And their off...
At 12:00 PM today the GVSU CSAL 2004 Case Study Competition kicked into high gear. Teams were randomly assigned this year and the competition looks great. We have 24 hours to come up with a solution to a case dealing with higher education administration. My team (I got paired with first year grad Mike Slocum) presents pretty early this year.

Last year Becky and I won this thing and took the $500 prize. I also won the national Order of Omega competition with Shawna in December 2003. So I have a lot of pressure to perform. I am trying to not think about that, I am doing this for the fun and hopefully $500. The excitement of the competition is there and it has gotten me excited. Too bad I work all afternoon and Mike has class tonight. We will have little prep time tonight.

I just want to wish everyone luck tomorrow. It will be a ton of fun.

Weekend
I had some good travels the last few days. I got to run over to Detroit for some potential client meetings. I did not land any new business but it was a great trip. I got to run into some old friends over there, namely my good friend Megan! We met over in Birmingham which is one of my favorite places in Michigan. We had a great lunch and caught up on everything that has been going on in our lives. She is working her way up the Banana Republic ladder at Sommerset Mall and I am avoiding the real world at all costs. It was a great time over on the east side of the state.

Then it was off to Chicago cause it is my weekend to see Novali. My chapter Brothers also were heading out there to hangout and relax and celebrate Gary's birthday. I picked them up on my way and we went to Chicago to meet up with Rey. Friday night they went to Transit, a club in Chicago, and I went to sleep cause I had to take Novali to Monsters Inc. on Ice in the morning.

Monsters Inc. was fun! At first I think Novali was confused. Being only two she did not understand that this was not the movie she is used to watching. After time to adjust, and once the annoying people in front decided to sit down, she enjoyed the show. She got a Monsters Inc. coloring book and had a blast.

Then we went to meet some of Tamara's sisters at the Cheesecake factory. The Brothers were supposed to come as well but they fell behind and then decided not to come. Before dinner Novali got to watch her mom try on make up at the Estee Lader counter in Marshall Fields and then played hide-and-go-seek with me in all the clothes racks. I pretended I could afford a $250 Armani dress shirt and then we went to eat. Grisel and Veronica met us for dinner. It was nice to see them again. Grisel is getting married this summer so I got to hear all the exciting plans.

Then finally I met up with Brothers again. Rey, Gary and Ismael met with us over to club Red No Five. We had a good time. Some Brothers from the University of Illinios-Chicago were there and we danced, some drinks, and caught up. The club was fun, not what I had expected, and there was nearly a fight outside between the bouncers some people they would not let it. I kinda watched to watch the bouncers boot the guys out cause they were holding up the line and it was cold out... but we finally got in. Cover was too high (20) for a regular looking club with a pretty bad DJ. Drinks as usual cost twice as much as in Michigan, but us Brothers had a good time either way. Hurting for funds today... but that is alright. A little Greek food after the bar and then hit the hay.

Red No 5

The basement

In the morning I went out to Mt. Prospect (suburb north of Chicago where Rey lives) and picked up Gary and Ish. We had lunch with Rey at Denny's and then rolled out back to Michigan. It was a fun weekend. We got to have fun, talk a little business, and I got lots of time with Novali.

What was sad though was on Sunday morning when Novali heard me say I was leaving she got all sad. Generally leaving is tough for me cause I wish I could stay more with her, this made it worse. She got all pouty and did not even want to kiss me goodbye. Saying goodbye is so hard to do... two weeks and I will see her again.