Hearing That New Sound With Outlash

I've encountered quite a bit of live music in my short existence on this revolving planet. My love affair with music all started when my grandpa purchased a piano for my sixth birthday. He played strings...fiddle, guitar, banjo...anything with strings he could play. He and his buddies put together a band and on Friday and Saturday nights they would get together and play. I loved dancing then and I adore dancing now.





That's how I judge the likability of a new band is their ability to get my feet moving. If I can't be convinced with the hard core heavy strumming of the bass or the rhythmic pounding of the percussion to gyrate to the dance floor then it is not a likable band in my opinion.











I remember back in New Orleans, I was friends with the lead singer of a band named Zodiac Jukebox. Normally, I wouldn't go for an all cover band, but these guys title said it all. Basically their repertoire of songs was so extensive that they could play any request. They had hundreds of songs memorized and if they didn't have the song all a person had to do was hum it and they could fake it. They gigged at the Cafe Brazil. I have no idea if Cafe Brazil is still around, but that place had a fantastic dance floor. I met these guys while I was performing in the musical, Hair. That was a lot of fun and maybe one day I'll write about it.



While in Denver I happened across another band. An all orginals band. That's a bit tougher to pull off. Fragile X was unique in the fact that their name was the name of a disease. I bet you're thinking that's strange, but actually the band donated 50% of all sales of merchandise to the Fragile X foundation. I worked with them for a little while booking them in the downtown area of Denver...little swanky outdoor cafes. Their music was mostly instrumental with a few vocals. Quite airy and melodic lots of different sounds from nature and various percussion items. I wonder how Fragile X is doing today.



Coming to West Texas has put me at a disadvantage. Most of the genre of live music in this area is purely country. Country is...well...isn't for me. I don't two step and never will. My feet just don't work that way. I tend to be an all over the dance floor kinda gal. Which leads me to the purpose of this post. I found a new band that I thoroughly enjoy. It's a great mix of heavy rocking covers infused with hard hitting metal grooving original music.




Hearing newly created music is a wonderful experience because you just never know when you're going to catch something spectacular. Think about it, every band on the radio started somewhere...in a small bar putting their music out there and somewhere at some point the creation becomes the new sound. Wouldn't be amazing to be there when it happens?






So, I guess you're pondering if I have come across that new sound. I think maybe I have. The excitement of finding Outlash and attending their shows to experience their awesome precise covers and the driving force of their originals has become something I look forward to. Best of all, the members are extremely cordial and a pleasure to be around. I especially like the drummer's girl friend. That's her in the picture giving me a most beautiful smile. That smile matches her personality. She is one of the sweetest people I know. Rock on Toni!

The Cat's Out of the Bag

Rumor upon rumor upon rumor has spread like a vicious virus infecting the normal routine of the West Texas State School. How would I know of a thing? Because darlin', it's where I work, but not for long. We had a feeling a couple of years ago that something Wicked this way was coming for us West Texans and it's called budget cuts. Last year, right after Spring Break the state redirected half our student population to other state facilities causing a ripple effect of job lay offs.

At the end of this year, the transformer blew in the education building on campus leaving teachers and students in the dark and without heat during some of the coldest days of 2009. The state decided they wouldn't fix the problem and left us in the cold. We eventually found space in old warehouses and moved our belongings and continued to hold school despite the harsh and unfriendly conditions. We took this as a sign that our days were numbered.

Today, that sign has become a full blown slap to the face. Cherie Townsend, in an attempt to meet state government's demands for a 5% budget cut within all state entities, has proposed the early closing of the school. This closing is slated for April 2nd. We were assured over and over and over again that the school wouldn't be closing until the end of August. That we'd have our jobs until the end of August. That the students that we've been so dedicated to for the past couple years would be with us to TAKS test and GED test, but now that promise has been broken.

Yes, I agree with the man in the green suit and patriot tie on the CBS News when he states that West Texans are considered step children that no body likes when it comes to making decisions for the entire state. We are usually abandoned and left to fend for ourselves. Oh well, it's not the first time and I'm certain it won't be the last.

A New Dog Walk On County Road 209

Annie and I normally take the doggies for a run out at the caliche pit by the Winkler County airport, but the owner of the caliche pit has closed off access to the public. This left us with a task of finding a new place to run the doggies.

Our doggies aren't the best behaved, they pretty much go and do what they want. The worst offender is our one eyed wonder, Lucy the Rottweiler. Her behavior reminds me of the behavior of the oil and gas industry, in that they never follow the rules, they pee on everything and they go anywhere they want regardless of whose property they're on.

In securing a new place for the doggies, we have to make sure it's off the main highway and pretty deserted. Finding a place like that is rather easy to find out in Wink and we did that today.

Annie and I loaded up the doggies, with plenty of water and headed out towards Monahans. We came to County Rd 209, it wasn't marked no trespassing and looked inviting. About a mile from the highway, there was a cow road off to the left, we parked the truck there and proceeded to run the doggies.

West Texas is populated with the interesting Mesquite Tree. Many people use the mesquite for flavoring when grilling. Ranchers despise the tree because of their two inch thorns which can cause injury to livestock, not to mention the trees are nearly impossible to get rid of!

I'm rather fond of the Mesquite Tree, especially in the Winter time when the foliage is missing. The leafless branches create quite a contrast against the blue background of the West Texas sky. Plus, since Halloween is my favorite holiday, don't the trees look all Tim Burton Sleepy Hollow like?

We spotted a couple of jack rabbits. They're not in the pictures because of how fast they are, but the dogs had a blast chasing them all over the place. Shelby, our smallest dog, got very excited when seeing the jack rabbit, probably because it was her first time to see one.

On our way back to the truck, Annie decided it would be nice to feel the sand between her toes, so she walked back barefooted. Normally, there'd be too many goatheads. Not real goatheads, but stickers that hurt really bad when you step on them. Upon inspection of the ground, there didn't seem to be any goatheads around. We also saw a pretty red cactus flower.

Cowboy Tim And The Industry Produced Salt Lakes Of Wink Texas

I grew up in Mississippi along the Gulf of Mexico, I'm a far way from home. I'm used to when crossing a bridge, that that bridge would convey you across some type of water, not dry land, which seems to be the case out here in West Texas. Why would it be that in West Texas, Wink specifically, there would be bridges conveying people across dry dusty desert land?


Here's the answer. Way back when, before there were drilling regulations, the oil and gas industry would just let all that industry produced water flow free instead of putting it into disposal tanks. The water was very salty, referred to as brine. And way back then, people out here referred to the monument draw as the Salt Lakes. They'd even swim in them! Not sure if that was such a good idea.

While I was taking some pictures, Cowboy Tim stopped by to ask what I was up to. I had never met Cowboy Tim before and for some reason he knew exactly what I did for a living. Yep, a teacher...I asked him how he knew of such a thing about somebody he'd never met before and he replied it was because I was nice and what else would a woman do out here in these parts? Isn't Cowboy Tim sweet?

Cowboy Tim invited me to come watch him in action at the Roark Ranch. He's sort of a new fangled cowboy, he doesn't ride a horse when he herds cattle, he rides a four wheeler. Maybe, Cowboy Tim can learn a few things about what women can do out in these here parts. I'm thinking I'm going to take Cowboy Tim up on his offer for a visit real soon. I'm looking for a new job, I'm wondering if Cowboy Tim needs a new ranch hand?

60 Sites In Utah Have Been Spared!

I read an article a few days ago about drilling being stopped dead in it's tracks on 60 sites over in Utah. I was amazed, and I guess it's because I'm so naive, I suppose I gotta stop doing that or being that. Seems like that in the last few weeks of the Bush/Cheney Saga, the administration forced through 77 leases for drilling without following proper protocol. Hmmm...I wonder why?

Only and only because of concerned conservation groups was this challenged. Thankfully, a federal judge fell in line and put an immediate halt to the madness. Seems, once again, that the Bush administration failed to consider the threats to air and water quality and to wildlife. Some of these areas are adjacent to or near Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Dinosaur National Monument.

As I continued reading the article, of course, American Petroleum Institute President, Jack N. Gerard, had this to comment:

“This troubling trend means less revenue to federal, state and local governments at a time when our nation is running a record deficit,” Mr. Gerard said. “It also means fewer jobs at a time our nation is headed toward 10 percent unemployment, and it means less domestic energy available when our economy recovers and demand rebounds.”

He also was quick to blame the Obama administration for stopping him dead in his tracks. And isn't just like an oil man to throw money around in his comments? Well, I live in the smack dab heart of unregulated drilling out here in West Texas and you know what Mr. Gerard? Our economy hasn't improved one iota. Nope, in fact...there are more drillers and riggers that are still not working. More and more families without the basic necessities, unable to give their kids five bucks to go on a school field trip. Indeed, the increased drilling in my area hasn't done anything for unemployment.

I will tell ya that those new wind turbines they've been erecting on the cap rock between Kermit and Odessa have actually created new jobs. Several of our high school graduates have just finished the training over in Sweet Water and are working in a pristine clean healthy environment. Nope, they don't have to wear H2S gas masks, go through HAZMAT Training, or worry about making sure their meters are functioning properly.

Unsettling Fascism in FT Worth

Lately I've been hearing about the troubles of Ft Worth. I hadn't paid much attention, I was thinking the complaints were just the ramblings of some intellectual hot body that had nothing better to do with his time. Since I adore mysteries and hot bodies, I decided to read a bit more about the woes of Ft Worth. It seems that only 6% of the total voting population showed up to cast their vote and do something about the current ruling party. I posed a question to Mr. Durango of either fear or apathy? I have yet to receive an answer.

About 22 years ago a family of four moved from the very backward deep South to Wink, Texas. Upon their tiresome arrival, greeted by twiney tumble weeds and swirling sand storms, they settled and tried to become a part of this itty bitty West Texas town. The oldest child was poked fun of because of her Southern drawl and for the fact that she didn't listen to country music. She was almost lynched one day when asked of George Strait elicited her sheepish reply, "George who?"

Things were rolling along quite well for that obtuse family of four. Apparently, according to the town fathers, they weren't the sharpest crayons in the box, but the mommy and the daddy did know that marking official ballots in pencil was a big no no. A big stink was made and the umbrage began. That newest family of four became the biggest pains in the butt for that itty bitty West Texas town. The mommy got herself on some sort of official precinct board, rules were enforced and that became a catalyst for a whole new way of doing things.

Instead of the school board demanding the teachers vote a certain way, the teachers now could vote anyway they wanted. Instead of distinguished members of town carrying the ballot box home and returning it the next day with votes accounted for, the counting was done at the polling place under the supervision of several officials, oh yeah, and now the little paper ballots are no more, punch cards have taken their place.

It may have been unpleasant for that little family of four, they got their fair share of threats and dirty looks, but in the end justice prevailed. That little family of four stood alone in the beginning, but over time people joined the rank and file. They were tired of being denied their rights, of being overcharged for water, of being fined for some ridiculous city ordinance when their opinion was in direct opposition to the town fathers.

Take heart Ft Worth and heed the old man's ramblings. He seems to know what he's talking about.