GaryTalk #1

Work hard, Play hard

I was fortunate to grow up in a family with a solid value system and strong work ethic, which both of my parents embodied and demanded. The roots of this story go way back to a time in Wisconsin when my Father was growing up on a golf course called Edgewood and doing all of the green work on the course. It was a big job for a young guy. On top of that, after he finished with the outside work, he came inside and filled in as the bartender/waiter/pool shark. My dad learned how to work Wisconsin hard at a young age, and he has kept on doing it his entire life. 

My dad taught me how to work hard. I started working in high school (waiting tables) and continued to work through college. The less time I had to study, the more efficiently I studied, and the better my grades were. Waiting tables will teach you more than any philosophy course, and you will learn the value of one single dollar. Wait 'til a table leaves you that one dollar tip - for filling many coffee refills, going back for extra maple syrup, packing the biscuits in a to-go-box, for ONE FLIPPING DOLLAR. Yep, that can be waiting tables, at times. It teaches you to value those dollars.

My dad was always a proponent of the adage Work Hard, Play Hard! 

On the weekend, my brother and I would see him having his buddies over to play music, stay up late, scream and holler, and have an absolute blast. Since then, my Dad has encouraged me to find the balance, and play hard! 

There is so much wisdom in this advice, which I have come to truly understand as I've gotten older. Tomorrow is my PLAY day, which will end at El Rodeo where Josh and I went on our very first date! There is so much fun in declaring play time, when you do what you love because you worked to have the time off to let loose!