First post of 2012!

I've been remiss. I really meant to be more regular on this blog but life kept me soooo busy that I kept putting off updates till I got time to catch my breath. (Which BTW is yet to happen - i.e. catching my breath.)
But I started using Twitter today to tweet about the UCLA-TED talks going on at school and I suddenly remembered that I should probably pay attention to this forum as well. So before I get into details about the TED talks, let me just quickly update you on the MBA stuff I've been upto since my last post.

- Participated in a Global Innovation Challenge and my team got selected in the top 5 out of 60 global MBA teams! It was a 2 week process and although we didn't win the final round,it was a challenging and fun experience. I learnt a lot about electric vehicles in the process.

- Participated in the Deloitte Case Competition at UCLA which was quite disastrous from my perspective. To start with, the topic was the beer industry of which I know nothing. I'm a wine girl. Also, we had only 24 hours to analyze the case, put together the slides, and practice our presentation. We didn't really pull that off well.

- Participated in the Net Impact Consulting Challenge at UCLA. We consulted for this wonderful nonprofit called Bookends which aims to collect and provide books to underprivileged kids. It is a cause close to my heart since I remember being poor and unable to afford books as a child in India. The Bookends team was a pleasure to work with and they loved our proposal so the engagement was a success.

- Got selected to go to Brazil next quarter whoo hoo! I'm already taking Thursday evening + Sat morning classes this quarter and with the Brazil prep classes being held on Friday evenings, I'm spending a lot of time going back and forth SD-LA. I'd say it's worth it. This is the kind of stuff we are learning and talking about.

- I'm taking a business plan development class this quarter and my team is developing a plan for a digital comic book business. It is very challenging because none of us know much about the comic industry but it's also a lot of fun and I can chat up comic geeks easily now!

- Finally, on a somewhat MBA related note, my fitness has taken a nosedive lately. I've resolved to set that straight. So, along with regular blog posts, imma hit the gym more often too. Good luck to me.

Mid-year self-assessment

I'm a very check-list kinda person. I like to  need to make lists for thing to do and goals to achieve and to eventually check off the list. Every January, I send myself an email listing my goals for the year and then go back and review it at the end of the year. It's a ritual. So imagine my chagrin when I couldn't locate my goal list for 2010. I looked in my Gmail inbox, drafts and even trash bin, but couldn't find the list. I think I may have never written one down. I have a vague memory of making a fleeting resolution to be more easy-going and spontaneous in 2010.  Perhaps that explains the list-less-ness. :P

Not having fixed goals actually worked out for the best in 2010. The GMAT and subsequent MBA application and acceptance may never have happened if I'd had grandiose aims like "explore Europe and South America" and  "read at least 24 good books". But since I realized that not having a goal-list made me uneasy at the end of the year, I made me a list for 2011.

A little over half the year later, how am I doing? I thought I'd look through a part of my list (the part I can share publicly).

- Read at least 6 good books outside school stuff. (Considering I only finished 2 books in 2010, 6 will be a huge improvement.)

Status: I'm mid-way through "Atlas Shrugged", "Predictably Irrational", and "Liar's Poker". Can I count that as 1.5 books?

- Learn to swim over the summer.
Status: Didn't happen. Yet again!

- Work out more regularly.
Status: Meh. I'm doing alright but could do better.

- Bike to work once a week.
Status: My cycle is sitting in my office with a flat. Since May. Shame on me.

- Take investment risks.
Status: Yet to dip my toes in.(I feel more confident after the introductory Finance class.)

- Participate in more MBA events and competitions.
Status: Participated in one case competition, signed up for some clubs. Could do more.

- Stay on top of class homework and readings. Stay awake for the whole duration of the classed.
Status: Er, I think I'll defer this to 2012. 'Tis hard!

- Make at least a couple of international trips either for a vacation or as an MBA elective.

Status: In the works.

- Keep in better touch with my long-distance friends and family.
Status: Hahahah what a joke. The intention lingers, but time doesn't permit.

Alright, so I'm not doing too great. But I'm glad I have a few more months left in the year to fulfil the list at least partially. And I just thought of some more agenda items to add to the list. So much for last years resolution of being easy-going...

Dear Netflix

Who on earth designed your new pricing schemes? I currently pay $9.99/month for unlimited streaming + unlimited DVDs (1 at a time). You say you're going to charge me $ 15.98 for the same package starting September in order to "better reflect the value of the services". A 60% hike! What do you take me for? Frankly, an additional $6 doesn't make a dent in my pocket but it's the principle of the thing. You should know that.

Granted, you're offering me cheaper alternatives. $7.99 for unlimited streaming only or $7.99 for unlimited DVDs only. And okay, I barely watch 1 DVD a month so maybe you thought I'd jump at the $7.99 streaming package. But I'm not jumping. Firstly, because you have newer movies only on DVDs. And I like having an unopened DVD lying around at all times even if I don't watch it right away. And secondly, your streaming collection sucks.

Then why don't I just get the unlimited DVDs for $7.99 you ask? Because you frikkin' allow only 1 DVD out at a time and I like having a selection to pick from!

So where does this leave me? I gave up my cable service because of you! And you let me down. (Over a nondescript email which I almost missed). For shame. Now I have to mutely accept your tyranny for a service I barely use (but like having). Or, I cancel altogether and go back to my no-TV lifestyle from grad school.

But hey guess what? There are other options out there! That's right Netflix, you don't own the entire online TV space, even if you're acting like you do. So I'm going off to join one of your competitors and I think I may be just as happy with them.

It's not me Netflix, it's you.

Disillusioned former admirer,
Fembagirl

I'm curious to see how this pans out and to understand the thought process behind the pricing strategy. Perhaps Netflix's customer base is largely composed of families with the extended plans (which will see only a 20% hike) and the new schemes work out well for them? Perhaps Netflix believes that streaming is the future and they plan to release all new movies on streaming? Or perhaps they have some other trick up their sleeve...


In the meantime, will customers like me simply walk away? Will it boost business for competitors like Hulu? Will it affect Netflix's profitability? Their stock price? Time will tell.