Interesting Thought...

Analysts and educators are wondering if the way MBA students are taught may have contributed to the economic crisis. Some say business schools are too detached from real-world issues; teach students to come up with hasty solutions to complicated problems; or focus on maximizing shareholder value rather than ethical business leadership.

New York Times 3.14.09

Spring Is Springing!

Yesterday was SO NICE! At least the part where I spent a few hours sitting in the back yard, listening to the birds, watching a pair of finches build their nest under the back awning, knitting a beret, and soaking up the sun.

Matt and I are thinking of turning the back yard into a full-on veggie garden. I may actually do it this year... I don't know why I've cared about having a little patch of grass for so long! I'm debating different ways of doing it. Plant right in the grass? Build garden beds all over? Maybe just a bunch of containers, so if we ever sell the place, we can just pack them up and the new owners can replant grass seeds? What do you think??

This year, we've bought little peat pellets and seeds, and I've starting germinating five plants each of sweet peas (my and Matt's birth flower), cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, arugula (my favorite spring/summer green. I could eat it every day!), and pumpkins (for Matt, who looks forward to Halloween every year). I also have seeds waiting for tomatoes, basil, cilantro, chives, oregano... and I THINK that's it for now.

My little "greenhouse" holds about 25 peat pellets at a time and it takes about two weeks to get sprouts, so I'll likely do seedlings every other week or so. And, I'll probably have extra tomato, cherry tomato, pea, cucumber, basil and pumpkin plants (assuming I don't kill them shortly after they sprout) so let me know if you want any!

And no, I'm not the only one suddenly interested in a garden. Here's an article to prove it: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=103038

Okay, so it's a LITTLE early...

…I’ve started collecting Box Tops for Education. For those of you who don't know about this program, General Mills and parterning brands have these little coupons on the top of some of their products, and each Box Top coupon is worth 10¢ for a school. And this can really add up! Of course, most brands I buy aren't part of this program and I am not going to change my shopping habits for them, but I am on the lookout for them and *ahem* would love donations from my friends. If you start saving them for me, Sam will really appreciate it! (In about six years…)

:)

Knit Four, Crochet Three

Yay! I got seven knitting and crochet magazines from Freecycle. I had to go all the way to Edgemere to get them, but it was well worth it! I really liked the Knitscene... and of course the Interweave magazines. I'm working on a baby sweater and a beret... then maybe something from one of these. :)

Gone Baby Gone

While I'm updating, I should mention that I finally cut my hair and donated a good 10 - 12 inches to Locks of Love. It was a bit of a shock for a day or two, to look in the mirror and see someone with chin-length hair staring back, but I'm used to it now and (begrudgingly) agree with my mother that I look more put-together and adult.

I'd definitely do this again... although it may take a few years to get an extra foot of hair again!

Earth Hour!

Earth Hour 2009 is this Saturday at 8:30 PM. Turn off your lights for 60 minutes to show your concern for climate change! (I'm sure you can think of something fun to do in the dark for an hour...) It’s sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund: www.earthhourus.org

Hug a tree while you're at it!

Sam I Am... 17 Weeks Today

I looked up a few stats on my little one (who we are calling "Sam" rather than "it"):

• Sam's birthstone will be sapphire, which is supposed to bring physical and emotional balance. (Unless he or she sneaks into the world a few days early; then it will be peridot, like my mom.)
• His or her astrological sign will be Virgo (like my mom!). It's an earth element and is associated with the planet Mercury. I expect Sam will like routine, be a bit shy, and require little attention (okay, maybe not at first).
• The birth flower will be Aster. (Unless he or she sneaks in early, in August, then it will be Gladiolas.)
• Sam will be born in the Chinese Year of the Ox. (Which is compatible with mommy's sign... I'm a Snake!)
• Sam will start kindergarten in 2014, be old enough to drive a car in 2025, finish high school in 2027, and will graduate from college with the class of 2031, give or take a year.

How exciting!