessed with the Ferrari 458 Italia. It is the most beautiful car ever, its lines are amazing, and it is fast as HELL!

To my great surprise yesterday one showed up on the Chrysler front lawn along with a Ferrari California, Maserati Quattroporte, and two Maserati GT's. These were all for the Chrysler Group picnic today. What is special about this is that during the DaimlerChrysler days you would have never seen a brand new hot Mercedes along side a Chrysler Group vehicle. This to me was more evidence that this marriage will work out.

Below is my baby the 458 Italia. How how I want this beautiful mid-engined Ferrari. It is even more exquisite in person. Car costs $225,000 for the base model, this one was $247,000. Insurance costs are $2,000 per month and totally worth it.

The California was also gorgeous. I was really able to see how meticulous the interior is crafted in a Ferrari. All hand sewn leather, and all the amenities.

What stole the day for me though was how beautiful a Maserati looks in person. I got a chance to sit in a Quattroporte (the perfect family car) and it was amazing. I have never sat in a more comforatble car. And the styling on these are so striking. In person they are just plain amazing. The great thing about the Maserati's is that they only cost $135,00o for the base model. I could definitely do that, right?

Woodward Dream Cruise

2010-08-21T19:20:00.005-06:00

Since moving away from SLC I have been missing going to parades and stuff. Well I have officially found our replacement. Every year Detroit hosts the Woodward Dream Cruise. The Cruise is the single largest car event in the world. An estimated 50,000 classic cars and 1.5 million people attend. Woodward goes from downtown Detroit all the way out to Pontiac, which is about 25 miles. And its full of classic cars the entire way. We started at 13 mile in Royal oak and walked around that area today. And let me say it was a blast, even Michelle loved it. The best part was that whenever a big angry car revved its engine the fetus would jump in Michelle. Oh yeah, we definitely have a car lover on the way. Here are some of our favorites.

I just couldn't resist the Delorian. Its was also on sale for $23,400, WHAT A STEAL!

D just sat in the stroller and had a blast, she was such a good girl.

I had to get some of our new products in there, a.k.a. the Fiat 500's. Cool little cars.

yes, Michelle knows I'm posting this super sexy picture, this is the only picture of her. Isn't she one sexy woman? Or is she on drugs in this pic?

Golfing @ Copper Hills

2010-08-21T13:09:00.003-06:00

Today I had the pleasure of golfing at one of the best courses in Michigan. Copper Hills GC is an amazing course. Here's a list of awards.

Awards & Recognition

2009 - National Honors, the #9 hole on The Hill Course was picked
as one of the "18 Most Beautiful Brutal Holes" in the US and canada. Read this Article

2008- Golf Digest - "Best Places to Play" Four star rating

2007 - Golf Digest - "Best Places to Play"

2006 - Golf Digest - "Best Places to Play"

2005 - Golf Digest - "Best Places to Play"

2004 - Golf Digest - "Best Places To Play"

2003 - Detroit News - #1 Best Designed Course in Michigan

2002- Golf Digest - "Best Places To Play"

2000-2001 Golf Digest - "Best Places To Play"

1999 - 2000 Golf Digest - Ranked Copper Hills #16 in the State of Michigan.
(This includes all Private, Public and Resort courses.
(Copper Hills is ranked #3 in State for public-non resort course)

1999 - Golf For Women Magazine - Top Fairways 1999 -
Top 100 Women-Friendly Coursed Award

The picture above is from the tee box. Its a 173 yard shot just to the narrow fairway.

This green might as well have been an island green because it was the tee box, marsh and then the green. Lucky for me I hit the ball within 10 feet of the pin.

Schweiger & Associates

2010-08-19T20:12:00.003-06:00

I have recently been asked to blog some of my work from my time at Schweiger & Associates. Many of you may remember that I worked for SCAAS during my MBA program as a consultant. Please check out my blog post on Global Economic Growth from 2010 to 2030.

http://www.scaas.com/insights/global-economic-indicators-2010-2030-part-i/

Once your in a position of power or leadership you need this!

2010-08-09T20:00:00.002-06:00

What you might ask do Steve Jobs (Apple CEO), Segio Marchionne (Chrysler/Fiat Ceo), Larry Ellison (Oracle CEO), Hugh Hefner (need I say more?), Kim Jong Il (dictator and douche bag extraordinaire), and Fidel Castro (dictator and douche bag extraordinaire of the previous generation) all have in common. They are all in positions of power or leadership, but more importantly they have very carefully crafted a look based on their clothing. Whether it be the standard jump suit for a dictator in "Dictator Green/Tan," the robes of the original playboy himself, or the ultra business casual look of CEO's, these men have all gone to great lengths to ensure their personal brand is associated with a certain clothing style. Someday when I become a CEO, Playboy, or Dictator (preferably dictator) I am going to need to craft myself a look. Any suggestions anyone? Jumpsuit, Robe, Business Casual, or something?

Daddy and Delilah Day

2010-08-08T21:00:00.004-06:00

Recently Michelle was sick on the weekend. I had spent all wek at a plant in Toledo and was a bit antsy to get out of the house and have some fun. So Delilah and I decided to hit up the Somerset mall. The one thing about the Somerset mall is that its a bit upscale. That being said somebody has to teach this girl how to shop for the finer things life. Below is a list of some of the stores we window shopped at.

I really love window shopping for incredibly expensive items. I was tempted to buy a $300 Zegna dress shirt, but thought that might need to wait until the student loans are paid off, but when that day comes I'm treating myself to a Zegna dress shirt. We also window shopped at Tiffany's and then went into the Cole Haan store. I love Cole Haan shoes, they are worth the $200 definitely. I think this is an area where Michelle and I differ. Michelle loves Old Navy and Gap, I love Zegna and Armani suits and John Hardy cufflinks.

Trip to the Car Show

2010-06-12T20:48:00.005-06:00

I know this may not interest many people out there, but here are a few shots from our visit to the Chrysler Employee Motorsport Association car show.

Bunch of sweet Dodge Vipers

Beautiful Lime Green

I so want a 1983 Mercedes SL300. The greatest car EVER!

You really can't beat the spoiler on the Plymouth Superbird.

Superbird Spoiler on a new Dodge Challenger

And a classic old Jag to wrap it all up.

Eat it Michelle!

2010-04-29T09:41:00.004-06:00

Well Michelle, your not the only one who can cook in this family and blog about it, so for all those people out there that want man food, this ones for your.

I got this steak as a present to myself for graduation last night, because nothing says celebration like a fat chunk of cow meat.

First start off with a raw 20.4 oz porterhouse steak (or NY strip, t-bone, or ribeye, anything else isn't worth it in my opinion).

Next off is put on some of my favorite rub. This is Spade L ranch beef rub. It also comes in pork and chicken rub. You can only find it in Utah, and I always get it at Smith's or Kroger or whatever its called now. P.S. Thanks to Brandt for keeping my supply up. Once you have the steak all rubbed down, let it marinade for 2.5-4 hours, trust me its worth the patience.

When your ready to cook it, put some olive oil on a normal cookie sheet.

Throw that fat piece of steak down on your cookie sheet (doesn't she look beautiful).

Here's the twist as you may notice I am not grilling it. Throw it on a low broil in the oven for about 10 minutes per side. Honestly it tastes better than grilling because it sits there and just cooks in its own juices rather than surrendering them to the coals or propane fire below.

After twenty minutes, let it sit for about 5 more because the steak will continue to cook once its out of the oven. Once your ready grab a coke and go to town.

And here is the end result of all your hard work, a full stomach.

First Book Review

2010-04-27T19:39:00.005-06:00

Well it has only been a couple of days since I finished up my MBA work, but I was so excited to be able to read for pleasure again that I have already finished book #1. Although it was still about finance and investing, it was still a fantastic read that is incredibly well written and enjoyable to read. And for anyone out there that doesn't know what CDO, CDS, CDO^2, or EMH, stands for or who Fisher Black and Myron Scholes are, no fear, it is all explained with remarkable clarity in this book.

The book is called "The Quants: How a new breed of math whizzes conquered wall street and nearly destroyed it." What this book does better than any other writing on the current financial crisis that I have read is put everything into context. The Quants goes all the way back to the beginning of hedge funds, it doesn't just start with the 2000's. In an industry where models are built upon the past it is only reasonable that to understand our current financial system it is important to go back to the beginning and see how it evolved. This book is primarily about hedge funds and math genius' claiming to have found the ever elusive "Alpha." What this book is not about is the how to trade or the history of mutual funds or trading floors. So if your looking to gain deep insights into a few key individuals that were/are major players (the men in this book each managed hundreds of billions in assets when including leverage) in the world of finance, hedge funds, and the exotic products that helped to accelerate the downfall of our current system, this is the best one I have found.

Last Class!

2010-04-26T15:54:00.004-06:00

You may ask what is this a picture of? Well let me tell you, it is a picture of my very last class and thing to do in business school. What a long road it has been. Honestly there were times when I didn't know if I could make it the full two years. For me this marks the end of an era, and I am experiencing mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I've been in school for nearly the last six year (minus the one year at HHI Corp. that was an odd year), but on the other hand I am ready to get out there and put my skills to the test. I love the learning in school and I think that will be missed, but then again I can't wait to start reading for pleasure again.

If anyone is thinking of b-school it is an interesting experience and one if navigated correctly very worthwhile. For now as of three weeks from today I am off to start my new adventure at Chrysler in their Leadership Development Program.

P.S. Sara and Stephen if you happen to view this blog please forgive me using your presentation as my picture for the last class.

Gamecock Baseball

2010-02-20T21:34:00.003-07:00

This is just another one of those stories that seem to happen to me, kind of like the haircut from the "international model" story.

So I decided to go a USC baseball game today, USC has one of the best baseball programs in the nation. I didn't have a ticket, but I just assumed that I could get a student ticket for free at the game. As I was walking up to the ticket counter this older gentleman asked me if I wanted a free ticket. I said sure, why not. So I took the ticket and looked at it and the guy said my wife couldn't come today, but the ticket is on the front row right behind home plate. At first I thought it was either BS and a fake ticket or I just lucked out really good. So I walked into the stadium with my new friend Charlie. He walked with me to our seats, which were on the front row right behind front plate. Kind of awesome. We talked for most of the game, I would say he was in his 70's or 80's. He was an assistant coach for the basketball team in the 80's, so that was cool. I don't think that I ever even told him my name, but all in all it was a great afternoon at the ballpark. Carolina ended up winning 13-3 over Duquesne.

The great thing about the game is that USC just opened and new stadium that is as nice as any AAA baseball stadium I've ever been to. It is a perfect place to watch a ballgame.

The Best Thing I Ever Ate!!!

2010-01-28T18:53:00.002-07:00

You know when you see things that you really want to try but don't know that it will live up to expectations. Well I had one of those experiences today, and it was amazing. Deep Fried Pickles with Ranch at Zaxby's. They are the most amazing thing ever. They not only lived up to my expectations, they far exceeded them. I thought that since Michelle and Anna are in Alabama, Delilah and I would let loose. And yes Delilah liked them just as much I did.

Fried Pickles and Ranch are a little heavy, so we came home and relaxed. It was hard work eating them Fried Pickles.

2010-01-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

Signing bonus, NUFF SAID!!!

January in SC

2010-01-17T16:53:00.003-07:00

You know those Sundays in January when your really wanting to get out of the house, say for a walk around the block after a great Sunday dinner. But then you remember that its probably 20 degrees and snowing outside. Well if you know those Sunday then sucks to be you, because I haven't had that thought in a year and a half. This is us after Sunday dinner, taking a walk in gorgeous 65 degree weather. SUCKERS!

P.S. aren't those the sexiest white legs ever!

Final Case Competition Day

2010-01-09T20:50:00.002-07:00

Well we ended up taking 2nd and winning the round robin, the end result is as you can see below. What's a guy to do when he gets his first huge a$$ checks in his life.

Montreal Case Competition Day 4

2010-01-08T23:00:00.003-07:00

Well to recap the day:

The first case that we had was not really a big deal, except for the fact that $5k was on the line. We needed to win and Porto needed to lose for us to get paid. Well as you can see from below they lost.

Below is the overall standings of the round robin. We were the only undefeated team, which means we won the $5k for winning the round robin.

We also had the semi finals tonight. And boy did they pick the wrong team to give a case about Sony to. Our team brought our A game tonight. Our team is comprised of Kelly Truesdale, Emily Crow, and Liz Brittle. We all did excellent tonight so kudos to the entire team for nailing it.

We have officially moved on to the Final round which guarantees us at least $5k more and up to $10k more for the team. GO TEAM!

Montreal Case Competition Day 3

2010-01-07T20:47:00.004-07:00

Well another day in the books at the John Molson Case Competition. Today was a bit stressful. We started off at 9:00am with breakfast and the beginning of our case. Today was a live case. This meant that we got a case first and then had a presentation by a company about our case we were supposed to prepare. The awesome thing part of the case was that it was for the Montreal Canadiens (Montreal's NHL Hockey team). The purpose of the case was to develop a new marketing campaign for the Canadiens.

We thought that we developed a great marketing campaign and did a great case analysis. Our coach Pat and the judges on the other hand didn't think so. But when the Head of Marketing from the Canadiens came up and said that we shouldn't be surprised to see some of our ad campaigns next season. That made us feel great. And although the judges were pretty harsh we still won our case.

On top of winning we have now clinched our division and are guaranteed a spot in the Semi-finals tomorrow. So needless to say tomorrow will be a long day. 2 full cases. Oh wow.

Cases Day 2

2010-01-06T21:38:00.003-07:00

Well here are the case results today. Today we went up agains the Business & IT School from Germany and won, and also Memorial from Newfoundland. The case against Newfoundland was a bit unfair because it was how to invest $1 billion in the auto industry. I have a job in the auto industry and have been reading auto blogs obsessively, and Kelly (in my group) has his Chartered Financial Analyst certificate and works at a small investment firm in SC. Needless to say we did good.

Later that night to unwind we decided to take the subway to get some dinner. As you can see we got a little lost, but it was a fun time. Even though it was -1 with wind chill.

Dinner at Schwartz's. Montreal is known for their smoked meat sandwiches, so we all got one.

Look at that beautiful thing. It was such a good sandwich and after a 30 minutes walk in very cold weather it hit the spot.

And what would a trip to a hebrew deli be without a pickle. We all got one.

Being as it is freezing cold here, I have discovered the how great a scarf can be. I always thought they looked stupid. I now realize they serve a purpose

Anyways, overall impressions of Montreal are great. Awesome attitude and culture throughout the town, and it is just like being back in Europe again. I would definitely consider this a livable city.

Cases: Day 1

2010-01-05T20:15:00.004-07:00

Well just to keep everyone updated on the situation. We had our first case today and won the team we were up against, however our competition was not that great today, and much better tomorrow. So we will see how it goes.

After our cases today, we had a cocktail hour at the Royal Bank of Canada's Executive offices. One of the larger banks in the world so needless to say it was nice.

Montreal Cont'd

2010-01-04T19:56:00.005-07:00

I thought that I would upload some photos so that everyone could see what type of city Montreal was. This first photo is of a street in the downtown. There are a lot of tall buildings here and it is very nice to be in a big city again. Also Montreal has the largest underground network of galleries in the world. You never need to go above ground, it is awesome. Great shopping.

Earlier today we did a scavenger hunt across the downtown area of Montreal. The following is a picture of myself, Kelly Truesdale, and Emily Crow as we are doing the scavenger hunt. As you can see we are all bundled up nicely.

The following is what happens when you bring a South Carolinian who did his undergrad in Miami to Montreal. Kelly has really never seen snow, and as you can see he is losing his mind.

I on the other hand am a bit less enthused about the snow, and the consistent negative temperatures when wind chill is factored in.

Montreal is amazingly diverse. And so we decided to get some Lebanese food for dinner. This is a Shwarma. It consists of shaved meat, tomatoes, hummice, lettuce, cucumber sauce, and a pink pickle. Delicious.

Please stay tuned for more pics on the way tomorrow. As a final note, if anyone feels like visiting Europe, but can't afford the ticket just come to Montreal. It really feels like Europe here.

American Airlines Vouchers Saga

2010-01-03T22:33:00.002-07:00

Well we officially used our American Airlines vouchers yesterday. Yes that's right got them and used them 5 hours later. But in order to use them, we have to mail them in, separately no less. Then we have to use special wording on the envelope, and special numbers. Then and only then will they email us our itineraries. Yet again an example of an extremely poorly managed company. And they wonder why they are losing a crap load of money all the time. But on the plus side, we will be seeing you all in Feb. We are pumped to say the least.

Getting to Montreal

2010-01-02T21:05:00.003-07:00

Normally flying to a new city is usually no big deal for me, but this time it was different. The first leg of our flight today was from Charlotte to Chicago O'Hare. I had had one previous run in with O'Hare on my way to Rome and a 2 hour layover turned into 6, needless to say i was not pleased. This time would however prove to me that Chicago was ready to repent of its previous transgressions.

First of all we had a perfect view of the skyline from the plane as we flew in over Lake Michigan. I have not been to Chicago really since I lived there when I was not old enough to remember it. My visit this time, however, started off with a 10am Chicago Dog (couldn't pass it up). Then as we were about to board our flight they asked for 7 volunteers to leave two hours later and receive a $250 travel voucher. The group was all for this, and since I am trying to scrounge the money together to come out and see everyone for Conner's wedding I wasn't about to complain. So went and got lunch and came back. And to our surprise, they oversold the flight again and were offering a $250 travel voucher but to leave a 7:45 pm. Well the group was hesitant about arriving so late. However, when we talked to them they offered to switch us to Air Canada leaving at 4:00pm. So we took. For having not spent any money and then making $500 in travel vouchers, I would say this trip is a success already.

O' Canada

2010-01-01T08:05:00.002-07:00

I will be off to Canada tomorrow for the Molson International Case Competition for the next 8 days. We will be preparing anywhere between 6-10 cases over 5 days and competing with schools from around the world. Its my first time to Montreal. Stay tuned for some exciting posts coming up.

Happy Birthday Michelle!

2009-12-17T07:54:00.004-07:00

Happy Birthday Michelle, from Delilah and I.

We hope that your birthday is great, and we look forward to having a great day with you!

Boldly not studying at all this weekend!

2009-12-06T21:55:00.003-07:00

I was hoping not to get burned out from work and school until next week, but alas it could not be stopped. And what was the chief culprit of my distraction. Star Trek movies. Oh man I love watching the Original Star Trek movies. Kirk is just so much better than everyone else. It all started when I figured out that I can watch Divx, and Avi formatted films from a flash drive on my PS3. So I have spent all weekend downloading the movies via torrents, and watching Star Trek 2-6. What a wonderful weekend. Anyone else enjoy some Star Trek?

P.S. Just ask Michelle how much she has been enjoying them (I think you will be surprised by her answer, she's such a closet nerd).

ACCEPTED!

2009-12-01T18:29:00.003-07:00

Well it is official. After talking with Chrysler today and hammering out some details I have signed and sent my offer letter into Chrysler. We will probably be moving up to Auburn Hill, MI right after graduation. The position is the Chrysler Leadership Development Program. The job sounds really good, with lots of access to the top management. It's going to be a huge leap, but I think it is the right decision. Michelle and I have given it a lot of thought, and we feel that there is no way we should pass up this kind of opportunity when the job market sucks so bad.

As a bonus Detroit-Wayne airport is a Northwest/Delta so that means cheap flights. So anytime anyone wants to visit the Motor City feel free to come a party with us.

(And yes that is Chrysler's new logo, kind of cool)

Chrysler

2009-11-20T13:47:00.004-07:00

Well today I got the long awaited job offer. Chrysler extended me an offer to join their Leadership Development program. I would be spending 2-3 years within the internal audit division. I would get a mentor to help me chart my career, and when I am done they will put me in a leadership role. And for all family (parents, bros, sis, in-laws included) you would get a 5% discount on factory price if you want.

The job would be located in Auburn Hills, MI (where the Pistons play) which is about an hour away from Detroit. The area is nice, and the cost of living is good.

Still deciding whether or not to take the job, but I just wanted to keep everyone in the loop.

P.S. Fiat which owns Chrysler also owns Ferrari and Maserati, so hello signing bonus.

$2.49

2009-11-18T11:05:00.002-07:00

That is how much this little bundle of joy costs at the Union building at the University of South Carolina. And every Monday and Wednesday I have a mental battle of epic proportions in order to try and not go and get one. In SC chicken is everywhere. In fact as a state we are only second to Georgia in the production of chickens. Unlike Utah Chick-fil-A is everywhere, and it is so delicious.

P.S. I am feeling a mental battle right now since it is Wednesday

My new best friend

2009-11-16T17:19:00.004-07:00

For all those out there that want to watch their favorite teams but live in states that don't broadcast channels like the mtn. I have found the most wonderful work around. It's a site called justin.tv. I have managed to watch all of the UofU's football games through this site. It is freaking awesome.

Above you will find a recent screenshot of my laptop. I am currently sitting in international project finance, bored out of my mind talking about the capital asset pricing model for the thousandth time during business school. But if you look in the upper left corner you will see a college basketball game. It is such a wonderful site. I recommend it to anyone.

What I've Been Up to Lately

2009-11-13T18:37:00.002-07:00

Well at the request Michelle, I thought that I would take some time to update everyone as to what I have been up to lately.

Well things have been pretty insane lately. First of all, School. I thought that the first year of b-school was going to be the worst, well I was wrong. I have never been so busy in my life. I started off the semester with 5 classes: International Mergers & Acquisitions, Case Competition, Global Corporate Valuation, International Project Finance and Financial Statement Analysis (which I am taking a break from to blog right now). All of the classes have been quite good, my M&A class was even taught by my boss from my summer internships. Needless to say I got an A (not because of him, but because I am that damn good). As a part of the case team I get to participate in case competitions. The big one each year is the Molson International Case Competition in Montreal. Luckily I was selected as one of the four that is going so I get 8 days in Montreal on the school's dime in January. Case competitions are where you are locked in a room with a business case and 3 hours to prepare a 20 minute presentation on transparencies with markers, no powerpoint.

As for work. After my M&A class finished up, my old boss approached me about doing some more work. This is good because I need money and he pays, so of course I said yes. While I can't say which companies are our clients, I have had some great experiences interfacing with CEO's, CMO's, and other executives. It does mean for some very long days, however, since I don't have a brand name MBA like Harvard or Northwestern, I have to work just a bit harder to be included in the fraternity of management consultants. I do really enjoy my work though, and the people I work with. So in addition to a full-time MBA program, I am also working 25-30 hours per week. Luckily it is from home, and I can do some of it in class when class gets a bit boring.

The one thing that I haven't had tons of time for has been the job search. I did have some initial at the Black MBA job fair in New Orleans. I interviewed with Ford, Chrysler, and Air Products. Chrysler subsequently flew me to Detroit for an interview. I felt like it went great, but it has been 3 weeks and I haven't heard much from them. Lately I haven't had tons of success partly because of the economy. But I have had some interviews, and I am hopeful. The whole management consulting thing is definitely a real possibility so we will just have to see what happens.

I hope that everyone enjoys this update.

P.S. If anyone has any connections to jobs, or people that may have access to jobs please let me know. I am a hell of a find, trust me.

Office with a Window....and a Bed?!

2009-03-30T12:14:00.002-06:00

After 6 months, 70 online applications, 50 cover letters, a dozen interviews I finally got myself an internship. Wow, what a relief. At the beginning of October I started applying to internships and I said that I wanted to go into either Management Consulting or Finance. (Great time to pick finance huh?) That was October, by January or February I had kind of given up hope of finding an internship at one of my target companies or even target industry, and I had all but given up on consulting in this environment. January rolls around and I have a business strategy simulation with Dr. Schweiger. The first day we learned that he owns a couple of consulting businesses, I didn't really think anything of it at the time, except wondering how he got into consulting and can I get in without a PhD. Fast forward to my first week in Mexico. I look on the school job posting website and I see an internship for Dr. Schweiger's consulting company Schweiger and Associates. I thought hey lets give it a shot. ( I was not very confident at this point after receiving daily rejections) Two days later and I get an email asking if a guy named Vishal could contact me for a first interview. Alright this isn't too bad, maybe I have a shot. The first interview goes good, we talked for about an hour and I felt that Vishal was a really nice guy, and not what I expected. I thought he was really easy to talk to, and I felt that we got along well. The night that I get back from Mexico I get an email saying that I have been selected for a second interview in which I will have to give a 15 minute case presentation and 15 minutes for Q&A. I thought WOW this is great, I hope I can deliver in this next part. The instructions were to prepare a market overview of the Solar Power Industry in the USA in 48 hours and limit it to 4 slides. At first this task was a bit daunting since I knew nothing about the industry. For a day and a half I devoured all the information that I could for the industry and then I found I had enough for an hour or two and I didn't know how to fit it all in 4 slides in 15 minutes. At 11am on Friday I gave my presentation, and I felt that I had given it my all and that I nailed it. I felt really good about it, and Dr. Schweiger and Vishal were very complementary of the presentation and my conclusions.

Now for the title of this post, Office with a Window....and a Bed?! The great thing about this internship is that I get to work from home and since Delilah and Michelle play in the living room most of the day we have decided to turn the bedroom into my office.

The company that I will be interning for starting on Friday is Schweiger and Associates. (http://www.scaas.com) This company is a Strategic Management Consulting firm that specializes in Strategic Development and Planning, Merger & Acquisition Integration, and Organizational Culture Assessment & Intervention. I am very excited about this opportunity, and it is exactly the type of company and in the exact consulting field that I wanted to be in when I came to the Moore School of Business. Please visit the website for more information about Schweiger and Associates.

I would also like to thank everyone who has been supportive throughout this stressful process of finding an internship. Especially to Michelle for dealing with me being so stressed.

Peas

2009-03-24T20:26:00.004-06:00

When it gets to this point, I usually opt to do the dishes. For some reason I just can't deal with the stickiness. I am usually the person that eggs her on to this point, however.

I think I have looked that happy and messy after eating some ribs. Gotta love those sweet potatoes.

As I was sitting down to eat I noticed that Delilah had learned a new trick. Peas are soft, and because they are soft this makes them susceptible to be CRUSHED!! She just sat there and crushed peas for about 5 minutes. It was pretty awesome.

Viva La Mexico

2009-03-07T12:53:00.003-07:00

Hola Senors y Senoritas. For the next two weeks I am going to be in Mexico as part of a required course for my International MBA degree (such a tough course!!). Part of this course requires me to make a journal of my experiences in Mexico. I decided to turn this journal into a blog so that Michelle, Delilah and the rest of my Family could see what I am doing. The new blog is www.collinenmexico.blogspot.com, so please feel free to go over there and check out what is happening in Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico.

Daddy's Good Luck Charm

2009-01-03T09:33:00.004-07:00

I'm going to go out on a limb and say this. Delilah is the reason that Utah is undefeated and the best team in the Nation right now. Now hear me out for my reason. It all started with the Michigan game at the first of the year. I dressed Delilah in the same Jersey that you see above. Then when Utah played BYU same Jersey. And now last night as you can see from the above picture, I obviously couldn't change a winning formula had to dress her in the lucky Jersey.

On a more serious note, last night was amazing. I was up till 4:15AM just listening to national radio shows and reading blogs. It was wonderful to bask in the Glory of the Sugar bowl victory knowing that Utah is the only undefeated team in the nation and rightfully should be the #1 team in the nation now. Really what anybody else says about Utah being #1 is superseded by the fact that Utah is Undefeated, something that no other team did this year.

The other thing that I love is that since I now live in prime SEC country and am going to rub it in down here. I have been getting grief all year long that Utah is that good and that they would get beat by any SEC team. Yeah first day of school on the 12th you better believe that I am wearing my Utah shirt and hat, and rubbing it in to all these SEC snobs down here. I really thought that by moving here to the South that I would see some truly great football, but I guess one just has to go to SLC to see the best football in the Nation.

Daddy's Girl

2008-11-09T14:29:00.003-07:00

The simpsons

2008-10-23T19:49:00.006-06:00

Michelle wouldn't post this on her blog because she was embarrassed we let Delilah watch Simpsons.

Falling Apart

2008-09-27T14:44:00.003-06:00

Well it has been a week since Michelle has left for Utah, and my life has officially fallen apart, I ate well for the first few days, but once my food stocks ran out, and my schedule got busier, my diet got worse. Luckily I had a pretty constant diet of Chicken Fingers supplied to me by the likes of Eastman Chemical, and ExxonMobile on the nights that I didn't have any dinner. Perhaps the worst part of my demise is my sleeping arrangements. I have found it very difficult to sleep alone for some reason, so to remedy the situation I moved the bed out into the living room and now I can watch my Star Trek TNG in the living room and sleep at the same time. AHH! nerd heaven. Lucky for Michelle though she has been out of town this week. On average I have been at school till about 10:00pm every night this week. I will take this opportunity however to score some brownie points, and tell Michelle that I miss her very much. It is amazing how much of a loser I turn into without. I love you Michelle you are the best, and I can't wait to see you on Tuesday! For those of you who don't know Michelle really keeps our family together during this stressful time. She makes me the best dinners, and everyone at school is always so jealous of me. She really is the reason to my success here, couldn't do it without you Babe!

Full Circle

2008-08-23T14:46:00.004-06:00

Sometimes there are those moments when you realize that you are getting older. Today was one of those for me. When I grew up my dad had this HP financial calculator (he still has it today), that was so fancy. The main reason I thought that, was I couldn't understand how to use the damn thing. I thought that my Dad was so cool because he could use it. My dad probably doesn't know this, but I used to sneak it and try to figure out how to use it. I was fascinated with it as a little kid. Well now I have become my Dad. I am starting my Global finance class on Monday, and I went a bought a financial calculator.(of course I had to buy an HP) When I opened it up and started pressing the buttons, I was immediately taken back 20 years. The buttons feel exactly the same as my Dad's calculator, so you can imagine how happy I am about that.(that was the thing I remembered most about his calculator) Sometimes it surprises me how much like my Dad I become everyday.

Moore School of Business

2008-08-06T21:09:00.002-06:00

What you are looking at there is my new Home. That's right I spend about all of my life there lately. That is the Fancis Hipp building where the business school is located. So far B-School has been awesome. I am having so many great experiences, and I have met so many great people. This week I finished up my Global Strategic Management class, and my Globalization and Ethics class. My current schedule is Global Entrepreneurship, Financial Accounting, International Management, and Decision Analysis (stats). I know that most everybody reading this will think this is boring but I love it. Even though I am studying till about 11 every night, I am loving it. All of my classmates have such amazing experiences, and it makes class so interesting everyday.

South Carolina has been great so far. The heat is a little much at times, but so far I love everything about living in the South. Plus the BBQ here is great. And for a guy that loves BBQ as much as me, that is a plus.

Study Break

2008-07-29T11:02:00.004-06:00

I took a study break, to make Delilah giggle. In true fashion as soon as Michelle pulled the camera out Delilah was done giggling. We captured at least one giggle at least.

Life of a B-School Daddy

2008-07-23T19:44:00.003-06:00

Yep I took that picture from the camera on my laptop while I was studying for my Quiz in Globalization and Corporate Leadership tomorrow. B-School is awesome, I am learning so much and making a lot of friends. My day usually starts around 8 when I have my first class. My first class is 2 hours, and then my next class is at 10:30 until 12:30. I usually stay at school and study for a bit, or I have instruction from the school about internships, job search or interviewing. I am loving every minute of it. The school has been so gracious to me. Unfortunately because of the demands on my time Delilah usually falls asleep in my arms while I am studying.

Hey there Delilah

2008-07-20T19:47:00.004-06:00

Forgive me for I have sinned

2008-07-10T21:21:00.004-06:00

Today is a sad, sad day for "My Precious" (Macbook). The man finally made me install windows on my macbook. It still amazes me that people don't want to switch over to a much more stable, and fast world, like the one that is provided by apple. The reason that I had to install windows on my macbook is that Excel is seriously gimped for macs, they don't allow macros or add-ins, or regression analysis. So for my decision analysis class I had to install windows. The good news is that it was free, and I know you are all thinking that I stole it, but HA, it didn't. The school has an alliance with microsoft to give us windows for free. Here is an interesting side note though. I have never seen windows run as stable and fast as it does on my macbook. So chalk another one up for the Mac camp. As for the first week of school, all that I can say right now is that I am extremely tired, but absolutely loving every minute of it. Stay tuned for a more in depth look at a first year MBA students life.

Nerdiest Sunday Afternoon Ever!

2008-07-06T19:20:00.004-06:00

This afternoon, I did something that I thought I wouldn't be doing ever again, and that is stepping back into the World of Warcraft (I had a brief one week stint in "The World" back in May, but it was just too addicting at the time). This afternoon, Michelle and Delilah went to sleep for about 2 and a half hours, and I was incredibly bored. I didn't want to nap because I knew that if I did I would not be able to sleep, and with school starting tomorrow I think that would be a bad idea. Earlier in the afternoon I watched some videos of people making their characters in "The World" dance, and I thought man I bet I could play on a 10-day trial for a while. So I did, and I thoroughly enjoyed nerding it up for an afternoon. But I figured hey after tomorrow I am going to be in hell for the next 6 months so why not?

4th of July Columbia S.C.

2008-07-04T20:36:00.006-06:00

Well We had our first 4th of July in Columbia S.C. And we discovered that Columbia doesn't do the 4th just like Utah, but we had fun nonetheless. The rain let up enough for us to do a little BBQ of our own. Best Burgers Ever!!

After the BBQ Delilah decided to take a nap, and I decided that I might work on my multi-tasking skills since school starts on Monday and I am going to have to juggle a ton of stuff.

After the nap I decided to work on some impressions. Well just one impression. That is me working on my best Brittney Spears. Just Kidding this is Delilah and I watching fireworks.

Delilah did so well during her first fireworks. She didn't even flinch, she just sat in Michelle's arms and enjoying the show. All 5 minutes of it!

Conner's Wednesday Night Post

2008-07-02T22:36:00.004-06:00

Hey Conner, This is what happens when you start an MBA program, and are very tired. You fall asleep watching the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays play, while your wife is taking advantage of you. At least Delilah felt that a nap was a great idea as well.

Journey of a Lifetime

2008-06-26T22:36:00.003-06:00

Driving across the country is something that I have always wanted to do, and now that I have accomplished it, I can say that it was so much different than I thought that it would be. Maybe it was because I was driving with all of my earthly possessions in a moving van, or that I was doing it with my Dad, and getting some really good father and son bonding time, but whatever it was it changed me. The first day we spent driving through the high mountain desert of the Rockies in Wyoming. One thing that you learn from driving across the country is that in America everything is used, in the High Mountain Desert there were great expanses on Windmill farms. Wow that is a sight to see, as you come over a plateau and see 25-30 huge windmills is an impressive sight to say the least, especially when they are the only man made structures on the landscape.

If there was one state that I wasn’t to excited about crossing that was Nebraska, but I have to say that if there was one state that made an impact on me, it was Nebraska. Just to see how everything in Nebraska was farmed was amazing, you really get a sense of the industry that America has when driving through Nebraska.

On Friday My Dad and I tried to see the Royals play in Kansas city, but we couldn’t find a place to park the truck, and as it turns out we chose the one day in the season when the Kansas City Royals sold out.

On Saturday I got to see something that I have always wanted to see, Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Since I was a little kid I have loved the Cardinals, and seeing Busch Stadium was like seeing my Graceland. Seeing it brought back to my memory a thousand boyhood memories of playing baseball and dreaming about playing in the Majors. And even though I didn’t get to see a game, I could still imagine how magical it would be to see a game there on an August night, watching Pujols and the Boys hopefully kicking the Crap out of the Cubs.

On Saturday we made it through Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and half way through Tennessee. Illinois, and Kentucky were cool, and so were the great rivers that we saw in Missouri, but Tennessee was by far the prettiest state. It really looked like a rainforest all over. To bad around every corner I could just see the movie Deliverance taking place.

On Sunday we made our way through the rest of Tennessee, and to Columbia, South Carolina. The best part about this cross country trip was the fact that I got to do it with my Dad. I think that it is every boys dream to be able to do something like that with their Dad, something that years down the road a son will be able to look back and say this was the defining moment in the Father/Son relationship. For me that was this trip, and I will be able to look back on those 4 days as a defining moment in my Life.

2008-06-26T22:35:00.001-06:00

Holy Crap We Made It!

2008-06-22T20:21:00.004-06:00

Well after 4 days and 2,072 miles My Dad and I made it to Columbia, South Carolina. I will post more about my adventures across the USA in a bit (when I unpack the cord to get my photos off my camera and on to my PC), but for now I just wanted everyone to know that I am here, FINALLY! I will say one thing about the journey. Driving across the country with your Dad is a life changing experience and I would recommend to anyone who wants to have a truly life changing experience. It was amazing to see America in all its glory, and realize how truly great this Land is. All day in the media you hear constant doom and gloom from the news, partly because that is what is sexy and sex sells, but when you see all of America you realize that this country will continue to be the Good 'Ol USA for a long time to come no matter what people say. I hope that everyone is doing good in Utah.

2008-06-11T22:48:00.003-06:00

That little one piece that Delilah has on has quite the story behind it. Last time that I was in South Carolina in January I bought Delilah, who was as yet unborn, a little one piece with the mascot of South Carolina on it. (The Gamecock) Every time that we dressed Delilah in it, she crapped on it before I could take a picture of her. This time I got to her before she could do that. Don't worry though shortly after she took a dump, and it went all over. Just imagine this little sweetheart cheering on the Gamecock's at the football games. Man it is going to be great.

2008-06-10T23:00:00.002-06:00

As I walked out of work on Friday, I couldn't help bu tthink that I as staring down the barrel of a three year vacation that was hardly going to ba a vacation. I getting really excited to start my program. And I am happy that I have such a great family that is joining me. On a lighter note though I think that Delilah is becoming more and more like her Dad every day. Not only is she loving the Macbook, just like her daddy. Just look at her hair. You see I also have hair that is completely unruly. Delilah and I both share wicked swirls in the back of our heads. She is the best. That is actually a picture of Delilah and I talking to Grandma & Grandpa Shaw. But doesn't she just look like a natural on the Macbook. In case anybody was wondering how they would like to get ahold of us while in school, SKYPE will be the easiest way. They offer free video chat between two computers. Just let me know and I will send you our screen name so that we can chat.

One Month To Go!

2008-05-21T21:57:00.003-06:00

Wow! Time is really flying. I can't believe that we only have one month until we leave for South Carolina. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. It is scary to think that I will not be working for the next three years. It is a huge investment, and I hope that it pays off

. Other than being nervous about that Michelle, Delilah and I are very excited about moving away and starting this time of our lives. I feel as though it is the right time to make this leap. I feel that attending Grad School is the only way to accomplish the goals I have for myself in life, one of those being fluent in Chinese. I have been wrestling with the decision to go back to school for a while now, and I feel like it is the right time.

On a lighter note, being a Dad is quite a blast Delilah is becoming an absolute sweetheart. My favorite thing that she does is sleep by me. The last two days I have been able to come home from work and take a nap with here, and she looks so cute sleeping. She is get

ting quite the personality lately as well. It is so fun to see how she is developing, and what traits she is taking from me and what traits she is taking from Michelle.

Pictures for Conner

2008-05-14T22:33:00.004-06:00

Hey Conner, Just thought that you might like to know what goes on when I get home from work. As you have probably already guessed the first picture lead to the second picture. That was a pretty fun bath. I posted a long post before this one. So I hope that you have a good week Conner. I hope that you are feeling better.

Short Timers

2008-05-13T22:42:00.007-06:00

I can't believe how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was cramming for the GMAT and trying to decided where I wanted to go to school. Now in a little less than a month the time will be upon Michelle, Delilah and I to embark on a new stage in our lives. I wanted to take this opportunity to let everybody know just exactly what is going on with my program.

School officially starts June 30th in Columbia, South Carolina. I would be lying if I said that I felt totally prepared for it, there are going to be so many talented people in my group. They only accept 200 new students a year, but I have been in contact with lots and have already made tons of friends so I think that we will all be a very close group. From June 30th to around the middle of December I will be taking classes everyday (13 total in that time frame). Things are going to be very busy so if anybody wants to come a visit Michelle I am sure it will be welcomed.

After that first six months is done I will start the next leg of the journey by embarking to China. Since this is an IMBA (international master's of business administration) we are required to get a foreign language under our belts. Our school has programs all over the world, but about 10 of us will be going to China to study Mandarin Chinese in Beijing which is the Capital city, except it has 5000 years of history behind it. We will be heading to China in January of 2009 and I will be done with my language training in January of 2010. After that we are required to intern in our country for another 6 months. We will hopefully be heading to Beijing, Tianjian, or Shanghai to this.

We will finally be heading back to the states in August of 2010 to resume classes in Columbia, South Carolina. China is a wonderful place, and if you can please get the money to fly there and visit us, because you will not forget it, and it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a magnificent culture that is nothing like America. From August of 2010 to May of 2011 I will be finishing my IMBA in Columbia, and be looking for a job. I know after typing this all out it seems a little daunting, but I feel that it will be worth it in the end. South Carolina is consistently ranked #1 or #2 in the world for international business, so if anybody else is thinking about studying international business this is the place for you. Any way I hope that this gives our families a better idea about what the Shaw family will be doing over the next 3 years. I have added a link in the title of the blog to the Moore School of Business if anybody would like more information about the school or would just like to see what Michelle, Delilah, and I have gotten ourselves into.

Delilah Sleeping

2008-05-07T22:23:00.003-06:00

Today I came home from work to quite a pleasant surprise. After about a week of crying most of the night, I found Delilah passed out on the bed. She really hasn't been sleeping all that well lately, and it was great to see her passed out. The best part of this is that when she woke up she was ready to play with Daddy, so we sat on the couch and played for a while.

Kind of in a Bind Here

2008-05-06T21:25:00.003-06:00

About two months ago I fell in love,..... with my Macbook. It has been a breath of fresh air compared with using Windows. One problem though, the rest of the world is still enjoying their time with an inferior product (shameless plug for macs) and because of this some of the software that I need for school isn't supported in a mac version. Luckily though my Mac can run windows, but I don't want to pay for a version of XP. If anyone has an extra license for XP I would be very grateful if I could use it. (I know that you all wanted to see Delilah, I will post her tomorrow).

Delilah "Houdini" Shaw

2008-04-20T22:05:00.004-06:00

Today Michelle and I braved to put Delilah down while she was sleeping. We decided to set her down in her swing. When she woke up she had magically removed her arm from her sleeve. It was pretty proud of her. On a more serious note I have been reading a book that is an assignment for me to read before I get to school in June. It is called "The World is Flat" By Thomas Friedman. Aside from being a very excellent book on global business and economics, it is also a great book for parents to read. I have found that the advice given to parents in this book about how to prepare children to enter the new "Flat World", which is the world where everyone has the ability to compete, has been invaluable to me. I would urge parents to pick it up and read because the advice and perspective given in this book are priceless. I know that for myself it has really had an affect on me, just ask Michelle about how I get so worked up about raising Delilah, and choosing a career myself after reading this book. Anyways pick it and read it, you will not regret it.

A Big Huge Thanks

2008-04-16T21:56:00.004-06:00

Delilah and I would just like to thank everyone for how helpful, and gracious that everyone has been to us during the past two weeks. I especially would like to thank Michelle and I's parents. They have been really great, and have helped out with tons meals, and support. Also a thanks to Anna for helping out during the delivery, and being there for Michelle. A big thanks to the ward for all of the dinners, I have loved the food! This has been an amazing two weeks. Everyday at work I just can't wait to get home and hang out with my little girl. I didn't think I could be so smitten with my little girl, but I am.

What A Week!

2008-04-09T18:55:00.003-06:00

This has been quite the amazing week for Me. I have learned quite a lot. It is amazing what a baby can teach you. For example today I learned two lessons, 1) Babies can shoot crap. I was changing her when she crapped. I had nothing to stand as a barrier between me and the poo. It got all over, me, the changing table, and her clothes. But she was quite happy afterwards, and that is really all that matters. 2) Babies love a swing and listening to the Foo Fighters. We bought Delilah a swing yesterday, and she just couldn't figure it out. She would sit in it for 5-10 minutes and then get really fussy. But today I put her in it immediately after the poo episode, and started writing this post. I put some Foo Fighters on from my laptop, and she is still hanging out in her swing next to Daddy. We make quite the pair. I really don't look forward to the day, when my music is "lame" to her. All in all it has been a amazing week, and I am so happy to have Delilah in my life, she is such an angel.

The "New Daddy Post"

2008-04-04T18:54:00.006-06:00

We'll here is the obligatory "New Dad" post. Things have been going well as a new dad. She has been an absolute angel so far. She is definitely a daddy's girl. I can put her to sleep in an instant, and she always behaves for me. Michelle is already a pro and the Mom thing, she is far ahead of me. Luckily she is because I still struggle with changing the diapers, and putting on new clothes, but I am getting the hang of it. I love just holding her while she sleeps, I think that she will have a hard time sleeping in a crib, because I am always holding her when she is sleeping. I have never really been great with babies, so it is nice to have a baby that likes being with me, and who will go to sleep for me. She was a hit with the nurses, and was nicknamed the "Fireball" of the nursery. Can' wait for our first night with her.

Ramen Noodle

2008-04-01T18:46:00.005-06:00

In all the world I don't think that there is a food that has transcended as many cultures as the Ramen Noodle. Ramen Noodle first got its start in the 17th century in Japan during the Meiji Period (which is rougly around when the samurai were dying out). But it didn't become a worldwide phenomenon until 1958 when the great Momofuku Ando created Nissin Foods and the Ramen Noodle. It was actually voted the greatest Japanese invention of the twentieth century(Hah take that Nintendo!)

I love Ramen Noodle and I will probably eat it twice to three times a week, and when I do I have a ritualistic way to cook it. First I boil the water (a given I guess), then once the water is

boiling I add the ramen. Once the Ramen is Semi-Soft, I add one large egg, but you have to be careful that you discard the shell very quickly because if you wait to break the yolk the boiling water will cook it, and you will have to start all over again. Once the egg is stirred into the boiling water, then you must put some frozen corn in(you can't use canned corn because it sucks). Then once everything is good to go, drain the water, that is the key to maintaining good flavor. Once the water is drained you put in the flavor packet and stir it in. This last step was just added last month. SIRACHA Hot Sauce. This can get dangerous if you don't be

careful as I learned tonight. Sometimes you have to squeeze the bottle to get the crap out at first but if you do this in the air(like tonight) it can explode, and get in our eye, and that really sucks. After all that is done, Bon Apetite.

This process was perfected over half a decade so if yours isn't as sophisticated don't fret, because over time you too can have the perfect Ramen recipe. In light of this I would also like to know how other people cook their Ramen Noodles.

The Man Crush

2008-03-30T16:51:00.004-06:00

This is a picture of my Boyfriend. I recently had a conversation at work about the subject of the MAN-CRUSH. A man crush can be a very powerful thing, or woman crush for women. Wikipedia describes a man crush as the following "Man crush is a term sometimes used to

describe a fondness and admiration a self-identified heterosexual man feels for another man." That sums it up about right. I am a self-identified heterosexual, but whenever I get to watch

Tiger play golf I get butterflies in my stomach. Quite simply he is the greatest athlete ever. He is so intense, and just kills everyone. Plus he is just plain sexy.

I wish that I could just leave it at Tiger Woods though, but sadly I have more man crushes. Jason Bourne, not Matt Damon, but Jason Bourne I could watch him kick the crap out of people all day. Brad Pitt, what can I say he is just awesome. Tom Cruise, I think that this started with Top Gun, every kid loves this movie, but he is the definition of a Hard-A-- in that movie. And

last but certainly not least, Will Farrell, I probably quote him more than anyone, plus he looks good without a shirt.

Well I hope you all liked my list of man crushes, and hope that you also have an idea what goes through my head throughout the day. And please if you comment please leave me a list of your man/woman crushes.

Pregnancy and Kids!

2008-02-11T20:53:00.001-07:00

The Picture to the left is of Lincoln playing a Guns N Roses, and the picture on the right is a picture of Lincoln in about 20 years. I know that Anna wants Lincoln to play the Chello but lets look at this for a minute. Tuxedo, Starched Shirts, Boring Symphonies, Stuffy People, Vs. Cut-off Tee Shirt, Vintage Les Paul, Tophat, Permed Hair, and a Cigarette. I think you know where I am going with this. Lincoln for the next Slash in 2020. He certainly has my vote, I will even play the bass for him. The world is always in need of another Metal God, and I think from the the above pictures Lincoln would be a great cantidate. Symphonies or Rock n Roll Legend?

"THE INAUGURAL POST"

2008-02-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

It seems that in the very short history that blogs have under their belt a form for creating a blog has emerged. And the most obvious part of this formula is the obligatory first post that describes what the blog is about, and how it is going to change the world. As you can tell from the title of this blog "Disregard as Trash," it sets out to do nothing. This blog is more for myself at this point in time. My life is going to be so crazy over the next 3 years with a new kid, graduate school and moving to China that I wanted a record of how I managed the next three years.

Basically I am into 3 things right now. First and foremost is Michelle, and the upcoming addition to our family being our baby daughter that will be born in the next 2 months. Second will be Grad school. Being accepted to the IMBA program at the University of South Carolina was one of the greatest things that I have experienced in my life so far, and I can't wai to begin. The last thing that will garner attention in this blog are video games. I love me some gaming. It is what I do in my free time. It will be interesting to see how a gamer like myself will balance their time with a family, and grad school, and still stay up on all the goodness that is gaming.

One thing that has really gotten me lately has been people who think that men like myself should grow up and stop playing video games. I read an article today that says that men like myself live in a constant state of near adolescence and refuse to grow up. Will I think that people like that should find the nearest cliff and start running around it with a blindfold on. Video games are such an amazing piece of art. Most people outside of this lifestyle just have no clue at how expresive video games can be. Well I will get off my soapbox now. Till my next post See Ya