“How do I love thee? Let me count the [days]” – E.B. Browning from Christmas holiday. I want to be home with my family, skiing in Whistler, hanging out with friends, etc. But why do I, and so many students with me, hate dealing with school so much? Aren’t these the most wonderful years of our life?

Well, hopefully not; I like to think that there’s some potential in tomorrow, good or bad. I actually don’t count the days; I don’t care for it. I don’t let the stress of grades get to me. Doing bad on a test doesn’t ruin my day; doing well doesn’t make it, either. It’s about doing what will be most beneficial to me, and for me to have fun while I’m at it. Otherwise, it would be meaningless. Otherwise, I’d just be subsisting, counting the days till the next holiday. What would be the point of my golden years then? May as well make the most of it now, and might as well get down to business with whatever I do, keeping in mind that if I make it so, it can be meaningful to me.

I’m proud to use my holiday remembering what is important, and to take this chance to focus on my life’s work.

More often than not, the concept of gaming draws criticism for being a time waster. And, it is indeed the case that some gamers find that video games absorb a large portion of their time; time that could be spent on other work. But this is true for almost anything; do too much of any one thing, and you’ll find that it is just as mind-numbing and unproductive as playing video games for too long.

Like most other things, gaming in moderation has extensive benefits. Art, marketing strategies, product development, psychological behaviour and responses, and being opportunistic are among the most common examples of things that we can learn examining video games and their industry. If, as a gamer, I remain critical, continuously expect more, and keep my horizons broadened across this liquid aesthetic experience, then I am simply being a good student. I find that many successful businessmen and entrepreneurs hold the same core values as being instrumental to success.

Like my experience with video games, it is important that I keep my mind open to what an experience is telling me. It is important to me that I make what I learn from whatever subject I study a product of my own self-worth.

I’m glad that I’m not the only one who took up the developer’s invitation to roam this city. Or can we not all learn a little about ourselves from this art?

A particularly queer transformation to Save On’s management drew my parents to check out PriceSmart foods – one of their subsidiaries that markets cheaper versions of similar brands. Arguably, there is no difference between these companies; even the green colour scheme on their logos is eye-catchingly similar.

A new manager from the recently ailing T&T Supermarket was hired to completely remake the image and products the store offers. The aisles and counters were filled with tell-tale signs of their new strategy; everything from the signage and employees down to the Asian spices had been changed so drastically that, had it not been for the extra clean floors and shelving, I could have sworn that I was in a T&T. It was like the entire supply chain had moved over with this one manager.

So that’s the power that lending a single person an opportunity can make. I payed extra close attention to how PriceSmart foods took every differentiating point about T&T and made it better in their own store. Talk about evolving a seemingly straightforward business model. I think that they have a winning formula – that they have it right – and in their bright halls, I only thought of doing things better.

I went to New York City last summer. It was, as described, cluttered. More than anything, the posters made me feel small, and in reality, I do come from a small town. Yes, small town Vancouver – home of the outdoorsmen, and the natural aesthetic, which is pretty much as antithetical to a New Yorker as any city dweller can get.

After a week, one comes to see why people fall in love with that lifestyle; the vibe is addicting; the involvement in food, art, culture is ubiquitous. I couldn’t help but appreciate the subtleties, and really came to enjoy myself. However, there is a contingent of marketing yet unaddressed – the direct sales people on the streets.

Most people wouldn’t assume that there are Americans from various ethnic backgrounds waiting at the bottom of the Empire State Building to sell tickets for it. Or women selling handbags on the street, and bus tours, and city passes, etc. America has followed the example of Asia and to become more competitive, people are working harder to survive. If that means transforming New York’s streets from the locale of savvy businessmen to a that of a common marketplace, then at least capitalism is evolving people successfully.

In the long-term, I see Research in Motion’s stock price lagging significantly. Which is sad to me – sad for me to see it go. When I was interning in Hong Kong, I used one of their phones, and it served me extraordinarily well for texting, calling, etc. The interface and exterior design were picture-perfect, and it’s not every day a company gets the user interface right. Granted Apple’s technology is good, but who wants to use the same IOS interface every single time?

Just from the news on its debilitated market share, one can infer that a >90% drop in share price is not likely to rebound any time soon. Yet I can’t help feel some nostalgia again at this number, because when I first got into the stock market, RIMM was THE ticker to check for the daily surge. Pre-2008 was a wonderful era, and this is one of those companies that hangs as a memoir. And every time I am reminded of its history, it throws into sharp relief the sobriety of reality, and impartial fairness of the business world we live in.

Maybe like Research in Motion, it’s time for North Americans to step down from leading, and research.

At the beginning of the year, I chose courses based on interest. Staring at the long wall of options, I really didn’t know what to spend my time taking, and I’m proud to say that this term, I tried something new. In fact, a couple things; notably Sustainability by Design 221, and Introduction to Moral Theory 230A.

At the time, I didn’t think that any of these would apply to my degree – at least not directly, but perhaps there is “more than meets the eye” with certain things.

In large part, I don’t see myself broaching faculties. I don’t see myself switching planes to see these various subjects, because in my mind, they are one and the same. Business, like arts, and sustainable design, is often a question of how we live our lives; how we apply the concepts of our conception into subjective enhancement. When there is a dispute, reconciling the different perspectives of each faculty is in fact among the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at Sauder, and I’m easily proud to say that that is what business is meant to do; that is, business reaches out and bridges gaps for me, no matter where I go.

It may be the grassroots of something now, but just think of where I can go!