Sick

Okay, this is something that I'm not used to. Since about Wednesday last week, I've been going through different phases of the flu. Sore stomach, sniffles, dizziness, headaches. Groan. At the same time, I've been trying desperately to start ... and finish ... an essay for Economics and Public Policy, and to make a worthwhile contribution to a syndicate presentation set for this coming Thursday. I'm certain that the only reason I'm sick is because I've been pushing myself to the limit this month. I guess it's come back to bite me.

25 days to go...

Family of travellers

My brother, Andrew, has just returned from a five month working holiday in UK/Europe. In typical Aussie style, he went all the way to London to work in a bar that pays homage to Australia - The Walkabout Inn. He also spent time in France and Italy, and of course, made the compulsary visit to Amsterdam.

T minus 27 days...

1 assignment to go. 1 presentation to go. 1 take-home exam to go. 4 'real' exams to go. Still haven't been allocated my New York accomodation. Haven't heard from my sublease tenant for a while - hope he's still coming to Melbourne. Nearly finished packing the apartment. My sister's already taken some of my shelves, and my dad's interested in borrowing my TV while I'm away (the vultures are circling ;-). It's all going to happen so quickly over the next few weeks. Before I know it, I'll be in New Zealand.

To make matters a little difficult, I've actually been a little ill this week, so much so that I had to skip a couple of classes and try and rest easy rather than working on an economics essay that's due on Tuesday. Looks like I'm going to be pretty busy this weekend playing catch-up.

Remember, if you're new to this website, it makes more sense if you read it in reverse, starting here. ;-)

The Dream

A friend of mine in the part-time MBA program asked me yesterday evening, "How can you be enjoying the MBA if you keep commenting on your weblog about the intensity of it all, and using moods like 'swamped'?"

I've had an interesting opportunity for some self-reflection over the past few days. Having been short-listed for a scholarship based on the content of my resume and my original MBS application essays, I decided to revisit the journey that I'd been on over the past couple of years.

My personal journal from my US b-school tour in 2000, combined with the eight application essays I wrote for the AGSM and MBS in 2001, and all the posts I've written for this weblog, make for a fairly comprehensive summary of the career growth/change process that I''m going through, and the end point that I'm trying to acheive. A common theme seems to be that what I'm really trying to do is 'live the journey' rather than end up in a particular job in a particular industry in a particular city.

Right now, I'm living that dream. I'm seven months into the MBA. I'm doing some challenging elective courses. I've interviewed for management consulting jobs, and I'm about to head off to New York to study at a top-ten school. This time next year I'll have my MBA, and I'll be working in a brand new role - in a new industry - possibly even in a new country.

One must maintain a positive attitude in an MBA program. It's a hard slog, the hours are insane, and it's expensive. However, with the right attidude and a dose of confidence, the returns can be substantial. And, yes, for the most part, I'm enjoying it immensely.

T minus 35 days...

Five weeks. Two assignments. One presentation. One take-home exam. Four final exams.

This is it, the final countdown. In a little over a month, I'll be off on my round-the-world adventure of self-discovery, world-class education, and potential career advancement.

Now, supposedly, I'm meant to get my New York accommodation offer today (New York time). Here's hoping for that luxury apartment overlooking central park at a bargain price of $500. (In reality, I expect to be in a share apartment without a view, located somewhere around 110th St, and with a price tag closer to $800*).

Some other good news - I've been short-listed for a nice fat scholarship which could potentially cover my remaining tuition expenses at MBS. I have an interview scheduled for next Tuesday, at which I plan to impress the sponsoring organising with my career achievements and ambitions in the areas of leadership, communication, and raw analytical talent. ;-) Although it won't make any difference to my present cash-flow crunch, the scholarship would make a significant difference to my financial well-being post-MBA.

(* For those unfamiliar with the US apartment rental system, rents are usually quoted in US dollars per month. A one-bedroom apartment in New York usually costs US$1000 - $1500 per month, but Columbia provides subsidised accomodation to graduate students.)

Don't trust the textbook

When most people get 90% for an exam, they're usually pretty satisfied - mass celebration, beers all round, that sort of thing.

When I received a mark of 90% for my 'Valuations & Financial Analysis' exam last week, I was disappointed. VFA is the one subject this term that I personally think is dead easy - a bunch of mathematical formulae which can be applied to various financial decision making situations. Having finished the mid-term exam twenty minutes early, I was pretty certain that I'd aced this one.

Alas, when it was returned with a mark of 36 out of 40, I couldn't understand my professor's reasoning for taking away those four marks. After a half hour discussion with my professor this morning, I'm still not happy (despite the fact that he's now bumped my marked up to 37). The problem centres around the fact that I answered one of the questions in the exam using an approach from our official textbook that my professor happens to have an issue with. Thus, despite the fact that my application of that approach is perfect, he's refusing to give me full marks because it's not the way he would have answered the question.

The moral of the story - question your professors in class, but when it comes to exams, put your own ideals aside, as do it their way.

Update (18.07.2002): My VFA professor approached me after class today and told me he'd had a change of heart. New score: 38 out of 40 (95%), which was my original target mark for the exam ;-)

What's the point of a decaf coffee?

In an effort to ensure a full night's sleep before my 9:00am Strategy class this morning, I decided to finish off a dinner out last night with a slice of cheesecake (yum!) and a decaf coffee. This was a first for me - it tasted the same, but didn't make me *feel* any better.

I didn't end up getting my full night's sleep, as I ended up on the phone for a couple of hours when I got home. As a result, I was in a rush this morning, and didn't have the time to buy a coffee before class. Let me tell you - I was really struggling. I didn't have the energy or the enthusiasm to contribute to the discussion (the case in question was The Body Shop, which is actually a really interesting values/PR/branding case), and instead sat in class continually looking up to the clock, waiting for 10:30 to come along so I could get my first coffee.

I tell you - I think I must be addicted.

T minus 40 days and counting...

Wow! What an intense couple of weeks. Business School is insane at the moment. There is soooo much work to do, that I barely have time for anything else.

Syndicate assignments for Strategy and Law, presentations for Law and Project Management, VFA and EPP exams, career planning seminars, presentation skills sessions, the list goes on. It's all a case of how high can you jump. In this past week, I've had three 14hr+ days at uni (including a Saturday), and I've spent over 70 hours in total on b-school work. It's all paying off though - I'm getting decent grades, and I'm learning soooo much. My super-intensive Project Management class is a real challenge, but the professor is incredible. He'll cold call at random, and if the answer you provide isn't satisfactory he'll press you for a better one. Awesome!

Not much more progress on my New York move. I'm still waiting for my accommodation offer from the Columbia Uni Apartment Housing group. Hopefully, I'll know the details of where I'll be living by next weekend. Forty days to go.

Where is Adrian?

Please excuse my absence in the past week.

B-school and my personal life have taken a higher priority over the past few days.

I'll be back this weekend. I promise.

Weblog project for this week

I'd like to find a neat little search tool to use on my blog. Here's the basic user experience that I'm after: a) user types in simple search term in a search box located in the left hand column, b) results list of individual posts display in main section sorted by date (each line contains first line of post and the date/time stamp), c) user selects the individual post they want to read.

Am I asking too much? Does anyone have any ideas?

New York resources: nycwireless.net

A New Yorker on my MBA course here in Melbourne was telling me about coffee shops in Manhattan that offered free wireless Internet access (Build it and they will come). nycwireless.net is an initiative to provide free wireless access to the public, which is fantastic news for me since I'll need a wireless card on my laptop to access the network at Columbia.

"NYCwireless provides free wireless Internet service using wireless technology to mobile users in public spaces throughout the New York City metropolitan area. These public spaces include parks, coffee shops, and building lobbies. NYCwireless intends to work with public and other nonprofit organizations to bring broadband wireless Internet to under-served communities"

Faux pas

I can't believe I used the <u></u> tag in that last post. Underlining is supposed to be strictly reserved for linking (evening if one doesn't usually use underlines on their links). Deepest apologies to all the web designers/developers out there. I won't do it again.

Y2K problems @ Columbia

I rang up the Columbia Housing Service this morning to check up on my application, and received an automated response after logging in with my applicant ID: "Your housing application has been approved by your school. We are currently in the process of allocating you accommodation based on the preferences you indicated in your application. If you have not received an allocation by July ... fifth ... nineteen ... two, please contact us directly."

CBS have a wireless network, but they can't even fix a simple Y2K issue in their IVR system. Oh dear. You know what - I bet they don't even know about the problem. I'll be a good netizen and let them know ;-)

Proof that I.T. people can be popular: Peter ended up winning Big Brother

Hmmm ... why am I trying to defend my former industry? ...

And who wants to be cured of desire?

My friend Kate has started a weblog!

So far, it's a commentry on her perspectives on coffee, alcohol, and the retro movement, but I'm certain she has more in store for us. Will this be an avenue for publishing her poetry and song lyrics? Will she tell us all about what she does for a living? Will it be an insider's view of life in inner-city Sydney? Or a diatribe on travel experiences in remote parts of the world. Only time will tell...

In her own words:

"Welcome to my corner of the internet... As someone who has sub-consciously avoided the HOME page concept, it's a big step for me. Not that I'm technophobic, I just have a feeling that publishing oneself without purpose is the worst form of narcissism.

So this has a purpose - I will hasten to inform the world once it gels into something I can explain in words... In the meantime, it will just be what I think about." (Kate - sundayafternoon.blogspot.com)

Up to date

I think that brings us pretty much up to date. Apologies for the lack of posts in the past week - I've been absolutely swamped with study commitments. I spent 62 hours at b-school last week, plus another dozen or so hours studying at home. I have an Economics exam and a Law presentation tomorrow (Tuesday), and a big Finance exam on Friday. That will conclude the first 'half' of the term, so I'll have a few drinks on Friday night to celebrate, and then head up to Sydney to see some friends on the weekend. From next Monday though, I'll be absolutely flat out until my final exam on August 22nd. Here's hoping I make it through it all. If I don't post for a few days, please send me an email or two to check that I'm okay...

Coincidence

I met a girl yesterday who had 1) grown up in Darwin, 2) went to the same high school as me, 3) had spent five years in Jakarta, and 4) was now living in Melbourne. Bizarre conversation - just like talking to myself in the mirror - only she's much more pretty to look at.

BTW - for those of you who are a bit confused - I've never actually lived in Jakarta, but my folks have been there for the past six years, and I visit at least once a year, so I'm reasonably familiar with the place by now.

Ghost town

MBS differentiates itself from the rest of the University of Melbourne establishment by managing to fit three academic terms into the calendar year rather than the usual two.

As a result, our holiday periods (with the exception of four weeks at Christmas / New Year) do not overlap. In Eurodisney style, for the next few weeks the students at MBS will have the entire campus to themselves. The cafes, sports facilities, and libraries are all open, but they're barely being used. I spent the majority of my Sunday in the law library (sorry ... Legal Resource Centre ;-), a massive establishment with three levels and study space for maybe 400 students, but over the space of six hours there were probably only 30 people who visited, at least a dozen of which were from MBS.

P.S. Don't worry - it's not normal for me to spend my Sundays hidden away in the law library - we're in the middle of mid-term exams at the moment, so there's an immediate need to cram...

ProductProject Management

This term at MBS I was planning to take a marketing course titled Product Management run by a visiting professor from the United States by the name of Debi Mishra. Unfortunately, he's fallen very ill (i.e. spending the American summer in hospital) and, as such, has not been able to fly to Melbourne to run the course. Apparently, according to the powers that be with MBS, there's no one within the school (or indeed, within Australia) qualified to run an MBA course in Product Management, and as such, the school's had to cancel the subject.

This puts me in a difficult position. Since we're already six weeks into the term, I can only choose a replacement subject from the handful of intensive subjects on offer during the second half of the term. My choices:

• Marketing in Asia
  
• Negotiations
  
• Channels of Distribution
  
• Project Management
  
• Organisation Design

"Normally" I would ave chosen Channels of Distribution (another marketing subject) instead, as it was my second preference after Product Management when I was originally selecting my electives. However, thise course was also going to be conducted by Debi Mishra, and is now being run by Richard Speed, my professor for Marketing Management from term 1. In a creative and occassionally abstract discipline like marketing, I believe it is important to leverage off the experiences and insights of as many professors as possible. As such, while Channels would probably be a brilliant course, I don't want to do it with Richard Speed.

So ... I'm going to switch to Project Management (drop the "du", insert a "j" and an "e"). The professor, Paul Adler, is meant to be brilliant, it's an area in which I have some experience, so I'll be able to contribute to the class, and it finishes about a week before I fly out to NZ/NY.

One caveat: it's run in superintensive mode - I'll be giving up my Tuesday and Thursday evenings AND my Saturday mornings for a period of five weeks - and that's just the class time - there's also three HBS cases to prepare each week. Aaaaghhh, when will this all end?!?

Inspiration

For the first time this term, I went into uni yesterday without my laptop, and I ended up writing several posts on paper...