HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston-area high school senior has bagged a 14-foot, 800 pound alligator — the heaviest ever certified in Texas — on his first alligator hunt.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials say 18-year-old Braxton Bielski bagged the record gator last week at Choke Canyon State Park, about 90 miles south of San Antonio.

The agency says in a statement that Braxton shot the giant reptile after hooking it on a line using raw chicken as bait.

Bielski’s father, Troy Bielski, won a Parks and Wildlife drawing for a five-day permit to hunt in the Daughtry Wildlife Management Area. The Houston police officer says his son had been dreaming of hunting alligators for years.

Parks and Wildlife says the alligator was between 30 and 50 years old.

Two days later, we finished the job early, so we went to Freetail for lunch and a couple of beers.  I saw that there was a third IPA in bombers for takeout, so I picked that one up too.  I guess it’s Freetail “IPA week” for me!  I’ll post the review of Soul Doubt IPA below.

The other two IPAs I picked up:

Velocihoptor (what a great name for an IPA!).

Buffalo Hump 1840 Belgian IPA

In addition, I had another round of Spirulina Wit, a delicious rye witbier with spirulina added to give it a wonderful and deliciously strange green color!  At 3.9% ABV, it’s damn easy to drink, and I could easily have several of these in a sitting.

I also tried Uglie Ollie Stout, a delicious dry Irish stout that’s full bodied, but only 4.1% ABV.  These two brews made a nice lunch (along with some delicious pizza from their food menu).

I am going to try to make it there this Saturday for the “battle of the wits” where they’ll have various varieties of their witbier for your drinking pleasure!

Cheers to Freetail!

 Soul Doubt IPA

Pours a nice amber to copper color, mostly clear, with a creamy head that left about a 1/4″ sheet of dense foam capped on top the whole way down, leaving sheets of nice sticky resinous lacing.

The aroma doesn’t blow me out of the water, by any means. It’s somewhat subdued, but I get Cara-Munich malt first, then some herbal, earthy hops.

Flavors much follow the aroma, but they stand out more, and leave me wondering why I don’t make it out to freetail more often! The Cara-Munich and aromatic malts (along with whatever crystal malts they used) make a great base, and an unusual one for an IPA. I like the innovation! It’s well hopped, but balanced very well with the moderate ABV and bold malty backbone. There’s a little citrus, but I am getting mostly heavily earthy and lightly floral or grassy hop flavors.

This IPA is very unusual, and very likeable. Just don’t expect to be getting a standard west coast 47 lbs of hops per five gallons type of IPA. This beer is well crafted and delicious, but it’s not Pliny the Younger or Heady Topper.

Cheers to Freetail brewery for this brew!

Inspired by the movement which began in the 1950′s, Modified has become a much-loved event for residents of San Antonio. The aptly named Scooters Bar and Ministry of Dance (MOD) will play host to a selection of DJ’s with a collective love for Mod, Northern Soul, Motown and Ska. The popularity of the event provides testament to the fact that Ibiza cannot simply be defined by the obvious genres of music. The characteristics synonymous with the original ‘modernists’ could even be seen as somewhat reflective of lovers of the White Isle; hedonistic, stylish, and even possibly a little narcissistic? The youth culture which focused on dressing up, dancing and generally having more fun than everyone else, is somewhat definitive of the Modified experience you can encounter this weekend.

Organised by Scott Fowler and Steve Spencer, ‘the faces’ behind Scooters; Modified will take place at venues around Playa Bella beach. This will be the third consecutive year that the Balearics have brought Brighton to the sun. Nearly fifty years after the Whitsun weekend mod versus rocker conflict at Clacton; you can rest assured that this event will go peacefully. The rockers will be celebrating their own style at the San Jordi’s ‘Rock and Mola’. Modified will consist of three days of entertainment, drawing together people from across the globe, to laze in the Ibiza sun.

Every night is free to attend, kicking off on Friday 17^th May with an afternoon get together at Scooters bar, and evening shindig at the Playa Bella Hotel. Live music will be provided by The Rolling Soul, who will be performing their unique funk and soul covers from 9.30pm. Other sounds for the weekend will be provided by a rotation of talented DJ’s: Carlos Crackzorla, Pedro Pablo, DJ Pots and Steve Brown. Island favourite Steve Spencer, of ‘Scooter Sunday Soul Session’ fame, will also be digging out his vinyl for the weekend. Things heat up on Saturday 18^th with live music back at Playa Bella hotel from band The Holics, playing a selection of ‘60s favourites. Sunday 19^th draws the event to a close with a BBQ at Scooters from 4pm and an opportunity for people to bring their own vinyl.

This year will also see 2010 Northern Soul World Dance Champion, Liam Beckett take to the stage. Sheffield born and bred, he got his preference for ‘60s Motown and Soul from his father, who used to take him to nights at the KGB. Whilst showing an interest in the fashion, records, scooters and dancing that typify this genre; he states the driving force for his career is simple as the “love of soul”. So dig out your dancing shoes and get down to Modified for what looks to be an unforgettable weekend.

Contact Details

Email: scootersbaribiza@yahoo.co.uk

Like Modified on Facebook

]]> http://scrapmetalrecyclingnews.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/brass-recycling-brass-buyers-tx-4/ Thu, 16 May 2013 19:59:33 +0000 David Tene http://scrapmetalrecyclingnews.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/brass-recycling-brass-buyers-tx-4/

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We provide service to the following cities in Texas:

Houston, San antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort worth, El paso, Corpus christi, Laredo, Lubbock, Amarillo, Brownsville, Mcallen, Waco, Abilene, Beaumont, Victoria, San angelo, Odessa, Wichita falls, Temple, Denton, Midland, Killeen, Tx, Texas

We’d been wanting to go to Lockhart for barbecue for awhile, so that’s where we headed.  We went to Black’s Barbecue, but Lockhart is full of good barbecue (see Phil’s comment below), so I hope to add to this blog soon.

The town was sleepy except for Black’s Barbecue.  At Black’s, a line wrapped around the building and people were sitting by strangers at the picnic table style tables just for some of that good barbecue.  The air was on but barely, and the slow turning ceiling fans did little to help keep the temperature down.

B and I decided to suffer outside where we could enjoy our barbecue at our own table.

I’m mentioning the heat and the crowd, but I don’t mind it.  When I go to a place like that, it’s part of the experience.  I’d definitely recommend a little drive out to Lockhart for some barbecue at Black’s.

Other Barbecue Joints in Lockhart:

Kreuz Market and Barbecue

Smitty’s Market

(CBS Seattle/AP) —Here’s a warning to postal carriers in Seattle- this is one of the worst cities in the country for dog attacks.

The U.S. Postal Service says 42 letter carriers were attacked by dogs in Seattle last year, tying for second place with San Antonio. Los Angeles was the worst with 69 attacks.

Our area was redeemed a little thanks to Tacoma’s rank as one of the cities with the fewest attacks, 21. Wichita, Kansas had just 20 attacks.

According to the Postal Service, nearly 5,900 postal workers were attacked last year. It is a small percentage of the 4.7 million Americans who are bitten by dogs every year, but it’s significant. The agency says if a letter carrier feels threatened by a dog, your mail might not get delivered. Customers may then be required to pick up any mail at the post office.

The USPS released the rankings in time for National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which starts Monday.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

“Peace Corps was always one of those things that was in the back of my mind, something I may want to do, but I wasn’t really sure about it,” said David. “I got the opportunity to teach English in an Austrian high school, and both the teachers I worked with were just fantastic. So I decided I’d give Peace Corps a try, and as I learned more about the developing world, I realized that international development was something I was interested in, and I was hooked on the idea of Peace Corps from that time on.”

The Woodbridge, CT native will work with the members of his community in Mongolia to teach English as a foreign language to high school students and develop effective teaching methods with other English teachers. More than 1,008 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Mongolia since the program was established in 1991. David will join the 141 Volunteers in Mongolia who work in the areas of health, education and community economic development. Volunteers are trained and work in Mongolian and Kazakh.

Aside from his time teaching high school students in Austria, David has volunteered extensively at home. While attending Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, he volunteered at the San Antonio Center for Refugees and Each One Teach One Adult and Family Literacy in San Antonio, along with Homework @ First tutoring program and New Haven Reads, both located in New Haven, CT. Peace Corps will be unlike any volunteer service David has experienced before, though the times he has lived abroad in the past will prepare him for the process of cultural adaptation.

“In addition to living in the U.S. and living in Austria last year for almost six months, I lived in Berlin, Germany over the summer,” David said. “I’ve had experience with Eastern Europe before, but Mongolia is going to be a completely different ballgame. I’m looking forward to the challenges and the new things I’ll run into there.”

For the first three months of his service, David will live with a host family in Mongolia to become fully immersed in the country’s language and culture. After learning the language and cultural skills necessary to help his community, David will be sworn into service and be assigned to a community in Mongolia, where he will devote the next two years to making a difference to the people around him.

To learn more about Peace Corps in Mongolia, click here.

Conned into buying a sawdust sarnie from Ryanair on a paltry thirty minute flight, we all sighed as we heard the “doodle doo!” of triumph as the plane crashed to the floor. Even if the airbus had lost a wheel, caused a flight attendant to choke on their blue and yellow pin– or as I did on one of the Irish monsters’ flights– get into the brace position, that titting cock crow would still fart from the cockpit and reak of discontent amongst its passengers. Let your sigh grow as you get next get on board one of their delightful sojourns– the airline are renowned for adding an extra thirty minutes to their journey time so that they are ALWAYS on time. “They haven’t fooled me!” I barked in the manner of a person irritating enough to fly to Ibiza for the weekend because they can. I soon remembered that I was British, and kindly thanked the flight attendants for a delightful journey as I exited the plane.

Grinning in fear of our lives

Hotel Els Pins is situated in 25,000 square metres of pine trees. I am allergic to pine trees. I booked the hotel. However, if I wanted to seek solace in the forest slowly designed to kill me, all I would have to do is follow the disco lights energetically draped around the trees. As I lay dying, my last moments of life would be narrated by JLo’s Play whilst overlookers in tank tops drink their umbrella cocktails in plastic chairs. It is always good to have a reminder of your own mortality.

The next day, I ended up riding a bicycle.

Normal behaviour for many, you may say. For me, bicycles have been a thing of nightmares– for the past fifteen years.

My parents first attempted to teach me to cycle when I was five years old. Gifted with a lurid green bike and an enviable clashing Dennis the Menace helmet, I toddled up the road to crash violently into a bush.

Prior to the “we’re going on a bike ride” trauma. I particularly like how pasty and touristy my hat makes me

I tossed my helmet onto the grass and didn’t pick it up again for another five years.

Aged ten, I took a trip to Centre Parcs with my family. Lured in and unaware of any sporting emphasis the holiday had, it took me one glance at the cycling lunatics to realise what I had been tricked into.

“I can’t ride a bike,” I said to my parents.

“Of course you can,” they answered. “It just takes practice.”

I fell into a deep ditch on our first ride. I shared a tandem with my father for the remainder of the nine-day trip.

“I.fucking.hate.cycling,” I muttered under my breath as I tried and failed to mount the cycle.

My sporty friends whizzed ahead as I grappled with the pedals.

Deciding to take a trip to Cala Bossa, I surveyed my surroundings as I fiddled with my sun hat whilst trying to stabilise my bike.

“2 for 1 on English breakfasts! Free cocktails while the footy’s on!” bars elegantly boasted.

I nearly mounted a lamp-post as we made a quick stop for directions. A Paddy Power sign above my head was gilded in green comic sans.

An hour and a half later, I had survived. I had lost my hat a collect total of four times, made my calves chafe in ways I never knew were possible, and to greet some goats with a pleasant “alright mate” as I passed by. We ended up on a sublime journey through rustic Ibiza, far away from the tatter of expat holiday makers looking for England with sun which took over some of San Antonio.

We ended up here.

Celebrations

Did I ever tell you that I bloody love Spain?

During my time at Ibiza, I hung out at The Kiosko, CBBC and The Pussycat. Please don’t ask me why on earth I ventured into the latter.

• Housing starts fall from five-year highs
• Builder confidence raises for May
• What can I get in Argentina for $1.5 million?

• …or $1 million in Philadelphia?

• Wounded vet receives new home

• Here are ways to handle a recovery housing market

If you are not yet aware of Gloss Ibiza, then sit up and take note. This newly established brand has taken on the task of glamorising residents, tourists and workers alike. They are dedicated to leaving no toenail unpolished and no strand of hair out of place, whilst ensuring that clients feel as relaxed as Laidback Luke. Situated just off sunset strip on the Cala des Mora area of San Antonio, they use UK brands that cannot be found anywhere else on the island. With their wide selection of innovative treatments and products at your fingertips, a trip to Gloss Ibiza should be high on your Ibiza to do list.

The brand might be new to the index of Ibiza services, but the team is a collective of experienced residents, who understand the specialist needs of staying beautiful on the White Isle. The extensive range of services includes everything from hair styling and manicures, to specialist anti-ageing treatments and full body massages. With worker discounts and exclusive weekly offers; there is something for every budget. Once inside, you may find it very difficult to leave until you have been pampered head to toe. Switching off her GHD’s for a few precious minutes, here is what owner Helen had to say about the launch of Gloss and Ibiza 2013…

How does running a business in Ibiza differ to the UK and what previous experiences have you drawn on to drive forward Gloss Ibiza?

Running a salon in the UK is a completely different ball game to running a salon in Ibiza. In Ibiza you have three target markets: the workers, the residents and the tourists. Each one is equally important to appeal to! Especially the residents as they are here all year round. Also in Ibiza, we have two seasons and each one is very different! So you really have to think about the surroundings, the time of year and the customers, more so than in the UK! Working in the beauty industry in the UK has given me knowledge of the industry and products; but working in beauty for the past six years in Ibiza, is what has really prepared me for Gloss Ibiza.

What is the range of facilities available at Gloss Ibiza?

At Gloss we offer a wide range of hair and beauty services. We use Wella products for all our hair treatments, as we think Wella gives a 5 star finish! Also on the hair side we offer Brazilian Keratin treatments, conditioning treatments, extensions and feather extensions. Our beauty studio has new and exciting treatments such as MYscara semi-permanent mascara, Nuskin non-invasive face lift treatment and HD brows. We also offer other popular treatments such as Minx and Shellac. Of course we have all the old favourites too; manicures, pedicures, waxing, gels nails, acrylic nails, Dermalogica facials and Fake Bake spray tanning!

Give three reasons why someone needs to make a visit to Gloss Ibiza an essential part of their time in Ibiza.

Not only does everyone want to look their best whilst in Ibiza, it also helps to feel good too! So the first reason to contact Gloss is because our main aim is to leave you pampered, looking great and feeling 5 star! The second reason to contact us is because not everyone wants to spend time in a salon whilst the sun is shining. Our mobile service will come to you and pamper you by your pool or in your villa! The third, but by no means the last reason to contact us, is for our wide range of services. We offer everything from relaxing lazy day treatments, all the way through to getting you ready for a night out, with hair and make-up to suit your Ibiza destination!

As a fledgling business in Ibiza, how do you plan to spread the word about Gloss Ibiza in your opening year?

Although we are a fledgling business, our staff have all worked on the island in the beauty, hair and make-up industry for some time now. We have a good base and reputation to build on. Firstly, social media is a huge player in the marketing world these days; so the first stop will be Facebook, Twitter etc! Our website is also a great source for people to find us before they get here; it has all of our treatments and prices on there. On a more direct approach, the hotels and workers in the area are all targeted with flyers and posters. We also offer a 10% discount to all workers and residents for treatments and hair services, so we try to make everyone aware of that too!

Since opening, what is your most popular service and what feedback have you received from clients?

Pedicures have definitely been our most popular treatment to date! Our luxury pedicure is relaxing; and an essential for the flip flop season! It’s also great value for money and we’ve had great feedback from customers.

What does the Gloss Ibiza soundtrack consist of?

Gloss’ soundtrack really depends on what day and what time you come to visit us! In the mornings we are very chilled out, playing relaxing, easy listening music to ease you into the day. Later on we might feel a bit of Jazz or some sunset style vocal house; however it’s always music to sit back and enjoy the experience to!

Do you offer Ibiza workers any discounts on your services?

As previously mentioned, we offer a 10% worker discount on everything! We also have two big offers on each week; one on hair and one on beauty. This changes weekly and to keep up with what’s on each week you can like our Facebook page. We also have an extra 10% discount on top if you recommend a friend, so yes we have lots to offer workers!

What ethos do you instill in your staff at Gloss Ibiza and what advice would you give anyone looking to work in this profession in Ibiza?

The ethos of our staff is maintaining the customer as our main priority! Whether you’re on holiday or living here; having a hair or beauty treatment is a treat, and should make you feel a million dollars. Working hard and being tired is all part of a summer in Ibiza, luckily our staff love what they do. We are in such a beautiful surrounding and it shows in their work and disposition.

A holiday maker asks for your advice on the best places to go during their stay, where do you recommend?

There are so many amazing places to visit in Ibiza. Whenever anyone asks me that, I usually go on for a while! Firstly, it depends on budget; there are lots of great places to spend the day if you’ve got plenty of cash! However, Ibiza is beautiful and it costs nothing to experience this! I’d recommend Sunset Ashram at Cala Comte or the Golden Buddha at Cala des Moro for the best sunsets. Ibiza Old Town or Sa Talaia has the best views of the island. Finally, head to Cala Basa, Playa d’en Bossa or Ses Salines for some day time beach bars!

What are you most excited about for the 2013 season?

I’m excited about lots for the 2013 season! I’m excited for the salon to start making a name and reputation for itself; all the wedding and pamper parties we’ve got booked. Also I’m looking forward to seeing what this year brings for the rest of the island. Ibiza brings new and exciting things to the table each year, so I can’t wait to see what pops up in 2013!

Contact Gloss Ibiza

Phone: 0034 605292468

Email: info@glossibiza.com

Website: www.glossibiza.com

Like them on Facebook

Address:

Calle Cervantes 46

San Antonio, Ibiza

Baleares, 07820

Quite simply, we are there guys…Ibiza 2013 is upon us. There has been as ever, huge anticipation for another summer out on the White Isle. With a few comings and goings from DJs and Promoters, and a few old faces coming back, a few new faces we welcome as well. It all bodes well to be yet another fantastic season in the worlds favourite place – Ibiza.

Firstly, thanks to all who came last time out at the end of April at Pacha London. We absolutely blew the roof off the place as always, along with our friends at Pukka Up. It was a tremendous 1st birthday party, and we appreciate as always your support on what was a cracking night all round. If you haven’t seen the photos, they are up on the website – www.clubzorba.com and on our facebook page – facebook.com/clubzorba

There has been a great response too on this years club passes. The way we have changed it up slightly from last year has captured everyone’s interest – which was the idea! If you haven’t yet heard, well not only do you get quality parties such as Pacha (Insane Fridays) Amnesia (Together Tuesdays), Pukka Up Sunset Boat Party (Tuesday or Friday), Ocean Beach Club Pool Party (Choice of either Wednesday Subfocus, Thursday Pull The Plug or Saturday Soul Heaven). But you also get huge discounts from our partners out there. So show your pass at Entice Bar in the Westend or Pukka Up Diner/Bar on the beach and get discounted food and drinks. Plus for those going to Zoo Project, get yourself to Kiss My Fairy and get up to 50% off body painting and beauty treatments with out pass.

We estimate that depending on your group size and how much you want to drink. You’ll be getting about £150 worth of Ibiza for just £65 or £75 depending on what pass you choose. We really want to give you a great time out there with quality nights, but also appreciate you’ll be waxing a lot of funds on other nights. So to give you an option of discounted food and drink is where we wanted to help out this year. Get yourself onto the website and pick up the must have Ibiza accessory this year.

There is one last party to be had before we leave. We’re back at Source Bar in Maidstone, Kent on 8th June for a send off before we head out to Ibiza for the summer. We hosting the upstairs room with terrace for Random’s huge night headlining with Huxley. If you’re in and around the area come down and join us for another massive night. Tickets are £12 includes queue jump available now via http://www.clubzorba.com

Finally, we will leave you with this. Another cracking mix from Café Del Mar just released. We can’t wait to be back there in a few weeks. Grab yourself a Corona, sit back and enjoy.

See you in the summer…..

Written by Ben Kalman, the play – which won the Mainline Theatre Next Stage Award at the Fringe Festival last year – is actually really quite inspired. It does an admirable job of sifting through the life, times and death of Sid the Kid and if you’re a bit of a student of the era – guilty as charged! – you’ll be impressed by how Kalman gets just about everything right.

He captures the bitter animosity between Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten and the band’s Svengali-like manager Malcolm McLaren (played as punk snake-oil salesman by Charles Mayer), the emptiness that was Sid’s toxic girlfriend Nancy Spungen (played in suitably irritating style by Kathleen Aubert) and, most importantly, the play really does get Sid himself. Particularly in the second half, you discover the vulnerable kid who was one of Johnny’s oldest pals and was the Pistols’ biggest fan.

Patrick Rogers is just amazing as Vicious. Sure he’s ranting and raving but he also gives you glimpses of the lost boy hiding behind the swastika t-shirt. When he grabs the mic stand and does My Way, time stands still. Shane Adamczak is also something else as Rotten. He has the singer’s posture and stage moves down-pat – when he suddenly starts lip-syncing to No Feelings, it’s sheer genius.

At one point, Johnny asks his old friend Sid – ‘You think dying is punk?’ And that’s the central question here. Sid bought into the ultimate rock’n'roll myth – that it’s better to burn out than to fade away (as Neil Young put it in his song about Johnny Rotten, one of the worst lines in the history of recorded music if you ask me, total b.s. from a guy who’s cranking out 40-year-old hits in arenas three decades after Vicious died in sordid circumstances).

McLaren fed the myth ‘cos……well cos he’s into myths and he thought that was how you made money (cash from chaos). But Johnny saw through it. In the play, he tells Sidney to fight, to live. But Sid was too stoned to listen.

And Johnny has the last line, just as he really did with the Sex Pistols. It’s the same line he used at the last original Pistols gig, at Winterland in San Francisco in January of 1978.

“Ever get the feeling you’re being cheated?”

One of the things I liked the most with Vicious Circles is the fact the actors never go out of character, even for the final bow. During the intermission, they all came into the Mainline Theatre lounge/rec-room and were shouting at people and making obnoxious remarks. That’s punk.

Punk was breaking down the walls between artist and audience. It was The Clash inviting everyone to come up on stage and pogo during White Riot at the end of their show at Theatre St. Denis in 1979.

In a way, Sid Vicious was the ultimate punk. No I never had any respect for him. He never wrote a song worth anything, he couldn’t play the bass and he was worse than a mess as a human being. But he got punk. Johnny got it intellectually. Sid lived it. And it killed him. He did it his way.

I hate rock heroes who die young. I hate that kids dig that kind of mythology. But there’s something moving about the idea that an effed up working-class kid from London who couldn’t even play his instrument is still maybe the defining symbol for one of the more important pop-culture movements of the past 50 years.

Check out the video of one of the mythic moments of Sid’s tenure with the Pistols. It’s at Randy’s Rodeo in San Antonio on their brief chaotic U.S. tour in late ’77 and right at the end of the song, Dolls-homage New York, you see him smashing his bass right on the head of some guy at the front.

South of San Antonio and before Corpus Christi is the small town of Mathis which is hope to Lake Corpus Christi State Park.

This was an amazingly quiet camp ground with lots of privacy but watch out for sand burrs! We had a tough time finding an area to walk Abby that wasn’t full of stickers. I’d definately go back here although I did feel it was fairly expensive. Below is a unique bromeliad plant native to Southern Texas. It’s a Tillandsia baileyi, commonly known as a Reflexed airplant or Bailey’s Ball Moss. At first I thought it was some sort of sticker plant of sorts but I touched it and found out otherwise. I believe the tree its nesting in is a mesquite but I’m not 100% on that.

So, here’s what. First, after my first week of Gladiator school, I became quite ill. The doctor called it labrynthitis and gave me some drugs that made me drool and sleep. Not necessarily in that order. I was out of work for a week. And no bootcamp. Well, I would have just been sleeping on my yoga mat in a puddle of drool, so no need to go, really. I stopped taking the drugs so I could go back to work. It was good.

Then, this week I started a 21 day challenge at My Fit Foods. I don’t want to say I needed this, but in four days I have lost six pounds. My ankles made a reappearance. I am newly committed to not eating so much junk food and really trying to be more healthy. I think that quick weight loss is just evidence that processed food has too much sodium and sugar. But you knew that, right?

And, last night, I went back to my ATX group. Things are changed up a little bit right now. RunTex is kind of in flux and all. But we are doing it. Two nights a week and Saturday. So, last night one of our former coaches came back to torture us. Our usual drills; then a big lap up Doug Sahm hill. Ugh. Then, just for fun, we did a timed mile and some sprints. Well, I didn’t do it. Instead, I went back to my car and puked. Yep, I guess the inner ear thing doesn’t like to exercise. But, it needs to get used to it. We are going to do it.

Just to make sure things don’t get too predictable in my house, I went and pulled a second foster a few weeks ago. A cute, fuzzy, puppy kind of guy. Maybe around 10 months old or so. My foster partners in crime, Emily and Nick, indicated that they wanted him, too. But I took him. His name is Fergus and he isn’t a foster dog any more. He belongs to Ruby-girl and me, now. She loves him, and so do I. It’s the first dog in over two years she has actually engaged with and wanted to play with. All good stuff for a dog who, eight months ago, was predicted not to survive for much longer. So, our family is right back to normal. Well, normal for us.

Oh, yeah. And I am committed to another half marathon. Oh, yeah. I am crazy. Training starts soon for a fall race in San Antonio. Oh, yeah. I am going to do my SECOND half marathon. Hell, yeah!

I am a bit late on updating this, but there have been some major additions to the Ultimate Road Trip campaign.  As of last week, I created a Facebook page to go along with this blog to help accompany with photo albums and video uploads.  It is also easier because the updates will come up on your newsfeed, if you “Like” the page on Facebook!  Also, as I have stated before, we are three broke college grads who are going on this trip.  We decided that it wouldn’t hurt to make an Indiegogo Ultimate Road Trip campaign as well.  Literally, any dollar will help us live out this dream a little more leisurely, so if you make a donation or have made a donation, thank you!  Whether you support us morally by commenting on posts, liking pictures on Facebook, or make a donation, it will help us immensely.  With graduation this Sunday and road trip commencing in just ONE WEEK, the excitement is growing by the day!  The links to the Facebook page and the Indiegogo campaign are as follows:

https://www.facebook.com/ultimateroadtrip

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-ultimate-road-trip

Thanks again and I’ll be posting again real soon!

Brian

This was meant to be an album review, but for some reason I can’t open the file I was sent. And if I’m honest, I feel uncomfortable reviewing records. I’d rather listen to everything a band/singer has done, and try to write something of worth. If they put everything they have into making a record, then who am I to dissect it and tell you why you should buy it? I’d rather just go through all they’ve done and tell you why they’re great.

Which has led me onto writing about a band called The Rich Hands, a trio from San Antonio who have only been going a couple of years. In some songs they remind you of very early White Stripes, but when you get past that (it isn’t a bad thing) you realise just how brilliant they are in their own right. A typical sound that I adore- full of heart and oozing with such pure rawness. A lot try to emulate this kind of music, but it seems so natural for The Rich Hands to make. They are pure Rock & Roll with a delightful Garage Rock backbone. Garage Rock is the kind of music that always makes you feel more confident than you actually are- much like Punk. It is bold and it is honest. The things we want to be is found in Punk and Garage Rock; they allow us to be tough even when we are the most sensitive of souls. Filling us with bravado as we strut to the rambunctious sounds- just for some time to be oblivious to our own thoughts. Music is the purest of escapes.

The Rich Hands are everything you want your favourite (new) band to me. Their music is delightfully wild and frightfully brave. Their sound makes you feel like you are anywhere but where you are and not in 2013. They take you to the dirtiest of bars and wash your soul clean with their rowdy scenes. Music to lose your mind to and music that just sets you free.

The Rich Hands are releasing their debut record DREAMERS digitally on the 28th May, on cassette on 4th June and finally on vinyl on 9th July all via Fountain Records. You can listen to previous released here on their bandcamp page: http://therichhands.bandcamp.com

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-A whole wall of windows! Shooting with natural light is my favorite new thing!

-beautiful vintage wooden floors

-lots of SPACE!

-lovely white and (soon to be) grey walls!

-year round AMAZING air conditioning! Oh so thankful for this one!

-and just about the entire historic FINESILVER  (8116 Camaron Street  Suite 2.02 78212) building to shoot in! Concrete and wooden floors throughout, an elevator and so many more things that make the new space just that much better than my beloved first studio.

This past weekend I shot for a shoe and accessory store in the studio, 4 models and the MUA hair, styling team, the whole lot of us was probably 15-20 and we had a great time! Shooting was a breeze and at the end of the day everyone went home happy! I can’t wait to show my client the images from the shoot tomorrow!

I also shot this handsome young man, J. Morgan Perreault (model at Page Parkes LLT.) using some natural window light and when the sun went down, 1 single large soft box. These images are not published yet, so I’m showing you a little sneaky peak!

Another Instagrammed image from the night of the shoot!

His hair styling is perfection!

Hairstylist Justin Arrellano and MUA Lucy Gonzalez- these 2 are great to work with!

All in all the studio is just fabulous and I can’t wait to get all of you in the door! Please message me or call me (for heaven’s sake) to discuss your portrait needs. I specialize in portraits – fashion and families! It’s all portraits to me! We can shoot in the awesome studio or we can schedule to shoot where ever your little heart desires!

Desiree Schanding Photography

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