I'm coming home, to the place that I belong ...

Well friends and family ... I will be home August 25 - 29th.  Why?  Well, it's been ten years since I graduated high school.  Wow.  It really makes you either feel "awesome" or "not-so-awesome."  I think I feel somewhere in between.  

I have changed quite a bit since high school.  I am more outgoing I think - but not as outgoing as I'd like to be.  I am better at handling confrontation - but not as good as I'd like.  I still have the same dog, Calvin, but Stacey and I take care of him now instead of pawning him off on my parents (which was horrible of us, what the shit?).  We have a new dog, Hoosier, who is the shit!  I have less hair just past my forehead, gray hair on the sides and hair where I don't want it.  

Stacey and I went from high school sweethearts to ex-lovers to husband and wife.  We bought a house.  And sold it.  Together we've lived in five cities - which is a new city every two years... which gives great value to my mom's statement: "you'll end up moving from Phoenix to somewhere else within the next few years."  But, I think we are pretty content here.  Especially since the house we really, really want has dropped $20,000 in the past month.  Can I get a "hells yeah!"  Besides the dreadful summers we both love it here.  But, we miss our families.

I've had quite a few jobs since June 1997.  I worked at Anastasia's, Joe's Crab Shack (Fort Wayne), Texas Roadhouse (Bloomington), some bagel place (Bloomington), a steakhouse (Bloomington), Centennial Wireless (Columbia City - what up!), Verizon Wireless (Fort Wayne and Cincinnati), AT&T Wireless (Fort Wayne) which turned into Cingular Wireless (Fort Wayne), Beazer Homes (Fort Wayne and Phoenix), Realty Executives (Phoenix) and Cingular Wireless which turned into AT&T (Phoenix).  I guess some stuff just comes back around!

I attended college for half of the ten years.  But only have a bachelor's to show for it.  But, I am in the school of 'you learn more from the real world than school.'  However, I've been teaching myself, from a book, how to design websites.  I am pretty impressed and have more to learn.  Check out www.bradshaffer.com for a website that I am developing for the IU Alumni Association Phoenix Club.  The final website will be www.hoosiersinaz.com.

I've really only had three cars: The Eagle Talon, the 'Nastima and Jack the Jeep.  I really enjoy Jack the Jeep butt hold a special place in my heart for 'The Eagle' and the 'Nastima.  Afterall, the 'Nastima brought me from one side of country to the other.

I've travelled much more than I think I ever thought I would.  And much of it is recent.  When I graduated high school I had never been to too many place.  Since then I've been to New York City five times or more, seen Maine, been to Jamaica - once to get engaged and once to get hitched, been to Seattle and now live in Arizona - a place I have always wanted to live.  

So what will the next ten years bring?  Who knows!  There are some things I'd like to dismiss from the past ten years but not much.  I think most things have taught me about life, people, relationships and helped to form me into who I am today.  

If I had to create a wishlist of what 2007 - 2017 will bring, here it is:

• More travel.  Stacey and I love to travel.  I love to see how other people live.  In 2017 I hope I can say I've seen the vineyards of France and Italy, surfed in Australia, shared a pint with an Irishman in Ireland and seen Buckingham Palace.
• Family Time.  We both miss our families.  I hope the next ten years brings more time with both families.  Whether its in Fort Wayne, Florida or some other fantastic locale.  Family time can be wherever - we are just down for more of it.  Of course, Stacey and I are a great family ourselves.  I hope that continues to grow and strengthen.
• Financial Fun.  I don't need to be ridiculously rich.  But, the more the merrier.  Money doesn't bring happiness but it sure as hell brings stability and a great level of freedom.  I hope to grow my real estate career and whatever careers I think I could be great at.  A part of me still thinks I am finding what my niche is, but I know it's in real estate and development.  It all goes back to me drawing detail blueprints when I was young.
• Friends, friends, friends!  I love my friends.  Both the ones I had ten years ago and the ones I have now.  I hope to make new ones and keep the current ones.  Besides family, friends are the best thing.

Well, here is my 'Shit! I am going to my 10-Year High School Reunion Next Week' blog post.  I hope you enjoyed it!