Destination Unknown

Lift others up!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 17:00:00 +0000

Lately I have noticed a promising trend. My friends are incredibly supportive of each other. Sadly, this doesn't seem to be the norm for everyone that I know.

When I woke up this morning, the first thought that I had was that sometimes we all need to be reminded that it doesn't cost us anything to lift another person up. You won't be pulled down. You can't be pulled down so it's ridiculous to worry about losing ground by helping others. Life is not a race. We are all in this together so we might as well make this world the best that we can.

Happiness and Success are not subject to the laws of scarcity! Go out and help someone today!

To the driver I never met...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 23:05:00 +0000

I saw the situation you put yourself into. You were driving too fast and you weren't paying attention to traffic. There was a long line of stopped cars in front of you and you were completely oblivious. Was your phone conversation that important? It must have been because once you realized that you were going to hit the car in front of you the conversation didn't end. You just cut the wheel hard to the left without any consideration of who was there.

Luckily, if you want to call it that, I wasn't on the phone and I was paying attention. I had even prepared myself for the fact that you might be an inconsiderate driver. Before you reacted, I had already eased off on the throttle and covered my brakes just in case. Nothing that you did was a surprise to me up until this point. My only surprise was what happened next. You saw the motorcycle that was beside you and you slammed on your brakes and I kept mine covered. Then you made a decision I could never do. You decided that my life was less important than the POS car you were driving and you took your foot off of the brake and floored it pointing your 3,000 pound cage right at me. If I hadn't been prepared I would have had to drop the bike or risk being run over by you. Would you have stopped? I doubt it.

Meditation in Motion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:57:00 +0000

I have had a few people approach me recently about running. Usually the conversation focuses on the point that running bores them. The point that I try to get across is that I understand this challenge.

Running to exercise is boring to me as well. I can't stand running at a track; it makes me feel like I'm a hamster running in circles. The most satisfying form of running that I have found is trail running.

There is something about going outside of the groomed tracks and sidewalks of the world and stepping into nature that reawakens a sense of adventure in me. I have also found that footwear plays a large part in my satisfaction while running. I use the Vibram Bikila LS when I run. It's a lightweight shoes that moves with your foot and keeps your connection with the ground.

Barefoot running is even better, although sometimes I'm not willing to tenderize my feet when I could just slip on my vibrams. Once I get past the first mile I just slip away and get lost in the present. It's one of the most satisfying experiences I know.

Motorcycle madness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 00:08:00 +0000

Back in January I took the MSF course. For those of you who are unfamiliar it is the motorcycle safety course. Basically you ride 250cc bikes around in parking lots for two days performing low-speed maneuvers and you learn the fundamentals of riding a motorcycle.

Most of the people in the class are typically lifelong riders that have either never had their license or they no longer have the m certification for one reason or another.

I was one of the rare rookies that didn't own a motorcycle and had very little experience with them. I just knew that it was something that I wanted to try.

I'll be updating the story of how my motorcycle education and my life on two wheels goes in this blog.

Old-fashioned barber shop

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:58:00 +0000

I recently rediscovered the joys of the barber shop. When I was a kid I couldn't wait to get haircuts, but as I grew older they began to instill horror in me. By the time I was in high school they were my enemy ranking next to dentist appointments.

Fast forward to today. I'm now 35 and I view haircuts as a favor to myself. I get it cut short and I always feel a little spoiled once it's done. My ego thanks me every time.

Part of the transition from loathing to love is thanks to a small barber shop that I have been frequenting for about a year. It is the kind of family shop that has become rare these days. There is a couple and the wife's father all cutting hair together. One of my favorite parts is that they still do the razor finish. Nothing can compare to the feeling of a straight razor on your skin.

These are the thoughts that are spilling through my head as I is in the barber shop waiting for a chair to open on a Friday evening. It's been an hour since I got here and I'm sure to be up soon!

Training styles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

I'm sitting in a software training session and I keep thinking that there has to be a better way. Management has purchased a new piece of reporting software do now all of the analysts are attending a workshop for the next two days. Because none of us have been given access yet, today will mainly be a meet and greet and hopefully tomorrow we can run some queries on live data.

If the past proves to be an indicator for the future we will finish this program and get access at some future date, well past our memory of what we learned today. My preference would be to get the software first, even in demo mode so that I can become familiar with it, then after a few weeks receive training. Doing this would make training workshops shorter and the questions would be better.

Hopefully this time will be different.

It has been a year since I lost interest...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:30:00 +0000

It is funny how I have grown to neglect this blog. It all started with a trip to new orleans, and now two years later I am revisiting that wonderful city. Work has become the extent of my online activity. I still love using social media for work, and to help others to get the word out about their new products. I recognize the power, and the amazing reach of social media but I don't use it for fun anymore.

I think that this is the normal progression of social media. Many of my friends are starting to get "burned out" and dropping out of the social media realm. This is, I believe, the most important lesson that companies need to learn.

Trends come and go. Facebook and twitter are still growing, but the market has begun to mature. We the creators and the producers have to remember that we must go to where our audience is already at and build relationships with our customers.

The greatest takeaway that I have from watching social networks grow in popularity is that we do not just send a message out. We as marketers must facilitate a two-way conversation with consumers. Don't spend money trying to build a destination if you have already found your customers somewhere else. Don't focus on the few that don't like your product or company. Give positive reinforcement to those who are your evangelists. Remember these lessons and we will all be able to adapt to whatever the popular method of communication comes next.

This is a bit of a ramble, but it's the best I can do while sipping coffee in the break room at work. It feels good to write again, and I can already feel a bit of the rust sloughing off. My life is incredibly busy right now (exciting news is on the way!) but I promise to post here more frequently.

Getting Old

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:51:00 +0000

I was driving the work the other day and a thought bubbled up into my mind. "I'm getting old." I fight this thought often, but this one was persistent. It just wouldn't let go.

The new iPhone went on sale that morning and I had originally planned on purchasing it as soon as it became available. Once I was on the website, I started questioning my behavior. I thought about how much money it cost, and whether I should spend it on a phone. As I went back and forth on my decision I continued to navigate the website.

I considered the fact that my phone works fine and is in no need of replacement. My monthly bill would increase as I would be charged for 3g service. Will the phone help me get any closer to my goals, or is it just another expensive distraction? Would the purchase in fact distract me from my goals and inhibit my ability to find my new path?

I weighed these questions and my goals in life and I decided that no, I'm not old yet. With a grin on my face, I closed the web browser on my iPhone and I started to concentrate on my driving.

Single Life...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:24:00 +0000

Over one year ago I had a realization. I had essentially just gone from relationship to relationship for years. I lived with a girl, and within a few weeks of moving out I had another girlfriend. I started wondering if there was something that I was missing. Some lesson that I needed to learn. In search of some further enlightenment, and a different outcome than what I had grown accustomed to, I decided not to date for a year.

The year was up in March, and my first thought is that I have become more difficult to deal with than I was before. I think that the lesson that I learned was to limit my compromises. I was a very flexible person before, and although I am still an easy going person, I don't compromise like I used to. I have really enjoyed being alone for the first time in my life. The byproduct is that I have become more self-centered and less focused on others.

Mi familia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:22:00 +0000

This has truly been one of the worst weeks of my adult life. Every morning I awake to intense stomach pains. The stress has entered my sleep so that I don't even wake to feel refreshed. In the midst of all this crap I have received a blessing.

A thought appeared out of nowhere that I come from a difficult family. We are not cold, but we can definitely be cool. We are distant and fragmented. I love them all, but I'm not sure what it is that ties us together.

At first this seemed like a bad thought. I was still being negative. Then it hit me. Thinking about family opened up a memory that I thought had long been lost. Suddenly I was a child, sitting on the floor at my grandparents house. I you go to the closet there is a racetrack that you can put together for hotwheels. The carpet is very thick and full of cushion. The house is warm, and it smells of wood. It is always relaxing and dark here. My grandfather has archives of video tapes full of movies recorded from the television. There are notebooks that tell u what movies are on what tapes. Life is good.

I can't believe how happy I was then.

How is it...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:11:00 +0000

That tee tee and pee pee are the same thing, but if you mix them together you get an Indian mobile home?

You know you are running late when the coffee guy has gone inside...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:17:00 +0000

There is this guy that I have wanted to meet for months. The only problem is that when I see him, he's working and I don't want to distract him. That may not make much sense, but once I explain it should become clearer.

Every day on my way to work I see the same guy. He is dancing on the side of the road, and he never fails to get a smile from me. It really is the best way to start the day. In my mind this man has become the archetype of joy. Some local coffee shop pays him to stand out front and dance to the music that only he can hear, while holding their sign to promote their coffee.

Some might find this job demeaning, but he seems to have found true happiness. Even if his is fake, the effect that he has on me is real. Every morning I am blessed with happy thoughts of this "dancing fool" who doesn't seem to have a care in the world. To make the situation even better, his performance is generally the last thing I see before I'm parking and going to work. I hope that someday you all know how wonderful it is to arrive at work with a fresh reminder of how ridiculous the entire thing is every morning.

In response to his display I tend to start the day relaxed. People tell me that I am too laid back, and they ask why I never look stressed out. I owe a lot of it to this guy. The rest I owe to my ability to recognize happiness and my attempts at focusing on the positives.

Now that I think about it, I don't want to meet him after all. I'm pretty sure that a conversation could lessen the effect. Sometimes things are best left alone.

The sweet tea debate

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:40:00 +0000

Why should I have to order unsweetened tea? Is there any other beverage that you have to special order to get it in it's natural state? Don't most of you that enjoy sweet tea order sweet tea? The only comparison that I can come up with is ordering undecaffeineated coke. It just seems like if I order iced tea, that is what I should get. If you then ask me if I want unsweet tea and I say yes, why do you still give me sweet tea? Is this an issue with language?

Personally, I think it is because of the name. Regardless of what you say, both names have sweet in them and I'm pretty sure that is all that is remembered. I remember reading a psychology study years ago that hypothesized that people are less effective at remembering negatives than positive statements. For this reason I propose that from here on out we refer to sweet tea as sweet tea and iced tea as iced tea. Hopefully if we do that my tastebuds can stop getting a sugar shock and I can go back to tasting my tea!

The Wildfire

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:52:00 +0000

to the casual observer
the wildfire appeared to have consumed all
the caustic blaze set by a single spark
spread throughout the field
it grew strong, bright, and warm
at its peak it was difficult to observe
consuming all that came in its path
now the field appears barren and cold
but the trained eye sees more
it is able to see the ember still burning
white heat just beneath the surface
a strong flame waiting for the right one
to stoke the fire and give it new life
a chance to become something
new and unseen

I'm always at my best...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:57:00 +0000

when I'm alone. Solitude gives my mind time to reflect. I love people, and I love their company but their moods are very contagious to me. If I'm laying around chilling with someone who isn't feeling my company, I feel it and I try to change the situation.

It's for this reason that I have become the peace keeper. I hate it when I'm surrounded by people that I perceive to be negative. It doesn't take much for me to get swept up and feel what they are feeling. This leads me to try to hard to make every moment as relaxed and stress free as possible.

To avoid swimming in a sea of negativity, I police my friendships. If someone is making me feel negative instead of positive, I spend less time around them. The funny part is that I have been called out on it before and in that moment I'm completely honest, which typically ends a friendship. Because that friend was bad for me it is not a major loss.

On the other hand, I feel that it is important to note how much my friends mean to me. I know that I can be self centered and egotistic at times. Hopefully all of you know that I can also be completely selfless and sacrifice much in other moments.

Here I sit in a chilis in huntsville tx scarfing down some food before I return to the campsite an meet a lot of sfa undergrads and all that I can think is that I am blessed. I have the best friends in the world. Even if we have lost touch, I guarantee you that you are important to me than you know.

I was just thinking of you and I wanted to tell you all that you are special.

I am rediscovering my happy place

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:18:00 +0000

For the last few weeks I have been out of sorts. I have been frustrated, tired, and just not myself. I wake up in the middle of the night with stomach pains, and I'm stressed out all of the time. Inwas convinced that the stress was due to work, but recent developments have made me doubt work as the source. Drifting is hard on the mind, and by working out possible plans I have combatted the fatigue associated with my lifestyle.

It has gotten so bad that today I actually felt myself turn the corner. I stepped out of the office on the way to lunch and I felt a warmth crawl through me. A smile spread across my face and I felt at peace. What has caused this change? Action. I have been worried about what-ifs and when's so much that I forgot to pay attention to the now.

Lunch wasn't perfect, but it was better than the perfect lunch I had on Tuesday, if only because I have remembered that everything comes and goes. I can still feel the tension now, but it is better knowing that it isn't going to last.

Life goals...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:39:00 +0000

Today has been full of distractions. Some good, some neutral, but so far only one has stuck. I keep thinking about what I want to do while I'm here on this giant rock. Below you will find the list in no particular order...

1. Fly a plane
2. Dive the great barrier reef
3. Dive Los islotes with the hammerheads
4. Macchu picchu
5. Visit Alaska
6. Egypt
7. Edinburgh, Scotland
8. Hang gliding
9. Basejumping
10. Visit ahrensburg germany
11. Climb a mountain
12. Own a motorcycle
13. Release an album
14. Live abroad
15. Go sailing
16. Hawaii
17. Japan
18. Visit galapagos islands
19. New Zealand
20. Write a book

What am I doing?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:15:00 +0000

It's almost April and I'm looking back at where I was one year ago... I was about to graduate with my masters, working on a project focused on how to make acl fest even better than it already is. I was full of piss and vinegar, and I was gonna shake things up with my new social media startup on a shoestring budget.

Fast forward one year and you get a tired, frustrated man who hates his job and feels trapped in a small town. I miss my friends, and I miss the town that had become my home.

Today a coworker asked me, "why are you here?" and I didn't have a good answer. I wanted to mention my plan to pay off my vehicle, debt, etc. but all I could get out was, "I ask myself the same question everyday."

So, here we are one year later. I feel confused, and like I'm on the wrong path. While meditating on this thought, all that I could answer was that there is no wrong path, just life lessons you don't want to learn.

All of this has led me to the next question, "what's next?". To that I don't currently have an answer, but you can be sure that it will involve beaches, ocean, and a lot of sunshine!

My thoughts on love

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:11:00 +0000

Love is a valuable commodity in our current state of affairs. It is choked out by our society's misguided view on individualism. Too much emphasis is placed on the individual. This creates a tit for tat situation in our daily lives which sadly spills over into our love lives. Lovers are plagued by the fear that they are losing their sense of self when they engage in common activities. One member feels the need to conquer the other. They forget that in order for growth to occur there must be change.

Some of the individual activities must be lessened in order for the collective good. Sacrifices must be made by both parties, however there cannot be a sense of score keeping. This is where love comes into play. Love leads both parties to trust each other and to focus on the common good. Love is also the key ingredient to acceptance.

Both members of the relationship are flawed. They must accept each others flaws in order for the relationship to thrive. This is absolutely necessary. Sometimes one member feels the need to see eye to eye all of the time. This is a mistake. There was a common ground that brought you together in the first place. Do not try to expand this territory and conquer what lies on the other side of the division. This only creates negative emotions and creates a division between partners.

I truly think that the most important part of any relationship is feeling accepted for who you are. This is where our sense of being loved comes from. Once this is established, it is necessary to create a nation of 2. The two of you will spend the rest of your lives sheltering and being sheltered from the storms that this life brings. Never forget that you are a team. Don't let negativity and self-doubt destroy the bond that has been forged.

Thoughts from a bar...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:30:00 +0000

There's this bar in central tx. I try to keep it a secret, but I do feel compelled to share it with some. It's in a gas station between nacogdoches and austin. I have thought it was a strange place for years, and I always like to stop when I am making the drive at night. I have often fantasizes about how many people must have been just as surprised as I was to find this place by accident.

I just returned from an extended weekend in the atx and on the way back I stopped. I have almost never stopped during the day, and for this surprise visit, I was treated with a new surprise. Instead of the usual smoky cowboy crowd, the place was filled with a church crowd spending quality time before they went to their services. They looked so wholesome that I couldn't smell the familiar scent of stale smoke and spoiled beer.

Almost as strange as the bar itself, is the circumstance under which I found it. It was the summer before my freshman year in college, and I had just had my heart broken for the first time. I had visited austin for the first time, with the guy who stole the girl along for the ride.

I couldn't stop thinking about her. I cut the trip short by one night and hauled ass to east texas to win her back... successfully, I might add only to feel the pull towards other women between the first and second semester of college.

My point, yes there is a point, is that our perspective changes over time, and that I'm very glad that it does. I am now good friends with the girl in question, and I no longer feel the need to drive at ridiculous speeds just to make it to her parents house before she goes to bed. As I have matured (yes, even the little steps count!), I have tried to focus more on the moment. That crazy OMG! I can't live without her has lessened. Now, more than ever before, I am able to enjoy the company of one woman, and not think about what else is out there. I no longer worry if there is someone hotter or more fun.

Just recently, I have been lucky enough to go out with the coolest woman I have ever met. There is no what if, or if only... I would still be attracted to her if she had dreadlocks (I'm actually kinda excited at the possibility), and even when I think that there is one thing I might like to change, I am reminded that I am attracted to her just the way she is, and if she was different, I don't know what I would feel.

I love the written word

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:07:00 +0000

I love books. I love letters. Nothing will give me more warmth than a surprise message, whether it be on my car or however it is delivered.

I worry that an unexpected consequence of our obsession with digital media is that we are losing impact. Is an email as personal as a letter? Does a postcard make you happier than a text? For me the answer to both is yes, however in this day and age distance can cause us to rely on these faster forms of communication.

Don't get me wrong. I love getting a text that says that others are thinking of me, and I send that message to others as well.

If you are completely lost, don't worry. This post is an attempt to convince myself that maybe, just maybe my words can be conveyed in a digital format without losing their intended impact.

Living is Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:12:00 +0000

I haven't written anything since October and today is March 1. I'm not quite sure why I quit writing, but I'm pretty sure that somewhere in the process of returning to the working world and trying to find my way back into my hometown, expression just became less important. During my commute I have a lot of great ideas, but nothing to capture them so they are lost. One of the recurring themes that have bubbled up in my brain over the last few weeks is that of experience.

When I was young, I studied people. Most of you know that I am an only child and solo kids are generally thought to be anti-social and awkward. To compensate for not having siblings, I was forced to make strong friendships. I watched people. I learned what they did that was successful and I observed their failures. Instead of creating a path, I quietly studied those around me to decide what I would like to be like.

For the longest time I was relatively convinced that I was completely insane. When I went to college, I studied Psychology. It was at this time that I decided that most college students (there are always exceptions) are attracted to fields that challenge them. If you were a psych major, you might be crazy... get it?

Anyway, this belief hasn't faded much as I have spent more time being hurdled around the sun. I wasted far too much time obsessing about my madness. I took up meditation and yoga as an attempt to slow down. After I graduated, I continued to drift accepting many completely diverse job offers, when I could, and creating a resume that looks abstract at best. When viewing my work history a skyview is essential. It is only then that you can see where the commonalities exist. It wasn't until I was thirty that I decided that everyone was crazy (not just me after all) and that it was a waste of my time to spend one more second worrying about it. So there it is... I wasted 30 years of my life worried that I was crazy.

I have since enjoyed a few more trips around the sun. I am starting to truly accept that there is nothing new, period. It may be packaged a little differently, but all of this amazing new technology is just a rearranging of old components. Here is my life as I see it. It may have taken me a while, but eventually I have learned to accept myself, faults and all. Now there is a new challenge being placed before me. Can I do more than just accept myself? How does one truly express self-love? Most of us are our own worst critics. What will it take to convince us to give ourselves a break?

The next stage of my life will be focused to moving beyond acceptance and destruction of the self. Until I feel the pull to another pursuit, I will be trying to not only accept my madness, but to embrace it. I will be me to the full extent of being me. I will refuse to accept limitations, and I will try to enjoy every last drop of life that is offered up to me. My challenge is to myself because at the end of the day you always have to sleep with that same person. My request to you is that you help keep me honest. If you catch me taking myself too seriously, help me snap out of it. This is just a ride and if you take it too seriously you'll never get out of this life alive. Hopefully, someone will read this and realize that they have spent too much time in their own comfort zone and decide to break out on their own as well. If you do, you are welcome in my little bubble of a world anytime you would like to visit.

My only regret is that I didn't capture this feeling while it was fresh. Writing it down now feels canned and predictable. When it was flowing into my head, it feld fluid and fantastic. I wish you all the best that life has to offer and I hope that you wish me the same.

Have you ever had a crik in your neck?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:31:00 +0000

Last week I had a job interview. Much to the dismay of my friends it was not in Austin. The day of the interview I awoke to find that my neck, shoulders and back were killing me. I took those worthless OTC pain killers but they did nothing to lessen the pain. As the interview time grew closer and the pain worse, I started to consider taking a muscle relaxer. I was pondering this aloud and my father was in earshot. I was wondering how dopey and sluggish a flexeril would make me when he suggested a completely different direction.

We were bloth on the back porch at the time because my parents are having renovations done to their house. The big problem with renovating your house, beyond the monetary discomfort, is that you go for periods of time where you are essentially banished from your own house. My parents have two dogs that I jokingly refer to as my younger siblings, and their presence seals the deal when the question of banishment comes up.

Anyway, on this particular afternoon, my father went back inside the house and he returned with a bottle of something. The next words out of his mough were, "Where does it hurt?". After I explained the source of the pain to him he told me to lift up my shirt.

For those of you who don't know my father, he is a funny guy. He gets these strange ideas in his head and he tends to always go overboard when it comes to pain relief. He once suggested that I get some sort of gel to put into my sinus cavity to knock out a sinus infection that I had. I mentioned it to the doctor and he looked at me like I was crazy. He explained that although the medication would work for that treatment that it was a very strong drug and that it should never be used for that purpose. Now that you have the idea as to what his cures are like I will continue and you will understand why I had a twinge of anxiety as he told me to lift my shirt.

With my back exposed and me leaning over my father started to spray something on my back. At first it felt cold, but that sensation didn't last for long. Quickly I started to feel a prickly sensation and a very strong smell hit my nostrils. It was a medicinal smell not unlike menthol on steriods. As the pins and needles continued he started to explain that this was a local analgesic that is used to cure muscle and joint pains. He continued to tell me that it would be fast working and that it should penetrate and ease the pain in a matter of minutes. All that I am thinking at this point is that I have an interview with an HR person followed by a panel interview in less that two hours and I smell absolutely horrible. I start to hope that perhaps the smell will dissipate as the spray evaporates.

Minutes pass and I am still stuck in this same train of thought. I have already considered what my opening line to the interviewers would be. I decided that I would break the ice by telling a condensed version of this story. I would start by asking if they have ever woke up to find that their neck was sore and had it get progressively worse throughout the day. This seemed like a good way to break the ice and I knew that I could easily turn the awkward smell into a funny situation putting everyone at ease.

My back is still wet. Ten minutes have passed and I can still smell the scent as if it was being sprayed on my back right now. The shirt is no longer raised to a ring around my neck. It has now been completely removed because I realized it is the only clean undershirt that I have. It is at this point that my dad decides to break the silence by telling me what this spray is really for. I should have known that this moment was coming. He tells me that yes, it is for muscle and joint pain but that it is usually used on horses. I couldn't make this up if I tried. He goes on to tell me that there is another version that is used on bulls but that he was unable to find that one. By now the pins and needles have progressed into a slow burn that makes my back feel like it is radiating heat.

I start to wonder if I am having some sort of allergic reaction to the spray. Am I going to have to explain a smell and a rash? Who knows? Should I go inside and get a towel right now to get it off? Survey says, yes. After wiping this horse tranquilizer off my back I start to sniff myself and question whether I should take a quick shower with my remaining time. The smell is still there (not as strong) and I consider that under my layers of clothing it will be acceptable, or hopefully completely unnoticed.

As a final test, I sniffed my shoulder through my suit jacket and I couldn't smell anything. The crisis was averted and I didn't need to joke about my scent in the interview. I have learned my lesson, next time I will be taking the pills, and I should never accept anything from my father without a complete informational interview including whether or not the intended patient should have fur or not.

Oolong Tea from Norbu Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:20:00 +0000

Today I am trying the Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea from Norbu Tea. The packaging says that it is from the 2008 fall harvest. I am using 1.5 tsp of tea in a Tea Ball. I heated the water until it was about to boil and then I added it to my cup.

Originally, I let it steep for 2 minutes. I took a sip and my initial impression was that it had a pleasant earthy taste. It still felt a little bit weak to me so I let it steep for another minute. The water has taken on a pale yellow hue. As I sip the tea it doesn’t taste strong, but it isn’t weak either. The effects are almost immediate! The flavor is simple, but very satisfying. This is definitely nothing like the Black Tea that I typically drink… it’s better. It is a soothing tea yet there is definitely caffeine present. I’m not sure how much caffeine is in Oolong Tea, but my initial impression is that it would be great in the morning or in the afternoon as a pick me up. I can’t get over how simple yet flavorful it is. The front and middle of your tongue get the majority of the flavor. There is no bitter aftertaste. It is definitely a earthy, grassy flavor that is very satisfying.

I have let the tea cool some, and I am now getting completely different flavors. Now the flavor has become stronger. It is still earthy but it is more present. The flavor lingers on your tongue for a while. I feel like the outside edges of my tongue are receiving more of the flavor. I can’t wait to share this tea with friends. Now to find out how many times I can use the same leaves…I’m guessing 2-3 times. I would definitely recommend this tea to someone who is looking for an alternative to black tea.

Update: I just steeped the leaves a second time. There is less of a caffeine sensation, but the tea still tastes great!

Voted Most Likely To Steal Your Truck

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:00:00 +0000

I got so wrapped up with the end of the trip that I never got to tell anyone about how the trip to Colorado started. My father and I woke up early and we started to head out of Nacogdoches. Neither of us had eaten, and we had both heard good things about this place called the Country Kitchen, so we decided to give it a try. Upon arrival, I knew we had hit a jackpot. There was a table sitting next to us that comprised of two women and an older man. He was complaining about his inheritance from his mother and how his sister was a money grubbing you-know-what.

There were a few gentlemen sitting at tables alone. They wore coveralls and Lone Star hats. For those of you not from Texas Lone Star is both a feed and fertilizer company as well as the National Beer of Texas. These guys were probably not aware of the beer company and their hats were in support of the fertilizer company.

Our waitress was a young woman around 19 or 20 that was wearing a rodeo belt buckle that could easily serve the purpose of a plate in a jam (or if the situation required it the heavy collection of rhinestones could easily blind any would be attacker by collecting the moonlight into a blinding beam). Her shirt had a phrase that I will never forget. It said, “Voted Most Likely To Steal Your Truck.” I pondered on that shirt for a while and I decided that it was a country thing that I just wouldn’t understand. The food was excellent and my only complaint was that there were televisions in the room. I hate it when there are TVs because they always become the center of attention. I always prefer to observe the others in the room and engage in conversation much more than watching a flickering box.

As we left the car bottomed out. This restaurant had a parking lot that left much to be desired. It was essentially a dirt lot with potholes large enough to lose small dogs in. When arriving at the restaurant you don’t realize the large bump as you transfer from pavement to dirt. Upon departure the bump is much more obvious. Our departure was announced by a scraping noise as the bottom of the car rubbed against the pavement that is TX HWY 259.

Our goal for the first day of the trip was to make it to Amarillo, TX. After reviewing the map, we approximated our trip to take 9 or 10 hours, depending on how many stops we took. After about an hour of traveling, I realized that I could hear a rather strange noise. It sounded like a grinding, and it appeared to vary depending on our rate of speed. I pulled over to check it out and I discovered that a plastic piece was being dragged underneath the car. It was near the front on the passenger side, in front of the tire. The main function of this piece appeared to be keeping rain out of the engine compartment. I made the quick decision that it was worthless and promptly tried to break it off. Being in another vehicle than mine, I was without a knife and I couldn’t find a good way to break it off. I quickly settled on the second best solution and found a way to tuck it up out of the way so that we wouldn’t be dragging it any more. With that problem solved, we decided it was time to get farther away from home and closer to Amarillo.

The trip was pretty uneventful as we cut through Dallas and traveled down Interstate 20. At one of our quick stops we noticed that the broken car piece had come dislodged. I finally got the placement right the second time and we never had to deal with it again.

If you have ever made the trip from East Texas to Lubbock you will remember the extreme boredom that sets in during this drive. Once you are west of Ft. Worth there isn’t a lot to notice. The landscape becomes flat quickly and you are on the same road for a long time. You finally change roads at Hwy 84 to turn north to Lubbock. Once you make this turn you abandon the boredom associated with driving on an Interstate and replace it with the new sensation of being surrounded with cotton fields and wind turbines.