Jamie's Blog

Lisa and I took these pictures on our recent visit to the Grand Canyon. It was a beautiful place, and we hope to go back again someday.

Even though I scored in the 29th percentile in my age group, I am really happy with my results!  I finished 10 miles in 2:33:17. Hopefully I can improve upon that the next time I race!

2009 Broad Street Run results.

Here’s the link to the results page: http://results.active.com/pages/oneResult.jsp?pID=56187356&rsID=77533

What is it to be a part of the world? What connections are necessary to keep someone from drifting off into solitude? I’ve been feeling disconnected. Maybe it’s my work that is stifling me. It’s bottling my spirit and dumping it out into nothingness.

The spring term is almost over, and that just leaves two short summer terms and a fall term. I can feel it–I’m in the home stretch. But will I be any more happy after my graduate degree?

Work is still work. I try to find fulfillment in the things I do, but the task is becoming a chore. Maybe that is how it’s supposed to be. Mediocrity, my friend and partner, let us embrace.

I had a dream that Lisa and I were having dinner in Germany and she had to choose either steak with asparagus or some beef skewer dish for her entree. At first she chose the steak, but changed her mind to get the beef. Unfortunately, at that point, it was too late to make the switch, dinner having already commenced. I was annoyed with her fickleness and argued a bit but finally went to find a waiter who would agree to bring us some beef. “Are you the one with the beautiful wife?” he asked. “Yes, that’s me,” I replied. He agreed and brought us several beef skewers and I tipped him six dollars.

We’re planning on going to the Grand Canyon in May. We received a letter yesterday from the US Dept of the Interior containing a rejection of our proposed itinerary through the Canyon.

Lisa, not being aware of the contents, picks it up and is immediately alarmed at thoughts as to the contents.

“I thought you had been drafted or something,” Lisa said to me later.

School

Most boring MBA class yet: Finance 5001
Easiest MBA class yet: MIS 5001
Most entertaining MBA class yet: Marketing 5001
Most surprising MBA class yet: Accounting 5001
Most hated campus yet: Ambler
Times regretted pursuing MBA: 3

Hobbies

Last craft worked on: paper-mache Venetian Mask
Last hobby program: PHP database admin page for Ko
Last techy project: softmodded Wii
Last video game played: Tatsunoko vs Capcom
Last Starcraft race played: Toss
Last book finished: Power of One
Last book read/currently reading: Crime and Punishment
Next book to read: Kite Runner
Last song enjoyed: El Tango de Roxanne
Last movie watched: The Heartbreak Kid
Last restaurant eaten at: J.B. Dawson’s Restaurant and Bar
Last time I ran: March 7th–we played tennis

Family

Last time I told Lisa I loved her: last night before bed
Last task performed for parents: instructing on how to e-mail photos from a digital camera

Friends

Last friends seen: Hung and Priscilla
Last hangout: March birthdays at KOP Lonestar Steakhouse

My dad messaged me today, asking about my house hunting.

“jame did you go to see a house.dad”

This is the first message I’ve gotten from him. Obviously my mom showed him this new trick.

got back from Pris’ apartment

My mom IM’ed me for the first time recently. I had showed her how to do it via GMail awhile ago, but it just hadn’t happened. Then, the next day or two after, we had our first video chat. It was kind of weird, like when my dad found Youtube.

I danced with our nephew, Carter, today. We danced to Running Away by The Temptations. It’s important for children to grow up without being self-conscious about dancing or singing. They are both natural forms of expression and, without them, a human being is incomplete. I try telling my wife, but she still refuses to dance with me!