Always Spin the Wheel

Last January, Elizabeth and I took part in a book expo in The Villages.  Part of our setup included a spinning wheel.  Visitors could spin the wheel and win a prize.  We gave away candy, book marks and slips of paper with “life lessons”.  The lessons looked like the fortunes you’d find in a fortune cookie.  We took some of our lessons from my book and Elizabeth offered several nuggets of her own.  They were meant to give people food for thought.

One of hers was among my favorites.  Always Spin the Wheel.  It’s about taking chances.  I’ve never been shy about taking chances in a casino, at the poker table, or the wagers I’ve placed on the golf course.  Like my dad, I just want to know the rules before I start.  Knowing the rules can help predict the outcome.  I’m willing to wager more if I think the odds are tilted in my favor.  Sometimes I place the bet even if I know it’s a long shot.  I just like the action.

Spinning the wheel in life is similar to the wagers I’ve made over the years.  You take a chance without having control of the outcome.  You have a vision for what might come your way, but you can’t be sure.

When I accepted the job as an elementary school principal, I gave up the job security of a classroom teacher.  I was a good teacher, well respected within our single building, but thought I could have a broader influence as a building principal.  I gave up my safety net and took the leap.  Over time, I became successful as a principal.  Eventually, I spun the wheel again and became a school superintendent.  I gave up security for more action.  I had to do more to be more, but I weighed the risk-reward and bet on myself each time.

You spin the wheel each time you try something new.  Those of us who don’t take a spin run the risk of stagnation.  You don’t have to make a career change to grow, but you do need to try new things.  When I started writing I wanted to share things with my family.  Over the years I’ve expanded my readership.  Shortly after I lost Ruth, I assembled several of my stories and published a book.  Last fall I recorded an audio version.  Each spin included a risk-reward.

While reading my stories out loud I heard the advice that I’d offered to others.  I learned that while I was willing to provide advice, I didn’t follow most of it. 

I published a story on January 12th called Moving Forward that mentioned my failure and outlined some new things that I’d done to change my life.  I’m continuing on that path.  I’ve been spinning the wheel and, in the process, made new friends, altered my diet, become physically stronger and mentally aware of new.  I like new almost as much as I like soft.

I plan to keep spinning the wheel.  This summer I’ll be visiting new places and meeting new people.  I plan to become a better dancer.  The lower level of my condo has a large unoccupied space which will serve as my dance floor.  I bought new dancing shoes to help me make smoother moves.  When I return to Florida, I’ll have expanded my skills.

I’m going to continue to sing-along with my Echo. I hope to perfect a half dozen songs for karaoke.  I’ve only sung three times in public.   The first was with my friend, Dirk.  We sang At This Moment by Billy Vera and the Beaters while waiting for a plane to Atlantic City.  We had a couple ladies convinced we were on our way to perform at the Taj Mahal. 

About twenty years ago I sang Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler in Las Vegas.  Elizabeth signed me up.  She and a friend of Michael’s were my backup singers.  That Vegas performance was my biggest audience.

The summer of 2019 I sang a duet with Sutton as a part of his Michigan swing on his eighteen-month tour of the country.  We sang King of the Road at a northern Michigan outdoor venue.

All three songs were a spin of the wheel for me, and all three songs were a lot of fun. I want to sing and dance for as long as I can.  Most will find that behavior a bit different for me, but I have to continue to do different if I want to be different.