Essay: Tell us why we should pick you to join the cook-off between Chicago GSB and Kellogg?

I used to live in France and am addicted to cooking with demi-sel butter. Actually, I am the one who is going to bring the (real home-made) Hummus to the next Epicurean dinner, since I am originally from Lebanon and we are known for colorful, delicious and multi-table stretching mezzes. I have been known to skew kebabs in my spare time, and I woo woman with my sensational Soupe à la fraise Savoyarde dessert. When financial markets are down, I spend my time grinding grilled eggplant to make mouthwaterting Baba-ghannouj. My pancake flipping style is legendary.

On Sunday nights, watching Entourage on HBO-E, I find myself dipping my famous home made Guacamole with my 5-minute-made tortillas -- which I cook in 2 and a half minutes. Sometimes, guests at my place are taken aback as I take out massive amounts of sirloins from my fridge and start to sauté them in sizzling salty butter and shallots, only to season them with anything I can get my hands on - and they actually end up tasting good to my by-then-drunk-on-cheap-red

-wine buddies... Little kids in my building love me for my unmatchable crispy chocolate chip cookies. And on rainy afternoons, the women of my block gather around my smoking baked potatoes soaking in butter. On hot summer days, I have been seen loudly grilling vegetables and sizzling pieces of fresh meat holding a cold bottle of beer on the decks of high rises. Chefs around the globe call me for tips. One time in the South of France, I won a Michelin star and lost it in a Casino betting on Martha Stewart becoming the next Yan Can Cook.. I also can actually cook - and do it for fun and for the love of the game.

Hope we'll be able to crunch out the cereal-loving competition!

Call me,
J.K.

Been there, herd that.

So you know how it feels when you're somewhere just because somebody felt like going, and you ended up tagging along because you have nothing better -- or nothing period -- to do?

Well, I think I've been doing that quite often lately. And frankly, it hasn't been working out all so well for me. I am always feeling like I am only physically there, and my mind is elsewhere. Event tonight, while the crowd was good-looking and the joint was groovy, I felt out of place, and a couple of people asked me why I was so off or why I seemed like I am looking for something.
"I don't know.. looking for something?? well when I find it, I will let you know."

This thing has been working out all that well for me. I feel like I am losing money .. like last night's poker game. I was so not in the mood of being there. I was not in the game, and I had no game. I end up losing 50 bucks. For nothing. So I should probably stop following the herd and start doing things my way.

Like tonight. I was standing there barely pretending I was happy. Then at some point, I just walked towards the door. Focused to leave.. kept walking, got out of the joint and walked back home in 20 minutes. The best case of determination to do whatever I feel like doing myself in a while.

I am tired. Again. I need to find a way to stay on top of my duties, have fun and not be tired. I am not optimal, and I waste a lot of time...
On the other hand, I love this city. Chicago is a wonderful and lively place. Not too crowded for my taste and pretty vibrant to give you a big-city-life feeling altogether. I like its balance. Not so thrilled that I only got time to shop online... would have loved having a grocery store next door, but hey, you can't have it all.

Most of all, I am loving my school and my class is not that bad. I had worse in my previous school. Strangely enough though, I always have to deal with a different tar every time I move to a new place.. school.. or whatever. I don't know why. But I have to deal with it and I usually am.

Life goes on ever so normally. I have to work harder and more efficiently if I want to keep advancing towards my career goal.

* balance and focus *