Monthly Archives: May 2008

Pondering

Posted on May 31, 2008 by | Leave a comment

The internet is one of those things that you can not imagine life without.

I remember a very patient friend explaining email to me – embarrassing to admit now – but I was completely perplexed about where the email was when my computer was not connected. I mean was it just lurking in the phone plug somewhere?

Now I am not so sure I am any more certain where it is and I remain curious to know what would happen to all the information flying above our heads if we were to flick off all the computers at the same time. However, I can not imagine what I ever did without the distraction of email, facebook and youtube.

And it is youtube that is proving the most valuable of all things procrastination at the moment. I am frequent trips down memory lane; video apparently killed the radio star, I do come from the land down under and every now and then I leave on a jet plane. The best thing is that you never really need to buy these songs you can just play them quietly in your room and no one need know you are a John Denver fan!

However, one of my friends has led me even further into information overload available on the internet – I am sure I am a bit slow on the up take but have you checked out video jug?

My goodness you can learn anything on this site – from ‘How to Kiss Passionately” to “How to Iron a Shirt.“

Soon the internet will be our only way to connect and to learn. Although maybe this is not entirely accurate as videojug even has tips on how to make friends – PHEW!

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The girls are back

Posted on May 31, 2008 by | 2 Comments

The girls in the impossibly high heels and the tightest of tight dresses, living the impossible life in New York graced the screens of Cambridge this week. Goodness what a life they have lead and it does all come together in a very sweet ending, tears were shed!

They are a somewhat scary benchmark to consider though. Do I really want to be quite that skinny? Could I deal with the foot pain in those heels? Could I ever be as ambitious as Miranda? As confident in my self as Samantha? As sweet as Charlotte? Are we really meant to aspire to their lives?

However, there is one theme that carries through the film. As we all live faster, more demanding lives and things get bumpy connections with people remain the most important element.

Maybe that is the aspiration?

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Indiana is back…..

Posted on May 29, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Without a TV it is difficult sometimes to place your brain in that perfectly neutral position, just for a little rest… you know how it goes.

On Sunday evening we snuck along to the local Independent Cinema, The Picture house for what was definitely not an Independent Film; Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the crystal skull.

It seems that both Indie and I have aged over the years.

Although fortunately the film does not pretend that he is a spring chicken anymore….with plenty of “hey old man jokes”.

However, while it was an ok film for a Sunday evening the end is just a little bit to implausible even for the academic who has beaten the Nazi and outwitted poisoned darts a number of other occassions.

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Assignment Forest

Posted on May 26, 2008 by | Leave a comment

After each term or a particularly horrendous period of assessment has passed by – we have been promised, that the final term will be easy, a breeze, a walk in the park. This promise has always been just hanging in the air, out of reach, the carrot to get you through, keep you motivated.

Now that I am well and truly into my final term, with only a few weeks of lectures left all I can see ahead is a forest of assignments to over come.

I have no idea who made the promise of a smooth and cruisey final term. Maybe it is one of those MBA myths that seem to abound…. passed from one year to the next…

It may also be that as the weeks evaporate we are forced to face the end of a great, amazing year of friendship, adventure and really hard work. The desire to make the most of the last few pub nights, formals, parties has over taken any interest in doing readings or reviewing cases? I suspect that this may be the real reason for my completely chaotic desk and the feeling that I am always one assignment behind everyone else!

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Sporting Oxbridge

Posted on May 25, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Yet again I realise that I have muscles in many places I had forgotten!

Yesterday was spent playing sport against our arch rivals Oxford.

Well that is what I am meant to say about people from “the other place” – who I believe refer to us as Fen Polytechinc.. How cheeky! At the risk of destroying centuries of bitterness; they were a lovely bunch of people and it was excellent to see those we had met at MBAT again.

Most of the sporting action occurred at St John’s College. I found myself playing Squash again, and while we didn’t win, I think this time we gave their team a run for their money with it all riding on the final game. I also played Touch Rugby which I completely, absolutely and totally suck at! All of those years playing Netball means I just can not throw backwards while running! It was however fun to be running about with class mates and even some lecturers who displayed enormous sporting talent.

Overall, it was an excellent day. Made so by the Oxford team, the enormous amount of work done by the organising team here in Cambridge and everyones desire to to get out in the sun and have fun!

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Creating Creativity

Posted on May 25, 2008 by | Leave a comment

My Goodness what a week! Talk about busy busy…

Between assignment hand ins and the like, we spent 2 days trying very hard to get Creative.The point being that by unleashing our thoughts in a creative direction we will discover even better business ideas and I suspect solutions.. Plus there were parts of hilarious fun. Can you imagine a whole bunch of MBA’s singing West Side story and even better shaking shakers while singing African tunes!

It was a brilliant two days with the team from Saatchi, Britten Sinfonia and our fearless Strategy Leader!

Who know’s maybe now the ideas will follow for the remaining assignments?

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Supermarkets

Posted on May 20, 2008 by | Leave a comment

I have to confess to finding supermarkets one of the most intriguing places to go when you first move to a new country or even when you are just there for a few days. And quite possibly the WOREST form of shopping when you are at home.

I remember visiting my Grandparents in the UK when I was a teenager and being amazed at the amount and different types of Bacon available in the Sainsbury – there was an entire aisle devoted to this particular cut of pork!

In the states my lasting memory is of 100′s and 1000′s of types of cereal, just about every flavour and shape imaginable. Although I have since learnt about Whole Foods which is the fanciest supermarket ever… and is creeping into the UK.

However, I think my current favourite supermarkets are those in France. My goodness all those amazing, artery clogging cheeses! Excellent!

I have now been in the UK long enough not to glean much delight from the supermarket experience. Although today was an exception. I don’t normal get to the local Sainsbury supermarket during the day being the studious MBA that I am – but todays task was really dull and trawling the supermarket shelves was preferable!

As I was waiting in the queue – I meet this amazing and super chatty lady who imparted 3 cost effective, nutritious recipes to me while I waited. Although, to be truthful, I am not so sure about the the morning porridge being mixed with onions and chicken stock to make the evening soup.

It was however a great distraction to what is a run of the mill boring task..

So my plan to improve the supermarket – is to strike up conversations with people in the queue from now on. It would seem there is no end to the fascinating things you can learn!

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Do gooder MBAs on video!

Posted on May 18, 2008 by | Leave a comment

I wrote a blog a few weeks ago now about the Red Balloon Project. One of the multi-skilled MBA’s has turned into a rather remarkable video…

So take a look.

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Single Success

Posted on May 17, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Leadership in Action is one of the most amazing parts of the MBA at Judge Business School. It is hosted by Lord Dennis Stevenson, who is quite the orator. Each week he brings along an amazing group of incredible people. You know the type of people who you just wish you could have for dinner!

This week we enjoyed Baroness Young and Sir Hayden Philips. Both truly inspiring and surprisingly honest in their thoughts. However, the one thing that I truly appreciated was the honesty with which Baroness Young mentioned her out of work life.

There have been times when I have sat in the lecture theatre where people have espoused how they could never have achieved without their spouse or partner. That they are key. Now I know they do not mean to imply that single people will not be successful but sometimes it feels that way. So it was just wonderful to hear from such a dynamic woman that she feels her family, friends and god children fulfill this role for her.

So phew there is still hope of success!

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Accounting Amazement

Posted on May 17, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Oh my god I passed, with a mark just a little above the average!

This is no less than truly amazing.

The accounting exam was in January – so many months ago now but still a very real and horrific legacy of worry has been floating about since then for many of us. There was this one really nasty question worth 40% of the paper…..

Anyway, it would seem that the MBA gods have been merciful on this occasion and I am through!

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