96°F
weather icon Windy
Boulder City, NV
Opinion

Perseverance pays off

Celia Shortt Goodyear
Celia Shortt Goodyear
More Stories
bcr default image
Understanding Boulder City’s electrical rates
bcr default image
State of emergency
bcr default image
It’s all about first impressions
bcr default image
There’s something about a new school year
By Celia Shortt Goodyear Boulder City Review
February 2, 2022 - 5:06 pm
 

Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022, was an emotional day for me. Why? Because the Cincinnati Bengals earned a spot in the Super Bowl for the first time in more than 30 years.

Why is that a big deal for someone who lives in Las Vegas and was heartbroken when the Bengals beat the Las Vegas Raiders during the playoffs? Because it showed me good things can happen if you don’t give up.

Now I know that football is just a game, and it’s silly for that life lesson to be from it. So, let me explain.

About 16 years ago, I moved back home to Ohio to figure some things out. I had been laid off from my dream job in Tennessee and wasn’t sure how to move forward. One of the good things about moving back home was watching Sunday football with my best friend and her husband. Of course, being in southern Ohio, we watched the Bengals.

I’d never really cheered for them before, but they were my current home team, so I thought why not? I saw them get to the playoffs and lose as well as the numerous losing seasons after that. But I also saw a lot of quality time with my friends.

That time ended up being what I needed to move on. As we watched the Bengals win, lose and even tie, we also talked about the ups and downs of life and the changes we wanted to see in our lives.

That was one of things that led me to graduate school several years later. Through that program, I earned a one-year teaching fellowship in Guyana, South America.

I had a rough start adjusting to life there. One day, I was invited to a cookout with several State Department employees. I was so excited to go, eat familiar food and spend some time in the air conditioning. I was having a great time, but then the people I came with had to leave early. I don’t remember why.

I was disappointed. The hosts had cable and the football game was on. I wanted to see the end of it because the Bengals were playing the Steelers. It was a taste of home, and the game was super close.

When I arrived back at my apartment, I turned on the television and was ecstatic to see that one of the local stations was carrying the very end of the game. I made it back for the last 30 seconds and saw Cincinnati score at the end to win. I was so happy, and I started to feel at home.

Over the next 12 or so years, I watched the Bengals continue their streak of mediocrity. I cheered for other teams, but they were still a home team for me, and I wanted them to do well.

This season they seemed to get it. They had ups and downs, but they always managed to keep going and not give up. When they won on Sunday, all of that was worth it for them. They didn’t give up and it paid off.

The last two years have been difficult for me and so many others in Boulder City, Las Vegas, Nevada and the entire country. We’ve all lost things and seen life change negatively in ways we never thought possible. But we’re still here. We haven’t given up, and I’m confident that good things are headed our way.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.

MOST READ
LISTEN TO THE TOP FIVE HERE
THE LATEST
bcr default image
Understanding Boulder City’s electrical rates
City Talk By Gary Poindexter, Public Works and Utilities Director

“The city held rates as low as it could for as long as it could.”

bcr default image
State of emergency
By Rod Woodbury

My favorite memories as a Boy Scout and church youth group leader always seem to center on community service opportunities.

bcr default image
It’s all about first impressions
By Mayor Joe Hardy

When I was younger, my parents instilled in me the importance of making a good first impression. Look people in the eye. Make sure you give a firm handshake. Focus on what they are saying and don’t be distracted.

bcr default image
September offers something for everyone at Boulder City Library
More than Books By the Boulder City Library

As the heat finally comes down outside, inside the library we have cooked up some amazing events for this upcoming September that we’re excited to tell you all about. No matter what age our patrons are, we pride ourselves on having something for everyone, and our programming schedule for September is no exception.

bcr default image
Looking back on Sept. 11
By Ron Eland

In just over two weeks, the nation will honor the 25th anniversary of one of the worst days in the history of this country.

bcr default image
What is long-term care?
Community Heartbeat By the Boulder City Hospital

Long-term care refers to a range of services and support for people who need help with everyday activities over an extended period due to aging, chronic illness, disability, injury, or cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

bcr default image
Veterans, seniors: Scarcity of low-cost housing
By Chuck N. Baker

Housing of all types for all sorts of individuals seems to be a buzz-word these days. But seniors and veterans especially seem to be lacking when it comes to locating reasonably affordable residences in reasonably decent neighborhoods around the state. What’s a body to do?

bcr default image
Now, that’s a really good idea !
By Rod Woodbury

We generally expect our leaders to be educated, smart, and well-informed. More often than not, we support, elect, and follow those who appear to have an answer for everything. But good leaders don’t know everything. And the very best ones know that they don’t know everything.

bcr default image
Sound decisions keep Boulder City costs down
By Paul Sikora Purchasing, Grants and Risk Manager

Boulder City residents occasionally ask how the city is able to have one of the lowest property tax rates in the state, and still provide needed functions such as police, fire, and public parks. In addition to land leases that provide 35% of our general fund budget, we also look at ways to keep costs down. As the city’s Purchasing, Grants and Risk manager for the last eight years, I have seen the city make decisions that keep us lean.