Positive Economy™, Knackered Body, Security Alert....Wii Wii!!!

From Thursday to Saturday last week, we had the third of the set of four IPP seminars. The topic was Positive Economy™ - economy that generates economic growth but restores ecological capital - and the lecturer happens to be an alumnus of the HEC MBA programme and the University of California, Berkeley. He has been actively promoting investment in CleanTech companies and has just started his own consultancy. The lectures were interesting, and the sessions included videos, a movie, a case study and a guest speaker. He sure did put in a lot of effort in making the whole thing very interactive but I must say he could have gone a bit deeper in the subjects we discussed. But then, he probably had a lot to cover in a very short period of time...and a very broad audience! Not to worry as we were not back in school for just the lectures...we, as in my classmates and I, had a lot of catching up to do. All in all, most of my classmates are happy with their respective IPPs but a few are desperate to get out of their companies. And, some have stayed on at HEC to do more lectures and they seem to be loving it! It was really nice to see them again...and some of us went out to Cafe Oz, a popular hunt for foreigners in Paris, for a number of B52 shots and more bonding!

On Saturday, my wife and I took our son to his grandparents' place for a short vacation for him. He certainly likes being there but I think he misses us as my wife is now back in Paris and I am back here in England. And, a conference call between the three of us every evening is not going to be enough! While I was at my in-laws', I practiced a few rounds of boxing, a few games of tennis and a few rounds of golf. It was cold, wet, and windy outside and still we managed all these...the secret is Wii. Nintendo has done a great job and even amateurs like me can win against professionals like my brother-in-law. Unless, of course, he was thinking about family peace and letting me win! I even mentioned to my wife I won't mind getting one for my 30th birthday but I don't think that is going to happen! :-) Whatever the case, I must say I have never been physically challenged this much by a game console!

And, while I was queing to get back to London on the Eurostar, we heard an announcement that they had found an unidentified package on the track on the English side of the tunnel and we were being put on a security alert. Which essentially meant no boarding for a while and the knock-on effect meant I got home at 1:30am, about two hours late. Which would have been fine if I hadn't been woken up by 6:30am by my cousins to sort out the last details of two apartments we have just invested in in the booming Indian real estate market! Let's hope I find a job soon to pay off all these mortgages and loans!

Finally at 'home' in England!

Phew! Since the start of February, I spent so few days at home that I am enjoying being able to stay here for a weekend and take on the mundane but essential household things. My project is going on well and I am entering into the third phase. I would love to see the implementation of my ideas as that would be the best test of the strategy. However, I am not sure if I am going to be around for long enough! I am saving up all of my holidays to leave early in May so that I can be back home, in Paris, in time for the arrival of the second one! Exciting, perhaps sleepless, days ahead! :-)

I have also been exploring a lot for job opportunities within the company. Some are just general discussoions seeking guidance, directions and contacts while others are a bit more firm. Like the interview I had the other day. I was glad to be even invited as I do not have any experience, or background, in the subject but I was able to convince the hiring manager to give me a chance atleast at an assessment/interview stage. And, so they did. My performance was not bad but good or poor performance is a relative matter in such a setting. Let's see...it is a role at Canary Wharf in London but I could potentially be based in Paris after the first few months of onboarding. Now, that would be exciting! :-) I want a successful career but with a good balance between work and family which, I must admit, is not always easy.

Days are getting longer and there is now light when I go to catch the bus in the morning and on my way back from work. I am no longer part of the silhouette of the foliage and trees around the bus stop giving the bus driver no excuses for not spotting me waving my hand! :-) I am back in Paris on Wednesday for the third round of IPP lectures, this time on positive economy. I will write more when I have attended the lectures. We have also got the Easter weekend coming up so I can stay in France a day longer which is GREAT!

Have a good day and see you around!

10,000 miles later...

Back in Paris for the weekend after spending weeks eating and sleeping in various hotels...not got much time to blog but thought you might like to see my pictures from Chicago.