Rose Parade - Day 1

Phew! What a day!

We spent most of the day just making sure that all 60 students arrived in Los Angeles without a hitch. In the end, three missed our buses. Thanks to to our handy rental van which I've dubbed "White Lightening" (everyone else on staff calls it "Ho No!" because "hono" is part of the license plate number), we got them squared away. Two of them are missing luggage but hopefully it is en route.

We headed to the pavilion to check out the float. The students loved it! I'd post some photos of the decorating but to be honest, I didn't take any. Here's a video though that will give you some insight into how this thing is constructed. We also had a chance to hang out and enjoy some "In-n-Out Burger" for dinner (easily the best burger I've ever tasted!).

The best part of my day though was the kickoff meeting. When I walked in the room the students all clapped and were cheering my name. It was probably the most satisfying gesture that I could have received for what has been MONTHS of work on a very nerve-wracking project. I can't even describe it.

Tomorrow is "Media Day" and float judging/rehearsal. I've got to get to bed because 6:00 a.m. will be here before I know it!

Whirlwind Adventures

Tomorrow I leave for what will probably be the busiest month of my life...well, ever.

I leave at 5:50am for Los Angeles/Pasadena to coordinate a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade. From there, I travel with seven students up to San Francisco where we meet up with thirty-nine other state officers and some FFA staff and board members to spend ten days in China. We'll visit farms, agribusinesses, colleges and cultural sites as we take in all that the People's Republic of China has to offer. Then it's back to Rhode Island to recover before headed back to the land of hoosiers.

Stay tuned as I post some thoughts, reactions, pictures and reflections from the next month of my life!

Balance and Coincidence - or lack thereof

As I grow older, I become less and less of a believer in coincidence. More and more I find myself believing that what some might pass off as a coincidence is really something greater. Calling it "a sign" seems so cliche but there's really no other way to describe it.

Recently, I've found myself looking for one thing in life: BALANCE!

Now, when I say balance, I'm talking about a feeling. I want to feel that my life is "in tune"...that it's "just right". I've got a job that fulfills me. I'm working on my education to further my career. I've got friends here in Indy who are my family when I'm away from home. Still, I feel like I'm missing something. I feel incomplete.

Let me put it all out there. What I'm missing is spirituality. I look around me and see people who are deeply rooted in their convictions and beliefs and I realize that they have a special relationship that I don't have. This relationship isn't a romantic one but one that is spiritual and sometimes even emotional. These people surround me and they seem fulfilled. They have balance.

This summer, I opened up to a friend of mine. Ever since I've known this person, I've felt comfortable seeking his advice. Since he's one of the most spiritual people in my life, I decided to seek out his advice on developing a relationship with God. We talked about what I was looking for and why I wanted to find it. After several weeks of reflecting on that conversation, we checked in again. This time, I knew I had to open up. I had to do more than just listen to his thoughts...I had to share my own. Scary stuff! I explained how religion hadn't been part of my upbringing and that I didn't have a close relationship with God. I told him how I felt distant from others because I didn't have that inner faith like they did. He challenged me and made me think critically. He shared with me a verse:

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (James 1:27).

Later that night, I logged on to a friends blog and began reading. Here's what she wrote:

"The fact of the matter is Jesus Christ lived a life - and died a death - that was about everyone but himself. And so I believe that serving others is one of the best ways that we can be made more like Him. He commanded us to serve. And so I think when we serve others in obedience to Him, we are changed through that experience, and our wickedness is slowly melted and replaced by the same love He has for us."

She was writing that at the exact same time that he was sharing that verse. I have to believe that these two events happened for a reason.

Tonight I was reading another blog, one on leadership. Yet the author chose to post a blog called "Losing My Religion." ((Guess where this is going...)). In the article, he posted a quote from his mentor:

"You cannot be disillusioned about anything unless you are first illusioned."

As I think to the relationship with my own spiritual mentor, I find myself blessed for the conversations that we've had and excited for the ones that are to come. After reading the leadership blog, I pulled up another friend's blog. This friend has been chronically his own spiritual growth. He shared another piece of scripture that resonated with me...

"As iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17)

Am I really to believe that these are not all related for specific reason and purpose? It's pretty brazen to write these all off as coincidence. Sometimes I can be downright cynical, but I have to believe that this is more than just coincidence. My friend ended his blog talking about the person who has invested themselves into his spiritual growth and the following challenge:

I encourage you to seek out a trainer. Seek out someone who will push you to learn more, do more, serve more, love more. Surround yourself with people who will push you towards God, not pull you away from him. Happy training!

I'm ready for my training.

Moving at the Speed of LIFE

Time is flying! I can hardly believe that summer is almost over. Today a co-worker who has been working out of town the whole summer asked me "What did you do this summer?". I him'd and haw'd for a few seconds before saying "Nothing."

Really it's true, I haven't done much this summer! Sure, I went to Washington, D.C. for the Fourth of July but other than that everything else was work-related. No concerts, no weekend day-trips, nothing notable. I'm not complaining...I just am regretting not taking greater advantage of the opportunities around me.

I've decided to come up with my own little "To-Do List" full of things that I want to try or do in the next year. Here's a sample:

• Day Trip to Chicago (Two Hours Away)
• Check out some of the Museums in Downtown Indy
• Attend one of the outdoor concerts at Connor Prairie or Verizon Wireless Music Center
• Spend a weekend touring Nashville, TN (Five Hours Away)
• Get tickets to some Pacers games
• Go on a Central Indiana Wine Tour

Life is moving fast right now. Summer is almost over and National Convention is in sight! I'm starting grad school classes in just a few weeks and before I know it the Holidays will be here...along with my January travels (Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena immediately followed by ten days on ILSSO in China - more on these later!). That being said, I need to make the most out of my work-life balance by taking better advantage of what's around me.

Nearly Five Months Later...

Sorry! Once again, I've pretty much forgotten about this blog. Admittedly, I don't think anyone really reads it though. Hmmm.

"I will..." Power

There are a few things that I feel I need to be more proactive about. I've titled this entry "I will...' Power" because I'm professing that "I will" do these things because I have the power to do so.

1. I will become more assertive about organizing my life.
   
2. I will make an conscious effort to call my friends and family versus using more convenient methods of communication like texting, IM, and Facebook.
3. I will be the person my friends can count on to lend an ear and provide honest support.
4. I will make a sincere effort to invest in people around me.
5. I will give unexpectedly.

I've been fortunate, no, BLESSED (it's because of a higher power and not luck) to have good people surrounding me and I need to give the most of myself to them.

I'm Back

It's been quite a while since I've posted on here. The last six months have been eventful...

I've been out in Indianapolis for over a year now. I still find it hard to believe that I live so far from "home". I'll talk to friends from Rhode Island or New York and think Wait, I'm in Indiana! How weird is that! While I enjoy living here, I'm beginning to realize that I miss the Northeast more than I thought I would. Everytime I go back home, I'm usually worn-out by then end of it and look forward to getting back to Indy. Still, I miss the option of going home for a weekend.

Since my last post I moved out of the house that I was renting (the owners sold it) and into an apartment. It is pretty small...especially in comparison to the house but I enjoy it because it's my own space. I can furnish it how I want and I don't have to worry about real estate agents bringing clients through for showings. Maybe I'll post some pictures up here once I get this place cleaned up. Right now it's a bit of a mess...

It's hard to believe that I've been in my job for over a year now. Our programs are very cyclical so I've now completed a full cycle of my job. That being said, I expected it to get easier but I've found myself becoming complacent. I feel like I'm not attacking things with the same level of detail as I used to. Tina, my direct supervisor, says that this is because my learning curve has dissipated and I've become more comfortable with the position and the programs. I really hope that is the case! A part of me feels like I'm not giving it the effort it deserves though. I think my issue is that I need a program to re-energize me. I've noticed that I get in these "slumps" every few months but once a program starts and I'm "in the moment" then I'm in the zone. The next one is March so I need to find a way to get fired up before then or else it's going to be a mess!

I'm also working on grad school which is a blessing and a curse. I'm not really a fan of the current program I'm in or the delivery method of the courses (online). I'm planning on transferring to a school here in central Indiana for the fall to major in Adult and Community Education. I really feel like this is the right step. Ag Education is so specialized and because I have no desire to go into the classroom, I feel as though I have no career options outside of "FFA World". I think this new major will not only have great applications to my current career, but it would give me a variety of avenues outside of FFA. I really am excited about the changes! One of the courses I'm taking now, while in the Ag Ed program, is an evaluation and assessment course and I think it is helping to reaffirm that the new area is a great fit.

Well this is becoming a short novel but I suppose that's what happens when you try to summarize six months of your life. More to come!