TIS Assignment Group (minus Jessica): Josh (US), Jeremy (Canada), Scott (US) and Johannah (NZ).
Thursday, March 09, 2006
The Last Who-raaaah!
It is Thursday of week 8 and tomorrow is officially the end of Hilary term. In traditional Oxford University study that means I am two thirds through the academic year. Of course, in MBA world next week is study vacation and the following week is exams so I can't down tools just yet. I have to say this MBA is speeding up by the day and the last two weeks have been the fastest yet.
I have to wrack my memory but notable events of the past two weeks include attending formal hall last Thursday evening at Keble College with a group of MBAs, a freak 2 hour snowstorm outside my bedroom window in Oxford (photos below), listening to former Irish Rugby international and billionaire media man, Sir Tony O'Reilly speak at the B-school and attending the Inaugral Lecture of Douglas Holt, the L'Oreal Chair of Marketing at the B-School. I had wanted to attend the Varsity Boxing Match on Wednesday evening but excessive work and inclement weather compelled me to remain at my desk.
Apart from being the end of term, tomorrow marks the end of my illustrious rugby playing days. (Technically, I am involved in a Paris 7's tournament next term but 7's is not real rugby so it doesn't count.) It should be a challenging game and I am hoping to leave the sport on a high note hopefully as a winner of Cuppers (The inter-college knockout Rugby competition) . I think I have been in pretty good form this season but a lack of training has meant that my fitness has been non-existent. Thankfully it has been pouring with spring rain all week and the sodden ground of Iffley Road should quickly turn into a quagmire. Given that I am playing blindside breakaway tomorrow, this should slow down the pace of the game very nicely to my 30 year old pedestrian pace, which at its peak, was once described by a team mate as that of a 'Loping Gazelle'.
I have also attached a photo below indicating the general state of my room. It is disappointing that I need to show you all what a miserable wreck it is but it is a gentle response to some negative feedback I have received from some quarters regarding my levels of Australian bound communications. When your day involves rising at 7.30am, attending lectures, meetings and corporate presentations until 7.00pm and then studying to at least 12am but often 2am, seven days a week then washing clothes, dishes, shaving, showering, exercising, looking for jobs and calling Oz takes a backseat to sleeping. I don't ask for violins to start playing, just an appreciation that I am a completely stretched and need to be offered some slack.
While I still have a mountain of work to complete before I depart, I am very much looking forward to seeing my friends and family in Australia in April and I am planning to engage in hours of face to face, tariff free communication.
I hope this update finds you happy, healthy and and enjoying the cooler days of autumn.
Cheers,
Dougie Waller.
I have to wrack my memory but notable events of the past two weeks include attending formal hall last Thursday evening at Keble College with a group of MBAs, a freak 2 hour snowstorm outside my bedroom window in Oxford (photos below), listening to former Irish Rugby international and billionaire media man, Sir Tony O'Reilly speak at the B-school and attending the Inaugral Lecture of Douglas Holt, the L'Oreal Chair of Marketing at the B-School. I had wanted to attend the Varsity Boxing Match on Wednesday evening but excessive work and inclement weather compelled me to remain at my desk.
Apart from being the end of term, tomorrow marks the end of my illustrious rugby playing days. (Technically, I am involved in a Paris 7's tournament next term but 7's is not real rugby so it doesn't count.) It should be a challenging game and I am hoping to leave the sport on a high note hopefully as a winner of Cuppers (The inter-college knockout Rugby competition) . I think I have been in pretty good form this season but a lack of training has meant that my fitness has been non-existent. Thankfully it has been pouring with spring rain all week and the sodden ground of Iffley Road should quickly turn into a quagmire. Given that I am playing blindside breakaway tomorrow, this should slow down the pace of the game very nicely to my 30 year old pedestrian pace, which at its peak, was once described by a team mate as that of a 'Loping Gazelle'.
I have also attached a photo below indicating the general state of my room. It is disappointing that I need to show you all what a miserable wreck it is but it is a gentle response to some negative feedback I have received from some quarters regarding my levels of Australian bound communications. When your day involves rising at 7.30am, attending lectures, meetings and corporate presentations until 7.00pm and then studying to at least 12am but often 2am, seven days a week then washing clothes, dishes, shaving, showering, exercising, looking for jobs and calling Oz takes a backseat to sleeping. I don't ask for violins to start playing, just an appreciation that I am a completely stretched and need to be offered some slack.
While I still have a mountain of work to complete before I depart, I am very much looking forward to seeing my friends and family in Australia in April and I am planning to engage in hours of face to face, tariff free communication.
I hope this update finds you happy, healthy and and enjoying the cooler days of autumn.
Cheers,
Dougie Waller.
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