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Featured Replies

I'll tell you this -- the happiest day at the courthouse every year is "adoption day," where a bunch of adoptions are finalized.  It's usually in the fall.

I've been down there on other matters a couple of times when adoption day (or even just a stand-alone adoption) is going on.  One time, I was in the middle of a pretty intense trial.  The judge said that on Wednesday, we were going to recess the trial for an hour to handle a previously scheduled matter.  The trial lawyers left the counsel tables and sat in the gallery so that matter could go forward.  Family of 4, becoming a family of 5 adopting their long-time foster son.

Lotta hardass tough trial lawyers sitting in that gallery.

Not a dry eye among us as the adoption wrapped up.   It's the best goddamned thing to see down there, bar none.

We were waiting in the courtroom for the adoption of our two to come before the judge and the kids started getting restless.  The judge made us go wait outside until it was time for us.

  • Popular Post

Shout out to my mom today who saved a 16yr old kid’s life. 
 

High school kids playing the punch game. Friend punched 16year old in the chest twice. Kid dropped and had a grand mal seizure and went cold. 
 

She had to administer CPR (Covid be damned) and zap him three times but he survived. Super proud, but now worried about Covid. 
 

Props to her and the trainers who assisted, all disregarding their own safety concerns and saved a kids life. 

Edited by ChickenSandwich

Not necessarily a good thing in "the world," but I'm happy to report that my wife started a new job today, 16 months after the company she was with for over a decade ceased operations. Got a good severance and enjoyed the first 6 months of "temporary retirement", but has been actively job searching for a good 8-9 months. Had probably a dozen or more promising leads fall apart and got ghosted multiple times around the 2nd or 3rd interview stage. 

Sidenote: Big ol' FU to worthless recruiters/HR turds/hiring managers that promise to let a job candidate know of a hiring decision, go completely radio silent, leave the position unfilled, re-post it again several months later and then hop on the news and moan about how hard it is to hire people these days.




Not necessarily a good thing in "the world," but I'm happy to report that my wife started a new job today, 16 months after the company she was with for over a decade ceased operations. Got a good severance and enjoyed the first 6 months of "temporary retirement", but has been actively job searching for a good 8-9 months. Had probably a dozen or more promising leads fall apart and got ghosted multiple times around the 2nd or 3rd interview stage. 
Sidenote: Big ol' FU to worthless recruiters/HR turds/hiring managers that promise to let a job candidate know of a hiring decision, go completely radio silent, leave the position unfilled, re-post it again several months later and then hop on the news and moan about how hard it is to hire people these days.


Don't down play the significance of this.

I know several people who had similar experiences the last two years. When the call came through, it was pure joy for them.

Plus now she has something to do besides boss you around.

 

true story from about a week ago

So I’m at Walgreens trying to get a picture enlarged because of a death in the family. They were older but it was from a reaction to medication and waiting to go to the hospital too long, so it still stung. As I was trying to get it figured out I noticed a lady probably in her late 50s on the phone 5-6’ away. I couldn’t help but over hear that she was somewhat exacerbated and calling a friend for support. I wasn’t trying but could overhear a few words and her fighting tears. So she finishes and comes to the photo counter and I still can’t get the picture i need off my fucking phone so I’m just standing there like a dope. She seemed like a nice lady and I have no idea why i did this but i turned t her and said “Hi, I couldn’t help but overhear, are you dealing with a loss? My family member died too.” She looked and me and smiled and had tears in her eyes and said “My husband died exactly a year ago and I’m getting remarried in a week so there are a lot of emotions right now”

Now, I don’t know why I said this because I’m not into being like Kain in Kung Fu, dishing out universal truths and shit to strangers like i know more than anyone one else but I just responded “Well, congratulations! Thats wonderful! I’m sorry for your loss but if it were me I would want my wife to go, live and be happy.” 

She smiled, got teary and ran away. I felt like a complete idiot, shit head and just couldn’t understand why the fuck i had to jump into this lady’s life with that kind of heavy shit. How fucking hard is it to say “Congratulations and God bless you”?? Of course the pic i need pops up and I’m able to get everything ordered. I glance over at the register counter and the lady’s stuff was still there. I felt like a tool some more. 

I grabbed my ticket and walk to leave and at the doo they lady waved at me and said hi. She said “Thank you so much for saying that. What you said is exactly what my husband said when he was dying.”

Fucking weird man.

 

TLDR;

I’m am the light. A gofundme will be provided shortly.

  • 2 weeks later...
4 hours ago, Blotto said:

This is badass, and its certainly at the very beginning with so much more that can be done in the area, but what an enabling procedure for people enduring paralysis. Human ingenuity is quite remarkable at times. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/07/health/spinal-cord-stimulation-study/index.html

 

"We can rebuild him.  We have the technology..."

That is awesome, and plumb amazing.

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
my shingles infection is finally starting to wane I think
 
   I Hope 
Out of all the crap out there, shingles scares me the most for some reason.
  • 2 weeks later...

Thread bump.  Group I mentioned a few months back who we awarded the Kelleher Center undergrad award to, PSYKHE.  They are up again tonight at the Kendra Scott WEL Institute competition (aka, "Dare to Venture").  Two of the three founders are women, so they qualify to compete.  Another $10k on the line.  Not life-changing money, but they get even more access to venture partners, mentors, capital, resume builders, etc.  Plus, I'm told Julianne Hough is judging this evening as a favor to Kendra.  So I get to obtain a restraining order this evening while doing some good.  What started out as two young people trying to cry out for help, but not crying out for help is helping so many young people.  So fucking cool.  

Pardon me, I gotta go put some mousse in my hair for Ms. Hough since I fell in love during that awful 80's musical she did.  

  • 2 weeks later...
Screenshot_20220307-201133_Reddit.thumb.jpg.52cc453f6ffd96e3be19b4081877d2c4.jpg

Jimmy Carter has set a wonderful example for all current and future ex-Presidents.
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reposted from the travel forum, but Balmorhea was open, practically empty, and still sublime this last weekend. Kid had a good time:

 

 

IMG_0022.jpg

Bal 2.jpg

Bal 1.jpg

  • 4 weeks later...
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So here's something that's just plain good, and lucky, and undeserved.

I have a half brother, and he's a damned good human being.  The thing is, I didn't know about him till I was an adult.  My mom gave him up for adoption when she was young and unmarried.  Over 30 years later, he decided to try and find his birth parents, and he found my mother.  They wrote letters, and she finally revealed his existence to my dad.  My dad took the news with grace, and welcomed him with open arms.  They all met, and since then, we've built a real relationship, family-to-family.

My mother died last year -- and remember, my mother is the blood relative, not may dad.  My brother hasn't just kept up his relationship with my dad, he calls him regularly to check in on him.  Which is good, because my dad is lonely.  I am in a spot in my career where I can make time for dinners and such with him, but my days are full.  My brother has a more flexible job.  So, the last time they spoke, he said "you know, we're due for a visit.  We're going to head down there."  And they did -- they hopped a flight to come spend 4 days with my old man.  They stayed at his place, and he just talked, and told stories, and went through old photos.  He just drank it up.  Last night at dinner, my brother shared with me how my dad had reacted, and how he really had relished their time together.

So, there you have it.  My half brother has no blood relationship with my dad.  But he loves my father just the same and has cared for him like family.  Because family is what you choose.  And I'm fortunate enough to have found a brother halfway through my life who isn't just my family, but who chose the rest of my family.

  • 1 month later...

Got one to add to this.  The Sinton Pirates just won a baseball title.  As you would expect in puro South Texas, the team is made up of hispanic and anglo players.  Here they whole team is, singing in celebration on the bus - song is espanol, celebration is puro Texas.  This is the Texas I want to live in.

https://www.facebook.com/100011695382120/videos/406582168049653/

 

Edited by Brisketexan

  • Popular Post

 

My daughter got chosen for all stars in her 12U softball league. Crappy little small town league, but still made her (and my) night.

 

  • Popular Post

My 6 year old daughter’s personality is very different from mine.  Her default setting is “happy”.  She automatically sees the good in people and the silver lining in every situation. Another parent told me last year “your daughter has the opposite of ‘resting bitch face’; she has ‘resting happy face’.”

At her kindergarten end of year party, every kid got an award.  Mine got the “mood lifter” award for being the kid that makes everybody’s day more pleasant no matter what.

The world is dark as fuck these days and it’s easy to think humanity is going to shit.  And maybe it is, and maybe my kid will end up getting worn down.  But it made me feel really good that at least for now, my daughter is happy, and her happiness is making other people happy.

My son went on a bike ride this morning. Rushes home about an injured dog and rushes back to stand guard in the street. This is who he is. Wife rushed out while I was still trying to get my bearings to take dog to animal hospital with him.

13 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Cross-posting, but this is good things in the world.

 

Gettin' dusty in here...  🤘

Thank you so much @atomheartbevo

4 hours ago, Nivek said:

My son went on a bike ride this morning. Rushes home about an injured dog and rushes back to stand guard in the street. This is who he is. Wife rushed out while I was still trying to get my bearings to take dog to animal hospital with him.

Good job Family Nivek. 

On 5/4/2022 at 9:06 AM, Brisketexan said:

So here's something that's just plain good, and lucky, and undeserved.

I have a half brother, and he's a damned good human being.  The thing is, I didn't know about him till I was an adult.  My mom gave him up for adoption when she was young and unmarried.  Over 30 years later, he decided to try and find his birth parents, and he found my mother.  They wrote letters, and she finally revealed his existence to my dad.  My dad took the news with grace, and welcomed him with open arms.  They all met, and since then, we've built a real relationship, family-to-family.

My mother died last year -- and remember, my mother is the blood relative, not may dad.  My brother hasn't just kept up his relationship with my dad, he calls him regularly to check in on him.  Which is good, because my dad is lonely.  I am in a spot in my career where I can make time for dinners and such with him, but my days are full.  My brother has a more flexible job.  So, the last time they spoke, he said "you know, we're due for a visit.  We're going to head down there."  And they did -- they hopped a flight to come spend 4 days with my old man.  They stayed at his place, and he just talked, and told stories, and went through old photos.  He just drank it up.  Last night at dinner, my brother shared with me how my dad had reacted, and how he really had relished their time together.

So, there you have it.  My half brother has no blood relationship with my dad.  But he loves my father just the same and has cared for him like family.  Because family is what you choose.  And I'm fortunate enough to have found a brother halfway through my life who isn't just my family, but who chose the rest of my family.

I've known you for a quarter-century, and never knew this. What an awesome story, and you got a brother out of it.

CHIEF

  • 2 months later...

I know that the dog doesn’t have opposable thumbs but the camera man should have still given the phone to the dog and jumped in to help instead. 

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

When the shit in the world is crashing down I come to this thread. Kudos to those of you raising the kids that have these little nuggets of goodness about them. A little hope is all we need. I have three granddaughters 7,4,and 3 and they recharge me.

  • 2 weeks later...

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