Photography – Page 109 – The Bald Heretic – Short, bald dude with a goofy beard

This is not a restaurant review

I’ve been in Houston most of my life and without disclosing too much we’ll just say that’s a long time.
This city has grown and changed over the years and looks nothing like it did even a few short years ago.

Houston landmarks are disappearing or changing with greater and greater frequency. The Houston Coliseum where the Beatles played is gone. The Houston Summit where I saw some of the greatest rock concerts of all time slowly changed to become the Compaq Center and is now the home of Lakewood Church. The eighth wonder of the world, The Astrodome, has gone from a magnificent baseball and football stadium to a convienent and expendable evacuation center for those seeking refuge from the devastating effects of hurrican Katrina. KLOL, Houston’s premier rock and roll radio station, is now a Spanish station playing Reggaeton, Spanish hip hop and pop hits (bleh!). Even Astroworld is slated to close it’s doors before the end of this year.

But some things never seem to change, thank goodness.

It’s been a long time since I have eaten at Star Pizza and when I was invited by my colleague Dwight Silverman to meet up for dinner to discuss the future of Technology Bytes with his friend Chris Hearne, the founding publisher of the Houston Press it seemed a most logical choice.

Founded 30 years ago by Hank and Marilyn Zwirek, The original Star Pizza at 2111 Norfolk has provided Houston with it’s most well known outlet for procuring a genuine Chicago style pizza in our fair city. It has also been a place one could go to get a tasty Italian meal and, more importantly, it has been an inner-city gathering place with easy access to the heart of Houston for all these years. It’s super casual with plenty of dining space inside and out. The atmosphere (combined with delicious pizza and adult beverages) is very conducive to a most animated and thoughtful conversation. Just about anyone you talk to knows about Star Pizza.

I don’t know if we accomplished much last night but I am sure glad I went. It’s comforting just knowing that they’re there and you can walk in on a Thursday night and get some good food served by a friendly and attentive staff of pizza proffessionals.

Head in the clouds

I was daydreaming a bit.
As I was looking out the window I started to wonder what this sky looked like reflected in my building.

Dooley and the holidays

Dooley has an interesting sense of timing and can associate one event with another, for example:

When we get up and turn on the light in the kitchen he says “good morning”
When I pick up my keys he makes the sound of the house alarm being armed
When I close the microwave door he makes the sound of the timer being set
When I say goodbye on the phone he makes the sound of the teeny, quiet beep of the cordless phone being turned off
When I turn off the light in the TV room he says “good night” and then makes the sound of the house alarm being armed

Well, it’s October and Dooley has started to say “Trick or Treat”…something he’s only heard the last few years on that one special night when the kids come to our door. He hasn’t said it but a few times after Halloween last year and then not at all for the whole year. It’s like he knows it’s October.

This would be more surprising if he didn’t wait till December to sing Jingle Bells.

That bird is smarter than he looks.

Dooley on the yellow sproingy:

Cynthia and the hummingbird

Cynthia and the hummingbird, originally uploaded by The Bald Heretic.

We sat quietly amongst the hummers and I got this GREAT shot.

Hummingbirds Attack!

For the last few weeks we have had 2-4 hummingbirds in the yard. This evening there must have been 15 or more buzzing around.

Jay and the lemur

I finally made it to Adventures In Birds to replenish the dwindling supply of bird treats at the house.

I took some time to visit the show room and I was pounced upon by a free-roaming lemur!

They’re very cute but I think owning a pet with opposable thumbs would present it’s own unique set of problems we are not prepared to deal with.

When the rain comes

My best friend Jim has come over to ride out the storm with us.
We are starting to get some rain and wind. Jim and I decided to sit in the yard and play some songs.
The neighbors all got a real kick out of that.

There is a bit of a party atmosphere. We are all hanging out, drinking wine and beer. Telling jokes and marvelling at the sky.

More bird news

We were watching the hummingbird feeder this afternoon expecting to see our migrating little friends.
As I went into the kitchen Cynthia exclaimed loudly “Oh my god! What the heck is that?”

When I got to the window I did not immediately see what she was talking about but I spotted it shortly.

I had never seen one before and never expected to see one down here in Texas feeding at the hummingbird feeder, but there it was…

a Baltimore Oriole.