It’s getting late, but I can’t seem to sleep. I’ve become a party animal lately and my coffee, tea, and alcohol consumption is up….Very “un-Sacha-like.” I’m getting used to 5 or 6 hours of sleep per night now and my body still seems to function fine. It’s still not quite as bad as it was during my Engineering undergrad when I probably averaged 4 hours of sleep per night for 4 years. I guess the difference this time around is the fact that 40% of this program and the after-hour events are about networking, socializing, and team work. I realize more then ever the power of networking, and how it contributes to your ability to leverage and influence others. What’s best about it that I’m making lots of really great friends along the way; everyday is so much fun.
Geeta (my wife) has been in Ottawa for over a week now. She lost her job this week as a result of company restructuring. It has caused a significant amount of stress on the both of us considering that I’m on unpaid leave for a year and I’ve got a $70k tuition bill to pay. Add in some personal obstacles we’re dealing with at the moment, and you’ve got a pretty difficult situation. Although I’m stressed, I must say that I’m quite impressed with how we’re handling it. A year ago I especially would be panicking. Now, I’m just taking it day by day. I guess we’ve done ok from a contingency planning perspective and I’m not too stressed financially. On a bright note, I truly believe that this could be a blessing in disguise for Geeta. She’s been wanting out of tech for a long time and was wanting to career switch after I was done with my MBA. I think this is a perfect opportunity for her to take some time off, reflect on her interests, passions, and figure out where she’s heading. I want her to find something that she is passionate about even if it means less $$ and a bit of sacrificing on our quality of life. The truth is that she hasn’t been enjoying her career for quite some time. I hope she’ll make the best of this time and find her calling. I can’t help but recall Michael Clemmen’s recent keynote talk and how he mentioned that “genius comes from adversity.” I know that Geeta has hit a low point but I believe that her genius will come out in due time, and I will be there to support her as she has been there for me.
I feel like I’m going through so much change right now. It’s weird. My brother keeps making fun of me around how I am doing things backwards in life. Although I deny it, upon additional thought I think he’s right. Let me explain: I never partied during my undergrad studies. I was a serious student striving toward my career and personal goals. I didn’t adapt to change well and stayed within my comfort zone. As an example, I never bothered to try to make many new friends (besides the ones I carried from childhood), and I never let myself relax and let loose. Furthermore, I never lived outside of Ottawa. I stayed in Ottawa to attend Carleton University during my Engineering days. It now seems that it’s all coming undone. I feel younger, looser, and I’m even enjoying the club scene for the first time in my life. I feel more confident reaching out to others and making new friends. I’m having so much fun and its all happening very fast. I really wonder if I missed out on a part of my life when I was growing up? I think I was too mature for my age during my late teen years and early twenties, and perhaps I’m making up for a bit of it now? I guess this is stuff that people do when they go to college and university for the first time around. I seem to be doing it during Master’s program…hence my brother says I’m doing it backwards ;) Not sure if this will last for me, but I’m having fun and enjoying the experience. Did I mention that I’m exercising more frequently then I have in the last 3 years? Yes, I’ve finally got a good balance in my life and I hope it lasts!
Ok…time to prep for tomorrow’s day and get some zzzzzzzz’s.
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