GUEST BLOG for Dracaena Wines: Daddy needs to study... and blog about booze

"Starting from knowing ZERO about a topic with the goal of becoming a SPECIALIST on it within a year is a tall order. Especially when you're trying to juggle being a daddy, being a husband, working 40+ hours a week, getting sleep, and maintaining your own happiness. Also, being stubborn, I refused to put the blog on hold. I worked hard to get that blog going, so you can add cranking out articles and reviews to that list." - Daddy needs to study... and blog about booze

When Lori from Dracaena Wines was so cool to write a guest blog for TheWineStalker.net (Why being a winemaker is awesome- or not) I asked her to think about what she would like me to write about for her website to return the favor.

Lori is a lot like me in perfectionism and ambition professionally while being laid back personally. Knowing this, she asked me to write about my experience when I was studying for the Certified Specialist of Spirits test, all while having real responsibilities and writing a wine blog. So yes, this is another Society of Wine Educators related blog post. But this one underscores how obsessively crazy I can be.

"When I go for something, especially when it's a notch in the belt or letters after my name, I go at it hardcore. There is no way I'll allow myself to blow an opportunity that will benefit me for the rest of my life." - Daddy needs to study... and blog about booze

READ MY GUEST BLOG FOR DRACAENA WINES!

http://bit.ly/winestalkerguest 

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In defense of the CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine)

There are many that feel that being certified in wine knowledge is a load of bull. Then there are those that are certified that believe the CSW is a joke. I'm going to explain to you why neither case is true.

You don't need a certification to have a superior knowledge of wine or to be in the business. Kevin Zraly is certified in squat and that guy is a hero in the wine industry. But you do need to gain the education, and certifications provide you with the tools to get it. That is the key to the value of wine certification. It's not just the letters after your name. It's not to show "look what I can do, look how special I am" although that's fun too. It's about what you learned along the way. Even if you fail or never take the actual test, the education is invaluable.

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The CSW Experience

Today I will be sharing the experience I had with studying for and taking the CSW test. I also hope that it helps those who are currently preparing or planning on taking the test in the future.

I received the Society of Wine Educators Certified Specialist of Wine Study Guide in September, 2013. I had already been reading up and trying to get a head start for some time before hand but when the book actually arrived I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I had until mid-January to absorb the crap out of this book.

So all-encompassing that you forget to feed the dog.

Way back when I was in school I was a C average student. I got A's and B's in the subjects I loved and D's and F's in the subjects I just couldn't connect with. Because of this I had to pass my final science test to even graduate high school. I passed it by one point. Which is weird, because a few years after high school I became a complete science nerd. Go figure.

Outside of school I've always, always over-achieved at the things I'm passionate about. This isn't just a hobby, though. This particular passion is wine, and that passion has brought me to the lucky position of being a wine professional. This is how I earn a living. So this particular obstacle that I now was determined to overcome had a very serious motivation... FAMILY. I'm now 34 and married with a three year old daughter. This certification would put letters at the end of my name for life and help the financial future of my family. Not to mention that the test is also pretty expensive by my standards. So... here is just one shot not to mess up. No pressure, right?

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