The past few months have seen this blog grow sparse, at times.
The vast emptiness is due in part to a lot of reasons, not the least of which has to do with a lack of material. Or, at least, it feels that way quite often.
Even if I do have things to write about, it has felt like the majority of the things I’ve wanted to write about recently were not very positive or uplifting.
Within the last year, in general, this blog has been a good place for me to vent and be vulnerable with my feelings, many of which have been a little dark and downtrodden as I’ve allowed you to peer into the window of my soul during this period of transition in my life.
You see, I’ve been working my posterior off for a full year now, trying to establish a successful home business as a freelance graphic artist. There have been some high highs, but there have also been some really low lows.
But, I believe all of it, the highs AND the lows, have brought me to where I am today and have affected positive change in my life.
And that brings me to what I really wanted to tell you guys today.
I have a bit of an announcement.
A lot of you know that I have been working part-time for the church I attend (BridgePoint Church) in Gloucester, Virginia. I’ve been taking care of their website maintenance, as well as all their other graphic and print needs (among other things).
It’s been great, and it’s helped to bring a bit of a financial buffer when the business just wasn’t pulling its own weight.
Wednesday, I received the news that I was going to be hired on, full time, to continue doing the same position. It doesn’t solve everything, but it gets us a lot closer. Plus, it’s an amazing job that allows me to do work I love with people I enjoy serving with.
It isn’t how I pictured things. It doesn’t follow gameplan. But most of the time, God’s gameplan is better than ours.
Ok. All of the time it is.
So, I just wanted to let you all know what was going on, and to share some news that was happy and positive.
I appreciate all of you who have supported me throughout this past year. It’s meant a lot.
So, what’s new with you?
Yesterday, I read a great article titled, “How to Get Along with an Introvert,” written by Don Miller. (You can check it out HERE.)
I liked it so much that I shared it on Facebook and Twitter, suggesting that my friends should give it a read through if they’d like to get to know me better as a person.
I thought Don said a lot of things in his article that resonated with me and spoke to who I am as a person. I find that the more I read about other Introverts, I understand myself a little better.
The more I understand myself, the more comfortable I become with the idea of being open and honest with people in my life about those revelations.
The more I share, the more I’m struck by just how much I (and Introverts, in general) am not properly understood by the people who know me.
Recently, I made an off-the-cuff comment, in the presence of some friends, about my being an Introvert. I didn’t think much of it. Quite frankly, I feel like it’s obvious and not at all shocking that I am an Introvert.
Apparently, I was wrong, as I was finding people coming up to me, days later, saying how they’d heard my profession of Introversion, and that they couldn’t believe it.
It’s as if they felt like I was making it up.
I think the reason that I get that reaction (and maybe why you do too) is the overwhelming amount of misperceptions about just what it means to be an Introvert.
With that mind, I thought I’d lay out for you just what being an Introvert DOESN’T mean: Continue Reading…
A week or so ago, I heard about a debacle at Rutger’s University involving its Men’s Basketball Coach, Mike Rice, and some videotapes that had surfaced, showing Rice to have been abusive towards his players during practices.
I was skeptical.
That’s because my background involves being a basketball coach myself. I’ve “been there, done that,” and I’m used to kind of hyperbole surrounding coaches. Often, they are unfairly criticized and expected to treat their players like fragile porcelain dolls with egos that may one day cure cancer and save the free world.
So, heading into my research of the situation, I had a bias, and I admit that, openly.
The first video I saw wasn’t so bad. He chucked a basketball at a player who wasn’t where he was supposed to be. No big deal. I’ve seen that before. I’ve even done it before.
He smacked a player with a bag during a layup drill. Again, I’ve done that. It’s a useful tool to get the players used to contact, and to teach them that they have to finish the layup, no matter what.
It’s a particularly important trait to instill when you’re heading into a game where the other team is going to be extra “chippy,” and the referees may not be there to bail us out.
But I kept watching videos. I kept reading articles.
And I started to really do some introspective thinking.
I don’t always host guest posters on my blog. But when I do, they are tremendous writers who have something valuable to say. Today’s post falls under that umbrella, as my friend Cory Copeland will be telling you about a new and exciting project that he’s got in the works. I appreciate Cory’s heart and willingness to share with us. I’d also appreciate it if you guys would make Cory feel welcomed by leaving some comment love, and also sharing this post in any way you see fit. (Sidenote: Messenger pigeon is the preferred method.)
Enough of my nonsense. Here’s Cory:
I’ve never done extensive research on Russia.
I’ve never been there.
But I watch a lot of TV and movies. I also used to room with a Russian guy in college for one semester.
So, I’m kind of an expert.
I don’t always share my expertise, but when I do, I do it here, and you reap all the benefits. I don’t even ask for anything in return — other than you’re undying loyalty and shares on Twitter and Facebook.
You’re getting WAY the better end of the bargain.
Without further ado, here are the top 5 things YOU need to know about Russia: Continue Reading…
