Make a change in your life (and make it for the better).

My wife and I were talking recently about stress and life and fulfillment. As the writer of the soundguy speaks blog, you think I would have stuff to say about concerts and music. Well folks, I can tell you of several days and times when the music died. Twice I have sold of my sound equipment and thought that I would get out of the sound business, whether through financial adversity, or a dearth in business and opportunity in Grand Rapids. In total I have gotten out of the music business four times, and each time I find myself pulled back toward it.

I will relate the whole sordid story at some point, but I will share the highlights in deference to time and space: In 1990 I started off working for a concert company in GR that was quickly growing into a major player in town. After five or six years, I was burned out, and did not feel a lot of growth opportunities. I quit, f--- them, there is no way a sound engineer working locally can make any more than part time wages doing that job. I found myself doing occasional gigs with local bands that I enjoyed personally. This fun stuff led to me slowly purchasing gear to help "with the cause". Within a short period I now owned a pretty substantial list of sound gear. At some point I thought "I might as well put this investment to use" and I got a steady gig providing sound at a local bar. This led to hiring a stable of my own part time help (that never got paid what they were worth either). At some point one sound system became three ( I needed gear to do the jobs with my friends outside the steady bar gig of course). And after three years of steady growth the bar stopped doing live music and went DJ (f--- them, f---ing DJ f---ers) (sorry some DJs make make me say bad words).

So with an excess of gear, a new full time job as well (another story) and no work for my crew, it was time to get away from the gigs again. Of course, as soon as I sold my whole small warehouse full of gear, I got a call from a friend asking if I wanted to bid on a series of outdoor block parties for a new local sports team ( easy to figure that one if you guess ). When I saw the budget of what I could make in a series of 8 short shows, I decided to quickly build a new system and sign on for this. I did the block parties for a couple of years until the season for this sport changed from summer to late winter ( arena football if you had not guessed). Suddenly block parties in January and February seemed unlikely. So I sold the system and retired (I thought).

My cliffhanger for the readers and an insight into what comes next: How did I take on my biggest challenge in concert planning and take on the world of NASCAR at the same time? I will finish the store if I get time... (and get on with my thoughts on fulfillment.)...