Punchy Protagonist

"We must overcome the notion that we must be regular. It robs you of your chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre." -Uta Hagen

I struggled with a title to this post because "What Chaps My Butt" doesn't seem very tactful.  Not to mention that I would have to use it for most of the posts on this blog.  So, here we are. I have had the privilege of showing livestock since somewhere around the sixth grade.  I have not always been at the bottom, and have certainly not always been at the top.  However, I have never been embarrassed or unproud of our animals, whether they were purchased or raised on our place.  Also, whether we had a chance at Grand Champion or stood somewhere down the line, I was the one at the end of the halter.  In recent years, more parents and friends have taken chances at the lead since we are in the open show circuit.  Still, any chance I had, sometimes when the animal wasn't even mine, I was sticking the cattle. This is not a power struggle, and it is not because I have some notion that I am the only one that can stick my calves properly....

At twenty-six, I have lived in only five places.  Each of these places have helped me discover little pieces of myself and develop into the woman I am today.  My parent's house raised me and helped to establish morals, values, and work ethic.  Not to mention is was and always will be filled with unconditional love and acceptance.  For years it was my safe haven, and it still is at times. I lived in a tiny dorm room and on-campus apartments in college, which taught me how to live with and accept differences in others, self-discipline, and how to make the most out of a situation.  These little huts also helped me to find lifelong friendships and realize that adulthood is inevitable, but you can still appreciate the kid inside you. Next came the adorable little apartment over the movie store.  This was actually a converted old hotel, and it sat in the middle of the historic downtown of a small town.  In this place, I learned a lot about where my b...

I have heard recently by more than one person "I don't know why anyone would have cattle."  I understand, of course, that raising cattle is not for everyone, and that everyone has not been raised around it like yours truly. I know those not in the cattle raising life see the late nights and early mornings, fence fixing, losing calves and cows, having to get home to feed or check cows, spending money on this or that for the cattle, etc.  The words of these people resonated with me, though, because I could go on for days naming the good things that have come out of my life raising cattle.  Let me introduce ya'll to one of the many. This is Mel.  I call him my Halloween miracle baby. He was born on October 28th very weak.  We fed him colostrum and a bottle, and things were looking up.  Then, the day before Halloween, I took my boyfriend out to see our new baby calf.  He was laying flat on the ground and was so still that we thought he was dea...

The world has never seemed to run short on evil.  From biblical villains to Hitler to 9/11, and now the biggest mass shooting in U.S. History, which happened just a few short days ago, it is enough to make one lose faith in humanity.  The events in Orlando are nothing short of a tragedy, and these sorts of events seem to happening all too often these days. The country has rallied behind these poor people, which is both encouraging and disheartening.  It is encouraging that people from all walks of life and different beliefs have come together to pour love and support on those in the wake of the Orlando shooting.  It is disheartening because sometimes it takes something as major as a tragic loss to bring people together, and this should not be so.  There should be compassion and love shown in times of darkness and in times of light.  There was no light in the man that committed this crime. I know many Christians and non-Christians alike wonder how something...

I have been dabbling more in writing.  And, while typing down some rough ideas, I found this that I wrote three years ago.  I want to post it because I not only like the piece, but it shows how far my life has come in three short years. It’s early on a Sunday night and the streets of downtown are desolate, leaving me no reason to exit my room or a good cup of coffee.   This leaves a girl some time to ponder the questions in life, and as Adam Pontipee finishes the last lines of “Bless Your Beautiful Hide,” my ponderings for the night come into focus.   In an age where there is no need to hear each other’s voices and someone’s wit is measured by the speed of their thumbs, the old-fashioned side of me tends to show through.    Yes, I’ll admit that I have turned to the internet to meet people on occasion, both with positive and disastrous results.   Sometimes a girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do, so to speak.   However, this stems from somethi...