by Phil Houseal | Dec 31, 2025 | All Articles, Education, History, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy, Venue
Dec 31, 2025–What if your life were a sitcom? SCENE: Breakfast table, cluttered with opened cereal boxes, butter dish, crumbs and coffee. He: Good morning, dear. What are your plans for today? She: Plans? You think I PLAN my existence. I believe in foreordained fate...
by Phil Houseal | Dec 24, 2025 | All Articles, History, Philosophy
Dec 24, 2025–Power belongs not to those who create, but to those who control. These are the people I refer to as gatekeepers. Gatekeepers stand in every industry and field, public and private. They are the people manning the spigots, opening the doors, signing the...
by Phil Houseal | Dec 10, 2025 | All Articles, Education, History, Philosophy
Dec 10, 2025–I was attending a political rally when a high school basketball game broke out. Not really, but the two are connected. As a lifelong fan of roundball, I occasionally drop in on a random high school game just to enjoy the level of play and skills of the...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 26, 2025 | All Articles, Events, History, Philosophy
Nov 26, 2025–One of our favorite family excursions while raising our combined DNA was attending the Texas Folklife Festival. Held every summer on the grounds of the Institute of Texan Cultures in downtown San Antonio, the event gave us three days of wallowing in the...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 19, 2025 | All Articles, Events, History, Philosophy
Nov 19, 2025–Just got word that one of our family reunions has been discontinued due to lack of interest. I am trying to decide how that makes me feel. Family reunions were an essential part of growing up. A reunion served as a benchmark that brought home the far...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 12, 2025 | All Articles, Education, Events, History, People of the Hill Country, Venue
In 2019, Lee Ann Whatley set off on a scavenger hunt to track down all the original paintings done by her grandfather, Lee Ethel. Like every good treasure hunter, she uncovered more than she originally sought. Lee Ethel was a successful graphic designer in Dallas for...
