Morning Minute with the BROfessor

  I was playing on the playground at Greenbrier Elementary School with my friends.   They year was 1981.   I was 10 years old and in the 5th grade.    I had never gotten into any trouble at school for I knew the second I got in trouble at school; it would be double when I arrived at home.   We were playing around the basketball court just having a good time when a ball bounced just past me.   I reached down to pick it up, and turned around to give it back to whomever was playing with it.   I did not even get turned around good when my face was met with a flying fist of fury.   Apparently, this kid thought I was about to steal his ball instead of give it back.   My nose exploded, blood gushing everywhere.   The teacher rushed me in to see the nurse and another rushed the other MMA wanna-be into the principal's office.   It was not long sitting there; trying to hold my nose closed and stop the bleeding, that I heard several paddl...

  There is an old adage that states, "buy once, cry once." It is a term to describe the purchasing of an expensive item, of excellent quality. Implies that the owner will initially, have reservations or guilt for  buying  ... Yes expensive, but of great quality.   That is the concentration.   I have struggled for years, as most do, with discovering there is a huge difference between what I want and what I can afford.   What I want is the best.   I know I will never be satisfied with anything less.   I do buy the less expensive and sometimes it works out.   Most of the time I am swimming in a sea of regret, realizing patience and doing without, saving up for the best would be so worth it.   Yet, here I am again, on the edge of the cliff, wondering if I should jump or not.   Not really, but that is how it feels when you are faced with a decision.   Many items of purchased gear are end up posted by joyful owners throughout...

  Mine!  Mine!  I guess the apple does not fall far from the tree.  My daughter grabbed at her doll and held onto it like it was the last one in the world, just like I used to hoard my Matchbox Cars when my little buddies would come over.  There is a time in our lives when all we are concerned with us me, my and mine.   Whatever affects me is all that matters.  When I am hungry, I want to be fed.  I could care less if you are hungry or not and what trouble you have to go through to get me my food.  All I know is I want food and I want it now.  My toys are my toys and you better keep your grubby hands off them.  There is no "you break it, you buy it" slogan around me.  You don't break it because you keep away from it and do not touch it.  It is mine and when I go over to your house you can be the same way with me. I do no care.  All I am concerned with is right now and my stuff. I am not sure at what age I started...

  This past weekend at the Rendezvous in the Ozarks, we experienced all kinds of weather.   I arrived on Wednesday morning with just a little mist on me at times, but for the most part, it was perfect and I had the windows down the whole way.   That afternoon when Artemis arrived to begin setting up, the rain began.   It was a light rain that turned into Thunderstorms that evening.   It was not that bad and we weathered the storm like champs.                 In talking with Rick and Brad of Natural State Overland at the vendor check-in area, I asked them what the projected attendance was to be this year.   They stated with the registrations and all they looked to set a new record despite the rumors of cancelling the event due to rain.   "Why would we cancel the event due to weather?" I asked.   This is what we do.   This is our lifestyle.   We live outside where...

  I don't know about where you live and what you do, but this year for me it has been one heck of a busy year so far.  With COVID restrictions and all that comes with that, being a couple workers down from injuries, five guys doing the work of seven has made it where we are working our tails off every single day. But today is the day I have been waiting for.  Today is Tuesday and it is the last day of the work week for me.  I have taken off the rest of the week for a much needed getaway.  Rendezvous in the Ozarks starts on Thursday and I am heading to Byrds Adventure Center in Oark, AR in the morning.  I will be working at, and camped in, the Artemis Booth all week and weekend.  I will be meeting up with old friends that I don't get to see much of during the year, and hopefully meeting new ones that will come around to visit.  It'll be a great time that I have been looking forward to all year.  The weather is supposed to be a wash out with ra...

  Some things are just not our thing.  I have a list of things that are not "my thing."  Whether it is music that does not fit my style or food that does not satisfy my taste buds or things that are a little off or set off my OCD for some reason, I add different things to last non-written list for this reason or that.  We spout off the common adage, "nothing against you..." before we give others our reasons for not liking this or that, and that makes it ok to give our opinions, but sometimes those opinions are skewed and have no merit.  On Social Media, the giant Facebook has sad, angry and laughing face emoji's you can torture posters and let them think about what you are thinking about their post.  Even the Worldwide Video goliath YouTube has included in their "reactions" a Thumbs Down emoji that makes it easy to show your disapproval without anyone knowing your identity. This world is so full of negativity.  It almost seems at times that people are ...

  Some days are harder than others.  Some days life comes at you like a freight train that cannot stop no matter what you pull out of your bag of tricks.  Other days are good, but they seem few and far between.  How I act or react to what is thrown my way will determine my attitude, it will make others develop an opinion about me whether good or bad, and it will affect my quality of life possibly for a long time. Up until the end of last school year my nine to five work place was amazing.  I really enjoyed coming to work.  It was time that I enjoyed and truly felt my calling.  It is also a place where I have developed lifetime friendships and really found more of a home than a workplace.  It is not stressful and comes with a lot of time off.  It is a division, where, when people get into it, they never leave. Fast forward to the end of last year.  We have become expendable.  When there is a shortage elsewhere, we are pulled from our...