The freedom to move forward to new opportunities and to produce results comes from living in the present not the past. -Trung Vu

Yes We Can...

Surfer to Surfer

Look not at our skin color nor who we worship. Look at our common love. Love has bridged many differences. Such is the love for surfing. Jewish surfer to Palestinian surfer. Surfer to Surfer.

Dorian Paskowitz, the American surfer credited with introducing the sport to Israel in the 1950s, returned this week with a new idea: using donated surfboards to bring Israelis and Palestinians together.

Remainder of Los Angeles Times article here.

Moreno beach, Northern California
Aug, 2005

Cliff overlooking Del Mar Beach, Southern California
June, 2006

Huntington Beach Pier, Southern California
June, 2006

Low GMAT Success Stories - Ref. Dave

It's officially summer time (at least in northern hemisphere) and B-School applicants are getting neurotic about their performance on the dreaded GMAT. Even Clear Admit's Friday from the front line, recent posting regarding applicants is about GMAT anxiety. OK, I admit that even I am getting nervous as my retake date is approaching.

I want to remind us (actually me), that a low GMAT score does not necessary kill our chances of acceptance. Admission look at the entire application package (work experience, recommendation, extracurricular activities, career goals, and essays) and see our fit into the year's class they are developing. Here is an excerpt from Dave's post (March '06) on success stories with low GMAT scores. It gives me hope.

Sometimes, people need a reality check. I certainly do at times. I read a post last night from someone that their 690 GMAT score was mediocre/poor and that they would put off apps until they broke 700. When I read this, I just shook my head. Poor guy is pathetically scared about not getting in because of 10 points. That's very sad to see someone so completely lemon-aide brainwashed.

I can see 650 as mediocre or poor, but not 690. Even a mediocre or lower score is sometimes sufficient. Here are just a few people within the last month that can testify that a mediocre to low GMAT score is not a death sentence when considering applying to a top 10 Business School.

Keep your head high guys. There is hope. There is always hope! - Dave
===================================================

GMAT 670 here. Got accepted to NYU, Yale, Cornell and Georgetown. There's hope. Good luck to everyone. – Dabink 3/3/06

Another success story here... 630 and i just got an interview at MIT. woo-hoo! Am741 2/28/06

600 gmat just got interview invites from yale and cornell. Already done Columbia and wharton interviews. NYU upcoming. Still waiting on some other schools. best of luck to all. BuddyBuruku 2/28/06

Here you go. I got a 650 (44 Q 35 V), just got into Columbia, and interviewing at Wharton next week. 5yrs work experience in the military, 27 years old male from Jersey. I thought I would be out of it with my GMAT score going in, but so far so good. Keep hope alive. Bigtonn 2/15/06

I scored 600 with a dismal quant score, I had good marks in stats and calc in undergrad and made sure to mention it in essays. Now I'm not applying to top 10 schools, but I feel I got into really good programs. Maybe I underestimated myself because I wasn't rejected anywhere. I consider mine a success story. Acceptances to Wake Forest, Vanderbuilt, Tulane, Rice, Boston University. Auryan00 2/14/06

Remainder of post is here.

Good Shepard Cemetery 1,
Huntington Beach, California - May 2006

Good Shepard Cemetery 2
Huntington Beach, California - May 2006

Good Shepard Cemetery 3
Huntington Beach, California - May 2006

Take a 75% paycut to walk the walk?

Be truthful to yourself. Would you do it? Could you do it?



Excerpt from Guy Kawasaki's interview with Richard Stern, president of World Vision;

Richard Stearns is the president of World Vision. This organization is a "Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty."

Stearns holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. From 1977 to 1985, he held various roles with Parker Brothers Games, culminating in his appointment as president in 1984. In 1985, he became a vice president at The Franklin Mint, then joined Lenox in 1987 as president of Lenox Collections. In 1995, Stearns was named president and chief executive officer of Lenox Inc., overseeing $500 million in annual sales. He joined World Vision as president in 1998.

1. Question: How much money does World Vision raise every year?

   Answer: Worldwide, World Vision raises about $2 billion annually; the U.S. office, which I head up, raises about half of the total.

2. Question: Is this the 80/20 rule where twenty percent of the people send in eighty percent of the money or are donations more spread out?

   Answer: World Vision's strength is that we are supported by hundreds of thousands of faithful people who give us about a dollar a day by sponsoring children. Our "major donors" account for less than five percent of our total income. Also, for a non-profit, we have quite a diversified portfolio of revenue. Just over forty percent is cash from private citizens; thirty percent is government grants in food and cash; and about thirty percent are products donated from corporation--what we call “gifts-in-kind.”

3. Question: You had a nearly seven-figure salary, a corporate Jaguar, moved and took a seventy-five percent cut in pay. Why did you leave the corporate sector in 1998 after twenty-three years to run an international Christian humanitarian organization?

Go to Guy Kawaski's blog for remainder of inspirational interview.

The power of family...

My life is my message. -Mohandas Gandhi

[From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.

But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

**remainer of article here**

I hope to be half a father to my god-son.

Little Wonders

Little Wonders
-Rob Thomas

let it go,
let it roll right off your shoulder
don’t you know
the hardest part is over
let it in,
let your clarity define you
in the end
we will only just remember how it feels

our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain

let it slide,
let your troubles fall behind you
let it shine
until you feel it all around you
and i don’t mind
if it’s me you need to turn to
we’ll get by,
it’s the heart that really matters in the end

our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain

all of my regret
will wash away some how
but i can not forget
the way i feel right now

in these small hours
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away but these small hours
these small hours, still remain,
still remain
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away
but these small hours
these little wonders still remain

No matter...

No matter how young they are
No matter how old you are
No matter the age difference
It's OK to apologize to them

Surviving a crisis

This past week has tested my strength, endurance, hope and faith. My mother was checked into the hospital on Tuesday, because of tiredness and difficulty breathing. Conditions like that for a 86 year woman is very scary. Once more, our family did around the clock bed side attendance. I put in 4-6 hours per day. Compared to my other life priorities, the GMAT studies were pushed down the list. Thankfully she was released later in the weekend, but her energy level is still low. Since her admittance into the hospital through now, I have barely gotten in 2-3 hours of GMAT review and the test is tomorrow. ~dun-duh-dum~

The potential of good a GMAT score isn't looking too good. It's OK. I don't regret my decision. The care of my mother will never be a regretful decision. Her health has not improved much, but she is out of the hospital and with family. I'm spending time at home to be with her but can not focused towards the GMAT. I'll have pick up a smoking jacket for tomorrow's test, because I'm going down in flames.

Pointers on surviving a crisis;

• Keep breathing
• Spend time with children and get lots of hugs from them;
  
• A hugg from a child can mend anything
  
• Today was hard, but tomorrow can be better
  
• Alone, you are strong. Among family and friend, you are even stronger
• Success is not required for survival, but adaptability is mandatory
• Remember to laugh
• Whoever is happy will make others happy, too - Mark Twain

A hug from me to you...(nonMBA)

Be Thankful
Be Thankful of all the love within your life
Be Thankful for all the love ones in your life
Be Thankful for all those that you have loved and have loved you back
Be Thankful...

Soo many things within my life
Soo many things...

So I am giving you a hug
So that I may receive one from you

Inspiring Story! Free Hugs Campaign (Music by Sick Puppies)


Description: Sometimes, a hug is all what we need. Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man who’s sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives..... what we then witness can only be described as awe inspiring.


Free Hugs story on Ten News Australia

Life Lessons

Hope - Faith that things will become better

Prayer - The act/expression of hope

Helping to raise another man's (my brother) son - Do not take the role of the father. The son knows who the father is. Just show him the love and guidance he needs.

Spending time with a teenager - Ask a question on his/her favorite subject. Let them voice their knowledge. Make acknowledging comment ("I didn't realize that"), continue with another question on subject.

Dealing with a teenager - Give directions in calm even voice (i.e. do homework, bedtime, clean room) and repeat ("clean room") 60 minutes later. Few days later, repeat in calm even tone, "clean room", 60 minutes later repeat, 30 minutes later repeat...

Parents - It is not for them to understand you. They raised you, thus know who you are. It is for you to learn who they were, before they became parents.

Visiting the B-schools...Good ROI

It's done. No turning back. I've bought the tickets and my credit card is hurting. I will fly to London on Dec 2 and fly back to SoCal on Dec 18 from Paris. All so I can visit the B-schools I am applying for. I can't imagine making a milestone decision without visiting the schools in person. You wouldn't buy a car without a test drive. So a face to face visit with the perspective institutions, I will hopefully spend the next two years, is in order. It is my first time in the England and my second time in France. This trip will definitely hurt my wallet, but the expense is worth the insight I will gain. Good ROI.

Coming for SoCal, I expect to freeze my ass off. I expect to be a lot poorer. I also expect to see the schools' brochures and the words of the MBA bloggers come to life. I also expect to see how the school will fit with me. Hey B-school, it's not just you making the acceptance. You have to get my acceptance too. Do try impress me.

I have some clue where I will stay the first few days and the last few days of my B-school excursion, but I don't like to preset my entire trip until I am in that region of the world. It is a tried and proven method for me. For now, there are only four dates I must be, the day I'm flying there, the two days of info sessions of my top choice schools, and the day of my flight back. Everything in between those days, is up in the air.

Since this trip is B-school first, expanding my comfort zone second, I've made a few contacts w/ some students. Thanks again with putting up w/ my questions. If any of you guys know Texas Hold'em, I'll wager a nice, fat dinner. Care to accept? Remember, I'll get the first round of beer/wine/poison.

Speaking of poison, I have to get back to the GMAT studies.

Words of wisedom from this past week

Kindness - The help you provide for strangers and acquaintances

Loyalty - The help you provide for people important in your life

Mistakes - Admittance to it is not a sign of weakness, rather it shows courage...Valuable life lessons, if you learn from it

Forgiveness - Forgive them of the hurt they caused you...forgive yourself of the pain you carry

Friendship - Most valuable commodity in the world...second only to love

Love - What you say, pales in comparison to what you do

Words of wisedom from this past weekend

Sacrifice - Placing the concerns of others before yours'

Strength - Not using your superior physical attributes upon a weaker person

Integrity - Knowing that you will get away with it, but still not doing it

Class - Not saying hurtful things to the other person and/or situation

Character - They did you wrong and you rightfully can unleash your anger, fury,...but you don't lose your control. You don't lose your character

Life Lessons from this passed weekend

A hard journey is the path inward

The harder journey is finding illumination from within

A long journey is the distance between two hearts

The longer journey is communication between the two hearts

A wise person learns from his/her mistakes

A wiser person learns from others mistakes

You have to be strong, to lead

You have to be stronger, to be lead

It's OK to be tired

It's not OK to be lazy

You can be sexy while being slutty

You can be sexier while being classy