M. O. B.!!!!!!!!!

One of the most irreverent institutions around is the Marching Owl Band, from Rice University in Houston. Rice is one of the elite academic schools in the country, and it is relatively small compared to the other schools against whom it competes in sports.

In 1970 the band transformed itself from a traditional marching band to an unconventional group of performers. They wear black business suits and fedora hats rather than the traditional band uniforms. And there half time presentations have music, but there is almost always some social or political commentary too. I have seen them spoof the Governor, the Olympics and the big universities, especially the University of Texas.

Last night in the pre-game performance for the Texas Bowl, the M.O.B tweaked their opponents, Western Michigan University (it had been hoped that Notre Dame would be the Owls opponent). They thanked WMU for coming to Houston, for, "making their existence known". They said that Rice was pleased to have them as opponents, despite the fact that many would rather have played someone more familiar. They then asked if WMU would mind " putting bags on their heads and pretend they were Irish!"

Outrageous fun!




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Timeless Pieces!

Though I have not bought any, I have always liked special watches. My grandparents gave me a Gruen with day and date features for my graduation in 1966. I still have it. I was given a Pulsar 100m as a token of appreciation for a seminar I conducted for some teens back in 1989. I still wear it. I just learned about Polar watches, that not only provide the time, but also information about your body, like how many steps taken on a hike, gauging calories, and much more. Sounds like fun!




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Fun at the Texas Bowl!

My family went to the Texas Bowl last night, the first bowl game I have attended in many years, since a Bluebonnet Bowl in the Astrodome. We went to support the Rice Owls who were trying to win a bowl game for the first time in 55 years, and a tenth win in the season for the first time in 59 years.

The Owls scored the first 38 points in the game and cruised to a 38-14 win. Chase Clement, the Rice quarterback, was the MVP and the Owls really played well. We had a good time, maybe setting up an annual trip to the bowl while the boys are here with us.





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New Year, Less Me!

One of my favorite bloggers has challenged a bunch of us to join her in a goal to lose at least 27 pounds in the New Year. As I have a need to drop far more pounds than the 27, I agree to accept the challenge. So beginning on the first of January my wife will begin more healthy cooking and we will walk together. That will do both of us a lot of good.




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The Shack, by William P. Young

A few months ago I was urged to read the book The Shack by William p> Young. It is of the theological fiction genre, so it is right up my alley. I got a copy of the book and placed it in my To Be Read stack. I picked it up last week and finished it in only a few days. It was a compelling read!




The story centers on the life of Mackenzie Phillips and how he deals with the loss of a daughter to a serial child killer. One can easily identify with the kinds of emotions that Mack struggle with, including anger and distrust of God. Mack's journey to the shack where the crime ended is not unlike one most of us have to make at some time in our lives.






I do not think I have ever read or heard such a revealing depiction of the triune God, Father, Son and Spirit as the one Young painted in his story. The powerful appeal of the relationship between the persons of the Trinity generates a deep desire to enter into such a relationship with God.






Some of the theology presented in the book, I cannot embrace. I would urge all readers of the book not to allow emotions that grow out of reading the story to cloud their spiritual discernment, but to trust on the revealed Will of God in the Bible for the final authority in their faith and practice.






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Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,
I have been a really good boy, I have taken care of my wife and grandkids as best I can and made sure the dog got plenty of exercise! I have not been naughty and I do not say bad words. I know you are aware that I eat a little too much from time to time, but I think you enjoy a few extra cookies yourself, so I hope you will understand. For Christmas I would like a new suit to wear to church. Or maybe it would be less expensive if you just bring me a supply of Decaslim so I can get into my old one!
Yours, Truly,
Errolllevant





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In South Texas?

Can you believe it? Last night we had a significant, for us, snowfall. I covered the ground for a few hours. This is only the 7th time in my 60 years that it has snowed here enough to blanket things. My grandsons were ecstatic! They had a snowball fight before bedtime!

I was glad when it melted away by noon today!



Subscribe in a readerCan you believe it? Last night we had a significant, for us, snowfall. I covered the ground for a few hours. This is only the 7th time in my 60 years that it has snowed here enough to blanket things. My grandsons were ecstatic! They had a snowball fight before bedtime!

I was glad when it melted away by noon today!

Holiday Sweets

I was hoping to control my intake of calories over the Thanksgiving weekend, so that I would not put on too many extra pounds. I did pretty well; we had a pumpkin pie in the fridge that took more than a week to disappear completely. I have heard of such a pie disappearing in one night! Now it is Christmas time. We went to a school concert for the grandkids last night and I had two Christmas cookies. That’s not bad. Maybe I will not have to buy myself any diet supplements with my Christmas money!




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Finally!

I have been sick for ten days, head and chest congestion and lots of coughing, little sleep at night. But today I am feeling well enough to think that recovery is possible. A couple of days ago I thought death more likely and much more desirable!




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Indian Meal Moths

I went to the Monday Night Football game this week with my friend who is an exterminator. I took him a little bug I had caught that afternoon in the kitchen. It was the second one I had seen in a couple of days. My buddy gave me a couple of Indian meal moth traps and told me to get rid of any opened boxes of cereal or dried beans and such from our pantry. He told me not to worry, that they do not live long and if we will store the dried things in sealable containers we won't have any more problem.



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New Tree

We have been artificial Christmas tree users for many years. We originally made the switch for the safety issues, when our girls were little. We did not want to become one of those stories of house fires involving real trees. We also came to like the savings. This year we bought an new tree, retiring the fifteen year old model. The new one is hinged and pre-lit, saving a lot of time in assembly and decoration! It is a seven and an half foot Spruce. It looks nice and the boys are excited!





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Discovery Green

Discovery Green is a new park in downtown Houston, Texas. It is surrounded by Toyota Center, where the Rockets play; Minute Maid Park, where the Astros play, and George R. Brown Convention Center. It has been well received and is constantly filled with floks having a good time. This holiday season it is lit up like the las vegas strip, with lights and attractions to promote the holiday spirit, and no doubt to stimulate the economy!




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Missing Diamond Rings

My mother in law has declined in health to the place that she needs someone to be with her all the time. She did not want to go into a home, so she decided to use a home nursing agency. She was happy with the girl they sent out and things began all right. But sometime a few weeks later Marcie’s diamond rings were missing. She was very upset and eventually called the police. A detective searched the local pawnshops and was able to recover the jewelry. And the home care nurse is headed to jail!





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Thanksgiving Traditions

Today is Thanksgiving day, and most Americans will have a wonderful time celebrating the blessings they have received over the past year. It is right and proper to do so. But shortly after the meal and the expressions of gratitude, tv stands all across the land will become altars as football fans settle down to pay homage to their favorite pastime!




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Tech Over OU?

This weekend pits the Red Raiders of Texas Tech against the Sooners of Oklahoma University in a key game to determine the Big 12 representative in the BCS Championship game. A win by Tech would assure them of a place in the Big 12 Championship game against Missouri. A loss will leave three teams with one loss and will put the computers in charge of choosing a representative!






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How About That?

I was just over at ConsmerPriceWatch.net checking on some things, and I found some interesting information on their Hydroxycut hardcore review. I had, of course heard many endorsement commercials on radio, usually from well-known athletes. I had developed the idea that the product was for those who were wanting to build up their bodies and sculpt them into works of art. But the review indicates that lots of ordinary folks use it to help reduce fat.




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Irritating Ads!

It is very satisfying not to have to listen to or watch any more political ads for a while.

But I am really put out by those ads promising to help customers avoid having to pay their credit card debt. They promise to reduce the amount you pay back by half or more. There are other commercials trying to attract folks who owe big tax bills, promising to settle their debt at perhaps a seventy per cent reduction.

These ads are perhaps more irritating to me even than the political ads, because I know who is going to pay for those discounts. Me! And people like me who always pay their bills and their taxes.

Now that the campaigning is over, I guess we'll see even more of these type ads! GRRRRRRR!



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Leaving the Y!

A bit over a year ago the YMCA opened a new fitness center in our neighborhood. Our family enrolled and we were pretty active in our Fit Linx program, visiting the center at least twice a week and doing our weight training as well as aerobic workouts. But I had not been since August and could not see continuing to pay dues each month, so a few days ago I officially removed myself from the ranks of the fat burners when I terminated our membership!




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Grandparenting

We were excited in the summer of 1992 to find out that we were to be grandparents for the first time in a few months. And when my wife and I attended a workshop a few days later, we were drawn to a class on grandparenting conducted by Stafford North and his wife. One of the things the North's challenge us to do in that class was to come up with some idea that would be a way to demonstrate to our grandkids how much we valued them.

As a result of that brainstorming session, I came up with a plan that I have been practicing now for nearly 16 years. My grandson was born on 14 January in 93. On the 14th of each month, he receives a card from me telling him how much he is loved, and picturing for himself a special feature I see for him. I also enclose a five dollar bill that is to be put into his mission fund, so that when he is 16 he will be able to go on a mission trip with me to the Caribbean.

I now have four grandchildren, and each of them receives a card each month on the date of their birth. I create the cards on the computer these days, so there is a personal touch even to the cards. I don't how much the cards mean to the kids, but it helps me express my deep love for them and I have a sense of connection that I might not otherwise have through these efforts. And next summer my first grandson will be old enough to take his first trip to Dominica with me!




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So Long Fingers!

One of the long time merchants in Houston has been Fingers Furniture. Not long ago the owner of the business has a fatal heart attack. His family has apparently decided not to continue the business. There is a huge sale going on right now in anticipation of the closing of the stores, some of which are almost historic landmarks. Maybe the time to get that home theater seating I have been wanting is right now!




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Halloween Thoughts

Shortly after school started I walked into a local discount store and saw that the Halloween displays were being put in place. It wasn’t even Labor Day yet! I wondered if witches and other practitioners of the Black Arts were outraged that the meaning of their most cherished holiday was being diminished and hijacked in the name of higher profits. Do they condemn the commercialization of their sacred day? Don’t the merchants, not to mention the consumers, remember the reason for the season?




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Tool Time?

I am not a handy man. When there are mechanical things to be done around our house, I will do the heavy lifting, but my wife is the one who understands what is going on or what needs to happen. I hate to be in discussions with a bunch of guys that are talking about things and how they work because I don’t understand a word. The topic of linear motion cross roller slides came up recently. Later when I was at home, I looked that up on the computer, but I still did not understand!




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Capitivating View

The picture is of Scotts Head, at the southern tip of the Caribbean island of Dominica. I saw it for the first time over twenty five years ago and was immediately captivated. I have been blessed to return to the island at least once a year ever since, and no matter where on the island I am working, I always make my way down to spend time on the rocky promontory. It is still breath taking to me.








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