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Instant Sean – Page 4 – Speaking truth, the written word & some sarcasm. Not available in stores…

Instant Sean

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  • “Why yes Keegan, didn’t you know? All dogs…

    “Why yes Keegan, didn’t you know? All dogs…

    When I was young, I was taught about heaven & hell. The nuns took their rulers to my knuckles many times during my formative years. But one day I asked, because I was bored and did not want to talk about the seven deadly sins, “If there a heaven for you and me, is there one for my dog or will he be in his own heaven?”

    This question then turned into a fight with the cat owners telling the dog owners that all of their animals were going to hell while their animals were going to heaven.

    After a large discussion and two raps on the knuckle for speaking out of turn, which wasn’t really new to me, the sister declared that it was up to us whether our animals went to heaven. Then she declared recess. I really think she did not want me to talk again as she pointed the ruler at me and I put my head down on my desk.

    So many times in my life I have thought what it would be like for there to be a heaven for dogs. As my dog Keegan laid down tonight I had in my mind a conversation with him as we stared at each other.

    “Is the grass green?” he asked.

    “Why yes, everywhere you go the grass is green. It’s thick, like a warm set of arms that cuddle you in the night. There are no ants, pests of any kind in this grass, not even a dandelion,” I replied.

    “What about the sun?”

    “It shines warm and bright like a spring day, not too hot or too short, just perfect to catch a nap.”

    “Are there toys to play with?”

    “You can’t turn your head without seeing at least one ball, stuffed animal or fire hydrant. As far as the eye can see you can try a toy. When you tire of it, there will be a new one just around the corner.”

    “And the squeakers?”

    “Oh, when you think you have squeaked the last squeak out of a toy it comes back like new.”

    “What happens at night?”

    “You snuggle up with loved ones and wait for the day when the door opens and your master comes home.”

    “Is this heaven?”

    “Why yes Keegan, didn’t you know? All dogs go to heaven!”

    Keegan Patrick passed away this morning surrounded by family who loved him.

  • Dear Lubbock Area Vet,

    Dear Lubbock Area Vet,

    God knows how I miss Dr. J even more today. Everyone in Lubbock with a pet knew the legend of Dr J. But she is gone and I had to move to another vet. This afternoon Keegan started to bleed and we took him to the vet after Joanna all morning had called to try to talk to the vet. His first words wasn’t, “Lets fix Keegan,” or “What would you like to do?” but “Let’s me first talk about communicati…”

    I shut down and walked out of the room and composed this letter.

    Dear Anonymous Lubbock Area Vet,

    Before you start to criticize my wife for calling you three times because she worries about our family member, I would appreciate if you would check the patient first.

    Bleeding, as you told her later, “traditionally isn’t normal in a back injury” of a dachshund.

    You aren’t Dr. House and I would rather burn money right in front of you than hand it over to you.

    He isn’t just a dog. He isn’t just an animal. He is my family member and since you don’t treat him as such there will be consequences.

    When this adventure is over I will be looking elsewhere for my family care. Because you may consider him your cash cow, but he is my son. He is my kids protector and my wife’s live heating blanket.

    I left the room this morning not because of the tough truths that you were telling my weeping wife, but in the total lack of empathy you showed her. You treated my family as you do any other wallet that you can reach in and grab every dollar that you can see. My wife knew if I stayed in the room, I would have not only yelled right back at you but posted your name, address, phone number and Facebook page for the world to see.

    I pray for your healing hands to help Keegan and resist the urge to take advantage of my wife as she wept.

    I am a nice man, and I will chew on my tongue.

    For now.

  • Saying goodbye before I have to.

    Saying goodbye before I have to.

    When you own a pet, you know that at some point you will have to say goodbye to them. For most pets, humans have longer lifespans and we spend our lives loving them as they love us.

    But I should start at the beginning.

    8 years ago I lost my best friend, the dog that kept me from going insane during the divorce from my ex-wife. Mugsy was one hell of a dog. For years after he left this earth I decided that I wasn’t going to have a dog anymore.

    But I also remember how my wife BEGGED and pleaded with me to get a new dog.

    How many times have I said no since Joanna and I started to mourn the loss of our wonderful family member Red Raider Von Lubbock? (Yes, that was his official AKC name)

    It was closing in on a cool 10K when I talked to my mom.

    She was the former breeder and knew all the places to find good dogs and where to separate the wheat from the chaff as my late grandpa might say.

    So, one night before Christmas, right before mom was to go onto a trip to Switzerland and Germany to go to market, I brought up the idea.

    She was cautious but excited.

    “He would want you to move on…, ” she said with a tone in her voice that I have heard many times but ignored.

    I let it go and never brought it up again until Friday night as a lark.

    “Why don’t you find us a puppy mom?”

    “Two,” Joanna said with the tone of more of a wish, than a request.

    “ONE, no more. No less.”

    So Mom was off and Friday was a bust, her usual suspects were either out of the business or had changes their number.

    I had completely forgotten about it, and Joanna was sad, but knew that when the time was right, we’d find the right dog.

    Now, my mom had started again on Saturday and had asked of me and Jo our favorite things to look for. Joanna wanted a Black and Tan Dachshund, but it didn’t matter to me. It was about the personality that had molded me from Brooke, grandpa’s black lab, to Mugs, that to this day must not be taunted.

    “When you see my dog mom, you’ll know. You’ll see something in his eye, a fire that won’t quit. If you see that. You will have found my dog.”

    I had forgotten about that early in the day call, knowing that no matter what, if something was going to happen, it would happen when I least expected it.

    Joanna and I were having a late dinner at On the Border (sorry FTC, no payment by them here) when Mom called. I had my mouth full and I missed the call and just thought that I would call her back.

    Then she called again.

    Something was up.

    “You have a new baby dachshund, a black and tan dapple. Beautiful markings and Sean, I saw a couple of others, but this dog had fire. He was fearless in playing with the dogs larger than he.”

    Joanna and I had some names in mind, but I never named a dog without looking at him, I mean, there are some dogs that are named SPOT for a reason.

    Joanna HAD to go to Petsmart, then Target (dog Woof!) to get the animal all sorts of right items. She looked at dog clothing but my John Casey growl caused her to walk away.

    So we went to the house staying up till two in the morning, cleaning the house preparing for one dog.  Joanna wanted to get the dog right then, but I thought that we should wait until the 30th and I would pick up the dog while she was doing a jewelry party in San Angelo. However, life isn’t how we plan sometimes.

    And along came Keegan

    The next morning as we woke up to go to church my dad and mom called.

    One of my nieces, Kaitlyn had fallen MADLY in love with “Spotty” as she called him.

    “If you don’t come and get him today, you’ll lose him. I can guarantee that,” my dad said.

    My dad rarely kids.

    I told my mom that we really wasn’t ready to go.

    She was disappointed and I took a shower trying to figure out how I could get the dog on Saturday after my promotional remote for work.

    I had brought a dusty soft plastic dog kennel and a blanket and we had reached a little past Abilene when my Mom, who had given in and went to get my niece Kaitlyn her own puppy, called and asked the question that has turned this family upside down…

    “Would you like another one? Someone to play with while you two are at work?” There was nothing I can do, but hand the phone to Joanna and a glint in her eye of pure joy began.

    So as we got to my parents house Dad opened the door and ignoring requests for hugs until we forced them on him, led us to the cage.

    Led us to our dog.

    Now he was the our one choice, the perfect dog. And Aengus is gaelic for One Choice so Aengus McGee joined our family.

    We played outside and had some fun and Mom brought in our second dog. He shook and shook , scared as he could be.

    But when we let him down to potty he became an Olympic athlete.  He darted from here and there, wiggling out of people’s hands and he was so smart that he would do things so we wouldn’t catch him (i.e. hiding underneath the truck).

    We named him Keegan Patrick, Keegan for his fiery personality and speed, and Patrick for my late brother, who seemed to always be wiggling out of situations.

    After dinner and hugs, we started for home.

    That was 6 years ago.

    Thursday night Keegan came in limping on his back right leg.

    Friday afternoon he couldn’t walk.

    Saturday morning he wouldn’t drink.

    This morning he wouldn’t look at me.

    I know he would rather be with his brother, chasing and killing dove, you haven’t had fun until your dog scares a dove into crashing into a fence, picking it up gently, then placing it at your feet with pride.

    “LOOK AT WHAT I BROUGHT YOU SEAN!”

    The day will come where he will leave me, but as for now, I will remember the times watching football together, him scaring away door to door salespeople and laying on his back, nuts in the air as the sun warmed him. I will miss throwing the ball and you chasing it over and over again until you said ENOUGH!

    It’s not time for you to go Keegan, but I don’t want you to hurt anymore. You are a good dachshund and I will miss you.

    I will take care of you as long as it takes for you to get better, but if you don’t, know that I love you.

     

  • Moving the line through a $1.50 soda

    Moving the line through a $1.50 soda

    A friend of mine I met through a startup, asked some questions on social media about creating startups companies in India.

    What would you do to create a business if you had 100 INR in your pocket was the question Mitesh posed? I watched the conversation begin over several posts with ideas, thoughts and concepts being thrown out. Intrigued, watching intelligent people throw out ideas.

    Why didn’t I think about that? We spend our lives wanted better things, but people who succeed go and get them.
    When I started in radio, I wanted the job of a program director, running a station. I set a goal, a high one but once I accomplished it I let the goal define me instead of me redefine the goal. So once circumstances changed I redefined my goal being the best director of digital media my company has. So far so good. My goals achieved have created future goals. Instead of being happy with the goal line I had jogged in place at for years, I moved the line. It forced me to run in uncomfortable circumstances and get out of running on the circle track of life that always ended at the same goal line I had for 15 years.

    We all need to move our goal lines daily. We should work to get closer to our goals each day, then move the goal further away. We will meet the short-term goals, but without a long-term goal to motivate us, we will be jogging in place at a finish line which has lost complete meaning due to time. We need to escape the circle track of life that constrains us to arbitrary boundaries forcing us to stay within the lines. We all know the limitations we have. But you will never make any goal if you do not believe you will do it.

    Another friend of mine is an Ironman triathlete. Randy has achieved what many try but few carry out. He trained for a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a marathon 26.2-mile run all finishing in a 17 hour time period. I once asked him how he could do it.

    “One stroke, one pedal and one step at a time.”

    He didn’t try to do it all in one day, but started with a swim, a ride and a run until he could do it all at the same time .

    I WANT YOU TO BE A MENTAL CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER! Keep moving forward like you always have someone chasing after you and you will succeed more than if you jog in place while reading the latest novel on your phone.

    English: Snack Machine
    English: Snack Machine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

    About the $1.50 soda… my wife couldn’t get out of her work during the recent snow storm and used her debit card to pay for a 20 ounce soda in a vending machine. With the .25 cent convenience charge tacked on, it was $1.50. She needed a drink and was willing to pay a charge that to this day drove me crazy.

    It’s just a soda you cry, what’s the big deal?

    Because that simple $1.50 soda, we take for granted, is the same amount of money that my friend Mitesh was using to motivate people in India to create a business from.

    Perspective my friends is everything.

    So my friends in India, I wish you well with your businesses and look forward to seeing success now and in the future from you. I will continue to cheer you on and cannot wait to see the victories you will make.

    Every goal starts with taking one step forward. Lace up your shoes, and let’s go!

  • Circle of Strife

    Circle of Strife

    2015 ended with a bang, snow everywhere and the City of Lubbock getting blames for everything:

    “Why do we have only 2 snow plows?”

    https://twitter.com/RyWinslow/status/682549412099452928

    “Why can’t they plow my streets?”

    “I pay taxes don’t you know…”

    “We should buy more snow plows for…”

    The problem is, clearing the streets of snow was never the big problem of 2016. Snow comes, it goes and it melts. But the devastation that it leaves isn’t because of the broken pipes, the morons who drove saying, “Well I have 4-wheel drive,” not caring that they didn’t have 4 wheel stop.

    The devastation that this storm left was water that left over from the storm, that melts, freezes again repeatedly until the streets are 100% dry.

    “Why the hell should I care about this,” I can hear you shrieking?

    Easy, because with the water that got into every crack into every street, every piece of asphalt that opened by people spinning their wheels trying to get traction, has found the moisture sneak into it. Expanded as the ground freezes weakening the ground.

    Poof, we have the latest thing in the “Circle of Strife” that will cause the people who are most angry to bitch next.

    Gone will be the anger about 2 snow plows as it is replaced with, “I lost my tire and nearly got into an accident due to a pot hole.”

    Yup, stand by, because the latest tragedy around the corner in 2016 will be potholes everywhere.

    Wonder how a third snow plow would fix them?