East Texas Field Report

[lhuff]

I've been doing a lot of gigs in East Texas lately (I'm a cellist when I'm not a CPA). Here are a few pictures from my recent gigs.

Pot Man
He is found on Highway 59 just North of Marshall, Texas.

Jim Reeves Memorial
I always have to stop at the Gentleman Jim memorial on Highway 79 just south of Carthage, Texas. His dog Cheyenne is buried there. The last time I stopped by, there were some very angry birds that kept chasing me around as I attempted to take pictures.

I've been playing with putting some photos online, so feel free to browse around the site.

Ok - quick travel update. I-20 East Bound between Longview and Marshall Texas is torn up. They've somehow scraped the road so that your car jumps around and your car vibrates so much that you can't feel your feet after awhile. Highway 80 is a good alternative.

Laura

[Mark Sedenquist]

I've been playing with putting some photos online, so feel free to browse around the site.

Laura, you know, you could put them online here.... Flickr is a semi-dirty name around RTA....But I see you are making progress down that trail... so good job!

Ok - quick travel update. I-20 East Bound between Longview and Marshall Texas is torn up. They've somehow scraped the road so that your car jumps around and your car vibrates so much that you can't feel your feet after awhile.

Thanks for the current intel!

Mark

[lhuff]

Ok Mark,

Tell me where to put them and I will. Everytime I've tried to even update my profile picture I get some message about how my file is too big. That's a little too far advanced for me. I can tell you how to fix your equity account on most accounting softwares, but pictures - eh...

Laura

[Mark Sedenquist]

Tell me where to put them and I will. Everytime I've tried to even update my profile picture I get some message about how my file is too big.

Yeah, bandwidth cost being what it is, we do limit the size. Until I come up with a better solution -- send them to me and I will post them for you.

Mark

[lhuff]

I've added more pictures from this weekend's latest round of East Texas Gigs.

Now - onto other important items. We often tell people to take the Compatability Test. Here's why.

I wound up accidentally inviting the first violinist in our quartet along yesterday for a roadtrip. I had planned to head out a few hours early and check out some small towns I'd often seen between Shreveport and Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Well - I listened to long lectures on alpaca breeding and farming (his dream in life), many of his failed love affairs (oddly leaving out the juicy bits that have been fodder for gossip for many years), and had to hunt him down in small town East Texas as he pursued his interests in fishing lures and greeting cards. I finally got him fed (at 10:30 pm) and interested in some cds I had in the car on the way home. This was a trip that lasted 10 hours with a wedding in the middle. I dropped him at his home around 11:30 last night with his roses he had purchased at a nursery (did I mention I have really bad allergies and am very allergic to flowers?).

We've played in quarter together for 14 years and are good friends all around, but sometimes you learn a little too much about people when trapped in a car for hours on end. Hee hee - leason learned - at least I've now found someone willing to teach me how to drive a standard car.

Laura

[PNW Judy]

Sounds like quite the trip, Laura. I once gave an older lady a ride up to a training we were both attending. Oh....my......gosh! I'm so glad it was only 2 hours each way. I would have committed hari-kari and offed us both by running off a cliff or into a semi if it had been much farther.

Because of the experience on the way there, I decided to count the number of words I got out the entire trip home. I think it was 27. Words, not sentences. She never shut up and, even when she asked a question, I would get 2-3 words out and then she'd interrupt me and answer her own question.
I practiced the art of "yeah" and "uh-huh" type responses at appropriate breaks without really listening to the words she was saying. And spent as much time as possible in my "happy place". :-)

[lhuff]

That's bad - he expected full blown sagas from me. But he did promise to loan me his video on Alpaca breeding. I've told some of the ladies at the office that we should have a movie hour and check it out. I'll have to let y'all know if it's any good. :)

I had another gig yesterday, but got to travel to it with my intrepid roadtrip partner. It's amazing the difference that made.

Laura

[PNW Judy]

That's bad - he expected full blown sagas from me. But he did promise to loan me his video on Alpaca breeding. I've told some of the ladies at the office that we should have a movie hour and check it out. I'll have to let y'all know if it's any good. :)

Oh, I do hope I can get it from Netflix! LOL

I had another gig yesterday, but got to travel to it with my intrepid roadtrip partner. It's amazing the difference that made.

And, even if the IRP wasn't available, you would have told him she was, right? ;-)

[lhuff]

And, even if the IRP wasn't available, you would have told him she was, right? ;-)

Although - this was the second time this month I've gone on gig trips with him. I need to learn to say no. But, it's kind of hard with gas prices this high. The last time we went I lost him in a store for over an hour. The really bad thing - I absolutely detest shopping. Oh well, he's a nice guy, just kind of eccentric.

Laura

[PNW Judy]

The last time we went I lost him in a store for over an hour. The really bad thing - I absolutely detest shopping.

Do you both have cellphones? I'd make sure he has his on so you could call him and track him down. Or use a pair of FRS radios. Just a thought.