The drive back from San Marcos Saturday evening for BoyGeeding’s team’s state volleyball championship was a breeze. But driving there was a grind. We couldn’t leave until a little after 3 pm, and Friday traffic from Lewisville through Dallas, Waco, and Austin was a killer. On one hand, it’s kinda sweet that all I have to do is take one crossroad to get to I35 and then take that single road straight down, knowing I don’t have to take any exit until we reach our hotel. On the other hand, your driving app has no alternative route to suggest when there’s a traffic jam. And it would be my luck that the worst of it was in front of the most god-awful university in the world in Waco. It was surprising to see so many letters in the name on their somewhat new stadium not lit, as if they were burnt out. Aren’t all stadium and sign lights LED and don’t burn out anymore? It’s the middle of football season and probably the most marquee part of their campus. Absolutely perplexing, but then again, so are most things at that godawful institution.
I’m grateful my possession schedule worked out so I was the parent who had the honor of driving him there and back. It’s a bonding experience that’s immeasurable, and you can’t put a price on it. I’m beyond fortunate to have been able to attend the pep rally the school threw for the team and to watch the early dismissal sendoff, when the players walked the school halls with the drumline in tow as all their classmates stood outside to cheer them on. There’s nothing like being actively involved in your children’s lives and witnessing them happy.
It still boggles my mind how evil a mother must be to fabricate stories and take legal action twice to keep a safe and loving father from setting foot on their children’s school campus or attending any of their extracurricular events. People like them and the family that supports them are pure evil – no ifs, ands, or buts about it. After all that, they still have the nerve to be surprised when you turn down any greeting or engage in casual conversation with them, especially after the judge specifically tells you not to communicate verbally unless it directly involves the children’s well-being.
Few of you will ever know how aggravating and awkward it is to be unable to meet with your child immediately after a child’s activity or sporting event. That, for the child’s benefit, you first wait for the evil side of the family to do their thing and scurry about before you can warmly engage and embrace your child. While I don’t wish my time away and try to relish every part of their youth, there’s a huge part of me who can’t wait for this part of my life to be behind me.
Parents and the team met for lunch at Kerby Lane Cafe. I feared it was going to be some niche place a mom picked out that would be overly packed, with a full parking lot, and a long wait list. I was right. However, I had one of the best breakfasts of my life: the Eggs Francisco – scrambled eggs, bacon, queso, avocado, and sliced tomato on top of a toasted English muffin.
The restaurant overlooked a stream, which the whole team decided to wade in after their meal. It was the clearest water I’ve seen in Texas, which comes from a natural spring or aquifer in the area.
Texas State University had some folks conducting research on an endangered salamander. I was told the tall foliage behind them is Texas rice.
This was my first time in San Marcos, and I fell in love with it. I can imagine myself living there, or anywhere near Austin. I’ve only lived in Mineral Wells, Abilene, and DFW, but I feel my heart in the Hill Country.
There were two matches on Saturday. If they won the first one in the morning, they would play in the state championship game that afternoon. In the morning match, they beat the other team in three straight games. However, in the championship, they only won one of four games. Second place ain’t so bad.
At one point, a volleyball hit this light and knocked the screen loose. I was freaking out that it was going to break free and hit one of the players.
Aligning with President Trump proved disastrous in the midterms. And now that he’s officially a lame duck, you are going to see more and more Republicans turn away from him, and probably help the Democrats keep him accountable. His appointment of Stephen Miller as his new Chief of Staff only reinforces my point.
One thing about last week surprised me: there was no news about the federal government coming in to check what they thought were questionable results.
FAA to eliminate floppy disks from air traffic control by 2028 – The agency will upgrade more than 400 facilities with a modern information system as part of a sweeping technology overhaul.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it will remove floppy disk usage for critical weather and operational data at over 400 air traffic control sites by the end of 2028.
The new Enterprise Information Display System will consolidate data from four separate 1980s-era systems, improving the speed and accessibility of vital flight information for controllers.
Driving the news: Floppy disks, which became obsolete in most industries over 25 years ago and are no longer produced in large quantities, are still in use in the US air traffic control system.
In 2023, Congress approved $12.5 billion to update aging FAA technologies, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has requested an additional $30 billion for further improvements.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated the upgrades will modernize communication by replacing slow, manual methods with real-time sharing of important alerts and reports for air traffic controllers.
