FOURTH QUARTER! FOURTH QUARTER!

The year I started high school, our football team got a new coach. No, don’t be silly, I did not play football.

I did, however, march in the band, and I wish I’d kept that up. But that’s another post. Or perhaps another song.

Our team didn’t always have the greatest record in my high school years. Not long after I graduated, they started winning championships and have been a pretty strong team off an on over the years. Not the point of today’s post.

At the pep rally before the season opener that year, the coach got up and said that games were won or lost in the fourth quarter.

He encouraged the crowd that when the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter, we all jump up and start shouting “Fourth Quarter! Fourth Quarter!”

We did. The team. The cheerleaders. The band. The crowd. It was pretty exciting.

I can’t recall if we actually won the game. I think we might have. But that was fifty-one years ago.

Excuse me. I need a moment.

Tomorrow, October 1st, begins the fourth quarter of 2022.

I’m sitting here reflecting on the last nine months, remembering that my Three Words for 2022 are Recover, Read, and Rise, and wondering whether I’m actually going to “win” the year.

Have I accomplished everything I wanted? Not even close.

I did publish my first children’s book. It’s still available and you need to get it before the next one comes out (soon, very soon).

I’ve returned to the stage with my show opening on October 7.

I returned to the office after 2 ½ years and promptly got COVID, but I’ve already written about that.

My reality though is that I’ve not fully recovered physically. I had to give up the weekend job and some other opportunities because of it. Then COVID kicked my Aunt Fanny. I’m working on it, but it’s still a struggle some days. But I’m still fighting. And still getting stronger every day.

I haven’t read as much as I might have liked. My Goodreads challenge is woefully far behind. I’m still reading, just not quickly.

Have I risen to the occasion? Perhaps that remains to be seen.

I’m not going to get worked up over three words. They’re more like guidelines, or words of inspiration.

What they are not is resolutions. I gave up on those many years ago. For a while I’d post my “More or Less” items at the end of the year. Then I started going with the Three Words.

It really does help to say that I’m going to focus on something and not list something I have to accomplish.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have my to do list. That’s not quite the same as resolutions.

Where was I going with this?

Right.

This is the fourth quarter. Seventy-five percent of the year is behind us. What’s left of the year are also three words.

Spooky. Turkey. Santa.

I don’t know about you but this is my busiest time of the year.

While I will be publishing another book in October (it’s almost complete), and while tomorrow I’m starting another drawing project, I’ve also got a lot of my time already spoken for.

The production I’m in runs through the 15th. I’ve got work obligations the next weekend. The Mrs. and I are making one more trip to haul crap to Atlanta at the end of the month and then it’s November and I start Christmas rehearsals.

Yeah, I’m busy, and you are as well. We’re all switching into survival mode. That means adjusting some priorities.

I’m being kind to myself and looking for a lawn service to deal with the leaves.

I’m putting off the renovation of the elder son’s bedroom until January.

There’s more, but you get the idea. You’re likely facing some of the same realities and asking what really needs to be done before the end of the year.

It’s okay.

It’s the fourth quarter.

We’re all looking at what we need to do to finish 2022 strong.

Based on the crap sandwiches that were 2020 and 2021, that’s not a bad thing.

Best wishes to you and your team.

Unless you’re playing my Spartans.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

slot777situs luar gacorslot toto gacorslot mahjongslot gacor hari inislot server luarslot mahjong gacorsitus luar gacorlink gacor maxwinslot gacor maxwinslot luar negerislot 88slot toto gacorslot luar negerislot gacor 88slot maxwinslot toto gacorslot gacor maxwinlink alternatif pacutoto99slot gacor maxwinslot toto gacorslot gacor 4dslot maxwinslot 4d gacorsitus slot gacorslot gacor maxwinslot maxwinslot totoslot server luarslot luar gacormaxwin totositus luar gacorsitus slot gacorslot toto gacorsitus luar gacortoto gacorslot totoslot luar gacorsitus luar gacorslot server luarslot toto gacortoto gacorslot totoslot luar gacorsitus luar gacorslot gacor maxwinslot server luarslot luar gacorslot gacor maxwinmaxwin totolink gacor maxwinslot gacormaxwin slotslot maxwinslot gacor maxwinslot toto gacor maxwinslot maxwinslot asiaslot server luarslot jepangslot server asiaslot luar negerislot server thailandspaceman slotslot 4dthailand slotserver jepang gacorasia slotslot gacor maxwintoto slot gacorslot thailand resmiserver thailand slotserver jepang slotserver asia slotserver malaysia slotserver luar slotserver macau slotserver hongkong slotslot luar 4dslot toto gacorslot server thailandslot server luar negerislot dana 5000slot thailandslot server jepangslot server luarslot luar negeri 4dslot dana gacorsitus toto gacorslot toto gacorslot server luarpacutoto99 link alternatifslot gacor 4dslot server thailandslot server luarslot dana 5000slot toto gacorslot luarslot luar negeritotoslot luar 4dws168toto slotslot gacor maxwinslot totoslot maxwinslot luar 4dslot luarslot asiatoto gacorslot totoslot gacor 4dslot gacor server luar hari inislot toto gacorslot onlinesabung ayam onlineslot server luarslot server thailandslot totoslot gacor server luar hari inislot toto gacorslot server luarslot luar negerisv388slot thailanddigmaanslot totoslot server luarsv388slot thailandsv388slot totosv388digmaanws168slot totoslot server thailanddigmaanslot totopacutoto99luarsv388ws168totopacutoto99pacutoto99pacutoto99