by Phil Houseal | Oct 16, 2024 | All Articles, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
Oct 16, 2024–What do you call a bunch of retirees who meet for lunch every other week, just because? According to the Herald-Zeitung, they call themselves ROMEOs: Retired Old Men Eating Out. They have no agenda, collect no dues, require no initiation, and don’t keep...
by Phil Houseal | Oct 7, 2024 | All Articles, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
Oct 9, 2024–Once, as he lay as close to dying as he has ever come, he heard from angels. They texted him. It is already an unreal state of being when you exist in that place between life and death. You exist. That is all. You cease to worry about paying the utility...
by Phil Houseal | Aug 21, 2024 | All Articles, Education, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
Aug 21, 2024–Name as many animals as you can, in one minute. Congratulations, you just helped researchers calibrate a digital test for brain health. Recently I set an appointment to help Austin-based BrainCheck conduct such a research study. A polite gentleman...
by Phil Houseal | Jun 19, 2024 | All Articles, History, Music, People of the Hill Country, Venue
June 12, 2024–While listening to a recent NPR podcast of Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, the answer choices for “What was one of the lesser musical acts that performed in the middle of the night on the Jerry Lewis Telethon” were: A) the Hell’s Angels singers B) Ray Sanders,...
by Phil Houseal | Jun 12, 2024 | All Articles, Education, Events, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
June 12, 2024– “Everybody can run. Everybody has fun.” That is Grant Palmer’s simple mantra for his Hill Country-based Summer Track program. I saw it myself and it’s true. I sat in Tivy Antler football stadium on a hot summer evening with my two grands, along with...
by Phil Houseal | Apr 24, 2024 | All Articles, Education, Events, Music, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
April 24, 2024–‘Tis the season for that unsettling rite of spring that comes to all multi-generational households: the music recital. To this day, I remember my first piano recital at age 8. It was in the Methodist church basement in my small hometown. I squirmed in...
