The U.S. Open 2007 Oakmont CC

Whenever you think you are really GOOD at golf this weekend, watch the carnage at the U.S. Open. 7,230 yards of pure terror to the world's BEST golfers.

Golf is simply a game to be played and you better come to the greens with some respect.

Thankful...Sometimes We Forget to be...

As a golfer, uhh weekend hacker who respects the game of golf, I greatly admire the heroes of the game like Ben Hogan. Ben Hogan is special for his work ethic and overcoming a huge personal trauma where doctors told him he would never play golf again. He won more majors following his tragic car accident and injuries than before. Hogan was in the top ten 83% of the time out of over 300 tournaments. He won 9 of 16 Majors between 1946 and 1953, six of those majors followed his Summer of 1949 Car Accident in West Texas. 1953 was an exceptional year winning all three majors he entered just four years after nearly dying on a foggy West Texas road.

My wife bought me a set of Ben Hogan irons, years ago. I should take better care of them.

Ben Hogan reminds me that I am a lucky guy. Despite setbacks and enduring low points in life there is much to be thankful for. Sometimes we forget to be Thankful.

I am Thankful...

that I have a wife who loves me, lets me play golf and buys me Ben Hogan irons ;>)

that I am physically able to play golf and enjoy the game, playing in the grass and the fresh air.

that I have people in my life that love me and care about me.

that I have healthy kids.

that I find happiness in my animals and they find happiness in me.

that I have a talent and am able to make a living with that talent.

that I have had the opportunity to share what I know with others.

that I am able to Travel and see the world, hear the world and experience all of the wonderful things the world has to offer.

that I am healthy despite having to take medication and not always doing the right thing.

that I have never seen or experienced the real tragedy of war and death while serving my Country in the military.

that I have survived and grown from the terrible grief that comes when someone you love dies.

that I never bought a Bee Gees or STYX album.

There's probably a lot more to be thankful for...just give me a moment.

Golf-The Game That Comes and Goes

Was invited out to Eagle Ridge by Bob "The Blade" Robinson. He owed me for a round last year at The Preserve-so now we're even.

Had the pleasure of working with Bob up until I accepted a nice severance package from CC in September last year. The Blade has been around for years in Raleigh radio on WRDU. After the new guys from Charlotte came in and RDU flipped to Country & Western back in November, Blade lasted for maybe a week before walking off the set to the sounds of The Who...bold ballsy move, but I think everyone who knew Blade appreciated the gesture...screw the man...chalk one up for the working stiff. Isn't it funny how they don't call it Country AND WESTERN anymore?

Blade ended up in New Bern-Greenville on Classic Rock WSFL where he is happy, though broke to put it in his words. He's working and he's living close to The Atlantic---not bad in my opinion...it's always nice to have more money, but as I commented during our Golf Game yesterday, it's amazing how long you go without any money and cited myself as an example.

The Golf Round included Mark Brown a friend of Blade's who works at Heritage in the Pro Shop, a funny guy who apparently loves Sammy Davis imitations...Blade and Mark had fun talking up the Lounge Lizards...we'll be here all week, try the prime rib, tip the waitress and don't forget Fish Fry Friday...the impressions were endless...we all had trouble remembering who exactly was in the Rat Pack...Frank Sinatra of course, head rat, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin (he was not even mentioned by anyone during the course of this meandering conversation), Peter Lawford---but the elusive "rat" I could see in my mind's eye but could not remember his name was Joey Bishop. Joey Fucking Bishop. I can rest easy now, but maybe should consider buying some ginkgo.

Saturday Golf was decent until the back 9, (a double on a par five and a triple on a freaking par three--13 fucking strokes in two holes---should have quit after nine) in fact had a 42 to Blade's 43 on the front 9 which I knew just pissed him off---Blade is very serious about his golf which is cool, but it's just a game to me and I know I am just a weekend hacker who lives in the eighties and low nineties---every once in a while this blind squirrel finds a nut and I'll shoot a sub 80 score---let's see--three times in ten years...did I say Weekend Hacker? Hey when you play once maybe twice a week and seldom practice what can anyone expect? There won't be any fantasies of Senior PGA floating around in my head...maybe a weekend at Pinehurst, just to say I've played it. Golf does not define my life---like it, love to play, respect the game, enjoy the camaraderie, like to compete but will never play for money, will never throw clubs into a lake and will never give myself a score higher than an eight unless I am in a Tournament like member-guest or in a rare instance of playing "Follow The Wolf".

Golf is a difficult game. Everything must come together perfectly to have a decent round and score. You can drive the ball a mile one day but suck at putting or you could be sinking all your putts but you spent three or four strokes trying to get on the green...you could have driving and putting down but spend the day chili dipping your chip shots or dealing with the dreaded "S" word. When you consider what pros must do (putting four good scores together on consecutive days)--it's a game you certainly learn to respect. Don't get me wrong, I aspire to be better, but only within the context of what I have invested. If I am not playing and practicing everyday, my expectations are not going to be high-I don't want to be miserable all the time. If I am at the range everyday working on my game fundamentals and playing three to four rounds a week and I am still not very good, then I need lessons and a lot of them!

91 today. A 13 stroke swing from just a few days ago...now that's consistency.

Ouch babe, that hurts. We'll be here all week....

78

Golf is an elusive sport. It's one on one---you against the course. Sure you may play with others and you may even play for money at times, but the real game is within yourself. I've been practicing my miserable "short" game in our backyard...chipping the ball to be specific. Practicing a chip with a 56 and 60 degree wedge that goes up in the air and a specific distance (about 15-20 yards) to a target I laid out in the grass...it helps. Today I was on the course, hole #17, drove it a good 275 yards, probably rolled another 50 yards and I had maybe 70 yards to a pin which was ten paces from the front of the green, tucked in the left corner. I hit a pitch shot off of a slight downhill lie with a 60 degree wedge, just as I had practiced it these past few days, the ball bounced twice and went into the hole for an Eagle 2, the guy I was playing with said he never seen a shot like that in person...first Eagle hole out for me on a par four-what a rush-yes, practice, practice, practice.
We're not moving to Fredericksburg, VA. Lovely quaint historic village surrounded by urban sprawl. Literally Fredricksburg is a bedroom community for Washington D.C. Lots of FBI given the proximity to Quantico, lots of Military, lots of Federal Government worker bee types making the two hour commute to downtown D.C. dealing with the white knuckle traffic and the constant road rage...wow, who would want to do this? Everyday? Crazy! I would not have to commute, in fact I would have been on a reverse commute if I had accepted the job. The reason I turned it down is the Housing costs. $300,000 will get you a shack on a piece of dirt in a crapped out neighborhood---the difference between Raleigh and Fredicksburg was mind numbing. It's really too bad, it would have been a great gig with a locally owned group of radio stations, but you cannot pay people small market wages when everything around you screams Washington D.C.---well I guess you can, and there are people who are working there, scratching out a life...I'm done scratching.

Was on the phone the other day with a fellow radio professional who was recently "laid off" and I joked with him about the irony of severance pay. You really cannot accept any new employment unless it is for a whole bunch more money that what you're getting in severance. If you decided to accept a gig with "another company" for less salary, they are quick to pull the plug on severance...sort of a Catch 22. Literally you need to wait until you've exhausted your severance before you can seriously look for a gig---there is no point in turning gigs down and wasting everyone's time. Here's what really KILLS you though. COBRA Insurance payments. If I ever do this again...have the company pay for the COBRA for six months, if not a whole year...1258.42 a month for a Family to maintain health insurance. If you have never coughed blood, you will start to cough it up around the five month mark and when your severance is done it begins to get pinched out of whatever savings you might have, pieces of your lung come up with whatever blood you might have left...not a good idea. Health Insurance costs are unreasonable by any standard...it plain SUCKS!

Here's the score. I've been sitting on my ass for Eight months now. Six of those months I got paid. The last two months has been a real test. Joy is working at a grooming shop in addition to doing her own customers at home. My website is still down and the business has not been marketed to date. I have demos for Talk Radio, Music Radio and am now working on a general VO Demo for Narration and Commercial work. Maybe I can pull some change down doing commercial voiceovers, at least temporarily. Gigs are out there and they've been applied for---some I've turned down, others are still "in process". I told a guy today that stability is important and that I'm not interested in chasing down another radio gig...I'm looking for a four year stay minimum so I can get Connor through High School...this gig looks decent out in Bend, Oregon...worth a look. Good area, good climate, lots of outdoor activities, small town, good schools...real estate is a little inflated but like I said...worth a look.

Radio has changed dramatically. The more I hang out on the outside and look in, the more change I notice, there's a lot more change coming I suspect but that's what keeps it interesting. So can I keep it interesting and look at the Mountains at the same time?

Did I mention that I shot a 78 today?

In Golf You Can Really Suck The Very Next Day

Gee how would I know that?
Had a lot of fun playing a round today with Billy, Brad and my neighbor Fred, who grew up with these guys.

It's really weird to think of that...not just staying in touch with friends you grew up with but actually being in your hometown and playing a round of golf with your home boy buds...I respect that. I wonder what would have happened if I stayed in Huntington Beach, California hanging out with Gilbert Cerda,Tony Ciarelli, Scott Whitfield, Mike Fox, Bruce Peasley and others who decided to stay put...well ok some of them went of to college in different places, but eventually they came back to roost in good ol HB, a few of them left as I did. Beach Bum? Hard to tell what might have happened. I do envy folks like Fred my neighbor who has childhood friends and strong local family ties, but I would not give up the travel and the experiences which came with it over the last thirty years "away" from Huntington Beach.

Lochmere was a good track--not sure I would play it again though. The weather was 80 degrees, Sunny with a slight breeze which made for wonderful Golf. All you need is two or three holes where you fluff the ball, smother the ball or skull the ball and the wheels begin to come off. The Good News is that the last two holes were solid pars. Was happy with my Drives and the putting was very close...notice I did not say very good...speed was good despite recently aerified greens. Tomorrow I tackle Falls Village for 19 bucks and another 80 degree day...pretty soon there will be no Golf, so I better enjoy while it's here.

Golf

Decided to play golf today and found a deal for a cheap 33 bucks at Eagle Ridge...78 degrees, an absolutely beautiful Spring day. Played with a couple of guys who are Rangers on the course, Gene and Joe. Great guys to play a round with, but they did only nine holes giving each other shit the entire way. I shot an 85--no birdies despite plenty of opportunities-- but hit the ball well and putted well so I am happy this early in the season.

Eagle Ridge is not a bad track, located out in Garner off Competition Road. Getting there is a breeze now that they opened up 540...a 45 minute trip turned into 20 minutes...sweet. I will play there again....Tom Kite designed it...fun!

Probably will play Saturday if the weather holds up...Fred Fuller a friend and neighbor invited me out to play in a foursome at Lochmere in Cary...forecast is for isolated thunderstorms...but you need to think positive.

Joy and I have been discussing this statement..."You become what you think."

This is as true as it gets. Picked up this gem from The Little Red Book of Selling by Gitomer...good reading.

Tomorrow is follow up day and domestic chores day...so much for everyday is Saturday.