HNW-Fall in South Texas
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Posted:Nov 7, 2018 1:26 pm
Last Updated:Nov 20, 2018 9:54 am
4474 Views
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This is what I expect Fall to be like. Hell, Winter too. On the beach this past Saturday.
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#47- Early Childhood Memory's
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Posted:Nov 7, 2018 12:51 pm
Last Updated:Nov 10, 2018 7:16 pm
4753 Views
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I'm blessed, and cursed. While I can't seem to remember names very well, and certainly have become speed dial dependent on phone , memories are etched into my mind. Good, bad, happy, sad. I can close my eyes, and watch the video of past memories, play across my mind like I'm watching a old movie.
In thinking about this months submission, I can't really picture in my head what my first memory is. They're not date stamped unfortunately, and I have always been sorta different in how I "process" time. So instead, I will share a place and time, where some of my fondest early memories are from.
From as early as I can remember, going to my Grandparents house was always something we got excited about. These were my mom's parents. Good old Czech people who epitomized the Bohemian attitudes of their culture. They lived on a small farm in between Weimer and La Grange, the house set in the middle of a cow pasture. Country people, who would help anyone. Who grew up poor, having to hunt and fish for their food. Who made damn near everything "homemade". Who's recipes and teachings have been passed down, for generations. I still make poppy seed Kolaches, from my great grandmothers recipe, mixed in the ceramic mixing bowl my Grandmother got as a wedding present. The two of them molded me into who I am, every bit as much as my parents did.
I close my eyes and can still picture the old house. A small 5 room house, if you count the bathroom and kitchen. No insulation, so it was always hot during the summers and cold during the winter. I remember sleeping on and under giant homemade feather beds, laid out on the floor. All eight of us cousins, of different ages, being hollered at continuously to settle down and go to sleep. Eventually, exhausted from the days activity, we would slowly quiet down and go to sleep. Only to wake up and start it all over again.
I can remember Grandpa and my Dad, taking us out in the early mornings to go hunting or fishing. Teaching us how to track and stalk, there was no such thing as hunting in a blind. We learned to observe everything around us. How the grass lay, how old the tracks we found were. How to look up into giant old Pecan trees, and see the entire picture. So you could notice the small movement that didn't belong. Bingo, another squirrel. They loved eating squirrel and rabbit. They taught me to shoot at such a young age, I honestly don't remember when I started, but it was before I was in school.
We learned to run trot lines, and throw lines to catch catfish. How to clean the fish, and of course how to cook it. I learned to swim, they tell me, when I fell into the Colorado river at age three. I had gotten too close to a small embankment, running like the crazy I was. By the time Dad got over to me, he said he just watched, because I was paddling to shore. I do remember my Mom being flabbergasted, he didn't jump in after me, when he told her about it. In later years, when the topic came up, he told me he would have but I was doing just fine on my own.
I haven't been hunting in many years, it's too cold usually for me and I can't say I ever developed a taste for squirrel. But I've never forgotten the skills. I still fish, but it's mainly salt water fishing these days. No trot lines, just a couple of rods and reels that my Grandpa would probably scoff at.
I remember chasing chickens in the chicken yard, and all of us getting a switching from Grandma for doing it. Seems we got a lot of those, but I also remember, we deserved them all. I remember getting chased by cows, because we got to close to the calves. I remember playing football in the pasture. Taking long walks in the dark with all of us cousins and my Dad, down the sandy loam stretches they called roads. Catching fireflys and putting them into jars. Bar-b-ques that would go on all day. Dances that would go on till late in the night. I remember swimming in the creek. I remember the sky at night, filled with stars, like I never see anymore. Like you could reach out and touch them.
I remember crying, as a young pallbearer, at my Grandpa's funeral. I remember, feeling devastated, when my Grandma passed away with me holding her hand, almost twenty years later.
I'll never forget those early memory's . I'll always remember the lessons they both taught me. Sure the tangibles were helpful, but the intangibles are what stands out in my memories of them and that place. How to be a man, how to treat others. How to be happy with what you have, and how to laugh at every opportunity.
Life and my cavalier outlook on it at a young adult, taught me a lot. But the memory's of that time and place,did the most to make me into the man I am today. All my love Grandpa and Grandma. All my love.
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Come here often?
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Posted:Nov 6, 2018 1:05 pm
Last Updated:Nov 14, 2018 5:35 am
4547 Views
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This profile of mine is relatively new. About one and a half years old. My first profile had a name that contained my age when I was a younger man..so I didn't think it was fitting. Didn't feel like paying to have the name change..and hell, I'd been gone for over a year. So I made this one. Anyways, been on and off the site, for about 7 years or so. At 96, I can't really remember when I first joined. I'm just happy to remember my login name. 
Anyway, I've only been blogging on here for 2.5months. When I was on before, I hung out around the advice line. It was a hoot. Sorta like it is here, only shorter posts. Like the Cliffs Notes version maybe. Some great people, some trolls. Some great conversations, some...well lets just leave it as not so great. And as I'm sure happens here as well, people came and went. Some would drop back in, some you never heard from again.
I notice at times, there is some friction among bloggers. That's another thing that seems the same as the advice line. LOL I try to just stay out of those, as well as the political posts. Pretty sure, there is no winner in any of the blog battles. No way you'll ever get agreement on anything political, here or in the world. But I do believe in everyone's right to post what they want. Hell, even the dick pics
But over all, I have found the blogs to be populated with some great people. Lot's of bloggers that I've come to enjoy interacting with. Funny, witty, deep, informative. Hell, what's not to like.
Anyways, wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for some really fun conversations. For listening to me ramble around at times. For giving me new information to discern, and at times, making me rethink some of my perceptions and thoughts.
Have also wondered how long some of you have been blogging. And what made you start. I was just going to use it as a place to post some songs, I've written. But with the writers block, I haven't posted one in a while. LOL.
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The making of a new drivers handbook.
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Posted:Nov 5, 2018 1:20 pm
Last Updated:Nov 6, 2018 5:05 am
4903 Views
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I tend to be a fairly patient person these days. Maybe I've just gotten older, and mellowed. Maybe I've gotten better at ignoring things that bother me, and don't let things I can't change frustrate my day. The one glaring hole to this is driving.
I'm by no means a road rager. I don't yell and scream at people. When i get the brake checkers or the tailgaters, my response is always the same. I just smile, and keep on driving. Ok, sometimes I wave at them, just to show them they haven't had the desired effect of pissing me off. And to be honest, cause I know it bugs the hell out of them.
But some drivers do frustrate me, and I have been known to "talk" to them, like they can hear me. I like to think of it as encouraging them!! Like the one who almost stops on a busy road, to turn into a parking lot. I'll encourage him with a, "That's it. You can do it. Just turn the wheel,now hit the gas pedal". I'm sure if they could hear me, they'd thank me for the words of support.
I have, over the years, come to "classify" some of the drivers. Those which, in my eyes, have a deficiency in skills. I could be wrong, it happens more than I like, but it is just my opinion on what I observe. Here's some of my classifications.
The Narcissist.
This is the driver, that believes all that matters is them. That everyone else on the road is inconsequential. All that matters is that he get from point A, to point B. You can spot this driver usually in the left hand lane on the highway, going slower than everyone else. He had room to move over multiple times, but why? If you don't like the way he's driving, go around. Even after 15 cars have had to pass him on the right, he's still there in the left lane. Why move over and let the others on past? You would think he'd notice this, but honestly, I don't think he's even thought about it. After all, it really is just all about him, right?
The Phone Operator.
Even though it is illegal to talk on the phone while your driving around here, that doesn't stop this rogue. He's usually the one doing 10 miles under the speed limit up in front of you. You can't figure out why, till you move over to pass him, and see the phone stuck to his head. Now maybe. Just maybe, he can be excused. It's possible that some people have a direct link to a phone pressed against their ear, that affects the amount of pressure one can exert with the right foot. I'm not a doctor, and haven't actually researched this. But I also don't know for sure it's not a real malady. But somethings made them slow down. I would hate to think they can't maintain a speed and talk at the same time.
The Last Minute Lane Changer.
This one has multiple characteristics. It can be like one I saw today, who almost hit me and two other cars. He's in a two lane exit coming off the high way, when at the last minute decides, nope. Jerks across the lanes of the exit, into the right hand lane of the highway. But hey, he had inches to spare, so it's all good.
Or the one who ignores the right lane closed signs for the last mile, thinking I'll just wait and move over at the last minute. Even though everyone else moved over, we all wait as he, or at times they, fit in at the last minute.
These are just some of my names for different types of drivers. I'm sure I'm missing many. I'd be willing to bet there are some that might have a name for me. I can think of a couple of times people yelling something at me while I was driving. I just couldn't hear, cause my stereo is usually blaring out some music. I just smile and wave. People are so friendly.
Are you a patient driver? If you fit one of my "characteristics", I'd say I'm sorry, but I try to be honest.
Is there a type you'd like to add? Maybe we'll write a new drivers handbook with the idea's.
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34
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Time Well Spent
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Posted:Nov 4, 2018 6:11 am
Last Updated:Nov 5, 2018 4:20 pm
4661 Views
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Doing something a little different on this blog. No questions. No thoughts and wondering on life's intricacy's. Just a short description of a day well spent. I decided there was no way I was making it through the winter without another beach trip. So with the weather forecast set to be sunny and in the high 70's on the beach, we took off.
If you haven't followed my blog, or somehow missed it, we went to a certain spot on the beach. Dunes looked a little overgrown, but still....
The water was gorgeous, though way too cold to go in. This is me, remember? Nice and clear, beaches were surprisingly clean for this time of year. No seaweed, very little driftwood.
We took the puppy with us, for her first beach trip. She was hilarious. There's a leash law on the beach, which she wasn't real happy about. We did get some time, when there were few people around us though. And again, I'm not real good at always following the rules. So..... she did get her fair share of running wild in the sand.
She also proved herself to be quite the attraction. She had way more ladies checking her out than I did. LOL And like the little social butterfly she is, she ate it up. Very few ladies passed by without coming over to pet and play with the puppy. I'm thinking, maybe getting a puppy wasn't such a bad idea after all.
This is why I live in South Texas. November 3, and I'm in a swimsuit, playing on the beach. Nice! It got a little cloudy and the wind picked up in the afternoon, but it was still nice. As always, it was the perfect way for me to rid myself of built up stress. For a day, there was nothing troubling or stressful in my world.
Overall, it was a great day. One of the best Saturday's I've had in while. Hope you all had a great weekend.
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33
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And the walls, come tumbling down.
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Posted:Nov 2, 2018 1:10 pm
Last Updated:Nov 5, 2018 5:33 am
4569 Views
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I don't believe the human soul is made to be solitary. We are better when we are beside someone. We are more productive when we have someone that we can rely upon, and conversely, we can rely on them. Our thoughts seem less jumbled, when we can express them to someone without feeling judged or thought to be silly. Or better yet, with someone who shares a similar outlook. It's just a fact that human touch does wonderful things to us on both a physical and emotional level. We just aren't made to be solitary creatures.
My biggest problem after I first got divorced in truly connecting with ladies, was the walls I had constructed around my heart and emotions. These weren't some little two-bit, insignificant walls. These were 50 feet high, 10 foot thick, steel reinforce palisades. Designed to keep everyone from getting too close, and locking in all of my most protected thoughts and emotions.
From the way I share and blab on here, you could rightly deduce, I've torn down most of those walls. Some took time. Some took explosives. Some just naturally eroded. But gradually over time, I learned to trust. I came to realize the walls did as much to limit my thoughts and emotions, as they did to shelter me. A facade I've come to abandon, happily.
Over the last ten , I'd like to think I've grown as a person, due in part, to allowing people in. Discussing thoughts and emotions, without tempering my feelings. sure a lot of who I gets exposed, due to not worrying about the consequences of letting others see who I . What I think. How I feel. It's damn near impossible to expose your feelings, without occasionaly experiencing some hurt. But, in my opinion, the benefits of being honest and open with others, outweigh the risks. We all keep some small barriers up, but mine aren't too hard to get around these days.
Do you live behind walls? Are they just part of who you are, or were they erected for a specific reason? If they're really big walls, you don't have to answer that one.
I don't know what your walls are made of, or why you constructed them. Only you can tell if you can pull any of it down. Maybe just enough to find someone willing to scale them the rest of the way. I understand walls. Mine are more just fences now.
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25
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A Change Would Do You Good.
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Posted:Nov 1, 2018 1:45 pm
Last Updated:Nov 2, 2018 5:24 pm
4731 Views
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My neighbor and I got into a discussion last night about marriage and how it can change people. He was lamenting the fact that his wife, who I think is a saint for putting up with him , used to be more fun. It got us into the discussion of things you change about yourself while you're married. And also, how some things change back after you get divorced.
I was married for 17 years. When people ask, I tell them I've been happily divorced for over 14 years. One of my changes, that we talked about last night, was watching football.
When I got married, I use to watch at least one college game on Sat, two pro games on Sunday, and of course Monday night football. Yeah, I know, lots of football. Well, the ex complained enough, so I told her I'd give up watching college ball. Freed up Saturday. Things were great, for a bit. Then it was still too much football. So it was settled, begrudgingly, that I'd just watch the Cowboys games. Perfect, everyone is happy again. But as most things in my marriage, it still wasn't good enough to stand the test of time. Finally, just frustrated with the nagging, I gave up watching football all together. /sigh. 
Funny thing is, as I was telling my neighbor, about one and a half years after I was divorced I was flipping channels one Sunday. Low and behold, there was a football game on!!!!! All of a sudden it dawned on me. I had missed a season and a half of NFL games, that I could have been watching. LOL
Yeah, I'm a idiot sometimes. And a creature of habit. I had just gotten so used to not watching them, it never crossed my mind. I pretty much just watch the Cowboys games these days. And the playoffs, which means watching other teams recently, cause the Boys just can't seem to get their crap together.
But it's really just one thing that I've changed back after getting divorced. I go to the beach a lot more now. I got back into saltwater fishing. And I'm sure I'm back to being more laid back, then I was as a married guy.
For you married people, are there things that you have changed, to keep the spouse happy? Or, did anything just evolved, not necessarily planned?
For the divorced people, did you find yourself going back to doing things you did before you were married? Like me?
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31
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Where I Always Belong
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Posted:Oct 30, 2018 1:16 pm
Last Updated:Nov 1, 2018 2:32 pm
4731 Views
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After about a 2 hour drive, sometimes less if I'm not seeing many state troopers, I make it into Corpus Christie. Down to the south side of town. Usually by now, I can feel the excitement building. When you get to the bay, there's a big bridge. It spans the Inter-coastal Waterway. Within sighting the bridge, the windows in the truck immediately come down.
You can see the bay now, littered with boats. Some out fishing, some traversing the waterway, and some just out enjoying life. I'm close.
It's about this time the smell of the ocean air hits me. And it does something to me, that I've never really been able to explain. I'm sure this writing will fall short as well. It's like every ounce of stress that I'm carrying is just gone. Like an exhale of cleansing, with an inhale of total bliss. Like life just started all over again.
After the bridge, I'm on the Island, but still not there. I turn left on 361 and head for Port Aransas. The gulf being not more than a mile away on my right, for the rest of the drive, welcoming me back. After about a 15 minute drive, I turn onto a beach access road. As I come over the dunes, there she is. The beach. Now I'm stoked.
As I've stated before, I have a special spot at the beach, marker 11. It is no different than marker 12, or 10, or for that matter 15 though 20. It's just where I go, multiple times a year. And it's always the same. I park, get out and walk down to the water. Stand there and just breathe. Heaven.
It's not the prettiest beach I've ever been on. No where near as pristine as some Caribbean beaches I used to frequent. But this is home. I don't live here, but it's where I "belong". Nothing is ever wrong here. In 25 years of coming to this exact spot, I've never had a bad hour, much less a bad day. It's just the perfect place in the world for me.
I know there's bound to have been posts on your favorite place to go. Favorite vacation spot. But do you have any certain spot that just feels perfect? Every time? Like you were born to be right here, each and every time your there?
Mine is without a doubt, beach marker 11, on the Port Aransas beach.
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31
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Hold My Beer
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Posted:Oct 29, 2018 1:27 pm
Last Updated:Nov 21, 2018 5:17 am
6818 Views
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Famous last words...hold my beer! LOL We've all seen them. People doing stupid things, with not so surprising outcomes. And we love to laugh at their misfortunes. Truth is, I laugh, because in my youth that probably would have been me.
I was talking with my and neighbor yesterday and this topic came up. And of course, all the stupid things we did as . I was proud to acknowledge that my oldest , wasn't near as brain dead as I was as a .
As a I was always the one in the crowd that would try anything. Jumping off a 40 to 50 foot railroad bridge into 8 feet of water. Anything even remotely possible on a BMX bike or a dirt bike. Hell, they even convinced me I should try to ride a bull once, at a amateur rodeo. LOL, that was not a great idea.
I brought up two that we talked about, and yeah laughed about, that I did as a .
First one was out camping with friends. We were drunk, just a given on one of our camping trips, and out walking along some cliffs. One of the girls hat blew off and landed in some scrub brush, hanging off the cliff. Two of my buddies tried with sticks to retrieve it, but it was caught pretty good. I still remember my exact words, "get out of the way, I'll get it". Yeah, leaned too far out and whoosh, I'm gone. Fell off a 40 ft cliff. Only thing that saved me was a small tree growing out of the cliff on the way down. I grab a branch as I went flying past, and it slowed me down enough to only fall another 10 feet or so. Little cut up and bruised, nothing broken, we just met back up at camp and laughed. And of course drank more beer. Next morning my right side shoulder and chest was black and blue. Probably a bunch of torn muscles, but never went and had it checked.
The other was my Evil Knievel imitation. We had a creek by the house, with lots of trails. Lots of great motocross trails, jumps, berms. Someone mention trying to jump the creek. Problem was, the side we were on was about 5 feet lower than the landing side. No problem..lets just take that board over there, prop it up with some rocks and make a ramp!!!. Great thinking!! Of course, now that the moment was here, everyone starts having second thoughts. So, of course, I jump in with, "I'll do it". We figured I'd need some speed, so I head back a bit and take off on my YZ125. I hit the ramp in 4th, probably doing over 45 and fly...straight into the cliff on the other side. Me and the bike just stop, then fall down into the creek.
I don't remember hitting, don't remember falling or getting up, but apparently I did. When I stood up, my friends were clearly concerned. You could tell how they were all rolling on the ground laughing. After a bit, they came and helped me pull my bike out of the creek. Pushing it home, one of my friends says, "dude, you're insane". Hell, he probably wasn't far off.
We're you a "Hold my Beer" kind of ? And trust me ladies, I bet a few of you had some poor decision moments too.
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41
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Where the hell did that come from?
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Posted:Oct 26, 2018 11:37 am
Last Updated:Oct 27, 2018 6:36 pm
4850 Views
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I was having a conversation with a fellow blogger the other day and she asked if I wrote blogs elsewhere. Also where did I get my idea's from and did I have a bunch of stuff I write in advance and then pick which one to post. My first thought was, "Wow, that would be a great idea". I just sorta make this stuff up as I go along.
Truth is, while I tend to plan things in life, my blog isn't one of them...well besides maybe the HNW ones. I have to see the theme and then come up with a plan.
I was a English Major, with a Psych minor, in college. I'd like to say it was because I was interested in writing for a living. Truth is, writing always came easy for me. Hell I wrote all my older brothers English papers for him through high school and College. But the truth is, I picked it because I really went to College just to party, and I figured it would take the least amount of effort. Couldn't have anything interfering with my sure fire career as a Rock Star.( yeah, it failed haha)
But it got me to thinking how do others Blog? I just usually have a thought during the day, I read something that intrigues me. Should I be admitting that out loud? Am I still being that lazy student..
Or I start thinking of some conversation I had, like this one, and I sit down and write. As one can probably tell, from the grammatical errors, or the bouncing around, it's just typed out like talking.
So I figured I'd ask on here. Do you plan out your blogs. I see some of you follow a "theme". Some are small descriptions of their lives. Do you have a list of blog posts, that you've written in advance, then peruse to decide which to post today.
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34
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The Bedroom and the Truck..A Love Story?
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Posted:Oct 25, 2018 1:19 pm
Last Updated:Oct 27, 2018 6:52 pm
5381 Views
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I get teased by women and friends alike, about two things. My truck and my bedroom.
My truck, because I just refuse to sell it or replace it. Back when I was married, I use to lease two new vehicles every year. After the divorce, I was coming up on the end of the lease on the truck and got to thinking. I don't a new truck. So I kept it. Now, it's just like a part of me. LOL My argue over who gets it when I die. Does it say anything about me? Maybe that not hung up on the materialistic things anymore. Maybe that practical. Or maybe, as I stated in another post, just a little stubborn about some things. haha. (I also have a pair of boots I've owned for over 25 .)
My bedroom , because though the rest of the house looks like a normal, decorated house, my room looks like a teens room. Guitars hanging on the walls, wave boards on one side. Amps and microphones, for some of my recording stuff . You can tell in a second what I am into. Well there is a king size bed too. haha
Point being, anyone can walk into my bedroom and pretty much get a bead on what into. It may not describe exactly who I , but you could pick up on a couple of my passions real easily. And quite a few, have made the comment, This looks like a teens room. LOL
So, do you think you can tell anything from what people drive? If someone walked into your house, could they tell what you are into? How much of yourself is expressed in your vehicle and your room? Just some rambling thoughts....
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To link to this blog (Platosgames) use [blog Platosgames] in your messages.
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