What it’s like…. With Bull & J-Roc
Haven't you ever seen a veteran and wondered about them and their past? Who they are as a person? What they have done and where they have been, to what they've been through that brings them to the nexus in life they are at? Two vets coming together talking about what it’s like to be a veteran and the struggles we deal with that aren’t commonly known. Also occasional interviews to reach out and get to know veterans from great stories to weird quirks or abilities. Hear veteran stories from their own mouth and in their own words unfiltered and with all the fun that comes with getting to know any veteran. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, but its a journey we've taken and we welcome you along for the ride. And of course learn all the crazy jokes and lines we enjoy that give us direction in our lives.
What it’s like…. With Bull & J-Roc
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What it's like. Hello. Thank you for joining Bull and J-Rock. We are here to discuss some great topics and subjects and overviews for you and with you. But without further ado, let me introduce the man, the myth.
unknownMr.
SPEAKER_03Bull next to me. What's up, Mr. Bull?
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Nice little bit of you know work that we've had been going on lately. Not only us, but staff and things like that. One of the things that people need to know about us is everyone here, we're all like family. You know, we all talk to each other. We all spend time together. We all, it's like a little community, you know. So if someone has problems, we don't just, you know, say, okay, well, good luck with that and keep going with whatever. If someone has an issue, then all right, hey, we gotta stop things. You know, they they need time, you know, let them solve their stut, whatever they're dealing with, and then they can come back and then just like now, you know, restart. You know, but people have to understand that some of the times when the the stops like we just had, there's a lot of stuff going on, you know. And when was the last time when life was convenient? You know, that's just not how it is, you know. So everyone's had you know, different people have had different problems and they've needed time to address those.
SPEAKER_03You see how nice he is. He's being kind to say, hey, listen, we have life, don't worry about what we do, we'll get back to you. Go figure something else out. Well, I mean, it's you're just taking too long to tell you that.
SPEAKER_00Well, I mean, okay, that's what it is. Honestly, if we were worth like m a whole bunch of money and all that and whatnot, then it wouldn't be a big deal. We'll just hire somebody else to stand in for this person, or you know, we all have a different co-host or whatever. What okay, but we can't really do that, so it's like one machine. So when there's a problem and you take a part out, it it the rest of it doesn't function. Okay. You know? Sure. So sure. But I mean, when it comes down to it, the the tr the okay, so when it comes to how much we've gotten done or how much we've been working on, I was able to get the VA to accept one of my programs that I wanted to change. Now, that doesn't mean that you can just go out and say, hey, I want to change this, and they'll change it. That's not what that means. I did a lot of work, research, and things like that to not just address the situation, but how to change it and how to make their situation even better. So you can get the VA to do what you want, but you have to do the work that's involved. And I know J-Rock, you know, really wants people to be able to get more help and everything, and help is very difficult because every there's not it not just because there's so many people, but because a lot of it's a medical situation, so there's a lot of I guess you would say red tape to get around and stuff like that. So when it comes down to it, I try I always try and give whatever um tools I've been using, or whatever techniques I've been using to get the VA to do what I want or get to where I am. You know, but it takes time, you know. I started the I mean, how long ago was that that I start that I first put it in?
SPEAKER_03I don't know, man. It's been it's been like a few months.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was like three months ago or something like that. Um so it's not like something that you can say, you know, today and they'll fix tomorrow. It's gonna take time, and it has to go through some people, you know, but you stick with it, don't stop pushing, become that, you know, thorn in their side, you know, and have good ideas and keep those good ideas going. And eventually, I mean, they either it they're either gonna say no, we don't want to do it because we don't want to do it, or they're gonna turn around and say, you know what, that's actually a pretty good pretty good idea. We're gonna do that. There you go.
SPEAKER_03Problem solved. Yeah, I mean I I definitely definitely hard work, but I chop it up too because being a Christian, I say prayer, prayer number one. You know, and then there's that window open. That hard work just paid off. He went through it and didn't uh give up or persevered. And that's exactly that God-given gift that he gives veterans to do. You can't forget those that are listening. You know, get do your best to get things done. Just like you said, it may not be with the VA in certain things, but it could be in other aspects of your life. Don't stop. Don't quit. You want something bad enough, it may happen.
SPEAKER_00So Yeah, it's just gonna t it's I mean, more than likely, just like most things, it's just gonna take time.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. You know, and anything worth having is worth taking its time and doing it the correct way in a proficient way.
SPEAKER_00Well, we should all know from being in the military, you know, proficiency is huge. You know, if you have come up with a better idea that's more efficient than the current one being used, then obviously yours is better because whether you achieve more or you're able to do more with less or whatever it is, yours is better because it's more efficient. And I mean, when was the last time that you know the VA didn't turn around and say, oh, well, efficiency, blah, blah, blah, blah. You know, so hey, if you're not a millionaire, which most of us aren't, and you can't get around the money problem, then go at efficiency. And if you're more efficient than what they already have, there you go. There you go. You know, but it takes the work and the research to get that far, you know. Then with doing the that, creating that program, we have to branch out with the knowledge that we have from what we're doing. You know, uh J-Rock has multiple things that he's a lot more knowledgeable on than others, so obviously, you know, he'll be part of it, hopefully, you know, that's what we're working on, you know. And then I'm trying to figure out to make how to make things not just more palatable to you know every person expense-wise, but make it to where you have options. So you may not always go for the best of the best, you know. But if you have the money, then go for it. You know, it is what it is.
SPEAKER_03We're talking about um equipment.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah, because I got like cut okay. So for instance, one of the things that we're gonna be getting into soon, hopefully, I don't know how soon. Um keep people updated, but we're gonna be getting some video soon. Yeah, that's cool. That'll be that'll be real fun. Then you can really see the chaos as it as it unfolds. Um, but like when it comes with that and everything, one of the things that's really cool is um a lot of people, if they just choose a small um not soundboard, but just a small device to use for um plugging their sound to their computer or whatever, it works a lot different for us because I went, you know, a little bit more high high grade. There's things that are cut out that we don't have to do. So for instance, if you use, you know, a smaller um piece of equipment that might cost like I don't know, 80 bucks. Yeah, it'd be 80 bucks and you could achieve the same thing, but you're gonna have stuff that you'll have to edit or change from the um sound end that we don't have to because we have a soundboard that has something built into it that helps edit that for us. So there like there's all sorts of different parts. You know, I know J Rock here is really excited because he gets to try the the um wireless mics here soon. But um Yep, because there's definitely something we're gonna do.
SPEAKER_03Like we got ideas too, man. We got some really great ideas, you know, and looking forward for all those things to come in fruition to play out and hopefully make an impact, you know? Like a major impact. I I'm I'm looking forward to that, but fun too. So think about you're talking about new equipment. Yep. We're up in the game, definitely, but God's grace. Thank you. All right, and then from that, what else we got ideas? We got we're creating a game show, right?
SPEAKER_00Well, yes, that's very true. So um we're gonna continue upgrading equipment and make you know getting better with things, but then another thing that we're gonna be working on for fun, hopefully soon, it's something that I don't know exactly when it's going to start, but hopefully, you know, I don't know, six months or so, maybe sooner. Um, is yes, I created I created a game show. So yeah. So now we're gonna have now things are gonna really get interesting because now not only can we have will we have our interviews and things like that, but I've actually created a game show to where we can have people on, and it'll be you know, not as scripted, I guess, in a sense. So there'll probably be a lot of you know comments that usually normally people would be, you know, unaware of or things like that, but you know, just a fun game show, just and it would be just like as as if you were at home playing with a group of friends, you know. But again, that's one of those things that if you take the time to do it, you can, it'll work. You know, you just have to look at what you want to achieve and how you're gonna get there. And no, we don't all have money to work on things, but I mean if you look at everything that we've done, I haven't put all that much money into the programs that we do. I mean, yes, we have our um sound equipment and everything like that that's expensive, but other than that, everything is ideas that we try and create or build on or something like that. And some of them are even is it's even stuff that comes out of nowhere, you know, a game show. That was something I never ever looked at at creating. I didn't, I don't even really watch game shows. So you had a game show and they were talking about a production company. Well, the okay, so when it comes down to it, the VA wants help with the um cost side of things so that you know veteran more veterans are able to do it and everything, and I understand that. So I want to work on building a production company that's not only gonna, you know, run the things that we do now, but it'll also be something to um help other vets to basically you know do the same thing that we're doing and kind of follow those steps. Because even though they may not have the funds to do so, they may have the ideas. And if they they have the ideas, then if I can create something that'll help give them a way to um put those ideas into motion, I think that would be really awesome.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I do too.
SPEAKER_00You know, because who knows what they would come up with. They could come up with like I mean the possibilities are endless.
SPEAKER_03Veterans have a very special mind. And I know they, as you said before, too, like we all definitely need to have a more will to make changes, you know, definitely need to do that, especially as veterans.
SPEAKER_00But if they want to create something new and the thing that's standing in their way is the funds because they don't have the equipment to do it or they don't have the knowledge or whatever, then if I can give that those things to them so that they can put their creativity into motion, I think that's awesome.
SPEAKER_03You know, and they just gotta the veterans listen out there, you know. It just gotta be strategic in what you do, how you plan, yes, how you operate, come up with uh, you know, order plans, five paragraph orders, whatever you need to do, which means, you know, situation, mission, what I want to do, what I'm trying to do, and how am I gonna execute it? And what what you know provisions and logistics, like what do I have to buy to do such things? And then go from there and foster what you need to do to put things together and step by step, little by little. If you really want something. If you just want to be heard and complain, then cool, you can send your emails to us and we'll gladly write back to you.
SPEAKER_00Well, I mean, it you know, I mean, it it it does really translate to a lot of things in life and everything, because when it comes to getting any of this stuff done, I really follow the same template, um, you know, because of my deficiencies and everything like that. Whenever I create something, it's just I put it through the same motion and then I just add and subtract certain parts, and then over time it turns out to be something else. But if um whether you want to put something into play, like you want to actually start something new, whether you just want to make some changes to something or anything like that, the way you should approach it is probably something similar to how I did, because you know, and not because I'm all knowing or anything, but because I was successful, and that's build a whole project proposal, you know, and you know, know everything front to back, know what's going on and how to do it, and then you know, give them an alternative. When it comes down to it, I mean, what's the worst thing that can happen? They say no. How many times has the VA told you no?
SPEAKER_03Many times that's why you push and push and be strategic.
SPEAKER_00Well, yeah, I mean, if you if you don't give up, eventually it's gonna come to the point where, you know, they'll crack. That's why I always would say, you know, uh, notes, it's your most important thing. The more you have, because later on something happens with somebody, they don't know or whatever, but they'll say they did or whatever, just you know, because they're on the phone with you, and then boom, you got them because they made a mistake. And then once you get a hold of their boss, it's well, okay, so how are you gonna rectify this mistake? You're not asking that they fire someone, but you finally got their attention for them to now look at your problem and fix it. Does that make sense? As opposed to just getting, you know, that complaint box of oh, we got another one. Oh, we got another one, oh, we got another one. Now it's like, okay, your employee screwed this up. How would you like to proceed? Because I don't work for you and I don't work there. I'm just going to you because you're the boss. And a lot of times when they make really big screw-ups, if you have the notes that prove your side of it, that's really what makes a big difference. We're all human, we all screw up. You know, I'm not saying that the any of the people that are at work at the VA are evil because they make mistakes, but it's when you catch them in those mistakes, those are your opportunities to make ground on the things that you want. As my mom who passed, would say, give them enough rope and they'll hang themselves. So you don't have to fight tooth and nail for a whole bunch of different things. You know, let someone talk, let it go on and on and on. Get them, let them give you a whole bunch of information. And then when it comes back later and half of what they said was a total lie, yeah. Then they know that they have a problem.
SPEAKER_03The Bible says, the Bible says, and James, I believe it says, be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think my mom had that one pretty good. For real, man. That's wisdom. We can learn from that. Well, I mean, because my mom, she knew things for the VA pretty good. You know, I mean, uh, yes, you have different organizations that can help, you know, wounded warriors, stuff like that, definitely reach out to those places if you, you know, you need help or guidance or things like that. But um, a lot of times, you know, even though those places when you talk to them, they they expect you to do so much of it yourself. You know, and you know, if you've questions or anything like that, you can reach out to us and everything. Um uh bull and jrock at gmail.com. J-R-O-C Nok. Um, and I'm not necessarily gonna say I'm gonna have the you know number one answer for you that's gonna work, but I mean, if nothing else, I can at least hopefully point you in the right direction.
SPEAKER_03So, okay, okay, okay. Well, what's been going on, what's been going on in your life, man? What's been going down, bro? Share a little bit. You don't have to, we you know, we're not gonna take up all this time, obviously, man.
SPEAKER_00But no, I get it. It I've just been working on all these programs and everything. It it is really cool. Like, I mean, come on, how cool was it when I called you and told you, and I was like, dude, the VA greenlit my program? That was cool, you know, and I mean that's something for people to think about too, you know. I'm a veteran, I'm mentally disabled, so I'm part of that group. I was able to come in, say, okay, this is a problem. I don't agree with this. I want to change this. This is what I would like to change this to. They, you know, the VA's a little slow on things, but they were doing all their stuff. Then it came to moving forward with something. I had this, I was like, okay, I can take all this, move it forward, and help you. And they get a a um pilot program that doesn't cost them any money to fund. And at that point, they're like, okay. And then they give stipulations and things like that. And so, I mean, it's weird to say that it's been fun to work with the VA, but I've actually been enjoying building this program and stuff. I mean, I think that's awesome. You know, where where how far it's gonna go? I mean, I hope it goes really far.
SPEAKER_03Only God knows, probably it can go great. Because I mean, I hope good, good help. Other veterans, man. Like, there's nothing like it when I come to the studio and maybe having a bad day or going through some things. And being around other veterans, that's another plus. But then on top of that, just being able to talk about things and take it off your chest, man. It's such a great feeling.
SPEAKER_00How about you? How about how have things been going on for you in your life?
SPEAKER_03Busy, man. Been working a lot. You know, uh, I just got done working my 60 hours last week. Damn. Now I'm gonna trim it down a little bit to more part-time, but you know, business blessing. You know, I'm not complaining, bro. Like I I'm grateful I have a job. It's not, you know, the particularly ideal one that I chose to do, but I want to be a man of my word and fulfill what I said I would do, especially for the individual uh my hat's off to, another true uh veteran um to this country. I want to just, you know, do my part and be a man of my word and do what I'm supposed to do and fulfill that what I told that gentleman I was gonna do as ownership. I I, you know, however long God has me there, man, that's how I have to look at it with a good attitude and meeting people along the way. And that's pretty cool. That's been really cool to see stories and different different things that people go through on a day-to-day basis, and who knows what the it whatever encouraging word I can say, you know, that's what I feel at that moment when I'm there and I'm supposed to be there.
SPEAKER_00What's the weirdest story you've heard? The weirdest story I heard. Uh wow. Oh, and okay, now hold on. I think because I think what was it? There was a few weeks back or something. You said that you somebody peeing in bottles or having sex under the bleachers or something like that. I remember that one, so you can't use that one.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. And you know, well, you know, there's a place that we go and and chill at, right? It's called the cooling station. So a lot of people go in there, we have it half warded off. We have our section, we have a door, we put our things in there, we have a fridge, we have a microwave, we keep our food and waters, okay. And sometimes these electrolyte ice pops, man, are so good. And I'm so grateful for those who pass them out to me. I love y'all. Thank you. But those ice pops, man, are you know, they give you good energy, they taste good, and different flavors, right? So, you know, we go in there. Yeah. So we go in there, man, but um, sometimes, you know, people they have another section where other people from the site goes to, and they really don't, you know, I don't know, description. Well, for us, apparently somebody caught someone having some um, you know, relations that you should be doing when you're at home in a bed with your significant other, but that person wasn't the significant other of that person. So then the person just walks in on them, which they could have locked the door and they didn't. Walks in on oh yeah, walk almost like it's intentional, it seems, but walks in on them and then a person was like, Man, I look so cool, but I need to join, I need to c I gotta go tell on them. Don't tell me they joined. They told on them. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_01I was about to be like, don't tell me they walked in and were like, oh yeah, and then joined.
SPEAKER_03It's like keep your job. Yeah, no, that's not okay though. That's not alright. But they went and um told on them, and I remember seeing a badge in the office, and I was like, Oh, I've seen that person before. Huh. You know, it's just a weird moment. And and it's just when you put a bunch of people together, people do some some strange things, and some people feel they have power, they can get over on certain things, and it's okay, man. I I hope that person will. I hope they I don't know what happened, but I pray for them, and you know, it's just it's one of those things that happens, man, and hope they're better and doing better in their life. But um, yeah, there's a lot of lot of instances that happen there. But anyhow, I I enjoy the moment the guys I work with, majority are veterans. Uh, got a few that aren't, and a few that aren't, man, or they're patriotic for sure. But man, I'm I'm grateful for the the vets that I work with. And I'll come, I'll go to I'll go to work sometimes and I'll be a little tired because I, you know, my work is at 4 a.m. Damn. So I have to, you know, get ready behind before that sometimes, right? I work at four, get off, you know, 12 hour days. But I uh let me tell you, man, like they brighten up my day. I'll come down and I'll be really tired. Even the supervisor, you know, he's like an EMT firefighter dude and like does a lot of different things and he jokes and laughs and just fun moments, you know. We all talk about weapons and we like the things we talk about and crazy experiences, man. So I'm grateful, man. The Lord knows what he's doing, he builds me up no matter where I'm at. And I think a lot of us need to see that. Like it's good no matter what season you're in, whatever valley or mountain is season that you're in, I think it's great that you embrace it at that moment and enjoy the journey and the lesson in it and then execute from that point on. And I and that's awesome. I think we shouldn't that's that's just that's it. That's my life, man. You know, I I also like the role. I love jujitsu. I love jujitsu. I I started this jujitsu journey, I want to say back in I don't know, 2004, 2005. I was gonna do some MMA stuff and some amateur fighting I did, and then I transitioned over to the traditional martial art that I saw that I wanted to see and do when I was in uh the Marine Corps, and I said I want to take that art, you know, and so I did and fell in love with it. I did that for almost 17 years. Um and then, you know, but in that process though, though at time, I've also begun to study, you know, different arts, but then stick fighting for knife fighting. But jujitsu has always been that one and I like it. You gotta have more to it. I mean, you gotta I like to strike, I like to break if I could break you off and do other things, man, if I had to, but I don't want to. But what I'm trying to get at is that jujitsu has been one of those things for my mental health. So, you know, fast forward 2004, okay, cool, go through experiences. Now we're at 2013, 14, I get back in the game again. And then from that point on, on and off, because of injuries, start the game back up again, 2022, 2023, and it's been ongoing ever since, man. Um, different schools. Shout out to Ares, Paul Nava, and all the awesome coaches there that I love. Y'all are awesome and amazing, and even uh Gracie and uh Maricopa, you know, Professor Vincent, like all these people, man, they're just they're full of knowledge, bro. And I and this is amazing to be able to pick their brain and then to give me answers to riddles because when you're when you're uh when you're doing jujitsu, you're riddled, it's a riddle, and you guys are going back and forth and who's gonna answer what and how we're gonna figure it out. And it's kind of like your body moving in directions and kinesiology, you know, and physiology. Like it's it's amazing, it's an amazing art, man, when you break it down, and plus you have the confidence, like dude, I can I can probably fight anybody, you know, if I wanted to, but I don't want to. But what I'm trying to say is I have the confidence, like, I'm not afraid of anybody because I've fought different sizes of people, different age groups. I don't, I'm not worried. That's why I choose not to fight. Because I know what I can do. I don't want to. So therefore, I just like to train. I like to get beat up at times when I'm training. I like I like to feel the pressure, you know. Um I like to struggle. Because I know in real life, man, the fact if I'm gonna if you're in a duel with somebody and you get to the ground and you have some ground skill game, well, we're not I'm not trying to worry so much about getting submissions per se. If I got it, I got it, but not. I'm trying to get position and I'm striking you. And I'm striking you, man, and I'm softening up my targets so that I can get that position and then I can do what I need to do. You know, it's a different mindset, man. But when I go into the the sport arena of it, it helps me, man. I come home, I feel refreshed, I feel better. So if I can come to the studio and talk like I'm doing now with you, Bull, and then do the things that we're talking about, and making it hoping making a difference, right? And then and then I can go do jujitsu here and then go meet with veterans and go shoot, go have some food, fellowship. Like stay in that circle, man, that we are all a part of. That's why we have this what it's like, man. This is why we have this podcast, man. It's like, yeah, we talk about our lives, what's going on, our mind, our heart, and then we'll discuss new topics and the new things that are going on in the world today, right? But then, man.
SPEAKER_01I told the Lyft driver about the ball maxing, and they thought I was totally lying. So I'm not lying. Look it up, like, I'm going to look at the print up. No, no, she's like, Hey, and I'm not being mean, I'm just being real. Like Elianian brother. I think it was like uh the next red light, or maybe something like that, or maybe it was at the free weight, and she looked it up on her phone, she was like, oh my god, she's like, You're right. It's something that is uh that's what I mean.
SPEAKER_03How much more can we go, people? Until all of a sudden we're like, guess what? I grew a third leg. You know how odd that's gonna look. Right.
unknownA third arm.
SPEAKER_03No, what what? You know, that's not no, no, these things are not supposed to happen the way they are, and they're happening at a fast, dynamic rate. More than we can catch up to. So I know vets out there, please take it day by day, breathe it out, breathe it in, slow it down. So, you know, slow, smooth, smooth is fast, man. I remember no right.
SPEAKER_00I I don't I don't remember who he what his name was. I didn't get it or whatever. I was talking to one of the one of the vets. And I was telling him about the same thing of what we were doing, and he was like, and that's for who? And I was like, for young men, like in their 20s or 30s or whatever. And he was like, huh. I was in Vietnam. That that wasn't on my mind.
SPEAKER_02I was like, I bet it wasn't.
SPEAKER_03I bet you were working for people popping up in the ground, right? Playing, you know, right? Tag.
SPEAKER_01Like, I understand how you no, I was I was telling them, and he had this just look like what? And who does this now? Like, it was for like some select random whatever, and I was like, people in this age group, and he was like, huh. And then he's like, Yeah, that's not what I was doing when I was that age.
SPEAKER_03I was dodging bullets and and explosives. I was going through rat holes where I saw people and I carried my 45 and grenade, and I had to make sure that they got froggy, they felt it. I was like, Well, I understand. I respect y'all, man, to the utmost because we learned from y'all, but come on, man. No, it's just it's so hard, man. They're so tough, bro. But they're not as tough as the World War II veterans. I've known like they're not as tough as them and Korea War. God bless them all. Get to know all of them and spend time with them all. Marines, especially, but I got to spend time with them. Different groups, man, they're hard. Tough as nails, man.
SPEAKER_00Still can shoot, too. Do you notice, and I'm not, it's nothing bad about anyone directly. I'm just saying in general, but do you notice how um the um I don't remember what you know exactly what you would call it, but how oh, how the uh older generations, their uh improvisational skills when it comes to survivability and everything like that are way up there. Yet uh the vets that are younger, it's like everything, it's like they have something already for all of it, you know. So less work, not necessarily less work, but the way that they learned like for the older vets, it was like learning like firsthand, learning how to figure out how to um get around the situation nowadays. You know, the vet would be like, Oh yeah, I have blah blah blah, and it goes and does this and ball and it's correct.
SPEAKER_03That's what I mean. That's exactly what I mean. Just like if it was land navigation, get a compass and a protractor and go figure it out. No, I'm gonna use my satellite GPS watch phone, right? And I'm no, and I hey, let me tell you, I've seen dudes do that, and they got away with it because it pushed the limit, they literally the envelope so close, and yet they were allowed to do that because it was not a device that was just it was a secondary, it was their primary watch, and they didn't even use it and tell them that. They wore an expensive $500 watch, and they just put each point that we had to do night nav, dayland nav, and nightland nav in this crazy ewok looking forest. And we had to find points, 11-point grid, 11 kilometer grid. I'm talking people, so what do you mean by that is like it's a kilometer each place I go to find a point. Look up what a kilometer is that I have to walk to find each point I had to find 11. And I have a time, mind you. I'm timed to do this. And these points are small and they're buried in this like brush. And I'm carrying all my weapon and all my stuff. Light, don't have a helmet, I have a cover, but still. And I have to get it. Anyhow, these people, I'm looking, I'm literally doing it the way they're telling me to do it. And then these people are literally make finishing the time ahead of time, 50% past time before supposed to like say three hours, they finish it an hour and a half. And I'm like, how is that possible? Or five hours, they'll finish it in two. I'm like, how would you do that? And they're like, we just ran to each point, took me that long to run, and and he just showed he just dialed in each point in his freaking watch, and he got to each point of his watch. And I'm like, what? And you can get away with that, you know, and they're like, dang, that's not fair, but hey, he improvised and adapted, right? But come on, what if that breaks down?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but well, but see, the thing is, is what makes the older veteran so much more badass isn't isn't even really so much that they're capable of more things, it's just they have the experience to be able to literally handle and do everything.
SPEAKER_03They had to.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03I think that we're getting back to that point again soon. I'm really instilling that into my home life, not in a forceful way, but I'm really instilling that, hey, listen, I grew up in the 80s and 90s, you know.
SPEAKER_00Don't let him fool you. He cracks a whip at home.
SPEAKER_01Get that done.
SPEAKER_03Not even. I love my kids, bro. Like I there's there's times to be disciplined and I'll do it the right way. And there's other times, bro, like, you know, there's not. I need to be on their level, and I love them because they're my seed and they're gonna do great things, I hope one day, right? I pray that. I want to make sure I'm doing right, and I'm not doing, I'm not being too harsh. And I thank God for my wife, man, because she reminds me of that. Like, hey, be better. I have to treat them like Marines, you know. And I'm like, oh, I'm not doing that. I'm not trying to. I just want to save their soul, I'm gonna save them. I want to save them so much because I love them so much, right?
SPEAKER_00Well, the balance is important because they need to have um things instilled in them that they don't get anywhere else. And one of those things is being accountable because when you're accountable to dad, you know, and you're like eight, there isn't really anything beyond that, you know. I mean, yeah, if you get arrested or something like that, but pretty much being accountable to dad is as high as it goes.
SPEAKER_03My dad, man, too. You know, mind you, the one I would learn, I I had two fathers remember. Like my wife died, and I mean I have two fathers, like both died, but anyhow, you know the story. I have a what is it called testimony on on our podcast.
SPEAKER_00But yeah, everyone can uh go and check out uh J Rock's interview.
SPEAKER_03But check this out. You know, what I know what I remember real quick here, because I know we gotta close out, but I remember, man, the my dad, he was 25 years older than my mother. My mom's 25, 21 years older than me. So that's to say this. My dad was born in 1931. He had brothers that went to World War II and survived. He served during the Korean War. I don't know if he deployed or not. I didn't get to ask him. He had a nice ribbon stack on his uniform. He was a corpsman, so he hung out with Marines during that time. He knew judo. Like my dad knew stuff. I just didn't know. Didn't ask, didn't understand. I just thought he was cool. All these metal ribbons are cool. Like and all the uncle's ribbons and cool. You know, but what I do remember about him is that he was old school. And what I remember is that he was a gentleman, opened the door, had respect. If somebody was out of line in a public place when we're having food, he would say something. He made sure you wash your hands, he made sure, like, be open the door, be a gentleman. And stand up who was right. Didn't mess around. No nonsense, man. I love that, but he was a godly man as well. So those are the character traits that I kind of remember from him that I'm like, wow, that's what that what that to me is what signifies a man, but also a veteran. Also someone who had hardships that went through the depression, bro, as a kid.
SPEAKER_00Well, I mean, that there from being born at that age, there's multiple hardships because throughout different decades.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I mean, thinking, 30s, and he was born in Oklahoma in the 30s during the Depression. That depression era.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, the late depression.
SPEAKER_03Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_00And then then moving through. And then right after that turned into World War II. Then World War II. Yeah, so that's what I said. Yeah, yeah, there's gone through, you know, that's, you know, multiple mo uh periods in life of trial and tribulation, not just like, oh yeah, I got through this part of my life or whatever. It's going through it now, and then ten years goes by and going through it again, and ten years and going through it again.
SPEAKER_03And I just remember him as the most demure, put together, professional man. And I just like, man, he he was he was about it, you know, and I respected that. And I wish he could see me today, you know. Like, I'm never I know in heaven, but I'm just saying, like, seeing me graduate, seeing me go through the the changes of life. Um, and that's why I said his uncle did before he died. He was a World War II Marine that survived Iwo Jima in Guadacanal. Like he survived the island campaigns as a sniper. And so him writing me a letter in boot camp was really ideal to me and telling me how amazing and perfect it is, and how like no, he told me how it's an honor to serve in the fleet marine force, you know. And I'm and I'm thinking my mind like, okay, but that was like World War II is like it was an honor because we're going to kill those Japs, you know, like they were all about it, you know, and I'm like, dang, you're hard. Even before he died, he was about it, you know. And I was like, wow. But that's a veteran thing, you know, and that's who we are. Um, and I'm proud of that in a sense, you know. I'm just trying to make I'm trying to make sense of it now in my life.
SPEAKER_00Well, I mean, yeah, one of the things that we work on is trying to make sure that we're looking out for the other vets and stuff like that. So um I definitely wanna remind people that we're doing um our blanket donation and uh just give a blanket or ten dollars, you know. Uh more than that would definitely be appreciated, but you know, if you can give that, that would be awesome. And um you can get it back to us if you're interested at bull and jrock at gmail.com again, uh R-O-C no K and um we'll facilitate something for that. But you know, other than that, you know, we don't have a whole lot of uh um events planned or so, but we are working uh in collaboration with yeah, with another podcast called Bread of Life. And with that podcast, it's a collaboration because our staff and their staff are getting together because we've or I've put together a family potluck.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, man. Bread of life with JJ. Don't forget that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, definitely. It's it's really good. And I mean it's something that I listen to every week. It helps me a lot. So um anything beyond that, I mean Yeah, we'd like to hear your feedback and things like that, but I think aside from that, that's pretty much it because I think uh J-Rock has something he has to go do.
SPEAKER_03I do.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So thank you for those tuning in and listening. I appreciate you.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_03Your contributions are gonna be grateful and helpful. Um, whatever you can do, but that'd be great. And I know one day soon as we start progressing and moving up, we're gonna have the video, we're gonna have more money, more donations, more call-ins, more interviews, more collaborations, fun activities, outside events, things that we're gonna record. I know that uh the producer is gonna make that happen. We're just doing these steps little by little, dotting the I's, crossing the T's, making sure there's no gaps in these areas and the cracks are filled, so to speak. So we want to do things right, and especially with these both of these um podcasts. But your support is greatly needed and appreciated. Yes, definitely. And spread the word and tell others, you know, the same thing and put that out there. We'll love to hear from you guys.
SPEAKER_00We hope you had a good time. And please, do your best and be good to each other.
