Mad Macedonian

All This Trouble For a HOT DOG?

Where to begin?

Growing up in SoCal there are a number of Fast Food Chains, and a few one-shots, that are close to a religion for natives.
Wienerschnitzel is one of them.

I fled the state for Houston in 2012 so, after 7 yrs...when I learned there was one just recently opened in New Caney....
One problem...It was in New Caney...and I don't drive...and Houston Metro only has a Park & Ride route to Kingwood.

I ride a bike, though! And it is only 11 1/2 miles from the lot to get my fix!

Hello, everyone! The Mad Houstonian, here!

Anyone out there? SOMEONE saw one of my old recipe posts, recently, and left a comment to thank me for it, hee, hee!

This week I was on vacation. I HAD planned a trip to Austin for a day of walking, but the adventure fell through when Flixbus cancelled their bus for that morning.

That left this idea.

Wednesday morning, bright and early, from SW Houston, I headed downtown, to a street corner bus stop near the Transit Center, to catch the bus to the boonies.

The Park & Ride Lot, in the Kingwood part of the far flung city of Houston, to the north, is in a commnity of high-end homes, condos and apts, along narrow, busy streets with lots and lots of trees, and some walking/biking trails tossed in for good measure.

Pedaling along 2 lane roadsI soon found myself outside of Houston City limits, about to head out Old Hwy 59 ( aka Loop 494 ) toward the rural towns of Porter & New Caney.

At this gas station, a few blocks from the nearly parallel 59 Frwy, I found myself chatting with the grizzled old man working there whose co-worker took this pic for me. 

It turned out that he once owned a home in Pomona, where I grew up, a long time ago.

Small world.

I had encountered a spandex-clad lady on a bike who was having second thoughts about these narrow, heavily trafficed, roads, since there was little in the way of sidewalks along some stretches before getting to this point.

She asked if she could follow me, until I turned, and I said sure....but her courage gave out after just a few blocks and she turned back without a word. I have no idea if she ever made it to where she was going.

I was wearing one of my 3 Feet Please shirts and it was a good thing, too! Narrow roads with motorists barely able to move more to my left, even if they had been so inclined...and few were.

At least there was no honking, or yelling out car windows,the whole day.

So, leaving the gas station behind I set out.

Lots of undeveloped land.

Lots of trees...even groves of them!

With a railroad track often hidden to my right.

Lots of narrower than narrow paved roads heading off,God knows where, into this, on either side of the road.

Small businesses, schools, churches, etc, along the highway, with trailer parks, and homes glimpsed down the side roads, and USPS trucks venturing down those roads.

I encountered construction workers along one stretch and, stopping to ask one if I was headed in the right direction for my turn, I discovered another guy with ties to the Inland Empire!

Small world.  

I soon found myself pedalling through Porter, near its border with New Caney, and passing a small private cemetery.

White Oak Cemetery, next to a small bayou and the railroad track, was founded in 1905.

A Google Search found plenty of genealogist and Find a Grave activity, but no official website for the place.

It was founded in 1905 and you must have ancestors planted here in order for you to also get a spot when the time comes.

There were flowers on some graves and there were also American Flags on a number of them, too, and what appeared to be a recent burial, as well.

I continued on my way.

Bell Ringing in Support of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: The Sequel

Good afternoon, Houston!
Are we happy this fine June day?
In the mood to support a worthy cause?
No, I'm not talking about the Astros...they can take care of themselves.
I'm talking about the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Texas Children's Hospital, specifically.

I'm writing, this afternoon, because I want to encourage you to stop in to your neighborhood Walmart, Sam's Club, or Neighborhood Market and, once you finish shopping, make a donation to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in order to support your local Children's Hospital.

This is a sequel to a more detailed blog post I wrote at the start of the current campaign, 2 weeks ago.

That post contained background info, with links, and a song I wrote to get you in the mood.

The campaign ends on July 7th.

Bell Ringing in Support of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals

Good afternoon, Houston!

Are we happy this fine June day?

In the mood to support a worthy cause?

No, I'm not talking about the Astros...they can take care of themselves.

I'm talking about the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

 

Texas Children's Hospital, specifically.

I'm writing, this afternoon, because I want to encourage you to help me play with....

My Ding a Ling by Kiril Kundurazieff  (Originally written in 2016...With humble apologies to the great Chuck Berry!) 

When I went to work at Wal-Mart one late Summer day
My CSM brought me something with which to play
Black, with a white handle, it was a cute little thing
I call it my ding a ling a ling

Parents came shopping for school
Buying supplies to help Junior learn and not grow into a fool
When they paid and donated a dollar, making my register ring,
I'd grab and wiggle my ding a ling

Then a love struck boy came looking for the perfect jewel
But he was undecided so bought a garden tool
When he paid and donated five dollars my register would ring
And I began swinging my ding a ling

Once things were slow as I waited for y'all
Climbing a ladder, stocking a shelf, I slipped and had a terrible fall
I fell against the counter and my head did ring
but at least I didn't damage my ding a ling

I remember a woman who came to my store
Bought lots of things to clean the kitchen floor
She donated ten dollars and I thought it was such a wonderful thing
That I happily wagged my ding a ling

A man came to get a license to fish in the Bayou
Catching his own dinner was what he wanted to do
Buying a rod & reel he donated fifty dollars when he paid for these things
So, with both hands, I enthusiastically waved my ding a ling

A young girl with long flowing hair
Strutting her stuff so big and bold
Wanted some beer, but I told her "you're not that old"
Such vile words you wouldn't believe can come from such a sweet young thing
Since she didn't donate I sadly couldn't shake my ding a ling

This here song I hope it makes you glad
Supporting a cause that I think is rad
Shopping at Wal-Mart please consider donating when you buy something
So you can tell your friends you saw me ringing my ding a ling

My ding a ling
My ding a ling
You saw me ringing my ding a ling
Oh my ding a ling!
My ding a ling!
I love ringing my ding a ling...!!!

Poetry A Day Challenge 30: A "Don't Stop" Poem

 

Welcome to the final entry of the Poetry A Day Challenge by Robert Lee Brewer, of the wonderful Poetic Asides Blog, at Writer's Digest.

As he explains in his post...

"Pick one prompt or use both…your choice!

Write a stop poem.
Write a don’t stop poem.

Remember: These prompts are just springboards; you have the freedom to jump in any direction you want."

"The Mad Houstonian...

A mysterious man and his extraordinary cats, leaving their former lives behind to start fresh among people of a culture unfamiliar to them, in a state bigger than life, home to legends of American history, bound and determined to impart their wisdom to all they encounter, while discovering what their new surroundings could teach them as well.

He is here, among you...
Living with his companions in an abode, somewhere out there, in Houston....."

I first wrote those words in 2012, introducing myself to Houston on this blog.

In May 2014 I found inspiration to write a poem about my coming to Texas...

Looking back at the piece, now, I see it as a poem about stopping and not stopping, about endings and beginnings.

I left one life, hoping to build a new one.

A lot has happened, good and bad, as I approach my 7th anniversary in Houston, this Sept..

Houston still has, for the most part, no clue I am among them, but I am not giving up.

Let me share that poem as my final entry in the 2019 Poetry a Day Challenge...

Poetry A Day Challenge 29: One More Remix for the Road

 

 

Welcome to Day 29 of the Poetry A Day Challenge by Robert Lee Brewer, of the wonderful Poetic Asides Blog, at Writer's Digest.

As he explains in his post...

"Take the phrase “(blank) Again,” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then write your poem.

Remember: These prompts are just springboards; you have the freedom to jump in any direction you want.

 

I got to thinking about this and decided to do another remix...this time of a walking-themed poem I wrote last December.

Takin' a Walk Again...A Poem

 

Poetry A Day Challenge 28: Complete Poetry - Remix

 

Welcome to Day 28 of the Poetry A Day Challenge by Robert Lee Brewer, of the wonderful Poetic Asides Blog, at Writer's Digest.

As he explains in his post...

"Write a remix poem. That is, remix one of your poems from earlier in the month.

There are many ways to do this.

Turn a free verse poem into a traditional form (using lines from the original poem). Or use erasure to cut down a long poem into a short one. Or expand a short poem into a longer version.

Get creative with it.

Remember: These prompts are just springboards; you have the freedom to jump in any direction you want."

 

Poetry A Day Challenge 27: A Direction Poem

 

Welcome to Day 27 of the Poetry A Day Challenge by Robert Lee Brewer, of the wonderful Poetic Asides Blog, at Writer's Digest.

As he explains in his post...

"Pick a direction, make that the title of your poem, and then, write your poem.

There are so many directions: north, south, up, down, left, right, over, under, etc.

But there are also more specific directions like “Across the Way,” “Through the Woods,” and “Beyond the Clearing.”

Or give directions like “Clean Your Room,” “Tie Your Shoes,” or “Get Over Here.”

Remember: These prompts are just springboards; you have the freedom to jump in any direction you want."

I wrote this poem in 2007.

In 2008 I received one of the greatest honors of my writing life, causing me to re-share the poem...

The creator of the song that I parodied left a comment on the original post...and corresponded with me when I followed up with a thank you and questions...

Poetry A Day Challenge 26: An Evening Poem

 

Welcome to Day 26 of the Poetry A Day Challenge by Robert Lee Brewer, of the wonderful Poetic Asides Blog, at Writer's Digest.

As he explains in his post...

"Write an evening poem.

A poem about or during the night. Or take evening a completely different direction and think of evening the score or making things more even (or fair or whatever).

Remember: These prompts are just springboards; you have the freedom to jump in any direction you want."

A long time ago, in a decade far away, I had a job that I worked mostly evenings/nights, 3 to 11pm.

In 2008 I was inspired to write a song about it.

As I wrote at the time, to introduce the piece...

I envisioned a Union Meeting, or social gathering...

A makeshift stage with a handful of our cubicles, but only one positioned so the audience can see the Soloist at his computer, and wearing his earphones.

During the singing of each Chorus a dozen male, and female, operators pop up from behind their cubicles to warble their lines, and then disappear again.

I know, I know, I'm a Baaaad Boy. ;-D

Anyway...

Poetry A Day Challenge 25: An Exile Poem

 

Welcome to Day 25 of the Poetry A Day Challenge by Robert Lee Brewer, of the wonderful Poetic Asides Blog, at Writer's Digest.

As he explains in his post...

"Write an exile poem.

Exile is a noun, a verb, and an American rock band from Richmond, Kentucky.

A person, animal, or object can be exiled. But people and animals also exile others–or even exile themselves.

Remember: These prompts are just springboards; you have the freedom to jump in any direction you want."

 

In 2008 I wrote a series of blog posts about my Father.

As I wrote at the time...

My Father's Macedonian story is a fascinating one, and one I know very little about other than that he came to America for a life of freedom....

I began by writing poem...

It was in honor of a man who lost an eye fighting for the future of his homeland...and who exiled himself from that homeland, his parents and his sisters, when he realized the battle was lost.

The Immigrant by Kiril Kundurazieff

My Father fought Socialism and Communism,
And that's ok.
He sabotaged one of Tito's Railroads,
And lost an eye that day!
My Father wanted to be free,
So he could live his life his way.
He fibbed to Yugoslavia's backers,
And came to the USA!
My Father immediately got his Green Card,
So he could legally stay.
He believed in Democracy,
And earning an honest living all the live long day!

My complete, 4-part, series of posts begins here.

NEXT UP: Poetry A Day Challenge 26: An Evening Poem

 

Poetry A Day Challenge 24: Complete Poetry

 

Welcome to Day 24 of the Poetry A Day Challenge by Robert Lee Brewer, of the wonderful Poetic Asides Blog, at Writer's Digest.

As he explains in his post...

"Take the phrase “Complete (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then write your poem.

Remember: These prompts are just springboards; you have the freedom to jump in any direction you want."

Complete Love by Kiril Kundurazieff

Her human is the one thing she truly values.
That she treats with unreserved respect.
Because what he does for her matters.
He fills the food bowl.
He fills the water bowl.
He makes sure the litter box is clean,
So she can fill it
When he comes home
from work,
Thus showing her
Complete
Love

NEXT UP: Poetry A Day Challenge 25: An Exile Poem