Many people who grew up in the Northeast probably remember the euphoria of rushing downstairs on a wintery weekday to discover that school had been canceled. I, on the other hand, remember quite the opposite: an anticlimactic feeling of trudging downstairs on a snowy school-day to sit at the dining room table and work on my assignments. The difference? Being homeschooled.
Author: danjcasejr
I set the goal to create holiday traditions back in October when I thought that the upcoming year would unfold quite differently. I was struggling to be content living in Florida, far away from family and friends, so I challenged myself to set a few goals that would push me to make the most of my situation.
It was a night like so many others in that I decided to kill some time by shopping with my sister, Abby. I had only been back in Western New York for a few days and was working hard to readjust to the slower pace of a rural town. In such a place, a fantastic way to spend an evening is to go to the nearest Walmart or Target.
As I drove a moving truck full of my belongings across the Florida state line today, I couldn’t help but reflect on the past year and the lessons it taught me. So not wanting to be selfish by keeping those to myself, I’ve decided to share them with you.
Although this year has not gone according to the five-year plan I once carefully crafted, I did my best to make the most of it. When I moved back to Florida in July, I did so with a steely determination to make my second round down south much more impactful than my first. While I never imagined I would one day be working in the legal field, I was excited to challenge myself in new areas and planned to stay in the job for the next few years. But once again, I came to realize how plans can change in the blink of an eye.
In case the title caused you to wonder, I have not been concealing a marriage. It’s slightly less dramatic, but exactly five years ago today, I wrote my first post for this blog. To celebrate this occasion, I’m going to react to that inaugural post because I couldn’t exactly commemorate the day by giving the traditional fifth-anniversary gift of wood.
After graduating from college, I began work as an admissions counselor at my alma mater, and let me tell you, I tackled that job with all the gusto of a My Strange Addiction subject devouring a box of dryer sheets. I knew it was a blessing that I had gotten the job, and I wanted to do my absolute best. The problem is that although I am quite gregarious, I am not a natural-born salesman, which makes it pretty difficult to convince people to choose your school over the myriad of other options they have.
Recently celebrating Thanksgiving prompted me to stop and think about what I am grateful for. As I’ve shared before, this year has had its fair share of low points, so I wanted to use the week of Thanksgiving as an opportunity to look back and focus on what I am thankful for in spite of the rough times I experienced. As I wrote my list of thankfulness, I was amazed to see just how blessed I am.
Like Walt Disney Studios releasing a beloved classic from its vault in the early 2000s, I decided I would bless my loyal readers with a blast from the past photo of me circa January 2012.
I was writing at a café this weekend when I noticed a nearby couple setting out an elaborate spread. At first, I was baffled by the size of the assortment because they were two wispy individuals who didn’t look like they would be able to name a carb with a gun to the head. But it all made sense once, upon elaborately staging the food and beverages, they pulled out a large camera and began a photoshoot.