There is nothing particularly special about me. I'm just an ordinary guy. I was just a better-than-average sportswriter. I was a much better job coach by comparison. I've written some music that's pretty to listen to, but I'm no Beethoven. I wrote a couple of screen plays that were pretty good. But special? If they were, you would have heard about them.
I am a good storyteller. I've always enjoyed telling a good story. To be a good storyteller, however, you need good stories to tell, and while I may be an ordinary guy I have led an extraordinary life, an unconventional life that has manifested itself in an inordinate number of good stories. When I thought back on my life, and all that I had been through, I thought: 'Man, I've got to tell these stories.' They are stories that don't happen to everybody. They happened to me, and I've lived to tell them.
I've been very lucky in that way and boy, do I know it. In many cases, I'm lucky to be alive. Bullets have been dodged. That's why I've dubbed myself "Luckiest Ordinary Man Alive."
I've lived relatable experiences which transpired in extraordinary fashion. I've had my share of adversity. I had one boss tell me to look for another job, was fired from a job, demoted at yet another job, had my heart broken more than once, divorced four times, got ripped off, survived a major health setback, and experienced painful loss. I've also had a lifetime of loves and experiences that have made me feel like the richest man in the world. I have captured the essence of life in the smallest of moments.
I don't regret any one of the loves in my life, though admittedly I regret love lost with at least one, or two. Love is a double-edged sword. "Falling in love means you're one step away, from heaven or heartache, which way is hard to say," I wrote in a song.
I do have a few regrets. I missed out big-time on the day-to-day experience of raising my kids. I tried my best to be a part of their lives as much I was able. But that only partially filled the void.
I learned to live with the choices I made. Mistakes were made, and some choices were made for me, but I have no cause to complain. On balance, things have worked out very well for me.
Most of all, I've been lucky enough to tell many of these stories with a smile and, just maybe, bring a smile to those who read them. Or maybe my sense of humor is warped. I will let the reader be the judge. The luxury of finding humor in one's life in the process of reflecting back is blessing enough.