Halloween is the Best Day of the Year!

Not a happy cat

Ramping up at Google

My two week vacation is over and I've started my new job at Google. The office is a lot smaller than the Mountain View headquarters, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I really like my coworkers and feel like a good fit for the team. The only thing that's rough is that I'm splitting time between two offices and commuting 100 miles a day. Once I get fully ramped up though, I'll be stationed close to home. I hope my fellow MBAs are doing well, wherever they are in the world.

Back home from Oxford

Wow, I'm finally finished with my Oxford MBA. It feels like the past year has just flown by. I remember how long I worked on my application essays, how nervous I was at my admissions interview in New York, and how hectic it was to get ready to move to the UK. Over the past year, I've written over 60 papers and completed 18 courses, a business plan, and a summer internship. I've traveled to Switzerland, Holland, Spain, Iceland, and Greece (not to mention 4 trips back to the States). The most amazing experience for me, though, was simply to spend a year with 215 bright, talented, warm, and interesting people from all over the world. All in all, it was worth it.

Being back in LA is a bit surreal right now. I've changed a lot, but the City is still the same and retains a comfortable familiarity. By that I mean the drivers are still hyper-aggressive and absent minded, the trendy hipsters are still pretentious asses, and all spheres of public life are soaked in a vapid materialism epitomized by the fact that everyone drives either a BMW or Mercedes, regardless of age or income. On the plus side, I can listen to KCRW without having to stream it over a slow internet connection, the sun is always shining, and I actually get to spend time with my fiance. It's good to be home.

That said, I haven't been up to much. I've done a lot of work to make my apartment more comfortable, including painting the bathroom, building a nightstand and wardrobe, fixing the sink, and adjusting the door latches so they actually close. Also, I have a new kitten named Spooky to keep me company.

I'll be starting a position at Google on October 1st, working on contract as an Account Strategist in the Santa Monica office. I look forward to working with a small team in an interesting company, but have to say I'm nervous as to whether Google is the right choice to kick off my post MBA career. I'll just have to jump in and see how it goes. Next step: find a house.

Today was sunny. It was glorious!

What's on my iPod

Here's what's new to my iPod. Getting heavy play is Back in Your Head by Tegan and Sara, Timebomb by Beck, Me Gustas Tu by Kiko Menendez, and Running Away by the Polyphonic Spree. Sure beats the voices in my head : p