...For Brandie...

Have you seen this beautiful creature lately? I have, she's in bed sleeping right now....hehe. That is Brandie. I know that I put a picture of her up here before, but I have never just done one blog about her, as I have for my family, pets and motorcycles. So this one's for you babygirl.

Her name is Brandie Harwood, she's 25 years old and loves all things pin up like Bettie Page. She has a tattoo on her chest of Bettie Page as well as to revolvers some stars, some cherry's and her ever famous quote "...Vanity Kills With Pretty Pistols..."

She works her butt off every day just to make sure that we have the things that we need, like food and payment for the bed...our cell phones...and the like. She's really good at what she does and she doesn't give her self enough credit for all the hard work that she does. I mean come on, She's put up with me for the last year! THAT in it self takes some brass one's. Love ya babe.

There are times when she is just lounging around that she is the most beautiful to me. There is a picture of when we first got here and we were laying on the ground, that's where we slept, had to. And she looked so happy and peaceful, I'm going to post it up if I haven't in previous posts...but the point is that I hope this awesome creature never for a second thinks that I take her for granted or don't appreciate her. So this is just my small way of saying "Thank you, and I love you unconditionally".

Now I just have to think of a way to get her to read this....it can be arranged!

Be true to your self, and you can never go wrong...

Blessed be all...

Reese

I love you Brandie

Blah, all kinds of political...

What do you think of when you see this picture? A nice house...nice truck, even a road bike in the back...huh, maybe a health nut lives here....Well, you'd be right. It's my parents house and that's my mom's truck, and that would be my mom's bike on back of it.

Though yes the house is similar to what most American's think would be the good life, I personally am not for living in a complex where every 3rd house looks the same. But it served it's purpose as we were growing up... Sure the front yard isn't huge, but my dad still takes pride in it. So what if the back yard looked more like part of the Vegas dessert, it's all green now! THAT takes some determination.

Everyone has their own idea of what the good ol American dream is.....Wanna know what mine is? You have no choice, it's my blog!LOL....

My idea of the all American Dream is this:

Out in the country, neighbors only about 2 acers away, front yard and back yard total to about 5 acers, a big enough house for my wife and 2 kids, maybe even have some veggies growin in the back yard. Have an old beat up truck in the front that runs, and a decent car to haul around in.

So what if maybe I sound like a red neck, It's what I would love to have. And maybe one day I will. In the mean time, I'd settle for an old red brick apartment like the one you use to see on 227...if any one remembers that other then me.

I have a "thing" for old houses, old cars, old apartments..... I have no idea why. I tell you what though, my Gramma Donna lived in this one house that I thought was awesome and yet looked scary as all hell when I was younger. It looked almost dead on like the house from that Norman Bates....you know what movie I'm talkin about. But oddly enough, even with Pee cocks runnin around out back and screamin bloody murder, the love my Gramma filled the house with, always made me feel safe.

I think that should be real American Dream, to have a home where you not only love to be, but that you fill WITH love and your kids feel safe in and aren't afraid of the boogie man or anything.

(No ma, I wasn't afraid in the house.....)

Any who, I believe it is time for me to go now.

As always,

Be true to you, love yourself and those around you.....

Reese

Various Irksome Things....

What does this cartoon remind you of? No it's not a Worshack type test, there is no right or wrong answer....And I'm sure that you don't want to know what I see but this is my blog and you will find out anyways right? he he..it's good to be me.. :-)

It kind of reminds me of high school but on a more adult scale. It's called the work place. Now, everyone has a place that they go to everyday for that 9-5.....working over time to make some else rich....but it's also a huge breeding ground for rumors and for anyone of any caliber to talk smack about you. "OMG, Didn't anyone tell her that you're not supposed to wear white after labor day?"

Come on, are our own lives that boring and dull that we have to be constantly fixated either on one person and what they do or DON'T do that we forget that, Hey your there to work. You can find this practice in any establishment. And if you can honestly say that there isn't some sort of shit talk where you are, either you are blind to it or you just are one of the lucky one's who really did find a paradise to work in. I congratulate you. I pity the rest of you....

I find myself in the back round of the working class, more like on the benches, the side lines if you will. And it has been that way for almost 2 years now. Though I do miss the act of working for my money...in a big way, I do NOT miss the gossip.

You could be working for the smallest place for the last 15 years and maybe one or two people will come and go from the company....but that 1 NEW person comes in...heaven forbid that your world be rocked but this obvious annoyance to your universe.... So what if that person just got out of some 4 year college and has a business degree! You've been here since you dropped outta high school...no need for getting your G.E.D. It's all a government scam to get more money.....It's not the 60's any more pal.

Now at days, when I go into someplace like say a burger joint. Yes it does employ those who otherwise might not have a job, and the high school kids....but I also see the slackers that stick to their own little click and would rather stand back, talk smack about the customers that are waiting to be served...then to actually work for the pay check they are supposed to be getting this Friday.

I just don't understand how the work place has morphed from a place of business to a place of free money, no work, and the customer is NEVER right.

"Can I get some service please?"

"Ahhhh sir, you're just going to have to wait, I am still on break for another 30 seconds....."

Now, I have worked for Burger King for roughly 3 years on and off from the age of 20-23ish....maybe to 24...But I will tell you this. Any of my manager's would have fired me if I had even thought of pulling a stunt like that. And then I became and Asst. Manager, I had to write people up for that crap.

So why, WHY do we as customers tolerate it? Sure we can all understand that it gets busy, but do we deserve such disrespect when there is no one in line and maybe 1 car at the drive thru? I can honestly say that at any of the B.K.'s that I have visited across this country, I have never had any problems like the example I used, though I have encountered it else where.

So what is the point of all this you may ask yourself.....the point is, in the age of Dr. Phil's and The View and the like, not only should we be standing up for ourselves in our homes and relationships, but we should also be standing up to the people at these crude work environments. If we all keep just taking it and turning a blind eye, then who are we to complain when the system fails? Stand up for you and your beliefs, your freedom, your right to good food, great service and to live a happy life and be happy about who you are....

If there is one thing I can say, if I was still in California...I would NOT be voting for our actor to stay in office. He is just that, and actor.....

Bubu is a great mayor.......and I support him emencly....love all his work he did while on "In The Heat Of The Night", but as a mayor his actions MATCH what he SAYS! I suppose it's a hard lesson for all of us to learn...I'm just glad that my home town is entrusted to this noble and I believe awesome man. I WOULD vote for him again, even recommend him for the state position where the current actor is...only seems right.

Sorry I got off on a rant there. Hope all of you are having a great day, this was just one of my pet peeves that really irked me today if you can't tell.

Peace, Love, Chicken Wings.....

Reese

Bikes and family....

Ok, to most of you that aren't either a rider or a gear head...this may just look like a really pretty peice of loud metal to you. To me? It's my dream bike. It's my dad's '49 panshovel. It rips like there ain't no tommorrow. My mom has a '77 shovel but she didn't have any pics of it up for me to filch off of her blog...he he...so this will most certinly do.

My dream is to one day have my own and if the day should come that my dad says that he can't ride anymore...I don't ever see that happening, but you never know....I hope that he bestoys it on me. I can remember many times that I would help him through the years take it apart and put it back together again. Them gas tanks, even with little to no gas in them, are rather heavy. Good thing when I was abou13-14 I was able to bench press about 120 free weight. Key word there: WAS...I'm lucky if I can do half of that now....crap.

Again, this is my big little brother James. This is his bike...my mom gets afraid every time he gets on it...even though the three of us have been riding for quite a while. I myself have not rode in about 3 years. But trust you me boy...I will be on a bike again... My dad said that I should have had my first Harley by the time I was 21, James got his when he was 21, and my dad got his first when he was 21....I'm 28 and still trying.LOL. I'll happen...

Now, growing up in a Harley house hold, you would not expect to see a Honda any where near the place right? WRONG....trust me when I say that I just about had a stroke when my dad said that he had a 50th limited addition Honda Goldwing. All my life I always heard him talk smack about Honda's...well, 'cept for the dirt bikes.....and here he was betraying me with this bike.

Then I got on back and rode bitch with him for the first time. I was actually rather suprised at the agility and smoothness this bike had. For being a touring bike, it was actually rather snazzy. I can't go into all the extra's that it has on it...but I will say this much...Honda new that maybe more then one 250 pounder would be on it at one time...cause they installed a hydrolic lift on the rear tire to equal out the pressure. Smart more...made for a great ride I'll tell ya that....

Ok, now it's time for me to go and do the dishes right quick, I shall post again tomorrow maybe.

Remember, be true to you and ones you love and you will never go wrong. :-)

Reese

Random stuff...

OK, so if you happen to also read my mom's blog...then you have already seen this picture. If not, then well, I think it's kind of self explanatory...From the back left, that's the turd monkey James, next to him....is my dad-Jimmy, and lastly, there is my mother-Denise. Nice little family unit we got goin there huh? If you are wondering where Brandie and I were at when this was taken...well, I can't honestly say where I was. Though I think I was in L.A. and if I wasn't there when this was taken, then I must have been up here in Portland. Either way, I wish that we could have been there.

And this beautiful fluffy little creature is my cat Arridia. She is so tiny but so damn fluffy. I brought her back with me from MI and is currently living with all her new step brothers and sisters at my parents house. I miss her a lot, but if I was to take her out of the house that she's lived in the last wow, damn near 6 years now, she wouldn't really know how to deal.

But when I go home though, she remembers me and does come up to me and cuddle. I miss my little kitty, one of many that I have brought home.LOL...trust me, my mom loved it when I was growin up...LOVE YA MA!

And this is Bo Baby...he "followed me home" while I was doing my paper route when I was younger. That's what I said to rationalize bringing him home that rainy morning. His owners actually lived about 5 houses down from my mom and dad and Bo and his mama was on the front porch, some how left out in the rain. I didn't have room for the both of them. But Bo did however, really walk up to me and got real friendly.He's been apart of the family ever since. I had to have been about 13? I'm 28 now, you do the math. He's an old man, but I love him just the same. And ya know what?

Every time I come home for a visit, he doesn't want to stay up stairs with my mom and dad and sleep there...no. He HAS to be right next to me and protect me. I choose to believe that he still remembers me and loves me just as much as I love him. I taught him how to jump up for snacks and how to sit, lay down, and his ever famous....half a roll over....he never really got that one perfected.LOL.

And this would be Bo's brother, Preston. Unfortunately, Preston passed away before last Christmas. My parents adopted him from a rescue shelter, and when they got him he was in REALLY bad shape. As you can see here, he was rater happy. He wasn't always that way. His previous owners didn't take very good care of him at all. He was rail thin, had parvo I think, his vision deteriorated due to mal-nutrition...basically they just stopped feeding him. They also, I am guessing, used to kick him as well. Because when my parents first got him, he would snip at your feet if he felt there was danger to him. My mom put him in PetSmart's animal classes, and he ended up graduating at the top of his doggy class.

Before he passed he got over a majority of the abuse he endured in life, but once in a blue moon something would trigger the emotions and he would bite on his own back leg again. But through it all, he knew he was loved and be became my dad's dog real fast. He is now resting soundly and is well missed by everyone in the family, even the cats. Yes, the cat's and the dogs got along. (The poor poochies are out numbered!)

And this little feline is Mya. She is our room mates cat and is really a big baby..LOL. Sweetpea is 18 lbs too, but I don't have any pics of her yet. But this is how Mya is most of the time, right next to me and cuddled up. She sleeps in the bed with Brandie and I sometimes or she sleeps on a little blanket that I left out for her on the floor. She's a fully tabby and a sweet heart! But enough for now huh?

My life in print....part duex

This seems a little familiar from when we were growing up doesn't it? Paper dolls that we could play dress up with right? I know that for some people though, when we were growing up, giving them a Barbie Doll was like bloody murder. That would have been my situation. Some how all of mine mysteriously lost their heads....shame.

And those of us that weren't fortunate to have parents that saw right off that bat that we didn't "like" the kind of toy they gave us....we had to make due. So some of us would pretend that Barbie was really G.I. Dyke or something.

I can honestly say that I had the fortune to have two of the most awesome parents in the whole world. My mom is my world and my rock, my dad...he's awesome. I'm a mini copy of him...right down to the way that I talk about dumb ass people and my intolerance for ignorance of any kind... Hell, you catch me on the right day, I end up dressing similar to him by accident. Gotta love a Fresno State Bulldogs sweat shirt with a jacket over it and a Fresno State hat and an awesome pair of blue jeans.

When I was about 16, This is where I was sure to end up. I brought my parents outside into the garage to talk to them and left my brother inside. I didn't want him to see how my parents would react if they took ill to the news I was about to drop on them.....boy was I wrong.(And for the record...my brother new I was gay before I told my parents...sorry ma!)

I looked at both my mom and dad and said in what is now not the exact words...but ya get the hint..."I think I'm gay/lesbian......" I braced myself the hell's fire to rain down on me and the earth to open up and swollow me whole. It never happened. They just kinda looked at one another and back at me with a semi blank stare like "And?" So I thought that they just didn't hear me right..so I repeated it..they looked back at one another, back to me...back them themselves..then me...and finally stated..."We could have told you that when you were 6..."

Needless to say, I was stunned. So I asked them why they didn't help me out earlier on... My mom simply said "Well hunny, we didn't want to make you feel like you HAD to be gay, we had to let you find that out for yourself and make that decision for yourself." (Yes I did play with my brother's G.I. Joes)

That was wow.....12 years ago. And through all of it, my mom and dad have supported me in any decisions I have made. Even if they were the wrong ones...at least I learned a new lesson, they just hoped like all hell that I learned...sometimes I did...I'm human, sue me!

I called my mom about a year and some odd months ago and talked to her seriously for a moment. She has seen me morph over the years from her little girly girl.....into someone getting a little more comfortable in my own skin...to understanding who I am...to understand why my body feels weird at times and why my mental image of myself doesn't match the physical. I told her that I am transgendered. Again I braced myself for the worst. She just simply said "Ok, Your still my kid, I still love ya."

Though she would rather me still be at least some what girly in the aspect of me not having my facial hair and she would rather that I wear an under wire type bra.... She's been a real trooper. I know that it's a hard thing to understand and grasp....and I love her for all of her kind words and support. She knows that my transition would not be fully taking place for quite some time. But she has just came to terms that I am just her child and that no matter what, that I love her. I will be the first to admit, I am a momma's boy. Big time. Even to this day... if she was to call me and tell me that I was grounded to the house....I'd have to fudge it for work and what not...but I'd be bound to listen to her..LOL.

This is the Fender that Brandie gave to me for my birthday. It's damn sweet. It's better then the one I had previously owned. And I cherish it like all hell. Music is my life. I believe that music calms the raging beast with in....or it can wake it up....it can touch your soul...make you cry, make you laugh...make you happy or make you sad.

Music is the universal language...and it's a beautiful one that I am proud to "speak" a little of rather well. Aside from my wife, this guitar makes me smile and makes me feel better when I am feelin kinda sad. It's amazing how much aggression you can take out on a guitar and yet have it sound so beautiful.

And lastly today...I would like to just insert a link to my online store if anyone would like to take a look at it. There are always things for sale there and there is always new graphics that I am trying to develop and put on stuff. If you want something special, say a pic of you and your hubby on a mug or shirt, or what ever...just e-mail me at Reese.Brandie.Ramirez@gmail.com and send it to me as well as with any saying you would like added and a written permission from you to use that photo.

http://www.cafepress.com/bestbutch Yep, that's my store! Check it out!

Just remember, love one another and love your self. No matter who or what you are. If you are a woman who loves "real" men...be proud! If you are a lesbian...be proud! If you are a man who loves "real" women..be proud...if your a man who loves "real" men...rock on...if you are a woman trapped in a man's body but afraid to be you, stand tall, hold your head up and you put on that dress if you feel like it. If you are a man trapped in a woman's body....do the same bro...stand tall and stand proud. Be you and don't be afraid of anyone or anything. Just like my dad told me when I moved to Michigan at the age of 21, every one's stupid...including yourself. Basically, he was just tryin to tell me, be proud of who you are but you don't have to shove it and force it in people's face. Don't look for a confrontation...leave room for questions and understanding. But there will those that will never understand nor want to. Don't stress them, just be you and love YOU.

Peace to y'all. Sorry for makin a long post again...much love y'all.

Reese