Evolution of a 30-something

Hey Y'all. This blog is being powered by Thanksgiving meals and desserts. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were able to spend some time reflecting on what you're thankful for and why. Outside of the obvious items that most are thankful for - family, friends, etc, what else is there? I was asked a question recently on how old I was. The person was coming up on 30 years old and was getting nervous. Without hesitation, I stated how I was happy with my age and how life has continued to get better every year. I truly believe that every year of my life has been better than the last. Sure, there have been ups and downs each year, but consistently, things have gotten better. There are the common checkpoints - 16 and getting your driver's license, 18 and independence/adulthood, freshman year of college and leaving the nest, 21 and a new social life, college graduation and a job with a real paycheck. Along with all of those checkpoints comes a new level of respon...

Hey Y'all. I hope you had a great week. I spent this week in Green Bay for three days of professional development at our annual Wisconsin Park & Recreation Association state conference. This was a great opportunity to network with colleagues around the state, hear new ideas and see new products, while leaving rejuvenated heading back to my workplace. Attending this conference always leaves me feeling refreshed and passionate about the field I work in. At the conference we attend sessions on a variety of topics that may pertain to current work or future offerings and content areas. We also find plenty of time between sessions and at the socials in the evening to catch up with old friends and make new ones. At dinner on Thursday night in a small group of eight, one of my colleagues mentioned my blog and others were a bit interested. Before sharing any information, I listened to what they had to say about what they do financially and why it works for them. The first and most i...