by Phil Houseal | Sep 17, 2026 | All Articles, Events, Music, Venue
September 23, 2026–Even casual and un-wizened fans will recognize Ray Wylie Hubbard as the guy who wrote “Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother.” Every bar band from Nebraska to Namibia has covered that ode to hippie cowboy southern culture. Ray Wylie Hubbard, the Texas...
by Phil Houseal | Sep 16, 2026 | All Articles, History, Philosophy
Sept 16, 2026–Most people are living at the place where they stopped moving. It’s true for me. I arrived in the Texas Hill Country back around 1980. And I just never left. There was no grand scheme, no analysis of cost of living, year-round average temperatures, or...
by Phil Houseal | Sep 9, 2026 | All Articles, Education, Philosophy, PR Tips
Sept 9, 2026–I have discovered the secret to defeating Artificial Intelligence, at least in the field of writing. Flaws. First, I apologize to loyal readers, as this column smacks of “inside baseball.” But it addresses a current topic and reveals a larger lesson. As...
by Phil Houseal | Sep 2, 2026 | All Articles, Philosophy
Sept 2, 2026–Five years ago, while dying, I learned some things about life. While I don’t recommend it, almost dying is a way to achieve perfect clarity as to what matters and what does not matter. Existing in the liminal space between light and darkness, I glimpsed...
by Phil Houseal | Aug 26, 2026 | All Articles, Events, History, Music
August 26, 2026–If you are a Beatles fan, you might think every possible story about the legendary British band has been told. But someone found more stories, buried in boxes. Marty Scott portrays George Harrison in the Liverpool Legends, a tribute band officially...
by Phil Houseal | Aug 19, 2026 | All Articles, Education, Philosophy
“O wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!” ― Robert Burns Aug 19, 2026–If someone offered advice on how to improve yourself–your personality, your career, your health, your decisions–for free, immediately, would you take it? Probably not....
by Phil Houseal | Aug 12, 2026 | All Articles, Education, History, Philosophy
Aug 12, 2026–I remember the first time someone said to me, “OK, Boomer.” I’m such a Boomer I didn’t realize it was meant as an insult, apparently referring to someone out of touch with today’s younger generation. Wait until they learn that mocking the older generation...
by Phil Houseal | Aug 5, 2026 | All Articles, Events, Philosophy, Venue
August 5, 2026–As the kiddos head back to school, they will face that deep and timeless question asked for decades by every classroom teacher: What did you do this summer? For most of those kids, there is a high probability they went on a family vacation. I...
by Phil Houseal | Jul 29, 2026 | All Articles, Philosophy
July 29, 2026–Is someone missing from your life? Someone you know and love? What if this is the norm rather than the exception? Nearly every family I know has or has had one member that has chosen to go off and minimize contact. This behavior falls along a scale of...
by Phil Houseal | Jul 22, 2026 | All Articles, History, Philosophy
July 22, 2026– If only I could get out of this rat race and buy a small acreage If only I raised a garden so I could eat fresh chemical-free vegetables If only we kept chickens so I could have fresh eggs year round If only we had a large lawn If only I had a horse...
