I recently did a 2019 review that was thorough and had plenty of details. With today being the first of the year, I decided to do a more essential, less is more, review of the last year.
I’m going to break down the year into threes.
Early 2019—Things happened the way they were supposed to. Giant Eagle didn’t work out for me, so I went back to WIS full time. We got Target back. I jumped back into Toastmasters and helped out with the contests.
My grandma was diagnosed with cancer in February but early on it looked like she would fight it. I attended all four division contests and heard some great speeches. I also attended the District 13 Conference and celebrated with many great friends as they got their Distinguished Toastmaster medallions. Grandma had her Easter dinner despite her health. A bad night at work results in the resignation of a colleague and great friend.
Mid 2019—I enter into a period of loneliness and mourning. Grandma has a bad fall and has to go to the hospital. She is later put into hospice care.
I complete the final two requirements for my own DTM award. We visit Grandma at St. Anne’s over Memorial Day weekend and it was my last time seeing her. I learn that she passed away after I got back from a weekend trip to Hershey.
The summer of 2019 is one of my loneliest periods of my life so far. I go on vacation and celebrate my birthday. Not much to take from this summer. However I am surprised when I reunite with someone at the end of August.
Late 2019—Things will eventually start falling into place. I retire the traditional homecoming trip to Slippery Rock and sign up to attend the Toastmasters Fall Symposium. I also start to build a little family at work.
I make plans to move back home. I am presented with my Distinguished Toastmaster award at our club’s open house. The county commissioner even presents me with the award and a proclamation.
I move back home in early November. After a bad first week, things really begin to turn around. I get back into blogging full time and make plans to launch my present blog, The Stylish Traveling DTM.
I have a great Christmas and do an awesome gift exchange with my friends.
In conclusion, 2019 was a sad year as I lost a couple of family members. But this year also saw me grow up and I plan to take that positive energy from the last third of the year and apply it to 2020.
Stylish 🍒 