Punchy Protagonist

Resolutions. Something that people strive for in the new year and, the majority of the time, fall short. Famously around the globe, there are millions of jokes, memes, and social media posts made about resolutions that were made and put by the wayside. As the Mad Hatter says, I have been considering things that begin with the letter M. In this case, it is "myself." In my sometimes whirlwind of a life, I usually spend the least amount of time in front of the mirror as possible. But sometimes, life hands you situations where you take an extended look at yourself. And, through that, are born blog posts. Most years, I do not bother with resolutions and, if I am honest, the list I am about to diverge probably don't fall under the typical "resolutions." 1. Stop worrying.  I know that everyone worries, and there are things in life that are worth worrying about. However, sometimes I catch myself worrying about things that should not be of any consequence. ...

On Christmas Eve, one of my old show heifers had a calf. My boyfriend, parents, and I scooped up the calf and lead the cow to the barn because the calf was getting kicked when it tried to nurse. After finishing work with the pair, as we were standing in my parents’ driveway, my boyfriend pulled out a ring and proposed to me. For us, raising cattle is an adventure we love to do together. We plan on continuing to have cattle and building our herd together just like we will build our life together. I found out later that he was planning on proposing when a certain heifer calved...the first one we bought together as a couple. Unfortunately, she hasn’t calved yet because she got bred later than we thought. Knowing that I was getting impatient because his self-announced timeline was running out (and because I might have voiced that I didn’t want to get put off again and again) he chose another time to propose. He chose to keep his word to me and adjust his plan.  This is not only a s...

There is currently a post ciruculating around the agriculture community on Facebook, some of which I am a frequent browser of. It reads: To the women raising cattle for butcher, but cuddling a wet, struggling newborn calf, that’s covered in afterbirth, inside their pickup truck.   To the women who believe in God and the word, but also believe that everyone has a right to love who they want.   To the women who aren’t trying to prove they can do anything a man can do, but genuinely enjoy pushing themselves to conquer any challenge.   To the women with broken and chipped nails, but still have painted on red polish.   To the women giving immunizations and administering medicine, but still believe in the healing powers of stones and plants.   To the women always dressing up for the occasion, wearing yesterday’s curls, blue jeans, and the heels of cowboy boots.   To the women busting their knuckles and callusing their palms, but still wearing their ...

Today was the first Sunday for the new pastor at the church I attend. It also marks the first time that church has had a female pastor in its 167 year history. It also marks the first time I have attended a church with a female pastor. She was positive, straight-forward, and spoke as if God’s love naturally poured out of her. For the first time in a while, my heart felt light in church.  For the first time in a while, I felt comfortable in the pew and content after the service. For the first time in a while, I saw a person in the pulpit that I felt I could talk to without judgement, even with uncomfortable topics. And that was just after one sermon. So, naturally after that revelation, I decide to post a little message of my own. Today’s post is brought to you by the letter F...for Feminism. I was raised by a family of strong women and by men who did not try to silence or squelch them. I was raised by men and women that told me that I, as a woman, could be anything I wanted to b...

I am not necessarily an Ozzy Osbourne fan, but I have always liked Crazy Train. And that particular portion of the lyrics is pretty much how I have felt for the past couple of weeks. I have so many things going on in my head at any given moment, and there have been times where I am convinced that I am not-so-slowly losing my mind. So, in true crazy train fashion, I had about four different ideas for blog posts floating around in my head at different times during the past week. So, for the sake of so many things, I will combine all those many reflections into one big bundle of organized chaos. I have always been someone that speaks her mind. I come from a long line of women on both sides of my family that speak their minds and both my parents have always encouraged it out of me. I have learned in my 28 years that there are times to keep your opinions to yourself and there are times that you have to get it out before it eats you alive from the inside out. There is a lot to be said to k...

In the past week, events have shaken the small-town school where I teach.  It involved fresh-behind-the-wheel aged kids doing things they were too young to do. It involved a flat-line-riddled trip to the hospital for two of my students, all because of something they can now buy in the vape shops that seem to be taking over the area. It was dangerous, it was foolish, and it was scary.  When I heard the news, a knot formed in my throat and in my chest. These were students that ask how my day is. These were students that do their work, ask me questions, and look like whipped puppies if I have to get onto them.These were not just kids I deal with as part of my job. These were not just kids from my town. These were my kids.  One came back to class today. I was sitting in my chair working on lessons for the next week when I felt two thin and slightly weaker arms around my shoulders. He said "I'm back today!" as he hugged me. Some days I wonder if I am in the righ...