Should I put that title in quotes and attribute it to Royce Waltman? Some of you out there will understand that reference.
OK…so maybe there are no rumors of my demise. But, I really like saying that phrase for some reason.
The past month has been an absolute whirlwind. Work in North Dakota, working to re-launch the Horizon League Network, assorted Tribe games at Victory Field (one being of the 16-inning variety), and fielding questions from new writer-friends that I’ve come to know from my quickly approaching contributions to The Mid-Majority.
After dinner, but before the fun part of our last night in Fargo. Gonzo seated front and center...as if you didn't know.
All this, while still trying to keep in touch with myself, which…as we all know by now…is maybe the most difficult thing for me to do.
Let’s start at the beginning…shall we?
The American Legion World Series in Fargo, ND, despite some horrid weather, was a huge success for all parties involved. Good baseball, great numbers on our webcasts, and those from our company that attended may have made a new friend. His name is Luis Gonzalez. Perhaps you know him?
Can’t say enough times how normal this guys was…aside from, well, having gobs and gobs of money. He was an absolute trip. Just full of funny stories and just lookin’ to make the best of being in Fargo. Not to mention…having Mitts overhear him say to his broadcast partner, “These guys are fuckin’ cool,” made all of us feel pretty good about ourselves.
I also unexpectedly ran into an old friend of mine while I was in Fargo. His name is John Hayes, and he’s the head coach of Terre Haute’s American Legion baseball team, Wayne Newton Post 346. Seriously one of the nicest guys on the planet, and one of my favorite people to interview while I was working in the TV biz over there in Terre Haute.
John Hayes (right) and I at the 2009 American Legion World Series
It’s important to mention that his squad finished as the World Series Runner-Up in 2006, and had the entire town in a frenzy. I had only been on the job a few months, so it was an exciting way to get things started. Nonetheless, seeing each other in Fargo was a total shock to both of us, but it was really nice to be able catch up with him throughout the week. And, if everything falls into place, I’ll be able to catch up with him at this event next year too!
As for the HLN launching…it’s getting there. A number of people have been lending a hand to those of us that have taken on the project, and for that I’m incredibly grateful. There are so many things that go into launching a website of this magnitude. Unfortunately, at this point, I can’t go into detail on any of those things. Don’t worry, you’ll get to see it soon enough.
The excitement of seeing it all come together has completely worn off for me, but right now the thing keeping me going is what the public is going to think of it when they see it. Clearly, I think it’s going to be a homerun, and I’m confident the public will feel the same way.
The work at Victory Field has thankfully come to an end for the season. It’s really fun, but at the same time an absolute pain in the ass for me in the months of April, May, and August when I’m trying to focus my work energies elsewhere.
BREAKING NEWS: I just received a text message from one of my brothers, while writing this, that he just saw an Amish girl and, uh, non-Amish guy in the pregnancy test area of his local WalMart. Immediately feeling better about my own circumstances…that can’t be fun.
When things start to get a little hectic for me, the first thing I always abandon is my own well-being. It’s hard for me to figure out how to balance everything together…but I imagine that’s the case for a lot of people. I just wish it was easier, or there were some sort of tested method for being able to accomplish everything and not neglecting other things at the same time. For me, when these types of situations arise, I usually end up also trying to take my “get it done now” attitude into more delicate issues concerning my personal life. It doesn’t typically work, and I know this, but I continue to try force things…and often times end up hurting someone. I did…again…but I’ve been hurt by this person too. It happens far too frequently, but I think the hatchet may have finally been buried. Let’s hope anyway, because I can’t keep going round-and-round.
I’m still not living life the way I want to be living it. And, in fact, I’m further away from it than I was a few weeks ago. Coincidentally, a few other people I know aren’t allowing themselves to live life to its fullest either…letting fear and worry affect the decisions they make. It’s always easy for me to recognize it and make suggestions to them, and yet I struggle taking my own advice.
Time to nip this in the bud…or the demise may become real.
