2018 Year-In-Review

Where has this year gone? Seems like just yesterday I was saying goodbye to 2017 and ringing in the new year by recreating a concert I attended as 1997 turned into 1998. To say this year has been amazing would be an understatement. Full of new experiences, bucket list items and meeting some amazing new friends, this year has been full, to say the least.

In January I found out that at a local Kroger (foreshadowing here as well) that 2 Rangers players would be appearing for their Winter Fan Fest, I NEVER get to meet current MLB players, so I jumped at the chance, I met pitcher Keone Kela, who was traded to the Pirates during the season and Korean Shin Shoo Choo, who had a career season.

I FINALLY knocked Skillet off the bands-I've-yet-to-see-live list in April. I have listened to Skillet since 1996, I have all their cd's, I have seen every band I listen to at least once in concert, except for Skillet. For one reason or another, every time they were in the area I either had no money or things came up. When I saw they were in Frisco, I made sure I went. It was one of the loudest, most epic concert experiences in my life. Their drummer, Jen Ledger, had recently released a 6-song solo EP and she and her band opened up, and then if you one of the first 200 people to buy her ep you got a meet-and-greet pass. For King And Country also played, they were amazing, but Skillet made for King and Country look like amateurs, lots of pyro and crowd interaction. There's a point during the set where Jen and singer/bass player John Cooper get on risers and work their way through the crowd on the floor, and I was able to get a high 5 from John, and was able to meet Jen during the meet-and-greet afterwards.

I also saw the Newsboys United concert in Allen in May. The only time I saw them was in 1996 the day before my 15th birthday in Kansas City, played an extended 29-song set, lots of classics, Shine, Breakfast, Take me to your leader, not ashamed, as well as current songs, Guilty, God's Not Dead, and also, since Michael Tait is their singer, they threw in Jesus Freak for good measure.

The month of April was a big month for me, as every year I say I'm going to go watch some races at Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite and never do. I saw where the World of Outlaws sprint car tour was racing at Devil's Bowl and I have never seen them in person either, so I figured I would kill 2 birds with one stone. I purchased a pit pass and was able to meet all the drivers. NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne flew in from Talladega to race that weekend, and nobody knew at the time, but when I met Jason Johnson, 2 months later he would be killed in a crash at a race in Wisconsin.

Other firsts I experienced in racing this year: in June, I always go to the truck race at Texas Motor Speedway. In May, the speedway was driving to different Rudy's BBQ locations in the area giving away Indy car tickets. I'm not the biggest Indy Car fan, but I went to the location in Allen and they hooked me up with 2 free tickets, wasn't the most exciting race and I'm glad it was free, but the Stadium Super Trucks raced after wards, those things put on a show! But I can finally say I got to see the Indycar series race. Again, another bucket list event crossed off.

On 2 occasions this season, I was able to put my passion for photography and dirt-track racing to use when I was able to shoot the infield photos for my local dirt track in Greenville. Lots of action and lots to shoot, so much fun, really enjoyed both nights. And a few more times during the season I brought my camera and just shot for fun. I was also able to help with the announcing, and as I jokingly say, finally got to put my radio face to use. I prefer doing the photos but announcing is fun as. Just thankful I get to help out my local track, basically living a dream, I've always wanted to get a job in NASCAR, but have to move to North Carolina and know people. It's more fun at the local dirt level. Cheaper and closer to home.

Also something I had the chance to do that was as close as I'll get: one night in June at Greenville they had some of the factory stock drivers bring their cars out at intermission to do ride-arounds with the fans. I'm a big kid and jumped at the opportunity. The 2 drivers I knew already had people in them so I picked a car and hopped in. Yes we were idling but still, I was riding around the track. In a race car. I recorded a full lap of that and you could hear my excitement over the idle of the engine. As we went into turn 3 on the 2nd lap I asked the guy driving if he could give it a little throttle and throw it just a bit sideways for me, and he obliged. Next on my agenda is to actually get behind the wheel.

For the November NASCAR weekend, I had already purchased a race ticket and splurged for a pit pass. The day before the race weekend at Texas began, I got a Twitter message from the XFinity series asking if I was attending the races, and if I was they were offering my hot passes (which basically means I have full access to go anywhere inside the speedway minus the media center) I was literally crying tears of joy, thankfulness, and excitement. It was an amazing weekend, getting close-up photos of all the cars (and trucks) and I got autographs of roughly 75% of drivers in all 3 series, and was able to find a picture of myself taking my picture with my favorite driver in the XFinity series, Christopher Bell. Unforgettable weekend, will probably never get that kind of access again.

In August, I was offered full-time employment and left my job at Target at 2.5 years. After 3 months, I was let go without warning. After applying at 15 places over a 2 days span, I was contacted by Kroger and began almost immediately. I started at the Propser store in early December, really enjoyed it except for it being out of my way, worked with some really good people and got the hang of the job. I am currently at the store I will be working at when it opens in late January. The full-time job made me a morning person. Finally. And now working 6-2 and having to get up at 5 am, again, against my will, I am a morning person. So for me, the only low for the year was gaining and losing full-time employment within a matter of months, but the job I had I didn't quite see the point of it, so looking back it was for the best, I have plenty of opportunity for growth.

What a year this has been, so many new opportunities, so many once-in-a-lifetime chances, so many new friends made, it's been an incredible year, can only thank God who is the giver of all good things, and realistically speaking, I'm almost afraid that my 2019 will suck. It's all in God's hands. Not to sound selfish or arrogant, but my 2018 was better than yours.

Racing is fast, life happens faster

Sunday I found out that the driver I picked just 2 months ago as my favorite in the World of Outlaws Sprint car series, Jason Johnson, was killed in a crash Saturday night at Beaver Dam Speedway in Wisconsin. I finally attended my first WoO race (and first trip to Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, for that matter) in April. Jason was the fastest car in hot laps and obliterated the track record in qualifying. I ended up in the pits for the event, and was able to meet all the drivers. Jason's meeting left a lasting impact on me. After he signed my program with his unique left-handed signature, and before he climbed in the number 41 410 Sprint car, I shook his hand and told him "good luck" and he looked me in the eye and said "thank you". Again, having never attended an Outlaws show and having only seen a couple of them race in person, Jason was one of the 2 or 3 that I actually had. I saw him race the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) 360 Sprint cars at the Texas Motor Speedway dirt track back in 2014. I met him that day too. Just as nice, soft-spoken, and humble as ever. And thankful. Thankful to the fans. Thankful to be given the opportunity he was in. He worked for it. He owned all of his own stuff. He got to where he was in the National sprint car ranks on his talent alone.

I was close to buying a die-cast of his number 41 that night, and I never went back to the souvenir stand to get one. I was close to ordering a Ragin Cajun t-shirt online, that was next on my agenda of t-shirts to order (those that know me know I love to collect t-shirts, especially of dirt track racers to show my support) and I never did. I have a feeling they would all sell out by now, postumously.

I remember Saturday night at my local track in Greenville, walking back to my seat in the stands, a fan in front of me was wearing a Jason Johnson shirt and I took an extra long glance. That may have been around the time Jason suffered his life-ending injuries, I don't know the time frame for an accident that happened 1,000 miles away.

I got home from the races and logged into social media and saw that he was in a bad accident and the prognosis was good. When I checked again the next morning before getting ready for church, I saw that he had passed. My heart absolutely sank. One of the best. One of the nicest, most humble guys in that series, gone. Number 41. Ironically, 41 was also his age This loss hit me like it did when we lost Bryan Clauson 2 years ago, but I think Jason's hit more at a personal level since I had met him before. I kept replaying my encounter with him 2 short months ago in my mind all day Sunday. I have an autographed hero card from my meeting with him in 2014. My entire wall is autographs. I made sure it's at the top center of my autograph wall, where it will remain forever.

Forever. Thank you Jason. Honored to have been a fan. Thank you for putting on a show for us fans. Thank you for being an organ donor so that you may live on and that others have a second chance at life. You will be missed, not just by the racing community, but by everyone you came in contact with. Race in peace, champ, God speed. Have fun giving Clauson some slide jobs in heaven!

Am I Dreaming?

The past month/6 weeks of my life have been nothing short of incredible. Knocking bucket list items off 2 or 3 at a time, venturing out to new locations, and meeting new friends, it's been awesome. Sometimes I wonder if I am still dreaming (seeing that I require a full 10 hours of sleep a day to fully function)

Beginning in April, when I did my annual pilgrimage to Texas Motor Speedway, as I thumbed through the event program, I noticed they used my picture in there from last year. I was ecstatic and wish I carried a sharpie so I could autograph every program they had! I also found out Sunday, that during a segment they filmed on Friday, I found myself on TV during the race coverage. Thankfully it was in the background, this isn't a close-up face for TV! So in the course of a weekend, I was featured in both the race program and on TV. Pretty cool if you ask me!

Later in April, I found myself going to knock 1 of 3 things off my bucket list. I have listened to the band Skillet since 1996. I have every CD. I have seen every band I love and listen to regularly in concert at least once. Except Skillet. Why? I don't know. Things came up. I was bond and determined not to miss this one. It was one of the most amazing incredible epic nights of my life. Skillet's drummer, the incredibly talented and beautiful (and British) Jen Ledger opened with her band, if you were one of the first 200 people after her set to buy her EP you got a wristband for an exclusive meet and greet with her after the show. I was one of the fortunate few (I literally got one of the last few arm bands) they wouldn't allow photos to be taken during the autograph session, but still, at least I got to meet her! Skillet played a full blistering loud energetic interactive 90-minute 14-song set. As they came through the crowd, John Cooper began high-fiving concert goers. I made sure I got one. As they played "Stars" on a small stage behind my seats, I was almost front and center.

Another bucket list (2 more, for that matter) came up later that week. Every year I say I'm always going to go to a race at Devil's Bowl Speedway. I have (surprisingly) never been, and I have never seen the World of Outlaws sprint cars (national sprint car tour with cars that have 410 CI engines/900 HP) so I did 2 birds with one stone, and naturally I found myself in the pits, and I met one of NASCAR's best (Kasey Kahne) and I got all the outlaw's drivers autographs and I even met the voice of the outlaws, their PR announcer with a distinct voice. Another amazing night, getting to watch the entire event from the backstretch grandstands and hanging out in the pits, feeling like I belonged.

Another concert I attended was on May 4 in Allen, I saw the Newsboys United tour, first time since 1996 I have seen the newsboys in concert. I found several friends in attendance outside the venue, and by the time I got in almost all the seats were completely full. I felt like Forrest Gump trying to get a seat on the bus. A friend I had just gotten introduced to (I'll explain that situation in another paragraph) saved me a seat up in the very top row, ended up watching the concert from there and enjoying every minute of it. Such a great night of music. So within 2 weeks I did 2 concerts and both were incredible nights (although Skillet blew every other band out of the water, especially since I had never seen them)

In mid-April someone who used to be in my life group at church set up a facebook group message (usually I hate group messages and leave them) introducing me to one of her friends as we had a lot in common. And man do we! We met at the Newsboys concert, she was incredibly jealous of me that I met Kasey Kahne (big fan of his, apparently) and have stayed in constant contact since that night. Finally found someone my age with my interests. It's quite a relief and quite refreshing.

The last part of my incredible 2 months took place last week. I was at my local dirt track, in the pits, shooting pics and the track owner approached me and asked if I would like to go to the infield and shoot photos. This was a first for me, and a dream come true. For one night, anyway, I was in the infield, shooting pics of cars going by me. If I missed a shot, I would watch them come off turn 2 and wait a few seconds (lap times are between 12 and 15 seconds) and try it again. 430 photos and a dead camera battery later...enjoyed every minute of it. Shaking the drivers' hands and congratulating them as they "parked it" in victory lane, met so many nice people that night and later as I uploaded all the photos on my Facebook page. Can't wait to get out there and do it again!

Lastly...Saturday, I found out that Texas Motor Speedway was going to 5 different Rudy's BBQ locations in the Dallas area, handing out tickets to the upcoming Indy car race. I went to the one in Allen taking my chances. I have never been to an Indy car race, for the June weekend, I go to the truck race and just watch the Indy cars practice. They handed me a voucher for 2 free tickets to the Indy car race. So something else to mark off my list: attend an indy car race.

Life keeps getting better and better. Only have God to thank for making all this possible!

First post of the new year

2018 has gotten off to a fast start! I'm just now slowing down long enough to not only write some lyrics (that took literally a minute to write) and also just post on here. Basically...this came about...a friend of mine posted on Facebook last week she was needing a photographer. I suggested..myself. I sent a text asking why. She said she was engaged and getting married in November and needing someone to take their engagement photos. I had kinda liked her a couple years ago, sweet, attractive, short blonde over 30. Fit a lot of my criteria. Met up a few times but just as friends, and she assured me it was JUST AS FRIENDS (Story of my life...) so in a panic/feeling-numb-for-myself, I promptly deleted her number from my phone and all the texts, after I responded with, congrats happy for you. So in my thinking while playing some Skillet, I grabbed my notebook and quickly jotted these down. Basically..I go until I have no more ideas that come out. I also have been seriously trying to find God's will for my life and how do you know when you're in God's will (wish He said here's My plan for your life...it doesn't work like that) And for now the lyrics remain untitled.

Another one down
Another name to cross off
The ever growing list
Selfishly can i ask
When is it finally going to 
Be my turn?
So many things i need to
Make right
So much more trust i
Need to put in my Father
Can i trust You?
How can i find Your will
For my life?
Seems so easy but yet
So far away
So far out of reach
Can i find the one
My soul has longed for
And run to her
Instead of running away?