On the Bulletin Board

All kinds of things make it to The Bulletin Board at the Evil Corporation. Among the offerings of houses, motorcycles, carpool arrangements, retirement announcements, singles ads, and funeral notices, I found something interesting.

It reminded me of a reference I saw footnoted in something entirely different. For your consumption, here is that very reference ... .

Williams, Brett. 1984. Why Migrant Women Feed Their Husbands Tamales: Foodways as a Basis for a Revisionist View of Tejano Family Life. In Ethnic and Regional Foodways in the United States. Linda Keller Brown and Kay Mussell., eds. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press.113-126.

Ordinarily I don't get too excited either way about articles that appear in "scientific" journals, but there are times when something that gets published just grabs my ever-loving goat. This reference really gets me going. I mean really! Why do migrant women feed their husbands tamales? What kind of a question is that anyway? Why does anyone eat a tamale? Ever seen a Taco Bell commercial? Was this research funded with "Bridge to Nowhere" money? For Christ sakes, I can formulate a complete study of this question for ten bucks and have the answer back to you tomorrow afternoon ... if I phone in the order by 7 p.m. tonight! The whole study would look like this:

Thesis question: Why do migrant women feed their husbands tamales?

Breakthrough discovery: Because tamales taste good!

A very special Someone asked me last week why we should bother writing a scientific paper for publication in a technical journal. We should publish in the journals ... because it is just this easy.

Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm making mountains out of tamales, but if this is the standard ... how hard can be to get published anyway?

A Spirit-filled Lunch

Lunch with Sunshine is always an interesting experience. This time we had take out from Her Church.

Her Church was hosting a regional conference meeting, and Her Mom and several other ladies prepared a nice lunch for the attendees ... and a little for us too. When we arrived they were still preparing the food.


After a little conversation and a bunch of getting to know everyone, we got our lunches and headed back to work at the Evil Corporation. We had our "Little Buddy" with us. You might remember my blog post about Him from July. He had an important meeting he had to rush back to attend.

Turkey and Stuffing always makes for a good day. With black eyed peas, cabbage, sweet potatoes and a roll on the side, you just can't go wrong ... especially in portions as generous as these!


For dessert, try some of this Banana Split Cake. It's everything you'd expect from a banana split PLUS cake which EQUALS lots of yum, yum yum!

It was great. No, Sunshine and I don't attend the same Church, but I think I should visit more often in the future. Maybe I can talk Her into visiting Mass again one of these days. Maybe we could stop by the ice cream shop or something on the way home.

Yes, I love you baby.

Looking around the backyard

Welcome to the backyard. Following the honeybee tour guide ...



to the bushy hedge roses ...



to the garden ...







Come back again soon. See ya later!

Looking through the window

Cielo is hosting an enchanted window party. It's great if you have the chance to visit, stop by and say "Hi!". You'll be happy you did.

Taking a look through a favorite window, I thought I'd show you what that looks like at my house. Here's the crepe myrtle through my west facing picture window.

The view through this window is great for a lot of reasons, and one of those fun is seeing the nest the birds built in the trellis among the climbing roses. Another generation of youngsters have fledged and the neighborhood is full of birdsong and promise.

Beside the crepe myrtle and the climbing roses are the tea roses ...

... skirted by marigolds.

Here are some colorful companions the butterflies just love.

That's looking through the window. Come with me around back tomorrow. It will be great.

See ya then!

Z is for Zip, Zero, Nada

... that is what I have without you.




You will always be first with me.




more animals

Y is for Yummy

Today the most wonderful person in my world brought me some food while I was at the office working late. Y is definitely for Yummy! Here is her cajun beans and rice with a wedge of homemade cornbread:

And a little fried chicken too ...

I'd share ... if only I hadn't eaten it all up! It was soooooo GOOD!

She is a GREAT "make it from scratch" cook. She is an angel and I love her very much.

X is for X Marks The Scot

While searching for something clever to write this "X", I managed to hit a few wrong keys with the tip of my cast. Google decided I was going to get lucky and BAM! I found X Marks the Scot.


An interesting version of the Scottish national flag, don't ya think? at any rate, they say that ...

XMarkstheScot.com is an international community of kilt wearers and those who encourage the wearing of kilts. We are the largest and most active kilt community on the Internet. Kilts are a man's garment and it is our goal to promote the wearing of the kilt in more than just the "Highland Games" situation. It is not a forum for men looking to wear womens clothing nor is it a forum for other types of men's un-bifurbricated garments. If you want to know more about kilts then come check it out!

So, I borrowed my buddy Walt's biggest kilt. Yes, he's thin as a rail, and I have a taco stand on speed dial. Get over it! No, I don't know about this kilt thing anymore, Terri. I thought it would be kinda like wearing gym shorts with a bloody big hole over the wigglies. I was wrong. It was worse. It was damned disturbing. There's parts feeling breeze that weren't meant for it. Sorry, pictures will NEVER be available.

W is for Wishes

I'm almost done with this pass through the alphabet and thought it was time to do something extravagant. So I'm making Ten Wishes, even though I know you are only supposed get three.


There are not supposed to be rules with this, no guarantees or strings attached. Just wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive.

1. I wish I could meet in person the writer of every blog I read.

2. I wish that everyone believed in "peace now!" and really would "make love not war".

3. I wish that today was the day that Isaiah 2:4 came true.

4. I wish that everyone everywhere recognized the fundamental worth and dignity of every human being. If not that, then maybe everyone would recognize the simple truth that it costs less to feed, clothe and educate a person than it does to hunt them down in the desolate mountains of Asia and kill them.

5. I wish that we never again had to choose the lesser of two evils at the ballot box ... even if it meant granting us a "NONE OF THE ABOVE" option.

6. I wish that the same insurance and leave benefits granted to the President of a Corporation could be apportioned on a per hour worked basis to every single employee in the company. That way everyone who worked would have at least a portion of a retirement to build upon. Even part-time employees could have a shot at good health insurance. And working mothers could have the prospect of earning regular vacation and sick leave days so they wouldn't risk their less than 40 hours/week jobs because a child gets sick at school.

7. I wish that our education system did a better job of teaching and preparing young people. I wish that it didn't cost so much to go to the University or trade school or even community college.

8. I wish that more was done to protect our environment and the creatures that share it with us.

9. I wish that it wasn't considered quaint or worse to believe in God, Life, or the promises made in each of the first ten amendments to the Constitution. I also wish that the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness included the right to live with, love and even marry whoever you damned well pleased. I detest the elitism, arrogance and class warfare politics of the Left as much as I do the Right's condescension, holier than thou bigotry, and refusal to recognize that the working class needs protection from the excesses that are inherent in the capitalist system. Speaking against one and not the other has no value, nor truth ... two sad characteristics shared by most of the talk format programming on AM radio.

10. Even with ten wishes, it's not enough. There is one love I wish for above all else, and this last, private wish is for Her.

She is beautiful from the inside out. She is clever, changeable, curious and quick. She has a magnetic energy and passion that runs so deep that it intimidates other people. She has an inner strength that nothing or no one can compete with. The power of a volcano is inside her body, and she has spent a lifetime perfecting the self control that chooses when to allow it to explode. Her heart beats with a zest for life, and there is my greatest treasure.

V is for Victory

Went to the Orthopedic Surgeon to talk about the results of the MRI on my hand. He said that all is well and the bones can heal without surgery. That little victory lead to a question - what color is the cast going to be? Crimson, of course. This is the Captiol of the Sooner Nation after all. Now I'm all dressed up in crimson just in time for our beloved Oklahoma Sooners first game of the season.



This is what my desk looks like. The person in the pictures is my son. He is currently at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. He is on their swim team. He couldn't stay here in Norman and swim for the University of Oklahoma because we don't have a swim team here.

The first game of the Sooner football season was afternoon. The University of Tennessee Chattanooga Mocs came here to Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners are ranked 4th in the Nation right now. The Mocs are known for things other than football. One of the UT-Chattanooga alums rooting for the Mocs would be Hugh Beaumont, the actor who played Ward Cleaver on Leave It to Beaver. Of course, he would be cheering from behind The Pearly Gates. Another alum, Terrell Owens, would be cheering from the opposite sort of place, Dallas, Texas.

As far as I could tell, those two were the only ones cheering for the Mocs. The rest of Memorial Stadium was filled with 84,715 fans, all of whom seemed to know the words to "Boomer Sooner". And there was a lot for all those Sooner fans to cheer about. The Sooners scored on every first-half possession and made few mistakes. But the more the Sooners scored, the cloudier it got.



A little while after this was taken, there was thunder. There was lightning. Then there was rain, lots of rain. The referees delayed the second half of the game for just over an hour. The second half of the game went pretty much the same as the first. The mighty Sooners won 57-2.

Cheers!



Life is good!

U is for Unusual

Got a couple of unnusual images from around the neighborhood. The first one is a ring of mushroom growing in my neighbors yard.



Rings of mushrooms are supposed to be the location of gateways into elfin kingdoms, or places where fairies and elves gather and dance. Since I haven't heard any party music in the nieghborhood AND there were muddy little foot prints (ok, they could be paw prints) on the windshield of my pickup, I have to guess that this ring is a magical doorway of some kind. Great, just great. Now the wee people of the forest are ascending to the surface of our world through my neighbors yard (probably because it is a better lawn than mine), then hanging out and having their elven fun and games on the top of the cab of my pickup. So this makes it official then, EVERYONE is having a better time of it than me. I really hate having broken bones!

Here is that blue heron I've been trying to photograph all these months. He let me get this close this morning.



Before he flew off ...



and all his buddies came for breakfast.

T is for Thanks

Today, Zirelda and Harshita gave me something special. Thank you both for this beautiful award.



This one came with some strings ... and the rules are :

1. The winner can put the logo on their blog
2. Link the person you received your award from
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you’ve nominated.

So, my seven nominees are:

1. Although I don't think she goes much for awards, I want to give the first one to Maria. Her blog is always well written and remarkable. Best wishes for health and family dear. Our favorite college football teams meet on Nov 1st. It will be something to see.

2. I choose Eva because her blog is just plain fun to read. She's my favorite accountant and faux exotic dancer. Drop by and say "Hi!" to her and her sidekick, Boog.

3. a good one from Australia, Kookaburra. I think he and Mrs. Kookaburra are still celebrating a birthday.

4. Robyn who has just been out on a very interesting trip.

5. The only woman I would wear a kilt for, Terri. I really like the way she talks about her, um, bossoms. Two bonus points awarded dear.

6. Kylie from Australia. She keeps up many blogs with different themes. Check 'em out when you get a chance.

7. One of the best jumping little juke joints on the net, the Wild Onion Cafe. Many Happy returns everyone!

Thanks for keeping such great blogs everyone!

S is for Sunshine

Here is a picture of little ole me, broken bones and all. Yes, shit happens even in perfect worlds.



Pain is temporary. Love is forever.

R is for REAL Good

Something that Maria said sparked my imagination. There are certainly things that guys do, think and believe ... because we were programmed from birth to think this way. Ladies and Gentlemen, for your viewing pleasure, I shall offer you a short insight into that.

1. Anything can be fixed (or alternatively, improved). Any tool used to effect same can be employed using this simple bit of logic - Rightie-Tightie, Leftie-Loosie.


Try it with a wrench, socket driver, or pliers. You will be pleasantly surprised with the results.

2. If something isn't moving and it should be ... poke it with a stick. for example, here is a jellyfish on the beach.


Because it is not moving, and clearly should be, here are two guys poking it with a stick.


BAM! Problem solved.

3. Meat and potatoes are Essential for Life.


Accessorize with dipping sauces because it is the right thing to do.



4. Girls are REAL good.



REAL girls are the BEST.



Life is very, very good.

Q is for Quite Nice

Kookaburraa asked what kind of motorcycles my brother, Sean, and I rode. Here they are:



The silver Honda Silverwing in front is mine. Sean is on his Yamaha FJR.

We found a great new place to eat - Ichiro's Japanese Steak House, 4545 Hwy 501, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.



We had the steak and scallops and they were great. The portions were HUGE and tasty. The next most surprising thing was the price - it was very reasonable for this type of food. Of course this is a Japanese steak place so the show at the grill was something to see. If you open the link to their MySpace website you'll see a guy flipping a spatula and a knife in the YouTube video. That guy cooked our food. He was great. If you get a chance to visit Myrtle Beach, set aside an evening to visit Ichiro's. You'll be glad you did.

One place that Sean and I always visit whenever we are in the neighborhood is Kelt's Pub and Restaurant, 119 West Main Street, in Altus, Arkansas. It's a fun little place with an Irish theme, great food and ice cold beer. If you come after 5:00 pm, they'll hand you a dinner menu. The ribeye steak is absolutely wonderful. It comes with all the trimmings, potatoes, veggies and dipping sauces. If you can visit on Sunday afternoon, they have a brunch that totally rocks. Order the Laird's Breakfast and take photos of the plate when it comes because what you see is the way the Almighty himself intended steak and eggs to be.

Any time a person visits Altus, Arkansas, it is customary to stop at some of the local wineries. There are a couple I always recommend. Mount Bethel is a small, out of the way place that excels in friendliness and great wines. I have always come away from the store with a good bottle of wine or two and a fun story about the region. The Wiederkehr Wine Cellar is much larger and they have a free tour of the place. They are good, but commercial.

P is for Princess by the Sea

My brother, Sean, and I left my home in Norman, Oklahoma, just after 4:00am last Monday. It was sprinkling. We filled up with gas and set off on our motorcycle adventure. Four miles later, it was pouring down rain. The rain let up just before Little Rock, Arkansas.

We eventually arrived at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. We had always wanted to visit the home of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll.



It is much smaller than I thought it would be. The rooms are weirdly decorated. They are jammed with Elvis memorabilia. There are a whole lot more gold and platinum records than I thought there would be. There are a whole bunch of fans that wish there were more.



We paid our respects and moved along. Sadly, this last weekend was the anniversary of Elvis' passing.



We rode the rest of the day and then on through the night. We finished up in Lexington, South Carolina. Almost 1200 miles accomplished in just a few minutes under 24 hours time. We met some interesting characters along the way, but that's another story altogether.

After getting plenty of rest, we continued on our journey toward the sea. A couple of hours later, we were at the seashore in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.



And just to prove the point, here's the Atlantic Ocean rolling over my neon white foot.



It wasn't all rainclouds and gloom. A little Sunshine smiled upon us. Well, just enough to leave a few footprints on the beach without an umbrella.



I found a little Princess on the beach.



She waved goodbye to us from her new sand castle home. I hope that someone else found her and took her home with them.

O is for On The Road Again

Hi everybody! Am on the road again. My brother, Sean, and I decided to go a long motorcycle trip to the sea. We rode 1174 miles on the first day from Norman, Oklahoma, to Lexington, South Carolina. That was more than enough to complete the 1,000 miles in 24 hours requirement for a "Saddle Sore" Iron Butt ride.

It rained down hard on us for the first 400 miles or so. Even the best rain gear can only take so much, so we got wet. We stopped at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, to commune with the King of Rock and Roll. Will have pictures available later.



Am nursing a hand injury that really hurts. It may be a few days before we turn around and ride back. Will post more then.

N is for Nice

One can see many things in the parking of the Evil Corporation. Today, I saw this while walking back to the office after lunch.



I would like to thank whoever wrote this message. It confirms my Romantic world view and renews my hope that Love really can conquer all.

On the other hand, there are windscreen messages that are untrue, even upon the most casual of inspections. Take this message for example ...



This person claims that "I Am Worthy", even though their "Y" dangles provocatively and rather undignified below their "worth".

What are your favorite windscreen messages? Statements of fact, dysphemistic exhortations, or what?

M is for Maternal

Miss Autumn brought her brand new man to the office today. How He managed to snooze through a dozen sets of hands, I'll never know. Here He is resting happily in Sunshine's arms. Ever gracious and always lovely, She was radiant ... and maternal.

What is it about babies that brings out someone's best?