It has been a banner year for me. The New Year marked the last full semester for my Master's degree. This year was filled with many momentous occasions including my initiation into the Societas Rosicruciana in Civitatibus Foederatis, serving as Right Honorable Keeper of the Bath Mat of the Masonic Order of the Bath, being elected as the Right Excellent Grand Scribe of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Idaho, serving as Founding Secretary of Intermountain Chapel No.27 of the Commemorative Order of St. Thomas of Acon, being the second student ever to receive a Master of Arts in Political Science from Boise State University, the birth of my niece River, and reaching the 10-year mark in my Masonic journey.
It was also a tough year for my family. While many people will recount the number of celebrities that have died this year, my family endured the loss of my cousin Toni to cancer earlier in 2016 and, then in November, I lost my Great Aunt and Great Uncle (siblings) within days of each other.
The first half of the year was definitely pushed me to a very stressful time: trying to balance my collegiate obligations with my Masonic obligations. I was barely sleeping, trying to keep all the rituals straight, failing to keep up with my administrative duties, fitting in all of my travel, and trying to keep up with all of my homework. Had it not been for the understanding of my family, professors, and my Brethren I don't know if I could have kept it all together. Finishing my Thesis definitely relieved a great deal of stress and gave me some validation on a hard year's worth of research.
I spent most of the second half of the year looking for a job which has been a soul-crushing experience, but I think I finally found one, although that will have to wait for 2017. Now I'm off to a New Year's Party. Goodbye 2016.
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