What a year! Who could have imagined what the year 2005 would mean to the city of Houston? The ups and downs we experienced together were unbelievable; the latter part of the year more so than the former. Along with the rest of the country, we watched gas prices soar to prices that we never could have imagined. We watched in horror wondering how we were going to make it to work, whether or not we could take a road trip, and we had to figure out where else we would have to cut down to be able to operate. We’re still dealing with this, but we’ve adapted.
To start the year off, Mayor White introduced the Safe Clear Plan which was designed to keep the city’s highways cleared of stalled cars by automatically towing them away. I thought it was a wonderful idea. However, many of my fellow Houstonians did not. It turned into a huge local controversy and remains so.
The Rockets made a return to the post season. It was an exciting series with the Dallas Mavericks. It looked like they had a legitimate chance at winning the series to advance in the playoffs, but they fell apart at the end.
In the last days of August, and through September, our neighbors to the east lost lives, homes, and hope as Hurricane Katrina tore the Gulf Coast apart focusing on eastern Louisiana and western Mississippi. While we cried and feared for our fellow Americans, and in some cases, friends and family, we temporarily lost hope. But then we rose to the challenge. The city of Houston welcomed everyone affected by the storm. We gave them shelter, clothes, food, money, hope, and in many cases, a new lease on life. A lot of our neighbors have become our fellow Houstonians. Houston gained a great deal of national attention and admiration for our hospitality. It was nothing new to us, though. We’ve always known ourselves to be friendly and accommodating.
Several weeks later, we found out that a new threat was setting its sights on the Gulf Coast, and this time, it was directed our way. Her name was Rita. According the forecasts, this storm would be about as strong as Katrina. The city of Houston evacuated while stores across the city ran out of essential items such as batteries, water, food, and anything else that we thought we may need. The streets of Houston came to an unprecedented stand still causing many cars to overheat, break down, or run out of gas, which at the time topped the three dollar mark. Reports of twenty hour trips to Austin became commonplace. It was surreal to see the city that I love being evacuated. Reporters annoyed us by constantly saying that parts of the city were, “virtually a ghost town” or saying that people were trying to “get out of harm’s way”. They also fueled the fire when it came to motorists’ anger and frustration with trying to get out of the city. In the end, the hurricane weakened and headed east of the city. I can’t remember when I was ever happier to show up to work on a Monday that following Monday. While our immediate area did have some damage and power outages, we were okay. Once again, it was up to us to aid our fellow Texans and Louisiana neighbors. Once again, we answered the call.
2005 saw a Houston landmark close its gates and shut down for good. Of course, I am speaking of Astroworld. Six Flags decided that it was no longer profitable and sold the property to be used for office space, parking lots, and other real estate. This closing brought about a sense of nostalgia and sadness as a park that was open for over 30 years, providing kids, teenagers, and adults years of fun and an oasis for adventure through the spring and summer months. Although I haven’t visited very often, Astroworld will hold a special place in my heart as I recount memories of the rides with my parents, and summers spent with my sister since we both had season passes growing up.
As life goes on, I know that when I think about 2005, and what it meant to Houston, the first thing that will come to mind will be the National League Championship season of my beloved Houston Astros and their first trip to the World Series. What a season to remember! We started the year off in terrible fashion. Forty five games into the season, we were 15-30. In fact, the Chronicle posted an article with a picture of a tombstone for the Astros’ 2005 season. The Astros picked it up from there, and never looked back. They fought tooth and nail to win one of the most tightly contested Wild Card races in years. That brought about the Atlanta Braves. On a Sunday afternoon, the Astros seemed to have handed the Braves a win by giving up run after run. But, thanks to a Grand Slam from Lance Berkman, they were back in the game. Then, late in the game, Brad Ausmus hit a controversial home run to tie the game up. The game continued on eighteen innings in which we saw a flawless relief pitching appearance by Roger Clemens. In the bottom of the eighteenth, Chris Burke hit a homerun that will forever be considered legend in Houston. Chris Burke, a rookie, who no one expected a clutch homer from, won the game with that home run clinching the Astros’ chance of a National League Championship. The Astros played NL Central rival St. Louis for the National League Championship. The Cardinals had a lot to play for that year as they were going to close their long time home, Busch Stadium. It was an exciting series in which the Astros clinched their league championship on a gem pitched by Roy Oswalt. The city never seemed so alive. We were all celebrating together. The trip to the World Series meant the world to me. I have always been a huge Astros fan, and I’ve wanted this more than anything in sports my entire life. The Astros went on to be swept by the Chicago White Sox. However, it is important to note that every game was very close. Although we lost, it is a moment that will never be taken away from me. The only negative thing about the playoffs was having to endure fans from other cities holding up signs stating, “Houston, YOU have a problem.” Wow! I didn’t think it was possible to be less original than Gwen Stefani ripping off Fiddler on the Roof, Talk Talk, and Oh Mickey (Hollaback Girl). Theyproved me wrong.
Those were the major events that shaped 2005 for the city of Houston. As I mentioned earlier, it will remain as one of my most memorable years ever for both good reasons and bad. So many important things took place. I’m excited to see what 2006 and the following years will bring. In the meantime, thanks to Houston and 2005 for a wonderful ride.
"Time it was, and what a time it was, it was
A time of innocence, a time of confidences
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you"
Bookends Theme by Simon & Garfunkel
Friday, December 30, 2005
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Stay Tuned
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. I also hope everyone has a great New Year! Stay tuned to my blog. I'll be posting a blog about the crazy year the city of Houston had in 2005. I'm really excited about it. So, check in regularly. I should have that posted in the next day or so.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Roscoe, Roscoe, Roscoe
Tuesday night, Roscoe got a hold of one of Stephanie's foot socks. In my hot pursuit of said sock, Roscoe swallowed it. So, we had to take him to the emergency vet. They gave him hydrogen peroxide and induced vomiting. He threw it up along with some food. He was just fine after that. The invoice stated the reason for the visit was a "Dietary Indescretion - Sock". Boy, were we proud.
"Snots! You roll over and let Uncle Clark scratch your belly!" Randy Quaid in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
"Snots! You roll over and let Uncle Clark scratch your belly!" Randy Quaid in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Hurricane Rita
Well, it's Thursday, September 22nd. Hurricane Rita should be hitting us tomorrow night or Saturday morning. We have our couch on top of a table. Our bed has been dismantled. We're working on securing everything. We have a fridge full of water. We got pretty creative on that one. Stephanie, Roscoe, and I will be over at John and Jennifer's during the storm.
It's all so surreal isn't it? Seeing my beloved city evacuated is heart wrenching. Operating in panic mode doesn't help either. My prayer is that each of you is safe and that destruction is minimal. I will try to keep in contact as much as possible, but you know how that goes. Remember Allison? Please be safe. Remember that God will not give us more than we can handle. We may think it's more than we can handle, but He know us better than we know ourselves. God bless you all.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV)
8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
It's all so surreal isn't it? Seeing my beloved city evacuated is heart wrenching. Operating in panic mode doesn't help either. My prayer is that each of you is safe and that destruction is minimal. I will try to keep in contact as much as possible, but you know how that goes. Remember Allison? Please be safe. Remember that God will not give us more than we can handle. We may think it's more than we can handle, but He know us better than we know ourselves. God bless you all.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV)
8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
When Will this Charlatan Shut Up?
I'll never understand how people can follow Pat Robertson. Just watching his television program, I can see right through him. Now, he has put Christians in a glass house. First of all, he shoots off his mouth about how U.S. Special Forces should assassinate Hugo Chavez. Then he says he didn't use the word assassinate.
So, this man who goes about in his "Holier than Thou" manner is calling for the murder of a head of state. While I agree that Hugo Chavez is a crook, I'm not about to go on television and make an irresponsible statement like that. Then, Robertson claims he didn't say assassination. He lied!
So, non-Christians are looking at us like hypocrites and liars. Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition, says it's okay to kill some humans (Chavez), but not others (Abortion). People like Pat Robertson and Jerry Fallwell need to go away to some isolated island and live out the rest of their sad, hypocritical existences. They need to stop acting as if they represent the rest of the God-fearing world. They're giving us a really bad name. Since they're going, they can take Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh, the local weather guys, and Ryan Seacrest with them.
"Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds. " Jeremiah 14:14
So, this man who goes about in his "Holier than Thou" manner is calling for the murder of a head of state. While I agree that Hugo Chavez is a crook, I'm not about to go on television and make an irresponsible statement like that. Then, Robertson claims he didn't say assassination. He lied!
So, non-Christians are looking at us like hypocrites and liars. Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition, says it's okay to kill some humans (Chavez), but not others (Abortion). People like Pat Robertson and Jerry Fallwell need to go away to some isolated island and live out the rest of their sad, hypocritical existences. They need to stop acting as if they represent the rest of the God-fearing world. They're giving us a really bad name. Since they're going, they can take Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh, the local weather guys, and Ryan Seacrest with them.
"Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds. " Jeremiah 14:14
Friday, July 29, 2005
Junk Food or Junkies?
As you may or may not know, VH1 has a tendency to run its programming over and over again. Right now, they’re constantly running and rerunning their reality shows such as Kept, the Surreal Life, Celebrity Fit Club, and so on. Prior to that, it was the “I Love the (fill in the blank with a decade)” series. Several years ago, however, it was “Behind the Music”; an hour long show about the rise and fall of bands both important and flash in the pan. It really was a great series. One of the shows featured the ridiculous, big hair, glam-band Poison. A sizeable portion of the feature focused on the antics of cartoonish guitarist, C.C. Deville. C.C. battled drug addictions while living in a fairly sad existence. He overcame the drug problem, but in the process gained weight. He talked about the discrimination he felt while being overweight. In one of the interviews on the rockumentary, C.C. made a profound statement. He said something to the effect of, “It was more acceptable to be a junkie, than overweight.” Wow! Although a rock and roll clown said this, I don’t think a truer statement could have been made.
Think about this for a second. “It is more acceptable to be a junkie, than overweight.” Both in movies and in real life, junkies are seen as tragic heroes while the overweight are lampooned as buffoons. Junkies are seen as victims while the overweight have “done it to themselves.” Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, and Cobain were just victims of their stardom. Their early exits just enhance their legacies. Mama & Papas songbird, Mama Cass Elliot, dies of a heart attack in London, and rumors float around about her choking on a sandwich. What’s worse is that the rumors are widely believed to be true. Do you see the double-standard?
In movies, television, cartoons, commercials, and sometimes even literature, the overweight are depicted as slow both in physical aspects and often in wit. Unless you’re wearing a red suit with a big white bushy beard giving toys out to kids all over the world, you must be clownish or dumb. Look at the movie “Stand by Me” which is based on Stephen King’s novella, “The Body”. While I’m fond of the movie, and even more so, the written version, Vern, the character who is made fun of throughout both vehicles for being fat, is not very bright. This is not an isolated case. You see it throughout these forms of entertainment.
Now let’s take a look at the fashion industry. It is next to impossible to find fashionable clothes for larger males. Oh, there are Big & Tall stores. Have you ever been to one? Atrocious clothes including golf shirts with elastic bands at the bottom hang from the racks screaming out, “Wear me and you’ll look like you belong in a retirement home!” The prices are insane! For those amounts, I should be wearing Diesel or DKNY. But No! It’s John Daly’s Husky wear! Have you ever looked at a catalog or advertisement for a big and tall store? The models are never big, just tall. Polo, along with any other Ralph Lauren line for that matter, I’ll probably always be partial to. It’s one of the few fashionable lines that cater to the robust gentleman. Go to some of the more fashionable stores, though. Check out Abercrombie & Fitch or DKNY along with countless others. I challenge you to find a pair of pants that go above a 36 or 38. Here’s the message I’m hearing loud and clear. “We don’t want your fat body to be seen in our clothes, destroying our image.” I love clothes. I especially love fashionable clothes. But most of the fashionable clothes are designed for people who appear to be junkies. I swear you have to be on heroin or crack to fit into them. You have to be able to fit your butt in a coach seat on an airplane to be able to look good. Although I d not choose to sport the style, I have to admire the hip-hop clothing designers. In just about every line, larger gentlemen can find clothes to fit them.
My last target of complaint is the medical insurance industry. These companies embody the statement that it is more acceptable to be a junkie than overweight. If you are requesting to be placed into rehab to get off drugs or alcohol, you are 100% covered. Often, you don’t even have to pay a co-pay. You’re admitting that you have a problem, and that is heroic. We are proud of you and want to help you in any way. Please don’t get me wrong. Going through these steps is very admirable and you should be applauded. If you’re overweight, however, more often than not you are not covered. You did it to yourself. Get yourself out of it. The insurance companies would rather you get diabetes or heart disease and treat you for that, than help you shed the pounds for a healthier lifestyle. They would rather you have a heart attack or stroke. They would rather you die. No surgeries, no medication, no subsidizing of any sort. Food is not an addiction; at least according to the insuring world. Deal with it. In light of these facts, here is what I propose. Are you overweight? Here’s what you do. Become addicted to a drug such as crack or heroin that is known for reducing the weight of its addicts. Lose the weight because of your addiction. Then, put yourself into rehab. You’re a hero!
Please don’t get me wrong. Again, I admire drug and alcohol addicts who admit they have a problem and better yet, overcome it. Also, I don’t blame anyone but me for my weight problem. However, if you’re going to applaud the one group for indulgence and addiction, why not the other? If you’re going to help out the one group to overcome their problem, then why not help the other? If you’re going to cover the cost to treat the one group, why not cover the cost for the other? It is a double-standard, and frankly I’m sick of it. I would never condone the idea of becoming addicted to drugs to lose weight, but do you see how ridiculous this is?
This is where I will end my whining. I would like to, however, explain the basis for my diatribe. If you’re reading this blog, there is a 99.9% that you know me. And, you know that weight is an issue I’ve struggled with my entire life. You also probably know that I have fought it before and have done well. However, those demons always come back to me. I’ve decided to do something about it. I am going to work on losing the weight and lowering my cholesterol as it is sky high. In reviewing my insurance plan document, I’ve also looked at what my possible options could be. There aren’t any outside of taking care of it myself, and it has gotten under my skin. My insurance company would rather worse things happen to me medically. So, I ask you all to pray that I find the willpower to battle my weight problem and cholesterol problem. I am looking to change insurance companies next year, and ask that you pray that the company I go with be more sympathetic to my situation than my current one. I hope this blog finds everyone happy and in good health. I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going.
I Corinthians 9:24 – 27 (NIV)
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Think about this for a second. “It is more acceptable to be a junkie, than overweight.” Both in movies and in real life, junkies are seen as tragic heroes while the overweight are lampooned as buffoons. Junkies are seen as victims while the overweight have “done it to themselves.” Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, and Cobain were just victims of their stardom. Their early exits just enhance their legacies. Mama & Papas songbird, Mama Cass Elliot, dies of a heart attack in London, and rumors float around about her choking on a sandwich. What’s worse is that the rumors are widely believed to be true. Do you see the double-standard?
In movies, television, cartoons, commercials, and sometimes even literature, the overweight are depicted as slow both in physical aspects and often in wit. Unless you’re wearing a red suit with a big white bushy beard giving toys out to kids all over the world, you must be clownish or dumb. Look at the movie “Stand by Me” which is based on Stephen King’s novella, “The Body”. While I’m fond of the movie, and even more so, the written version, Vern, the character who is made fun of throughout both vehicles for being fat, is not very bright. This is not an isolated case. You see it throughout these forms of entertainment.
Now let’s take a look at the fashion industry. It is next to impossible to find fashionable clothes for larger males. Oh, there are Big & Tall stores. Have you ever been to one? Atrocious clothes including golf shirts with elastic bands at the bottom hang from the racks screaming out, “Wear me and you’ll look like you belong in a retirement home!” The prices are insane! For those amounts, I should be wearing Diesel or DKNY. But No! It’s John Daly’s Husky wear! Have you ever looked at a catalog or advertisement for a big and tall store? The models are never big, just tall. Polo, along with any other Ralph Lauren line for that matter, I’ll probably always be partial to. It’s one of the few fashionable lines that cater to the robust gentleman. Go to some of the more fashionable stores, though. Check out Abercrombie & Fitch or DKNY along with countless others. I challenge you to find a pair of pants that go above a 36 or 38. Here’s the message I’m hearing loud and clear. “We don’t want your fat body to be seen in our clothes, destroying our image.” I love clothes. I especially love fashionable clothes. But most of the fashionable clothes are designed for people who appear to be junkies. I swear you have to be on heroin or crack to fit into them. You have to be able to fit your butt in a coach seat on an airplane to be able to look good. Although I d not choose to sport the style, I have to admire the hip-hop clothing designers. In just about every line, larger gentlemen can find clothes to fit them.
My last target of complaint is the medical insurance industry. These companies embody the statement that it is more acceptable to be a junkie than overweight. If you are requesting to be placed into rehab to get off drugs or alcohol, you are 100% covered. Often, you don’t even have to pay a co-pay. You’re admitting that you have a problem, and that is heroic. We are proud of you and want to help you in any way. Please don’t get me wrong. Going through these steps is very admirable and you should be applauded. If you’re overweight, however, more often than not you are not covered. You did it to yourself. Get yourself out of it. The insurance companies would rather you get diabetes or heart disease and treat you for that, than help you shed the pounds for a healthier lifestyle. They would rather you have a heart attack or stroke. They would rather you die. No surgeries, no medication, no subsidizing of any sort. Food is not an addiction; at least according to the insuring world. Deal with it. In light of these facts, here is what I propose. Are you overweight? Here’s what you do. Become addicted to a drug such as crack or heroin that is known for reducing the weight of its addicts. Lose the weight because of your addiction. Then, put yourself into rehab. You’re a hero!
Please don’t get me wrong. Again, I admire drug and alcohol addicts who admit they have a problem and better yet, overcome it. Also, I don’t blame anyone but me for my weight problem. However, if you’re going to applaud the one group for indulgence and addiction, why not the other? If you’re going to help out the one group to overcome their problem, then why not help the other? If you’re going to cover the cost to treat the one group, why not cover the cost for the other? It is a double-standard, and frankly I’m sick of it. I would never condone the idea of becoming addicted to drugs to lose weight, but do you see how ridiculous this is?
This is where I will end my whining. I would like to, however, explain the basis for my diatribe. If you’re reading this blog, there is a 99.9% that you know me. And, you know that weight is an issue I’ve struggled with my entire life. You also probably know that I have fought it before and have done well. However, those demons always come back to me. I’ve decided to do something about it. I am going to work on losing the weight and lowering my cholesterol as it is sky high. In reviewing my insurance plan document, I’ve also looked at what my possible options could be. There aren’t any outside of taking care of it myself, and it has gotten under my skin. My insurance company would rather worse things happen to me medically. So, I ask you all to pray that I find the willpower to battle my weight problem and cholesterol problem. I am looking to change insurance companies next year, and ask that you pray that the company I go with be more sympathetic to my situation than my current one. I hope this blog finds everyone happy and in good health. I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going.
I Corinthians 9:24 – 27 (NIV)
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Goin' Back To Houston....Houston...Houston
It's been a while since my last post. There are several reasons for that. The first being that I've been busy. John Lennon really hit the nail on the head when he sang, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." Our computer spent last week under the knife getting a power supply transplant. Our old power supply went out after a storm the other day. Probably the main reason, however, is that I've been trying to figure out a way to keep this entry from sounding like "You Might Be a Redneck If...". This blog is geared toward my fellow Native Houstonians.
Let's face it. We may not live in the prettiest city. The weather here is ridiculous. Chances are, however, if you're a Native Houstonian, you love the city. The food is great. The people are the friendliest. We live in the fourth largest city in the country, but you would never know it. If you recognize elements of the following list, you may be qualified as a Native Houstonian. I offer my deepest apologies if this is at all reminiscent of a "You Might Be a Redneck" or "Here's Your Sign" list. I assure you that was not my intent.
The Houston List
1. You used to go to Sea-a-Rama in Galveston to watch the seals and dolphins.
2. You used to beg your parents to take you to the Foley's at Northwest Mall because their
children's shoe department was a pirate ship.
3. The Thanksgiving Day Parade downtown will ALWAYS be the Foley's Thanksgiving Day
Parade.
4. You often confused former mayor Kathy Whitmire with Dustin Hoffman as Tootsie.
5. You either had a birthday party or at least attended a birthday party at CandyLand on 59.
6. Astroworld just has not been the same since the Alpine Sleigh Ride closed.
7. You danced at DanceTown USA on Airline.
8. You remember when Greenspoint Mall wasn't scary but actually had really nice fountains
throughout the mall.
9. The Astrodome is a sacred place for you.
10. You watched wrestling on Saturday night at the Sam Houston Coliseum.
11. You remember when Matress Mac was just a crazy guy trying to sell furniture in
commercials during wrestling, and you thought he'd never make it.
12. You remember when Houston had 7-11's
13. You used to watch movies at the Garden Oaks Theater.
14. You know there is a Houston Baseball Museum in the big Finger's on I-45 across from UH.
15. You watched movies at the United Artist theater in front of Northline Mall.
16. You had a shirt or bumper sticker proclaiming, "Luv Ya Blue".
17. You owned a 45 of the Oiler Fight Song.
18. You know why the Astros should retire the number 50.
19. You played putt putt or raced go-karts at the Castle.
20. You've tried Warren Moon's cookies
21. You're shocked that Dave Ward and Bob Allen have looked the same for darn near 30 years.
22. You know that Gilley's wasn't just some made up honky tonk in the Urban Cowboy.
23. You've eaten at Barbecue Inn and know not to order the barbecue.
24. As a child, you wanted to attend UH because they were turning out Heisman winners.
25. You remember when the Souther Star Amphitheater was the place to watch a concert.
26. You rembember those big weird characters at Astroworld with the orange hair.
27. You remember when Astroworld was safe.
28. Six Flags was just a park in that crappy wanna-be city, Dallas.
29. You remember Dream’s “Unbeatable” McDonald’s Commercials
30. Hakeem was Akeem
31. You shopped for a Christmas tree in front of DelMar Stadium
32. Tomball and Conroe were small towns too far away to think about driving to.
33. You've shopped at Kaplan Ben Hur in the Heights.
34. You consider Mike Scott royalty
35. The mosquito bites don’t bother you anymore
36. You refused to call the Rockets’ home, Compaq Center. It was the Summit!
37. You still hate Reliant for putting their name in front of the Astrodome
38. 1960 was just a Farm Road until Games People Play opened up.
39. You watched bands play at Billy Blues
40. You hated the “Go See Cal” commercials
41. You know the words to the Mac Haik jingle and the Westside Chevrolet jingle
42. You own a copy of the Houston Rockets version of "Whoomp There It Is!"
43. You remember when the Chronicle had to compete with the Post.
44. You know that before it was Splashtown, the land in Spring was Hanna Barbarra Land.
"As I made my way home, I thought Jem and I would get grown but there wasn't much else left for us to learn, except possibly algebra." Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Let's face it. We may not live in the prettiest city. The weather here is ridiculous. Chances are, however, if you're a Native Houstonian, you love the city. The food is great. The people are the friendliest. We live in the fourth largest city in the country, but you would never know it. If you recognize elements of the following list, you may be qualified as a Native Houstonian. I offer my deepest apologies if this is at all reminiscent of a "You Might Be a Redneck" or "Here's Your Sign" list. I assure you that was not my intent.
The Houston List
1. You used to go to Sea-a-Rama in Galveston to watch the seals and dolphins.
2. You used to beg your parents to take you to the Foley's at Northwest Mall because their
children's shoe department was a pirate ship.
3. The Thanksgiving Day Parade downtown will ALWAYS be the Foley's Thanksgiving Day
Parade.
4. You often confused former mayor Kathy Whitmire with Dustin Hoffman as Tootsie.
5. You either had a birthday party or at least attended a birthday party at CandyLand on 59.
6. Astroworld just has not been the same since the Alpine Sleigh Ride closed.
7. You danced at DanceTown USA on Airline.
8. You remember when Greenspoint Mall wasn't scary but actually had really nice fountains
throughout the mall.
9. The Astrodome is a sacred place for you.
10. You watched wrestling on Saturday night at the Sam Houston Coliseum.
11. You remember when Matress Mac was just a crazy guy trying to sell furniture in
commercials during wrestling, and you thought he'd never make it.
12. You remember when Houston had 7-11's
13. You used to watch movies at the Garden Oaks Theater.
14. You know there is a Houston Baseball Museum in the big Finger's on I-45 across from UH.
15. You watched movies at the United Artist theater in front of Northline Mall.
16. You had a shirt or bumper sticker proclaiming, "Luv Ya Blue".
17. You owned a 45 of the Oiler Fight Song.
18. You know why the Astros should retire the number 50.
19. You played putt putt or raced go-karts at the Castle.
20. You've tried Warren Moon's cookies
21. You're shocked that Dave Ward and Bob Allen have looked the same for darn near 30 years.
22. You know that Gilley's wasn't just some made up honky tonk in the Urban Cowboy.
23. You've eaten at Barbecue Inn and know not to order the barbecue.
24. As a child, you wanted to attend UH because they were turning out Heisman winners.
25. You remember when the Souther Star Amphitheater was the place to watch a concert.
26. You rembember those big weird characters at Astroworld with the orange hair.
27. You remember when Astroworld was safe.
28. Six Flags was just a park in that crappy wanna-be city, Dallas.
29. You remember Dream’s “Unbeatable” McDonald’s Commercials
30. Hakeem was Akeem
31. You shopped for a Christmas tree in front of DelMar Stadium
32. Tomball and Conroe were small towns too far away to think about driving to.
33. You've shopped at Kaplan Ben Hur in the Heights.
34. You consider Mike Scott royalty
35. The mosquito bites don’t bother you anymore
36. You refused to call the Rockets’ home, Compaq Center. It was the Summit!
37. You still hate Reliant for putting their name in front of the Astrodome
38. 1960 was just a Farm Road until Games People Play opened up.
39. You watched bands play at Billy Blues
40. You hated the “Go See Cal” commercials
41. You know the words to the Mac Haik jingle and the Westside Chevrolet jingle
42. You own a copy of the Houston Rockets version of "Whoomp There It Is!"
43. You remember when the Chronicle had to compete with the Post.
44. You know that before it was Splashtown, the land in Spring was Hanna Barbarra Land.
"As I made my way home, I thought Jem and I would get grown but there wasn't much else left for us to learn, except possibly algebra." Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Darryl Kile: Remembering the Day
For Christmas, Stephanie gave me a desk calendar of my favorite comic strip, “Get Fuzzy” by Darby Conley. Each day, there is a comic strip from past publications. If you're not familiar with the strip, it is one of the funniest I’ve ever read. It’s about a 20/30-something single guy named, Rob Wilco, whose pet dog and cat are just as much his family as if he had children of his own. His pets are a Siamese cat with one tooth named Bucky Katt and a Lab/Sharpei mix named Satchel Pooch. Darby Conley is from the New England area and is a huge Red Sox fan. Actually, from what I can tell, he’s a huge baseball fan. Just look at the names: Bucky Katt….Bucky Dent; Satchel Pooch….Satchel Paige. The other day, the strip of the day on my calendar had Rob wearing a St. Louis Cardinals hat with the initials D.K. and the number 57, an obvious homage for the late starting pitcher, Darryl Kile. It gave me chills as I reminisced about the baseball star’s early death.
Last Wednesday, June 22, 2005, marked the third anniversary of pitcher Darryl Kile’s death, a moment that shocked the sports world. He was found dead in his hotel room in Chicago where the Cardinals were playing the Cubs that weekend. At the time, it was such a mystery as to what could have caused his death. We would later find out that his passing was due to coronary atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing of the arteries supplying the heart muscle. He was only 33. No one, including Darryl’s wife, had any idea there was a problem. I remember that day and the surrounding events so vividly. Throughout his career, Darryl Kile made a lot of close friends. The game between the Cubs and the Cards was canceled that day. Joe Giardi and the rest of the Cubs and Cardinals’ Manager, Tony LaRussa, came out to the field and made the announcement to the fans. If you’ve ever been to a game when the Cardinals are the visiting team, then you know they come out. It’s why I love to watch the Astros play the Cardinals. That day, as usual, there were a lot of Cardinal fans in the stands at Wrigley field. Their fans, along with the hosting Cub fans, were silent upon hearing the news. That night, in watching the sports recap of the day on ESPN, I watched a press conference with Larry Walker, a former teammate of Darryl’s when he played for the Rockies. I never have been a fan of Walker’s, but I did have to respect him for wearing his heart on his sleeve as he broke down remembering his fallen friend in the tear-filled interview.
What I will remember most about his passing was that night as the Astros hosted the American League’s Seattle Mariners. It was an inter-league game that my friend, Ray, and I were excited about and had planned to attend for some time as we wanted to see the phenom, Ichiro Suzuki, live and in action. We had seats a few rows behind right-field. Before the game started, the fans participated in a moment of silence for Darryl. Houston holds a special place in her heart for Darryl Kile as he spent seven of his twelve major league seasons in an Astros uniform with several stellar years, one of which included a no-hitter on September 8, 1993. For some of the fans, it was the first they had heard of the tragedy. So, the moment of silence was preceded by a collective gasp. Above, on the big screen, was a picture of Darryl in an Astros uniform atop the pitcher’s mound. Under this figure: “1968-2002.” In the Astros’ dugout, hung Kile’s old jersey.
Prior to the game, Jimy Williams, manager of the Astros at the time, gave Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, and Brad Ausmus the night off as they were very close to Darryl. He informed them that he would only use them as a last resort. Sure enough, all three were needed in the twelve inning thriller. Jeff Bagwell fittingly hit the game winning run in the bottom of the twelfth with a single that drove Julio Lugo in. Now, normally when something like this happens, the game hero's teammates mob him in celebration. Not this time. This night, Jeff's teammates met him, gathered around him, and hugged him. Jeff Bagwell's shoulders slumped as if an unbearable load had finally worn him down while his teammates escorted him off of the field.
When the winning run came in, the crowd went nuts. It didn't take much. The crowd was already on its feet, and the air was already filled with excitement when we saw Bagwell on deck. We knew we were about to witness something special. There was an awkward fan in our section that kept making nonsensical cheers throughout the evening. He kept talking about Spiderman which was the hit blockbuster movie that summer. When Bagwell came up to bat, the fan kept yelling, "Do it for Darryl!" Now while that is a horrible cliché, it was a unanimous sentiment that did not require vocalizing. When Lugo crossed the plate, strangers in a city of millions celebrated together. Grown, guarded men were high-fiving each other and hugging, not caring what anybody would think. For all we knew, we could have just won a pennant, or witnessed a no-hitter. It was a special moment that will forever be burned into my memory. It's held in such high regard with such memories as the Mike Scott no-hitter against the Giants in 1986 or, more recently, beating the Braves to advance to the National League Championship Series in 2004.
A few days later, a memorial was held for Darryl Kile at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. It was a tough year for Cardinal fans as they lost their long-time announcer, Jack Buck, earlier that week. I watched a web cast of the memorial service that day at work, and wept for Darryl Kile, his friends, and his family which included a wife, five-year old twins, a boy and a girl, along with a boy who would turn one that August. The remainder of the year, the Cardinals hung his jersey with reverence in their dugout. The Cardinals made it to the National League Championship Series where they lost to the San Francisco Giants. To this day, a circular sign with the letters, "DK", is still raised between the Astros pennants. Every time I see it, it takes me back to that summer night when I realized what the game of baseball really means to me.
"Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay." "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost
Last Wednesday, June 22, 2005, marked the third anniversary of pitcher Darryl Kile’s death, a moment that shocked the sports world. He was found dead in his hotel room in Chicago where the Cardinals were playing the Cubs that weekend. At the time, it was such a mystery as to what could have caused his death. We would later find out that his passing was due to coronary atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing of the arteries supplying the heart muscle. He was only 33. No one, including Darryl’s wife, had any idea there was a problem. I remember that day and the surrounding events so vividly. Throughout his career, Darryl Kile made a lot of close friends. The game between the Cubs and the Cards was canceled that day. Joe Giardi and the rest of the Cubs and Cardinals’ Manager, Tony LaRussa, came out to the field and made the announcement to the fans. If you’ve ever been to a game when the Cardinals are the visiting team, then you know they come out. It’s why I love to watch the Astros play the Cardinals. That day, as usual, there were a lot of Cardinal fans in the stands at Wrigley field. Their fans, along with the hosting Cub fans, were silent upon hearing the news. That night, in watching the sports recap of the day on ESPN, I watched a press conference with Larry Walker, a former teammate of Darryl’s when he played for the Rockies. I never have been a fan of Walker’s, but I did have to respect him for wearing his heart on his sleeve as he broke down remembering his fallen friend in the tear-filled interview.
What I will remember most about his passing was that night as the Astros hosted the American League’s Seattle Mariners. It was an inter-league game that my friend, Ray, and I were excited about and had planned to attend for some time as we wanted to see the phenom, Ichiro Suzuki, live and in action. We had seats a few rows behind right-field. Before the game started, the fans participated in a moment of silence for Darryl. Houston holds a special place in her heart for Darryl Kile as he spent seven of his twelve major league seasons in an Astros uniform with several stellar years, one of which included a no-hitter on September 8, 1993. For some of the fans, it was the first they had heard of the tragedy. So, the moment of silence was preceded by a collective gasp. Above, on the big screen, was a picture of Darryl in an Astros uniform atop the pitcher’s mound. Under this figure: “1968-2002.” In the Astros’ dugout, hung Kile’s old jersey.
Prior to the game, Jimy Williams, manager of the Astros at the time, gave Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, and Brad Ausmus the night off as they were very close to Darryl. He informed them that he would only use them as a last resort. Sure enough, all three were needed in the twelve inning thriller. Jeff Bagwell fittingly hit the game winning run in the bottom of the twelfth with a single that drove Julio Lugo in. Now, normally when something like this happens, the game hero's teammates mob him in celebration. Not this time. This night, Jeff's teammates met him, gathered around him, and hugged him. Jeff Bagwell's shoulders slumped as if an unbearable load had finally worn him down while his teammates escorted him off of the field.
When the winning run came in, the crowd went nuts. It didn't take much. The crowd was already on its feet, and the air was already filled with excitement when we saw Bagwell on deck. We knew we were about to witness something special. There was an awkward fan in our section that kept making nonsensical cheers throughout the evening. He kept talking about Spiderman which was the hit blockbuster movie that summer. When Bagwell came up to bat, the fan kept yelling, "Do it for Darryl!" Now while that is a horrible cliché, it was a unanimous sentiment that did not require vocalizing. When Lugo crossed the plate, strangers in a city of millions celebrated together. Grown, guarded men were high-fiving each other and hugging, not caring what anybody would think. For all we knew, we could have just won a pennant, or witnessed a no-hitter. It was a special moment that will forever be burned into my memory. It's held in such high regard with such memories as the Mike Scott no-hitter against the Giants in 1986 or, more recently, beating the Braves to advance to the National League Championship Series in 2004.
A few days later, a memorial was held for Darryl Kile at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. It was a tough year for Cardinal fans as they lost their long-time announcer, Jack Buck, earlier that week. I watched a web cast of the memorial service that day at work, and wept for Darryl Kile, his friends, and his family which included a wife, five-year old twins, a boy and a girl, along with a boy who would turn one that August. The remainder of the year, the Cardinals hung his jersey with reverence in their dugout. The Cardinals made it to the National League Championship Series where they lost to the San Francisco Giants. To this day, a circular sign with the letters, "DK", is still raised between the Astros pennants. Every time I see it, it takes me back to that summer night when I realized what the game of baseball really means to me.
"Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay." "Nothing Gold Can Stay" by Robert Frost
Monday, June 27, 2005
Go Spurs Go!
I know it's a little late, but congratulations to the City of San Antonio and the NBA Champion Spurs! Because I've spent so much time in San Antonio, I consider it my second home. So, I'm extremely happy for my second favorite basketball team. What a team! Tim Duncan has turned out to be one of the most respectable players in the game. So much of that has to be credited to David Robinson. I cannot think of a better person to mentor Tim than David. Speaking of David, wasn't it great to see him on the floor? He was obviously thrilled for the team, the city, and Tim. When Duncan and Greg Popovich embraced after winning another championship, I was reminded of why I love this game. It's the comradery, the players relying on each other, fighting for a common goal. In today's culture of individualism and statistics, it's so great to see players feeding off of one another, and realizing they're playing for something bigger than themselves. I hope that Tim Duncan plays in San Antonio his entire career. It would be fitting to his legacy and to that of David Robinson. That's about all that is going on. I hope everyone is doing well.
"Never underestimate the heart of a champion." Rudy Tomjanovich
"Never underestimate the heart of a champion." Rudy Tomjanovich
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Quote Me On That
Tuesday night, CBS aired AFI's 100 Years, 100 Movie Quotes. It was one of the most enjoyable programs I can remember watching in a really long time. In case you missed it, Clark Gable's "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" from "Gone With the Wind" was the number one quote which is next to impossible to argue against. For the most part, the list was great. There were a few quotes that I thought could have been left out and some that could have been added. But, to be honest, the people who chose the quotes are more qualified than I am.
Some highlights for me were the following quotes:
#3 "You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am." Marlon Brando "On the Waterfront"
#8 "May the Force be with you." Harrison Ford "Star Wars"
#11 "What we've got here is failure to communicate." Captain "Cool Hand Luke"
#21 "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." Anthony Hopkins "The Silence of the Lambs"
#45 "Stella! Hey, Stella!" Marlon Brando "A Streetcar Named Desire"
#51 "You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?" Clint Eastwood "Dirty Harry"
#57 "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." Michael Douglas "Wall Street"
#72 "No wire hangers, ever!" Faye Dunaway "Mommie Dearest"
#92 "Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac...It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!" Bill Murray "Caddyshack"
Here are some of the quotes that I thought could have been omitted to make room for some others:
#100 "I'm king of the world" Leo DeCaprio "Titanic" (James Cameron's Oscar acceptance speech alone should have kept this off of the list)
#98 "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" Patrick Swayze "Dirty Dancing"
#96 "Snap out of it!" Cher "Moonstruck" (Any movie involving Cher & Nicholas Cage should be burned)
#76 "Hasta La Vista, Baby" Arnold Schwarzenegger "Terminator 2" Ridiculous
#30 "I want to be alone" Greta Garbo "Grand Hotel"
#47 "Shane. Shane. Come Back!" "Shane" Not that great
#42 "Plastics." "The Graduate"
Here are some quotes that I think could have replaced those:
"Wax on, wax off." Pat Morita "The Karate Kid" Everybody knows it!
"Luke, I am your father" Darth Vader "The Empire Strikes Back" The shock heard 'round the universe!
"You'll shoot your eye out!" Everyone but Ralphie "A Christmas Story"
"You're so money!" Vince Vaughn "Swingers"
"We're on a mission from God." Dan Akroyd "The Blues Brothers"
"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!" John Belushi "Animal House"
"Yeah, well....sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand." Paul Newman "Cool Hand Luke"
Those are just some favorites of mine that I think could have made the list. There are some quotes that I enjoy but I know would not be good enough for this list. I love a lot of the quotes from "Stripes" and "Strange Brew". I was disappointed not to see any Chevy Chase quotes in the list. The Fletch movies and Vacation movies could have provided some ammo. It's interesting to imagine what quotes will be on lists like this 50 years from now. Maybe we'll see some from "Napoleon Dynamite". That whole movie is a quote. I just hope Keanu's "I know Kung Fu" from the "Matrix" never shows up on a list like this, or any Keanu quote for that matter. Another quote I hope to never see on such a list is James Vanderbeek telling his dad, "I don't want your life!" from "Varsity Blues".
I've really enjoyed thinking about quoteable movies since watching the program Tuesday night. Please feel free to post some of your favorite quotes or opinions on the list.
"Me and my brother, Doug, always said that drowning in beer is like Heaven, eh. Now he's not here. I got two soakers. This isn't Heaven! This sucks!" Rick Moranis in "Strange Brew"
Some highlights for me were the following quotes:
#3 "You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am." Marlon Brando "On the Waterfront"
#8 "May the Force be with you." Harrison Ford "Star Wars"
#11 "What we've got here is failure to communicate." Captain "Cool Hand Luke"
#21 "A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." Anthony Hopkins "The Silence of the Lambs"
#45 "Stella! Hey, Stella!" Marlon Brando "A Streetcar Named Desire"
#51 "You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?" Clint Eastwood "Dirty Harry"
#57 "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." Michael Douglas "Wall Street"
#72 "No wire hangers, ever!" Faye Dunaway "Mommie Dearest"
#92 "Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac...It's in the hole! It's in the hole! It's in the hole!" Bill Murray "Caddyshack"
Here are some of the quotes that I thought could have been omitted to make room for some others:
#100 "I'm king of the world" Leo DeCaprio "Titanic" (James Cameron's Oscar acceptance speech alone should have kept this off of the list)
#98 "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" Patrick Swayze "Dirty Dancing"
#96 "Snap out of it!" Cher "Moonstruck" (Any movie involving Cher & Nicholas Cage should be burned)
#76 "Hasta La Vista, Baby" Arnold Schwarzenegger "Terminator 2" Ridiculous
#30 "I want to be alone" Greta Garbo "Grand Hotel"
#47 "Shane. Shane. Come Back!" "Shane" Not that great
#42 "Plastics." "The Graduate"
Here are some quotes that I think could have replaced those:
"Wax on, wax off." Pat Morita "The Karate Kid" Everybody knows it!
"Luke, I am your father" Darth Vader "The Empire Strikes Back" The shock heard 'round the universe!
"You'll shoot your eye out!" Everyone but Ralphie "A Christmas Story"
"You're so money!" Vince Vaughn "Swingers"
"We're on a mission from God." Dan Akroyd "The Blues Brothers"
"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!" John Belushi "Animal House"
"Yeah, well....sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand." Paul Newman "Cool Hand Luke"
Those are just some favorites of mine that I think could have made the list. There are some quotes that I enjoy but I know would not be good enough for this list. I love a lot of the quotes from "Stripes" and "Strange Brew". I was disappointed not to see any Chevy Chase quotes in the list. The Fletch movies and Vacation movies could have provided some ammo. It's interesting to imagine what quotes will be on lists like this 50 years from now. Maybe we'll see some from "Napoleon Dynamite". That whole movie is a quote. I just hope Keanu's "I know Kung Fu" from the "Matrix" never shows up on a list like this, or any Keanu quote for that matter. Another quote I hope to never see on such a list is James Vanderbeek telling his dad, "I don't want your life!" from "Varsity Blues".
I've really enjoyed thinking about quoteable movies since watching the program Tuesday night. Please feel free to post some of your favorite quotes or opinions on the list.
"Me and my brother, Doug, always said that drowning in beer is like Heaven, eh. Now he's not here. I got two soakers. This isn't Heaven! This sucks!" Rick Moranis in "Strange Brew"
Monday, June 20, 2005
Friday morning, Stephanie and I headed up to Fort Smith Arkansas. It was a long trip, but we enjoyed the road. The weather, for the most part, cooperated. We hit some rain between Nacodoches and the Oklahoma border, but that was about it. I was originally concerned because in checking the weather all week, it looked like we'd be driving through some thunderstorms. When we first got into Oklahoma, I was pretty disappointed. The first leg of our trip through Oklahoma was boring and not very attractive. In fact, we barely noticed we had crossed the border. There was a tiny sign welcoming us to Oklahoma. Gee....thanks. Did Oklahoma not realize that Craig AND Stephanie just entered its land? Where was the red carpet???
About 45 minutes into our drive through Oklahoma, the state made up for the less than thrilling entrance. We entered the Ouachita National Forest. Talk about a gorgeous drive! We drove through rolling hills and mountains covered in trees. The road had only two lanes; one going each way. So, the rest was all for the eye to enjoy. After navigating through the turns and broken highways, we made it into Fort Smith, Arkansas. The odd thing about crossing that border was that our crossing took place on a small road in the middle of a neighborhood. There was a tiny sign informing, but not thanking us that we had left Oklahoma and entered Arkansas.
We started to navigate our way through the city to find our motel, but it wasn't necessary. There's really only one road in Fort Smith that you need to know...Rogers. We were heading up the street and there was the Days Inn just like in the picture. Only in the picture, you didn't see its surroundings. Our motel wasn't in the most attractive setting. We were nervous and apprehensive at first, but it turned out to be okay. I think the only problem we had all weekend was the sexy hunk of a man in a Speedo on the second floor. It was nasy!!! I couldn't quite figure it out. We were in Arkansas. There is no Eurotrash in Arkansas. I know it's wrong to pigeonhole Speedo wearers into that category, but I don't care! It's justified.
There wasn't much to do in Fort Smith. There's the mall, which is on Rogers. It was just okay at best. When a clerk at a hat store in the mall found out we were from Houston, he couldn't believe we were in that mall. He informed us that he knew how awesome our malls were. Heck yeah!!!! We soaked in some local culture. There's the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Rogers, and Wal-Mart...that was about it.
Saturday morning, we asked the girl at the front desk where we should have breakfast. She suggested Benson's Grill, a local diner on, you guessed it, Rogers. This had to be the cultural highlight of the weekend if not the year. First, we walk in and the cigarette smoke escapes through the door celebrating its freedom from the captivation it had withstood. We started to sit down, but I saw an ashtray on the table. So, I assumed it was the smoking section. You know, a no smoking section in a restaurant is about as effective as a no peeing section in a public pool. It eventually makes its way over. Well, it turned out that the entire restaurant was a smoking section. Our waitress behind the diner counter was even smoking. Not on her break! Now this place was full of locals. The customers knew the workers and vice versa. There was a couple smoking, of course, and enjoying some coffee and conversation. She along with her man, a strapping man with an American Flag bandana on his head who although he looked 70 was probably in his late-30s to early 40s, decided to run to the store to get something for her stomach and more cigarettes. Our waitress asked them to pick her up some cigarettes in exchange for her protection of their coffee. The couple returned, but had picked up the wrong brand for our waitress. She non-chalantly tells the other waitress that she's going to bum a cigarette. The other waitress explained the terms, or consequences if you will, of the cigarette loan. She exclaimed, "You do and I'll kick your butt! That's my last one!" Well said. You speak for all of us. Now, our new local friend who did not work at the diner but returned with the wrong cigarettes was an entrepenuer. She posed the question, "You know those bumper stickers that say, 'Git-R-Done'? " Of course, everyone acknowleged their witnessing of said bumper sticker. She continued, "I oughta make a bumper sticker that says 'GOT-R-Done,'." to which everyone agreed. She went on to ask, "And you know those stickers that say 'Cowboy Up'?" Of course, everyone involved in the conversation had seen it. To which she added, "I should make a sticker that says, 'Cowboy Down'." Inspired, one of the waitresses added, "How 'bout 'Cowboy DONE'?!" Believe it or not, the food was really good. Believe me we were nervous. When I pray to God thanking Him for our food, I usually request something to the effect of "let it be nourishing to our bodies." In this particular case, I pleaded with the Lord, "PLEASE let it be nourishing to our bodies." God was listening and we didn't have any problems.
After breakfast, we checked out a casino in nearby Oklahoma. It was pretty depressing. Rows of slot machines were panhandling. We lost a grand total of six bucks in fifteen minutes and left. With the cigarette smoke in the casino, we probably took in a carton's worth of second-hand smoke. Tomorrow, we're planning to make the trip to Walgreens to buy second-hand nicotine patches. We admitted that we have a problem and that is the first and most important step to recovery. The wedding was really nice. It took place in this beautiful southern house in Historic Downtown Fort Smith. Now, while the house wasn't on Rogers, downtown was. Have you ever noticed that every small town has an "Historic Downtown"? As Stephanie pointed out, of course it's historic. The rest of the town was built around it. After the wedding, we decided to get some dinner. The choice for the evening...The Pig N Pepper on Rogers, which incidentally had a big paper mache bull outside. It was, as you've probably figured it out, barbeque. It was really good! They had some incredible barbeque sauces. After dinner we drove to a nearby mountain in hopes of watching the sunset. While we didn't get to see the sun set, it was a really nice drive.
We made our way home Sunday. It was a rough drive, but only because I was so tired. It had been a long weekend and we didn't get much sleep. We were ready to get home and see Roscoe. Now, if you read my first blog, I spelled his name Rosco without the "E". After posting the blog, Stephanie informed me that she bought him a new name tag and added the "E". So now he is legitmately named after Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles. When we got back into the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma, we decided to take a detour for a scenic drive. It was amazing. We went into a camping and picnic area that overlooked the valleys. It was the perfect way to cap off the weekend. Stephanie and I did not want to leave. We hope to return soon to camp there.
We finally made it home. When we left the apartment on Friday, the A/C was out. We were relieved to come home to a new unit which was cooling the apartment wonderfully. We then returned the rental car and picked up Roscoe from Linda who did a gracious and wonderful job of taking care of our boy. Thanks Linda!!! So, if there is nothing else you take from this blog, remember that if you're ever in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Rogers will get you anywhere!
"The end of our journey impended. Great fields stretched on both sides of us; a noble wind blew across the occasional immense tree groves and over old missions turning salmon pink in the late sun. The clouds were close and huge and rose." On the Road by Jack Kerouac
About 45 minutes into our drive through Oklahoma, the state made up for the less than thrilling entrance. We entered the Ouachita National Forest. Talk about a gorgeous drive! We drove through rolling hills and mountains covered in trees. The road had only two lanes; one going each way. So, the rest was all for the eye to enjoy. After navigating through the turns and broken highways, we made it into Fort Smith, Arkansas. The odd thing about crossing that border was that our crossing took place on a small road in the middle of a neighborhood. There was a tiny sign informing, but not thanking us that we had left Oklahoma and entered Arkansas.
We started to navigate our way through the city to find our motel, but it wasn't necessary. There's really only one road in Fort Smith that you need to know...Rogers. We were heading up the street and there was the Days Inn just like in the picture. Only in the picture, you didn't see its surroundings. Our motel wasn't in the most attractive setting. We were nervous and apprehensive at first, but it turned out to be okay. I think the only problem we had all weekend was the sexy hunk of a man in a Speedo on the second floor. It was nasy!!! I couldn't quite figure it out. We were in Arkansas. There is no Eurotrash in Arkansas. I know it's wrong to pigeonhole Speedo wearers into that category, but I don't care! It's justified.
There wasn't much to do in Fort Smith. There's the mall, which is on Rogers. It was just okay at best. When a clerk at a hat store in the mall found out we were from Houston, he couldn't believe we were in that mall. He informed us that he knew how awesome our malls were. Heck yeah!!!! We soaked in some local culture. There's the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Rogers, and Wal-Mart...that was about it.
Saturday morning, we asked the girl at the front desk where we should have breakfast. She suggested Benson's Grill, a local diner on, you guessed it, Rogers. This had to be the cultural highlight of the weekend if not the year. First, we walk in and the cigarette smoke escapes through the door celebrating its freedom from the captivation it had withstood. We started to sit down, but I saw an ashtray on the table. So, I assumed it was the smoking section. You know, a no smoking section in a restaurant is about as effective as a no peeing section in a public pool. It eventually makes its way over. Well, it turned out that the entire restaurant was a smoking section. Our waitress behind the diner counter was even smoking. Not on her break! Now this place was full of locals. The customers knew the workers and vice versa. There was a couple smoking, of course, and enjoying some coffee and conversation. She along with her man, a strapping man with an American Flag bandana on his head who although he looked 70 was probably in his late-30s to early 40s, decided to run to the store to get something for her stomach and more cigarettes. Our waitress asked them to pick her up some cigarettes in exchange for her protection of their coffee. The couple returned, but had picked up the wrong brand for our waitress. She non-chalantly tells the other waitress that she's going to bum a cigarette. The other waitress explained the terms, or consequences if you will, of the cigarette loan. She exclaimed, "You do and I'll kick your butt! That's my last one!" Well said. You speak for all of us. Now, our new local friend who did not work at the diner but returned with the wrong cigarettes was an entrepenuer. She posed the question, "You know those bumper stickers that say, 'Git-R-Done'? " Of course, everyone acknowleged their witnessing of said bumper sticker. She continued, "I oughta make a bumper sticker that says 'GOT-R-Done,'." to which everyone agreed. She went on to ask, "And you know those stickers that say 'Cowboy Up'?" Of course, everyone involved in the conversation had seen it. To which she added, "I should make a sticker that says, 'Cowboy Down'." Inspired, one of the waitresses added, "How 'bout 'Cowboy DONE'?!" Believe it or not, the food was really good. Believe me we were nervous. When I pray to God thanking Him for our food, I usually request something to the effect of "let it be nourishing to our bodies." In this particular case, I pleaded with the Lord, "PLEASE let it be nourishing to our bodies." God was listening and we didn't have any problems.
After breakfast, we checked out a casino in nearby Oklahoma. It was pretty depressing. Rows of slot machines were panhandling. We lost a grand total of six bucks in fifteen minutes and left. With the cigarette smoke in the casino, we probably took in a carton's worth of second-hand smoke. Tomorrow, we're planning to make the trip to Walgreens to buy second-hand nicotine patches. We admitted that we have a problem and that is the first and most important step to recovery. The wedding was really nice. It took place in this beautiful southern house in Historic Downtown Fort Smith. Now, while the house wasn't on Rogers, downtown was. Have you ever noticed that every small town has an "Historic Downtown"? As Stephanie pointed out, of course it's historic. The rest of the town was built around it. After the wedding, we decided to get some dinner. The choice for the evening...The Pig N Pepper on Rogers, which incidentally had a big paper mache bull outside. It was, as you've probably figured it out, barbeque. It was really good! They had some incredible barbeque sauces. After dinner we drove to a nearby mountain in hopes of watching the sunset. While we didn't get to see the sun set, it was a really nice drive.
We made our way home Sunday. It was a rough drive, but only because I was so tired. It had been a long weekend and we didn't get much sleep. We were ready to get home and see Roscoe. Now, if you read my first blog, I spelled his name Rosco without the "E". After posting the blog, Stephanie informed me that she bought him a new name tag and added the "E". So now he is legitmately named after Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles. When we got back into the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma, we decided to take a detour for a scenic drive. It was amazing. We went into a camping and picnic area that overlooked the valleys. It was the perfect way to cap off the weekend. Stephanie and I did not want to leave. We hope to return soon to camp there.
We finally made it home. When we left the apartment on Friday, the A/C was out. We were relieved to come home to a new unit which was cooling the apartment wonderfully. We then returned the rental car and picked up Roscoe from Linda who did a gracious and wonderful job of taking care of our boy. Thanks Linda!!! So, if there is nothing else you take from this blog, remember that if you're ever in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Rogers will get you anywhere!
"The end of our journey impended. Great fields stretched on both sides of us; a noble wind blew across the occasional immense tree groves and over old missions turning salmon pink in the late sun. The clouds were close and huge and rose." On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Sunday, June 19, 2005
From June 16, 2005
So, our A/C is out. You may not believe this, but it's HOT!!! It went out Tuesday night. We had air blowing, but not very hard. So, it wasn't too bad. The apartment sent the maintenance guys yesterday to fix the problem. Evidently, they just had to fix the compressor. It was better, but through the course of the evening, we noticed it had gotten warmer. So, the maintenance guys came out today, and the unit is shot! So, they will not be able to get it fixed until this weekend. They set up this cool personal A/C unit in our bedroom. It seems to be working. Luckily we'll be out of town. So, we won't have to deal with all of this over the weekend. I'm sitting here waiting for one of those moments of clarity as if I was in one of those sweaty rituals in a teepee. You know, Dylan and Brandon were in one on 90210 when they decided to ride motorcycles cross-country. They stopped to go to the restroom on the side of the road and got arrested for desecrating a sacred burial ground. What ground-breaking scripts we got to enjoy in the 90's. So, the sheriff of the reservation sentenced them to dig a pit so they could make the little smoke teepee. You probably only understand what the heck I'm talking about if you actually saw that episode. Well, to make a long story longer, Dylan and Brandon had these wonderful moments of clarity while in this ceremony. So, I'm waiting on one of those.Oh....I think I have one.....no wait.......I don't. I find it hard to have those profound thoughts while being in a miserable situation like that. All I can think is, "It's hot. Or if I was to fast, I would just think, "Dang! Some hot wings would be great right now!" Well, it could be worse. It's hard to imagine, but people live without A/C everyday. Sadly, it's usually the fragile elderly people on fixed incomes or malnutritioned homeless people. So, I have to think of those less fortunate than me to put it all in perspective. There it is! I did have my moment of clarity! Now I guess I should start fasting. Ha!
"...the sun doesn't go down. It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning 'round" Do You Realize by the Flaming Lips
So, our A/C is out. You may not believe this, but it's HOT!!! It went out Tuesday night. We had air blowing, but not very hard. So, it wasn't too bad. The apartment sent the maintenance guys yesterday to fix the problem. Evidently, they just had to fix the compressor. It was better, but through the course of the evening, we noticed it had gotten warmer. So, the maintenance guys came out today, and the unit is shot! So, they will not be able to get it fixed until this weekend. They set up this cool personal A/C unit in our bedroom. It seems to be working. Luckily we'll be out of town. So, we won't have to deal with all of this over the weekend. I'm sitting here waiting for one of those moments of clarity as if I was in one of those sweaty rituals in a teepee. You know, Dylan and Brandon were in one on 90210 when they decided to ride motorcycles cross-country. They stopped to go to the restroom on the side of the road and got arrested for desecrating a sacred burial ground. What ground-breaking scripts we got to enjoy in the 90's. So, the sheriff of the reservation sentenced them to dig a pit so they could make the little smoke teepee. You probably only understand what the heck I'm talking about if you actually saw that episode. Well, to make a long story longer, Dylan and Brandon had these wonderful moments of clarity while in this ceremony. So, I'm waiting on one of those.Oh....I think I have one.....no wait.......I don't. I find it hard to have those profound thoughts while being in a miserable situation like that. All I can think is, "It's hot. Or if I was to fast, I would just think, "Dang! Some hot wings would be great right now!" Well, it could be worse. It's hard to imagine, but people live without A/C everyday. Sadly, it's usually the fragile elderly people on fixed incomes or malnutritioned homeless people. So, I have to think of those less fortunate than me to put it all in perspective. There it is! I did have my moment of clarity! Now I guess I should start fasting. Ha!
"...the sun doesn't go down. It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning 'round" Do You Realize by the Flaming Lips
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Craig's Blog; The Beginning
Hello one and all.......well, more than likely one. Hi Stephanie! Thanks for reading my first blog. For those of you lost souls who are wondering how you got here and don't know me, Stephanie is my beautiful wife. Being that this is my first blog, I'm not going to focus on a certain subject thus setting a tone for what this blog is going to be all about. The truth is, this blog isn't going to be about one thing. I'm not sure what it's going to be about. If interesting things are going on in my life, then I will write about that. Otherwise, I'll more than likely write about music, movies, current events, television, sports, or whatever is on my mind at the time.
Stephanie and I just gave our dog, Rosco, a bath and a dip. When we give him a dip, we can't dry him. Therefore, he is miserable and barking. Rosco is a lab-dachsund mix. I would have loved to see how that came about. He's named after Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles in L.A., a favorite of mine. How can you go wrong with a combination of chicken and waffles? Yes, I realize that the spelling of the name is different from the restaurant, but we like it that way! He's had a rough start in life, but he is really healthy now.
Stephanie and I are going to Arkansas and Oklahoma this weekend. So, I'll hopefully have plenty of things to write about. I mean, come on! We're talking about Arkansas!!! Road trip stories are the best. I know you'll be coming back for more!
Well, thanks for stopping by. I'm looking forward to making future entries. I think I'll end every entry with a quote, thought, or lyric. So, here it goes:
"Yeah, well....sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand." Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke
Stephanie and I just gave our dog, Rosco, a bath and a dip. When we give him a dip, we can't dry him. Therefore, he is miserable and barking. Rosco is a lab-dachsund mix. I would have loved to see how that came about. He's named after Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles in L.A., a favorite of mine. How can you go wrong with a combination of chicken and waffles? Yes, I realize that the spelling of the name is different from the restaurant, but we like it that way! He's had a rough start in life, but he is really healthy now.
Stephanie and I are going to Arkansas and Oklahoma this weekend. So, I'll hopefully have plenty of things to write about. I mean, come on! We're talking about Arkansas!!! Road trip stories are the best. I know you'll be coming back for more!
Well, thanks for stopping by. I'm looking forward to making future entries. I think I'll end every entry with a quote, thought, or lyric. So, here it goes:
"Yeah, well....sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand." Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke
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