• I took advantage of the high 80-degree weather and took GirlGeeding for a bike ride with a stop in the park to feed the ducks – it was the best time spent all year.
• Speaking of bike riding- Washington Republican: Bicycles cause more pollution than cars
• What a tragedy in Florida with that sink hole that swallowed a man while he was sleeping.  I saw a backhoe demolishing the house and it made me wonder how nervous that backhoe operator must of been, surely he must of feared he could also become a victim.  I also wonder how much property values in that neighborhood dropped overnight.
• A few final Van Cliburn thoughts
  • It was reported that when he won the Tchaikovsky Competition that was held in Moscow in 1958, the judges first went to Premier Nikita Khrushchev to ask his permission to award an American the prize. If that story is true and if Khrushchev said yes, isn’t that one moment in his life extraordinarily life changing?  Imagine if Khrushchev said no . . . no ticker tape parade in NYC, no TIME magazine cover, and more than likely he wouldn’t have played for every living U.S. president since Eisenhower, or receive a Kennedy Center Honor, or the international competition in Fort Worth that bears his name may never have existed.  I’m sure he would have had a great career, but without Khrushchev saying yes, it certainly wouldn’t have been as grand.
  • It was well known that he was gay, but I wasn’t aware that he was a devout Baptist, which surprised me.  However, once I heard his funeral was held at Broadway Baptist Church where he was a long time member, that rung a bell.  Back in 2010 Broadway Baptist pulled out of the Baptist General Convention of Texas over homosexuality.  Per their pastor, “We’re committed to welcoming all people here, and we would not want to do anything that would be hurtful to anyone just to please the BGCT.”
  • While watching the coverage of his funeral on CBS11, it was reported that he was survived by his “long-time friend Thomas L. Smith.”  However, I saw other news outlets refer to Smith as “partner”.  I wonder why CBS11 went with “friend”.
  • “Van Cliburn” always sounded like a last name.
• I hope when I die, the years leading up to my death, I’m still able to walk and get about very well.
• Kate Middleton (and hair-receding hubby prince) attended a friend’s wedding recently.  I’m sure the bride must appreciate royal attendance, but at the same time, how can Middleton and the future King of England not upstage the bride?
• I’ve never eaten a bear claw.
• There’s a trend that’s been going around the Internet for a while of people holding old photos against current day backgrounds in which the photo was taken.  I’ve grown tired of many of them, but this one of an abandoned Detroit high school was a bit fascinating in a haunting kind of way.  It’s definitely worth a minute of your time.
• I bet every medium to large office has that one employee that has to ‘Reply All’ when it’s just not needed.  You know the type, the boss will send an email to the staff wishing a safe and sound 4th of July and that employee will be the only one to do a ‘Reply All’ thanking the boss and wishing him or her the same.
• Locust Swarms Descend on Egypt Like Biblical Plague
• 26 billionaires live in North Texas – The richest is Alice Walton who lives in my small home town, but on most lists it states she lives in Fort Worth.
• Leaked Memo: How Texas Tech Could Craft The Image Of Its New Coach And Become “The Hippest School In The Game”
• I fell for it and should have known better, especially for only $5k: $5,000 online baby-name contest revealed as hoax
• Surrogate offered $10,000 to abort baby

• Harrison Ford Joins Anchorman: The Legend Continues

• I’ll my you, J.R. Ewing, and I guess it’s fitting we are left wondering in your final episode who shot you.  At least we know it’s not Kristin Shepard* this time.

*Random fact, the actress that played Kristen Shepard was Mary Crosby, daughter of Bing Crosby.