Announcer Love Affair?

Speaking of tweets!  I just tweeted ABC and ESPN about their announcer heat cheerleaders...

Good grief, I feel like I am interrupting a moment!  for 2 hours solid!

I told them there were Mavs fans out here trying to watch their telecast trying to stomach their heat/sugar overload!

Can we say Lebron / Wade worship - not feeling it!

Go MAVS!!!!   Watch the telecast, get ticked and come back fierce!!!

Twitter Yet?

@tweeteryet?

So I thought I would try twittering or should I say tweeting!   You know what is all the hub bub about!?

I went to twitter.com and made myself a profile.  Then it asked me who would you like to follow?  So I proceeded to look up a few well known people.  Then I sat and looked at the screen.  I saw a couple of "tweets" show up.  Ok there we go I am following some people on twitter!

Now what?  So I did as I usually do when I want to know something, I googled.  I googled How do I Tweet?  And there you go, I got Twitter 101.  How cool is that?

I read what I could and then I proceeded to use the tips and tricks and how-to's I had just learned.  Well when I returned I had a follower!!!  Have no idea who he was but he decided to follow me!

I was watching the Coca Cola 600 at the time so I decided to add some nascar people.  Jr didn't have an account himself, but I added Jrmotorsports, I added Kyle Petty and Kenny Wallace and a couple of others.  So I watched them tweeting away during the race. 

As I had come to realize on FB, if I have DVR'd something I have to be careful not to let someone spoil it for me!  But I was on time at a point in that crazy, insane, amazing and nerve racking race - I was totally into their tweets!  Once or twice I replied and "retweeted".  They were answering some tweets but never mine.

I added other people also, like 25 or so.  I read many of Kirstie's tweets and Piers Morgan, I like his CNN gig.  But I forgot about the Americas got talent stuff and tonight's show has taken over the tweets, again DVR!  Have I ever mentioned I do not like magic acts, at all?  And I am getting tired of the dancers with hoods and masks... just saying.  And I am not the person who likes all the bad, horrible, disgusting and just plain embarrassing terrible acts.  So I DVR and stop at the truly talented, like the brit woman and the 7 year old opera singer girl, etc...

So I am thinking what is the deal with tweeting?  I can see stuff going on, heads up on several sports things to come - shoot!  I need to add some maverick tweeters for tonight!  I found that you have to look for the "verified accounts" and "Official..." to avoid the fakers!

Some of them you can totally tell it is them and it is real, they are actually answering the questions like a normal human being.  I ran across some that were or seemed "canned" which made them sound more like advertisements.  I delete them if so, don't have time for more commercials!!!  Did I tell you I now have 2 followers???  Wow, wonder why.  So from time to time, I tweet my thoughts or opinions about something or I tweet my blogsite!

So is tweeting worth the time, not so far, I will keep investigating and trying new things and we will see.

I believe unless you have a purpose or lots of "fans" which I don't, you are mostly the follower, not the "followed."  So I don't tweet as much as I read tweets, so nothing really to follow!  YET!

So there you go all about my Tweet experience ... so far ... I will let you know if I graduate to more!  If you have an account, post a comment here and tell me what it is and I will come check it out and be a follower!!!  Mine is @moody2011bi

Happy Tweeting People!  Or not...

Tuesday! Back To Work!

From what I can tell from fb, lots of people had lots of fun on Memorial Day weekend.  And very much postings of remembering the reason for the holiday.  Many memories shared and many persons mentioned to remember.

After all the fun, sun, food, good grief I heard about lots of good food!  After all the water, pools, beaches, and such, it is time to pack it in and go back to work.  Brief holiday, but holiday it was.

Don't work too hard, try to get that sunned brain back in gear, I believe I will need a jump start myself!

Happy Tuesday People!

My Gratitude ... Thank You Seems So Small ...

I love God and my country and I am in awe of and am eternally grateful for all the troops throughout time who have fought for and allowed this country to begin and continue to stand strong. There is no repayment for their service to this country, to me, for the sacrifices they have made that is great enough for what they have done and what they still do to this day. Thank you very much with great honor to the troops and the families of the ones who gave their life for this country.

This is me standing next to the American flag amidst the post 911 NYC machinery. The closest I have ever gotten to the battle, I was safe and humbled as troops were running to meet the enemy. Thank you.

I am sure I had ancestors in the wars and battles prior to WWII.  My father and uncles served in WWII before I was born.  My first memory of war was watching as a teenager as friends got their draft letters and left our hometown to serve in Vietnam and watching them come back, some of them, forever changed.  And I remember waiting in fear to see my fiance's draft number.  He was never called, his best friend was and his wife, my best friend went through this very proudly.  He served in Germany, she was able to stay with him there and ultimately all came home safely. 

I remember watching those first scenes of bombs bursting in air and on ground, on CNN, in fear and awe at the beginning the Gulf War. 

And I was less than an hour away on that fateful day on 911.  Having flown the day before, it was so close to my emotions, I just wanted to go home and be with my family not knowing what was to come next, but I couldn't fly home.  This is nothing, absolutely nothing compared to what our troops go through as they wait, plan for or head in to battle. 

I cannot in any form expect my gratitude to hit the mark of being enough but it is my gratitude none the less.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and my heart and prayers are with you.

I don't even care who won... Jr had it to the last 3/4 track to the finish line!

Jr ran out of gas just before finish line, he was out in front and on his way to his first victory in ages!  I cannot remember being so nervous and then he ran out of gas.  Many ran out of gas but not when they were right out front about to win.

I cannot even type anymore, I am deflated.

You had it Jr, I will be there when you do win!

Dale Jr in 5P!

Go Jr - Get that win!

Coca Cola 600! What?

Dale Jr was in P5 lap 100, after starting this race in 25th spot.  Looking good Jr, Looking good! 

BUT WHAT?  Bad pit stop and now he is dropping spots right and left and now lap 112 he is in 17th!

You boys need to take care of Dale!!!

Wheldon Won 2011 Indy 500 !

Just barely!  What a heartbreak for the rookie Hildebrand!  He was almost to finish line and crashed just yards before the checkered flag!  Danica was leading and running out of fuel.  Great day for Wheldon, who finished 2nd the 2 years prior, almost did it again!

Sport With Heart

It always makes me proud when I am watching racing events.  Starts with a prayer, the National Anthem , a great show of the military, the flyover, the playing of Taps.  Today the flyover of the Stealth, The Spirit Of Indiana, awesome!

I get a lot of Memorial Day reminders not only today, the day before the official holiday, but it is like this before every Indy 500 and Nascar race.

Today's Indy 500, 100th anniversary of the track and the first Indy 500.  This is the 95th race, the Indy 500 was suspended during WWI and WWII.  Jim Nabors singing Back Home In Indiana since 1972, a tradition.  Another tradition, the winners drink milk instead of champagne.  This started the first time in 1933 when the winner, Louis Meyer on his second Indy 500 win, asks for buttermilk to quench his thirst.

Vettel Wins Monaco!

His first win at Grand Prix Monaco!  It always amazes me that they block off the streets of a city to hold a formula one race.  Monaco is perhaps the most famous and dangerous.  There was an injury crash in practice and one in the race itself bringing about a first with the red flag restart at 6 laps to go. 

I didn't get up early to watch it all today but I did see the last hour.

Indy 500 is next, wish Danica, starting 25th, would kick it and win today, or Castroneves, starting 16th.   Helio attempts today to tie the greats with his own 4 time win at the Indy 500.  Good luck Helio!  Then Franchitti, 9th, but Tagliani is P1 and it really looks good for him.  I like Kanaan too.

Coca Cola 600 later today, race weekend to say the least.  Of course Earnhardt is my pick for that one, duh!

NBA Finals - Mavs Can Take The Heat!

Go Mavs!

 Now that's what we're talking about!

I read where the Mavericks are going into this as America's sweetheart!  That is unusual, most pro teams out of Texas are more like "hated" by all the rest.  So this is a very good thing for the Mavs, going in with the confidence they have built on their own through consistency, and all the factors of a great team.  "Team" being the key word.  They mesh so well as a team.  Stars do stick out, but the star here is the team itself.  They work together like interlocking pieces to a well oiled machine.

Great team, coach, franchise and FANS!

Maverick Pride!  Go get 'em!

Granbury Nostalgia! What A Fun Thing To Do!

Nostalgia says it all!  On facebook you have options to create groups.  Granbury is my hometown.  And a guy named Joe made this group for our hometown about the olden days.  It is astounding, Gerald invited Deborah and she invited me and it is amazing!  All these people I had not seen or heard from for years and I am talking years were all on there talking about the good ole days!

It was immediately addictive, it was only started less than a week and I think for 2 days I was mesmerized with all the talk and memories.  Most could not tear ourselves away in that first week.  Some people I have not heard about since Elementary and Jr. High and High School.  I cannot even put into words how cool it was.

From this I have had many new old friends added to my FB.

There was talk about places and buildings or businesses that aren't there anymore.  About the fun had at those places.  Many stories, much hilarity and some sadness for friends that were lost back then and since then.

Talk about proms and events I hadn't thought of in years.  Much talk about pranks, things we cannot believe we did!  It was something to hear about the school, the things that were not allowed and in parallel the things we cannot believe we got away with!  The first remembered expecting teacher and how she wasn't allowed to wear real maternity clothes while teaching - good grief!  People who used to be in town, the woman who walked all the time, the events that happened from time to time that rocked our world.  The year they filled in our river and made a lake.  We had a beach then for the first time and lucky us, the teens at that time.

Talk of the old drive in that is still open today.  The walk in "show" on the square.  The teachers, drivers ed guy, the DPS officer that failed many and passed some on their driving tests.  The dances at the Legion Hall and more very exciting and some strange things we used to do.

There was a school walkout because of haircuts.  Talk of girls having to kneel to make sure their dresses were long enough and the first time we were able to wear pants at all and then when we finally got to wear jeans!

One cool thing is that people were asking who did this and who did that, confessions if you will!  Who chained the cannon to the school flagpole, stealing stop signs, the fastest car, the biggest daredevil, the girls who smoked cigars and many many more!  Talk of the town square and everyone driving backwards around it and getting caught or not getting caught. 

There were many hangouts mentioned, the boat dock, the dairy king, bowl, etc.  The roundhouse, domino hall.  It is a great group, try it.  There were people from all different decades and we relished the memories, seeing people (online) and learning who did what and where and when they did it!

It is like an instant live school yearbook covering many years!

We never want to live in the past but boy is it fun to reminisce and really laugh out loud talking to many old friends online all posting and laughing at the same time, you had to really be fast to keep up with all of the posts!  Thanks Joe!

It was addictive, I finally got help!

Joplin - Mom Said Wear Helmet!

Wow - so many stories coming out of that devastation in Joplin.  Having to work for a living I cannot watch them all, but when I do get a snippet of one here - one there, my eyes tear up.  As I hear the reality of such horrible and some miraculous experiences these people went through, it really brings life down to the important stuff.

I heard on the news earlier today about a mom who looked outside and rushed everyone to the tub, her son, a puppy, her boyfriend and herself.  She grabbed a blanket, a pillow and at the last minute told her son to put on his bicycle helmet.  Her, her son and the puppy went in first, she threw the blanket and pillow over her son and the boyfriend threw himself across them all.

The boyfriend was blown off of them, the toilet came up out of the ground and hit the boy on the head (helmet) and hit her on the back.  She said at one point she looked around and there was nothing around them but the tub.  No ceiling, no walls, no toilet, all gone but the tub.  At this point they all ran to the ditch and got down as low as they could.

The boyfriend is in the hospital, having to have had surgery for his injuries.  The boy is fine.  The bicycle helmet saved his life.  Oh my gosh, how that could have turned out differently if she hadn't told him to put that helmet on.  She had seen it on the news for use in an earthquake to guard against debree.  Also if they had gone anywhere in the house other than the tub...  Wow is all I have to say.

I pray the storms today stay away from this now unprotected town.

This morning our weather man said "violent" storms will pop up in central Texas - trying to prepare for the possibility.  Preparation could not have stopped that tornado tragedy in Joplin.

Go Mavs - Dirk - Wow!

It is not often the losing coach talks wow about a player from the other team in his "yeah we lost speech."

One minute I checked and we were behind in the fourth, next I check and I am hearing OK coach describing Dirk and his plays that caught us up, got to OT and Kidd kept us ahead.  Go Mavs in D!

Bachelorette - Now What Was Your Name?

You know I could not be the bachelorette for many glaring reasons... don't even want to talk about it really...

But one of the reasons is that at my age I could never remember all the guys names!  You, the tall guy, the guy with the blonde hair, grey suit, no, no the one in the back...  the one that looks like that actor what's his name, no, the other one, ummm... Just saying!

I would also like to mix it up a little, like maybe purple roses instead of red...

I watch it - dvr it actually then when I don't have anything else better recorded - I watch it.  Weird, crazy, aggravating and sometimes totally stupid, but I watch it none the less.

Shackleford Wins 2011 Preakness!

Shackleford 1st - Jesus, the jockey!

Animal Kingdom came in 2nd - no Triple Crown!

Astrology Came Up The Rail !!!!!!!  Placed 3rd!  He was first a couple of times but ended in 3rd - way to go Mike!

Dialed In was 4th - We almost won Sharon!!!!

Now on to All Star - Go Jr!

Dance City Is Going To Be Worn Out From Fighting The Gate!

They loaded him first!  Safe in the gate, maybe he will calm down a bit - we will see!

Go Astrology! 23 Minutes!

Astrology - Gate 1 Ride the rails boy!

The same owner also owned Rachel Alexander which won the Preakness 2009.

Love her - she dances and prances, high steps and has personality plus!  Beautiful.

She beat Mine That Bird in the 2009 Preakness and they called her Super Filly.

Wow I miss watching her even walk much more I miss watching her race!

Race Weekend! All Star / Preakness / Indy Time Trials!

My DVR is going to earn its keep today, cleaning house, working on job a little and waiting for the races!

Will Jr win the fan vote???  Or will he win in the shoot out just in case???  I know he has been a slump past years, this year he is rocking out of the slump.  This is the first year he is not automatically in the All Star, but again people, die hard fan here!  Different paint scheme for this!

Will Animal Kingdom win the Preakness at Pimlico and head for the Triple Crown? 

Where the heck is my jockey fav Calvin Borel???  I always go for the horse he sits on.  He is not in the contenders list!  The rail rider!  I can usually find anything I want on the internet but cannot find out why he is not in the Preakness this year, I will.

Jockeys make all the difference in a horse's chances in these races.  My next choice is Mike Smith who is on Astrology at the 2011 Preakness.   Although Astrology is in Gate 1 and he is not a railrider!  Where is Calvin?

Indy time trials for the 100th track year anniversary, race May 29th.  Castroneves, Patrick and Franchitti are my favs!  Already DVR'd, waiting for a break to watch, fast forwarding through commercials rocks...

DVR is the only way to fly with the Preakness, 3 hours of air time for the big two minute race!

PS I cannot wait to see new Pirates 3D!

Oak Tree Alternatives... Thanks Alot Ike!!!

You know you can't go to a place like Galveston without being totally conscious of something like the devastation of Hurricane Ike which impacted this place more than significantly.  Much less the storm of 1900.  But Ike happened just a few years ago.  And for me it happened just 3 or 4 months after I vacationed in a beach house on the beach Seaside.

One month I was enjoying the beach house, a few months later, the house was gone.

In Galveston this time, we noticed many place markers showing the level of salt water marked on buildings everywhere. 

We were shown in a restaurant right on the seawall, how high the water was right next to our table.  It was about 8 or 9 feet I believe.

This particular restaurant, Fish Tails, was right in front of the great historic Balinese Room on the pier, it was destroyed completely.  Fish Tails opened again about 2 to 3 months later, much quicker than most.

Now let's talk trees, Ike destroyed many palm trees, but everywhere we could tell where palms had been replanted/replaced.  You could tell by the board supports along the bottoms of the new palms.

But the real "eco-disaster" is that 40,000 oak trees died in this town from the salt water deluge from Hurricane Ike.

Before...

After...

In the East side neighborhood of historical homes, the streets were lined with huge, beautiful oak trees.  Following Ike they stood in salt water so long before the water receded that it killed that many of the beautiful oaks.  That being a sad and horrible fact, it is followed by tons and tons of oak wood to be taken away. 

One small part of that removal (80 trees, over a hundred tons of wood) was to be used in the restoration of the world's only remaining wood whaling ship being refurbished in Mystic seaport.  The age and salt water demise of the oaks made it a perfect wood to repair the Morgan, now a floating museum in Mystic.

As it turned out, many wonderful things happened with the tons of oak wood, not one piece went to landfills.  Also many new oak trees have been planted along those historic streets of Galveston.  What a proverbial Phoenix this place is.

Now let's talk about what the people of Galveston did - they made oak stump carvings!

All over the city you will see many, many carvings made from those stumps of the Lost Oaks as they call them.  They are very artistic, beautiful and whimsical.

I took several pics, the first ones you see and one from of friend and then only one of the many I found online.  The pics below are only a small count of the many carvings.  I could not fit them all and I did not see them all while I was there.

Enjoy the amazing Lost Oaks carvings, the turning of lemons to lemonade by the resilient folks of Galveston...

The Tin Man and Toto was in the yard of one of the film directors from the Wizard Of Oz, King Wallis Vidor.

There are way too many to show (many amazing that I do not have in this post) and talk about their history, go online, search to see and read more.  Here is a link to a powerpoint online:  www.guidrynews.com/10June/18110GalvestonTreeCarving.pps

I love history of any kind and this place is chocked full, I could never touch it all.  The things I saw, the stories I heard and the photos of both.  Loved it.

Be Happy People!!!  Make some lemonade!

Well......????

Come on - let's get this started already!!!

Dover Monster Mile And Stop Whining!

I love the Miles statue at the Dover Monster Mile Speedway!

No raining today!!!

Go Jr.!

Starts in 3rd position today at Dover!

My commentary:

Drivers stop whining!  Yall are spoiled!  Whaa he touched me, sniff sniff he took my air, whaaaa he spun me out, where is Jimmy's crying towel when you need it???   Awwwww too bad you tore up a car your guys worked so hard on - hello this is Nascar racing, if yall didn't wreck those race cars every week, or having close calls, great saves, would we be watching??? No!  Toughen Up!!!   You think we want to see a non-eventful round and round no wreck/no caution event - No!  You can tell a lot of you are post-DE era and pre-boys have at it!

Driver Up!

Kemah Boardwalk - Take Your Kids Or Act Like Kids - Repost!

(This is a repost - when Blogger went down, I lost the post)

One night while on vacation, we left Galveston to retrieve one of the girls from the airport.  On the way back to the island we took an exit off 45 and made our way to Kemah Boardwalk.

If you are ever vacationing south of Houston, this is a good bit of fun.

Great if you have kiddos, but we didn't and we had fun anyway.

It is a small amusement park right on the water.  We acted like kids, rode rides, screamed from the top of the Pharaoh and looked over the water and park from the top of the ferris wheel.

We had cotton candy and even played the water gun game to win some monkeys and a couple of sharks!

Good fun.

Here are some pics from that excursion...

Some pics from up on the ferris wheel...

Ok this one looked a little scary fun!

Me and my buds...

Ok couple of others...

This one rocked really big time, totally screamed like a little girl...

Spinning machine...

Way up!

And slow down... double carousel...

Be Happy People!  Go to an amusement park with kids your own age!!!

Laugh out loud and scream a little... it's fun.