Better Late Than Never, Right?

So I'm a bit behind, time to catch up! I joined G356 late because of scheduling snafus, and then I was late to get access to being a blog author (but Jeff helped me figure it out), and then I kinda forgot to post anything... so, long story short, it's nigh time to start blogging it up! 

Allow me to introduce myself: I am an MBA2 with an affinity for wine but no real skill or insight into the delicious (preferably red) liquid I enjoy beyond the tidbits I've picked up over the years from a wine-loving family and a few visits to CA Wine Country. Thus, when I saw that there was still a seat left in this class hours before the add/drop-without-recourse deadline (an official term, I think), I jumped on it like The Sugarhill Gang. 

Truth be told, I had heard that this class is a lot of work (and now several weeks in and indeed, starting my midterm paper, I can now attest to the intellectual rigor it requires). "How," the uninitiated might ask, "can a class that typically ends with a glass of wine in hand be all that challenging?" Well, G356 is kind of like a interdisciplinary tour de force, bringing together many of the business heuristics and all of the subject matter disciplines we've studied here at the GSB. So, obviously, it's a lot to keep up with (such as, oops, blog posts), but I'm grateful for the chance to bring together many of the concepts I've studied over the past 17 months... and hopefully apply them to understanding a complex, highly-regulated and fascinating industry. 

In closing, I can confess one last thing, baring my soul to the blogosphere (and truly integrated all classes here at the GSB into my approach to this course -- thank you, Touchy Feely). I admit, it would be a dream of mine to eventually do something related to wine in my investing career or "retirement." I'm learning that wine is anything but a straightforward "lifestyle business," but I'm not willing to relinquish my hope of one day, nearing dusk, drinking a fine glass of single-vineyard red overlooking an estate that I have in some way helped bear its fruit. I can almost feel, taste and smell it now... will it be a fruit-forward, but punchy Pinot? Or maybe a boldly-tannoned Cab? I don't quite know, but I think G356 is a great first step to someday reaching my full potential in enjoying that currently unknown (Gabriel-Glas) glass of wine... 

And with those visions of grandeur in mind, I propose a toast: Here's to a great quarter together! Cheers!