Page 9 - march

Education My mother gave me the love of reading,
If there was one word to describe my an appreciation of independent learning, the

educational experience, it would be slogging. ability to focus on personal accomplishments,
A slog is an intransitive verb that means (a) and the drive to make drudgery fun.
to walk or progress with a slow, heavy pace
or plod, (b) to work diligently for long hours, Career

and (c) to make one’s way with a slow, heavy Unlike many people, who plan and
pace against resistance. That word sums up manage their careers, I fumbled and
my educational experience! bumbled my way through life. One door
The one thing that helped me through closes, and another door opens. One thing

school was imagination and my love of leads to another. It could be destiny, and it
games. So much of what I learned through could be dumb luck.
formal education was joyless and practical. Remember those famous quotes from the

Nevertheless, I worked through college Forest Gump novel and movie? Here are my
alternating between fast food and clerical three favorite quotes by Winston Groom, the
work, retail sales, and stints as a graveyard story’s author:
shift nursing assistant. I’ve always done jobs
others thought of as practical and versatile, I may be a idiot, but most of the time, anyway, I tried to do the

taking on sales positions like recruiting, right thing, an dreams is just dreams, ain’t they? So whatever else has
real estate sales, claims management, and happened, I am figgerin this: I can always look back an say, at least I

insurance. I worked my way through getting ain’t led no hum-drum life.
the necessary licenses, certifications, and
education needed with
elaborate games. Experience
translates to transferable
skills. Even with the most

soul-sapping jobs, the one
game I always enjoy playing
is my favorite mixing and

matching game.
Most of what I learned
and continue to use today
happened outside the
classroom in the activities,

clubs, and professional
organizations while working
as a member or volunteer.

VOICES! | MARCH 2022 9