December 20th

I waited a day to pen this because I felt that I might have said something I that would have been unbecoming of a gentlemen yesterday. Long story short, I received the email from Wharton around 11 am. I could tell within the 1st sentence that I had been waitlisted. The admissions committee took their time getting to the part where they actually say waitlisted. My heart and soul hurt yesterday.

Mostly it is because I was hoping that this giant question mark of "what am I doing with my life" would be all wrapped up in a nice little package. I have been praying for months that I could stamp some direction into my life with a finality feeling with the navy and a new and promising MBA program. Wharton happens to be a school with the earliest decision date. Well, yesterday, I received the wait 3 more months email. The good news is that Wharton didnt say no and I still have a very good chance. Most of the people who apply to the top schools apply to Wharton. So, if they are good enough for Penn, they are prob good enough for HBS, Standford, Kellogg, ect. Some of those people will be accepted at mulitiple schools and will decline their admissions offer to Wharton and then I will be able to swoop in like a hawk looking for a mole in a corn field.


Of course this entire scenario only considers one school. I interviewed at Darden on Monday. It was an absolutely beautiful campus and the people there were very cool. I can see myself there next fall without question. And I am buying my plane ticket for the Berkeley interview today. I am also considering applying to Columbia and Kellogg. That would mean a decent amount of work over the Christmas break, but nothing unmanageable.

Long story longer, I was not feeling well yesterday. I instructed a simulator with a kid who was the best student I have had to date. That was good. But when I got home I just didnt feel like doing anything. So I pushed on multiple layers of clothing and went out on the road ride. I kept looking for things that would make me feel better. There were a couple notions that gave me at least some pride. The first is a Velonews ad for Assos clothing:

"Suffering on a bicycle is noble as it reflects the full blooming of the will." Noble indeed.

The second was this penny that I found. As you can see, it was heads up so that must be a luck converter. The only problem was when I lent down to pick it up, the penny was tarred into the blacktop. No penny for me. My heart sank a little further.

I then proceeded to get a flat and have the spare tube blow too. Flats are so rare for me because I pay so much attention to the road and what I am riding over. So this really pissed me off. Add in 39 degree temps and this was an unfun situation. Finally, I got a break when a college kid pulled over and offered me her floor pump. I got the tire fixed and was on my way back home.

The rest of the ride wasnt that bad. I rode past sunset and enjoyed the fact that I could even be on the bike. My mother taught me early to count my blessings. I have many and I know it. I am thankful for each and every one of them. I got a sweet light which lit my way over the Berkeley bridge, through downtown, down Granby to Princess Anne. At the corner, this girl in a Saturn had a flat. So pushed her car (in my speedplay cleats mind you) into a gas station parking lot and changed her tire for her. That good deed made me feel better about myself and she was very happy she had some help. If I keep getting kicked in the face today at least I can improve someone else's day.



What a day.


Long shadows usually mean cooler rides. How epic!


Night riding is pretty cool, maybe not the best idea for safety, but still pretty cool.