Every One Is Making List

The 11th District of the Federal Reserve Dallas

After the remodel, the Federal Reserve System Seal is Displayed

about what happened in 2012. Why? The Networks will give you that 'all important list' of 2012 tomorrow night. It's called,"fill".

 What concerns me more is the decisions going on inside this building and how the top guy will vote with all the other counterparts from the other districts. This is the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas for the 11th District. Chances are some of you have currency in your wallet with this seal and from this district, if not from other districts, too. Most, could not name the districts of the Federal Reserve Bank System much less name the Chief

Jay Leno has a skit that is used on his show from time-to-time. He would go out on a street corner near the L.A. Studio's where the show originates and ask average Americans questions about our government or basic American  facts such as: What other job does the Vice-President of the United States perform? It is sadness and comic all rolled into one.

Kids can't learn basic civics or American History in school because the teachers are to busy taking care of paperwork that has no meaning to their students and as it sounds, will soon be added with other duties like going to the firing range to keep up their certification as a firearm holder as part of their teaching duties. While the seriousness is genuine.....schools are not the place and certainly teachers are paid to teach, not perform all this other stuff they must do that takes away from actual classroom study.

This afternoon, I took each grade when I was in school and recalled my teachers and how the day was spent. Then, I took my kids teachers and grades and recalled everything their teachers did during the course of the day. It was not a shock......my teachers taught! My kids teachers were totally distracted from teaching. Oh, I know. There will be those that defend the teachers today and the skills that they have with modern technology allows the kids to learn more on their own and the teachers are just supervising the course study. You don't want to know what my reply to that would be. Keenly, I made a successful career on observing in the business climate the things most people missed and acting on those things that had been overlooked or missed or discarded as not being important at the time.

So, when I see the skit on Jay Leno, I'm very interested in hearing how the participants answer and what level the questions are rated that are being ask. It's still sad and still very,very funny. But, it should also be a red flag as to what really is being taught in our schools. To me, driver ed doesn't count as something learned at school. No, I'm sorry. My dad taught me to drive and it didn't happen at my school.

This post isn't about teachers. Rather, it is about my interest in the genesis of thought at the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas and how the chief here votes with the other district chiefs. But, most importantly, it is about how so many things come together to form the many decisions made daily that border with so many more that really--in the all-and-all of it-- really is the hand of fate and no matter what you try to do, in the end, it still comes back to the hand of fate. Even the bible speaks of our lot being cast. I'm not saying not to give a task your best. I'm not saying that at all. What I am saying is that if things don't turn our exactly as you planned, don't be disappointed. I've never wished to be someone else. Why? because their fate may be 30 years less than mine. I know people that wished that they were someone  else. I'd never wish that. I just want to be who I am. So far, I've out lived a lot of my friends. If I had wished to be them, I would now be dead. So I don't concern myself with things that I have no control over. Trying to do your best and be your best each day is all anyone can do. Faith,Hope and Charity (love) is what really matters.

Ever look at the tripod that holds the red kettle's of the Salvation Army. It's three legs could very well be, Faith,Hope and Charity and as much as it also represents the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Things in life come together at just the right times that are called an Epiphany. I call them Eureka Points. I'm constantly feeding my brain and let my brain do the work. Then, I'm brushing my teeth or showering and bingo! I have an Epiphany or Eureka Point. But, you must feed your brain. Garbage in isn't always garbage out. Sometimes, a little garbage acts like a catalyst. You learn over time how much you feed it at a time and how much you add as catalyst. 

So, my list for 2012 at 11:59:59 on December 31,2012 will simply be:

I made it through 2012!

 

Christmas May Be Over But........

there are a few things that need to be cleaned up, first. I wouldn't mind cleaning this one up. This unique display is at the Sewell Family of Dealerships, Sewell Cadillac, specifically, on Lemmon Avenue across from the old Braniff International Headquarters buildings at Love Filed.

I like the ornaments. But the tree was a whopper!

Honey, where do you want me to hang this one?

 The Sewell family have been delivering quality autos and service for over  a century. They are a great family, great dealerships and our thanks and holiday wishes go out to the Sewell family and each of their employees. Have a great 2013.

Five Days to Cram Everything into 2012

that you wanted to get done.  Right now, the way it looks, I ain't gonna get it all done! That's being a bit hard on myself, I suppose. The other side of that coin is the fact that 2013 is a full year that lies ahead. It would seem that a whole year is open and had plenty of room. However, one lesson in life is that in a twinkling of an eye, a split second, a hot minute, bam! and it all can change on space smaller than a dime. So, there are no guarantees that the full year ahead will be there. Taking each day as it arrives, one-by-one, has become my  rule of norm.

It absolutely amazes me that in this day of i-phones and apps and technology linked to everything that people continue to board airplanes en mass. With a major winter storm advertised, they complain that they had to sit on the tarmac for three hours albeit waiting to be de-iced before leaving or waiting for a nest, once the plane lands because all the nest are filled with planes waiting to be de-iced. Do you see the vicious circle here?

 Why have the technology if you are not going to listen to what it is telling you? Or is it listening to what it's telling you as long as it is what you wanna hear?  Just today, I heard a reporter using the line: "Do the math." What? Don't you have an app for that?  You see, that's the problem with technology. As fast as you upload a new app, the phone changes and since that was an app you didn't use much on the old phone, you pass on up-loading the new one so when you need it again........yup! you guessed it.....you don't have that app. I'm seeing a new blame target here. Blame it on the app. Of course, you could have made the whole trip less stressful in the first place. You could have stayed home. And for those of you that actually did that........ you can blame it on Netflex's burp at the wrong time.

 Go see the family when the weathermen aren't advertising a major winter storm from coast to coast!  Use that i-phone and actually call the folks.There's  still that  possibility that there will be 2014 when everything is normal. My how time flies!

One of the four Nutcrackers at Hunt Oil

The tree at Klyde Warren Deck Park

 

A Holiday Wish

from dallaspaparazzo:

Merry Christmas

 

 

 

 

Ornaments at the Omni with Reunion Tower in the background

The new tree at Klyde Warren Deck Park

Everyone!

HO HO HO on the First Weekend of Winter

at the Klyde Warren Deck Park in downtown Dallas. People were taking pictures by the big tree. Dogs were happy and frisky with their owners and the general ambient sound was one of happiness.
I have been down to the park four times now. Twice were during the week and both remaining trips were on weekends. The park was full of people of all ages from one end to the other. This park is also one of the best kept. I have never seen anyone in a city park with a scrub brush scrubbing a stain from a walkway tile until today. Kudos's to the Warrens and the management team to oversees the facility.

 While downtown, I checked on the Main Street Park, Belo Gardens, the lawn of the Omni Hotel, finding only families and couples  using the big display of ornaments in their second year of display as a photo backdrop. Main Streets Tree was a big disappointment. So it is safe to say that the center of downtown activity has shifted to the new park above the Woodall Rodgers Expressway. This is, of course, the first Christmas season for Klyde Warren and the theme of the big red Christmas ornaments found one place there and one across the street at the Meyerson.

My thanks to the man with the Santa hat. He was a good sport and also was a great photo op.

Merry Christmas, everyone. Watch the weather closely with the area now forecast to receive 1-2 inches in Dallas and 2-4 inches in northern Collin County northward.

A very good sport!

Could not pass up this shot with the Trammel Crow Building in the background.

 

Winterized

One of the Rescue boats used when the rowing teams are on the lake practicing.

Across the lake from the last shot is the marina for one of the sailing clubs. I love sailboats.

The day before this shot, high winds blew through the area disrupting cell phone towers, breaking branches and limbs off trees. Later, the temps shattered records from a few to several degrees. There was a guy walking the docks at the marina for a sailing club to make sure the tie-downs were still secure. That's a nice volunteer service at any marina.

A Great Redo to a Multi-Screen Complex

The Feature
The Studio Movie Grill Chain has taken over the old multi-screen movie theater at 75 and Spring Valley. What a great remake to a remarkable building. In fact, several  sources are telling me that US75 (North Central Expressway) properties are part of a remake along 75 itself. This facility will be the chain's second along North Central Expressway. One is just south of the High 5 and this one is just north of the High 5 as seen here..

The Area
The old Valley View mall property is up for a remake. That makes the Tollway to 75 and Spring Valley to LBJ 635 a very active redo for North Dallas. I'm so glad to see this happening. As for me personally, I always would rather see a structure remade than to demolish it and start all over. It has always seemed to be such a waste from my viewpoint. Yes, I am a romantic at heart. There are some structures that need to come down. I can appreciate the argument.

The redo will be a great addition.

New life to an old multi-screen  theater

 

                         Dallas as a resource pool.

Just one project can spark so much more development. Especially when people are using the creative juices more than the jingling money bags to drive a project. If the juices flow from far enough back to attach the area into a mosaic of the community, the money bags will fill and refill for years to come. Dallas is lucky to have such a creative pot of developers.



 

Hauling de Boats

Click on image to enlarge

Boats arrive for another rowing club at White Rock.These boats are 60 feet in length.

Rowing clubs are outgrowing all their facilities in Dallas. Backman Lake is full, the Filter House Barn is full and this club has been transporting boats for a while. Their dock is on the road to the sailing clubs boat houses.

 It's nice to see an elite sport that competes with teams from Boston and Rhode Island and East Coast Schools  that are based in Dallas, Texas.

New on the Geo.Bush Turnpike.

Went out to an insurance agents office today because of a change in medical plans this year. Two years ago, the stretch along the George Bush Turnpike was open fields. Today, it is development  and money and development and more money as fast as the pneumatic hammers can spit nails. The sad part is that its close to my brothers and I liked at one time driving out there. Truth be known, I still like going out to see my brother, it's just not as fun getting there today! Some guy passed me on the service road going faster than the traffic on the turnpike. A block the other way sat two Plano motorcycle cops enjoying this 75* weather a week before Christmas. It all goes with growth and development.Or so I'm told.

New Construction now is  filling in the open fields in Plano.

Along the Coit to Alma Section of the Geo. Bush Turnpike.

 

Grief Process Takes Time

Many switches are flipped on and off,day in and day out. In the course of a year, reflecting back, one certainly hopes that all the right ones have been turned on or off for this one little individual relay that plays its part in the portion of the universe that we all live. It goes without saying that technology has made life better (for the most part) and it has helped to make work easier (sometimes). For the most part, I try my darnest to enjoy nature, love my family (including my cat) and live out the rest of my life trying to correct all the little short falls that have caused me to stumble. In short, I still want to leave this world better than it was when I arrived.

I still like (in a humorous way) to push a few buttons just to see the reaction. I did that  a couple of the last trips to the cardiologist (sometimes, you have to set the stage first). It must have worked. Not only did I find out he was human,too, but that he had a bit of humor as well. The biggest surprise was that he is a BIG Notre Dame fan and alumni. It was an experiment. It went well. It was a switch that was flipped and helped me as a person in a small way. Sometimes in life, we have to flip our own switch if we expect to make progress. Forward progress is essential Sometimes, as well, forward progress can also be painful and cause us to grieve.

I just read an essay about pain and grief. Although, my agreement with the entire essay isn't in line with the author from start to finish. On the whole, the author made some very good points. The points that he failed to make or from my view  somewhat missed the mark is inexperience in his career. In time, he will either make the points or modify his viewpoints like a jet's contrail in the sky making course adjustments on its route. I can deal with that and not disagree to a point that it starts an argument (like some I have meet along this life's journey).

My photography has been a grief switch for me. I flip it when I have periods of heavy grief about the loss of my son. Heavy grief is when you cry out in pain (why?) (Why did this happen?) Sometimes those creep back into my thoughts. I flip the switch and go to Light Grief Mode. That's how grief should be dealt with. It should be memories of all the fun things,happy things,humorous things that were celebrated.

One example that I rewind and replay a lot is a beautiful October morning in New England. It was a fall when the  fall colors were at their best in many, many years. It was a grief trip that was made to help my mother-in-law through the grieving process in the loss of my father-in-law  a couple of months prior. My son was 5. We loved the Ogunquit rocky shores with waves from the North Atlantic battering those rocks after many many miles of travel. My son would burst into laughter when one of the rocks was smashed by a wave and it sprayed water up and over the rocks in an array of artful beauty in the morning sunlight. The car was packed and my son and I stood on the bluff above the waves looking down at the rocks while the women did a double check that everything had been packed and that nothing was being left behind.

 My son wanted to go down to the beach level below and  put his hand in the ocean one last time. I took him down the sandy wooden stairs from the cottage to beach level. He was so happy. After splashing his hands in the soft beach waves for a few minutes I looked up just in time to see about a three foot wave rolling toward the beach a bit faster than the others. Soon, I realized that this wave would require me picking up my son and lifting him about the wave line on the beach. The wave grew and grew. With my son in my arms, I quickly backed up and ducked behind a rock that was about 8 to 10 feet high at sea level. The thinking was that a few water sprays would be quicker to dry out than being totally wet.

The wave had been misjudged. The wave hit another rock from a slightly different angle.It sent a heavy spray of water at such an angle, it doused my son and myself to a point that complete changes of cloths would be a must topside. I remember the cold shock of the water hitting us both. I remember my son shaking from the shock of it and then looking at me for reassurance that we had both gotten wet and it was fine and okay, but most of all funny, as he broke out in a laugh that I can still hear in my head today. That is the kind of grief that helps one heal, although, the pain never fully goes away.

There is no rushing the grief process. Every one has their own speed in which they heal. Don't worry that a year has come and gone and you are  still grieving. It's been a dozen plus years for me. I'm still grieving. It's a better understanding today. Sure, I was angry at first. Most everyone is. Striking out is a part of the process also. Coming on down the line eventually comes acceptance. That's a hard one to deal with. Guilt comes into play and even drives a rekindle of the anger sometimes. Working your way though it will bring a resolution eventually. I wrote a poem to my son. It was a part of the acceptance. It got published several years ago.

Looking back to that morning again and again, I seldom see the unpacking of the car, getting dry cloths and delaying the start of our homeward-bound journey. It's the laughs that are recalled most clearly.It's that extra little time in a moment of time that was captured for a reason at that moment, unrevealed. It all fits into an image that was inscribed on my brain for a reason. That reason lights up every time I flip the switch and  it brings peace and comfort and love in never-ending quantem theory little packets of energy and light.

Today, I look for images that "speak out to me" in some way that continues to push the grieving process forward with a lesser degree of pain. Sometimes, I just pass on the shot.even putting the camera down and wrap the memory of the shot around my heart. I've heard many  more angles singing on those days for some reason. I leave that switch alone.

The dedication of the new Budah temple

Stacks of Beauty

 

OOPS! Updates and Leftovers

This image is exactly why business insurance is through the roof!

Thanks to the good friends at Talk Airlines.com( this image is copyrighted by its original owner. Any information can be provided by Talk Airlines.Com ) Seldom, do I use someone else's image. However,there are times when an image like this is one of those images that fills the old adage: A picture is worth a thousand words.

A Little Humor

A husband and wife go into this restaurant to be served dinner. After being seated, the waiter comes around and ask,"are you ready to order?" The wife replied that they were and that she would have  the T-bone steak. The waiter said,"vegetable?" The wife looked up at the waiter and said,"He'll have the same!"

New Hospitals

One of the two new hospitals going up in the Medical District. This one is now half complete. It is the new Parkland Hospital across Harry Hines Blvd. from the historic Parkland.
 
The other one is about a mile down  Harry Hines across from the Southwestern Medical School Complex campus. It will be the new teaching hospital for Southwestern. They use the old Parkland and related structures as their teaching hospital currently.

The New Parkland Hospital as seen from the DART Orange Line .

 

American Airlines
American's press package has released a couple of images of what the new look for the airlines could be like. In my previous post I had written that I was hoping for  bright but not white. Well, there is a lot of white paint in the first images! I  certainly hope that this is not the their "final answer" to a fantastic opportunity to be the king of paint!! But, it's starting out the gate to look like American, too, will miss the mark and join United as the second missed mark for new paint!  Tom Braniff was way ahead of his time....now that was  a man who knew how to paint a tail of an aircraft!




 

Next Stop: Terminal A DFW International

Today, as a strong cold front was passing overhead, but before the temperatures dropped the 40 degrees the weather boys were advertising, I boarded the Red/Orange Line at the Central/LBJ station in North Dallas and headed to the new Belt Line Station that opened December 3rd. This summer saw the orange line open from Bachman Lake to the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. Now, another 4 miles of extension is added  and reaches a critical mass area.

On December 03, the North Lake Station Opened at Cottonwood. Golfers would recognize the area as the Four Seasons Resort. And...the Belt Line Station, while Westward sounds rather conservative, the actual surprise,grand trump, what ever adjective one would use, that makes this different for the largest light rail system in the whole of the United States, is  this: it's sitting on airport property at DFW International. That's inside the fence. That's different rules and regulation for building. But, it's the final leg that will end at Terminal A at DFW in December 2014 with the last extension. There are few airports in this nation that have  a direct rail link into a terminal. That means that in 2014, you will be able to deplane,get your luggage, use the airport system to transport you to terminal A from any terminal  and ride to downtown Ft. Worth,Denton,Dallas,Garland,Rowlett, and Plano, or get off in Addison or Carrollton and take a cab to those area hotels. The details will come forth, most likely as the time nears the completion date, but the point being made here is that the connections from DFW International to area cities in the metroplex will be most unique for  transportation connections. That's a big deal.

It took just over an hour each way.

The New Belt Line Station on DFW Property.Overnight parking,
750 car lot.

Belt Line Name Placard

Westward to Terminal A at DFW.Note that the tracks are laid but the overhead power lines need to be placed, but 24 months is not a long time to wait for this transportation  link.

 

A Personal Request for more Color at American

American Pilots Agree, then U.S. Air makes offer of  8B$ U.S. for American. Anyway you look at it, the polished aluminum finish will most likely change. Why? because the new fleet of planes at American will be composit and must be painted.  So buckle up. The ride is still gonna be bumpy a bit longer but your seats should stay fastened to the floor.

 Actually, a new face lift wouldn't be a bad thing with the old look being one of the oldest in the marketplace. It's tired. It needs to be upgraded. Be bright, but not white! Let's put some color on Runways 17R,17C,17L;18R,18L and 13 R and 13 L. Now that would brighten up the sky over DFW and the world over! When Brantiff first started using color, they were the talk of the industry. Southwest still gets instant notice when one of their animal planes is spotted. United had a chance with their new paint scheme but missed the mark.American, let's get on it!  Win one for DFW big time.

Car Recovered from Lake

Dallas,Thursday,December 06,2012:  Dallas Police recovered a possible stolen car from the jewel of the city's Park System, White Rock Lake early this afternoon. The car had been reported in the lake at approximately 09:30 this morning. The Dallas Fire/Police Department's diver unit was called in to assist.

On Tuesday, A body was discovered floating in the lake on the East Shore, almost directly across from where the car was found.  This is a tranquil, peaceful lake for recreation, and nature. These type-events are not new to the lake's history but they are rare and far between normally. To have two events back-to-back in such a short time makes the events unusual of and within themselves.

One of the divers from the Fire Department/Police Department Water Rescue Unit

The late model car is slowly winched toward the boat ramp to the heavy wrecker, then left for the tow truck to load  and move it out.

Images are solely owned and fully copyrighted by the owner,Dallaspaparazzo,Dallas,Texas. All Rights are Reserved under Domestic and International Copyright laws. Contact Dallaspaparazzo for licensing and licensing information.

Recovered from lake.

 

 

Cold on the Way

Fantastic fall day in Dallas today. The sun was bright, the skies were blue and the wind shift from the cold front passage was just a bit cool if you stopped walking or running or biking. But, this weekend will be the running of the Dallas Marathon. Best known in the past as "Running the Rock" or the White Rock Marathon.

 The run will draw it's usual crowd of 26,000 runners plus with the potential to grow the race even more in coming years.

These images actually come from the site of the former City of Buckingham, incorporated 1956 and annexed to the City of Richardson in 1996.

Leaves look like Tulips. Today at the Arboretum, 150,000 tulips were being planted for the spring bloom.

If you are in Texas for the first time, this will  not be the only 5-point star you will see here!

The images are just some of nature' s beauty for now. Colorful views will be coming soon.

Even the Gulls Get a Christmas Gift and A Look at This Year's Crop of Mercer Crossing Hay.

The gulls are the last of the migrating birds to arrive back at the lake. Lake docks are a favorite hang out to catch a nap, dry your feathers or show your status in the pecking order.

This summer, the city rebuilt several docks on both sides of the lake. The gulls while somewhat messy at times, have a very defined pecking order on who gets the flat head post to claim. The birds that are on the dock surface were forced to remove themselves from their position when on of their own flew in with a higher pecking order. I watched one gull be rejected from six of the ten post. Interesting order in the Animal Kingdom. Never-the-less, their return is acknowledgement that the workers didn't disturb their likes for this favorite spot when not flying.



Gulls Noted Pecking Order On Post.Lower Pecking Order on Dock.

A couple of days ago the fall crop of Mercer Crossing Hay covered the fields along LBJ 635 Westbound between 35E and 635 and the George Bush Turnpike for another year's crop. This is one of the last open space of land on the way to DFW International Airport, a few miles farther West of here. This location has always been a favorite to photograph hay bales in the fall because of the uniqueness to the past of Mercer Crossing and the number of major offices that sprinkles around the hay fields. Hagar Slacks, the favorite of President Lyndon Johnston is Headquartered less than a mile from here.

One of over 100 bales of Mercer Crossing Hay near Luna and LBJ 635 Westbound to DFW International.

Sunset on Love Field then Rise on Delhi

A late Fall sunset at Love Field on a day that tied a record set in 1950 of 83 degrees F.

A very unique shop of Asian decor . The shop is filled with very unique items of inspiration for your home from Delhi Decor. Thanks to Anil for allowing a few shots of his neat merchandise and for our Indian Visitors.

A few things handcrafted from India. The items are made from leather,wood,marble,brass and clothes such as hand stitched wall hangings,sculpture and jewelry. It's a neat shop.

Wild Animal Verdict

The official word from the lead manager at Parks and Recreation  on the "Wild Animal" sign is that up North (Plano and Frisco) there are many bob cats that have been reported being seen moving South, but he didn't think that they are inclusive to this sign. It was meant to include raccoons,skunks,opossums and copperheads but  a bob cat could wonder in from time to time.

Weekend images will be posted up by Sunday evening. 


Here's an image that I haven't posted from the last Presidential trip into Love Field, August,2011

Charleston Air Force Base Transport that flew in the Presidential Limo, Ambulance and Secret Service vehicles. These guys don't get the glory and attention  that Air Force One attracts. These are a great bunch of guys. For many years I flew into Charleston from Atlanta and could always count on that flight being full with men and women returning to base.When the Charleston direct kicked back to a one-stop at either Augusta or Savannah, we were always ahead on arrival time. The equipment was always the biggest and the best, too.

 

Strange Park Sign

This is a somewhat scary sign with the "Beware of Wild Animals"added to the sign.

 

 

The White Rock Trail is a pretty amazing trail in the heart of an urban setting. From this very point you can travel to White Rock Lake which is a distance of some 9 miles. It is approximately 9 miles around the lake itself. That mileage total is now up to 18 miles and of course another 9 miles back to this point  and you have 27 miles walking, running biking. The amazing part,still, is that from White Rock, you can take an offshoot to Fair Park, through downtown and pick up the Trinity Trail on the other side of downtown. And, if that isn't enough, you can travel back to the lake via the Katy Trail beginning at the American Airline Center and cutting through the heart of Uptown, Highland Park,University Park and into Lakewood where you will pick up the White Rock Trail again  Dallas does not fully appreciate the trail system that they have, even though it is very popular by so many already. Atlanta has a new trail on old railroad right aways and they are going nuts. Dallas has had this for sometime and its never been unpopular. Dallas does have some advantage over Atlanta too. In the article about Atlanta's new tail, it shows a beautiful view of downtown Atlanta in the distance. The article talks about that view very much. In the next paragraph, the author talks about the hundreds and hundreds of trees being planted, which in 40 years will block the beautiful view of downtown!  Dallas is a bit more advanced than that, folks but we do have at least one strange and worry some wild animal sign.

 

 

Several times I have wanted to take this 3/4 mile off shoot tail to Hillcrest Park. There is a Greek Orthodox Cathedral that is absolutely in the worst location to shoot. From the angle of Hillcrest park, I am thinking that it would be possible to get a spectacular view of the Cathedral. But, in a city park, I have never seen a beware of wild animals warning on a sign. Wild animals covers a lot of territory. I need to call the Parks and Recreation for a meaning of "wild animals" since I have seen wild animals in the city and in local  nature areas. Those wild animals (raccoons,coyote) are not that scary. To me, wild animals would be bear,moose type and oh,my, bob cats and cougars would be in that wild animal book,too. Bob cats are stealthy and hard to spot. It is a bit strange, don't you agree? I think I will call Parks and Recreation. I'll get back witch ya.

 

Back in the Saddle Again

Well, it must be official. The Google machine has released my blog  from bondage after consuming some funds from my banking account. So, it seems that we are back in the saddle again and can continue to blog even better than before.That is, it should be better by 25 times according to the plan that was purchased.
So sorry for the downtime. It cost me some time as well to get this stuff back on line. Not to mention the storage fees that are now being assessed. Just like mom always taught: nothng in life is free any more.

An urban tree farm operated by TXU in partnership with a local community college. The color is an added bonus to the deal.

 

M line Expanded for Klyde Warren Deck Park

Gourmet Food Trucks Line Up for the Lunch Crowd

A Great Dane  headed for the Dog Park at Klyde Warren Deck Park

The new Klyde Warren Deck Park has more features to come. The McKinney Avenue Trolley is extending it's tracks to serve several more blocks  from it's current terminus. I like to take the trolley from City Place down to the park. It's a 40-minute trip but it's enjoyable and relaxing. Taking the Red line or Blue Line to City Place then boarding the trolley gets you a step from the trolley to the deck park. The 2013 and 2014 expansion of the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority's tracks will connect to Dart's downtown Pearl St. station. That makes for another giant feather in this parks hat!http://www.mata.org/map.shtml

The other development is the current construction near the new Pavilion that is being constructed is a Bistro-type restaurant on the west bound service road of the park.With the popularity already displayed with the new park. just imagine a Friday evening after work with a rock band on the stage and people having dinner at the Bistro and others getting gourmet sandwiches from the food trucks, sitting at the tables on the open lawn areas or along Jane's Lane.

 

Winding Down to Thanksgiving, Is That Possible?

A checker board on the backside of the games librarian. All you need is a valid driver's license to check out a board.

The burnt orange colors are refreshing to see.

The other question that weighed in today is this: Do the dogs like the astro turf in the new Klyde Warren Deck Park? The answers may surprise you. Yes, it is possible to wind down to Thanksgiving and yes, the dogs love the astro turf and  for those of you that are going to be trying to figure out how the rest of this post fits in to the title post, well, it's one of those things that you have to wind down  for to see the connection.

Last year I decided that it was time to break that cycle of running to Walmart for everything because they were the cheapest. Were they, really?  Doing some research and really watching  where I was  spending the most and what I was getting for the money spent, I had an amazing shock. Walmart isn't that cheap overall.
I found that I was being drawn in for items like trash bags and paper products. The rest of the items were way more than I was paying at Kroger's or other places.

Well, it's been a year now and I have not set foot inside a Walmart. I've eaten more healthy, I have lost the weight that I was slowly adding  that required me to buy new cloths because I was getting bigger month by month. Now, I fit back in the cloths that I haven't worn for ages, my blood pressure has dropped  to a very healthy level where it remains. I don't feel as stressed at the check out lines as I did at a Walmart and generally I am a much happier person today that a year ago. Most of all, my lab work has don't a complete flip for the better.

Before I began the experiment, someone had made mention to me that they too, had broken the Walmart Cycle. At the time, I didn't really fully understand what that person had meant. Well, today, I may not fully understand  all the workings of what has happened, but even the commercials on Television don't captivate me now as they once did. I actually laugh about the "bring your receipt and compare" see how much you saved. Actually, when I had done that to check Walmart  in the beginning to see where my spending was going.....Walmart was getting the larger percentage of my money Today, I find the savings to be greater grocery wise at Kroger's and  a few other places that I shop.

So, as we wind down for Thanksgiving, The insanity of Black Friday and Blue Wednesday and Green Tuesday don't get me stressed out any more.. I'm actually happier since I broke the Walmart Cycle. Let's put that under Red Thursday since Black Friday seems to be taken. Have a good holiday and I'll keep the  trips to Walmart at zero for another year!

The Twinkie Saga Expands

Well, according to the info coming out of Irving from the Corporate Offices of Interstate Brands Corporation this morning, Twinkies are done and some 17,000 plus jobs are lost. One news reporter ask that, "if for some reason the unions had a change of heart and wanted to go back to work the closing of the 33 plants would not be needed"? The answer was rather hard-nosed  sprinkled with a dusting of non-humanness: No, it's to late. The deadline has passed [paraphrased]. Over the years, I have known men who have run large-scale operation from a General Mills Cheerio factory to the founder of Hickory Farms to Radio Station empires and not one of them came close to what I see coming out of corporations having problems today.  That could be one of the problems why the companies are in bankruptcy in the first place.
Years ago (being late 70's) CEO Roderick of US Steel said in an address that the ranks of middle management qualified to move into upper management and capable of running tomorrow's corporations were not being fulfilled. This was a major concern for him, for his company US Steel and Corporate America as a whole. As it has played out over several decades, Mr. Roderick was right on target!

The funny side of  all this is seeing on the local noon news, a reporter reporting from the very store where I went to get my Twinkies, yesterday. It's always reassuring to see you are ahead of the pack.Added to that.....someone on e-bay was offering Twinkies on e-bay for $100.00 a box. To bad my brain doesn't think in those lines or I would have wiped out the shelves yesterday and spent the entire night listing it all on e-bay.

I just had another Twinkies with a hot cup of coffee. Yum!

Tell me it ain't so!

Some corporate structure somewhere will sweep in and grab up the Twinkies brand. The remaining executives at Interstate Brands will sweep the profits of the sale into their golden parachute on the way out the door and live happily ever-after. The Twinkies will survive and all is well. Except the guy who has a $10.00 Twinkies and to afraid to eat it! Mine cost $0.20 and it taste just like it did when I was a kid. Besides, I have two more boxes that I could sell on e-bay when the prices hit $250 per box if someone is that big of a fool to let the brand die on the vine.

 

And The Caissons Go Rolling Along

My readers would never believe the connection that got me out to the National Cemetery today, but I'm gonna tell it like it happened anyway. As everyone has heard by now, Interstate Brands Corporation with their Corporate Office in Irving, Texas has said that they are shutting down their 31 bakeries because of labor more than their bankruptcy that they are currently in. That's the people who bake the famous Hostess Twinkie golden sponge cake.

While I haven't had a Twinkie in years I went on the web and discovered that while there are no bakeries here in Dallas, they do have two "day old" stores. One was in Hurst, the other in Oak Cliff. There wasn't much difference in miles to either one of the two stores , but there was a big difference in traffic to one over the other so I gave the cat a hug, told her to be good and I headed out the door. By the time I got to the store, I was a few miles shy of Cowboys Stadium but about half again the distance to the Dallas -Ft. Worth National Cemetery. I like going there in the spring and also like visiting in the fall. So, with a right hand turn and a left hand turn, it was a straight shot our Keist Blvd. past Reverend Jake's Potter House (Whitney Houston's Funeral Speaker) which is just a large block from the Dallas Baptist University Campus. This campus sits on a massive hill overlooking  Mountain Creek  Lake but the spectacular draw for me is the architecture of it's buildings, especially the church that has the massive steeple. If you have ever been to Old Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina, the church up the hill from the market has one of those steeples. I wish I could find a place to park and just gaze upon the elements of the fantastic architecture. I did stop at the guard post house last spring and they said I could take pictures, just not from the grounds. Later, I ran into a retired professor who said to me, "who told you you couldn't take pictures?" He was rather disturbed to say the least, but I do understand to some degree---especially in today's society-- but the architecture is impressive and inspiring and I still want some shots from the grounds.

Almost got sidetracked-- but when you see those buildings....you need to make a turn onto Mountain Creek Parkway as the cemetery is adjacent to the university's property.

With a bag on the seat of the car full of Twinkie Boxes, here I am in between  several funerals. To me, it is an honour to be among those that fight for our freedom, even in death. Silently, from  one of the hill tops, I said a prayer for the fallen and their families.

Beauty and Honour

Looking toward the front gate, but the drive along the funeral route will leave your speachless.

Many times, I have written about how I end up coming up with an image. Never, have I been driven by a Hostess Twinkie Sponge Cake but as it turned out, I got my Twinkies and I got my shot, as unusual as it may be to have that kind of a driving force to end up in the National Cemetery. The death of a Twinkie Brand unnecessarily kind of runs parallel to an necessary death for a soldier.

Service Areas A-E  and Memorial Walk

 

Fall Afternoon of Potpourri Images

Old No. 7 to sick to travel on it's own,hence the hospital move.

Good grief, how long has that been there?

When days are free of appointments  from my medical friends who poke and jab and twist and probe their areas of expertise, I celebrate byspending the entire afternoon just looking at fall colors and light patterns. Surprisingly enough, I find some interesting things to photograph. I call those afternoons Potpourri Images. Here are a few.

A soccer ball on a rebuilt dock in late afternoon sunlight.

 

The Awesome Success of..........

the Klyde Warren Deck Park that is the new 5-acre park built over the Woodall Rodgers Freeway that had cut off Uptown from Downtown for years has now united the two parts of the city with success. The park was packed with people playing checkers, using putting greens, playing table tennis, using chess tables, throwing footballs,baseballs, spreading blankets for picnicking on the common areas, and doing a whole lot of eating from the many gourmet food trucks lined up on the downtown side People walking their pets, were everywhere and there was a birthday party happening,too. I was shocked to see that many people downtown in a park and it not being a parade or march or something political or civic.

Klyde Warren Deck Park

The key image of what a united Uptown and Downtown looks like.
Looking North into Uptown from the downtown side of the Klyde Warren Deck Park.

 

The bottom line is that it is safe to project that the new park is already a major success for Dallas. If today's crowd is any indication of what is to come from here on out.......just wait until the pavilion  is ready and the bands and performers begin to take the stage.

Jane's Lane in the Klyde Warren Deck Park.