Time to Challenge myself again.

It’s been quite awhile since I was engaged in this blog or my social media in general.  The reason is….. boredom….. After the T-Birds Hockey season ended with a loss on the last day of the season, I was bored, and wondering what new adventure lay ahead.  I felt pretty good about how I’d stepped in after the season started and put some ” butts in the seats” for them, being the team representative to the Bellevue Chamber, and generally talking up the sport and getting people interested in it on the Eastside in general and Bellevue in particular.  My workout routine got pretty messed up during the weird hours I worked and I really needed to get back into moving my body on a regular basis.  I know that I’m sharper mentally if I’m working out and needed a new shot in the arm so to speak.

So, after going to 36 Hockey games this year, and watching these young guys excite 5,000 people a night with a losing club, I wondered….. is it possible for a 55 year old dude, who has only skated about 3 times in his life to learn to skate and play hockey? So I started sniffing around and found learn to skate classes, and saw that there were beginner hockey lessons and leagues for beginners of all ages.  My word….. do I dare?    First I had to break it to the wife…. 10 years ago it was that I was going to go learn to ride a horse and learn the ways of a Cavalryman.  That experience taught me very valuable lessons on leadership, camaraderie and friendship that I hold dear to this day, and I wouldn’t trade that in for anything in the world. 

The highlight of that experience was participating and leading a company of Cavalry on the Little Bighorn battlefield back in 2009.  I retired from that hobby shortly after that trip knowing in my soul that that was

highlight of my Cavalry experience and there was no way could ever top that feeling in that hobby.

So, back to breaking it to the wife… her reaction was very similar to the horse thing… ” What?  Good god… haven’t you gotten over this mid life crisis yet?”  I politely pointed out to her that this was a mild form of a mid life crisis and one far less damaging than a motorcycle, chasing vodka and young women, or tens of other things that I could do that would be crazier.  But she knew… she knew… I wanted to learn to skate, and if I could, then by Gawd,  I was going to go try to play hockey.   The biggest question for me was could I learn to skate and could my old body take the beating, could the legs take it?

I signed up for a 7 week learn to skate session at one of our local Ice Skating Arenas, bought a cheap pair of Hockey Skates and went for it.  I must say the day of the first lessons, I had the jitters cause I really didn’t know if I could stand on the damn things much less point and move in an intended direction.  But, with most things in life, the mind wondering what the worst case scenario will be is much worse than what happens and I started in on this new journey.  The people in the lessons were pretty much like me beginners.  I wasn’t the worst, wasn’t the best… somewhere in the middle.  My two years of working out with P90X sure helped my in the Core strength and leg department however and I pretty quickly started picking up the little things and muscle memory actions needed to skate, turn, stop, etc.  I committed to twice a week for 15 weeks, one lesson, and once a week free skate, where I could play, challenge and work out.  Hard work, people with much experience skating would give me tips and encourage me to try new things and I started to get comfortable. One of those guys who encouraged me to try it was my friend and dentist, Vidas Cemarka, who’s been playing hockey most of his adult life.   I’m sitting in his chair one day and I mention that I’m considering this, he tells me if I ever get serious to let him know because he can outfit me with most of the gear I’ll need to get started.  A HUGE obstacle out of the way.

Because hockey gear aint cheap. So, for a case of Fat Tire Beer, he sets me up with everything but a helmet and skates. Talk a bout a great deal!!!

So, I see this flyer… ( that is usually the start of most of our problems huh guys?)  and it’s an 4 week beginners hockey course for adults. twice a week for  a month, and the flyer claims this beauty…” no previous skating experience needed.”

Well I knew whoever signs up with no skating experience would be in a hell of a lot worse shape than me, so I went for it.

I’ll tell ya it’s a hell of a lot harder to skate and try to hold onto a rubber puck with people chasing and hacking at you like you were a rat on the dining room floor than it looks.  All the while the instructors are yelling  ” KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!!”  And then every time you put your head up to locate a team mate to pass it to, you lose the puck because you weren’t looking at it.  But each and every lesson and time you take the ice, you get juuuuussssttt a little better. This class covers all aspects of the game, but it flys by you quickly, and with two instructors to 43 guys and gals in this class, you don’t get much personal time. So it’s important to do a lot of learning on your own time, like most things, the more you put into it the better you will be.

And after half the class was over, a rep from the Greater Seattle Hockey League came by at the end of the class and told us that they’d like to form up 3 teams from this class for their beginners league that starts up in mid May. Most of us realized that were having a great time and took the paperwork and sent it in to play in an organized league.

One of my passions is taking something that is disorganized, or broken and organizing it or putting the things in place to make it better.  So, when I got the email telling me that I’m on a team, and our first game is a few days away, and that I wasn’t going to be able to practice with them or even know them b4 the first game, I communicated with everyone and set up a team website and just tried to at least communicate with everyone prior to the first game.  And that first game as an eye opener. We didn’t have positions, and if we did, we didn’t know our responsibilities, had no clue where or when we were supposed to do what.  I took over the Captains duties, and knew one guys from the class who’d played before, ( he played goalie, but now was a skater)  I asked him if he’d coach us, and he agreed.  We’ve played two games, lost the first 12 – 2,  believe it or not, we all started getting better the second game, we played smarter, better and still lost 10 – 0.

We have the only team without one single experienced player and it shows.  We’re practicing now, and have set lines, this will allow each of us to know our roles, and even though were the worst team in the lowest division, were having fun, and it’s quite a challenge ahead of us.  We had to find a team name, logo, learn each other’s names and faces and THEN get on the ice and compete with established teams.  It’s going to be a work in progress, but one worth working at.

Check in on our Blue Yetis Division 8 Hockey Team from time to time and see if indeed we can meet the challenge of improvement, we’re sure going to work hard at it.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJkHm2WtSsk

Down to the wire ~ Seattle vs Everett St. Pattys day 2012

So it’s almost over…  after 70 games, after our second half collapse that sent us to the gutter of the WHL. After it appeared that we couldn’t beat anybody.

Looking at the last week of the schedule and the way this team has struggled in 2012 it looked like a foregone conclusion.  A third straight year missing the playoffs, disappointed fans, staff, players and coaches.

Then a beautiful thing happened last week.  After yet another drubbing by the Portland Winterhawks sent this team to the brink of elimination.  We took the ice against our rivals from Everett and beat em.  Good game, good effort, the kids played with passion and a purpose.  The real test would be the next game, a Tuesday nite home game vs Spokane.  The Chiefs have some great players who seemed to out hustle, skate and generally pound us pretty well the last few times we’ve played them.  And as soon as the T-Birds took the ice against Spokane on Tuesday, you could just see something different.  A little swagger?  We started hitting them from the  opening horn..  and it was like this was a different team.  THIS team was playing for their playoff lives and was not going to beat themselves. It was going to be up to the Spokane Chiefs to beat them.  After a few months of lackadaisical play, of seemingly disinterested line play….. this team was now playing it’s best hockey.  The result on Tuesday was another victory and another notch on the confidence belt for the Seattle Thunderbirds.

And let me say this…… all season long, despite the long losing streaks, despite getting hammered for game after game after the start of the new year, these Seattle fans have kept cheering.  They haven’t had that much to cheer about, but they keep coming, they keep cheering for their favorite players and they’re loyalty and commitment to our team is very impressive to me.  Because it’s all about the experience, the end to end action.  Seeing a young kid like Connor Honey get called up midseason and watch his play and confidence improve each and every game.  Watch him take on a tougher demeanor, and seeing him score goals and do the dirty work in the corners.   And seeing how Seth Swenson has come along as the ” throw in ” when Portland dangled two first round draft picks to us for Marcel Nobels.  A deal we just couldn’t pass up,  nobody gives two first round draft picks for a player they’ll have for just 15 games or so.  Nobody.  Nobody but Portland that is,  They’re serious about this season.

And after beating Everett and Spokane in back to back home games, it appears as if the T-Birds are serious too.

So last night, Friday March 16, 2012, our Seattle Thunderbirds roll into Spokane to take on those pesky Chiefs again, but this time we’ll be in their building and another hurdle and test is before us.  The game was televised on Root Sports, the last game of a nifty little broadcast package put together to help showcase the US division teams during this second half of the season.

I won’t go into the details of the game, but the swagger and ” something special is happening” feeling continued as we beat em again…. took the early lead, and then when they’d answer, we’d answer.  And just as so many times this season we’ve either lost the lead or the game with a later third period goal.  It’s our turn, as an errant shot reflects of the skate of a Thunderbird into the net at around the 17:00 minute mark….. We now have the lead and despite a furious rush by Spokane pulling their goaltender with two minutes to go… we hold on for a GREAT road win and yet another confidence point.

Mixed with Everett’s loss to Tri-Cities last night, and the fact that Everett comes to OUR house tonight and the fact that were both TIED for the 8th, and last playoff spot remaining… it just doesn’t get any better.

Expect a full house, full of both Everett and Seattle fans, full of fast, furious hard-hitting action @ the ShoWare Center tonight  as a Seattle victory will claim that elusive playoff spot we’ve been playing for the last three years. And in addition, a Seattle victory will kick the Everett Silvertips out of the playoffs for the first time in their short history as a franchise.

And the way the Seattle team has peaked now, at the right time, vs the right opponents….   It’s our time.   Log on to www.whl.ca  tomorrow morning to see if we indeed have pulled it out.

Either way, it’s playoff hockey atmosphere.  It’s a do or die game pretty much for both teams.

If we lose, we go to Portland tomorrow and must win that one to stay alive.  But we’ll win tonight, and claim our prize..

And that prize is the final playoff spot for the WHL’s US Division.

Puck drops @ 7:05 at the ShoWare Center in Kent, WA

1st Half of my1st Season selling Hockey in Seattle…..

I’ve been working for the Thunderbirds now for 2 months, I feel like a very lucky guy at this point of my sales career.  What more could a guy ask for at the twilight of his career than to be selling one of his passions?  After all, isn’t that what sales and life is all about?  Most of us get to go to work and then AFTER hours concentrate on what we love to do and only dream about getting paid for it.   I accepted this job knowing full well I was starting from scratch again and would need to build it slowly and be very patient… and that’s where one my major weakness’ comes in.  I’m not the best in the patience department. It’s difficult for me to not see quick results.  However I’m making the calls, and making the calls, inviting friends, family and business owners out to see our product.  And our product is worth a look.  The more I learn about the WHL ( Western Hockey League) the more impressed I am.  A first class developmental league that gives young men who aspire to be NHL players the tools and knowledge to be not only great Hockey players, but great human beings as well..

Quick recap:  The players who play for the Seattle Thunderbirds and the WHL range in age from 16 – 20 years old.  These players are no strangers to travel as they’ve rode buses and cars all over Canada and the US in order to live their passion. The are not professionals , this is a Major Junior Hockey League.  The WHL is the # 1 feeder league into the NHL. So that fact alone speaks volumes on the quality of this league and why it’s an honor to play in it.  These players live with billet families who take them in as their own, feed them, house them, and become their surregate parents for 6 months during the season.  Most of the players still attend high school and then every day after school, they go to practise, then it’s homework time, etc.  just like a normal kid.  The difference is that they get to play in front of 5,000 screaming fans on game nights.  Which is a test of wills and maturity in its own right.

The league consists of 22 teams, with 17 of those based in Canada and one division of 5 US teams.

Seattle Thunderbirds, Everett Silvertips, Portland Winterhawks, Spokane Chiefs and the Tri-City Americans.

Each teams General Manager must scout and draft young hockey talent throughout North America in order to put a competetive team on the ice.  When they do find a diamond in the rough, that player is quickly drafted into the NHL and gone.  This process is very much like a college program in that the best of the best go pro quicker and the absolute need to keep filling the pipeline of players and young talent into the ranks is everything.  The fans of this league are die hard.  They realize ( for the most part) that these young men are working hard, trying to be discovered by that NHL scout.  However the fact is that our attendance is ( like the pros) driven by wins and losses.  And just like the pro’s our fans take ownership and hurt when we hurt, and celebrate when we celebrate.

There has not been too much celebration in Seattle the last few years. The wins have not come to regular, and the team decided to bring in a new Head Coach this season to turn the Thunderbird ship around.  Enter Steve Konowalchuck a former NHL player and assistant coach.   He played parts of 15 seasons in the NHL with the Washington Capitols and Colorado Avalanche starting in 1992 until his retirement in 2006.  After his retirement, Konowalchuk remained within the Avalanche organization and served as an assistant coach to Joe Sacco during the 2009–10 and 2010–11 season.^[1] In 2011, he was named head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League.

It’s been an up and down first half of the season for us.  As of today, 1/7/12 our record is 16 – 20 – 0 – 1 . The zero represents overtime losses, and the 1 is for a shoot out loss.

They are all good teams in this league, and like baseball, any of them can beat another on a given day.  The talent is rich, exciting fast and able.  The really good teams in our division, Tri City, Kamloops, Portland, Vancouver, Spokane…. all have had recent success in the wins and loss category.  They seem to play with more confidence during crunch time and have figured out how to tie the mental and physical part together and win consistantly.   8 teams per division qualify for the post season and we currently hold the 7th position in the western conference, 3 points ahead of the Victoria Royals.

When a young team like Seattle is rebuilding, like any franchise the patience meter must remain high.  There is no doubt we have talented young players, just like the rest of the league does.  The difference is the confidence and belief that they can win every night.  Night in and night out consistancy is what seperates the men from the boys.  We have great nights when we can play with anyone, one of my first games as a employee of the team saw us shut out the Tri-City Americans behind the brilliance of Calvin Pickard, our goalie.  We were outshot but played a smart, hard game.  It was a sight to behold.  Then there’s games like last Wed’s game in Everett.  Everett comes into that contest winners of 6 of their first 36 games of the season.  They are in a major re-building project themselves.  And after scoring the first goal in the first period, we get smoked by them. Going down 5 – 2 to the worst team in the league was a big confidence stealer and you could see it again last night.

The last two seasons saw Seattle fold up after the Holidays and it cost them the playoffs. We are in for a tough test of wills for the second half of the season.

Last night we lost to Tri-City for the 19th straight time in their arena. This was our first Televised game in the big time this season, and we  were horribly outplayed, outhustled, outskated, outshot… well you get the picture.  It wasn’t pretty.  They were clearly better in ALL areas of the game. A chance to show the Seattle sports community that were back and that we CAN compete with anyone. ( Queue the sound of a car getting into a head on )

And tonite we try to bounce back at home vs the Spokane Chiefs another Divisional rival after dropping our 3rd straight game.  But there’s also the beauty.  New game… at home…. hope springs eternal, right?!?!?  Another pretty big test for the team and the learning continues.

And regardless of what happens tonight, tomorrow or for the rest of the season, I get to go out and talk Hockey all over town.  Because I don’t sell Wins and Losses.. I sell the experience, the drama, the crowd, the League….  well…. you get the picture.

Here’s a great clip of the youngsters as they are starting their careers.  Go to the 1:50 point of this clip to see it.

Goals, Ramblings and Thoughts

So…… here we are……. each and every day.    We have our careers, we have our lives.  We do whatever it is WE do, and strive to be better at it.  We battle to deflect the bad, and attract the good.  Well, at least that’s the plan.

Lets not beat around the bush , it isn’t easy out here.  We all face the reality of getting our collective asses up each and every day and react to whatever the hell is happening around us.

Those of us in sales and even those not in sales, have their daily goals and chores that is needed to catch the carrot.  Be it numbers, projects, what ever the task, there is always a set plan on how to get the damn thing.

In every sales seminar, tape, video, class etc. all say make a plan and work it. It’s true that you need a basic plan on how you’re going to achieve your goal…. any goal..

It doesn’t have to be sales, it can be financial, physical, personal and family goals as well.  If you want to get anyware in this life, you can’t just wake up each and every day and react…. 

Hear this again…. IF YOU WANT TO GET ANYWHERE IN THIS LIFE, YOU CAN’T JUST WAKE UP EACH AND EVERY DAY AND REACT!!! You need to think a little on a plan fergawdsakes..

The plan doesn’t need to be long term, or that detailed.  In fact … and here where your reacting skills come in…..  the plan changes because the priority changes.   What gets thrown at you today can put yesterday’s priority to second place.

so, make your plan, and change the damn thing as often as you need to to keep on track.

And here’s where your organization skills are the KEY.

I’ve been in sales for 35 years, and my number one skill during that time is organization.  Coming up with my plan, working that plan, and figuring out a way to not waste that plan by being disorganized or lame in it’s execution.  For example, in sales, you make the calls, and it can take 10 – 50 attempts at contacting a qualified lead before you reach them.  How you keep them on your radar is the key in working this plan.  The same goes on in any job.  How do you organize it all?

There is no perfect system only what works for you, but….it has to be something..  Stop the damn post it notes all around your computer monitor.  Gather up all the pieces of paper that litter your desk and make a spreadsheet on your things to do, things to remember, things NOT to forget… Save it on your desktop and ……most importantly…… don’t FORGET to check it every day.

Now this ramble is not intended to teach you the best way to organize.. there are thousands of programs available for that, and the spreadsheet idea above is just for making a point, and the point is… you can’t focus on you and your goals if you can’t find anything on your desk, closet, briefcase, car…  It makes you friggin crazy.. or should I say it makes ME crazy when I’m disorganized.

I can’t do a damn thing properly when I’m not taking care of ME.  When I eat like crap, I feel like crap, when I feel like crap, I AM CRAP.

So…….. 2011 is GONE…. You and only you are driving your 2012 bus… It’s up to you and you alone how you’re going to navigate the new waters you find you’re riding on each and every morning.

Stop eating crap, stop sitting on your ass, and start managing your life like you know you can.  Because you can…. you can….. you can…….. and you must.

Do it because it’s hard, do it because you think you can’t, then analize how you feel about what you’ve done.

There is NO other option.

OH… one last thing…. don’t forget to laugh…. it drives the whole mess.

Branding… Marketing…… Hockey in Seattle… the first month.

After 30 years in sales, selling everything from Hand Knitting yarns, Baseball gloves, Branded clothing, promotional products and awards and finally working in the Daily Deal industry, I now find myself selling a product that I wish I’d been selling all along.

And I want to thank the Seattle Thunderbirds Hockey Club for taking a chance on an old vet like me and letting me be a part of a very exciting and entertaining industry. It just feels right and natural for me to be here and I’m grateful for the experience.

I’ve been a sports fan my entire life, mostly baseball.  As a kid my dad brought me to see the Oakland Seals way back in 1969.  I’d never been to a Hockey game before, and after the 3rd period when everyone was getting up to leave, I asked my dad what they were doing, wasn’t there another period to go?  He smiled and explained to me it wasn’t quarters.. it was periods and there were only 3.  It was the beginning of a new sports experience for Tim Shaw, then 13 years old.  I prodded and begged, and I think we went to about 3 more games that season.  I quickly became a huge fan of not only the game, but of the team.  I started following them on the road, watching the box scores and as the team struggled and eventually were sold and moved to Cleveland, I struggled with them and mourned when they left.  However the game had a grip on me. After the team moved, I did not attend another Hockey game of any kind until last year.
I was working @ Living Social, and my job at the time was to launch the new Snohomish County territory for them.  My first order of business was to find the best entertainment, places to go, things to see, eat, see or hear in that area.  And my old Hockey roots came back and I set my sights on the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League.

I was a bulldog with them,  I called at least ten times and finally, I’m sure the business manager was sick and tired of listening to my voice mails and called me back for a meeting.  To make a long story short, I signed them up with Living Social, attended about 4 games that season and my love for the sport was back. It was very exciting how the small town of Everett had bonded with their team, and how they branded their team within the community and how that community embraced them.  When my contract ended and the territory was launched, I found my attention kept creeping towards the WHL and their marketing, attendance figures, transactions, etc.  I was a huge fan again.  But I was also a veteran Sales and Marketing professional who at this stage in his career, was going to keep working but wanted to something he’s always wanted to do.  I live about 40 miles from Everett, so I called the Seattle Thunderbirds, who reside in Kent, WA and play at the brand new ShoWare Center.  And I offered my services to them and after a few meetings.. here I am. Trying to spread the word about this very affordable, quick and exciting entertainment venue, that many in my home town of Bellevue, WA don’t know about.

I have no rose-colored glasses on the task at hand.  This team has a great staff, sales force, PR and Marketing dept.  But selling Major Junior hockey in this town, or any town takes patience, consistency and care.

Most of my early calls were to contacts I’ve made through out my career, and ask each time when the last time ( if ever ) they’ve been out to see our team.  Some have, once or twice, but most have not.  So my first job is getting them out here for the first time to witness for themselves what goes on.   I have so much to learn here about the psychology of selling this experience. A casual observer will tell you it’s all about the W’s and L’s. However I am NOT selling Wins and Losses.  I am a Hockey Entertainment Consultant, and I work in the Fan relationship management center.  Specifically my job is to call on Corporations, clubs, schools, etc and be a pied piper of our brand.  Suite sales, group ticket offers, etc.

let me ask this:

In today’s economy, is it more important or less important to spend quality time with your best clients and prospects?

Is it more important, or less important today to really recognize your top employees.

How valuable is it to your business to get your top clients and prospects into a neutral environment in a relaxed atmosphere where you can spend quality time with them outside of their offices?

This type of entertainment is a 3 hour window where your competitors are NOT there, and their spam filters are really down.  The excitement of the crowd, the energy in the building, sharing and bonding with them, a moment in time where you both can remember the experience later. Hmm…..  good stuff.

Plus one of the major things I like about this challenge is that I’m not asking my clients and friends to go spend $200.00 a person to attend  a sporting event.  You can rent a 12 person suite from me on a Tuesday night watching world class Hockey for as little as $ 360.00.   And let me say that in sales and life, success is based on perception.  perceived value of a corporate suite at one of the arena’s or stadiums in this town is worth two to four times that amount.  My point is, you don’t have to have the big bucks to look like you have the big bucks and KNOW how to get the job done.

So my first month on the job, is like the first month in any job.  learning, listening, asking questions.   Seeing what works, what doesn’t and why.

When the horn sounds, and the lights are turned way down…. and when the announcer says ”  GET READY FOR SOME HOCKEY!!!”   And these young men take the ice to the sounds of 5,000 people cheering for them, it STILL gives me a chill down my spine.  And if gives me a chill down my spine, imagine what it must do for them down on the ice.

This is a worthwhile cause worthy of my 110% each and every day.  I want to make a difference here, and help put more fannies in these seats.

If you live in the Seattle area, and have NOT attended a game, you owe it to yourself to do so.  There is no better sporting venue in town that gives you what we can give you.

email me for information on how we can make your next corporate event of group outing one to remember with the Seattle Thunderbirds.

timshaw@seattlethunderbirds.com

next post will have our team hit the half way mark of the season, we’ll discuss the team, league and team attendance, and I’ll get deeper into my observations of my new challenge

The following video is showing our yearly teddy bear toss for charity, once a season, after the T-Birds score their first goal of the game, fans have brought teddy bears to toss on the ice to be given to local charities.  It’s a great fun, feel good evening and a great experience.   This year’s sponsor is Fred Meyer, and this season’s Teddy Bear toss is scheduled for Jan 28, 2012 vs the Portland Winterhawks.

Career and Life Cycles

 It’s been some time since my last blog post.

Job, life, things to do had made me busier than a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest. And as the job and the things that were getting thrown at me kept coming at an ever-increasing pace, I had to step back and think this crap over.

I turned 55 this year… ( My GAWD)  and this sneaks up on you, I’ll tell ya.  It was yesterday that I was smoking weed in the grove at Del Valle High School in California as a clueless kid.  The clueless kid part is still around, however the rest of the stuff has gone through some big changes.  However I’m proud to say I’ve been able to maintain my immaturity to a sophomoric level that would amaze most people. Now most birthday’s have come and gone without much thought or reflection, but 55… (My GAWD) is not one of them. 55 is ….. well, let’s put it this way.  Remember when we were in High School?  How old 30 seemed? We just couldn’t imagine what things would be like when we were that … well….. OLD. So, 30, 40, and yes even 50 passed me by with not much of a whimper….. But 55…. (My GAWD),  that’s the year my mind and body is trying to tell me that I should be done.  Retire, travel, be wise, be comforting…. be a mentor or some crap…  Then I look at the bank account and say ”  not enough dude, not enough.”  And wonder how the hell I’m going to make that 5 -10 million it now takes to retire in S T Y L E…

And when my mind goes there, and the daily crap of having a J.O.B. comes up you wonder really….”How the hell am I going to do this?”  Well, stop wondering, because the blueprint is not that hard.  Maybe the 5 – 10 mil is out of reach, maybe not.  Now part of being 55 ( My GAWD)…. years old is that by now I’ve developed quite an intolerance for BS and what just doesn’t work for me.

I’ve made a huge life decision… that I will NOT do something that I cannot find the passion for.  I will NOT spend the better part of my life doing something I do not LOVE.

And heres the rub….  Passion is a fleeting bird.   It’s easy to dive into something only to have the momentum die a quick and unnoticed death.  In today’s business world things change so fast, policy changes, and rightfully so, if you can’t keep up, you get left behind.  You have to adapt and keep the fire baby, easy to say, not so easy to do.

So, along that line I made the decision about 3 months ago to change my career, I left my job at Living Social to contemplate being…. here it comes… get ready..  55 (My GAWD)…

So, I found myself really wondering what the hell I was going to get into at this point in my sales and marketing career.  I know what I WANTED to do, I’ve always wanted to work in sports somehow.  I scanned everything I could find in that area, and it seemed way out of touch, out of reality. I called one of my previous contacts in my last job without any success.  I posted my resume on Monster.com and other sites.

I got job offers from Insurance companies, car dealers, manufacturing companies.  Various things that would earn OK, but when I thought of doing the job, It was a long and huge  Y A W N…. which made me think that I may be in trouble here.  Is there anything that is within reach for me at this age that I’ll go into with the passion and drive and commitment that I personally HAVE to have to perform at the level I’m used to performing at?   And I kept coming back to the sports thing. So I took a chance.

Before I tell you about that chance, let me say that when I was a kid, my dad took me to my first Ice Hockey game in Oakland, CA.  As a lifelong baseball fan, baseball was the all and end all for me as far as sports goes.  I couldn’t imagine any other sport getting that grip on me. Until my first Seals game in 1971…  Holy Crap… I was hooked, fast, furious, action.  Hard hitting aggressive athletes.. As I grew up I went to a few games, but my teenage years became a blur, I went into the service and stopped following hockey.  The Seals were sold and moved to… Cleveland  fergawdsakes!!  And I lost the sport for quite a long time.  Then last year I did some business with the Everett Silvertips of the WHL.  I went to about 5 games and, WOW… the passion was back.  I’d forgotten how fun, what entertainment, how exciting watching Ice Hockey can be.  My winter sport had been the NBA, but when the Sonics were stolen from us, my passion for Pro Sports and their ways and the pattern I’d been seeing just was a turn off.  But this was different, this was Major Jr. Hockey, the last step towards turning pro for 16 – 20-year-old NHL wanna be’s. And it’s good hockey, these are the best of the best at their ages who have left home, for many, for the first time, and experience what this life is about.  Long bus rides, going to High School in a strange town, living with people they do not know.  Not an easy life for these boys.  But, they’re living their dreams, and there is something very magical about that concept, something that is very appealing to us all.  So you have to admire them, you have to support them.  And by god, I wanted to support them somehow and get in on that passion that they have when they take the ice in front of 5,000 screaming Ice Hockey fans.

And after a career in sales, in advertising, and in marketing, I just told myself that I have to go for what I want and do my best to make it happen.  If it doesn’t work out… fine, but I owed it to myself to go down swinging and not sitting on the damn bench. So I asked myself once again… ” what do YOU want to do?”  If you had ONE job opportunity today, right now, what would you jump on?

And I kept coming back to the WHL and the local Team, the Seattle Thunderbirds. I started paying attention to both of them, watching the attendance figures, watching the local coverage, the W’s and the L’s.  Wondering the whole time, where I might fit in, how could I posture my years of experience to help and do something I’d always wanted to do. So, one day, after scanning Craig’s list for…. J.O.B.S… yawn……   I just grabbed the phone, called down there and one thing led to another and by GAWD….. I’m now working for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, selling Season tickets, Group tickets and being the Sales and Marketing guy for a sports team that I’ve really wanted to do for some time.  Ice Hockey is a great sport and I’m going to be the damn pied piper of Hockey in the Puget Sound.  It’s not going to get me to that 5 Mil I was talking about anytime soon, however, it will put a huge smile on my face that’s worth 5 million to me.  And I’m going to be the BEST damn rep they’ve ever laid their eyes on, and you can’t put a price tag on any of that.

Facing the daily Challenges ~ Head on !

I’ve been absent from my blog for a while, new challenges, new focus.  It’s easy for us humans to get stuck into a groove of the daily grind. We do the same things day in and day out and really forget to challenge ourselves to go for more.  We justify it by telling ourselves, ” I’m fine, I don’t need more, I’ve been doing the same thing for years and I’m OK with it.”  And if you tell yourself that and it’s TRUE…. that’s great.  But for me after 25  years of the same job, the same daily routine, I’d had enough. 

 My journey for change really started with me deciding that the last 25 years or so of my life were NOT going to be lived unhealthy.  I was tired all the time, overweight, soft and vournable to too many things . By that I mean, I was letting the influences of the world define me.  Watching the daily news in it’s depressing dramatization of the daily horror that surrounds us gave me the feeling of ” who gives a crap? It doesn’t matter what I do, this stuff is going on all around me, and I give up.”   I WAS HANGING ON WAITING TO DIE!!   I turned 51 and decided that enough was enough.  I had to TRY to find passion, energy and focus to the mundane existence I had created for myself.

People handle stress and challenges in many different ways.  Some blow up with temper, ( A symptom that we are seeing more and more these days )  and if you talk to anyone who knows me, they’ll tell you that this was me, a very short fuse  a trait that I’ve never been proud of, but one that I could not totally control.   In some ways it may have saved me from a heart attack, as I’d release my stress with outbursts of anger and get it out, then I’d move on.   Meanwhile leaving cringing people and animals in my wake.  I was fine, but people around me were terrified at this lunatic and his ability to go off on a moments notice.  So I just started moving my body, each day, 6 days a week for about an hour. And things just started getting better.

I was handling the stress better, I was happier and even though it’s tough, I soon realized that I really didn’t have a choice.  This had to be my new life. It was no longer an option. 

But like most things I do, I started to over do it a bit.  It wasn’t enough for me to finish off P90X three times, I had to go and buy Insanity, the triple kick ass program from Shaun T.  It’s fantastic!!  But took a toll on these 54-year-old knees and legs to the point that I had to stop it and take about a month off of my daily workouts.  Well I’m back after my first week back on P90X, and I have to say, I already feel better, stronger and mentally better to take on life’s daily… struggles.

It’s hard out here friends, and taking care of your mind, body and soul by working out your bod…. keeps me one step ahead of father time.

Another Year bites the dust !!!

Oh come on!!!!  How the hell is it 2011 already!!  This is getting serious people!!!  

I swear it was just last week when it was going to turn 2000!!!  That was such a big deal.  The world’s computers were all going to shut down, all of our power sources were going to go Kaput, the press had us… as usual…. scared to death of…… whatever was on their agenda at the time.   But more alarmingly, it was only about a month ago, in 1974 that I graduated High School at Del Valle in Walnut Creek, CA.  I might have told this story B4, but in my senior year of HS, my parents divorced, I moved out of the family house @ 17.  I worked in a gas station in those days, opening it up @ 6:00 in the morning, going to my classes and then closing it down at night.  Needed to. I needed the money to live.  My dad helped me, so I wasn’t totally alone out there.  After High School I joined the Navy, and then the rest is kind of a blur really.  Many years come streaming into my conscienceless as I write this.  We all have those moments in our lives when were young and try to imagine what our lives will be like waaayy in the future….. And at that time, the future was when…. if …..we made it to 40 years old or so. 

 Now, in 2011 I’ll be 55 fergawdsakes!!!!  How in the world did THAT happen?  Frankly, I’m confused by the whole thing and not willing to punt just yet.  God knows, I have my moments,  as we all do as humans.  The days where our energy levels are just not there.  The days of being tired, tired of the grind, tired of trying… trying… trying……  But then a new day dawns and we all have another shot at the golden ring.   And that’s another thing, who the hell coined THAT term?

Whoever it was  had it pretty close.  We all, whether we know it or not, strive for more.  More things, more health, more cash, more in our relationships, more….. more….. more…..  It’s human nature NOT to be satisfied with things.  If were rich, we feel like we just need a little more, if were poor we feel like if we’d just have some money, everything would be great, If were unhealthy, our thought process goes towards knowing in our hearts that if we were healthier, we’d be happier.

Why do we always do that? Why do we blame luck, or other people, or the universe for our lot in life?  I’m as guilty as the next guy.  We’re all human people.  We curse the world for what it is and what it’s become.  Let’s not curse our financial lot, or health for what it is…  Let’s take responsibility for why it is. We all come to many crossroads in our lives.  Times where we just have to decide which way to go. Time to either  go to the Right, Left, or up the middle.  Those decisions shape our lives, our families lives and I’ll go far as to say future generations of your families lives.  Forget about the wrong turns you’ve taken and look forward to the turns still to come.  Take pride in your abilities to turn around whatever is kicking your butt today into the opportunity of tomorrow.  YOU CAN DO IT!! We all can.  Let’s stop complaining on what we do not like and start focusing on what we want.    It’s NEVER too late to go for it.  We all are in charge of what  we are up to this point in our lives.  But moreover….. we’re in complete charge on what well be in 2011 and beyond.  Nobody else is, WE are.  So, if you want a better life in 2011, start making better decisions in your life.  Are you plagued by poor decisions?  Then take baby steps.  Take stock in you.  Look at that image what is looking back at you in the mirror and analyze that person.  Is this a person you’re proud of?  If not…. why??  What steps can you make today, right now to turn that around.   Not sure how?

Start with doing the things we KNOW are right for us.  If you have a drinking problem, get help, take charge of your own life and change it.  If you have an eating problem,  you know what to do.  If you have an energy problem, there are thousands of Beachbody coaches that will help you in an instant.  Smoking?  just do it people.  It doesn’t matter what your road block is.  YOU CAN OVERCOME IT. Whatever it is. YOU CAN DO IT!!  Ya gotta believe.  Stop crying in your collective milk cartons and get it done.  Or you can choose to remain as you are.  But the sad reality is if were not improving…… were rotting…. I don’t care if were rich, poor, healthy, fat, have mental problems or just have given up.  Are you stuck in a nowhere job that you HATE??  Get off your tail and find what you want. YOU are in charge of your tomorrow, nobody else…. NOBODY ELSE.

2010 in review

My first year of Blogging my random scattered thoughts…. So WordPress sends me my stats, and I guess it wasn’t a total disaster!!  So I thought I’d share some of my blogging stats on this Jan 2nd of 2011

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 4,500 times in 2010. That’s about 11 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 75 new posts, not bad for the first year! There were 274 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 150mb. That’s about 5 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was July 6th with 82 views. The most popular post that day was Into the Valley of the Shadow of Death ~ Part 3 ~ Little Bighorn River ~ June 2010.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, digg.com, healthfitnesstherapy.com, dating-online2u.blogspot.com, and storagesavvy.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for general charles krulak, livingsocial interview process, giants rookie of the year, buster posey, and livingsocial interview questions.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Into the Valley of the Shadow of Death ~ Part 3 ~ Little Bighorn River ~ June 2010 July 2010
2 comments

2

Buster Posey ~ San Francisco Giants~ Rookie of the year ? July 2010

3

Professional Ethics ~ Speech by General Charles Krulak April 2010

4

Living Social ~ New Company, New Career November 2010
3 comments and 2 Likes on WordPress.com

5

Custer’s leadership during the Battle of the Washita~ 1868 June 2010

Travel day from Hell ~ Dec 17, 2010

 So it’s the National Sales meeting trip for my new company, Living Social.  My 3rd trip to Washington DC in about 6 weeks. My travel partner and colleague Colm Gent tells me that Virgin Air is the ONLY way to fly, many perks and amenities that most airlines just don’t have.  My last two flights, one on United, one on Delta were pretty much cattle car experiences so, I’m looking forward to a better choice on our all day trip to Dulles.  The trip there was pretty uneventful, Virgin is one of the new players on the block, so the wait time for our connection in LA is pretty long, we actually get work done at the airport and finally take off for Dulles arriving some 5 hours later, pretty nice plane, very polite employees, overall I’m thinking that Colm is right, great airline, I’m considering going and getting one of their airline credit cards and switching from Alaska Airlines, my airline of choice for over 25 years now.

 We finally arrive at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in downtown Washington DC, a very nice place.  Let me add that I’m very impressed with the way Living Social has treated me both during the process of hiring as well as the accommodations at the Westin, Tyson’s Corner and this gorgeous Hotel that they are putting their 400+ sales people at for the 3 night stay during our National Sales meeting.  They have flown us all from 5 countries to discuss our global plan for 2011 and meet all the people who are going to make this happen next year.  Each and every one of us gets a private room and 1st class all the way.  The Sales meeting is to last until mid day Friday, and one of the highlights is the Holiday party at the hotel, where over 600 people celebrate their growth and common goal to take Living Social to the next level next year.  It was a great time, great people, and while not trying to brown nose too much, I feel very fortunate to be here, now at this time in the company’s history.  I’m ready both physically and mentally for the challenges ahead and look forward to being involved in what promises to be a fantastic year for us.   They want the best of the best and are very picky who they hire, and I’m very proud to be one of them.    A new career and challenges for me.

So, this is really where the story begins…  As great a time as we all had at the meeting, what we didn’t know what was in store for us getting home.  Our original flight was scheduled to leave for SF @ 4:35 eastern time, and with a layover in SFO, we were scheduled to arrive in Seattle @ 11:55 pm getting home around 12:30am or so, which was pretty normal when flying home on a friday night from the east coast. 

 We should have figured out we were screwed the minute we tried to check in for our flight to SF.  I forgot to mention, that with Virgin, the experience in checking in is also so much better, now cattle car lines, you walk right up and they have decorated it nice and there are friendly employees ready to help, and have not been tainted yet by rude travelers.  Or at least they appear not to have been tainted.  But alas, I spoke too soon, when we check in @ Dulles, were told that because of fog in SF our flight out is delayed for 4 hours, and that were probably not going to make our connection now either because the 9:35 flight our of SFO is the last one of the day.  So we ( of course) ask them to please try to book us on another airline, and they decline….. I guess that being the new guys on the block that they don’t have the agreements yet in place with the other airlines in order to accommodate weather related problems, and because it IS a weather related ” act of god”  they also cannot get us a hotel in either DC, or SF.  Now needless to say, this development is a little disconcerting, we want to get home, and every question or request we ask is turned down.  And I think the person at the counter could have delivered this bad news with a little more style.  

Now this is the first person I’ve met with this company that was less than helpful and borderline rude to us so after no, no, no…. I say  ” Ok, lets stop and get this out-of-the-way right now.  Before we go on, is there anything else that you can’t do for us?”  Crickets baby… crickets.   They won’t, can’t do crap.

Were S.O.L.. and we head for security… Looking back if I had any clue what we were in for in our future, I’d of smiled and walked away.  So, as we sit, and sit, we do have the pleasure of meeting up with 3 other of our colleagues that are flying with us to SF, so we enjoy their company before we take off.  So we finally board our flight @ around 7:45 or so, taxi on to the runway and sit…..sit…. and sit…. for around 30 minutes while our pilot is awaiting clearance to take off…  and take off we finally do heading to SF.  Thank god….I think, easy flying home now… although we don’t have a clue what we’ll do when we get to SF, but I’ll worry about that when we get there.   I had the pleasure to sit next to a brilliant young woman, Cristina  from SF who just took a political job in DC and we had some great conversations discussing her passion and commitment to help our country learn and care about what is happening around us. She had just finished working on the Carly campaign in CA and was quite pleased to be moving to the center of her universe Washington DC.  So as we start our approach to SF, the wind really kicks up and the pilot announces that they’ve had quite a few reports of planes having to abort their landings and we’ll try to get in, but it might take a few times.  And it’s pretty violent as we make our approach to SFO, we are really  getting thrown around a bit, but he gets the plane on the ground and the worst is over….. right?????  NOT….   The good news is that were on the ground safely, and because of how all the Virgin flights have been delayed, our flight to Seattle has also been delayed to a 1:30 am departure time, and by god were getting home tonight!!  We couldn’t be happier.  We deplane, say good-by to Nicolle and Samara the SF reps for Living Social and go to our gate happy as pigs in …. you know.   The wind all along the west coast is pretty bad, but we board, take off get tossed around quite a bit, but get over it and the flight to Seattle is pretty uneventful.  Until we get to around 1500 feet or so.  That’s when Virgin America Flight #748 from San Francisco to Seattle turned very ugly.  All of a sudden, the wind starts turning us into a rag doll.  Very bumpy, the pilot turns on the seat belt sign the flight attendants stop walking down the isles, and it starts to get worse.  A woman in front of me pushes her flight attendant button, the attendant gets on the intercom system, announcing that who ever has pushed their call button, please turn it off, and turn it on again IF this is a life ening emergency only…  well I see her turn it off and then turn it on again… I think… ” holy crap”.  So the attendant comes staggering down the aisle, cause were now on a space mountain ride man…. unreal… gets to the woman who announces she has to pee……… UNBELIEVEABLE!!!!!  Why are people so friggin dumb!?!?!?!?   The attendant says ” NO” and staggers back to her seat at the front of the plane.  What we didn’t know on the plane was that Seattle was right in the middle of a huge windstorm, 70 MPH winds were ripping roofs off, toppling trees over and shutting off power to over 125,000 people in the Puget Sound area, we are I’m sure one of the last planes in the air, and the pilot decides that he’ll  try to get our plane on the ground here and now.  As we travel above downtown for the North to South approach were getting beat up pretty good, and now people start reaching for the barf bags…. O M G….. when one person starts, many follow, now we have people crying, starting to scream a bit and when the puking starts ….. well it’s just not fun.   Were getting tossed left, right and everything in between we get to a point  were just about to touch down, and a wind gust literally pushes us almost a full runway over, and he hits the gas and were back in the air.   Thank god, because our wing was just about scraping the damn runway, but is was the wrong runway and god knows where we were going to end up.

 So up, up, up we go and believe me the wind is getting worse now and the barf bags and the passengers are starting to look at each other now wondering if this is the big one, are we going to make it?   Along with that comes more stress more concern and yes Irene…. more barf.  Well what seemed like hours of pure hell ( only about 15 minutes ) but he goes for it again, and this time we don’t get as close, he comes down, down, down, the whole time the 50 MPH gusts are hitting us directly in our side and the plane is rolling from one side to another, and we cross the highway to Burien, and we take another huge gust, the plane rolls left, and he hits the gas again, and up we go.  Now, keep in mind, I was in the Navy, where flights like this were pretty common place, but now I’m wondering what were going to do now, because these winds are not getting better they are getting worse. I”m thinking Portland and can’t imagine trying to land here again, I just want to get on the damn ground.  What ever the result people are REALLY scared now as we anticipate having to stay in the air during this windstorm from hell.  The pilot gets on the horn and announces that he’s NOT going to try to land at SeaTac again, but we have permission to land @ Boeing Field the winds are not nearly as strong there, and he feels pretty confident that we’ll succeed.  Great… go for it man.  Just get us the hell on the ground.  Now keep in mind while all this is going on, the plane is bouncing around like paper cup in a dryer, I’m starting to wonder if I’m going to lose my two Bailey’s and coffee I downed an hour prior at this point, I look around and most people have their faces in bags, or eyes closed contemplating their demise….. I’m SERIOUS.. It was that bad people…. That bad.. I can’t see Colm behind me but I know how scared I became and I fly pretty well.   So as we start our approach to Boeing Field, once again over Downtown Seattle for the 4th or 5th time within the hour, guess what?  Yea, that’s right the winds kick up once again and our decent is one from hell, pitch left, pitch right, listen to someone hurl, the flight attendants now are roaming the isles with huge plastic garbage bags that at every isle someone is tossing a full barf bag into, and when the poor gal gets to me with a FULL, garbage bag of puke, I can only shake my head and smile, cause she looks scared as hell the poor thing.  What I didn’t know is Colm told me he say one of the flight attendants with THEIR face in a barf bag in the back of the plane during our little flight adventure.

So, down we go once again, and I’ll be damned as he’s just about ready to land a huge gust creams us on the right side and we start to list once again.  But he puts it down anyway and after he comes to a stop and people start breathing again, a small applause starts to take over the plane.  I can’t believe we made it, but were down… were finally down…. Now Boeing  Field is NOT expecting us, they don’t have a runway, baggage handlers and TSA is not going to be happy that were there without the normal security people in place.  Therefore it takes us about an hour to get off the plane, there are a few complainers, but mostly people on flight 748 are happy to be alive, and we take it in stride.  We finally get to deplane, they walk us a bit, where we get to go through an old terminal and come out in front of the building.  No bus, no transportation, no bags.. We don’t care….we just want to get home as it’s now around 5:30 AM or so, and we’ve been up for 24 +hours.  Colm and I finally look at each other and just shake our heads with the “can you friggin believe that we lived through this” look.  Now the Taxi’s have gotten wind of whats going on and are flocking to Boeing field, and we finally get one, and tell the driver that were going to go to Bellevue, a guy walks up and asks if he can join us because he’s going to Redmond, we say sure, and he gets in.  It turns out this is a Groupon  engineer that was on the plane with us, our fiercest competitor.  Colm had noticed his Groupon printed bag in the waiting area, and whispers it to me as we start leaving in the Cab.  So lean over to him in the front seat and ask him where he works, and he says ” a company called Groupon ”  I put my hand out and tell him that were with Living Social and he’s shocked but friendly enough.  We all have a good laugh how our companies almost had some openings to fill and they drop me off in Bellevue.  As we drive through the neighborhood, all the power is off, no lights, and we can see damage from the storm, many downed branches, etc.. I finally get in the door, around 6:00 am or so, the cab takes off to get Colm home and this other guy to his place in Redmond.  I find out yesterday from Colm, that his little adventure didn’t stop there, as they had the pleasure of a drunk driver in front of them on 520, bouncing off the divider, swerving lane to lane ets.  I can only imagine Colm wondering what could possibly be next?   After sleeping in till 2:00 PM and getting another 10 hours last night, I still feel like I’ve been beaten by a baseball bat, but was dedicated to blogging this experience.   Let me finish this book off by saying that when I was in DC, I was not happy with this airline, I was never going to fly them again.  But I’ve changed my mind, once the dust settled, once this pilot, ( I wish I knew his name ) had saved all of our collective asses.  Once I realized that this wasn’t anyones fault, but just one of those things that happen in life…. I’m very grateful for another chance to fly them and I will again.    What a day…. what a frigging day…