B.B. King and Homecoming

My audio work about B.B. King and Homecoming this weekend. _______________________ _________________________________

Proud to Help with a Bucket List

Now I am hungry for chicken after reading all that is on First We Feast's Chicken List. I was also tickled at the list-people I admire and then there's little ole me! Guess it's time for a road trip!

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Where I still need to go

Who would have thought I'm still needing to see more of America? I've traveled and lived east and west yet never lived in the mountain time zone! Guess it's time for another road trip!
Create Your Own Visited States Map _______________________ _________________________________

ABQ Balloon Museum and Being (Breaking) Bad

During my two years at Ole Miss, I had the opportunity to present papers at the Southwest Pop Culture Conference. This is an amazing conference because they really encourage young scholars through awards. My first year, I won the Lawrence Clayton Award for Texas Culture.

My first visit to Albuquerque was a quiet affair. I had only been to USITT (technical theatre) conferences before, and had no idea of what to expect with this one. Did I say it was quiet? Although dress attire is casual (I've been told many academic conferences are business attire), I still wasn't meeting or chatting with many people. Although seeing a movie was an antisocial move, it became the most social thing I did that trip.

The conference has an annual tradition of screening Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.  I was late. Being late, it was dark and I ended up with my cohorts for the night, a writer from Texas and a writer from Australia. They were sneaking drinks and sipping Bourbon so naturally we quickly became good friends. Not wanting to retire to our rooms after the sing-along, it was decided we should go to a cigar bar in town. I can not remember the last time I was in a smoke filled bar. It was nice and horrible at the same time. We ended up in the cold of the night, sitting on a rooftop terrace, mostly due to the noise of the place over the escape from the smoke.  So what was next?

Albuquerque  has food trucks that line up downtown and it was strategic in geography to our hotel. I made the mistake of dressing for the next agenda and had my coat. While we did get food, the next idea was to go into a bar close-by, The Library.

Both gents had to pay a cover AND had to be frisked whereas my purse wasn't even really checked. It was turning out to be a night (and I have said this to people before on nights like these) where I said to my mates, "We're either going to get beat up or knifed." (Granted the last time I said this was in Durham and I said beat up or arrested but you get the idea.) We got some libations, found the perfect table and proceeded to people watch. Our table was strategically central to a unfortunate step that people kept falling down or drunken stumbling down, depending on inebriation. The booth was also front row to a section of VIP velvet rope action. We were definitely a minority but since my companion from Texas apparently always wears a three piece suit, guys were approaching the table and shaking hands with him—I guess the Barney factor of “suiting up” is important. The Australian just snickered and shared that no matter what, “He’s always the whitest guy in the place.” Extreme people watching means staying ’til bar close and I look back at what an amazing, unexpected night.

The next year was as quiet with a slash of whacky as the previous year. I presented my research on Mississippi Gas Station Food, which complemented nicely with the other motoring papers, one being a case study of Winslow, Arizona.  The next day became a 8 hour tour of Breaking Bad filming locations with a car load of strangers in my rental car. I always hate driving a lot of people due to blind spots and distractions and with the addition of an unfamiliar car, in an unfamiliar city, I get nervous. I worry about people critiquing my driving ability. The day ended with a few of us seeing the sunset on a reservation, and drinks with some amazing American Studies and Pop Culture academics. 

The next day, with a little time to kill (the year before had been a trip to Santa Fe, with me ending up with locals at a brewery), I went to the balloon museum. One of my reasons for going had been that I wanted to see it since before I moved to Mississippi. My last year in California was spent as a trainer at a computer store and one couple I worked with had been through this museum and the wife laughed at how her husband couldn’t get out of the simulator for a hot air balloon. The whole reason for my trip was to see the simulator for myself, and now I know how he felt. It grades you and you keep wanting to land and navigate better. As a “museum rat” this is one I would recommend to anyone visiting the city and I’d tell them in part just for the simulator.  

Albuquerque in February isn’t ideal but it’s been two great trips with good memories. I’d like to still experience the festival and explore Albuquerque, Taos, and Santa Fe a little more. This penny represents a lot of memories! 

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What is GARC? Ole Miss Rifle

Report for Rebel Radio on the weekend's championship

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My Interview with Jonathan Miles, Author of Want Not

A few days ago, I spoke books, writing, food and squirrels with author Jonny Miles.  What a treat- he helped me remember how great the town of Oxford MS can be. _______________________ _________________________________

At Last Cover Cyndi Lauper

I am a huge fan or at least I was as a little girl ( I danced in play clothes to the album- I repeat album She's So Unusual). My friend just posted this and although I am a huge Etta fan, there is something about this take on this song that keeps me playing it repeatedly at the moment.

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