Classic Startup Mistakes

After my time in Rye at The Putter I spent an afternoon in Oxford. By pure coincidence I walked into Said Business School and saw that Stewart Niblock, former EasyGroup entrepreneurer, was giving a talk entitled Classic Start-Up Mistakes. It was very informational. I've posted some notes in a word document.

The President's Putter

I leave on Jan 2 for England to participate in my first ever President's Putter. I hope to have at least a few rounds at Littlestone and Rye. We'll see what happens. I play Gareth Jones on Thursday the 4th at Littlestone. It will be great to catch up with Gareth -- he and I played together last year at Oxford. For those unfamiliar with the Putter, I've included a little excerpt from Rye's website. Enjoy.

The President’s Putter Rye – isn’t that where they play the President’s Putter? Yes it is, since 1920 in fact. The Oxford & Cambridge Golfing Society, founded 22 years earlier for ex-participants in the golf match between the two universities, decided in addition to fixtures against various clubs to hold an annual meeting at Rye in early January. The format of the main event is scratch match play, the basis of university golf, and currently attracts a field of about 160. Thus the winner must survive seven or even eight rounds over four days, frequently in adverse weather, without undue delay since at that time of the year play is only possible between 8.00 am. and 4.30 pm. But herein lies the genius of the instigators, for the length of the evenings provides ample opportunity for sociable reunion, if not an obstacle course for those aspiring to success on the following day. Nearly everyone stays in or around the ancient Cinque Port of Rye, where amid its cobbled streets a myriad of inns and restaurants contributes to the congeniality. Players range in age from 20 to 70, some playing regularly – David Hayes the 2006 winner with a handicap of plus two – others barely picking up a club from one year to the next as work and family commitments intervene. Nevertheless the Old Course at Rye can be a great leveller and with the greens at their slickest and best in winter, never truer was the adage that ‘the man who can putt is a match for anyone’. Serious fun is the theme, exemplified by the presentation of a silver medal to the winner in exchange for the victorious ball. On the back of the medal are inscribed the Latin words ‘Primus inter pares’, which are freely translated by everyone else as ‘he was lucky to win’.

FT article on Said Business School (Oxford)

Check out the recent press on Oxford's business school (Said Business School) http://www.ft.com/cms/s/85118b6a-833b-11db-a38a-0000779e2340.html

WeThink

Charlie Leadbeater has released an interesting book on mass creativity and innovation (well sort of released, it's actually now online for mass collaboration). We-Think: the power of mass creativity. Here's an excerpt:

The basic argument is very simple. Most creativity is collaborative. It combines different views, disciplines and insights in new ways. The opportunities for creative collaboration are expanding the whole time. The number of people who could be participants in these creative conversations is going up largely thanks to the communications technologies that now give voice to many more people and make it easier for them to connect. As a result we are developing new ways to be innovative and creative at mass scale. We can be organised without having an organisation. People can combine their ideas and skills without a hierarchy to coordinate their activities. Many of the ingredients of these forms of self-organised creative collaboration are not new - peer review for example has been around a long time in academia. But what is striking about Wikipedia, Linux, Second Life, Youtube and many more is the way they take familiar ingredients and combine them to allow people to collaborate creatively at mass scale.

The rest is here: http://www.wethinkthebook.net/book/home.aspx ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from the website)

Charles Leadbeater is one the world's leading authorities on innovation and creativity in organisations. He has advised companies, cities and governments around the world on innovation strategy and drawn on that experience in writing his latest book We-think: why mass creativity is the next big thing, which charts the rise of mass, participative approaches to innovation from science and open source software, to computer games and political campaigning.

www.charlesleadbeater.net

Oxford MBA Graduation

Kelly created a short video with images from the last week at Oxford. Hear Graeme Glover sing at the graduation ceremony and view pictures from the Turf Tavern, Sheldonian Theatre, and the Examination building. You can also see a few more pictures at www.mcfaddenplace.com (click on graduation link)

Off to the Sheldonian

  Graduation starts in just over an hour. Kelly and I are going to take a walk and save some seats for the family. We can't believe it's already here. More pictures and videos to come. Much love, Kelly and Mike 

Nigerian Report on Team Oxford

Well, the major newspaper in Lagos - ThisDay - published an article on the Oxford students that worked there all summer. Below is the article that was published. Oxford University/Access Bank Partnership: Courting the Knowledge edge... 09.03.2006

Glitt Personality They are four MBA students from the prestigious Oxford University. A Chinese lady, Lijun Jiang; Michael J Mcfadden and Jayne Thorpe, both from the US; and from the home turf, Timothy Ojo. And what is the quartet's mission to Nigeria? They are on an eight-week Oxford/Access Scheme with particular focus on leveraging the strategy and service delivery content of retail banking. While imparting ideas on brand strategy, service delivery standards and knowledge retail banking to Access Bank Plc., they are expected to take back home something of the work ethic, business philosophy, culture, socio-economic milieu and even political peculiarities of both Access Bank Plc and Nigeria. The scenario is expected to enrich the cross-Atlantic knowledge bank. Incidentally, this is the first such project between Access and Oxford. Actually, the first with any bank in Nigeria. Beyond this, it is also the first such project from the MBA class in Oxford to come to Nigeria. Obviously this scenario surely transcends retail banking. But then in knowledge acquisition projects, apparently setting too stringent boundaries may defeat the fundamental attraction of the quest. Shaka Momodu encountered the four knowlegde 'explorers' to glean something of their quest within the larger context of Access Bank's courting of the sector's knowledge edge to move them to the next level... Lijun Jiang We open with the the Chinese lady Lijun Jiang, bowing to the old English tradition of 'ladies first'. What the ancient Chinese culture, which predates the English, has to say on this is a matter for another expose. She comes across as a very focused personality. She speaks politely but with the alluring unmistakeable lilt of her Chinese tongue. Who is Lijun Jiang? "My name is Lijun Jiang. I come from China and I have worked with China commercial bank for more than 16 years. I graduated from Beijing University, which is one of the best Universities in China. I studied English Literature and Language for my undergraduate degree. I have spent 12 years working in the Foreign Exchange section of the bank and four years as a branch manager, I was also in charge of Marketing and Operations. I also worked as the General Manager of Commercial and Financial Department." Why is Jiang on this Oxford/Access scheme? She smiled, looking somewhat amused "We are very fortunate that Access Bank could offer us this precious opportunity to be part of this wonderful project in Africa. And one of the reasons that I am also interested in it is the fact it has afforded me opportunity to come Africa. Another reason is that I think that I can contribute to the Retail Business in Access Bank." Has Jiang learnt anything in the past seven weeks she's been in Nigeria, especially concerning Access Bank? She took a deep breath, then paused. "This bank is young but very forward thinking especially its top management. They are set to lift this bank to the world class commercial - retail bank. The technology level is quit high, they have made a lot of investments in the technology which is one of the most advanced in the world, to increase their competencies. "This is quite impressive, but in terms of Retail banking I think it is not just only Access Bank, all the other Nigerian banks are at the starting point, compared to China. We would help them develop strategies to their brands, especially retail brand, we also tried to develop a blueprint for Retail banking which I think it is one of the most important issues that the bank has to confront." Jiang seems to place a lot of emphases on retail banking. Is that her area of specialization in China? "That is what we are going to contribute, they asked us to do that Access Bank used to be very strong in proper banking and commercial banking, they have strong potentials to grow and they are quite passionate the future of the bank. And am impressed. Nigerian people we decent, they love new things, they people want to do business with the bank. I see great potentials here." The passion was clearly unmistakable, and the temptation to probe her further was irresistable. "I can come back in the future to develop matual business between Access bank and China bank, for now, I have to go back to my bank because I was sponsored by them, it is quite interesting because China bank is also undergoing very rapid growth and we must exchange ideas and experience. I would encourage my bank to her into a relationship with Access bank." Impressed by her sharp understanding it was naturally interesting to find out what she learnt about the bank, the people and culture. "We visited some cultural sites and we watched some events. We have made a lot of contacts with the Nigerian people and some are good in persons, such as the bank's staff here. They are quite dedicated to their work, they have the strong ambition to make their bank the leading bank here but generally the living condition here especially the infrastructure, are quite backward compare even with China. They still have a long way to improve the whole country, investments environment and the peoples living standards. They must try to solve the problems of poverty and the health issues because a member of our team is down with a very serious high malaria." Michael J. Mcfadden He flaunts the usual American confidence. And with good reason. He has the professional track record and wherewithal to back it up. Who is Mcfadden? "My name is Michael J Mcfadden, a student at the University of Oxford, studying business for MBA. I am originally from the United States, from California, working for the food manufacturer, Head of New Products and Marketing. I came over to Oxford for my MBA to round off my marketing experience in finance and entrepreneural skills. I chose Access bank to come and work in Lagos, Nigeria for a few reasons. One of those reasons I wanted to come and work with Access bank is that it is a growing company that has ernomous potentials operating in a highly competitive banking industry. The opportunity to come in and make impact over the weeks and to work with such a vibrant team are irresistible." Did he chose Access Bank on his own? And before now did he know about Access bank? "We chose Access on our own. Basically there are 50 projects which students go and work in different countries of the world. Some go for IBM in New Zealand, in India, working for government areas. Our perception and views on Access bank to become a world class bank. "Throughout the year before I came here I have been aware of Access Bank. I came from the United States I was performing entrepreneur tasks at Oxford, England, getting to know more about the industry. We have six Nigerians on the project, so I was able to learn quite a bit about Nigeria and I got to come over here. So, I am here to learn and I am in the middle of the seventh week, I am spending eight weeks." According McFadden, choosing Nigeria was influenced by couple of reasons. "One, I guess there is a lot of options to coming into West Africa. Why did I decide to come to Nigeria? A country that has so much potentials and is moving in a very clear and delicate situation. Over the next five years it is going to be ten times greater, so to be here in the midst of that and to be a part and hopefully contributing to that moving forward was quite an honour." In his perception, what exactly does this programme aim to achieve? He wasted no time articulating the objectives of their mission. "We had a couple of objectives in coming down here, one is to help establish the Retails brand of Access bank so as Access is strong in commercial and corporate bank but it can also position itself in the marketplace as a retail bank. We are doing that to help bring marketing and consumer skills into the banking and into the group. They have a strong team there to help bring certain knowledge and we have certain experiences. "The second aspect of our objective was to bring in some service delivery standard not only in the retail but in the bank as a whole. We have been doing that with several other sectors within Nigeria. You see what Virgin Nigeria has accomplished within their short stay here. One of the members of our team Lijan is from China and has spent 16 years working for a bank there. So, there is a lot of experience to kind of transfer down here." What is his assessment of the bank so far? Listen to him. "On a personal standpoint, I have being very impressed with the professionalism, the attention to details, and the vision of the team of managers for the bank. We didn't actually appreciate what we were stepping into and so as we have spent 7 weeks and we have seen the DNA of the company. It has been fascinating to see the diligence, the hardworking culture, which is a culture thing within Access bank. There is hardwork and determination among the workers, we have been quite impressed at all levels. I am impressed with the Aig, the Managing Director, am impressed with all levels within the number of branches." What has he seen so far that is different from what he is learning in Oxford and where he comes from? "In the UK, their service is poor in retail banking. So, to come here and know that there is a striving for improved standard, striving to be world class is an thing amazement to me. There are still a number of parts that need to move and work together but I would that say that of the banking industry as a whole, especially, the consolidation of the past year which is still young. But it has made a huge start that would eventually lead it to a world-class company, comparable to any other in the world." How would what he has learnt here benefit the Business School in Oxford ? "I will tell you one thing that I will be taking away is seeing how running a business within a country whose political situation is where it is, coming up in an election year it is fragile. It has made a huge step forward but now we are coming into another part to see how a strong bank like Access is moving in a certain direction. On top of that, in such a competitive industry you can read case studies, you can look at the way businesses function in the UK, in Europe, in the US but to be in the middle of a Ground Zero is fascinating." What is he taking away from Access Bank? "One thing that I would take away for sure is the work ethics, there were days that I left the office at 11.00pm and I was not the last person to leave. Every day, I would get up at 6.00 a.m and you find people already working in the office. The workers there work extremely hard, I would take that away for sure. "The other thing that I would take away is the youthful spirit, the energy, the excitement are the other things that I would take away from Access Bank. Then the pride in an healthy way, the people at Access Bank are proud to be there, you don't necessary see that in every business across the world." If Access Bank offers him the opportunity to work with them, would he accept? "I would consider it, I brought my wife here for the first four weeks that I was here. She back home now in California, I would give it a big consideration." Did he make friends? Mcfadden answeres in the affirmative. Is this the first partnership work between Access Bank and Oxford University? "This is the first project between Access and Oxford and it is the first with any bank in Nigeria, this is the first project from the MBA class in Oxford to come to Nigeria. There have been few projects in South Africa, in Egypt, in Morocco, but this is the first project with any bank. We hope that the relationship continues, we have improved. We have learnt immensely." Lastly, would he consider settling in Nigeria and if not what would he take away from Nigeria as a whole? "I don't know if we would permanently stay over a long time because of our families, maybe when we have a direct flight to LA, but it would be wonderful for both countries if we could restore direct flights. I will be leaving on Friday, August 25. I would take away the laughter, the smiles in the country are quite inspiring, I would take those things away. And interestingly, you could shop in the traffic, just anything. It is amazing." Jayne Thorpe She is the second American in the Oxford quartet. A lively fellow in all the senses who brings some precision to her talks. Hear her: "My name is Jayne Thorpe and I am from North Carolina in the United States, I am from a family of five children where everyone else is a doctor but I am the Black sheep, I am an Accountant. I decided to go to Business School because I wanted to get more of finance. I decided on Oxford Business School because I wanted to do a one year programme and of course I wanted the international experience." Why did she choose to come to Nigeria? "I had this thing in my head that I want to go to Africa and so when the offer came I saw it as an opportunity that would be just perfect. What we here to do but wasn't my strength which is marketing but it involves Retail Banking. We had a very well rounded team." Why not South Africa and what has she learnt from this programme? "I wanted to spend the entire period in Africa so that I can get a grip of it, the other reason is that I came to introduce a project which has been very well received. I think that we came down here with a different perspective on what we are going to be able to achieve and what we have achieved. I think we have achieved a lot more than we thought we are going to achieve as far as helping to develop a retail banking is concerned. We helped develop new products including products that would hopefully be launched very soon and the ones that would be launched next year. "We also helped developed financing models by making sure that the products are profitable or what actually is the goal of a particular product. If your new product is customer acquisition then we are not going to think of making some profits. Another thing about the bank is it quality service management and we are excited about what we have been able to do here." What is his assessement of the bank itself? Right now I feel very, very good. Their marketing skill is phenomenonal and their energy is incredible with everyone working so late in the night yet they will be at their desks by 7.00am the next day. I feel very inspired, I see the people as the member resource that the bank has." Tell me, if the opportunity to work for Access Bank presents itself, would she accept it? She laughs: "May be in the future, near future. I intend to come back to Africa." What has she learnt about Nigeria within the short period of stay? "They are very business-minded and sociable. I visited an orphanage here in order to see the real Africa not just looking at it from inside of a bank. Corporate responsibility make institutions leaders in their sectors and there is much more to be done to uplift the society." Can she make a bit of comparison between working for a bank in Nigeria and the United States? "I have worked with a retail bank before doing some other work but they did not work this hard. Banking in Nigeria, keeps bankers on their toes 24 hours a day. In New York city people work so hard, Access Bank would be a fine comparison to that. I have worked in Chicago, generally, Americans are hardworking people. But I have learnt here that Nigerians are just as hardworking. I really appreciate that." What is she taking away from Access Bank? "What I learnt was the way to work at strategy. And it is great." Timothy Ojo The fourth member of the visiting Oxford MBA class is Mr. Timothy Ojo. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University Ife, He has over 8 years professional banking experience in between Nigeria and the UK during which he has garnered relevant experience across key banking functions which includes business development, product development, relationship management and core banking operations. Prior to his MBA programme at the prestigious Oxford University, He worked with the Small Business division of the retail-banking arm of Barclays, where he was substantially involved in client relationship management. While at Barclays, Timothy was involved in the re-design of one of the banks leading business products and prior to that helped set-up the Wealth Management unit at Skabol Finance and Investment Management Ltd. He has worked with a couple of Nigerian Banks amongst which include EcoBank Nigeria, Fidelity Bank and Equitorial Trust Bank. He currently led a team of 4 Oxford University students to Access Bank Plc on a Strategic Consulting Project as part of the assessment for the MBA programme and building partnerships across international borders. Timothy is a recipient of the University of Oxford's SBS Scholarship Award.

Our bags are packed

We are off... The McFaddens are on the move, this time to Nigeria. Our updates may be a bit more sparce, but you can keep up with us through our website and our blog. Hugs and kisses to all. Mike & Kel

Jerry Gibson in Oxford

On Saturday, two days before Kelly and I left for Nigeria, a friend, mentor, and wise 'old fossil' visited Oxford. Jerry was in London with his wife, Normadeane, his daughter Becky and her family. To the left you can see Jerry and I walking down the path from the canel to Christ Church. We had a wonderful time. It was truly a blessing to see him before our departure.

The thoroughly modern moustache?

Check out this article from yahoo news (photos added by me). I must say, I am proud that my husband is on the cutting edge of style. Congratulations to the MBA's who make this article a reality every term! NEW YORK (AFP) - "I think it's sexy," Donald Bradford, 26, says of the bushy growth that has adorned his upper lip for the past two months. Largely shunned since the 1980s, moustaches are enjoying something of a renaissance among young New Yorkers, following a comeback trail blazed by such hip role models as actor Nicholas Cage and the ultra-trendy fashion photographer Terry Richardson. "It's just cool, right?, and it's fun," said Bradford, a tall man with blonde highlights in his hair to match his silver jacket. Jay Della Vale verges on the evangelical in his praise of the moustache's attributes which, according to the 26-year-old DJ, include intimations of virility, a relaxed style and a healthy sense of humor. "You walk differently. You're more laid back. You dress differently," Della Vale said. "We're on a mission to bring it back." Della Vale's devotion to facial hair prompted him to make a documentary "The Glorious Moustache Challenge" in which he persuaded 30 men to grow moustaches for a month to see what difference it made in their lives and the reactions of those around them. "For the first month, everybody is against it, especially the women," he said. "They say, 'Please don't do that, you remind me of my father ... or a 70s porn star'." According to Della Vale, most of his moustachioed guinea pigs weathered the early critical storm and actually became quite fond of their new accessory. Love of "the stache" was taken for granted at the recent New York City Beard and Moustache Championships, which saw hundreds of hirsute aficionados turn out to root for their favourite styles. Iconic images of movie stars and characters who championed the moustache -- Clark Gable, Sean Connery, Inspector Clouseau, Marlon Brando in "The Godfather" -- were projected onto a giant screen to appreciative applause. But the real adulation was reserved for a photo of the contestants' main hero, Tom Selleck, who brought stache-style to the masses in the early 1980s with the television cop series "Magnum." But not long after those heady days, the moustache's fortunes took a dive in the popularity stakes -- it's fall from grace best summed up by the makeover forced on the "Brawny Man." A brand icon whose lumberjack shirt and heavy moustache had promoted Brawny kitchen towels for decades, the Brawny Man was replaced in 2003 by a clean-shaven hunk who was seen as more in tune with the times. For all the efforts of Della Vale and his cohorts, bringing back the old style is proving a tough sell to the average man in the street. "I feel less confident, more insecure," said Graham Veysey, 24, who grew his moustache and entered the New York contest in a response to a dare from his friends. "It's just not me," Veysey said. "I didn't understand how much it would dominate the conversation. It's like 25 times a day!" New York-based French fashion designer Thomas Vasseur finds his moustache -- complemented with prominent sideburns -- serves as an open invitation to comment from just about everybody. "For some of my friends, it suggests I'm looking for a new identity," said Vasseur, 32. "My mother tells me I remind her of my father who she divorced 25 years ago, my nephews tell me it scratches, and then there are also those, happily, who say that it suits me," he added. No matter what the reaction, Vasseur insists he has no intention of taking a razor to his upper lip. "It's a male accessory, just like highlights or make-up for women," said Vasseur. "I would feel naked without it." As for the future, zealots like Della Vale optimistically predict an "epidemic" of moustaches spreading across the country, while other fashion arbiters are more cautious. "It's almost like a tongue-in-cheek kind of style," said James Bassil, editor-in-chief of the male lifestyle website, AskMen.com. "The general impression that women have of moustaches is either they love them or they are absolutely repulsed by them, and there's no real middle ground," Bassil said. "And there needs to be a middle ground for a fashion or a facial hair trend to be adopted en masse permanently," he added. by Catherine Hours Thu Jun 8, 1:26 PM ET

Oxford Blues Golf Picture: Bufty Style

The 2005-2006 Oxford Blues Golf Team

Back row (left to right): Michael Canty, Michael McFadden, Stuart Baird, D.J. Stewart, Simon Jones, David F.M. Ferreria, Mason Grower Front row (left to right): Thomas A. Smith, Gareth O. Jones, Michael Gray, Philip Bickerton

Trinity Term Quotes

I wanted to share a few memorable quotes thus far in Trinity Term. Some I remember who said it and others I had scribbled in my little green book with no person identified. Apologies.

"Time in business is risk" -Guy Hands, Founder and CEO, Terra Firma

"Buy well, sell well, and don't screw it up in the middle" - Chris Woodhouse, CFO Debenhams, on working for private equity backed companies "What can go right? What can go wrong? What can be done to increase the probablity of it going right or reduce the probability of it going wrong?" -Questions to ask during an entrepreneurial venture "People who solve problems must somehow first arrive at the belief that they can solve problems." -How to Change The World, a social entrepreneurial book "Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." -Proverbs 4:7 "Do you do what you're best at every day?" "Be ruthless in selecting companies to work for. Be ruthless in selecting the right people to come work for you." (and expect the same)

New page on the website

I've been waiting for quite sometime to start a site that captured at least a portion of what I'm learning in school. However, I've realized I'm never going to have the time to do it to the degree I wish ... so, I'll just start it and see how it evolves. Introducing, info share or learnings ... i'm still figuring out what to name it. Speaking of new websites, I'm also in the process of starting a golf only blog ... yep, 2-Under. Not that I'm shooting 2 under these days but it had a nice ring to it and well, a boy can dream right?!

Another Cool Moment...

We found out last week that Mike was selected by his class to speak at the farewell dinner in September for the Oxford MBA class of 2006. This is a really neat honor as Mike was nominated and then voted by his classmates to be their representative at this special event. Jessica Shortall, a good friend of ours, was also asked to share. I am really excited for both of them and know they will do a great job!

On a different note, Mike is busy preparing for finals and the varsity Match against Cambridge coming up in a few weeks. Joining us at Muirfield will be Joe Goebel - friend from Cali, Dave Runyon - a man that needs no introduction, and many other friends from SBS. After the tournament Mike will play a few more rounds with Dave and the guys and I have the opportunity to be at the Skoll World Forum in Oxford that week. I am really looking forward to this event as social entrepreneurs from all over the world will gather to listen to incredible speakers. It is quite an opportunity.

More soon, Kelly M Picture above from Mike's Matriculation in October

This Just In: Mike's a Blue!

Mike has been selected as a team member for the Varsity Golf Match against Cambridge in March. “What does this mean?” you ask. I will tell you. For hundreds of years Oxford and Cambridge have been competing against each other in a variety of sports. This match is called the Varsity Match. This is the only match where a student of Oxford can obtain the highly coveted BLUE. With it comes honor, prestige and a very cool blue jacket. J Mike will be fitted today. And yes, I will post a picture of him in it soon. This years match will be held in Muirfield http://www.muirfield.org.uk/ one of the most well known golf courses in the world. If you happen to be in Scotland around the 24th of match please let us know. I am super excited for Mike and very proud of him. I am amazed at how he manages to do so much and do it all so well (cue sappy music). Sorry, had to take a proud wife moment.

Kelly Mc

Reminded of Oxford Welcome Message

The average life has 30,000 days. It's the only capital we get. Invest your time wisely, you are committing 365 to Oxford - make the best of it. Work hard. Have some fun. Make friends and then work harder. Notes from Roy Westbrook's welcome message.

Reflections & Highlights of Michaelmas

Perhaps it is time to take a moment to reflect on the Michaelmas term in Oxford. As we begin Hilary and new adventures are upon us, I would hate to lose all that we have done in the last few months due to my sloth in writing. So this will be a brief, and semi-inclusive look at Michaelmas... Ireland: What a trip we had! It turned into a golf trip for Mike and I on the northwest coast of Ireland. When the rain came down on the courses, we loved it...it seemed to be a part of the experience of golfing in Ireland. But by the third rain soaked day, we were wishing for a bit more sunshine. Our clothes did not have the time to dry between rounds. One torrent in Donegal basically voided the idea of rain-proof gear. There is no such thing when you are basically swimming on a course. Probably the highlight was visiting with Mike's grandfather's brother in his home near Carrick-on-Shannon in a tiny mining village called Arigna. The home was built over 200 years before by his great grandfather. We were able to sit with them in their home and enjoy tea as well as a shot of good old-fashioned Irish Whiskey. Maybe everyone pores guests whiskey at 1500? At first we thought they would be poring tea, but were a little quizzical when the tiny glasses came out. Between that and the conversations about cows, we felt we had traveled back in time. Oxford: Often described as the City of Dreaming Spires, Oxford is just that. It is home to the love of study and learning. It is our home now. Each corner, each cobblestone awakens the senses as you can picture horse drawn carriages and dons of old walking the same roads, the same halls for hundreds of years. If you have always hated school, even Oxford will make you want to pick up a book especially if you get a chance to walk through Duke Humphrey's Library (over 500 years old!). There is probably too much to say about Oxford. So much of it is captured in our pictures, that I will mention only a few things. Mike and I have loved being here. We are overwhelmed by how extremely talented and intelligent his class is. They are also a group who is outgoing and friendly. Oxford has also set up an atmosphere that encourages teamwork, not cut-throat competition. It has been great for me as well as a partner. Partners are included in everything and welcomed with open arms. There are also quite a few in my same situation, so friends were made quickly as we were all eager to meet someone. The hardest thing about this term for me has been all that has been going on at home. If you read this blog you know that my Uncle has been very ill. It has been quite a roller coaster. I was so thankful for Mike's encouragement to get to Italy and be with my aunt when everything first began. I also was able to see my uncle and family in California in November. Praise the Lord that he continues to recover and for the first time we are able to say he is not fighting an infection, but now fighting to recover. We continue to pray for him. One thing I love about England is the pub culture. Don't look so surprised. It is very different than the bar culture back home. Pub's were originally called public houses and offered residents somewhere to socialize since most of their homes were too small to have many over. It was common for people to have a neighborhood pub. Ours has become the Radcliff Arms. It is just down the street and the people there are so friendly. Truly our cheers...where everybody knows your name. The owner Michael once he met us immediately ordered American Sports for us on his TV system so we could keep up with football...And next basketball. We have watched some great games there and were able to take our friends there when they came into town. Key Events: The Templeton 20th Anniversary Dinner, Formal Halls at the colleges, Eating at Christ Church (Harry Potter Hall), having my mum (that's how they say is here) out for a visit, having some friends out over the New Year, dancing at the Lebanese restaurant on Mike's birthday, eating cookies from Danz located in the covered market, exploring this amazing and historic city and making it home, being able to communicate back home through yahoo's IM and seeing my family thru webcams, interacting with and meeting people from all over the world...I am sure I could come up with more if I took more time, but for now that is a good list. Trips: Besides Ireland when we first got here, Mike and I were able to go to Davos Switzerland over the break. What a trip we had. I don't think I will ever ski in Switzerland again only because it could never be that good again. Empty slopes and more snow than one could even hope for for all five days of skiing, let alone one! We had such a lovely time. We also took some moments away from the group. We headed into Klosters and ate at a small family run restaurant called Wynegg. We had fun trying to figure out the train system, getting off on the wrong stop, making our way back and making some new friends as we finally sat to eat some authentic swiss food. Between the cheese and cream, we have both been on a health kick since we returned. We also visited Edinburgh. WOW what a city. It was gorgeous. There is a castle in Edinburgh that sits up top the hill. It can be seen from every angle and offers incredible panoramic views. We had a blast storming the castle, doing the Scottish Whiskey tour, and looking into a little of the Campbell Scottish history. The New Years party was also pretty crazy. 100,000 people lined the streets for stage shows, rides, ice-skating and a wonderful firework show to ring in the new year. It was quite an event. And I would suggest to anyone to get to Edinburgh if you have a chance. The city was charming. Our last big stop was Bath. Bath brought us back into the MBA by heading out with some of our new friends for a weekend trip before the mayhem began again. Bath can best be described as enchanting. It is a city that captivates you the second you see it. IT offers history lessons, pitch and put golf, a gorgeous abbey and a taste of Rome in Britain, not to mention the taste of a Sally Lunn Bunn. Another must visit. Conclusion: All in all, we are still pinching ourselves to see if this is really happening and not just a dream. We have begun the Hilary Term and know this time will be through before we realize it. Our goal is to make the most of the gift we have been given in this adventure. And this term, I promise to contribute a bit more...

First Golf Fixture 2006

I just got back from our first Blues fixture of 2006. We played Walton Heath on Saturday and The Addington on Sunday. Saturday at the Heath it was the 100th match between Oxford and the club. We lost 11 1/2 to 6 1/2. Historically they've always put out a great squad. Oxford hasn't won in 50 years! It was a great time. I lost in the morning 6 and 5 in foresomes with Canty and then snagged a point in the afternoon. I played well enough to win 2 and 1. That night we had a great black tie event where 90+ people came. It was a great honor to be there for the 100th anniversary dinner. Today we all were a little slow to get up but we came out winners at the Addington.

Edinburgh for New Years

Truly a beautiful city. Rich in history and tradition, this city was inspiring. You can see this picture taken from the castle above Princess Street. The town was so peaceful the morning of Dec 31 only to be transformed into a giant celebration that evening. 

Magnum who??