10 Things Most People Don't Know About Me
1. I'm a die hard Texas Longhorn fan.
From a young age I remember attending Longhorn football, basketball, and volleyball games with my family. Something about the Frank Erwin Center, the smell of fresh popcorn, and the brass section playing "The Eyes Of Texas" makes me proud to be a Texan. The burnt orange color is like a Texas sunset, and Bevo is my hero. I watched Ricky Williams break the NCAA Rushing Record against Texas A and M, and I'm forever a Longhorn fan! Hook 'Em.
2. I met President Clinton in the White House.
Being selected by the American Legion to attend Boys' Nation in Washington D.C. as an 18-year old meant I would have the honor of stepping into the White House to shake hands with the most powerful man in the free world, the President of the United States, Bill Clinton. My adrenaline spiked as the moment arrived and I stepped forward for this once in a lifetime experience that I'll never forget.
3. I can two step and line dance.
Having a childhood up in the Texas hill country meant rope swings into rivers, bicycle rides down back roads, and street dances for the fun of it. It was at those street dances that I learned how to do the finer things of life like how to dance to the Cotton-Eyed Joe. I am not the best, but I might still be willing to get out there on the dance floor. Just don't ask me to dougie.
4. I love Jodi Piccoult novels.
If you have not had the honor of reading a novel by author Jodi Piccoult you must treat yourself. Piccoult takes controversial subjects and crafts a story told from the perspective of many characters. She is a magician as the story unfolds, and the reader can empathize with vastly different points of view. I love me some Piccoult.
5. I taught myself guitar.
6. I've traveled to three countries.
Perhaps I should not count America as a country I've traveled to, but I do. In addition I've been on several mission trips as a teenager to Mexico, and immediately after my Senior year of high school I was able to go to England to help plant a church in Wolverhampton. Ironically, it was in England that I discovered one of my favorite bands, an American band called The Counting Crows.
7. I graduated top 10% in high school.
Most of high school seemed pretty easy to me, that is until my junior year when I attempted pre-calculus. That first semester kicked my butt and I realized I was not a math whiz, nor was I able to juggle varsity football and studying for a math I was certain I would never need in life. After dropping that math class I found myself mostly in electives for my remaining time in high school. Graduation night came and to my surprise, my name was called in the top 10%. Sometimes good things just happen.
8. I'm the proud father of two fur babies.
9. I attended the Democratic National Convention in 2000.
Growing up in central Texas automatically meant I was supposed to be a Republican. The only thing worse than saying I was a Democrat would have been if I said I was vegan. The fact that I could choose to be something other than a red-blooded, conservative, right wing, beef eating man had yet to occur to me. So why was an 18-year old, George W. Bush supporting kid at the D.N.C. in Los Angeles, California? A national organization called Youth Service America recruited teens from diverse backgrounds to encourage youth to redefine community service. Community service is a privilege, but it is often handed out by the legal system as a punishment. I'm not sure if Y.S.A. still exists, but a few of us were dubbed young reporters and given floor level press passes for the convention. I certainly missed the significance of the moment because I remember being more excited about going to the Santa Monica pier than about seeing Al Gore run for President.
10. I've spent more of my adult life in prison than in the free world.
I was first arrested at age 20 and ended up in custody in 2003. For the next 10-years and 10-months I lived behind the razor wire. In 2018, I was once again placed in custody and have been in prison ever sense. I regret the decisions I made that led to both of my incarcerations and I work hard everyday to become the person I know I am called to be. I have made the conscious decision to not allow my past to define my future, and I have committed my life to serving God, loving others, and choosing hope. I still have bad days, but I believe the best is yet to come.