2020 A Year of Defiance, Challenges and Opportunities

By T. R. Shaw Jr.           

            As 2020 ends I have an urge to look back, write, and put it all in perspective.  While I’d like to wax poetically about it, it’s a daunting task for any writer or big-thinker. Many will try.

We’ve all been through so much.  COVID-19 of course, shutdowns, quarantines, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, heat waves, racial strife, a contentious election, and social isolation.  Where would you begin?  What a year to remember or forget!

            Instead, I’d like to focus on being a first-time author during a pandemic. 

A year ago in December, I launched my first published book, DEFY THE IMMEDIATE, A Journey of Failure, Perseverance and Success, which I termed a “motivational memoir” on overcoming obstacles and challenges, where I shared my life experiences; both good and bad.

I hosted a great launch party in my hometown, sold many books that evening, and had high hopes for a successful and profitable year, speaking, selling and signing books.  Little did I know how apropos the title would become, as nearly all of us spent the year “Defying the Immediate.” 

The title came from a speech at Central Michigan University by legendary sportscaster and fellow alumnus Dick Enberg, who penned my Foreward.  In his 1980 commencement speech he quoted former CMU President, Dr. Charles Anspach, who frequently lectured the student body when the young Enberg was a student.

Before the internet, oratory was a leadership trait and Anspach was a master speaker.  “Defy the Immediate” was Anspach’s frequent catchphrase.  He encouraged students to persevere and overcome problems and obstacles which blocked your immediate path, Enberg stated.  I never forgot that phrase and it helped me through many tough circumstances in my multiple careers.

After struggling for a few years with the traditional publishing route where you query literary agents hoping one might like it and sell it to a publisher for you. I got little to no response as a first timer.  I sent nearly 20 to 30 query letters, others have done more than 100, each carefully crafted for what each agent wanted.   I actually attended seminars on how to write the letters and researched the agents.  That in itself, was a tedious and time-consuming task. I had only two negative responses.

Even Snoopy had problems with query letters

An author friend, best selling Michigan novelist, John Wemlinger, who had a great deal of success, referred me to his regional editing and publishing firm, Mission Point Press in Northern Michigan, who helps authors get published.  It cost a little, but it was worth it.  It beat banging my head against the wall chasing agents.  It’s best described as “assisted self-publishing.”  The staff of editors and designers really knew the craft and how to get it edited, printed and promoted.  They knew all the common mistakes authors make and guided me through the publishing minefield that exists today.

Late last year, all my long hours of writing, re-writing, editing and re-editing paid off.  We finally got it to press and I became a duly published author!  It was exciting.  It was a beginning, not an end.

Mission Point Press created a sell sheet which was distributed to Michigan bookstores.  It gave my book credibility, a huge help.  A few stores ordered it.  It was very exciting and gratifying.  The initial response was very positive.  But being self-published it requires the author to be the true pitchman.  I followed up with many bookstores and even set up a couple of signing events which I was really looking forward to. 

    Things were looking good and I planned to take several days and visit many bookstores personally selling it, like a traveling salesman.  I found a few bookstores which wanted nothing to do with self-published authors, which surprised me. 

No sooner than I made all these grandiose promotional plans, Michigan shut down with the COVID-19 pandemic.  We couldn’t travel, closed bookstores don’t buy books.  My speaking events all cancelled, and I was left to sell myself from afar.  It had the potential to become very depressing.

I once again sent letters to bookstores “selling” my book, but with few customers during a shutdown, they were reluctant to buy more inventory.  I took to social media and did many targeted Facebook ads which yielded sparse online purchases, but hopefully raised awareness.  I did get on a few radio shows and spoke to several service clubs virtually.  It’s very difficult to sell books with virtual presentations!

Needless to say, it’s been a very challenging year as a first-time author.  I’m hoping to get back into doing live presentations and events in 2021, but not sure when things will open up to allow it.

One of the things I address in my presentations came from my first consultation.  I was  told to think about...“You’re not a celebrity, you haven’t been fired from the White House, and you’ve not landed a plane in the Hudson River…Who are you?  Why should I read your book?”

After some thought, my response to that question became, “I’m a representative of my generation who grew up with high ambition, faced many setbacks and challenges, and now have a platform to educate those coming behind me.  I feel obligated to tell my story and inspire others that success isn’t always certain, and failure is never final.”  In essence, that is what my book is all about.

So this past year, as a first-timer with lofty goals, I’ve had to Defy the Immediate.  I’m not giving up, that’s the essence of my book.  I just hope this next year, my message might catch on with a little more promotion. 

What I have to say, the world needs to hear.  Things can only get better from here, so long as we continue to "Defy the Immediate."

DEFY THE IMMEDIATE is available on Shaw’s website, www.trshawjr.com and bookstores can order directly from www.missionpointpress.com

 

T. R. Shaw Jr. is CEO of Shaw Communication in Battle Creek, Michigan.  He is a longtime journalist, retired U.S. Navy public affairs officer, retired funeral director, and active community leader.  DEFY THE IMMEDIATE is his first book.

September; That Strange and Transitional Season.

By T. R. Shaw Jr.

            As I write on Labor Day weekend, 2020 I find it extremely unusual, especially this year as we still deal with COVID-19.  We have no college football, and we wear sweatshirts following a summer where we had 24 days above 90 degrees; wonderful and unusual for a Michigan summer.

            Recently, I thought about September in music.  September may be one of the most sung about and celebrated months of the year.  Many tunes come to mind.  Sinatra’s September of my Years is a melancholy refrain on looking back at a life and lost loves.  Neil Diamond’s September Morn is another tune which romances the month and recognizes life changes.  And then there’s the jazzy and upbeat Earth, Wind and Fire’s September!   The very first lyric is, Do You Remember?  Add to that the classic, sung by many artists, Try to Remember…the time in September; when life was slow and oh, so mellow…

            Typically, Labor Day always has a hint of sadness to.  It marks the end of summer and we transition to a busy fall.  The days shorten and the temperature drops.  We think about all the things we never got around to, friends we wanted to see, and places we didn’t go.  In the wonder and excitement of summer, time seems to slip away from us.  In some ways that’s part of what makes Labor Day a sad affair.

            September in many ways is a metaphor for life.  It’s placement in our calendar is a time of transition from summer and brings us the autumnal equinox. September is a time of organizing, preparing and remembering.  School starts and our lives take on a new frenzy.  It’s a time when we bring in the harvest of another season.

            Recently, I turned 60 and September has taken on a new meaning for me; as Sinatra croons, I’ve reached the “September of my Years.” 

To use a football analogy, I’m now firmly in the third quarter of life.  There is still a lot of game to be played, but you realize that halftime is over and you are forced to manage the clock for the rest of the game.

            I had of a lot of accomplishments in my first half.   I finished college, served in the U.S. Navy, had a dual career as a funeral director and Navy Reservist, dove into community affairs and built a life of service. 

Professionally, I was fortunate I could see coming trends and sold our funeral home at the top of its game.  The past five years the funeral profession, and societies’ norms have changed profoundly. 

            At first, I felt liberated and was excited for the next challenge in life.  I had hoped to resurrect my first career in communication, and I imagined my own public relations firm.  My wife and I set it up and did a lot of free PR work, hoping to parlay it into a steady income.  That hasn't really happened…yet.  We are still hopeful.

            I was 55 years old when I sold the funeral home, and moved on, but I faced the constant question, “How’s retirement?”  I considered it halftime, not retirement, but I pushed on and finally responded that I am not retired, I’m building my fourth career.  I considered myself far too young to be the ranks of the retired.  I never liked the R word and equated it with surrender and complacency.

            In the past five years, I did a lot of writing, produced newsletters for organizations, did communication for a capital campaign, served the community on boards and committees, wrote, published and promoted a book, and did lots of speaking events.  Hardly retired in my opinion.  

            This year I turned 60 and gained some new perspective as many of my friends and colleagues my age, took early retirements and buy outs, especially with the pandemic.  Many of them express how much they love retirement, and are having the time of their life.  I still want to remain relevant and play a role in the world, I guess it’s in my nature.  I now have time to make a difference and want to make the best of it, even though I’m in the September of my Years, there is still much more to do and accomplish.

            While September brings a different perspective, let us use the time we have well.  The world needs the perspective and wisdom of those with experience as my generation moves into senior status. 

Many of us have a lifetime of skills and knowledge that can still change and impact the world, and may soon be forgotten.  We’ve seen a lot, and done a lot, but the game is far from over.  

The second half of our lives can, and should be, our finest hours if we choose to make them so.

 

T. R. Shaw Jr. is CEO of Shaw Communication in Battle Creek, Michigan.  He is the author of DEFY THE IMMEDIATE, a Journey of Failure, Perseverance and Success and active in many community affairs.  www.trshawjr.com

           

Why Community Colleges are Important...and Relevant Today

Kellogg Community College
Battle Creek, Michigan

By T. R. Shaw Jr.

            When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to attend Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, Michigan, as an advanced standing high school student.  I took some basic college classes in subjects I excelled in.  I felt important.  I was getting to attend a real college as a high schooler. 

        Following graduation at Battle Creek Central High School, I enrolled at  Central Michigan University with advanced credits.  Those credits helped me graduate in four years, many of my college classmates ended up with an extra semester or year to earn their bachelor’s degree.

       Today, students are facing an expensive proposition when seeking a sheepskin.  For many, they may spend the first third, if not half, of their working career paying back their college debt.   

            When I started college I paid $33.00 a credit hour at CMU.  Those days are long gone. 

            In my youth, community colleges were somewhat looked down upon.  They were viewed as an alternative for those who couldn’t compete in, or afford a four-year college, or weren’t ready to leave home.  The college also had a reputation as a trade school were vocational education was offered to those not pursuing college degrees.  Community colleges, in those days, had a blue collar feel to it.  I’ve grown up and realize I was wrong.

That paradigm has been destroyed as skilled trades have exploded, and many times out-earned college graduates.  Thank you Mike Rowe and Dirty Jobs!

Today, we question the value of a four-year degree as expensive, and sometimes obsolete in today’s market place.   Fortunate are those whose employer can cover advance schooling.  Community colleges are still a great academic and economical starting point for higher education.  In fact, 52 percent of bachelors degree earners in Michigan have had some connection to a community college, according to the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA). 

As we come out of the COVID pandemic, there is a new focus on jobs that have been deemed “essential.”  Many of those professions and trades began at community colleges.  Those involved in programs like nursing, emergency medical services, law enforcement, fire fighting, and many other skilled trades began in community college.    Additionally, many top level leaders and executives in business and government, with advanced degrees from prestigious colleges, also began their academic quest in a community college.

            Beyond skills training and preliminary higher education, community colleges are an integral part of the community they serve.  Here in Battle Creek, KCC has played a vital role in the economic, cultural and academic flavor of our community.  It is a vital asset that is often overlooked in the broader role of economic development.  It provides resources and expertise that cannot be found anywhere else.

            One impressive part of KCC is their campus in the Fort Custer Industrial Park, the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center (RMTC).  It is an asset, training workers and creating more and better employment opportunities.  There are few such academic-industrial relationships in Michigan.

            While I once dismissed community college as educational path, I’ve come to realize what an important and needed asset it is to a community.  It is a source of pride and a first opportunity for many people to really improve their lives.  It provides hope and direction for those who cannot afford a large institution.   Additionally, it’s an asset for non-traditional students and learners who seek knowledge later in life.

            Education offers the greatest path to prosperity and upward mobility.  Community colleges are uniquely suited as an academic starting line, as well as a place to gain needed skills in this new world where technology and expertise are in high demand.

            As large four-year colleges, built for a post-war baby boom, see their numbers (and offerings) decline, the logic and relevance of community colleges has never been greater. 

The future is very bright for community colleges, especially in Michigan where we traditionally ride the first wave of emerging technology.

                       

T. R. Shaw Jr. is CEO of Shaw Communication in Battle Creek, Michigan; a published author and community leader.  He is also a candidate for Trustee at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek.

Class of 2020; Sacrifice is the Final Lesson Learned

By T. R. Shaw Jr.

            Many of us have been forced to make sacrifices during this pandemic.  One group of individuals, perhaps more than any other, has made a bigger sacrifice.

            The seniors of the Class of 2020 have been asked to give up a lot.  A time honored and significant milestone and ritual in our society…graduation…and all the pomp and circumstance that goes with it, has been lost.

            While I’ve missed many things, sports for example, I especially miss this time of year when we hear inspiring sound bites from celebrities, academic leaders, powerful business leaders, and others, extolling their wisdom while wearing gowns and mortar boards. 

I’ve always wanted to deliver a commencement speech, maybe someday I will!

            Graduation was a great time in my life, I remember it well.  That period of time when “senioritis” set in.  Thoughts of leaving home to “make your way” in the world was, and is, a significant personal milestone; not to mention all the open houses you attended with family friends.  I also remember a baccalaureate service before political correctness took over public schools. The thoughts of never seeing everyone you grew up with again tugged at you, and anxiety became real.

            As humans, we mark significant points in our lives with traditions and rituals.  Rituals are important to society.  Baby showers, baptisms, graduations, weddings, retirements, birthdays, anniversaries, and funerals, all play a significant role in the human experience.  As a funeral director for most of my career, I can attest to the importance of ritual in recognizing death.  COVID-19 has also greatly affected funeral rituals in a big way!

            Although I don’t have children, I’ve followed my niece and nephew as they grew from infancy to academia.  Time does fly!  My niece is in the high school Class of 2020 and has missed out on prom, graduation, and all the traditions surrounding it.  She has handled it well and creatively, yet I feel her sense of loss and I’m not sure what to do about it.  I couldn’t be prouder though.  My nephew has also lost a significant part of his college experience when campus closed.

            The Class of 2020 will always have a unique memory of this time.  In so many ways this class will always be remembered for what they sacrificed, and what they didn’t get to do.  Many other classes have come and gone and are vaguely remembered, but the Class of 2020 will always be special and unique.  Fifty years from now they will still be talking about it, and how they did it.  There will always be a special bond within this class of graduates, no matter where they hail from. 

Leaders will rise from this class, and the experience will temper their thinking and attitudes for years to come, in ways we cannot comprehend today.  Perhaps this sacrifice is the biggest lesson learned for 2020.  This class will be leading the world in a few years, the world is truly in their hands.  I’m not worried. 

Maybe we’ve become a little too soft, and a little too comfortable.  Maybe the rest of us have forgotten how to sacrifice.  Perhaps, the Class of 2020 will become the next Greatest Generation, facing a new world, tempered in the idealism that nothing is guaranteed, and sacrifice has to be a part of the equation.  They will lead with a new and different paradigm.

Let’s truly celebrate this class of graduates, who were born in this millennium.   The world is now in their hands and I’m secure in knowing it will be great in the years to come.  They’ve got this!

Best wishes and congratulations to every graduate today!  

Change the World...for the better!

T. R. Shaw Jr. is a Battle Creek, Michigan based author and speaker.  His recent book, DEFY THE IMMEDIATE, A Journey of Failure, Perseverance and Success, is a memoir on life challenges and opportunities.  Visit his website, www.trshawjr.com.

           

Staying Relevant in Difficult Times

By T. R. Shaw Jr.

            As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its relentless path of destruction to our lives, our economy, and our sense of well-being and security, it gives us time to think about our relevance in our world and to others.

            For many, it’s a challenging time like no other.  Fear is driving much of it, but social distancing and isolation is also taking its toll.  For many it may result in depression, anxiety, and sense of hopelessness.  Many of us, including me, previously led very active and socially driven lives. 

I thrived on being with people, taking on leadership roles, and having a full calendar of places to be and people to see.  I valued, for lack of a better term, being “relevant.” Suddenly, it all went out the window; my schedule has been cleared of everything.  Sure, many meetings became virtual events over the computer, but it’s not the same, and leaves us longing for close personal contact.

One of the things I’ve been involved with was being an advocate for our local military.  My community, Battle Creek, Michigan, has long been a great military town, with a large Army base, airport, strong Air National Guard, and federal presence.  In the era of downsizing and base closures, we became activists for keeping our assets here.  By lobbying and taking part in activities to “keep us on the map” militarily, we highlighted our relevance to the bigger defense posture.  Relevance, became our buzzword when we approached how we would pitch ourselves to the higher decision-makers and bean-counters. 

While other communities pitched economic impact, and what losing assets would do to their community, big-picture relevance became our mantra.  It worked quite well, our local airbase became the only one in the nation to be spared from the base closure list, and paved the way for more development that would be long-relevant to national security.  Our community has remained, and continues to remain relevant to national security and our defense infrastructure.

So, how does that relate to our current situation, where most of us are feeling rather irrelevant right now?  How do we stay relevant during this time, where there is little we can do but sit and watch the world go by?

Honestly, I don’t know!  But, I do know we can use this time to improve ourselves and look for future opportunities.  When all this is a bad memory, there will be new challenges and opportunities we can’t even imagine right now.  My feeling is we will come out of this stronger and more resilient than ever before.  Those who used this time for reflection and self-improvement will be the ones leading the way.  Will you be one of them?

            In my recently published book, DEFY THE IMMEDIATE, I wrote about struggling with difficult circumstances and situations with which I was involved through several careers and professional challenges.  In every situation, I came out stronger and better than when I began.  Failure and difficult time is the incubator of character.  Ironically, this is most definitely a time to “defy the immediate.”

            While it’s trite to say “this too shall pass,” it’s equally important to realize we all have a tremendous gift of time right now.  How we use it, is up to us. 

Let us not forget that many of our nation’s greatest inventions and innovations were created during crisis.  It is during these times entrepreneurs were born.  History is full of people and items that came out of a crisis.   In the coming months, there will be new things and processes that will astonish us, watch for them.

While some might deem it arrogant…it is…there is still a concept of American Exceptionalism that has driven our nation forward since our birth.  This time is simply another defining moment in our history, another chapter in our Exceptionalism.  We will get through this.

My way of staying relevant is writing, each of us can do something.

Stay safe, stay positive, and above all, strive to remain relevant in this time, however you define it.  We will all be back to our “normal” lives again soon.  You can bet on it, we’re Americans!

T. R. Shaw Jr. is a Battle Creek, Michigan based author and speaker.  His recent book, DEFY THE IMMEDIATE, A Journey of Failure, Perseverance and Success is a memoir on life challenges and opportunities.  Visit his website, www.trshawjr.com.