Ch, Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes

My job search advice:

1. Never give up, keep applying.

2. Talk to your mentors and references before, during, after the process. Stay in touch with them even if it's just a random "hello" note.

3. You're going to fail, see number one.

4. Your mileage may vary.

5. Consider options outside of your intended goal. It may help you focus or help drive you harder in your initial pursuit.

When you feel like no one is going to call or respond. Apply for one more job then take a break. Even if it's just 2 or 3 hours. I took a break for 5 days. In those 5 days, I rewrote my cover letter, and took a personal inventory on why I wanted a new job. I looked at some of the questions I had been asked in past interviews and saw some excellent Men's NCAA volleyball in Long Beach. I talked to colleagues I hadn't seen in a long time and being around the thing I loved most reaffirmed that I was ready to make a move. 

Fast forward a month later, I have calls on top of calls, and interviews for my chosen work as a coach, and back up work in healthcare and IT support. I put some of those IT and healthcare jobs on the back burner and asked for their hiring timeframe. It worked for me, so I kept chugging along and it paid off. I'm in Winston Salem, NC working at Salem College as the Head Volleyball Coach and enjoying every minute of it.

It happened quickly. I was offered a job during a volleyball camp and I asked for a day or two to think on it. I needed some time to compare salaries, cost of living, and challenges of each program. I love solving problems and chose the most difficult (I think) of the jobs that were offered to me. I knew I had an AD that was going to allow me the time I needed to change the team culture and recruit the athletes I needed to sustain those changes. I doubled down, found a place to live, sold my stuff, packed up my compact car, and made the move over the course of 2 weeks. I had been preparing for a move for three months prior. Now I finally had a date set.

The season began soon after my move and today, I'm still living out of boxes although I know which box contains toothpicks. It's been a trial by fire, and I've made some mistakes and learned a lot about myself, my team, and my colleagues.  We are now into the homestretch of the season and I can confidently say that this is where I'm supposed to be. Home.

Where did fun Bou go?

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you may have noticed an uptick in my political expression of opinion. I'm not going to apologize for it so if you don't like it, please unfollow, block, or unfriend me. I won't be mad.

I'm still fun. I still like to read, watch movies, and make jokes. I still enjoy snowshoeing, cycling, orienteering, paddling, and petting other people's critters. What changed?

I moved to a red state, Ohio. I spend a lot of my time writing and calling my reps. What's different is that none of them seem to listen. Huge change from living in NY and PA. Even though in the past I may have disagreed, those folks in NY and PA would at least acknowledge there is a difference of opinion and thanked my for expressing my opinion. In Ohio, with the exception of Sherrod Brown I get crickets.

Politics and religion used to be topics that I didn't address out loud. I would vote, I would contact my reps, but I wouldn't encourage others to do the same. That was the problem. I was engaged, but I didn't bring anyone else along for the ride. And now of course we're all inundated with political chatter and it seems like overload, but please trust me, staying informed is the only way we're going to survive. I don't post my political opinion on social media to change your mind. I do it because it is normal to have an opinion. It is normal to express your opinion. Political opinions are no different from opinions on sports, television, or anything else.

Look, I still enjoy a good laugh with good people. But I won't stop amplifying the voices of people that need to be heard even if it seems that I've stopped having fun. I'm still coaching volleyball and I'm still having fun.

Season in Review

August, September, October, and November came and went and I feel like those four months only lasted four hours. We said goodbye to nine seniors (not my doing). They buoyed our team all season as best as they could. They showed up when it mattered. We lost to Denison in the regular season with such a poor showing it made me question if I was good enough to be their coach. They roared back on Senior night to beat Case Western in five sets and avenge that loss to Denison in the North Coast Athletic Conference opening round. I don't know when the last time Wooster won the opening round of a Conference playoff game, but it would be the first and only for the departing senior class. They worked hard for it. I'm happy it paid off.

I turned 40 this year. It feels the same as every year. I've got a few more gray hairs than I had last year, but other than that, I'm still healthy and snarky. I find my mind wandering a bit more as I plan my next move. I've been looking seriously at head coaching jobs. It's just that time. I'm ready to lead a program of my own and make new memories in a different place. I don't think there's much more I'm going to be able to accomplish here at Wooster. There's nothing wrong with that. I just feel it's time for me to move on and make my mark on a program of my own.

There are so many good people in our sport that work hard and give their best everyday. I hope I get the chance to meet at least half of these people and make an impact on a few more. Convention is coming up soon and maybe I'll be able to make some good impressions and reconnect with people I haven't seen or spoken to since August. I hope I see you there. I'll hit this up after the New Year with a highlight reel and possibly job news.

Cheers friends.

July in Reveiw

June, July are the only full months I get to step away from the office. I get a break here and there throughout the year, but to get 2 months back to back for me time is great. What do I do with this time? I visit family, I reconnect with friends, and I recharge my batteries.

I went on a few day hikes and night walks with my camera. I also found the time to finish a few books that I had been snacking on. Most of these months were spent in a chair staring at the sky thinking about my future as a coach and what 40 will bring. I finished my editing project from my trip to Vietnam with BIP. Now I can work on highlight film for the entire trip.

I've been looking at finding a place where I can live on a houseboat or off grid and still coach volleyball for a living. We'll see how that goes. August is for Preseason. I will try to write again when classes begin. Until then. Peace.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

This cover of the New Yorker is what prompted me to post:

So maybe I never wore a cute polka dot dress, but there was a time as the youngest child that I helped my dad with everything. I learned how to use tools, stop bleeding, and pull splinters. I did a lot of stuff with my dad. A lot of memories of fixing cars, building cabinets, and fabricating parts we couldn't find in stores. With a mix of broken English and Lao my dad said things like:
Measure twice, cut once.
Make sure you keep track of the parts with tape or marker.
Check the fit, before you tighten.
Never pay full price for a car. Haggle or walk away.

I developed my love for physical problem solving and tinkering with support from my dad. My mom loved that because it kept me out of her hair. I was a terrible kitchen helper and couldn't reach the clothesline or inside the washer just yet. Being small was actually an advantage because I learned how to squeeze into places and use my hands in blind or obstructed situations. This would come in very handy in adult life.

My dad taught me a lot about myself and how to adapt. He was always happy to see us and sad to see us move away. He taught me about practical jokes and how to drive. Parallel parking was his specialty. What I love most about my dad, was no matter how many times I got in trouble at school or screwed up I was always welcome to go fishing and I was always welcome home. Not to say that he wouldn't be cross or furious with my behavior, but he was often quick to show me that I was always going to be loved.

My father died in 2008 of bladder cancer. I can write that without tearing up. There was a time where I was brought to my knees every time I thought of it. Now, it doesn't hurt any less, but it just gets to the point where it stops hurting worse. I don't have a lot of photos with me and my dad doing stuff, but I have a lot of memories and this cover from the New Yorker evokes a lot of those pleasant memories.

Firestarter

I'm excited about another crowdfunding project I backed on Kickstarter, by Tortoise Gear. It's called Firefly. Firefly is a firesteel insert meant to fit in the toothpick or tweezer's holder of your Swiss Army Knife. I've had one for a few weeks now and have started fires for the Weber grill, and our fire pit. It does what it was designed to do. Make lots of sparks. If you have dry, fine tinder available, you should get a fire.

But isn't that what matches and lighters are for? Sure. But why let your outdoor skills languish when you can practice them calmly and be prepared for when you can use those skills.

Bou, when are you going to use those skills? I'm not Les Stroud by any means. Let's say your tipsy friend throws all the matches into the fire pit and while it's a raging marshmallow roaster now, what about the next four nights you'd like to have a fire? I hate being the responsible friend. Do you trust this friend to keep the fire going as penance? Do you forgo the warmth of the fire and just go to bed when it gets dark? Do you drive the 200 miles round trip to the sketchy gas station to buy a lighter for eight bucks, and then pay another $20-30 for gas? Or do you just start a fire with the tools in your pocket without holding a grudge, because fun time in the woods and on the water will continue as planned? I'm not saying this person is absolved from their crimes. I'm just saying I'll be less angry about it. If I draw them as my Euchre they better not get us set. That would send me over the edge.

But I digress. This came just in time for bonfire season and since I find the toothpick insert gross, a welcome addition to my favorite pocket knife. I haven't used it enough to notice extensive wear. It fits perfectly in the two sizes of SAK that I have, Tinker and Executive models. If you see these at your sporting goods store pick up a pack for your favorite outdoorsy SAK owning parent or friend. You can also go to Tortoise Gear and check out some of their other stuff. I hope to see you on the trails. If you come to our bonfire, bring marshmallows he threw those in too.

***Just a reminder, I don't receive payment or free products for anything I've endorsed. If I test or review a complimentary product, I'll do that via the company since they have parameters for me and rarely let me go gonzo on it. I like to test the limits of things (break things) and take them apart. So that when I do endorse something, you can trust that it has been through the ringer for regular people. Durability, self-repair potential, and excellent customer support are my main criteria. In a disposable world I still cringe when people buy things new when they can just fix what is broken themselves. Industrial Arts teachers for the win!

Vietnam 2018 Binh Dien Cup Part V

Part V: The lightbulb

Remember when I said feelings can be dealt with later? Well, it's later. I've decoded most of my thoughts from my personal journal from this trip. My journal is a written record of my ideas, places, things, thoughts, facts, and yes, feelings. This blog is how I make sense of it all. If you're still with me, that's great. I'm glad the you were able to endure it and continue reading my boring tales of misanthropy and social awkwardness.

Did I accomplish my goals for this trip? I packed light, I was present in most moments and even shared a toast with strangers. I learned names in 3 days. I made connections with both the athletes and the staff. I went to In-N-Out Burger. Am I more nimble analytically? I guess we'll find out in September. I do think some of my processes and and conclusions were validated by this experience.

Simple is often better. The day is coming when I will have my own program. I know preparation plays a large role in success, but simple is something I do well. I am comfortable with it. I am going to continue to own it.

Back to the feels. There are 30 years (14 years spent as a coach) of athletes I've worked with that hold a place in my heart. Very rarely does an entire team sneak in there and pull at my strings all at once. There are so many memories and moments that we share and I couldn't possibly cover them all or pair them with the words that do them justice. I wish the best for all of them in their upcoming pro/college seasons.

What follows is not part of my journal. This will be unfiltered and probably muddy. I've met so many wonderful different people in my travels. I've worked many different jobs. I was a career changer. I started in the Army, worked in IT, moved over to software, taught MS/HS, and here I am coaching volleyball. Nothing has been more enjoyable than to work with people who share the same passion as you.

This trip was special for me because I spent time with strangers in a foreign land with only a passion for volleyball to initially bring us together. I am grateful that a simple thing like volleyball can bring so many people joy. From this team that won a place in my heart to the fans beating drums and blowing their vuvuzela's in the 90 degree heat of the gymnasium; I am humbled by your enthusiasm, and kindness. Travel changes you, it makes the world smaller. It compresses time without you realizing it. I was dreading 40 something fierce. After returning from Vietnam and working with this crew, I'm looking forward to 40 and I'm ready to share my story and be a part of many more. Peace.