Welcome to the “My Place” page
 My name is Scott
I run the Rope and Wire website.
My original idea for this page was to give those living in the country the opportunity to tell others about the things that made their farm or ranch so special.
Well, I’ve come to the conclusion that either no one likes to brag or no one lives on a farm or a ranch. Whatever the case, no one submitted an article so I felt it was high time to try something different.
So for now this will be literally “My Place.” I’ll use this page to post a western blog or short articles. They will either be mine, or possibly one from a contributing R&W community member.
The theme will remain Western but the content will change weekly, or there about.
If you click on any of the links to past blog's, you can return to this page by clicking on the My Place button across from my picture.
I hope you enjoy it but if not, might I suggest you “stroll the grounds.” Read a story or watch a movie.
Thanks for visiting.
Scott
Learning to Winnow
It amazes me how we are given opportunities throughout our lives to get to know others but, for one reason or another, some people don’t take advantage of it. I admit it. I’m one of those people.
Here’s a prime example...
I became acquainted with a man named Dallas McCord through the Emerald Valley Opry, a local Western music show here in Eugene, Oregon. I knew he played the guitar and sang. He played at the opry on several occasions, but I didn’t really know him. We were formally introduced at one of our opry board meetings. We were interviewing him for a position on the board.
After the meeting I knew he was also involved with Cowboy Poetry, but I didn’t know to what extent and I didn’t bother to ask.
He ended up with the position where we served together for some time. I learned he worked for Lane Transit District (LTD) and hosted a weekly radio show on KNND out of Cottage Grove, Oregon. Over time I learned a few general things about him but we never really talked much. When we did, our conversations didn’t evolve much past saying hi and a general statement about the weather and maybe a comment about the local college football team. (How ‘bout those Ducks)
I’ve moved on from the Emerald Valley Opry. Dallas took over as the Chairman of the Board.
I’ve recently heard he has been awarded the Will Rodgers Cowboy award as the Academy of Western Artists small region disc jockey of the year. WOW! He’s that good? I never knew.
It turns out there are a lot of things about Dallas I didn’t know. For example, he’s not only an extremely talented musician and singer, he’s also a talented songwriter, and poet. I’m sure he’s really good at his job with LTD as well, and he’s obviously a darn good DJ.
I’m sure there’s much more about Dallas I didn’t bother to learn while I had the opportunity and that’s my loss.
I’m really not writing this to be a namedropper. I do have a point and I’ll get to it soon. The thing is, this award I hear he’s getting got me to thinking. Even though for the most part Dallas and I didn’t run in the same circles, our paths did cross for a time. I had the opportunity to get to know him better. I just didn’t bother.
I may be using Dallas as my example but believe me, he’s not the only person to cross my path that I’ve done this to.
My point being… we all have opportunities in our lives to get to know people we’re acquainted with. Maybe we work with them or maybe were on the same bowling team or something. But for one reason or another, we don’t bother to really get to know them.
We really should take the time and make the effort to get to know the people around us.
My guess is it would enrich our lives.
For me, I tend to be lazy when it comes to knowing people past the “How ‘bout those Ducks” stage. I’ve got this mindset that most people just aren’t worth the effort. It’s been proven to me on many occasions.
But you know, as I get older I look back on those who have indeed enriched my life and I have to reconsider. Maybe it is worth the effort. Maybe I’m just going about it wrong. Maybe the thing I really need to do is to learn how to winnow.
Webster puts it this way: “To winnow is to analyze or examine carefully, to eliminate the worthless.”
There will be some effort involved in this. Getting to know the people around me and winnowing out the worthless ones. It’ll involve changing my mindset and not being so lazy.
I think I may give it a try…a little later. But for right now…
Congratulations on your recent award Dallas.
How ‘bout those Ducks!
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