Everyone has a unique story, knowledge, and life lessons that develop over time. Once in awhile you’ll encounter someone willing to take the time to share their experiences, and when that happens it’s probably a good idea to pay attention.  I had three different people flake on interviews, and no fault to them it’s probably more of a testament to my novice people skills?  I probably spooked them somehow, but regardless I was thrilled and just a bit nervous when I finally got the chance to make this happen. 

I sat down to share a meal of delicious Chicharrón Enchiladas and have a chat with Manuel Lucero, assistant US attorney, husband, and father.  I won’t spoil anything else, but I hope you enjoy learning his story as much as I did.

Me: Who’s a hero or a role model from your childhood?

Manny: Growing up my biggest hero was Bobby Kennedy.  I was 10 in 1968 when all the problems in the world were going on.  I remember when he announced he was going to run for president, and I thought that he was going to help us out: the downtrodden, the poor, the oppressed. I read everything about him that I could, even at 10.  I remember waking up one morning and my dad was literally crying in the kitchen, and I had never seen my father cry.  I asked him what was going on and they had just shot Robert Kennedy and he was dead.  It was a sad day. I still remember it like it was yesterday, I think I’ve read every book ever written about him, got them all in my library, but I wish I had met him.

Me: What made you want to become a lawyer?

Manny: I think I was 10 yrs old, my dad had taken me to Hernandez, a little town North of Espanola… There was a big dispute over water rights… the neighbors had all been fighting with this guy and he was a jerk.  They all got together and hired a lawyer from Santa Fe, he came out and within two days he  cut a deal that everyone liked.  And I thought damn that’s what I’d like to do, help people out, know enough about a subject that I could work out some kind of deal, and make sure everybody got something as opposed to not getting anything. 

Me: What are the most influential books you’d consider a must read?

Manny: The Robert Caro series on LBJ, and the book that was written by Doris Kearns Goodwin on LBJ about how this southerner you’d think would be bigoted and hateful was able to put this all aside and pass some of the most moving and stirring legislation this country has ever seen: voter rights act, Medicare, Medicaid, Equal Rights Amendment.  There were different things that he did when you look back on it that were just amazing and still help us today. 

Me: What’s been your most proud moment in life?

Manny: Sounds corny, but being a father, because everything else like working as an assistant us attorney is great but it’s just a job. Being a father is life, you’re helping your child get ready for the future because it’s the future of everything else.

Me: What about the biggest defeat or disappointment?

Manny: Professionally one of the biggest cases I ever had at the US attorney’s office, I worked on that case for almost two years, and we tried that case for 9 days and I thought I had it won.  The judge came back against the US for $3 million dollars which I thought was uncalled for, and it was just depressing. You look at it and think about it and you just move on, it’s not personal it’s just business.  If you make it personal you’re never going to bounce back from those defeats. 

Me: Advice to a 16 yr old Manny Lucero?

Manny: I think I’d give him the same advice my dad gave me: I used to wonder should I apply for that should i do that. He’d always say just do it, all they can tell you is no, and if you don’t do it you’re always gonna wonder and always gonna regret not doing it. And regret is nothing you can do anything about it.  If you try it and you don’t succeed then you tried it.  If you apply for something and you don’t get it then it wasn’t meant to be.  Do it try it if it doesn’t work out then move on

Me: Any valuable life lessons learned from your time in the military?

Manny:  Discipline, to focus on what you’re doing. Discipline yourself to getting the job done correctly and properly following through no matter what adversity falls on you.  Once you’ve completed your mission you’ll be glad you did it and not quitting halfway through.

Me: Any life goals you’re still working on? 

Manny: I’m at that age where I’m closer to retirement and the great beyond then I am just starting out. If I had a goal it’d be to remain positive and find something I enjoy in my retirement, like woodworking, I love woodworking. My wife tells me we’re moving to wherever my daughter is, or at least somewhere close, so we can be close to her which I think is fine. If I can work at a small college and teach a history or law class that’d be fine too.

Me: Any goals for your daughter Emma?

Manny: Find something that she enjoys doing, and if it takes awhile to find it good for her. I don’t want her to find something she’s forced into… The worst thing you can do is work at a job you simply hate, it messes with your head and it messes with your health. You might as well find something that you like. 

Me: Do you feel you‘ve accomplished most of your life goals?

Manny:  All but one… I knew I wanted to work in government service, and I’ve done that for 30 years not including time in the military. Only thing I really wanted to do, and I tried, and I applied for those jobs every time they came up, was to be a judge.  It just wasn’t meant to be.  You look at it, and think it could’ve been, but at least I tried, and I still have the job I like.  So not a big deal

For this last section I borrowed an idea from one of my favorite podcasts: Conversations with Tyler.  Tyler Cowen, an economist at George Mason University, among other things, provides a topic or subject and the guest answers over or underrated.  It’s easy you’ll catch on quick.

Me: Social Media

Manny: Overrated

Me: Virtual Reality

Manny:  Underrated

Me: Fideo

Manny: Fideo… fideo? The food???  Oh fideo is underrated.

Me: Can you explain what fideo is for anyone unaware?

 

Manny: To me fideo is a Spanish-Mexican culinary invention where you take vermicelli and you toast it up with oil and you put tomatoes in it, and it’s not really Italian pasta.  It’s a side dish you’d eat with enchiladas or tacos and it’s delicious if done right

Me: Self-driving cars

Manny:  Self driving cars – underrated because they’re the wave of the future they just have to get the bugs out and eventually they’ll be safer than people driving because people tend to fall asleep, they get loaded, and in the end when they work everything out they’ll be an asset to people

Me: Trump’s fiscal policy

Manny: Overrated, clearly by him and his minions, as you can tell I’m not a big trump fan

Me: College

Manny: That’s a tough one, for most kids it’s overrated and for the other segment it’s underrated.  In college you’re going to learn a lot but it’s not meant for everyone.

Me: Immigration Reform

Manny: Overrated because the current immigration policy doesn’t need a major overhaul, just needs some tweaking.  The problem you run into is there are already 11 million illegal immigrants here that overstayed their visas, it’s not like there’s an invasion at the border, it’s just Trump stirring his base.  This country was made up by immigrants and anybody that tells you different is lying.  We’re big enough that we can accept people, so OVERRATED!