Undeveloped thoughts

I just returned from my quick 2 day trip to Florida for Thanksgiving and now I'm consumed with Investments and Financial reporting as I have to take both of these exams by Friday. So in the interest of keeping my blog up to date here are some things that have been on my mind but haven't really developed into full blogs yet.

• Why do they always play episodes of Law and Order SVU and CSI right before I go to bed? I always head to my bedroom, alone, with visions of one hundred brand new ways for a potential murderer to sneak into my house with the intentions of torturing and killing me. I had no idea how many psychopaths have axes to grind with the local CSI investigator. I guess the real question is why can't I just turn the TV off and maybe do some homework...
• While I stayed in a hotel this week, I caught up on the entire season of "I want to be Paris' new best friend." This show is best described as a glorious train wreck. I am fascinated that there are not only people who would put there selves through this sort of thing to be best friends with a celebrity that they know nothing about but also that I am so fascinated. Why can't I look away from this freak show? What does this show tell us about popular culture? I was switching back and forth between this marathon and coverage of the terrorist situation in India. I think that should also inspire some kind of deep commentary on our celebrity obsessed culture and America's self-centerdness (including my own) but I'm not feeling so inspired...
• During busy school times I spend a lot of time at Panera. The Panera in Cleveland has a chipper blond girl whose peppiness used to drive me crazy. I was sure it was fake. However, after weeks of continuous observation, I have come to the conclusion that she genuinely enjoys her job and really is generally this happy to serve the people she encounters every day. I somewhat envy this girl and wish that some of her peppiness would rub off on me.
• When did the Friday after Thanksgiving become Black Friday? I was one of the millions of people who braved the mall on Friday and had a girl at the Limited ask me if I was having a good Black Friday. I wasn't sure how to respond. I don't remember this title being used so generously in years past...
• Florida State's online portal that I use for EVERYTHING school related has been down all day. This is a real problem considering I have 2 exams this week, set aside this entire day to study and can't get access to any of the study materials I need to accomplish this task. I am more than a little frustrated.

Whimsical Wisdom and a Stock Tip. What a deal!

I've haven't written in a while. This is an obvious statement if you are one of my six faithful followers who lay awake at night hoping that tomorrow may bring another morsel of whimsical wisdom from the all too often ignored Sound and the Fury (please insert a heaping dose of sarcasm here).

My "free time" (please understand that this term is being used quite liberally) this week has been consumed writing a final paper for my investments class on Coach. As per usual, I left the paper to the last possible minute and ended up hating myself and any sort of writing by yesterday when it was due. It was not my best work due to the fact that apparently I've developed a case of senioritis, even though I have at least a year if not two before I finish my MBA.

I originally picked Coach because I've never been a fan of their purses and I think they have over saturated the market. As a retailer of trendy fashion accessories, the kiss of death has to be the fact that thousands of 13 year old girls are proudly sporting their outlet purchased bags to middle schools and youth groups all over the country. However, after some analysis I discovered that not only are their financial reports and business plan excellent but their unique market position as an "accessible luxury" has caused them to become more successful than any of their counterparts in the $100 plus handbag arena.

I don't know why I chose to share this but I found it fascinating. They perfectly priced their product within reach of most Middle class consumers but not low as to not be valued or coveted. Maybe I'm becoming a business geek after all but whoever thought of this was genius. So for those of you looking to buy some stock with long term growth potential, look at Coach. As I type it is only $13.80 per share and some analysts predict it could increase to $80.00 by 2011. I have some J.Alexanders stock I could trade in...

I always begin blogs thinking I have nothing to say and then end them after 3 paragraphs realizing I didn't say what I wanted to, but surely after 3 paragraphs no one is still reading anyway. :)

(I have recently found myself addicted to smiley faces...seriously is there a support group? Maybe it could also include people who excessively type LOL. I am more than somewhat skeptical that everyone is laughing out loud as much as they claim. )

I love fall

Moving to Tennessee from Florida was quite an adjustment for me. One of the things that made me love living in Cleveland is how beautiful it is this time of year. Here is an obligatory fall picture to be enjoyed by those of you in the big city who may not be so lucky to drive to work and see this.

The Mayor: Another long blog

My Dad’s birthday was last week and for fear of giving the appearance of playing favorites I want to dedicate this blog to the man who I’ve known as Lance, Uncle Hootie, China Pete and most recently The Mayor. As a child, Dad always spent time with me. Once he called me from my room where I was in bed for the night to change the channel because the remote was broken. There was also the time he made me touch my tongue to my nose in front of a bunch of dinner guests, which was an agonizing experience for such a shy girl. I remember Dad crank calling me when I went to sleepovers and how on long car rides he would say “body parts” over and over because I would, as he put it, “laugh at anything,” and I always did.

Dad taught my Sunday School class for as long as I can rememberand subsequently was the one who taught me most everything I know about the bible. Even now, whenever I come up with some new idea, I always run it by my father. While we don't always (or usually) agree the dialogue helps me sort out my thoughts. One of my most special memories is when I started going on missions trips my father would always sneak a hand written letter into my luggage for me to find when I made it wherever it was that I was going. The letters would say that he and Mom were proud of me and that they would pray for me when I was gone. He would always tell me he could see the hand of God on my life and how he couldn’t wait to see how God would use me. I always looked forward to getting those letters, even though they made me cry every single time.


When I was in high school, My Dad was laid off from work. He worked any job he could to make ends meet for my family even though some of the jobs had horrible hours or weren’t the most dignified of positions. He made many sacrifices to provide for me and my brothers to have the best of everything and he still does that today. I don’t know if I ever told him how much I appreciated what he did for us, but it set a profound example for me and my brothers. A few years ago Dad quit his career to help teach the high school students at my Mother’s school. I like to watch my Dad in his class because he is more than a teacher but also a mentor to many young boys and girls who don’t have a positive role model in their lives.

My Dad continues to be supportive of me and my goals. This summer, he even traveled with me to Cambodia. I was so honored that he cared enough about what I do to give up 3 weeks to travel with me and see it for himself. China Pete bonded with the kids and teenagers he met and let me lead even when he didn’t always agree with my decisions. I consider myself lucky to have such wonderful parents and I know that without their influence I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

An Impassioned Plea

It is time for an intervention. Let me drop a truth bomb on you, the High Five is completely lame and unoriginal. I don’t say this to hurt or offend but because I think we can be better. Let’s not settle for the celebratory gestures of a generation gone by. As a generation who embraces change and individuality, we should strive to find new less dumb looking ways to commemorate our victories.

I’ve wanted to say this for quite some time but I was afraid. I was afraid to buck the status quo, afraid to question the way things have always been done. However, the historic events of this past week have taught me that we can dream of a brighter future and a better tomorrow whose dawn will not be celebrated with a ridiculously outdated hand gesture. Yes we can.

Why do I think it’s time to embrace change? I have always reviled the high five. I hate that I am expected to slap any hand that is randomly thrown in the air even if I don’t feel moved to rejoice. I don't understand how the slapping of hands in the air constitutes some sort of celebration, and frankly I think they look dumb. I find it perplexing that not returning a high five comes off as the ultimate insult when I am the one who should be insulted. Why should I be forced to meet your hand in the air just because you decide to elevate it? Our friendship should not be determined by your ability to control me. I am a free thinking individual who frankly doesn’t like being forced to do something I don’t want to for the sake of “common courtesy.”

We are in a new era. We have embraced change and set ourselves apart as a generation who champions individuality and freedom. We are encouraged to live the life we have imagined and to chase our dreams at all costs. I dream of a future without high fives. I believe we can make this dream come true. Don’t tell me change can’t happen. Yes we can change! Yes we can!

Fair and Balanced

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

I'm fair and balanced.

Government Cheese

At 9:00 a.m. I received the following email from my father:

Did you make it in to work today? I wasn't sure if you were out all night getting drunk on changity change or if you were already getting into line for your free government cheese. Have a great day.

Love Dad

I was going to blog my reflections on the election but for this morning my father's poignant and profound commentary should suffice.

There's got to be sanity around here somewhere

It’s been about a week since I last wrote a blog. One of the reasons I was hesitant to even start a blog was that if I wasn’t consistent then my blogspot would be yet another testament to my lack of commitment and faithful resolve, a published record of my messy and inconsistent life that never ends up like I had planned. But here I am…I guess it’s time to catch up.

It's not that my week was uneventful, it was actually quite the opposite. However, this last week have left me feeling a little uneasy and quite unsettled. I've sat down to write 100 times but my thoughts seem disconnected and messy. I'm questioning truth and fate, my story and the role of faith. To be perfectly transparent, its been overwhelming.

I've been listening to a lot of Ray LaMontagne and Martin Sexton. Music has always been therapeutic for me and listening to either of these artist's thoughtful lyrics and rich tones has been a saving grace. I must have listened to Faith on the Table 100 times today. This isn't my favorite version of this song (there is one on myspace that is incredible) but the lyrics describe so perfectly where I am. I'm sure there is sanity here somewhere, I've just got to find it.




When you're down and feeling left out
Wondering what this pain is about
Here's something mother taught me When I was a child
It's passed down from an old generation
To let us all in on the new revelation
See the light and comfort will be on the way

it's on the way

Just take a little faith off the table
And get a little hope out of the jar
There’s got to be sanity around here somewhere
and let’s shake it up.