Where Am I, and Why Am I Singing “Don’t Stop Believing?”

Journeyman (n): a professional sportsman who plays for a large number of different clubs during his career.

Every sports fan knows at least one journeyman athlete (my personal favorite being the memorably named Scott Podsednik, now with his ninth team.) These are the players who get shuffled from Baltimore to Boston to Chicago to San Francisco and everywhere in between over the course of their career. They are usually not spectacular at any one thing, but competent in several different things. The only statistic in which they lead the league is frequent flyer miles.

I’ve been a journeyman most of my working life. Two years here, six months there, a brief cup of coffee somewhere else. I never seemed to stick at any one of them, and if I did, I got bored and/or didn’t get along with someone more important than I. Even before the Great Recession I was expendable. At best I’d get the equivalent of a trip down to the minors. Usually I just got cut outright. I’m afraid I have Podsednik beat in sheer numbers of teams/employers; I stopped counting at around 12 or 13.

All that’s changed now. I’ve managed to not just stick with a major-league caliber organization, but I’m about to accept a promotion after 18 months. In a sense I’m going to the Bigs. I’ll have a better salary than I’ve ever had before, not to mention more responsibility and greater challenges. To me it’s like going to play in Fenway Park after years at dusty bush league ballfields.

And I’m scared to death.

There’s a reason, I think, that I’ve enjoyed my time as a journeyman. Less is expected of me. I have more time to goof off (and blog, I suppose.) I can wear silly t-shirts to work if I like. I’m the last one who gets blamed if something goes badly.

This is different. This is me, I suppose, having to step up to the plate. With the promotion I’ll be considered for future openings and move my way up the proverbial ladder. Yeah, it’s intimidating. But I also have to think of my future. I can’t scrape out a living playing AA-ball forever. I don’t have a family and I live a spartan, minimalist life…but I’d like to be able to take a vacation now and then, or fix my car without going into debt.

I’ll be sure to keep you, my readers, in the loop as to how things go. My first scheduled day is May 14. And then it’s off to Detroit’s Motor City Con to see Dwight Schultz. Can’t wait!

What changes have occurred in your life that have been the most intimidating? Were you nervous when you took a step up at work or otherwise? Who’s your favorite journeyman player? Let’s hear it!

Author’s note: I was very saddened to hear of Junior Seau’s suicide this week. He was my favorite NFL player as a kid. I had his replica jersey and when I met him at Chargers camp he seemed like a great guy. I hope his decision to donate his brain to science will help prevent future tragedies such as this. RIP, Junior. I’ll miss you.

~ by Howlin' Mad Heather on May 4, 2012.