avatarMark Suroviec, M.Ed.

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Abstract

<div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*Xj2t0WmIP-qQwHrAjK_BJg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h2 id="83cb">Authentic</h2><p id="9a60">Considering my penchant for playful lying, you may find authenticity difficult to believe. However, I care deeply about others and work hard to show my genuine, authentic self.</p><p id="7d0c">I have a terrible poker face and find it hard to hide my emotions in my body language.</p><p id="f42e">When I formed my <a href="https://www.workplaysolutions.com/">small business</a> in 2021, I made one of my company's core values, “Own Your Stuff.”</p><p id="8ea1">In case it’s not obvious, “Stuff” in this context means “Sh*t.”</p><p id="9b4d">The worst boss I ever had never admitted when he was wrong and always blamed others for his mistakes. After that experience, I vowed never to be like him.</p><p id="cbec">Who is the authentic Mark?</p><div id="146d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/i-am-many-people-9a9d0467ac"> <div> <div> <h2>I am many people…</h2> <div><h3>…Or should I say? “I am many Marks.”</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*6QzNFaPhi8FVHxGL)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h2 id="f331">Redeemed</h2><p id="29bc">I became a born-again Christian when I was 17. I strive to love Jesus with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, even though I suck at following Him.</p><p id="476c">I’m thankful that even when I’m faithless, He remains faithful. If it wasn’t for Him, I would have given up repeatedly.</p><p id="a7bc">I don’t write or talk about my faith very often online because of cultural baggage and misunderstandings about what Jesus taught. Donald Trump didn’t die on the cross, and I don’t hate people I disagree with.</p><p id="3e57">One of the ways my wife and I live out our faith is through foster care. We believe every child deserves a loving home, and we were foster parents for six years supporting that mission. In 2021 we adopted Lucy into our family.</p><p id="e9a8">Our agency made a short video about our foster care journey. You can watch it here: <a href="https://homes.winshape.org/story/the-suroviecs-winshape-homes-story/">https://homes.winshape.org/story/the-suroviecs-winshape-homes-story/</a></p><figure id="d649"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*kufmy20_HshorGSkzTsP8A.jpeg"><figcaption>My family. Photo courtesy of the author.</figcaption></figure><h2 id="2d35">WHAT do I write about?</h2><p id="d693">Work and Play. Hence the name of my company is WorkPlay Solutions.</p><p id="a34e">I’m on a mission to restore joy and purpose to the workplace. I write reflective stories of work culture, experiential education, team-building activities, and management best practices, always with a playful slant.</p><p id="3149" type="7">Life’s too short for work to suck!</p><div id="0cc1" class="link-block"> <a href="https://medium.com/@workplaysol/list/6c35f770ca24"> <div> <div> <h2>WorkPlay</h2> <div><h3>Join us on our mission to restore joy and purpose to the workplace. Reflective stories about work, work culture…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*c632935633aa32d04d48c5c49d8d056cc011139d.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="765d">Play is everything related to humor and satire:</p><div id="581c" class="link-block"> <a href="https://medium.com/@workplaysol/list/3f60fc264269"> <div>

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            <h2>Mark "Facts" - Humor &amp; Satire</h2>
            <div><h3>Every other thing out of my mouth is fictitious tomfoolery. My mom thinks it's funny. My wife does not. You decide for…</h3></div>
            <div><p>medium.com</p></div>
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    </div><h2 id="966d">WHY I love Medium</h2><p id="63ca">I started my WorkPlay blog in 2021, but no one read any of the stories on my website. Medium was the first place someone besides my wife <i>read</i> my work. My words finally had value, and readers <i>enjoyed </i>my writing. ²</p><p id="ee7c">I joined Medium in June 2022 without any context. I was hooked fast by the community, the relationships, the learning, and the inspiration from my fellow writers.</p><p id="e4ac">I don’t have any formal training or experience writing. Medium is my playground to learn, grow, and experiment with my style and voice.</p><p id="4b99">I have zero expectations on how much I should earn and am thrilled to pieces that human beings read the shenanigans I create. I won my first Top Writer badge in October and then wrote this satirical chum.</p><div id="e25f" class="link-block">
      <a href="https://readmedium.com/my-discovery-as-a-medium-top-writer-d9b5b531433f">
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            <h2>My Discovery as a Medium Top Writer</h2>
            <div><h3>You shouldn’t believe what I found on the island.</h3></div>
            <div><p>medium.com</p></div>
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    </div><h2 id="8e45">WHERE am I located in the real world?</h2><p id="cd82">I write from my home office in a small town in Georgia.</p><h2 id="34fa">HOW do I write? What is my method?</h2><p id="7ae1">I follow my energy and inspiration. No matter how bizarre or unbaked the idea is, I immediately open Medium on my phone to create a new story.</p><p id="5032">It’s why I have multiple drafts with titles like:

<i>A Velociraptor a Day Keeps the Mastodons at Bay Exclusive Interview with the Warrior Pope Breaking News: Red Cross Doesn’t Screen for Vampires I’ve Been Selling Asphalt and Double Bubble on GumRoad, and the Results are Disappointing</i></p><h2 id="509c">DO I have a podcast?</h2><p id="8085">Yes, but you shouldn’t listen to it.</p><div id="575f" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/29-fantastic-excuses-to-not-listen-to-my-podcast-8159c2a5f9d7"> <div> <div> <h2>29 Fantastic Excuses Not to Listen to My Podcast</h2> <div><h3>I know not everyone is as enthusiastic about my podcast as I am. When I’m excited, I tend to be too aggressive in…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*ZonYDG3cTECX32owUNkczA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><h1 id="b0b7">Footnotes:</h1><p id="03ea">¹ Mark Fact.</p><p id="e72b">² I am not throwing my wife under the bus here. She’s the first person to admit she doesn’t get satire.</p><p id="dd10"><i>New to Medium? Want to read unlimited stories by great authors? <a href="https://medium.com/@workplaysol/membership"><b>Join Medium here</b></a>, and I get some extra pennies.</i></p><p id="e399"><i>Thank you, <a href="undefined">Hollie Petit, Ph.D.</a> and <a href="undefined">Toni Greathouse</a>.</i></p><figure id="e8d4"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*e_Wu4JRt-LuiEhh4q-YELA.png"><figcaption>THANKS FOR READING!</figcaption></figure></article></body>

PROMPTED TO POST | THE NAME GAME | KNOW & TELL

Meet Mark Suroviec, M.Ed.

Anatomy of His Acronym

Photo courtesy of the author in a Canva frame by Toni Greathouse

WHO I AM…

M: Mischievous A: Authentic R: Redeemed K: Kan’t Spell

S: Seriously? Am I going to do my last name too? U: Under no circumstances would that be a good idea. R: Run away now. O: Oh my goodness, this bit was funnier in my head. V: Velocity is key to your escape. I: If you are pulled over for speeding, tell the police officer you are friends with me. It won’t help. E: Expect me to eat your leftover Halloween candy. C: Completed Acronym. Check!

First things first

You don’t know how to pronounce my last name. That’s ok; neither do I. A Polish woman told me it is pronounced: “Say-ro-VAY-osh-k.” A Russian woman told me it’s “Suur-ROW-vee-etsz.”

I say, “Sir- ROW- vic.”

One summer, a camp counselor gave me hand motions as a pronunciation memory aid. I’m not a talented enough writer to describe them effectively.

What do knights and mafia have in common? My name! Photo by author in Canva Pro.

Mischievous

I love to laugh and play. One of my former co-workers coined the term “Mark Facts” because half of my words are made-up nonsense.

My favorites are to say random bits of obscure fake history, like:

Did you know, that Slippery Rock University in western Pennsylvania got its name during the revolutionary war when General Norman Rock, slipped away from an overwhelming force of British Redcoats? They built the university campus on top of the site of the avoided battle. ¹

And they would respond,

“I didn’t know — wait — is that a real fact or a Mark Fact?”

For my fellow pranksters:

Authentic

Considering my penchant for playful lying, you may find authenticity difficult to believe. However, I care deeply about others and work hard to show my genuine, authentic self.

I have a terrible poker face and find it hard to hide my emotions in my body language.

When I formed my small business in 2021, I made one of my company's core values, “Own Your Stuff.”

In case it’s not obvious, “Stuff” in this context means “Sh*t.”

The worst boss I ever had never admitted when he was wrong and always blamed others for his mistakes. After that experience, I vowed never to be like him.

Who is the authentic Mark?

Redeemed

I became a born-again Christian when I was 17. I strive to love Jesus with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, even though I suck at following Him.

I’m thankful that even when I’m faithless, He remains faithful. If it wasn’t for Him, I would have given up repeatedly.

I don’t write or talk about my faith very often online because of cultural baggage and misunderstandings about what Jesus taught. Donald Trump didn’t die on the cross, and I don’t hate people I disagree with.

One of the ways my wife and I live out our faith is through foster care. We believe every child deserves a loving home, and we were foster parents for six years supporting that mission. In 2021 we adopted Lucy into our family.

Our agency made a short video about our foster care journey. You can watch it here: https://homes.winshape.org/story/the-suroviecs-winshape-homes-story/

My family. Photo courtesy of the author.

WHAT do I write about?

Work and Play. Hence the name of my company is WorkPlay Solutions.

I’m on a mission to restore joy and purpose to the workplace. I write reflective stories of work culture, experiential education, team-building activities, and management best practices, always with a playful slant.

Life’s too short for work to suck!

Play is everything related to humor and satire:

WHY I love Medium

I started my WorkPlay blog in 2021, but no one read any of the stories on my website. Medium was the first place someone besides my wife read my work. My words finally had value, and readers enjoyed my writing. ²

I joined Medium in June 2022 without any context. I was hooked fast by the community, the relationships, the learning, and the inspiration from my fellow writers.

I don’t have any formal training or experience writing. Medium is my playground to learn, grow, and experiment with my style and voice.

I have zero expectations on how much I should earn and am thrilled to pieces that human beings read the shenanigans I create. I won my first Top Writer badge in October and then wrote this satirical chum.

WHERE am I located in the real world?

I write from my home office in a small town in Georgia.

HOW do I write? What is my method?

I follow my energy and inspiration. No matter how bizarre or unbaked the idea is, I immediately open Medium on my phone to create a new story.

It’s why I have multiple drafts with titles like: A Velociraptor a Day Keeps the Mastodons at Bay Exclusive Interview with the Warrior Pope Breaking News: Red Cross Doesn’t Screen for Vampires I’ve Been Selling Asphalt and Double Bubble on GumRoad, and the Results are Disappointing

DO I have a podcast?

Yes, but you shouldn’t listen to it.

Footnotes:

¹ Mark Fact.

² I am not throwing my wife under the bus here. She’s the first person to admit she doesn’t get satire.

New to Medium? Want to read unlimited stories by great authors? Join Medium here, and I get some extra pennies.

Thank you, Hollie Petit, Ph.D. and Toni Greathouse.

THANKS FOR READING!
About Me
Writing
Humor
Satire
This Happened To Me
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