Tweed Texas

The 'Which Way Tree'

  Anyone who knows me knows of my passion for Texas. One of my favorite things to do is explore Texas.  I have been in a love affair with my adopted state since I was barely 18 years old when the US Navy saw fit to send me to Kingsville from New Hampshire.  I have crisscrossed this state at least a dozen times and I never tire of it. I am continually amazed by its geography, flora and fauna and her people.  And as for its history…well…my friend Scott Rylander said it better than anyone has ever said it. He said, “Texas doesn’t so much have a history--it tells a great story.” He’s right. The history of Texas is a great story.

  The story of the Texas Revolution is an interesting story on so many levels. I see it as a tapestry of colorful people, places and improbable events. These were very real people in every sense of the word. They were just as human as you or me. They were afraid of what the future held in store. They knew what it was like to be hungry, to bleed and to take a stand. History is full of little weird anomalies that make you wonder about what was going through this person or that person’s head at a critical moment in time. Those same thoughts struck me recently as I stood under a solitary gigantic oak tree in the now defunct Texas settlement of New Kentucky.

  There is nothing left of this community. Unless you know of its history and location you’d never know it ever existed. Just a few miles west of present day Tomball, TX on FM 2920 there is a tiny park tucked in just off the road. You need to be looking for it if you want to find it. It is New Kentucky Park. What is historically significant about this place is that it is the site of the ‘Which Way Tree’ and a well.

  I pride myself on knowing a good bit about Texas. I’m a voracious reader of Texas books and materials but I can honestly say I was surprised that I had never heard the story before or if I had, I’d mysteriously forgotten it. I’d like to share the story with you now. It’s really not a long story…just a quirk in history but for me fascinating.

  As for the 'Which Way Tree'... During the TX revolution after the Alamo fell, the government and the army fled to the east as part of what we know as the 'Runaway Scrape.' Sam Houston was trying to keep his army together and one step ahead of Santa Ana. The road from Washington-on-the-Brazos forked at the settlement of New Kentucky. Sam Houston's army stopped there around midday April 16, 1836. One road led east to the Trinity and the Sabine rivers. The other road led to Harrisburg (you know it as Houston today). On that site was a gigantic oak tree with limbs pointing to each of the 2 roads. Houston and his men camped under the tree enjoying the protection from the elements offered by its expansive canopy. As Houston pondered his options and strategy, at some point, Sam supposedly looked at the tree and decided to go in the direction of the limb pointing toward Harrisburg. That road led the ragtag little army five days later to victory at San Jacinto and the Republic of Texas was born. The gigantic oak still stands there today in that tiny park. There is also a well that Sam and his men supposedly drew their water.

  As I stood there under that tree, I couldn't help but be moved knowing that Sam Houston stood in that same spot just over 173 yrs ago. I could easily visualize him standing there weighing his options and struggling with a making a decision. As I said those folks were just as human as the rest of us. That unmarked tree is the 'Which Way Tree. It helped Sam Houston determine which way to go. Maybe a minor quirk in our history but something fun to ponder. I can't speak for you but some days I wish I had a 'Which Way Tree' to help me make up my mind.

  The only more significant tree in Texas is ‘Treaty Oak’ in Austin. Someday I’ll tell you about that tree too.  I was there when that loon tried to kill it by poisoning it back in the 80’s. I could easily see the tree from my KVET control room window overlooking Lamar Boulevard. I watched it die slowly every day until heroic efforts were made to save what they could of it. Thanks for sharing your time with me.

Putting the Wraps On Another Year

   I was at the bank today taking care of some business when I realized that today is the 15 of December ALREADY!  How the hell did we get here so fast? It is incredible. Fact is, it's here. It has been a year of change for me and my speaking business. I have spoken more this year than in the past and it will only get busier. I'm looking forward to it. I have three speaking engagements lined up for January and two more in February.
  I'm sure there are speakers out there who are concerned the the current economic climate is going drive the speaking business down. I'm not so quick to buy into that logic and here's why. I saw this same phenomenon take place a few times while I was in radio.  Here's how it works every time.
  Whenever the naysayers start talking about how bad the economy is going to get, the media is all over it and gets everyone else talking about how bad the economy is or is going to be...people start talking gloom & doom and recession and after awhile the consumers start cutting back and the next thing you know, the economy starts to slow down. Why? It's a mindset. If I learned anything in my college Economics classes is that the economy is nothing more than a state of mind. Yes, there are real things happening to real people BUT so much of all this financial stuff is brought on by people--people who are wanting to line their own pockets or perhaps they don't have a clue about what they are doing. Everything is cyclical.  But these tough economic cycles don't have to be as bad as they are if people would just keep their heads.
   What would happen in radio was that advertisers upon hearing of the oncoming recession or slowdown, they would pull back and  after they quit advertising, sure enough their sales dropped and dropped to the point that they felt the pinch and cut back on everything like everyone else. Finally it gets to the point that they don't know what to do next. Finally, they decide, "Maybe I need to do some advertising to draw in some business." So what do they do?  The begin to advertise again. And what do you suppose happens?  They get more business!  Well, duh!  If they had continued to advertise when everyone else was pulling back, how do you suppose they would have done? Probably better than everyone else who had cut back.
  I see the speaking business the same way. When times get tough, good speakers and presenters have an obligation to inspire people to do their best. It is in tough times that people need support, inspiration and to remain focused on the job or goal ahead.  People need some inspiration and their motivation reinforced from time to time. As speakers we can make a difference in people lives.  We may not completely connect with every single person in the room, although that is a worthwhile target to shoot for but we do connect with enough to bring about change. The past presidential platform was run on the goal of change.
   As event planners look ahead to 2009, I'd submit, this is NOT the time to be scaling back on speakers but to push forward and book even more. You want and need your people to be motivated when times are perceived as difficult. We are doing  a disservice to the country and ourselves if we buy into a down trodden defeatist attitude. We cannot afford to harbor those attitudes. Regardless we all live in the greatest country on earth.
  As speakers we need to walk the talk and get out there and do what we do best...making a difference in people's lives.

There's Snow Place Like Home

  Well here is it is. The season is upon us once again. I figured when I moved to Houston that I'd never see snow again. Was I wrong or what?  Now granted it was nothing like snow you'd see in the panhandle or around Lubbock BUT it WAS snow. It started here about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and lasted for about an hour. A friend and I decided to go out and look at some of the Christmas lights and it started snowing again around  8 pm. It only left a dusting but it was fun to see again. I'm sure it was the lead story in the news. It wasn't anything like the snow I grew up with in Norman Rockwell's America but for a few hours it was fun to see it again.
  That reminds me. I wrote a piece last year and sent it out to friends at Christmas time. It is a Christmas story that relates a real life incident that happened in my life. It is a funny and poignant story about my family at Christmas time. It's called The Christmas Tree.  It is about a pivotal moment in my life and the ugliest Christmas tree ever displayed in a home. If you would like a copy of it, it's free. Just email me at Tweed@TweedScott.com and ask me a bout it and I will send to you. It's the kind of story where you can pour yourself a glass of wine or eggnog and enjoy it by the fire. It is my gift to you this holiday season. Just drop me an email and it's yours. My way of saying thank you for dropping by my blog.
   I tend to look back at this time of year and reminisce about the Christmases past. Those thoughts always center around people...most of which aren't here anymore. My parents are gone now...have been for several years but I always seem to miss them most this time of year. I have so many pleasant memories centered around them.
   I just recently caught up with an old friend from my radio days in Austin through this blog. She's now firmly ensconced in Iowa with an eye toward Minnesota. We shared some great memories of radio when it was really fun to be in the business. Susan, thanks for finding me.

   Finally, I just want to close wishing you and yours the warmest and best wishes for Christmas. I have no love for political correctness. If you don't believe in God or Christianity, or believe in a different way, that's your right and you are entitled to it. I happen to believe in GOD and Jesus Christ. I wouldn't be who I am or where I am with out them. So please don't take it personal if I wish you a Merry Christmas. If wishing you a Merry Christmas offends you...well get over yourself. It's about the sentiment and the spirit of the salutation...not the small print.   Reminds me of that old saw that I learned from a lawyer...The large print giveth...and the small print taketh away. 

   Anyway...Merry Christmas and let's all have a spectacular 2009.  In the meantime, take care of your precious selves.

 

 

Moment in Time

Today's date will forever hold a special meaning for me. 29 years ago today, I lived through an experience that had a great impact on my life. Anyone who was present will never forget it either. I'm referring to the Lawton, OK-Wichita Falls, TX tornadoes.  To this day it is still 'Terrible Tuesday.' It was every bit of that and more. I was the newly appointed Operations Manager of KLAW in Lawton, OK. I had been on the job for 8 days. This station was woefully under equipped for the events of that day; however, I cannot commend my makeshift staff enough for their unselfish efforts in making a difference in an untold number of lives.  The day was cloudy and oppressively muggy the whole day. Around 3:30 that afternoon we received word that Vernon, TX had been hit by a super cell and by all indications, it was coming our way. By 5 o'clock the tornado cell was upon us and ripped through the SSW portion of the city and exited out the east side killing 3 people.

An hour later, a behemoth of a storm, a cell that would dwarf the Lawton twister tore through Wichita Falls, killing 46 people. It rolled over Memorial Stadium on Southwest Parkway and headed on toward several neighborhoods, leveling 'Faith Village', a neighborhood filled with small houses built shortly after WWII. The funnel was at least a half mile wide and stayed on the ground uninterrupted for at least 6 miles. It ripped a path on toward Sikes Center Mall grazing Midwestern University later playing itself out some 47 miles later near Waurika, OK. It made 20% of the town of roughly 100,000 uninhabitable. There were 20,000 people who found themselves instantly homeless.

  My radio station was owned by the operators of KVET/KASE in Austin, TX and they sent me to Wichita Falls about 40 miles south of us to get some audio from witnesses and officials. After getting my media credentials, I  walked through several neighborhoods both in Lawton and in Wichita Falls. The only way I can describe what I saw was that it was a physical experience for me. I had never seen anything like it in my life. This was the embodiment of total destruction. I literally wanted to vomit. I stood in these neighborhoods and saw people still walking around stunned by their surroundings. I felt horrible for just being there. These people had lost everything. I had lost nothing. I was actually ashamed to be there doing my job. Tornadoes have a way of taking life out of context. We all learn through association. Tornadoes put things together in such a way that although you see it, your mind has great difficulty accepting what it sees.

  The experience had a huge impact on me. I was determined from that moment on. Any radio station I ran would make a absolute commitment to weather coverage. As I stated in my book, Texas In Her Own Words, the weather in Texas runs between the serene and the majestically violent. I know that for a fact. I saw it myself--first hand. I still think back to that time every year on this date. I think about all those people that died that day in two states. I also remember how the experience changed me for forever.  I'll take those events with me to the grave. As a result, Lawton and Wichita Falls will always hold a special place in my heart. I could tell you many stories about what happened, when it happened and the people involved. If you want to know more, contact me through my email, Tweed@TweedScott.com and I'd be happy to share with you. In the meantime, take care of your precious selves.

As the Season Turns

Thanksgiving has come and gone...again. It was rather quiet at home. Dinner was exquisite as usual and the Cowboys won. That much was good. As I mentioned in the previous post, I went to Beaumont to serve as a pallbearer with 5 other Delta Sigma Pi fraternity brothers at my friend, Mike Morgan's funeral. We've all known each other anywhere between thirty & thirty-five years. It was a shock to actually lose one of our own. Mike was a class act. He touched a lot of people. That was obvious by the number of people who attended the funeral and the graveside services in Port Neches in a driving rain.The conditions were miserable but then, it was a miserable day. There we, the 6 pallbearers sat--not a dry eye among us. Yeah, we loved him.
 

  I've tried to get my head wrapped around what I need to be doing. I am already beginning to set up speaking opportunities for 2008. I have four speaking dates locked in for next year going all the way into November. There are still a few gigs that have not been locked down but appear to be solid. My goal for 2008 is to be successful my first full year of working solely as a speaker. I will go anywhere in Texas to speak. I'm also developing a couple of programs that I can deliver anywhere in the country. I don't deny it for a second, I love to speak about Texas---I call spreading the Gospel of Texas.

   A couple of years ago I had a business coach. We had several discussions centered around 'Are you a writer who speaks or are you a speaker who writes? I'm a speaker who writes. Yes,  I will continue to write. However, one of my greatest joys is to be in front of an audience with the potential to change lives for the better. One thing I have always known,--maybe it's all that time in radio--it's all about the audience. My job is to deliver information that they can use in an entertaining format. I must admit, I love hearing an audience laugh. But I also love seeing that 'light' go on in their eyes. Granted, it may only be a 40 watt bulb but a new light nonetheless.

  Before I close, I want to thank the Friends of the Library in San Saba for the great hospitality, friendship and generosity. Zee & I were there on Tuesday Nov. 20th. We had a ton of fun delivering our 'Inventing Texas' speech and pieces of the Texas Mantra speech.  My next appearance is scheduled for the Alamo on Saturday, Dec. 1st between 10 & 2. If you're around San Antonio, please drop by. I'd love to meet you and shake your hand. In the meantime, take care of your precious selves. Texas Forever!

Down Time

It's time to take advantage of some 'down time.' That doesn't mean there isn't always something to do. Since my last post, I've done the 1st annual Manor Book & Arts Festival in Manor, TX. It's put on by an author friend of mine, Kim Taylor. It was small but that's not uncommon for the first event like this.  It's always good to support a friend's endeavor. We're looking for even more success next year.

I also did the 1st annual Burnet Book Festival in Burnet, TX. I have never been to a book event where the authors were so pampered and treated so well. The folks in Burnet have really done a bang up job for their first time out. We sold some books but made some wonderful contacts. Mark it on your calendar for next year--third weekend in October. Nothing quite like the Texas Hill country in the fall.

  I also want to thank the Pflugerville Rotary Club for asking me to play in their annual Celebrity Golf Tournament for charity. I understand they made a lot of money for the Children's Hospital. Good for them.  My week has been spent meeting with other authors in various stages of publication. I met with Suzanne Freyjadis-Chuberka who is the author of a Young Adult novel about female pirates...there were a bunch of them by the way. She's looking for an agent...so if you just happen to know YA agent looking for a manuscript...lemme know, I'll get them hooked up.

Another former work colleague has started her own publishing company. Dana Smith and I once worked at Hoovers.com together. It's a long story (for another day) but she was instrumental in the transition of that company's transistion from printed books to an online reference company. It was crazy in the early days. I know, I was there. Dana has formed, Texana Publishing. She offers several services to writers and potential authors. I can promise you this about her...her rates are reasonable and she knows the business of publishing. If you don't get a grip on the business side of publishing...you WILL be behind the 8-ball. You DON'T want to be there. Let her help you. You can reach her at www.TexanaPublishing.com and tell her I sent ya. I don't get anything for the recommendation except the satisfaction of knowing I've helped someone go down the right road to publication.

On tap now is the Texas Author Speak seminar in Salado this Saturday. It's for a group of Texas authors who want to speak to groups, organizations or schools. I'm pleased to be a charter member. Speaking of membership, I was just recently voted onto the Writer's League of Texas Board of Directors. I pray I'm worthy of the honor. I promise to bust my hiney to do a good job in that capacity. I do promise this much...I will listen intently to the members.  Well that's it for now.  Think about it...if you need a speaker...drop me a line.  Talk to you soon.

Time & Turning Corners

Time is something that has always fascinated me. One of my most prized possessions is a copy of Robert Frost's poem, 'The Road Not Taken.'  I fancy myself as having traveled down that path less traveled by. As I traveled down that path, over time it became a road with a far off destination. Years have passed since I took my first tentative steps. As I look in my rear view mirror, that path reflects a virtual six-lane-wide super highway replete with people, places and life altering experiences. I smile.

What fascinates me most is how people come and pass through our lives. That in any given moment in time, people share a space or an experience and then move on. Think about it. Say five people meet for conversation at a local coffee bar.  The experience of that meeting--that moment in time, will never ever happen exactly that way again. Surely they can meet the following week at the same time and place but it will not be the same. It happens to us every day. People come and go through our lives. Some stay longer while others are never seen or thought of again. I have always been struck with how transient live is, even if you've lived in the same place your whole life.

So as people come into our lives, I think we need to be more cognizant, more aware of the preciousness of that moment. My friend, Steve Harper, the creator of the Ripple Effect is on to something. It is about connecting with each other. Just as the early settlers & pioneers of Texas were needy people. They needed each other to survive. Come to think of it, so are we. Not much has changed.

  My speaking business continues to grow and turn the corner. i recently spoke at lakeshore Library at lake Buchanan, TX to the library patrons. Great crowd, enthusiastic and generous. I love hearing people laugh as much as I enjoy seeing them experience that "ah-ha" moment. We did the Manor Literary & Arts Festival and we'll be in Burnet, this weekend for another book festival. The speaking opportunities continue to come in. Thank you for that. I get to spread what I call the 'Gospel of Texas.' This is a special place enjoyed by special people. Thanks for stopping by. I'm off to cross a few more paths.

Catching up

It has been awhile since I have been on here but that is about to change. Texas is built by people who overcame unimaginable hardships. you had to earn the right to live in Texas. You earned it by surviving. The early settlers faced tow options everday of their lives. First, they could quit, lie down and die OR get up, dust themselves off and say, "Well, THAT didn't work--now, HOW do we make it happen? These people were blessed with what I call the 'T-Chromosome.'  They absolutely refused to accept defeat. They developed a perseverance and adopted an attitude that virtually anything is possible if you just stick with it. They formed a singleminded perseverance and banded together. You see, the early Texans were needy people. They needed each other. You couldn't make it here alone. You needed your neighbor and your neighbor needed you. They adjusted their attitude about nearly everything, then took the next critical step--Thye began to believe in themselves--I'm talking Believe with a capital B. Once they believed they accomplish what ever they needed to, they grew this unbridled confidence that led them to HOW anything got done. After awhile, it became a way of life. The Can-do attitude is something that can be developed by anyone willing to commit themselves to a goal.

The Third Texas Trait

The third Texas trait is actually related to the second trait. As you recall, the second trait was tied the state's education system...the teaching of Texas history in the public schools. The third trait is what happens at home. If your family goes back two, three, five, seven generations, whatever...There is a good chance the children have heard the stories of your own relatives--from within your own family histories and those relative's exploits around Texas. When those stories get fused or reinforced by what they learn in school, children just naturally grow up knowing they are part of something romantic, heroic and special. It is at that age that Texans begin to deeply realize that they belong to something bigger than they are.  That's important right there...that simple fact that they know they belong to something special is something deeply psychological. That immediately sets them apart from many of their counterparts in other states. Children buy into the legends and myths that are Texas.

I'm sure the entire process is way more complicated than what is mentioned here. I can only tell you what I've seen first hand. make no mistake, the Texas image of both the state and Texans themselves are a constant 'work in progress.'  In the next post I'll tell you what may be the most surprising trait. Once you understand it...you'll see why it makes so much sense. Until then...Texas Forever!

The Second Texas Trait

Hopefully you've started to follow this string of thoughts about why Texans are the way they are...where all that attitude comes from. In the course of doing my research for my book Texas In Her Own Words, I discovered that all Texans share at least four common traits. In the last post I told you that the first trait was Texans possess a huge amount of pride because Texas was once its own country. That is a part of their identity--it's who they are.

The second trait is based on their education. Texas is one of the few states in the union where the state's history is so heavily mandated by the public schools system. It is the law in Texas...children will be taught Texas History in the 4th grade, the 7th grade, some school districts teach it again the 11th. You will not graduate from a state college without taking a semester of Texas Politics nor will you teach in this state without taking that course. Texas History is that important in Texas. Two things are accomplished by this..a reinforcement of the Texas traditions and that Texas pride. The next trait is tied directly to this educational value.  Look for that post tomorrow.  In the meantime, Texas Forever!