The now closed Brown Book Shop located Downtown was not an area that I spent much time around, as it specialized in more technical writing than I required. To be clear, the shop has moved entirely online and has a wonderful selection for any professional & technical books, publications & reference materials. Give them a look if you are in the market.

However, I remember when I was maybe in my preteens, going downtown with my father to pick up a book for a drafting class that he was completing for work. I know that my dad, now retired, worked for the chemical plants southeast of Houston proper. He explained to me once what he did in detail, but provided so technical of a response that it flew over my head. Embarrassingly, while I knew his job title, I still can’t tell you much more about it.

Neither of my parents ever did complete a degree, and I carried that with me as I worked for mine. In a way, I think that the fact that they didn’t was a motivating factor for me. The degree was a great foot in the door for a career, but I wonder if my very non technical job description was ever anything that he would be able to explain with any detail.

Recently, I made a career transition of my own, from the corporate life into public education. It’s something that has created quite a few new possibilities as well as provided challenges in transition. But, we are early in the year.

I’m looking forward to the year. It’s going to teach everyone something about ourselves, I am positive.

And so here we are, celebrating with the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown (no relation to the Brown Book Shop Ownership) listening to “Get on the Good Foot”. I’m using this as an anthem at the moment.

In the meantime, let’s take care of one another, y’all.