by Phil Houseal | Feb 25, 2020 | All Articles, History, Music, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
Feb 26, 2020–Sometimes an idea is so elegant, it is discovered more than once. Such is the case with the “cello podium.” This platform cum amplifier started as a rumor uncovered by Ken Freudigman when he was a cello student at Eastman School of Music back in 1985. The...
by Phil Houseal | Feb 12, 2020 | All Articles, Education, Philosophy
Feb 12, 2020–While serving on yet another committee, I realized how many of my skills were learned in an elementary school classroom. Not as a student, but as the teacher. I consider myself a big picture guy who thinks in generalities. Buckminster Fuller was my muse....
by Phil Houseal | Feb 5, 2020 | All Articles, History, Philosophy
Feb 5, 2020–We gave up conventional and cable TV 25 years ago. But for Christmas I received access to one of the streaming services, so I’ve been revisiting series from the 1980s and 90s, the last time I watched anything. One that popped up was an episode of Star...
by Phil Houseal | Jan 24, 2020 | All Articles, Philosophy
Jan 22, 2020–I’m convinced we are a society stratified not by age, wealth, position, or education, but by our perception of time. There are two tribes: those who are “on time,” and those who view time as a malleable construct. I call them On-timers and Non-timers. If...
by Phil Houseal | Jan 16, 2020 | All Articles, Education, Music, Philosophy
Jan 15, 2020–In order to conquer a challenge, we must stop respecting it so much. In Mike Tyson’s book Undisputed Truth, he tells how famed boxing trainer Cus D’Amato took him on has a teenager and guided him to become heavyweight champion of the world. When D’Amato...
by Phil Houseal | Jan 9, 2020 | All Articles, History, Music, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
Jan 8, 2020–I’m reading Willie Nelson’s autobiography. And it’s distressing me. Because everything he did in his journey to country music sainthood, I did the opposite. He was a rebel and a rounder. He would skip school. I was teacher’s pet. We both share a love of...
