blog

This morning was one of those mornings where nothing goes right. I woke up late, tripped over laundry, and burned my tongue on coffee...

This morning, I got a phone call from “Poppy’s” number. When I answered, it wasn’t him. It was “ Nana .” My heart lifted for a...

Don’t get me wrong, our rodeo weekend at IJRA was a good one . We had wins, we had learning moments, and we had some of the loudest ...

At work, we hosted Matt Butkus on campus along with Dana Howard (NFL) for the very first cardiac tests in our new Butkus Foundation –...

Within 24 hours, our arena went from dry and dusty to standing water—four inches deep on one side. Not soggy, not damp. Flooded. This...

Last Friday afternoon, Kelly carried the Amistad flag in her junior high homecoming parade. For one stretch of Main Street, she wasn’t...

It’s Monday. First day back after a long but promising weekend. We were gone Friday through Sunday at the Central IN Little Britches...

Exhaustion doesn’t even cover it right now. My body hates me at night—rolling from side to side because something always aches, bones or...

I didn’t get a certificate. No paper award. No email blast. No “recognition moment” at a meeting. I got sunglasses. Not expensive. Not...

Mondays are the corporate world’s punchline. The stuff people with offices spend weekends on somehow lands on my desk at 8am. Staff...

Last night’s lessons hit different. One student came back from last weekend’s struggles and walked away smiling, confidence patched up...

Today is my 36th birthday, and it’s also September 11th. Every year, I wish this day felt like a celebration, but it never does. It feels...

Almost $300 at Aldi. Fuck inflation. That was Friday night’s slap in the face before the weekend even started. By Saturday morning, one...

This week I got to witness two girls catch fire in the arena. One night, a student of mine finally found fourth gear. She felt it. She...

Kicked off my morning on campus at some marketing breakfast for the new University of Illinois branding . Normally, those things drag ,...

We've hit the "-ber" months... and I'm not mad about it. These are my favorite. Fall weather is undefeated—sweat under a hoodie by day,...

I didn’t post yesterday. The 4 of Swords caught up to me and sat me flat on my ass. My chest felt like cement, my head foggy, and my...

Today’s one of those days where I’m questioning all my choices. Why the hell did I pick a job at an academic institution when I don’t...

Semi-sweet morsels, specifically. I keep a bag in the fridge door, another in the freezer. I grab a handful when I walk past, or three...

This morning started with too much dark chocolate for breakfast and $250 worth of wood shavings dumped in the barn. Horses are expensive....