Wednesday, May 13, 2026

It’s Wednesday which means Hodgepodge with Joyce!

1. What’s one piece of advice you would you give a recent or soon-to-be graduate? 

You don’t have it all figured out and you don’t have to. Be open to opportunities and the lessons you will learn. I had a goal to leave the country at least once a year and did that from age 21 until age 28. I was single for much of this time, and it allowed me to see what I wanted for my future and to figure out how to support myself. That gave me loads of confidence.

When I look at my young face I think of all the things I am going to experience. Learn from the people around you and the lessons you are being taught. Accept help. I remember veteran teachers that were so kind to me. I didn’t have a classroom for my first 3 years, and a veteran English teacher let me use their computer and grade recording program.

The young face below would start her high school Spanish teacher career in just three months but first she got an opportunity to chaperone a mission trip to Mexico for two weeks for basically free! While in Mexico, my mom accepted a job interview for me and that’s the job I got and where I stayed for four years. I tried to stay with my college boyfriend who was still in college, but our lives became very different and we broke up.

Here I am with my college and beyond roommate Heather. We had an outdoor ceremony, and it started raining so we had to run in the chapel to finish! We lived in two different apartments together after graduation for 4 years! It really was our Friends era. We watched the show and had lots of other friends in apartments and would hang out at ours or theirs. She started dating her husband who was friends with my husband and that’s how we met!

My kids in their college graduation regalia – they didn’t get a high school graduation because the year was 2020.

2. May 15th marks the birth date of L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. At this point in time are you more in need of brains, courage, heart, or a trip back home? Explain. 

I think I need a trip back home.

My hometown is really special to me. I am doing my best to keep those ties without a parent or a home base there anymore.

After going there so much for the packing and preparing to sell of my mom’s house from January 2025 until June 2025…

I had the best time in September with Tom for a music festival and have already booked our hotel for this year – still need to buy our tickets. The house still wasn’t sold at this time and we did go there to check on it but we finally got to go just for fun in September.

Molly and I made a fun day out of the closing of our mom’s house in November. After shedding our tears, we did a comical wine tasting and enjoyed the Christmas decorations…

and in December the whole fam had so much fun there together – we played games, ate, laughed, and bowled.

But, Monday night I watched as this unfolded…

My church since I was five years old where I spent to much of my childhood and youth, where I got married, where Kate and Molly got married, where we had my parents’ funerals… caught on fire.

My heart hurts. As I type this, I don’t know the extent of the damage.

3.  “There’s no place like home” is an oft repeated line from Baum’s book. When was the last time you felt the truth of that statement? 

Every time I travel, I am so happy to come back home. My house is far from perfect, but it’s mine and I feel happy and contented here. Even though my hometown is super special to me, my adopted city where I live now is super special to me, too.

4. May is National BBQ Month…do you own a grill? Who does the grilling at your house? What’s your favorite thing to throw on the grill? What’s the last thing you grilled? 

We still have not replaced our grill! Tom is not blessed with the grilling gene, the desire to grill, or is he home early enough during the week to get the grilling done for when we like to eat. So, we will maybe get a grill this year when they have some sales? Any grill recommendations out there?

5. What’s a memory you replay in your head when you need a little joy? 

Gosh, this is a hard one. Laughing with my little family of four, my extended family, or friends probably.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I read this book a few years ago but like with many books, I had forgotten all the details. No one was more surprised than I was that I liked a book that involved an octopus.

I started the movie on Netflix this past weekend and wasn’t sure I could do it because again, the octopus, the fear of it being too sad, etc. Watch this and stick with it. It is so well done. I also think you could tie in the themes of home and community, being open to learning and opportunities, and so much more that is relevant to today’s Hodgepodge themes.

Watch it!

Amy