There is a ton of things that can happen to a person in a lifetime that are life altering. I mean think about it, you decide to go to college and it redirects your path. You decide to quit your job to find a new one, that will redirect it as well. There are very few stable things that will or should never change, they are family, friends, and your sports teams. I know it sounds funny, but bear with me here.
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My journey began after high school where, if you knew me then, you would remember me as a quiet kid that was known for being naive and friends with everyone. Nowadays, that is almost impossible. You can't go through a successful like being like that. I tried to become a machinist, but I failed because I hated it more or less. Not to knock the machinists out there, but I quickly became bored with the monotony. I lost that job upon some cutbacks and was again lost.
I had to make a decision on what I was going to do. I decided to go back to school. Luckily, I found a major that I loved, it was electronics. I graduated with a 3.0 average while working full time and with little to no studying. I skated. I started working in the field, I really liked it. Then I realized that with my associates, I could only go so far. I felt that my potential was above where I could get. Then, once again due to cutbacks, they released the whole swing shift. There went job #2.
I started really thinking about what I was doing with my life at this point. I could either get another job in the field and make a modest living, raise a family and be happy. I just felt that there was something missing. Something big. Something that I could tell my kids that their father did. Something that they would like to tell their kids that their grandfather did. I needed them to be proud of me for something. I had nothing. I mean would they be proud of a man that worked at the minimum of his capacity and not pursuing more? I doubt it.
I took a leap. I enlisted in the US Army. I wanted more, and I was about to get it. I was about to become a man, because that is what the Army does to a quiet person that is naive and friends with everyone. I would also, no doubt, be in the situation that I would deal with things and people that I wouldn't know how to act, how to stand up for myself, or how to believe enough in myself to show people that I am more than just that kid from high school that blended in.
I deployed the first of two times right before the Iraq war kicked off. I hit the ground in December of 2003 and thought, this isn't too bad, I am in Kuwait, can get fast-ish food and can call home nightly if I liked. Then it hit. We invaded, and everything I became accustomed to changed. I hate it when you tell people nowadays that you went to Kuwait twice, they automatically act like you went to an easy area. I know it could have been worse, we could have had bullets flying at us instead of missiles, they could have hit closer to post, but we still dealt with alot of things that you didn't really train for. Even soldiers think, they only went to Kuwait. It is hurtful. I even was told that by a spouse of a soldier a little while ago, which tells me that she heard it from him. That just shows me that he doesn't know what went on while he was still in high school. I am not mad at him, just disappointed that he spoke without knowing. We were there first. Period. Now, they have train-ups prior to you going overseas. You don't have the concern about being gassed to point that you learn how to put your entire J-List and mask on to the appropriate level within 2 minutes. Now, I did say 2 deployments. The second one was more of a vacation. We had alot there. I won't lie.
I decided I wanted more control over what I did, so I reenlisted in 2005 to go to a new station where I could control what I did a little more. I loved it out there. Didn't love the staff, but loved the job. I love designing websites and helping people.
The next decision I made was life altering for sure. I decided to get out of active duty and go PA National Guard for the last couple years, which, at the time, I didn't realize that the economy was going to tank and they were not going to let prior enlisted back in. I decided to try something new. Something that I didn't feel comfortable trying. Something that I knew that there was a good chance that I would hate it or fail. I have never failed at anything that I have given my 100% on. Guess what? After 6 months out of 18, I am going home. I guess I could have restarted if I really wanted to, but I didn't. That is where I am now.
In between all this I got married and have two dogs, rats, and fish. I am not going into that, it is even a longer story.
The first stable thing that is constant. Your family's love. They will always be there. Unless you decide to be hard headed or they do, it is the truth. So, don't mess with it. Stay close, stay constant.
The second stable thing is your friends. They will be there for you whether you are married or single. There for the advice or support your family can't give. Don't burn your bridges.
The final constant is your sports teams. The teams that you root for from season to season can effect what you do or how you do it, but they are always there. There to make you mad or disappointed when they lose, make you happy or celebratory when they win, and anxious when they are about to do either. That is, if you are a true fan, of course. You will always have something to talk about. You can always talk to someone about them. You will always have something to read. You will always have something to root for.
The point of all this senseless rambling is that we have a city with three major sports teams that we love to love. There are few cities out there that have three teams that are loved as much as Pittsburgh. Through winning seasons and losing seasons, we are there. Through our nations or our lives tough times, they are our constant. I have pride in Pittsburgh and everything it represents, everything it is, and everything it will be. Pride is a big thing for me. Think about it next time you badmouth our teams, owners, athletes. I know it is our right to, but that doesn't mean we should.
Time to go into what I am leaning towards. The Pirates. I know it has been 17 years, probably 18, but if we decide to get revenge at the owners and GMs that had nothing to do with the first 15 by boycotting games and bringing negative headlines to the city, then we deserve it. The Pirates are on the 5 year plan. The Penguins were on it as well. The Pirates just need their chance. They have till the 2013 season to finish what they started. When that season rolls around and we are still where we were 4 years ago, by all means, walk out. Until then, give these new guys their 5. It is unfair for us as fans to judge the new leadership based on everyone else's mistakes of the past. I still think it is funny that everyone thinks that the answer to a small payroll is not giving them money for a better team by not paying for tickets. How does that solve anything. You tell me.
Maybe I am just a true, die-hard fan and you aren't. Do you want that to be true? By walking out, you are just that. Not a true fan.
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toad268@everythingpittsburgh.net
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