Seems unfinished by whatever

Two-dollar-and-fifty-cent wine is $2.50 for a reason. Weird smells are emanating from my glass; I know it's a clean glass so don't start. Smells of old clothes, really. I don't know what else to use to describe it. Guess that's what I get for trying something new.

Been playing drums a lot lately. Not really playing, but practicing. I'm getting a huge kick out of it and (no pun intended) am kicking myself for not doing this sooner. I just wish the lessons were a bit more affordable ($25 for 30 minutes). But if they were more affordable (like this wine) maybe that wouldn't be such a good thing, given the "quality" of the aforementioned drink.

Yeah, that's the problem on everyone's minds: the money doesn't roll in fast enough vs. how much you're spending. I'm pretty damn frugal and this still sucks. It's high time I get that second job I've been thinking about (pearl-diving) and get some spending cash. But whatever I do it's got to be worthwhile and enjoyable, hence the reason I've yet to get another part-time job: I'm being very picky this time around.

Blog Reloaded

Well here's my next blog, four months later as expected. Since Hurricane Ike is on its way I guess I'm obligated to write something. My dad and I are staying put, while my bro fled Downtown and my mom drove to Austin to stay with Alex (who's going to UT).

We've got our affairs in order for the most part: generators, valuables off the floor, boarded windows, etc. The icing on the cake was getting my new car on a makeshift ramp and into our elevated garage. The only reason I was contemplating going to Hill Country was to save my car from possible flood damage and that shouldn't be a problem now. I figure once my stuff's been secured, driving for three-plus hours isn't going to accomplish much. Leaving isn't going to stop my house from getting flooded, and staying isn't going to kill me.

The major bummer was that I had my Graduate Record Exam canceled. It was scheduled for today at 11 a.m. at the University of Houston's testing center, which is closed until Monday.

As for the GRE, I've decided to go back to school for a master's in sociology, then either go straight into social work or look for a professor job at a community college (where a Ph.D is not necessary). The one thing I realized towards the end of my undergraduate was that I like the discussions we had in those classes (particularly Social Psychology, i.e. social behaviorism) and would like to open people's minds in the same way. Reporting sports got old, however obvious that sounds, and at this point there are other things I want to do outside of a job, which I don't feel are possible if really devoting myself to making it in journalism. It's not something I feel like sacrificing all other aspects of my life for anymore, and having accepted that is quite a feeling.

Not much else going on; just hunkering down in Houston before the storm. By the way, I don't want to here the phrase "hunker down" again during this storm, the news anchors need to retire that one. Just watching my dad flip endlessly through satellite channels (on top of that, it's too freaking loud because he can't here so well anymore). The hurricane hasn't been bad so far. Aside from some wind, the only really bad thing that's happened was when I accidentally erased my brother's entire music library from his iBook (the one I'm currently typing on). iTunes was open and the power cord came loose; for some reason that wiped out everything.

Hopefully I'll write more often from now on. Just haven't felt like putting down my thoughts for some time.

cool audio on a.d.h.d.

found these audio interviews on ny times, different perspectives on ADHD and ways to live w/ it

Great show

Just got back from seeing Iron Maiden in SA with Vidal. What a show; it was awesome to hear some of those songs live. Never in my life did I think I'd ever hear "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "Revelations," "Wasted Years" and "Powerslave" at a Maiden show, but this Somewhere Back in Time Tour was a blast. Don't have photos though. I'll try to get some tonight at the Houston show.

Test clog

test clog

What it this place?...Oh yeah, my blog.

Jeez it's been a long time (since I've blogged). I've totally stopped updating 'accounts.' It just boiled down to work at H Texas, work at Carmax, then play video games/hang at Eric's/watch something. Now just waiting for the H Texas party to start. I'll be leaving (in my new Matrix, never mentioned that) for that in a while.

I should be getting some of my time back now that the internship's ending, but I'd rather just find a new job. Just applied to be a copy editor at the Chronicle. I'd like to think I could get that one. I know I'm good enough. My family always joked that I should be an inspector and in a way that's what editing copy is.

My Resume

Click image to view

Just waiting for people to wake up at my old apartment in san marcos. Had a great time at emily's art show/b-day party. Great to see old U. Star people.

cool article on 1up.com

It's about the lamest, most useless "power-ups" in video games. Pretty funny.

-playing: TR: Legends (XBOX)
-reading: No Man's Land by Greg Rucka

first post

Here's my CD review on Blogcritics. Obviously not a hard story to write, but it was the first one listed on Google. Eh? Eh? Cool, right?

Music Review

This is my first article I wrote for Blogcritics.org. I signed up for that and they gave me 24 hours to turn a story in, so I decided to review a CD by Galloglass I recently got off Amazon. The site sounds cool and I can start writing different things I want to write, so we'll see how it goes. Anywho...

Galloglass
Legends from Now and Nevermore
2003, LMP

In the vein of Helloween, Gamma Ray and countless other European power metal bands, German act Galloglass is not breaking new ground. But despite this, the group’s debut album, Legends from Now and Nevermore, still manages to stick out among other double-bass-infused mania.

The songs are up-tempo, the vocal register is high and lyrics center on dragons and battles as per the genre, but Galloglass’ trump card and distinguishing feature is the violin, played by Hartmut Richter on the album. And while many insist there is no place for violins, keyboards, etc. in true metal, I’ve always enjoyed this more than the traditional rock approach. It makes the music more interesting and developed.

And Galloglass delivers in that aspect. The violin winds in and out of several songs and is never too intrusive, but is used enough to validate its inclusion rather than coming off as a gimmick. Richter plays off Norbert Geiseler’s and Kai Muhlenbruch’s classic NWOBHM-esque solos like a third guitar, as each musician picks up where the other left off. Picture adding a violin to Iron Maiden’s presentation with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith and you have a good idea of the Galloglass formula.

The album kicks off with a subtle spoken passage in “Dragons Revenge” before exploding forth with crunchy riffs and a high-pitched wail from singer Carsten Frank. It’s a good indication of the solo-heavy attack that is to come.

Frank holds his own as well, sounding a bit like Fabio Lione from Rhapsody of Fire. The vocals aren’t as high as most in the field, which is a good thing here. Galloglass next serves up “Ancient Times,” one the of album’s standout tracks. This is mostly due to Muhlenbruch’s ability to get the most out of a slow and heartfelt solo during the bridge. Midway through is the title track, a heavier rocker that intros with punctuated notes and follows with a catchy chorus and backing vocals.

Other highlights include “The Conjuring” and “The Quest.” The former changes rhythms throughout the song, while the latter sounds like an acoustic folk tune from the Middle Ages. In all Legends from Now and Nevermore is a very good album, above-average power metal that will appeal to those who already enjoy this music. The drumming doesn’t stand out for the most part, relying too heavily on simple double-bass 16th notes. But it’s still a quality release, and makes me excited about what the band will do in the future (which hopefully includes a tour in the Unites States).

Latest 'H' article

My latest article appears in the May issue of H Texas magazine. It's about professional sports charity foundations in Houston. Logically, it will appear in the 'Charity' section of the mag.

Foundations on the Home Front
By Chris Boehm
Top photo courtesy Houston Rockets
Backe photo courtesy Stephen O'Brien

Brandon Backe is not a magician or master of mysterious arts. However, he and other local athletes still manage to better the lives of Houstonians.

Through the Astros in Action foundation, the pitcher and some teammates visited a comatose teenager in a hospital; two weeks later the child awoke in good health. The attending nurses said they had never seen such a response.

“He never saw us come. I don’t know what happened and I’m not going to say I’m a witch doctor,” says Backe, who provided the boy and his grandparents a trip to a ballgame, autographs and time in the locker room. “I don’t look at myself as different, but for others to look up to me feels pretty good.”

The Astros, Rockets, Texans and Dyanmo have foundations providing for needy Houstonians. “Many of our players come from similar backgrounds and didn’t live privileged lives,” says Sarah Joseph, Rockets director of community services. “We’ve always had a good group of guys. That’s just the culture of the Rockets.”

Joseph works with the Clutch City Foundation, established by Rockets owner Les Alexander in 1995. The foundation has raised $8 million since its inception and supports, court refurbishment, education and the Sunshine Kids, a program assisting cancer-stricken children.

The Clutch City Foundation partners with players’ individual efforts, such as Steve Francis’ scholarship donations to the Boys & Girls Club and Tracy McGrady’s softball tournaments to assist HISD school renovations. “Our players are very involved,” Joseph says. “We have the resources, and we view it as a responsibility.”

The Astros take this responsibility to heart. Backe, a Galveston native, is the spokesperson for Grand Slam for Youth Baseball and participates in Astros in Action. “It’s a good feeling personally to create goodness around your own community,” Backe says. “[Being from the area] helps tremendously; I’m always readily available for the team.”

Each year the Astros provide scholarships, refurbish baseball fields and raise money for youth leagues to revitalize the game in inner cities. “I think with inner city kids, baseball is being overridden by basketball and football,” Backe says. “This is because it’s easier; you just buy a basketball [or football], whereas to field a baseball team, you need nine players, nine different gloves. In that way baseball has gotten away from the inner city kids.”

The Houston Texans Foundation has raised $1.4 million since 2001, and the franchise is the United Way of Greater Houston’s top per capita supporter, having raised $500,000 for the organization in 2007. The foundation partners with the NFL and assists other charities. Efforts include Tackling Prostate Cancer, fitness programs and work with the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. “That helps out the whole Gulf Coast region,” says Nicole Streeter, the Texans director of community development. “We want to help anyone we can that is a fan, could be or should be a fan.”

The strong focus on local involvement has done much for Houstonians’ relationship with the team. “Children and even grownups come up to me just because I play football,” says offensive lineman Chester Pitts. “I wouldn’t have a job if it wasn’t for them so anytime I can help I’m all for it.”

Pitts, an original Texans member, has teamed with the Houston Texans Foundation to support the Family Services of Greater Houston, Junior Player Development Program and “Teach for America,” where players read the elementary classes. “If you’re in a position to inspire and share with people what you’ve learned along the way, why not do it?” he says. “At the end of the day it doesn’t hurt you, and you’re doing a great service.”

The Dynamo, already a two-time Major League Soccer champion, has also come to Houston’s aid. Dynamo Charities provides programs to encourage reading at schools, as well as host food and soccer equipment drives.

The soccer team gives Houston two major franchises with league championships. And while the baseball diamond and gridiron have yet to be conquered, all four teams have found their greatest triumphs off the field.

SIDEBAR

In March the Rockets held their annual Tux & Tennies Gala. Proceeds went to the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to help build Phase II of the Biamba Maria Mutombo Hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is the second time the event has benefited Mutombo’s foundation; the Rockets’ focus is primarily on local service but an exception was made for the team’s center. “You only have to meet Dikembe to know why [the Rockets are helping him],” Joseph says. “He believes he was born to build that hospital. He believes that’s why he was given the opportunity to play basketball. When you see a player invest that much into it, you know it’s going to be built, and we wanted to be a part of that.”

The End of an Era

This is a shout-out to cheeseheaddx@yahoo.com, which no longer exists in the Internet world as of 9:59 US Central Time.

You were there for me from the beginning, Deluxe Cheesehead, but it was time for me to move on. I'll never forget all the times we shared, though: Paypal confirmations, answered questions regarding eBay items, saved sent items with school projects and countless spam I never opened (but it still touched us all in some way). I'm eternally grateful for your services in these regards.

But as I grew older I felt we grew apart. Yes, I'm still a Cheesehead and Packer fan through and through; that will never leave me. But I started to realize I didn't need to scream it to the world (or the receiver of my message) every time I had a question regarding an item. There comes a time when a little more professionalism is needed.

So it is with a bittersweet heart I announce the culmination of your technological lifespan and introduce the world to crb1238@yahoo.com. This new address will honor you while upholding the standard you left us. I have already revamped my Gmail account (deleting hundreds of e-mails) as part of this new approach and, sadly, your demise was merely the next logical step.

But your legacy lives on. In addition to residing on the same Web site, memorable e-mails such as "mc 2374," "SA pics," "proj in pdf" and "must read this money tipper" were forwarded to crb1238 just before your termination. You were giving right until the very end; I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less, really.

It's only been a few minutes and already I miss you. This new crb1238 comes complete with weather updates, news feeds, advertisements and even custom colorization. But it feels hallow compared to your no-nonsense presentation of my inbox. I guess I'll accept it eventually, maybe even learn to love it. I'll try, because I know you'd want me to.

And now I say goodbye for the last time, cheeseheaddx. May you find the happiness in the Internet afterlife that you deserve.

Update for all who care

Not that I'm feeling down, just a title that pays homage to something I wrote a long time ago, can't really remember what. You, know...inside jokes, man. Been really busy lately, that's why I haven't blogged about anything; nothing interesting is happening. I work 55+ hours a week between the internship and Carmax, so when I'm off I don't always feeling like doing anything cool (unless you count video games as cool).

Should be getting an AircheckTexas voucher any day now. I completed my paperwork and faxed it in Monday. They said it takes four days. And then its goodbye Maxima. I like that car, but it's time is up and I can't wait to get a new car. It'll be the first I've ever financed, so it's a cool feeling (the part about being able to pay for a car, not giving money away). The best part is that with a sweet new ride I can take a trip to San Marcos to see my pals and not have to worry about my car's transmission giving up on me. I like being back in Houston but sometimes I feel like this really isn't my place anymore and I'd be more at home in SM. There's just not much going on for me here, and why would there be after spending almost five years somewhere else?

I'll be leaving for New Orleans tomorrow, hitching a ride with my former prof, Sue Weill, for the Society of Professional Journalist convention. I'm going to be part of a presentation that shows why the Doctors Without Borders exhibit in downtown Houston prepared me to cover a crisis zone. I'll try to have fun with that. Hopefully I can get some downtime, because I'm tired of taking on one thing after another and would like to just zone out for a while. But it'll be a few more weeks until the internship is over, and then I'll go back to just 40 hours. That's sounds good. Not that I don't like working with the people at H Texas, because they are all cool, from the designers, ed staff, advertising, everyone. We've gone out after work a couple times and it's been fun. But I have too many things I want to do outside of a daily job to be investing almost 60 hours a week to work-related stuff.

new article

This is a piece on Recipe for Success, an organization improving the diet and nutrition of Houston-area children through elementary school education. It will appear in the H Texas April edition. Photos courtesy of Recipe for Success.

By Chris Boehm

Forget the three Rs. For Houston elementary students, it could soon be four: reading, writing, (a)rithmetic and rotisserie.

Recipe for Success is in its second academic year serving five pilot HISD elementary schools: Briscoe, Gross, MacGregor, NQ Henderson and Sylvan Rodriguez. The program fights child obesity by instilling positive and healthy eating habits. “I was concerned with the level of junk food marketed toward children. It’s still alarming,” says organization founder and chairman Gracie Cavnar, who began developments 12 years ago. In Texas, 75 percent of adults could be overweight (excess amount of body weight) or obese (excess amount of body fat) by 2040. In 2005, 29 percent of high school students were overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.

Recipe for Success includes after-school cooking lessons, gardening and a dinner club. But the flagship service is Chefs in Schools, a program made possible through Cavnar’s connections with top culinary artists in Houston, including Chef Monica Pope of T’afia. The two would often discuss how to fight childhood obesity. “I used to joke [that] a lot of people talk,” Pope says. “But five years later [Cavnar] said ‘OK, I’m ready.’” Pope jumped on board immediately.

Last year Cavnar and Pope, the latter a co-chief chef on the organization’s advisory board, recruited top chefs from the city to start Recipe for Success. This year there are more than 40 chefs working in the program, including 24 teaching culinary classes to more than 450 fourth-graders. Chefs such as Robert Del Grande, Lance Fegen, Andrea Lazar and Randy Evans stress the idea that food comes from somewhere besides a box or can, and format easy-to-follow, practical recipes. Some dishes have just five ingredients.

Recipes include pumpkin soup, baked chicken nuggets with homemade ketchup and whole grain pasta. In all, more than 120 recipes have been developed during the program’s two years. “Last year, I did more cooking in front of them,” Pope says. She also encourages students to help prepare the recipes. “We’ve done a lot of salads where they try different types of lettuce. We had them make their own dressing to understand proper proportion of acid to oil. And normally they wouldn’t be exposed to other types of dressings besides ranch. It’s just [about] better choices.”


After a year-and-a-half with the fourth grade classes, it’s clear the program makes a difference. The Texas Department of State Health Services reports during the 2004-2005 academic year, 42 percent of fourth-graders were overweight or at risk of being overweight. But Cavnar says a Baylor College of Medicine study completed in December showed a reversal of trend in connection with Recipe for Success. Data was collected from area elementary students, including those in Cavnar’s pilot program. The schools with Recipe for Success were the only ones not to show an increase in overweight elementary students from year to year. “The data was so jaw-dropping that the researchers had to double check their findings,” Cavnar says. “It’s not rocket science. If you engage children in experimenting and learning, they will try to assimilate it into their everyday behavior. All moms know that.”

Other schools have requested Cavnar’s service, but Recipe for Success has strived to keep the program, which costs approximately $100,000 per location, at five pilot schools to iron out wrinkles. “It means a lot (to be a part of the pilot program),” says MacGregor principal Patricia Allen. “It puts us a step above the other schools with nutrition. It’d be great to get it into middle schools. They have home economics classes, but this is way more intense.”

Next year Recipe for Success will sell bound curriculum to schools and plans to train nutrition professionals to teach the material. Cavnar says the program will look to create “a la carte” packages that will serve as lessons for the classes. Plans also include a downtown Nutritional Education Center, which is about 18 months away from completion and will serve more than 27,000 children once completed.

After making headway in the kitchen, Cavnar plans to carry her message to the living room. Recipe for Success is working with PBS and The Discovery Channel to produce a television show hosted by Evans and children. With guest chefs and experts, the broadcast will include field trips to grocery stores and restaurants to encourage healthy eating habits. The show is in pre-production and doesn’t have a title. “You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to name a show,” Cavnar jokes. “But it’s going to be national so we have to be careful what we name it.”

The demographic of the show will be ages 6 to 11. Data shows children who develop good eating habits by age 11 can avoid a lifetime of diet and weight problems. “We’re catching them at a time when we they can learn and absorb,” Pope says. “It may not change their life right now but [it could] down the road when they’re 18 or 21.” In addition to a potential lifetime of heart and health problems, studies also link diets high in sugar and fat to poor academics. Recipe for Success attempts to combat this trend with a “seed-to-plate” curriculum – more fascinating than the “seed-to-plant” education taught in most science classes. “From what I see, it does have an effect,” Allen says. “In science class there’s always something where you plant a seed and you see the bean grow. With [seed-to-plate], you see a real interest because they don’t just have a bean, but something they can eat.”

The key to the Recipe for Success model, says Cavnar, is implementation. “What I discovered was there was a lot of research on the shelf – teaching material and data – but not much data for implementation,” she says. “That’s where it falls down and where we decided to pick up the gauntlet: at the school level, mentoring and teaching in-school personnel how to go about this."


Recipe for Success’ level of implementation varies by school. At Sylvan Rodriguez Cavnar operates a full ancillary program, which provides 20 hours of instruction during the year to all 1,050 students at the school. And daily after-school classes are available for all grade levels at MacGregor, where Allen says the program has been more popular than older pre-established ones. Gardening classes are also available for all grade levels at all five schools.

The Recipe for Success Foundation
1401 McKinney, Ste. 925
Houston, TX 77010
713-307-7005
www.recipe4success.org

Goodbye Sam

So we had Sam put to sleep this evening. We went to an emergency clinic after he started gagging and moaning in my room. It was a sign that it was time. It feels like this isn't really my life right now, because the life I know is one where he's alive and looking out the window as I pull into the driveway.

Mom brought his collar out to bury with him. It was weird, because that jangly sound it made when she carried it was his sound, heard for the last time. I put a milk cap ring in there, something he was always finding on the floor and playing with.

Sam, I love you very much and am forever thankful you wandered into my life. You were a member of the family and a good friend, and I'll always remember you. I don't think we'll ever know what happened and I'm sorry you were in pain and I couldn't help. We probably should have done this earlier but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I guess I wasn't strong enough to make that decision.

We buried him right outside the wall of Alex's room. I picked it because he was always standing by the window of that wall, watching outside in the front yard. We didn't let him out much because we were afraid something might happen to him or he could get lost after living at another house for the earlier years of his life. At least he's finally outside that window, where he always longed for.

RIP Samuel Kratt Cat

Sam's not looking so good

I'd say he only has a few days left, and I almost expect him to pass any minute now. I don't know. I've never had to deal with anyone (human or not) slowly dying from a disease. But the way he doesn't meow and the way he does lets me know he's not feeling good at all. I think we'll be putting him down Monday. I wish we didn't have to wait. He's almost non-responsive to anyone, other than a meak tail swish or head turn.

I know Sam's had a good life and we loved him, but I'm indifferent now as to whether or not I'll ever get any more pets. It does get an animal off the street, but I really hate having to deal with this, let alone doing it another time.

I know...I'm a terrible blogger

I just haven't felt like writing lately. I've even been bad at keeping up with my 'Accounts,' and that's just a few quick lines about every-day boring stuff. I've been so busy with the internship/work I haven't had much time to do anything out of the ordinary. But I don't really mind. I need experience and money. Plus this keeps me busy so I don't have to try to make up things to do.

Just found out Sam might have liver cancer. From what I'm told, if that's the case then there's nothing we can do for him. We have to hope it's merely inflammation and that the medicine and IV start working. The thing that upsets me the most is that I want to tie this to something; I want to find where we went wrong, so that it at least makes sense. To think that it's just out of our control is infinitely aggravating.

Alex is coming home this weekend for a visit so that's cool. Haven't seen him since he went back to UT for the start of the spring semester. Maybe I can switch Friday shifts with somebody before it's too late of notice; I'd like to have the afternoon and evening off when he gets into town. And we'll actually be able to do something on Sunday now that the football season is over...who watches the Pro Bowl?

What a waste

Oh man, what a game! The Packers really came ready to play...not really. This is rediculous. I have no idea why they never got it together. The game was just one mistake after another. The Packers really could have caught a break late in the 4th after a short punt by Ryan, but man did Jared Bush screw up. Why would he try to pick up R.W. McQuarters' fumble when the ball is as hard to control as it is once it's rolling on the ground? You have to fall on it - end of story.

Another big bungle was Nick Collins' late hit penalty on 3rd down. Led to a Giants TD. These are just two examples in a Packers' effort that included wayward passes, no committment to the running game, penalties and phantom flags courtesy of the officials.

The worst thing about this: As young and talented as Green Bay is, it's no sure thing the Packers will get this close again, with this group of players. So what a fantastic end to a great opportunity. This loss makes me the least excited to watch the Super Bowl as I can ever remember, b/c its just a reminder of today's failings.

back to Lambeau

This morning before the football games I read Bill Simmons' column on ESPN regarding his picks for the week. It was a day old but it also included a mini-rant on pre-game shows on TV these days. And I'm glad others feel the way I do. The quality is definitely not there, and when I do turn to the show, it's out of habit, not that I think I'll really see something interesting or informative. And I couldn't agree more about the number of former players that shuffle through the stations. Just too many talking heads these days. Many don't bring anything to production. There are other good points too, and it's pretty funny. I'd recommend it.

So it looks like the Packers won't have to travel to Dallas for the NFC championship; they get to host the Giants after NY beat the Cowboys. That's good but I'd have liked Favre to go out with a win (finally) in Dallas. Oh well. I think the Pack's quick, short passing game will match-up well against the Giants' defensive pressure.

Back to work tomorrow, and my first day (orientation) at Carmax. Looking forward to it.

A few days late

Time for my New Years resolutions, or whatever they're really called now that its Jan. 5. Anyways these aren't really for the new year per say, but now's as good a time as any. In no particular order (and by no means a complete list):

1. give up caffeine entirely
2. eat at a restaurant no more than twice a week
3. learn to play guitar
4. get a job helping people
5. exercise at least three times a week
6. buy no video games until I've played or sold the ones I have
7. #6 applied to books as well

Thank you. Now are you ready for some football?