I met Ronald Ross at a Toastmasters District Contest a hundred years ago. Well, maybe it was 2018, but doesn't anything before Covid feel like a hundred years ago? It does to me.

He lived North of Denver (he has since moved to Indiana), and I live in Colorado Springs (70 miles South of Denver), so an in-person Ron sighting was a welcomed yet rare event. Our paths crossed a handful of times because we ran in the same wanna-be-a-speaker circles. 
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But, truth be known, thanks to the modern social media age in which we currently live, he sees me all the time. He follows me on Facebook, and as a result, he pretty much knows in detail all about my travels, my children, my dreams, my aspirations, my heartbreaks, my victories, and anything else I'm willing to share. As you can see, I share a lot! 

When trying to be known, as I am trying to be known, one must consistently and diligently post on social media, or at least that's what the 'get known' gurus say. 
 
Last week, I got an out-of-the-blue call from Ron. He told me he has written a column for Snippetz for the past two decades and wants to retire. He's a direct, no-nonsense kind of guy, and this question came out quickly, bypassing all small talk, "Would you like to take over the column?". He continued explaining that he loves what I post on Facebook and thought I would be the perfect choice to fill his retiring shoes. 

Dare I say he's a fan? He might agree with that. I'll have to ask him. One thing is for sure, he thought of me first, called me, and here I am, introducing myself—hi, I'm Vivian Cobb. Welcome to my column, Vivieisms. 

My dear friend, Susan, told me just the other day to not hurry past an open window of opportunity. No one can argue that this opportunity is definitely a widow opened and presented to me by Ron Ross. 

Not to be boastful (well, maybe a little), but I've had quite the trials and tribulations in my life. That being said, they have always been followed by my having great insights and a great deal of personal growth. In other words, I have accumulated much wisdom in the time I've been on this earth, and because I'm a speaker, I'm not shy about sharing that wisdom, whether it be on stage, in videos, and now in written form for this column.
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I will share my scattered thoughts on various subjects and let you inside the mind of a woman who has been there and back, and then there and back again. Because of the many trips through the vast forest of adversity, I have come to call myself an emotions advocate. 

As wack-a-doodle as all of this may sound, I promise you it's not. It will make more sense as we go along this column writing and reading journey together. Stay tuned as I share stories that will cause curiosity, be thought-provoking, and primarily entertain you. That is undoubtedly the goal, anyway. I'll do my best. 
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I want to thank Ron Ross again for handing me the reigns, and a huge thank you to George Wilkins for giving me a chance to be a part of his publication. 
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©2023 Vivian Cobb, DTM

Want to read more? Go ahead and checkout Vivian's column on Snippetz Magazine!