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I think the first time I ate something for money was in college. It wasn’t anything gross, just an odd combination of items. The one that sticks out most was
the apple covered in chili and ketchup for $1.25. Last night Kitty offered me $5 for eating a wadded up portion of her napkin. It wasn’t very flavorful, but at
least it didn’t get stuck in my throat.

Sometimes my food choices are just odd in and of themselves, with no monetary incentive involved. John G is fond of recalling the time at 59 Diner when my meal
consisted of a bowl of navy bean soup, frito pie, and a banana shake.

I am not alone among my circle of friends in doing odd things with food for spare change. Jonathan was persuaded to chug a half-bottle of soy sauce during
Mikado for $5; but the most daring feat must be acknowledged to be George’s doing a shot of honey from a honey bear up each nostril for approximately $12 at one
of our poker games in Austin. He couldn’t smell for several weeks after that, and has blamed his allergies on us ever since.

Also, my brother just reminded me he took and conquered Richard’s Wasabi Challenge solely for the honor of the matter. For details, email him.

While (whilst?) I was visiting Syl in Dublin, I admired a quote she had on her mantle, which she was kind enough to type up and send to me:

Until one is committed there is the chance to draw back;

always ineffectiveness.

Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one

elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless

ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely

commits oneself, then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would not otherwise

have occurred.  A whole stream of events favour all manner

of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material

assistance which no man could have dreamt would come his

way. What ever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, magic and power in it.
Begin it now.

It was attributed to Goethe, but it apparently comes from W. A. Murray’s The Scottish Himalya Expedition, who was inspired by a couplet from a ‘very free’
translation of Goethe’s Faust by John Anster. The full story can be found on the Goethe
Society of America‘s website.

Guess I should mention the whole reason why I was in Hot Springs to begin with. Both performances were great, and were very well received. There were lots of
kids in attendance at each, and I knew we had a winner from their reactions. There is probably no sweeter sound on the planet than that of children
laughing…and there was plenty of it.

After the last show Saturday, we all went to the Brau Haus, which had given assurances the previous visit that they would be serving food when we got out of the
show. Unfortunately, this guarantee didn’t seem to make it to the waitstaff, who insisted that we could only order appetizers. Luckily, I took out insurance in
the form of asking Sarah to grab me a chicken quesadilla at Taco Bell. 🙂 We stayed til about midnight:30, I sang my goodbye song, then we returned to the ASMS
dorm and packed, then played Fool til about 2. Woke up at 5:30 with the help of Janina’s coffee pot, loaded up my stuff and hit the road at 6. It’s almost
exactly 400 miles, so I had time enough to stop in Lufkin for an Egg McMuffin (and to read 40 more pages of The Goblet of Fire) and still get home in time for a
quick nap before rehearsal. All in all, a great experience, and I hope to repeat it.

Friday I convinced Sarah and Elaine to eat at Flappy Jack’s Steak and Pancake Restaurant. I mean, with a name like that, how can you not at least give it a try?
I, of course, had the steak and pancakes, with two eggs over easy and grits. It all was good save the namesake pancakes, which tasted like they were made from
three-day-old batter from a box. As penance, I took them to the shoe store. 😉

Saturday Gennard, Janina, Elaine, Sarah and I went pseudospelunking in the covered up Hot Springs Creek. It used to run down the middle of Central Avenue, but
they needed more lanes of traffic (and still do), so they covered the creek. There is an entrance at the Transportation Depot, and we went in there. The water
was cool, but not uncomfortable. After going about 100 yards, we realized that we needed more than the two flashlights we had, so I ran back to the Youth Center
and borrowed the flashlights from the show. We trudged on, seeing such fauna as a turtles (including one with a shell that was at least 18″ in diameter),
crayfish, perch, and catfish. The water level was a bit high due to rains earlier in the week, so the going was slower than we had planned. The batteries in
the borrowed flashlights were weak after being used in the rehearsals and shows, so we cut our expedition short and came up at the manhole at the beginning of
Bathhouse Row. The expression on people’s faces as we emereged from underground were quite amusing!

After lunch I finally got around to ‘taking the waters,’ and I selected the Arlington for this experience. It was very nice: started off with a soak in a tub of
?40
?C spring water for 15 minutes, with an attnedant who scrubbed my back and legs. Then two classes of hot water for drinking, then 5 minutes in the vapor room
(which was plenty…I like hot, but, man, this was something else!). Next came a lie-down wrapped in sheets with a hot towel placed on my hurt shoulder (from my
fall in Italy), then a massage. I should do this routine before every performance…it was awesome!

I’m sure I’ve remarked on this before, but I truly love storms: be they lightning, wind, thunder, whatever…there power serves as a great reminder of our true
humbleness. Tonight, after tons of rehearsing today, we emerged from the gym-cum-theater to witness a spectacular light show. Lightning bolts leaping from
cloud to cloud from every corner of the sky. I stayed in the parking lot for I don’t know how long watching the display. Very nifty, indeed.