Fall 2012 | A Photo Entry

On Saturday night, Vic mentioned what he loves about fall.  The changing leaves.  Campfires.  The smell of the wet woods.  The fact you can tell there's actually a season change going on (even though it's been in the high 70s here all week and possibly snow next week.  The weather here is often indecisive).

This conversation reminded me that I had been wanting to take some pictures of campus in the fall.  The changing leaves are incredible against a cloudless sky.  So, despite being on-call, I took my phone, the on-call phone, and my camera and went out for a short walk on Monday.  These are the end results.  (Click to enlarge for a better view.)

100th Post

When I first began writing this blog, I never imagined I would reach 100 posts.  It's been a little over two years since I started this blog.

It started as my opinions on who should win different awards.  Then it morphed into figuring out who I am (which it always will be), and a slew of other things...
- Going to California.
- Interning in downtown Pittsburgh.
- My senior year of college, and figuring out what's next.  Well, sort of.
- Sharing pictures of my bulletin boards.
- My first date in years that turned into a relationship.
- Going to counseling.
- Wondering if I'd be in Wisconsin in a few months.
- Realizing graduation is less than 3 weeks away.  Thanks, Dad.
- Graduation.
- Spending a weekend with my best friend.
- Getting into graduate school.
- The start of graduate school.

...And those are just the highlights.

On Thursday, Vic and I will have been dating for 8 months.  He calls it the "dating but should be engaged" scenario.  He's my best friend and I adore everything about him, from his silly and sweet text messages to waking up with him on the nights he stays over.

Life is pretty awesome, I'm not going to lie.  Classes are still going well, although I'm ready for Thanksgiving break.  My fellow staff members this year are pretty great, the fellow Counselor Ed students are always willing to help the newbie, and my professors are really helpful.

The Pursuit of Happiness

Thomas Jefferson wrote about it in the Declaration of Independence.

Christopher Gardner wrote about it in a book that became an award winning movie.

A friend texted me at midnight, "I'm glad you've found happiness."

In the movie of the same name, Will Smith as Christopher Gardner says, "And I remember thinking how did he [Jefferson] know to put the pursuit part in there?  That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it."

But is there truly a pursuit to happiness?  Can we actually have it or do we really have to pursue it?  I don't think it's a pursuit.  Sure, happiness can be a lifelong journey, but if you spend your whole life looking for it, you'll be disappointed.

Happiness isn't having everything you dreamed you would.  It isn't leading a perfect life.  It isn't being a perfect person.  Perfection is impossible to achieve.  Happiness, I believe, is.  It's a culmination of all of those things that make us who we are and what gets us out of bed in the morning.

I am pursuing a Master of Education degree in a field that appeals to me more than I realized.  I'm employed by the university I attend.  My job is nowhere near perfect.  I feel burned out by it on some days, but it has its rewarding days, though.  I have an awesome family.  My friends are absolutely wonderful.

I'm dating the most incredible guy in the world, who I love more than anything.  My life is nowhere near perfect, but knowing that there are people in my life who care about me as much as I care about them, support my ventures, and are there for me as I am for them...

That's happiness.  It's not having the best of everything, it's making the best of what is given and appreciating it.