T-minus two hours...
Coming down the stairs for the second time yesterday [Cailin, RA, and I were heading to a meeting across the road], I realized I was wearing my Smith sweatshirt and it was Harvard graduation day (lots of them were congregated in the first floor and stairs taking pictures etc.).
RA’s life plan is currently in a Choose Your Own Adventure Excel spreadsheet. Cailin and I are less sure about our plans, though Cailin certainly seems to have more in the way of definite goals than I do. I’m really okay, but it is frustrating not having an answer for people. I can’t even easily answer Do you like your job -- something RA asked me when we were walking home after Daedalus. I thought of her question when on Wednesday, Eric sent me the recruiting files in case he's not here next year and said: "Since you're so much more in the know than anyone else in the department, I've nominated you." and reading that line I thought, "I'm *good* at my job." I forget this sometimes. I was also reminded that we're pretty much all in this line of work [to some degree] because we like helping people -- coming back from the NEG poll debrief meeting, RA and Cailin were talking about how they don’t like saying no to people, and earlier Cailin had said, “I like helping people.” (I feel like I should have profound thoughts about support staff positions being nurturing roles, but I don't.)
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Cailin was sitting on my back desk doing work earlier that day and someone came in asking for directions to somewhere and after he left she commented that she didn’t look very professional -- sitting on the desk [she was definitely dressed professionally, though] and I said Eric used to sit there all the time and *I* sit there sometimes (admittedly, when someone else is using my computer) and she said, “You and Eric get along really well,” in this tone that I didn't even register until I was already telling my brain to state agreement, so I agreed in a super-cheery tone and then totally called her on the insinuation and she played innocent and I thought of first year of college with Becca hassling me about Terry and Joe. [Entertainingly, earlier Cailin had been telling me about having dinner with her ex and how boys are stupid and joking about becoming a lesbian -- though actually she’s considering moving in with her current boyfriend... largely for financial reasons, but still.]
What’s extra funny about this is that I think it was that morning that I was thinking he’s totally the kind of person I could fall for -- even though of course I don’t think it would work out at all.
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Work-sponsored lunch&go-home-early commences at 11:30. Afterward I’m off to the bank to get my relevant info there changed, then picking up stuff at home and heading back to my parents’ for a night (Singspiration, plus say hi to library people, plus pick up some stuff). Then it’s BIFF all weekend. [I disapprove of the fact that it’s humanly impossible to attend all of it -- it’s in two venues.]
As usual, cell if you need/want me.
Edit: This morning's e-mail from the Dean: Thanks to everyone for a wonderful set of Commencement week activities. Despite the weather, it was clear the graduates, and their families and friends, had a wonderful time. It really was HBS at its best.
The forecast for the rest of today is not ideal, and recognizing that many of you have spent large chunks of time outside -- and some degree of wet and cold -- over the last few days, we've decided to choose a warmer, drier location for the afternoon lunch: Shad Hall.
It worked quite well for the post-graduation reception yesterday, and will comfortably accommodate us all today. I look forward to seeing you there between 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
RA’s life plan is currently in a Choose Your Own Adventure Excel spreadsheet. Cailin and I are less sure about our plans, though Cailin certainly seems to have more in the way of definite goals than I do. I’m really okay, but it is frustrating not having an answer for people. I can’t even easily answer Do you like your job -- something RA asked me when we were walking home after Daedalus. I thought of her question when on Wednesday, Eric sent me the recruiting files in case he's not here next year and said: "Since you're so much more in the know than anyone else in the department, I've nominated you." and reading that line I thought, "I'm *good* at my job." I forget this sometimes. I was also reminded that we're pretty much all in this line of work [to some degree] because we like helping people -- coming back from the NEG poll debrief meeting, RA and Cailin were talking about how they don’t like saying no to people, and earlier Cailin had said, “I like helping people.” (I feel like I should have profound thoughts about support staff positions being nurturing roles, but I don't.)
---
Cailin was sitting on my back desk doing work earlier that day and someone came in asking for directions to somewhere and after he left she commented that she didn’t look very professional -- sitting on the desk [she was definitely dressed professionally, though] and I said Eric used to sit there all the time and *I* sit there sometimes (admittedly, when someone else is using my computer) and she said, “You and Eric get along really well,” in this tone that I didn't even register until I was already telling my brain to state agreement, so I agreed in a super-cheery tone and then totally called her on the insinuation and she played innocent and I thought of first year of college with Becca hassling me about Terry and Joe. [Entertainingly, earlier Cailin had been telling me about having dinner with her ex and how boys are stupid and joking about becoming a lesbian -- though actually she’s considering moving in with her current boyfriend... largely for financial reasons, but still.]
What’s extra funny about this is that I think it was that morning that I was thinking he’s totally the kind of person I could fall for -- even though of course I don’t think it would work out at all.
-----
Work-sponsored lunch&go-home-early commences at 11:30. Afterward I’m off to the bank to get my relevant info there changed, then picking up stuff at home and heading back to my parents’ for a night (Singspiration, plus say hi to library people, plus pick up some stuff). Then it’s BIFF all weekend. [I disapprove of the fact that it’s humanly impossible to attend all of it -- it’s in two venues.]
As usual, cell if you need/want me.
Edit: This morning's e-mail from the Dean: Thanks to everyone for a wonderful set of Commencement week activities. Despite the weather, it was clear the graduates, and their families and friends, had a wonderful time. It really was HBS at its best.
The forecast for the rest of today is not ideal, and recognizing that many of you have spent large chunks of time outside -- and some degree of wet and cold -- over the last few days, we've decided to choose a warmer, drier location for the afternoon lunch: Shad Hall.
It worked quite well for the post-graduation reception yesterday, and will comfortably accommodate us all today. I look forward to seeing you there between 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.