Back... with stories
I had a great time traveling the last few days. I wanted to post some pictures from my time in Texas and also recap some of my trips.

I had two on campus interviews this week, I will never do that again. Universities really run you through the gauntlet for these positions. My interviews started with dinner upon my arrival. The following day about 7 hours of interviewing, both schools had a total of about 25 people meet with me throughout the day. Very nerve racking. So to have two of these in one week was very hard on me. I need to sleep in my bed and relax!

One of my Brothers took this for me, my mom wanted to see a pic of me dressed up.

DePaul is right on Lincoln Park in Chicago. Great Location!

For my interview at DePaul the questions were very hard and they really drilled me about some complex issues and challenged my ideas and I reviewed case studies and past issues on their campus. Had a lot of interesting things happen to me there, as I first set foot on campus with the Director of Student Life... two girls were fighting in front of the Union. It was kinda funny. Then on the interview day, on my way back from a meeting on their downtown campus the train I was on caught fire. My tour guide and I had to evacuate the train and catch a bus back to campus. Crazy...

Right after my last interview I hoped on the road and came home. I barely had time to wash clothes, repack, and put in a few hours at CompuCraft and then fly to Dallas. My trip was the usual, I have grown accustomed to flying (in the past six months I have flown 7 times). SMU was amazing.

SMU has the most beautiful campus. Right in downtown Dallas but so green still.

On my tour we went through some of the fraternity and sorority houses... most of them were 2 to 4 million dollar homes... wow.

Of course I ate a lot of red meat while in Dallas... got to love Texas steaks!

Some Dallas area Brothers took me out, they got a limo and everything.

We went to this sweet club called Blue. Latin upstairs, hip hop downstairs. Very hot club.

Fernando does work with promotions... so we did not wait in line, paid no cover... and got VIP treatment.

Dallas as always was a ton of fun. SMU I think would be the better professional opportunity. I also liked how well they treated me. BMW at the airport, fancy dinners, awesome hotel room and room service... very posh. However, being close to Novali is more important. DePaul should let me know pretty soon what their decision is on their position. Once I hear from them I will go from there.

I am dead tired right now from the trips. Tomorrow (Saturday) I am going to get some work done on the car. Get that stupid seat belt latch finally replaced. I also need to wax the car see about getting a quote on getting my little rust spot that popped fixed. Sunday will be busy, I am running to Kalamazoo again and getting some work done in the office at GVSU, and then heading to the Airport to meet the Mexico gang and give rides to Trailagirl and BlondeAmbition.

Interviews are done!
My interviews went well. DePaul was very tough and asked me hard questions and really drained me mentally. I loved meeting the students and really enjoyed the campus visit. I am hoping to hear from them within the week about the position.

I finished SMU today. It was a good interview. Much more laid back then the DePaul interview and I enjoyed the campus. The trip here to Dallas has been awesome. They picked me up in a BMW and treated me to awesome dinners and I am in a great hotel room in downtown Dallas. The campus was more beautiful then I thought it would be.

Right now I am waiting for the Dallas area Brothers to pick me up. They are taking me out on the town tonight and even got a limo! I have not been to Dallas in over a year so I am excited to see what we get up to. This is a fun town, but first some dinner. In good Texas fashion I will order a huge steak... yum.

I will back in Michigan tomorrow. My race this Saturday was canceled so I will have a chance to relax all day Saturday and get some work done on the car. I finally got my new seat belt latch in... no more touchy seat belt.

Passports, Cords, Patent, Sunglasses and a Suit.
Okay. Busy last few days... lets recap. The weekend started on Friday with a trip to Kalamazoo. Gary graduated and is now leaving for Germany to live with his wife. So us Betas got together and said our goodbyes to Gary... the thing is his passport never arrived so we might have to say goodbye again.

Rudy and I made it out to Hartford to have dinner at Gary's Family's house.

Gary with his brothers... family resemblance... I think so.

Saturday morning I got up and went to Lansing. Andres was graduating. It was a very casual ceremony which surprised me but it was great to meet the new members from his fraternity and also hangout with my parents. We had an awesome BBQ and a great time with Andres and his Brothers. I am so proud of my little brother, he landed a great job with Dupount and will be moving out East later this year.

Andres getting his dilploma, all dressed in green with his Honor Cords.

We try hard to make our parents proud, and with three kids as college alums I hope they are.

Andres with his fraternity Brothers. Phi Iota Alpha.

The BBQ was at an awesome park in Lansing (even though music was not allowed). We ate like kings...

On Saturday I also got some sweet news. I got a letter from Johnson Controls. While I worked there I was a part of three innovation disclosures and finally... I got a patent! I got my paperwork to submit to receive my official US Patent. How awesome! Almost makes me want to become a designer again...

Sunday was mothers day and I headed to Chicago. We did the family tour with Novalí. First to her Great Grandma Gomez out on the Southside of Chicago. Then off to her visit her Great Grandma Escribano. Novali loves her abuela Anna and they play like little kids. Of course I ate some great Puerto Rican food and called my Mother and she talked to Novali on the phone.

Today I kept Novalí home from day care and we went shopping. To my surprise she remembered the last time her and I walked to the store from here. She is getting to be the age that she remembers more and of course talks all the time! We went to eat, shopped, and I got my haircut.

Novalí playing under the table with her Great Grandma Escribano.

She grows any faster she will be bigger then her mother by the end of the year!

She is learning how to catch so I spent time Monday playing catch with her.

It was an awesome day for a walk, so we got dressed and off and we went.

At the restaurant she preferred to color then eat... she colored a nice clown for her mami.

We stopped in the dollar store and she got some new sunglasses... its all about accessories.

Tonight I interviewed with student leaders at DePaul. It was nice to see the campus again and we had some interesting dialog. All in all I feel pretty good about how it went.

Tuesday will be about 7 hours of interviews with different departments within the university. I am excited and nervous, worried and ready, confident and apprehensive all at the same time. Hopefully all will go well, I got a new pad of paper for notes, new suit fitted and pressed with a sweet shirt and tie combo, and fresh haircut. Wish me luck.