This is the latest in a series of posts chronicling my attempt to try 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. You can read all the entries under the label 40 4 40.
I know I keep saying this, but I truly didn't think this one was going to happen! I can't even remember where the idea came from. Back in December at the Jingle Bell Run, I asked my cop partner if police ever did ride alongs. He said they did and I just needed to go to a station and tell them what I wanted and fill out a form. That's kinda intimidating!
In January, I actually had it on my schedule to go to a police station and inquire. I was discussing it with someone when I had the brainstorm to do it in Azle! It might be more meaningful in the community that I work in. Perhaps I'd see parts of Azle I had never been to. AND I have a connection - 2 school cop/teachers, plus 2 SROs (I teach the daughter of one of them!). So I asked the one I know the best and he said sure, ask the SROs. I did and Officer Kidd set it all up for me!!
So yesterday afternoon, I went on a ride along! I showed up about 15 minutes before shift change and met up with Officer Hearn. I filled out the form so no one could sue them if this didn't go well. And off we went!!!
We started off doing traffic. You know the cop that hides around that bend and tags ya?! Yep, that was us :) There's a highway that runs through Azle with a speed limit of 60. Don't go over 70!! We caught a few, but just gave warnings. We also then went down by the high school and caught a delinquent inspection sticker. Yeah, I work with that one. Hehe. He also got a warning.
Then we went to a different part of the highway. We caught a lady speeding and also got a flat tire when we pulled off behind her. She got a ticket. Not because of the flat tire though. Just because she was speeding. We had to wait to get a spare from another officer and then we (okay, Hearn) fixed it. I got a text from a co-worker asking about my standing on the side of the road :)
Let's see, after that, we went back to the station to drop off the tire. While there, Hearn spoke to someone (his boss?) who told him to try the new car... the brand new, less than 100 miles, Ford Police Interceptor. So we did :) It was NICE! Except the driver window wouldn't roll down properly and Hearn said it wasn't fast enough.
As it got dark, we made one more traffic stop. Poor guy had warrants out. He ended up in the back seat. While Hearn was processing him, I chatted with other officers and the dispatchers. He felt bad because I wasn't "on the street" but I learned a lot!!
At this point, we'd been on shift for 6 hours, it was 8pm. We decided it was dinner time. We went to a local bbq restaurant that I'd never been to but heard a lot about so that was a good choice. It was pretty good. Hearn drove through parts of Azle I'd never visited to show me around. It was awful nice of him.
Then we helped another officer attempt to arrest a guy on an assault charge. The woman who answered the door said he wasn't home. Uh huh. I stayed in the car and watched for running figures but nothing exciting happened. We stopped for a burger for the prisoner and went back to the station. I got a tour of the jail. Three male cells and one female cell. Interesting...
And then I left! I never felt in danger. I was proud of how all the officers did their job. Hearn was very polite with everyone he encountered. He really believes in deterring bad behavior, not "Getting the bad guy". He explained everything to me, including his thought process about giving warnings vs. citations and such. And he truly didn't want to arrest the guy!
I found myself correlating police stuff with teaching. It's not like I WANT to fail students, but when they don't do what they're supposed to do, it's kinda required. And I hate it. I try not to go straight to detention giving when I can give a warning or two, in hopes that it'll never get to detention giving. There were other similarities, but I can't remember them now.
I must add that I was still getting over this stupid cold. I had just gotten to the couching stage. And so I coughed. And coughed. Obnoxious, crying fits of coughing. WITH cough drops. Luckily the severity lessened or I would've had to go home. But I still sucked on cough drops all night long!!!
So, I am VERY glad I did the ride along. And I'm glad I did it in Azle. It definitely was more meaningful getting to see a different side of the community I serve.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
40 4 40 #30 Cooking Class
This is the latest in a series of posts chronicling my attempt to try 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. You can read all the entries under the label 40 4 40.
I went back and forth about whether or not I should do this. Or right now anyway. I looked and looked but the best offerings were at Central Market (Whole Foods-esque but bigger and swankier) but every class cost about $60!! That's a lot to spend to make some food. But I decided I did really want to try it and I probably wouldn't spend the money just because. So yet another new thing spurred on by the challenge of this journey :)
The schedule is posted a couple months out. So when I was looking for a class in the beginning of January, I could see January and February's offering. February had a bunch of couple crap. Ew. So I perused the January classes a few times trying to decide what I'd like and what would be worth the money. I decided on Chiles Rellenos because it offered all the sides too. I do not like hot food so I was pretty sure I'd never make the Chiles again, but rice and beans and such are right up my alley!!
Turned into a very busy week and on top of it, I had a cold. But I went anyway!! And I am so glad I did!! What fun!!! Nettie Lopez was our chef and she was a hoot. I was sat at a table with 3 others. Two young ladies who seemed to be good friends, and a man. He was wearing a wedding ring but I decided not to ask where his wife was. He was very nice and actually knew most of what Nettie taught us. Except the egg white stuff. Which was the only part I DID know!!
We started by roasting our chiles. They were Poblano so fairly large. Central Market is known for their Hatch chiles but apparently they are much smaller. I was already learning stuff!! To roast the peppers one needs a flame. Yeah, I have electric and no grill. Technically you can broil them she said.
We all got up and roasted out chiles. I liked the demonstration plus hands on flow of the class. Once the chiles were roasted, they went back in the bowl, covered with plastic wrap to "sweat" so it'd be easier to peel. Peel? I said!! Yup, learning all kinds of stuff!!
Then we learned how to make the rice. I believe this was my favorite part of the whole night. Partly cuz my table mates let me do the actual work on it! And partly cuz this is something I'd make again on my own! The trick to the rice is toasting the dry (white) rice and then adding it to the boiling broth mixture. then you LEAVE IT!!
While the rice was cooking, we peeled and stuffed our chiles. The chef folks had made the filling before hand. This is quite the time consuming meal!!
Then came the tricky part. Okay, not really. I totally understood what was happening but others did not. I guess because I like to bake and have dealt with egg whites before. Anyway, you have to beat the egg whites to a soft peak, then add half as many yolks and beat just until mixed. And once that mixture starts to fall (or get kinda watery) you have to start over! I went last and go to make a fresh batch. Anyway, the stuffed chile gets rolled in flour and then covered in the egg before getting fried. There were lots of comments about the amount of oil. People just don't fry like they used to and that's not a bad thing!!
At this point we were done cooking!! The chefs had made the boracha (beer?) beans and churros. Oh, my tablemates made guacamole while I was finishing up my chiles. No biggie - THAT I can make!!
And then we ATE :)
I didn't eat very much. I wanted leftovers, it was way too late for me, and I don't like spicy food. But I tried some of everything and it was all VERY YUMMY!!! I admit I ate the entire churro while it was hot. Not sure I've ever had a fresh churro before!!
I gave my chiles to a co-worker the next day at work and he said they were very well done. I ate the rest for dinner that next night. YUMMY!!!
Although taking more classes is cost prohibitive, I will keep an eye on the schedule in case there's ever anything that I really want to learn - pastries or something maybe. I had a GREAT time and would go all the time if it was more like $20!!!
I went back and forth about whether or not I should do this. Or right now anyway. I looked and looked but the best offerings were at Central Market (Whole Foods-esque but bigger and swankier) but every class cost about $60!! That's a lot to spend to make some food. But I decided I did really want to try it and I probably wouldn't spend the money just because. So yet another new thing spurred on by the challenge of this journey :)
The schedule is posted a couple months out. So when I was looking for a class in the beginning of January, I could see January and February's offering. February had a bunch of couple crap. Ew. So I perused the January classes a few times trying to decide what I'd like and what would be worth the money. I decided on Chiles Rellenos because it offered all the sides too. I do not like hot food so I was pretty sure I'd never make the Chiles again, but rice and beans and such are right up my alley!!
Turned into a very busy week and on top of it, I had a cold. But I went anyway!! And I am so glad I did!! What fun!!! Nettie Lopez was our chef and she was a hoot. I was sat at a table with 3 others. Two young ladies who seemed to be good friends, and a man. He was wearing a wedding ring but I decided not to ask where his wife was. He was very nice and actually knew most of what Nettie taught us. Except the egg white stuff. Which was the only part I DID know!!
We started by roasting our chiles. They were Poblano so fairly large. Central Market is known for their Hatch chiles but apparently they are much smaller. I was already learning stuff!! To roast the peppers one needs a flame. Yeah, I have electric and no grill. Technically you can broil them she said.
 |
| Our Chiles! |
 |
| Chef Nettie showing us how to roast 'em! |
Then we learned how to make the rice. I believe this was my favorite part of the whole night. Partly cuz my table mates let me do the actual work on it! And partly cuz this is something I'd make again on my own! The trick to the rice is toasting the dry (white) rice and then adding it to the boiling broth mixture. then you LEAVE IT!!
 |
| Toasting rice and sampling the broth for the right amount of salt and such. |
 |
| Peeled and stuffed. I am not an expert... |
Then came the tricky part. Okay, not really. I totally understood what was happening but others did not. I guess because I like to bake and have dealt with egg whites before. Anyway, you have to beat the egg whites to a soft peak, then add half as many yolks and beat just until mixed. And once that mixture starts to fall (or get kinda watery) you have to start over! I went last and go to make a fresh batch. Anyway, the stuffed chile gets rolled in flour and then covered in the egg before getting fried. There were lots of comments about the amount of oil. People just don't fry like they used to and that's not a bad thing!!
At this point we were done cooking!! The chefs had made the boracha (beer?) beans and churros. Oh, my tablemates made guacamole while I was finishing up my chiles. No biggie - THAT I can make!!
And then we ATE :)
 |
| our finished rice |
 |
| churro and ice cream |
I gave my chiles to a co-worker the next day at work and he said they were very well done. I ate the rest for dinner that next night. YUMMY!!!
Although taking more classes is cost prohibitive, I will keep an eye on the schedule in case there's ever anything that I really want to learn - pastries or something maybe. I had a GREAT time and would go all the time if it was more like $20!!!
 |
| Me and Chef Nettie :) |
Thursday, January 22, 2015
40 4 40 #29 Spiral Diner
This is the latest in a series of entries telling the story of my journey to turning 40 by trying 40 new things before I get there. You can read all the entries using the label 40 4 40.
When I made my dinner plans for this evening, I was not thinking of a new thing. I just wanted to have dinner with a friend! There's a restaurant in Fort Worth (there's also one in Dallas, but who cares about Dallas) called Spiral Diner. It is known for its vegan food. Years ago, when I was my vegan-ist, I looked at the menu and remember funky sounding stuff and PB&J. Three (or four?) years ago, a co-worker, Bill, even gave me a gift card to eat there. Except, they didn't have cards that day so he just gave me cash. I really did mean to go eat there, but it just never happened. So when I wanted to have dinner with Bill, I thought, hey let's go to Spiral Diner. Also, my birthday cake is being made by them so I thought maybe I should try their food :) As Bill and I often do, we included his daughter in our outing. MaryEllen is an elementary school librarian and tri-athlete.
It was today as I was getting excited to try the restaurant that I pondered calling it a new thing. I have had vegan food in a restaurant before. So I decided to wait and see what it was all about when I got there. EVERYTHING IS VEGAN!!! So, yup, my first time in an all vegan restaurant. But SO not my last :)
It is very rare that I can eat an item "as-is" off the menu. Between my attempt at being vegan-ish and my vinegar allergy, it's tough to eat anywhere! Which is why, often, vegan goes by the wayside. Sadly, Spiral Diner was no different. Except, that all I took off my order of Nachos Supremo was the onions and jalapeños!! I would guess that somewhere in something there was vinegar but since it would probably be apple cider or something even fancier, I wasn't overly worried (I'm an hour+ out and still doing okay!).
My nachos had a cashew-based "cheese", "sour cream", quinoa (what? who would've thought of putting a GRAIN on your nachos!?!?!), black olives, corn, guacamole, and maybe beans (I can't remember). SOOOOO AMAZINGLY GOOOD!!! Tasted JUST like regular nachos! But maybe even better!!! I am so putting quinoa on my nachos from now on.
Oh yeah, I took a picture.
When I made my dinner plans for this evening, I was not thinking of a new thing. I just wanted to have dinner with a friend! There's a restaurant in Fort Worth (there's also one in Dallas, but who cares about Dallas) called Spiral Diner. It is known for its vegan food. Years ago, when I was my vegan-ist, I looked at the menu and remember funky sounding stuff and PB&J. Three (or four?) years ago, a co-worker, Bill, even gave me a gift card to eat there. Except, they didn't have cards that day so he just gave me cash. I really did mean to go eat there, but it just never happened. So when I wanted to have dinner with Bill, I thought, hey let's go to Spiral Diner. Also, my birthday cake is being made by them so I thought maybe I should try their food :) As Bill and I often do, we included his daughter in our outing. MaryEllen is an elementary school librarian and tri-athlete.
It was today as I was getting excited to try the restaurant that I pondered calling it a new thing. I have had vegan food in a restaurant before. So I decided to wait and see what it was all about when I got there. EVERYTHING IS VEGAN!!! So, yup, my first time in an all vegan restaurant. But SO not my last :)
It is very rare that I can eat an item "as-is" off the menu. Between my attempt at being vegan-ish and my vinegar allergy, it's tough to eat anywhere! Which is why, often, vegan goes by the wayside. Sadly, Spiral Diner was no different. Except, that all I took off my order of Nachos Supremo was the onions and jalapeños!! I would guess that somewhere in something there was vinegar but since it would probably be apple cider or something even fancier, I wasn't overly worried (I'm an hour+ out and still doing okay!).
My nachos had a cashew-based "cheese", "sour cream", quinoa (what? who would've thought of putting a GRAIN on your nachos!?!?!), black olives, corn, guacamole, and maybe beans (I can't remember). SOOOOO AMAZINGLY GOOOD!!! Tasted JUST like regular nachos! But maybe even better!!! I am so putting quinoa on my nachos from now on.
Oh yeah, I took a picture.
 |
| I brought half home. Even if the chips are a soggy mess tomorrow night, I'm betting it'll still be YUMMY!!! |
For dessert, I had a chocolate cupcake. I wouldn't have had dessert, but I thought I should probably try the cake to make sure my birthday cake will taste yummy. Yup, no worries!! Even if you don't like me, come for the cake!!! Bill and MaryEllen shared a slice of blueberry pie a la mode. It looked equally scrumptious.
I should add that Bill is a carnivore who loves Spiral Diner and MaryEllen is a vegetarian who might as well be vegan and loves Spiral Diner. They both eat there often. Although everything is vegan, no one misses out on the flavors and yumminess that you'd get at any restaurant.
We also had great conversation, as always, catching up on school stuff and travels and dogs.
I can't wait to go back!!! (AND if I do everything I'm supposed to do, I officially will get to 40!!)
Saturday, January 17, 2015
40 4 40 #28 HamFest
This is the latest in a series of entries chronicling my journey to 40. I'm trying 40 new things before I get there in March! You can check out all the entries under the label 40 4 40.
I almost turned around and didn't do this new thing today. I miscalculated time frames and ended up VERY late. But I went!
HamFest is an annual event sponsored by the local Ham Radio Club and is attended by hams from all over the area. I admit I didn't know exactly what to expect. They had some educational type sessions so I planned to attend one that was supposed to talk about the Balloon Project, which is a big deal in this particular (all?) radio club. The tag line is something about space for amateurs. Then I figured I'd look around at what all the rest of HamFest is about.
Yeah, I should have left the house at 11am. Instead I got in the shower at 11am. I knew something was supposed to happen at 11am!! I ran a bunch of errands on the way. All of which took longer than anticipated. I decided to skip the balloon session. Then, I realized that the whole thing ended at 3pm. I got there at 2:30. Oops. The very nice gentlemen laughed with me and wouldn't let me pay the entry fee. I thought of it as a donation to the club but oh well.
Most of the vendors were gone. But the few that were there pretty much spelled out what I'm pretty sure HamFest is all about... it's a big radio swap meet!!! I did promise the nice gentleman at the front on my way out (I walked the entire floor space in about 5 minutes) that I would be back, at a normal time, next year. And I will!! Hopefully, by then, I'll actually be involved in the club a little and will know some of the people!
I took no pictures of course. But here's one I stole off the group page on Facebook :) I didn't see it this full!!
I almost turned around and didn't do this new thing today. I miscalculated time frames and ended up VERY late. But I went!
HamFest is an annual event sponsored by the local Ham Radio Club and is attended by hams from all over the area. I admit I didn't know exactly what to expect. They had some educational type sessions so I planned to attend one that was supposed to talk about the Balloon Project, which is a big deal in this particular (all?) radio club. The tag line is something about space for amateurs. Then I figured I'd look around at what all the rest of HamFest is about.
Yeah, I should have left the house at 11am. Instead I got in the shower at 11am. I knew something was supposed to happen at 11am!! I ran a bunch of errands on the way. All of which took longer than anticipated. I decided to skip the balloon session. Then, I realized that the whole thing ended at 3pm. I got there at 2:30. Oops. The very nice gentlemen laughed with me and wouldn't let me pay the entry fee. I thought of it as a donation to the club but oh well.
Most of the vendors were gone. But the few that were there pretty much spelled out what I'm pretty sure HamFest is all about... it's a big radio swap meet!!! I did promise the nice gentleman at the front on my way out (I walked the entire floor space in about 5 minutes) that I would be back, at a normal time, next year. And I will!! Hopefully, by then, I'll actually be involved in the club a little and will know some of the people!
I took no pictures of course. But here's one I stole off the group page on Facebook :) I didn't see it this full!!
Friday, January 16, 2015
40 4 40 #27 Kimbell
This is the latest in a series of posts about my attempt to try 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. I started in July. You can read all the posts through the label 40 4 40.
I love art. Well, some of it. In high school French class, I came to adore French Impressionism. Sitting in front of Monet's Water Lilies in their full room wrapping glory was a moment that is hard to forget! I saw the Mona Lisa that same day (different museum) and was unimpressed. Apparently, I'm a picky art lover :)
There are several Fort Worth art museums and of course several way over there in Dallas. I've actually been in a little of one of those (I transported college students). However, after living in Washington, DC, I have issues paying to go in a museum. Of course, some of the museums offer some parts free, while visiting exhibits and such cost money. Yeah, I'm cheap. It's all good.
One of the local Fort Worth museums that often has good visiting exhibits is the Kimbell Art Museum. I've been hearing about it since I got to Texas but just never went. I heard somewhere years ago that the Kimbell offered deals on certain nights and such. I decided I should see what it's all about.
Turns out their permanent exhibit is actually free!! But... when I went to their website to learn this, I also found out their current visiting exhibit is Impressionists!!! The Faces of Impressionism to be exact. So, I bit the bullet, went on half price night, and paid $9 to see the exhibit.
I wasn't impressed. As is my typical way of being, I didn't actually read about the exhibit, or even the fine print. I saw Impressionism and got excited. Yeah, I don't really care for portraits. The development of the art of portraiture over the years was kind of interesting. And one of the pieces was one of my favorite Monet's. Well, there are lots of renditions of basically the same piece. This one is a little pinker/lighter, as I see them. I think it's fascinating how Monet (and some of the others) chose to basically void out the actual face so it could be any woman. Yup, I do love Monet. No pictures in the exhibit, so here's one I found online.
I was in the exhibit about 10 minutes. I then spent 5 minutes chatting with a former student. You know you've been teaching a while when you see former students everywhere you go :) I decided that while I was there I should check out the permanent collection. I had perused the pictures posted on the Kimbell website and there seemed to be a LOT of sculpture. Not my thing.
I was pleasantly surprised in one of the galleries by a Monet. Again, he's my favorite :) It's called Weeping Willow and was painted after WWI (or during?) and is said to reflect his unhappiness with the state of the world. The actual tree sits on the edge of his water lilies. We could take non-flash pictures in this gallery :) Doesn't do it justice of course!
I rounded the corner and saw another piece that was dark and dreary but still drew me in. Sure enough, it's Monet! Not like most of his more famous works, it actually was one of his earliest. There was also another less colorful one of a train station that I couldn't take a picture of cuz it was on loan to the museum :(
And then I left. I was there for exactly an hour. Not bad!! This is why I go to museums alone :) On the way out, going from one building to the other, I snapped this sculpture. SO not my thing!
In the other direction is the Will Rogers Arena where the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is opening this weekend (stay tuned for rodeo new thing!). There's a carnival and people and cows (I didn't actually see any cows tonight, but I know they're there!!). Looked like fun. I snapped a pic of this building though. I have been in this "cultural area" many times. I swear I've never noticed this building!!
As much as I don't like paying to go to a museum, I'd go back for other special exhibits if they were interesting to me. The parking was free, everyone was very nice and helpful, and the art was exhibited well. And, you know, if there's more Monet :)
I love art. Well, some of it. In high school French class, I came to adore French Impressionism. Sitting in front of Monet's Water Lilies in their full room wrapping glory was a moment that is hard to forget! I saw the Mona Lisa that same day (different museum) and was unimpressed. Apparently, I'm a picky art lover :)
There are several Fort Worth art museums and of course several way over there in Dallas. I've actually been in a little of one of those (I transported college students). However, after living in Washington, DC, I have issues paying to go in a museum. Of course, some of the museums offer some parts free, while visiting exhibits and such cost money. Yeah, I'm cheap. It's all good.
One of the local Fort Worth museums that often has good visiting exhibits is the Kimbell Art Museum. I've been hearing about it since I got to Texas but just never went. I heard somewhere years ago that the Kimbell offered deals on certain nights and such. I decided I should see what it's all about.
Turns out their permanent exhibit is actually free!! But... when I went to their website to learn this, I also found out their current visiting exhibit is Impressionists!!! The Faces of Impressionism to be exact. So, I bit the bullet, went on half price night, and paid $9 to see the exhibit.
I wasn't impressed. As is my typical way of being, I didn't actually read about the exhibit, or even the fine print. I saw Impressionism and got excited. Yeah, I don't really care for portraits. The development of the art of portraiture over the years was kind of interesting. And one of the pieces was one of my favorite Monet's. Well, there are lots of renditions of basically the same piece. This one is a little pinker/lighter, as I see them. I think it's fascinating how Monet (and some of the others) chose to basically void out the actual face so it could be any woman. Yup, I do love Monet. No pictures in the exhibit, so here's one I found online.
I was in the exhibit about 10 minutes. I then spent 5 minutes chatting with a former student. You know you've been teaching a while when you see former students everywhere you go :) I decided that while I was there I should check out the permanent collection. I had perused the pictures posted on the Kimbell website and there seemed to be a LOT of sculpture. Not my thing.
I was pleasantly surprised in one of the galleries by a Monet. Again, he's my favorite :) It's called Weeping Willow and was painted after WWI (or during?) and is said to reflect his unhappiness with the state of the world. The actual tree sits on the edge of his water lilies. We could take non-flash pictures in this gallery :) Doesn't do it justice of course!
I rounded the corner and saw another piece that was dark and dreary but still drew me in. Sure enough, it's Monet! Not like most of his more famous works, it actually was one of his earliest. There was also another less colorful one of a train station that I couldn't take a picture of cuz it was on loan to the museum :(
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
40 4 40 #26 Hockey on the Glass
This is the latest in a series of entries chronicling my attempt to try 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. You can read all the entries under the label 40 4 40.
Apparently I haven't been in the writing mood. Or something. This is the longest it has taken me to write up a new thing! All of four days!!! It has nothing to do with how much fun I had because it was great!!
As you know, if you know me, I'm a sports girl. Baseball is my favorite! But hockey is pretty cool too (hehe). It is truly better in person and I rarely watch on TV. I don't have a favorite team which doesn't really help. I have been to Capitals games in DC and Stars games in Dallas. Fun stuff, but expensive. I decided to try a minor league game, and throw in sitting in really good seats - on the glass/boards.
Now that I have done this combined new thing, I've decided that the actual new thing was sitting on the glass, cuz I WANNA DO THAT AGAIN!!
Last Saturday, Quinn, Leslie and I set out for a Lonestar Brahmas game. I bought the tickets ahead of time and knew that it was Sci-Fi night but that's about all I knew about the team/game/arena! I do know that the Brahmas have been through several incarnations of names and affiliations, but I couldn't tell you any of the affiliations. The names have been Texas, Fort Worth, and perhaps North Texas? but always Brahmas.
It was raining and cold, but luckily not freezing. Close though. We had a nice dinner at Jason's Deli and made our way to the arena. Quinn parked while Leslie went in to get the tickets at Will Call. Then THIS happened...
Hehe!! Sci-Fi Night!!! Oh yeah, Leslie is a teacher and her class is reading Flat Stanley, so Flat Stanley came to the game with us :) Quinn found us and we did THIS:
Unexpected FUN at the hockey game!! They all (Darth included) looked and sounded like the characters!! The look on my face above is cuz Leslie snapped as Chewy "talked"!! SO COOL!!
Anyway, back to the game! I got our seats as close to the Brahmas bench as I could. Thought that'd be a good idea. I don't think it mattered. We actually commented on the difficulty in seeing along the boards at the other end. Not sure how to fix that but still sit on the glass!!
Here we are:
Turns out the Brahmas target net was at the other end so we spent a lot of time staring down the glass. But that's good cuz it means they were shooting :) We scored first, early, and then again mid 2nd period. Then the other guys scored two in the 3rd period and we went to OT. I was hoping for a shoot out as I've never seen one. But alas, the other guys scored first in OT and it was over. The team was SO upset and sad. We definitely saw tears as they went to the locker room. We heard someone say they'd won 16 in a row or something. Understandably upset if that's true!!
Did I mention that this was a MINOR, minor league? Quinn looked it up and apparently they are all 16-20 years old. THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING!! First, those boys looked YOUNG!!! Second, they fell a lot. Like A LOT. We commented on it. The ladies next to us commented on it. Yeah. I thought maybe it was just cuz we were so close and could see everything. Nope, they're just young and inexperienced.
BUT we had a GREAT time!! The game was good, even with the falling. I may never be able to see a hockey game from any other seats :) The company was excellent! We decided we would definitely go back and maybe make it an annual event. FUN FUN!!
Here are a few more pictures. And a video.
Apparently I haven't been in the writing mood. Or something. This is the longest it has taken me to write up a new thing! All of four days!!! It has nothing to do with how much fun I had because it was great!!
As you know, if you know me, I'm a sports girl. Baseball is my favorite! But hockey is pretty cool too (hehe). It is truly better in person and I rarely watch on TV. I don't have a favorite team which doesn't really help. I have been to Capitals games in DC and Stars games in Dallas. Fun stuff, but expensive. I decided to try a minor league game, and throw in sitting in really good seats - on the glass/boards.
Now that I have done this combined new thing, I've decided that the actual new thing was sitting on the glass, cuz I WANNA DO THAT AGAIN!!
Last Saturday, Quinn, Leslie and I set out for a Lonestar Brahmas game. I bought the tickets ahead of time and knew that it was Sci-Fi night but that's about all I knew about the team/game/arena! I do know that the Brahmas have been through several incarnations of names and affiliations, but I couldn't tell you any of the affiliations. The names have been Texas, Fort Worth, and perhaps North Texas? but always Brahmas.
It was raining and cold, but luckily not freezing. Close though. We had a nice dinner at Jason's Deli and made our way to the arena. Quinn parked while Leslie went in to get the tickets at Will Call. Then THIS happened...
Unexpected FUN at the hockey game!! They all (Darth included) looked and sounded like the characters!! The look on my face above is cuz Leslie snapped as Chewy "talked"!! SO COOL!!
Anyway, back to the game! I got our seats as close to the Brahmas bench as I could. Thought that'd be a good idea. I don't think it mattered. We actually commented on the difficulty in seeing along the boards at the other end. Not sure how to fix that but still sit on the glass!!
Here we are:
Turns out the Brahmas target net was at the other end so we spent a lot of time staring down the glass. But that's good cuz it means they were shooting :) We scored first, early, and then again mid 2nd period. Then the other guys scored two in the 3rd period and we went to OT. I was hoping for a shoot out as I've never seen one. But alas, the other guys scored first in OT and it was over. The team was SO upset and sad. We definitely saw tears as they went to the locker room. We heard someone say they'd won 16 in a row or something. Understandably upset if that's true!!
Did I mention that this was a MINOR, minor league? Quinn looked it up and apparently they are all 16-20 years old. THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING!! First, those boys looked YOUNG!!! Second, they fell a lot. Like A LOT. We commented on it. The ladies next to us commented on it. Yeah. I thought maybe it was just cuz we were so close and could see everything. Nope, they're just young and inexperienced.
BUT we had a GREAT time!! The game was good, even with the falling. I may never be able to see a hockey game from any other seats :) The company was excellent! We decided we would definitely go back and maybe make it an annual event. FUN FUN!!
Here are a few more pictures. And a video.
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| The bench. And our seat mates. |
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| It's blurry cuz they were scoring as we were picturing! |
Saturday, January 10, 2015
40 4 40 #25 Dog Walking
This is the latest in a series of entries chronicling my journey of trying 40 new things before I turn 40. You can read all the entries under the label 40 4 40.
Slugger and I drove to Dallas today to pick up the Glamourshot pictures (they've been added to #20's entry). On the way there, I thought it'd be fun to try to find a park/path/trail to take a walk. It's way cold so we didn't need anything major. I contemplated whether or not this could be a new thing since it wasn't intentional and I as yet didn't know where we were actually going. Then I recalled that we had tried a new State Park in October and I questioned why I didn't call THAT a new thing. It was! So rather than go back and change 15 new thing #s, I decided to combine that and this! The point is trying new things, not counting and numbers, right?!
Back up to Cleburne State Park. Slugger and I didn't go backpacking over Columbus weekend because it was too cold. Instead, we drove to Cleburne, about 90 minutes from home. From the map, it seemed that there was a trail that was one big loop around the park, so off we went. The beginning was rocky and steep in parts. Did I mention it was cold? I shed some layers after the first mile, but it was still not my ideal hiking weather. We got a ways, followed the fence and the map and then things went downhill. Literally and figuratively. To make a long story short, the trail went everywhere and was not marked at all and we ended up on a dirt road. Luckily that road led to real road which wasn't too far from where we parked. It was a fairly sketchy mile or two though that I was not too sure where we were, or where we'd end up. We went about 4.5 miles. We always have fun when we hike, but we will not be going back to that particular State park!!
Today, we stopped at REI, because it was right on the way home from Glamourshots. They did not have what I was looking for (thick toe socks to wear in my hiking boots) but I asked a worker man if he knew of a path or trail nearby that'd be good to walk the dog. He gave not very good directions, but luckily I figured out what he meant! We found the Rose Garden in Farmer's Branch. There was a nice walking path and we set off. I am sure that in Spring and summer, this park is absolutely gorgeous with colorful flowers. We came upon a map and I saw that it was not a loop, but that's okay. We walked about a half mile along a river (the Farmer's branch of the trinity?!) and came to the Farmer's Branch Historical Park. They have actual and replica buildings of what the area was like at the turn of the 19th century (or so). We wandered around (no one else was there) and a guy who works there talked to us and walked with us for a while. I hope to go back sometime when I can take a tour of the inside of the buildings. The guy did let us in the replica gas station so we could see the super old truck inside. It was an unexpected little side trip on our walk. Fun stuff!! We walked back. Almost 1.5 miles. The farthest Slugger has been in months due to his knee. He seems to be fine now though so YAY!! Healed!!
Then we drove home. Our quick trip became an afternoon adventure! The best kind of road trip :)
Slugger and I drove to Dallas today to pick up the Glamourshot pictures (they've been added to #20's entry). On the way there, I thought it'd be fun to try to find a park/path/trail to take a walk. It's way cold so we didn't need anything major. I contemplated whether or not this could be a new thing since it wasn't intentional and I as yet didn't know where we were actually going. Then I recalled that we had tried a new State Park in October and I questioned why I didn't call THAT a new thing. It was! So rather than go back and change 15 new thing #s, I decided to combine that and this! The point is trying new things, not counting and numbers, right?!
Back up to Cleburne State Park. Slugger and I didn't go backpacking over Columbus weekend because it was too cold. Instead, we drove to Cleburne, about 90 minutes from home. From the map, it seemed that there was a trail that was one big loop around the park, so off we went. The beginning was rocky and steep in parts. Did I mention it was cold? I shed some layers after the first mile, but it was still not my ideal hiking weather. We got a ways, followed the fence and the map and then things went downhill. Literally and figuratively. To make a long story short, the trail went everywhere and was not marked at all and we ended up on a dirt road. Luckily that road led to real road which wasn't too far from where we parked. It was a fairly sketchy mile or two though that I was not too sure where we were, or where we'd end up. We went about 4.5 miles. We always have fun when we hike, but we will not be going back to that particular State park!!
Today, we stopped at REI, because it was right on the way home from Glamourshots. They did not have what I was looking for (thick toe socks to wear in my hiking boots) but I asked a worker man if he knew of a path or trail nearby that'd be good to walk the dog. He gave not very good directions, but luckily I figured out what he meant! We found the Rose Garden in Farmer's Branch. There was a nice walking path and we set off. I am sure that in Spring and summer, this park is absolutely gorgeous with colorful flowers. We came upon a map and I saw that it was not a loop, but that's okay. We walked about a half mile along a river (the Farmer's branch of the trinity?!) and came to the Farmer's Branch Historical Park. They have actual and replica buildings of what the area was like at the turn of the 19th century (or so). We wandered around (no one else was there) and a guy who works there talked to us and walked with us for a while. I hope to go back sometime when I can take a tour of the inside of the buildings. The guy did let us in the replica gas station so we could see the super old truck inside. It was an unexpected little side trip on our walk. Fun stuff!! We walked back. Almost 1.5 miles. The farthest Slugger has been in months due to his knee. He seems to be fine now though so YAY!! Healed!!
Then we drove home. Our quick trip became an afternoon adventure! The best kind of road trip :)
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| Historical Church (Methodist!) |
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| Original (though moved) Train Depot |
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| There were ducks... |
Friday, January 2, 2015
40 4 40 #24 Winstar
This is the latest in a series of entries chronicling my journey to try 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. You can read all the entries under the label 40 4 40.
I have been to Reno, Las Vegas, Tahoe, Atlantic City. I've gambled. I've watched others gamble (my preferred pastime at casinos). But in Texas, you go to Winstar. It is supposedly an experience in itself so I decided to call it a new thing. I have a friend, Mere, who goes regularly, and she offered to show me the ropes.
Four of us met at Mere's house and Mere drove the 20 minutes or so across the Oklahoma border to the massive building that is Winstar. The facade looks like a bunch of different buildings. Apparently they match the various "cities" that are on the inside. There are two hotels and a whole lot of parking.
I took $40 with me. I got a bonus of $25 because it was my first time there. We ate dinner at Toby Keith's and I walked out with $127 in my pocket. I did okay!! Winning was great fun!! All in all, we spent about 3 hours, including dinner. That was plenty for me!! I had forgotten how much smoke bothers me. And boy was it smokey!!
I didn't end up watching any of the table action because we were having too much fun winning at the slots - mostly pennies! I have been told though that the tables are different in that they are all card games, even Craps and Roulette. The slots were all digital though there were a few that you could still pull the arm, if you chose. I did. I didn't win anything on those though! The best ones, I learned for myself, but the ladies with me already knew, are the ones where you win free games. It was on the free games that I won the most money!! I actually won $60+ twice! Obviously, I didn't keep it all.
Although I had fun, and would go back, I don't know that it was really any different than any other casino I've been to. Except that it was big. Instead of walking from casino to casino like in Atlantic City or Vegas, you just keep walking through the building! I think the best part is the free Dr. Pepper at the self-serve beverage stations :)
And now I know! And I need a shower.
I have been to Reno, Las Vegas, Tahoe, Atlantic City. I've gambled. I've watched others gamble (my preferred pastime at casinos). But in Texas, you go to Winstar. It is supposedly an experience in itself so I decided to call it a new thing. I have a friend, Mere, who goes regularly, and she offered to show me the ropes.
Four of us met at Mere's house and Mere drove the 20 minutes or so across the Oklahoma border to the massive building that is Winstar. The facade looks like a bunch of different buildings. Apparently they match the various "cities" that are on the inside. There are two hotels and a whole lot of parking.
I took $40 with me. I got a bonus of $25 because it was my first time there. We ate dinner at Toby Keith's and I walked out with $127 in my pocket. I did okay!! Winning was great fun!! All in all, we spent about 3 hours, including dinner. That was plenty for me!! I had forgotten how much smoke bothers me. And boy was it smokey!!
I didn't end up watching any of the table action because we were having too much fun winning at the slots - mostly pennies! I have been told though that the tables are different in that they are all card games, even Craps and Roulette. The slots were all digital though there were a few that you could still pull the arm, if you chose. I did. I didn't win anything on those though! The best ones, I learned for myself, but the ladies with me already knew, are the ones where you win free games. It was on the free games that I won the most money!! I actually won $60+ twice! Obviously, I didn't keep it all.
Although I had fun, and would go back, I don't know that it was really any different than any other casino I've been to. Except that it was big. Instead of walking from casino to casino like in Atlantic City or Vegas, you just keep walking through the building! I think the best part is the free Dr. Pepper at the self-serve beverage stations :)
And now I know! And I need a shower.
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| My first glimpse at the floor! |
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| Dinner. |
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| The ladies |
What it looks like when you win!
Thursday, January 1, 2015
40 4 40 #23 Romeo & Juliet
This is the latest in a series of blogs chronicling my journey of trying 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. You can read all the entries using the label 40 4 40.
I have always loved to read. I was reading so early that I got to be the narrator in the Kindergarten play! I think it was the Three Little Pigs. Growing up, I read all the time. Somehow, it was rarely what I was supposed to be reading for school though. And almost never was it Shakespeare.
Now, I know we read MacBeth or Hamlet (or both? - which one has the "damn spot"?) sometime in High School. I remember "reading" A Midsummer Night's Dream. Reading is in quotes because I also remember getting to the last page and having NO recollection as to what I'd just spent a couple hours "reading" (I must've been on a deadline). I don't think we were ever assigned Julius Ceasar or Romeo and Juliet.
As an adult I have visited several classics that I never read in High School. Little Women, for example, is an excellent book that would've been lost on me at 15 years old. At 23, it was great! I have also tried The Grapes of Wrath several times and I just can't get into it. But Shakespeare has always eluded me.
And so, to further include my love of reading in my new things, I read Romeo and Juliet. I am also currently in the process of watching the movie (the 1968 version). As is usually the case, the book was much better!! Not book, play? I read it, so it's a book. Right? In play form. Or something.
Anyway! Beyond the old language, it was pretty good. There were definitely parts I didn't know about - such as the fact that they had secretly been married. Also, I thought they died together at the same time. I guess they do, really, but not really. Don't want to spoil it for you! I think it's The Brady Bunch that has a scene where Juliet comes back to life. Totally thought that was a farce!! It's a shame that if that one note had arrived to Romeo, they'd be making little Capague (Montulet?) babies!!
My main take away is that it's really a very violent story. There's a lot of death, besides Romeo and Juliet. They were so young; it really was a tragedy. I can't help but think that 12 is TOO young to know true love!! But it was different then.
I feel much better now having read the story for myself. I can turn 40 knowing how it really happened. Often, I joke with my students that I'd teach English if it weren't for Shakespeare. This changed nothing!
I have always loved to read. I was reading so early that I got to be the narrator in the Kindergarten play! I think it was the Three Little Pigs. Growing up, I read all the time. Somehow, it was rarely what I was supposed to be reading for school though. And almost never was it Shakespeare.
Now, I know we read MacBeth or Hamlet (or both? - which one has the "damn spot"?) sometime in High School. I remember "reading" A Midsummer Night's Dream. Reading is in quotes because I also remember getting to the last page and having NO recollection as to what I'd just spent a couple hours "reading" (I must've been on a deadline). I don't think we were ever assigned Julius Ceasar or Romeo and Juliet.
As an adult I have visited several classics that I never read in High School. Little Women, for example, is an excellent book that would've been lost on me at 15 years old. At 23, it was great! I have also tried The Grapes of Wrath several times and I just can't get into it. But Shakespeare has always eluded me.
And so, to further include my love of reading in my new things, I read Romeo and Juliet. I am also currently in the process of watching the movie (the 1968 version). As is usually the case, the book was much better!! Not book, play? I read it, so it's a book. Right? In play form. Or something.
Anyway! Beyond the old language, it was pretty good. There were definitely parts I didn't know about - such as the fact that they had secretly been married. Also, I thought they died together at the same time. I guess they do, really, but not really. Don't want to spoil it for you! I think it's The Brady Bunch that has a scene where Juliet comes back to life. Totally thought that was a farce!! It's a shame that if that one note had arrived to Romeo, they'd be making little Capague (Montulet?) babies!!
My main take away is that it's really a very violent story. There's a lot of death, besides Romeo and Juliet. They were so young; it really was a tragedy. I can't help but think that 12 is TOO young to know true love!! But it was different then.
I feel much better now having read the story for myself. I can turn 40 knowing how it really happened. Often, I joke with my students that I'd teach English if it weren't for Shakespeare. This changed nothing!
Out with the 2014, In with the 2015!
I feel like I should usher in the new year with a blog post. It's the thing to do, right?! Sure, why not. Besides, it's been a while since I've written about anything but new things!
Let's see, 2014...
January-April can be summed up in one word - PROM. A four year journey of sponsoring the Class of 2014 ended with an amazing evening in Decatur, done in purple and resembling NYC. Then they graduated. I miss them! To compensate, I agreed to head up Prom every year, and I took on the sponsorship of the Class of 2017. The latter might not last.
Most of the summer was spent in California. Slugger met his new cousin Tuck and after a brief discovery period, they wrestled their way into each other's hearts. We both look forward to spending basically the entire summer 2015 in beautiful Big Bear, wrestling and radioing!
In September/October, we lost Ma's sister, Cheri. Although she and I never got along, I am sorry she is gone. However, we were found by her daughter, Cheryl, and she is delightful! We all hope to meet her in person in 2015, somewhere, somehow!
November brought injury to Slugger. While chasing a goose, he tore a knee ligament and was ordered to "rest". Ha! We tried real hard to stay calm and grounded. Our walks consisted of the neighbor's lawn. He even had to be leashed in the back yard! He didn't understand but he resigned himself to the new way of life. He's still healing but we have slowly gone back to walking and playing. We look forward to 2015 with full recovery and getting to play ball and go hiking again!!
Most of the second half of 2014 has been consumed with my quest to try 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. I have 18 to go (really, 17.5). I have decided that this is definitely the way to celebrate a birthday that many bemoan. I CANT WAIT to be 40!!! Okay, really, I am excited to fly through the sky and have a big party with all my favorite people!! And if that means I'm 40, then so be it!!
Now, for 2015... besides birthday stuff and what I mentioned above...
My wishes: Health and happiness for all those I love. A renewed commitment and enactment to serving the Lord. Many, many miles with Slugger. Family time. Students who respect each other and themselves. World Peace.
I've been looking forward to (March) 2015 for a decade. All I can say is BRING IT ON!!!!
Let's see, 2014...
January-April can be summed up in one word - PROM. A four year journey of sponsoring the Class of 2014 ended with an amazing evening in Decatur, done in purple and resembling NYC. Then they graduated. I miss them! To compensate, I agreed to head up Prom every year, and I took on the sponsorship of the Class of 2017. The latter might not last.
Most of the summer was spent in California. Slugger met his new cousin Tuck and after a brief discovery period, they wrestled their way into each other's hearts. We both look forward to spending basically the entire summer 2015 in beautiful Big Bear, wrestling and radioing!
In September/October, we lost Ma's sister, Cheri. Although she and I never got along, I am sorry she is gone. However, we were found by her daughter, Cheryl, and she is delightful! We all hope to meet her in person in 2015, somewhere, somehow!
November brought injury to Slugger. While chasing a goose, he tore a knee ligament and was ordered to "rest". Ha! We tried real hard to stay calm and grounded. Our walks consisted of the neighbor's lawn. He even had to be leashed in the back yard! He didn't understand but he resigned himself to the new way of life. He's still healing but we have slowly gone back to walking and playing. We look forward to 2015 with full recovery and getting to play ball and go hiking again!!
Most of the second half of 2014 has been consumed with my quest to try 40 new things before I turn 40 in March. I have 18 to go (really, 17.5). I have decided that this is definitely the way to celebrate a birthday that many bemoan. I CANT WAIT to be 40!!! Okay, really, I am excited to fly through the sky and have a big party with all my favorite people!! And if that means I'm 40, then so be it!!
Now, for 2015... besides birthday stuff and what I mentioned above...
My wishes: Health and happiness for all those I love. A renewed commitment and enactment to serving the Lord. Many, many miles with Slugger. Family time. Students who respect each other and themselves. World Peace.
I've been looking forward to (March) 2015 for a decade. All I can say is BRING IT ON!!!!
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