03 JULY 2010 :: REASON TO CELEBRATE
Over the last couple of months I’ve been dwelling on the complete lack
of updates I’ve posted. It’s a situation I don’t like and have been
very keen to rectify. I realised this site is all about celebrations;
life, travel, culture, sport, food, all things to be celebrated in
their own way. A lack of updates sometimes means a lack of reasons to
celebrate, and is sometimes the result of a lack of celebratory spirit.
I believe I’ve now rectified both. In keeping with tradition at the
bear essentials, it’s no small change we’re talking about here.
In rectifying the lack of celebratory spirit, I’ve made a change that
needed to be made a long time ago. Last week I gave notice at work.
Come September I’ll be out of the job. It did not come as a shock to my
office and should not come as a shock to anyone who has spent time with
me this year. The writing was certainly on the wall.
While this was a change that needed to be made, it’s not one I’d make
without a plan. That’s where the reason to celebrate comes in. I’ve
always been under the suspicion that the lack of a university degree
hurts my job prospects. It’s an easy way for employers to filter CV’s
and once you’re not getting looked at, you’re stuck in the position
you’re in.
I started looking at my options and found a fantastic program at
Stanford University. It's their Advanced Project Management Program. I
was really keen on it from the outset but they wanted a lot of
professional experience, which I have, and an undergraduate degree,
which I don't have.
I gave the admissions office a call and they basically said "write a
good enough submission and see how you go, it's not completely unheard
of." So, I spent a Saturday night (I use to be a superstar DJ! Oh how
the mighty fall) writing something which I have to say, was seriously
impressive. I emailed it off the next day and got a reply two days
later. An unconditional offer, I'm going to Stanford :-)
It’s been over a week now and I'm still a bit overwhelmed by it all.
I’ll start with the distance option and can study on campus if it’s
something I decide I want to pursue later.
News of this magnitude naturally lead to an equally impressive night
out at one of our
favourite cocktail haunts. I had every intention of writing something
befitting martini’s, service and company this wonderful. However, it’s
the morning after the night before and my mind is having a whole world
of trouble computing anything beyond cold lemonade and cartoons!
Luke
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There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating: people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.
Oscar Wilde