Got to get this in before I leave. I am on my way out the door, going on a cruise to Alaska with some of my most favorite people in the world. Alaska would be something I think I should blog about if I’m any kind of blogger at all (its debatable). So be looking for some photos and a new post coming soon about this trip.

I would also like to update with what’s been going on the last few months. It would take a while to put pen to paper and get all the details, bends and turns, ups and downs of my life into this post, and people have better things to do. So in short:

I ended this years hunting season with a couple of successful turkey hunts in Hill and Dickens county. Hunted with my buddy Derek in Hill down around Aquila and Whitney and scored a nine inch tom on a Tuesday night and then a seven and a half inch tom the next morning. Derek hunted hard but was unsuccessful that hunt. We then went on a trip with our dads out to Dickens county just down the road from the famous Pitchfork Ranch and 6666 Ranch. It was a hard hunt but Derek scored a nice bird and his brother zapped a good nine inch tom with his bow. It was his first turkey kill and his first time to turkey hunt. Come to think about it, I cant stand that guy:)

nine inch bird

Derek and me with my 7 1/2 bird

I had an opportunity to go see Kenny Chesney with my sister and some friends from Hillsboro this year and what a show that turned out to be. If you will all remember with me the biblical torrential rain downpour we received on May 2nd you can then imagine Pizza Hut Park and 25,000 soaked concert goers in an outdoor venue. IT WAS A BLAST. The rain poured so hard it would get in your ears and nose like you where swimming in a pool. I expected the show to get cancelled but I guess Kenny liked it. He just kept playing. At one point it was coming down so hard the band had to go in but Kenny got his guitar and a microphone and went out into the middle of the arena and played an additional two songs. It seemed like the harder it rained the more fun it got. Me and my sister befriended some folks sitting around us and had an unforgettable time. It was great. Lightning finally forced the show to end and truth be told it was time. Because of the constant rain we only really got a couple of good photos but this is my favorite, you can see the stage in the background. Good seats.

Melissa and me at the KC concert (pre flood)

Last but not least I should mention a couple of things I think are pretty important concerning jobs, friends, and family, stuff I have had on my mind recently. Jobs come and go and can only fill a part in your life that really isn’t all that significant in the long run. A clean, safe, friendly work place is important for a bunch of different reasons and your career is a major part of your identity in this world, but it is what it is, a job. I guess each person just has to decide what’s important to them then prioritize. Faith in God, A loving and supportive family, Close, there when you need them friends, A job that allows me to retain the aforementioned and then all the other stuff (hunting, fishing, camping, etc.). These are the things most important to me and in that order, the first three being vitally important. I came to this realization after being offered my “dream” job in San Diego this May. A federal game warden position with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the countries most beautiful city. Take home patrol vehicle, the best natural resource law enforcement training in the country, probably the world, opportunities to do work details all over the country, lots of firepower, training at the worlds foremost law enforcement academy and supplemental training at the National Conservation Training Center (club Fed), short retirement, hazardous pay, the most beautiful office in the world – the wilds of America, everyday at the beach in SD…... I could go on and on about how this met every criteria I had 10 years ago, 5 years ago, 2 years ago, a few months ago concerning a job. When it came down to it I was humbled and honored to be given the opportunity but it just didn’t meet one criteria that I had. Is this where God wants me? It was painfully obvious but I was on the fence about it until I got back from SD to try and make that determination. It really came through in a big way and I remember as the plane touched back down in Dallas exactly what I had to do. So I am still here and dang glad to be. I have a few endeavors I will be chasing going into the second half of this year to include best man duties at my buddy Lane’s wedding, establishing an updated career plan (now that my priorities are a little more prioritized), and focusing on opportunities to establish new, I think very important, friendships, and of course building up old ones. Now if I could just stay focused…………………. Hey look at that pretty bird.

This is Border Field State Park. This was is the southern tip of California where the border wall actually goes into the ocean and the southern point of where my patrol was going to start. Actually a nice area and the locals attribute it to this new fence, regardless of the politics. http://www.trnerr.org/border_field.html

This area is Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge located in mid-bay area south of downtown (SD is in the foreground). http://www.fws.gov/sandiegorefuges/

This is "A Tribute to Bob Hope" and the main statue is Hope surrounded by cheering service men and women representative of every branch and every conflict from WWII to Desert Storm. Hope participated in the USO in all of those conflicts. it should be noted that whatever stereotypes exist concerning California and their stance on politics and the military, it was clear to me that San Diego was very proud of the military and proud to be a Navy city and it showed. The rest of the country could take a lesson in my opinion on both the border and honoring the troops - including Texas. Sometimes the truth aint popular. http://www.portofsandiego.org/public-art/greatest-generation-walking-tour.html

This memorial was in the same area as the USS Intrepid and the Hope tribute. This is a monument to the brave men who died on the USS Hoel including my uncle Ralph Falkner. Reference: Battle off Samar - Taffy 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hoel_(DD-533), its a great sea battle story of WWII. I got a weird feeling when I saw this because it was just by chance I happened by it and stopped to look at. I have some of Ralph's things and a picture but this really hit home.