If you personally know me or have read my bio, you would know that I ran radio stations for a living for decades. This author thing is just a side hustle and is not as lucrative as any of my "real" jobs. Like many, about half of my day is the same thing I did the day prior. In one column, I have the daily checklist of tasks that must be completed, or I cannot go home for the day. The other two-thirds of my notepad consists of a buffet of random tasks, as I like to have everything in writing and stay focused on getting ahead. Everything I do, from the mundane to the items outside my daily process, goes on the notepad. I have written about this before in previous blogs…

Like any job, you work hard to create a product that people will love (or at least like?). You respect your work and expect others to feel the same way. In radio and other media, that often means that you are always working. Entertainment is more of a lifestyle than a vocation. I'm not saying it is more difficult than any other job, but have you ever had to be on a three-hour webinar while sitting at Disney World? Have you ever had to remove your mouse ears before the video conferencing connected? Have you ever booked a festival worth of entertainment while driving to get your marriage license? You must be all in, or you won't survive long. You can occasionally check out mentally, but if you work in a creative field, you are constantly looking for inspiration.

The work is never meant to be done; you never get to finish, and the process starts again at 12:01am. At least when you paint a house, you eventually leave the wall or even the house when you're done. Whether it's media or any other career or passion, if you take it seriously, sweat for it, bleed, and respect what you do, it's disappointing when someone from the outside attacks your product and questions your credibility. You know, like writing an Amazon bestseller and one person, out of all your amazing reviews, gives you just three stars?! YOU MONSTER! (Breathe in. Exhale. It's gonna be ok).

Part of running multiple radio stations is to do damage control when someone is unsatisfied with their listening experience. Whether it's a song they don't care for, a commercial that upsets them, or an on-air talent that rubs them the wrong way, the job is to hear them out and try to wrap your head around what really is bothering them. Most of the time, they just want to be heard.

So you call them back and let them vent, or respond to an email and let them know you are listening and considering their (often ridiculous) ideas and opinions. Most of the time, I can appease them, and they will continue to listen to the radio stations. Every once in a while, you get that one person who NEEDS to be right. No matter how outlandish their opinion or request may be, they refuse to walk away from an exchange without the "win." I will go point-counterpoint with them for a few minutes, mainly to make sure I understand exactly what they are saying, but after that, I am done.

You will never learn a thing in life if you don't listen. Even if what you're listening to makes your head explode, and your eyes roll into the back of your head. You look for a convenient exit from the exchange and allow them to "win."

If you're a religious person, Proverbs 26:4 resonates with you.

If you love Mark Twain as much as I do, you would recall this quote..." Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."

I always say-"Don't dance with idiots" (Chase Murphy-ism). I don't exchange with people who refuse to listen to reason or what I consider reason, and I don't lower myself to anyone's level. They can pound sand for all I care.

If you need to "win," I will let you win. That's the problem! People are too fixated on the win. They want to verbally (and sometimes physically) beat the point into their rival. They are not satisfied till the opponent knows the "truth" and sees their side of the story as the only logical explanation. As for me, I have a long list of things I would rather be doing than drilling a lesson into the head of someone who wants to do the same to me. I focus on the people who come to me for advice and guidance and give little time to those who wish to exchange with me. I'm just as passionate about the things I love or consider myself an expert, but that doesn't mean I have to defend it to anyone. You'll never see me get into a public debate on Facebook (although it bothers me that there are people out there who think In-N-Out Burger is better than Whataburger? Nope!) And I have no desire to get you to change your political affiliation.

I would rather us be different than have a world full of people who think the way I do. I don't have all the answers in life, and like you, I am a work in progress. It's ridiculous to think any one of us has it all figured out. We don't know what we don't know. Yet, that won't stop an idiot from trying to get me to be their dance partner.

Your time on this planet gets less with every minute that passes, and there are far better and healthier ways to spend it than trying to convince someone you're smarter than them. Most idiots will never realize they are idiots.

#Tryharder to not dance with idiots. Remember, people look dumber when they are dancing by themselves.