Kenneth Rodgers Jr.

Kenneth Rodgers Jr. is creating his future, one chapter at a time. The BGSU grad recently published his debut novel “Writing in The Margins.” For Rodgers, the publication of his novel through online publisher Eloquent Books, is the culmination of a lifelong dream.
“I have wanted to be a writer since I was 7 or 8 years old. I was reading a book a day through the Accelerated Reader program in school. I was always writing things down in my journal, which really got me through some tough times at home,” said Rodgers.
Rodgers knows a little something about writing in margins.
“Right now I’m working a few different jobs in addition to my writing. I get up at 3am every morning to write for two hours before I have to go to work, and that’s something I’ll remain committed as long as my body lets me keeping doing it,” jokes Rodgers.
“Writing in The Margins” isn’t Rodgers first foray into the world of publication. The 24 year old Peoria, IL native previously authored the short story collection “Thoughts in Italics” for the print on demand firm PublishAmerica, Inc.
Rodgers, who early on in his college career dropped out to focus on himself and his writing, is a national debate and public speaking champion. In fact, he credits that experience with helping him write more natural dialogue in his fiction.
“I would just tell other young writers in position to never give up, and that you have to believe that what you’re writing is going to find its audience. Don’t expect anyone to hold your hand, if you ask for it, people will help along the way. I’ve been very lucky in that, my family has always been very supportive, and I found a publisher who really cares about their authors..”
Rodgers, who graduated from Peoria High School District 150, is the first member of his family to ever graduate college. He is currently working on a number of other projects, including his next novel.
For more information, call (419) 531-8101, or visit www.eloquentbooks.com

A Sandusky-based band debuted its first CD, toured the nation in 2008 and hopes to repeat its success with a second release this summer.
The Sewing Circle, a trio that often plays with additional musicians, views itself as a “revolving door” group because of the diversity of its members. At the same time, the repertoire crosses the boundaries of several genres, from pop to folk to rock. For founder and guitarist Andrew Rohde, the inability for critics and fans to peg it as one specific type of group merely adds to the allure.

The Sewing Circle

“I really like and appreciate when people say that they can’t [put us into a category],” he said. “We all have really eclectic backgrounds, and every musician wants to say they’re different, and that’s what we strive for.”
Rohde met his counterpart, keyboardist, guitarist and percussionist Meghan Blake, in 2006, and the two extended a single project into a long-term collaboration. The previous drummer left the band after Ghetto Recorders in Detroit produced the 12-track, self-titled debut, and Cajon Keeton joined to fill the role.
During their tours, they often play cover tunes at small-town venues, such as Peach’s Grill in Yellow Springs — one of their favorites — and original songs at venues in larger cities, where Rohde said audiences tend to appreciate the new stuff. The Sewing Circle will likely appear in the Toledo area, where local audiences can experience the variety of music offered, which reflects the genesis of the band’s name: a quilt sewn from different fabrics.
Blake credits Rohde for the songwriting; however, she plans to leave her mark on the second CD with a few tracks of her own.
“Andy comes up with the melodies, so it all starts with him, and then we kind of just build off that,” Blake said. “I might add a softer piano piece if we feel the song is taking a soft turn, or we might add more electric guitar if it’s kind of a harder-sounding song. The more we play it, it kind of develops its own personality.”
She added that the group handles all of its own duties, from promotion to booking to hauling equipment but eventually hopes to find an agent and broaden its fan base from a national market to a global following. Blake believes, with the right opportunities, The Sewing Circle can draw aficionados from every corner of the music industry.
“I think that there’s a lot of people out there that can find at least two or three songs of ours that they can identify with and enjoy,” she said. “So whether they like country music or pop music or rock or blues, I think that we could reach people that like all types of music.”
For more information, visit www.myspace.com/thesewingcirclemusic.

Johnny Desmond, the great vocalist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, once told another Johnny, “You play that sax the way I like to hear it.”
Johnny Knorr coined that compliment as his trademark, “The music you like, the way you like to hear it” and has been using it ever since. Next year marks his 50th anniversary as one of America’s most accomplished big band leaders.
When he was 9, Johnny was on stage at school playing violin solos. In junior high, he performed with Lima-born Helen O’Connell, a big star back in the early ‘40s with hit records that included “Green Eyes” and “Tangerine.”
From Libbey High School, Johnny went on to Ohio Northern University on a music scholarship, trading in his violin for a tenor sax along the way and then toured with Jimmy Dorsey and Les Brown. After the war in 1945, he came home to play with the Sonny Dunham Band.
In 1960, Johnny answered the door when opportunity knocked and formed his own band. He went on to share the marquee and the limelight with Tex Beneke, The Four Aces, Lawrence Welk and Bob Hope to name just a few. I urge you visit the Web site www.johnnyknorr.com.
I doubt there is a baby boomer anywhere who doesn’t have some memory of his or her parents fondly talking about some ballroom somewhere in time. For Park and Helen Shaw, it was Toledo’s Trianon where they danced to the music of Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw (no relation) and Glenn Miller. And yes they were Johnny Desmond fans.
Many years later, I discovered there were Trianon ballrooms in other places like Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, Cleveland and Croweburg, Kan. And there were ballrooms with enchanting and intriguing names like the Rendevous in Balboa, Calif., the Ritz in Bridgeport, Conn., the Trocadro in Boise, Idaho, the Blue Moon in Aurora, Ill., the Cinderella in Appleton, Wis. and the Hippodrome in Oakmulge, Okla.
For decades ballrooms were the heart and soul of social life in America. The 1930s and ‘40s were the highpoint of the ballroom era and the Big Bands were the main attractions, but the Jazz Age in the ‘20s is when many ballrooms got their start.
Toledo’s Knorr has played thousands of gigs in ballrooms nationwide and he is one of our most cherished local icons.
In 1996, the U.S. Postal Service honored the Johnny Knorr Orchestra by presenting an award to commemorate the orchestra’s contributions to big band music in conjunction with the American Music Series. Of all the people I’ve met, I don’t know anybody else with their own stamp.
Knorr is one of the most humble guys I know. I had the pleasure of enjoying a melancholy lunch with him recently along with my music partner, Walter Guy. Walt and I just sat there and listened as Johnny reminisced. It was a rare experience. Absolutely wonderful and a real honor.
I own a small interest in an independent record company called US20 Records, and we’re going to do our share to help preserve some of the great music Johnny has given us through the years. It will be a collection of works performed by the Johnny Knorr Orchestra and will be released this fall.
I called Johnny at home before I started writing this article to check a few facts.
He answered by saying, “You’ll never guess what I was just doing. I was playing my sax.”
Just the way we like to hear it, Johnny, I thought to myself.

Listen to Limelight America on Fox Sports Radio 1230 WCWA, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 5 to 6 p.m. and online at www.limelightamerica.com. E-mail Michael Drew Shaw at mds@limelightamerica.com.

Maybe you’ve noticed the memorial benches while walking or running at Toledo Area Metroparks.  They are often found perched along a naturally beautiful area, calling out to passersby from their vantage points.
According to Patty Morgenstern, membership and customer service supervisor, more than 300 gifts have been given specifically for the benches. In addition, many park supporters have chosen to honor or remember someone special with a plaque on a lamppost at Wildwood, or bricks at Pearson or Wildwood.
Those are just some of the ways to memorialize someone, which can include a garden or a special planting. The next time you are at Oak Openings, venture to the Evergreen Lake park entrance off of state Route 295 and take note of the new pagoda-like structure at the head of the trail, right by the parking lot.
The wooden structure begs you to use its new fresh surface to stretch your legs before hiking, running or skiing the four-mile trail that lies in store.  Beside the stretching station sits a rock, its beautiful natural sand-color hue glistening in the sun. On the face of the huge stone is a plaque that reads:
Sunrise — Sunset
Walk, Run,
Bike, Ski
Embrace the Seasons
Embrace Friendship
Embrace Life
Dedicated to Jeff Armstrong
in Loving Memory,
by his family and many friends
March 22, 2009
Jeff Armstrong did all of that and more for the time that he spent on this Earth.
He was just 58 when he died in March 2007, a victim of esophageal cancer, diagnosed just five months before. He left behind his loving wife, two sons and six grandchildren. Jeff was in great shape, ate well and accomplished more athletically than most can imagine.
Jeff was a multifaceted man.  An ironworker for more than 30 years, he had obtained a two-year degree in architectural engineering.  Upon retirement, this active man worked at Dave’s Running Shop, and then wanting to do more, went back to school and got a degree in physical therapy assisting.
“He was an inspiration to the young people at the school, as he was 56 years old, and the teachers were just amazed that he had come back to school,” said his wife Kathy. “He was very conscientious and worked really hard. The class started out with 23 students, and only seven graduated.”
On the same day he graduated, he got a job and his fatal diagnosis. His new employer had a daughter with leukemia, so out of empathy, allowed Jeff to work when he could through his treatment.  He worked up until two weeks before he died.
Jeff’s passions were the parks and the outdoors. He made many friends through clubs he was active in: the Toledo Area Bicyclists Club, Toledo Road Runners and Team Toledo, which is a triathlon club.  He left many friends from all three groups who felt compelled to do something in his honor.
A committee was formed to plan a fundraising event.  The group decided a family fun day with a potluck, games for the kids, running and bicycling routes and a silent auction would be the ideal way to raise money for a memorial.
After the fundraiser, the group considered different memorial options, including a garden.  The group wanted something more “athletic,” so thus the stretching station, which is a natural remembrance of Jeff.
Under the guidance of Metroparks District Supervisor Joe Fausnaugh, the fundraiser and memorial came to light.
“The Metroparks and my staff, in particular, were honored to be chosen for the site of Jeff’s memorial,” Fausnaugh said. “We worked with Jeff’s friends and family for almost a year to design and build a lasting memorial.”
Standing at the foot of the memorial, Kathy said, “I have wonderful friends. I’m just awed by it … Every time I’m out at the park, it brings back memories.”
At the dedication ceremony, more than 30 people came to remember their friend. And the sun was shining, naturally.

Julie Rubini is a wife and mom, the founder of Claire’s Day Inc., and a writer, with a background in sales/marketing and management.

Northwest Ohio will receive nearly $100 million to fund 31 new transportation projects and programs, according to the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG).
TMACOG reports that
$97.5 million will be allocated for projects in Lucas and Wood counties with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, more commonly known as the federal economic stimulus program.
Those projects fall into four funding categories managed by TMACOG, which is responsible for programming funds for specific transportation projects in this region.
Several projects will be funded with $31.3 million from Ohio’s allocation for District Two of the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The port authority will receive $15 million toward the modernization of the Toledo shipyard and
$6.8 million for the new seaport crane system. $6.5 million was allocated for expansion of the Airline Junction facility operated by Norfolk Southern Railroad in Toledo. Members of the City of Toledo’s Joint Intermodal Task Force met with state officials May 18 to secure that funding.
“We have all the transportation assets in Northwest Ohio to be a major regional hub, but we lack the linkages between the different modes,” said Warren Henry, vice president for transportation at TMACOG. “We’re in the process of strengthening those intermodal links with some of these funds.”
Another $11.75 million in federal stimulus dollars are allocated for the Transportation Improvement Program developed by TMACOG.
About $7.13 million will be allocated to the City of Toledo for resurfacing or road improvements to several major streets, including:

• $2.8 million for Secor Road from Laskey to Monroe Street,
• $1.68 million for Michigan Street from LaFayette to Madison,
• $1.18 for Hill Avenue from Detroit to Westwood,
• $600,000 for South Avenue from Detroit to Airport Highway
• $570,000 for Detroit from Interstate-75 to Central Avenue
• $315,000 for Telegraph Road from Alexis Road to the Michigan line
• Lucas County will receive $420,000 for upgrading 13 traffic signal locations.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is set to receive $1.17 million for upgrading George Hardy Drive from Tiffin Road to St. Lawrence Drive. The port authority will also get $350,000 toward the cost of the new dry bulk loading system.
The City of Oregon will receive $3 million for reconstruction of Otter Creek Road, $1 million for repaving Wheeling Street from Navarre to Brown roads and $194,200 for upgrading the Coy Road and Starr Avenue intersection.
Northwood will receive $61,000 to update the Curtice and Bradner roads intersection.
The City of Maumee will receive $462,000 for resurfacing Illinois Avenue from Conant to Ford streets.
The City of Bowling Green will get $597,000 for upgrading North Main Street from Clay to Dill streets.
Several statewide projects with benefits to the Northwest Ohio region will be funded with $45 million from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) statewide allocation, according to TMACOG’s report.
The state has allocated $20 million for the CSX National Gateway project creating a double stack clearance at the planned intermodal yard in North Baltimore.
Another $7 million will be allocated to fund project development for the Ohio hub of passenger rail corridors, including Toledo to Columbus. Toledo currently has the most passenger rail traffic in the state with most of it headed east and west, Henry said.
Another $10 million is earmarked for plans and designs for future ODOT construction projects, while $5.9 million will be used for engineering tasks to monitor the work for stimulus projects.
Seven transit projects in the TMACOG region will be funded with $8.8 million through ODOT’s transit allocation.
TARTA will receive $8.82 million, including $5.8 million for 35-foot-plus buses and $1.8 million for under 35-foot buses with the balance allocated for support vehicles, transit enhancements and preventive maintenance.
Bowling Green Transit will receive $16,950, including $12,400 for capitalized maintenance and $4,550 for a photo ID system.
TMACOG and other agencies working with federal stimulus funds will monitor and document the proper use of those funds. TMACOG’s transportation department reports to ODOT and other federal agencies such as the departments of Commerce and Transportation.
TMACOG is responsible for compiling the Transportation Improvement Program for short-term projects over four years from 2008 through 2011. It also prepares long-range plans for 20 years into the future, which were last updated in July 2007 and extend through 2037.
TMACOG is the metropolitan planning organization for Lucas and Wood counties, and three southern townships in Monroe County, Michigan. It handles allocation of federal dollars for specific projects from bike paths to interstate highways, air, marine and rail transportation.

Earlier this spring, East Side Boxing Gym (ESBG) was homeless.
The building the coaches had poured their blood, sweat and tears into had been sold by its owner.
With no options and no money to rent a new building, the gym’s coaches improvised.
Navarre Park was transformed into their training ground Monday through Friday evenings.
Boxers would run around the track and float like butterflies around the parking lot.  The pop, pop, pop of the pads echoed in the wind.

Rocky Cicerella

But something was missing.
There was no ring. No place to hang the heavy bags and no place to hide when the weather turned cold.
Without a roof over their head, East Side Boxing Gym had lost an important piece of its identity.
In early April, I featured this group in one of my stories for NBC24. Together we made a plea for someone to donate some space for ESBG.
For weeks, we heard nothing.
Then out of the blue, I received a voicemail from some guy in North Toledo who had just bought a strip of property that used to be an old Food Town.
The guy said, in a strong baritone voice, that he had invited East Side Boxing to use some of his extra space. The cost: free.
Recently, I met Rocky Cicerella, a quasi-small business owner. He’s dabbled in selling fireworks and owns Rocky’s Antique Mall.
In order to meet Rocky, I had to weave my way around his flea market.  Dozens of vendors were on standby ready to sell anything from those creepy dolls from the 1950s to Elvis Presley dinner plates to Ricky Bobby stickers.
After asking around, I found Rocky, a middle-aged guy, rocking the hat backward and wearing one glove with the fingers cut off.
He reeked of coolness.
Rocky’s personality is much like a boxer in the ring. Never standing still, full of nervous energy, but happy to make your acquaintance.
When I actually got him focused enough to talk about his good deed, his modesty kicked in.
He told me he heard the kids were looking for somewhere to box and somewhere to stay out of trouble. Rocky’s motive behind his charity was to keep these kids off the street.
Rocky had helped all types of fighters at East Side Boxing.
You have Brandon Morris, a lanky high school student who packs a mean punch on his way to the Junior Olympics for the second year in a row.
Then there is Ruben Soto, a 7-year-old who is not tall enough to “ride-this-ride,” but snaps off fists of fury inside the ropes.
Coach Lamar Wright has seen dramatic improvement in his fighters’ attitudes since a roof was placed over their heads.
“Since we started training here, there’s been nothing but smiles, nothing but smiles,” Wright said.
Over the past two months, I’ve covered budget deficits, point-shaving scandals and steroids.
For that, I thank people like Rocky Cicerella, who prove there are still good people in this world.
He may have helped one of these fighters follow his dream and become the next Devin Vargas.
And how is this for irony: East Side Boxing Gym saved by a guy named Rocky.

Ryan Fowler is the weekend sports anchor at NBC 24 and can be reached at bgsualum03@hotmail.com.  Follow him and Adam Meyer on Twitter at adamryan419.

Michigan International Speedway (MIS) is hosting a series of Web-based teleconferences to make a day at the track less overwhelming for visitors.
Each MIS Live! session is hosted by Roger Curtis, MIS track president.
“[MIS] can be a very overwhelming place due to the size,” said Dennis Worden, MIS manager of public relations. “It can be an intimidating place and we encourage fans to talk to Roger.”
The first teleconference, for veteran campers, was a success, according to Worden.
“Camping is a big part of what we do here,” he said. “They have a good experience and we want to continue to do that for them.”

The sessions are hosted at 7 p.m. and last about an hour. The next one is May 27, and the theme is first-time ticket holders; June 3 is for veteran ticket holders.
Fans can go to www.ustream.tv/channel/MIS-Live to participate. They will need to register for a Ustream account and password, but that, along with the teleconference, is free. The streaming audio and chat sessions will be posted on www.MISpeedway.com and on Twitter.
Worden said each session isn’t necessarily for those groups on those certain dates, and he said fans can participate in any of the sessions and ask any question.
“It’s an informational thing for fans. It’s also how we learn. If [the fans] don’t tell us what they like or what needs to change, we don’t know.”
In fact, these teleconferences are a direct result of surveys MIS distributed, according to Worden. Those surveys said 20 percent of track ticket accounts are new and have never been to MIS.
Worden said MIS conducted the surveys each season, and staff use the research gathered from the results regularly.

Roger Curtis

“It’s a big reason why we’re doing some of the things we are doing, such as signage, as well as the capital improvements with the new sound system and scoreboard,” Worden said. “It definitely makes a difference for fans to speak their minds.”
In general, Worden said MIS is searching all avenues to connect with fans, not just the traditional TV, news and radio.
“We have put a lot more of our efforts into it,” he said. “It gives us other avenues to connect with fans.”
MIS will be participating in live updates on Twitter during race weekends, as well as hosting monthly, online podcasts with Curtis. In addition, fans can e-mail Curtis directly at askthepresident@MISpeedway.com, where he will answer all questions.
As a fan courtesy, Worden said MIS will send out a series of RACE Ready e-mails to all current ticket holders 30, 20 and 10 days prior to the big race weekends in June and August.
“We will be preparing a lot of fans, letting them know what’s new and what’s changed,” he said.
Worden said if the first series is successful, MIS will host another set of teleconferences leading up to the next big race weekend in August.

We have advocated buying in this market for months. For readers who are unconvinced, here is a list of developing market conditions, all of which we view as the 10 best reasons to be buying stock.
1. Low TED spread. This indicator is a gauge of the confidence that European and U.S. banks have in one another. A low TED spread is indicative of confidence and also means that capital is flowing freely between banks so they can finance ongoing operations on a short-term basis.
2. Incredible amounts of liquidity in the system. The measures taken by the Treasury and Federal Reserve, as discussed in previous articles, have provided the financial system with significant excess capital.
3. This liquidity is beginning to move through the system, evident by the fact that home sales have been picking up lately, especially in markets hit especially hard in the recent collapse.
4. Low VIX. The VIX is a market index that measures perceived volatility in the market. Recently, the market has resumed its upward trend and been remarkably stable.
5. Much of the recent stability is because there hasn’t been nearly as much emotion surrounding the markets as there was in the fall. This is due in part to the fact that many investors are steering clear of the markets because the anguish suffered last year.
6. Since putting in a marginally lower bottom earlier this year, the stock market has resumed an upward trend, moving slowly higher, but not moving too fast.
7. In fact, so far the market is 30 percent off its most recent bottom. This is evidence to many investors that there are good returns to be had in this market, particularly for those who do their research and invest wisely.
8. The lack of emotion, namely fear or panic, as well as the stable building of an upward trend have all created a kind of calm confidence in the markets. Most of the investors still intimately involved with the markets for industry professionals are better at maintaining objectivity and making clear, rational decisions. These investors, as well as some individuals, since regrouping after 2008, are recognizing the bargains available in the market and working with professions to take advantage.
9. While it is not such a widely publicized fact, over the history of the stock market, the years with the largest gains on a percentage basis tend to closely follow the years with the biggest losses. Last year, was one of the worst years the stock market has ever experienced, so if history holds true, 2009 and 2010 could be very good for investors trying to recover. In fact, there is a growing group of investors, us included, who believe that this may be the start of a bull market in stocks. And while it wouldn’t be surprising to see the market correct, we believe that the next few years in stocks are going to be among the best in a generation or more.
10. With all this in mind, we think it’s safe to say that investors can disregard the old stock market adage of “sell in May and go away,” as it doesn’t seem likely to hold true this year. With the recent action in the markets, combined with the fact that investors are still reeling from last year and trying to remake money lost, it seems more likely that investors will working through what is traditionally a lull in trading.

All of these observations are positive for the market, and while conditions will undoubtedly change in the future, currently the reasons to buy stocks outweigh and outnumber the reasons to avoid investing. However, we do recognize that not everything about investing is logical; there is often emotion involved. We can go on and on with the reasons that people should be buying in this market, but investors need to look at their individual circumstances and determine what is right for them. We’ve said it before and we continue to tell people that they have to be able to go to sleep at night. You’re investments should help your comfort level, as they exist to help you prepare for the future. If the adviser or the strategy that you are currently using has been causing you to lose sleep, then it’s time to make a change.

Dock David Treece is a stockbroker licensed with FINRA. He works for Treece Financial Services Corp., www.TreeceInvestments.com. The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be used without outside verification.

Mud Hens left fielder Wilkin Ramirez slammed his way into history May 20.
He was the first Tiger to hit a homer in a major league debut in 35 years.
Ramirez was called up to the Tigers on May 19 to take the roster spot of Magglio Ordonez. The trip is expected to be short, but has already been successful. While Ramirez enjoys being a Mud Hen, he wants to be a big leaguer.
“I’m trying to get out of here as soon as I can,” he said.
Ramirez started playing baseball before he was even born.
“My dad said [I started playing] when I was in my mom’s stomach,” he said. “He said, ‘It’s going to be a boy and he’s going to play baseball.’”

Wilkin Ramirez

When he was 10 years old, he hit his first home run.
“It just kept going and going,” said 23-year-old Ramirez. “It was in a little softball stadium, and everyone was excited.”
Ramirez, who was born in Bani, Dominican Republic, said Little League baseball isn’t the same in the United States.
“It’s totally different — totally different,” he said. “Here you have to be a certain age. There, if you have enough talent to be playing, you can be producing.”
He started getting looked at by major league teams when he was 16 and he signed with the Detroit Tigers when he was 17. He has power, size and speed. He just needs to work on one pesky thing: hitting the breaking ball.
“Wilky’s one of those guys that if you look at him as a scout, he could hit it big — if he hits [the breaking ball],” said Larry Parrish, Mud Hens manager.
His numbers with the Mud Hens tell the story. In counts where he is ahead, when hitters tend to see more fastballs, he hits .464. When he’s behind in the count, he hits .200.
However, Ramirez doesn’t focus on that; he looks at the big picture.
“People say I’ve got to work on the breaking ball. [However], I work on everything. They say, ‘You can’t hit a great breaking ball anyways.’”
Nevertheless, Ramirez has continued to work. Along the way, he has battled through injuries, including his current one where he had his thumb stretched back from his index finger while hitting an inside fastball.
The injury didn’t slow him. He hit 7-8 with three home runs, four RBIs and a stolen base in his first two games back May 16 and 17.
Ramirez said the toughest injury was when he missed the entire 2004 season after shoulder surgery. In 2006, he had a left shin contusion, costing him half of the season.
“It’s funny if you look at him,” Parrish said. “He looks like a bull, a guy that would never be hurt.”
Despite the injuries, Ramirez has improved at each level of his minor league career. This year, with the Mud Hens, he’s hitting .316, with five home runs, 13 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 30 games. Since May 8, he’s hitting .545 with four home runs and six RBIs.
“He’s a blue-chip type guy,” said Dave Dombrowski, president, CEO and general manager of the Detroit Tigers. “He’s got tremendous tools. He’s had them for a long time. Anybody that’s got that type of power and speed has a chance to play [in the big leagues].”
Dombrowski said Ramirez has made adjustments and continues to improve.
“He just needs more reps,” Dombrowski said. “We switched him from third base to the outfield, so that takes some adjustments. He can probably skip [back] in there and play a game at third base, but that’s not our plan. Plus, we can take advantage of his speed [in the outfield].”
“He’s showing the ability to put the ball in play, make contact and use the middle of the field,” Parrish said.
“If all the pieces fall into place, he could be a big-time player,” he said. “The kid has a lot of tools.”
Aside from the position switch, the injuries and learning the breaking ball, Ramirez has begun to grasp the English language  with the help of his wife Julie. He didn’t really begin learning English until he met her in 2004. They married in 2006 and have a toddler, Derrick.
Miguel Tejada is also instrumental in his life. Tejada, a shortstop for the Houston Astros, is his friend, and Ramirez was a shortstop when he signed with the Tigers.
“He’s taught me a lot offensively,” Ramirez said. “I call him a lot, not just about baseball.”

The same people who say they don’t care what people say about them are the ones who make sure they are wearing the latest fashions, avoid making a scene and make sure they are seen with all the “right” people.
Be honest with yourself.  You do care what is said about you. There is nothing wrong with caring what people say and, until you face that fact with personal honesty, you are not going to be able to make good decisions about what you are hearing and its importance in your life.
Face it. If you are running a business, creating a marketing plan or rolling out a new product, you will not be able to please everyone. However, if you are going to be successful, you are going to be able to please a very discerning and deliberate group of people.
You have to; that is what doing business is all about.
The same is true when people talk about you. Deliberately assure that you’re not trying to please everyone. Be honest. Words matter; words powerfully affect your actions and decisions.
Until you decide who you are going to listen to, you cannot control how you are going to be affected; you cannot embrace the value hidden inside the gossip and chatter circulating around you.
When you avoid being honest with yourself, you may find that your time, thoughts and energy are wasted on trying to change the words of someone who has absolutely nothing to do with your level of service, has nothing to do with your personal mission in life, nothing to do with your professional goals.
These people should not be able to steal your attention and siphon your energy. Their words should be able to be looked at without an emotional reaction. You are not going to be able to get to this place of nonreaction until you begin your journey of honesty.  Be honest that it does matter what some people say.
Whose words matter? Simple. Who do you serve?  Successful living starts with service.  You serve your family; you serve your friends and you serve your colleagues and customers. These are the people who matter. These are the people who you should be catering to, and these are the people who you should consider when you are listening to the word out on you.
You can control what people say about you, at least those in your immediate sphere of service (those who actually matter). You control what people say because you control yourself.
Remember that, when people talk, they (generally) do not invent stories out of nowhere. The stories have an origin and inside of every fabrication lies a grain of truth.  The key to survival is to admit that you’re not a victim of bad luck; there is no conspiracy to defame you or paint you in a bad light.
Stop focusing on the words that are being spoken and start focusing on why those words are being spoken. The value is in the why. Words are like symptoms. Positive words indicate that you’re doing something right. Negative words mean that you may need to look at who you are more closely.
With your newfound level of personal honesty, you’ll be able to see similarities in the words that you hear about yourself, your product and your company.
You will see that there are congruencies between positive feedback and the same areas of improvement that are indicated in every conversation that you hear.
However, good decisions can only be made when you have good information. Good information begins with personal honesty — bellying up to the bar and admitting where you need to improve and deliberately choosing only to listen to those who matter; those people you serve with pride.

For more tips on how to perfect the word out on you, visit www.boltfromtheblue.com and enter GOSSIP into the blueprint box.