Greetings,
It has been a busy year. So busy, in fact, that we've decided not to write our annual waste-of-time and paper holiday letter, where we we fill you in on all those insignificant details that made our year so special.
So happy holidays. Talk to you next year.
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Aw, just kiddin'. You don't think two slackers like us would have anything better to do, would you? Of course, you will receive this very late in the holiday season. Officially, we will blame the post office but the truth is that Tony is lazier than Newman.
Anyway, what happened this year that you're dying to know about but were afraid to ask? Oh, yeah. We got married...and were thrilled to realize that we have friends and relatives who care. Many braved the icy weather of late May in Milwaukee to make the trip. Unfortunately, Tony decided to wear gel in his hair and his head looks like a wet bowling ball in all the photos. Jolene cried coming down the aisle. We still don't know whether this was from happiness or the thoughts of having to clean Tony's underwear the rest of her life, although we're starting to get a good idea.
The stress of married life has also taken its toll on Tony. In the past six months he has shed 20 pounds and gained several gray hairs. Tony tries to tell Jolene he is not long for this world so he can convince her to do more projects for him.
Jolene went to Europe for six weeks after the wedding and Tony tagged along. We both agreed it was a great trip, especially visiting the relatives and friends who made us feel right at home.
Jolene's highlights - spending a week and a half exploring Paris with her sweetie, seeing friends and relatives again after 10 years, resurrecting her German language skills, spending 5 hours in the Louvre, tasting delicious food, driving many hours through mountains and rural areas from Nice to Grenoble and having to stop for a sheep crossing, spending her 30th birthday high in the Swiss alps...
Tony's highlights - giggling like Beavis and Butthead at all the naked statues, realizing that he can actually speak some French, trying to keep up with the NBA finals via CNN International, driving on the wrong side of the road in England and Scotland, watching Jolene try to eat haggis (you've got to see the stuff to believe it; don't ask us what does in it) without offending our hosts in Scotland.
Tony quit his job to get his MBA at the University of Chicago and Jolene tagged along.
Paying huge amounts of money to attend graduate school has had a remarkable effect on Tony. He has missed only two classes and has been relatively conscientious about homework and study groups (we're trying to forget the weekend in Vegas with his buddies before midterms). He has tentatively decided to go to into consulting on the theory that it is better to give advice and get paid for it than to listen to advice and pay for it. If that doesn't work out, there are plenty of 7-Elevens in the Midwest looking for night managers.
Jolene has enjoyed exploring Chicago. Ballroom dancing in Grant Park, visiting numerous museums, sampling the diversity of restaurants and neighborhoods and surviving the potholes and crazy drivers on the roads. Unfortunately, she still hasn't landed that elusive museum job. She works at Blue Cross, but has trouble staying awake on the job.
Anyways, if you're coming to Chicago, please give us a call at (773)643-0961 or email us at mawatkin@gsbpop.uchicago.edu. We'd love to see you and we have plenty of room for guests.
Happy Holidays!
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