Embrace Change

My mantra, vision statement or motivation for 2024 was “Embrace Change,” but it also could have been “Living on a Prayer.”  And much like many of you there was plenty of change in my life last year, much of it good, but also some bad.  For those of you that know me I am typically a glass half full kind of guy – to a fault.  And as I look back to the past year in pictures and notes many incredible life-changing things happened to me and my loved ones.  Here is a short 2024 list.

·        My daughter Taylor got baptized.

·        Attended my first Soccer Game.

·        Attended the NAMM show in Anaheim, CA.

·        Trip to Gatlinburg, TN with my girlfriend.

·        Trip to Cancun, Mexico with daughter and my buddy Steve.

·        Watched the Eclipse from a field in Southern Illinois. 

·        Attended my daughter’s High School graduation.

·        Spent two months with my daughter before she left for college.

·        Road trip with my daughter to load her into FGCU.

·        Celebrated my birthday in Florida with daughter & GF.

·        Went on a dolphin watching cruise – awesome!

·        Spent 10 days in Ireland with my GF – amazing!

·        Played songwriter rounds around Nashville.

·        Wrote lots of Music Gear Reviews for magazines.

·        Interviewed Bon Jovi & Slash plus other great music artists.

·        Won a Communicator Award for the Rock & Review

·        Won a Josie Award for the Rock & Review

·        Reached over 1,000 Rock & Review interviews in 2024

·        Had the best Thanksgiving & Christmas in many years.

Clumped together they are some pretty cool accomplishments and life events but there were also times of failure, loss and sometimes apprehension over the unknown.  The Rock & Review won two awards but didn’t win an Emmy or Telly in 2024, but that won’t stop us from trying again.  My personal relationship with my daughter got deeper than it has in years, and I am thankful for that, but regret the time we missed. Also, I have found a partner/person of faith to share my life and pursue adventures with!  The industry that I have been in all of my life is changing and evolving at a fast pace.  But that is making me nimbler to changes that I need to make now and where I see myself in ten years.  No life lived is perfect and mine certainly isn’t either.  We evolve, grow and expand or atrophy, complain and wallow in our failure and loss.  My goal for the coming year isn’t a list of resolutions, but more of a mindset.  To focus on my loved ones and the skills and things that I do best.  We are all limited by the time that we are allotted. I want to manage my time better and not let my time manage me.  Everything doesn’t deserve or need my attention, but the people I care about and projects that I am passionate about do.  Change is constantly happening to us whether we embrace it or not.  The challenge is how we resolve to work with or adapt to the change once it arrives? I have also chosen to forgive and give grace to those that have wronged me as I have been given grace.  Holding grudges or anger towards others only hurts me and solves nothing.  My wish for each of you is that you surround yourself with people that support your efforts & dreams, find happiness, peace and contentment in the coming year and chase your passion to achieve what will satisfy you.

Interviewing Jon Bon Jovi at his JBJ venue in Nashville, TN in 2024