From the Other Side of the World

A few pictures from my trip to China. The trip was really fantastic, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to go. I don't think I ever expected to actually see some of the things I saw on the trip, including some of what you see below: At the Great Wall--the weather was absolutely perfect that day, around 70 degrees with bright sunshine. Wonderful for hiking!

In a park outside the Forbidden City, overlooking the city of Beijing

In the Forbidden City

At the Temple of Heaven

In the Olympic Stadium, pretending to be a spectator

In Shanghai--this is the historic part of the city

And Life Rolls On

Well, dear friends, if any of you even take the time to look at this blog anymore, I'm back. I am writing from yet another big city, this time on the other side of the world: Shanghai, China. I'm here with a school class that is looking at investing in China. We have been here all week and have met with business people and others who work with financial institutions in the country. It has been a fascinating experience, though I have to say, we haven't been able to really see as much of the city as I would have hoped, since we have had a lot of program activities each day. From what I have seen, though, the city is a very interesting mix of old and new--tradition, and future hopes. I am going to be visiting Beijing for a few days as well, and look forward to seeing some of the places that I watched over the air waves for the Olympics!

So that is where I am. Now for where I have been.

Life has been quite busy since our Christmas and New Year's in Paris. When we left France, we got on separate planes for VA and NY to return to academics and job searching. The day I got home, I started prepping again for interviews and continued submitting job applications for a summer internship. Having been through the summer job search for both a law student and an MBA student, I can say without a doubt that if I never have to do it again, it will be too soon! I submitted 35 job applications, and of those, I got interview invitations from 7. It was quite frustrating to see the same thanks, but no thanks email again and again from all the other submissions--discouraging, actually. You want to think that working as hard as you can will always get you results, but that is not reality. Sometimes, it just means you tried and failed. I learned a lot about myself and my personal expectations, strengths, and weaknesses through the process. The weeks leading up to and during my interviews were an emotional roller coaster unlike anything I remember experiencing before. But at the end of the day, I was blessed with the best of the positions I could have asked for, and I am so excited to have this process come to a conclusion. Now, I am really looking forward to the work the summer will hold.

It seemed that just as everything came to a conclusion with interviews, we were heading into finals for our first half semester classes. I definitely feel like the time has sped by so far this semester, and I'm determined to enjoy the next half.

Just in case there wasn't enough going on in our lives, we decided at the end of February, about a week before our lease expired, that we were going to move. So came the last-minute apartment hunting and logistical game-playing. We are very blessed, though, to have found an amazing deal on a fantastic apartment. Although I hate the actual moving process with a passion, it went really quite quickly, and we are now settled in. The new place is larger (couldn't get any smaller!) and in a much nicer neighborhood.

After I return to the country, we will have only about 6 weeks remaining in the end of our respective seemsters. With that, law school will be finished. Three years of very hard work! I am so proud of my man, and look forward to celebrating graduation with him. Before then, though, we're hoping to make some fun memories this spring--our first full spring in NYC. I think we'll be able to manage something!

So there you go--life does roll on, and I would say, has rolled along quite satisfactorily. I'll try to post some pics of our new place and of Shanghai soon. You can find more photos from our Christmas trip on my Facebook.

Adventures in Other Big Cities

Or where I have disappeared to since the last post.

To start off, finals wrapped up very nicely, though not without just a little stress and worry. They were well timed, overall: three one week, two on Monday and Tuesday of the next week.

But then, at some point in the semester, I got this crazy idea that it would be good to leave for a consulting project in Africa the minute I walked out of my last final. Yes, that's right, our final ended at 1:30, and we were in a car for the airport at 1:35. What can I say, I enjoy life on the wild side. This meant that all my belongings for a three-week trip out of the country had to go with me from my apartment to school on the morning that it decided to provide the season's first real snow. It was beautiful. But not ideal.

After the final, we collected our group and drove through the still-falling snow to the airport for an altogether 12-hour flight that would take us from the snow to summer-worthy temperatures in Ghana, Africa. The trip went smoothly, though provided no sleep--I think that finals had kind of messed up my brain. The Amsterdam airport is great for layovers.

Our trip was an absolute success. The project went well, and the experience was unforgettable. Especially the lizard in my bathroom the first morning. Memorable. Our team worked hard--meetings all day for several days and then two 3 a.m. nights pulling the presentation together. The consultant's life! We got to go to the market where many of our client's customers sell their products and really understand how business works in Africa. It's very different. Informal is the key word--unlike anything I've ever seen in the U.S. It's much easier to understand the barriers to developing a successful financial system at every level of society. The biggest downer was the lack of consistent access to Internet or telephone communication, especially after getting so accustomed to having email constantly at school.

We took a red-eye flight from Ghana back to Amsterdam and then off to Paris. Somehow, the airline managed to lose my baggage, which made for an interesting first 24 hours of the trip. I don't have the best French skills, and had no reliable telephone number where I could be reached in the city. Thankfully, we got something figured out, and it was delivered at 10:45 on Christmas Eve--in time for us to go to a beautiful Christmas Eve service at a nearby cathedral. We also caught part of a service at Notre Dame on Christmas Day, with the highlight being singing "Angels We Have Heard on High" at the end, accompanied by the Cathedral's amazing organ. Since then, we have been wandering up and down the city, scouting out Christmas cheer and just the beauty of it all. It has been a trifle chilly, but we came prepared, and there are always cafes nearby to dart in for a cup of hot chocolate or some coffee to warm up. We are just enjoying some time together, in the same place, without school on our minds for a little while.

There are a few pictures below, but I've posted more on Facebook. Enjoy them!

Happy New Year, and a belated Merry Christmas!

Les Invilades

A Christmas Carousel


Christmas Market on Blvd. St. Germain


L'Ecole Militaire

Us :-)

Lifetime Value, WACC, and Other Sundries

Yes, it's exam time again, which would explain why I'm posting. It's a good break to get my mind off marketing strategies for a moment. Just a moment. We have exams this week and next, and then it's off to Ghana and Paris. I can hardly believe I'll be out of the country for three weeks! I'm quite excited, though.

The last several weeks have been quite busy, as evidenced by my silence. Zach and I both turned 25 within 2 weeks of one another and then we enjoyed some time in PA for Thanksgiving. It's hard to believe that we're already one semester through B-school (minus finals of course). I have learned so much in 12 weeks time--things which, although they have funny sounding names (thus the title), are very valuable tools.

So, all of that being said, enjoy a few pictures!

Toy soldier by Rockefeller Plaza, with the large Christmas tree

Christmas decorations at Radio City Music Hall

Raygen and "Aunt Beth"

Lovely ladies--Bambi and Lashonda

Me and Grammy

Saw the First Snow Flakes

Mixed into rain and sleet this morning. Made it a perfect day for Christmas music and... studying. Just one week of classes left and not even a month before we're in Paris :-)

New York, NY

In French class on Friday, my professeur asked me (in French of course) what I liked about New York City. We are trying to work basic conversations into class, so it was a good discussion topic. I replied that I really like les jardins publique (public parks), like Central Park and Riverside Park. I fell in love with the jardins again this morning when I went running in Riverside Park. The crisp morning air was so invigorating, and since all the leaves are turning, there was a satisfying crunch crunch under my feet as I ran. There's a beautiful tree with red leaves along the path, and the park was bustling with activity--other runners, people walking their dogs, and parents taking their kids to soccer games. I know I live in a concrete jungle, but it's pretty idylic at times!

Christmas

Here it is, November 1, and I'm posting about Christmas already... Setting aside all the things that I need to accomplish between now and December 25, which is quite a lot, I am excitedly anticipating Christmas. Why? Because we are going to spend Christmas here:

Yes, you are correct, that is Paris. And yes, we are spending Christmas in Paris. It's a long story, actually. I am traveling to Ghana for a school project immediately after finals, and as it turns out, the flights coming home had a very convenient stop in Paris. So Zach is going to meet me there. We are renting a little apartment and will spend some welcome time together, enjoying my favorite city (so far) in the world. I can't wait!

I Miss You, Mister

One more fall picture, taken on a sunny Sunday afternoon when we're together--just the way I like it.

New York in the Fall

Pictures at last. As "You've Got Mail" so aptly describes, New York is truly beautiful in the fall. But you can judge for yourself!

Of profit maximization and other imponderables...

Thank you P.G. Wodehouse for teaching me the meaning of the word "imponderable," because I think it is the only word that could possibly describe the way I feel about economics at this moment. Yes, you guessed it, I am in the middle of midterms and finals (some of my classes are only half-term classes), and have spent the last 4 hours thinking about profit maximization, marginal revenue, elasticity of demand, and other topics that should be classified as four-letter words.

I might be exagerating just a little bit.

But not too much.

I had an accounting midterm yesterday, which boosted my spirits. I'm not sure if it's fair to credit accrual accounting, cash flows, and balance sheets with boosting your spirits, but if nothing else, it was confirmation that I have learned something this semester. But now my attention is turned to economics, on which I will be tested Monday, and then statistics, for my test on Tuesday. Economics is, arguably, very valuable for understanding business and the way the financial world works. But it has definitely been the source of no small frustration this semester because of the nature of the class/teacher/methods. Nevertheless, I will come out knowing a lot more than I started with. Hopefully it's just the lot more that our professor expects us to know for the exam. I suppose we shall see!

Pip, pip.

When D.C. starts to feel like the country...

...well, you know you've been living in the big city, I guess.
This weekend was my first time back in the greater D.C. area since moving to the Big Apple in May. My schedule isn't quite as flexible, so I got into D.C. on the bus after midnight on Friday night and am now on my way back home. I am thankful for comfy travel busses with wireless internet service!
All weekend, I couldn't believe how open and clean everything felt! Just goes to show you how life is all about comparative perspective, I guess.
Anyway, we had a chance to go to homecoming at PHC and see a lot of friends from undergrad on Saturday. After spending the last several months surrounded by brand new faces and people and things, I greatly enjoyed catching up with people I know and have some shared history with! One thing, though--it may work to live without a car in the city where there are subways, but it is NOT a lifestyle designed for suburban America... Suffice to say we have very gracious friends who are willing to lend a ride, or else we would have been in Arlington all day.
Even with the rather short time allowance I had for being gone, I am really thankful that it worked out, since I am heading into finals for the first half of the semester in the next two weeks. The intensity level is already pretty high at school, but it's definitely going to get higher! I am just reminding myself that you can do anything for a while, and really haven't gotten too stressed out to this point... I think... but you might have to ask my husband about that.
In addition to school stuff--classes and assignments--I've been pretty busy with the start of recruiting season. The last two weeks have been filled with presentations on campus from a lot of different consulting firms with whom I would like to interview for a job next summer. The presentations are really a chance to get to know them and talk one-on-one with the people on their teams. So far, they've been helpful, but it can add up to a lot of activity when you have two or more presentations in a given day. I've also committed to working on a consulting with a team of students this semester. We are working with a microfinance lending organization in Ghana to help build out their lending model. The project will conclude in Dec. with a trip to Ghana to present our findings, so although it does mean some extra work this summer, I am really excited about it overall. This is definitely the kind of consulting that I would love to have the opportunity to pursue in the future, so it's great to get some experience now.
The other thing that I'm involved with at school is the Women in Business Club, which is the professional club for women in the MBA program. I was elected as an Assistant Vice President, which means you work with the leadership team. My specific responsibilities involve coordinating all the marketing and print media for the club's annual conference. I am also very excited about this role, since it will bring together a lot of the elements of my past experience and put them to use for a good purpose.
All this adds up to a pretty intense schedule, overall, but from what I understand, the first semester is really the most difficult in terms of projects, assignments, and general recruiting schedule. On top of that, I kind of anticipated the intensity--everyone I talked to said to prepare for two full-time jobs, so that's just what I did. So mentally, the schedule was not completely unexpected, and that really helps.
Anyway, there's an update from me. The short story: things are going well, the challenges of our lives right now are working thesmelves out, and we're really excited about the present and the future. :-)

Remembering the Pillars of Faith

I’ve started running again. No—not on the crazy streets of New York (be honest, you were thinking of emailing or calling me to tell me that’s not safe…) As a student, I have free access to the University gym, and while it may not be the most state of the art gym (at least that’s what people tell me), it’s great for me. As long as I time things correctly (i.e. get there by 7 a.m.), I can get a treadmill and run. I’m working my way upwards in terms of distance and did 4 ¼ miles this morning. Running on a treadmill provides a very tangible gauge of progress—you can see when you are able to run faster, farther, …
I say all this not just to ramble, but because I find when I’m running that I often come up with some profound thoughts. I’ve heard people say the same thing about ironing (though I try to stay away from that one if possible). Somehow, even as I’m trying to make my body push through its momentary discomfort, my mind finds a way to think outside of the limited set of topics it is afforded by virtue of classroom demands.
And so it was this morning while I was running, and I started to think about steps of faith and the Lord’s provision in response.
Two weeks ago in church, the pastor paused during the offering time and asked people to stand who needed a job or apartment or other very tangible, very present things. I stood. For those of you who may be wondering at this point, no, I don’t need a job tomorrow. Yes, I’m still in school, and yes, this is a two-year program. But the job search roller coaster is already climbing toward the crest of its first peak, and the free fall, so to speak, is just about to begin. Resumes, networking events, company presentations… they are all firing through my brain along with standard deviations, debt-to-capital ratios, and balance sheets. I know that, as with everything else in my life, this job will come as the answer to prayer and through avenues that I cannot even begin to anticipate right now. That’s the faith element. But there is also an action requirement—to the extent that I can, I have to engage the process. It’s always a two-way street.
So, I stood in church as a step of faith, trusting that the Lord is going to provide and that my job in two years may be the result of an interaction in two weeks.
As I reached about mile three this morning on the treadmill, and was reminded of that step of faith, I started thinking about some other steps of faith in the last year, and that’s when this post really was formulated.
When we talk to people about what we’re doing right now, there are two general categories of responses. I find both of them frustrating. The first tends to be skeptical or worried—“aren’t your grad schools in different states?” (i.e., do you know you will have to live apart?) “Are either of you going to be working?” (i.e., where are you going to get the money?) “Aren’t most of the people at business school liberal?” (i.e., do you really think a business degree is going to be helpful/necessary, or is it just something rich people do for fun?)
The second response is the exact opposite—“oh, yeah, my husband and I both got grad degrees too” (yes, but your parents are both attorneys, so it would have been kind of hard for you to get out of it). “It’s probably easier for your husband to be here part time, so you don’t need a larger apartment” (you don’t understand, I actually like spending time with my husband). “Isn’t grad school great? I had so much trouble deciding between Harvard and Wharton and Columbia, but I heard that the parties here are better” (Um… Yeah, but then you tell me you better take this call from your dad because he’s the one footing the bill…)
I find these all frustrating for the same reason—being in school, for both of us, is a pillar of faith. We could spend hours retracing the faith moments along this journey—moments that date back before we were married. We didn’t really plan this, we just acted as doors opened. Yes, I am living in New York and he’s in Virginia, and no, it’s not ideal. But that was part of what we thought through as God led us down this path. And we are convinced that given all the elements that God had to orchestrate to get us here, it wasn’t something He overlooked either. It’s just a part of the process. Thankfully, we have a pillar of faith to look back on. During the 7 months before we were married, we lived apart and saw each other only on the weekends. Our relationship has already been tested by distance, and we know what the other person needs in these circumstances. The fact that we found such good living arrangements for both of us so unexpectedly is another pillar of faith. So it’s hard for me to worry about all the “what if’s” of these circumstances when I have all the “what has been’s” to look back on.
But these same pillars of faith make me frustrated when I hear all this taken for granted. Graduate school is new territory for us. We don’t even really have friends who traveled the corporate law route or went to business school. This is a BIG DEAL for us. We’re footing the bill on this one. We don’t have co-signers for our apartment, and our parents don’t own luxury car dealerships (yes, several of my classmates fall in that category). We don’t have friends in New York or know people who have lived or worked in a large city before. And no, we didn’t go to Harvard, Yale, Duke, Univ. of Penn., or Stanford for undergrad. So this isn’t just like every one of your friends and their spouse who have grad degrees. This is first generation. This is a big deal, because we couldn’t have made this happen ourselves. There are a lot of reasons this probably shouldn’t have worked out for two homeschooled kids from suburban America.
Be that as it may, it did work out—pillars of faith. Action steps as they became available. Trust that stepping out on a limb would help you see the rope swing to the next tree and not just leave you hanging.
We’re not worried—we shouldn’t be; we couldn’t have planned this if we had tried, so obviously Someone Else did plan, and I’m pretty sure He’ll keep planning. Nor are we taking this for granted. I walk on campus every day and realize that I am one of 500 people who is getting this chance out of the 5,999 who wanted to be where I am right now. I think about the job that’s waiting in October next year once law school is finished and how many people would love to be in my man’s shoes.
Beyond that, we’re not taking it for granted because there have been sacrifices. We’ve never lived on more than one entry-level salary, despite living in two of the most expensive cities in the country. Our apartment is smaller than a lot of people’s master suites and you have to climb a lot more stairs to get there. One of us rides a bike 8 miles a day to get to and from school. The other one walks 15 min. each way, rain, sun, wind… you name it. But we’re ok with all that. If you want the results, you have to be willing to push through the pain of the effort.
Just like running. Maybe that’s why I enjoy it.

I Know

It's been a while. I am sorry, for those of you who may read this blog or be interested in our goings on. But perhaps it is forgivable. I have a statistics midterm this Friday, so I've been studying quite a lot for that. We also have a steady stream of assignments due each week and various club activities have begun to pick up. Tallying the time demands together can be daunting--for example, one night this week my calendar has three conflicting events that I have yet to decide between... As I understand it, this is fairly common.
Nevertheless, the experience continues to exceed my expectations. The number of opportunities for leadership and unique learning activities are amazing and are matched by the quality of the teaching. It may be only a two-year program, but I think I'll emerge having learned as much as during four years of undergrad.
I'll try to make a real post sometime soon.

In honor of the hurricane...

Today's lessons on heavy rain:

1. Heavy storms are a lot harder to deal with when you live a vehicle-less existence. Welcome to wet feet, wet grocery bags, and wet backpacks!
2. Blue jeans have a propensity to soak up a LOT of water: 12 inches deep in water, I'm absolutely certain
3. Flip flops were not designed for walking through torrential downpours.
4. It's a lot harder to "be prepared" for anything when you have to carry all your preparations with you... This would be why I did not have my rainboots with me to walk back through the rain.
5. Sidewalks aren't flat. They have depressions in them. Depressions collect water. Lots of water. This means you get wet when you happen to slosh into them.
6. If you want to make a nice sum of money, buy a lot of umbrellas and then position yourself outside a store when unprepared shoppers suddenly realize it has started raining and they have to get home.
7. Chinese delivery guys are like postal service employees: They deliver in sleet, snow, wind, or hurricane rains. Except they don't have cars, they ride bikes.

Next time you're stuck in the rain in the city, you'll know...

Re-Surfacing

After two VERY full weeks of orientation and the initial round of classes. I thought I would share my initial thoughts on this experience, even if they are cut to a bare minimum due to the accounting and strategy reading that I should be doing.
I have been thinking all day about how to put the experiences of the last two weeks into words--how to really describe what I've been waiting for since last fall really. Let me start by saying that it has not disappointed.
I remember last October so clearly: I had not yet taken the GMAT or sent in my applications, but Zach and I came to NY for two days so I could visit NYU and Columbia. As I walked each respective campus, I just wanted so badly for the whole thing to work out--I think I knew that this was the right time for school and just wished I could know in advance that it was going to work out for me to come. The months after that visit were very full--I was working and in all my spare time (i.e., evenings and weekends) I was studying for or taking the GMAT, writing applications, proofing applications, sending applications, getting paperwork in order, and then preparing for interviews. It's easy to look back now and see how it all worked out, but I didn't know what would happen at the time. I thought it likely that I wouldn't get a spot--either because I was too young or not qualified enough or both. But, in February, the email came--I had a place at Columbia University as part of the class of 2010.
Fast forward through a lot of other details to August 17, the first day of orientation. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to meet some other students over the course of the summer, so there were familiar faces. But everywhere I looked, there were new people--all of whom were incredibly talented and had amazing past experiences. Just for a little taste, here are some of the people represented in my class of 540: a 2008 olympic silver medalist in the sabre competition; two former NFL players (they're both in my section); roughly 225 international students representing some 25 countries (if I recall correctly); 21 different languages; former bankers, consultants, non-profit directors, and teachers; and the list goes on and on. It's intimidating, really, to think about the wealth of knowledge in each of my classes.
And then there are the professors--so far I have started two of my classes for the semester: statistics and accounting. Sound boring? Not in the least--but it's because of the professors and fellow students, not the subject matter. My accounting professor is from Isreal and has a wealth of practical experience and research. He has thoroughly entertained us through the first two sessions, explaining the basics of accounting systems with illustrations like his favorite purple pens and the New York lottery. Then there's statistics--our professor has used several games in class to help us understand complex concepts of probability (how many employees would be falsely accused of taking drugs with a test of 91.7% accuracy?). Somehow, even standard deviations and correlation make sense when you break it down.
But even if the professors weren't so amazing, you can't help but learn when you're surrounded by so many students from different backgrounds. In one of our sessions on corporate goverance, the professor discussed how other countries have different systems of corporate governance, including one particular system in Argentina. One of my classmates, who is from Argentina, raised his hand and explained exactly how the system worked and its distinct advantages. Not something you learn just by reading a book. Real world knowledge? It's represented from around the world.
Has it been all roses? Well, honestly, so far, yes... but I'm not stupid--I know there is a lot of work ahead this semester. I've already begun working on the job search, and it is going to intensify at an exponential rate in the next month. The first presentation by one of my target companies is Sept. 22, and before then, I have to do a lot of research to be ready. I need to figure out the intelligent way to go about it. But there are a lot of resources here to help us do just that. You just have to take advantage of them.
I think that's the thing that has stood out to me the most, in total. I realized in the last two weeks that I've changed in two years' time. I've matured since undergrad--I'm more willing to put myself out, even if I'm wrong. I've been able to meet so many more friends in a short time than I did in undergrad or even in the last two years. So I'm excited to see how these two years build on that maturing process.
I know not every day will be rosy, and some days I will probably wonder why I thought this was a good idea. But for now, I'm still relishing the excitement of finally being where I wanted to be so badly just a year ago.

New Adventures

The day finally arrived. My two years at Columbia Business School began last Sunday night, and since then, it has been a jam-packed week of new friends, new places, and lots of promise for what will come in the months ahead. We have had orientation activities all week, starting daily at 9 a.m. with the earliest evening ending at 8 p.m. Don't ask me about the latest night...

My 538 classmates are amazing, though I must confess I haven't met them all yet. Our class is divided into 65-people "clusters" with whom we take all our first semester courses. We are broken down further into 5- or 6-person learning teams that serve as the core unit for many of the group projects that will be assigned. The learning teams are carefully selected to include members from all different career and cultural backgrounds. My team consists of myself and four guys, one of whom is from Korea and one from Italy. So far, we have had a great experience, and I am excited about learning from all of them.

Next week, two of our classes begin and then the real semester begins the following week.

It is slowly sinking in that I really am here at Columbia, an internationally respected institution with outstanding faculty and students. I think I will learn more here during the next two years than during any other two-year period. I know that the last couple years and all their varied experiences have prepared me to take advantage of this opportunity, and I plan to do just that. I know there will be a lot of challenges, but I think this is a great place to experience them.

In short, I'm excited, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead.

Our Peer Advisors (2nd year students who guide the orientation process) line the stairs every morning and cheer us into the building. There is a lot of energy and enthusiasm here! (Sorry I don't have more pictures yet... I'll see what I can find from other people)

My Best Bud and I

(From Zach)
Exactly a year ago last night, I had just finished a long day of 13 interviews with many of the best firms in NYC. That day had started very rough with the subway being flooded out and us arriving at the interview hotel pretty wet and discouraged with the start of the day. I had not originally planned to have MB come with me to NYC, but she had elected to drive to meet late at night after getting up early for a fast flight down south and back so that she could be with me. Had she not been there to hold the pieces together through the pressure of those interviews, I would not have made it through the day successfully. She literally dried me off and got me ready to go. More importantly, had she not been throughout the preceding months to dream of going to New York, I would not even have been there that day at all. Somehow, the day passed and I got a job as a result.
A year later to the day, we were sitting in a small restaurant in the Kingdom of the East (Upper East Side) having dinner with my partner liaison from THE FIRM. We had a three-hour conversation over an excellent dinner. More importantly, MB and I had the joy of sharing in the victory of the challenge we had faced exactly a year earlier. I had wrapped up a very successful and encouraging summer at THE FIRM and had accepted a full-time offer to return. More importantly, in my partner, I had developed a true friendship and professional mentor. The dinner repressented so much of how we have changed and grown together as a team. Neither one of us would be where we are today without our Best Bud to get our back. I only hope that I can the same support and chearleader that MB has been for me over the last three years as she enters the most challenging year of her life this fall as she starts her MBA. I am so excited about the chance to grow together as a team through this fall.

Two Years...

(and also, everyone needs some 'tation)

So, two years, one week, and one day ago, I was walking down the aisle and Zach was praying that I didn't change my mind and leave him stranded at the front of the church. At least, that's what he says :-) I never even thought about deserting him. No cold feet :-) The last two years have been absolutely the happiest, most adventure-filled, probably most challenging, and most rewarding years of our lives. My marriage advice (if two years gives you the right to give advice): marry someone that makes you better than you would be by yourself. I can safely say that the majority of what I've accomplished--personally and professionally--in the last two years would not have happened were it not for the amazing man by my side. So, here's to many more amazing years together!

The reason that my anniversary post is so late: our 'tation overlapped our anniversary and we ended up with an unexpected trip to Ohio to visit Zach's family. With Zach out of work for two weeks and my semester not yet begun, we had intended to spend a few days in PA with my family and then spend the remaining time here in the city hanging out. But, last Sunday morning, we decided on the spur of the moment to drive to Ohio and surprise Zach's family. And what a surprise it was :-) Only 2 people knew we were coming, and they kept it a secret until our arrival. Great fun. We ended up staying longer than we expected, because we were having far too much fun to leave. I don't think I fully appreciated the beauty of rolling corn and wheat fields until I moved to the city. I love the city, but there is something very refreshing about wide open spaces!

Our trip included a very special tour of the area where Zach's grandparents grew up and a stop at the graveyard where his 8th, 7th, and 6th generation grandfathers are buried. It was pretty cool for me to see the history in such a tangible form. We took a long bikeride one morning around the valleys and fields near his family's house. There was also lots of cookie baking and enjoying of homemade food.

The week ended back in PA with a somewhat scenic tour on the drive home (there was no map in the car, so we were going a little on faith of my recollections of roads, etc.). Thankfully, the nice weather made it an enjoyable detour.

We had the opportunity to drive to Lancaster with my Mom for some errands, and on the way, stopped at an Amish bakery for some fresh donuts. I remember a lot of trip as a kid when we stopped at "Sadie's," and you always hoped that the trip would coincide with one of their donut baking days. Thankfully, this was one such day, and I got to enjoy a piece of my childhood. Mmmmmm, so tasty. There is nothing quite like Pennsylvania Dutch cooking--especially when it comes to sweets.

My brother recently bought a fixer upper duplex that the family has been working on to finish. Zach and I worked together to get the vinyl floor put into the kitchen on one side while we were home. It was a new challenge--drawing out a pattern on large sheets of paper, cutting it out on the vinyl, and hoping desperately that it fit the right way. It did :-) I was happy... my knees--not so much. I've decided that flooring is not the career choice for me.

One thing we definitely enjoyed in OH and PA--the cheap, fresh farm produce. I love summer dinners made up of all vegetables preferably fresh from the garden or a local garden. Corn on the cob, red tomatoes, green beens.... So good!

We came back to the city on Sunday to get a few days of down time in before school starts next weekend for me. Zach's sister is going to be visiting later this week as well. We found two new "friends" today (albeit inanimate objects) that will generate a lot of fun for us! See pictures below :-)

Us in Downtown Wooster, enjoying some 'tation

The gravestone of Zach's 8th Generation Grandpa, Edward Martin. The stone says that he was the first Martin to move to Ohio and defended the Whites against the Indians.

View from the graveyard

Zach with his grandparents

The barn Zach built by himself when he was 15 from a pile of raw logs

Old railroad in Jim Thorpe, part of our scenic detour

Beautiful valley in Jim Thorpe

My parents' house--looks pretty idylic with those flowers!

Our new friends--you can't really see, but they're folding bikes, so they fold all the way down to a little larger than the size of the two wheels placed side by side.

We rode all the way up the west side of the island from downtown to home--this is the Hudson River, riding through the Hudson River Park.

HIRED

(from Zach)

Today I leave THE FIRM for the last time (at least for a season). I turn in my BB and building pass. Today an entire season of life is over - the journey that began more than 3 years ago has an ending.
In August of 2005, I was running down a little road in the middle of OH desperately trying to prepare myself for the Marine Corp's officer school and trying to decide whether I was in love. Two months later, I was in Walter Reed Hospital in the middle of the night getting a CAT scan as the doctors tried to figure out what I had broken in my wrist. At that point, I knew two things: my dream of finishing OCS was gone and I was positive I did not want to go to law school. Two months after that, I was sleeping on the sofa in a house with 4 other guys I hardly knew and trying to figure out what to do with my life. Only the grace of God got me through that season - I don't know how I managed to live without a real home or job that I enjoyed for 9 months. The hardest part during that season was dealing with the feeling that everyone was a little disappointed with me for working a job as a janitor at the college from which I graduated with honors only months before. Fortunately, I had a seat at George Mason's law school and had enough smart people around me to push me to take it. Equally fortunate was the fact that I got married before law school and had someone to help me through the hard spells of that first year of law school.
A year ago, I was working for free at the DOJ and sending out dozens of resumes to law firms. Marybeth gave up any kind of nice anniversary present or trip so I could interview in NYC. Almost a year ago to the day, I interviewed with the hiring chair at THE FIRM in a hotel room in lower Manhattan. The day did not start off very well: the subway had closed due to the rain and we got lost on our way to the interviews. I arrived, dripping wet and upset, minutes before the first of 13 interviews. Somehow, my dearest wife dried me off, pulled me together, and kept me moving through 7 hours of interviews. THE FIRM called me back for a second interview and I began a series of day trips to NYC from DC as I courted it and several other firms. I was getting pretty discouraged after receiving rejection letters from countless firms. For the first couple weeks, I saved them, but when they starting coming by the 3s and 4s everyday in the mail, I just gave up and started throwing them away. Ultimately, I ended up with two offers: one from THE FIRM and one from a DC branch office of a large firm (that has subsequently fired people because of the economic downturn). We opted for NYC, not knowing how how the details would work out. Now, we are at the end of the summer and I have received and accepted an offer of a full-time job in a year at THE FIRM. Those details have all worked out and a new set of unknowns lies on the horizon. Marybeth will be starting her MBA at AN IVY LEAGUE this fall and we have been blessed with a home for me in VA while I finish school. God has been good. I do not think I could have found a better fit for a place to start out as an attorney and I believe it is the next step toward something bigger. The summer was amazing. Unlike some firms, there are no people that think they own the world based solely on their law school's reputation, there are no screamers, no assigning partners that drive junior associates into the ground, and no expectation for you to completely sell your soul. The firm values performance and social normalcy, two things that are sometimes overlooked. As summer associates, we have had a great time, drank enough hard liquor to preserve us for life, eaten several herds of cows (or at least their steaks), and generally gone from forty-odd strangers to more-or-less family in 12 weeks. Everyone passes the 48-hour test, meaning we will be able to work on a deal closing together for 48 hours straight and not kill each other. I will honestly be glad to return - while I value the freedom of being a summer associate, there will also be a good feeling to being a full-time, contributing member of the team. After weeks of working 80+ hours working construction and cleaning bathrooms, law firm life looks less scary. As much as this feels like an ending, I don't want to see it as such. Even as the future has become more clear, in that I have a job I could conceivable keep for the next 40 years, I have become increasingly concerned about settling down mentally. While I am perfectly comfortable with working a regular job and assuming adult responsibilities, I don't ever want to let that daily routine become a mental default. I believe this is a step and not an ending point in our lives. I want to look back in 3 or 30 years and see that the same drive and divine blessing that brought us to this point was not the end, was not just a way for us to gain a comfortable but static life. So, here's to the future.
Now, off to the last happy hour.

Apartment Living

One of the joys of living in an apartment is finding creative ways to overcome the challenges of having anything shipped to you. When I was growing up, I never thought anything about having UPS deliver a package--in fact, we had the same driver for so long that they knew to drive around the back of the house to deliver packages instead of putting them on the front porch. And if there was no one home, it was only rarely that they wouldn't just leave the package. Not so in an apartment. You have to be home to get the package. And they have to know your apartment number to tell you they're at the door. At least in a building like ours without a doorman.
So, today, I knew that I should be getting a package from something I had ordered. Silly me, though, I had failed to include the apartment number on the shipping address. When I looked at the clock and realized that it was about the time that UPS usually delivered, I went online and checked the tracking status. Sure enough, it said there was a problem because they didn't have the apartment number. But I thought to myself, "I'll run down and see if by chance they left it in the building's entrance..."
The package was not in the entrance, but the UPS truck was still stopped down the street. Long story shorter? I ran down the street, stopped the driver as he was starting the ignition, and told him that I was the silly person in the apartment up the street without an apartment number, and could I please get my package? And I did.
That will teach me to forget my apartment number in the shipping address again! Now, if only I could have an automated service to answer for my packages when I'm not here.... That will have to wait, I suppose!