East Bound and Down...

I am on the road today, making my first trip back to Arkansas State University in nearly 9 years. Its my Fraternity's 40th anniversary at ASU, and we are hoping for a good turnout of Alumni. Its also ASU's first home football game, and coming off an 18-14 VICTORY over Texas A&M last weekend in front of 78,000+ stunned Aggie fans, I think the crowd wll be pumped.
I am stopping in Fayetteville, AR to pick up college/fraternity buddy Vic, then off to Jonesboro.
I plan to update regularly over the next couple of days, and post some pics too.

Stay tuned!

Olympics and other Random Musings

Well, I have to admit... I have been watching a lot of Olympic coverage this weekend. Maybe it's because I have an HD television now, and things look frickin' SWEET in high definition!! Or, maybe I'm just tired of watching the same reruns over and over...

Anyway, I was very impressed with the opening ceremony... pretty cool. I spent a lot of Saturday watching Women's Volleyball... (again, HD rocks!) late, I found myself watching and cheering for the Americans in the swimming competitions. There is a 41 year old woman who helped her relay team bring home a Silver medal... (it got me wondering if I started now, could I get ready for London in 2012?)

I think the Chinese Olympic organizers were using a "remix" of OUR National Anthem when they played it tonight for Michael Phelps... they cut off the opening notes, it seemed like the first portion of the anthem was repeated one or two times too much, and it cut off abruptly when it got to the "Land of the Free" portion... probably all unintentional, but to an old Radio guy like me, hearing audio screwed up like that made me want to find the number for their control room hotline and set 'em straight!

So far, it appears we're kicking tail in Medals... as of 11:30 CDT Saturday, we lead all nations with 8 medals.

Watching the Olympics reminded me of the Atlanta games, watched from the relative comfort of my apartment in scenic Ridgeland, Mississippi. I was sharing the apartment with another radio co-worker, and my parents were in town for a visit.

I have to pause for a moment and tell you about the roommate (to protect the innocent, Let's call him "Tim Knox.") Tim's tastes in music were pretty good, but somewhat simplistic when it came to movies and TV. He used to stay up late watching what (by his own admission) was the "Funniest Movie of all time: SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT... part TWO. (yes.. the one with the Elephant) He would laugh out loud at every gag and pun as if he were seeing it for the very first time... When it came to TV, his viewing habits were not very deep.

"Tim" had never watched the Olympics on TV before... my folks and I sat in the living room with him watching coverage one evening, to which "Tim" reacted with total amazement. He thought it was pretty cool too.

So, the USA wins some medal (I think in a men's gymnastics event) and the National Anthem plays. "Tim" is REALLY wowed by this, and poses the question "Do they play the winner's National Anthem after evey medal?" to the room. My DAD, (who's sense of humor would not make the "Top 25 List" of his known attributes) calmly looks at "Tim" and replies "They'll play this anthem again when they give out the next medal, and keep adding National Anthems to each medal ceremony... so by the last evernt of the games, they music at the last Medal ceremony is a 90 minute concert!" Needless to say, he believed every word my dad said, and a few days later asked why he was only hearing one anthem... (Dad told him they had to "Edit for Television.")

Ahh.. MEMORIES.

Some Random stuff now:

For several weeks now, by the time I get to work every day, I seem to have a random song stuck in my head. There's no pattern to this either... for example: This past week, the songs have ranged from "Counting Blue Cars" by Dishwalla, to "I Woke Up in Love This Morning" by the Partridge Family to "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" by Freddy Fender to Friday's "Rush" by Big Audio Dynamite II. Don't ask me WHY this is happening, but the IPod in my head appears to be stuck on "shuffle." (Damn You Steve Jobs!)

I do have a solution for this problem though... years ago, I was in Nashville at a Country Radio Seminar, sitting at a table chatting with Country singers Doug Stone and Skip Ewing. I was discussing buying Doug's ultralight aircraft when a song got stuck in my head. I mentioned this to the guys at the table, and Skip Ewing told me he had the perfect remedy. Skip said in order to get ANY song out of your head, all you have to do is SING the gospel hymn "Amazing Grace" to the tune of the "theme from Gilligan's Island." (I'm NOT KIDDING.)

It WORKS. You DO have to sing out loud, but NOT loudly. (and so far, "Amazing Grace" has never gotten stuck in my head as a side effect) Try it sometime. It usually takes me 2 verses...

I have finally started getting out and sampling local restaurants here in Ponca City. Friday night, I went to our local airport for a taste of "Enrique's Mexican Restaurant." It's located in the terminal building, but not in a secure area, so the public can come in and eat. The cool thing is that private planes are constantly landing and pulling up right next to the door, and people pile out of the aircraft for a taste of Enrique's cooking. in the 90 minutes we were there, 4 planeloads came in to eat, and the farthest ones came from Dallas, TX. The food was decent, but not as good as I had been lead to believe.

I am still working on plans for Dad's 80th Birthday... it's August 30th.

The following Saturday, September 6th is my Fraternity's 40th Anniversary at Arkansas State University, and I am planning on making the trek over to Jonesboro for the first time in nearly 8 years. I'll meet another Alumnus in Fayetteville, AR and we'll share the ride across northern Arkansas (probably stuck behind 300 RV's headed to Branson with their left blinkers on for 78 miles straight!) It will be good to see all the guys from college again...

I had a lot more random thoughts, but since I didn't jot them down quick enough, they've now gone... probably soon to be replaced by another random song...

Til' next time, I'll leave you with this thought:

"Frankly, I'm suspicious of anyone who has a strong opinion
on a complicated issue." - Scott Adams (1957- )

Its Been A While...

SO... I have finished the move to Ponca City, OK and this is one of the first signs I see... Kinda gives you an idea of what I've gotten myself into.

Work has been going well. Between the move and work, I have not had time to do anything. (including dropping you all a note!)

So, here's a brief update on what's going on:
1. Work.
2. Planning Dad's 80th Birthday. It is August 30th... A Saturday, so I expect everyone who can make it to Paris, TX to join us for this special occasion. ( I am still soliciting ideas too)
Really... That's all I have on my plate at the moment.. Sure I'd love a little social life too... But so far, I pretty much only know women from work, and I am not allowed to "fraternize" with co-workers.

Anyway, I will try and write something more witty and profound soon... Keep those cards and letters coming!

I Think I Finally Found a New House

Well, since mid-February, I have been commuting 116 miles a day (round trip) between Stillwater and Chilocco, OK where work is located... 5 or 6 days a week... I fill up the car roughly once every 3 days, and almost ALL of my "disposable income" (yeah, RIGHT) is going in the gas tank! Soon, that may all FINALLY change!

I looked at a house in Ponca City, OK today (45 miles closer to work!)... older home in a nice neighborhood... the 2 neighbors who came over to introduce themselves (and check me out) have lived on the street 33 and 20 years respectively... One is a retired Police Officer. The house has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath... nice yard, enclosed garage, Direct TV already wired, 3 nice Pecan trees, and the rent is very reasonable. I went thru the house today, and met a nice guy named Leon who is working to get the house ready in the next 5 days. He was painting the kitchen when I visited, and seems to be doing a good job. I really need to be out of my current home by July 1st, and this seems to be my best choice. Here's the front view:
I think the house has a LOT of potential... I took some interior shots, but it's still being cleaned and painted, so I will wait until later to show the whole house. I will "Seal the Deal" tomorrow morning... So, if you're close to the Stillwater area, I will appreciate the help getting moved... I've already found a the perfect spot for the BBQ Grill! STEAKS are the perfect way to say "Thanks for the help moving!"

Photo Test...

This probably won't work... But had to try.

...Pass the Deviled Eggs

WELL, big surprise. I ate too much. In my feeble defense, I was a "victim of circumstance..." Good Food, nice breeze, and tolerable family. (the "Family Reunion Trifecta" if you will.)
As predicted yesterday, attendance WAS down. Less than 40 turned out... Some due to illness, but several due to fuel costs. Gas was $3.72 when I left Stillwater, OK Friday... It is $3.95 here in east Texas... Lord only knows what it'll be when I load up the ol' Sport Wagon Family Truckster for the drive back home on Tuesday...
The church grounds where we have the annual get together have been around a long, long time. The Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Christ was founded in Lodi, TX back in 1851. The original building was lost to fire and replaced with the current one in 1885. Its a little one-room church, with wooden pews, a wood-burning stove fo heat, and an old wooden pulpit. The piano dates back to 1908. The church is only open for services on reunion Sundays, and it is listed on the Texas historical register.
Which brings me to another observation: TEXAS has way too many "historic markers!" It seems like every few miles, there is another marker signifying where Davy Crockett or Daniel Boone slept, ate, killed something, or drank a Snapple on their way to the Alamo. If they are all accurate, they must have wandered across Texas like Moses and the Israelites searching for the promised land before finding their way to San Antonio! (hmm... I just remembered... Texans DO refer to this as "God's Country.")
Well, we are on our way back to Paris (Texas) now... Before I trek back to Tornado Alley on Tuesday, I will try and get a photo of Paris, TX's 2 main tourist attractions: Their own Eiffel Tower (complete with a cowboy hat and huge feather!), and a statue of Jesus... wearing cowboy boots!
(oh... The deviled eggs were delicious!)

Notes from the Road...

Dateline: Somewhere in east Texas. Dad and I are on the highway, just south of Mt. Pleasant, TX headed to the sleepy little town of Jefferson. It is a city that has been around over 150 years, but had the misfortune of hacking off one Jay Gould back in the late 1800's... Mr. Gould was one of the most powerful railroad barons of his time, and because of his anger at the town of Jefferson, decided to bypass the city and instead build the railroad in Tyler. Mr. Gould vowed that "weeds would soon grow in the deserted streets of Jefferson."
Well, the city DID suffer, but never withered away like Gould had hoped... And to add further insult to Jay Gould after his death, the citizens of Jefferson bought his private railroad car that served as his home and office and moved it to a location in town where all who passed by could see it. (and not trip over any weeds in the street!) Jay Gould's railroad car is still there today... Tours are cheap. Jefferson now has a lot of little "bed and breakfast" places, and lots of antiques, if you're into that... The old cobblestone streets are pretty cool, and there are still century-old iron rings along the sidewalks for you to use to tie your horse up while you are in town...
Dad grew up just outside of Jefferson, in a little spot on the map called Lodi. We still visit the old homestead every year, and every year dad points out the spots where debris from the space shuttle Columbia was found on our land (what was left of one seat, a 2ft square section of thermal tiles, and a small foot-long tank) . His childhood home is long gone, but every year, on the 2nd Sunday in June, the Stuarts (and some related Lemmon and Henley family members too) all gather together on the grounds of a little one-room Baptist church that pre-dates the Civil War and have a family reunion and picnic.
A lot of our family won't make the trip this year, due to illness, death, and the high cost of GAS... But it'll be great seeing all those who make it.. It's good to see family other than at funerals.
Dad is doing ok... Getting really thin, but otherwise doing ok for an old bird about to turn 80. I have noticed that the left blinker has been on for about the last 60 miles, but I will let him slide this time.
(11:38am) We just crossed over the actual "BOGGY CREEK!" I remember getting the crap scared out of me when "The Legend of Boggy Creek" came out in the early 70's...
Another update will be coming when I have something relevant to say... Its good to see sunshine, after all of the violent storms back in Oklahoma...

Get Your Filthy Stinkin' Robot Paws Off Me, you Damned Dirty Ape! (with apologies to Charlton Heston)

If you listen carefully, you can almost hear the faint cries of the late Charlton Heston as he sobs "YOU DID IT... YOU FINALLY DID IT!!" Ok, so I'm NOT talking about a Planet where Apes evolve from men, but I did see a news story on Thursday that is deeply disturbing... Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh have created a "Robo-Monkey," capable of using it's mind to move a robot arm. The video speaks for itself:


Where there ARE enormous implications for improving the lives of amputees, quadriplegics, etc... I am VERY concerned about the proliferation of Robot Monkeys... If they can use their brain power to eat a marshmallow, can more sinister thoughts be far behind?
And what if this innovation were to fall into the wrong hands.. er, um.. PAWS? Can you imagine where humanity might be if Oliver, the Tupelo Monkey were to come into possession of this technology?!? The little guy is already a master at picking locks and self-trained in escape and evasion tactics... with a robot arm or two, we might easily lose Mississippi to an army of advanced primates... led by this little guy:


or, God forbid, one of these guys:




Robot Monkees... that IS scary!

Wow... all this monkey business (sorry) has almost made me forget about the really important issues of the day, like Severe Weather, what to do with Florida and Michigan's delegates, and the need for better toilets in outer space... I'd better lie down now.... (did anyone else just hear a whirring sound coming from the fruit basket in the kitchen?)

And You Think YOU Have Problems!

SHOW OF HANDS Please:
How many times has this little scenario played out? You live in what could be modestly described as a "starter home..." not a lot of room, but big enough for the 3 of you to get by ok... You're expecting company this weekend, (seven folks!) and OOPS! The ONLY TOILET in your home is NOT WORKING!!
(Alright... you can put your hands down now.)

As bad as this can possibly be, what would be the only way it might be worse? The answer is this: Your "Starter Home" is the INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. Your only (Russian made) Toilet is on the fritz... and the Space Shuttle will be docking this weekend with 7 more "poople.. er, um..People." What DO you DO? I know... see if the guests can stop somewhere and pick up a plunger or sometime! Well, that is exactly what the fine folks at NASA are doing... they're trying to find room on the shuttle to add spare toilet parts for a "Roto-Rooter" job 230 miles overhead!

Now granted, imagine your house guests are arriving in an RV... (sorta like the Shuttle) There is a fully-functional "Made-In-The-USA-by-the-lowest-bidder" zero-g toilet on board, plus a smaller (Soviet era) chemical toilet on the Soyuz escape capsule. (Think camping potty)

Astronauts have come a long way since the days of the Mercury (pee-in-your-spacesuit) and Apollo (glue an adhesive bag to your butt and pray!) programs... but they're going to have to go "Old School" in the "Waste Management" area for the next few days.

So, the next time you're plunging the low-flow toilet, remember: Things could be much, much worse.

(and watch out for Blue Ice)

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