You're Gonna Give It Where?

It is an amazing beautiful day!!! I'm sitting in Landa Park waiting on this gorgeous girl that I have plans with tonight. Something about Oktoberfest and copious amounts of cold beer. Who could turn down that invitation. However that's how the evening will finish is definitely... not how my morning started!

I made work this morning but had a half day scheduled to deal with a work related injury. About two weeks ago I was called to the office to help move a student from one wheel chair to another. Somehow during the course of picking the student up and setting him in his new chair I did something.

That something solidifies my earned age of 31. Thirty-one years of dragging feed sacks, bucking hay bales, throwing calves, rough horses, and bad women had finally worn out my lower back. Those experiences and the precise timing (that only I seem to have) culminated in a tearing of muscle. I sure felt it when it happened but, I stood up finished what I was doing and didn't cry about it till the pain never left after a few days.

I'll skip the workers comp spiel, but trust me it is a different process of health care.

Anyways, this morning is my second appointment with the doctor. It's one of those quicky med clinic places and there is nothing quick about the process. Except today the doc says he's not happy with my progress. "Let's give you a shot to speed things up", sounds fine to me doc. (Notice he said one shot) The doc walks out of the room and that's the last I see of him today. Probably collecting my insurance check and hitting the greens, yeah I saw that BMW in the parking lot.

Next walks in this barrel chest of a man nurse to give me the shot. Only there's more than one needle on his tray. As I'm non challantly dropping my pants trying to keep dignity for the situation I'm in, I happen to look back and see the thickest, biggest damn needle. Take a deep breath the nurse says...I'm thinking hell at least get me drunk first...where's the tequila, I'll even take the worm but geez don't stab me with that thing yet. He doesn't...whew maybe I avoided it...maybe it's for some other sap. Haunched over as I feel two little pricks in my lower back...Not bad I'm thinking to myself. Piece of cake...then I hear the nurse speak. "Ok for this next one...stand on your left leg and relax your right cheek." Uh huh....what for you just gave me that shot right? His unequivocal response...."Nope, one more and you know where it's going" Did he laugh? Does the prospect of making this big country boy whelp in pain bring this guy pleasure...It must! Because he's smiling telling me to breathe deep again! Just as I'm actually contemplating where that big needle is going I hear my inner voice state, "You're gonna give it where?" As the cold metallic (must be the size of a turkey baster) needle makes a very deep painful intrusion into the top part of my right cheek. Standing on my left leg, grasping the counter, my right leg spasms like a rabbit, but there's no fun here just a sharp pain, loss of some self respect, and the thought that I have a nicer bedside manner with my cattle and horses. How could you top that off? That's what I'm thinking as feel the slap of a band-aid across the location of the shot, and the nurse says "take that off after while."

Now imagine this....I'm not quite Sasquatch, but parts of me have more hair than others. And unlike a metro sexual...I don't shave my ass! Not for anybody!....so if the shot was painful....what's that band-aid being pulled off of skin and hair going to feel like? I don't know but thank God for the beer tonight and just maybe I can talk my date in to pulling it off fast.

We'll See

LB

Ride'Em Cowboy

The title pretty much sums up my life right now! Chugging up one side of life to slide right down the other (a great Chris Ledoux song) ....or in my case it's usually stomped on the breaks asking myself why I took this shortcut and why didn't I ever fix those trailer breaks! That's right about the time the pedal goes to the floor and the rear view catches my eye long enough to see the look of desperation in the cattle squashed through the trailer rails. What do you think a cow ruminates about in a situation like that? Think it actually contemplates the missed opportunities of green grass? Maybe it really was greener on the other side? Or maybe, what if she had been nicer to that old bull.....it just could have been true love! Alas the story has a happy ending. The "Ol' Ford" never lets me down and the breaks always manage to stop us...sometimes we're in front of the stop sign....and sometimes we're in the middle of the intersection but we're stopped. My life has seemed to become that scenario lately...too slow up the mountains and too fast to the bottom of the next one. What can you do about it but take it like the picture above "just knuckle down and ride it out."

My brother has coined a phrase "Leave '09 Behind." I'm thinking that should be on a t-shirt with a happy face. It has been a rough year, but with rough times we seem to learn a little more about ourselves. I admit ....I bring on most of my own troubles. I chalk it up to Irish heritage, a stubborn streak 2x the normal size, and the brash devil may care attitude I go through life with.

However, I've cleared some obstacles this year that make me feel like an Olympic hurdler..just not so much of the short shorts or all that damn running. The trials and tribulations have left me a little spent and for the first time in my life I'm actually letting go of things. To tell you the truth I'm in coast mode for the rest of the year. What does coast mode entail? It means I leave for work a little later than usual now days...(not the mandatory out the door by 6:45 am routine I usually have), I leave work a little bit earlier ( earlier than I usually do) when I can, I take mental health sick days and do nothing productive. My horses get rode more just for fun now than opposed to actually accomplish any training. Haven't competed for anything in a couple of months so the saddle's getting cold but right now I'm OK with that.

In the meantime my family is great, Jenn is wonderful, rain is here, and God loves me. So I'll just keep making my mark, keeping rhythm with the bucks, and just enjoying "one hell uv a ride!"

LB

Were They Seeds Or Seedless?

Awwww the latest in the stolen motorcycle saga. Most of you know our house was burglarized a couple of weeks ago. Good news is we know who did it..they were stupid enough to leave their footprints then they we're arrested in possession of my motorcycle on a back road to Cotulla, Texas at 2:00 AM in the morning. I'm having a hard time with getting my bike back though because they were smart enough to scratch out the vin number......that however is the only smart thing they did. I spoke with the DPS officer that made the stop and this is how he described the events unfolding.

"I was northbound on hwy. 97 about 2 in the morning, when I was passed by a newer Ford F-350 with at least a 10 inch lift heading south. However I could see what looked like a motorcycle leaning on its side in the back. I turned around and proceeded to follow, and when they didn't slow down for a speed zone I pulled them over. When the driver got out of the truck he looked like someone you wouldn't suspect of driving that vehicle"....(I think he was getting at that maybe someone who didn't look like a cholo at Easter should have been driving.) The driver wasn't alone, he had another passenger and the driver had a girlfriend tagging along. "Inspecting the bike I noticed the vin number had been scratched out....an immediate red flag!! I had the two (now suspects) unload the bike, because if they could get it up there then they could get it down. And further investigating revealed it to be stolen"

Now here's the reason for my call. My insurance company Progressive has been great to work with, but the adjuster called that there was a problem. My bike was being held and not released because the suspect (the driver or the f-350) was claiming I sold him the bike. That was the reason for the clarifying call to the trooper to ask him about that ridiculous claim. He responded, "yeap they said they bought it from a guy that sells watermelons on the side of the road and that they had been buying from him for a couple of months." That guy was apparently me, and apparently we've become great friends the last couple of months....so upon hearing this the only thing I could answer back with was..."Did they say if I sold melons with seeds or without?" Thanked the now hysterically laughing trooper and hung up the phone.

How does that conversation go on the side of the road? I think maybe it went like this....Hey mister...I need a watermelon...Well take your pic...I've got big ones, little ones, skinny ones, fat ones, and motorcycles!!! What....you sell motorcycles? Oh Jess...real fast ones, real slow ones, real stolen ones..$500 $500 you take...real nice!!! Hmm there's no vin #....don't worry it was dropped? maybe brushed up against a tree...and scratched off...but $500 I help you load! Oh I don't know....I tell you what...since you been such a great customer....you buy the bike then take any three melons you want...Free!!! You mean $500 and I get this beautiful like new bike with just that one scratch that accidentally made the vin # unreadable and.....and I get any three melons I want??? Yes...yes..special price for number one customer....just for you...Well then hell yeah...oh and I want 3 seedless!!

Stay tuned for the results :-)

LB

Happy Birthday Mom!!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!!

Today is our Mom's birthday and we are wishing you a happy one. You're the greatest and we are two of the luckiest guys to have you for our mom. (not sure you can say the same about us sometimes....) Enjoy today and know that we love you and are thankful and blessed that you are a part of our lives.

Hasta

LB and Andrew

p.s. Yes we made the cake.

Schools should watch the Obama address!

Recently the school district I live in and work for decided they would not allow the live viewing of the President Obama address to students. Instead teachers were told they could pick up a burned copy from the librarian and further instructions were given

"The reason for showing the speech on a CD should be for educational purposes ONLY. It is our understanding that President Obama's speech focuses on the importance of education, staying in school, working hard and taking responsibility. A teacher should not present his/her own political views in the classroom to include this speech given by President Obama."

I agree with the instructions, but take a very sincere disagreement with the format, y'all know me I'm not very quiet about something I don't adhere too. I feel like as Americans we don't "adhere" to the things that we all share as rights of being Americans. I also believe that we are too quick to look for other motives or issues when we want to dismiss something we don't particularly care for. (myself included if we're talking about t.u. football, arabian horses, or chickens...yuck) For example, listening to anything from a President of the United States we didn't vote for.(and no I didn't) But, that is the very essence of the problem I'm having with students not being given a greater opportunity to view this address. I even responded to our administration and here is the response I sent.

My response:

I feel that it is a sad choice for us as a district to not allow better access of viewing the President's speech. I can understand if it's because of technology issues not to view it live, but for a district like ours that is so focused on empowering kids, I believe we are missing out on a great opportunity. Maybe I'm wrong and having teachers go and get a copy to show their kids is the only option, but if it's not the only option then we are not serving the best interest of our students. We know, as educators, that by providing this option many of our students will not view the address, and those are probably the ones who would have been inspired most by such an event. Now we also know that if a parent makes a request for their student not to view the speech, then that is perfectly within their rights as a parent. (and we should be thankful to live in a country that allows those choices.) However, I believe we should find a more effective way of ensuring that our students view this address.

For the record, I'm not proactive for this because of any political affiliation but I will give you my view on our kids experiencing the President's speech. (My view that has been shaped by having family roots that trace back to the Alamo, and as a student growing up in this great district, and having witnessed firsthand the many changes and challenges it goes through and will continue to go through long after we're gone. ) First off, I'm a Texan and that comes with lots of responsibility to my family, community, and state. Secondly I'm an American (I know this sounds different than most views but it's mine) and as an American we are obligated to certain responsibilities one of which is being led by an elected official i.e. President Obama. Now, I didn't vote for the man and I have different beliefs on a lot of subjects, but I do respect the office. Our President is the leader of the greatest nation in the world, and that also bares lots of responsibility, but when he takes the time to address the children of this nation. As per his position he should have the respect of that request. I agree that as educators we should not lower ourselves in to the trivial party debates but instead emphasize the message and how the contents relate to our students. As United States citizens and educator's it is our duty to lead by example, and what example are we setting by not presenting a better way to comply with his request? Please reconsider the format that has been outlined and find a better way to have his message heard by our students.

Respectfully,

LB

Many of you would think the guideline of picking up a copy and showing it is fair procedure. However, I know our school life...and as a teacher if I have to go to the ordeal of ordering a copy and coordinating it's delivery then the chances of me showing it to my students greatly diminishes. Ultimately we struggle with kids that don't feel like they have any control over their education. They easily take the path to doing as little as possible, and scrapping by or dropping out. Is that the kind of future we want running our country? If the President's message were made available to a broader range of students that would increase the opportunity of making a difference in a kid's life, then that is worth all the effort.

I fully believe in the office of President of the United States. We know how advantageous FDR's fireside chats were to the "Greatest Generation", and how it helped generate the effort that led to winning WWII. If President Obama's speech generated a 1/10 of that inspiration, I would call it a success. However, the fact is that he is our President, and regardless of political affiliation if he as president wants to address the children of our nation then we should find a way to enable that. If the child's parent or the child themselves do not wish to view it, then that is their choice to make and accommodations should be made. In the meantime, find a way to meet this request in such a way that a majority of the students have access to the contents. Give them a glimpse into the responsibilities of being an American Citizen.

On a side note practice setting the example for a few other American procedures ( honoring moments of silence, observing federal holidays, standing for the national anthem, and taking your hat off for the Pledge of Allegiance). Keep those in mind when we're out and about exercising our American rights and freedoms. Enjoy the Labor Day weekend and be safe in your endeavors.

PS the part in my email referencing me being a Texan first....well I am, and I am damn thankful for it!!

Adios,

LB

The Perfect Omelet

It's Friday Morning, June the 19th, and I have finally accomplished a task I've tried to tackle at various times over the course of my life. This morning it must have been a favor from God, the stars were aligned, or maybe I held my mouth just right....but I finally accomplished the perfect omelet! It being Father's Day weekend just makes the feat a little more special.

My father was a great cook I'm sure that came from having younger siblings to feed, and the lack of microwave ovens. He never ceased to amaze us with some of the meals he could put together given some eggs, flour, salt, and pepper. To this day a number of my fondest family memories are of us sitting around the table waiting for the next great feast he had prepared. There were the cold winter nights that were melted with scrumptious portions of Swiss Steak. Or special occasions that called for Swedish Tea Rings, a sweet pastry filled with various fruits, glazed with icing, and known to induce diabetes in the healthiest of people. However in the breakfast arena my father excelled, dad made the ultimate omelets.

My quest for my own perfect omelet started before I was out of high school. Dad thought it important that a guy know to cook. He related it in terms of women....if you want to impress a girl cook for her, if she leaves you...well then you won't starve!! That lesson has served me well in one way or another over the years. Judging by my figure lately I'm getting to be a pretty good cook, but the perfect omelet has eluded me all this time. I've pursued this quest every few months only to be so close then helplessly watch as my hard work and effort breaks, resulting in just another plate of fancy scrambled eggs. Wreaking of defeat, deterred by another failure I put away the skillet and wait for my courage to come back up for another shot at what seemed to be the unobtainable.

I miss the old man. My father was my best friend, he was always in our corner telling us there was nothing we couldn't accomplish. He wanted us to experience all life had to offer while meeting some great friends along the way, cherishing the ones we love and just simply having a ball. I learned so many things from my father. Lessons like your word is your bond, look people in the eye when you talk to them, manners are never lost, love your family and protect them, never quit, be strong, know many but befriend few, and lastly.....know how to cook.

Whoever it is in your life that you look up to as a father figure deserves your thanks. That's what this holiday is all about. Thanking the male that influenced us, whether it's your father, step-dad, grandfather, high school football coach, college professor, or just a good man. Thanking them is a rewarding experience and they deserve it.

Today, the old man would of been proud. I made the lightest, fluffiest omelet and it held together! Awww to relish and bask in the sight of greatness hence the pic I took. Too bad the pics blurry, but I honestly assure you that what you see is a damn fine specimen of cooking excellence. I should know....I ate it!

It's a 3 shirt morning!

What's a 3 shirt morning you ask? It's a morning that starts off like the picture to the right. Sorry I haven't posted anything in awhile, in fact the last couple of days I've been contemplating what I wanted to post. I guess this morning you could say I had an epiphany!!

There's a reason this blog is called "Mi Vida Loco", and for those of y'all who somewhat have doubts about the infamous Brooks boy's stories, again check the pic to the right. I'm telling you...between the two of us we really do get into some scrapes.

1st shirt....OK, maybe I'm not quite the athletic figure I used to be. As evidenced by the cricks, cracks, and groans I proceed to go through to make it out of bed in the morning. Including the first few bent over steps that mimic that ninety year old man off the Benny Hill show. That being said, I've decided to devote my summer to finally getting in a little better shape, than I've been in the last couple of years. This morning it entailed rolling out at 6 AM after thirty minutes of snooze buttoning, and walk/jog our ranch road a couple of times. Followed by some push ups, sit ups, squats, dips, and stretching (sometimes I actually like yoga). Not much but I admit by the time I was done I had soaked through my first shirt of the morning. On to the shower!

2nd shirt....I'm dressed for work 7:15 and on to the daily grind of life. Which this morning has me heading up to the office to finish a curriculum project. I'm not dressed like they typical teacher but for me its a clean shirt and a pair of jeans. However, I still have to feed the kids...a.k.a. the horses. This is a usual routine for me and it just involves filling up water buckets, throwing hay, and passing out the grain. Routine...a way of life that I take for granted. This morning was not routine. The mare in the pic is really a great horse. Lately she has been a little "bitchy" to say the least. Her morning "routine" is to snap at the gelding "Rebel" she's stalled next too before she gets any breakfast. Whatever was in the cards this morning wasn't routine. This sultry June morning she uplifted her rear-end and proceeded to say hello to Rebel with a kick that left her right hind leg stuck through the panel.

What happened next? Moments like this I feel at times have become second nature to me. Maybe it's these moments that have created the "shoot from the hip" attitude I go through life with. Sometimes not a bad thing. I know there is some urgency here, first thing is to sum up the situation..this is pretty much how it went in my mind, "Mare's calm, geldings not....is there anyone close to help? nope...all alone on this one bud, first thing, move the gelding...ok done, next? get the damn mare free!...how the hell am i going to do that? where's the chain? phone call to Andrew, and its not here...(typical) my first plan is never the right one!!! scratch that..ok need something that will support her and lift her....hmmmm I know i'll use the tractor but what can i tie around her? a regular ranch rope is to thin and likely will cause internal damage...not a good plan, but there are the load straps on the the flat bed, yanking one off, charging the tractor like a rough rider taking San Juan hill, the next moment finds me a little bewildered...did you know applying the right amount of gear, and way too much power that you can actually spin the tires on a 50 hp 4wd tractor?...kinda cool, but not noted right away, as I'm flying to the barn but a little impressed with my ability to maneuver the big red beast like she was a 10 second car on a back street of Military drive instead of the bulky farm equipment she is. Seconds seem like minutes as I feel the sweat pouring through me....tractor fits in the alley way of the barn check, wrapping the make shift harness around her and tying the rope off....thank you mom for all those boy scout meetings as I tie a knot that won't hurt the mare when she's lifted, lifting her gently she staggers to her feet like a hobo awakened from a great slumber but is standing on her own and looking puzzled at the contraption that has returned her to freedom. She seems to smirk at me with a look of...it was worth it!!! Damn horse but I still love her" 2nd shirt soaked and the sweat of adrenaline is rancid...I think of a Chis Ledoux line, "I think my 24 hour deodorant quit last night", but mine didn't last half an hour.

Late for work now but no time for another shower. Reapply the deodorant, snatch my 3rd shirt of the morning and off to work. I opt for the bike because the adrenaline is still pounding, and nothing seems as soothing right now as the wind in your face at 80 miles an hour. Not on time but not too late, sitting at my desk and marveling over the mornings events. Wondering why I'm not committed to an insane asylum? I chalk it up to another day in the odyssey called Mi Vida Loca, and if you don't believe me.....Well pictures don't lie!