heading try - and logging

found the word "heading" / trying it

That's over. I do wonder what the heading will appear as.

In my youth, my father worked for Standard Oil of Indiana.  This company became Amoco and ended as BP.   Yes, that villainous BP was indirectly responsible for me being able to go to college and become a band director.  My father wanted me to become an accountant or an optometrist.  Surely you see the connection between the two.  It was his fault that I played the trumpet; my father should take partially the blame.  That is not the subject of this stone...neither is "heading."

He worked his way up the ladder at Amoco.  Originally he was a logger.  He had a logging truck.  And he was a logger.   Not with lumber, cmon, this is an oil company.  The first I remember his logging came when I was about 5 or so.  We lived in Dodge City, Kansas.

Back when - when companies went looking for oil, they would drill a hole or so - then a device was put down the hole.   I think they made explosions, and these were recorded on the device which was logged (catch the word, logged) in the back of this panel looking truck.  Yep, me fadder, ran the truck which made the charts.   We were so proud.

He moved up the ladder over the years.  We moved to Texas and no longer had to live in cheesy motels.  Not much more to this.  Y'all enjoy the rest of the day.

Somewhat eventful day vs. plumber

EVENTFUL DAY   (not worthy of becoming a sitcom though) - no births or deaths.

1.  We have lived in this house for 4 1/2 years.  It was new; we had it built.   Last week, I noticed water standing in the shower after the water was turned off.  Maybe in your house that is normal, but in my house it is not. . .big ole drain hole.   Backing up water, bad.  Backing up computer, good.

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After the problem resurfaced again yesterday, my wife got the plumber's friend  (plunger)  and started pumping away.  I joined in the festival and water was going nowhere - nowhere -  except all over the shower walls.  At that moment she discovered the sink wasn't draining either.  Instead it bubbled up black stuff about 6 inches into the sink.   Not good.   Black stuff in sink, bad.   (fill in the rest)

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I called my ex-next door neighbor (Lelanie Petty - has a local insurance company in town)...make that texted her:  "Do you know a plumber?
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Her response:   "yes."

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After prodding, she gave me cell number of a local guy - long story shorter:  He  came out with his able assistant - ran the machine through the line - pulled out gobs of gray hair and other stuff.  I made a point of pointing out the wife's grey hair.   Mine is not grey.  Mine is distinguished.   

So I took the plumber into the other bath, water closet, reading room.   The tub in there has never drained properly.  He worked on it.  No gray hair.   This time he pulled out a piece of flexible plastic pipe from the drain.  It was left by the initial tub installer.    

Now they both drain like real troopers.   $247.   Yep.  $247.   I suppose there would have been a cheaper way.   Sledge hammer and drill bits.   I liked the plumber.  He didn't even make fun of me.  Actually he was real serious the whole time.  I woulda thought plumbers would be a bit more jolly.

Cisco Santa Claus bank robbery, 1927

http://homebrewedmojo.blogspot.com/2012/12/kris-kringle-robs-bank-and-kills-couple.html

Whoever wrote this article has a way with words. I would love to find more info on this - Surely this has been made into a movie. We were listening to a car talk guy on 570 (sat morns) - he always tells stories which he calls "The backside of American history."

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Today he told of the 1927 Santa Claus bank robbery in Cisco, TX. The above article leaves a few things out that he injected - such as .... well, I forget. But his story telling was more detailed.

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I think, if I were looking for a screenplay to write, this one might be pretty good - with more research of the before and after...and embellishments.

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I remember one: when the guy was lynched at the end, he was pulled out of the jail by 1000 people who hung him from a tree. The rope broke. He laid on the ground in a fetal position saying something like, "God forgive me; have mercy." The crowd had mercy. They got a new rope.

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1927 seems a long time away. But I was born just 13 years later. Levelland was established ???? in 1926. Side bit to the above story. That part of the country was pretty wild because oil had just been discovered and the towns were thriving with new railroads. A guy named Hilton came to Cisco to buy a bank, couldn't, was so upset with the available hotel conditions and seizing an opportunity, built a large hotel - starting the Hilton chain of hotels. That hotel still stands.

m

defensive weapen

WHAT MORE NEEDS TO BE SAID ???

(ASIDE NOTE: things show up on my computer from out of nowhere. So this photo did same. It was attached to a word document in which a band director was telling a story about some experiences as a beginning band director. He use the phrase that instruments are not defensive weapons. I wish I knew who sent this to me and how it was downloaded without my reading. I enjoyed that band director stone. I do wish people would send more of them to me.)   

I see now that the photo didn't work.  It was a kid blowing a trombone at a dead squirrel in the street.  I thought it was a funny photo.

Trying to become a better blugger

It seems to me that for a person to have a great blog he must accomplish certain things.  #1 is regularity.  Now I know that regularity may mean one thing for an older person like me and mean something else to the younger generation.  In this case - this case only - I mean the writer, in this case me, must actually show up and do some writing on a regular basis.  I find this difficult.   Between reading the paper, watching TV, playing online poker with me older brudder, church choir, the Corsicana Swing Orchestra, and various other projects, including playing ball with my boy Oscar - hugging Bruno - loving Greta and Liesl - and feeding poor skinny Fritz - well, folks, time is a premium.  I need to write something every day.  My argument against this is the word "inane."  Wish I really knew how to spell inane.  

#2  Readership follows humor or drama (maybe top chefs too).  There is not much drama in my present life.   I don't race cars, compete in 26 mile runs, run for political office, have a hot new girlfriend relationship every month, drive a motorcycle, attend chili cookoffs - you get the picture.  I don't even have to try and tune an oboe anymore:  that can be real drama.

So consistency and subject matter are not seemingly at my eager beck and call.

Sure there are other issues in my life.  But, I do not choose to share them or my related connecting thoughts.  Here is an example.  I am not sure why, my church leaders asked me to be on a committee, the Staff Parrish Relations Committee....SPRC.  I think our purpose is to hire and fire and approve issues about the church staff such as salaries  (which must later be approved by the budget committee before forwarding to the major church council).  During this past year, our preacher of 12 years was moved to another Methodist DFW church and his replacement was the preacher he replaced.  Didja get that?  Our Preacher (A) left here to go to a church in DFW area.  He was replaced by Preacher (B).   A replaced B at that church.  B replaced A at this church.

Now as a member of the SPRC, I have been told why this swap was necessary.  I think that I could whip up some Drama  about all of this if I choose.  The new guy has instituted changes which meet his personality and has asked for future changes.  I could try to create drama about all this.  I don't.  I don't care.  I like the old guy;  I like the new guy.  We all need to move on at times.  They both did.  I have in the past.  Certainly in my career as a band director, I moved on at times.  You could see the writing on the wall  "Get out of town before they get you."  Drama, I don't need.

One member of the committee was talking about the work we do - how nice and sweet it is.  I pointed out that if an issue, a real issue comes up with the staff, we are going to be in the deep mix of it all.   Let's just pretend that one of our two preachers does something wrong.   I mean, really wrong - not just forgetting the words to the Lord's Prayer.  Which group is going to feel the heat.  Yep.  The SPRC.  So with that said, let's move on.

another blug follows on another page when I get to it...

Here is a final bit.  Didja ever wonder why I don't have any advertisements on my page.  They won't let me.  Thinking I was being funny, in a previous post many moons ago, I suggested the reader click on an advertisement so I could earn a penny.  I was told  that each click amounted to a penny.  I thought the line was funny - "click here and I will get rich, rich, rich."
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Somebody upstairs in the Blog world actually read that.  C'mon, who in the top echelon of Blog Heaven is going to read that post and then get upset?  They did.  My advertisements were pulled and all of my money was returned to the advertisers.  Boy did I learn my lesson. Now instead of slimy advertisements sprinkled all over my site, I have this clean view.

Would I add advertisements if offered and forgiven?  Betcha Life I would.  I want my penny!  Would I ever suggest that you click on the slimy advertisement.  No, I would not.   I am cured and reformed.  Now if only I could get the Blog God to forgive me.....There needs to be a 10 commandments of blugging posted on my wall above the monitor.  I am cured.  Frankly, we are never cured.  But I am making my way through the Blog 10 step program for Advertisement Abuse.

with that, we close.
g'night   Mtz

Van Horn basketball

Cut this out of the paper.

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MARFA -- (that would be in Texas for non- Texan - down near the border sorta out in the middle of nowhere - with this posting I would wonder if it is  in the middle of Know-where?)

I quote:Investigators are trying to determine who smuggled nearly 500 pounds of marijuana aboard a West Texas school bus hauling student athletes.

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border Patrol officials say the duffel bags of marijuana were discovered Monday night (that would be about 11-15-12) in the bus transporting Van Horn basketball players.  

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the bus stopped at a Marfa convenience store.  Border Patrol spokesman bill Brooks said Wednesday that an agent who happened to be at the store confiscated the marijuana.  No one was arrested.

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Brings up a question to me:  How did he know to confiscate the duffel bags?

Perhaps you might have other questions.   I betchas  somebody associated with the team / school knows more than we do.

m

operation

This past week was not too much fun.   My oldest daughter had an operation scheduled for this past Thursday.  We - being the lovable parents - drove down on Wednesday, all 5 dogs in tow, to help her get through the process.    Our 5 dogs added to her 3 make 8 - but who's counting.
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If there was one blessing, we didn't have to be at the hospital till 10.   It was at the North Austin hospital off Mopac.  It is really a pretty bldg and the folks are quite nice.    15 minutes we arrived early.   We sat and waited.
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Bored, I informed the females that I was going over "there" and get a diet coke.  And as expected they came after us when I was out of pocket digging for change.  We were moved to room 19 for pre-opt.  Check-in at 10, operation to start at noon.
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There are so many things that the staff does prior to an operation - I simply cannot recite all of them.  Again, they were really gushy being helpful.  I sensed a desire for us to be quite happy and to not sue at the end of the day.   It is a shame that we have to be treated with kid gloves instead of just people.   Since this daughter works in a hospital lab, she was able to communicate with the nurses in their language.  That was another blessing.
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Noon came and went.  No operation.  We were informed that doctor had called and it would 1 p.m.   Then another phone call and it would be 2 pm.  The wife and I were getting hungry.  Recognizing it would be another hour, we tripped down to the cafeteria.  Hospital cafeterias have their own life.  We both got a burger and chips.  Over, back to room 19,
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The daughter was dressed.   It seems - and I won't get into things I don't understand here - The doctor was at another hospital doing a surgery in the morning.  That sick person had a major problem inside the stomach walls - additional surgeons were called in - and major operation continued.  We left the hospital and she had a sandwich.
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The rest of the day and the next day were spent in conversations about rescheduling.  Nothing has been decided as of this writing.  I am sure we will make another trip south soon as soon as veteran's day and the scheduling person gets together with the doctor.
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meanwhile my daughter waits to begin the long process again.  It has to be hard to go through all that prep and have to start over.    More info will follow.