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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.




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