escapee

One big recyling no-no is styrofoam. Nobody will take it.

We used to have a business on Studewood and did lots of shipping. We got nice, strong boxes from Houston Aquatics, the pet/fish store on Shepherd. The only problem was.....live fish came in them, so they had styrofoam liners -- a box with a flat lid. I called everywhere trying to recycle these liners. To no avail.

I put them out by the street hoping passersby would take/steal them. No luck. I had three 8 ft. stacks of them.

Finally, I had a brainstorm. Just before the 4th of July on year, I put them back out with signs that said "Free Coolers." Gone in one day. Approach is everything.

In the last 6 months or so, Brookshire's and HEB have been selling a pre-packaged 93/7 fat to lean ratio ground beef that has a totally different color and texture. It is a deeper pink, almost like it is bruised. The texture is more ahesive. Strange.

Has anyone else handled ground beef that seemed odd?

I like this picture. It has arrows pointing out the cars which are only partially visible. Has anyone ever driven down West Gray and checked their watches for missing minutes?

During my party days (nights) I traveled W Gray frequently. I can personally attest to the fact that lots of minutes and even more brain cells have been lost, and never regained, on that street. I do remember ham steaks and fried potatoes and One's A Meal. It was much better going down that coming up, if you know what I mean.

It would be such a shame for those "end of the universe" shops to shut down. That's such a funny blurb. And to think I've wasted so many years wondering about the beginning and the end........... Of course, there were no Starbucks back then when the Parlor and Blythe Spirits and Rockefeller's were my haunts. The old folks were right when they said that youth is wasted on the young!

Bo Diddley died today.

I worked at Rockefeller's Premier Showcase Nightclub way back when. My office was up on the 3rd floor next to Colleen Fischer, one of the talent buyers.

Bo Diddley was scheduled to play that night. About noon, a disreputable looking fellow came to my door and asked to see Don Gomez, who had booked him. Not being musically literate, I asked him who he was. He replied, "I'm mumble mumble mumble." So, I asked him again, and this time I understood "Bo Diddley." So, I sent him down to Don's office. Then I hear this gale of laughter coming from Colleen's office thru the connecting door. "Not only did you not know who he was, you had to ask him twice.!"

His backup band was Jerry Lightfoot, who is no longer with us. It was a really good show that night. And a good beginning on my musical education.

I hope he rests in peace. Seems he didn't find much of it while he was here.

That was first opened as a Marriott Courtyard. The units were apartment-like. I've noticed some construction between Kroger and S. Braeswood, but I'm not sure what it's going to be. I'm sure it will be some form of retail.

I worked there..........what........27 years ago when it first opened. It was Residence Inn from the beginning. The concept was really good, small units with tiny kitchens or two story studios with fireplace and full kitchen. The front units were occupied while the ones farther back were being built. The construction people were from up north, mostly young, and pretty wild. Crazy times back then. I actually remember some of them.

http://www.google.com/virgle/

http://www.google.com/jobs/lunar_job.html

Can you imagine WORKING with these people? Lordy, this is funny.

Ansewr to WHAT ? Making a billionaire even more billions, by being a Guinea Pig for him ??? No thanks.

APRIL FOOLS !!!!!!!!!! I guess this wasn't quite as funny as I thought it was. Nobody I sent it to has caught on to the hoax.

perhaps this one is better http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html

Also a good reference, but I am referring to the part in "FC" where they hold the diplomat in the bathroom and explain to him the facts of life as to who he and his crew were and not to come looking for them. Also the part in "FC" where the waiter tells them NOT to order the soup today. Waiters have very good memories for bad tippers, and they would gladly give him/her a complimentary bowl of "tainted" soup.

On that happy note........I knew a flight attendant who would get even with difficult passengers by taking the pancakes and rubbing them along the rim of the toilet before serving them. Now THAT is EVIL!!!!

......you're reclining in bed with your laptop propped up on your thighs, you need to go pee, but you keep putting it off to read just "one more thread." ..........I'll be right back.

I need a garage. I have a huge lot (28k) and want to put a garage at the back of the lot. I cannot stop thinking of how to use cargo containers. Was thinking of 2 20ft.containers spaced 16 ft apart and a flat roof/between the two, or pitched over the whole thing. I love the art building in the Heights (on 11th) and it actually looks very nice. A new 20 ft container is 2700$. 8ft wide and 8ft tall. They weight 4800lbs, so they could even be put on blocks. I would have the containers for storage and the space in between for the cars. The containers would provide the support for any roof structure. Anyone else have some ideas with these containers...and yes,I have seen all the other websites. Google cargotecture and there are a alot, but nothing like I am thinking. Any input is appreciated.

Great idea. We live in the Piney Woods of North East Texas and have 2 containers with a roof over them. They were both used and delivered up here for about $1500 each. Both 40 ft long. Eventually we will paint them to match. We have 22 acres in the country so nobody to complain about the colors that aren't the same. Anyway, the roof we had done is free standing on poles between the containers. The roof is slanted to the back to accomodate runoff from rain and snow. My husband has two boats parked under there side by side. Inside the containers he has stored lots of cra.....I mean, his precious treasures. Soon, tho, he will sell the boats and park the RV under there. "Soon" as in "Jesus is coming SOON." LOL

Smokers are addicts. Non-recovering addicts are selfish, self-centered people. Their world is centered around them. Hence, their right to pollute the enovironment at will, with smoke, ashes, and butts. Trying to reason with them is like going to a dry well and expecting to get water.

Kudos to you, Dad, for being willing to pick up others' litter.

While we are on the subject of smokers.............parents who smoke in the presence of their children are guilty of child abuse. When I see kids trapped in a car with smoke, I want to cry for those poor, innocent little ones. They have no choice in the matter and no advocate.

Good topic.

So, this mailman brought the mail to this one house at Christmas, when the door opened and the sultry woman of the house was standing there in a sheer nightie. She took his hand and pulled him into the house and into the bedroom. There she took off his clothes, threw him on the bed and had her way with him.

After he dressed, she took him into the kitchen where there was a wonderful breakfast waiting for him. He ate with gusto.

When he was finished eating, she put a dollar bill beside his plate.

Puzzled, he asked what was going on.

She replied, "Last night I asked my husband what to give you for Christmas. He said, 'F**k the mailman.' The dollar was my idea."

I taught dancing at Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire back in my misplaced youth. That would have been 35 years ago at the Murray studio on Gray. It was a small operation. The big one was Astaire's in the Windsor Plaza. I taught at the sister studio in South Houston on College St. It was really big business back then, with studios fleecing old ladies out of their life savings. Since I'm felmale, I was never in on such goings-on, but I saw plenty.

I also saw some beautiful dancing. They had semi-yearly competitions that were "to die for." That job was were I learned to drink (thanks alot!) and met gay people for the first time. What an eye-opener for a girl from a tiny town in Missouri.

Anybody else out there who "pounded the boards"?

Ah, the Porno Picnic. I almost remember. Yes, here it is. The OOze Brothers, Mongo and Lloyd, street comedians, were everywhere back then. One of the brothers got up on stage totally naked to make a speech, opened his mouth, and muttered, "Too many drugs, can't talk." He still got a hearty cheer. There were some sights to see: a tall woman in dominatrix garb leading around a very good-looking young man who was wearing only a speedo and a dog collar with a long chain; two-/threesomes doing whatever their sunburned skin could stand to do; a building with XXX rated movies going on. And the whole time, the cops waiting outside the fence to catch anybody breaking the law as they left. Needless to say, many people hung around inside the grounds until very late.

There were alway lots of Animals at any party back then, but I don't remember them organizing the Porno Picnic. I only went to one, and it turned out to be the last one. One of the brothers, I think it was Lloyd had a birthday party every year at Club Hey Hey or the Bon Ton Room. It was the Bruce Henry Davis Yearly Going Out of Business Sale. What a hoot THOSE parties were.

I think I'm losing brain cells just thinking about all that drinking.

Anybody else remember those times?

Pappas brothers had the two Dot Shops first, Gulfgate and downtown, then the first two Brisket Houses, Gulfgate and downtown. They had the Strawberry Patch, followed by Circus, which didn't make it and they changed it to Pappadeaux. After the Circus came the first Pappas Seafood at Sharpstown. Then the ball really got rolling. I worked for them way back when and helped Chris Pappas put together the Circus. The Pappas family is very hard working and deserves all the success they have gotten. It was not unusual to see Chris or Harris filling in for an absent cook or eating his lunch with the busboys. Harris's twin sister, Vicky, started a business making uniforms for the family's restaurants' employees and also awnings. Chris told me that when they were putting together the Patch, awnings were so expensive, he decided to make his own. So, he bought a used industrial sewing machine and got after it. Good people.

Isn't that the place where when you first walked in there was a small entryway with a cashier behind glass who would take your cover fee then hit a switch that would unlock the door? Then, when you opened the door, a loud buzzer would go off and all eyes would focus on who walked in. I was there once with a student of mine (I taught ballroom dance). The was no ballroom dancing, but plenty of BARroom dancing. Mostly just "clutch and sway."

Whew! Glad to see what this topic is really about. For a minute there I was afraid it was about me and my friends back when we waited tables in the nightclubs on Market Square in the 70's-80's. With pictures of us sitting on the curb while the sun came up. It's a wonder we have any brain cells left!

Fence, big fence.

There is a regular cyclone fence there, but it certainly doesn't hide anything. These people have "tent" sales on their driveway pretty often and throw the no-sale broken crap in the back. Clothes, riding toys, dishes, you name it. I don't know what's happening with them, but the place is filthy, much worse than it used to be.

It's so frustrating being 4 hours away and not able to take care of things firsthand. The Realtor says it's being show twice later this week. I'm hoping the prospective buyers can see the potential beyond next door.

That area is very up-and-coming. The Glass Wall, 11th St Cafe, and I heard a rumor that Walgreen's is thinking about building on the corner of 11th and Studewood. And perhaps Landry's will do something with the Someburger property. Anybody heard anything new?

Aren't you the same guy with the noise issues?

I feel for you.

Just call the neighborhood association. Hopefully you have guidelines they have to adhere to.

Well...........I'm a "gal," and I haven't written in about any noise. We've been out of Houston for 2.5 years now.

Thanks for the advice. Those two rats I saw were pretty darn big, alright!

Property is sold. Glory be! Thanks for letting me blow off steam and for all the good advice. This site RULES!

We are trying to sell our commercial/residential property at 1024 Studewood. The neighbors to the south have a mess on their driveway and junk piled in the back yard. "Stuff" piled knee to waist high. There have to be rats and who-knows-what-else back there. I called the city 2 months ago and reported it, but we came into town last weekend, and the mess is still there. It's a rental property and the landlord doesn't give a fat rat's wisker. Used to be, when we had the Heights substation, the officers came out and ticketed people for junk cars and such.

We really want to sell the place, we are even using a Realtor, but I need advice on how to make the ajoining property less ugly. Any ideas?

It would be great for a cottage industry business/home. Even has a warehouse in back.

Any advice is welcome.

There's other types of flight than that of butterflies, like flight from the City to smaller environs.

That's where my name comes from. 2.5 years ago, we "escaped" from Houston up to NE Texas and we LOVE it up here. Any other emmigrants from Houston to elsewhere?

How can people be "laid back" with loud, live music playing?

I used to run the door at Club Bojangles and under it La Bastille. Killer music, man. Wayne Cochran, the blue eyed king of soul, Buddy Rich, Fats Domino, The New Christy Minstrels. One night at La Bastille a bum-looking fellow came down to the club so I doubled the door fee to try to keep him out. A minute later the bar manager came running to the door asking me if I had charged the man. I proudly told him the story. He said, "You can't charge him - that's Woody Herman!"

After hours we used to go down to The Cellar and take our own bottle so we could drink. The picture on this site of The Cellar makes it look much nicer and hipper that I remember. It was very rundown, no live band, fleabitten sleeping bags on the floor, and the "entertainment" was local hookers who strutted, in a wobbly fashion, their stuff on the runway, stripping at they went.

I'm amazed that those brain cells are still there and functioning.

Is this the question thread or the poem thread ?

What do you mean?