At 18 I guarded the parking lot at the Catholic church bingos. Now my dad made sure I could take care of myself. I carried a Smith and Wesson 357 magnum.
I like to believe that I've got a lot of guardian warriors sittin' on my shoulder including my dad.
I think I've been incredibly raw my whole career. A lot of people spend a lot of time trying to look cool and spend time being guarded and putting up walls. I just never had the time. It seems more honest to say 'Hey this is who I am.'
I think all jocks have a sensitive side. It's just will they show it to anybody? Will they let their guard down and stop being tough and the cool jock guy around their friends or just relax? I don't know if it's best to say opening up but just relax and really say what you're actually thinking and not what you think people want to hear.
While the recent addition of the National Guard providing a support role manning computers and cameras has allowed more Border Patrol agents to work the field more agents are still needed.
What creates freedom? A revolution in the streets? Mass protest? Civil war? A change of government? The ousting of the old guard and its replacement by the new? History more often than not shows that hopes raised by such events are often dashed sooner rather than later.
No one can persuade another to change. Each of us guards a gate of change that can only be opened from the inside. We cannot open the gate of another either by argument or emotional appeal.
Since September 11 security has been increased everywhere and we have new IDs to get on to the Fox lot. I drove to the security gate but realized I'd left my ID in my other car. I just broke into that voice - 'Hey man I'm Bart Simpson. Who else sounds like this?' The guard waved me through.
The year most of my high school friends and I got our driver's permits the coolest thing one could do was stand outside after school and twirl one's car keys like a lifeguard whistle. That jingling sound meant freedom and power.
My brother was a lifeguard in a car wash.