Entry #35

Entry #35

Thursday, January 19

7:00 p.m. Lots of news lately. President Obama rejected a permit for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline yesterday and Perry has officially taken himself out of the presidential race, “Going from the top of the Republican heap to dead last in the polls, behind even Stephen Colbert..” (Huffington Post).

While environmentalists were celebrating the rejection of the pipeline, oil executives here were up in arms. And even though Perry's become little more than a punchline elsewhere, he remains the Head Honcho of The Longhorn State.

Friday, January 20

4:00 p.m. We went to Market Square (part of The Woodlands’ town center area) to meet David at Starbuck’s (the only café in town) and brought Izzie with us. While sitting outside, a gentleman in what looked like a long-sleeved soccer jersey approached us. Turns out he was actually a security guard for the area. In a cordial tone, he alerted us that Izzie “can’t be here.” “Where?” we asked, thinking that perhaps she couldn’t be near the café. “Here,” he said.

We didn’t get a ticket, but we just sat there baffled, realizing that this place, with its spacious field and (nouveau) old-town charm, prohibited dogs entirely. Oddly, there weren’t any signs. No wonder Market Square is so pristine. No dust, dirt, or fur allowed. I’m assuming kids must be under voice control, at the very least. 

This might explain why these cast metal cardinals are the only critters I've seen in this area...

Sunday, January 21

9:00 a.m. The Sunday New York Times has a two-paged Texas “spread,” we discovered, including an interesting perspective on Perry. He may have exited the Republican race with his Stetson hanging low, but he’s still invincible in the Lone Star State.

“To many Americans outside Texas, Mr. Perry suffered a humiliating defeat in his failed bid to wint he Republican nomination, making gaffes and missteps that became punch lines of nationwide jokes and fodder for YouTube. But to many Texans, particularly those involved in politics, Mr. Perry’s return to the state is a far more nuanced and complicated matter.

...Mr. Perry’s term as governor does not expire until January 2015...’He still has virtually every board and commission in the state loyal to him...He still enjoys the strong support of the right wing in Texas. I’m sure he loses any stroke.’

And yet here and elsewhere in Texas, Mr. Perry’s poor performance appears to have had a more intangible effect, bruisingthe outsize ego of a state that has been as proud of its sports teams as it has of its politicians who have risen to national fame.” —New York Times, 01/22/12

3:00 p.m. En route to the kids’ art class today, we saw a rather drab brick house that’s now the official campus of The Novalash Eyelash Academy of Arts & Sciences. I noticed a Novalash “store” at Market Square, but didn’t realize there was an entire school devoted to the intensive study of hair follicles of the eyelid region. Talk about a narrow specialty.

Per usual, David and I walked around the neighborhood after dropping off the kids. Today we decided to explore a different residential area, which includes some beautiful homes and picturesque walking paths. One thing I noticed, however, is that no one seems to pick up after their dogs, which might explain why the folks around Market Square didn't welcome canines. 

This is a big change from San Francisco, which favors the other extreme: Not only are there trash cans galore, there are also public dispensers offering free biodegradable “poop” bags. Stores often have water bowls set out for pups, and sometimes offer dog biscuits, too. Plus, dogs are regularly tied outside stores while their “humans” are shopping. That just doesn’t happen here.

After our walk, we decided to browse around the Musuem of Fine Arts. We didn’t have a lot of time, but we did manage to see some great photography and interesting prints, as well as some impressive Native American pottery and kachinas (donated by the Houston philanthropist, Miss Ima Hogg).

There were a couple of pieces that caught my eye, mainly because of the “faux real” nature of them. One was entitled “To Be or To Pretend” by Adrienne Fernandez, one of a series of photographs featuring plastic fruits and fake flowers, which are not only popular around here, but also “a very Cuban design element.”  The other series focused on prints on plastic, “made of organic matter such as petroleum and natural gasses...”

With its huge petroleum and gas industry, I guess Houston has contributed significantly to the manufacturing of plastics, too. What I find most baffling is that plastic was invented in the mid 19^th century—less than 75 years ago—and is now the most used material in the world.

On the way home, we noticed  two Mustangs weaving in and out of traffic. Turns out they were racing. On the busy freeway. In broad daylight. We saw a flashing light a few miles up the road, and wondered if they had been pulled over, but nope. Just a big, red pick-up truck.