Back in Black

The decision to wear a black shirt was a rookie mistake. It was the kind of thing I would have relentlessly ridiculed someone else for doing a few years ago.

Yet there I was.

It was August. It was hot. I was standing on a football field, lugging around camera equipment and, yes, wearing a black shirt.

Stupid. Bush league. Sweaty.

And that's when it hit me: I'm off my game.

Playing With The Future

“Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you've found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for." — Lawrence Block

Something happened to a good friend of mine recently. Something life changing. Something that has led him onto a path of clarity. I'm fairly sure he'd argue it was something miraculous.

He suddenly found himself unemployed. And do you know what? It was easily one of the best things to ever happen to him.

I'd be lying if I didn't say the thought of suddenly being unemployed scares the living shit out of me. I'm a father. A husband. A worrier. An overachiever. A competitor. And an unabashed workaholic.

My good friend was just like me. Heck, for much of my adult life, we've shared the same path, career, dreams and ambitions.

In unemployment, though, he has found something that I'm afraid I lost sight of a long time ago. 

Contentment.

Apparently There Is An "I" In Winner

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a community journalism seminar in Washington, D.C. It was really a great time and I learned a lot. The seminar gave us small-town newspapers a chance to mingle with the major metros. It also allowed me the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the industry's top people.

One of the workshops I attended involved column writing, which I've always felt is one of my weakest attributes as a writer. Let's face it, it's not like I don't have an opinion, but I do find I have a problem expressing it sometimes.