Year of Gratitude - Day 275 - Detroit Red Wings

As an undergraduate, I worked for the student paper for two years and after I left the staff, I wondered what the heck I was going to do with myself. Writing for the paper kept me busy and I had enough energy to write like a machine. One day in October 2002, my creative non-fiction writing professor mentioned there was an internship with the Red Wings available. "Parking, dinner..." and some other things were nonchalantly mentioned. My eyes grew big and my hand shot up. The rest is history.

After submitting writing samples and interviewing, I got the internship that would round out my college experience at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and change my life. After a year, I would be making money as a freelance writer. Real money! I met hockey legends - coaches, players, writers, broadcasters. My first professional interview was a phone interview with Gordie Howe, Mr. Hockey himself. One of my last assignments was a feature on Steve Yzerman's Retirement Night. I would write about Red Wings that I had been a fan of since I was a kindergartner. A few days each summer were spent in Traverse City covering Training Camp. Not only did I get an outlet for my writing, but I gathered friends, stories and a working experience that I will treasure forever. It's a little surreal thinking back on it.

Even though my time with the Wings was extraordinary, the internship and then freelance work afterward taught me two things:

1. If I put my mind to it, I can hustle and pay the bills with my writing.
2. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life writing.

That second item sort of shocked me. When I worked for the Wings, I met writers that are literally hockey historians, full of encyclopedic knowledge on the sport. I was not that and would never be, but I still wanted to be an expert in something one day. Being part of the grind showed me that while I could manage a living doing this, writing would be one of my skills, but not my entire career.

• Related post: 30 Days of Gratitude: Day 26 - Detroit Red Wings

Year of Gratitude - Day 14 - Gordie Howe

This post was actually written on Oct 28, 2014. On that day, it came out that the granddaddy of old school Detroit hockey, Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe, had suffered a stroke. When this came out, the stroke was described as serious. A stroke for any 86-year-old is tough to handle, but Howe is a super hero. He is

He was the first professional interview I ever conducted. It was over the phone and he was wonderful. I hope I still have that tape. It is important for me to look back on my time with the Red Wings and cherish all of the once-in-a-lifetime memories. Starting that journey off with Mr. Hockey over the phone was perfect.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 26 - Detroit Red Wings

My first two years in undergrad were spent writing for the student paper. When I left the paper, I stumbled upon a writing internship that landed me at Joe Louis Arena, working for the Red Wings. An unpaid internship turned into a paying gig and I had some of the most amazing experiences of my life. - training camps, banner-raising, the playoffs. I got to interview some of the greatest hockey players that ever played, including Steve Yzerman, Nick Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. My first interview with a professional athlete was Gordie Howe and I interviewed Ted Lindsay atop the Joe in the Legends Club. My favorite article was one I wrote about Kris Draper the year he won the Selke Trophy. I am above and beyond grateful to have had experiences like these. I have enough stories to last me a lifetime!