I just got back from Wyoming (a small town in Illinois, not the state). Kim and I put on a bevy of workshops for the elementary schools as a kickoff for their Kim & Jason FUNdraising campaign. We had eight total sessions over the course of two days, from kindergarten all the way up to fifth grade. Even though we didn’t put in all that much time, I sure am beat. And I have even more respect for the daily life of a teacher. The first day was the fourth and fifth graders, an age group I’m quite used to working with. As far as the second day, all I can say is…thank God Kim was there. Being in front of 65 kindergartners is almost as intimidating as standing at the edge of a cliff with an old parachute sewn together by a one-handed grandmother. I take that back, I think I’d rather take my chances with the parachute. Watching Kim in action was like watching Bill Parcells coach the Dallas Cowboys. She had such command and presence, and instant respect from the kids. It was a thing of beauty. She tried to tell me later that I could’ve done just as well, which was like hearing Sammy Sosa tell someone that anyone could hit a home run off of the Wrigley Field scoreboard. Sure, I could have used the same words, but I guarantee you the results would have been much different. The fire department would still be trying to sort things out. Some highlights included one of the kids responding to the question "What is a fundraiser?" with, "It’s when you put your glasses on." It was then that I was able to confirm that kindergartners will raise their hand for any question, and only when called upon do they start to think of an answer. We also signed about 150 autographs, which I’m sure will be selling for a pretty penny on eBay. And I mean literally, a pretty penny. So all in all, we had a great time. It was fun to get out and connect with and encourage the kids. I think we really impacted some of them, in at least a small way. So Kim carried the load with the kindergartners, but we pretty much tag-teamed the other presentations. It was pretty exciting once we really got on a roll, almost like we’d been doing it for years. Over the course of the trip, I got the feeling that we will be.
Well, I don’t know how it happened. It’s not like I saw it coming. I didn’t mean for it to happen. But it did. I’ve become the people I hate. It’s not even Halloween, and I’m already thinking about Christmas. Here is a direct quote from a previous Bird Droppings post (11/13/02): "And another thing. I hate it that the malls have all their Christmas stuff up the day after Halloween." So here I am, a week BEFORE Halloween, and I have Christmas on the brain. Mind you, I’m the type of guy who doesn’t even consider putting on Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, and sometimes, I need a week or so after that. I generally hate the over-commercialization of Christmas. I used to scoff at the stores that seemed to be in such a hurry to put up their Christmas displays. That was before I was on the other side. How could I know that by starting in this direction of comic strip creation and product manufacturing, I would eventually slip into this abyss of retail discombobulation – where it’s Christmas in July and you’re thinking Valentine’s Day before your Thanksgiving turkey coma has had a chance to settle in. Actually, do you know when most larger stores make their purchase decisions for the Christmas season? January. January. In most cases, the holiday season is the busiest and best time of year for retailers. For some stores, it makes or breaks their entire year. And this year is particularly important, as the sluggish economy has put an even greater urgency on the success of this fourth quarter. We’ve talked to many retailers who didn’t make it this far into the year; forced to close their doors and close up shop. The signs show the economy rebounding and a positive outlook for holiday season, which would be like a fresh glass of cold water to a desert-weary traveler. This year, I can finally understand the desire to get those holiday cash registers rolling early. It’s not just a matter of greed, but of necessity. I’ve got a closet-full of Christmas cards and new product inventory waiting to fulfill their dreams of flying (off the shelves, that is). Our holiday promotions are planned, our shipping department is ready, and this is the first year ever that I’ve been the one surprised when people complain about the Christmas season being jump-started too soon. Go figure. So what lesson can I learn from this? Well, for one, the one about the shoe being on the other foot comes to mind…or is it walking in someone else’s shoes…with their feet…you know the one. Secondly, I know I need to just step back and let God take control. Good economy or bad, everything works out for the best…eventually. Thirdly, I may need to think months ahead to be a smart business owner, but I’m still not going to crank up those holiday tunes any earlier than my second helping of pumpkin pie.
Some of you reading this may know that Jaimie Hollenback is the Publicity Princess of JBiRD iNK. She is currently trying her best to land Kim & Jason on Oprah, someway, somehow. One of the things we’ve learned is that the producers like a really detailed pitch for a specific show, right down to potential guests and even sample interview questions. Jaimie recently handed me a list of “Oprah” questions to answer, and I’ve pushed it off long enough (sorry James). I figured it would be fun to share the answers here. It’ll give me some good practice before my appearance on the show
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OPRAH: What was your ah-ha moment?
ME: Yes, the famed ah-ha moment. Well, it certainly came pretty early on in my life compared to most people, and only a few months into my marriage. But the foundation had already been set years earlier. I had worked for several years at an automobile dealership washing cars, running errands, and sweeping the shop. I spent most of my time daydreaming. I knew then that I didn’t want any part of the typical 9-to-5 “work-for-the-man” situation. I knew that my art talent was my ticket. The big moment came a few months after I married Kim. I was twenty-four and juggling a freelance illustration career, some ministry work, and Kim & Jason on the side. It finally clicked that I wasn’t really getting anywhere with any of them, and had to focus on one thing. Kim & Jason was that one thing, and I haven’t looked back.
OPRAH: What are the steps to follow and live your dream?
ME: It may sound cheesy, but I really believe that God created each and every one of us for a specific reason. We’re all different and unique. We all have different gifts and passions. I’m not sure why we believe the ruse that we all have to fit into these certain boxes to make it in life. I think if we all were in tune with God’s purpose for our lives, this world would be dramatically different. He’s a very creative guy. I doubt he made us all different only to have us all go get business degrees. I really think that our purpose is hidden in our passion. It may not be obvious at first, but if we pursue our passions, and ask God to reveal his plan to us, we’ll eventually figure it out. Then it takes a leap of faith and piles and piles of persistence. It’s certainly not easy. But there’s no feeling like it.
OPRAH: Why did you decide to go for it when you did, and not wait until later?
ME: For one, I absolutely HATED the idea of not being able to do what I loved. I like to believe it’s because God has a lot of things for me to do, so he had to start me early. But there was another significant reason as well. Growing up, I was extremely shy and reserved. I liked being alone, but there was a lot of anxiety when it came to new experiences. My comfort zone was safe, warm, and non-threatening. I quit T-Ball on the first day, just because there were kids I didn’t know, and I tried to quit Little League, but my Mom made me go back and stick it out. Then I happened to stumble upon a quote that said “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” It finally occurred to me all the things I was missing out on. As I became stronger in my faith, I tried more new things, and really started to see the potential that was within me the whole time. I decided I was going to go for it. I didn’t want to look back at my life when I’m sixty with regret and wonder “what if?”
OPRAH: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in this decision?
ME: Kim and I have often questioned our sanity and wondered to ourselves why no one has come to take us away. Most of the time, it seems like everything makes perfect sense, but then there are other times when you wonder if you’re deluding yourself. The doubts are relentless, and there are countless opportunities to throw in the towel. I think it was Edison who said “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” That quote haunts me, and drives me when I feel like quitting. I guess I figure that even if I don’t make it, that could never be worse than always wondering what would have happened if I had tried. There are many other challenges as well. It’s tough when your peers are all building homes, going on vacations, and starting families while you’re still eating Raman noodles for lunch in your apartment that looks more like the back room of a Hallmark store than home. There are definitely times when you can’t seem to catch a break no matter how hard you’re working, and you wonder if it will all be worth it. But then that quote floats back to the front of my mind, and I see how much that’s been invested while realizing how little I see of how close we could be.
OPRAH: What would be your advice to high school and college students now?
ME: Go after your dream. Don’t give up. I’ve heard that if you do what you love, the money will follow. Really early on in high school begins the training of how you’re “supposed” to think. I remember getting handouts in class about what career fields were supposedly “hot”. That was before the Internet, and I don’t remember IT or e-Commerce being on those lists. Lots of kids don’t really know what they want to do. That’s fine. I’d say to just keep pursuing the things you’re passionate about. But I think most people who say they don’t know what they’d like to do, really do, but they’ve just been conditioned to disregard whatever it may be, because it’s too hard, or vague, or it’s never been done before. I wonder how many people tried to discourage the Wright brothers when they concocted their hair-brained scheme to create flying machines…
