Month: October 2012

The Challenges of Staying Regular…

Those who have known me for a majority of my life would tell you I had two gifts growing up… drawing and writing.  The last piece of art that I produced was completed in May of 1998 and hopefully still hangs on an old friend’s wall in Hoover.  The last piece of composition that I produced that wasn’t a school assignment was July of 2000…  That was until July of 2011 when I wrote my first “Tails From the Road” piece for a new blog I had started.

Looking back at it now, I find it hard to believe that I went eleven years without composing something of meaning or importance outside the classroom.  It really makes me sad when I think about all the things I could have or should have written about.  I might have to slowly start telling some of those stories over the next several months.  As for the art, I still haven’t picked up the pencil and started drawing…  I’m not sure I ever will.

Today’s challenge is staying regular when it comes to writing and blogging.  I’m sure several of you opened this blog expecting something different because of my mother and her special tea… but that’s a story for another time.  Last year, I composed all the material for the now defunct Tiger Tail Team website.  Every week, I wrote a story about the prior weeks adventures as well as my weekly predictions. I pretty much did all the writing. However, they certainly wanted to read everything before I published it (which is understandable).  What I did not appreciate was one of the particular people wanting to act as an editor on anything and everything I published.

The whole process got extremely exhausting.  I was gone every weekend.  I spent Sunday afternoons and Monday nights writing a 2000 -2500 word “Tails From the Road” piece.  Then on Thursday, I would compose a 1500 – 2000 word politically incorrect prediction piece.  Averaging 4000 words of composition a week for a hobby took its toll.

The first week of the tiger tail team website,  it got a little over 200 hits on the pieces I produced.  I got very excited.  Two weeks later, that number was over 2000 hits.  By the end of the season when I stopped, it was closer to 3000 hits a week.  All told, the website got over 16,000 visitors in about a three month period.  My stories ran concurrently on another website as well.  That blog produced a staggering 60,000 hits last year.

By December, I was burned out.  I had some amazing adventures, but those I was involved with did not share the same dream or vision for the venture that we had started together.  We have since gone our separate ways.  One day I will take the time and explain that story, but part of it is still playing out.

One of the best things to come out of the whole adventure/ordeal was that I had rekindled my passion for writing.  I started this blog which you are reading shortly before the new year.  The challenge has always been to find something that interested me enough to sit down and write.  I’ve updated it on a very irregular basis, but I’ve kept it much more personal.  I’m planning on keeping it that way…

This last summer, I decided I wanted to continue to still write about college football.  Looking back through the old websites statistics, I discovered that the predictions part of the website were popular among people from other teams (“Tails From the Road” was very much an Auburn thing).  They would read the “Tails From the Road” story that involved their team, but they would keep coming back for the weekly predictions.  One of my goals was to write to a wider fan base than just the Auburn one.  Writing a weekly predictions for all SEC teams would provide me with an avenue to do so.  The predictions were one of my favorite things to write, hence www.jppredicts.com was born.

I can’t tell you the amount of time it takes that goes into the predictions every week (actually I can).  It’s very time consuming and at times, there are a thousand other things I would rather be doing.  The challenge is to produce something that is humorous, doesn’t cross too many invisible lines, and some how remains accurate.  It’s not as easy as it sounds.  I’ve picked up a couple of friends along the way to help me along this adventure (Ash and Honest Abe).  I’m not sure where it is going, but it continues to grow.  Many of you who read this post also read the politically incorrect predictions.  The best thing you can do to help us is to like our Facebook page and “share” and “like” our posts and stories.  It helps us grow and we want to keep growing.  By doing so you can help us stay regular when it comes to posting new material.

Until next time…

Cause I’m somewhere in the middle of this…

It’s been my belief that you show more about yourself and your character by how you handle adverse or undesirable situations, especially when there appears to be no-win solutions.  It is in these moments that are principles, ethics, and what constitutes our moral fiber is challenged.  We often define who we are and what we hold most dear by how we respond.  Is it our reputation, family, friends, justice, beliefs, dignity, self-worth?  Regardless of what we choose, we will try and justify our decisions (rational or not) in an effort to make ourselves feel better.

The last several months, I have been confronted with quite a few of these situations… stacked one on top of another.  None of these situations were directly related to one another, but they were all extremely taxing in their own different ways.  The one thing in common is that they all affected me in some form or fashion.  Quite frankly, the last couple of months have been some of the most challenging times of my life.

To talk about any one of the numerous situations in detail in this forum would be inappropriate and would not achieve anything except to further fan the flames or re-stoke the embers that some have since died down… which is not my intention.  To say I’ve spent a great deal of time reflecting on it all is an understatement.  In every one of the situations I had to ask myself what I really wanted, what I thought was right, and what I believed.  They often did not add up and I was put in the position of having to make difficult choices.

So I made choices, not knowing what the results of these choices would be, but hoping for the best.  I know I can’t make everyone happy nor justify my decisions to everyone.  But in the end, I’ve had to make choices that I would be able to wake up and look at myself in the mirror and not be ashamed of the person looking back at me.  Through this whole process, I’ve learned a lot about myself and what I value.  The challenge is always doing what I feel to be the right thing, even if it comes at a personal cost to me…  I feel like sometimes it is a reminder that the right decision is often not the easiest, nor the likeliest one most people will take.   In the end of it all, I’m the same person I was before.  I’m just a bit wiser and maybe a bit more seasoned…

I’m still a deeply caring and passionate human being and for those who have spent any deal of time around me, I hope my actions reiterate this point.  At the same time, I’m not perfect.  I make mistakes and you might not always like the decisions I make.  Sometimes I’m right, sometimes I’m wrong.  In the end, I just want to be happy…  and I don’t want to ruin anyone else’s chance at happiness to achieve my own.

The choices I have made have come at a cost.  Every choice I’ve made has been met with consequences… some of them I have expected, others I have not.  It has never been my intent to hurt others are cause anyone else pain.  Undoubtedly, it has happened.  For that I am sorry.  I have had to remind myself that I have been down a similar road before when it comes to making hard choices… and the sun did keep rising in the East.  I’m pretty sure it will rise tomorrow.

Your Time, Your Heart, and Your Dues…

Jim Methvin presenting me with the Alumnus Loyalty Award last night.

These are the prepared remarks I gave last night at the University of Montevallo’s National Alumni Assocation Award Banquet…

Let me begin by saying I am truly honored and humbled to be standing in front of you right now.  I’d like to thank the University of Montevallo National Alumni Association for presenting me with this award.  I look out into the crowd and see people who I look up to as role models and mentors, and I many of you I call friend.

Before I get to my prepared remarks, there are several people out in the crowd who I feel need special recognition and I want to say thanks.   Without them and their support, I would not be standing in front of you today.

Jim Methvin.  Jim, you’ve been a mentor and a friend.  My only regret is I didn’t know you when I was in college.  It sure would have made my life easier at times.

Dr. Susan Vaughn.  Thank you for always supporting me, yet challenging me.  It has meant more to me than you may ever know.  For those of you who don’t know, Montevallo has the top undergraduate social work program in the state.  It did when I was in school, and Dr. Hitchcock, Dr. Newell, and Jeannie Duke are continuing on that tradition.

Last but certainly not least, my family who is sitting right in front of me.  I don’t have time to thank you enough for all the love, support, and guidance you have given me.  They are an amazing support network and I would like to introduce them to you.

Ryan Matson.  Ryan is my childhood best friend.  My Montevallo story doesn’t begin if not for you.  I’m so thankful that you got to choose Montevallo to continue your story.

Jason Booi.  My big brother when I got to Montevallo.  I’ve learned so much from you and your family.  Five years from now we will look back at this moment and smile my friend.

Jamie Purvis.  My older brother who has watched over me far more than I realize at times.

Dad, you’ve always been there when I’ve needed you and given timely advice. It is still very much appreciated.

Mom, you are a social worker at heart.  You never gave up on me, even after the doctors and other “professionals” did when I was a child.  You didn’t take no for an answer.  Thank you.

The story I want to tell you today comes from my time as a student and advisor to my fraternity.  One of the things required of a pledge was to get an interview from every member of the organization.  One of the questions they had to ask is “What do I owe the fraternity?”  My answer for over a decade was always the same.

Your time, your heart, and your dues.  Your time because you are going to get out of this organization exactly what you put into it.  Your heart because if you don’t give it your all, you are just wasting your time and mine.  Your dues because where friendship is free, insurance is not.

I’ve taken this same philosophy when it comes to being an alumnus of Montevallo.  I give my time, my heart, and my dues.  I volunteer my time and help when and where I can.  As for my heart, let’s just say I have no shame supporting Montevallo.  I really do give it my all.  The purple suit has been probably one of the worst kept secrets.  Last, but not least, I pay my dues.  I was afforded many opportunities to further my education at Montevallo by alumni who gave to the social work program so that I could attend conferences and network as an undergraduate.  I feel fortunate that I am able to help afford students the same opportunity now.

I don’t have to tell anybody in this room what a special place Montevallo is.  You all already know it.  I know I’m speaking to the choir in here, but my challenge to you is ask yourself am I giving my time, my heart, and my dues to help further the mission and vision of Montevallo?  By giving of these things you make students, professors, staff, and administrators lives a little bit easier.

In closing, I would like to thank you once again for honoring me with the Alumnus Loyalty Award.  Thank you from the whole of my heart.  Now may I live up to the honor that you have bestowed upon me…

May You Live Up to the Honors Bestowed Upon You…

Twelve years ago, I was named to the First Team All Alabama Academic Team representing Jefferson State.  I underwent a rigorous nomination and application process to be named to the team.   A lot of good things were said and written about me.  I was treated to an awards banquet at the Wynfrey Hotel and I even had my picture in the Birmingham News.  Being named to the team opened up many doors for me.  It was through this process that I would eventually end up spending the following summer in Washington, D.C.

The phrase that has stuck with me since that time was not something that was never written in a nomination letter or put in the application packet.  “May you live up to the honors bestowed upon you.”  It is a phrase that my uncle Doug used after I received word that I had been named to the team.  It stayed in the back of my head the rest of that Spring as I continued to receive honors, awards, and scholarships.

Not the award I’m receiving.

It has always been a humbling phrase reminding me that there is still work to be done.  Enjoy the moment, but don’t rest on your laurels.  I’ve always taken it as a challenge.

Tonight, I will be going back to another award banquet after being nominated and selected for a very prestigious award by the University of Montevallo National Alumni Association.  I feel truly honored and humbled to be recognized by the university I fell in love with twelve years ago.  At the same time, I feel overwhelmed and unworthy of such a prestigious award.  The challenge still remains, “May I live up to the honors bestowed upon me…”