A Quick Birthday Reflection

Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes.  I won't (and probably will not ever donate my birthday to a cause... It's just not me...), but I was planning to do a little bit of self-reflection over memorable things from the past 46 years, but seeing as a father's job is never over, I had to have a long conversation with my 16 year old.  So I will cut it a little short instead of my normal ramblings (I just realized... I lied.  I am actually rambling...) ...

It's been a rough year... The loss of my full-time job has had me make another major change in my life's direction.  It was associated with the closure of my Alma mater which was also going to be my daughter's school for the long haul. 

So after pressing the reset button for third time in the last 7 years, there is starting to be some light at the end of the tunnel in the aftermath. 

The school year is starting again, so I will be able to pick up days at a Classified Substitute with Central Kitsap School District (...I picked up a shift as a Para I at CKHS tomorrow...), and now, I will be able to pick up shifts as an Emergency Guest Teacher with South Kitsap School District.  Additionally, I still have my position with Tacoma Community College as an adjunct professor in the Continuing Education department, so if we get the enrollment... I have illustration classes that will run in the Fall.  And I am still willing to teach there as well. 

My Vocational Rehabilitation was reinstated so I have a dual enrollment with Western Governors University and Olympic College.  I am concurrently doing a Master of Education in Instructional Design with a CTE certification for V-codes in Design and Engineering (STEM)… I am working on a thesis of Applied Mathematics for creative students specifically, and am creating a network of individuals that are interested in helping me push for the creation of said curriculum.  My student that was one of the inspirations for this thesis reached out to me, and I helped her restore her computer... And more so, it was just helping her maintain some patience in letting her computer correct itself.

I haven't given up on Insanity-Print and Publish, and I have even taken on a "student" to tutor in Adobe Illustrator.  She is an individual that used to restore Chippendale furniture out in Florida, but has come back to Bainbridge Island to revitalize her souvenir store that has a direct connection to scale with another company in Bainbridge.

I reconnected with a few other Ai classmates, and it might have surfaced an extremely great opportunity with a "Fun Company" on the other side of the water.  Fingers crossed. 

Soooooooo... With all this being said.  Never stop working.  Always take the opportunity to offer a hand because paying it forward comes full circle.  Projecting positivity will allow you to view things with a positive light. 

Most people won't tell you that you are appreciated and needed.  Just realize that there is always a reason you are part of the chaotic soup.  Don't preach, just teach.