Tonight, though, I'm avoiding class work and preparing food for a weekend in Northern Michigan with 700 of my favorite classmates. I'm staying with a bunch of men*, and while I wonder if they would survive left to their own devices, I don't want to risk it. Regardless, I've used it as an excuse to drink wine, eat cookie dough, and highlight the winners and losers of 2017.
Winner. Dreamland. I don't ever make serious recommendations, but this book was by far my favorite of the year. It's a journalistic perspective of how the intersection of an enterprising village in Mexico producing black tar heroin, a naive medical system over-prescribing opioids, a technological shift leaving an entire region struggling for employment, the rise of superstores, and the misappropriation of healthcare led to a devastation that is finally being addressed on a national scale. So many intersections!
Loser. The Browns. We're terrible.
Winner. American Vandal. Another recommendation, everyone. A parody on the Netflix hit, "Making a Murderer," this mockumentary will make you question whether or not you are subconsciously attracted to someone when you add an extra y to "hey."
Loser. Game of Thrones. I still haven't watched it. So that's sad for the show.
Winner. My goal of world takeover. We're getting closer, people. I even have some ideas of the company I want to start.
Loser. My ongoing desire to be near home. I've been away from home for awhile, and it's definitely gotten easier and more natural over time. Then I spend a vacation with my sister, her husband, and their kiddos, and all I want to do is be with them.
Winner. Follies. Turns out, I have a knack for satirical commentary and self-deprecation. Who knew. My legacy is cemented. I am the lush in a hot pink skirt and crop top screaming mild obscenities and propositioning random men from the balcony of the theater. I did, however, wear a bra, so it could be an improvement from Nips Navs.*
Loser. Commencement Speech. I don't know why they wouldn't want the aforementioned broad speaking to the Ross community. I'm sure they will pick someone qualified. As for me - I'm just going to reach a point in life in which people are not nominating me to speak, but people are still listening.
What am I going to do in 2018 and beyond? Good question. I was flipping through old books the other day, and I stumbled upon a journal I started during my nine month vacation prior to school. I was only consistent for four days, but on day four, I wrote, "I've been thinking about my why lately, and I keep coming back to this story Grandma told me about giving Stephen Fruit Loops." You see, Stephen was severely brain damaged and couldn't chew anything. But I wanted to share with him, so my grandma walked in the room to a choking child. It was funny, because the same day I read this, my dad posted this picture of the two of us, both napping, with me holding his wrist. I loved him. And I was adorable.
I think I have a really large capacity to love others and give myself to them. And in business school, honestly, sometimes I forget about that, because I'm being pulled in so many different directions. But in life, I think I'm going to do something with that part of me. For instance, pre-make dinner for helpless men.*
* A generous term.
* For those of you who still don't know what Follies is, here's one of the videos featuring our school President.
* I'm sure they're not totally helpless...
