BHP program.

This afternoon I received an email invitation to the Business Honors Program's (BHP) 50th Anniversary Celebration. I immediately did what I do whenever I get correspondence from the BHP - I emailed C.Wang. Most of you know C.Wang. She and I were freshman year roommates at UT, it was an amazing year & the start of a decade plus of friendship. But the most important part of that year for both of us was being a part of the BHP program. The BHP was a small program within the business school, there may have been about 200 students in each entering class, so you kind of knew the other BHP people, and the professors kind of remembered your face, which is rare for UT.

One professor I'll never forget is a professor we'll call Elipcoxiii. Elipcoxiii wasn't just a professor, he was also the head of the BHP program. Big time. Every freshman in BHP knows Elipcoxiii and takes his class at some point during their first year. C.Wang and I took Elipcoxiii's marketing class at the same time.

We quickly learned that Elipcoxiii was a big picture guy - he often got lost in minor details, like actually attaching the documents that were referenced in his emails. I think it was probably the second week of classes, fall semester, freshman year, year 1 of 4 in the BHP. Elipcoxiii had attempted to send the semester syllabus that he said was attached to his email...but whoops he forgot to attach the syllabus. No big deal, he sends another email instantly saying "sorry guys, forgot to attach the syllabus, here it is" except, whoops, forgot to attach it again. So, he sends another email a little later, saying "ok, i'm attaching it this time" and, he successfully attaches and sends the email.

We knew it wasn't a big deal at the time, but C. Wang and I were easily amused. So something about the string of emails made C.Wang send me an email that said, something to the affect of: "Way to go Eli, guess third time is a charm. Zeena, can you believe he finally got it?"

EXCEPT we were all email newbies and C.Wang's email went to elipcoxiii, not me!!! I had no idea that this happened, and neither did C.Wang until she got elipcoxiii's reply, which basically said "To err is human, to forgive is divine. please forgive me for being careless. Also, for future reference, my students do not typically refer to me as "Eli" or "Zeena"."

I can't remember how I found out - i think C. Wang forwarded the exchange to me, but i might have only found out when I got back to our 8' by 12' dorm room and saw C. Wang's horrified face. Anyways, it was mortifying and we both wondered how many days it would be until we were kicked out of the BHP. (Well mostly C.Wang, since I really didn't do anything wrong :) ) Anyways, long story short, C. Wang graciously apologized and avoided being expelled. She went on to have a distinguished academic career and graduated from the BHP with honors. She is now a proud alumni of the BHP program, which is why she must attend the program's 50th Anniversary celebration next spring. The end. C. Wang, please don't be mad at me for posting this story. You know how it makes me laugh.

http://blogs.mccombs.utexas.edu/alumni-news/2009/09/01/dean-gilligan-announces-new-director-of-bhp-program/


Also, on another note. Boot Camp is going well, but tomorrow is my last day! I am out of town on Thursday, which is officially the last day. Today's workout was entirely in sand - we used these big sand volleyball pits in the middle of Zilker Park's "great lawn". I have never worked out in sand before, but it is extremely tiring. It takes so much effort to lift your feet out of the sand high enough in order to run or jump. Try it.