Neon Poisoning

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Night Court

2011-11-09T23:00:00.001-06:00

Houston Skyline and 1910 Courthouse, originally uploaded by telwink.

Seen on the Road: Get to Know Me

2011-10-22T09:01:00.000-05:00

"Handsome Smart Funny & Modest" - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Seen on the Road: Harry Potter Hummer Fan

2011-09-30T19:38:00.000-05:00

Harry Potter Fan Hummer - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Bumper sticker = "My Other Car is a Nimbus 2000"

Houston Fine Art Fair Recap: With Favorites

2011-09-24T10:01:00.001-05:00

Houston has the reputation of a distant relative you don't really know well, but makes lots of money, buys expensive clothes in poor taste, and gets loud when they drink too much. The success of the first Houston Fine Art Fair, at the George R. Brown Convention Center, might make our city appear more cultured in national and international eyes.

I was there for three of the days, due to a new job. The usual snappy dressers with nice cars were well-represented, but moderately priced tickets also had local curiosity seekers walking around. The few that I talked to were impressed with the scale and appearance of the booths. Houston galleries in attendance looked great, with their exhibiting artists looking right in place neighboring national and international galleries all around. Houston high-tech artist William Betts had pieces in two out-of-state galleries, which was my introduction to him. His art is fine; it's his automated, CNC router that makes his pieces that keeps my interest.

Even if the job doesn't take me to the upcoming Texas Contemporary Art Fair, I hope to attend, just to compare and contrast.

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Lionel Bawden - "The Amorphous Ones (The Spirit of Repetition)" 1 - Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Lionel Bawden - "The Amorphous Ones (The Spirit of Repetition)" 2 - Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Lionel Bawden - "The Amorphous Ones (The Spirit of Repetition)" 3 - Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Devorah Sperber - "After Grant Wood 1" 2 - Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Mark Wagner - "The Land of Milk and Honey" - Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Mark Wagner - "The Land of Milk and Honey" Detail 1 - Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Mark Wagner - "The Land of Milk and Honey" Detail 2 - Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Oksana Mas - "BWM" from the series Heart Removing- Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Chul-Hyun Ahn - Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Graciela Sacco - "Retrato I, II, III" - Houston Fine Art Fair 2011, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Miina Äkkijyrkkä & Daniel Anguilu Should Exhibit Together

2011-09-05T13:58:00.000-05:00

What a great menagerie they could make.

Miina Äkkijyrkkä- works

Street Art | Offcite Blog

West Towards the Winds... and Other Sights on a Tuesday Outing

2011-09-03T10:34:00.000-05:00

West Towards the Winds - Wind Turbines on the Move, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Shree Swaminarayan Temple Mandir Hindu Temple - Stafford, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Port City Surplus - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Pangram: When You've Drunk to Much to Say the Alphabet Backwards

2011-08-15T15:30:00.004-05:00

This booze-based pengram (a sentence that uses every letter at least once) was found in Lettering for commercial purposes. I like it.

If you ever get pulled over you you can try this phrase if you can't say the alphabet backwards to get out of a sobriety test, but I wouldn't.

Wedneday Night Photo Post: Sea Scape

2011-07-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

I love his photos. This one, at the entrance to the Houston Ship Channel.

Arrival, Seabuoy 7/7/11, originally uploaded by OneEighteen.

Paint Fades, Love Endures: Best Graffiti Ever

2011-07-06T21:37:00.003-05:00

Will You Marry Me ? "YES", originally uploaded by Secret5468.

TMI Hand Grenade: Where the Blog Owner Shares His Art and Too Much Information Which May Make You Feel Better About Your General Situation

2011-07-02T17:16:00.002-05:00

In a reasonable imitation of a midlife crisis, I pretty much detonated my recent career path of the last few months. It was an act to maintain sanity, but hasn't done for my bank account. But it has led to a small spurt of artistic productivity. My first inclination was to keep these ideas under wraps, but I love when successful artists and creators share their process. For some it might remove the mystery, but I love seeing the foundations on which people build their ideas. And maybe posting my incomplete art for all to see may be the catalyst to keep these sculptures on track and eventually completed.

Which was also why I attended the last open house of the Tx/Rx Labs hackerspace on Commerce Ave. It's a tech geek enclave, full of computers, electronics, and sexy tools, including a MakerBot Thing-O-Matic 3D Printer, a RepRap and a plasma CNC table. It's about people trying to make cool stuff because they can. And a few were mighty open about me asking lots of questions about my ideas and if their tools could make them (for the most part, no). It was the first time I had taken my sketchbook and samples and shown them to people.

It was weird and cool and helpful. Hopefully, it won't be the last time I talk to people about my art.

F-1 Paper Model, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

F-1 (Side View & Cross Sections), originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

F-1 (Side View), originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Transcribed Stroller Column: "Sonata in Jump for Four Juke Boxes" by Sig Byrd, Wednesday, March 12, 1952

2011-06-19T15:59:00.001-05:00

      It was getting towards the shank of the business day, and the Reef (that section of Milam Street from Preston to Prairie) was shutting down.
      Or opening up, depending in what kind of business you mean.
      At the Goodwill store, northwest corner, Milam and Preston, Carolyn Mason, a pretty brown-eyed girl was about to empty the day’s receipts into a steel cash box, when she saw the shifty-eyed derelict take a 39-cent shirt off the rack, roll it up and stick in inside his shirt.
      Being physically handicapped, like all Goodwill employees (she suffered a spine injury in a traffic accident), Carolyn wondered what she ought to do.

* * *

Across Preston, the Real Tailors was closing, but the Rose O’Dixie and three other bars were spilling boogie music into the Reef. The sidewalks, both sides, were crowed with people going home and people with no home to go to, black people brown people, white people.

Glitter

      In the 411 Club, the glittering new heart and nerve center of the Reef, owner Bob Griffey, ex-gambler, wearing a yellow sports coat, stood near the cash register, shuffling silver half-dollars like a deck of cards. On his left hand a diamond flashed like a headlight of a locomotive.
      Bob felt good. His place was crowded. Not a vacant table, not an idle moment for the brown-skinned waitresses. His customers were dark-complexioned, but they were sports. The left two inched of beer in their bottles, and smoked two-bit cigars.
      Bob laughed aloud, but couldn’t hear himself because of the music and voices. He laughed because he knew what the sure-thing boys were saying – that Griffey was flat. Huh! Huh-huh!

* * *

Across the Reef, in Prensky’s pawnshop, an ex-night-club bouncer was trying to sell an expensive camera. He was trying to raise train fare home. He was dying of cancer and wanted to die in the town of his birth, not in a Jeff Davis ward.

Pursuit

      A bright boy in a purple big-apple cap paused at Prensky’s window, looking at the knives. He wanted to see if there was a knife in the window with a blade longer than the one he had in his pocket. There wasn’t. From the corners of his eyes he watched the white man coming out of the pawnshop carrying a camera. The bright boy wondered how much the camera was worth.
      Down at the corner a contact man in a pink sports shirt was waiting for a contact. The contact was late. A yellow-skinned woman passed him and he said, “You seen old Mule Ear?”
      I’ve seen him a hour ago,” the yellow woman said. “He was with Two-by-Fo.” The woman hurried across the street. A big dark man in a $150 suit followed her, but she didn’t look back.

* * *

In the 411 Club, Bob Griffey passed the deck of half-dollars to his cashier. The cashier, too, was a white man, and he always looked pale next to Bob. Then the ex-gambler turned around and gazed through the fog of tobacco smoke at the murals.
The murals cover three walls of the 411 Club. They were painted by a colored boy named Lemanzel Finley, who wore a beret.

Street Scene

      Bob Griffey doesn’t completely trust men who wear berets, but he paid Lemanzel $200 for the job. He wondered if he, Bob, got stung.
      The first picture, nearest the door showed a well-dressed, middle-aged colored man hurrying along a city street. Ahead of him three other persons stood against a background of skyscrapers. One was a wavy-haired youth in a zoot-suit with a drape-shape. The second was a slick chick standing on the lid of a large garbage can. Since she wore a tight skirt, the results were arresting.
      The third figure was a well-dressed middle aged colored man, wearing a ring set with what Bob supposed to be a zircon.
      The series of pictures continued around the walls, and ended near the bar, with an enlarged portrait of an open straight razor.
      It seemed to Bob that the pictures told a kind of story, but he couldn’t figure it all out. The wavy haired boy, he decided, was a producer. The man with the zircon was to get shed of the chick. But the rest was cloaked in dark symbolism.

Under Arrest

Back in the Goodwill store, Carolyn watched the shifty-eyed man sidle towards the door with the stolen 39-cent shirt Her heart bumped her ribs. He was at the door now. Now he was walking down the street. Suddenly Carolyn picked up the empty steel box and started running. She completely forgot that she couldn’t run. She chased the thief two blocks and told him she would hit him in the head with the box if he didn’t bring the shirt back.
The derelict denied the theft, but he went back to the store. Carolyn followed behind him the steel box ready. She didn’t look up the Reef as she marched him back into the store, but there was a commotion in front of the Rose O’Dixie bar.

* * *

Two men were fighting on the sidewalk. A young man and a big dark man. The young man wore a purple cap. In the crowd looking on was a yellowed-skinned woman. She begged the men watching to stop the fight. “He’s got a knife!” She kept saying. “He’s got a knife!”
The police car coming up Milam started to stop at the Goodwill store, where the complaint had come from, but then the man at the wheel saw the crowd on the eats side of the Reef, he drove on, but with out pushing the yellow signal. You can stop trouble in Catfish Reef, but it’s only temporary. It always breaks out again.

The Waco Whorish Invasion of 1952 (Revisited): A Poetic Call to Protect Houston's Virtue

2011-05-14T08:43:00.001-05:00

I liked this poem by Carl Victor Little so much, I had to transcribe it. An army of Jezebels marching across Texas to imperil Houston's virtue just tickles my fancy.

To clarify, my fancy isn't actually being tickled by an army of Jezebels. I'm not Charlie Sheen.

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Take in the sidewalks, slam the shutters
Civic leaders, mobilize!
From Waco’s sin strips and her gutters
Come sinful ladies, every size -
The stout and short, the tall and lean,
They come three hundred strong,
The blondes, brunettes and in-between:
Come ring the warning gong!

They’re fancy ladies from Old Waco,
Who flee the legislative wrath;
Three hundred damsels on the make-
A-treading down the primrose path.

Let‘s Search all landing stratoliners,
Come block the highways east and west;
Let's raid the Pullmans and the diners,
Let's show a little moral zest!
We want no sinful infiltration,
Three hundred gals are on the prowl,
They’re causing civic consternation,
Bringing forth a civic howl.

They're antisocial dames from Waco,
Now put to flight by state kefauvers,
Three hundred dames for goodness sake-O
Ole Satan o’er our city hovers

Up Captain Seber, also Buster!
Alert the city and the count!
All vigilantes let us muster-
Upon these heads let’s put a bounty
Call out Jim West, his Cadillacs,
We’ll have no sinners sinning here,
Halt all invaders in their tracks
For civic righteousness, let’s cheer.

They're fugitives from Baptist Waco
Converging on Houston, TX
Three hundred gals in Satan's shako
Who put much emphasis on sex

Let’s' warn all hotel house detectives,
Yea at the Shamrock and the Rice,
That all of Waco’s moral defectives
Are swooping on us, in a trice.
We want no flotsam and no jetsam,
No gals from Waco’s dens of vice,
Let’s hope Ole Nick comes forth and gets ‘em
Before they reach our Paradise!

Away! Away! Soiled Magdalenes!
You're got us in a civic hassle:
They'll welcome you in New Orleans.

Houston & Other Places in Gorgeous Sanborn Insurance Map Titles

2011-05-02T21:47:00.001-05:00

Insurance map titles and the word "gorgeous,"not what one would think. But feast your typography-appreciating eyes on the design beauty of Sanborn Insurance map title pages.

Houston Sanborn Insurance Map - 1896, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Houston Sanborn Insurance Map - 1907 Vol 1, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

I've been kind of obsessed with these images since being introduced to them by BibliOdyssey's blog post on them. A google of Houston and Sanborn lead to Sanborn Maps of Texas (which are the source of the above images) from the UT Library Online website.

St. Joseph, Missouri September 1911, originally uploaded by peacay.

Salt Lake City, Utah 1911, originally uploaded by peacay.

Kansas City, Missouri December 1895, originally uploaded by peacay.

Houston Might Become Better/Weirder By Addition of Single Person

2011-04-22T08:52:00.000-05:00

He won't be attending the downtown campus (where a particularity fantastic professor teaches), but actor/writer/bong smoker James Franco was accepted for the the University of Houston's writing program Fall of 2012.

I look forward to the addition of his "unusually high metabolism for productivity ...the opposite of ADHD: a superhuman ability to focus that allows him to shuttle quickly between projects and to read happily in the midst of chaos." *

The breathless internet tweeting, blogging and facebooking of his every move if he comes to town should make for fun reading.

"Socialist Preach Failure & Abortion" - Civics and Grammar Lessons From A Willowbend Neighbor

2011-04-14T07:20:00.000-05:00

A new sign went up in the neighborhood, to replace a previous message.

"Socialist Preach Failure & Abortion" - Willowbend Blvd. - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

It was unclear if the message is a patriotic one, the flag should clear up any doubts, which was missing from the first one.

"Why Do The Children Deserve The Massive Debt of The 'R.D.' Oligarchy?" - Willowbend Blvd. - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Dreaming of the Open Road: "My House, My Home, It Rolls With Me"

2011-04-08T22:20:00.001-05:00

I like the first one to tow the second one.

1971 Starstreak Motorhome (Custom) 04, originally uploaded by jacksnell.

Vickers, originally uploaded by trailerman ken.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Wild Vehicles In The Houston Suburbs

2011-04-06T23:25:00.001-05:00

"DINO" "OPTIMiST" - Personalized BMW - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Bio Diesel Mercedes Wagon - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Please Report Any Disco" - Ext 0, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

No-Tsu-Oh Needs to Come Back: A Late Fall Mardi Gras for Chemical City

2011-04-03T19:00:00.002-05:00

Recently, the idea of a Houston Mardi Gras has been floated. But instead of a new tradition, may I suggest the revival of a uniquely Houston one.

No-Tsu-Oh Invitation, circa 1899 - From the George Fuermann Texas and Houston Collection, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Houston used to have a Mardi Gras-like festival called No-Tsu-Oh. It started in 1899 and ended the outbreak of WW1. To quote the Handbook of Texas Online,

"The festival, designed to stimulate commerce by bringing people to the city, customarily filled a week in November and featured parades, balls, and a football game between the University of Texas and the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University). The carnival was characterized by much backward spelling. No-Tsu-Oh, for example, is Houston spelled backward; black citizens celebrated the De-Ro-Loc (colored) Carnival; and King Nottoc (cotton) reigned over the early festivals until King Retaw (water) replaced him to celebrate completion in 1914 of the deep-water channel to Houston..."

Like Las Vegas' Helldorado celebration, a modern No-Tsu-Oh has the promise to contain all the eccentricity and strangeness that Houston has to offer. Combine the Art Car Parade with debauchery of St. Pat's and the guilt-free paganess of Halloween and that would be my dream.

With backwards spelling part of the tradition, I offer up these suggestions as a starting point for the new festival.

Sir Buh
Erised
Y Loc Nolem

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Also See:

This Is Houston & This Is Not Houston

2011-03-23T16:54:00.000-05:00

There was a dubious tradition in Ye Olden Days to depict Houston as a place with rolling hills, and not as a flat swamp with occasional buildings. The above picture is one example.

However, the rollercoaster in the prairie feels right. Maybe the long-gone Luna Park on White Oak Bayou?

Normally, I'm a total stickler for image sources, but I can't recall if I found these two at The Library of Congress and/or University of Houston Digital Library.

Research Project on Middle Bayou Runs Down a Road and To the Preserve: What Oil and NASA Didn't Get, Still Remains

2011-02-18T15:08:00.003-06:00

Old Sig Byrd columns are my frequent source for local history. While there is more Houston every year, (let's hear it for the 4th largest city in the U.S.!) not much of what Sig saw remains. Even 60+ years ago, Sig was lamenting the loss of the city he knew and marveling at the wealth and industry that was building the skyline.

So, surprisingly, it was three columns about wilderness and bayou that piqued my interest. In 1952, Sig wrote about Jimmy Martyn's 28,000 acre farm, off of Red Bluff Rd. A decade later Humble Oil literally bought the farm. Eventually NASA got some of the Humble property. In the 70's, preservation efforts stopped further development and the remaining wilderness is now Armand Bayou Nature Center.

The center is where I hope to be on Saturday. A small girl will be in tow, so we'll see how this trip goes.

"Time Runs Upstream Along Middle Bayou" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 14 - Friday, January 18, 1952, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"A Karankawa Clambake on Middle Bayou" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 15 - Monday, January 21, 1952, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Research Project on Middle Bayou Runs Up a Tree In Search of a Smidgin of Ballyfoosh Folklore" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 5 - Saturday, January 26, 1952, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Funny Product Placement in Bargain Bin Condoms

2011-01-29T14:05:00.000-06:00

Funny Product Placement in Bargain Bin Condoms - Randall's Grocery - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Elaine Bradford at Vinson Library - Houston, TX

2011-01-26T11:36:00.000-06:00

Newly installed commission by Elaine Bradford at the Vinson Library Branch.

IMG_1877.JPG, originally uploaded by esbradford.

IMG_1924.JPG, originally uploaded by esbradford.

IMG_1925.JPG, originally uploaded by esbradford.

IMG_1921.JPG, originally uploaded by esbradford.

IMG_1887.JPG, originally uploaded by esbradford.

elephant install - a set on Flickr

Elaine Bradford - Library Project Blog

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Also See:

Neon Poisoning: Dressing the Dead: Elaine Bradford at the Art League

The Waco Whorish Invasion of 1952: A Poetic Call to Protect Houston's Virtue

2011-01-17T12:02:00.002-06:00

In 1952, the Houston Chronicle apparently published an article about 300 whores dispatched from Waco to the major metropolitan areas of Texas. Houston Press columnist Carl Victor Little wrote quite the poem in response.

"...They're fugitives from Baptist Waco
Converging on Houston, TX
Three hundred gals in Satan's shako
Who put much emphasis on sex."

The Invasion of Whores from Waco - Houston Press, 1952, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Wednesday Night Video Post: Nighttime at the Houston Shipping Channel

2011-01-12T01:00:00.004-06:00

I always look forward to new photos from OneEighteen's Photostream. This video is an unexpected treat.

Time Lapse, 10/26/10, originally uploaded by OneEighteen.

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Also see: Wednesday Night Photo Post: Black And White at Galveston

B&W Cranes, originally uploaded by OneEighteen.

Fin Dinhning in Txas: Spel Chck edItion

2011-01-08T10:07:00.000-06:00

Texas will probably cut more money from education in the following years due to huge budget debt. Expect to see more signs like this as a result.

Resturant - Marshall, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

View Larger Map

While Waiting for Green Hornet Tix, FanBoys Talk about Houston (Using Swear Words)

2011-01-04T20:21:00.000-06:00

While checking in to see if I won tickets for Ain't It Cool's Houston movie ticket giveaway, I saw the following comments...

Professor_Monster:
I've been to Houston a few times and I will say this -
"The women there are FUCKING HOT! And I mean HOT HOT HOT! Hotter than Austin - Hotter than LA (which by the way is packed with pretty ugly ones - go figure?). Take a stroll through the Houston Galleria and get ready to welcome your dick back from the dead... ...That was the first place I ever had Blue Bell ice cream and man, that shit has to have cocaine in it - it's as addictive as cigarettes."

Fareal:
The Houstonians are a lost people...
"...and they should be left alone."

I like the second one a lot and can only hope the the women of Houston know how lucky they are when ever Professor_Monster is in town. So. Lucky.

Oh My! Pocket Pies & Houston Railroad Museum: Read About New Food Truck, Get Bonus Museum Tip

2011-01-01T17:54:00.000-06:00

2011, you are starting to look promising already.

My sweet wife showed me the website for Oh My! Pocket Pies and I'm already looking forward to some good eats. Owner Joe Philips had an interview in Eating Our Words, in which he mentioned the previously unknown-to-me Houston Railroad Museum. And I thought I had found all the museums the city had to offer!

Day one of the new year is a win.

Where The Blog Writer Is Supposed to Reflect Upon the Past Year and Aspires for More Good Things in the Next Year

2010-12-31T10:45:00.000-06:00

I love when random online posts result in me finding something new to be interested and enthused about. I hope occasionally I can do the same for my internet peeps.

Without going into details, the year has been a long one. And while tonight will pass as every night does, it brings along a new year with it. And that means reflecting on the year that was and the one that might be. But I won't be reflecting in this blog post. Instead, I will simply send thanks to close friends and the casual contacts that the internet puts me in touch with. This post will appear in RSS readers and Facebook feeds and other ways people use to keep me in their online life.

Thanks.

"Here Be Treasure": General Supply and Equipment - Houston, TX

2010-12-22T12:25:00.000-06:00

General Supply and Equipment - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

This place made the Texas Junk Company look neat and tidy. Plus, if you need 10 foot-long fiberglass longhorns (in picture above) this place is for you. I drove by General Supply and Equipment while doing some Sig Byrd research and knew I would have to stop by the place. Once there, I kept thinking there would be something great to be found. And I'm hoping that will be true on another visit, when I have a camera that doesn't run out of juice. Until then, I just have to enjoy the "No Children Allowed" sign.

General Supply and Equipment - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

General Supply & Equipment - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Sitting Pretty: Just Not Yet

2010-11-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

Contour Chair-Lounge, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

And it was almost mine. A lovely Contour Lounge-Chair was found in Austin TX at Room Service Vintage. But sadly, a rental truck could not be arranged in time, and now it will grace someone else's home. I've been seeing these chairs for decades, but never one so tantalizingly close to ending up with me. *sigh* I look to the internet to help me provide me with this still-missing chair of my dreams.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Large Things on Highway 6

2010-09-29T21:00:00.000-05:00

The Tiki Head of Twin Lakes RV Resort - Manvel, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Big Gun, E-Z Line Pipe Support Co. Inc. - Manvel, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Sig and the City: From The Houston Library's Microfilm Reader to Your Computer

2010-09-10T16:10:00.002-05:00

Lately, I've benefited from moderate bouts of unemployment and our daughter's happy introduction to day care. This has given me some predicable and productive free time. Productive mainly for the fans of Sig Byrd, Houston's mid-century chronicler of the the local underclass. If he had never strolled the streets, there would be no huge void in the city's history. But his writing tells parallels tales to the popular take on the city and its developement. Civic boosters must have had a daily conniption, reading about drunken barflys, grifters, the private eye, hitchhikers and many others who are the real-life characters in Byrd's noir-esque writing.

The Houston Press is archived on microfilm and the I've been scanning the 1952 columns for their eventual posting on the Sig Byrd set on Flickr. June through December is on my computer, awaiting titles and other amending before they are internet-ready. 1953 is, to the best of my knowledge, is all there for the reading. I never intended to be be an archivist, but making Sig a subject of research has reduced my sloth slightly and compelled me to visit locales that I wouldn't have otherwise (Morgan's Point, TX and Morales Cemetery in North Houston.)

I have hopes these efforts wil evolve into a more formal archive, but until then, Sig's writings will simply be more accessible to those few who are interested. And that is a good thing.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Urb-Ex in the HOU

2010-09-08T23:42:00.000-05:00

Adventures in eyesores.

I don't have any urban exploration cred, but I do have every copy of Infiltration. Fortunately, others live a life I only read about. See the below pix for this week's adventures in Houston, and for sight-seeing in Europe visit sleepycity.

Small Spiral, originally uploaded by Band!to.

1st Floor, originally uploaded by Secret5468.

Fishermen's Supplies, originally uploaded by Band!to.

Diversity , originally uploaded by Band!to.

Stay Classy, Houston-Driving White Corvette Owner

2010-09-06T12:37:00.000-05:00

I'm not saying I wouldn't try some automotive dumbassery if I had a car like this, but I would try to keep it on the road and away from gawking pedestrians.

Wednesday Night Scanned Newspaper Post: The Greatness That Was The Houston Press, circa 1952

2010-09-01T21:07:00.001-05:00

"Why Is Houston Kill Crazy?" - Houston Press, 1952, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Attention All Masons" - Advertisement, Houston Press, 1952, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Chinar Grotto's 'Teen-Age Revue'" - Photo & Caption, Houston Press, 1952, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Don't Know Why... Stormy Weather

2010-08-25T21:01:00.002-05:00

I love storms. Especially if they occur while I am sitting at home. The last few afternoons have been pleasant breaks from the heat.

Aug 23 10 storms 028 building 2, originally uploaded by MichaelB in Houston.

This Weekend in Photos: Townhouses, Airports and Masons... Oh, My

2010-08-23T18:12:00.000-05:00

I'm looking forward to cooler days, this weekend was scorching. But the heat didn't stop us from a little in-town sightseeing.

Pan Am Fan, The 1940 Air Terminal Museum - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

1940 Airline Terminal Museum - Houston, TX 2010 - a set on Flickr

Abandoned Shriners Arabia Temple - Houston TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Townhouse Manor - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

New Favorite Thing: All-White Model of Watts Tower

2010-08-20T16:40:00.000-05:00

On our next trip to LA (when...?) I want to visit Watts Tower. Even more so after seeing this cool model online.

Scale Model of the Watts Towers, originally uploaded by narrowlarry.

Scale Model of the Watts Towers - a set on Flickr

Christians Who Don't Mind Foreigners: Indian Hills Christian Church Student Ministry

2010-08-08T22:47:00.001-05:00

Alien Church - Danville, KY - Danville, KY, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Conspiracies in the New Neighborhood: My Kind of People

2010-07-15T09:43:00.000-05:00

"Why Do The Children Deserve The Massive Debt of The 'R.D.' Oligarchy?" - Willowbend Blvd. - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

This odd sign is the only thing in the neighborhood like it. Outside the Loop isn't known as a hotbed for conspiratorial thought, but I'm sure Glenn Beck is on a lot of the TV's here. Being a fan of conspiracy theories, I'm pretty well versed in most of the major players. The "R.D. Oligarchy"is a total mystery to me, though. It doesn't ring any bells and Google shows nothing.

Guess I'm leaving a note the next time I walk that way.

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Wednesday Night Photo Post: Wolves, Safe-Cracking and Pipe Smoking Hotties- Headlines from the Houston Press, c. 1953

2010-07-07T23:31:00.001-05:00

For those worried about the recent decline in journalism, maybe these headlines from 1953 will make you feel better about the current state of affairs in print.

"Pretty Susan Puffs A Pipe" - Houston Press, Pg. 11 - Saturday, February 14, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Girls Learn Ju-Jitsu For Insurance Against Wolves" - Houston Press - Thursday, April 16, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Crack Alley Theater Safe" - Houston Press - Saturday, April 25, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: An Imagined Vision of Houston from the Past

2010-06-23T00:47:00.000-05:00

"The City of Houston, 1868"
Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries

I learned about Mount Houston in April. Like much of the city's historic sights, it too was torn down.

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For more:
Link to original 1868 image - University of Houston Digital Library

Sexy X: Less is More

2010-06-17T00:59:00.000-05:00

"This is great, but you know what would make it better?..."

"... much better."

Top:
Field Guide To Wild American PULP ARTIST - Virgil Finlay Entry

Bottom:
Eizo Pin-up Calendar 2010 – more than integral nude | Ufunk.net - Orginally seen on Boing Boing

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Also see: Neon Poisoning: High-Lighting The Sexy Mind: Folk Art In Atlanta and Modern Elsewhere

(Image from Sperone Westwater Gallery)

A Visit to the Coast Electronics Museum: Post and Pix

2010-06-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

I posted a review of the Gulf Coast Electronics Museum on 29-95.com. Lots of pix here.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: A Vision of Houston's Future from the Past

2010-06-09T22:30:00.007-05:00

Painting of futuristic view of Houston

Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries

While the unknown artist is no Hugh Ferriss or Norman Bel Geddes, I do find this 1920's rendering of Houston charming. The star-topped building and oil rig skyscrapers make it a most Texan skyline.

Painting of futuristic view of Houston (Detail)

Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries

The curved building is just odd. Must be an early Frank Gehry. I kid!

Painting of futuristic view of Houston (Detail)

Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries.

This image, and many others can be found on the University of Houston Digital Library site.

What I Got You've Got to Get It Put It In You: For Medical Use Only!

2010-06-04T16:56:00.005-05:00

From the Houston Chronicle - Houston inventor in sex toy court battle. Originally found on Obscure Store and Reading Room.

Sadly, inventor Jiro Takashima never visited the Antique Vibrator and Quack Medical Musuem website, or he would have been aware of the pervy potential his invention had.

Plus, I'm envisioning a court room made entirely out of sex toys. Or a court that resolves only sex-toy related legal issues. I'll stop now.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Black And White at Galveston

2010-06-02T01:05:00.000-05:00

B&W Cranes, originally uploaded by OneEighteen.

Houston ship captain. Handy with a camera. His industrial landscapes are just great.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Super Chicken

2010-05-26T01:30:00.002-05:00

Super Chicken And Rice - Houston, TX 3, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

It was overcast and yet the sun was in front of me. Made for a less-than-ideal photo op, but this is the shot. I love the chicken and was happy to see it on a random drive.

Stay Classy, 1953

2010-05-24T21:12:00.001-05:00

Wait 'Til 3-D Gets These!, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Rolling With Sig: Driving "Old" Houston

2010-05-22T00:33:00.005-05:00

One of my latest ventures has been reading the columns of Houston Press writer Sigman Byrd. Over fifty years ago, he was walking parts of the city that many would avoid if they could. He made a point of getting to know the people and places that would never make history but made for interesting tales. It was in "The Stroller" that he would recount the misfortunes and good news, the sadness and small victories of people that had the deck stacked against them.

With a map of some of the places mentioned in his columns, I drove parts of the city that I never have need to visit. And it was great. A combination of lovely evening weather, only slightly rude drivers and new neighborhoods put me in a great mood.

One thing I felt closer to was why Sig wrote about a city that was so hard on so many people. I drove unfamiliar roads, and would get to a big intersection and see the towers of Downtown. The skyline was a familiar landmark that would appear in the wide streets only to be hidden by passing trees, run down cottages, abandoned storefronts, taco trucks, churches, factories, etc. Around 7pm, the golden hour took hold, and gave the city some extra warmth. I took the one good picture of the evening, and that was good enough for me. It was the cycle of getting lost and finding a familiar and comforting sight that put me a positive spin on my often terrible sense of direction. While I won't be going through a pair of shoes every couple of months, I hope to put some miles on the car getting acquainted with neighborhoods Sig strolled.

"The King Midas of Smith St." - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 10 - Friday, Sept. 18, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"The House That Screamed at Night" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 11 - Monday, July 20, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Four Underlings of the Tradewinds" - The Stroller - Houston Press, Pg. 11 - Tuesday, May 12, 1953, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

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Also see: Facebook | Sig Byrd's Houston

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Melton Steel

2010-05-19T01:00:00.000-05:00

Melton Steel - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Cult Cuisine in West Houston

2010-05-14T00:46:00.001-05:00

Found on Metafilter, this Houston Press post about dining in a cult-owned restaurant had me smile at the oddness of modern life in general and my city in particular. It also made me hungry.

Houston, Home to Museums of the Odd

2010-05-04T21:25:00.004-05:00

I do like this city, it fosters strangeness. And has for sometime. There was the
Hyde Park Miniature Museum, which was in the news in 1947 (St. Petersburg Times), 1974 (Texas Monthly), and 2002 (New York Times). David David (yup, twice) Smiley had a lovely collection of small things and put them on display in his house. NarrowLarry has a nice collection of pix, and his Facebook post was the catalyst for this blog entry.

I've been thinking about some lesser -known museums in Houston, like the Houston Maritime Museum, the newly relocated Police Museum, and the Gulf Coast Museum of Electronics. But the long-gone Hyde Park Miniature Museum definitely looks like a place I would have truly appreciated.

Thursday Afternoon Photo Post: The Artery & Scrap Daddy Studio

2010-04-15T17:18:00.000-05:00

I love Houston's randomness and its ability to foster strange environments. As we hunt for a house, we have found such places is some of the city's more residential area's. Between W. Belfort and Willowbend, there's a stretch of undeveloped greenland where high-voltage power-lines run. And grazing in that area are horses. The juxtaposition is great (and in need of a photograph.)

Like the electric horseland, random driving around Houston found me stumbling across the Scrap Daddy studios. The mix of industrial and residential made it less surprising, but still totally enjoyable. Lastly, I was directed by a colleague to search out The Artery. This is a hidden little eden, looking much like an abandoned property. Its not, and will be worth another visit.

The Artery - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Outside of the Scrap Daddy Studio - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Upcoming Apple Store Visit: Do I Have To?!

2010-04-05T00:26:00.000-05:00

Soon I will be in the presence of the iPad (runs on rainbows and unicorn tears, cures cancer, etc...) when I visit the Apple store next. A laptop problem meant dropping the computer off to Apple last week. With the iPads debut on the weekend, that might explain why the repair is taking on the long side of the estimate. I'll be curious to get my mitts on one, to see how the hype stands up. SketchBook Pro is now on it, and I'll be curious when something like Garageband/Logic (MIDI music creation software) arrives. A lack of funds will still keep me from getting one, but still... to dream.

But if the insanity is still running strong, I may enter the store only to be swallowed up by it. If that's the case, I send love to wife and daughter safe in the knowledge that I will be in a better (and nicely designed) place.

And if I do get out alive, I'll be going to second-best store in the Galleria Mall.

Zoe and Buc-ee with Lego Storm Trooper - Lego Store @ The Galleria - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

An iPad In Houston: New Tech in Town

2010-04-01T07:16:00.000-05:00

I know who's house I'm going to break into. (I kid!)

Dr. Mac: Apple's iPad is better than expected | TechBlog | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Winter PIcture of a Houston Oddity

2010-03-31T21:00:00.000-05:00

No. 7: Scene after Snow-storm , originally uploaded by CAR Julia.

I love this place. And I love CAR Julia's picture of the abandoned Chong Hua Sheng Mu Holy Palace.

Endangered Attraction: Austin's Cathedral of Junk (Part 2 - Photos)

2010-03-28T11:31:00.001-05:00

The following photos are from a selection from the latest trip. Here are all my 2010 and 2009 Cathedral of Junk photos.

A Bad Sign, Cathedral of Junk - Austin, TX - 2010, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

No More Shed, Cathedral of Junk - Austin, TX - 2010, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Cathedral of Junk - Austin, TX - 2010, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

That's Me in the Picture, Cathedral of Junk - Austin, TX - 2010, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Vince's Truck, Cathedral of Junk - Austin, TX - 2010 2, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Cathedral of Junk - Austin, TX - 2010, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Endangered Attraction: Austin's Cathedral of Junk (Part 1 - No Photos)

2010-03-27T23:23:00.000-05:00

Austin's Cathedral of Junk has survived decades of Texas weather to only be possibly done in by a single complaint. The city received a recent complaint purportedly from a visitor stating that they felt unsafe after going through the cathedral. My personal first thought was that it's someone with an ax to grind, but granted the structure feels precarious and does not evoke feelings of safety. So, don't go! The place was found in violation (no surprise, codes weren't intended with an attraction such as this in mind) and Vince Hannemann has until the end of March to bring the Cathedral up to code or demo the whole place.

I found this out on Thursday, the first day of a three day trip spent in Austin. So, I had to visit the CoJ on Friday. It had already undergone some transformation since my March 2009 visit, gone was access to the upper tiers and demolished was the visitor's center shed.

I have no hopes about this surviving without the intervention of higher ups. When I was there, Vince was heading out to a meeting with the mayor (and/or the mayor's office.) I wished him well, knowing it was all I could do.

I'll be posting a Part 2 to this post, Flickr has been cranky with online editing. Once those pix are looking right, they'll be here on the blog.

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News coverage (with video):

Cathedral of Junk in peril due to code violations - News 8

Volunteers hope to save Cathedral of Junk - News 8

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Art Overhead at Rice

2010-03-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Rice Mosaic, originally uploaded by Tom Haymes.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Tet Fest & Chua Linh Son Temple

2010-03-03T00:47:00.000-06:00

Tet_bw1, originally uploaded by hoanghuymanh images.

Tet_bw5, originally uploaded by hoanghuymanh images.

Tet Festival in Black and White, and more at Manh and Lieu Photography.

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Also, from Flickr user mlsnp, a gorgeous set of the Chua Linh Son Temple.

New Houston Mayor Say Bloggers Can Be "Negative and Snarky": I Say "WHATEVZ!!!"

2010-02-23T23:43:00.004-06:00

I kid!!!

It's nice listen to the new mayor (whom I voted for) talk intelligently about technology. She talks of bloggers as almost neighborhood captains (constituency, point of view, etc). Avoidance of most local news means I hadn't seen much of the mayor on TV. I'm liking what I'm seeing in terms of her realism and insights.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Masonic Aztek Mural, Galaxy Auto Upholstery - Houston, TX

2010-02-17T21:00:00.000-06:00

Masonic Aztek Mural, Galaxy Auto Upholstery - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

New On Flickr: The University of Houston Digital Library

2010-02-16T00:15:00.003-06:00

Luis Marquez Photographs, originally uploaded by University of Houston Digital Library.

The University of Houston Digital Library now has an additional internet presence, a new Flickr page. While the World Famous Red Headed Widows, ca. 1909 postcard not there yet, the Flickr page is only a few days old, so it will be interesting to see how the digital library uses it. Personally, I'd like to see all the historic Houston photographs placed on an available map.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: The Stibbert Museum - Florence, Italy

2010-02-10T20:00:00.002-06:00

All my Stibbert Museum Photos.

Stibbert Museum - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Graffiti is Italian: Graffiti in Italy

2010-02-05T22:00:00.039-06:00

First impressions taking the train from Leonardo da Vinci Airport to Roma Termini?... there are a lot of kids with loads of free time and lots of paint in Rome. Seemingly, every abandoned train platform and track-side structure was tagged with graffiti. Also truly unexpected, the abundance of aged and abandoned buildings that scattered the landscape, within view of the rail line running from airport to central. Years-long decay of structures and the defacing of buildings didn't impress this first-time visitor. Italy sells itself on historic ruins, so the toll of nature and patina of age is expected in picturesque roman buildings. It's the more contemporary neglect that was shocking. Leaving Rome, there was lovely countryside to take in (looking a lot like Southern California), but even then graffiti gravitated to any building near the rail line..

The Florence is heavily affected by rampant tagging. The official tourism board has a page dedicated to historic graffito, but for obvious reasons, there is not mention of the current plague that affects the many of the city walls. The Travelers Notebook touched upon Florence's graffiti issue in June '09 article, Florence Defaced By Graffiti, Declared Ugly and Depressing.

Outside the Accedemia, look for the block-plus long scrawled massages by those waiting in line for the David and other works. In the barely populated off-season street, I didn’t understand why so much graffiti lined the walls until I noticed a simple message “4 hour.”

Being neither fluent in Italian nor of Florentine opinion, its impossible to know the local sentiment. I heard from a local that the new, young mayor is working on the task. As a visitor who was only in the city a few days, I can only imagine what those who live with this daily.

Train Station Graffiti - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Graffiti - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Greetings from Baden, Ontario Stencil Graffiti - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Graffiti - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Stencil Graffiti - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Graffiti - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Space City

2010-02-03T22:00:00.000-06:00

"Space City", originally uploaded by bill barfield.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Shots From the Italy Trip

2010-02-03T19:30:00.055-06:00

Exhaustion.
A cold.
Poor sleep.

Yup, all of those came back with me, mostly. There was an ideal trip to Italy and this just wasn't quite the one. Why no blog entries while on vacation? Google and Blogger decided not to join us abroad. Gmail, nope. Google maps, nope. Google search, nope. Blogger, nope. Had to use a poxy service just to get them kind of running. The rest of the internet, just fine.

There were some good times had and here are some pictures as proof. More stories and images to come this week.

Hold Your Nose, Via Toscanella - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Inside the Duomo - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Museo di Firenze (Local History Museum) Biblioteca delle Oblate - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Boboli Grotto by Buontalenti - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Piazza della Signoria - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Reproduction of David, Piazzale Michelangelo - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella - Florence, Italy, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Ungrateful in Florence: Mark Twain as Good Company Abroad

2010-01-24T22:39:00.005-06:00

The month of pre-flight stress, the hours of plane and train travel, the jet-lagged and cold early mornings have all conspired to make me feel grumpy, achy and not receptive to an unfamiliar city. Fortunately yesterday, one of the missus' professional lunch companions recommended another who was felt the same after his trip as well.

"How the fatigues and annoyances of travel fill one with bitter prejudices
sometimes! I might enter Florence under happier auspices a month hence
and find it all beautiful, all attractive. But I do not care to think of
it now, at all, nor of its roomy shops filled to the ceiling with snowy
marble and alabaster copies of all the celebrated sculptures in Europe--
copies so enchanting to the eye that I wonder how they can really be
shaped like the dingy petrified nightmares they are the portraits of."

Mark Twain literate cynicism about travel might be the perfect antidote to my current fatigue. I hope last night's rest, more of Mr. Clemens' wit and a good breakfast will get me on a happier path.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Felix's

2010-01-20T22:00:00.000-06:00

Felix Mexican Restaurant bw, originally uploaded by mata-leão.

The Italian Job: Blogging About The Big Trip

2010-01-18T16:30:00.000-06:00

Florence, Italy.

T-minus 4 days and counting.

With a long month behind us and the promise of a great trip ahead, I'm counting the days until we are on a plane to Italy. Like most trips, I have been scouring the internet for photos, stories and places to visit. And in a unique twist, this research got me an invitation to guest-blog for ArtTrav.

"Arttrav is an art, travel, and Italian lifestyle magazine. My goal is to freely provide you not only with quality travel information about Italy, but also with a vicarious experience for the internet-based traveler."

Which is perfect, since it has been a vicarious and internet-only experience so far with an actual visit coming soon.

My first post, Traveling Strange: A Collector of Eccentric Attractions Comes to Florence was published earlier today. I'm hoping for at least one more pre-trip post with a few while in the city.

So, once again, the internet has thrown more unexpected opportunities my way, and I've been happy to capitalize on them as best I can. Oh, internet, you and I were made for each other.

Florence, Italy: An Author's Impressions

2010-01-17T09:19:00.001-06:00

Research regarding our latest trip unearthed the following:

In the late 1920's (best guess) author Aldous Huxley described Florence, Italy as "a third-rate provincial town, colonized by English sodomites and middle-aged Lesbians."

Never read that in the tourist guides.

The New Art in Houston: Temporary and Permanent

2010-01-16T18:32:00.006-06:00

Last week was one of art installation.

Installation of Aurora Robson's Commission "Lift" for Rice University's Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

"Lift" (Detail) - Installation of Aurora Robson's Commission "Lift" for Rice University's Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

That's not me up on the genie lift, I was part of the ground crew. The artist is Aurora Robson, the piece is called "Lift", it looks gorgeous, and you can find it here.

Local arts blogger Robert Boyd found some pre-installation pix from NYC blog C-Monster.

Also, helped with installing some of the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft's Iron: Forged, Tempered show. I'll spare the adjectives, just go see it. Plan on enjoying the metal works, be pleasantly surprised by the other great exhibitions.

New Car? = New Possiblities, Texan Style

2010-01-14T00:35:00.001-06:00

We've been a one car family for over a decade now. My last car was 1975 Olds Delta 88 convertible. 18 feet long, one working brake, a leaky canvas top that invited New Orleans rainstorms in, and damaged front struts that left a mechanic so shaken he told me to store the car as close to his shop as possible since I couldn't afford the needed repairs.

I still miss that car.

Time passes, people get married, they fool around, give the grandparents a grandaughter to love. Obligations and a kid make the idea of another car sound nice. Recently, my pop made an offer of possibly giving us his used car. A big ass old-people Buick. It has no sexy in it what so ever. Something would be done, and I was daydreaming/searching on my iPhone on how to buy steer horns to mount on the front of this yet-unowned car. At dinner, I tell my wife these thoughts, that maybe the car would have horns on the outside, and a indians and cowboys diorama on the inside dash, illustrating Texas history in little scenes.

She says to me, if we have that car you should probably make an art car. And you should put a recreation of Caddilac Ranch in the rear window deck. Holy Great Ideas! I just got the green light for an art car. No discussion, just you should do it!

Where's my sketchbook?... In the meantime Bumsteer seems to be the place for my cow-using car alterations.

So Public, So Misspelled: Fine Dining in North Texas

2010-01-02T23:09:00.013-06:00

We just had to pull over, it had to be seen up close to believe. After the photo was taken, we snarked for miles about the sign and the general state of education in Texas.

Resturant - Marshall, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

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Let the End-of-Year Navel Gazing Begin + Visions of A Brave New Year

2009-12-29T16:24:00.001-06:00

2009: The Year of Sloth

...at least that's how it feels right now. But isn't this quiet time before the New Year just perfect for dwelling on all the failures and missed opportunities of the past year. So easy to do so.

2010 Goals:

Stop dwelling on all the failures and missed opportunities of the past year. Not so easy to do.
Find that inspirational New Year resolutions post I read online yesterday. Read something good by a creative type (could swear it was Karen O!) about productive strategies and not sabotaging yourself in the process. Now, I couldn't find it to save my life. Why is the Internet so big?
Blog more. This website (and Flickr) has put me touch with some good people and the occasional paying gig. I like interesting people and $$$. More of those, please!
Write more. National Novel Writing month had me busting out some decent writing on a long term book. Since then nada. Not feeling the Muse. Find Muse. Feel up Muse.
Make more music. Got a good start on some electronic noodling that I'm pretty pleased about. But I'm reaching the limits of my musical skills and need to get some feedback. Looking to find some Houston based peeps for help. So, do that.
Be a better husband. My missus is fantastic. Be the husband she deserves. 'Nuff said.

2009 is moving away in the rearview mirror, and I'll be spending the new year with two great women of my life and a lot of opportunities that are only mine to screw up.

That's not such a hard list.

Let the Cleaning Begin: Post-Christmas Review

2009-12-27T00:08:00.000-06:00

Bullet Points:

Thank God it's over.
A very Venture Bros. Christmas (4 DVDs for me and the soundtrack for the missus.)
Remarkable toy-buying restraint on the part of the grandparents.
Will need to work on serious grinch-like tendencies before Christmas '10 when the sweet kid will be aware of such grumpiness.

Once the appreciated-but-slightly-misguided surprise gift I got the missus is returned, my stress will all but go away.

Wayne White Has Left the Rice University Art Gallery

2009-12-14T00:00:00.001-06:00

Wayne White Has Left the Building - Rice University Art Gallery - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

The Wayne White show ended this evening. Hours later, this is how the gallery looked.

The Weekend Snow Daze: Wonderwild and the Houston Museum of Natural Science

2009-12-10T16:01:00.003-06:00

Last weekend was all about snow (and for the sake of this entry, the weekend was Friday and Saturday.)

Lovely, large, picturesque snowflakes fell from the sky on Friday. This foreign white stuff from the sky cleared the roads nicely. The remaining traffic was remarkably unstupid; proper distances were maintained, signal lights used, etc. It was on this snow day the we three finally got to visit Wonderwild. An indoor playground for kids (pre-walkers, walkers) and on that day a 39 year-old birthday boy.

Zoe and Rob @ Wonderwild - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

White, clean and cavernous, the playground was built in part of a commercial park not too far from the Heights neighborhood in Houston ( 707 N Shepherd Dr, Ste 500). Started by an Arts Institute instructor, the place has a modern aesthetic and artwork from Houston artists on the walls.

For quite some time, we had the whole place to ourselves and it was nice. Eventually some other parents realized what we already had (that braving the snow meant fewer people to share the place with) and started filtering in. One little boy could be heard screaming in joy before he was even seen. He raced by all, with eyes solely on the multi-story climbing gym. Definitely a do over.

Saturday was spent at the Houston Museum of Natural Science for Snow Flurry day. The museum imported 80,000 lbs of snow for the kids to play in. The morning was sunny and lovely, and our little girl enjoyed tromping around in the white stuff.

Zoe - Houston Museum of Natural Science, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

After she was done playing, we got free admission to the museum. All in all, a nice weekend out and about. A good start to the season.

It's My Birthday And Perry Bible Fellowship Is Saying What I'm Feeling

2009-12-04T01:10:00.004-06:00

Actually, I'm not that ambivalent about birthdays, but I do like Perry Bible Fellowship cartoons.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Ominous Sunset

2009-12-02T12:11:00.000-06:00

Neighbors home and ominous clouds at sunset, originally uploaded by houstonryan.

Looking a bit like René Magritte's Empire of Light.

Pignataro Estate: A Castle in Santa Fe, TX

2009-11-29T15:57:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was a road trip day, the first in quite some time. The quick 35 mile trip south of Houston got me to my destination. Pignataro Estate was first brought to my attention reading Eclectic Houston.

Pignataro Estate - Santa Fe, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

I would have spent more time exploring that part of the state but my sweet daughter dumped oranges all over her happy self. She smelled nice, but needed a bath ASAP. Thus, ending my day early. Hopefully I will return and find more eclecticness.

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For more info and photos:

Hitchcock history - HAIF: Houston's Leading Internet Community - loads of collected internet wisdom on the building, plus an article from the Galveston Daily News, September 20, 1981
"Dennis G Hendricks" : Photo Keywords : Pignataro
Pignataro Castle - Castles of the United States
Eclectic Houston

Wednesday Night Photo Post: We Went to the Y... M... C... A...

2009-10-28T21:00:00.000-05:00

The historic and outdated YMCA Building will make way for a more functional (and probably bland) replacement.

~YMCA ~ Slated for demolition 1941-2009, originally uploaded by skimonster2020.

New Pix & New 29-95.com Post: The Masons!

2009-10-21T01:29:00.000-05:00

I managed to parley my fondness of things Masonic into an article for 29-95.com. My most recent contribution?...

Masonic Texas pride and the Houston Heights Oddfellows Museum - "What you don't know (and might never know) about Texas history."

I wish I had come up with the tagline. I also wished I could have included a snarky comment about Dan Brown, but I couldn't shoehorn anything worth saying in. And I wish I knew some Houston Masons to get some feedback from. Guess, I have more work to do.

Lastly, while trying to find Gallery 619 (too late to see the 1-day show, "Roadside Distractions" - YouTube Video), I instead found 620 W. 9th St. And liked what I saw, (what ever it was)...

620 W. 9th St - Houston, TX 1, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

620 W. 9th St - Houston, TX 2, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

620 W. 9th St - Houston, TX 3, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

620 W. 9th St - Houston, TX 4, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

620 W. 9th St - Houston, TX 5, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

The Real Reason We Bombed the Moon: Fascists in SPACCCCCEEEEEE!!!!

2009-10-09T19:00:00.001-05:00

Space Nazis: The Movie!

New 29-95.com Post: TeH SEX!

2009-10-09T16:34:00.002-05:00

Did you know that some college student can say the word "penis" without smirking? I met two! Learn more about smart Houston kids talking about sex on 29-95.com - Open Magazine: Not Smutty, Deal with It.

Rain is Nice: But Not For Tomorrow

2009-10-09T16:15:00.001-05:00

It's been a lovely, rainy day here in Houston. Which is easy for me to say, since I'm staying in and don't have to deal with moronic Houston drivers. Hopefully, the weather will dry out, so a weekend visit with tiny horses will be fun for the little girl and friends. Also, back in H-Town, some Saturday night art openings. Maybe fodder for some paid gallery reviews.

Might I have found a small supply of motivation?

Wednesday Night Photo Post: UH-D

2009-10-07T23:32:00.000-05:00

UofH Reflections, originally uploaded by DanPancamo.

Time Poorly Spent: His Gravestone Read, "He Could Google Really Well."

2009-10-06T17:03:00.001-05:00

Blog readers would think that I fell off the Internet, maybe consumed by real world pursuits. They would be wrong. Many unproductive hours have been spent surfing the net. I've been attempting to wean myself from a strong addiction to a mild one. Creative indulgences have suffered due to an inability to pull myself away.

That being said, there have been some things done. I'll be posting pix of my Houston Fire Museum visit somewhere, and at week's end we will be visiting the Franciscan Poor Clare Nuns who support themselves by raising miniature horses. The kid should love the horses.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Just Hanging and Looking

2009-09-30T23:30:00.003-05:00

Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, TX, originally uploaded by prb2391@att.net.

Carnival, originally uploaded by Pyro Zero.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Bank Of America Building

2009-09-23T23:00:00.002-05:00

Bank Of America Building, originally uploaded by retaliashun.

Wayne White Review on 29-95: Looking Good All Around

2009-09-16T20:31:00.004-05:00

My latest contribution to 29-95 (The passed-out passions of George Jones) was posted today. 371 words talking up the great Wayne White show at Rice U. Art Gallery. I had hit the gallery on Friday to take some pix and threw together the post over the weekend. The exhibition is a great one, and even if the galley wasn't paying for some of my bills, I would still be mighty impressed with what goes on there.

Wayne White - "BIG LECTRIC FAN TO KEEP ME COOL WHILE I SLEEP" (Panorama 3) @ Rice University Art Gallery - Houston, TX - 2009, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Wayne White - "BIG LECTRIC FAN TO KEEP ME COOL WHILE I SLEEP" @ Rice University Art Gallery - Houston, TX - 2009, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Blogging Pays: Beer Money's On Route

2009-09-11T18:08:00.004-05:00

The Houston Chronicle's blog 29-95.com was kind enough to ask yours truly to contribute the occasional post. I say occasional because I'm a procrastinating perfectionist. Keeps me from being too prolific. Hopefully, I can make up in quality what I lack in quantity.

So with that being said, my first post is online now. A review of the pretty-damn-good exhibition at the University of Houston Downtown's O'Kane Gallery.

Words = Money. Hooray!

An Open Letter to AT & T U-Verse: How Not To Make A First Impression

2009-09-04T23:09:00.000-05:00

Hi AT & T,

So, the 2nd phone call was amusing. After scheduling the appointment and choosing our time, got a call from Mary. Apparently the address we gave the first person was confusing the service system, not being able to figure out where we lived based on what the account person entered. Once Mary added "St." All seemed well and we rescheduled for Tuesday between 11am-1pm.

Or so I thought. An automated phone call confirmed that a service call was being made Wednesday between 1pm and 3pm. Sure, fine. 2:30pm, got a call from Jay. Nice guy. Checks the existing outlets, runs a cable, gets the Residential Gateway up and running. Go to the U-verse online portal to activate the service. Jay is confused by the page he sees. It's not what an active account should see. His side of the phone call sounded like this:

"The account was canceled?
"...Really?!"
"...How many places does an order have to go through?
"...Can you put me through to tier 2?"

... and other signs that all was not well.

5pm. Jay was in his truck, chilling, not wanting to linger in the apartment. He's got the account order repossessed/started from scratch. Once he got the call, he would come back inside and finish his install. I looked forward to seeing him.

6ish. Jay's back. All is well. Showing me tricks on the DVR. Where's the HBO we ordered. Jay gets back on his cell.

Minutes later, HBO. There was much rejoicing.

So, far, AT & T. You've made an impression on us here at the house. Not a good one. Try harder to look better than Comcast.

(Hopefully won't) talk to you late,
Rob

Wayne White: In Progress, At Rice University Art Gallery

2009-09-01T17:56:00.001-05:00

As his Houston exhibition gets closer to opening, the Houston Chronicle has posted a good article/interview with the artist (Wayne White brings his wild imagination to Houston). Chronicle-affiliated blog, 29-95.com added loads of pictures of the work in progress (Wayne White creates giant George Jones head at Rice Gallery), and Rice Art Gallery contributed photos of their own (Facebook | Rice Gallery's Photos - In Progress).

Lastly, he will be having a book signing at the Brazo Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet, at 7pm.

Friday Photo Play Day: 2nd and 3rd Wards

2009-08-31T17:18:00.000-05:00

In the Nature magazine article (BBC News link), British researchers used cellphones to track individuals' routes and found that people mostly visit the same few places time and time again. Knowing this, I try to see parts of the city that I wouldn't on my typical routines. Last week, I took advantage of a napping toddler in the back seat to venture around town. The following pictures were taken in the Second Ward neighborhood around the Houston Shipping Channel and the Third Ward. These are areas that I look to explore more in the future. All pix have location maps on their Flickr pages.

Sky Blue House - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Sparkle's Hamburger Spot - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Dixie Plating Co. - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Old Brick Chimney - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Bookert's Prowrestling Academy (detail) - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Concrete Silos - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Heights Ionic Pride 280 F & AM Masonic Lodge - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Wednesday Night Photo Post: Pretty. High.

2009-08-26T22:30:00.000-05:00

Houstonian NarrowLarry posted some Flickr pix of the latest Orange Show Center for Visionary Art tour Getting High in Houston. Once again making me wish I could go on one of these trips. Too pricey. *sigh*

DSC01738, originally uploaded by narrowlarry.

High In Houston Tour, originally uploaded by narrowlarry.

Wayne White Rice U. Art Gallery

2009-08-20T23:59:00.002-05:00

So, it is with much pleasure that I regain employment. Being an independent contractor means never having to ask for vacation (which was much enjoyed this summer). Punching the clock and having fun doing it has been a nice return to the working world.

The latest artist to be showing at Rice U. Art Gallery is Emmy Award-winning Wayne White. Set/puppet designer for Pee-Wee's Playhouse, he made a name for himself with a collection of text-based paintings.
At the gallery he is mixing the two together.

Looks great. Pictures to follow.

Mad Men Premiere: Manhattan #3

2009-08-17T00:42:00.000-05:00

Mad Men Premiere: Manhattan #3, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

My wife suggested that I have a drink to celebrate the return of Don Draper and friends.
I took that suggestion and made it three times better.

Driving the 59: Sights Seen on the Last of the Summer Road Trips

2009-08-02T13:17:00.001-05:00

See Rock City Barn - Outside Louisville, KY, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Rocket on Abandoned Business - Atlanta, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Motel Tower Sign 1 - Atlanta, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Pitt Grill Sign - Atlanta, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Pitt Grill Food Art - Atlanta, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

Chicken Fried Steak, French Fries, Fried Okra, and Texas Toast @ Pitt Grill - Atlanta, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.