Explore The Possibilities of Change in Golden Colorado

The third stage of change is exploration. This translates into Milestone #3...find possibility. Milestone #3 transforms indecision into creativity and vasts amount of energy. In my situation, when I was pressed with the possibility of having to find a new job, I was offered the opportunity to continue my education on the house. That means that I have funding to get a masters! If I had been resistant to change then this opportunity wouldn't have arose.

Whatever situation I'm faced with, I will always state clear goals and find the most efficient path. I knew back in 1996 that I wanted to leave New Orleans. I was newly divorced with a child of 3 1/2 and I decided the two of us needed a change. Why Colorado? Well, when I went out there with a friend for Spring Break, this will sound pretty silly, but it was the very first time I had ever seen the mountains.

You know that song...purple mountain majesty? There they were, standing majestic and purple in front of me...my mouth fell open, eyes filled with tears...at that moment those ancient grand mountains beckoned to me. I had to answer the call. Within 3 months, I resigned from my job, packed all my belongings into a U-Haul truck and headed to Colorado. I didn't have a job or even a place to live.

I stayed in a hotel room for a week...I was running out of time. I contacted a house renters association and this lady brought me from place to place. Nothing felt right and in the meantime, I set up an interview with a DME company for a billing position. After the interview, I picked up a paper and looked through the rental classifieds. An add stood out...2 bedroom home in Golden, fenced back yard, playhouse...that was it. Yes, it was more than I wanted to pay, but when I pulled up into the driveway of that sweet little house...I knew that this was where Justin and I would begin our lives in Colorado.

Most Frightening Experience Turns into...Old Fashioned Prank on the Night of Project Graduation

Friday, May 29th, graduation ceremonies simultaneously occurred across our great state. The evening in Wink fell right into line. Years ago something called Project Graduation reared it's lovely head. To replace after graduation drinking and loss of lives, the school locks in seniors and provides food, prizes and entertainment. Since Wink only supports a senior class of about 20 - 25, the entire high school gets an invitation to spend the night.


The festivities in Wink included door prizes, cash awards to seniors, mechanical bull riding, sumo wrestling, swimming, XBOX tournaments and lots of food and soda. I dropped my son, the freshman, off around 10:00PM; feeling rather confident that he would be safe and cared for. All his goofy friends, beaming ear to ear waved goodbye to me. Not more than 30 minutes later, I heard a car pull up outside the house, lights were flashing and then a forceful knock on the door. I turned on the outside light, looked through the glass panes on my front door and saw the local Law Dog (I'm a huge Tombstone fan) with my son and his friends standing with their heads lowered behind him. First thought, "OMG, what did they do?" I opened the door and stepped outside. Law Dog asks, "Are these your kids?" Okay, I only had a few seconds to respond, thousands of thoughts are running rampantly through my mind, neurons are firing, synapses are connecting...first reaction was to deny that I knew them or even have ever seen them before, but I swallowed and accepted responsibility for my little piglet. "Only this one. (I pointed to the one in the above picture with his hands on his hips wearing the striped shirt) The others are his friends." Law dog, "What would you like for me to do with the others? Shoot 'em?"

Wow, they must of done something really bad...for him to suggest shooting them. I simply shook my head and said, "Sure." That's when giggles broke loose within the four fiends... Law Dog helped the four pull a prank on poor old mom, he only gave them a lift back to the house because Justin had forgotten something. You can bet your bottom dollar...I won't be living this one down for awhile. Secretly, I was pretty pleased with the creativity and that they weren't in any trouble after all!

Positive People Perks from Houston Baptist University to New Orleans

In a previous post, I mentioned surrounding yourself with positive people...especially if you have been associating with the opposite type for so long. I read a friend's blog a while back where he mentioned a couple of people that impacted his life in a hugely positive way.

I normally don't kiss and tell, but today...I am. For a very long time I didn't converse with anyone. Over the past 8 months I've reconnected with old friends and made some new ones. I'll list them in the order that they appeared...and their contributions.

Bret - I dated him a very long time ago, when I was a freshman at Houston Baptist University. Bret is intelligent, witty and yes, ladies...he's available. Bret helped awaken the desire to have social contact again. He got me to sign up on Face Book, start IM, sent me a router, shared some fascinating books, talked into the wee hours and inspired me to believe in myself.

Garland - A friend from high school that was one of the first to friend me on Face Book. I've always liked Garland, he was the Valedictorian and I was the Salutatorian. He was and still is very smart, clever and just has brilliant insight. Through Garland I've met two other people that I really like.

Lara - She's the most positive person I've ever known. She's beautiful, poetic, compassionate, a great parent and wonderful friend. She and I talk on the phone now almost every other day, I can truly say that I love her with all my heart. We will be meeting in person for the first time this August. Oh, I almost forgot...she's an excellent photographer!

Durango - I don't even know his real name, but I've so enjoyed reading his travel blogs. Durango has reawakened my desire to explore and travel. I love reading about the places he's been and I also like his other blog about his stuff that he does in Fort Worth.

Robbie - He's an old friend from New Orleans, about the time I used to frequent the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Robbie has gone through hell and back...survived and is now living to tell his story. He has inspired a new confidence in myself and thinks I should write a book. His belief in me is outstanding. Also, Robbie thinks I'm sexy...that's a first. ;) Here's just a sample of all the positive stuff he says..."If you were to look at each occurrence in your life as a petal from a rose, think of the garden you have experienced...and better yet, the meadow that awaits..."

When a person loses touch with his fellow humans, he becomes smaller...less in substance. His existence shrinks, purpose dies and life dwindles. Okay, I know that this has been sappy, but I don't care...thanks for being a friend.

Oh, Pretty Woman...A Listen to Roy Orbison in the Wake of 20th Annual Wink Festival

Wink Texas Presents the 20th Annual Roy Orbison Festival

When I moved to Wink back in 1985 with my parents there wasn't a Roy Orbison Festival, but my parents and I did live originally on the same spot that Orbison lived so many years ago. I escaped from Wink in 1987 after graduation, but returned in 2001, to everyone's disbelief as well as my own. That's when I experienced my first Roy Orbison Festival.

It was a big let down, considering I'd heard about the "glory" days of when the Roy Orbison Festival was awesome. They had big name performers such as Ray Price,Red Hot Chili Peppers,Earl Thomas Conley, and Rick Trevino ...but that was in the past. It seemed that a few of the old timers only wanted Roy Orbison impersonators, so the big performers no longer came.

Year after year, the Roy Orbison Festival dwindled. They changed the month about five years ago to April and then the following year didn't even have a festival! Winkites were tired of being let down and someone(s) needed to step in and get the festival back on track! After all, the whole point was to commemorate Roy Orbison.

This year Wink has a new mayor, and some fresh blood on the committee. People are excited and talking it up. The Roy Robison Festival will feature the Pretty Woman Contest, the Roy Orbison Museum, a car show and parade, flea market, vendors and a street dance.

New Mexico Law Dogs Don't Recognize Texas Disabled Veteran Plates

I took a nap before going to the gym to workout, but overslept. While sleeping, I received several calls; one from a friend in El Paso, another from a friend in Gulf Port, and a final call from Kaplan University. Kaplan called because I'm interested in working on a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction. In my email to Kaplan, I said that I don't have extra money to invest that I only want to use government grants to pay for school, we'll see how that goes.

Since I was running late already, I didn't return any one's call. I needed to get to the gym to see one of my most favorite people, Jesse. Jesse is always smiling and very positive, I love to be around him. He is definitely not a toxic person or even has negative behaviors to contend with. Jesse is also a brain cancer survivor, but the doctors were not able to remove Jesse's tumor because of it's location . He retired from the Navy as a disabled veteran. He had been in Albuquerque last week getting treatment at the VA and we couldn't work out together. When I arrived at the gym, Jesse had his hands on his hips, gave me a scolding smile and said, "You're late!" I mouthed, "I'm sorry."

Jesse then proceeded to relate an incredulous story. After receiving treatment at the VA hospital in Albuquerque and upon returning to his vehicle, he spotted a police officer writing a ticket. He questioned the officer about the ticket, the officer replied that Jesse had parked illegally in a handicapped parking space. Jesse then pointed out that his license plates allowed him to park there because printed on the plates was Disabled Vet. The officer stated that New Mexico doesn't recognize Texas disabled plates because there isn't a wheelchair stamped on the plates.

At first I thought that this officer was just having a bad day, you know, missed his morning coffee or something, but then Jesse said it happened again in a parking garage, he received another ticket for the same offense, so apparently New Mexico isn't honoring Texas plates!



I did a little bit of research and found that in the state of New Mexico...disabled veterans can't park in handicapped zones, that they also must have a placard. If you're a disabled vet from any other state...beware!

Purposefully Peeling, The Jessner Chemical Peel and My Experience

Over the weekend, I experienced a Jessner chemical peel. Normally, I would have scheduled the procedure during my week off from school, but a colleague of mine shared with me that she gets them on the weekend, loofahs real good and goes right onto work. Since, I've scheduled a mini vacation next weekend to Joy Land in Lubbock and then onto Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, I decided to get the peel earlier, go to work, not have any down time.

As I'm relaxing on the bed in my dermatologist's peel room with my face burning like red hot chili peppers, I told her what my esteemed colleague said about scrubbing off the dead skin with a loofah. She emphatically replied, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Of course, I wanted to know why. She then responded matter of factly that it causes scarring and sometimes infections. Well, I surely didn't want that!

Sunday morning, I woke to find that my facial skin color had metamorphosised to a dark marroon color. Feeling rather foolish, I put on my biggest and tightest smile (since my skin now looked like leather stretched across a bowl) and went to church...I had to go...I'm the pianist. People at church were polite, didn't ask questions, just smiled and shook their heads slightly.

I finally returned home and kept going into the bathroom waiting for something to happen. It never did. Monday morning I checked the mirror...no peeling. I thought that maybe my face would peel completely today and there would be no worries when I returned to work Tuesday.

Tuesday morning, I awoke...horror stricken...to find that my face had started to peel, but only in patches. I stared at my reflection for a long painful time. I applied the exfoliente, but to no avail.

So, here I sit at school with my face looking like a diseased hairless cat with psorasis, all the while my precious boys asking non-stop questions. Of course, I won't admit to having purposefully done this to myself, and reply that I merely got too much sun this weekend.

Funeral - Scottish - Bag Pipes and Drums of the 48th High Sc

Flanders Field...bagpipes

Every year when Memorial Day comes into to view, certain images have been engraved onto my mind. I know no other way to pay homeage to those who volunteered or were drafted, but to give credit to a poem and song that already pays respect.

I distinctly remember being in the 5th grade, in Mrs. Wilson's social studies class, we were given the opportunity to memorize poems and do a collage. She assigned me; Flanders Field. I've always had the capacity to understand and express full emotion rather quickly. I silently read through my poem...I had listened to stories from my grandfather who served as a medic in WWII, in a mobile unit on the front lines. The poem became too real for me and I burst into tears...my teacher was horrified; I explained to her that my grandfather knows some of them that lie in Flanders Fields, he's shown me pictures...and now my heart is breaking.

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Empower Yourself to Resist Resistance

Stage 2 of change is resistance. This is when I push back and say "no, I can't do this or I won't do this!" I have the hardest time with this, because I don't like feeling out of control. I know the catalyst for my persistence in maintaining control comes from childhood. My mother was extremely strict and controlled every aspect of my life...never giving me an opportunity to make decisions. This experience also hampered my ability in adulthood to make sound decisions and choices, sometimes I just didn't know how to say no or I always looked to those around me for guidance. It's okay to reach out for assistance and have sounding boards to bounce ideas off of, but don't go overboard with it. You know you better than anyone else, you know what works for you.

My friend Lara just listened to an inspirational speaker that said not to pursue happiness, but instead seek success and with success comes happiness.

Milestone 2: Empower Yourself and Others
I changed resistance into empowerment. I stopped being a victim, acting as if all these things were being done to me. I would often say, "hey, can't the BIG GUY stop picking on me? I've had enough..."

I do have to recognize the emotions inside of change and allow for time to acknowledge them. I can't control what happens, but I can control my reactions. My response to change can effect the outcome. I learned to ask questions and listened carefully to the answers. I focused on the things that I can control. I identified the things that can make me successful.

In the middle of my job search, I found out that we've, West Texas State School in Pyote, Texas, been given a year reprieve. This is great, because now I can teach summer school and bring in the extra money I needed to take care of a few things. These things include small items like a new dryer, because mine squeaks and howls like a banshee to bigger items like paying for my divorce. The divorce, a thorny thistle wood, has lingered on for four and half years, but finally I'll have the power to hire an attorney and get er done!

Although the school will be open for another year, I've decided that if I get the position at the elementary in Wink, I will accept the job. The reason being, it's stable, I won't have to go through the stress of wondering if the state school will stay open and my son will graduate from Wink. I love working with the boys at the prison, but the stability of my own family must take precedent.