I have always been blessed to have some good men in my life. Yet, like stars in the sky, sometimes, they blink out of existence, move on to other things. It’s sad. But, beyond those celestial shimmers, a brilliant beam of light floats down, outshining the other stars. It is powerful, from another planet, but a force that has healed and been there for me since the day I got diagnosed with lupus. The orb of luminous had stayed by my side, reminded me I still had sunshine in my heart even on the worst days. When I forget, they are right there with their positivity.

This is how I met Todd. When the off-campus school (my school that burned down) combined with the alternative school, the start of my second year of teaching, I met Todd for the first time at a staff lunch. He looked like the normal coach to me, but he did say hello to me with this nice smile. And that was that.

Until two months later, when I got diagnosed with lupus. I sent a mass email to all my co-workers, telling them about it in case I appeared lazy. I wasn’t looking for sympathy. I got tons of nice replies. Then, that afternoon, Todd knocked on my door for the first time and kindly told me if I ever needed anything, to let him know because, in our building, we were there for each other. I was shocked that a sporty guy was being so caring to a nerd like me. He then looked around my colorful, dorky desk I adore, taking it all in.

I’ll never forget his words: “Your room is actually cool.” I stuttered out a thank you. He then asked if he could come back tomorrow. We waved off and I figured he would say hi to me from time to time, he was simply being kind. But, he kept his word and visited me every day. From there, our friendship was founded, strong, whimsical, and awesome. I joke/mean he was the only good thing lupus gave me.

Todd is the most positive, cool person I know. He sees the light and gives it, caring. A calm radiates off him that is as warm as his bombastic grin! This man works so hard, talent zinging from him. He doesn’t see the impact he has on people and how just seeing him give me a goofy look down the hall or texting me “Hi” with a funny meme lifts my spirits. I want to give my all to compete with him. On paper, we are so different; everyone’s reactions to us being best friends are humorous, but we mesh together so well. The same type of humor, thoughtful perspectives, a few similar nerdy interests, morals, and ways of lifting each other up. He would do this for anyone. I am glad I made the cut! LOL!

It is thanks to this Oregon Duck super fan that I fell in love with Marvel movies (he forced me to watch 18 of them in one summer, lol. Still can’t get too much into his beloved DC yet. Sorry.) I made him watch his first anime film (revealed below) and get into Pokemon cards a little in addition to his sports cards edition. I have introduced them to escape rooms, Ren Fairs, several goofy, nerdy card games, online games like online-casino-canada.com, and some other dorky adventures. We cheer each other on our workout plans and I love having game nights with this radical family.

If you need a supporter, a fun, true friend, or someone to jam to rocking boy bands music with for laughs, Todd is that beyond the reaches of this Earth ball, a beautiful energy you’ll want to be around. But, he is my best guy friend. 😉 I know how lucky I am.

Without further ado, let me introduce this sweet man with the plan, the superhero in training, the best coach ever, my best friend (and the third interview in this series): Mr. Coach Todd Koester!

Todd’s Responses to My Questions:

• What sort of influence does sports have in your life and how did it find you?  “I’ve lived sports for all my life.  I remember playing baseball and little league soccer even before I was 10, played football, wrestled, golfed and played ice-hockey in high school.  Started coaching at the age of 20 and continued to coach at the age of 44.  I just find comfort in sports, playing, watching, or coaching.  It’s just a part of me.”
• What were some of your favorite things to do with your family when you were growing up?  “We liked to travel, vacations were always fun (Kansas City amusement parks, Disney, or any opportunity to get out of STL for a bit).”

• If you could only watch/play/collect ONE sport (and it had to be the same sport), which one would it be and why?  “As much as my favorite sport to play was hockey…..FOOTBALL is my sport of choice to watch and collect.  There are not many sports I don’t care for honestly, but Football is my #1.“
• Why do you love movies so much?  “My first job was at a movie theater, I worked in the theater business for about 8 years and loved it (from concessionist to projectionist).  Since then, I just have just continued to love movies, especially going to see them in the theaters.  I love that a 2 hr movie can just take me out of the real world for a bit and put me in a place where I have no worries.  I’m not a huge reader (even though I enjoy a good book) but I’m more visual so movies are my books.”
• Give me the five movies that reflect different stages of your life.  “Pre-teen stage would be Superman II, Ghostbusters & Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.  This is when I was introduced to movies and going to the theater.  When I started falling in love with movies.  Back when I love being entertained.  Now a lot of my movies, I just want a good story with great acting.  Almost any movie with Kevin Costner (Open Range) or Tom Hanks (Castaway) are good with me.”

• Tell me how you felt about watching/reactions “Spirited Away,” the different stages, through emojis or adjectives! “I’ll keep it simple….interesting, bewildered, but enchanting.  Very enjoyable 8/10 for me.”
• What do you like to do in your free time? “My favorite hobby is collecting sports cards, but I also love watching movies/tv shows, watching my favorite sports teams, and exercising and/or working out.”

• If you had a chance to hang out with Keanu Reeves or Chris Evans, which would be your ultimate man crush and where/what would you fellas do? “If I had to pick out of the two, definitely would be Keanu.  I’ve enjoyed his work all the way back to Youngblood, and he’s a former hockey goalie like myself.  I’d imagine we would just sit back, eat some wings and have a few drinks and I’d just pick his brain about his movie choices and his hockey past.”

• I know movies and music speak to your soul.  So, by default, maybe you know something about musicals.  Which three are your favorite?  “As for musicals, I don’t listen or watch many but I really enjoyed The Greatest Showman, Enchanted (Amy Adams did an amazing job) and Bohemian Rhapsody (if that counts lol).”

• What future event in your life will make you make headlines/on the news?  “Local man sell Baseball Card for $1.5 mil. (I wish) ;)!”
• What three cards that you collect are either the most valuable and most cherished by you?  “Probably any of my many Rookie Autograph cards from my favorite football player of all time, Marcus Mariota.  They are not worth the most money per say, but worth a lot to me personally.”

• If you could cosplay as any character, who would it be and why?  “I know what I would dress you up as! 🙂 We’d have a blast.  Superman has always been my guy but at 5’9” and 200 lbs….I don’t fit that stature.  I always liked Nightwing, so there you go.”
• Morgan note: I would chose Nightwing for you for sure as well. You have seen and supported several of my cosplays, but now I am curious what you would pick or are alluding to here, lol! *Thinking* >o<

• Superheroes! Assemble!  You can pick eight heroes from any franchise to combine into an all-star savior team, you the leader!  Who would these heroes be and how would they work together?  “Easy, it would be Superman, Batman, Captain America, Spider-Man, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (John Stewart) & Nightwing.”

• Okay.  Here’s the biggie: I adore the fact that we are best friends. We are so different on the outside, but I’ve never meshed with someone so well in a sense of supportiveness, humor, energy, and morals.  You are a bright light in my life and just simply, rock! Now, what do you like about our friendship/me as a person and why do you think it works so well?  “I love the fact that you are always going to be you.  You do your best not to worry what other people think of you, and don’t try to impress others by changing who you really are or how you act.  You’re also the biggest giver I know and have a tremendously huge heart.  It helps that we have a lot in common, but it would be easy for anyone to become good friends with you.  I’m having a tough time coming up with something not to like.”
• What have I, Morgan, taught you and brought to your life?  Hope it’s good, lol!- “You’ve brought so much positivity to my life, on a daily basis that it’s contagious.  I’ve also never seen someone work so hard on many things, especially you writing on your novels.  Seeing you work as hard as you do on so many things is not only inspiring, but flat out amazing. I’m not even sure how you do it…but you do and do it amazingly well.”

<3 Morgan Note: “Awww. Your words mean the world to me. Thank you for being so kind and accepting of me.” ^_^

Questions for the Author:

These are the questions Todd asked me to answer. I had a grand time with this!

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1. Did you ever consider going out for a sport in Middle/High School and if so, what would have been your sport of choice?- “HA! For a klutz who trips on air and runs into walls, not really. I really wish I was athletic; sports usually hurt me (I can tell you a TON of stories of dumb injuries I have gotten from a ball alone, lol! The volleyball is my worst foe) BUT, I was asked to join the eighth-grade basketball team by the Coach. The girls on the team were popular and didn’t like I was asked to join, not very nice to me. Plus, I wasn’t aggressive enough. Still, I was flattered. Fun fact! I did start karate a month ago! Slowly getting there. I knew I was a Power Ranger!”

2. You have to drive to either the east coast or west coast for a 2-week vacation….which way do you go and why?- “I hope it would be a trip with my girlfriends, family, bestie (^_-), or Derrick. I most likely would pick the east coast because there is colonial history there and I heard the coastal states of quaint. I would like to visit the theme parks over the southeast and I am sure New York City would be cool with a guide. My biggest dream there would see a show on Broadway. And have lunch with Tim Gunn; he’s my role model!”

3.  If you got to sit down for a lengthy dinner with 5 living celebs of your choice, who are they, and what was your meal of choice?- “Amy Jo Johnson, Chris Evans, Betty White, Tim Gunn, and Zac Efron. Man, that would be the dinner table! Ha,ha,ha! But, there are many others I admire. Food-wise; a cheese spread! All the cheeses! But, it would be great to have my comfort foods (mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, cornbread), Japanese snacks, drinks, and sweets, tables as far as the eyes could see, and a tower of sweets like cakes, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, and lots and lots of chocolates.“

4.  One of your novels gets turned into a movie, which novel is it, and which actors today play the main characters?- “I always imagined my series being TV series (‘The Hunter and The Bringer’ live-action, Netflix series, AND ‘Spirit Vision’ anime), but for a movie, I would pick my novella, “Dreaming For You,” in my newest collection: ‘Endless Silver Ocean.'” I think I would pick Jesse McCartney or Frankie Muniz for the narrator and lead of that film. For my lead of Jeremey in “The Hunter and The Bringer,” I always imagined Chris Evans. 😉 If I got an anime for “Spirit Vision,” I would love to to play the voice of the main character, Stary, since she is based on high school me if I had cool powers, lol! I’d hire a ton of my favorite anime voice actors as well! ^_^

5.  If you had to binge one tv show/series from beginning to end for 48 hours, what show are you watching, even if you have to watch it multiple times within the 48 hours?- “Good grief! I think my brain would explode! I would probably pick “The Big Bang Theory” or “Will and Grace.” Good variety of comedy and heart that reflects me!”

6.  If you had to get rid of one, which one goes and why….Pokemon, Power Rangers, or Dungeons & Dragons?- “OOOH! That’s impossible! Meanie! >.< But, and I LOATHE saying this, but if I HAD to…Dungeons & Dragons. I LOVE it so much, but Pokemon is such a huge part of my life and Power Rangers helped shape who I am and my secret hero nature. But, I would find a way to incorporate D & D styling and storytelling in my writing. ;)”

7.   Which artist/author has been your biggest writing inspiration and why?- “My favorite author is Lurlene McDaniels. She writes about usually teens with terminal illnesses, but there is a sense of hope in the darkest of times, even if the ending is not a happy one. I really wasn’t a strong reader until high school, my language teacher lighting a spark in me in my Creative Writing Class. I owe a lot to him. That, anime, and my imagination fuel my writing fire, stirs my soul in everything I compose along with those people I love and encounter in my life. I am also a HUGE fan of Rick Riordan, who wrote ‘The Percy Jackson’ series! The way he creates darling, sarcastic, heroic modern characters is genius, a mad genius!”