Last one of these. It’s sometimes nice when things come to an end. Not so nice? That my friends at the market across the street are probably calling it quits.
I’ve made more than my fair share of mistakes. I’ve also had a fair share of successes. I try not to dwell on either too much. But I am cognizant of them whenever I’m doing something new.
Too many people I see focus only on successes, minimize failures, and learn from neither. If there’s something you did, professionally, that was a colossal failure, don’t do the same things again. Even the ones that “worked,” just because they “worked.” No, you failed.
Even worse than that is not wanting to know.
Maybe there’s a Minesweeper-style quiz I can buy that’ll tell me how to avoid knowing, and some snazzy extra letters I can put after my name.
I’d rather spend my money on things for me or those I care about.
If that makes me a problem, so be it.
Name 5 moments in your life so far that you think you will remember into your old age.
1. My early times with the woman I’d end up marrying. Our initial meeting. Our first date. First kiss.
2. Seeing the Redskins pull defeat from the jaws of victory against the eventual Super Bowl champion Saints. Walking back to the Metro stop in our Saints’ gear, having a Redskins’ fan tell us we were nice, and not at all like Eagles’ fans.
3. There’s a concert, but I’m not going to write too much about it. November 22, 2002. Black Cat in Washington, DC.
4. Driving through the snow on I-94 in June. I think that trip helped stop what was a flare (though I didn’t know it at the time). Way too much caffeine and nicotine. And making it from Spokane to Newport News solo in something like 55 hours. I was young, stupid, etc.. Nobody likes you when you’re 23.
5. My dad’s death. Next Sunday is three years. Pfft.
6. Taking the Crescent in to New Orleans for our honeymoon. We had to rent a car, drive to National Airport, then take the Metro to Union Station. The lady who was our car attendant was great. WE had to drive to DC to board because the train from Newport News was cancelled.
And I’m spent. Another year done. Another NoJoMo complete. Have I gotten anything from this? I don’t know. But I did it again.