20 THINGS TO DO 2011 - THE LIST

In 2011, I'm doing 20 more things I've never done in and around Corpus Christi to further determine whether or not people are accurate when they say 'There's nothing to do in Corpus Christi."

This is a continuation of my original 40 Things to do in Corpus Christi which began in 2010 - See that list here.

Part of this adventure is designed to encourage you to get out there and do more. The year's list will unfold throughout the year so that you can do as many things as possible as well. Here you go. All future, scheduled dates and events are subject to change.

COMPLETED

January 1. See a show at Aurora Arts Theater info - Footloose, January 22 2. Go to a Corpus Christi Crabs Rugby Game info - January 29

February

3. Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament info - February 10-12

March

4. Take a trip on KARMA, The Floating Classroom info - March 19

SCHEDULED

April

5. Go on a Guided Tour of Old Bayview Cemetery - April 9

6. Port Aransas Sand Fest - info - April 15-17

7. Buc Days Miller Lite Pro PRCA Rodeo - info - April 20-23

May

8. Rockport Festival of Wine & Food - info - May 28-29

June

9. Go Surfing

July

10. Go Kiteboarding

August

11. Go on a Dolphin Tour

September

12. Go Fishing

October

13. Go camping within 30 miles of my house (where, though?)

December

14. Visit the Ingleside Renaissance Faire info

DATE NOT YET SET

15. Visit the CCA/CPL Marine Development Center - info

16. Take a ride on the RTA Water Taxi

17. Visit the King High School Planetarium info

18.

19.

And Finally:

20. Serve my Commmunity

Bonus: Eat at 10 local restaurants I've never been to.

1. Yalee's Asian Bistro - January 10

2. Bullchicks - January 24

3. Hester's - February 1

4. Cafe Maya - March 19

5. Mac's #Fore - March 24

CRAFTING THE LIST:

Here are the solid 'maybe's:

NAS Air Show - April 9-10

Realms Con Anime & Video Game Convention - October 7-9

Visit Big Tree at Goose Island State Park in Fulton

Go on a self-guided Selena Tour (Statue, gravesite, museum if it is still open)

Swim at the City Natatorium

Take a Ferry Boat to Explore San Jose’s (St. Joe's) Island- info info2

Take a Day Trip to Rockport: Art Galleries/Fulton Mansion/Maritime Museum

40 THINGS 2011 - IT CONTINUES

When I started the 40 Things to do in Corpus Christi idea, who would have known it would become what it has? The Caller-Times Column, the Facebook page, the analysis.

I believe the interest speaks not only about people’s desire to know what’s going on, but also about the need for honest discussion about the city, our quality of life and the ‘whys’ and ‘why nots’ of it all. This goes directly to the initial goal of the page: to use the answers to those questions to make the city better. Doing the 40 things, I’ve learned more about Corpus Christi this year than I thought I could. I have theories about why the city doesn’t grow and why we seem stuck with a lack of ‘things to do,’ but we’re not even close to having anything figured out.

In 2011 I will continue what I've started with some modifications/enhancements.

--I will not physically be doing 40 new things due to the time commitment; that was the 2010 kick start. Instead, I will be doing 20 new things I’ve never done in 2011 and I want you to do them with me. This will force me to get creative and help tell stories that need to be told. I will need your help to create this list.

--I will continue to post and highlight interesting events that are off the original 40 and new list of 20 on the Facebook page.

--I will attempt a ‘REAL’ 365 Things to do in CC list. ‘Real’ instead of advertiser-driven or robot-created or coupon-driven nonsense sites which have popped up (and failed) throughout 2010. These will be posted daily (time permitting), one per day. I will require your help to fill this list out.

--I want the fans of the site to step up and attend more things. Report and critique the things you go do. Go to more things and take your friends.

--I want to encourage you to create more things. 40 of them in fact. In 2011, the fans of this page will create 40 new things to do in Corpus Christi

--I want to promote deeper analysis and discussion of why we do and don’t do the things we do here so get your brain ready.

--The goal will be 10,000 fans on the Facebook page by year-end 2011 and I hope the content here will encourage you to get your friends on the page.

One more note, as other sites emerge the need to highlight events here is diminishing. I think you should add Caller Entertainment to your feed. Sarah Acosta is doing a great job there highlighting the music scene almost daily as well as other events. You should also add The Coastal Wave. Their website is the most comprehensive of all things to do locally.

GOING OUT FOR A DRINK

Early on in the 40 Things list I included go out to a few watering holes. My thoughts were to create a pub crawl downtown. I've enjoyed a drink or two downtown over the years I've been back with the most time spent at House of Rock. Pub Crawls when run well are a load of fun, but, if done poorly, they get a bad rap. They are also usually as fun as the people you're with.

Here it is December and I'm in 'Best Intentions Country'. My Pub Crawl just isn't getting done. If I thought about it for a few minutes I'd get resentful of the fact that I have to create these events to begin with. Why can't SOMEONE ELSE create a pub crawl?

Well they did so I was able to add the It's A WONDERFUL NIGHT LIFE pub crawl to the list. December 9, 2010 beginning at 6:30PM at Aria. There you will receive a wristband that will take you to:

Tavern on the Bay: Complimentary 30-min Christmas Light Cruise aboard the Japonica with beignets, coffee, and hot chocolate. Plus $1 discount on all signature cocktails.

Aria: $2 well and $1.50 Dos XX Amber and Modelo

Havana Club: $3.75 Arroz Con Pollo and $5 Cosmos

Morgan's Sports Bar and Grill: $3 appetizers, $2 pints, $2.50 call

Cassidy's Irish Pub: $3 Irish coffees and $3 draft beer

House of Rock: $2.25 New Castle plus free drawing in the Brown Bag Challenge Art Show

Mulligan's: 50cent draft beer refills

And much more!\

Hope you can make it.

I'm Reading Every Stephen King-written Word

I am a reader.

From a very young age I've been in love with the written word. To my recollection it began with Ramona Quimby and moved to Encylopedia Brown to Superfudge to Blubber to The Great Brain to The Three Investigators, I read every word I could get my eyes on.

In 9th grade I read two books that actually accelerated my journey into early adulthood. Books have that power. The first was King Rat by James Clavell, a book I reread every couple of years. Ms. Barnett, my history teacher, assigned us a list of 'historical fiction' novels to choose one book to read and do a report on. King Rat had a cool name. Little did I know how much an impact it would have on me: so this is what books can be. It's a great read; check it out.

After that, I shunned anything one might consider 'young fiction.' My eyes had been opened and while Henry and Ribsy had provided a solid foundation for narrative and serial and characterization, only adult books with their introduction to adult themes would do. Eventually I found Stephen King's novella, Rage written under his psuedonym, Richard Bachman. Four novellas written under that name had been collected in a work called The Bachman Books. I'm not going to describe or synopsize these stories, but they changed me. My eyes were opened to the power of the written word, and from that point on I began reading every word SK wrote.

I found Rage and The Bachman Books in 1986. This gave me 11 novels to catch up with. I read them out of chronological, but rather in the order I got my hands on them. At the end of that year, after reading a majority of those novels along with three collections of short fiction, IT came out.

It remains one of my favorite novels of all time.

Then I caught up with The Stand.

It remains one of my favorite novels of all time.

I could go on and on.

Not too long after this, though, his work began to deterioriate. I find Tommyknockers and The Dark Half almost unreadable. King attributes this deteoriation to his alcohol and drug abuse at the time. Around Gerald's Game or Rose Madder I gave up on reading every word. Since then I've picked up a book now and then with several highlights (The Green Mile and Hearts in Altantis leap to mind). Dude still has it...from time to time.

Recently, I was looking for a book to read and decided to reread Rage. Luckily I was able to find my old copy as Rage is not available in print in the US anymore given its similarities to Columbine-style school shootings. SK decided that the responsible and respectful thing to do would be to pull it from the shelves.

Around then I also had a random thought trying to remember SK's first novel (Carrie) and then which he followed it up with ('Salem's Lot). Having read both forever ago, I decided to reread them too. Between the two, I got a wild hair:

What if I read everything he ever wrote in chronological order of writing it?

What if, indeed.

Web research and one kickass Excel Spreadsheet later, I dove in.

The first thing SK wrote was a short named Jumper for his brother's homemade newspaper, but I didn't get to read it until 7 months after the first work I read (a short named The Reaper's Image) written 10 years later.

This journey began on 2/23/10 and has several stops and starts. Time is my biggest excuse and crutch. I did take a break to read The Passage by Justin Cornin (which I really enjoyed). I'm currently skipping way ahead to SK's newest release, Under the Dome, but then I'm right back in it.

I'll keep you posted.

Too Many Ideas; Too Little Time

I made the mistake of telling a local filmmaker about an idea I had. I has nothing to do with film, but rather me participating in an experimental band.

Huh?

Ever since then he asks if I've moved on it. Meaning: have I gotten the band together? The answer, of course, is "No." I will never get the band together. It's an idea that will never see the light of the day. Not because it's not good. It's stellar. Rather, it will take too much effort and time--the rarest commodity.

I have more ideas than I have time to execute them. Rather, they ferment and gestate and one or two, eventually, will become reality.

Ideas that are percolating that will most likely never see the light of day:

The long in development feature horror screenplay
The long in pre-writing development feature jazz screenplay
The recently almost complete horror short screenplay
The underground band
The no blank walls project
The open mic comedy night
The 40 Things website
The answer to no radio show

And that's just a 3 minute brain dump.

SHOW NOTES - 7/24/10 - DESTINATION BAYFRONT

Destination Bayfront, huge meeting this Wednesday - the website.

Destination Bayfront on Facebook

The Coastal Wave, the premier calendar of events for the Coastal Bend - Click Here

SHOW NOTES - 7/17/10 - DOUBLE RAINBOW

Good morning, Joe Army. My in-laws are in town to watch my son in his play, Bugsy Malone at Harbor Playhouse. CC7D is in full swing. Destination Bayfront kicks off on July 28. I'm going to a Bon Jovi tribute band tonight. Yeah, I got a lot going on...including:

Double Rainbow - Click
Can Zach get the clips done?

Jon Bovi - Click
In honor of Dead or Alive, BJ Trib band playing at Executive Surf Club tonight.

CC7D Films are turned in. Screening is August 21 - Click

Chicago rules - All That Jazz

I Licked the Corpus Christi Ice Cream Cone - Click

Do I like chain restaurants or not?

SHOW NOTES - 07/10/10 - MY BIRTHDAY GIFT....TO YOU

Old Time Radio

What is on your list? - This Week's Caller Column

CC7D is going on NOW

Destination Bayfront begins July 28, 6:30 PM at The Omni (the white one)

SHOW NOTES - 7/3/10 - CC7D

Show Sites:
www.joehilliard.com
40 Things to Do in Corpus Christi - Click
Joe Hilliard's Corpus Christi on Facebook - Click

CC7D Starts this week - More Info

Great stuff this weekend:
1. The 'normal' city fireworks show - click
2. Sail South Texas - click
3. Chicago at Harbor Playhouse - Click

Did you read this week's Caller Times column about Prejudice against local arts and culture? - click

It's my birthday - What do I want?

I have to tell you about the phone call I received earlier this week.

Spencer Lubitz

SHOW NOTES - 06/25/10 - SPENCER LUBITZ, ROCK STAR

Joe Hilliard's Corpus Christi on Facebook - Click

Did you read Joe's column about sailing? - click

Can producer #3 call the Turtle Hatchling Hotline? - click

Go see A Midsummers Night's Dream at Harbor Playhouse - click

Destination Bayfront approved by Council - Caller article
Destination Bayfront on Facebook - Click
Destination Bayfront Website - Click

CC7D Cast and Crew Call rocked
CC7D Starts July 7 - More info

Spencer Lubitz is a Rock Star
Spencer's KRIS profile - Click

A couple of months ago I saw Spencer Lubitz on KRIS news. He did something very unintentionally funny to set a serious tone for a serious story. Then I saw him again. And again. I can't recall a specific story or my favorite antic....but I love this dude.

Bianca Castro is a KRIS online story camera hog so there's not a lot of Spencer Lubitz on the site, but if you search his name you'll find older stories that demonstrate his unparalleled ability to infuse high drama into any story. Most of them are of his now defunct series on trying out infomercial products.

Spencer's search results - click

Like...

--Testing a Shamwow

SHOW NOTES - 6/19/10 - WEIGHT LOSS BOOT CAMP

We live in the fattest city in America so early May I added something to my list of 40 things to do in CC: Lose 20 Lbs. And since I talk about these things on the radio and in the newspaper (For my original weight loss caller column - Click Here), people have been asking about my progress.

This Monday...it really begins.

CC7D Cast and Crew Call - Click Here

JUNE 23, 2010; 6:30 PM
HOUSE OF ROCK
511 STARR STREET
OPEN TO ANYONE

SHOW NOTES - 06/12/10 - DESTINATION BAYFRONT 101

On Tuesday, June 15 at 2PM, Destination Bayfront will make a short presentation to City Council during which we will ask them to endorse our community process to create a great public space along our Bayfront. This is a very important meeting, and we are hoping to fill the room so City Council can see that this is an idea fully supported by the community. Please join us in the Council Chambers at City Hall at 2 pm on next Tuesday - and tell your friends about the meeting.

Destination Bayfront Website
Destination Bayfront on Facebook
City Council Presentation Event on Facebook

What is Destination Bayfront?

Who is Destination Bayfront?
A group of 15 people have come together to organize efforts. They are:

Derwood Anderson, AG|CM, Engineering Firm

Ron Benavides

George Clower, The Clower Co.

Art Granado, insurance salesman

J.J. Hart, venture capitalist

Joe Hilliard, radio host, Vice President of Sales of Fencing, Inc.

Paulette Kluge, Director of Sales at Omni Bayfront

David Loeb, Vice President of LandLord Resources, commercial real estate firm, former city planning commissioner

Chad Magill, Chairman of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, owner of Identity Theft Solutions

Trey McCampbell, Del Mar College board member, Chief Administrative Officer of American Bank

Crystal Mead, Texas State Aquarium Membership Manager

Mark Minutaglio, owner of South Texas Provisions, member of mayor’s pride committee

Will Pettus, Pettus Advertising

Travis Ralls, account executive at Time Warner Cable

Philip Ramirez, architect

How did this start?

What exactly is being proposed on Tuesday?

What will go there?

What is a Mixed Use Public Space?

Who is PPS? Why PPS?
Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is a nonprofit planning, design and educational organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities.
PPS Website

How will it be paid for?

Privitization? Free admission

SHOW NOTES - 06/05/10 - BUILDING A FARMERS' MARKET

The official 40 Things list is HERE

Today is a 40 Things to Do 'official item': Go to the Southside Farmers' Market

--This week's Caller article
--The Farmers' Market official webpage
--The Farmers' Market Facebook page
--Top ten things to know for farmers market noobz

Farmers' Market is in the 5800 block of Everhart (the shopping center that houses Janet's Cakery and Two Georges).

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Turtle Update:
To go to a turtle release viewing here is the process:
--Go to the Padre Island National Seashore website HERE
--Pick a projected date you want to go to
--As the date gets closer, call the recorded Hatchling Hotline to get precise updates: (361) 949-7163

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The next few 40 Things events:
17. Go Sailing at the Wednesday night regatta races info - June 9
18. Aransas Pass Shrimporee info - June 11-13
19. Go to the Hurricane Alley Roller Derby info - June 19

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Stephen McMains from the Art Museum's Junior Art Council will call in to talk about JAC, a series of social mixers held at the Art Museum of South Texas throughout the year, showcasing the talents of renowned and aspiring artists alike by bringing together our young professional community via the arts.

Junior Art Council on Facebook

The mixer event page on Facebook

Junior Art Circle Mixer
6/10/2010 7 - 9 p.m.
Event Name: JAC Mixer
Price: free-members/$20-guests
Location: Art Museum
The Junior Art Circle (JAC) will hold its second mixer of the year following the AMST Members Opening. Free to JAC members and $20 for guests. Join us for art & hors d'oeuvres; rock out with the music of Steve Alford; and enjoy the breeze and Bay lights from the outdoor courtyard! Memberships are available at the door. For more information, call 361.825.3509 or artmuseum@tamucc.edu.

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If time:
--Socket Update
--Should people be swimming in the new North Shoreline fountain?

Isn't it funny how when you put a water feature by the bay people naturally want to get wet? We live by the bay, but for some reason our bay is 'off limits'. Put water by it and people are bound to want to get in it.
They bring their dogs, they bring their BBQ pits. Why? Because the city has created a great place to gather and the natural feel is to eat and frolic with man's best friend...but there is no place to eat and dogs aren't allowed.

This park is wonderful, but part of no plan for best use. Destination Bayfront intends on creating a full experience, putting it all together correctly from day one.

SHOW NOTES - 5/29/10 - WISDOM TEETH

Wisdom Teeth Out

First off: CC 7-Day Film Project
CC7D on Facebook

--Almost had a dentist on last night
--I believe in God, but why would he create something in our body we do not need and actually need to be removed or cause us harm - Wikipedia
--Pain Medicine - NO Hydrocodone - Using Oxycodone
--The normal procedure isn't an issue
--Dry Socket - Wikipedia
--Whining on Facebook - Not a fan, but here we go.

The column this week - Baby Turtles are Cute

Went to Freeb!rds last night. Why it works. A lesson on 2010 marketing.

Star Wars Week in Corpus Christi
Star Wars in Concert is coming to town this Thursday - Click Here
In addition, however, there areother Star Wars activities going on this weekend - Clone Wars at Cole Park tonight. 501st at La Palmera tomorrow at Noon
What is the 501st? - Click Here? Guest Matthew Wesson is a member of the 501st, an all-volunteer organization formed for the express purpose of bringing together Star Wars costume enthusiasts.
To get involved, go to the website above.

SHOW NOTES - 5/22/10 - SOCIAL MEDIA IN CC

Guest: Holly Hoffman with Neovia Solutions talking Social Media in CC

Links to our discussion points:
Joe's Column about Arts orgs thinking outside the box in marketing
Social Media Club of CC
Foursquare.com
Joe's page on Foursquare.com
Urbanspoon.com
wordpress.com

This past week's column
Urbanspoon.com in Austin v CC
Talk about use in Austin v. use in CC



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Joe's Wisdom Teeth - Guest Dr. Brady Kratz

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Two things going in CC today:

Clean Up Event: Saturday, May 22, 2010 • 9:00AM -12:00PM
Block Party: Live Music & Refreshments for all Volunteers • 12:00PM - 2:00PM

Be one of 500 Volunteers improving Leopard Street, Antelope Street, Lipan Street from Tancahua Street to Port Avenue. More Info

THEN THERE'S:

Fit and Free by the Sea
Join the Community at Cole Park Amphitheater to start your new Health,Nutrition and Fitness Lifestyle. Join our 6 month weight loss challenge and be rewarded for your success.This is an ongoing citywide program. Let the community support your journey to a healthier life

Fit & Free by The Sea will be presenting:

-Join Mayors Fitness Council, CCISD Superintendant,Del Mar College, TAMUCC, Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, Food Bank, The Shake Lounge and many more supporters to create a healthy lifestyle.

-Engage in over 18 exercise styles, age specified

-Healthy cooking demonstrations brought to you by the Corpus Christi Food Bank and Farmers Market

-Three Activity areas: Childrens, General, Seniors

-Complimentary health screenings,testing & refreshments

SHOW NOTES - 5/15/10 - MEMORIAL COLISEUM TOUR

MEMORIAL COLISEUM TOUR
-Are we really done talking about it?
-No matter your position, seeing that first hole must make you a little....what's the word?...melancholy?
-The column from this week about the Coliseum - Click Here
BEACH TO BAY
-It's raining! Didn't train for that
-Beach to Bay website
-If everyone in town ran Beach to Bay next year including training, we'd be among the fittest cities in Texas
-I appreciate social media more than the average Corpus Christi citizen, but how are you tweeting and facebooking from the race?
FOURSQUARE
-Test Drive
-Foursquare website

SHOW NOTES - 4/31/10 - BUC DAYS CARNIVAL

Join the 40 Things Page: Click Here

ISLANDER FILM FESTIVAL

Islander Film Festival
Saturday, May 1 – The fourth annual Islander Film Festival will be held on Saturday, May 1, beginning at 7 p.m. in Bay Hall, Room 103, at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The Islander Film Festival is a compilation of filmmakers’ work as they come together to showcase their films. The focus is not for profit, but to give inspiration, drive, and a place for filmmakers to share with the Coastal Bend community. Admission is free and open to the public.

Austin Film Society Production Fund Workshop
Saturday, May 1 – Filmmaker Bryan Poyser will lead a workshop on how to obtain funding from the Austin Film Society's Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund on Saturday, May 1, from 1-2 p.m. at the Art Museum of South Texas H-E-B Auditorium. The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call 361.825.2296.

BUC DAYS PARADE
I don't get it.

This week's Caller column, Buc Days, Here I Come: Click Here

A follow up article at Caller: Parade about Family, Tradition: Click Here

CC FATTEST CITY

Corpus Christi is the fattest city in US: The article, click here.

Here is an almost perfect analysis by H. Swint Friday about how being one of the fattest cities affects almost everything: Click Here

I say almost perfect because I can't agree with this excerpt:

"Another major step is to restructure our tax code to reward good purchases and
punish bad ones with substantial sin taxes on everything from the chips at the
taqueria to Cokes, candy and unhealthy food at every outlet.

We then use
these tax proceeds to implement the most aggressive health campaign on this
issue in the country through education and the creation of the infrastructure
necessary for our citizens to fight this affliction successfully."

Here is the caller article in on the matter: Click Here

SHOW NOTES - 4/24/10 - BUC DAYS

Here's the list of things going on this week.

International Boat Show - Saturday and Sunday - info
Buc Days - All weekend - info
Buc Days Rodeo - All weekend and next week - info
What's Good Street Festival - Saturday - info
On Golden Pond at Harbor Playhouse - Saturday and Sunday - info
Godspell at Aurora Arts Theater - Saturday and Sunday - info

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
As seen at the 2009 Austin City Limits Festival(eight-piece, garage-soul ensemble) - Thursday at Buc Days - Info

SHOW NOTES - 4/17 - NEW GLASSES

Potential topics:

SPANX for men!!: Click

I Get New Glasses
- Google-ing 'glasses styles for bald guys'
- Speaking of being bald: 5 Bald Truths You Should Know

Speaking of Men's Health: CC is officially the fattest city in the US: Click

To arrive at our rankings, we calculated the percentage of people who are overweight, the percentage with type 2 diabetes, the percentage who haven't left the couch in a month (CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System); the money spent on junk food (Bureau of Labor Statistics); and finally, the number of people who ate fast food nine or more times in a month (Mediamark Research).

GI Forum withdraws objection to coliseum demolition - Agreement includes creation of a memorial to veterans: Caller.com Article

9:00AM Bold Future guest Claudia Jackson - Event this Wednesday: Info

40 Things

SHOW NOTES - 4/3/10

Getting over something; Antibiotics

40 Things - This Sunday (tomorrow) walk over the Harbor Bridge at 2 PM - more info

The 40 Thing April Fools Joke - here

I'm reading every word Stephen King wrote in chronological order

Elton John - This week's column

Girl in a Coma at House of Rock tonight:
Hear the opening band for Morrissey on his last tour: Girl in a Coma at House of Rock

Tonight: The 2010 Tecate Texas Boxing Series debuts in Corpus Christi April 3rd at the American Bank Center Arena when five undefeated young stars take center ring, including Corpus Christi top prospects, Jerry Belmontes (11-0) and Alfonso Lopez (18-0). Seven bouts are scheduled on the the card.

Easter/Bay Area
Worry about your own sin/tell others about Jesus - caller article

Friends of the Coliseum lawsuit moving back to Nueces County - caller article

Backlash: Boycott Friends of the Coliseum - here
Online Petition against Friends of the Coliseum - here

SHOW NOTES - 3/27/10 - WEIRD CORPUS CHRISTI

The column from this past Wednesday:
Corpus Christi Needs More Weird

Weird stuff that springs to mind:
The Ice Cream Cone sculpture in the yard on Wilshire Street (click here and go to birds eye view and look for the house between Denver and Santa Fe with the flag painted on the driveway)
The dinosaur sculptures in the yard on Ocean Drive
Zombie Prom at House of Rock
The Irish band at Panjo's Pizza

Festival of the Arts this weekend:
Caller Article I
Caller Article II
Festival website

Went to an official 40 Things event last night
Beethoven in a Bar with the Chiara String Quartet. They play again tonight, 3/27, TIME: 7:30 p.m. LOCATION: Wolfe Recital Hall, Del Mar College East, Ayers at Kosar MORE INFO

Next 40 Things Thing: Elton John

Go to the 40 things FB page HERE

Google Fiber Competition <-- click for caller article

Wings over South Texas Air Show NAS Kville today FREE more info

SHOW NOTES - 02/20/10 - NO PLANS WHATSOEVER

Every once in a while you have no plan at all.

I just got in from Orlando, am out of touch and out of the loop. I have absolutely no plan. In that case what I like to do is list about 10 things to potentially talk about and then see where my mind and the callers take me.

So, that in mind here are the things that MIGHT be get hit on.

1) Anything happen in CC while I was gone? crickets

I put it out to the FB Group (join here). One idea came back:

Summer break and daylight savings time; both archaic methods implemented during the days when 95% of children were expected to help on the family farm. Now that children are not regularly used as labor, we should do away with summer break and go to year round school. Daylight savings time is also ridiculous as well. And for the record, I do state these beliefs even though my brother in law is a local farmer.

crickets

• Slow growth of of the group. The show and its obstacles.

2) Elton John tix went on sale an hour before the show. Joe has his.

• The ticketmaster experience of an 8th grader.
• Elton: 'Jesus was gay'. I don't really want to touch that

3) This past Wednesday's column: Islanders' Basketball Game Report

• Prejudice against my own city

4) Speaking of gay, Drag Queens

On my flight back from Orlando my seat neighbor was Tyra Sanchez, contestant on the current RuPaul's Drag Race television show, which I had never heard of. Tyra let me watch the first ep on his/her computer. Survivor + Project Runway + Drag Queens.

Shooting has finished but the show is airing now. (s)he couldn't tell me who won obviously, but 4 episodes into it, (s)he is still on it. I guess you have to watch it once to see Tyra. Full episodes online.

5) Coliseum Bids

6) Zack's job interview.

SHOW NOTES - 02/13/10 - ONE THING NOT IN CC

This week's column - All That Jazz and the Lack Thereof

• Leading sentence: What is something you’d love to do in Corpus Christi that simply doesn’t exist?
• Examples
• Feedback

Valentines Day is a Sham

• Intro
• We went out for a family dinner and we're done
• Seafood choices

Seafood Choices

• Corpus Christi is a city by the sea. That said, where is the seafood?
• Google Local says that there are 28 Seafood-specific restaurants. As of July 1, 08, CC's population was 286,462.

• I came up with that number by going to Google Local, typing in the city name and the word 'restaurant'. Then Google allows you to narrow by cuisine. Choose 'seafood' and there's your total number of seafood places.

Here they are:

1. Ancient Mariner
2. Banda's Seafood
3. Bayou Grill
4. Blackbeard's
5. Black Diamond Oyster Bar
6. Catfish Charlie's
7. City Diner and Oyster Bar
8. Coastline Cafe
9. Crawdaddy's
10. Doc's Seafood and Steaks
11. Executive Surf Club
12. Joe's Crab Shack I
13. Joe's Crab Shack II
14. King's Seafood (Baldwin??)
15. Kobe Japanese Steak and Seafood
16. Landry's
17. Long John Silvers
18. Long John Silvers
19. Long John Silvers
20. Pier 99
21. Railroad Seafood Station
22. Red Lobster
23. Republic of Texas
24. Snoopy's
25. Two George's
26. Water Street Oyster Bar
27. Water Street Seafood Co.
28. Yardarm

First of all I'm taking out the Long John Silvers. We're down to 25. But let's be as fair as possible and stretch the search to Port A. The number goes up to 34.

1. Beulah's Tarpon Inn
2. Crazy Cajun
3. La Playa - as opposed to the La Playas in CC?
4. Ocean's of Seafood
5. Pelican Club
6. Pelican's Landing
7. Shell's Pasta and Seafood
8. Trout Street
9. Virginia's on the Bay

Let's keep moving to Rockport. Now we're up to 39.

1. Alice Faye's
2. Big Fisherman
3. Boiling Pot
4. Charlotte Plummer's
5. Lattitude 28

This does not include restaurants that have a seafood dish on their otherwise non-seafood menu. This is just 'seafood restaurants.'

• let's look at some similarly populated cities. Tampa is located on the same latitude line as CC directly across the Gulf of Mexico. They have 60,000 more people than we do at 340,882 or they are 19% larger than we are. You COULD assume, then that they have 19% more seafood places than we do--or 48 seafood restaurants. Tampa has 780 seafood-specific or notable seafood restaurants. (for you math geeks that's a 1900% increase).

• Some might say it's not fair to go higher, let's look at something coastal that's similarly populated. OK.

• As of July 1, 08, Baton Rouge's population was 223,689². Google Local says that there are 161 Seafood-specific restaurants
• As of July 1, 08, Mobile, Alabama's population was 191,022. Google Local says that there are 158 Seafood-specific restaurants

• Shall we go lower in population along the Gulf Coast?

• As of As of 2005 census, Biloxi, Mississippi's population was 45,670. Google Local says that there are 131 Seafood-specific restaurants
• As of 2007 census, Pascagoula, Mississippi's population was 23,452. Google Local says that there are 174 Seafood-specific restaurants


• But CC doesn't include, Port A, Ingleside, Rockport, etc. Add all of those and we're up to 48.

Destination Bayfront Letter to the Editor - Letters to the Editor: 02.11.10

A land grab?

To paraphrase Shakespeare, “There’s something rotten in Corpus Christi.“ The so-called Destination Bayfront smells like a land grab to me. Why am I not convinced that all those fine gentlemen are promoting their ideas for the good of Corpus Christi residents? Me thinks they do promote too much.

Where are your investigative reporters? Or are these among the demolished?

Janet Cooper

Joe was in a car wreck

SHOW NOTES - 02/06/10 - COMING BACK TO CORPUS

The first column came out Wednesday: Click Here

History of the column.

Tons of response.

If I had to categorize each email about it, many were from parents who wish their kids would come home.

In addition, Stephanie writes:

My story is quite the opposite. I moved away from Corpus and was gone for 15 years. I lived in a small town called Junction City, Kansas. You talk about nothing to do! You are able to tour the whole town of Junction City in 5 minutes.
I lived for the times I was able to come home and visit Corpus Christi. I never appreciated my home town more! Believe me, I was one of those people that said the same thing about Corpus. When the economy went South I Junction, we made the decision to move to Corpus. This has been the best thing I have ever done. We have now been here for a little over a year and absolutely love every minute of it! I am so glad you are doing this!!!!

Rudy Garza had reservations about coming home. Rudy is the city's director of intergovernmental relations.
Rudy's CC Bio here.

Big Destination Bayfront Presentation this Monday. Info here.

40 THINGS TO DO - THE LIST

In 2010, I'm doing 40 things I've never done in Corpus Christi to determine whether or not people are accurate when they say 'There's nothing to do in Corpus Christi."

Part of this adventure is designed to encourage you to get out there and do more. The list will unfold in advance so that you can do as many things as possible as well.

Here you go.

COMPLETED

January
1. Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival - January 9, 10

February
2. Go to the Homecoming basketball game at TAMUCC info - February 6
3. Listen to some jazz - Riverwalk Jazz at TAMUCC PAC info - February 11
4. Attend a Del Mar drama event info - Secret Rapture - February 27
5. CC Hammerhead's 2010 Home Opener info - February 28

March
6. Fulton Oysterfest info - March 4-7
7. Beethoven in a Bar - Chiara String Quartet at House of Rock info - March 28

April
8. Try 5 New Local Restaurants - They were: La Costenista, January; Takeniwa, April; Julio's, May; Acapulco, August; Enrique's, September
9. Walk across the Harbor Bridge - info - April 4
10. See a touring act - Elton John info - April 6
11. Go to the Botanical Gardens info - April 10
12. Visit the Texas State Museum of Asian Cultures info - April 17
13. Attend a TAMUCC drama event info - Twelfth Night - April 20-25
14. Catch an Independent Film - South Texas Cinematheque screening at Art Museum info - April 30

May
15. Go to the Buc Days parade info - May 1
16. Run in the Beach to Bay info - May 15

June
17. Go to the Southside Farmers' Market info - June 5
18. Go Sailing at the Wednesday night regatta races info - June 9
19. Aransas Pass Shrimporee info - June 11-13

July
20. Go on a self-guided public art tour info - July 11
21. Witness a Turtle Hatchling Release at Padre National Seashore info - July 17

September
22. Go on a Segway Tour - info - September 16
23. Hit a Comedy Club info - September 17
24. Celebration of Flight Hawk Watch & Birding Festival (Go birdwatching) - info - September 24-26
25. Go to the Hurricane Alley Roller Derby info - September 25

October
26. Ice Rays 2010-2011 season Home Opener info - October 1
27. Attend a Corpus Christi Symphony performance info - October 9
28. Catch a local live band that I've never seen
Battle of the Bands Finals at House of Rock in cooperation with Del Mar College - info - October 15
29. 2010 Corpus Christi Paddle Prix & Rally (Go Kayaking) info - October 23

November
30. Greek Festival info - November 5-7
31. Attend the Sparkling City Light Opera info - November 6
32. Attend the Jewish Food Festival info - November 13-14
33. King Ranch Ranch Hand Breakfast info - November 20

December
34. Create an event - Nerf Kids Nerf War - info - December 5
35. Head out to a few watering holes - It's a Wonderful Night Life Pub Crawl - info - December 9
36. Go to a Corpus Christi Ballet Performance - info - December 12
37. Visit the Texas South Wind Vineyard & Winery - info - December 16
38. Take a Trip down Candy Cane Lane - info - December 18

TO DO

December

39. Go Geocaching - info - December 21

And finally
40. Lose 20 Lbs. (develop an overall fitness lifestyle that takes advantage of the city's natural resources and become part of the solution instead of part of the problem

40 THINGS TO DO - THE RULES

In 2010, I'm doing 40 things I've never done* in Corpus Christi to ascertain whether or not people are accurate when they say 'There's nothing to do here."

When I hatched this scheme about mid-December I used the time between then and the new year to refine the rules and create my first pass at a list. 'Why rules?', you ask. Because you guys are going to tear me apart. Why didn't you do this? And why did you think this was good? or Why did you say that wasn't good? You think there's so much to do....there's nothing to do! etc. Don't believe me, go ahead and check out the FB page. Criticism already. So be it. This is important.

So here are my rules for our little adventure.

Rule #1: Try to remain as objective as possible. My goal is not to prove any pre-concieved opinion that there is or isn't much to do. Great cities offer their citizens a robust arts and cultural experience. This effort is more about grading what is out there.

Rule #2: Try to The Things as accessible as possible. This project will hopefully encourage you to get out there and try something new (or a few things). That said, I don't want to fill up the list with $100 items. It makes sense to try surfing or kiteboarding, but lessons for each can get up there quick. Wednesday night sailing sounds fun, but can anyone just show up and do it? There are some tickets and lessons that certainly cost a few pennies, and I will discuss those aspects of the events. Are average citizens not doing those types of things because they're cost-prohibitive?

Rule #3: All new Things*. If I'm using up 40 weekends to learn about the variety of CC's arts and culture, I will rely on my memory for the things I've done. If you haven't done these, though, you should start here: Harbor Playhouse, CC 7-Day Film Project, CC Hooks, Texas State Aquarium, Art Museum of South Texas, etc. All worth your time.

Rule #4: No restaurants. As much as I love B&J's Pizza and Hu-Dat, I'm not counting going to a restaurant as one of my 40 Things to Do for the purposes of this exercise. A Google Maps search for restaurants yields 2,500 listings in CC alone. There's no denying that the restaurant culture of a city is important, but for now I'm leaving them out of this list.

So only 4 Rules. That's not too stingy. Anything I missed?

Next Up: The First List

40 THINGS TO DO IN CORPUS CHRISTI 2010

What makes a 'great' city? When you travel somewhere exceptional, look around, and say to yourself, "This is a great city," what have you seen? What did you experience at this mecca that allows you to believe that?

It's probably different for everybody, but 'the experts' certainly have an opinion. Every year a slew of lists are produced discussing America's Top Places to Live or American's Best Cities.

I found several at the top of a quick google search: US News & World Report, CNN/Money, askmen.com...there are too many to list here.

The most popular and most quoted annual study about the best American cities is Money Magazine's and when you analyze the rest, most other lists have 'borrowed' heavily from Money's criteria. So how does Money Magazine (and essentially every other similar ranking) choose the best cities in America? What are the criteria? What must a city 'have'? They have broken it down into 8 factors. Excel at most or all of these and, theoretically, you're a great city.

FINANCIAL
Including median family income, job growth, etc.

HOUSING
Home Price, Property Taxes, etc.

EDUCATION
Test scores, Access to higher education, etc.

QUALITY OF LIFE
As they describe it: Crime, Commute time, etc.

LEISURE AND CULTURE
Things to do

WEATHER
Rainfall, Temperatures

HEALTH
Body Fat Index, Diabetes rates, Access to health care, etc.

OTHER POPULATION DATA
Median Age, %age that's completed some college, Racial Diversity, etc.

During 2010 I'm sure to discuss each of these from time to time, but my Theme for 2010 (theme?) on the show and in this blog occupies the 5th slot above: Things to do. More important or less important than the other factors? Not sure, but it's what I'm good at, so....shall we?

'There's nothing to do in Corpus Christi.' How many times have you heard that?

On its surface we know that's incorrect. There are bars, movie theaters, restaurants, a beach, a bayfront and quick access to fishing, hunting, and water sports. Everyone knows about The Hooks and most know about the Rayz. There's clearly 'stuff to do'.

So when people say 'there's nothing to do,' what do they mean? There's not as much to do as larger cities? There aren't things that they subjectively like to do? What kinds of things do they want to do that they can't do here? Are they doing the things there are to do?

This new year, I'm going to seek out and do 40 new things. It could have been 52, but that would have been a recipe for failure. So, 40 new things to do talk and write about in attempt to find out clearly what there is to do when you don't limit yourself. I'll be looking for trends. I'll be comparing us to cities larger and smaller than us.

Next up: The Rules and The List.

2009 IN FILM

Time to take a critical look at the movie spreadsheet, come to final decisions and deliver my top ten for 2009.

Before I can begin, here are my usual,pat disclaimers:

Disclaimer #1: I haven't seen all of the critically lauded films. As of today, I haven't seen the following films that could potentially get onto this list. As I see them, the list below will be modified:

A Serious Man
An Education
Broken Embraces
Crazy Heart
Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, The
In The Loop
It's Complicated
Lovely Bones, The
Me and Orson Welles
Nine
Precious
Sherlock Holmes
Summer Hours
The Last Station
The Messenger
The White Ribbon

Disclaimer #2: Of the 189 films I tracked in 2009, 63 appear on the 'I Don't Care if I Never See' List. Alphabetically, the first is Aliens in the Attic and the last is X Games 3D.

Disclaimer #3: Films not on my top ten that appear on a lot of other top tens aka Where's Avatar? Here at the end of the year, many films are eeking their way into mass pop conversation, but, for whatever reason, they're not on my top 10. Maybe you're curious where Avatar, etc. is since they're not on the top 10.

Avatar - For a 29 minute discussion about Avatar, listen to Episode 38 of The Movie Hour podcast. To summarize, Avatar is a beautiful movie that must be seen on the big screen. Cameron dazzles visually and elevates the field of CGI for every CGI-laden film to come. The issue is that since Cameron directed Terminator 1 and 2, and Aliens, no one has more potential to bring smart, groundbreaking action to the screen. Avatar does indeed have some smart, groundbreaking action particularly the final battle scene. When the film steers away from action, and the same holds true with Titanic, it's a mess. The script, the telescoped story, the kum by yah nature nonsense, the over the head political message muddy what should have been a balls out action film.

Up - Up is great. Wall-E, Toy Story 1&2, and The Incredibles are better. Up is disjointed and hodge podge in a way that dilutes it. It is here because people believe a Pixar film should be here every year even if this year's Pixar film doesn't deserve to be.

So all that said, here they are. Joe's top 10 films of 2009:

#10. Food, Inc. - There are two documentaries on my top ten list that should be seen by every American. This is the first. Wonder why America is getting so fat? Remember when super fat was a novelty? Now we've got The Biggest Loser. It's because we are being fed food that is designed (as per our body's chemical make up and ability to digest it) to get us fat. Watch this and change the way you eat forever. Available on DVD now.

#9. Moon - A 'small film' with a large scope. Sam Rockwell is a man alone on the moon harvesting valuable minerals. When his clone arrives, he must figure out what's going on. Is there a conspiracy to kill him or is he just going mad alone in the most isolated place in the world?

#8. Star Trek - The most fun summer action, popcorn film around. No thanks Transformers 2, Angels and Demons, Terminator: Salvation, Wolverine--we reject your mindless nonsense. Like Iron Man last summer, rather, this one happens to be really, really good.

#7. Cove, The - The second doc that 'every American should see'. Half social awareness commentary/half nail-biting heist, you will never (and should never) go to Sea World again after you learn the 'business' of getting bottlenosed dolphins into those tanks.

#6. Adventureland - Tailor made for me, an awkward young man work coming of age in the 80s while navigating the workplace politics of an amusement park. Kristen Stewart CAN be compelling.

#5. Up in the Air - A quiet film about relationships with great performances and dialogue. It's just not that hard to do, Hollywood. Entertainment can be quiet. What elevates this is the constant humor, doled out correctly as our lead's entire life philosophy unravels.

#4. District 9 - What Avatar should have seen before it was released. Aliens, Action, Cutting-Edge Special Effects, Class Struggles, Politial Commentary...with no cheesy distractions or speed-bump effect dialougue clunkers.

#3. It Might Get Loud - If you consider yourself creative (you create something significant or, at the very least, strive to) then run to redbox to rent this film. The concept is simple: get three of the best contemporary guitar players--Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White--together to discuss the electric guitar. What makes it interesting is archival footage of three great bands. What makes it incredible is the subtext: what inspires masters of their field to innovate and create.

#2. Hurt Locker, The - Hey 'Iraq film' filmmakers! When your 'message' is more important than story, script and characters you make a film no one wants to see. Make a film with great characters, script and story that happens to be set in Iraq and the message will flow out naturally and effectively.

#1. Inglourious Basterds - It took a while but it made the top of the list. Viewing #1: a disappointment with all this useless talking and not enough Basterds being basterds. This was a marketing issue. My expectations were just set incorrectly. The opening farm scene and Christoph Waltz's performances are incredible. Viewing #2: OK...the 'too much' dialogue is gorgeous and it's OK if we're not scalping nazis every 30 seconds. That Melanie Laurent and Brad Pitt are pretty good too. Viewing #3: OK...this is a modern classic.

What will Viewing #4 do?

2009 down with a few stragglers coming in, Bring it on, 2010.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Here's the obligatory entry touting how I will be changing or doing different things this year.

While I do have some resolutions, the whole concept is too cliche to comment on at this time...

...until Holly Hoffman posted a tweet about creating a theme for the year rather than resolutions that don't last past January 31.

Read Holly's entire blog entry about themes v. resolutions here.

Here are the cliff notes:

Why you need a theme

Specific resolutions may not be the right answer. A theme sets the tone for your year, and gives you a banner to work under. In the end, what is your overall goal? Is it to be fit and healthy, to have good finances, to feel rested? Make it the Year of Finances, or the Year of Fitness, or the Year of Relaxation.

How to pick a theme

Ask yourself these questions:
- What is causing the most problems in my life?
- What is giving me the most chaos?
- What are the most inconvenient things happening?
- What seems to be happening over and over again even though I try not to?
- Where do I see a spike in negative emotion in my daily life?
- What would give me the most peace if I could find a solution for it?

If you’re having trouble picking between two (or three or four…), pick the one that’s solves the most problems.

What happens next…

The amazing thing about having a theme for your year is that it’s about changing your mindset toward a certain area of your life. You’ve decided to change some area of your life that you previously carried an attitude of indifference toward. Lots of things will change.

Of course your theme can fail. The number one reason resolutions fail is because people aren’t committed to them in the first place. If you aren’t committed to your theme, then you won’t move on it.

Move forward with a positive attitude. Remember this is the year you will change your [finances/health/career/love life/insert theme here]!

The great thing is that area of your life will be forever changed, not just temporarily shifted.

Again, read Holly's entire article here.

I will be going through the questions this weekend and coming up with my theme soon.

For the show, 40 events or things to do in CC in 2010