Today is Super Bowl Sunday! I’m not wanting New England to have more wins than Pittsburgh, so I’m rooting for the Seahawks. Seattle’s defense was top ranked in 2013 when they beat Denver, and they were back up there in this wild 2025 season.
My best memory of the big game was that time that I got together with students in my Campus Crusade chapter at Slippery Rock. We gathered at the house of my church’s lay leader to have Bible Study before kickoff. The two entities were getting ready to collaborate on starting a contemporary church service to bring in more college students. It was a great night and I enjoyed the fellowship. It was a good game and a fitting end to a great season.
Yes, we did start the worship service at the church.
My opinion on the logo is that it’s improved over the last few years. It’s better than past years (the 2010s had pretty bland logos). The Lombardi is well represented but accentuate it a little better. The 90s logos are the best but I’m biased as it was the best decade.
Now, on to my feature presentation.
2026 has been off to a slow start for me. The contributing factors include:
- The extreme cold (last day above freezing was January 22)
- The snow that hasn’t melted (it will begin to melt this week as we gradually warm up)
- The post-Christmas slump (taking down the tree and decorations makes the house seem less joyful)
My Toastmasters journey has been idle. Remember, last year when I had that magnificent speaking streak? The fire has since gone out and needs to be rekindled. Being online for my meetings and missing last week’s brought me back to the days of social distancing. If I had an NFL record, it would read along the lines of about 1-4.
This week brings the good news of a February thaw. We will finally make it above freezing on Tuesday with highs reaching into the 40’s. After weeks of extreme cold, tomorrow’s forecast never felt so good. The thaw will extend beyond the weather, and it will also reach me as I break free of the pattern that I’ve been stuck in. Now, it will go back to seasonal weather later this week and we’ll still see snow, but it will be more manageable.
The factors contributing to how I’ve recently been feeling are also bringing fatigue. That has affected my extracurricular activities. I wanted to take on different hobbies in 2026, and that’s still the plan. I still think I want to write a little bit more. The idea of writing a short story has crossed my mind. I am jotting down some ideas as to what it will include. The concern over the weather with the winter storms and extreme cold hasn’t helped, either.
Contest season is approaching; thus, it’s the perfect time to relight my Toastmasters fire. It isn’t completely out, but it could be shining brighter. There’s nothing wrong with a little rest and relaxation. January and all that came with it brought back some of those negative feelings that came during COVID, as well as when I was transitioning. This afternoon around High Noon, I will take part in a “lunch and learn” online training session. The session is for VPM’s and VPPR’s and is being conducted by a few of our dignitaries.
The February thaw we’ll see this week coincides with my own winter thaw, as I continue to go all in for 2026. The above freezing temperatures, in addition to the heating of the day, will aid in melting the snowpack. The weather will go back to February-like this weekend, but it will be enough to gradually melt the snow and not cause concern for flooding.
Stylish 🍒 