Music of the non-hip-hop variety is typically not my purview, but an Austin-dwelling FBvian sent along this Spin article which names the band Overnight (scroll down) as one of “8 Undiscovered Bands Worth a Listen.” The group is New York based, but guitarist and keyboardest Arun Pandian is a Dallas native and Jesuit grad, who’s toured with the likes of Lauryn Hill. (He was also in a bridal party with me for said Austin dweller, but that’s another story.) The band’s music isn’t something I’d put on my iPod and run to, but I’ve been playing it on my computer as I type this and I’m kind of digging it. According to Spin, if you like Nada Surf and Bloc Party (um, who?), you’ll really dig it.
The book is called The Predator Next Door, and no, it has nothing to do with the Bowie knife Trey keeps tucked into his boot at all times. It’s by Darlene Ellison, and it has to do with ground Trey covered in this 2006 D Magazine story, about a prominent Lakewood dentist (Ellison’s now ex-husband) preying on young boys. Apparently, Trey fits into the narrative somewhere.
(If you see Trey on his usual route home — walking down the street in a zig-zag fashion, doubling back over his own tracks several times, then hopping onto a city bus, then transferring to another bus, then getting onto a light rail train, then hailing a cab, then jogging a mile or so, then jumping into a car, then ditching that car and getting into a rental he’s stowed inside a storage unit, then parking that behind an abandoned Weinerschnitzel, then getting back on the bus, getting off at a stop three miles from his house, then walking the rest of the way using only alleys and backyards — be sure to talk to him about it.)
You wanna know how you can tell that you are no good at playing basketball? When former NBA all-star Mark Aguirre winds up on your lunchtime pickup team — and you still lose. (Scouting report on Aguirre, for those who might face him on the hardwood: he doesn’t get up and down the court like he once did. But his hands are still freakishly huge (Leppert has nothing on him). He’s got a good ball fake and a quick first step. And he has range.)
What are you doing tonight? No plans? A word-loving FrontBurnervian tells us:
Billy Collins, the former U.S. poet laureate and a hugely funny and entertaining poet, will be speaking for free tonight at 7 o’clock at Highland Park High School. He’s really enjoyable, and he’s the perfect poet for people who don’t think they like poetry. And did I mention it’s free?
I myself won’t be able to attend the HP Lit Festival, as tonight is My Fair Lady’s book club night (aka “Drinks With the Ladies Night,” because I can’t recall the last time any of them actually read the book they were supposed to).
If I’m reading this right, and I’d like to think that I am, former DMN head honcho Jeremy Halbreich lied to Wick when he said he wasn’t interested in being the top dog at the Chicago newspaper group. I know the titles are different, but we’re talking about the same thing, right? Not that I blame him. I don’t know who would be honest in that situation.
Update: This story says someone else was named president, so he didn’t technically lie. But he’s still calling the shots. Which means … what? Wick, where are you? Tell me what to think.
Or Sixty-Five, I can’t ever remember. Anywhoo, Jason Castro eats wolf. (My guess is that he is famous.)
“I love them all,” said Westminster judge. “Tonight, the Sussex.” Our old friend Rod Davis sends this link to Stump’s story. Grab a tissue. (Timmy, skip it.)
Oh, what a face! Last night in a stunning upset, Stump, a 10-year old Sussex spaniel from Houston, became the oldest best in show winner at the 133rd annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. If you are a fan of Westminster, you will remember last year’s winner Uno, the egomaniacal Beagle who went bananas when the judge pulled him out of the lineup and awarded him first prize. (Uno is quite a celebrity—he has his own Facebook page.)
But Stump’s victory was sweeter, there was no flash or dash. Stump’s success was a comforting triumph for those of us with diminishing 401-ks and AARP Magazine subscriptions. In 2004, Stump retired from competition and nearly died from a mysterious medical condition. However, the good folks at Texas A&M (Hi, Beth!) fixed him up and last night he made a brilliant comeback.
Stump looked a little tired as he loped around the ring at Madison Square Garden, he is close to 70 in human years and it was almost 11pm in New York. With his head and tail high held high, he loped passed a line of elegant younger dogs including a giant schnauzer (the top US show dog), the favored Brussels griffon, a Scottish deerhound named Tiger Woods, a (hardly) standard poodle, a (yawn) Scottish terrier, and a (groovy) dreadlocked puli.
Stump, you are the calm, long-eared emotional stimulus package of my dreams. Good boy.
1. I’m considering entering the Miss Texas beauty pageant this year. I think I’ve got a shot at winning best of opposite sex in breed-level competition. Thank you, Tyler the English cocker spaniel. You’re an inspiration to all of us of the opposite sex.
2. “Hi, I’m Tommy Lee Jones. Let’s all get behind the Barnett Shale. Because, sure, sucking natural gas out of it causes just as much pollution every year as is belched out by all the cars combined on North Texas roads, but we’re working on it.”
3. Some in Dallas City Hall want to let developers themselves levy taxes, creating something called municipal management districts, or MMDs. You know, like they have in Houston. Yeah, that sounds fine. I don’t see what could possibly go wrong.