A Hawkeye View Of Gotham

Washer-Dryer Unit

I am joyous today because it is Friday, and even better, my building manager tells me my washer-dryer unit was installed in my new apartment today!  I have not had a washer-dryer in my apartment since I left Iowa in July of 2000, and let me tell you, I have MISSED it.  Even having a laundry room in your building is not enough.  You have to have one close by where you can do your laundry while puttering around and watching TV and not have to leave your apartment in your pajamas.  As such, I am going to go home on a Friday night and DO LAUNDRY!! 

In other news, I had my first week of classes, and they went well.  It was a good idea starting off in a class I am familiar with, surounded by people who are terrified of a balance sheet.  But I have to learn the material and take the exams just like everybody else, so it keeps me busy.  Our instructor is the CFO of the Corcoran Group, and that may provide an interesting business contact down the road.  So, with school two nights a week, running class one night a week, and usually the ballet one night a week, there is not much time left over for messing around.  But I like being busy and enjoy all of my various activities.

And finally, a photo of the four sis-tahs in Chicago last November.  Hope everybody has a great weekend!

Cookie Dough Apartment

Faithful readers have been asking for a definition of "Cookie Dough Apartment."  Some of you already know this story, but for those of you who don't, here goes.

When I was a little girl, I loved eating raw cookie dough.  LOVED it.  But of course my Mom (shout out to Ann in Florida!) would only let me eat a little bit of it, perhaps just the spoon or licking the bowl.  That's how Moms are.  But I had a fantasy.  I knew I would grow up one day, and when that day arrived, I would be able to eat as much raw cookie dough as my little heart desired.  I pictured myself, independent, sitting in a home/apartment, on the couch, with a big bowl of raw cookie dough in my lap and a spoon in my mouth.  I fantasized about eating the whole darned thing, with nobody telling me I couldn't.  I could not wait to have my own crib where I could do whatever I wanted.  As such, each home I live in as an adult has been known as my Cookie Dough Apartment.  Perhaps one day I will have a Cookie Dough House, but not until I leave NYC.

And for those of you who are wondering, I DO actually sit around eating raw cookie dough at home. 

The end.

New CDA

I am really settling into my giant, spacious new Cookie Dough Apartment.  I love it there.  I never want to leave.  I worked out in the fitness center the other night, which is on the 49th floor and faces South overlooking Hudson River and the twinkly lights of the city.  The fitness center has a pool and weights and treadmills and anything else you would want, including one or two yoga/pilates classes each day.  And the location is proving to work quite well, as there is a bus that runs from York and 72nd, south to 57th, and then goes West to Park Avenue where I get off for work.  Very easy and convenient compared to the subway which is a good 4 avenues away.  I promise I will post photos soon; I just need to finish unpacking and putting together some furniture.  At any rate, Alex will see the apartment in early February (hopefully Amanda too!) and Liz in March.  You are all welcome to visit at any time!!  You may use my automatic ice machine and pet Nermal if she acquiesces. 

Speaking of Nermal, she is very happy living there.  Her new favorite spot is definitely in the corner of our bedroom window.  See how happy she looks?!  I am going to put her Margo Square down there so she has a warm little blanket to sit on.

Cake Wreck

The wings!  The itty bitty wings!

Financial Management

As you all know I am starting an MS program in Human Resources Management and Development at NYU here in the city.  I will take one class per session (each session is 6-7 weeks long) on either M/W or T/TR nights from 6-9pm, and in just over 2 years I will be finished!  There will be a final project/review/presentation, of course, but all of that is far into the future.  For now I will just focus on my basic coursework.

My first class is Financial Management.  It will be a good one to start with as I feel comfortable with the material.  It's also the only one that fit into my schedule.  This is what the course is about:

This course introduces the student to the strategic financial and accounting methodologies required to aid the non-financial manager in decision-making. In addition to examining the relationship between finance and the other strategic functions in the organization, particular emphasis will be placed on the impact that finance has on shaping technology-related decisions. At the end of the course, students will be expected to have learned the fundamental financial tools and techniques necessary to be an effective strategic manager. The goal is for students to understand a company's decision-making opportunities and processes, and apply these techniques to real-life financial decisions. Topics include (but are not limited to) accounting/finance theories and concepts; financial statement analysis; budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis; capital budgeting and project analysis; cash flow analysis; and time value of money. Students will learn fundamental financial concepts through real-world group assignments, problem solving and term projects. The student who successfully completes this course will have the ability to: understand basic fundamental concepts and principles of finance/accounting and how they are used to create financial reports; analyze financial statements and recognize their importance; use discounted cash flow analysis to analyze competing projects; use modeling techniques for budgeting, forecasting and benchmarking analysis and applications.

FUN!

Nermal Enjoying The View

Nermal settles in to the windowsill of our new bedroom.

Obama Gets To Keep His BlackBerry!

 

Read related article here. 

How Hard Is It To Spell "Obama"?

 

Or "believe", for that matter?  Jeepers.

 

At Last!

Click here to visit President Obama's official White House website.

Live, from the Inauguration

One of my friends is at the Inauguration in D.C. and took the following photos early this morning: