The Business Meeting

The company's 2 day long meeting with representatives from 4 major
tire companies is finally done.

I'm lucky to have had the privilege to sit in, even as an intern
(rather, a co-op, who's on his first work semester) and even allowed
to give a short presentation on a project I worked on over the last 8
weeks. It was pretty intense observing the detailed discussion of how
we wanted to steer our progress into more value added benefit of the
members and it was an experience. And of course, a business dinner, I
finally got to feel how that is like, and it was pretty fun. The
people present were model professionals, and I'm glad they were.

I left my room at 7:20am last night and returned at 11pm. I was
technically working from 8am to 10pm, which is something I haven't
done for a very long time. In fact, the last time I remember doing
something that lasted for so long was back in high school when I was
in the Student Council, where we had numerous projects. I was really
tired, and after coming back today, I just crashed straight to bed.

However, with my inability to stay asleep, I somehow woke up. And here I
am.

The meeting definitely threw me right into the heart of our supply
chain services that is essential to all members concerned and I think
it was extremely helpful that I was there, it instilled in me a sense
of importance and ability to put in work that will materialize in the
time to come. With my last work week coming up next week, it seems
like a fitting farewell to a life which I've so become used to, and
one that I have to let go with much regret (I'm forced to give up 2
additional weeks of work for Resident Advisor training - that means
an extra grand, and some more investment in my 401(k) plan - for
nothing. Well, there is some value in the long term, but still, it
would not compare)

It's exciting, because the company was formed only 4 years ago, but
it has evolved so fast in its process, and the next time that I come
back, it might be very different from what I saw over the summer. I
can't even envision how it would be like when I finish my work
semester (granted everything goes as planned academically) in the
summer of 2007. Considering how the summer passed so fast, I'm braced
for that time to come, before I know it.

The fatigue sets in once again, I'm off. Thank goodness its Friday
tomorrow.

Oh, did I mention how great Weekend Player's music is? A little different from Thievery Corporation or Zero 7, but still fantastic.