By choice, I'm pretty much always connected. How I don't need glasses is beyond me! But this is where I talk about the discoveries I find while I'm here.

Running 6 miles in the snow is just a little difficult But being outside and being able to enjoy the sun makes it SO worth it!

So in order to keep track of the things I need for my school applications I’m making, as I often do, a “To Do” list.

• Original Transcripts from undergraduate school(s):
  American Academy of Art
  Columbia College Chicago
• Letter of recommendation (1)
• Letter of recommendation (2)
• GMAT Test (550 or higher)
• Current Resume
• Statement of Purpose
• Application Fee (varies per school)

As I feel these things become completed I’ll cross ‘em off…simple! Ha!

Ok, so original transcripts won’t take much more than a letter or a couple of phone calls. The Application fee is going to be easy as well. I also think that getting letters of recommendation from 2 co-workers will be relatively easy but if they need to be from separate areas of my life that might be a touch more tricky, but still nothing I’m too worried about.

What I AM worried about is the rest of it!

Updating my resume, which is about 5 years old, is going to be a pain in the butt. I can’t see that this is terribly crucial however, considering that many grad students come straight from undergad with little to no work experience. I know this is not the case for me, however, it’s not like I’m actually job hunting so I may be able to get away with a light update. I’ve been fleshing out my LinkedIn profile over the past couple of months in anticipation of this so I’ve being working on it little by little.

Slightly more daunting is the statement of purpose. I know why I want to continue my education it’s just a matter of putting all those thoughts down in a very organized, logical, and not-to-mention interesting way. This will just take some time and re-work, and more re-work.

Now, we get to the mother of all pains in the butt…the GMAT. Who’s idea was it to demand standardized tests as a criteria of acceptance anyway? I need a 550 or higher for most of the schools and programs I’m considering…sounds attainable since the highest you can get is 800. Plus, I don’t know if you can use an ACT score as an indicator but I got a 26 on that without really trying so I feel like with nose-to-the-grindstone attitude I can get a 600 or higher. I need to take a few practice tests to see where I land at the moment and see where I need to focus most.

I know for a fact, however, that I’m going to need to spend a considerable amount of time brushing up on my Math skillz (that’s right, I busted out the z). I hated math in high school and I’m still not that great at it. Although I am a bit more open to the subject these days as I can now see how it helps to keep you sharp even if you’re not trying to calculate the time that 2 trains will meet if one leaves the station at…

It also won’t kill me to brush up on my writing skills. I’m sure I have horrible grammar habits having been so marketing and design focused these past few years. I feel like blogging has helped a bit even though I still can’t spell worth a lick!

With all that said, maybe taking this GMAT test won’t be so bad. If nothing else it’ll make me stronger in critical thinking (not to mention make me go out and drink less

I’ll keep ya posted once this all gets underway in the coming weeks. Oh, and if anyone has any thoughts, pearls of wisdom, or questions please leave a comment below.

Cheers!!!

The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would hire them away.
Ronald Reagan

Anything not worth doing is worth not doing well. Think about it.
Elias Schwartz

About the time we think we can make ends meet, somebody moves the ends.
Herbert Hoover
US mining engineer & politician (1874 – 1964)

Perhaps in time the so-called Dark Ages will be thought of as including our own.
Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742 – 1799)

If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must Man be of learning from experience.
George Bernard Shaw
Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 – 1950)

When we got into office, the thing that surprised me the most was that things were as bad as we’d been saying they were.
John F. Kennedy
35th president of US 1961-1963 (1917 – 1963)

Year in Review…

So 2007 is just about over huh? People always say it but seriously…these years just go by faster and faster each time. So what did I do this year? Let’s look together shall we?

Went to NYC for the first time
For Jessica’s birthday…wish I had gone to college there…so much fun

Went to Atlanta for the first time
for the HOW Design Conference, thanks work! This was also the same weekend that I went to NYC…I know, I’m a little jetsetter huh? Lol. Talk about a packing challenge! I even found room to come back with the awesomest pair of shoes ever!

Started running for some reason for the first time in my life
I’m now somewhat obsessed with running

I quit smoking
…for the most part; I’ll still have one once in a while but it’s very few and far between

Ran in 2 marathons, completed 1
got to mile 16 in Chicago when it was called off, finished in Indianapolis 2 weeks later

I was on the channel 7 news!
See my previous blog about my 15 minutes of fame if you’d like to hear more

Took a liking to yoga…but it doesn’t like me
It gives me what I call Yoga-puffy-face the next day. I’d show you the picture but it’s SOOOO BAD. Maybe I’ll post it…I look like an alien

I was stung by a bee for the first time, 10 bees to be exact!
It was a morning like any other, got up, got ready for work and was surprisingly ahead of schedule (I’m not a morning person). I even had a cute skirt and heels on because felt like dressing up a bit. I say goodbye to my dad, about to leave, went to my car and realized I forgot my running shoes. So I left my car on in the driveway, door open, and ran back into the house to grab my sneaks. As I walk back to my car I start to feel these tiny pinches near my ankles almost like the same feeling as a horsefly bite. I didn’t realize I was being attacked by a swarm of freakin’ bees but when I did I leaped into my car and shut the door. Not a good idea…THEY WERE IN THE CAR TOO! AHHHHHHHH! So now I fly out of the car but have to run through the swarm again because I was parked in the driveway so close to the bushes that I couldn’t run in front of the car with the driver’s side door open. I seriously wish I had this on video because at this point I’m totally freaking out and running down the drive way screaming and flailing my arms. My dad was standing in the doorway saw me bolt down the driveway, comes out of the house and yells “Get in the house! Get in the house!” Which I do. He asks if I’m ok, checks to make sure I don’t have an allergic reaction (which thank stars I didn’t), then goes out to brave the bees and get my car down the drive way so I can get in it. No sooner does he walk out then do I realize a bee followed me in the house! I screamed so loud I have no idea how my mom slept through all of this, haha! So my dad comes back in, I get all the stingers out of me, calm down and try to get in my car again. Phew! No more bees. Or so I thought…I’m at this point in the express lane on 90 about halfway to the office (I live in Park Ridge and work in the West Loop) when all of the sudden I hear bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. God bless it! It’s another damn bee! And I’m DRIVING… I was able to swat it to the backseat but now I’m constantly looking behind me to see where it’s at. Other drivers must be thinking, “What the hell is this woman doing?!” Finally I was able to get the bee out the back window and continue the rest of the day and summer bee free. I now however, have an irrational fear of bees. The end.

I started personal training
Merry Xmas to myself J My secret goal is to beat Laureen in an arm wrestling contest. She may be skinny but she’s a strong one! Shhhhhhhhh don’t tell her my evil plot muah ha ha.

Hiked 14 miles
In beautiful Shawnee National Forest. I’m inspirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred.

Went skiing for the first time in over 10 years
falling on my arse has never been more fun

That’s the highlights of 2007 I think. I know I’m missing stuff but I’ll add on as I think of stuff.
As for 2008 you ask?

Complete the Chicago Marathon
me and this town have some unfinished business to settle. It better not be 90 degrees again and there better be plenty of water…that’s all I have to say about that! Not looking forward to another 5 months of training and not going out with friends on Fridays. But to quote 300…For Glory!

Learn Japanese
Been trying half-heartedly for a few years now…time to get serious! So don’t be surprised when I start asking you what time it is in Japanese. So you’re prepared that’s “Ima, nan-ji desu ka?” Or if you ask me how I am and I answer Ohisashiburi desu ne. Go ahead and look at me funny but I just said “thanks to you I am fine” It’s a nice phrase huh?

I’d love to make it to Hawaii & Japan
But I’m not sure either will happen next year, think that’ll be a goal for 2009

Buy a condo in Chicago
Saving my pennies as best I can, while still having some sort of life. This may also more realistically happen in 2009. Get me out of the ‘burbs!!!!! AAAAAAAAArrrrrrrrrrgggggggg

Get better at Volleyball
I forgot to mention earlier that in 2007 I am now finally able to overhand serve fairly consistently! Next up…hitting and more consistent passes.

Horseback riding
Never been, sound like fun

White-water rafting
Never been, sounds like I might die? I mean…sounds like fun!

More skiing!!!!!

We’ll see what happens. It’ll be interesting to take a look back at the end of next year.

Best wishes to you all in your journeys and endeavors in 2008!