We are the Chefs of our lives, doing the best that we can, with the ingredients and the tools that we have. That is all we can do. Sometimes all we have to work with is a greasy, cold, gas station hot dog that you dropped on the ground; which on a deserted island might keep you from the brink of starvation; but... not on a deserted island, the voice in your head says "I can do better than this."

Life is about serving people. Every job on this planet is directed towards meeting some ones need. Example: Hitman- provides the service of murdering a person. Example: Chef- provides the service of cooking a meal. Example: Drug Dealer-provides the service of drugs to escape tormented reality. Example: Teacher- serves her students by teaching them how to read; she gives them the power to learn and create. Success comes from serving people.

What is serving people? Serving people is figuring out what they need and meeting that need. This applies to more than people. It also applies to anything in your life. For example a plant; if you want it to thrive, then you have to figure out what it needs. What soil does it grow best in? What kind of micronutrient does it need? How often should I water it; how much light does it need? You might notice that there is moisture leaking through a seal on your windows and it is causing damage to the surrounding dry wall; you have to find the solution to fix that seal. A large part of serving, is problem solving.

If you think about the most successful company in the world, what company would you say it is? Most people would say Amazon. Some might say McDonalds. And if we dissect their approach, they have met more needs than any other company; and that is why they are so successful. The point here is that in order for one to find success, you have to be selfless. The more selfless you are, the more successes flow towards you.

What is success? The answer is, whatever you want it to be. Example: You want to get high on heroine. You make the connections to the right people; you do your research and find the best heroine that will meet your needs at the time. You do the work to raise the correct amount of funds necessary for purchase. Then you communicate effectively with your connections to complete the transaction. You learn what materials you need to administer the drug, you learn how to use the materials, then you execute your mission to get high. Maybe you miss the mark a couple times, but you stick with it, you continue learning from mistakes, and eventually you succeed. You have reached your vision of success.

Many would say that this isn't success, and I would say this: it is success. Success at the lowest level. There is no service happening in this endeavor, other than to serve one's self. It is the lowest form of success achievable, because it is the opposite of selflessness, it meets no ones need other than your own. Hedonism: the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence.

What does success look like to you? And how can you meet some ones need today? What skills do you have? What are the tools and ingredients at your disposal right now?

Take all of your skills, tools, ingredients and create a dish to serve someone. If it doesn't work out the first time, cook it again. And bonus points if its healthy! Yes Chef, you can!

Angie Contreras is a Waxahachie mother and hairstylist who has found herself surrounded by love and support in a difficult time. In May of this year, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Contreras said her symptoms began as abdominal cramping, and due to her history of ovarian cysts, it didn’t feel all that out of the ordinary. But when the abdominal cramping got worse, and wouldn’t go away, she went in for an evaluation. She said the doctor found a 10-centimeter mass on her left ovary, and a mass on her left fallopian tube. She underwent an invasive hysterectomy and spent 25 days in the hospital.

During a recent interview, she shared with the Sun that the cancer has spread to her spine and liver, and she’s begun chemotherapy treatment. The cancer in the spine causes severe pain, for which she takes strong pain medication. It’s this pain, and the fatigue from the chemotherapy, that are preventing her from working.

Putting a pause on styling hair has been one of the hardest parts of what has been a difficult time, said Contreras, who has worked as a hairstylist for 20 years in the community. She has always enjoyed making her clients “feel beautiful.” In fact, she doesn’t refer to them as clients but rather as “an extension of my friends and family.”

Since her diagnosis, Contreras has seen people from across Waxahachie rally to support her, including a local salon that created a gift basket raffle and raised more than $1,000 toward her expenses. She says her friends and people she doesn’t even know have shown her love and support.

She describes herself as an “empath” who cares for others and thinks of them before herself. She worries that her 16-year-old son has been especially sad about her diagnosis.

“It’s important to me that he still lives his life, goes and does stuff,” said Contreras, who encourages him to still spend time with his friends and have teenage fun.

Because she hasn’t been able to work, her friends have organized a benefit in her honor to raise money to help cover expenses. The Barbara Leatherwood Fight for the Cure, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Benefit Honoring Angie Contreras, will be held from 3-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Railport Brewing Company, 405 W. Madison St., Waxahachie. The event will include live music, food trucks, and other activities.

“No one fights alone,” says Contreras, who even designed shirts printed with the saying for her “support squad.”

She encourages women to be empowered and advocate for themselves, saying that if it feels like something is wrong, go in and get checked, “even if you feel like you might not be in the at-risk group.”

She said she will continue to fight the cancer, and dreams of the day when she’ll be styling hair once again.

Article in the Waxahachie Sun

This Poem was inspired by an experience I had in a Kroger Bathroom. I apologize for the profanity, and I hope you can see past it to the message.

Why do we get embarrassed about shit?

We all Shit.

We all have our own waste, messed up stink.

We all have problems.

Why do we let ourselves be embarassed by our shit?

Let. It. Go!

And FLUSH it down the toilet!

Everyone Shits.

Our Anxiety is Shit.

What are we Afraid of?

What if what we are afraid of happens...then what?

Will you die?

No?

Then it doesn't Fucking Matter!

Let it go.

Flush it down the toilet.

How about this--

Can you do something to prevent what you're afraid of from happening?

Then Fucking Do it!!!

F.I.O

Figure it out.

What is the problem?

What can you do to solve the problem.

That is the answer to curing your anxiety.

And if there is nothing you can do to prevent it,

then it's out of your control.

That my friends is Divine Inertia:

The simultaneously known and unknown variable,

The force moving all of the tiny pieces of this beautiful World.

Do you know someone who needs help finding a job? Do you know a business owner looking for employees? Do you know a veteran who is transitioning into civilian employment? Then Workforce Solutions of North Central Texas is the resource to share with them. In 2021, WSNCT served 51,232 career seekers across 14 counties in North Central Texas. The state government agency is funded by tax dollars and works to help people realize their potential.

The Waxahachie Workforce Center is committed to serving its community, manager Jana Edrington-Koennecke shared with the Sun.

“We are here, and we are excited to help people,” she said, saying the Waxahachie center works to facilitate Ellis County career seekers and employers to “engage in the workforce.”

In an interview, Edrington-Koennecke, who has worked for WSNCT for 33 years, highlighted how WSCNT fosters connections not only with career seekers to employers, but also business to business. As an example, she said that during a recent open house, 10 local companies were able to connect and network with each other as well as hire employees. WSCNT hosts multiple hiring events each year, with the information for those found on the agency’s website, dfwjobs.com. Manufacturing, logistics, and health-related jobs are examples of employment opportunities listed on the website, she said.

Career coaching is another resource offered at WSNCT, which offers workshops on topics including resume writing, interview skills, and “Layoff to Landing Your Next Job.” Register for the workshops on dfwjobs.com under the Events tab.

Patty Eggleston serves as the career coach at the Waxahachie center.

“The ultimate goal is to help people get back to work earning wages,” said Eggleston, who helps career seekers assess their goals, skills, strengths, and areas for improvement, while keeping a realistic outlook of their situation. She assists individuals in determining their immediate and long-term career needs.

WSCNT also offers a program especially dedicated to eligible veterans, wounded veterans, and their spouses. The rural veterans career advisor, Danny Wyatt, served in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years.

“I tell them I’m not just trying to find them a job, but to find them a career path,” he said of his role at the agency.

The Summer Earn & Learn program assists people with special needs such as autism in finding jobs and building work experience. Each participant is assigned a job coach to assist them in their work assignment, where they complete five weeks of experience.

“Work can give you the sense of accomplishment and confidence that you are providing for your family,” Edrington-Koennecke said.

Workforce Solutions North Central Texas is located at 1712 U.S. Highway 287 Business, Waxahachie.

Article in the Waxahachie Sun

This year marked the first Biscuits & Bombs Baseball fundraiser event for childhood cancer hosted by the Waxahachie High School baseball team and coach. During the event, which was held Saturday, Sept. 17, community members could pay $5 to hit 10 balls on the field at historic Richards Park, which serves as the team’s home field.

There was a turnout of families with children who hit balls as pitched by head coach Jesse Lopez. The WHS baseball team volunteered at the event and fielded the balls hit by the batters. The Waxahachie High School cheerleaders also volunteered, with several mothers of the baseball players taking care of the ticket desk, where they collected donations and passed out chicken biscuits donated by Chick-fil-A. The mothers wore yellow and green shirts with “No child fights alone” written on them.

“Waxahachie is a special place,” said Ami Trull, WISD’s communications coordinator, who was on hand at the event. She said the “Hachie Goes Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness” weekend was an event organized by the school district’s athletics department to increase awareness and gather support for WISD families who have a child battling cancer. The night before, the WHS varsity football team had hosted its “Hachie Goes Gold” game to help promote awareness.

“We had a loss this year in the community, Jackson Markert, an eighth-grader,” Trull said. “It was a big loss for the community.”

The “Hachie Goes Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness” event was organized to help families such as the Markerts, she said.

WISD athletic director Greg Reed said new head baseball coach Jesse Lopez has become involved with the Waxahachie community since joining the district this school year and was a contributing organizer for the baseball event.

“He is very community-oriented,” Trull said.

Jamie Berger with Waxahachie Divine Flowers, whose daughter recently beat leukemia, donated to the event.

“My daughter is doing great,” she said. “While we were going through a tough time, the community came together to help us. And this is our chance to give back.”

Those who would still like to donate to the cause can reach out to the Waxahachie Indian Baseball RBI Club via its Facebook page.

Article in Waxahachie Sun