Work is no longer a dirty word.

This week I began work at the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau.  Some of the first posts on this blog (well over a year ago now) were about my struggle finding a career.  After this first week at TCVCB (it's a mouthful) I can say that my search has ended and that God's hand was in the journey.  

My new job title is Technology and Website Specialist.  The position I now hold has never existed at TCVCB before.  I applied for the Marketing and PR Director position and was called in, after a little follow through on my application, to, ostensibly, interview for the Directorship.  Upon beginning the interview it became clear that I was not going to be getting that position.  Instead the President of the Bureau started talking to me about their website and about their print copy Visitor Guide and brochures.  She asked me point blank, "Could you make this?".  I answered, almost too confidently, "Yes".  We had a very good conversation about the needs of the Bureau and some of the technology difficulties they had.  She asked me about social media, blogging, search engine optimization and a variety of other wed centered questions.  I felt at ease answering her questions and felt encouraged to provide my uncensored opinions of their website.  In the end I used all the faculty of my degree (both majors) to communicate my ability to provide them with the expertise they needed.  It was an agonizing wait while she interviewed other candidates for the Directorship to see if any of them had the specialized skills that I have in addition to the experience they wanted for the Directorship.  A day or two later than I had expected (and after being depressed but reconciled to not getting the job) I was called to come in for another conversation.  It was the offer to come on as a "website, technology guru".  At long last I had an offer for a career position.  She asked me to think about the offer over night and get back to her the next day.  It took a considerable amount of effort not to call her at 6am and accept.  I did wait until about 9am the next morning to accept and she was genuinely excited to have me accept.  

A week and a half later I had my first day.  It was exciting and a little intimidating.  I was shown to my office (more on  that later) and then we met in the "Board Room" for a team meeting.  I was wearing a tie to work and I felt like I was important.  That first day was a blur.  I felt like the day had barely begun and I was already leaving.  I came home swimming with ideas and excitement about what I was going to do for the website and the print materials.  The rest of the week was encouraging as I got to do some simple fliers and brochures.  I was beginning to see my place in the team and I know it will be defined even more this coming week.  

Work used to be something I dreaded.  The weekends were separated by far too many days and the prospect of doing tasks that were mind-numbingly dull and excruciatingly simple made me irritable.  Now, as we celebrate Memorial Day, I am chagrined by the fact that I have a three day weekend.  Yup, I said it, I would rather go to work than enjoy a three day weekend.  Sick, huh?  Work is no longer a dirty word.  In fact I have officially struck it from my "four letter word" taboo list.  I look forward to using the skills that I gained through hobbies, education and God given talent.  I look forward to exercising my mind with tasks that excite and intrigue me.  I can hardly wait for Tuesday to get back at it and start back to WORK.  

Mother's Day. The most important day of the year.

Today is Mothers Day.   As my title suggests, this is the most important day of the year.  Why?  Well without mothers there would be no days.  Pretty simple huh?  More to the matter though is the fact that Mothers all over the US finally get recognition for being awesome.  Sure there's a few bad apples in the bunch that get press when they get found out but in general Mothers are the glue that binds us to society and makes it function.  Without them the world devolves into anarchy much like small children left unattended.
I'd like to just add my two cents to the celebration of motherhood.  I have a mother who taught me compassion.  I owe all the good fatherly actions I do to her guidance.   My mom taught me how to get along with women...an indispensable gift that has paid huge dividends in my marriage.  My mom also taught me the importance of education...even when I didn't listen to her.  My mom taught me that talents should be encouraged and shared.  (I'm working on the sharing part mom)  My mother was very young when she had me and had to make a decision that many other young women have had to make.  She was unmarried and finishing High School.  She had made arrangements to have me adopted, which is a very compassionate thing indeed.  In the end she made the decision, with the help of the Spirit, to keep me and to raise me despite the incredible hardships she would surely endure.  For that willingness to listen to the Spirit and to act according to the promptings, I will be forever in debt.  She was blessed to meet a man who had as much compassion as she did and took us both in and made us a family.  Their efforts made me the man I am today...despite all my efforts to ignore their influence.  I'm proud of my mother.
There's another mother that I would be in trouble if I forgot her.  She happens to be the mother of my children.  (I know...you didn't see that one coming)  My wife is the most important person in my life right now.  She is the one who makes sure I have something worth working for.  She is the person who manages my household.  She is a woman who seeks to do good continually.  The only reason she hasn't been exalted yet is because she's waiting for me to catch up so I can go with her.  She makes sure that my kids are taught things that are more important that catching a ball.  She is a mother after the pattern of her own mother.    I know that she will take that as a compliment because her mother is a terrific woman who has been a great second mother to me (after all she's seen me through half my life now).

And to all mothers I say this...the single most important job in the entire world is that of mother.   Despite the times when you feel like you aren't that great of a mother I can say without equivocation that you are indeed the most important person in the life of your children.  Your influence shapes nations.  Your love binds families.  And your life is an example of divinity on Earth.  Today we, in a small way, pay tribute to you, humbly, and with sincerity.  HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

Avalanche in Richland Uptown.

You have to visit this place.  They don't serve any alcohol and their food is awesome.  We went for an early dinner.  I had their buffalo burger with beer battered fries.  Karen had the soup and salad (Potato soup and tossed salad).  Avalanche is located in the Uptown in Richland next door to the Papa Murphy's.   They advertise American but with their own twist.  The fry bread appetizer is large enough to be a meal all by its self.  The menu includes things like Dutch Oven Chicken and Cobblers.  We didn't get desert...but that's only because we were too full and not because the options didn't look absolutely mouth watering.  I'm not sure how long they've been open (rumor has it that they've been around almost a year now) but I hope they stick around for a very long time.  I'd really like to have something from their lunch menu sometime too.  You should check them out and try the Elk burger and let me know how it tastes.  If you get a chance to try out the deserts I'd also like to hear from you.
Also you should check out http://tastetricities.com  they say that they've got over 300 restaurants for the Tri-Cities...which would be news to me.

(Here's a pic of pigs in a blanket and Fry bread)
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