Paul Colt's Blog, page 56
March 8, 2015
A Transcontinental Railroad
One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing historical novels is the research. Once in awhile, that research can take an unexpected turn. One of those turns came about while researching the politics of choosing a route for the transcontinental railroad. I discovered a puzzle filled with familiar events and unfamiliar connections. It’s an interesting bit of history that leads this post series to a rather unexpected contemporary lesson.
Many of you know from time to time these posts take on topics of interest to young people. This series focuses on a chapter of history of interest to young people, studying American History. If you have a child or grandchild studying our nation’s history, you might want to share this series with them. They will get a slant on a slice of history I doubt they will get in class. They might even find the seed for an insightful paper.
I’ve long had a fascination with the transcontinental railroad. In its day it was an engineering achievement of monumental proportions. It played an important part in two of my books. I thought I knew something about that chapter in our history. What I discovered in researching the route selection controversy surprised me.
The notion of a railway to the Pacific became a natural progression in our nation’s ambition to a manifest destiny west. The idea took root following the end of the Mexican American War. Under the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the United States acquired western territories stretching from Texas to California for $15 million. The discovery of gold the following year at Sutter’s Mill in California provided a tidy return on that real-estate investment.
The California gold rush highlighted the need for a rail route to the Pacific. Reaching the nation’s western-most possession could take as much as a year by dangerous overland travel or at best months by sea. As a practical matter there was no way to defend California. A Pacific railroad became a national priority. The question of what route it should take quickly emerged as a lightening rod for political controversy.
Next Week:
Whither A Transcontinental Railroad?
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
Many of you know from time to time these posts take on topics of interest to young people. This series focuses on a chapter of history of interest to young people, studying American History. If you have a child or grandchild studying our nation’s history, you might want to share this series with them. They will get a slant on a slice of history I doubt they will get in class. They might even find the seed for an insightful paper.
I’ve long had a fascination with the transcontinental railroad. In its day it was an engineering achievement of monumental proportions. It played an important part in two of my books. I thought I knew something about that chapter in our history. What I discovered in researching the route selection controversy surprised me.
The notion of a railway to the Pacific became a natural progression in our nation’s ambition to a manifest destiny west. The idea took root following the end of the Mexican American War. Under the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the United States acquired western territories stretching from Texas to California for $15 million. The discovery of gold the following year at Sutter’s Mill in California provided a tidy return on that real-estate investment.
The California gold rush highlighted the need for a rail route to the Pacific. Reaching the nation’s western-most possession could take as much as a year by dangerous overland travel or at best months by sea. As a practical matter there was no way to defend California. A Pacific railroad became a national priority. The question of what route it should take quickly emerged as a lightening rod for political controversy.
Next Week:
Whither A Transcontinental Railroad?
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
February 28, 2015
Briscoe Cane
I found him seated back to the wall at a corner table in one of the more disreputable saloons in a shabby part of town. Briscoe Cane was easily recognizable from the file I’d compiled on him. He bore lean weather lined features that might have been stitched out of old saddle leather. He had hawk features, punctuated by cold grey eyes animated by some inner light that turned on and off with his interest. Shoulder length hair, gray before its time, gave him an aged appearance. His lean angular, hickory hard frame at first appeared awkward. For the object of one of his pursuits, misestimating his appearance might prove fatal. Cane was known to possess cat like quickness and deadly accuracy in the use of a veritable arsenal of weaponry concealed under a black frock coat. I approached his table under cover of a friendly smile.
“Mr. Cane?”
“What’s it to you?”
“I’d like a word with you.”
“Air’s free.”
“May I sit?” He favored me with an annoyed glance.
“Suit yourself.”
“Mr. Cane, I’ve followed your work with interest. I could use a man of your abilities in my organization.”
“My abilities? What do you know of my abilities? We’ve never met.”
It was true, we had never met. But my file on the man was rather complete.
“I know, for example, you favor a pair of fine balanced bone handled blades one sheathed behind that .44 holster rig and the other in your left boot. I know you can draw and throw with either hand fast enough to silently defeat another man’s gun draw.”
He arched a brow.
“I know you are equally fast with that Colt and a .41 caliber Forehand & Wadsworth ‘Bull Dog’ rigged for cross draw at your back. Some consider a spur trigger pocket pistol the weapon of choice for a whore. Such a notion would sadly misestimate your use of it. Those that do, seldom do so for long.”
His eyes narrowed in a squint. “Where the hell did you get all this, Mr. ahh?”
“Crook, Colonel David J. Crook, U.S. Army retired. Where I got the information is unimportant. What is important is that I have it. I also know you carry a Henry rifle and I’m told you can pluck out a man’s eye at a thousand paces. I know that when called for, you possess a master craftsman’s skill with explosives. In my humble opinion, were it not for the staunch religious foundation afforded by your upbringing you might have had a more prosperous career as an assassin than the one you have as a bounty hunter. So as you see, your abilities are quite well suited to my organization.”
His brows bunched over the bridge of his nose. “Your organization?”
“Yes, the Great Western Detective League. We are an association of law enforcement professionals across the west. We cooperate in solving crimes.”
“A law enforcement association headed by a man named Crook. Other than a bit of humor I don’t see what that’s got to do with me. I hunt for bounty.”
“Precisely! So do we, after a fashion. And that’s why you would be a perfect fit for my organization.”
“I work alone.”
“If you prefer, that can be arranged.”
“Don’t need no arrangin’. I work alone now.”
“But don’t you see that’s your problem?”
“Look Colonel I work alone. I don’t need no organization.”
“Oh but you do.”
“Why?”
“For information.”
“For information. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“What exactly are you working on now, Mr. Cane?”
“What business is that of yours?”
“Further to my point, at the moment you’re not working on anything.” I didn’t know that of course. It was only a guess. Like hunches, guesses are things an investigator must play from time to time.
He scratched the bristled stubble on his chin. “How’d you know that?”
I shrugged. “Investigators are paid to know things. Your current circumstance suits my point perfectly. You are not gainfully engaged at the moment. I on the other hand have here in my pocket a two thousand five hundred dollar opportunity.”
Both brows parted wide eyed. He waved the bartender over with a glass and poured me a drink.“Two thousand five hundred dollars you say.”
“That’s correct. Your share could amount to one thousand five hundred dollars if you take the assignment and succeed.”
“What about the rest?”
“That belongs to the Great Western Detective League. I take twenty five percent to compensate my administration of the league. The other fifteen percent goes into an escrow for distribution in equal shares to all league members at the end of the year. That yearly bonus can amount to a tidy sum. It assures our members interest in the league’s overall success.”
“Hell if I work alone, I get the whole thing.”
“No you don’t. If you work alone, you sit here not working. That’s the value of information. That’s the value of belonging to the League. The League casts a wide net. We get the best information. We get superior results. So superior that clients like Wells Fargo seek us out with opportunities like this one.” I drew a folded sheet from my inside coat pocket for emphasis. He eyed it. “Is it better to work steady for sixty percent of the proceeds plus a bonus on the success of other league members; or to sit here idle for one hundred percent of sometimes?” His mouth turned down at the corners, bent in serious contemplation.
“Alright, Colonel, I’ll give your League a try. Tell me about this opportunity of yours.”
“Splendid!”
Wanted Sam Bass is the first book in my new Great Western Detective League series. You’ll get to know Colonel Crook, Briscoe Cane, Beau Longstreet and a colorful cast of characters as they pursue the notorious stage and train robber.
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
“Mr. Cane?”
“What’s it to you?”
“I’d like a word with you.”
“Air’s free.”
“May I sit?” He favored me with an annoyed glance.
“Suit yourself.”
“Mr. Cane, I’ve followed your work with interest. I could use a man of your abilities in my organization.”
“My abilities? What do you know of my abilities? We’ve never met.”
It was true, we had never met. But my file on the man was rather complete.
“I know, for example, you favor a pair of fine balanced bone handled blades one sheathed behind that .44 holster rig and the other in your left boot. I know you can draw and throw with either hand fast enough to silently defeat another man’s gun draw.”
He arched a brow.
“I know you are equally fast with that Colt and a .41 caliber Forehand & Wadsworth ‘Bull Dog’ rigged for cross draw at your back. Some consider a spur trigger pocket pistol the weapon of choice for a whore. Such a notion would sadly misestimate your use of it. Those that do, seldom do so for long.”
His eyes narrowed in a squint. “Where the hell did you get all this, Mr. ahh?”
“Crook, Colonel David J. Crook, U.S. Army retired. Where I got the information is unimportant. What is important is that I have it. I also know you carry a Henry rifle and I’m told you can pluck out a man’s eye at a thousand paces. I know that when called for, you possess a master craftsman’s skill with explosives. In my humble opinion, were it not for the staunch religious foundation afforded by your upbringing you might have had a more prosperous career as an assassin than the one you have as a bounty hunter. So as you see, your abilities are quite well suited to my organization.”
His brows bunched over the bridge of his nose. “Your organization?”
“Yes, the Great Western Detective League. We are an association of law enforcement professionals across the west. We cooperate in solving crimes.”
“A law enforcement association headed by a man named Crook. Other than a bit of humor I don’t see what that’s got to do with me. I hunt for bounty.”
“Precisely! So do we, after a fashion. And that’s why you would be a perfect fit for my organization.”
“I work alone.”
“If you prefer, that can be arranged.”
“Don’t need no arrangin’. I work alone now.”
“But don’t you see that’s your problem?”
“Look Colonel I work alone. I don’t need no organization.”
“Oh but you do.”
“Why?”
“For information.”
“For information. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“What exactly are you working on now, Mr. Cane?”
“What business is that of yours?”
“Further to my point, at the moment you’re not working on anything.” I didn’t know that of course. It was only a guess. Like hunches, guesses are things an investigator must play from time to time.
He scratched the bristled stubble on his chin. “How’d you know that?”
I shrugged. “Investigators are paid to know things. Your current circumstance suits my point perfectly. You are not gainfully engaged at the moment. I on the other hand have here in my pocket a two thousand five hundred dollar opportunity.”
Both brows parted wide eyed. He waved the bartender over with a glass and poured me a drink.“Two thousand five hundred dollars you say.”
“That’s correct. Your share could amount to one thousand five hundred dollars if you take the assignment and succeed.”
“What about the rest?”
“That belongs to the Great Western Detective League. I take twenty five percent to compensate my administration of the league. The other fifteen percent goes into an escrow for distribution in equal shares to all league members at the end of the year. That yearly bonus can amount to a tidy sum. It assures our members interest in the league’s overall success.”
“Hell if I work alone, I get the whole thing.”
“No you don’t. If you work alone, you sit here not working. That’s the value of information. That’s the value of belonging to the League. The League casts a wide net. We get the best information. We get superior results. So superior that clients like Wells Fargo seek us out with opportunities like this one.” I drew a folded sheet from my inside coat pocket for emphasis. He eyed it. “Is it better to work steady for sixty percent of the proceeds plus a bonus on the success of other league members; or to sit here idle for one hundred percent of sometimes?” His mouth turned down at the corners, bent in serious contemplation.
“Alright, Colonel, I’ll give your League a try. Tell me about this opportunity of yours.”
“Splendid!”
Wanted Sam Bass is the first book in my new Great Western Detective League series. You’ll get to know Colonel Crook, Briscoe Cane, Beau Longstreet and a colorful cast of characters as they pursue the notorious stage and train robber.
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
February 22, 2015
Lingo
As a writer I love playing with words. I sometimes refer to it as word whittling. You can have fun with it and put a little humor into a story in the bargain. One of my favorite lines in A Question of Bounty takes place in a saloon where Billy the Kid is attempting to write a letter to Governor Lew Wallace, requesting a pardon for his part in the Lincoln County War. The bartender, Pat Garrett helps him get his tongue around the fact that Wallace granted others involved in the war ‘Amnesty’. When the letter is finished, the grateful Kid tells Garrett, “If Honorable Ole Lew gives me animosity, I’ll have you to thank.”
We speak and write a living language. It evolves. Remember when somebody’s cell meant they were in jail? And whatever happened to Daddy-O, Dude? But I date myself. We add words, accepted meanings change and yes some words fall into disuse. Evolution in language comes into sharp focus for the intrepid author who presumes to write in another era, say the nineteenth-century.
There are two sides to the lingo coin. First you need take care that contemporary terms don’t find their way into periods before they were accepted. In today’s world with so much self-publishing, contemporary word creep happens more than it should. Can you picture Wyatt Earp saying he was ‘OK’ after the famous gunfight? I didn’t think so. Good editors catch that sort of thing. I’m blessed to have one. Not everybody does. Today’s younger editors are the product of their educations. I have a running editorial fuss over my use of ‘alright’ and contemporary insistence on ‘all right’. The flip side to the lingo coin can make for a bit of fun.
A couple of years ago I stumbled on a book based on the reminiscences of General David J. Cook, Superintendent of an organization that called itself the Rocky Mountain Detective Association. Cook and his organization are the inspiration for my Great Western Detective League series. The book, first published in 1882, is a compilation of case reports on criminal investigations conducted by Cook’s association. Needless to say the language in the reports is pure nineteenth century. I found the terminology so amusing I started building a little glossary. I thought I might use a term or two here and there to give my stories a ring of authenticity.
There is a risk of frustrating the modern reader if you over use antique jargon, so sparing is the watchword. Still who can resist something as tempting as: a character wending his way thitherward? Can you picture a romantic heroine who inspires her man to cupidity? Used sparingly, I see opportunities to capture a little rascality and jollification! We don’t dress our Victorian women in mini-skirts. Why deny our characters a little nostalgia in the lingo they use?
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
We speak and write a living language. It evolves. Remember when somebody’s cell meant they were in jail? And whatever happened to Daddy-O, Dude? But I date myself. We add words, accepted meanings change and yes some words fall into disuse. Evolution in language comes into sharp focus for the intrepid author who presumes to write in another era, say the nineteenth-century.
There are two sides to the lingo coin. First you need take care that contemporary terms don’t find their way into periods before they were accepted. In today’s world with so much self-publishing, contemporary word creep happens more than it should. Can you picture Wyatt Earp saying he was ‘OK’ after the famous gunfight? I didn’t think so. Good editors catch that sort of thing. I’m blessed to have one. Not everybody does. Today’s younger editors are the product of their educations. I have a running editorial fuss over my use of ‘alright’ and contemporary insistence on ‘all right’. The flip side to the lingo coin can make for a bit of fun.
A couple of years ago I stumbled on a book based on the reminiscences of General David J. Cook, Superintendent of an organization that called itself the Rocky Mountain Detective Association. Cook and his organization are the inspiration for my Great Western Detective League series. The book, first published in 1882, is a compilation of case reports on criminal investigations conducted by Cook’s association. Needless to say the language in the reports is pure nineteenth century. I found the terminology so amusing I started building a little glossary. I thought I might use a term or two here and there to give my stories a ring of authenticity.
There is a risk of frustrating the modern reader if you over use antique jargon, so sparing is the watchword. Still who can resist something as tempting as: a character wending his way thitherward? Can you picture a romantic heroine who inspires her man to cupidity? Used sparingly, I see opportunities to capture a little rascality and jollification! We don’t dress our Victorian women in mini-skirts. Why deny our characters a little nostalgia in the lingo they use?
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
Lingo
As a writer I love playing with words. I sometimes refer to it as word whittling. You can have fun with it and put a little humor into a story in the bargain. One of my favorite lines in A Question of Bounty takes place in a saloon where Billy the Kid is attempting to write a letter to Governor Lew Wallace, requesting a pardon for his part in the Lincoln County War. The bartender, Pat Garrett helps him get his tongue around the fact that Wallace granted others involved in the war ‘Amnesty’. When the letter is finished, the grateful Kid tells Garrett, “If Honorable Ole Lew gives me animosity, I’ll have you to thank.”
We speak and write a living language. It evolves. Remember when somebody’s cell meant they were in jail? And whatever happened to Daddy-O, Dude? But I date myself. We add words, accepted meanings change and yes some words fall into disuse. Evolution in language comes into sharp focus for the intrepid author who presumes to write in another era, say the nineteenth-century.
There are two sides to the lingo coin. First you need take care that contemporary terms don’t find their way into periods before they were accepted. In today’s world with so much self-publishing, contemporary word creep happens more than it should. Can you picture Wyatt Earp saying he was ‘OK’ after the famous gunfight? I didn’t think so. Good editors catch that sort of thing. I’m blessed to have one. Not everybody does. Today’s younger editors are the product of their educations. I have a running editorial fuss over my use of ‘alright’ and contemporary insistence on ‘all right’. The flip side to the lingo coin can make for a bit of fun.
A couple of years ago I stumbled on a book based on the reminiscences of General David J. Cook, Superintendent of an organization that called itself the Rocky Mountain Detective Association. Cook and his organization are the inspiration for my Great Western Detective League series. The book, first published in 1882, is a compilation of case reports on criminal investigations conducted by Cook’s association. Needless to say the language in the reports is pure nineteenth century. I found the terminology so amusing I started building a little glossary. I thought I might use a term or two here and there to give my stories a ring of authenticity.
There is a risk of frustrating the modern reader if you over use antique jargon, so sparing is the watchword. Still who can resist something as tempting as: a character wending his way thitherward? Can you picture a romantic heroine who inspires her man to cupidity? Used sparingly, I see opportunities to capture a little rascality and jollification! We don’t dress our Victorian women in mini-skirts. Why deny our characters a little nostalgia in the lingo they use?
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
We speak and write a living language. It evolves. Remember when somebody’s cell meant they were in jail? And whatever happened to Daddy-O, Dude? But I date myself. We add words, accepted meanings change and yes some words fall into disuse. Evolution in language comes into sharp focus for the intrepid author who presumes to write in another era, say the nineteenth-century.
There are two sides to the lingo coin. First you need take care that contemporary terms don’t find their way into periods before they were accepted. In today’s world with so much self-publishing, contemporary word creep happens more than it should. Can you picture Wyatt Earp saying he was ‘OK’ after the famous gunfight? I didn’t think so. Good editors catch that sort of thing. I’m blessed to have one. Not everybody does. Today’s younger editors are the product of their educations. I have a running editorial fuss over my use of ‘alright’ and contemporary insistence on ‘all right’. The flip side to the lingo coin can make for a bit of fun.
A couple of years ago I stumbled on a book based on the reminiscences of General David J. Cook, Superintendent of an organization that called itself the Rocky Mountain Detective Association. Cook and his organization are the inspiration for my Great Western Detective League series. The book, first published in 1882, is a compilation of case reports on criminal investigations conducted by Cook’s association. Needless to say the language in the reports is pure nineteenth century. I found the terminology so amusing I started building a little glossary. I thought I might use a term or two here and there to give my stories a ring of authenticity.
There is a risk of frustrating the modern reader if you over use antique jargon, so sparing is the watchword. Still who can resist something as tempting as: a character wending his way thitherward? Can you picture a romantic heroine who inspires her man to cupidity? Used sparingly, I see opportunities to capture a little rascality and jollification! We don’t dress our Victorian women in mini-skirts. Why deny our characters a little nostalgia in the lingo they use?
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
February 15, 2015
Pinkerton Had a Competitor, Who Knew?
My readers know I favor ‘Unexpected History’- stories based on some little known or overlooked aspect of an otherwise familiar character or event. Those historical gems produce stories like Boots and Saddles: A Call to Glory and A Question of Bounty: The Shadow of Doubt. Unfortunately stories like that don’t come along every day. When one does, it can take two or three years to research, write and publish the book. So what does a word whittler do between big stories? That’s where the Great Western Detective League series comes in. These stories might stray a bit from my unexpected history brand; but I think we can have fun with them ‘cause sometimes you just feel like a fun read.
The premise for the series actually started with a bit of unexpected history. You’ve probably heard of the Pinkerton Detective Agency; but did you know Pinkerton had a competitor? Probably not. That’s the unexpected part. A couple of years ago I came across a compilation of case reports from a nineteenth century organization known as The Rocky Mountain Detective Association. That inspired the series. The first book, Wanted: Sam Bass was just released.
The series imagines an association of law enforcement professionals competing with Pinkerton for bounties, rewards and recoveries offered in high profile criminal cases that cross traditional law enforcement jurisdictions. The first book puts together a colorful cast of characters for the League and for Pinkerton and sends them off on the trail of the notorious stage and train robber, Sam Bass. We’ll see where these characters take us from there. They promise plenty of western action with crime detective and romance crossovers. It’s a fun write; ‘cause sometimes you just feel like a fun read.
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
The premise for the series actually started with a bit of unexpected history. You’ve probably heard of the Pinkerton Detective Agency; but did you know Pinkerton had a competitor? Probably not. That’s the unexpected part. A couple of years ago I came across a compilation of case reports from a nineteenth century organization known as The Rocky Mountain Detective Association. That inspired the series. The first book, Wanted: Sam Bass was just released.
The series imagines an association of law enforcement professionals competing with Pinkerton for bounties, rewards and recoveries offered in high profile criminal cases that cross traditional law enforcement jurisdictions. The first book puts together a colorful cast of characters for the League and for Pinkerton and sends them off on the trail of the notorious stage and train robber, Sam Bass. We’ll see where these characters take us from there. They promise plenty of western action with crime detective and romance crossovers. It’s a fun write; ‘cause sometimes you just feel like a fun read.
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
February 8, 2015
Cowboys Do The Right Thing
The tenth and final value in my cowboy code summary is cowboys do the right thing.
This one can be difficult for young people. Peer pressure is socially compulsive for the young. When the crowd goes one way and the right thing leads in a different direction; it takes courage to do the right thing. It may seem popular or easy to go along with the crowd. If you don’t go along, the crowd may resent you or make fun of you. When you do the right thing, you make them uncomfortable with what they are doing. What they think doesn’t matter. What matters is what you do. You can’t go wrong when you do the right thing; but it can take courage.
One of the questions posed again and again in this series asked: Where do young people go to learn these values? In answer to the question these posts looked for heroes and role models in popular culture and day-to-day life. Sometimes we found them and sometimes we were left to look in the mirror. The cowboy codes I summarized for this series were those of my boyhood heroes. Only one of them mentioned a cowboy’s religious belief. That’s too bad; because faith is an important value for a great many cowboys- this one included. Where does a young person go to learn the values expressed in the cowboy code? How about church?
If you make a cowboy way of doing things your way of life, you’ll be on the right trail. Someday you’ll look over the back trail of your life and see that for all the twists and turns it took to get there, you ended up in the right place. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us find it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
7. Cowboys Ride for the Brand
8. Cowboys are Courteous
9. Cowboys Help Others in Need
10. Cowboys Do the Right Thing
That’s about it for this series, hope you enjoyed it. A lot of you did and passed these bow-legged musings along to your family and friends. Thank you for that. We touched some nerves and that’s good. We’ll try to keep these posts interesting. One thing about word whittling, there are plenty of shavings on the floor.
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
This one can be difficult for young people. Peer pressure is socially compulsive for the young. When the crowd goes one way and the right thing leads in a different direction; it takes courage to do the right thing. It may seem popular or easy to go along with the crowd. If you don’t go along, the crowd may resent you or make fun of you. When you do the right thing, you make them uncomfortable with what they are doing. What they think doesn’t matter. What matters is what you do. You can’t go wrong when you do the right thing; but it can take courage.
One of the questions posed again and again in this series asked: Where do young people go to learn these values? In answer to the question these posts looked for heroes and role models in popular culture and day-to-day life. Sometimes we found them and sometimes we were left to look in the mirror. The cowboy codes I summarized for this series were those of my boyhood heroes. Only one of them mentioned a cowboy’s religious belief. That’s too bad; because faith is an important value for a great many cowboys- this one included. Where does a young person go to learn the values expressed in the cowboy code? How about church?
If you make a cowboy way of doing things your way of life, you’ll be on the right trail. Someday you’ll look over the back trail of your life and see that for all the twists and turns it took to get there, you ended up in the right place. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us find it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
7. Cowboys Ride for the Brand
8. Cowboys are Courteous
9. Cowboys Help Others in Need
10. Cowboys Do the Right Thing
That’s about it for this series, hope you enjoyed it. A lot of you did and passed these bow-legged musings along to your family and friends. Thank you for that. We touched some nerves and that’s good. We’ll try to keep these posts interesting. One thing about word whittling, there are plenty of shavings on the floor.
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
February 1, 2015
Cowboys Help Others in Need
The ninth value in my cowboy code summary is Cowboys help others in need.
Where do our young people learn to appreciate the value of unselfish service? They are not going to learn it from popular culture or the next hot new phone or touch pad gadget. It’s not that there is anything wrong with the conveniences of our wired world; but there is a risk in becoming so immersed in virtual reality, we lose our connection to human reality. Human interaction is the basis of service. You have to step out of virtual reality to experience that. Next time you sit down in a restaurant look around. Who’s talking? How many folks are sitting there heads down, totally absorbed in their thumbs?
Leaders who teach the value of unselfish service toil in the anonymity of day-to-day life. They are teachers, coaches, pastors, and youth leaders in a myriad of organized activities. They aren’t accorded celebrity. It is up to us to applaud their service. They are the unselfish role models who teach our young people the talk to talk and the walk to walk.
That bit of the cowboy code needs our help to rub off on kids by making good examples of our own lives. Find constructive service activities to go along with recreational pursuits like sports, the arts, or the myriad electronic distractions that fill our days. The opportunities are all around us, folks in tough economic circumstance, old folks, at risk kids. You don’t have to look far to find opportunities to step outside yourself. Help a kid find one.
Popular culture comes and popular culture goes, but the cowboy way of doing things never goes out of style. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us show it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
7. Cowboys Ride for the Brand
8. Cowboys are Courteous
9. Cowboys Help Others in Need
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
Where do our young people learn to appreciate the value of unselfish service? They are not going to learn it from popular culture or the next hot new phone or touch pad gadget. It’s not that there is anything wrong with the conveniences of our wired world; but there is a risk in becoming so immersed in virtual reality, we lose our connection to human reality. Human interaction is the basis of service. You have to step out of virtual reality to experience that. Next time you sit down in a restaurant look around. Who’s talking? How many folks are sitting there heads down, totally absorbed in their thumbs?
Leaders who teach the value of unselfish service toil in the anonymity of day-to-day life. They are teachers, coaches, pastors, and youth leaders in a myriad of organized activities. They aren’t accorded celebrity. It is up to us to applaud their service. They are the unselfish role models who teach our young people the talk to talk and the walk to walk.
That bit of the cowboy code needs our help to rub off on kids by making good examples of our own lives. Find constructive service activities to go along with recreational pursuits like sports, the arts, or the myriad electronic distractions that fill our days. The opportunities are all around us, folks in tough economic circumstance, old folks, at risk kids. You don’t have to look far to find opportunities to step outside yourself. Help a kid find one.
Popular culture comes and popular culture goes, but the cowboy way of doing things never goes out of style. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us show it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
7. Cowboys Ride for the Brand
8. Cowboys are Courteous
9. Cowboys Help Others in Need
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
January 25, 2015
Cowboys are Courteous
The eighth value in my cowboy code summary is Cowboys are courteous.
It’s important to do the big character things in the cowboy code, tell the truth, keep our word and play by the rules. It’s worth calling this value out because it speaks to how we approach the small things in our daily lives. It’s rewarding to do little things, like offer a friendly greeting, smile, hold a door, share a laugh or wish someone a good day.
Extending simple courtesies to others as we go about the business of our daily lives may not seem important. They’re little. They don’t cost much or take much effort. They won’t change things in a big way; but here’s a secret: They’re contagious. If you are courteous, pleasant and polite, others are inclined to respond in kind. Change enough little things and you can have a big effect on your life and the lives of those around you.
The challenge we face today is that we are all so busy. We rush from one obligation to the next chore, checking things off lists that never seem to get done. We bury ourselves in phones and tablets texting, emailing, browsing and searching for that next vital whatever. Who has time to smile at the grocery clerk or wish your coworker a good day? In the crush of all that how do young people learn the value of doing little things? How do any of us? Pause and purposefully practice the little things. When they come back to you, you know you made a difference. Try it. It works.
Popular culture comes and popular culture goes, but the cowboy way of doing things never goes out of style. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us show it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
7. Cowboys Ride for the Brand
8. Cowboys are Courteous
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
It’s important to do the big character things in the cowboy code, tell the truth, keep our word and play by the rules. It’s worth calling this value out because it speaks to how we approach the small things in our daily lives. It’s rewarding to do little things, like offer a friendly greeting, smile, hold a door, share a laugh or wish someone a good day.
Extending simple courtesies to others as we go about the business of our daily lives may not seem important. They’re little. They don’t cost much or take much effort. They won’t change things in a big way; but here’s a secret: They’re contagious. If you are courteous, pleasant and polite, others are inclined to respond in kind. Change enough little things and you can have a big effect on your life and the lives of those around you.
The challenge we face today is that we are all so busy. We rush from one obligation to the next chore, checking things off lists that never seem to get done. We bury ourselves in phones and tablets texting, emailing, browsing and searching for that next vital whatever. Who has time to smile at the grocery clerk or wish your coworker a good day? In the crush of all that how do young people learn the value of doing little things? How do any of us? Pause and purposefully practice the little things. When they come back to you, you know you made a difference. Try it. It works.
Popular culture comes and popular culture goes, but the cowboy way of doing things never goes out of style. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us show it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
7. Cowboys Ride for the Brand
8. Cowboys are Courteous
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
January 18, 2015
Cowboys Ride for the Brand
This is the seventh value in my cowboy code summary. Cowboys ride for the brand. They are loyal to family, country and those they work for.
Ride for the brand is a singularly cowboy expression. Some say it owes its origin to Louis L’Amour. I’ve tried to verify that; but haven’t succeeded. Maybe some of you know the origin. Where the expression comes from is less important than the lesson it conveys. We owe our families, country and the organizations we represent respect and allegiance. Loyalty is expressed in what we say and do. Most folks recognize that brand of loyalty as one of the values embodied in the Code of the West.
In our ‘me-first’ culture people aren’t always loyal. We see people grab their fifteen minutes of fame at the expense of their employer or country all too frequently. Some of these cases can be quite spectacular as with the NSA leaks. People who take advantage of their position to seek notoriety, don’t see the statement it makes about their personal character. For them fifteen minutes of fame is all that matters. The sad thing is they get their fifteen minutes of fame from a culture that sensationalizes and rewards this sort of behavior. That’s a statement our culture makes about too many of us.
Where do young people learn the value of loyalty? Where do they learn to ride for the brand? The best examples I can think of is from our men and women in uniform. Our service members, police officers and first responders ride for the brand of this country every day. They do it for all of us. They do it out of a sense of duty we should all admire and respect. Hold them up as heroes for young people to admire. Make a point of thanking them for their service when you see them. It may give the young folks around you a sense of patriotism and duty they don’t get in school or popular culture these days.
Popular culture comes and popular culture goes, but the cowboy way of doing things never goes out of style. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us show it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
7. Cowboys Ride for the Brand
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
Ride for the brand is a singularly cowboy expression. Some say it owes its origin to Louis L’Amour. I’ve tried to verify that; but haven’t succeeded. Maybe some of you know the origin. Where the expression comes from is less important than the lesson it conveys. We owe our families, country and the organizations we represent respect and allegiance. Loyalty is expressed in what we say and do. Most folks recognize that brand of loyalty as one of the values embodied in the Code of the West.
In our ‘me-first’ culture people aren’t always loyal. We see people grab their fifteen minutes of fame at the expense of their employer or country all too frequently. Some of these cases can be quite spectacular as with the NSA leaks. People who take advantage of their position to seek notoriety, don’t see the statement it makes about their personal character. For them fifteen minutes of fame is all that matters. The sad thing is they get their fifteen minutes of fame from a culture that sensationalizes and rewards this sort of behavior. That’s a statement our culture makes about too many of us.
Where do young people learn the value of loyalty? Where do they learn to ride for the brand? The best examples I can think of is from our men and women in uniform. Our service members, police officers and first responders ride for the brand of this country every day. They do it for all of us. They do it out of a sense of duty we should all admire and respect. Hold them up as heroes for young people to admire. Make a point of thanking them for their service when you see them. It may give the young folks around you a sense of patriotism and duty they don’t get in school or popular culture these days.
Popular culture comes and popular culture goes, but the cowboy way of doing things never goes out of style. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us show it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
7. Cowboys Ride for the Brand
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
January 11, 2015
Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
The sixth value in my summary cowboy code is cowboy’s take pride in their work.
My dad taught me this one. “Son,” he said. “Whatever you do, do your best. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right.” Pretty simple. We all have different skills and abilities. Nobody does everything equally well; but for everything we do, each of us has a best. You know when you do your best; and you know when you don’t.
Where do our young people learn the value of doing their best? Where do they learn to strive for excellence? Excellence can be competitive. Popular culture has a problem with competition. Grades in school don’t mean what they used to. We have organized sports for kids that don’t keep score. We have contests where everyone wins a prize so no one feels bad. What kind of lesson does that teach? Why do your best, every outcome is the same? There is value in winning and learning to lose. It builds character. That’s how life is played. We keep score. If the average grade at Harvard today is A-, Harvard is a joke.
It isn’t just about winning and losing. It’s about how hard you try. Growing up we had a report card ritual at our house. When report cards came home, my brother and I would sit down at the kitchen table with dad. He read our cards in a particular way. He’d read all the effort grades first. Then he’d read the academic grades. Neither of us were straight A students, so invariably he’d find an academic clinker or two lurking somewhere. That wasn’t a problem, as long as the effort was there. We got in trouble if our effort wasn’t up to our abilities. A good academic grade didn’t get you off the hook for poor effort either. Effort came first. We were expected to do our best.
We all need to learn the value of our personal best. We need to learn to take pride in it. We don’t all achieve at the same level; but we are all capable of our personal best, if we try. Popular culture doesn’t teach young people the value of striving for their personal best. Kids are taught they deserve a prize because everyone gets one.
Popular culture comes and popular culture goes, but the cowboy way of doing things never goes out of style. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us find it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
My dad taught me this one. “Son,” he said. “Whatever you do, do your best. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right.” Pretty simple. We all have different skills and abilities. Nobody does everything equally well; but for everything we do, each of us has a best. You know when you do your best; and you know when you don’t.
Where do our young people learn the value of doing their best? Where do they learn to strive for excellence? Excellence can be competitive. Popular culture has a problem with competition. Grades in school don’t mean what they used to. We have organized sports for kids that don’t keep score. We have contests where everyone wins a prize so no one feels bad. What kind of lesson does that teach? Why do your best, every outcome is the same? There is value in winning and learning to lose. It builds character. That’s how life is played. We keep score. If the average grade at Harvard today is A-, Harvard is a joke.
It isn’t just about winning and losing. It’s about how hard you try. Growing up we had a report card ritual at our house. When report cards came home, my brother and I would sit down at the kitchen table with dad. He read our cards in a particular way. He’d read all the effort grades first. Then he’d read the academic grades. Neither of us were straight A students, so invariably he’d find an academic clinker or two lurking somewhere. That wasn’t a problem, as long as the effort was there. We got in trouble if our effort wasn’t up to our abilities. A good academic grade didn’t get you off the hook for poor effort either. Effort came first. We were expected to do our best.
We all need to learn the value of our personal best. We need to learn to take pride in it. We don’t all achieve at the same level; but we are all capable of our personal best, if we try. Popular culture doesn’t teach young people the value of striving for their personal best. Kids are taught they deserve a prize because everyone gets one.
Popular culture comes and popular culture goes, but the cowboy way of doing things never goes out of style. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us find it.
1. Cowboys are Truthful and Honest
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond
3. Cowboys Play by the Rules
4. Cowboys Respect Authority
5. Cowboy Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Cowboys Take Pride in Their Work
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
