trex_in_boots

Praying for Germany, especially those harmed in the attack in Berlin.

Before I begin I want to share a backstory that got me interested in watching this documentary series from Netflix. Last Sunday, I was sitting with my dad in the living room and as we were flipping back and forth between pre-season football (American) games and neither interested in the teams playing we came across the PBR competition in Oklahoma and watched the whole thing. I don't know why but I became intrigued by this sport that when I came across the documentary on Netflix I decided to watch it.
Some background on the sport, PBR stands for professional bull riding. It's an old sport and has been around for a long time in America but it seems that I have never heard of it until last weekend. How it works is a cowboy will ride every weekend to score up points to enter the world finals in Las Vegas. However, what I have found facniating from just watching last weekend was it's not just Americans competing, there are Brazilians, Canadians, and Australians that compete and it is awesome. On top of everything the bulls are also ranked and given such a high respect that a bull is even ranked for the world final as well.

Fearless, is a six part documentary following the top bull riders in the world. The riders that are followed are Kaique Pacheco, J.B. Mauney, Joao Ricardo Vieira, Robson Palermo, Guilherme Marchi (my personal favorite), Valdiron de Oliveira, and Renato Nunes. The first episode covers a lot of the history of PBR but quickly turns into an interesting following of the Brazillian riders and the push the have on the sport. They have made the sport larger than it has been before.
Besides the history, the remaining episodes follow the road to the world final and the highs and lows that each rider has to deal with as they work their way to becoming a World Champion bull rider.



If you're like me and you like the riders but you like the bulls more you can find their ranking here. Currently the top bull is Air Time with 100% buck offs. 

Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"Science is not everything but science is beautiful" J. Robert Oppenheimer

Annie Jacobsen truly starts her book with this quote and leaves it up to the reader to decide what Oppenheimer meant by that quote at the end. Jacobsen's history of Area 51 is by far better than any UFO theory out there because it speaks of truth and of history. Like anything that is in the dark, the reader is the only one who can decide if what Jacobsen is writing is truth or not. I for one believe it is the truth. My whole life, I have been fascinated with things like Area 51, aliens, and UFOs and I thought perhaps that is what I would be in for when reading this book. I was wrong.

Science is not everything, yet science is what drives our society in making great leaps in today's growing world. Science is what keeps militaries a head of their foes. Science, got us to space and science can take us beyond. Yet, science has a darker side, an inhuman side that makes a person cringe but I suppose that is why those kinds of things are kept in the deepest, darkest pits where no one can look.
However, this book is not just about science and the evolution of our military strength. It is the history of the people who created these secrets, who worked at Area 51. There is a human aspect to this book and not just things and science. Annie Jacobsen shows an evolution to our country and politics all thanks to science and to the second world war.

Take a word of caution though before diving into this book. It isn't for the those who cannot accept what America has done in the dark. The truths that should be brought out to the public are ones that perhaps say that science is not beautiful but terrifying and down right ugly. There is a bit in your stomach when you reach that conclusion (if you reach one as I did) that science can be so dark and what we have moved towards for the safety of our country and for peace may just be better left in the dark to hide the ugliness away for the beauty that is science.

Well I feel much better after talking to my co-workers about my grade. I did e-mail a councillor at Ashworth College (where I attend) but I can't retake the exam (bum) however the nurses in my office were beyond impressed that winging an antatomy exam and getting a 72.5% is apparently damn near impossible, this included Amber who graduated nursing school with a 4.0 & her masters in nursing with a 4.0. So despite not being able to retake the exam I do feel much better that in the eyes of my coworkers I did something none of them could do. I called dad to let him know and he was super proud. He could never pass A&P and the fact that I did it made him super happy.
Thank you everyone for your kinds words and encouragment. I'm so truly blessed to have such wonderful friends.

Lent begins tomorrow. Instead of material things to give up I am giving up two things that affect me deeply. They are giving up my comfort zone and giving up negativity. As I have gotten older I have realized Lent isn't really about giving up what you enjoy but really giving up something to God. I feel that these two things are something to give up to God to have a better relationship with her.
I also think that this will help me in my relationships, especially with Amanda (bestie). Right now I'm just tired of the toxicity and she has a new bff she works with and won't stop talking about and it drives me nuts especially when she compares me to her by saying "she's like you but only ______" . On top of that I told her when we were having lunch one day that I felt isolated as everyone lives in Slaton and I live in LBK. She told me she would try harder when she was in town but what do I hear the other day? She and Lucy were at the mall (not even 5 minutes from my place) and no one called me. I think that getting out of my cofort zone and doing things I wouldn't really do (like go on my own to the First Friday Art Trail) and breaking away from the negativity that I feel she brings to my life as of late will be for the best.