Sikestonians and the Rodeo

I have reached a point in my life where I live on my own and have to make time to go home. Alex is also in my same situation and we take turns visiting each other’s families. This creates quite the dilemma during holidays when we want to spend Christmas with each other as well as our families that just so happen to live 500 miles apart. But the one holiday that is never debated on where it will be spent is the one that falls in the beginning of August every year- Rodeo.

There are always questions that you never have to ask because you should know the answer. The people that ask these rhetorical questions are typically teachers or sarcastics (yep, made that word up but I like it here). Anyone else that is seriously presenting one of these questions should probably just be answered with one of the most popular rhetorical questions of all: “why are you so stupid.” When it comes to Sikestonians, there is a list of these questions that need not be asked. Here are a few of my favorites (I’ll even include the answers for my non-Sikestonian readers):

1. Are you going to join Red Peppers? The answer is always, yes. Duh. Not only am I joining, but I’ll be a legacy. Potentially a double or triple legacy. And now I’ll just assume that you are from out of town or a transfer student. You’re welcome for filling you in so you can be sure to join now as well. See you at the Tea.
2. Do you want to go eat at Lambert’s? No. Absolutely not- unless I’m hosting out-of-town visitors that have never been or some big celebratory occasion that does not fall during holidays, summer, rodeo, or any other major tourism time. Even then, I’ll probably have to think about it…
3. Should I wear shoes to run an errand? No. Every gas station and liquor store, as well as the donut/ice cream shop and the dry cleaners have a drive-thru. No need to get out of the car and into civilization for anything. Period.
4. Are you going to Rodeo? Simply put, this is my favorite question and I refuse to answer because any true Sikestonian will be talking, preparing, shopping, and pregaming for the annual festivity long before the performance comes to town- leaving no room for questioning or misunderstanding.

Needless to say, my 23^rd year at rodeo was just as fabulous as the previous 22. This year was the 61^st anniversary for the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo and the 20^th anniversary of my dad’s year as chairman of the rodeo. After being raised on the rodeo grounds, it gets in your blood- and you can’t help but smile through the mud on your freshly shined boots, and the push-your-way-through-drunken-debaucheries just to get a hot dog, and fighting back screams when the rope folds perfectly around that left horn. There’s just somethin bout that damned ole rodeo.

Last year was Alex’s first rodeo experience and though he had a good time, I think he was a little shocked. But this year, he was a true sophomore in knowing exactly what he was getting into and being prepared for a great time. As the reunion commenced, he jumped right in like a local. After the first night we agreed that we should save all our vacation days next year to be there the entire week….but after the third night, it was clear that rodeo is a fleeting event once a year for a very good reason. And I think we’re perfectly fine with only staying for a few days instead.

My dad once said that Spence and I were unlucky to have been raised by a father who doesn’t get into sports like baseball and football, instead hauling us into the rodeo lifestyle. I never saw it as unlucky by any measure. It’s a blessing that I’m proud of- and that’s why rodeo will always be my favorite holiday that will never be disputed.

Until next year, LONG LIVE COWBOYS.

Oh and in case you missed the clown being damned for making fun of Obama during the Missouri State Fair rodeo performance, you probably don’t have to ask a Sikestonian how they feel about that either. Take a joke and stop crying “racism” at every little poke. Comedians have used political figures and celebrities for their sketches for years because they are people that we all recognize. Wouldn’t be nearly as funny if the clown had impersonated his uncle because not many people could relate to a stranger. When people make fun of George W. Bush and Lindsay Lohan, it’s not because they’re white; it’s because it’s funny. Get the chip off your shoulder…oh, and welcome to America- we support free speech here…most of the time.

Just because I don’t want to end on a bad note, I’ll leave you with this link to a blog that will surely lift your spirits and restore your faith in humanity…probably not without a few good tears: http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/19-displays-of-love-affection-inspiration-thatll-make-you-cry/

Love always,

Addie

“Everyone knows the Sikeston rodeo is like a fashion show. And you’d better show up.” -Momma

sweet, sleepy dreams…

When I came home for Christmas break I never had any intentions of taking a break from this blog…however the negligence is obvious in fact that I only have one blog for the entire month of December as well as the comment made by Aunt Laurie last weekend: “Everytime I go to your blog it’s the same hair flipping one.” That said, it’s time to get back to business…

I could bore you with my endeavors over this seemingly endless break, or tell you all about my Christmas presents, but I would rather skip the junk talk. I don’t figure anyone really cares that much anyways. But I do have to give a shout out to a very reminiscent Christmas Eve dinner with the cousins at the “kids table”: we all laughed for about an hour over the goofy things we used to all do as kids. A few of the notable memories were the ridiculous games we used to make up and the extent of the holiday madness that fell upon Nan’s house with 12 grandchildren all under the age of 10. “Spence is the Monster”, “Around the House Tag”, “Lego Wars”, “Hide and Seek in the Basement”, “Yahtzee Pool”, and “Disappear” were among the favorite games we coined (aren’t the names so original!?). As for the holidays that we experienced growing up in my family, I cannot simply explain them in one sentence. Instead, let me paint a picture for you:

Christmas Eve night at Nans approximately 1998: KIDS EVERYWHERE. Presents stacked as tall as the giant Christmas tree in the tiny living room that was bursting at the seams with stressed out parents, hormonal teenagers, groups of little heathens in a panic over the excitement of the presents, and one set of overly active grandparents (Nan and Papa). The energy in the room was indescribably amped and the parents forced each child to sit in their “designated area” on the floor and wait patiently while the gifts were dispersed. There was always a little dispute when one  kid got to climb under the tree to get the presents in the very back…of course that was always the “favorite kid” which tended to cause a bit of hostility among the overly stimulated youngsters. Then all at once, the paper shredding began. Sparkly bows, pretty paper, and nametags were flying through the air while screams of joy and well-practiced “oohs” and “ahhs” rang throughout the room. Parents pretended to be excited about the noisy new toy that their child just opened, while figuring out to do with yet another tractor (or in my case, Barbie doll) that will obviously not fit into the already overflowing toy box. After all the toys were open we were all forced to be silent while Papa called “Santa’s secret phone line” and one by one we all took turns listening to Santa. Eventually we would all make our way home where Aunt Laurie would call with an update on Santa’s whereabouts according to the radar and we would all tuck into bed, secretly scheming ways to catch the fat man, until sleep overtook us and ruined the plan.

This was the typical Christmas for us for many years until we finally moved the holiday festivities to Aunt Sandy and Uncle Marks (at the time) new house. By this point, the heathens were all a little bit older, however no more mature- meaning that they now fought over who got the privilege of passing out presents. After opening the gifts, instead of calling Santa we played one of the most infamous original “cousin games”- Around the House Tag. It actually began as a game we played inside the house, which was absurd considering the number of people that filled the house, leading to multiple collisions and accidents. Needless to say, we were forced outside in the freezing cold, but everyone knows the resiliency of a kid is out of this world so the temperature was no threat to us. We would run as far and fast as we could for hours on end, eventually having to create very specific rules and guidelines because homemade games always present those tricky “gray areas” where no one really knows who is “it” anymore.

I know that was a little much to take in, but I thoroughly enjoyed our reminiscent moment and just wanted to share just one of the many crazy experiences that I had growing up as a child in an over populated family.

I will throw this out there one last time: sitting at home in Sikeston while everyone else has already returned to Stark really makes me sad. But in the end, I know that I only have one more semester at dear ole’ Murray, so I better get excited and soak it all up while I still can. (I promise I’ll eventually stop complaining about this….a surprise visit from Kelly last week helped get me excited for the return as we considered all the trouble we can get into our last semester in the MKY!)

Martin Luther King’s birthday is coming up so get excited….whoot whoot…

“Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace” and “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.” Look them up…love them both.

Ok, now that I got all the BS out of the way, it is time for the list of the memorable moments of 2010:

1. SEC brought home the national championship
2. Alice in Wonderland, Twilight Eclipse, Inception, Toy Story 3, and Facebook finally gets a movie!
3. Antione Dodson- “Hide ya kids, hide ya wife”
4. All of Katie Perry’s songs and Jason’s new album
5. Rescuing the Chilean coal miners
6. H1N1 epidemic is declared over! (or at least back to normal)
7. The International Space Station surpasses the record for the longest human occupation in space
8. Lady Gaga’s outfits
9. CERN scientists actually trap antimatter…Angels and Demons flash back
10. BP oil spill
11. Earthquake in Hati
12. Bret Michaels and Hugh Hefner get engaged (not to eachother, of course)
13. Oprah’s last show…
14. WAYNE IS REALEASED FROM JAIL
15. Lynard Skynard came to the rodeo…yeah, I said it
16. Murray is a buzzer-shot away from the Sweet 16
17. State makes it to the Gator Bowl
18. Prince William popped the question…finally, a royal wedding in my lifetime!

I’m sure there were many more noteworthy events that I am overlooking, but I am drawing this blog to an end. Sleep is creeping its way into my body and is quickly taking over. I promise to write again soon!

Love always,

Addie

“You know that place between sleep and awake, the place where you can still remember dreaming? That’s where I’ll always love you, Peter Pan. That’s where I’ll be waiting.” -Tinkerbell