Go Owls!!!!!!

This afternoon my wife and two grandsons will go to the Texas Bowl that will be played in Reliant Stadium, where the Houston Texans play. The Broncos from Western Michigan are to play the Owls from Rice University. I had hoped that Notre Dame would be the Owl's opponent, but that did not work out.

But I am a casual fan of the Owls because they are a small school with high academic standards that compete against schools many times larger. Today they can win their tenth game of the season, the most in more than 50 years.

Go Owls!

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Books for Christmas

I am an avid reader. Every year since 1984 I have read a book a week and kept a record of each volume completed. As a consequence, I often receive books as gifts on holidays and birthdays. Christmas was no different this year, I received three books. But I also got an unexpected little gift. It was one of those custom rubber stamps that I can use to label the books in my library as belonging to me. That is good, because I often loan out books and I like to receive them back! The stamp inside will remind the borrowers to return the books.

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T-Shirt Reminder

It is pretty cold today, at least for South Texas. I got out a long sleeved t-shirt, and it happened to be the one I received when I ran in a 5k fund raiser last December. I had begun running again in July and was very proud of myself. I continued the running on a regular basis until this August. After hurricane Ike came through here in September, things got a bit hectic and I have not run since. But the t-shirt reminded me that there is no longer any reason not to get back out on the track!

I shoulda just worn short sleeves!

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I Need A Trusty Backpack!

I travel quite a bit and I use a backpack for my carry on luggage on airplane flights. But that is not the only thing for which I use my backpack.

One of the places I go at least once a year is the Caribbean island of Dominica for a mission trip. It is a backward country and my accommodations usually include a foam mattress on the floor in an unair-conditioned room. Because of space and weight restrictions I do not take a pillow, because I have found my backpack to be a satisfactory pillow. I carry enough weight in the pack that it needs to be sturdy and durable. I want my pack to have several small pockets as well so that I can easily find the things I need when out for the day.

I have recently found out about Maxpedition Gear, which is a twenty year old company that has already gained an international reputation for the quality and functional bags and backpacks they produce. The company has very high standards, self-imposed, for their hard use gear that is made with military specification nylon. Maxpedition offers a wide range of styles and sizes of backpacks and bags that will meet any needs that a traveler like me might have!

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GSN

I have not been one to spend much time playing games online. But I recently checked into GSN.com and found a bunch of free games that I am enjoying when I want to kill a few minutes or release a little tension. I have played Bloons some, but most of the time lately I have played Pyramid Solitaire. There are lots more to try, give it a look.

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Can I Get a Little Help Here?

Can I get some help from some of you sensitive guys? I am trying to decide what to get my wife for Christmas. Do you think she would like an exercise bike and a year’s supply of weight loss pills, a gift certificate for a face lift, or one of those cushions for her easy chair that has a heating element and can massage the back. Or should I just get her a new wide screen television and the MLB package on the dish?

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By-By Ty

Well, I guess I should not be surprised that the Houston Astros have decided not to tender an offer of arbitration for a contract to Ty Wigginton. I am not a huge Wigginton fan, though he won more of my favor as a left fielder when Carlos Lee went down to injury last season. But letting a productive player in the prime of his career walk is, in my judgment, asking for trouble if a team wants to win.

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Do I Dare?

What shall I get my wife for Christmas? That question is always a tough one, but as we have gotten old together it gets even tougher. Things are not as important to here as they used to be, so just getting her something that she will not use or cherish is an exercise in futility. Gone are the days when buying sexy lingerie makes any difference.
And when I ask her what she wants, she says, “I don’t need anything.” But I dare not let the day go by and have nothing for her, do I?

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Going to the Texas Bowl!

Rice University is one of the elite educational institutions in the county. It is a small school, enrollment wise, and has a great deal of trouble fielding a competitive football team on a regular basis. But this year the Owls are 9-3 and have been invited to participate in the Texas Bowl on December 30.

I just called and got tickets to see the game. They have a family package that includes 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas, and a program for only $89! So My wife and I will take the two youngest grandsons to see the game. The ticket agent just callled me back and told me that someone had backed out on tickets on the front row, so now we will be on the front row of the third level!

There is a possibility that the opponent will be Notre Dame. I would love that to happen! Notre Dame has such a storied history, but they are not particularly good this year. I think Rice can beat them. It would be the first ten win season for the Owls in nearly 60 years!

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Boycotting the Big 12 Game

I am so outraged that Oklahoma is playing in the Big Twelve Championship Game this weekend, instead of the University of Texas Longhorns, that I am thinking of just not watching the game at all.

Lots of folks pointed out that the Sooners scored 60 in the four games since they got beat by Texas. But the point is that they did not score 60 against the Longhorns, instead they got beat by 10, on a neutral field!

So I guess I will spend my time Saturday night getting a car insurance quote online!

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Missouri vs OU

Virtually no one is expecting Missouri to win the Big Twelve Championship game on Saturday. Which means there is little or no chance that University of Texas will be able to play in the BCS Chanmpionship Game next month, despite the fact that they beat both OU and UM by double digits! When head to head outcomes don't have anything to to with who represents the league, there is something very wrong!

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Self Consciousness

When I was a teen, I was pretty fortunate that most often I never had more than one pimple at a time. Even that can be a bit embarrassing, but those who have to deal with outbreaks no doubt are in search of an acne treatment that will eradicate the skin problem, and take away the self consciousness that is perhaps the worst part of the problem for a young person!

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MNF

One of my friends has season tickets to the Houston Texans games. Once in a while he calls to see if I want to attend a game with him. I usually do not accept because the games are most often at noon on Sunday, and I do not finish preaching till 11 so it would be hard to get there on time.

But this week the Texans played on Monday Night Football! It was the first time for the franchise, and I got to attend! It was a lot of fun, over 70 thousand folks and a convincing win for the home team. Sweet!

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Play Off Parking Lots

With all the warnings be made about car burglaries escalating over the holiday season, I wonder if there will need to be Copy: security cameras in the parking lots at the football stadiums while the high school play offs are under way around town and around the state. I mean, so many cars with folks paying so little attention to the safety of their vehicles, surely must be an attractive target to the low lifes that engage in such crimes!

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