Career Milestones – Work Anniversaries

Career Milestones – Current Position

A few career milestones occurred to me recently. January 28th marked my 2nd anniversary of working as a marketing specialist in the B2B industry for a national packaging distributor and part of a team to grow with, share knowledge and learn. Since starting, I’m thankful for the help I’ve received to learn new skills and to apply my marketing experience from past positions for continued growth.

Working From Home Career Milestones
Career Milestones – Working From Home Setup March-November 2020

Over the past few years, I’ve learned more about Microsoft 365, Windows 10 and learned another content management system in my career. (I’ve been exclusively working on an iMac and primarily using Adobe Creative Suite – Media Encoder, Premiere Pro, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign – since I graduated college. Additionally, I’ve adapted to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic and have become more comfortable with video chat software to work remotely. Over these two years, I’ve enjoyed adding to my career experiences and look forward to more adventures!

Career Reflections

2021 will hold a few other career milestones. January 28th, 2021 was also the 2-year mark of starting in the B2B industry. October 2021 will be the 3-year mark of leaving the outdoor industry. I enjoyed engaging with and building social networks and website audiences for a leading outdoor TV station and legendary fishing brands. The engagement between an outdoor brand and its audience is what I enjoy about the outdoor industry. The passion for the outdoor lifestyle is very evident and builds strong relationships, even amidst controversial topics. The outdoor audience likes speaking their minds. This unity and camaraderie are present at tradeshows, conferences, and on social networks. It was a joy to experience as one who is also part of this adventurous lifestyle.

The TV network continues to be one of the best places I worked at due to the camaraderie and a large amount of work accomplished as a smaller company. I feel I could contact any of my previous colleges, and we’d pick up as if it were yesterday. (Had the TV network not been acquired and relocated outside of Wisconsin, I see the possibility of still being there today.)

Career Enjoyment

I’m very grateful for my current opportunity to learn and grow in the B2B arena and the team-oriented culture I enjoy. It’s also one of the best places I’ve worked at! I’m looking forward to using more of my marketing/creative skills in the future! — Remember, behind every challenge is a reward.

Basement Office Career Milestones
Career Milestones – Basement Office November 2020-Present 🙂 (We moved to our new house in November 2020.)

Quarantine Adventures of 2020

Adventures, Challenges & Perseverance

Adventures, both good and bad, is how I think of 2020. The year 2020, what a challenge! What an adventure. What a disappointment. Resilience and perseverance are needed characteristics in life, both coming in handy during 2020. I hope that 2020 allowed folks to focus on the simple things in life. Yet, many do not want to remember 2020. I believe every day is a gift. Every year as well. I had to try a bit harder to cope with 2020 than other years to find the silver linings and be thankful.

What Carried Me Through

  • Technology – from learning to communicate better via video chat software to watching church services from home via Chromecast, technology shined.
  • Adapting to constant change – Both in work & family life
  • Family & family time (the increase in family time was an incredible perk. I got to share countless breakfasts with my daughter & wife during the time I would have been commuting to work.)
  • Journaling – A great outlet! This allowed me to cope with feeling isolated early in the COVID-19 pandemic while adjusting to being in an empty house for workdays. I was able to get out my thoughts.
  • An exercise routine. Exercising was a priority each morning, and I kept the same exercise time I had while going to the gym. 5 am – 6 am or 4:45 am – 5:30 am.
  • Video editing: this is something I enjoy doing. It was great using a professional skill to create a memorable family home video shared with family and friends we did not get to see.
  • Lifestyle pursuits – turkey hunting & woodworking allowed for needed camaraderie.
  • Becoming a dad again with the birth of a son in August 🙂
  • Faith – Trusting in God, though hard this year, brought me through it all.

Creating a Video Keepsake

Often times, it’s the challenges in life that turn into memorable adventures! Working from home has been an incredible blessing to my family and me, with the proper mindset. There still are challenges to overcome on a daily basis, and that’s what makes life worth living. Try to see the little “wins” of a moment and learn to love the simple things in life. To be mentally & physically refreshed each day, I try to exercise every morning by either walking, running, or biking.

Despite the challenges of 2020, there are many highlights! This video showcases memorable experiences that occurred during the safer-at-home ordinance implemented by the Wisconsin governor.

About this video:
As a family, we took home videos and our experiences are shared with you in this video.
During my early morning bike rides, I captured footage of sunrises and other scenic views. I wanted a video to stand the test of time and reflect on this unique experience during the journey of my life. Editing this video is a personal best for me of 2020. Remember, optimism can be found in the midst of hardship.

Keeping an Optimistic View

Overall, it was my faith that carried me through and strengthened my spirit. Looking back, 2020 reminds me of how important mental health is, even more so than physical health. Yet, physical health makes you mentally stronger. And, being mentally healthy allows you to keep going when your body is saying “no!” It’s the human spirit that 2020 heavily tested. Feeling emotionally distant from family and close friends is tough. Video chatting can help, though face-to-face interaction reigns supreme.

Journaling about Exercise Adventures

Deep down, I had to find the motivation to keep working out when the gym & aquatic center closed. I found alternative ways to exercise from my usual routine of the past several years. To help my motivation, I journaled about what I did every day. The fear of not writing an entry about exercise kept me on a consistent regimen. Setting goals also kept me mentally sharp and to feel optimistic about accomplishing them. I set a goal to do 100 pushups every day during the stay-at-home ordinance implemented by the Wisconsin governor. Because it was dark during my 5:15-5:30 am morning runs, I would pick a street light and visualize it being a light at the end of this dark pandemic. Doing so made me run faster and lift my spirits. On days I did not run, walk, or bike outdoors, my attitude suffered. Getting outside increased my mood and produced an optimistic outlook for the day. (My journaling about exercise led me to journal about every day things my family & I did. Such as how we celebrated Easter, birthdays (my wife’s in March, mine in April), and hitting 200k miles on one of our vehicles on April 13, which is the first time achieving 200k on a car!)

Workouts by the numbers during the safer-at-home order from March-May:

  • 3,583 pushups (My goal was 100 per day.)
  • 10 runs – met my goal doing a 4-mile run
  • 12 walks
  • 12 bike rides – longest bike ride was 8 miles

Overall, 2020 saw many highlights. Most highlights came from setting personal goals for myself- such as doing a certain number of pushups, running, biking, or walking a certain number of miles. I’m a goal-oriented person who enjoys the feeling of accomplishment. Even for those who may not be naturally goal-oriented, my advice is to set goals. Becoming goal-oriented is attainable and builds accountability, confidence, and boosts your mood. Goal setting is a great way to lift your spirits and become mentally stronger.

Cheers to a new year and the adventures of 2021!

Reflecting on Writing & Blogging

Reflecting: Life Changes & Blog Purpose

It has been a while since I have created a post. I have been reflecting on how to set aside the time to create content. I originally started this blog as a hobby since I enjoy writing and expressing my thoughts. Writing is a creative outlet for me. I enjoy reflecting on my experiences and sharing them. However, my priorities have shifted since getting married in 2015 and with becoming a dad in 2017. Although I have still been writing, blogging has been placed lower on my priority list. Being a dad and husband are my most important jobs.

What’s Next?

I believe I am reaching a point where I’ll be able to begin blogging again. For me, writing is refreshing. During 2020 I journaled about my experiences dealing with the pandemic and the safer-at-home ordinance implemented by the Wisconsin governor. The main reason I journaled was to cope with the pandemic. Secondly, I wanted to remember my experiences to share with my kids and God-willing grandkids someday. Being a reflective person, writing down my thoughts comes easily to me. The next post will be about the memories created during the pandemic in video form!

Previous Posts

In the meantime, see these last posts from my time at Sportsman Channel. (These posts are no longer active on Sportsman Channel, so I wanted to get them on my website as a keepsake.) Adding these posts are a great way to reflect on my career experiences.

When I added these, I included background info on how the idea started or why I choose to write the blogs. Even if you read them before, the additional commentary may be interesting for you. Thanks again!

23 Signs You’re Addicted To Fishing

This is a post from my time working as a digital marketer for Sportsman Channel. I enjoyed contributing to the blog at Sportsman Channel by sharing my love for fishing. After all, I’m addicted to fishing!

By far, this is my favorite post that I wrote for Sportsman Channel. One morning, while on a run, a lightbulb turned on to write “10 signs you’re addicted to fishing.” Upon arriving at the office after my morning workout, I jotted down my ideas, then asked colleagues around the office for theirs. I soon realized I had 23, which you can read about below. Enjoy!

By Josh Schwartz – written for Sportsman Channel – May 2015
We catch a buzz from fishing, and we embrace your fishing addiction. We’re addicted to fishing too! The only rehab for fishing is more fishing. So, here’s 23 signs you’re addicted to fishing:

1. You bring your kayak to work and it stays in your truck, so you’re always prepared.

2. Your fishing gear stays in your vehicle.

3. One more cast means one more cast in every direction, so, 10 or more casts.

last cast while fishing

To us addicted to fishing folks, “one last cast” means “one last cast in every direction.”

4. You squeeze in fishing before work and/or on lunch break.

5. You believe the only rehab for fishing is … more fishing!

6. You’ve brought your boat to work, to fish after work.

A car pulling a canoe trailer

If you’ve added a trailer hitch to every vehicle you’ve owned, you’re addicted to fishing.

7. While grocery shopping at Wal-Mart you walk out with fishing gear instead.

8. You find yourself looking for the sporting goods section at stores.

9. When you see a pond you think, “there’s gotta be bass in there.”

10. The word “bass” isn’t the subs in a car, it’s the fish.

11. You favor gas stations that sell bait and know which gas stations sell bait in a 5-mile radius of your house.

12. You’ve got 99 problems but fishing gear’s not any of them.

13. You cringe when you hear, “birds nest.”

14. Opening day means fishing, not baseball.

15. You mow your lawn at night so you have more daylight for fishing.

16. You name your first two kids Gill and Fin.

17. You have more fishing poles than socks.

18. You’re asked, “Why do you have so many fishing poles?”

19. Every lens you own is polarized.

20. You know ‘walking the dog’ doesn’t require a leash, nor a dog!

21. You have more pictures of your trophy catches on your desk than of family.

22. The local tackle shop knows you by name.

23. All your selfies have fish in them.

josh addicted to fishing for smallmouth bass

This guy is addicted to fishing for smallmouth bass.

Appreciating Nature While Outdoors

Appreciating Nature – God’s Creation 

snow on trees

Each time you’re afield, take time to appreciate nature; things that you can only observe from being outdoors. Sounds simple, though, do we always do this?

While out hunting during this past year, this thought came to mind, “enjoy the simple and come back for more.”

Slow… down… and enjoy the world around you; observe what’s around you. What’s the weather doing? How do the trees look? What’s above you? What are you walking on, dirt, sand, gravel, is there a marsh coming up?

Feel the sense of freedom of the great outdoors. Exploration makes up hunting as well as the shot itself. It’s just another reason why “smacking some birds” or “smoking a deer” are not the only things that make up hunting.

appreciating nature

Reached out to catch the snowflakes as they fell during Wisconsin’s late bowhunting season.

 

Take snowflakes for example. We have learned that snowflakes are geometric patterns either from articles, science class or pictures of them.  However, to actually hold a snowflake in your hand and make out their geometric design is awesome and in real time. It’s one of the mysteries of God’s creation. God created this world for us, you and I to enjoy.

A random thought here, It’s always amazing to me how the trees can grow upright, against gravity.

 

 

appreciate nature

Saw a fallen tree from a distance and pictured myself making a fort of it if I were stranded.

This post been in my head for a while so decided to take a break from the venison recipes to share. Next post will continue the venison recipe series.

The Hunt Continues

The Hunt Continues After The Shot.

(Second blog post on my first deer.)

Remember, the hunt continues after the shot. After the shot, the deer will need to be gutted. After gutting, the deer will need to be skinned and processed. It’s why hunters say, “the shot is just one part of hunting.”

My dad, grandpa and I worked to skin and quarter my first deer. (The quartering process was another part of the hunt that made memories.) After skinning, I took the meat to be processed. Taking the meat to be processed took priority to getting the head and hide to the taxidermist.

Cooking Your Trophy Is the Greatest Trophy

In my book, the meat was the trophy. I say this because when fishing and hunting, obtaining a meal is my main objective. The goal of my previous deer hunts was to obtain deer meat. Going 13 years without shooting a deer, made each meal of my first deer it’s own trophy. With my first deer, I’m able to cook meals with meat from a deer I shot myself. (Achieving the goal set when obtaining my hunter’s safety license.) At each meal, memories of those who have helped me come to life again.

grilled deer heart

Grilling the heart of my first deer. Eating the heart brought the hunt full circle that much more.

When eating wild game from your hunts, the hunt is prolonged. Each time I sink my teeth into venison, I relive the shot, as well as, gutting and skinning the deer.

First deer mount

The European mount of my first deer was a bonus. Trophy from the hunt: venison and sharing time with family

Gain Responsibility 

It’s a fact that hunting also teaches how to be responsible with the game you kill. Hunters should remember this; anti-hunters must learn to understand this. Therefore, as a sportsman, I want to respect the animal by making sure the meat does not go to waste. This is why hunting teaches responsibility. Hunters learn the value of life and what it means to be a steward of the land.

Learn Cooking Skills

Just as fishing helps me cook, hunting teaches me about cooking as well. In the next series of blog posts I will be sharing meals and recipes made with the venison from my first deer taken during the 2013 Wisconsin bowhunting season.

Here’s a few venison meals – more meals to be added to this list:

The Hunt Continues

Above all, I’ll continue to look forward to future hunts and meals with wild game and fish, and, yearn for the next hunting season. It’s why “the hunt continues.” And if I don’t get anything, that’s alright too. My passion for the adventure and the thrill of even finding sign is what drives me. Read more on the following posts:

Blacksmith For A Night

A while back there was an older movie involving the career of a blacksmith on a local TV channel that caught my attention as I was making dinner.

Although I do not remember the name of the movie, I do remember the setting…

The setting of the movie takes place in early century England. The main characters are a blacksmith and his family. Watching the program reminded me how fascinated I am with the job of a blacksmith, so, I jotted down the following:

If I lived back when blacksmiths were popular, I would hope to be a blacksmith. Why? Well, I would enjoy the hard work, lifting heavy tools, making tools, becoming better at my craft and sharing knowledge with other blacksmiths.

Getting scars, burns and other wounds from the job would not deter me, but rather, encourage me.

Sitting back to admire my hard work would bring satisfaction. It’s the sweat, the heat of working by fire and forming the metal that interests me.

I desire the feeling of accomplishment along with thinking about ways to work smarter and harder. Working smart is finding ways to become efficient with your time so you can accomplish more. Working hard allows you to accomplish more with the additional free time. It’s a continual cycle that will streamline your workflow.

Knowing my hard work will be used in a practical way would keep me going. Through my actions I’m recognized; respected for the work of my hands. I love the idea of excelling at hard work; having something physical to show for my sweat is rewarding.

Memorial Day Reflections

Memorial Day Reflections

American Flag. Battle. Freedom. All are Memorial Day reflections; feel them in your soul. Allow yourself to feel the depth of how our country was founded and what it took to defend our freedom. Soldiers have fallen in battle to protect our freedom. Ponder this, men and women were willing to die for future generations. Generations they may not get the chance to see.

memorial day reflections

The flag, eagle, and words USA are symbols with deep meaning.

Freedom. It’s the ultimate form of expression. It’s also America’s heart and soul. It’s what my fellow Americans enjoy everyday. Let us not forget why we can enjoy our freedom.

God blesses us with freedom and blesses our military with men and women who were willing to die defending freedom. Listen to the line in Lee Greenwood’s song:

God Bless The USA, “I’ll never forget those who died who gave that right to me.”

The hobbies you have, the free will to do them, and the freedom to spend time enjoying them are the result of the soldiers who died in combat. Let us continue to think about this.

The soldiers who died in combat were fighting for the freedom we’re using to celebrate today. Whether you want to celebrate by: fishing, going to a parade, grill burgers, drink, have a campfire, go camping, or stay inside, the freedom of these choices was fought for.

We are blessed for what those soldiers have done for you and I. We are further blessed for what servicemen continue to do.

Be proud of the fallen soldiers who fought for America.

Be proud of the fallen soldiers who fought for America.

Let every fellow man come together regardless of party and realize what has gone into the making of this country.

Zac Brown Band’s song:

Chickenfried provides a line for Memorial Day Reflections, “Salute the ones who died, the one’s who give their lives.

The reason we are celebrating this holiday is for all the fallen soldiers who gave their lives that we may continue to celebrate in freedom. May we all take time to think about the meaning while we celebrate each Memorial Day.

By Josh Schwartz 2013.

Contentment Is Great Gain

Contentment is tough to hang on to, yet necessary to keep.

Being content is making the best with the old, the hand-me-downs and possessions you already have. It’s about realizing what’s practical for your current stage of life as it will bring balance, comfort, and fulfillment.

Contentment

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Knowing Where You Stand
It’s not about having the best, but rather, making the best of what you have. Doing so takes patience, which encourages ingenuity because you’ll find ways to improve what you have. You may even find that customizing an old item is better than what’s on the market today, or simply, meets your needs.

Still Aim For Higher Ground
If you make the best of what you have you’ll know where there’s room for improvement. You can still improve the quality of your life, be ambitious, and reach for the clouds. It’s important to have balance so you avoid complacency.

Appreciate What You Have
Be thankful for what you have. Making the best of what you have also encourages you to take care of your things. So when you can afford a better option or replacement you’ll have the wisdom to make the new item last. If you can’t take care of the old, how will you take care of the new?

Furthermore, contentment helps to look for ways to make the best of situations. Making the best of what you have allows you to be content with what you have and means you’ll have a positive outlook on life. You’ll be able to make the best out of struggles you face, even those unexpected ones. Thus, it’s rewarding to teach yourself to be content.

R.I.P. Greed
Contentment provides motivation to live within your means, drowning out materialism. It’s challenging but keep in mind that material possessions come and go, rot, rust, and get old. Don’t let this happen to your outlook on life.

Be At Ease
When content, you’ll feel at peace with yourself. Being at peace with yourself keeps you grounded and is crucial for maintaining good spiritual, mental, and physical health. It brings a comforting feeling to the current stage of your life while allowing you to work toward your goals. Don’t get caught up in what people say you should have. Remember if you can afford it’s a good deal, both time, dollar, and resource wise.

Contentment’s a handy key to keep with you throughout your life. It’ll help you realize your blessings and give you balance.

 

This is the third in a continuing series about discovering your personal key chain.

Add Persistence To Your Key Chain

Persistence

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
:: Thomas Edison

 

You can use persistence in all aspects of life. Persistence is an intangible key that will bring reward while facing challenges in life.

A recent example is water damage I was experiencing in my apartment. I kept checking-in with my landlord and my problem was solved. In such situations, you can’t assume one phone call to your landlord will be enough.

For me, persistence is the yearning to continue until I get a desired result. I closely associate persistence to perseverance and endurance.

Why? It’s continuing to try even while experiencing adversity. Re-read the previous sentence.

When faced with hardship, continue to press on. Will it be easy? No, prepare to work through frustration. Prepare to work through pain. Will it be rewarding? Yes. Prepare to feel success; to find new-found confidence.

Working through hardships in life strengthens your character to face future adversity. Upon overcoming challenges, you’ll feel more confident when presented with future challenges, and you will see reward.

 

Think about what you enjoy to do. Persistence comes in handy for the following activities:

Finding a job – Keep your focus. Follow-up. Maintain a positive attitude. Continue to apply.

Fishing – Keep fishing when the fish stop biting

Hunting – Continue to hunt even if you don’t see the game you’re after

Working out/Sports – When you feel a side cramp coming on, keep running. Play hard the entire game, whether your team is losing or winning.

Graphic/web design – Software/coding can be stubborn, persistence is a way to feel those “aha” moments. Keep trying to bring your vision to life.

See a pattern? Keep and continue are used over again. No challenge, or any word similar to “challenge”, is a ticket to quit.

You see, being presented with a challenge means being presented with an opportunity. You can tell yourself to quit, or continue. Believe in yourself, your ability; and spark that curiosity to always try one more time. Will trying one more time accomplish what you started?

In life you’ll face opposition, difficulties, and failure. And to overcome these obstacles you must keep going. Persistence is key; add it to your keychain.

 

This is the second of a continuing series on discovering your intangible key chain.