The Fire Ant Gazette

Revisiting the Wayback Machine

Remember the WABAC machine in the beloved The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends show…the device that enabled Mr. Peabody and his pet boy Sherman to visit various pivotal moments in history? Pretty great stuff, wasn’t it? Well, this post isn’t about that. Sorry *not sorry*. Alert Gazette readers may recall — even without… Continue reading Revisiting the Wayback Machine

We interrupt this period of non-blogging to blog about blogging.

It was a dark and stormy night… Now that I have your undivided attention, allow me to explain why I’ve completely blown my [admittedly never before publicized, for obvious reasons] goal of posting something every five days or so during 2019. This was not — NOT — a New Year’s resolution; it was purely coincidental… Continue reading We interrupt this period of non-blogging to blog about blogging.

Three Books About Music and Stuff

It’s been a long time since I wrote a book review. I don’t feel really comfortable doing book reviews, because they require some wisdom and contextual insight that I lack. But sometimes it’s enough just to say here’s a book I like because… and then let you, the perceptive reader, decide whether what I like… Continue reading Three Books About Music and Stuff

Digitizing My Life: 45s (and a musical quiz to win some!)

I think I’ve finally come to the end of my vinyl ripping project, as I digitized the final 7″ 45 rpm record in my collection. I added about eighty songs to iTunes (in addition to the 850 or so that were on LPs). Most of the 7-inchers were from the 1960s and 1980s; I have… Continue reading Digitizing My Life: 45s (and a musical quiz to win some!)

Fort Stockton High School Band (1969-1970)

This is the last in a series of four posts spotlighting music from the Fort Stockton (Texas) “Pride of Pantherland” High School band. [Previously: 1966-1967 | 1967-1968 | 1968-1969] These posts will span the school years corresponding to the time yours truly (and MLB) spent in the band. I’m doing this as a way of… Continue reading Fort Stockton High School Band (1969-1970)

Fort Stockton High School Band (1968-1969)

This is the third in a series of four posts spotlighting music from the Fort Stockton (Texas) “Pride of Pantherland” High School band. [Jump to: 1966-1967 | 1967-1968 | 1969-1970] These posts will span the school years from 1966-67 through 1969-70, corresponding to the time yours truly (and MLB) spent in the band. I’m doing this as… Continue reading Fort Stockton High School Band (1968-1969)

Fort Stockton High School Band (1967-1968)

This is the second in a series of four posts spotlighting music from the Fort Stockton (Texas) “Pride of Pantherland” High School band. [Jump to: 1966-1967 | 1968-1969 | 1969-1970] These posts will span the school years from 1966-67 through 1969-70, corresponding to the time yours truly (and MLB) spent in the band. I’m doing this as… Continue reading Fort Stockton High School Band (1967-1968)

The Fort Stockton High School Band (1966-67)

This is the first in a series of four posts spotlighting music from the Fort Stockton (Texas) “Pride of Pantherland” High School band. These posts will span the school years from 1966-67 through 1969-70, corresponding to the time yours truly (and MLB) spent in the band. I’m doing this as a way of preserving some… Continue reading The Fort Stockton High School Band (1966-67)

Five Tips for Amateur Trappers in the Texas Hill Country

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of discussion on various local social media about folks who are having issues with critters tearing up their lawns and/or living where they shouldn’t be living (e.g. skunks declaring a homestead under a back yard deck). These discussions often contain a lot of good advice, as well as some that’s… Continue reading Five Tips for Amateur Trappers in the Texas Hill Country