What is a tradition? A tradition is a custom or belief that is passed down through the generations or that is done time after time or year after year. Examples include eating turkey at Thanksgiving, opening presents at Christmas, or ESPN College Game day’s Lee Corso wearing the mascots headgear to pick the winner.
For me one of my current traditions is having dinner with longtime friend and mentor, sponsor and head swimming coach Kevin Clougherty. We started getting together once a month in 2013 and have held the tradition since. With his move to Greensburg, we have decided to have dinner locally (and we try to support the small businesses too).
Another tradition is our club officer training which is held twice a year. It’s usually held at Westmoreland County Community College, but this year was obviously held online. We still had a great turnout with over 250 people showing up virtually.
It’s hard to say goodbye to past traditions but that’s what had to happen with the Fall Conference ending in October 2017. It was a bittersweet event and it was well-planned by our conference chair. The Spring Conference would still go on but the Fall event would end so the District could focus on growing clubs. I had attended every Fall conference since joining Toastmasters in 2011 and the last one was the best. I made a lot of new friends in Toastmasters through these events. The hotels were nice too.
Another tradition that came to an end for me but lasted longer than it should have was Homecoming at my Alma mater. I graduated from Slippery Rock University in December 2005 and would attend Homecoming every year after. I got some flak for going in 2006 as I took off from my job at Kings. The best one that I attended was in 2007. I was still fresh, having been out of school a few years and all my pictures made students think I was the Rocket photographer.
For three years of my time at Slippery Rock, plus the first four years after college, I attended. The themes were always good. I loved the parades and you could tell everyone showed their Rock Pride. As much as I loved it, I realized that 2009 should have been the end.
By the next decade it wasn’t as fun, but I did get my Slippery Rock book in 2012 (and I got it signed by the former Director of Student Life). After feeling that my time there was mediocre, I finally accepted it eight years after I graduated. I made a brief comeback in 2016, but like the Fall conference, this tradition is retired for good.
The Toastmasters Fall Symposium is my new Fall tradition. When I missed the first one in 2018, I realized that a change needed to be made. This year’s event will be held on September 19.
I appreciate all of you who enjoy my blog. It’s always a tradition to provide you with great content.
Have a great night and great start to the workweek. Bye everyone ❤️ you.
Stylish 🍒 