When Did This Happen?

I still have a full head of hair, but I’ve noticed a few gray hairs.

I take medication on a daily basis, but I don’t need one of those “days of the week” pill containers.

My body aches from doing work around the house, yet I’m arguably in the best shape I’ve been in 10-15 years.

On the other hand …

I haven’t started driving really slow with my right turn signal on forever.

I haven’t hiked my pants up past my belly button.

I haven’t started complaining about the “music the kids are listening to.”

I haven’t had to ask my children how to operate a computer, DVD player or video game system

On the other hand …

I don’t get the appeal of Jersey Shore or the Kardashians

I’ve never seen any of those Twilight movies

I’ve yet to wear black athletic socks with sandals

I’m not planking

Last year I turned 40.  Today I turned 41.  For whatever reason, I’m more conscious of my age on this birthday.  Maybe because I went from a station where I was of the younger people on staff, to a station where I’m one of the “older” people on the team.

That’s the thing – for the longest time, I always felt like I was always one of the “young people”.  Now it seems like I’m not one of them anymore.  Not that I don’t fit in.  Just somehow I passed over that line, where I’m on the other side of the young/old divide in most situations I’m in.

The other day someone said I looked like I could be 35.  I thanked them.  That’s now a compliment.

When did this happen?

They say (whoever they are) that age is just a number.  I used to think that was just something old people said.  Now, I kind of get that.  Yikes!

First Week Observations

Earlier today I wrapped up my “first” week on the job at Air 1.  My first week back, actually, after leaving the organization a couple of months ago (Air 1 and K-LOVE are both part of EMF Broadcasting and I worked there for 10 years). It was both fun and surreal …

- A creature of habit, I park in the same spot I did for the last 2 years at K-LOVE.

- That first day did feel a little Twilight Zone’ish.  Deja vu all over again as Yogi Berra once said.

- My old office was turned into a production studio.  I was gone two months.  I feel like the kid who goes away to college and his parents can’t wait to remodel his bedroom.  I was half-expecting to find a treadmill and sectional couch in the room.

- The Air 1 studio is about 20-25 feet down the hall from K-LOVE, so I’m getting more exercise now – which is a bonus.

- The Air 1 studio is smaller and doesn’t have as nice of a view.  Yes, I’ve already called Human Resources.  How am I supposed to work under these conditions!?

- I’ve *almost* said “Lisa & Eric” a couple of times.  Almost.  Just a couple of awkward pauses.  And I have said “Mandy & Eric” instead of “Eric & Mandy”, just because I was used to putting my name second.

- I’ve almost said “K-LOVE” and “Shine.fm”.  Again, almost.

- Right now, you might be saying, “Your job doesn’t seem that hard if that’s what you have to worry about.”

- You are right.

- Nevertheless, on my second day I actually put a piece of paper in front of my face that says “Air 1″ and “Eric and Mandy”.

- I think Mandy may have said “Sean & Mandy” a couple of times.

- Sadly, I think I may have said “Sean & Mandy”.  Yes, I have forgotten my own name.

- Now you may be thinking, “For crying out loud – you are still talking about how you say your names on the radio!”

- One more … So far nobody has said, “Sean & Lisa” … or “Siegfried & Roy” … or “Starsky and Hutch” …or “Peaches & Herb”.

- Mandy is funnier and more talented than I thought and I thought she was funny and talented to begin with.  She also watches the TV show “Matlock”.

- I thought only people over the age of 70 watch “Matlock”.  Or people in a coma. Or people over the age of 70 in a coma.  I’m pretty sure that’s the demographic.

- Dan is the man when it comes to news.  Such a pro.  He also doesn’t bathe when the Texas Rangers are in the playoffs.  They are in the playoffs.  If they make the World Series, I’m angling to see if we can turn a fire hose on him if they win it all.

- I’m pretty darn happy.  And grateful.

-Looking forward to week number two of the …. (awkward pause) “Eric & Mandy Morning Show on … Telemundo”

… and I was so close to nailing it.

Try To Keep Up

Stop me if you’ve heard this before … today I started at a new radio station.  I pretty much wrote the same thing almost a month ago. Today, like on August 29th, I actually started at a radio station (Air 1) that I used to work for – so it’s not really a “new” station.  But it’s new this month, anyway.

This wasn’t the plan, by the way.  When I left K-LOVE on July 29th I had no idea if I was going to work in radio again.  In fact, many people assumed I wouldn’t just based on how I was talking at the time.  I didn’t have anything against radio – in reality, it’s the only profession I’ve had since college – it’s just that I was at a point in my life that if I didn’t do it anymore, I’d be okay with it.  Call it being at peace.  Call it being more open to what God may have in store for me besides radio.

A little over a month ago I wrote about the 180/360 degree scenario that brought me back to Shine.fm.  I didn’t expect that opportunity, but was extremely thankful for it.  I actually was doing that part-time (which was something I suggested to them … for a number of reasons).  Even though it was part-time, I wasn’t actively seeking anything else. I would not have guessed that I’d be leaving so soon.

Through a series of events – I’d need charts and graphs to adequately explain – I ended being offered the morning show co-host role at Air 1.  Air 1 is the sister network of K-LOVE.  It’s morning show studios are down the hall from K-LOVE.  Surreal.  This was seven weeks after leaving K-LOVE.

I wish I could take credit for it.  That I had some big master plan, but I’m not nearly that smart and even if I was, I don’t think my brain could have ever constructed such a plan.  I wish I could say it’s because I have such dynamic faith, but I’m a work in progress in that area.

The last couple of weeks I’ve asked myself a number of times, “What the heck just happened?”  I’m not sure.  Trying to figure “why” things have happen in life and when they happen can be a fun or heartbreaking exercise depending on the situation.  I mean, I’ve definitely have seen some purpose in my two month exodus. I started this blog and rediscovered my passion for writing.  I made a football field in backyard.  I renewed a relationship with my old Shine.fm friends, which was very healing and rewarding.  Got to sleep later.  Rode on Space Mountain. Almost got trapped in the trunk of my car.  Lots of valuable stuff.

Oddly enough, a blog post from a new co-worker of mine, Brant Hansen, really has got stuck in my head the last week or so.   This idea of us seeking resolution in our lives, when that’s not realistic.  I know that because over the last few months, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve begun a conversation with, “Well, you’re not going to believe what happened today …”  And some days you can’t wait for tomorrow and other days you hope never end.

Our story never ends.  It’s really tempting for me to take a deep breath and say, “whew, so that’s why all that happened!”  Like this is the destination.  I’m not saying I want to jump from thing to thing – I like my gig doing the morning show with Mandy and hope I can do it for a long, long time.  I’m just more aware that God is continually working.  So what got me here today, could have  a completely different look and feel tomorrow … next month … next year, etc, etc.

I’m thankful and grateful for where I am today … which is Air 1.  Tomorrow, well, ya never know.  I once worked for Sears selling Halloween costumes and it is October … so don’t be surprised if they come a calling.