October 10, 2011

After over 700 miles of driving over the course of four days, my energy levels are in an interesting state of flux today.  A weekend of football, exploring, and a Monday of interviews, a midday cup of coffee was very much in order.  On my way back to Austin today, I kept scanning the road for a Starbucks to no avail.  To be fair, there was one in Brenham, but construction and closed exits made stopping impossible.  As I pulled up to a gas station shortly after the missed Starbucks, I saw this sign:  "Must.  Have.  Coffee.  Now."  Truer words have yet to be spoken today.  I didn't watch the clock, but I'd estimate I drank 16 ounces of very caffeinated coffee in the span of about five minutes.  I wouldn't recommend this in the face of another stretch of mind numbing driving ahead of you; the jitters became a bit too much for the confines of even the enormous Brutus.  At the same time, I'm not sure how I would have survived the drive without it.  

October 9, 2011

Waking up to puddles, gloomy clouds, and the promise of more rain has never been more welcome.  Texas has been suffering a prolonged drought and has badly needed the rain the skies dumped on it last night and over the course of today.  Although we'd originally planned to explore downtown Dallas before heading back to Austin, we happily changed our plans on account of the rain.  In lieu of the traditional bowl of soup and stack of movies on this rainy day, we opted for the Dallas Museum of Art.  The museum was huge and offered exhibits ranging from contemporary modern to ancient Hindu art, and everything in between.  We saw a few Jackson Pollock pieces, a Mark Rothko, an interesting Matisse, and a handful of Monet's works.  The diversity of the exhibits was interesting, as it made it easier to see the leaps between form, trends, eras, and the preoccupations of a given period.  Two hours later, we'd traversed thousands of years of art and culture . . . an efficient, relaxing, and wonderful use of a rainy Sunday, I'd say.

October 8, 2011

The Red River Rivalry is one of the biggest games of the season between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners.  The game is played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, a point about halfway between Austin and Norman and considered a neutral field.  With a 4-0 record behind them, Texas' young starting line, led by both Case McCoy and David Ash, met the seasoned Sooner team with Landry Jones at its helm.  Although the Longhorns have played a surprising season, the momentum was insufficient to stand up against Coach Stoops and the Sooners.  Mistake after mistake plagued the team:  fumbles at the line of scrimmage, predictable interceptions, and missed catches.  Our offensive line's inability to convert possessions or stay on the field longer than a few minutes led to a haggard defensive line, the energy of which quickly dwindled over the course of each quarter.  At the end of the day, Texas' record against OU (59-42-5) will withstand the 55-17 defeat.  My pride, however, is less forgiving.  Regardless:  Hook 'em.

October 7, 2011

I'm not a big fan of stopping during a road trip, whether a long or short one.  I'd rather just get to wherever it is I am going so I can relax and put the miles behind me.  After a busy afternoon, one I wasn't expecting, I found myself starving on I-35 on our way to Dallas as I hadn't had an opportunity to eat lunch, or at all really, before leaving.  While restaurants off of major highways rarely offer healthy fare, the Iron Skillet takes first in the "Our business model is to kill you" category.  I've never had a meal quite this greasy in my entire life.  Compared to the rest of the menu, breakfast seemed the most innocuous.  As I noticed grease circling the ketchup for my hash browns, I almost missed another drop of grease fall from my fork.  By the time we got to Dallas, the grease had made itself at home in a vice-like grip around my heart.  Thank you, Iron Skillet.  If I ever need to feel entirely useless for a few hours, I'll stop by again.  

October 6, 2011

The best way to end any day is with a frozen banana from Bananarchy.  Considering when Arrested Development first came out, I'm going to assume it predates Bananarchy.  Assuming this is the case, one thing I love about this particular banana stand, besides its frozen bananas, is its total embrace of Arrested Development references.  They offer a frozen banana concoction named "The Gob," for example.  Each reference I come across always makes me giggle and makes me love Bananarchy even more than before.  To avoid getting jaded about this delicious treat, I try to ignore the too-common cravings.  Tonight was a perfect occasion to indulge, however, after a delicious meal made by Kate and Kevin.