Houston is My Home

Snippets

Ranjani — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 15:42:24 +0000

Yao Ming gets married! I guess being an international celebrity has its merits. Congratulations! Read more »
Lucy, the 3.2 million-year-old austrolopithicine skeleton , will be touring the world, and will be at the Houston Museum of Natural Science between August 31st and April 20th, 2008. While I am personally opposed to the skeleton traveling — namely because this is an enormous and very fragile piece of the human evolution puzzle, and also because it was taken somewhat secretly from Ethiopia. I will, however, likely go to see the skeleton because, well, it’s just that wonderful! Read more »
Barcamp Houston is on August 25th at the Houston Technology Center. If you love technology, the internet, coding, design, or simply hanging out, try to attend! It’s free, and from what I hear, very fun.

Marvin Zindler; we’ll always miss you

Ranjani — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:24:21 +0000

I grew up listening to “SLIIIMMEE IN THE ICE MACHINE!” and wondering just what that really meant. It was only later that I found out about Marvin’s Angels and all the wonderful things this strange man with tinted lenses and snappy white suits did during his life. It’s some consolation that he lived a long, fruitful life (85) and helped so many people. He even filmed from his hospital bed with the same undying dedication to his art that he espoused when he was alive.

I’ll miss you, buddy. Eyewitness news.

Steve Francis to return to the Rockets

Ranjani — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:22:51 +0000

Ex-guard and All-Star Steve Francis is to return to the Rockets from playing for Miami for the past few days. So now we’ve got a new coach (hopefully better and less temperamental), and new talent. Maybe the good old days of Rockets glory are about to return!

“Francis played five seasons for the Rockets, averaging 19.3 points, 6.4 assists and 6.1 rebounds. He was traded in June, 2004 to the Orlando Magic along with Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato in the deal to acquire Tracy McGrady. After one strong season with the Magic, he was dealt to the Knicks the next season and generally struggled to regain the form of his first years in the league, usually coming off the bench in the Knicks’ crowded backcourt and battling knee troubles last season.”
—from the Houston Chronicle

Spend your summer at Miller!

Ranjani — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:07:32 +0000

Miller Outdoor Theatre, which, true to its name, is a fantastic outdoor venue, has several performances planned over the next few months. Listed below are some of the weekend events for just a few of the performances showcased. Check out Miller’s theatrical events!

July 21st — Happy Feet in the Park

(Start time: 8:15 PM) Enjoy an evening of music, dance and all-around family entertainment with Miller Outdoor Theatre’s presentation of the animated film “Happy Feet” sponsored by METRO. The Oscar-wining feature doesn’t just dazzle you with its tap-dancing, song-belting penguins, but subtly embraces green themes affecting our environment such as pollution, conservation and over-fishing in the Artic. Rated PG.

July 28th — Romeo and Juliet

(Start time: 8:30 PM) Perhaps the greatest love story ever told, this classic tells of the uncompromising hostility of two families who forbid the natural growth of a youthful, committed love. The performance on August 3 is captioned. (Also plays Aug. 1, 3, 9, 11)

July 27th — Love’s Labour Lost

(Start time: 8:30 PM) Shakespeare’s great autumnal comedy about a king and his cohorts who decide to commit themselves to seclusion and learning for a period of three years only to be interrupted by the arrival of a princess and her lovely ladies. This show is captioned. (Also plays Aug. 2, 4, 8, 10)

August 28th — Madame Butterfly

(Start time: 8:00 PM) Puccini’s ever-popular “Madame Butterfly”, presents a tragic love story through an opera filled with poignant music that moves audiences everywhere. Conducted by Willie Anthony Waters this will be an English-language production. The show on August 24 is captioned for the hearing impaired.

Directions to Miller Outdoor Theatre

Miller Outdoor Theatre is located at 100 Concert Drive in Hermann Park, just south of the Museum of Natural Science and the Houston Garden Center.

Directions from 59 or 45:

Take 59 or 45 to Highway 288 South - Exit North MacGregor and turn right onto North MacGregor. The road will fork once, stay to the right. Take a right at the light onto Golf Course Drive. Parking is available on both sides of Golf Course Drive.

Directions from 610 South:

Take 610 South to Highway 288 North. Exit North MacGregor and turn left into North MacGregor. The road will fork once, stay to the right. Take a right at the light onto Golf Course Drive. Parking is available on both sides of Golf Course Drive.

Access to Golf Course Drive:

Often, when the Park is near capacity, HPD will close access to Golf Course Drive at N. MacGregor. In this case, go straight through the intersection of N. MacGregor and Golf Course Drive. Turn right onto Fannin. At the second light on Fannin, take a right onto Hermann Circle Drive. Continue on Hermann Circle Drive as it turns into Golf Course Drive. Parking is available on both sides of Golf Course Drive.

Have fun!

Like there’s nothing left to fight for.

Ranjani — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 01:37:19 +0000

I heard more than a few conflicting stories about David Ritcheson, the boy who jumped overboard from a cruise ship only a few days ago. One said he survived — which I was inclined to believe; another said he died, and so on. It wasn’t until just now that the name began to make sense again. David Ritcheson — the hate crime victim who was brutally assaulted by people of his own age-group — of my age-group. That he survived the incident alone was remarkable, but that he lived on and tried to make his life normal again was truly spectacular. And then, there was this. This is not how stories should end, nor how they should be created. Although he was a Spring native, I hope this resonates for all of us that we are all the same flesh and blood. To do this to someone else because of their ethnicity, their gender, their language is just unbelievably cruel and deeply sadistic.

Yet, there is still something poignant about Independence Day that gives me some hope that David’s alright now. A Happy Fourth to all of you reading, and to David, thank you for your inspiration.

Welcome to Houston

Ranjani — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 23:33:08 +0000

It’s hard to imagine Houston without its ever-pervasive heat and humidity. We all try, at any rate, mopping our brows and spending the majority of the day inside where artificial cold can mask — but never erase — Houston’s fiery charm. After all, this is the city of the Rockets, the Astros, a night sky as brown as Galveston Bay… and some of the largest mosquites in the world (sorry, Belize).

This is actually an experiment in my work ethic; for the record, Houston is an enormous city with so much culture and life — that’s what I’ve gotta convey. The people at BloggyNetwork have done a fantastic job in setting up these sites, and now, they just need a little content-loving. So here’s to Houston, here’s to Tex-Mex (by far the finest establishment on this planet), and let’s get this show on the road.