Perimeter Fires

Happy Birthday, Grandpa.

Another adventure with the old red BONFAR truck

You say a lot when you ask questions.

This time of year - more than any other - and every year, I most often get to answer the question "do you have any advice?"

Last weekend was Burn. The day began with a basketball game. And no, not THAT basketball game.

What's to be motivated about a burn ban week, and a disappointing outcome on the football field? Everything.

Traffic is a tightly coupled system. So is Bonfire. One of them improves the right way.

Last weekend, I didn't do what I've been working hard to try and get good at. And I've never felt better at it.

The last time I saw Hans Betten '96

A little moment of honesty in the Woods at Family Cut

Concluding a train of thought kicked off over a month ago, that we went down a couple rabbit holes for the last two weeks.

Continuing a train of thought on communication started with an event a few weeks ago, another Tardy Tuesday Monday Moti edition from the woodshop dark and early this Tuesday morning.

Something happened a few weeks ago... and every time I talk about it, it leads down another rabbit hole. So let's do that.

Lots to talk about as the Cut season gets rolling. So of course, we're talking about volleyball.

Recorded at end of the Spring semester of '24, this is part one of a conversation and tour of campus with Aggie great and great Aggie Frank Cox, '65. Frank was Head Yell Leader, outfit First Sergeant, member of Cors Staff, and member of the Ross Volunteers. In the position of Head Yell Leader, he served as "Chief of Bonfire". Today, Frank is a retired Air Force veteran, devoted family man, devoted Aggie, devoted American, and devoted friend to all. In all things, Frank is devoted. Frank is also the author of "I Bleed Maroon", first published in 1992, covering the life, traditions, and Spirit of Aggieland. Get a copy at Aggieland Outfitters.

At Chief Cut, a question from a student leader completely reframed my understanding of things.

A big week in music in Aggieland, with Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett teaching a valuable and motivating lesson.

We lost a great one, Aggies.

Over a foot of rain might be killing the tomatoes, but it may be worth it for the seasonal lesson that it brought this way.

The 2024 Hill County Muster Address answers questions about Bonfire, how it is built, what it means to Aggieland, what it means to the students who build it, what they learn, and their resolve to carry on this and every year.

A lot to be motivated about after Mustering with the gracious and outstanding Aggies of the Hill County A&M Club. But let's talk about something that happened before we got into town on April 21.

The 2021 Ft. Worth Muster was my first occasion to give a Muster Address. I have spoken at a Muster every year since. Every Muster Address is new, created to represent the students' outstanding work and share the unique lessons and challenges of their most recent season. I was originally set to speak at the 2020 Ft. Worth Muster. After COVID interrupted that Muster, the 2021 Muster Address represented two very motivating seasons.

In the wake of last week's news about a possible Bonfire on campus, I answered lots of tough questions and had lots of conversations. In one case, to an audience of some 5 million weekly visitors. Of all the interviews I've done over 25 years, this might have been the hardest. And I loved it.

Joel Taylor, Aggie Class of '98, is a motivated Aggie and father to a Bonfire Redpot. Our conversation - the first at an actual Perimeter Fire - outlasted the camera, so part two is audio only. We talk about being a father, continuous improvement, and the marvels of Bonfire's construction.

A trio of concerns and two home runs. Doing the right thing the right way can be hard. But always rewarding.

Joel Taylor is Aggie Class of '98. A leader on the Quad and motivated Bonfire participant in his time as a student, he is also now father to a Senior Redpot for Bonfire '24. In a wide-ranging two-part conversation that outlasted the video camera, we reflect on what it means to be an Aggie, what makes a leader, what it takes to build Bonfire, and what it gives in return.

This Monday Moti comes on a Tuesday. Because I was fishing with my brother and my son on Monday. A conversation about tides and witness to greatness reminded me of another talk about different tides, that weren't really tides at all.

There's a lot of words you may hear at Bonfire. But there's one word you learn not to use.

Embracing the challenge, inserting yourself in the outcome, Bullpen Bombers, and scouting reports. As the opposing catcher said "this is the hardest place in America to play baseball... it's also our favorite place to play baseball."

Before we dive into the numerous other motivations of this time of year, a conversation with a new leader in Bonfire this weekend stirred up wise words from Teddy Lowe.

From my workshop, late into a cold night, reflecting on weather and the rightness of being wrong. (It's colder in Michigan. I get it.) Monday Moti is back from the postseason break.

When the company you've earned makes you better.

A year (or a few) of discomfort. Or a lifetime of regret. Your call.

A short moti at the very end of a long day

Sage Sale '18 was an Aggie Bonfire Greenpot. Her conduct and performance were motivators to all. Her leadership was transformative. At the time of this recording, she was a Naval Aviator, just transitioning to a new and exciting role in oceanography in the US Navy.

Stories become myths, that may become legends. Like... did you hear the one about the guy who missed the birth of his child to make a Stack Shift? (Spoiler alert: That never happened.)

Nathaniel Hall was a fish for Bonfire '04, the second Bonfire Stack off campus. His motivation and personal leadership was legendary. He would go on to be a Brown Pot. Today he builds nuclear reactor cores. He's never stopped motivating and leading. (Expect bonuses. This is half of a long and ranging conversation.)

Moments of misery are breadcrumbs home to long-ago memories of greatest pride.

Col. Mike Flatten (Ret.) '92 was a Redpot for Aggie Bonfire '91. He would go on to serve in the United States Air Force as a Combat Controller (USAF special operations/“Special Warfare”). Today, he is a recently-retired, proud family man. We touch on leadership, choosing the hard paths, brotherhood, and more. We do not talk about bananas.

Two separate and wildly different conversations on Wednesday, and another unexpected one Sunday, produced some profound overlap.

At the center of every Bonfire Stack since the first off campus in 2003 are the "Windle Sticks" or "the Windles", tying into Centerpole and securing the architecture. They are named for Levi Garrett Windle. Levi was one of the first group of leaders of Bonfire after '99 known as "Grey Pots", lines which would become Red Pots in 2006. He passed away in an accident near his home in Bryan on October 19, 2003, before the Stack he helped envision would even begin. Still, he remains at the heart of every fire since. This is a conversation with those who knew him best: his family. His mother Gayle, father Steve, and brother Brody join us to talk and reminisce about the one and only Levi.

How can your opponent - or circumstance - ever really "win" when they don't feel like they have, no matter what the scoreboard says? Be undefeatable.

River McTasney was a Brownpot for Aggie Bonfire '15, coming from a family tradition of building and leading Bonfire. Today, River is a self-made software guru and owner/inventor/innovator behind Smooth Ag Solutions (https://www.smoothag.com/), a breakthrough system in agriculture. Applying his background in the field and a few lessons from the Woods, River empowers today's ranchers to do more of what they do best.

Something happened to my buddy that never happened to him before. Lucky dog.

Andrew Pekowski '15 was a newly-minted Sr. Redpot standing guard detail alone on Christmas Eve at Stack '13. Burn had been postponed that year on account of rain. What he did that lonely night has become legendary, a moment of pride for Aggies everywhere. Their handling of the Spring-semester Burn to follow changed Bonfire forever.

Once again, Monday Moti comes from preparing for a line of questioning in the previous week. This time, I was answering the questions, not asking them.

Colonel (RET) Carlos Tamez '90 was an Aggie Bonfire Red Pot. He went on to 32 years of decorated service, much of that time as an Army Aviator, and MEDEVAC Aviator. Under his command, thousands of life-saving evacuations were successfully executed. He is well regarded among his peers and contemporaries for his approach to leadership and service.

In preparing to and having a Perimeter Fires conversation with Nathaniel Hall, I realized that I had been looking a little bit the wrong way at a motivating moment we had together 20 years ago.

Legendary Bonfire participant, Aggie football coach, and creator of the 12th Man Kickoff Team Jackie Sherrill joins to share Old Army stories, and talk about Bonfire's impact on the lives of its participants, and on the whole community, history, and great Traditions of Texas A&M.

The first-ever Monday Moti was meant to be an examination of courage. Instead, we level-set what will be a recurring theme throughout Monday Moti, and look at why - when we're talking about something current - I'll often just say "a current situation". Until the students have come out the other side of it. Ultimately, we're talking about a unique muscle, not just for the benefit of the things we care about or are responsible for, but also for ourselves.