Things I miss...

Obviously there's all of you beautiful people reading this (and lots of you who aren't :), but a conversation I just had reminded me of a few things that I've yet to find here or maybe haven't really spent the time to find. I hope it is the latter.

Are there times in life where you feel something is missing. Your entire being is functioning. You're in a great place. You are actually happy. There's obviously dreams you have yet to achieve but if someone stopped you on the street and said, "Hey Bud - are you happy?" what would you say?

Personally, if you don't know the person I would probably suggest you bolt, but say it was a kind old gentleman/woman/child. (not that I don't trust the rest of us/you - its just that the universal symbols for innocence are in the extreme spectrums of age... partially because they have yet to be corrupted or are wise enough to be thoughtful and reflective and partly because you can outrun them so you just as easily believe they are innocent).

And in this fictional scenario that question was raised - what would you say... I would say, "Heck yes, I am. And I'm happy to be happy, but sometimes... I know I could be just a little bit happier."

That's begging the stranger to ask a follow-up question, "Oh? Why's that chap?"

Because I've been spoiled by the gift of memory. I can be here now, but there's always what was and in those moments of what was, so many come flooding with happiness (many times skewed since your brain distorts good to great and meh to bad quite frequently) - that I wonder, in comparison to such events of what-was, how happy am I.

Ah, what a curse, init?

And right now, in all honesty, my response to this here person would be, "Sir/Ma'am/Kiddo - it is because I miss what I know."

By now, you are scratching your head, I hope. Or you're shaking it, which would mean you know me relatively well.

Because I think we can all agree that there's just about a ton of things I could be referencing, but none so core to who I am than

choc.o.late.MILK. ober.friggin.WEIS. I. kid you. NOT!

what I would do for a bowl of cereal with oberweis chocolate milk right now, I don't even think I can express in words. You have to see it in my eyes.

yes, you are.

There are of course other food-related items, but also non-food related items like certain pens, cable TV (not that much actually), and of course - a bass and an amp. Music. I mean we could launch into a philosophical debate.

But back to chocolate milk. Now I'm not saying that you should do this but if my birthday was coming up (March 21st) then why not send me what you know I want?

Trick question - because by the time it got here, it would either be spoiled and/or refused by Customs. And the pang of seeing but not being able to enjoy would further propel me into my nostalgic moments of what-was.

Instead, do me the second favor of making sure to purchase some of this oh-so-lovely goodness. The more of us that purchase, the higher their sales and hopefully profit margins (if their marginal costs are higher than their COGS, etc...) - the more cash, the more investments, and the more expansion considerations are raised.

Soon, Oberweis will be more prevalent than Starbucks, and then you'll know, in your heart-of-hearts, that you were part of the revolution. And it was all part of a birthday present.

If THAT is not fulfilling I don't know what is.

Boom Boom - tricked you again - by now you should be saying, "We know what is... Oberweis Chocolate Milk ya freak!"

100 points. You pass.

Thank you.

"Peace dudes." -RM.

Bollywood Blast at Bill'Art!

So last night was the "last night" of parties at INSEAD for the next 2 weeks. The reason, obviously, is because we have Period 1 Exams coming up.

Uncertainty, Data, & Judgement
Prices & Markets
Organisational Behaviour (like the spelling ;)
Financial Market Valuation
Financial Accounting

And that is about it, thankfully. We're back to back Monday - Wednesday. Should be fun. So the campus has pretty much shutdown. The P3s (our seniors) have already left campus for their break so we've got all the study space to ourselves. Very smart, INSEAD. I like your foresight. Two points.

Anyhow, in preparation for said shutdown, we decided to throw a Bollywood-themed party and what a night it was! At first it was just going to be a DJ playing some Bollywood numbers. Somehow, we got talking and decided that any Bollywood themed party needed to have a choreographed number and so yours-truly got somehow recruited to help choreograph said-number.

1hr. 2:30 min dance. Beedi. Ready, Set, Go!

It was a BLAST. We had an Asian American step in to the number (and she outdid most of the Desi Girls!) - we've petitioned that she gets a PIO card or some such attestation :)

The turnout was great and what's even greater was that lots of non-Indians were dressed in quite traditional clothing - Salwars, Sarees, etc... A night full of great colors and combinations! Only issue was that one of the sets of speakers kept fuzzing around and we're not sure why the owner of the bar wouldn't turn up the music. It is hard to dance when your singing-along-with-a-song is louder than the song itself!

Got home around 4:23 and have been spending all of today working... because that is just about what is going to be needed from here on until March 9th!

My apologies if I disappear, but I will try to stay true to the once-a-week posts!

Much love... and pics from the Bollywood party might make their way here (I'm not too good with uploading pics with posts since I write them on Sunday nights just before hitting the hay and going through folders to find pictures hits the backburner pretty quickly! :)

Time Zones~

I just realized that these are the following time zones I need to keep track of (so if I miss dates/days or specific times, I apologize ahead of time)!!!

Bangkok +6
India +4.5
Dubai +3
Iraq +2
France =0
UK -1
New York/Michigan -6
Chicago/Iowa/Nebraska -7
California -5

As some of my housemates might say - what the foil?

Anyhow, that is pretty crazy. I wonder if Skype is truly the only/best way to communicate or not. By the way, I'm on Skype as cybermonk2001 in case you use it! We can talk :)

Today is bidding for Campus Exchange. I've decided after lots of discussions with family & friends, to really maximize the INSEAD experience and stay in France/Singapore for the entire term instead of possibly doing an exchange with Wharton.

Exams in 2 weeks. A short break. And then back into the madness!

And apparently P2 is supposed to be even more interesting!

On a side note - just received emails from people about housing, banking, transportation, and other such queries around Fontainebleau. I can't BELIEVE there's already another class of students getting ready to join us! Where is the time going?

Too many exclamation points in this here post, so I think that is a sign.

Two. Dulz.

Bidding!

so here we go. the spice of INSEAD is back on the table. Just when I thought I had things figured out we had a little bit of a twist thrown in to z mix.

INSEAD has 2 campuses - one in France, where I'm at, and one in Singapore, where I hope to be soon :)

INSEAD also has exchange programs with Kellogg and Wharton towards the end of the year where you  can take advantage of the on-campus recruiting facilities as well as the added benefit of being IN USA IN person during part of the recruiting cycle. Depending, of course, on where you want to end up in the future, you basically have to bid certain number of points for each of the periods for each of the locations.

P1 - Jan & Feb
P2 - Mar & Apr
P3 - May & Jun
Summer - Jul & Aug
P4 - Sept & Oct
P5 - Nov & Dec

And here I am. with a few points and a few ideas and absolutely no idea how the heck I'll be deciding and where to go when. Well, that's a lie. I know I want to head to Singapore and I am contemplating Wharton. Truth be told, however, there are certain areas I wish to work at/in which I know INSEAD specializes in, so going to Wharton might not be the best option.

Some say, Take advantage of the "REAL" INSEAD experience - i.e. Singapore & France while others remind me that Wharton & Kellogg are an added benefit and very much a part of the INSEAD experience. I just have to realize and decide what is the right experience for me and my long term goals. Of course, I have to also consult a few other people whose lives are directly impacted ;) but that goes without saying.

So I guess "we" have to decide now. And when I say now, I actually mean now. I have a few days before I bid, and then that's that!

End of the day, I'm excited for yet another piece of the INSEAD puzzle.
It'll be crazy.
It is filled with uncertainty.
But I know I've got to figure this out soon, so here goes!

I wonder what would happen...

If I put all my professors into a single space and threw out a topic at them. I want to say random topic but I feel like that would give the statistician a headstart!

In the past week I have watched VDOs in different classes about completely different situations - one was 12 Angry Men for an Organi(s)ational Behavior course while the other was this really odd video from the 70s about how a statistician saves the day. Sadly youtube doesn't have it, but don't fret, I will find it!

Anyhow, I really do wonder since they are such experts in their own fields, how much of their brain has become so focused on their expertise that their brains are over-developed AND under-used!

Seriously been thinking about this a lot recently especially since professors are touching on similar themes in various different methods. All very interesting. All very eye-opening!