Christmas name

I found a list on Facebook, the new authority for all things cool, of Santa names.  So, from now until Christmas, I will only answer to my Christmas name:   BoBunny Crazy-Pants.

Baylor

The first football game I ever saw in person, above a high school level, was the Texas Tech-Baylor game in 1974.  A doctor who had a hunting lease at the ranch had box seats season tickets and gave them to us.  It was not my dad’s thing but he and I drove up to see the game because I wanted to come.  And boy oh boy I was impressed.  The stadium, the 50 yard line (only time ever I think), the game, the spirit, the band.  It all sealed my Texas Tech future.  Oh, yeah, there was the school part…!    I remember it was Veterans day weekend and the band did a patriotic show and I thought it was great!  I don’t remember who won…

This weekend I am headed for Arlington to see the same game.  Now someone above my level has decided that Tech never again gets to go to Waco and Baylor isn’t coming here…now it’s a Dallas shootout.  It’s all about money of course but it also gets me a road trip so I guess it’s good.  I don’t like losing home games and Lubbock revenue to Dallas but I obviously don’t hate it too much.  This time I will meet my friend Holly from my college days and her daughter Lindsey and we are wearing our “our coach is hotter than your coach” shirts like triplets and we will be at Cowboys Stadium instead of the Jones.  And we will eat somewhere fun and stay in a cool hotel.  I guess, technically, I have come up in the world.    And our hopes for a win are a wing and a prayer but a good time will be had by all. 

I guess I’ve come up in the world but that first game, with my daddy, will live in my heart forever.

 

Happy Veteran's Day 2013

ARLINGTON CEMETERY

Jeopardy Question:

On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was:
"How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns" ----

All three contestants missed it! --

This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance.

Very fascinating.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? 21 steps:

It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?
21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1

3. Why are his gloves wet? His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and, if not, why not? He
carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

5. How often are the guards changed? Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to? For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30.

They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform or the tomb in any way.

After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin.

The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.

There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.

The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone nor watch TV.

All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are:

President Taft,
Joe Lewis {the boxer}
Medal of Honor winner Audie L. Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII and of Hollywood fame.

Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty..

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military
members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way,
Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that
guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be
afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

God Bless and keep them.

I'd be very proud if this post reaches as many as possible. We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

God Bless America

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This was posted on Facebook and I am assuming it's true.  It's cool either way.

Today I smiled. Several times.

I'm normally a pretty content person, Not too many ups or downs, just level.  But today, several things just made me smile.

1.  The theme from Rawhide.  I'm listening to Pandora radio during the day and I'm on Marty Robbins radio and there it was.  It makes me think of Las Vegas and the Dealertainers.  They had Jake & Elwood Blues and they sang it for our table.

2.  Chick Fil A for lunch.

3 I had an envelope with 5 $20 bills and I could not find it in my purse or bag this morning.  I thought maybe I'd left it in the car.  I found it--money intact--on the ground outside my passenger door.  It had been there all night.  

4.  The team dance on Dancing With The Stars to "What Does the Fox Say" was too cute not to smile.

5.  I had 2 texts from people out of nowhere...and I had to add them back to contacts afterI said 'Who is this?".    My new phone has been an adventure without a doubt.

6.  I have 3 of 9 scarves finished for Christmas and found my bags and tags today.  Things are looking good to be finished.  

I had others...I'll have to think!

Random stuff of today.

Tomorrow would have been my parents 68th wedding anniversary.

Kanye West bought Kim Kardashian an 8 million dollar engagement ring.  It's estimated that 20% of the children and the elderly will go to bed hungry tonight and a woman with no obvious talent or skills, with an ass the size of Kansas, proudly wears that ring. 

I'm watching the Untouchables, a tv show that ran from 1959 to 1963.  It's in black and white, which I love,

and was a Desilu production and apparently they had a stable of young actors that played several parts over the years.  I've seen a young Peter Falk, Leslie Nielson, Nita Talbot, Anne Francis, General Hospital's John Beradino (Steve Hardy) and Larry Gates (Guiding Light's HB Lewis) and more and more and more.  

My Red Raiders lost their first game of the season today.  I'm not really surprised because while we have had a blast and have the great record, no one expected us to win but the truth is our young team with a brand new coach held their own against the might Oklahoma today.  And next year, we will take them to chapel.

Another Untouchable observation.  Robert Stack had great hair.

Where were you?

In the AARP magazine this month, there is the Bob Schieffer story about where he was when Kennedy died.  It's about the coolest story ever.  I'm not going to repeat it here but look it up.  Trust me.  It got me to thinking about the events that I will always remember where I was when it happened.  

First, the Kennedy assassination:   The 50 year anniversary is in about a month.  I was in the first grade in Bagdad, AZ.  I remember the principal coming over the loudspeaker, telling us that our president had been shot.  The teachers were supposed to keep us inside until someone came for us.  I remember Cathy & Jo, senior and junior in high school, coming for me.  I didn't understand what was going on because I was a protected 6.

When Martin Luther King was assassinated, I don't remember where I was at the time but I do remember the girl I was walking home with telling me her parents were very happy about it.  I remember thinking how sad that was.  I don't remember hearing about it at home.  I was a protected 10 year old.

I remember May 30, 1970 going with my sister Jo and her husband Art to a baseball game that Art was umping and because they had been arguing all morning, I wanted to go home.  Right after dark the sheriff came to our door to tell us that Jo had been shot and killed accidentally.  I remember going to the emergency room at the Bagdad hospital and my daddy having to be held back so he would not go after Art.  After it was ruled an accident, and the funeral held, Art took everything out of their house that could be sold and not sold, including Jo's hair curlers and Bible and my parents Mastercard and left town forever.  They had been married 4 months.  Today I think a different investigation would have netted a different result.  

I remember the American POW's coming home from Vietnam.  They had to come home in the middle of the night to avoid the protesters.  I was a senior in high school.  A little less protected.

In August 1977, I was in Miami Beach and I remember stepping out of the shower to hear the announcement on the radio that Elvis had died.  So sad.

On December 8, 1980 I remember Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford and Dandy Don Meredith announcing on Monday Night Football that someone had shot John Lennon.  So confusing why someone would shoot such a gentle man.

On May 31, 1997 my sister Cathy died of breast cancer after a long and ugly battle.  I remember talking to her about 2 weeks before and she was coughing.  She said she was going to come to Texas to rest and let mom take care of her.  I remember telling her it was a good idea.  In the meantime, mom & I went to Uncle T's and Aunt B's for Memorial weekend.  We ate Boston Market chicken at a roadside park on the way home.  My mom liked traveling with me and I with her.  The next morning, they got a call that Cathy was in the hospital.  They drove to Arizona and one of them sat with her 24 hours a day until she died on that Saturday.  My dad was 83, mom was 68.  It broke their hearts.

September 11,2001 goes without saying.   I was at work when my friend Jason came in to tell us that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers.  We were watching in the lounge when the 2nd plane it.  We stayed at work all day but didn't have any calls.

My mom died in the middle of the night on February 3,2003.  She's been a coma in the hospital for a month and the doctor had told me she was not going to get better.  I remember the day before sitting with her and telling her that it was ok if she was tired.  I think that was all she needed.  

On February 21, 2009 my daddy died in the nursing home in Jayton.  He'd been in there 1 week.  I had always said he wouldn't live for 2 weeks in a nursing home and he proved me right.  He was tired too.

A lot has happened since then.  AT&T Retirement, Walgreens, Wright Elementary, Unemployed, house sale, Texas Tech University, apartment.  And maybe some future memories.

With friends like these...

Last week I watched a movie called ‘The Last Ride’ about the last 2 days of the life of Hank Williams.  It’s New Year’s Eve and his caretaker of the moment hires a young mechanic named Silas to drive ‘Mr Wells’ to West Virginia for a show.   At the first of the show it is apparent the kid does not know who his passenger really is and I wasn’t clear if he even knew until the end of the movie.  Early on, the passenger asks Silas to call him Luke. 

It’s pretty apparent that Hank is in bad shape.  He’s tired and sick.  Silas is warned not to let him drink any whiskey or he won’t be paid.  His drinking has affected every part of his life—his reputation, his performances, his marriage.  It appears if there was not money involved, everyone would have left him to his own devices.  But money has a way of attracting ‘friends’.  

Weather and some stops along the road (including a fight at a bar) delay him and he misses his New Year’s Eve share so soon that are rerouted to a New Year’s Day show in Ohio.  Unfortunately he dies in the car on the way to the show.  His cause of death was a heart problem thought his alcoholism contributed and the beating from the night before may have as well.   From what I’ve read and seen,  when they went on stage in Ohio to announce his death, everyone laughed, assuming it was another excuse for missing a show.  Only when the performers on stage started ‘I Saw the Light’ did the crowd stop laughing and sadly sang along in a final tribute.

What a sad man he appeared to be.  Betrayed by his wife, scorned by his handlers, he was painfully alone with a stranger when he died.  If his music reflects his life, he must have hurt badly.  I realize his behavior caused others to be react, and I in general try to find the best of people, but I have to wonder if he had someone to trust, someone who had his back, if his life would have be different.  Like so many celebrities, he had employees and hangers on but I’m not sure he had genuine friends.  Very sad movie.  It starred Henry Thomas from ET fame as Hank.

It makes me really sad sometimes to think of the people who died too young because they had hangers on instead of friends:

Elvis.  Colonel Parker. Priscilla.   Need we say more?

Michael Jackson.  The entire leechy Jackson Family.  If his parents had seen him as a son instead of a commodity to be sold so they’d never have to do an honest day’s work.  If someone had protected the child he possibly would not have been such a screwed up adult.

Whitney Houston.  Such a talent. 

Marilyn Monroe.

Cory Monteith.   He’d been to rehab and seemed on track but he had a demon inside of him.

Keith Whitley.  I remember Lorrie Morgan saying she’d tie herself to him with her robe tie at night so she’d know when he got up because he could not stay out of the liquor cabinet.

Heath Ledger.  I have never seen a more heartbreaking performance in my life that his Ennis in Brokeback Mountain.  Such a talent.

And there are those in the making: Lindsey Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Miley Cyrus.  It would be so good  to have someone take them by the hand and try to show them a life that doesn’t involve drinking, drugs, more money than they need or twerking while sticking out their tongue.