The Foreign Service Journal - November 2017

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2017 49 POTPOURRI Sound Advice for the Young King’s Envoy Alice Davenport & Peter Thomas, Música Eugenia, 2017. At a time when many tradi- tional diplomatic values and practices are being questioned, this music video makes a quiet case for the honorable role of the diplomat and the importance of sound diplomatic tradecraft. The song was written in the art song tradition (which provides a classical musical setting for poems, with one vocalist and one accompanist). The visuals that appear in the video reflect an American perspective on history. Other perspectives will be equally valid. The envoy might live in any time period: however, the principles of honorable diplomacy and sound diplomatic tradecraft remain constant. This entry is an original musical composition—the first- ever musical submission to “InTheir Own Write.” As a song, it is intended to be heard, and you can access it via YouTube: “ Musica Eugenia/sound advice .” Listening is free. Retired FSO Alice Davenport collaborated with classical gui- tarist Peter Thomas to create this music video. Don’t Pay for Your MBA: The Faster, Cheaper, Better Way to Get the Business Education You Need Laurie Pickard, AMACOM, 2017, $17.95/paperback, $9.99/Kindle, 240 pages. Each year, the nation’s top business schools are flooded with applications from people eager to pursue their MBA dreams. But those aspirations come at a steep price. According to U.S. News and World Report , the average debt load for graduates of top business schools exceeds $100,000. Laurie Pickard couldn’t afford that, but she needed a busi- ness education to land her dream job in international devel- opment. She discovered that some of those same prestigious business schools offer low- or no-cost MOOCs (massive online open courses). By picking the right classes from the best schools, she gained the skills, without incurring the debt. Building on her popular No-Pay MBA blog, Pickard explains in this book how to define your goals and tailor an online cur- riculum that works for you, build a strong network and showcase your nontraditional education in a way that attracts job offers. Laurie Pickard is the wife of a Foreign Service officer with USAID currently serving in Africa. She has written about self-directed business education and works as a development consultant, most recently as adviser to a USAID project in Rwanda. The Complete Guide to Airport Exercise Ken Seifert, Telemachus Press, 2017, $16.99/paperback, $5.99/Kindle, 64 pages. Tired of wasting time during long layovers at the airport? Wish you had more hours in the day to exercise? This book will change your life ... or at least your waistline. The Complete Guide to Airport Exercise is a first-of-its-kind manual on how to turn time wasted in airports into workout opportunities for anyone, regardless of age, sex or fitness level. The book gives descriptions and diagrams of cardio programs and upper-body workouts, fusing humor with practical tips on how to burn calories while working out as you wait to begin boarding your flight. Readers will learn how to prepare and pack for exercising and how to use everyday objects to create dynamic exercise programs. The book also includes a comprehensive section on hygiene and clean-up, as well as recommendations for dealing with the extra attention of fellow travelers. Ken Seifert, an FSO with USAID, is currently serving in Santo Domingo. A former Presidential Management Fellow, he worked at USAID for several years before joining the Foreign Service in 2010. He is also the author of a novel, The Rising Storm (Author- House, 2007). Global: An Extraordinary Guide for Ordinary Heroes Lyla Bashan, Red Press, 2017, $19.97/ paperback, $12.99/Kindle, 316 pages. It’s a big world out there, and it needs our help, Lyla Bashan declares in this inspira- tional call to action. Global poverty, social inequality, famine, conflict and climate change are just a few of the pressing international challenges she explains to young people, before exhorting them to turn their passion for social justice into a global career of conscience.