Monthly Archives: February 2018

Tuesday, February 27, 2018 – Old and Abandoned

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Tuesday, February 27, 2018 – Old and Abandoned

I joined a FB Group that posts photographs of old abandoned properties in Texas. You drive around and take photographs of old buildings and hope you do not get arrested or snake bitten. Since this is Texas there is always the possibility you might get shot at. A big telephoto camera lens is an absolute must for this endeavor.

Sometimes it is difficult to determine if the property is actually abandoned or just trashy. If there is a house on wheels and cars on cinder blocks, I tend to pass on by.

The photos below are from Monday, February 19, 2018.

An abandoned chicken farm on Highway 21, east of Caldwell. Note: A chicken farm in Texas is different from The Chicken Ranch in Texas.

The chicken roost

The house

A big round thing.

From downtown, Snook, Texas – The Snook Meat Market and Store. The town saloon was in the back with a hidden entrance. Sounds like a Deacon’s Window at a liquor store – the drive through window was in the back of the store so no could see your car.

A store that saw its heyday in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

Even the store next door from the 1960’s is abandoned. Check the gas pump.

Thank you, Bob, for the great history lesson of Snook and letting me stand in your front yard Next time we will sit on the front porch. I want to hear more about when your house was the boarding house in Snook. Thank you to you and your wife for the restoration.

My fav picture of the day is this old house. I am not sure where it is located. I was moseying on a back road when I saw it. It stands alone in a field. It once served in splendid grandeur for someone.

Just looking at the picture makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Enjoy.

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Posted in Education, humor, Native Texan

Tagged Abandoned buildings, photography, Snook Texas

Monday, February 26, 2018 – Hear ye! Hear ye!

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Monday, February 26, 2018 – Hear ye! Hear ye!

The times has come The Walrus said to talk of many things. Actually it was Lewis Carroll who said that, but today we’re going with the walrus.

Please note that Friday, March 2, 2018 (Texas Independence Day) Here’s What I’m Thinking will no longer be connected to Facebook.

If you still want to read any funnies, family tales, get pissed off at a political satire, Snarky Friday Football, and Monday College Football Awards, see some photographs or listen to some old songs, you can do so by going to (AND BOOKMARKING)

Drdrd85.me

When I connected HWIT to FB, it was to see if anyone would read and follow. I said if and when I reached 1000 follows, I would disconnect from the FB application. Even though many of those followers are probably trolls and bots, I am still happy.

I will still be on Facebook until further notice. HWIT will be on Drdrd85.me.

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Tuesday, February 23, 1836 – Texas History Told My Way

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Tuesday, February 23, 1836 – Texas History Told My Way

On February 23, 1836 Mexican troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas and surrounded the Alamo Mission.

Davy Crockett looked at Commander William B. Travis and said “We’re gonna a need a lot more men.”

General Santa Anna gave the people behind the mission’s walls one more chance to surrender. Travis opened fired. Santa Anna screamed “NO QUARTERS! This meant kill them all. He then ordered the bugler to play DeGuello – The Death Song. The fate of the Texans was sealed.

On February 24, Travis sent a plea requesting more troops. It was signed Victory or Death. The reinforcements never arrived.

Thirteen days later on March 6, the Alamo Mission would fall into the hands of the Mexican Army and “no quarters’ and DeGuello would enter into the history books. The soldiers defending The Alamo achieved victory through death.

General Santa Anna then proceeded to employ military tactics and strategies so bad that even I can see the flaws. For some inexplicable reason he moved north, rather than southeast and then slowed his army, taking his own sweet time while chasing General Sam Houston. His map app must have really been bad.

Meanwhile, Sam Houston and all of the citizens of the town of Gonzalez were hauling ass south toward Harrisburg (Houston) toward the Gulf Coast.

As every Native Born Texas has imprinted on their brains at birth, we all know this story and how this story ends.

On April 21, 1836, the Texas Army, led by General Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna’s Mexican Army. The Battle of San Jacinto is considered one of the most important battles that changed the history of the world. Make sure you read that sentence. It changed the history of the WORLD.

Texas achieved its independence from Mexico and formed the free and independent Republic of Texas.

And now, the thought question you have not been waiting for.

Why did the Mexican territory of Texas want its independence from the Republic of Mexico in the first place?

White United States settlers were immigrating to the territory in record numbers.
The large numbers of immigrating white settlers were bringing their slaves with them.

The Republic of Mexico abolished slavery in 1829. Therefore, the white people were coming to Mexico illegally and committing the crime of owning slaves.

Don’t you just love historical irony?

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Posted in Education, humor, Native Texan, Politics

Tagged history, humor, Santa Anna, Sma Houston, The Seige of The Alamo

Thursday, February 22, 2018 – Back to the Future with a Gun in my Classroom

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Thursday, February 22, 2018 – Back to the Future with a Gun in my Classroom

A reminder: The purpose of Here’s What I’m Thinking is to make you smile and/or think.

You know the rules: If I know you or have known you in the past I will write about you.

Today’s post is for all of us from J. L. McCullough High School from 1976-1980 and for every person that has ever been involved with the administration of a school building.

Think back to the hallowed plaid halls of J.L. McCullough High School. Go get your Claymores and open to the faculty/staff section. Now picture any of those teachers/staff being armed with a gun.

HWIT – Rickie Tickie Tavy Baker would have shot herself in the foot putting her gun in the closet.

Dr.Sellers, you probably would have done the same thing. Good thing you became a real doctor.

Little Betty Sunshine would probably have fired her weapon just because. I’m sure it was German made.

Andrew could have shot Jamie (RIP) instead of stapling him to his desk. Andrew didn’t know the stapler was loaded.

I wonder how this incident would go down today

L. Salmons (RIP) shows up at my door across the hall. “Mr. Hayter is in the boys’ bathroom getting M. Brown’s grade book out of the toilet. I need you or Ms. P. to go to the girls’ bathroom and get his toupee out of the toilet.” Me: Where is Mr. Brown? Larry: I don’t know. One of his students came and got me.”

I am trying to picture what kind of weapon Ms. Rothrock would carry. Something cool like she is, I’m sure. I am having difficulty imaging what Mrs. Pressler (RIP) would carry. Hopefully only a small derringer.

I can picture Jesse Harwell (RIP) packing and being cool like the Roy Rogers look alike that he was. Karl Satorie – so sorry, cannot get passed the lime green leisure suit and white patent leather shoes, but the outfit was popular at the time.

I am certain there were days when Trina R. (RIP) and I could shot more than evil eyes at each other. Sidebar: As opposite as Trina and I were, I think I was a better educator because of her.

And an all-time favorite. How did you and Ms. P meet? Me: Mark S. was put into my class because he threatened to kill her so I went to see who she was. (Sidebar: recent update – Mark is a fine, responsible, upstanding citizen. It was Ms. P who actually saw him.)

What if an individual was accidently shot? The lawsuits could bankrupt not only the teacher’s family; they could bankrupt a small to medium size school district.

Education. Guns. This is a complex social problem that will require complex social solutions on the part of all of the social institutions. Arming faculty and staff in the K-12 environment is not one of them.

As educators we are prepared to teach your children to learn and to be responsible, upstanding citizens. We are not prepared to induce additional stress on them or on ourselves.

Here’s what I’m thinking. I WILL NEVER CARRY A GUN INTO CLASSROOM! And I don’t think any educator should either.

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Posted in Education, humor, Misc., Native Texan, Politics

Tagged armed faculty, school shootings

Wednesday, February 21, 2018 – The Great 20th Century Philosopher – James Buffet

Posted on February 21, 2018 | 1 comment

Wednesday, February 21, 2018 – The Great 20th Century Philosopher – James Buffet

It is a cold and dreary day here in the Brazos Valley. Hey, that is better than “It was a dark and stormy night.”

So today I am sending you some sunshine in the form of the great Jimmy Buffet. I could not decide which song best describe me. I am definitely one of the people my parents warned you about.

https://youtu.be/s0O-i9kLyPQ

Source: Jimmy Buffett From Live By The Bay in 1985 – We are the people are parents warned us about

Hey, hey Garner McKay … I am so old I remember Adventures in Paradise with Gardner McKay. What a young JB. Short shorts, T-shirt and hair. 1985.

Speaking of growing older, check out JB in 2014. Like the rest of us – Longer shorts, comfy shirt and less hair. Definitely growing older, but definitely not growing up.

https://youtu.be/pLvHaxtZHdM

I so wish I was in Florida right now!

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Posted in Education, humor

Tagged Florida, Jimmy Buffet

Tuesday, February 20, 2018 – National Pet Day and The Olympics or Bipeds on Boards.

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Tuesday, February 20, 2018 – National Pet Day and The Olympics or Bipeds on Boards.

The Divine Miss Peach here. It is National Pet Day. I hope pets everywhere find their Forever Homes like I have.

I kicked Dr. Biped off the computer so I could write about the Olympics. This is my first time to watch these events. I sit in Biped’s lap and watch other Bipeds do some really crazy stuff.

Here is my professional cat assessment of what I have seen up to this point.

The events take place in the winter so it is cold and there is lots of snow which is frozen water.

There are outside and inside events. The inside events involve ice, which is really just a another form of frozen water.

First the outside events.

Bipeds strap boards on their feet and insert their heads into a strange round ball. Sometimes there are two boards and sometimes there is only one.

Sometimes they carry poles. Sometimes no poles carried.

Then they proceed to race down a mountain of snow going faster than Ancestor Cheetah Cat, encountering various obstacles, such as poles protruding from the snow, other bipeds on boards, and various odd elevations along the way.

Some of them twist and turn, do somersaults, fly through the air and try to land upright on their feet boards. Some of the one boarders move up and down something called a Half Pipe. It is a half a tube of the frozen water called ice.

Now to the inside events.

These bipeds have tiny metal boards on their feet and maneuver on a big sheet more frozen water also called ice. Some of them are alone; some are in pairs and sometimes there are bunch of bipeds on the ice. The bunches of bipeds tend to carry sticks and try to put a round black object into a net guarded by another biped.

With the exception of the stick toting bipeds, the others jump, twist and turn multiple revolutions and then spin as fast as possible.

I like the inside bipeds’ events better. My favorite is those bipeds that go real fast around a big circle of ice and tilt at a thirty degree angle.

But I like the graceful ones too. They have pretty costumes I would so love to scratch on those sequins and feathers. And there is pretty music too.

These bipeds must have more lives than I do because they are crazy. I really do not see the big deal. We cats do this on a daily basis. Look at the pictures.

Cousin Meela doing her Jump from the Laundry Basket.

Me and Cousin Meela hydrating after our Counter Jump on the Counter Leap

Besides, can any of you bipeds do this?

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Posted in humor, Native Texan

Tagged cats

Monday, February 19, 2018 – Presidents Day

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Monday, February 19, 2018 – Presidents Day

Teacher:

Good Morning, Class,

Today is Presidents Day. Today’s assignment is “Write a short essay about a president of the United States.” When you finish you may leave to celebrate.

Student:

At five feet, four inches, James Madison was a short president.

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Posted in Education, humor, Native Texan

Friday, February 16, 2018 – The First Lady of Aggieland

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Friday, February 16, 2018 – The First Lady of Aggieland

Here is a photo of me and Miss Reveille IX last night at the Beat the Hell out of breast cancer women’s basketball game.

Miss Rev is looking at the cadet holding the treats and probably thinking “If I have to sit here with all these people in pink shirts and get my picture made, there better be treats.”

Thank you to Krystal, Mickey and KB for the ability to get down in that position and more importantly the ability to get back up. I know! You want me to do it while holding thirty plus pounds of weights. Maybe next time I will lift Reveille over my head.

Happy Friday Ya’ll.

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Posted in college basketball, Native Texan, Texas Aggies

Tagged Reveille IX

Thursday, February 15, 2018 – Florida, Guns and Anger

Posted on February 15, 2018 | 1 comment

Thursday, February 15, 2018 – Florida, Guns and Anger

Today I have no words of humor. Only anger.

First let me say, I know how to shoot a gun – both a rifle and a handgun. I grew up around guns. My family owns guns. They are responsible gun owners and responsible hunters.

Gun control does not mean taking away your guns or your second amendment rights. It means control of the sale and the ownership. If you cannot buy liquor, cigarettes, rent a car or other numerous things when you are 18 years old, why can you purchase an assault rifle and multiple round of ammunition in states like Florida? Why is one able to purchase a weapon and yet not have to pass a background and mental health check?

Thoughts and prayers are not going to fix this growing social issue. This requires legislation at all levels. Our future is being gunned down before our eyes.

I don’t want to take away your deer hunting rifle, your skeet shooting shotgun, your six shooter, or your automatic handgun. I do not even care if you have open carry and wear on your hip pretending you are Wyatt Earp. I just want some common sense.

If you are not angry about this, then you are part of the problem. Get out. Organize. DO SOMETHING! And most of all – VOTE!

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Posted in Uncategorized

Wednesday, February 14, 2018 – Friends, Romans, Kneelers Lent Me Your Ears.

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Wednesday, February 14, 2018 – Friends, Romans, Kneelers Lent Me Your Ears.

Today is Ash Wednesday marking the first day of the season of Lent. What does it mean? I am so glad you ashed.

Lent (Latin: Quadragesima: Fortieth) is a solemn religious observance in the Christian liturgical calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later, before Easter Sunday. The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, doing penance, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sins, almsgiving, and self-denial. This event is observed in the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, and Catholic Churches.

Some Anabaptist and evangelical churches also observe the Lenten season. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the tradition and events of the New Testament beginning on Palm Sunday, further climaxing on Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Many mark this day by receiving ashes in the form of the cross on their forehead from a priest or minister. Believers make a commitment to sacrifice and avoid the “lead us not into temptation” thing. Some give up something such as smoking, drinking, gum, or candy. Others, like me, try to do something positive to make a difference.

In fact, Here’s What I’m Thinking was started as a Lenten commitment about five years ago. The purpose was to make someone laugh and/or think on a daily basis.

During Lent, I do not eat meat on Fridays. This is much harder than you think. Think Bubba Gump shrimp each and every Friday. I usually blow it toward the end of the season when a cheeseburger inadvertently goes into my mouth. WE shall see this year.

Today is also St. Valentine’s Day.