eBayne of my existence

So I've decided to become an eBayer. I've thought about selling stuff online for years, but never had the patience to gather all the necessary info, take pictures, post them online, etc. And besides - I'm no small-timer. If I'm going to sell something online, I'm going to go for the big bucks.

That's why I've posted my MINI.

Now, with less than a day left on the auction clock and no one even close to my reserve price, I am freaking the hell out. However, I have bought enough items online to know that serious bidders wait until the last second to secure a purchase. But I'm beyond logic. And it's not even that I'm afraid that I will lose the money spent on posting the auction. Although, yes, my finances are increasingly causing me some concern.

More importantly, what if no one wants Rambo? What do the other MINIs have that mine doesn't? Is my reserve too high? Are the door dings too much of a turnoff?

For now, I will continue to gauge my success by the number of hits received.

tidal wave of relief

Since being accepted to the McCombs School of Business, I have spent a significant amount of time relecting on the two years of academia that now lay ahead of me. Until now, I have always felt that I have somehow had everyone fooled. When you think about it, I really fooled Tufts twice - once as a high school senior and then as a freshman transfer student. After being accepted for the second time, one of my first thoughts was, Man, I can't believe they fell for it again. Both times I knew I was a qualified student, but I also knew that there were plenty more out there. This is even more evident to me now, as I am continually interviewing prospective Tufts students that are ultimately rejected, despite that most are more qualified than I ever was at their age.

With graduation looming on the horizon, I started searching for a job. When I was offered a position working for one of the largest transportation companies in the country, I was even more surprised. What would a computer science major have to offer a marketing department?? They must be hard-up for diverse employees, I supposed.

Regardless of the vast number of accomplishments and qualifications that I can now list on my resume, I have always felt that I was somehow sneaking through the system, that my success was, to some degree, unearned. These days, I think this may be a symptom of not having any particular passion for what I do. As hot husband Tom said on the most recent episode of Desperate Housewives, "No one can give 100% all the time." And if I don't feel like I'm giving something my all, I don't feel as deserving when the kudos come rolling my way.

However. I was accepted to business school. Not only that, but I was accepted to one of the best business programs in the country. Only this time, for the first time in a while, I am proud to know that I deserve that acceptance letter. I know what I want, I have a clear goal in mind, and I understand the steps I need to take in order to reach it. And it is incredibly rewarding to have been able to convey that message well enough for an entire admissions committee to agree.

Tonight, after logging into my Gmail account and learning that I have earned a substantial two-year scholarship, I cannot hope for further evidence that I have made the right decision.

Unless, of course, that evidence happens to include more free money.

giving credit where it's due

Now there's a sight no one has seen for a few months: my feet in running shoes. While I have definitely been satisfying an unusually large appetite due to one of the many perquisites of living at home and therefore feeling a little on the "not-so-petite" side, I had not felt the need to offset the appearance of any unwanted fat rolls... until today, when I decided to run a 5K for the first time in all of my nearly-25 years. This change of heart can be due to only one individual: Flat Stanley (FS).

FS is the subject of a children's book that my first-grader cousin read in class earlier this year. In this book, the sequence of events is as follows:

1. Stanley is a student.
2. Stanley gets squashed by a chalkboard and is renamed Flat Stanley.
3. Stanley miraculously survives this horrific accident and discovers the glory of traveling via envelope.
4. Owing to his new and economical mode of transportation, Stanley goes on fantastic voyages across the globe.

After reading this highly traumatic yet inspiring tale, my cousin's class, like so many others across the country, decided to send their own Flat Stanley around the world. And thus FS was sent off to Mumbai, India; Michigan; Mississippi; Florida and finally Fort Worth, TX.

During our first few days together, we went to all the usual places - work, home and happy hour.

Finally, when we got some free time, we hit up the Stockyards...

... and did some shopping.

Unfortunately, the token longhorn steer that usually loiters outside the Fort Worth Stock Exchange was long gone by the time we made it down there, so we did the next best thing.


Still, I couldn't let FS leave Fort Worth without seeing the real deal. So yesterday afternoon, when my mom proposed that we both participate in a 5K this morning, despite the fact that I had not seriously exercised for at least 3 months and that saying "yes" would require me getting up at 6:00 AM on a Saturday morning, I decided to go for it. Why? Because this race, called Run the Ranch, would meander through the Circle T Ranch, owned by Ross Perot's son. And, just like any other self-respecting ranch, the Circle T had longhorns and cowboys. To deny FS such an opportunity would be a travesty.

Surprisingly, despite the extremely hilly course, I ran all but about 100 feet of the race. And, much to FS' delight, the Circle T made good on its promise to provide proof of its Texan roots.

So thanks, FS, for forcing me to get off my lazy ass and actually do something with my Saturday. I may feel like crap tomorrow, but, by George, at least I will be able to rest easy with the knowledge that I can show my guests a good time.