Announcing

I'm starting to realize God has blessed with so much.

Among a hot wife who loves me, a dog, a home, a job, friends and family who care about me, I've also been blessed with a voice.  I don't mean a voice to speak or to sing.  I mean a voice to be an announcer.  I didn't realize this until a few years ago.  I had the opportunity to fill in for our basketball announcer at the high school I worked at, and realized I really enjoyed it.  Besides having the best seat in the house, I got to call all the action as it happened.  It started out announcing a game here and there, and then the following year it became more frequent.  At this point I didn't start to think about announcing as a job so to speak.  It was just something to do to make some extra money.

I was honored to be asked to announce those basketball games, and people were always really nice by complementing me on my "performance".  I just shrugged it off, hoping to not think to much about it because I knew I wasn't going to go anywhere with it.  Summer of 2010 was when it started to become real.  I had received a phone call from our Athletic Director.  He informed me the previous football announcer was not going to be returning in the Fall, and he wanted to know if I would take the mic for the 2010 football season.  I of course said yes.

I started to get the hang of it.  Working with my spotter, calling the numbers and names of those involved with the play.  Making sure I was being articulate and enunciating correctly I began to fall in love with being a public address announcer.  Again, people would graciously complement me and for the first time individuals were telling me I should think about doing this announcing thing more often.  I kindly accepted the complements and kept doing my thing.  Moving from football to basketball season I continued to practice and fell even more in love with what I was doing.

One late winter's day I heard on the radio the Chicago Cubs were seeking a new public address announcer for the 2011 season.  "Oh my gosh!", I thought.  I could be the next voice of the Cubs!  All I had to do was read a script and make a YouTube video.  Easy enough.  So I did.  I began to draft dreams of becoming a professional public address announcer.  ~Spoiler alert - I did not get the job, nor is the video still online, sorry.

Through that experience I learned what a professional baseball team is looking for in an announcer.  Most of which could not be found in my audition video.  Out of curiosity I Googled* public address announcing jobs to see what else was out there.  Maybe there was some truth to all those who told me I could be a professional announcer.  The second hit was a link to the Windy City Thunderbolts, a minor league baseball team out of Crestwood, IL.  The site told me to show up to the stadium on a certain day and they would be hosting live auditions right then and there.  So I showed up.  One of 30 or so and the only one in a shirt and tie I patiently waited my turn.  While I waited I sat and listened to those going ahead of me.  As you would expect there were those who were pretty good and there were those who were just plain bad.  I knew at that point I had no right to judge them myself, but when you hear someone you know if they're good or not.  Finally, after about 15 people I got to go.  I sat in the chair in front of the mic overlooking the field.  I focused, took a deep breath, and belted out the best starting lineup I could come up with.  Long story short, I became a top-three finalist and eventually got the job.

I spent my summer announcing 48 home games between May and September.  I absolutely loved it.  I got paid to watch baseball.  How awesome is that?  I'm honored to say I will be returning Summer of 2012.  Stop on by if you're in the neighborhood next summer.

Since then I've become The Voice of the Hawks (title given to me by the Athletic Director) of a high school in the district I work in.  I've been announcing their boys and girls basketball games, and look forward to another great season.  Maybe in the future I'm announcing a professional sport.  Anyone out there reading who knows anyone in the professional sports world, I'm available after February 2012.

The point of all this is not to just say I announce and I love it.  As I mentioned earlier, I've been blessed with a voice.  Some are blessed with the ability to throw a football 50 yards, others are blessed with the ability to build a space shuttle, others are even blessed with the ability to take amazing pictures.  I, on the other hand, have been incredibly blessed to be a public address announcer.  I am thankful for the voice God gave me, even though I don't like listening to myself on a recording (am I the only one?).  I pray daily that God uses my voice for good, that I can honor Him in using my voice in whatever I'm doing.  It's a constant reminder for me to use my voice wisely.  Without it, I can kiss my dreams of being a professional goodbye.  May it be a reminder for you as well to use whatever gifts you've been blessed with to honor Him.

*Googled is not a proper word.  I get the red squiggly line underneath it.

The Rundown

Outside of being an awful Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson movie, I give you my own 'Rundown'.  There is a lot going on in the sports world lately.  

The first thing that is on everyone's mind is the Penn. State scandal.  All the details aren't out yet, but what we do know is people in authority did horrible, horrible acts of molestation and those who could have put an end to it didn't.  It's unspeakable what those men did to the young boys involved.  What's even more disgusting is those that knew about it didn't do anything to stop it.  

I don't know exactly what Joe Pa had to do with it all.  I honestly haven't been following the story all that closely.  However, I do know Joe Paterno knew what was going on and didn't do a thing.  I 100% agree with him being fired.  What I don't agree with is how the student body rioted in the streets in protest of the University's decision.  I understand Joe is an icon to the University.  I get it.  We all have our heroes.  But it does not excuse what he did (or didn't do).  Can the loftiness of one person really mask all sense of morality?  It was as if the student body had little to no regard for the awful acts of sexual abuse committed on their campus.  I hope all persons involved with this get what they deserve.  Jail time.  Other than that, it's not my job to judge.  

The whole thing is terrible.

On a much lighter note, Justin Verlander was unanimously voted the AL Cy Young winner.  A well-deserved recipient, JV smoked opponents this season for 24 wins, 250 strikeouts, and a 2.4 ERA.  An unprecedented year for him along with the Tigers.  Congratulations Justin!

I'm not much of a racing fan.  I don't follow NASCAR or Indy in the least.  I do, however, appreciate good competition when I see it.  This Sunday, two drivers will compete for the championship of NASCAR.  Only two drivers are eligible to win it all.  The last race of the year.  Which ever driver finishes first between the two, wins.  I kind of wish it came down to 5 or 6 drivers.  The drama of it all is fascinating.  But...you racing fans will have to sit and only pay attention to 2.  I, on the other hand, will be watching football.

I'll leave you with this.

The Bears are looking good.  I expect them to go 6-1 in the final 7 weeks of the season.  The only loss coming to Green Bay.  The Bears should sweep the AFC West; San Diego, Oakland, Kansas City, and Denver.  I expect to win against Seattle and Minnesota.  You have to give the win to Green Bay at home.  Aaron Rodgers is amazing.  Besides, how can you not like someone who looks exactly like you?

Michigan State has also started their basketball season.  Tom Izzo has had a rough start losing to two great teams, North Carolina and Duke.  The NC game was cool.  Who gets to play on the deck of an aircraft carrier for crying out loud?  The Duke game was fixed.  When ESPN wants a team to win.  They get their win.  It was clear the officiating was one-sided.  I'm not denying Coach K is an amazing coach.  I am saying he got his record-breaking win with a little help.  Enjoy the asterisk Coach!

MSU will still make an appearance in the Final Four.  Tom Izzo doesn't mess around when it comes to the tournament.  

Blogger's Block

I'm discovering blogging isn't necessarily for me.

Blogs are meant for people with stories.  For those who have moved across the world and are telling of their adventures to those back home.  Blogs are for people who are sharing medical concerns, or their journey of getting pregnant, or keeping grandparents posted about grandchildren.  For people who are eloquent writers, for those who are passionate about something ( a lot of arts and crafts blogs out there).  Not for a guy like me.

I live an ordinary life.  I've been blessed with health, a beautiful wife, a great dog, a roof over my head, and a job.  We're not expecting any children, yet.  However, I can foresee myself having success coming up with things to write about once we have our own children (which seems to be a majority of blog topics as I randomly view other blogs).

My job isn't thrilling by any means.  I am grateful I have work and a paycheck, but it's a "transitional" position if anything.  I miss being in the classroom.  I miss teaching.  I miss having interactions with my students.  I miss going home thinking I maybe made a difference today.  I hope that I can do my best in my current position so I can be considered for a more full-time position next year.

One advantage of my job is I overhear a lot of funny stuff throughout the day.  My office is located within the Dean's office, and throughout the day I get to see and hear some of the school's finest.  In fact, just yesterday I overheard our secretary have a conversation with a student on the phone.  "What in the world are you doing on a bus?"  "...but you don't belong on a bus."  A short moment later one of our deans is on the phone with this student.  "...activity bus?  Those don't leave until 4:30.  It's 2:35."  "You have to call a relative or a friend to see if they can pick you up somewhere."  "No, the bus driver is not going to drop you back off at school." "...because!  You don't belong on a bus!  Why did you get on a bus when you don't ever ride one?  You've been walking to school for three years."

Hilarious.  Turns out this kid road all the way back to the bus garage with the driver and then walked to a CVS or Walgreens or something to wait for a ride.  The caliber of students that walk through this office (or call on the phone) amaze me.  They must make mom and/or dad proud.

Maybe I do have something to blog about.  I have been keeping a Word document of all the crazy things I overhear.  Stay tuned.