Texas Tidbits: Toby the Son Done Good

The Son That Done Good

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my 28 year-old son, Toby, moving to Colorado to be with his true love, Faith. Everything is working out well for them and I couldn't be prouder or happier. Or maybe I could. When Toby moved there to be with Faith, he also moved into Instant Fatherhood. You see, Faith has three children. To my knowledge not a lot of young men would be willing to assume that much responsibility all at once. From this I deduce two very important things: 1) My son is a helluva young man and 2) Faith is a helluva young woman. The reason Toby is a helluva young man is fairly obvious considering the huge responsibility he has undertaken. Faith must be a helluva young woman because my son is taking on all that new responsibility to spend his life with her. A lot, if not most, 28 year old men would look at a girl with three kids and haul ass in the opposite direction. It takes a special young lady for a young man to want to take on a ready made family. Like my Dad told me long ago, Toby, you just put on the pants of a man. I have communicated with Faith by email and I can just feel the goodness of her soul. I am extremely happy that Faith is a part of my extended family.

As Toby's Dad, I get a bonus out of this whole deal. I get three new Grand Kids!! Even though the kids (read: grand babies) will be in Colorado and I'll be in Maine, I plan on being as big a part of their lives as humanly possible. They are a wonderful gift and needless to say, a welcome and precious part of my new extended family. I was talking with a friend of mine earlier this morning about how cool it is when my little girls call me "Daddy". I think that hearing the new Grand Kids calling me "Grandpa" will definitely be a heart-melter. I am stoked.

The old saying is proven to be true yet again - the Lord works in mysterious ways. And His mysterious way in this case is the blessing of bringing Faith and the children into our lives. You know, a guy could get real used to this mysterious ways thing. :) Toby the Son and the Lord done good.

I Hate Like Hell to Do This, But....

What I am about to do is something every independent blogger hates to do. What I mean by "hates to do" is that I'd rather have my "i" teeth pulled with needle-nose plyers. Without novacaine. By a pissed off ex-wife. While she's drunk. And on her "monthly cycle". In other words, I am gonna ask a favor of you that makes me feel like a dumbass and offends my sense of self-reliance, and my pride. Unfortunately, it's part of the business from time to time. So, what I am about to do is neither unsavory nor unique, just a necessary evil that many bloggers face every day. Sadly, I am one of those bloggers.

This post is what is called a "bleg". A "bleg" is a combination of blog and beg. An appeal for funds. I am not going to give you a sob story about how my dog got run over by a drunk on a riding lawnmower, rather I will just appeal to you as a friend and/or a reader.

A little background. I started this blog in late June and my other blog, Dumbass News, in mid-September as a way to make some extra cash to help with the bills, etc. Although the blogs are doing very well with the readers, that's simply not the case with the cash. I love doing the blogs. I get a hoot out of giving others a laugh or jogging their memory with something I write. That's what it's all about to me. I derive great satisfaction when I get a comment or email extolling the virtues of my brilliant prose. Strangely, I get a kick out a message or email that tells me I suck. At least I'm getting people to examine the subjects I write about. That's a good thing.

Can you help a brutha out?***

I am sure that the regular readers of Three States Plus One have read the posts about the number of Doctor's visits I have made in the past few months. While my medical conditions are nowhere near life-threatening, they are all about life changing. I am dealing with advanced arthritis in my knees, back, hips and hands. Damn the bad luck! I also have fibromyalgia which tends to magnify the effects of the arthritis and significantly limits my mobility and the hopes of landing a "regular" job. However, I am hoping to land one of those "Hover Round" commercials in the near future. :). 


On each page of the blogs, in the right hand side bar, is a "Donate" button. If you were to click on that, it would take you to a secure PayPal page where you can make a donation directly to me through PayPal. I have done business with PayPal for a while now and I have no reservations about doing so at any given time. Trust me when I say that it is a secure website for making a transaction. I simply ask you to donate any amount with which you are comfortable - $1, $5, $10, etc., if you feel that I have provided you with a service worthy of your time. If I have made you laugh out loud or just chuckle to yourself, or if I have written something that made you think about the subject at hand, please consider a small donation.  Maybe you've cussed  me like sailor...that's cool, too. If any of those emotions are worthy of a donation, that's great! If not, no el sweat-o.

Let me reiterate that I feel like a dumbass for making this post. In no way, shape or form are you obligated to make a donation! I will continue to write what I consider to be good material no matter what. And please understand that I value every second of your time spent on one of my blogs. No matter what, that will not change. Thank you all for your patronage to Three States Plus One and Dumbass News.

Thanks,
Toby

 ***Image by Arthur Topham***

Texas Tidbits: Big Drunk, A Texas Hero and Legend

Texas History is filled with men that are larger-than-life characters. A short list of such people would include James Bowie, Davy Crockett and William B. Travis, defenders of the Alamo, all. There's one man, however, that is, in my opinion, probably the most influential man in the history of Texas. The largest city in the state is named for him, a county is named for him, streets, arenas and schools are named for him. You've guessed by now that I am referring to Sam Houston. Houston was truly larger than life in one regard in that he was 6'6" tall, compared to the average man of the time who was about 5'7". (I'm working off memory here, so I may be off an inch or so for either number).

Houston not only cast a large shadow as a man, but also cast a mighty long shadow as a soldier and politician. He is the only man to ever be Governor of two states, Tennessee from 1827-1829 and, of course, Texas from 1859-1861. He was a Senator from Texas from 1846-1859 and was the first (elected) and the third President of Texas.

He was a veteran of the War of 1812, but Houston's greatest claim to fame, even if he never held elective office, was as the commander of the Texian Army that defeated General Santa Ana at San Jacinto, securing Texas' independence from Mexico and therefore assuring him a prominent place in Texas History. A quick piece of trivia here, Houston was born on March 2, which, as fate would have it, is same date as Texas Independence Day.

Sam Houston was also a great friend of and advocate for the Indians of Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas. At one time he was granted citizenship as member of the Cherokee Nation. Houston was known to partake in an adult beverage or twelve and the Cherokee gave him the nickname of Big Drunk. His close friendship with the Cherokee caused quite a stir in Washington, D.C., especially with Houston's friend and mentor, Andrew Jackson. Here's an excerpt from wikipedia regarding this matter, "In 1830 and again in 1832 Houston visited Washington, DC to expose the frauds which government agents committed against the Cherokee.^[5] While he was in Washington in April 1832, anti-Jacksonian Congressman William Stanbery of Ohio made accusations about Houston in a speech on the floor of Congress. Attacking Jackson through his protégé, Stanbery accused Houston of being in league with John Van Fossen and Congressman Robert S. Rose. The three men had bid on supplying rations to the various tribes of Native Americans who were being forcibly relocated because of Jackson's Indian Removal Act of 1830. After Stanbery refused to answer Houston's letters about the accusation, Houston confronted him on Pennsylvania Avenue and beat him with a hickory cane. Stanbery drew one of his pistols and pulled the trigger—the gun misfired. On April 17 Congress ordered Houston's arrest. Pleading self-defense, he hired Francis Scott Key as his lawyer. Houston was found guilty, but thanks to highly placed friends (among them James K. Polk), he was only lightly reprimanded. Stanbery filed charges against Houston in civil court. Judge William Cranch found Houston liable, and fined him $500. Houston left the United States for Mexico, without paying the fine." And with that, Houston packed up his toys and headed for Texas. The rest of the Wikipedia article has some great biographical info on :Big Drunk". When you get a few minutes, it's well worth the read.

Years ago, I read an outstanding book on Sam Houston and I am ashamed to say that I don't remember the title nor the author. I say that in order to point out what a fascinating subject Sam Houston is and just about any book about him would make for some very interesting reading. He was quite a colorful character who was much more than just the man who won the decisive battle for Texas' independence, Sam Houston was a statesman, Governor, Senator and President and by the Grace of God, a Texan.

Sabbath Silliness Revisited

It is said that it is better to give than to receive. A few days ago, I received the makings of a first class cold (not the flu as I thought back then), and now I have given it to my wife. That's just the kind of guy I am - constantly thinking of others. Besides, I consider it sort of an early birthday present to her. Just to prove to you that I am a giving kind of guy, I am now going to give you the business some of my finest musings from weeks past on Three States Plus One.

• Willie Asked Me to Do a Duet - Hell, if you would have smoked what we smoked on Willie's bus, you'd be askin' everybody from Boy George to ZZ Top to do a duet. It's a good story.
• 248 Acres of Awesome - Lookin' back to when the grass was green and lookin' forward to next spring, too.
• Caught - Just me, the mountains and God. 
• From the Fryin' Pan Into the Fire - What it was like before Coop, my newest fishin' buddy, was born. 

I don't wanna overdo the silliness on the Sabbath. I am certain that the Almighty has a sense of humor, but I don't want to be the one to test His patience. I already owe Him big time.

Texas Tidbits: Bob's Big Bend Adventure

Photo from Bob's Big Bend Adventure**

Texas is about 267,000 square miles of Bad Ass. I have traveled about four-fifths of those 267,000 square miles. The one-fifth of Texas I haven't seen is the area in and around the Big Bend. Good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, I'll make that trip with wife and little girls next summer. However, a good friend of mine, Bob Zeller at Texas Tweeties recently took a trip to the Big Bend with his lovely wife, Ann. I like Bob and all, but I gotta tell you, he married up.Way up. :) Now where was I? Bob...trip...Ann....oh,yeah, so Bob and Ann take this trip to the Big Bend. Bob wrote a bit of commentary about the trip and he took loads of photos that illustrate the rugged, unspoiled beauty of this part of Texas and serialized it on his blog. So far, there are five installments of Bob' writings and photos, with each one more breathtaking than the last. If you've never been tp this part of Texas or if you've been a hundred times, you are sure to find something new in Bob's posts. Give 'em a read and let your imagination run wild with thoughts of cowboys and the Indians that roamed these mountains and prairies that are still just as wild and untamed as they were hundreds of years ago.

Here are the keys to Bob's Place:

• Bob's Big Bend Adventure, Part 1 - The Dangers
• Bob's Big Bend Adventure, Part 2-The FunThings
• Bob's Big Bend Adventure - Part 3 - Pinto Canyon
• Bob's Big Bend Adventure - Part 4 - El Camino del Rio
• Bob's Big Bend Adventure - Part 5 - Places to Stay and Eat

Go forth and explore Bob's Big Adventure to the Big Bend and check out the outstanding photos. And while you're over at Bob' place, I think you'd like to think about ordering one of his Texas Tweeties 2011 calendars. Aside from the magnificent photography you'd expect from Bob, the calendars are very sturdy, not that cheap ass paper you get at your local retailer. Just to remind you, I do not receive any remunerations for hawking Bob's calendar. 1) I have one so I know of what I speak when I describe it. 2) Bob put in countless hours getting the photos in the calendar. Birds ain't like a dog, they don't come to you when you whistle. 3) Bob is my friend and having gotten to know him over the last couple months, I have great respect and admiration for him 4) He's from Michigan, yet he chooses to be a Texan. That alone is reason enough to respect the man.
5) I am all about helping a friend.

***Photo copyright by Bob Zeller***

Weekend Rerun!

I am still under the weather, so today I am gonna post some stuff that's been posted before, but it's certainly worth a second read, if you've already looked it over. For our newer visitors, it'll be a great opportunity to catch up on the material they have not had the chance to read yet. At any rate, you'll be exposed to rantings of a madman the award-winning (my Mom awarded me a Dinky Button) literature that makes you queasy you've come to expect from yours truly, so set your expectations real low and you won't be disappointed. It's a win-win deal.

• The Law West of the Pecos- The heartwarming tale of a man who basically ruled a portion of West Texas from the Court's bench. Justice Roy Bean style went like this: a guy was accused of killing a Chinese man. Judge Bean studied on it for a bit, then proclaimed the defendant not guilty. The Judge said, and I'm paraphrasing here, "it's certainly against the law to kill a man, but the law says nothing about killing a Chinaman. Case dismissed." Read the post and click on he links and you'll find more tear-inducing tales of the Law West of the Pecos.
• Forged of a Hotter Fire- I have posted 288 times on this blog so far, and this is in my Top 3 Favorite Posts. In the story, click the link to read a great essay from Coach Bum Phillips on what it means to be a Texan. I think our non-Texan friends will enjoy it and gain a little insight as to why Texans are so fiercely proud of our heritage. God bless Texas.
• Country Music Month Wrap Up- This was posted about a week and a half ago, but it's still worth re-reading or just clicking on the links to the music of BOCEPHUS!!!

That's a pretty good day's reading right there. Sit back, crack open a beer for breakfast and hit the "Bocephus" post, crank up the music and read the other two posts while you jam. That's the way people "forged of a hotter fire" do it.  

Plus One: An Encore Presentation

I am beset with the "Dreaded Double Dose of Diseasery" today. My arthritis is in full tilt boogie mode and I think I am getting the flu. I don't think I could write down to my usual low standards, so I am gonna re-post some of the stuff from the past that, if you read it, lowered your IQ by at least ten points. Hell, it's Friday, so I'm fairly certain you plan on slackin' off anyway, so this is your chance to not only slack off at work, but lower your IQ at the same time! Hey, I'm here to serve. You'll thank me later, if you are still able to perform a cognitive skill, like talking. Actually it'll be more like mumbling, but don't blame me, you chose to read this crap award-winning prose.Therefore, for your IQ-lowering pleasure, I present to you this steaming pile some stuff read by goofballs in 47 states, the District of Columbia and 44 other countries around the world, an encore presentation of some our most reviled popular posts.

• All the News That's Not Fit to Print- This is the touching story of some cops befriending a scantily clad young woman and let her play with their AK-47. I'm wiping a tear from my eye as I type this. I just love a tale of friendship, camaraderie and law enforcement reaching out to a scantily clad young bimbo.
• A Texas Primer- I posted this about six weeks ago and will probably post again in the future. This blog is gaining new readers every single day from all over the world. As a matter of fact, when I signed on this morning to check my email, I noticed that the newest country to njoin us is Puerto Rico. Bienvenidos, amigos! Many of our overseas readers may not be familiar  with a lot of things about Texas and the primer I link to in the post is  good place to start learning about the Lone Star State. Even Native Texans, like me, can learn something new about our home.
• Shotgun Willie- This was one of most popular posts in October. The reason why can be found in two words: Willie Nelson. 
• Miss Me Yet- This is a story about the 43rd President of the United States. It shows that love him or loathe him, he is a good man and this story is just one example why. Worth the read.

 Those stories should keep you away from doing your job for a while today. If it doesn't you've a choice to make. You can work or you can look through the blog archives and fine a lot more brain cell killing of brilliant writing and commentary. If you are really bored, you can scroll down on any page you read to the "Flag Counter", click on it and see where in the world our readers are. Now get after it! You've got slacking to do!