When the phone rang, first thing in the morning, my first thought shot back to the early morning call in March which I answered by saying how much I loved to get calls first thing in the morning because it must be good news. It was the worst news. So, instead I used the usual, groggy hello.

Jonathan had told me he expected to hear from the man in Wichita this morning, so this was probably about the call we had expected. Jonathan was doing news in Havre, Montana, getting ready for a cold winter season, but still very much hoping for a call from a place where sports is the main focus. He would tell me here and there that this job or that was open, and we would put together his info and send it. We were pretty resigned to his living in Havre for a year or more before he might get “the call”.

He joined a bowling team, a trivia team and was starting a local favorite: curling, soon. He bought furniture and was pretty settled in. Then he saw this job was opened and because it was in Wichita, near his brother, and in a top 100 market, Jonathan was excited. The part that was even more intriguing to him was the 2 hour sports talk show every afternoon. Jonathan wanted this the most. Jonathan sent him his information, and after a phone interview, the guy asked for salary requirements, which is usually a good sign. The guy did not call him back after he sent him his salary requirements, which were really low, so we did not know why. In fact after we heard nothing, I told Jonathan, it can’t hurt to contact him. He will know you are interested, so contact him. He did write an email, and for some reason, the guy jumped right on it! His only concern was he needed someone to do news as well. Jonathan has been doing this for months, so he told the guy he’d send that day’s newscast in the evening.

After work, Jonathan called me and we listened back to his news, which is very good, and then formed an email to accompany it. I told him, I knew he would not be eliminated because of his news reports. They are solid, so if that is the only requirement left, he had no worries. But we have been on the brink of a great position before, only to have something fall through, so we have become optimistically reserved.

I took a deep breath as I put the phone to my ear, hopping for the best, “Mom, I’m moving to Wichita!” he said, in the most excited tone. I wanted all of the details but I was so happy I could barely contain myself from yelling to the rooftops! I know I am his mom, but I truly believe all he needs is a break like this. He can’t wait to pack up all of his things and get to Wichita. We discussed the 2 week notice rule and that is what he will do, so he has two weeks to get all of his things moved the 19 hour drive South East. This puts him back in the Midwest, only 3 hours from David, but most importantly, it gives him the radio opportunity he has dreamed of.

As a little guy, he came with me to work the day Dan Patrick was working out of the Chicago Studios. He met Dan and he hung out in the ESPN 1000 studios watching Dan through the glass, do his show. Now he will be on the radio, the same airwaves that his hero Dan Patrick will be airing daily. The station airs Dan’s show earlier in the day. How cool is that?

Jonathan has a lot to do, and it will be hard to move to another strange place and meet new people. It is always hard to start a new job, with new bosses, new equipment to learn, and new protocol, but the excitement in Jonathan’s voice tells me that is all a non-issue. I knew there could be good news calls first thing in the morning, and this one was it. We discussed all the details and then he said “Mom, I know I don’t tell you enough, but  I really appreciate all your help. I wouldn’t be here without you.” Yes you would, but glad I could help you realize your dream.

Good luck Jonathan, I am super proud; you have worked hard and  you deserve it. I know you will be awesome! I love you.

 

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” 

–Steve Jobs (who passed one year ago, today)

Yes this is true. As I stayed up very late last night to finish the Powerpoint presentation for my class, I was thinking about the time I have spent working, and going to school. I enjoy what I am doing right now, at the resort. It does not pay as much as a “real job” would, but I like it, so far. It is fun to be the “newscaster” for the resort, and to take pictures and post them.

How much should money play a part in what you do? If you can do something you enjoy, isn’t that worth the difference in pay. I have always believed it was. I can spend less on frivolous things, and have a lot less stress. Maybe in the long run, will I save the money in healthcare, or in care for some disease which sets in due to the stress I was experiencing.

I think getting paid a lot of money is a great advantage, but if given the choice, I’d prefer less money, and enjoying my days and nights. I see people all of the time on Facebook, just counting down the days until Friday. Is that really living your life? If you plod through five days to get to the two, you are not really enjoying your life.

I remember when I was working at US99, I was so thrilled to be working there, I looked forward to going to work. Of all the jobs I have had, I think that one was the one which paid the least, and I loved every minute of it. I learned so much, and I got to do something I wanted to do, so it was more fun than work.

Although even in the best jobs, there are things you may not want to do, or times you may not feel like doing it, but overall if you enjoy your work, what a wonderful life you will have. And how much better of a job will you do? I know I get more into a job I enjoy than one I am in it only for the pay.

Sam and I judging a Lego competition

On TV the other night, on The MIddle, the mom wanted to start her second career, and looked at all the various avenues, and wondered what she REALLY wanted to do. I think that myself, as I work towards another degree in hopes I can teach audio editing, and communications classes at a University, maybe even some online classes. But as I work towards this education degree I start remembering how much I wanted to teach when I was in grade school. The public teachers went on strike, and I was asked to come in and fill in for one of the lower grades. I was in 8th grade and one of the best students in the school.

The kids were acting like you’d expect kids to act when they knew they had a substitute teacher who was only a few years older than they were. The one kid was throwing spitballs at the blackboard so I told him he had to go to the office. He took his stuff and left the room. At lunchtime, I was called into the Principals office and a lady who was a secretary (which was why she was there and not on strike) told me the boy went home and told his mother I yelled at him and sent him home. I was so upset, because that is not what happened. I may have yelled when I sent him to the office, after he was being a jerk, but still, I did not send him home. While she was admonishing me, she said “And whatever you do, don’t ever become a teacher!”

Later she would come and apologize to me, because other students told her what had really happened. But in that time, her words stuck with me, and I always kept away from thinking I should teach. So, I taught Bible School, CCD and sports, I even taught a kids class of bowling at the Community College one semester. This was something I had always wanted to do, and her words hurt me so badly, I never went in that direction again. In fact, whenever I have thought about teaching, I think I need to teach adults, because the problem I had was with kids. But as I do these various teaching projects, I am really drawn to teaching younger kids.

We take our work seriously.

When I had to answer the questions about Sam, the young lady asked if I had wanted Sam to do something particular, and I thought about how I always wanted my kids to do something they love. I remember Sam coming to me and saying he wanted to attend the one college, and I had a hunch it was because of the bowling team and his friend was talking about it, so I asked him what he was going to major in and he said Culinary. I literally laughed out loud. He had a thing about making smoothies, but before that he had no desire to cook anything. I had taught him to make french toast, but he never made anything else, so I thought he was joking. I feel terribly guilty to this day, because now he calls me and sends me pictures of his food, and he really enjoys cooking, so maybe he could have been a great chef if I had not laughed at him. I think he enjoys what he is doing, but I still feel badly. Maybe cooking can be just a hobby for Sam, or one day he may want to be a chef, it’s nice to have that option and be able to think that you should do what makes you happy.

 

 

Sam and I working on videos together.

 

 

So, as I keep learning more about teaching, I keep changing what it is I may want to do. I dont think it is ever too late to change what you want to do, and to do something you truly enjoy. You only get one chance in this world, so you have to make it count.

Bristol. Home to ESPN; the Holy Grail for sports fans. I would not have made an effort to see the headquarters for the Disney owned powerhouse if Jonathan was not along with me. He has listened to ESPN radio since he was a very little guy, falling asleep at night to the sounds of the overnight show I was running the board for, in downtown Chicago.

ESPN Radio in Chicago was my second radio gig, and I started working overnights. Everyone was surprised when I landed the gig. I was fortunate to get to work there for two years. I was the first person to run the new board in the new studios when the station moved to the showcase studios on State Street. I was also the first woman to produce Chicago radio baseball from that very studio the following year. I left ESPN, for greener pastures, but after seeing the headquarters, I should have transferred rather than leaving the company! In truth, I never had the sports knowledge to go much further in that arena anyway. I had the technical knowledge and the producing talent, but not the knowledge, nor the passion the guys there had, and Jonathan has about every team, and every sport. I left on good terms.

When we planned to visit Bristol, I contacted many people I had known back when I was working at ESPN, but it was actually a friend of Sarah’s who got us into the compound. When they saw I was an ex-employee, we were added to the “friends and family” tour. The guided tour was interesting, we got to see where all the TV and radio sports information is found, and delivered nationally to all the various affiliates.

As we walked by the doors of the morning show, where I had ended my tenure at ESPN radio, I saw one of the two famous Mikes who I had met on several occasions when they came into Chicago to do their show. It was Mike Golic, and despite the warnings to leave people who are working alone, because I did know him, I felt the need to go and speak to him. He looked at me as I walked into his office, as if he was trying to place me. I introduced myself and he reassured me he did remember me from my days producing the morning show in Chicago. I did not want to keep him, so I introduced Jonathan to him, and I gave him a copy of Jonathan’s resume. I asked him if he could pass it on to whoever would be helpful. He said he would, but I am not sure he has that kind of power in reality. It was nice to know he would try.

We saw all the bells and whistles associated with the headquarters of a 24/7 operation built on the premise of supplying sports information to the masses. They have a lot of “toys” and they get to play a lot at their jobs. They are encouraged to participate in pick up basketball games on the courts, and have many games strewn across the square which includes 13 buildings and an area called the satellite farm, where a large field of multiple sized satellites feed and receive the information from around the world. It was quite impressive.

Jonathan didn’t want to sit behind the desk, in theory. But as his mom, I know what is best, and I forced him to sit there and let me take his picture, if not for himself then for me. I know he belongs there, doing exactly what he has dreamed of his whole life. I want him to pursue his dreams. If I have taught my kids little else, I hope they have learned from watching me, that one of the greatest things you can do, is to pursue your dreams.

I will sail my vessel, until the river runs dry…

I had a conversation today about the Bears game. Since this is Chicago, the only topic hotter than the changing weather is sports. The Bears won yesterday and I personally know 4 people with season tickets, who watched the snow fall in a frozen wonderland as the football game was played out to the delight of the hometown crowd.

But today we didn’t discuss the weather, or the game itself: we discussed the pregame ritual of someone singing the National Anthem. I have attended sporting events in this town for my whole life, and would venture to guess I have seen a thousand renditions of The National Anthem, none of which made me cringe like Sunday’s did.

The guy who sang the well known, very hard to sing anthem, was good, but not as good as my personal favorite: Wayne Messmer. I grew up hearing his version, and much like a favorite song, I began to think of his version as the “only version”, so when I hear someone else do it, the sound is never quite right.

Jim Cornelison is now the regular singer for the Blackhawks and must be used to the screams and hollering he hears while trying to sing the song while at the United Center. I never understood, nor liked this particular tradition and even boycotted it, standing still and reverently, while the Anthem was sung at the games I have attended there. I knew this was the Blackhawks tradition, but I did not want any part of it.

As I watched the Bears game and as Jim Cornelison started to sing, the crowd which in the past had stood quietly and listened respectfully to the words of our National Anthem, began to act as if they were at a Blackhawks game….I couldn’t believe this. The one tradition I loathed had made its way into another venue and seemed to make those participating joyful.

I believe there is a time and place for respect. I always made my boys remove their caps and stop what they were doing during the singing at every game they attended since they were tots. I watched in dismay as young guys left their caps on, or worse, continued to drink and carry conversation during the anthem. I may be a little old fashioned when it comes to this, but my boys or any man at my table removed his cap before we ate dinner. This is a non-negotiable in my book. So, as I watched the crowd get riled up during the anthem I was sad.

I did some research and discovered these interesting facts about the Anthem:

“The Star-Spangled Banner” is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from “Defence of Fort McHenry”, a poem written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812.

United States Code, 36 U.S.C. § 301, states that during a rendition of the national anthem, when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart; …..and when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.

I pride myself on adapting to changes and realizing things will not always be the same, but this new version of a long embraced tradition does not seem right to me. The respect and reverence for those who gave their lives while the “bombs were bursting in air” seems to be lacking if the crowd practically drowns out the singer, regardless of whether a code says we should not behave in such a manner.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that “The Star-Spangled Banner” be played at military and other appropriate occasions. The tradition of performing the national anthem before every baseball game began in World War II. Today, the anthem is performed before the beginning of all MLS, NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL games (with at least one American team playing), and at every NASCAR race.

The song is considered hard to sing, and harder to remember the words, yet it has endured all this time, a tradition handed down for generations. I think all Americans should know the words to their National Anthem, however if they didn’t play it so often, I do not believe anybody would know the words to it. I am confident if you gave a pop quiz, many people would be pressed to be able to sing it right (not on key, but the right words). Once the yelling and hollering becomes the norm, nobody will hear the words anymore, and they will never need to sing along, or reflect on the price of their freedom.

I wonder if this tradition is over and many years from now I will tell a little kid about how when I was young, we stood quietly and listened to the singer belt out the words to the Star Spangled Banner before each game. The kid will say “How does it go?”,

And I will say “I used to know the words and even sing along, but now I have forgotten them”

And just like the soldiers who made the land of the free and the home of the brave, I am afraid once the tradition has been forgotten, so will they.