Category: Personal

Tonight was the second class meeting for my Social Entrepreneurship course. We had four guest speakers from the Digital Vision Program over at Stanford come by to talk to us — three were program fellows and the 4th was a staff member.

We got to hear about each person’s project and plans, how they arrived at their decisions to start social ventures, and the challenges they were facing. It was fascinating. And the thing that struck me the most was how optimistic they all were. You have to have a pretty high degree of self-confidence in order to commit to doing a startup, but this was a different kind of optimism — these people felt that they could not only start a successful venture, but also that what they were doing would make a real difference in the world’s problems. By the end of class, the room had a distinct buzz as people swapped business cards, ideas, and networking plans.

I left class feeling really great, and am hoping that the rest of the course will be as inspiring and informative as tonight was.

Now that the spring semester is over, my thoughts are turning to my summer plans. I’m taking 2 classes this summer, one of which is a ‘study tour’ — two weeks in Barcelona, to be spent with a professor from chool and 10 other classmates, visiting Spanish businesses and learning more about doing business in Europe. I’m excited; this will be my first vist to Spain.

After a lot of struggle and shopping arund, I even managed to get a decent fare to Europe. This, though, got my spirits down a bit.

Rough Summer Is on the Way for Air Travel

Planes are expected to be packed fuller than at anytime since World War II, when the airlines helped transport troops. Fares are rising. Service frills are disappearing.

[snip]

With airlines generally not expanding and traffic rising, is “fully loaded” the new normal in a business that for decades flew planes at 60 to 70 percent capacity? The ability to compare fares easily on the Internet has driven down ticket costs but also helped airlines to sell the very last seat.

[snip]

“The thing that’s starting to bother travelers more than anything else is the comfort factor, not the fare factor,” said Kevin Maguire, the in-house travel manager for Applied Materials, a technology company based in Santa Clara, Calif. “The airlines, federal government, general public need to sit down collectively and find a way to get the transportation system back in order,” he said. “I’ve never seen it this bad.”

Oh joy.

I’ve done what I can to try to ensure a comfortable trip. I cashed in all my built-up AA miles and am flying First class SFO – NYC (woohoo!). Then I switch to Air France for the international leg. That flight will be in the cattle car section, though. SeatGuru says Air France has been reconfiguring some of their planes, but whether that’s for the better or worse is unknown.

This trip will also mark the longest time Scott and I will have spent apart in more than a decade. I hope it’s not too lonely without him.

Finals are over, all papers and projects have been completed. Only five more classes stand between me and my MBA. Yay!

To celebrate completing my 3rd semester of school, I’m using the gift certificate my sister kindly got me for my birthday and having a Day of Beauty at a really nice SF spa. Four treatments plus lunch. It’s been years since I was at a spa, I’m looking forward to it.

After that, I’ll be heading off to the school’s official graduation party. It will be fun, but also a little sad. Quite a few of my closest friends in the program are graduting this semester, and I’ll miss them. Some will be staying nearby, so staying in touch won’t be that hard, but others are heading back to their home countries, and that’s not quite so easy.

Tonight, though, is about having fun and celebrating what we’ve achieved. I’ll be sad tomorrow.

I took my Finance final tonight. The Spring semester is officially over!

I should be back to a more normal blogging schedule shortly. I know I’ve missed a lot of topics I wanted to post about but just didn’t have time or energy. Some topics I’ll just have to let slide, but others will be forthcoming.

I’m here, just running quiet due to the last week of classes & a ton of stuff due.

While half of Columbia (or so it seemed) was hitting my blog today, I was out at PacBell / SBC / AT&T Park watching my Mets kick the Giants’ butts. It was a great game. Perfect weather, good seats (Thanks Brendan!), and exciting play. I’m hoarse, sunburned, and exhausted, but I had a great time.

Unfortunately Bonds hit his 711th home run in his first at-bat (the bottom of the 9th) to tie the game, but even that turned out OK because his 2nd at-bat was a pop fly out to end the game.

After seeing Bonds in action, I’ve come to think that Aaron’s record may be safe after all. Bonds’ mobility is shot. He’ll be lucky to make it through this year, and unless he leaves the Giants and becomes a DH somewhere else, I don’t see how he’ll be able to play through to another 45 home runs. He can barely take the field.

And in the “It takes all kinds to make a world” department, here’s a guy who was sitting nearby in the stands: