So, the idea of writing a blog has been rolling around in my head for. some time now. I recently reached out to my friends on Twitter and Facebook to help me name the collection of my writings. The message asked what I should name a blog that essentially is about being the father of a little girl and running a nightclub at the same time. "Day and Night...It's All About Her" (Thanks Dan!) Obviously, there are so many things that conflict with what I do but much to my surprise, there are a great deal of things that go hand-in-hand about it as well!
I want to write about the conflicts, the struggles, the lessons I've learned, the family that I have grown, the ugly side of my business, the beautiful way it unites people and how I got to the place in my life that allows me to step back, observe it all and influence lives. Last part sound silly? Wonder how I influence lives in the nightclub business? The short answer...I drive a business. It provides for everyone from the owners to the dishwashers. Everyone needs money to live, right? My #1 goal at Le Passage is to make something so great that it provides for all those that rely on me.
If my motivations are so righteous than why write about it? I want something that's mine, all mine! What better than my story? What better way to talk to my little girl who can't understand me now but one day will. People will always ask or question my motivation and I'm okay with that...As long as Hannah Marie never does.
Also, I've always know that there would be a day that I wrote. I've tried to journal before and it hasn't worked very well. I need an audience. The concept is the same because writing provides a type of therapy to the writer. It allows one to be alone with their thoughts, reflect on them and in essence develop themselves. I think it's crucial that I develop as a person and this is the first time in my life that I have decided to focus on that. Lol...at the end of the day, if I make myself better I can make the world better. If I make the world better, it's a better place for my little girl...and your little girl or boy...and their kids. I think I'm in this world to make it better and I will.
Not what you thought this blog would be about so far?? Lol...me either! I just started writing and that's what came out.
Something tells me that if you are looking to read something shallow, this may not be the blog for you. :) I'll let you know what's awesome at Le Passage, or who came in, or what event we have coming up etc. I'll also let you know HONESTLY if the celeb that came in is an ass, or if they were cool or if things don't go quite the way we anticipated. I'll be the real Joel David Barnes. ALWAYS.
If you see my tweets or facebook status updates, you know that I send a lot of messages about my little girl. Since the goal of this blog is to highlight both being a father to her and being the General Manager of Le Passage, I will make sure to include a story about Hannah each time I write. Here's the first one:
Whenever I'm with Hannah we try to get out of the house and go for walks around my neighborhood. Even when it was chilly we would bundle up and at least go to the store around the corner. There is an old Asian woman that walks around my neighborhood and I have seen her for years. She always walks with her head down towards the ground and walks so slowly. I've lived on the north side (Irving Park and Lakeshore) since I moved to Chicago 9 years ago. I've been in my current apartment for 6 years and I have seen her since then. Long story short, I've never seen this woman's eyes...until recently. I was on a walk with Hannah and we approached the woman coming toward us. Hannah like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day...she penetrates your soul with goodness and purity. Sure enough, this sad old woman walked slowly toward us and my little angel simply looks up at her and says "Hiiii". This woman didn't know what hit her! It was like a light switch flipped on. That woman smiled SO big and said "hi" back and giggled and stared at my little girl. She smiled so deeply that it had to go as far as her heart! Hannah was 18 months old...this woman, probably 70...Hannah knew 20 words in English and this woman may have know 5...but they communicated. I still smile about that story...
That's what I got for my first blog...hope you like it and will read again. I want this to be a vehicle that I use to grow my knowledge, grow my business and grow my wisdom. PLEASE feel free to comment! I will read them!
Joel David Barnes
Daddy to Hannah Marie Barnes
General Manager to Le Passage
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