Alabama vs. Penn State

Wow, it's been quite a while since I've updated, apparently I'm quite the slacker (but we all knew this going in).

So it's the end of the 4th week of school, things are going fine and dandy and I'm quite happy to no longer be on a 40 hour work shedule. I've cut it in half! Yay! Classes are decent, I'm taking 18 hours but it has yet to stress me out even though there's definitely a lot going on.

Things to be happy about: Alabama football. We beat San Jose State last Saturday 48-3 and I'm hoping for a similar margin tomorrow against Penn State (I predict a 34-13 W). I'm so excited that it's finally football season! I've been waiting 9 months for this! AHHHHHHHHH! And I hope that Alabama runs the table because I'm so going to the National Championship game again, this time in Glendale, Arizona--can you say road trip?! Football is what I live for, it's great!

Another thing to be happy about: Apparently I impressed during my week in Cincinnati at Procter & Gamble because I GOT AN INTERNSHIP OFFER! I am so pumped! I really liked what I saw that week and it seems like a really fun place that I would definitely fit in at. Success! Consider my next summer planned! =)

I suppose that's the main updates on my life. Oh, I got a boyfriend, too, but I'm not all into sharing those personal details. Sorry!

Until the next time I remember to write... CIAO!

Whoops...

Just realized I have yet to post NYC pictures. Well, it's been a hectic week so I'll try to do that.... Saturday? Definitely no free time before then, and really not even then, oh well.

Today was the last day for our fearless MBA leader, Kelli. Tis quite sad to see her go! She will be greatly missed as our buffer between the evil empire.

But anyways, off to Cincinnati next week for Procter & Gamble's IT ELITE! Should be loads of fun! And hopefully I'll get to see my Praha favorites Maja and Renata! =)

So now back to the monotony of work that has lately been me studying for Finance. Here we gooooooooo.

Back from the Big Apple

So I made it back safe and sound, no worse for wear from New York and good news! I have loads of pictures. I know you're excited. But you'll have to wait. Also, forgive me while a rant a little bit.

I am at work and running on 3 hours of sleep. Why, you ask? Because our flight out of La Guardia last night was supposed to leave at 9:40pm. When did we leave? 12:40am. Not cool. So I definitely did not get back to Birmingham at 11:15pm but instead landed at 1:40am. Not cool. And then I had to drive to Tuscaloosa. When I got to the house (at 3:30am) I realized I was locked out. Not cool. Who locks the door to the garage when the garage door is closed?! So I had to call a friend and go sleep at her place then come to work this morning at 8am. Not cool.

But that's enough complaining because New York was freaking awesome! I experienced pretty much all the big things:

• Empire State Building (really, really tall)
• Broadway (Billy Elliot and In the Heights)
• Statue of Liberty (where I got my foam crown, yessssssss)
• Ellis Island (where my ancestors undoubtably entered America)
• Times Square (where our hotel was actually located)
• Wall Street and the Financial District (complete with picture of the bull)
• Tiffany & Co (I have raised my expectations where rings are concerned...)
• Rockefeller Center (NBC store is where it's at)
• 5th Avenue (can you say shopping???)
• Soho (delicious eats)
• Chinatown ("Chanel Gucci Coach purses? Come to back room? Cop? No, follow me.)
• Coney Island (And famous Nathan's hot dogs and the ferris wheel, wheeeeeee)
• Picture with New York's finest, the NYPD (we even got a smile out of him!)
• World Trade Center memorial site (still so powerful)
• FAO Schwartz (I played on the giant piano!)
• King Tut exhibit (completely awesome, so so so cool)
• Museum of Modern Art (Starry Night! my fave, and so many Picasso paintings, wonderful)
• Central Park (Strawberry Fields forever...)
• Staten Island Ferry (great way to see the Bay and Statue for FREE haha)

I feel like I'm forgetting some stuff but clearly the best question is what didn't I do. Well, I didn't go to a Yankees game although we thought about it, but I'll save that for another trip because I'm sure there will be one. And with that I'll visit Flushing Meadows (where they hold the US Open) since it's right next door; we saw it from the plane and it's pretty freaking impressive!That's pretty much the only thing I missed out on, if you can even call it that.

I'll try to upload the pictures soon (whenever I can get access to the house...), so until then: back to work I go! Yuck

NYC tomorrowwwwwww

So optimistic Cheryl was wrong about getting pictures uploaded last night. It happens. But, good news! I'm doing it now! [insert cheers here]

Sorry it seems like they aren't in any particular order, blame photobucket. Not me who is too lazy to try to move them around. But here's some pictures so you can better visualize the amazing summer I've had so far (and hopefully there's only more to come)


the lovely Gatto children; me, Kimmie, Emily, and Ashley @ Santa Rosa Beach; Kimmie, me, Emily
a storm was a brewing, but it didn't keep us away; a beautiful gulf sunset
best friends. matching sweatshirts: me, daniel, amanda; emily's 21st
DC reunion! me and kevin; ryan and me; me, kevin, ryan in the shark's mouth
discovering the roots of rastafaril; pointing to nigeria where it all began; kevin touching a piece of Mars
Capital Hill; Kevin channeling Hamlet; me looking pretty haha
Ryan likes dead men; Kevin should be in Indiana Jones; Brigid found me in DC!!! (Praha forever)
We all went to a Nationals game
Houndstooth in Tuscaloosa; playing with Birdman's parrot Corona
The amazing Gatto family; me, emily and kimmie on the beach; holding Corona
we love the ocean; daniel being daniel (i love him); we have the best times
lauren, michelle, me, mari; ryan, me, kevin the hope diamond, gonna get me one of those some day; and me and the turtle

So there's a taste of the summer so far. I'm still REALLY pumped for New York City tomorrow! I still have to pack and all those lovely things. Well pretty much I'd rather be doing anything than sitting here at work right now. I've already worked 40 hours... maybe I'll try to get out of here early. Yeah, that's what I'll do. And pack. And swim. And enjoy my Friday.

TGIF!

July!

So here it is July already and I have been slacking on my posting. I apologize.

Good news though, I'm going to New York City this weekend! I am beyond excited because despite having been to 18 countries (no, I couldn't resist bragging), I have never ever been to NYC. Atrocious! you might say, but sadly I must say, true. But in less than 48 hours that will be rectified because the Big Apple will be welcoming me at 12:30pm eastern on Saturday. If I wasn't embarassed by my silly self I might insert a video of me doing a celebratory jig here, but, alas, that would be embarassing.

At this point this summer, I have been to the beach (Navarre and Santa Rosa), Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. Pretty good if I do say so myself. And I know a picture is worth a thousand words so when I get home from work (because you guessed, that's where I am right now, procrastinating) I will try to remember to post pictures from some of these trips. Try being the key word. But let's be optimistic and say I won't forget.

So for now I suppose I'll go back to work, calling people for LEARN and organizing the Birmingham Alumni Event. Boo.

New template

Like the new template? Decided to switch it up. No longer Budapest's famous Chain Bridge but now a collection of city images. I recognize Seattle's Space Needle, but don't know any of the others. I also figured the brighter colors was more summery. And we need to celebrate summer even though most of mine will apparently be spent inside.

Buuuuuut I am going to DC this weekend to rendezvous with Ryan and Kevin from my NYLF experience. Looks like Brigid, my roommate from Prague, will be there, too; I hope I get to see her also! I'm really looking forward to this trip, haven't seen those two or the lovely city of Washington, D.C. in 4 years! That's such a long time, roughly 20% of my life.

I fly out of Bham at 7pm tomorrow. Counting down the hours now (30.5 if you must know).

A whole year!

Just saw my last post was from EXACTLY a year ago. Crazy. Let's hope I can be more reliable this summer. No promises, though.

Also, side note. I'm sad that this time a year ago I was getting back from a semester in Prague. I have to go back. Sooner rather than later, please.

Summer Cheryl

I just realized, via Google Labs, that I have not updated in a very long time. While I'm not in Prague or galivanting around Europe anymore, maybe you're still interested in what I'm doing. Or maybe not. Maybe I just felt like doing something to distract me from work.

Wondering what I'm doing this summer? Brief overview, I am working on staff for the MIS (Management Information Systems) Department doing whatever they can throw at me while also being a Program Coordinator for North Alabama for the LEARN (Launching Entrepreneurs Across Rural Networks) Program which entails going to North Alabama for open Houses to explain what our program does (help dislocated workers and veterans who want to start their own business get business training and counseling), calling participants and service providers, placing newspaper ads, setting up training courses, and etc. I've been doing this since January but am continuing it as an internship over the summer. I was also assigned (for the summer, and maybe continuing in the fall) the Lead for The University of Alabama MIS Capital Campaign to raise money to keep the MIS Program running smoothly and effectively since in recent years we are seeing a boom in the number of students entering the program; this entails contacting alumni and forum members (CEOs), organizing alumni events (parties for getting donations), attending round tables, sending gifts, and etc. Sounds like a party, right?

Now maybe you understand why sometimes you just need a five minute break. Which is all this was...

I'll try to keep this updated a little more over the summer since I'll be going to some fun places for work and school and fun: Cincinatti (work and school), Atlanta (work, fun), Washington, D.C. (fun), Birmingham (work), and maybe more. Possibly with pictures, I know you're excited.

Until I have something more to report (or need another break), hasta luego!