Dallas,TX

The Smothers Brothers are appearing tonight and Saturday night with the Dallas Symphony. If you have not yet enjoyed their performance, you need to make an effort to see them this time through - and support the Dallas Symphony at the same time. If you have never seen the sibling duo you will find their routine humorous and relevant. Which it should be. The duo has had almost fifty years to get it down to a science - so to speak. Yet it always seems new and fresh.

In the Smothers Brothers show, the audience will hear no foul language. They will simply be treated with delightful music and down to earth humor. Tommy’s Yo-Yo Man routine is unforgettable. And yes, he really is good with a Yo-Yo. All that and the symphony to boot. A nice relaxing evening listening to marvelous music while being treated to some true family humor from the two brothers.

Smothers Brothers w/Dallas Symphony, Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora, Dallas. 214-692-0203

Have a good morning and Peace be with you.

Celebrating 50 years of the Mesquite Championship Rodeo, those that bring in the ad from the Dallas Morning News or drive a Dodge to the rodeo on Friday and Saturday will receive free parking and free reserved grandstand admission. Talk about a cheap date or outing with the family! And if you go Saturday, be sure to register for the contest. If the cowboy successfully rides the bull in the Dodge Fan Bull Ride Challenge, a lucky winner could receive $10,000. If he gets bucked off Southwest Airlines will still give away tickets.

That does not even include the rodeo itself. There are over ten events in the rodeo. Among those events are Cowboy Poker, Cowgirl Barrel Racing, and of course, Bull Riding. In Cowboy Poker, four cowboys sit and play poker at a table in the middle of the arena while they let a bull into the arena. The last cowboy sitting in his chair wins. It can be humorous even while being quite dangerous. The precision of the barrel racing and the dangerous athletic challenge of bull riding can keep you on the edge of your seat. Our family and other friends have not been disappointed. There are even events in which the younger children can participate, including the Calf Scramble and Mutton Bustin’. Ask at the rodeo for how to register your children.

Mesquite Championship Rodeo, Resistol Arena, 1818 Rodeo Drive, Mesquite (I-635 @ Military Pkwy - Exit #4). 972-285-8777. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., rodeo from 8-10 p.m. both Fri. and Sat. nights.

Have a good afternoon and Peace be with you.

Good morning everyone! As school gets underway here in the Dallas area, the first weekend during school is a holiday. There will be a lot happening this weekend. The weather is cooling down a bit - last night I ran some errands in the early evening and it was almost downright pleasant. The rain we are getting off and on along with the cold front that’s moving in should make it a nice weekend. The term cold front sounds great, but is a little misleading - it may cool off, but at the end of August and beginning of September in Texas it will never be cold.

With all that will be happening this weekend, I will be posting frequently. Be sure to check back for more information, events, and activities. And if you have children going to school with cell phones, be sure to tell them they need to have it turned off during school. Not only is that school policy, but there is always a chance they will get a call from a wrong number, or accidentally call someone. I spent a minute earlier listening to my youngest son’s teacher giving the lesson while I whispered to him to turn his phone off and then hung up.

My apologies for being a bit late with my first post - small computer glitch.

Have a good morning and Peace be with you.

Due to the horrid and unrelenting weather this year, the pumpkin patches will have slim pickings as Halloween approaches. The pumpkins that survived are smaller than usual. I imagine a lot of people will be satisfied with what is available. I know a few people though whose goal is to have the biggest pumpkin. It will take them more work this year than they ordinarily plan to put into the task.

Our boys are growing up and pumpkins bring thoughts of pumpkin pie and the upcoming candy surge. When they were younger, Cyndy and I enjoyed taking them - or going with their group or class - to a pumpkin patch. All the children would scramble for the pumpkins like squirrels gathering nuts. Looking for the one that was just right - for whatever reason. Parents watching their children’s joyous faces with the look of satisfied conquest as they hauled their bounty back to the bus.

Hopefully, there will be enough pumpkins to go around this season. A disappointed look on a child is one of life’s saddest pictures. The children should still be able to choose the “right” pumpkin this year, even if they have to lower their standards a bit. But the biggest pumpkin will be an elusive bugger. Maybe the Great Pumpkin will appear this year to make up for it and Linus can finally rest easy.

Have a good morning and Peace be with you.

Wednesday

Country - Kenny Rogers with the Dallas Symphony
Meyerson Center at 7:30 p.m., 214-692-0203.

Country - Ed Burleson
Love and War in Texas, Plano 601 E. Plano Parkway (just off Central)
7:30 p.m. 972-422-6201

Rock - Peter Frampton
House of Blues Music Hall Doors open at 7 p.m.
Tickets from Ticketmaster.

Thursday

Alternative Metal - Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Bleeding Through
Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie, 6:30 p.m. Tickets from Ticketmaster.

Country - Big & Rich
Gilley’s Dallas. Doors open at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m.
Free; required tickets available at www.samsungsummerkrush.com.

Country - Reckless Kelly
Rockin’ Rodeo, Denton Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets from Front Gate Tickets.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

One of the fascinating things about Dallas is its cultural diversity. Even more fascinating if you have lived here for many years. It was not always so diverse in its culture. When I was in high school Dallas was a very large small town that qualified to be a city. Yet it was beginning to change even then as was the rest of the country. Making it hard to adjust for those who begin to see familiar surroundings change - over the years, drastically.

Several of the older families in Highland Park still feel that north Dallas ends at Northwest Hwy. (Loop 12). During junior high (now middle school) and high school, LBJ Freeway was being finished and it was considered the outer border of north Dallas. Now the communities north of LBJ are in far north Dallas. But then again - like I say - it depends on who you ask. Some people adjust to change by refusing to adjust to change.

Some strip shopping centers that experienced their hey day before malls and super centers are now flourishing as markets and shops from other cultures. If you watch a cooking show on TV and get a recipe you think sounds new, unique, and out of the ordinary, you stand a good chance of being able to get the ingredients - even if you have to drive a distance to find it. Quality ingredients if you shop right. That is one of the interesting things about being cultural diverse.

Another enjoyable benefit is being able to go to fairs and special gatherings and experience those other cultures with which we communicate briefly in shopping transactions. At the same time it is unsettling for a long time resident. As I said earlier it is change - not a case of better or worse, bad or good - just simply change. Everyone deals with change in a different way. I do not think there is anyone who is not affected by change.

Cultural diversity brings with it its own unique types of problems. As does a large increase in population and other factors affecting a large city which is still growing. In this Dallas Observations category, I will look at some news and current events. Along the way I hope to add my personal insights and what I have observed as a member of the community. Check back for further posts - in this category and others.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Good morning everyone! Don’t forget as you head out this morning to watch for children and school zones which are back in force and are being enforced. With the boys in school this is my first day of peace and solitude since early June for the most part. But I do not understand the different times at which the various schools begin their day. Conner’s high school begins at 7:30. Cameron and J.D., in middle school begin at 8:50. That is quite a disparity. Making it hard to know the times for the different school zones. When I was in school most schools started classes at the same time. Older students may have gone early for band practice or what not, but the first bell rang at the same time as other schools.

For a walk on the interesting side this evening, Bowling for Soup is playing at the House of Blues in the Music Hall along with Melee and Quietdrive. Bowling for Soup has polished their act considerably since their garage band days here in Dallas when they were managed by a friend of mine. Edgy rock with a heavy dose of punk attitude. Definitely a change of pace from the regular routine on a Monday.

House of Blues Music Hall, 2200 N. Lamar St., Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Buy tickets at Ticketmaster or at the door if you want to take a chance.

Have a good morning and Peace be with you.

Since my office is at home, I am ecstatic to see our three boys go back to school tomorrow. I will take time here to remind you that school zones will be back in effect tomorrow so drive carefully and watch for children. Not only is it the right and safe thing to do, but the fines are horrific if you are caught speeding in a school zone. But, nevertheless, I will be happy to take my boys to school - leaving me with time to work in solitude.

Which means I will have chance to change my posts up a bit or just add to what I am already doing. Let me know what kind of posts you would like to see and I will do my best to oblige. I have several other projects I am working on so there should be plenty of variety. I would like to delve into other facets of life in and around Dallas. Even if you are just browsing through blogs, feel free to leave a comment about what might get you to check back. If you live in or around Dallas, share any comments you may have about life in Dallas.

Tomorrow is the start of a new week, a new school year, new projects, new posts, and new goals to be reached. True there will be traffic to contend with, people with cell phones oblivious to all else (especially their speed), traffic lights that do not work or change too quickly. But there may also be the friendly soul who will let you in the next lane when your lane ends unexpectedly. The smile and kind parting words that do not sound forced from a store clerk. The person who answers your questions and even makes helpful suggestions without going on about it. Look for the good among the bad. It is there, but sometimes it is as hard to find as Waldo (the guy with the red and white striped shirt in a sea of red and white strips of all ilk). Look for it anyway. It takes your mind off the drudgery and feels really good when you find it.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Pardon me for not posting earlier. I woke up with an annoying headache and have spent the day battling the pain and teenagers at the same time. A trip to the store made it obvious that people are out shopping on the last weekend before school begins on Monday. The parking lots of all the local outlet and discount clothing stores are jammed with heavy traffic. I would not want to go near a mall today. Or a Super Walmart or Target or the like. If I should have to go for some reason, I very much appreciate self check-out aisles.

While we are indeed in the dog days of summer - which is especially true in Texas - weather like we are having today fascinates me. Driving around in hot, humid weather with the sun shining forcefully upon the land and its occupants. When rain drops begin to hit the windshield. There is no sense at all of the light rain cooling anything off. What usually is a sign of relief was just a teasing drizzle. Driving through neighborhoods that show signs of having experienced a good shower. Pulling into our driveway where it is still dryer than burnt toast.

A good weekend for going to the movies - with the family, with a date, or just by yourself. With the movie complexes these days, letting the children see one movie will you and your spouse watches another one is always a possibility. Check out Cinemark online where you can check out movies and times as well as purchase tickets. They also have a variety of theater possibilities with varying prices.

Check back later for other weekend activities, info, or news. Have a good day and Peace be with you.

Take the family to Six Flags this evening for some good Christian rock music with Kutless, Skillet, and Grits. Kutless and Skillet are two of the most popular bands at Christian music showcases such as Celebration Freedom promoted by 94.9 KLTY at Southfork each year. They also appear at Christian music showcases throughout the country. The shows tonight and tomorrow night are part of Six Flags’ One Voice Christian Concert series.

Tomorrow night, Leeland and Chris Tomlin perform. Chris Tomlin is an excellent entertainer as well as faith ambassador. It will be a very entertaining show. Both shows will be spiritually uplifting, from which you will leave in a spirit of peace and harmony or just plain feel good. Tickets for the shows are just $8 over the park admission price. They are available at the front gate or from Ticketmaster.

Six Flags Over Texas, 2201 Road to Six Flags (off Hwy 360 just south of I-30), 817-640-8900. Park hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. both days.

Have a good weekend and Peace be with you.

Speaking of blues, B.B. King’s Blues Tour is coming to the Nokia Theater this Sunday. The veteran blues guitarist/singer brings with him this year Al Green and Etta James. Just thinking about these three incredible performers on the same stage at the very least gives one pause. It makes me drool. I have seen B.B. King many times over the years, but I have never seen his guests at this year’s festival. I have wanted to hear Etta James live for, let’s just say a couple of decades. It will be a jaw-dropping, eye dabbing, night of the blues.

B.B. King Blues Festival - Sunday - Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie, 1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie - adjacent to Lone Star Park. Tickets at Ticketmaster.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

The House Of Blues in Dallas has some interesting shows this weekend. Not that all their shows are not interesting in one way or another, this weekend they have some established artists playing blues and the beginning of heavy metal.

Friday night, hang out in the restaurant and listen to Anson Funderburgh with his “less is more” style of blues guitar. Anson has put on a good show for years and blues for dinner is a nice way to start an evening.

Saturday night, Deep Purple makes an appearance. Unlike the “dinosaur” acts - those bands who play long after they should retire since there is only one or two original members - Deep Purple sounds as fresh as they did when I saw them in the seventies. All members have either been a part of the band or played with the band over the years. Deep Purple was the beginning of heavy metal even though they shy away from the distinction. Mostly because they are more versatile than the heavy metal bands that followed them. Enjoy new songs mixed in the old standards such as Smoke on the Water.

Sunday brings a powerhouse group of blues musicians celebrating the blues of Jimmy Reed. Jimmie Vaughan is joined with Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds), Omar Kent Dykes (Omar and the Howlers), and Lou Ann Barton. Of the three shows, I am going to do my best to catch this one - even if I have to stand for a while. These blues performers have played so many times together, they do not even need to rehearse. They do rehearse though, just to play some more blues. A maximum helping of down home blues.

House of Blues, Victory Park 2200 North Lamar Street, 214-978-BLUE.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

First, let me explain why I continue to have my picture with each post. It is not from any narcissistic tendencies I assure you. It is simply a good example of how I look when I post - except the desk is bigger now and not that clean. I am usually more wild eyed as well. I want to include a picture, but to have pictures for a lot of my posts, I would have to drive there and take the pictures myself. Or the pictures that I have access to may cause legal problems were I to use them without permission - often I do not have time to wait for a reply. Bear with me. No one knows what the future will bring.

The Dallas Morning News had an article in this morning’s paper about theaters on stages at churches or at former church buildings. One caught my eye that I thought I would pass along. I am not generally known as a person who often attends theater productions. Mainly because I just do not understand plays or theater productions for art’s sake. Not that I do not appreciate the talent involved, I just do not “get” it.

But often I read about plays I think would be enjoyable if I had the time to attend a performance. However, I want those who might have the time and enjoy plays more than I do to hear about a good play when it comes around. I digress here to say that if there is a theater(s) in an area of town or certain types of plays that any of you would like to be updated on, I will be glad to try to do that here. Just let me know.

The stage version of Tuesdays with Morrie opens Thursday at the Labyrinth Theatre and runs through Sept. 15. The Labyrinth Theatre is located in the former sanctuary of Arapaho United Methodist Church in Richardson. Tuesdays with Morrie is taken from Mitch Albom’s first book of the same name. It details Albom’s weekly visits to a teacher dying from a terminal illness, Morrie Schwartz, who had set Albom straight as his mentor years before.

Tuesdays with Morrie is a wonderful story of looking back on our lives and wishing we could talk to those who helped us along the way. It should make for an interesting evening’s entertainment. The story translates easily into theater.

Tuesdays with Morrie - August 23rd through September 15. Labyrinth Theatre at Arapaho United Methodist Church in Richardson. 1400 W. Arapaho (at Coit), 972-231-1012. www.thelabyrinththeatre.org.

Have a good day and Peace be with you.

The annual national convention of the Tuskegee, Inc. nonprofit group honoring the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen is meeting for the 36th year beginning today at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine. The convention will run through Saturday, culminating with an awards gala and banquet benefitting the Tuskegee Airmen National Youth Program.

Although some activities are for delegates only, there are activities open to the public. The most notable activity is the ribbon cutting of the Tuskegee Airmen memorabilia exhibit at 3 p.m. Wednesday. The exhibit can be viewed until 6 p.m. on Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The exhibit is free to the public.

Take the time out to see this exhibit of memorabilia of these heroes, including pilots, ground crew, and other personnel who served in World War II. Despite, mind you, encountering hatred, bigotry, and racism. After a long wait, the Tuskegee Airmen were finally given their Medals of Honor last year. I plan to take our family to the exhibit so that our boys can learn about this important part of our country’s history.
Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine. 214-366-0090. www.tuskegeeairmen.org

Good morning everyone. After some rain Friday and a rather sultry Saturday, yesterday’s temperatures were a pleasant change. Things will be picking up speed this week with families getting ready for school. Churches are preparing their fall schedules and starting back up with activities. Stores gearing up with sales to get their share of “school” money. Personally, I’m looking forward to the boys being at school. I’ll be able to push my writing into high gear without having boys to keep track of, food to get or fix, and scuffles to break up.

All that being said, I hope you have a good day and a good start to your week. Here is some of the music that will be played around town tonight. Something to look forward to, if you will. I try to vary the listings by type of music and location. I also try to list some new venues with each live music post. If I do not include a venue or area where you would like to know who is playing and what kind of music, leave a comment and let me know. It is always wise to call the venue to confirm who is playing. All schedules are subject to change.

Acoustic rock and Latin Jazz (Intriguing combination)
Colin Boyd at 7 p.m., David Willingham & Friends of Aton at 9 p.m.
Balcony Club 1825 Abrams Rd. 214-826-8104

Classic Rock
Glass Onion at 8 p.m.
Sambuca 15207 Addison Road, 972-385-8455 The food is a little pricey, but worth the price. There is an expansive bar where you can eat or not.

Acoustic Rock
Singer-Songwriter in the Round hosted by Becky Middleton 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Performers - Steve Bedunah, Nate Bolling, Bobby Hopkins, Iris Leu, and Becky Middleton.
Opening Bell Coffee 1409 S. Lamar Street (@ South Side on Lamar) 214-565-0383.

Folk and Acoustic
Open mike with John McNulty at 8 p.m.
Shiney’s Paradise Grill 9410 Walnut St. (Walnut & Abrams near Richland College) 972-480-8470

Have a good day and Peace be with you.