We need to talk...
It seems like my habit is to start writing posts, and get them 3/4 of the way done and then lose interest in them. I personally blame my high school chemistry classes for this conditioned response. After all, once the main idea is written you are 90% of the way done, so you can finish the rest later. I have over six drafts that I’ve been meaning to post, and wanted to post before this one. For story development sake mostly, however, I’m now more of the mindset to just write when the feeling takes over and go from there.
So what’s new? Well the last time I posted was in February, though it was suppose to be in August, but here we are. Maybe I'll finish that post before the year ends...geez that could be an entirely different post in itself. Sorry, focus. back to the topic of this post.
Looking at it now, it’s not going to make complete sense I’m writing these as if they were in order. (since these posts are out of order [see character arc and story development are ruined now] this will kinda seem like the episode you missed cause you fell asleep watching _insert #Netflix show name here_ I don’t have any good shows to watch since #HoHH)
Stop Rambling and Get on with It
September ended abruptly and on an entirely different note than previously expected and intended. I have a major update that I’ve been waiting to share. I was originally going to wait till after a week to see how things turned out. and then I thought maybe I’d a month to really feel things out, and well, here we are; almost two months later and no update. After about 10 months of searching, I’ve finally found a job that I believe is in the direction that I want to go. For those of you who know, the company that I came out to the Springs for closed due to business partners, guess that’s why all of my Eship profs always advised against the BP route. This left me without a job for awhile, I bounced around doing freelance, and went back to bartending. I’ll dedicate a more detailed post about chapter. In short, I really enjoyed getting back behind the bar. I met a lot of great people who I’ll never forget, but after one night something in me just changed, and I come to the conclusion that I needed to get out, and it needed to soon. While I am grateful for all of the lessons learned, the Springs just had a lot of bad memories associated with it, combined that with the increase of death that found me, and the conclusion that I came to that night, and the lack of other things, I knew I needed to do something. Upon the ever constant and much needed encouragement of friend, who I’ll refer to as “Lily” highly suggested that I apply for a job that I came across. And assured me, that I would get the job, I just needed to believe it. And well, would you believe, was Lily right. I got a call one early morning telling my that they wanted to setup an onsite interview. I remember how disheveled I felt in that moment searching for my phone in the back seat.
Fast forward some weeks and it’s the day of the interview. It lasted all day, and I honestly felt like I blew it halfway through it. Trying to pick up on body language and the feeling of the open forum, and I honestly thought to myself, “Yep, maybe I should just walk away right now and say we both know it isn’t working out.” I survived, though I didn’t have much of an appetite, and lunch was the next thing. I decided to walk around and take photos of the environment around me. I felt a certain calmness fall upon me, and I started imagining myself in this environment. I began drift away in thoughts of what my daily life would be like. I imagined myself belonging to this environment, walking where others walked. Fitting in and becoming a part of it. I returned for lunch with a much more positive outlook.
Once everything was over, I ended up passing out in my Jeep for like three hours in the hotel parking lot. I also had to return an article of clothing (I’ll post the video from SnapChat at the end, also I don’t know why my audio got off in the third shot. Speaking of the hotel, I never got to sleep in it, but that’s another story all together.)
If you haven’t guessed by now, I, in fact, did not blow it, I got the job! Though I do credit much of this accomplishment to the ever undying support and encouragement of Lily. That being said, I am officially the Assistant Director of Multimedia for Housing & Dining Services at Colorado State University. You know what that means? I need to start including this in all of my posts:
“Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions, views, official policy or position of Colorado State University or its members; and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of Colorado State University. Assumptions made within this publication are not reflective of the position of any Colorado State University entity. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of Colorado State University.”
I am extremely excited to be back in a Higher Education environment. I missed it, if you can believe that. I’m beginning to think that me being an academic maybe more true than I originally thought. For those of you who may be wondering, I do get credited credit hours, and I have considered about going back to school to get my Masters. When I finished undergrad I told myself that I would work in industry for two years or so and then reevaluate to see where I wanted to go (it was between a design/communication program or SAHE/CSP program for the masters). Here I am two years later and I’m still not sure which path to embark upon. I feel like I may take a full year to get use to the new position and all that it will entail and demand before I decide to add the extra obligations of pursuing my masters.
The one thing that I found so funny during this whole process is how back at uni when I was with my reslife (Residence Life [we were all RAs or Resident Advisors]) friends we’d always say “reslife for the rest of my life” as if we felt that the duties of the ever iconic college RA role was engulfing and taking over our lives. The irony of how I said I’d never work for reslife ever again. Guess one should never say never, though technically, I don’t work for Residence Life since I’m not in that department within the Housing & Dining Services (HDS) umbrella. Nonetheless, I still find this to be one of those laughable moments in life where it takes you where you never thought you’d be. I’m excited for what the future holds and stories to tell and share.
Oh, I guess I can mention the other thing that started the inspiration for this post. Last week I was up in the mountains enjoying the view and stillness in the vastness. It was truly bliss. And well, while I can’t bring to words what happened next. the photos below are the best I can currently provide as a recollection of the events that followed… [Note: These photos were taken prior to events that followed]
All I can say is that this November I really got in the whole thankfulness of the season, and got to experience it firsthand.
I am thankful for kindness,
I am thankful for empathy,
I am thankful for understanding,
I am thankful for life.
But most of all, I am thankful for you, yes you, the one who is reading this right now. Life is too short to not tell people what you think of them, and how important they are to you. Thank you for sharing your time and energy with me.
Much love,
John