I finished my MBA in April. The last capstone class was in Florida. I miss my classmates and I still feel like I should be working on my homework.

I went Scuba Diving while I was in Florida. Now, I’m one dive closer to my Advanced Divers certificate. I’m hoping I’ll dive this winter sometime and then finish my Advance certificate next summer.

I had my ten year class reunion in July. I should talk to my high school friends more… they are awesome!! I miss them.

–Love you guys!!

I took a motorcycle class in the spring and I bought a motorcycle this summer. At first I rode it every day, but recently I haven’t been riding it as much. I’m not a very good rider yet and I think all the motorcycle wrecks in the news have frightened me.

I’m still swimming I joined the Masters Swim Club in the spring. I had forgotten how much fun and relaxing swimming is. I can’t wait until our first meet!!

I joined a group of Kirkwood employees to clean up a flood house. Even though it was hard work and I was sore for a few days, I would definitely do it again.

I started dating a wonderful guy. I can’t seem to stop thinking about him or talking about him. I’m sure my co-workers and friends are getting sick of it. LOL!!

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!!

Last week I was at the Datatel Users Group (DUG) Conference in Washington D.C.  Datatel is the company we bought our ERP system from about 3 years ago.  I was sent to learn more about a module we recently purchased called Active Campus.  Active Campus is a package of SharePoint web parts that connect to our ERP system.  Currently, we don’t have a SharePoint Portal so there are lots and lots of stuff for me to learn about.  We plan to be live with faculty and staff in January 2008.  After the faculty and staff are live, the students will be next.  I’m really excited about the single sign-on capabilities and the collaboration opportunities SharePoint has to offer.  I’m also excited about all the stuff I’m going to learn while we go through this process. 

At the conference, I went to several sessions that discussed the Active Campus module.  I learned more about the product at a high level.  I’m kind of techie so, sometimes I get bored with the high level descriptions.  What I really like to know is how does it work and when can I start playing with it.  Even though I learned more about the product in the sessions, the networking I did helped me more than I could have ever imagined.  I talked to all the beta schools that have the Active Campus module up and running. I meant Randy, Joseph and Joey from a school in Michigan.  They are interested in the customizations I made to the Datatel’s security screens and they are in the process of purchasing Active Campus.  Randy even talked to me about presenting my customizations at next year’s DUG.  I also talked with partner companies about some of the problems we are having and different ways their products could help us.   I came back to Iowa with a large stack of business cards from people all over the United States and Canada.  So even though the sessions weren’t techie enough for me, I did get into real detailed conversations with several DUG attendees and I had a blast doing it. 

Saturday was my last regular MBA class.  I can’t believe I’m almost done.  My last class is a weeklong capstone in Florida.  I have a 12 page paper and two books to read before I go. 

Two of my MBA classmate’s scuba dive. We are chartering a boat while we are in Florida.  I can’t wait to scuba dive down there.  I’m working towards my Advanced Open Water Certificate.  While I’m in Florida, I’ll complete my deep dive, boat dive and my night dive.  The deep dive is a wreck dive about 80-90 feet deep.  At that level some divers start to feel drunk it’s called nitrogen narcosis.  It’s a feeling divers get from the absorption of nitrogen at a deep depth.  Sometimes divers feel like they are superhuman and its very dangerous.  There is an easy way to fix it just ascend until it goes away.   It is similar in drinking because just like you don’t realize your drunk, narcosis can sneak up on you. 

After scuba diving and a weeklong class in Florida, I am staying with my Aunt and Uncle for a few days in Kissimmee, FL.  My dad and my older sister are flying in on Saturday after my class to meet me in Florida.  When I go pick them up at the airport it will be time to celebrate because I’ll be all done with my MBA.  Yippee!!!

So there is my update…. I’ll write again in another six months. Ha-ha! 

So my plan is to be the office hero and get rid of our new friends. Today I built my first fruit fly trap. It was actually pretty easy.

FRUIT FLY TRAP DIRECTIONS

Supplies needed: Plastic Cup, Banana, Saran Wrap, Rubber Band & Pencil

Step 1: Place the banana in the plastic cup
Step 2: Cover the cup with saran wrap
Step 3: Secure the saran wrap with a rubber band
Step 4: Use the pencil to poke tiny holes in the saran wrap
Step 5: Hide the cup
Step 6: Wait one week
Step 7: Throw the cup away

Thanks James for telling me how to build a fruit fly trap.

Well that’s enough sad stuff. It’s my birthday I need to cheer up!

I know you have been patiently waiting to write comments on my blog. They work now so you can write as many comments as you’d like. This is how I fixed it: http://plugins.baptiste.us/wordpress/blank-pages-when-posting-comments-in-wordpress/

What a tricky issue!!

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325 °
2. Cut the zucchini in half and remove the seeds
3. Shred the zucchini with the large holes on a cheese shredder
4. In a big bowl mix the following:
   4 Cups Coarsely Shredded Zucchini
   3 Cups Flour
   2 1/2 Cups Sugar
   1 1/4 Cups Oil
   4 Eggs
   1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
   1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
   1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
   1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
   1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
5. Grease the bottom of the pan
6. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes (Makes 2 loafs)

A BIG thanks to Alan Peterka for giving me the zucchini.

CHEERS!!