The other day I got an email from Allure Experts asking me to try some new mascara. Since it had Chanel in the name, I blew it off. I used to be a rabid Allure reader; I bought it every time I went to the store. When they started an online review panel sort of like the Harris Polls I do, I signed up right away. Let's just say ... it sounded better in theory than in practice.

The last time I tried a product, it was Kerastase day and night cream. I had to go to the nearest Sephora (South Coast Plaza) to pick up a sample. I liked it a lot, but at $110 a bottle it's not something I could buy on my pre-MBA budget (it's not sold any more).

Today I got a little puffy envelope in the mail from Allure with a trial of Exceptionnel de Chanel mascara. Now this is how you conduct a trial!

I haven't tried it yet but I'll let you know. It's $28 at Neimann Marcus, so it's not likely I'll be giving up my Maybelline Great Lash any time soon. BTW: it smells awful.

Happy little star-shaped Parisian macaroons ...

I wish I didn't have class tonight, and that I had more time to cook.






I'd love to make Martha's baked pasta and peach cake.

The Vice President of Student Affairs is Michael Jackson.

Every time I get an email from his office, I'm confused - and then I laugh. Michael Jackson is emailing me!

Yesterday evening, as soon as I got home from work, I started on the case analysis that's due for my new finance class. It's supposed to be done in groups, but I got the idea that if I did a really amazing analysis on my own, the professor would like me and give me a good grade despite missing the first two weeks of class and the first assignment …

So I worked until 9:30 (only because once you start on this sort of thing, you start thinking up all these possibilities and it gets overly complicated). Did a little 10 minute workout, and went to bed. More like, laid in bed. I was so anxious last night I could hardly sleep. Sure, it's a little silly to worry so much at this point, but that's what I do best.

Today I printed my assignment and spent the whole morning wishing it was over with. I can't remember the last time I was so nervous about a class! Then, this afternoon, all of a sudden I was over it. Hopefully it will go well anyway!

Side notes:

• Happy September! Can you believe there are only 3 months left in 2008?
• I need to get my car smog tested and washed.
• Also need to put together the save-the-date cards.
• Any ideas how to make carrot cake cookies?
• I'd like a pair of nice brown pants now that it's fall. And still a pair of jeans. Why don't pants fit any more?

Whew. The past few days have been just so crazy.

I had to drop/add a class. It's late in the semester, but a lot of things were going wrong. As it's my last semester, I was hoping to save some last little shred of sanity. I replaced my consulting project class with good old, tried-and-true corporate finance. The professor gave me some doubting Thomas excuses, but I joined up anyway. Prerequisites? It's a required core-year course. Background? My undergrad, if there had been an emphasis as such, would have been corporate finance. Really, how could I not be prepared at this point??

That being said, please send a few positive thoughts my way that all goes well the next three months. It's so close, it almost seems like it's not really going to happen.

Work was especially crazy with both managers in. Sometimes I wonder just how many jobs I have.

This weekend, though, was wonderful. I mostly had the school business worked out by Friday night, and Saturday we got up and went to SeaWorld. No kidding! I've never been, so it was especially exciting for me. We spent most of the day soaked in dolphin splashes, and saw Shamu (of which there were three, and they looked like they were having a pretty good time). The park was starting winter hours so we cleaned up a little and hung out at a bar just off the ocean. We left after breakfast the next day. I was so bummed to come home - back to laundry, catching up in class, work, work, work. I don't want to associate home with work.

Well, time to finish the writeup. Or start it. Although I was thinking, "Why don't they have almond M&Ms?" They do. Now I'm craving them, along with every other kind of junky food you can imagine.