BYU Interview

Aaron got the phone call from the ditsy Marriott receptionist last Friday. She took no responsibility for messing up the first appointment (didn't apologize), which made Aaron a little frustrated. At this point, he decided not to go out to Utah for the appointment. What kind of MBA program is it that hires someone so unprofessional as its first point of contact with their candidates? The Carlson receptionist was a professional, not a freshman on work-study. He then set up his appointment for yesterday at 1pm. They discussed the time zone difference, and had it all set.

Well, yesterday rolled around, and Aaron didn't get a phone call. At 1:15pm he called the receptionist. She said he must have had a time zone issue, because the appointment was for 3pm, not 1pm. WOW. Especially considering the time difference is only one hour, not two.

At 3pm, Professor Christensen called. He apologized to Aaron for the confusion, and Aaron graciously told him that he must have been having time zone issues, at which point the professor told him that it was clearly his receptionist's fault, from her emails, and that he'd need to deal with her so that this type of confusion didn't keep happening. Aaron was relieved, and started to have a little hope for the program again.

It didn't last long.

Professor Christensen is about two years older than Aaron. He is a marketing professor. He has no business experience. His questions for Aaron were poorly constructed, and Aaron felt his communication skills were lacking. He challenged Aaron's motivations for getting an MBA, which is a good thing. He told Aaron that some professionals who enter the program are only there for the piece of paper, and don't participate, and that others come in and challenge what is being taught, and they aren't really there to learn. Aaron expressed to him that he will certainly participate, and that he will challenge marketing theory when he has had experiences that conflict, as he has read enough text books that teach theories that aren't sound in application, but that he would like to learn finance and operations, and that he will be there to learn in those courses. I give him credit for honesty, there.

Professor Christensen also asked Aaron about where he'd like to do his internship. He wanted Aaron to name companies. He said they start interviewing in their third week in the program. Internships are for 3 months over the summer, and are not typically in Utah, and he wondered how Aaron was planning on doing that with his family. Good question! This was all news to Aaron, and he told him that he'd have to consult with me, but that if it was right for us, that's what we'd do. It looks like they rely on the students to come up with their own internship opportunities, which is very different from Carlson.

All in all, we found that this program does not offer the opportunities Aaron wants. He felt that the people there are very much less experienced than Carlson, and that the networking Aaron was hoping for isn't there. I'm not saying we are 100% against it, but unless we receive some clear revelation that we are supposed to make that move, we're not very much on board right now. I'd call it plan C.

Aaron described to me the feelings he had coming out of the Carlson interview; elation, fear, nervousness, disappointment (as he didn't think there was a way to pay for it), and an intense desire to do it! With the Marriott interview, he came away wondering whether there was anything in the program for him, other than the finance and operations courses.

Well, now we wait. We should hear about both in February. In the meantime, Aaron will continue looking for a new job. He hasn't heard anything back from Finale yet. I wish they'd call!

Quick Update

Aaron was supposed to have his BYU interview yesterday. Unfortunately, the scheduler messed up and never let the professor know. So, when Aaron called in, the scheduler was out sick, and the back-up lady figured it out and told him she'd have the scheduler call him back when she gets back to reschedule it.

Now, Aaron is reevaluating going out there for an in-person interview. I'm not sure what triggered it, but maybe he needs to do it. He's trying to figure out how serious he is about BYU. I told him yesterday that he needs to be serious about everything in the moment, until he has all of his options in front of him. If he can't find another job, and if he doesn't get into Carlson (or doesn't get the necessary financial aid), suddenly he'll be really serious about BYU. It may seem like the least desirable option right now, but it is still a great school, the tuition is affordable, and it will get him out of Microboards.

Woman Issue

I was feeling pretty depressed last week. I was trying to figure out why it seemed like it was happening more and more often lately. I finally looked at the calendar, and then I realized that the same week each month I have been feeling this way. I looked up PMS symptoms, and yup, I hit the nail on the head. It starts about 11 days before my cycle begins, and ends a week later.

Knowledge is power, and I was able to control it a bit better last week than I have the past few months. I just hate feeling like crying for no reason, or over stupid things that normally wouldn't bother me so much. Aerobic exercise is supposed to help. I find it hilarious that I did so well at exercising every weekday and some Saturdays until I got to that week and couldn't get myself to do it for a few days. But, once I forced myself, I felt better. I also need to eat right through it, and remember my vitamins. Those two simple things are probably the hardest part for me, as I'd rather not bother getting up and doing anything, hungry or not, when I feel that way.

Does anyone else deal with this? What are your best tips for handling it?

Just Getting Along

Well, nothing exciting has happened lately. Aaron was out of town last week for a trade show. Now he's working on scheduling his interview with Marriott. He thought he'd go out for it, but now he's considering the phone option for out-of-state applicants. Tickets are running $3-400 right now, and after a rental car, hotel and missed work, the trip would run around $1500 - which we can afford if he isn't going there next year, but maybe not if he is! Any thoughts? Is an in-person interview worth the cost? Could it make a difference in whether or not they offer him a scholarship?

Will and I continue with our busy schedule of Joseph rehearsals. I'm resigned to the fact that I'm a part of it, and I'm going to try to have fun. We're supposed to have all of our music memorized by the end of next week. It is a little bit of a struggle to me to sing a different part than the one I already have memorized, but I'm working on it. By the way, they still need two keyboard players. If anyone is interested, they are not paid positions, but it could be fun.

Katie came down with a fever on Sunday night. It wasn't awful, and it was probably a reaction to her H1N1 shot last week. She slept a little more than normal, and was grumpy, but didn't have any other symptoms. She is over it now.

I'm seriously tired of watching Curious George. It is all Katie will watch, and I've seen every episode dozens of times now.

Another Interview, Musical Stuff

Aaron got an email last night from BYU-Marriott. They invited Aaron for an interview.

Now Aaron has a question. If a tech company hesitates to hire him because he doesn't know the technology, what good will an MBA do him? Any insight into this would be much appreciated.

Musical rehearsals started this week. I was a little concerned after Monday's rehearsal. First, they handed out mostly photo copies of the score. Leads got books, but everyone else got copies. Last time I was in Joseph, it was explained to us that the rights to perform the show come with the mandate that every cast member has to have a rented score, and it is illegal to make copies. Should I be concerned that they are cutting costs and doing this illegally? Or is it possible they do have the scores, but are being protective of them so they don't get lost? I know most people don't get concerned with this stuff, but being married to a song writer, I don't like to violate copyrights. It isn't fair to the writer.

Second, the audition process did prove to fail in some respect. I don't know if I mentioned auditions previously, but the sum and whole of the vocal audition was singing 16 bars of a memorized song. Some people actually showed up without music and sang a part from the musical a Capella, obviously learned from the CD.

Within the cast are quite a few people who are not able to read music. There are sopranos who refuse to sing 2nd soprano because they don't know how to sing harmony. However, the first soprano part is in the rafters a lot of the time, and they don't sound good up there. Then add to it the fact that the 1st soprano part IS the harmony part half the time, and you end up with an imbalanced choir. I am singing different parts in the Megamix than I am in the Canaan Days songs, because in the Megamix I'm on the high first soprano part, and when the soprano part is lower in the Canaan Days versions of the same songs, I am singing 2nd soprano, just because very few other people can. It frustrates me a little, as I was really hoping this would be a more professional chorus.

Musical practice went better last night. People were more in tune, in general. As it goes with men, as they learn their parts, they start being able to focus on the shape of their vowels, and get a better sound. I had to laugh at a lady who came in and asked where the first sopranos were sitting. She had been there Monday, and was sitting right in the middle of the lower 1st sopranos, but she insisted everyone around her was singing something other than the 1st soprano part, and that she can't harmonize, so she needs to sing the 1st soprano part. I explained to her that the 1st soprano part is harmony half the time, and that the 2nd soprano part is melody some of the time, and the alto part is melody some of the time, and that no matter where she sits, there will be some people singing harmony around her. Ugh!

I feel a little more appreciated after last night, though. I was added into another scene of the show. I'll be singing from the catwalk during Close Every Door. I guess they don't have enough singers in the scene, so they selected a few of us to join it from above the audience. The rehearsal for the vocals is on a night when Will had to be there, and not me, so that works just fine, as I'd be sitting around there anyway.

By the way, one funny thing I found out this week. There are more than just one wife per brother. True to the story! But that would be why we aren't in Canaan Days with the men, I'm guessing. It would be hard to waltz with multiple wives per brother.

2nd Interview Yesterday

Aaron had his second round of interviews at Digi yesterday. The first 5 interviews went extremely well. The manager of the department, Mike, all but stated outright that he wanted to hire Aaron. Everything was really smooth sailing, until... the manager's boss got his turn.

He started out telling Aaron that he didn't know why Mike insisted on him interviewing Aaron. He isn't qualified technically to be in the industry. Aaron appreciated his openness - something he never sees from the president of Microboards. He fielded his questions really well, and in the end, the director told him he could see why Mike insisted on the interview. He just wasn't sure whether he could take the chance on Aaron being able to come up to speed on the technology as quickly as they would need him to. Aaron pointed out to him that he has a proven track record, and they could take someone who has been laid off, but is in the industry, but why take someone who wasn't valued by their company when they could have someone who is? He then told him that he wasn't sure how he could prove his ability to learn the technology quickly, but if they could come up with a way to evaluate it, bring it on! The director liked that idea, and said that maybe he and Mike could come up with a product for him to create a plan for, and give him a time limit to do so.

The interview left off there. No promises, but there is still hope. Aaron really loved it there. Each of the people who interviewed him were intelligent. They have a technology that is relevant for the future. They value their employees. Digi also has a fitness area, a cafeteria with good, inexpensive food, and a thinking room with bean bags and a bass guitar in it (I think that was mainly for the engineers, but I don't know for sure). It was a very friendly environment. So, please keep Aaron in your prayers. This will be a big disappointment for Aaron at this point if he doesn't get the chance to prove himself to them.