Happy Texas Independence Day!

On this day, March 2nd, 1836, nestled in a quiet and lovely bend on the Brazos River, our state's fathers met to draw up the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, declaring independence from Mexico and in the process becoming one of the greatest nations ever founded.

God bless Texas!


"Texas, Our Texas"

Texas, Our Texas! all hail the mighty State!
Texas, Our Texas! so wonderful so great!
Boldest and grandest, withstanding ev'ry test
O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.

God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.

Texas, O Texas! your freeborn single star,
Sends out its radiance to nations near and far,
Emblem of Freedom! it set our hearts aglow,
With thoughts of San Jacinto and glorious Alamo.

God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.

Texas, dear Texas! from tyrant grip now free,
Shines forth in splendor, your star of destiny!
Mother of heroes, we come your children true,
Proclaiming our allegiance, our faith, our love for you.

God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.

Roads Less Travelled with More Water.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

~Robert Frost
excerpt from The Road Not Taken


Sometimes I feel like Frost; taking a road that seems to be deserted save for me, at times. My life hasn't taken the road most others take in life. Most people have a set creed, travelling through high school, then on to college, career, marriage, a long domestic and professional life, then retirement. I haven't followed in the least. My life has been a series of random and haphazard adventures, strung together with the tenuous thread of a difficult childhood and the adhesive of an undying determination to succeed at glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.

My only regret is being 25 years old and having no direction or inclination of what to do with my life. It keeps me awake at night.

- Here is a small tip for all of you who are blessed not to work in retail, and wind your way through all the glorious aisles of goodies at your favorite retail center. When you come upon an aisle that is blocked by a pallet of bottled water and one or two workers who are busy stocking it, do not assume that loud sighs and clearing your throat will alert them to the fact that they are impeding your progress. Ask us to make way for you to get through. We're already self-concious of the fact that we're in way, and we desperately don't wish to be, so if you ask, I'm sure that you will be facilitated by a ready smile and apology.

- Matthew and I were stocking water the other night, and this old man traversed the aisle with his grandsons. The oldest grandson was a college student home for the holidays, dragging the relectant grandfather and younger brother along for critical supplies. The grandfather watched in horror as his grandson procurred a case of bottled water, and proceeded to dress him down on the spot, citing a "sinkfull of water at home" and "drinking well water in the Depression" as prime reasons why good money should not be wasted on water in a bottle. the grandsons fought back with the "quality of [Cameron's] city water" and "excessive carbon and chemicals" as the reasons for buying the water.

As the pair exited the aisle, old man looked at Matt and I, and said boldly so everyone could hear, "I've drunk water for 67 years, and I've never bought water in a bottle. May God save us all."

For some reason, it made my day. Maybe it was the generational dissent, or the humor, but ultimately, his vintage and frugal reasoning made me smile, and made me wish for 1936 for some reason.

- The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburg Steelers are going to the Super Bowl. May the best team {*cough* the Cardinals} win!

Out With The Old

I took down my old website this morning.

It was just time to do it. I've been getting progressively irritated by all the old things that I have stored away, or those things that have been status quo for several, if not many, years. I told Teek last night that I am craving adventure; something new, exciting, and different. Although I have no idea what it is, I am getting rid of old things that stand in my way, or objects which I no longer use.

I put together a quaint little placeholder for the time being, consisting of a fall photo and a poem I wrote last night.

Who knows, maybe someday I'll have another website. One with a defined purpose.

Retail Riddles

The world of retail is so very odd. Volatile to a fault, and rife with inner politics, insanity, and overall chaos, it never ceases to puzzle and surprise me. In my personal case, I was employed with one of the nation's largest retailers for three years, working steadily towards business management and eventual store management. My "career" was cut short by managerial bickering, politics, and of course, the ever present drama of the "he said, she said" chain of command failure. I left, disillusioned and vowing never to return.

And then, the district manager calls and personally asks me to return. Just like that. The store's managerial staff has been replaced, new initiatives are in place, and it's an entirely different ball game. Here I go again, may God have mercy on my confused and displaced soul. I report back to my old job at 0900 hours tomorrow morning.

Let's give it one more try, shall we?

I get to join the cadre of retail workers trying to survive yet another holiday season, amid the impatient and selfish masses of shoppers, and it's strangely exciting. I thrive under pressure.

It is not, of course, what I want to do for the long term, but as I am working towards larger goals, this small responsibility will keep me sharp, focused, and ironically, entertained.

Remember, Remember.

Guy Fawkes Day is a blast. Americans really should think about adopting it as the perfect excuse to spout nursery rhymes about revolutionaries and sit around, drinking tea, discussing the fate of the modern world's government systems. I am probably the only one.

Remember, remember, the 5th of November;
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot.
I see no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason,
Should ever be forgot.


The wind is beginning to wax eloquent on leaves and limbs, as it increases in speed and vehemence. The "cold" front is arriving earlier than predicted. The cats are eyeing the doors, concocting a plan to gain warm, fluffy refuge in the house. It's a perfect day for pictures.

This wonderful autumn weather is book weather. It also enhances the shopping instincts, sharpening that deep seated desire to barricade yourself in a bookstore, amid mountains of delectable books and immserse yourself in that literary escape of reading. Half Price Books was my first campaign, and victory was achieved by finding Burke's Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful for only one dollar. One dollar for such a treasure.

Chocolate and raspberries are the perfect marriage of flavor. I'm enjoying every bite.

Back Again

The trip was supposed to be longer ; a three month long contract construction job, in the damaged coastal areas of Texas and Lousiana. However, due to a wide variety of events outside our control, we only ended up staying around three weeks. The was a vast abundance of adventures, driving, and strange occupational activities that many us never dreamed of, but all in all, it was a fantastic experience.

So, after 2,944 miles, I am finally back home, recuperating from a severe head cold, and considering other job opportunities.

Yesterday was Ben's 24th birthday. Thomas, Kristi, and I took him to Dave and Buster's, and had a time of much hilarity and amusement! The key lime pie was excellent, and the grilled shrimp were received with universal acclamations of delight. Ben was fascinated by the lamp that was fastened to the side of the table, and spent the greater part of the meal conspiring of how to abscond with it. In the end, he was content with the souvenier glass that the staff presented him for his birthday, and we departed into the gaming room for a night of virtual combat, racing, and Dance Dance Revolution, at which I am a miserable failure.

The air outside has a peculiar, bracing quality to it; I believe I shall go for a walk.

Hurricane Flurry

Hurricanes in Texas are somewhat of a novelty. We are not strangers to the occasional beach-lashing, but said lashings are so few and far between, that when one does decide to head for Texas, hustle and bustle breaks loose.

So right now, the highways are a veritable jam of people fleeing low ground in search of higher ground, which happens to be Central Texas. It was comical, when I was getting gas after work, to see the big city drivers frustrated with the laid-back attitude of the locals. Honking your horn at the driver in front of you may get results in Houston, but in little ol' Rockdale, it only illicits a raised eyebrow.

For someone like me of course, who has a morbid fascination with storms and inclement weather, a hurricane is nothing more than free entertainment. I love nothing more than to drive through high waters, be drenched in rain, buffetted by high winds, and have that dangerous element of disaster lurking nearby. One of these days, I WILL be a stormchaser, in my decked-out Hummer with all my gear, gallavanting around in all kinds of storms.

Rain, rain and more rain! Which means floods. Which means I get to rescue and aid people, which I also love. Helping the local fire departments is always fun, and helping others during a natural disaster is even better than the weather it brings. There's always aftermath, but that's what I love about this state. Neighbors may be hundreds of miles apart, but rebuilding doesn't take long in the Lone Star State, and everyone wants to help.

There's just that element of preparing; the storing of supplies, checking of flashlights, gear, and buildings, and battening down the hatches to brave the foaming onslaught of a hurricane, tucked away in your fortress, or roaming the wild weather to lend aid and frolick in the rain.

Call me crazy, but this shall be an adventure. Of sorts.

My internet company is headquartered in Houston, so I shall probably be without internet for weeks. 0_0