BagOfNothing.com

Bag of Randomness
Friday, December 05, 2025

This arrived in my mail. I included a couple of bananas for scale.

An “action shot” I took of BoyGeeding at a chess tournament earlier this week. He’s an eighth-grader playing on the varsity team. He was bothered by his loss in his last match. I had to remind him that his opponent was almost a foot tall and literally had a beard. But in case you are wondering, he won the match in the photo below.

If there’s one thing I go way overboard on, it’s replacing the registration sticker on my car’s windshield. Decades ago, I’d struggle to scrape it off with nothing but a razor blade, but years later, I bought a special super-duper scraper. But glue residue is still left, and that’s unsightly, so I have to use a chemical like mineral spirits or acetone to remove it. That leaves one corner of the windshield clean, and I just can’t let that be, so I have to clean the inside of the windscreen, which means I also have to clean the outside. Now, it’s finally time to place the sticker on the inside of the windshield. Still, I can’t stand it if it’s even slightly crooked or placed too high or too low, so I make a painstaking effort to ensure it’s parallel and perpendicular using imaginary x- and y-axes.

The rest of the Cowboys’ season:

On a whim, I decided to watch The Great Escape for the first time. While I enjoyed the film, I really enjoyed reading the backstory and trivia behind it.

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” remains the top holiday song in Dallas, the state and the rest of the U.S.

Burl Ives’ “Holly Jolly Christmas” came in third, while Michael Bublé’s version ranked eighth.
Brenda Lee’s “Jingle Bell Rock” ranked fifth, followed by Bobby Helms’ version.
Jackson 5’s “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” was seventh, followed by Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.”
Wham!’s “Last Christmas” and Andy Williams’ “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” round out the local Top 10.
José Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” is ranked third in Texas but didn’t make Dallas’ Top 10. It’s L.A.’s top holiday song, per iHeart Radio.

That last song is my kryptonite. For a year or two in college, I worked at Coach House Gifts in the Mall of Abilene, and that song seemed to play on repeat in our store nonstop.

Texas might get a new Interstate that could cut through East Texas and connect DFW to Amarillo, providing a more direct trade route between the Texas coast and the Panhandle.

Just an observation: You never hear the term “going postal” anymore.

The President changed the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, and then named the United States Institute of Peace after him?

Zohran Mamdani and the Louvre make the list of most mispronounced words of 2025

But this is what got my attention:

In a pronunciation surprise of the year, actor Denzel Washington told late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel that he was named after his father and their first names are actually pronounced DEN-zul. But, he said, that became confusing so his mother decided to pronounce her son’s name Den-ZELLE.

Texas pastor advises young, single, unmarried women to ‘lose 20 to 30 pounds’

The area is north of Austin.

Joel Webbon, senior pastor at Covenant Bible Church and founder of Righteous Response Ministries—which he founded to advance theonomy, or the modern imposition of divine law as portrayed in the Old Testament—offered advice for women who “want to be married but feel like they’re being passed over” on a Wednesday episode of the ministry’s “The Live Stream” show.

This song may be old to you, but it’s new to me, and I can’t get enough of it.

How a bald coach solved volleyball’s ponytail predicament

That story has a local “tie.”

full clip with inputs from nebraska, louisville and tcu players #whatstartsherechangestheworld https://t.co/rhqjvheR3p pic.twitter.com/k00DEJOhRj

— cardiac longhorns (@scorsesebdd) December 1, 2025

The mayor of a small town in Kansas risks being deported over allegations that he voted in American elections illegally.

Posted in Personal | Comments Off

Bag of Randomness
Monday, December 1, 2025

I really wasn’t looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. It wasn’t my year to have the kids. One Thanksgiving that happened after my family was broken up, I didn’t want to be alone like I was the previous year, so I somewhat invited myself to a Thanksgiving dinner. I hated that meal, but the people were loving and caring, which I appreciated. First of all, when I walked in, I noticed an anti-Fauci book prominently on display, so I had to be very careful about what to talk about, and I hate being around people with whom I have to think before I speak to avoid any friction, instead of just being able to be myself. Also, there was nothing traditional about the meal. We ate a baked chicken breast. There was no stuffing, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, or even a roll. I left that meal thinking that spending holidays all by my lonesome might be better than the alternative. And, it’s something I’ve started to embrace. Again, that lesson a friend taught me, “Acceptance is the answer to all my problems,” proved true.

This year, my good friend, whom I’ve reconnected with, invited me to Brownwood, but they were having their dinner on a Tuesday. I politely declined and told him I was making a turkey dinner for one this year and planned to lean into it. I’m glad I stayed put, because the day before Thanksgiving, the mother of my children called, saying she needed to fly to one of the coasts as a member of her new husband’s family was going into hospice, and asked if I could take the kids, as she didn’t know when she might be back. Well, of course, the kids are the priority in my life. An hour or so later, BoyGeeding and DaughterGeeding were at my house, and I was off to the grocery store to shop for ingredients to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for three.

I’m grateful I had this opportunity, even if it wasn’t the whimsical experience I was hoping for. My children are teens now, and their attention is on other things; they don’t always have the best attitude when it comes to making the most of an unfavorable situation. And there was an expression of feeling like dropped-off luggage or being boarded up as a pet, rather than feeling like a priority in their parents’ lives. At least I was able to get them to drive with me to my parents’ grave at the DFW National Cemetery and place an American flag and some poinsettias on it.

DaughterGeeding wanted to binge the latest season of Stranger Things. It was much better than I anticipated. I really got into it.

Three weeks ago, a good friend and I were talking about the upcoming Aggie vs Longhorn game. All he could talk about was the Aggies’ undefeated season and how they looked unstoppable. I told him to bet the farm on the Longhorns because everything was setting up to be a typical Aggie letdown. It’s just in their DNA. They still haven’t been to an SEC Championship game, and Texas made it in their first year. However, Texas has to call Georgia “Daddy” because they can’t get past that powerhouse.

As for if Texas should get into the playoffs, I find arguments on both sides completely valid. I’m torn, though my heart leans a tad more one way than the other. While the Longhorns may feel great beating both the Sooners and Aggies by double digits, it would be strange for them to make the playoffs and Texas be sidelined. They have proven they are the better team.

Talk about a bad Thanksgiving.

College freshman deported flying home to Texas for Thanksgiving, despite court order

A college freshman trying to fly from Boston to Texas to surprise her family for Thanksgiving was instead deported to Honduras in violation of a court order, according to her attorney.

Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, 19, had already passed through security at Boston Logan International Airport on Nov. 20 when she was told there was an issue with her boarding pass, said attorney Todd Pomerleau. Immigration officials then detained the Babson College student and within two days, sent to Texas and then Honduras, the country she left at age 7.

Texas teen uses candle business to pay off school’s lunch debt

Rock Mistaken for a Gold Nugget for Years Turned Out to Be 4.6 Billion-Year-Old Meteorite

Yesterday, a CBS Sunday Morning segment began with a young woman who obtained her commercial driver’s license through a scholarship set up by the heavy metal band Metallica. It turns out, the lead singer’s father was a truck driver, and it was one way he wanted to give back. The rest of the segment focused on their foundation, which helps people attend trade schools, become laborers, and feed the hungry. It all started because they didn’t know what to do with all the leftover food after one of their concerts.

Bay Area teacher wrongly ID’d as convict, pulled from class due to last name ‘Smith’

Magician forgets password to his own hand after RFID chip implant

This video has some great aerial shots of the Baker Hotel in my hometown of Mineral Wells. It’s a bit slow, but you get a history and a bit of an idea of the progress of the restoration. It’s obviously narrated by AI.

@jonny.goodday

Beneath the Dust is the story of @thebakerhotelandspa in Mineral Wells, told from the inside. We walk the lobby, climb to the top, and trace how a spa town built a landmark, how it thrived, why it went quiet, and what it will take to bring it back. This is the past, the present, and the future of a Texas icon. If this story speaks to you, share it with someone who remembers the Baker or wants to see it come alive again. #bakerhotel #mineralwells #texashistory #historicpreservation #architecture #spanishrevival #abandonedplaces #documentary #jonnygoodday #texasfilm

♬ original sound – Jonny Goodday – Jonny Goodday

I’m sure I’m the only person interested in this video, and it’s only because my father worked in this building for over 20 years when the Palo Pinto Community Service Corporation called it home. At the time, the Catholic church owned it, and Dad told me that the church leased the building for one dollar a year to the non-profit, which I thought was cool.

@jonny.goodday

Nazareth Hospital: From Lifeline to Legend in Mineral Wells | A seven story brick landmark once delivered babies, fought polio, and sheltered the poor of Mineral Wells. Then modern medicine moved on, the lights went dark, and the legends took over, fires, basement wards, and the elusive Blue Nun. This film traces Nazareth Hospital’s full arc: hopeful 1930s origins, four decades of nonstop care, abrupt shutdown, brief haunted-house experiment, and its uncertain future as a protected, but padlocked, historic site. Stick around to the end of the film to hear a custom song I created with suno just for this story. Every lyric and note is drawn from the building’s century long pulse. Disclaimer: All interior footage was recorded during an authorized visit. Nazareth Hospital is private property, structurally unsafe, and secured against entry. Trespassing is illegal and dangerous, please respect posted warnings. Share the video if you think this slice of Texas history deserves fresh eyes. And if you’d like to fuel the next deep dive for just a buck, my Facebook page offers a $1/month subscriber option that keeps the camera rolling. Thanks for coming along.. plenty more untold Texas stories ahead. fyp urbex abandonedplaces hauntedtok texashistory mineralwells nazarethhospital ghoststories historytok urbanexploration

♬ original sound – Jonny Goodday – Jonny Goodday

Posted in Personal | Comments Off

Bag of Randomness
Monday, November 24, 2025

I actually had a great week last week, one of the best I’ve had in a while. Last Monday, I posted about going to my friend’s church in Mineral Wells. Well, his daughter happened to be playing in a basketball tournament just a half hour away from my little dwelling, so I attended all four of her games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The drive, getting out of the house, and rebuilding a friendship did wonders for me. I’m so proud of the man he grew into, and made sure to thank his wife for helping to get him there. On Friday, he mentioned his favorite treat my mother used to make, peanut butter Rice Krispies treats. I surprised him with a batch on Saturday morning. It’s been two decades since he’s had them, I hope they lived up to his memory.

The Cowboys sure were lucky with that win yesterday, and are playing with a bit of momentum. These Eagles fans probably aren’t taking the loss well.

CLARIFICATION: This is an elementary school in CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY!!!! (Who are obviously Philly fans)

— Alex Holley (@AlexHolleyFOX29) November 21, 2025

In case you were wondering how close Camden, New Jersey, is to Philly, it’s just across the Delaware River. You know the river, Washington once crossed it on a very cold Christmas.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott set the team record for career passing yards in Sunday’s 24-21 upset of the Eagles. He refused to celebrate the moment until the comeback was complete.

Talk about buried news. The Texas Rangers Baseball Club released a statement during the Cowboys game that they had made a trade.

I did a lot of research to make sure this wasn’t fake or some sort of AI.

International Space Station passing in front of the Moon captured at day time a rare and perfect timing. pic.twitter.com/9SB1A36BnF

— Black Hole (@konstructivizm) November 23, 2025

I’m sure many of you are unaware that the Chinese have their own space station, and you can follow it on Twitter.

‍Shenzhou XX astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie have completed 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for a Chinese crew.

Take a look at their remarkable work and daily life aboard the @CNSpaceStation. [/CMS] pic.twitter.com/EWjyWKPlG9

— Chinese Space Station (@CNSpaceStation) November 19, 2025

For billions of years, Earth has rotated in the same direction as the sun — but what if that direction were reversed?

Deserts would cover North America, arid sand dunes would replace expanses of the Amazon rainforest in South America, and lush, green landscapes would flourish from central Africa to the Middle East.

Yup, the Sahara would no longer be a desert.

This baby is getting Six Flags on a Dollar Store budget. I respect the creativity.

I’m sending this to my dad and telling him that he failed me as a parent. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/csxEd4GtN6

— Sovey (@SoveyX) November 17, 2025

A bit of a lost art.

pic.twitter.com/LZwp7hdXhI

— Mechanical knowledge (@mechanical_4u) November 17, 2025

The sun photographed from the same location, at the same time, for more than a year. Phenomenon called “Analemma” pic.twitter.com/CBdiU7MdiD

— Curiosity (@MAstronomers) November 17, 2025

Caroline Kennedy lost her father on November 22, 1963.

On November 22, 2025, Tatiana Schlossberg, her 35-year-old daughter, published a candid essay in The New Yorker about her battle with acute myeloid leukemia, which was discovered last year after she gave birth to her second child. She has less than a year to live.

Man, Caroline lost her father to an assassination, her brother to a plane crash, and will lose a daughter to cancer. That woman can give you a lesson on how to deal with grief and unexpected death.

It’s Thanksgiving week. Schools are not in session; thus, thankfully, there will be no school shootings this week.

This was a tough segment to watch.

Since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, 13 years ago, more than 160 children have been killed in school shootings across the U.S. They’ve left behind devastated families, and friends, and empty bedrooms they once filled with life. For many parents, these rooms have become sanctuaries: a tangible link to a child they can still feel but no longer hold. Steve Hartman, a veteran CBS News correspondent, and Lou Bopp, a photographer, have spent the last seven years asking parents whose children have been killed for permission to take pictures of the empty rooms they’ve left behind. No easy task; they are, after all, portraits of a child who is no longer there.

Posted in Personal | Comments Off

Bag of Randomness
Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Something BoyGeeding found in our refrigerator.

ESPN is being brutally honest with Dallas Mavericks fans.

Last weekend of the year for free guided nature walks at Dallas park

Did you know there’s a 15-acre park in the heart of Dallas?

The Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park is open for self-guided tours from sunrise to sunset. Master Naturalists will lead a free guided tour this Saturday at 10 am, weather permitting.

Ghost Jobs Exposed: The Companies Posting Fake Job Listings (With Proof)

On the flip side, Seattle has the lowest percentage of ghost jobs at 16.6%, followed by Boston at 18.7% and Dallas at the third-lowest rate.

According to a Washington Post reporter, here’s a Navy ship update for the Caribbean as of yesterday:

China will dominate the world one day.

The Juris Doctor (JD) degree was first awarded by the University of Chicago in 1903 to replace the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree. The change was promoted by the American Bar Association (ABA) starting in the early 1900s and gained momentum after World War II, when law schools became professional graduate-level programs, with most schools adopting the JD by the end of the 1960s to reflect its advanced, post-baccalaureate status.

Trump now wants to paint the ornate natural granite and slate Eisenhower Executive Office Building white.