Norman Johnson is a local cartoonist, illustrator, and artist. His work is familiar to most folks in the Midland/Odessa area, whether or not they know its source. Norman is also a gifted caricaturist, and his friends (or, as he would put it, his rapidly-dwindling supply of friends) are frequent subjects. Debbie and I (and even… Continue reading The Dangers of Having Gifted Friends
And…another stroll down memory lane: Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan
Update [October, 2011]: C.S. Fuqua has published a book entitled “Alabama Musicians: Musical Heritage from the Heart of Dixie.” Why do I tell you this? Because Gene Sullivan was from Alabama, and Mr. Fuqua included a chapter about him in the book. He also included the photo shown below, and provided yours truly with a… Continue reading And…another stroll down memory lane: Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan
Another stroll down memory lane: Bewley’s Chuck Wagon Gang
Below is another scan from Debbie’s mom’s collection of ’30s and ’40s memorabilia. The Chuck Wagon Gang is still going strong (I wonder what the original group would have thought about the idea of a website?), billing itself as “the oldest recording mixed gospel group still performing with ties to the original founding.” The scan… Continue reading Another stroll down memory lane: Bewley’s Chuck Wagon Gang
Fair Weather Fan
I’m the world’s worst (or best, depending on your perspective) fair weather sports fan. I’m not a huge sports fan to begin with. I do have some favored teams, but I’m generally content to follow their fortunes in the newspaper or online, after the fact. I can’t remember the last sporting contest that I watched… Continue reading Fair Weather Fan
Radio Imagination
In my hand, if I pointed it just right You oughta heard what come to me at night On that little transistor, my big sister’s radio. So many DJs from so far away You oughta heard the records they would play, On that little transistor, my big sister’s radio. Tommy Castro‘s song, Big Sister’s Radio… Continue reading Radio Imagination
Light Crust Doughboys
Debbie was going through some of her mom’s memorabilia a couple of weeks ago, and ran across a flyer for “Parker Willson and the Light Crust Doughboys.” I suspect that most people in Texas have at least heard of the LCDs, which, according to Wikipedia (the font of all human knowledge, or at least semi-informed… Continue reading Light Crust Doughboys
Too smart for my own good
When we bought our new truck in July (has it been that long ago?) I didn’t get an extended warranty, but I did spring for a prepaid “oil changes for life” plan. And I’m beginning to realize one of the downsides of failing to keep up with automotive technology. When I did the mental calculation… Continue reading Too smart for my own good
Lessons from a Class Reunion
We attended our 40th high school reunion in Fort Stockton last weekend, and while it was a very enjoyable time, it was also confirmation that in some ways, you really can’t go home again. A couple of lessons were learned. Lesson #1: Boys will be boys. I’ll never understand the attraction of breaking out a… Continue reading Lessons from a Class Reunion
Exchanging a stream for a cistern
The Old Testament book of Jeremiah doesn’t get a lot of press, and what it does get is mostly negative. It’s understandable; it’s not the most uplifting book in the Bible, as it’s full of dire prophecies about God’s judgment on the nation of Israel, and it’s sometimes hard to figure out how it’s relevant… Continue reading Exchanging a stream for a cistern
Measuring “Religious Knowledge”
Remember my mild rant about the lack of critical thinking skills among students? It’s not just students who are falling short in this area; some newspaper reporters appear to be challenged in this regard. Here’s a quote from a story in the Los Angeles Times about the results of this survey (link to a PDF… Continue reading Measuring “Religious Knowledge”