Work Hard Play Harder

I'm a firm believer in the saying that heads up this post. I work hard, so I can play harder!

To me that means giving everything I have at work, so I know the job's done right, then taking the time to just relax and let life show me what wonders it has hiding away at the lake, or on the hiking trail, or in the parking lot at a DCI show. Whatever it might be that I'm doing to unwind, I make sure I go full throttle. No other way to really enjoy it!

By far, my favorite two activities to unwind are fishing, and going to University of Akron football games! And I realized there's a lot of things about both of these that ties into the workplace.

Fishing- Trial & Error, Problem Solving, Creative/Abstract Thinking, Free Thinking, Determination

Football- Teamwork, Loyalty(fan loyalty that is), Strategic Planning, Leadership Skills, Hard Work & Practice, Determination

So when I'm relaxing, I'm actually working?! Wait a second.......... I thought work stayed at work, home stayed at home. I've realized that that will never happen. My friend Nate Riggs was just telling me before a meeting we had, "I have to turn it off when I'm with my kid." Referring to trying to unplug the work mind and plug in the family mind. Not that easy, so I've just started letting the two carefully compliment each other. I like to use the time when I'm down at the lake fishing to work through problems in my head, to think about new concepts or solutions.... to "Reboot" by solving every variable not accounted for while I was on the clock while I relax.

It's a careful balance, but it works. I catch a few fish, but solve a lot of problems and develop a ton of new ideas all at the same time. Hooray for multitasking.

My Other Sides

Obviously, if you're reading my blog you have a pretty sound idea of what I do in my time at work, and at home when I'm thinking about work. I'd like to take a few minutes to share what else I do..... my "other sides."

I find inspiration in the hard work and dedication of the young men and women that march every summer in Drum Corps across the country. I have too many favorites to list, but the place I find the most inspiring is a group called the Cavaliers. "The Green Machine." These guys (they are an all male Corps) are absolute machines, they work harder and longer than anyone I've ever met. Here's a clip from one of my favorite shows of theirs, The Cavaliers, 2006-The Machine (Part 2)

I used to march snare drum at the University of Akron, and you can still find me at InfoCision Stadium on any given Saturday during the fall cheering on my Zips and proudly sporting my "Akron Zips Drum line" hat. That's something I'm proud of!

I find peace and relaxation in fishing. I spend as much time as possible Bass fishing. If I can catch a bass in a body of water, no matter what the conditions or time of day, you can bet I'll be out there with a rod & reel chasing little green fish around the lake! Yes, I'm obsessed.....

spend most of my time with my lovely fiance, Beth. Planning our wedding and watching movies, just doing whatever we can together. I've had her at my side since we were both 12 years old and I don't know anyone else I can trust to help keep my happy than her.

I found my moral code and a lot of the rules I live by from my time in Tau Beta Sigma. I am a proud alumni member of the Epsilon Iota chapter at the University of Akron. The code we live by is something I take a great deal of pride in. And I love to spend time with these people any chance I get.

If possible, I find time to just slow my life down and go back home to Canton, Ohio to see my family. But the real reason I'm there is to see my mutt, Otis. He's my West Highland White Terrier who I miss everyday. Great pup!

And besides that, I just spend time working on becoming a better person by surrounding myself with the great team of people at work. Incept! It's gotten to the point where I don't really consider it "work" anymore. It's someplace I want to spend my time constructively accomplishing great things....

So there you have it. A long post, with very little content, but more insight into how I work..... my brain is a strange thing, but it's worth looking into it once and a while. Thanks again for always reading.

My Trip To Gorge Metro Park

Today I took a trip to Gorge Metro Park here in summit county. http://ow.ly/1xd2u It was a refreshing dose of nature smack in the middle of my busy world. For those of you unfamiliar with "The Gorge" it's a deep canyon carved out by the Cuyahoga River. There's hiking, fishing in the small reservoir above the waterfall, lots of small rock formations to free climb, and some cool caves. But most of all, it was just beautiful.... for an hour or two I got to escape the city and just enjoy nature.

I started off by checking out the fishing pier above the falls, I met a nice gentleman there named Dave, who I taught a thing or two about fishing with his dads old tackle box full of goodies I was really wishing I could make a cash offer for. I talked to him for about 30mins, and I was repayed by him getting a little weird on me and giving me "Repent before the end" reading material (Side note, according to Dave, the world is going to end on..... you'd think I'd tell you the whole Nostradamus 2012 things.... but no, the world will end on May 21, 2011 exactly 1 week after me & Beth are set to get married) Weirded out a little, I just let it go, and thanked Dave for the conversation and said goodbye.

Started hiking the trail system, walked down the big wooden steps, and stared for a few minutes at the waterfall and then explored the trails along the river. Forty minutes later I turned the half way marker and decided to double my pace for a workout. I climbed rocks, I jumped ledges, I had fun! And the entire time, I never once thought about the fact that a few hundred feet above me on either side of the gorge walls was the bustling cities of Akron and Cuyahoga Falls.

It was escape! Not only is it a great place to take in the sights, but a great workout environment. I'm starting to exercise more, and today I found a few great spots. The trail is rough, but can be managed at a quick jog as long as there's minimal traffic in your way. The steps are plenty and step. And the rock formations are awesome! I can't wait to free climb them after a brisk jog later this spring. All this, in the middle of the city where you'd least expect it if you didn't know to look.

Amazing!

Fishing & A Reminder To Always Keep Networking!

Today was Easter, obviously. And I spent my morning in church, then at Beths moms house for a nice Easter dinner. We put together her brand new(& huge) Kingsford grill, and I helped Beths brother install cable in his room. Its was a nice, simple day. And then I decided the afternoon was too incredible to waste not being at the lake!

So I jumped into the car, drove home and hiked it down to the lake! I put the line in the water, and for almost an hour, didn't catch a thing. But, I switched spots, switched my frame of mind, and landed not only my first bass of 2010, and my first bass at my new home lake, but one of my best bass yet. 17.5 Inches & what a fight.


I enjoyed my day ALOT. And then something hit me, the urge to go exploring. Off into the woods at the end of the property I went, following a barely marked trail. It went on for a while, and then I found exactly what I was looking for, "the end of the lake." What I mean by that is the dam at the far southern end of the lake, and that's where I found two things.

1. Bass Paradise! A HUGE tree in 4-7 feet of water, with big chunks sticking out, and within casting distance from shore...... Amazing. and....

2. A constant reminder to network with people!

As I approached this new super secret fishing spot. I saw it wasn't so secret..... there was a young man fishing there. I introduced myself, turns out the young man, Vance, lives one the first floor of my 12 unit apartment building. In a complex of over 40 buildings, and two large towers with a few hundred apartments (not to mention the three smaller complexes on the lake) this guy lived in my building! And here he was, fishing in this new spot I'd found! Turns out, it was his second day fishing (ever) and he was delighted to have someone like me to keep him from cutting his hand open on the bluegill he kept catching.

Just a reminder to open up and talk to people no matter what the occasion, you never know who you'll run into, or how you're already connected to them. If I would have left him alone to his fishing, not said anything, or just walked away, I never would have made a new friend in my building.

Have you networked with anyone today?

If you ask me, it isn't difficult to connect with someone daily. Whether it be a customer at work, a coworker you haven't talked to before, or just the guy next to you on the train/bus ride to work. Just say hello, strike up a gentle conversation. Whats the worst that can happen, they either ignore you, or ask you to leave them alone. No harm done! The pay off, you never know what you'll get out of the interaction you might start!