Jim Devitt's Blog, page 5

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis - My Oh My (Official Video)

If you want a bit of nostalgia, it doesn't get any better than this!


Macklemore and Ryan Lewis - My Oh My (Official Video) Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

Hot off the presses (or electrons) First Chapters!

Here's your chance to sample 22 different indie authors. 

First Chapters
Available now on Amazon, just click First Chapters
First Chapters is an introduction to twenty-two cutting edge indie authors. Some of them are award-winning, some are bestselling, and they all, at one time, joined forces at IndiesUnlimited.com: a site dedicated to the indie author movement. This volume includes a wide array of genres and unique voices. We are sure you will find something inside to please every appetite.
This volume includes chapters from authors DV Berkom, Melissa Bowersock, Laurie Boris, K.S. Brooks, Lynne Cantwell, Martin Crosbie, Jim Devitt, A.C. Flory, Yvonne Hertzberger, Stephen Hise, Mark Jacobs, Chris James, LA Lewandowski, TD McKinnon, Rich Meyer, Melissa Pearl, Lin Robinson, Kathy Rowe, Carolyn Steele, Krista Tibbs, Dick Waters, and Carol Wyer.


Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimitedand occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo! Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

How do You Write the Chapters of Your Life?

Are you happy with your life? Do you ever wish that your life were different? Are you where you want to be with your writing, business, love life or just about anything else?
Most of the people that visit this blog are writers or readers. That pretty much sums up the entire population because if you are not doing one or the other or both, you are probably dead. As readers and writers, we are very familiar with novel structure. It's a series of chapters. You start with the introduction of a main character that experiences a transformation through a growth process that may involve mystery, romance, action, heartbreak, death, illness or exploration. The concepts are limitless.
Our lives can be looked at the same way.
Here's the thing. Every day we write another chapter of our life. Just like in your books, your life's chapters should build on the previous ones. Do you feel like you're in a rut? Write yourself a new chapter. Do something new—different. It doesn't mean you have to go jump out of a plane. Take chances—put yourself out there. Call your local library and ask if you can do a talk. Call your local museum and ask if you can do a book signing. Who cares if no one shows up!
We need to keep writing new chapters of our life all the time. Think about your books that you write. Would your main character sit around doing nothing? Would someone read that book? We're writers! Let's live our lives as if we can write each chapter going forward. It's not about circumstances—it's about making the best of every opportunity. 
Most people are satisfied with mediocrity. It's time to start living life in the uncomfortable zone. It's time to bust open and go all out. I know I'm tired of all of my own excuses. How different would things be if you (and me) had written 1,500 per day for the last 60 days? Maybe some of you did. If so, it's probably comfortable. Find something that makes you uncomfortable. That's how you can write new chapters in your life. 
The year is half over. Let's crank it up so that at the end of 2013, you can look back and say, "That was the year that changed my life."

Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimitedand occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo! A version of this post appeared in IU.  Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

The Many Faces of Jim Devitt

As many of you know, I worked the visiting clubhouse for the Seattle Mariners a Major League Baseball team. Since I worked for the visiting teams, I would wear the uniform of the visiting team. That put me in a bunch of different uniforms. 

I figured I would share some of those looks, both good and really bad. Yes, it was the late seventies, but that's no excuse as to how geeky some of these pictures are ...

Here's a little pre-game action while sporting the Kansas City Royals blue traveling uniform.


I look a little lost hanging on the field before the game in my Yankees uniform. I wonder if Chris Chambliss was laughing at my Geek-A-Tron look.




How about this look ... styling the California Angels uniform and posing for the camera on opening night? 
This one is a little later. Here I'm traveling on the road with the Mariners. We hit Anaheim and Oakland on this road trip. I would spend some time on the field during batting practice and infield practice prior to the game. The best part was, everyone thought I was a player. In the sequel to The Card, Van Stone goes on a road trip with the Mariners, you'll get a chance to follow his travails while on the road when the book comes out later this fall. A fan (maybe one day I'll tell that story here) took this picture of me coming off the field. I later found out her name was The Dragon Lady.


I displayed some of my memorabilia at a show in September of 1979 and won a silver medal, their top honor. However, I didn't win anything for looks.



Each year, we played a clubhouse World Series in the Kingdome between the visiting clubhouse and the Mariners clubhouse. We would win every year. Here's a picture of our motley crew after winning the championship. This was sometime in the 1980's, not
sure the exact year. You can tell that we're starting to lose that '70's look. One of my best friends today, Mark Honeycutt, is second from the left, next to me in the middle of the back row.  I met him when he was twelve, I had been at the Mariners for a couple of years. We became great friends, and later, I was the best man in his wedding. Also pictured, is my little brother, Jeff, in the green shirt kneeling in the front row. I brought him in as a bat boy in the mid '80's and he spent several years at the Kingdome as well.


Here's another shot of me in a Yankee's uniform. Billy Martin is telling me to give something to some friends of his in the stands. He had a reputation, but was always great with me.








Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a  consultant specializing in helping companies develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimitedand occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo! Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

The Post All-Star Game Bounty

Being a batboy at the All-Star game did have some perks. Besides the great people and awesome times, I walked away with a couple of choice items. It's not every day that someone gets their own bat made for them!
 Both Louisville Slugger and Adirondack custom made commemorative bats for me as the batboy for the National League. Although the relationships I forged I'll never forget, I did get a couple of nice things from some of the players.
I went from player to player getting autographs from the entire National League All-Star team on the official 50th All-Star game ball. That ball is loaded with baseball greats, you can find the list of All-Stars in my previous post here.  
After the game, the clubhouse was a zoo. Reporters, hacks, groupies and anyone else who could sneak in trolled through the clubhouse. Players rushed to get back home and enjoy at least a day off. In the hustle, George Foster from the Cincinnati Reds called me over. I thought I had done something wrong. Instead, he said, "Good job batboy." With a pat on the back, he handed me his game used baseball cap.
This trend continued with other players, most handing out monetary tips. However, Keith Hernandez, the batting-title winner from the previous season while with the Cardinals and later a Met's legend, gave me his game-used bat.
The All-Star week was a chance of a lifetime … but exhausting. I was going on about six hours of sleep over the past three days. After the players left, we sat down for our own July version of a Thanksgiving dinner (the post-game spread.) With stuffed bellies we cleaned the clubhouse and headed home.
This began one of the scariest moments in my life. I was driving home on I-5 the major interstate in Washington. I was tired. Dead tired. I hadn't slept but for a few hours each night for the past three nights. I thought to myself, I've got to stop for a Diet Coke. Yes, I was addicted to the stuff even back then.
The last thing I remember was that thought. The next thing I remember, I was sitting in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant with the car running. I don't remember the three of four miles of driving to the next exit or even pulling into the parking lot. I must have driven on autopilot. Needless to say, that sure woke me up! I got my Diet Coke and made it home safely!

Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimitedand occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo! Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

The All-Star Game

Game day had finally arrived. Adrenalin was my main power source after sleeping at the Kingdome for three straight nights. The Groundskeepers had the field looking better than ever. Red, white and blue draped the gray concrete in every imaginable space. As the day marched on, players arrived and a constant buzz of activity nested on the field. Dignitaries and stars came and went. I saw more people in the clubhouse than ever. In today's game, I don't think you would ever see access like in those days. In one quiet moment, I walked through the dugout out on to the field. The television crews were laying cable and positioning cameras and I looked to my left and noticed an older man sitting by himself on the dugout bench.
Thirty-four years later, I can still recall the feeling of sitting on the wooden bench as his eyes lit up talking about the opportunities he has to make the world better, especially for children. I didn't know until later in life about the impact he had on things like UNICEF. He truly lived an inspirational life and I know that my moment with him influenced my life as well.Back in the clubhouse, the players were dressing and we put out a pre-game spread unlike any I had ever seen before. Fred Genzale went all out for the All-Stars. Cheese, fruit, hors d'oeuvres and more, it looked more like a cocktail party than a pre-game spread. I saw more reporters and other freeloaders hitting the spread than actual ballplayers.I sat in my locker taking in the scene when black-suited men infiltrated the locker room. I thought that this was strange, but everyone just went about their business. Surrounded by more staff, the former President of the United States, Gerald Ford, walked into the clubhouse and made his way to each locker, congratulating the players. He stopped at mine and asked about my role in the game. Nervously, I started talking non-stop about being batboy. As I talked to the former leader of the free world, I couldn't help but think about the Saturday Night Live sketches with Chevy Chase portraying the clumsy former President. He moved on to the next locker as a smile grew across my face. It's probably a good thing, I might have asked him about SNL if he had talked longer. Jim Devitt running back with a bat after a Mike Schmidt tripleIt was time to get on the field. The pre-game introductions and ceremony took about twenty minutes. Compare that to today's event that has about an hour-long pre-game show. Once the game started, it was all baseball. Many people claim that the players just go through the motions for this spectacle, but I can tell you first hand that is not the case. Especially before inter-league play, there was a lot of pride on the line for the Mid-summer Classic. The players gave it 100%, I remember Mike Schmidt legging out a triple off Nolan Ryan (his first All Star game!) and Dave Parker's frozen rope from right field that nailed Brian Downing at Home Plate in the eighth. The eventual ending was anticlimactic as the National League won on a bases loaded walk in the ninth inning. It didn’t matter how they won, the players celebrated as if they had just won the World Series. The clubhouse was at a fever pitch as the players whooped it up around the post-game spread. We served what would have amounted to a fancy Thanksgiving dinner after the game that the players hardly touched. On reflection, I had taken part in the biggest spectacle in baseball. The World Series may be more important, but the All-Star game was different. Players loosened up and you could see the respect and camaraderie that they all had for each other. I made some good friends in those few days that would change how I view life and its opportunities. I often think back on the conversations and experiences I had over that span of 72 hours, not because it was the Good Old Days, instead, I think about how it helped shape my life, attitude, and my respect for others in our world.

Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimitedand occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo! Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

In the Clubhouse and On the Field Before the All Star Game

The All-Stars had arrived and the Kingdome became the center of the baseball universe for three days. This was not the All-Star experience of today. Keep in mind, this was 24 years ago, the spectacle of the All-Star Game would grow over the next couple of decades. There was no Home Run hitting contest, no futures games or fan-fest.
The events leading up to the contest consisted of a batting and infield practice open to the public—that's it. No television directed drama, just a simple practice. Still, 15,000 people showed up for that event. It was cool for me, because I got to shag balls in the outfield during the batting practice, alongside greats like Dave Parker, George Foster and Dave Winfield.
The media was everywhere. Strangers flooded the National League Clubhouse where my locker sat.  The clubhouse crew with Pete Rose - The dork on the left is meThe players were all new to me and in rare form. Pete Rose acted as if he owned the joint. Steve Carlton appeared to have a couple of screws loose.



Gary Carter, the future Hall-of-Famer sat down with me and we instantly clicked. He Gary Carter - PI staff photo by Cole Porterasked about school and life. We talked for about a half and hour. I was amazed that this All-Star catcher would take that kind of time with me. He was one of the most positive people I've ever met. For the next couple of days, he hung out with me both in the clubhouse and on the field. I was saddened last year when Gary lost a battle against brain cancer and died at the young age of 57. I attribute at least part of my positive attitude in life to my brief time with this All-Star.
The pre-All Star events weren't without incidence. For the only time in his career, Reggie Jackson who represented the New York Yankees wore a Mariner's uniform. When Reggie hopped a private jet to Seattle for the game, he forgot his uniform. During the American League 50th All Star team picture, you can spot Reggie in a Mariner's uniform.
I was going on a couple of hours sleep as the evening's festivities wound down. I had slept at the Kingdome the past two nights and would do the same again on the Eve of the big game. Even though my role goes largely unnoticed, I was nervous about the potential of one billion people watching from around the world.

Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimitedand occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo! Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

My All-Star Experience - The Players Arrive

My days in the clubhouse reached a fever pitch about this time 34 years ago. I picked the right year to become batboy—the year Seattle hosted its first Major League All-Star Game. As the visiting clubhouse batboy, that meant that I would perform batboy duties for the National League All-Stars.
The players started filtering in a couple of days before the game. Players and their equipment would arrive at all hours of the day and night. This began a three-day stint of living in the Kingdome for me. Bags would arrive from a foreign city and team. I would look in awe at the arrival of these players from the "other" league.
This was in the days before interleague play. The American and National Leagues didn't compete against each other during the season. The only time they would meet would be in the World Series. 

It was the only chance to see the stars from the other league. You would read about a star from the National League all year. Maybe see him on the Game of the Week on Saturday. But, you would never have the chance to see this player in person except for the All-Star Game. The awe of the "other" league is lost now as interleague play allows fans to see both leagues throughout the year.

Our clubhouse manager, Fred Genzale, played the role of drill sergeant during the season and he kicked it up a notch with the arrival of the All-Star game. Every locker was perfect—cleats, uniforms, shower shoes and stools.

The locker room looked amazing with different uniforms from all the teams displayed in Fred Genzalefront of the lockers. While behind-the-scenes, things looked peaceful, that was about to be shattered by the craziness of the All-Star festivities.

This was years before the spectacle that the All-Star game has turned into—but it was still party city. 

Events launched all over Seattle some exclusive to the ballplayers and … um … the people who knew how to get into them!
The outside distractions still didn't live up to being in the clubhouse with the All-Stars. Some of my favorites were Steve Garvey, Joe Morgan, George Foster—even Pete Rose. My most memorable player, one who took me under his wing as if I was his son, was catcher, Gary Carter of the Montreal Expos. He turned out to be one of the nicest guys that I would ever meet in baseball.
The clubhouse was full, the city was buzzing and we hadn't even stepped onto the field yet!
Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimitedand occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo! Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

The Fair Use Doctrine From Jane Friedman's Blog

Here's an excellent post by Jane Friedman and Bradlee Frazer on copyright infringement and fair use of copyrighted material.

http://janefriedman.com/2013/07/15/the-fair-use-doctrine/

It's definitely worth the few minutes it takes to read. You could save yourself a big headache down the road.



Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimitedand occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

My Covert Photo of President Ronald Reagan at the Opening Ceremonies of Liberty Weekend

Dress Rehearsal with Neil DiamondThe Opening Ceremonies for the Centennial Celebration of the Statue of Liberty came at last. After weeks of fourteen hour days of rehearsing and practicing, it was time to put on the uniform and perform in front of a mesmerized nation. 
We arrived at Governor’s Island eight hours before show time due to the fact that two president’s would be in attendance, Ronald Reagan from the United States and Francois Mitterand of France. Security was tight, I was searched high and low, and even my trombone was searched piece by piece. 
Myself and friends with The Fonz! Barbara WaltersOnce on the island, there was a lot of free time with nothing to do. Never a good recipe. Five hundred college students told to stay in a tent for six hours … um, I don’t think so. The island transformed into a Hollywood set and I set out to see it all. We ran into celebrities at every corner—Bob Hope, Henry Winkler (the Fonz! Remember this was 1986,) Barbara Walters, Shirley MacLaine, Neil Diamond.
Bob Hope before they screamed, "No Pictures!"
Shirley MacLaine and Neil DiamondI learned that the tent next to the Liberty Band tent was the “White House.” It was the location that President Reagan’s limo would drive into and then he and Nancy Reagan would get out and meet with President Mitterand and his wife from France. This would be their first meeting, behind-the-scenes, before heading out to the internationally televised Opening Ceremonies. 
Presidential Motorcade heading into the "White House" tentSecret Service was everywhere but I was determined to get a glimpse of this meeting. Moments before the show was to begin, the presidential motorcade sped past a crowd of onlookers and disappeared into the White House tent. 
While others were outside hoping to get a glance at our president, I headed inside to the tent wall that was adjacent to the White House Tent. I pulled a table over and climbed up. The draped vinyl roof allowed you to lift the fringe and see out. Just one foot away, the White House tent stood with the same arrangement. I reached across the space and lifted the flap to the president’s tent. 
I stood in shock as I watched the two presidential couples shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. My heart was racing as I jumped off the table and ran for my camera. I had just witnessed the introduction of these two world leaders—clearly the Secret Service was not doing their job.
With camera in hand, I climbed back up and reached across and lifted the flap to the White House tent. The parties were still conversing and I pulled my camera across and snapped a single picture. 
My picture thru the roof flap before the Secret Service nabbed me!
Instantly, screams from Secret Service agents came from both sides of the gap between the tents. I jumped back and quickly stashed my camera in a pile of instrument cases and uniform bags. I was shaking as the Secret Service agent entered our tent approached me. 
Three hundred plus Liberty Band members watched in anticipation, waiting to see me led off in handcuffs. As it turned out, the agent and I had a nice conversation—he told me that I about cost him his job. The rest of the time, they placed Secret Service in our tent as well as the space between the tents.
The rest of the night went on as planned. We played Stars and Stripes Forever on stage with President Reagan standing about 20 feet directly in front of me as he lit the refurbished Statue of Liberty, kicking off the Liberty Weekend Celebration.  
In these days before digital cameras, I had no idea if the picture came out and I wouldn’t know for several weeks. Amazingly, I got the shot! Too bad TMZ didn’t exist in those days!
Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimitedand occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!