I met Don Thomson in 1993. He was the marketing/sales rep for Karhu USA (Canadien, JOFA, KOHO), specifically promoting and selling their new line of roller hockey products. This included KOHO Ultimate player sticks and the JOFA ISD roller hockey puck. I managed a skating rink in Orange, California and toward the end of my tenure there, ran the roller hockey program.
Don came to visit one day and talk to me about the product. We not only talked product, but talked quite a bit about the business. Don was the reason I wanted to become a sales rep in the hockey business, which I finally did do from 1996-2008.
At 20 years (1993-2013), Don was the longest friendship I had in the hockey industry, and despite being a jokester, he was a great and professional guy.
In September 2004, I resigned from TPS Hockey. A few days after my resignation, Don called to tell me that TPS had phoned him to fill my position and asked if it was OK with me if he take it. He didn't have to call or ask, as we all have to do what's right for our families in order to put food on the table, however, it was nice touch that he did call.
So many memories over the past 20 years and you just had to love the guy! He wasn't afraid to tell you how he felt or what he thought of a particular person, and him calling you a "douchebag" was that term of endearment that you were in his inner circle.
We'd gotten together many times for dinner, beers, stayed at each other's houses while we were on the road. It was nice to just hang out, watch TV, talk shit, drink beers, grab a bite, and laugh.
Over the past two years we hadn't kept in touch as much as we probably would've liked, however, it was nice to speak to him this past Friday. I could tell he was in a good place and despite his promise to me that he'd phone me back, he didn't.
I take solace in that Don finally got back to being in a good place with his life, and despite the ugly way that he passed and the fact that his passing is a tough pill to swallow, he is in a better place showing everyone how to party and throw back beers.
I'll forever miss my friend, but he has left me with a lifetime of laughs and memories.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Toughest Day of My Life
It's one thing for your 10 month old son to get his "shots", and yet another thing to watch three women try and hold him down in order to get an IV in.
And then to see the nurse's hand shake while she tries to get the IV needle in...
Words can't describe.
And then to see the nurse's hand shake while she tries to get the IV needle in...
Words can't describe.
Monday, January 28, 2013
The Sad Reality About Technology
Email. Text messaging. Facebook. Twitter. Pinterest. Instagram. Just to name a few. Who knows what's next...
Social networking, in its many forms, is a great way to get a ton of info out there. But at what expense?
It's pretty amazing how far technology has brought us in such a short period of time. And at that same time, look at what it has taken away from us.
It has taken away our personalities from conversations. Ever have to clarify what you said in an email because it came across as "too strong"?
It has taken away the personal touch that we once had with each other.
It has become a convenience tool for us to swype or type on our phones instead of doing what we used to do, reach out and touch someone by way of the phone call.
Not very long ago, friends would get together to tell each other of fantastic things going on in their lives. Now, a post on Facebook does that, and the close friendships that people once had erode into being just one more person or name on Facebook, or Twitter, or an entry in a Contacts folder on ones phone.
Would you send your parents or close friends an email or a text message to tell them you were engaged? Would you disregard them and have them find out the news on Facebook or Twitter? And how would you feel if you were on the flip side?
I guess sometimes we're so entrenched in our own lives that we just can't see beyond the technology that is so close to our finger tips.
And that's the sad reality of technology. We've become so dependent upon it, that we can't see the negative effects it has brought to our lives...
Social networking, in its many forms, is a great way to get a ton of info out there. But at what expense?
It's pretty amazing how far technology has brought us in such a short period of time. And at that same time, look at what it has taken away from us.
It has taken away our personalities from conversations. Ever have to clarify what you said in an email because it came across as "too strong"?
It has taken away the personal touch that we once had with each other.
It has become a convenience tool for us to swype or type on our phones instead of doing what we used to do, reach out and touch someone by way of the phone call.
Not very long ago, friends would get together to tell each other of fantastic things going on in their lives. Now, a post on Facebook does that, and the close friendships that people once had erode into being just one more person or name on Facebook, or Twitter, or an entry in a Contacts folder on ones phone.
Would you send your parents or close friends an email or a text message to tell them you were engaged? Would you disregard them and have them find out the news on Facebook or Twitter? And how would you feel if you were on the flip side?
I guess sometimes we're so entrenched in our own lives that we just can't see beyond the technology that is so close to our finger tips.
And that's the sad reality of technology. We've become so dependent upon it, that we can't see the negative effects it has brought to our lives...
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Life
It's so easy to look back on your life and say "had I known then what I know now...".
I've experienced love, and with no offense to my wife, I never knew this love ever existed. You hear about it from your friends who are parents, however, until experienced, you'll never know it truly exists.
And its not for everyone to experience. That's a decision that everyone has the right to make on their own. However, after only 43 hours of my son being here on Earth, I don't want to look back, just forward.
I've experienced love, and with no offense to my wife, I never knew this love ever existed. You hear about it from your friends who are parents, however, until experienced, you'll never know it truly exists.
And its not for everyone to experience. That's a decision that everyone has the right to make on their own. However, after only 43 hours of my son being here on Earth, I don't want to look back, just forward.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Odds...
Did you know that you have a better chance of getting cancer than you do being audited by the IRS (1 in 2 vs 1 in 175)?
You have a better chance of getting cancer than being in a plane crash, so, why are you afraid of flying?
Fuck you cancer!
You have a better chance of getting cancer than being in a plane crash, so, why are you afraid of flying?
Fuck you cancer!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
August 9, 1988
No one ever dreamed this day would happen. Not only did it happen, however, it changed the NHL forever.
August 9, 1988...Wayne Gretzky, traded. Who thought this was possible?
Whether it changed the NHL for the better, that's a debate for another day. One thing it did do was prove that any player, in any sport, no matter how great, can always be traded (or in the case of futbol, sold).
I came across this video on YouTube and for those of us in Los Angeles, here we are, 23 years later, and Fritz is still doing the weather, Fred is still doing sports. LOL Kelly and John...long gone!
August 9, 1988...Wayne Gretzky, traded. Who thought this was possible?
Whether it changed the NHL for the better, that's a debate for another day. One thing it did do was prove that any player, in any sport, no matter how great, can always be traded (or in the case of futbol, sold).
I came across this video on YouTube and for those of us in Los Angeles, here we are, 23 years later, and Fritz is still doing the weather, Fred is still doing sports. LOL Kelly and John...long gone!
Little did I know that many years later, I'd get to meet Wayne, who ended up being every bit the great person I knew he would be. I'd get to meet his family, I'd watch over his son (oh what a mess!), I'd get to do business with his company.
P.S. The anniversary date just happens to fall on an old friend's birthday, Brett Hull...
P.S. The anniversary date just happens to fall on an old friend's birthday, Brett Hull...
Sunday, July 31, 2011
July 31, 1981
Do you remember where you were 30 years ago today?
1981 signified the true beginning of 80s music. Michael Jackson's "Thriller", Foreigner's "4", and what may go down in history as the greatest album of the 80s, Journey's ESC4P3.
Yeah, I typed that correctly; E5C4P3, not Escape.
I remember when this album came out for many reasons. To start, my best friend growing up got my brother and I involved in a job from home. He had a job working for a recording studio in Century City and they would send home cassette tapes (remember those?) for us to splice leader tape in at the start of the reel, then seal the case back up. I can't recall how much we were paid, but, it wasn't much. We had fun doing it though, and in April, we received an advance copy of Journey's "Escape" album on tape. The cassette had either a white or orange label, and all of the info was typed. I remember putting the cassette in the player for the first time and hearing "Don't Stop Believin'" for the first time. I played that cassette until it wore out!
Come the end of July and albums, even today, are ALWAYS released on a Tuesday, and July 31st was that day. We ran down to Music Plus after school and there it was. This didn't have a white or orange label on it. This was the real magilla! I mean, look at the album cover!
And then, the scarab, breaking out of what? The atmosphere; Earth? Not a space ship, but a scarab, something that Journey used for years
Well, Journey's E5C4P3 proved to be something different. The first single off of the album was released on July 11, 1981. "Who's Crying Now", which went to #4, showcased Steve Perry's soaring vocals and was an interesting choice to be selected the lead single for the album.
The next single was the second song on the album, "Stone In Love", followed up by the third song on the album, "Don't Stop Believin'". On October 20, 1981, little did anyone know that the song that would get as high as #9 on the charts back in 1981, would later become one of the top selling singles of all time! More on that later...
Then, it happened. On January 10, 1982, the fourth single off the album, "Open Arms", shot to #2 on the Billboard Top 40 chart. Suddenly, Journey became a household name. Despite the song only making it to #7 on the Adult Contemporary chart, "Open Arms" became a staple at many weddings and high school dances.
Journey started their E5C4P3 Tour in Japan in late July 1981, just as the album was being released, and, coinciding with MTV going on the air at 1201am on August 1, 1981! They concluded the tour at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on July 2, 1982.
E5C4P3 was in the Top 20 when Journey went to Houston on September 5th when MTV decided to broadcast the concert live to its viewers. One week later, Journey found themselves opening for the Rolling Stones at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, the same date that E5C4P3 hit #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart!
Capitalizing on their success, the band recorded radio commercials for Budweiser and sold rights to their likenesses and music for use in two video games: the Journey arcade game by Bally/Midway and Journey Escape by Data Age for the Atari 2600.
Fast forward 30 years later to 2011...Journey as we knew it is no more, however, what has happened is that "Don't Stop Believin'" has become one of the top selling singles of all time!
Despite Journey's hiatus from 1987 to 1996, "Don't Stop Believin'" has helped Journey's music catalog to sell incredibly, to the point that many music insiders say that former lead singer Steve Perry is making so much money off of royalties that he can continue to live in obscurity without thinking twice about needing to "make a living."
It all started in 1998 when a string acoustic version of the song was used during the Robbie's wedding in the film "The Wedding Singer". From there, the song was used in numerous other movies and television shows, but, none more famous than in 2007 when the song gained press coverage for its use in the final scene of HBO's The Sopranos from the series finale "Made in America". Steve Perry was initially hesitant in allowing the song to be used in The Sopranos but later agreed.
Sales soared after this and "Don't Stop Believin'" is heard in sports stadiums across the U.S., pushing music sales of albums E5C4P3 and Journey's Greatest Hits (#100 on this months Billboard Top 200). As of today, E5C4P3 has been certified by RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) as Platinum 9 times
This past Friday, SoundScan (Nielsen) gave the band an award on NBCs "Today" show that proclaimed "Don't Stop Believin'" as the #1 selling Classic Rock single of all time.
On its 30th Anniversary, Journey's E5C4P3 is still in Billboard's Top 200 chart, this week at #172, and, arguably, the greatest album to come from the 1980s!
1981 signified the true beginning of 80s music. Michael Jackson's "Thriller", Foreigner's "4", and what may go down in history as the greatest album of the 80s, Journey's ESC4P3.
Yeah, I typed that correctly; E5C4P3, not Escape.
I remember when this album came out for many reasons. To start, my best friend growing up got my brother and I involved in a job from home. He had a job working for a recording studio in Century City and they would send home cassette tapes (remember those?) for us to splice leader tape in at the start of the reel, then seal the case back up. I can't recall how much we were paid, but, it wasn't much. We had fun doing it though, and in April, we received an advance copy of Journey's "Escape" album on tape. The cassette had either a white or orange label, and all of the info was typed. I remember putting the cassette in the player for the first time and hearing "Don't Stop Believin'" for the first time. I played that cassette until it wore out!
Come the end of July and albums, even today, are ALWAYS released on a Tuesday, and July 31st was that day. We ran down to Music Plus after school and there it was. This didn't have a white or orange label on it. This was the real magilla! I mean, look at the album cover!
I remember people asking "what's that say?" when looking at how JOURNEY was written "sideways." Friends were thinking that was something in Russian before they finally looked above to see JOURNEY was written twice! And then the album title...E5C4P3. Was this a cruel joke or was this album just something different?
And then, the scarab, breaking out of what? The atmosphere; Earth? Not a space ship, but a scarab, something that Journey used for years
Well, Journey's E5C4P3 proved to be something different. The first single off of the album was released on July 11, 1981. "Who's Crying Now", which went to #4, showcased Steve Perry's soaring vocals and was an interesting choice to be selected the lead single for the album.
The next single was the second song on the album, "Stone In Love", followed up by the third song on the album, "Don't Stop Believin'". On October 20, 1981, little did anyone know that the song that would get as high as #9 on the charts back in 1981, would later become one of the top selling singles of all time! More on that later...
Then, it happened. On January 10, 1982, the fourth single off the album, "Open Arms", shot to #2 on the Billboard Top 40 chart. Suddenly, Journey became a household name. Despite the song only making it to #7 on the Adult Contemporary chart, "Open Arms" became a staple at many weddings and high school dances.
Year  | Single | Chart | Peak | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Don't Stop Believin' | Mainstream Rock | 8 | ||
| 1981 | Don't Stop Believin' | The Billboard Hot 100 | 9 | ||
| 1981 | Stone In Love | Mainstream Rock | 13 | ||
| 1981 | Who's Crying Now | Mainstream Rock | 4 | ||
| 1981 | Who's Crying Now | The Billboard Hot 100 | 4 | ||
| 1982 | Open Arms | Adult Contemporary | 7 | ||
| 1982 | Open Arms | Mainstream Rock | 35 | ||
| 1982 | Open Arms | The Billboard Hot 100 | 2 | ||
| 1982 | Still They Ride | Adult Contemporary | 37 | ||
| 1982 | Still They Ride | Mainstream Rock | 47 | ||
| 1982 | Still They Ride | The Billboard Hot 100 | 19 |
Journey started their E5C4P3 Tour in Japan in late July 1981, just as the album was being released, and, coinciding with MTV going on the air at 1201am on August 1, 1981! They concluded the tour at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on July 2, 1982.
E5C4P3 was in the Top 20 when Journey went to Houston on September 5th when MTV decided to broadcast the concert live to its viewers. One week later, Journey found themselves opening for the Rolling Stones at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, the same date that E5C4P3 hit #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart!
Capitalizing on their success, the band recorded radio commercials for Budweiser and sold rights to their likenesses and music for use in two video games: the Journey arcade game by Bally/Midway and Journey Escape by Data Age for the Atari 2600.
Fast forward 30 years later to 2011...Journey as we knew it is no more, however, what has happened is that "Don't Stop Believin'" has become one of the top selling singles of all time!
Despite Journey's hiatus from 1987 to 1996, "Don't Stop Believin'" has helped Journey's music catalog to sell incredibly, to the point that many music insiders say that former lead singer Steve Perry is making so much money off of royalties that he can continue to live in obscurity without thinking twice about needing to "make a living."
It all started in 1998 when a string acoustic version of the song was used during the Robbie's wedding in the film "The Wedding Singer". From there, the song was used in numerous other movies and television shows, but, none more famous than in 2007 when the song gained press coverage for its use in the final scene of HBO's The Sopranos from the series finale "Made in America". Steve Perry was initially hesitant in allowing the song to be used in The Sopranos but later agreed.
Sales soared after this and "Don't Stop Believin'" is heard in sports stadiums across the U.S., pushing music sales of albums E5C4P3 and Journey's Greatest Hits (#100 on this months Billboard Top 200). As of today, E5C4P3 has been certified by RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) as Platinum 9 times
This past Friday, SoundScan (Nielsen) gave the band an award on NBCs "Today" show that proclaimed "Don't Stop Believin'" as the #1 selling Classic Rock single of all time.
On its 30th Anniversary, Journey's E5C4P3 is still in Billboard's Top 200 chart, this week at #172, and, arguably, the greatest album to come from the 1980s!
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