Everywhere Texas

Thanks to my friend Joe for sending me this link.

This has been sitting in draft for 3 months. I watched the video again and recognized a lot of those scenes. Cut N Shoot was often a stop on the way home from Texas A&M back to Lake Charles to get a cold drink and snack. I think now its disappearing, being consumed by nearby Conroe.

Christmas lights

Last weekend Samantha and I got everything Christmas out of the attic. We decided to put the icicle lights up on the house again for this year. As the picture shows, we had ice last Christmas and the ice ended up pulling down one of the light chains and busted a good many of the tiny bulbs. The first job then was to fix the damaged lights. The first one out of the box must have been the chain that took the biggest hit last year as many sections of it wouldn't work. Sam and I decided to cannibalize it to get the others properly working. We were surprised to find an unopened box of icicles to replaced the damaged one.

Part of this year's fun was discovered over the summer. As part of a bulk garbage pick-up by the city, I decided to empty the attic of unnecessary items. In doing this I discovered where I had put lots of other lights from years gone by. After the icicle lights were fixed and put up in front, I began untangling and fixing these old lights. I recognized these right away. We have some lights that are big bulbs, about the size of eggs and solid colored. Not my faves. Also many chains of smaller bulbs that are solid colored and clear colored. Last of the bulbed lights are three or four chains of smaller bulbs that are very faded and beat up. These used to hang in our back yard for a year or two long ago. We would turn them on at night and go play in the backyard when the boys were little. The boys loved to play soccer at night, and who could blame them - its much cooler then.

I ended up fixing these extras and putting them up on the back of our house and along the fence next to the road. It looks goofy but I'll take a Christmas exemption on that.

There is a lot of variety of lights up on houses around the neighborhood. I have been looking at the houses nearby that leave the lights on the house year round ( but don't turn them on obviously) and there are large sections of these lights that don't work. Some houses have one strand near the door or on a tree, and others have lights everywhere. And then there are the chasing lights that turn the house into a Blockbuster Video store.

My preference is for the simple lights altho the icicle light is more the norm today. I like the small bulbs, clear and with colors. Its a bonus if some of these lights pop on and off randomly - I have only a few of those treasured bulbs now.

Overall our house looks much like it has for the past many years, as do our neighbor's. Next week we go to the Trail Of Light on Town Lake for that traditional trip - with hot chocolate.

Keeps me Searching for a heart of gold

Had any memorable online or other research experiences? How did you get what you needed? Give up eventually? Let this guy know.

http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/12/new_survey_what.html

Sam, Lucy, and Kasey

Here are a few photos of Samantha taken recently with Lucy and Kasey. This is really to see if I can embed a slideshow into a blog posting.

Remembrance of a good kitty

Our kitty Lucy had to be put down last Friday morning, Nov 9. The last few days were pretty tough for her and it was clear the end was at hand. I could try to relate 20 years of cute anecdotes about Lucy but that might take a while.

Lucy was adopted in June of 1987 at about 6 to 8 weeks of age from the Williamson County Humane Society. Of all our cats she was probably the most sane and predictable. She was definitely a creature of habit.

As I am the first to rise at our house in the mornings, Lucy would be waiting for me each morning as I got out of bed. She would trot ahead of me to the kitchen and wait to be fed. In the evenings as I got to bed and laid down she would pop up on the foot of the bed, and then walk on my legs and would stop at my sternum and lay down. After some ferocious purring for about 5 minutes or so, she would then stand up walk to the foot of the bed and get on my knit afgan and settle in for the night. These pleasantries went on for years - it was a comfortable, warm routine. Lucy would also come to the front door as I walked in from work, often appearing to be greeting me, but then quickly lead back to her food bowl.

She liked being around the family as we did things, often walking on a board game on the floor that we'd be playing. She wasn't too taken with Kasey our border collie tho, often choosing to hiss at her.

One last bit. In the last year or two she was unable to jump up on beds or furniture, and slept in the main room, not my bedroom. I usually have to get up in the middle of the night. It was not uncommon to see Lucy sitting upright in the middle of my bedroom as I got up at 3:30 a.m. She would watch me stagger to the bathroom and then back to bed. I would occasionally stop and give her a brief head and ear scratching. She would lean into my fingers for a moment and then I'd go back to bed wondering what she was up to.

I will miss Lucy, and the quiet consistency she brought.

Laurence Juber Plays Austin

The great Laurence Juber played a very nice show here last Friday night, Nov 2. I looked forward to this concert after acquiring several of his CDs over the years. Juber is an exceptional acoustic guitarist. The sounds he gets out of one guitar are impressive. And he is working hard too - every finger and arm muscle is being used - and yet he made it all look very easy. Sometimes sitting, or standing, finger picking or flat picking. A crisp clean sound, very few squeaks, and nice clear melodies. LJ does whatever is necessary to get the most out of his guitar, whacking the instrument for percussion, often slapping the strings, popping harmonics, bending strings, and little tinkly picking. Nice, enjoyable, professional.

I arrived just as he began the first song. After a birthday dinner for Samantha at Chuy's, I had to fill up the car, get to an ATM for cash, drive to the site, park and get in all in about 30 minutes, and barely made it.

I had made a list of the pieces played but they got thrown away by my wife who thought they were trash. Notables though were Layla (even the piano part at the end), Every Breath You Take, Pink Panther, Wonderful World, the Beatles' Rain and While My Guitar Gently Weeps, If I Only Had A Brain, of the songs he has arranged. Lots of his own compositions.

He played two sets of at least an hour with a 30 minute break to sign cd's and chat with the audience in the lobby. He signed a young boy's guitar and even played it a bit for him.

Juber clearly enjoys what he's doing. At one point he asks the audience if they're having a good time. After enthusiastic applause, he says, "well that's good because I'd be doing this anyway."

HEB Check Out

Standing in line at the HEB check out tonight I notice a woman in front of me purchases 16 items. The man directly in front of then purchases 15 items. This is in the "Ten Items Or Less" line. Harumph. No, same items do not count as one item. My bad karma is now washed away - I watched passively, chatting with a lady that attends our church, and waited to buy my 5. One of the these days tho, I will get up the nerve, and probably still do nothing. Except harumph a lot.

Say it ain't so, Jo!

Jo Rowling recently has disclosed that Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore is or rather was gay. That would explain the light blue and the purple robes he wears.

I don't know. If it didn't happen in the books, it didn't happen. Not very brave of her to trot out this characteristic of Dumbledore after all the books are written and sold. Probably should have been left alone.

I still love the books. My kids and I discuss them often, usually involving utterly impossible hypothetical situations.

Lucy, struggling

I was stooped over, peering into the fridge this morning looking about unable to find what I was looking for. Then it dawned on me that I did not remember what I was searching for. I stood up, looked about the kitchen, and then down at the floor and saw Lucy our cat bumping into my feet. Ah yes, Lucy needs food. Another scan of the shelves in the refrigerator and I spot her can of food. After spooning out a bit of food, I pick up Lucy and point her nose at the food and she begins eating.

After 20 plus years Lucy can no longer see very well, if at all. We have had to confine her to the kitchen because she was getting boxed in places, bumping into things, and tangled up underfoot. Not to mention hitting the correct spot in, um, eliminating was not very good either. Add this to her near total hearing loss, renal failure (her food is prescription only), back legs not working so hot, and weight of about 4 pounds, and there is not much of her left to go wrong. She has an awkward sleeping position as well, much like an upright fetal crouch of some sort. It is difficult for her to be comfortable.

On the other hand, she eats with energy, looks alert - her nose is in the air sniffing much of the time, and does not appear to be in pain. She asks to be fed often.

Personally I think Lucy is still with us because she wants to be. She hasn't decided to quit yet. There is something about our family she holds on to. All of our kids have not known a day of their life without her. Its been a long road for Lucy, and she still walks on, mainly bumping into stuff now.

Before I could begin this entry, I had to find my reading glasses, 150's now and probably on my way to 175's, and my right elbow and forearm is aching from keyboard usage most of the day.

Slow reader

In his book On Writing, Steven King admits to being a slow reader. In a period of a year he will read between 60 to 70 books. That few!? King does listen to books as well as reads them. Jasper Fforde in his talk at the booksigning here in Austin says he is never without something to read. Fforde will read anything in any genre - he loves stories.

I have been counting lately how many books I read. For September, I read On Writing, First Amoung Sequels by Fforde, and One Good Dog by Jon Katz. The Katz book I listened to on tape. That's 3.

To date in October I am "0 for". I am about 100 pages in Cormac McCarthy's The Crossing, using book and recording, about 100 pages into Q-School by John Feinstein, and 1 chapter into From Jesus To Christianity, a text being used at church class. This is why for the longest time I read mostly short stories, simply because I could finish them before losing interest or starting something else.

I guess my question is how they get all that reading done? I've often wondered how much other people read and where I fit. Is 3 books a month average? I think I am going to aim for a book a week, Sunday to Saturday. That's probably 50 pages a day!

The biggest threat to my goal is that I tend to fall asleep, especially if laying down, late at night, on the bed, with the fan running.

Fforde follow up

Probably for my future reference if anything, here is an interview with Jasper Fforde. Its in 3 parts. Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

This interview was given at the release of his fifth Thursday Next novel "First Among Sequels."

A visit with Jasper Fforde

August 3rd, a little over a month ago, Samantha and I went to the nearby Barnes & Nobles to meet Jasper Fforde. He is the author of the Thursday Next books and the Nursery Crime books, and is who I've been reading the most of lately. He gave an entertaining talk about his books and his writing, and seemed friendly and approachable. I think he enjoys writing and probably hatches ideas faster than he can put them to paper. One memorable response to a question was when he was asked what he reads. He said he reads anything and everything - enjoys fiction and nonfiction, classics to current bestsellers, is constantly making his way through something, and called "genre" the measles of literature.

Samantha and I had to wait in line for over an hour to get our items signed. After waiting in line for a while, Samantha asked me if we looked like the rest of the people in line. I looked at the others waiting with us, a rather bookish group. Yes Samantha, we do look like the rest of the people here I admitted with a bit of a failed smile on my face.

After about ninety minutes we reach the signing table, and Fforde was still as friendly as when he came in. He took a nice smiling picture with Sam, signed all of our books, and even chatted a bit. I expected after 90 minutes of sitting and signing books its easy to be a little surly, but everything was very pleasant, the way you hope your favorite authors should be.

I am slowly sipping my way through his latest book, a Thursday Next novel titled First Amoung Sequels. Its a bit zany, whacky, and nutty, but that's what I was hoping for.

Because I was up anyway.

Perhaps it was because I had seen a news story on Yahoo, or perhaps it was because I drank most of a twenty ounce bottle of water before going to bed, but I was up at 4:25 a.m. this past Tuesday morning (8/28/7). The second time that night. I remembered a total lunar eclipse was going on and at that moment was reaching its peak here in Austin TX. After a few moments of arguing with myself, I put on some shorts and went out into the front yard. Kasey our dog padded along with me.

I looked around for a moment or two at the sky not seeing the moon right away, but located it about halfway up off the horizon to the southwest from the end of our driveway. Only the lower edge was fully lit. The rest of a nearly full moon was shadowy and dull, as if clouds were obstructing the view, only not by Earthly clouds, but those that might be around the moon itself. No changes of color of the moon this time meaning it did not run red with blood or anything.

I looked around the neighborhood and all was quiet. No other nerdy types out with their dogs looking at the moon. The main thorough-fare near our house was very quiet and a pleasant breeze was blowing.

After about five minutes I took a final look at the dusky moon and headed in. I marvel at how these eclipses are predicted and with such accuracy. It wasn't an awesome display of celestial power, but a nice cerebral moment, a chance to contemplate one's place in the world, but five minutes was all I could stand. Kasey failed to notice at all.

Sunday Golf

I went back to Morris Williams this past Sunday and got in a round. A pleasant 80 for the day. I got out of my car at ten till three and walked straight to the first tee. Unfortunately a double bogey waited for me at the end of the first hole. A pretty hot day, temps near 100. For the first time though, I had a brand new bagboy cart for my clubs. I felt a little awkward pushing that thing at first since the only people I'd seen using on are my dad, my father in law, and my dad's golfing buddies. By the end of the front nine tho I was appreciating not having to carry my clubs.

I was part of a fivesome this time. Again I was the only walker. I have found that riders don't have a lot of traits that walkers have. For example, they are less apt to watch where their ball goes probably thinking that being in a cart will afford them loads of time to look for their shot. Riders also tend to think they've hit their ball much further than they actually do often driving past their ball. Since I am walking I will usually find others' shots as I approach.

Golf usually tells you something about the people you're playing with. On Sunday, one guy was a tremendous overcusser, a term borrowed from The Ticket radio station. Nearly every sentence, exclamation, or utterance was laced with profanity. I don't think I am prudish, and I hear much of this language everyday at work, but geeesh, give it a rest. Plain offensive. One of the other players was talking much of the round. He was a very good player probably shooting around par, but always seemed to be going on about something. And not all of it was bad or uninteresting, but a constant flow, and at times he made an effort to outdo the overcusser. The other two players had the same first name, Brett I think, and at the time I considered this a good thing because it was one less name to remember. Both were 90's golfers, sometimes hitting good shots, but hacking away on others, a pretty common trait of myself most of the time. They were good company though. They had a couple of bets going and I goaded both of them off and on to double or press the bet because the other guy was failing.

I really like my clubs now. Probably playing my best golf ever. Uncle Eric picked out some good ones for me. It seems also that somewhere between dog-tired and total exhaustion I hit the most optimum groove. Everything works, but it only lasts for a hole or three. Today it kicked in on 15 tee - and 16 was total golf consciousness as driver (out drove everyone drilling tee shot perfectly in the middle, and nearly too far as it almost went through the dogleg) wedge to 6 feet, drain putt dead in the heart for birdie. On the day though chipping and putting was an adventure.

A good day on the whole.

The General

As I sat in my seat looking around the crowded little theater waiting for our feature to start, I wondered as I always do about the sound system, will it be too loud, too soft, all the "Three Bear" criteria. I suddenly remembered I am there to see a silent movie.

Last Thursday evening, Sean, Evan, and I went down to the UT campus and saw "The General" in the Harry Ransom Center. It is part of an ongoing display about the 1920's in America. There was a pianist and a drummer on a full drum kit accompanying the film.

The film was very enjoyable and I now have a lot of respect for Buster Keaton who directed and starred in this film, and performed all his own stunts. Basically a Civil War film of an unlikely hero and his accidental courage and heroics. The story revolves around trains, stealing trains, spying, and rescuing trains. After a short few minutes into the film I believe I forgot I was watching a silent film and was involved in the story.

The pianist and the drummer were excellent in characterizing the movement of the scenes and helped in creating many different moods. The movie was just over 70 minutes and those two guys kept playing the entire show, a remarkable feat.

There aren't many opportunities to see these films in this type of setting and I am glad we went. I don't think Evan was all that keen to go but looked to be pleasantly surprised and glad he went. It can be a hassle getting through busy places and times but this time it was worth it.

Another film is scheduled for July, The Big Parade from 1925, and I think we'll try to get out again.

PS Sean and I had a nice little dinner outside at the Central Market patio afterward. Evan had Popeye's chicken before we went. Ha.

Father's Day

Another Father's Day, and another long day. 2005 was the year of the kidney stones, and 2007 was a stomach virus of some sort. Shortly after lunch, my stomach painfully knotted up. I ended up hitting the sack for the next six or seven hours. As I drifted in and out of sleep I managed to catch the US Open on tv. Sometime around 8:30 pm the ailment began to clear itself up. As I remember now, as I waited at the ER two years ago, I watched the US Open on a tv there as well. After my hernia surgery back in 1994 I watched all four days of the Masters on tv. That was the year that Greg Norman had his horrific collapse in the last round losing to Nick Faldo - and I got to watch that in all its painful glory.

In other news, Samantha and I went and got a root beer float from Sonic the night they were free, about a week ago. As we're leaving the house about 9 pm, I run over a snake, both driverside wheels, in the road just around the corner from our house. I hit it where the Far Side guy might have drawn a belt, right in the snake's middle. I backed up and shown the lights on the snake that was now all knotted up. After pointing it out to Samantha, the snake uncoiled itself and then began to crawl back towards the far side of the road. One tough snake - I let it go because the yard it was going to crawl into has 3 pit bulls living there.

Samantha's float was too high on the ratio of ice cream to root beer, and mine was the opposite, too much root beer to ice cream.

Speaking of ice cream, we found an ice cream freezer in the attic that was given to Sean and me as a wedding gift that we have never used. Samantha and I decided to give it a test run. I scrubbed all the parts clean and tested the motor which still ran perfectly despite being stored in a super hot attic for 22 years. We managed to whip up some decent ice cream too.

Inside the box was the card from whoever gave us the freezer, and is signed by the givers. This person who gave us the freezer is now somewhat slightly famous (or rather infamous). I laughingly proposed selling his autograph on Ebay, but then reconsidered - that might be in poor taste because we were pretty good friends at one point.

Where in the world is Tory?

Tory is spending the week at a leadership conference at Mo Ranch. If you've got some time and perhaps a large Snicker bar, check out these photos posted on the Mo Ranch website - Tory is in a few.

I need a Sudoku ruling

Two Sudoku puzzles have recently posed problems for me. These are self-proclaimed hard puzzles. In both of these puzzles I solved just less than half the open squares but could not progress further. I found two squares that were either one number or another, assumed numbers for these two and continued. After filling I shortly discovered that I had made an error in my assumption. Following my trail of bread crumbs back to where I made my "guess", I then switched the numbers and proceeded to correctly solve the puzzle.

My question is this, did I solve the puzzle legitimately? Tory says no - every step must be logical. I say yes because I solved without outside assistance or looking at the answer. Trial and error is a powerful learning tool.

Let me know.

My Homer Moment of Today

After making a sandwich for lunch today, I decide to go outside and eat it in the car and do a little reading. Feeling more like catching a quick nap after the sandwich and chips I crawl into the backseat and start to doze off. I am suddenly awakened a few moments later by a firetruck pulling into our parking lot. I raise my head to look out the windows and all of our employees are milling around outside. Apparently we had a fire on one of our pieces of equipment. Some metallic dust ignited on a "downdraft table" and flames ensued quickly, but were confined to that one piece of equipment. It's a difficult fire to put out because a majority of the dust came from aluminum and if you put water on it, it is like throwing on gasoline. A special retardent was used. However thick smoke was generated and we were outside for about two and a half hours.

You can see our Pathfinder in the right side of the photo with windows down to let air in so I can breath during the nap.

Four firetrucks, an EMS unit, several sheriffs, and possibly a hazardous material truck arrived for our fire. However only the 24 local news station so no links yet.

Number 5 on the scorecard, #1 in your heart

Samantha is now into girls fast pitch softball. She is shown here playing second base. Last night she was positioned at short stop.

Sam led off the home half of the first inning hitting a 3-1 pitch, lining a clean single over the second baseman into right center. The next batter hit the ball about 6 feet up the third base line, but the catcher threw the ball into the outfield behind first base - Sam scored all the way from first.

On defense in the second inning, Samantha has been moved to shortstop, a runner tried to steal second. The catcher throws down, Sam takes the throw, catches the ball, and tags the runner out. Well, the runner kind of runs into the tag, but Sam gets her out. A nice play.

At her last at bat Samantha strikes out swinging.

She seems to be having a great time. So far she's taken a ground ball in the kisser, shins, and various other body parts and is still unafraid. She's even talked to me about learning to pitch.

Basketball Season Over

Samantha played her final game this season Monday night. She was good - played hard, aggressive basketball, and seemed to work well with her teammates. Unfortunately they lost. I enjoyed seeing her play that night - my first time. Sean had been to several games. Now its off to softball.

Some Light Reading Of Late

Samantha and I have been enjoying some of Jasper Fforde's books. I have been reading the Thursday Next series - The Eyre Affair, Lost In A Good Book, and The Well Of Lost Plots. Lots of imagination and suspension of belief, but fun wordplay and plotting.

Samantha has been reading his Nursery Crime series. First is The Big Over Easy, a murder mystery involving Humpty Dumpty. She finished that right after Christmas and is now into The Fourth Bear. I hear her giggling her way through it.

I plan on The Big Over Easy next.

Planning ahead

Went shopping with Sean today. Various stores. Before leaving I stuffed a paperback into the car. That move paid off dividends as JC Penny's was a bit tedious at times. I got through at least two chapters in the shoe department alone.

The Illusionist

Just watched The Illusionist. Not your average movie about a late 19th century magician that falls in love with royalty. Pretty good fare. Not a total surprise ending tho. Put it on your Netflix queue.

Mallard Cove Golf

Dad, Tory, and Gerry Jordan, his other grandfather, at #8 on Mallard Cove, 12/29/2006.