Wednesday April 18th, 2012 – Fox Lake, IL
Back home and back to work. And I like it. Despite all the obstacles I may be facing, I am still in a position to be ultimately successful in all areas of my life and that’s the plan. I may stray off course more than a little, but in the big picture I haven’t given up and am still in the game to win.
I know have a lot of irons in the fire, but all of them are projects I really enjoy. It now becomes a matter of which one or ones are most important, and make them profitable. Right now, I am off in too many directions at once, even though I’m working on getting better all the time. And I am.
The project I need to focus on right this minute is the C. Cardell Willis tribute show coming up this Sunday in Milwaukee. I’ve done a lot of work getting the groundwork laid, and now I’ll wait to see if my efforts will be rewarded with a turnout. People have assured me they’d show up, but as my grandpa used to say “I’ve heard ducks like them fart under water before.” Who can tell?
I just want to make it a special night to honor Cardell’s memory. He was such a positive caring soul, I’d hate to see the milestone of his 75th birthday come and go without fanfare. I’m not even 50, but if anyone would want to pay tribute to me at 75 whether I’m living or not I’d be honored.
Whatever happens on Sunday, I’m all in now. The hall has been rented, the word has been put out, and those who will show up will show up. I’ve got a couple of radio appearances scheduled for Friday, as well as being on the list for fallouts for a couple of TV shows. Will that help to put fannies in seats? Who can say? I don’t think it can hurt, but I can’t guarantee it will help either.
What’s really important is what I do after that show is over. Monday it’s back to work again to start on the next project. It’s already almost May, and the year is slipping away as they all tend to do. Years melt into decades, and before long my life will be over too. What can I do to make the most of my remaining days? I have gargantuan aspirations of what I’d like to get accomplished.
The sad fact is, in all likelihood I won’t get to a tenth of them. I’ve pissed away a lot of time on just trying to survive that I’ve never been able to really graduate to that next level. It’s a crushing disappointment, but that’s how it is. Do I just give up and let my days drift away, or do I fight?
Dick Clark died today at age 82. There’s a guy who not only found a way to make it happen for himself - he kept it going for decades. Wow, what a super success story he was. Is there even one other person that has come close to having touched as many people as Dick Clark? From hosting American Bandstand to The $10,000 Pyramid to New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, his reach was wide.
I was fortunate enough to have interviewed him a couple of times by phone during my various morning radio incarnations, and found him to be a consummate professional and true gentleman. He had a vibe about him, even on the phone. He achieved a level of success few others ever do.
Dick Clark touched millions. Cardell Willis touched considerably less, but was still a positive influence to many, myself included. Hopefully I can have a positive impact somewhere as well.
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