The Ghosts Who Sing

The beginning notes of “Grace Too” echo throughout my living room as the voice belonging to Gord Downie croons “Gee, I don’t know…” as the song leaps into its first crescendo. I have had the flu for the past day and a half but even then I feel like I am a copy, of a copy, of a copy, going through the motions. This loss seems sudden even though we have all know for over a year it was coming, could come, at any time. 

Gord Downie was always a bit of a mystic to me, the poet/philosopher captivated every room he was in and the times I was blessed to see him on stage it did not matter the size of the audience because for a time — we were all lost in his words, his view of the world, his warm soul. 

So last year when he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer it was of no surprise to me (or anyone really) that the final thing he wanted to do was travel the country he loved so much, doing one last tour before his final bow. Gord loved Canada in a way that was rare, he genuinely wanted to make his country better on a level that seems mythological, like Paul Bunyan or Johnny Appleseed would to those of us south of the Canadian border. 

My favorite Hip story is one I tell often, I had been introduced to the band through my time at the radio station WTHS at Hope College but had not had the pleasure of seeing the band. In April of 1995 the band would be touring on Day For Night and that would be my introduction to this spectacular band. 

At the Orbit Room for $12, I was going to have my mind blown. With about 1:50 left before showtime, or as I would come to understand it as the exact time it takes to sing the Canadian National Anthem, the largest flag I have ever seen in my life took over the floor of the Orbit Room and the crowd sang every note of that anthem and when they hit the last note — the band took the stage and that was all she wrote for me, I was hooked.

It seems harder to lose people when you know it is coming, your brain tells you that you would have time to prepare and that should brace you better than if it comes out of left field — but it doesn’t. If anything I think it gives you a sense of hope that at the last minute something might change. But nothing changed and now everything changed.

There are writers better suited to pay homage to Gord Downie and you can read a brilliant one here. I will leave you with one of the best lines from this piece as it is yet another anthem pulling you towards a better you, as even from the beyond Gord is telling you to get to work. 

“Do the work. Create the spark. Then sit back and see what happens, because it’s not like you can control it. Sit down. Shut up until it’s time to do it again. See where those sparks land.”

Out of Juice

I don't get sick often but when I do I can feel it coming. 

I feel sore

I feel empty

Tired in a way that goes beyond sleep 

It is time to refuel

But I might have missed the last exit...

I will be back when this passes. 

The Creators VOL Three

16 days into Blogtober Mondays tend to be my favorites as I get home from teaching at night and then get to share some people who inspire me to be better, produce more, and inspire others to create.

So todays list of people like you who just started include:

Adrian Butler: Designer. Musician. DJ Adrian is one of my closets friends and we collaborate often to create things that we hope make the world better but on his own he is one of the busiest guys I know. Creating and running a clothing line, is one of the most sought after DJs in the state, and continues to produce music that inspires and challenges people and for that I thank him.

Nick Behling: Nick and his brother run a company called MI Playground that has created a pretty amazing community and for most people that would be enough. But Nick is one of those curiously creative souls that pushes for more so in what is left of his spare time he creates amazing costumes like this year’s entry Sully from Monsters Inc. I have no idea how is mind creates these amazing things but he constantly inspires me to look at the world differently.

Two Eagles Marcus: Two Eagles is one of the most wonderful humans I know and have had the pleasure to know him for the past 20 years. He understood the power of photos and the internet before most understood the web. He is currently the assistant publisher at Women’s Lifestyle Magazine but is more famous for his company Glitter Booth that is on the bleeding edge of what photo booths can do in the experiential marketing space and continues to tinker on his own creations to push that space further.

Brad MacDonald: Brad is one of those people who never makes a big deal out of creating. He doesn’t say “look what I did” he just quietly does the work and when he gets recognized for it he deflects and goes back to creating. His last couple of blog posts have been some of my favorite things I have read this fall and if you want to know how to be a better writer, step one is read better writing…he is one to watch. You can thank me later.

Jason Dodge: Owner of Black Truck Media, founder of MISkiReport.com, and sits on the board of directors for the Grand Rapids Civic Theater. Jason is one of those people I am always blessed to spend time with because he is a guy who just brings good energy and you leave that moment thinking, “fuck, I am glad I know that guy.”

He thinks deeply about the subjects he is passionate about and even if you are not into the digital search space, painstakingly rebuilding a jeep from the ground up, or understanding skiing at an intimate level — he is such an inspirational human he leaves you wanting to share that energy and create your own path with such zest.

Go forth and create my friends because the world needs more of us.

-Eric

Where Does Ego Belong

As a transplant to Michigan, I am surrounded by Lions fans and the one thing you will hear from most of them early in any season is, this could be the year. 

As a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, I can understand that sentiment AND tell you there is hardly a sweeter feeling than when it actually does happen. However, there was a moment this afternoon when I thought the team that clearly only wants to win in the most high risk, tightrope style of play, wasn’t going to be the hero on this Sunday. 

With 11:23 left in the 4th Quarter, or as we call it in Michigan — the Lions quarter, Jamai Agnew has this incredible punt return (74 yards) for a touchdown and the stadium went silent, as he was crossing the goal line he decided to wave “bye-bye” to the defenders as he crossed the goal line. It was the kind of play that supercharges the Lions into those 4th quarter heroics they have become known for. Even with the penalty he got for unsportsmanlike conduct. 

I have never seen a greater monster or miracle than myself.

Still down by 14 points, the above quote by Michel de Montaigne perfectly illustrates why humility and stoicism are usually the better play there. The side of the coin with the hubris and moxie does occasionally flip on you went you least expect it and land on the wrong side. 

Exactly 5 minutes later:

Agnew muffs a punt, recovers in the end zone and gets destroyed on the 1-yard line. At this point the Lions are down by 7 points (45–38) and if Agnew could have another heroic run like he did 5 minutes ago the Lions would have the clock, the ball, and momentum on their side. 

However, as the football gods giveth and they also taketh away, moments later from that same position on the field, the New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan picked Matthew Stafford off and closed the book on a Lions victory 52–38. 

I am sure there are fans who blame the loss squarely on Agnew’s shoulders, which is hardly fair. Even if you are not a football fan, a team who allows their quarterback to be sacked 15 times in the first 5 games of 2017 has a lot more issues than a bombastic punt returner. 

I merely saw that moment as a man playing for himself in a team sport on a particular play that requires everyone to do their part to open up the field for Agnew to create that spectacular play. Five minutes later when that same team needs him to create a play for them, he fails spectacularly, alone. 

When you need to win as a team you need to have team members who understand when to standout and when to play support, when they need to get their hands dirty and when they will be celebrated. When a member of that team mixes up those moments it makes it very difficult for that team to win and in a sport where you only get 16 chances to pick up a W. You have to have a firm understanding where ego belongs in that org chart. 

Just One Thing

You will get up this morning and worry about something, one thing that doesn't REALLY matter. Since today is a Saturday you might have more "free time" than you did yesterday - what if you took some time today to figure out one thing you could cut out of your life that is slowing you down, holding you back, telling you no. 

Hit delete. 

Then take that time and start making that thing, writing that blog post, creating that podcast, hit record. 

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."  - Bruce Lee

On Monday there will be more creators I will introduce you to and EVERY SINGLE ONE started one day when they got a piece of friction out of their way. 

Have a great Saturday

-Eric