Keeping up with the Jones: Living in the moment

Moment in time: I’m at the Hall of Justice (aka, the HOJ, my garage), working on this issue. The jukebox is cranking out the Steve Miller Band. My dog and cat — sworn enemies — look at each other and then at me, in confusion, as five guineas — the neighbors’ — walk between them, honking loudly.

As David Byrne sang in “Once in a Lifetime” by the Talking Heads:

You may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife;
And you may ask yourself, “Well, how did I get here?”

I’ve been having a lot of those “how-did-I-get-here?” moments lately. The most recent one was in mid-May as I watched my daughter, Evey, walk across the stage and accept her high school diploma. How did she just suddenly graduate from high school? Where did the time go?

I’m trying not to let these moments pass me by too quickly without properly appreciating them. Change is a part of life. And as someone once said, change is good.

There are also some changes to tell you about here at Golfdom. The first one is that we’re welcoming a new designer to the magazine. The second is a new title (job?) for your pal Jonesy.

First, it’s my pleasure to welcome and introduce you to Courtney Townsend, the magazine’s new graphic designer.

Courtney has worked with us at North Coast Media for 10 years on our sister brands (titles include Landscape Management, Pest Management Professional, GPS World, Pit & Quarry and LP Gas). She was recently promoted to the company’s Creative Director, and with that, she gets to design the best-looking magazine at the company, the always picturesque Golfdom. Courtney is as talented as she is funny, and even though she’s a big Michigan fan (kidding!), we’re thrilled to have her on the team. Welcome aboard, Courtney!

The next part is my new job title: I’ve added the title of brand manager, Golfdom, to my business card. I remain editor-in-chief of Golfdom and editorial director at North Coast Media.

When the new title was presented to me, our CEO, Kevin Stoltman, asked me, “What is Golfdom?”

Is it a magazine? A website? A combination of the two?

When I was hired here some 15 years ago, it was to be the editor-in-chief of a print magazine and a website. Pretty quickly, I learned about the idea of the Golfdom Summit, and that I would eventually be the event’s moderator. Then I learned that I would be in charge of the magazine’s social media … the magazine’s handling and coverage of trade shows and professional golf tournaments … the magazine’s YouTube channel … and so on.

Not to get too inside baseball here, but the good news is I was promoted into a new title because there is much more to the Golfdom brand and identity than physically publishing a magazine.

What is Golfdom? Above all else, I think it’s a community. It’s a group of people with a common job who want to stay informed and in touch. And I’m happy that it’s my job to manage this brand. I want to see it succeed, and I want it to help you succeed.

Moment in time: Evey’s graduation party is at the HOJ. About 60 people are spread out at tables and inside. Jerry and Richard are playing shuffleboard. Jimi Hendrix is on the jukebox. A taco truck is in the driveway.

Suddenly, a parade of motorcycles begins to pass by the house. They each rev their engines, and many throw fists in the air or the occasional peace sign. The parade keeps going. And going. Literally, more than 400 motorcycles rev by the house, adding to the celebration.

I don’t know exactly how I got here, but I love it.

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