Entry Two Hundred Fifteen.
Wednesday, 2018.05.02, 3:58 AM CST.
A few changes - good ones - and self-identification.
Current Mood:  Somewhat tired, but encouraged.
Current Scent:  The lingering traces of Catalyst by Halston..

All right, everyone.  Hello.

It's past three in the morning, and in less than twenty-four hours, I'm going to be seeing U2 for my first time as they kick off their North American tour here in Tulsa.  To say that I'm excited about that would be a bit of an understatement.

I had a brief nap earlier, after which I did some late-night laundry and some late-night dishes.  Now I'm here, typing a blog update, slightly wired on Asian "kopi putih" (white coffee), before I crash for a few hours.

While working on that load of dishes, I was finishing up the audiobook version of Gary Vaynerchuk's Crushing It!.  I liked it so much that I bought a printed copy as well, plus a print copy of its predecessor, Crush It!, from 2009.

Every once in a while, I need to stop and take an inventory of where I'm at in life. Usually these instances are quick and private.  Sometimes they're not so quick, or not so private.

The last few years have given me a good deal of fuel for thought.  Finishing the business end of my late father's estate, as well as acknowledging the deaths of friends and acquaintances (i.e., the great Ted Foster, Larry Filkins, and most recently, Randy Genet of Music Sound World), has gradually shaped my perspective.  Countless times over the past few years, I have told people my credo: "Nobody makes it out alive."  When people I have known pass away, it makes it all the more clear that if I don't step up and make changes in my life, I might never get the chance.

It is noteworthy, as well, that the last few years have also instilled a different outlook and a higher level of confidence in myself.  This is not to be taken as a statement of egocentrism. I can simply assert that, for one reason or another, I have grown to have a far stronger belief in my own self-worth than I did when I was younger.

I'm going to be considerably altering the way that I do some things in my life.   I know, I know... it is easy for anyone to say that they are "going to change."  I've said it plenty of times, with varying levels of success.

But this feels different.  It's not just because of the Vaynerchuk book, although that has certainly helped.  It's not just because I'm almost done with dad's estate... but that has certainly helped as well.

My life has changed so much over the past several years, and I've changed with it.  Here's what I know about myself. You'll probably already know a lot of it, and some, you probably won't.

• I'm 46 years old, and this summer, I'll be celebrating 30 years in the DJ industry - a milestone I passed in February.
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• I'm a husband and the father of two sons, ages 6 and 11, who deservedly take up a great deal of my time.
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• I am the founder, owner, and DJ of the company DJ Badger, LLC, operating under the trade names Bravo Pro DJ and Awesome Retro DJ, all of which have been officially registered with the Secretary of State.  This isn't just a hobby to me; it's a business that I love, and I am treating it as such.
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• Furthermore, I'm one of the best damned mobile DJs in the state. No other mobile DJ has experience, the collection of physical music media, the knowledge of classic dance music culture/history, or the passion for DJing that I have.
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• I'm not one of the best mixers in the area.  I am going to practice more.
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• I'm a collector and somewhat of a hoarder. Over the years, I have developed obsessions with collecting Atari 2600 games, the work of Depeche Mode, DJ-only remix service issues, lighting effects, and neckties.  Yes, neckties.
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• I've fallen off the fitness wagon yet again. I need to get back on.  I fully intend to get back on. It's a slightly complicated subject, and I'm not in terrible shape, but I know that I need to take better care of myself.
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• I am worthy of getting what I want.  This does not mean that I'm going to mow down anyone in my path, but I certainly wouldn't advise getting in my way. I've bent over backwards too many times in the name of being a "nice guy."  I'll still be a nice guy on an overall basis, generous and kind... but I'm not going to let people take advantage of me like some of them have in the past.  I only have one go-around at this life, and if you decide to screw with me, you're going to find that it's a significant mistake to do so.
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• I am going to promote myself, my brands, and my events more than I ever have before.
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• I am a geeky badass.
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• I will no longer choose to simply "endure" or "survive" the life that I've been given, and I will not be satisfied by merely "beating" life with my successes.  My new goal is to rise up and kick the ever-loving shit out of it.

More soon,

Badger

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Addendum 05/02/2018:  I want to make sure to thank my esteemed colleague Bobby "Big City" Ellis, who sold me his spare U2 tickets!  I seriously wouldn't be going to this concert without him, and I appreciate it greatly!