Free Lunch in the Boonies

Hello all,

Last Wednesday I traveled out into the Boonies of Ohio. I'm talking out to the country, driving along dirt roads for like 4 hours with the only scenery being hick towns, farms, cows and a couple horses. Thank God for Sirius radio.

So, after leaving around 8 am from Parma, Ms. Gregory and I landed in Cherry Valley, Ohio at the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, aka OASFAA, Conference.
After signing in (and finding that a meal ticket for me would be 27 more dollars than anyone should be willing to pay) we sat in on a Federal update on financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education. I wish I could say it was exciting and I learned a lot... but that would be a false statement. I was bored to tears and my could only comprehend about 12% of what was said.

Then there was lunch.
Turns out they don't check meal tickets at these functions.
We thought we were being sneaky as we slivered into the long lunch line filled with famished financial aid administrators... Until we ended up behind the very lady with which we had registered and discussed the cost of my wouldbe meal ticket. That is what you call a FAIL at sneakiness.
But, regardless, I ate for free :)

So after some mingling, Ms. Gregory presented a Potpourri of Financial Aid need-to-knows and after attending and helping her with that, I went to a how-to seminar about climbing the Business Ladder.

Now to the important part. The accumulation of free, unnecessary things from exhibits.
Due to this experience, the amount of junk in my room has significantly increased. From cloth bags, to a ridiculous amount of pens, writing pads and candy, to a throw blanket and two Garfield dolls (which I gave to my brothers), all sporting different trademarkets, company names and emblems, it has all made it's way back to my home. I'm not really one to splurge on random free junk, but when a superior pushes you like Ms. Gregory, pushed and encouraged me, you tend to give in. What I listed is only about half of what she took. It was a tad over the top.

After foraging for free-bes, we mingled some more and Ms. Gregory told one of her fellow colleagues that in about 5 yrs, after I graduate, I'll be running her company.
<<Though this means I must now plan to return to Ohio. (womp womp womp...)

Anywho, we took the trek back to Cleveland, this time sticking to the normal highway and thus replacing the country scenery with concrete.

At the office the next day, we had cookie cake to celebrate Ms. Gregory's birthday a week late. Yum. Cookie Cake.
Ms. Gregory and I skipped Friday because we were sooo exhausted from our trip.

At my senior project site, I've been doing a lot of learning how to sign Ms. Gregory's name and making pamphlets to send out to basically every school she's ever come in contact with. Not super exciting, but it has taught me the importance of marketing...
....and that I will have a stamp with my signature.

See everyone tomorrow!