This weekend I went to my hometown to see the wedding of a good law school friend. About three years ago our criminal law professor had the class sit in alphabetical order and she was the person next to me. She answered, "Andover, Kansas...but you wouldn't know what that is, it's near Wichita, Kansas" when I asked where she was from. I live about a mile from Andover so a friendship was born.
On Saturday morning I woke up early so that I could go on a longer run before driving. I ended up running about 5 miles which made me a leave a little later. Still not late enough for me to ignore the eyesore that is the Winstar Casino at the Oklahoma side of the Oklahoma/Texas border. I had to go in there to see the place. About thirty minutes later, I left the place about 18 bucks poorer.
The good news is that Indian casinos really are as cool as they seem. Complete with everyone from Asian studs to those old ladies with their oxygen tanks to the biggest hicks you could ever imagine. The hicks are the real catch. I sat down next to one at the blackjack table. I will admit that I did sit at the end of the table which is an important seat. The dealer immediately welcomed me as "kiddo."
The guy next to me leaned over and warned, "You'd best know what you're doing, 'Kiddo.'" All of this was complete with those stupid quote signs on his fingers. The next deal scored him a blackjack so he seemed a little happier with me. I asked if he was from Texas or Oklahoma. He said that he was from Valley View, Texas. I asked him if his wife came out with him. Apparently his wife isn't all that religious and he has told her that he's going to church. The funniest answer ever was why she would think he is at church on a Saturday morning, "she ain't all that bright."
After losing that day, I returned the following day on my trip back. I left an hour later with about $160 bucks in my pocket. I won my money back and more.
I'm not sure I really need to defend the glory of Texas barbecue but I'll mention it. Instapundit (doesn't like Texas BBQ -- actively mocks it) http://instapundit.com/archives/026312.php contra blogHouston (of course realizes the glory in a good brisket bbq) http://www.bloghouston.net/item/2003. It's ridiculous.
Even if you don't like Howard Stern you can't deny that the guy has influenced a generation (or two at this point) of radio personalities. He's finally leaving regular FM radio. Nobody is going to be able to replace the charisma, the sly intellect, and the wonderful laughs that mostly anyone can find during an hour of Stern.
Is Jonathan Franzen destroying modern fiction? Of course not. He is a pretty easy target which is why Marcus picks him in Harper's Magazine. There isn't really anything wrong with what Franzen has written in either fiction or non-fiction. Actually, his fiction books are ok to read if not just a little hateful of his characters.
My football picks this week sucked incredibly. Dick Cheney messed up.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Driving Northbound
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