Did you put on your pants today?

It's every golfers dream. A well deserved opportunity, yet everpresently unexpected and honoring moment! Who would have thought that as a child, a fun activity, sport, and passion that passed the time or better yet made time non existant to my adolescent mind, would begin to blossom into a career? Last Monday, I officially joined PING staff! The honor and ability to not only play PING product but represent what Mr. Karsten himself has created is a dream come true! Years, endless evenings, dawning mornings, thousands of buckets, millions of balls, dozens of thoughts and philosophies, acres of sawd, gallons of seed, boxing matching within the soul and mind, critics, supporters and copious rollercoasters of emotions are merely a few of the characteristics that I attribute to this accomplishment! I spent two hours yesterday with a great pro named Nicholas at RedTail getting 'dialed in'. Me, really? I get be a representation of a company!? As amazed and honored as I am, I am also going to say I knew this day would come! I knew that I would work hard enough, and represent appropriately a product of PING's stature! No, not because of pride, but because of belief. Because of passion. Because of Love and Trust! Because when I lay a grip in the fingers of my hands and roll that palm over to form a human lever around a tool of titanium and steel, I forget about everything else and just want to rip my Titleist farther than ever before! All the doubts, all the voices, all the duties, all the fears, all the hopes, all the stuff that goes on in the 6 inches of powerful ocean waves we call the brain suddenly ceases! Everything slows down and art begins. Visualization of painting a shot starts. Feeling from the fingers, to the toes, to the back arch, to the takeaway begins. It takes about 2-4seconds to swing, yet it seems like an eternity begins and is created within every swing path taken. And as I pull that club back and turn my core, I feel the energy and power create, just waiting to get set at the top, begging to be dropped into the slot and released. Let it go, trust that what was envisioned, what I started, what I created, will be painted and shaped perfectly toward the target pursued! This is a must, within golf, but more importantly within life. You must trust it, you must believe in it, you must let it go so that it can transpire and happen! We see it, we feel it, and then we trust it into existence! That is what golf is. A beautiful game that mirrors so much more for those willing to play! We approach a solitary and still ball. We create a position for ourselves within that ball's world, the course. We imagine and or envision what we want that ball to do. We transpire thoughts to figure how we can get that ball to act accordingly and create the motion needed to propel the ball forward. We work towards creating that action and then release the energy and let it unfold! What then? We watch, we evaluate, we learn, and we do it again, and again, and again! There are many parallels between golf and life. Sport and life. Cooking and life. Shit, just living life and life:) I once asked a wise man, named Stan, this;"from your life and successes within it, what would you say is the upmost important advice you have for me?" He replied; "Seth, success comes by getting up every morning and putting on your pants." Ingenious! It's the same with golf. There will be hard times. There will be doubts within, and doubters around. But the beauty of golf is no matter how good, or bad one round is. The next day you get to play another and do it again! Here's to putting on your pants, whatever they may be, everyday. And for what it's worth, my preference of pant is Seersucker :)

Stand alone bookshelves can be inspiring

As I sit in Barista, contemplating what to write, all I can think about is rearranging! Is the cliche Spring Cleaning truth? For me it is right now. The sun was finally out this morning and the trees are blooming beautifully! I mean, shit, come on. It's April 28th, about time right! I threw on my J.Crew shorts and Vneck and headed to my spot in the Pearl. However, this sun has now motivated me to clean! To throw away excess. Throw away things stored up from the winter. Paper, boxes, clothes, cards,...even dishes:) It's time to get rid of it and Spring forward! Time to rearrange the furniture. Time to spit shine the floors, time to change, again. An endless cycle right? Change is innevitable, but stability is desired, right? Routines are important but lack excitement. Cleaning is a pain, a chore, a bore, but is all that I can think about doing on this beautiful day? What, why? The sun is out, I should want to go for a run, head to the course, walk amongst the city, shouldn't I? Nope! I want to evolve, I want to deck out my studio with screwed in stand alone bookshelves in my wall. I want to throw my desk away and find a new one! I want to buy a gathering table and get my dishes clean so that I feel new. New weather breathes new beginning. But shouldn't ever day breathe this into us? Isn't every day new. I mean we have structured our lives into 24hr intervals. When did that start? Do we truly view as life starting over every day? We can't stop time obviously. Change is the only constant! Correct? Yes. Then why if change is the only constant in our world, we have such a hard time in believing that every day is new. A new opportunity to accomplish. A new opportunity to change something current you're not fond of. A new opportunity to make yourself the best breakfast you've ever tasted. A new opportunity to give to someone something needed. A new opportunity to pursure your bliss. A new opportunity to dream a new goal, a new thought, a new friend, a new adventure. Why if time is innevitably continuous, it never stands still, and definetely never goes backward, is it so hard for us to eb and flow forward with it. Maybe it's just me, but often I wait for time to pass so the next thing comes, rather then create that thing in the present time. Thus, as I sit and finish my Italiano, I am gonna move my ass from this beautiful wood bench and rearrange my life...or at least my studio apartment!

This year...I want to be Tied up!

Ok world, I am admitting a fetish of mine........ready........I love Ties! Yep, that's right. The more dangerously colored and patterned the better, pending the occasion deems appropriate. I'm not sure why I love ties, thus I did my research and soon it all made sense. The tie is said to have originated in Croatia! Seriously...Croatia is hand's down the best place I've traveled. The people, culture, atmosphere, food, energy, and countryside itself can't be beat, yet:) The tie was worn by Croatian mercenaries during the "Thirty Years' War", and quickly aroused the interest of the Parisians....I'll let you read for yourself...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necktie#Origins

One day, when monetarily I can swing it without feeling wasteful and irresponsible, a Tie a day may become a part of my repertoire. You all know my passion for golf, and you all know that I am a bit old school in nature. Thus, it all makes sense when you trace back the lineage of the beautiful game as well. Harry Vardon, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Walter Hagen, etc...all tucked their ties into their chests and under their twill vests right before the inaugurated the first teebox.

What is it about ties? Is it the morning process of meticulously sliding it up and down your shirt before the first fold over in order the length reaches the tip of the belt perfectly? Is it the abundance of options one could match and pair? Is it the creative process of finding the shirt behind the Tie that truly makes the Tie alive? Is it the tightening of the knot upon your neck that says, Yes Sir, this day is yours for the taking? Yep! Is it the history and context behind the Tie that subtly screams to the world who you are without you having to say a word? There is much culture behind every Tie. The Tie speaks volume of yourself, your society, your caste, your personality, your thoughts and your feelings. As a man, I am equating my Tie's to how women feel about purses or shoes......I haven't done my research however, so take that 'beachy'.

Next time you are in a funk, feeling down, bored, and or just are lacking the creative juices that we all have within us but struggle to release.....Tie yourself Up! And remember, Cultures change and ours is as casual as ever. Thus, Ties aren't limited to suits. They aren't limited to slacks or khakis. Jeans rock Ties better than the Croatians themselves. Ties aren't bound by pants at all....wear them with shorts and Jack Purcell's! Whatever your style may desire, this is they year to Tie yourself Up!

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