it's not just about having good hair: October 2008

Friday, October 31, 2008

365 days of boring

So I have to vent a bit. About the silly girls I see on Halloween. I have never understood how American women take the occasion of Halloween to let out their inner tigress. My argument: why limit it to Halloween? Be a powerful and lovely woman and all that stuff 365 days a year. Not just on holidays where it’s more socially acceptable to run around in thigh-high fishnets. Push the envelope. Do it on a random Thursday in March. Wear them under your pantsuit.
I don’t know why so many American women are uncomfortable with being sexy every day. Exhibit 1: J-Jill. The world’s worst store for women aged 20-60. Second only to Chico’s in its ability to take a perfectly beautiful woman and frump her up. Put on the Dansko clogs and voila!: instabore. Waddle over to your minivan and fetch the kids at soccer. Sheesh!

That’s not sexy. That’s wallpaper.
Women of America: please do not believe the myth that you have to hide how beautiful you are (only to be unleashed on Halloween). I’m not saying show a ton of skin all the time. But for heaven’s sake celebrate yourself! Don’t hide under shapeless fabric, ugly prints, and uninteresting silhouettes. Buy crazy jewelry. Wear brown shoes with black pants. Shop somewhere besides Ann Taylor and Banana Republic. Try to avoid saying “I just want something simple that goes with everything” for one blessed month. Stop being so sensible! Do you want that on your gravestone?

You might ask how high-and-MightyMandy might spend her Halloween? Not as a French maid. I will be this man.

There will be no cleavage.
(And Jonny will be Keira Knightly as Elizabeth Swan )

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Date night...with me

The other night I went to watch William Walter and Tucker Rogers' acoustic gig at Fellinis No. 9. Good stuff. I stayed for a bit then bailed to go to the Darden Pink Party, where Darden dressed up in pink and drank in the name of supporting breast cancer research. A convoluted way to get people to donate money to cancer research, but sometimes you have to go with the flow.

Back to WillWal's show: I went by myself. I was definitely dressed up. But nevertheless alone. I see now just how uncomfortable America is with this. I was at the bar just over an hour and got no fewer than 5 offers of drinks and 7 surrendered barstools. I was perfectly fine standing alone and watching WillWal and Tucker play; but a lot of people aren't. I guess a lone woman in heels and a coat is sorely in need of companionship, a barstool, appetizers, attention, and psychoanalysis.

When I first moved to North Carolina and lost my s.o. to the rigors of a PhD, I went to movies by myself. When I told my mother, she freaked out. It's as if I was one double-feature away from slitting my wrists. She had visions of someone finding me in the back of the theatre, bleeding out into my popcorn.

Unlikely.

It's up to me to feel uncomfortable when I'm alone. Nobody else has that power. It's pretty liberating, so on Friday night that I just grooved to the music of the boys and let other people wrestle with the concept of a woman alone in a bar. High heels or not, it isn't that strange, folks.

It wasn't just me who had the idea of going out alone. T.I. showed up at the Pink Party.

Why didn't he call me? We could've worn matching stunna shades.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Typhoon!

On a fittingly rainy day (today), the Piaggio Typhoon came into my life. She (or maybe it's a he?) is our around-town wheeliebike.
We made a new rule: no more driving Layla in Charlottesville unless it's to the recycling center or Lowe's. Knowing Gato ingenuity, he'll figure out a cargo system so those trips will be on the Typhoon, as well.
Troppo carino, no?

Best part? Mere pennie$ to fill up.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Sighted on the Appalachian Trail

A Two-Headed JonnyZano Monster. Rare indeed.
On a much-less important note than the sighting of mythical creatures: Darden held Session #2 on the State of the Economy. Here is the link and audio. I'm not sure that those who aren't Darden alums or students can access the video (some fancy permission thing. Almost as elusive as a Jackelope or a Two-Headed JonnyZano), but it's worth a try. It's led by our own Dean Bruner (who is headed toward a high-ranking political nomination if he's not careful) and features 5 Darden Trustee alums.
While we hear on a daily basis about "the opportunities this situation presents for business school graduates", it is nevertheless much more scary (and much less exhilirating) for those making day-to-day decisions in business. I acknowledge this with much respect. Call me on it next July when I dive into my responsibilities at Frito Lay...If I retain a pragmatic perspective I'll be thrilled! When your P&L is staring you in the face it's a lot harder to make the tough call. I guess that's why we pay $120,000 to figure out how to do it well and with aplomb (or at least fancy PowerPoints).
Along the lines of perspective, I often read the adventures of this guy. Daniel's blog details "...a wounded combat veteran turned medical student's road trip around the country to see the land he dedicated eleven and half years of his life to and meet his fellow Americans." Especially amusing is his account of visiting my homeland of Southern Oregon in his SUV named "Pinto Bean". I look forward to his posts because he thinks so uniquely and with a refreshing stream of consciousness that contrasts the at-times-unbearable-sophisticated-articulation I have to possess in b-school.
Thanks, Daniel! Keep us posted! Let us know if you see any Two-Headed JonnyZanos in the Blue Ridge.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Explanation unnecessary

The only caption needed is: "Yes, I took these. Today."

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Kitties! Everywhere!

jonnycat sent me this photo from his paris hotel room. clearly, high-class hotel art transcends nationality:

mom is trying to figure out the name for the baby kitty. here she is, with her uncle walter. walter doesn't usually look so peeved, but perhaps it's the sunlight in his green eyes.

the metal thing the kitten is embracing is a cast iron bunny. why do i mention it? it's one of those things i recall from my childhood. thankfully, my parents aren't knick-knack people. i guess that comes with being artists and educators; people know better than to give you crappy plastic resin figurines cast in a chinese factory frequented by hallmark. i grew up with yard sculptures larger than me, various stone and ceramic pieces that would send suburban moms into fits of hysteria at the "unsafety" of it all. the jrl ranch is definitely not child-safe; i think i got my first mild electrocution at age 9. touching an electric fence is a rite of passage for every country kid.

but back to the sculptures. i am amazed that they are still around. they were from my grandmother's garden in los gatos. i hear stories from friends who return home after college dismayed that mom & dad have done a full-scale remodel that included throwing out all decorative items not made in the current decade. i feel badly for those folks. my parents don't do that, and thankfully their decor never looks dated. when you enrich your life with beautiful and personal art, it seldom goes out of style. so i am a lucky kid; i am never embarassed by my mom's hideously 80's wallpapered bathroom. instead, it has original artwork, gorgeous paint, and the occasionial vintage jantzen swimsuit.

so thanks for having great taste through the ages, mom & dad!

now, about the kitten.

she needs a name.

it's up to you, dear readers, to nominate and vote. what will it be?

(i'm not sure "norma jean" will fly. even though she was once a jantzen model and is thus tangentially related to this post.)

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Le Chat en France

Jonnycat is in France at the Criterium du Levallois. Sure to be scintillating. It's in a Parisian suburb, which is a bit like visiting DC and then getting stuck in Reston. Eww.

But he somehow got a pic of le Tour Eiffel. See, Mom: he did the tourist thing...briefly.

He has been instructed to return with himself in one piece and some lacy things from Paris. We'll see how he does...

Friday, October 17, 2008

Sage words from Peter Senge

I had the good fortune of meeting Peter Senge last week. Just like so many people I meet during my time at Darden, he helped me add texture to and fortify the framework of my life's work. It gave me a more concrete vision of the changes that have already happened, might happen, and must happen for the human race to continue to inhabit this Earth. Each day that goes by, it becomes less and less refutable that we have a climate crisis spurned by a multitude of factors. One of the key influences is the Industrial Age.
This post demands a much more in-depth introduction to the Industrial Age and its phenomena, but suffice it to say it's what we all live in and are influenced by on nearly every level. It could be summarized (by Senge) as "The Choice behind our Choices". These are the assumptions driven by the Age from its beginning (140+ years ago) that are deeply entrenched in the mechanics of our current economic and social systems. Yes, we are becoming more aware of it and want to change it, but most organizational models still stem from the Age's assumptions:

Energy is infinite and cheap.
There will always be enough room to dispose of all our waste.
Humans can't possibly alter the global environment. For instance, weather patterns will remain relatively stable no matter how we act.
Humans are the primary species on earth; others are less important, and many are irrelevant.
Basic resources such as water and topsoil are unlimited. If limits or problems are encountered, markets and new technologies will re-allocate financial resources so we can continue with our current ways of living and working.
Productivity and standardization are keys to economic progress.
Economic growth and rising GDP are the best way to "lift all boats" and reduce social inequities.

By stark contrast, life beyond the Bubble will be based on choices reflecting very different beliefs, assumptions, and guiding principles, such as:

Surf the flux. Live within our energy income by relying on forms of energy that come from renewable sources such as solar, wind, tidal, and bio-based inputs.
Zero to landfill. Everything, from cars to iPods to office buildings and machine tools, is 100 percent recyclable, remanufacturable, or compostable.
We are borrowing the future from our children; we have to pay it back. Our first responsibility is to leave a healthy global biosphere for our children, their children, their children's children, and so on.
We are only one of nature's wonders. We are just one of the species that matter, and we all depend on each other in ways we cannot even imagine.
Value the earth's services; they come free of charge to those who treasure them. Healthy ecosystems are precious and must be treated as such.
Embrace the variety; build community. Harmony amid diversity is a feature of healthy ecosystems and societies.
In the global village, there is only one boat, and a hole sinks us all. Our mutual security and well-being depend on respect and concern for all. If any of us is insecure, then we all are.

He ends this chapter by stating: "The way in is also the way out. Just as our way of thinking got us into the situation we are in today, so, too, will our thinking - differently - help us find our way out."

(Needless to say, I skedaddled out, bought Senge's book and had him sign it. Which, in the spirit of the beckoning economy, is worth no more or less with his autograph.)

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Hi, Greed. It's Karma. Your number is up.

i'm pretty happy that the consequences of greed are rearing their ugly heads for those who decided to cheat. both in the financial sector and in cycling. too bad it completely screwed the honest ones. but i'm hoping that 1) those cheating bastards can't sleep one peaceful night for the rest of their lives and 2) this creates the turning of the tide that has needed to happen for some time now.

way to go, jerkwad. thanks for ruining it for everybody else.

ps: bernie kohl, i'll take it a bit easier on you because at least you admitted it straight away and didn't drag the world into a spiral of denial like the rest of your guilty lycra-clad colleagues. self-deception is the most addictive drug of all.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Leigh & Jeff Hopkins, October 10th, 2008

cutest of the cute leigh-wah married her aussie sweetie jeff on saturday. el gato presided over the ceremony from the groomsman's row.

leigh was stunning.

hoppy had long ginger hair as usual.

their wedding cake was a family tree

the aussies out-partied nearly everyone but gave the "stage race" victory to el gato, who apparently outlasted and "pulled up" just fine. he passed the final doping control in the form of a negative answer to "did your old lady wake up pissed at you during any of the three days leading up to the nuptials?"

with his party stage race victory in hand, gato proceeded to make enough money at the greenville criteriums to finance gas for layla.

well done.

as for me: i just tried to look cute.

Nostalgia (PS: This might make Portlanders mad)

I’m not a terribly sentimental person. I have been known to recycle or give away things once they have exhausted their utility. “Getting my money’s worth” is a term that is less emotional and more functional for me. I don’t hang on to Christmas gifts from family if they aren’t used anymore. I figure someone else can get more out of them than me. I think that my mom is appalled at this notion, but then again I prefer not to clutter up my sanity with physical crap. Becoming a slave to one’s stuff is a dangerous trap that makes us believe that we actually need those physical things. Those stupidly expensive decorative marble baci balls from Pottery Barn that are so artfully displayed on your coffee table: tell me the use of those? Couldn’t you have found something just as cool on a walk through the Albemarle countryside? Plus, those found artifacts would hold a much more powerful memory than the painful one of swiping your credit card for $79.99.
But I digress.
I had intended to tell you about how I accidentally got sentimental this morning upon reading my latest copy of Arches. It’s the magazine of my alma mater, published once per quarter. I have never given money to the University of Puget Sound. I have never attended Homecoming. In fact, I’ve only visited Washington three times since I graduated: once for a bike race, once for a gathering of friends, and once to visit Jonny while he still lived there. I feel few ties to the school frankly because I wasn’t sure that my education was as top-notch as UPS would like it to believe. Granted, I never had a lousy professor and liked my classmates and roommates well enough…but I always had the feeling that the school was a bubble and us rich white kids were pretty sheltered. The alarming lack of ethnic and psychological diversity was appalling…yet I’m not sure I can place the blame on any one party. I’m sure the admissions committee did their best. I’m sure the president did her best. The faculty was certainly great. I’m sure the Greek System did their best (it was about 1/3 Greek, after all). I'm sure the students tried. But in the end I left with a pretty jaded view of rich whiteys from suburban Seattle and Portland; destined to run daddy’s company someday after their obligatory tenure at Microsoft.
Yet today I surprised myself to find that upon looking through the pages of Arches I remembered just how stunningly beautiful Washington is. The greenery of the forests and the majesty of Rainier will take your breath away. This place inspires, and that inspiration will change our world.

I guess I rarely lifted my head up from my easel to see it (and yes, that USGS pic is of Tacoma).

I’ve spent the last 10 years confirming that too much homogeneity both bores and scares me; it runs rampant in the Pacific Northwest. However, I’m okay with that culture; because it’s these places generating innovative ideas that give us all a glimpse of a truly sustainable world. Granted, the inhabitants of that ideal sustainable world have liberal arts degrees, WASPy credentials, 5-day stubble, Columbia parkas, and lattes in their hand; but nevertheless it’s a glimpse. A human-powered gym? Only in Portland. Maybe Atlanta can take a small piece of that and apply it to their sustainability initiatives. Maybe…
So, rock on PacNW. I may have no desire return anytime soon…but I do applaud that you look ahead and don’t get too hung up on the fact that your vision of an ideal future doesn’t always include every social and ethnic group known to man. It’s up to the rest of us to take on that responsibility: altering Utopic visions and applying them to laypeople. I say this not with cruel cynicism but pragmatically. Let the dreamer’s dream, let the doers do. Together, we’ll figure it out. I just hope it’s not too late.
And thanks, Arches, for reminding me of such a special place.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Now THAT's an awesome wedding!

My friend Derek wed his sweatheart, Laura, on October 4th. It was a day that reflected who they are...quirky, warm, and engaging. The afternoon began with a field day, culminating in giant tricycle races that fueled my desire to own one of the ridiculous and large bikes. Derek contested the races in a national champion's jersey, true to form. The final race of the day was a relay involving an egg-walk, partner carry, flat change, chair arrangement (presided over by Derek's boss and owner of the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC...THE place to play if you're on the way up or rockin the top), and bride-and-groom-in-wedding-drag contest. Good fun.

They said their vows beside a lovely lake, with Laura glowing in the autumn twilight and Derek predictably unmatched in a navy shirt over black slacks. Hopelessly adorable, the couple brought tears to our eyes with their vows and vignettes of a life together.

The Gato looked pretty cute, too.

The evening's festivities were capped off by a Carrburritos dinner and a chocolate bicycle cake.

We drove home on backroads to Virginia, and fell into bed at 2:30. Good times!

What I have to remember when writing papers

I've got soul!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

A beacon of hope

Now that our financial institutions are crumbling...my friend Paco sent me this auditor's one line report and exhibit on Lehman Brothers Balance sheet: 'There are two sides, Left & Right (Assets and Liabilities respectively): On the Right side there is nothing right and on the Left side there is nothing left'.

Yet behold! Hope comes in the form of...

Spotted yesterday in Black Mountain, NC. And no, it isn't a joke.

At last I can sleep at night knowing that institution like 5/3 are holding my money safely.

I would love to talk to their marketing department.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Mine mine mine

I am extremely posessive of my time these days. I heard a rumor last year that the Second Year at Darden is easier.
Lies.
All lies.
First Years...grain of salt. Grain of salt.
Second Year is a different type of challenge.
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It's freakin hard. You are committed to others much more than First Year. It's part of the process and I know I'll be happy I went through it. But at what cost? I don't think Sven appreciates this much at all.
I am having a devil of a time carving out time for moi (and him). I find myself being psycho about what takes up my time and doing my darndest to spend time with those most important to me. And it's not always Darden people.
So there's that.
I'll post more interesting things tomorrow (oh wait, it's tomorrow. I've been up 24 hours already. Damn bachelorette party).

it's not just about having good hair