odds and ends

No Tech win, yesterday. How can they not score in the entire second half?! The rest of the games were great, though.

I'm kinda looking for a new car. I say that, because there's no car that I'm really interested in. I'm happy with the car I have now, just looking for a newer model with fewer miles. MPG is the key to selling me any car. I'm not much into the other options, an AUX jack would be nice, but not really necessary. I'm easy. We'll see if I actually end up getting one before the year ends.

Fantastic night out last night. I'm actually not dreading Monday, all because of Adam Hood. I haven't seen his show in a few years. I last caught him at Poor David's Pub (the old one, on Greenville) opening for Stoney. I'm looking forward to it...

having some issues...

Apparently, whenever I was receiving an error message, it really was publishing. Oh, well.

I went to see the first showing of The Prestige this morning. I LOVED this movie. It's such a character driven movie. I absolutely loved Christian Bale. Christopher Nolan's made another great movie...Memento, Batman Begins (great to me, LOL) and now this one. I still haven't made it to see The Departed, so that's next on the list.

The sore throat is almost gone, now I'm left with a runny nose. Wadergate just ended, and I'm getting ready to go to dinner and head out to my fave bar on Earth. Let's hope for a Tech win (my dad would be SO proud), and a good crowd tonight.

weekend outlook

I stayed in tonight, missing Kalf Fry out at the coliseum. Charlie Robison, Cooder Graw and Cross Canadian Ragweed were playing before the Texas Tech/Texas game, tomorrow evening. Depending on what the weather's like tomorrow afternoon, I may skip the return of Wadergate. I need to get over this sore throat, so I can make the show at the Blue Light tomorrow night...

I'm going to watch The Prestige tomorrow morning. I've avoided all reviews/feature stories on the movie. I can't wait!


I've been watching Bravo and their rerun of the countdowns of the scariest movies of all time and the scariest movie moments of all time. I'm not a fan of the gore-fests like Hostel. I love psychological thrillers and mysteries. Slasher films are not my thing, I'll go watch them, but they're not first on my list. There was a movie on there I hadn't thought of in several years, When A Stranger Calls. The clips they showed were still enough to give me the chills. Apparently, I'm still freaked out about it...or I guess the sick reality that things like that are possible.

I realized, today, that I'm probably in last place in the college day pick 'em. I've forgotten two weekends in a row to log-in and choose my teams... At least I chose this week's.

OH! My sister, Monica, delivered the awful news to me tonight that there are only 9 more Saturdays until Christmas! How scary is that?

Thanks to Entertainment Weekly for the heads up...

I watched Independent Lens: The World According to Sesame Street on PBS, tonight. The focus was the replication and adaptation of Sesame Street in countries around the world. Who knew it was so difficult to export puppets and education?



The focus was mainly on the production in Bangladesh and Kosovo. The issues the production team from the Sesame Street Workshop in New York had to prepare for were unbelievable. In Bangladesh, they had to account for the class strata and religious factions. In Kosovo, the concern was the Albanian and Serb culture. Both productions were held up due to riots and flare-ups of age-old issues between the cultures. However, in the end, the Bangladesh production Sisimpur did find a home willing to broadcast the program; as did the production in Kosovo.

It has to be a rewarding job, to know that maybe (God willing) your program will help the next generation in understanding the differences between the cultures and realizing they are just that, differences.
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I'm hoping for a short nap, now...then it's off to Lucero at Jake's. I'm going to try to take some pictures, but we'll see how that goes. Last time I was there to see Bob Schneider, I took about five because I was too engrossed in the show to take my eyes off the stage.

what was I thinking...

Just got home...I have two briefs due, one by Wednesday the other by next Monday. Tomorrow night, I'm going to Lucero. Thank goodness I am pretty much done with one of them.



I went to see Charlie Shafter host open mic night at the Blue Light. Essentially, it was Charlie for a good ninety minutes and then anyone else could go up. I love Charlie! He covered some new songs tonight that were fantastic. I had fun tonight, but I'm sure I'll hate myself tomorrow morning when the alarm goes off.

Blissful Ignorance

You know how sometimes you are somewhat ignorant to an issue, but it's your choice to remain so? That's me with regard to the situation in Darfur. I try to read the BBC's news site because it expands my scope of the world news. I've pretty much given up on network news to learn anything worthwhile about things outside the U.S. While touching, I don't think the human interest story about the victory of a little league team is something I need to know.

I've seen the headlines regarding the genocide taking place, but couldn't bring myself to read much past the lead paragraph. It's too much. Too much to think that people are being treated in this manner.

Last night, I was watching 60 Minutes. They had a story called Searching for Jacob. It followed Scott Pelley on a trek to Sudan to find the schoolboy, Jacob, whose schoolbooks were discovered in what remained of his village in Darfur. His things were being held at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.

Along the way, they focus on the refugee camp and the stories of others; how they came to be there. The stories are horrific. In a camp of 25,000, there is one doctor, Ashis Brahma. To say he's ill-equipped is an understatement. His statement was the most haunting from the report:

This is bad. They go to the villages, and they burn one village after the other, then when the people come out they catch the women and gang bang, they rape them not one guy, no 10, 15 then they carve up the men and throw them in the drinking water to make sure that this place will never ever be used again. And you’re telling me the people in America don’t know this or don’t want to know this. Maybe its too much to know but that’s what’s happening right now and its happening all over again," Dr. Brahma says. "I’m sorry to say I’m going to sit here with you in two years time and I’m gonna tell you the same sad story. People will say, 'Ich habe nicht gewusst,' which is German for 'I didn’t know.'

I'd encourage anyone to watch the video, linked to above. It provides some background information and you can find out if they did, indeed, find Jacob.

As much as it surprises me to say it...

Careless is my favorite cd of the year. I love RRB's Just a Matter of Time, but there's something about Careless that resonates with me.

I think I'm in the midst of the longest stretch I've gone without seeing the Motorcars this year. I haven't been to a show since September 6, is that right? Wow...so maybe it wasn't such a long time ago, it just seems like it.

I just chose MMC over RRB again, yesterday. I'm going to stay around here for an all-MMC weekend, rather than traveling for RRB. I somehow doubt I'll regret it. I'm even tempted to go to McKinney next Friday for the show, but I'll probably stay in town for Wadergate (aka Raidergate). It's been awhile since I've seen those guys (not counting Wade).

I paid off my Steamboat account today, and can finally echo Heather's sentiments. CAN WE GO, NOW???

Well, it's not Micky Braun Monday or Willy Braun Wednesday...so how about a pic for Thank God for the Brauns Thursday and a nod to Steamboat? LOL

Who wants one?

What are the inventors thinking? Not only could I not imagine wearing this thing, but could you imagine the eye strain/shoulder pain and just all-around goofiness? It supposedly allows for a panoramic view of video and television. I'll pass.

It does remind me of last night's episode of How I Met Your Mother (how I love this show). They finally show Barney's apartment and the ridiculous wall/television screen. Here's a compilation of Barney and his favorite word:

slow weekend...

This was a very low-key weekend. Thursday, being the exception, I didn't do much the rest of the time.

Thursday found me and Jessica at the Blue Light for Ryan Turner. I hadn't seen Ryan's show in a while. It had been at least a few months. He was great...considering the lame crowd out that night. With the exception of his cousin and his friends in the crowd, it was pretty much Jess, Marshall and me clapping at the end of every song. We had a great time hanging with them afterwards, in one of Lubbock's finest establishments...hahaha. They have a twisted sense of humor, and I love that about them. We also met a new friend, Zac (I truly hope that's his name (oops)), who's in town earning his master's at Tech in Business. He's formerly from Austin, and has played guitar in a few bands. My mission is to make him a Charlie Shafter fan.

My family has a trifecta of birthdays this weekend, the 13th, 14th and 16th. Friday night, we celebrated with a dinner of (pretty much) all the female granddaughters of the family going out. Always a good time. Someone got a little carried away with the Bacardi and Cokes, but I'll never tell which one it was.

Saturday, I skipped out on Chilifest. Sure enough, right around 2:00, I got a call from Chris wondering where I was...and more importantly, why I wasn't at the show. It ended up raining on him, so I think I made the right call. I missed out on the after-party, but Wade will be back in town in 2 weeks. I'm sure we'll have just as much fun then. THANKS to Sara for the calls from the Motorcars' show! I got to hear 3 of my faves all in one call. Dinner at Grandma's for the other birthdays. My little cousin, Christopher (8 yrs old) entertained me. He helped his mom pick out the birthday card for grandma. The card said something to the affect of: Happy Birthday! I'd say you were getting old... (inside) but, hell, you were OLD last year! He was nervous that she'd be angry with him. It was hilarious. He cowered in the back t.v. room when she started to open the card in the kitchen. hahaha

I watched the following movies this weekend: The Benchwarmers and Brick. The Benchwarmers was actually alright. It was what you'd expect from an Adam Sandler production. Brick was pretty good. It stars Joseph Gordon Levitt in a film noir, but set in a modern-day high school. The film employed the language of the 1940s. At times, it was a little disturbing...but I liked it just the same.

long day

I got home fairly early Sunday. I'm starting to remember some little things from the weekend.

The RK show: I'm never disappointed with a show. I do wish they'd played 52 Vincent...but, oh well. I just remembered this little gem this morning: I love me some me! Hahaha...this was the cue that the boys should not be left to fend for themselves (as far as getting home).

Saturday: I'd forgotten all about the guy that got pantsed while standing at the booth at Adair's, near the end of the Macon Greyson set. His friends were like a pack of hyenas!

Today, I had to wake up a little earlier than usual for a deposition out of town. What I thought would be about a two hour ordeal, turned into lasting the entire day. Just what I'd dreaded.

At least I found a present for my grandma at an old antique shop across the street from the courthouse. The courthouse is the foundation of the town square. At some point, it was redesigned. It does not blend with the existing structures at all...it was a shock when I drove up and there's this modern, marble building in the midst of mid to early century buildings. I will say, the accomodations in the conference room were great!

I'm looking forward to Thursday night. $5 jumbo daquiris & Ryan Turner's in town, at my favorite place, the Blue Light. I think this is the first year I'll be sitting out Chilifest. I just can't make myself go to see Wade and Stoney...not when they'll be back in a much better venue, soon.

my favorite weekend of the year...

This coming weekend is generally my favorite one of the year. OU/TX weekend is always fun, win or lose. I love seeing friends and taking in the state fair.

I remember years at the Embassy Suites with people hanging on the balcony, overlooking the courtyard chanting for their respective schools. I remember walking into the Cotton Bowl for the game the first time and just taking a moment...the sight of the stadium split down the middle, crimson and burnt orange. I remember being harrassed by texas fans incessantly Friday at the infamous Embassy happy hour...and those same fans coming up on Saturday extolling the strengths of the Oklahoma team. Most of all, though, I remember spending time with friends.



This past weekend, I didn't leave my parent's house the entire weekend. I planned on going to see Mike McClure Band Friday, but just didn't feel up to it. Saturday was more of the same. I spent the time watching college football, Dave Chappelle's Block Party, and having my heart broken by the Astros/Cardinals saga. I also caught an airing of Wait 'Til Next Year: The Saga of the Chicago Cubs on HBO. I loved it! Besides reminding me of my grandpa, the history and the profiles of the Cubs' fans were fascinating. I recommend it to anyone interested in the Cubs, baseball or sports, for that matter.



Chappelle's Block Party was hilarious, as you'd expect. It also introduced me to some new music. I watched the movie with subtitles and read most of the lyrics. Those of Dead Prez were thought-provoking and not the typical rap fare. The reunion of the Fugees was pretty great, as well. Chappelle's interaction with the people of his town in Ohio, the people of Bed-Stuy, and the musicians was great. The film definitely gives you a sense of community that Chappelle concocted. Absolutely worth renting.