This weekend I had a full circle moment that I’d like to share in today’s blog. Before I do that, let’s define what this phrase means.
Full circle is an adverb which can be defined as, “through a series of developments that lead back to the original source, position, or situation or to a complete reversal of the original position”.
Facebook memories can either make you laugh or they can make you cry. You can say or do the most embarrassing things and Facebook will take pride in humiliating you on the anniversary of whatever it was that you said or did. Two of those embarrassing moments came early in 2010. The period from 2006-2010 can be considered my dark period. It was post-academia and I had deep regrets about attending college. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life and felt ashamed of myself. But let’s save that for later.
In February of that year, I went on a rant about all the coverage on Snowmageddon. I later apologized for my profanity-laced tirade. The weather was making everyone crazy at this point. A month later, a bad memory from my past surfaced and it threatened to ruin my good vibe. These two incidents can be summed up to feelings that I brought on myself from regrets that I had from my college days.
In a most recent Facebook memory, I came upon an article that I wrote that summed up the 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers season. As I recall, it was an amazing piece and looking back, it’s like I’ve come full circle. I say that because I’ve been enjoying keeping up with this blog over the last four years. Even 15 years earlier, I enjoyed writing. Just like the Facebook memories I mentioned, there was a motive behind this article I posted. Just like 20 years earlier during my first semester at Slippery Rock, when I sent a card for my friend who was taking her PRAXIS, I did it with ulterior motives in mind.
This pic above is from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ last Super Bowl win in February of 2009 when they defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 27-23. A few days later, I posted my piece on the Steelers’ successful run to the Super Bowl from beginning to end.
I don’t talk about this that often anymore but, for many years, I longed to go back to school. I wanted to do it not for my Masters but, to prove a point and, to make up for what I thought at the time was a bad college experience at Slippery Rock. I wasn’t ready to be done with school and just started to enjoy college when I graduated in December of 2005.
At the time that Pittsburgh won its sixth Super Bowl, I was hinting at going back to school for a post-baccalaureate degree in communications. I didn’t care what it took or how much debt I accumulated, I wanted to prove myself. The James of 2019 and beyond wouldn’t believe what the James of the late 2000’s did. It took me a long time, but I eventually got over my past.
It was a long time coming, but no longer do I live in those good old days. I look back on that article and remember those years of self-doubt and taking in everyone’s frustration with their lives. Now, as I look at myself with over 500 blogs, years of involvement in Toastmasters and, a good job with room for advancement, I’ve done very well for myself. It hasn’t been an easy road since with a few steps back along the way, but I’m not giving up.
Coming up this week, I have Greensburg Toastmasters and we have a great night planned with great speeches and amazing table topics. It’s contest season and I will be attending a few contests this week (both in my division). Before my meeting Wednesday night, I’ll go out to dinner and have a food review up as part of my Food segment. Later this week I’ll have a fashion blog up as I try on some of my new activewear as part of my fashion segment. I’ll be hinting at future purchases as well as up my fitness game for February and March.
I hope you’ll come along with me this week.
Stylish 🍒 