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How To Train Your Horse To Carry The American Flag: Part II
This post is the continuation of How To Train Your Horse To Carry The American Flag in which I give you the running commentary for my journey in training to carry the American flag for the Eugene Pro Rodeo. When I last left off, I had successfully loped with my home made “flag” (an old…
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For The Dreamers
[social_warfare]This week marks one year since I was asked to carry the American flag during the national anthem for our local rodeo. My gut had twisted in on itself at the thought. I was both terrified and exhilarated. I was sick with the question of if I could actually do it. I don’t know how…
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Shout Out To The Broke Rider!
[social_warfare]Show season is starting, and even though I’m not showing this year, I still think about what I want to accomplish with riding and how far I’ve come. Thinking about my riding made me think back to my only “show” as a youth. As the youngest of five kids, the fact that I even got…
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The Art of The Journey: Why I’m Writing A Novel (Plus a Sample From Chapter 1)
[social_warfare] When I was 22 I left Oregon in my little red Honda Civic and drove 21 hours to Wickenburg, Arizona to work on a guest ranch. I was a little lost in school, a lot lost in life. I won’t romanticize the ranch, it was hard work. The owners had high expectations and the…
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What A Difference A Year Makes
What a difference a year makes. Do you ever take a moment to think about what you’ve done in the last twelve months? How far you’ve come, how much you’ve grown, what you’ve accomplished? I don’t mean necessarily on New Year’s Day, I mean some other demarcation in the year, a date that’s meaningful to…
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Why I Saw A Hypnotherapist, And How It Changed My Outlook
Sometimes, our desires are a little, or a lot, beyond what we believe we can do. Carrying the American flag for the rodeo is one of those dreams of mine that I struggled to believe I could actually accomplish. A little less than a month prior to the rodeo I sat in my kitchen crying…
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Not Winning Doesn’t Always Mean Losing
I told you a little bit ago about a writing competition I entered, I was nervous because I didn’t want to feel like I failed if I didn’t win. Winners would receive cash prizes and publication of their stories, and more important to me, the endorsement that their writing is good and worthy of award.…
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Meet Me At The Rodeo: How Rodeo Defined The Stages of My Life
I tried and tried to pull a post onto the page that was horse-oriented and funny and informative. And while I did get some words down, it was missing heart. So instead, I felt compelled to share with you a little event that is very dear to my heart: my town’s pro rodeo. I have…
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You Never Win The Lottery You Don’t Play
Why does putting yourself out there feel so awkward and downright scary? I entered a short story competition, and during the submission, and even after I hit the “Submit” button, I felt like puking. What would happen if I never heard from the organizers again? Except for them to say “thanks for your $25 entry…
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Happy New Year, Happy Trails
Did you know that sometimes I stare at my blank computer screen with nothing to say for minutes on end? I’ll take a break from doing nothing to check and see if something gripping happened over on Facebook. Nothing did. So I’ll go back to my blank page, wondering what the hell I should write…