Mess with me, fine. Mess with my family's money....NOT fine!!!
I have posted on here about how I really love my job, how I really enjoy working the folks here. And how I have really taken to this community. All of that still is true. However......
As many of you know, because I am not a wealthy man and I do not have a high paying job, the Kersting family has had to cut corners in order to do what is best for the family. Kathy, Alex and Ben have stayed behind in Tennessee to let the boys finish the school year and get in one more season of baseball. Because we had the ability to do this, I have lived in my parents motorhome for the past few weeks. My employer has been gracious enough to allow me to park it here at work. It has been a running joke with some folks here, but no one seemed to really mind. Well, almost no one.
You see, someone complained about a small motorhome being parked under a radio tower. I do not know for sure who this person is, but I have a pretty good idea. And, if I am right, I am not surprised.
I have one question. Why? Was I bothering somebody where I am at? Did I create a bigger eyesore than the 20' satellite dish? Bigger than the radio tower? Of course not.
But, because I wanted to do what was best for my family and someone for some reason did not like it, I have to get out of the parking lot by Good Friday.
So, what has this person accomplished? They have limited what my family can do prior to everyone getting here. Thanks. This person would never understand the importance of family. They have pissed me off because of what this will now do, not to me because I was getting used to the hardship, but because this will impact my family. And to anyone who knows me, that is the line you do not cross.
I have been called a lot of things in my life. Most of them have been to my face. Carpetbagger comes to mind. I expect that from having lived in seven states. Hell, one supposed listener wrote an e-mail complaining about the "out-of-stater" in the morning. I guess being BORN in MISSOURI doesn't count because I moved when I was seven and again when I was 20 and haven't stayed my whole life here. Sorry that I am new here. Shame on me for wanting to do better for my family.
Some people will never understand that. I have lived in seven states in my life, this is true. I have not chosen to move my family WITHOUT a lot of talk, consideration and yes, even prayer.
In recent months, I have learned that a lot of people do not want you to better yourself. Which is why one former manager refused to say a word to me in my final three weeks of my last job. Not a peep. Not a feigned congratulations. Nothing. Others did. I thought they were sincere and I am sure most of them were. But this one, nothing. Walk past me in the hallway. Not even a look in the eye.
Now, I have experienced this persons soulmate here in Jefferson City.
To be honest, I feel sorry for both of these people. I will not mention their names, they are not worth a mention. But I truly do feel sorry for them. I did not fit what they wanted me do be, so they condemn me. How do people develop this mentality? Is it hate?
Now I have to move by Good Friday. Now I may have to cancel a trip to see Kathy, Alex and Ben, because one way that we save money has been yanked out from under me. Thanks to a person who is full of hate, or something.
I do know one big thing. If I was this person, none of this could bother me. This person will never know the love of child. Even long distance and only through phone calls. So pity is what comes to mind. Absolute pity. Because even your petty actions cannot take that away from me.
Of course I say all this not knowing for sure who complained. Because the person who complained lacked the common decency to approach me or my employer directly.
The way I described my suspect, are you really surprised?
Thanks to Liz Hanlon, Mike Engle, Brian Wilson and Darryl Burnett for allowing me to stay at Cumulus-Jefferson City for a while. You all have no idea how much this has meant to me. And by allowing me to save money, to my family.
Comments are welcome from anyone willing to post with their real name or common nickname. All others will be deleted. If you don't understand why, read this posting again. I think then you might understand.
Comments
There is always one like 'em lurking in the background, ready to mess up some arrangement you have made to save a dollar. They sit in the back of PTA meetings and call "point of order" on a bake sale, or in church business meetings where they quibble over a few bucks to pay the church janitor. Some folks just cannot stand it.
My neighbor has a 25 foot camping trailer and the only place they can put it is in their driveway. So what!?! Their trailer. Their driveway. As my friend and talk show mentor Ludlow Porch always says, "once a doo doo , always a doo doo, and they are a doo doo".
I hope someone can come up with some living arrangements for you Jay, for the sake of your kids more than anything.
And may the complainer's radio be filled with overmodulated rf from the tower.
Posted by: Schmeckleman Woo McTavish | March 14, 2007 05:16 PM
I know I said that I would not post comments by someone who did not use their real name....but I know this "common" nickname variant. So, I have allowed it.
Thanks for the kind words my friend. I miss you and enjoy the gift you will get soon.
Posted by: Jay Kersting | March 14, 2007 06:05 PM
Karma?! You know I am a firm believer in what goes around comes around.
We will come through this - although at times it seems overwhelming.
Posted by: Kathy | March 15, 2007 06:01 AM
This time he signed his "name" Apparently it is..gutless bastard!
Any relation to "Fat Bastard" from the Austin Powers movie?
I'll check that IP address again. AOL user. Wow...that is sad. 64.12.116.139
Ha ha ha.....
Posted by: Orignal Post by a Gutless Punk - Deleted by Jay and replaced with this. No name, no post!!! | March 17, 2007 06:06 AM
Hi Jay,
Though I only know you as a former colleague…reading about your current situation in your blog concerns me. It’s a real bummer to hear about your problems and I hope you’re able to resolve them… but in reading your blog, I sense a bit of bitterness that might be misdirected.
I have been in radio since I have been able to pay taxes. I have been in all phases of the business and have worked in many markets. In reading your blog, it made me think as to why I got into the business… and as I think and look back… and around, I have yet to ever meet a true friend in the business… and in thinking about that… I know that the only reason I love Radio so much “ and yes, Radio was my first love” is the MAGIC behind it.
Yes the magic does exist… but only for true radio people. It’s knowing that the machine will run without you… that your expendable… that there are few people you can rely on in the business… and genuine people are few and far between in this business.
Why? Because Radio is the invisible “me” empire… it’s all about ME. You will rarely find a person in Radio that looks at anything without self-gain in mind. You will rarely find a person in the business that will as much as bother to flush a toilet for the next person… even funnier is the number of people that never bother to wash their hands before they leave the bathroom.
You will rarely meet a person that will ever reach in their pocket to donate anything other than their own “air time” to any charity. You will rarely meet any one in the business that will ever spin a live mic around to you to say “what’s your opinion?” or even offer a live Thank You after doing a live remote for them while your being there hours before they ever show up…it simply does not matter to them… it’s the ME mentality.
Now don’t get me wrong… there are a few decent soul’s behind the mic… but in all honesty they are few and far between… I can say that I have met a few “Real” people in the business, I have worked with some of the best in the business, and in their defense they are the same person when the “ON AIR” light is on or off… keeping in mind they understand the invisible magic of radio.
Being in the business, and on common ground with my colleagues… they will rarely say hello as you pass by in the hall… and will not hold a door open as you struggle to carry something in your hands. … It’s the same way in both the Christian and secular markets… it’s all about “ME” and in knowing this, I enjoy my job… but my job is not my life… my family is… and there are few people I work with that I would ever want at my dinner table… but regardless, I love them with their fault’s and never expect more of them than I already know about them… as being in the business allows us to see both sides of the people that the public idolizes… and this is also the magic in radio.
My father always said “ Never expect much of others and you will not be disappointed”
And he was right. Now ask yourself… how many friends do I have from my past employment? How many have I kept up with? Do I make the contact I expect from others? Am I being a baby?
Man, its just life… we all move on and seldom look back… and when we do it’s bittersweet. Maybe it’s knowing that the sacrifice we make in this business is false, We are will willing to work in this business to feed our “ME” mentality without regard that our family is the one to suffer from our lack of pay… or making them eat alone and raise our children while we are out feeding the ME addiction.
Radio becomes the divider in our family life. Ask yourself…. is this what my family deserves? Would I allow my spouse to do the same? Am I selfish to expect her to put up with this?
Is there another job I could do without making my family do without my presence?
Hell yes there is… but we get the false mentality that no one can do what I do… and Radio will come to a crashing halt if I am not involved. Dude, it’s time to look at the blessings in your life and to buck up and embrace them… this meaning family first, stop the Radio first charade… look deep inside and accept responsibility of your mistakes.
Stop blaming people for your sadness and realize that you would not have wanted them as friends in the first place. Love others with their faults and keep work and family separate. I doubt that few who read this would understand what the true magic of radio is, it has seen me through marriage and divorce and triumph and loss
Still I love Radio and take it with me wherever I go… and the real magic of radio is… you can turn it off, wake up… and it will be there tomorrow with or without you.
Respectfully
Dan Klug
Posted by: Dan Klug | March 20, 2007 09:36 AM