Posts Tagged ‘flying’

Welcome Back to Dallas

January 13, 2010

For all you loyal fans (both of you) of the Dallas Yankee, I must apologize for the extended holiday hiatus. I spent a few weeks away from Big D, followed by three more weeks in NYC, being more Yankee than Dallas. Over this time, I have learned some things:

1. I love New York.
2. It gets cold in Dallas.
3. It gets warm in Dallas.
4. The W Hotel Dallas has a helipad.

Now, some of these may not seem like epiphanies of any kind, but yesterday as I sat at my desk, a helicopter circled overhead and crashed into the W Hotel. OK, that’s a lie – it landed on the W. But, if you didn’t know there was a helipad up there, you might be confused – Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer-style.

Anyway, here’s a pic of the approach.

I’m not sure who was so special that they couldn’t take the elevator like everyone else, but watching a helicopter land on a building is awesome. Don’t ask me why. Also, the work ‘helipad’ is pretty sweet, too, let’s be honest. It’s like when Chinooks used to transport people to the Twin Towers, like in Coogan’s Bluff. Kinda.

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Dallas Veterans’ Day Parade

November 12, 2009

As yesterday was Veterans Day, I headed downtown to watch the parade. It was especially moving to be in Dallas just days after the Ft. Hood massacre – there were than a couple of units in the parade from Hood. I Took some photos but as my digital remains broken, I only had my K1000, so we’ll have to wait about four years for me to develop, scan, and upload those shots. Here is a photo gallery.

The parade started at City Hall at 11am. There was a flyover by three T38s/F5s to start the ceremony. There was also a finger-four flyover by four prop-wing planes. I’m not sure what they were but they were round-tipped and straight-winged (looked like P-40s maybe). As they sped over the skyline, one trailed smoke, though there was no ‘fallen flier’ formation. Fighters are awesome.

There were a lot of high school marching bands, almost all of which had some sort of JROTC unit as well. A few marched crisply and in-step, but most seemed comprised mostly of kids who were unsure of whether they wanted to be there. It is always moving to me to see the old WWII vets. There are fewer and fewer every year and while some are still very active and with it, so to speak, many more seem frail and sad. However, it is reassuring to see people collect on the sidewalks on a Wednesday to wave, and to cheer, and to actually yell “thank you” to many of the older vets.

There was also a formation of the All-American Cowgirl Chicks and a pick-up truck pulling the Stars’ Ice Girls on inline skates which seemed to be just popular amongst the fans as many of the military vehicles.

A large float that said “We Support Our Troops” along hte side carried an enormous Liberty Bell replica. The sign in front said “Let Freedom Ring”. Fine, but also on the float, flanking the bell fore and aft, facing the crownd were two huge replicas of the 10 commandment tablets. Romans 8:28-31. Hm. Interesting. Nice. Doesn’t sound at all like radical Islam.

There were a few nice old cars, including an array of Corvettes – past and present – at the beginning of the parade. I love to see the older vets in those fancy cars, I think they must get a kick out of it. Anyway, here’s to our vets, past and present and even future.

 

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Even the Beetles are Bigger in Texas

November 4, 2009

You read that right. They got big bugs here. It may be that they also love Rubber Soul more in the Great State of Texas than they do elsewhere, but right now, I’m talking creepy-crawlies.

We recently got some plants for our terrace. They’re really nice; they add a bit of color.

Dallas Heath MG00067
Country Livin’

But since then, we seem to be popular. Granted, I sit at this window all day and see all sorts of bugs go by: flies, bees, moths, ladybugs, and for some reason, a lot of hornets. I don’t know why, but there is clearly a wasps’ nest nearby. One of them got in here one morning, and I was not pleased.
I caught him and let him go, but you’d have thought I was wrangling a cobra the way I was sweating.

So why does this guy keep coming back? And can anyone tell me what he is?

Big Ass Beetle IMG00066
Godzilla!!!

He’s slow-moving and persistent. He first flew over and landed on the window. I pounded on it a couple of times (it’s double-paned) and he took off. The next day, there he was flying around, eventually landing right on the terrace. I watched him for a while then finally swept him off with a recently purchased Walmart broom, and he flew across the street. Not an hour later he was back.

He, or she, doesn’t seem interested in the plants, but maybe these little guys stuck to the windows are aphids and thus the appearance of ladybugs (who I like, everyone does), and then maybe this bruiser likes to eat them. I don’t know, but he’s big. At least, he’s big for a bug in the city.

Remember, I’m a New Yorker. I’ve seen cockroaches as big as rats, rats as big as cats, cats as big as dogs and, OK, fine those were mountain lions, but still. I’ve seen some nasties in my day – centipedes and ants and spiders of all sorts. Why is this guy bothering me? Cuz he’s a huge freaking beetle and I’m just blocks away from Downtown Dallas. Perhaps he came from a construction site across the way. Maybe he’s migratory and just likes the view. Maybe he was dumped in the sewer and someone spilled some radioactive ooze down there and he was trained by a humanoid rat to become a master of martial arts. We’ll see.

splinter
Ultimate mastering comes not from the body, but from the mind.

Image (C)1987 Murakami Wolf Swenson Productions.

There are more important things to worry about tonight, namely beating the Phills. Go Yankees.

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DFW

October 1, 2009

What do you do when the world’s economy hits rock bottom, you get laid-off, and New York doesn’t seem to want to hire your fresh-out-of-business-school girlfriend? Move to Dallas!

I have been to Texas exactly one (1) time – for a very fun, relatively tame, BBQ-gorging bachelor party in Austin. I liked Austin, even though I was there for a mere 36 hours. There was good music, good bars, and great brisket. However, I never saw myself leaving New York for the Great State of Texas. With things in New York still not improving, I figured that a change of scene was necessary. A few weeks after my girlfriend accepted her job, I was on my way to Dallas.

Things I know about Dallas:
It’s in the Great State of Texas.
It is not the capital of the Great State of Texas
Quarterbacks are like golden retrievers: Not rare, but loved by all except anyone allergic to dander.
Kristen shot JR.

Armed with this knowledge, I started packing.

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