VIP 0r #PayDay

Where we are right now and who we are right now has everything to do with where and who we were.  Those moments in the past shape everything we do on a day-to- day basis.  Dwelling on the past, however, can be a dangerous trap to get caught in.  I think I spent a good amount of time last week talking about living in the now, and I would never want to contradict myself… tee hee.  That being said, there is ONE thing from the past that we should dwell on… our VIP section.

We all have people who have influenced our lives through advice, friendship, teaching or just by being around when we needed them.  These are the people that make up our VIP section.  A few weeks ago I talked about one such person in my life:  Geoffrey Long.  So I thought this week I might take a few minutes and pound out some words about some another important person to me and what the concept of the VIP means to all of us.

When I was doing my undergraduate work in Music Theatre at Shenandoah Conservatory I transferred out between my freshman and sophomore year.  The papers were signed, the money paid and the transfer was in.  I was going to be attending Otterbein University to study Theatre Education.  The week before I was supposed to start attending Otterbein, I went back to SU to visit my friends one last time during their first week of classes.  While I was there, I had a chat with one of the professors at SU that I greatly admired, Dr. Thomas Albert. 

He told me, quite honestly and directly, that he thought I was making a huge mistake.  There are of course no guarantees in the entertainment industry, but he told me he thought I should stick it out and that I may have a shot.  Since I did have such a high level of respect for Dr. Albert, I went for a drive and began thinking hard about this decision I had already made.  Was he right?  Was I throwing this away when I shouldn’t be? 

After some serious soul searching I concluded that he WAS right and I had made a huge mistake.  Unfortunately, the die was already cast and the transfer had already gone through.  So I packed up and started the drive from Winchester, VA to Columbus, OH with the knowledge that I had made a mistake weighing heavily on my mind.  When I got to the city limits of Winchester… I couldn’t leave.  I pulled over and looked at the mountains, my mind going a mile a minute.  I couldn’t leave.  I didn’t know how, but I had to fix this mistake.

I just.  Couldn’t. Leave.

I pulled into a gas station and made the call to my parents and broke the news… that didn’t go well.  They were of course not happy, but they were supportive and helped me get my ducks in a row to transfer BACK to SU, which was no easy task.  The next Monday I started classes again at SU.  Quite honestly I wouldn’t be where I am not if it were not for Dr. Albert.  I wouldn’t be married to my amazing wife, I wouldn’t have my amazing daughter and the fascinating and entertaining life I now have would look extremely different… and I’ve really enjoyed my life.  So thank you Dr. Albert. I know I’ve said this to him before but I want to make sure that those people in my life who have had such a profound effect always know how much they mean to me.

So, gentle reader, what does this all mean to you? 

Chall-ange!  The gauntlet has been thrown!  I challenge you to identify someone in your life who has made a huge difference and let them know about it.  Recently Chris Hardwick (@nerdist) started a hashtag called PayDay.  Here is the idea:  every Friday call someone out on twitter and compliment them on their work or just their general them-ness.  This is a great idea, because we all have up days and down days and sometimes, just getting that piece of positivity coming our way can turn a down day into a up day.  So figure it out… who is your VIP?  Tweet them, facebook them, send them an email, a text or even a carrier pigeon to tell them how important they are to you… and #PayDay 

Let’s get into the habit of #PayDay.  It can only make the world a better place.