Rebrand and Reinvent…

Have you ever had to rebrand or even reinvent yourself overtime? Just like wrestlers do with their gimmicks and characters portrayed, we too need to implement change as years progress. As this month comes to a close, I share one final pic of Warrior during his 2014 WWE HOF weekend doing his own way of rebranding or reinventing. Many thought he would approach his speech in a “destructive” type of manner with being gone and all his misgivings in the business. He did not bring any of that to the Smoothie King center that night. He didn’t even want to initially bring back the character of Ultimate Warrior with face paint on Monday night RAW. Besides little adjustments to his character over the years, he never fully rebranded in a way like many do. Perhaps most can assume he wasn’t around long enough to do so but in reality, he didn’t feel the need. I for one during those times am glad he refused but with our everyday lives, we do and often more than we might know.

This idea came forth as * MUCH* in my life seems to have been rebranded or reinvented in numerous ways. Yes, life is a constant with changes but sometimes it happens super close together where we feel choke slammed. Some choices are necessary and then some just run to the ring unexpectedly. Can you identify with this? Let’s see… where to begin. I had mentioned my Zoom group ending and none of the ladies ever responded. 🫤 I will also be leaving that Facebook group too by early May. So many aspects we just outgrow through little effort on our part. Others actions cause us to notice and we go from there. I have referenced stuff I had liked in the past and then no longer seemed to anymore. Warrior would never be that for me… 💙

Life is always filled with motion like growing kids, relocating, job changes, and all of that but then we get those attacks from behind out of our control. I had wanted to take a final yoga class at my favorite studio one more time before moving and noticed it said online “ permanently closed.She does have another location but I liked this one better and it did get a mention on here last year being close to where I grew up. I practice yoga at home and can go elsewhere but I probably won’t until finding a new location further south. Many reinventions or rebranding we initiate in and are OK with because we are in control of them but others we are not. Change is a part of life but again, it’s all in how we respond that matters.

Warrior wanted to have more influence over his character, but was told no several occasions. It was only when Vince wanted him back did he offer more creativity and money to him. Warrior did manage to do life on his terms and with the help of others, got his website and OWN rebranded when out of the business of wrestling. He still kept part of himself but wanted to influence and mentor in new ways, not available to him prior. Our roles and careers evolve too but some ideas we can refuse. I remember those times very well and many things asked of me were not in the original job description. Careers are just part of all this, but our personal lives always get tagged in too. It’s hard beginning again, isn’t it readers? We have those mixed emotions of both being bittersweet yet exciting all at once. For me, you’d think moving with college age kids would be easier and yet in ways, it is not. They have become more attached with their own memories which makes it such the ultimate challenge. We’ve never lived anywhere else as a family and yet they need to continue becoming young adults making their own way in the world. Seeing that “ For SALE” sign in our yard was a huge reality punch.

So warriors, what areas can you think of in your own lives that needed or are in need of being rebranded and reinvented in someway? Logically, we do it through aging but are there those times, moments, or situations you feel need some adjustment? A few could maybe be fine tuned but then others completely need to be torn out by the bare minimum and just gutted. I realize much can be our decisions but like a few circumstances written, several will be based on others taking the first step and then we follow. We can choose whether or not to follow or just begin again another way. It’s hard being put in those positions that may affect us differently whether financially, emotionally, mentally, and everything else. What does your gut tell you and should you listen? That’s Warrior’s way for sure. Can you afford to stand up to your principles and how does a rebrand or reinvent fit into it all?

Many may go a certain way because of society or even if they are looking for longevity~~~ it all varies for each of us. Do we have to do this or is it more of a want? All questions worth asking of yourself when going forward on this journey friends. For wrestlers~~~ it’s about business, money, and fans but most of us aren’t famous so a few of those criteria are not on the mat. We do have other concerns though just as important. I’ve actually changed this blog around some over the years as well. Sure, I have topics and photos but I’ve moved onto other areas to discuss or share with you. Remember when I said how never would I use certain pics of Warrior because I had never seen him as a bodybuilder, his tag teams with Sting, or even Dingo? Me and my crazy reasons!!! 🤪 I believe Warrior himself also redid much in his life. He still held onto his beliefs and shook those ropes perhaps not as tightly as before. His entire demeanor had changed that weekend as he made the rounds with forgiveness in peace. If that’s not rebranding readers, I don’t know what is… 🙏🏻🤍

We need to decide what is in our best interest long-term and sometimes the universe intervenes on our behalf. Is it to make life easier for us? That could be so but it also encourages us to have that decision right in front waiting for an answer. We do our part and then let the chips fall where they will, consequences at all. It’s afterwards that matters more once that rebranding or reinventing takes place. How we go on and what to do from there counts and more than a 3️⃣ count, of course. Fans didn’t know what the then WWF would do with the Hulkster once Ultimate Warrior defeated him for the Heavyweight title of WMVI. The business execs knew with him making a movie and stepping away for a bit but then what? Well, we all know what happened but back in those days, not so much. Think of changes in a job maybe similar with shifting priorities for a while. How did it go? You can connect that on your own all the time. Everything in life at some point needs that rebrand or reinvent. The question truly remains though. Once you begin or begin again, does it work? You will know overtime and start fresh another day.

It might be easy, but it might be difficult. Rebrand, reinvent, or not. Look at those life choices that need a Warrior’s wisdom. The answer will be there so be “ prepared and ready…”

P.S. I DID watch the first hour of WrestleMania 42 as it was on ESPN! My husband and I saw the beginning at dinner on that Sunday night in a Mexican restaurant as I had no idea. I went home but was only able to watch the first few matches.…

The Ultimate Dingo King 💪🏻🐕👑

To start off, I hope anyone who celebrated Memorial Day enjoyed their day off from work but of course it is so much more. That day is to honor and remember all our service men and women who sacrificed their lives for our freedom here in the US. ❤️🤍💙🇺🇸 I do wish you all had some moments of reflection on those TRUE warriors who paid the ultimate price. My daughter was actually born on a Memorial Day 19 years ago tomorrow. How is she in her last year as a teen? Time is a gift and also very precious indeed as she will always be my Memorial Day baby. She will also always be my Gemini girl as Warrior was that too. ♊️

OK~~~ now you are probably wondering about that title. I have come up with some bizarre ones lately, right? 😂 You know I always explain so I’ll go in order. The ultimate word pertains to a certain pic I was planning on using soon. I saw it in the book, snapped it, edited, and kept it a day on my phone. For some reason later on, I was thinking I had already used that one. So, I checked my media but didn’t go all the way through. Guess I got distracted by something else, who knows? I did eventually make my way across the many pics~~~ almost 9 years worth ( minus a few…) mind you and finally saw it. I was right, but when it kept bugging me was when I found myself half awake and asleep. Yes, warriors as previously discussed~~~that’s when intuitive moments “slam” into me. My head was telling me I already used that photo so glad I checked. This has happened before but not quite in such a comical way as that time. It was as if Warrior himself delivered me that message! Maybe he did… 😊

Next, we’ll get into Dingo up in the title. I thought it fitting to end the month with another pic from his early days in WCCW. I had gotten out the book: “ A Life Lived Forever” to look at more possible photos for anyone wondering. Why did they have him pose with that forest around? I did look up some info but no idea if it truly connects to what WCCW was going for. Dingos ( those wild dogs like coyotes here) actually live in many dense areas of Australia, including forest regions. Maybe someone knew that back then but I would have no idea. It can be a “green screen” but looks like he’s holding a leaf? That could be staged also but I still wondered why with the scenery? I may never know but glad to always research on my own anyways! Do I honestly believe they went to an actual forest? Nah~~~ but I will probably never have that answer. 😂🌲🍃

That takes me to the King. No, not those other WWF guys to hold that title! While out last week, (I’ll admit we went for 🍨 ,) my son noticed 2 new businesses going into where the old “ Boston Market” used to be. He was so excited to see “ Qdoba” and a “ Smoothie King” with signs already in place. Of course, I paused a moment to myself… 🥹 For those unaware, the “Smoothie King Center” in NOLA is where Ultimate Warrior was inducted into the WWE HOF in 2014. It is also the name of smoothie shops *** AND** I wrote a story many years past of seeing one when attending a family wedding. My son naturally looked them up as he has “ Qdoba” near college and we don’t over here. There’s “ Chipotle” which is very similar. No “ Smoothie King” (s) although we do have other shops identical.

Both will be opening very soon. Smoothie King opens May 30 while Qdoba will be June 16. Oh my. Couldn’t they have been reversed? Again, a connection as Warrior’s birthday was 6-16 so the Smoothie King shop opening on THAT date would fit better, right? Absolutely it would so darn on that… 🫤 Too funny though as we are excited to go to both!

Another story I will share regards the “ Forest Dingo” photo that I almost forgot. While finding that pic in the book, my eyes darted left as I re-introduced myself to a little bit of Warrior’s days as part of “The Blade Runners”with Sting. Then, after going off on his own and becoming Dingo~~~ he shares a story of being in Texas at the Colosseum in Fort Worth where the big rodeos are. It was also where they did some wrestling matches. He states: “ You actually walk through horsesh*t and mud and everything else to get to the ring every night.” Well, that certainly rang my 🛎️ just a little. It was then I finally remembered the story from MY book: “ Spirit and Belief.” Awww, what a great memory of a beautiful dream I had 9 years ago now. In that dream ( for a quick recall,) SummerSlam ‘92 was held at a fairgrounds. 🏟️ I always loved the fair and they have rodeos there too. I ran through mud since it had been raining in order to get to Warrior. He wrestled Randy Savage for the title. I won’t share the entire story but I will share a quote of mine. Just like Warrior having to walk through horse sh*t, I too in that dream walked or really ran through all that to find my way to the match. Here’s my line from the story: “ We all need to find our way through life’s obstacles by achieving what our heart is calling us to do.”

Yeah… 💖 that was my very 1st dream as I totally got that message from Warrior’s mud filled days to mine, although not entirely the same. Oh~~~ those metaphors which did resonate for me then and still do today…. There ya have it with a 3 count and a little added extra bonus at the end. The Ultimate Dingo King, I’m still laughing at that title plus Forest Dingo! 😂😂 Who would’ve thought those 3 would make a story today? *** I WOULD go through horsesh*t to be up close at a UW match anytime, I would! 💩

P.S. I’ll let ya know when we go to Smoothie King!

P.P.S. 4 weeks in a row of no painted 🎨 pics… I think that’s a record…