Body appearance has always been a concern for me my whole life. This stems from a condition that not all who know me know that I have. I suffer from a mild case of Pectus Excavatum, or sunken chest. The condition is considered cosmetic by most, but does have some potential harmful side effects. The heart is displaced to the left portion of the chest, and limits full lung expansion. This condition is fairly common, and affects 1 in every 300 people.
Luckily in my case I have a very mild form of this condition. I was born with a mild heart murmur that passed with time, and I didn't require immediate surgery. My parents put off surgery (for cosmetic reasons) since I had a mild form until I was old enough to make my own decision on the matter. I chose not to have the surgery since I wouldn't be able to play hockey or other contact sports. I only suffer about 10% loss of lung expansion (tough to play through sports though) and don't have any long-term side effects.
I took many insults and teasing while growing up because of the deformation of my chest. It took several years and a very strong will to overcome the hazing I took as a kid. I decided when I was young to embrace what I was "given" and used it for some good. Many pranks were pulled in saunas at out of town hockey tournaments, body shots throughout college where great, and I even made $50 when I ate cereal out of my "hole".
When I had to make my the doctor gave me a list of accomplishments that I would never be able to attain:
1. Never run an 8 minute mile.
2. Play competitive sports at a high level, especially contact sports.
3. Bench my weight (whatever it may be).
4. Hold my breath for longer than a minute underwater while swimming.
5. Have a "normal" looking stomach
My childhood doctor was always amazed at how determined I was to prove him wrong! I loved the fact that I was able to correct him on his list an actually accomplish everything that he told me I would not be able to do. He even was there for my first Varsity hockey game (against our arch rival and where his office was - New Prague), saw me pass several of my swim tests, and even witnessed me break the 2 minute mark for the 800 event in track. Each event he was at he had a tremendous smile on his face, a hug, and a handshake that gave me a nickel or quarter (whatever spare change he had in his pocket - a ritual of his at the doctors office).
So why am I bringing this to light now? This spring I hit the gym and pavement out to prove new things to myself. I was going to not only bench my weight again, but use that weight for repetitions. A few weeks from now I should be able to attain this goal (and have that "normal stomach" still). The second is to run a 5k this summer in under 24 minutes. This would be an average of below an 8 minute mile for 3.1 miles. Both of these to be reached at the age of 30 (almost 31) and nearly 20 years after he said I would NEVER be able to do it.
Don't tell this stubborn boy he can't!
I can, and I will.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Dazed and Confused
As soon as I start to find some release from the day to day stress, I find myself even more stranded. New found joys of running, writing, and working out have lead to more energy. This energy is wasted though... where to focus it?
The market doesn't allow a change in occupation. I don't see myself staying at the current position for much longer. However, what is to become of me? I'm still unsure as to what I want to be when I grow up. I still feel like a ten year old stuck in this 30 year old body. No way do I see myself in a typical 9-5 routine in a cubicle somewhere. But where?
I feel more alone every passing day. All of my friends are married, or married to their jobs. On the weekends I find myself home alone with nothing to do. When I do try to make plans the isn't anyone to go out with. The economic downturn has trapped us all. Those that normally would go out still want to, but not wanting to help me find someone. They would rather grab a quick bite to eat or go someplace where I have no chance at meeting someone... Stuck!
My situation is no different from so many others, but hurts me knowing it will be some time before change will come about. How to change it for me? I hope to find that answer, and VERY soon!
The market doesn't allow a change in occupation. I don't see myself staying at the current position for much longer. However, what is to become of me? I'm still unsure as to what I want to be when I grow up. I still feel like a ten year old stuck in this 30 year old body. No way do I see myself in a typical 9-5 routine in a cubicle somewhere. But where?
I feel more alone every passing day. All of my friends are married, or married to their jobs. On the weekends I find myself home alone with nothing to do. When I do try to make plans the isn't anyone to go out with. The economic downturn has trapped us all. Those that normally would go out still want to, but not wanting to help me find someone. They would rather grab a quick bite to eat or go someplace where I have no chance at meeting someone... Stuck!
My situation is no different from so many others, but hurts me knowing it will be some time before change will come about. How to change it for me? I hope to find that answer, and VERY soon!
Dare to dream
Dare to dream,
for dreamers see tomorrow.
Dare to make a wish,
for wishing makes way for hope,
and hope is what keeps us all alive.
Dare to reach out,
for the things no one else can see.
Be unafraid to see what others cannot.
Believe in your heart and in your own goodness,
for in doing so,
others will believe in them, too.
Believe in magic,
because life is full of it.
Trust in the Lord and those who love you,
for they will always try to do their best for you.
But most of all,
believe in yourself...
because within you lie all the magic, the hope, the love, and the dreams of tomorrow.
-Poem by Ron Christian
for dreamers see tomorrow.
Dare to make a wish,
for wishing makes way for hope,
and hope is what keeps us all alive.
Dare to reach out,
for the things no one else can see.
Be unafraid to see what others cannot.
Believe in your heart and in your own goodness,
for in doing so,
others will believe in them, too.
Believe in magic,
because life is full of it.
Trust in the Lord and those who love you,
for they will always try to do their best for you.
But most of all,
believe in yourself...
because within you lie all the magic, the hope, the love, and the dreams of tomorrow.
-Poem by Ron Christian
Saturday, April 18, 2009
What I Miss...
I Miss...
Wanting to watch a hockey game instead of a chick flick.
Our booth at Old Chicago.
Hiking on the North Shore.
Pictures with random monuments.
Swinging on the front porch.
Laying in bed with the dog and us.
Boxers for every holiday.
New ugly shirts or ties.
A bingo partner.
Screams louder than me at the ref.
Watching bull riding on Saturday nights.
The lake with family.
Singing the wrong lyrics.
Getting put in my place.
Being crawled over to go the bathroom.
Told to close the window at night.
Playing with a cat.
Not cooking for just myself.
Compliments on my workouts.
Fixing things not on my house.
Holding hands.
HUGS!
Cuddling at a movie.
A kiss goodnight on the back of my neck...
Wanting to watch a hockey game instead of a chick flick.
Our booth at Old Chicago.
Hiking on the North Shore.
Pictures with random monuments.
Swinging on the front porch.
Laying in bed with the dog and us.
Boxers for every holiday.
New ugly shirts or ties.
A bingo partner.
Screams louder than me at the ref.
Watching bull riding on Saturday nights.
The lake with family.
Singing the wrong lyrics.
Getting put in my place.
Being crawled over to go the bathroom.
Told to close the window at night.
Playing with a cat.
Not cooking for just myself.
Compliments on my workouts.
Fixing things not on my house.
Holding hands.
HUGS!
Cuddling at a movie.
A kiss goodnight on the back of my neck...
Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Waiting Game
Right now I am playing the waiting game. Waiting for a few different reasons...
First I am waiting to hear back on a job that I applied for. It has been almost two full weeks since the posting has been closed, but have heard nothing. The new job would mean I would have to move cross country again back to Denver, but I want to go back. I'm ready for a change and have been energized lately by the new opportunity.
The second reason I am waiting is to hear back from a certain someone. We have hung a few times and haven't heard back from her in a few days. The wait... I don't take well to this. HA! As I write... she calls. Damn her! I'm not answering!!! Let her wait...
First I am waiting to hear back on a job that I applied for. It has been almost two full weeks since the posting has been closed, but have heard nothing. The new job would mean I would have to move cross country again back to Denver, but I want to go back. I'm ready for a change and have been energized lately by the new opportunity.
The second reason I am waiting is to hear back from a certain someone. We have hung a few times and haven't heard back from her in a few days. The wait... I don't take well to this. HA! As I write... she calls. Damn her! I'm not answering!!! Let her wait...
A name...
Tonight I went to see a good friend and she was a bit surprised to see me. Rather than greeting me with a casual Hi or Hello she greeted me with "Mike Lovich". It caught me a bit off guard since I wasn't ready for that greeting and it made me think. This is a typical greeting I get from those that I haven't seen or talked to in some time. Mike Lovich. My full name, but it is a bit more drawn out in some what of a cocky or sarcastic tone.
The greeting made me think of all the names that I have gone by over the years. Most of them have been nicknames more than names, but still have been a name for who I am. I have a rather common first name, so nicknames were easier to separate those of us with the same name. At work I go by Lovich since there was already a Mike and Michael. There names fit and so I just go by Lovich and everyone calls me by it. Here are just a few nicknames that I can remember from my past:
Lovy - Mikey - Pooh - Dippy - Drago - Loveitch - Bid Daddy - Hole - Mirko - Bud - Coach - Godfather - Ken - Dozer - Boss - Haus - Dreamer - Puppy
Each of these hold special meaning to me in one way or another. But I love my name. I'm named after my grandfather Michael Lovich. It's a strong, unique, and demanding name.
What ever I am called or go by with a certain friend, it is a memory that is a mile long. Those memories I hold dear.
Here's to a name...
The greeting made me think of all the names that I have gone by over the years. Most of them have been nicknames more than names, but still have been a name for who I am. I have a rather common first name, so nicknames were easier to separate those of us with the same name. At work I go by Lovich since there was already a Mike and Michael. There names fit and so I just go by Lovich and everyone calls me by it. Here are just a few nicknames that I can remember from my past:
Lovy - Mikey - Pooh - Dippy - Drago - Loveitch - Bid Daddy - Hole - Mirko - Bud - Coach - Godfather - Ken - Dozer - Boss - Haus - Dreamer - Puppy
Each of these hold special meaning to me in one way or another. But I love my name. I'm named after my grandfather Michael Lovich. It's a strong, unique, and demanding name.
What ever I am called or go by with a certain friend, it is a memory that is a mile long. Those memories I hold dear.
Here's to a name...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
My Mentor
A few weeks back I was in Northern Minnesota for a hockey tournament. I love going back to the area we were at because I spent five great years living there while going to college. The area hasn't changed much, and a lot of the guys at the rinks are the same ones that were there over ten years ago. I spent several hours throughout the winter referring youth games my first two years in college. While checking my team in with the Tournament Director we began to chat about how our team was doing and his association's as well. The conversation spread to how I went to college in the area, reffed, and also worked with the Mens' and Womens' hockey teams for the college. He began to laugh after I told him which years I did this and told me some of the greatest news that I could have gotten that cold evening. He proceeded to tell me that the former coach of the college was helping out his team. I couldn't believe it and was filled with excitement knowing that I was about to see my old friend.
After taking a few days to acclimate myself in my new position of Assistant Equipment Manager I finally got the guts to talk to "Coach". He was a living legend to me and one of the underlying reasons why I chose that college. Of course he attacked me with one of his quick one liners, but I stood my ground and fired one right back. He laughed so hard that I knew I had made a great friend already. In our future conversations we talked about his philosophies and the why behind everything that he did. He asked me one afternoon what I wanted to do for a job after school, and I shocked him by saying I wanted his job. He laughed and said, "you can have my job right now". He handed me his whistle and walked out of the rink for the night (I still have the whistle).
There are so many stories that I could tell about that glorious season. Record wise for the team it was terrible, but I learned so much from Coach I wouldn't have traded anything for that time that I spent with him. That season ended up being his last coaching at the college...
Here are a few of my favorite stories from that season:
-Having to escort (more like tackle and shove) Coach off the bench, into the locker room, and later on the bus while in Omaha. This was a road trip from hell! First off we took a bus to Omaha. The skate sharpener was broken and I was sharpening all of the skates blindly, and the floor in their locker room dulled them as fast as I could sharpen them.
-Being on National television while fixing the goaltenders glove. The puck had been lodged in the webbing and I had to reweave it in a few short minutes. Coach muttered to me to take a few extra minutes (probably because we were getting shelled) but I quickly fixed it up and sent him back to the net. Coach walked over and asked if I was a Boy Scout as a kid. I laughed and told him yes. A few minutes passed before he came back over and asked what kind of knot I had used. Calmly I told him it was the best one I could come up with. "Well what was it", he asked. With a big grin I whispered in his ear, "a Jewish one". Coach laughed so hard he almost pissed himself.
-Watching him try to open his room at the hotel in Grand Forks. We had given him the wrong room number and he about lost it. Couldn't figure out why the key (card) wouldn't open his dam door. He got a good chuckle after he realized I had just pulled of a great prank and was laughing hysterically.
-Coach rode one of the equipment trunks around on the luggage carousel at the airport in Denver after he won the pot for what would be the first thing down to the carousel. Nothing like watching a full grown man riding luggage around in circles giving people high fives while showing off his pot of money in the other hand.
-Getting to watch a game on television with him, and being the last two people out of the rink that night.
-After learning I was Russian and was taking it as my language in college only spoke to me in Russian for a week. My nickname then stuck... Mirko (Michael slang in Russian).
-Him telling me that he was going to resign at the end of the year. Several years later he said I was the first person, other than his wife and family, that he told.
After graduation I was lucky enough to run into him throughout the years. While I was in Graduate school in Denver I stopped by the rink on campus to see him. He was coaching at a different college at the time. We were catching up and talking about the program I was in and realized that we were the only ones in the rink still. He had missed the bus back to the hotel. That's right... they left Coach at the rink. We had a good laugh about it over dinner on the way back to his hotel. I went to the National Hockey Coached Convention in Naples, Florida later that year to see him receive an award after he retired on his own terms. In the middle of his speech he saw me in the crowd, stopped in the middle of the speech and gave me a wink and big grin. He was surrounded by several of the top coaches in the country, but he didn't care. He went out of his way to walk through the crowd and give me a big hug. A few years later I was coaching for my current association and ran into him at a restaurant. "I'm pretty sure everyone here is looking at you and not me for the first time while I ate." It was probably because our jackets look exactly like a rival of the local college. And now I run into him at of all places, the hockey rink for a youth hockey tournament.
"That coffee should be on the house". His booming voice through the crowd made me laugh as I paid the lady for my coffee. Coach came over and gave me a huge hug asked how I was. He told me how the other coach and his wife "tricked" him into coaching. I guess his wife knew that he still had the passion to teach the game. Coach always said he was a teacher and not really a coach. I took that philosophy and still use it with my teams.
Coach made sure that all of his players parents, as well as mine that I was his "heir apparent". He asked if I learned anything from him over our year while at the college or through our conversations. I thought that he was going to die when I pulled out a writing pad out of my jacket (of course with a red cover like he insisted on having). Our stories spilled out and were covered with anyone who would listen before the game. On the way to the benches he asked how I can deal with parents? I told him I didn't let them bother me, but of course they all thought think that the power play needed worked on. He just laughed and went to his respective bench.
We ended up losing to his team 4-2. After the game at center ice I got a huge hug as he wispered in my ear, "need to work on that power play!" Both of our goals happended to come on the power play...
Come Sunday my team was in the Consolation Championship game. With about four minutes left we were trailing 3-1. I called timeout and told the boys that we only needed one to win. I pulled the goaltender and we scored. The opposing team then called timeout and I told the boys they were going to win. With less then a minute left we scored to send it into overtime. During the intermission I told the boys that we were going to finish it within the first two shifts. I gave the boys the first two lines that I wanted out. On the second shift there was a turnover at our blueline and our player picked the puck up and raced down the boards. After crossing over the blueline he pulled a slapshot out of nowhere to beat the goalie and win! The guy in the penalty box went out of his way to shake my hand and tell me that was some of the best youth coaching he had ever seen. He was listening throughout the whole game what I was saying to the boys and just shook his head in amazement.
Coach was up in the stand with my players' parents the whole third period. He was telling them what he thought I was going to do, and my boys did exactly like he was telling the parents. The parents afterward said they thought he was more proud than they were about the win. Coach had seen what I do best... teach the game of hockey!
The tournament was the weekend before Christmas, and a ritual that I have is wear my "Christams Outfit". It consists of a black blazer, green shirt, red plad tie, and of course green plad pants (straight out of Caddyshack). With the trophy in hand I walked to our locker room but was stopped with another huge hug from Coach. He had tears in his eyes and told me how unbelieveable it all was. And then asked me if I got a bowl of soup with my outfit (another Caddyshack line). We laughed and he proclaimed the "Heir Apparent" had learned everything he had tried to teach me.
The whole trip home all I could think about was the smile on his face as I walked out of the rink with that trophy, and one of the greatest friendships I could ask for!
The man. The myth. The Legend.
My Mentor.
Mike Sertich
After taking a few days to acclimate myself in my new position of Assistant Equipment Manager I finally got the guts to talk to "Coach". He was a living legend to me and one of the underlying reasons why I chose that college. Of course he attacked me with one of his quick one liners, but I stood my ground and fired one right back. He laughed so hard that I knew I had made a great friend already. In our future conversations we talked about his philosophies and the why behind everything that he did. He asked me one afternoon what I wanted to do for a job after school, and I shocked him by saying I wanted his job. He laughed and said, "you can have my job right now". He handed me his whistle and walked out of the rink for the night (I still have the whistle).
There are so many stories that I could tell about that glorious season. Record wise for the team it was terrible, but I learned so much from Coach I wouldn't have traded anything for that time that I spent with him. That season ended up being his last coaching at the college...
Here are a few of my favorite stories from that season:
-Having to escort (more like tackle and shove) Coach off the bench, into the locker room, and later on the bus while in Omaha. This was a road trip from hell! First off we took a bus to Omaha. The skate sharpener was broken and I was sharpening all of the skates blindly, and the floor in their locker room dulled them as fast as I could sharpen them.
-Being on National television while fixing the goaltenders glove. The puck had been lodged in the webbing and I had to reweave it in a few short minutes. Coach muttered to me to take a few extra minutes (probably because we were getting shelled) but I quickly fixed it up and sent him back to the net. Coach walked over and asked if I was a Boy Scout as a kid. I laughed and told him yes. A few minutes passed before he came back over and asked what kind of knot I had used. Calmly I told him it was the best one I could come up with. "Well what was it", he asked. With a big grin I whispered in his ear, "a Jewish one". Coach laughed so hard he almost pissed himself.
-Watching him try to open his room at the hotel in Grand Forks. We had given him the wrong room number and he about lost it. Couldn't figure out why the key (card) wouldn't open his dam door. He got a good chuckle after he realized I had just pulled of a great prank and was laughing hysterically.
-Coach rode one of the equipment trunks around on the luggage carousel at the airport in Denver after he won the pot for what would be the first thing down to the carousel. Nothing like watching a full grown man riding luggage around in circles giving people high fives while showing off his pot of money in the other hand.
-Getting to watch a game on television with him, and being the last two people out of the rink that night.
-After learning I was Russian and was taking it as my language in college only spoke to me in Russian for a week. My nickname then stuck... Mirko (Michael slang in Russian).
-Him telling me that he was going to resign at the end of the year. Several years later he said I was the first person, other than his wife and family, that he told.
After graduation I was lucky enough to run into him throughout the years. While I was in Graduate school in Denver I stopped by the rink on campus to see him. He was coaching at a different college at the time. We were catching up and talking about the program I was in and realized that we were the only ones in the rink still. He had missed the bus back to the hotel. That's right... they left Coach at the rink. We had a good laugh about it over dinner on the way back to his hotel. I went to the National Hockey Coached Convention in Naples, Florida later that year to see him receive an award after he retired on his own terms. In the middle of his speech he saw me in the crowd, stopped in the middle of the speech and gave me a wink and big grin. He was surrounded by several of the top coaches in the country, but he didn't care. He went out of his way to walk through the crowd and give me a big hug. A few years later I was coaching for my current association and ran into him at a restaurant. "I'm pretty sure everyone here is looking at you and not me for the first time while I ate." It was probably because our jackets look exactly like a rival of the local college. And now I run into him at of all places, the hockey rink for a youth hockey tournament.
"That coffee should be on the house". His booming voice through the crowd made me laugh as I paid the lady for my coffee. Coach came over and gave me a huge hug asked how I was. He told me how the other coach and his wife "tricked" him into coaching. I guess his wife knew that he still had the passion to teach the game. Coach always said he was a teacher and not really a coach. I took that philosophy and still use it with my teams.
Coach made sure that all of his players parents, as well as mine that I was his "heir apparent". He asked if I learned anything from him over our year while at the college or through our conversations. I thought that he was going to die when I pulled out a writing pad out of my jacket (of course with a red cover like he insisted on having). Our stories spilled out and were covered with anyone who would listen before the game. On the way to the benches he asked how I can deal with parents? I told him I didn't let them bother me, but of course they all thought think that the power play needed worked on. He just laughed and went to his respective bench.
We ended up losing to his team 4-2. After the game at center ice I got a huge hug as he wispered in my ear, "need to work on that power play!" Both of our goals happended to come on the power play...
Come Sunday my team was in the Consolation Championship game. With about four minutes left we were trailing 3-1. I called timeout and told the boys that we only needed one to win. I pulled the goaltender and we scored. The opposing team then called timeout and I told the boys they were going to win. With less then a minute left we scored to send it into overtime. During the intermission I told the boys that we were going to finish it within the first two shifts. I gave the boys the first two lines that I wanted out. On the second shift there was a turnover at our blueline and our player picked the puck up and raced down the boards. After crossing over the blueline he pulled a slapshot out of nowhere to beat the goalie and win! The guy in the penalty box went out of his way to shake my hand and tell me that was some of the best youth coaching he had ever seen. He was listening throughout the whole game what I was saying to the boys and just shook his head in amazement.
Coach was up in the stand with my players' parents the whole third period. He was telling them what he thought I was going to do, and my boys did exactly like he was telling the parents. The parents afterward said they thought he was more proud than they were about the win. Coach had seen what I do best... teach the game of hockey!
The tournament was the weekend before Christmas, and a ritual that I have is wear my "Christams Outfit". It consists of a black blazer, green shirt, red plad tie, and of course green plad pants (straight out of Caddyshack). With the trophy in hand I walked to our locker room but was stopped with another huge hug from Coach. He had tears in his eyes and told me how unbelieveable it all was. And then asked me if I got a bowl of soup with my outfit (another Caddyshack line). We laughed and he proclaimed the "Heir Apparent" had learned everything he had tried to teach me.
The whole trip home all I could think about was the smile on his face as I walked out of the rink with that trophy, and one of the greatest friendships I could ask for!
The man. The myth. The Legend.
My Mentor.
Mike Sertich
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)