THIS IS ALL CHANGING!

Begining late March I will release a new podcast called Joe Hilliard's Corpus Christi with partner-in-crime, Seth Caylor.

In a few days this outdated, never-updated blog will vanish.

More details soon.

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).

---------

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

---------

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

---------

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.

------------

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