It Still Works: The Legacy

“Drink because you are happy, but never because you are miserable.”~ Gilbert K. Chesterton
 

Yep, you are reading this right. IT STILL WORKS.

This is a t-shirt that I had custom made recently this year. And it serves well for many purposes. But its legacy has taken off.

First, an explanation as to why it exists.

As an adult with a disability, I can safely say that I have had a lot of people come up to me and ask a lot of questions. Some innocently out of their own ignorance. But A LOT of personal questions that are downright stupid.

With children, the most popular question I get is: What happened to your legs?

Innocent enough. I answer the best that I can. Or I just tell them “That’s how I was born.”

With adults, the most popular question I get (outside of “What happened?”) would be something like:

Can you still do it? Does your dick work? Can you have sex? Can you feel “down there?”

Anything like that.

Trust me, it is really annoying. Especially since it is none of their business. Considering that a vast majority of the people asking, I will never see again in my lifetime.

So I decided to answer the question once and for all.

Honestly, I have not had a single person come up to me asking that kind of question ever since I wore the shirt out in public the first couple of times. Of course there have been some people who have seen it and read it, thinking with dirty minds. It was something that I anticipated to happen. And I just deal with the laughter and snickering that people think that I cannot hear behind my back.

Now let me tell what has happened since I started wearing the shirt in public.

As expected, I have a lot of people tell me that they like the shirt, as they sit there and laugh real hard until they can no longer breathe.

A few times I have had people come up to me, asking to take a photograph of it. In which I do not have a problem with.

I went out last night to watch the band AUTUMN STAY play a show at the Dirty Dog Bar wearing the shirt. And the legacy took off with a whole new chapter.

Before the show even got started, two people who said that they loved the shirt buy me drinks. One of which happened to be the touring band that was in town. The other an employee of a different bar next door.

It didn’t stop the entire night. Drink after drink after drink after drink. Included with so many people asking to take photos. And of course…. I never really know where those photos end up.

As the night continued, more and more drinks and more and more photos. I didn’t have to spend ANY money on refreshments last night. And it was very very HOT, now that it is June in Texas. I think the temperature reached 100°F for the first time in 2017. Hydration was very important last night.

I had several people passing by continually expressing to me that they liked the shirt up and down Sixth Street. And a few women came up to me asking what it meant. As if that was not obvious enough. And other women were either brave enough or drunk enough to end up kissing me!!!

To this day, I have not had anyone challenge me to find out whether or not I am lying. I mean of course it works. If I cannot go through the process of urination, I am in trouble!!!! But yes I know what this hints at. And its supposed to. It has more than one function, perverts.

Before there was a time when someone would ask me if it works, I would answer “There’s only one way to find out!” but nobody ever followed through on that. And that is probably a blessing in disguise.

The only problem that I can see wearing the shirt is that some story randomly finds my family. But they already know about it. I told my parents, and all I got back in response was a chuckle. Especially from my father. So really, I am good.

Stay tuned for more adventures of It Still Works as it travels into the world.

The Surprised Announcement

“Retirement at sixty-five is ridiculous. When I was sixty-five I still had pimples.”~George Burns

Well this wasn’t expected but here it is.

I’ve literally been surprised by with the news that Team USA Sledge Hockey’s Taylor Lipsett and team captain Andy Yohe have announced their retirement from the sport.

Over the last four Paralympic Games, Team USA has captured the gold medal three times. Andy Yohe being team captain in 2014 and in 2010. Back to back gold medal victories for Team USA.

It appeared as if Team USA had constructed a dynasty in sledge hockey with so many gold medals won whether at the World Championships or at the Winter Paralympic Games.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would hear about them leaving the sport NOW. Yeah sure, maybe ten or fifteen years, but I never thought it would be now. I am actually stunned right now as I write this.

Via Facebook, both Lipsett and Yohe made their statements on the situation as well as shared with them the online web article announcing their departure from the sport.

Andy Yohe said “Time to pass the torch on to the younger generation of sled hockey players in the US. I know the team is in good hands.”

Taylor Lipsett left a statement saying “Well I suppose it’s time to make it official… I have decided to officially hang up the sled and call it a career. It’s be an amazing 10 year ride, with ups and downs, but fortunately for me I was blessed with more ups than downs, and blessed with amazing teammates, many of which I know will be life long friends. I never dreamed of being able to represent my country when I was growing up until that divine intervention on a Sunday afternoon at the grocery store with Cheryl Lipsett! The last 10 years have been the most amazing years of my life both on and off the ice, but it is time to start a new chapter and focus on my family and my professional career. It will always be an honor to have been so fortunate to wear the red, white, and blue and the USA across my chest for so many years! And to have won a couple world championship gold medals and 2 Paralympic Gold Medals to top it all off! Thank you to USA Hockey, US Paralympics, all of my teammates over the years, my friends and family, and most important my Wife, Antonina Lipsett, who has sacrificed so much over the last 10 years to allow me to pursue my dreams! Thanks so much, and know I will always be cheering on Team USA!”

I never really did get much of a chance to sit down with Taylor Lipsett, since he is only a few hours away. But I have met him a couple of times before. I’ve shook his hand multiple times and spoke briefly but not as much as I would have liked. I had always wanted to sit down with him and talk about what it was like to be on the national team as well as what it took to get there.

I’ve had the opportunity to meet Andy Yohe both on and off the ice in Houston, Texas. I played along side of him as sides were chosen and he was the best influential player there for both Austin and Houston teams. After the one time playing on the ice with him, everyone else who was in a sled was totally inspired. I remember some players attempting to copy his style of play, wanting to be a better player.

Man to man, player to player, I can say to both of them….. Thank you for all that you have done. Thank you for representing this great country. Thank you for inspiring countless people both disabled and AB’s. Thank you for wonderful talents that you have given to the sport.

The sport will not be the same without either of you two on the ice. But we will cherish the memories of those times that you were. The both of you are ice warriors and will be immortalized by the sport that you played in the hearts and minds of colleagues, friends, family, and supporters. We wish both of you the best in your new journey.

Thank you Andy and Taylor.

http://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/401531?referrer_id=752796

 

Announcement For January 2014

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” 

After 105,500 views, nearly 100 subscribers/followers, dozens of comments from other readers. Countless laughs, nearly 600 posts all rolled into this part of the cyber world that I call DAMBREAKER, there’s a big announcement today.

As it stands right now, there may or may not be some pretty drastic changes going on with my life. A few of them remains to be seen. But regardless of what is going to happen in my own reality of life, there are some changes here that are going to be happening on WordPress.

I’ve opened up a brand new blog. A more personal and direct blog. A diary or journal if you will. The difference being that in this new project, nothing will be censored. Nothing will be changed. What happens will happen and that’s what will be discussed.

After a life of unhappiness that has lasted for nearly eight gruesome and stressful years, I’ve decided that I am going to attempt to turn that frown upside down. And therapy shall return back into my life with some sort of contentment and peace. At least… this will be the goal.

I do not promise to anyone nor to myself that this will be easy. But I do promise to stick to it and fight it out until the battle is won. 

I have come to these conclusions all on my own. And without the advice or counsel of others. The new blog in fact, is posted and is live. So its ready to take on a life of its own.

Dear readers, I do wish to say that this new project will NOT affect this blog at all. This blog is going to continue to be all that it has been in nearly three years of existence….. and more!!! So do not fear that I am tearing this one down or deleting it or anything. Its still going to be happening. Its just that the new one is more intimate, more personal, and a lot more detailed.

I realize that its not going to be for everyone. So I do not expect anyone who reads this blog to go running to the new one. But what will be with the new project, will be in its own time. Things will be done– whether I have a support group or not.

So I hope that everyone so far has been enjoying their new year of 2014. I know for me here at DAMBREAKER, things are about to be shaken and not stirred. And I shall not stop until I reach the top of the mountain.