Staying with my good friend McKenzie from school. She has been the first familiar face I have seen this entire journey. It was a nice relief. Her and I have a lot of the same friends, graduated at the same time, and belong to the same religion. Other than that, we are two completely different individuals. However, as Roger Clyne once wrote, "red boy, white boy, black boy, we all get the same blues." What we also have in common is the struggle to find good employment in a place where we want it. Its often times hard to get even just an interview with a place that we are way over qualified for. We also don't have to stay with our parents for the time being. But, what choice do we have these days.
McKenzie took me around Fort Worth. And I'll tell you some things about Texas if you have never been. Country music really sounds better when your in Texas. But not the sissy Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban country, but the outlaw texas country. Its like hearing birds chirping in the forest. Its the music's natural habitat. The sound just adds to the landscape.
The other thing about texas, is that they are very pro-texas. I have seen more Texas flags out here than I have seen people. I guess I should have suspected, but way more so than I ever could of imagined. The Texas flag is the Coca-Cola of Texas, on a much bigger scale. I am not sure if that is a tourist thing to make you like the place more. Or if there local pride is so strong, that it just comes off comical. But it is in every nook and cranny in Texas. They even have a pledge of allegence that they make their public schools say along with the U.S. pledge of allegiance. If I didn't know any better, I would think there is some barracks being formed some where that have dudes ready to arm themselves for when Texas sucedes from the Union. Civil War 2. This would not be the place to say anything bad about George W.
Most of the schools out here in Fort Worth have been cancelled due to fear of the new Swine Flu. I guess its the rage out here. Being on the road I haven't heard much about whats going on, but I guess I should be worried, but I don't have the patience to let a pandemic spoil my trip, not at this point.
McKenzie took me to a place called the Stock Yard, which is old west cowboy sort of drag that is filled with shops that sell Texas paraphelia and bars that only serve Jack Daniels. They have also some bulls that walk the streets twice a day and some other tourist trap stuff. I absolutely loved it. I bought into it, its fun. Just meandering about the town I fell in love with it almost instantly. This is the first place, I can imagine calling home some day. The town of Fort Worth is big, but not too big and its clean. Its the cleanest and safest and has the most character of any town I had ever been to.
We capped off the night by going to a place called Billy Bob's - the Worlds Largest Honky Tonk. There we watched a band play some serious wanking country on a real professional level, and we saw a bull ride/ rodeo. We had a pretty fun time together. Billy Bob's is a real trip. Its a bar technically, but they have children there. They have video games, pool tables slot machines, dance floor, and a bar b que eating area. They serve lots of alcohol, but it comes with a real family vibe....so to speak. The bulk of the crowd was scantilly clad country women with their western wear boy friends being proud to show off their girl showing off. Its really amusing to watch.
Just before the we walked out and said to ourselves, "we can now say we have been to the worlds largest Honky Tonk," we ran into a girl from a radio station I had just applied to that morning. She works from the promotions division and is hoping to get on air soon. She only had her job about a month, (which gives me hope that someone is hiring) and I told her what I was doing and she was slightly intrigued and was willing to listen to my air-check (demo). Then we talked shop about the music format they play which is Texas country. As it turns out, we listen to all of the same music and hate the same music. This was really good. She told me she would make sure her boss listens to the demo I sent him and that she would have some of the jocks give it a listen. She then told me, "your doing the right thing, sittin' on your parents couch gets you no where. You gotta jus meet people and network and git someone to lyke yoo. Just keep at it, I am happy to be doing something I love, I am doing much better than my friends who graduated from school right now. I just got out there and met the right people until I found my way. Good luck, I hope you find what y'er lookin' for." I formally introduced myself at this point and she did as well, she told me her name is "Becca Hardick" but she emphansized both syllables slowly in her last name . "Thats my honest to goodness name, not a radio name, Now, you will ne'er forgit it." She was right about that. I was glad to meet Ms..... Becca.
I had another good day, I had a lot of fun, and I made a decent connection. Not too shabby for one day in town. And it was really nice to have someone to share the experience with this time. We will see what Dallas holds for me.
Scripture: Enos 1:12
McKenzie took me around Fort Worth. And I'll tell you some things about Texas if you have never been. Country music really sounds better when your in Texas. But not the sissy Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban country, but the outlaw texas country. Its like hearing birds chirping in the forest. Its the music's natural habitat. The sound just adds to the landscape.
The other thing about texas, is that they are very pro-texas. I have seen more Texas flags out here than I have seen people. I guess I should have suspected, but way more so than I ever could of imagined. The Texas flag is the Coca-Cola of Texas, on a much bigger scale. I am not sure if that is a tourist thing to make you like the place more. Or if there local pride is so strong, that it just comes off comical. But it is in every nook and cranny in Texas. They even have a pledge of allegence that they make their public schools say along with the U.S. pledge of allegiance. If I didn't know any better, I would think there is some barracks being formed some where that have dudes ready to arm themselves for when Texas sucedes from the Union. Civil War 2. This would not be the place to say anything bad about George W.
Most of the schools out here in Fort Worth have been cancelled due to fear of the new Swine Flu. I guess its the rage out here. Being on the road I haven't heard much about whats going on, but I guess I should be worried, but I don't have the patience to let a pandemic spoil my trip, not at this point.
McKenzie took me to a place called the Stock Yard, which is old west cowboy sort of drag that is filled with shops that sell Texas paraphelia and bars that only serve Jack Daniels. They have also some bulls that walk the streets twice a day and some other tourist trap stuff. I absolutely loved it. I bought into it, its fun. Just meandering about the town I fell in love with it almost instantly. This is the first place, I can imagine calling home some day. The town of Fort Worth is big, but not too big and its clean. Its the cleanest and safest and has the most character of any town I had ever been to.
We capped off the night by going to a place called Billy Bob's - the Worlds Largest Honky Tonk. There we watched a band play some serious wanking country on a real professional level, and we saw a bull ride/ rodeo. We had a pretty fun time together. Billy Bob's is a real trip. Its a bar technically, but they have children there. They have video games, pool tables slot machines, dance floor, and a bar b que eating area. They serve lots of alcohol, but it comes with a real family vibe....so to speak. The bulk of the crowd was scantilly clad country women with their western wear boy friends being proud to show off their girl showing off. Its really amusing to watch.
Just before the we walked out and said to ourselves, "we can now say we have been to the worlds largest Honky Tonk," we ran into a girl from a radio station I had just applied to that morning. She works from the promotions division and is hoping to get on air soon. She only had her job about a month, (which gives me hope that someone is hiring) and I told her what I was doing and she was slightly intrigued and was willing to listen to my air-check (demo). Then we talked shop about the music format they play which is Texas country. As it turns out, we listen to all of the same music and hate the same music. This was really good. She told me she would make sure her boss listens to the demo I sent him and that she would have some of the jocks give it a listen. She then told me, "your doing the right thing, sittin' on your parents couch gets you no where. You gotta jus meet people and network and git someone to lyke yoo. Just keep at it, I am happy to be doing something I love, I am doing much better than my friends who graduated from school right now. I just got out there and met the right people until I found my way. Good luck, I hope you find what y'er lookin' for." I formally introduced myself at this point and she did as well, she told me her name is "Becca Hardick" but she emphansized both syllables slowly in her last name . "Thats my honest to goodness name, not a radio name, Now, you will ne'er forgit it." She was right about that. I was glad to meet Ms..... Becca.
I had another good day, I had a lot of fun, and I made a decent connection. Not too shabby for one day in town. And it was really nice to have someone to share the experience with this time. We will see what Dallas holds for me.
Scripture: Enos 1:12
WHile you are in Texas, you may want to look for Craig Biggio, Mike Scott, or Glen Davis. They may have a connection or two in the radio scene that Mike Gallego wouldn't. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteMy uncle loved Texas and would always say he was born in West Texas (instead of Arizona). I fell in love with Austin when we flew out to see him for a few short days after I got home off the mission, and going back for his funeral a month later was so sad for me. But because he loved it so much, Texas has won a new spot in my heart. I also had a comp from Texas, and she had a huge Texas flag up in our apartment in Morgantown. They sure do love their flag!
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