Be Ready for the Change

Life changes things from all different directions.

First you think that you have this great life, and you're on the right track to something, and BAM! It's gone. Just like that, everything you had worked so hard for is gone.

So what does your brain do? It scatters itself to process. It tries hard to work and create a solution as fast as it can. It looks in your present, your memories, your pictures, your things to do, everything. But what happens?

Not a damn thing.

Until you ask for help, which actually changes your life and gets it back on track.

Or at least, that was the case for me recently.

I recently lost my gig hosting the Miller Lite Trivia Night at Jonny's Sports Bar. I had taken that bar and turned it into a prime location for trivia. People came to try to buy me out, buy the bar, buy me a drink, and people came from all over just to be at the best trivia night in Nashville.

That was until last Monday, when Jonny decided to use a cuter, much better looking, waitress as the host instead of using me.

Welcome to the Los Angeles International Airport. If you're ugly, please step to the side so the beautiful people can walk around you. Thank you, and enjoy your stay.

Now, with my pride hurt, my heart broken, and my wallet barely holding onto the money I'm making due to bills, I started looking for another option.

I still wanted to do broadcasting. I knew that entertaining people made me happy, and with being that host, I felt a rush I haven't felt since broadcasting. There is that certain magic, and that certain joy that comes from broadcasting for me. They say that if you do what you love as your career then you'll never have to work a day in your life. That, for me, is to broadcast. That sensation is to be on-air.

I first felt the bite of the broadcasting bug when I was in high school. I met a friend who was an engineer, and he taught me the ins and outs of broadcasting. Together, we made our first internet rock station, WNYD. It started out slow, but we made it to be #1 small time radio station within 6 months. We held that title for over a year and a half.

From there, I would broadcast everything: girl's basketball games, men's basketball games, football games, JROTC events (although those weren't really broadcast, just me being a dork in the stands), and everything else I could get my hands on. In fact, because of my efforts, we started a class strictly for broadcasting. I anchored the news for our school, as I continued to do the announcements.

Thinking about all of this, actually makes me miss high school a little bit. I miss the simplicity. I miss the organization. I don't miss the drama, or the immaturity, or anything of that nature, but I do miss going into the MCJROTC for PT (physical training) or drill. I miss uniform Wednesdays. I miss inspections. I miss the military feel of my life.

But even more so, I miss that camaraderie. I miss that sense of belonging to something much bigger than myself or my family. I got that with both the MCJROTC and the NJROTC, and all three years I was there for.

So now, within this period of transition, I need to go back to what makes me happy. I need to have a career that will allow me to have enough money to take care of my family.

Whether I realize it or not, this is the time when I need to set the foundation down to take care of my family. This is the time in my life where I have an opportunity to take advantage of my situation and change my life forever. I need to do something that will make me better, something that will make my family better.

The Navy.

I am enlisting in the Navy.

I have to loose 50 lbs to do it, but I feel that the Navy would be the best bet for me to both take care of my family and use what I am good with: broadcasting.

I am on my way. And regardless of how hard it will be, I will do it.

I will not quit.

Be ready.