How Decisions Affect Our Future

Have you ever sat down and thought about a decision you made in the past and followed it's 'consequence' to the present day? If you have done that, have you also wondered how different your life would be if you had made the decision differently?

Obviously, we are unable to go back in time and change the past. But the fascination is how the past affects the future in ways we could never imagine--for better or worse.

Case in point, today I was thinking about my really good friend back in Montana and was reminiscing about how we had met. Then I made a crazy discovery. Are you ready for a story?

*settles down in his comfy armchair*

Some of you have heard part of this story before, but for those who have not, here we go. It was April of 2008 and I was all set to graduate from college in a couple weeks. Several friends and I had just gone to the spring play the college had put on and we wanted to head out to a restaurant to eat. Only four of us ended up going, and we headed off to Chili's. My three friends got something to eat, but I really didn't have enough money for a full meal, so I just got water. But then, as I was flipping randomly through the drinks menu because I was rather bored, a drink caught my eye, so I ordered it (and yes, I was 21). Now, understand, I went to a Christian college and all alcoholic drinking was prohibited as long as you were enrolled at the college (that meant, no matter if you were on campus or off campus, you would still get in trouble). My friends were a little uncomfortable, but I knew they wouldn't say anything. However, I did not factor in that sitting a couple booths behind us was another group from my school. One of the kids saw what I had ordered and called up the deans. To cut down the story, I ended up getting kicked out.

(Now, before you get all riled up about this, please understand that age didn't matter over the rules of the college. All that is in the past and I graduated the following year with honors, so no hard feelings. The story is told for background purposes.)

Anyway, after I got kicked out, I of course had to head back home. After a few days at home, my parents suggested I get a couple jobs so I could raise the money I needed to pay for my final semester. So I went back to KFC (I had worked there during highschool, and during college Christmas breaks) and then got a night job working as a delivery driver at Pizza Hut. While working at Pizza Hut, I met this girl that was just simply amazing and we ended up becoming very good friends both at work and outside of work and have stayed close to this day.

Now you're probably thinking, 'Ok, get to the point already.'

My point: If I had not made that ridiculous decision to buy that alcoholic drink at Chili's back in college, resulting in my expulsion, I would have most likely never worked at Pizza Hut and would have most likely never met this girl who became a very close friend and a light in my life. It is truly amazing how something that started out as a terrible decision ended with a friendship to last a lifetime. (Yay for alcohol? =P)

So, although we can not predict the future, we can control our present choices. And the cool part is, we have no idea where those choices will lead us.

Life is crazy, huh?

Texas: Part 1

Good day from Southern Texas!!

Wait, what?? Texas??

Yes, that's right. Many of you know by now, either via Twitter, Skype, or the Leaky Lounge that I had moved to Texas, but I am finally getting around to a long overdue blog about the whole thing.

And what better place to start than the beginning? (which is why this will take more than one blog post)

In February, one of the guys I had gone to college with, Ryan, (we were both Business students) came back to visit and also do a presentation about the company he was working for down in McAllen, TX. They had some openings and he was looking for people to fill them. I sat in on the presentation, mainly to just hear what he had to say and also visit with some other friends who had also returned for a visit at the same time. I talked with him briefly about it, but didn't really think much of going to Texas. I wanted to stay in Wisconsin close to family (on my mom's side) and also so I could visit my sister, a junior in college, and my brother, who is going to be a freshman this fall.

Well, the job opportunities I was looking at in WI fell through and I really had no idea what to do. Then, I thought of Ryan and his presentation. The company he was working for was expanding and there was something I was at least interested in trying--at the very least it was in my field of study at college (and finding something like that in this economy is becoming increasingly difficult). So, I contacted Ryan via Facebook and he was very excited that I was interested. See, in 2008, we were both on the same team for our Business Capstone project--basically we had to come up with a brand new company and create a business plan and present it as a viable company to our "investors". So, we had past working experience together and he knew how I worked.

Anyway, we got talking and then his dad called me to talk about the business (he is the owner). It was starting to look like the job opportunity was shaping up and I was headed to Texas. But then I didn't hear from them for about 2 or 3 weeks. I knew they were supposed to be calling me back, but never did. I was getting a little worried and my dad said I should probably start looking for something else just in case.

Well, I really didn't want to do any job searching. I kinda looked at some stuff, but really had no interest. (Although, there was a job opening as a CSR for Blizzard at their complex in Austin, TX. I really liked that one.) I decided to just text Ryan and see what was up. He immediately texted back with sincere apologies at dropping the ball. Some issues had come up at work and everyone was busy, etc. I understood, and said I was still interested.

Then, all of a sudden I was telling them that I would be down in Texas by the end of the month of June....

What??