Austin Blues

Nothing like sitting in Austin traffic, going 5 mph, to inspire another blues song. Not a good blues song, but another one nonetheless.

Find myself stuck in traffic
Caught between Porsche and truck
Fumes are making me sick
Man, Austin traffic sucks.

Oh I gots dem Austin blues
Drinking too much hooch
Wearing worn out shoes
Watching Politicos abusing the pooch.

My lady left me in the mire
Of bidness and politics
Cause she say she desire
To be free of blood sucking ticks.

Oh I gots dem Austin blues
Drinking too much hooch
Wearing worn out shoes
Watching Politicos abusing the pooch.

Where did I go wrong?
When did I sell my soul?
They sing country songs
My blood is running cold!

Cause I gots dem Austin blues
Drinking way too much hooch
Wearing my worn out shoes
Tired of Politicos abusing the pooch.

Think I’ll ditch my car
Start walking into dem hills
Don’t knows if I’ll get far
But at least I’ll have my will

And be free of the Austin blues, baby
No more drinking the hooch
Become one with my worn out shoes, maybe
And forget about that poor pooch.

Trapsing Around the Capitol

The day of asking Senators and Representatives for a hand in passing important legislation for kids went really well. Our personal Representative was wonderful with the kids we brought, answering questions, giving tours, having photos taken with the kids, and attending the luncheon where they performed. If nothing else, the fact she spent so much one on one time with them made the trip worth while.

We didn’t get to visit our Senator but his office staff was nice enough and they already support the legislation.

I always enjoy visiting the Capitol itself as it has great history behind it. The Capitol itself is 7 feet taller than the one in Washington D.C.

The majority of the offices are underground (two levels below) with the halls being lighted by natural light from ground level skylights that are hidden by shrubbery.

You can stand on the star in the middle of the rotunda and speak… it sounds like you are speaking on a microphone.

They do not check you or your bags at the Capitol. The believe it is the people’s capitol but do hold the right to check anyone who looks or acts suspicious.

The door hinges and etched glass on the doors are works of art in themselves.

I will post pictures later. Hope everyone has a great day!

Stormin’ the Capitol Today

Today all the Clubs across Texas will be storming the Capitol to make our presence felt in order to guarantee they are aware of the 400,000 kids we serve in Texas in 399 Clubs… So they say there are some Don’ts to observe when we visit today…

1. Don’t spit on a legislator. Even more important, don’t throw up on them.

2. Don’t slip them a fiver and say, “I think you know how to vote on Bill #XXXXXX, and yes, there is more where this came from.” It seems $5 is insulting to them for some reason. I wonder if that means I should offer a ten…

3. Don’t burst into their office and scream, “Interns! Dibs on the blondes!”

4. Don’t show up with a squirt gun and in your best Al Pacino voice declare, “Let me introduce you to my leeetle friend.”

5. Don’t sit in the balcony screaming, “Bull Hockey” everytime someone speaks on the floor.

6. Don’t put superglue in the chairs of the Senators or the Representatives.

7. Most importantly, don’t walk into the offices of the elected officials and proclaim, “So this is where you screw us all over…”

Yeah, it looks like it is going to be a rather dull visit.

Sigh.

Canyon Girls Doing It Again

My high school was predominantly known for two things; the best girls basketball program in the State and the best Band program in the State (which means people came out to see you march since your football team wasn’t going to even come close to winning). In a state that is primarily football crazy, those two noterieties don’t garner much notice until the Spring comes around and suddenly people start to take notice.

The girls were always good. During my high school years they had a 97-0 record, three-peating as champions. I believe they actually won ten state championships in 15 years, making the State tournament every one of those years. Three years ago they were the best team in the nation, according to USA Today and ESPN, which was notable as they were the only top 20 team that wasn’t a private school combine. Well they have maintained winning programs for over 25 years and this year they have fought their way back to the State tournament after losing in the Regional Tournament last year.

If they survive the semi-final on Thursday, we will travel down to watch them play on Saturday and it looks like there is a great chance they will be playing the #2 team in the state, an excellent match-up!

I love the basketball playoff season and as March Madness approaches I am happy to whet my appetite on a possible Canyon High School Girl Basketball Championship…. again. Even if they don’t win, they have already made me happy by stomping Wylie. Yessssss!

Departed Wins!

Weren’t the Oscars wonderful? Okay, I really wouldn’t know that since I didn’t watch them but I did check out the winners on Yahoo this morning and it was great to see Departed as the Best Movie winner since my brother and I watched it for the first time yesterday. Great flick, great actors, terrible ending. Sigh. I was happy to see Alan Arkin winning too along with Martin S.

Part of the movie watching process is seeing what is coming out soon. 300 looks like a great one and we are already looking to find the closest IMAX to watch it on. I also think the new Spiderman is going to be a good one too and Black Snake Moan also seems to be a possible winner. We did see a preview for a new Hillery Swank flick that the title escapes me at this time but I do love watching Hillery perform… she is almost as good Jamie Lee Curtis. Oh alright, maybe slightly better.

So, did your favorite movie/actor win last night?

The Song of the Siren IKEA

My brother and I went to IKA yesterday as Round Rock has a new one that happens to be the largest retail space in Texas. We both needed kitchen items so we followed the signs until we were standing in kitchen heaven. Two stainless steel utensil holders, one knife rack, hot pot pads, steak knives, and one splatter screen later I was leaving the store feeling like I had been to kitchen utensil nirvana.

I love this store and as I am not a shopper, that really says something. This place almost rivals Bass Pro Shops, I said almost, in its appeal to the consumer. If I lived closer to the place I would probably take advantage of it on a regular basis. Oh well, it makes the trips to Austin that much more fun.

The song of IKEA

Hey there shopper with cash in hand
Come on in to the Canaan land.
There is milk and honey flowing free
Tons of cool stuff for you to see.

Office furniture out the wazoo
Priced just right for everyone too.
Sample the wares in bed and bath
Just follow the arrows, stay on path.

In this vast store of space saving wealth
Stop at our resteraunt to renew your health
Coffee, meatballs, fru-fru sandwiches too
Made to order just for you.

Kitchen utensils beyond compare
You love ‘em cause our prices are fair.
Fill up that basket that’s extra large
Don’t forget we take MasterCharge.

Jason and his Argonaut clan
Fell prey to the Sirens’ hand
When they listened to her ditty
IKEA, you wench, your song’s so pretty.

You draw us in with your low prices
And our budgets falter ‘neath your slices
Knowing we’ll perish on Bargain’s shoal
We’ll gladly give IKEA our soul.

Okay, maybe that is a slight exagerration, but I do love the IKEA.

Seven signs you may be ill…

Having spent yesterday in bed, I had some time to figure out that there are signs one should heed to determine if they are either a) getting sick, b) are sick, or c) around someone who is sick. 

1. Dizziness.  If you find your world is spinning and you haven’t been twirling around in circles or imbibing in fermented beverages, you just might be getting sick.
2. Projectile vomiting or other bodily discharges of notable quantity.  Of course you might be related to Linda Blair and this happens all the time or if you are bulemic, you also may find this a common occurrence, but for most of us,  discharging a couple of gallons of half-processed organic matter from either end of our body is a pretty good sign that everything is not right in our own biological world.  Another important key to this one is the smell that goes along with it.  If you find every creature within 20 feet is gagging and sagging, you just might be getting sick.
3. Severe headaches.  Nothing says “Sheesh, I may be getting sick” than a good ol’ “Egads, my head is being ripped apart from the inside and if I could only use a jackhammer on it to get some relief” headache to signal that illness is perched over your door and just dying to swoop down and grip you in its talons.
4. Fever.  Clammy skin, perspiration pouring off of your body, and having to have fans blowing cold air across your body while you are shivering and sweating at the same time is a pretty good sign that your body is fighting some sore of infection.  Of course it could also be the sign you have eaten the mother of all jalepenos but hopefully you will remember if you have consumed such an item.
5. Delusional thinking and weird dreams.  Okay for some of you out there, this might be hard to determine since this pretty well sums up your daily life.
6. Eyes are aching.  I always find this a nifty little sign since your eyeballs shouldn’t be hurting like you’ve have just watched a 20 hour documentary on Anna Nicole Smith and the possible fathers of her child.
7. An overwhelming desire to sleep for long periods of time.  Alright, alright, alright, most folks under the age of 20 won’t understand how this is a sign of getting ill but for the Type A personalities, the workaholics, or the folks who make it just fine on 6-8 hours of sleep, you will find it strange you have just spent 20+ hours in bed, hugging a pillow, and calling out to the heavens for someone to strike you dead.

I hope you have found this public service announcement helpful.  Now excuse me while I try to sneak past a couple of dancing alligators with false teeth so I can try to hit the toilet with my projectile gushing of organic matter.  Man, is it hot and cold in here?

 Have a great Saturday.

Oy Vey, What a Day

There are just some days, when you pause to think about them, make you shake your head and wonder. Was that a good day or was that a bad day? Case in point, yesterday.

Starts at 6 in the morning, getting final emails out to a possible funder and producing a document to be faxed.

7 a.m. – fax won’t go through, emails are completed, and now you realize you will have to hand deliver the papers to be faxed.

7:30 a.m. – answer a telephone call from a lady who wants to come and work. Money isn’t a problem, just wants to work with kids. I really think she should work on not slurring all of her words so early in the morning.

8 a.m. – have papers in an envelope, heading out of town to a meeting scheduled for 10.

8:30 – papers delivered and stop to fill tank of car. Things look like they will be going smooth. Talk on cell phone to dad, daughter, scheduler, funder, director of operations, school superintendent, and a friend.

9:45 a.m. – arrive in Sweetwater. Have accomplished the following – secured a place for my daughter’s wedding, rehearsal dinner, and secured necessary items for decorations. Talked to the folks who can help fund her internship in Thailand. Talked to the funder, they will participate financially in 2007 (a wonderful thing), have a plan in place for transportation for our summer programs, and heard a great story from my friend. Things are looking good.

10-noon – have an excellent meeting, tour, and discussion about a possible new club in an extremely depressed area where a Club would be a wonderful answer to some of their concerns. Everyone seems to be excited and it looks to be a win/win for everyone. Stop to talk to local Chamber of Commerce about businesses/donors and then grab a hamburger and head back to Abilene.

1 p.m. – have enjoyed the trip back and was able to chat with my best friend for awhile as I head to finish up exemption papers for licensing. Starting to feel queasy and have a headache.

2:30 p.m. – papers completed and delivered. Get a call from a local foundation, yes, we have received a 50k grant for reading programs! Yeah! Head hurts worse, stomach is doing some strange things.

3 p.m. – into the office, sort through mail, check emails, and head over to do taxes for the community.

8 p.m. – head home. Feeling really strange, weak, and head is hurting terribly.

Rest of the night I am getting to enjoy my bathroom with multiple purges from the stomach, headaches galore, freezing, sweating, and fitful sleep. Feel like someone has run me over multiple times and there is a moment or two I think death might not be so bad.

This morning I am up and still feel like I should be shopping for coffins. Oh well, another day and if it gets worse from here, I’ll call it a day and go back to bed.

So was it a good day or a bad day? Hmm… maybe it was a gad day… or egads! Welp, gotta run, the ol’ gut is rebelling again, #$(&$%*!)$&#!

Hello world!

Okay, I’m weak and I’ve given into the temptation to move to WordPress because of some of the extra features you are offered including the importing of past posts and better editing tools than blogspot.  So here I am… make changes in you links if you wish, thanks!

Thursday 13 for 2/22/07

Thirteen Things That Frustrate Me Right Now

1. A best friend who has been harsh with one of my children.

2. An employee who can’t stand on their own feet and face conflict.

3. Getting people to commit to a project.

4. The painfully slow process of getting help for a person you dearly love because the wheels of the government turn at a pace that would make a snail seem hyped up on meth.

5. Not having time to write like I want to.

6. Short sighted people who can’t see the whole picture.

7. Selfish people who forget the mission of service to the kids.

8. Passive aggressive people. Cowards to the core.

9. A lack of time to do some fairly basic things.

10. Finances.

11. Unimaginative people.

12. My inability to express my feelings at important times.

13. This month is almost over and I feel like I’ve failed to accomplish 50% of my tasks to accomplish during February.

Thirteen Things That Make Me Smile

1. Watching kids play in the dirt.

2. Seeing bigger kids help little kids work in the Club gardens.

3. A really nice spread in a local magazine featuring our kids and their gardening projects.

4. The sound of a friendly voice on the other end of the phone.

5. Watching Jman make others laugh.

6. Teasing Twyla about Country music.

7. Talking with my kids on the phone.

8. Seeing a project almost completed.

9. Listening to a child at the Club today talk about their love of History and English and how much they hate Math. I could totally relate and smiled even more when they spoke with such great passion about reading.

10. Having lunch with the Ho’s. They always pick up my spirits and make me laugh.

11. Reading fortunes from fortune cookies with the addition of “in bed” at the end of them.

12. Sitting outside on the porch and having a fun conversation with Jman. He keeps me laughing anyways but tonight he was extremely witty.

13. Finding sinus medicine when I thought I was out and was going to have to suffer. Ah, sweet relief!

Happy TT everyone!