Surprised?
I’m not quite sure how I got here either. Let’s build this puzzle together:
September 10th, 2010
I kissed my parents and the Midwest goodbye. Upon my graduation from Purdue University, I decided that I was going to move to Seattle, Washington and start my life there. I had no job, no car, barely a place to live (thanks again Mike Thompson!), and not a clue what to do. All I knew is that I wanted to live there after visiting for a school conference four years prior.
So what did I do? What any good maniac does!
I flew to a Grand Prix nearby (Grand Prix Portland), went 0-3 drop, got laughably sick my third day there, and questioned every decision I had made in the past 72 hours.
Great start…
April 12th, 2011
After grinding out day after day at Red Robin, I finally got a job at an advertising firm. After working ridiculous hours day in and day out, I started to find holes in the product. When I began asking questions, I began making enemies.
What was I supposed to do?
On one hand, I could keep my mouth shut, keep selling, and move up in the company.
On the other, I could keep asking questions, keep making enemies, and slowly start sinking in quicksand.
There was always the third option. But I had never used the third option in my entire life before.
I could quit.
In high school and college, educators try to set a path for your life. You’re supposed to work hard in high school, get into college, graduate, get a job, and start a life/career.
That’s what supposed to happen.
Well, I did all of those things.
And I absolutely hated it.
October 1st, 2011
Option 3: Engage
March 1st, 2012
“I was wondering if I could have my old job back.” -Me
Why? I didn’t know what else to do.
I was floundering around in life. I was unsure what to do, and nothing felt right. The only true success I had experienced was selling advertising, and all the money I saved from round one of that had quickly evaporated (Chipotle isn’t going to buy itself).
They took me back in a heartbeat and I reintroduced myself to the cold calling world. It took me four hours until I made my first sale. I was back in the saddle!
Twelve days later and option three was back on my mind…
April 3rd, 2012
Option 3 Part 2: Electro Bugaloo
April 15th, 2012
I got a job selling life insurance.
May 1st, 2012
Option 3: The Last Stand
May 3rd, 2012
This was the longest day of my life. I checked my bank account and saw $7.32 staring back at me.
Jobless. Hungry. Unhappy.
I did what I was supposed to do, right? Got the degree. Got the job. Was incredibly successful at the job.
What was wrong with me?
I decided to call my parents and find out.
“Stop acting like you hate Magic. You don’t.” -Mom
“But I do hate it.” -Me
“No, you don’t. The most happy you’ve ever been is when you are winning at that stupid game.” -Mom
“THE GAME ISN’T STUPID!” -Me
“Exactly…” -Mom
She has a way with words, doesn’t she?
May 4th, 2012
It was time to get a plan together. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but it was time to quit denying the things I loved in life. It’s cool to say you hate things like LeBron James, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Magic: The Gathering.
But the truth is that LeBron is the best player in the world, “Call Me Maybe” was the first song I added on my playlist that is over 1,200 songs, and traveling the world playing Magic: The Gathering is the only happiness I’ve ever known.
Not selling advertising.
Not scamming people into buying life insurance.
Casting a Goblin Lackey and praying to whatever God I believe in that it connects.
So I began doing those things in front of a live audience on a daily basis.
And they liked it.
May 20th, 2012
“We’d like for you to do a show for SCGLive.” –Evan Erwin.
Sure, why not.
July 28th, 2012
I won my eleventh PTQ and was headed back to the Pro Tour.
August 1st, 2012
“We’d like for you to do more shows for SCGLive.” –Evan Erwin
Okie dokie.
October 5th, 2012
“We’d like to schedule you through 2013 for SCGLive.” –Pete Hoefling
Well then!
Some Date I Don’t Remember
“We’d like to make a token out of you. How does a Goblin sound?” –Evan Erwin
Am I being punked?
And Most Recently
“We have a position open for Online Content Coordinator. We think you would be great at it. Are you interested?” Pete Hoefling
To say that I never expected to be where I’m at this point in my life is the understatement of the year. But through it all, I can say that every moment that I questioned what I was supposed to be doing with my life was worth it.
I now step into a position that I’m truly honored to have.
It’s been an interesting ride getting to this point, but I know that I’ll knock your socks off being the Online Content Coordinator for this website.
Why?
Because Magic is the only thing I’ve ever known. And as much as I’ve tried to deny that, you can only live in denial for so long.
Will I take risks? Absolutely.
Will I make mistakes? It’s hard not to.
Will I take your ideas into consideration? I’d be an idiot to ignore them.
Some things will change. Some things will stay the same.
But I’m not leaving anytime soon.
And you shouldn’t either.
Let’s all have fun reading about the game that we love.
Sincerely,