Pull Tight

This post is produced with only nine fingers as the tenth one is in a splint.  It comes from my desk instead of possibly a hospital bed because I was wearing a bike helmet upon taking a pretty hard spill.  Happened last week, still have a very sore shoulder and finger from hitting the pavement, but no new brain damage.  Remember to wear your bike helmet.  And if you receive any messages from me that don't make sense, it is because of keyboarding with too few fingers (probably).

Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly - YouTube : "http://youtu.be/d3LFOm6XGUo" Nancy and I went to see this production about the career of Molly Ivins today.  If you happen to have been a fan of Molly's, you should make a point to see.  Even if you weren't particularly aware of her writing, you will find this show very entertaining and inspiring.  Molly Ivins' columns and books skewered many very deserving politicians.  She stuck up for what is right for women, the poor, minorities, etc. and had a fine time doing so. All to often we don't speak up as we see injustices.  Maybe if we could all be just a little like Molly, the world be a little better place.

There are a pair of ducks who take up residence in our neighborhood each year.  They can very often be seen in a yard, the creek behind the houses or occasionally in our swimming pool (probably others as well).  Know the ducks and their habits much better than I know most of my neighbors. Growing up in the rural south, it just good manners to wave to your neighbors if you meet them while driving, see them on the front porch, etc.  Driving on the very rural roads, you would probably wave a greeting even if you didn't recognize the other driver.  This has carried over with me to the urban area where I now live.  As people become familar, I will wave a greeting. Which brings me back to the ducks.  On a recent morning as I drove from home (preoccupied with something), I saw the ducks in a neighbors yard.  I waved at the ducks.  As soon as I did this, I looked around to make sure no one saw me.  And, for the record the d...

Bernie Tiede:  Can I tell you? I am not fond of cremations. Went to see this movie last week after getting a call from a couple of friends.  If you have ever lived in or spent any time in a small town you have to see this movie.  It is based on the true murder story of a wealthy widow by the local funeral director in Carthage, TX.  You may laugh until you cry or choke on your pop corn.  The real people of the town are so good in the movie they couldn't have possibly been cast better by Hollywood.  One of my favorite lines was from a local "The jury pool had more tattoos that teeth". But the movie belongs to Jack Black.  If he doesn't get an Academy nomination for his role, then the Academy is a farce.

Lynx rufus Frequently I see a bobcat on my bicycle ride in the park near home.  Never been quite as close as today. I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through. Jules Verne

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Arthur C. Clarke Have been seeing all of these nostalgic posts recently, usually a picture of something and asking if you know what it is.  Started thinking about observations of our actions. Remember a few years ago, if you saw someone walking down the street talking to him/herself and waving their arms; you probably assumed he or she was crazy and gave a wide berth, avoided eye contact, etc.  Now skip forward.  If we see someone exhibiting the same behavior, we just automatically assume he or she is talking on a hands-free cordless phone device (blue tooth probably).  And, if the conversation is very animated, we ease drop. As I attempt to stay somewhat current with new technology, I find myself increasingly using voice recognition software for sending texts, writing short notes and always for making phone calls. My family has figured out I am not losing it, but not so for my dogs. ...

Tony nominated dramatic comedy bringing gays, homophobes, christians and atheists together in an excellent theatrical production.  Per the NY Times "A smart, sensitive, immensely appealing and utterly contemporary comedy."  No matter your thinking about any of these groups, there is a good chance you will leave with a somewhat different perspective.  We saw in Dallas yesterday on the next to the last day of production, but I think it is playing pretty widely around the country.  If you are a fan of modern theater, this is not to be missed.