Episode 41 - "I Just Do It, What's the Worst that Could Happen?" My Conversation with Brandi Lucero

I'm excited to bring you another wonderful, insightful and inspirational conversation with another amazing Indigenous matriarch. Follow her story of her upbringing on the Pueblo of Isleta, her educational journey, moving off the REZ to pursue her professional career, and her eventual return home, finding her passion of serving the people through her namesake Black Corn. Sit back, relax, grab another ice cup from the freezer, pull up a chair on the porch and enjoy my conversation with Brandi.

Black Corn Remedy Massage 

Instagram: @blackcornremedy

http://blackcornremedy.square.site/

Transcript

0:38

Welcome to the show, life of a Dog Inez, a place where we share funny, cringe-worthy and inspirational stories from our beloved Pueblo Homelands and Turtle Island Stories that up uplift the soul. Provide us hope and heal our spirits. Just like getting a red ice cup from the local ice cup dealer, grandma LV for 25 cents on a hot July day after swimming in the ditch for hours and turning over the ice cup at a certain point to reveal the sweet syrupy red deliciousness that is at the core memories of summers on the res. I'm your host Yje, and I am so happy that you joined me today. I am excited to bring you another wonderful, insightful, and inspirational conversation with another amazing indigenous matriarch. Follow her story of her upbringing on the Pueblo of Isleta, her educational journey moving off the res to pursue her professional career and her eventual return home. Finding her passion of serving the people through her namesake black corn. So sit back, relax, get another ice cup out of the freezer, pull up a lawn chair, sit on the porch, and enjoy my conversation with eni.

brandimike1: 2:37

[Mic bleed] valley? Uh, Yeah. South Valley.

brandi1: 2:52

Okay. I have another inspirational, guest to my podcast. I am just excited we finally got a chance to come together and, find time to do this interview, this conversation. I'm excited to. Speak with my friend that I just got to know over the past few months. and without further ado, you can introduce yourself.

brandimike1: 3:15

Hiba, is Brandi Lucero, hyphenated her own. I'm from Ata Pueblo. I am. The daughter of Julie Lucero, the granddaughter of Miriam Lucero, I am so happy invited

brandi1: 3:30

Thank you. Thank you, Brandy. the way we got to know one another. Brandy followed me on my Instagram, Life of a Dog and Aez podcast page, and She listened to some of my, episodes as I followed her, I, followed her journey to, becoming a entrepreneur, a business owner, which, we'll, we'll discuss that a bit later, so that's how we got to know one another. Then we met, we had a pre-interview and we had a great discussion down in Esleta and just. visited and found connections to friends that we have, to, relatives that we have. So it thank you for, inviting me down here to your space. It's a beautiful space. Nice, calm, inviting. It's relaxing, but. as the interview continues, as the conversation, you will, know what we're talking about. But with that said, Brandy, if you could Talk about your upbringing there in Esleta. I, assume you grew up there on the res, right?

brandimike1: 4:20

Yeah, I did.

brandi1: 4:21

So anything you would like to share about your upbringing as a young child, what your parents instilled in you with your grandparents, your community with the local res dogs running around in, instilled in you

brandimike1: 4:34

head. Listen close to your name might be brought up. Just kidding.

brandi1: 4:37

Exactly.

brandimike1: 4:38

I'm just kidding. so I'm the youngest of three siblings. I grew up with a single mom. I did get to know my dad a little bit. he was from Teah. but I grew up in the Pueblo with my mom and I grew up. a alfalfa filled across from my grandparents. So my great-grandmother lived in between me and my grandparents, and there was another alfalfa filled between them. So we had our own little homestead kind of. So it was easy just to walk over to cheese or walk over to my great-grandma. Janet's for some bread, those were the people that watched us growing up. I am just thinking my grandparents had a lot of influence on me growing up with them. And, being the youngest of, I think like nine cousins. I was the baby ev, everyone had to carry me places.

brandi1: 5:24

So were you, uh, spoiled, would you say?

brandimike1: 5:27

I think my cousins will be like, yeah, it's just someone spoiled. But I think, there comes certain opportunities with the youngest. I mean, you get a lot of hand me down, so I had what I needed growing up

brandi1: 5:38

Yeah. So. if I can ask you, were you, grandpa's favorite?

brandimike1: 5:44

Yes. I am not gonna lie. Yes. My grandpa is, definitely one of my best friends growing up.

brandi1: 5:50

like we mentioned earlier, growing up on the res, it's a beautiful thing. what's something that you've taken away from growing up there and the rest, lessons that you were taught or things that were funny inspiration or cringeworthy?

brandimike1: 6:03

oh man. I think it's most of the inspiration from, my mother and the matriarchs within the community that I got to witness. Being themselves or just learning from them along the way, inspired me to take chances, and gave me the confidence to not be scared to take chances. And, if something doesn't work out, it's, it's okay. it's not the end of the world, but you can try again.

brandi1: 6:25

So were you one of those res kids that played in the plaza?

brandimike1: 6:29

yeah, definitely for feast time. I always remember, getting off of school and being excited to go to the feast during, Santa Augustine in August. And there was that full week and a half where everyone was down there in the evening. that was the fun time to just get some money, walk around with a pickle or, walk around playing dime toss. Looking for something to buy at those stands. my lip gloss, I would like to go

brandi1: 6:51

buy

brandimike1: 6:51

over there.

brandi1: 6:53

And that was Preilly, right? Yeah,

brandimike1: 6:55

Yes. Preilly. We didn't know what a Piccadilly was Like that's the time of the ice

brandi1: 6:59

cups. Yeah. You

brandimike1: 7:00

know what ice cup is like that was the Ice cup era.

brandi1: 7:03

Oh my gosh. You just, you just, brought me back when you said ice cups.

brandimike1: 7:08

it was funny because I went to the elementary school when it used to be right by the new recreation center, what we still call new. It's still new to us. but that area was the elementary center and I remember that part of our lunchtime, the older kids, like if you're fifth grade, sixth grade, if you got to wash the tables at the end, you got an ice cup. So everyone really wanted to help out at the end and like. Wash those tables. Oh my gosh.

brandi1: 7:31

Oh my gosh. Ice cup incentives, right?

brandimike1: 7:33

Yes. That was, that was the best.

brandi1: 7:35

Well, I was just, I'm thinking right now that was pre Piccadilly, but maybe, You think about it, if you, dice up some pickles, you throw it in your ice cup when you freeze it, and then you put extra pickles on top and then the

brandimike1: 7:50

We could go that far, but I don't know. Like there's just that something pure Kool-Aid ice in that styrofoam cup. Yeah. Yeah. That's,

brandi1: 7:57

it gets to that point where you're able to pop it up and turn it over. Yeah. turn it upside down and suck up because

brandimike1: 8:03

Yeah.

brandi1: 8:04

Yeah. I guess if you know, you know,

brandimike1: 8:06

Yeah. You'd have a trail of styrofoam right behind you.

brandi1: 8:09

exactly.

brandimike1: 8:11

You're just

brandi1: 8:11

destroying the world, but that's okay.

brandimike1: 8:15

Yeah. I was that little res girl with that Kool-Aid mouth

brandi1: 8:18

probably.

brandimike1: 8:18

around. yeah, definitely having a fun time. that was a time to get out and see your friends, because there's different sides of the reservation on both sides of the river, and where you lived is where you went to school. So there were probably three different schools that children on the res could have went to, and we would meet up at the feast. So that was kind of like the prime moment of where we got to see our friends.

brandi1: 8:39

that's a good segue into, my next question. What was your educational journey like there in Aleta as a young child,

brandimike1: 8:46

Oh, the best, the best. I went to school at the elementary school, through all six years, and the first woman that inspired me, or the first inspiration I found was through, miss Dr. Tiva, who taught at the school and she, was an art teacher, but also with a creativity, a bounds program, or they would call like a gifted program. so I got to know her Through that program. I was able to, test out of like math language arts and some science. So I was able to go into her program and do an accelerated. curriculum or something, learning fractions and being on the computer. And, she definitely was someone who inspired me fed me that education or that I wanted that, learning being creative with art, having art classes in the evening, like that was the highlight of going there. But also, definitely, um, The language that they pushed during that time we played Die Keeping Bgo during our library program. Mm-hmm. And, it was awesome experience. I think it was definitely a good foundation for me, being pushed by Miss Tiva being, cultivated in a place where I got to be active. I love sports. Had cross country did. basketball, felt like it was an awesome place to grow up for me and I enjoyed it.

brandi1: 9:58

shout out to Miss Tiva there for,

brandimike1: 10:01

Yes.

brandi1: 10:01

for all her inspiration so that's cool. What about, as you journeyed into middle school, high school?

brandimike1: 10:07

Yeah, so in middle school I went to Los Uni Middle School. I went there for about a year and a half and I left middle of my eighth grade year to pursue, an opportunity to go to Menal school. I think there was some type of, opportunity through our tribe. Mm-hmm. And we were able to get somewhat of a scholarship assistance with payment through that. So, my mom asked me one day and I remember, oh my gosh, I remember having a boyfriend. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I can't leave. Like, what? But at the same time, back then I knew I was just like. Let's do it. What do I have to lose? So I said, yeah, I'll, do that. And it was awesome because I got to transition to Manal school eighth grade year. I was still in time for basketball season. It was cool to say that I made varsity my eighth grade year. Wow. Yeah, just to be able to play with other, girls or just other players that I've never would have gotten to know transitioned to Manal like eighth grade to till graduating. So there was a handful of us, other Aleta girls that came with, and we did graduate together too. Yeah. I think school was awesome for those sports and. Feeding my creativity at those early years to keep me going.

brandi1: 11:18

a little bit more about Manal you went from eighth grade all the way to high school So you're a Manal Panther.

brandimike1: 11:24

Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

brandi1: 11:27

Alright. For some of my listeners, Manal, high school is off the reservation within Albuquerque and it is a, how would I describe,

brandimike1: 11:34

So it is a Presbyterian private school, definitely. it's changed since I've went. I think it's more geared towards, foreign exchange students from other countries.

brandi1: 11:44

you touched a little bit about. In your earlier years language being taught there in Esleta at the elementary and whatnot, being exposed to the language at home with your parents, your grandparents, your family, your community, what was your upbringing in the language as a young individual

brandimike1: 12:02

So, um, when I grew up, my grandparents Didn't bring us up into the tradition too much. my grandmother's family was converted to Baptist. and then later converted to Catholicism. but we didn't really grow up around it too much. We knew of it. my great-grandmother, she was from Hopi and she married. My great-grandfather and she moved here and so she enjoyed going to the dances. we would walk from the house to the village just to go watch or to go to the feast. And, it wasn't until later, I think, I knew of the language from school, but I never knew why, you know, my grandparents didn't participate as much or didn't feel as close to it. but later on would realize that boarding school and just like being away from the reservation, which kind of, hindered That connection. Yeah. later on, my mom did remarry, someone from the community and he definitely was pivotal in our life because he definitely was, involved more and so his family was involved more. So just that connection allowed me and my mom and my siblings to be, connected or at least have a connection and know why we do certain ceremonies or just understand more.

brandi1: 13:12

Well, thank you for that. I always say, the language is innate in all of us. Whether you grow up in the language, or it not part of you from. A certain point in your life, it always is part of you. eventually it does come, eventually it does surface because it's from thousands of years of our ancestors, our grandmothers, grandfathers, our people. that that knowledge is passed on through our DNA, our Ceremonies, our understanding, our surroundings, thank you for your honesty about that, because I like to, get people's. True thoughts and feelings about language people say, oh, I can't speak the language, or, the language is dying, it's not, it's, still with us. It'll never die. it will always continue. it survived thousands of years and it's gonna survive thousands of years more. So. Thank you Brandy

brandimike1: 14:01

Yeah. And building on that, it takes work. I've been trying as an adult right now. Mm-hmm. I have, an uncle through my husband. he learned when he was an adult he's always. Told us I'm an adult. I've learned you can do it. You can do it. And it does it's gonna be hard. Exactly. It's not gonna be easy. I'm sorry, but you really do have to work at it and, take the steps I've taken so far where, I'm happy. Our tribe has some language classes. Mm-hmm. before CIDI me and my husband started in person, and then COVID happened and. They picked up the language program again it was through Zoom or through phone, and I was able to do in person and through phone, which was something where both, instances helped me listening on the phone to somebody and just having learning through that way. I can hear it now. I can hear the tone difference now, I can't hear it in myself when I'm trying to say it to myself, but I have to record myself and listen, like, oh,

brandi1: 14:56

Well, we're all learners in different ways, But yeah, definitely. And I, encourage you to keep going because again, it's innate in all of us, and it's always there and it'll always be there it will surface when it's time for it to come out thank you, Randy, for that. Yeah. So. going back to your educational journey, you mentioned that you got a degree in If you can speak about that journey.

brandimike1: 15:19

Yeah, so I went to college in Fort Lewis. it's kind of funny how it happened because I didn't know I was going into Fort Lewis until a week before school started. Yeah. I, after high school, I really wanted to go out of the state and I wanted to go to Chapman University. It was near Disneyland and I wanted to go there. I got in to run track. I was planning to go there, but a scholarship that they gave me didn't cover the tuition, so I really had to make a big decision to say, okay. Two months before I was supposed to go. Like, I don't think I can afford this. And that was hard. cause I felt like a failure. cause I didn't apply for any other scholarships. I was gung ho. I was just gonna go. Yeah, that was hard, but I just knew I wanted to be outta here. I didn't know where though. And so I called up all the other colleges that I got accepted into seeing if I could still come. I called Redlands in California. there was a college in Washington and then I also called Fort Lewis. And Fort Lewis. that same day, a week before school started, I spoke to the admissions person who was assigned to me and they looked at my a CT scores and they s signed my grades and they told me, well, if you can get this application completed, I think we can get you in next week. I'm like, okay. So fast forward couple days before I'm supposed to go, I told my mom, Hey, um, do you think you can take off of work?'cause I need you to drop me off at school at Fort Lewis. And she was just, what? Um, okay. But of course my mom has been someone that's just supported me, so she said, all right, well I'll, I'll take you. Do you have all your stuff packed? So I did, I, I definitely got myself into college a week before and just figured it out along the way. But, um, but yeah, I went there for four years. I started off, being a chem major. I wanted to be a chemist. I loved mixing things. I loved making homemade fireworks and things probably you shouldn't make my older cousins would teach me. So being the youngest, you learn from your older. Probably male masculine cousins. How to make stuff that you're not supposed to How to things on fire. Yeah, that was, yeah.

brandimike2: 17:26

I was interested in chemistry. oh man. halfway through probably about my junior year. I just didn't wanna do it anymore and that was because mostly I got frustrated because I couldn't pass a class. I was just done with analytical chem. I took it three times and it just, something that didn't click and of course felt very terrible, but at the same time I was like, I'm still gonna finish here in four years. what else can I do? So I remember looking on the computer what credits I did have and what other degrees I could get so I wasn't too far off from. A public health degree, with the allied science, so going into nursing. So I figured, okay, I'll just change degrees now. So I did and I kept my chemistry as a minor,'cause I had enough credits to keep it, so I'm like, oh, I'll just keep it as a minor then. I went into community health and then there I. was exposed to more research and design. Community health and wellness. But also, that was kind of the year I joined, a organization on campus called, well pac. And it was basically a student led, of course, organization that focused on wellness within the college community. So tabling events we would invite people for, wellness activities. So how I volunteered was mostly through tabling. I really wanted to challenge myself to talk to people, and I would help set up the table, in the student union or the cafeteria area and just sit there and wait to people look my way. Like, Hey, what's up? What are you doing? Like, waiting to make that connection. And it was hard at first because I know you knew when people didn't wanna look at you or didn't wanna stop, they'd be like. walk by really fast. it was, just like, Hey, how are you doing today? What's up? just talking to'em like a normal person then hey out. Well, I'm here with Wal Pack and we're just doing this. So if you know of anybody, you know, kept it really short and had like an elevator speech. And soon they would come back community health was something that I really enjoyed doing. after college, after I graduated, I was able to, work with a nonprofit organization within Durango that was nice. I worked where with Planned Parenthood and I was doing, sexual reproductive health education. And I was working mostly with, college students'cause that's what I just came out from doing. graduated from college. So I was able to connect with peers and organizations on campus. but also I started working with youth and started going to elementary schools middle school, high school, and started doing educational classes

brandi2: 19:50

Fort Lewis, extends free tuition Correct. To native students. I know that that was a agreement made with the federal government and the Ute tribe, also other surrounding, native, nations, indigenous communities that they would extend that. is that still. to this day?

brandimike2: 20:07

Oh, I am not too sure. I am not, I'm a bad alumni. I don't, I don't

brandi2: 20:11

You're a bad

brandimike2: 20:12

I'm a bad alumni. I don't know. I'm pretty sure it is. I mean, that would be a factor for me to push my son to still go to. Yeah. But when I went there, yes. that definitely is still stood.

brandi2: 20:21

Yeah. And that really, really was beneficial. I know a lot our pueblo people, a lot of native people, without that type of assistance, wouldn't be able to, experience, a higher education, of learning. I know many of my, community members. From Santa Ana, I have taken advantage of it, and I have gotten degrees, which was very, very beneficial for them in I think that it was one of the good things that was set up through the federal government and the agreements between the tribes and Fort Lewis itself, because that's a liberal arts college the tuition could be, quite pricey there. I understand.

brandimike2: 20:57

Yeah. And being in that area too is quite pricey too. Just Durango alone, it's grown to be a very expensive

brandi2: 21:03

Yeah. It was a beautiful place up there. Yeah. nice area. If you've never been, it's, close to all the. Ski resorts purgatory, Wolf Creek and whatnot. But do you know how to ski? Do you No. Did you learn how

brandimike2: 21:15

no. That was one thing I was too chicken to break a bone I don't know. I was scared. I'd rather go down on a tube on my butt and, yeah.

brandi2: 21:24

I think that's even more dangerous.

brandimike2: 21:26

safer. I think it's safer. I

brandi2: 21:27

dunno.

brandimike2: 21:28

I lived in Durango for a while too, and, I remember transitioning from the dorms to living out off of campus that I lived in like a hotel room for about two

brandi2: 21:37

Oh wow.

brandimike2: 21:38

wow. Because me and my boyfriend, who is now my husband, he wanted to move up with me my junior year, so we made it happen somehow. And I lived in a hotel two weeks looking for a place in that area, found one. and that's kind of like another. Pivotal moment for not only me, but my spouse too. Durango helped us grow up. Learned more about each other

brandi2: 21:58

too. You guys had to be adults by

brandimike2: 22:00

We did, yes. Buy own toilet

brandi2: 22:02

paper. You couldn't rely on

brandimike2: 22:03

Oh my gosh. there were some struggles though I remember for a whole month I worked at TJ Maxx and, that was my main source of rent, but also some food. But I went to school full time, tried to work full time, and then my husband was the only one that had wheels, so I was relying on the public transportation. Like, I remember a whole month just eating nothing but p and p, bologna and bread. Like that's all we could afford. Like, it was just, it was so expensive. But those moments we grew out of. Yeah. And we were able to figure out one, like how to plan financially better, because we were definitely ones that took advantage of like being out. Durango, like fishing. Oh, I remember there were times where I did skip class to go fishing. instead. yeah. It wasn't a skier. I just, I love to be out and walk about and, take apart and being outside with my husband.

brandi2: 22:57

hope you ate the fish for dinner. You didn't? Oh, yeah. Oh, okay. Okay,

brandimike2: 23:00

Um, but of course there's some lakes you don't wanna eat the fish there'cause of the mercury. So there were some, and of course it was right before, that spill that happened up there too. So, yeah, we, we,

brandi2: 23:11

Yeah, definitely. I was a college student and you have to be resourceful, you gotta figure out how to do things. when I was in college, all I had was a bike for transportation. I rode my bike to school, I rode it everywhere. And, I didn't mind, I mean, it was something that I just did, but you just find ways to do things. Thanks Brandy for that kind of snapping me back there.

brandimike2: 23:33

me back. Yeah, yeah. Don't forget your c legs where you came from. Exactly.

brandi2: 23:37

so as you graduate from, Fort Lewis you start your journey into your, hey, adult life, where did that take you? Where did that lead you? Oh,

brandimike2: 23:47

Oh, after graduating, I just worked a different, jobs, caregiving for a while. That was the main job I had during college, so I kind of kept that. And even working at the nonprofit that I worked at,'cause working two jobs in Durango was very common. even if it was a full-time and a part-time, I just sometime made it work. but after then working in the nonprofit for Planned Parenthood offered a little bit more opportunity to get more training. I remember my first day being hired, they sent me to Denver To train, in the organization, whatever that, looked like. Like harassment training, they did everything in person and that was really awesome to have that experience. And then I had to do my own sexual health educators program, which gave me the tools and also the resources to learn how to be, an educator within classroom settings or within professional settings. my manager at the time definitely was supportive and just really, introduced me to new ways of how to work more efficiently. Mm-hmm. And, but I worked for that nonprofit for a while and, um, spent most of my professional career doing that. Mm-hmm. Being in Planned Parenthood, you, it's, it's mostly non-indigenous people. And I remember that being, going to one conference where they brought the whole organization together and they had these certain days where, or they would call caucuses where we could split out into our, our ethnicity groups mm-hmm. Ethnic groups. And I remember like going to the indigenous one, like there were only four or five of us in all of the 50 states. I don't know if they got to go to that one, but it was just real eyeopening. Yeah. And I know my coworker, who worked in Albuquerque, she was the only native person in the education department as well. Mm-hmm. So me and her really kind of hit it off she was another person that really inspired me to. Not be scared but also just stand up for yourself too in a big organization like that, but also for myself in everyday life. I think that is another, job that kind of shaped me into the person I am to be able to talk to people, to not be ashamed about talking about sex in front of people. Like We all experience that's how we repopulate the, communities like Yeah,

brandi2: 25:53

how long were you in that

brandimike2: 25:54

so I graduated in 2015. I started 2016 and I ended right in 2019. So, no, 21 is when I ended. So it was a good chunk after graduating.

brandi2: 26:06

in our previous, conversation you mentioned that you, and correct me if I'm wrong, you decided to go back to school or you wanted to go back to school or, um, yeah, I can't remember. no. So, refresh my

brandimike2: 26:19

Yeah. Yeah. No. So working with Planned Parenthood, it, offered so much opportunity traveling, that was such a perk of it. Like, I got to go to places I'd never been to for Atlanta. I got to go to different places to teach education. I went to Gallup a few times to teach some of their teachers in that area be in those places like that to give them the resources to talk to people and to keep their bodies healthy. I didn't wanna leave. I didn't want to. And it offered so many good benefits too. Like, I got to bring my little guide to work with me for the first three months or until they walked. They could stay with

brandi2: 26:52

let's put a breaks here.

brandimike2: 26:54

Yeah.

brandi2: 26:54

I know that you have a little son, but if you can go back for my audience

brandimike2: 27:00

When, when I had my son.

brandi2: 27:01

when when you have your son. Yeah. Yeah. So that way we can get,

brandimike2: 27:05

I know. Yeah. let's see. So I was working in Planned Parenthood and I was still living in Durango. And me and my husband decided that we wanted to take that next step mm-hmm. Because it was just us two and our three dogs. And we were ready, for both of us. We hadn't made that, let's do this. Let's, grow another one of us. Let's do this together. so we did. And when we got pregnant, it was Nerve wracking because we were so far from family. Mm-hmm. And I wanted to stay in Durango'cause it was beautiful. It offered a really nice area to be at. And I wanted my child to experience that. But it just wasn't feasible because I wanted my child to have Chii and Ed have their, aunties, their. Cousins, everything. And so that was a factor of us moving from Durango back to Albuquerque. had my baby while I was still working at Planned Parenthood. I went back to work, in 2020. I had three months of leave and I was so excited to go back to work. And then COVID started to slowly happen and then got sent home. so I worked with Planned Parenthood till about, God, it's so hazy now. I'm like, dang, 2020 about that time. had my baby when I still lived in Esleta, worked with Planned Parenthood, working on the computer. COVID happened, so everyone had to stay home. So I was, breastfeeding a baby on the computer, doing it at the same time somehow. and then going for walks every day. Yeah.

brandi2: 28:27

So, how old is your son now?

brandimike2: 28:29

He's five. Five. And what is his name? His name's Harold

brandi2: 28:32

ii. Harold ii. nice, nice, nice. So continue, continue

brandimike2: 28:36

That's what I had my baby. yeah,

brandi2: 28:38

because we just had to take a step back.

brandimike2: 28:41

anyway, I, um, after being cooped up in COVID for so long, I just had this itch of I wanna go do something else. I'm in Aleta, I wanna go help my community somehow. So I saw the ad for a, CHR coordinator at the health center. And I figured, you know what? I think I can do this, I can do I can totally do this. And I applied for it and I remember my interview. The then director at the time was another woman that inspired me. Ms. Kristen ipa. Just gave me that chance to try to run that program. Mm-hmm. And I was nervous running it because I was young. And I, Older people don't wanna be told what to do by a younger person. and that was hard because I feel like I came in with all this energy and it was just people my balloon perm poked my balloon and it was like, man, okay, I don't wanna let this get to me. So I found other ways to kind of keep busy. when I got there, I didn't have anybody to really show me. How to do my job. the person who was there before me, she worked there for such a long time, but she only handled it, but she didn't teach anybody else. And it was kind of me trying to read through the notes on how to figure out how to do this job, because even my manager, my director, didn't know how to do this job either. And it was hard. I was relying on the two staff that I had to, manage what did she do? What was the purpose of this? Like, what was the purpose of the program? So I really had to kind of rely on what I learned at Planned Parenthood from my manager and all the habits they taught me. Mm-hmm. And try to implement them here. And it was so hard because I had some very challenging personalities that weren't used to someone like me. There were times where I went crying. Yeah, yeah. There were a time where older men made me cry.'cause it was like, why are you so mean? Like why, and it sounds so silly, but that's what I had to deal with. there. Yeah.

brandi2: 30:24

for my audience, and I mentioned this in a previous episode with, G Precious Brenda CIO about the CHR. And CHR is the acronym for Community Health Representative. during my time, I'm dating myself, how old I am, CHR is for like everything. They were the doctors, they were the nurses. They were the pharmacists. They were even the veterinarians something happened at home at that time we didn't have cell phones. the nine one one system wasn't really, so they would call the CHR, call the CR, and my mom used to be at CHR, so if somebody got hurt, I mean, even if somebody had chest pains, they're like, call the chr. My mom had very limited, medical. Training in anything, but they did the best they could, you know, and that's, I always remember that the CHRs were like the go-to doctors

brandimike2: 31:13

Oh man.

brandi2: 31:14

in the community, I just wanted to bring that up. It's just so funny. And I think a lot of my older listeners, um, that remember CHRs that time was that person that you went to, you called on, you know, maybe you have some

brandimike2: 31:28

something that that's so true. You know, in different communities, CHR looks so different and with all the pueblos, and I recognize that when we would have CHR meetings, with different pueblos, All of the pueblos are different and where they're at, some. CHR programs are bigger. Some are way smaller, and some of them target everything, like you said. luckily in Esleta, we're very, fortunate to have that big health center, to have an EMS, to have a pharmacy, to have access to that. Because right now, CHR when I first got there, it was just transportation and delivery of medications. I came from the background of a community health outreach education realm. just going into transportation, learning something new like that was, ugh, that it was so different. It was a different expectation I had going in, had all these ideas of like, oh yeah, this is community health. Like this is totally gonna fit under here. that was hard. That was just, okay, how do I work with this now? how can I help shape this into what it can be? but CHR now what I was doing was transportation to non-emergency medical appointments. So mostly the people that we did serve on our pueblo lived on the reservation. mostly were people who had dialysis or needed, chemo, ride to their chemo appointments. I got to meet some of our elders through there, and that was such a beautiful time. Oh, I loved it. during those times, I loved driving more than I did. running the program. Because they had so much knowledge. It was just that. peace that 20 minute drive of like, man, this is just what I needed. Like, and

brandi2: 33:01

And, being that proverbial fly on

brandimike2: 33:03

the wall. Yes. listening

brandi2: 33:04

to everything that they say. Yeah. And

brandimike2: 33:05

Yes. speaking

brandi2: 33:06

in the language, I'm sure when you transported some of those, uh, elders from Aled, they spoke in the language

brandimike2: 33:12

I feel happy, but at the same time, I wish I could have got to know them in that way. Mm-hmm. it was that common language we had they would ask me about my running or they'd ask me where are you guys gonna go hunting this year? referring to me, my husband. And it was something different. And I'm really happy I got to experience that with those elders.

brandi2: 33:28

that connection that generational connection that we all, have. Because you're young, you're, still young, Like my mom always says, you're just a drop in the bucket.

brandimike2: 33:36

I always use that. Every time anybody

brandi2: 33:37

says, oh, I'm old. That's like, you're just a drop in the bucket. having that generational gap. Narrowed just through story, just through connection, just through sharing of information. And I'm sure that like you mentioned, it wasn't really the language, but words were probably spoken, in the language that they felt comfortable enough to speak to and share whatever they were, feeling that day. I'm sure it was just as much of a comfort for them to speak to you as that it was for you to

brandimike2: 34:02

them. Oh, yeah. And surprisingly, full circle, I remember, he was something very traditional. he definitely had role in our, dancing

brandi2: 34:10

Mm-hmm.

brandimike2: 34:11

And he, told me, he is like, I didn't start off like this, one day they just asked me. And I was young I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. And just that validation of you can still learn. Exactly. You can still learn. Exactly. Yeah. Nice,

brandi2: 34:24

Nice, Yeah. So as you journeyed as a CHR

brandimike2: 34:27

coordinator, oh my gosh.

brandi2: 34:29

with your little CHR bag,

brandimike2: 34:30

my mom a CH bank. I didn't get a bag. I got a cool little name plate though. I was so excited when I got a name plate.'cause they asked me,'cause I never had it like at Planned Parenthood, they didn't give me a name plate. It was just like a little name tag I had and that was fine. I felt cool at the tribe.

brandi2: 34:44

because I made it.

brandimike2: 34:45

I made it, I made it back. I'm here, but like, well see me now. Exactly. Like the youngest CHR coordinator, like Exactly.

brandi2: 34:58

Oh

brandimike2: 34:59

Oh man. But it, it was hard. It was hard just coming back to the community too after being gone and learning from another organization and wanting to implement some of the awesome ideas Things I got to experience through there and try to implement here it just didn't work that was the realization I had to make, I think, being there. Yeah. But I did the best I could there. I definitely knew, CHR could be more. Yeah. And before I left Planned Parenthood, I was involved with another program that, I helped with, which is the Native Community Health Network. And it's the only community health indigenous network or community health indigenous program within Planned Parenthood. The only one. And so my manager at the time, she created that. I just create all the little things that we needed to do. Learning from that, I knew that CHR could be just as good. I learned how to write job descriptions. I saw some funding being available. My, director, Ms sent me like, Hey, Albuquerque Indian Health Board is giving some funds out for the CHRs or for this program. Can you, could you figure out how to use this? I'm like, yeah, I totally can. And when I got to CHR, there were only two employees who were, drivers. They were driving people to their dialysis, but they were also helping with COVID deliveries of, supplies, gloves, masks. They were delivering to everyone in the. Community. when I got to be manager, I, realized pay wasn't good. Mm-hmm. It was not good. I know that's something that is still a problem too within some of our communities. And I know within our community too, it's getting those jobs filled and doesn't pay as much as it could outside of the reservation. Exactly. So that was something that I was like, I, hear them, my two employees that I was over They're like, we're not getting paid enough for this. We do a lot. I'm like, I know, I see you're doing a lot. I know you are. Mm-hmm. I see it. It's all here. I can see how many miles you're driving. I see how many people you deliver to. Like, I see it. I see how many people you see. Yeah. So I looked at that funding opportunity and I figured, okay, I'll do it. I'll get the funding. So I was able to secure the funding and through that I wanted to increase pay for CHR. Mm-hmm. And so I couldn't just give a pay raise, like, here have this free money. No. I needed to figure out how I can work within their job description and help them give that certification to be able to get paid hire. So I knew a little bit about CHW within the state. and how to get certified through the state. I figured getting that state certification is gonna be very helpful because not only are we helping our, our community members on the reservation, but we can also help them off the reservation because, our people still live off the reservation too. There's not enough room for all of us on the res, like, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. So I wanted our CHRs to be well-rounded in those resources because it's not just limited to Aleta, like Los Lunas, Valencia County, there's Bernalillo County, we're everywhere. I learned from Becky Jones that you gotta know all of our resources. You gotta at least try to apply yourself to know those things. So that way if you meet someone down the road who needs those, like, Hey, I can have so and so's number for doula work, or I know this person can do HIV testing. Like, you know, those, knowing some of those, those But I totally forgot our question. I know. I'm probably going on and on.

brandi2: 38:13

no, no, no. now that we covered from C to R on CR. No kidding.

brandimike2: 38:19

Oh, with a job description, that's what it is. So just changing the job description, that was something new to me. just learning to run a program that was very new. Very new.

brandi2: 38:28

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think, that experience that you had not only working with Planned Parenthood, as also a CHR coordinator has. Giving you that experience and background into what you are doing now, which, I would love to, segue into that how this, business, this entrepreneurship, this thing that you started that I find amazing. and I'll let you talk about it. I'll let you explain how that journey, began. Uh,

brandimike2: 38:59

well, it happened right after writing that job description for CHRI just got burnt out. Mm-hmm. I kind of had that in mind for probably almost a year and a half. And so I had to work a year and a half of that, getting signatures, getting edits, and I did it. I'm sorry, I'm gonna chew my own horn. I did it all myself. I did, I did. Like, it definitely took some hard conversations with older people or with other people to figure out how I wanted to shape that, how I could get that to move forth. I did see it through and I'm happy I did, but I think then it was like, you know what, like I just felt being a manager of a program like that, you are in the community a lot, you have to go to those events. You have to put on those events. You're working that eight to five. And if you're driving CHR, sometimes traffic holds you up. So you're five 15, you're getting home. Yeah. it wasn't something that I could see myself doing forever. Mm-hmm. And I had my little, boy, my boy was probably like two at the time And I didn't want that. I didn't want that anymore. I wanted to be a stay at home mom, but I'm too busy for that too. Like, I, I have too many goals to just stay home. But no, I had more goals that I really wanted to, do, and I just didn't know what they were yet. And I didn't know where I would end up. So I made the tough decision to move on from CHR and segued into UNM Cancer Research Center for a little bit. Mm-hmm. And that was my first, I wanna say my first big girl job, because that was my first salary that I felt like I, man, like I made it, I'm here, like top of the ladder, I'm climbing up. again, just expectation of this is gonna fulfill me to like, no, I don't wanna be on the computer. I don't wanna, I'm burnt out from, being out in the community too. I just, wanna do something quiet for myself. what makes me feel good I had seen like a Facebook ad for New Mexico school massage and it was like, man, like I could use massage. Hey, I would love to give someone massage and just to, let them relax and I wanna hold that space and energy for them. I wanna be that person that they can come We'll see, we'll see. And then, just started to think about it a little bit more. I applied, I got in and I didn't know how I was gonna pay for it. Mm-hmm. it is expensive. I had a 401k that I could dip into and I dipped into it, I was gonna be out of work for four months Monday through Saturday, eight to five. for four months. I was either doing student clinic or I was at school and You could have a job. There were some of my classmates that had a job during that, but I could not, I already had my, husband to, help and to connect with and I had my child to give my love to as well. So I felt like already kind of stretched thin. I just have enough to do the laundry and things around the house contribute that

brandi2: 41:42

Yeah. So what was your husband's reaction when, you first told him, Hey, I wanna

brandimike2: 41:46

be a massage therapist? Oh, I remember he was like, um, are you sure? And I was like, yeah, I'm sure I needed the supportive words, like, I need support. Like, yes, I can do this. And he told me, well, how are you gonna pay for it? And I told him the logistics thought about this. He's like, okay, well, okay, I'll talk to you when I get home. Like I, I can get a lot of loss words'cause he's always known me to be like. What I wanna do, I'm gonna figure out how to do it. And he's like, okay, let her do her thing. She's gonna do it. I started and whew, four months went by quick, but also slow.

brandi2: 42:25

So.

brandimike2: 42:26

Slow.

brandi2: 42:27

Well, that's a supportive husband there that you have,

brandimike2: 42:30

you know?

brandi2: 42:31

that's what relationships and, marriage is about. even though, in the, onset you might think, oh man, we're, gonna put ourselves through something that's gonna change, but that support, that love, that understanding that he gave you and your family and everybody else. I really appreciate you sharing

brandimike2: 42:47

that story Yeah. And that's, you know, it intertwines with the real story too, is just, relationships are hard. Yeah. And being married is hard, you really have to work at it every day. Exactly. And that was a point I think like, four months that yes. He was so supportive. Helped me get my son off the bus, helped in those ways normally if father would. And but also went above and beyond of like, Hey, I just got dinner for us. I know you're busy. You have to wake up early to read your books, definitely helps me in that time and I'm so thankful to have had that strong support and,

brandi2: 43:20

great. Yeah. you talk about how marriage is difficult. I was married, many years right now my, relationship with my ex-wife is, wonderful. a daughter and, it's something that, is beautiful. Now, Of course, there was tumultuous times, but just a couple days ago, my, granddaughter. She had her first birthday and I was talking with My future daughter-in-law I remember my daughter's first birthday, we had it at, Peter Piper's, and I said, we almost got divorced that day. cause it was so stressful, dude. I mean, it was on a Saturday at around noon, the most busiest time there at Peter Piper's plus family and, not enough food. And oh my gosh, it was so stressful. I always remember that. But yeah, marriage is compromise marriage is, just understanding and whatnot. But yeah, even though eventually my marriage with my, wife, my ex-wife, didn't work, I think our, our relationship is so strong today, stronger than it's ever been. And we have a, connection that's like family, which, I really appreciate. So yeah. Thank

brandimike2: 44:18

for sharing that part of your love. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. I think that's awesome that it worked out and you have that good connection and that, you realize that now too, of like, Hey, it didn't work out, but we're still, good now. Like, exactly. Yeah. Yeah.

brandi2: 44:30

so continue about your journey

brandimike2: 44:31

so, um, it was New Mexico School massage that I went to four month program Monday through Saturday. Like I said, it was very intense. it's definitely a program where it taught me how to pass the test, because I only had four months. Some of the programs within New Mexico that I seen were nine months, and I don't know, I was in that mode of I just gotta go do something. Mm-hmm. Like, I can't just wait around. I don't wanna do nine months of doing nothing and just, doing that. I can't see myself doing So I kind of just pushed myself to go through that four month program and I had the background, of course. Mm-hmm. within my degree of the Allied health, I knew about some of the physiology and the anatomy and so that came pretty easy. the staff was just really helpful. Throughout all the programs, and what we had to learn, it was a 650 hour program. during that time we had a couple of different, staff teaching different things. So our main instructor was Andrew Ne. he's awesome. He ended up being my mentor right after I graduated from massage school. I did an internship through his massage practice, and that's kind of how I started my business and how Black Corn Remedy started.

brandi2: 45:40

Mm-hmm. But we'll

brandimike2: 45:41

Yeah, we will. But through that program, there was a test every week. if you missed a class, you had to pay either to retake that test or to submit your homework. Mm-hmm. it was very strict and even eating on the premises, it was an Ayurvedic institute, so their practice was to, not eat meat. Mm-hmm. And so, our lunches couldn't Have meat in them or anything

brandi2: 46:05

that. It couldn't be your bologna sandwiches. You ate up

brandimike2: 46:07

to go eat on the steps, like a sad little girl all eating my bologna sandwich outside. but we worked around that and I was in a cohort with, about like 13 of us all together. we spent every day together. however, during that time and during that cohort, we unfortunately lost one of our peers. due to domestic violence and, that was something hard for all of us during that time. definitely eyeopening for me. And, you can see someone one week and not see them. and you don't know what people are going through too, what they're willing to share, so. Exactly. Yeah.

brandi2: 46:45

I'm sorry about as you journey that cohort into the world of massage,

brandimike2: 46:54

Uh, it's. It was good but hard. I got a scholarship to go to school, so I paid half of my 401k, got a scholarship through Massage Envy, and after school I had a year to repay my scholarship. Didn't work for Massage Envy, so I worked there for a year. it was a lot. I worked far from my home, so it was definitely more than 30 miles to travel to work. Wow. So it was on the other side of town. And that was hard traveling from Aleta. And I did that for a whole year. Again, I had to keep 30 hours a week, So I was going there about five times a week for about, yeah, almost eight hours. Six hours at the time. I don't know my math now, but, um, it was hard.'cause I had five minutes in between people. It opened my eyes up, but it also gave me the hands-on experience I needed. there was no time to be like, oh, I don't know if I did that right. Does that feel okay? Mm-hmm. no, that made me more assertive. Like, what focus areas do you want me to work on? Mm-hmm. What's hurting you? can you tell me a little bit more? It helped me get to the root of the problem in a quicker time. And get that hands-on experience. Mm-hmm. And I'm happy, but also I don't think I would do it again.

brandi2: 48:08

Yeah. Well you have to cut your teeth somewhere,

brandimike2: 48:11

know? Yeah. Yeah. That made me work for it. And, I met some really awesome therapists along the way too. while working at Massage Envy, I was also running my business. Mm-hmm. I, took the exam that you had to do to get your license. I took that a week before I graduated, and then got my. certificate for massage school. And that same day I applied for my license and it was like maybe a week later I got my license. Nice. And that same day again, just applied for my business license. set up my tax stuff and set up business within a week of graduating. I did a business plan model during my time at massage school. And so I just went off of that. Nice, nice. I was able to connect with one of my, teachers during that time who taught anatomy, Andrew, and he owned o Aurora Sky Wellness. He's dne. he taught me a lot more business ethics, but also more business, logistics on how to utilize my square and how to, set up my books when it comes to bookkeeping and gave me a lot of good advice. Helped me hands-on as well, but also was the first person to like, rent me out a room. from his space. I started taking clients one at a time. Whoever I seen during my student, clinic hours at the massage school. I just was like, Hey, I'm gonna still be doing this. Give me a call. And some were like, oh, I don't know if I can afford it. Well, I'll do it for free. Like, just come, just let me practice. Let me practice. Exactly.

brandi2: 49:33

the drug dealer model, you give away your product

brandimike2: 49:36

for the

brandi2: 49:36

for the first time. Right? exactly.

brandimike2: 49:37

I'll let you try 30 minutes. Yeah, exactly. Then you gotta get me dinner. Yeah, Yeah. Yeah. And it was common even with like my family members, I tell them like, Hey, I got this open. all I'm asking for is for childcare or dinner. if you can do one of the two, I'll, I'll trade for that. Yeah.

brandi2: 49:52

Exactly. Yeah. Well that's just the way you build up, your network and you build up your clientele is through that. Eventually it does come full circle. So, now that we're here at the, point of you starting your own business, like you mentioned you were working with, massage Envy for a while, but also started your actual business, the name of your business. I was surprised to find out, what it stands for. Maybe we can speak about that a little bit.

brandimike2: 50:17

Yeah, so Black Corn Remedy Massage, comes from my own name. my name in is Uni, which means black corn, and that's the name my grandmother gave me, which is the name of her mom, Damia. And so I inherited that name and I really never used it when I was younger. No one ever called me uni Everyone just called me Brandy or Brandy Lee. Mm-hmm. It was never uni or never black corn, so it wasn't something till later on, till when I met my husband and. he asked me and I was like, it's uni. I Oh. Mean ever since then, he kind of just incorporated it into our relationship using it more. it kind of just, reminded me of that's who I am.

brandi2: 51:05

It's better than Sweetie Pie or

brandimike2: 51:07

Yeah.

brandi2: 51:08

Honey Buns or

brandimike2: 51:09

wanna hear Babe at Zuni. Oh, that's when it's like, woo. Yes.

brandi2: 51:13

exactly. our names that were given to us are so, so. I can't even explain how deep and far they go back into who we are, our identity, cause those names were given through ceremony. They weren't just given like, today, I name you this, you know, today you're gonna be known as that. No, those were thought of, those were given through ceremonies we were presented to the sun, to, acknowledge to the, spiritual world. Who we are, how we've always known. So, I've interviewed other Aleta women that. Our business entrepreneurs, and they use their Indian names for their businesses, their identity. Like, Janus, ero, com, blossom Garden, that's com blossom. The same with, behi, behi beads. Erica, her own, her business is based off her name as well, the new Black Corn Remedy, I just find so inspirational. I just find it so connecting, at first I thought, oh, you know, how come she didn't name it Blue Corn? But, that was just my lack of knowledge. But once you told me what it meant, it just, gave me that understanding. Oh, now I know, because in our. Pueblo understanding I know exactly what black corn represents, what's one of the more sacred corns that's grown, with white corn and blue corn, the one that comes out deep purple, almost black, they use those in ceremony, that signify things in a deeper spiritual level. I really appreciate that brandy, So Continue with, your story about black

brandimike2: 52:44

women. Yeah. I feel like. am, I am getting realigned. With our culture now. reintroduced again. it does feel good to be called a funny, thinking of how you said the names we're given, I'm trying to think ooh, who is uni Who was my great-grandmother? Yeah. she was fierce. She, didn't let anybody tell her. No. Like, I'm thinking about me too. what qualities did I have? So,

brandi2: 53:04

So, if I can take a step back here. You mentioned your great grandmother's name was Damia. Yeah. speaking with Erica, she was going into her family history and she mentioned that her great-grandmother was also Desia. Was it the same Desia that,

brandimike2: 53:22

Ooh. It could definitely be, but I, I don't

brandi2: 53:30

we have to find out for the next interview that we do, the next conversation, the part

brandimike2: 53:35

yes. we'll we'll give

brandi2: 53:36

you guys the answer if, damia, that is Brandi's namesake and Erica Haris great-grandmother, it's the same person. So stay tuned.

brandimike2: 53:49

what made me wanna use that name is just, I did want to feel closer, but I also felt like that's me. That's who I wanna give. I wanna give that space to unwind, to relax. I wanted. I wanna give that foundation or just, that time where someone can really just be with themselves and their thoughts. Yeah. And that's what attracted me to massage it was a time where either one, I love a massage. It makes me feel really good. There's sometimes I do fall asleep sometimes where I don't, I have those, feel good moments, of who I am mm-hmm. What I want, what my goals are, like a, good, clear vision of that. And I'm just hoping I can bring that to people as well. Whether that's calming their nervous system to help them get there, or alleviating some pain to help them. Mm-hmm. Too.

brandi2: 54:36

what was your very, very first client besides, working on people at, school but your very first person you massaged, was that like butter or was it like, oh man, am I doing this right? Am I pressing too hard? Is,

brandimike2: 54:51

you

brandi2: 54:51

what was that like? You,

brandimike2: 54:52

I think yeah, the nerves were in clinic for sure. I remember, I do remember some person coming in and they really wanted deep tissue. Mm-hmm. And I was just like, how is this, how do you like this? Like you want No, like I, yeah, it, I don't wanna do deep pressure like that. I don't wanna have my elbow licking your bone. And like, I don't want to go that deep. it's funny'cause some people when they come to me, they're like, oh, I had deep tissue and it hurt like I was sore for days. I felt like a bus hit me and I was like, I understand some people do like that. Yeah. But I don't feel like you should feel like that afterwards. hydration and light stretching. And of course your health really depend on how you're gonna feel afterwards.'cause we're all gonna be different and feel different But like, I don't want you to feel sore either. I know soreness is a part of it and it helps, but I don't wanna make you say ow. I want you to just like, Can you back off just a little bit? Yeah, yeah. I'm in a calm voice and not shock your body.

brandi2: 55:47

Well, yeah. we all have to start somewhere, you

brandimike2: 55:49

know what I mean? Yeah.

brandi2: 55:50

I, you were speaking, this thought came to my mind Randy came from a chemistry background, journey through public health, through, all the works that you've done, planned Parenthood and whatnot. then become a massage therapist massage has always been with us from the very, very beginning. We have ceremonies that are strictly for massage. in our pueblo societies there are a certain group of men that actually You can ask the ceremony and give you, massage I clearly remember my grandmother having that done when I was probably in my, teenage years. One of the medicine men came and he massaged her, back but it's not only just the physical, but the burden of what she was carrying. And he took care of that, everything that we do, indigenous groups believe that, massage is, associated and connected to lightning. If there was an individual that experienced a lightning strike or being close to lightning, they had that ability to massage. And my nephew actually, as a young boy, he was, next to a, telephone pole that got struck by lightning. He was really close and he felt the effects of it, they had to take him to the, hospital, check him out. He was okay. But to this day, my mother's, my aunts, they always ask him for a massage he has that energy and that power from that lightning strike to give those massages. And asked him one time, and it's different, That's what I mean, massage that type of what we call open meaning to, massage you. That's always been part of us and really, appreciate that you're just carrying on that tradition. Even though people don't really look at it that way. They don't think that it is associated with us, but it is from the

brandimike2: 57:30

beginning. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And I think I'm learning that too on how it is healing for me too. it's funny how I rather would choose this than to be on the computer creating all my marketing stuff. I'd rather just, Have that time where someone can just breathe easy or even doze off a little bit

brandi2: 57:47

Yeah,

brandimike2: 57:49

So,

brandi2: 57:50

in the massage world? Is that like, yes, I made him go to sleep?

brandimike2: 57:53

I mean, yeah, it totally is. But I've had some stories of other massage therapists who tell me like, oh man, like, they were so mad they fell asleep because some people try to really stay awake. Mm-hmm. just depends on the person. there's one thing that I have learned about being in this business, you're not gonna be everyone's cup of tea. You're not, gonna connect with everybody, but you can do your best to help someone in that moment.

brandi2: 58:14

Yeah. But you're also, within somebody's personal space, you have to have a trust on both ends, to let somebody, touch you in that way, to make sure that you wanna give a proper massage and have'em feel like they benefited from something, but that, that's vulnerability, you

brandimike2: 58:30

know? Yeah. Yeah. That's vulnerability. But also, like a little bit of trauma-informed care too, that I've learned during community health too, is you really don't know what people are going through when they walk into that door. And I don't have a screening process that allows me like, Hey, what are you really going through? What's going in your body? Because, you know, trauma being stored in the body is real too. I believe that. it's interesting just learning about it now, how I feel like I'm just scraping the surface on learning about this, but also learning that, I might be someone that has a gift to help people in this way too. Um, and how I wanna harness it is I want to make sure people feel good doing feel good about themselves

brandi2: 59:11

Yeah. like we talk about this vulnerability, it's giving, some of yourself to help others. I have a story of a individual that did. pursue a career massage. And they went through the whole certification, school, everything. And then they got their first job and they just I don't like touching a person. You know? And so, oh yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. It's just finding where you're comfortable with how you wanna serve. But in the end, they serve the community in a way that they can feel connected without having to, be actually physically touching someone. So, yeah. So it all works out, you know, in the end. Yeah. so with that said, Brandi, I really appreciate, you talking about your journey from the very beginning to now, black Corn Remedy. And at this point in our, conversation, you wanna promote your. Business black corn remedy. We're sitting here in her massage, what do you call it? Studio, uh, space. Uh, what do, what do space. Yeah. Massage space. Yeah. it's very inviting. there's candles that are lit it's nice and comfortable here. So, she has a, crockpot there. I'm assuming that's beans, but I don't know.

brandimike2: 1:00:13

Frito pies after has

brandi2: 1:00:14

beans and a poli for later. Once

brandimike2: 1:00:17

I

brandi2: 1:00:17

massage on your way Yeah. your, ice cup. Yeah,

brandimike2: 1:00:19

too.

brandi2: 1:00:21

exactly. Yeah. Can get a massage and get

brandimike2: 1:00:23

free ice cup. Yeah. Um, I just completed my second year. Mm-hmm. Starting my third. I am just really looking to see whoever's listening on this podcast, come through if massage is something you wanna try, if you feel connected, come try it.

brandi2: 1:00:38

so what type of services do you, offer?

brandimike2: 1:00:40

mostly my massage services include, techniques of Swedish, trigger point therapy, deep tissue. I am, able to do and modify my services for pregnancy as well, or for prenatal clients. Mm-hmm. but also I do have some experience working within the hospice realm and also, sports therapy

brandi2: 1:00:59

Nice. So how could they get ahold of you if they would like to, uh, look into, uh, getting a massage for

brandimike2: 1:01:05

me? So for getting a massage with me, it's gonna be using the booking site, whether it's on my Instagram, black Corn Remedy, or, you can Google, Black Corn Remedy in Albuquerque. I should pop up. it always says I'm closed, but I just don't know how to get verified in that part. you can make an appointment through that website that is best, so that way you can look at my calendar and see what fits for you. Because if you're messaging me and you're like, Hey, what dates do you have available? it's a little bit more efficient if you book and look at the calendar though. Nice. Yeah.

brandi2: 1:01:37

Well, I'll post all your information in the show notes on this episode. That way people can, get ahold of you

brandi3-1: 1:01:43

to bring everything back around, you spoke, earlier you were very involved in sports throughout your life, and recently you just completed your first full marathon. maybe you could talk a little bit about that, journey

brandimike3-1: 1:01:58

So I've been involved in sports since I was young. My dad pushed me into basketball, and definitely was someone who motivated me to keep going. Track and basketball, softball, volleyball. I've done them. But basketball is my main sport. when I did track, I did, hurdles. I did hurdles. Yeah. The hundreds and the 300.

brandi3-1: 1:02:19

Pretty impressive

brandimike3-1: 1:02:20

there. Yeah, right. With my little legs

brandi3-1: 1:02:22

Put little legs going over Yeah.

brandimike3-1: 1:02:23

I just enjoyed keeping active. Even through, Fort Lewis, I remember there was this one challenge you had to work out so many hours and you get a t-shirt. It was supposed to take you like a whole semester. I'd probably try to do it in a month.

brandi3-1: 1:02:36

So, so in Fort Lewis, did you walk down that trail and then walk back up that trail? So many times

brandimike3-1: 1:02:41

so many times I've done that because yeah, you, I only had these legs to get me around if I had to go

brandi3-1: 1:02:46

What was, that trail called? What is it

brandimike3-1: 1:02:48

called? Oh. Wait, which one?

brandi3-1: 1:02:51

The, the one that goes from the school down into

brandimike3-1: 1:02:54

what it's called. Oh,

brandi3-1: 1:02:55

for my listeners, in Fort Lewis. the school sits on top of a hill. to get down to the town, there's a trail you can take your bike there's a footpath that goes straight down, um, to the town. And a lot of students use as a way to, commute back and forth, also runners run it or hikers will hike it. Yeah. So, yeah,

brandimike3-1: 1:03:13

I totally ran out on that one. it was scary. I I wouldn't do

brandi3-1: 1:03:16

that. Okay. Sorry.

brandimike3-1: 1:03:17

Wear your helmet. even after college, I just kept active. That's something that I just, felt good to me. It's something that's a mental health thing for me. and. after becoming a mom, it was hard to stay active and to keep that energy and not wanna sleep all day. But, it got easier once my little ones started to get a little bit older and I started to utilize the tools around me like Jogging stroller. that was life changing for me because it was like, I can take him anywhere. Now we're going to all the walks I got back into running when I started working at CHR it was one of my coworkers, Kristen, she invited me to Albuquerque Mountain Shadow 5K run. Mm-hmm. And it was like maybe a month and a half out. She asked me, she's like, Hey, let's do this. And I was wanting to make new friends. okay, let's do it. And then I was thinking to myself oh man, I don't know. I haven't ran in a while. I had a C-section. It hurt to work out afterwards, so I didn't even know what my physical ability would be afterwards. And so I trained for that and I did really good and it just boosted my confidence getting the 5K done. I got like that adrenaline of Winning and getting a medal afterwards. It was like, yeah, because it was COVID and I guess all the fast runners weren't out.'cause my first run, I was like second overall female. I was like, oh yeah, coming back. I felt good I liked getting those little medals and it was kind of little treat Then I tried to like beat my PR for a 5K and I started with five Ks it, got fun doing that. And my husband of course was there supporting me too. I got the courage to do a 10 K in Santa Rosa I did that. And again, I think COVID was to hopping, so not A lot of people were out. So I was second overall female for the 10 K. All happy with my big trophies. Like this is what it's about exactly. Like no one's out here, it motivated me to do, a half marathon and I had signed up for one in Durango and I got sick that week. I was congested. it was not a good week to run at all. It called it was called the Thirsty 13. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I wanted to go to that and, yeah.

brandi3-1: 1:05:18

'cause I ran the, the Steam,

brandimike3-1: 1:05:20

The steam works. steam

brandi3-1: 1:05:21

Works, Half

brandimike3-1: 1:05:22

marathon. Yeah.

brandi3-1: 1:05:22

Continue.

brandimike3-1: 1:05:23

Continue, but yeah, I wanted to run that, it didn't work out. I got sick and so after that I kind of felt like, man, like I paid for that and I was so mad that I didn't get to run or even just get to go. So I Didn't take running seriously anymore. I was like, ah, I'll just run when I want to. Yeah. And then I kind of started going to get back into it again. And I hadn't ran, I don't know the rest of that year.'cause it was in September and I didn't. Run the rest of the year until I kind of was like, Hey, I'm gonna do a marathon. I just saw all these runner tiktoks. I'm like, oh, if they can do it, I can do it. And let's try it. Mm-hmm. Let's try it. Let's just, what's the worst that can happen? You're not gonna make it. You're gonna walk like

brandi3-1: 1:06:04

that's happen. That's, that's Brandy's life motivation there. Let's just

brandimike3-1: 1:06:07

it. Let's just do it. Like, let's just do it. Yeah. that's just what it is. But I signed up, new Year's Eve and I said, okay, I have about 18 weeks to train. we'll get started. So each day I made like a little running training plan. And of course it's very amateur of I looked on Hal Higdon, I did some YouTube, one of my. former colleagues from Fort Lewis, her name is Skye. She was a mom turned professional runner again. Mm-hmm. So I would just ask her every how do you train this? How do you do a gels? Like, what do you do? And so I just kind of learned along the way stuck to a training plan as best as I could. The key thing for me was I just wanna get out there and just run this many miles. I don't care how. Fast or how slow I go, this is how much time I have. This is how many think I'm And so I did the best I could following a training plan. ended up rolling my ankle like two and a half weeks before my marathon. And again, I was sad, but at the same time I was like, I don't have time to be sad. I guys gotta rest. I gotta eat. I got a tape now. It was just. sacrifice, self-discipline came into play for these, 18 weeks of training and going to Shiprock. I just knew, I'm not gonna be the same after this. I'm not gonna that whole training plan just prepared me for that. Definitely challenged me in ways, made me sacrifice things I didn't think I was gonna be sacrificing. it did, it changed me. It helped me open my eyes. It just, help me realize that nothing is impossible, that it can be achieved. It's gonna hurt, and you're gonna cry along the way, and you might have some blisters, but you just keep trekking along. you'll get there when you get there.

brandi3-1: 1:07:46

that's a beautiful metaphor for life. it's gonna hurt. You're gonna get blisters, but you'll get there. Yeah, you'll get there. I mentioned in many of my episodes that I was a runner. I kind of put that in the back of me, still do a little bit of running, but, when you told me you were doing Shiprock, I think personally that's the hardest marathon to do because it's just a 13 mile straight out and 13 miles straight back while 13.1 miles, straight out, straight back. you see that Shiprock you see the rock, and you think, all right, it's just right there. But it just seems to get farther and farther away, I'm like, oh my gosh. all the power to you to, get that done, because that's one marathon that I refuse to do for people who haven't run a marathon or don't know what I'm talking about, it's like when you go to Vegas and you, get on the strip and you think, oh, let's just walk to the stratosphere. It's just right there, right there. Yeah. And so you start walking and five hours later, you're still walking. you're not even there yet. That's just the way the Shiprock marathon is. it's just right there, but you just keep running stop moving rock, stop moving.

brandimike3-1: 1:08:46

It was a blessing and a curse because. I don't know, I guess'cause there was no landmarks to be like, oh, I can make it there. It just looked like that's the same porta-potty I passed. Like that's the same one that's the same crack in the road. Like, dang it, I'm not moving. it really played some tricks on me on the way. But that was hard. I think mile 11, 12, 13. Those were the most memorable miles, just because that's when I started to hit my wall. Mm-hmm. I've only trained on res dirt roads. Mm-hmm. I did, behind the dump Willis, where they go cross country running. those are the only places I like to go running. Like I best places Yeah, exactly. Blessed places. but. I didn't take into account how hard asphalt would be on my Feet either Ah, gosh. I think it wasn't until like a month out I started to get a little bit more nervous. Mm-hmm. Because I started to, of course, watch more videos on how not to hit the wall. What else to think about. there was so much going through my head of oh, shoot my socks, my feet. I gotta start thinking I didn't think about them before and now I'm like, oh man, we're getting closer. But it just kind of psyched me out a little bit as we started to get closer to that race because I started to think about things that I didn't consider. And That's Brandy. Let's just do it. We'll figure it around the way.

brandi3-1: 1:09:58

the

brandimike3-1: 1:09:58

you don't know what you know until you do it. I feel like that's how I've just been taking life, is just you don't know what you don't know. And You can get it wrong the first time, but the second time you'll, just, see what you need to do.

brandi3-1: 1:10:07

I congratulate you completing that first marathon. everybody's first marathon is like, I'm never gonna do this again. Ever. And then about an hour or two later is like, all right, when's

brandimike3-1: 1:10:16

my next that's that same thing. that was really hard. Yeah. I have a bone to pick with Shiprock Marathon. I would wanna

brandi3-1: 1:10:23

do it again,

brandimike3-1: 1:10:24

do it again. But definitely some different training things. I don't have the want to wanna do any other marathon, but Shiprock a rock. Yeah. Like, I just but do we have time for one more story? Because I know

brandi3-1: 1:10:35

of course it was non cringeworthy story course. Of course. Of course. we didn't

brandimike3-1: 1:10:38

to tell.

brandi3-1: 1:10:39

before you tell the story, I just want to say, I hope your husband at a certain point when he was cheering you on, then tell you we to go, you're almost there while he's standing there with his cup of coffee and his burrito and you're like, I'm not there. I still got 15 miles to

brandimike3-1: 1:10:54

go. Oh no. And he couldn't make it. He couldn't. Oh my gosh. He couldn't make it. But I did call him on the course crying. And it's funny because he would tell me, you called me crying, sound like there were all kinds of people around you saying, go, keep going. You got this. And I couldn't hear'cause I had my earphones in trying to listen to some inspiration from him. Which he Didn't know.'cause it freaked him out that I was crying, like, are you okay? Mm-hmm. Do you need help? Like No. I just say you can do it. Oh, you can do it.

brandi3-1: 1:11:24

he gave you that support there,

brandimike3-1: 1:11:26

he answered his

brandi3-1: 1:11:26

like yeah. That was supportive enough. if he didn't answer the phone, you stop and call him. How come you didn't answer the

brandimike3-1: 1:11:31

phone? only thing, that made me mad where I got like, don't tell me, don't tell me to calm down was I was running into the finish line Uhhuh and Their cones on the road, looked like they were in line. So I was like, oh, I'm gonna run past that. Mm-hmm. it was not part of the course, so a guy had to flag me down. Hey, you're going the wrong way. And of course he's just talking to his buddy on the road. And I was like, well, why did you tell me

brandi3-1: 1:11:53

him me?

brandimike3-1: 1:11:54

you had one

brandi3-1: 1:11:55

one job? Yeah.

brandimike3-1: 1:11:56

There's no one you're supposed to look for runners. That's pretty sorry guy. If that was you,

brandi3-1: 1:12:03

Yeah, it's funny. Well, again, congratulations for your first marathon and love Brandy's. Approach to life Just get it done. I think that that's a perfect way for your whole life, approached it's beautiful how you look at things not as a challenge, but as a opportunity, with your black corn remedy, with your family, with coming back to Esleta, knowing that this is home. it's always there. You lived in Durango outside, your home for, a few years, but you always knew that your connection was here, and you're bringing it back to serve your community, even through the work as a CHR coordinator, as a person within Planned Parenthood, all that, I really appreciate it, I find your story so interesting, inspirational. thank you for coming. I. On the life of a dog and Aez podcast to share your story. I, appreciate our friendship that we've, formed and it's just something that I really look forward, to, nurturing and fostering throughout the years. I look to you as an inspiration again, the people from Esleta are so inspirational, especially the women, there, the matriarchs that bring these things forward, the thoughts of, Hey, I'm gonna do this to better serve my committee.

brandimike3-1: 1:13:11

Thank you. I feel like the women we're gonna I feel very checked out on like political. Federal and tribal, but like, I just feel like the women in our community, we're gonna rise up there's something that our set of women we're cooking up. I just don't know what it is and I could just feel it. I we're gonna make a difference.

brandi3-1: 1:13:29

being, on the outside looking in. I feel the same way. And that's the way I see, that energy, that spark, through the women there. not only the women that I've interviewed, but also just the women that I, know there as friends, as family, and all behind the spirit of Grandma Alberta. I feel that she's set the tone for that. And if you wanna listen to her inspirational story, she is in my earlier episodes and she talks about that, how she just went forward with the same type of belief that you exemplify to this day. And I really thank you for that Brandy. Mm-hmm. So, we've talked about your life growing up and your educational journey, your, career early on to now to Black Corn Remedy. And if there is some words you would like to share with my audience, I know that you've. Expressed a lot of things that my audience will take away, especially to my younger audience. I do have a lot of younger, listeners. And if there's something you would like to share with them.

brandimike3-1: 1:14:31

not take each moment or each day for granted. I think you really have to find purpose. Find what makes you happy your matter. to live a happy life, you have to find out what makes I think that's the secret to life. and drink your water and stretch.

brandi3-1: 1:14:53

and get a massage

brandimike3-1: 1:14:54

You get a massage. And get a massage. Yeah. And find time to unwind.'cause this world is so busy, it's so busy. Find a time to just either sit down on the earth or just to sit down and find that silence and just check in with because, no one knows you better than you.

brandi3-1: 1:15:14

Yep. Beautiful Brandy. Thank you. So with that said, you like to send a shout out to anybody? Now's your time.

brandimike3-1: 1:15:24

the biggest shout out is going to be to my husband Harold, because I, I really wouldn't be here without you. Everything I have.

brandi3-1: 1:15:32

Nice. You or dinner you or some

brandimike3-1: 1:15:34

No, he's like, no, no. Um, Dave, if you can do the tilling tonight, because I don't wanna till tonight.

brandi3-1: 1:15:41

Yeah.

brandimike3-1: 1:15:42

Yeah. Our garden,

brandi3-1: 1:15:43

you water. So what is his Indian name?

brandimike3-1: 1:15:45

his name? is Quiff and that's the

brandi3-1: 1:15:47

Quiff and that's of Aston. Oh wow. That's nice. So, and he's not ba right.

brandimike3-1: 1:15:50

He's don't? Uh, I call him Babe Hun, Arps. Um, Yeah.

brandi3-1: 1:15:56

just

brandimike3-1: 1:15:56

Babe, not Harold. And then both my Harolds are like, what they both like.

brandi3-1: 1:16:03

no. Would Well shout out to you, Harold, for supporting Brandy and all the things that she's done. I really admire the fact that you guys have been together and through a lot of things, good and bad, up and down, but you guys continue to stay together and that's inspiration for many. Thank you very much. So with that said, Brandi, my question that I always ask everybody, what is your definition of a res dog? No wrong

brandimike3-1: 1:16:30

answers. Oh, definition of a res dog. Just someone looking to have fun and just going to go do it. Like gonna go do it. Just do it. That dog that just does it. Yeah, that's what it is. Sounds

brandi3-1: 1:16:44

a t-shirt.

brandimike3-1: 1:16:45

like a t-shirt. Now we'll be sold by Yasha to promote this podcast. Exactly. Get yours.

brandi3-1: 1:16:52

Yeah. Well, thank you for that promotion. But,

brandimike3-1: 1:16:57

you can probably cut this out cringes moment.

brandi3-1: 1:17:00

Oh, no, no, no. we're not cutting anything

brandimike3-1: 1:17:02

out. Oh, okay. But that was a question you'd asked the cringes moment. I know we had talked about this is black corn remedy massage almost. Well, it didn't almost, it was never a factor. But I did apply for a business license on my reservation and that was where I wanted to be.'cause I'm not gonna lie, like yeah, you don't wanna pay taxes either, but I wanna pay for the money to go to my tribe. Yeah. But, I applied for a business license there and I was immediately told I needed to change my name That was kind of hard to hear. I didn't understand. when I had asked like, you'll approve my license, but I need to change my name, can I just keep the acronym BCR? Like, no. Like, is that, that's what it's called. And it was brought to my attention I still don't know the intention, but I wasn't allowed to because my name was too traditional, which of course brought a lot of question and a lot of anger because we had cotton blossom gardens, we have Wide Eagle electricity on Esleta. We have other names people have used for theirs. and I don't know if it was like, at the addition of Remedy I still don't know to this day and I guess I will never know. But, basically, it was a person who had a traditional role, and It was hard because I was told, and my name was too traditional from a person who had a traditional role, but also had a political role. And it just, confused me a little bit and I still, persisted. I said, okay. then this is not gonna be for me, then I need to go into the city to

brandi3-1: 1:18:26

pursue

brandimike3-1: 1:18:27

a license.'cause I didn't wanna change

brandi3-1: 1:18:29

Yeah.

brandimike3-1: 1:18:29

my

brandi3-1: 1:18:30

Well again, in classic brand brandy fashion, you just found a way. Right.

brandimike3-1: 1:18:35

Found a way.

brandi3-1: 1:18:37

Well thank you Brandy for sharing your story with me today. I really appreciate your honesty. Your stories, your inspiration, even your struggles, with getting to where you're at today. I know you're very at peace and happy with what Black Corn Remedy brings. if you are out there looking for a massage, looking for somebody to connect with, who is very, very personable, that has, a spirit and an energy to them that will reflect into the works that she does. come look her up. Black Corn Remedy, even just to say hi, give her a shout out. Randy, Lucero. Correct. Haron Lucero

brandimike3-1: 1:19:13

we're working that out. Like I, oh, in the process of changing my name, so when this releases. I might be Lucero hyphenated.

brandi3-1: 1:19:20

Okay. Maybe or he can, be Harold Har. Own problem solved Harold

brandimike3-1: 1:19:26

call Brandy.

brandi3-1: 1:19:27

Yeah. thank you very much again. And everything that we've spoken today is just so beautiful. I think your energy that you share here, being in your space here, it's so comforting, it's so inviting, it's so relaxing. And I wish you well with your business. I wish you well with your journey as, a runner, as a mom, everything down the line you'll be a grandmother, a great-grandmother, a great-great-great grandmother, like I always say, we continue the works that our ancestors started. you're a perfect example of that. thank you again

brandimike3-1: 1:19:59

again for coming on. Oh, her. I appreciate it as well. this is definitely something huge because this is gonna live on. This is gonna love Juan. Exactly. Like my, grandchildren are gonna hear this.

brandi3-1: 1:20:10

they are.

brandimike3-1: 1:20:10

You're right? I am getting archived and it's, beautiful and I'm really happy that you've established this because I think this is just what we need for our Pueblo stay connected.

brandi3-1: 1:20:22

Thank you, Brandy.

1:20:33

Thank you so much for listening to my conversation with EI Brandi Lucero. I hope the story of our journey through life with all its struggles, realizations, and eventual successes resonated with you. Brandy is the owner of Black Corn Remedy, a native owned massage therapy business located in the South Valley of Albuquerque. While doing research for this interview, I scheduled a proper massage with Brandy. I've never had a massage done by a professional, only having my kids walk on my back promising to pay them in gum and candy. I've been dealing with a sore shoulder from too many cleans, burpees, and wall balls. Not knowing what to expect. I found Brandi's Studio to be relaxing, inviting, and comfortable. After chatting about what areas to focus on, she began working on my shoulder, back and chest moving my arm, left, right up and down. Soon I could feel the pressure of her massage she asked me if I felt any discomfort as she applied. Even more pressure. I'm not gonna lie, I could feel the soreness as she massaged my back, shoulder and chest. I signed up for a 30 minute session and it was worth every single minute After the massage, the power, strength and care that she possesses felt like a medicine man worked on me. it was a truly invigorating experience. I felt like I should have paid her in sax of flour. as I mentioned in our conversation. Massages within all cultures of the world, within the indigenous perspective, It is a sacred connection to the spirit environment and the people. Massage is seen as a medicine, caring intention, prayer and knowledge. For many indigenous peoples of Turtle Island, The practice of physical healing includes not just the body, but the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspect of the person with the understanding that all beings are interconnected. When hands are placed on someone, they do so with deep respect, calling upon our ancestors And the wisdom that they possess to guide the healing. The body is not treated as separate parts, but as a whole being in relationship to the land, people, language, culture, and traditions. Traditional massage often includes oils, smudging, or song that support the release of energies and restore balance. Each movement carries a prayer of care and intention to clear pathways for health, happiness, clarity, and peace. This approach teaches us that healing is not just about technique, but about humility, listening, and honoring the body, mind, spirit, and soul. at Black Corn Remedy brandi honors the Art of Healing practices of Massage Through her mission to provide accessible, affordable massage therapy that restores balance, relieves stress and promotes deep relaxation. Brandy believes true healing begins when the body and mind are at ease, that's why she creates a calm, welcoming environment where you can fully relax, allowing for more effectively, release of tension, workout knots, support your overall wellbeing. Every session is personalized with care, intention, and a commitment to natural healing, helping you feel better inside and out. Relax. Release, remedy. Thank you uni for a wonderful conversation and much success with the works in bringing healing and wellness to the world. if you would like to find out more about Black Corn Remedy. I posted a link in the show notes to all her social media. Please visit her site and book a massage today. You'll not be disappointed. As I mentioned in almost all of my episodes, if you are a funny, cringe worthy or inspirational indigenous individual walking Turtle Island and want to share your story with the world, please dm me on Instagram at Life dog re podcast Facebook, or shoot me an email at life dog re@gmail.com. I would love to connect with you and find out if you ever went swimming in the ditch the day after it rained and the water was a reddish brown color. your mom, asking you if you were swimming in the ditch, lying to her and saying, no, only to be busted later because your tidy whites were stained red from the ditch water. Will. That's the end of our show. I want to thank you so much for listening to the life of a Dog and Aez podcast. I hope this episode brought a smile to your face, made you laugh, and inspired you to do good things. I truly appreciate all the love and support that you send, and I wish all of you. The happiness and joy that we all deserve. If you love the show, please like, follow, subscribe, and leave a rating and review on Spotify and Apple Podcast. It truly helps spread the word to our families, friends, and fellow res dogs. Until next time, show Watson Hope. Talk to you later. Bye.