at worst, anything is possible.

there’s boatloads of potential in every day.  when you project that potential out to weeks and months, it quickly becomes apparent that, at worst, anything is possible. 

this is the story of how i got here, now.  graduation from Hillsdale in May passed by with no plans following. that wasn’t so bad.  when i make plans, i love being able to start with nothing.  can you realize the possibilities before you? no, no one can.  but, all you need is a starting point. 

my starting point was Las Vegas.  good starting points are beyond your control or imagination, that’s how you know they were meant to be.

my parents invited me to Vegas for the family vacation.  well, it was just outside Vegas, at places like Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam, and "Frontsight Resort" (you HAVE to click on that link, i cannot begin to describe it).  the idea was for our family members to get concealed carry licenses…

when planning, you have to see the big picture.  i hope the idea of going on vacation with my family is always as appealing to me as it has been whilst growing up, but it’s not wrong for it to be appealing beyond family-time.  it was also a voucher for cross-country travel, and a solid foundation to build my immediate future on.  i got a one-way ticket.

i had entertained the idea of making my way to Phoenix later in the summer and helping Lauren and Alison move in/get accustomed to the new environment.  naturally, the Vegas path got me thinking about Phoenix.   Phoenix is, like, right next to Vegas, right? the timing just didn’t work, though.   they weren’t going to be there for several weeks.  Jon and Tom were even later. 

despite what you may think, being spontaneous (successfully) is, in fact, directly correlated to being prepared.  while in the hotel in Vegas, i sent out some feelers.  i talked to Aaron Schepps about visiting him in Phoenix.  i talked to the girls about their plans, i talked to Brian about meeting me in Vegas.  i checked train/bus routes in the Southwest.  i also considered flying to Tennessee for Bonnaroo, but i digress.

given my likelihood of visiting Phoenix at some point, i did some job searching.  i researched think tanks, newspaper/media, and finally, Great Hearts.  thanks to updates from Hillsdale's Career Planning services, i was aware they were still hiring.  i spent a solid hour composing an email to the Great Hearts Academies office,  telling them i may be passing through Phoenix, and asking if i could interview for any open positions (“also, i’m from Hillsdale”).

my family returned home.  we are good at vacationing, i gotta say.  though it’s usually an exhausting experience, it’s also the reason why i can say i’ve been to 49 states.  you enjoy the beach, again, we’ll be white-water rafting down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.  they left the hotel at 5 a.m. to catch their flight.  i slept in.  it is not the slightest exaggeration to say i had zero “set” plans.  when i got kicked out at check-out, i was going to be in Sin City alone, with no place to stay.  in this type of situation, it’s important to remember to never panic.  think through things, you always have options.

Brian came through.  in the morning neither of us knew if he was coming; he was there by the afternoon.  our original plan of sleeping in a tent at the KOA off the strip fell through due to the fact we both thought the other had the tent.  details matter, sometimes.. we stayed at the Stratosphere.

i got a reply from Great Hearts.  apparently, my email had been forwarded to all the schools (i think there are 14 at this point), and one school was willing to give me an interview.  it was Scottsdale Prep.  i called them from a moving sidewalk in front of the Bellagio, and arranged a time — Tuesday.  i had another set point on my journey, and four days in between.  

it was tempting to hit up L.A. for a night or two before going to Phoenix.  Brian was headed home, and i had friends there.  but i opted for more down time.. know your limits.  besides, if i got the job in Phoenix, L.A. would be permanently a weekend away. 

at 11 p.m. Friday night i boarded a Greyhound from Vegas to Phoenix.  it was an 8-hour journey.  buses might be the only place i can’t sleep. 

Aaron Schepps and his family were the perfect hosts for the three days leading up to my interview (and three days afterward).  this is proven by the fact they also hosted Lauren, Laura, and Michele just before they were hired. well, perfect if you overlook the fact that i needed interview clothes, and none of them are my size. 

this brings me to a clarification.  don’t limit yourself unnecessarily.  if you are backpacking through the desert and encounter a job opportunity, don’t turn it down simply because you don’t have proper attire on.  a legitimate problem should clearly outweigh the opportunity.  clothing is not a legitimate problem, in this case.  

enter Kevin Meyers, who happens to be teaching in Phoenix as well.  my transfer-year-roommate and i have a weird and great relationship, definitely one that i feel comfortable demanding a suit from on short notice.  other options could have been investing in a suit (gotta get one sometime), used clothing stores, or the classic buy/return approach, just as examples.

though you may think i’ve been flippant thus far, i did take this interview seriously.  there is a time for everything.  i spent a good amount of time thinking and praying about the idea of teaching kids.  i called every one of my friends who had already interviewed with Great Hearts. i practically memorized the website.  when the time came, i was ready, relatively. 

the interview went well.  they had another interviewee in right after me, then gave us both a tour of the new building, then offered me the job. 

obviously, my first thought was “it can’t be this easy.”  i had until Friday to decide, i took ‘til Thursday.  i begged Jon and Tom out of their two-bedroom place they had all but signed on.  i visited one apartment complex before leaving town, and it’s the one we’re now living in.  i went from never considering teaching to being a teacher in about two weeks, and i have not second-guessed my decision.  you don't always know what's best for you.     

i flew home, took a goodbye tour of Illinois/Chicago/Hillsdale for just over a week, then packed my things and made the 32-hour drive to the Southwest with my brother Mark.

this whole experience is a big reason why i chose the name “wonderful anarchy” for this blog.  i think it’s a decent example of the common choices we make (free will) forcing a particular outcome (destiny), resulting in a conclusion that could never have been considered beforehand, or fully comprehended afterward (God’s plan).  God has a plan.

when i first met Mr. Schepps, he wondered why i was friends with Aaron, only partially joking.  Aaron was a freshman, i was a senior.  when i got back from that interview, i had an answer for him.