Today's Featured Biography

 
Janice Fairbank

After Wenatchee Valley College (1981-1984) I went back to Pullman to work at WSU and was there until 1990. There, I met a man (Jeff, whom you all met at the 10-year reunion) and moved to Seattle from 1990 to 1992. In the end, it didn't work out so it was then to Spokane for two years where I worked as a nursing assistant and then as a secretary.

After a couple of years there (and almost getting married ... long story that I will spare you all for now) it was back to Pullman to work again at WSU (good employer, by the way, if you can get it). I worked for Distance Education until, in 1998, I decided to go back to school. I got my Bachelor's in Speech and Hearing Sciences (speech language pathology/audiology). I chose to go the audiology way and in order to make any decent money you have to have a master's degree so it was then on to Boulder, Colorado for grad school. For reasons I don't wish to go into, I wasn't able graduate.

My advisers said "well, you can sell hearing aids and still make good money," so after the AAA convention in San Antonio (if you've never been ... you must go, San Antonio's River Walk is a "must see") it was off to Nashville to work for a company called "Hearing Planet." I found out there, however, that I'm not a salesperson (even though since then I've tried again and again and again). I just freaking HATE cold calling.

So, in April of 2004 I moved back to the PNW (Nashville was fabulous but just too far from family). My parents, by this time, had sold their house in Pullman and moved to Meridian, Idaho to be closer to my sister and her family. So, I moved from Nashville to Boise. I spent about three years in that area, even bought a house, but it turned out to be more than I could handle all on my own so I had to let it go. In 2007 I moved here, to Phoenix and I've been here ever since. I've had several jobs ... I'm still looking for that "dare to be great" situation, the perfect position that I want to go to each day and can feel good about. Just haven't found it! As a result, I've done a lot of job hopping, which isn't good.

What I really need is for a hearing aid clinic to give me a paid "internship," so that I can get ready for the state exam. It's been 9 years since I've been in school and I need "hands on" experience again. Until then I'm just trying to find a good job that I enjoy going to each day and feel that I've made a difference in (and be able to pay the bills)! We shall see. It'll all work out ... God is awesome, God is great and He will provide!

I so want to stay in one place, set down some roots, but Phoenix is getting old. If any of you ever end up in Boulder - never leave. It is fabulous, I should have never left there. Ah, but "hind sight is 20/20," right?

I hope you all enjoy the reunion. I wish I could be there. I will miss seeing you all very much. I hope to be in a better place for the "40th." Hey ... that's only 58, yes? I think that's actually better than 48. By 58 I plan to have done a marathon (just one ... just to say I did it) and some more triathlons (which I was really into about 15 years ago and can't see why I shouldn't get into them again). So, wish me luck.

VIEW ALL BIOGRAPHIES