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| Chris, Tim, Blaine, and Daryl |
As you know, Blaine has an ongoing project called "10 Questions For My Friends" where he has been interviewing his friends during these days of COVID-19 to help keep in touch. Today, Daryl Wills, Tim Bornemeier, and I, Chris Keck, came up with a few questions each to give you all a chance to know Blaine a little better.
Sure, you may know he is a writer professionally, or that he is a father and grandfather. Many may know him as a friend or at least a friendly face in his hometown of Ashland, NE. But did you know that he is also a philosopher, a preacher, an athlete, a coach, songwriter, and guitar player? Word on the street is he has a guitar carved from one piece of wood from an old oak tree that he won from a big-headed boy down in Lake of The Ozarks, where he challenged the boy to a guitar-picking contest.
Tim and I have known Blaine for over 40 years now, and Daryl has known him his whole life. We hope you enjoy reading this as much as we did.
From Tim:
Being a music aficionado, who is your favorite artist and why? Tell us how you relate your life to him or her.
This is a little like picking which of my children is my favorite. Impossible and inappropriate. Ha. That said, my all-time favorite is Bob Dylan, without question. He’s maybe my all-time favorite person. But there’s a lot of competition there.
There aren’t all that many things I like about myself, but one thing I do like is that I think I have an eclectic taste in music. It expands pretty much every week, if not daily. I remember when I was like 14 or so--that kind of snot-nosed, superior age where everything you like is right and everything else is second-rate--I was arguing with my dad about country music for some reason. I said I’d never listen to it. Ha. Pretty moronic statement because country music is really one of my favorite genres. Traditional country, western swing, bluegrass, and the sort of retro Waylon and Loretta and gritty country. Not contemporary. So, yeah, I like to experiment. Last week, I was listening to some Turkish metal and some French AC/DC covers that blew my mind. So, I’ve gotten over myself at least being that dumb and narrow-minded.
There’s a long list of deep influencers that would be “all-timers.” To paraphrase “High Fidelity,” an all-time favorite movie, there’s a lot of thought that goes into a making a decision like who is your all-time favorite. Ultimately, I’ll always rank Dylan at the top, for a lot of reasons. The lyrics and storytelling. The attitude and trailblazing. The many genres he crossed: folk, rock, country, standards, blues, etc. The spirit and confidence. The influence he’s had on poets, songwriters, bands, authors, teachers, Civil Rights movement, rap, hip hop, country, and on and on.
“Blood On The Tracks” is probably my favorite all-album. “Shooting Star” may be my favorite song. And on a whole different level, I always felt Dylan really got good mileage out of his life. He saw the world a million times. He won some really important awards. He gave a movement a voice, whether he admits it or not. Musicians are like the authors you read and come away from feeling really impacted by just passing through and even living vicariously through their words. I think people find their father figures in different places. Mine just were always writers, musicians, bands, poets, photographers, directors. People like that.
I think one way my life may have related to Dylan’s and other musicians that I really admire is that music is the thing that moves their soul. Like, it’s their religion. Therapist. Bastard child. Playground. Escape. It can really be everything. I sure the hell don’t have a trace of his talent, but I think I share the same feeling about music. There’s pretty much nothing else I’d like to do than be in a record store all day. Or at a really good concert where you meld into one with thousands of strangers. I also kind of attach music to people I know and events, moods, exercise, and other stuff. Plus, music is like some other things in my life; I tend to fixate on things that fascinate me, to the point I feel I have to know every fact and bit of information about it. My reliance on music probably isn’t healthy. 😊
If you could have one do over in life what would it be and why? What prevented you from doing it?
There are a few, for sure, including that I'd probably take a different career path. A couple would specifically have to do with sports, as well. I’d like to, for example, go back and really give basketball my best effort. Chris and I talk about this. I didn’t really come anywhere close to maximizing my potential, I think, and I’d just like to know how good I could have been. What prevented me from doing that was pretty much me. One, I hated lifting weights for some reason, and I’d go out of my way to not have to. I kind of felt like everything was about practicing your skills and then heart and understanding the game would make up the rest. Two, kids back then kind of learned on their own to a great extent. It wasn’t like the personal training and constant repetition you get under supervision now. So, other than some camps and in formal practices, you weren’t getting a lot of correction or guidance. Three, I found beer, and that doesn’t do a body good. Four, all the physical gifts weren’t there to begin with. Can't cover up for that. 😊
Definitely another do-over would be sticking with being a sports reporter. From about six years old or so, I absorbed the sports page pretty much every day, including every line of just about every box score. I’m pretty much the complete opposite of that now, but for many years, I was pretty far gone into sports. So, anyway, in college, I won a national award from the Collegiate Society For Journalists for sport column writing. That kind of validated a notion I had growing up about being a national syndicated sports columnist, like Frank Deford or Bill Plaschke. That or I wanted to be a beat reporter for an MLB or NBA team. Spend the day in the sun at ball parks, and then write my thoughts about the game and get paid for it.
Later on in college, I was an assistant sports editor, but I started to feel like I could write sports articles in my sleep, and I lost some interest in even watching games after a while. It kind of turned into work. So, I thought I’d try writing “serious news,” which intimated me at the time but felt like a good challenge. And it was. I think I was given the student government beat, which meant sitting in meetings, lots of protocol, agendas, rules of engagement. The first of lot of government meetings to come. I learned a ton, though, and it moved me in a different direction, but I wonder sometimes about what would have happened if I’d stuck on the original path.
Another dream was to be a writer for Rolling Stone or any other rock magazine where I got to interview rock stars, do crazy feature articles, and more. A third was to live in London and become the stereotypical alcoholic writer/poet, Bukowski style. “Barfly” had a pretty big impact on me, but I don’t have the alcoholic gene or a big enough tolerance for living in constant misery.
If you could build the “perfect Blaine” from different attributes of your closest friends, what attributes would you pick, from whom, and why?
Man, it would be a great pool to draw from for sure. I feel like, considering where I started from and what I hoped for myself, I’ve surpassed my initial hopes by a long way. I’ve met a lot of really smart, good, caring, passionate, creative, and dedicated people who are really maximizing their lives, not letting life exhaust them. People who have an influence on you, and you know they are having an influence even in the very moment. I also have really witty, funny, insightful friends, and some who I’d say are really enlightened. I’d say all are down to earth.
I think the attributes I’d pick would be ones I’m lacking in. Like, I have a real curiosity for life and trying stuff that’s out of my wheel house. What I’m sometimes lacking in is the verve to actually make it happen. Instead of forge, I float. So, I have quite a few friends who are the opposite, who see and do without the hesitation. I’d say I’d also borrow from some of my close friends who seemingly have patience for days no matter the circumstance. Like, I study stoicism daily, and initially, it was specifically to acquire the ability to not lose composure in difficult spots. I’ve gotten better, but that just comes natural to some friends I have. You just get a calming sense when you’re around them, like they’ve got things figured out and you believe they do.
From some other friends, I’d steal their long-term vision and ability to map strategies for themselves, their kids, etc. From some others, I’d take their kindness. I think I’m a nice guy, but not in all situations. Some of my friends can maintain a genuine kindness through about anything it seems. I have other friends who don’t accept half-work ass and don’t excuse it, and I like that, too. I’d definitely borrow from lots of my friends where parenting and communicating is concerned. Some are masters, and I certainly am not. I'm fairly introverted, which I've learned is just my way, but it's not always conducive for showing yourself in the best light, so I'd borrow a bit of some of my friends' outgoing nature.
In general, I’ve surrounded myself with great, good people, I think. That’s pretty much what I’m interested in. I’m not really interested in enduring assholes or people consumed with themselves. I really like original people with original ideas and people who see the big picture. I like hard workers and people who take responsibility. From others, I’d take some of their persistence and natural ability to comfort and inspire.
From Daryl:
You, Tim, Chris, and I used to meet as a group before we all went back to college for the year. We pondered who would be each other’s best man in our weddings. You picked your dad for your wedding. Tell us about that decision.
That had a lot to do with how my dad treated my mom while I growing up and on through today, and what that symbolized to me. No matter any other quality or trait my dad may or may not possess, he’s always been two things to my mom that I appreciated and wanted to carry on. First, he’s always been incredibly protective. Every kid sees their dad angry now and again. But the angriest times I saw my dad were when someone slighted my mom in some way—including me stupidly when I was a punk teenager. When you see a person who you know is completed dedicated to someone else, you feel it and it impacts you. My dad and mom are both that way to each other and always have been it seems. Second, he’s always been a loyal friend to her. They’ve been together since, jeez, junior high or so. Got married when she was 18 and he 17, and best friends the entire time. So, really, it was the example he set and continues to that really motivates me.
Beyond that, my dad (and my mom) were just always there for me and my sister, without question or hesitation, and not always under the easiest of circumstances. Asking him to be best man seemed like a good way to show my appreciation and respect for that. My parents both had challenging childhoods, and tackling life at such a young age wasn’t easy. They didn’t settle or fall into a rut, though. They’ve always worked damned hard, continued to educate themselves in all areas, raised two kids who made their way, and really made excellent lives for themselves. All that hadn’t played out yet before I got married, but the foundation was in place, and I learned a lot growing up in my house. My dad kind of set a tone for me of what a father and husband was going to have to take responsibility for, and some of the things you did weren't going to get noticed or maybe even appreciated. But that’s the job.
Symbolically, sometimes I think gestures speak louder than words.
You have had many animals in your life. A virtual zoo at times. Tell us about your life with all the animals, and how they have shaped your life.
Bonus question: What were some of the best names your animals had?
Ha, yes, we’ve had a lot of pets. It’s funny, we were just talking the other day about our childhood pets and all the pets we’ve had since. We've had hermit crabs, rats, a lizard, dogs, cats, a rabbit, frogs, fresh water fish, salt water fish, and probably many others I’m forgetting. Growing up, I wasn’t that much of an animal person really. We had dogs and cats when I was younger, but I was too busy playing sports or other stuff early on to stop long enough and spend lots of time with our pets. But other than in college, I always seemed to have a pet around in one way or another. Especially after I got married, the animal thing kicked in full force.
Right around the time that “Marley and Me” became popular in book form, we had a golden lab named Miles. Pretty much the epitome of what you want from a dog. So, many nights he and I would stay up the latest watching TV, and I’ve always had a pet like that it seems. That’s the prime bonding time for men and their pets, I think. That and yard work. Anyway, Miles was really special, and he really set the tone. The name “Miles” for me directly related to Miles Davis, and it’s a name I’ve liked, boy, since high school. We had Miles at a time when our older kids were really young, and Miles was a great protector and friend to them. We also had cats during the same period: Cleo and Scout. “Scout” was directly from “To Kill A Mocking Bird.” I don't believe your daughter (Cleo) was born then, so I'd like to say we named her after your Cleo, but I can't. 😊
Through the years, our other dogs have included Priscilla (Elvis’ queen), a mini border collie; Slim, a full-bred chocolate lab (his name was kind of prophetic because he turned out to be obsessed with food and far from slim); Sheldon, a Great Dane (“Big Bang Theory”), and now Apollo, a mini Australian shepherd (my youngest daughter named him); and Maybelle, a Great Dane (I say her name is a tribute to Mother Maybelle Carter; my wife and daughters think it’s because she looks like a dairy cow). Our other cats have included Sticky, Lou (Lou Reed), Beck (the singer), and Demiter (my oldest daughter named her). Cats that I had after college included Boethius, Abraham, and Dante.
You have written many poems, stories, and articles in your life. What were your best and worst ones, your inspirations, and the most difficult to write?
Side note: How many have become lyrics to songs?
When I was a reporter and just 21 or 22, anything involving the Legislature was extremely difficult. The language can be really arcane and stilted, and the documents always seem to take a really long path to get to the main points. But also, there was a lot of tracking down state senators over the phone from several hundred miles away, counting on them getting messages and returning your calls, and that kind of stuff. There wasn’t an Internet then, so background and resource material wasn’t always all that available, and you couldn't just do a simple search and get flooded with info. Also, portable recorders were kind of pain in the neck, they weren’t all that affordable, or sometimes reliable. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to do Legislature articles day in and out. I had the education, court, and medical beats, so I wasn’t covering the entire Legislature. I do remember, though, a bill called LB65 was in consideration for passage at the time, and it was a big deal. I don’t recall the exact specifics, but that was probably beyond my experience level at times, if I’m being honest, and it was the source for a lot of stress.
Emotionally, I covered two murder trials in the few years I was a reporter. One involved two teens who murdered a cashier at a convenience store for chump change. I got to the scene and her body was still on the ground. The other murder I covered involved a guy who also murdered an older woman senselessly. I actually wrote a really bad ode/poem about him. Really bad, which is fitting because he was, too. Back then, the sheriff deputies would walk the people waiting arraignments over from the jail, which wasn’t far away. The morning they brought the teens for theirs, the sidewalk was lined with numerous people and press members. Both the teens played it up for the cameras with smug smiles and acting without any remorse. It was about all I could do not to take a leap at them, but I think a lot of people were feeling that.
I wrote about technology for nearly 20 years before moving to what I do now, which concerns more writing about the major industries: trucking, agriculture, aviation, and construction. When I got hired in the late 1990s to write about technology, I had zero experience. The learning curve was literally straight up for me. I really didn’t know how to even scroll up and down a page with the side cursor; it was that bad. So, I got hired to walk beginners through things like installing a new hard drive, fixing your printer problems, and things like that. No clue on my part, though. So, everything I wrote, I had to research the hell out of first. Other people I worked with then knew the stuff already. Eventually, though, you catch on. It’s like learning how a car engine works.
So, it was challenging and in depth and stressful, but I really grew to love certain aspects of technology very much. I got to do a lot of cool things over the years, review products before the rest of the world saw them, interview people so smart it hurts your brain (and pride) a little, and more.
The very worst part of writing isn’t the actual writing, it’s living under multiple deadlines constantly and the fear of making a mistake. Switch one letter in a guy's name, for example, and you're going to get a call. Having to write on command for thing in the morning, every morning, isn't easy. It’s like anything else, some days you just don’t feel like it. Most days, you don’t have a choice.
I’d say my best stuff is maybe 25 poems or so that I’d really like even if I hadn’t of written them. That’s kind of how I judge my own stuff. Those generally came really fast and easily. The less I have to work for it, it seems the better result. I’d say the very first poem I wrote may be the worst one I've written, but it's also my favorite. It’s a horribly awkward love poem that probably had the opposite affect, but it’s the first one I wrote, and it opened up the world of “I think I want to be a writer one day” to me. So, I cherish it.
I do keep a book of song lyrics, but there aren’t many really. Every time I try to write a song, the music is OK, but the lyrics are really cheesy and bad for some reason. I’m not sure it’s my cup of tea. The same for non-fiction.
The last two years, I’ve tried to write a poem every day at lunch Monday through Friday. I’ve mostly done it. Lately, I’ve been trying to write weirder stuff. Here’s one for you:
The Snake
The snake you released,
that you teased to please,
that you sharpened the tongue to match the teeth,
he’s crawling like a scourge,
through my head,
through my sight,
around my sinking fears,
around my instincts blurred,
beaten complete,
bled dry,
fed lies,
mocked complete.
The mist he breathes,
the reality he seethes,
it froths.
It burns.
It churns among my forgiveness,
blackened into twisted souvenirs
left laying like dead flowers,
blowing circles with dirt-flavored cries.
But I’m no prisoner.
I’m no hole to be filled.
I’m no recipient of unwanted tears.
I lick your salt.
I’ll swallow your strength.
I’ll gnaw at your face
with the fury
of a soldier facing demise.
I’ll bite back intent,
rip your teeth from your gaping trap.
I’ll strap you down,
walk around your corpse,
leave you bitter and confused.
The pokes you darted
bruised but did not dent.
The lingering numbness
only amused my spirit,
only carved my path,
only widened the road
I’ll take beyond you.
The snake you unleashed,
I severed it’s head.
I cooked it whole.
I stole its soul.
But it’s skin I'll retain,
a reminder of the betrayal you craved.
From Chris:
As a writer, journalist, songwriter, and poet, you’ve written in several formats or genres. Do you have a favorite format or type of writing? Professional or personal? Where’s your preferred space when it comes to writing.
I kind of talked about some of this with Daryl’s question, but I’d say poetry is my favorite format. Although, I’m pretty quick to admit that I’m most likely not meeting any of the traditional and standard rules regarding how they’re supposed to be structured. That kind of bores me, and I just want to concentrate on the message and hopefully delivering it with some impact. Overall, I’m a master of the jilted, dark, moody poem. I don’t do “positive” nearly as well. Thus, the one-time alcohol-writer dream.
Professionally, doing research on an interview subject, formulating good questions, and then doing the interview was my favorite thing to write and work on. I used to do this monthly piece called “Technically Speaking” where I’d interview someone notably from any one of the many technology sectors, and it was always educating, insightful, and enjoying. It’s always nice when someone says something nice about your writing, but when you ask someone of prominence a question, and he or she responds with, “That’s a really good question” or “I never thought of it that way,” that’s really cool.
My preferred space used to be anywhere in the sun with a notebook and pen. I still journal every day that way, but if I’m writing something really long, I prefer a keyboard and headphones with jazz, blues, classical, or any other music playing, but I prefer without lyrics. As long as I can’t hear the outside world, I can write just about anywhere. For years now, I’ve been writing all day long surrounded by salespeople and others on the phones all day long. And reporting toughens you up to being able to write fast and in loud environments, too.
The times I love writing the most is late, late into the night when it's extremely quiet and there's been some kind of fire lit to motivate me. I’ve found those times come far and fewer between when your life isn’t full of angst, you live alone, and there's not someone there to say, "Dude, get a grip." 😊
We’ve discussed religion, spirituality, and being part of a larger “whole.” How do you find your “center” or state of peace? During these crazy times, is there something you do on the regular that helps you unwind or decompress?
I ended up minoring in philosophy in college, and that really opened up a lot of doors for me I guess in terms of exploring different ideologies, perspectives, theories, underlying themes, and more, including the absolutely necessary elements of virtue and fortune and morality and integrity and other fundamentals guiding my life. I always had a similar curiosity in both formal and more off-the-beaten-path religions and faiths, but I just never really had the exposure to formal religions until later on in life.
After college, I lived alone without a TV for, man, like 1.5 to 2 years, so I just read. I read most of the Bible on and off during that time, but it was kind of like reading a text book without an instructor present to guide you along. In my mid-30s, though, my wife got me to start attending a Disciples of Christ church, and pretty soon, I was going weekly. The main motivator there was the reverend, Duncan, who gave these very philosophical-steeped sermons with all kinds of message concerning ethics, morals, bravery, strength, acceptance, and living through purposeful fellowship. We started having lunch together pretty regularly, and that just opened more worlds to me. Side note: Eventually, I was baptized at the same time as a group of younger kids. I think I was 37 or 38, so it was a great scene. I also served on the church board for a couple years and even gave a sermon one Sunday when Duncan was on vacation. So, I tend to come in and out of that faith journey, and I guess I probably will until I die.
Since 2016, I’ve really been studying stoicism pretty seriously, and it falls in line with a lot of the Zen and Buddhist teachings I pattern parts of my life on. Buddhism is something I've been pretty active with going back 30 years or more. I meditate, although usually in bed at night because I’ve grown into being a chronically bad sleeper. I also journal on some meditative prompt or another every day. I really try to practice stoicism, Taosim, Russian philosophy, or whatever else I think I can benefit from. The aim is to not just read, but to live the philosophy. I started studying stoicism, for example, specifically because I want the ability to adapt without fear or hesitation to whatever situation presents itself. Also, I started studying to gradually rewire my brain so that I’m cognizant that what I control is exactly that, what I control. No more or less. Ultimately, it’s all about living a purposeful life, being productive, and always learning during the time I've been given, which is finite. So get busy!
Professional Wrestling has been a popular topic for us over the last 40 some years. Who is your favorite wrestler of all time? Why? Do you like today’s version or did you like it better back in the 70’s and 80’s? Did you ever meet a wrestler in person and if you did what was that experience like?
Bonus question: favorite tag team.
Yeah, so, I fell hard for pro wrestling the first time I saw. Like I mentioned earlier, there are certain things over the years that I get obsessed about. This was probably one of the first of those things. AWA wrestling airing out of Minnesota. Verge Gagne is the owner. Airs on Sunday night at 10 p.m. when I’m like five or six years old, I guess. About the same time frame, I see a Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine while standing in line at No Frills with my mom. She wouldn’t buy it for me, but dad did later, and that continued on until I think I went to college. It wasn’t much of a magazine, but it took me to Japan, Mexico, Germany, Canada, and all through the states with the “articles” they published. And as we've talked about, there was the lost art of "apartment wrestling" to fill in any of the gaps. Ha.
I’ve heard just about every slight and joke about pro wrestling over the years, and look, from pretty early on, I knew what the deal was in terms of it being “fake.” I just didn’t care. For a short time, it all was real to me. Today, I still don’t care that it's "fake." Shakespeare's plays aren't fact. They're filled with intentional drama. Either is “Cancer Ward,” my favorite book, by Solzhenitsyn. But they’re all based on realistic events. There was just something about the suspended reality of it all that drew me in, captivated, and kept my childhood sensibility intact.
Some kids sink into comic books or Barbies or whatever. I sank into wrestling. So today, I have an encyclopedic mind for it. It's a little spooky actually. And the truth is, other than a few times a year, I don’t even watch it. I’m just enthralled and absorbed in what goes on behind the scenes. I always have been about all kinds of stuff, whether it’s the mob, prison culture, carnivals, or other sub-societies. With wrestling, I’ve always been fascinated by the code that exists, the traveling circus mentality, the dirty politics, the larger than life characters that seemingly otherwise normal men and women are able to create and grow popular on. And the psychology and the humor. I’d say I love the business of pro wrestling far more than the actual ring action, but there was a time when I was all in. Ask any old friends, girlfriends, my mother, my kids, or my wife. Ha.
True story: At 14 or 15, I started making serious plans to get a job at Pro Wrestling Illustrated or some other magazine. That, or I wanted to move to the south and become a manager. I knew I wasn’t big enough to do the ring work, but I really wanted that fantastical life. The summer I turned 16, I had a girlfriend who had a friend who visited from Georgia, the hotbed of Southern professional wrestling. I made her promise me she'd visit The Omni when she got back and get me autographs. I'm still waiting.
Favorite three all-time wrestlers in this order: Dusty Rhodes “The American Dream,” Bruiser Brody (I wore a Bruiser T-shirt during my first half-marathon), and the Nature Boy Ric Flair.
Favorite tag team: Tie between the Road Warriors and The Fabulous Freebirds.
I’ve been to many shows but never directly met a wrestler. I kind of don’t want to. I’ve interviewed some rock stars and actors, and a few were not cool people. Tim, however, did meet the Nature Boy one night in a Kansas bar, and my son served Chris Jericho many drinks one night not long ago at the bar he worked at in Omaha where Jericho’s band was playing. So, by association I guess. 😊
OK, last question: You’ve asked a similar question to each of us, what is the best and worst part about knowing each of us?
Honestly, the “worst” part is the same “worst” part I feel about everyone I really care about deeply: I just worry when they worry. I stress when they stress. I’m bothered when they’re bothered. I feel I struggle when they struggle, whether it’s because they’ve recently lost a job, are struggling in their faith, having a parenting problem, or whatever. With you three specifically, that’s always been true even more so, and I’m sure it always will be. You three are really successful and accomplished, and it’s probably you that should be worrying about me, but I’ll always be invested in a major way.
Maybe a close second “worst” thing would be something Tim mentioned in his interview: I don’t see you all in person nearly enough. That really bothers me because time is fleeting.
The best thing about each of you:
Daryl: He makes me laugh like no one else does. That alone makes him special. But he’s so much more than that. There are many things I like about Daryl—his innocence, his lack of pretense, his humbleness and respect, his creativity, and on and on—but I really love is that in a lot of ways, he’s remained a kid at heart. I try to live life that way, too, so I feel connected that way. Like, D loves Halloween, cooking, playing sports, creating projects, and all types of other stuff that some people let themselves outgrow. Also, like Chris and Tim, Daryl is a devoted family man, and he treats people right. I don’t hear Daryl passing judgement or discounting people outright, and I really admire that evenness about him.
Tim: The best thing about knowing Tim is that he’s a natural leader and isn’t afraid of taking charge. That can be really reassuring and comforting. I can’t recall ever seeing him flat-out panic, even when there was some serious shit going down. He kind of assesses the situation, determines the best course of action, and jumps in. A lot of people I know do the opposite. Deflect responsibility or try to put it off on someone else. He doesn’t, and I’ve always admired that, and I’ve benefited from it directly. I’ve mentioned it before, but I feel a strong connection with Tim because of where we started from and where we ended up. I love people in general who scrap, claw, dig in, and get things done because they have that internal fire. He showed me that going way back to high school track. Not many people I think really saw his potential or nurtured him along, so he just worked hard, improved himself, and grabbed success anyway. I held his blocks during a lot of the races he won gold medals in, and it was really special to watch a close friend morph into a special athlete and person.
Chris: The best thing about knowing Chris is how well-rounded he is and how committed to excellence I think he is. Anyone who knows Chris knows that he’s incredibly funny and sarcastic and quick-witted, but he’s also a really deep thinker and profound and wise. I don’t think as many people get as strong a glimpse at those traits, but they are pretty considerable. I feel connected to Chris because he’s seemingly always brainstorming and coming up with new ideas for projects. He's also extremely good at setting long-term goals and working incrementally to accomplish them. That’s really far out of my wheelhouse, so I’ve really drawn a lot of inspiration from him in that way. Also, while some people might not appreciate it, Chris has a way of bringing you back down to earth when your ego starts to soar a little too high or a little too long. Make a bad golf shot, for example, and he isn’t going to likely say, “That’s OK, you’ll get it next time.” He’s more likely to say, “Dude, what the hell?” That’s far more helpful to me in the long run. Chris is also proactively caring. He often goes out of his way to check up on me when things are going sideways. That’s invaluable.
Collectively, you guys really are brothers in every sense other than blood, and in Daryl’s case, there is a blood relationship. I’ve had a lot of friends and acquaintances over the years, but this is the one group that’s always remained intact, and the one group of friends I never really question. There are squabbles, and there’s been extra space between us during some periods, but I’ve never believed in the distance as being permanent or inflicting long-term damage. I always believed in the core of the friendships as being ever-lasting. I’ve had lots of friends over the years that I’m friendly with, but you only get that few that you instantly fall back into a natural ease with. That doesn’t come along too often, and I feel super fortunate that I’ve had that since I was 12 or so. It really is an immeasurable gift to have that kind of support and love. I think everyone should be an individual, but also be part of a pack isn't all bad, either.
