Up with The Chickens
The photo above is one of my favorite from a lake that I fish quite often. I remember this particular morning being amazed at how calm and beautiful the sunrise was and how still the surface of the water was for it to be Oklahoma. It was not a sign of good things to come. About 6 hours later in the day, I walked into a local Urgent Care, muddy, sweaty, and smelling like a fish. The girl behind the glass asked what I needed to be seen about and I held out my hand to let her see a hook buried in my index finger, and she immediately directed me towards a different area than those that had checked in before me. I assume the sight of a square billed crankbait dangling from my finger made her queasy and got me priority seating to see the doctor. Once getting transferred to the back, I shocked the doctor who he left me alone in the room with all of his nice tools. I had removed the hook from the bait, and had been trying to remove it myself while he waited outside to allow the six shots he'd given me in the finger to numb it. I knew if I could push the tip of the hook through the skin, I could snip the point down past the barb and remove it myself. I had already done this the year before on the shores of Lake Hefner when I had a similar instance, but in that case, I was lucky enough that the hook had went all the way through my finger and made it easier to do what I described above. After letting the doctor finish the job on this day, I returned to the lake and continued fishing.
Aside from my favorite past time, I do have a few professional accomplishments for which, I'm eternally indebted to God for His help in allowing me to complete. I graduated with my Master's Degree with Honors in Bilingual Education/Teaching English as a Second Language in 2012 from the University of Central Oklahoma. Considering my high school GPA was a horrible 1.6, I'd say growing older suited me well. When I enrolled in the program in 2009, I was looking for something to turn my life in a new direction, as I'd just gone through a tramatic time, and quite honestly, my mental health had declined horribly in the months prior. I had a hunch when I walked into my first class and saw a roomful of warm smiles that I had just poured a new foundation to replace what was utterly broken in my life. When I look back on the experience as a whole, it was easily one of the most rewarding and toughest times of my life. I have to thank many close friends for their love, support, and motivation that they provided along to way to include my family, the fantastic faculty at UCO, and some of the most amazing and inspiring friends in the world. Just to mention a few, Tam, A. Young, Nong, Choi, Mary, Sally, Heayoung, Hyesil , Sara, Mika, Gray, April, Ai-Feng, and Hiroko. This group of people saw me through the majority of those insane times and I can never express my gratitude completely for the friendship they extended to me. I love you all!!! My years completing my undergraduate and graduate degrees at UCO (2001 through 2012) were by far, the greatest years I've experienced since childhood.
This webpage and corresponding blog were created on a whim, and at the suggestion of my best friend...(so if you like it or want to rant over my opinions - thank her or blame me). My intention is that it rarely be predictable, unless you're in the loop, so if things seem to be chaotic, skips around like a flat rock on the surface of a pond or the grammar is all jacked up, appears unedited (because in actuality, it typically is), or all out of whack, then (re)familiarize yourself with the term, "Jerry-rigged."
Most importantly, I want to give praise to God and my Savior, Jesus for all things. Especially the growth I'm experienced through the roughest times, as they have shaped my life in ways that have allowed me to grow far beyond the fears that once held me back. Everything I have I owe to the good Lord's grace and mercy. While I know I'm a sinner, I thank God for his patience and his guidance. I know with God, all things good are within my reach. I love you, Lord!!!
Aside from my favorite past time, I do have a few professional accomplishments for which, I'm eternally indebted to God for His help in allowing me to complete. I graduated with my Master's Degree with Honors in Bilingual Education/Teaching English as a Second Language in 2012 from the University of Central Oklahoma. Considering my high school GPA was a horrible 1.6, I'd say growing older suited me well. When I enrolled in the program in 2009, I was looking for something to turn my life in a new direction, as I'd just gone through a tramatic time, and quite honestly, my mental health had declined horribly in the months prior. I had a hunch when I walked into my first class and saw a roomful of warm smiles that I had just poured a new foundation to replace what was utterly broken in my life. When I look back on the experience as a whole, it was easily one of the most rewarding and toughest times of my life. I have to thank many close friends for their love, support, and motivation that they provided along to way to include my family, the fantastic faculty at UCO, and some of the most amazing and inspiring friends in the world. Just to mention a few, Tam, A. Young, Nong, Choi, Mary, Sally, Heayoung, Hyesil , Sara, Mika, Gray, April, Ai-Feng, and Hiroko. This group of people saw me through the majority of those insane times and I can never express my gratitude completely for the friendship they extended to me. I love you all!!! My years completing my undergraduate and graduate degrees at UCO (2001 through 2012) were by far, the greatest years I've experienced since childhood.
This webpage and corresponding blog were created on a whim, and at the suggestion of my best friend...(so if you like it or want to rant over my opinions - thank her or blame me). My intention is that it rarely be predictable, unless you're in the loop, so if things seem to be chaotic, skips around like a flat rock on the surface of a pond or the grammar is all jacked up, appears unedited (because in actuality, it typically is), or all out of whack, then (re)familiarize yourself with the term, "Jerry-rigged."
Most importantly, I want to give praise to God and my Savior, Jesus for all things. Especially the growth I'm experienced through the roughest times, as they have shaped my life in ways that have allowed me to grow far beyond the fears that once held me back. Everything I have I owe to the good Lord's grace and mercy. While I know I'm a sinner, I thank God for his patience and his guidance. I know with God, all things good are within my reach. I love you, Lord!!!